Durgama Takeover

Most commanders wouldn’t take defeat in this way. Most would grumble or seek revenge. But that is not the way. Havlok, the Umbra Samaritan, one of the few survivors of that long ago but never forgotten genocide, couldn’t stop these thoughts from circumnavigating his skull. Not me, he kept thinking. That’s not my way.
And most commanders would punish those who’d ruined his well drawn plans. The location of the Penny Arcade could have been in those damned comlogs. But it was doubtful that the humans had even an inkling of a notion of what they were dabbling with here on Concilium Prima, let alone any idea what the EI was searching for here.
No, that was not Havlok’s way. But he kept dwelling upon that last defeat. So when the command came down to search the Starboard Battery of the Raveneye orbital next, there was a certain pang of satisfaction. And then, when they reached the location and saw further signs of human resistance, to say a certain elation filled him would not be an overestimate nor exaggeration. No, Havlok took great pleasure in the pain he inflicted upon these… these… animals.
But most would punish those who refused to follow simple–yes, very simple instructions. And that Xeodron unit, with his bulk and clumsy steps, waltzing throughout that comms center without a care for caution. In the Onyx Contact Force, our numbers are almost always minimal. We take great pride in not needing multitudes to accomplish our goals. But I will not punish him. No, I won’t even try to change his behavior. He too craves the desolation of these vermin. Let him revel in it as I do the viscera of such encounters: the very visceral fear of these instinctual worms.
I’d call it luck, but I know it was simply the will of the EI that our Obsidon Medchanoid was able to salvage most of our unit, myself included. But those petty mortals thought us defeated–believed I’d succumb. They shall pay for their rash judgments.
So needless to say, when the order came through, and Umbra Samaritan Havlok lead his Onyx Contact Force into the Starboard Battery, it wasn’t that he was searching for the very Yu Jing scum who’d previously danced blades and exchanged bullets with him and his. But the smile that painted his face when he smelled those incompents was more visible than most emotions upon that normally placid maw. Havlok, the Shadowcloaked, would indeed taste the terror of his foes once more–all the better that these opponents had shown a bit of ability only recently against his very command.
But he did not even give any orders this time. He simply nodded before vanishing into the darkness of the corridor and watched as that foolish Xeodron did exactly what he did last time.
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Hsein Lt. Casey Shu had a bad feeling about this section of the Starboard Battery. There was something wrong about it, somehow. His squad had exchanged gunfire a few times since their last main encounter back in the comms center of the Bow Section of the Raveneye Orbital Station, but nothing more serious than a few moments of spray and pray behavior, mostly on the part of enemy combatants they’d never even had the opportunity to identify properly. But for many minutes now, maybe even an hour or so, scouting this battery had been all too silent. Occasionally, Private Wang attempted humor, or Dr. Xu cajoled him back, but it tasted of anxiety now–a way to pass the time and quell fear, nothing more.
So when the corridor opened up into a larger warehouse segment, Lt. Casey had the team fan out and take up proper positions, preventing possible flanking maneuvers as they scouted the room. Perhaps it was a bit too regimented, but it felt necessary, like a way to retake control of a situation long since lost, though unknown at the time. And then, as the squad neared the center of the room…
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Havolk couldn’t have planned it better, but he watched with anticipation, nonetheless as the Xeodron practically swaggered into the larger room, on the scent of the very orange armored scum who’d last given them any difficulty at all. That grin just would not go away and widened more as the Xeodron unleashed his opening volley upon the unsuspecting humans. Tacticians reviewing the combat footage would likely suggest it was the element of surprise that led to Havlok’s victory here, but in the moment, it felt like sheer force of will.
Those first barrages transformed a drone near their leader into a smoldering heap. But before the thing crumbled to the floor, Havlok was on the move again, dancing through the shadows, completely inconspicuous to the helpless humans, who were just oh so focused upon that hulking TAG.
The Xeodron posted up behind a pillared bulwark to reload. And by now the humies were attempting to return fire. But it was as if they couldn’t even zero in on the proper direction. The fear was multiplying in them exponentially, and Havlok could almost taste it. And when the Xeodron leapt out again, exchanging shots with the heavy infantry Yan Huo, himself posted behind some cover, in an elevated position, right then, Havlok burst into action.
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“Wang! Take that thing out, dammit!” Lt. Casey shouted from a crouch behind the remains of a cargo container.
“Whaddya think I’m trying to do, L.T.?!” the Yan Huo Invincible screamed between bursts fire from his hyper magnetic cannon.
The smoking Pangguling drone nearby had shocked Casey with its sudden crumble to the metal flooring. But now, he glanced around frantically, not knowing where to focus besides that monster advancing on their position.
He turned to check on Engineer Lam, who’d been with him and the drone moments ago. Sure enough, he crouched behind him, frantically working on repairing the wreckage that was the automaton formerly. Hopeless, Casey thought. And as he turned back–
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Havlok lived for these moments, though he’d likely never say it, at least not out loud–not to anyone who had any authority or control over him. But these events were the reason he joined up with the EI in the first place.
Like some four legged predator, he bounded from the nearby shadows, ignoring the clangor of the Xeodron’s barrage, so focused upon his prey. And as he landed and rose upright from the crouching position, his Vorpal blade sliced upwards, impaling the foolish Hsien–driving him high into the air.
As the vacant body slid off his sword, from the corner of his eye, Havlok–to his astonishment, and glee, watched as the heavy infantry Yu Jing unit took a well placed shot to the helmet and too went down hard. The sounds of the armored bodies hitting the floor, nearly in unison, couldn’t have been more well timed nor more serendipitous. And these are the moments we exist to provide, Havlok thought. Don’t tell me the EI doesn’t see and plan for all possible outcomes. He drove his blade home again, this time through the still cowering, lightly armored engineer, before turning his attention towards the fallen Yan Huo and the dimenuitive Yaozao drone attempting to revive him.
Just as Havlok reached their position, he watched as, through the hole in the man’s broken helmet, an eyelid fluttered open. The man inside had just enough time to realize he wasn’t yet gone–not yet headed for the abyss–before he met Havlok’s glowing red eyes.
These truly are the moments I live for, the Umbra thought as he cleaned his blade, surreptitiously, on a scarp of orange colored garment.

