Part 4: Mission 4: Eviction Notice

Less than a week into our operation, and the tactical situation in Ukraine was already looking much better. We had the initiative, and it was time to use it, before the Forces of Darkness could send reinforcements.



I sent in a request to Command for an infantry company with some heavier weaponry. This new variety of orc - Ka-Orcs, command was calling them - had proven more resistant to small arms than regular orcs. We'd beaten them once, sure, but if they started showing up in the numbers their lesser cousins did, we'd be in trouble.



Our division's recent successes had put Command in a good mood, and the request was approved immediately in the form of the Confederacion Internacional de Militadores. I spoke on the phone with their commander for a bit. He mentioned being into libertarianism, but when I asked him about his bitcoin wallet, he said it wasn't that kind of libertarianism.




With impressive speed, our agents had developed a schematic for a new kind of combat armor that would help our infantry survive against the Forces of Darkness' weapons. It wasn't a perfect solution by any means, but the vests would be cheap and easy to build in usable numbers. I gave them the okay to start developing and testing the prototype, and work on project UNTA - Universal New Type Armor - began.



Our next task was to liberate Vinnytsia and the outlying villages. Ordinarily, I would have waited until the Confederacion had arrived to give the order to attack. Our forward scouts, however, found something that made it clear what happened when the Alliance hesitated.



These weren't soldiers, or partisans, or in many cases, even potential partisans - among the dead were children and old people. We weren't under any illusions that the Forces of Darkness were going to abide by the Geneva Conventions, but the photographs our scouts brought back starkly illustrated the stakes at hand. I gave the order to deploy - after making sure everyone in our division had seen the pictures, of course.

Mission 4: Eviction Notice

Attending:
Anil E. Hilated, Esq. (Polite Obliteration, Mortar Infantry)
Sersan (Anoa, Rangers)
Habitually Red (Sane Max's Own, Light Infantry)
"Doctor" Snark (Mage Killers, Commandos)
William "Bill" Browning (The Bullies, Humvee)
Logan "Hardtack" Smith (War Dogs, Light Infantry)
Mael Radec (Radec's Rhinos, Commandos)



Mael Radec: Alright, everyone. These trogs have engaged in the wholesale slaughter of people who didn't stand a chance. It's only fair we do the same to theirs in return.
Sersan: I get where you're coming from, but I'd rather not kill civilians, even if they are orcs. Assuming the Forces of Darkness have civilians in the first place.
Mael Radec: Who said they'd be civilians?



Bill: Huh, this is weird. Wasn't everyone in this town supposed to be dead? I see smoke coming from a chimney.
Habitually Red: Well, I assume orcs gotta bunk just like we do. Be careful out there, okay, Bill?
Bill: Sure, sure. I'm just gonna peek in one of these houses here real quick.



Bill: Oh, God, I'm gonna be sick!
Hardtack: What's going on, Bill? More bodies?
Bill: No, but I'm really, really glad I'm wearing boots right now. It's like every college roommate horror story ever. How does that even get on the ceiling to begin with, let alone that much of it? I'm half-surprised there isn't an orc playing a saxophone in the bathtub. Anyway, I'm heading back out. I suppose I should find something for you guys to shoot.



Anil E. Hilated: Make that something else, Bill! Actually, don't just yet.
Bill: What th- they found you already? You sure you don't want a few more targets coming your way? Absolutely sure?



Anil E. Hilated: Yes, I'm sure! In a few minutes my answer will probably change, but right now I'm a bit busy!
"Doctor" Snark: Yeah, I've got enough axes to chop down the Amazon coming my way!
Sersan: Same. Why risk a repeat of our first mission?
Hardtack: No sense in it.
Mael Radec: Nope.
Habitually Red: Well, looks like we're unanimous. No new enemies yet, got it Bill?



Bill: Well, shit. I was afraid you'd say that.



Habitually Red: Hey, no worries, Bill! At the rate we're going, we'll run out of targets before the next ones show up anyway!



