NOVEL NEXT RM Vol 4: War – Chapter 2-1: Violence Escalation (Part 1). – Edited by Yovis
"This is Overseer, forward elements are through the minefield and are working on the barbed wires." I say over comms. "We're ahead of schedule."
"Witch Actual here, we're ten minutes away from o' two hundred hour. Keep your heads low until the appointed time."
"Good copy." I then look up from my crouch stance, waving up at the group of Night Witches flying above. "Glad to have you watching our back, Bryn. When was the last time we went on frontline duty again?"
"Not counting the time we spent flying, then around two years, Yuki." Witch Actual, my dear Bryn, replies on a private channel. To bystanders, we may as well look menacing for not making a single noise due to our fully enclosed helmets.
Currently, Bryn is flying high alongside her original Night Witch unit, with all of them wearing SPI suits. If the SPI suits are a grade below the Ravens' Mjolnir suits, then the suits my current detachment is wearing are worse than the SPI. However, our battle dress uniforms, or BDU for short, are no slouch. Unpowered as it may be when compared to SPI and Mjolnir, the Stormtrooper BDU provides a higher grade of advantages over the normal Army BDU, including improved ballistic protection, temperature control, as well as thermal insulation. Ever since its conception, the Stormtrooper BDU has experienced some design changes owing to the development of the SPI and Mjolnir suits. This includes concealable Tactical Carriers for body armor, titanium and ceramic composite armor plating to give the user added protection - along with HUD and Communications Systems to give more situational awareness to the wearer.
Complimenting the suit is the Stormtrooper helmet, made of titanium, and coated with a heat-resistant material to help disperse heat - the inside is lined with black padding to provide comfort when the user is wearing it. The helmet's faceplate is made of a strong, glass-like material with the ability to polarize. When polarized, the helmet's faceplate has a silver-blue color and obscures the wearer's face completely. It also has a built-in communicator with a privacy setting for clandestine operations.
Finally, the Stormtrooper BDU incorporates stealth elements into its design. The BDU's stealth capability is partly thanks to its black and gray camouflage patterns on the legs, boots, gloves, chest, helmet, and undersuit - camouflage patterns are optional; without the camouflage panels, the BDU is black. On the left shoulder pad of every Stormtrooper is a MED REF patch. This patch contains basic medical information about the trooper and allows a field medic to gain a quick medical reference to a Stormtrooper wounded in the field. Despite the armor's obvious advantage over standard infantry armor, it is still vulnerable to energy attacks, larger armor-piercing rounds, as well as large explosive devices.
The Stormtrooper battle dress uniform is made up of several different components and layers that make the suit what it is, while technology from other projects across the military has been incorporated into the suit, Stormtrooper equipment still has proprietary technology that has not been adopted into other equipment for the general military. In other words, if Mjolnir and SPI are Tier 5 and Tier 4 technologies, then the Stormtrooper and Army BDU are the Tier 3 and Tier 2 techs. They're divided into such because of cost, training, and duty. The Stormtroopers are expected to perform tasks that the regular Army can't and are expected to fill in the shoes of a Raven when one is not available. Whereas the Ravens may be the Devils in the future, the Stormtroopers will be the Imps. This is why they need the better gears. Does this answer the question as to why I am in the Stormtroopers' midst though?
No, of course not. I am here because I was bored. Since I was bored, I dragged Bryn and my bodyguards to participate in the opening acts of our new military operation on the Western Front. Our current task is to secure a corridor through the Maginot Line for nearby mechanized elements. This will allow them the chance to flank the rest of the Maginot from behind, thus diverting the enemy's attention from the frontline. By dawn, they will be facing a pincer attack that will be nigh impossible to defeat with their technological level. Sounds simple, right?
Not really. I spare no quarter to ensure a successful completion of the Western Front campaign. Reconnaissance, sabotage, even more firepower than what is strictly necessary,... I pull out all the stops for I do not want a repeat of what happened in Sardegna. Paranoid? Maybe, but I have responsibilities and a wish to uphold. So while I am sorry for the Ustian Loyalists and their allies, their destruction is required.
"Ten seconds till detonation." Bryn says curtly on the local comms channel. Knowing that it's nearly time, I push my wandering thoughts into a corner.
"Ok, get ready to move out, people. Erika, Lola, you will be my battle buddies till we're done." I say to the Platoon-sized unit that I am now temporarily in charge of. Consisting of four squads of Stormtroopers, with one of them led by me, we will advance past the barbed wires after pre-planted explosive charges are detonated.
"Roger that, Overseer." Erika, my loyal friend and bodyguard who dislikes the spotlight, falls right beside me with her dwarven second-in-command, Lola.
I nod to them before addressing the three squad leaders. "After we receive the go-ahead, start by clearing the trenches and pillboxes as planned. My squad will move to control the main gate." Then the bombs explode. I just glance at the massive fireballs that light up the night for two seconds before continuing to say. "If we can keep it open, then the 7th Company won't need to drive over a minefield."
"The gate will be heavily contested, ma'am." One of the squad leaders says, but not to deter me. Forming his right hand into a fist and bumping it against his chest plate, he adds. "Courage and honor will see you through."
I mirror his action alongside the rest of the Stormtroopers and my bodyguards. "Courage and honor!" This is a specific salute that only the Stormtroopers use currently, owing to their past of facing the most gruesome CQC battle when they were formed by me years ago. They survived and thrived only by displaying outstanding bravery and valiancy.
"This is Witch Actual. The explosion of their munition depots and fuel silos has caused mayhem in their rear. They're now attracted to the explosions all over Maginot. However, our AWACSs have deployed their jammers as planned, the Allied forces won't be able to coordinate."
