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>Last time

"I guess Mathis wasn't quite sending me on an impossible mission." Hope creeps into your heart and your voice, prompting Captain Hendrik to snort.

"Don't let the kids hear that in your voice, General. They're making their peace with the Emperor like we learned to."

You both watch New Vienna burn to the North and a war rage to the East, Brexen fortress lost in the chaos of it all. Tomas' voice lingers in the back of your head, a running commentary of stories of fireworks as a child and bonfires with his family. It took you four weeks to build a pit like the one he used to describe, and you always planned to tell your son and daughter so many things around a blazing fire. The Expeditionary Wars, your friends, how you met their mother and the six years leading up to the actual event itself. It always ended with sweet Elise in your arms, crying.

Hendrik's knuckles rap upon your helmet. "Don't lose it on me, General."

The vox carries an unfamiliar voice. "Brexen Fortress, Brexen Fortress. Green Leader. We've got a wounded bird that needs a nest. Reading your beacon three by five. Say again wounded bird needs a nest. Reading your beacon three by five. Are you active?"


>Specialist Tine requests orders for a response!

>Wounded bird this is Brexen Fortress. We have VTOL sites available for landing.

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>Map Legend!
1. Brexen Keep - A massive, blocky structure that anchors the Brexen Towers. The flat section of the keep between the towers once acted as an air base for craft capable of vertical take off and landings.
2. Keep Entrance - Shrouded by an overhang that can support smaller lighters landing above it, this entrance is the only path into Brexen Keep if the Keep comes under assault.
3. Old Hospital - The hospital back when Brexen Fortress was in fact a fortress instead of a recreational park.
4. Old Motor Pool - Once the heart of any garrison's vehicle maintenance. Now a relic.
5. Old Gates - Once a mighty pair of gates to entrap attackers. Now converted into an entrance to the Brexen Fortress Park. Still an important choke point, though.
6. Brexen Reception Hall - Formerly one of the main barracks, most of the floors have been renovated into halls suitable for mass gatherings and events.
7. Old Munitorium - Once the heart of the Fortress' munitions and layered in reinforced structures to defend against external damage.
8. Brexen Tower West - Towering over the Fortress and the lands surrounding, the towers of Brexen Fortress once dominated the Western edge of New Vienna and provided a view of the entire approach. With the expansion of the city, they now provide amazing views of the city's sprawl.
9. Brexen Tower East - Struck by some greenskin weapon, the top quarter of this tower was almost completely reduced to slag and debris.
10. Brexen Park Administration - Once a minor barracks, now the Administrative heart of the Brexen Fortress Park. A commissary and minor medicae facility are located here.
Yellow Dots - entrances/exits for tour vehicle lifts. Tank-sized.

>Purple Rectangles
various tanks, represented by the letters. Trojan Support Vehicles have a star instead.
>Purple dots
Professional Military units. (~5 per dot)
>Light blue dots
Pioneers/Engineers (~5 per dot)
>Orange dots
Militia/Irregulars (~5 per dot)
>Stars
Specialist items/soldiers

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>>39093516
>Dark Blue icons (like the 7 stars currently)
Represent forces you currently do not command. For example, the 7 current blue stars are deployed sentry turrets. They can not be given specific targets or redeploy themselves.

>Green dots/squares
Orkz.

>Squares on left, descending order.
> <18m height structure/wall
> 18m height structure/wall
> 19m height structure/wall
> ~30m height structure/wall
> ~40m height structure/wall
> ~60m height structure/wall
> Rooftop equipment/structure +10m above surrounding
>50x50m square for rough scale

>Both East & West Towers were originally ~93m. East is now partially destroyed.

>Pastebin of Current forces (will be updated when needed)
http://pastebin.com/M4srDWDj

>original area map

>Current Forces
>Command (6)
General Heinrich Eberhardt (Sturmjäger Rejuv Veteran)
Captain Hendrik (Grenadier Rejuv Veteran, Commanding Flakhelfer)
Lt Adrian Baldur (Grenadier)
Lt Marta Lydia (Grenadier, Head wound)
Lt Torsten (Pzr Grenadier, Assigned to Kettenkrads)
Communications Specialist Ester Tine

>Line Infantry (6)
Sgt Urban Ulrik
Grenadier Greta Elisabet - K98
x4 Grenadier

>Mechanized Infantry (15)
x11 Panzer Grenadiers (Assigned to Kettenkrads.)
x2 Panzer Grenadiers (Assigned to Chimera)
x2 Panzer Grenadiers (Assigned to Basilisk)

>Combat Engineers (20)
x14 Pioneers (Small amount of explosives)
x5 Pioneers (Assigned to Mule/Trojans)
x1 Pioneer (Assigned to Assist Specialist Tine)

>Militia Forces (26)
Renata Edith (Militia Veteran)
x20 Militia
Alfred Rainer (Child Soldier)
x4 Child Soldiers

>Auxiliary Forces (11)
Judge Sunniva Lene (Arbites)
x1 Arbite
x3 Flakhelfer (Assigned to Pak Autocannon)
x4 Flakhelfer (Assigned to Hydra Tank)
x1 Medic (Rejuv Veteran, Chirurgeon)
x1 Sister Hospitaller

