Post-Briefing: @BruticusTheGoreHound @Colapse
"They're a buncha lyin' cunts I swear it on me mum's life sir. " Jessy held his entrenching tool down low.

"That ain't fair to 'em Jess! We're all friends here remember? He's lyin' to ya sirs. Maybe you ought to just hop on down there and rip his spine out. Seems he ain't makin' good use of it now, right boys?" Ayes, yars, yeses, and yeah uh-huhs came the myriad responses.

The Recruit gave a nod in response as he made his way back up. "I had some medical training before becoming an Iron Warrior, if that is of any help." He commented with a shrug of his pauldrons; once above, he looked about and went to mag-lock his boltgun onto his belt.

Having finished his assignments for the day, Xerxes finds himself still alone in the trench. With fighting at a lull, standing lone watch over an uneventful stretch of trench seems like an eminent waste of time. Spotting a newly-arrived squad of IVth Legion novitiates, he speaks to the sergeant in charge to offer them the dugout as temporary quarters. The impromptu handover complete, he wanders off in search of his squad brothers. Before long, he finds two of them baiting penal troopers in a trench.

@Colapse @BruticusTheGoreHound

Coming up behind the two assault marines, he peers over their shoulders in silent curiosity at the scene unfolding.

Post-Briefing: @Vlayden
"Ohhh, well then Marcus. I'm certain your knowledge on having your matron kiss your wounds or why women made you stiff as a young recruit will serve your brothers well!" Letting the sarcasm linger in the air while they ascended to the first sub-level Maugan would end up walking pass the young legionnaire. "No kid, you're going to get into the real blood and guts of your comrades. Consider yourself lucky, I'm being nice and letting you get into the actual fun part. "

Surgery-One:
Standing amid a flock of Chirurgeon servitors Marcus was granted a third row seat in a cramped operating room that was meant to let the Iron Warriors fit as many surgery theaters into one bunker as possible, rather than provide any sort of comfort; or what others might consider to even be adequate operating space. Sandwiched up against a wall by a spare operating table Marcus got to watch as an older legionnaire's eyes was pulled out. A mangled organ that Magaun spent an inordinate amount of time rolling around between his fingers, one might get the feeling he had finished his inspection of it long before.

"Oh yeah, this one is going to need a replacement. Somehow, Tervos here got a Squig tooth caught in his socket. " Apothecary dumped the ruined eye on a viscera platter. "Best fix for this one right now is to just preserve the damaged site until we can get him over into cybernetic surgery. Normally you don't need to worry too much about any wounds your brothers sustain remaining open to the elements, tissue will re-knit in good time given proper stimulation. However, an eye socket obviously won't seal up, and you don't want that open up to whatever foulness populates the air. " Narthecium was presented, Maugan cycling through several different substances within the machinery before a vial was loaded up against a secondary needle unit.

"This is a temporary sealing gel that'll quickly harden once deployed. It won't stop a bullet, but it'll generally hold up to a punch or two as long as it isn't a direct hit. The substance will dissolve with another reacting agent stored in the Narthecium, come time to clear out the opening." Leaning in Maugan began rimming the socket with a gel like substance, slowly spiraling it inward until a glassy film lay between open air and the gap. That done he allowed the attending Servitors to roll their patient out before making to leave the room as well.

"Yeah, maybe I should do just that," Seth laughed, "Maybe even gouge out his eyes and feed them to the rest of you? Sounds like a good idea, doesn't it?"

His mood went a bit serious as he continued. "Be careful around other Iron Warriors, some of them might actually kill Jessy for disrespect and then execute the rest of you from being in the same group with him. Good for you that I'm in a fine mood, not to mention I have other ways to relive stress than killing bunch of cocks like you!" Seth finished with a laugh, once again back into his usual all around "goodness".

"We all need to let some steam from now and then, especially since tomorrow we might all be dead. Haven't you heard? We're bringing the fight to the Orks and their big stronnghold and you know how the Greenskins are like, no manners, zero hospitality and all that."

"So we need to stick together, aye? Lemme tell you something, you guys survive the assault and the next time you see me, the drinks will be on me and I might even let you try to take a swing at me. Sounds good?"

Briefing:
"I believe majority will have to rule out here. Not like I'm opposed to having more guns aimed at the enemy anyways. " The egregiously young Captain swept away the other two maps with a swipe of his hand and stretched out their chosen layout. "Thank you for your input brothers, now, you are all dismissed. I've many tweaks to make to this set up and by the looks of it all of you might need a moment to recuperate. Take an hour or as long as the Apothecaries need and then return to the trenches. You have done well establishing this base, now you will be entrusted to hold it. " Nice as the compliments were, it seemed they were still stuck with grunt work for a while longer at the least. Sergeant Akar saluted sharply.

"From Honour, Cometh Iron Captain. " Akar watched his squad like a hawk as acknowledgements and respects were displayed.

