Episode 1: Factory-Fresh Assault

Chapter 2: Carnage, Calamity, And Courage

"When surrounded by war, one must eventually choose a side."

-Star Wars The Clone Wars, best intro quotes

Last chapter, Buzz Lightyear the Ultramarine General gathered his mighty army to attack the Separatist stronghold of Geonosis, from an angle no enemy would normally expect (they used Stargates, and those things are actually a top-secret new advancement in techno-sorcery.)

As he said in Toy Story, TO INFINITY AND BEYOND! Yep, that's gonna be his battle cry.

Now the warriors of the Republic stand before an expertly fortified, unimaginably vast hive city on the planet, which has been churning out countless battle droids over the course of the multiverse's various armed conflicts. It bristles with formidable defenses, as expected, and Trade Federation droid starfighters swarm around its heights like a plague of locusts.

So what did Captain Lightyear do to make a breach in the supposedly impenetrable structure? Well, last chapter he talked about how obsessed and infatuated he was with firepower. So he naturally called up half a million self-propelled artillery batteries to fire volley after volley after VOLLEY of shells, grenades and guided missiles at the outer layers of the hive city, for 12 hours straight!

Of course, the big guns were protected from air attack and any approaching droid armies by Guardsman, Spartan and Clone Trooper heavy weapons specialists.

"Ready, steady, AND FIRE! KEEP AT IT AS LONG AS YOU CAN!," Lightyear bellowed, giving his big gun crews the order to shoot.

"Give those bastards all you got!," shouted Sergeant Avery Johnson, earnest as ever.

"It's gonna be raining damn hard today, and we're in a desert!," Mando (AKA Din Djarin) wrote in his journal, before joining up with the rest of the heavy hitters.

And just to tell you how technologically advanced this artillery is, look at this detailed guide to the ammunition being used, taken from the Warhammer Lexicanum wiki:

ALL OF THIS IS COPIED FROM THE WARHAMMER 40K WIKI, THIS IS NOT MINE

READING THIS IS OPTIONAL, IT'S JUST HERE FOR FUN

All shell warheads here can come in the alternate form of a guided missile or large-caliber grenade.

Frag Shells - Anti-Personnel Fragmentation Weapons

Heavy Mortar Frag Shells

High Explosive Shells - Standard explosive round. The shell has a thin walled case, inside of which is a explosive charge with an impact fuse which detonates when it impacts. The explosion shatters the case, sending shrapnel in all directions as a explosive shockwave creates a lethal blast. Because a HE shell does not require a high velocity to penetrate a target, it does not need a large propellant charge, which leaves room for more explosives. The shell is also fitted with a ballistic cap to improve in-flight ballistics. These shells are most effective against light vehicles and infantry.

Mk.3-G4 High Explosive Round - Used by the Leman Russ Battle Tank.

Leman Russ Vanquisher High Explosive Shell

Heavy Mortar High Explosive Shells

Earthshaker High Explosive Shell - 132mm Shell used by Basilisk Self-Propelled Artillery and Earthshaker Cannons.

Conqueror High Explosive Shells

Baneblade High-Explosive Shell - Super-heavy shell used by the Baneblade Tank

Macro-Cannon High Explosive Shells

Anti-Tank Shells - Used against hardened targets such as enemy tanks or bunkers. The shell is a solid round with a hard adamantium tip, over which the tip of a soft metal cap is added. This cap melts upon impact, creating a "sticking" effect which helps to prevent the following adamantine tip from glancing off sloped armor or breaking up. Some Anti-Tank Shells contain a small explosive charge and will explode on penetration. However most do not contain explosives and rely on sheer kinetic energy and heat of impact to cause damage. To generate enough kinetic energy for the kill, these shells have considerable propellant charge.

Mk.12-G4 Anti-Tank Round - Used by the Leman Russ Battle Tank.

Vanquisher Anti-Tank Shell' - Used by the Leman Russ Vanquisher. This advanced version is a solid dart of super-dense metal contained within a lightweight exterior casing. Once fired, the case will drop away leaving just the speeding dart. The shell is fired from a large charge of high energy propellant powder to generate increased velocity down the long barrel. This combined effect of the heavy dart and the high velocity creates a massive kinetic impact, making it effective against almost any armor.

Conqueror Anti-Tank Shells

Bandeblade Anti-Tank Shell - Super-heavy rocket-assisted shell fired by the Baneblade.

Macro-Cannon Armour-Piercing Shells

Krak Shells - Designed for cracking open armor.

Siege Shells - These large shells are only issued to artillery vehicles and combine the technology of both Anti-Tank and High-Explosive Shells into one round, having the armor piercing tips and heavy casing of the former while also having the large charge of high explosives of the latter. This explosive is fused to explode micro-seconds after impact, allowing for penetration through fortifications. To achieve a high enough velocity for penetration, these shells have significant propellant charges. The shells are large and heavy, making the cannons which fire them high calibre. The weight and size means they become inaccurate over longer ranges, but this is compensated by the devastating effect.