>Wounded (Severe) (10)
x1 Grenadier
x4 Militia
x2 Panzer Grenadier
x3 FallschrimJäger

>Motor Pool
Chimera Transport (2/3 Crew)
Basilisk Artillery (2/4 Crew)
Mule/Trojan (3/3 Crew)
Mule/Trojan (2/3 Crew, Immobilized)
Hydra Tank (4/5 Crew, Immobilized)
Manticore Platform (0/2 Crew, 0/4 Missiles, Packed)
Wheeled Pak Autocannon (3/3 Crew, Immobilized, Rooftop)

>>39093675
and finally

>Now with a damned twitter
twitter.com/MachineSpiritPQ

>Previous thread!
archive.moe/tg/thread/38972396/

Will answer questions as best I can as far as Heinrich is aware. New players are always welcome, especially in this rather simple 'guard vs greenskins' side story!

Due to a complete lack of warning, I expect this thread to be slow, but I'll be continuing tomorrow.

>>39093721
Okay well since the Tarantulas are in place we can have our soldiers relax a bit. Have maybe half a dozen of them keeping a weather eye on the gate area defences whilst the rest take a break, and rotate that half-dozen every couple of hours.

I assume they are anyway but ensure those militia are actually patrolling the walls, not just camping in those spots.

I also assume the VTOL landing area is clear, but when whatever's coming in gets here it will undoubtedly be followed by greenskins. This at least gives us knowledge of when we have to be prepared.
So make sure our soldiers get rested before the wounded bird and whatever attention it brings with it comes along.

>>39093896
We should probably look into the other locations of interest in this fort. We found the Tarantula turrets by chance. Who knows what else might be waiting for us to find or use to defend the place.

>>39094234
I guess auxiliary personnel like the arbites and medical staff who aren't busy can have a look through the fortress, but we don't want our fighting infantry rifling through store rooms when orks come along.

>>39094334
If there are more things like the Tarnatula turrets hiding amongst the locations it would be worth it. Until a real greenskin assault hits the fort, I think it wouldn't be too bad to spare a few men to assist in the search beyond the arbites and medical staff.

>>39094370
But we don't want our already overworked line infantry having to sprint back to the gate to defend when an attack does eventually occur. If I remember correctly the entire fortress is a several hundred feet across.

>>39094415
Obviously they wouldn't sprint back and forth. We just have a unit or two off the line to search the areas of interest and call them back if the front lines are in trouble. The orks haven't come knocking yet so we this is the best time to do it.

>>39093896
You give Captain Hendrik orders to start rotating soldiers off the line to rest and eat before turning your attention to the prospect of a large flying object heading your way.

"Tine, get someone to make sure our landing areas are clear and get an ETA on that bird."

"Yes, General."

Renata approaches as you consider sending a few men to check that militia pickets are actually walking the wall. The woman you escaped death beside all those months ago actually seems nervous for the first time since you met in that bunker. Or perhaps she's just tired. The Judge did mention that their group had escaped an encirclement days ago. She's got her shotgun's sling securing her weapon in such a way that it can't be torn away from her grasp, much like several of your old squadmates used to do.

"You should come to the Western wall, Heinrich. We've got a situation heading our way that you'll need to see to believe."

>Orders?

>>39094657
Well fuck.
Better check it out.

>>39094234
The arbites are ensuring a certain trigger-happy child soldier doesn't try to execute 'cowards' again (Assigned to Western Wall with Child Soldiers).

The Medical staff are quite busy with 10 severely wounded patients.

If you want to search locations, you will have to pull forces from somewhere to do it.

>>39094657
Check it out. Also see if we can get some of the militia and auxiliary forces examining other locations. At the minimum, we should hit the old munitorium, motor pool and hospital.

>>39094727
Then I'm thinking we pull off a militia unit that's on the walls east of 6 and maybe a professional unit or two guarding the inner entrance to the fort for now.

>roll 3d100

Rolled 52 (1d100)

>>39095286
oh no oh no oh no

Rolled 55 (1d100)

>>39095286
Ez.

Rolled 54 (1d100)

>>39095286
and the third

>>39095297
>>39095374
>>39095391
These dice.

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You take off across the fortress in a Kettenkrad with Renata, reaching the North Western tower in minutes. Renata leads you up a defensively minded spiral staircase within the tower, and soon she's pointing down to the canal that runs along the Western wall of the fortress.

"We've been seeing small debris since the bombardment, but now..."

You're fairly certain that there is an intact wall from an entire floor of some building floating in the canal, right toward the tower that certainly won't allow it to pass. Sections of the canal already look solid enough to move infantry across, and the debris beginning to collect against the tower jutting out into the canal is begining to look like a worryingly solid assault point.

An artillery barrage begins to the East, well beyond the fortress, while the sounds of fighting from the North renew once again. Wait, that sounds far too close. "Does anyone have optics on their weapon?" One of the militia hands you a dated hunting rifle with a simple scope on it, similar to the one you used to teach your son and daughter to hunt with.

