Warhammer 40: My Fiancée Fulgrim

As expected of Company Commander Gabriel Santo!

It was immediately clear what the lord commander of the emperor's son was thinking.

In this way, the iron hand is shown to be merciful, while the opposing forces are dealt a more effective blow, achieving multiple goals at once.

Casca remained silent.

He wanted to transform into Uncle Vulcan and smash their heads with a big iron hammer.

Let's see if it produces a metallic echo.

Is there any possibility? I mean, is there any possibility?

"Once we reach the near-Earth orbit of the main star, we will use artillery fire to control the airspace and send a portion of our landing forces to land on the surface from the ships."

"While rescuing the remaining Ultramarines on the surface, complete the construction of the landing site fortifications."

Don't you guys even have the option of rescuing friendly forces in your heads?!

After the words were spoken, the Steel Hands fell into an unusual silence.

"Commander, if I may be so bold, your tactic is not rational."

"We might be able to save some of the Ultramarines and Imperial Army lives, but we will also lose more resources in the process, which is not worth it."

There's no such thing as a "cost-benefit" situation when it comes to human life.

This statement is indeed very true, but it is often not applicable in war.

Especially in the war of the steel hand.

"Perhaps this isn't worthwhile in the short term, but my fellow Iron Hands, please listen to me—"

"Saving Chapter Master Cicero of the Ultramarines may cost more resources, but for Primarch Guilliman, it will be a favor he can hardly shake off."

Favor?

A term somewhat unfamiliar to the Iron Hands.

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.

"In the future, we will have more collaborations with the Ultramarines, and this investment in friendship may very well yield rich rewards!"

indeed.

Although the expected return on investment is low, it is ultimately a long-term investment.

Seeing that the Iron Hands were gradually accepting his explanation, Kasgar breathed a sigh of relief.

It's not that difficult!

Iron Hands are a group of extreme rationalists.

As long as you can articulate the stakes to them, they are still willing to implement your plan.

He's starting to get the hang of it.

"At the same time, if you encounter other civilians or civilian residences in Gardinal during the battle, I hope you will try to minimize the bombing of them."

“Every Imperial citizen can become a cornerstone of the Empire through their own strength, and even the elderly have the potential for their offspring to become Space Marines and fight alongside you.”

no way.

When you encounter someone as stubborn as Iron Hand, you have to go along with them and gradually correct their thinking.

"I'm sorry, Commander, but I don't quite agree with what you're saying."

"Based on current statistics, the probability of civilians or children with Space Marine talent among the Imperial population who are of average Space Marine caliber is extremely small and can be almost ignored."

"They will most likely spend their entire lives as laborers serving the Empire, and the value they can produce in their lifetime is negligible compared to the expected losses from merciful warfare."

"Even if they are qualified to become Space Marines, the selection of suitable candidates is only a small part of the cost of training a Space Marine. The greater cost comes from the genetic seed, weapons and equipment, and training."

"If the bombing misses Gardiner's urban warfare troops, it will cause enormous anticipated losses to our army, which cannot be compensated by showing leniency to civilians."

"Therefore, based on our final calculations, the conclusion is that the deaths of civilians do not justify reducing our bombing."

clap clap.

The Iron Hands applauded the company commander's logical and insightful speech.

Kaska looked at the Second Company Commander, Aqua, with despair.

The other person was looking at him with pity.

the first time?

the first time.

Casca fell into deep self-doubt.

He felt that sometimes Phyllis's temper was rather volatile, and it wasn't necessarily her fault.

Ultramarines had a chapter system even before the Codex.

"This is a disaster, Chapter Master (referring to Cicero), and you dare to desecrate the dead before a Primarch with such pretexts." — Feralus Manus: Gorgon of Medusa

Chapter 91 Saving Private Cicero (Part 2)

Stop, stop.

Casca took a deep breath.

"This is the demand of the Terra War Council. We, the Steel Hand, lack mercy towards civilians."

"As per Lady Philus's request, she has decided that I should correct this trend."

Seeing this, the Iron Hands stopped arguing.

A command from the Primarch cannot be ignored.

"So, based on my current requirements, could you prepare a contingency plan for our next attack on the main planet of Gadinar?"

Company Commander Santo nodded.

The plan was not complicated. First, the expeditionary fleet No. 52 would seize air superiority and end the Gadinars' air blockade of our remaining forces.

