Sneeve Shuffle

[The Storyteller]

Death-Enabled, 72 hours for each side to reply​

The people of Sneeve were bitterly divided and it was not hard to see why, upon looking at the planet for longer than a few minutes.

Class was a big issue on the planet and the divide between the middle class and the working class was massive. Historically it had always been bad but it had seemingly gotten far worse in the last few months and there were those who were looking to take advantage of that. Indeed, the Hutt Cartel had been sending credits and supplies to the rebels secretly but with the Republic stepping in to provide aid to the planetary government, the Cartel was sending in even more.

More visible aid.

More credits.

The end result was that the Republic forces were going to need to defend the capital city of Sneeve against assaults from the industrial district. For this, the Republic forces and their officers would need to defend the main entrance to the city from the advancing forces of the Hutt-backed rebels with their squads to back them up.

Between the three Republic officers, there were fifteen standard Republic riflemen, five assigned to the direct command of each officer.

The first wave of enemies was approaching straight down the road, currently out of blaster range but still visible, still recognisable and still very much on their way. Hutt influence was visible right away as the first assault wave was fifteen H1 Hutt Battle Droids - cheaply made but still very deadly in their own way.

The Republic forces would have time to position themselves before the droids were in range.

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[Davik Lorso (TL8)]

Davik had been staring at his datapad for a good minute before turning to address the five riflemen under his temporary command. To them, he wasn't Davik Lorso the former cartel Vigo turned Republic Cipher agent, but rather the Republic Special Ops Armor wearing, blaster rifle holding operational commander with his sidearm holstered on his chest. "Alright, listen up-" Davik began at his squad and their stripes. There wasn't a single rookie among them and that would make it a whole lot easier on Davik, who literally had no experience leading a professional military outfit. "-these droids fire short-barreled blasters and have a self-destruct function, which means?"

The sergeant-major didn't skip a beat, "Don't get close enough to hug the metal bastards." Yes, Davik had decided then and there that he liked that old karker. "Correct. Range is our advantage, so get viewpoints on a second or third floor-" He kicked his left shin with his right heel to emphasize on his reasoning, "-somewhere up some stairs their tails can't climb."

Truthfully, Davik was at a loss why Svallos had decided to send H1 Battle Droids to fight the war. They were designed for guarding Hutt palaces or at least for places with even floors and lots of elevators where they weren't so limited by terrain and their tails showed they were property of a Hutt, which on itself was eighty percent of any enforcement job in Hutt Space. Davik was confident that whatever the cartel send their way would get boxed in at the gate and shot down long before anything got too close to the range of the droid's self-destruct mechanisms. "Dont stand around-" he suddenly berated them, "-get in position!"

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[Talos Barrenfist]

Manning the first floor filled with a small wall of sandbags was Talos Barrenfist’s squad consisted of marines like him. Kneeling behind the makeshift barricade in the center was the lieutenant himself. Looking through set of his holobinoculars, the former raider examined the wave of battle droids advancing toward them. It’s numbers about the same as all the squads present here at the gate. Talos couldn’t shake the feeling this was only the vanguard.

Whoever in charge of this assault likely sends in the droids to test and soften our defenses for the main host.

He guessed in silence before putting up the glasses. Lieutenant Barrenfist proceeded to draw forth his PDS-R1. Positioned around him were his five troops armed with their blaster rifles, together they aimed at the slithering droids.

“Pick your targets and time those shots as soon as they’re in range. Remember don’t let those tin-can farkers get close to ya. We’re going give the Cartel and their rebel whores a proper Republic welcome, am I correct marines?”

“Oorah!” The small squad chanted together and Talos nodded.

@Sreeya @Nefieslab

 

[The Storyteller]

The battle would begin.

The hutt-made battle droids were not the strongest or the fastest but they were odd in their construction and their movements. Built to imitate their Hutt makers, they slithered forward on tails, their upper bodies moving fluidly left and right to make shooting at them a lot harder than most people would expect. Certainly their armour was light enough that a couple of shots would down them, but that wasn't really a consideration when making them.

They were made to be cannon fodder and nothing more.