Five FallschrimJägers are running across the debris in the canal, fighting a running battle with at least a dozen orkz that seem to be having much more trouble with their bulk. Two greenskins plunge into the canal on their own, while one of the FallschrimJägers is struck in the leg and begins to make their stand after crawling behind what cover is offered. The others are gaining distance on the greenskins by their fellow's sacrifice.
>FallschrimJägers spotted 100+m North!
>Time is 11:13
>Orders?

>>39095875
Get Elisabet and any other sharpshooters over here to support the Fallschirmjagers. Can we take a shot with the hunting rifle right now? At least then they'll know we're gonna support them.

>>39095875
>>39095928
Oh and is there any manner of rope or ladder we can lower down from the wall so they can climb up without having to go all the way round to the gate?

>>39095928
Can we try to meet the FallschrimJagers that are getting away with some kettenkrads and assist in their escape? I doubt they'd make it in time to help the guy left behind but the snipers might be able to.

Also, do the pioneers have enough demolitions to blow the bridge leading to the tower in the canal?

>>39096011
I thought about sending the chimera or kettenkrads to meet them, I'm just concerned they could be cut off if greenskins attack the gate. So I reckon lowering a rope or ladder from the wall, if possible, would be a better option. If not, we probably should send someone out to get them.

>>39096048
If there is a ladder we drop it, can we use the vehicle elevators to bring them in?
In any case, call the pioneers and ask them to prepare charges to blow that bridge

>>39096324
I believe the vehicle elevators function internally only.

"Eberhardt to all positions. Do we have any rope or cables? FallschrimJägers need extraction from the canal. Grenadier Elisabet, North West tower on the double."

"Pioneers here! The Trojans have cable and winch."

"Judge Lene here. The tower in the canal looks to have been in the process of being converted into part of a gondola across the canal. We could cut the cable."

"Panzer Grenadiers here! Kettenkrads ready to go!"

Well, you've got options. Taking aim at one of the greenskins that has stopped to fire wildly, your shot goes wide by at least six meters.

"Heinrich?" Renata grips the rifle, looking concerned. "You look pale."

>Orders?

>>39096354
Oh, i thought that ment the controls were internal, my bad

The send the damn bikes already

>>39096436
Send the bikes, climbing a wall in a rope with their kit while orks ahoot at them is suicide, pioneers climb the remainig bikes and get to planting those explosives.

Can they trow them from the wall or do they have to be on ground level for it to work? If they need to do it on site send them with the rescue party.

All wall sqads are to come to this section to buy us some time

>>39096436
If the Grenadiers reckon the way is clear then they can go assist.
We may as well cut the tower loose, not much use to us.

>You look pale.
Unless we look like we're about to drop dead we've got stuff to do.

>>39096581
I'm not certain I understand what you want the pioneers to do. Take the explosives planted at the entrance and use them on the canal debris?

They could do it either way, really. Dropping it from the wall has risks in that it could miss or not go off for maximum damage, while going outside the walls is an entirely different set of dangers.

Rolled 100, 89, 9, 57, 90, 74, 30, 16, 98, 15, 20, 79 = 677 (12d100)

>3d100!

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Rolled 54 (1d100)

>>39097057

Rolled 90 (1d100)

>>39097057
Ez pz.

Rolled 49 (1d100)

>>39097057
Why even live

Rolled 5 (1d100)

>>39097057
I got this chill

>>39097102
Too slow anon.

>>39096958
Do we have any other explosive that is not planted on the entrance?

I wanted them to get on bikes to come to the wall to try and destroy the debris bridge from above.

>>39097169
I think just cutting the tower/gondola loose will take care of the bridge, since the tower/gondola is the only thing holding it in place. No need for explosives.

>>39097120
>24 seconds

god fucking fucking fuck

>>39097169
>explosive not on the entrance

Not much, but a few bricks.

>>39097187
The gondola line is well above the debris, and heads to a building across the canal. The debris is backing up due to the size of the debris chunks (blasted apart buildings by orbital bombardment), the bend in the canal, and the tower being in the canal.

>>39097308
Even if we blow up the bridge, another one will form.

Best we can do is somehow range it in for the basilisk, so if enemy forces start crossing it the basilisk can lob a shell into it and send what's left to the bottom of the river.

>>39097381
Solid,

Let's do this

"I'm fine, Renata."

Handing the rifle back the owner, you give the Panzer Grenadiers permission to head out. A dozen men and women are tearing out the gates of Brexen Fortress on the contraptions as Elisabet arrives and braces her weapon. The man with the hunting rifle is soon talking shop with the Grenadier, calling out where her shots deviate.

Tine's voice rings in your ear as Renata continues to fuss over your complexion.

"General. I've set up a command vox band and linked the tarantula turrets to Brexen's networks. Their augurs should be more efficient with the link. Wounded bird is fourty out, but we've got a problem. We can't handle a Marauder bomber or the number of crew the pilot is reporting injured. Our Medicae is reporting a critical shortage of- Oh Emperor. General, Frequency six."

>Orders?

>>39097820
Better tell the wounded bird we've got nowhere for them to land.
What's on frequency 6?

>>39097820
Contact the bird and update them on the situation.

