Alex arrived on the planet's surface by shuttle.
The shuttle slowly descended onto the makeshift landing platform, the roar of its engines gradually fading. As the hatch opened, a blast of unfamiliar air, accompanied by the sounds of battle, rushed in.
The planet's gravity was slightly lower than Rostov, so Alex's steps felt much lighter as he exited the hatch.
At this moment, drop pods could still be seen occasionally crashing down from the sky, a sign of the Astartes entering the fray.
Directly landing on the ground via a drop pod was still a bit too intense for ordinary people.
The descent of a drop pod was extremely rapid, and the immense impact force was enough to instantly render an untrained ordinary person unconscious, or even cause severe physical injury.
Only Astartes, who had undergone physical modifications and were wearing Power Armor, could withstand this method of landing.
As for orbital drop troops, who parachuted directly from low-earth orbit to the ground, Alex actually wanted to experience that kind of rapid descent.
The thrilling sensation of freefall and the challenge of pushing limits made Alex yearn for it.
However, he was the Supreme Commander of the Expeditionary Force, and his safety was crucial to the success of the entire campaign, so no one would agree to let him take such a risk.
Therefore, Alex could only arrive on the ground by shuttle after the first wave of landing troops had secured the landing zone.
Around the landing zone, engineering units were busily constructing a temporary base, and defensive fortifications were rapidly taking shape.
Alex stood beside the shuttle, looking up at the sky, where the fleet in orbit could still be faintly seen.
At this point, three days had passed since the Expeditionary Force launched its general offensive on Donetsk III.
During this time, the Second, Third, and Fourth Strike Groups had all successfully completed their landing operations and established stable landing zones on the planet's surface.
Subsequent units were continuously landing, rapidly deploying, and engaging in fierce combat with the Space Necrons.
The entire landing zone had already taken initial shape, the Astra Militarum's banners flapped in the wind, the Space Marines had raised their battle standards, and the Imperial Knights had planted their banners all over the positions.
Although it looked a bit flashy, it had to be admitted that seeing the forest of battle standards indeed greatly boosted morale.
When Alex arrived, the Space Necrons were launching a fierce counterattack on the landing zone.
Eerie green energy beams flickered in the sky, Necron aircraft glided like ghosts, and the ground was covered by countless metallic, skeletal Necron warriors whose steps were orderly and cold, like an unstoppable metallic torrent.
However, the Astra Militarum's defensive line was not easily broken.
Three days had been more than enough time for the Astra Militarum to establish a stable defensive line on the planet's surface.
Bunkers made of adamantium and ceramite armor plates were spread throughout the positions, their thick armor sufficient to withstand the Space Necrons' energy weapons; laser cannons and bolters were mounted on the firing points, creating a precise network of fire that tore apart any approaching enemy; even the permanent trenches were perfected to an astonishing degree, not only containing officers' quarters and mess halls, but also temporary medical stations and ammunition depots.
The Astra Militarum had constructed a very comprehensive system of trench defenses to resist the Space Necrons' assault.
And the colossal Imperial Knight drop pods became the strategic strongholds of this defensive system.
These drop pods were like steel behemoths descended from the sky, each comparable to a small fortress or castle.
They not only possessed powerful turrets and shield systems but also had thick armored defenses, sufficient to stand firm against the Space Necrons' fierce assault.
The Imperial Knight drop pods were cleverly positioned at key points of the defensive line, becoming the spiritual backbone and tactical reliance for the Astra Militarum soldiers.
If there were also one or two Imperial Knights and leman russ main battle tanks nearby, the entire defensive line would be even more impregnable.
The Imperial Knights' gigantic Chainsword and meltaguns could easily tear through Necron armored units, while the leman russ's main cannon could destroy heavy enemy targets from long range.
Adding one or two battalions of Astra Militarum infantry, this defensive line would be sufficient to hold back the enemy for a long time, and even serve as a starting point for a counterattack.
Alex stood before the observation port of a bunker, his gaze sweeping across the entire battlefield.
"How are the various strike groups progressing?" He didn't turn around, simply asking the Astra Militarum officer beside him.
The staff officer replied, "Currently, the Second Strike Group has completed the deployment of all Astra Militarum units and Imperial Knights, and the Holy War Army has largely entered the battle, with the remaining Holy War Army serving as a reserve.
As for the Astartes and Battle Sister units, they had recently repelled an enemy surprise attack and have since withdrawn to rest at the rear."
Alex said nothing in response to this, merely nodding before continuing to ask, "What are the casualties like?"
"The Astra Militarum has over ten thousand killed in action, the Imperial Knights have lost over twenty units, the Holy War Army has suffered seventy thousand casualties, and the Astartes and Battle Sisters have also sustained considerable damage, with the First Strike Group's overall strength reduced by over 15%," the staff officer's reply was devoid of any emotional fluctuation, as if these were just ordinary numbers.
Alex also said nothing about this; landing operations were often the phase with the most intense enemy resistance and the highest casualties, and being able to gain a foothold with only 15% casualties, Alex felt, was quite cost-effective.
Afterward, he inquired about the situation of the other two strike groups before heading to the front line for further inspection.
He clearly knew that he was not a military strategist; staying in the command center was meaningless except to act as a mascot and put pressure on the Commander, so it was better to go to the front line to boost morale.
No one objected to Alex's action, nor did anyone say that he was the Commander and should not go to the front line.
In the Imperium, it was common for Commanders to lead from the front, and often the Commander was the most formidable fighter in the entire army, a fact especially pronounced among the Astartes, Imperial Knights, and Battle Sisters.
After Guilliman's return to the Imperium, even Morvenn Vahl, the Grand Mistress of the Battle Sisters and a High Lord, personally went to the battlefield and charged on the front lines, which shows the extent of the Imperium's martial spirit.
A Commander attempting a suicidal orbital drop is one thing; personally visiting the front line to boost morale on the battlefield is another.
The former is pure recklessness, while the latter is an action that would be supported throughout the Imperium and earn immense prestige.
So when Alex, accompanied by a small squad of Battle Sisters, arrived at the foremost position and stood at the most conspicuous spot on the position, raising his banner to draw the attention of the soldiers on the battlefield, their morale immediately received a huge boost.
Without Alex even needing to personally engage in combat, the roaring soldiers had already annihilated the advancing Necron forces before them.
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