Based on this, and relying on the invincible firepower of the Iron Hand as cover, a large number of surface firepower units were deployed to the battlefield to occupy and gradually expand their base areas.

Then the invincible Philus personally descended upon the battlefield and shattered all the remaining enemies that had not yet been eliminated.

They eventually pushed the front line forward bit by bit and completed the occupation of the ruins.

Perhaps this place is not a ruin.

But who cares? In the end, it'll all be ruins anyway.

Unless the enemy surrenders faster than Philus advances.

"If the enemy manages to defend against our first wave of artillery fire and their losses are not too great, how should we adjust our strategy next?"

what?

Upon hearing this question, Company Commander Santo's eyes, hidden behind his MK2 helmet, seemed somewhat vacant.

"I mean contingency plans or something?"

No.

Humans cannot imagine things they have never seen.

The Iron Hands could not have imagined that the enemy could remain intact despite their overwhelming artillery fire.

Looking at their expressions, Kaska understood most of it.

"The Iron Hand will not fail."

“Philus wouldn’t either.”

Company Commander Santo's answer was full of confidence.

Really, friend?

So you mean, without any preparation, even if bombarding the enemy is useless, you'll still stick to the current order of operations. You're just going to let our senior charge into the enemy camp alone, and then watch her completely clueless?

Casca silently rubbed his forehead.

Compared to his senior, he seems to be more confused now.

broken.

This isn't helping; it's giving Iron Hands early childhood education.

"Perhaps. Now, the sons of the emperor have been integrated with the Iron Hand."

"Next, you will be in charge of preparing contingency plans for the Steel Hands' operations."

"The requirement is to align as closely as possible with Gardiner's operational needs and with the fighting style of our Third Corps."

"Everyone, are you confident you can do it?"

"Have!"

"Son of the Emperor, slay his father's enemies!"

The Iron Hands' brains are practically made of iron; it's incredibly difficult to change their way of thinking.

Casca decided to reconsider later.

Since things have come to this, let's save lives first.

Gardiner III.

As the main planet of Gadinar, this place has been embroiled in constant conflict ever since the negotiations between the Human Empire and the Gadinar Empire ended.

Perhaps the rulers of Gadinar wanted to gain more leverage through war, or perhaps they believed their pocket empire was powerful enough to seize the opportunity to control the human empire.

In short, once a war begins, it never ends, given that everyone has their own agenda.

According to the report from the Thousand Sons envoy Amal in the recent battle, the enemy's firepower may have been formidable, but the annihilation of Cicero's army was merely a result of being ambushed by the enemy using thermonuclear weapons.

They never imagined that the rulers of Gadinar would be so ruthless as to release nuclear bombs even if it meant turning their planet into a radioactive wasteland.

Having lost its surface-based weaponry, the 413th Expeditionary Fleet had no choice but to keep its ships suspended in space, facing off against Gardinar's ground forces.

One can't go up, and the other can't come down.

Stuck here.

Until the called-in fleet support arrived.

"Philus and the others have arrived."

In the clear sky, the iron-gray warship gradually came into everyone's view.

One of the legions with the most outstanding achievements in the Great Crusade, the Iron Hand Legion, has arrived in the Gadinal system to provide support.

Instead of the XII Expeditionary Fleet that Ultra Warrior Cicero most desired, which came from Roboute Guilliman, the father of genetics.

Because the latter is still on its way.

"It's all over."

The armor was covered in dust and blood, and some parts of the power armor were even blasted apart with fragments and cracks. Chapter Master Cicero sat wearily among the bricks and rubble, even though the place was not suitable for the time being due to the radiation.

But what does it matter? He's a man who's about to die anyway.

The Tenth Legion shows no mercy.

Most of these remaining soldiers will likely be used as cannon fodder for the upcoming landing of the Tenth Army Corps, and will be wiped out by enemy or friendly fire.

It's no exaggeration to say that if he hadn't lost all of his Titan legions deployed on the ground, he might have had a slight chance of receiving aid from the enemy.

After all, Phyllis has a deep connection with the Martian Mechanicus, and compared to the lives of their own people, they would definitely do everything in their power to protect the Titan Legion.

But who told him he couldn't even save a single one?

"Commander! It's reinforcements!"

"Our reinforcements have arrived!"

The soldiers around him, also bearing the marks of battle, cheered him on.

"Yes, reinforcements have arrived, but the Tenth Legion will show us no mercy."

"Sigh, it's all over."