CHS-5

==Chapter 5 – Chappy's Howling Siegers==
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Battlefield
In front of the SLDF Warehouse
20 miles from town of Drango
Helm, Free Worlds League
March 7th, 2785
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Major Chapman looked at the battlefield and saw a chance to end this quickly without too much bloodshed. He knew that if they could take out the militia commander or capture him the rest of the force would give up. Past battles with militia around the universe had proven this theory correct. The problem he had was that commander for this engagement was unknown, it looked like a special convey came in late last night so it could have been a command change, or simply a supply run. For some reason, the enemy force distribution had what look like a flaw, the north side was noticeably light on troops and mechs. On the south side there was a lot of infantry movement but because of the thick trees he was unable to make out what type of infantry they were. “Siegers, advance now, Delta lance go to the north and try to flank them. We need to find their command. The other three lances follow the Command Lance. We will move from the south and cut our way up looking for their commander and meet Delta Lance in the middle. If we have not found him them, he must be hiding in the mountain. Is that understood?” Everyone came across the net and acknowledge the mission parameters.
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Major Chapman 
Cockpit of his 'Mech
As they jumped across the small river Delta Lance report contact in the north. “Bravo Lance move up roll around the hill and provide support for Delta” Chapman announced. “Roger, moving now” Captain Bruce said. Then as soon as Alpha Lance moved into the tree line Captain Pople yelled into the radio, “Heavy resistance in the woods, looks like infantry has heavy equipment!”
At that moment Matthew was shook in his seat with multiple autocannon fire from the woods that tore a hole in his left arm. Taking aim and firing his Gauss Rifles just did damage to the trees. “We are going to have to get closer to negate the tree factor, Go Go Go!” Major Chapman announced. 
In the north a squadron of Warrior Attack Helicopter swoop down and took pot shots at Delta Lance, they were easily dispatched although there were some headshots that took half the armor off.
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Helm Militia
Major Keller was waiting for just the right timing to spring his last-minute trap, it looked like at least some of the Mercs are going to trip it, he had hope that 6 or 8 merc mechs would fall for the trap, as it was it was only four, but four dead Mercs was better than none. He made the light signal then started off in a run to get off the mountain and into combat.
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Siegers
Matthew thought he saw some light flashing on the mountain, when he tried to focus on it more AC/5 rounds went into his left leg. 
Captain Bruce busted through the silence of the radio claiming that there was mechs and tanks waiting on the other side of the mountain and that they were getting torn up. 
The Major looked at the battle map and where his troops were, and notice that Delta had broken formation he was about to call them when Lieutenant Borcellino came on the net, “Bravo we just destroyed the last mech, we will be there to assist in about 5 minutes.” 
As Matthew kept firing, he took another shot in his left arm blowing it off. Damn it!, he thought and not for the first time in his life he hated trees.
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Helm Militia
Major Keller’s plan was working out, the Mercs lances in the south and in the middle are being overwhelmed. He lost information about what was happening in the north since he moved down to join the fight behind the hill. 
He had made many calls out to the LT out in the north hopefully everything was OK. He was about to make a call for the reserves to move up and check out the north when missiles coming from the north flew over him missing him by a few feet.
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Siegers
Major Chapman was starting to think they could lose this battle, self-doubt crept in like a thief in the night. Sergeant Liu in his JagerMech and Sergeant Moa in his Phoenix Hawk were down, luckily, they were still alive. 
“Focus fire on the trees if you have to! We have to flush the infantry out in the open before lucky shots kill us all.”, Matthew said across the net. 
Lt. Borcellino and her team came around the hill from the north and the saw carnage, Bravo Lance was down two 'Mechs she had a Shadow Hawk in her sights and fired while she advance her weapons hit the Hawk left arm and left torso enough to when she kicked the Shadow Hawk the SRM2 ammo exploded destroying the militia’s 'mech. Major Chapman had taken out six infantry units but they kept popping out of the trees like termites, another salvo of Auto Cannons hit Chapman this time ripping his right leg off. Prone he kept firing.
A Rifleman next to the Major exploded but just before it did, he saw the ejection seat take off so he knew that Sergeant Mackherdhuj was ok. That makes six mechs down on his team, hopefully Delta Lance will turn the tide. 
The Major looked at the battle map to see that when the Rifleman blew up it took out several infantry batteries and forced the others to start retreating out in the open. With his mech crippled all he could do is fire at long range and hoped to do some damage now. He fired his remaining Gauss Rifle continuously and then another salvo of autocannons hit this time destroying his gauss rifle which also caused the auto eject system to engage, which effectively put him out of the battle. 
“Everyone attention, the Major is down this is Captain Tournier. I have taken command temporary, continue with the Major’s plan find and destroy their commander.”
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Helm Militia
The infantry was breaking but, the middle was holding up pretty good until that lance from the north showed up. Worse part thought Major Keeler is that his communication array was destroyed in the last LRM salvo so he no contact with the infantry in the mountain to tell them to attack. He aimed and took out a Lynx by taking off its head. Major Keller locked on to another merc this time a Starslayer just as he fired the Starslayer jump over the hill causing the Major to miss.
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Siegers
Captain Tournier jumped his Starslayer over the hill to do a Death from above maneuver which of course was successful all but destroying the Phoenix Hawk that he jumped on. Unfortunately he was hit by a few stray weapons and caused him to come down hard on his Right leg. Captain Tournier slammed against the safety belts so hard he almost blacked out, almost is the key word he was able to shake the cobwebs off and move to a hull-down position.
Major Chapman was shocked he had only lost four mechs in his career. Upon looking at his 'mech though he thought it can be repaired and that the ejection seat launched prematurely. He needed to get up on a hill to overlook the battle to see how his people were doing.
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Helm Militia
Major Keller was hot today he never felt so alive and strong hitting a Kintaro in the head with his AC/5 and Medium laser putting the Kintaro out of its misery. 
As the Major took joy in taking down another merc unit, he saw a flash of laser in front of him then he felt two impacts that ripped his Hermes into two knocking him unconscious oblivious to life.
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Siegers
Lt. Borcellino was finally in range she took a PPC, large laser and three medium lasers causing her mech to overheat but with great satisfaction. 
She was able to see her target cut in half and then blow up. She tracked with her eye the ejection seat and when her system powered back up, she marked it for pickup.
With that Captain Tournier watched as the militia unit fall apart, only infantry was left anyway and they came out of hiding with their hands in the air.
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