Chapter 32: Boarding Action
8000KM… 7000KM… 5000KM…
As the warships drew closer, their long-range weaponry opened fire almost simultaneously.
The frigates unleashed plasma torpedoes, launching them from their bows towards the opposing fleet.
No one wanted their warship to endure several torpedo hits. Both sides immediately began evasive maneuvers, and point-defense cannons roared to life, destroying any approaching torpedoes.
Detonated plasma torpedoes flared brilliantly in the dark void.
Lances, with their longer range, also lanced out towards the enemy warships.
Ship-to-ship weaponry like lances was impossible to dodge. In the blink of an eye, lances from both sides slammed into the opposing void shields.
The pale blue barriers flickered as the void shields did their job, shunting the energy weapon impacts and damage into the Warp.
"Captain! Void shield integrity at 70 percent! Recharging!"
A few more rounds of lance fire, and Lucan's warship's void shield might collapse.
"Divert all power to engines! Full speed ahead! Before their lances can recharge! For the Mongorte Dynasty! Assault boats, prepare!"
When the battle began, Lucan felt a surge of adrenaline. Capital ships and macro-weaponry – that was true masculine romance; the sheer shock and awe couldn't be matched by ground combat. Even if Space Marines or Greater Daemons of the Chaos Gods were incredibly powerful, the deciding factor in a campaign's ultimate victory often lay with the massive warships in the void.
And Lucan's warship was noticeably faster than the enemy's.
Before the enemy lances could complete their second recharge, the warships of both fleets were within visual range of each other.
The Tyrant, true to its name, charged straight towards the Golden Ram, relying on its thick armor plating to weather the lance fire as it bore down on Lucan's flagship.
"Sword Rain, Pioneer! Draw fire for the flagship!"
As both fleets entered macro-cannon range, huge, solid shells flew from the gun barrels. These seemingly cumbersome projectiles moved with incredible speed. At such close range, attempting evasive maneuvers was unimaginably difficult.
And void shields could no longer protect the warships from physical projectiles as they did against energy weapons like lances.
The void shields on both sides collapsed almost simultaneously.
The remaining macro-cannon shells slammed into the opposing warships.
The macro-shells carried immense kinetic energy, and upon impacting the armor plating, they also produced violent explosions.
The explosions caused the bridge to shake violently.
"Officer decks, hull breach! Seal airtight hatches! Shield generator deck overloaded and on fire! Damage control teams, proceed to the shield deck immediately! One macro-cannon is also damaged!"
Officers continuously reported the warship's damage status to Lucan. Fortunately, with the SCVs present, these powerful repair machines immediately threw themselves into damage control.
In contrast, the opposing Tyrant suffered significantly less damage; its adamantium armor plating proved its worth.
"Don't miss this opportunity! Launch assault pods! Board immediately! Warriors of the Dynasty, for the God-Emperor, for the Dynasty, seize control of that warship for me!"
As the two flagships passed each other, both sides launched their boarding craft almost simultaneously!
In an instant, a dense swarm of assault pods, trailing brilliant plumes, lunged towards the enemy vessels.
Point-defense cannons immediately began to engage these assault pods.
Half of the first wave of assault pods from both sides were lost shortly after launch. Each fireball signified dozens of crewmen reduced to space dust. Only a few assault craft managed to breach the enemy warships.
Fortunately, the sacrifice of the first wave was not in vain, as it drew fire for the subsequent assault craft.
Damon and the Raiders beside him were also launched in an assault craft.
The shockwaves from nearby explosions caused the assault boat to shake violently, but luckily, his craft evaded the point-defense fire.
The melta gun at the craft's prow fired, spewing searing heat that melted the warship's external armor.
Thump!
The assault pod successfully docked, breaching into a deck corridor.
"All units, secure the corridor immediately! Find critical compartments and disable them whenever possible!"
Damon then looked at Norris, who was not part of the Raiders.
"We will breach their defensive lines for you. The mission to find their bridge and their leader is yours!"
Norris nodded silently, then focused his psychic energy, vanishing from sight within the enemy ship in an instant.
Damon, boarding shield raised, advanced to the hatchway. As the hatch blew open, las-beams, shotgun pellets, and autogun fire all sprayed towards them. Thankfully, the boarding shields protected the boarding party from concentrated fire.
Countless metallic projectiles and las-beams impacted the metal shields, creating a continuous crackling sound and showers of sparks.
The stray shots that hit Damon's adamantium combat suit didn't even leave a scratch.
Just as the makeshift barricade in the corridor went silent, its defenders thinking the boarders had been eliminated, the Raiders' C-14s opened fire. Precise, aimed shots took down the enemies behind the barricade. When the enemy fired again, the Raiders, now clad in ceramite combat suits, charged out of the assault pod, weathering the enemy fire.
Seeing these Raiders in their combat suits, the boarding defense troops opposing Damon hesitated for a moment.
They look so similar… so very similar… Why would the God-Emperor's Angels of Death be attacking them?
But that moment of hesitation cost them their lives.
Ten Raiders, without a single casualty, quickly cleared all enemies from the corridor.
"All companies, report status!"
"Company 1, no casualties, successfully boarded."
"Company 2, two casualties."
"Company 3, three assault boats destroyed."
"Company 4…"
As all companies reported in, the Raiders had lost 50 men – a full half-company – just during the assault phase.
This highlighted the brutality of ship-to-ship combat. Even Raiders, who were incredibly effective in conventional warfare, could only helplessly accept their fate in such circumstances.
"Damn it! Clear the decks swiftly! Leave no survivors!"
Lucan also saw the life signs disappearing one by one, causing him a pang of heartache. These veterans were treasures, but these sacrifices were unavoidable.
The enemy's assault boats had also breached the Golden Ram.
Fierce corridor battles were raging everywhere. This time, they weren't facing mindless charging cultists or Poxwalkers, but equally well-trained soldiers.
Even the most wretched Rogue Trader Dynasty wouldn't skimp on investment in their boarding and anti-boarding teams; every soldier within them was skilled.
And a few skilled veterans, in a narrow corridor with ample ammunition, could even hold off an entire company's advance.
However, in the overall boarding action, Lucan's side still held a significant advantage.
The ceramite CMC suits could withstand enemy fire while breaking through their lines.
The naval troopers remaining on Lucan's ships held back the enemy boarders, while the garrisoned Raiders acted as a fire brigade, rushing to reinforce any breached sections. And soldiers in plasteel combat suits were far superior to enemy armsmen in mere flak armor.
On the holographic displays, the red dots representing enemy units were disappearing one by one.
And the Marauders and Firebats, in particular, cast a giant shadow of dread over the enemy boarders.
"God-Emperor preserve us… what in the blazes are these things? Could they actually be Astartes?!" Such rumors flooded the Suarez Dynasty's soldier comm channels, causing widespread panic.
And at this moment, Kanto, on his own bridge, wore an absolutely foul expression.
The holographic projection before him displayed the very figures of those Raiders.
(End of Chapter)