Part 49: Mission 50: The Enemy's Gate Is Down (Part 1)

The next few days were quiet - almost eerily so. Dragoth was making no further attempts, and even his periodic raids on our supply lines and production facilities had stopped. He must have exhausted a great deal of magic summoning the dragons, only for us to emerge victorious. It seemed highly unlikely he'd ever expected us to get this far.



It worked out well for us, since it gave us a chance to repair our many damaged vehicles.




While we were waiting for the repairs to be completed, we made a few last preparations for the assault. The Mage Killers and Scion of Emer joined our newly formed flying infantry corps, while an additional platoon was requisitioned. The Trollhunters became the newest members of our division.

Training new flying battlesuit squads unfortunately left us short on funds, preventing us from completing repairs for some of the squads. We'd just have to keep them on the back line.



Finally, we were ready, and I gave the order to capture the Gate. As our tanks barrelled down the fortress hill and our choppers and battlesuits hummed overhead, it felt as though we'd spent the whole war preparing for this moment. The Forces of Darkness had three Gates in our world, and they were the only things they couldn't replace. Today, we would take the first step to ending the war.

Mission 50: The Enemy's Gate Is Down (Part 1)

Attending:
Lazarus (Forlorn Hope, Flamethrowers)
T. Hinman (Ethereal Corps, Flamethrowers)
Habitually Red (Sane Max's Own, Hi-Tech Infantry)
Gordon Frohman (Concerned Citizens, Hi-Tech Infantry)
Solrick Skaft (Scion of Emer, Mobile Infantry)
Joe Moore (War Boys, Mobile Infantry)
"Doctor" Snark (Mage Killers, Mobile Infantry)
Emil Västerström (Trollhunters, Mobile Infantry)
Patrick Gallagher (Just In Time, Elmag 2)
Svetlana Aliyev (Rusalka, Elmag 2)
Mael Radec (Radec's Rhinos, M1 Abrams)
Erik Spanner (The Toolbox, M1 Abrams)
James "Griff" Griffin (Party Crashers, M1 Abrams)
Basil (Paladin, M1 Abrams)
Jorji Costava (Cobrastan's Best, M1 Abrams)
Isara Gunther (Edelweiss, M1 Abrams)
Reginald P. Linux (Doom Squad, Leopard 2A5)
Aethereon Darkfyre (The Mary Sues, UDES)
Stephen Smith (The Counts of Monty Python, UDES)
Grand Inquisitor Solaus (Balkanian Inquisition, MLRS)
Michael de Boulogne (Chivalric Order of Saint George, MLRS)
Gregor (The Swell Swords, MLRS)
Anil E. Hilated, Esq. (Polite Obliteration, M106)
Cholmondely Featherstonehaugh-Smythe (Sphinx Battery, Roland)
Sigrún Raske (Skysmasher Brigade, Roland)
Roger Murtaugh (Less Than Lethal, Roland)
Billy Mays (Infomercial Men, Mi-24)
Bob & Doug McKenzie (Royal Canadian Red-greens, Mi-24)
Ragna T. Bloodedge (The Black Beasts, Humvees)
Vlasta Devínská (Paper Tigers, Universal 2R)



Mael Radec: Alright, people, don't start celebrating just yet. We've still got a good five klicks to the gate, and Dragoth's going to be throwing everything he has at us. Remember, an animal's most dangerous when it's cornered.



Ragna T. Bloodedge: Haven't done a lot since I got transferred except sit on my thumb. I'll just do a quick sweep to the northwest.
Basil: Careful, Ragna. You aren't really in any shape to be getting shot at.
Patrick Gallagher: I'm sure it'll be fine, Basil. We always deploy with some distance between us and-



Patrick Gallagher: Fuck. Well, this mission is off to a terrific start.



Anil E. Hilated: Let's turn things around, then!



Gregor: Gregor's rockets are bigger than yours, pig-men!



Erik Spanner: Why do these fuckers run right through artillery fire just to hopefully kill a tank or two?
Griff: They're trogs. They're probably too stupid to scatter.



Gregor: Gregor's rockets stop them all eventually!



Solrick Skaft: Hey, I'm not gonna let you artillery boys hog all the fun after I finally got my very own flying power armor.



Solrick Skaft: ...Though this part is one I'd rather miss out on.



Lazarus: I remember when these flamethrowers were amazing. Now I'm just thrilled when I get to set something on fire. Okay, let's keep pushing forward!



Stephen Smith: Not taking any fire on this hill. Vlasta, you wanna pop your radar here?




Vlasta Devínská: Enemies ahead! Oh, hey, haven't seen golems in a while. It doesn't look like they have any serious...



