- OOC:
Wrex
Heavy Weapons Specialist
Level 1: Cover Tactics
Story 1: Fire Support Tactics
The sky was dark purple, with stars struggling to shine through onto the world below. Wrex walked through the field, feeling strangely alive and at the same time, strangely empty. But he felt he was closer and the feeling turned into euphoria. Then there was a loud ringing, filling him with dread…Wrex awoke in a daze, still not used to life in a barracks. The small alarm next to his bunk was still ringing. He reached out to turn it off when he noticed he had a new message on his data pad. He quickly turned off the alarm and grabbed it, scrolling down to the message.
To: Private Wrex
From: Sergeant Major Killox
Subject: Heavy Weapons Training
Message: Congratulations! You have been selected for special training in the field of Heavy Weapons. Report to classroom 134A at 0900 hours for your first class.Wrex was surprised. He had only been in the Corps for a short period of time and already he was being selected for advanced training.
If only Mom and Dad could see me now. he thought, stretching as he stood up. He checked the clock on his alarm. It showed that it was 0700, giving him two hours to get ready for training. He made his way to the showers, intending to make a good first impression.
***Two hours later***
Wrex walked into the classroom to the buzz of excited chatter by other troopers in his class and the constant buzz of the florescent lights above. The room was large and cavernous, making Wrex feeling like he was walking into a large box. A few of the troopers looked his way as he entered, then resumed talking.
Looks like I’m sitting alone. he thought with a small sigh. Things like this never worked out well for him.
He took an empty seat near the back of the room and fell deep into thought. The troopers around him glanced at him briefly, one of them shooting him a look of disgust for reasons unknown to Wrex, then resumed talking with his peers.
Yep. It’s gonna be one of those days… he thought with another heavy sigh. His new life in the Vast Empire Army wasn’t going as well as he had hoped.
At least Paladin has been good to me. He smiled. He had only known his squad mates for a few days, but already they were starting to grow on him.
As Wrex leaned back in his chair, the Sergeant walked in through the door. Talking abruptly ceased as he made his way to a small desk at the front of the room. Setting down several data pads, he looked over the room full of troopers, his dark blue eyes cold and calculating.
Suddenly, his eyes snapped to a trooper on the opposite of the room from Wrex that was still quietly talking to one of his friends. Oblivious to the threat that was fast approaching, the trooper continued to talk while his friend stared, rigid with fear, at the Sergeant. At six foot, five inches and 230 pounds, he was an impressive sight.
Now towering over the trooper, he leaned down near to his ear. The trooper abruptly stopped talking as Killox whispered something into his ear. Wrex noticed the trooper go shades of white he had never seen before, then madly shake his head. Killox nodded, obviously satisfied.
As the Sergeant made his way to the front of the room, he began to speak, his voice deep and booming. “As you can see, I am not one to ignore. If you are in my class, you will pay attention. This is to help you keep yourself and your squad mates alive. You choose to goof off, that’s your loss. Just remember that it’s also the Empire’s loss.” Killox paused a moment to let his words sink in. “Now, as you already know, this class is introducing you to heavy weapons and cover tactics on the battlefield. Before we begin with the big guns however, you are all to report to the firing range for target practice. Use six clips, then report to the training field. I will have more instructions when you get there. Dismissed!”
There was a scuffling of feet as the troopers left their seats and trudged out the door, most of them with angry looks on their faces. Wrex, however, felt elated. He hadn’t done any real shooting after leaving the academy and he felt he needed the practice. He rushed out the door, practically skipping to the firing ranges.
Grabbing a rifle from the rack, he walked up to one of the stations and loaded his weapon. He took careful aim at the target 50 meters downrange and fired. He sighed.
“Miss.” he said aloud. He shook his head.
I’m really out of practice.He raised the gun again and fired, this time hitting the outer edge of the target.
Better. he thought with a slight smile on his lips.
An hour later, Wrex had expended all six of his clips. He brought the gun down, looking downrange at the target. One lone hole glared at him from the center of the target. His only bulls eye.
At least I can hit the target. he thought, returning to the weapon rack. He left the rifle then proceeded to the training grounds to meet with Sergeant Killox and the rest of his class.
As he approached the fields, he noticed a large gathering over to his left. He walked over and as soon as he was within earshot, heard the booming voice of Killox.
