— 22 —
Pete Smyth was in the lead, where he belonged. He had longed for this moment, always longing to be in the front, to be at the point of first contact. Smyth could never quite figure out if it was because he wanted to know the worst before anyone else or just needed to be in the driver's seat.
He paused for a moment and scooted his skimmer into a small dip to look at the terrain in front of him. For a moment he cursed the fact that Colonel Hammer had already sent his jeeps off planet. The extra firepower and increased mobility would have been of incalculable aid. But the rest of the Slammers had taken heavy losses in jeeps, and Smyth's platoon could afford to do without while they were on training duty. Training duty! Smyth snorted.
And Bromley, going after his girl like that. Smyth had met Donna Mills when the Slammers had first touched down on Maffren. He'd helped her find a place for her parents to live after Jebbitt's Raiders had burned them out of their farm. But Bull had to have it all. It wasn't enough that he drive them all harder than any devil could dream; Bromley had to steal his woman, too.
A huge roar, instantly augmented by the smell of burnt air and a flash of blinding light, told Pete Smyth that he had not been careful enough.
"Report!" Bromley demanded brusquely. Just then another round of fire burst from the town. At least Smyth knew what was there—skimmers, probably a platoon. But where had that other, heavier, fire come from? Via, Smyth swore, have they got artillery?
The enemy has one platoon of skimmer-mounted infantry in the village and one hovertank-equipped platoon in the forest that straddles the road.
The four skimmers each have an Ordnance value of 2, and the four hovertanks each have an Ordnance value of 4. They have surprised the Slammers and attack using Chart B. The enemy withdraws after three rounds of combat. Total the combat values and alternate losses.
The Slammers are surprised and fight using Chart E.
If the Slammers are destroyed, turn to section 29.
If the enemy withdraws or is destroyed, turn to section 96.