Chapter 216: Holding the Advance

Chapter 216: Holding the Advance

Three northern formations had stopped moving. The center had advanced farther than the formation on its left, which was still replacing soldiers lost during the fighting. The formation on the right had also slowed after several of its groups took casualties. The difference in their positions left open ground between the center and left formations.

The northern commander contacted the officer leading the center.

"Hold where you are. Your left side is still short on men, and you’re getting too far ahead for them to support you."

The officer looked across the open ground separating the formations. "The gap is already wide enough to cause trouble. I can move one group left, but I’d have to take soldiers from the center."

"Don’t. If you thin out the center, you’ll create another weak position. Move one machine gun to your left and put a full soldier group behind it. They can cover the gap until the other formation gets its replacements."

"That should work as long as the Astragoths don’t come through in large numbers. If several survive the machine gun, the soldiers behind it will have to stop them before they reach the rest of us."

"That’s fine. I’d rather have one strong position covering the gap than spread your men across ground they can’t properly hold."

"I’ll move the crew now and leave the rest of the formation where it is."

The machine-gun crew shifted to the left edge of the center formation. Nearby soldiers carried ammunition with them, while one group moved behind the weapon. The rest of the center stayed in place and continued watching the ground ahead.

East had developed a similar problem. Its center had moved farther than the right formation, which had stopped after taking casualties. The eastern commander ordered the center to hold until the right side received enough replacements to move again.

Noah received both reports at the command position. On the field map, the northern center sat ahead of the formations on either side. East showed a smaller difference between its center and right.

The field commander placed the latest strength reports beside the map. "North has three formations that need replacements before I’d let them move again. One of them still has enough men to hold its current position, but not enough to cover more ground. East has one formation in the same condition."

"How far away are the replacements?" Noah asked.

"The first northern group is already moving forward. Another group is behind them with ammunition. East has fresh soldiers following after that."

"Then the damaged formations wait for them."

The field commander pointed to the northern center. "That one still has enough strength to continue, and there’s nothing blocking the ground directly ahead."

"If it keeps moving, the gap on its left gets wider. The Astragoths could move through there and attack the side of the formation. Keep the center where it is."

"I’ll tell north and east to use the same rule. If one formation has to stop, the neighboring formation waits until they can move together."

"That’s what I want. We already paid enough soldiers for letting the line stretch too far."

The order went forward. Tanks stayed behind the soldiers instead of continuing deeper into the battlefield. Machine-gun crews were moved toward exposed approaches, and RPG teams stayed close enough to support more than one position. Officers used the pause to check ammunition and identify which groups needed replacement soldiers first.

The Astragoths moved before the northern replacements arrived.

An observer saw two enemy groups turn toward the space between the northern center and left formations. Both had been moving away from the goblins before changing direction.

The center officer saw them soon afterward.

"Commander, two Astragoth groups are moving toward the gap on my left. They aren’t coming toward my center."

"Can you cover that space without pulling too many men out of position?"

"No. If I spread my left group across the gap, I’ll leave the center too thin."

"Then don’t spread them. How much of that approach can your machine gun cover?"

"Most of it. The crew has a clear line until the ground rises near the other formation."

"Good. Let the gun handle the leading group. Keep your soldiers behind the crew until the Astragoths get close enough for them to help."

The officer looked back along the route from the rear. "I can see the replacements coming, but they haven’t reached the left formation yet. The Astragoths will get into the gap first."

"That’s all right. You don’t need to hold the entire gap with soldiers. You need to stop those groups from crossing it before the replacements arrive. Keep your center where it is unless the enemy turns toward you."

The machine gun opened fire as the first Astragoth group entered the open ground. The crew concentrated on the nearest creatures while the soldiers behind them held their fire until the distance closed.

Several Astragoths fell before reaching the middle of the gap. The survivors continued forward.

The second group changed direction again. Instead of following the first, it moved farther left toward the depleted formation waiting for replacements.

The center officer reported the movement.

"The second group is turning toward the left formation. They’re no longer coming through my part of the gap."

"Can the left formation see them?"

"Yes. They’ve already shifted soldiers toward that side."

"Keep the machine gun firing across their path. Don’t move your center after them."

"I can swing the gun farther left without moving the soldiers."

"Do that. Let the other formation engage them from the front. You keep hitting them from the side."

The machine-gun crew adjusted its aim while the weakened formation opened fire. The Astragoths now had to continue forward under fire from both positions.

The first replacement group reached the depleted formation before the Astragoths closed the remaining distance. Their officer met them behind the fighting line.

The replacement leader looked toward the right side. "That side is taking most of the pressure. Do you want everyone there?"

"No. Send your first group right because that’s where the enemy is coming from. Split the rest between the center and left."

"You’re still short in the center?"

"We lost men there too. If I put everyone on the right, I fix one problem and leave another one waiting for us."

"Understood. I’ll reinforce all three positions."

"Keep the right group inside the existing line. Don’t send them forward. The soldiers already there know exactly where the Astragoths are coming from."

The replacements moved into position. Their added fire increased the pressure on the approaching Astragoths. The nearest creatures were killed before reaching the goblin line, and the remaining members of the group turned away after taking further losses.

The northern commander contacted both officers once the immediate attack was over.

"Neither of you moves yet. Finish placing the replacements and check your ammunition first."

The center officer looked toward the machine gun covering the gap. "I’ll leave that crew where it is until the left formation is ready. There’s no reason to move it while this is still the easiest route between us."

