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Group 2 Captain: "Can't do much, we're a bit bogged down ourselves on some problems of our own at the moment. I'll see if any of my boys have a mortar or something to lob shells over."

Group 3 managed to pull back a bit during the period the enemy was powering up their weapons so they at least weren't caught in a cross-fire between three angles. The fire-fight then began between them and somewhere around three to four dozen enemy anti-air vehicles. Despite the enemy's numerical superiority and fortified position, their performance was rather poor, but it was still costing the grenadier company their vanguard units.
...then, a section of the city, at least three blocks' size where some of the enemy's gun/skirmish crawlers were camped, erupted into flames.

An inquiry over the event revealed that the Archeronian Captain of the 3rd Grenadier ordered his Hussars to dump their external payloads in a scatter into the enemy formation. Since they were having trouble tracking exact positions in the chaos, he chose something closer to carpet bombing...

After a few minutes, a comm. message came back from Colonel Pahlen of the 42nd:
"Lord Rothwyn, my brigade is now heading out west in order to meet with Colonel Karamazov's 77th to counter the Tsutsui fleet. I'm leaving my command ship back in base CK-1 for speed purposes. I can't offer you much, but they have my full REDEIN complement which may be able to provide some fire support for your forces, and I don't expect to require them for at least half to an hour."

[ Time: ~0335 ]

Message to Group 3:
YOU DID WHAT??!!

After this, Gabriel sends for a transport so that he can manage the Capital City's security himself.

Group 3 Captain: "We destroyed the blocks the enemies were using to shelter their guns. I don't think it would take them out but it'll at least blind their sights and buy my troops some time to even the odds."

Message to Group 2:
Report in.

Message to the Knights at the other cities:
Status Report.

Message to Pahlen:
Accepted. I'm not sure how useful they'll be in urban combat, but the assistance is most appreciated.

Ivan sends a message to Gabriel: "We can't spare any forces aside from the 42nd's REDEINs. My suggestion is to crush the forces in open revolt as quickly as possible. If we are seen as weak in doing this, it will encourage further rebellion, while a strong response will show that we mean business. Have the Grenadiers move in to force the enemy to reveal their positions, then use obliterate them with precision air strikes from the REDEINs."

Response:
Precision Air Strikes?
All due respect commander, but this is not a field battle! As I'm sure you're aware, there's only so much "precise" that can be afforded in an urban environment. What we need are ground troops who can secure buildings! Not missiles that can take them out!

"Our ground troops are many hours away and fighting for their lives. There are simply no other forces available. If you are unwilling to use them, then you must simply wait until the rest of our forces are free. However, the REDEINs should be able to attack with minimum collateral damage, even in an urban setting, given that they are designed to take out enemy interceptors."

Response to Ivan:
"Very well, sir. I shall do my best."

Message to Groups 2 and 3:
I have negotiated the use of a compliment of REIDENs. Would either of you be able to flag specific targets for them to strike?

Group 2 is currently still bogged down in northwestern portion of the city, although they're slowly advancing towards the enemy artillery pieces. It seems that the enemy infantry in the area, while numerous and took good defensive positions, were poorly prepared otherwise, including their training. He also notes that the Chromians (wisely) evacuated most of the immediate area buildings, and were judiciously using their firepower, such as the heavy flamethrowers from two particular Siege Crawlers that gave them bit of trouble.

The detachment to the Capital reports nothing new.

The first flight of 60 REDEINs launched from base CK-1, and Colonel Pahlen has instructed the wing commanders to confer directly with the Grenadier Captains unless Lord Rothwyn has specific instructions.
Group 2 identified several targets which requires the REDEINs to swing in from the southwest direction and fire down one of the main avenues.
Group 3 was having more problems in targeting the enemy - the southern front seemed a lot better prepared and local interference was strong. He was advocating the REDEIN units to "incinerate the whole block", particularly targeting a local transformer station that may be the source of some of the sensor problems.

Message to REIDEN Command:
Do not incinerate the whole of anything unless absolutely necessary. There's no point in fighting to retake the infrastructure if we wipe it out. Just do what you need to free up the Strike Groups.

