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Grimoire:Enemies/Cabal: Difference between revisions
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==Ghost Fragment: Cabal 3== | ==Ghost Fragment: Cabal 3== | ||
[[File:Grimoire GF Cabal 3-4.jpg|right|150px]] | [[File:Grimoire GF Cabal 3-4.jpg|right|150px]] | ||
Today, Primus | Today, Primus Ta'aun leads from the front. | ||
He pounds from bunker to bunker, roaring encouragement. | He pounds from bunker to bunker, roaring encouragement. "You're my cornerstone!" he tells a wounded Centurion, grabbing her by her armored shoulders. "Bear the weight!" | ||
She gets back up, into the fight. "Come on!" Tlu'urn snaps at her, running along behind Ta'aun and saying all the cruel things his commander can't. "You don't need two arms to fight!" | |||
He calls for fire support. Artillery shrieks overhead. On the plains below the Cabal perimeter, Vex march out of the lightning. Torch hammers burst up like mortars and | He calls for fire support. Artillery shrieks overhead. On the plains below the Cabal perimeter, Vex march out of the lightning. Torch hammers burst up like mortars and Ta'aun and his bond brother duck behind a burning Interceptor for cover. | ||
"This is going well," Tlu'urn rumbles. | |||
A Vex particle beam needles a little hole through the | A Vex particle beam needles a little hole through the Centurion's helmet. She falls dead. Goblins swarm over her bunker and then the Goliath tank supporting this bastion fires a main gun round into the mess, killing the Vex, the bunker, and all the Legionaries inside. The concussion knocks Tlu'urn against his Primus. | ||
"About as well as expected," Ta'aun grunts. Tlu'urn laughs. | |||
The grind is eternal. Like duty. | The grind is eternal. Like duty. Ta'aun keeps fighting, out here past the edge of the Empire, because failure is unthinkable. Defeat's much worse than death. | ||
But | But Ta'aun is so, so tired. | ||
Tlu'urn gets up and starts shooting Vex. "You're not really going to do it." Even though he's fully armored, and only a meter away, his voice on the com crashes with static. "You're not going to go. It's mad." | |||
The Vex Hobgoblins start firing at | The Vex Hobgoblins start firing at Tlu'urn. | ||
Particle beams scream and spark off his enormous bulk. | Particle beams scream and spark off his enormous bulk. Ta'aun yanks him back to cover. A maniple of Phalanx troops rush forward to plug the gap. "I have my orders. Our report went all the way up, and the decision came all the way back." | ||
Valus | Valus Tlu'urn's blank helmet swivels to stare. "You mean — ?" | ||
"It came from the Emperor Himself." Ta'aun can feel the pressure gel pumping against his skin, keeping him insulated from this deadly world, keeping him alive. "I'm ordered to board and capture the Hive flagship. At any cost." | |||
A Vex Minotaur blinks up behind the Phalanx line. Primus | A Vex Minotaur blinks up behind the Phalanx line. Primus Ta'aun's armor paints the target and he absolutely unloads, putting all his fear and anger and sorrow into the wretched machine. He roars and roars. The Minotaur burns. | ||
His soldiers cheer. | His soldiers cheer. | ||
"That's a job for an elite unit. Not a few scout legions bogged down in attrition war. We should wait until — " | |||
"It's the mission I've been given. I will use what I have." | |||
"Mutiny," Tlu'urn whispers. "You should mutiny." | |||
Oh, to mutiny. To be like Valus | Oh, to mutiny. To be like Valus Trau'ug, who took his Broken Legion against the Reef — and failed, failed utterly. | ||
Duty is victory. Mutiny is worse than death. Even if death seems certain. | Duty is victory. Mutiny is worse than death. Even if death seems certain. | ||
"No," Ta'aun says. And that's that. | |||
The Vex are falling back. Together, | The Vex are falling back. Together, they've held the line. | ||
{{clear}} | {{clear}} | ||
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''From Skyburner V Cohort/Auxiliaries/Strategic Intelligence Maniple''<br> | ''From Skyburner V Cohort/Auxiliaries/Strategic Intelligence Maniple''<br> | ||
''A Tactical Outcomes Analysis'' | ''A Tactical Outcomes Analysis'' | ||
''I: Records, Materials, and Attributions Pursuant To Analysis'' | ''I: Records, Materials, and Attributions Pursuant To Analysis'' | ||
Sand Eater II Cohort/Century 1/Maniple 8<br> | Sand Eater II Cohort/Century 1/Maniple 8<br> | ||
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OUTCOME:<br> | OUTCOME:<br> | ||
- unit ambushed by solitary Guardian. no survivors | - unit ambushed by solitary Guardian. no survivors | ||
Sand Eater II Cohort/Century 1/Maniple 8<br> | Sand Eater II Cohort/Century 1/Maniple 8<br> | ||
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OUTCOME:<br> | OUTCOME:<br> | ||
- unit engaged by Guardian and Vex units. no survivors. | - unit engaged by Guardian and Vex units. no survivors. | ||
Dust Giant IV Cohort/Century 4/Maniple 1<br> | Dust Giant IV Cohort/Century 4/Maniple 1<br> | ||
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OUTCOME:<br> | OUTCOME:<br> | ||
- target Guardian temporarily destroyed. target re-engaged with Guardian reinforcements. no friendly survivors. | - target Guardian temporarily destroyed. target re-engaged with Guardian reinforcements. no friendly survivors. | ||
Dust Giant IV Cohort/Century 4/Maniple 1<br> | Dust Giant IV Cohort/Century 4/Maniple 1<br> | ||
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OUTCOME:<br> | OUTCOME:<br> | ||
- dropship shot down. crew reported Guardians operating elaborate totem rocket weapons. | - dropship shot down. crew reported Guardians operating elaborate totem rocket weapons. | ||
Blind Legion I Cohort/Century 3/Maniple 3<br> | Blind Legion I Cohort/Century 3/Maniple 3<br> | ||
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OUTCOME:<br> | OUTCOME:<br> | ||
- overwhelmed by Guardian fireteam/Vex pressure. few survivors. survivors reported Guardians foraging for equipment, dancing, and performing acrobatics with light vehicles. | - overwhelmed by Guardian fireteam/Vex pressure. few survivors. survivors reported Guardians foraging for equipment, dancing, and performing acrobatics with light vehicles. | ||
II: Analysis | II: Analysis | ||
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Guardian activity in the Freehold AO has exploded across recent campaign seasons. Tactical attrition exceeds both frictional projections and our ability to regenerate losses. New tactics are necessary. | Guardian activity in the Freehold AO has exploded across recent campaign seasons. Tactical attrition exceeds both frictional projections and our ability to regenerate losses. New tactics are necessary. | ||
The primary threat is the | The primary threat is the Guardians' individual counter-attrition capability. | ||
Guardians can be rebuilt after even total disintegrative trauma. This capability is provided by a small autonomous drone unit called a Dead Person [trans. unclear]. The Dead Person conceals itself during combat. It is not a viable target for direct fire. Saturation attack by artillery/heavy air/orbital fire may have good effect (although Guardians transmat frequently and refuse to assemble into large formations). | Guardians can be rebuilt after even total disintegrative trauma. This capability is provided by a small autonomous drone unit called a Dead Person [trans. unclear]. The Dead Person conceals itself during combat. It is not a viable target for direct fire. Saturation attack by artillery/heavy air/orbital fire may have good effect (although Guardians transmat frequently and refuse to assemble into large formations). | ||