Chapter 145: The battle of the junction
Note: Readers please listen to I need a miracle 1996 version while reading this:
While we're still in this nightmare as you readers can no doubt predict, I feel that we're at a critical stage here. While I feel as always since being here and have been fighting the enemy here that time is running out, I also feel the enemy are really declining in number now, especially since their desperate attempt to keep us away has failed, even if it has pushed us back for a significant amount of time. Though this is a relief, I nevertheless feel that it'll still be a tough fight especially with as of right now having limited numbers to take on a still well defended junction, not to mention the building overlooking it in which the upper floor has enemy troops once again.
Not only this, but the ally that's still there, who's currently hiding, is reporting of significant build up of enemy troops in the area, in which at least could indicate that there's not much more ground to take, before we are in a position to stop Neptune's nefarious plans for good even if it's just in this nightmare. I feel as if we are in need of a miracle, be it from the enemy falling easier, allied troops coming, or even better, support that's stronger or a combination of this. Even if it maybe the case we cannot give up, not now, not after defeating that force there who would have made defusing all the bombs impossible. I'm pleased that as I look at the faces of our troops and Noire and Uni they all look ready, calm, determined, even confident that we can win despite needing a miracle.
They should be able to do it now, and when they do we can have significant reinforcements which can hopefully apply pressure to the junction, and force them back to the grounds of parliament itself, where they'll have to make their last stand and use what cover and elevation that they have, before we can enter parliament itself and hopefully then it'll be game over at last for them. While if that were to happen there is the issue of liberating Lowee for a start, at least it'll be in the world we live and experience, and that will make a difference. This is more than can be said for here, as despite being familiar and reminding us of our true origins, is nevertheless despite the stakes of our lives, our existence, including the people who support us along with the rest of the innocents in the universe, still a simulation, a nightmare that Neptune has conjured up. No doubt to try and break us, torment us, challenge us and do all she can so that we slip just the once so she can win big, while we lose big.
We cannot slip up now though, and we will need to plan every stage in being able to bleed as many of them as possible before reinforcements can join, in the best way possible and ensure that no mistakes occur. How to do it though when we'll be outnumbered along with them having higher ground? We need to take that vantage point but again how, when after driving us out they'll no doubt occupy it with some troops. Disguises won't work considering their orders of fighting to the death to take the statues and ensure the bombs on them go off. That leaves a fire fight up to the upper floor, but how to do so without us getting killed? Hmmm. We need to find out exactly what the garrison strength is now over there, and the positions of them and plan accordingly.
The trouble is how to find out for sure since going in or even peeking can result in us getting shot which we can ill afford. It's unfortunate that while we have an ally who has seen the enemy reinforce the building, his location due to wanting to avoid death, prevents him from finding out any more information, information that can really help in taking the vantage point quicker.
I then realise that we'll need to split into two groups with one going outside and the other going inside, as well to use mirrors and plenty of smoke grenades, which we got off our allies defusing the bomb. I'm hoping that due to their dwindling numbers and their need to keep their forces concentrated, that their troops in the building with that highly prized vantage point, will only be at that very area. While that would result in a difficult battle, it means no time is wasted in fighting in the rest of the building. Nevertheless it's a gambit I cannot afford to risk trying, and we'll just have to be quick and thorough in scanning for enemies at as much of the lower floor as possible, before beginning to approach even the lower floor of the vantage point.
At least we now have equipment to do this, this being mirrors and smoke grenades, and they should help in our tactics significantly. Furthermore, while this isn't much, we have managed to gain some reinforcements, to go with the reassurance that it will increase soon. Hopefully sooner than we think.
With this in mind, looking ahead to see where the enemy is, only to come to the conclusion that their first line of defence outside will be behind the line of cars by the junction, and that there are no enemy soldiers at the windows overlooking the street, we rush to the building. When we reach there, my memory is refreshed on the layout and with the knowledge of where the enemy might be, I realise that despite a car still being there directly outside the corridor, the enemy on the other side could still see us and shoot us. We can't risk losing any troops. Worse, we could get ambushed from the other side.
