Orc Lair Raid

[Mr_Praetorian]

Derovarr spends the next few minutes explaining what he knows of the situation to all of the commanders, and telling everyone to keep a good eye on their surroundings. The Nornthners are stealthy bastards, and any, any irregularities should be reported in.

Finally:
"Steel yourselves, comrades. No evil, no matter how stealthy or powerful shall defy the warriors of Guard!" (Rally 44)

"For your country, for the gods, and FOR MISALIN!" (rally 50)

(Greater Cloak of Courage should also still be in effect).

EDITED

[Squall255]

Ulrich is dumping some low level spells (hopefully Jens is helping him) into his Rod to get to 40/50 charge.
He also recasts Fortunate Fate on himself.

[Zanaikin]

[TheDude51]

Jens uses two 3rd level spells and two 2nd level spells to recharge Ulrich's Rod, then three 3rd level slots and one 2nd level slot to recharge his own.

Samael casts:
Dark Foresight
Fell Flight
Dark One's Own Luck (Reflex)
See the Unseen
Heart of Earth

Both Samael and Jens' Arcane Spellsurges expire in this period.

[TheDude51]

Upon hearing Derovarr's news, Kati moves down to the Teleport Keep to join the command squad.

[Laharl]

Teodor asks for his dispelled buffs to be replenished, particulary the energy resistances (all he has left is acid/fire) and Protection from Ranged if anyone can spare the slot (or just work him in on a Mass casting).

Klaus asks for acid resistance just in case and has nothing else to do.

[TheDude51]

Samael casts the required Energy Resistances. (DDC30)

[Zanaikin]

Nearly two minutes later, the commander of the watch sends a message straight to Derovarr. "Unknown targets coming over the ridge, north-by-northeast and about three miles out, they're taking off into the air from near ground... holy pelor they're fast! There's about 20 vehicles, lighter and sleeker than the typical battle line units they have. I believe they're the Hussar scout vehicles the Naralan manuals spoke of... METAACs! Second wave just came over the ridge - about 30 METAACs on rapid approach !!!"

At the same moment, Kati manages to reach the courtyard from within the Keep building, hustling up next to Derovarr...

( Derovarr is currently in the central courtyard of the Keep direction the flow of troops in all directions, most of them are still getting ready... )
( Rest of party is by the Teleportation Keep [Southwest corner of outer walls] )

( ... about 3 rounds before they reach the Keep ... roll initiatives and give actions during this time ... )

[Mr_Praetorian]

"Alright! 50 fast striking units inbound! METAACs and Scout Vehicles Get the archers, siege engineers and anyone else who's not heavily armored to cover! Crusaders! Prepare to engage!" He said, rising 50ft into the air, and readying his halberd (CE to full, readying to "layeth the smack down (DNB) the fist METTAC that flies by.
Auras: Watchful Comander +5 to init, spot, listen (would have been active already, will switch to Mobile Commander on the third prep round)
Defensive Commander
Stance: Leading the Charge)

(Init: 17+20 (MoA next round) =37)

[Squall255]

Ulrich hurries to join his commander at the field, hoping to drop some of the shields on a few of the vehicles.

Initiative: 18

[TheDude51]

Samael & Jens rush to get airborne, both casting Arcane Spellsurge as they move to join Derovarr in the courtyard.

Kati also rushes down to the courtyard, Kara casting Indomitability, Eyes of the Oracle, and Empowered Protection from Range on here as she descends.

Inits:
Samael: 20
Jens: 33
Kati: 20

[Laharl]

Teodor joins the party in the air, though Klaus scrambles for cover to hide in.

Teodor also burns a Sup Invis scroll.
Klaus manifests Defensive Precognition and Offensive Prescience, both fully augmented.


Inits:
Teodor: 25
Klaus: 22

Klaus Hide: 74

[Zanaikin]

The first wave of Hussars climbed to above even the Sky Galleons at around 400ft+ in altitude and flies straight past the Keep at high speed, while the plasma repeaters on their underside pummeled the large siege engines that were deployed on the towers and walls of the Keep. The wooden frames of these old weapons shattered on contact with the torrent of high energy and almost all of them were wrecked instantly...

