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You have deployed from Geneva to a distant outpost at the foot of the Himalaya mountains in pursuit of Solstrike Saetos, the deadliest maverick (you think) you've ever been sent against.

And the communications specialists in your force have just informed you they've done a seismic scan and found that the mavericks are digging a tunnel.

Heading directly towards your base camp, Shangri-La.

You're in command of a large team, but you're out afield. What do you do?
>

>>27196636
We need more explosions, let's call for those

>>27196636
Retreat?

>>27196636
Okay, this is far from good, but it's a lot better now that we know its coming. How far away from Shangri-La is the tunnel? About how much time do we have before it gets there? How far are we from the tunnel? Does Solstrike's latest position on radar correspond to the tunnel location?

How deep underground is the tunnel? How big is it? The deeper it is the harder it is to collapse it on them, but the more damage it'll do if we can.

What sort of equipment is available to us to do serious earth moving, or tunnel collapsing?

Another possibility is drilling a small hole from on top of it down and dropping as many explosives as possible down it. In a confined space like that it'll be deadly

We want them to get reasonably far in, the later we spring the trap the more mavs we can catch in the tunnel, the harder a time they'll have getting reinforcements, and so on, but it's risky.

>>27196745
What this guy said

>>27196745
In other words, let them literally dig their own graves when we explode charges and bring their own cave system down on them. It's as sound a plan as we're going to get on short notice.

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All right, I've got the first response typed up, but I need to run it by CL, who isn't around yet. So in the meantime, I'll give you a reminder of your forces:
1st Advance sent Delphi and Stim Berbis, along with a strong force of Link Riders, ride chaser soldiers.
2nd Reconaissance provided their own picket of Link Riders and a small team of Render Boys for field scouting work, under the command of Lightleap Peruvic.
3rd Deploy provided Kit, who is currently in Shangri-La with a force of combat engineers and a crew complement.
You command the 4th Overland and have field command of this mission. Advising you is Drift Danphe, a consulting officer from the Nepal military. You brought a small number of Gomeisters, a large force of Lanceteamer Assail/Assail Ds, and Bingos, and a team of eight Steel Berets.
5th Communications maintains a small team at your base camp, coordinating the relays between your units and providing onsite mission navigation. Fryctoria and Teletrans Anemone are the two officers on deck.
7th Air Cavalry has provided by far the largest officer component. Vector Addax co-commands with Diamond, with four finch units forming a subunit: Shocklight Fringe, Trinidad Euphonia, I'iwi Warwing, and Strikeforce Siskin. They also brought along a strong aerial team, but do not intend to take to their air until opportunity strikes, due to the extreme danger Solstrike presents in air combat.
13th Polar Region provided Blizzard Wolfang as the onsite regional expert, along with a small detachment of winterized units. Thus far they have remained linked with the Fourth as heavy support.
15th Artillery brought no officers, but provided five artillery specialist reploids and several heavy gun positions. They make up most of your remaining Shangri-La team.
Lastly, 17th Elite provided a pair of Gehirn officers, Adler and Fromm, each commanding a couple OS-Tyr.

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>>27197322
Though the primary mission is the retirement of Solstrike Saetos, a number of maverick priority targets have been spotted in the area.
The biggest of these HVTs is Ultravion Fly, a notorious ex-hunter who has been on the loose since the Sigma rebellion. Diamond with the 7th is here to bring him down.
Mourn, a custom Hoganmer, is the target of Stim Berbis of the First.
Hoplite, a flight-configuration Disk Boy, is a target for a 7th Air Cav officer candidate named Isander.
Karst, a Crag Man Series 2, is being targeted by one Serial 15817, an unnamed Steel Beret with your own forces. He will be supported by your other Berets if and when the opportunity presents itself.
Lastly, the 17th's OS-Tyr officer candidate has successfully retired his target, a Cycl0P5 Z-series named Akagan. He engaged and destroyed the target during the prior battle, completing the 17th's secondary objective in the area.

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>>27196689
>>27196741
>>27196745
>>27196859
The first thing you need is more information. Information and intel about the response you can muster. You comm the officers and liaisons from the various units. "You all getting this?"

"Sure am," Addax with the Seventh answers, voice still cool and even. "What are you thinking?"

"Wanted to poll the team, ask you the same thing," you reply. "Fifth, how far from Shangri-La are they?"

"Several hundred meters," Fryctoria replies. "Moving slow but steady."

"Got an ETA for when they get there?"

"Negative," she answers, voice slightly tense. "Not enough data to extrapolate average rate from yet. Call it anywhere from ten minutes to an hour."

You turn to Lightleap Peruvic, your Recon lead. "Think your Link Riders can find us that tunnel entrance?"

"We have the area well-reconnoitered," he replies. "They're not going to dig from the mountaintop down, so it's likely that they're digging under a fortified position."

"Like the one we just hit?" You ask, waving vaguely at the remains of the battle recently fought.

"Thinking the same thing, you and I," he responds. "Already looking."

"Good. What about Solstrike?"

"Sending some Link Riders to his last reported position. Maybe he was below, not above."

"Maybe. Be ready to bug out fast if he's there."

"Needn't tell me twice, Lieutenant," Peruvic says.

"Next question, tunnel itself," you continue. "How far down? How wide?"

"Roughly 30 meters down, and roughly half that across."

Now, the big question: How do you turn this to your advantage? "Think we could collapse the tunnel on them?"

"Given the rock? Not with what we have here," reports Kit with the Deploy Corps. "Our artillery points up, not down."

"Could we reposition it, land shells over their heads? Hell, any big boom might do."

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>>27198652
"Scans picking up mechaniloids," Fryctoria notes. "Checked for the frequencies we see from Bar and Drill Wayings on a hunch, and sure enough, they're spread out evenly along the tunnel's length. Seems as if they're using them as temporary support columns to prevent just that."

Mavericks actually using mechaniloid forces for their intended purpose, not as improvised weapons. Never thought you'd see the day.

"What about heavy demolitions, mining equipment?"

"Most of it has been seconded to the Vienna cleanup," he says. "We might be able to commandeer some, but who knows how long that could take?"

"Naturally. And the Nepalese forces, anything with them?"

"None nearby," your attache says almost apologetically, "We brought anti-air, not engineering. Nothing that could get into that tunnel, at least."

"So, in summary," you sigh, "They're coming at our home base, we can't stop them the easy way, and we still have to deal with their mountain base. Any ideas, crew?"

"First here," Delphi says, "We think we found the entrance. Recon is setting up a temporary radar position to corroborate they're part of the same tunnel. If so, I volunteer Advance Unit to move in first. We're trained for assault breach."

"We should send a support team back to Shangri-La," suggests Wolfang, your Polar operative. "If they do make it there before we stop them, we don't want to lose Communications, Deploy, and our big guns. We could take care of that."

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>>27198666

"We don't even know what they intend," snaps Fromm, one of two stuck-up Gehirns from the 17th. "For all we know they're simply going to act as sappers and blow the base out from under."

"That's...a very real possibility," Diamond notes. "And it could all be a big stalling tactic to distract us so they make an escape."

"Or an attack," adds Lightleap. "We'll have to split our forces, there's no way we could get our entire army in there. Recommend we send First, followed by Second to get better intel, and move from there."

"We don't have the time," Adler (the OTHER stuck up Gehirn from the 17th) replies. "We should simply move in with overwhelming force and wipe out whatever they have down there. The sooner they're dealt with, the better."

"We may not even need to do that," Addax replies calmly. "Kit, do you think we could improvise a charge out of some artillery shells and deliver it down there?"

"Collapse it from inside? That's not a bad idea," Kit says. "I might be able to work some magic."

"Bah!" Adler and Fromm--in unison--snort. Adler continues derisively. "If we're to go down there at all we may as well sweep them from the field!"

Diamond turns the comms back to you. "The decision is yours, Anode. We still have to maintain a strong enough topside force to contain Solstrike if this is a feint."

Sub-mission options: Anode may choose to stay on the topside offensive or retask.
>Leave nothing to chance. We wipe out all hostiles underground.
>Rig up that demolition charge. The objective is to collapse the tunnel on them.
>Other?

Force deployment:
>Three-way split. Send a force to support Shangri-La. Wolfang and Polar will be best served there.
>Two-way split. First and Second into the tunnel with whatever support elements they need.
>Send a small strike team into the tunnel, with you at its head. The rest stay topside.
>Other?

