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https://a.pomf.cat/jfuwfq.mp3

You are Zaur Givi, codename Titan, a genius hacker that became the leader of one of the Seghu Maru’s mech’s platoon. The Seghu Maru is a corsair’s ship that was recently damaged in a battle against an Imperial frigate. It has been in repair since, hiding in a valley sympathetic to the nationalist cause.

You and your crew being mostly idle and the captain needing money for both the reparations and the pays made the perfect match. The Erean army needed help to reduce an enemy salient, in Aingstgaard’s sector that endangered the whole Erean second corps. A contract was signed and your platoon was selected to lend a hand to the Erean eighth division.

Your mission was pretty simple. Wreak havoc behind enemy lines just in the wake of the offensive on the Imperial first division. You were dropped from a high altitude, behind enemy lines, on Lavalette’s airport where you had to deal with an AA battery and an infantry platoon. There, you established contact with the local resistance. You learned from them that the mayor of Genareli, was arrested and about to be transferred to an unknown location. Incidentally, he was the leader of the local resistance, and the only man that could successfully mobilize it on such a short notice.

Your platoon moved undetected toward Genareli, a town occupying a central position in the rear of the imperials. You took advantage of the surprise to hit the Imperial’s first brigade HQ and another AA battery before moving toward the town’s hospital where the mayor was detained. After disabling the air transport sent for the transfer, you decided that the best moment to attack was when they would try to move the prisoner. You were able to rescue the mayor almost unscathed.

You left him to his own devices and moved to secure Genareli airport. With all known anti-air threats dealt with, you could call in some reinforcements from the Ereans.You would need it, because the Imperials were now aware of your presence. They were rapidly assembling a task force that they hoped could deal with the big thorn in their side you represented. With the help of the Erean seventh airborne company, Genareli’s militia, some ruse de guerre and the superiority of your mechs, you were able to repel what the Imperials were able to throw at you. The Erean general attack started right after, decreasing greatly the pressure on Genareli.

With your hands free you attacked the artillery battery near the citadel of Acroma. Even if you were unexpectedly targeted in a “short range artillery strike”, you managed to destroy it to blast the whole citadel open by detonating something that must have been an ammo dump or a fuel storage tank.

You could have continued to extend your path of destruction, however you decided otherwise. Call it a hunch, but something caught your attention during the mission. People kept complaining about power outages and the power plant being so close, you thought it deserved a thorough investigation.

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Captain Preiss
<< The Imperial first line of defense is collapsing, we are on their heels but they managed to take position in their second line of defense, north of Acroma. >>

Captain Preiss
<< With the destruction of the citadel, we should be able to break their second line too, but it will need some time. Until then you’ll be on your own. blue]>>

“Any support you could give?”, you ask, pressing your oxygen mask against your face.

Captain Preiss
<< The best we can do is to provide a few gunships, but we need to be sure that the airspace is safe before that. We can’t afford to lose the little air power we have. I’ll see if we can spare anything else.>>

“Understood, Titan out.”

Well, the die are cast. You take a deep breath and start to stretch inside your seat. You can hear the cicadas through the half open Athena’s cockpit door. You close your eyes and try to think about your situation.

The Imperials have been building up their forces in the area for a counter attack. A week ago, a freighter arrived in Aingstgaard port, origin is unknown. Apparently, it was to complement the overloaded railhead to bring more supply to the front. The army requisitioned a hangar area and dock workers weren’t allowed to approach the area. Roughly at the same time, a shipment of superconductive power lines arrived from the railhead. The power plant staff was tasked to deploy it from the reactor to the port under strict military supervision. Since then, the thing on the other side just siphoned all the power it was allowed to.

You’d like to pinch the root of your nose, but your helmet is in the way. Instead, you scratch nervously the back of your neck. The more you think about this, the less you like it. What could need so much power? A railgun? Why bring it so close from the frontline? An automated drone carrier maybe? Would be a pain in the ass for sure, a bold move, but without the air supremacy to protect it, a short lived initiative. Some kind of laser bullshit super weapon the imperials want to test in a low intensity conflict? You remember reading about the Peenemünde bureau, a military research institute. It is supposed to create revolutionary weapons that will turn the tide in the outer systems. Quite unlikely that the Imperials would invite you to their new miraculous weapon inauguration though.

Whatever is going on, it smells like shit.

Aingstgaard itself is lightly defended. An infantry battalion, no defensive work, maybe a few tanks and the first division HQ. If it’s still here. You heard they were packing for some reasons. Some AA, quite efficient since it was able to shoot down one of your drones above the city. No air capability in the area. Maybe a few AT or AM missile positions. Nothing that should be able to stop you and your platoon. Speaking of your platoon, you switch to the platoon network and ask: “Will you be here soon? We need to take off ASAP”.

Biscuit
<< Yeah, yeah boss, don’t worry. Ten minutes top. The path you told us to take isn’t exactly the most maneuverable one and the Vulcan is slowing us down. Take a breather ok? >>

Yeah. You need a breather, for sure. But just taking a stroll will drive you mad. The hole in your stomach is growing bigger as time goes. You need to focus on what you can do now instead of thinking aimlessly.

A decision still have to be made about the power line. You thought about it for the last thirty minutes. You could ask the power plant staff to fake some emergency shutdown or whatever. But there is only some time words can buy.
You could also try to send a power spike down the line, to try to damage whatever is on the other side, but the foreman told you it could potentially damage the reactor badly. Maybe not a big issue for you, but the whole district could be out of juice for a few weeks, maybe more with the war going on.
A more simple approach was to simply destroy the power line. No cable, no power. Sure, they would know something was wrong. Really wrong indeed because a whole platoon of mech would be walking down toward Aingstaard shortly after.

>”The electrocogitator fractalization isn’t in resonance with the theramagnetic isotopic booster, we need to restart the powerplant, sorry”
>Trigger a power surge
>Destroy the power line
>Let it be
>Other (write-in)

>>4421748
>Destroy the power line
Keeping it simple. All the things will be wrong but, hey, we can handle it.

>>4421748
>Destroy the power line

Welcome bäck

>>4421748
>Destroy the power line

>>4421748
>Destroy the power line

||something unplanned, will update tomorrow, oopsie||

>>4422037
Oh yeah, that's right, this is not discord

>>4421748
>Destroy the power line

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You don’t hesitate for long. It’s war. Nobody is going to be surprised if a powerline is going. And what if they realize something is up? You’re about to go down on them with 4 mechs. Maybe it’s even better if they expect you.

You peek out of the cockpit and look around. You see the Gendarme supposed to guard the powerplant, leaning against a car, in the administrative building’s shadow. He’s smoking. You try to grab his attention. “Hey … Maximillien right?” he raises his head., you continue: “I’m going to destroy the powerline, can you tell that to the people in the control room? I don’t want to break anything else.”. He nods and stands up.

You look at him go. You’re suddenly reminded of something. You pat your flak jacket, search the pouches, but the only thing you find is a little tube full of amphetamines. “Hey!” you call. The gendarme stops and his head spins in your direction. “Got any spare smokes?”. He blinks a few times, seemingly surprised by your request, before he agrees. He puts his hands in his pockets. Meanwhile you grab the lifting cable outside of the cockpit and put your boot in the stirrup. While you go down, you can see him getting a small box out of his uniform. He comes to meet you.

You thank him as he hands you a aluminum cigarettes case. You pick one of them. An hollowed filtered one. You look at it as the guard leaves. Imperial Navy issued. The same consistent product that is distributed through the galaxy to every imperial grunt and apparently collaborators too. You've heard that one in a hundred pack contain a winning token that you can exchange against 10 more packs. You open a maintenance pannel and use an exposed coil to set your cigarette alight. You take a long drag and close your eyes. The smoke fill up your lungs, you hold it there for a few seconds. It taste bad but you’re not going to be choosy. It does what it is supposed to do, you can feel the tension leaving your body.

From here you can see the sea through the branches. The dancing reflections of the summer sun on the water is almost soothing. You can hear the wind in the branches, you’re not sure if the air is really that hot or if it’s the Athena exhaust. You lean against the mech's leg. You can feel the burning metal through the jumpsuit. Not enough for it to be uncomfortable though. The waves are crashing a few dozen meters below. Maybe you’ll be able to take a nosedive when you’re done.

Rocked by the song of the cicadas, you can feel your eyelid becoming heavy. The smell of the pines mixed with the low quality tobacco and the diesel fumes is intoxicating. Time stops for a second. Pictures of your youth appear in your mind. Holidays at the ocean, walking barefoot on a carpet of pine’s needles, sand between your toes. The salt in your hair and on your skin, the feeling of falling in the cool water. Fries and mussels, sticky fingers from the melon. The smell of your father, the smile of your mother...

A muscle in your arm contract, a shiver goes through your body. There’s only a bud left from your smoke. You shake your head and stretch a bit. You gave them enough time, you’re going to destroy the cable now. You pinch on what is left of your cigarette about to throw it on the ground. Erean’s ground. You put the bud in one of your pouches.

You get back in your cockpit, strap in your seat. You can feel the fresh air of the environmental control cooling you down. The mech is quick to react and you start to walk outside the powerplant’s parking. You try to get to a safe distance and aim for the thick cables going toward the district capital. You aim without really thinking, it’s trivial at such a short distance. You press the trigger, you feel the mech rocking. There’s a blue flash and a moment later, the cloud of dirt goes down and your see a few cables still intact. You shoot another shell for good measure and start to move toward the rendez-vous point with the rest of your platoon.

You move toward the east at a slow pace and stop roughly a kilometer later. You don’t have to wait a lot. You see a few pines going down as the Vulcan goes down from a scarp awkwardly. For a second, it looks like it is going to tip over but it finally recovers while it gets on the road. He’s flanked by the two Marses.

Biscuit
<< A little later than I would have hoped, but we’re here. What now? >>

Well, you’re going to move toward Aingstaard, for sure, but you weren’t sure until now about the way to proceed. Rushing in and strike quickly? Breaking there back before they can react. Alternatively a more methodical approach since you don’t really know what to expect. You’re down to one recon drone and a CAS one, any bad surprise can be costly.

>Shock and Awe
>Proceed cautiously
>Other (write-in)

>>4425023
>Shock and Awe
What are they going to do, shoot us?

>>4425023
Is this you, Coolio?

And yeah,
>Shock and Awe
is the only reasonable unreasonable response.

>>4425023
>Shock & Awe
Its a great day for Shock & Awe

https://a.pomf.cat/ujxfcl.mp3

You grab a bottle secured in the net below your seat. It’s empty. Damn you’re thirsty. You straighten up and tighten the straps holding you in place. You won’t have much time after that so you quickly check every system while your men get into position. Finally you lock your oxygen mask and talk in it.

“We’re going to move toward Aingstgaard at combat speed. I want anything that looks remotely hostile removed from the face of Morning Star. We don’t stop for anything. We will follow the cable next to the road until I change my mind.”

You start to move with the Vulcan leading the formation, flanked a little behind by both Marses covering each side of the road. You’re a few dozen meters behind in case they need fire support. The road winds on the hill side. The pinewood around is thick, but you still have a comfortable line of sight since there’s not much that grows on the ground. The journey is uneventful except for a bridge cutting across a small gorge that forces your unit to move one by one. You finally emerge from the forest.

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Sunburn
<< My, my does it look lovely. >>

Aingstgaard is in sight. And it’s quite the city. Not the old ass colonial template but a fully fledged seaside town with its modern resorts. A city most likely built to accommodate imperial colonial personnel during their holidays but also an attempt to attract people from the inner systems trying to flee the more crowded garden worlds.

As you approach you can see it more clearly: large white facades decorated with columns and low relief. It exudes a feeling of grandeur. Imperial totalitarian architecture, but with a modern twist. Big bay windows with metal frames that remind you the spire of archologies are giving it a taste of novelty. All of this is nested in a green setting. It looks like hanging gardens falling from terrace to terrace into the azure sea.

Duster
<< Not really my style. Feel too carefully composed. A bit soulless >>

As you pass next to a house, you can see a man is in his garden, watering his lawn, completely bewildered at the sight of your mech. He is seemingly obvious about the war going on a few kilometers from this place. You're forced to hug the edge of the street to let a woman elegantly clothed pass with two childrens looking at you with curiosity. Sure the Imperials might not have expected there defenses to collapse like that nor having Erean past the second line of defense but having people living there daily life like nothing was happening was a bit too much.

