Death From Above 3

<Pavor_GM> IT IS THE 41ST MILLENNIUM...
<Pavor_GM> The chill winds continue to caress the fields, creating fluid waves of ready-to-harvest, healthy crops. From within the old abandoned depot, the sight looks strangely peaceful and still. Yet you know the full force of the storm that will descend from the skies once your mission has been completed.
<Lt_Faust_Johnstone> "Doc, would it be a good idea to stimm the Major?"
* Dutch_Miles gives instructions to Jackson along with some basic medical equipment and one Field Suture. He turns to look at the lieutenant, "From what I see and found that would be a poor decision, yes we would be able to get any information, but she would start to feel the effects of her injuries a lot more with in several mins and within a hour her heart would most likely stop."
<Pavor_GM> Though the wind carries the sounds away from the troopers, the cones of light through the  fields make it clear that a vehicle is on the move, and has turned with a heading facing the site of the post-drop ambush.
<Zaylen> +Vehicle in the field. Perhaps the AA-Battery?+
<Lt_Faust_Johnstone> +We should ambush them and disable that vehicle.+
<Commissar_Hargrave> +A sound plan Lieutenant. You heard him men, I know you're loathe to leave the Major but trust in the Emperor and the medical skills of Specialist Miles.+
<Zaylen> +I'll take point then.+
<Admetus> +The Krak Missile is readied if things go pete-tong+
<Pavor_GM> "Right behind you," Braddock nods.
<Pavor_GM> The commandos leave Major Valentine under the care of Medicae Specialist Archimedes, exiting the depot across the darkness of night towards the fields.
<Pavor_GM> The irregular stomps of boots against the gravel, become sharper as you reach the grass, and into the fields themselves. Your ears pound with the increasing rythm of your heart beats. Following an indirect pattern, either to ensure the vehicle's smooth progress or to avoid unnecessary destruction of the crops, the vehicle's lights make an indirect turn facing your general direction.
<Pavor_GM> From here, the engine's roaring is clearly audible, the tracks upsetting earth creating a rain-like pattern against the crops.
<Zaylen> +Bingo. Looks like a Hydra variant. Not sure which kind at this range. Two K's out.+
<Commissar_Hargrave> +Well done Zaylen. What are your orders Lieutenant?+
<Pavor_GM> "Traitors, you reckon?" Braddock says, looking through magnoculars.
<Zaylen> "Well I sure hope so Braddock." He whispers back heartily smiling to himself.
<Lt_Faust_Johnstone> +It looks like they are following a path. We should get ahead and set up.+
<Pavor_GM> "Someone oughta do something about that," he nods putting the magnoculars down.
<Zaylen> "Soon my friend, very soon."
<Admetus> +Whats the plan for immobilising it when it gets here?+
<Commissar_Hargrave> +We can set up another ambush Lieutenant, that is most likely the vehicle those other men were preparing for. If it adjusts it's course we can always shadow it to it's real destination.+
<Lt_Faust_Johnstone> +That's a plan. We setting up here, gents.+
<Pavor_GM> "Am I arming or not arming a krak, then?" Trooper Pipas says tapping at his pack over his shoulder.
<Admetus> "You might wanna where you think that Krak missile is."
<Admetus> check*
<Pavor_GM> Pipas takes a knee, checking his pack.
<Pavor_GM> "We, erm... we may have a problem."
* Dutch_Miles starts setting up for the ambush.
<Admetus> "Its in the tube."
<Pavor_GM> "Yep, in the tube," he repeats, quickly closing his pack and strapping it back on.
* Leon prepares for the ambush.
* Admetus takes up an ambush position that would place him towards the rear of the vehicle if it was to pull into the clearing.
* Lt_Faust_Johnstone takes up an ambush position.
<Pavor_GM> Suddenly, some 500 meters away, the vehicle comes to a sudden stop.
<Lt_Faust_Johnstone> +If it's a Hydra, there's gonna be least 5 targets to kill.+
* Zaylen takes up a comfortable position.
<Pavor_GM> A third, much thicker cone of light begins to sweep the field clearings ahead.
<Pavor_GM> With another roar, the vehicle begins moving again, altering its course across the open field. Now, as it makes its way across the field, it presents its side paneling to you.
