Part 11: Mission 11: Try Saying "Anti-Tank Arrows" With A Straight Face

We needed to learn how to effectively combat the undead before we could liberate the town, but our goodwill with Command was evaporating fast. After having drawn a lot of funding over the course of two weeks, our last two actions had been a targeted raid and a failed attack. To make matters worse, conditions were deteriorating on the Mongolian front, with rumors that there were plans in the works to retreat in preparation for a defense of the cities of northern China.

A fast victory would hopefully get them back on our side, but we couldn't hope for one of those against the undead. So, we went to the one place we knew the undead weren't: the harpy cliffs.

Mission 11: Try Saying "Anti-Tank Arrows" With A Straight Face

Attending:
Anil E. Hilated, Esq. (Polite Obliteration, Mortar Infantry)
Sersan (Anoa, Rangers)
Bonaventura Ferrer (Confederacion Internacional de Militadores, Heavy Infantry)
Logan "Hardtack" Smith (War Dogs, Commandos)
"Doctor" Snark (Mage Killers, Commandos)
Solrick Skaft (Scion of Emer, Commandos)
Mael Radec (Radec's Rhinos, Piranha)
Skull Face (XOF, Piranha)
Patrick Gallagher (Just In Time, Piranha)
Svetlana Aliyev (Rusalka, Piranha)
Erik Spanner (The Toolbox, Piranha)
Catherine Ulysses (Smart Patrol, Humvee)
GyverMac (Gyver's Grinders, AMX 13)
Cholmondely Featherstonehaugh-Smythe (Sphynx Battery, AMX 13)



Whatever hope we'd had left that all of the harpies had been trapped when we collapsed the caves faded as the troops deployed. It was only minutes before they first reported hearing those familiar cries in the distance. We could at least take comfort in the knowledge that they'd be unable to replace any more we killed.



Catherine Ulysses: Shit. I've already got two confirmed ballista platoons, camping the hill.
Mael Radec: No worries. We've got plenty of room to maneuver around them. We'll just roll up a part of the hill where they can't reach us.



Skull Face: Good thinking. We've got numbers and armor on them, we just took away their only advantage!



Skull Face: Fuck!



Mael Radec: Relax, trogs're speed bumps. So we'll clean 'em up before we move onto the ballistae.



Svetlana Aliyev: There! Things are looking better already.



Patrick Gallagher: No they're not!
Skull Face: Maybe we should call up the infantry. The longer we sit here, the more likely it is the ballistae'll come up and shred one of us, and footsoldiers would make smaller targets.



Erik Spanner: I'm all for giving the trogs more things to shoot that aren't me, but we've just about cleaned up here. I'm betting we'll have things cleaned up by the time they could get here.



Erik Spanner: Not these fucking things again!
Mael Radec: Fall back, everyone! Let's lure them right into our AA!




Sersan: All right, we're dispersed and ready! If they try to paralyze some of us, the rest will be in range to pick them off!




Anil E. Hilated: Seeing as how I can't hit the harpies, I'll handle the trogs.



"Doctor" Snark: That's one down!



Cholmondely: I've shot down the second. The third's too far away to hit, we'll have to let it come to us.




GyverMac: Oh shit, it's tilting its head back, I think it's getting ready to screech!



GyverMac: Whew. Looks like it got greedy. Probably wanted to hit as many of us as it could and flew right into our killzone!
Hardtack: Nice! Okay, let's knock out those ballistae now.



Bonaventura Ferrer: It's nice that we get to do something that's too dangerous for the IFVs for a change.



"Doctor" Snark: They've sighted us! Everyone duck!



Solrick Skaft: Oh Jesus, there's three of them!



Anil E. Hilated: No time to dig in! Everyone, take whatever shots you can get!



Solrick Skaft: Got 'em! Everyone keep it up, they don't have the volume of fire to take out a massed attack!



"Doctor" Snark: Fuck fuck fuck, throwers!



Svetlana Aliyev: Haul ass, guys, we'll handle them!



Bonaventura Ferrer: They're firing from beyond our sight range!
Anil E. Hilated: Just stay low and crawl forward!



Erik Spanner: We've dumped ten volleys into these things and one's still standing!



Catherine Ulysses: Not anymore!
Skull Face: But how... those guns can't even...
Mael Radec: I'm not one to question good fortune. Whatever you just did, Cathy, do it the next time you see a thrower!



Solrick Skaft: Second ballista platoon down!




Bonaventura Ferrer: OW JESUS FUCK
Hardtack: Oh shit, Bona! You alright?



