Danny had seen the results of a dive bombing attack, and they weren’t pretty. Hydra’s first ship had been the Charon, but the only thing left from it now was scrap metal laying at the bottom of Green Bay Harbor. The danger to convoys moving between Green Bay and Gary was real. Even with air cover, the enemy could score hits if they pressed their attack.
The numbers situation wasn’t much better elsewhere. Danny was certainly glad Ronin wasn’t planning on betraying them, because their vital areas had been stripped of protection. Lerna Bastion had a decent sized garrison on paper, but most of those were NPC guards. Indianapolis had a bigger garrison and had more players, but many of those were from Hephaestus Company. Not exactly the ones they wanted fighting off a determined assault, Danny thought to himself.
Knight Battalion had been stripped of its most powerful unit and now had to cover with smaller, less experienced companies. Jackal, Band of Brothers and the others certainly had the skills to fight, and they had proven themselves in repeated battles with Ragnarok Company, but they lacked the sheer fighting power of Sacred Sword. Aside from being a veteran unit, Sacred Sword had over one hundred members. Taking them away meant stripping the battalion of over a quarter of their strength.
Rogue Battalion had to hold the other side of Ragnarok’s corridor to Old Chicago, pitting their mechanized infantry against all comers. They were formidable, but without their assault guns they lost a good portion of their firepower. Danny didn’t imagine either battalion was pleased by their prospects.
It couldn’t be helped though, because the Hydra Alliance needed everything it could muster for the attack into Milwaukee.
Hydra had anything and everything at their disposal: assault troops, armor support, artillery, naval support, marines, air cover, the works. But even so, it might not be enough, and that was a testament to how strong their opponent was.
“Danny, we’re assembled,” Javy told him over the radio.
“Bravo 1 is assembled,” Xavier added.
“Bravo 3 is ready as well. Looks like we’ve got the area secure,” Ryan told him.
Danny nodded to himself. “Good. Fan out and let’s get on with this. Head for our objective, and try to stay out of any fights.”
“Try not to get spotted, you mean,” Javy said. “What are we supposed to do if we run into the OPFOR, throw rocks at them? I think Shayna might try to kill us if we do.”
“Avoid contact with the enemy,” Danny told him. “Remember, the objective is to relieve a friendly unit, and getting bogged down in a fight doesn’t help us accomplish that. Keep moving and use your stealth skills.”
“Got it,” Xavier said.
“You’re walking behind us, right? Like, far behind us?” Javy asked. “Wouldn’t want you to give us away.”
Danny tried not to smile. “Oh, just move out.” He switched channels. “Raven 2, can you provide cover for us?”
“Roger that, Bravo Wolf,” Blake told him. “We’ll keep an eye on the ground and warn you if anyone’s coming in your direction.”
“Thanks Blake,” Danny told him. It might not be as flashy as attacking with guns blazing, but simple observation could mean the difference between victory and defeat. If one unit knew the location of their enemy, they could exploit that information to put themselves in an advantageous position.
Danny’s thoughts drifted back to Hydra’s strategic situation. Any tactical advantage they could gain would be welcome, because Ragnarok had too many units at their disposal that could ruin their day. The tank company, their light infantry, the Valkyries, Ymir, Fenris, the list went on and on. Most of them would probably be deployed to Milwaukee, but Danny was certain they’d see a few elite units on their end as well.
But the hardest nut to crack would be Milwaukee, and that’s where all of the alliance’s best troops and equipment were being committed. Dragon Battalion would lead the assault, backed up by Sacred Sword and Rogue’s assault guns. Ghost Battalion would force a landing on the beaches, flanking the garrison force. On paper they had more than enough troops to win the battle. Judging from past experiences, they would conquer the place with minor trouble.
Those projections relied on information that might be outdated, though. Hydra had taken a dozen districts before now, but their opposition had always been the NPC garrison. That presented its own openings and challenges. On one hand, the central capture point always had a particularly powerful unit guarding it, acting like a boss. That obstacle wouldn’t be there in a player controlled district. But on the other hand, Ragnarok’s individual troops were much better than anything the AI could muster.
Danny didn’t know if his platoon would take part in the battle, but in his gut he guessed that whoever had to job was in for a savage fight. Both sides had heavy firepower and advanced weaponry, but it was more than that. In the hands of a less determined unit, those advantages only meant so much. It was the people wielding them that made all the difference.
Initially, he thought nothing of the difference, because to him it felt completely normal. To Danny, Hydra and Ragnarok simply fought, but his perspective shifted. People had commented about it, and he had gradually noticed it over time. Fights between Hydra and Ragnarok were vicious, frequently devolving into brutal, merciless brawls.
Danny had seen it firsthand, most recently at the battle at the Ghost Line. Ragnarok’s infantry stormed Black Wolf’s trenches and forced close-quarters combat, where anything and everything was fair game. Even in the face of massive losses, neither side backed down.
Part of the reason for that was the sheer determination of both sides. In World at War, the side that lost their nerve was the side that lost the battle. Casualties played their part, but most battles between players ended when one side decided they couldn’t win and needed to flee. In fact, most casualties happened when the retreating side fled the battlefield.
