T42 Pt. 10 | "Breaking the Encirclement"

Tales of the 42nd: Breaking the Encirclement

+++CROSSROAD TOWN OF BASTION, ARDENNES+++

+++034.000.M42 / 1700 HRS 12 JAN 41000+++

+++ARDENNES OFFENSIVE - DAY 8+++

+++SIEGE OF BASTION - DAY 6+++

With the vanguard of the 53rd Caledonian Division starting to reach the lines of the 86th Xailiv Brigade on the southern approach to Bastion, the moral of the Guardsmen defending the town had a significant increase as it no longer seemed like a hopeless fight. However, to counter this, the traitor forces launched a full assault on multiple fronts from the north, the suddenness and ferocity that broke the line in various places throwing the Loyalist forces into a desperate battle to hold long enough for the rest of the reinforcements to arrive. Major Skye and the 22nd Xailiv saw its self thrown into the thick of the fighting against elements of Battle Group Kyner in the woods south of Longchamps where the 44th Battalion was stationed and almost destroyed and routed. The 22nd, with the Squadron of the 45th Xailiv Armour assigned to it, have rushed into a blocking position in the woods to cover the junction that leads to the crossing points across the river that the 85th Brigade is using as a split line. Just when the 'fire' team have reached their position, they are joined by remnants of the 44th and their support fleeing south from Longchamps.

Cecilia looks at the image projected by the portable hololith in her command Chimera while she gives her orders across the battalions command net.

"9th Company you have the centre, 3rd take the left flank, 5th take the right and 6th hold back in reserve. Armour and Recon I want you to spread along with the companies, Recon go slightly further to guard the flanks. Heavy mortars set up centre rear for support fire."

Cecilia listens to the series of acknowledgements from the commanders before she watches the markers for the companies and squadrons moving out to take up the positions as ordered. Cecilia scrolls the tactical display further forward towards the town of Longchamps, which would be swarming with red markers of hostile forces, a few green tags for friendly forces still connected to the tacnet and still fighting, along with a number of the green tags retreating towards the position the 22nd has just moved into.

"Major, this is Recon Alpha, got eyes on what looks like friendly troops retreating towards us. Going to move up to cover them."

"Copy that, get them to try and angle to cross our line between 9th and 5th so we can get crossfire on those chasing them."

"Afirm Major. Recon Alpha moving out."

Cecilia pops open the commander's cupola hatch so that she can look out and watch the Sentinels running forward to cover the retreat of the 44th.

"9th and 5th, eyes peeled and watch your fire. Got friendlies from the 44th inbound."

"Copy that Major."

"Roger that Major."

Cecilia nods slightly at the acknowledgements before she pulls her binoculars out of their case on her belt and brings them up to look towards the retreating friendlies and the units behind them, using a mix of her binoculars and the tactical display to keep track of the skirmish in front of her. Two of the Sentinel troops and a Salamander Scout troop have rushed forward to cover the retreat of the 44th, engaging the chasing Traitor forces in the flanks. With the new threat, and the returning moral of the 44th knowing that allies are nearby, the traitor forces slowly start to disengage, a few squads being more eager and continuing the pursuit right into the waiting crossfire of 9th and 5th Company. The 44th slowly comes to a stop once it has crossed the defensive line still being set up, the Guardsmen that had made the retreat on foot, collapsing almost the moment they were beyond the line. The few vehicles with them coming to a stop once they were further into the tree line and undercover, their armour scorched and marked from where they had taken fire during the battle and then the retreat. A few of the vehicles shuddered when they stopped with a sputter and grinding of metal as the machine spirit of the vehicle knows that its passengers have reached safety and its mission is complete. One of these being the lone command Chimera of the group, the commander jumped out of the hatch, brushing his hair out of his face before he moves towards Cecilia's command Chimera. He takes a moment once he reaches the Chimera to look up a Cecilia, a question dying on his lips when he notices the Major rank insignia along with him taking a moment with a slight look of something between anger and disgust.

"Major...I assume you are in command of the Battalion?"

Cecilia nods slightly as she looks down at him, taking in the weary look about him but the remarkably clean uniform, compared to the other survivors, and the air in which he carries himself being that of one who expects to be listened to.

"That I am Captain, what is your status."

Captain looks over at the survivors briefly before he turns back to look at Cecilia.

"Captain Arrius Cromwell, 2nd Company, 44th Xailiv Defence Battalion. With a troop from B Squadron of the 45th. We are low on everything, and we took losses in the retreat. Once we have had a moment, I am going to take the remnants of the 44th and head back towards Brigade HQ."

