Barely a moment passed after the impact before Irmina burst forward from their transport, eager to bring glory to House and family. To put her skills she had been developing so long to the test. It was a comforting feeling, being connected to her Armiger. It had quickly become a second skin to her, the feeling of her skin becoming harder than plate. The warmth in her left hand from the massive 'melts-gun' that spewed forth a fire unlike anything she had ever witnessed. In her right hand her massive chainsword growled impatiently, eager to spill the blood of any who dare stand in the way of her House or the Great Father.

The enemy attempted in vain to destroy their blessed machines. Yet not a single round fell upon her Armiger, a clear sign that the Emperor's favor was with her. A smirk formed on her lips upon hearing the Skyruss child speak of his families prowess in battle, Feral quick to call out his words, telling him to prove it in battle. "True words Vandicant. Let us bring glory to House and Imperium in the crucible of war. FOR HOUSE SARIS. FOR THE EMPEROR OF MAN!" Her Armiger bellowed before breaking into a sprint towards the enemy lines, looking to eviscerate the so called tanks, massive metal boxes that couldn't hope to stand before her prowess.

Her focus was entirely on closing the distance, not bothering to fire her weaponry. Not yet. Raising her forward shields with barely a thought, she brought her chainsword down in a massive arc at the first tank she encountered, looking to cut it in twain. Meanwhile her Meltagun activated, firing at the tank beside it, her mind easily able to focus on the two tasks.

(OOC: Attack enemy tank 11 with chainsword. Attack enemy tank 10 with Meltagun. Free action: Strengthening forward ion shield

Gabriel stayed quiet and focused the whirring and the motions of his Knight listening to her hum and sing the soon song of war, but as soon as his door flew open he approached out and saw the soldiers stunned by the drop pod he let his heavy stubber lock down their left side flank of there infantry to pull there heads into cover before unleashing the torrent of flame from his Heavy Flamer right into their front line. Gabriel broke his silence to fill in his tactical input. "Advancing towards Infantry and continuing suppression of front-line."

OOC: Attack towards front-line with Heavy Flamer. Suppress left flank of infantry with Heavy Stubber.

With the bullets plinking off his armiger harmlessly, Jakus couldn’t help but smile. He felt that the small arms fire was... petty, compared to what he was expecting to be facing. He studied the enemies, evaluating which targets would be of most value to the enemy, and his eyes fell on tank 13. He had read a bit about tanks during his spare time, and so he knew that tank destroyers; powerful anti-armour weapons, usually had larger cannons mounted. Jakus assumed that tank 13 was such a tank. He darted off to the side, all the while running closer to it, hoping to reach it’s less armoured sides. Once he got close enough, Jakus leveled all three of his melta weapons and firing - hopefully turning the tank into a smoldering wreck.

(OOC: Moving towards and flanking Tank 13, Firing all three weapons (if possible))

Sylivann's autocannon had swerved briefly through the mind link with the Machine, stiffening out of control as AP rounds hit the sleek armoured vehicle; despite any attempts at damaging it, his shots merely ricocheted off or missed entirely, the link between Man and Machine dimming for a moment; the machine itself did not like being controlled.
Another round was fired by the tank at the Skyruss aspirant, this time snapping through the shield entirely and impaling through his leg plating; it was with luck that the round exploded half a metre behind the leg, leaving only a hole and minor damage to the servo's. It didn't stop the searing pain that coursed through his real body, the feeling of something large cutting a hole as big as his fist into his calf.

Feral on the other hand rushed forward in his Armiger, his control over the machine for now remaining well; the chainsword brought up and with the power of a titan, brought the chainsword down into its upper hull, sawing through it and sending shreds of metal; the turret itself was a mess. Even with only one crew death, the vehicle itself was less than useless now, even if it had been Sylivann's own kill.

