908th Legion - 1st Spacetrooper Company (aka “1st Space”)
Manpower: 100/100
Orders and Targets: TBD
Allies: Empire | Directly commanded by Ignacious Korvan | Caarlyle Rausgeber |
Enemies: GA | Liedran Kathause | Liram Angellus | others in space I missed
S P A C E R A C E
[1st Space, this is Freefall. Do you copy?]
[We hear you loud and clear, Lieutenant. The radios are fully operational.]
The entire 1st Space had finished gearing up and were now decked out in their three-meter-tall zero-g armor, their heads nearly scraping the roof of the barracks. A few troopers flexed their cannons in and out of firing position, eager to get comfortable with their suits as rapidly as possible. As the company continued to warm up, a transmission arrived through loudspeakers placed on walls throughout the barracks. [1st Space, this is Freefall. Do you copy?]
[We hear you loud and clear, Lieutenant. The radios are fully operational.]
As the bridge crew set about complying with Korvan’s orders, the Grand Moff added: “Order the space troopers to stand by. I want their commanding officer on a secured comm channel immediately.”
[Our time is now.] stated Lieutenant Freefall. [We are to exit the barracks and head towards the battlecruiser's starboard secondary hangar. I will report our status as we march. Do NOT drop under any circumstances until our orders are given.]
The other spacetroopers packed into the barracks simply nodded, conscious that receiving 99 radio transmissions at the same time might do more harm than good for Freefall's ears. Then, in pairs, they marched out of the barracks, their menacing forms almost completely filling the hallway they marched through. At the sight of the zero gravity juggernauts, stormtroopers and Imperial officers parted ways or fled down other halls, ensuring that their path would continue uninterrupted.
As the company approached the hangar doors, Freefall began his transmission on a separate, secure comm channel.
[Grand Moff Korvan, this is Lieutenant Freefall of the 1st Spacetrooper Company. We are approaching the nearest hangar and will be ready to depart as soon as the order is given.]
[What are your orders?]
Allies: Empire | In relative proximity of Melvain Braxis | DECEASED Aron Gowrie | Bex Tarring | Saul Vandron
Enemies: GA | Skirmishing forces under Bayaz | In relative proximity of Ibra Sest / Sara Roche | Shorurra Groznik
N I N E S
"Alliance Marines," he said, his voice tired but with all of the command of an Imperial Moff. "Stand down." He pulled his lightsaber from his belt. "Stand down and no harm will come to you." His eyes were tired, dull brown orbs, the fatigue of Tython still fresh in his mind.
"Harm has already come to us, Imp. And not to be the usual gung-ho ground-pounder, but we appear to have you outnumbered. So jog on over to your execution grounds in the city square and go back to preying on Tionese civilians." Sara did not know if the rumours were true, or if the Knight even knew of it, but talking bought Haskin time to flank and Weq'al time to report on any Imperial support in the area.
[Nines, this is Lieutenant Devin of the 3rd Scouts. We're reporting heavy fighting immediately to our left.]
FN-999 took a moment to absorb the news of the comms transmission, and then decided to reply.
[Is this engagement over by Moff Braxis's command?]
[Yes, Moff Braxis's forces are the sole section of the Imperial task force within the engagement. It appears that an Alliance unit fell behind during the rout, and the Moff is attempting to cut off the salient before it can regroup with Groznik in the city. We currently have no intel on the course of the battle, though it appears to still be ongoing.]FN-999 took a moment to absorb the news of the comms transmission, and then decided to reply.
[Is this engagement over by Moff Braxis's command?]
[I'm confident that Moff Braxis can defeat the Alliance salient. Or, at the very least, he's competent enough to know when to call for reinforcements. Speaking of, has there been any movement of the company immediately facing us? The one whose CO you reported KIA on Day 1?]
[No, no new movement. However, it appears as if that Alliance unit has a new CO and is in fighting order. If they decide to reinforce the salient, it could cause trouble for the Moff's forces. Plus, by the 3rd's accounts it's estimated that they still have around ten of those heavy battle droids.]
[Thank you, Lieutenant. Is there any more intel to report?]
[None on our side of the map. I'll keep you updated. Devin, out.]
FN-999's attention returned to the elevated staging grounds, where thousands of stormtroopers and support crew hustled about in the safety of the hills. Ultimately, such bliss was only temporary. In the best-case scenario, the regiment of the 908th would soon penetrate the city interior itself. In the worst-case scenario, the regiment would be tossed off the hill and forced into a rout, shamefully abandoning the siege of New Aldera. The only question was when such staging grounds would be left.
At that moment, FN-999 had an idea.
As Gowrie and Vandron had, FN-999 addressed his fellow commanders with an encrypted message.
[[From: Gowrie]]
[[Recipients: Vandron, Tarring, Lockhart, FN-999]]
[[Suggestion - let the opposition make the first move, I've had some sneaking suspicions nagging me lately.