"May it always be so. " Brumdar saluted them in turn before dipping his head to examine the hologram.


Pre-Briefing w/ Akar:
Roughly a month later and things were progressing at an impressive pace for the Iron Warriors. Supporting line company had wrapped up the greater portion of their duties in the void, allowing them to touch down and the fleet to handle the lions share of dealing with any Freebotas intent on trying to defend their port and, more importantly, dakka depot. Though they had a large target to tackle themselves it went a long way to relieving the almost constant attacks on the fortress established by Captain Brumdar's Fifth Company and the Seventh Squad.

After several weeks of dirty trench work broken up by the odd strike out into the field to relieve the monotony, Seventh squad found themselves set to join their first major assault. Days of planning and construction had seen the camp turned into a strike fortress with enough basilisks and whirlwinds present that one might dare to think they could level even a titan with a single salvo. The night had forsaken their base ever since, creeping barrages and constant firefights with the orks stirred up from the proverbial hornets nest made sure that there was always enough light and thunder to drive off the darkness. The skies were split, along with many ears, and the heavens rained fire at the legion's command.

During a brief lull meant to allow the enginseers and tech-adepts time to perform maintenance a deafening silence fell upon the camp. Seventh squad would be called to muster in the homey little dirt pit that Xerxes had prepared for them, and since repaired a dozen times. Sergeant Akar came to the very lip of the trench and hopped down to join them, plasma cannon rested over stretched legs as he took a seat on a rockrete ledge meant to support heavy weapons. His new cybernetic arm lay bared to them all, reinforced and steel only slightly darkened with dirt and soot so it didn't give off an obvious shine.

"Brothers. Assignments for the next engagement will be handed out soon. Every single one of us will be deployed to begin our siege of the city. There are a number of critical objectives being discussed, and frankly, I'm going to snap and knock someones teeth in if we don't get in on some real action. So during the upcoming strategic gathering with the Captain, I intend to push for an appropriately punchy job. There are two particular jobs I have been keeping tabs on, and I wanted to confer with you all as to what you want me to try and snag us a part in." It was the most plain and honest he had been to any of them without it being tainted by sterility or seeming forced in their time together as a squad.

"Captain Brumdar will be heading up an armored spearhead to draw the bulk of the greenskins out into the waste marshes where we can bombard them without fear of collateral damage to the factories. Not to mention there seems to be something else big planned, but I'll be damned if any of us can get command to stop being mum on it. Regardless, we'd likely get a chance to go for a joy ride with our armored assets if we went with that route. " He looked around at them with hooded eyes, gauging their reactions as he tended to do.

"It's that, or a strike mission alongside Lieutenant Arkon. I know you have all probably heard rumors and some dirty talk about the man, but he was a fine Captain and would still be one if Dad didn't decide to screw with everyone's heads by giving a good chunk of the legion a fatal spanking. " Bitterness didn't do the venom in Akar's tone justice. It was no secret that the fourth weren't exactly the cheeriest lot, but to hear one speak so frankly of the Primarch outside of, say, the World Eaters was likely jarring for the young marines. Letting out a frustrated breath Akar carried on. "Anyways, the First Lieutenant is dead set on leading a subterranean assault on the city. Infiltrate and sabotage a number of key targets while the place is mostly vacated by all the xenos running outside into our guns and tanks. Both options sound fine to me, what do _you_ all think?"

Vote Time:
Iron Within - The Lieutenants Gambit
Deploy with First Lieutenant Arkon and infiltrate the factory-bastions of the Orks and engage in a series of demolition and assassination objectives to cripple both alien manufacturing and defensive capabilities. Mission will take place on foot and support will be limited. Enemy presence will be reduced thanks to Captain Brumdar's armored assault outside of the city. Kunnin' traps, insane creations, and plenty of gunz await.

Iron Without - Captain Brumdar's Challenge
Deploy with the bulk of the company and Captain Brumdar in an armored engagement to address a massive force of Orks located within the city. Big guns, heavy armor, and lots of deaths await. Squad will deploy in vehicles. Enemy presence will be heaviest and consist of the most elite and bloodthirsty units the aliens can offer.

@Draconion @Colapse @BruticusTheGoreHound @Vlayden @Redthirst @Grall_Stonefist @Vulpas @Valonox

<Bothering the Help>

@Colapse @BruticusTheGoreHound

"Bothering the help, brothers?" remarks Xerxes mildly, "Or fraternising? Hard to tell, the way you do it."

<Murmurs of Discontent>

As Akar grizzles with startling forthrightness about the Primarch, Xerxes darts a quick glance about the rest of the squad, assessing mood and opinion in response, but betrays nothing of his own thoughts on the matter. Instead, he brings attention to the campaign, and wastes no time in making his thoughts on that matter known.

