TF Amethyst

North Outer Wall, FOC Venom

Bang! Bang! Ba-babang!

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Bang! B-bababang! Ratatar!

With a serious expression, Captain Thyssen and Lieutenant Sean observed how the shooters and gunners tried to block the advance of ladder carriers. From the huge numbers of the ladder carriers that were eliminated in every second, it was easy to conclude that the rifle team was utilizing their best abilities.

Of course, the efforts would also eat a large amount of ammunition. Fortunately, personnel from Logistics and Support Group could compensate for the speed of ammunition consumption. They swiftly went back and forth from ammo depot towards each outer wall, driving M1152 Cargo that was fully loaded with 1.5 ton of ammunition.

However, no matter how huge the amount of ammunition they distributed, without the support of a heavy strike, it would be impossible to stop the advance of more than a hundred thousand ready-to-die mercenaries.

Even after the fire teams used their carbines to assist the rifle teams, the advance of the ladder carriers remained unstoppable.

"I wonder. What kind of drug did they use?" Lieutenant Sean asked as he looked at the steady advance of ladder carriers.

"I also want to know about that," Captain Thyssen casually replied. "It's remarkably effective."

Since the beginning of the offensive, there were no shouts of commands or war cries to raise morale. The mercenaries just kept advancing in silence. The only sound that accompanied their advance was their steady and determined footsteps.

When the huge numbers of their comrades fell and didn't wake up again, they didn't stop.

When their comrades' blood turned the ground into a bloody mud, they didn't stop.

and 

When the bloody mud was fully covered with their fallen comrades, they also didn't stop.

So, it was natural that in the end they managed to reach their objective.

Clank!  Clank!  Clank!  Clank!

One by one, the tip of iron ladder appeared on the edge of north outer wall, and its hook immediately pinched the lips of the wall tightly. Some iron ladders even appeared right in front of a shooter or gunner.

"Well, finally they arrived." Captain Thyssen then turned towards Lieutenant Sean before continuing, "LT, ask the Breaker to welcome our guest."

"Sir." Wasting no time Lieutenant Sean spread out the order.

Normally, it was impossible to push an iron ladder if its hook managed to pinch the lips of the wall. However, TF Amethyst had formed a unit that could destroy the hook on the iron ladder effectively.

That unit was The Breaker. Their personnel were recruited from Tuscan Guard's personnel and they worked with a format of 4-man team. As both rifle teams and fire teams stepped back from their firing position, the Breaker's personnel approached the iron ladder. 

Then, two personnel who were wearing anti-frozen gloves sprayed the freezing spray to the hook. The freezing spray was exactly the same as the one that was used in Terry Hill's operation. Therefore, it had been proven effective for use on metal.

Next, the users of freezing spray reached for the hammer at their waist, then hit the hook as hard as they could.

Clank!!

It was only required one hit, and the hook shattered as if it was made of glass. Wasting no time, two other of Breaker's personnel pushed the iron ladder which lost its hook using a Y-shaped stick. With ease, the iron ladder was pushed away from the wall and collapsed to the ground, along with mercenaries who tried to climb it.

Of course, the second, the third, and the next wave of iron ladder continued to arrive at the outer wall. However, the Breaker's personnel managed to repel them effectively before any climber reached the top of the wall.

"Good, the Breaker executed their job properly." After smiling lightly, Captain Thyssen then gave his next order to Lieutenant Sean, "Time for Molotov Cocktail."

"Sir."

Wasting no time Lieutenant Sean spread out Captain Thyssen's second order. A moment later, Tuscan and Buriek Guards on the north outer wall took out Molotov cocktails from some wooden crates. Without any hesitation, they then threw the Molotov cocktails towards the ladder carriers.

With the large number of the ladder carriers at the base of the wall, most Molotov cocktails landed on their heads, broke, and splashed the Nouel Biofuel to their body and mercenaries around them. Therefore, when some torches touched their bodies, in an instant they got burned violently. In a matter of seconds, a sea of fire was formed at the base of the wall.

Molotov cocktails were then thrown away as far as possible from outer wall. And with ease, Nouel Biofuel seeped and spread through the ladder carriers’ clothes, both those who were still alive or dead and laid on the ground, followed by fire that burned violently.

Crackle crackle crackle!!

In a flash, the sea of fire at the base of the wall widened up to a radius of 50 meters. However, there were no screams or shouts from the mercenaries. Instead, with a gaze full of determination they ignored the fire that burned their body and kept advancing. But in the end, the fire killed them before they reached the outer wall.

Even so, the next wave of ladder carriers continued to advance and try to break through the sea of fire, without the slightest showing pain or fear. Therefore, Tuscan Guards and Buriek Guards on the north outer wall continued to throw the Molotov cocktail.

