1465 replies and 11 files omitted.
>>141319>>141319The changelings on the roof are more exposed than those essentially anywhere else. Silver shoots the gunner. It is not enough to drop him, however
The machine guns are reloaded and ready to fire
Brisbuck
[1d20 = 18] Amber Grain
[1d20 = 9] Salt Lick
[1d20 = 13] MG Commander
[1d20 = 3] MG
[1d20 = 7] SA
MG.
[1d20 = 5] 7
A MG.
[1d20 = 6] 2
1.
[1d20 = 16] 17
2.
[1d20 = 9] 7
3.
[1d20 = 19] 13
4:
[1d20 = 15] [1d9 = 1]6.
[1d20 = 6] 2
7.
[1d20 = 12] 4
8.
[1d20 = 3] 14
SB
MG.
[1d20 = 7] 3
A MG.
[1d20 = 2] 18
1.
[1d20 = 5] 11
2.
[1d20 = 15] 11
3.
[1d20 = 5] 9
4.
[1d20 = 13] 14
6.
[1d20 = 6] 9
7.
[1d20 = 1] 7
8.
[1d20 = 14] 15
SC
MG.
[1d20 = 3] 20
A MG.
[1d20 = 3] 24
1.
[1d20 = 17] 21
2.
[1d20 = 11] 4
3.
[1d20 = 14] 11
4.
[1d20 = 17] 2
6.
[1d20 = 4] 4
>>141320Brisbuck scores a hit on a creature on a drone on the roof top
[2d8 = 15][2d8 = 9] 13
[2d8 = 16] 21
>>141319>>141322On the roof top, the assistant machine gunner, already shot by another soldier, is shot by Brisbuck and falls down, unable to feed the gun. The machine gunner himself, just shot by Silver seconds before, is shot right through the heart by private Cornflake of Squad C, a contribution that goes unnoticed in the anonymous mass of bullets. The gunner falls, leaving the gun tilted upwards.
The door opens, Silver can see the edge of a changeling submachine gun, and hear the cry
"Zurückfallen! Lass sie zu uns kommen!" shouted
The three changelings behind the trucks disappear further behind them
The lonely changeling in the high grass makes a mad dash towards the northside door.
The two changelings on the roof top spread their wings, looking to move back.
[1d20+8 = 13]>>141323"They fall back! Cut them down!"
Silver aims for one of the changelings on the roof with his rifle.
>>141324Silver misses, though just barely
Brisbuck
[1d20 = 20] Amber Grain
[1d20 = 15] Salt Lick
[1d20 = 16] MG Commander
[1d20 = 8] MG
[1d20 = 7] SA
MG.
[1d20 = 5] 7
A MG.
[1d20 = 9] 2
1.
[1d20 = 7] 17
2.
[1d20 = 16] 7
3.
[1d20 = 8] 13
4:
[1d20 = 3] [1d9 = 5]6.
[1d20 = 11] 2
7.
[1d20 = 16] 4
8.
[1d20 = 7] 14
SB
MG.
[1d20 = 3] 3
A MG.
[1d20 = 4] 18
1.
[1d20 = 3] 11
2.
[1d20 = 19] 11
3.
[1d20 = 13] 9
4.
[1d20 = 2] 14
6.
[1d20 = 20] 9
7.
[1d20 = 7] 7
8.
[1d20 = 7] 15
SC
MG.
[1d20 = 14] 20
A MG.
[1d20 = 13] 24
1.
[1d20 = 3] 21
2.
[1d20 = 7] 4
3.
[1d20 = 19] 11
4.
[1d20 = 19] 2
6.
[1d20 = 15] [1d9 = 4] >>141325>>141324Silver aims, takes a shot, and misses....
Brisk buck lands a shot on a retreating drone, one of those on the roof
[2d8 = 2][2d8 = 7] 11
[2d8 = 15] 9
[2d8 = 8] 11
[2d8 = 5] 2
>>141326>>141327Silver has one bullet left in the magazine
The drone running along the grass is shot, staggers, and is shot through the back of the head. His gun flies forward, landing right in front of the door.
