Chapter 204: Expanding the Perimeter

Chapter 204: Expanding the Perimeter

The request to advance came while the remaining Astragoths were still moving down the western slope. Noah opened the field commander’s report on the tactical display. Three rifle units would move beyond the plateau and occupy positions along the route the enemy had used during the first attack. Another unit would remain higher on the slope and cover them until the route below was clear.

The field commander joined the channel.

"The western officer wants his first rifle unit beside the narrow passage halfway down the slope. The second unit will stay above the passage and watch the northern side. Once both groups confirm the route is clear, the third unit will move to the raised shelf farther west and watch the main approach."

Noah enlarged the western side of the map. A tall stone formation stood on the northern side of the passage and blocked sight of the route behind it.

"Can the first unit see the western side of that formation from the passage?"

"No. They can see the southern entrance and the open slope in front of them, but they can’t see anything moving behind the formation. That’s why the second unit is staying higher. If the first group finds an enemy behind the formation, the second can move north and look down on the western exit."

"Then make the stopping points clear before they move. The first unit stays at the passage. The second covers the northern side. The third takes the raised shelf west of them. Nobody follows the retreating Astragoths farther down the slope."

"I’ll pass those exact positions to the western officer."

The first rifle unit left the upper slope. Noah followed its markers as the goblins moved past the bodies left from the earlier battle and reached several waist-high stone outcrops below the plateau.

The supporting unit remained above them with rifles directed toward the passage. The third unit waited near the original defensive line.

The first enemy contact came before the forward unit reached the passage.

An Astragoth rose behind the tall formation, its tail wrapped around a loose stone, and threw it toward the advancing troops. The projectile struck an outcrop several meters ahead of the goblins and shattered. The riflemen moved behind cover and fired toward the creature.

The Astragoth withdrew before enough soldiers could see its body.

The western officer contacted the field commander.

"One Astragoth is behind the tall formation on the north side of the passage. Nobody was hit. The problem is that it can throw directly across the route my first unit has to use. My men can see its tail when it reaches around the formation, but they can’t see its head or torso."

"Keep the first unit south of the passage," the field commander replied. "Can the covering unit move north along the upper slope and reach a position that looks directly at the western exit?"

"They can. They’ll have the formation between them and the first unit, so neither group needs to fire through the other’s position."

"Good. Tell the first unit to keep its rifles aimed at the southern opening. The northern unit watches the western exit. If the Astragoth tries to leave toward the first unit, they shoot it. If it leaves west, the northern unit shoots it. Nobody fires through the passage unless they can see the target clearly."

"That’s clear. I’ll move the covering unit now."

The supporting unit moved north while the forward riflemen remained behind the outcrops.

The Astragoth reached for another stone.

Several goblins fired as soon as part of its body appeared. The creature released the stone and pulled back behind the formation.

By then, the northern unit had reached the ridge overlooking the western exit.

The Astragoth tried to leave through that route.

The northern riflemen opened fire as soon as its full body came into view. The creature turned toward them and raised its tail, but several more rounds struck before it could reach another stone. It collapsed beside the western exit.

The first rifle unit stayed in place until several soldiers checked the passage and the space behind the formation. They found no other Astragoths.

The western officer reported again.

"The passage is clear. I’m moving the third rifle unit to the raised shelf west of the passage. The first unit will remain at the southern entrance until the third is in place."

"Keep the second unit on the ridge until the third reaches the shelf," the field commander said. "I don’t want the western exit unwatched while you’re moving troops."

The third rifle unit descended and occupied the raised shelf overlooking the western slope. The first unit continued watching the passage, while the northern unit shifted slightly along the ridge.

That movement exposed another problem.

The northern officer found a narrow path running behind the tall formation. From the original ridge position, his men could not see anyone entering that path from the west.

The western officer contacted the field commander.

"The second unit found a path behind the tall formation. An Astragoth could enter it from the western slope and reach the rear of the passage without crossing the rifles on the shelf. I’m sending six men to the northern entrance so they can watch the path directly."

"Will the rest of the unit still cover the western exit from the passage?"

