Once more, Dear friends

*Next day*

The Imperial commander watched as the first wave was pushed back and completely destroyed from the the regrouped Equestrian and Germane forces and were beginning to push past the small town on the other side of the bridge while he was still trying to gather his forces when he heard the sound of boots crunching and turned to see one of the Imperial Vanguards.

“Commander what is the situation here? All the information I was given prior to arrival has been made invalid at best.” The vanguard soldier said calmly.

“Sir! The first assault was completely destroyed and the enemy is gathering for a counter attack! My forces are still trying to rally! Sir what are your orders?!” The commander panicked looking at the Vanguard with fear in his eyes.

“Calm yourself commander, I'll be taking command of the next assault personally. If I fail you are to either destroy the bridge at all costs to slow their advance, or contact high command and speak to High General Darkling. Understood?” The Vanguard asked calmly.

“Of course sir! My troops are at your disposal!” The commander said saluting.

“Good, order half of your remaining soldiers to fall back to a secondary defensive position and destroy all conver along the way. Have the other half form up to assault the bridge.”

“At once sir!” He takes off to carry out his orders.

The vanguard turned to nearby soldiers, “ You! Form up and attempt to assist those retreating from the bride. Cover them until they reach cover.” He turned to a smaller group of snipers,

“You are to in turn cover them, there are several bombed out buildings close enough to the bridge to give you vantage points, but far enough to not be exposed, set up there.” The soldiers saluted the Vanguard and ran off to follow through on their orders.

*The bridge*

Steel and his crew at the front as more support poured in from across the bridge. At the moment Steel was engaged with a platoon of E-76 medium tanks with four already knocked out.

THOOM!!

“Damn It! These Imperials just don't know when to quit. They are basically throwing their lives away at this point.” Darksteel said with a hint of pity in his voice.

Wolf took notice and asked, “Steel, you don't actually feel sorry for these ponies do you? They did start this whole war.” Another Imperial tank then exploded from a well placed anti-tank round.

Steel looked over at Wolf and let out a sigh, “ No these ponies didn't, their commanders did. I'm fighting to protect my home from them, but right now most of these ponies are doing the same. I'm worried that before this is over, many of us may turn out just like them.”

Wolf had a confused look on her face and asked, “What do you mean? How are we in anyway like them?” Steel raised an eyebrow at her and said

“They are ponies same as you or me. They have families, lives, hopes, fears and anything we have. They aren't very different than us, but we haven't been taking prisoners and have been torturing them for information as well.This may be war, but before we did that to them, they did it to us. That is unsettling in more ways than one.”

*On the Western part of the battlefield*

“Shot out!!” Dash yelled.

THOOM!!

“Splash one APC!” Fluttershy yelled.

“ Rotate turret right 57 degrees!” Twilight called out.

“ E-76 in the open! 600 meters!” Pinkie called back as the turret rotated.

Twilight could hear Pinkie firing into a group of retreating soldiers as AJ loaded another round.

“Round up!” Applejack yelled.

THOOM!!

“Tank is burning. New target 20 degrees right!” Twilight called down.

“You would think these guys would get the point and fall back!” Dash yelled firing into the front armor of a tank putting a nice round hole where the drivers viewport was as AJ reloaded.

“They are probably on orders to not retreat.” Fluttershy said through her throat mic.

“Ain’t our problem the more of these bastards we kill the less we got to deal with when we punch into their homeland. Round up!” Applejack yelled.

THOOM!!

“We got Bolt and Luftwaffe CAS on station! They are requesting targets.” Pinkie said over the net as Twilight nodded.

“Have the battalion mark positions with a red smoke. Once the air support is gone get me an artillery barrage on their positions. They are not gonna push back! Radio Steel and tell him as soon as the air support of done to push his entire battalion up and swing right! We’re going to swing left while the Germanes are going right up the middle.” Twilight ordered.

“Got it Twi!” Pinkie called back and began to do as ordered.

*On the hill overlooking the battlefield*

The vanguard looked down at the battle. He saw the Imperial lines breaking apart and the soldiers attempting to retreat getting cut down. He turned around and looked at all of the soldiers he had left. Barley 1000 infantry and just under 100 tanks left along with maybe 20 37mm AT guns, not nearly enough to beat them back the way the battle was going. But enough to slow them down, he turned to a scout

“You. Run back to your commander, tell him that I won't be able to stop the enemy from advancing, but I can buy him time. Tell him to call General Darkling.” The scout gave a salute and ran off as fast as he could.

