Where the Young Sleep

Chapter VIII

The arrival of the assault gun platoon raised the spirits of the PDF defenders. Lt. Becker was already running around assessing the various casualties while for the new volunteers, it was a feeling of battle. Some of them had already clutched icons of the Emperor, some in reverence and some in fear. Armin took off his helmet and let out a deep sigh. There was an abject lesson taught at all levels of the Konig war academy. "The best weapon to use against a tank is another tank." This was drilled to the infantry, the tankers as well as the artillery forces. Of course, it didn't mean that Grenadiers like 1st Squad 3rd Grenadier Platoon didn't load krak grenades for point blank anti-armour work. It just meant that across the board no matter the circumstance, another tank was always better.

With his helmet off and tied around his vest, Armin would walk up to one of the approaching assault guns and waved, the hatch opening before a face wearing a tankers helmet popped up. "I am Tage Jeppesen, platoon commander of 4th Geshutzjager Platoon." He jumped out and stretched before grinning at the Grenadier Sergeant. "Did you see the Brigand blow up? I swear that was my crew's kill but Erling there thinks it's his." As if on cue, the 3rd vehicle with a large "III" on the side opened its hatch as well, the crew commander jumping out and stretching as well. "That's Erling Gram. That's Markus Sogaard. And that's Karsten Brix." Armin looked at the stripes on Jeppesen's side and clicked his heels. "First Sergeant, I am Sergeant Armin Steiner 1st Squad 3rd Grenadi-" Tage waved his hand quickly in a gesture for Armin to relax. "Come on Armin, relax, are all Grenadiers as stiff as you?" Armoured forces generally had a much more sense of casualness amongst themselves. It was the way that the Konig armoured inspector general had wanted it to be due to the manner which tank troops were deployed. "Er, First Sergeant, where is the Lieutenant or officer?" Armin scratched his head lightly. Tage laughed. "Probably a pile of carbon. Karsten is a replacement for us, his Jagwulf was from the reserve section. Built back up from a previously knocked out one from Karelia if you remember the fighting there."

Armin nodded as he looked over the Jagwulf assault guns. A few years ago, the 5th Konig had been deployed to Karelia in a massive armoured fight. Mechanized regiments like his had been on anti-tank duty while tank regiments had fought in a brutal ongoing fight until each side had more dead tanks than functioning tanks. "The Lieutenant got killed by a Dants Conqueror at the rearguard, we were attached to the Panzers." The tank Sergeant lit a cigarette and puffed on it. "Ja so this is Alberden? What are you doing here?" Armin turned and gestured towards the spaceport that had PDF positions all around it. "Space port, a contingency plan I think." The other tankers had gotten out of their vehicles to stretch while out of Tage's tank, an Engineseer climbed out, cursing as he did so. "First Sergeant you may be a good shot but the Mechanicus has great faith in their augers! You must learn to trust them and rely on them!" It was typical for the command tank of a platoon to have a Mechanicus engineseer of some kind, and more elite units tended to have two. The second engineseer climbed out of the 4th tank but he was much more formal than the first one. "I am Engineseer Prosik, this is Engineseer Voxtun. I am pleased to make your acquaintance especially in the service of the Emperor and Mars." He bowed politely while Armin stared at him.

"Don't mind the two cogheads Ja, they keep these assault guns running decently." The Grenadiers of Armin's squad had now come up to meet the only other Konigs they've seen in a while. Rinder saw the four stripes on Tage's uniform and brought the Grenadier squad to attention. "First Sergeant, I am Corporal Rinder of-" Tage quickly waved his hand and looked at Armin. "Are all of you Grenadiers really that stiff?" Rinder looked with a confused eye at Armin who just waved a hand. "Ok, tell me what your platoon needs in terms of supply. I'm not sure how tank crews are usually billeted." The Grenadier Sergeant went back to the business at hand. "Biggest priorities are ammunition, and then fuel. I don't know what the Engineseers will need, they seem to keep their tools on their bodies. If we can have armaplas or steel we can spot repair anything we need to from enemy fire." Armin nodded and pointed towards the administrative building. "The PDF has their Lieutenant set up there, so let's go see him."

The Grenadiers jumped onto the sides of the armoured vehicles as they crawled in a neat line in front of the administrative building, the vehicles idling as Armin hopped off while Tage got out as well. They walked in while the PDF soldiers stared over at the vehicles, their first time seeing an armoured vehicle like this. As great as the assault guns looked, it came down to sheer time. In the time it took to build a turreted Vanquisher, you could build two Jagwulfs. Especially when you only needed to install the gun and the casemate on top of a Chimera chassis that then received modifications with extra armour installed and internal parts installed to hold the magazine for the gun and other things.

