The sounds coming from the stables made a din that anyone who knew the Imperial rural areas would instantly recognize: screeches of drakes, the rasps of clawed hands and feet rasping on wood and metal, and of course the munching of whatever protein could be given to the Drakes as Adolf and Rolf were jogging over in their armor to get this operation underway before nighttime came down. Already the 100 men and officers of 2nd Company were present, some were running around getting their armored dragon-like mounts ready while other men were gathering up various supplies needed for the operation: guns, ammo, and of course the deadliest weapon hey had to their name: lances. Adolf wished that he could use his own grenades, but the Cavalry had been forced to give those away to the infantry units as the Imperial soldiers there had used all of their up.

Thankfully, Adolf knew that as long as the grenades of the Federation soldiers weren't too dissimilar or ammo in that regard, as they had been running low on that as well since they had been cornered in the forest, they could easily make away with more gains and less losses so long as his men remembered their training and stuck to the plan.

Adolf frowned just as he and Lt.Col Rolf began to get near to the company of men as Rolf ran to get the officers swiftly briefed on the mission, his mind swirling with some obvious thoughts and comments he had heard so many times since this operation had begun. Drake-Cavalry had been prevalent before the First Europan War and during it, the Empire using them in various roles, but these roles had all been stripped from the Drake riders as their only role was scouting and limited warfare roles. The 1st Drake Cavalry were the last cavalry still being used not only by the Empire but also the entire world as the Federation had long since did away with their own cavalry forces for the use of lighter tanks while the Empire had made any such unit of Drake Riders become more ceremonial for the sake of the Emperor, who did his best to try and keep some traditions going even to this day. But Adolf had been long since ridiculed not only for his low standing in the Empire as not only being of the last to cling to such an old way of warfare but these days standards but also be one of the only landowners who still bred, trained, and kept the Drakes for uses beyond ceremony.

But as he began to walk up to his men, Rolf had finally gathered up all of the officers as Adolf walked into an overhang attached to the makeshift stables of what was once a barn while Rolf called out, "Attention!"

Everyone snapped to attention as they all stood up before Adolf immediately motioned for them to sit down as he glanced around at people before saying, "Gentlemen, we finally get our chance today to get back at these damn Fed's for hurting our own and keeping us bottled up in here!"

Many soldiers gave small cheers as Rolf brought up a mobile picture projector as he put down the map while Adolf began to go through the plan once again to his officers, so they understood their jobs in this operation. "Alright, listen up! We have limited time to make this work, so I'll make this quick. We have two objectives in this operation and that is the artillery battery that's been shelling us and the likely smaller Federation base near it designed as a forward observation post for its use and protection. We have limited window for this operation, the Fed's are not going to just let some artillery be taken out that is this close to us so the moment we get to these bases, hit them hard and fast."

The officers were quiet but then one raised his hand as the crimson gauntlet was seen even in the slight darkness of the overhang and Adolf pointed to them and said, "Question?"

"Yes, sir! What if we try and take the artillery for our own use? Or at least give it to one of the other units for them to use?" asked the officer.

"It's going to take roughly 4, 6, maybe 8 Drakes to move one of those things and maybe another 2 for supplies. If you somehow manage to breakthrough and secure one of them with enough time to do that, and get it back here, I will personally pull out the schnapps and toast you and your platoon on such a fine work!" said Adolf.

The men all applauded and a few clapped the young officers back with good luck before Adolf then asked, "Any other question?"

When no one spoke anything, Adolf said to them while Rolf took down the picture projector quickly, "Get your men on those drakes! We ride to take that artillery down!!"

The artillery pits were abuzz with activity as spotters, officers, and crew ran around like madmen while trying to get ready for the next prepatory bombardment for the next assault that would begin within a few hours, later in the afternoon. The assault that had begun in the morning had been repulsed with moderate casualties, lots of infantry and only a couple of vehicles as even the Federation command were concerned with trying a full-on tank assault into heavily entrenched infantry in a forest. And thus the Federations ground pounders were trying their best to dislodge the enemy through a mixture of artillery and brute force with the results so far being pretty standard with what the higher-ups had been expecting. But as long as the artillery platoon could keep bombarding the enemy at random and for random durations, they knew they could slowly degrade the Imps combat readiness until they were basically open to whatever the Federation troopers did.

