CHS4-12

==Chapter Twelve - Book 4 – Chappy's Howling Siegers==
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==Operation Enduring Freedom==
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===Clash in System===
DropShip Bounty of Blood, In System
Alegro, Outworlds Alliance
February 19th, 3030
06:25 GST
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A month and a half of traveling and it all boils down to this, if they can win the space battle with no damage to the Dropships then the planet will be theirs in a matter of weeks. Because the ground forces are weak, not weak in mind or spirit just weak because there is not a lot of firepower on the ground according to the Intel report. With the battleship running the show the space battle that was about to start should be easy (in the mind of the colonel) as long as the enemy does not get lucky. Even though Colonel Sanzgiri was the overall commander of the invasion. The Commander of Vengeance of Sherry was given complete authority in this battle, in fact all unit members of the ground force were in their sealed cockpits or suits in case the Dropship that they were assigned broke apart. So, the colonel had to rely on comms to keep him updated. The plan was simple the fleet deployed in a V formation with DropShuttles in front the assault shuttles in a V formation right behind them. Then the Vengeance and then the dropships followed behind the battleship. As the fleet got closer to the enemy, the squadron of heavy fighters called Aces and Bases launched and attacked with the DropShuttles and assault ships lending cover. At the same time the battleship went to full thrust, the advantage that Vengeance had was its range. When she came into range of the space station the guns on the battleship ignored all other enemy ships and just did a non-stop barrage of laser and autocannon fire while still moving in closer and closer. 
Meanwhile the rest of the fleet was weaving in and out of the enemy’s fighters, slowly the advantage in numbers leans towards the Renegades as Outworlds Alliance fighters slowly were destroyed. 
Then the first wave off assault shuttles rushed the space station with the intention of dropping the space marines off in hopes of taking over the now slightly damage station. “One more salvo on the station weapons and then we will cease and focus on the fighters while the marines’ board!” Commander Silerio said. “Roger commander, focusing fire on port side by the docks” Commander Madhabi the weapons officer on deck said. 
At that moment four beams of laser and five AC cannons shot out towards the station. Either it was a mistake to fire all those weapons or just a few lucky shots what ever happen, it was totally unpredictable, but Silerio would realize her mistake later was ordering that last salvo. The mistake was just taking fruit in the viewpoint as Commander Silerio watch in horror as the battle station started to break up and explode into smaller pieces. Pieces in which flew across space to unexpected Assault shuttles most of them could weather the storm of debris, but several were damage and three were destroyed along with the several lances of space marines. With the destruction of their battle station what remained of the enemy’s squadrons retreated into the atmosphere of the planet to fight another day.
The colonel slammed his fist into his seat, he wanted that space station intact so that operations could be run from there. Well, that is fine all his dropships survived so he can still accomplish his mission in a few weeks, but that blonde was going to get a piece of his mind…after a few fingers of whiskey that is.
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===Planetary Assault of Alegro===
Ship Time - 08:21GST
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Even though the Colonel was furious about losing the Battle Station he still had a job to complete, as the dropships started to make their way to the planet surface, he recalled the battle plan. He had six dropships all various sizes. Each one had a set zone that they were to land and establish a mobile base, if all goes well then, the dropships will make a kind of circle around the capital at about 200 miles. Then the forces will push in and crush the militia, such as it is, Colonel thought. The planets defenses composed mostly of infantry with just a company of mechs and fighters. On the BattleNet he could hear the fighting going on outside of the dropship, enemy fighters swarming the dropships and assault ships. Helpless in his cockpit the colonel could only listen to the battle, the ebb and flow of men dying, of men screaming of joy at a quick victory in a dog fight, or of men screaming as they slowly burn alive when their ship is hit. Every time one of their own was destroyed he took a shot of whiskey honoring their sacrifice, or so he told himself. The DropShip itself seemed to be taken on damage, it was one of the roughest rides down the gravity well he had experience, especially when he kept spilling his drink. The alarm sounded for a hard landing and then not more than 10 seconds later he felt the jolt from his feet to his head, and the wetness from his spilt whiskey on his chest from that open container that he just took a swig out of. The alarms went off a second time for the Bay doors opening sunlight started to shine in making it at that moment impossible to see outside but with the chatter on the Battle Net the Colonel new the enemy was near. “Command Company, and 10th Armor get out the door and head north, 11th and 12th Armor form a protective perimeter around the Bounty and infantry try to cause as much mischief as possible. GOGOGO!” the Colonel announced. It was always an amazing sight to see all the BattleMechs and tanks move out of a dropship looking from the inside out the Colonel could only imagine what the enemy commander was thinking about how the same scene looked on his end.