>>27198679
As much as I want Anode to go in himself, I think a three way split would be the best.

Also: leave nothing to chance.

>>27198679
>Rig up that demolition charge. The objective is to collapse the tunnel on them.
It'll be too much of a distraction if we commit too much just to take out this tunneling force. I'm not saying leave them alone, but better to at least cut them off than commit too many forces to the tunnel.

>Three-way split. Send a force to support Shangri-La. Wolfang and Polar will be best served there.
Anode must stay topside. First is better suited for the job, and we know it. That aside, we can't afford to lose our communications and artillery. Concerns are that we'll be stretched thin dealing with it, and that would be as good a time as any for Solstrike to, well, strike. Still, better over-prepared than under-prepared.

If they're sapping, the enemy can probably collapse that tunnel whenever they want. We shouldn't send a large number of people down there, and definitely not an elite strike force led by the commander of the whole hunter force. The demolition charge seems like a safer bet. Send support to Sangri-La.

>>27198679
Rig up that demo charge and three-way split, As much as Anode charging blindly into the tunnel amuses me I think its a bad idea

>>27198838
Can we like... attach the charge to a mechaniloid and have it deliver it?

>>27199555
What'd the Met ever do to you, bastard?

>>27199590
DannyTrejo'sHeadAttachedToATurtle.avi

>>27199555
You'd have to get it far enough into the tunnel to trigger the collapse where it would kill whatever's threatening you down there. Mechaniloids don't really have any agency and can only follow simple orders, and they're just simply built cheaper than a reploid. The odds of them surviving the maverick force and delivering the charge where it's needed are astronomically low.

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>>27198745
>>27198790
>>27198838
>>27199337
"All right," you decide. "The way I'm seeing this is they're forcing us to guess where Solstrike is."

"Sound," Addax agrees.

"That means that it's possible he could hit the tunnel, or hit the column, or just hunker down in his base. It also means they're probably planning an offensive."

"Safe guess, but how do you figure?" asks Wolfang.

"The tunnel is either a gambit or a stall. Either way, once it's done, it's done, and it won't work twice. So they won't have this three-way split for long. That means that whatever they're gonna do, they're gonna do it soon."

"I see," Fryctoria replies, voice still tense--you can't blame her, given that she's a relatively unprotected rearguard asset with an attack bearing--well, boring--down on her. "Reports from Second confirm that they've identified the entrance to the tunnel. Where does that leave things?"

"First and Second, you're going belowground. Take whatever you think you need."

"Copy," Lightleap says. "17th, if you're willing, we could use your heavy fire."

"Then you'll have it," Fromm says. "What are our orders?"

"I'd like to do a clean sweep, but we don't have the time. Decapitation strike, take out whatever has the capacity to ruin our day and then drop the roof on them."

The Gehirn grumbles at this, but assents. Kit sounds off and begins rigging up an explosive.

"Fourth and Seventh are the bulk of our forces, and as such will continue our approach on the mountaintop fort," you continue. "Wolfang, head back to base. We'll link back up once the tunnel's dealt with."

He salutes you with a paw and bounds off without a moment's hesitation, his contingent breaking off after him.

"Everyone stay in close contact. If you encounter Solstrike, call it in. Once we pin him down we can regroup on you. Clear?" Everyone provides their agreement. "Good. Move out, people."

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>>27199625
Your advance goes undisturbed--Communications continues to provide more details as they find them, and your teams check in with one another frequently. The ground slowly vanishes behind you as the climb grows more and more sheer. Danphe leads the way, helping pick out easier advances and a wending path up the mountain. Diamond opts to hover low to the ground, though Addax has no trouble with the rocky slopes. No surprise there, you guess. The finches stay near the back, having a bit more difficulty on the ascent.

No further sightings of Saetos, yet. That's the worst part of it.

"Ah. Up there. It seems we've reached our destination," Danphe says. Up ahead, you see undisguised activity--mavericks establishing their defense and preparing for you.

"What are we looking at?" you ask.

Diamond squints. "More reploids, and--bingo. Hoplite's up there in the middle. No surprise there, a distance flyer'd be wasted underground."

"Lucky us. What's their makeup?"

"I see some Degravers at the front, then Disk Boys, Crag Men, and Hoganmers. Got ride armors on either flank, and it looks like some mechaniloids behind them. I could risk a quick jaunt up to see."

>Don't risk it. We can handle whatever they've got.
>The intel is worth the risk, if you're willing to take the chance.
>Other?

>Plan of attack?

>>27199643
Don't risk it.

Would it be possible to flank them?

>>27199643
>Don't risk it. We can handle whatever they've got.
I'd hate to blow our cover now.

>Plan of attack?
They're establishing forward defenses with some flank support for our inevitable support. If we can laser-guide some artillery to pulverize these forward defenders, we can sweep in (hopefully from a flank, barring those ride armors) and wipe out the rest. Priority to Hoplite, naturally.
tl;dr - Shell them in the face, clean up what's left.

Rolled 2

>>27199643
>>27199643
Don't risk it.
>Plan of attack?
We still have those artillery guys, so why don't we use them and then bum rush them while they are still recovering.(just caught up to the quest a few days ago)

>>27199643
>Don't risk it. We can handle whatever they've got.
>Artillery, infantry is the queen of the battlefield, Artillery is the king, and we all know what happens then.

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>>27199738
>>27199887
>>27199948
>>27200210
Frowning, you size up the approach to the maverick fort before you make any decisions.

If anything, it's Wallaby and the Enigma facility twice again. Higher, steeper, better defended. The entrance is through a narrow pass, preventing anything but a head-on attack right into their strong point. You could move in by air, but if you had to guess, they've accounted for that--and there's always the looming threat of Saetos.

"Stick low, for now," you say. "And let Fourth go in first."

"You're the boss," Diamond nods. "Full assault, then?"

"Let's soften them up first. Kit, are we still in range of the base guns?"

The 3rd's officer calls back promptly, still sounding vaguely sleepy. "Only just. You want us to let off a few firecrackers?"

"That I do. Aim high, the terrain is sheltering them."

"That far out, this is gonna be danger close no matter what I do," Kit warns. "Keep your heads down."

"You know, we could try to open the engagement and then fall back," Addax notes. "There will be a little hangtime on those shells."

"What, hit first, then let the artillery land?"

"Seventh's fast enough to get back out. Think you are?"

>Nah, there's a reason they do it the other way around. Soften them up first, we'll take less casualties.
>It'll definitely take them by surprise, hit them harder that way. We're going in, yell when it's time to back off.
>Other?

>>27200453
>It'll definitely take them by surprise, hit them harder that way. We're going in, yell when it's time to back off.
Playing it too safe just make us appear frozen up, we spent the force allocation to secure comms, lets use them. But be ready to bug out at any time.

>>27200453
>It'll definitely take them by surprise, hit them harder that way. We're going in, yell when it's time to back off.
I'm concerned that if we start with a testy assault, they'll shore up and be harder to uproot. That WOULD make the artillery more shocking when it lands, come to think of it.

>>27200453
>It'll definitely take them by surprise, hit them harder that way. We're going in, yell when it's time to back off.
Seems like the most Anode thing to do.

Rolled 17

>>27200453
>>It'll definitely take them by surprise, hit them harder that way. We're going in, yell when it's time to back off.
>>Other?
leave a few guys to do some covering firing while we rush in.

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>>27200496
>>27200581
>>27200683
>>27200775
"Well, they won't see that coming," you note. "I like it. I want the slowest runners back here providing cover fire while we do this. After we fall back we'll move back in again, support line included. Everyone ready?"

"From when I fire, you'll have... call it thirty seconds. I wouldn't consider that the lower end of the estimate, just in case."

You wish Em and his fancy GPS-brain were here. Or better yet, Kiloton and his artillery surgery. "Then from when you hear me order the attack, wait thirty seconds and fire."

Up ahead, the maverick line bristles, practically daring you to come at them. Most of the Fourth has chosen to hang back--unsurprising, most all the Seventh detachment is built for speed. You draw your lance, keeping it disengaged but ready as you lean forward.

"Go."

You throw yourself into a dash, firing ahead of you with your free arm, snapping the lance alight as you move. The Seventh is right on your heels, sprinting (and boosting) over the terrain. You have roughly sixty seconds before the sky falls.

