’Its not going to be enough, did you even read our message?!’
Sergent Darin looked on with incredulity as the mud streaked Red Adder sped into the clearing and pulled up into the small encampment Darin commanded.
The mission had been simple enough, Darin and his ExSec detachment would establish a listening station that would eventually form part of a network for the whole planet, the first step for mapping and then colonisation by the Lithic Assumptions ColSec. Two weeks in and the biggest threat had been boredom but then long range parameter sensors had gone dark and a patrol had not returned. Darin had put his reduced command on alert and sent a data burst back to Land Command, flagging for possible DefSec support. He knew the flag would trigger reproach, Section pride and ExSecs desire to stand on its own, but his security forces were only rated at Militia level and out on the frontier mistakes could hand out far worse things than a black mark on his service record.
Close sensors finally picked up movement and gave him the justification for his caution, he just hoped he lived long enough to be smug about it. Across the river movement was sighted, Malig raiders appeared and opened fire. Malig Heavy weapons targeted buildings, shattering Hab domes and turning the new Fabrication Spire into a torch as a cover while ground units started to move forward, probing for gaps in the Militias defensive fire and trying to cross the bridge.
The hatch of the Red Adder opened and the plumed helm of a Muster Centaris appeared, his face marked and dirt covered as Darins own.
‘Who is ranking officer here? the officer asked, his eyes surveying the hasty defences and the increasing weight of enemy fire
“I am.Sergeant Eyer Darin. 32nd ExSec Preparatory Group. Is this it? Its not going to be enough, Did you even read our message!?”
The Officer returned his gaze to Darin as he dismounted the Adder and then unclipped his MPI, swiftly bringing it up for a burst at the bridge as another Malig attempted to rush it.
“I am sorry, but that never got got back to the Castle. The Khanate have been advancing under a CounterNet and nothing is reaching Land Command. Whatever you were hoping for we are not it. I was the closest to this location and came to pull you out, everything is pulling back to Command”
Darin moved next to the officer and raised his own Tumbler MPI, both of them sending fire towards the bridge again.
“ We can use the Adder to block the bridge and buy us some time. It cannot dish out too much, but its Moth cannon is more than enough to shred Malig’s and make them think twice about trying to rush the bridge any time soon”
The officer hammered the side of the Adder and the driver inside gunned the engine and moved it forward to reposition closer to the bridge, the turret turning to face the body strewn pathway as the Moth started to spin.
Darin turned to the officer, his face moving between relief and worry
“Who are you with?”
“ Centaris Tobias Beare, 2nd Garnet Dragoons. DefSec Response"
Now the pleasantries are out out of the way I suggest we make a start getting out of here. This planets Preparatory has been cancelled.
Following my Malig Infernus Ball recreated for 28mm I wanted to add some armour to my Ion Age forces and went for the Red Adder Combat Car
Alternative Armies Red Adder Combat Car
Red Adder image taken from the AA website
The Adder is one of a range of combat vehicles with different turret and traction options which will give me some easy options in the future with extra turret changes.
The base model was a 3D print of a Staghound armoured Car
I smoothed off the front machine gun, added the running boards and changed the turret weapon and added the antenna.
Red Adder with Prydian Muster Centaris Officer
Red Adder and Malig Infernus Ball