You advance inside the town and notice that the buildings here are covered with statues of great admirals, names of great battles and representations of Imperial heroism. This part of the town might have been reserved to veterans. You could actually run through those garden, smash the walls, and proceed to your objective without a care in the world, but the though damaging such a peaceful place feels wrong. You’re quickly caught up by reality when your platoon finally spots an hostile.

Biscuit
<< Imps at twelve o’clock, on the main street, below. >>

As you make it to the ridge were the Mars is standing, you can see below, two or three hundred meters an infantry squad. Two maybe, they are retreating in the street as fast as their legs allow. On the other side there are two APCs and a truck, seemingly waiting for them.

Imperial corporal
<< We have a visual on them on Neunfeld strasse! >>

Olympus
<< Damn already? We need to hurry up. >>

It’s clear that they have spotted you, but they aren’t confrontational. You would certainly do the same thing if you were them. They aren't much of a threat anyway.

>Blast them
>Ignore them
>Other (write-in)

>>4425845
>Other (write-in)
Go stepdance on the apcs and continue moving onwards. Should leave them sufficiently stranded.

>>4425876
+1

>>4425876
This

>>4425876
+1
"What could possibly go wrong?" -Bubsy

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No time to stop, no ammo to spare on small fry. “Ignore them” you say on the radio. You start to go down the road zig zagging at a steep angle.

Sunburn
<< What are we supposed to do with them then, boss? >>

Good question. You sigh. You didn’t have to ask yourself those questions in space. You don’t need to wonder what to do with “prisoners” when they have nowhere to run. “I don’t know, walk over them when we pass next to their APC.”

Duster
<< Yeah, that’s right, what don’t you make your little step dance on it >>

Sunburn
<< Fuck off >>

Duster
<< Uwaaa, losing a beer belly is so easy >>

Biscuit takes the time to open com so everyone can hear him laughing. What are they even talking about?
You see the infantry men dropping their gun and jumping out of your way, trying to keep their hands up. You walk past them, seeing both marses taking the lead and rolling the APCs over while panicked crewmen are bailing out. You continue to follow the cables. Here, you don’t have the line of sight you had above. The row of houses make you feel claustrophobic. If only you could locate what took down your UAV…

Actually… You try to keep an eye on the road while checking the last bits of data the UAV sent you. There’s a few frame at the end… and at the last moment it was able pick up something… maybe

Biscuit
<< Uhh… Boss? >>

You look up and immediately understand the reason for his perplexity. The street end in a T intersection and the cables are going through a building in front of you. You look right and left. Seems like it's going to be a small detour and not. You will take that over the risk of having a building collapse on one of your lighter mechs. You put a hand on your mask: “We’re going to get around on the left”. No answer on the radio but they immediately start moving in the right direction.

You navigate through the intersections and a traffic sign get your attention. “Swimming pool”, “Gendarmerie”, “Public Aquarium”, “Stadtplatz Hotel”, your eyes stop at this one. You remember hearing a resistance member talking about it earlier. The first division HQ.

> Stay on target
> Locate and destroy the enemy AA
> Time to give an impromptu visit to the general Kempfer

>>4426251
>Time to give an impromptu visit to the general Kempfer
Seems prudent not to :^)

>>4426251
> Time to give an impromptu visit to the general Kempfer
Would be rude not to say "Hello" :^)

>>4426251
>Time to give an impromptu visit to the general Kempfer

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“Wait a second”, you say on your radio. The platoon stops. “I was talking with a resistance member earlier and he told me about the Stadtplatz Hotel. It’s where the first division HQ is located. If we attack it we might make the Erean’s job easier.”

Sunburn
<< We’re all over the place >>

You change direction and start to follow the traffic signs. It goes down toward the coast. It seems the Stadtplatz hotel is located near the sea. One thing you don’t like is the fact that more and more people are coming out to watch what is going on. You don’t know when the shooting is going to start, but you don’t want them to be in the way, even if they are imperials.

Imperial quartermaster
<< Sir… we need to leave now >>

Olympus
<< Is it possible to delay further? >>

Imperial quartermaster
<< No sir, they are coming for us. >>

Olympus
<< What do you mea- … of course they would come for the HQ! Good. We need to buy as much time as possible. Stall them. >>

Olympus
<< Bernstein, we need you here, forget about the port’s perimeter, we’ll try to pin them down in the Marina >>

You get to a promenade near the beach. A couple hundred meters aways, in the middle of the street you can see trucks and crates in front of a large building. Your target most likely. It seems they were packing up. Relocating maybe? Not on your watch. Your move forward at combat speed. As you approach, you’re quite surprised to not see the men run in panic. It’s quite the opposite actually. They are rushing behind cover. Most of them aren’t even in battle dress. What are they trying to do?

You don’t have time to wonder about it. An AT rocket hit the Vulcan, probably without making much damage. Your platoon instantly returns fire: auto-canon, gatling gun, HE shell, the place that looked like an ammo dump is drowned under suppressive fire. Why such a desperate defense? Why now? It barely makes sense. You still have to make a decision. You could run through them and force your way to the general. But with Imperial crawling all around, it will be harder to apprehend him once you’ve found him. Maybe you should take care of the sentry first...

>No time to explain, I have an appointment with Herr Kempfer.
>Sure, sure, I have an invitation, it’s in my pocket…
>Other (write-in)

>>4427558
>No time to explain, I have an appointment with Herr Kempfer.

>>4427558
>No time to explain, I have an appointment with Herr Kempfer.

>>4427558
>Other
If they want us to be here, let's not. Disengage and follow the cable.
I have a feeling that they're pinning us in place for whatever used all that energy.

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Rolled 99, 68, 16 = 183 (3d100)

For some reasons, the imperials want to pin you in place here. You won’t let them. “All units advance, if they don’t want to leave, we crush them under our feets”. Your platoon advances, laying a deluge of fire on the enemy position. By the time you get to the front of the hotel, trucks are burning, crates have been blown away by the explosions, their content laying around. But the enemy is resolute.

The firefight isn’t finished yet but you still want to establish a perimeter. You start to talk over the radio: “Biscuit, Sunburn, take position around the entrances, gun down anything that try to get in or get out, Duster, take position on the promenade and take care of anything that come our way.” Your men are quick to obey.

There are shadows creeping around using the cover of smoke and dirt. You approach the entrance of the building carefully. You can see the hall from here. The place must have been quite luxurious before being converted to a field HQ. The floor is made of marble and even with all pieces of plasterboard and ceiling, you can still see the reflection. Talking about the ceiling, it is pretty high. Your mech would certainly fit in but you’re not sure how far you could go with it.

A simpler approach would be for you to leave your mech and climb through a window. You can count on your platoon fire support as long as you don’t go too far inside. Your plugsuit should show up on their IFF so you don’t you’re not too worried about friendly fire.

Or you could just ask your platoon to ruin the building. You don’t need to make another prisoner that bad. While you ponder, imperials are sneaking around, you notice too late the one above you, peeking through the window above you.

>Coordinated imperial attack 2d100, targets in order: Titan, Biscuit if second roll is even, Sunburn otherwise. DC20

>>4428048
>See how far you can go inside with the Athena

You feel like a rabbit in the headlights. Time suddenly flows a lot slower. But you can't do anything except watch the imperial above you with a gaping mouth. You distinctively see him move his slinged AT rocket launcher around his hip. He d sets it up as you only start to raise the Athena main gun. The only thought that crosses your mind is that whatever comes out, it will go through your armor like it was butter. Not a mech designed for guerilla warfare you regret.

But nothing come. The soldier is as surprised as you are. Your gun continues to raise and you start to see him panicking. He jump back. His weapon must have malfunctioned and now it’s your turn. You almost feel out of your body when you finally press the trigger. The balcony your aiming for disappear in an explosion. Your mech is rocked by the point blank explosion and you hear a rain of rubble falling down, bouncing off the metal plates protecting your cockpit. You’re temporary blinded by the smoke.[Critical Failure]

On your left you hear a few auto-canon burst going off followed by a few grenades. You recognize the Mars grenade launcher. You're not the only one having trouble it seems. [4 degree failure]

Biscuit
<< Damn they are stubborn, good thing they don’t know how to aim. >>

>See how far you can go inside with the Athena
>Go through a window
>Just blast the building and get done with it.
>Other (write-in)

>>4428055
sorry pressed send by accident

>>4428057
>See how far you can go inside with the Athena

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By the way if you want to be informed when I update the quest, there is a discord you can join: https://discord.gg/9SCCay

Just ask for the cooli's quest role to be @ whenever I post an update

>>4428057
>See how far you can go inside with the Athena

>>4428057
>Just blast the building and get done with it.

>Just blast the building and get done with it.

>>4428796
>>4428887
+1'ng these instead so we can go on

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The situation is far from ideal. There are imperials all around. You’re having a headache trying to find a way to storm the building without any support. It’s not today that you will capture a general it seems. You’ll have to settle for scorched earth tactics. It should accomplish your original objective.

Your order over the radio to open fire on the Stadtplatz hotel. If you ruin their HQ, they won't be able to coordinate anything after all. You aim down the entrance hall and open fire. You can hear your platoon firing in echo: long burst of autocannons, a few grenades from the Marses, but it’s clearly the Vulcan, with his 122mm that does most of the leg work. Duster has plenty of HE shells for that since your resupplied not long ago.

Enemy fire dies down almost immediately. At least you’re firing in the good direction. You take a few steps back and aim for the upper windows and notice that there are already a few fires starting to burn. It’s a strange experience to hear your own shot through the enemy radio. You try to use it to guide your aim.

Imperial quartermaster
<< Sir, we’re waiting for you at the back of the hotel. I have a vehicle ready to extract you >>

Olympus
<< UnderstoPOM POM POMbe here shortly, I wasWOMPble long range radio >>

He sounded like he was somewhere on the second floor… But he stopped emitting before you could be more precise. On the bright side, you know where Kempfer is heading now. There still might be some hope for a bonus. You tell your platoon to hold the position while you try to find a way to get in the back of the building. You have to make a small detour but you finally find some back alley. It’s barely large enough but it will have to do.

Duster
<< Boss, I have Imps tanks coming down the promenade. They’re hiding behind buildings, only taking pot shots >>

Ah, the reinforcement Kempfer was calling for. They are already here. Duster should be able to keep them at bay. You advance in the alley, your armor scratching against the wall and end up. You finally make it. The street is almost calm compared to the one you just left. There is almost no smoke, yet you can’t find any sign of the vehicle they were talking about. Where the hell are they supposed to be? There’s only two sides to this damn hotel!

Sunburn
<< I’m under fire, four IFV coming from the city, can’t really move. I would appreciate some support >>

Great. Yet another one. They are trying to lock-up your unit in some kind of box. “Biscuit, see what you can do to help Sunburn.” you shout at the radio while trying to understand where the general could have disappeared.

>Forget about the general, time to break off
>He must be somewhere around here, you just have to look

Please roll 2d100, Duster to do more than keep the tanks at bay, Biscuit supporting Sunburn DC 59, 49 (lost initiative, no room to maneuver)

Rolled 26, 37 = 63 (2d100)

>>4429236
>He must be somewhere around here, you just have to look
uwaaa, 2 easy

Rolled 20 (1d100)

>>4429236
>He must be somewhere around here, you just have to look
Maybe he took a tunnel?

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>>4429240
I forgot to ask for 2*1d100, only the first one will co-
>>4429241
ha-hayai

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Allright, think Zaur. He did say that it would be at the back of the hotel. Maybe he was talking about a street close from here? You approach from the back of the hotel, looking in the adjacent streets but see nothing. Maybe there’s a tunnel somewhere around? To evacuate important persons? You don’t know you’ve never been in such a high class hotel! You scan the ground looking for a “secret evacuation tunnel” sign.

But something else gets your attention. An underground parking entrance. That must be what they were talking about. You move quickly toward it and take a look. You’ll have to bend but the Athena can fit. As you enter, you hear renewed combat erupting from the hotel proper.

Bernstein
<< We can’t pin them down, they are too aggressive and our firepower too limited. I’ve lost two tanks and half my IFV, I’ll have to break off soon. >>

You’re slipping off your seat, only held back by your harness. The ceiling is lower than expected, you’ve already scratched the top of your mech against it. Second time in five minutes. The mechanics are going to be angry about their paint job. They were quite proud about it. Usually they are not allowed to add a coat of paint for 0G operations. “Well, I’m fighting a real war here” you say out loud, arguing with an invisible mechanic.

