Geratomran Reconquest - Hill Seven-Beta: Designated Hill Seven-Beta, the target was a small fortress created through the combination of rugged natural terrain and man-made obstacles.The hill was a modestly-sized rocky outcrop, but it dominated the predominantly flat landscape stretching between Matua Superior and the great Drava Highway leading to Magor's Seat. The source of the Drava River was atop Hill Seven Beta, a small stream that grew into a large river several miles downstream. The hill ran from the northeast to the southwest, parallel to the main road leading out of Matua Superior. The Yellow Guard had established a hardened artillery redoubt there, enhancing the hill's natural defences with tank traps, reinforced trenches and pill-boxes.Two previous attacks by the 477th had already been repelled with severe losses. During the first assault, the 16th Company had lost all its Chimeras to well-trained heavy weapon teams, mostly man-portable Autocannons and Missile Launchers supplemented by a few Lascannons. The second assault had benefited from the support of five Leman Russ tanks but the armoured support had drawn out the defenders' main asset: an extremely rare Destroyer Tank Hunter. With that tank's Heavy Laser Destroyer making short work of the Imperials' Leman Russes, the second assault had failed as well.In the meantime, the Yellow Guard's artillery hammered the main road, which was clogged by traffic. Between those companies and regiments moving towards Magor's Seat and the wounded returning to the field hospitals in Matua Superior, the road was crowded with Imperial troops. The continuous downpour had turned the unpaved road into a quagmire, causing an ever-growing traffic jam. In such conditions, every single artillery shell wreaked havoc. The Imperials had no choice but to reduce Hill Seven-Beta if their assault on the planetary capital was to continue.As the only vehicle still combat-ready in the entire 7th Paragonian Super Heavy Tank Company, the Baneblade Cortein's Honour was ordered to help the 16th Company with the capture of their objective. The Baneblade advanced slowly, the traffic on the road forcing it to move parallel to the highway, across fields and orchards where the Baneblade's lumbering speed was greatly reduced. Seven solar hours passed before Cortein's Honour even got to the combat zone. Seven long hours that cost countless lives.Cortein's Honour linked up with 16th Company under Captain Lubin Lo Santelligen just as the enemy artillery had finally zeroed in on the 16th's command post in a requisitioned agricolae. With the first ranging shots falling around the farm-buildings, Hounoured Lieutenant Colaron Vor Anselm Lo Bannick had little time to devise a battle-plan.His intent was to use the Baneblade as a shock-assault element, attacking the hill from the north-northeast as the previous assault had done but to evacuate the position before the Destroyer could get its bearings. Cortein's Honour would then circle the hill and attack from the opposite direction which the enemy believed safe because it was too steep for conventional armoured vehicles to cross. However, with its greater mass and lower centre of gravity, the Baneblade could go where the lighter Leman Russes could not.However, this plan put the supporting infantry at great risk, leaving them without armour cover and facing enemy fire for twenty solar minutes while Cortein's Honour moved into position -- a fact Captain Lo Santelligen clearly resented.Covered by the fire of their own Heavy Weapons Squads, the 16th Company of the 477th Paragonian Foot mounted their third assault on Hill Seven-Beta, distracting the enemy while Cortein's Honour repositioned itself. As predicted, the Baneblade was able to climb the steep slope previously identified by Honoured Lieutenant Lo Bannick.The super-heavy tank attacked the Yellow Guard's vulnerable rear, blasting them with all its weapons. With commendable speed, the enemy Destroyer turned around to engage its designated target. While Cortein's Honour fired the first shot in their duel, the huge shell of its Mega Battle Cannon missed, the Destroyer's low hull and terrain making it a difficult target.In response, the Destroyer scored a direct hit on the Baneblade's turret, but a slight bump in the terrain caused the shot to go slightly awry. Its blast punctured the Baneblade's thick armour and ravaged the inside of Cortein's Honour, molten metal showering one of the crewman, killing him. The beam marginally missed the Baneblade's tactical officer whose console was obliterated, but he escaped only with second degree burns on half his face and right arm.With the Destroyer having found its mark, Cortein's Honour used its Smoke Launchers to hide behind a thick cloud of white smoke. The Destroyer fired twice into the thick wall of smoke, missing the Baneblade both times. At the second shot, Cortein's Honour’s logic-engines calculated the Destroyer's approximate location.Surging out of the cloud of concealing smoke at full power, the Baneblade delivered the killing shot before turning its multiple guns on the remaining defenders, its Demolisher Cannon proving most effective in cracking open enemy bunkers so the infantry of 16th Company could clear them in brutal close-quarters fighting.When the sun rose, it found Hill Seven-Beta in Imperial hands. The 477th Paragonian Foot reported no captives.