Cecilia shakes her head slightly at this.

"That's a no can do Captain. Get your men rearmed from our logistics company and then rally your Company and join the front line on the right flank."

"Major you are not the commanding officer of my Battalion nor even someone who should be commanding Xailivian troops! I am going to take my men and regroup with the Brigade."

Cromwell snaps back suddenly at Cecilia's orders, an expression of rage across his face at being ordered about by a female and non-Xailivian officer. Cecilia looks down at him at his outburst with an almost bored look on her face, as she is getting used to this reaction from most of the Xailiv PDF officers. Unknown to Captain Cromwell, Rayna Kern and been approaching from behind him during his outburst.

"Normally you would be correct Captain, but as the ranking member of the Commissariat, your company and any other surviving members of the 44th are now attached to the 22nd and fall under the command of Major Skye."

The Captain turns to look at Rayna, any protest he might make when he takes in Rayna's hand resting on her laspistol.

"Of course Commissar...I will do as you order Major."

With that, he turns and heads back towards his Company and starts getting them organised and resupplied.

Cecilia nods to Rayna once Cromwell has left.

"The help is appreciated, Commissar."

"Not a problem at all Major, how are we looking?"

Cecilia drops down inside of her command Chimera while Rayna moves up the rear ramp. Cecilia motions to the image being projected by the portable hololith device which shows the 22nd Battalion dug in along the tree line with each Company marked, along with the 2nd Company of the 44th moving into position on the right flank.

"As you can see, I've got the Battalion dug in along the tree line, with 6th Company being held back as a reserve. As you heard, I've got the remnants of the 44th taking up the right flank as I don't trust them not to break and run if the fighting gets really tough and with them on the right flank 5th Company can fish hook if they do break and run."

"Makes sense to me Major, any idea what we are going to be facing?"

Cecilia scrolls the projected map forward, showing the open ground towards the town of Longchamps where a large number of hostile unit markers are forming up.

"Looks to be roughly an infantry and armour regiment with support units. But we have the advantage of being dug in, waiting for them plus we have artillery support, and they are approaching across an open field."

Rayna nods at this while she studies the map.

"Aye that we do, still doesn't look great though does it."

"No it doesn't...to be fair, we don't need to drive them back, we just need to hold until reinforcements arrive."

"And they should have already have started reaching Bastion now."

Cecilia pauses for a moment while she watches the mass of hostile contacts moving towards them. Cecilia quickly turns to her vox op.

"All the batteries ranged and ready to fire on my mark?"

"Yes Major, the heavy mortars are ready, and I am in contact with the 89th, and they are standing by with the coordinates locked in."

"Copy that, keep a line open and be ready to send the order to fire on my mark. Commissar it might be an idea for you to go and keep an eye on the 44th or stick with the 6th Company to help rally any part of the line that needs their help."

Rayna nods while she hops out the back of the Chimera.

"I will see where needs me the most."

With one final nod between the two of them, Rayna heads off while Cecilia climbs back up into the commander's cupola to get a better look at the situation with her own eyes. The Battalion has dug in along with the tree line, with a series of foxholes and slit trenches having been dug. With the dirt being used to fill the sandbags that are being used to reinforce their position and for the vehicles that have gone hull down, with small vehicle dugouts being dug for the tanks first and then the Chimeras. Cecilia looks over the preparations being made, not quite to the level of speed or readiness of a regular Guard unit but better than the standard most PDF units show due to their combat experience.

"Major! Auspex reports hostile troops moving this way from Longchamps!"

Cecilia crouched down into the Chimera to look at the member of command team managing the Auspex when they start to address her before she activates her commbead to transmit over the command net.

"Attention all units, hostile troops have begun their advance. Stand ready. The Emperor protects."

Following the acknowledgements from her company commanders, she raises her binoculars again to look out across the open field to the mass of infantry, Leman Russes and other AFVs starting to advance on her position. After a moment of watching the approaching traitor forces getting closer, she activates her commbead again but this time transmitting across all the Battalions frequencies, relying on the Vox operators attached to the individual PDF squads to switch their Vox units to the speaker.

"Attention all troops, this is Major Skye. I am not going to lie to you, the enemy has us outnumbered and is approaching us while I speak. But it would be no exaggeration to say this is the finest body of soldiers I have had the pleasure of serving with, outside of the Caledonians. Every moment we hold our positions and our faith in the Emperor buys another valuable moment for our reinforcements to arrive to relieve us. So then defenders of Xailiv, hold firm for the Emperor requires you to hold this ground and not to give an inch to those who dare to stand against him. The Emperor protects, and we shall have faith in his might for he shall deliver justice to those who oppose him!"

