Ansgar slammed the sharpened edge of the entrenching tool into another heretic's head, caving it in and a swift kick sent its corpse back down into the oncoming ranks of the traitors, letting its mass and momentum earn him a moment's respite. Between his own ruthless hand to hand experience, and the Arbites shield and power maul doing its own bloody work, the two were keeping enough of a kill tally up to keep from being overwhelmed. At a glance towards the front treads, he could see the efforts to rend the frontal armor open had also damaged the tracks, making it unlikely the thing would move without serious repairs. Of course, given the situation at hand, it was unlikely the Chimera would ever see use in Imperial hands again, which meant he had half a mind to lob demolition charges into the thing and render it inoperable and near unsalvageable. Of course, at about this point orders came over the Vox, of which his had started working again once clear of the interference in the Forge, though it was unsteady and crackled with interference, he could make out enough. Fall back, and board the Rhino, while the Psyker questioned him on the Rhino's capacity for them all.

[color=598527]"It is likely, they are designed for entire squads of Power armored individuals after all. Arbites, brace for explosives, dropping a screen."[/color] With due warning given over Vox to the Arbites, Ansgar grabbed a handful of Frags from his bag of explosives that he had restocked at the Forge, tugging the pins of three frags and lobbing them in an arc into the front of the oncoming tide. The three frags would buy them time to back up, the gap and sudden treacherous ground of blood and guts would also slow the oncoming heretics enough to disengage. [color=598527]"Techpriestess, Disgengage the Skitarii via the rear hatch as soon as we are not in the way of its opening."[/color]

[hr]

[color=0076a3]"That is the optimal plan, I am aware, thank you."[/color] Malig was rather terse with the Krieger as he laid out the plan for her assigned troops to withdraw. Uploading new code sequences to the Skitarii Rangers firing from the Chimera, the moment the the organics were clear, the hatch would swing down and the red robed Skitarii within would file out, forming wings on either side of the retinue members, covering their flanks with lethal and precise volleys of Galvanic Rifle shots, the smell of electrified, scorched flesh filling the air over the bloody smell of the dead and dying. One of the Skitarii took an improvised rocket to the gut, punching through his already damaged armor and cutting the soldier clean in two, Galvanic rifle dropping alongside the two halves of the Skitarii, though more machine fell out than organs. [color=0076a3]"Unit 2B17 confirmed inoperable. Retrieve his rifle, if feasible, I will instruct on proper use."[/color]

[hr]

[color=598527]"Attempting to move anyone via the Warp in this proximity to traitor forces with unknown capabilities is likely not a good plan. Either he sticks to the withdraw orders, or his death will be stemming the tide in the Emperor's name."[/color] As far as a Krieger was concerned, dying in battle with the traitors of the Imperium was a worthy death, but their orders were clear. If he could not disengage, either the Psyker would act on her own as she showed a penchant for doing, or he would fall slaying as many as he could. Upon the Skitarii getting blown in half, Ansgar was the first to retrieve the fallen Galvanic weapon, holstering the las pistol he had been using as he hefted the thing. With the Tech Priestess instructing him on its use, he quickly got the understanding of how to use the weapon, firing off shots as they withdrew, though those closest to him could hear him muttering. [color=598527]"Another weapon without a bayonet lug, Emperor preserve me..."[/color]

From the sounds of it, one would hope that whoever built that Galvanic Rifle in question had made it sturdy enough for hand to hand combat, since it was now in the hands of a Krieg Grenadier who continued to lament the lack of bayonet accepting weapons he kept having to use. At the very least, he didn't recognize any bayonet lugs on the weapon, considering its use by the Skitarii and not him, and Malig notably did not tell him if there was one or not.