Though my allies here work out the concerns I have and share them with me, it doesn't affect their mood or morale, and they know that I have a plan. The plan in which I implement straight away, is for us all to crawl past this entrance, and head to the windows nearer to the junction to see whether there are any enemies there. Meanwhile, I leave a few troops back to overlook the entrance in case we get attacked from behind. While there is the risk of being killed, here it should be less of a problem, considering our method of thorough searching of looking part by part should mean there's only one area they can get us, thus reducing their abilities to catch us off guard and kill us.
When reaching just perpendicular to the first window, and meeting up with my ally who pretended to be dead to fool the Gear soldiers. I give the order for some of our forces to crawl past a certain number of windows depending on the group they're in, and position themselves such that there are troops on each side of each window here, with a few looking down along the street for anyone wishing to ambush us. While I realise that if we are to fight the enemy here, what is there to stop them from coming outside to take us out, we can at least engage them outside while being prone and hopefully get the drop on them, as we'll see them coming.
When in position we get out our mirrors and from our position move the mirrors, so that we are able to see around inside as best as we can and find that there are no enemies in this room at all. Excellent most excellent, we have a good position to take on the enemies here. Although I don't feel able to search the large room opposite where we are, I realise that it's not necessary, merely to have troops overlooking the doors in case they attack, and considering what can be seen from where they are if they were to hide from our view, they wouldn't be able to ambush us effectively.
Smiles form on mine, Noire's, Uni's and then the rest of the Britannian's lips as we relish in the fact that we can now effectively fight the bottom of the vantage point on two fronts, at least to some extent considering the second front would likely have to deal with the enemy outside. My plan would be to distract the enemy from inside first from gunfire and smoke grenades, and then for most of the troops to attack the enemy from outside, while dealing with those outside. Hopefully this can result in the bottom floor of that vantage point being enemy free, and if it's possible, the rest of us can go inside and help assist our allies outside. While this is risky due to being even now heavily outnumbered, if we can hold out long enough while doing significant damage, reinforcements can come in and make this easier for us.
I throw a smoke grenade as does a few of us near the door frame at the bottom floor of the vantage point, being careful not to get shot, before retreating back as they open fire for what appears to be a long time repeatedly before they stop firing, knowing that they can't afford to waste ammunition trying to keep us at bay.
While knowing that if they were to come to us, they'll end up getting ambushed and therefore they won't do it, and this can lead to a stalemate potentially, the smoke grenade will hinder their ability to see out and defend the place effectively, and they need to get it thrown out if they are to stop us from getting closer and ambushing them from outside.
They in fact attempt to do this action, but my troops were ready for this, and as soon as they can see the smoke grenades being picked up, the enemy gets shot and this includes any soldiers that were ready to fire as soon as their soldiers got shot, as we expected this to happen too. At the same time, I give the order for our troops outside to take out the enemy at the bottom floor as best as possible, before then engaging the enemy outside as best they can. I'm happy that the attack of the bottom floor will only consist of a magazine worth of rounds for each person at best, since outside the enemy is much more numerous.
While I do worry that the allied line will get overrun and perhaps killed as well, their position should enable the enemy numbers to bleed significantly, and no doubt the other parts of the junction will have to lose some troops to reinforce their allies being attacked, making it easier for our potential reinforcements to take those positions.
Because of the fact that the enemy inside cannot remove the grenade without getting shot, and do not want to risk getting ambushed, they retreat upstairs hoping that they'll have better luck there. In the process though, we manage to take out some of the enemy that goes upstairs.
The top floor of the vantage point the place we need to capture, may still be in their hands, if anything reinforced, but if we can get to the bottom floor of the area without being attacked, we can assist our allies and do more damage to the garrison at the junction. Even more good news is that while a significant amount of our troops have died there, some enemy soldiers have as well, and I've been informed that while taking fire, the enemy does not try to swarm them, in fact it appears they have retreated to more secure positions. In fact it eventually gets to the point where they don't engage and just hide.
