@TechCaptain One of the Tempest bolts hit the head of the Praetorian controlling the stalker, temporarily stunned by the impact it did nothing to stop Saven from clambering up onto the Machine. @EvicusDasan1 @Illfetus @Uriel1339 @Vanestus @Maleth After being stunned by the Tempest bolts Saven had an easy time finishing off the Necron still sitting in the pilot seat with her boltgun, with the pilot gone the machine was put out of action and the crowd of refugees was just a little bit safer. @Vulpas @Grall_Stonefist @High_Adept_Zeth The PDF were still fighting a grim engagement with the Necron Phalanx managing to halt the Xenos fire upon the refugees at least from this point but were genuinely struggling to inflict any real damage, one of the machines fell after being tackled by one of the PDF soldiers and the others seeing their opportunity fell on the fallen Necron seeking to try and damage it in any way they could. The lasfire did not do much to the pilot of the Triarch Stalker but it did do enough for the pilot to be eventually eliminated rendering the machine inert for the time being. ~ Any hope of getting the crowd back under control was almost futile while they were still being fired upon, so many people trying to save their own lives and those of their loved ones were all acting on instinct and were practically oblivious to the PDF and the 19th Valerian. The crowd was scattering every which way, into the city of back the way they came or even into the outskirts either side of the great mass of people, many still didn't even know what was going on and had remained where they were but the heat ray was still claiming lives. There was a clear sound of shouting coming from deeper within the city a voice that rang out over the sound of so many people panicking at once and one that resonated with the sound of authority. A platoon of the Mordian 535th Line infantry suddenly emerged from the interior of the city running in formation and forming up into disciplined ranks within range of the Necron Phalanxes, their sergeants bellowing orders the colorful guardsmen began firing controlled bursts into the Xenos ranks. The Mordian squads had positioned themselves in such a way that their entire formation could fire a continuous devastating volleys of lasfire onto the invaders in spite of the carnage surrounding them. The Necrons tried to respond to the new arrivals but the Mordians were highly disciplined and quick to maneuver having already successfully managed to deploy exactly where they wanted to be in time for them to deliver punishing fire upon the Xenos long before the slow moving machines managed to bring their Gauss weaponry to bare. The Necrons immediately began to suffer, the Mordians even with only lasguns were only focusing their fire on one particular target at a time making it so that it was more than even the resilient Xenos could stand and very soon one of the Phalanxes had already fallen to the disciplined fire. The 535th immediately responding to the destroyed target quickly redirected their efforts onto a second phalanx the cohesion of their troops even while now under fire by the Necrons was almost beyond belief. Behind the Mordian squads a single Chimera emerged from the city interior and started firing an accurate stream of multilaser lasfire at one of the Triarch Stalkers, although it wasn't quite as effective at penetrating the armor on the walker as per say some of the 19th Valerians non standard weaponry one lucky shot did manage to fell the pilot disabling the machine. Out of the back of the Chimera emerged a command squad headed a hard looking veteran platoon commander, rigid and equipped with a plasma pistol and chainsword he was followed closely by a standard bearer bearing the Mordian flag, they were approaching the focus point of the PDF resistance, namely where the 19th Valerian squad was currently standing. practically roaring over the sound of the crowd he ordered both the squad and the group. 'Get the citizens inside the planetary capital! Command has secured safe sanctuary for them in the deployment area, make it quick soldiers the Necron forces are all over this frakking place' The deployment area the platoon commander was talking about was the space inside the city reserved for the deployment of the Imperial guard when they first landed planet side, right at the heart of the capital itself it was normally reserved for planetary tithes or off world shipments from the city Manufactorum. The landing site was however large enough to provide an ideal landing zone for the Imperial guard when they first arrived to deal with the Eldar, the location being secure from any attempt by the Xenos to prevent their landing without having to first fight their way through the city.
Sgt. Alton smiled in relief. He immediately hopped on his vox. " Saven, Good Work. Make your way back, we are being relieved. Squad Orderly rear guard keep firing into the ground forces of the enemy, but get these civilians to the old landing grounds. Felix notify the PDF leaders. Double time people. Get inside the wall with the civilians going first ASAP people." Sgt. Alton followed his words with hand signals, waving people along. He switched his magazine to standard Bolt rounds. Following his own orders, he started falling back waving civilians along as he fire bolts into the enemy.
"On it boss." Saven voxed to Alton, jumping off the walker and swiftly ran back to the squad, firing off a few more bolter rounds into the machine warriors on foot. Once back with the squad, her focus remained on taking down as many of the enemy as she could, letting each and every shot from her bolter act for the enemy as a demonstration of mankind's fury.
