Lusitanian Civil War (closed)

[Crystillaeia]

Ok how do you want wish to take Castle Loungdon? It is an old city built in 1345. Comprised mainly of medival fortification, with it's high towers and narrow street, it will be an excellent place for snipers, and ambushes. The Imperials have been using it as a prison holding political prisoners and people friendly to the LLF.

-Chairman George Lucanson of the Lusitanian Liberation Front.

Does it have any air defenses/support?

If not, we can use surgical airstrikes to blast open the gates and destroy enemy structures, then drop Paladins and storm the city to mop up any remaining Monarchist soldiers scattered in the city.

Also, if the Allied Navy steams around Lusitaniagrad to a new position off the east coast, the Deus Ex Bellum can begin bombarding Lisbonburg with cruise missiles.

-- Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

We have idetified several SAM sites and Imperial troops may be sporting personal rocket launchers. Using some light helicopters we found at the airbase, we plan to land some troops inside the SAM sites and knock them out. Then you drop your pallies and grabb the political prisoners. While the LLF opens up the gate allowing the tanks to move in giving us controll of the city. The there is the assult of the citidel in the center of the city.


-Chairman George Lucanson

If the SAM sites are outside the city, it may be more advisable to hit them with the tanks, rather than have the helicopters try to get past their fire and land right next to them. Then, the helicopters can drop troops to aid the Paladins in securing the prison facilities. Then the helicopters can ferry the prisonerns out of the city while the Paladins and LLF troopers can join the battle in the rest of the city.

--Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

Wonderful plan, it goes into effect in 5 mins, any questions?

yes: why airdrop them when I could just put holes in the walls with my tanks?

[New Lusitaniagrad]

Ok how do you want to take Castle Loungdon? It is an old city built in 1345. Comprised mainly of medival fortification, with it's high towers and narrow streets, it will be an excellent place for snipers, and ambushes. The Imperials have been using it as a prison holding political prisoners and people friendly to the LLF.

-Chairman George Lucanson of the Lusitanian Liberation Front.

you don't ambush 35 plus T-2010s with all the additions! that would be suicide! those things are huge, can drive through a building without worry, and have tracking missile launchers, 120mm cannons, two .75 caliber MGs each, and and a .50 caliber MG for a commander's weapon. would you ambush that?!

Yes. I'd have troopers with anti-armor weapons wait in concealment and open fire on the tank when it passes close by. It would be out of commission with a single good hit.

--Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

Anyone have infrared satellites? If we do we can see the ambush before it happens if not, I am sure the 1st Heavy Armor brigade is up to it.

[The Steel Fraternity]

Ok how do you want wish to take Castle Loungdon? It is an old city built in 1345. Comprised mainly of medival fortification, with it's high towers and narrow street, it will be an excellent place for snipers, and ambushes. The Imperials have been using it as a prison holding political prisoners and people friendly to the LLF.

-Chairman George Lucanson of the Lusitanian Liberation Front.

Does it have any air defenses/support?

If not, we can use surgical airstrikes to blast open the gates and destroy enemy structures, then drop Paladins and storm the city to mop up any remaining Monarchist soldiers scattered in the city.

Also, if the Allied Navy steams around Lusitaniagrad to a new position off the east coast, the Deus Ex Bellum can begin bombarding Lisbonburg with cruise missiles.

-- Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

We have idetified several SAM sites and Imperial troops may be sporting personal rocket launchers. Using some light helicopters we found at the airbase, we plan to land some troops inside the SAM sites and knock them out. Then you drop your pallies and grabb the political prisoners. While the LLF opens up the gate allowing the tanks to move in giving us controll of the city. The there is the assult of the citidel in the center of the city.


-Chairman George Lucanson

If the SAM sites are outside the city, it may be more advisable to hit them with the tanks, rather than have the helicopters try to get past their fire and land right next to them. Then, the helicopters can drop troops to aid the Paladins in securing the prison facilities. Then the helicopters can ferry the prisonerns out of the city while the Paladins and LLF troopers can join the battle in the rest of the city.

--Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

Wonderful plan, it goes into effect in 5 mins, any questions?

yes: why airdrop them when I could just put holes in the walls with my tanks?

Brilliant! Once your tanks have blasted the prison to shit, reducing the political prisoners inside to hamburger meat, we won't even have to worry about getting them out of the area!

--Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

[New Lusitaniagrad]

Ok how do you want wish to take Castle Loungdon? It is an old city built in 1345. Comprised mainly of medival fortification, with it's high towers and narrow street, it will be an excellent place for snipers, and ambushes. The Imperials have been using it as a prison holding political prisoners and people friendly to the LLF.

-Chairman George Lucanson of the Lusitanian Liberation Front.

Does it have any air defenses/support?

If not, we can use surgical airstrikes to blast open the gates and destroy enemy structures, then drop Paladins and storm the city to mop up any remaining Monarchist soldiers scattered in the city.

Also, if the Allied Navy steams around Lusitaniagrad to a new position off the east coast, the Deus Ex Bellum can begin bombarding Lisbonburg with cruise missiles.

-- Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

We have idetified several SAM sites and Imperial troops may be sporting personal rocket launchers. Using some light helicopters we found at the airbase, we plan to land some troops inside the SAM sites and knock them out. Then you drop your pallies and grabb the political prisoners. While the LLF opens up the gate allowing the tanks to move in giving us controll of the city. The there is the assult of the citidel in the center of the city.


-Chairman George Lucanson

If the SAM sites are outside the city, it may be more advisable to hit them with the tanks, rather than have the helicopters try to get past their fire and land right next to them. Then, the helicopters can drop troops to aid the Paladins in securing the prison facilities. Then the helicopters can ferry the prisonerns out of the city while the Paladins and LLF troopers can join the battle in the rest of the city.

--Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

Wonderful plan, it goes into effect in 5 mins, any questions?

yes: why airdrop them when I could just put holes in the walls with my tanks?

Because we need to get the prisoners out first. If the imps hear tanks coming they will kill them all before we can get to them.

[New Lusitaniagrad]

Ok how do you want wish to take Castle Loungdon? It is an old city built in 1345. Comprised mainly of medival fortification, with it's high towers and narrow street, it will be an excellent place for snipers, and ambushes. The Imperials have been using it as a prison holding political prisoners and people friendly to the LLF.

-Chairman George Lucanson of the Lusitanian Liberation Front.

Does it have any air defenses/support?

If not, we can use surgical airstrikes to blast open the gates and destroy enemy structures, then drop Paladins and storm the city to mop up any remaining Monarchist soldiers scattered in the city.

Also, if the Allied Navy steams around Lusitaniagrad to a new position off the east coast, the Deus Ex Bellum can begin bombarding Lisbonburg with cruise missiles.

-- Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

We have idetified several SAM sites and Imperial troops may be sporting personal rocket launchers. Using some light helicopters we found at the airbase, we plan to land some troops inside the SAM sites and knock them out. Then you drop your pallies and grabb the political prisoners. While the LLF opens up the gate allowing the tanks to move in giving us controll of the city. The there is the assult of the citidel in the center of the city.


-Chairman George Lucanson

If the SAM sites are outside the city, it may be more advisable to hit them with the tanks, rather than have the helicopters try to get past their fire and land right next to them. Then, the helicopters can drop troops to aid the Paladins in securing the prison facilities. Then the helicopters can ferry the prisonerns out of the city while the Paladins and LLF troopers can join the battle in the rest of the city.

--Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

Wonderful plan, it goes into effect in 5 mins, any questions?

yes: why airdrop them when I could just put holes in the walls with my tanks?

Brilliant! Once your tanks have blasted the prison to shit, reducing the political prisoners inside to hamburger meat, we won't even have to worry about getting them out of the area!

--Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

OOC: that was funny

[The Steel Fraternity]

Ok how do you want to take Castle Loungdon? It is an old city built in 1345. Comprised mainly of medival fortification, with it's high towers and narrow streets, it will be an excellent place for snipers, and ambushes. The Imperials have been using it as a prison holding political prisoners and people friendly to the LLF.

