The first wave of enemies were indeed lighter mechs, but the least expected one. Flying mechs.
Almost a dozen of them circled above the makeshift trench like carrion birds seeing a potential meal from a dying animal.
'Tough luck.'
Sy and Eran's mechs kept their heads low. The ditch proved to be a puzzle for the birds. The duo had already taken down a few in the first few minutes of the engagement due to the fact that they were not detected, and successfully executed an ambush.
The extreme heat masked their presence from thermal scans, looking like they were minerals on the ground. It was too late for the flyers to realize that two mediums were actually occupying the trench as they approached, and some of them were taken out from the first volley of energy blasts.
However, they quickly regained their bearings and performed flight and evasive maneuvers, returning fire with strafing runs, causing the two sneaky mechs to hide in their hole.
The leader of the flying mechs considered landing down as they could not find a clear shot, and engage the opponents below in a melee. But they were just light mechs and the ground mechs were mediums. It was tantamount to an eagle landing down to fight against an ostrich in its domain. Actually, that was an exaggeration.
After a few more minutes, the flying mechs retreated into the distance and perched on a cliff to save power, safe from the range of the mediums' weapons. They tried to land somewhere nearer to observe the trench earlier, and the mediums indiscriminately fired at them.
The trench was a formidable and intriguing obstacle for them. When they tried to swoop low or stay still in the air to get a better shot, the mediums would take that opportunity to shoot them down. They did managed to hit the mediums, but they just shrugged the beams from their light weapons. Some serious firepower was needed to take them out.
In any case, the trench was a big problem. If the mediums were in the open, they could barrage them in every direction, and their armors would eventually melt. And with that full body cover, it was a nightmare to solve.
Inside the trench, Sy had a sour look on his face while staring at the birds who were, in turn, menacingly staring back in the distance.
Why were the flying insects not moving on?
And why of all places did they ended up here? The map was huge, they could have flown in the northern or southern areas, and yet they were here. Sy suspected that someone was coordinating the skirmishers, and instructed the flyers to scout this area.
There was also the case of two voices clashing. Somehow, Genevieve and Mina found a way to communicate. Now they were verbally fighting using his ear as their battleground.
"Uh.. can you make them stop?" Eran said, a hurt look on his face.
"Just pretend you can't hear them. They were programmed to be that way." Sy instructed. He can't hear anything. Nothing. Peace.
[What, Sy? You think I'm a computer?]
[After all we've been through, Sy? How can you say something hurtful?]
[What do you mean 'been through', Genevieve?]
[Well, me and Sy flew across the city of Patter trying to outrun the drop pods, and then I slept in his room for a few days.]
[Oh, you bitch!]
Sy flinched as the oral assaults intensified.
Meanwhile, new silhouettes appeared on the horizon as he glanced at the scanners displaying multiple mechs approaching their location. This forced him and Eran to assume their defensive position in the trench still wary with the flying mechs.
They expected the newcomers to advance toward them, but some semblance of order made them to halt at a safe distance away from the range of their energy rifles. The flying mechs might have warned them about the entrenchment.
There was no movement for some time. The two eventually realized that the opponent ground force were waiting for reinforcement. Soon, they were congregating on a single area - their numbers swelling by the minute.
"Well, this is unexpected..." Eran murmured.
"I thought you said this division was a disorganized place?" Sy inquired.
"I believe these people are part of an in-game clan. They might have grouped together in this match." Eran explained while contemplating.
"Then they have a chain of command and can act as a whole unit." Sy correctly guessed.
"Yeah," Eran added, "though, they're not a military unit. They might be competitive in the game but they will falter just like any ragtag bunch."
Sy chuckled, "What's with the ragtag thing?"
"It's what I call peasants!" Eran jokingly stated.
They both laughed.
Their grey and yellow mechs' head protruding out from the flat expanse. One has antennae, the other had only half remaining.
