Following Operation 2 and the engineering disaster, the bunker had authorised release of 500 volunteers to the surface, however a surface plague had broken out that would threaten these pioneers. There was also the black mark on the FEF for not being able to defeat Apollo in the 2nd expedition, this resulted in the hive being a continuing threat to our surface problems .
Upon returning to the outpost, we were attacked by a lone Hive sniper, which I put down claiming the first kill of the operation.
(Hook 1 Hive Nil)
We were then radioed that a science team looking into the surface plague were cut off. I picked up a scratch force as a number of other operatives were needed else where. Lance corporal Pinner took the mission coms as I had acquired my own radio, this proved useful in co-ordinating both flanks of our advance Pinner proved capable on the comms and will make an excellent sergeant. This was Private Payne’s first trip out, bar being gunned down by the aforementioned sniper at the outpost. He proved keen eager and a good shot and will be a welcome member on any mission, of note was also Riggs of the engineering section, while under equipped for a rescue mission he is quick and willing and would be my choice if a rapid engineering mission is needed. After a slow advance into an area occupied by some hive including a regenerating sentinel the new blood began to come into its own and we soon pressed on clearing a particularly nasty ‘nest’ of these guys where both Riggs and I ran out of ammo at the same time and I sent him for the refill while I covered the entrance to the nest with my knife, the situation was soon resolved and we then went on to recover the scientist and his guard.
The following morning I was again involved in combating the plague by leading a group to contact local healers, this time Canary was on comms though pinner was again present as were Pip and Harry and Mouse, again we bust through hive lines with growing confidence and soon made contact with the locals and after healing the medicine woman I pressed on to hold off a couple of waves of hive while the bureaucrat, medic and Scientist were able to negotiate for herbs and information.
I then had to go straight out of the outpost again, this time to takedown a hive node creature for study, here I was with my old friend Quinn and a number of others including the irrepressible Jerry Riggs, who does make a fine box man, Canary, mouse and Privates Joe and Hawk, both fine recruits. We blitzed this one at great speed enabling us to get into an ambush position that allowed Hawk and I to swing the hammer on the anvil that was the other group.
(hawk at rest While I observe the path)
we were then alerted to a large supply cache that was undefended so we set off at speed to bag it all up (always carry a bag folks). a large hive wave then threatened to over run us and we double timed to the outpost where canary and Mouse pressed on with study but the wave was coming on at us and quinn and joe as rear point men were taken down and Jerry and Hawk and I rushed back when a husk rounded a bush shooting and swinging an axe, I have never been more grateful for heavy armour resisting 2 big blows and the burst fire function I had installed on my DMR at a range of about a foot I put 20 rounds into this thing. It became apparent that unless we dug in the outpost itself would be assaulted and so we settled in and fought off wave after wave of these guys the thick undergrowth resulting in more point blank fighting that again proved the worth of burst fire and armour in a melee situation.
At the end of Day 226 we had found a cure for the surface plague, through careful study by the science and medical teams, the time for which was afforded to them by the noble efforts of the Military branch who were in turn supported by comrades from all the branches. Unfortunately Sargent Leon was killed on one of the other missions which sought out this medical knowledge hopefully others can confirm more detail however his team were engaging the hive at the time.
Overnight we were informed the Engineers had perfected their plan and while this was still essentially the same plan as last time they had a mobile transmitter that didn’t squander other resources, They had tested this out and unwittingly tipped our hand to Apollo resulting in his pulling his forces back into two columns one that was a clearly designed coup de main operation aimed as it was against the bunker and the other force castling up. It was decided Quinn would lead a team to form a blocking detachment on the main thrust while I went with Maverick, the engineering section (almost in entirety) to take on Apollo, here Soap the former convict engineer took the comms and led the lower group while Sargent Maverick and I led a top group that included Angel, Monument and the Soon to be hero of the hour Jerry Riggs.
We made fair time through the sectors engaging a number of swarms but suddenly we were surrounded on 3 sides, and we retreated to ensure the east and west waves were also south of our position, we set an ambush and defeated each wave in turn however each wave began to test the flanks of the top groups position making more and more ground, maverick was putting the hurt on them while the rest of us shielded his position including monument taking his knife out on a number of occasions and getting busy.
We were stretched thin and the bottom group were seeing less and less of the foe so we decided to pull back to conceal our position from the 3rd main wave, as this gave up our cover we sent Jerry with the med box and the instructions only come out if you cant hear anything, he dug him self in deeper than an Alabama Tick.
Apollo did not fall for our plan and burst into our position rather than fall upon the fortified position the bottom group had prepared, to say we were roughly handled is an understatement. Maverick Angel and monument went down hard, I retreated frantically radioed the other group, I managed to stabilise Maverick but then took a 2nd rail gun hit, it was all I could do to alert the bottom team we were over run and Apollo was coming, though with angel down there was no kill code…
Apollo moved down the hill and it went quiet….
Jerry slid down the slope got Angel up and then the rest of us, I rushed after Apollo who was fully engaged with the fortified position with his back to me opening up I first put his mates down and then buzzed him before pilling in with the stun baton and patented point blank fire, I was soon joined by Kaleb who beat on him with a machete, and we shouted for Angel who came and applied the kill code, this effectively killed all the hive as soap and Jerry’s box stopped the reincarnation protocols. Apparently this too halted the assaults on Quinn’s position at the head of the column that was bunker bound.