The mavericks open fire as you draw into close range, forcing you to weave to the side and re-angle your approach as plasma and a heavy metal ball slam down where you were a second ago. You trigger a dash again, slipping under a spinning mattock. You bear down on the Degraver that threw it, bringing your blade up and around, slicing it in half--you quickly flourish the weapon as the first enemy falls, weaving phase distortion in front of you, soaking up a volley of plasma-fire until a Hoganmer's flail smashes it aside. You grunt with the impact, rocked back on your heels, but maintain your footing, snapping up your arm and firing back at him as he retreats behind his shield for cover.

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>>27201231

Meanwhile, the Seventh vaults you from all sides, even just above your head, crashing down on the mavericks with a quick burst of thrust. The gunline at your back exploits the opening your assault made, quickly hitting a few vulnerable parts of the defensive line.

"Barrier attackers, two Mega Tortoise in the back!" Addax calls over the fray. "And--Hotarions!"

>Focus on the Reploids. The mechaniloids will be vulnerable without proper direction.
>Take out the 'loid support first. Those tortoises have missile launchers and Hotarions hit fast and hard.
>Other?

>>27201247
>Take out the 'loid support first. Those tortoises have missile launchers and Hotarions hit fast and hard.
A big gun is a big gun, and I'm pretty sure even without reploids to aim them, they'll still fire, and that's no fun.

Rolled 6

>>27201247
>>Take out the 'loid support first. Those tortoises have missile launchers and Hotarions hit fast and hard.
>>Other?
Have the highest ranked mecholoids take temporary command and remind them of the artillery.

>>27201322
Wh-huh?

Rolled 5

>>27201410
the mecholiods need some leadership while you fight the support and its best to get the highest ranked ones to take over and be prepared to call for a retreat.

>>27201247
>Take out the loid support

Definitely this

>>27201322
No, we're in command for a reason.

>>27201442
We don't have mechaniloids under our command on this particular offensive. If you mean reploids, then yes, we do, in which case, why? We're already here and in one place, and it's not much longer until the shells fall. No cowboy bullshit, remember?

Rolled 12

>>27201812
>>27201823
then i misread then.

>>27201247
>Take out the 'loid support first. Those tortoises have missile launchers and Hotarions hit fast and hard.

As Mr. Blue Sky pointed out big gun is big gun

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>>27202017
>>27201785
>>27201322
>>27201317
"Tie 'em up," you respond, "I'll hit their heavies."

The turtles are easy enough targets, but sweet Christ they take a lot of punishment--or at least, they do when you don't have an overpenetrating laser or two to share with the class. You switch to Lockon Hunter and blast the first with a pair of double-charged beams--taking a quarter of their weapon energy, and leaving a quarter left of the tortoise. You pepper the other with regular plasma as you relocate, narrowly avoiding another barrage from the maverick forces. The tortoise itself lobs a pair of rockets over your head, which you only just sail under in time, still pouring on the fire.

Your decision to leave a cover force at your back proves to be a wise one--when the first Hotarions arrive without warning, they're cut down just as quickly, giving you time to react to the next wave.

"Commander, this is Lightleap," you hear over comms in the midst of the chaos, "We've got Karst and we think we've got his objective. They're moving up with some borer mechaniloid and rigging charges. It looks like they plan to bomb Shangri-La from beneath."

"Little busy!" You shout back, still peppering the increasingly-dilapidated-but-still-functional tortoise with plasma. "Anything crucial?"

"Negative, a few casualties, b--" Whatever he said gets missed as you dive-roll away from a blazing Hotarion, "--ncing apace."

"Anode," Diamond interrupts, "Shells are falling, we gotta go!"

You look back--dodging the incoming barrages has forced you way, way further inside the killzone than you're comfortable with. Yeah, it's time to go. You dashroll under one of those barrier attackers, shooting out its shield a split-second before you would facevault into it, and then plant your feet, roll forward again, and dump your C. Capacitors to make a rapid getaway, outstripping even the Seventh as you fall the hell back.

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>>27202496
The shells explode mere seconds after, washing out your hearing in a wall of white noise, shaking the ground at your feet, and shredding the mavericks even as they move to press their "advantage."

Sadly, you don't have time to appreciate the fact that you just action hero dived out of an explosion before you have to return to duty. You only have a few seconds to capitalize on the opening you just made yourself. "Fourth, advance! Seventh, any casualties?"

"Some," Addax reports, "Heavy hitters are fine, did we get Hoplite?"

"Not yet," Diamond reports. "He buzzed off during the first wave."

"I think we're ready to break off and take him on," offers Warwing. "Permission to open up the skies for round two?"

>It's a risk, but it's your call. Seventh is off the leash. Take your shot.
>Negative. I want us consolidated for the next push, Hoplite or no.
>Other?

>>27202513


>It's a risk, but it's your call. Seventh is off the leash. Take your shot.

They have their job to do. Meanwhile, how are things going back at the tunnel? Did they say they stopped things on that front?

Rolled 15

>>27202513
>>It's a risk, but it's your call. Seventh is off the leash. Take your shot.

>>27202513
>It's a risk, but it's your call. Seventh is off the leash. Take your shot.
Go for it, brah.

>>27202513
>It's a risk, but it's your call. Seventh is off the leash. Take your shot.

Are the tunnellers being dealt with?

>>27202513
>It's a risk, but it's your call. Seventh is off the leash. Take your shot.

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>>27202624
>>27202648
>>27202679
>>27202701
"Let's go two for two, then," you say. "You're cleared to engage. Be careful and if Saetos appears, be ready to drop everything."

"Don't need to tell us twice," Euphonia says with an audible grin. "Isander, you're on deck. We'll flank, but the bogey's yours."

One of the production reploids answers by roaring into the air first, almost lazily rolling around an incoming salvo as he closes in.

"Beller0phons," Diamond says as he claps you on the shoulder. "All got a bit of a showoff streak in 'em. C'mon." A moment later, the rest of their complement forms up--more of the Beller0phons, then a wing of an older, larger-winged and less maneuverable model, and finally some flight-equipped Steel Beret variants. Screaming up on either side of the formation are two of the finches.

"We've got plenty of air and lots of dare," Addax replies as the two of you return to the engagement. "We'll screen Fourth from above. Maybe we can lure Saetos out with a little show."

"One thing at a time," you reply. "The more of his force we take out before we get to him, the better. Lightleap, any updates on the tunnel?"

"First is blazing a trail," he replies. "Seventeenth is hitting their big targets and Second is providing fast response support. Making good progress, an--"

"Saetos sighting on radar again!" interrupts Fryctoria.

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>>27203398
"Tunnel, us, or you?" you ask, instantly scanning the skies.

"None of the above, he--tracking--seems to be circling and--signal lost again. Damn it." You can hear the frustration.

"He's trying to psych us out," you reply. "I think. Keep us posted. Unless he's breathing down our necks, everyone keep to your knitting."

"Copy, but if he goes for the tunnel he's got us dead to rights," Lightleap replies. "We'll double-time it."

"Same goes for us," Diamond says at your side. "We don't want to be caught out when he gets here."

It was a very chaotic sixty seconds, though they paid off. The maverick Reploid force is roughly intact, minus one or two, but you managed to take out their heaviest mechaniloid support. How do you wish to re-engage?
>

>>27203416
Front to back, work towards the entrance. Wreck any ride armors if they've got 'em. If they want to set up a picket even after we just shelled the mountain, they'll be on unstable ground. They've lost their big guns, so show them what "superior firepower" means; make sure we're spitting more than they are.

>>27203489
Seconding

>>27203489
I'll third tis.

Hm. I think I'm gonna pause the thread for now. I'll pick up again Sunday, if nobody minds. Right now things seem pretty dead.

Any objections before I commit?

>>27204682

Darn. Well, your call. Personally, I'm not sure how to vote, because I'm just not tactically minded. But you can add another vote for >>27203489 if you like.

Otherwise, it's your call. It's been a fun read!

>>27204682
People are getting home from work. See if people keep showing up. If you want to stop, I won't stop you, but at least archive.

>>27204682
I wouldn't mind if you stopped, but I'd prefer to continue the battle.

>>27204765
And this guy has a point.

>>27204765
>>27204773
>>27204944
I'll go a bit longer then, I guess, at least one more post, and see where that takes us.