Then a moment later, objects began falling into the courtyard from the skies above and exploding. An inferno of plasma energy quickly engulfed a significant portion of the courtyard and walls for a brief second, while shrapnel also started flying in all directions as their containment bombs also burst. Between the combination of them, any unprotected light infantry who have not managed to reach cover in time was literally shredded and burnt alive under fire...

The Sky Galleon gunners did their best with the turrets that could be brought to bear as the Imperium vehicles made their single pass. Disintegrating rays lashed out at the attackers, but only two of them managed to strike true to hit its target, which instantly erased most of the vehicles in question, leaving four crew members and remaining components to fall out of the sky. However, their momentum manages to bring them clear out of the Keep (although still within long spell range, but out of Klaus' sight), and all four quickly brought their gravitonics up to keep airborne.
One of the warforged gunners had a different idea as he slammed a Solid Fog into a Hussar, stopping it in midair with its front section exposed (within medium spell range of party).

( Each member of the party takes two hits: )
( Hit1: 104 slashing/piercing damage from Shrapnel - Ref DC30 Halves )
( Hit2: 44 searing-fire and 45 energy damage from Plasma - Ref DC30 Halves )

The crusaders begun to rise into the air alongside Derovarr, particularly after the bombardment as the ground just because the spot where density of fire was the greatest, and even with their heavy armor no-one intends to be caught in the area longer than they must.

After their initial attack run, the Hussars broke off into three groups which begun circling the Keep at half-mile distance out.

The Metaacs continued their lightning-fast full speed approach towards the Keep (two more rounds). At this point you notice the Metaacs were grouped in seven squads -- five squads of four each, and two squads of five which headed the group. While the Naralans noted the Metaacs for having more customizations than other Imperium vehicles, it's obvious the front two Metaacs leading the attack were the most heavily customized of the group.
Standard Metaacs, as with most of the group, were equipped with a twin-plasma-repeater and vehicular foldout blade on the right arm (with fingered-hand), a heavy cannon and shield on the left arm, two laser clusters on the head, and two defensive missile launchers on the hips. Most customizations used different models of these weapons, and sometimes a grasped vehicle-sized carbine instead of the fixed twin-repeater, but no significant changes otherwise.
Of the two Metaacs which lead the attack group, one of them had a second heavy cannon on the right arm but no sword. Meanwhile the other one carried no shield, no cannon, and no repeater; instead each arm had one foldout blade and each ended with a fingered hand grasping a vehicle-sized carbine. There were also various other less identifiable components built into them with made them stand out from the more standard models.

[Mr_Praetorian]

(Hit One: Ref 31; 52 SP drained)
(Hit Two: REf 39: 44 SP drained)
(144 SP remaining)
Derovarr easily evades the majority of the bursts, and whats left is merely absorbed into his Shield Generator. Afterwards, he shouts out to the crusader commanders their orders.

(The short of it: Crusades will be broken into two groups: Group 1 will be comprised of 100 Crusaders (50 a piece from from the ACR 6 and ACR 7 companies, and Group 1 will be comprise of 50 crusaders from the ACR 8 company. Group 1 advances towards the Metaacs while Group 2 hunts down the Hussars. A lot of info? Yes. But I cite the fact that these troops have been training in squad based, loose formation tactics for the majority of build-up period. Surely by now, something like this would be fairly simple.)

After that he begins to move towards the METAACS, slowly at first, to make sure everyone can form up. (Swift action activate travel devotion and move towards the METAACs 125f, and expend one TU for another swift to use moment of alacrity).

[Laharl]

Teodor avoids both blasts without incident, as does Klaus (both have bonus >= 30 and didn't roll nat 1s).

Teodor pulls out a scroll of Vision and uses it to do whatever he needs to in order to hack the enemy's communications.

Klaus aims and fires at the METAAC with the dual carbines before refocusing himself.

Attack: 49 Touch
Damage: 25 nonprecision

He then tries to duck back under his cover. (Hide 67, with the -20 for hiding after attacking applied).