Mk.4-M Siege Shell - Used by Leman Russ Demolishers.

Heavy Mortar Siege Shells

Vindicator Siege Shell - Used by the Space Marine Vindicator

Medusa Siege Shell - Heavy shell used by the Medusa Siege Tank and Medusa Siege Gun

Dominus Shield Shells - Heavy shells used by the Dominus Armoured Bombard

Colossus Shells - High-Explosive Concussive shells fired from the Colossus Bombard

Baneblade Siege Shell - Super-heavy rocket-assisted shell used by the Baneblade Tank

Tremor Shell - Super-heavy self-burrowing projectile fired from Banehammer Super-heavy tanks

Stormsword Siege Shell - Super-heavy shell fired from the Stormsword tank, capable of destroying an entire structure in a single shot

Augur Shells - Developed specifically for the Leman Russ Conqueror, this warhead consists of a soft explosive in a thin shell that is designed to break open upon impact, spreading the explosive over a target's surface during the microsecond delay before the base-mounted fuse detonates. This causes cratering and cracking on the outer armor whilst inside the tank, causing ricochets in the vehicle interior. This is liable to kill or wound any occupations and can also disable controls and instruments. This shell however was not regarded as a success and few were produced from its manufacturer, Gryphonne IV.

Mk.2-G4 Augur Round

Hunter Shell - Considered a cutting-edge weapon by the Imperium, this shell was developed on Tigrus. It is considered to have a blessed Machine Spirit in the form of a simple logic engine which directs the shell after firing. Upon locking onto the target, it will track its movement and then just before impact steer upwards so to drop down on the top of the target where its armor is thinnest. With the capture of Tigrus to the Orks the technology has been considered lost.

Inferno Shells - Spread incendiary material over an area.

Leman Russ Infernus Shell

Phosphex Shells - Uses deadly Phosphex

Heavy Mortar Inferno Shells

Anti-Plant Shells- Contains chemicals that defoliate an area, killing even the thickest plant life

Cryo Shells- Splashes liquid nitrogen and frozen methane gas over the target, freezing them so hard that they shatter like glass

Xeno Filament Shells- Explodes into razor sharp monofilament shards that slice through flesh and steel with equal ease

Leaper Shells- Solid shot that ricochets and bounces, decimating infantry and light vehicles alike

Melta Shells - Melta Technology that creates a sub-atomic reaction upon impact which releases a blast of intense heat. Capable of melting vehicles and reducing troops to ash.

Heavy Mortar Melta Shells

Flak Shells - Fragmenting shells used for use against aircraft.

Smoke Shells - Used for laying down smokescreens.

Illumination Shells - Light up the battlefield

Earthshaker Illumination Shell

Autocannon Shells - Light Calibre.

Plasma Shell - Releases a cloud of super-hot Plasma over its effected area.

Gas Shells - Fire a variety of chemical weapons from poisonous to hallucinogenic gas.

Virus Shells - Unleash a variety of biological weapons.

Haywire Shells - Emits an electromagnetic Burst that disables enemy machinery.

Photon Shells - Releases a blinding light energy that blinds foes and scrambles light-sensitive machinery.

Rad Shells - Release a lethal wave of radiation.

Psyk-Out Shell Releases a wave of negative psychic energy that is devastating to Psykers and psychic technology.

Tanglefoot Shells - Create a localized gravitic distortion in its area of effect, slowing enemies.

Stasis Shells - Freezes a target within space-time.

Vortex Shells - Extremely rare type of shell that creates a miniaturized Warp Rift.

Hellhammer Shells - Rare type of super-heavy shell fired from Stormsword and Hellhammer tanks. They detonate with a miniaturized nuclear blast.

Quake Shells - Extremely rare type of super-heavy shell fired from the Quake Cannon, sporting unparalleled penetration.

Behemoth Shells - Massive shell of unprecedented size, fired by Capitol Imperialis Behemoth Cannons.

Now that that's out of the way... it's time for Buzz Lightyear and his comrades to enter the inferno.

After the pounding blasts of the artillery pieces stopped, the Republic's forces charged into the breach caused by the explosions, and began to rain hell on the Separatist droid defenders, aiming to destroy their factory in the center of the city. But they weren't going down without a fight.

And since this metropolis was so huge, traversing it required all the armored vehicles in the army to accompany the infantry in case a ride was needed. And that's not even mentioning the rubble that was scattered everywhere due to the preliminary bombardment...

Lightyear parked his Baneblade just outside the breach, crushing a mob of homing spider droids, crab droids and Persuader droid tanks in the process, and just left it there on autopilot while he and the crew members left, creating a distraction and fire support platform that would attract the attention of more enemies, drawing them away from the factory.