But first, pizza.

>>27204682
>>27204989
I've been lurking for this entire thread because I feel like making a post just to say 'I agree' is a little silly.

>>27205216
That is the problem I have as well. I'm more likely to post when I see a possibility of a curveball, such as them going underground last thread.

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>>27205216
Fair enough, though don't be afraid to ask questions or spark off debate. I try not to write with less than three votes for something, but that's still only the minimum I'm comfortable on.
TL;DR I'm a bit spoiled, but I can only act on what I see in terms of activity, since I never know how many people are actually around.

>>27205414
Will remember.

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>>27203489
>>27203615
>>27203819
You move back in as the battle begins once again in earnest, sizing up your opposition and deciding to start with the heaviest opponents you can get your hands on--the Rideloids.

The mavericks, for their part, maintained discipline and chose to answer your second attack with a massed counter-charge--ballsy, but they know they're screwed anyway. You find the first Rideloid pummeling down one of your unfortunate hunter brethren, and choose to get his attention before he can start on another. Your T. Coil plunks as it hits his chestplate and finds a purchase--in his fist, as he grabs the line and hauls with the ride armor's full force. You twist in midair, contorting to avoid his outstretched fist, managing to (mostly) avoid the crushing blow. It glances off your shoulder, sending you bouncing in a jarring, end-over-end tumble over the cockpit. Your fingers manage to grab purchase on the back rim and you latch on tight, your momentum actually dragging the armor backward a hair. As the frame lurches you haul yourself up and to the side, plant your boot on the pilot's head and dash-kick him in the face. It doesn't survive the experience.

You're getting kind of tired of Ride Armors, you think idly as you trash the thing's controls. You're getting good at dealing with them.

Of course, that's when the other one slams its fist into the now-immobilized ride you just cleared, sending you sprawling across the rock and snow. You look up as it looms over you, raising its fists--

And, abruptly, it rises up into the air, toes kicking out as it flails and struggles, shortly before it implodes on itself like a crushed tin can.

"Not to worry," Addax chimes in amicably, energy crackling between his massive antlers, "this one's on me."

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>>27206564
You'll take it, you decide, stowing your readied lance. "Thanks. How we doing?"

He pulls you to your feet. "Some more noteworthy losses, but nothing critical yet. We're chasing down Hoplite, forcing him out of his comfort zone and into ours. Still no sign of Saetos, high or low. Scans indicate a heavier enemy presence inside the fort, no surprise there. Just a few barrier attackers left, and I think the Fourth has them locked down. Nice kick, by the way. That only works if you get inside the bubble."

"Thank you. Nice... uh..."

"Gravitons? Why thank you for noticing," he says with a good-natured grin.

"Heh. Beware the flying ungulate, right. Tunnel team, how are you holding up?"

"Engaging mechaniloid borer!" comes Delphi's voice, over what sounds like plasma fire. "Once it's down, we can disarm its bombs and collapse the tunnel on them!"

"Do you need reinforcements?"

"Negative," interrupts Fromm. "We have the situation well in hand."

"Concur," adds Lightleap. "You shouldn't spend any more assets on us than you have to."

"And what about--" Your question, once again, is cut off by Communications.

"We've picked up Saetos's signal again, this time good and steady. He's not moving."

"Where is he?"

"Inside, near your position."

"What's waiting between us and him, then?" you ask.

"Scanning... Hotarions, Barite Lastars, Dodge Blasters, more Drill Wayings, some other superheavy loids, and a few more Reploid signals."

"More Hotarions. Tunnel, any on your end?"

"Negative!"

"Fly's here, then," Diamond chimes in from somewhere overhead. "If you don't mind, I'll link up with you on our entry. How do you want to breach the fort?"
>

>>27206564
Now that's some impressive firepower.

>>27206606
That's a...good question. What exactly are we looking at, here?

>>27206606
Are we out of range of the artillery by now?

We gotta use some explosives to punch through their barricades. Bring up some heavy weapons and lay down some covering fire.

>>27206606
I wish I could remember which number the destroyed armored group had because this sounds like a good portion of its remains.

>>27206606
Simply fighting our way through may be costly and it's most likely out of artillery range.

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>>27206681
The fortifications themselves would block the fire, and a sustained bombardment to punch through would cost time and ammo.

Fortunately, there are no doors proper. Gates are impractical at a high mountain pass, and they just had to roll out a large strike force.

>>27206654
A sturdy-looking open-topped fortress built into the mountain itself, stark white to match the albedo of snow glare from above.

>>27206813
8th Armored. There's plenty of Ride Armors to be had (and a small bounty on capturing salvageable assets), but at the end of the day, 8th is a mechanized company of hardened infantry, siegebreakers, sappers, demolitionists, and all manner of vehicle operation, not just rides.

Need any further info?

...Also, now that we got one whole post in further, I'm probably going to have to cut off for the night soon, just on account of getting up at 5. That said, I can still square away information and questions so we're ready to move ASAP.

>>27207431
If it's open-topped, then we should be able to find a way inside the caldera of the base, as it were, without needing to blow some holes in the wall. Optimally, being able to blow a hole in the fortification would allow us to funnel in unfettered.

Here's a thought.
How much further up is the top of the mountain?
How much open-air snow is sitting above the open-air base?
What do we have in our arsenal to knock snow loose?

>>27207431
What is surveillance like? Any blind spots?

Do we have any specialised digging equipment?

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>>27207520
Unfortunately, the fort is high enough up that an avalanche isn't really a valid option. It's situated between two peaks nearly, but not at, the crests, in a natural crevasse.

That said, if you had enemy forces below you, you could probably use explosive or sonic weapons to cause an avalanche from the side slopes a bit further down.

>>27207556
You can only really see the front wall from here, but it's built pretty snug into the crevasse. Communications is getting scans from inside, but no clearer data as yet.

No dedicated digging equipment, though Polar has some Axe Max Treadheavies that might do the job, if you called them up. That will take time, though.

Also, I'm not being sufficiently clear due to fatigue, sorry: You can get in through the front. There's a lack of doors, not a solid wall facing you. It's open.

>>27207772
Well, they're in an entrenched position in an enclosed space, which is a strong way to defend yourself from outside against superior numbers. In lieu of an en masse charge (that being suicide), we need to find a way to draw them out into the open air somehow. The open air of the base itself is effectively a no-fly zone, so if we have fire support outside the base and can draw them out, we can cut them down more easily. That's my thought.

>>27207875
I'd kill for one of those grenades Grach used during that time we picked him up...
I wonder if he'll sell us his weapon data.

>>27206606
Let's switch to our Terrapin Shell weapon(we did get that, right?).
Switch it to both arms and use them to let our guys advance, along with any other barriers we might have available.

When we get close enough, use our blackouts to hit the center of their formation and disrupt their forces, as well as send a gravity wave or two for effect. While they're dissoriented, switch to lance and Shell and continue to block for our guys while they clear the area SWAT style.

We're built as a blocker, let's block. Only attack with a big charge of electricity if we've built up a large amount.

>>27211940
Anode wants to be Tacticool but Solstrike won't let him.

>>27211940
Good plan, actually. We have massive ability to provide cover with the blackout flares and the terrapin.

>>27211940
This is a good idea, but like all the other plans I'm scared of Solstrike screaming out and tangling us up once hew realizes what's happening.

>>27207772
Im actually thinking We maybe should do a quick regroup before assaulting the base, wait until the 17th finish with the borer then hitting the place.
I am curious how Saetos keeps getting in and out of their without getting picked up though.

>>27217343
Maybe he has some sort of teleport?

>>27217343

Possible options, from greatest disaster to least:

Invisibility
Phasing
Teleporting that doesn't require a platform
Superspeed
Complete redesign so that he doesn't even look like a eagle

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>>27218026
The mental image for that last one had CL rolling.
<Cain_Labs> "Suddenly, an elephant drops out of the sky and announces I AM SOLSTRIKE SAETOS"
<Cain_Labs> "Addax is all like 'Well shit, they took my trick and went pro'"

Unfortunately, now the bad news: Talked it over with him, and we're going to pause for today. Do you guys want to resume tomorrow (I'll have something to take care of, but it shouldn't take more than a few mid-afternoon hours), or in a week? That's one week, not my usual two, since we didn't get all that far.

On the other hand, you may or may not get to see something interesting in what remains of this thread, depending on a few factors.

