XXX, februari 3016: YYY

Rhyde Peninsula (Denebola), June 3016: Pincher left

15 minutes from their target and still no intercept. Deborah glanced at the others carefully moving between thorny shrubs and gray fractured rocks, but quickly returned her attention to her long range radar. The four FLAK units kept up well with her three mechs, although they had to plot a slow and winding course between hills and copses because of the Hetzer and the Scirasser. She hoped that Gabriel would keep his unit under control.

Micheal was glad he brought up the rear. That FLAK Rhino gave him the willies. Yeah, it was on their side. Sure. He did not trust them for a bit. Their CO, a captain von Manteufel, had agreed to captain Hansen having command over this attack. Right, like he just was willing to loose two mechs. This guy was not going to fall for it.

12 minutes and still clean. Deborah had to admit, the plan to get them near the strike locations using fishing barges had been worth the risc. Hauptman Kommandant von Buren was a pompous ass, but he did have a good idea what he wanted to -and could- achieve with his forces. Odd, there was a clear family likeness between Wanda and the Kommandant, but an absolute difference in style. Same paternal great-grandfather (according to Wanda), but the von Burens had embraced the Lyran social ladder and were busy squirming up. An unpleasant man; she preferred the FLAK CO. 'Free Lyran Armored Knights'. A good name for a new medium merc unit. Von Manteufel knew how to negotiate: she had command and he would get repair/refit priority. It was a shame that the barges couldn't carry the Interdictor. When von Buren decided to split her unit and attached Gabriel, Peter and the vehicles to one of his lances, she had no right to deny it. She had to do something about it.

In the front Wanda had already forgotten about her 'nephew'. All her attention was focussed on plotting a safe path, both for the vehicles and to decrease the chance being detected. The terrain allowed them to sneak, but at the same time made enemy ambushed possible. She had little to worry about the Rhino, and the 'Gladiator' was oke for a succession war bastard, but the vehicles were vulnerable to rough ground. Still it could have been worse: a Hetzer was dangerous, wheels and all, and the Hover, an odd mixture of most of a Scimitars body with an extended Harassers turret, could launch an impressive volley of SRMs. Less rocks and more earth, they neared their objective.

'Ze Leaguers are constructing fortifications near the hauptstrasse A5 from st.Cameron. Ze are about halfway ready. Destroy zem and zen probe Malliche village. Ze will zink zat I will counterattack zere. Eizer zey post guard, or I will raid ze spaceport.' Yes, von Buren was a arrogant man, but the logic was well founded: do not allow your opponent to build up defences and by raiding the League was forced to station forces there - forces he could not use to raid. Only 6 minutes. Deborah started to shift her sensors for ground targets.

Aurora & Horizon Wolverine-with-PPC, Dancer P-Hawk
Rhino (see ), Gladiator (PHawk speed 5, some more heatsinks), Hetzer, Hover (35t, ice speed 8, 5xsrm4(turret))

[Aurora] "FLAK-4 stay close to me, Warriors left flank, FLAK right."
[Dancer] "1 blip left flank, 3 on right, nothing center"
[Aurora] "Assume ambush, give 100 meters on central gully"
[Horizon] "Taking fire, shit, I mean missiles, long range missiles"
[Dancer] "Withworth probable, 500 meters 11 o'clock, I'm taking shelter behind ridge"
[Aurora] "FLAK-1, not to much center"
[Gladiator] "I see a Phoenix-Hawk and one - no two light mechs"
[Aurora] "FLAK-2, direction and range?"
[Gladiator] "2 o'clock, no wait, going 3, I think 400 meters or so"
[Aurora] "Keep them of our flank FLAK-2"
[Rhino] "Visual confirmation on new blip: Dervish 1 o'clock 600 meters, no lock"