Also request that they try to scout out the city and the surrounding area while they're still up

>>39098012
This, if they dtill think we are their best bet let them come

Check frequency 6

>>39098012
Also as a clarification not to have them fly around the city just contiune their regular flight pattern and to keep their eyes peeled on the ground and send updates in regularly

"-re! Where did our artillery go!?" "Battery three just cooked off in the tube! Cease fire! Cease fire!" "Where in the Emperor's name is the Captain!? Who is in command!?" "This is Rickenbach! I'm taking command of the Regiment! All forces fix bayonets and prepare to counter attack! Artillery fall back and reposition." The channel quickly devolves into what sounds like thirty operators attempting to speak over one another, none of them with the command protocols to silence the broadcasts of the others.

"Tine, where are they and what the hell is going on?"

"They're West of our position, somewhere. Maybe- maybe two kilometers out. I think there are civilians with them, General."

>Orders?

>>39098372
West? In the mass of green on the left of the map?
Tell them Brexen fortress is up, running and taking in all the Imperials it can hold.

>>39098372

call them in!

>>39098458
This

Also ask the bird if they can confirm the location and their situation

>1d100

Rolled 67 (1d100)

>>39098627
Oh god

Rolled 18 (1d100)

>>39098627

>>39098694
>>39098720

Low or high?

Rolled 85 (1d100)

>>39098627

>>39098750
Assume low is good. We are sucking tonight.

"Tine, can we broadcast to that unit?"

"Go ahead, General."

"Brexen Fortress to unknown unit. This is General Eberhardt. Brexen fortress is up, running and taking in all the Imperials it can hold."

"9th Barivian to General Eberhardt. Ro- Shoot the burn-" The vox fills with screams before a dull roar silences the transmission. "Rickenbach's platoon is gone! Fucking Greenskins!"

"Eberhardt to 9th Barivian! Fall back to Brexen Fortress! Say again fall back to Brexen Fortress!"

With the command situation of the 9th falling into ruin once more, you contact the inbound Marauder.

"Brexen Fortress to inbound craft. We've got poor contact with a unit in combat two kilometers West of our position. Are you in position to observe?"

"Pauli Girl to Brexen Fortress. We might not make it that far, but the Emperor has seen us through- Incoming!"... "No, not on one engine he hasn't."

Elisabet informs you that the Panzer Grenadiers are beginning to withdraw from the canal as the vox goes silent for nearly a minute.

"Brexen Fortress, Pauli Girl. We're going down. Emperor on."

"Brexen Fortress, Green Leader. No grav chutes on Pauli Girl. Say again no chutes. Green Squadron will look for your unit."

>Orders?
>the time is 11:53

>>39099653
Everything is going so wrong.

>>39099653
Nothing much we can do about Pauli Girl or the 9th Barivian. Get the panzer grenadiers and the fallschis back inside.

Also I think we should get some rest and leave Captain Hendrik in charge for a few hours.

>>39099771
Or perhaps let Hendrik rest for a few hours first then rotate. Depends on if she's been active longer than us.

>>39099653

continue trying to cotact the 9th

we should send 4 men to check the monitorun, see if they find anything useful

>>39099836
Without a doubt Heinrich was one of the best rested persons at the start of the mission, but also had just spent 3 months with a broken hip.

All other forces have seen at least several days worth of combat conditions. You haven't really asked about any extreme cases there may have been, and no one is exactly looking refreshed besides some of the Militia. It would seem Renata had them taking shifts on the wall patrols.

Speaking of the militia...

It seems that the militia searching the Reception Hall have located a walk-in cooler stocked with fresh food and begun cooking for the entire force! The morale of your force skyrockets as word spreads of real food and real beds.

>rest vs let Hendrik rest

more than a minor consideration. Tie breaker anyone?

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>39100209
1- Hein
2- Hendrick

>>39100209

rest

we get the next and probably final shift

tell the captain to secure any equipment that mught be on the fort before we wake up

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>39100327
>>39100304

did we tie again/

rolling to break it......again

1-hein
2-hendrick

Vote beats roll.

"Tine, get Hendrik on the command channel."

Heading for the gates on foot, you notice how much your lower back aches like it did before you, well, when you were older. It still doesn't feel right, the rejuvenation injections making you... younger, but still old. Is this how the sector nobility feel?

Captain Hendrick is on the vox frequency quick enough. "General?"

"Captain, if you have no objections I'm going to get a few hours of rack time. Get the kids back in the fortress and get some of them looking for any more party favors."

"Permission to deploy the remaining sentry guns, General?"

>Orders?

>>39100694
>I see no reason why not

There are remaining sentry guns? I thought we deployed them all.

Also did they get back the fallschirmjager who was wounded or just the four that made it all the way across the river?

>>39100209
Well let's hope they come across something better soon.

>>39100694
We should ask Tine at some point what the fully online fort can do.

>>39100764
a dozen were found. only 7 were deployed.

The fallschirmjager that was wounded was killed buying time for the others. Difficult to run from debris to debris in a canal with 1 leg shredded by a shoota.

>>39100694

granted

>>39100764
>>39100870

"Granted. And don't let those Fallschis run off again. I notice they lost the mortar and missile launcher they ran off with last time."

"Sweet dreams, General."

