Once the environment changed to show the operation's location. The objectives appeared on everyone's screens. As Tracy wished, it was a defence mission. However, it was one of the hardest operations of the third pilot level. Almost everyone who tried completing it failed. Tracy and the rest of the fireteam grimaced as they read the objectives.
Operation: Cornucopia Defense.
Map: Tucker 3, The Farm Lands.
Objectives:
1. Survive 8 enemy waves.
2. Defend the food processing plant. At least 65%of the facility must remain operational after the last wave of enemies.
3. Defend the Shelter near the food processing plant. A minimum of 75% of refugees must remain by the end of the enemy waves.
4. Protect the food storage depot. At least 55% of provisions must survive the waves of attack.
Optional:
5. Assist the L.A.F. garrison located 8km away from the food processing plant.
Out of the six members of the fireteam, four had tried this mission before. None were successful. However, Killer Kitty knew about some guys who succeeded in the defense. She did not hesitate to share the information.
The female pilot spoke into the comm-channel, providing the much-needed tip."Hey, people, I heard about some guys who managed to beat the operation. Apparently, we need to save the guys from the garrison so they can help defend the food processing plant.
Tracy looked at the map; eight kilometers was not that far. However, because of the heavy mechs, their movement speed was very slow. She considered the choices they had. Both heavy mechs had sensor suites; however, their sensor suites did not cover much distance. Yet Kitty was using a scout; they could use the machine's sensors to paint the enemies.
The first wave will consist of a single enemy fireteam. Every other wave will have an additional fireteam added. These conditions meant there would be two fire teams in the second wave and three in the third. Each wave added one more fireteam.
It would be possible for the two heavy mechs to defend the facility in the beginning. With the assistance of the guardian mech, they could even repel the second wave. That would be enough time for the three fastest machines to get all the way to the garrison and assist the L.A.F. forces stationed there.
Tracy shared her plan with everybody. "Hey, everyone, let's split the fire team. Sargas, Jolith, and Caramon can defend the base for the first two waves. Meanwhile, Sheperd, Kitty, and I will rescue the L.A.F. forces at the garrison. What do you think?"
All of the members of the fireteam were in agreement. Since they will spawn near the food processing plant, the heavy mechs would be able to get into positions in time. Tracy's plan was the best way to ensure they completed the operation. As soon as the operation started, they all moved to their planned routes.
Kitty, Sheperd, and Tracy rushed to the location of the garrison. On the way, Kitty detected the enemy transport carrying the six enemy mechs of the first wave. This event was a lucky break. With her sensor suite, the Outlaw's pilot painted the vessel as it touched down to drop its cargo. Within a few seconds, the vessel fell to the ground. It was hit by a laser bombardment followed by a swarm of missiles. The first wave never had a chance to do any harm.
They had about five minutes before the next wave. The away team rushed towards the garrison. A few minutes into the trek, they reached their destination. As they arrived, they found the garrison being besieged by a group of elite enemy units. The attackers numbered 7 and included an enemy commander.
While Shepard and Tracy moved to intercept the enemy forces, Kitty stayed behind. She wanted to paint the attacking machines. That way, the artillery fire could soften the enemy, making it easier on Shepard and Tracy.
As Tracy came into range, she started firing with the Warren rifle. Being mindful of the heat buildup, the female pilot timed her shots. This action was done to allow the weapon enough time to cool down. The enemy, having no choice, turned to meet them. The Nova Star's mobility was put to the test as the comm-tuber dodged incoming fire between her shots.
Tracy's mech moved with elegance and grace. The people watching the stream were captivated by the scene. Some had even started calling the mech another name: The Maiden of War. A mysterious prompt began appearing across the comm-grid, promoting Tracy's live stream. More and more people around the entire Lishean Commonwealth joined the spectacle created by the mech of the Grease Monkey Workshop. However, since the female pilot was engrossed in the battle, she failed to notice the growing audience.
By now, the bombardment from the two heavy mechs had reached the enemy attacking the garrison. Two large explosions rocked the area where most of the enemy group was. A swarm of missiles followed, generating a choir of smaller explosions. As the dust settled, three of the enemy mechs had become smoldering wrecks. Another three were severely damaged.
