CAMPAIGN
RECORD
PART 12- DARKSTAR ALPHA
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This page continues the chronological log of our Votoms
Campaign.
7214.02.23 - RAID ON RED SHOULDER
BASE (Game 14)
Squad Gilcut has formed an alliance of convenience with the local
Guerrilla fighters, who share a mutual enemy in the Red Shoulders
and their leader, Major Wyvern. The rebels suggest two ways to
infiltrate the nearby Red Shoulder Base where Chet is most likely
being held prisoner. Although the Guerrillas won't be involved
directly in the attack, they provide some upgrades to the squad's
ATs. Quey's Barking Turtle is upgraded to a Snapping Turtle-
much faster in water thanks to its external hydrojet backpack, with
built in subroc launchers. And Goug's Berserga is also
upgraded with an additional shield and pile bunker to form the Duel
Berserga.
Their plan is to capture a supply truck and use it to smuggle Pent
and Goug's ATs into the base through the front gate, while Quey
infiltrates the waterways at the back of the base.
With Mayfield driving the captured truck, they stand a fair chance
of making it past the checkpoint- until a suspicious Red Shoulder
holds them at the gate...
Two gunboats patrol the waters around the base. One picks up
something suspicious on the sonar...
But before it can investigate, Quey' Snapping Turtle looms out of
the depths, capsizing the boat!
Unfortunately a patrolling Red Shoulder bears witness and fires a
flamethrower at Quey. Although no damage is done to his AT,
the boat explodes, alerting the whole base!
Mayfield guns his truck's engines, smashing through the checkpoint
while the Red Shoulder fires into the truck with a GAT-22.
Mayfield keeps his head down, but the truck goes out of
control, running off the side of the road and catching
fire! Mayfield pounds on the back wall to alert the
hidden ATs inside, then dives out the window.
Goug's Duel Berserga manages to smash open the doors at the back of
the truck, and Pent's Strike Dog hurtles out of the back of the
truck at high speed.
Pent charges the Red Shoulder at the gate and puts his Strike Dog's
iron claw to good use.
Meanwhile, another patrol boat approaches Quey's Snapping Turtle-
and worse, the field guns on shore are also brought to bear!
Although Quey's attacks miss the boat, they find their mark against
the field gun crew, blowing them apart. Quey dives under the
surface, evading the boat for now.
At the front gate, the Red Shoulder fends off Pent's attack, and
dashing backwards, empties his entire rocket pod at Pent's Strike
Dog!
Mayfield finds an untended field gun nearby and turns it on another
Red Shoulder, with devastating effect! Unfortunately the Red
Shoulder's return fire rips into his leg as he dives into the
water...
Having escaped the attack boat, Quey surfaces and proceeds on foot,
searching the nearby buildings for any sign of the imprisoned Chet.
Having survived the rocket barrage, Pent dashes back to assist in
the search, narrowly dodging fire from a heavy gun emplacement
manned by another Red Shoulder!
Amidst all the commotion, Chet is being transferred from the prison
block under armed guard... until those guards are confronted by
Quey's Snapping Turtle! In the confusion, Chet manages to
shoulder check one of the guards, knocking him down.
Just outside the prison block, pursued by heavy fire from other Red
Shoulder units, Pent confronts the Shadowflare! Realizing it
has no pilot (yet), he considers taking it over, not realizing the
Blackwire control system would probably kill him if he tried.
But Chet spots his brother Pent outside and distracts him from such
a foolhardy task.
Goug puts his Duel Berserga to work, knocking one Red Shoulder over
the railing and into the water.
Unfortunately this attracts the attention of the Flamethower Red
Shoulder, who pours fire onto the bridge.
Worse still, reinforcements have recrewed the field artillery and
manage to get a shot on target, damaging one of Goug's shields.
Seeing Chet under guard inside, Quey takes matters into his own
hands, smashing through the window and grabbing the remaining guard
with his AT. Through some aggressive negotiation, he convinces
the guard to uncuff Chet.
Chet grabs a gun, jumps out the window, and lands perfectly onto the
Shadowflare. After so long being controlled by this sinister
AT's Blackwire system, Chet has only one thing on his mind-- ripping
the Blackwire system out of the Shadowflare's cockpit!
Mayfield, still alive but badly injured, pulls himself out of the
water and tries, unsuccessfully, to take over the remaining gunboat.
And Quey's rescue efforts have caught the attention of that deadly
flamethrower AT!
Weathering the storm of fire, Quey charges the Flamethrower and
knocks him into the water...
Then pours rocket fire into him for good measure!
Goug has had enough of the field guns harassment, and charges them,
knocking the guns and their crew into the water.
Before the gunboat crew can finish off the injured Mayfield,
something flips the boat over- a Guerrilla Diving Beetle! But
unable to recognize Mayfield in disguise, the Rebel AT pours fire
into the boat, and Mayfield's fate is once again uncertain until
Goug is able to rescue him with the Berserga.
Having written off the base as a loss, Major Wyvern of the Red
Shoulders orders his men to retreat... and to leave a nasty surprise
behind for the base's would-be attackers.
The Red Shoulder that was knocked off the bridge has recovered, only
to catch the attention of Quey's Snapping Turtle...
But before Quey can finish him off, Chet has powered up the now
blackwire-free Shadowflare, and delivers a brutal killing blow to
his would-be masters.
Major Wyvern makes good his escape in the fearsomely fast Calamity
Dog advanced AT. Where is Wyvern getting all this sinister
technology from? Despite his best efforts, not even Pent's
Strike Dog can stop the Major from escaping...
As Pent pursues, the bombs set by the retreating Red Shoulders go
off, destroying a docked Cruiser and catching Pent in the
blast! Badly damaged but alive, Pent swears to get revenge,
but can at least rest in the knowledge that his brother Chet is
finally free.
Better late than never, the Guerrilla Diving Beetles seem more
intent on looting the base than on stopping Wyvern...
With Pent's brother Chet returned, does Squad Gilcut have any chance
of stopping Major Wyvern from controlling the galaxy with his
Blackwire technology? Where is major Wyvern going in
such a hurry, and what plan of his could be worth sacrificing an
entire base? Are the Guerrillas really out to help Squad
Gilcut, or do they have their own agenda? Find out next
time...