Gunfire of various kinds echoed through the portside compartments of the Unyielding.
Horatio didn't know how many compartments had been hit by the landing pods, but it was certainly a considerable number.
These hateful, desecrated metal objects spread death and loathsome shrieks.
Some crew members were unfortunately struck by fragmented metal pieces from the impact, instantly turning into a pool of blood.
Meanwhile, the bloodletter minions carried within the pods surged like a tide towards the Imperial Navy's armed forces.
They screamed, roared, and howled excitedly, their mutated, sharp black and yellow teeth ugly and ferocious, wielding weapons blessed by the Evil Cultists: various Laser Guns, cutlasses, and battle-axes—anything useful for boarding actions.
From their spiky armor, the original forms of Imperial Guard standard equipment could be discerned. Undoubtedly, these Blood Pact Army members were rebellious planetary defense forces or Imperial Guard Soldiers who had betrayed the God Emperor they once swore to die for, creating slaughter and despair for the Blood God.
Their goal was to cause as much chaos and destruction as possible to the Unyielding, and ultimately to die for their evil master.
But the Imperial Navy was not to be trifled with.
It possessed warriors and crew members willing to generously die to protect this warship, and officers of extremely high professional quality.
The combat department was dispatching mobile forces to reinforce the invaded decks.
According to the restrictions in the guiliman codex regarding the Imperial Navy, the armed forces on a vessel must not exceed 20% of the ship's registered crew, and the professional boarding team, the Breakers, are capped at a maximum of 30% of the total armed forces.
Horatio had calculated that even strictly by this standard, the Unyielding, with over 150,000 crew members, had at least 30,000 armed forces, of which over 9,000 were heavily armored elite troops.
However, seventy percent of these armed forces had designated defense zones to guard against lightning strikes from enemy ships and could not be moved arbitrarily. Only about thirty percent served as mobile units that could be dispatched for support.
Therefore, if necessary, Horatio could issue an armed conscription order, mobilizing thousands more ordinary crew members into battle. This was the purpose of that key.
Boarding actions on Void Children battleships were chaotic. The gun decks echoed with shouts of battle, and in many places, fighting could only be conducted independently under the leadership of Voidsmen-at-Arms Officer and Warrant Officer.
Facing the constant distress signals received by the command platform, Farida appeared very flustered.
But Horatio knew that this chaos could only be gradually resolved; rushing would only make things worse.
With the help of the Hand of Command, wherever Soldiers and Sailors within the command radius could see, even if he couldn't see it with his own eyes, he still had an overhead view. It was like playing a real-time strategy game with live human flesh.
He continuously issued new psychic projections, instructing the Soldiers to engage the enemy in a delaying action, attempting to stabilize the battle around the command platform and minimize casualties among his forces.
Although the number of Sailors and crew he could command was large, they were still precious and crucial for the entire void battle and its subsequent progression.
After all, no one knew what the Khorne followers intended by luring the vengeance blade here.
He had to defend the gun emplacements he commanded while keeping casualties under control; these Soldiers would be useful in subsequent battles.
Under his comprehensive command, the Soldiers near the command platform uniformly extended their muzzles from various covers and unleashed a volley.
Heavy firepower strongpoints mounted on high platforms, such as heavy bolters and multi-barreled Laser Guns resembling Gatlings, rained down punishment on the Blood God's servants with ferocious firepower.
Many enemy Soldiers were mowed down like wheat by these ruthless weapons the moment the landing pod ramps were lowered.
Blazing red lasers intertwined and traversed the vast compartment space, illuminating the darkness.
The crew members had to continue their duties under a hail of gunfire. Farida had the Warrant Officer command them to keep reloading, sharing the pressure on Horatio.
No matter how messy the ship's interior became, the battle in the void had to continue.
The exchange of fire between the warships was still ongoing, and the hull constantly vibrated. The shells from the Murder-class Cruiser even indiscriminately harmed their own side.
The Unyielding's power system was one of the primary targets for these enemies, followed by the formidable gun deck.
The enemy's intention was clear: by reducing the ship's speed and then weakening the Unyielding's firepower output, they could board tens of thousands more to attack other critical cores of the warship.
This made the plasma engine room, the Third and Fourth Macro cannon located mid-portside, and the Portside No. 1 Lance Turret, major invasion hotspots.
The main force of the support troops was prioritizing the interception of enemies heading towards the power system; according to reports, there were even Khorne Space Marine there. The Blood Angels assault veterans on the ship were heading to support.
The remaining thirty percent of forces would be dispatched to the gun deck when the train had available space. This meant Horatio first had to use these two thousand-plus armed Voidsmen-at-Arms to hold back these tens of thousands of invaders, and then organize a counter-encirclement once reinforcements arrived.
This was a test of command artistry, but thankfully, the Hand of Command could help him achieve it. He didn't need to expend much effort to precisely and in real-time dispatch squads and platoons to nearby designated combat positions.
The armed Voidsmen-at-Arms on the gun deck blocked the Evil Cultists who wanted to slaughter the gun crew and interfere with loading and firing, using gleaming bayonets. The specially designed Navy Blast Pistol were conveniently sized for bloody close-quarters combat in confined spaces.