Olympus
<< Koenig, we won’t be able to hold much longer. You have half an hour at best? >>

Koenig - 1
<< This morning, you told us we had a week, at noon you told us we had until the end of the day and now, after we lost power, you tell us we have half an hour? >>

Olympus
<< You can’t blame me for not anticipating the unforeseeable. You had the time my men were able to buy you with their blood. >>

Koenig - 1
<< It will have to do. >>

Wait, was the man talking over radio the same guy that just crossed your field of view? Kempfer! it’s gotta be! You accelerate as much as your comical position allow. You get around the corner. You come "face to face" with an APC. Or more to its back. It's waiting there - wait, no, it started to move when you arrived. The APC is starting to accelerate, toward another exit probably.

Oh no, no, you won’t allow the general to slip through your fingers like this.

>Try to disable the vehicle
>You can certainly outrun this rustbucket
>Other (write-in)

I need 1d100 for the action regardless of which one you pick. DC 54, DC 48 (I won't tell which one is what :^)

Rolled 51 (1d100)

>>4429305
>You can certainly outrun this rustbucket

Rolled 64 (1d100)

>>4429305
Gotta go fast?
>You can certainly outrun this rustbucket

>>4429305
>Other
Grab the APC and turn it over

>>4429305
>You can certainly outrun this rustbucket

File: Athena.gif (369 KB, 512x412)

369 KB GIF

https://a.pomf.cat/gatwvz.mp3

You can’t even raise your weapon properly with how cramped the underground is. It would be too dangerous to try to disable the APC like that. Fuck it, you’re not going to let yourself outrun by an APC. You start crawling awkwardly, using both the Athena’s leg and arm to gain some momentum. The vehicle loses most of its speed as it is forced to take a hard turn, almost hitting the opposite wall. Its tires squeal with burning rubber as the armor speeds up again. They have definitely seen you.

Your target disappears behind the corner, toward the second exit. Not the best way to start a car chase you think. You don’t slow down where the APC did. Instead you use your arm to bounce back against the wall and move as fast as you can. Thankfully you immediately see the daylight. You dash toward the ways out and quickly make it to the surface.

Imperial quartermaster
<< To all units, Olympus is being pursued on … Kepler Strasse. We need emergency support. >>

You can call for all the help you want, it won’t save you.You scan the area and locate the enemy APC, accelerating down the street you came from. It’s time for your mech to shine. You almost floor the accelerator pedal. The engine roars, the whole frame vibrates under the effort. You manually open the intakes protection plates in anticipation to help the turbine get those sweet RPM.

The vehicle you’re pursuing makes a hard turn left, for an instant it only stands on two wheels. You arrive quite quickly right behind it, slipping a bit yourself in the turn. But they have already turned right, trying to shake you off. You effortlessly follow, taking advantage of your mech’s auto-stabilization.

Olympus
<< We need to go faster, it’s catching-up on us! >>

The APC takes another series of turns and end on the promenade, racing again in the direction you came from: toward the port. With such a straight line, you let go of any caution you had until then. Both the Athena and your prey accelerate to their limits. Suddenly an alarm rings. An enemy tank appears from it’s hiding, a hundred meters in front. You first try to grab your shield but you know it’s too late, the gun is already trained on you.

For a split second, you frantically look for a way out. You try to find how to use the momentum of your mech to get in cover. You cling on the controls, but before you can do anything, a loud explosion resonates through your mech. The tank has just blown up in the most spectacular fashion.

Duster
<< Thanks boss, I had trouble getting rid of this one >>

You nervously laugh but don’t find anything snarky to answer in the heat of the moment. You’re almost at the end of the promenade and the vehicle decelerates for its next turn. Your occasion is here! It’s now or never! As you quickly reduce the distance between the both of you, you realize that the top hatch has opened. An imperial gets on the machine gun and rotates it toward you. Good thing you had the reflex to grab the Athena’s shield earlier. You just raise it and hear a flurry of bullets bouncing off the thick protective plate. The tracers are flying in all directions like some kind of mad fireworks.

The taillights of the APC shine of a red light. The distance between you suddenly shrinks. You pull on the controls, the mechs leans back and digs heels. The asphalt cracks and breaks under its weight but it stays stable. In the same movement you move your other robotic hand and grab the back of the vehicle around the tow hitch. As you come to a stop, you raise it. The armour is still furiously trying to accelerate on the front pair of drive wheels, to no avail. The driver finally gives up.

You call the rest of your platoon over the radio and enjoy the ephemere taste of triumph.[Success]

>Interrogate the good general (about what)
>Zip tie him to some pole somewhere he won’t be found
>Other (write-in)

>>4431059
>Zip tie him to some pole somewhere he won’t be found

>>4431059
>Zip tie him to some pole somewhere he won’t be found

>>4431059
>Interrogate the good general about what they used all that power for.

>>4431059
>>Interrogate the good general about {What they used all that power for. }
Then
>Zip tie him to some pole somewhere he won't be found

Though I ain't sure why were doing that...

File: Kempfer.jpg (623 KB, 1500x1000)

623 KB JPG

Koenig - 1
<< There is enough power for the starting sequence. We need to hold until then. >>

The rear doors of the APC opens. Men in impeccable uniforms are slowly getting out. Some of them look like they have been slightly wounded in the sudden half ot their vehicle. A few straggler keep their head inside, you understand why a moment later. They move one of their wounded comrades out of the hold and help him lie down directly on the road. You’re not really educated in imperial’s regalia so you have a hard time identifying the general. Luckily, your men are now establishing a perimeter, you can safely check
by yourself.

Your cockpit opens in a hiss. A minute later, you’re on the ground, a hand on your trusty SMG in case someone want to become a hero. Most of the men here have the look of pen-pushers so it shouldn’t be an issue anyway. You ask in a loud voice so everyone can hear: “I’d like to talk with the General Kempfer.”, they answer with silence. “I know he’s here, no need to waste more time here.” Again no answer and defiant eyes.

You sigh while you rub your hair stuck by sweat. "Ok, list-" you're stopped dead in your track when someone raises its hands. The wounded man they were carrying out of the vehicle. He seems weak. Fuck, he’s not going to die on you? You make your way through the uncooperative imperial officers and are received with half a smile. The man with graying hair looks like he’s in his fifties. Someone his holding a compress against his head, where he must have been hurt. The only thing differentiating him from his men is a few more buttonhole badges. The imperials like minimalism it seems.

“I guess you are here to take my surrender, mister …”, you answer : “Givi, Zaur Givi, Lieutenant of the Seghu Maru., a corsair's ship.”. He tries to get in a more dignified posture before talking, but you see he’s quite groggy. “Well, Lieutenant Givi, you’ve stolen the show today, my congratulations”. He sure isn't a sore loser.

Or he still had a card up his sleeve.

https://a.pomf.cat/iprved.mp3

“Thanks, in other times I would gladly continue with small talks but I still have work to do I'm on an ... 'investigation'. You see, I was able to determine that you were using a lot of power down here. You even installed your own power line directly connected to the district's power plant. I was wondering what all this energy was needed for."

He smile: “Ah … of course you’d be interested. It's not like it would be treason to just tell you at this point. I mean you would have discovered it sooner than later anyway.” he makes a pause, tries to sit up straight and finally settles on leaning against one of the vehicle's wheel. “I’m sure you’re aware this war isn’t going really well for us. We’ve been losing on all fronts, and recently the imperial navy supply lines have become … erratic. I suppose you’re partly to blame for that too” he laugh, lifting his head toward you.

“It all started with the planetary governor refusing the high command plan of creating a small foothold where we would regroup our forces. A place where we could protect the citizens of the inner systems while waiting for Morning Star to become get back on top of the priority list. I guess we would have been able to hold a few more year like that."

He closes his eyes for a moment, frowning because of the pain. He keeps them closed as he continues to talk: “The planetary governor, his excellency Mister Siegfried Horkheimer, have quite a few relations in the inner systems. He’s nobility you see. He thinks we can turn the tide, and the only thing we need is better equipment. Sure our tanks are old, we lack air support, we could do better with all the shiny things they are using in the outer systems. While we were being hammered, he was securing a shipment of military supplies for us. It feel like we were able to hold our thinning line just by sheer willpower. Men's courage, officer's shrewdness. In the end he was able to divert a freighter which was able to go through the blockade.”

He makes another pause, trying to catch his breath. “Does anyone have water… my… Where was I”, you look at the man holding the compress against his forehead and ask: “Don’t you have an autodoc or something? He could have concussions for all we know. He shakes his head. Well you have some, just need to grab them in his cockpit. “Wait for me, I’ll go fetch one”. You try to be quick, but your cockpit is a mess and you have trouble finding the medpack. You come back a few minutes later.

The General isn’t smiling anymore. He’s breathing heavily, but still finds the strength to greet you. “Ah, you’re back. I’ll continue then. Earlier this month, the rebels tried to cut us off from the planetary capital. But we were able to hold the rail junction. Normally we wouldn’t have tried a daring counter attack. Reducing the front size has been the high command objective since the beginning of the insurrection after all...” he stops for a few seconds, you think he actually passed out, but he clears his throat. You open the medpack and look through the items while he continue.

“But the planetary governor finally had his miracle weapons. With Aingstgaard’s salient, we had the opportunity to encircle the… to encircle the whole rebel’s second corps…”. You finally get your hand on an autodoc. You start to rotate the head, waiting for the display to show “concussion”. Kempfer continues in a low voice and you have to come forward to hear what he says next. “The shipment was delivered by sea… one of the few places we still control… we were to attack at the … end of the week … with the support … of …”.

You furiously rotate the head of the autodoc and finally get it on concussion mode. You pop the cap with your toothes and approach the stick from his neck. “Don’t pass out. Don’t pass out” you say with gritted teeth as the autodoc injects its drugs in the General. He whisper "The tech team arrived ... in advance ... to prepare the infrastructure. Colonial worlds aren't equipped ... to wage modern war ... you see. We had to ... makeshift ..."

When you step back, he’s unconscious. Did he really had to make a whole monologue to answer a simple question. Goddamit, you were humouring him because of the respect he had shown, but you now regret not just cutting him off and telling him to spill the beans. You swear a few times before calming down. Naturally, nobody want to talk. You're stuck with a bunch of carp. And you need to find a place to hold them until the Erean are here, and were they can't be found while you're away.

Because now, you have to deal with something supposed to turn the tide of the war.

>Look for the damn AA
>Move toward the dock, where the cable are going
>Other (write-in)

>>4433954
>Look for the damn AA

>>4433954
>Move toward the dock, where the cable are going

>>4433954
>Move toward the dock, where the cable are going

>>4433954
>Move toward the dock, where the cable are going

>>4433954
>Look for the damn AA

https://a.pomf.cat/jlvlde.mp3

You tighten the last zip-tie handcuff around the officer's wrists. His arm are wrapped around a wooden beam. Sure it isn’t comfortable but that’s the best you could find on such a short notice. An abandoned building near a pier. By the look of it, it was a boat rental business. Pictures promising unforgetable unforgettable holidays, cabotaging along the coast. It seems it has been closed for a few months already. Dust is piling up inside. The selling point for you was the basement. The solid lock should deter any attempt at freeing the officers under your custody, at least until you finish your investigation.

You climb the stairs and hesitate to cut the light cruelly before leaving. You decide against it and close the heavy wooden door behind you. You jam the lock and leave the building without closing the front door. Soon after, you’re back at the command of the Athena. The first thing you do is to open a communication channel with the Captain Preiss: “Titan speaking, I’m currently sending you coordinates through my datalink. Please send some men there as soon as possible. You’ll find the general Kempfer with members of his staff in the basement. They are alive and well and hopefully will wait nicely for your recovery. We’re proceeding to the port. Please be aware that current intel suggests that the threat is really high. Over''

Captain Preiss
<< Unexpected but a great news Titan. Kempfer is one of the most experienced leader in the Imperial army. Him being captured will be a terrible blow to the Imperials. We’ve started the attack second line of defense by the way. First reports are encouraging >>

You politely excuse yourself. The next communication is for your team. They are already aware of what Kempfer told you and now everyone is sharing your concern. When you open the channel, you can’t hear the usual idle banters. The tension is high. “I’m done with the prisoners, we’re going back to the power cables and we follow them wherever they go”. You receive unenthousiast acknowledgement. As you go through the city, you notice that the atmosphere has changed in the city itself. It’s pretty heavy, no childrens going around, no curious bystander slowing you down. The firefight earlier must have convinced them. To add to the gloomy mood, the weather is deteriorating.

