B7782 watched as the surgical droid labored over the commander, three of the six Magna Guards stood guard over his body, the other three were leading a covert raid into enemy territory.

It had been three days since the air raid and Fredrick's condition had stabilized, he would reawaken in a few hours but due to the major loss of blood, he would be unable to command for an estimated three more days as he adjusted to his prosthetic.

B7782 left the medical area and returned to the main part of the command bunker, pausing over a vid screen and studying it, on it he saw the last report of the recon team. They had sent a video of the enemy defenses and were trying to isolate an officer for interrogation.

The Imperial defenses around the capital had strengthened in the lull between major battles. A few weeks ago one minor battle had caused the loss of twenty seven AAT and several hundred droids. The enemy had lost two hundred and thirty seven PDF and seventy four Imperial guardsmen in that engagement along with eighteen Chimeras and four Sentinels.

He had read the report of the officer in charge a OOM commander and cursed their inability to respond quickly to unexpected circumstances like ambushes. This failing had been exploited very much this month and they had proven quiet effective at damaging the supply groups of his major battle groups.

However one major concern ruled over all of them, they were running out of droids, many of the Munificent frigates had emptied their droid capacity and one of the Lurcehulks had deployed 150,600 of its 300,000 capacity. Compounding this problem was that he had between five and seven days until a naval patrol arrived with an estimated strength of 2 cruisers and three squadrons of escort class ships.

The initial engagement over the planet he had learned was very much a pushover because of the lack of any real warships aside from a pair that had been loitering above the planet due to their respective squadrons being destroyed in battle with a species called Tyranids. The other ships were merely armed freighters who had happened to be in orbit using the docks to get some supplies and bring in some cargo.

The two Guard regiments he had learned, were not supposed to be here but due to complications in their destination, mainly the planet having its surface turned to molten slag had caused them to end up on Kursk III.

Focusing back on the video feed, he saw the rows of bunkers and trenches built around the capital and dug in positions for tanks and much further back artillery posts. Most of the line resembled this and the only places that were not similarly defended were impassible even for his tanks, but not his walkers.

"Send a transmission to Captain Carolus."

A few seconds later Captain Carolus appeared on a hologram.

"Yes B7782, how goes the ground campaign?"

"I require orbital support, specifically bombardment on these positions, and an additional three hundred AATs and thirty thousand battle droids within one week at the forward staging areas."

"So we are finally go for the big push against the Imperials, I hope that your offensive goes well, though one thing, this campaign is using up a large amount of our garrisons aboard the majority of our fleet, and if the enemy naval taskforce arrives many of our frigates will be vulnerable to boarding actions."

"If we make a breakthrough before they arrive, I can send those troops back to where they are needed to protect your warships."

Carolus nodded and the link closed.

The Tactical droid turned away from the monitor and walked over to the holo-display and hit a few commands into the device and a trio of holograms appeared. One was of OOM-14 one of the specially modified and programed OOM commander variants, the other two were regular OOM series command droids in command of the task forces on his flanks.

"OOM-14 tell me how many droids are under your command?"

"I have currently twelve thousand, six hundred and fifty six B1 battle droids under my command five thousand six hundred and twenty seven B2 super battle droids, eight hundred destroyer droids, along with nine hundred and eighty three OOM series droids serving as low level commanders, pilots and engineers. For armor I have three hundred and fifty three Armored Assault Tanks, along with sixty three MTT, six hundred forty five Persuaders and two hundred Hailfire droids."

B7782 considered this, that was a substantial force, alongside the smaller groups of droids and tanks commanded by the two other OOM series droids, but he considering previous attacks on the enemy all of which were extremely costly, resulting in many of the OOM droids being programmed into engineers whose role was to recover salvageable droids to be repaired and sent back into combat, he would need the extra droids from orbital reserves.

Aerial assets were also to be considered and while the HMPs were devastating to the enemy's ground forces they were being subjected to constant requests and couldn't be everywhere at once, making defense significantly harder, expect in fortified areas of which only two existed due to scans of the planet identifying them as rich in the materials used to make durasteel.

Holding these sites would be essential to winning the war for this planet, and every day, at his command turret droids and battle droids from the factories was being sent to these points and the PACs returned with their cargo bays full of the raw materials for durasteel.

"I authorize you to acquire HAGs from the primary reserve, and when the orbital reinforcements arrive in your combat zones you are too launch an offensive at their capital. Orbital support will be accessible to you along with the bulk of our fighters in order to achieve air superiority."

"I will await their arrival."

B7782 closed the link and considered his options for striking at the intensely fortified Imperial planetary capital. For starters his forces were stretched across the continent fighting to gain and hold territory and only on this one had they made significant headway, and that was by Commander Fredrick's decision to destroy their central leadership before any other target.

Their main problem remained, what do we do if their naval assets arrive in system and they the naval battle, not only would the majority of their reinforcements be cut off, but the vast majority of their air power, along with the enemy being able to call in orbital bombardments on their positions at any time.

The outcome of that engagement when it came, would decide if they won or lost this war.

Several hours later a hologram came online in the command bunker and B7782 turned to face it. Three of the Magna Guards stood at attention facing him.

"We have captured a ranking Imperial Officer, he has divulged information on enemy capacities and we have learned of a new type of enemy tank, it is called a BaneBlade, extremely capable and while heavy extremely outclasses our AATs, from analysis of his testimony it will require the fire power of a medium turbo laser to destroy."

B7782 was shocked at this. He had analyzed holovid footage of a tank of massive size smashing into a captured fortification and destroying its garrison.

The procurement of these new Assault Transports would allow them to deal with it though, he was certain.