Breakthrough should never be considered easy by any means, but asymmetric-warfare is easily wielded in cities like these, so the real challenge awaits hubristic breakthroughs as we all know well enough. We've fought on both sides of Black Cauldron scenarios in the past - like every last one of us.
From New Harnaidan to New Carannia, we've been in more urban meat-grinders than any of us would care to recount, so we know what awaits early breakthroughs, and you don't need me going into detail on how messy they can get for anyone either. You can picture that clearly enough without my running commentary. Intel-sharing saves lives, so anything and everything could be useful beyond this point.
Trying to arrange a little parley on my end, though I'll be active on comms if the need arises. But as for the here and now - good luck out there, gentlemen.
Ave Rurik!]]
**
[[From: Vandron]]
[[Recipients: Gowrie, Tarring, Lockhart, FN-999]]
[[Negative, Gowrie.
We'll storm their positions and bring chaos to their lines, draw the rats out from their holes. I advise providing us adequate firepower support from behind -- concentrate fire ahead of our advance.
This is where the 501st excels.
Whatever ace you have up your sleeve, I suggest playing it at some point -- the 222nd is here.]]
**
[[From: FN-999]]
[[Recipients: Gowrie, Lockhart, Tarring, Vandron]]
[[With all due respect, I cannot remain idle.
The forces under the command of Moff Braxis on the right flank are currently engaging a sizable Alliance salient. If the Moff succeeds in cutting them off, we could knock an entire subdivision out of the Alliance defenses and gain substantial intel about enemy positions and strategy.
Don't get me wrong, I am not recommending an all-out assault. For one thing, it would be completely infeasible for Tarring to reinforce Braxis. However, I can and must do my part. The 15th will skirmish with Alliance forces adjacent to the salient to prevent it from being reinforced.
If intel-sharing is what we seek, then encircling the bulge will be essential.
I will keep you updated on developments on the right flank. Ave Rurik.]]
[[Recipients: Vandron, Tarring, Lockhart, FN-999]]
[[Suggestion - let the opposition make the first move, I've had some sneaking suspicions nagging me lately.
Breakthrough should never be considered easy by any means, but asymmetric-warfare is easily wielded in cities like these, so the real challenge awaits hubristic breakthroughs as we all know well enough. We've fought on both sides of Black Cauldron scenarios in the past - like every last one of us.
From New Harnaidan to New Carannia, we've been in more urban meat-grinders than any of us would care to recount, so we know what awaits early breakthroughs, and you don't need me going into detail on how messy they can get for anyone either. You can picture that clearly enough without my running commentary. Intel-sharing saves lives, so anything and everything could be useful beyond this point.
Trying to arrange a little parley on my end, though I'll be active on comms if the need arises. But as for the here and now - good luck out there, gentlemen.
Ave Rurik!]]
**
[[From: Vandron]]
[[Recipients: Gowrie, Tarring, Lockhart, FN-999]]
[[Negative, Gowrie.
We'll storm their positions and bring chaos to their lines, draw the rats out from their holes. I advise providing us adequate firepower support from behind -- concentrate fire ahead of our advance.
This is where the 501st excels.
Whatever ace you have up your sleeve, I suggest playing it at some point -- the 222nd is here.]]
**
[[From: FN-999]]
[[Recipients: Gowrie, Lockhart, Tarring, Vandron]]
[[With all due respect, I cannot remain idle.
The forces under the command of Moff Braxis on the right flank are currently engaging a sizable Alliance salient. If the Moff succeeds in cutting them off, we could knock an entire subdivision out of the Alliance defenses and gain substantial intel about enemy positions and strategy.
Don't get me wrong, I am not recommending an all-out assault. For one thing, it would be completely infeasible for Tarring to reinforce Braxis. However, I can and must do my part. The 15th will skirmish with Alliance forces adjacent to the salient to prevent it from being reinforced.
If intel-sharing is what we seek, then encircling the bulge will be essential.
I will keep you updated on developments on the right flank. Ave Rurik.]]
FN-999 was confident that he had found a middleground between Gowrie's caution and Vandron's assault.
With that in mind, he relayed his orders to the 15th itself.
[908th Legion, 15th Regiment. This is Nines. To our right, Moff Braxis is close to cutting off an Alliance salient. However, we must do our part to make sure that Alliance reinforcements do not give Braxis any trouble. All units except for those under Major Quinn, form skirmish lines and advance to lightly engage our Alliance counterparts.
Remember, this is a skirmish. The only objective we have is to keep the Alliance line from moving forwards. Put in the bare minimum offensive effort and avoid casualty-causing risks if at all possible. Avoid the heavy droids unless armor, artillery, or air support can be acquired.
Major Quinn, keep five hundred troopers up on the staging grounds as a fallback point. The other two thousand are under my direct command.
Ave Rurik.]
Two thousand stormtroopers rushed forwards with the very same vigor that fueled the 501st.
After all, they were the tip of the spear.
After all, they were the tip of the spear.