It didn't take long for their company to arrive back at the Imperial supply depot which had been hastily occupied by Gallian forces. Much of the base is the same the only differences being the Gallian flag flying and a few hastily built defensives on the East side of the base. "Grab as much ammo as you can! There's no telling when the Imperials will be here!"

For the next few minutes, they grabbed everything they could for the upcoming battle. Unfortunately, most of the ammo is unusable as it's meant for Imperial weapons. The ground rocks as artillery shells start landing. "We're running out of time! Get to the defensive positions!"

"Sergeant! Help me get this AT gun into position!" Brooks rushed over and helped her fellow scout pick up the AT gun. It took them a few seconds to get it into position. "I'll help spot targets."

"Thanks sergeant." Brooks rested her elbows on a sandbag and watched the darkness for approaching Imperial armor. Artillery shells continued to land in front of them. "They're getting closer."

"Hold your ground. The night is working in our favor." The shelling continued for another two minutes before it stopped; none of the Gallian defensives were hit. A heavy silence settled on the battlefield. For a minute, not a sound is made. The Gallians wait anxiously in the defensive positions waiting for the Imps to attack. Brooks strains her eyes and ears waiting for a sign. The only thing she sees is darkness and the only thing she hears is her own breathing. "Where the hell are they," the scout manning the AT gun whispers. "I don't know," Brooks mutters.

The distant sound of artillery broke the silence. The Gallians hunkered down for another barrage; instead, bright lights filled the sky blinding the Gallians. Brooks blinked a few times and rubbed her eyes. After a few seconds, she brought her binoculars back up and saw an Imperial armored force heading straight for them. "Here they come."

"Firing!" The AT gun thundered sending an armor-piercing shell screaming toward the Imperials. "High!"

"High? Damn these guns have one hell of a muzzle velocity! Firing!"

"Target destroyed! Next target! Half-track!"

"There's a lot of half-tracks sergeant!"

"Just pick one and I'll range!"

"Got it! Firing!"

"That one was short!" He quickly reloaded and fired. "Target destroyed! Infantry are dismounting from the tanks and half-tracks!"

"Copy! Firing on light tank!"

"Direct hit!" Beside Brooks, Richard set up and aimed for Imp squad leaders who are clad in their distinct red armor. Unfortunately, the glaring light from the large star shells makes this difficult. Along the defensive line the Gallian's lay fire into the advancing Imperials. At the range they're fighting the Fireflies have two major advantages. The first is that the Imperial short barrel guns can't penetrate their armor at such a range. The second is that the Imperial tanks are firing on the move significantly hurting their accuracy. Only minutes after the attack started the whistling of artillery shells filled the air. "ARTILLERY!"

"HEADS DOWN!" The Gallians hunkered down waiting for the barrage. The shells landed well short of their line and created a massive cloud of smoke. The Gallians tensed expecting Imperial armor to charge out of the smoke. A minute passed. Then two and then five but the Imperials never came, and the smoke is starting to clear. When it does all the Gallians see is open terrain and the burning of destroyed Imperial vehicles.

"Captain, this is Lieutenant Jackson, the Imperials launched a probing against the supply depot and have fallen back. Over."

"Understood Lieutenant. Hold your position. I'll contact Colonel Adams. Out."

Far behind the front-line Colonel Adams listens to the reports he's receiving from his captains. The general consensus is that the Imperials only launched a probing attack against them and fell back when they met stiff resistance. With this information, he contacts General Everhart. "General, the Imperials only hit my division with a probing attack. We are ready to go on the offensive if you need us. Over."

"Understood Colonel. The Imperials are focusing their attack on our left flank. If our line bends, I want your division to move in and hit the Imperials in the flank. I will tell you specifically when to launch the attack as few forces could plug the gap when you attack. Out."

For the rest of the night, the Imperials will attack the Gallian First Army trying to relieve the pressure on Fouzen's flank. The line held and by the early morning hours, the Imperials have halted their attacks. Fouzen, however, still remains in Imperial hands, for now.

By mid-morning the Gallian generals received news that Fouzen had been liberated from Imperial occupation. With this, General Everhart saw an opportunity. She drew up a plan to launch an offensive with her army to cut off the Imperials before they fully retreated from Fouzen. With such a short window of opportunity, she contacted her divisional commanders, informed them of the plan, and ordered them to attack within the hour. She did all of this without informing her fellow generals and took it straight to the field marshal himself.