Now I feel for once as though the tide of this overall fight is turning in our favour. They must be waiting for large enough reinforcements to come and will then try and take us out, in hopes that that will allow them to hold their position for long enough. Perhaps they have reinforcements of their own but daren't use it yet.
We're not out the woods yet though, not by a long shot as there's still the issue of getting inside without getting ambushed, and trying to kill as many of them as possible without being killed in return before reinforcements arrive. We'll need to take the upper floor and hopefully from there take out enemies that guard the junction from attacks in other directions, along with positions the enemy might use to defend parliament.
I have a feeling that it won't be easy considering their numbers and their position, but it has to be done, and the first thing to do is to get in undetected. We throw more grenades in, in fact in different places such that there's smoke covering the entrance and for the room inside such that from the bannister they won't be able to see us come in. They didn't shoot in response, knowing that we'll just shoot back and perhaps kill at least one of them, but I have no doubt that they'll be hearing for us instead of watching us.
I am not sure if from up there they wouldn't be able to hear us crawl on the floor, and I can't take that risk, but I do have troops outside who could enter, especially since the enemy outside have appeared to retreat. Even so, the enemy outside may notice a Britannian trying to make a break for it, but would they react since it's one person and they could be wise to the fact that we could just be drawing their fire, and if they were to attack we could fire back and kill more of them. Then again they have different points to attack us, and with the limited number of troops that may not work.
I then come up with a different idea, to throw smoke grenades at the stairs with the noise of them hitting the stairs, covering our movements, as well as them being distracted by the smoke and making them think we're going to make a break for the bottom of the stairs. But then they'll perhaps shoot at the entrance.
Once again my allies remain calm as they know I'm thinking and smile as do I when I think of an idea that could work. What if the smoke grenade was to be thrown to a place where it borders in there to outside from outside? That way the enemy inside will think that we'll come in from outside, while the enemy outside will be baffled as to why my troops outside don't come out from their position, and while they may let the enemy in the vantage point know, by then it'll hopefully be too late, and it's not as if they can be reinforced without losing significant numbers of troops at any rate, if not get massacred.
I make the order for the Britannians outside to throw the smoke grenades, providing a line of cover from the line of cars to the entrance outside. In the meantime, we crawl inside as quietly as we can allowing the noise of thrown grenades to cover the quieter sounds that we make. The thing is the enemy outside open fire at the side where the grenades were thrown, such that if our troops were to use the smoke as cover they would be killed, but then they stop since they notice the Britannians not moving. By the time they run out of grenades, and the enemy can do anything about this finding, not that they can, we've made it not just in the room but in an area that's below the upper floor meaning they can't see us, and we exchange glances of smiles of joy and relief.
Now for the troops outside to come in, and so with the group of us throwing a smoke grenade each such that it forms a line away in the middle of the junction, so that it doesn't just provide cover but in fact makes the enemy think that we wish to take out the enemy guarding one of the accesses to the junction, along with the smoke rising significantly higher so that even from an elevated position they won't see our movements, I order the allied Britannians outside to head inside the floor beneath the vantage point, but to do so from a specific route or time to avoid getting killed, since the enemy is bound to suspect our troops attempting to move out from their position.
Interestingly enough, though probably due to what happened last time, and the fact that the locations of the potential allies is too big for them to cover, even with the number of troops and weapons the enemy has, not to mention the movements of our allies not being predictable, the enemy doesn't attack. Perhaps they've waited for us to attack first which would expose our cover.
Whatever it is, so far so good, and along with us having the bottom of the vantage point secure, we are all together with us all grinning with joy that we made it. But then there is the problem, of how to take the upper floor without losing too many troops, especially when we're outnumbered and we'll have only one way to get at them, and that will be at a choke point. While last time we made our own second front by having some troops go up by climbing, and using the edges of the stairs as make shift ledges to hold on to, before using the edge of the floor upstairs as the same thing, going around the bottom part of the bannister, though it could work again, do we have the numbers to defeat them? I can't be too sure and this is an enemy who most assuredly have their eyes out for us, and know we wish to take this place, who know we will use cunning to do it.