As they approached, the droids would begin to open fire even before they reached their effective range. Their accuracy would suffer but it would be enough to push people behind cover, or at least to be more cautious. As they approached, their fire would become more accurate and the droids would surge forwards.

Their intent was for enough of them to survive that they could hug the supports of the building - thereby making their self destruct more damaging to the supports of the building, doubtlessly bringing the building down on top of the Republic forces if they could accomplish this task.

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[Lex Kyrst]

Lex had set herself up along the third floor up on the building, seeing the incoming droid army. She had on her usual armor, weapons and her new PIPE. For now, she shouldered her rifle, aiming carefully at the droids. They weren’t quite within range for her shots to be devastating just yet. However, the same was true for them, the shots firing towards the building and not quite hitting just yet.

She knew where the others were positioned, but she didn’t comm them just yet. Her squad was positioned by her and she watched the droids curiously, “Don’t let them get too close to the building,” She muttered, watching carefully as they drew closer, “I don’t know what’s coming after this,” She had to admit. The Hutts had vast amounts of resources at their disposal and they could very well buy out an army.

Lex played defensively for now, ducking down whenever anything was fired towards her. The window and her height advantage offered her protection for now, but she would more effectively pick the droids off as they drew closer.

 

[Talos Barrenfist]

Being on the first floor meant Talos’ squad was right in the way of the advancing bots. Blaster shots from the droids caused the troops duck down repeatedly As soon the machines with tails were in range they answer back with their volley. Talos gun down one of the droids in the center section but after three shots. Immediately he noticed how the odd movement pattern of the droids was giving a better chance at dodging.

Pulling back underneath, Barrenfist drew forty a frag grenade and singal two of his marines next to him left and right to do the same. While the remaining trio of riflemen provided covering fire Talos counted at the number three and with they collectively hurled their small bombs toward the robotic foes. Falling a few inches from one another the grenades exploded. The combined force of the blasts and multiplie sets of flying shrapnel would be enough to destroy most if not all of the battle droids at the front of the attacking formation.

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[Davik Lorso (TL8)]

His team already briefed and positioned, they would fire at the droids the second they'd come into range. With the considerable advantage and the knowledge that they couldn't let these droids get too close because of their self-destruct functions, they continuously fired at the closest target.

Davik himself made sure he double-tapped as he fired himself. He knew these droids and wouldn't allow them to get too close.

OOC: Sorry, one minute from timing out so short post.

 

[The Storyteller]

The droids were dodging purely due to how unaccustomed to their movement style the Republic Forces actually were but that was really their only defence. Talos was able to blast one down in short order after all.

Davik's own men and his own shots would pepper the droids, destroying another five between the combined arms of them all. Davik's experience with Hutt technology would mean that he was not at all surprised by how well they moved.

The trio of grenades, however, was worth far more than any individual blaster volleys. Despite not being too bunched up, the trio of grenades did a great deal of damage, destroying all of the remaining droids.

The Republic forces would get a chance to have a breather and take stock as they saw their next challenge rolling up to them.

Four T-45 "Slug" Infantry Tanks rolling up towards the Republic soldiers, each with four cartel gunmen riding on the outside, equiped with Outrider Scout Armour and R-18 Blaster rifles. Above the tanks, hovering above, was the biggest threat however - a lone CAG-15 Enforcer Gunship almost literally covered in things that could rain down death upon the Republic forces. They would begin to close the distance but it would take time for them to be within range.

Spoiler: OOC

One post from each of you, giving you time to position and declare your next actions once the enemy is in range

@Sreeya
@Minuteman75
@Ecclessey

 

[Davik Lorso (TL8)]

For a moment it looked like the cartel hadn't been that invested in taking over this planet, after all. H1 droids they had in spare, so the investment put in by sending those fiendish boltbuckets was only minor compared to when they'd send something Slugs or even Cags. "Kriffing Kark-" Davik sighed as he watched exactly those two things come from the distance, "-it's never karking easy is it?"

Opening up the commlink to all defending forces, Davik sounded serious enough to be taken serious -for once- as he began his dash to the makeshift armory. "Shuffle around, known positions will meet heavy gunfire. Don't approach the Slugs until I give you the signal."