Bonaventura Ferrer: Not especially. I swear their aim's getting better. Gonna have to sit out the rest of this op, sorry guys.



Anil E. Hilated: I'm not doing so hot either. They hit us while we were prone! I didn't know their elevation range was that wide!



Skull Face: Well, they're dealt with now. Back to the usual plan?
Mael Radec: Back to the usual plan. PIRANHAS, ASSEMBLE!



Sersan: Alright, guys, take care. We'll head back to the staging area. Anything you can't handle alone, bring back to us.
Mael Radec: Got it. Listen up, everyone. Our next destination is the hill where we collapsed the mine entrances. Once we've taken it, we'll be in position to hit the enemy wherever else we find them.



Bonaventura Ferrer: You know, after going through that, standing around being bored isn't sounding as bad.

LATER




Catherine Ulysses: Let's see what we're up against this time.



Catherine Ulysses: More throwers! They really have their heavy weapons out in force, don't they?



Catherine Ulysses: Trogs too, but who cares about them?



Patrick Gallagher: Oh shit, more harpies!



Patrick Gallagher: There we go. Now to mop up the trogs!



Svetlana Aliyev: Nice and relaxing. Wish we could do it more often.



Catherine Ulysses: We've got more coming! Looks like they had the same idea about the hill we did. Confirmed two harpies, and some orcs and ka-orcs!
Erik Spanner: Don't forget the throwers. Just hope they don't have ballistae left, too.



Skull Face: They're here, they're here!
Erik Spanner: Right, we're booking. I've almost gotten killed twice, I don't want to try my luck a third time. Let's draw them back so we can hit them with everything we've got!



Svetlana Aliyev: You guys ever get a sense of deja vu?



Svetlana Aliyev: I think they're gaining on us!
Patrick Gallagher: Keep driving! The only reason we had to stop last time was because they caught up to our AA. I think we can get away this time!



Skull Face: Okay, no, you know what? Fuck this.



Skull Face: We drop the harpies, and the rest are easy pickings. I mean, they're goddamn trogs! Even if they have ka-orcs among them, that's just polishing turds.



Mael Radec: He's right! Even magic bullshit can't make an ax that can hack through sloped armor.




Catherine Ulysses: There's the last one! It's open season!



Mael Radec: Ka-Orcs are next! They're the ones that might actually harm us if they score a few dozen consecutive lucky hits.



But they didn't. It didn't take more than a few volleys to completely wipe out the ka-orcs, and once that was done, there wasn't any question left about the outcome of the battle. At least, not until the enemy reinforcements came.



Catherine Ulysses: Fuckers trashed most of my 'vees! Sorry, guys. If I go back out there now, one good hit would finish me.
Mael Radec: Understood, Cathy. Don't head back in until you've done some repairs. We need you alive.



Erik Spanner: Throwers, north! They caught up with us!



Svetlana Aliyev: Got it. Concentrate your fire on the throwers, everyone! They're the biggest threat!



Erik Spanner: Glad we nipped that one in the bud. Now, let's finish the mopup.



Patrick Gallagher: Shit, ballista! And another thrower!



Patrick Gallagher: Need some support!



Svetlana Aliyev: I've got you, Pat! All units, hit the ballistae!




Erik Spanner: Good riddance. Too bad they still took out one of my Piranhas, though. Probably would've been two or more if it weren't for the new armor.



Erik Spanner: Mother of fuck! How many of these things do they have?



Skull Face: There they are! Blast 'em!




Svetlana Aliyev: Let's hope that was the last one. It looks like they've realized how effective our vehicles are.



Erik Spanner: Remember when arrow throwers were the biggest threats we faced? I miss those days.
Patrick Gallagher: Radec, how're things down there?



Catherine Ulysses: We've just about got things cleaned up here. Even my 'vees are more than a match for trogs.




Svetlana Aliyev: Bullseye! Looks like that was the last one.
Skull Face: Yeah. It looks like... huh. Things went quiet. Didn't they have what looked like a base to the north? Why weren't any waiting for us there?
Mael Radec: I know what I said about questioning good fortune, but Skull's got a point. No signs of enemies remaining in the area, but let's sweep the rest of it just to be sure.




But in the end, we didn't find anything. By all appearances, with the exception of that small advance guard, the enemy had concentrated their entire force at the crest of the hill. Perhaps they'd hope we would make the same mistake as we did early in the campaign, and charge into their anti-tank weapons while they held the high ground. In any case, they squandered their advantage, and putting ourselves within striking distance of their HQ in England was enough to get Command listening to our requests again.