Blessings of uncertainty

Chapter 3.5: Gunpowder and Promethium

The day finally arrives, for the past two days I spent that time briefing my unit and wrapping up any loose ends, this was definitely a suicide mission and everyone knew it. We mounted and started our tanks in silent, the infantry got in the transports and a voice came over the vox, "Attention all, this is Colonel Asera speaking," the crew tenses up as she speaks "we are about to embark upon what will most likely be the most dangerous operation yet" the tanks rumble forward with Vilvex's Strength, Asera's personal Baneblade tank, taking the lead "I know some of you have doubts, however with our strength we shall persevere", for this operation she rallied the entire regiment consisting of forty tanks, with five main tank platoons and one command platoon for herself, Asera continues "Vilvex yearns for liberation against these traitors, and I see no reason why the sons and daughters of Vilvex shouldn't be the ones to take part in this large scale strike" I lean out of my hatch as I watch us pass a checkpoint while Asera continues "We shall crust these traitors under the treads of our tanks, and once we knock out their air defenses I have been promised that they will be razed to the ground with the same fire and fury we have been showing them for the past two years of their pathetic attempt, from the first rebels to those we have killed just this past week, they will falter!", as her speech ends a roar of jeers and cheers are heard over the vox, looking behind I notice a convoy of several sister Rhinos tailing behind, it seems they're partaking in this operation as well. As we pass by the final checkpoint and enter territory not directly under our control I enter my tank and shut the hatch, This is going to be a long day

I space out as we continue moving through hostile territory, ever since the final checkpoint the entire regiment has maintained radio silence, even so it is anything but quiet as salvos from artillery is heard in the distance, I check the chronometer and it displays "1242H LCL TME", we've been on the road for almost five hours now and have not encountered any resistance, unsurprising as the path we are on was cleared weeks ago and sensors placed to determine the safety just far enough for the battle to begin. As we approach a horizon, all barren from the constant artillery we hear it, the sound of the heavy planetary anti-air artillery firing from the distance, as we approach a slope that leads down the ridge towards an open field where the large structure of the anti-air emplacement is housed, we take cover behind a small hill and the convoy stops as the line faces perpendicular to the hill and thus the anti-air gun, the vox cackles to life once more with a much more serious and somber tone from Colonel Asera "Attention all, this is it. Just beyond the hill to our right is an open field that leads straight towards the battery's housing, it has been heavily reinforced and entrenched as you are all likely aware of" I pop out of my hatch to get a good view of the line, sure enough there stands our entire regiment's strength of tanks, with support artillery and mortars disembarking to set up positions for a fallback location. The sisters' Rhinos are here as well, a closer look at the ones at the back reveals Hang on, is that an organ on the back of those Rhinos? I don't get much time to think as Asera continues "all we need to do is get the engineers to the gun and get out, alternatively we hit the gun with all of our firepower up close, but let's stick to the main plan" I spot Asera sticking out the top of the Vilvex's Strength, eyeing the entire line from the front, "I trust that all of you have said your prayers, the eyes of the Emperor are upon us this day. Now then, all tanks, right face!" As she says that all the tanks in line face the hill, Asera takes a good look at the row of tanks before facing the support staff, the chief of the support staff having set up the fallback points and mortars now gives two thumbs up to signal his readiness. Asera speaks "All tanks, button up" any crew member hanging around on the outside of their hatches all promptly re-enter and lock hatches upon entering, I follow suite as Asera states finally, "All tanks, maintain formation and charge the enemy," a short pause ensues before in a deafening boom "FOR THE EMPEROR, FOR VILVEX!"