Era 22, March 5, Year 24, 9:43 a.m., 21°C
If the first wave of Greenskins had looked big and ferocious, then compared to the dark-green beasts now swarming across the wasteland, they had been nothing more than chicks whose feathers had yet to grow in.
Their bodies looked disproportionate beneath abnormally swollen muscles. The bloodstained earth trembled beneath countless thick, sturdy legs. Their fang-filled mouths roared the same battle cry, like a heavy hammer striking solidly against everyone's chest.
Through his binoculars, Yusuf spotted some unusual Orks. They wore crude armor made of scrap iron plates and leather tied together with leather cords or bolts, with ridiculous black iron helmets perched on their heads. Unless their vital points were hit repeatedly, rifles would not hurt them much—at most, they would punch a few holes in them.
But these mad Orks clearly would not care about losing a few chunks of flesh. They would soak up every bullet and charge straight at the heads of the division behind the breastworks.
"By Kaimon."
Yusuf prayed.
"Grant us strength."
Then he gave a new order.
"I need all heavy artillery concentrated on those armored bastards. Leave the rest to the field guns, bayonets, and rifles, understood? And have the Wild Wolves await orders. Do not waste their strength; they may need to plug a breach at any moment."
The bombardment was soon ready. The artillerymen were adjusting their final firing angles as Yusuf turned his attention to his chief of staff.
"What is the situation at Fortress 1 and Fortress 2?"
The core of the Aswan Defense Line was Aswan Fortress. Another two smaller satellite fortresses stood one kilometer to either side, one near the Ridge Mountains and the other near Iron Snail Bay. Each was garrisoned by an infantry division and several