A single half-track moved across the grasslands toward Hasselt. Inside the troop compartment, Brooks, Moss, and six other soldiers from their squad sat in silence. Their mission was to scout out the city.

The half-track slowed stopped and they jumped out and moved up, Hasselt came into view. It was a moderately sized city that outclassed any of the towns around it in terms of size. It served as a hub for the smaller towns around it and the Imperials recognized this and fortified the city. From their position, Brooks and Moss could see two MGs in the windows but nothing else; their position didn't give them sight into the city. They moved further left and found a new position that allowed them to see down one of the roads. An AT gun was set up in the middle of the street and a few Imperial soldiers were standing around.

A half-track turned down the street and someone started shouting from inside it. The soldiers jumped into action and started manning the defensive positions. Two soldiers rushed into a house and set up an MG position; another ran into a building and came out wielding a lance.

"Lieutenant Jackson, come in over."

"Go ahead Sergeant."

"The Imperial forces inside Hasselt are on alert. Looks like they figured out what happened. Over."

"Unfortunate but to be expected. We're about to begin the assault with elements of the Third Infantry Division. Join up with the squad when the battle begins. Out."

"Come on, let's get back to the half-track."

They started to stand up, "Get down!" They dropped, "What is it!?

"There's a squad of Imperials coming down the road with a light tank."

"Shit! Alright, keep your heads down; if we're spotted, we're dead."

The rumbling grew closer and the tank crested the hill. Infantry was riding on top and a half-track followed behind it. They stayed down for a minute longer before they started crawling away. "Jackson, Imperials are bringing in reinforcements. Over."

"Understood. We're almost there. Out."

"Let's get back to the half-track. The assault will begin soon." They crawled out of view of the city and jogged back to the half-track. When they got to it they could hear the sound of explosions and gunfire. They quickly climbed in, "Get us to the squad!"

"Roger! Hang on!"

He slammed on the gas and Brooks and to catch herself on the seat as the half-track drove up a hill. "Private! Get on that Machine gun!"

"Yes ma'am!"

They reached the crest of the hill and saw their squad and three more squads engaging Imperials. They charged down the hill and the machine gun opened up. The squad members fired from the troop compartment and the half-track stopped behind one of the Gallian light tanks. "Everyone out!"

They jumped out and took cover behind the tank. It fired and destroyed part of a building before moving forward slowly. The tanks entered the city and stopped to allow the infantry to move in front of them. They carefully advanced down the road and heard more gunfire and explosions in the distance.

"Sounds like the assault has begun."

"Really? What gave it away?"

"Shut up."

"Infantry front! They're hiding in the buildings!"

A lance slammed into one of the light tanks stopping it dead in its tracks. The Firefly fired a HE shell into one of the doorways collapsing it.

Brooks pushed up to the corner of a building with Moss, Thomson and Cole joined them. They fired upon the Imperials and when they had to reload they would duck into cover and another would take their position and fire.

A lance slammed into the second light tank and destroyed it. Six Gallian soldiers pushed down the alleyway that it came from and engaged.

"Thomson! Cole! Push up to that building! We need to clear it!"

"Yes ma'am! Cole! Give me cover fire!"

"On it!"

Thomson pushed up to the next building followed by Brooks, Moss and then Cole. "Push into the building!" Thomson moved up to the doorway and tossed a grenade in. It exploded and he pushed in and moved left; Cole pushed in and moved to clear the right. Brooks and Moss entered and moved up to the second floor. An Imperial appeared at the top of the stairs but was killed before he could fire.

When Brooks turned the corner a rifle slammed into her cheek staggering her. She charged causing the scout to miss his shot and tacked him to the floor. She pulled her sidearm but she was kicked off and the round slammed into the ceiling. He scrambled into cover and Brooks missed her shots. She stood up, walked forward, and used the corner of a wall for cover. A bullet slammed into the wood and sent splinters flying. She blind fired down the hall until her gun ran out of ammo. She reloaded, went back to grab her rifle, and heard three shots.

"Two down on the left!"

Brooks cleared the right side, "Clear!"

"Bottom floor clear!"

"Building clear! Move out!"

