Chapter 27 – The 300

RonTheBlackCat

An interlude (I'm thinking of making it two parts) about the elves will be coming up soon.

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https://youtu.be/hm-PT_FdAJU Sparta by Sabaton

"Molon labe" (Come and take them) - Leonidas I in reply to Xerxes I's demand that the Spartans surrender their weapons (reported by Plutarch)

0520 March 26th, 2020 CE

0540 Start 56th, 196 AE

Abellinum

Evacuations of civilians are still underway in Abellinum when scouts came back with the report of enemy tanks approaching. It is estimated with their speeds that they will arrive in a few hours. The civilians who lived in the city had already been evacuated but the ones from nearby towns and further away who came to Abellinum for protection have not yet been. Colonel Kaeso Donatus looks at his map. 

“We need to hold them back for a day. If we don’t, we can’t get all the civilians over the bridge before the enemy tanks get to the bridge.”

Regimental Sergeant Major Appius Volumnius, his assistant, comments on it.

“If we leave any military units behind to hold them back, they will not be able to return. We are planning to blow that bridge up. It's the only bridge that crosses the Verona River for miles around here.”

Because of how long the bridges have to be in order to cross this section of the Verona River, there are very few bridges in this area. They were extremely lucky that the enemies hadn't sent any bombers to destroy the bridge. It might be because the enemy either wanted to use it or that their bombers didn’t have the range. The bridge across the Verona was about 20 miles behind them.

“That's even more reason to leave a military unit behind. If we don’t, they will take the bridge before we are even able to blow it up.”

“Can’t they just circumnavigate the city to take the bridge?”

“The mountainous terrain around the city is not suitable for tanks. They will have to go through this valley to get to the bridge.”

0823 March 26th, 2020 CE

0711 Start 56th, 196 AE

Leonid approached Abellinum with his men and the civilian survivors. There are quickly erected barbed wire and sandbags surrounding the road entrances to the city. The city seems to be full of civilians streaming in. A soldier stops them at the entrance.

“I need to see the commanding officer!”

Parts of the city had been completely destroyed. Damage can be seen everywhere. Leonid ënters an undamaged tavern where the commanding officer had made it into his temporary command center and salutes.

“Lieutenant Colonel Leonid Primis reporting! I’m the commander of the Second Battalion of the 151st Infantry Regiment.”

“Welcome Lieutenant Colonel Primis. I’m Colonel Kaeso Donatus. Commander of the 52nd Infantry Regiment, the garrison unit of Abellinum. What happened to the commander of the 151st Infantry Regiment?”

“Sir, most of the 151st Infantry Regiment was wiped out when enemy tanks attacked us during our retreat. I have with me a total of 323 men and a couple of hundred civilians.”

“That's all the survivors?”

“Most likely, sir. What’s the current situation, sir?”

“Bad. The enemy had moved much faster than we predicted. We had planned to blow up the bridge that crosses the Verona River once my unit passes but now I’m not sure if my unit can leave. If my unit leaves now, the enemy will catch up to us within a few hours. It’s even possible for them to secure the bridge before it gets blown up. I had decided to leave behind a force to cover the retreat but my staff and the commanders of my battalions are adamantly against the idea of leaving anyone behind. None of them were willing to stay.” Kaeso sighs before continuing. “You should prepare to leave too. The earlier we leave the better. My unit will leave with the last of the civilians. We will be doing a fighting retreat.”

A few minutes later

Captain Proclus Vocula had waited for his Lieutenant Colonel to return. 

“Leonid! What’s the situation?”

“Where’s Aulus and Agrippa? We need to talk.”

“They are over there sitting on the chairs that they dragged out of the bombed houses.”

Leonid walks to them with Proclus following.

Leonid gets their attention.

“We need to talk.”

“What is it Leonid?”

“The civilians we guided here are being evacuated correct?”

“Yep and our men are resting in this area.”

“Good to hear. Here’s the situation. According to the commanding officer of the Anbellium garrison, the enemy tanks are extremely close. His subordinates are unwilling to leave anyone behind to cover the retreat. The most likely scenario would be that the Anbellium garrison will have to defend the civilians against enemy tanks while on the retreat. Here's the thing… I want us to stay behind… to cover the retreat. You don’t have to listen to me… it's up to you guys… we probably won’t survive...”

The three captains of Leonid’s battalion looked at each other. 

“We are with you, Lieutenant Colonel.”

“It's time to show these bastards what happens when they attack us!”

“For Captain Curio!”

Leonid smiles and shakes his head.

The captains gather all 323 men in order for them to learn of their plans.

Leonid stands in front of his men and his eyes sweep from left to right. Leonid starts solemnly.

“Men of the 151st Infantry Regiment! I know that we are all tired. But we still have a duty to do. There are still innocent civilians who are under threat! You saw what happened to them during our retreat! Do you want it to happen again?! Do you want innocent women and children to be cut down just because we were too scared to do something about it?! Stay with me… with us! Your captains and I have agreed to stay behind and cover the civilians. We will show these invaders what it means to fight the Imperium! What it means to fight the 151st! We are no cowards! We will avenge our fallen brothers of the 151st! Are you with us?!”

Silence falls over the air and Leonid despairs at the fact that maybe no one among his men is brave enough to do this. Then cheers rise. 

“Let's show them!"

“Glory to our Imperium!”

“Lieutenant Colonel we are with you!”