"Sir, this is First Sergeant Jeppesen of the Konig 5th." Armin made the introductions, Becker shaking Tage's hand firmly. "First Sergeant, I am very glad to see you. If it wasn't for your tanks, we would've been overrun." Tage nodded and grinned at the PDF officer. "Don't worry Sir, we haven't met a tank that we couldn't kill yet." Armin gestured to the tanks outside. "The vehicles will need petro, but I think they can refuel in town easily enough. As for ammunition, they fire 120mm armour piercing and high explosive shells. Is that something you can ask for?" Becker looked at it and frowned slightly. "I have absolutely no idea. I will ask. I think you should prepare for the worst case scenario, which is no re-supply of shells." Tage nodded, he had figured as much. "Are we able to get bolter ammunition? There are three bolters on each vehicle, so if we can at least have those supplied, then we can still be of use." "Bolter shells are not a problem at all. We can order those by the crateful. Sergeant Steiner is right, you can refuel in town itself. Sergeant, you can set them up around the perimeter in a defensive?" Armin nodded, and he would lead Tage out as the tanker looked around and yawned. "So how the fuck did you end up out here? I thought you Grenadiers would always be charging up some trench or the other?" Tage asked. Armin made a face and shook his head. "We're here because fucking Klausen is busy throwing reinforcements into the meat grinder and won't come up with a real strategy or use his glorified housekeepers in battle." Armin wasn't a big fan of Klausen either. Tage shrugged. "If a soldaten retreats, it's cowardice. But when a Lord Militant General retreats, it's called maneuver warfare." The two Sergeants snickered but it was quite true, at least in this battle.

"What about the rest of the Wikingers?" Armin slung his hellgun over his torso armour as he asked. Tage had a short barreled las carbine, the kind that most members of the Konig regiments carried. "Last I heard, almost fucking destroyed. I heard Old Man Stauffenberg broke orders and sent the Grenadier and Jager companies to hold a line of retreat open so that the Schutzen companies can retreat. Unit got hit even on the retreat and Klausen ordered the 5th to rearguard. I think the regiment is at about 60 percent or maybe 70 percent losses at this point." Armin frowned and shook his head. "What has happened then? Are we retreating further?" Tage stopped walking forward and looked at him. "You don't know do you?" He shook his head. "Know what?"

"The overall front has taken enough casualties that reinforcements are enroute. Everyone is retreating back, I heard they were headed to Byda, to form a position there. That way they can receive reinforcements from the spaceport here as well." Armin shook his head, it seemed like Lord Militant General Klausen's strategy was simply to retreat more.

The four assault guns were set in various positions around the perimeter, all close enough to be able to reverse and counter-attack if needed. He went back to the weapons platoon along with Rinder to look at the after-action. Corporal Lentz was seated on a crate beside the field gun while Sergeant Krier was there as well. Sergeant Marx was also there, reviewing the first battle the PDF elements have fought. "We're not as good at ranging yet. We need more practical experience ranging the target. Within a certain distance, we can hit them no problem." Lentz was saying. Krier nodded in agreement. "The weapons platoon next time, we need to deploy with the field gun. The heavy bolter crew can ride with the gun crew, and that way we save a lot of time."

Armin felt a tinge of relief, the two weapons detachment NCOs weren't breaking nor were they crying about needing more people. Instead they were focused on the task and taking notes. He was most impressed by the gun crew, learning everything on the fly and in the middle of combat. Of course, it helped that Carsten was there to take command of the gun crew. Lentz still had much more to go to be able to command the gun crew properly. At the end of the day, having even a single field gun was a lot of help. "If the heavy bolter crews are motorised with the field gun, it would be a good move to keep the field gun with the heavy weapons platoon combined." He chimed in, Krier nodding and jotting it down on his notes. The need for more experienced soldiers had also meant that the PDF weapons platoon had received some of the new volunteers as well. Most of them were set up as loaders while the PDF soldiers were the trained gunners.

Night fell and Armin sat in the barracks by the heating unit set up and looked out the window. Even though the windows used to have glass, the amount of stray shots and shrapnel in the past few days have broken most of the windows in the buildings around the town. "Sergeant Steiner?" A voice called out from the doorway to see Lt. Becker there. He stood up and brushed some of the dust off of him. "What can I do for you Lieutenant?" The PDF Officer stepped in and behind him was a PDF vox operator with a hand set. "There is someone looking for you."

