Part 16: Day 16, Thur'Abis Catacombs, Attack (Part 2)

Necron sympathizer located, O'Kais! Back to re-conditioning and re-education for you, Haa'bit Tuallee'red. Did Macabee send you???


Overwhelming support for Mont'ka, but the Cadre is divided on which location to attack first. There is slightly more support for North, but many feel we should split out forces and strike at both.
Then that's what we shall do. The main army will go North and I will lead a small strike team over the cliffs to the South. I'll take the War Council's advice and wait for the Crisis Battlesuit team to be formed. Earth Caste, what's our status?


NEARLY FINISHEd COnSTRUCTION OF POWER CORES. WE BUILT ONE ON TOP OF A TOMB SPYDER IN YOUR HONOUR, SHAS'O.


Heh, very good.


COMMAND post is READY, SHAS'O.


Stealthsuits, Crisis Suits, with me!
Of course.
Shas'o!


Strange architecture the Necron have. Is this the "New" Brutalism?
Heads up! Necron Monolith ahead.


It's nearly fully active! Take it down from afar, don't endanger yourselves.


There, that wasn't so bad.


There are more! It's an entire field of Monoliths!
They're currently inactive, but those batteries are charging. Let's tear them down before they have a chance to come back online--we don't want to have to deal with them on our way back out.


We'll capture this point!


The Monoliths are dust, Shas'o, but this is taking a while.
Vespid Stingwing Elders, join us on the battlefield. We have use for your unique skills.


I see what you want. These Monoliths shall fall before us.


Watch those Gauss Cannons!
This is the biggest defense the Necrons have managed to put up in this area so far.


This is the last one. Hey, I want you to make sure you pay attention to that Crisis Battlesuit in the top left-hand corner of this screenshot.


See that? Crisis Battlesuits are rad in that their targetting optics allow them to fire upon two discrete targets simultaneously. In this case, a Necron Battery and Monolith. Hey, Shas'vre, you having any trouble there?
None at all. Such things are child's play.


Shas'o, we found something.
Hmm. Sensors indicate no activity from that tunnel opening. If we can find another access, we can move troops through them.


That's it, Shas'o. We've taken the Monolith field with minimal resistance. No major losses to report for our team.
Excellent, let's check in with the Main Force Battlegroup. Strike Command to Main Force, what is your status?


Status is green, Strike Command. We ran out of space on the plateau to construct a Vehicle Beacon, but we believe we can manage on foot. We trust our leadership.
Aww, that's very kind! Flattery will get you everywhere, you know.


He is speaking about me, O'Kais.
Aun'el? What a pleasant surprise.
I figured that if I made an appearance on the battlefield, you'd be less likely to sacrifice yourself in some suicide run.
That's probably true, but Necron resistance has been light. I'm confident I can deliver the bomb and escape without trouble.
Nevertheless, I am here now. I shall assist by leading the Main Force.
Of course.


Pathfinders, scout ahead. Locate the source of that vile energy.
Aun'el!


Uhh, what are those?
Attack Scarabs. Generated by Tomb Spyders at a cost to their own health. They're quick and can create large swarms. Very fragile, and don't pose much threat to infantry. They can quickly overwhelm vehicles, though, and are efficient at demolishing buildings.


They're done. We think we've located the source of the energy, too.


It appears to be some sort of tower. There are deactivated Necron around it.


I think it just turned on.
Are you reading this, O'Kais?
I am. Sensors are picking up strange energies emitting from that structure. Their signature matches the energies used by the Necron Lord. That beacon must be a fearsome weapon. Destroy it before it reaches full power.


Uh oh, they reactivated!
Shut them down again!
Interesting. One of the Necron Lord's many abilities can revive broken Necron units on the battlefield. It seems this tower does the same, generating a field that resurrects all nearby fallen Necron. We must destroy it. If it manages to reach full capacity, it could resurrect all fallen Necron across the catacombs!
We are deathless, interlopers. Under the shadow of the Beacon of Unlife, the fallen rise again.
"Beacon of Unlife"? That's a stupid name. Did you come up with that on your own, or is that what the Necron Lord calls it? Oh right, the Necron Lord can't talk. That name is your own idiot invention.
You have no flair for words, O'Kais. You always were a charlatan.


You know what? Let's not leave this to chance. This is Aun'el requesting an orbital strike from the Air Caste.
We read you, Aun'el, but, uh, not sure if we can comply with your request. You do realize you're underground, yes?
I am well aware.
...and?
And I expect you to follow orders. Fire up your cannons, blast through the earth if you have to! We are Tau, our weapons are peerless!
B-but--
I've sent you the coordinates, get blasting!
Of course, Aun'el.


Coordinates locked, commencing orbital strike.


A perfect hit!


The tower! Something's happening to it.


Kroot and Tau win again.


Oh, come on!


Aun'el, Shas'o, there is a second tunnel entrance just beyond that tower.
Another access to the abandoned tunnels? Good, we can move troops through there.


There are two active tunnels by that strategic point. Eliminate all Necron resistance and take that point!


I hunger, Shaper. These Necron are inedible.
They are not true food, but mere golems. Do not despair. At least they are not like those abominations, the Tyranid.
Yech. The most foul and tasteless of all beings.


How fare you, O'Kais, any changes?
A couple of Macabee's personal minions showed up reciting bad poetry. Really moody stuff. It's overwrought garbage.
We came up with a game to play with them. See, first we knock them flat on their asses. The we wait for them to stand back up--


--and then we disintegrate them, along with their half-baked couplets!


This pleases me. Meanwhile, we have secured the strategic point and will prevent these tunnels from being used by the Necron as an attack point. Our Earth Caste Drones have also set up some Vehicle Beacons. Hammerhead Gunships and Drone Squads are en route to our location.


I just want it on record, that the Air Caste does not enjoy flying into these catacombs to drop off vehicle parts.
Duly noted.
Aun'el, O'Kais, we need to plan the next step of our incursion. Allow me to present our possible routes:



First of all, note the yellow line. That marks the path of the abandoned tunnels we have secured. If you wish, O'Kais, we can move forces between the South and North with relative ease. The tunnels aren't massive, though, so don't expect anything too large to fit through them. They will be invaluable for our infantry, though.
O'Kais, your southern Strike Force has a number of options. You could head towards the Relic in the centre of the catacombs. Capturing that would allow the Kroot to bring in a Greater Knarloc. We are also en route to strike at another Necron energy source. We can easily make our way to the western-most energy source, or even to the southern-most source. The choice is yours.
Aun'el, you can likewise take the northern Main Force to the Relic, or you could take it to the northern-most energy-source. Going north would also allow us the opportunity to take the Slag Deposit from the Necron.
Note: we do not have to keep our forces divided. You can reunite them through the abandoned tunnels, or even have them meet at the Relic. There are many possibilities.
Understood. I shall let the War Council decide where I shall take the Main Force.
As always, I defer to the War Council. Where do you want the Strike Force?