Batch after batch of Blood Pact Army and Evil Cultists cannon fodder rushed into the compartment. They were numerous, and Horatio had reason to believe they had dispatched their main forces from other missions, solely to blow up the bomb bay.
The Blood God's minions launched a head-on charge without much planning, and Horatio only had time for a brief, rapid deployment before countless reds surged forward.
Under Horatio's command, the Imperial Navy's Soldiers endured the enemy fire, urgently dragging out defensive equipment from the bomb bay to construct a battle position.
Obstacle chevaux de frise and mobile breastworks with pulleys were pulled to the front lines by Tech-Priest, who was in charge of the bomb bay, using Tech-Priest to set up a makeshift position. Horatio, as the officer in charge, authorized the activation of the rotating auto-cannons overhead.
The void gunner's assistant quickly set up a tripod on the high ground, and the gunner inserted the heavy weapon, quickly tightening it to construct a human-operated fire turret.
"Open fire!" Horatio issued the free-fire command.
The Naval Armed Forces and Sailors poured fire on the incoming enemies, continuously striking down the charging traitors.
Shotguns spewed fire, and Grenadier continuously threw grenades at the surging enemy masses.
In the open middle area of the deck, Blood Pact shield Soldiers, covering the Blood God's servants, crashed into the shield wall. They advanced ferociously, with explosives and lasers flying everywhere.
Axeman and armed Soldiers took up their melee weapons and hacked at the approaching invaders.
Voidsmen-at-Arms, using makeshift cover on both flanks of the shields, knelt and fired, simultaneously opening fire and fending off charging enemies with gleaming bayonets.
Sailor, holding naval spears, stood behind them, simultaneously thrusting their spears with one hand at enemies attacking from the sides, and firing their Laser Guns.
They could also suddenly thrust spear tips out of the shield's firing ports, stabbing Blood Pact Axeman directly threatening the shields.
The wedge-shaped combat formation—front shields with axes, middle bayonets, and rear short spears, along with shooters—was a combination Horatio had urgently devised, drawing inspiration from the Qi Family Army's anti-Japanese pirate tactics and the hollow square formation used by Napoleonic-era flintlock riflemen to resist cavalry charges.
As a transmigrator, he had a wealth of Ancient Terra historical battle examples to reference and inspire his tactical planning.
Although he was unsure if it would be as effective as in history, time was pressing, and tactics with proven combat examples were better than none. He trusted the wisdom of the ancestors.
However, with such a combined assault where various weapons provided alternating cover, the Imperial Navy's Soldiers surprisingly managed to hold off Khorne's forces' brutal head-on charge in the open area.
They formed a human wall with their flesh and blood. When one person fell, Sailors and Sailors quickly stepped forward from behind to take their place, fending off the enemy charge with various weapons.
The wedge formation was like the diversion channel of the Dujiangyan irrigation system, resembling a teardrop shape.
It restricted the combat width of the enemies in front, forcing them to surge around the flanks of the formation to achieve a better breakthrough effect.
In doing so, they not only faced the lethal attacks from the Naval Armed Forces behind the shields but also had to beware of bullets fired at their sides or backs from the flank defenses.
No matter which way they faced, there was always a group of Soldiers who could fire at their undefended sides.
On both flanks of the deck, the front-line and rear-rank Sailors suppressed the charging enemy Soldiers by utilizing three layers of height difference.
They fired their Naval Laser Guns in bursts; at close range, high-power mode could take down a Khorne worshiper armed with crude homemade weapons in a single shot.
Although the Voidsmen-at-Arms stopped the cannon fodder's advance, they were sniped by Blood Pact Sergeant following closely with Laser Guns, and several were sacrificed as a result.
The front-line Sailors were suppressed by fire and had to extend their guns over their heads, sweeping the crowd with the 'Black Uncle's shooting method.'
Just as these Khorne lackeys thought the Imperial Navy's flank line would soon be overwhelmed by their tactics.
Little did they know, Horatio had already arranged a 'big gift' behind the cover.
When the first Khorne worshiper, wielding a battle-axe and shouting blasphemous words, jumped onto the large iron box serving as cover, he was instantly impaled through the chest.
He looked with shock at the large group of people hidden behind the cover.
Sailors and Sailors knelt, hiding behind the steel boxes.
The first row of people held boarding axes or short swords.
The second row held naval rifles fitted with sword bayonets.
The third row held sharp naval spears, aiming at enemies climbing onto the boxes and poking them down.
This was a simplified version designed by Horatio, utilizing the height difference of obstacles and based on the Ancient Terra Spanish Great Square formation. It relied on the varying lengths of weapons to allow three rows of people to attack the surging enemies simultaneously as much as possible.