"I would have liked if you brought this plan to me before you greenlit it, but I agree. However, I want to expand the operation."

"What do you have in mind sir?" He pointed to the army holding Fouzen's left flank. "I'll have the army launch an attack against the Imperials here. They will drive to Ostende and Hilwarsen and liberate them from the Imperials. The Third Militia Regiment- "Third Militia Regiment sir?"

"Yes. They played a key factor in liberating Fouzen, specifically, Squad Seven. I'll have their Regiment attack the Imperial rearguard to put pressure on their retreat. If all goes well, the Imperials will be caught between a hammer and an anvil."

One hour later, the divisions participating in the attack are mounted up and rolling. "So! We're going back in for round two!?"

"We are! And this time, we'll kick the Imperials' asses!"

"YEAH!"

"Now remember! We don't dismount until we're specifically ordered to! CLEAR!?"

"CLEAR SIR!" Jess nodded and sat back down. "Sir? If we're the anvil who's the hammer?"

"The Third Militia Regiment."

"Militia!? We can't let those farmhands outdo us now can we!?"

"HELL NO!"

"Alright alright! Settle down! That fire is good but don't let it go to your head! You'll get yourselves killed if you do! Clear!?"

"Clear sir!" Jess nodded. "Heads up, the lead vehicles are engaging Imperials!"

"Get ready people!" They prepared themselves for a fight from their M1PC. "Imperials front!" The machine gunner opened fire followed by the fireteam in the back. It quickly became aperient they're not engaging a proper Imperial force. It's just a small scout team so they blasted through them and kept going. The entire Imperial scout team was killed as they charged past, and their armored car was destroyed. "They won't be reporting back anytime soon!"

"We need to reach the Imperial lines before they know somethings wrong! Drivers, increase speed!" To Jess and those in the back, it didn't feel like the M1PC picked up any speed. "Are we actually going any faster?"

"Sure doesn't feel like it!"

"Hey! Don't insult my ride!"

"Wait, you're proud to drive this thing!?"

"Course I am! Back in my village you were lucky if you had a horse to ride!"

"I'm pretty sure that's the same for all of us!"

"That's not exactly true for me! I saw a car or two in my village!"

"Really?"

"Yeah. Of course, we had a city around a dozen kilometers away, so it makes sense."

"Well of course you had vehicles in your village! The closest city to my village is over fifty kilometers away!" They all had a good laugh at that. "Hey, when this war is over, are you going back to your village?"

"If it's still standing, yes. I'll never become used to the cities." The sound of fighting caused all of them to tense for a second. "Get ready back there!"

"What are we driving into!?"

"Looks like a squad of Imperials with some half-tracks!" The driver cussed as bullets pinged off the M1PC's armor. "Gunner! What the hell are you waiting for!?" Jess looked at the gunner and cussed. He's certainly dead slumped over the gun like that. She quickly moved up and dropped the dead gunner into the passenger seat. "What the!?"

"He's dead," Jess yelled before she opened fire. She targeted the half-tracks first trying to kill their gunners. One of the half-tracks exploded as a light tank put a shell into its engine. "They have tanks! Three of them!"

"They won't stand a chance against our Fireflies!" This statement was true as the three Imperial light tanks are quickly destroyed. "That's what I'm talking about!"

"Watch out for lancers! I'd rather not burn to death!"

Jess pinned down an Imperial fire team and the driver turned left so they would miss them. "Imperials on our right! They're laying prone!"

"Take'em out!" A mixture of rifle fire and SMG fire cut into the pinned Imperials. "Oh hell! Dismount!"

The soldiers didn't question it and followed Jess's orders. She and the driver dismounted soon after and heavy rounds from an autocannon tore the M1PC apart. "We hit more than just a patrol sergeant!"

"Damn right we did! I think we're hitting the Imperials' flank right now! We punch through and we can cut off their retreat!"

"That's going to be a tall order ma'am!"

"Good thing we're the best damn unit in the Gallina army! Let's get it done!"

Unlike the night before they're fighting in lightly wooded areas. They're not thick enough to hinder the advance of armored units but they do provide some solid cover for infantry, something Jess is grateful for. She's taking cover behind a rather slim tree and can see a large amount of fire being sent their way. It's clear the Imperials have a defensive line in front of them, but she can't tell what extent they're dug in.