Lotarra's attempt at firing the assault cannon was an unfortunate one, as her own connection had caused tension; static came over screens and without warning, merely four rounds had went through the assault cannon before the weapon sent feedback through her own arm, the sensation being akin to a dislocated bone - warning runes flashed over the left side where the cannon itself was located, with bold words of 'WEAPON JAMMED'.
It would take time to undo that; if she'd try.

The child of Gottzmann lunged forward with surprising ease, her own link with the armiger being a cool and easy one - for now. Pistons strained as they sent the machine forward, thundering footfalls; the chainsword brought up and swung down with eerie accuracy that tore into the targetted victim, sawing its turret clean off and with it, three crewmembers, sending blood, oil and scrap metal flying. It wasn't all perfect however, the melta weapon twitching uncontrollably and sending its superheated payload offtarget - warming metal, at best. Worse yet came another shell that this time penetrated both shield and plating, burying itself into the right side of the machine about a foot and exploding, sending plates flying into the snow.

Leonis himself took to the field rather quickly, stomping forward and towering over the Aspirants; two shells impacted the Ion shield and exploded in a show of red and blue, leaving the plate unharmed. Servo's whined and the battle cannon itself was lifted, aiming almost casually to the left towards the rear of the column; a deafening explosion came by and had they not known the power of the Knights, they may have worried that he had exploded or been horridly damaged, when in fact such strength was from the cannon itself firing. A single round surged forward and burrowed itself in the turret ring of the second rear tank, exploding inside and sending it flying a few metres into the air, parts of its carcass going this way and that.
A second round followed it meant for the furthest tank, this one glancing off the top of its turret and flying off into the distance - a sharp whistling echoing its leave. "Remember, Aspirants," he spoke clearly through the Vox, "You are new at such usage of the machine; your training has left you with little more than relaxed sparring. You have learned to walk, you have learned to swing - you have not learned to control the Machine's rage. It must be something you learn to do here. The machine wishes to fight, but you must dominate it, lest it control you and send your mind to the abyss."

Kantor's own flanking had been a success, the armiger going at marvelous speeds as adrenaline came through the Aspirant before coming to a stop - the assault cannon whirred and spun faster and faster, until it finally was willed to fire. Hundreds of rounds spat out into the side of the tank,damaging it bit by bit; eventually the treads on the vehicle's right side were utterly demolished and some sizable dents were seen into its plate, the crew utterly shaken from the barrage; the Knights' arrival was clearly not one that they were prepared to face with such vehicles.

Gabriel on the other hand, cared not for the Tanks that his brethren faced, ignoring them and charging past - a heavy flamer ready, the battalion soon being covered in lit promethium - the sound of a vicious serpent coming from the flamer as it spat its burning contents, soon followed by panicked screaming from men as they were covered in the flaming gel; APC's shot harmlessly at the Ion shield, puffs of black and blue appearing around the front of Gabriel's armiger. The stubber too did damage now, thick rounds launched and making craters in the bodies of the Jarian men and women, all helpless against the titan in their midst.
Jakus' own attacks were only marginally acceptable -- relatively speaking. The massive melta weapons that he had desired raised themselves, and firing. The first multimelta had melted the entirety of the left side's tracks along with some of the frontal armour, whereas the other had missed - notably warming the front, but other than that, leaving it undamaged. The meltagun on top, had missed entirely. As though out of retaliation, the long barrel turned slightly and raised itself at the Armiger, then firing. Scorching pain came through Jakus' abdomen from the round that penetrated and shredded through the rear as well, nearly causing the Aspirant to stumble and fall; it would take effort to remain that way, lest they be taken out of commission entirely.