As the Colonel passed the relative safety of the hanger bay and into the chaos of battle, he took a second to look at his command board. Radar from the fighters and dropship showed most of the militia ground troops up north in the hills and their medium tanks in the town. The plan was going great with all the dropships splitting into six different zones it forced the militia to split up to cover the landings. Within minutes the six medium tanks were burning, seven more militia fighters were broken and burning, and what was left of the troops disappeared with no fight left in them. The same thing was happening all over the planet, with no real force to protect them the militia just fell apart or withdrew with light losses hoping to meet up with other units for a bigger stronger defense against the Renegades. After the first day of battles, the Duncan Renegades did suffer losses but most where during the entry of the planets gravity well so the Colonel thought it was a smashing success.
Colonel Sanzgiri set up a temporary Command headquarters in a half-destroyed city hall only because he hated being in a dropship, he always felt trap and it was also harder to drink on a small, closed ship. As he sat in the former mayor chair the Colonel took another gulp of the ex-mayor whiskey, it was very fortunate that he had some in the office since Colonel Sanzgiri ran out during the battle. In two days the six battle units will start marching toward the capital if all goes well the planet will be his at the end of the week.
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===Fields of Flowers===
Outside Capital City of Alegro
Alegro, Outworlds Alliance
February 19th, 3030 
10:44 GST
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Colonel Sanzgiri was marching his unit through a field of flowers just east of the small capital, hopefully the enemy will give up the planet after this battle especially when he breaks the only Battlemech unit they have. His unit was just coming over the hill and an unexpected obstacle a field of mud appeared. The 'mechs that were jump capable easily bypassed the mud but him and eight other mechs were stuck. Timing was everything so he called out, “Strike Lance move forward the rest of us will be right behind you as soon as we walk through this crap” the Colonel announced. “Roger Colonel we will try to save you some” Captain Whearty said.
As the Captain survey the battlefield he saw the weak points and hard points of the enemy with most of the force stuck in the mud he was not sure about pushing into the capital. Even though the militia should be easy one should never take that for granted.
“Lance concentrate fire on that Raven in sector 2415, we need to get rid of the ECM.” he said. After a couple of attempts to take the Raven down other enemy Battlemechs noticed and came to the rescue of the embattled Raven. “Lance fire at will all best targets let’s stay alive till the rest of the company shows up.” Captain Whearty said. As Captain Whearty watched as another lance turned their attention to him he went on to the Company Battle net. “Actual, Striker we need artillery support in sectors 2514 thru 3214 urgent!” “Roger Striker Bombs in bound artily about 20 min out.” First Lieutenant Phong announced from Fire Base Alpha. Captain swapped back to the lance freq “Lance hold this fire line air and shells coming soon.” Three clicks came across the radio acknowledging the order.
 
As the four Thunderbirds flew across the field of battle they dove and dropped 10 HE bombs each on the enemy 'mechs with most of them hitting on target. As the fighters went around for another pass the captain and his team fired all weapons into the enemies’ firing line, destroying three 'mechs. Just then two PPC lashed out from the enemy taking out the head and killing Command Sergeant Handi Baykurt in his Champion. No time to morn his command sergeant as the enemy started to push harder when all of sudden the Captain heard several big booms behind them and then heard the massive Artillery shells fly overhead.
The speakers in Captains ears crackled to life “Striker, Command we are here right behind you and coming up fast, looks like you saved us some metal, thanks” Colonel Sanzgiri said 
<< “You guys are a welcome sight, command, we soften them up they are all yours.”>> Captain announced.
Shortly after that the militia line started to break, the colonel thought time to push “All units push destroy all enemy forces now.”
As soon as the militia fire line broke another one formed up just south of the original one and destroyed Captain Whearty’ s Rifleman at the same time a militia Archer downed one of the Thunderbirds Aerospace Fighters luckily both pilots made it.
A pocket Titan was giving the unit a hard time by destroying a wasp and coring out a Warhammer, so the Colonel placed a target over its head and announced to kill it. Five seconds later the head pops off due to a Black Knight’s medium laser. “Good job Private Burnard” the Colonel’s fire line edge closer to the city it was evident that the city was going to fall, by now half the infantry for the militia was dead or ran away and only 4 militia mechs were left that could put up any resistance. So, he went across a general radio freq and asked for the militia and the government surrender. With no hope of salvation what was left of the militia laid down their arms and surrendered. The government was quick to follow with an act of mass suicide in the court chambers of the top military and government officials. The planet was officially their now, it only took around 5 days to accomplish this. After about two weeks of repair, RR, and getting a militia set up to rule the planet until a proper government can be set up their next planet for invasion was Dindatari. Until then the Colonel got out his flask and drank some whiskey.
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Book 4 - Chapter 12