You’re now going uphill, following a road that zig-zag against the hillside. An armored car appears. It uses the colors of the gendarmerie. When you come face to face the vehicle immediately stops. The tension is high, all your platoon’s guns are aimed at it. But the confrontation doesn’t happen. It starts to reverse and leaves the road at the first possible intersection. You finally get on top. You’ve got an excellent view from here and after some recon job, you spot where the cables are ending. Two warehouses on the seafront, isolated from the rest of the dock. Behind it, a massive half-unloaded freighter.

File: unknown.png (1.5 MB, 1289x724)

1.5 MB PNG

You decide to stay there a few more minutes to acquire a better picture of your target. You push your optics to there limits. There’s all kinds of equipment laying around: construction materials, steel beams but also electrical equipment you don’t really recognize except for the cable coils. There’s accomodations for a team of around fourty: tents, water tanks, field toilets and kitchens, a big pile of backpacks betray their number. For some reason, you can’t see anyone. There’s a few foldable tables surrounded by portable screens and whiteboards. Looks like it was abandoned in the middle of a meeting. You can't see the details on them, but you manage to spot a field server linked to a generator unit and a satellite antenna. On the right there are a few unloaded trucks hiding under a camouflage net. At the foot of one of them, there’s some kind of high tech dispositive you don’t recognize.

Biscuit
<< There’s a lot of transformers. The scaffolding-like structures with fans on top is a water cooling array. I guess they need at least that with all the energy that was going through. There’s a few field generators too. Or batteries maybe, I’m not sure. >>

Not sure how he knows all of that. Not sure about a lot of things about Biscuits. He has always been the mysterious kind that doesn't talk much about his past.The only thing that betray his origins is his thick Erean's highlands accent that come forth when he's drunk. You notice a few imperial units, but they are all retreating toward the south. Avoiding any confrontation. It's quite strange that they just abandon without a fight after holding their ground with such zeal earlier. Well, ennemy radio chatter have been confused since Olympus stopped responding.

You look around a bit. The more you think about it, the more you like this position. You have a good overview of the area and you could provide fire support to your team while they continue toward the warehouses.

It comes with trade offs though. There’s a lot of buildings before your objective. That’s a lot of places to hide from you there’s a lot of places a potential enemy could hide from you. Sure, you could shoot through them, but without a drone to guide your shot, it would be blind shooting.
That and being left alone in a terrain that is not completely secured.

Droplets starts to appear in your sight.
Ah... it started to rain.

>Stay here in overwatch
>Follow the rest of the platoon
>Other (write-in)

>>4436897
>Follow the rest of the platoon
A sniper needs good lines of fire

>>4436897
>Follow the rest of the platoon

>>4436897
>Follow the rest of the platoon
inb4 wacky woohoo Ace Combat Weather Machine

https://a.pomf.cat/ykmshk.mp3

“Let’s continue”, you announce on the radio. The column starts going down toward the port. You close and open your hands, trying to fight off their shaking. Anticipation and fatigue are making your body a battlefield where both adrenalin and melatonin are fighting in a terrible struggle. Your legs are restless, you keep yawning, filling your eyes with water, environmental control now makes you feel cold. The most unpleasant is to have a dry throat.

The lack of enemy resistance makes you uncomfortable. On your way lies the testimonies of Imperial army presence. Bars room’s hastily converted into pillboxes, unmanned roadblocks, they even dug trenches in the flower bed next to the road. Yet they abandoned it all. Puzzling.

You arrive on a big avenue. Not a car in sight, the cable continues through a park: “Aingstgaard botanical garden” it says at the entrance. Your platoon follows. Looks like the park suffered from the harsh summer. Grass has a yellowish yue and the plants are withering. Rain was needed indeed. As your mind wanders, you pick-up a radio message on short wavelengths.

Koenig - 4
<< They crossed the entrance and are proceeding toward the fountain. >>

Your heart misses a beat. Your eyes open wide, looking for a fountain, but your field of view is cut by the vegetation. Is he talking about your team? You loose your focus for half a minute and that's how your punished.

Koenig - 1
<< Wait for them to advance further. >>

You see it! Behind the edge. A fountain in the middle of an open terrain with only a few kiosk and benches. The perfect spot for an ambush. “Everyone, hold”, you say quickly on the radio. “Open your eyes, we might be walking into a trap” you add. Duster lower his weapons in a bid to fake obliviousness to danger.

Koenig - 4
<< They have stopped >>

No doubt allowed anymore. They are talking about you. And you don’t have much time to react before they understand something is off.

>Push, can’t be an ambush if you’re the one to attack
>Wait, let them make the first mistake
>Retreat, you don’t know how deep you’re in
>Other (write-in)

>>4437989
>Push, can’t be an ambush if you’re the one to attack

>>4437989
>Other
Where can the ambushers be located? Try to find the probable positions

>>4437989
>Retreat, you don’t know how deep you’re in

>>4437989
>Push, can’t be an ambush if you’re the one to attack
Start playing loud noises on their coms so they can't send orders fast

>>4438000
You can try to send your last drone but it can't go high because of the AA so it's possible it end up destroyed by the ennemies you're trying to monitor.

Otherwise just wait and hope you'll spot them before they engage.

File: ambushed.png (980 KB, 1078x502)

980 KB PNG

https://a.pomf.cat/doxhsj.mp3

Great, great, great. An ambush. So that’s what the imperials were preparing. If you believe radio chatter, they are waiting for you, it most likely means that you’re not entirely in the killzone yet. If one of them can see you, they are probably spread out around the park. You switch your control mode to only move the cameras. You want to scan the area without alerting your enemies. You start to talk on the local net: “Bad new, I'm now sure that we are walking in an ambush”.

Sunburn
<< So... what do we do boss? >>

The enemy has chosen the location, but you’ve stolen the timing. You don’t really know about the enemy firepower, but you’d like to avoid anything nasty now. It would be hard to redeploy the field workshop at that point. Maybe you can unbalance them by gushing out suddenly and get out of the kill-box before they can properly react. They certainly expect you to retreat once things start to get heated. Best thing you can do is to act unexpectedly. You’re going to use all your firepower to punch through their line and wonder what to do later, once you’ll be safe. You press your mask against your face: “We walk right through it and push forward.”

Duster
<< The tactical genius strike again! >>

You ignore his sarcasm and continue. “Biscuit, you’ll take the left flank, Sunburn, the right. You’re going to move at full speed toward the north end of the park and continue until we’re bot under fire anymore. You’ll inject diesel on your exhaust to deploy smoke screens. Duster, since you're slower, you will move forward using the cover of the smoke. On your way, you'll fire on the targets designated through the data link by the Marses. You’ll use your exhaust too, I’ll stay in reserve behind you. I’ll hit hard target in priority, try to focus on the soft one. Any questions?”

Duster
<< Just so you know, I’m low on HE shells >>

You answer: “Use what is left, we need all the firepower we can muster”. You wait for a few seconds but no questions come. “Get in positions, start at a slow pace, and as soon as you get in the open terrain, you move as fast as you can.”. Not much left to say. Your unit is on the move again. You slowly leave the hedge and trees, your speed slowly increases as you keep up with the rest. Soon, the Marses exhaust starts to smoke heavily. Right after it’s the Vulcan’s turn. In a few seconds you're enveloped in smoke and rely on the other mechs to navigate and fight in the pea soup.

Rolled 87, 27 = 114 (2d100)

Koenig - 4
<< I think we’ve been spotted, they are accelerating and deploying smokes >>

Immediately you tell your platoon to go to full speed. Like a coiled spring, your group start to charge. You’ve already covered most of the open area when the ambush start.

Koenig - 1
<< All units, attack. >>

The only thing left now is discipline, skills, courage and more importantly : luck. And luck has been on your side this whole time. There’s a saying in the Seghu maru’s crew: Lady luck love her cors- the train of your thought is interrupted by the Athena tactical assistant.

Onboard Computer
<< Enemy mech detected >>

>Fuck
>Shit
>Other (write-in)

>Since you’re rushing the enemy, only two enemy mechs will be able to open fire on the first round. DC 50 (smoke, fast moving, CIWS)

>Please roll 4 * 1d100 for everyone’s Attack rolls DC 44, 37, 39, 49 (ambushed)

“Yep, that’s an ambush.” you tell on the local net. If they are waiting for you, it must mean that you’re not completely in their killzone. They must have

Rolled 8 (1d100)

>>4438386
LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOO

File: poutingCatte.png (101 KB, 327x298)

101 KB PNG

btw ignore last sentence, it's something left from the first draft that was caught in a copy / paste

Rolled 81 (1d100)

>>4438386
>For fuck sake
>Dice

File: As it has been foretold.png (5 KB, 551x97)

5 KB PNG

Rolled 47 (1d100)

>>4438386
>Prioritize pressing forward over shooting. We need to break through the ambush.
>Can we try to hack enemy mechs?

Rolled 23 (1d100)

>>4438386
>Other (write-in)
Ebin :D

File: cataphract.jpg (540 KB, 1600x834)

540 KB JPG

Rolled 1 (1d8)

https://a.pomf.cat/kbjoej.mp3

“For fuck’s sake” your groan to yourself, banging your free hand against the cockpit’s wall. Now more than ever you must break through the ambush. You inform your platoon that the plan remains unchanged but a more sustained pace would be appreciated. As you get out of the clearing, the Marses start to lay down a suppressive fire in the general direction of the enemy.

Said enemy immediately returns fire. Both yours and theirs is rather imprecise. You don’t have their exact position but you know there is at least a mech in front of you. Your men maneuver to use the terrain, trying to conceal their positions, but soon enough you're completely exposed, and so are the imperial mechs. You’re momentarily relieved when you're informed of their model through the datalink.

Cataphracts. They were the workhorse of the Unification War. Millions were produced and unleashed on multiple worlds of the inner sphere. Their designs were refined through the experience of countless battles to evolve and become the perfect weapons of war. A symbol for the empire and the cornerstone of all the innovations that make modern mechs today. Yet, everything needs to retire one day, and the Cataphracts were slowly phased out of service, delivered to garrisons all around the empire or to bolster the security of the isolated worlds.

And from what you can gather, on colonial worlds in open revolt. It seems the ones you’re fighting are modernized versions, equipped with a pair of heavy auto-cannons and an unguided rocket bay. As much as they are pieces of history they are still very much a threat. You’re reminded of it when a rocket explodes in the middle of your formation, shaking Athena as a whole. Another one hits behind you and you can feel your mech tipping from the blast. Another pretty much vaporizes a greenhouse not too far from Sunburn. A grim reminder of the Cataphract’s firepower. [ Koenig - 1: 3 degrees of failure ]

You order your platoon to avoid the enemy while following an arc just out of its optimal range. It keeps shooting burst after burst of auto-cannons without much success. The Marses are too nimble and the shells are bouncing off when they hit the Vulcan’s armor. Another Cataphract appears dangerously close on your right. You don’t have the time to react and a long burst of autocannons hit Sunburn’s mech right in the center of mass. Your heart skips a beat as you see his mech losing speed and balance. [ Koenig - 2: 1 degree of success (body) ]

Reflexively, you stop and raise your weapon toward the new enemy. Not much time to aim: you shoot toward the vague colored shape visible on your HUD thanks to the datalink. Your tactical assistant informs you of the high probability of a hit right in the middle of the target. The mech staggers back and it tumbles back into a building. [ 3 degrees of success (body) ]

Rolled 2 + 2 (1d10 + 2)

Sunburn
<< Fuuuckk *cough* >> [ 1d10-2 hp loss ]

Your attention comes back to the Mars, it’s started to move, albeit slowly. It opens fire in the direction of the fallen Cataphract, without aiming much. You can see it from one of its camera feeds that the gun stabilization doesn't seem to work and each shot falls a bit randomly around it’s target. Sunburn’s mech falls back in formation and opens fire using its minigun.