-Chairman George Lucanson of the Lusitanian Liberation Front.

you don't ambush 35 plus T-2010s with all the additions! that would be suicide! those things are huge, can drive through a building without worry, and have tracking missile launchers, 120mm cannons, two .75 caliber MGs each, and and a .50 caliber MG for a commander's weapon. would you ambush that?!

Yes. I'd have troopers with anti-armor weapons wait in concealment and open fire on the tank when it passes close by. It would be out of commission with a single good hit.

--Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

Anyone have infrared satellites? If we do we can see the ambush before it happens if not, I am sure the 1st Heavy Armor brigade is up to it.

Infrared wouldn't see through the sort of thick wood and stone walls a really old city will have, but that's what infantry support is for.

With the Derpedan stormtroopers and LLF fighters clearing buildings ahead of the tanks' advance, any Monarchist ambushes will be broken up, or at least found, before they can hit the tanks.

--Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

[Crystillaeia]

Ok how do you want wish to take Castle Loungdon? It is an old city built in 1345. Comprised mainly of medival fortification, with it's high towers and narrow street, it will be an excellent place for snipers, and ambushes. The Imperials have been using it as a prison holding political prisoners and people friendly to the LLF.

-Chairman George Lucanson of the Lusitanian Liberation Front.

Does it have any air defenses/support?

If not, we can use surgical airstrikes to blast open the gates and destroy enemy structures, then drop Paladins and storm the city to mop up any remaining Monarchist soldiers scattered in the city.

Also, if the Allied Navy steams around Lusitaniagrad to a new position off the east coast, the Deus Ex Bellum can begin bombarding Lisbonburg with cruise missiles.

-- Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

We have idetified several SAM sites and Imperial troops may be sporting personal rocket launchers. Using some light helicopters we found at the airbase, we plan to land some troops inside the SAM sites and knock them out. Then you drop your pallies and grabb the political prisoners. While the LLF opens up the gate allowing the tanks to move in giving us controll of the city. The there is the assult of the citidel in the center of the city.


-Chairman George Lucanson

If the SAM sites are outside the city, it may be more advisable to hit them with the tanks, rather than have the helicopters try to get past their fire and land right next to them. Then, the helicopters can drop troops to aid the Paladins in securing the prison facilities. Then the helicopters can ferry the prisonerns out of the city while the Paladins and LLF troopers can join the battle in the rest of the city.

--Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

Wonderful plan, it goes into effect in 5 mins, any questions?

yes: why airdrop them when I could just put holes in the walls with my tanks?

Brilliant! Once your tanks have blasted the prison to shit, reducing the political prisoners inside to hamburger meat, we won't even have to worry about getting them out of the area!

--Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

I meant so you don't have to fly the troops over the walls around the city. maybe even the prison compound perimeter defenses.

[New Lusitaniagrad]

Ok how do you want to take Castle Loungdon? It is an old city built in 1345. Comprised mainly of medival fortification, with it's high towers and narrow streets, it will be an excellent place for snipers, and ambushes. The Imperials have been using it as a prison holding political prisoners and people friendly to the LLF.

-Chairman George Lucanson of the Lusitanian Liberation Front.

you don't ambush 35 plus T-2010s with all the additions! that would be suicide! those things are huge, can drive through a building without worry, and have tracking missile launchers, 120mm cannons, two .75 caliber MGs each, and and a .50 caliber MG for a commander's weapon. would you ambush that?!

Yes. I'd have troopers with anti-armor weapons wait in concealment and open fire on the tank when it passes close by. It would be out of commission with a single good hit.

--Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

Anyone have infrared satellites? If we do we can see the ambush before it happens if not, I am sure the 1st Heavy Armor brigade is up to it.

Infrared wouldn't see through the sort of thick wood and stone walls a really old city will have, but that's what infantry support is for.

With the Derpedan stormtroopers and LLF fighters clearing buildings ahead of the tanks' advance, any Monarchist ambushes will be broken up, or at least found, before they can hit the tanks.

--Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

As long as the tanks can hit the snipers then we're good.

[The Steel Fraternity]

Ok how do you want wish to take Castle Loungdon? It is an old city built in 1345. Comprised mainly of medival fortification, with it's high towers and narrow street, it will be an excellent place for snipers, and ambushes. The Imperials have been using it as a prison holding political prisoners and people friendly to the LLF.

-Chairman George Lucanson of the Lusitanian Liberation Front.

Does it have any air defenses/support?

If not, we can use surgical airstrikes to blast open the gates and destroy enemy structures, then drop Paladins and storm the city to mop up any remaining Monarchist soldiers scattered in the city.

Also, if the Allied Navy steams around Lusitaniagrad to a new position off the east coast, the Deus Ex Bellum can begin bombarding Lisbonburg with cruise missiles.

-- Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

We have idetified several SAM sites and Imperial troops may be sporting personal rocket launchers. Using some light helicopters we found at the airbase, we plan to land some troops inside the SAM sites and knock them out. Then you drop your pallies and grabb the political prisoners. While the LLF opens up the gate allowing the tanks to move in giving us controll of the city. The there is the assult of the citidel in the center of the city.


-Chairman George Lucanson

If the SAM sites are outside the city, it may be more advisable to hit them with the tanks, rather than have the helicopters try to get past their fire and land right next to them. Then, the helicopters can drop troops to aid the Paladins in securing the prison facilities. Then the helicopters can ferry the prisonerns out of the city while the Paladins and LLF troopers can join the battle in the rest of the city.

--Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

Wonderful plan, it goes into effect in 5 mins, any questions?

yes: why airdrop them when I could just put holes in the walls with my tanks?

Brilliant! Once your tanks have blasted the prison to shit, reducing the political prisoners inside to hamburger meat, we won't even have to worry about getting them out of the area!

--Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

I meant so you don't have to fly the troops over the walls around the city. maybe even the prison compound perimeter defenses.

That would be workable, but it would be even better to blow holes in the fortress walls with airstrikes, so your tanks and the infantry could drive straight into the city. Since we're using precision air-drop troops to take the prison, blowing open the walls would be unnecessary.

--Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

[New Lusitaniagrad]

OOC: Shall we begin?

[The Steel Fraternity]

Ok how do you want to take Castle Loungdon? It is an old city built in 1345. Comprised mainly of medival fortification, with it's high towers and narrow streets, it will be an excellent place for snipers, and ambushes. The Imperials have been using it as a prison holding political prisoners and people friendly to the LLF.

-Chairman George Lucanson of the Lusitanian Liberation Front.

you don't ambush 35 plus T-2010s with all the additions! that would be suicide! those things are huge, can drive through a building without worry, and have tracking missile launchers, 120mm cannons, two .75 caliber MGs each, and and a .50 caliber MG for a commander's weapon. would you ambush that?!

Yes. I'd have troopers with anti-armor weapons wait in concealment and open fire on the tank when it passes close by. It would be out of commission with a single good hit.

--Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

Anyone have infrared satellites? If we do we can see the ambush before it happens if not, I am sure the 1st Heavy Armor brigade is up to it.

Infrared wouldn't see through the sort of thick wood and stone walls a really old city will have, but that's what infantry support is for.

With the Derpedan stormtroopers and LLF fighters clearing buildings ahead of the tanks' advance, any Monarchist ambushes will be broken up, or at least found, before they can hit the tanks.

--Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

As long as the tanks can hit the snipers then we're good.

If the streets are as tight and winding as you say, it'll be all close combat anyway. Snipers wouldn't have any good fields of fire, and the infantry could close with them quickly. If one does pose a problem, any infantry pinned down can call armored support to blow away the building the sniper is in.

--Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

[The Steel Fraternity]

OOC: Shall we begin?

OOC: Let's roll.

IC:
Jones was once again at the head of the Valkyrie formation, though now he only had fifty-seven planes behind him, thank's to Yossarian's stunt.

