The Other Side

Last Stand of the 12th

Location: Village in former Atlas territory

Uyghur: Men of the New Orderian Army! The enemy surrounds and outnumbers us. We are taking casualties fast and this line may fall soon. Despite this we have a duty, a duty to keep these people safe and fight to the last man. The NOAD is the group that protects the innocent, rights wrongs, and strikes down the enemies of New Orderia. I expect every one of you to uphold those duties. Long Live New Orderia!

The soldiers gave a hurrah before making small repairs to the defenses. The time they had to hold out for was 30 minutes. After that 30 minutes close air support would arrive, from there they had another 120 minutes for the helicopters to arrive. The Atlesians weren't going to let that time go by easily. The Atlas soldiers had been reinforced with enough for another 6 waves.

The first of those 6 began with a shelling as usual. Unfortunately for the Atlesians the guns they used were too inaccurate to cause damage to the New Orderian defenses. Knowing this the Atlas guns choose a new target, the houses. The village was large enough of a target that should they fire on it at least half of the shells would cause sever damage. That is exactly what happened, the shells landed and fires broke out across the village. 

As the shells were falling and the New Orderians were distracted the Atlas troops charged, this time with motorized support. Two lightly armored trucks armed with dual machine guns moved through the crater filled battlefield. Their guns were chambered in 7.62, not nearly as powerful as a 50 cal but enough to pack a punch. The NO line was quick to notice as rounds tore into anyone poking their head out of the trench. Small armed proved ineffective at penetrating the armor and the windows had panels to block rifle rounds. 

Kromer and Ikeman were sitting in a foxhole ahead of the main trench. Frasel had been behind the line getting more ammo when the attack began. Kromer made a plan and Ikeman agreed to it. The plan was risky, jump out of the foxhole and charge the trucks with grenades. Since their was no other option the pair waited for the trucks to get close before climbing out of the hole and lobbing frags.

Six explosions erupted around the trucks from the multiple grenades thrown. The lead truck's axel was torn apart by the first blast and the second killed the gunner and destroyed the MG. The third blast caused damage to soldiers behind the truck. The other truck was even worse, the first grenade landing inside. The truck exploded as the doors and window panels flew off. Fire shout out of the wreck as the other grenades wiped out anything nearby. 

Ikeman and Kromer dove back into the foxhole as enemy rifle fire hit around them. Kromer's helmet was hit by a round as he jumped into the hole. A gash across the back formed as shrapnel pealed off and cut into the back of his neck. The cuts weren't deep and he turned his rifle to unload into the bastard that hit him. The other New Orderian soldiers opened fire onto the disorganized Atlesian troops.

With the assault successfully held off NO troops tended to their many injured. Only one third of the soldiers had not been hit. Now a decent number of hit soldiers could still fight, but not well. Unfortunately there wasn't any options. Soldiers who were barely able to stand were given quick treatment and told to return to the fight. The dead were stacked inside the village whenever the fighting ceased and names were typed onto MDTs before a report was sent. Only 30 minutes remained until CAS arrived and the Atlesians new this. Sensors along the coast had detected the bombers and it became clear that if the NO soldiers weren't killed they wouldn't get a chance. 

A 93 man defense was mounted, every surviving soldier who could fight. Artillery pounded the defenses as always, this time destroying parts of the line but causing minimal casualties. The shelling was followed by a rocket barrage, the rockets were indiscriminate and tore into anything, civilian and military alike. A number of local villagers emerged from their shelters with hunting rifles and joined the defense. This group was given better weapons, any spare armor, and placed in areas where they were most likely to survive but still help. 

The final wave began before the bombers arrived, the Atlas Hail Mary. Large numbers of soldiers charged from all sides as machine guns tore into the NO line. New Orderian troops retaliated with automatic fire. The villagers who joined the defense had been placed on rooftops and up in trees with their rifles. They acted as snipers agains the tidal wave of soldiers. NO mortar crews had already abandoned their weapons, them having been destroyed in the bombing of the village, and now wielded rifles on the frontline. 

Despite the soldiers and volunteers putting up fight they knew it wasn't sustainable. With Atlas remnant forces only throwing more at them there was a low chance at survival. The trench was soon overrun and a brawl began as the soldiers fought with bayonets. Unlike previous times NO casualties were high as exhausted troops fought fresh ones. The New Orderians barely held off the attack and before they could regroup the LAV gunners were already firing at the second group of Atlas soldiers. 

Knowing the front trench could not be defended anything that could act as an explosive and wasn't needed for the defense was placed in it. Any remaining mortar shells lined the walls of the trench and the soldiers set up a final defensive line in the village. The Atlesians launched the biggest assault yet and they began to cross the trench rigged to blow. A soldier held up the detonator and began to press down.

A bang sounded out over the gunfire. A sniper hidden had fired a shot, blowing the head off of the soldier instantly. The detonator fell and the sniper prevented anyone from grabbing it. As this happened Atlas troops were able to get within range to attack. New Orderian defender's numbers were dwindling as snipers picked off one soldier after another. The normal Atlas troops opened fire as well causing more casualties. RPGs fired and the soldiers in the LAVs bailed as their trucks were obliterated.

The soldiers were being overrun faster and some men set up traps with their grenades and any cords they could find. The Atlesians entered the village and the traps went off causing shrapnel to tear into the attacking forces. The last hurrah of the New Orderians was to take up arms within the largest remaining building in the village. The injured and civilians were moved inside a bunker underneath and anyone able to fight grabbed their rifles to fire out the multiple holes, part of the building by design or made from explosions.

Uyghur: Anything. Please, we are getting our shit rocked here, most of my men are dead. We have had to arm civilians to make this defense possible. 

Radio: You are lucky, we have a number of destroyers off the coast, just within range to use their cruise missiles. CAS is set to arrive in 20, missiles will hit in 5.

Hopefully they could last that long. Their odds weren't good as a few soldiers attempted to stop the Atlesians from bringing up flamethrowers. Uyghur gave a quick speech and the NO troops made their final stand. Victory or 100% casualties, nothing less.