The problem is we have to take it out, for there is no other enemies we can bleed right now, and time is running out. There are reinforcements coming, but being able to take this point alone could make the difference between victory and defeat. The very least we can do, is to try and bleed their numbers so that less time will have to be spent in dealing with them, saving more time, increasing our chances of victory.
We walk towards the middle and stop when it would just be a couple more paces forward and we can potentially be in the enemies line of sight, and as best as we can fire upwards attempting to take out potential enemies that are by the bannister, who would be waiting to take us out should we go up the stairs before we retreat again.
The thing is I have no way of knowing how many of them have we killed, in fact it could be none since they didn't fire back at us. I then go under the stairs while being cautious and looking up at the bannister to see if there are enemy troops there only to find they're not there. Hmmm, how to take them out?
It is then that I'm informed of some allied reinforcements heading to assist us, in which I inform them to go through via the windows of the building, and to wait outside this area so that they don't face the risk of getting ambushed. I ask how many of them there are and the numbers they say please me as now I feel that we have the numbers to take the vantage point. Even so, there's still the issue of them having higher ground, and we'll need to take this point carefully if we are able to make a big enough impact against the enemy after taking this place, before more allied reinforcements turn up.
Luckily though, I have a strategy now and this is for our reinforcements to go up the lower part of the stairs, stopping before they have to turn the corner. This will make the enemy hopefully think that there's a large enough force coming up, and as far as we're concerned the enemy has retreated, at least away from the bannister and are overlooking the top of the stairs. With this in mind I like to think they'll try and ambush us by the bannister, and so if we can position ourselves so we can see them and kill them when they approach, this should take out a significant portion of them up there, without losing too many casualties.
After which I have no doubt that there'll be enemy troops overlooking each corner ready to shoot should we reach there, and so we need to throw a smoke grenade at each corner and hopefully force them to shoot, and then if they do wait until they finish and then fire back and carefully approach until that corner is clear. While there'll be a chokepoint when we reach the top of the stairs, if we can take out the enemies up there part by part this should do it, and we can at last take the vantage point with us having sufficient troops to keep it secure, while their troops will be low and feel compelled to defend their ground or retreat to a better position. At last, we can put pressure on the junction and ultimately parliament itself.
The order is given, and while I did wonder if the enemy would try and ambush our troops on the stairs due to us potentially scaring them away, they do in fact come and there are lots of them in which we take out with minimum difficulty. I hear them yelling to retreat, their voices saying panic and dread. In fact I even wonder if some of them are considering jumping out and retreating back to the parliament building where there's more of them, and perhaps they feel they'll have a better chance there. Then again that would be unlike what I know of them, mind you they did appear to retreat from the junction or at least just hid, since they don't feel they can take enough of our troops to warrant their sacrifices.
The next part of the plan happens, and like before it goes as I suspected where they fire as soon as the smoke is formed at the corner, hoping that they can take out a few of us even though they haven't. My allies then fire around the corner, and while it's probable that they'll have got no one, it would force the enemy to retreat and for Britannians to be able to go up the stairs, and while it's possible for them to ambush us, it's unlikely that it won't be without any of them dying by us.
Now for the final part: going up to the upper floor, and taking them all out. A smoke grenade is thrown again but this time they don't fire, perhaps waiting for us to shoot first and then fire in response considering the risk of being killed while needing to reload. Our troops are almost at the top and stop due to the likelihood of enemies waiting for us when we get there. Upon reaching there they lift their weapons up and fire at the enemy, only for the remaining ones upstairs to return fire at the top of the stairs trying to keep us away.
The thing is, they're firing their bullets such that it's enough to keep us away but not enough such that they'd go through all their ammunition at once. While at first I thought this is good since they probably won't have infinite ammunition, and eventually they'll run out and be forced to do a banzai charge where we can mow them down, they could have enough to buy them enough time to win this nightmare.
I decide to give the order for the troops on the stairs to open fire at the bannister on the upper floor, hoping that from the top of the stairs the enemy can be taken out or at least be weakened significantly. After many bullets being fired for what feels like a while it stops completely, and eventually I hear the all clear that the upper floor of the vantage point has been taken with few casualties. I'm also informed that the order I've given meant that the enemy couldn't ambush our allies on the stairs from where they were which would have been hard to deal with.