"Thanks for the update, Witch Actual." I say to Bryn. "Are we clear to proceed?"
"You're good to move up to the trench area. The enemy is wantonly pulling all of their manpower to try and put out the fire. Use the chaos to infiltrate."
I smile, showing a thumbs-up into the air before nodding at the Stormtroopers. Silently, I lead the Platoon while maintaining a low stance, my MP9SD is held at the ready. Following me in a horizontal line formation are troopers holding either MP9SD or G1SD with a variety of supporting weapons. Ultimately, we come to see Ustian sentries all turning to look at the burning pillars that used to be their precious war materials. Some of them are standing upright out of their trenches while others are partially obscured by the pillboxes or watch towers.
"Everybody, pick your target." I say before turning on the small IR laser module attached above the barrel of my suppressed SMG. From where I am at, I will have a clean headshot of a Ustian standing just three steps away from his Chauchat MG.
One by one, enough IR lasers are being pointed at different targets all across this section of defensive positions. I start the timer when all of us are ready.
"3..."
"2..."
"1...!"
Pulling the trigger, I send the heavy 9mm projectile straight into the skull of the unsuspecting Ustian Loyalist, blowing a portion of his head clean off. Almost simultaneously the other targets are either sporting a new breathing hole or are being receptive to an impromptu autopsy. If any of them are still conscious to let out a pained cry, then their crying will be drowned by the lively sound of munitions cooking off in the background.
"Clear!"
"Clear!"
"Area is clear, for now." I say before continuing. "Squad 3 and 4, clean out the Southern Trench and attack their local HQ. The remainders, form up on me, we will fight to the main gate."
"Roger that, ma'am. Squads, let's double-time! We have a timetable to fulfill!" The Stormtrooper Platoon then splits following my instructions, with half moving to my left.
"Ok, let's get into the trenches. We'll use them as cover to mask our advance." I say before moving to jump into the bloodied trench ahead of me, making a wet splatter of blood and mud.
Erika and Lola soon follow my example, their guns poised to watch my sides. When the last of my units are down in the trench, I lead them forward. Our black BDUs come in handy at this point. The poor lighting conditions of the trench, only slightly illuminated by the burning pyres and shoddy electric bulbs, work heavily in our favor. It's why when we stay in the shadow of the trench, the Loyalist soldiers running above and beyond fail to notice our intrusion. We need only take care of the enemy that is directly in the way.
Peaking around a corner, I see a pair of Loyalist soldiers pacing around, chattering with shaky voices. They're either tired or shaken by earlier explosions. Uncaring of their trouble, I move my MP9SD to my left hand, leaning out with the left side of my body to take two shots at the Loyalists. The subsonic rounds impact and kill them swiftly without a tell-tale sign of a bullet crack. Pushing through the corridor and farther from the Loyalist corpses, I come upon a pillbox, holding a Ustian-made 25mm AT gun. While the gun itself is not deadly to our modern AFVs, it can still pose a threat to our light transports. I signal for Squad 2 to clean out the emplacement while I and Squad 1 move up to cover them. Squad 2 proceeds to knock on the steel door of the pillbox, leading the unsuspecting Ustian Loyalist inside to open it. The poor soldier is then filled with lead as members of Squad Two push inside and kill the rest of the occupants.
"Emplacement is clear. Gonna booby-trap the gun on this thing, cover me." A member of Squad 2 says before pulling out a stick, a napalm stick invented by Lola that has since been upgraded and became standard-issued equipment. The man then just shoves it down the barrel of the AT gun with its pin still not pulled. If anyone dares to use the AT gun though, then it will be a kaboomie for them.
Once the all-clear is reported to me, we venture forward once more until we reach an area near the main gate. We know that we won't be able to take the main gate silently, not when there are two tanks and two watchtowers stationed there permanently. Not to mention there's a squad of enemy infantry standing guard, albeit distracted by ongoing events. To clear them all, we have brought along some heavy ordinance.
"All elements, be advised, we have reached the main objective. Gonna go hot in ten." I announce before gesturing to my unit to take positions, using the corners of the trench network to their advantage.
"Night Witches are ready to provide support, Marshal."
"Squad 3 and 4, we will move on to our objectives on your signal."
"I want grenades on those MG towers and rockets on the tanks." I order.
Per my command, one of the Stormtrooper exchanges his MP9SD for a six-shooter 40mm grenade launcher. Another pair then set up their Panzerfaust as a crew-served weapon, aiming at the tanks. With the launchers in place, the rest of the Stormtroopers and I aim at the enemy infantries or are covering our flanks. After another countdown, the Panzerfaust is the first to fire.
ZWOOSHHH
*BOOM
The first rocket hits the side of a Somua S35, squarely punching a hole through it and wrecking the inside. There's a lot of smoke coming from the turret hatch so it seems to be a clean kill. While the pair of Stormtrooper tank killers is reloading the Panzerfaust swiftly and the Ustians are diving for cover after the explosion, the grenade launcher joins the fray.
BLOOP
BLOOP
BOOM BOOM
The two machine gun towers are struck by 40mm HE grenades. The explosions knocked off bodies and debris everywhere on the panicking Loyalists. Not letting the chance go, I and the rest of the Stormtroopers finish off the surviving infantries in the open. This is right before the last Somua S35 is taken out in a dazzling explosion by the tank killers. The Panzerfaust seems to have detonated its ammo rack, and now the rest of the Loyalist garrison must have known we are here.
"All elements, we have lighted a fire of our own. Be ready to move on to the next stage of the plan. Second Squad, open the gate. We hold this place until the Seventh arrives!"
"Yes, Marshal!"