“Alright, I see we have just about everyone here. For the next part of this class, we are dividing into four teams. You will be fighting each other in the abandoned buildings behind me.” He motioned towards several well worn buildings, one of which had a large hole in the side. “Of course we won’t be using live fire ammunition, but we’ll be using these laser targeters instead. Your armor that you’ll be wearing is specially designed to seize up if one of these beams hit you. It simulates dying on the battlefield.” At these words, a few of the troopers in the group flinched. Killox ignored them. “Now, for the groups. You have been previously selected in each of these groups. They are posted in the armory. Now, suit up and report to your team area. I will sound a bell to announce when the battle begins!”
Wrex followed the crowd to a low building near the training grounds. Inside, he noticed a large crowd of the troopers around a small sheet of paper. Wrex scanned the list, looking for any sign of his callsign. He finally found it under Green team. He was paired with seven other troopers, all of whom Wrex didn’t know.
This’ll be fun. Wrex thought sarcastically. He quickly suited up in his team’s armor, then left to find the Green starting area. After searching through one building, he found it on the second floor of the building with a hole in the side. The other troopers were there waiting for him.
“About time you showed up. It’s almost started.” A gruff, male voice met him as he walked over to them. As he said this, the bell sounded and some of the troopers jumped. The trooper that had talked to Wrex began to speak to the entire squad.
“We need to take that factory.” He said, motioning to the large building in the center of the area. “If we can take it, we’ll be able to set up a nice defensive perimeter and hold off against the other teams.”
Wrex and several others nodded. He was used to taking orders. He had done it most of his life.
Moving downstairs, the squad crept slowly, unsure of where the enemy would come from. Wrex moved towards the front, hoping his specially designed E-11 would hit the targets he wanted.
As they left the building, one of the troopers cried out in alarm and fell over, his armor seized by a laser shot. “Get down!” Wrex yelled, diving into the cover of the alley by the building. The squad followed, glancing around for signs of where the shot came from.
Wrex peered around the corner, unsure of what they should do next. He then noticed that another squad, Yellow by the bands on their shoulder pads, was making a move for the factory.
He opened fire on them as he yelled to his squad mates. “Get to the factory! I’ll cover you.” One of the Yellow troopers fell, his legs and arms refusing to move. Yellow squad broke rank and scattered, making Wrex grin. He knew he had them and they didn’t know where he was.
Now skirting along the ground, he followed the tail end of Green squad as they made their way into the factory. Inside, they found several Red troopers seized on the floor from an earlier battle.
Wrex knew that the enemy was close. He just didn’t know
how close.
“Quickly, take positions at each door. Whoever has the T-21, bring it to me.” The squad hurried around as one other brought Wrex the large repeating blaster. Quickly strapping on the power pack connected to the gun, he knelt down and rested it on an old crate. He pointed it at the door closest to him, waiting for the sorry troopers to come through. He didn’t have to wait long.
“Here they come!” One trooper yelled before he fell, tagged by a laser. Wrex swore under his breath, swinging the gun around to the other door. As he did, a Yellow trooper stormed in, oblivious to the large repeating blaster pointed at his chest. He didn’t take three steps in the factory before he fell, tagged by Wrex. Several others fell after him before the remaining troopers decided it was a bad idea to enter through that door.
Wrex looked around at the other troopers of Green squad, now six of them in total.
We need to move. he thought, remembering Red squad was still out there along with Yellow and possibly Blue.
“Guys, we need to move out. This position is getting too hard to defend from. We don’t know whether or not the enemy are on our doorstep.” Several of the troopers nodded, eager to take orders from someone.
Wrex noticed a small building east of the factory. “We’ll head there.” he said, pointing. But, as he said this, two of the standing troopers fell, tagged by laser fire.
The other troopers ducked and Wrex pulled the T-21 off the crate. He needed to move to his target and staying on the crate would allow that. He knelt three meters beyond the doorway, out of sight from the windows. As the unlucky Red squad crept in, unaware of the threat kneeling in the shadows, Wrex and the remaining troopers blasted them down.
Just yellow an- His thought was cut short by the voice of Killox booming throughout the complex over the P.A. system.
“Congratulations Green team! You are the last remaining team. You have successfully passed your first class in heavy weapons training. Your next class time will be sent to your data pads. For now, get unsuited and relax. You’ve earned it.”
Wrex lowered his gun, somewhat surprised.
That’s it? he thought. It was almost too easy.
As he walked back to the armory, he hoped it would be harder next time. He liked a challenge.
Edit: Passed. I'd like to see some more of the class time as well though, it gives me an better idea of how well you understand the concept but gather from how you handled the practical and approached the practical lession, well done.