Chapter 209: Leaving the Plateau

Chapter 209: Leaving the Plateau

The western formations left their old positions first. Their commander sent two rifle formations ahead while the machine-gun crews remained behind until the route was secure. The western terrain had low stone shelves, shallow depressions, and narrow channels that could hide Astragoths from direct view, so he kept the first two formations close enough to support each other.

An observer moving with the lead formation reported several Astragoths farther ahead. Most were continuing west, but one group had stopped beside a shallow depression directly across the goblins’ route. The western commander contacted the lead officer and ordered him to stop before entering the lower ground.

"I can see five Astragoths from here," the officer reported after moving forward to inspect the depression. "There are more behind them, but the western bank is blocking most of my view. They’ve stopped moving away. If we cross now, my men will be below them before we know how many are waiting."

"Then stay on this side," the western commander replied. "Put your first rifle group along the eastern bank, bring the second group onto the northern end, and leave the center clear for the machine gun. If they attack, they’ll have to cross the depression or climb this bank."

"The northern end bends toward us. I’ll put extra rifles there so anything using the lower route can’t reach the line unseen."

The Astragoths moved before the goblins finished setting their positions. Three came directly toward the center while another group entered the depression and followed its northern side. The lead officer reported the split as soon as the second group dropped below the bank.

"Three are coming straight toward the gun. The others went into the depression on my right. I can still see the first two, but the rest are hidden."

"Keep the machine gun on the center group," the western commander said. "Move one rifle group to the northern edge and cover the climb. Don’t send anyone down after them."

The center machine gun opened fire as the three Astragoths crossed the exposed ground. Riflemen on both sides joined once the creatures entered range. One fell before reaching the depression, while a second continued farther before repeated hits brought it down. The third changed direction and moved toward the northern end.

Moments later, the first Astragoth appeared below the rifles on the right. The officer there saw two creatures in front and at least three more behind them using the same route. He kept the first rifle line at the edge and placed the second several steps back so both groups could fire without crowding each other.

The first Astragoth climbed until most of its upper body cleared the bank. Several riflemen fired together and knocked it back into the depression. The second moved around it and climbed higher, but repeated shots stopped it before it reached the top. The creatures behind them stopped advancing and withdrew through the lower ground. The third Astragoth from the center tried to reach the same route but was forced west by rifle fire.

The western commander did not order a pursuit. He sent observers to both ends of the depression and told the lead formation to hold until they confirmed that no second group was using the lower ground.

After several minutes, the lead officer reported, "The attackers are still moving west. I don’t see another group behind them. Both ends of the depression are clear."

"Send one rifle group across. They take the western bank and check the next stretch before anyone else moves. Keep the machine gun here until they report."

The first group descended, crossed the bottom, and climbed the western bank. Once they reached the top, they spread along the edge and checked the terrain ahead. Their officer reported that the retreating Astragoths were still visible farther west and that a broad stone shelf lay ahead.

"Hold the bank until the gun crosses," the western commander replied. "After the rest of the formation joins you, move to that shelf. Don’t follow the Astragoths beyond it."

The machine-gun crew crossed next, followed by the remaining riflemen. The western force continued toward the stone shelf without trying to close the distance with the retreating creatures.

When the lead formation reached the shelf, the commander stopped the advance. He ordered the first formation across the front edge, one rifle group on the northern side, another on the southern side, and the machine gun behind the center with a clear firing lane west.

The lead officer checked the southern end. "This side has less cover. I can place another rifle group here, but most of them will be exposed if the Astragoths come from the southwest."

"We’ll reinforce it after the line is settled," the commander replied. "For now, keep rifles watching that approach."

South of the plateau, the advance faced a different problem. There were fewer Astragoths in sight, but the ground offered less cover. Most of the area was open, with shallow cuts and small stone patches breaking up the southern approach.

The southern commander moved his formations in staggered groups. The first advanced directly south, a second followed behind and slightly west, and a third remained farther east so both sides of the lead unit stayed under observation.

An observer reported several Astragoths continuing away to the south and another group farther southeast. None had turned toward the goblins.

"Keep both groups in sight, but don’t increase your pace," the southern commander said. "I want the side formations checking the eastern and western approaches before the center moves past them."

"The western side is clear so far. The eastern group can still see the Astragoths to the southeast."

"Maintain the spacing. If either side finds a channel or depression deep enough to hide movement, stop and check it before the center advances."

The southern force continued without direct contact. The goblins crossed two shallow cuts and moved across a wide stretch of open ground before the lead formation reached a low stone formation extending across part of the center.

The lead officer reported, "The stone is low, but it gives the center some cover. There’s a shallow cut near the western side, and the eastern side is open enough to see toward the next sector."

The southern commander inspected the position. "Keep the center on the stone. Send one group west to cover that cut and another east until they can see the approach toward the eastern sector. Once both sides are occupied, stop the rest here."