"Yes. The six men only need to watch the hidden path. The rest stay on the ridge and keep the exit covered."

"Then move the six men. Don’t shift the first or third unit."

The six riflemen followed the path and confirmed that it connected with the western slope. They took positions where they could see anyone approaching the entrance.

The western officer sent one more update.

"The passage is covered from the south. The ridge unit covers the western exit. Six riflemen cover the hidden path behind the formation. The third unit can see the open western slope from the raised shelf."

"That’s enough for the western side," the field commander replied. "Stop the advance there and bring one machine gun down through the passage."

Several Astragoths remained visible farther west, but they continued moving away. The goblins did not follow.

One machine-gun crew descended through the cleared passage and set up behind the rifle unit on the raised shelf. The second gun remained near the plateau edge, where it could still cover the route between the original line and the new western positions.

Once the western side was ready, the field commander shifted his attention east.

The eastern objective was a group of large stone formations on an exposed slope. Astragoths had used the location to gather stones and throw them at descending pods. Three creatures remained nearby. Two stayed beside the throwing position while another moved north through a shallow depression.

The field commander opened the channel again.

"The eastern officer wants his first rifle unit to approach from the south. A line of waist-high outcrops gives them cover until the last stretch before the throwing position. A second rifle unit will stay north of them and watch the Astragoth moving through the depression."

Noah checked the route.

"How far is the exposed stretch between the last outcrop and the throwing position?"

"Short enough for the riflemen to cross once the two Astragoths beside the stones are pinned down. The eastern officer doesn’t plan to cross it while either creature is free to throw."

"Then use the southern route. Keep the northern unit on the depression. I don’t want them leaving that route open just because the first unit starts fighting."

"The northern officer has that order already. His men won’t move south unless the Astragoth in the depression is dead or retreats north."

The eastern troops began moving.

The first rifle unit descended toward the line of outcrops south of the throwing position. The supporting unit moved farther north and stopped along the upper edge of the depression.

The southern goblins reached cover and observed the two Astragoths near the large formations.

One wrapped its tail around a loose stone.

The riflemen fired before it could throw.

Several rounds struck the creature. It released the stone and retreated behind the formation.

The second Astragoth moved south along the edge of the throwing position. It remained partly concealed until it reached an opening between two formations.

The goblins waited until its body was exposed, then concentrated their fire.

The Astragoth continued forward after the first volley. The rifle unit remained behind the outcrops and fired again. More shots struck the creature until it collapsed before reaching the goblin position.

Farther north, the third Astragoth continued through the depression.

The supporting unit could see only the upper part of its body while it remained below the rim. Their officer kept his soldiers above the depression rather than sending them down after it.

When the Astragoth climbed the eastern side toward them, its body became fully visible.

The goblins opened fire.

The creature tried to descend again but fell before reaching the bottom.

The remaining Astragoth at the throwing position stayed behind the largest formation.

The eastern officer sent several riflemen farther south along a second row of outcrops. From there, they could see the eastern side of the formation and the route the Astragoth would have to use if it retreated.

The creature eventually abandoned the position.

It moved east into the open.

Both goblin groups fired.

The Astragoth fell before reaching the next formation.

The forward unit entered the throwing position.

The goblins found several loose stones gathered behind the largest formation, along with drag marks leading toward the edge facing the plateau. Riflemen checked the eastern and southern sides before assigning firing positions around the formation.

The eastern officer contacted the field commander.

"The throwing position is clear, but the planned machine-gun spot won’t work. The boulder directly behind the rifle line blocks most of the eastern slope."

"Where can the gunner see the eastern approach without firing across your riflemen?"

"About twenty meters south. There’s an opening between two stone formations. From there, the gun can fire down the slope while the rifle line stays in front and north of it."

"Has anyone checked the route between the throwing position and that opening?"

"Not yet. I’m sending the southern rifle group through it first. If they find nothing, the machine-gun crew follows."

"Do that. Don’t move the gun until the riflemen reach the opening and confirm the route is clear."