Armin took the vox hand set and clicked the PTT switch. "Ja this is Bayonet 1-3." The vox had a few brief bursts of static before another voice came over the side. "1-3, this is Metzenger. Stand by for orders."

"At 0830 local time, expect the star port to receive drop ships. Sturm 4 is being attached under your operational command. Expect elements of 61st arrive, they will be escorting the passengers. Break. I will see you shortly as well, out." Steiner looked at the hand set and handed it back to the vox operator. Becker looked at him questioningly. Steiner shook his head. "Lieutenant please let our men know to expect the star port to be in use tomorrow starting at 0830. Guard elements will be coming here as well. And I think my platoon commander will be showing up soon."

Sure enough, after about an hour or so, three Taurox's in the colours of the Konig 5th passed through the gate. There were las burns as well as pock marks were hard rounds had hit. From the lead Taurox, Captain Ostler stepped out flanked by members of his squad. From the other two Taurox's stepped out two other squads of Grenadiers. Armin recognized them as members of 3rd Grenadier Platoon. When Ostler approached, Armin clicked his heels and stood at attention for the Captain, Ostler waving his hand for him to relax. "Armin, 3rd platoon has taken heavy casualties. Kassel was killed, so were the other members of 4th squad during the retreat." There was someone else there that was familiar, but Armin was not quite sure who he was. However, he wore the distinctive splinter pattern of the Jager company. "This is Sergeant Christen, formerly of 1st Platoon Jager company." Christen offered his hand and Armin shook it firmly, but he looked at the Captain with questions. "Grenadier company and Jager company have taken heavy casualties. 2nd Grenadier Platoon has been wiped out, and the 3rd and 4th Jager Platoons have been destroyed as well. Jager company's Captain Throvold has been killed as well, so Jager company has been combined with Grenadier company." The Captain explained. Ostler sighed and reached into his pocket, pulling out a pair of Lieutenants pins. "I wish I was giving you these under better circumstances Armin, but congratulations. Field promotion to Lieutenant. You're the new platoon commander of 3rd Grenadier Platoon." Ostler dropped the pins into one of Armin's coat pockets and grinned ruefully. "Don't spend your new pay all at once." With a laugh, Ostler would also hand over a data slate with new orders. "Current orders, expect visitors, and hold the star port at any cost. The rest of the battle group has been set up in Byda. Six regiments, and we only have the holding power of two, barely. Let's hope there's more reinforcements coming. Sturm 4 has been attached to your platoon for extra firepower, the old man sent them over saying that he can't let his precious Grenadiers go without armour support." Armin chuckled quietly, the Colonel took care of his regiment. He sent them to battle without a second thought but always made sure they were given as much ammunition as they could carry.

Ostler stared up at the sky and breathed out slowly, a long puff of air condensing into vapour in the cold night air. "Good luck Lieutenant." He said before walking off back to the Taurox, leaving Armin to stand there with his new command. Armin could only sigh. "Ok, first order of business. Have your drivers speak to Corporal Stanger, he'll show them where they can fuel up and what not. Have your men take all their gear and head to your new billeting area, it's the building beside the warehouse. Speak to Corporal Rinder, he'll set you up in the right places. After you're done, come find me in the PDF headquarters, we'll go over everything." He considered himself lucky, the squad leaders were all veteran Sergeants who knew what to do. He couldn't help but compare them to the PDF Sergeants he had met, and he was quite glad that he had more experienced fellow Grenadiers with him now.

Half an hour later, Armin stood at the table with the map of Alberden and the surrounding region laid out on it. The table was a large piece of flakboard with some empty paint cans filled with dirt as the support. The other three Sergeants stood around it, their helmets off and used as seats around the low table. They had gone over the strengths and equipment of the other squads, and it turned out that Sergeant Christen's squad was actually a Jager heavy weapons team. Tage was there as well, but he sat a bit further back. "Ok, I'll transfer over Mair to you, Sommer, and I'll transfer Outmann to you Jepsen. That way we can have a split of at least 8 per squad. Christen, you have 6 Jagers in your squad correct?" Christen was a pale man with dark hair who had at least a solid few days of stubble growth on his face, which he scratched at absentmindedly. "Ja Lieutenant." "You're carrying two volleyguns and a bolter, which is good." Konig Jagers carried a modified bolter, a belt fed tool lightened down for Imperial Guardsmen to carry, but they also have multiple spare barrels due to the thinner barrel in order to cool it down due to the fire rate. "We also have First Sergeant Jeppesen with the four Jagwulfs. Christen, you stick with Tage, you can ride on his vehicles for better mobility. We don't have a steady source of 120mm ammunition for the main guns, so we have to rely on their heavy bolters. The PDF here are more experienced, but it's only due to sheer attrition. They used to be a company of over 300, now they're maybe 50 or 60. There are also the local draftees, they're only good for manning the defensive positions."

