ClashOTF: Swarm Under Dubhe

Bix hardly had time to gather his investigators to him and begin interviewing the workers at the Unity base on Sarin, when an alarming message reached his ears from Dubhe.

Distress calls had been received from an industrial sector just beyond the main city of ------ , but they were rather garbled and confused. Bix and his investigators had a new and more pressing mission. They gathered their troops and prepared to leave Sarin as quickly as possible.

Intel suggested that the entire industrial area had suffered a comms blackout approximately 2 hours after the first communications. Since then nothing had been heard and the local governor on Duhbe was reluctant to send any more of her inexperienced militia, after the 3 squads that had already been sent and nothing had been heard from them.

The final transmission from the militia still rang in Molko's ears, "...... swarming all over the compound, hundreds of..... " a scream, then silence.

Bix, Laertes and Mila glanced at each other, then continued to prepare for the jump.

*     *     *

As the battlegroup came in to land, they caught a glimpse of a group of local militia, running across the open ground in the middle of the industrial unit.

And the swarm of Drools that were scampering after them.

They disembarked from the landing craft and organised themselves on the fringe of the complex.

On the other side of the complex a large swarm gathered, about to over run the whole area.

Bix and the Unity troopers deployed on the right.

Immediately a group of Slathers ran along the building tops towards the marines.

Bix ordered the first medium tank to open fire.

Shredding 3 of the dribbling fiends.

The few remaining didn't care about their pod brothers.

In the centre the Drools ran across open ground to attack the militia trying to escape.

They surrounded the fearful troops and destroyed them.

Mila grabbed Bix by the arm, but there was nothing they could do.

The huge figure of the Hiver, protected by his guard, stood at the rear giving orders.

The Unity Marines shot down the last 2 Slathers before they could move any further forward.

In the centre the Drools came in for a pounding at the hands of the second medium tank.

Miraculously they failed their morale test 3 times.

The swarm began to move round the flanks using as much of the terrain as possible.

The guardsmen moved to intercept the Drools to the south.

The Hiver won initiative roll after initiative roll, Bix could do nothing but watch the surge bound towards his men.

The Drools skipping across to the right flank took 3 hits from a medium tank, but it did little to slow them.

Laertes made Bix aware that the swarm were taking their left flank.

The Unity Guards shot down one Drool, but they shook off any effects and stormed into combat. The Guardsmen were surrounded.

All but 2 were cut to pieces, Bix could hear their screams!

Slathers ran across the building tops out of site of the tank below.

While others leaped straight at the huge vehicle.

Horrified he was about lose a tank, Bix moved the other forward to eradicate the gathering Slather unit in the centre. 

It failed miserably, only killing one and put itself in a very dangerous position, Bix groaned.

Rather oddly the other tank managed to survive the Slather attack.

The Hiver searched within the minds of his troops and realised they were close to their prey.

The second tank was enveloped by Slathers and torn apart.

The Bio-tank slowly edged round the north end of the industrial complex.

While the Slathers on the roof slipped skillfully onto the tank below.

Destroying it with ease.

But they got too close to the Marines who had moved up in support, they gunned down 3 Slathers.

The Bio-tank had turned the corner and shot both its incinerators at the Retinue on the roof top, only Lobo was hurt, although he was removed with the other injured troopers.

Bix had managed to call back all his remaining troops, his responsibility was to them now, they must be kept alive, this location would have to be nuked from orbit. 

No more troops would be lost this day, luckily the transporters arrived just in time to remove them from the roof top.

But would his superiors agree with him, would the nukes be deployed to destroy what was a very expensive industrial facility?

Perhaps not.