"Such a bold defensive style—truly worthy of the Sons of Dorn!"
Brigadier General Hyral barely had time to marvel at the defensive prowess of the Hands of Judgment before Captain Ares maintained his grim expression.
"This is only the beginning."
The Tyranids were not the kind of enemy that could be repelled in a single wave. They came in wave after wave, surge after surge, like a tide that could never be turned back.
As expected, new batches of Zerglings charged from the positions that had just been bombarded. Artillery reloading took time, and that brief window was enough for a massive number of Zerg units to reach the trenches. At this moment, the lasguns in the soldiers' hands, the emplaced heavy bolters, and the armored cars and tanks acting as mobile turrets finally opened fire.
A dense web of fire slowed the Swarm's momentum. Only a few Zerglings managed to leap into the trenches, where they were promptly cut down by the Space Marines unsheathing their chainswords.
†The commander overseeing the defense is certainly experienced; he's kept the defensive line tight.†
The Overlords in the sky observed everything. However, Ares had noticed them too; the quad-linked anti-air autocannons on the walls roared to life, swatting several nearby Overlords out of the air.
"The Swarm possesses a highly unified will. Any single organism in battle can serve as their eyes."
†Tsk, can't even find a good spot to watch the show?†
An Overlord far from the battlefield began to morph, transforming into an Overseer with a massive, singular eye, continuing to hover in the sky. The Overseer had superior vision, capable of peering through smoke and fog to see everything on the battlefield.
As the Zergling assault stalled, Kans began adding Banelings to the mix. However, the physical characteristics of these Banelings were far too aggressive. The moment the Hands of Judgment Captain spotted them, he issued an immediate order.
"Prioritize those rolling spore mines!"
The Tyranids also possessed self-detonating units called Spore Mines, but those floated in the air like balloons. Banelings moved on the ground, yet both shared bodies filled with volatile acidic substances.
Predictably, after a Space Marine picked off a Baneling from a distance, the sheer volume of acid released upon detonation made Ares' scalp tingle. A Spore Mine was only the size of a human head, but this "Baneling" was half as tall as a Space Marine.
"By the God-Emperor, have these creatures evolved again?"
"Do not let those explosive enemies near the trenches, or the line will collapse in an instant. You won't even have the chance to retreat to the second defensive perimeter."
"Continue artillery support! Keep anti-air batteries ready—they could launch an aerial strike at any moment!"
Kans was somewhat annoyed that his intent had been seen through. He began deploying his limited number of Mutalisks, attempting to destroy the artillery within the base from the air. In truth, Nydus Worms would have been more effective, but soldiers were already stationed near the artillery to guard against any subterranean attacks; thus, air superiority became the priority.
However, the anti-air turrets stationed at intervals along the walls were not for show. As soon as the Mutalisks entered range, they were raked by fire. Despite the Mutalisks' agile flight, they couldn't withstand the sheer intensity of the enemy's flak, especially since their numbers were insufficient.
†Kans still needs more training in micro-management. He has the mechanics, but lacks the strategic awareness.†
If it were the Overmind, the strategy would have been Roaches charging the trenches, Nydus Worms breaching the base, and Mutalisks seizing the opportunity for air raids. However, Cerebrates were called Cerebrates because they constantly learned from their encounters with various enemies and developed their own unique styles.
After a long flight, two Guardians arrived at the front. These crab-like aerial units finally demonstrated their utility. Massive acid shells launched from their mouths traced long arcs through the air, smashing into the anti-air turrets on the walls. The acid projectiles were so enormous that Captain Ares' brow furrowed deeply.
"I have never seen such creatures. Are these things truly Tyranids?"
In his last battle, Captain Ares had seen Gargoyles, Harpies, and Hive Crones. But those Tyranid flyers felt more like jet-propelled or wing-flapped structures. Now, three new Zerg units had appeared that utilized balloon-like, hovering structures. Even for Tyranids, such a drastic shift in morphology seemed unlikely.
Regardless, the long-range attacks were too dangerous. Ares had to neutralize those aerial threats immediately.
"Thunderhawk Gunships, prepare for sortie! Eliminate the enemies in the distant sky!"
Two Thunderhawks took flight. These vessels didn't just serve as transports; their own firepower was formidable. With eight heavy bolters in the front and a turbo-laser destructor on the spine, they possessed a terrifying weapon array—hence the name "Gunship."
But Kans was no fool. The moment he saw the yellow-painted Thunderhawks take off, the Hydralisks began volleying needle spines into the air. A single spine wasn't lethal, but a mass of them punctured the Thunderhawks' belly plating with countless pits and small holes.
The Thunderhawks didn't dare get too close to the Zerg positions. They accelerated into the clouds, then performed a diving maneuver, bursting back through the cloud layer. Their weapon platforms opened up, pouring fire onto the Guardians' backs. The Guardians' physical defense was poor; they began leaking gas where they were hit, struggling to stay aloft.
†Hook, line, and sinker.†
The Zerg Swarm never feared a war of attrition. Just as the Thunderhawks were preparing to pull up after their dive, Scourges accelerated out from behind the Guardians, biting hard onto the Thunderhawks' tails.
A Thunderhawk's frontal firepower was immense, but it had almost no armament near its thrusters. The incredibly fast Scourges slammed into the rear of the Gunships.
BOOM!
Two brilliant plasma explosions illuminated Ares' eyes. He looked on in disbelief.
"Impossible... is this still the Tyranid Swarm?"
Ares began to doubt if the Swarm before him were truly Tyranids. It was a simple logic: Tyranids rarely displayed such sophisticated coordination. But he couldn't be sure—what if the Tyranids he'd encountered before simply hadn't been this strong?
"This is trouble. All units on the front line, listen up! We are about to lose air superiority outside the base. Retreat immediately to the secondary defensive line inside the facility! We will hold the corridors!"
The PDF soldiers were the first to retreat through the trenches into the base, followed by the Space Marines and various armored vehicles. The massive steel gates, which would take even tanks a long time to blast through, were sealed. The focus shifted to the base's corridors, which were now filled with sandbags, barbed wire, and mines. Machine gun nests were aligned, and Leman Russ tanks acted as barricades, facing the enemy with their heavy frontal armor.
Ares and Hyral also retreated into the base.
"Status of civilian evacuation?"
"30% complete."
"Accelerate the process. We will soon lose all air superiority."
The situation was worse than Ares had imagined. Although they had multiple defensive lines, at this rate, the base would fall within a day. They couldn't wait long enough for Chapter reinforcements.