Sunburn
<< Fucking Imps *cough* not gonna kill me >>

Tracers are bouncing off everywhere but the targets. [ 4 degrees of failure ]

You quickly understand why when you take a look at the platoon’s view. Sunburn’s targeting computer has been destroyed by the hit he took; everything is in manual. You start to share your own targeting computer through the datalink-not ideal but better than nothing. [ Sunburn’s targeting computer destroyed: -10 to aim ]

On your left, Biscuit is raising hell to compensate. The regular bang of his cannon can be heard. You can see on his video feedback the weapon smoking as water is automatically poured to cool it off. A joke crosses your mind about asking him to deploy smoke using his exhausts, not his gun, but it never crosses your lips. [ 2 degrees of failure ]

Instead you take a look back to check if anything tries to attack from the rear. You slow down a bit to get out of the smoke, just enough to pick up two other mechs coming from your back. They’ll soon be in range you think, as you almost collide with the Vulcan. For some reason it has stopped. You don’t have the time to ask, you already receive a justification.

Duster
<< Can’ hit anything like that, give me a second >>

The second feels like an hour with the Cataphract coming for you from behind. You’re back inside the Vulcan’s smoke screen so you can’t even try to shoot at your pursuers. He fires once. You can hear him swear a moment later. Auto-cannon shells are starting to hit his armor as you stopped moving but Duster stays impassible. He makes another shot and this time you take a peek to his HUD. The shell makes an arc before hitting the mech you were trying to avoid. Flames and sparks gush out of the mechs left arm. A second later you see the autocannons dangling down miserably.[ 2 degrees of success (LA) ]

Duster
<< Here we go >>

The heavy mech starts to move again and you realize you’ve almost made it out. One of your Mars have been damaged but the rest of the team is almost unscathed. Maybe you could take advantage of the Imperial platoon being seperated to attack its weakest link. Another idea would be to continue toward an easily defensible position, and let them come if they wish. Or maybe you shouldn’t push your damn luck and just break through and wait to be safe to prepare a counter-attack.

>Find a defensive position and endure
>Break off and come back on your own term
>Attack the isolated and (damaged) mech in front of you
>Other (write-in)

>human HP = 10 hp + constitution mod (4 in sunburn’s case)
I’ll make a map tomorrow if needed

>>4441867
>Attack the isolated and (damaged) mech in front of you

>>4441867
>Attack the isolated and (damaged) mech in front of you

>>4441867
>Attack the isolated and (damaged) mech in front of you
To roll with a penalty, you have to type dice+1d10+-2.

File: botanical_garden.png (457 KB, 2182x1425)

457 KB PNG

Rolled 56, 91, 98, 35 = 280 (4d100)

https://a.pomf.cat/ziheyc.mp3

Koenig - 2
<< static been hitstaticot sure I’ll be able to restart it>>

With one of the Cataphract down, you have numerical superiority. Moreover, the one in front of you is alone and damaged. Maybe you can neutralize it before the mechs behind you catch-up. But if you can’t, you’ll end in a cross-fire. You’ll have to create at least a small defensive perimeter to serve as a buffer.

It’s a gamble but a gamble you’re willing to make.

You start to talk on the platoon net: “Duster, you are going to slow the ones behind us. Sunburn, Biscuit, we press forward. We need to disable the last cataphract left.” after they confirm the reception of your order, you break off from Duster and you accelerate to get to your vanguard. Duster slow down and move toward a building where he will be able to hide in case his opponents have good aims.

Duster
<< I will count on you to light my targets, Boss >>

If you can, there's exhaust smoke everywhere now. It must me a nightmare for your enemies.

> Koenig - 1 auto-canons have been disabled. It will open fire with his remaining DC 50 ( smoke, fast-moving, wrong weapon)
> Koenig - 3, 4 are attacking your rearguard DC 50 (smoke, long range, CIWS)
> Koenig - 2 is doing something DC XX
> need 4*1d100 for your platoon attack DC 54, 27, 49, 69

Rolled 56 (1d100)

>>4442973

Rolled 78 (1d100)

>>4442973

Rolled 69 (1d100)

>>4442973

Rolled 44 (1d100)

>>4442973

https://a.pomf.cat/jtrtuk.mp3

Koenig 1

<< They’re rushing me, I need support. >>

You can feel goosebumps on your body. You move through a vegetable garden, crushing tomatoes and other vegetables you can’t identify. You almost jump on your seat when you hear the missile approach warning system alarm sound. You look in the direction indicated, but you can’t see any trail. The alarm stop. The next second, a rocket, very real this time explodes between the Sunburn and Biscuit without any damage. Another one goes way too high and misses your formation completely. The last one hit a garden shed, vaporizing it on impact. [ Failure ]

While Sunburn and Biscuit get most of the attention, you get in firing position. You can’t see your target, but your men can and they are sharing his position. The silhouette of the Cataphract appears on your HUD, in a bluish hue. It seems to be retreating toward the building on its right. You just have to align your sight with it and it should be the end of him. Now you can move on to th-

Biscuit

<< Uh… You just missed boss. Like five meters off. >>[ Failure [failure]]

-e next targ- wait what? Instinctively, you load another shell in the chamber. Maybe it’s fatigue, you didn’t sleep nearly enough after all. You blink a few times and end with your eyes wet. You’re not sure because your view split until another blink removes the moisture excess, but you’re under the impression the silhouette display is glitching. Your sight is perfectly aligned. You press the trigger, the Athena rock a little but a few seconds later, Biscuit tells you that you missed again.

You watch as Biscuit and Sunburn continue to approach methodically the position of your opponent. Biscuit is laying a pretty dense suppressive fire while Sunburn is moving for the kill while you wonder what is wrong with your gun. [ Failure, 2 degrees ]
A battlefield is not the best place to run a diagnostic. You suddenly hear the radioactivity alarm but it stops as quickly as it started. Then it’s the temperature display that shows fanciful numbers. Wait, are you being hacked? You quickly check if anything is running on your system or if some new users have appeared, but to no avail. It seems your sensors are having a stroke.

Duster
<< Uhh, boss, they should be pretty close, I need targets on the datalink. >>

Fuck, that’s right, you don’t have time for that. You quickly look toward the Vulcan hidden in a cloud of exhaust’s smoke. He’s under heavy fire but it’s highly imprecise. The few shots that manage to connect just slides along the armor. [ Failure 4 degrees ]

On the right, you spot one of the Cataphract. You won’t need to relocate to provide a target at least. You tag it on the datalink and tell on the radio: “Here !”, make him another asshole you think silently as Duster opens fire and… misses??? Your brain is working at full steam. “Uhh… compensate, five meter, left.” you tell on the platoon network.

Duster might have been surprised by your request, but he still obeys. Another shot from the Vulcan’s 122mm and another miss, but closer from the target. He’s not the only one, Sunburn starts to complain on the radio that all his shots are off too. You can’t just stay here and correct Duster’s every shot like some antediluvian artillery pieces. And even in this case you would have a laser designator to guide the shell. Wait… a laser designator? You flick a few switches and ask: “Can you try again, but on the lased target instead?”

With your guidance, Duster opens fire. You follow the shell with your eyes. The projectile hit the mech’s left leg in a flurry of spark and smoke. The mech comes to a stop as it tries to lean on its damaged leg. It almost loses balance but eventually manages to stand on its supports. You notice that a fire has started toward the articulation. [ Success, two degrees ]

It seems damage is more extensive than you first thought. The mech fire a few rockets in retaliation. Or at least try. The first one fires normally and hits the building Duster uses as cover, but the next one never comes. Maybe a misfire, or a damaged rockets, you will never know because the whole rocket pod implode and spectacularly damage the left side of the Cataphract [ Critical failure ]

You’re ecstatic. But the situation isn’t as it was. The mechs in your back are getting close and from what you hear on the radio, the mech you were attacking is still standing.

>support duster and let the other two engage Koenig 1 in close quarter
>continue your attack, can’t miss at point blank
>fall back in the adjacent streets
>other write-in

>>4445656
>support duster and let the other two engage Koenig 1 in close quarter

>>4445656
>support duster and let the other two engage Koenig 1 in close quarter

>>4445656
>support duster and let the other two engage Koenig 1 in close quarter

File: koenig4.png (5.85 MB, 2048x1365)

5.85 MB PNG

Rolled 34, 53, 84 = 171 (3d100)

You start to move on the right to get a visual on the second target. Firing with a direct line of sight might solve your problem, and will make correction easier anyway. While on the move you give orders to your vanguard. “Sunburn, Biscuit, take the lead and corner this fucker before he gets behind the building. Try to get in close quarters, it might help with the aiming issue.”

Biscuit
<< Aiming issue? I don’t have any? >>

“It will be easier to put holes in the Imps rust buckets anyway” you answer. The Mars will have the advantage against the clumsy old Cataphracts at short range. You take a look at your new opponents. It seems they are occupied enough by Duster. They don’t notice your relocation. You raise your weapon aiming for the left one while you use your laser designation pod on the damaged one.

>Koenig 2, out of ammo charges against nimbler mechs DC 30
>Koenig 3 and 4 get closer DC 60 (Smoke (CIWS))
>Sunburn and Biscuit get into close quarter, need 2*1d100 DC 37, 69
>Titan and Duster fends off the attackers, nedd 2*1d100 DC64, 69

Rolled 30 (1d100)

>>4446870
Get it!

Rolled 29 (1d100)

>>4446870
Wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

Rolled 23 (1d100)

>>4446870
Go go go

Rolled 95 (1d100)

>>4446870

File: germanderie dash doll.png (254 KB, 960x432)

254 KB PNG

>>4446870

https://a.pomf.cat/iwqoui.mp3

You press the trigger. You can hear the muffled detonation from outside the cockpit as the heavy caliber anti-material shell leaves the muzzle of your weapon. It feels like the high velocity projectile almost instantly hit. The right leg of the so call "Koenig - 4" explodes above the articulation as it tries to climb on a terrace. Clearly you have no trouble aiming when you have a direct sight. The mechs immediately lose balance as the severed limb falls off. The pilot managed to avoid fall using the platform it was trying to climb as a support, flipping tables in the process.

It tries to rotate towards the new threat, but a second shell is already loaded. The Cataphract’s auto-canons start to shoot but miss from a dozen meters. You won’t miss. The light in the top corner of your HUD starts to shine. Smoke around the Athena’s gun is blown away and your seat shake.The second shot hits the enemy mech’s body just between the cockpit and the engine's intake. You can see an explosion behind where the projectile exits. The autocanon’s stop firing and you can see flames coming out of the engine’s block. Yet, the broken mech still tries to move, its frame twisting pathetically on the ground. [Success, 4 degrees]

Koenig - 4
<< This is 4, this piece of junk won’t move. I’m sorry. >>

Koenig - 1
<< You bought precious time. Get out of here, that’s an order. >>

Koenig - 4
<< … >>

Koenig - 4
<< Alright. I’m out. >>

Explosive bolts start to detonate all around the cockpit's canopy, projecting it a few meters away. Right after, a rocket propelled ejection capsule comes through and flies away in an arc. That kind of device has a range up to 2km, depending on the model. Pilot’s recovery wasn’t a priority, back in the time where mechs were mass produced commodities engaged in a war of a mind boggling scale.

You turn your attention to the next mech. Unfortunately, you can’t precisely pinpoint its position because of the vegetation. Duster decide to get out of the smoke to make a quick recon. With your support, he should be able to hunt down the last mech easily. But he’s greeted with the rattling of an auto-canon. Shells are bouncing off the Vulcan’s armor, ricocheting against the building behind and shredding the tree around. Luckily it doesn't seem to do any damage. [Success, armor resisted]
The sheer volume of fire still force Duster back inside the smoke. He try to return fire: a few bursts from his hips 40 millimetres. But they aren't that effective in suppressing his opponent. He end up trapped in his own smoke screen, unable to do anything for now. [ Failure, 2 degrees ]

You try to maneuver to get an angle. Meanwhile, you open a window on Biscuit’s video feedback to see how it's going on on there side. Said feedback is glitchy for some reasons but you still manage to understand the action. It seems they are rushing to the contact, and they are not the only one. The Cataphract is coming to meet them head on. But the situation for the imperial pilot is hopeless. With a destroyed auto-canon and its rocket depleted, he try to force your men into a melee combat where he could potentially snap victory from defeat’s jaws. But the Mars is way too maneuverable compared to it, and your Vanguard has an easy time denying him his brawl. [ Failure ]

On the other hand, Sunburn and Biscuit are able to make a mountain’s cheese out of the Cataphract. Auto-canons are spitting lead in short bursts. If the armor is able to stop some of the shells, most are getting through. Soon, the Imperial mech is looking more like a smoking mountain cheese than a museum piece. Sunburn methodically destroys the sensors while Biscuit is punching as much hole in the hull as it is possible. Soon the defeated frame falls on its knees. [ Success Head ][ Success Body ]

Koenig - 1
<< Damned rebels! >>

Koenig - 1
<< That’s the end for me too it seems. Hold them off as long as you can. Good luck. >>

You can hear the bitterness in his voice. The situation would have been really different today if you didn't came. But you walked all over with your boots. Over the crisp, white sheets the Imperials had layed. In the same way, the last pilot did, he ejects. The situation definitely turned in your favour. Maybe Lady Luck didn’t abandon you after all. The only enemy unit left is a crippled mech trying to wait out of the clock.

