Pieces On The Chess Board || TSE Wargames

[Vestille Thumahra]

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IMPERIAL LEGION TRAINING GROUNDS, BASTION​

13:00 GALACTIC STANDARD TIME​

THEME​

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Even the best could be improved upon.​

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It was no secret that the Sith Empire had been expanding, planet after planet falling into their grasp. With it, came new species subjugated under the banner of their new overlords of the Dark Side and the matters of tribute of resources and manpower. New enlistees took the pledge and underwent their training to become Legionaries, much akin to those that had come to their home and set it alight on their path of conquest. They had no choice; serve or die, at least within the ranks of the Sith Legion and Armada they could find some semblance of release by servitude, unleashing their hatred of their disposition upon those natives they found on the other planets-- Glory and other rewards filling their minds with encouragement; the spark that allowed the indoctrination to take hold and seep its way in like a parasite, soon making those men and women of various species into proud warriors of the Empire.​

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For those new recruits, their time in boot camp would pale in comparison to what the battlefield was really like. Many who crawled through the twisting misery of the battlefield would find it as their resting ground, those who survive and bloody themselves remained blooded, cemented within the ranks of the Legion and the potential climb upon the ladder should one prove themselves worthy. With so many new units being formed and deployed, thanks to the ceaseless conquest of the Sith Empire and its military might, trying to set the standard for such a sheer number of troops can prove difficult. Fortunately, there was a solution. One man and his ceaseless service to the Empire; albeit this time, it was to be in a more passive setting rather than in the thick of it.​

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General Thumahra had watched and waited, having spent the past few days rearranging the landscape of his chosen location to form something akin to a working area of operations for his test. Wargames, as it was to be labeled; a chance for those fresh out of the training facilities to be put into a stressful situation to gauge their combat readiness and those who were already seasoned veterans improve their skills in areas they may have found lacking and perhaps even show their potential to the man who would become the eye in the sky for the duration of his 'experiment'. This was no small scale thing; he had brought the Golden Company to act as opposition as well as supplying them with elements of the 7th Field Army. It was intended to be an elite formation of OpFor against the untested and blooded alike, a challenge. Should they be able to overcome the obstacles put before them, they would certainly impress the man who had recently risen to prominence. A large open field and what appeared to be a fortress beyond, fully decorated within. A gauntlet that would pit sharp minds against one another. All those that were attending were dropped off at their positions at their starting point, the officers stationed their providing them with the details of their operation:​

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Step One: Open Field Engagement​

Step Two: Siege Engagement​

Step Three: Urban Close Quarters Battle​

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The games were soon to begin.​

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OOC:​

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Welcome to this little fun place where Sith Legion and Armada folks can come together and take part in wargames to show off and improve their skills, meet their brothers and sisters in arms and whatever else you want to take out of it. This OOC section is to just covered any potential questions I can think of at the time. If your question is not answered, hit me up on Discord or through PMs.​

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Y'all will be split into two teams; Team One will be ground forces whilst Team Two will be aerial forces. I know you guys are pretty good at indicating which team you're on but please make sure to have it in the post somewhere so things don't get confused. This engagement will be using stun rounds and a markerlight system for the air combat; meaning that if your fighter gets 'tagged', you will be forced to land and will be out of the engagement. Myself and Khonsu and his Golden Company will be running your OpFor for this thread so if there are any questions, do feel free to ask either myself or Khonsu and we'll be sure to help you out.​

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IC'ly, we have made this a difficult obstacle to overcome and will do everything in our power to stop you from obtaining victory. Consider this an OOC opportunity to learn how to write PVP or improve your skills at it but ultimately we want y'all to have fun and that's the number one priority.​

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Remember, any questions or concerns, feel free to come to me over Discord or forum PMs. Good luck!​

 

[Keira Cerdulan]

Well wasn't this exciting?

Not as fun as blowing eachother up though, Keira had to admit that completely. No fun flying an interceptor if there wasn't at least a 50% chance of being evaporated when you get tapped by a laser cannon. Meh, Markers would have to do: maybe show some of Mastiff Squadron's mettle, this had become a matter of fragile pride very quickly when in the presence of other Imperials, only other Imperials, no enemies to blast or distract themselves with.