[Rhino] "Taking fire, hits on torso and legs, jumping clear"
[Aurora] "Rifleman from cover at 12-400, Warriors assist FLAK-1"
[Horizon] "Jumping to the rescue"
[Dancer] "Affirm, Rifleman has rebuild arms, not standard League colors"
[Gladiator] "Light mechs are Locusts, I can see personal markings"
[Aurora] "FLAK-2 pounce them"
[Hover] "Attacking the Dervish"
[Aurora] "FLAK-3 wait! FLAK-4 with me to Rifleman, Dancer shift to Withworth"
[Hetzer] "Roger"
[Horizon] "Ouch, *** help I getting hit by class 10 shells on my legs"

[Dancer] "Rear puncture R-Man left, laser destroyed"
[Hover] "Dervish fleeing, we're gonna get hi###"
[Rhino] "Firefly is hit, confirm blower destroyed, attacking Rifleman"
[Dancer] "Jumping to Withworth"
[Hetzer] "ETA 10 secs"
[Horizon] "*** It's aim at my" <carrier lost>
[Dancer] "Head hit on Horizon"
[Hover] "We're grounded, fire coordinates anyone?"
[Horizon] <backup carrier online>
[Aurora] "FLAK-3 coordinates follow, Horizon status?"

[Rhino] "Got him"
[Hetzer] "Yeahh, and again" - "nice salvo Firefly"
[Horizon] "I can still kick you *#%%!"
[Dancer] "Incoming from Dervish and Withworth" - "little damage"
[Rhino] "Bang, Rifleman gyro destroyed"
[Dancer] "Closing on Withworth"
[Aurora] "FLAK-1 and 4, destroy target at 12-600"
[Hover] "He! We're sitting ducks here!"
[Rhino] "We'll stay close"
[Horizon] "Captain, I've got breached head armor and damaged sensors"

[Aurora] "Horizon you are reserve, FLAK-3 coordinates of Dervish follow"
[Dancer] "Two new blips near buildings - light mechs, Withworth backs away"
[Rhino] "Shooting at 1 of 5, ETC 20 secs"
[Dancer] "Mechs are Stingers, supporting Withworth"
[Aurora] "Will support Dancer, FLAK-1 mind the Dervish and fire control FLAK-3"
[Gladiator] "HELP, I'm shot through the rear and the kick me, I fall and no good targets" <override>
[Aurora] "Quiet FLAK-2! Horizon assist."
[Rhino] "Almost done, Dervish still on range"
<few seconds radio silence>
[Rhino] "Heh the Stingers are coming for us and the Dervish closes in."

[Aurora] "FLAK-1, 3, and 4, just hold them for a moment"
[Dancer] "Withworth jumped back again, targetting building 3"
[Horizon] "Eat PPC you insect. Bah they're retreating towards the Dervish"
[Gladiator] "I can still fight"
[Aurora] "Horizon status of FLAK-3"
[Rhino] "Target 1 destroyed, going for 2"
[Hetzer] "Those *** Stingers are to fast!"
[Horizon] "That mech is pretty punctured, I mean I can see the" <override>
[Aurora] "Thank you Horizon, FLAK-2, retrieve FLAK-3 and retreat"
[Dancer] "Dervish and lights attack, intercepting" - "Oh no you don't" - "Missed me"

[Hover] "Heavy damage on target 4"
[Aurora] "FLAK-3 switch to 5"
[Horizon] "Nice Alpha on building, Cap"
[Hetzer] "We've got a flat"
[Hover] "*** Withworth is hitting us"
[Aurora] "FLAK-4 join FLAK-3"
[Rhino] "One crippled Stinger"
[Horizon] "There's the P-Hawk" - "Hit it"
[Dancer] "To slow brother" - "There goes the engine"
[Gladiator] "Won't I damage the hover if I drag it?"

[Aurora] "Just do it FLAK-2, Building 4 destroyed"
[Rhino] "Kicking 3" - "It's down"
[Gladiator] "The Withworth is now shooting at me!"
[Dancer] "Running interference"
[Horizon] "Hit the Dervish"
[Rhino] "Plugged him, he's pulling out"
[Aurora] "Last building down. Retreat. Dancer, FLAK-1, we are screening"

Opposition: undamaged Locust & Stinger, minor damage Withworth (2 salvos left), serious damage Locust, Stinger & Dervish (5 salvos left), did not pursue, as Dancer and Aurora had only minor damage