"Sergeant, tactical analysis would show the covert insertion to be the true prime mission - the key pivot upon which the campaign turns, for which the open engagement out in the marshes is merely a force multiplier. With that in mind, my vote lies with Lieutenant Arkon's mission. It will need all the support it can get."

[OOC: Vote for Iron Within - The Lieutenants Gambit]

@DeranVendar @Colapse @Draconion

"You should try it sometime brother, I'm sure the men would enjoy seeing a cogitator emote."

Dyzek would reply, his tone bearing a hint of amusement of the circumstances. Having not taken his eyes off of the penal legion troopers, he'd cross his arms, looking down upon the soldiers, before speaking.

"Regardless, the time for this is over, get back to your duties, and man your stations. Next time you decide to engage in this sort of activity, I'd be sure to ask if Brother Seth of the IVth Legion would be able to join you."

With that, he'd turn, and begin striding off, his desire for training pulling him away from this scene. To his fellow assault marine, he'd speak over a private channel.

"Let's see if we can find a spot to trade a few blows before our next offensive."

_____
​

Pre-Briefing

Standing now, assembled with his squad, Dyzek would be listening to the words of his sergeant. In the past few weeks, he'd dealt with skirmishes, trading blows with the greenskins. A series of brief, brutal strikes, it had been an ideal way of war he'd enjoyed, coming down upon the enemy, wrecking as much as they could, and then pulling back to their base. In this brief time in the field, he'd grown already eager for the next call out, to relieve him of the typical dreary work of maintaining the trench line. His armour, somewhat cleaned, would be back to a dim gunmetal grey shine, albeit still bearing the damage he'd endured. His left shoulder having some form of damage to it he'd need to get the Tech-Marine to take a look at when he had a chance, hampering his movement. His chainsword has run out of it's initial set of teeth, and he'd been forced to requisition some more chains, all those he'd once carried now clogged and torn apart biting into greenskin flesh. Truthfully, he took some pride in the fact that should s civilian come marching through their camp now, they'd find no difference of appearance between Dyzek and some of the more senior members.

As such, when the sergeant spoke of the major offensive, Dyzek could not help but smile beneath his helm, at the prospect of facing the enemy alongside the Legion at large. So, when sergeant Akar looked for a response regarding his description of the armoured assault against the greenskins, he'd note Dyzek's approval, his chest out, his gaze focused upon him, and his fingers flexing in anticipation.

Yet, when the talk went towards the Primarch, and the clear disapproval held by the sergeant, Dyzek's enthusiasm would fade. He'd never met The Primarch himself, nor had he suffered through the rumored decimation and reorganizations of The Legion, and thus, he'd have little personal opinion of the being. He was a son of The Emperor, beloved by all, and yet, his own sons seemed divided on their opinion of him. He'd make no response to the words, yet, he'd note the scanning Xerxes performed of all those squad members present, with slight irritation. With this, if the fledgling librarian turned his gaze to Dyzek, he'd find him staring right back at the man, his helmet concealing the thoughts within, though even Dyzek would not be sure these were safe in the presence of the Psyker.

His gaze would return towards the sergeant, as he detailed the Lieutenant's plot to infiltrate and cause chaos within the Ork stronghold, and immediately felt glory calling. To be the ones within, tearing apart the enemy fortification, why, it could lead to the downfall of the enemy entirely on this world. It would be dangerous, and filled with threats, yet those who performed this task would no doubt earn praise in the aftermath of the campaign. And yet, it would be for this reason that Dyzek would speak up.

"I agree with Brother Xerxes on this matter, that the covert operation into the greenskin base in the prime mission here. It could change the balance of the enemy forces, and if successful, lead to their total collapse here on this world. It is for this reason that I recommend we take to the armoured convoy, and allow a more senior, and experienced squad take the duty here. Glory is good, but success is what matters, and simply put, we are all relatively green here."

Dyzek knew this might draw some ire from the brothers here, perhaps even the sergeant, but he cared little. The mission was what was important, and for it to succeed, they'd need to send the best they could. There would be time later to earn praise and personal triumphs, but here, and now, it would be efficient. They would do more good among the armoured convoy, where they could support their brothers in the Legion, and earn their place among the veterans.

"I say we go for the major offensive, where we may test the mettle of our Legion against the orks, and crush them beneath the treads of our tanks."
​

Action: Vote for Iron Without - Captain Brumdar's Challenge

Post-Briefing: @Colapse @BruticusTheGoreHound @Draconion
"Yes m'lords! Thank you ever so much for your kindness! " Jessy took an over dramatic bow and turned away. The other penal troopers were looking either pissed or mortified, depending on how much of an ass kicking or back stabbing they were expecting. As one they packed up and moved off further toward the front to presumably continue screwing around. This left the trench empty if the three wished to spar there.... all they needed to do was move the unconscious trooper still laying face down in the mud.