The two drones on the roof take off flying. Both seem to recoil from shots that hit. Neither falls, and both jump off the roof, and out of sight.
>>141328"Alright, everypony reload your guns and gather our wounded and dead, quickly. This battle is not over yet. Everypony with short range weapons, once you are ready, we will advance into structure."
Silver loads his rifle, and exchanges the partial magazine in his SMG for a fresh one.
>>1413295 round stripper clips, it's almost easier to just cycle the bolt and eject the last bullet in the magazine, and then insert two new stripper clips.
Several of the ponies in Silver's platoon came with both rifles and submachine guns, although there are very few submachine guns in the group; perhaps 4.
It looks like five ponies in the platoon - all rifle ponies - have been pulled out of combat for wounds. Of these, at least three are so severe they are not going anywhere, and may already be dead. An additional two ponies beyond this are lightly wounded.
The changelings at the plant have gone silent, although a couple downed changelings on the roof and in the grass twitch.
>>141330Silver leads as many ponies with SMGs are available towards the plant. He speaks the following along the way.
"Keep your guard up, it is likely they wait in ambush for us."
>>141330>>141329Is it only these four ponies, or does Silver go in with more?
>>141333>>141331Silver stands up from the ridgeline, along with many of the ponies in his platoon. Brisbuck gets up, and yells "Forward!" And so a line of ponies stand up from their positions, and advance down the hill, towards the north face of the dairy plant, and perhaps somewhere else.
>>141334Silver smiles at this display from his Lieutenant, as they and the other ponies go to the building.
"You seem to be coming into your own very well!"
>>141333>>141335"Heh" Brisbuck smiles, with overly nice and shiny teeth
"Maybe."
Machine gunners pick up their guns and hold them on their sides in a "walking fire" position, almost like it's a lance on their sides. The belt fed gun stays in position on the ridge, being too unwieldy to move forward, and in any event it's best to stay on the high position in case of need of covering fire.
>>141336Silver looks over at the drones laying in the grass, dead or dying from the hail of bullets sent their way by the ponies' fire.
"I hope ponies on front lines are doing similarly well as us."
>>141337Walking up closer to the door, Silver sees a drone dead on its back in the grass, then another, then another, and then the officer, until finally there is the drone who fell only a couple feet from the door. A changeling bolt action rifle lies strangely upright against a sage bush, while a submachine gun lies on a section of barren sand that has a slightly reddish tint. Perhaps most inglorious is the rifle that would serve as a doorstop, were the rear door to open.
"One third casualties in the first day?"
He pauses, and then restarts his reply,
"Yes, I hope they are repelling the drones as well as we are. I feared they'd do much worse for their first time in combat... our first time in combat" he makes an awkward smile, pulling back his lips. "But they've held solid."
>>141338Silver nods.
"I do not mean to seem cold. But it is clear changelings are taking more of beating than us."
Once up to the door, he takes position against the wall next to it. He returns to a quieter tone as he speaks to Brisbuck.
"No doubt they are waiting for us to enter. We need decoy."
>>141339It doesn't
quite go like that
From inside, through a window near the door, a jet of flame is visible
Chichichicha[1d20 = 3] [1d20 = 8]Chichichicha[1d20 = 13] [1d20 = 4][1d24 = 22]And then from behind it
Tattattattattat[1d20+2 = 14] [1d20+2 = 6] [1d20+2 = 9][1d20+2 = 16][1d20+2 = 18][1d5 = 4]And from behind the trucks
Tattattattattat[1d20 = 19]Tattattattattat[1d20 = 7] >>141340>>141339Instantly, two ponies are downed
Brisbuck:
"DROP DOWN!"
[4d6 = 22] >>141342>>141339>>141341Salt Lick is the third pony hit, and he is downed immediately
>>141343Silver brings his SMG up, and fires a burst at the MG behind the truck.
