World War Equus: Tales of War

The war came as a surprise to many nations, none more than Equestria herself, whose border forts with the Griffon Empire were overrun and destroyed in the first hours of war being declared. All except for one. The 45th Border guard regiment survived the initial onslaught and gave hell to the Griffons down to the last soldier. This is the story of the Boars and how they stayed a thorn in the side of Griffons, a specter to the 105th Griffon infantry and a rallying point for Equestrian soldiers everywhere.

Lieutenant Pine Needle sat in here office in the Boar's Den, as her unit lovingly called it. Calling the Boar's Den a fort would be an overstatement. It was nothing more than a depression in the middle of a forest, housing 40 soldiers total and no buildings whatsoever, more like holes dug into the ground and made 'homey' by the soldiers inside. It wasn't the worst post a soldier could ask for, but the border and forest was a peaceful place up until that fateful day when her scout sergeant busted in.

"Lieutenant! Squads Bravo and Delta are reporting movement along the border roads! The Griffons are moving in a massive force of armor and infantry! What are your orders?"

Pine Needle's eyes widen and she paused. She had to be in control or the morale of her soldiers would break and they would perish for sure. "Call all scouts back and get word out to the bases in Stalliongrad, Manehattan and Canterlot. They must know ahead of time before the Griffons get to far in. After the Scouts return, call everypony to the center, I need to brief them." The Sergeant nodded before running back out. Pine Needle simply looked down at the letter sitting on her desk. She crumpled it up and threw it in the waste-bucket next to her desk. Sorry kids, looks like Mommy isn't coming home...

The Regiment stood at attention. 38 pairs of eyes stared at their Lieutenant, Comms officer and Staff Sergeant. Confusion was in most eyes but four held nothing but fear. Pine Needle cleared her throat before speaking. "Soldiers of the 45th! It has come to my attention that Griffon forces have finally moved into our territory! The 47th and 39th regiments have been destroyed and we're receiving similar reports from across the front. But they missed us! And they are going to pay for what they're doing to our country, for every step into our homeland, they'll pay in blood. For every town they take, another of their convoys will be destroyed. I'm declaring full out Guerrilla warfare! Any here today may back out now, as those who stay will not see their families ever again. You likely won't leave this forest alive because the Griffons sure as hell won't be in the mood to take prisoners after what I've got planned for them! So, if you leave, we'll not think any less of you, but if you stay with me, we'll avenge every death this day! Who's with me?" A unanimous cheer rang out, Pine was surprised the Griffons didn't hear it. "We are the 45th Boars! And We'll RESIST AND BITE!" The chant broke out among the soldiers and Lieutenant Needle smiled. These were the soldiers she'd go to hell and back for.

"Alright everypony, move out! We have a lot of work to do before we even consider any operations." The soldiers spread out and started divvying up duties and plans for the base. The War had officially started and they would not go silently into the night.

It had been months since the war broke out. Reports came in from all over the country. The soldiers fell somber once they learned of the Zebras joining the conflict, but pride swelled in them to learn of the stalemate in Stalliongrad and the soldiers outright cheered when they heard of the near unanimous support of the world on Equestria's side. Needle got secret messages from Canterlot, urging them to continue they're campaign but declaring that help would never arrive. They were too far behind enemy lines and winter would be setting in soon. The Boar's Den was not a good spot to stay in during the winter, and Needle feared that the regiment would collapse within days of the winter weather. They had mainly survived by gathering supplies from abandoned, and some not quite so abandoned, farms and what they could eat from Griffon rations they stole. But the 45th kept on fighting from ambush positions and well placed explosives, going dark as the Griffons started to patrol heavily and strike when they grew lax. She even heard that the Griffons thought the forest was haunted, speaking of specters hidden in the brush and striking down those who would dare trespass in their land.

Needle was in her office as the Staff Sergeant walked in. "We ambushed a convoy along the east road. As per your orders, we let some get away and destroyed what we couldn't use. In all we scavenged.." He pulled out a scrap of paper. "20 Kar 98k rifles, 15 MP40 SMGs, 500 rifle rounds, 1500 SMG rounds, 2 weeks of rations for the men, and other miscellaneous items of importance."

Needle nodded her head. A good haul. They were running low on ammo for their standard issue Thompsons and Garands. Those weapons were a good addition to their defenses along with the MG42s they scavenged a week ago. "Give the troops my regards and see about moving the new equipment to.." She never got to finish as a red light bathed the office. Needle's eyes widened before she gave out a whistle that sound like on of the local birds. Quickly She and the Sergeant dashed out and gather along the fort walls. In seconds the entire regiment was aiming along one of four approaches, calmly waiting for the enemy to appear.

The silence of the forest was near deafening until the shout of "CONTACT" rang out and the east wall let loose fire. Needle made her way over and watched as a squad of Griffon infantry were torn apart by gunfire. One was running away. One was in her sights. One shot and...

One miss.