But between the two juggernauts of the Old Chicago area, it was different. Sure, the commanders on both sides were smart enough to know when resistance was futile and when they needed to fall back. Simply standing and dying did little to serve their cause, after all. But in a pitched battle, neither side would back down. Even if the enemy was killing them, even against difficult odds, both Hydra and Ragnarok would hold their ground.
And the result of that was heavy casualties on both sides. When your enemy refused to turn tail and run, the only other option was to kill them. Neither side took prisoners, which suited them just fine. Who wanted to give up to the enemy when you had infinite lives? Better to go down fighting and causing as much damage as possible. Besides, on the off chance they captured anyone a swift execution was sure to follow. No one wanted to take any chances that their prisoner was hiding a bomb, waiting for the right moment to set it off.
And other than the brief fight at Green Bay, all their confrontations with Ragnarok had been on the open battlefield, in the forests, in the fields, the swamps, on the rivers of the wilds surrounding Old Chicago. Even in areas with dense cover there had been room to maneuver.
Inside a city, though, the fights would be close-quarters, face to face with only short distances separating the two sides. Troops from the two sides could be fighting in an area no bigger than a living room or kitchen, and in such confined spaces the potential for mass carnage was astronomical.
Two determined heavyweights were about to collide. Neither would back down, neither would budge an inch, and both would use every tool they had in their arsenal. Hydra Command might be hoping for a quick victory, but Danny believed that was nothing more than a pipe dream. They’d be lucky if they could take the district within a week, especially against determined resistance.
Oh well, though. It wasn’t his job to worry about hypothetical scenarios on a different front. He’d have his hands full trying to keep the area outside the city stable.
“Bravo 3, you have an enemy unit close to your position, about two to three hundred yards to the northwest,” Blake said. “They’ve moving south southeast, so
adjust accordingly.”
“Copy that, Raven 2,” Ryan replied.
Danny didn’t say anything. All three of his squad leaders were veterans with plenty of field experience. They knew how to handle troops.
He was thankful for that, because it left him with more time to assess the overall tactical and strategic situations. He didn’t have much to do on the tactical front either, since their main role would be plugging holes in the line. Until they got on the ground they wouldn’t know the situation, so the amount of planning they could do was limited.
He had plenty to think about on the strategic end of things, however. Ragnarok still had their corridor to Old Chicago, allowing them access to recruits and essential supplies they couldn’t produce on their own. Even with their industrial capabilities, there were some items that no alliance could create. Fusion batteries were the primary commodity, along with electronics equipment, explosives and components like wire.
Danny wanted Hydra to focus their efforts on cutting the supply line. If they could cut off Ragnarok from the main hub, they would eventually wither on the vine and die. Hydra Command didn’t see things the same way, though, and wanted to focus on Milwaukee. He didn’t quite agree with their reasoning, but at least it made sense. If Ragnarok captured the city they had access to its port facilities, which meant they could probably bypass the land blockade and take the water route. Hydra could challenge them, but a naval battle on the lake wasn’t ideal given that Ragnarok had a better air force.
And so, focus remained on Milwaukee, and that meant Ragnarok’s corridor would remain open for the time being. They didn’t have the forces to squeeze it, and even if they did their enemy had heavily fortified the area. Ragnarok definitely knew its value, and wouldn’t give it up without a fight.
Danny still viewed the area with great interest and a bit of worry, though. It split Hydra’s lines in two and increased the amount of front they had to cover. He didn’t think Ragnarok would try to launch an attack from that direction, but the possibility still bounced around his mind. On one hand a Ragnarok task force could attack either side of the salient, giving them a huge amount of flexibility. On the other hand, if the attack failed then Hydra might be able to launch a counterattack soon after and crush the corridor for good.
No, Danny was more worried about the westernmost part of the line, where the Hydra lines blurred and then met up with Ronin territory. He had talked with Tafari of White Tiger Company, trying to get some assurances from his friend, but there were none coming. The alliance would certainly defend their territory, but most of their efforts were focused on capturing Davenport.
That left a lot of open space that could be exploited. Common wisdom would suggest that Ragnarok pour all their strength into the main fronts in Milwaukee, the Old Chicago corridor and Green Bay. But a more daring individual might pull troops away from those fronts to launch a surprise attack on the weakened flank.
Danny didn’t know Lucas, Ragnarok’s supreme commander, all that well. He couldn’t gage his tendencies and preferences, and didn’t know how much autonomy he allowed his commanders in the field. Danny assumed that he was relatively hands off, given the flexibility that Ragnarok forces exhibited, but right now he couldn’t be sure.
Was he a gambler, though? The Hydra Alliance had seized the initiative and were pressing their advantage. Soon enough, they would be on their doorstep, ready to smash their way into the Ragnarok’s stronghold. Was Lucas daring enough to take a gamble that could dramatically turn the tables? Danny couldn’t exactly discount that possibility, and that made him nervous.