The large storage iron boxes used as cover were a meter and a half high. While people could climb up, it took some effort, and the area on top did not support too many people climbing up at once.
The only way the defensive line could be breached was by enemy explosives.
For this, Horatio prepared ample reserves, as well as Sailors equipped with shotguns in the last row, specifically to target thrown objects.
At the same time, he also had the remaining hundreds of Sailors and Sailors prepare for a meat grinder battle. As long as they held out until the forces from other routes and the third wave of main reinforcements arrived, they could launch a counter-attack to encircle and annihilate all enemy forces in the entire stronghold.
"Kill them!!!"
"Die, traitor!"
"Die for me!!!"
"Fill the gap! Fill the gap! Drag the wounded away!"
On the deck, shouts of battle resounded. Enemy Soldiers continuously climbed onto the steel boxes, only to be poked down by the swords, axes, spears, and bayonets that came at them.
The shield wall in front still stood firm, the God-Emperor's Soldiers covered in blood, wielding various weapons as they slew the traitors who had betrayed the Emperor.
It is hard to imagine this would be a battle taking place in the 41st millennium, with Soldiers wielding firearms, bladed weapons, and short spears savagely fighting each other. Were it not for the sci-fi feel of the laser, it would be easy to mistake this for a boarding action from the Age of Sail.
Even the Astra Militarum rarely encountered such primitive combat, but for the seemingly respectable Imperial Navy, it was commonplace.
Many critics deeply misunderstand the Imperial Navy, believing they only need to fire cannons in the void to enjoy far superior food treatment and generous salaries than the Imperial Guard (Astra Militarum). This is very unfair to the Astra Militarum officers and Soldiers heavily promoted by the Department of Military Affairs.
But if these people were to experience the intensity of a counter-boarding or boarding melee just once, they would quickly change their tune, then publicly advocate for the Imperial Navy to further improve the food and salary treatment of Sailors and crew members. Otherwise, how could they cope with such prolonged high-intensity melee combat?
As the close-quarters combat continued, the front-line Sailors and crew members began to grow increasingly tired. Everyone was drenched in sweat.
Surrounded by enemies, they didn't even have time to withdraw from their positions.
Some collapsed from exhaustion, literally dying of fatigue. Others, due to lack of stamina, moved sluggishly and were killed by attacks they could have otherwise blocked.
As more and more enemies infiltrated the battle line, Horatio also led his guards into a chaotic melee with the enemies around him.
He retrieved the Spotless Angels Scourge from his servant, and the surging motor sound echoed in the confined compartment.
He was like a valiant battle lion charging into the enemy throng, despite wearing a noble and respectable officer's uniform, he wielded two Chainswords, inflicting damage incompatible with his image among the enemy.
Blood and gore flew before Horatio, the sawteeth gorging on fresh blood, joyfully accelerating their rotation frequency.
Any crudely made rebel weapon was so fragile before this Holy Blood Chainsword.
An Axeman tried to block the high-speed Chainsword, but the axe handle was instantly severed, and the descending sawteeth then chopped his blasphemous-patterned helmet, along with the head beneath, into fragments, his shattered jaw dropping to the ground with a clatter.
Every swing was immensely powerful, leaving enemies either dead or wounded.
He had already lost count of how many times he had activated his Power Fist. Inside the warship, he wasn't worried about energy replenishment; the energy battery on the heavy gunner's back, who carried a Hellgun, could recharge his iron hand at any time.
The only thing to worry about was that the corrosion wouldn't be as severe as last time.
Buzz!!—Buzz!!—
Blood splattered everywhere amidst the roar of the motors, even splashing onto the high compartment ceiling.
Although the Sailors would probably only be able to clean it with high-pressure water guns afterward, Horatio couldn't be bothered with such details.
At this moment, his heart was solely focused on combat.
Having been in the Second Navy in his previous life, and now an Imperial Navy Naval Officer, he had a unique sense of belonging and an extremely strong sense of mission towards his assigned warship, characteristic of naval personnel.
Defending the Unyielding was his mission, his honor, his belief. Any enemy who blasphemed and invaded the warship, he would, like the ship's name, tirelessly drive them all out, until they were utterly annihilated!
The first week of July will begin a trial of three daily updates! Let's see if it can improve the reading experience for dear readers and reduce the probability of them putting the book aside.
I will work hard to improve my writing efficiency!! I can definitely do it! I will definitely not be lazy! (Feeling guilty)
Thanks to the readers, White Emperor Tower Disciple, and the crew of the Natural Selection for their generous donations to the Imperial Documentary Court!