Cassidy
Arcane
The Battle of the Pyrenees
Messages from Earth
It didn't matter how many battles were won. The enemy had so many legions, that they have assaulted Toulouse nonstop for the last weeks. They kept sending everything they had against the exhausted heroes, led by Field Marshall and president of the UDMS-KKK Kazimierz Sosnkowski, who, overseeing the desperate situation, orders for the forces to retreat to better defensive positions through the battle. The legions, backed by a few tripods, are as relentless as expected from the corpses of dead soldiers turned into living dead by the highly advanced technology of the xenos. Casualties has been ever high in this eternal battlefield, this true reenactment of Passchendaele. But they knew very well, that if the front is broken, there would be nowhere to retreat, and dozens of millions have returned to Spain and Portugal to rebuild their homes, dozens of millions whose fate lied upon this battle.
That tactical withdrawal was just enough to buy the time necessary for the reinforcements to drive back yet another offensive. The aggressivity of the aliens as the month of November of the year of 1946 was approaching could mean they finally were ready for a final offensive, or that this was an act of desperation while the situation in Africa continued mostly favorable for humanity. A disproportionate amount of alien forces now was in the west European front, focusing on Toulouse, continuing their brutal offensive in spite of how many losses they suffered. The outcome of this conflict may turn out far decisive for the next year, as soon a new offensive shall begin in Asia, and every xeno they kill will be one step closer to the liberation of Earth.
Yet, the xenos never stopped. Even with the arrival of reinforcements, just a few hours after the last wave was stopped, a new one began. This everlasting battle of Toulouse would be forever remembered in History for what it meant. But something was changing. The Tripod divisions have been mostly destroyed in these continual offensives, as did many of the alien forces. They were losing, and they knew it. If only the UDMS-KKK forces could hold long enough to keep inflict further losses, it could take a long time, but eventually, it would be them pushing the line forward.
Sosnkowski continued to lead the defenders through the worst. He gave orders to buy as much time as possible for even further reinforcements to arrive, but, in time, it was becoming clear what the forces that successfully evacuated Arkhangelsk would have to do: unless they arrive in this front, it could collapse now. The other areas were being more and more thinned of defenders as more and more brave men marched to the defense of Tolouse. Had they failed to leave Russia, right now, ITZ would return to Iberia.
The Baneblade and Leman Russ tanks defending Toulouse thus charge for one final counter-attack, as the xenos continue to gain ground. If they can stop them long enough for the reinforcements to arrive, perhaps there is still hope.
Joining the counter-attack, just in time to hopefully revert the situation in this battle, were the elite of the UDMS-KKK. The Air Marines of the Mexicarines and Grey Knights Chapters, the Delta Force and the best men of Canada were there, along this great engagement. Meanwhile, fortunately the evacuation of Russia was at last over, and the several divisions that were there could finally be deployed to defend Aquitaine, provided their transports weren't intercepted along the way. For if they were, millions of lives could be forfeit all across the few liberated parts of Europe.
And then, because everything couldn't get even worse, while the ongoing Battle of Toulouse continued, Perpignan was again threatened, and the Finns, unable to get reinforcements and relying on old equipment, stood little chance alone. Yet they'd do everything they could to stop it.
A legion of highly advanced tanks suddenly came to reinforce the continous offensive against Toulouse. The race against time began as the forces that were temporarily staging in Scapa Flow were to arrive in Bourdeaux, hopefully soon enough to prevent the complete breakdown of these front lines. Yet, even in the most hopeless situation, they didn't give up. They knew dozens of millions depended on their actions, and many of these were their own families, what was left of them after so many tragedies and losses after mankind was brought to near-extinction.
While civilians fled desperatedly from the sections of Toulouse still not seized, as an organized evacuation effort was utterly impossible, once again the armored spearhead of the UDMS-KKK launched a counter-attack, well-aware that the enemy tanks were both numerically and technologically superior. This is just another day on Toulouse, where peace has been long gone.
Perpignan was lost, and this was really bad, for it would force the UDMS-KKK to try holding not only one, but the three territories of Huesca, Barcelona and Pau. The situation has grown more and hopeless. And now it has been days of nonstop battle in Toulouse, with multiple waves of reinforcements failing to put a decisive end to it. Perpignan had to be secured while there was still time, else the entire front could crumble, and if Toulouse fell, then there would be definitively no more hope, and if the reinforcements coming from the Irish sea failed to arrive in Bourdeaux, so would be no more hope, and then soon Auch could be seized, and Bourdeaux would fall.
All along the growing hopelessness of the Iberian front, the only good news was that in North Africa, success was still the most oftenly heard word. But soon, it could matter little. For once again, legions of advanced tanks and tripods managed to entirely surround the defenders of Toulouse, as if things weren't bad enough before this encirclement.
Every precious second. Sosnkowski did everything he could to buy more and more time, hoping that the enemy would wither in their ruthless, now three-days long offensive. And thus, when everything seemed to be on the point of breaking apart, he called the men to not waver.
The people living in Toulouse lauded their heroes, as after all, against all odds, once again Toulouse was successfully held in spite of continous, never-ending waves of xenos, that once again were splattered, destroyed by the unremitting will of mankind. Yet, the situation in this front has never been so horrible, so difficult than now. They are advancing and soon will occupy Perpignan, and unless, somehow, they could be driven back, this will worsen everything. But now it is not the time to give up. A line has been drawn in the sand. No xenos shall cross the defensive line holding the Pyrenees, and no matter the cost, no xenos shall ever take Toulouse again!
Perhaps there is still time to recover Perpignan, as the first wave of occupation forces is driven back. Perhaps there still remains one last chance to refuse ceding, giving in.
Unless it became hopeless, Perpignan will not be given up! All forces in Toulouse worked together to drive them out, hoping there was still time. Tripods, their best, they were coming, surrounding Toulouse. They couldn't be allowed to gain more ground, for if they did, then Toulouse would definitively be coming right next.
They failed. It was too late and soon millions of xenos swarmed over Perpignan. And now, once again, Toulouse would host another decisive battle, except this time, the odds were even further against mankind, as exhausted from their failed offensive, they would have to stop such a force from destroying the entire front and damning all these divisions and all the civilians whose lives depended on their successful defense of Toulouse.
A line has been drawn in the sand. If the aliens pass, it will be all over. The most important battle ever fought in Toulouse has begun, and they had to hold their ground, to hold their line, at any costs.
Remember, Remember, the First of November.
The rays, the tripods, the dead and rotten;
I know of no reason, why the Battle of the Line
Should ever be forgotten.