Summoning America

Chapter 169: Durnsbury (2)

"This is Valravn Company requesting support from any nearby units! We're under fire at the intersection of Lanhaven and Broussard. Enemy entrenched in the Courville Museum!"

"Gungnir Company acknowledges. We are en route, ETA in 8 minutes."

Kessler traced the roads on the map to the mentioned intersection, a crucial juncture leading into the heart of Marrowfield. He circled it, staring at the nearby roads in case he needed alternate routes.

Kessler's right hand tightened around a pencil. Knowing that Valravn and Gungnir were already converging on the intersection of Lanhaven and Broussard, he made a quick decision. "Driver, reroute us to the eastern approach. We'll head towards Vauxhall Boulevard. Ulfar Company will take a parallel path to the railroad. We can't bottleneck at Lanhaven."

The Panthera veered east, its tracks grinding against the rubble as it carved a new path through the war-torn streets of Durnsbury. Kessler peered through the periscope, surveying the new route. The eastern approach was less direct, but it offered the advantage of surprise and potentially less fortified resistance.

As they neared Vauxhall Boulevard, the radio crackled again. A voice, strained with the heat of battle, followed, "Recon Platoon 12-1 reporting heavy resistance near Jardin Park. Enemy anti-tank units are dug in, equipped with American launchers!" Suddenly, screams began to mount on the other end. "Shit, hostile mages! Get the Shafers –"

As the transmission was abruptly cut off, Kessler cursed. There was no way around Jardin Park; he had to push through there no matter what. It was one of the few open areas in the city – better than the narrow streets when it came to utilizing his Hounds and Wilders, but terribly exposed from many angles.

"Panthera to all Ulfar units," Kessler spoke into the radio, "Prepare for engagement near Jardin Park. Shafers, advance as vanguard and conduct immediate recon on Jardin Park perimeter. Identify and relay enemy positions, especially AT units and mage locations. Hounds, maintain close support to Shafers, be prepared to engage on short notice. Wilders, position at strategic vantage points with coverage on Jardin Park; provide long-range fire support against identified threats."

Kessler's eyes were glued to the periscope as the Panthera rumbled alongside the Hounds, the sound of the engines mixing with the distant booms of artillery. The Shafer tanks had already fanned out ahead, their lighter frames weaving through the ruins and debris of Durnsbury's once bustling streets. Their role was risky, but their speed and agility made them the best choice for this task. As they neared the post office to the right of the park, a sudden burst of gunfire and anti-tank fire erupted from concealed positions within the shrubbery and from surrounding buildings.

"Contact!" the radio buzzed. "Taking fire from multiple directions!"

"Hounds, engage! Engage now!" Kessler ordered, tracking the unfolding chaos. The Hounds, positioned behind the Shafers, quickly responded. Their guns roared to life as they targeted the sources of enemy fire.

The Muans, adept in urban warfare, had prepared ambushes, but the Gra Valkans' calculated approach minimized their effectiveness. As the Hounds fired, Kessler observed the impacts. The identified positions were eliminated, but in return, a new round of anti-tank munitions met the Hounds.

Peering from his periscope, Kessler caught a glimpse of a pair of shadows hurriedly retreating from a window right before the entire side of the building was demolished by a salvo of HE shells. Damn. Their survival likely meant the demise of another tank down the road. Though he knew that some of the American munitions were single-use, he had to assume the worst.

The Shafers lit up the surrounding buildings with their machine guns, suppressing the enemy to the best of their abilities. The Wilder tanks, sitting as far away from potential ambush sites as possible, began to methodically demolish the more fortified enemy positions using their superior firepower. The Panthera, at the heart of the formation, continued to advance alongside the Hounds and Raptor APCs.