They exited the building and pushed up the street. The tanks followed behind the infantry and the half-tracks followed the tanks. They came upon an intersection and an AT gun fired through a building trying to hit the Firefly but missed. The Firefly fired back and backed off. A squad of infantry was also waiting and fired from the buildings.

Brooks, Moss, Thomson, Cole, and Blake entered a five-story building and climbed the stairs to the second story. Blake took aim at the AT gun but the lance slammed into the brick wall above it; a hail of gunfire forced him to take cover. The building across from them had one of its windows blown out as a HE shell slammed into it.

"Tank coming down the street!"

"Get away from the windows!"

Brooks sprinted away from the window and dived into another room. The wall behind her was blown inward sending glass, brick, and wood flying! Black, Thomson, and Cole managed to get into cover but Moss had stumbled when he tried to get away and the explosion slammed him into a wooden wall hard. The air was forced out of his lungs and his back exploded in throbbing, burning, agonizing pain. He screamed so loud that Cole, who was closest to him, heard him over all the gunfire.

"Moss!? MOSS!"

He sprinted over to him, "What happened!?"

He tried to speak but he just gasped. "Come on buddy! Where's the pain!?"

"M-M-My b-b-back AHHHHH!"

"Shit! Can you feel your legs!? Can you feel and move your legs!?"

He nodded. "Alright! Alright that's good! This will help with the pain!" He used his ragnaid and Moss relaxed a little.

"Cole! What happened!?"

"He was slammed into the wall! He can still feel his legs but I don't think moving him would be a good idea!"

"Go find a medic! We'll stay with him!"

Cole nodded and sprinted down the stairs. "Die you bastards!" Blake fired his lance at the medium tank and it impacted just below the turret. He fell backward from a hail of gunfire and crawled into cover. "Goddammit Blake! You'll get yourself killed doing stuff like that!"

"That tank needs to go sir! It nearly killed Moss and I'm not letting it have another chance!"

"You're no good to any of us if you get killed in the process! Keep your head down for a minute!"

Brooks moved across the room to another window and opened it. She had a shot at one of the gun crew of the AT gun and fired. She killed him and a shock trooper rushed out and fired widely at her position; she killed him and ducked down to reload. She heard the AT gun fire and popped up to kill the second member of the gun crew. Behind her, another squad rushed in and three members of that squad took up positions with them.

The Firefly moved up a little and fired destroying the AT gun entirely. It backed off and fired another shell at the building directly in front of it blowing another section of the wall out. It moved up again and blew up another building while infantry rushed into the building in front of it to clear it. The light tank pushed past the Firefly and joined it in blowing up a building.

"Check your fire! Squad 300 is pushing up on our left flank!"

"Heavy tank pushing down the street!"

"Lieutenant Langley, take your squad and push down this street. Try to hit the Imperials from the rear."

"Roger. Squad 303 follow me!"

His squad moved down the street and waited behind one of the buildings. When the tank passed his tank rolled out onto the street and fired nailing its radiator, it went up in a ball of flame.

"Moss, you still with us?"

"Y-yeah. It hurts, god does it hurt," he groaned in pain.

"I know it does. Hang in there a bit longer. Come on Cole. Where are you?"

"Right here sir."

He walked up to her and two medics walked in behind him. "Don't worry, we'll take care of him."

Brooks rested her hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry Moss, doc will patch you up good."

He nodded and she stepped away letting the medics work. They walked out of the building and joined up with the rest of their squad. "Watch your fire. Squad eighteen is covering our right flank."

"Sir, what's our main target?"

"The city center. That is the most likely place the main Imperial camp will be located."

The two squads moved forward double-checking alleyways and windows for hidden Imperial troops. They reached a T-intersection and infantry checked both directions. They waved the tanks forward and they turned right. A single shot rang out and a scout fell. They ducked into alleyways, buildings, and behind the tanks. Two lances slammed into the Firefly and it fired at where Jackson thought they came from. A medium tank rolled out behind a building and fired before backing up, the Firefly backed off.

Gunfire to Brook's right caught her attention and she saw two of her squadmates fall. A shock trooper appeared in her sights and she killed him with a headshot. His head jerked back and he fell just as a second shock trooper appeared. Cole fired a quick burst over her head killing him. They moved up with two of their squad behind them. Cole took the lead and when he turned the corner he dropped as a lance flew over his head and slammed into the building behind him! Brooks fired and an MG opened up pinning her down; Cole rolled into another alleyway and blind fired.