Ratatatatatatata[1d20+3 = 15] [1d20+3 = 19][1d20+3 = 22] [1d20+3 = 10][1d20+3 = 16] [1d20+3 = 14][1d20+3 = 21] [1d20+3 = 22] >>141344Do you mean one of the SMGs behind the truck, or the machine gun inside the building?
>>141345I thought it was an MG behind the truck, but yes, the SMG then.
>>141346This one is a bit harder to hit, but Silver hits one, two, three, four shots on a drone leaning out from behind the truck
>>141344>>141346The ponies try to shoot back. Not all of them manage to raise their weapons in time, but some do
[1d20 = 13] [1d4 = 4][1d20 = 15] [1d4 = 3][1d20 = 16] [1d4 = 4][1d20 = 10] [1d4 = 4][1d20 = 18] [1d4 = 2][1d20 = 18] [1d4 = 3][1d20 = 20] [1d4 = 4][1d20 = 20] [1d4 = 2][1d20 = 10] [1d4 = 3][1d20 = 15] [1d4 = 3][1d20 = 6] [1d4 = 2][1d20 = 15] [1d4 = 2][1d20 = 14] [1d4 = 3][1d20 = 12] [1d4 = 1][1d20 = 9] [1d4 = 1] >>141349>>141350Perhaps half of the ponies who are not downed dive to the ground, while the other half return fire
A changeling that raised a machine gun on top of a truck is shot in the head. A number of bullets fly inside the dark, open window. A changeling with an SMG who was leaning out from behind the truck falls over, and sprawls out dead on the ground
[1d20+2 = 9][1d20+2 = 13][1d20+2 = 18][1d2 = 1] >>141346>>141349>>141353From inside of the window, the fire from the machine gun has ceased. There is no fire from behind the ruck, although at least one drone has pulled back behind the truck
From inside, there are several shots from a drone who seems to pull back and away after firing.
Brisbuck is shot, and downed
>>141354Silver shouts an order out over the sound of gunfire.
"GET LIEUTENANT OUT OF HERE!"
He then rushes over to face the changeling hiding behind the truck.
>>141360A couple grenades are thrown in the direction of the truck
[1d20 = 20][1d20 = 15] >>141361Uh...I don't suppose he can get a reflex save?
>>141361>>141360At least the grenades are refreshingly well placed, one of them bouncing off the truck behind the first, and one sliding under the truck.
Still, this makes running over to the trucks dangerous
>>141363Oh, they're
friendly grenades. Okay, that's definitely better than what I was thinking. In that case, Silver goes to the window.
>>141364Shrapnel can't really be called "friendly," any more than the Equestrian-made rifles, carbines, pistols, and heavy machine guns that have been shooting at Silver can be called friendly. Still, Silver is able to look through the window.
The room is some sort of... well, actually it's kind of hard to tell what this room is, but there are a number of stainless steel cabinets, sinks, and refrigerators, as well as beakers and test tubes. The machine gun rested in part on a steel countertop with the end hanging off. There are ammunition boxes over to the left, an unfinished belt, and a very large amount of spent cartridges on the floor. More significant are the three corpses on the ground. One, which has a smeared trail of blood leading from closer to the machine gun, is over in the right corner under a steel table with a jar that holds milk, which looks like it has been left out too long with the solids beginning to settle. One is turned over to the left. And another is immediately underneath where the machinegun fell.
>>141365Silver decides now is a good time to bust the door down and enter the facility, SMG at the ready.
>>141366Kicking down the door, Silver sees a hallway with an open door at the end, and on the left.
>>141367Silver gets up against the wall next to the door on the left, and peaks through it.
>>141368>LeftThis leads down a short hallway, ending in a room with large cylinders placed horizontally
>>141370Nothing here...Silver then peaks in through the door at the end of the first hallwasy.
>>141371This leads into a room with a few vats, and something like an assembly line with many bottles
>>141372Silver enters the room, head and gun on a swivel.
>>141373Silver moves in, sees that there are stacks of milk bottles, partly open crates, and loading docks on the right.
No changelings thus far
>>141374Silver decides to check in the crates.