The bed you find doesn't need fresh sheets or something fancy like a mattress. In fact, the cool tile of the floor is more to your back's liking, until you're reminded that you hope the plumbing still works in the fortress.

Just in time, you arrive and let out a conten- pain stabs at your lower back and places you'd prefer never had to experience a burning, stabbing pain like this. Throwing a hand against the wall, you look down to see that you're producing a less than healthy red stream of urine.

Emperor on Terra, that isn't good.

>Calling it here for the night. Will continue in the morning.

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>>39101211
Looks like Heinrich's got himself a lovely bladder infection.

>>39101211

thanks for running, see you tomorrow

bump

bump

>>39101256
Might want to get that old hospital searched.

The light winds run through the grasses of the hills, casting the faintly glittering dust from the bloomed tips.

Your daughter's arm rises as she points at a long, trailing cloud streaking from New Vienna toward the new star that has hung over Barivia for the last week. "Is that one of the Emperor's stars? One of the big... um... k-kroozears?"

"Cruisers, Elise. Cruisers." You spare her a rant about speaking like a greenskin for now. Meta has already had to give you a talk after one of your rants to the neighbor's boys.

The dream was too good to last.

The building trembles nearly a dozen times, small dust clouds floating down from the higher areas that weren't quite clean.

"Report."

"Air battles have shifted toward our position, General. Just some Greenskin ordinance impacting." Hendrick's voice sounds amused. "Sorry to wake you, General."

>Time is 12:40
>Orders?

>>39107299
"Have we heard anything from HQ?"

>>39107299
sitrep on the fortress and its surrounds? any urgent developments?

if theres nothing immediately pressing (like an attack on the walls) we should go check out the hospital and medicae, see how they are holding up

>>39107350
"Green Leader is delivering a report to command and should return within three hours with a response. The line to our East was pushed back over the river, and no one has heard from the Northern positions since the bombardment."

>>39107493
We were only asleep for what, an hour?
Go back to bed for another couple of hours, then swap with Hendrik, get Green Leader's report and then report our bloody piss to the medicae.

>>39107615
Backing

>>39107615
>>39107635

"Fort is still yours, Hendrick."

>5d100

Rolled 44 (1d100)

>>39107691
oh god, rolls.

Rolled 75 (1d100)

>>39107691

Rolled 91 (1d100)

>>39107691

Rolled 99, 75, 57, 75, 86 = 392 (5d100)

>>39107691
all at once or rolled individually? I never know what to roll or how it works and what is good

Rolled 95 (1d100)

>>39107691

>>39107750
Low is good...

Rolled 56 (1d100)

>>39107691
what the fuck is with our rolls? MS put the loaded dice away you scummy bastard

now I need what Heinrich needs, sleep, so goodnight

>>39107758
...

I gotta say, this quests dice, I've always hated them, they always seem that no matter what, we just endlessly fail or get fucked over

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>>39107697
>>39107710
>>39107740
>>39107750
>>39107758

>nothing lower than a 44 on /tg/ dice

I am convinced bullshittery is afoot, fuck this I'm gonna go do something else for a while.

>>39107792

i'm really depressed right now

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>These rolls

And then the fort just fucking blew up

>>39107877

have faith anon, maybe those are luck rolls

emperor protects

>>39107877
Along with my fun, fuck this for a joke.

>>39107919
No they wouldn't be, and MS always delights in making us fail and ruining everything we try to do.

If we were digging for loot, then the Big E would have given us the rolls we got, but we're not, so we're dead along with this sidequest because of these fucking bullshit dice.

>>39107934

man, call down!

we asked the captain to look for loot and meybe some of those are related to that if not all of them

relax, we will find a way anon

>>39107977
Yeah, we'll find a way and then the dice will take it away for no good reason, like they always fucking do.

>>39108012

no reason to be mad at the dice, they don't care either way. Better find a way that gives us enough bonus to not depend on them

The next two hours are filled with nightmares. Your command butchered by greenskins, Brexen falling as the Emperor turns his gaze away from a group of soldiers found wanting.

By the end of your 'sleep', you're not exactly feeling rested or refreshed.

The medicae is busy when you arrive. Two militia are being held down by their fellows as the Sister Hospitaller and medic dig into the wounded, discarded civilian first aid kits strewn about as the wounded yell and flail what limbs still seem to work. A third member of the militia is motionless on a nearby table, her green eyes still open.

Renata sits against a wall, holding a torn strip of shirt around her arm.

>time is 15:06 hours.
>Orders?

>>39108108
>Better find a way that gives us enough bonus to not depend on them
as if MS would ever let that happen

>>39108154
ask Renata what happened

>>39108154
Situation report?

>>39108154
>>39108219

this

how much more are here since our last visit/

"What happened, Renata?"

You count fourteen wounded, not including the dead woman or Renata. There were ten, by your last count. The majority of the wounded look too far gone to return to fighting condition without time and a proper medicae. All of the walking wounded are back on the line.

"Kommandos on the Southern wall. The Tarantula on the roof of the building down there engaged once they were on the wall, but the fucking xenos nearly wiped us off the walls anyway. Took fifteen for our two... maybe four." Pulling the bandage on her arm back, she grits her teeth at the jagged shard of metal embedded in her flesh. "Fólki wasn't as lucky as you were when it came to a being smacked with a grenade."