While she had been speaking, she was judging how close the traitor forces were just before she finishes speaking, she had signalled her vox op to give the firing order. With this and the timing of her words, moments, after she finishes speaking the first of the earthshaker rounds, crashes into the massed ranks of the approaching forces before the rest of the shots of the full might of the 89th Artillery, 32 Basilisks firing for effect, comes crashing down amongst the ranks of the traitors. The troops under Cecilia's command cheer with the explosions from the Earthshaker rounds, as it almost seemed like the Emperor had delivered the first rounds of the coming battle. The barrage lasted longer than Cecilia hoped but not quite as long as she would have liked, the moment the barrage had ended, the traitor forces were advancing towards the 22nd again. Cecilia watches the traitor forces moving towards her position again, taking note of the ragged front line where holes have been blasted in the formation from the artillery barrage. It doesn't take long for them to start entering weapons range, the soldiers of the 22nd have hunkered down in their dugout positions, an air of calm certainty about most of them from the experience they have gathered and the flash training they have received from the Caledonians. In contrast, the survivors of the 44th are using whatever cover they can find between the trees and in their roots and seem on the verge of panic, and their lack of experience shows, with only the threat of the Commissariat to anyone that breaks and runs holding them in check.

Just when Cecilia is about to give the order for the heavy mortars to open fire to break up the front line, even more, she sees puffs of smoke rising from the bulk of the traitor forces followed by the sound of Griffon Heavy Mortars firing, followed by shouts of alarm from the Battalion. The traitor Griffons had fired a spread across the entire line to keep them pinned down while the main bulk focused on the right flank, with the 44th and the 5th Company taking the main force of the Griffon barrage. Cecilia hunkers down in the cupola of her command Chimera while shells detonate throughout the tree line, with several trees exploding after being hit, or combined with the freezing temperatures and the shockwaves and sending splinters flying in a wooden shrapnel way. Once the barrage is coming to an end, Cecilia slowly pokes her head up from her Chimera while she slowly shakes her head to try and get the ringing out of her ears despite her earplugs and commbead. After a moment to get her bearings back while she takes a second to look at the traitor forces that are almost on top of them, with the main thrust moving towards the right flank, she activates her commbead and shouts as loud as she can to alert the troops nearby.

"To Arms! Hostiles right on top of us! Weapons free!"

A split second after she orders weapons-free, a number of the vehicles which took less of a beating due to the Griffons having been firing High Explosive, open fire with their primary weapons before their hull-mounted, and sponsons for the Leman Russes open fire. A number of the vehicle commanders, once they have recovered pop open their command hatch to use their pintel mounted weapon, adding to the fire they are sending downrange before the infantry join the fighting. The lasbolts arc forward with crackle and smell of the ionising air, joining the heavy bolter shells, autocannon rounds, lascannons round to name just a few of the weapons employed by the Imperial guard infantry line. Shouts of fix bayonets slowly join the noise of the battle along with the unmistakable rasp of hard steel on leather before both sides clash in melee combat. The fighting all across the line is one of desperation and ferocity, with both sides fighting in the shelter of the splintered trees, in the trenches and foxholes dug so recently, the white snow turning shades of red and brown from the battle. Cecilia ducks back inside of her Chimera to check the Hololith display to try and get an overview of the flow of the battle when she notices the right flank starting to crumble with a wedge being driven through the remnants of the 44th and pushing past 5th Company.

"Lt. Aloy, take your Company and reinforce the right flank. Do you not let that position fall, no matter what. If they break that flank, they will roll us up trapped in the nook of the river."

"Copy that Major, 6th Company moving now!"

Cecilia pops her head back out of the cupola to watch 6th Company rushing to the aid of the crumbling defence on the right, with holes having already been punched in the line. The battle is one with the Xailivian troops only just holding on against the overwhelming numbers thrown against them, but they know that for every minute they hold is another minute closer to reinforcements arriving.

The battle has been raging for close to an hour by this point, the fighting has not been constant across the line, but it had ebbed and flowed with the traitors pulling back for a moment before the next wave was sent in. Despite the best efforts of the 6th Company, a wedge was driven between them, with the remnants of the 44th, and the 5th Company cutting them off and leaving them surrounded. The 22nd have taken heavy losses, and from the broken reports, they have received from the rest of the Brigade the same goes for the entire Brigade. Where a position was being held by a platoon at the start of the battle in some places it now being held by a single squad despite the shrinking of the pocket that Cecilia ordered.