Anyway, putting it to you: Tomorrow or this Friday?

Also, sorry for the switcharoo. Things always get hectic right after I schedule to run.

>>27218026
Actually, teleporting without a platform Would be way worse, we'd never be able to pin him down or stop him. While invisibility could be handles a number of ways, including just filling the area with ordinance.

Anyway, All the more reason I think we should wait till the tunnel team is done, THEN make our assault, so if he pulls out some bullshit, or tries to head outside and flank us once were in, we'll have a big enough team waiting to mitigate any damage he might try. Also, in the very unlikely event that he tries to bolt.

>>27218220
My vote is for tomorrow

>>27218220
>Thati mage

OH GOD THAT'S AWESOME. The D-Arts are so swank.

>>27218220
Either or is fine.

>>27218026
Or he's duping his signal to fuck with us.

>>27218261
If he's figured out teleportation without a platform then we're basically fucked, and he gets an upgrade to G Rank, so we should *really* hope it isn't that.

>>27219011
Having a localized warp would ruin some days, yeah.

So, if someone can keep this alive until say... 10:30 EST I can toss in some backstory stuff I had for a certain deathsquad reploid. Granted it will largely be remaking a lot of the writing I lost when my hard drive failed, but I can do it in interview form or a couple snippets from Grach's earlier ops.

>>27220842
I can try

>>27219011
If it's a line-of-sight, short-range, fixed-distance teleport (e.g., _exactly_ twenty meters, no more, no less) with a cooldown time of at least ten seconds, he might be just short of G Rank.

Maybe.

That said, if the Mavericks had any sort of access to platformless teleportation tech, they wouldn't reveal it _here and now_ unless it were already too late to do anything about; the Mav who had it would be in a lab somewhere _way the hell away_ from any other vaguely suspicious activity, either as a staff member or as a vivisection subject, while work proceeded to duplicate it.

So either Solstrike doesn't have it, or it's not _just_ Solstrike that has it. (And unless I'm forgetting something, canon would imply it's the former...)

>>27218220
Would prefer tomorrow, but either is fine.

>>27225090
Yeah, it's probably nothing.

Probably.

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Rolled 74, 15 = 89

>>27220842
>10:30 EST
That's, what, one hour from now?

Rolled 41, 42 = 83

>>27228683

>>27228786
>Stealth Coyote

Not bad.

Rolled 7, 41 = 48

>>27228683

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Rolled 53, 92 = 145

lets see what we get this time

>>27229168
Rocket Wolf
I'll take it

>>27228683
Just about
Alright, I got the plotlines of them pretty much set, just lost the writeups I had for them due to an unfortunate encounter with a truck.

Options for now:
[ ] Full Transcription of Grach's 'insurance policy'
[ ] Interview with Grach.
[ ] Chessboard Operation Log
[ ] Operation Log REDACTED
[ ] Independent Operation Log, Africa.

Rolled 55, 53 = 108

>>27229168
>[ ] Full Transcription of Grach's 'insurance policy'
all of them seem interesting, but this seems the most relevant to our present story

Rolled 12, 56 = 68

>>27228683

>>27228683
>Destruction Snake
>>27228786
>Stealth Coyote
>>27229168
>Rocket Wolf
>>27229195
>Unshakeable Mammoth
>>27229434
>Slasher Bison
>>27229480
>Axe Deer

Quick /tg/, make up bios for this rag-tag band of reploids!

Rolled 40, 76 = 116

>>27229379
Insurance policy, go for it!

>>27229379
[X] Independent Operation Log, Africa.
Russians in Africa tend to make for an interesting read.

>>27230120
>>27229434
I've got this already done, so I'll do this for now. Feel free to cast a vote for whatever after.

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I am Chernyee Grach, otherwise known as the Black Rook, former member of the Chessboard Platoon. These recordings are equal parts chronicle and insurance should I be found.
Our unit consisted of ten reploids, 2 for each major chess piece, one male, one female, black and white. King, Queen, Bishop, Knight, Rook. Kingfisher, Whydah, Cardinal, Falcon, and, naturally, Rook. It was a brilliant trick--naming us like animal-type models. Between that and our specialization--wetwork, infiltration--we were never found out. We had several successful operations under our belts when our division's funding was cut, and Chessboard was to be disbanded and decommissioned.
To avoid that fate, we volunteered for the Nonstandard Counterinsurgency Unit. Deep cover, unconventional warfare. In other words, deep insertion deathsquads. We kept to our two-man teams, except for occasional combined ops. All of the data from those years is attached to this file, including official approval for our operations. Myself and White Rook were personally responsible for the deaths of no less than 700 individuals marked as "acceptable targets" during that time. Then, Sigma happened.

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>>27230413
We had a full workload, dealing with mavericks in-house on top of our usual duties. However, it became apparent that we ourselves were now viewed with suspicion. It made sense--If someone like Sigma could fall, it was entirely likely that the reploids involved in such distasteful business could go rogue, and perhaps we already were. We were given increasingly dangerous jobs. Cardinal squad went MIA first, likely killed in a small scale nuclear explosion outside of Murmansk.
It continued like that, White Whydah and Black Falcon were confirmed KIA during a combined op in a maverick stronghold in the Ural Mountains. Black Whydah went AWOL shortly afterwards, and White Falcon self terminated. Kingfisher squad was called up for a black ops mission at the same time we got a call about a mission abroad. I never heard from them again.
Our job was a simple one. A South African warlord had come across alluvial gold deposits and was looking to buy some ordnance. We were simply there to oversee the transaction. Well, we get there, and there is already another team waiting for us. Suspicious. They set up on the offskirts of the transaction zone. I decided to look at our cargo. Slag. All of it. We were being set up. If the warlord didn't kill us, then the wet team would.

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>>27230467
White Rook and I devised a plan. We contacted the warlord, saying a rival slagged our merchandise, but we knew where their camp was. We gave them the location of the overwatch team. During the ensuing firefight, we said our goodbyes, and went our seperate ways.
I found work as a freelance mercenary for a while, earning enough money to move from area to area, away from those who would surely be pursuing me. I was hired to a rebel force near Angola, me and a team of maybe five mercs. We'd worked together for a while. Closest thing I had to comrades since my old unit. Then the government decided that there was not enough glass in africa, and we were just outside ground zero. I was the only reploid. My survival alerted the NCU to my position and prompted a wet team to come looking for me. I was halfway to South America by then.

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>>27230583
Did my first and only stint in drug trafficking in Bolivia, small scale runs across the border. Turns out the distributor cut a deal with the local officials. He sold me out, and I was thrown into a nondescript prison camp in the jungle. 6 months there, little food, precious little water, brutal guards. Not a concern to me, though lack of proper recharge sapped me just as effectively as starvation. I survived running on emergency-level low output, and a limited recharger system for long-term infiltration, and to the guards I was just as weak and emaciated as the human captives. It wasn't until a guerilla raid on the facility that I learned that not many people lasted more than 2 months. The ones that did retreated to somewhere inside their own heads. I gave them what relief I could with my blades. Not even a sigh as it happened.
From there I country-hopped into Brazil, did freelance mercenary work again, some arms dealing. No more drug running. Ran into a man named Abram there, he told me his story. Turns out it was all lies. Just as well, I told him a bunch of lies too. We got contracted together to find out why some tribes deep in the amazon were becoming more militant. Turned out it was an old friend.

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>>27230604
Not much to tell from there, moving from country to country, loading and offloading merchandise as we got it. Selling to both sides, making them stagnate, stockpile, creating miniature cold wars instead of open combat. Fair trade. We set up in a few places. Did some business there. Sometimes contracted out. Chased by officials, nearly arrested by a lot of them. Befriended more than a few. Eventually made it to the States--probably the easiest business I've ever done. Hell, helped a lot more people too. Managed to make enough for extensive reworking of my abilities. Shouldn't be able to find me so easily now.
Do not get me wrong, I have done horrible things. Things I do not regret. I may have found them distasteful, even repugnant at times, but my conscience is clear. I had no intention of leaking what I did in the NCA. The fact these recordings exist is their incessant hounding of me. I cannot see this ending peacefully, but then again, I haven't seen a lot of things coming. I just make do as best I can.