The southern rifle group checked the route. Once the officer confirmed it was clear, the machine-gun crew moved down and set up at the new position.

Noah looked at the tactical display again.

The western and eastern forces now held positions beyond the original perimeter, but the northern troops remained closer to the plateau. Between the two forward lines was a shallow depression that ran south toward the plateau.

Neither flank could see the full length of it.

The field commander ordered two rifle units forward. One approached from the western side, while the other moved from the east. Both headed toward elevated positions along the rim of the depression.

Before either unit reached its assigned position, the western group reported Astragoths moving through the channel below.

The unit stopped.

Two creatures became visible whenever they crossed exposed sections of the depression. A third appeared farther east, close to the route the eastern rifle unit was using.

The western goblins occupied the western rim and opened fire when the first Astragoth crossed an exposed stretch. The creature withdrew into the lower channel. Another continued south and came under fire from the same rifles.

On the eastern side, the second goblin unit reached a raised shelf and engaged the third Astragoth before it could climb out of the depression.

The two goblin units remained in separate positions.

One Astragoth was killed near the western rim. Another fell while climbing toward the eastern shelf. The remaining creatures moved north and disappeared behind a bend in the depression.

The goblins did not follow.

A third rifle unit moved to a position above the middle of the depression.

The northern commander assigned each unit a specific route.

"The western unit watches the path from the depression toward the western passage. The middle unit watches the channel running north and south. The eastern unit watches the slope leading from the depression toward the throwing position. If you see movement outside your assigned route, call the neighboring unit before shifting men."

The three officers confirmed their routes over the radio.

Another Astragoth group appeared beyond the eastern line. The creatures were moving farther east toward another cluster of large stones.

The eastern officer contacted the field commander.

"There’s another group moving toward a stone cluster east of the throwing position. I can send one rifle unit now and reach the cluster before they do."

"Are they turning west toward the plateau?"

"No. They’re still moving east."

"Then your rifle unit stays at the throwing position. If you move east, the distance between your unit and the eastern group watching the depression becomes too large for them to support each other quickly."

"They could gather stones there and come back."

"They could. If they turn west, your observers will see them crossing the open slope before they reach you. Right now, taking that stone cluster would force me to move another unit east just to protect your northern side. We’re not doing that."

The eastern officer checked the enemy movement once more.

"They’re still heading east. I’ll keep two observers on them and leave the rifle unit where it is."

The advance ended there.

The western rifle units held the passage, the hidden path, and the raised shelf facing the western slope. The eastern troops controlled the throwing position and the southern machine-gun lane. The northern units watched the depression between both sides.

The field commander ordered the goblins to strengthen those positions instead of advancing again.

Machine-gun crews adjusted their weapons to cover the assigned approaches. Radio operators moved forward and confirmed contact between neighboring units. Ammunition carriers followed the cleared routes from the plateau and delivered rifle rounds and machine-gun belts behind the forward positions.

RPG teams remained with the infantry. The central reserve stayed on the plateau.

After receiving the final reports, the field commander contacted Noah.

"The western side is covered from three points: the main passage, the hidden path behind the tall formation, and the raised shelf facing the western slope. The eastern troops hold the throwing position, and the machine gun south of them covers the eastern approach. The northern units cover the western path, the central depression, and the eastern slope. Every forward officer has radio contact, and ammunition can reach all three sectors without crossing a route still used by the Astragoths."

Noah checked each location on the display.

"Keep the units in those positions. If the Astragoths return, I want the first report to tell me which route they’re using, how many are visible, and which unit has contact. Nobody extends the perimeter until we know exactly what threat requires another advance."

"If one route comes under pressure, I’ll reinforce that route from the reserve. I won’t move the other sectors unless their own approaches are threatened."

The channel closed.

The goblin units remained at the positions they had captured while ammunition carriers continued moving between them and the plateau. The western force controlled the routes used during the earlier attack. The eastern force held the location used to throw stones at the pods. The northern rifle units watched the depression connecting both sides.

The goblins had expanded their defensive perimeter while keeping every forward unit within reach of nearby support.