The dirty little underworld rats were going to show their mettle, Keira was in that mindset at least: she couldn't say a single thing for the rest of the squadron, but she was young compared to them, less experienced in this field and infinitely more hotheaded: reputation had a gross amount of weight to her when she didn't have enough booze to distract herself with.

Currently she was fixing the new markers to her Interceptor. Grunting away as she worked, she wasn't much of a mechanic: but she sure as all hell wasn't going to get into a new and shiny one or let one of those random mechanics go and touch her baby. Amusing enough that she felt such a strong connection just to a starfighter, sure it was a starfighter she almost died in constantly, but a hunk of metal nonetheless.

 

[Mythos]

An open field, the entire damn 7th field army, all this for training. Mythos considered it absolutely fascinating and would never once miss an opportunity to engage in open war with his newly formed Vornskr Legion, green troops from the worlds of Nathema, Florn, Dellalt and of course Ankhypt and the worlds of the Ancient Eye. It was a simple thing to adapt the tools of war for training purposes, it was an easier thing to allow previous training just to take flight with his more seasoned and experienced troops like the NSF and the Marinos. Bringing the rest of the legion to operational efficiency however was another thing entirely, Mythos knew what was needed in order to win wars, in essence you had to be better at being miserable. War is hell and Mythos was going to bring that hell even if it was in a simulation.

Stationing in an open field was a madmans call, luckily Mythos was with the officer as they were dropped off and debriefed. The Molok legion was here, the Anubian force sensitive warriors, The Marinos, The NSF and the Vornskr Naval Fleet as well, all the soldiers Mythos had recently brought together cobbled from the worlds he had a hand in conquering alongside the Sith Empire. Legionnaers present, Mythos lead them all donning in golden armor and the infamous Ax of Adas. The morale of Mythos' troops were unmatched, as he walked through their ranks they all felt the pride and power of serving under his command. He made it a point to always fight beside his men side by side and shoulder to shoulder, even going as far as to uncharacteristically for a sith risk his own life for theirs as he did in Chazwa and in Commenor. The golden glow of the aurodium armor shined deep through the armor and into the spirit, together they held the banner of the Molok legion, together they were strong.

"Set up parameters, every infantryman in a foxhole. Simple tasks, battle drill alpha and don't bunch up" He said, speaking particularly to a squad of special operation weapon specialists from the marinos. "and when entering and clearing inside jungle bunkers, be safe and go incendiary if there are no previously established ROE's. I am not sure if that will come in handy today but you six keep down till we hit the structure. I will need you then."

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[Darth Empyrean]

Allied Command
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Major Dorian Harper.

That was his imperial name at least, but the inclusion of his ‘Darth’ title often took prominence over his military title, which suited Maliphant just fine. Being raised in the imperial academies and trained with the knowledge of a Sith, there was more pride in a ‘Darth’ title than his otherwise important role within the Imperial military. Today however, he would go by his birth name rather than his Sith moniker, as the implications meant far more here.

As the allied forces, that which were on his side during the engagement, began to fall in on situation; he idled towards the holonet display of the area. A topographic, holographic representation of forces both scouted by OpFor, and friendly forces all lit up; a tactical tool that allowed a direct and actively responsive overview of the engagement, something he would very likely need all things considered. With the likes of the 7th Field Army and the Golden Company serving as opposition, Maliphant understood all too well that what they faced was more on par with a ‘orbital bombard’ target than anything ground focused; though something similar took place on the planet of Comenor not to long ago, something he was apart of, though not on a macro level.

Glancing over it once more, he watched as the allied forces lit up as they set their holonet anchors, each carefully beginning to locate their forces on the field just as Maliphant had; though with the rank of Major, he was finally given a chance to prove himself in large scale leadership. He’d studied, though much of it didn’t add up to real world experience; and it would be his greatest downside, so instead he’d cheat.