I can sense the immense relief from my allies, even a desire to celebrate this victory but we all know that there's no time, and with enthusiasm they just wait for my orders. Speaking of which, I then order a third of the troops to go through the rest of the floor and check for any more enemies so that we don't get attacked from behind, and I order another third to guard this section, while the remaining third is to use the vantage point to attack the enemies at the junction and at parliament.
I sense rising optimism in the air, and our morale increasing significantly especially now that more reinforcements are arriving to our location and through different sides of this junction providing the pressure there that we crave for.
The thing is, is that while the junction is now secure, parliament is far from secure for us. The building has scaffolding all around it completely covering the beauty and grandeur that it normally has, and there's lots of levels of the scaffolding. It's full of soldiers and snipers that appear to be significantly armoured and some are armed with machine guns and could see us from where we are now, and kills us with little difficulty if we're not careful. On the grounds are lots of cover, and what looks like an army of significant size with the same sort of arms. Plus which there is a black metal bar fence, and a gate which while it shouldn't be too difficult to open, it would be when there's the enemy trying to take us down.
As if this isn't enough, there is the matter of dealing with the enemies in the building on the other side who also have a vantage point, and are trying to shoot us in which they've barely failed. Not to mention even if the road we've travelled to get to the junction is secure, the other three will be guarded significantly, and they need to be taken out along with any surrounding garrisons if we can swarm parliament and take out the defending garrison there.
This does not bode well, and here was me thinking that perhaps the tide was turning. Still at least along with the morale and mood not declining, the reinforcements are coming, but I feel that our actions could make the difference between winning and losing. Parliament needs clearing of enemies that's for sure, but there are garrisons nearby that need clearing out, and while our allies and reinforcements should be able to do it no problem, it'll take up precious valuable time, time which is running out. Annoyingly though if we were to just ignore them, we'd get slaughtered from being attacked from behind, and yet crossing the street would be too risky.
All that can be done is to take out the enemies in the building at range, and then once it's clear take out the enemies guarding the roadblocks. But how many soldiers are in that building? That could make all the difference.
I inform our reinforcements that parliament is well defended and that at the junction next to it, there are two buildings opposite each other, and while we've captured one, the opposite is full of enemy troops taking pot shots at us, and explain the urgency that it needs capturing and to use armoured vehicles if they have any. While they inform us that they'll do their best, they also inform us that they need to take out the roadblocks first.
Like always, we remain calm even with potential concerns adding up and just think that we need to take out the enemy one at a time like before, and ensure we expose ourselves to as few enemies as possible. Already I hear gunfire, and with the enemies being the immediate threat, we carefully position ourselves such that we can peek a little bit until we can see through the window overlooking the building opposite, while being careful not to be within the parliament's line of sight.
Annoyingly while at first we manage to take out a few enemies they return fire continuously, and we are forced to retreat away. No doubt the entire room's garrison is shooting in our direction and there's no way we can take them out without sustaining casualties that will prove too grave. Eventually the enemy stops firing, but whose to say that they won't be hiding with their guns out and ready to open fire as soon as they suspect us being there. There's nothing else for it but to use smoke between us and them and just focus on taking out some of the enemies on the roadblocks while letting our allies take out the enemies in that building.
Though it does feel like we may be only able to take out the roadblock to the right of the road we've been on, because of the enemies in the parliament building seeing us as we'd have to poke our heads out to go after the one on the left, at least that is something, and perhaps once the roadblocks have been breached and the building has been taken, we could potentially ambush the enemies on the scaffolding of the parliament building while they're focused on engaging the other Britannians.
With enough smoke between us and the opposite building, they fire at us at first, thinking they'll need to take us out before we can do our sneak attack against them but eventually they stop. In fact we can take out the enemies on the roadblocks at a distance, without being in the line of sight of either the building opposite or parliament. Along with that, we take out a fair number of them there, no doubt weakening that section significantly.