"Good work lads!"yelled Felix as they stunned the alien walker a fussiliade of lasfire going into the damn thing from one of the Chimera. Mordian Iron Guard. For a moment Felix stood still,crouching still behind cover as a line of blue soldiers came at the from the dust and smoke,what seemed to be a Sergeant,yelling orders on him. "Sir!" spoke Felix as he got the confirming order from his own Sergeant. "Come on lads...these guys are taking over...and they know the game."clasped Felix one of the PDF soldiers next to him on his backs. In orderly fashion they fell back,Felix searching for the PDF Captain to relay the news.
@TechCaptain @Illfetus @Maleth @Vulpas @Grall_Stonefist @EvicusDasan1 @Uriel1339 @Vanestus @High_Adept_Zeth ~ Before the squad could leave they caught the eye of the platoon commander who was surveying the mass of refugees as they started funneling into the city interior, now presently brought back under control by the Iron guard. Hailing the squad he had immediately recognized which regiment the squad was from even despite the non standard squad equipment and single abhuman. 'You, you troops are guardsmen from the 19th Valerian? We sent warnings via vox that a cylinder had landed near the planetary capital, this city has been under a Xenos siege for over a week now, supplies are running low and the casualty rate has been going up steadily. When none of the regiments that had been dispatched up there responded to our calls we assumed you had all been annihilated when the first cylinder landed, since you being here has proved that wrong we might be in a better position than we thought we were in. You did well in bringing the refugees here, with the enemy air decimating our Valkyrie forces we have been unable to relocate our deployment site.' The platoon commander drew closer, around him the Mordian 535th had just about got the battle under control and the PDF was starting to consolidate as the control of the refugee crowd slowly went out of their hands, the last of the Necrons were still fighting various elements of the Imperial guard even as the platoon commander continued explaining the situation to the group. 'It was by the Emperor's will that you and the refugees had managed to make it this far without being attacked, if you depart now the Necron Tomb blades might try to intercept so I recommend you head to the deployment zone to assist in defending the site. General Dmitri Vale has come through with an explicit order to all ground forces to surrender their regiment troop transports to aid in the evacuation of the planetary populace, he has recently deposed of the planetary governor for charges of cowardice and has placed jurisdiction of the planet under Astra Militarum control for the foreseeable future. The Regimental command of all remaining Imperial guard regiments are now the de-facto government of the entire planet and we are to remain here on this planet until we are relieved, General's orders.' A trio of Valkyries flew over the top of the crowd patrolling the perimeter of the city, they looked somewhat damaged but were still combat worthy it was clear that the sky at least within the city itself was relatively safe from Necron aerial assault.
Sgt. Alton even grimy from the non stop battles and running gave the platoon commander a parade ground salute that had perfect timing. " Sir the situation is closer to your original assessment. 19th Valerian is decimated only a few squads remain. The 122nd Vargarin Artillery only has a few pieces scattered about and are actively hunted by yhe Xenos. 233rd New Byzriatine are scattered and not responding to vox hails. The Eldar are done for as far as we can tell but these new ones have decimated everyone. We have some success with fluid defences but not much else. 19th Valerian command just barely survives trying to regroup the others. Sir do you know of other encampments that need an escort?" Sgt. Alton's salute is still holding and he gave his report in a way like he was reporting the weather. Then over his shoulder he shouted, " Squad form up. "
"Or we could follow his recommendation and help out at the transport site, sir." Saven suggested, relaxing for the moment. At least the platoon commander had finally given the Xenos a name and given how the Guard was keeping the city secure, the Guardwoman thought that it would be reasonable to hope that the Guard might stand a chance of winning this fight against the Necrons if they had reinforcements.... But, there was a reason that 'hope was the first step on the road to disappointment' was a common saying.
Zita appeared at the back salute as she the command squad as she saw them. She hadn't been able to get a shot off at the necrons due to her positioning in the crowds to many Civilians in the way when she tried to get the PDF together. "We can head to wherever we are needed." Zita said ready to reenter the fight and to get back to tending to wounds.
Vermont assembled with the rest as they were called, standing in silence next to Saven (@Maleth ) and Rex (@Vanestus ). He was a soldier and he knew his place. The commanding officer had to make the tactical decisions and he knew better than some others of how to shut up and comply. It's a thing you learn on Elysia very quickly or rot in the nowhere of the desert, where you can show off all by yourself how well you can think on your own and how it feels to go rogue.
At the Sergeant`s orders,Felix fell in line with the others,standing next to Rex.At the CO`s mentioning of the alien`s name he spat to the ground,remembering it now fully.As Sergeant finished his report,he cleaned some of the dust and filth from his flak chest with a handkerchief,at least to look presentable.Three days of fighting and surviving without a moments rest are a poor excuse for doing otherwise...at least in the Guard. Pulling up his visor,he stood at the attention.
