Part 45: Mission 46: Gray Goo

We'd benefited greatly from every MLRS we'd introduced to the division, so we took the final step and replaced our last AMX-30. Our only remaining gun artillery battery was Polite Obliteration, and they would be keeping theirs only because of the enormous destructive power of the Trantor.



We were also able to reinforce most of our depleted units.



After extensive research and development across multiple disciplines, our efforts to improve infantry survivability culminated in the combat testing of the long-awaited flying battlesuits. In addition to allowing flight for extended periods of time, they improved over their predecessors in every way. The chest and head components had andurital plates for maximum protection, and shock absorbers would allow soldiers to continue fighting after crashes that would otherwise have been fatal. In addition to the chainguns integrated into the standard battlesuits, the flying suits also included launchers capable of firing archotral micro-rockets with the power of conventional tank shells. The entire system was controlled by a direct neural link through detection of the user's brain activity, allowing soldiers to control the suits directly with their own minds. A single flying suit-equipped soldier would have firepower and armor on par with a pre-invasion main battle tank, with the added benefit of being able to fly.



Unfortunately, there was an acclimation period for the neural linkup, and there wouldn't be enough time to train anyone in them before our next mission. Before we could continue our advance, we needed to strike a major site of enemy necromancy. Military and civilian human captives had been taken here from all across the world, a small city's worth of people gathered to this charnel city and butchered in enormous ritual sacrifices. As long as the enemy held this area, an endless parade of undead would emerge from it, swarming the countryside, threatening our convoys and tying down our forces significantly. Victory here would make the countryside immeasurably safer and deprive the enemy of one of their largest sources of undead.

Mission 46: Gray Goo

Attending:
Lazarus (Forlorn Hope, Flamethrowers)
Solrick Skaft (Scion of Emer, Flamethrowers)
T. Hinman (Ethereal Corps, Flamethrowers)
Logan "Hardtack" Smith (War Dogs, Paranormal Infantry)
Joe Moore (War Boys, Paranormal Infantry)
"Doctor" Snark (Mage Killers, Hi-Tech Infantry)
Habitually Red (Sane Max's Own, Hi-Tech Infantry)
Gordon Frohman (Concerned Citizens, Hi-Tech 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 Děvínská (Paper Tigers, Universal 2R)




Vlasta Děvínská: Looks like they've been busy setting up walls. Let's see what's behind 'em.



Vlasta Děvínská: Yeah, just like the briefing said. Lots of undead.
Gordon Frohman: And a well. Already proving worth the trip!
Michael de Boulogne: And since they're stuck behind a wall, we can just set up our artillery and-



Michael de Boulogne: Hey, where are they going?



Anil E. Hilated: Don't know, but I'm taking out as many as I can while they're still in range.



Basil: Oh, they came back.
Isara Gunther: The wall must end not too far ahead.



Solaus: Here comes the horde.



Patrick Gallagher: We can take on Undead! These coilguns blast 'em to bits.



Habitually Red: That's all of 'em. Let's move up.



Bob McKenzie: Huh, this is weird. The walls divide things up into long, thin strips.
Doug McKenzie: Like some kinda zombie highways, eh.




Vlasta Děvínská: I think we're getting close to their main force now. How the hell did they dig foxholes for those demons? They're the size of houses!
Erik Spanner: You know as well as I do that the answer's WIZARD BULLSHIT.



Mael Radec: Alright, blast a hole for the infantry so they can dig in among the trees. I want everyone up and dug in. We're not taking chances here.



Jorji Costava: Okay, is fine hole now! You walking guys can go!



Anil E. Hilated: Shit, we're too late!



Basil: Shit, elves north! Don't let 'em hit our ar-



Solaus: Your concern's appreciated, but we'll be fine.



Isara Gunther: You know, their fire may be dangerous, but these demons aren't so tough once they're out in the open.




Mael Radec: They're large targets without the armor to survive explosives. It seems our enemies still don't really understand mechanized warfare.



Vlasta Děvínská: There's the last one!



Solaus: That simplifies things. Let's put the dead back to rest.



Gregor: Whether with sword or rocket, Gregor always destroys archers!



Lazarus: Not gonna lie, I'm starting to feel redundant here. I wonder if we're in line for the new battlesuits.
"Doctor" Snark: Probably not. Command wants to keep flamers around in case we run into anymore ghosts.
Lazarus: Don't the flying suits have jetpacks? Maybe they could use their jet exhaust to blow the ghosts away. That should work, right? Shouldn't the ghosts be some kind of gas or aerosol?
"Doctor" Snark: ...Aerosol... ghosts. This has been one hell of a war, let me tell you.



Bob McKenzie: Right, if you two are done, we've got a town up ahead, eh.
Doug McKenzie: Let's have a look-see!



Vlasta Děvínská: Alright. While you guys do that, we'll scope out the northeast.



Vlasta Děvínská: Hey, Bob, Doug, Billy. Easy pickings to the north. Wanna go Apocalypse Now on 'em?
Billy Mays: WE'RE ALWAYS GLAD TO SHOW YOU WHAT OUR PLATOON CAN DO, VLASTA!



Doug McKenzie: Hi, elves!



Bob McKenzie: Bye, elves!



Vlasta Děvínská: Right, now let's get back to what we were doing.



Vlasta Děvínská: Hey Lazarus, good news! You're not obsolete yet, there's more ghosts!
Mael Radec: A well, too. The enemy's necromancers weren't by the other well, so this is probably where they're drawing their power from.
Solrick Skaft: Okay, so all we've gotta do is burn some ghosts, right? No problem.



Habitually Red: Guys? We actually kind of have a problem here! Whole army of undead just got the drop on us!