Even better still, I hear the sound of vans approaching from the road we've used a lot, and rather than stopping in a formation to attack the parliament building, they split into 3 and head into each direction no doubt with the intention of taking out those roadblocks and allowing our troops from other directions to swarm in. This should mean that those roadblocks won't last for much longer with the enemy troops there having to fight two fronts.
Despite the morale that those vans bring for our already good morale, it is still unnerving because of how long will it take for the roadblocks to fall, as while I know that they're doing the best they can, it's hard to know whether we'll still have all the time needed afterwards to go through the obstacle courses to get to parliament. It's tragic that there's nothing more that can be done now, apart from attempting to take out the enemies on the scaffold which we feel braver to do now that the vans have brought much needed distraction.
Even then though there's still plenty more of them, and we still daren't take too many of them out, or else we'll attract attention for them to be sniping at us. I just know both them up there and the enemy on the ground will prove to be a real challenge to deal with, even if we have reinforcements coming in, in both significant numbers and good frequency, especially now as more and more bombs get defused freeing up troops to deal with here.
At least the time doesn't appear to be too long as the roadblocks to the right of the road we've been on, have been cleared, and the vans then head for the other two junctions, and following them are more vans who do the same thing. I have a feeling that the next two junctions should fall in a sooner time now, as the vans provide more distraction and we boldly take out a few more enemies on the parliament scaffolding. I do find myself wondering though whether the Gears troops are feeling nervous now they've lost two roadblocks with the remaining two about to fall soon enough. Do they have anything up their sleeve, or is this it? If this it, how long will it take for them to die? Hmmm, I have no way of knowing, and can only hope that this is at least the beginning of the end of this accursed nightmare.
Almost as if at the same time, both remaining roadblocks now fall, and I can hear more vans with a significant number of them heading inside to the entrance of the building, with others outside to reinforce. After which I can hear gunfire in there, and it makes me wonder how long will it take for the building to be ultimately be taken, considering it's probable that there's more troops in there than just the section that has the vantage point. Then again as long as that vantage point can be taken and be guarded soon enough, that's good enough for us since parliament's defences need to be taken out asap, and we'll need those vantage points captured if we are to stand a chance considering what we're up against.
Amazingly, though no doubt due to the layout being similar and there being numbers on our side for once, along with the element of surprise, it doesn't take too long at all. Perhaps it's also down to Britannians from elsewhere forcing Gears troops in there to leave and deal with them, or maybe they're already dwindled due to other reasons. Whatever the case is, I am pleased that now this has fallen, and all there is standing between us and parliament are the troops on the ground with their massive cover even if it's only not much taller than them, and the troops on the scaffolding with large numbers of them being well armed and armoured. I only hope that this is the final battle before we can confront Neptune in this nightmare, and finally be able to hopefully wake up back with all my friends and allies.
Somehow though, despite this optimism which is increasing with each passing bit of good news, I feel that there's more to this, and somehow I get the feeling that this fight, even with our numbers and our own cover and elevation, won't an easy one to win, let alone win quickly, in which that is what we must do if we are to succeed.
This battle, this seemingly final battle begins, as we wait for the vans which show off the Britannian colours and are of significant size, to surround the parliament entrance via the junction, forming a curved line, while ensuring that the backs of the vans are away from the building, to allow troops to get out without being shot, only for them to get in position and attack the enemy in the scaffolding. Next there is the Britannians in the vantage point opposite ours opening fire on the same target and we do the same thing. We all choose to go after the enemy on the scaffold because they have the advantage of elevation, and we have managed to get it such that only they can shoot us due to the way we position ourselves.
While I feel that we're doing well given the circumstances, taking out significant numbers of them including the armoured ones in which they took large numbers of shots before going down, we're also losing Britannians at a similar rate. The annoying thing is that the different advantages we had earlier they have the same only better versions. We have some elevation with a minority of forces there, they have some of their forces which are more numerous on a higher elevation. While we have excellent cover, they have troops covered in armour. We have large numbers, they have large numbers. In fact the only advantage I think we have is that we have reinforcements coming in, and I don't think the same can be said for them, but then again they have an advantage over us and that is time.