Reaching the makeshift armory, which was just a room Davik had stashed his PIPE in, Davik retrieved it and ran back. He was searching for the most forward position he could find where he could get the Cag in his 150 meter range. The Slugs had an effective range of 300 meters so they would all have to keep shuffling and cover until Davik gave his signal. He was lucky that at 150 meter no one was going to physically approach the slugs and the blaster fire they could fire at it was no issue for his plan.

Davik would, once the Cag came in range, fire a torpedo at one of its engines, forcing it to come spiralling down on the Slug tanks and hopefully -if the Republic forces were lucky- take them all out as well.

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[Lex Kyrst]

Lex heard Davik on the comms and she pulled up her own PIPE, arming it as she saw the approaching slew of tanks and the gunship looming above. She put the rifle aside for now, realizing that the droids were taken care of. The tanks and the ship looked deadly, and she knew they’d easily destroy the building if they managed to get any closer. Lex silently waited for the signal, peering through the scope and keeping her sights on the ship.

The ship was directly above the tanks, and she knew Davik had the same thing in mind. She guessed it would take more than one engine failure to bring it down, and she aimed her PIPE accordingly. When he gave the signal, she fired hers as well, launching the torpedo at another engine to double the impact on the ship to guarantee that it would plummet to the ground and crash above the tanks.

“Pick off the gunmen if any are alive!” Lex shouted into the comms to both her squad and the other squad leaders. Even with the ship coming down, there was no guarantee that everyone would be stopped. She quickly gathered her rifle up again to prepare.

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[Talos Barrenfist]

The sight of the four slug tanks with their additional infantry and the gunship overhead was imtimiding sight to say the least. Talos silently called out dragons whom his former clan revered for strength and courage. It was to his absolute delight to behold the gunship shot down from the air by two missiles and further more if it does crash unto the tanks. Hearing Lex’s call from the comms, Talos nodded.

“Open fire!” He ordered his marines and swifty aiming down the sights he pull the trigger, firing five bolts toward one of the surviving cartel rifleman in the center mass. His squad followed suit, letting loose a volley of blasterfire at the nearest targets in range.

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[The Storyteller]

The Slug Tanks were outdated by most standards now but they were still, at the end of the day, tanks. Their main cannons opened fire on the building the Republic forces were using for cover. Davik's troops were moving from cover to cover as per his instructions and that meant that they were safer - but the cannons were still absolutely shredding cover away from the building and the building itself would be in danger of collapse soon.

The first missile fired at the CAG managed to clip the edge of it's left engine, causing it to begin to fly unsteadily but the second one hit centrally on the gunship with it's ability to dodge stunted like that. Rather than dropp like a stone, it spun wildly as it descended and crashed violently with with of the Slug tanks, crumpling both the tank and the gunship.

This not being the holovids, neither exploded violently, although both engined of the gunship were gushing black smoke and seemed to be violently failing.

The four Cartel men riding on the Slug tank that had been flattened were dead, as were all aboard the gunship.

Twelve remaining cartel men jumped off of their Slug tanks and charged for the ground floor of the building to get out of the line of fire. Four of them died almost instantly from the withering fire the Republic forces were putting down.

However, there were still three Slug tanks left and they fired on the last known positions of the Republic forces. Pulse wave cannon blasts were fired for the cover of Lex and Talos with enough destructive force to destroy their masonry cover and likely do damage to them as well. Davik had known the cartel well enough to move and move his troops, meaning that he and his men avoided further casualties.

Spoiler: OOC

One post from each of you, giving you time to position and declare your next actions once the enemy is in range

@Sreeya
@Minuteman75
@Ecclessey

 

[Talos Barrenfist]

“Frak me!”

Talos exclaimed, realizing there were still three tanks remaining. The armored beasts fired back with a vengeance. The marine lieutenant tried to evade but one of the blast struck close by, knocking him back a few feet like being swatted by a giant hand. He crash unto the floor, grunting and swearing in his native tongue. Ears ringing and his body in agony Talos’ eyes saw there were only three marines, the rest were corpses or nothing remained.