Infinity game 2
Raveneye Starboard Battery
Frontline
Casey v Havlok
Havlok wins roll off, selects initiative.
Casey selects side, makes Havlok deploy first.

Turn 1 Havlok
Order 1
Xeodron moves up and takes a shot at Casey's drone, blowing it off the table.
Order 2
Xeodron moves again, shoots Yan Huo who crits back, double action. Xeodron passes all armor checks.
Irregular order
Xeodron connects three times against the Yan Huo who goes unconscious.
Lt. Order
Nourkias moves across table towards Hsien.
Order 3
Nourkias moves again–no reactions, not visible.
Order 4
Nourkias jumps onto building into base contact with Hsien and into melee. Nourkias slaughters Hsien with 4 wounds.
Order 5
Nourkias charges the engineer, attacks melee, slaughters him.
End of turn, Casey enters loss of Lt.

Casey turn 1
Dr. heals Yan Huo one wound through Yaozao drone.

Havlok turn 2
Lt. Order
Nourkias moves across the bridge towards Yan Huo, who's prone, and takes a pot shot at him. Nourkias dodges successfully across bridge.
Order 1
Nourkias moves into b2b with Yan Huo. Yaozao drone successfully dodges into combat to aid. Nourkias does a critical and a hit to eat the Yan Huo.
Order 2
Nourkias eats the Yaozao drone.
Order 3
Nourkias jumps into zone 3.
Irregular order
Xeodron super jumps into zone 2 onto a building.
Order 4
Unidron moves into zone 3 on the bridge.
Order 5
Dr. Worm and drones move into zone 3.

Casey should enter retreat here, but we’re still new so… we just kept playing. :facepalm:

Casey turn 2
Dr. comes around the corner, guns blazing, taking a wound off Nourkias (who's powered up to 3? wounds from Protheion).

Havlok turn 3
Irregular order
Xeodron shoots Dr., misses.
Order 1
Xeodron misses again, takes a wound.
Order 2
Unidron missile explodes Dr.

Game over.

Havlok wins 6-0.