It's become a siege and while significant losses and not decent kill to death ratio aside, at least the way things are going victory would be inevitable, would we win in time? But what can we do to take out the enemy on the scaffolding? If we can just take them out then we'll have the advantage of elevation, as even the vans are able to provide some, and with this we can take out the enemies on the ground even when they're supposedly in cover.
While there is the possibility of calling in lots more reinforcements to put pressure on the enemy and overwhelm them and take out part by part, freeing up our forces so it snowballs into ultimately defeating them, that would take time due to perhaps them dealing with engagements elsewhere, even if more and more of our forces are freed up.
Taking them out part by part with us dealing with the regulars first, before taking out the armoured ones is a good tactic though since it reduces their numbers quicker while reducing the chances of them getting us. But even though we're currently doing this, the enemy is still numerous, and the different parts of the scaffolding, in which it's all over the parliament building is still full of units. Part of the issue, is having to take cover from all the fire they're doing, due to the amount of them there are, and this takes up valuable time.
Another possibility would be to go around the back and attempt to climb the building, but would that be possible due to the obstacles that could be in the way, then there is the likelihood that there are guards there also. In fact I radioed the suggestion, only for them to say what I thought would be the issue to that idea.
The only way to solve this stalemate would be to have a higher elevation and to have the force neccessary to take them out quickly, but how to do it though? Hmmmm.
I'm unsure, but I do have an alternative idea and that would be for some of our troops to reinforce a certain location, and to focus fire on an area of the scaffolding, an area in which ideally they can be attacked without the enemy being able to attack us back, before going to another area with the same situations, which should be possible since at different parts of the scaffolding different positions of ours can be seen, and the more of them taken out the less they can see of us.
Hopefully this can reduce casualties and thus make killing them easier and quicker. I give the order for us to do this and they follow it with great enthusiasm considering the success of my strategies. For a while it does appear to work as section by section, the enemy falls without so much casualties inflicted on our side. The thing is while having a concentrated attack would mean they would need to regroup to respond to us negating our strategy, and they can't do it due to the size of the scaffolding due to the size of the building, they all move to positions on the scaffolding where they can hide from our view.
I have no doubt that they're merely retreating again, and will do a surprise attack when we attack the enemy on the ground. We cannot have that they need to be dealt with and quickly but how? How can we defeat them when the only way is to expose ourselves to them without being prepared. Sure we can wait for them to ambush us and ambush them, but to convince them to do so we need to be engaging the troops on the ground, and this will result in mutual killing again, in which we don't have the time to just have more reinforcements come in to fill our losses, while they may not have that ability.
There has to be a way, plus which a way to kill them quickly without having to mess about with the lock, especially with all the time that is being wasted in dealing with these Gear soldiers. I have the idea of looking for a way of getting to the scaffolding and taking them out part by part, while hopefully not having to worry about the enemy on the ground. The problem is I can't see one, and even if I could there's the issue of getting over the fence, and clearing the area without attracting the enemy to it due to it being our area of attack. Then there's the issue of being able to traverse the scaffolding quickly without being spotted, along with taking out the enemy with speed without dying.
There has to be a way, but what think Black think. I try not to show concern to my allies for that would harm morale, despite me being deep in thought, trying to think of an idea, though I'm pleased they have faith, with Noire and Uni giving me looks as if to say I can do it. The trouble is I'm struggling and I guess all we can do right now is to engage the enemy on the ground while waiting for those at the scaffolds to attack once again. At least against the enemy on the ground we have the advantage of elevation with the upper floors, and the Britannians are able to get on top of the bonnets and take out enemies while being careful not to get shot by the enemy in return.
Wait I've just thought of an idea, I can't be sure if it would work at all, but I can't think of any problems with it, and this is all I have right now. It should work considering the speed it can be done and the fact that it'll be hard for them to respond to it so that my plan would ultimately fail. I inform our allies of the plan in which they smile with joy and confidence, giving me looks as if to say their faith in me was not misplaced, and it is then that we put it into action.