She might not be able to tell, but Parker can. "Ma'am, the Imps aren't dug in that well! Looks like they want to be able to leave as soon as they're given the order!"

"They're not trying to stop us! They just want to slow our advance!" Jess moved from tree to tree with Parker following close behind. Soon, they've met up with a fireteam from Squad Twenty. "Who's in charge here!?"

"I am Jess!" Sharp is leaning against a tree picking off Imperials with his sniper rifle. "What do you need!?"

"Park says the Imps aren't dug in very well! That true!?"

"Yeah! I can see single-man foxholes and hastily built sandbag fighting positions! The AT guns and MGs aren't camouflaged well!"

"And to think you doubted me Jess!"

"Never doubted you once Park! Lieutenant Newman! The Imperials haven't dug in well! If we push hard we'll break their defensive line!"

"I was thinking the same sergeant! Hold off until I contact the other squad leaders and tank commanders!"

A few minutes after Jess contacted Lieutenant Newman, the tanks started rolling. "That's our cue! Let's move!" As the tanks charged the Imp line the infantry followed close behind; behind them, the M1PCs started rolling with machine guns blazing. The tanks stopped short of the defensive line while the infantry pressed forward. The Imperials, seeing this overwhelming force, retreated before the Gallians could overrun them.

"Everyone mount up! We need to keep the pressure on them!"

"Sergeant Jess, take one of the half-tracks and scout ahead. I want to make sure we're not running into a proper defense line this time."

"Understood Lieutenant Newman." She headed for the closest M1PC and climbed in. "Driver, take us ahead of the main force. We're going to scout the Imperial positions." He nodded and she turned to the soldiers who had climbed in. "You've just volunteered yourselves for a scouting mission!"

"Dammit! I knew I should've gotten into a different half-track!"

"Too late now private! Driver, get us moving!"

They drove in relative silence for the next eight minutes. They scanned all around them for Imperials but they haven't found anything. "Driver halt," the gunner said. "What do you see?" He pointed, "We've found the next Imperial line."

"What's their defense?"

"They're dug in better. I can see small trenches, foxholes with MGs, and anti-tank guns. They can still leave in a hurry though."

"It's almost like they're fighting a rearguard action."

"Because that's exactly what they're doing. They're trying to hold us up for as long as they can so they can evacuate as many troops and supplies as possible."

"Well we can't let that happen. Lieutenant Newman, we've reconned the Imperial line. They're dug in better with trenches, foxholes with MGs, and anti-tank guns. I believe we can still punch through their line fairly easily. Over."

"Understood sergeant. Hold your position we're inbound. Out."

"We'll wait here. The calvary is inbound."

"Enjoy the peace and quiet while you can boys. It's about to get really loud in the next few minutes." They sat down around the half-track and waited. "Hey, when we drive the Imps out, you think they'll surrender?"

"They will if they know what's good for them."

"Since when have the Imperials ever done the smart thing? Starting another war while they're at war with the Federation was fucking stupid."

"You're right. I bet whoever convinced their emperor to declare war on us is dead by now." His friend snorted, "Knowing the Imps, he was probably promoted."

"We're getting off-topic. To answer the original question yes, when we drive the Imps out of Gallia they will sue for peace."

"How can you be sure? Even if we push the Imps out they have more than enough manpower and supplies to reinvade."

"They do but they invaded thinking they would have us conquered in maybe a week. Now, this war has dragged on for months and they're being pushed back. Their morale must be low. They must be having issues with the war on their home front as well. You damn well know the Imp propaganda talked about how quickly we would fall. Months later, it's the Imps who are being beaten not the Gallian army."

"Look, we can debate this for as long as we want but it will get us nowhere. Let's focus on driving the Imps out of our country and go from there."

"Sergeant, our ETA is thirty seconds. Be ready to move. Out."

"Everyone mount up! Time to get back to it!" The fireteam climbed into the half-track just as their tanks started firing. HE shells slammed into the dirt, obliterated trees, and a few found their mark destroying foxholes or AT guns. The Imperials returned fire; their AT guns sent high-velocity AP shells toward the Gallian armor knocking out their tanks in a single hit. The Gallian tanks focused their fire on the AT guns which hadn't been camouflaged as the Imperials didn't have enough time to do so. One by one the guns are knocked out. The gun crews hold their fire and pull their guns back. With the largest threat to the tanks dealt with, the tanks slow down and accurately engage the Imperial positions. Infantry dismount from their half-tracks and advance with the tanks providing supporting fire.