Two of the Jarian APC's leveled their weapons down at the Skitarii, watching how they advanced and fired - small autocannons doing little in the way of damage - three of the Vanguards fell from the fire, but the majority of them had evaded the fire and returned their own. As Jarians tried to rise themselves to fire at the machine men they were cut down, bright blue bolts scything down each of them one by one, the men of the Mechanicum closing the distance rapidly.
The Land Raider itself rumbled forward, its cannons of the sun -- lascannons, the Aspirants were told they were called, but it had not lessened their destructive power and awe any -- turning to the tanks at either side. The rearmost tank found itself speared into the side and its engine destroyed in a fiery explosion, two men crawling out with red cylinders that spewed white fumes, both trying their best to eliminate the fire. Another tank upon its right was shot at as well, bright blue lasers searing into the armour and detonating it as well, the engine compartment flying apart as well as its turret being sent meters away.


"Holy Knights, I wish not to alarm you - however the Jarians seem to have mobilized their air forces quicker than anticipated." The mechanized voice said through their Vox. "The Onagers shall see to raising air superiority. However, I must warn you that should they be damaged, your Knights shall be endangered from the skies."
In the distance, dark dots littered the sky - perhaps two dozen or more. A notably larger one accompanied them all within the rear as well. It would not be long for them to get to their position.


OOC:
Jarian APC's: 26 in total
Infantry level: high, Barely more than 150. Suppressed by Drop Pod fire and Skitarii rangers. Panicked from Gabriel's heavy flamer.
Tanks:
1: 4 3:10 4:6 5:10 6:10 8:10 11:10 12:10 13:9 (longer barrel)
Jarian Air support will arrive next turn. Tanks may attempt to attack the two Dunecrawlers.


Jakus: 16 -- Gabriel: 25 -- Irmina:19 -- Kantor: 25-- Feral:25 -- Lotara:25 -- Sylivann:22 -- Leonis: 50
Skitarii Land Raider: 25
Skitarii Rangers: 27. Suppressing Jarian Infantrymen, shortening the distance.
Onager Dune Crawlers: two have accompanied the Knight-Aspirants of House Saris. They are equipped with Anti-Air defenses, and will be used for fending off enemy air support.
DC1:15 DC2:15

Sylivann is struggling against the Machine-spirit: for a short time, he gains a penalty to attack rolls. He can put aside actions to try and control the Machine-spirit, removing the debuff entirely.
Jakus is stunned and dazed - the Armiger's servo-motors to the legs have been damaged. He must put at least one action this turn to not fall and be incapacitated for the skirmish; he will gain a penalty this round for mobility related rolls, for the rest of the battle. Two actions will remove this penalty.
Lotara's assault cannon has jammed; actions will be required to attempt to unjam it through the autoloading mechanisms and the cogitators.

All Aspirants gain a minor debuff to rolls, as the Machine-spirit wrestles with them for control.​

Feral laughed as the chain sword cut through the tank he could feel warmth as he removed it and saw only a few instances of blood, Indicating much more interior damage then he through he would do, Hearing the words of his teacher he listened as he bared his chain sword ready for another blow at the surrounding tanks. the words of there teacher in his mind.

Grinning and revving the chain sword he acknowledge his master with only that a grin. Feral focused his mind on the machine and as he did with his leg and his knights movements only now with his chain sword arm and legs as he did to strike the tank. now aiming towards the closets operational tank he would then attempted to launch a flurry of attacks at the nearest tank and then charge onto the next all the while firing his heavy ball stabber at any infantry that fired at him. "THE HARVEST HAS COME LITTLE SAPLINGS I SHALL BE THE AXE THAT CUT YOU DOWN!" Feral yelled filled with a almost sadistic glee as he continued his attack on the tank column.

OOC Flurry attack at nearest tank then, Charge the one nearest to that, Free action heavy stubber fire at infantry

Everything felt so fluid, natural. The Armiger offered scant resistance as she beckoned it forward, the Machine Spirit as the strange metal men called it as eager to get into the crucible of battle as she herself was. Adrenaline surged through her body as she reached the enemy line, her chainsword singing litanies of victory as it's teeth chewed through the tank before her, cleaving the turret and and fools who dared stand in their path. A victorious laugh escaped Irmina's lips as she reveled in her first kill with her Armiger. It changed to a stifled cry of pain as a explosion wracked her body, a fiery pain erupting in her right side.