"Thank you for confirmation on this threat, I will dispatch appropriate forces to deal with it when we assault the primary target. In addition I have a new assignment for you, Commander Fredrick will be fully operational in two stellar cycles, by that time I want you to either confirm if an Imperial Navy detachment will arrive to answer the distress call or if it will be delayed."

"Understood, we shall interrogate the officer again, and if he lacks the information, we will procure a better subject."

Closing the hologram, B7782 activated a holographic map of the area surrounding the capital. It was impressive how strong the fortifications had become, the massive fortresses ready to repel any assault, countless bunkers and buried tanks dotted the landscape and anti-aircraft guns bristled.

Supply lines were being set up to feed this offensive and within a week, it would start, the downfall of this bastion and the mopping up of the decapitated resistance.

Already three battleships had maneuvered into position to fire a devastating orbital barrage into the enemy defenses.

A holotransmission interrupted him, the alert was flashing red, and soon afterwards klaxons began blaring.

B7782 opened it and a very nervous looking Captain Carolus appeared.

"The enemy has appeared in system! They are gathering themselves up after a rather disjointed hyperspace jump but will arrive shortly, I'm sorry but those troops you requested cannot be sent down. They have brought a pair of capital ships and twelve smaller vessels. Air support is being withdrawn to the orbital battle."

"So I will be deprived of air support until the conclusion of this engagement?"

"We do not require the HMPs but lander traffic has been suspended and so has fighter and bomber groups."

"Acknowledged."

"Thank you for being so understanding, now if you'll excuse me, I have to win orbit again."

The droid nodded and opening a view port he watched all the vulture droids taking off and heading to the upper atmosphere where they joined their carrier and only the HMPs remained stationed at the air field.

He left the command bunker and headed over to a large signal transmitter. Opening a panel he put a few commands and a screen flared to life, on it were the words "Activate the B3 units?"

He pressed the confirm button.

Commander Fredrick had ordered and received one hundred and fifty B3 units and stations fifty of them on each Battleship as an emergency anti-boarding and if necessary elite shock trooper cadre.

"Now commander let us see if your idea was a good one."

Meanwhile in orbit Captain Carolus was pacing back and forth on the bridge of his battleship, The Secession and staring at the fleet arrayed in front of him.

It was regrouping due to an extremely disorganized hyperspace jump, or so he thought and was preparing to engage his forces.

The Star Hammer the Flagship of the fleet was readying itself for heavy bombardment and already the majority of its fighters were deployed. Tri-fighters and Vulture droids huddled over the battleship like a swarm of insects.

He too had deployed his fighter complement and while they had a substantial screen against enemy fighter attacks, he knew that this fleet in all likelihood had a similarly formidable strikecraft capability.

Munificents had taken their positions on the flanks of the battleships and their prow cannons, massive turbo lasers were aimed at their larger counterparts across the void of space.

Two massive ships dominated the enemy fleet, each was at least five kilometers long and about one kilometer wide.

"Launch a scan of the vessel, I want as much information on it as possible. These are our primary targets have our frigates destroy the smaller vessels."

"Sir three of those smaller vessels are larger than the rest and all are equipped with what resemble the prow cannons on our Munificents. Also all of their vessels are larger than ours, and I would say that only our battleships are capable of fighting them head on."

"I see, and do our scanners detect any strikecraft?"

"There are several small craft around the Imperial cruisers but other than that none."

"Send a transmission to Commander Fredrick, I want him notified that his ship will be engaging the enemy."

"Yes sir."

Battle droids were milling around the bridge and in front of them a pair of Super Battle Droids stood guard against boarding action.

Carolus pressed a button on the ships intercom and said "Battle stations, everyone, I repeat report to your battle stations."

"Raise deflector shields on our frontal arc and divert power to our forward facing weapons."

Carolus heard the hypermatter reactor kick into gear and from his captain's chair watched the enemy ships form into a battle group, the small vessels forming into squadrons, the larger two leading them forward.

"To all gunners aboard the ship, fire upon your targets once they reach your gun's range."

"Sir," a droid said, "We are being hailed by the Star Hammer."

"Put it up on screen."

A viewing screen showing the droid in charge of the Star Hammer's bridge appeared, it was a tactical droid, one of the two who were present in the fleet. This one specialized in naval combat, and in Fredrick's absence commanded the battleship.

"This is HK-217, it said in a deep, voice, "The enemy are from my observations, heavily armed and armored, but in comparison to our frigates slow. We should engage them in a running battle and strike from multiple directions. My ship is equipped with Thermal shielding and will be engaging their larger vessels in direct combat, I suggest you and Captain Roidic follow suit."

"Thank you but what abou the squadrons of smaller vessels?"

"Our frigates will engage them at long range and pick apart the squadrons with their prow turbo lasers. That is my stratagem."

Carolus was surprised by the droid's sudden outpouring of information about the enemy.

"That sounds like an excellent idea, but I think that we should deploy our fighters to engage their capital ships and act as a screen against enemy fighter craft."

"I have taken into consideration how we will deploy our strike craft, we will use them in the role you described with one modification, we need to strike the enemy at their weakest point and destroy their engines and bridges, that will halt their ability to move and communicate. This will destroy their ability to maneuver and fight as a group."

The screen flickered and Carolus saw an explosion on his shields, a large laser cannon blast from long range had hit his ray shields and dissipated, and return fire from his long guns were appearing on the enemy shields.

"From now onwards, we'll communicate through vocals only," and the screen went dark.

Already he could see vulture droids and tri fighters streaking towards the enemy fighter craft at high speed.

Battle had begun.