The vanguard then turned to his soldiers, “All of you are soldiers of the Imperium. You've sworn to fight,bleed and die for your emperor. That is not what is going to happen today, Today I ask you fight for your brothers and sisters and your families back home. I won't lie to any of you, if you follow me, you will not survive. But that is why I'm giving you a choice, you can either follow me into the cold embrace of death buy time for our comrades, or you can fall back to meet up with them. I will fault nopony for doing such either. It is your right to choose your own battles,I cannot force you to fight for me. I do not ask you to fight with me either. I ask you to die with me.” A few soldiers turned around and walked back, with their heads held low. But others stepped forward and saluted their leader.

“Sir, my squad and I always dreamed to one day be able to fight alongside the Vanguard and die if necessary.Now that we have this chance to do so, I dont give a damn how many hostiles are down there,we will fight until not a single one of us is left breathing!’ ” All of the remaining soldiers nodded and formed into battle groups and formed up to attack. The vanguard nodded and jumped on top of a tank and picked up and Imperial flag. He then yelled

“All forces, FORWARD!!” All of the soldiers let out battle cries and charged down the hill. With the Vanguard leading them.

*Down in the valley*

“ Have they lost their mind?!” Twilight yelled as they watched the Imperial forces charge out of the forest as 20 AT guns fired from the ridge wiping out most of first and second platoon.

“Pinkie tell everypony to fall back and set up defensive positions. They want to do a suicide charge then we’ll gladly send them to hell!” Twilight growled as they stopped and began to lay down a suppressive fire while the rest of the battalion fell back.

“Pinkie where is my air support!?” Twilight yelled as they fired at a tank with some crazy stallion waving a flag around.

“Dash load AP and hit that crazy idiot on the tank. I want every one of those bastards to watch their commander turn into a red mist.” Twilight growled.

“ With pleasure.” Dash smirked as Applejack loaded a round in as Dash lined up the crosshairs.

“ Twilight air support is on station!” Pinkie called back.

“Roger that! Have them burn that ridge where the AT guns are so our tanks can push back!” Twilight ordered as she heard Pinkie relay coordinates and locations to the Pegasus.

Fluttershy watched as the guns on the hill were engulfed in flames as Twilight called the battalion's back up to the front just as Dash fired watching as the tank exploded while her round missed, from him being blown off the tank.

“Damn it!” Dash growled as they pushed up with the Equestrian forces with their hull and coaxial MG fired into the charging infantry.

*Vanguard Commander*

I watch as my soldiers die all around me, cut down mercilessly under the enemy's fire. But Not one of them falls back or shows any fear, perhaps if they had lived some of them may have found their way into the Vanguard along side me. But still I would rather them fall in combat alongside their brothers and sisters, then be shot down in retreat. I looked back to my destroyed tank and silently give thanks to those within for getting me as far as they have. I pick back up the Imperial flag and a rifle from a fallen soldier and continue my advancement.

Bullets spray all around me,one even nicked me right through my mane. But it didn't faze me in the slightest. I then dive left to a destroyed tank and use it as a stepping stone and jump past the large black tank. I turn and take out a bomb, I was going to try and place in on the back of the war machine, but it seems fate had other plans. I sensed soldiers taking aim at me and I threw my bomb at them, the explosion took out 5 soldiers and wounded a few more. I then aimed my rifle at another squad and opened fire, I gunned down 3 of them before they fell into cover.

I grabbed a grenade and tossed it at them and watched as it exploded and a large gush of blood stained the cover they were behind. I could already tell that almost all of my soldiers were dead, I then noticed a second tank far larger than the others around it. It was forest camouflaged contrasting the one that destroyed mine. I rushed the tank, it opened fire on me and I was able to avoid it by quickly moving from cover to cover. I was able to get close enough to jump onto it and I get on top of it.

I opened the hatch and was about to toss a grenade in it when I sensed an attack, I jumped back slightly to avoid bullet fire. A black stallion smaller than most came out and attacked me.

I took out my combat knife and retaliated, he ducked under my swing and grabbed my hoof and twisted it. I dropped the knife and pushed the pain out of my mind and bucked the smaller stallion,he fell off his tank I had the advantage in close range combat.

I pressed my advantage and picked back up my knife and jumped down, in an impaling motion. I missed as the stallion rolled out of the way and took out a grenade and threw it at me, I jumped to the side and avoided the explosion and took out my rife and prepared to open fire, but it was jammed. I threw it to the ground and was about to rush the stallion when I heard the sound of firearms charging around me.