Tracy and Shepard made quick work of the wounded machines. Now, only the enemy commander remained. The two mechs flanked the menacing machine. Both pilots coordinated their attacks, trying to keep the enemy off balance. However, the commander was relentless. He shot at Tracy with a rifle while firing at Shepard using a laser turret mounted on a shoulder. Both machines evaded the commander's attack with ease.
Suddenly, two charged shots came from another direction. Kitty had joined the fray. With her two Sting Pistols, she managed to score a hit against the enemy commander. The charged shots caused visual damage, and the enemy mech became slower. The sneaky pilot celebrated her contribution to the fight.
Yet, in the next moment, the wounded machine raised the rifle and shot in response to the attack. The celebrating pilot failed to react in time, and two shots hit her mech. Be that as it may, the shots were deflected by the armor of the light mech. The resilience of the alloy chosen by the creator was evident to everyone.
Kitty changes positions with haste. She was not willing to test the Outlaws' armor any more than necessary. The spectators fell in awe as they witnessed the armor's ability to deflect the shots. While deflection was the primary defence discipline amongst light mechs, the force behind the attack would have penetrated most armors designed at that level. The mech engineers among the crowd of spectators raced to gather information about the light machine.
Tracy took advantage of Kitty's distraction and closed the distance. She managed to maneuver around the commander and attack from behind. Shepard pressed on, attacking the commander's front. Unlike Tracy, he was continually firing his Warren rifle; the steam discharge from his weapon was a few shots away.
Trying to take down one of its enemies, the commander rushed the mech in front of him. He was attempting to use the mass of his mech to pin down the McCain Reaper. However, as the rushing mech closed the distance, a wall of blue mist came from Shepherd's rifle. The enemy commander lost sight of the blue McCain Reaper and his attack failed to connect.
Taking advantage of the commander's oversight. Tracy concentrated her fire on the rear of the enemy mech. After three shots, she managed to hit a vital component. The mech loses balance and falls to the ground. Nevertheless, the commander was still fighting.
With the commander now on the ground, Shepard changes to the Stinger Heavy Pistol and fires a few charged shots. The elite mech was finally defeated. Having dealt with the enemy forces around the garrison, the three pilots rushed back to the Food Processing plant. The second wave had already landed and was moving towards their target.
As they rushed the 8km back to the food processing plant, a prompt appeared on Tracy's screen. It was a message asking the pilot to choose the assistance from the garrison they would receive for that wave.
Tracy understood the significance of aiding the garrison early in the operation. Looking at the prompt, she faced three choices: a reconnaissance team, a vanguard team, or an artillery team. The comm-tuber weighted the choices. In the end, she opted to consult the rest of her team.
The group opted for the artillery fireteam. A standard artillery team of the L.A.F. consisted of two heavy mechs, a sensor mech, two rifleman mechs, and a guardian mech. With the second wave of enemies approaching the base, it was the best choice. Plus, having a sensor mech would greatly increase the attack range of heavy mechs.
The moment Tracy selected an option, the chosen team spawned at the food processing plant. There were now four heavy mechs covering the area. With the range of the sensor mech, the heavy mechs started bombarding the enemy. As the away team arrived, the defending forces were sweeping the remaining attackers of the second wave.
Once the third wave began, Tracy was prompted to make another choice; this time, however, the group opted for a vanguard team. Six mechs sporting the L.A.F. colors joined the growing group at the food processing plant. The team was composed of three light harasser mechs and three rifleman mechs.
Tracy shared an opinion on the operation with her audience. "I think that this operation is meant to teach us about supply lines. By providing support to the garrison, we have secured a channel for the L.A.F. to provide support. That way, we can receive support and increase our chances of completing the operation." A large number of players took note of Tracy's commentary. This defence mission was a sore spot for many of them. Her live stream accidentally created a tutorial on how to beat the operation.
The third wave came, but with the added contingent, the pilots breezed through the attacking enemies with ease. Tracy and the other two pilots using the mechs made by the Grease Monkey workshop shone as they tore through the enemy with the S-grade machines. The live stream spectators watched the performance with awe, while more people tuned in to the broadcast with each second.