Cheat in the ways only a Sith knew how.

That would be later however, as Maliphant quickly understood his abilities would mean little without first crossing the field and getting at the walls. So, the first task was to separate his Battalion into their respective teams; each with their own established goal.

Artillery Column A, “Longshot” - 100%
Six (6) AT-AW

The first of his maneuvers would be to have half of his artillery emplacements, a few token guns capable of distant firing arcs, to shoot reflec littered smoke across his section of the open field. If he commanded an army, covering most approaches would be easy, but that simply wasn’t the case here. Covering a large area was the primary concern, enough to disguise the movement of his troops from not only sensors, but visual sight, and any conceived types of sensory equipment, most seeing the cloud as a massive shroud of static.

After every few shots, the teams would adjust their position; ensuring that any air support or otherwise wouldn’t home in on their position too quickly, and open them up for an assault.

Armor Column A, “Wildboar” - 100%
One (1) AT-SP
Two (2) Carnivore Class
Four (4) Claymore Class

Troop Column A, “Chosen” - 100%
300 Men (Various Loadouts)

To lead the charge, the first of the armor columns moved with the largest section of his vehicle compliments. Their job was to push the center, driving a path through the sensor masking shroud to lay siege to a single section of the wall. Their path was direct, actively monitored and controlled by internal, somewhat archaic, compass and maps that allowed for the groups to move without the need of their own sensor equipment; an eye for an eye it seemed.

Their path was slow, and would take some time to come out the other side, but it was enough for the moment; the slow trudge towards the auxiliary gate their main priority.

Armor Column B, “Tecumsah” - 100%
One (1) Carnivore Class
Two (2) Claymore Class

Troop Column B, “Wraith” - 100%
200 Men (Various Loadouts)
Heavy Duty Scaling Equipment
Backup Breach Charges to Enter Structure

The other armor column was a token force by comparison, though it still was capable of damage within itself. Their goal was an oblique styled command sent to the side to compensate, while the primary attachment would do the heavy lifting, they were there to either catch the enemy by surprise, or breach an otherwise unmanned wall; whichever came first. Backed by troops of varying training levels, they were sent outwards to strike the wall near 45 degrees from where the initial force would hit, all the while staying hidden in their mask.

They were not destined for a gate, but a wall. There were fortifications in place to slow them, but they’d do little as the Artillery teams rained down their protective blanket.

Spoiler: TL;DR

Main force heading through sensor / imagery masking smokescreen to cover the majority of the field, moving to come back out the other side facing down the auxillery gate. A second detachment, smaller than the first, moves on the wall a few hundred meters from the first team, all the while actively covered by smokescreen. No offensive shots have been fired as of yet.

[member="Mythos"] │ [member="Keira Cerdulan"] │ [member="Vestille Thumahra"]

 

[Mythos]

It had begun, moving forward with no cover other than smoke the forces of [member="Darth Maliphant"] made the opening move. Mythos took advantage and began to order in his line behind the ground Maliphant just moved through, defensive structures. If there was cover, any cover, Mythos headed there or built it. "He's mad, or knows something i don't, either way the burning remains of his armor will be the cover and concealment for this battle." Mythos sought to remain small and use the armor that he had, the forces that he had, as far away from a column or concentrated numbers of any kind as possible. The first to move were his scouts, The Anubian Scout Regiment, they used speeders and their natural physical abilities to go further over ledges and perches, hang faster and move quicker, to get a first view of enemy forces with their advanced C.A.R.G.S. systems. "Get the scouts over a click, use the smoke as cover and bound back, get as much sightings and images of the enemy as possible, report on their positions but do not engage or take any incoming fire unnecessarily."