I looked around me and saw I was surrounded by hundreds of soldiers, I then noticed the battlefield around me was quiet. I knew that my soldiers were all dead and that I alone survived, the stallion then said to me.

“Give up. There is no way you are going to walk away from here alive.” Steel said as they all turned to see Tiger 001 along with the Germanes push up to clear out any other enemy soldiers while they could hear the and see the sound artillery shells fly over and hit the ridge where they were heading.

“I would rather fall in combat than be taken as some prisoner, whose only purpose is to be tortured for information and then killed. I would sooner die than allow that.”

The stallion gave me a strange look, perhaps it was one of understanding. Or perhaps it was simple pity, I could not tell.

“Look, You charged us, knowing full well that you would die. But you didn’t, surrender now is the only option, the alternative is that we capture you by force. Something tells me, you know more than most Imperial generals do.You're too valuable to be killed here.” The black stallion spoke in a matter of fact tone.

I look around at all the soldiers surrounding me. And I realise that I achieved my goal, their entire advancement had been halted by me charge. There was no longer a reason to fight, my mission was complete.

“Very well, I surrender.” The black stallion raised an eyebrow at this but none the less accepted it as soldiers placed cuffs on me and led me away without a fight. It was strange, despite my situation, I felt a strange sense of peace come over me. I did my best and failed, but I know that bought the time that my comrades desperately needed.

They turned as they saw Tiger 001 pull up as Dash popped out of the hatch glaring at Steel.

“Hey Steel what the hell!? I was going to shoot that bastard! Why did you hit the tank before I could huh?!” She huffed climbing out as the rest of the crew came out.

“Because killing him would have been pointless and we would have gained nothing. Besides Dash didnt you notice the look the Imperial soldiers had that charged us?” Steel asked calmly.

“I don’t care about their looks. The only good Imperial is a dead Imperial.” She growled glaring at the stallion.

“You know now that you mention it. He looks different than the other officers that we’ve taken. What branch are you with?” Twilight asked sitting on the turret while Dash huffed and began to help Applejack with the spent shell casings.

“I am with the Imperial Vanguard.” The stallion said perfectly calm, despite his situation

“So your command decided to bring in their elite to combat us huh? I always had a question I wanted to ask. Without all the zealot worshiping crazies that make up most of your military. Why did you attack Equestria? We never showed any aggression. Why attack our nation?” She asked as every Equestrian leaned in to hear the answer.

The Vanguard stallion shrugged and said, “I could not tell you, I have spent the last 5 years in the west fighting rebels, bandits, terrorists and broken souls who know nothing other than fighting and killing.But if you want my opinion, it happened for no true reason.”

“So whats all that crap your soldiers spout on about with the princesses holding the world hostage?” Dash spat at him.

The stallion got a strange look in his eyes, it was similar to resentment and hate. But also one of sorrow somehow.

“Lies young mare, lies. The high command of the Imperium is not as it once was. Many among them don't care about the Imperium at all it seems. All they care about is personal glory and power not mention each one of them are fools. How ponies like them came into power, is truly beyond me. Or any other.”

“Soooo where does the whole invade neighboring countries come in?” Pinkie asked lighting a cigarette and raising an eyebrow at him.

The Vanguard stallion shrugged once again, “Again, I could not tell you. They probably saw your nation as weak and easy to conquer. If my commander had not disobeyed their direct order, we may not have been all but exiled. The war would already be over as he would have lead the attack. Or prevented it altogether.”

“And what order was that?” Fluttershy asked.

“He would not massacre an entire county, fathers, sons, daughters and burn their countryside, simply for rising up and rebelling against a governor who ruled like a tyrant. Stealing wives, mothers, daughters. Butchering families and illegally selling them into slavery, taxing them to the point of poverty. When the Vanguard arrived, rather than kill the civilians, he had us kill every single soldier, guard, mercenary and criminal in the conquered nation. Rather than support them as orders, he also personally executed the governor and installed a new one. One that actually cared about those that lived there. If you were to try and say it was nearly high treason ,then yes it nearly was.” The Vanguard stallion said almost sounding proud of what happened.

“So tell me why are yall servin somepony like that if he’s a damn psycho? I figured that yall would have rose up against him or somethin. I know if the princesses started doing that we wouldn’t follow them.” Applejack said tossing out the last of the spent shells.

“Indeed Lady Applejack. It’s why I was sealed away for thousand years. My sister saw the darkness in me when I tried to destroy the world in eternal night. It saddens me that lives had to be lost in this ridiculous war because the ponies in your Imperium live in fear. Fear of death from somepony that kills any who speaks out against the crown. Am I right Vanguard?” *They all turned to see Luna walking through the crowd.