>Orders?

>>39108649
So basically all the militia are now dead or wounded?

Gonna have to use turantulas to watch the walls then.

>>39108649
increase patrols and if there are any tarantula's not deployed, have them strengthen anywhere kommando's might try to break through, or cover other tarantulas

we need to crack open the hospital and see if it has any supplies we can use

>Took fifteen for our two... maybe four.
does this mean they killed 15 kommandos for 2 or 4 militia casualties?

>>39108702
>So basically all the militia are now dead or wounded?
no idea, its not clear at all what actually happened

>>39108702
No. 15 Kommandos for 2, possibly 4 Militia. (doubt due to the two screaming ones being operated on)

>>39108735
oh good...I was very worried there for a minute.
I assume the other dead militia was dead before getting back to medicae.

I guess keep up patrols >>39108729 what this guy said.

>>39108778
Also, get . Report from the captain an send her to rest after we tell the medicae about our bleeding piss

>>39108839
she probably wants to get that shard of metal removed and the injury treated before resting and I think the medicae are busy with higher priority matters, hence why I want to see if theres any supplies in the old hospital

>>39108915
Renata isn't Captain Hendrik.

You hail Hendrick on the vox, asking her to meet you in the Medicae to be relieved.

Renata sits with you in silence as the screams eventually quiet from the wounded. One seems to have finally passed out, while the other is bandaged by the medic before he moves on to the wounded woman beside you. "Give me a few minutes to wash up and we'll get you stitched up."

The Sister Hospitaller eventually finishes up her work and sizes you up with a cheerful expression. They're unnervingly practiced at that. "You don't seem to be wounded, General. You're a rejuv, correct?"

"I certainly do not recall looking this young for at least a decade, Sister. Unfortunately I seem to have a bladder infection."

The sister seems amused. "I take it you weren't given the option, then. Do you know the status of your treatment?"

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"You're more likely in the second stage of rejuv sickness, General. The sister superior and I were traveling the line to ensure critical personnel weren't lost to it." Opening a small, armoured case upon the thigh of her armor, she pulls out a syringe filled with a dangerous looking, lavender-hued... sludge. "You'll need to try and relax for four hours after the injection." Pausing, she shrugs. "Well, at least try not to run around too much. We're not equipped to handle cardiac arrest despite the civilian supplies we've located around the fortress."

>Take the injection?

>>39109324
>Take the injection?
I'm gonna assume this sickness is only going to get worse, so we better take the injection (also assuming she's never gonna need it for anything else).

>>39109324
"What kind of side affects and other things will occur because of this rejuv sickness if I don't take the injection?"

If its bad and we need to take the injection, we should do it sooner than later, but if its negligible then it can wait until after we hold out long enough

>>39109324
How long will i last without the injection?

>>39109324
Take it, things will only get worse...

"What kind of side affects and other things will occur because of this rejuv sickness if I don't take the injection?"

Sister Ada's smile fades slightly, her voice becoming hushed. "You'll either go insane or your organs will fail, General. Without equipment, I can not say which will come first or how long. The choice to rejuv veteran soldiers was protested heavily by our order. We could not predict the complication rates without careful study beforehand."

>>39109630
better get stabbied then.

>>39109630
No other option then, take it

>>39109630
"Ok, hit me.
What other treatmentts will I have to take in the near future? I wouldn't like any more surprises."

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You roll up your sleeve. "No other option, then."

Sister Ada gives a genuine laugh. "Pants off, General."

At least she leads you behind a door for the injection. As the burning pain begins to subside you get yourself in order just in time for Captain Hendrick's arrival.

"General. Report from Green Leader. 'Civilians five-hundred meters West of your position. Friendly forces fighting rear guard eight to nine hundred meters West of your position. No joy on vox contact. We are beginning attack runs'." Hendrick places a map of Brexen Fortress on a table nearby, likely a map of the park that once hung upon a wall. "I've redeployed the sentry guns at the gate along with the ones held in reserve. Our kill zone in the entrance remains, but we should be able to mount a defense in depth if it comes to it. A gun on the North West tower should catch anything that tries to cross the debris, and the gun on the Motor Pool to the South has already proven its worth."

"What about the men that went out?"

Hendrick sighs. "Two Grenadiers and a Fallschi dead. One Grenadier badly wounded. Everyone else accounted for. I've set those kids and the Arbites to defend the canal tower. The sentry guns on their flanks should cover any blind spots the position has. Pioneers are in the motor pool conducting repairs to the Hydra and Trojan, and getting some vehicles we found abandoned into fighting shape. The second Chimera is already deployed to the gate. The infantry support tanks should be ready for combat within four hours. They were shot up fairly well, but they should work as bunkers if they can't be returned to service."

>>39110282
"Anything else?"

"We found some civilian medical supplies, but first aid kits and bandages will only go so far. The Fallschis are scouring the Munitorium as we speak. If we can find some missiles, the Manticore platform would be able to assist our fighters when the air battle moves over our position. I've deployed... Miss Elisabet, is it? To the Southern wall for the time being. It looks like the bridge to our South may have activity around it, and I thought we'd best know if the greenskins tried to rebuild it."

