From cannon fodder to sweeping across thousands of stars.

Chapter 377 Goodbye, Baninger
The surface of Pella IV, the breakout point of Route 56.

The training team responsible for covering the rear and blocking the enemy has repelled the third attack of the federal medium-sized combined battalion attacking from the front.

In order to plug the gap in time, the commander of the federal ground forces sent a medium-sized synthetic battalion to launch an attack, hoping to rely on the mobility of the medium-sized synthetic battalion's large number of wheeled equipment on the road network to stop the Atlas troops before they broke through.

This medium-sized combined battalion was indeed just a little bit away from completing the interception. Although they did not really block the tactical maneuver of the Atlas 5th Medium Combined Battalion, the commander of this combined battalion knew that biting the tail was also a victory.

So after the reconnaissance unit reported that there were a "small number" of Atlas combat units defending and blocking this pass on Highway 56, the commander of the combined battalion launched an attack without saying a word.

Because judging from the photos and videos taken by the reconnaissance unit, the troops defending this place are less than a platoon of soldiers.

Although they are all suspected to be heavy power armor units, the battalion commander thinks their number is still too small. And even if they are heavy power armor, can't I just find a few multi-legged tanks and wheeled assault guns to concentrate their fire on them?
Then, these flagship products of the Atlas Equipment R&D Center taught him a hard lesson, making him understand that "not all heavy power armor is produced by Atlas."

The wheeled chariots and multi-legged chariots that launched the first attack almost attacked the defensive positions in a semi-encirclement situation.

As the defense force of the Federal Ground Forces Headquarters, the 66th Brigade has remarkable quality in personnel and equipment. The accompanying fire suppression in the rear during the assault was very effective, and the target allocation in the concentrated fire phase was also very efficient and reasonable.

But the problem was that when the fastest wheeled armored vehicles rushed to the front of the position and began to drop the infantry on board, the heavy power armor in the position, which they thought had been destroyed by concentrated fire, rushed down from their heights and launched a counterattack.

With the fire support from the Soldier Bees and the automatic weapon stations left behind by the 5th Medium Combined Battalion, Baninger and his teaching team beat the attacking light armored units into fools like chopping melons and vegetables.

Several wheeled armored vehicles in the rear of the attacking position were pierced through by the high-speed piercing rods fired by the electromagnetic reconnection gun before they even had time to put down their infantry, and even a vehicle of mobile infantry became familiar with them.

Despite this, Baninger did not feel relaxed at all as he led his teammates back to the bunker.

Because he knew that the reason why this round of counterattack was successful was mainly because the federal army underestimated the enemy and rushed forward rashly.
Baninger's judgment was later fulfilled.

After losing more than 30 vehicles and a large number of infantry in the first round of attack, this federal medium-sized combined battalion stopped the assault and instead continued to suppress the teaching team with long-range firepower.

At this time, the last batch of vehicles of the 5th Medium Combined Battalion had just withdrawn from the gap. If Baninger and his men did not hold these two heights, the federal army would be able to stick around, so they had to stay here and delay time as much as possible.

This delay allowed the heavy troops of the 66th Brigade to get in place and launch the attack.

When the three HCPs rushed to the position, casualties immediately began to occur on the teaching team's side. After the three HCPs found that the electromagnetic rifles had a poor suppression effect on these iron cans, they opened fire with heavy particle cannons without thinking, and took away five people in just one round of attack.

However, Baninger still seized the opportunity under the feint attack of others and went around the rear of one of the HCPs. He first used a plasma grenade to destroy the plasma propulsion array and caused the subcritical reactor to be forced to restart.

Then, with the help of a short-range propulsion rocket, he jumped directly onto the top of the HCP. Then, in front of the other two HCPs, he stabbed the long-handled halberd directly from the main monitor on the head of the machine all the way down, and successfully cut off half of the pilot's body.

The remaining two HCP pilots had never seen such a scene before. They had never thought that they would be threatened by infantry units while driving HCP. After seeing the miserable condition of their teammates, they immediately retreated.

But this time, the federal offensive force basically understood Atlas's defensive strength, so they stopped their probing and launched a general offensive.

While Amber was leaving the "black barrier zone", Baninger and his men also struggled to repel the third attack coordinated by infantry, armored units, and HCP.

But by this time, all the soldier bees and automatic weapon stations that were coordinating the defense were lost, and Baninger was the only living person left on the entire position.

Opposite the composite armor wall he was leaning against, Memphis's power armor was slumped on the ground. His outer armor was almost completely torn apart, and the exposed insulation layer and pipelines were like the muscles and blood vessels of the human body.

This member of the training team, who had fought off the third attack with Baninger, saluted Baninger tremblingly after the federal army withdrew from their position again, and then fell silent.

