Today I learned what it is to play Kenshi. My crew, fresh off great success in the United Cities, ventured into the swamp for the first time, 42 strong. I'd heard rumors of fascinating wonders within, and hoped to make it pretty quickly to the city at the center, while leveling up my crew some.
We made it to the first town without much trouble. Picked up some supplies, and went on our way. It wasn't too long before I found myself on a narrow stretch of land water on either side. Not ideal, but seemed difficult to avoid in a swamp. Up ahead, bandits... Red Sabres they called themselves. We took up formation, approached cautiously, downed one with crossbows before they even made it to us. It was going to be a fight for sure, but one I felt confident we'd win, and my people need that XP. Just as the fight was starting to turn my way, about half my squad suddenly started running away at top speed.
"What are you doing!" I cried, "Get back there!! Fight you cowards!!" Only then did I notice they weren't running away. We'd been surrounded, a Band of Bones patrol had crept up behind us, and were attacking our vulnerable units from the rear. We re-positioned. So it would be a more interesting fight than I anticipated. But we outnumbered them heavily. I still felt confident we'd win. And win we did. As they fell, I took their weapons and medkits, not wanting trouble if they got back up. But just as we seemed to be finishing them off, another squad of Red Sabres arrived. We kept fighting, we still had the numbers.
Now it was around this time that the fallen enemies started getting back up, mostly they were no threat without their weapons, but a handful of the band of bones guys had serious martial arts skill, and they'd gotten a medkit from somewhere. Maybe I missed one, maybe they took one off one of my fallen guys. Who can say. Still, I felt alright.
Then the Blood Spiders came. My god.... the blood spiders. If I had known those little m*****f***ers were in the jungle, I never would have come. They tore through us like a bat out of heck. Hitting sometimes for upwards of a hundred points per attack. We were too injured and too surrounded to run, so I gave the only order I thought I could: Keep fighting. At least the little spiders only have a few hit points, when we landed hits we mostly killed them. Still, the damage was horrific. Limbs drifted through the blood stained waters, as a second Band of Bones squad arrived. We killed them too. A second wave of blood spiders. Killed them also. Finally, finally, everything was still.
It was time to run. Retreat. Save at least some of my crew, because more than half were down. I gave the order to use our medkits to get people stabilized quickly, but then the word of the day was if you can walk, grab someone who can't and run for the town. I really did think we were going to make it out. As the surviving Red Sabres slowly came to, they retreated to lick their wounds as I hoped they would. But the Band of Bones would not back down. They pursued us doggedly, taking out several more members of my team, as we scattered into the swamp.
Thus began the 4 hour (real world time) retreat process, as we fled into the darkness. Moments of bravery, cowardice, and terror filled those hours, as we fought tooth and nail for every life we could save. We got hit with another wave of Red Sabres and two more waves of Blood spiders during the retreat, and while I can't possibly chronicle all that happened during that harrowing time, 22 of my 42 made it to the town, they're going to live.
I feel it is appropriate at this time to award Medals of Honor to a few members of my crew, living and dead, whose valiant efforts in the face of death kept the faction alive to fight another day.
Fiona is awarded the medal of honor. A recently rescued slave, Fiona managed to escape early, and was the first to make it back to the town. She valiantly lured more than ten blood spiders to their deaths against the town guards, and personally carried at least 5 others to safety, including our faction leader. All of this with one arm broken. It is safe to say that without her, we would have been destroyed. She shall henceforth be known as Fiona the Blessed
Sand is awarded the medal of honor. With a broken arm he single handedly held off four Band of Bones thugs, while two allies limped to safety behind him. Though he eventually fell, he was nearby enough to be rescued, and will live on in honor as Sand the Bulwark.
Jake is awarded the medal of honor. Jake was safe back at the base, and then ran back into the fray with a backpack full of food arriving just in time to draw the attention of the blood spider who was eating Skid alive. Skid had only 6 hunger left when Jake handed him a ration pack, and lured the spider away, saving Skid's life. He shall henceforth be known as Jake the Merciful.
Kevin is awarded the medal of honor. He risked life and limb to return to the fray after being rescued, and carried several of his fallen companions back with him, applying considerable first aid in the field as well. He shall henceforth be known as Kevin the Lifebringer.
Ruka is awarded the medal of honor. She singlehandedly slew a blood spider that had KO'd the person carrying her, despite both of her legs being shattered. She then first aided the person carrying her back to health, and resumed being carried to safety. She shall henceforth be known as Ruka the Unbreakable.
Bastia is awarded the medal of honor. Through some glitch, she was launched thousands of feet into the air, and landed in a volcano where it was raining blood. Though alone and surrounded by spiders, she healed her own wounds and miraculously made it to safety in a town two zones over. She shall henceforth be known as Bastia the Survivor.
Lana is awarded the medal of honor. Though she lost a leg, she applied first aid to two others, and attempted to save the life of her dear friend Cait, who bled to death next to her. While some might have despaired, she did not give up hope, even as she was forced to watch Cait's body be devoured whole by swamp raptors. She was eventually rescued, and shall henceforth be known as Lana the Fearless.
Bea is posthumously awarded the medal of honor. A recently rescued slave, she carried the faction leader a great distance before falling to blood spiders. Without her, it is unlikely he would have received first aid in time. She saved his life again by luring a blood spider away that had been eating him alive. It ate her alive instead. She shall be remembered as Bea the Selfless.
Wi is posthumously awarded the medal of Honor. Though he lost a leg, he was a crawling field medic, saving the lives of three others, before eventually being devoured by blood spiders. He shall be remembered as Wi the Surgeon.
Askr is posthumously awarded the medal of SHAME. He pulled a squad of blood spiders while "playing limbs" with the leg of a dead ally. His name shall never be spoken again.
Rest in Peace: Cait, Penny, Zoo, Franklin, Asa, Sly, Calaphis, Headshot, Riddly, Bea, Wi, Harper, Ice, Senshi, Bombingham, Gills, Yoki, Jurgen and Mikael.
Someday, we'll come back to avenge you, and I swear I'll kill every living thing in this swamp.
Submitted March 18, 2019 at 05:42AM by squirmonkey https://ift.tt/2ub8WIp
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