The Barbed Hook

"We aint good pilots"

"I am"

"Ah"

"Pick something before they realise"

"um....you're the pilot"

"Just choose something"

One of the imperial fists is hit directly in the head, the ceramite splintering from the impact of the shot.

???: "hey, aren't you supposed to be with tyron?"
*a marine without his helmet on walks down the ramp of a storm raven gunship, he has a bolt pistol at the hip, and a motif of a wing on his pauldron, signifying his status as a pilot*

OOC stormravens dont exist yet
IC the fists quickly dive for cover or get into the transports as the recon squads take up their own concealed positions, snipers ready

Anders: and you are....?

Another few fists are hit before they can dive to cover. The power armour almost seems useless at the moment, the shots easily slamming through.

by this point they're mounted up
"Commence creeping bombardment! now!"
the whirlwinds fire, in a carpet of explosions covering the entire battlefield just ahead of the transports, advancing across it at the same speed the transports do
the recon marines meanwhile spot muzzle flares and start to return fire

OOC btw
this be what the thorakite guys look like

"So the informants were correct, the, yet again.." the legionnaire leader muses to himself as a few of the alpha marines are decimated by the explosion. However, as the bombardment slams another round ofor explosives down, two squads of Alpha marines move out of hiding spots behind the fists, disregarding cloaks hiding their heat source and immediately firing, the bane strike rounds chewing through the surprised fists.

OOC the fists be in their transports now except the recon marines

OOC that'll be the recon squads then.

they conceal themselves with their cameleolines and return fire, accurate sniper shots slamming into the helms of the alpha legion infiltrators
the bombardment and transports continue advancing

A few of the legionnaires are hit, but the fists are too slow and are mown down in a matter of seconds as they attempt to put their cloaks on.

OOC um....they were already wearing em
if they have them they're kinda constantly on like camo cloaks

OOC they knew were there were and we're ambushed, they dead m80

OOC alright chill yer beans
IC moments later the fists air support swoops down, as low flying fire raptors rake the infiltrators with a storm of deadly firepower

"So, they fell for it then..." the legionnaire whispers to himself. "They brought out there support. Fire the anti air, and release the wave."
A legionnaire takes a tarpaulin of several pieces of machinery, all revealing themselves to be deadly hyperios anti air systems.. Several soldiers mount them, firing with the advantage of surprise and rocking the sides of the air support, hundreds of missiles tearing through the armoured sides and bringing the ships down.
Meanwhile, several other hidden marines begin to reveal themselves, disabling rhinos with precise melta fire.

Tracitus: so there they are. Tracitus to the Vengeance of Phall. Your targets have reavealed themselves. Fire at will.

as the aircraft continue destroying the infiltrators, the heavens open up as the planetary assault petard opens fire, heavy blasts slamming into the anti air weaponry and their general area. The rhinos meanwhile open fire with havoc launchers and heavy bolters (yes they can have those in 30k) returning fire on the melta wielders

OOC I just shot down the aircraft
IC
The legionnaire cackles madly to himself, the air support still firing.
"Did you actually all just see that? They actually just used an orbital bombardment on some decoys! Shows all you need is a couple of explosions at a place and they think they have the upper hand. Fall back with the air support, enough craft are down to continue."

The platforms stop firing, and are withdrawn from the area as fast as possible.
A few of the muestate soldiers are obliterated, but in the confusion several get close and place explosive charges on roughly half the rhinosize, completely unnoticed. The alpha legion force then slowly begins to fall back, hiding as best as they can whilst the flanking force loads into rhinos of their own, speeding out of the fight.

Hyperios missiles are as effective as krak missiles vs vehicles
So vs fire raptors, not bad not great
Factor in the number of fire raptors, evasive manouvers and chaff launchers, theres no way theyre all gone

OOC didn't realise s8 Ap3 was worse than a krak missile, or did they change em

Its the same as a krak, which was the point i made

OOC ok then, not all of em are taken down, but they all take some sort of damage. Plus, it was a surprise attack, how did they react so fast?
But yeah, let's just carry on i guess.

*the marine walks over* "I'm a pilot, if that wasn't obvious, and you lot are loitering in a hangar"

The fire raptors pursue the rhinos, disabling them with little difficulty. Meanwhile the scorpius whirlwinds and orbital bombardment begin raking the area where the alpha legion are falling back and attempting to conceal themselves

The legionnaires simaltaneously click the buttons on their detonators, obliterating many of the rhinos,  then use the confusion to mount rhinos and get out of there before the damage fire raptors can catch up.

Many do not escape the fury of the gunships, however, as their avenger cannons and reaper autocannons tear through their relatively light armour

Enough escape for the carnage to be worth it, with heavy casualties inflicted on the fists it is considered a success for the alpha legionnaires.

Captain Lance: *lance is sitting at a console, watching a grainy satellite image of the combat below* "Fire on the Rhinos, saturation delta, walking barrage, bearing 1, 7, 5."

*The huge cannons, fire, huge propellent charges de-orbiting the gigantic high explosive shells at immense speed, hurtling towards the retreating rhinos*

Lyanna: so?

The fists have already regrouped.

Pilot: "So... you're technically still hostile soldiers... walking around in a hangar full of incredibly dangerous aircraft. wouldn't be doing my job if i didn't ask."

"Cause we're such a huge threat"

Within minutes, the surviving rhinos are out of view. They leave behind them many, many fallen imperial fists and plenty of squads who died in the confines of their rhinos because of the explosive charges.

Tracitus: well then. Looks like our probing force worked. +Hold off the primary deployment for now+

"Well he's wearing power armour, and the pair of you aren't a non threat. C'mon, I'll take you to a spare barracks block, get you some food. see if i can't find Tyron too"

"It's fine, we aren't hungry"

"Okay..." *he stops, and his brain ticks over for a few seconds, his hand moves a little towards his bolt pistol, and his brow furrows.* "Can any of you pilot any of these?"

"We're soldiers, not pilots"

"Him though *he points at (I cant remember his name Lucian or something right?*, we still know nothing about him, apparently you explained a bit to tyron. You look the type to be able to pilot ships"

Anders: how does one tell that from looking?

"He's been through some shit, you can tell."

*he cocks his head slightly and looks intently at him* "Yeah... you carry yourself like a marine."

Anders: doesn't equal pilot skills

"Equals knowing what he's doing, and if what i've heard is correct, he's a mercenary, so that equals jack of all trades." *his brow furrows in slight distaste at the word mercenary*

Lyanna: well he can't do shit while he's carrying me around can he?

"That is a point, weren't you supposed to be in the medical bay?"

"No, I'm fine"