[h3]Private Bons, Gallian Militia[/h3]

[b]'Fuck 'em up.'[/b] Alonso didn't need to be told twice. He squeezed the firing stud on the repainted Imperial lance at the same moment as the other lancers, sending a round low into the closest building. The round impacted at just the right angle, blowing clean through the front wall and exploding within. Alonso pumped his fist triumphantly, thrilled to finally be taking the fight to them. Amid the rising sound of gunfire and falling masonry, he ducked down to reload for a second shot.

[h3]Sergeant Harald, Gallian Militia[/h3]

[b]'Bons! McDonald! SOMEBODY put a lance into that machine gun!'[/b] A fresh burst of MG fire chipped away at the wall inches above his head and Harald swore vehemently. Luckily the gunner had fixated on him, giving the others a chance to put him down, assuming they could get a shot o- there was another sudden explosion and the incoming fire immediately ceased. [b]'Good shot, whoever that was!',[/b] he yelled without thinking and popped up to keep firing on the survivors. He got two rounds off before realising that the MG was [i]still there.[/i] [b]'Fuuu-'[/b] The Imps didn't let him finish the profanity, pouring a fresh stream of fire on his position. As the bullets pinged off the wall inches from him, Harald came to a snap decision.

The resistance was far stronger and more organised then they had expected; if the squad didn't get into proper cover soon they would take casualties. He quickly pulled a smoke grenade from his bandoleer, followed by a frag and threw them both overarm, toward that MG. [b]'Listen up!',[/b] he roared above the gunfire. [b]'Break cover and make for the first farmhouse! Three, two, one, [i]follow me!'[/i][/b] It probably would have been smarter to give the squad a few seconds longer to process the order, but fuck that. Rolling quickly over the wall, Harald pelted it toward the building while presenting the smallest profile possible. The smoke had spread just far enough that the MG nest couldn't see them, but that didn't stop the bastards from filling the air with lead. He heard a thunk and an impact, but kept going until he barrelled through the broken ground floor window. As the others began to arrive in a similarly harried fashion, Harald ducked under another window frame with a good angle on the second building. As he knelt he felt a sudden sharp pain in the neck and was surprised to find a bullet-sized hole in his shoulder armour. He looked away after a long second. No sense dwelling over how lucky he had been when the battle was only half fought. [b]'Spread out and fire from the windows. Upstairs too. If anyone gets hit, call me immediately!'[/b] The skirmish had barely lasted five minutes so far, but Squad Four had cleared at least one building. He prayed that it was going as well for Stichler's team.