[Crusader]

[The Mensoid Wars - yr 2677.4 - GER Ground Assault Group, Cassiopeia system ]

Intro: Major Mark Roland, Commander of 1st Dragoon Platoon, Task Force One, Hegemony Ground Assault Forces, en route to target planet for shuttle retrieval deep in enemy territory.

Current Location:
- Cassiopeia System
- ID Designation #: 536
- Location: GER-Bqs3
- Grid: 1413-1223
- Population: ???

Personal log of Major Mark Roland
- Commander of 1st Dragoon Platoon,
tF1st - Task Force One,
H-GAF - Hegemony Ground Assault Forces,
assigned to NC-283rd.
- ('Ground Pounders' 1Dp, LDSa.2d - Light Drop Ship.)


-= Part 1 - Descent =-
[wc363]

"Drop in 5,4,3,2,1... release!"
Major Roland shook in his harness where he sat strapped into the command station of the light assault drop ship as they prepared to plunge through the thin, yet turbulent atmosphere of Cassiopeia III.

Mark was a combat veteran by Hegemony Ground Assault Force standards, with 36 missions and 123 combat drops under his belt. He was no stranger to extaction sorties eithers but they raised the strakes considerably by usually being behind enemy lines with hostile fleets and gound units, outnumbering them by far. Just the way he and his men liked it though...

"60 seconds to target!" The pilot reported over the intercom, then Mark switched his view screen to tactical display which showed the radar scan. They were in one of four LDS, light drop ships that accomapnied the HDS heavy drop ship with three squadrons of light GSG ground support gunships flying cover.

"Hostiles Pete?" He asked the pilot who had long range scanner updates from orbit.
"Nothing yet, looks like we're going in cold."
"For a change..." Pete chortled.

Roland switched to the cargo hold channel.
"Ground Pounders, prepare for Sudden Decel!"
"Hooya!" Came the reply from nineteen, heavily armed and armoured Ground Assault Troopers. The GATs were strapped into their AC-Seats, anti-centrifugal force cushioning seats which were specially design for high-speed orbital-to-surface drops and sudden deceleration for quick drop-off deployments. In and out in the least time possible.

GATs formed the central part of the GAF, ground assault forces with each GAT in direct-link command of several MECs, mechanical entity combatants, the back bone foot soldiers of the gound forces. These MECs were self-sufficient independant battle units with synthetic intelegent nLCs or neuroLogiCores, deadly, powerful and cunning.

"Coming down one K from target, get ready for deployment!" Pete announced.
"Lock and load Dragoons!"
Confirmation echoed in the confined space and weapons were cocked to ready stance.
"Decel now!" Shouted the pilot as the drop ship sudden banked, squashing the occupants deep into their ACs too spite the cushioning.

A second later and the cargo lights flashed green, releasing the ACs locks from the cockpit to set the GATs loose...

Tbc...