Starting from the Planetary Governor - Chapter 621

Chapter 619, New and Old

Upon their founding, each founding Chapter developed distinct styles due to differences in their gene-seed.

Of course, these differences are relatively minor overall, especially when applied to individual members. For example, the Phoenix Chapter has always been known for its exceptional swordsmanship and individual combat prowess, but even when top-tier warriors compete in a duel, they might not necessarily claim the swordsmanship championship. These differences are primarily manifested on a large, general scale, and the differences are relatively modest.

Therefore, it’s difficult to say whether these styles stem from differences in gene-seed and abilities, or whether variations in Chapter culture, which fostered preferences in the training and selection of new blood, exacerbated the specialized styles.

After the founding Legions were split into numerous Chapters, these Chapters generally inherited the characteristics of their parent Chapters and, over the long years to come, developed their own distinct Chapters.

For example, the Phoenix inherited the Phoenix’s powerful individual combat capabilities, but while not exceeding their limits, they also developed a generally stronger physique and unwavering willpower.

The New World Torches, however, were too late.

Their gene-seed originated from the Infinite Chapter. This Chapter’s defining characteristic was… lack of distinction. They didn’t stand out in any particular area, but neither did they have flaws. Their gene-seed was highly adaptable, allowing for rapid expansion, coupled with strict discipline and exceptional tactical prowess, forming the quintessential Space Marine.

This was also true of the New World Torches, at least the older ones. It’s

possible that these new Torches might develop a more ferocious, rabid-style combat style in the future.

This would be a result of the sins they consciously bear, and the long-standing Chapter culture they might develop.

But that’s a story for another time.

For now, at least, the veteran Torches, led by Wang Mengsong, remained largely normal.

Wang Mengsong held no official position. Even the Atonement Battalion wasn’t his responsibility; instead, two new Torches served as its respective Company Commanders.

Normally, the veteran Torches were quite obedient, following the new Company Commanders’ orders.

Wang Mengsong was no different.

But at the most crucial moment, when Wang Mengsong spoke, who would these old torches ultimately listen to?

Of course, he.

The old torches wouldn’t directly confront the new captain. They simply devised ways to sneak away during missions, and with the help of other old torches, they eventually reunited with Wang Mengsong.

At this point, the two new captains discovered that 70% to 80% of their redeemed veterans had disappeared.

They quickly reported the news. Second Captain Leo Elrich, the Chapter’s overall commander in charge of the Starport operation, angrily sent a message to Wang Mengsong, whose suggestion had been rejected:

“You traitor! What are you trying to do? You’ve ruined the Chapter once, aren’t you? You’re going to do it a second time? I tell you, forget it! When the mission is over, I, along with the Chapter Commander, will chop off your head!”

But Wang Mengsong didn’t reply.

Around him gathered 144 old torches.

Under Wang Mengsong’s command, they circled to the other side of the main battlefield.

There, Wang Mengsong observed a risk that Erich had overlooked.

Upon his arrival, that risk had materialized.

An elite Skitarii force, numbering over six hundred, was rapidly advancing through the narrow, approximately twelve-meter-wide starport passageway.

They were composed entirely of Dragoon mechs.

These tall, highly maneuverable creatures, armed with beam-energy lances, could pose a deadly threat to Space Marines and even Terminators at both close range and range.

This Dragoon regiment was undoubtedly a crucial weapon.

Erich, charging head-on, had only three hundred men at his disposal, all of whom were practically swamped in the fray. If such a highly mobile elite force suddenly appeared from his flank and rear, coupled with a counterattack by the main Skitarii force on the front lines, the New World Torch would suffer a heavy loss.

Excessive casualties could even jeopardize the entire operation.

Wang Mengsong, perceptive enough to perceive this, actually stopped the dragoons.

Now it was the Torchbearers’ turn to launch a surprise attack on the dragoons while they were maneuvering at full speed.

Two squads were tasked with intercepting the front, their firepower effectively stopping the dragoons.

Given their superior firepower and mobility, the dragoons’ defenses were far from perfect.

Therefore, a head-on interception wasn’t an option; even a single volley of lances from the six hundred dragoons at the forefront would rip them apart.

The two squads employed an ambush tactic, hiding in plain sight. As the dragoons passed, they unleashed a barrage of bolter fire and quickly advanced to close range.

While the dragoons’ lances could switch to melee mode, offering even greater power, the Space Marines still held a comparative advantage in close combat.

Crucially, the close combat not only prevented the other nearby Dragoons from passing through, but also made it difficult for them to find opportunities to concentrate their fire on the two-meter-tall Space Marines, surrounded by a swarm of four-meter-tall Dragoons.

The besieging Dragoons had become a cover.

Just as they were thrown into disarray by the twenty Space Marines, dozens of Space Marines suddenly emerged from the tops of the fifteen-meter-high walls on either side. From their commanding heights, they unleashed a barrage of bolters at the Dragoons. Meanwhile, dozens more, under cover of fire, scaled the walls, wielding melee weapons like chainswords and chainsaw axes, charging into the enemy ranks.

Wang Mengsong personally led the charge.

He also recorded a short video of the situation, including the camera function on his helmet’s visor, and sent it to Leo Erich.

…

Erich fell silent.

A cold sweat broke out on his back.

Even without Wang Mengsong’s report, he could have sensed the flanking battle.

He imagined six hundred dragoons charging from his flank and rear, their energy spears raining down upon him while he was caught off guard. Caught

between two opposing lines, not only would their attack be repelled, but they might even leave behind over a hundred casualties.

They’d already suffered over fifty casualties. With that much loss, and more than half their personnel gone, how could they possibly challenge the defenses of Alamita Starport?

Not only would they fail to kill their target, but they would also lose the strategically important points they had previously secured.