1st Anubian Scout Regiment- 100%
(1x) Thrawn Battle Tank.
(9x) Combat Speeders

The Marinos were next, they were not in any way suited or trained for this type of combat so Mythos sent them as an attachment to the 2nd Armored division which in itself was scattered in defensive fighting positions that dug their hellhounds and thrawns deep into the ground, a tactic perfected in Ankyptian sands. "Attach the Marinos to the rear defensive line of the 2nd AD, I want every grav shovel and archimedes droid in the division either building new fortified fighting positions or improving the ones already done." His word was law, as he spoke he aimed the mighty Ax of Adas to where he wished his forces would move and so they did, like extensions of his own undying will, they moved. They however were the support for the real firepower that Mythos brought with him, attaching them to the more fast and maneuverable Hellhounds and Thrawns, the AT-SP. With this Mythos sought to draw out the enemy, these massive behemoths worked as a real threat to the enemy fortress and no doubt they would draw their fire... but above the sky was his real weapon, invisible...

The Molok Legion 2nd Armored Division (attached with the Marinos)
(x8) Thrawn Battle Tanks
(12x) Hell Hound IFV's
(x3) AT-SPs

Far removed was the real killer of nations Mythos brought, the hammer of Angramar, a legendary Artillery division. Using a civilian freighter support called the cliffords, the Hammer of Angramar units were able to employ, arm and engage their weapons before the battle had started and the sheer firepower that they could deliver was devastating, it could end any mass conflict with a correct use of it's salvos Mythos knew. He had to be wise enough to chose when to deploy them as firing them now would advise his opponent of their location and thus make them easy to destroy. "Contact the hammer and have them link up with the scout C.A.R.G.S. display, order the load of simulation baradium bisulfate bombs, they are not clear to engage, weapons on yellow."

The Hammer of Angramar Artillery Division.
(6x) MA-45 Artillery pieces.
(x3) Clifford-Class freighters.

Finally there was Mythos' own, the Golden Legion, the banner of his forces. In the center of his own operations working independently from his fellow Sith was Mythos' Molok Forces, the elite of his infantry. They carried with them only the necessary vehicles to move quickly and used their hellhound and thrawn tanks for rapid deployment, shock attacks and tactical retreats. Each unit of six soldiers had with them an area of operations of a thousand meters, each of them separated and in communications using their vehicles D-Tek systems. Each of those units brought with them special equipment for building defensive positions and specialized gear for this phase of the operation. It was a main body force compromised of mostly light infantry of the most elite class lead by Mythos and his personal guard, The NSF, sometimes called the National Security Force but originally named the Nubian Strike Force. The rest of the body was compromised of Anubian, Dellaltian, Lamparoid, Human, Atrisian and Sii-Ruuk legionnaires that compromised the Vornskr Legion. They came from all the galaxy but together their held a fierce loyalty to the Empire, to Mythos, a thirst for war and a solid foundation of training.

Mythos turned to his right hand commander, an Anubian Sorcerer named Anok-eh while in his own defensive fighting position. "Molok legion is clear to engage any targets, once we have a place to fall back into we move into cover and concealment."

The Molok Legion (Attached with the NSF)
- (x3) Thrawn Battle Tanks
- (x3) Hellhound IFVs
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[Fiolette Fortan]

Bastion

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Imperial Legion Training Grounds
[member="Mythos"] | [member="Darth Maliphant"]
[member="Vestille Thumahra"] | [member="Khonsu Amon"]


Captain Tarkin looked Fiolette over a moment, "look proper now don't we?"

"I suppose," she replied standing in the advanced armor. Traditionally he would have thought this absurd, an admiral down on the ground in armor with a sword and gun, but then this was Fiolette. She bore arms with him down on Asation. The boarding attempt while in command of the War Fleet back on Dubrillion had shifted the woman's views. He could scarcely blame her, most naval officers had the basics of combat but are typically ill prepared. Having to rely on the marines or stormtroopers to help them, and here she was. Captain Ranulph Tarkin noted the pistol, it was First Order. He considered it useless in the grand scheme of things but the man didn't feel like telling an admiral she couldn't bring her toy. The imperial virbosword and service dagger were also noted, "here." He said handing her a rifle, "don't need to explain how that works, so just follow me and we'll get to the briefing."