Frustrated, Talos thought. Where the hell is our own air support? The surviving marines resume firing from their positions at the advancing cartel soldiers. Without further hesitation the bearded officer took out his last grenade, pulled its pin, counting the few seconds before hurling toward the newly made holes in the defenses. It would explode midair in front of the attacking mercenaries showering them shrapnel. Drawing his blaster rifle again Barrenfist took to a knee calling the other two squad leaders.

“Heads up level one is about to be overrun. I repeat about to be overrun. If none of you can’t send backup prepare yourselves.”

Finished with the message he aimed and fired five round volley at the the mass of attackers approaching the position. Subsequently Talos shouted in the old tongue. “Fyrir lýðveldið!“

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[Davik Lorso (TL8)]

Davik watched in despair as only one of the tanks were flattened by the impact of the gunship, "Kriff this."

Leaving masonry cover, Davik charged ahead towards the tanks dodging incoming fire from the cartel basadi on the tanks and firing off double taps with his rifle while he moved from small cover to small cover. He was feeling a surge of dedication and frankly he was simply fed up with the entire situation. The twelve charging cartel men were being occupied by Lieutenant Barrenfist and his men, so Davik managed to slip passed them from the other side of the access road. Luckily they had decided to be on opposite sides of the road and the cartel forces hadn't pinned down Davik's position or that of his men. He knew the Slug tanks only had twenty shots each and no real anti-personnel function that could topple the former Vigo's maneuvering while he picked off the basadi that made the tanks do tanksy stuff.

Under the veteran guidence of the Sergeant-Major, Davik's men peppered the cartel men that were charging Lieutenant Barrenfist's position. Being fired at from multiple position and with the lieutenant's own impressive actions they were sure to make quick work of them. As soon as Davik managed to take the brunt of the tank crews (artillery roles were shot first) down he would signal for his men to follow him out so they could permanently disable the tanks.

OOC: Yes, pushing the limits like a level 3 should.
@Sreeya @Minuteman75 @Nefieslab

 

[Lex Kyrst]

Lex was dismayed to see that only one of the tanks were flattened by the damage to the ship. She quickly picked up her rifle and the PIPE, shuffling backwards from the window as she knew she made a mistake not moving. However, it didn’t help her as she was still blown back by the blast, flying clear across the room she was in and landing in a thud. Lex cursed and slowly got to her feet, shuffling back and making her way down to a different level. Three of her men were flattened, and she only had two left with her. Guilt jabbed at her painfully, and she tried to focus on the battle.

Talos’ voice came in through the comms and she set up position on a level below as the tanks still focused on the one above. One of her two men fired upon the 12 men charging in, the other pulled a pin for a grenade, cooked it and tossed it over at them. As for Lex, she quickly packed ammo into the PIPE and aimed it at one of the tanks, firing off a blast to take it out of the fight. This time, she and her men quickly moved back to set up position elsewhere, keeping her higher vantage point for now. If the physical blows came to the first level, she would be there. Her priority for now was taking out the tanks. All of their attacks would be clear of where Davik rushed in.

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[The Storyteller]

The men rushing forwards were not the best soldiers - they were Cartel enforcers, used more to frightening shopkeepers than fighting on the frontlines. Despite having numbers on the men of Barrenfist and Kyrst, the exploding grenades managed to kill two more of their number while wounding another one beyond fighting capacity.

His screams and the blaster fire to their front unnerved the Cartel men.

The fire from one side poured onto the tank crews from Davik - thankfully for the Cartel men, Davik hadn't managed to get entirely behind or to the side of them as they hadn't advanced right up to either building. Still, the commander and the loader of the closet tank went down before the pilots could react, the one with the reduced crew turning the tank at an angle so as to present it's fully armoured front to Davik before the gunner, slower than usual due to his lack of a loader, managed to fire off a blast from the pulse wave cannon at the Republic forces at Davik's position (five seconds to fire rather than two).

The remaining Cartel enforcers didn't make it to the building however - they broke under the pressure and turned to run, instead getting gunned down from behind by the Republic forces of Barrenfist.

The last of the tanks aimed and managed to fire once more in the general direction of Barrenfist's men before the PIPE shot gutted it, leaving it's crew burning remains.