He had to admit that Wang Mengsong, whom he had just scolded, had saved their mission.

He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He simply turned his head back and continued to command his troops, charging headfirst.

Meanwhile, Wang Mengsong, leading the veteran Torches, quickly defeated the six hundred dragoons.

This group of highly skilled but thin-skinned creatures, with their high mobility, infiltrated the rear of the battlefield and launched the first attack, posing a great threat. However, when they were ambushed and attacked by the Space Marines, who had taken the initiative, their thin skin was exposed. Furthermore, the Torch Marines were still engaging in close combat, which further played to their strengths and mitigated the dragoons’ weaknesses.

Only a small number of the defeated dragoons escaped.

Wang Mengsong did not pursue them.

It’s quite difficult to outrun these long-legged mechanical creatures, and pursuing them would be a waste of time.

Gather the troops and count the casualties.

It’s not a big problem; the team still retains a relatively strong fighting capacity.

The operation must continue, of course.

Wang Mengsong planned to open a second front from the flank, from the direction the dragoons came, and attack the enemy positions.

He shared his idea with Eric, but

Eric didn’t respond.

As the commander-in-chief, he didn’t object. Wang Mengsong’s previous actions had proven his astute and correct judgment, and had indeed saved the entire team. Furthermore, opening a second front from the flank, regardless of its effectiveness, would provide significant support to Eric’s main battlefield.

However, no matter how righteous his plan, Wang Mengsong’s sudden command of the troops was still an unauthorized and illegal act. Coupled with past prejudices, Eric was unwilling to endorse his actions.

Wang Mengsong didn’t care.

He would act regardless of Eric’s approval.

If Erich were willing to offer some cooperation on the front lines, that would be best; even if he didn’t, Wang Mengsong would act according to his own ideas and do his utmost to ensure the mission’s completion.

Let me show you that despite their past flaws, the seniors are undoubtedly capable!

Following the path of the dragoons’ assault, they fought their way back, circumventing the starport’s command tower and launching their attack from the other side.

Only twenty men remained to guard the rear and block any approaching reinforcements, while the remaining hundred or so men threw themselves into the fray.

This wave of attack placed immense pressure on the Skitarii troops at the command tower. They clearly hadn’t anticipated the sudden appearance of Wang Mengsong’s troops from the very direction they were attacking.

After the dragoons were routed and the final report mentioned their approach, the command tower hastily mobilized a number of troops to establish a defensive presence.

Upon their arrival, these troops were met with a fierce attack from the Old Torches.

Their initial difficulty lay in their inadequate defenses, and they were attacked before they had even established a firm foothold.

Then, the defenders made their second mistake: misjudging the tactics of the old Torches.

They hadn’t anticipated that these men, wearing the same power armor and livery, would employ completely different tactics! They continued to use the same tactics against the new Torches, and suffered a heavy loss.

Their fighting style was completely different from the reckless, mad-dog-like New Torches on the front lines.

They were noticeably calmer and more methodical.

Sometimes this wasn’t necessarily a good thing, but in this case, it was quite useful.

The best way to deal with a powerful mad dog wasn’t to engage head-on.

The Mechanicus’ Skitarii had created numerous obstacles. Whenever the Space Marines exerted even a little strength, they abandoned their positions, but they also left some hidden sentries behind them. Within the ruins of buildings, in small rooms, around corners… their forces were few, only thirty or fifty. As the Space Marines moved on to the next position, they would often emerge from behind, bringing their heavy firepower and firing from behind.

This method, while securing positions captured by the Space Marines, was inherently dangerous. Reserving troops to defend them was crucial, significantly limiting the forces available for the offensive.

With each layer of delay, the Space Marines’ offensive naturally became less and less effective.

However, this tactic, effective on the front lines, proved ineffective on the flanks.

These Old Torches were not known for reckless attacks, nor for brutal, ferocious assaults. However, they were far more organized and disciplined.

This led to positions that could have held longer being hastily abandoned due to miscalculations. Furthermore, the arsenals they had deployed on their positions were quickly and expertly cleared out by the Old Torches.

They would not recklessly advance without a firm foothold.

Wang Mengsong, leading the vanguard, maintained pressure from the front while retaining sufficient troops to clean up the mess.

Once cleaned up, they would catch up again.

As a result, the defenders surrendered their positions but were unable to drag the Old Torches into the quagmire. The troops hidden in their positions not only failed to perform as expected, but were easily eliminated due to their excessive dispersion.

This exacerbated the defenders’ shortage of manpower on the flanks.

By the time they discovered this problem, it was too late.

Even the temporary transfer of elite troops from the front—a group of Basilisk mechas, along with Hammer mechas, elite cyborgs, and the like—served as a mere fueling tactic, with waves of attacks followed by waves of defeat.

During the battle, the performance of Wang Mengsong, the former commander, was particularly outstanding. He

was undoubtedly a champion of his chapter. Against him, he could single-handedly dispatch the elite units of the Skitarii, even Knight Titans.

With his targeted elimination of high-threat units, the flank assault was even faster than expected, so fast that even the rearguard couldn’t mobilize troops to make up for the shortfall.

They reached the command tower.

Their target, the sage responsible for the overall management of the Aramita Starport, was inside.

They only needed to charge in and kill them, and the mission would be accomplished.

Wang Mengsong would undoubtedly have the greatest achievement.

But he didn’t do that.

There was no other consideration, just discipline.

He left most of his troops to guard the outer door of the command tower.

He himself led an elite team to support the front battlefield.

Due to their influence and Wang Mengsong’s personal assault, the front battlefield could no longer withstand it.

After sacrificing more than a hundred Space Marines, Erich’s troops broke through the Crusader Army’s defense line.

The two sides successfully joined forces.

(End of this chapter)