Of course, not all the soldiers are with them. The 23 soldiers of the other battalions who didn't really know the Lieutenant Colonel didn’t want to stay. Leonid let them go. This left him with only 300 men to stop a tank onslaught.

“I know that we have all agreed to this but is this even possible? I mean there's only 300 of us infantrymen against possible hundreds of enemy tanks. We will just be a road bump.”

“I do have an idea… though I will have to ask the Colonel if he has any.”

The captains look at each other not knowing what Leonid meant.

Leonid enters the tavern once more. 

“Didn’t I tell you to evacuate? Why are you still here?”

“Sir, my men and I have decided to stay behind to cover your retreat.”

Kaeso narrows his eyes.

“Lieutenant Colonel Primis, you know that you won’t be able to retreat. We are blowing up the only bridge across for miles around here.”

“My men and I know that! We will fight to the end. I have lost a dear friend to those bastards and I won’t forgive myself if I just run at this point.”

Kaeso sighs.

“A lot of artillery pieces of various caliber are being left behind. We were planning to destroy them once my unit starts to leave but your battalion can use them. However, make sure that they are destroyed in the end. Try to retreat after holding out for at least two days. You probably won’t be able to reach the bridge in time to find other ways of escaping.”

Despite what the Colonel just said, Leonid understood that retreat is most likely not an option. Especially if the bridges are all destroyed. They would be stuck on this side of the river which will be swarming with enemies within a few days from now. They will hold out in the city for as long as possible. Leonid brightens up.

“Understood, sir! Thank you, sir! I do have one request though.”

“What is it?”

“Do you have any sticks of magidynamite that I can use?”

1016 March 26th, 2020 CE

0808 Start 56th, 196 AE

The 11th Elven Blitzpanzer Division comes to a stop about half a mile out of the city. There are a couple of houses to their left which indicates that they are on the outskirts of the city. Ara observes the city. She can see sandbags and barbed wire piled on the road where the houses become much more grouped together but not a single human soldier. She also sees that part of the city was destroyed from the Air Force’s bombings. To her, it seems quiet. Too quiet. Something felt wrong. It didn’t make sense. This is supposed to be the human’s biggest city in this area if the information from 150 years ago held true. Well, it does look to be true seeing that it definitely is a big city. What didn’t make sense was the lack of defenders. It might seem that the inferior humans are cowardly and ran away but something didn’t feel right. One of her regiment commanders walks up to her whilst she is staring at the human city.

“Lieutenant General, what are we stopping for?”

“Send a company of tanks forward first.”

A few minutes later

A tank company consisting of 15 Stallion light tanks on the road approach where the outskirts of the city ends and the actual city begins. Their mission is to drive down the road whilst the rest of the division follows them a couple hundred yards behind. The commanding officer of the company radios the platoon commanders of the platoons inside his company

<<<“It seems clear, continue forward.”>>>

They had been warned by the Lieutenant General herself to approach cautiously and keep an eye out for anything suspicious. The front tanks press forward and soon there are tightly grouped houses on both sides of the road. They are no longer on the outskirts. Nothing can be heard other than the engines of their tanks. The city is completely deserted. 

After a few minutes of continuing, they come up to a point where there are two rather tall buildings on both sides. 

<<<"Seems to be no problem. We should pic…”>>>

Massive explosions occur on the buildings on both sides. The ground shakes as the buildings crumble and come down onto the road.

<<<<"Back up! Back up!”>>>

Two tanks of the company are buried under the rubble. The commanding officer of the company gets on his magiradio. 

<<<"First Lieutenant Enra, are you alright in there? First Lieutenant?! Dammit.”>>>

Then he switches his radio to contact his lieutenant colonel.

<<<"Captain Hergo, what’s going on up there?”>>>

<<<"Lieutenant Colonel, buildings on both sides of the street blew up and came down on two tanks of the 2nd Platoon. I’m trying to contact the 2nd Platoon Leader who is in one of the two tanks but he isn’t respon…”>>>

A shot rang out. The commander of the tank next to Captain Hergo’s had opened up his hatch to get a view of what happened. Said commander was now slumping to the side of the hatch. 

<<<"Snipers! Stay in your tanks! Lieutenant Colonel, we are pulling back!”>>>

Captain Hergo’s company backs up as fast as possible. A commander of another tank in the company comes up on the magiradio. 

<<<"Grenades!”>>>

Explosions occur around them as grenades are thrown at them from an unknown source, The good thing is that the grenades did not have enough explosive power to damage the tanks. 

“We got them!” 

Leonid and 300 of his men are defending the city and covering the retreat of the 52nd Infantry Regiment and the civilians. They are in a happy mood after destroying and blocking off the enemy tanks. By planting the dynamite they got from the 52nd Infantry Regiment on the houses on the entrance roads, they plan to destroy and block off any tanks that try to make their way into the city. He had also posted snipers in various locations around the city in order to inflict more casualties. 

“Ok men, we will be facing many more attacks! Don’t falter. Also, bring up the field guns to the road where we destroyed the tanks.”

Although their artillery is seemingly useless in this circumstance because of no forward observers, no recon planes, and the houses blocking the view, Leonid has a different use for them. 

Lieutenant General Ara Belra has pulled all her tanks out of the city in case there were any more snipers. She pulls out her binoculars and once again studies the city.

“Let's send a platoon to that entrance. Instruct them to not get out of their tanks. There doesn’t seem to be large buildings over there but have them go in single file and far apart just in case.”

She points towards a different entrance while giving out orders. 

They had lost another tank. This time the humans planted explosives directly on the road.