Peleas plains

Legate of the 75th Legion and the attached auxiliaries, Stefanos Pegarius, stood in front of the tactical holo-table.

‘’This is Eagle one. All units, proceed with final weapons check and report back.’’

‘’Spear ready.’’

‘’Sword ready’’

‘’Shield ready’’

‘’Armor ready’’

‘’Hammer ready’’

‘’This is Eagle one, all forward elements confirmed. Maintain approach speed and prepare for combat.’’

The legions participating in the upcoming battle were spread out on a wide frontier. With no weak spots, the enemy would have a difficult time facing them. The legion’s forward elements were arranged in Triplex Acies, a formation used on open terrain. It had three primary lines with gaps, arranged so that the line behind would fill the gap in the first and so on. Auxiliaries were postioned on the flanks and in the rear as reserve, together with the legion’s assault mechs. Rear elements waited  5-30 kilometers behind the forward elements, in a typical Imperial fashion. These consisted of artillery , command and supply cohorts and their fire position legionaries and mechs, dug in and ready to provide long range fire support.

‘’Stratcom, Eagle one.’’

‘’Eagle one, go ahead Stratcom.’’

‘’Be advised. TFC Arx Victoria will continue the battle for air superiority during your assault. Keep your anti-air units ready since we expect that the enemy has brought fighters. Scorcher wing has been designated as your air support for this mission. Transferring them to your frequencies.’’

‘’Copy that. Scorcher wing, do you read?’’

‘’This is Scorcher one, reading you loud and clear. We’re ready to bust some commies.’’

The mostly open plains offered little protection, except a few rolling hills, occasional buildings and rock formations. This was the natural habitat of both the Imperial mechs and the enemy’s hovertanks. The mechs would have the initial advantage due to the size of their guns, which outranged whatever the Federals were carrying, except the missiles. For them, each of the mechs was outfitted with an active defence laser system, as per usual. The enemy would have to close in fast. The legate decided to give a few final words to his men.

‘’Legionaries. The enemy we are facing today believes in a system of voluntary slavery, where an individual has no control of his life. No free man or woman of the Imperium should ever have to bow down to a system like that. I am sure all of you realize the gravity of the situation. The enemy must be stopped. Otherwise, nothing will stop them from bringing their depraved system into our territory. They call us greedy, yet I beg to differ. It is them, the communist scum who are greedy. Greedy for our well earned wealth. Greedy for the glory of the Imperium Galactica. Greedy enough to have us all toil in their factories without pay, like mere slaves. Today I ask you the same as the Imperium Galactica. I ask that every free man and woman of the Imperium does his or her duty to the fullest extent. The future generations hang in the balance and our ancestors are watching. Do not let them down. Eagle one out.’’

‘’Sir, recon drones have maintained visual with the enemy, they are closing in to engage.’’ said a femal sensor officer, sitting close by. The command mech appeared like the standard Vesuvius-class walker, but it sacrificed troop carrying and the heavy railgun for advanced command and control capabilities. It had a mock up gun on top to make it indistinguishable from the other walkers.

‘’This is Eagle one, the enemy is closing in. All units, disembark, I say again, disembark.’’

He looked at the tactical screen and zoomed in as legionaries poured out of the mechs. They would take care of any infantry that got close enough and use their AT weapons against the enemy tanks. The legion’s mechs were deployed in the following fashion: 4 Vesuvius class infantry support or tank destroyer mechs per single shield mech and a single AA mech.

‘’Assault mechs, hold positions until my mark and after that proceed with encircling maneuver. We need to get them to close in with us first.’’

 

In the center, a Vesuvius-class tank destroyer was preparing to engage. Commanded by Castor Felix, a centurion.

‘’Walker march. Helmsman, keep her steady.’’ he said. The centurion checked the status of his walker. Armor integrity oprimal, nanites wee ready to perform repairs, shields at 100% and the larger bubble projected by the shield mech at 100% as well. As the first railguns opened fire, the combat had started. Missiles were already flying overhead as the communist tanks became visible in their scopes.

‘’Stand by for firing orders. Targets one through three marked.’’ he said.

‘’Aknowledged. Pulsars ready to fire.’’

‘’Fire!’’ yelled the centurion.

Two white ion beams pierced the landscape as the first line of mechs began firing. The first target was destroyed and the centurion began marking more. An artillery barrage was also laid down on the enemy.

 

‘’Eagle one, Scorcher one. You are clear to engage enemy tanks, over.’’

‘’Scorcher wing ready. We’re in the pipe, locked and armed.’’

Hammerhead gunships flew over the Imperial forces, making the omnious sound often heard during the Great War, when these gunships were mostly used. Old as they were, they were still durable and more than useful, capable of carrying a large load of missiles and individually targeting each one of them.

The gunships loosened their missiles and broke off left and to get caught in enemy AA as little as possible.