As he walked, Fiolette followed him and the others from the 52nd Rifle Company, known as the Iron Talons. Iron Talons wore the advanced armor and wielded their blaster rifles, the company was typically made of three rifle platoons, and a weapons platoon that included a machine gun and mortar section along with an assault section. Today they acquired scout sniper team attachments and added one additional platoon to the make up. Anti-Armor. Captain Tarkin looked back over his shoulder to see the men and women marching along in time behind him. Facing forward he squared up and listened as First Sgt. Viramontes gave orders. For the purpose of the training, Yvarro was given the rank of Corporal and apart from the First Sergeant and the Captain - no one was to know she was there.

 

[LT-137]

Imperial Legion Training Grounds // Bastion // Sartinaynian System // Braxtant Sector.
1300HRS - Galactic Standard.
Tactical Command Chamber - OPFOR Headquarters - Barbican Central Spire.

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It was always a pleasure to work for the Sith Empire, as they were more than generous with their purses and always paid their bills when they came due. Such high praise could not be thrown towards their allies, however, as those far-flung Imperials were more concerned with their ever-shifting internal affairs. As entertaining as it was to imagine raiding their fertile territory for their goods and services, there was little time to pursue the possibilities the future held - for his attention was required elsewhere. The Legions of Sun Guards and their Auxiliary forces under Khonsu’s command were contracted to serve as opposition to the Sith-Imperial Legion in an expansive training simulation. His men, who were mostly comprised of former Thyrsian special forces operators, were intimately familiar with the axiom’s of wargames, and seemingly relished the chance to finally cut their teeth against their new friends. Those that weren’t of Thyrsus, and who were nothing more than Soldiers of Fortune, had a harder time grasping the fundamentals of the wargame. They were used to employing lethal weapons against whatever it was they were hired to fight - not stun rounds and glop grenades. However, when they were finally deployed onto the surface of the Imperial Capital, many of the fresher faces had fallen into line.

They were given the chance, as acting defenders, to settle into their newfound home before the Sith-Imperial forces would be allowed to deploy. It was an act that would simulate an entrenched enemy stronghold; something that had become all too common in the Empire’s march across the stars. Thus, the Gilded Sellswords knew that they would have little time to prepare themselves before the simulated fireworks would begin - and knowing that they were facing Sith - these mostly Desertborn warriors would need several aces up their sleeve in order to win. Without hesitation, Khonsu’s orders to fortify the fortress were disseminated throughout the ranks but were shouldered almost entirely by the masses of Solar Caligati that served beneath the Legions of Sun Guard. Those common dregs surged throughout the city with satchels and proximity transceivers, installing the coupled devices at a myriad of intersections and boulevards - all of which would come into play during the latter part of the exercise. This was but the first of many ploys that the Thyrsians had devised, and there was certain to be many more before the day was out.

Before the Golden Company was capable of laying down more of the standard fortifications outside of the fortress - such as lengths of monofilament wire and fields of enshrouded mines - the Sith-Imperial forces had arrived. While the interior of the fortress would prove to be a proverbial gauntlet with the aforementioned emplacements finding themselves situated along major avenues; which were heavily concentrated near the main gate. It was there that Khonsu expected to do much of the fighting - and where he’d break the Sith-Imperial advance before they could reach the central spire. Yes, there were other gates that permitted entry into the fortress proper, but with everything that his men deployed? It would be almost negligible. Let them tear down the walls, and bust open the gates - they’d do nothing more than waste ammunition before being ‘gunned down’ by the Sun Guard, and their subordinate throngs. With non-lethal munitions and blunted weapons of course, since it wouldn’t be fair if their opposition was defanged - and the mercenaries came in armed to the teeth. They had to have some semblance of an even playing field for the duration of this scenario, but that was where the balanced scales ended. From there, it was their chosen equipment and their adaptive tactics that would prove to be the deciding factor(s) in who would claim victory this day.

