Reich Marshal of the Belkan Reich

RM Vol 3: For a World without Boundary – Chapter 67: Kriegsdude

Southwest of Warsaw.

Bolimowski is a forested area with trails plus a lake and river. Prior to the onset of the Months of Demons, the area was teeming with wildlife and human activities. Thanks to its picturesque quality, Bolimowski was invested heavily to be a tourist attraction. The former Polanian government poured much funding into developing the area, managing to prop up a small airfield and train station to facilitate commerce. Yet, with the Months of Demons in full effect, any plan to get money out of the region was rendered moot. Thus, rather than trying to maintain this money sinkhole, the old Polanian government swiftly abandoned it when no tourists were attracted. Nevertheless, important facilities, namely Bolimowski's small aerodrome and train station, are still very much there and serviceable due to them being recently constructed some years back. As such, when the 501st inserted a portion of their force down there in an air assault maneuver, it didn't take them long to get everything back up and running.

The only problematic part has been that the Bolimowski lacks proper Anti-Demon walls, thus the QRF was forced to go in gun blazing. Once the site is clear, the 501st sets up a temporary FOB and a secured corridor for transit between the recommissioned airstrip and train station. Due to the nature of their current mission, the amount of equipment the 501st dropped in Bolimowski isn't much, only a company worth of units and weapons. Nevertheless, they have enough Pumas on the ground to deter anything the Polanians or Demons may bring. Other than that, numerous air assets are already in the air with attack VTOLs and jets ready to be called in at any given moment. Yet even with all the ruckus, no living being has dared venture near Bolimowski. Though nighttime is fast approaching, the Polanian Army did not send out any QRF of their own in the recently resurrected Bolimowski is surprising. This can either be attributed to a confused chain of command, probably because of what happened in Warsaw, or just the total ineptitude of the local military garrison. Nevertheless, while the 501st is disappointed that no enemy dared to venture up at them, the same can't be said for Thomas the Train.

While Long Caster is busy coordinating the increase in Belkan military air traffic in Polanian airspace, a TSOBS loiter munition detects Polanian deployment along Thomas's path. Belonging to a Ju400A Ghostrider, otherwise known as the AC-400A in the new designation system, the TSOBS has been gathering targeting data for its mothership. Controlling the loiter munition remotely is the AC-400A with a striking emblem of a WW1 gas mask and helmet, flanked on both sides by two MG08/18 LMGs with holy scriptures wrapping over the barrel shrouds. Beneath said emblem is a motto painted in a manner akin to that of holy scripture, denoting: Blessed be my guns. This specific Ghostrider is none other than the Kriegsdude who already has the honor of working with the 501st in the Sardegna hotspot.

"I see an enemy motorcade trailing the train. Seems to be one from Warsaw's external outposts." One of the weapon officers said while looking through the view of the TSOBS.

The flight navigator and co-pilot of the Ghostrider shows the flight chief the live footage from the TSOBS. "They're really stepping on the gas to chase the train. Haven't they learned anything from us wiping their force in Warsaw?"

The flight chief answers while banking the AC-400A, lining the gunship in a wide circular pattern that orbits around the moving train. "Could be leftover orders before their military HQ got bombed. Or maybe, it could be that they have to hail down the Thomas the Train which had made an unexpectedly violent exit."

The navigator comments. "Regardless, I am quite surprised that they still have units that are capable of intercepting the train at this point. I thought Rigel and Knight Squadrons had already made quick work of them, not to mention that mysterious 8492nd Pilot."

The chief shrugs. "If the Polanians hadn't acted aggressively or sortied out to intercept our boys, the jet pilots couldn't attack them, not when they had limited munition from what I'd heard. As for Empress, if Long Caster pegged them as allies then I don't see any reason why to comment much on them. He told me that the 8492nd Avalon Squadron is an ONI-specific squadron, and I don't want to mess around with the spooks just yet."

"Touche." Replied the navigator understandingly.

It's at this point that a weapon officer announces. "Hey, I am detecting two more motorized groups on the approach ahead of the train's path. North and South respectively."

The navigator replies. "Sensors and datalink pinged them too. Projected paths indicate that these North and South groups will be linking up with one another, stopping directly on the track. These two motorized units will probably be forming a blockade so that the Eastern group we detected earlier can come up on the rear of Thomas."

The flight chief nods but nonetheless warns. "We still have time to double-check these Polanian units again. Make sure that we are not mistaking a civilian convoy for a military one."

"Roger that, chief. Give us a minute." Said a weapon officer.

Exactly a minute later, the report comes in. "Polanian military units confirmed, no civilian vehicles in the mix."

The navigator chimes in. "Unless these civies somehow managed to buy a military truck, I highly doubt there's any civilian in the back of these vehicles."