Armin also needed a platoon Sergeant, and he thought about it for a few moments. "Christen, you're the Platoon Sergeant. In a Grenadier platoon, it is traditionally the Sergeant who commands the heavy weapon squad." Christen paused and nodded in acceptance. The other two Grenadier Sergeants accepted this without any complaint, although Sommer grinned. "I never thought I would see the day where a Jager was a Grenadier Platoon Sergeant." Christen laughed. "Don't worry, if Klausen ever attacks, we might even see Gerhardt smile too." From the corner, Tage snorted and then coughed to try and mask his laughter. Armin grinned at the comment. "Ja ja, don't you know that Gerhardt only needs to smile once and that would break the Dants offensive?" The group of them chuckled like school children before a sharp voice spoke to them from the doorway. "I'm glad to see that morale is good at least." Armin looked and saw a man dressed in the black coat of the Commissariat. The Commissar walked in, his black stormcoat fluttering behind him. "I am Commissar Orav, I have been attached to the 3rd Grenadier Platoon as per the orders of Major Richte." Armin coughed and got up, before looking at the order wafer that Orav presented. "Welcome to third Platoon Commissar. Do you have your weapons?" Commissar Orav put his hand on the las pistol on his belt and nodded. He also carried with him a rather elegant dueling sword. Armin tried to remember the name Orav, wondering if the Commissar in front of him was related at all to the high born Orav family in Konig. "Lieutenant, I assure you that my background will have no bearing on my conduct." The Commissar said, as if reading his mind. Armin coughed slightly and sighed. "Very well. Commissar, please stay behind. Sergeants, you're dismissed, make sure to get your men fed at the canteen."

The room emptied, even the usually humorous Tage slipping out, not wanting to cause any further incidents with the new Commissar. Orav looked at Armin with a hard gaze. "Was there something you wished to speak to me about specifically, Sir?" The way that Orav said Sir made it sound like an insult. "Commissar, I will make something very clear to you, since you mentioned that your background will not be factored in here. This is a Grenadier platoon, not a newly raised conscript platoon. If you shoot anyone without my permission, I will have one of the Jagwulfs run you over with its tracks. Second of all, if you wish to accompany the platoon out into battle, I will shoot you myself if you are not carrying a better weapon." Orav looked at him and began to protest. "Sir, I take offence to that statement, I am a Commissar of His Imperial Guard and I know how to handl-" Armin never gave him the chance to finish. He grabbed the Commissar by his lapels, yanking him in before drawing the Commissar's las pistol with his other hand. "Commissar, you understand what separates a Grenadier from a Schutzen?" Orav stared at him in defiance even as Armin held up the las pistol to his face. "A Grenadier takes and obeys his orders. You should understand that concept quite well." Armin let go of the Commissar's lapels and handed him back his las pistol, butt first. "Your las pistol won't do anything against enemy body armour. It doesn't have the range or firepower to cover a sector. You also don't wear any armour. The Emperor protects, that is why His forges turn out body armour. You will go to the armoury and draw a hellgun. You will also draw armour and a helmet. That Commissar cap is very sharp on parades but it does not stop las bolts." Orav sighed before holstering his pistol. "Sir, I think I have to make an apology." Armin turned around and looked out the window for a moment. "Commissar, I can understand why you are here, and why you mention your background. You're a bastard child aren't you? I can't imagine any other reason why the Orav family would send you off to the Scholam." Orav stiffened slightly, but nodded. Armin turned and looked at him with a hard look. "I don't care if you are a bastard child or not, but you are now a member of the 5th Konig Regiment's Grenadier company. That means you will fight like a Grenadier. That is my only expectations. I am not a man from a rich family, nor am I an aristocrat who cares what blood line you are from. You are dismissed Commissar."

Orav nodded and clicked his heels, saluting before departing. Armin rubbed his fingertips into his temple, massaging them to try and assuage the beginnings of a headache. Most likely, this is why Major Richte wrote the order himself to transfer the Commissar over. Even in a war zone, it seems that politics always have a way of showing it's ugly head.