Three tanks and fifteen half-tracks rumbled down a two-lane road. In the distance, smoke can be seen rising from the city an indication of the battle that had taken place. The convoy split up leaving one tank and four half-tracks continuing down the road. This would be the first action that the First Mechanized Company would see and they're nervous.
"Sergeant, what enemy resistance are we expecting?"
"On our side of the bridge or their side?"
"Does it matter?"
"Yes," Brooks flatly answered.
"Well, our side ma'am."
"Rough estimates put it at a company maybe a little larger."
"And on their side?"
"Two companies."
"Two companies? If they get reinforcements…"
"They won't."
"Ma'am?"
"The Empire's been running a blitz hoping to knock us out of the war quickly. They've overextended themselves and we are going to take full advantage of that."
"Breaching their bridgehead won't be easy."
"It won't but worry about that later. Our objective is to secure the West side of Vasal. We'll worry about the East side later."
"You ever been to Vasal Brooks," Moss asked.
"No. I grew up in a village out in the county. I think I've been to a city once in my lifetime."
"Heh, you had the complete opposite life to me ma'am. I've been in cities all my life."
"All your life? Damn, I'd go crazy," Blake said.
"I'm used to that kind of life, it's practically apart of who I am. If I ever tried to live out in the county I'd go crazy."
"I suggest you get used to that life quickly you're going to be living it."
He stopped for a second and realization dawned on his face. "Shit I will won't I. I didn't think this enlisting thing through."
That got a few chuckles out of the soldiers and slowly their worry disappeared. Their banter stopped when they heard the distant sound of explosions.
"What the hell?"
"Did they already start the assault?"
"Alright people, looks like the party without us. We dismount from the half-tracks as soon as we enter the city, clear?"
"Clear."
They didn't take any fire as they entered the outskirts of the city and the squad dismounted. Lance Corporal Thomson and Corporal Cole moved up with their fireteams and started to clear the buildings allowing the squad to advance at a steady pace.
"Watch those rooftops."
"Damn, it's like a ghost town."
"That's because it is. Everyone packed up and left as soon as they heard the Empire was closing in."
"Enough with the chatter."
The two fireteams continued to clear buildings. Most of them had been stripped bare with only the heaviest items left behind. As they closed on the bridge the sound of explosions got increasingly louder. A sign that fighting was intensifying.
"Jackson, you figure out what's making all that noise?"
"Our regiment has launched the assault."
"And the Militia?"
"They've started their attack and are making slow but steady progress."
"Heads up we got Imperials incoming. They're going to cross right in front of you."
"Numbers?"
"One light tank and twelve infantry. Most of them are shock troopers, no lancers."
"Understood. As soon as we take out that tank hit them."
"Copy."
The squad spread out across the street. Shock troopers moved up with the lancers to cover them and bring their SMGs into effective range. The scouts are farther back ready to provide support with their rifles. The two fireteams waited in their buildings ready to strike. The tank rolled to a stop and aimed at the edge of the corner ready to fire. There is a tense silence and then...
BOOM! With a bright muzzle flash, the Firefly's main gun shattered the silence.
The light tank's ammo detonated and it skidded to a halt. A gazer of fire shot out of the commander's hatch before the turret blew clean off. The squad opened fire surprising the already disorganized Imperials.
Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang!
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
Twelve Imperials lie dead around the burning husk of their tank. The two fireteams continued to watch the road as the rest of the squad moved up.
"Poor bastards didn't stand a chance," one muttered.
Some of the squad didn't dare to look at the bodies. Instead, they focused their attention elsewhere.
"If the Imperials check in with these men and they don't respond they'll know something is wrong. Now we're on the clock. Thomson, Cole don't bother checking the buildings we have to get to the fight while the element of surprise is still with us."
"Sir, that's a dangerous idea."
"I know sergeant but the Imperials haven't pushed further into the city. They're probably trying to hold the bridge. The quicker we get into the battle the better."
The sound of fighting became a constant roar as the different sounds all merged into one. Cole and Thomson's fireteams pushed ahead still looking for possible ambushes. They stopped at a three-way intersection and checked both roads. There is heavy fighting at the end of the left road and Cole estimated there were at least twenty Imperials assisted by two light tanks.
BOOM!
Make that one light tank.
"Lieutenant, we have twenty Imperials and one light tank engaging an unknown number of friendlies."
"Let's give them a hand."
"Understood. Spread out and move up the street!"
The two fireteams slowly pushed up the street. The rest of the squad soon followed and when their tank rolled around the corner the Imperials noticed them.
"Gallians on our left! They have a tank!"
BOOM!
