* When Zell and I meet each other he had that sparkle in his eyes, I couldn't say it but it was like a kind of indescribable passion. I found him weird, very weird but my father Baron Der Linde was his subordinate so I decided to close my eyes and pretend to get attached to him. His father was an upstart who had managed to nab the first woman stupid enough to fall into his net. That's what I thought, at least it was at the beginning then time went by and I got to know him. Alfar loves weapons and the art of war, but he also adored the army its structure and function. First strange thing about him I never saw him study, yet he blew everyone up at school, how was that possible? Did he have the gift of foreknowledge? I doubt it given the number of things that can surprise him, but then where does he get this knowledge? When I asked him he answered me *.
-When I was unable to move during these last two years, I glimpsed the future of our nation ... No, the future of our world to a point that you could not imagine.
* I was amazed, that said I continued to work hard while he was polishing the steps of his life. We often ended up tied at school but in the end he was the best. same at to the military academy, even despite the fact that I beat him in certain domain like shooting or running, he surpassed me in everything else, leadership, strategy and so on *.
-What we do not say about number 2 is that it is the closest to number 1, the only one that can take his place.
* My name is Swan Der Linde 18 years old born in Galatea and I am currently a second lieutenant in the Elysian army. Son of Baron Der Linde I come from a prestigious line of military, personally being a soldier does not bother me but it was not my first choice of career either. Yet here I am on my way to the fight in an unorthodox means of transport, all of this is the fruit of Zell's madness *.
* I am Swan Der Linde and this is my battle report *.
* December 23, 1018, 8:20 am, The attack on the weapon factory did not announce anything good for the rebels. Much of those watching over her had just been wiped out and most had dispersed into the forest. Fear and irrationality had won their minds, it was surely the first time in their life that they encountered such fierce opposition. Worse still, the arms factory also served as an ammunition dump and most of it was made for standard Beowulf equipment. Seeing all this Alfar began to put on a stupid smile *.
-Hahaaa. * Then he recovered *. Hurry up, unload the train and store the ammunition where I indicated to you.
-Yes Lieutenant.
-They will retaliate anytime soon it's time to prepare our defense.
* Activity at the site was at its height as squads kept prisoners locked in several artillery shelters *.
-It does not make sense. * Said one of the soldiers *. We also want to fight.
- Yeah that's right. If they give us guns we can help you fight back these guys are sick you have no idea.
-Calm down. * Said the major *. Already there are not enough rifle for all of us, and their goal is to evacuate us by wave thanks to the train. It is a rescue operation not a combat mission. * He explained *. And them outside they have to hold out until we can get in.
* It was a beautiful lie well served to his men to calm them down. However, the soldiers were surprised by this news, it is true that they were few for a conventional assault team*.
- Don't worry, we'll be home soon. At least I hope so. * He whispered *.
* Never make promises that you cannot keep, between us I will never do that. I'm too afraid of disappointing people who believe in me so I prefer not to promise anything. The same when I was engaged to Marie, she wanted me to promise her that I will always be there for her. I made her understand that it was impossible, the profession that I occupy could cut me off at any time and it would be futile to hope that I choose between her and my profession. I felt the sadness in her eyes, Marie clearly saw it badly to date a soldier, yet she had no problem with that, that said since our vacation in Sunthunder she had become more feverish and only worried about a nothing . The only person who could comfort her and I'll give it to you, Zell. He always managed to find the right words to reassure her and he was tender with her that was almost frustrating. I saw how Marie looked at him but I preferred to look away. But enough talking about my personal problems, I had my eyes closed when one of my non-commissioned officers came to see me *.
-My lieutenant, against enemy attack on the factory. *He told me*.
* Never bring personal problems onto the battlefield. Once at home I will do the housework but in the meantime I am here with my men and they are my priority *.
-Very well prepare to jump.
-Sir Yes Sir.
* During the staff meeting a lot of non-commissioned officers attended, including this lousy Muller. Marie's uncle, General Steinberg, was looking at the maps that had been fixed *.
-Once you're in the factory, what do you plan to do Zell? * He asked *.
-Oh us? We will wait for the next enemy attack.
