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A few platoons were striking out away from the direction of retreat- some were late. A majority, including Yule’s headquarters and all the artillery, were nowhere near the extraction zone. The possibility of them slipping out was practically impossible now. The enemy would crash into them- but at least it was very likely that some people had managed to escape. The northern contingent in particular- once the center.
Reports of the cursed submarine indicated it wasn’t a type Yule was familiar with- but it had the brutality of the Twaryian military theory on firepower. Much bigger than a standard submarine- it was a type usually seen in the oceans, long ranged cruiser submarines like Naukland’s that sometimes he saw refueling in Sodrakron as they patrolled the great eastern expanse. Twaryian raider submarines by contrast were usually not found far from the coasts, and could be as small as one of the platoon’s appropriated T-15s, as they more often prioritized much more cunning tactics, but this submarine was nothing to be so reserved with. A pair of anti-aircraft guns at each end, and in the center, a large conning tower flanked by a large turret and a smaller ball turret- the former with huge cannons, the latter an anti-air gun, perhaps a 3.7 centimeter automatic. The fire striking towards it seemed to leave holes- but it was definitely armored, at least as much as one might think a submarine could practically be. As far as Yule knew, armoring a submarine was a fool’s errand, but perhaps the Twaryians thought differently, and in their eccentricities, found something that worked.
He swallowed thickly. The battalion’s artillery would have a terrible effect on the craft- as well as the heavy m/31k types that were designed in the first place for their semi-armor piercing high explosive shells to wreak havoc on ships such as that submarine. Were there going to be more threats from the sea? This seemed an important investment to just let get shot up before the enemy was pressing from the other side…
…And pressing from the other side they would be, very soon. Lieutenant Gauthier had reported being closely pursued by all manner of Twaryian armor. Good thing the battalion was all here- bad thing, that it would all be a tempting target for enemy artillerists to pour all their hatred into. They couldn’t stay to fight- it was possible that either they would have to risk fleeing with all speed and risk getting shot in the rear along the way, or make the hard choice of leaving behind units to be slaughtered so the rest could get away…
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