They were highly motivated and fierce, many of them Void Children born into the various clans of the gun deck.
This was not only a place they had to protect but also their home.
Even if someone was struck down, they would quickly be dragged away, and the next Sailor would take their place.
Some Blood Army Voidsmen-at-Arms Officer leading the charge had already spotted Horatio and Farida, who were commanding from the armored platform. They recognized these two as the commanding officers.
But their weapons could not penetrate the sturdy alloy and thick bulletproof glass, so they began to assault upwards, clamoring to cut off their heads.
"Breakers, hold the enemy!" Horatio commanded the ready Breakers boarding team.
"Yes, Sir!" The communication device transmitted the muffled voice from the Breakers Voidsmen-at-Arms Officer's heavy void helmet.
These elite warriors, clad in heavy boarding armor, armed to the teeth, and fewer in number, guarded the most crucial key passages and the structural walls supporting the main hull.
They were true tough guys!
Shield Guard, wielding boarding shields, blocked enemy fire with their solid alloy shields. Three vertically aligned heavy shotguns sprayed pellets with astonishing efficiency, inflicting casualties on the charging Evil Cultists.
These traitor Soldiers were shattered and mangled by the large projectiles, their limbs and body parts flying like they were being swept away by a broom, blood spilling everywhere, mixing with the dirty deck grime and becoming viscous.
Axe-wielders stood behind the Shield Guard, splitting open the heads of anyone attempting to squeeze through the sides of the shields with an axe.
This seemed to be a very satisfying sight. Horatio, looking down at these burly, tall warriors, vigorously swung their blood-stained breaching axes, smashing enemy heads into bloody pulps, showing a certain pride reminiscent of Viking berserkers.
Heavy Grenadier in the rear launched high-explosive fragmentation grenades from grenade launchers into the enemy horde, inflicting casualties. The Voidsmen-at-Arms Officer, wielding a Navy Blast Pistol, fired continuously while ordering the Soldiers to pull back according to Horatio's instructions.
The Void Gunners stood at vantage points, manipulating heavy weapons with both hands, unleashing a barrage of fire. The third and fourth assistant gunners carried box after box of ammunition or large energy cells, lining them up on the platform deck. The assistant gunners tore open several boxes, ready to replace empty heavy weapons with new ammunition to ensure continuous firepower.
"Blast them! Don't let any scum leak up!"
"Yes, Sir!!" Their roars and gunfire were Incessant.
Although every level of the gun deck was engaged in combat, the situation near the command platform was not too severe. The boarding team, relying on terrain and equipment advantages, held back the surging enemy forces. Furthermore, there were ample reserve forces in the garrison barracks below the command platform to relieve the exhausted warriors.
Horatio had just caught his breath when he received an urgent distress signal from the Warrant Officer gunner of Portside No. 4 Macro cannon. The gunfire was so loud he could barely hear.
"Sir! The enemy has infiltrated the No. 4 Macro cannon ammunition deck through a damaged bulkhead! Our ready ammunition is there! The armed forces are fighting the enemy at all costs! Requesting reserve troop support." The Warrant Officer's tone was urgent, but he reported calmly and efficiently.
"Which compartments are still under our control now?" Horatio needed to understand the specific situation to deploy personnel.
"The ammunition compartment and its surrounding storage decks are still… Boom!!!… "
"…" Horatio was silent for a second or two, seeing no sound still coming from that end.
The communication was cut off by a piercing explosion, perhaps the internal communication cable was destroyed.
"Reserve units immediately assemble! Armed forces Voidsmen-at-Arms Officer report to the command platform!" The situation was critical, Horatio immediately shouted through the sound array.
"What's wrong?" Farida looked at Horatio's extremely serious expression, guessing that something bad might have happened, and stepped forward to ask.
"Something happened at the No. 4 Macro cannon's ammunition deck. The enemy is fighting the defenders for control of the ammunition compartment. If they detonate the ammunition inside…"
"God Emperor! We'll all be blown to ashes." Farida covered her mouth.
"There's no room for failure. I'll lead the team myself."
The most reliable method right now was for him to personally lead the team. In the complex compartments, he could use the Hand of Command to improve the reserve team's advance efficiency, otherwise, they might have to play cat and mouse with the enemy in the intricate compartments for a while.
Horatio looked seriously into Farida's eyes: "Midshipman Farida."
"Yes, Sir!"
"Hold your post, continue to command the Macro cannon. If a situation arises that you're unsure how to handle, contact me directly." Horatio took out his bloodletter Chainsword from its scabbard.
"Yes, Sir… Be careful." Farida looked at Horatio worriedly and saluted him.
"This is the Portside Second Macro cannon Array Command Platform…"
Horatio's voice echoed through the sound array system in all compartments of the two gun crews.
"In the name of the Responsible Officer of the Portside Second Gun Emplacement, I officially issue an Armed Call! All crew members take up arms and fight any invaders you see!"
The crew members who were reloading, the armed Voidsmen-at-Arms fighting back from behind cover, the boarding team, the Voidsmen-at-Arms Officer, and the Warrant Officer all heard his voice and looked towards the sound array.