<Commissar_Hargrave> +Lieutenant. Perhaps we can attract their attention and still pull off the ambush. We can have Specialist Zaylen move out into the open, after we split the squad in two, then he uses a stablight in a panicked fashion. If it works it should draw the vehicle in between us and we can spring the trap.+
<Lt_Faust_Johnstone> +It's better than what I had in mind. Zaylen, do it.+
<Zaylen> +Whatever brings that steel beast over here. Yes sir." Zaylen looks to Braddock, "grab a couple of those stablights from the stiffs we hid and meet me in the middle of our little ambush. Time to create some panic."
<Pavor_GM> "No need," he says, reaching for his own stablight, and handing it over.
<Zaylen> "You brave soul Braddock, hope we don't lose it." He shakes his head and moves into position. +Ready you lot are.+
<Dutch_Miles> +Don't die on me ok.+
<Lt_Faust_Johnstone> +Mile, Commissar, Holt, Natalia take the left side. Everyone else on the right.+
<Zaylen> +Wouldn't dream of it doc, you still owe me a lot of drinks.+
<Dutch_Miles> +Yea and you still owe me a medical check up.+
<Lt_Faust_Johnstone> +Shut up, both of you."
<Commissar_Hargrave> +Let's hop to it everyone, we are still on a timer. The Emperor protects.+ Hargrave moves into position with the squad members.
* Admetus ignores the stupidity and takes up his assigned position locating a confortable picket of crop growth before readying his launcher.
* Dutch_Miles moves into his new position.
* Leon get's in position.
<Dutch_Miles> Once in position he readies his rifle.
<Admetus> +I've prepped the launcher in case they don't disembark so just give the word if you want plan FUBAR+
* Leon takes aim.
<Lt_Faust_Johnstone> +That's right, Admetus. Only fire if I say so.+
<Zaylen> Once everyone is in position Zaylen takes both stablights and clicks them on and off rapidly while pointing them at the hydra, before waving them around wildly. He throws one down in the clearing a meter or so out and the other still shinging in the field. He immediatelly goes to ground and rolls a little deeper into the field.
<Pavor_GM> The vehicle's tracks stop turning.
<Pavor_GM> A few seconds later, its right track turns, the left remaining in place.
<Pavor_GM> As the vehicle turns, its arc of light begins to near the troopers, until the entire cropline is bathed in its luminous cones.
<Pavor_GM> Maintaining their distance, they sweep the line once again with the pintle-mounted floodlight.
<Pavor_GM> You hear the sound of metal against metal.
<Pavor_GM> At last, the vehicle begins to move once more, slanting its armor, and rolling slowly towards the first group of commandos.
<Pavor_GM> Closing on what must be just under 60 meters, the engines idle, and the rolling comes to a stop yet again.
<Pavor_GM> Here, the vehicle turns once more, slanting its armor the other way, now facing the second firegroup before it continues forward.
<Pavor_GM> The floodlight now fixed in Zaylen's direction, it closes to just under 20 meters from the second fireteam, and doesn't seem to be stopping.
<Pavor_GM> "Feck that's bright!" whispers Braddock.
<Zaylen> "Stay. Still."
<Pavor_GM> The vehicle closes, now determined to push through the cropline. Ten meters, then five...
* Lt_Faust_Johnstone whispers +Move and be Sneaky. Don't get run over.+
* Leon moves quietly out of the way.
<Lt_Faust_Johnstone> +Shit, it's too close. Take it down. Hold off on the missile, its on top of our guys.+
* Zaylen releases a breath and squeezes the trigger, three rounds ping into the spotlight mounted on the vehicle.
<Pavor_GM> Three rounds strike violently against the mounted spotlight, killing the light as the cone is disfigured and unhinged from its place.
<Lt_Faust_Johnstone> +Fuck it, Admetus. Fire the missile at its rear. Other team, MOVE.+
* Leon quietly moes out of the way.
* Dutch_Miles moves quietly out of the way as well
* Commissar_Hargrave steadies his gear as he moves through the field away from the approaching vehicle, doing his best to not make any noise.
* Lt_Faust_Johnstone move up towards the rest.
* Admetus fires the krak missile into the Hydra "Back-blast clear!"