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>>27230649
That's it for the transcription.
I was the VA for that by the way back when snippets of it came up in the threads.
Remaining choices are as follows:
[ ] Interview with Grach.
[ ] Chessboard Operation Log
[ ] Operation Log REDACTED
[ ] Independent Operation Log, Africa.

>>27230801
i think you skipped a part near the end there

>>27230923
I know, There's a reason for that.

>>27230801
[ ] Independent Operation Log, Africa.

>>27230980
seconded

>>27230801
See >>27230232

>>27230801
[x] Chessboard Operation Log

Let's try to get some background first.

>>27231091
Changing my vote to this. It's good to have perspective on things.

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Two for both. Will wait a bit longer.
That and I'm writing them both up again.

>>27231617
If everybody's gone to bed (like I am), you might as well decide by coin-flip or whatever once you've got enough to post and before something in your vicinity catches on fire if it hasn't already.

>>27232526
... okay, I don't *just* fail at spoilers; that was my second try and I double-checked that one. Last clause was supposed to be spoilered too. Eh, fuck it, I'm out anyway.

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>>27232526
>>27232565
Consider it done. Chessboard Log is go.

Chessboard Operation Log:
Chessboard Op Center: Unit, what is your position.
White Kingfisher: Grach, answer the man.
White Rook: GPS placement has us at 5 clicks north of the target encampment.
Black Rook: We are coming up on drop point alpha.
Black Cardinal: That's our stop.
Black Kingfisher: I'll drop with the cardinals and maintain fire base security while they set up. Rest of the unit move and be ready for assault.
WK: That means I'm heading up insertion. Whydahs, your on suppression duty while Falcons hit the target
Black Whydah: Understood.
White Whydah: Locked and Loaded.
BR: At landing zone Alpha, fireteam free to disembark.
BK: Cardinals disembark on my mark. 3. 2. 1. Mark.
White Falcon: Good hunting.
BC: With any luck we won't see anyone
WF: Spoilsport.
Black Falcon: White...
WF: Shutting up.
WK: Moving on to main encampment.
COC: Copy that. Establishing uplink with fire base alpha.

WR: Getting heat signatures... they look somewhat small.
WK: Get a better read on them.
WR: Understood.
BK: Read me? This is firebase, two patrols encountered.
WK: Dealt with?
BK: Of course, odd thing. We've got child soldiers here.

>>27233622

WK: COC please respond.
COC: Orders unchanged. Neutralize encampment and take out primary target. Evacuation marked a Tertiary objective.
White Cardinal: Horse shit.
BK: Keep comms clear Cardinal.
WC: Understood. Still horse shit.
WR: Not seeing any anti air on radar, we could do a rolling drop.
BR: I can handle that, Kingfisher? Plan?
WK: Falcons, Whydah, Drop with me on main target encampment. We'll take the primary and continue from there. Cardinals, you set up?
BC: Primed and ready boss.
WC: Onboard 80mm ready and armed.
WK: Hold on my call. Dropping on my mark. Mark.
BR: Black Rook takinging over comms with command. Do you read.
COC: Loud and clear.
BR: Will be relaying internal comms.
COC: Understood.
BF: Primary target identified.
WF: Primary target eliminated. Decapitation.
WK: Secondary targets already left, any reads from the air?
WR: I've got a small convoy heading southbound. I've got light AA presence.
COC: Cleared to engage.
BR: Understood, you ok down there?
WK: We'll be fine.
BR: Approaching secondary.
WR: A little higher and I'll be able to strafe.
BR: Rockets armed.
WR: Cannons armed.
BR: Got a lock on me, Rockets away. Flares out.
WR. All 3 barrels on lead car.
BR: Aaaand. That's a kill, secondary target down.
COC: Understood. Prepare for disengage, firebase alpha, cleared to fire.
WK: Got something odd here.

>>27233640
COC: Elaborate.
WK: Tertiary targets found, others stopped fighting on seeing primaries death. They've... stopped.
COC: Unimportant continue as planned.
WK: There is a pair of transports here.
WW: The borders not 10 miles from here, we can be out in no time.
BK: Understood. Will wait on bombardment.
COC: Negative. Extract and bombard. MIKA ready rockets.
BR: We are dry.
WK: Transports loaded. Free to engage.
BR: Understood, rockets ready.
COC: You said you were dry.
BR: With respect command, bite my shiny metal ass. Firebase alpha, you ready?
BK: Cardinals free to engage.
BC: Firing.
WC: Roger.
WR: Encampment is ablaze.
WK: Understood, heading toward the border.
BR: Picking up firebase alpha and providing escort.
BK: Copy.

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>>27233689
Aaaaand I passed out. That was the end of it, but nonetheless I hope I didn't leave anyone waiting.

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Big thanks to NCU Archives for keeping the thread going while I was out, and on zero notice. Poor bastard went to work, came home, got my message out of the blue, and mustered a response.

Anyway, resuming things now, using the point-defense suggestion because I thought it was really clever. Getting things rolling now.

>>27239297
Wunderbar. And I completely forgot about the Terrapin shells.

>>27239297
Neat

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>>27211940
>>27213420
>>27214855
You look in. "This thing's pretty well made. Only one way in, right?"

"Open-topped. We could go in by air," Warwing suggests.

"Too reckless, even for us," Addax replies. "Even if Saetos isn't here, that puts you in the center and mavericks on all sides. For all we know that's exactly what we want. No, we take the hard way." He turns to you. "And it will be hard, Lieutenant. They know we have to come through her, and they'll have their defenses organized to suit. This is going to be a messy affair."

"Maybe not," you think aloud. "Right. Okay. I want our most durable units to my front, the least durable directly behind me, and midgrade bringing up the rear. I'm center."

"You're up to something. What's the plan?" Diamond asks, interested.

"You want me to save my strength for Solstrike, right? That's what I'm gonna do. It just so happens," you grin, "I brought a full VWES and a lot of tricks to ruin the enemy's ranged game. You guys do the heavy lifting on the breach. I'll be covering you."

"Think you can keep the entire force under your umbrella?" Addax's voice is slightly skeptical, but not hesitant.

"The interior of the fort's going to be all choke points," you reply. "That takes away our numerical advantage, but it cuts both ways. The thickest fighting will be ahead. Even if they blow a wall or use side passages to attack as we pass, our sturdier members are at the front and back, and I'll be right there to protect the centerline."

Addax taps his chin. "I like it. What about securing?"

"They either stop us at the front or not at all. Most of their forces will be in the first push. Once those are done, their backs are effectively broken. We spread out into subteams and clear the hallways as we go, sweep it from back to front. If anyone runs into something they can't handle, fall back and we'll link up to handle it."

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>>27239724
"You heard the man," Diamond calls, touching down right beside you. "Maintain comm contact, sort yourselves appropriately, and listen to the groundpounders while we're on their turf."

Your force quickly reorganizes--Addax opts to take the front, Diamond the back, and one Finch apiece. Two stay directly at your side, along with Danphi. Euphonia comms in at your side. "Isander, what's the status on Hoplite?"

"Negative," replies a frustrated voice. "Fell back behind a massive swarm of Tubamails. They're going to make going in after him impossible. He might fly the coop."

"...Tubamails?" you ask Siskin quietly.

"Little bird mechaniloids deployed from a minifabricator 'nest,' he explains. They're weak, but they don't stop coming."

"You drove him back, at least. Link back up and take rearguard, if we force him to respond to our breach you might get another chance."

"Yes, sir," replies the production model with undisguised disappointment.

With that the last of the Seventh forms up on you. "Addax, if you're ready? Ring the doorbell."

"If it's all the same to you, Lieutenant, I thought I'd rather knock," he replies, and a second later the air ripples and crackles as he engages his gravitics and crushes the front walls in with a resounding crash. A moment of suspension between Addax's antlers, then the rubble flies down the entry hall as if fired from a gun, cutting off the sound of enemy gunfire as soon as it begins, their shots are foiled and the shooters crushed.

That dude's awesome.

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>>27239739
The Fourth and Seventh pour in under cover of dust and rubble, guns blazing. You're right on the vanguard's heels, busters out and ready. You opt to go in with Tumult Shell, making a high jump and firing them slightly in advance, down over the heads of your team. They lazily glide forward, clearing the front line just in time to do their jobs, soaking up a volley as three mavericks break from cover an let out a massed plasma fusillade. They're forced to duck back behind their cover, cursing as your Lanceteamers return three times their fire. Addax starts denying them shelter, shunting debris around and into the hostiles behind it. One is crushed outright, another gunned down as he makes a break out in the open.