The tree behind the Griffon exploded as the shot struck the bark. The soldier ducked away and out of sight. The Boar's stood in shock. A Scout got away, they knew where they were. It was only time before the Griffon army would destroy the Boar's and their Den. Needle looked at her soldiers. They looked back. She swallowed before she turned to her regiment. "Fillies and Gentlecolts, they know we're here." The regiment was quiet, they all knew what that meant. They took preventive measures to make sure the base was never found. "But this isn't the end. The Griffons will show up sooner or later with tanks and artillery and the entire damned armed forces to crush us. But that's what we wanted. We were a delaying force." This got looks from her soldiers. "High Command never meant to save us, we were expendable and behind enemy lines, there was nothing they could do." Pine Needle looked back with tears in her eyes. "I'll never see my family again and neither will any of you. But if these past months hadn't made me the proudest Lieutenant in this whole fucking army! When those Griffon bastards show up, we'll give them hell. We will fight till our last dying breath and we will go down with one hell of a fight!" The soldiers cheered at that. "WE ARE THE 45TH BORDER GUARD REGIMENT! AND WHAT DO WE DO!"

"RESIST AND BITE!" The cheer rang loud. And Needle didn't give a damn if the Griffons heard it or not.

Nearly two weeks of skirmishing with the Griffons, they finally descended. One flare went off, then another, then another. The Regiment formed along the fort walls. In seconds they would be in a maelstrom of crossfire and destruction. A fitting end to the absolute havoc they wrecked along the Griffons supply routes. Needle waited along the wall, a stolen MP40 in her hand and a mismatched uniform covering her body. All the 45th were in a similar shape. Enemy weapons in hand and uniforms belong to three different units covering their backs. Needle watched the forest carefully. She saw movement along the trees. "CONTACT!"

"CONTACT!"

"CONTACT!"

"CONTACT!"

"OPEN FIRE!" With that call gunfire broke out along the fort walls. The initial Griffon force was pinned or killed withing seconds. They kept up the suppressing fire for a few seconds before they went quiet. Silence ruled the forest save for the few shots her marksmen let loose, killing anyone stupid enough to poke their heads out. Needle continued to watch the forest until she heard a distinct sound.

"ARTILLERY! TAKE COV-" An explosion blew Pine off her feet and directly into a crate of ammo left in the center. The world was hazy and muffled as Pine watched her worst fears play out. Her troops were scattered. Her Staff Sergeant lay in front of her, half his face torn off. 6 others were strewn about. The last three on the wall were firing into the trees. Corporal Rainy Days took a round to the head and dropped. Privates Sand Belt and Teardrop were blown to pieces as they manned the MG42 along the fort wall. The Griffons stormed in the fort. Sergeant Broken Hoof impaled a Griffon on his bayonet before a second slit his throat with a combat knife. Private Number Cruncher, fresh out of training when the war began rushed forward with a grenade in hand towards a pair of griffons. He latched on to one and shot the second in the leg with a Luger he took off a Griffon officer. The three went up in smoke. Pine passed out. They lost. She accepted death's cold embrace.

Pine Needle awoke with a start. She was tied down on a chair in her office. If this is what hell looked like, she wanted her money back. A cough drew her attention to a Griffon Major sitting in front of her and a Guard behind him. The major smiled at her. "Lieutenant! It's a pleasure you could join us in the land of the living! Now, as glad as it wold make me feel to kill you right now for what you've done, I need you to answer a very important question for me."

Needle looked at the Major and snarled. "And what, pray tell, is that question?"

The major glared at her. "Where are the rest of your commandos? We only found 40 bodies, including yours, and you will tell em where the rest are."

Pine stared at him. The major stared back. Pine started to snicker. The major began to frown. Pine broke out into voracious laughter. The major roared. "WHAT THE HELL IS SO FUNNY TO YOU!"

Pine calmed down and looked the major dead in the eye. "I am Lieutenant Pine Needle of the 45th Equestrain Border Guard, also known as the Boar's due to our base's local boar population. We are... were... a 40 strong regiment of regular soldiers that hid and gave you hell for 5 months and a prolonged skirmish that lasted 18 days. We gave your soldiers so much hell, they started making legends about us. WE ARE THE 45TH BORDER GUARD AND WE WILL RESIST AND BITE!" A shot echoed throughout the forest. The major slowly placed his Luger back into his pocket. He gestured to the dead soldier in front of him.

"Bury her with the rest. They deserve proper respect. They are true warriors and I expect the division to respect them as such." The soldier saluted and carried the body of the dead Lieutenant out to a graveyard the Pioneers had dug. Forty crosses were lain out with names and ranks carved into each one. The soldier lay the body into the last one and carved in

LT. PINE NEEDLE

45TH BORDER GUARD

A TRUE EXAMPLE OF HEROISM

The Pioneers covered the body in dirt and left the Den behind.

Pinecone stared at the grave in front of him. He started to cry. He looked at the Forty crosses laid out in front of him. He placed a small flower at the grave and took out his knife. Word around the prisoners was that this was her last words before she was killed. When he finished he placed his helmet on, gave the grave one last sad look before he said. "Bye Mom." and left.

LT. PINE NEEDLE

45TH BORDER GUARD

A TRUE EXAMPLE OF HEROISM

SHE WILL RESIST AND BITE