"Alright boys, we're leaving Tankzilla behind us to make a diversion for our foes. Clankers are gonna keep coming, so let's get moving! We need to destroy the factory and teleport outta here!," he said over the Vox transmitter in his helmet, while blasting three dozen buzz droids with his wrist-mounted, twin-linked repeating blasters.

"Sounds like a good plan to me, Buzzy!," Spartan Sergeant Yang Xiao Long replied over the communications.

Since the super-heavy tank was the size of a nautical battleship, and the battle droids' simple programming automatically directed them towards the biggest targets on the battlefield, this was a good strategy to take the pressure off the rest of Lightyear's forces. Besides, he ultimately considered the Baneblade expendable, as the Republic's assembly line could easily build a new one for him.

Once everyone was into the breach, all hell truly broke loose, and the carnage was an astonishing sight to behold. Individual skirmishes between smaller units were also common, because the fighting had quickly spread all throughout the city.

Blaster bolts and autogun rounds flew everywhere, guaranteeing a quick death to anyone caught in the open for too long, as their meat was stripped from the bone or just outright vaporized.

Meanwhile, armored vehicles, combat walkers, and landspeeders ferried infantry from place to place, redeploying soldiers wherever it was necessary.

A squad of a dozen clone troopers led by a Sergeant named Kaiser took shelter behind a column of rock and steel, only to be swiftly annihilated by the incendiary missiles of a hailfire droid tank.

"Sergeant Kaiser, we gotta take cover!"

"Affirmative. We move now."

"But what's that heavy vehicle heading towards us with the hoop wheels? Hey, wait a second-"

panicked screaming* *BOOM!*

At the same time, a bunch of UNSC Marines were being gunned down by droidekas, but fortunately, Ruby Rose and her Remnant Spartan-II unit were there to save them from the relentless assault.

"Oh, thank the God-Emperor you're here! We would've been dead men if it wasn't for you," said Edward Buck.

"Just watching out for you, like any good comrade, you don't have to flatter me," Ruby told Buck.

And maybe that's why Edward Buck would become a Spartan later in the story (like how he went from being a UNSC Marine to a Spartan-IV?)

Each shielded droideka was eventually brought down by sustained fire from Yang's shotgun gauntlets, Ruby's sniper railgun, Coco's heavy bolter, and Nora's automatic grenade launcher.

Meanwhile, much closer to the droid factory...

"Die, puny tin man!," shouted Colonel Ragnar, a frost giant from Faerun, as he kicked a B2 super battle droid like a football, before turning his tremendous car-sized gatling cannon on a horde of B1 battle droids and blowing them all to smithereens. His companions, Corswain (a fire giant,) Vajra (a cloud giant,) Barbatus (a stone giant) and Mikhail (a storm giant,) were aiding him in the task of wreaking havoc on everything that came their way.

These giants had all served the Republic's military for almost 800 years, and were still kicking ass.

All four giants were clad in Terminator Armor, and were basically the equivalent of War Machine and the Hulkbuster Iron Man Suit from Marvel Comics. Nothing could stop them... but then Barbatus took off his helmet to better observe his surroundings, leaving him vulnerable to a headshot from an AAT droid tank... which is exactly what happened.

"NOOOOO!," Ragnar screamed at the top of his lungs, reacting to the death of a longtime friend the way you'd expect. He emptied his Gatling cannon's drum magazine on the offending tank, and fired so many shots, over 25 other droid army vehicles were destroyed in the process.

The giant veterans took a moment to mourn their loss.

"We won't ever forget about Barbatus, he's in our hearts," Vajra said to Ragnar.

"But there's time to grieve later," Corswain replied.

"Wait," Mikhail interrupted. "This tiny man wants us to see something."

The other giant soldiers looked in his direction to see a Space Marine Captain- more specifically, a Warsmith- pointing his finger at a very peculiar looking building in the distance.

"Hey, big lads! That's the droid factory! We finally made it, after hitching 30 rides on combat vehicles! By the way, my name is Gaius."

Then three busloads of Space Marines, Mandalorians, magic-users and Spartans showed up aboard a trio of Mastodon transports, clearly being directed by Warsmith Gaius.

"How'd you fit in a transport?," a Republic Commissar by the name of Lycan asked Ragnar the frost giant.

Ragnar shrugged.

"We giants pretty much used the transports as chairs that could move us around. Which is to say we sat down on them."

While Commissar Lycan and Ragnar were talking about how size clearly mattered, Gaius began contacting Buzz Lightyear.

"We found the droid factory, and we're ready to destroy it. After that, we'll rendezvous with you at the closest spot possible, gather the rest of our troops, and call upon the Stargates to teleport us outta here, back to the base. Is that a good plan?"

"You can proceed, but just hurry," said Lightyear. "The longer our soldiers are scattered, the more casualties we will suffer."

Footnote: Many religious people in the Galactic Republic worship an ancient God-Emperor, who was an actual person responsible for founding their great democracy... through interstellar imperialism and conquest.

Call it an alternate version of the Great Crusade.