The red-lights of the Barran thrummed to life before the repulsorlifts kicked on, a flicker in the vehicle's power before finally the beast that was this Infantry Fighting Vehicle full emerged into machine-consciousness. Each side of the troop bay was lined with six troopers in their myriad of remnant 'Storm' armor, the poorly camoflaged pieces scrawled with simple but direct phrases, 'HAIL EMPIRE', 'VENGEANCE', 'CULL THE WEAK'. This host of the Lost and the Damned all now clad in Imperial steel. The Galaxy's worst re-armed and reignited with the dead skin of a fallen regime.
They were dregs, the lot of them. At least, they were when they so desperately clamored to Kroeger. Beneath that dreadful visage that was the Stormtrooper's gaze, they were soldiers all. Worthy to don the armor to which so many had sweat, toiled, bled and died to piece together on Adumar in the days of the Order. Days long gone, forgotten, dead.
But even still, its ghost walked clad in plasteel with rifles in their hands and hate in their hearts. Within the turret of the vehicle, Kroeger manned the reins of the vehicle, hand grasping the commander's controls of the turret, swaying its independent viewer back and forth with the steady roll of the Barran. In tandem with the Mandalorian drop assault, Iron Will would be laying siege from the ground. With a battery of
'Imperators' in fire support, Kroeger advanced with his Stormtroopers embarked unto
Barran-class IFVs with his own platform of choice, the
XT-90M Cataphract (s) in support along with
Mantellska ADA guns and
'Condor'-class Gunships in support.
<"Demon-Six, this is Krayt-Six, we've hit phase line 'Dubrillion', eyes on GA, civilians, whole nine yards. Have vessels exfiltrating for evacuation. No doubt 'Cloaks' are here. Dropping my dismounts now and moving in."> One of Kroeger's subordinate commanders relayed to him, the most forward element reaching the outskirts of the city, the stormtroopers clammoring from the troop bays of their IFVs, headed into the city proper ahead of their transports to secure a foothold and sweep the area of any anti-tank threats before the IFVs could bound in behind them and provide fire support.
<"Good copy."> He said, pulling up the tactical display map on his command console, showing the active movement of his units as well as any Mandalorians who had taken the care to attach themselves to his system. On Kroeger's display, the city was broken down into a Grid Reference System, the city broken down into sectors and each sector broken down by each individual building, making snappy communication between the various units under his command a breeze. As confusing and chaotic as urban warfare was, they wouldn't have that problem.
<"Hellfire this is Demon, Krayt is in the city, fire target number Aurek-Besh 5050. How copy?"> He relayed to his gun battery which echoed the message. Within ten seconds, with guns laid on that target to begin with, the horrific screech of airburst mass driver rounds smacked the air above several key landing pads across the city, strategic terrain features identified by Kroeger's map recon hours prior in the hopes of slaying evacuation transports, the civilians clammoring to them and the GA elements defending them
<"Demon elements keep advancing. Bound by platoon. All 'Red' platoons establish support by fire to cover all 'White' and 'Black' platoons. Get your dismounts up as high as they can with 'Arbalest' OPs. Prioritize military targets but smack every evac vessel they have. Iron wills it."> He said over the net. As command element, he assigned his anti-aircraft batteries to himself, positioning them meticulously for the best line of sight of escaping GA air assets. Their mass driver cannons and guided missiles would fire out in hatred for military vessels first but whenever the sky was unsaturated, civilian transports were next.
His gunner next to him tapped him on the shoulder. <"We're at Phase Line 'Bastion', sir."> He said to which Kroeger nodded.
<"Demons. Dismount!"> He commanded before following suite himself, pressing the hatch release before he stood atop the Barran, eyeing the chaotic violence of the city fight before him as his men rushed out, marching up in line with the Barrans and Cataphracts who took up support-by-fire roles for the Stormtroopers rushing into the streets.
An eerily familiar, ever dreaded sight opposite of the Galactic Alliance troopers, Jedi and populace. The Storm. Kroeger crawled from atop his command vehicle, rifle lazily slung over his chest and walked upright, slow and nigh apathetic with a contempt for danger. As soon as he approached his command squad tucked up against the corner of a building waiting to bound forward, he pulled off his helmet and sparked a cigarette, peaking out to appraise the state of the assault.
Nos Voros
