RTS System in the Apocalypse: New World

The Secondary queue closed behind it.

Hans could not begin another defensive structure until the Pillbox finished.

The Engineer continued marking the plan anyway.

"The second Pillbox should cover the eastern road, Commander. The first one will cover the southeastern approach."

"And after that?"

She pointed toward the Wall section between both sectors.

"A Garrison Post."

Hans opened the building tab.

The name was there.

That was almost everything the System gave him.

"What does it do?"

"It is a fortified infantry position," the Engineer explained. "It can be integrated directly into the Wall. Six soldiers can occupy it at first, and it can later be expanded to hold a full squad."

She moved her finger farther behind the Wall.

"It also carries a support cannon for long-range area denial. Its minimum range is two hundred meters, so it should not be placed too far inside the perimeter."

The platoon leader stepped closer to the map.

"Put it between east and southeast, Commander. The Machine Gunners and Guardian GIs can use the lower firing positions. The cannon can cover whichever road receives the larger concentration."

Hans looked toward both approaches.

That made sense.

The Pillboxes would fire on their own.

The Garrison Post would become stronger depending on who occupied it.

"Mark it."

"Yes, Commander."

The Engineer drew another outline near the center of the protected yard.

"We also recommend a Sensor Tower here."

Hans looked at the structure name next.

"And that?"

"The Radar gives us the wider battlefield," she answered. "The Sensor Tower handles the immediate area in greater detail. Movement between buildings. Thermal signatures. Electromagnetic activity. It will also strengthen local communications and improve targeting information for the defensive sectors."

"So it does not replace the Radar."

"No, Commander. It supports it. Dense buildings create too many local blind areas for ordinary observation."

Several soldiers on the eastern line glanced toward the surrounding rooftops.

The Radar showed markers.

It did not show every window, loading bay, alley, or obstruction between them and those markers.

"Mark that too."

The Engineer placed one last outline behind the warehouse.

"This section should remain open for a Field Hospital."

Hans checked the name.

"Because of the distance from the main base?"

"And the scale of the operation," she said. "Once we begin clearing deeper districts, returning every wounded soldier to the main base will waste time. The Field Hospital can stabilize casualties here, suppress recoverable infections, and support the advanced treatment procedures used by the female Medics."

Hans looked at the empty section.

The buildings around them were still mostly bare.

But the Engineers were already treating the yard as if hundreds of soldiers would eventually pass through it.

The platoon leader leaned over the map.

"Structures will not hold this position alone, Commander."

"I know."

"We currently have the newly trained squad and the escort teams inside Site Three," he continued. "That is enough to protect Trailblazer Two while the position is being established, but not enough for a permanent garrison."

The escort squads had only accompanied the PCV for its inspection and deployment.

Hans had never ordered an entire platoon to remain here.

"How much do we need?"

"One full platoon assigned to the FOB," the officer answered. "One squad for the eastern sector, one for the southeastern sector, and the remaining squad held inside the perimeter as reserve."

The newly trained squad could remain near Trailblazer Two, the warehouse, and the western lane. They would protect the PCV and reinforce whichever sector needed additional personnel.

"And the escort squads?"

"They can return to their previous assignments once the garrison arrives."

Matilda stepped closer.

"One platoon can be moved forward from the main base for Site Three. The platoon still operating through Route One can continue the sweep and later serve as the first mobile clearing force."

"And the second?"

"Another platoon can be organized from the main base once the vehicle allocation is ready."

Hans looked toward the unfinished defensive line.

That meant the FOB would receive one permanent platoon, while two others remained available for operations outside the Walls.

"Do it."

"Understood, Commander."

Hans looked toward the eastern loading bays.

The Vanguard that had accompanied the convoy had already turned its turret toward the road. Its commander climbed halfway out of the hatch.

"The eastern road gives us the longest firing lane, Commander. We can cover several kilometers from here if the buildings do not obstruct the shot."

The tank commander pointed toward the marked concentrations.

"High-explosive shells for dense infected. APFSDS if something armored or heavily mutated appears. The coaxial machine gun and commander’s heavy machine gun can handle anything that gets too close for the main cannon."

"How many Vanguards do you recommend?"

