Calgar was genuinely startled by Robert's response. It was important to remember that even when facing the all-consuming Tyranids, Robert had never proposed such a desperate, extreme solution. He asked incredulously, "Is this xenos threat greater than the Tyranids?!"
"If you compare this particular Necron force to this particular Tyranid force, then, yes," Robert replied tactfully. He avoided stating directly that "all Necrons are stronger than Tyranids," choosing instead to specify "this force," an implication that Calgar quickly grasped.
Calgar's expression grew extremely grave. He understood Robert's hidden meaning—this new type of xenos, which Robert called the Necrons, possessed tiers of power far greater and more terrifying than what was currently visible, similar to the Tyranids. And what they were about to face was only a fraction of it.
"Very well," Calgar took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart. "What is the other stratagem?"
"The next strategy," Robert's expression remained serious, "is to mobilize a fleet equal in size to the current one, between one hundred and two hundred thousand Astartes, and tens of millions of mortal troops—preferably all Death Korps of Krieg and the Helldivers—and prepare yourselves for a war lasting over a decade, with four-fifths of the fleet sunk, tens of thousands of Space Marines killed, and the mortal armies completely annihilated. The goal is to deal with the threat in the Orpheus Sector once and for all."
Calgar assessed the strategy from political, economic, and military perspectives. He shook his head again, his voice heavy. "The Orpheus Sector is merely a remote sector. While that force can be mobilized and fight there, we cannot afford to expend so many precious resources and incur such casualties there. Other parts of the Imperium would erupt into chaos. The Imperium cannot bear it."
"Then the worst strategy," Robert said, unsurprised, as he seemed to have anticipated Calgar's rejection of the first two plans. "A boarding action. Other battleships provide cover, and a concentrated force of Strike Cruisers—I will sketch their flagship later—executes a boarding attack to decapitate their supreme commander."
"Through this act, we hope the Necrons recognize our fighting spirit, begin to regard us with respect, and choose not to venture outside the Orpheus Sector. We then withdraw from the Orpheus Sector, leaving them confined there to fight amongst the Chaos traitors."
"Pinning the end of a war on the mercy and respect of a xenos race? Truly the worst strategy," Calgar shook his head, a hint of irony in his tone.
He hesitated for a moment, proposing a compromise: "What if we adopt the mobilization of the second stratagem, seek an opportunity to annihilate the enemy during the war, and only resort to the boarding action if we fail?"
"It sounds wonderful, but I do not recommend it," Robert stated bluntly, shattering Calgar's illusion. "Strategic indecisiveness will compromise specific operations, and this will be fatal when facing the Necrons."
"I must emphasize that they possess several methods of faster-than-light travel that entirely bypass the Warp. Their warships can instantaneously drop from light speed to zero and then accelerate back to light speed in the opposite direction. Right-angle turns are commonplace for them. If our fleet hesitates, it will be played with like a toy in their hands."
Calgar fell silent. He did not immediately reply to Robert, who knew he was contemplating how to counter such terrifying adversaries. This technology, which surpassed mortal imagination, was enough to overturn the Imperium's traditional void warfare tactics.
So Robert added another painful detail: "For ground combat, it is best to conduct extensive earthworks at all defensive positions. They must be dug deep, and most strategic materials must be stored underground, or they will all be atomized by the Necrons' anti-matter bombs."
"Furthermore, mass equipping soldiers with light weapons like Lasguns is largely useless; against the Necrons' Living Metal, they are merely flashlights, good only for polishing their bodies.
The Necrons' basic units move slowly, so the best approach is actually to charge directly into close combat. Mortal soldiers can hold their own in a fifty-fifty fight—which is why I previously stated that the mortal troops should ideally be all Krieg and the Helldiver.
The Necrons' Gauss beams reduce anything they touch to ash. Not every army has the courage to launch an unhesitating bayonet charge against such an enemy."
"Enough, enough, stop," Calgar stopped Robert, who was about to continue. "I think I grasp your meaning—when facing the Necrons, we must employ the suicidal attacks that you, the Helldivers, are best at, is that it?"
"The Necrons' technological superiority is comprehensive compared to ours. Beyond suicidal attacks aimed at mutual destruction, I cannot think of any other method," Robert said, his tone laden with helplessness. "Sometimes, maybe taking a thousand casualties to inflict eight hundred is the best option."
"What about the psychic domain?" Calgar suddenly asked, having apparently found another potential angle. "The Necrons' FTL travel bypasses the Warp. Does that mean their warp infrastructure is extremely weak? Is it possible to strike at them using that avenue?"
"You've succeeded in making me laugh, Lord Calgar," Robert chuckled, the first genuine smile he had worn all day. "Let me put it this way: the Necrons not using the warp does not mean they do not understand it. Quite the opposite, they are experts in anti-psychic warfare. At least within the galaxy, no species understands how to counter the Immaterium better than they do. Not even the Tyranids."
"Understood," Calgar wasn't offended. He knew Robert was speaking the truth, and he could accept any truth, no matter how brutal. He stood up, his massive silhouette casting a huge shadow in the room; the light seemed to be absorbed by his steel-clad body.
"Then, we shall use a method that fully demonstrates the valor of mankind," Calgar's voice was deep and powerful, filled with unshakeable resolve, as if every word carried immense weight. He clenched his fist, the gauntlet of his Power Armor making a soft, mechanical grinding sound.
"We will still carry out full mobilization, and we will still execute boarding actions and surprise assaults, but we will not merely decapitate one or two commanders and then end the fight, hoping for peace through xenos grace," Calgar's tone grew more impassioned, his fighting spirit boiling.
"We will use every means available to find all of their high-ranking officers, rush them with Drop Pods, Boarding Torpedoes, and Thunderhawk Gunships, and strike down their heads with Power Swords! We will force these xenos to retreat and make them understand that they can only remain within the confines of Orpheus!" His voice resonated like a heavy bell through the room.
"We will not rest until we have severed the heads of all their high command and brought them back as private collections for our various Chapters! We shall make these arrogant xenos know the consequences of provoking humanity!"