They would still be more than enough, however.

He dipped his wings as the Valkyries rocketed over the tank and infantry column on the road toward the city. He was flying low enough to see a tank commander wave in return.

[Crystillaeia]

Ok how do you want to take Castle Loungdon? It is an old city built in 1345. Comprised mainly of medival fortification, with it's high towers and narrow streets, it will be an excellent place for snipers, and ambushes. The Imperials have been using it as a prison holding political prisoners and people friendly to the LLF.

-Chairman George Lucanson of the Lusitanian Liberation Front.

you don't ambush 35 plus T-2010s with all the additions! that would be suicide! those things are huge, can drive through a building without worry, and have tracking missile launchers, 120mm cannons, two .75 caliber MGs each, and and a .50 caliber MG for a commander's weapon. would you ambush that?!

Yes. I'd have troopers with anti-armor weapons wait in concealment and open fire on the tank when it passes close by. It would be out of commission with a single good hit.

--Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

Anyone have infrared satellites? If we do we can see the ambush before it happens if not, I am sure the 1st Heavy Armor brigade is up to it.

Infrared wouldn't see through the sort of thick wood and stone walls a really old city will have, but that's what infantry support is for.

With the Derpedan stormtroopers and LLF fighters clearing buildings ahead of the tanks' advance, any Monarchist ambushes will be broken up, or at least found, before they can hit the tanks.

--Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

As long as the tanks can hit the snipers then we're good.

If the streets are as tight and winding as you say, it'll be all close combat anyway. Snipers wouldn't have any good fields of fire, and the infantry could close with them quickly. If one does pose a problem, any infantry pinned down can call armored support to blow away the building the sniper is in.

--Brother-Militant Thomas Voerman, Supreme Commander of the Imperial Skorzenian Military and Elder of the Steel Fraternity

yep, a good burst from a commander's .50 cal, and goodbye sniper!

[The Steel Fraternity]

Jones slowed his fighters, and the rest of the Valkyries slowed to match him. He still hadn't received confirmation that the advance tanks had taken out the SAM positions around the city.

[New Lusitaniagrad]

Sgt. Patterson jamed a shell into the chamber of his new favorite toy, his 12 guage underslung shotgun fit snuggly under the barrel of his M-4. Leaning over the side of the chopper he could see the faint outline of the walls on the prison, the side of which were covered in razor wire. Patterson was amazed at the thought that the last time there was a battle here was 650 years ago during the Clan wars. Radioing in to the Pallies he spoke, "This is LLF 1st Helicopter Cavalry, what is your ETA to the prison over?."

[Crystillaeia]

OOC: Shall we begin?

OOC: Let's roll.

IC:
Jones was once again at the head of the Valkyrie formation, though now he only had fifty-seven planes behind him, thank's to Yossarian's stunt.

They would still be more than enough, however.

He dipped his wings as the Valkyries rocketed over the tank and infantry column on the road toward the city. He was flying low enough to see a tank commander wave in return.

Major Taggerd was delighted that the next punch was thrown so quickly. the 35 tanks which he was part of were moving at their 96 Km/h top speed towards the next target: the location of Castle Lungdon. "hey, see anything from up there?" he gleefully said over the radio to the pilots. "let me know when they start flying towards us, and we'll cut 'em up!"

[The Steel Fraternity]

"Sir," said the radio officer to Nichol, once again in the same Thunderbird cockpit. "The airborne LLF force wants to know our ETA from the prison."

"Tell them we're holding just outside the SAM batteries' range," replied Nichol. "We're waiting for confirmation from the Crystillaeians that their tanks have taken out the SAM batteries. It'd be suicide to try to drop in the city with those missiles firing at us."

[The Steel Fraternity]

OOC: So, are the SAMs out?

