The plan was for the enemy to be caught off guard and for the strike teams to be out of the city to be surprised by the time the Nerve Gas went off but as any good general, or any foot, soldier will tell you, battle plans never survive contact with the enemy.
Their damn troops did not sleep!
What was supposed to be an easy sneak in and sneak out turned into a harrowing journey into the jaws of the beast itself. Radio contact was lost almost immediately as speaking would no doubt alert the enemy to their position and the teams had to move at a snail's pace just to remain undetected. The stomping of Jaffa patrols became the only way the infiltrated troops could tell when and where the troops were marching.
The only upside was the abundance of empty buildings to duck into and the darkness of the night. That was soon dismissed as the sound of lasfire began an hour earlier than the troops had planned.
"Set off the gas!" came the order over the radio and masks were hastily donned as the sound of explosives being set off marked the beginning of the siege in earnest.
The gliders and bombers had theoretically been dealt with thanks to those explosions and with the canisters of nerve gas beginning their deadly payload Lasfire began firing in from all directions at Jaffa.
The Jaffa had never had to face a strong army that did not use the same tactics as their own, being used to fighting other Goa'uld or planets with inferior technology, Raszcko was in his Element and the Jaffa were not. Their clunky staff weapons were no use in the tight alleyways and the well trained Tempestus Scions were a well-oiled machine. Ogryns marched forward bearing their shields as a mobile cover line for the scions to disperse. Raszcko directed from the front, cutting down these foul mutants with absolute prejudice, his bolt pistol leaving large holes in both the masonry and the Jaffa who thought themselves safe behind it.
"Sir!" the communications officer called from his cover "Liberator Squad is reporting heavy resistance closer to the square and Gregorius Squad is pinned down by heavy weapons fire in the eastern section, the gas did not have a chance to spread as much as anticipated"
"Get a Taurox up to Liberator" The general responded ducking behind some rubble to relay the orders "Have Gregorious hold the position until we get the heavy weapons' positions set up in the eastern Causeways"
"As for the Gas" the General peeked his head over the rubble where a few blasts of staff energy flew past his head "it's inconsequential now, get the Russ Vanquisher up to the front, at least the bloody melta mines did their job"
His regimental standard-bearer had been wounded a few minutes ago when the crossfire had begun, the medic sat with him patching up his severed arm, the flag still clutched in his hand refusing to let the proud standard fall to the ground. He motioned for his squad's heavy weapons specialist, a sniper for this mission, to make his way to the rooftops with a few hand signals.
As he sat behind the rubble watching the Scions fight about him taking the moment to breathe and listen to the battle around him.
"Sir we're getting reports from the Catachan that they're seeing movement from the main base of the foe" He put a finger to his ear to properly hear his officer "they're scrambling an aerial response to our attack sir, estimated to be here in a few moments"
"Are our anti-air turrets nearly set up?" Raszcko swore as he began reforming plans within his mind "tell our troops to hunker down, cease advance and…"
He was interrupted by the shaking of the world around him and that terrible screech of their aircraft. He looked over to where his communication officer once stood seeing his legless corpse now thrown across the street. Raszcko bolted from his position braving the bombers' wrath and the staff fire to pick up the communications kit.
"All units, this is Raszcko, get to cover if you have not already and hold your damn positions" He hefted the communication kit and himself into a nearby stone house where a few Scions had already taken position. "Taurox's get your guns trained on those damn fliers, take down the gliders, Russ' i want those bombers silenced"
Reports of casualties began coming in like wildfire as Raszcko tossed the communications kit to one of the scions who dutifully began taking the role of a communications officer for his general. The sniper he had sent to the roof came down covered in debris and bleeding, his standard-bearer limped in with an equally limping medic.
"I want mortar teams brought in asap" Raszcko had enough pussy footing around "have command fly them as far as they can and have the Catachan get them to us by Chimera"
"Sir, Catachan mortar positions are being set up outside the city" the new Com officer reported "Straken anticipated you might need some fire support when the bombers flew in"
"Good man" Raszcko smiled "have them begin firing on the choke points, tell squad Gladius and squad Helios to use the fire support of the Taurox to set up the anti-air turrets"
"Whatever Bullgryns we have left are to push down the main street with the Leman Russ" The general ordered "we need to keep pushing and not let their air forces hinder us"
Raszcko took the banner from the standard-bearer and hefted it himself. He strode out into the main thoroughfare with no fear of the staff weapons blasting around him and raised his power sword
"All those who can stand and fight follow me," He said solemnly "Bullgryns to my side!"
The large and brutish Bullgryns looked at the general and formed up before him like a formidable wall. He pointed his sword forward and walked forward, he did not run and he did not slow his pace.
As he walked he began to chant prayers in the Emperor's name, he grabbed wounded soldiers and dragged them to their feet and put their weapon back into their hands even despite the screaming gliders overhead. Bullgryns fell about him but more soldiers had flocked to the Generals banner gliders screamed, staff weapon fire fell about him but the general did not flinch in the face of the foul mutants. Closer and closer the push had made it to the center of the city, more troops had joined, a Taurox trundled behind them firing on the gliders and a chimera was blasting hymns from its vox hailer and acted as cover even as it's main guns were destroyed.
"Fear not death!" the general raised his sword to order a stop as he watched bombers begin to circle towards them and waited for a few moments then dramatically dropped his sword "Charge in his name!"
The charge of the Scions would be remembered as a pivotal point in the campaign as hundreds of soldiers braved the explosive response of the Goa'Uld and charged towards the hastily made barricades that had been erected. Bayonet met staff as the scions, lead by Reszcko, entered the melee. This is where Reszcko was meant to be, in the front lines, his sword biting into the foe and spraying the ground with their foul tainted blood. The barricades had acted as both a defensive structure and a staging ground with many of the Jaffa gathered to meet the charge, never had Tau'ri fought so savagely against them, never had they seen them fight so fiercely and never had they had to face such hatred and vitriol from them. Though none would dare admit it, it frightened them.
"Sir Anti-Air is operational!" Heavy Lasgun fire lit up the sky as various positions came online simultaneously. He could hear various units cheering and using the advantage to push forwards even as he did with the Bullgryns. Red streaks across the sky marked the bomber and glider's demise as Taurox's could finally begin helping push the Jaffa back towards the centre of the ancient city. The mortar fire had ceased as various squads linked up and soon they had converged on the great stone temple in the middle of the city. The soldiers of the Tempestus rallied behind the bullgryns and under the support of heavy lasfire they affixed bayonets and charged as one towards the building with the battle cry
"For the Emperor!"