My noble brethern! The time has come to strike at our most foul enemy straight in its overstuffed heart! For today we shalt come upon them like rain from a cloudless sky! Show them no mercy, for they deserve none!
—Reloiux Dqwer
The Raid in Lesangel (Cruentusian War) was a minor battle of the Cruentusian War. It occurred when the Death's Tongue Militia militant group decided to commence terror attacks in major targets belogning to their major enemies; in this case, they selected the city of Lesangel, a city of the Necasian Military on a planet of the same name. Infiltrating the city and setting up a cell there, they detonated car bombs and germ warheads containing Eborax in the city centre, causing much damage and civilian death. The tide turned when DTM militants attacked a nearby Necasian army base, where the new Airhammer-class battle hovercopter was being tested, and the dug-in Necasians managed to drive them away. However, the damage had been done, and the attack sparked panic throughout Necasian territory.
Prelude[]
Following the dissolution of the Zayre alliance and the battle of Kothlis, the Necasian Military had been weakened somewhat. As Necasian leaders worked on re-organizing their holdings to compensate for the loss of the Zayre, the DTM decided that now was the opportunity to strike terror into the hearts of Necasian citizens, and to take revenge for their loss on Selonia. They selected the city of Lesangel for attack, on the planet of the same name, due to its relative importance and the fact that it was comparatively lightly guarded. Over a few days, the DTM smuggled militants and supporters into Lesangel, setting up false identities for them. It also made sure that they were given large quantities of Eborax weapons and explosives.
Under the direction of the DTM scientist Krennel Kaan, dirty bombs were prepared, and the terror attack was carefully planned. Finally, the DTM followers took position around the city, poising as regular civilians. When the signal was given, they struck.
The raid[]
DTM bombings[]
FOR GREAT JUSTICE! YALALALALLALALALALA!
—A DTM bomber before blowing himself up
The DTM detonates its car bombs
Immediately, DTM car bombs, laced with Eborax, detonated all over the city. Dirty bombs, placed in sewers, subways, and in alleways, also exploded, immediately spreading billowing clouds of Eborax, infecting dozens of people almost immediately. DTM suicide bombers then proceeded to throw themselves at NPEC patrols in the city, taking them by surprise. Within minutes, the city had gone into panic, and remaining NPEC troops were struggling to maintain order. Citizens in areas not hit by dirty bombs were evacuated forcibly, with some taking cover in buildings. NPEC troops, wearing protective biohazard gear, surrounded eborax-hit areas of the city, and gunned down any infected civilians trying to leave said areas to prevent the disease from spreading.
However, as the NPEC struggled to restore some semblance of order, DTM militants who had been positioned in the city outskirts moved in, riding Lynx attack quads, some of them outfitted with weapons, some with explosives. Wearing biohazard gear, the militants were not affected by any of the germ clouds englulfing the city, and their nimble Lynxs ran rings around the NVD-12 Armored Recon Attack Vehicles the NPEC was using, pummeling them with missiles and rockets. Suicide bombers riding explosive-ridden Lynxes rode into major landmarks, causing further destruction and panic.
The NPEC crumbles[]
Surrounded and taken by surprise, the NPEC militia struggled to hold their position as DTM followers and suicide bombers constantly fired and attacked at them. Meanwhile, DTM militants attacked convoys of Ironhog armored troop carriers evacuating civilians out of the city, causing pile ups that blocked off some routes out of the city. They then proceeded to launch minaturised eborax bombs into the midst of civilian groups, causing further panic.
Surrounded, demoralised, and taking heavy casualties, the NPEC ordered a general retreat out of the city to a nearby Necasian army base outside of the city. As they fled, the DTM detonated more strategically placed bombs in an attempt to topple buildings onto them. This failed, but it created more terror and panic amongst civilians.
Heading to the base, the surviving NPEC troops noted that they were being pursued, and ordered the staff at the base to take defense positions. Although the soldiers were small in number, they told the NPEC that they had a new weapon in the base that could turn the tide.
Closing moves[]
Airhammers move into the city streets
In the base was a small number of prototype Airhammer-class battle hovercopters that were being tested and fine-tuned there. Despite protests from the engineers, who stated that they were not yet ready, the Airhammers were deployed, and opened fire at suicide Lynxes that were rushing at the base entrance. Their machineguns and missiles took out most of the first waves, but some managed to get through and cause damage to the base walls. Using sandbags, NPEC milita and Necasian army soldiers dug in, and opened fire at the next waves of DTM militants, chewing them up. Eborax grenades launched from DTM mortars managed to hit several nests of Necasian troops, but by now biohazard gear was being distributed amongst the Necasians, nullifying the biological threat.
Deciding to take the advantage, the Necasian top-rankers sent forward the Airhammers into the city, directing them to take out any groups of DTM militants. Recognising that the tide was turning against them, the DTM began to retreat, trying to escape via the spaceport, although the Airhammers used missiles to take out any usable ship there. Remaining DTM followers promptly dumped their combat gear and began mingling in with civilian crowds outside the city. Confident that the DTM threat was now neutralised, the Necasians began work on disinfecting the city and setting up medical camps for the surviving civilians. Nonetheless, large parts of the city were in ruins, and the death toll was very high.
Aftermath[]
An Airhammer pilot surveys the damage
We will track down these filthy animals, and when we do, we'll make them wish they never even considered daring to strike at us!
—Askar in a televised speech
Immediately after the battle, the NPEC worked on setting up medical camps around the city. Some areas of the city were deemed uninhabitable, and were hence sealed off. Any civilians outside the city found infected with Eborax were immediately shot and their bodies disposed of. Bomb disposal squads sweeped the city in case any of the DTM bombs had failed to go off, and succeeded in disarming several remaining unexploded germ bombs. A large shanty town for survivors was set up for the survivors, who were not told when they could return to the city.
Within a short while, news of the disaster was leaked, and fear and commotion over the DTM spread throughout the Necasian territories. The DTM had succeeded in their goal of spreading terror. Askar Invado, leader of the Necasians, made a televised speech condemming the DTM and resolving to hunt them down and eradicate them.
Meanwhile, the DTM was congratulating itself over its success, but was not resting on its laurels. Even as the Lesangel raid went underway, it had already set its sight on the second superpower of the war: the Srav Federation.