Deception City: A World at War Novel (World at War Online Book 5) (11 page)

Third and finally, Eagle Creek didn’t have any hostile fauna. There was wildlife, to be sure, several species of fish and amphibians. But all of those were little more than window dressing at this point, and barely paid any attention to the divers. Lake Michigan, in contrast, had several dangerous spots teeming with razormouths. The vicious fish would focus in on a target and rip it to pieces within seconds. They were highly territorial and almost impossible to fight off once they began their attack. No diver could ever hope to counter their speed and agility in the water.

They would have to deal with them eventually, but Zach wanted Alpha Wolf to be able to swim properly, at least, before they did so. The platoon had about a week to train, and most of them had at least cursory experience with the diving gear. But being able to take a leisurely dive and being able to deploy into a heavily defended combat zone were two different things.

Going by his calculations, they would have enough time to give them dive experience in both the safe environment of the reservoir and the open expanse of Lake Michigan. It would be enough. Barely.

At least they had some qualified divers to fall back on. Selene, Gavin, Nora, Miko and himself had combat experience as divers. Ethan’s squad lacked that veteran knowhow, but their enthusiasm and dedication toward training helped give them a leg up. They might not be completely ready, but they knew how to handle themselves.

And while the others might need work, Alpha Wolf Platoon had plenty of instructors. Zach watched as Selene swam over to Logan’s squad and helped some of the stragglers to get back in formation. Miko trailed Gavin’s squad at a distance, swimming back and forth. She ushered anyone who fell out of cohesion back into position.

Zach felt something touch his shoulder and turned his head. Nora looked at him, lazily holding position in the underwater void around them.

“Looks like they’re making progress,” she said over the radio.

Zach gave her a thumbs up. “Right. Once we complete this exercise, let’s see how they do with extra weight.”

They might be making progress, but Alpha Wolf Platoon was also swimming without much of their gear. That might be fine for leisure, but once they were in the actual combat operation they needed to be able to carry their necessary supplies with them. That meant weapons, ammunition, explosives, medical supplies, anything they needed to fight a battle.

Their troops would have to get used to coming ashore without their main weapons at their disposal. Traveling underwater severely restricted what kind of weapons they could carry, because water would ruin most guns. Fang Squad had resorted to carrying their armament inside waterproof cases. That kept their weapons dry and capable of functioning properly, but it also meant they couldn’t use them until they were unpacked.

They had a few options while they were in the water. Knives could always be used, and weapons like spearguns were an option as well. Those were a stopgap solution though, because they could only get one shot off. Hydra didn’t have many in the armory either, mostly because they were a specialist weapon with highly specific uses.

No, if they wanted to be effective, they needed to learn how to get ashore and get their weapons unpacked quickly. Once they had assembled Zach was confident they would be able to fight as well as they were capable, but it was those initial few minutes that concerned him the most.

They had a long way to go until they were ready. But right now, the only thing they could do about it was practice, practice, and practice some more. No matter how much work it took, they would be ready.

They
had
to be ready.

“
Y
ou’re good to go
.”

“Thanks Blake,” Danny replied over the sound of rushing air and whirling rotors. His troops dismounted from their transports and moved to secure their surroundings.

They were currently in a clearing, with thick forest surrounding them on every side. The trees would give enemy troops plenty of cover and concealment to launch attacks on the airborne soldiers trying to get reorganized, which was why they had four helicopter gunships circling above. If the enemy made a peep, Blake’s unit would light them up.

Or at least, they would get themselves into position to mimic a real battlefield scenario. Bravo Wolf’s enemies in this instance weren’t Ragnarok troops, but rather a platoon from Jackal Company, acting as the opposing force for the training exercise.

Everyone carried their weapons to simulate real combat conditions, but only their sidearms were loaded in case they had to deal with hostile wildlife. The battledomes might be a better place to train, since they could use simulated firearms, heavy weapons and explosives, but Hydra couldn’t afford to pull troops away from their forward positions in the north. Even though Jackal and Bravo Wolf weren’t on the front lines, they were close enough to respond if a unit needed backup.

Hydra had more members than ever before, their ranks swelling with new recruits who had joined up seeking glory and challenges. Their capture of Indianapolis and Green Bay had certainly helped with their publicity, attracting many who wanted to be a part of a strong alliance. However, even with those extra numbers they were still spread thin.

Magic Battalion was permanently based around Green Bay, alternating between defending the city and launching raids on Ragnarok’s patrols and mining groups. Having an enemy stronghold so close to their territory had to make their leaders sweat, but Danny wondered if the whole endeavor was anything more than a drain on their resources. The only way to resupply Green Bay was by sea, because Ragnarok had control of the airspace near their territory. That meant devoting resources to ships, which weren’t invincible by any means.

Danny had seen the results of a dive bombing attack, and they weren’t pretty. Hydra’s first ship had been the
Charon
, but the only thing left from it now was scrap metal laying at the bottom of Green Bay Harbor. The danger to convoys moving between Green Bay and Gary was real. Even with air cover, the enemy could score hits if they pressed their attack.