Meanwhile, you switch to your Blackout Flare rockets and lob one far, far ahead of your own line. It impacts dead center down the hallway, returning the ping of shrapnel on armor, and cries of surprise from blinded mavericks. A wave of Hotarions flies in low and fast, just in time to get caught in the storm of metal and crash to the ground harmlessly. The front line is caught between trying to fall back into the cloud of flak and the teeth of your guns, letting you quickly mop them up. Addax clears your flak with more rock and a few fallen Disk Boy shields, mopping up the worst of the shrapnel and allowing your force through.

"They're falling back," he reports, "organized, fighting retreat. I'd get ready for--"

He's cut off as he leaps backwards, a massive spiked ball crashing through the wall at his side. One of your Lanceteamers isn't as lucky, being crushed against the far wall and going slack, his chestplate caved in.

"Melee fighters! Big 'loids and hoganmer!" Your screening is effective against ranged, but melee sharply limits your options. Hamma-Hammas--the big, stupidly durable double-flail-throwers--and a shield wall of three hoganmer are dug in to a sturdy defensive position. How do you want to tackle the nasty entrenched line?
>

>>27239739
Man that gravity cannon is a pretty badass weapon.

>>27230604
>The ones that did retreated to somewhere inside their own heads. I gave them what relief I could with my blades. Not even a sigh as it happened.
Nightwatch reference?

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>>27239811
Yes.

>>27239779
Blackout Flare to split them up, then we can go in and deal with the Hamma-Hamma and have Addax deal with a Hoganmer or two.

These things are slow as shit, and we are quite fast, dodge around it and then strike with our lance from the side/behind. Are those cooling vents just above it's feet? If so, target those. I think a beam lance jammed straight into that would work wonders.

>>27239865
Blackout isn't really useful against melee with hard amor.

We need something penetrating here.

Switch to Lock-on and let her rip?

>>27239779
We still have 3/4 of our Lockon Hunter left. We hit them with that.

>>27239779
If we get Addax close enough to the hoganmer can he shot it at the retreating Mavericks with his gravity thing?

If not, can he catch one of those balls if we cover him from the other one and throw it back at the thing?

>>27239779
Get the others to break formation and find some cover. Establish the line against the rest of the Mavericks while we deal with the Hamma-Hammas flanking us. Be prepared for any Mavs hiding behind them; if they can flank from this position, nothing's going to stop them from massing infantry in that direction.

>>27239909
Well, it was more for taking out their sensory equipment, but I guess you have a point.

I would like to save the Lockon Hunter for Saetos, but the situation warrants use of it.

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>>27239909
>>27239927
>>27239944
>>27239953
"Fourth, move to cover and get ready to answer a counterattack! Seventh, support the sides! Addax, can you catch those maceballs or throw the Reploids?"

"No and yes," he answers, "but it'll leave me open and they won't fly nearly so far."

"Do it if you can," you reply, "I'll engage the front, mess up their formation."

"Roger," he says crisply as you draw your lance and switch to Lockon Hunter. You learned about hoganmer the hard way on Wolfspider's op--and what's more, these three are very-well coordinated, throwing their ball-and-chains in sequence to force you to keep moving, unable to line up a shot. You only narrowly dodge aside as the ground crunches at your feet, shattered by the steady pounding of the Hammas and the Hoganmer.

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>>27240975
"Anode, eyes up!" warns Euophonia. "Degravers and--" And Gun Volts. You're lucky they open up with their electrical spheres, your body soaking up a potentially deadly barrage, harmlessly feeding your Capacitor charge.

"Ready!" Addax calls as you bat a pickaxe out of the way with your lance.

"Do it!" you yell. You put that free electrical buildup to good use, planting your boots on the wall and flashdumping it into a boosted dash. You sail over the heads of the line as one of the hoganmer throws again, twisting over to line up a shot. Addax times his attack perfectly, the first of the three mavericks stumbling as his gravity field snares its shield arm and yanks it off-balance and off guard. You exploit the opening just as you hit the floor, firing your laser on full blast again. It drills through the first's chest and burns through the one behind it, overextended in his throwing motion. They go down as one while you skid across the floor. The third jerks upright as he's lifted in the air, then flies backwards into the path of a Hamma Hamma's flail, half his side dented in as he tumbles backwards, spinning wildly. He slowly hauls himself back up despite the grievous damage.

One hoganmer, two Hamma Hammas, four Degravers--two of which in a heavier configuration--and two Gun Volts remain.
>The Hammas can do the most damage. Clear out the melee force.
>Prioritize the ranged. Someone's going to catch a stray missile or pickaxe.
>Have your forces break cover and advance. Catch them all in one swoop.
>Other?

>>27240986
>The Hammas can do the most damage. Clear out the melee force.
>Have your forces break cover and advance. Catch them all in one swoop.
We need to smash them at once, with emphasis on the biggest targets. Hell, if we can lop off those maces, that'd make life instantly easier.

>>27240986
>Prioritize the ranged. Someone's going to catch a stray missile or pickaxe.

We're really rather good at killing things with little to no melee capability.

>>27240986
>The Hammas can do the most damage. Clear out the melee force.

Those guys are tough. Have our forces lay down covering fire against the ranged while we deal with the Hammas

>>27240986
Think we could get all the big hammer guys attention and trick them into smashing some of the ranged guys? Then out forces can advance and hit the big dudes when they're distracted.

>>27240986
>The Hammas can do the most damage. Clear out the melee force.
They're the bigger threat. And maybe the Gun Volts will be stupid enough to use their electrical attack again.

>>27241215
They're forward-facing, and the ranged detachment is behind their line.

>>27241333
In that case, take out ranged. We don't want them screwing us up while fighting the big guys.

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Okay, after this post, I'm going to need to go take care of a few things. Will be maybe an hour or two, hopefully no more than that. Guess we'll see.
>>27241161
>>27241314
>>27241122
You decide that the biggest threat is the Hammas--your forces can take more abuse from the ranged without falling, but those flails are practically a death sentence for the infantry.

"Move up and provide fire support! Pin down those shooters, I'm on the Hammas!"

"Got your back," Diamond offers, coming to your side as he snaps his wing foils to his sides at the ready.

"Me as well," Danphe adds.

"I'll run interference on the gun line," Addax adds. "Keeping our boys safe."

"We're on Hotarion watch," Siskin replies as you move forward on the Hammas. "Got another few waves coming in."

You open up by advancing at full speed, dashing past the initial pair of thrown flails and bearing down on the Hoganmer before he can ready up. He raises his shield to guard, catching your lance on it as his damaged side sparks and whines in protest. While you've got him engaged, Diamond flashes by him with a raking motion, turning on his heel and bringing his arcing wingfoil across his good side. The hoganmer falls dead, shorn in half across the midsection.

Danphe, meanwhile, generates a miniature ice storm, skating across the now-slick surface to nimbly dodge the Hammas, keeping one occupied and giving you breathing room. You turn to dispatch the other, opening fire with both busters to gun the thing down. Diamond adds his own slower, more powerful fire to the mix, the two of you splitting off around it. Unable to block all the incoming fire, it's eventually overwhelmed and explodes. Danphe gets in close to his and attacks it with surprising ferocity, cutting into it with a beam knife until it finally collapses midswing, chains going slack where they fell.

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>>27242881
The ranged team is taken care of in short order with minimal further damage, leaving you a moment to regroup and prepare for an attack that never comes. You breathe a sigh of relief. So far, so good...

"Navigation, we're having trouble verifying we've downed all essential targets in the Tunnel," you hear Lightleap send over comms. "Can you provide another scan?"

Fryctoria replies, her voice much less strained now that the immediate threat is being contained. "Copy that, assigning Teletrans to dedicated Tunnel sweeps. What are we looking for?"

"High explosives, any Wayings we miss that could prevent the collapse, and anything that might surprise us."

"Copy," comes an as-yet-unheard voice--likely Teletrans. "Sifting...lot of interference down there."

"Is it a problem?" Delphi asks.

"Negative," Anemone replies with a satisfied tone, "slicing through it like a knife through butter. I--hang on."

"What? Saetos?"

"Yes, and--No. ...No, of course."

"5th, what is going on?" demands Adler, "We just received a warning signal for Saetos, and then it disappeared."

