The Bizarre Adventure of the Warhammer Guard

Just as Renault, Locken, and others were driving the transport vehicle to area 0658, combat personnel inside Deadwater Base were carrying out intense pre-battle preparations.

By this time, night had fallen, and huge searchlights were set up, shining in all directions, illuminating the entire Dead Water Base and the surrounding area for miles around, just like daytime.

The soldiers under Lucar entered the barracks one by one, stepped onto the armed platform, and, with the help of the robotic arm, put on the CMC-100 standard power armor, a standardized, full-coverage exoskeleton armor system designed specifically for infantrymen of human colonies.

Unlike the Astartes' power armor, which was made of ceramic steel, the CMC-100 power armor was made of titanium-aluminum alloy and only had basic life support, environmental isolation, and kinetic energy buffering systems.

Perhaps because it has not experienced wars with other powerful alien races, this suit of armor has relatively weak defensive capabilities, only able to withstand attacks from small-caliber light weapons.

One after another, small tin cans, each less than two meters tall, emerged from the barracks, carrying standardized C-14 electromagnetic rifles. These Marines proceeded to their designated defensive positions.

The civilians living around the base also fled into the Deadwater Base due to the alarm of the swarm invasion. They were also mobilized to work with the logistics personnel inside the base to move ammunition and shells, and to set up power lines, pipes and defensive facilities.

Dozens of SCVs are building bunkers and automatic defensive cannons on the northern defensive line.

SCVs are large, bipedal engineering vehicles driven by humans, standing approximately 3.5 meters tall. They are made of high-strength steel and equipped with modular robotic arms, powered drills, and powered armor. They are primarily used for planetary exploration, mining, construction, and repair work in space colonies.

Elpis was observing the battle situation in the command room, issuing countless orders that were transmitted to the front lines through the internal communication system.

He calculated where to place artillery emplacements, where to reinforce defenses, and how many men were needed for each location, and then arrived at the optimal choice.

"Attention all units." Elpis broadcast to all personnel at Deadwater Base via communication equipment. At that moment, the Zerg ground forces launched their attack from the north, less than 500 meters from Deadwater Base. "Now, let these hideous aliens know what human power is. May the Emperor bless you."

As in previous wars, Elpis delivered a brief but inspiring speech, though he was not one for it. He was neither a commissar on the battlefield nor a demigod Primarch; he was simply a guard, a guard who protected humanity and the Emperor.

The words had barely left his mouth when the swarm entered firing range. Countless artillery shells and ammunition poured forth from the Deadwater Base, decimating the charging swarm.

"Aim carefully before you fire." Commander Rugal, also clad in power armor and wielding an electromagnetic rifle, arrived at the front lines. "Gunners, do the same. Conserve your ammunition and wait for these bastards to gather together before attacking."

The commander knew that his Deadwater Base was not well-stocked, and previous encounters with these Zerg had proven that these mindless Zerg did not care about the deaths of their own troops and wanted to overwhelm them with swarm tactics.

So, only two options remain: wait for reinforcements or kill all the Zerg.

General Duke's secret communications proved that waiting for reinforcements was not feasible, and now the commander could only trust the golden-armored giant that Reno had brought back. Rugal thought to himself, hoping he could create a miracle.

The northern swarm first launched a massive attack with thousands of Zerglings, which the base's defenders easily wiped out. Then, an endless stream of Zerglings swarmed in, their formation gradually disintegrating, but their attacks continued relentlessly.

Next, cockroaches began to appear from the swarm. These cockroaches had hard exoskeletons on their backs, capable of withstanding two or three direct hits from artillery. The electromagnetic rifles in the hands of the Marines could only suppress the cockroach advance under concentrated fire.

Small-scale ground swarms also attacked from the other three sides. Thanks to the natural barrier of the river, the swarms from these directions were significantly slower, making it difficult for them to penetrate the defensive line.

The defenders' ammunition was constantly being depleted, but the number of Zerg was also decreasing. Finally, the Zerg sent out their new aerial units.

These aerial insects are slender, serpentine creatures with streamlined bodies covered in multiple layers of scale-like exoskeletons. They possess a pair of enormous wings on their backs, resembling bat wings. Their tails end in a spiky, tail-like mouthpart.

During flight, the wing membranes vibrate in a wave-like manner, and the snake-like body curls up into a "C" shape, so that the head and tail mouthparts face the direction of flight.

"What are those?" Some soldiers had already spotted the insects attacking from the air. "They look a bit like flying mutant lizards."

"Flying lizards?" some of the warriors said. "Dragons?"

"Never mind what it's called for now," Lugal shouted. "Take them out first!"

To the north, the defenders' lines were under attack. Some leaping insects dodged the fire and jumped into the lines, knocking down Marines before being shot by other soldiers. Others chose to destroy heavy artillery or automatic cannons.

As the cockroaches approached the defensive line, they spewed a corrosive green liquid from their mouths, continuously eroding the sturdy cluster of bunkers surrounding the line.

Some Marines who accidentally came into contact with these liquids suffered minor damage, such as their outer armor being completely corroded, or more serious damage, such as extensive corrosive burns, forcing them to be removed for treatment.

Meanwhile, the flying dragons launched an attack from the air, besieging the Deadwater Base from all directions.

When they attack, they launch a blade-like creature covered in barbs and acidic glands from their tail mouthparts. Upon hitting something, it splits into three parts and bounces outwards, attacking units near the target.

Several Marines who were attacking in groups were killed by splash damage because they did not know the dragon's attack method.

The defensive structures were also attacked by the dragons. The blade-like creatures directly tore through the thinner armor, while the thicker armor was corroded by the acidic liquid that flowed out after the blade-like creatures broke through.

As if receiving some kind of order, these flying dragons flew at high speed, attacking only the defending troops along their path, without circling or attacking. They directly passed through the anti-aircraft missile defense network and headed straight for the command center inside the base.

When they were still a hundred meters away from the command center, the glass suddenly shattered from the inside out.

Thirteen explosive shells ripped through the air, each one precisely piercing the head of a dragon, which then plummeted from the sky, lifeless.

There was no immediate danger around the command center. These aliens must have used some method to probe the interior of the entire Deadwater Base, Elpis thought to himself.

He put down the Guardian Spear, from which white smoke billowed from the muzzle of the double-barreled explosive generator.

He turned around and continued to stare at the combat information panel, issuing commands to maintain the combat posture of the entire Deadwater Base.