*Skies Above The Battlefield*
To the guardsmen below all they see is tracers and flak clouds dotting the skies but to the pilots engaging the pony air units it was paradise for them as they out flew the dragons in speed and turning but power and armor was always in the dragons favor but it didn't stop the pilots of the imperial navy from scoring many dragon kills sending them to the battle grounds below. So far it was a battle with no clear winner as the fighter pilots will fly to support the ground forces when a dragon attacks them and they exchange heavy damage to each other before one side can't fight no more which takes longer than one would think due to the numbers of the pilots and the toughness of the winged beasts.
Above one battlefield where the two metal machines of mars lumbered through the war zone putting large amounts of fire down range into the pony lines. But being such large and powerful targets makes where they are attacked by dragons very often and the general has given orders that the Baneblade and the Stormlord will have close air cover at all times and now the fight above these metal monsters rages. With a full wing of lighting fighters speeding about the dragons are kept busy and the random marauder bomber only helps keep the super heavy tanks out of the dragon fire.
One large dragon accompanied by a group of younglings were speeding low over the group to their target that were the heavy tanks and they were closing fast. High above them a another group of their kin were in a life or death dogfight with the imperial aircraft keeping them distracted while the ones below made a dash for the now unprotected targets ahead. After speeding over many scared and confused humans and ponies locked in combat the elder dragon spotted their prey, and more.
Ahead was the targets from what the ponies told him were the 'Baneblade' and the 'Stormlord' but they had to other metal war machines with them painted a crimson red and seemed to move much faster then the other two, but that didn't stop him from his mission he would just burn them as well and he dived on them. He watched one of the new machines come to a stop and a weapon on its side aims at him causing him to smile. "Ha! They expect to best us with their pathetic weapons! Burn them to as-" A pair of blue beams fires from the tank and impacts a young dragon not far from his side and he watches in shock as its scales melt under the shot and it falls out of the air dead and hits the ground throwing up dirt and dust. The pack slowed for a minute to look at their fallen kin but that was a minute too long.
The side turrets of the tank start to fire and more blue beams met their targets moving so fast giving the dragons no time to dodge the attack. The elder's anger starts to grow as more of his wing is cut down and he puts on more speed and with claws out locks onto the one killing his kin. As he nears his target one pair of beams impacts his chest and he feels it burn into him and the wave of pain that follows but he doesn't turn from his path and he slams into the tank sending it sliding across the blasted earth and his claws digging into the sides leaving long gashes in the armor but never getting past it's shell.
Soon the other three heavy tanks start to fire on him and he starts to slow in his attacks but does not stop him as he opens his mouth and lets out a breath of fire onto his prey. After a moment of burning the threat he was about to turn his anger onto the others but a single beam of blue hits his need and cuts straight into it and out the other side. The last thing he sees was the prey he tried to burn almost perfectly intact except for one side turret turned to slag but the other was aimed at him and with a final shot to his head the beast slumps over on top of the Landraider missing from his eyes. the two ponies who were on his back manning the guns were quickly dispatched by the fire of any soldier near by.
After the dust settles the hatch on the damaged Landraider a tech marine steps out and casts his gaze over the war machine examining the damages it has received in the fight and walks around it. He gets to the melted side turret and with keen eyes sees what needs to be replaced and what can be repaired. With an explosion over head he looks up along with anyone nearby to see a Lighting fighter missing a wing speeding towards the ground with a thick black trail of smoke following.
In the battle high above the dragons were starting to get the upper hand and the number of imperial fighters were getting fewer and fewer. The marines and guardsmen quickly start to set up heavy weapons ready to fight off the dragon attack that will hit soon. When the last fighter delaying the dragons was send into a tail spin covered in dragon fire tumbled out of the sky did the beasts turn their eyes to the ground below. The ground forces along with the heavy tanks started to pick their targets and soon their guns roared and the dragons started their attack as well and dived for them.
The Baneblade's battle cannon fires and one of the lead dragons now falls out of the sky with a large hole in its chest while the Stormlord opens up on the smaller dragons with its assault cannons cutting down many and beside them the two Landraiders with what weapons they still have operational join in as well. As the dragons were about to be on them a beam from a lascannon impacts the lead beast making it change it's target and many men below to look for the source only to see a massive metal aircraft speeding towards the dragons flanked by a few lighter aircraft.
The space marines let out a battle cry as the unmistakable shape of a Stormraven Fury speeds by with land speeders supporting start to engage the the scaly monsters attacking them. The massive gunship had every weapon it had mounted on it firing at its enemy cutting apart many lighter targets before switching to the few larger and more elder dragons. One dragon quickly realized that the new arrival was the largest threat and with talons first rammed into it knocking it off its course but not out of the sky. Its claws started to dig into the machines armor while the smaller support craft started to fire onto the attacker with little outcome.