The western group took positions above the shallow cut, while the eastern group spread across the open ground far enough to watch the neighboring approach. Once both sides were secure, the southern commander contacted the field commander.

"I have a line I can hold. The center has stone cover, the west controls the shallow cut, and the east has a clear view. I can keep a reserve behind the middle without blocking the rifles."

"Can anything move from the south toward the plateau without crossing one of your positions?" the field commander asked.

"Not after both ends are fully occupied. The western cut is covered, and the eastern side has no concealed approach. I don’t need to move farther south."

"Then hold there. Keep observers ahead, but don’t send combat formations past the line."

With the western and southern movements complete, the field commander updated the positions around the plateau. Goblin forces now occupied forward ground in all four directions, but the gaps between neighboring sectors were still large enough to slow reinforcements.

He showed Noah the marked positions. "West and south are in place. The next problem is movement between sectors. If west needs troops from north, sending them back through the plateau wastes time. East and south have the same problem."

"Connect them directly," Noah said. "I want a usable route between every neighboring pair. West to north, north to east, east to south, and south back to west. Keep the plateau inside that network."

"I’ll have both commanders on each side work toward each other. They can choose terrain both sectors can actually use."

"Keep every route wide enough for full formations and equipment. Don’t choose a path that forces troops into single file or makes the machine-gun crews carry weapons through narrow channels."

The northern commander sent a group southwest toward the western sector while the western commander sent another northeast. They avoided steep drops and narrow channels even when those routes were shorter. The eastern commander started clearing a route south along the lower part of his slope, and the southern commander sent one of his eastern groups northeast to meet them. Because much of that route crossed open ground, both commanders marked positions where rifle groups could protect troops moving between sectors.

The route between south and west required more planning. A shallow depression crossed the most direct path, and the southern commander did not want reinforcements moving through it without cover.

"The direct route between us crosses a depression," he told the western commander. "If I send a formation through during a fight, they’ll be below both banks for part of the crossing."

"I have a rifle group close to the northern edge," the western commander replied. "I can move them south enough to cover the depression from my side. If you cover the southern bank, troops moving through it will have rifles protecting both exits."

"That handles the cover. We also need enough width for a full formation to cross without breaking into smaller groups."

"I’ll keep the route clear until both sides finish marking it. Nothing gets built inside the crossing."

Once the four routes were established, Noah asked how well each sector could handle an attack without immediate help. The field commander explained that north and east already had useful terrain. West had a strong central position on the stone shelf but an exposed southern side, while south had clear fields of fire but little natural protection.

"West and south can stop a small attack now," the field commander said, "but I want stronger positions before either side faces a larger force."

"Then we build before advancing again," Noah replied. "Each sector should be able to take the first attack with the troops already there. Reinforcements should strengthen a line under pressure, not be required to keep it from collapsing."

The field commander passed the construction order to all four sectors.

In the west, riflemen marked the forward edge of the stone shelf while other soldiers carried loose stone into gaps where the natural position offered little protection. The western commander inspected the southern end and told the officer there to move the front rifles farther back from the edge so they could fire across the southwest approach before an Astragoth reached the shelf.

"I can put two rifle groups behind the reinforced edge and keep another closer to the southern route," the officer said. "That covers the approach without blocking the connection."

"Use that arrangement. Keep the route wide enough for another formation to pass while the work continues."

In the south, soldiers started digging around the low stone formation. They deepened existing depressions behind it and piled the removed earth along the exposed sections. The southern commander ordered more workers to the eastern and western ends because those areas had the least natural cover.

One officer pointed toward the eastern side. "I can place a machine gun behind the rifle line here, but it needs a clear firing lane through the center-right approach."

"Mark the lane before anyone piles earth or stone in front of it," the commander replied. "Build around the gun position. Do the same on the western side so both crews can fire without moving their weapons after the defenses are finished."

North and east also began improving their positions. Northern troops strengthened the elevated ground and cleared the new route leading southwest. On the eastern slope, soldiers reinforced exposed rifle positions and marked the direct connection toward the southern sector.

The four commanders continued sending progress reports. None requested another advance. Their attention remained on the positions already occupied and the routes connecting them.

The field commander summarized the latest reports for Noah. "West is reinforcing the stone shelf and its southern side. South is digging along the open front and preparing two machine-gun positions. North is strengthening its elevated position, and east is reinforcing the slope. All four connecting routes are marked and usable."

"Keep those routes open while construction continues," Noah said. "Every sector needs rifle positions facing outward, machine guns with clear firing lanes, and a reserve position behind the front. No trench, stone pile, or equipment position should block movement between neighboring sectors."

Across the outer line, goblins continued digging and carrying stone. Soldiers strengthened the northern and southern positions, added cover along the eastern slope, and reinforced the exposed parts of the western shelf. Other groups cleared the direct routes between neighboring sectors and marked the areas that had to remain open for troop movement. By the time the next reports reached the plateau, goblin forces in the north, east, south, and west were all constructing defensive fortifications facing outward while the connecting routes remained open for reinforcements.