Chapter 2076. The Purple Hangmen (2/2)
A number of defending mechs faltered in their counterattacks as some of their rifles fizzled.
Though these disruptions weren't widespread, the fear and worry they caused in the ranks of the security personnel eroded their battle will!
As a former military officer, Commander Zecs recognized what that meant. A battle was not just about a contest of mechs!
It was also a contest of will and determination!
The signs of weakness within the ranks of defenders not only depressed their morale, but also boosted the morale of the attacking pirates!
His boys all smelled blood. Pirates all loved easy prey, and the declining trend of the defenders made it all the more easier to harvest a fortune!
Yet just as the melee mechs of the Purple Hangmen reached the defensive line in two prongs, a pair of mechs suddenly emerged from the ranks of security mechs.
The mining company had recently shipped the mechs to the base!
”Doom Guards!”
The ranks of pirate mechs shuddered a bit. By now, the notorious LMC mech model had already built up a dreadful reputation among the pirate community.
Yet to the surprise of the defenders, the pirates didn't let up on their assault!
”Continue the assault!” Commander Zecs hollared over the command channel. ”We planned for this! We knew they would show up! Trust in my plan!”
”Yes, boss!”
The men on the inside already passed on word to Zecs that the base recently acquired a pair of Doom Guards.
When he heard the news, he almost aborted this raid.
Yet if he did so, he would waste months of preparations as well as the money he invested in bribes. In the end, he could bring himself to give up this long-anticipated attack!
In his military days, he learned the importance of intelligence and preparation. As long as he knew the mining base would field the Doom Guards, he could plan around this move!
After researching the Doom Guards extensively and trawling through all of the theories circulating on the galactic net, Commander Zecs decided to try out an interesting suggestion.
He grinned as his melee mechs closed in. As was typical in battles between pirates and security forces, the Purple Hangmen possessed an advantage in numbers, but their mechs were substantially weaker on average.
This didn't concern Commander Zecs too much because the disparity in numbers was often decisive in close-ranged battles! It was hard for a premium mech to defend against attacks from the front and back!
Just as the Purple Hangmen mechs neared the range of the Doom Guard, they decelerated!
The Doom Guards attacked anyway. Their large flamethrowers spewed hellish red flames in an expanding cone from their position, blanketing the surrounding space with persistent heat!
At the same time, the glow of the strikers already started to press on the minds of the pirates. Their high morale faltered a bit as they came under the impression that some awesome terror was looking into their souls!
If this continued, the Purple Hangmen might withdraw!
Yet before the situation reached this point, Commander Zecs issued a long-awaited command.
”Bring forth the Soldier mechs!”
Two mechs lingering behind his two mech companies suddenly moved forward!
The mechs looked second-hand and some of them bore marks of previous battles against the sandmen. The fresh purple coating applied to their exterior wouldn't be able to protect them much against the flames released by the Doom Guards!
However, the Desolate Soldier and Prideful Soldier weren't there to push through the wall of flames.
Commander Zecs merely acquired them in order to use their glows to counteract the glows of the Doom Guards!
”To fight monsters, we bought monsters of our own!” He viciously grinned.
One Desolate Soldier approached a Doom Guard while a Prideful Soldier approached the other Doom Guard!
Two different effects emerged.
The Desolate Soldier drawing closer to the enemy striker mech exhibited much less trouble. It seemed as if its mech pilot was much more capable of resisting the Doom Guard!
Unfortunately, the Purple Hangmen quickly found out that the Desolate Soldier's immunity only applied to itself. The mech pilot reported that the mech seemed to help with stiffening him up, but not much more.
The situation was a bit different with the Prideful Soldier. As soon as the mech approached the Doom Guard, the glow of both mechs started to change!
For some reason, the Prideful Soldier seemed to become a little more excited, while the glow of the Doom Guard gradually shifted in character!
The nauseous sensation along with the inexplicable sense of terror decreased. However, the Doom Guard soon began to grow more menacing, as if a slumbering exobeast had woken up in the depths of the striker mech!
It was too bad that the effect of this intimidating aura was less potent than the original glow of the Doom Guard!
Commander Zecs knew that this was the best he could get.”
”Push through! The Doom Guards are neutered!”
The pirate mechs all accelerated forward even as their mech pilots came under the effect of a number of glows!
The positive glow of the Desolate Soldier seemed to pale in the presence of the Doom Guard. Though weak and feeble, the effect it had on the pirates was nonetheless useful as they became a little less prone to reaching their breaking points!
As for the Prideful Soldier, its glow had a very strange effect on the Doom Guard. Despite the latter's apparent weakness, it was still a very formidable mech. The flames it spewed seemed to have gained some life of their own!
The Doom Guards were still capable of functioning as regular striker mechs, and vigorously spread as many flames as possible!
The battle quickly grew chaotic and casualties rapidly mounted on both sides. In the confusion of all of the glows, every mech pilot fought different than usual!