Annoyance in the Navigator's voice, now. "Damn it. All forces, be advised, enemy has counterintelligence assets."

"What? What does that mean?" you ask over the din.

"N5-SIfers," he says. "natural enemy of our Comm Logis officers. They've been hiding in the tunnels, baffling our sensors. Our ghost Saetos signatures are their doing."

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>>27242920
"What? Are you saying he's not even here?!"

"We don't know that," Addax warns. "We'll keep an eye out for more SIfers up here, but we still have a job to do, people. Everyone break into fireteams and branch off. I want the finches heading up 7th squads with 4th support checking out branching pathways. Thorough sweep. Keep an eye out for these counterintel mavericks."

"Saetos's signal is still steady at your location, center of the fortress, Lieutenant," Fryctoria directs at you. "With another large signature, possibly mechaniloid."

"Then that's where I'm heading," you reply. "Everyone be ready to get moving quick, either out of dodge or coming to back my ass up."

"I'm with Anode, then," Diamond says. "That's the likeliest place to find Fly, and if it is Saetos, you might need someone to keep him within firing range."

>Sounds good. We make a straight shot for the signal.
>No go. You'd be better served elsewhere.
>Other?

>>27242938
>Sounds Good

>>27242938
>Sounds good. We make a straight shot for the signal.

It's probably not Saetos.

>>27243206
If any of them are at all. Nobody's actually seen this superbeast yet.

Can he hide his signal completely, or is he just not here and we're being played?

>>27242938
>>Other?
If I read correctly, we still have two high priority targets left. Fly is one, and the other got away but could still be here. Remind everyone to be on special lookout for that guy before we head to the boss fight.

>>27243355
He could just be three squirrels, a cloak, and an anti-grav unit.

>>27243355
There was a huge signature at his location, maybe he upgraded himself to G?

>>27242938

>Sounds good. We make a straight shot for the signal.

Backup is always a good thing.

>>27243488
That may be a transport.

>>27243488
We aren't equipped to deal with that shit.

If he's upgraded himself into a flying fortress or something, we need to call in the big guns.

>>27243646
Or a ride armor.

>>27242938
Sounds good.

We need to remember to tell Em that we now only have to fight alongside Sapphire to have "done" his whole family.

>>27242938
>Sounds good. We make a straight shot for the signal.

>>27243898
How convenient that the last Maverick on Anode's list is water oriented.

>>27244003
This has to happen. We can't tell him until we've done it though.

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>>27243898
>>27244003
>>27244130

>>27243355
We know for a fact there are counterintelligence Mavericks sending false positives to Communications to keep the Hunters riled. He was never actually anywhere but in the base. He's smart to deploy counterintel, but that doesn't mean he isn't in the area.

>>27244130
True. He's already worked with Cath during Vienna so he could counter with having already "done a quicky" with her.

>>27244673
Nearly every Maverick Hunter in existence was in Vienna; it was like an orgy of battles.
Whose to say who fought alongside who.

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>>27243898
>>27244130
>>27244170
>The super deadly maverick we threw an army at might not even be here.
>We should make sure we tell Em we boned his entire family.
I love you guys. I think I have to put Sapphire in the next mission now.

Back, temporarily, and also sort of dead. Gonna need a few to pull myself back together, if I can.

>>27244762
Cath and Em both mentioned and confirmed that they ended up working together during part of Venna. It was even part of one of the threads and led to a look that caused Em run away in terror from Anode for a few days.

>>27244898
Take your time, man. A delayed game is good eventually, but a rushed game is bad forever.

>>27244898
Wait.

Solstrike isn't here because this is a distraction.

He's attacking the home base with a much larger force. Check communications.

>>27245137
Shit. Still think we ought to check out this fort.
Maybe send the tunnel crew back to base just in case?

>>27245137
The base here or headquarters? Either way we can;t afford not to check it out. Let's send back the other forces and check out the fort ourselves.

>>27245247
That's a HORRIBLE idea. We've already taken much of the fort. All we can do is push forward and confirm the signal. Setting up an entire staffed Maverick base here for no reason other than an elaborate distraction is retarded. You don't mass all these resources here for no reason, especially if the Hunters find you and presumably corner you like they did here.

>>27245137
If you mean Geneva, that'd be a horrible idea on the Maverick's part. For one, he's ostensibly S-Class, not G-Class or even P-Class. An attack on Geneva would be suicide at best. Even Sigma would go "yo that shit's retarded."

>>27245672
Okay, but you can tell that this is just a distraction to keep us busy?

I bet Saetos isn't even here.

>>27246191
This is one hell of a distraction, then.

>>27246318
Which either means one hell of a setup or one hell of a counterattack elsewhere.

Assuming we're not all overthinking this and Solstrike isn't up top waiting for us to not show so he can escape.

Let's clear the way to the core and then head in with Diamond. Send the rest to create a perimeter so the targets can't clear the zone and also so we don't feed troops to an S-Rank

>>27246191
That would be a massive waste of resources.

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>>27243160
>>27243206
>>27243361
>>27243509
>>27243898
>>27244003
>>27245137
>>27245172
>>27245621
>>27246618
"Works for me," you nod. "Let's hit this thing quick. I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this." Diamond falls in behind you and you begin a steady advance, your force breaking off into teams as you go, turning down side corridors and branching out. "Tunnel team, how are you doing?"

"Nearly done here," Lightleap replies. "Wayings down, and we've found one more SIfer. We're just making sure we don't collapse home base on itself when we set this charge, and then we're out of here. Karst confirmed KIA, so we're down two of five."

"Any signs of trouble?"

"Negative, though I'm not sure if I'm relieved or annoyed at the possibility we don't have Solstrike."

"I hear you. Any trouble at base, Fifth?"

"Just facilitating a nice, polite discussion between the 10th and unit 0," answers Fryctoria.

"Come again?"

"Communications speak for 'we are absolutely fucking livid,' sir. We're all kicking ourselves about the signal interference."

"Heh. Copy that. We'll report any further sightings to you, just do what you can now that the cat's out of the bag."

"So..." Diamond says. "you think he's here?"

"Saetos? Christ, I hope so and I don't. I'd hate to have dragged us all on this..."

"Merry finch chase?" he offers.

"...and he just never turns up."

"Plus, that means he's still out there, ready to ruin someone else's day."

"Yeah, there's that. You ready?" The two of you stand just outside a gate, the signal you're after somewhere inside.

He nods. "I'm fast, hit a little harder up close than far away, at my best as a moving target."

"I'll keep it in mind. Three, two, one, go."

The wingfoils snap out again and crackle alight as you step through the door, lance and buster at the ready. Diamond's a step behind you, tensed to leap into the air, weapons at the ready.

"That...is not Solstike Saetos," you observe.

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>>27247888
"And that is not--"

"HELLO," cheerfully booms a giant contraption, stretching from ceiling to floor. "THIS IS (NOT) ULTRAVION. WE'RE SORRY, BUT YOUR FLY IS IN ANOTHER BATTLE. WE WOULD LIKE TO OFFER OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHIES, WITLESS HUNTER LACKEY, AND HOPE YOU DIE A VERY HORRIBLE DEATH. HAVE A NICE DAY!"

"Fffffffffuck," Diamond replies as the doors snap shut and seal behind reinforced blast guards.

"Prerecorded message," you observe as the machinery hums to life.

"Prerecorded message that just broadcasted on every single comm frequency," he mutters. "I hate that fucking bug."

Two linked columns stand in the room, one at the far wall and the other just behind you. Each boasts a great many guns and is connected to a large central pod in the ceiling. A power field springs alight between the pillars as the pod lights up. It begins to fabricate a small drone, which is shunted off to the right side column, while a pair of ball-turret mounts begin to track the two of you.

>Go.

>>27247908
FUCKER!

Can we shock one of those pillars enough to make all its guns explode? Because I'm in the mood for lots of explosions!

>>27247908
Called it.

We just walked into a whole fuckton of trap.

So it's time to bust out the big guns. Find the power access point of those pillars and drain 'em dry. Blast the pod with lightning.

>>27247908
Get Diamond after the drones. Then trash the pillars.

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All right, looks like /tg/ is about as tired as I am. Going to end the thread on that note and open with the miniboss battle next time.

As always, thanks for reading, and if you liked what you read, give it an upvote.