[New Lusitaniagrad]

Hovering above the ground he leaned in towards the pilot. "What the hell why are we stopping?"
"Ain't no way in hell I am letting Helga anywhere near that prison till I hear that the SAMs are dead." Replied the pilot
"Who the fuck is Helga?" Asked Patterson
"You are sittin in her." Said the pilot with a grin.
"You named the damm thing?"
"Yessir, nicest one ive seen since the start of the war."
Patterson groaned and leaned back inside the chopper. He couldn't wait to gett off this peice of flying junk and back on th ground where he belonged.

[The Steel Fraternity]

OOC: You there, Crystillaeia?

[New Lusitaniagrad]

Major Taggard, what is the situation with those SAM sites? You need to knock them out of comission if there is to be any hope of taking the city and saving the prisoners.

-Chairman George Lucanson

[New Lusitaniagrad]

OOC: You there, Crystillaeia?

OOC shit he is gone, what now?

[Crystillaeia]

Hovering above the ground he leaned in towards the pilot. "What the hell why are we stopping?"
"Ain't no way in hell I am letting Helga anywhere near that prison till I hear that the SAMs are dead." Replied the pilot
"Who the fuck is Helga?" Asked Patterson
"You are sittin in her." Said the pilot with a grin.
"You named the damm thing?"
"Yessir, nicest one ive seen since the start of the war."
Patterson groaned and leaned back inside the chopper. He couldn't wait to gett off this peice of flying junk and back on th ground where he belonged.

Patterson's radio crackled. "how ya holdin' out in that heli, Pat?" it was Taggerd. "down here, we're about ready to put holes in the Imps, and send those SAMs sky-high!" he was lively, as he usually is when he gets behind the fifty on his crew's beloved tank, nicknamed "Shannon", recognizable by her bumper sticker on the back, a little down from the rear spikes, which reads, "WE BRAKE FOR NOTHING BUT VICTORY", and the most decorated tank and crew in the unit. he was having a whale of a time.

[The Steel Fraternity]

The minutes seemed to pass agonizingly slow as the Thunderbirds hovered in formation, waiting. If those tanks couldn't take out the SAMs, the attach force would have to go to plan B. The Paladins would have to disembark from their Thunderbirds, advance on foot through the forest, unable to jumpjet through the thick trees, and take out the SAMs themselves while the LLFs took the prison themselves.

If that came to pass, they would have to pray that not only would the Monarchists keep the prisoners they'd been holding hostage alive after the attack started, but that the LLF helicopters would be able to land in the prison courtyard and disembark without being slaughtered by the prison guards.

Just before he turned to go back to the troop bay and drop with his Paladins, however, the Lietenant on the radio turned to him.

"Centurion," said the young man. "The Crystillaeians have disabled the SAMs. We are clear to go."

"Good," said Nichol, relief flooding him. He turned to the pilot. "Let's go then."

--

The second he received word that the SAMs were down, Jones put his Valkyrie back up to full speed. Checking the position of the Thunderbirds, he confirmed that the timing was right for the Valkyries to blow open the citie's defenses just after the airborne troops landed in the prison.

[The Steel Fraternity]

Within five minutes, the Thunderbirds roared in low over the outer walls of the city, sending the startled Monarchist sentries scrambling away.

"Tell the LLF boys we'll need sixty seconds to secure the courtyard before they land," said Nichol to the radio officer. "Then they can offload their troops and we'll storm the facility together."

As soon as the radio officer nodded, Nichols around and entered the troop bay. Slipping his helmet on as he walked to the tail of the craft, right next to the ramp that was already opening, he addressed his troops.

"Paladins!," he said with his-now amplified voice. "Our brothers in arms are being held right now in the prison below us. The Imps think that with them as hostages, they can keep us from taking this city. Well, we're going to take the hostages and the city at the same time. Are you ready for war?!

The Paladins roared their affirmation.

The Thunderbird slowed to a hover, and the Paladins began diving out. As they jetted down to the courtyard of Castle Loundgren itself, converted by the Monarchists from a museum to a prison camp, they hosed down any exposed Imp troopers with fire from their miniguns and grenade launchers.

They kept firing as they landed, and within seconds the guards outside were all dead.

"LLF," said Nichol into his helmet radio. "You are clear to land."