"Still better to be safe than sorry. Even with the high fidelity of our camera, we can't neglect the possibility that one of us might wrongly identify a target. None of us want the blood of innocent on our hands." The flight chief explained before saying. "Alright gunners, you're cleared hot on the North and South Polanian military convoys. Don't let them get anywhere near the rail lines. The Northern unit should be coming into your view soon, eliminate them before we rotate our next target. Nav, you stay on the TSOBS, keep an eye out for anything else that may crop up on the scope."

"Wilco." Said the rest of the crew.

Gradually, the Kriegsdude aligns its targeting scope on the Northernmost Polanian unit. "Got eyes on the lead vic." Said one of the weapon officers.

The other one interjects. "At this range, the 57mm should do the trick. Heh, they're all neatly lined up for us too."

Flipping the safety of, a gunner says. "Gun's hot, fuze's set to impact engaging targets." Pulling the trigger, the reverberations of the 57mm on board the Kriegsdude can be felt even in the cockpit.

Kadunk Kadunk Kadunk Kadunk Kadunk Kadunk

Six shells are fired from the autocannon. Viewing from the gunner's camera, the shells fly straight yet are spread along the length of the Polanian convoy. Consisting of four military trucks, the soft-skinned convoy stands no chance when 57mm warheads rain down from above. The first shell lands on the lead Polanian truck first, destroying the truck and even splitting its chassis in half. Other shells follow a moment later, hitting and detonating the rest of the convoy before they can even react.

"Shouldn't have driven that close to one another, guys." The gunner who fired the shot commented before fist-bumping his fellow weapon officer. "I don't think anything gonna survive that."

"That's more kill tally for us boys, good job." The flight chief said while making a left turn with their plane. "More targets coming right up."

"They're mine." Announced the second weapon officer. "Switching to gun."

One of the special mission aviators that is standing in the back quips back. "Gun? What gun?"

The second weapon officer just laughs. "Yes!"

He then holds down the trigger, not pull mind you, just holding down the trigger. The reason for that is soon evident as the 30mm MK103-7 Gatling on the Kriegsdude starts screaming flame.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrttttt

If not for the digital ammo counter on display, no one can know for sure just how many 30mm shells this gunner unleashed on these unfortunate Polanians. His target, the Southern enemy convoy, is more numerous and heavily armed than the prior convoy. Equipped with a few armored cars, it would have been quite troublesome for Thomas the Train if they managed to block the train track. Unfortunately for the Polanian, the Belkan has a Ghostrider in the air, and their number doesn't mean anything if they can't even defend against the gunship. A few of the keen-eyed Polanians manage to catch a glimpse of a bright red flash before being eviscerated by the numerous 30mm shells, their armor protection notwithstanding. The Gatling literally carves a visible scar onto the ground as cars and trucks are swept away before any can even evade the onslaught.

"Hahahaha! Now this is firepower!" The joyous gunner that just unleashed a taste of Hell on the enemy exclaimed. "If they haven't noticed us in the sky before then they sure do now!"

An aviator that has been whistling at the destruction asks. "How many did we even kill since we got assigned to this bird again?"

"No clue, I have already lost count." Another replied. "Goes to say just how destructive a Ghostrider is."

It's at this moment that the chief interjects. "Head up boys, turning over to engage the last set of enemies now."

The navigator interjects. "They're pretty near the train already might want to give them a bit more oompf. Faster that way."

The first weapon officer gives an affirmative, with one of the special aviators pressing a button to load their 105mm A39M Howitzer. As the mechanical conveyor pushes a shell into the breach of the cannon, the weapon officer starts lining up the crosshair in the middle of the last enemy formation. Instead of traveling in a line, this particular group goes around in two rows of six vehicles. Being packed like that, don't blame this Belkan gunner to punish them for their folly.

"Up!" Said the aviator, with the weapon officer going on to say a beat later. "Engaging!"

BOOM

"It's shot!"

As the echo of the howitzer blasts through the air, the heavy shell is fired at the convoy in a near-perfect line. Thanks to the ballistic calculator aboard the Kriegsdude, zeroing the weapons can be done instantly and automatically. Hence, when the shell lands on the group of targets, it lands with a near pinpoint accuracy, exploding a big fireball that either destroys or flips the vehicles in the convoy."

"Wonderful." Commented the flight chief. "That's a mission kill on that target group."

"Booyah~!" The weapon officer exclaimed. "Our tally is getting higher and higher!"

The flight chief reminds. "Don't celebrate just yet, this sortie is still ongoing. Crew, keeps an eye peel for any more surprises. The guys and gals in the train fought tooth and nail to get thus far, we will be doing a disservice to them if we can't keep the enemy off their back."

"Affirm, chief. Resuming scanning for targets." The rest of the crew responded.

By the time Thomas has reached the 501st FOB in Bolimowski, the Kriegsdude racks up a few more kills, some of them are even clusters of Demons or Zombies that meander near the railroad. Overall, the AC-400A Ghostrider platform proves to be an extremely reliable guardian in situations like this.