Fuck, Brisbuck! Silver needs to help him!
Um...can we start back over from when Silver checked the window?
[1d20 = 20]
[1d20 = 7]
[1d20 = 14]
[1d20 = 19]
>>141377Okay, Silver can go back to
>>141365On their own initiative, a number of ponies are going to the trucks
>>141380Great! Alright, of the injured ponies present, who looks to be the worst off?
>>141381All of them are terrible.
One riflestallion shot by the machine gun. One Riflestallion shot by a submachine gun from behind the truck. Saltlick shot by a submachine gun from enemy unknown inside the building. Brisbuck, evidently shot by the same enemy unknown.
>>141382Silver instructs other ponies to put pressure on the wounds of the riflestallions and Saltlick while he bandages Brisbuck first, and to tear up strips of clean clothing and bring them to him ASAP. While they do so, he tries to put pressure on Brisbuck's wounds to keep him from dying as well.
>>141386Silver is able to stop the flow of blood, at least preventing Brisbuck from dying of shock immediately
>>141388Saltlick is more badly wounded - a private in the grass has made a heroic effort to try to stop the flow of blood
[1d20+5 = 19]>>141389Silver joins him in this effort.
>>141390The bleeding is halted for now. Saltlick is shot three times, but at least he's not as likely to die of shock
>>141391Giving the a chance to live until Firm Heart can take a look at them is just what Silver hopes for, though he's unsure how long he can keep the successes up.
Next he goes to the riflepony who was shot with an MG.
>>141393Depending on the breaks...
[1d2 = 1][4d8 = 23] >>141392The machine gun is an extremely deadly weapon, but it was operated by a drone not trained to use it.
There’s enough left for Silver to try.
>>141398The beige colored unicorn is as well treated as he can be for now. His wounds are very severe, however.
>>141399Does he have enough for the other riflepony, at least to try?
>>141400There is indeed another riflepony, this one shot multiple times by a submachine gun. A pony next to him has tried to stop the bleeding.
Silver can try
>>141402Silver does
not succeed in stabilizing the riflepony
>>141404>>141403If he can be saved, Silver has done what is needed
>>141405Silver sighs with some relief. He looks at the trucks to see if one is in a usable state.
>>141406The one far away may be. But the one that is closer... Not so much. The tires are blown out. All windows are destroyed. There are numerous bullet holes on the front engine house, and the left headlight is destroyed
>>141407Silver goes over to the one that's further away to see if it has much damage. He also sees if it and the AT guns have tow hooks.
>>141409>>141408Passing behind and between the two trucks, Silver can see the drones who made a stand there.
On the far side away from Silver is a drone who fell over behind the truck. This is the drone who Silver shot with his submachine gun. A submachine gun lies in front of it. Behind the rear left wheel house is a drone who fell backwards, wearing an Equestrian non-commissioned officer's uniform, probably a first sergeant. A drone right next to the wheel house has a rifle propped up, and notably, wears bandages. On the ground a little besides the truck is a drone who is spread out on his back. He too, has bandages. In a pool of blood, laying on its side is a drone with a metal helmet strapped on, and a white leg band. This one seems to breath in and out in short, pained breaths, and seems to slowly drown in blue blood. Behind it and nearer the other truck, in the space between trucks, are two drones in Equestrian uniform who lie dead. One lies on its belly, and another is on its side, with its hind leg oddly stretched out. There are one, two, three rifles strewn about in odd locations. One of the rifles looks strangely mangled. Behind the wheel house of the truck are three changeling drones. The one furthest from the front of the truck has its back against the truck. It too, seems to move as if breathing, and it sits next to a rifle with a large white bandage around its neck. Next to it, behind the wheel house are two drones knocked backwards, and both of them have eyes, or even part of their heads blown off. Evidently changelings are green on the inside, and so is the concrete pavement. One of these has a machine gun laying over its body. The gun is almost as large as the drone. Belt links and spent cartridge cases litter the ground. There is a rifle that has fallen out in front of the truck.