He’d bring it up to whoever would listen. Zach and Nora would definitely lend an ear, and Liz would as well. That would get Anna on his side, and Danny believed he could convince David and Gina to listen. That would give him powerful allies in each of the battalions.
“Bravo 1, Bravo 2, you have an enemy unit heading toward you both,” Blake warned again over the radio. “Judging from the direction it looks like they’re going to go right between you. Might want to split in opposite directions. Bravo 2 to the east, Bravo 1 to the west.”
Danny opened up his wrist menu and looked down at the map. So far his platoon was making steady progress through the forest and were nearing the objective. He hadn’t heard any of them run into trouble, either. They were staying silent.
Of course, not having him along probably helped. Danny came along as an observer, not as an actual part of the unit. He would watch the squads to make sure they were ready, and correct any flaws he found. He knew Blake was also taking notes to review later. Bravo Wolf couldn’t afford to be sloppy on this front. Too much hung in the balance.
“The main attack should be starting soon,” Blake commented over the radio.
Danny looked down at his watch. “Yeah.”
“They’re in for a long battle.”
“They can handle it,” he replied.
Even so, he wondered how they were doing.
12
SIDESWIPE
Even floating offshore on the deck of a patrol ship, Zach could hear the rolling booms of the artillery bombardment swinging into full force. He watched as columns of dirt and debris appeared on the horizon, marking the impact of various types of shells. Small ones were 81mm mortars and 75mm artillery shells. The larger puffs came from the 120mm mortars, and the largest columns were thrown up by the 155s.
Ragnarok was probably very, very confused by now.
Ghost Battalion had struck first. Barghest Company attacked one of the landing beaches with everything at their disposal, raking the fortifications and defenders with all manner of ordinance. The mortar boats backed them up, along with the 155mm gun mounted on Poseidon, their patrol ship. As expected, enemy troops started moving toward the beach to fend off the potential amphibious assault.
That’s when the rest of the Hydra forces made their presence known. Bravehart Company laid into the enemy with everything at their disposal, blasting enemy strongpoints, supply depots, communications centers and troop concentrations. They hoped to take out large chunks of the enemy force as they moved through the streets, because it was easier to take out troops that were out in the open than ones hunkered down in cover.
Zach thought their hopes might be a bit optimistic, because Ragnarok knew how to protect themselves from an artillery bombardment. They’d certainly take casualties, but the vast majority would make it through. Even if they did, though, the massed shelling would still serve to pin them down, giving the attacking force more time to close the distance and come to grips with them.
He looked down at his wrist menu clock. Two minutes until the assault on the southern wall would begin. Zach wished them luck, because even with a gap in the wall and the initial bombardment, the defenders would be fighting tooth and nail to keep them out. Casualties would probably be very heavy.
But he had a feeling that Dragon wouldn’t want it any other way. They weren’t subtle by any stretch of the imagination, and preferred to go toe to toe with the enemy. And while that might cost them extra casualties, it would always serve to draw Ragnarok’s attention to the southern wall.
While that was happening, Ghost Battalion would move into position and strike. Black Wolf’s frogmen would land first and establish a foothold, followed by the rest of the battalion on their landing craft. Once they were ashore they would put pressure on the garrison, supporting the attack on the southern wall and hopefully linking up with them in short order.
“All commanders, Dragon’s attack on the southern wall will commence in one minute,” Anna announced over the radio.
Zach took a glance at the rest of the Black Wolf troops assembled on deck. Most of them were making last minute checks of their dive equipment. A few leaned up against the superstructure with their eyes closed, apparently trying to clear their minds before the mission.
“Ready?” he asked as he caught Selene’s eye.
“Of course,” she responded. “Can you keep up with us is the better
question.”
“Ha, as if,” Zach replied with a smile.
Three squads would be going in, backed up by a command team made up of himself, Selene, Nora and Miko. Between the four of them they would handle the situation on the ground. Selene would command on the tactical level, directing her troops to their spots. Nora would communicate with the rest of Ghost Battalion, making shore their coordination remained solid. Miko could act as a forward scout or an assassin, taking out high priority targets such as commanders. And Zach would oversee the entire strategic situation, communicating and coordinating with all the battalions and companies on the battlefield.
“Everyone set?” Nora asked as she walked up.
“I already asked her that,” Zach said. “She said they’d leave us in the dust.”
“Hey, that’s not exactly what I said. I asked if you guys could keep up,” Selene replied.
“Fair question,” Nora shrugged. “It’s been a while since I’ve been a part of the infantry.”
“Too bad we don’t have Hoplite Platoon,” Selene commented.
Zach shook his head. “Way too risky for us to use them now, especially in an amphibious assault.”
Ghost Battalion still had a collection of armored, powered exoskeletons organized under the moniker Hoplite Platoon. They provided mobile firepower and good protection to the pilots in any type of terrain, but they weren’t invincible. Nora had lost her suit at the Battle of Green Bay, and Hydra lacked the ability to produce replacements.
As a result, command had decided to disband the unit. They still existed on paper, but the suits would stay at Indianapolis, only to be used as a last resort.
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