>Once more, unto the breach
>Break off, continue toward the port
>Other (write-in)

>In case you want to end the last mech, I'll need 4*1d100
>Koenig 3 will retaliate, DC 60

Rolled 71 (1d100)

>>4448571
>Once more, unto the breach
Once more, unto the 1*d100

Rolled 13 (1d100)

>>4448571
>Break off, continue toward the port
F these dudes. They're stalling us for something & they are REALLY counting on it.

>I'll still roll for the thing in case everyone else prefers ending the enemy mech but vote is still for the Port break off

>>4448571
>Break off, continue toward the port

Sunburn
<< We’re done with ours, Boss, do you need help? >>

You think before answering. The last Cataphract is a wreck. It’s mobility has been greatly reduced when it lost its left leg. Moreover, one of it’s weapon systems has been destroyed. You’ve been lucky until now, only Sunburn has been really damaged. You’re not sure you want to risk that good result by attacking a cornered enemy. The threat is negligible, with its speed, it won't be able to keep up if you leave the area. you can safely leave the area. Losing more time would be playing the Imperials game anyway.

“We’re breaking off, everybody retreat in the streets east from here. We will reorganize near the cable and continue toward the port.” you answer in your oxygen mask. Nobody questions your order, everybody wants to be done with this mission. You abandon your position and dash toward the east. On your way, you run past the first mech you disabled. A man in imperial colors standing in the open cockpit. He looks at you as you pass next to him, with a defiant stare.

You navigate through a business district. Brand new buildings covered in tainted glasses. You’re not sure they are even used by actual companies. The streets are even emptier here. The fact they are also larger makes it even more obvious. You can see an avenue of traffic lights changing color for nobody. You make it to the seaside street and find the rest of your
platoon there.

You start to move with the rest of your unit. From here you can see the huge freighter. Below it, there’s a loading area, and the hangars you’ve spotted earlier. They are separated from the rest by barriers but also, surprisingly, by anti-tank obstacles. You don’t see any movement there. As you continue your approach, you receive a communication from your Erean liaison.

Captain Preiss
<< Titan, I’ll just repeat what I’ve been told. Apparently, the meteorological satellite we’re using for recon has detected an anomaly in the ionosphere’s magnetic field. It happened ten minutes ago and the origin is an electrostatic power surge coming from Aingstgaard area. >>

Captain Preiss
<< I’m not sure about the details but it seems that the thing the Imperials have brought is activating. I thought you wanted to know. Preiss out. >>

That explain a few things, you think, as you yawn. You feel like you're at the end of the rope. Adrenalin from the last fight is slowly wearing off and tiredness is taking its toll. Maybe you should stay back, provide long range support. It would give you some time to understand what was wrong with your mechs in the last battle. Or maybe you should go through that final stretch with your men and some chemical help.

> Wait here in support and try to correct the influence of the electromagnetic anomaly on your mechs
> Accompagny everyone and finally put to use those amphetamines
> Other (write-in)

>>4450130
> Wait here in support and try to correct the influence of the electromagnetic anomaly on your mechs

>>4450130
> Wait here in support and try to correct the influence of the electromagnetic anomaly on your mechs
Meth is cerebrotoxic. Each dose, no matter how small, kills a part of your brain.

>>4450130
>Wait here in support and try to correct the influence of the electromagnetic anomaly on your mechs

File: hangar.png (7.81 MB, 2560x1440)

7.81 MB PNG

“Biscuit, you take the lead. Bring the platoon to the hangars behind the anti-tank obstacles. I’ll stay here. there’s a good line of sight, I’ll provide support if necessary. Hopefully I’ll manage to fix the issue with our mechs.” you announce.

Biscuit
<< Roger that. You’ve heard the boss? Sunburn, you take the right flank, Duster, you cover me. >>

With that done, you start to look around in Athena's system. You have some intuition about the source of the problem, but you want to check once more that there is no obvious sign of tampering. This time, you take a more thorough approach. You’re not under fire after all, the only thing left. From the high level of stress you were dealing with earlier, only a lingering feeling of uneasiness is left. You start a few self-diagnosis programs and begin to read through the logs of the datalink.

Nothing catches your attention. Direct aim seems to be working properly. Laser designation too. When you try to aim at one of the Mars, using the Vulcan datalink, you notice that your aim is off. It’s at that moment that you notice that it's not the aiming system that is off but the positioning system. When you check on your map, your platoon appears to walk in water. In reality, they are moving safely on a concrete pontoon. At least, the anomaly is consistent, it seems every positions are misaligned the same way. You try to apply an offset to your positions, and after a few tweakings, everything seems to work properly again.

You know that sometimes, thunderstorms can alter communication with satellites, but usually it only results in a few centimeters discrepancy. Here, a datalink guided missiles could hit the wrong building. You quickly inform the Erean army that their network is acting up. It might be related to the energy spike they detected.

Captain Preiss
<< Understood, I'm in direct contact with TACINT, I'll give you an update if we manage to see where this come from >>

You can think about a lot of devices that could potentially have similar results. But as much as you proud yourself in your hardware knowledge, most of it is pretty theoretical. You’ve lived all your life on that rock imperials qualify as backwater and your empirical experience is clearly not enough to come up with a satisfying theory. Mildly frustrated, you abandon those idle thought. The only thing left is to brace yourself for the inevitable.

It seems you’re not the only one pressured. Your unit is advancing in silence, communication is reduced to the strict minimum. Even Duster is on the edge. He was the only experienced pilot in your unit when the platoon was formed. He was conscripted and spent 10 years in the outer systems. Not enough to separate him from his childhood sweetheart, mind you. Sure, it was only a mech recovery unit, but he had seen combat. He was one of the few to know what to expect, maybe that's why he felt compelled to join a corsair's crew, even with such a big family relying on him. His confidence was contagious. You remember your first sortie. It was supposed to be an undefended freighter and obviously it was a trap. Under enemy fire, barely trained, you lost it completely. But in the general panic, he was like a rock. You’re not sure you would have made it through without him.

You blink a few times, shaking your head and trying to focus back on the situation. They have just entered the compound, crushing the anti-tank obstacles on their way. As they walk through small empty tents, you get a view at some foldable tables covered with documents and portable terminals. But no sign of life. It’s like they left in a hurry. Biscuit avoids a transport land drone left in the way and arrives next to an impressive electrical installation. He lets out a long whistle.

Biscuit
<< Well, that’s some kind of shitty stop gap transformers we have here. I’m pretty sure these parts are from an imperial spaceship. >>

Sunburn
<< That can't be good news? >>

Biscuit
<< At least, it tells us that they are forced to work with what they can get their hands on. >>

Wires are running everywhere, rugged screens monitoring the equipements status are emerging here and there in the sea of cables. There’s a few diesel generators that surprisingly still run, powering a cooling array. The fans are still rotating and with the rain, you can see the heat dissipating, even an hour after the power was cut off. Hundred-pin connectors are exiting from a circuit breaker and are plugged in mobile battery packs. On the other side, four thick cables are going through a small door entering one of the hangars.

Your mens start to go around the transformer, walking dangerously close from the edge of the quay.

Duster
<< We should have gone through the tin fence instead >>

They arrive on the side you were seeing earlier from the peak of the ridge. The only details you missed are food wrappers scattered here and there. You could seize the portable mainframe and the computers scattered around to do some data mining, but you prefer to first secure the place. If they had the time to move before your arrival, maybe you'll find more informations in them.

https://a.pomf.cat/hidiob.mp3

Your men arrive in some kind of parking in front of the hangar. A few imperial truck are abandonned here. There’s no obvious entrance to the warehouse. Sunburn begin to argue with Biscuit about the opportunity of destroying one of the wall with heavy ordnance. The first consider that it's safer than having someone walking inside by himself, the other calls for caution. It's possible there's some kind of doomsday device inside he claim. While they quarrel you pick up a strange radio signal.

???
<< Et bien, il semblerait que vous arriviez juste à temps pour le spectacle >>

This sound like the old colonial tongue. Only old people and colonists from isolated communities still speak it. Is it some kind of coded message from the Erean resistance? No, it’s emitting on the military wavelength.

Sunburn
<< Did you just hear that? >>

Wait? Was it an unencrypted message? You immediatly have a confirmation when he talks again.

???
<< Vous ferez un bon premier acte >>

Artifacts starts to appear on your HUD.

File: Spoiler Image (4.88 MB, 2560x1440)

4.88 MB PNG

https://a.pomf.cat/wnclgx.mp3

Captain Preiss
<< Titan, this is Preiss, the analysts are telling me that the satellite is detecting the same energy spike as earlier. It seems it's stronkkKRRKRKRRRRR >>

You instinctively try to remove your headset when the loud interference starts, but they are quickly replaced by statics. You still hear your men, albeit like if they were emitting from behind a hill.

Sunburn
<< What the fuck is going- >>

His sentence is stopped mid-way when one of the hangar's metal curtain blasts open. Half of the facade is ripped open with it. Time is suspended for an instant. The only thing you can clearly distinguish is a red light. Then, slowly, a shape appears in the smoke and moves forward.

Your heart miss a beat. And the next few ones too. Standing in the debris, there's a Paladin: a state of the art medium mech of the imperial army. Something that is only deployed in the battlefield of the outer systems.

Koenig - 0
<< En garde ! >>

For some reason, the only thing that cross your mind is something you've read long ago about thet words inscribed inside every Paladin's cockpit: "nec plus ultra"

>Fight
>Flight
>Other (write-in)

>In any case, I'll need 4*1d100 DC 84, 67, 79, 89 (T, S, B, D)

Rolled 94 (1d100)

>>4455181
>Fight

Rolled 82 (1d100)

>>4455181
>Fight
Non, tu!

>>4455181
>Fight
>Recall Paladin's stats

Rolled 73 (1d100)

>>4455181

Rolled 74 (1d100)

>>4455181
double

https://a.pomf.cat/jhgdqp.mp3

For an instant you look at the Paladin like a rabbit staring at the car coming for it. You’re called back to reality when it begins to move. Startled, you jump on your controls and push the stick to aim at the mech. You overshoot your target and compensate hard. Too hard maybe. The enemy mech bends down as you’re about to shoot. You feel like it’s “the moment” and shoot at your crosshair pass on its cockpit. You press the trigger and rock back in your seat. The Paladin throws itself forward at the same moment. You’re not sure if it's the mech’s highspeed or the overcompensation, but you miss. [ Failure - 1 degrees ]

You reload, but the Imperial is already in the middle of your men’s formation and Sunburn is right between you and your target. “You’re in my line of fire Sunburn” you try to say in a collected voice but as soon as it leaves your lips, it sounds like a panicked and frustrated half order. Your subordinate still tries to act accordingly, moving forward while trying to keep up with the colonial speaking pilot. But he can’t keep up. He keeps firing his auto-canon but is always late, hitting the Paladin’s previous location [Failure]

Sunburn
<< God dammit, he’s fast! >>

You try to shoot a second time through a battery pack, but it doesn’t seem to hit. Biscuit is trying to keep his distance with your opponent. Said opponent looks like he’s playfully gauging you. He skillfully maneuvers close to your men, using them as shields in what is starting to look more and more like a crossfire. He doesn’t even use his weapon as he gets close to Biscuit’s mars. Giving him the opportunity to score a few hits with his main weapon. But to no avail, each shell is either deviated or stopped dead in its track in a flurry of blue sparks. [Success - Absorbed by Shield]

That’s right, in addition to being incredibly maneuverable, the Paladin is protected by a shield. Contrary to your mechs, the Paladin is not equipped with a diesel engine or a turbine. It’s fully electric, that’s why they needed to charge it. But from what you know, they are usually charged in space carriers with power cores that have an output by several orders of magnitude higher.