But then, rifle fire far but in the near distance and the artillery crew all froze as many with their protecting Scout and Shocktrooper guards clambered over the berm meant to protect them as they looked down the hill towards the observation post in the nearby forest a ways off. Muzzle flashes and some small explosions told the artillery platoon all they needed to know and they swiftly ran to their charges as they wanted to get out of here as fast as they could, with various trucks being started up as the artillery guns themselves were being swiftly pulled together and prepared to move.

Meanwhile, down below, the only around platoon-strength observation post were still in shock at the sight before them. Not only was a company worth of Imperial soldiers attacking them in a frontal assault but it just so happened to be the Imperials Drake riders. Now, Federation troops had heard of said riders before in like propaganda films which often described the Imperials as sort of... a little backwards at times with military senses for things like honor and glory, but seeing them on a screen getting mowed down by tanks is a lot different from 100+ of them with their rifles and lances charging your position as speeds equal if not greater than a tank. Worse yet, the observation post was mainly filled by Scout, so no machine-gun nests or Shocktrooper's were here to help repulse the enemy attack. Still, the Federation Scouts were not going to let up so easily and they fired their rifles at the fast moving targets as many tried to shoot the riders off while others tried to shoot the armored Drakes beneath the riders.

Adolf could hear the bullets ripping by him as the first two platoons of the 2nd Company charged the observation post while the last platoon was with him and Lt.Col Rolf, standing by in the near distance as a second wave to clean up whatever came scuttling out of the enemy post. The hope was for the two platoons to swiftly overrun the observation post and once a signal was given, Adolf and Rolf would use it to send their platoon around the observation post on a flanking attack while the other two platoons lead another assault on the enemy on foot, leaving at least a few to hold down the post and their drake mounts.

Adolf watched with concern but confidence as the enemy bullets did hit his men but many managed to keep going as their shots forced the enemy down behind their protective sandbags before a few of them finally jumped their drakes over the defenses and began to lay into the scouts with lance and saber. Many Scouts scattered and tried to run but the drakes ran them down and jumped onto them at times, their claws raking the armor off as the rider finished off the Scout for mercy instead of having them live through being eaten alive. Other Riders dismounted and engaged on foot, firing at the Scouts or taking their lances and sabers to engage in vicious hand-to-hand combat. But the OP was more or less taken and as one Rider drew a flare gun, he shot a red signal as Adolf raised his lance and shouted, "For the Empire! 3rd Platoon! Move out!"

The Drakes all gave screeches and high-pitch cries as they were spurred on and the riders prepared themselves as Rolf and his mount was by Adolf's side. They advanced through the forest and shrubbery at a quick pace as the other two platoons were currently beginning their attack on the battery from the observation post as they came out of the trees or stopped at the treeline to fire at the enemy. Up above, still currently caught in the middle of their evacuation, Federation Scout and Shocktroopers swiftly were firing back at the Drake Riders who had advanced up just enough into the treeline edge to fire back but the crews of engineers and artillery crew members were still doing their best to get the guns ready as a few guns had been mounted up and slowly making their way out while they were trying to get the rest of them mounted up. However, this would soon have a sudden change when one Shocktrooper let out a lout warning and pointed down from the embankment and many other Scouts and Shocktroopers looked over to see the Third Platoon with Adolf and Rolf at the front of it charging them down with lances lowers and rifles raised, bullets snapping by the ears and faces of the Federation soldiers who got down just as the other platoons of Riders jumped up and began to attack the artillery position on foot.

The wind was blasting the face of Adolf's helmet as what little got in was through the eye slit as he was exhilarated by finally being not only able to do something but also being able to lead from the front in this attack. He hated being forced to watch his men fight while doing little to nothing in the backlines because of his title and each time he got a chance to go out and do something, he had taken it and proven again and again to his men he was more than some landowner of the Imperial court. He could feel the power and speed his Drake mount was pushing even under the armor that it wore as well as himself, the powerful beast taking great long strides that were quickly eating up the distance from the woods towards the artillery encampment. He could hear, even over the din of roars and screeches from the Drakes and the shots of the Drake Riders carbines the movement of trucks just over the hill so he looked to Rolf and shouted, "They're trying to get some guns out! Stop them!"