"Keep it there. Once both formations confirm they’re ready, we’ll move them together."

More replacements arrived over the next period. Officers placed them directly into formations that had lost soldiers rather than creating a separate attacking force. East did the same, reinforcing its right side before allowing the center to continue.

West needed fewer replacements because its formations had taken fewer casualties. South required only a small number of fresh soldiers and additional ammunition.

The northern supply route became crowded as replacements and ammunition moved forward while wounded goblins returned toward the perimeter. At one narrow stretch, an incoming group had to stop because two stretcher teams and several walking wounded were coming from the opposite direction.

A rear officer saw the delay and reorganized the route. Replacements and ammunition used the right side whenever the ground was wide enough, while wounded soldiers and empty carriers used the left. At narrow points, one direction stopped completely until the other passed.

The northern commander contacted him after the next replacement group reached the forward line without stopping.

"That group got here faster. What changed?"

"The wounded and the replacements were using the same path. I split the traffic. Fresh soldiers and ammunition stay on one side. Wounded and empty carriers use the other."

"What happens at the narrow parts?"

"I put soldiers there to control the movement. One direction waits until the other clears. Stretcher teams get priority if they need the full width."

"Keep it that way. The farther we advance, the longer this route becomes. I don’t want our own traffic slowing down the reinforcements we’re waiting for."

"I’ll keep men at those points and send ammunition forward with every replacement group that can carry it."

Once the northern formations had enough soldiers to cover their positions again, the field commander updated Noah.

"North has restored all three formations that stopped. East has finished rebuilding its right side. They’re still distributing ammunition, but the gaps are covered."

"How many fresh soldiers are still behind the front?" Noah asked.

"Enough to form another attacking formation if we combine the next arrivals."

"Don’t form one. Keep them as replacements."

The field commander looked at the forward markers. "You want them waiting behind north and east?"

"Yes. We don’t need another formation right now. We need soldiers ready to replace losses before another gap appears."

"That will also let us send them wherever the next casualties are highest."

"Exactly. Keep them unassigned until one of the commanders needs them."

The field commander nodded toward the northern positions. "North and east should be ready to move again once the ammunition is distributed."

"Let them continue, but neighboring formations move together."

The northern commander checked the left, center, and right formations before restarting the counterattack. The left had received enough replacements to cover its assigned ground. The center still had most of its original strength, while the right had taken fewer casualties and was ready to move.

He contacted the officers at the front.

"Center and left move first. Right stays where it is until they reach the next position. Machine guns stay here and cover them."

The center officer studied the ground ahead. "How far do you want us to go? The nearest Astragoths are still moving away."

"Only far enough to keep the center and left level. If either side meets resistance, both formations stop."

"My tank has a clear shot at the group ahead of the center."

"Use it before the soldiers move. There’s no reason to send them across open ground while the tank can hit the target from here."

The tank fired. Several Astragoths were hit, while the survivors moved farther away. Another group ahead of the left began withdrawing after artillery landed behind it.

The center and left formations advanced while the machine guns stayed at their previous positions and covered the movement. Neither formation moved past the other. Once both reached the next position, they stopped and established their line.

The right formation then moved forward until all three were level. Only after the soldiers were in place did the machine-gun crews leave their previous positions and move closer.

East restarted in the same way. Its center waited until the reinforced right side was ready, and the two formations advanced together while their machine guns covered them from behind.

West also resumed moving beyond the stone shelf. Its commander kept the neighboring formations close and stopped the advance whenever one side encountered resistance. South continued at its slower pace without needing a large reinforcement group.

The northern advance was slower than before, but the formations no longer left large spaces between them.

Another Astragoth group stopped ahead of the northern left. The officer there halted his soldiers immediately.

"I have a group ahead of the left. They’ve stopped retreating and turned toward us. The center still has a clear route."

The northern commander answered, "Then the center stops with you. Can the tank fire without putting your soldiers in the way?"

"Yes. The Astragoths are still far enough ahead."

"Use the tank. Neither formation moves until that group retreats or is destroyed."

The tank fired into the Astragoths. Several fell, while the survivors began moving away.

The left officer watched them withdraw before contacting the commander again. "They’re leaving the area. I don’t have anything else blocking the front."

"Then continue with the center. Keep your formations level."

The two formations advanced together.

East and west used the same method whenever they encountered resistance. If one formation had to stop, the neighboring groups waited rather than moving beyond it. Machine-gun crews remained behind the soldiers until each new position was secure, then moved forward under cover.

The field commander updated Noah after the next reports arrived.

"North has all three formations moving together again. East restored its right side and is advancing with the center. West has resumed its movement beyond the shelf. South is still advancing at the same pace."

"Has anyone dropped below strength again?"

"Not enough to stop. North used most of the replacements we sent, but the formations can still cover their assigned ground."

"Keep fresh soldiers behind them. If another formation loses enough men that it can’t cover its position, it stops immediately. I don’t want the commanders waiting until another gap is already open."

"I’ll send that to all four directions. The next replacements can go directly to whichever formation takes the heaviest losses."

The northern formations continued forward with the left, center, and right staying close enough to support one another. Fresh soldiers now filled the groups that had suffered casualties. Tanks engaged Astragoths before the soldiers moved, while machine-gun crews shifted only after each new position was secured.

East and west continued with their restored formations, while south maintained its slower advance. The goblins kept all of the ground they had taken, filled the gaps between the forward formations, and continued pushing the Astragoths back without allowing individual groups to move far ahead of the others.