As the dragon started to divert their course into the ground the roar from the Baneblade's cannon is heard and one of the wings of the beast was now gone in a shower of blood, bone and metal. With the beast now unable to effectively adjust its course the gunship forces into a sharp turn throwing its extra rider off and let's gravity take over. With its wing gone and picking up speed the dragon slams into the ground crushing any who were near and in the impact zone and that was the end of that one but the sky was still full of its kin. With the heavy gunship now in the fight it was a battle of power and both sides slammed into each other.
*Galloping Gorge Mining*
The fighting has lasted for about two days now and the long battle was taking its toll on the ponies as they ran out of energy and ammo while the humans seemed to be endless throwing men into the bottom of the pit to fire at the ponies above them and it was starting to wear down any supports holding the platforms up and ponies were starting to meet their end on the ground below. The diamond dogs were also becoming tired as they have done many surprise attacks on the humans even managing to trap a dreadnought in a deep hole they dug right under it and killing many both guardsmen and marines but in those attacks they spotted a new type of marine.
The marines had large objects on their backs and didn't know what they were for until they saw them in action. They shot into the air and started to climb the different levels up to where the ponies were making their stand and as they made their way up they started to toss large metal devices around onto the main supports. They soon get up into the pony lines and with speed and movements that seemed impossible they started to cut down any pony in their way with swords that seemed to roar or shot any pony with a ball of blue fire. After some heavy close quarter fighting the assault marines were forced to return to the ground below but not with out taking many with them. And after a few minutes the supports were blown and a large section came crashing down with a large number of the pony heavy weapons with it.
But then something came shooting down from the top of the pit with speed to match the navy's thunderbolts. With a tail of what looked like a rainbow it sped past many men knocking them over and sending even a space marines sergeant airborne and even leaving a explosive gift on one of the hellfire dreadnoughts. Before any could notice the war machine was destroyed and the wreckage had the tell tail signs of a melta bomb and then the rainbow streak came for another run. Every gun that could started to fire at it and it with near untold levels of grace dodged it all. And two guardsmen were now in the way of this flying problem.
"Take that damn thing down now!" Matt yelled into Johnathan's ear as he put a full clip of shells into the attacker's direction. As Matt was about to reload they were thrown to the ground with everyone in the pit as a shock wave of bright colors sent from the rainbow trail. The only ones who remained standing were the few dreadnoughts who were firing everything they could at the target. As the room slowly recovers from the shock wave they hear a voice. "You are all weak! A simple sonic rainboom took you all out!" The attacker who proved to be a rainbow haired winged pony who wore a blue and yellow suit yelled out to the men below. She was now floating in the middle of the open air and what sounded like laughing was heard from her as she ignored the army below getting to their feet.
Once she stops laughing and looks down Johnathan could swear he saw her eyes widen at the sight of over a few hundred guns aiming at her. Soon the pit is filled with death as shots are fired at her and she speeds up to the top of the pit. After she was out of view the guns returned to shelling the pony fortifications. And to the defending ponies it was just the day before repeating. And for Winter he was more of waiting in the barrack quarters giving orders and getting letters telling him how bad the situation all over has gotten. With a sigh he looks at the report that a large armored formation was nearing the mine on the surface and the dragons have run into a human war machine just as tough as them or maybe more.
He was about to let some thoughts in the back of his head get the better of him before he felt a wing on his back causing him to look behind him. "Please keep it together Winter. We need a good commander to make it though this hell." She said rubbing his back and he smiles at her. "I will... for you... and with the new weapons that group of Wonderbolts brought with them we can deal with their heavy armor." he states looking towards a magic version of the human melta bomb on the desk. "We wont hold long but we can take out some of their heavy weapons as we go." She nods in agreement looking at the weapon as well.
Winter lets out a sigh. "Our orders are to hold until the human tanks above us get to close to the mine shaft opening then we pull out.... also to bring down the shaft with magical explosives on top of the humans below." He says while showing her the letter with the orders. She puts a hoof to her chin in thought before nodding slowly. "We may need to start soon because it will take time to set up the charges." She adds pointing to a blueprint of the shaft where they should put the bombs. Winter nods before the room shakes along with the whole shaft. "Crap... with our heavy weapons gone... we can't take out their damn mortars! We need to get everything ready now cause we wont last long under those guns." With that they rush to get the orders to the right ponies. Once they get out onto the open platforms they spot ponies fleeing left and right trying to find cover from the death being launched at them. "I'll find the unicorns who have explosive experience." Winter said and Fire nods. "I'll get the the explosives to where they are needed." With that said they went their ways to get the job done.
Not more then ten minutes later they meet back up and watch the charges be put in place and were about to turn in until a letter or a small piece of paper appeared in front of Winter. "Must be from the forward observers." He said opening it and then freezing.
Winter we have reports that three human heavy tanks supported by twenty lighter armored units are headed right for the shaft. It is highly advised to start to fall back as soon as you can before the tanks cut you off. A train is waiting but not for long.
"Get the word out! We're pulling out before we're cut off." With this new information fueling him and Fire Bird they start to get the defenders on the move before its to late. Even now they could hear the sound of metal getting closer and closer.