Another lance flew down the alleyway and Brooks tossed a grenade. When it exploded she and Cole fired down the alleyway. The two shock troopers with her pushed out and sprayed bullets at the Imperials. They moved into a building and Brooks and Cole followed behind them. The two shock troopers cleared the first floor while Cole and Brooks moved up to the second. The second floor was clear and they moved up to the third floor.

Cole killed two Imperials firing from a window with a machine gun. Brooks moved in behind him and killed two more Imperials. The light tank stopped in front of their building before firing; infantry moved past it and the medium tank moved out from cover. Two lances and two tank shells slammed into it destroying it.

Cole and Brooks exited the building and took cover behind the Firefly. They were joined by Blake and Sara, "Fancy meeting you here!"

"Good to see you two are alright!"

"Had a couple of close calls Brooks! Nothing we couldn't handle!"

"Good to hear!"

BOOM!

The Firefly's gun thundered sending an HE shell flying into the entrance of a building! It's coax opened up spraying rounds at the building!

"I'm going to need my ears checked after this!"

The Firefly started to move forward, "Push up! Move into that building!" They moved up only for a tank to smash through a building! Brooks and Cole ducked into an alley Sara divided through the window of a building and Blake fell flat on his ass! "FUCK!"

It fired tearing through the engine compartment of the light tank! What was left of the engine burst into flames! The Firefly fired and the shell punched through its frontal armor and killed the crew.

"I was not expecting that!"

"On your feet private! We still have a battle to win!" He saw Sara getting up, "You alright!?"

"Yeah! I almost had a heart attack but I'm fine!"

"Good to hear!" He moved up to the hole created by the tank and pressed his back against the wall. The private moved up with him and Sara joined them. "What's your name!?"

"Rivera! Squad 303! You!?"

"Sara! Squad 15!"

"Nice to meet you! I wish it was under better circumstances!" A couple of bullets whizzed by and slammed into the destroyed tank. He poked out and fired before hiding behind cover. Sara exited the back of the building and was in a small alleyway. To her right Brooks, Cole and another squad member were firing at the windows of the building across from them. A lance slammed into the window destroying it and creating a cloud of dust. The Firefly moved down the middle street while the M1PCs headed down the left road.

"Squad fifteen follow me. Squad 303 will push down the left street with the half-tracks."

"Good to see you're alright Sara."

"Good to see you're alright as well Brooks, Cole."

"Is Blake alright?"

"I'm fine. I just fell on my ass."

They moved up the street with their squad and could hear gunfire and explosions ahead of them that slowly get louder and more intense. "Cole, take a team and scout ahead. I want to know what we're getting into."

"Sir." He collected his team and moved ahead of the squad. At the intersection, he raised his hand and the squad stopped. The scout with him raised his binoculars seeing an open square with Imperials defending it. "Imperial force with AT guns, MGs and four tanks. They're fighting another squad."

"Probably squad 303. Any forces looking our way?"

"No. Squad 303 has their undivided attention."

"Well, let's do something about that." He headed back to the tank and Jackson turned out. "What have we got?"

"Squad 303 has the undivided attention of the Imperials, we can surprise them."

He nodded, "Alright! We're assisting squad 303! Move out!" He turned back in and the tank rumbled forward. It turned the corner and fired destroying an Imperial tank. At first, the Imperials didn't notice. I mean, they noticed their tank blowing up but they didn't notice squad fifteen on their flank. They didn't go unnoticed for long, "Gallians on our left!"

The tanks backed up and the infantry began to retreat. One of the mediums fired and the shell hit the barrel of the Firefly. It backed off and Jackson turned out, "What's the damage!?"

"You're missing a piece of the barrel!"

"Shit!" Chase turned out, "Chase! Can you fix that!?"

He took one look at it and shook his head. "No! We need a new barrel!"

"Dammit! Well, we might not be able to fire the cannon but we have an MG and can provide mobile cover! Advance!" He turned in and the tank rumbled forward.