Biscuit
<< Fuck! I can't shake him off! >>

A series of highly explosive auto-cannon shells followed by a 122mm shell impact on your foe shields. [Success - 1 degree - Absorbed by Shield]
He’s forced to retreat from the direct vicinity of Biscuit’s and move behind the transformers. Duster kept pursuing it, unleashing the full potential of his arsenal. At the same time he shoots over the radio.

Sunburn
<< Can we even damage that thing?! >>

Sure, it's possible. Likely? That's a stretch.

Duster
<< Either we take him in close quarter or we try to deplete his fucking shields, but we need a plan. >>

Rolled 37, 15 = 52 (2d100)

He’s right. The only thing that can go through this shield are low velocity weapons, like the lower hammers of the Marses, or the magic lance of the Vulcan. At the same time, hand to hand combat is where the Paladin excels at. His high mobility and his main weapon, the progressive sword, would put him at an advantage. Your mechs, at the exception of the Athena, are clumsy compared to it.

Maybe instead you could use your advantage in firepower to overwhelm the Paladin’s shield. There’s only a certain amount of energy it can output before being overwhelmed. Alternatively you could deplete the mech’s power packs, maybe it’s in the realm of the possible since they were charging him with a colonial district power plant. The main problem is how to keep your distance with such a nimble mech.

As you try to come up with an idea, the enemy mech finally raise his weapon.

Koenig - 0
<< C'est mon tours maintenant ! >>

>Time to get physical (-30 on rolls)
>Overwhelming firepower
>Other (write-in)

>Koenig - 0 is done looking and will attack two time
>Roll for attack, 4*1d100 or 2*2d100 or any combination of those, DC 84, 67, 79, 89 (T, S, B, D)

Rolled 3, 91 = 94 (2d100)

>>4456936
>Overwhelming firepower

Rolled 68, 49 = 117 (2d100)

>>4456936
Pew Pew

>>4456936
>Overwhelming firepower
>Try to hack the fucker.

>>4456936
>Overwhelming firepower

File: hangar.jpg (1.77 MB, 2560x1440)

1.77 MB JPG

Rolled 8 - 2 (1d10 - 2)

https://a.pomf.cat/pwssuh.mp3

The Paladin rushs-in before you can react. Progressive sword raised, it runs toward one of the Marses. You shout in the radio “Spread out! We’re going to concentrate fire on him, we might be able to take him down as long as we stay at a safe distance!”. But your opponent is already on Sunburn that raises his right arm to block the hit. Molten steel flies everywhere while the sword cuts in the arm like butter. Servo Motors whine in pain but manage to provide enough power to deviate the blade that hit the ground. The ammunition feeder of the Mars’ gatling falls on the ground. [Success - Gatling gun disabled]

Unbalanced, Sunburn stagger backward, shooting ruthlessly with his last weapon: his auto-canon. But the Paladin isn’t finished, he gets closer and manages to slip under the gun. He catches the gun's mantlet with his left arm and forces it up. While sunburn fires helplessly toward the sky, your opponent draws back his sword and pushes it right in the twitching Mars’ body. Mech’s part and boiling metal fly off the mech structure as he withdraws his sword. [Success]

Sunburn
<< Get him off! Get him off! >> [ 1d10-2 hp loss ]

You can’t! They are so close from one another, a deflected projectile could hit your badly beaten comrade. As you curse yourself, Biscuit enters your line of sight and collides with the Paladin, blocking his guiding hand with his power hammer. He succesfully manage to move it around the parking and they end up rotating around in some kind of waltz. [Success - 1 degree - body ]
Sunburn limps away with all kinds of fluids spilling out of his mech's open frame. [ Coolant tank ruptured, Motor oil tank ruptured ]

You can’t hit and they are moving further out of sight. Biscuit and the imperial mech's disappear behind the hangar, quickly followed by Duster.

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! You hit repeatedly your damn keyboard with your fist in frustration. This is your reward for your insolent luck goddammit. You’d like to pull out your hair but your helmet is on the way and you end up banging the back of your head instead. When you begin to regain composure, you notice on your hud an open terminal. You’re about to close it when you have an idea.

File: hackermann.gif (885 KB, 500x280)

885 KB GIF

Yeah, you could try to reposition, you could even try to pull of some kind of stupid lucky shot, but that’s not what you’re the best at. That’s not why you're in a corsair’s crew in the first place. You switch your helmet in see-through vision and start to frantically type on your keyboard. Shell’s are opening, penscripts are executing, you’re scanning all radio frequency, wireless connection protocols, everything that could get in and out of the Paladin. You ping every port that could be open, search for any backdoor you could use but you can’t find anything.

Those shits are real fortresses designed to survive bruteforce by quantum supercomputer farms. What are you even trying to do?! Adrenaline is rushing your vein as you double check your results, try some unorthodox pentesting tools and slowly expand all your possibilities. Is it really hopeless? Should you have hoped anything in the first place? You’re stamping your foot against the ground almost eating your thumb under the pressure. You start to think about abandonning this idea. There's no way you can do something like that so fast. As gifted as you might be.

"Not the time to abandon me, Lady luck..."

But nothing come. This is a dead end.

You start to switch back your system to handle a more conventional way of dispatching the mech when something catches your attention on your HUD. The red icon symbolizes the enemy mech on it. That’s right! IFF! There’s an IFF! And if there’s an IFF, that means there is a datalink. A datalink is a door, if you can open it, you can get in. Sure, sure, the paladin is one of the most modern mechs in the universe, with top notch security designed on a research world by an army of geniuses. But you’re not nobody. Your Zaur Givi. You got inside the colony defense system, you deactivated the defensive railgun platform in orbit, you can do it!

You start to run a spectrum analysis program to identify the pattern of your enemy datalink. You have acquired quite a lot of data on that already so it can iterate on it while interpreting the one you're recording in real time. You need half a minute, maybe less...

Captain Preiss
<< ...itan...ear…rep...an...you...h… >>

File: koenig0.jpg (1.15 MB, 2184x1268)

1.15 MB JPG

At the same moment you spot the Paladin jumping out of behind the hangar. Flurries of bullets, shells and grenades are falling all over, its shield shining bright, repulsing everything that comes its way. The hangar itself is devastated by all the stray projectiles that keep hitting it. You can see Biscuit moving in an arc, away, toward Sunburn. They managed to make some distance between them and the mech. Duster appears in the corner, his gatling, his hip auto-canons, his massive 122mm, firing all in concert. [ Success - 4 degrees - Absorbed by Shield ]

But the mysterious imperial pilot was expecting to follow him. Duster fall in his trap, but now is your chance, before he jumps on the Vulcan. Your sight was almost on it already. You just have to make a small correction. You inspire deeply. If anything can make it through that shield, it’s the high velocity anti material gun of the Athena. You press the trigger. The shell flies above the roadstead before hitting your enemy in its back. Instead of bouncing off at a weird angle like every deflected threat, you see the shell suspended in the air. It then starts to vibrate, then shaking uncontrollably before exploding in a blinding blue spark. You expire loudly.

At first you think your shot was completely defeated by the shield, but then you notice something burning on the Paladin’s armor, the flame becomes a spitting inferno before a violent and blinding explosion put an end to it. One of the mech's powerpacks just exploded. [Critical Success]

Koenig - 0
<< Bordel de merde. >>

Yet, it feels like the pilot stay unphased, he jumps on Duster. The heavy mech tries to evade the coming attack, but it can’t do anything against the superior speed of its opponent. In a precise cutting movement. The sword catches the Vulcan’s left arm just under the articulation and cuts through it, projecting vaporized lump of composite materials everywhere. The arm falls off with the mech’s main weapon, leaving a burning hot red exposed frame where the limb was amputated. [Success]

Before Vulcan can do anything, the weapon system located on Paladin's left shoulder starts spitting large needles in the “heads” of the heavy mech. A second later it explodes, ripping it open, leaving exposed all kinds of sensors. But in close quarter the Vulcan isn’t completely hopeless. The CIWS traverse down toward its opponent and start to sing its infernal melody. The Paladin’s break off and it gives enough time to Duster to detach the Vulcan’s magic lance from the main body and catch it with his left arm. This way he keeps the imperial at bay while slowly retreating. Not enough for you to have a proper line of fire though.[Success]

Rolled 94, 99, 20, 3 = 216 (4d100)

But something diverts your attention. You finally isolated the paladin’s datalink pattern. You can connect to it. You try to send some data, naturally, no answer, you don't have the right key to authenticate and encrypt your data into something the imperial datalink. But you finally have a door. You just need the key to open it and a payload to get inside. You can do it. But it will need your entire, undivided attention. But if this work, you can end this combat by pressing a button.

Maybe.

But considering how the Paladin is chewing through your platoon, it might be worth a try.

>Proceed with your idea (payload, or key first?)
>Continue the fight (abandon the idea of hacking the mech)
>Other (write-in)
>Koenig - 0 is done warming up, now start the true rampage 4d100 DC 70 (It was DC80 btw, so 4 and 6 degrees of success on his rolls)
>Your unit is retreating from the dock area and managed to break-off from the Paladin. They are firing with everything they have (need 3*1d100: DC 57, 79, 79)
>You may or may not support them in there endeavour depending on the vote. Need 1d100

Rolled 92 (1d100)

>>4457741
>You expire loudly.
I can't believe Zaur is fucking dead.

>>4457745
>Proceed with your idea (key first)
>Consider that all the settings in the Paladin have probably been left at the default values.

Rolled 12 (1d100)

>>4457745
>hack
>key
Can't do anything w/o a key

File: gooli.jpg (102 KB, 1600x900)

102 KB JPG

>>4457765
>inhale
>exhale

Rolled 97 (1d100)

>>4457745
>Proceed with your idea (key first?)

>>4457745
>Proceed with your idea (payload, or key first?)
Execute Imperial salute protocols :^)

Rolled 59 (1d100)

>>4458645
lol forgot roll

https://a.pomf.cat/yzpiae.mp3

You can do it. You’re the only one that can do it. You can't hope support from the Erean any time soon, your platoon is alone to stop this machine. Failure isn't an option, there's nothing that can hold against this in the Erean arsenal. This mech can and it will punch through Erean lines like you did with the Imperial ones. The eigth division, the second corps. Even with only the badly battered first imperial division in support, the loyalist will manage to turn the situation around. You've been lucky to catch it before it could properly start. It will be even worse if it manages to recharge fully. You'll take your responsibility. You won't flee facing adversity. Even as soldier for hire, you will do your duty.

“I might have an idea to bring down this beast. But I’ll need time for that.” you say on your platoon’s network. There’s a silence. Then Duster breaks it.

Duster
<< How much time are we talking about, boss? >>

You answer without any pause: “As much as you can afford me”. Someone laughs over the radio.

Sunburn
<< Whatever you need, boss. >>

You’re going to make this gamble. A risky one, but trying to bring the Paladin’s down through sheer firepower is even riskier. You crack your fingers, you rest your hands on the keyboard and start to type, slowly at first. You have no trouble elevating yourself to administrator privilege on the Erean datalink network. You’re going to need all of it if you want to succeed, and you don’t have the time to ask nicely. You immediately send a command to logout every user except the members of your platoon.

If the idea you have in mind doesn’t work, you’ll need all the processing power and bandwidth you can muster. You then access a directory you thought you would never need. But you're the kind of person that need to archive everything, it costed you dearly a few years ago. You find the file you were looking for and starts to make connection attempt to every nodes contained in it. They are the nodes you were using before prison to hide your tracks. Didn’t work that well in retrospective. You used all kinds of things as nodes: old servers hosting services nobody used anymore, personal terminals, vending machines, and so on.

As expected, most attempt end in timeouts or errors.