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[Talos Barrenfist]

If the cartel enforcers had more backbone and tactical sense they could’ve taken the first floor. Talos had nothing but contempt for the thugs, watching them rout, even with armored support. Pathetic bags of shit. The marine lieutenant concluded as he and his remaining marines and the troops up on top gunned down the fleeing gangsters. However one of the slug tanks was still directed toward the first floor line.

With a grimace Talos hitting the floor for cover shouted to his squad still up front in their battered positions. “Get down ya fools!” The tank fired its next shot. It destroyed the what’s left of the makeshift barricades, sending shattered debris across the area. Heart pounding and ears deafened once more Lt. Barrenfist looked and saw what remained. One marine was dead, his body nothing pieces and another laying close by, shrieking as a banshee while grasping the stump of a now missing left arm. Only a Rodian female completely shaken who took cover in time survived.

Outside the tank which fired the round was struck by the missile fired by Lex. Meantime Talos rushed over the shell shocked alien, slapping the helmet to get her attention. “Get your shit in gear private we still got a fight on our hands! Take Garvin toward the stairs and hold position there.”

“Yes sir!”

Private Threa Xit repiled back with an additional nod before dragging her wounded and moaning comrade to the rear. The marine lieutenant saw the last tank turned to the side firing at something else, exposing the gunner. Taking advantage of the diversion, Talos aimed and fired blasting four bolts toward the tanker’s back.

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[Davik Lorso (TL8)]

Davik had been about to aim for the crew of the last fully staffed tank when he spotted the one he had already taken a shot at turning towards his position, "Kriff" Immediately dropping his rifle and dashing in the opposite direction he only narrowly missed the death-radius of impact from the tank's pulse wave cannon and was propelled four feet in the air before sliding to a halt on the ground. From his position he could peer passed the tank's personnel protection and see the gunner getting shot in the back by Lieutenant Barrenfist. Well, he didn't know it had been the lieutenant but whoever might just have saved his life. Mere seconds later the last remaining tank was blown up as well, courtesy of Lieutenant Kyrst.

Somehow the egotistical former cartel vigo was glad the tank shot at his own position, rather than where the men under his direct command had been. "You alright, Commander?" the voice of the sergeant-major came in through the comms inside his somewhat battered helmet. Davik patted himself down and got on his knees, drawing his sidearm and make sure it wasn't broken by the landing. "Just dandy,-" he sighed in relief, knowing that the tank's blast would have incinerated him to the bone. "-now let's put men on the still operational tank and park it in front of the gate. We blow up the others to be sure."

Judging from the state of the building they had used for cover and the condition of their men, they would have to use vastly different tactics if there was another cartel assault incoming.

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[Lex Kyrst]

Lex was out of PIPE ammo, and she kept on the move, each explosion from the tanks rocking the building. She peeked out of a window from her floor, still moving around in the same level. She had her two men with her, both of them terrified and covered in debris and sweat. Lex trained her rifle on the approaching tanks and the men that were driving them. She carefully aimed and worked to pick them off from her cover, prioritizing taking out the tanks over anything else. She was prepared to move after each completed volley to ensure the tank couldn’t aim and fire at her last location.

The two men with her continued to focus on the eight men rushing forth. One of her men lobbed another grenade while the other sprayed out blasterfire to take them down before they could come any closer.

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[The Storyteller]

The backbone of the Cartel forces was well and truly broken.

They had nothing special left now that this assault had been and gone - there were no more vehicles, no elite troops. There was nothing but the dead Cartel members and one man, cowering on the tank, hiding in the corner of the armour plating and avoiding being hit where his final ally had been.

From behind the armour, the man raised a small white flag, waving it slightly before slowly standing up,

"Please! I surrender!" he called out to the Republic forces, "Let me make a radio call and I can call for all remaining Cartel forces to surrender! Just... just let me live, yeah?"

He hoped that the rumours of the Republic executing it's prisoners were not true, otherwise he probably should have made a break for it.

Spoiler: OOC

Not doing a third wave for either the Republic or the Cartel - finish this up and the mission is a success

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@Minuteman75
@Ecclessey