A shell tore through the light tank and killed the turret crew. With both their tanks destroyed the Imperials engaged in a fighting retreat. As the squad advanced a Fatherland medium tank rolled around the corner and fired. The shell missed and hit the building behind the Firefly.
"Fire!"
BOOM!
"It bounced!"
Another Gallian tank rolled out and fired. The shell failed to penetrate and the Imperial tank fired knocking out the other Gallian tank. The tank backed up behind the building before Jackson could take another shot.
"Sara! Take Blake and another shock trooper! Flank that tank!"
"Sir!"
They used the back alleys to flank the Imperials and took up positions in a building waiting for the tank to pass them. Back with the squad, they're driving the Imperials back. Brooks took cover behind some sandbags and fired. Another Gallian soldier took cover beside her.
"Nice to see some friendly faces but, who are you!?"
Bang, Bang, Bang!
"Sergeant Brooks squad fifteen! And you!?"
"Sergeant Park squad 103 from the Ninth Regiment!"
"What is your objective Sergeant!?"
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
"We are supposed to take out an Imperial camp and hold it from possible counter-attacks!"
"Well, looks like it's a joint operation now!"
Bang, Bang, Bang!
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
"Heads up. That tank is coming towards us."
"It won't know what hit it," Blake said as he aimed his lance.
"Watch our six."
"Ma'am."
The Imperial tank slowly came into view. Blake waited until he had a good view of its radiator before he fired.
Foosh!
BOOM!
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
"Take that you Imperial bastards!"
"GET DOWN!"
BOOM!
Sara groaned and shook her head. She rubbed her ringing ears and started coughing do to the amount of dust in the air. She rolled over and grabbed her SMG before crouching.
"Ehhhhhh."
"Blake, you alright?"
"Hell of a headache," he groaned. "What the hell hit us?"
"A lancer, I think."
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
"Stay behind me."
They slowly walked to the stairs. Sara snapped her gun up and found two dead Imps at the bottom of the staircase. She checked right finding the shook trooper who went with them leaned up against the wall. He dropped his SMG when he saw her.
"Good to see you ma'am," he groaned.
"Blake, grab that rifle and cover the door." She laid her gun down and used her ragnaid. The trooper visibly relaxed and sighed in relief.
"Thank you."
"No problem. We'll get you out of here in no time."
"Friendlies coming in!"
Sara stood up, "He's stable for now."
"Understood. We'll get him out of here."
The two squads continued down the road with the sounds of battle close by. At the next four-way intersection they stopped. Two scouts moved forward and checked left and right. Down the left road was the Imperial camp and it is heavily guarded. There are two machine guns and an anti-tank gun along with eighteen Imperials inside the camp itself.
"We found the camp. It's heavily guarded."
"Alright. Thomson, Cole take your fireteams down both sides of the street and move through the buildings. Set up in the buildings closest to the camp. As soon as you take out that AT gun we'll push up."
"Sir!"
Thomson and his team cautiously made their way through buildings and alleyways as they approached. They took cover and scoped out the building. They couldn't see anyone so they pushed up to a stone wall that surrounded the back of the building. Thomson slowly pushed the metal gate open.
Bang!
"Damn," he snapped as he ducked behind the wall.
Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang!
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
"Get grenades in those windows!"
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
Bang, Bang, Bang!
Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!
"You two are with me!" He rushed the building with two shock troopers behind him. He shoulder bashed the door open and knocked an Imperial on his back. He raised his rifle but Thomson was faster.
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
Another Imp appeared at the top of the stairs but the shock troopers behind him shot him. One trooper pushed into the room on the right while the other pushed into the room on the left.
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
"Damn it! Suck on this!"
"Grenade!"
BOOM!
Thomson pushed in and double-tapped the two Imperials. The second trooper made his way upstairs and while Thomson checked the other's pulse... Nothing. He sighed and grabbed his dog tags.
Rory Spears, Private First Class.
Thomson squeezed the tags and stored them in his pocket. He closed Spears's eyes and moved upstairs. The rest of his team were in position. He looked to the building across from his and saw Cole. He gave a quick nod and took up position in a window.
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
"Lieutenant, AT gun is down."
"Understood."
BOOM!
With the AT gun destroyed and the machine gun crews killed the squad advanced.
Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang!
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
After a short firefight, the street fell silent. The squads secured the camp and checked the bodies. Jackson opened the hatch on his tank, "Well Park this is where we part ways. We're going to leave our wounded here. I'm trusting you to take care of them."
"Don't worry Lieutenant we'll take good care of them."
Jackson nodded, "Alright, squad fifteen move out!"
