Stomping down the steep incline, the walker lurches towards the sinister looking pyramid. Eventually the ground levels out and the squad slowly advances on towards their target. It does not take long before the pyramid is towering high above them, backed by the cliff face rising even higher. Unlike the pyramid, the wall that protects it is a dull grey, and looks relatively modern in comparison. Suck makeship walls were a common sight at separatist bases, with a large reinforced gate large enough to fit a small tank through.

As they see the pyramid closer now, long green veins can be seen to break through the rock, snaking from the base to the top in strange vine-like patterns. It could be the mists playing tricks on the squad, but they seemed to pulse with an almost unholy light. It gave the eerie impression that the structure was in fact alive.

As they draw close to the wall, a warning claxon is suddenly heard piercing the quiet, and the walls gate splits open. In the entrance the trademark tank of separatist army rolls out. the rounded and domed form of the AAT slowly hovers out of the entrance, ready to engage their enemy. It was not the only one, behind that one, a second, and then a third emerges. It looks like it will be a tough fight to gain entry to this place.

"Clankers tankers incoming!"

CT-2777 tries to mask his excitement as he moves towards the front guns.

As the clanker klaxon announces their presence, Gunslinger exits and hops into the turret seat, manning the cannon. “Slugger, get up in the turret, need you on the main cannon. I’ll keep us moving. Soon as they’re in range, let ‘em have it.”

Slugger jumps out of the pilot seat as quickly as he is given the order, " One Order of Scarp metal coming up!" He says as he passes Gunslinger to man the main cannon.

Gunslinger tries to analyze the enemy tank formation and tactics on their approach, but finds himself forced to concentrate on just maneuvering the AT-TE. He finds that steering the ornery six-legged beast takes all of his attention, as he struggles to avoid a collision course.

He does notice the forward tank’s turret is a few degrees off. Trying to target this thing is probably about as hard as trying to drive it! “Slugger, hit that top turret before they correct its aim!”

”Cyclones, we’re going to Close! Concentrate fire on that lead tank!”

As Slugger's shot smashes into the front of the third tank, it rocks back with a screech of metal twisting and warping from the force of the impact. As the tank is left reeling, the other two slowly hover towards the AT-TE. Each one drifts in a different direction, forcing the crew to pick their targets carefully. Other than the main cannon, the other guns could not rotate to face the targets moving along the sides. The AAT's open fire, and the clones can hear the blasts bounce harmlessly of their walkers rugged hull. How long the AT-TE would last against the barrage however is another question.

Tank 1 moves to the port side of the AT-TE Tank Combat Check : 2eA+2eD 0 successes

Fails to damage AT-TE

Tank 2 moves to the staboard side Tank Combat Check : 2eA+2eD 4 failures, 2 advantage
Fails to damage AT-TE, advantage spent to pass boost to ally

CT-2777 tries his best to line up the shot before firing at the injured tank.

The tank continues to be pummelled by CT-2777's gunfire, and smoke begins to curl out of the front of the hull. The tank is badly damaged but is holding fast and maintaining its positions blocking the gateway to the wall. The tank fires back and Gunslinger can almost feel the heat of the shot as it hurtles past the cockpit of the walker. Fortunately the shot misses, disappearing into the mist of the moons surface. The difference between clones and droids was stark, but they still had numbers on this side.

Tank Combat Check : 1eP+1eA+2eD 1 failure, 1 advantage

Missed Boost Dice : 1eB 0 successes
Flipped destiny point, fails to hit AT-TE, advantage spent to pass boost

" These Clankers sure can't hit their marks. We must be dealing with defective droids today boys." Slugger would say over to communicator as he worked on getting the AT-TE's big gun ready to fire once more.

At the moment the AAT tanks had appeared, CT-4077 shifted from the aft to the foreward position. Shots were traded, and so far, the AT-TE seemed to hold its own quite well. CT-4077 wasn't used to the guns. He is a medic, not a gunner! However, basic combat training was still embedded in his mind, it was what he was originally created for! Thumbs on the triggers, sights locked onto the one AAT that didn't move around to flank them, CT-4077 opens fire. And again. and again. Several shots hit the ground, as and when the AT-TE plods forward, however, the last shot in the salvo actually grazes the enemy AAT, not just penetrating its armor, but also scrambling some of its power systems.

Gunslinger continues toward the enemy tanks, observing their formation and tactics, or lack thereof. He maneuvers their tactical enforcer into the best firing position he can. “Fire!”