The 3rd Platoon soon reached the embankment and as Shocktroopers and Scouts tried their best to back off to get space, the Drakes and their Riders swiftly were in the entrenched artillery pit as Riders rolled off the backs of their mounts and began to run around, firing their carbines, throwing grenades at clumps of tents or enemies, or swinging their sabers at enemies too close to fire their guns. Rolf and some men flew past the pit as they began to charge down the trucks trying to flee down the road while Adolf looked around with his lance for a target to stab. His men were already climbing over the embankment to engage those remaining or take them prisoner even. But reality of that last option was non existent almost as the Imperial Drake Riders were not taking any prisoners as many of the Federation troops who tried to surrender swiftly found themselves being stabbed with lances and sabers, even a few beating them to a pulp with their own steel-gauntleted hands.

Still, not only had they taken the position swiftly but they had also managed to capture some artillery pieces as some of the Drake Riders began to mount up the guns they could grab with their Drakes and mount the Drakes up to tow the guns away.

But the good news ended there for Adolf as within an instant he heard the trampling of feet and he looked over to see Rolf and those who followed him as the older officer shouted at Adolf, "The enemy are counter-attacking!"

Adolf swore. "Fuck! Get the men at those embankments! Get the guns out or destroy them!"

Adolf got off his mount as he put his lance onto the side of his mount, his boots hitting the ground as his saber hanging on his side jiggled before he took his Carbine off his Drake's saddle and gave it to a nearby soldier that was holding some other Drakes to keep them from running off before joining the other Drake Riders at the embankment to help hold the line while they tried to either get the guns out or they get the guns destroyed. Adolf expected an armored force or a large infantry force that was going to force the company to fall back completely, he found himself looking at some small groups of Federation soldiers comprised of Shocktroopers, Scouts, and even a few Lancers amongst them slowly making their way from the hedgerows and forests scattered around the artillery pit to attack them from multiple sides. The only real good news were the three smoking wrecks of trucks who had been trying to tow some artillery guns away, the guns now twisted and warped from grenades being stuck into them and set off to destroy them.

But now was not the time to stare at the burning wrecks, Adolf needed to make sure his men were focused at pushing the enemy back while those who were risking getting the artillery guns out or destroying them could do so without risking getting taken out. Rifles, Carbines, and a few stolen Shocktrooper MG's were roaring across the area as the Imperial and Federations traded fire while they tried to pin the other down for movement. A few Lancers turned their Anti-Tank rounds onto the Imperials, rocket-propelled grenades slamming into the embankment or flying over as Adolf looked at some of his men and shouted at them, "Focus on the Lancers!"

This firefight soon began to intensify as it seems more Federation soldiers were being deployed to retake the area but as Adolf looked at the slowly retreating forms of the Drakes taking the guns away, he got back from the Embankment and shouted to Rolf, "Lieutenant Colonel! Order the Withdrawal! Get back to your Drakes!"

"Fall back! Get yourselves and your mounts out of here!" Rolf fired a few more times as Imperial soldiers slowly pulled back from the artillery pit to either flee the area on Drake mounts or run to the observation post where the rest of the rides were waiting. Those that fled grabbed the wounded, dead, and whatever they could steal from the area, the Drakes being laden with multiple bodies or more equipment that usual, but they swiftly were made to move at speed from the area and as Adolf got onto his own mount and made sure every man they had were gone before he sped off with those few who were the rearguard, the Federation soldiers clambering into the artillery pit as they found a few destroyed guns, tore open bodies of their dead, and spent ammo casing scattered around.

The nighttime of stars was above them all as the men of the 2nd Company were ecstatic and joyous over their small skirmish victory against the Federation artillery that had relentlessly made them have sleepless nights and even made them lose some of their own. The company strength was still strong, however, with only a handful of dead and maybe a dozen or so wounded from the fighting but they had managed to not only destroy the enemy positions but had also secured not one but three 105mm Artillery guns for the other Imperial units to use and Adolf was sipping on his glass of Schnapps as the officer who had said he would do it was on his 3rd glass with his fellow soldiers, toasting over such a ridiculous plan had managed to be pulled off.

Lt.Col Rolf was near Adolf as he was smiling from sipping his own glass as he looked over at Adolf before he told Adolf, "When shall we finally be leaving this forest?"

Adolf's smiled wavered and faded. They had tried multiple times to send out scouts and search parties around them, to find friendly units nearby or find a way to break through the enemy lines that had them encircled around the forest, but each time had resulted in those parties either being wiped out or being pushed back into the forest after a significant force would appear and force them off.

"... Prepare another one. I'm going to head out."