With everything that transpired, whilst the Sith-Imperial forces carried on with their deployments, the Golden Company was almost certain of their success. All that remained was for the Gilded Mercenaries to claim what they believed was theirs, and show their ‘former’ comrades in arms the true prowess of a warrior culture. Even though they were proverbially defanged and incapable of unleashing their true lethality, the Sun Guard’s were still dangerous foes on the battlefield. Only the strong would earn the right to wear the golden warplate of the Scions of Thyrsus, for the weak were weeded out of the ranks; either by force or by the frigid embrace of death. There was no room for cravens or wretches within the storied ranks of gilded heroes. Those that failed their rites of initiation, or failed the gruelling tests to serve within the Sun Guard - were given a simple choice. They could continue to serve the Golden Company in an auxiliary capacity; earning paltry scraps of glory on the battlefield in a vain attempt to redeem themselves in the eyes of their brothers - or they would serve as a Company thrall; enslaved to work for their former comrades until they expired.

As was common for warrior cultures, death and trials of position were almost routine as the fires of ambition wax and wane from one hero to another. Such was the case with the newly ordained Twisuns Praetor; who had slain his predecessor when the man proved to be nothing more than a fool. The recollection of that battle, and how his blade had ended up punching through the craven’s breastplate - brought a smile to Khonsu’s lips. It was those previous events that ran through his mind as the Wargames began; flavouring his thoughts as he watched the hololithic display situated before his armoured form flicker into life. The soft, crimson light bathed his surroundings, painting the entire chamber in the vibrant hues of materializing light. There were veins of white, and pulsating icons forged from amber that tore the projected image asunder - detailing the entirety of their surroundings - in perfectly rendered detail. Well, at least the parts that weren’t blanketed by the rolling curtain of sensor-disrupting smoke that shrouded an unseen advance.

The tactic was sound, especially when that smoke was carried across the battlefield by the subsequent bombardment and the subtle breeze. However, such an act would prove to be a double-edged sword; as the reflec-enhanced smoke would stop their sensors as well, leaving them to trust more rudimentary methods of navigation. They had undoubtedly prepared for such an eventuality and brought such archaic equipment with them - at least the portion of the opposing Sith-Imperial force that advanced towards the auxiliary gate towards the southern end of the fortress. The rest; those that could be detected by sensors at least, saw fit to start digging fortifications - as if they were preparing for a lengthy siege. That caused Khonsu to rub the bridge of his nose in disappointment. From what he could see, they left themselves open to aerial assault - and with their soldiers taking positions within holes dug into an open field… his pilots would essentially be shooting fish in a barrel. Even if there was opposition in the air, it was unlikely to prove effective in thwarting his forces and their strafing runs, especially once his bombers had reached the forward lines. Then, things would become interesting.

With a taloned hand sweeping across the tactical display, Khonsu ordered his fighters into the air. In mere moments, they would dust-off the western surface of the fortress city and take to the skies - before orienting themselves towards the advancing enemy. It would be a small measure of time before the surface forces would reach the defensive barricades, but that would allow his aerial forces to wreak havoc upon the Sith-Imperial rearguard and then work their way back towards the vanguard. As a subsequent response to his aerial mobilization order, the Twisuns Praetor commanded that his outrider and a portion of his skirmisher detachments take to the field; committing them to the battle by sallying forth from the western gate - through the auxiliary gate on the opposite side of the approaching sensor-warping cloud. Their departure would place more pressure on the remaining defending forces but would allow for a more aggressive response - as the enemy would be assailed from above, as below.

As the opening moves were made by both sides, the Sun Guard Officer sought to add another into the mix - one that would ideally give pause to the advancing forces, and ideally incinerate their ever-growing cover of smoke. The monolithic form of the ‘Istanu’ stalked forth from the central districts of the fortress city and began pushing towards the southern Auxiliary gate. It was likely that their visual scans would doubtlessly detect the towering monument of war moving to engage them, but when the Sekhmet’s took to the field - stealth wasn’t a factor that was even considered. They were too large, and frankly, too powerful to disguise from the enemy’s sensors; allowing for the gargantuan walker’s focus to be entirely poured into its offensive capabilities. It was called the mobile eradicator for a reason, and while its lethality was severely hampered due to the nature of this scenario - it would prove it’s worth time and again.