Looking at the body of his old friend, Baninger sighed softly, but even this simple action made his lungs hurt.

Although the crew self-test module of the power armor had failed, Baninger could guess that his lungs were probably pierced by broken ribs.

"Fuck, I've been training a lot and my physical fitness has improved. How can I not die in a short time after getting injured like this? This is really torture!"

The pain in his lungs sobered Baninger up a little. He looked at the tactical map on the HUD. Because his tactical visor was attacked, there were a lot of cracks on the HUD that blocked his vision.

Fortunately, he still saw the location of the 5th Medium Combined Battalion. They had successfully completed the breakout, and he and the other members of the teaching team had also bought enough time.
At this moment, a beam of light falling from the sky in the distance and the subsequent explosion on the ground attracted Banninger's attention.

He used his only remaining right hand to support himself by leaning on the electromagnetic machine gun whose penetration rod had been exhausted. At the same time, he looked up at the sky. The optical/infrared sensor on his tactical visor was still working and soon captured a blurry shadow in the sky.

"Boss, is that you?" Baninger said with difficulty, and then he remembered that the communication component of his power armor had been damaged in the previous battle.

But even so, Banninger knew that the shadow falling from the sky was Amber.

"We actually got to see each other for the last time. It was pretty good, cough cough cough!"

The blood that suddenly surged up his throat choked Baninger and caused him to cough violently, which also caused an unbearable pain in his lungs.

It took him a long time to recover. He then took off his tactical visor which was covered with blood and threw it on the ground.

At the same time, a roar was heard again in front of the position.

Baninger turned his head with difficulty and saw two Federal Army's "Dwarf Bears" rushing towards the position with dazzling blue light on their backs.

He also recognized from the paint on the other side's shoulder armor that these were the two surviving machines from the three-machine team just now.

It was not difficult to tell from the other party's aggressive posture as they rushed over with heavy swords in hand that they were still brooding over the fact that they had just been forced back by a dozen infantry units, and now they had finally found a chance to come and "avenge".

"What garbage are you cutting? Ugh!"

Baninger spat out a mouthful of blood foam with disdain in the direction where the HCP was rushing towards, then used up his last bit of strength to support his body, and then raised the electromagnetic machine gun with his one arm.

"biu biu biu biu~"

This old soldier, acting like a child for once, gave his weapon the sound of firing, while his fingers repeatedly pulled the trigger of the weapon that had long been empty.

"boom!"

The beam of light that fell from the sky unexpectedly hit the 'Dwarf Bear' that was in the front. Its deflection field also burst out with dazzling silver-white electric snakes, which separated the surging heavy metal particle jets into the surrounding ground.

But the next three piercing rods mercilessly penetrated the deflection field, which was already at the end of its strength under the attack of the heavy particle cannon, and penetrated the body from head to toe.

The Dwarf Bear had almost no time to react before it fell to the ground. Parts of the machine flew out from the gap created by the piercing rod like broken organs.

After its companion was shot down by an attack from the sky, the other HCP finally reacted. The plasma propulsion array behind it burst into a spectacular blue light, and the body suddenly jumped up, using the surging power to rush towards the enemy attacking from the air.

Baninger had no idea what was happening above his head because his neck could no longer support him to lift his head.

He only knew that there was a fierce sound of metal collision in the air, and then the "Dwarf Bear" was cut in half, like a kite with a broken string, and it fell heavily to the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust.

The cut on the waist of the machine looked a little hideous, like butter melted at high temperature.

The violent vibration made Baninger unable to support his body, and he could only lean on the cover behind him and slowly sit on the ground.

At this moment, the old soldier felt as if his eyelids weighed a thousand pounds, but he still used the last bit of his body's strength to force himself to open his eyes and look forward.

It wasn't until the familiar red painted aircraft appeared in his sight that a smile finally appeared on his face. Then he slowly closed his eyes as if he had let go of something.
"Captain Banninger's vital signs have disappeared."

"Ok, I know."

Amber's tone was calm, but the more so, the more nervous Lilith felt.

After taking another look at this comrade-in-arms who seemed like a friend regardless of age difference, Amber controlled the machine to slowly turn around.

In front of them, the federal ground forces were forming a wide offensive front and rushing towards their position. Behind the woods in the distance, missiles were rising with long tails.
"Lilith, have Ikaros drop all the weapon components according to the coordinates I marked. At the same time, I grant you the right to conduct unlimited electronic warfare in this battle."

After saying this, Amber rushed towards the vast number of federal troops in front of her without hesitation, and the two cylindrical "sword handles" held in the hands of the machine once again produced two "light blades".

"Burst mode, activate!"

(End of this chapter)