A few minutes up the road another fight was taking place. Squad seven of the Gallian Militia was assaulting the Empire's main camp on the West bank of Vasal. They have made significant progress but the Imperials have dug in making their advance far more difficult. The city side team was unable to advance and the riverside team had been slowed to a crawl.
"Imperials won't give up!"
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
Ratta, Ratta!
Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang!
Noce dived behind cover, "You thought they'd just give up Alex!?"
"I was being optimistic!"
BANG!
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
"Two tanks coming up! Largo!"
"Nice knowing you tank!"
Foosh!
BOOM!
"That could've been more accurate," he muttered.
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, BOOM!
"Make it explode!"
"Wendy! Throwing a grenade at a tank won't do anything!"
Foosh!
BOOM!
"Alright! That's more like it!"
"The second ones pulling back!"
"It's heading towards the river! Boss! There's a light tank heading your way!"
"Thanks Largo."
"GALLIAN TANK!"
BOOM!
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang!
The Imperial forces in front of them fell back and turned their attention to the greater threat, although, five stayed behind to keep the team pinned.
"Someone's stealing my glory!"
"NOCE! Get back here!"
"Come on! He's gonna get himself killed!"
Bang, Bang!
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
Largo through Noce into cover. Wendy and Alex pushed up to cover them. The Imperial forces stalling them used the alleyways to safely retreat.
"Dammit Noce what were you thinking!? If you rushed ahead you'd be dead!"
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, BOOM!
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
Bang, Bang, Bang!
"That squad is engaging the Imps. Let's help'em out!"
Bang, Bang, Bang!
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
RATTA, RATTA, RATTA, RATTA, RATTA!
"There's a fucking machine gun at the end of the street!"
"Stay behind the tank use it for cover!"
"Fire!"
BOOM!
"Round was high sir!"
"Adjust! Fire!"
BOOM!
"Direct hit!"
"MGs down! Push up!"
"They're breaking! Keep pushing!"
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, BOOM!
"Sir! Gallian tank! It's from squad twelve!"
"Looks like the rest of the regiment finally caught up."
Jackson rolled his tank beside and behind squad twelve's tank and opened the hatch. Behind the two squads were two half-tracks and another squad. "You're late to the party ladies!"
"We're not late, you're early!"
"Nice to see you to Newman."
"Ha, it's good to see you too Jackson. That's squad nine behind us and the rest of the regiment isn't too far behind. We have the whole West bank of Vasal surrounded and we're pushing in."
"Good to hear."
"So, who are you guys?"
Brooks looked to Largo, "Squad fifteen. Part of the First mechanized company, ninth regiment."
"Chole!"
"Jess!? I didn't know you were in our company."
"Yeah, sorry I didn't tell you. Things were hectic last week."
"It's fine. Looks like we'll be seeing a lot more of each other."
"Indeed. Who's your friend?"
"This is Largo he's from..."
"Squad seven, Third Militia regiment. That's Wendy, Alex, and Noce," he nodded toward them.
"Nice to meet you."
"Squad seven... right you were to assault the main Imperial camp. Do you know how that's going?"
"No. We've been out of contact for a while. Doesn't help they shot my radio," he pointed to the mangled mess on his uniform.
"Alright listen up! There is the Great Vasal Bridge and we are going to take it! Advance!"
The three squads advanced to the next intersection and turned right. With the sounds of battle all around them, two fireteams moved ahead and checked the roads that branched off from theirs. It was at the third intersection that they spotted fighting down the left road. Four Gallian soldiers were engaged in a firefight with six Imperials.
"We got Imperials down the left road, they're engaging friendlies."
"The main Imperial camp is down this road. Prepare for combat."
"You heard the man! Everyone out of the half-tracks!"
BANG!
Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang!
Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta, Ratta!
The tanks led the advance with the squads right behind them. Further back the half-tracks started to follow. The Imperials fell back and the Gallians advanced. An MG opened up killing one and wounding another. The other two were pinned behind the building. The shock trooper sprayed the window where the MG was which allowed the scout to drag his injured comrade behind cover.
Newman's tank pushed the corner and fired. A high explosive shell obliterated the window sending debris crashing down. A light tank started to back up and turned its turret. A shell punched through its front armor and a gazer of fire exploded from its commander's hatch. Jackson's tank pushed the corner and laid down fire for the advancing squads. Another light tank and a medium tank pushed down the street and engaged.
BOOM!
BOOM!
The light tank's gun failed to penetrate while the Fatherland's bounced. Another Gallian tank rolled around the corner and destroyed the light tank while Jackson destroyed the medium tank. With their armor destroyed and being attacked from two sides the remaining Imperials surrendered.
"Inform high-command. We've secured the West bank of Vasal."