After the fourth wave, the enemy's behavior changed. The food processing plant came under bombardment. It was clear that they had set up a fire support base in the area. The vanguard team, led by Tracy's Nova Star and the other two mechs, needed to find and attack the position.
The bonus from the garrison also changed. Tracy had to choose among three new options: a munitions resupply, a repair team, or a set of deployable gun emplacements. After consulting the rest of her team, she opted for the gun emplacements. These automated turrets could act as point defence, intercepting missiles.
Meanwhile, the fastest mechs looked for the enemy F.S.B. With the sensors of Kitty's Owtlaw, they lost no time in locating the enemy position. While Kitty used her sensor suite to paint their artillery, Tracy and Shepard led the vanguard team to raid the enemy camp. Once again, the Nova Star and the McCain Reaper V2 were put to the test.
Aided by the mechs of the vanguard team, the two machines dodged and weaved through enemy fire. Ever since the last battle, the two pilots have learned to coordinate their attacks. While one acted as a decoy, the other took advantage of the enemy's distraction and pressed on with the attack.
Kitty, not wanting to be left behind, joined the fray. Since the mechs were less durable than the enemy commander attacking the garrison, her pistols caused real damage. While the configuration her Owtlaw used had less mobility than the base Gunslinger Outlaw, she still managed to evade the attacks with grace.
The rain of laser fire and missiles soon followed. Once it was safe for the team to attack, they mopped up the remains of the enemy F.S.B. With these enemies taken care of, the fourth wave ended, and the fifth wave shortly followed. The bonus went back to adding teams to defend the facilities. Tracy and the other players decided to add another artillery team.
Using their greater attack range, most of the enemy transports were shot before they were able to land. The team led by Tracy took care of those who managed to squeeze through the artillery fire. In the end, the fifth wave became a footnote on the live stream. The fact that most of the attackers fell before managing to land was a bit anticlimactic.
After the sixth and seventh waves played out pretty much like the fifth one, Tracy shared another opinion with her live stream. "I can now attest to the effectiveness of the heavy mechs in an engagement. Without the artillery mechs, we would have probably kicked the bucket right now. Yet most of the enemy forces are intercepted before they touch down.
It was time for the final wave. The garrison's support option changed again. This time, it showed similar options to those in the fourth wave. The first option was a repair team, the second a resupply convoy, and the third a package of reinforcements for the gun emplacements.
The group deliberated again. While Kitty wanted the repair team to fix her mech, the rest opted for the supply convoy. This option replaced the mechs' munitions and batteries. While the machines retained the damage sustained, the condition of their gear was reset. Lost or damaged weapons were also replaced. Even the accumulated heat returned to the level they had at the beginning of the operation. This option was especially helpful for the heavy mechs, which had been constantly firing throughout all the waves.
The final wave started. However, instead of dropships flying in to drop the enemy, a sound of thunder came from the sky. The spectators waited with bated breath. Sheperd recognized the sound and, with surprise, shared the information with the rest of the team. "That's the sound Drop Pods make when they are breaking the atmosphere. The enemy is performing an orbital drop maneuver."
The heavy mech shot at the pods they could. However, because of the drop pods' speed, it was hard to shoot them down. The artillery managed to take down around 15 of the 48 pods that fell. The team prepared for an intense fight. Tracy led a vanguard group along with Kitty. They moved to an area on the projected path of the enemy group.
Shepard took another vanguard group, along with a reconnaissance team, to a different area of the battlefield. These two teams were the support options they chose for the sixth and seventh waves. They were hoping to perform a pincer maneuver.
Together, they halted the enemy advance. Soon after, the artillery bombardment fell, and the attacking force was decimated. With ease, the remaining enemies were swept away by the pincer maneuver. The operation succeeded. It was then that Tracy noticed how many people were watching their lifestream. The digits were in the trillions. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she could achieve something like this.
Regaining her composure, she began the outro for the stream. "Well, there you have it, boys and gals. It has been a pleasure having you with us on this wild journey. I have to give thanks to the Grease Monkey Workshop for providing us with such amazing machines. I am Lovely Foxy Girl, and I am thanking everyone for tuning in. Remember to like and subscribe for more content like this." As Tracy blew a kiss into the recording bot, the stream ended.