The numbers situation wasn’t much better elsewhere. Danny was certainly glad Ronin wasn’t planning on betraying them, because their vital areas had been stripped of protection. Lerna Bastion had a decent sized garrison on paper, but most of those were NPC guards. Indianapolis had a bigger garrison and had more players, but many of those were from Hephaestus Company. Not exactly the ones they wanted fighting off a determined assault, Danny thought to himself.

Knight Battalion had been stripped of its most powerful unit and now had to cover with smaller, less experienced companies. Jackal, Band of Brothers and the others certainly had the skills to fight, and they had proven themselves in repeated battles with Ragnarok Company, but they lacked the sheer fighting power of Sacred Sword. Aside from being a veteran unit, Sacred Sword had over one hundred members. Taking them away meant stripping the battalion of over a quarter of their strength.

Rogue Battalion had to hold the other side of Ragnarok’s corridor to Old Chicago, pitting their mechanized infantry against all comers. They were formidable, but without their assault guns they lost a good portion of their firepower. Danny didn’t imagine either battalion was pleased by their prospects.

It couldn’t be helped though, because the Hydra Alliance needed everything it could muster for the attack into Milwaukee.

Hydra had anything and everything at their disposal: assault troops, armor support, artillery, naval support, marines, air cover, the works. But even so, it might not be enough, and that was a testament to how strong their opponent was.

“Danny, we’re assembled,” Javy told him over the radio.

“Bravo 1 is assembled,” Xavier added.

“Bravo 3 is ready as well. Looks like we’ve got the area secure,” Ryan told him.

Danny nodded to himself. “Good. Fan out and let’s get on with this. Head for our objective, and try to stay out of any fights.”

“Try not to get spotted, you mean,” Javy said. “What are we supposed to do if we run into the OPFOR, throw rocks at them? I think Shayna might try to kill us if we do.”

“Avoid contact with the enemy,” Danny told him. “Remember, the objective is to relieve a friendly unit, and getting bogged down in a fight doesn’t help us accomplish that. Keep moving and use your stealth skills.”

“Got it,” Xavier said.

“You’re walking behind us, right? Like, far behind us?” Javy asked. “Wouldn’t want you to give us away.”

Danny tried not to smile. “Oh, just move out.” He switched channels. “Raven 2, can you provide cover for us?”

“Roger that, Bravo Wolf,” Blake told him. “We’ll keep an eye on the ground and warn you if anyone’s coming in your direction.”

“Thanks Blake,” Danny told him. It might not be as flashy as attacking with guns blazing, but simple observation could mean the difference between victory and defeat. If one unit knew the location of their enemy, they could exploit that information to put themselves in an advantageous position.

Danny’s thoughts drifted back to Hydra’s strategic situation. Any tactical advantage they could gain would be welcome, because Ragnarok had too many units at their disposal that could ruin their day. The tank company, their light infantry, the Valkyries, Ymir, Fenris, the list went on and on. Most of them would probably be deployed to Milwaukee, but Danny was certain they’d see a few elite units on their end as well.

But the hardest nut to crack would be Milwaukee, and that’s where all of the alliance’s best troops and equipment were being committed. Dragon Battalion would lead the assault, backed up by Sacred Sword and Rogue’s assault guns. Ghost Battalion would force a landing on the beaches, flanking the garrison force. On paper they had more than enough troops to win the battle. Judging from past experiences, they would conquer the place with minor trouble.

Those projections relied on information that might be outdated, though. Hydra had taken a dozen districts before now, but their opposition had always been the NPC garrison. That presented its own openings and challenges. On one hand, the central capture point always had a particularly powerful unit guarding it, acting like a boss. That obstacle wouldn’t be there in a player controlled district. But on the other hand, Ragnarok’s individual troops were much better than anything the AI could muster.

Danny didn’t know if his platoon would take part in the battle, but in his gut he guessed that whoever had to job was in for a savage fight. Both sides had heavy firepower and advanced weaponry, but it was more than that. In the hands of a less determined unit, those advantages only meant so much. It was the people wielding them that made all the difference.

Initially, he thought nothing of the difference, because to him it felt completely normal. To Danny, Hydra and Ragnarok simply fought, but his perspective shifted. People had commented about it, and he had gradually noticed it over time. Fights between Hydra and Ragnarok were vicious, frequently devolving into brutal, merciless brawls.

Danny had seen it firsthand, most recently at the battle at the Ghost Line. Ragnarok’s infantry stormed Black Wolf’s trenches and forced close-quarters combat, where anything and everything was fair game. Even in the face of massive losses, neither side backed down.

Part of the reason for that was the sheer determination of both sides. In World at War, the side that lost their nerve was the side that lost the battle. Casualties played their part, but most battles between players ended when one side decided they couldn’t win and needed to flee. In fact, most casualties happened when the retreating side fled the battlefield.