Moving on, behind the first truck, are three changeling drones, all of them around either the engine house or the cabin. One around the end has a submachine gun near it, one lies dead next to the cabin, and a third between the two lays on its back as if staring into the darkening empty skies. Two more rifles lay nearby.
Both trucks - these are Equestrian logistics trucks, mind you - have tow hooks. The anti-tank gun, another 30 feet away with a limp drone near it and aa rifle propped up against its side, is clearly suitable for towing.
[1d20+5 = 17]>>141410Silver does feel some remorse, looking at the carnage and the dead and dying changelings everywhere. Take away the strangely colored blood and the black chitinous exteriors, and they'd look exactly like ponies. After checking the truck, Silver trots up to the changeling with the metal helmet and the white leg band, unsure of what he can do but wanting to do something, anyway.
Heal: Using what he has on hoof, particularly clean strips of cloth ripped off of other dead changelings' uniforms, he attempts to stabilize this changeling and sit him upright.
>>141411And green insides and vampirism. Don't forget those.
This creature is unique in two other ways. It has no bullet wounds, only shrapnel wounds, though these are very serious. It also is armed exclusively with a pistol, the only one he's encountered thus far - besides Forrester - thus armed. This is the only one, including Forrester, to have a Changeling make of pistol. It's probably best to move the pistol away from it as it seems to try to un-holster and pull out the pistol, although it can't do this because of weakness. It's also easy to move out of the line of sight of this creature as it cannot move its head.
There are multiple wounds on this creature, mostly smaller, so it isn't
too difficult to bandage over the wounds. Sitting it upright is a little harder, as it lacks something to prop up against. The widespread wounds make it a bit more difficult to keep the wounds above the level of where its heart probably is, especially as it has wounds on its stomach. Like most changelings, it has a bag.
The creature makes a gurgling hiss at Silver as he touches it.
>>141412Indeed he does toss the pistol to the side, and indeed he keeps out of line of sight of his face, but he slowly and carefully drags the changeling to prop him up against the truck. He hopes what he did helps. When the creature hisses, he responds despite the good chance that the drone can't understand.
"If I wanted to harm you, I would have killed you already, chitinous one."
Once Silver is done with that and is satisfyed that the drone will stay sat up against the truck, he goes to the other wounded changeling to examine his own wounds.
>>141413This one also wears a helmet and stares straight forward. It looks as if this creature has already been bandaged and propped upright. It has a bandage around its neck, but also bleeds from new, smaller wounds.
There is a small syringe-edged tube next to it.
>>141414Silver picks up the syringe with his magic, and brings it up to examine it.
>>141415The small device is maybe three inches in length with a long needle in the fore that resembles a hypodermic needle, and a smaller tube that is squeezed out. The tube is white and has markings on it, and though one of the symbols resembles a lambda, nothing is legible in ponish.
>>141416"Huh. Must be medicine. You looked patched up, at least. I do not think you will die if I left you along. Or, at least I do not think so."
Silver gets up, and returns to his ponies.
"Alright, I have plan for after we finish up here, but we have job to do first. We need to clear this building quickly, make sure we have found location of cocooned ponies and that there are no changelings. Understood?"
>>141417Whereas the drone Silver placed against the truck seems to make an effort to move its head to look at Silver, this one only stares straight ahead, still bleeding from small wounds.
"Sir, Yes Sir."
Amber Grain is in the fore, as are the few remaining NCOs. Silver has more than 20 remaining soldiers, including all three light machine gun crews.
>>141418Silver pulls out his SMG.
"We will split into two groups. One group will remain out here to keep watch over our wounded, while other will join me in clearing plant methodically. Can I get any volunteers to join me?"
>>141419Not everypony volunteers, but several do.
These include Sleetfall and cornflake, as well as the black colt, and the pink Pegasus corporal of A squad. Silver is able to sort out fourteen or so volunteers.
>>141420Silver nods, glad for this development.
"Alright, keep your eyes and ears open. You will know cocoons when you see them. Rest of you, stay here and guard our wounded."