We’ve got two men down over here!
This is… how you say? “Not great?”
Yeah, that’s two members of our squad laid out in a matter of seconds.
Somehow, Doug is still breathing. Elf is not.
…and I never even did… any… stabbin’…
Sorry you never got a chance to use that new knife of yours, but you’re going to a place where you can shank to your heart’s content. We’ll miss your murderous zeal down here among the living, kiddo.
That’s our first casualty of the playthrough…
I’m pretty upset about it, but if we don’t pull it together, we’re going to lose more than just our scout. Alright, guys. Keep your wits about you. Let’s pull back and get a look at the state of the battle.
We’ve got our four (conscious) squadies lined up in the center there. Nessie, Viper, and Bogey are standing and aiming north at the soldier who took down Doug. I’d thought we handled him last turn, but not being able to see him, I couldn’t be sure. Further up that way is another enemy who is visible somehow. Also (unbeknownst to me at the time I’m playing) the hole in the fence through which the Nazis can continue coming at us. Prone on the ground next to Nessie is Jerzey, machine gun pointed in the opposite direction, straight at the corner of the fence. He’s ready to perforate anyone who shows their face from that side. Around that way to the west is the gate — where we’re headed.
Hey, fearless leader. What now?
I, uh… I don’t know. The three of you could cover my retreat.
Nice try.
In that case, um… we shoot at everything that moves. Until it’s dead.
Remind me why you’re in charge, again?
Actually, that plan works well enough to keep us alive for now. Nessie and Jerzey are able to hold our position almost completely by themselves, with Nessie hucking an endless stream of grenades toward the dudes coming down from the north,
and Jerzey blasting those few who are dumb enough to come from the south.
And they do keep coming for a while, but eventually the procession of death slows down. I guess they’ve learned their lesson. That, or all the Germans are dead.
When we inch up toward the entrance, we find out how not true that is. Another long firefight breaks out at the gate.
Nessie sits this one out. We’re too far away for either his SMG or his backpack full of grenades to help, so for most of the fight he hides behind a tree carrying the unconscious Doug. Eventually, everyone else has to join him there for some healing.
Mercifully at this point, the Germans are sticking to the area inside the fence. They’ve long since stopped pursuing us. Instead, they‘re lying in wait for us.
Once healed up, Bogey, Viper, and Jerzey continue the fight. We’d very nearly been torn up by this mounted gun on the first assault, but this time Viper and Bogey’re able to move a ways west along the outside of the fence, past where it can aim, and take the guy out from the side.
Then back to the gate. They’re still sending reinforcements to plug the holes we make, but there has to be an end to them. We just have to keep tearing through them until we reach that end — and with the range advantage and a touch of luck, we’re able to do it.
A few minutes of heated combat and the paradigm has changed.
It’s carnage. Heavy losses to the Germans. Our boys’ve been scraped up and punctured all over, but we’ve taken the gate. And with the exception of Viper, Bogey’s come through and medic’d them all back to full health.
We leave Doug at the entrance; Nessie’s close-range specialty is going to be a big help as we explore these buildings. First, the garage.
Oh, that’s convenient. That little “i” icon says this chap is one of our objectives. Our only objective, actually: capture a technician who can tell us more about the testing facility.
Nessie gets a few shots off. One of them grazes the technician, who then takes off running. Ness and Jerzey give chase, leaving our ranged guys to hold the courtyard.
In no time, they’ve cornered him and brought him down. We drag him out and pile him back there with Doug’s body. We’re starting a collection!
Mission complete at this point. Still, I’m curious enough and terrible enough of a commander that I’m going to risk the lives of my men to check out the other building. I just gotta know what’s in there!
To answer that question: nothing.
I mean, except for these two guys, who come so close to killing Jerzey I’m still not sure how he made it out alive.
Divine intervention, I think. The AI elects only to fire a few shots. Had it been a full-auto burst, we would have been dead right there. Then — when Jerzey fires back, he’s only able to kill one of the enemy soldiers, leaving the other (the one toting a machine gun, no less) to finish him off next round.
Somehow, though… Somehow, in all the dust and flying debris and environmental destruction of Jerzey’s volley, the remaining soldier… glitches through the ceiling and onto the roof.
Okay. Sure, okay. Hey, I’ll take it. I ain’t gonna look a gift horse in the mouth.
100% yes!
And to top off all that madness, we’re greeted with this screen immediately upon exiting the mission:
Yep, it looks like someone finally appreciates us.
In total, we make off with four medals: the Military Medal for Nessie and Bogey, Military Cross for Viper, and both for Jerzey.
…I receive medals. What do medals signify?
They signify that we’re awesome, obviously. And when did you start speaking, anyway?
According to Wikipedia, both the Medal and the Cross are for bravery during battle on land. I have no idea why there needs to be two of them, then, or why you’d make a distinction between land-based bravery and sea- or air-bravery, but whatever. It’s good to be appreciated.
Thanks, King George!
On to the next episode!
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