* The other officers stared at him confused but Friedich and I understood why he wanted to do this *.
-Swan what is the action that we have repeated the most when we have fought the rebels in recent years.
- We attacked them?
-Exactly. * He said with enthusiasm *. We attacked them. We did that, attack and we ended up regretting it every time because Seb was always one step ahead.
-I still don't see where you're going, son. * Said Uncle Lino *.
-Before taking part in a war one must first consider the nature of the war. *I said*. Here we are dealing with a guerrilla, in this case it is not enough to take territories to win it is necessary to strike a big blow so that the enemy feels it has passed.
-Swan got it right. * Friedich explained *. We do not know where the rebels are, nor how many they are, so there is no point in looking for them at home.
-On the other hand if we manage to locate one of their position, that we seize and that we stay there, that will force the enemy to mobilize its forces to take it back. Dak Toh.
-Dak what?
* Dak Toh, another Zell fad to imagine battles. In Dak Toh there was a group of 5000 soldiers surrounded on all sides by the enemy. A conflict he called Vietnam. Their staff offered them all the support necessary for the soldiers and thanks to their artillery and their technological superiority they were able to repel the enemy *.
-The plan is to let yourself be surrounded and slaughter the enemy? * Hartkins asked *. Even if I'm a fan of hardcore fights, isn't it a bit too much considering that there will be only 300 there?
-That's why we need a fire support base.
-A what ?
-FireBase Price it will be called. Swan I'm counting on you.
* Zell wanted us to set up an artillery support camp that could cover the factory. But there was a big problem with that, we couldn't, but the motto of the Ducales Marines was "We don't try around we do it", so to honor this motto I had a little idea *.
- Lieutenant Der Linde now is the time.
* I think the rebels were scared of their lives when they saw what we had brought *.
-But .... But ... It's ... It's impossible.
-Damn It ... How can we fight this stuff? First the train and now this. * They were on the verge of tears *.
* I understand them, since it was the first time they saw it too I would have freaked out if this thing had come to kill me. As they rolled their eyes they could clearly see 5 airships straight out of the Venus Factories of Elysion. The shock effect was total but it was not over, the back door of the airships opened, and I could finally feel the cool air on my face *.
-Holy Cow, where do these monsters come from?
-They went through the eastern jaw. Are they soldiers from Tarkovia?
* The rebels have not finished asking questions. The light turned green and we parachuted. It was the first airborne landing in history and it was us, the soldiers of Beowulf who had just pioneered this method *.
-HAIL ARES. * I screamed before I jumped *.
* My men jumping did the same. 3 airships dropped about 100 men each and the middle two dropped material. We were right on the area I had marked on the map, Hill 112. Sometimes my own talent scares me. One after another reached the landing point about 5km from the factory under the dumbfounded gaze of our enemies. Once on the ground we got rid of our parachutes as in training, everyone grabbed their weapon and the different sections lined up as I reviewed them. I pulled down my hood and mask despite the shitty winter cold and stared my men in the eye *.
-Gentlemen We are there. * I was shouting *. From this moment we are completely alone, left to ourselves and in the middle of the enemy territory. But our role here is much more important if not the most important on the whole battlefield, namely to support and protect our comrades who are at the front.
* I saw in their eyes that despite the dangerous situation no one was ready to give up *.
-I do not hide from you that since we are the support, our position will have no support, no help from our allies, no supplies, we are totally alone. Are you well aware of this?
-YES SIR.
-We are all from the Ducal Marines here and the DuKams don't try they do. This credo means that we do not retreat, we do not break down, we continue to trace our path and we advance until we achieve our goal. But if you're too scared you can always hide in a corner I'm sure your ancestors will appreciate
.
- Never sir. * Shouted a soldier *.
* Never he said. It made me smile I have to admit because I could feel their determination in their eyes *.
-FALL BACK ?
-NEVER.
-FALL BACK ?
-NEVER
-So get to work.
* Our plan, however, had several flaws that needed to be addressed *.
-How long will it take for Swan to build a working Firebase? * Asked Uncle Lino *.
-Approximately 1 hour if all goes well. * Said Zell confidently *.
- By the time Swan's team sets up the fire support base, you in the factory are going to get messed up badly. Not to mention that the enemy will not let the base be built.
