Mon Apr 23 2012

Mon Apr 23 2072 Fresh troops. New supplies. A renewed sense of morale. But is it enough? Can the Cal Guard overcome the deficit of trained, professional soldiers? Can they dig themselves out of the hole they got into when Minton died and they turned on each other? Can they fight their way out of an encirclement by superior forces? So far, even with every victory scored by the runners assisting, with every round fired by the soldiers defending, it's just been a delaying action. Mafen's refugees, armed by Blindside's supplies, constitute a bare fighting force of only 200. Motivated, to be sure, but only 200 men. Flint's attack on the ammo dump slowed the enemy down, and though the artillery was stopped, it still rained down hell. Efforts by the MAG cause havoc and force the redeployment of the Home Guard off the front line, but the advance isn't slowed appreciably. The Japanese have heavier armor, better training and more men. They knocked down the Cal-Guard aircraft, they blocked Cal-Guard communications for hours, and the slammed into the front line and collapsed it time after time. The collapse of Bakersfield looks imminent, as the powergrid flickers - then dies.