"Three assigned to Westgate."

Hans had six in total.

"One remains here as the FOB’s heavy reserve," the commander continued. "The other two support the mobile platoons. They should stay on the wider roads and engage from distance instead of following the infantry into every narrow street."

That still left three Vanguards for the main base and his other positions.

The Guardian APC commander joined them.

"We should not assign the APCs to the perimeter, Commander."

Hans looked at him.

"They can reinforce Site Three if something moves toward it, but they should remain with the clearing platoons. If we park them behind the Walls, we lose most of what makes them useful."

He pointed toward the roads outside the yard.

"Three APCs can transport one platoon. Their thirty-millimeter autocannons can suppress infected and lighter mutants while the infantry dismounts, and the coaxial machine guns can handle anything closer to the vehicles."

"And the smoke?"

"For crossing exposed roads, extracting a squad, or covering a withdrawal. The infantry can also fire through the ports while remaining protected inside."

Hans looked over the available vehicles.

Four Guardian APCs were already operating around Westgate. One had accompanied Trailblazer Two, while the other three remained with the platoon conducting the sweep through Route One.

"Leave those three with the sweep platoon," Hans ordered. "Send another platoon from the main base with three more Guardian APCs and two Vanguards."

Matilda nodded.

"That gives both clearing forces their own transport and armored support."

"And keeps the APCs available for assault," the commander added. "They can return here to reload, move casualties, or receive another assignment, but they do not become fixed defenses."

"Good."

Hans looked at the platoon leader.

"Once the garrison platoon arrives, it holds Site Three with the new squad. The platoon still operating through Route One and the second platoon from the main base remain mobile."

"Understood, Commander."

"Keep both mobile forces within supporting distance. I don’t want one platoon several blocks ahead while the other is stuck somewhere else."

"Yes, Commander."

Hans looked back at the map.

The northern and eastern roads led toward the industrial districts and the Nuclear Power Plant. The southeastern route pushed toward the core, while the southern roads entered the western commercial districts.

There was no reason to decide the exact direction before the third sweep returned.

For now, the two mobile platoons only needed to remain ready.

The two Vanguards assigned to them would stay on the wider roads and support the APCs from distance. They could destroy concentrations before the infantry reached them, then withdraw toward Site Three if the infected began moving in numbers the platoons could not handle.

The third Vanguard would remain inside the FOB.

It would not be fixed to one sector either. If east came under pressure, it could fire down the industrial road. If something moved from the southeast or south, it could reposition across the yard and support those approaches instead.

"And the Hellhammers?" Hans asked.

"They remain at the main base," Matilda answered. "Westgate is already within range. Moving them here would expose the vehicles without really improving their coverage."

The platoon leader agreed.

"Site Three gives them registered targets and controlled approaches. The Hellhammers fire from the rear, while the garrison and mobile forces deal with whatever survives or moves away from the bombardment."

That was better.

The Walls and permanent defenses would protect Site Three. The garrison would keep smaller groups away from Trailblazer Two, while the APC-mounted platoons continued clearing instead of waiting behind the perimeter.

The Vanguards would provide the firepower neither the infantry nor Pillboxes could replace.

Hans opened the War Factory interface.

Trailblazer Two only covered one kilometer around Site Three. It would not reach the next northern, eastern, southeastern, or southern advance once the platoons moved farther away.

"Train another Pioneer Construction Vehicle."

------

[ Pioneer Construction Vehicle queued. ]

[ Gold: 54,965 (-15,000) => 39,965 ]

[ Production Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes. ]

------

That PCV would remain mobile until the clearing forces found another location worth keeping.

Hans closed the interface.

The first Pillbox was still under construction.

The second Pillbox, Garrison Post, Sensor Tower, and Field Hospital remained marks on the Engineers’ map. Their locations could already be prepared, but none of them could enter the Secondary queue yet.

The reinforcements were being organized.

Site Three would keep one platoon, the newly trained squad, and one Vanguard behind its Walls. Two mobile platoons would operate outside the perimeter with six Guardian APCs and two more Vanguards, ready to clear whichever direction Hans selected next or return if something larger moved toward the FOB.

Hans looked east.

The artillery could remain silent a little longer.

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