At the sudden searing pain, she could also feel the Machine Spirit rail against her, angered by the damage it had sustained. It felt as if it were fighting her every movement, resistant to her will. Her mentor was right, she had to remember her Armiger had a will of its own. It was up to her to control it, to break it and bend it to her own, as she had done with her first stallion. She could still recall her mothers own words to her as she was tossed by the beast time and time again.

"I can't do this mother, the beast hates me."

"No my daughter, it senses weakness. Fear. That noble creature is proud, and will not relinquish control easily, especially to one who isn't worthy. You must show no fear. Show that your will is dominant, and that you will not relent. It will sense this, and it will eventually serve you as faithfully my own mount does me."

Releasing a shaky breath, trying to take her mind off the searing pain, Irmina focused her thoughts on her Armigers spirit. I know I am still unfamiliar to you, but I have trained all my life to be a Knight. I am worthy of you. You will submit to my will. And together we shall bring glory and honor to our House and Emperor.

Hearing their allies voice their concerns, Irmina brought her focus back to the task at hand. "My kin, we must defend Onagers. Destroy these tanks so our fellow Imperials can claim the skies!" With that said Irmina herself got to work, turning to the tank that had the gall to lay a wound on her Armiger. Let us claim vengeance for this grievous offense.

"Cover my flank!" The heiress demanded as pistons once more whirred to life and sent her flying forward, Irmina drawing back her chainsword before lunging it forward, looking to skewer the machine and mangle its turret. Meanwhile her Meltagun was brought to bare on the tank past it, looking to assist Jakus before he was to badly wounded. Her ion shield once again flickered to life, looking to block any other shot that the tank before her would fire.

(OOC: Charge attack against Tank 12, Meltagun attack against Tank 13. Free action: Ion shield defense against Tank 12)

Sylivann growled at the pain he found in his leg, when the spirit of the machine started fighting his control he grew angry. This machine was him and yet it thought itself separate? No, it was not quite like that was it? Given how it resists it's more akin to a horse. Granted a horse he has far more control of than normally but still it was akin to a horse. And he needs to regain control of this metal warhorse before he is killed so he focused himself into regaining control of the massive metal monster so he can exert his frustration on those who shot at him.

OOC trying to regain control over the machine spirit

Grinning widely as the fire of his Assault Cannon tore into the unguarded side of the tank he targeted, Kantor was fully prepared to finish it off until the alert came in. Recognizing from their training just how much of danger that the enemy air support could pose to them, he instead chose to begin falling back towards the machines their Mechanicus allies called Dunecrawlers. Falling back at a steady pace he soon reached the position of the machine designated DC-1 by his HUD. Upon reaching his destination he made himself ready to protect the venerable machine from any incoming enemy fire.

OOC: Falling back to DC-1, allocating 2 Defensive Actions to it.

Gaberiel watched as everybody burned listening to the roar of the promethium leaving the Heavy Flamer and the screams of death shortly after. Whilst listening to radio chatter, and hearing Jakus the smack of armor being melted away next to him he pointed his Heavy Stubber at the Melta gun then opened fired but his the machine roared back its massive engines in defiance and pulled to focus on the infantry and not aid his fellow knight. He felt the machine want more death but he didn't want to overextend so he pulled back only firing he opened fire on the infantry to ensure Jakus would be cover from his end.

(OOC:Fall back, 1 Attack, Attempt to recontrol Machine Spirit)

Jakus was more shocked than anything else, his aim was deplorable. Before that thought had even finished, he felt the Armiger lose it’s balance. He immediately stuck his left melta arm int the ground to stabilize himself, and once he was satisifed with that, he raised his remaining weapons back towards the tank and fired again, hoping to take it out for good this time.