“To answer both of your questions, those of us in the Vanguard do not rise up against our emperor because he is not the cause of the Imperiums troubles...He cannot be. Hes simply a good stallion surrounded by corrupt nobles and military leaders who manipulate the wars truth to him. And yes unfortunately, a shadow has fallen over our Imperium. Anypony who even whispers a word against the war or anything against the high command is killed on the spot. Or worse. One day, the Imperium that we in the Vanguard believe in will return with us at its head...We simply have to fight for it.” The Vanguard stallion said strongly

“Sounds like somepony can’t see what’s right in front of them.” Dash said sitting down on the back of the tiger.

“It’s the blind faith that these zealots have to not even question such things makes me glad when we crush your kind.” Twilight growled glaring at the stallion.

“Ain’t no sense to try and talk sense into the ponies that won’t believe whats right in front of their face.” Aj said shaking her head.

The vanguard stallion raised an eyebrow at that. “Zealot? I am quite confused as to how I am a zealot. I did not kill myself as opposed to being captured, I am not standing here spouting off some insane chant about the Imperiums glory. I am not trying to blow myself up either. I have loyalty, there is a very big difference between being a zealot and being a soldier loyal to his emperor. I fight for that in which I believe. You may find that I am no different from any of you. Save allegiances.”

“I guess you’re right. So a loyalist is more the word for you then. Since I mean we can actually talk to you without you shouting on about the Imperium this and demon princesses that. Um if that’s ok with you?” Fluttershy said with him only seeing her eyes from the driver seat.

“Of course, war is not so black and white my dear. Extremely rarely can one side claim to be ‘The good’ And another simply being ‘The evil’. Besides I'm already talking to you now. My charge was not a result of blind faith or zealotism. Rather it was a result of willingness to sacrifice. I needed to buy time for my comrades to regroup, no great secret there. So I made the hard choice, I chose a suicide charge, as did every single pony there. They CHOSE to give up their lives, they were not ordered or forced, I gave them the option to fallback with no consequences. And they made their choice, does that make me or them insane? Does it make us zealots? Or does it make us simply soldiers? It all depends on your opinions and outlook on things.” The vanguard stallion said matter of factly

“No it makes you idiots. You sent hundreds of ponies to their deaths just to slow us down?” Twilight asked as they saw pegasus fly over heading towards where the retreating forces were heading.

“Does it? I succeeded didn't I?”

“Don’t know ask them if there is any survivors left. Besides, that where are they retreating? This mountain pass is still a days travel to any base around here. The closest one is your main front which is 34 miles away.” Dash said leaning back feeling her stump twitch. They could hear the muffled explosions from bombs dropped.

“I could tell you that but that would make no difference, in war information can be very misleading 100,000 troops can turn out to be 100. Or a million a thousand and survivors? We all fully expected to die. It is simple misfortune that I didn’t. Do not try to make it as if I forced them to do that. As your comrade there pointed out, every single pony who charged you had a look in their eyes, determination. Tell me, did you not do the same at Ponyville once? If the information is to be believed, you and that tank held off the entire Imperial offensive there until reinforcements arrived. You were untrained, undisciplined rabble back then. But you still made a choice to take on essentially a suicide mission, going up against trained soldiers. You survived, my soldiers did not. Its as plain and simple as that. Is there any true difference from what they did compared to what you did? Other than that they died?” The stallion asked calmly

“Yeah we were defending our home from a bunch of murdering psychopaths that attacked us for no reason! You don’t mention fucking Ponyville! We lost a lot of innocent ponies there! I watched your airforce gun down civilians and children so the difference is they got what they deserved. There was no reason for these ponies here to die today. You could have retreated after holding the ridge from us. You led these ponies into a slaughter. As for Steel he’s a bit sentimental about your kind. While the rest of us would rather see you burn at the stake he wants to understand you.” Twilight said hopping down from her tank and sat in front of him.

“I hope that this battle haunts you for the rest of your days. The ponies trusted you and you led them to their death in vain.” She said

“Interesting, you are both correct, wrong and insightful all at the same time. You are correct in saying that what happened in Ponyville was horrible, quite honestly all of us in the Vanguard agree that those soldiers should have attacked Canterlot instead of a defenseless village. However you are wrong in multiple ways, those ponies death will not haunt me because they made a choice, they did not follow my orders. I fought along side them, I did not lead them except in the sense that I was there leading the charge and I told them that they would die if they followed me. If those ponies died in vain, then why are we here now?