-Oh don't worry, General Steinberg, we've got you covered.
* As far as the defense of the factory is concerned, it could not be simpler. When Arianne and I made the plans she asked to have the rails go around the factory. At the time I did not understand but today it makes sense, the rail system that we designed with Venus crossed the whole firm and went around and the layout of the buildings was suitable for placing nests of machine guns, mortars and even artillery cannons if needed *.
-We are going to use the train to defend ourselves while we will be entrenched in the factory.
Ndt: Venus is the firm that designs the aircraft in Elysion and it is also the company that sponsored the construction of the Cailum weapons factory.
* And so when the rebels attacked the factory from the 4 flanks at the same time, one of them was protected by the train which made a massacre with its cannons and its howitzers, then it moved on the other flank to repeat the same operation, seeing that the rebels on the other flanks wanted to precipitate the fight to infiltrate quickly inside the factory by force but the mortars and the gunmen of Beowulf were not joke, stashed in the houses they had the best possible position and they knocked them down easily. The machine gunners were positioned diagonally to have a better view of the enemy flanks and eliminated them more effectively. No it was not a factory but a fortress and it was the fortress of Arianne and Alfar *.
-Report of the flanks? * Zell asked over the radio *.
-The North face has been protected by the train. He's heading towards the West face to support the guys, the East and South colleges are managing without our help, the defense system is holding on.
- Global point?
-No dead but ten injured slight sir.
-Very well continue like this.
* Alas the train is not eternal, and Alfar understood it. At one point he would have to enter the factory to fill up with ammunition and the process would last at least an hour. By then the factory Wolves would really be on their own. The train crashed 30 minutes after the enemy assault, then re-entered the factory via the rail system. It was necessary to cool the guns, empty the cartridges and insert new ones, in short a long and boring process during which the enemy was going to give it to their heart. From his vantage point Zell stared at the horizon and he could see a constant mass of rebels charged from the north, he looked away and saw that it was the same in the west *.
-These bastards are hidden deep in the forest, they were waiting for the train to run out of ammunition to be able to start the assault again. It stinks of Seb's crappy plan.
* As he was about to give further instructions he heard a whistle in the sky. He looked up and could see dozens of shells landing on the north face of the factory, which burst into a terrible crash *.
-Swan? But it's barely 30 minutes.
* He immediately grabbed the radio and contacted me *.
-Sheperd Leader to Steel Rain. Swan is that you?
-Sheperd Leader here is Steel Rain, Looks like my little gift hit them, Alfar. Don't worry, we're almost done putting them all together. Just send the coordinates.
- Damn Swan I love you. No Homo.
-Eh ? Anyway, we will have 3 different support points which will respectively cover the North, West and East face. To avoid bombarding the Factory, we will not be able to cover the South.
-It's more than enough buddy. I'm sending you the radio frequencies.
* He can be emotional at times. The reason I was able to set up camp so quickly was simple, the Lobisomem unit or Ghost Company. Half of this section had been dispatched around my drop point and they were ensuring our safety. Camouflaging in the snow they silently eliminated our enemies to prevent it from going into gunfire and getting in the way of us, so in 45 minutes the firebase price which would later be nicknamed GodHand was built *.
-That's Seb's weak point. * Zell said *. It is because he command an army of the peasants. We are different, we have a country to defend, an objective, values and principles. But also and above all a sense of duty. They have none of that therefore ....
* The explosions continued and the bursts repeated. The rebels were shredded one after the other and the crash of the shells did not *.
-They will flee far into the woods at the slightest difficulty.
* And it was true, around noon in front of so many losses in their camp the rebels ceased all assault on the factory and fled inside the forest. Zell did not pursue them and that was good because he had to take advantage of his position. Did they give up? I doubt. But the violence of our action had dealt a blow to their morals for sure. The snow was strewn with dismembered corpses and stained with blood. Despite everything the rebels were far from suspecting what would fall on them for phase 3 of the plan *.
* To be continued, The Steel Road *.
* In one of his memoirs, one of the soldiers wrote "When I saw everything they were going to put in their mouths I took pity on these poor rebels" *