"Driver, get us on their flank!"

"On it." The driver took a wide path around the Imperial line and stopped in a small depression which provided cover. "I'll signal when you should move up."

"Copy." Jess dismounted and moved up to the fireteam. "Looks clear sergeant. The Imperials haven't noticed us."

"Good. Move up, slowly." She turned around and waved to the driver. She moved forward while the M1PC crested the small hill behind her. They moved from tree to tree and Jess moved up to Park. "See anything?"

"Yeah. The Imps are repositing their AT guns to hit our tanks in the side. I can see two right now with two Imps fireteams covering them."

"Alright, let's get closer to them." They moved forward and the M1PC held off before it started moving. The anti-tank guns Park spotted engaged their armor and destroyed two of their tanks. With a hand signal Jess's fireteam attacks! They target the left most AT gun quickly killing the crew. The Imperials returned fire and the M1PC rolled into battle its MG blazing. The second anti-tank gun rotated to face this threat and the M1PC started backing off with its gunner focusing his fire on the AT gun. The gun fired and destroyed the half-track!

"Son of a bitch!"

"Now what's the plan!?"

"If you have rifle grenades use them now!" Two scouts fixed their rifle grenades and fired. They sailed through the air and slammed into the ground. The explosions blasted three Imperials out of cover and they didn't get up. "YOU! With me!" Jess sprinted out of cover with a shock trooper close behind. They fired while they moved and took cover behind a large tree. Jess killed one Imp and wounded a second before reloading. The Shock trooper with her killed one as well. Jess readied her last grenade and threw it at the second AT gun. It landed a little short but the shrapnel killed the loader. The gunner didn't pause for a second and fired destroying another tank. Before it could fire again, a light tank found the range and destroyed the AT gun. The Imperial fireteams started pulling back and Jess's fireteam chased them.

They engaged in a running gun battle with the Imp fireteams. As they fell back the Gallian fireteam advanced. The retreating Imperials lead Jess's fireteam to three more AT guns and their defenders. "Down! Get down!" They took cover and Park surveyed the battlefield. Five of their tanks, three light and two Fireflies, are advancing on the Imp position with two six-man strong fireteams. The AT guns fired destroying two of their light tanks while one of the Fireflies bounced a shell. They fired back destroying one of the AT guns. He lowered his binoculars, raised his rifle, and fired at the left-most AT gun's crew. He killed the loader and the gunner took cover behind the gun and returned fire. Park ducked behind the tree as rounds tore off pieces of its bark.

He moved to the other side of the tree and fired killing the gunner. The now de-crewed AT gun is destroyed by one of their tanks. The third AT gun fired destroying the track on one of the Fireflies. The tank then fired at the offending gun but the shell landed short showering the gun and crew in dirt. The fireteam started to move up but Park stayed back. He fired at any Imp who made themselves a target and killed two. The final AT gun is destroyed and the Imps abandon the position letting the Gallians take it. They didn't stop for a second; the fireteams met up and continued to advance with two tanks following behind. As they advanced, they caught sight of the Imperials loading up on their half-tracks and retreating.

"Destroy those half-tracks!" The two tanks fired destroying two half-tracks and killing the soldiers in them. The Imperials stopped loading supplies and advanced under fire. A small fireteam flanked around the Gallians to their rear. They were spotted and engaged but a lancer managed to get a shot off destroying the light tank. The Firefly rotated its hull and started backing up. Its gun roared again destroying another half-track. Other half-tracks started to escape carrying supplies and soldiers. The Imperials started to pull back but kept fire on the Gallians as they did so. They quickly mounted up on their half-tracks and retreated. Some of the half-tracks pulled away with soldiers still climbing in. The Firefly destroyed two more before the gunner lost sight.

The tank commander turned out, "Mount you lazy bastards! We're moving out and I'm not being left behind!"

The next day, at 2:36 AM, the Third Mechanized Division found themselves along Gallia's Northen coastline. The 'Fouzen pocket' had been created. Now, they would have to defeat the Imperials in the pocket.