With his smile widening, Khonsu turned away from the tactical display and flicked his gaze towards the southern gate.

“Your move, Imperials...”​

Summary:

Spoiler

Golden Company - Sun Guard Taskforce [GDOC Link.]

• Internal Fortress Defences: Monofilament Razorwire, Buried Concussion Mines (Stun.) [Concentrated towards the Main Eastern Gate, and focused around major avenues/junctions/intersections.]
• Aerial Detachment: Fully Deployed - Western Gate.
• Outrider Detachment: Fully Deployed - Western Gate.
• Skirmisher Detachment: Ravagers and Sand Panthers, Deployed - Western Gate.
• Siegebreaker Detachment: ‘Istanu’ - Moving to Intercept - Southern Auxiliary Gate.

| [member="Mythos"] | [member="Darth Maliphant"] | [member="Fiolette Yvarro"] | [member="Keira Cerdulan"] | [member="Vestille Thumahra"] |​

 

[Vestille Thumahra]

Vestille Thumahra​

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Observation Post, Imperial Training Grounds, Bastion​

Allied With: [member="Khonsu Amon"]​

Fighting Against: [member="Fiolette Yvarro"] | [member="Mythos"] | [member="Darth Maliphant"]​

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In truth, the General was at first hesitant to call this 'training'.

As a man who had taken 'on-the-job' training to an extreme level, the amount of care and detail he had put into trying to mimic the harsh reality of war and the sensation that one felt when placed in a life or death scenario may have pleased the many officers that were now participating and those among the other command staff but to the General? This whole wargames scenario left a lot to be desired. Despite the large open fields, fortifications and combined arms doctrine utilized to turn what could have simply been a simple team-on-team engagement, the General had insisted on everything be exactly to his specifications but, even with everything falling into place exactly, this simulation lacked the vital component to warfare, the crucial motivator that the 7th in its entirety had been born and raised upon the moment they left basic training. These new recruits being thrown into the simulated pressure of a live-fire scenario at least had the comfort of knowing that if they were hit, it would be nothing more than an incapacitating shock. Pilots could fly and dogfight without the fear of exploding within seconds and the armor crews could operate without fear of being roasted alive in the hulls of their vehicles. It was not a surprise to anyone that the 7th had perhaps one of the highest casualty rates out of the entire Legion as troops straight out of boot were thrown out to sea to see if they would swim and survive or drown-- Those that survived, however, became the elite warriors that General Thumahra led into battle and brought their mercilessness and desire to kill down upon the enemies of the Sith Empire.

Here, however, they were to act as 'pretend' enemies. Whilst he would never have thought that he would ever have to send the Field Army unto a training camp, this order came from him specifically. In his eyes, the 7th were some of the best that the Legion had to offer and it was that which made them look like monsters to the new recruits that had been placed upon this training field and instructed to take the Fortress. Fighting fellow peers such as the 7th would set an example of what they would need to become in order to be capable soldiers, worthy of being sent into combat zones across the ever expanding Sith Empire's borders and to kill those that would oppose the Empire in its never-ceasing movement forward. It was upon the belief that those new peoples subjugated under the Sith Empire who had since given tribute in the form of manpower would be exposed to what the Legion expected and what the best of the best looked like. From his observation post, sat in a position where he could watch both sides equally and evaluate their performance, his faith in the defense of the fortress had been further reinforced by the simple fact of the hired help that he had requested. The Golden Company, once former enemies to him during his time in the Sovereignty, now sat as a capable comrade-in-arms not just for the exercise but in times of war. Zenith Prime, as he stood there watching the proceedings, seemed like a distant memory.