Habitually Red: They've got some kind of slime creatures with them, too!



Griff: Just sit tight, Red, we're on our way! Man, for once it's actually a good thing we in the tanks were left behind.



Aethereon Darkfyre: Red, flee! My courage will give me the strength to survive their onslaught!
Habitually Red: Pretty sure it's your sloped Tanarit that'll do that, actually.



Basil: Slime monsters down! Guess we won't find out what they can do just yet.
Erik Spanner: Well, we certainly know what they can't do, and I'm not too worried about anything that can't survive machine gun fire.



Joe Moore: I'll kill them with my mind!



Ragna T. Bloodedge: I'll, uh, run and hide I guess. God, why do we even still have Humvees?



Habitually Red: I think we've just about gotten things taken care of down here. You guys should head back north.



Svetlana Aliyev: Good call. Just got word they found some Hell Riders up there.
Mael Radec: Correct. Get in position ahead of the artillery. Last thing we need is one of them slipping through and torching some of our rocket trucks.



Michael de Boulogne: Everyone cozy? Here goes!




Stephen Smith: Shit, the Riders!



Anil E. Hilated: Riders? Nope, don't see anything that looks like those.
Stephen Smith: ...I can't see through the smoke, but I don't think they look much like Riders anymore.



Vlasta Děvínská: Wait, where did you come from?



Solaus: Doesn't matter where they come from.
Patrick Gallagher: Yeah, we route all deliveries to Hell.



Solaus: More ghosts! Getting closer!
Stephen Smith: Don't worry too much about 'em. They can't cross the bridge without getting through me.



Stephen Smith: ...Though in hindsight, I suppose it should've been obvious that ghosts wouldn't need a bridge.



Michael de Boulogne: I'm glad they got the traditional ghostly ability of floating over water, rather than the one where they're completely unaffected by conventional weapons. Not that the enemy didn't try, judging by how tough they are.



Billy Mays: DON'T FORGET, WE'VE THROWN IN ANOTHER GROUP OF GHOSTS ABSOLUTELY FREE!
Mael Radec: Lure 'em here. We're in a good position to defend against ghosts, and there's no sense wasting it.



Bob McKenzie: These ghosts aren't taking the bait.
Doug McKenzie: It's like they don't even notice our chainguns, eh.
Bob McKenzie: Even though we've killed a few.
Doug McKenzie: We'd kill the rest, but it'd probably take us the rest of the war.



Bob McKenzie: Scratch that, looks like we've got an undead parade starting. Ghosts are closing in on you.
Doug McKenzie: Along with some skeleton friends.



Stephen Smith: Wait, now they attack us? What, did they just get bored of being shot at by our choppers?



T. Hinman: Burn all the ghost-mans!



Michael de Boulogne: Is it okay if I blow them up instead?
Stephen Smith: Great! Now I can head forward and see if it's safe for the radar truck!



Stephen Smith: Definitely not safe! That was a Hell Rider fireball!




Vlasta Děvínská: Got a huge wave of undead we'll need to deal with first.



Stephen Smith: Damnit, Vlasta, I told you it wasn't safe!
Vlasta Děvínská: Well, excuse me for doing my fucking job!



Anil E. Hilated: No need to argue, guys! You're always safe when I'm in range to provide covering fire.




Stephen Smith: Oh Christ, Vlasta!



Vlasta Děvínská: I'm okay! Jesus Fuck, I thought I was dead. Lucky those Riders threw wide.



Gregor: Gregor does not let them adjust their aim!




Solaus: They've got to be running low, right?



Vlasta Děvínská: Flow doesn't seem to be stopping.



Billy Mays: BUT YOU CAN COUNT ON THE INFOMERCIAL MEN TO FIND THE SOURCE OF ALL YOUR UNDEAD PROBLEMS!



Griff: Alright, everyone, charge 'em! As long as that Nekromant's there, the undead'll never stop coming!



Bob McKenzie: Looks like the Nekromant's got a few friends, eh!



Billy Mays: AND WE JUST FOUND ONE OF THEM! WE'LL GIVE YOU TWENTY-FOUR HOUR COVERAGE, UNINTERRUPTED NO MATTER WHAT-



Billy Mays: -HAPPENS!



Basil: Hang on Billy, we're here!



Griff: Just finished covering the rear. We'll be right up with you!



Doug McKenzie: Just found out there's three-



Doug McKenzie: -four Nekromants!



Griff: God damnit, they're still throwing skeletons at us! They can make these things faster than we can kill them!



Basil: Not if we kill the Nekromants!
Mael Radec: Basil's right! Ignore the undead, they can't damage our tanks! The worst they can do is slow us down!



Doug McKenzie: Second one down!
Bob McKenzie: That puts us halfway there, eh!



Mael Radec: Not quite. There's another one hiding over there.



Mael Radec: Rather, there was one hiding there.



Svetlana Aliyev: Just killed off the last two here. I think five Nekromants is more than we've seen in any entire previous theatres.
Basil: They might actually be able to keep us out of an area if there were enough of them to flood it with enough undead to scream us away.



With the enemy's necromancers and the city's defenders dead, all that was left to do was to sweep up the rest of the undead. It was quick and uneventful.




The enemy's vast sacrificial rituals and the area's high natural concentration of magic had allowed them to draw vast reserves of undead and ghosts to stand against us, but neither were the near-unstoppable foes they had once been. Every last one of the ghosts had burned before they could reach us, and the skeletal soldiers were bombed to dust. Once they no longer had their undead servants to shield them, their creators were helpless against our assault.

The shambling horrors would no longer threaten the countryside. There was nothing else to draw our attention away from the Gate. It was only a question of how much we would destroy on the way there.