Brooks had taken cover behind sandbags when the tank rolled past firing its coax. She fired at Imperials who had fallen back to another defensive position. A sniper took cover next to her and fired killing a machine gunner. He fired again before moving across the street and into a building. To her left squad 303 was moving up while the M1PCs stayed back and provided covering fire with their MGs.

Thomson moved up to a concrete wall and fired over it, four more squadmates joined him. A lance slammed into the concrete directly in front of them throwing up broken concrete and dust. He moved along the wall and fired at an anti-tank gun. Before it fired he jumped out of the way and the position he was just in exploded. He looked up and saw two Gallian light tanks moving toward him, they split up and fired. One of the shells missed but the second one slammed into the Imperial medium tank. One of the light tanks turned down a different street and broke line of sight while the second stopped and fired again, the shell obliterated an MG position.

Blake took cover behind the light tank and took aim at a medium tank. He fired and the lance slammed into the tank's track immobilizing it. The light tank fired but the shell ricocheted and slammed into the road. The Imperial tank fired and the shell cooked off the ammo of the light tank. Blake scrambled away as a gout of fire came from the commander's hatch and the tank went up in flames.

In front of him, the Firefly's engine was destroyed when a shell tore through it. The hatch opened up and Jackson climbed out. He pulled his pistol and fired, "Everyone out!" The crew climbed out and spirited into the building behind them. Jackson grabbed two rifles off the tank before sprinting into the same building. "Here!" He shoved the rifle into the gunner's hands.

"Sir!?"

"I know this isn't your area of experience but it's more useful than your pistol!" Jackson started to fire and the gunner did as well, although, his shots were nowhere near as accurate.

On the other side of the square, the first Gallian light tank reappeared and fired. The shell slammed into the side of a medium tank and it turned to face it. If fired again and destroyed the barrel causing the tank to back off, a third shell destroyed it. A squad of infantry moved up with the tank and engaged. The Imperials fell back to their third and final defensive positions before their main camp.

The light tank pushed the corner and fired destroying an anti-tank gun. It fired again at the building and destroyed an MG nest.

The last Imperial tank was backing off but was destroyed by multiple lance hits. "Push up and take their main camp!"

"That's easier said than done!"

"Heavy tank coming down the street!"

The light tank backed up and fired the shell. It failed to penetrate and the heavy tank fired. Its shell tore through the lightly armored Gallian tank killing the crew and destroying it outright.

"Don't bother hitting it from the front! Flank around behind it! Blake, Thomson and you four are with me!"

"Yes sir!"

The heavy tank's hull-mounted gun fired blowing up a car and killing three Gallian soldiers. They headed down a side street and turned left. They continued down the side street and entered a small square. Five Imperials were in the square; two were behind some sandbags and three were in the ground floor of a building. Jackson entered a building just as they opened fire; one of the soldiers with him was killed. Thomson, Blake and the other three soldiers joined him.

Thomson tossed a grenade and it exploded in front of the sandbags. The Imperials using the bags for cover sprinted into a building. "Thomson! rush that building! You! Go with him!"

"Sir!"

"Suppressing fire!"

With a hail of fire they pinned the Imperials. Thomson and the other shock trooper sprinted into the building. The shock trooper tossed a grenade into the room and when it exploded Thomson pushed in. The two Imperials were dead and they pushed through to the next building. The set up on either side of a door and Thomson kicked it open. A burst gunfire nearly hit Thomson and he blind fired into the room.

A lance slammed into the building and Jackson lead his troops forward. Jackson jumped through the hole created by the lance and surprised an Imperial soldier. He shot him dead and turned left seeing another Imperial charging him. He blocked the rifle and slammed the but of his into the soldier's stomach and then his face. His nose was broken and he staggered backward; Jackson raised his rifle and shot him dead. The rest of his men followed in behind him and the other two Imperials were quickly killed. They pushed on and found themselves behind the Imperial positions.

Blake took aim with his lance and fired. It slammed into the radiator and the whole engine compartment of the heavy tank disappeared in a huge blueish-red fireball! They hit the Imperial defenders in the rear and the Gallians pushed forward. They steadily pushed the Imperials back and squad 300 and squad 18 joined them.

They lowered the flag of the Empire and the Gallian flag flew high over the camp. Across the city, the scene was repeated dozens of times as Hasselt was liberated.

"Infrom General Everhart, we have liberated Hasselt."