"Doctor" Snark: You know, my unit has yet to actually kill any mages. I'll be disappointed if we don't live up to our name.



Hardtack: Hey, that reminds me. Okay, War Dogs! Shoot at those war dogs!
Mael Radec: While we're on the subject of unit names, I've been meaning to ask. Sersan, just what is an Anoa, anyway?



Sersan: Can it wait 'til the enemy's not breathing down our neck?
Anil E. Hilated: Hey, nothing wrong with a little friendly conversation during target practice!



Bill: You guys have fun over there. I'm gonna try to find the rest of the enemy forces.



Anil E. Hilated: Ow! Jesus, Bill, how many did you stir up?




"Doctor" Snark: Quite a few, it looks like. Nothing we can't handle though!





Facing the massed fire of our light infantry, and the deadly precision of our mortars and special forces, the enemy's attack lost its momentum pretty quickly. It was over in less than a minute.



Bill: Hey guys, I found a banner of some kind on the top of this hill. I recognize it, it's a lot like the one that was put up in the ammo depot. I'm guessing the enemy's camped up here. I'm gonna have a look.



Bill: OH GOD



Bill: OH MAN



Bill: OH GOD, OH MAN, OH GOD
Habitually Red: Bill? The fuck're you yelling about?
Bill: Goddamn mayhem! They got one through a window, driver's dead, and half our gunners are down!
Hardtack: What's your status? Can you get away?



Bill: Ass is being hauled, repeat, ass is being hauled!



Bill: God, I'm glad to see you guys again.
"Doctor" Snark: Whoa. Have you checked your side mirrors? Your humvee looks like a pincushion! Except, y'know, with shuriken instead of pins. And also it's a car.
Anil E. Hilated: So like a pincushion, but without the pins or the cushion?
"Doctor" Snark: Look, it made sense in my head, okay?



Bill: Don't celebrate just yet, guys. There were ka-orcs in the mix, too.
Mael Radec: Pffft. So they'll look twice as scary before they inevitably drop under a hail of gunfire.
Bill: Easy for you to say, you're not the one who got charged by them alone and-




Bill: -DAMNIIIIIIIIIIT!




Bill: I swear to God, when I get a proper tank, there's gonna be hell to p-



Bill: -MOTHERFUCKER!



Bill: Are we done? Can I actually talk now?



Anil E. Hilated: Relax, Bill. They don't get a say in the matter anymore!
Sersan: That should be the last of them, right? I mean, we got the ones in the town, then the ones hiding in the fortress... think we can call this one?
Hardtack: Can't be too careful. We'd better do another sweep, just to make sure.



Sersan: Actually, come to think of it, I do get the feeling I'm forgetting something.



Anil E. Hilated: You were right! Heads up, monkeys on the ground!



Habitually Red: Hey, saved us the trouble of chasing them mid-flight.
"Doctor" Snark: Can't attack in the air, can't move fast on the ground. Let's hope these guys don't realize how much more dangerous they'd be if they started carrying grenades. Or, hell, even just bricks.
Hardtack: In any case, everyone, well done. It's just a shame we couldn't finish this one without any losses. Let's just head back for now and... Bill?



Bill: WHAT. WHERE THE FUCK DID YOU EVEN COME FROM.



Anil E. Hilated: Jesus, Bill. Did you personally call up every Wolf Rider in Eastern Europe and insult their mothers or something?
Bill: No, but I'm starting to see the appeal.




Bill: Finally. Okay, are we done for real now?
Hardtack: I think so.
Bill: Excellent. I've gotten my revenge!
Sersan: Yeah, for the civilians they killed!
Bill: Oh yeah, for that too.




With the area liberated, our main forces were able to move into the area, gathering more evidence and more extensively documenting the atrocities they found here. We passed our findings on to the other divisions. I wondered if they'd still have a problem with deserters, now that people knew what was really at stake.