Cecilia looks around the corner of the wreck of one of the Chimeras that were moved to form a fallback line of defence for the defenders if their front line fell. She looks across the front of the tree line and at the bodies that litter the battlefield and the wrecks of the vehicles, both loyalist and traitor, some of them still burning. Before she focuses on the fighting in front of her, where the defenders are only just holding the line but as the moments slip past, it buckles further and further. She turns to look at her command team and then at the soldiers gathered behind the fallback line, a mix of the troops held in reserve and the injured that had been pulled off the line, a look of fear in their eyes as they know how desperate the situation now is.

"Defenders...no, Heroes of Bastion, the battered bastards as we have been called. I know I am not one of you, but it has been my privilege to command you in defence of your world."

She pauses while she looks at the soldiers, meeting the eyes of as many as she can, a few of them failing to meet her gaze.

"I will not lie to you, the odds are not great, but if we do not fight, they will take the medical camp where your wounded friends and comrades are. My plan is to hold them here for as long as possible and not to give an inch while I still draw breath, but I will not order you to follow me into this final battle. If you want, you can withdraw, but I can not tell you what will happen if you do. So..."

Cecilia trails off for a moment when she is taken by surprise by the resolve the soldiers show when a few at first but the rest soon follow, stand and start checking their gear. The officer at the front of the soldiers looks at Cecilia.

"Major, as you said, we are defending our homes and our wounded comrades behind the line."

"Thank you, Lt. You all do your world proud! Even so, today I will not ask you to follow me, but I do ask to be allowed to fight beside you while you follow the colours of your world into battle!"

With that shout she pulls the flag out of the ground next to her, letting the banner unfurl while she does so, she turns and takes one step back and launches her arm forward throwing the banner through the air. The flag lands, the base of the flag burying into the ground just a few metres from the traitor forces.

"Heroes of Bastion! Follow your flag! To battle!"

With that shout Cecilia dashes around the Chimera, her Power Axe in one hand and her Bolt Pistol in the other while she charges forward leading the desperate charge of the 22nd. A few of the Xailivan loyalists charge past Cecilia in a dash for their banner that the traitors are starting to close in on and the few defenders of the line are trying to rally around. The first of the reinforcements to reach the banner pulls it out of the ground and holds it high, letting out a cry when the wind catches it to unfurl it fully letting the loyalist forces see it. Not even a moment later though, the soldier that had lifted the banner high takes a series of lasgun bolts. The first smacking into his chest plate, staggering him before the next which takes him in the shoulder which causes him to drop down onto his knees from the pain, still holding the banner upright. The next shot takes him in the neck, and for a moment his free hand scrabbles at his neck before the life drains from his eyes and the banner starts to fall. Seeing this, the closest of the Loyalist dashes over and grabs the banner with one hand while still frying their Lasgun with the other, and soon a small almost colour party had formed around the trooper holding the banner, all of them determined to keep the colours flying no matter what.

"22nd! Rally round the flag!"

Cecilia shouts at the top of her lungs while she ducks behind cover while she fires her bolt pistol at the approaching traitors. Her shout soon passes throughout the remaining 22nd, and soon they have managed to form a half-circle defence against the traitors with their backs to the Chimeras. But the traitors don't let up, and the fighting is fierce with every moment the battle last results in a smaller and smaller defensive line against the seemingly endless number of soldiers against them.

But just when it seemed like their line was about to fully break the sound of heavy weapons fire and the roar of engines can be heard over the noise of the battle for a moment. Cecilia tries to get a look past the traitor forces pouring onto the remnants of the defence but can see little bar what looks to be the rear ranks moving away. It is not long before she gets her answer to what is going on though when a flight of Vulture gunships escorting a flight of Valkyries appear over the trees. The Vultures open fire into the traitor ranks with their chin-mounted heavy bolters and underwing rocket pods while the Valkyries land behind the Chimera land unloading a platoon of Caledonian Droop troops which rush up to hit the traitors in the flank. The Valkyries take off the moment they are unloaded and head back to friendly positions to pick up another platoon. While the 22nd is being reinforced from the air, an armoured column is pushing up the road to relive them as well, with the combined hits from two fronts and more and more reinforcements arriving the traitors start to break and run. Just a few at first, but once the first of them began to run it was only a matter of time until the rout spread, a few of the traitors kept fighting unto death despite this though.

With the next platoon of the drop troops arriving along with their company command to relive the 22nd, Cecilia slowly sinks down to sit on the edge of the ramp of the command Chimera while she tries to recover and estimate just how many troops she got killed.