All 41 New Bloods are gathered in the briefing room looking at the large projector screen. Trainer Heathen stands in front of the New Bloods with the projector controller in his hand.
"The target of the raid is one 'Steel Tooth Gang' a relative newcomer to the raider scene in the Drylands. We cleared out the previous gang in the area around two years ago leaving a power vacuum, which the Steel Tooths have decided to try and fill. A local settlement called Langton has hired us to wipe the Steel Tooths out. Now normally Langton wouldn't be able to afford our help, but since we're sending in you numbnuts we gave them a discount.
The raiders hideout is at a place called Raiders Crater, about 86 kilometers SW of here. According to our scouting team, they number at around 100 raiders with 8 trucks, 12 buggies, and 5 motorcycles. Their 'hideout' is really only one, two story scrap building in the center of a large crater. They have also stationed lookouts along the edge of the crater to spot incoming attackers. Any questions?"
A New Blood in the front row raised his hand.
"Whats our plan of attack sir?"
"That's a good question! Ask the acting captain of this operation."
Everyone looks around.
"Who's the captain sir?"
"That's ANOTHER good question! The person leading this operation will be one of you idiots. If the mission goes well the acting captain will be rewarded with a callsign given directly by the Commander herself. If the operation DOESN'T go well, they will immediately be given a failing grade. Everyone else will be graded based on individual performance. So, who wants to volunteer as captain?"
Marcus raises his hand.
"I wish to volunteer sir."
"Oho, and why do you think you are qualified?"
"I was one of the top students in my class in 'Team Drill' and 'Tactic/Wargames'. I also have personal experience with raiders, and have studied them extensively in my spare time so I know how they operate."
"Ah huh. Anyone else interested in the position of Captain?"
Marcus looks around to see who else wants to be captain to find that no one has raised their hand.
"I see nobody else has any ambition besides A-84. Very well. All of you will have one hour to gear up, and make your way to the two transports at the staging area. A-84 you will have to come up with a game plan within the hour as well. Dismissed!"
As the New Bloods start to make their way out the briefing room, Marcus spots Porter giving him a concerned look. Marcus gives him a reassuring nod before making his way up to Trainer Heathen who is currently lighting up a cigar.
"Sir, i'd like to ask a few questions."
"Go ahead A-84, ask away."
"What's the name of the raider boss?"
"Steel Tooth, cause of his steel teeth. So original. Big guy, all muscle. Rumours say he's gotten a few augments in him, but nothing incredible."
Marcus looks at the map on the projector.
"If the raiders are 86 kilo's away, then it will be the middle of the night when we get there. You said they have lookouts along the crater. How many and were?"
"They have four lookout positions in the four cardinal directions, each tower will have two lookouts in them."
'We've got pretty extensive detail on them don't we?' Marcus thinks.
"Do you know if they have any active raiding parties out in the wasteland?"
"None, ol Steel Tooth actually just came back from a raid this morning, knowing raiders they will probably be partying all night."
"Any prisoners?"
"Not that we know of, but don't rule out that possibility. Ah, just make sure not to fire the fifty cals from the transports at the building. They will punch through scrap walls like they were paper."
"Understood, thanks for the info sir."
"Of course New Blood, now go kick some ass for me."
With that Marcus makes his way to his bunk. He put on his laz pistol and holster, put his scope on Fang, and made his way to the armory. At the armory every New Blood was given one firearm, one melee weapon, a radio, and body armor. Marcus went with a 357. Revolver in an appendix belt holster with four speed loaders, and a combat knife. Marcus also buys a dingy black trenchcoat and gasmask at the Marketplace.
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Marcus then met up with the other New Bloods gathering at the staging area near the two transports. He gives them a breakdown of the plan he came up with, and then divided them up into eight squads of five.
The first 6 squads were well rounded. Squad seven was lead by Porter, and were all carrying machine guns, shotguns, and two handed melee weapons. Squad 8 were filled with the best marksmen of the New Bloods, led by Abby. Marcus was surprised to learn that Abby took sniper training. He shrugs, assuming that she took sniper training at an earlier point than him.
Marcus was not attached to any particular squad, deciding to move individually.
The New Bloods piled into the transports as Marcus road shotgun in the leading one. The gate opened and they took off towards Raiders Crater. Not much happens on the road, turning the New Bloods nervous energy into boredom. After a few hours of driving, night falls as Raiders Crater enters Marcus's view. The surrounding is littered with small pockmarks, and holes making the terrain hard to navigate. In the distance Marcus can see the rim of the largest crater. Four lookout tower made of wood and scrap are keeping watch of the surrounding area with a searchlight.
One transport approaches from the NE, while the other approaches from the SW. The transports stop just outside the searchlights range. Squad 8 that has been split between the two transports exit them, and start making their way on foot towards the four towers. Three teams of two hit the north, south, and east towers. Marcus takes the west tower. They spend half an hour slowly moving into position, ducking in and out of holes to avoid the searchlights of the lookout towers.