Soon, there was movement in the distance. The freshly united skirmishers from the enemy team finally made their move. They tactically spread out and moved forward in a slow march - consisted mostly of light mechs and some mediums.
Whoever was their leader, Sy and Eran could tell that that person had some organizational skills. The mediums spearheaded at the center of the advance while the light mechs formed the flanks - lagging behind. There was almost 20 of them; 8 mediums and 11 light mechs.
Suddenly, in unison, they fired their weapons within a certain range. Rifles, turrets, and cannons unleashed a cascade of destructive projectiles. However, they did not reached their mark, dissipating or exploding a hundred meters away from the entrenchment - leaving a trail of blackened earth and extremely heated rocks with some shallow craters.
The grey and yellow mech glanced at each other.
"I'm certain they know how the range finders work. That's probably a warning shot." Eran assumed.
Sy could feel his heart rate increasing. He had to constantly remind himself that it was just a game. Still, when he stared at the collosal humanoid metals marching toward them, he felt uneasy.
"They're only 20 marks away." Eran calculated, assessing the situation of his mech for any potential malfunction. He had taken a few hits from the flying mechs, and the paint on the left shoulder of his yellow mech was burned.
Sy focused on the targets, then instructed, "I'll take care of the left flank you take the right. Let the mediums advance."
Knowing that mobility posed a big problem, they will prioritize the light mechs first before they could become a problem. They were also easier to eliminate.
"Their intention is clear. They want the mediums to grab our attention and then the light mechs will start closing the distance. We will feign that we took the bait."
"Roger." Eran confirmed.
The center of the enemy forces finally reached the range of their rifles and they began shooting.
Sy unleashed a few shots while dangerous beams streaked over the head of his mech or splashed into the mound in the front. The energy blasts that escaped the barrel of the energy rifle of his Famling tore through the air and staggered a black medium. It only impaired it for a few seconds before it started advancing again, firing a couple of wild shots toward the trench.
Eran played along as well. His shots were more serious as he managed to dislodge the knee of a medium.
This was the cue for the light mechs as they suddenly sprung into action, sprinting at a considerable speed. Some were equipped with surface magnetic boosts, sliding across the ground.
However, the grey and yellow mechs instantly switched their attention to the speeding mechs, springing the trap. Their rifles were now in full automatic, emitting dozens of energy blasts within a few seconds.
The light mechs' number were reduced in half within that span. Some lost their arms, but still kept moving forward. Soon, they lost cohesion when they were eviscerated one by one and scattered to flee in the other direction.
[You bastards!]
[Despicable worms!]
[Come out your hole, rabbits!]
The comms went alive as numerous voices jibed at them. When Sy and Eran was about to turn to the medium mechs, the flying mechs perched in the distance dove down and started assaulting them to cover the retreat of their remaining ground forces.
"Those idiots did it too early. We just annihilated them just like that? They truly are a ragtag bunch." Eran commented as he lowered his yellow mech into the trench and started firing at the flying mechs whizzing above.
Thin energy blasts were dropped on the trench, most harmlessly splash on the earth while a few connected to their target. New scars appeared on the two Famlings.
"Good news!" Sy spoke while staring at his scanners. His grey mech crouched in the trench, displaying only its heavily armored rear - the flying mechs could shoot it however they want. "I'm detecting a group of mechs heading toward our direction. And they're coming from the canyon."
"About time!" Eran also stared at his own panel. Then he feigned innocence while suggesting, "We already did our part... you know. We can surrender now."
"That's a good idea!" Sy played along, activating his comms. He then spoke in the open line with a desperate voice, "We surrender! We surrender!"
At that, their comms blared.
[Fuck you!]
[You go to hell, rabbits!]
[We will remember this, YellowFlashThunder and Vulcan444!]
[We will hunt you down!]
As Eran and Sy had a good laugh, they were dubious to the fact that they had just started a new trend in Steel Arena. Trench Warfare.