Durgama Takeover

Recorded Transcript from General Store regarding the battle at the Zebu Symbioresearch Labs:
General Store: “We were acting on orders from high command to secure the Zebu labs deep underground. Our biggest concern was alien infiltration. Though my forces had determined the Morat horde that had attacked the upper levels had been repelled, apparently an Onyx contact force had managed to slip into the levels below. When we finally arrived, they were ready for us. We made contact in a small open plaza in the facility, and the CA forces were quick to make their first move.

With our squads hunkered down, the CA troopers were able to move forward nearly un-opposed. First, a small two-man squad of theirs moved into the safe zone. Then a 5-man fireteam of Unidrons. Things seemed fine, until the triple terror of two XEODRON Batroids and that tyrant of an Umbra Nourkias managed to gain a viewpoint that covered our entire DZ. The Red Fury XEODRON even managed to down our HMG Kappa, though not before they landed a hit onto it in return. But still, the situation was obviously dire. Our forces were going to be facing gunfire from every angle. Worse, the TAG’s bioimmunity function was boosted due to the environment, making most attacks just deflect straight off of them. Our one comfort was that the 5-man Unidron team had failed to move forward enough, which resulted in two of them succumbing to the symbiote plague. Their order relaying antennas were also quickly consumed.

Our forces fight was long and bloody. First, one of our Raveneyes made a bold attempt to move forward and hit one of the XEODRON’s with an E/Marat. One of our Kappa hackers also tried to round a corner to get closer to the TAGs. Unfortunately, the E/Marat was just out of range of the Red Fury XEODRON, who mowed down the Raveneye. The hacker was also downed by the other XEODRON’s multi-marksman rifle.

With the core security fireteam having been fully broken, our leader of the Harris fireteam, the Betatrooper, charged at the TAGs. He and the Epsilon managed to dodge the gunfire that came their way. But once the Betatrooper reached the platform, the Epsilon wasn’t so lucky, and the multi-marksmen rifle took him down. The Betatrooper however, once it reached the top of the platform, attempted to pour shots into the Red Fury XEODRON and Nourkias. Sadly, Nourkias deftly dodged the shots, while the TAG managed to land a Heavy pistol shot onto the Beta. Wounded, the next decision to make was difficult.

With a number of orders left in group alpha, the Lawkeeper and their Oko copperbot surged forward. Amazingly, the Lawkeeper managed to get behind both TAG’s, while dealing a few damaging shots to the multi-marksman XEODRON on the way there. The Oko wasn’t so lucky though, as a stray shot from the Unidron fireteam in the back managed to connect and bring it down. The Lawkeeper’s spree was also ended when the multi-marksmen XEODRON managed to land a Blitzen shot on him before he fully left the TAG’s LoS, isolating the Lawkeeper from further commands (though only one order remained).

The Betatrooper, remaining the best hope to end the two TAG tirade, stepped back and unleashed it’s Nanopulser. The pulser got through, finally downing the multi-marksman XEODRON, and wounding the other for a second hit. Unfortunately, their combined fire power was too much for the Beta to weather, and it went down.

Our Psi-Cop was next to try to bring down the remaining XEODRON via a coordinated order with Casanova and the Kytta. The Kytta fell under swaths of gunfire, and although the Psi-Cop managed to land some hits on the XEODRON, it shook the attack off.

And so with their final order, our remaining security team used a coordinated order to attempt to take down the last Batroid TAG. Amazingly, the Kappa Hacker managed to connect their shot and destroy the TAG, while avoiding returning fire from both it and Nourkias.

With the TAGs now destroyed, our remaining forces could move safely. Or so we thought. Paravati and her escort Varangian attempted to make a run for cover further out to escape the plague zone. Sadly, the Varangian wasn’t able to avoid the plasma gunfire raining down on him from the enemy Unidron fireteam further back. With only a single order remaining, our last coordinated order was used to allow the Psi-Cop and Casanova to take a shot at the enemy Unidron fireteam, which did connect and bring another of their troopers down, while Paravati tried to make it our of the STR shredding danger zone.

And then the symbiotes went to work. Our remaining Kappa hacker and Lieutenant Raveneye were both consumed by the symbiotes. Paravati and Casanova both failed to shake off some of the miasma, but they were still standing. The rest were either already dead or safe from the effects. In the end, only Paravati, Casanova, the Psi-Cop, and the Lawkeeper were standing.

Sadly, in her desperation to escape the symbiotes, Paravati was left a sitting duck with no cover, which meant the CA’s return fire via a Portable Autocannon was too much for her to avoid. She was completely blown to pieces. The Lawkeeper and Psi-Cop were also killed, as what remained of the Unidron fireteam managed to move with a vengeance with their own coordinated orders to take the two O-12 troopers down, with some assistance from Nourikas infamous vorpal blades. Our Psi-Cop did manage to destroy one more Unidron though before a vorpal blade did its work.

In the end, Casanova was the only trooper of ours remaining. He poured his submachine’s shots at the nearest CA trooper, the Maakrep, which managed to not only land and kill it, but also put the CA forces into disarray since it was their lieutenant. Then, though he still hadn’t managed to leave the plague zone, Casanova fought off the miasma’s effects for a second time.

Having only three troops remaining and in a disorderly state, the CA forces simply worked to solidify their position, complete a private objective of theirs from what we can tell, and took a pot shot at Casanova, which missed.

With his final order, Casanova attempted to take down the only standing CA scum he could see, the final Unidron. Depressingly, his shots failed to connect, and the symbiotes finally took their toll, dropping him where he stood. There were no O-12 survivors.

Though I’m glad we took nearly all of the CA army forces down with us, I cannot accept this kind of devastating bloodshed on my watch. I will return to the academy for further training sessions before taking responsibility for our soldiers’ lives again.”

General Store wanted it made known that he is aware his biggest mistake was failing to put his long-range fighters on ARO duty round one, as that likely would’ve prevented the XEODRON’s from getting such an advantageous and oppressive position over the rest of the O-12 force’s movements.