Marcus peeks his head out of the hole he's hiding in and takes a sniping position. Looking out his scope, he can see the two raiders keeping lookout in the tower. One is manning the searchlight, while the other is nodding off in a chair with binoculars in his lap.
"This is 84 in position, sound off."
"Team 1 is ready."
"Team 3's in position."
"This is Team 2, also ready."
Marcus steadies his breathing, and points his crosshair at the one using the light.
"Alright on my count. 3....2....1....Execute!"
*BANG*
Marcus fires Fang. Even with earplugs, the gunshot makes his head ring. The raiders head pops like a watermelon, spraying blood all over the small tower, his body falls over the searchlight painting the light ray red. Startled awake and covered in his friends blood, the second raider scrambles for the radio at his side. Before he gets the chance to call for help Marcus aims center mass then fires, putting a bullet through the raiders heart.
After watching a few seconds for movement Marcus radios in.
"West tower clear."
The other teams sound off. Having cleared all the towers, Marcus and the other sniper teams start rushing to take up overwatch on the towers. The two transports also makes their way up the ridge of the crater, making sure not to peek over. Once Marcus reaches the tower, he climbs it and lays down on the floor, looking over the building in the middle of the crater.
The hideout is two stories tall, an old concrete and rebar skeleton of a bombed out building with scrap metal for walls. How the foundation of the building survived the explosion that made this crater, Marcus doesn't know. Surrounding the building in an oval line is the various vehicles of the raiders. Marcus counts 27 raiders outside the building partying. Most are around various campfires, while some are sitting in the seats of the trucks/buggies.
"On my count pick your targets, focus on the strongest looking raiders, and ones with rifles. Once we start firing, move in the transports. Make sure not to unload that fifty cal into the building if you can help it."
"Everyone ready up. 3....2....1.... Now!"
The heads of six raiders night snapback with a wet crack, a read mist spraying their compatriots. After a moment of stunned silence, the raiders fall into a panicked chaos. Some run for cover, others try grabbing weapons, a few even try to start up their rides.
At this point the two transports crest the rim of the crater, speeding down at the raiders. The fifty cals on the transports open up, turning dozens of raiders into ribbons of meat, and gore in an instant. The transports stop at the line of buggies and trucks, letting out the New Bloods while providing cover. The 7 squads of New Bloods spread out forming a perimeter using the vehicles of the raiders as concealment. As they start to wipe out the raiders outside the building the sniper team is taking down anyone that peak their heads out the windows of the building.
A dozen reinforcements burst through the main entrance of the hideout to help out, before promptly getting mowed down by the fifty cals. At this point the battlefield quiets down. Every raider outside is dead, everyone inside has wisely taken cover and refuses to come out. At this point Marcus puts on the trench coat and gas mask he brought, and makes his way down the crater.
"Everyone hold your fire and wait for my signal." Marcus radios in.
Marcus walks past the line of raider cars and shouts at the building in Low Speech.
"Now I know everyone in there can hear me! I'm the boss of the Green Bloods, the new power around these parts! Feelin mighty generous tonight, so i'm given y'all a choice. Bring me the head of Steel Tooth! Do that an-"
Before Marcus could finish, a man behind a bar counter pops up with a rifle in hand. In a flash, Marcus draws his laz pistol, fires it, and swiftly holsters it in a flourish. The raider with a hole burned through his skull flops to the ground dead.
"Hmph, as I was say'n, bring me Steel Tooths head as a test of loyalty, and i'll let the rest of you join my gang! You got 1 minute so make your choice, so ya better hurry!"
With Marcus's heightened sense, he could hear a heated discussion taking place on the second story, a deep loud voice speaking over the others. Porter radio's in.
"Hey Mar-Captain, what's the plan here?"
"Were currently fishing A-63, just waiting to reel in."
"Fishing?"
As they were talking, gunfire erupts on the second floor, before eventually stopping. After a minute, a head gets thrown down the stairs. It's a large head of a man, with metal teeth in its jaws. A voice echos down from up the stairs.
"There! Are we good, uhh boss?"
"HA HA HA, We sure are! All of you come on down, let me get a good look at my new crew!
Eventually, forty odd raiders hesitantly reveal themselves from their hiding places, and makes their way to the first floor, arms raised. Once they all gather Marcus gives them a reassuring smile, even though they can only see his eyes.
"Now."
The smile fades from his eyes, and with a cold murderous stare he draws both his guns. Firing six shots from his revolver he drops six people, and four more from his laz pistol. At this point the rest of the New Bloods lay into the raiders. After only five seconds, all the remaining Steel Tooth raiders;
Were turned into corpses.