"No word from command?"

"Oh, right. Your promotion has been verified by command, and you're now the highest ranking officer they have any contact with in New Vienna. Greenskin snipers or fighta bombas have killed nearly every General in the city."

"Who the hell is in command?"

"Ork Jägers have taken command of the front, General."

>I've been called into work for a few hours. Will hopefully be able to continue in ~4 hours or so.

>Current time is 15:45 Hours.
>Orders?

>>39110282
Send her to rest

Contact those civvies an bring them here

Contact command and see if they can redirect supplies and man near our position to us

>>39110317
>Greenskin snipers
Fucking Inquisition

>>39110317
>Ork Snipers

Well...

Anyways relive her and go make the rounds check up on morale and the commissar in training

>>39110317
How much of the fort has been searched/what areas are left to examine?

Sites 1, 3, 4, 5 & 6 have been searched. 7 in progress.

Gonna be a few hours longer.

MS

>>39114181
Are the units we pulled off earlier still searching or did they go back to the line?

>>39114926

Deployed numbers are currently down to:

7 Grenadiers
1 Grenadier Sniper

6 Panzer Grenadiers

3 Fallschirmjagers - searching interior

19 Pioneers - repairing tanks

A third of all available Grenadiers are being rotated to the Reception Hall at any given time.

Finishing things up at work.

MS

>>39116479
We're pretty dead unless we get reinforcements soon... I hope those Pioneers don't take too long.

>>39116479
How much time do we have left to hold out for?

>>39117225
"Can't change what we've been dealt. Captain Hendrick, you are relieved."

"Yes, General." After a salute, you and Hendrick leave the medicae before going your separate ways.

Judge Lene seems to have the young Alfred Rainer reigned in, though you notice that both seem to be glad that you're paying a visit to the Western wall. The other arbite wakes from his nap as they both greet you. "General."

"Report."

"We-" Young Rainer is cut off by Judge Lene. "Imperial squadrons are conducting attack runs to the West, looks like the industrial districs beyond the canal's residential zones. Even with cybermastiffs we have trouble tracking bodies through there. Some of those stragglers should be able to make it out if the Emperor is with them." Lene's eyes watch Rainer despite her words being directed toward you.

"Morale?"

"Some hot food was delivered a few hours ago and we've got the kids taking shifts walking the wall and resting, General."

Nodding, you key the vox. "Tine, any contact with the 9th or the civilians to our West?"

"Negative, General. Green Leader reports that they're having to identify targets visually."

>Current time is 16:10 Hours
>Orders?

>>39117500
>time remaining?
You've been holding the position for roughly 10 hours.

>>39117652
I remember I was toying with the idea to take the kid on as an adjudant but I'll doubt that'd get traction

Are transmitting any messages on repeat?

If not I suggest we continuously transmit something along the lines that the fortress is up and running and all nearby units are to try to gather as many civilians as they can and get here.

>>39117730
That could possibly attract greenskin attention, but not a bad idea.

What's our contingency if the walls are breached?

>>39117652
Have a look at the professional infantry at the front entrance. Do the defences look solid and the soldiers well rested?
How's Lt. Lydia doing since the head wound, and did we ever get out of her what happened to her squad?
Basically walk around all the units and see how there doing, the Militia, the flakhelfers, the pioneers working on the vehicles. brief Sitrep from all commanders.

Then have some serious thoughts about our chances if the greenskins make a determined attack.
There's uncountable thousands of those fuckers out there, even if we had the best defences in the world can a few dozen really hold them off?

>>39117779
>That could possibly attract greenskin attention, but not a bad idea.

Well My knowledge of Greenskins is that they don't really have radios or interception gear.

Unless they gib somebody and hear the message open his vox playing

>>39117730

Specialist Tine has Brexen transmitting beacon data for aeronautica and a looping recording on an emergency broadcast frequency. Both should direct anyone to an appropriate frequency to communicate with you, if they are capable.

You could in theory broadcast on specific or all frequencies to ensure anyone in range hears you, but you could also end up disrupting their communications systems by doing so.

Or you could go visual and fire flares into the air. They still cover that in the militia 'boot camp'.

>>39117840
>There's uncountable thousands of those fuckers out there, even if we had the best defences in the world can a few dozen really hold them off?
Sometimes the only enemy an Imperial commander can defeat is fear. --Tactica Imperialis.

>>39117840
We need to finish searching the fort for any advantages we can find.

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>>39117911

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>>39117974
Hear that.

>>39117957
We could pull or winch the immobilized vehicles near the gates to add more choke points. Add some funnel trenches to those and cover it in c-wire, and we might have a more suitable Ork-grinder.

>>39117652
>Orders?
"No orders so far. Report anything unusual. Over and out."

"Keep an eye open for those stragglers. Everyone we save is another body holding the Fortress."

As you depart the tower, Rainer follows. "G-General! Sir. Th-There's uncountable thousands of those damned xenos out there. Even if we had the best defenses in the Imperium... can a few dozen really hold them off?"

"When we first met, didn't you tell me that you were ready to die for Barivia, Rainer?"