My charge did not stop you or force you back, but it did delay you slightly. That was the goal, not push you back, that was impossible and retreat? We would have been cut down from behind. Deaths worth of cowards, instead they died fighting. Not some heroic death or some grand last stand, but they had deaths that soldiers deserve.

You are also wrong in your way of thinking. If you think that way, full of hate and rage, then you will turn out no different than the generals who orders ponyville attacked for no reason. Using the horrors war taught you as a strange reasoning for your actions, as many writers have said, ‘Be careful when you fight monsters, lest you become them.’ And If I truly failed these ponies and led them to their deaths, then so did you. Plenty of your troops have died to get you this far, you look back at that and see their sacrifice, not that their foolish deaths.

And to try as make such a comparison, you were the elements of harmony, the lives of every single equestrian pony that has perished since the war began are on your hooves some might say. Even what happend at ponyville. In your own way you failed those ponies you did not protect them. Just as I failed mine.

But before you lash out, you should know that I also saw the same things you did, only far younger. But I lost my entire family and everypony I knew. I had to climb out from under my mother's corpse who died protecting me from the bombs. She was nearly burned to a crisp. I also tried to wake my brother and sister who were lying in pools of their own blood. With huge wood stakes and metal beams sticking out of them. My little sister was a newborn and she was torn pieces when our house came down.I saw it with my own eyes.

You were lucky to see only a few die, not all. Do not let hate and rage consume you young one, that is a path you will never free yourself from. Do not become a monster to destroy others, I have seen far too many lose themselves that way. I did not let hate consume me, I almost did and I did terrible things to soldiers who weren't even part of the bombing. THAT is what will haunt me until the end of my days, don't let it happen to you.”

BLAM!!!

"Don't fucking compare your murdering ways to us! We didn't fail any pony because you and your ponies are cowards. No formal declaration of war, you just attacked a peaceful nation. We still are the Elements of Harmony and are the protectors of a nation, we didn't fail anypony oh and the difference between us and scum like you is that the sacrifices my troops made under my command died fighting for their families and home. They died as heroes while all of yours died as the ravenous dogs they are. You failed your troops. I know what monsters are because I hunt them every day. Monsters like you and those worthless zealots that are going to be burned and left for the animals. I'm sure your family would be rolling in their graves seeing their son and brother help murder innocent people." Twilight glared at the bleeding stallion holding his leg.

" You will be taken into custody and I hope the princess skins you alive." She said looking down at him with cold and murderous eyes.

“Nopony gives a damn about your life here. To us you’re nothing more than scum and we will celebrate many nights when your empire crumbles. You’re a heartless bastard to only see a means to an end with your troops. I remember every face and name of those that died under my command and I make sure that my crew kills a hundred of every one of mine you killed. The heroes that died in the conflict are on your hooves and your murderous friends. In this war it is pretty black and white, you’re the bad guys we’re the good guys stopping you. Pretty cut and dry if you ask me.” Dash said from the tank.

The stallion stared at them as he was hauled up to his hooves and led away as Luna looked back at Harmony.

“Are you alright? I know he said some pretty things but don’t let it get to you. Scum like him will only cherish the look on your face if he gets a rise out of you.” She said as they nodded.

“We’re fine. It just pisses me off that bastard thought that he could compare when his people did to Ponyville to some childhood tragedy. He’s lucky I don’t kill him slowly myself.” Applejack growled as the others nodded while Twilight looked over at Steel.

“Steel we have some new targets. We’re going to be hitting the Vanguard from now on. Once we get the information we need it’s time to go hunting. We’ll support where can, Princess Luna how many more Tigers are being produced?” Twilight asked as the mare sighed.

“Only 20. There will be two for each division at least. Tia is hard on not producing too many. It’s just too much time and resources to train crews and produce them.” She sighed as Twilight growled.

“What we could do with another 1000 Tigers.” Rainbow sighed as the others nodded.

“Mount up! Steel you’re with me. Resupply and rearm because we’re going out tonight. I want to make sure those bastards in the mountains are all dead. That idiots little strategy failed. Plus I want to see if we can find anything about their plans.” Twilight said getting nods all around.

“We will be fine here. I’ll have the 2nd and 5th divisions dig in here until the bulk of our forces can push up. The rest of the Maremacht and Panzer divisions are pushing east to assist in the main assault. Do some recon while you’re out there and radio what you find.” Luna said as the two Tiger crews nodded.

“Yes ma’am. Lets go move! We have a war to win ponies!!” Twilight yelled as her crew scrambled and loaded up before heading to resupply.