Group 1 advances into the city from the east-north-east, attempting to bracket the rebels.

"Men, we fight now not to subjugate, not to slaughter, but to show the futility of rebellion. The existing infrastructure is not to be destroyed or damaged whenever possible, so that those caught in this disupte may continue their lives after it is resolved much as they did before. Comport yourselves with honor and all else will follow. To be good is not enough, we must be great, for we are soldiers of the Imperium! ADVANCE!"

Rally: 31

Sigmund also casts Haste and Recitation on those around him.

Message to Gabriel: "Sorry for the delay, we had a bit of a problem getting back from Colonel Karamazov's op. We're advancing into the city now."

Message to Sigmund: "Not a problem. Do what you can, but be careful. A REDIEN strike force is moving in to aid the other two groups, and I'll patch you through to their line of communication, so we don't run the risk of friendly fire."
(Verily, Gabriel does so).
(So, Dai. My splat books are miles away. But I have a pretty good idea as to what my cohort would be able to cast. Do I guess? Or do we wait for me to get to my splat books?)

[ Drew, you can cast as you will with your cohort for now, just don't make it a long-term thing ]


Group 1 swings around the northern section of the city and dives in from the East-Northeast. The knights gave a strong and enthusiastic response to Sigmund's rally. Their assault shuttles also encountered minimum ground-fire resistance until the railguns in the center of the city turned and began firing at them...

Group 2 reports that they're driving back the enemy units in the NW slowly but gaining steady pace. The REDEIN strike soon went in, which demolished several fire-points that anchored down the southern flank of the defense and almost half the gun/missile crawlers. The enemy was briefly stunned during the attack, and taking advantage of the confusion one of the grenadier platoons dove into the enemy's crawler units, destroying most of their combat vehicles. The company captain soon reports that the enemy in the NW has began retreating, and in a very disorderly fashion leading him to believe that their command structure had been shattered.

The Captain of group 3 narrowed his targets down some more after the two warnings, although he still defined destruction of the transformer station as 'necessary'. The REDEINs swiftly eliminated the station, but their confirmed few kills against the enemy since the southern units were better entrenched in the streets and covered by more EW support. Despite the fire support, the grenadiers of group 3 were meeting stiff resistance and weren't making much headway.

Sigmund passes orders to the shuttle pilots. "Pilots, take us in as far as you feel you can, then we'll do the rest on foot."

Message to Gabriel: "We're taking fire from railguns based in the center of the city. Current plan is to continue advancing through the air as long as the pilots feel it's safe."

Message to REDEIN command: "There's railguns in the center of the city. Just thought you guys might like to know."

REDEIN commander: "Second wave currently en-route, should we eliminate the center city fortifications, or just try to silence those guns ?"

A second volley came, then a third which finally managed to get enough hits through as the leading Assault Shuttle exploded, although all six knights managed to survive it (likely with some injuries) thanks to their armor properties, and were now drifting down towards the ground below.
Pilot: "They're getting too accurate, taking us down to the surface."
A second Assault Shuttle soon exploded with similar results, just as your own shuttle's rear and underside deployment hatch began opening...

Group 2 reports that the enemy is in full retreat. The Captain is re-consolidating his forces before continuing toward the center city.

Group 3 reports that they're fully engaged with the enemy at the south, and the fighting is on about equal terms right now with neither side gaining any advantage. His grenadiers are starting to take heavy casualties trying to bypass a series of enemy defensive points held by Siege Crawlers and supported by infantry with heavy weapons. The Captain believes that this is probably the enemy's main/core force, and requests additional REDEIN fire support from three vectors to target enemy vehicles located by his grenadiers.


This time... a message was posted over the command network:
Liliane: "This is the Berezina. Heavy activity has been discovered in the Kochikaze military compound southwest [by ~27mi] of the capital. The three Kochikaze Sky Cruisers that are grounded there are being powered up. I repeat, Kochikaze Sky Cruisers at military compound southwest of capital powering up."