Vlasta Devínská: ...firepower... though... shit, looks like that moving castle we ran into earlier wasn't their only one. And this one's coming right toward us.
Stephen Smith: Alright, Vlasta, sit tight. I'll run interference.



Stephen Smith: Jesus, even the UDES takes a beating from those things. Hurry up guys, I don't know how long I can keep it distracted!



Gregor: Gregor can help!



Isara Gunther: Oh shit, it's-



Gordon Frohman: Isara, no!



Jorji Costava: Will avenge!



Michael de Boulogne: By God, nothing stops these things!




Erik Spanner: Concentrated explosive fire stops everything, Michael. Even wizard bullshit.



Michael de Boulogne: Trogs moving in from the north. I'll try to stop them before they get close enough to hit us.




Griff: Guys down here aren't so tough without their mobile fortress!



Mael Radec: Alright, everyone focus on the orcs on the hill now. We're clear to the west.



Vlasta Devínská: No we're not!



Solaus: As a wise man once said, "Geek the mage first."



Anil E. Hilated: Wizards aren't scary anymore. I guess the guy didn't get the memo.



Bob McKenzie: North's orc-free now, eh.




Stephen Smith: Got another radar spot for you, Vlasta.



Vlasta Devínská: Nothing ahead but woods. Dragoth run out of steam?




Stephen Smith: He might have. I don't like the looks of this valley, though.



Mael Radec: If Dragoth has any more tricks, he's running out of time to pull them. According to our intel, the gate's right on the other side of that valley. We're not taking risks this close to the end, though. Everyone pull up, form a line on the ridge.



Vlasta Devínská: Good call, Radec. Looks like we've got a wizard convention going on the opposite slope.




Anil E. Hilated: Just need a few more moments to get into position. Soon as we're dug in, we'll be ready to fire!



Svetlana Aliyev: Doesn't look like they're giving us the chance! Taking fire!



Lazarus: Looks like they're hoping to split our attention. Might be hoping either the wizards or the undead will slip through.



Emil Västerström: Guess they didn't count on our firepower!



T. Hinman: Yes, "Fire" power! Ha ha. Ha ha.



Erik Spanner: There go the last 90s cartoon baddies. Now let's stop those two chucklefucks from making anymore.



Erik Spanner: And it looks like they just made that easier for us!



Michael de Boulogne: I've always said to let the dead lie, but I never got to punish people with cluster bombs for not doing so.



Billy Mays: OUR COPTERS ARE LIGHT ENOUGH TO FLY FAST, BUT WELL-ARMORED ENOUGH THAT NEKROMANT FIREBALLS WON'T EVEN SCRATCH THE PAINT!



Billy Mays: AND JUST WATCH THAT COBRA ASSAULT SYSTEM IN ACTION!



Anil E. Hilated: Everything's gone quiet. Was that it?
Roger Murtaugh: Gotta be. We're within spitting distance of the gate now.
Reginald P. Linux: Dragoth was throwing all his best wizards and a mobile fortress at us. If he had anything else in reserve, he would've been saving them.



Billy Mays: WE HERE WITH THE INFOMERCIAL MEN WILL GET THE ANSWERS TO ALL YOUR QUESTIONS!
Doug McKenzie: We'll go too. Safety in numbers, eh?



Doug McKenzie: Gate's coming into view now. Couple of ghosts around, but they look like they're just enjoying themselves.
Bob McKenzie: Hang on a sec, it's glowing, it's...



"Doctor" Snark: Jesus, we can see it from back here! Billy, Bob, Doug, what the hell's going on?
Vlasta Devínská: My magic scanner's going nuts! I've never seen readings this high!
Habitually Red: They opened the fucking gate!
Vlasta Devínská: Picking up new signals! We've got AT Orcs, Hell Riders, Dragons... they're disorganized, but they're all pouring through!
Mael Radec: Vlasta, focus! How many?
Vlasta Devínská: I don't know! My screen's flooded, I keep losing track, but there's at least two divisions' worth! Just the orcs, I've never seen this many!
Mael Radec: Everyone, fall back! Get away from the ridge before you're a target! Slip back into the woods! We'll plan our next move there!



This was Dragoth's final contingency plan. With the last of his dwindling magical power, he'd forced open the Gate, calling forth a wave of the Forces of Darkness' endless armies directly from their home world. The enemy had always opened the Gates on a fixed schedule, and until now, we'd believed they were unable to break it. When his back was to the wall, Dragoth did. The effects of doing this remained to be seen, but regardless of any long-term consequences, we suddenly found ourselves faced with a massive army.