File: network.gif (2.63 MB, 445x250)

2.63 MB GIF

While waiting for a results, you make a quick peek on combat’s evolution. It seems your men are able to keep their distance with your enemy while harassing him. They use the labyrinth of containers to bait him and lose him inside. Each time he gets close to one, suppressive fire stops him and his target gets away. The Paladin’s pilot seems more and more frustrated, at least that's what it seems like, listening the open come that is filled with words sounding like curses. If they can play this game for a dozen minutes, victory is at hand. But any mistakes can be fatal. [Failure - 2 degrees]

You try to stay focus on your work, but you keep eyeing the battlefield, and you see the mistake as it happen. You can’t really blame its author for it. His Mars is a wreck, you can hear him panting heavily when he coordinates with the other members of the platoon. Sunburn has been on the rope for too long. And he's paying the price now.
As much as the cramped environment is an advantage, it also restrict space to move. While trying to get around a corner, he hits the corner of a pile of containers that fall down in front of him, creating a dead end for himself [ Failure - 4 degrees ]

Sunburn
<< Fuck! >>

Koenig - 0
<< La petite souris n’a plus d’endroit où s’enfuir ! >>

He has just enough time to face his foe. The Paladin’s rush him with his progressive sword pointed forward and thrust. Yet, Sunburn manages to evade the attack. He step aside but hits the containers on his flank. The Paladin nimbly pivots on itself,
and uses his momentum to strike again. The cornered Mars moves try to evade but the sword plunges into it up to the hilt. Unexpectedly, Sunburn operates the half broken power hammer blocking the sword in the mechanism. But instead of melting like ice cream, the power hammer turns red as heat radiate. [ Critical failure - skip one attack, next enemy attack x2 ]

Sunburn
<< I caught his fucking sword, come, quick! >>

That’s right! The power hammers are made with some kind of tungsten alloy! They can handle the heat. For how long? You don’t know, but the temperature visibly increases. You make a quick glance at your terminal and notice that a few nodes answered. You try to log inside them, but it seems most of them have fixed the various back doors you used at that time. You eventually manage to log in one of them, but after a quick search, you realize that what you’re looking for isn’t here.

Back then you used them as relays to hide your tail before security protocols could get you. But a small update at the worst moment and you were caught. The nodes had logged all the traffic going through them and you ended up in some black site. But not this one. Same thing for the next one. You nervously scratch your beard during your next request timeout. Your men are fighting for their life down there and you’re looking stupid loading bars.

Duster
<< Are you kidding me? >>

The sudden exclamation distracts from your research by the radio. You look at the situation and see the Vulcan on the other side of the long alley where Sunburn and the Imperial are. He’s in firing position but nothing comes.

Duster
<< I’m getting out, the magic lance's shaped charge failed to arm, I'll see if I can fix that piece of crap >>

“Wait you can-” you try to answer but you already see the cockpit of the heavy mech opening. Duster climbs awkwardly on what is left of his canon. He tries to kick the tip of the magic lance open, but he lacks leverage. You're pretty sure specialized tools are needed for that operation. [ Critical failure ]

Biscuit appears at a junction, closer from the fight and runs toward it. The Mars’ water cooled pneumatic auto-cannon fires uninterruptedly while he approaches. The gun is smoking hot when he almost collides with the Paladin. He fires at point blank while he uses his arms to force the enemy mech to abandon his weapon in Sunburn's power hammer.

The struggle is worthy of the titanic warmachines. The outdated turbo-charged diesel is roaring, like it is trying to intimidate the electric actuators whirring defiantly. As it hammers out pitch black fumes, the engine drives the pump like a mad derviche, increasing the pressure in the valve block to their limits. The whole hydraulic is screaming only interrupted by the hissing of valve blocks shutting off circuits while diverting pressure to the next range of motion in limbs. Against this loud outburst of mechanical violence, their electro magnetic counterparts are only whirring and whirring more, with a soft hum during power demand. Industrial grade alloys groaning under the effort, pistons clattering in their mounting sockets under the armor plates in an uphill battle.

At the same time, It feels like the shield is actually struggling to properly absorb the kinetic energy of the shells right at the exit of the gun. A few more dozen seconds from this treatment and Biscuit could start to make holes as big as a fist in the Paladin’s back. [ Success - 6 degrees of success - x2 ]

Captain Preiss
<< ..itan, this is Price, .an you ..ar me? >>

You want to answer, but you see on your screen what you were looking for this whole time. You anxiously search through the log file until you find it: the private key you managed to steal and that you used to log in the planetary defense system. That kind of files are considered Cobalt level top-secret documents in the inner system. You could take control of an expeditionary corps with just this simple arrangement of letters and numbers.

Colonial worlds use the same kind of systems, but local authorities are way more laxist. What could happen? A local hacker could steal the private key and end up controlling half of the military infrastructures in the system? Preposterous.

The first point of failure was for them to not scrub properly everything you left behind.

They must have thought that having you behind bars was enough.

Now, whether or not you’ll be able to impersonate the datalink's master server all depends on what you hope will be the second point of failure.

If they didn’t modify the private key, the door will be open.

Using the datalink pattern you've identified earlier, you create a tailored message to send. Something simple, something that will seems innocuous and should trigger no alarms. A status request.

You use the private key to encrypt the request and send it, finger crossed.

The answer comes back immediately.

You feel like you want to puke.

>Unauthorized request

>>4461826
Oh fuck

File: ejection.jpg (1.23 MB, 2560x1440)

1.23 MB JPG

https://a.pomf.cat/sgmhat.mp3

Fuck! Did they change it? This is going to take a longer time than you would have hope. Too long.
You raise your head, looking directly to the damned Paladin. “This isn’t going to work” you say to yourself as you shake your head. “Think.”

“Think think think!”

Sunburn’s power hammer is falling apart.

“Find something dumbass”

The progressive sword has been freed from its prison, and the Paladin's raise like his struggle with Biscuit's Mars is nothing.

Then a flash. “Of fucking course you fucking shithead!” you cry out loud. You switch your HUD to the passthrough mode and press a button to send the last recon drone in your possession. You keep it at the slowest altitude possible and bring it at full speed toward your foe. You observe as a hopeless spectator as the sword goes through Sunburn's mech's left leg, cutting it clean. It doesn't stop here, following the same course, it goes through the mech body without resistance until it hit the engine block. It might have been the spilled oil or just the sword going through the diesel, but there's an explosion followed by flames that rapidly engulf the whole mech. The cockpit doors is thrown out of the way by explosives bolt while the ejection capsule springs out, colliding violently with the containers behind on its way out. [ Critical Success - part 1]

You can send all the requests you want, as long as the Paladin is connected to the master server, you won’t be able to authenticate. The main server will always cancel your demands when asked to confirm a request he never maked in the first place. With the flicker of a switch, you start to jam all the frequencies using the drone. Now, the Paladin can't contact the mainframe, it's going to send request to re-establish the lost signal. But this time, you're in the vicinity, and most likely the only one able to listen or answer through the jamming.

You receive a SYN request from the imperial mech. You play it smart and send an answer that inform the Paladin's computer that's the previous master server was destroyed and that you're now in charge. A three way handshake confirms the the connection. You then try to send again the same status report you sent earlier. Your screen is filled with all kinds of data registered in real time by the imperial mech. It seems it's down to 22% with the loss of its battery. You have no idea how long this can last. You have opened the door. No time to savor victory. Now come the next step. Using the standardized set of allowed communication through the datalink to bring this fucker down. You already have an idea how to do that, but you need to be quick.

Biscuit is pinned against container box, a progressive sword burning through its gatling gun. [ Critical Success - part 2]

Duster seems to be done with his lance, but will he be there in time? For an instant you hesitate. If you relocate now, you might be able to find a line of fire.

Rolled 10, 56, 73, 39 = 178 (4d100)

>zaur@athena ~ $ mpg123 “clubbed to death.mp3”
>Forget about hacking, your platoon needs you
>Other (write-in)

>Sunburn ejection didn't go as well as it could have, need 1*1d100
>Biscuit and Duster are fighting tooth and nail to get you some time
>If you vote to support your men, Titan need 1*d100 DC 84
>Koenig - 0 was shaken while he was beaten on the ground, but determined to wash away the insult in mech's hydraulics. 4d100 DC 60

Rolled 34 (1d100)

>>4461861
SUNBURN!

>>4461853
>>4461861
BADDA BIM BADDA BOOM
>other write in
Unauthorize the cockpit controls

>>4461861
>Other
Push a high priority security update consisting of junk data. It's the kind of situation developers commonly forget to handle, so maybe something will break.

Also, holy shit, man. I was wondering how you'd be able to let us hack the Paladin without running into the "why has no one done it before" implication, but you fucking did it. And with a completely plausible attack instead of magical hacking. Your writing also had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. My hat is off to you dude.

File: embarassedCatte.png (47 KB, 746x611)

47 KB PNG

>>4461948

File: Zaur.png (2.5 MB, 1920x1080)

2.5 MB PNG

https://a.pomf.cat/lujexz.mp3 (embed)

You feel blood rushing in your veins, burning you from the inside.Your heart feels like it’s about to burst, it almost hurts. You’re excited like you haven’t been for a long time. Your fingers are running on the keyboard, stroking like your life depends on it. Actually. Your life might depend on it now that you think about it.

You’ve been looking around and you were able to find an old archive on the planetary network about the Paladin. It contains an old version of the mech’s firmware’s source, some updates, a software to calibrate tools for maintenance, but most importantly, all kinds of documentation. The archive itself is more than 10 year old, but military hardware doesn't change too much, at least, it has to stay compatible with older versions. Hopefully you’ll manage to make something out of it.

Biscuit
<< Boss...>>>>

You find a memorandum on the interaction between the Paladin’s operating system and the data link interface. What interests you the most is a section on how it handles updates. With that you should be able to fake some kind of high priority security update. You just have to imitate the header and hopefully, sending garbage in place of the actual update might just crash the whole fucking thing. And you can’t exactly restart it in the middle of a fight, forcing the Imperial pilot to surrender.

Biscuit
<< Boss! >>

You’re brought back to reality. “Uh, yeah, sorry what?”, you answer while you try to get a look at the situation. Everything seems fine at a first glance. Duster is keeping the Paladin’s at bay while Biscuit keeps shooting at him. Without a lot of effect on the battery level of his foe from what you can see. But he’s forced each time to break off and try to attack from another angle, trying to find a weakness. And this helps the clock ticking in your favour. [ Failure ]

Biscuit
<< It’s getting hot in here, I’m almost out of ammo >>

Duster
<< And he’s getting more and more bold >>

“Not long hopefully. I was about to try something.” you say in a thrilled tone, yet unsure of the outcome. You press the validation key and it seems the enemy mech is accepting your update. Now you just have to wait. Ten seconds should be more than enough. The Paladin is prudently advancing in front of the Vulcan, trying to find an opening against the magic lance. If the tip of the lance actually hitted him, it could be devastating. But in a few seconds it will be the last of his worry.

Any seconds now...

Rolled 69, 27, 41, 50 = 187 (4d100)

You’re watching the seconds clicking, and the Paladin still moving impaired. You quickly check your network and you see that there's indeed, a connection opened and you’re feeding it nonsense… You grit your teeth.
It’s not working.

In some way, that was to be expected: the cyber specialists in the inner systems aren’t half as bad as they are here. If there is something the Empire is really serious about, it's developing new weapons. You’ll have to be smarter about that. But the clock is ticking.

You have two solid leads. Either you take the firmware files you have found and modify them to be able to execute code directly on the Paladin, or you strive with the security update. Maybe you could send more coherent data with data here and there but you're not sure where to begin. What is sure is that it will be a way more empirical attempt than the firmware one.


>Fake a firmware update
>Continue with the security update
>Other (write-in)

>Koenig - 0 had plenty of time to gauge his opponents DC80 (4d100)
>Biscuit and Duster are ready for their Swan song. They need 2*1d100 to make a good impression DC 89

Rolled 78, 45, 37, 61 = 221 (4d100)

>>4463091
>Fake a firmware update

File: tegaki.png (17 KB, 400x400)

17 KB PNG

https://a.pomf.cat/jkxzql.mp3

We're really close from the thread death, so I'll remind you that there is a discord where I tell people when there is an update: YQKAFs
Ask for the quest role so I can ping you.

Thanks for playing and see you tomorrow in Cooli's Mech Quest 1.7: this one it's for real edition.

Rolled 23 (1d100)

>>4463091
>Fake a firmware update

>>4463091
>Fake a firmware update

>>4463091
>Fake a firmware update

Rolled 23 (1d100)

>>4463091
>Fake a firmware update