Fire Discipline : 2eA+1eP+1eB+3eD 2 successes, 2 threat

(Success adds Boost to next Gunnery check; 2 Threat)?

Slugger continues working on the big gun focusing both on aiming it and looking for openings and spotting in general for his fellow clones to fire upon the tanks as the massive gun cooled down. Spotting such an opening he shouts over the comms, " The right Tank is slowing down a bit it seems to wanting to flank us. Take shots at it now!"

For a moment the clones may feel comfortable inside the formidable hull of the walker. The tank blaster shots are simply bouncing off of the armour, doing little more than rocking the vehicle. Perhaps it was this confidence that put the tank at risk. As they were flanked by the two AAT-1's and instead focused on the forward target. While marching forwards there is a tremendous crash as a blaster shot impacts with the soft centre section of the walkers centre, and Gunslingers pilots console is lit up with red warning lights. It was minor damage, but the tank had already suffered damage from before their arrival. Already it was almost at half health. The two tanks were still lout of range to anyone other than Slugger, but the tank in the gates was still in the sights of the cannons.

Tank Combat Check : 2eA+2eB+2eD 1 failure, 1 advantage

Manoeuvre to aim, fails to hit tank, passes boost to ally.

Tank Combat Check : 2eA+2eB+2eD 2 successes, 2 advantage
Manoeuvre to aim, does 8 base damage to AT-TE, advantage spend to add setback dice to CT-2777

CT-2777 fires the cannon at the wounded tank and yells in frustration as the shot goes wide.

"Missed 'em! Gah! I hate shooting!"

Still under a beating from the AT-TE, the tank in the gateway continues to fill the air with black smoke as it tries to hold the line against the lumbering behemoth. It fires back in retaliation, but with the damage that it has sustained the shot smashes into the ground at the feet of the oncoming walker. It would not take much for the clones to finish the tank off.

Tank Combat Check : 2eA+1eB+2eD 2 failures

CT-4077 maintains a target lock on the severely damaged AAT. It is best to finish off the droid tank before it actually starts to hit important parts of the Republic walker. 4077 tries to steady his aim against the plodding of the AT-TE as and when he pulls the triggers again. Deadly charges lance trhrough the air and yet again, only a single one grazes the AAT in front of them.

“C’mon, Cyclones! Let’s finish that clankin’ tank off, an’ move on to the next!”

Gunslinger drives the AT-TE forward, trying to help line up the next shot on the move.

Fire Discipline : 2eA+1eP+1eB+3eD 1 success

(Boost to next PC attack).

" Gunslinger this Gun has a whole lot of power but it can only fire so fast." Slugger says as he aims at one of the unscathed tanks, " With how damaged that one is it's better if I focus on a new Tank." He explains and then fires at a new target HAAT, the shot connects and almost takes down the Clanker Tank in one shot. A very large hole was in the body of the HAAT after the shot into its armor.

Almost destroyed entirely by Slugger and his well aimed shot, it is unsurprising that its attack in response is sent wide. The tank rumbles back a little, engines squealing in indignation as smoke belches out of one of the hatches.

In the meantime the second tank is on the move again, this time moving to the back of the AT-TE, trying to get a better shot in its target. Fortunately for the clones the gunner continues to have no luck, and the shot bounces harmlessly off of the hull.

Tank Combat Check : 2eA+2eD 0 successes, 1 threat

Threat to suffer 1 strain.

Tank Combat Check : 2eA+2eD 1 failure, 2 advantage
Advantage spend to pass boost to ally.

CT-2777 lines up the tank in his sight, concentrating hard on this unfamiliar form of combat.

"I have you now, Scrap-Tank! Take This!"

He fires a shot straight into the previous hole from the cannon shot.

"Ha-Hah! it's a hit! I got 'em!"

The tank in front of the walker erupts in a great ball of flame. It is flung into the air for a moment before crashing back down onto the ground with a tremendous crash. Parts and shrapnel are flung outwards, embedding themselves in the ground and bouncing off the hull of the AT-TE with a noise like rain on the hull. What is left of the tank blocks the gateway to the wall. It would be difficult for the walker to get past, but with enough force they may be able to shove their way through. Still, there were two other tanks to deal with.

*Ta-chunk!* *Ta-chunk!*

The walker keeps treading forward, one leg after another.

*Ta-chunk!* *Ta-chunk!*

It is clear Gunslinger isn't going to turn around the AT-TE anytime soon to engage the other two AAT tanks with forward guns. CT-4077, being a medic, not a gunner,has a small moment of hesitation. Should he move to the back and engage the enemy there?

