Chapter 2104 Opening Battle (Part 2)
When the enemy's Dreadnought-class light cruiser lost power, the frigate formation changed its course to 240 and focused fire on the enemy ship. The Dreadnought-class could only float silently. Hit continuously, the entire bridge and superstructure were quickly engulfed in fire, but remained afloat.
As a cruiser that emphasizes independent combat capabilities, the Dreadnought-class has outstanding defensive capabilities.
At this time it also made a last-ditch effort. The Crossbow's scanning array discovered a small high-speed target starting from the enemy ship.
“The enemy’s torpedo is approaching!”
"Scanned the signals of 3 Thunderhawks!"
Thunderhawk is a commonly used combat aircraft of the Astartes Chapter. Its performance is naturally good, but its main role is ground support and transportation. The designed Lightning is still far inferior in terms of speed and flexibility. Although it is stronger, it cannot withstand a few missiles no matter how strong it is.
"Order, the Lightning Squadron intercepts the enemy Thunderhawk, and the First Bomber Squadron intercepts the enemy's jumping torpedo."
Chinedu had previously ordered that the Starhawk bomber's missiles be replaced with enemy missiles. Air attack missiles for aircraft and small targets. At the same time, the twin long-barreled laser turrets carried by the Starhawk itself can also effectively attack those jumping torpedoes. At the same time, the frigates also quickly turned to intercept the jumping torpedoes with cross fire.
If its covering warships were still there, perhaps this desperate raid would have a chance of success, but they chose to fight to the death only when they were at the end of their rope.
Chinedu’s evaluation only had two words.
"Stupid."
At this time, the tail of the Dreadnought-class ship had caught fire and continued to explode. Then there was also a big explosion in the middle of the hull, and the entire bridge was blown up in the thick smoke. fly.
The three Thunderhawks were running wildly under the chase of 16 Lightning fighters. Although the laser cannons and automatic cannons of the Lightning fighters could not quickly destroy the Thunderhawks in a short period of time, the missiles they launched were It is more deadly in space than in the atmosphere, and it is too difficult for the Thunderhawk to chase lightning. The speed and maneuverability of the two are not at the same level.
Soon, two Thunderhawks tried their best but were still hit by missiles. When they exploded, some figures wearing red armor were thrown into space. Chinedu specially released the observer. , focusing the camera on the Chaos Space Marines who were thrown into the void.
They looked so profane, so horrific, so—
angry.
Even after being thrown into space, they still stubbornly used bolt guns to shoot at targets that could not be harmed at all. This is the fallen demigod. The way they struggled was like a fish being dragged ashore.
A Lightning flew by, its cannon fired, and instantly swept a Chaos Space Marine into fragments of flesh and metal that continued to collapse and expand.
As for those jumping torpedoes, none of them actually reached the target. The nearest one was hit in the tail and middle by five missiles launched by Starhawk at a position 15 kilometers away from the Crossbow. The tragic explosion will A group of tiny red figures were thrown into the void.
In fact, Chinedu really wanted to capture some prisoners, which would be an incomparable honor, but he just thought about it. There is a very clear article in the naval regulations -
Under any conditions, no state can be captured. Chaos Space Marines (dead or alive) are brought to the ship.
There is no doubt that this is a regulation summed up by countless blood. Even if they have fallen, they are still Astartes. Even the fall itself has given them some strange and unpredictable powers, even if they seem to have The dead may suddenly come to life and create a terrifying crisis inside the ship.
So, he can only give one order. "Destroy all traitors."
Because of the presence of Chaos Space Marines, even the escape pods are no longer safe and must be destroyed once discovered.
Just as the 19th escort formation was carrying out the final cleanup work on the battlefield, strong signals suddenly came from distant detectors and subspace probes, which were immediately captured by the Crossbow's detectors.
"Receive all signals and order the fighters to return to the deck."
Chinedou came to the display near the cogitator array. At this time, two technical priests were busy, quickly analyzing the data It is reflected in the specific situation.
In the vast space ahead, a huge signal source appeared, followed by densely packed small signal sources, just like a huge sea monster emerging from the deep sea and its countless servants and descendants. Naidu's eyes widened and his lips trembled.
"This is."
He has already determined what the signal scanned.
The main fleet of the Red Pirates!
"The formation turns! Heading 180! Depart at full speed! Send a signal to the Moon of Destruction immediately! Red alert signal!!!"
The 19th escort formation clashed with the enemy's outpost fleet three times Hours later, the huge space hulk Savage Crucible appeared in the galaxy observation system of the Imperial Expedition Fleet, dragging a scarlet trail. It was like a savage tumor, without any rules, without any signs, and did not even belong to any race. , just like the impermanent nature of chaos.
From the scanned outline, you can see a large number of warship wreckage attached to its body. They stand like dark and ugly metal towers. Countless turrets and missile launch tubes extend into space like raptor claws. In addition, there are many similar flesh and blood. The substance attached to the surface of the hulk represents its blasphemous demonic power, and the black ripples constantly rising around it are the physical manifestation of the powerful defensive shield it possesses.
Around it are hundreds of ships, ranging from battleships, to cruisers, to plunderers, and even armed civilian ships. It is like a ship viewing ceremony.
Boarding and decontaminating a space hulk that randomly jumps out of the warp and floats alone in the void is dangerous enough. Now, facing a specially armed hulk accompanied by an enemy escort, that Basically, it is a mission that requires the investment of an entire expedition fleet to have a chance of success.
What awaits it are relics and echoes from the most glorious era of the human empire, and it is also the most terrifying force for the enemy in the great expedition.
“There’s something weird about this space hulk.”
Standing next to Azrael, reviewing the image messages transmitted with the Supreme Master, Dark Angel Priest Sappho frowned.
"What force is it driven by? And what force makes it succumb to the control of the Red Pirates? Ten thousand years since the Great Heresy, the Chapter has dealt with nearly three digits of space hulks, but There has never been a power that can really drive this twisted polymer."
Standing on the ancient bridge of the Unyielding Truth, Azrael was not in a hurry to express his opinion. He was still carefully examining the ship. Detail of hulk.
This hulk is so huge that the longest length is conservatively estimated to be more than 100 kilometers. It is like a mountain range floating in space. Only a madman can imagine such a mountain range. Even the red pirate ships around it The battleships also looked as small as mosquitoes.
(End of this chapter)