"Y-yes sir. It's just... the longer we sit here..."

"There are men and women out there dying for the soldier next to them or to give civilians a few more minutes to gain distance from the greenskins, Rainer. Emperor, some of them may even be dying because their commanders are hopelessly unprepared to lead."

"I don't understand, General."

"Sometimes the only enemy an Imperial commander can defeat is fear, Rainer. We don't have anywhere to go from here, so the only option is to fight no matter the odds. That patch on your jacket has seen worse."

Rainer still doesn't seem to understand.

"Rainer, return to your post before someone accuses you of cowardice. You know the punishment for such a charge."

With a jolt, the child hurries back to the tower. You suppress the urge to vomit until you're out of sight. Emperor give you strength.

>>39117652
If things are still quite, I recommend we take a few more people to searching the rest of the fort.

>>39118389
okay ill admit now I want to take him on as an adjutant even more

>>39118389

The forces at the gate are looking more alert, though none exactly look rested. Emperor, you likely don't look any better. Lieutenant Lydia seems to be in command for the moment.

"How is that head, Lieutenant?"

"I'll live, General." For someone found knocked out and with two corpses next to her, the young woman seems to be rather cheerful.

"Lieutenant, do you recall what happened to your unit?"

"I'm sorry, General. I just remember something striking my head and then... nothing." Her cheer quickly vanishes.

Silence lingers as you walk the meagre defenses. Despite a number of foxholes and small trenches protected by low earthworks, your forces are limited to small planters and limited grass... trim, areas. The gateway and your kill zone is dominated by the damned roadway that was carved into the fortress to enable public transit to drop of scores of civilians at a time. The Chimeras are heaped with what benches and some building debris could be pulled into the fortress before the first greenskin attack, making them into relatively sturdy bunkers. Upon the walls sit half a dozen tarantula sentry guns and deeper into the fortress a pak autocannon and basilisk artillery piece are trained upon the kill zone.

Lydia breaks the silence. "General, the little greenskin tanks have burned themselves out. Should we call up the Trojans to pull them into our own defenses?"

>Orders?

>>39118720
"Good thinking Lieutenant."
Haul them in, more metal at the blockade is better.

>>39118720
how far out are the tanks?

>>39118795
They're the two black dots on the given maps, at the edge of your kill zone.

>>39118944
Oh well in that case we should definitely bring them in

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One of the Trojans returns to the front and tows the greenskin vehicles toward positions currently vacant, helping block off the interior section of the entrance. Reinforcing infantry or the forward forces should be able to put the ramshackle husks to good use, especially considering the shocking amount of, well, useless metal on the vehicles. Much of the seemingly critical systems for the vehicles aren't even connected.

Fallschrimjägers report that the Munitorium is partially stocked. From the looks of it, most of the stocks are for vehicles, but the heavy bolter ammunition should be able to keep the sentry guns firing long after their barrels will have warped from heat. The stubbers on the vehicles are likewise will not want for ammunition, nor the autocannons in your force. A hundred rounds for the Earthshaker cannon are located, along with a small cache of Manticore Missiles. A series of chargers for las-packs and even a crate of hot-shot packs for lasguns rounds out the cache.

The mobile Trojan speeds off to load up and distribute what munitions will be of use, while the pioneers still at the Motor Pool report that the Hydra and second Trojan have completed repairs. They too are soon racing past the gate to resupply, the Manticore platform in tow. The first Pioneers into the munitorium proceed to mock the Fallschrimjägers for ignoring a number of less destructive items. Comm beads by the crate-full, voxcasters and even a vox thief. Several hundred stored interlocking fence lengths, and what look to be crates containing tens of thousands of empty sandbags. Several crates of high quality amesec are even reported.

"I guess the government around here isn't completely incompetent. They left us drinks!"

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>>39120698
You order the men to leave the bottles, at least until you get first pick. A few sound like they're hurrying to hide the evidence that they've already disobeyed that order.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Gripping Lydia by the collar of her uniform, you drag her into the nearby trench. "Incoming! Get down!"

"What are you talking ab-" The young woman throws herself over you in the trench as a grot with crudely crafted 'wings' strapped to its arms and a rocket tied to it's back zooms several meters overhead and crashes into the wall. Tarantula sentry guns begin to engage the next wave of grot bombs.

"General Eberhardt. There are humans across the channel to the West! Say again humans to the West!"

Fich Dick! Perfect timing.
>Current time is 18:04

>Calling it here. Sorry for the slow updating and unexpected stop today.
>Q&A time for a bit.
>Thanks for playing!

>>39120759
Did I ever mention how much I fucking hate Grots?

Cause I do. I hate em a lot

Later MS thanks for the thread see ya next time

>>39120759
Question: Can we use that towers as a gondola for the people to the west over the channel?
If not, can they use the debris over the river as a bridge, and walk round to the entrance safely?

>>39120848
There are no systems other than the top end of the cable in the tower. If there are intact gondolas and means to power the system, it could work.

The debris in the canal could be crossed by infantry, but could also result in losses. Considering it something like questionable ice isn't a bad way to look at it.

>>39120759
Thanks for running.

>>39121040
Thanks MS