*Ta-chunk!* *Ta-chunk!*

The obstructed path is coming closer and closer. Then 4077 gets an idea. If Cyclone Squad is going through, he might as well try to make it as smooth sailing as he could. 4077 locks on to the burning wreckage, quite the obstacle still. As far as the plodding AT-TE allows, 4077 takes careful aim and lets loose a salvo from his forward guns. The wreckage of the enemy tank is hit squarely in the center for once, and seems to fall apart even more than it did in its initial explosion.

" There! There is more terrain now than wreckage, for our All-Terrain Tactical Enforcer to pass over! " 4077 shouts out, both surprised that it worked, and relieved that it did.

“Make a hole, make it big! Good shot, Doc! Smooth sai...” (the tactical enforcer rocks with a minor impact) “Mostly smooth sailing.”

Gunslinger navigates through the greatly reduced wreckage, with minimal further damage to their own AT-TE, thanks to CT-4077’s efforts. Once through, he tries to help line up their next shots. “Doc, Punch, take down that damaged tank. Slugger, the shiny one’s all yours!” Manning the topside turret, Slugger can fire from any arc, of course.

Piloting : 3eA+2eD+1eS 2 successes, 2 threat

" It would be if this Gun wasn't so SLOW!" Slugger said as the giant mass driver on top of the AT-TE was cooling off for it's third shot , meanwhile he took this time to aim for his next shot at the only undamaged tank, " Jumpy or Surprise take a shot at that smoking Tank it should take just the lightest of taps to take it down." Slugger said measuring the distance for the damaged one as well, " The hole I punched in the damaged AAT is making it sluggish but it's still trying to stay out of your firing arcs."

As the AAT wreckage is shredded by the impacts of shots from CT-4077, leaving little more than the tanks base section and a few protruding metal fragments. All easily crushed underfoot as Gunslinger drives the lumbering behemoth through the entrance to the pyramid and the interior of the wall. He probably wasn't expecting to come face to face with the sight in front of him. A large detachment of B1 battle droids has set up in this courtyard, at least twenty of the clankers. They had hurriedly set up two machine gun emplacements, stacking scrap metal in front of them for rudimentary cover. Suddenly Gunslinger would be painfully aware that he was exposed in the open cockpit in front of these droids. With those numbers even they could hit him.

As the walker moves through the gateway, the remaining two tanks both shift to attack the exposed rear of the AT-TE. With a whoosh, the hull of one tank fires a squat silver missile in the direction of the tank, and it impacts with the rear of the walker. There is a tremendous explosion. As the missile explodes on impact the sheer force almost knocks the AT-TE to the ground as a huge tear appears in the back of the tank. It must have been an anti-armour round to do such damage, and now every red emergency light in the walker was flashing, lighting up Gunslingers console and the walkers interior. Another hit like that could put the clones in a severe situation.

The second tank follows suite, firing it's own missile. This one connects with the back leg of the AT-TE, almost ripping it off with the force. The AT-TE was literally on its last legs, already damaged from its time abandoned in the swamps. The squad would have to pull something special off to keep it in the fight.

As this chaos occurs, Vos Hanlan makes it to the ridge, panting from the run. It had been quite the day for the jedi padawan. With the disappearances at the republic base, and the walker they had sent out not returning, the remaining stragglers had decided to evacuate. The talk of the 'undead' and the savage attack on the terraforming scientists had lowered moral to a critical point. There was a 'clear spot' in the atmosphere, a point where radio transmissions may get through, where they could be extracted. It was then that they were attacked, and the padawan saw the horrible creatures for the first time. Desiccated corpses covered in injuries and huge boils. More troublingly they had been accompanied by clones in similar conditions, clones that he had once commanded. Something had changed them into these creatures. Their numbers overwhelmed the escort and the remaining scientists, it was all Vos could do to escape without the creatures dragging him down. He had been able to track them, and had found this strange structure before him. A huge obsidian pyramid build into the side of an even larger cliffside. A wall made recently by the looks of it ringed the structure, but what was probably the greatest surprise was the sight of an AT-TE charging the gate. Not just that, it was the AT-TE that had gone missing.

Tank Combat Check : 1eP+1eA+1eB+2eD 1 success

Flipped destiny point, Does 10 damage with breach 4 to AT-TE.

Tank Combat Check : 2eA+1eB+2eD 2 successes, 1 threat
Does 11base damage with breach 4 to AT-TE, threat spent to suffer 1 strain.