I kept waiting for the colonel to give us the order to move out. The enemy was heavily committed, with only support units and a few guards in the rear. It was perfect timing. But nothing. Not so much as a squad was committed from the flanking force. I couldn't understand. Our troops on the surface were getting shredded, but we just sat.
My AI updated the projections on my visor. The enemy had pushed back to our final line of defenses. We'd bled them, but our units were down to 50% strength and running low on supplies. The situation was beyond critical, but still no orders to advance.
Holm did throw in the half dozen tanks, and they helped stabilize the line at the weakest spot, but it had turned into a bloody knife fight, and we weren't going to win it. I had just asked myself for the tenth time why we were just sitting here when my AI said, in its usual robotic voice, "Landing craft inbound."
Fuck. Another wave. We were in serious trouble.
My visor projections were updated in real time. The incoming ships were landing about ten kilometers back from the initial zone. Damn, if we'd launched our attack they'd be hitting us in the rear. How the hell did the colonel know? Did he have the discipline and will to hold us back on a hunch while he was getting slammed on the surface?
We got the orders now. Prepare to attack the incoming force, but do not give away our position until given the word. We checked weapons for about the fifth time and moved out into the egress tunnels. Waiting in the tunnels we got the update on the new landing force, and the news wasn't good. Four tac-forces, more than 2,000 troops, and all powered infantry. If we'd been committed already we wouldn't have a chance. Now we were just outnumbered 3-1, which was at least better odds than our guys in the trenches had. At least we had surprise on our side.
The enemy advanced straight toward the city, through their original LZ and over the pockmarked battlefield. When they were passing our exit tunnels we sent out our lead units and engaged them on the flank. We had surprise and they had numbers, so we knew we had to hit hard and make the most of the initial assault.
My team - I'm not sure platoon was the right word for my little group - was positioned in the last wave. I chafed at sitting and waiting while our troops were fighting against such desperate odds, but I had my orders. We could only deploy so quickly through these tunnels anyway, so there wasn't really another option.
I continued to watch the battle unfold on my visor, with constant updates feeding in. Our flank attack took them completely by surprise, and our lead elements inflicted massive casualties and completely disordered the enemy's left flank. The third wave's advance stopped dead in its tracks, as they attempted to turn and face our attack.
We pushed them back, and our lead units followed up aggressively. Surprise was our biggest advantage and we wanted to keep them off-balance as long as possible. Once they managed to regroup and bring their numbers to bear, we'd catch hell. One to one we were better than them, but this fight wasn't one to one, it was three to one.
We also needed to make this a quick fight. We were extremely short on supplies, and the aggressive attack was using up what we had quickly. The ammunition we had was being well used at least. These were tight quarters for a fight like this, and our fire was having tremendous effect.
My group finally emerged from the tunnels into a sunken ravine running perpendicular to the enemy's formation, between the main row of hills and a rocky ridgeline. It was a well-chosen spot, and the ridge shielded us from the enemy and the fight currently going on.
My orders were to set up a defensive position along the ridge. I had an assigned section, with other groups on either side of me. The colonel himself came on the comlink and outlined the plan. The engaged powered infantry forces were going to pull back behind the ridge to regroup. He was hoping to goad the enemy into attacking the ridgeline, where we were preparing a warm reception for them. If they took the bait we'd hit them with everything we had, while the withdrawing units reorganized and formed a reserve.
My section of the line was the most critical. There was a 500 meter break in the ridge where the ground was flat and open. On either side there were large rock formations that made the ridgeline almost impassable, channeling any advance through the narrow opening. A large number of our retiring troops were going to come through there, hopefully with the enemy on their heels.
I sent the team with the heavy rocket launcher to the rear, back on the main row of hills. I told them to find three good vantage points to deploy the launcher where they had clear line of sight to fire both before and after an enemy force got through the gap. I intended to start firing rockets as soon as we had a clear target and to rotate the launcher to a new position after two quick shots to avoid return fire.
I took the 4 autogun teams and put two on each side of the gap, offset so they wouldn't be at risk from each others' fire. We scouted out locations in the rock formations for each gun so they would be shielded until the enemy was through the gap and into the interlocking fields of fire. With four guns firing from two directions that open area would be very hot for anyone coming through.
I stripped the other three troops from each of those fire teams. I took two with me and split the other ten, with five on each side, hidden behind whatever cover they could find. I positioned myself and my two lucky privates along the edge of the open area. I wanted this to be timed right, and I intended to keep a close eye on things. My AI kept feeding me reports on approaching contacts. We had about 140 of our troops heading this way, and it looked like the enemy was right behind.
It was only about three minutes before our units started coming through. They were in good order and well-organized, moving through by makeshift platoons. I wasn't plugged in to the command circuit at a high enough level to track casualties in these units, but I tried to estimate. Our organization was so ersatz on this operation it was hard to tell, but my best guess was they were down to around 50% strength.
The retreating troops were moving toward the edge of the interior hillside and then redeploying to the left and right to support and reinforce my positions there. One of the pivotal battles of the campaign would be fought in that tight little ravine. That is, if the enemy cooperated and did what we expected. Unfortunately, they didn't. I was waiting for my AI to warn me about approaching enemy troops, but when it came it wasn't what I expected. "CAC formations seem to have ceased pursuit and begun to fall back."
What the hell were they up to? My mind raced looking for possibilities. The last of our units were flowing through the gap, but there was no sign of enemy activity. Then, everything happened at once.
All of a sudden it came to me…I knew what was happening. I started to order my two privates to take cover when the comlink came to life. It was the colonel, and he was yelling frantically. "Cain, get out of the gap. Withdraw now. Code Oran…"
That was as much as I heard. There was a blinding flash right in front of me. My visor went dark, automatically shutting down to protect my eyes. A second later the shockwave hit, slamming me, armor and all, hard into a pillar of jagged rock.
I was on my back for a few seconds, stunned. When I tried to move I couldn't. It wasn't more than another two or three seconds before I felt massive weight against my legs as my armor was ripped open by a huge pile of falling rock, then the wave of pain as the boulders pressed down on my injured legs. I could feel wetness; I knew I was bleeding badly. Then the burning started as the massive heat from the explosion began to seep through my shattered suit.
My armor still had some functionality, though. I could feel the injections from the trauma control mechanisms, and almost immediately the pain subsided. I could smell burning flesh, and while I couldn't feel it, I knew the suit was attempting to electro-cauterize my legs to stop the bleeding.