<Pavor_GM> The missile slams and explodes against the side plating, buckling and destroying a large plated panel.
* Leon quietly moves to the back.
* Lt_Faust_Johnstone sneaks toward the rear of the vehicle.
<Pavor_GM> In a single quick reaction, the Anti-Air vehicle sharply turns to the left, placing its front-facing armor facing the direction of the missile. In so doing, two twin-linked anti-air autocannons mounted atop the vehicle fire a dreadful burst, sending several kilograms of munitions through the crop fields. In a fraction of a second, a quick succession of smaller explosions come as a
<Pavor_GM> reply to the burst, levelling a radius of the unharvested crops in a violent shockwave.
<Commissar_Hargrave> +Hold fast! There is no retreat in the face of the Emperor! Advance on the vehicle!!+ Commissar Hargave unclips a smoke grenade and lands it near the vehicle, providing obfuscation for the advancing squad.
* Dutch_Miles does a full move up towards the Hydra after hearing the Commissar's words.
* Admetus is now known as Alex
* Alex reacting in a half panic and half adrenaline rush from having survived the explosions and blasts behind him. Alex begins running towards the Hydra.
* Specialist_Natalia clearly annoyed and feeling the mission has went south charges the rear with some tools out as a makeshift grapple
* Leon moves up.
* Lt_Faust_Johnstone runs toward the vehicle with power maul and mono knife.
<Pavor_GM> Roaring out of the smoke, the vehicle re-emerges into the open, blindly striking Faust along its way. The Lieutenant flies out several meters before landing on the dirt.
<Commissar_Hargrave> The commissar runs flat-out in an effort to catch up with the AA battery.
* Dutch_Miles moves up as fast as he can twoards the aa.
* Specialist_Natalia is blasted back as she runs up and as he is knocked over clear injured
* Alex stumbles out of the cropline fumbling with a melta-bomb. He mis judges his momentum and is unable to stop before the Hydra and lifting his hands to catch himself accidentally slams the fuse into the side of the tank. Alex, and the Hydra ceased to exist.
<Pavor_GM> The blast utterly destroys the hull's side-panel, heat energy setting off the munitions rack on the vehicle. The blast is extremely violent, shredding metal like paper, and sending a powerful shockwave against the commandos nearby.
* Dutch_Miles is knocked back by the explosion.
<Zaylen> "Fething Holy Emperor." Zaylen says as he comes to a stop. He then starts moving to help everyone back up.
* Dutch_Miles gets back up, stunned but not in too bad shape, he begins looking around for everyone. +Who's Hurt.+
<Lt_Faust_Johnstone> +Doc, I'm in bad shape."
<Dutch_Miles> +Lieutenant, were are you at?+ he looks around trying to find the LT.
<Pavor_GM> "I'm... okay. Am I okay?" Braddock says, patting himself down.
<Commissar_Hargrave> +What are your orders Lieutenant?+
* Dutch_Miles sees the LT and runs over to him.
<Lt_Faust_Johnstone> +Let's get the fuck out of here. Get anything we can.+
<Zaylen> "You're fine Braddock, help out where you can."
<Lt_Faust_Johnstone> "Did intel say how many AAs we had to blow it?"
* Dutch_Miles gets to work on the LT patching up the bleeding and preforming any medical he can, and then got to Natalia as well and patched her up.
<Lt_Faust_Johnstone> +Retreat back to the BArn. Clean our wounds and figure out the next step. We can't stay here.+
* Dutch_Miles helps up the Lt and preps to head out back to the Barn.
<Leon> +Understood.+
* Leon starts moving out.
<Zaylen> +I'll bring up the rear, and cover us.+
* Specialist_Natalia starts to make a move with the rest of the party
* Lt_Faust_Johnstone moving with the rest of the group.
<Pavor_GM> The march back to the vehicle depot is exhausting, the glow of the destroyed enemy Hydra casting long shadows in front of the commandos. Shadows that serve as the dreadful tallies of loss in the mission so far. When they arrive, Archimedes bolts to see you arrive, concern flushing his face. When he, too, counts short he knows better than to ask. A deep, and somber mood washes over
<Pavor_GM> the squad that now settles in.