"This is madness," Lieutenant Sean said.

"LT, war is basically madness," Captain Thyssen calmly replied.

"Yes, Sir, but I never see something like this one."

"So did I."

As both Captain Thyssen and Lieutenant Sean sighed in silence, the smell of burning human flesh filled the air, along with a thick black smoke which rose into the sky.

The smell was annoying, but every personnel in FOC Venom realized that the burning smell was much better than the rotten smell from ten thousands of human bodies that were left lying around. So, there were almost no complaints.

---

Command Post, FOC Venom.

Almost at the same time, the sea of fire was formed in front of the north, west, and east outer wall. As he observed the ladder carriers who were trying to pass it, Colonel Glass Said, "No wonder a lot of nobles loved to hire these mercenaries."

"Yeah," Major Kimber replied before she turned her gaze to Colonel Glass, "I think it's time for mortar elements to break their momentum."

"No, let's use Molotov catapult."

"Are you sure?" Major Kimber asked with a puzzled face. "Didn't you intend to reserve it until our guests send their main unit?" 

"Yes, I did. But it seems like their door kicker is more troublesome than my initial estimation."

"Understood," Major Kimber replied as she lightly nodded.

---

As they were realizing that TF Amethyst was low in ammunition but potential conflict continued to come, TF Amethyst's higher-ups started to explore the possibility of a weapon system made of local material. The basic parameters they set were, it must be easy to mass produce, low in operational and maintenance costs, compact in size and having high mobility, and could be operated by local allies.

One of the options which were then adopted was Molotov cocktails. It was super cheap because Amethyst Merchant already established a glass bottle factory, and also had abundant supplies of Nouel Biofuel.

Doctrine and mechanism to maximize the effect of Molotov cocktail was then designed and led to the formation of Molotov Catapult Company. The first company consisted of four batteries, and each battery was equipped with eight catapults, where all of the members were recruited from Tuscan Guard.

After two months undergoing intensive training at Harley Quinn, the 1st Tuscan Molotov Catapult Company finally got the chance of their first combat deployment.

For two months, they didn't communicate or meet their families, and right after they finished their training they were sent to the front line. Even so, every personnel of 1st Tuscan Molotov Catapult Company cheerfully welcomed their first firing mission.

Fifty meters behind the north outer wall and right next to Mortar 60 mm firing station, Lieutenant Mahak shouted his order loudly.

"Get your ass moving faster, I want Battery A1 to become the first unit to launch a Molotov salvo in real combat."

"""Sir!!""

Crew of Molotov catapult from Battery A1 firmly replied as they conducted their combat preparation.

The Molotov catapult had a simple construction. It was consisting of a tripod, launcher spring, launcher shaft to direct the throw, and a manual mechanism to calculate the impact point. Every single part of it was made of fire-resistant and lightweight synthetic material, and could be loaded into a M1152 Cargo along with its crew and five wooden crates of 16-bottle Molotov cocktails.

And most importantly, it had an effective range up to 500 meters longer than footbow, very accurate, and only took three minutes to assemble every catapult.

"Catapult A1-1 is ready."

"Catapult A1-2 is ready."

"Catapult A1-3 is ready."

. . .

. . .

"Catapult A1-7 is ready."

"Catapult A1-8 is ready."

After lightly smiling, Lieutenant Mahak turned to Centurion beside him, "Start the salvo."

"Sir."

Without delay, the Centurion carried out the order and the impact points were being calculated. Then, Molotov cocktails that had been lit were being placed on the launcher shaft and the first salvo was launched not long afterward. 

The Molotov cocktails drew a high arc before landing in its intended target almost simultaneously.

Blaarr!! Blaarr!! Bla-bla-blaaarr!!

The first impact point was the border fence that had been torn down. Of course, most of the Molotov cocktails were not landed on the border fence, but on the head of the mercenaries who were passing through on it. In an instant, a blast of fierce fire flared up.

Because the bottle was designed to be easily broken when falling from certain height, the Molotov cocktails that happened to fall on empty ground were also broken at first impact and immediately created a fire plot.

Systematically and rapidly, the border fence along the border received a salvo of Molotov cocktails. Followed by salvo from the west and east outer wall, with a point of impact of 2000 meters from outer wall.

In a matter of minutes, a neatly U-shaped and thick firewall surrounded the north, west, and east outer wall. Even so, the salvo of Molotov cocktail continued to be launched and only stopped after the trumpet as a signal of the retreat was heard.

Once the flow of human wave was stopped, the riffle teams and fire teams finally managed to sweep clean every mercenary that was trapped between the firewalls.

*****