The simulation had since begun and the elements of the 7th Army were to hold back and take primary focus in holding the Fortress and assisting with the defense from the interior. As the Golden Company got to work, the 7th also prepared themselves with the part that they no doubt had to play. There was nothing to gain from rushing out to meet the enemy head-on, therefore they would take to the walls and prepare their heavy weapons and static emplacements to begin raining fire down upon the approaching forces that would no doubt begin making their way across the large open space. Unique turrets and munitions were deployed en masse, anti-personnel and anti-armor designed to stun or simply shut down any vehicle upon hit-- All done without any sense of damage or harm coming to personnel or equipment. In order to keep up a steady base of fire, the gunners were instructed to work in tandem with one another; one active gun and a second in reserve once the first ran empty on ammunition. It was on this that the defenders fired their first shots, hoping to bog down infantry and vehicles alike and inflict 'casualties' on both as they made the crossing of the open space.

And all the while the General watched, taking note of both the performance of the defenders and the attackers in equal measure. He hoped that, through this, some method of improvement could be made.

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Allied Command
With: [member="Fiolette Yvarro"] │ [member="Keira Cerdulan"] │ [member="Mythos"]
OpFor: [member="Vestille Thumahra"] │ [member="Khonsu Amon"]
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Maliphant watched the holotable displaying the wargame with a growing contempt. What exactly was his primary force doing? Setting up makeshift defenses, digging trenches and foxholes in the face of a wall lined with established defences? Did he expect to siege the entire city and turn this into a few months engagement? Too many question for Maliphant, and an annoyance that was growing in his chest.

“Send Lord Mythos word that he needs to focus on the assault. The longer we extend the open field engagement, the more casualties we face. We need as many forces available when we enter the final clearing of the city.”, he said with a furrowed brow. The message would go out quickly following.

As it did, Maliphant turned his head back to his own forces, keeping in mind that most could not be seen on the holotable now. At the very least, the enemy air force would be useless at identifying individual units and assault them with close air support, leaving nothing but blatant carpet bombing the only solution. Strategic bombers weren’t very likely in this scenario, all things considering, but Maliphant had a solution to that if it arised regardless.

Reserve Forces - 100%
300 Men
Various Speeder Bikes / Fast Transport Vehicles

“Commit the reserve forces to distance recon.”, Maliphant commanded.

At this, what token forces remained behind began to move to heightened positions, looking over the smokescreen, utilizing a number of distance trackers and macrobinoculars from the ranged position to help transpose where the forces within the smoke may be going. The various complications from the math would at least provide accuracy, and the men would be held in reserve until later on down the road.

So long as they stayed healthy, that was.

Artillery Column A, “Longshot” - 100%

While the reserve forces moved to overlook the battlefield, the still repositioning artillery hidden in the distant treeline and covered areas, settled for another distant strike. Maliphant understood the city would turn into the battlezone in time, so setting up a strong foothold near the southern auxiliary gate would be paramount. With this in mind, the ammunition choice of the artillery was altered.

In unison, the artillery began to fire a series of 3 rounds a piece on various targets before repositioning. Their ammunition a set of ‘airburst’ artillery, a non lethal alternative for the sake of the war game. Stun pellets were shot downwards with force, capable of minor injury to those on rooftops, and capable of short range ‘bursts’ that allowed those within the buildings to experience the shock. The first wave of the shots reigned down with extreme prejudice, clearing the rooftops and levels of buildings that stood near the southern gate, focused first on those closest to the entrance his armor would require.

Armor Column A, “Wildboard” - 100%

Troop Column A, “Chosen” - 100%

Moving with no established resistance, the larger column and its AT-SP moved through the smoke with a constant encrypted radio traffic with central command and the reserve forces, helping to adjust their course as the group moved through the blinding smoke. They had lucked out in terms of an assault for, and while their path wasn’t the fastest route to the gate, they hoped it would be enough to avoid a calculated bombing run for the growing air force presence of the OpFor.

Armor Column B, “Tecumsah” - 100%

Troop Column B, “Wraith” - 100%

Slowing their movements, the auxiliary force was dead set on waiting for the primary assault to begin before enacting their own. While moving, they began to enact radio silence, increasing their room for error but leaving themselves completely secret within the smoke screen. Without sensors, there would be no way to tell where the second attachment was headed, nor what it was carrying; the goal in the end for the other section of soldiers.