But between the two juggernauts of the Old Chicago area, it was different. Sure, the commanders on both sides were smart enough to know when resistance was futile and when they needed to fall back. Simply standing and dying did little to serve their cause, after all. But in a pitched battle, neither side would back down. Even if the enemy was killing them, even against difficult odds, both Hydra and Ragnarok would hold their ground.

And the result of that was heavy casualties on both sides. When your enemy refused to turn tail and run, the only other option was to kill them. Neither side took prisoners, which suited them just fine. Who wanted to give up to the enemy when you had infinite lives? Better to go down fighting and causing as much damage as possible. Besides, on the off chance they captured anyone a swift execution was sure to follow. No one wanted to take any chances that their prisoner was hiding a bomb, waiting for the right moment to set it off.

And other than the brief fight at Green Bay, all their confrontations with Ragnarok had been on the open battlefield, in the forests, in the fields, the swamps, on the rivers of the wilds surrounding Old Chicago. Even in areas with dense cover there had been room to maneuver.

Inside a city, though, the fights would be close-quarters, face to face with only short distances separating the two sides. Troops from the two sides could be fighting in an area no bigger than a living room or kitchen, and in such confined spaces the potential for mass carnage was astronomical.

Two determined heavyweights were about to collide. Neither would back down, neither would budge an inch, and both would use every tool they had in their arsenal. Hydra Command might be hoping for a quick victory, but Danny believed that was nothing more than a pipe dream. They’d be lucky if they could take the district within a week, especially against determined resistance.

Oh well, though. It wasn’t his job to worry about hypothetical scenarios on a different front. He’d have his hands full trying to keep the area outside the city stable.

“Bravo 3, you have an enemy unit close to your position, about two to three hundred yards to the northwest,” Blake said. “They’ve moving south southeast, so adjust accordingly.”

“Copy that, Raven 2,” Ryan replied.

Danny didn’t say anything. All three of his squad leaders were veterans with plenty of field experience. They knew how to handle troops.

He was thankful for that, because it left him with more time to assess the overall tactical and strategic situations. He didn’t have much to do on the tactical front either, since their main role would be plugging holes in the line. Until they got on the ground they wouldn’t know the situation, so the amount of planning they could do was limited.

He had plenty to think about on the strategic end of things, however. Ragnarok still had their corridor to Old Chicago, allowing them access to recruits and essential supplies they couldn’t produce on their own. Even with their industrial capabilities, there were some items that no alliance could create. Fusion batteries were the primary commodity, along with electronics equipment, explosives and components like wire.

Danny wanted Hydra to focus their efforts on cutting the supply line. If they could cut off Ragnarok from the main hub, they would eventually wither on the vine and die. Hydra Command didn’t see things the same way, though, and wanted to focus on Milwaukee. He didn’t quite agree with their reasoning, but at least it made sense. If Ragnarok captured the city they had access to its port facilities, which meant they could probably bypass the land blockade and take the water route. Hydra could challenge them, but a naval battle on the lake wasn’t ideal given that Ragnarok had a better air force.

And so, focus remained on Milwaukee, and that meant Ragnarok’s corridor would remain open for the time being. They didn’t have the forces to squeeze it, and even if they did their enemy had heavily fortified the area. Ragnarok definitely knew its value, and wouldn’t give it up without a fight.

Danny still viewed the area with great interest and a bit of worry, though. It split Hydra’s lines in two and increased the amount of front they had to cover. He didn’t think Ragnarok would try to launch an attack from that direction, but the possibility still bounced around his mind. On one hand a Ragnarok task force could attack either side of the salient, giving them a huge amount of flexibility. On the other hand, if the attack failed then Hydra might be able to launch a counterattack soon after and crush the corridor for good.

No, Danny was more worried about the westernmost part of the line, where the Hydra lines blurred and then met up with Ronin territory. He had talked with Tafari of White Tiger Company, trying to get some assurances from his friend, but there were none coming. The alliance would certainly defend their territory, but most of their efforts were focused on capturing Davenport.

That left a lot of open space that could be exploited. Common wisdom would suggest that Ragnarok pour all their strength into the main fronts in Milwaukee, the Old Chicago corridor and Green Bay. But a more daring individual might pull troops away from those fronts to launch a surprise attack on the weakened flank.

Danny didn’t know Lucas, Ragnarok’s supreme commander, all that well. He couldn’t gage his tendencies and preferences, and didn’t know how much autonomy he allowed his commanders in the field. Danny assumed that he was relatively hands off, given the flexibility that Ragnarok forces exhibited, but right now he couldn’t be sure.

Was he a gambler, though? The Hydra Alliance had seized the initiative and were pressing their advantage. Soon enough, they would be on their doorstep, ready to smash their way into the Ragnarok’s stronghold. Was Lucas daring enough to take a gamble that could dramatically turn the tables? Danny couldn’t exactly discount that possibility, and that made him nervous.

He’d bring it up to whoever would listen. Zach and Nora would definitely lend an ear, and Liz would as well. That would get Anna on his side, and Danny believed he could convince David and Gina to listen. That would give him powerful allies in each of the battalions.