December 24, 2016: A Visit From An Ogre

I wrote this for a special event, intending it as a kind of sendoff for the Ogre Designer's Edition. Now it seems appropriate to use it as a welcome for the upcoming release of Ogre Sixth Edition. What says "Happy Holidays" better than a giant cybernetic tank trying to destroy a command post?

A Visit from an Ogre 
by Stephen Sciame
Based on Ogre by Steve Jackson and A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through command
people were preparing with attack orders in hand;
The howitzers were placed by the building with care,
determined no enemy unit would get there;

The soldiers were geared up all snug in their tanks,
Watching the monitors in their computer banks;
And GEV pilots kicking up dust in their wake,
Came back toward the base to take a short break,

When suddenly at one post there arose such a clamor,
Everyone sprang up to see what was the matter.
When on the monitor there showed a new motion,
Appearing out on the river, approaching from the ocean.

The moon shining bright on the snow,
Gave the light of midday to the infantry below,
When what to everyone's terrified eyes did appear,
But a cybernetic tank, bringing new meaning to fear,

With a complement of missiles and armor plating thick,
They knew right away they must prepare quick.
More rapid than any tank the monstrosity came,
And the men in the post knew the enemy by name:

"It's an Ogre, it looks like a Mark Five,
We need to stop it quickly if we want to stay alive.
Get the tanks in motion and the howitzers on call!
Get the GEVs back out there, we're going to need them all!"

Back toward the front the GEVs did fly,
While the howitzers' bombardment began to fill the sky;
When from the giant tank a missile suddenly flew
The three lead GEVs quickly became two.

And then, with a roar that was heard through the field,
Came the first GEV hits with nuclear yield.
The response from the Ogre did just as loudly resound,
And under its treads disabled GEVs were driven into the ground

They were armored for defense with long range to boot,
The missile tank's volleying attack left the snow covered in soot;
The Ogre's treads were damaged as were some guns on its back,
While the big tanks, the heavies, moved in hunting as a pack.

The shells, how they fired, the Ogre was wary,
Its own guns blazed back its opponents to harry.
The command was then given to take out those guns,
Two more heavies fell 'fore the task was done;

The last heavy commander took aim and gritted his teeth,
Through the smoke he saw another gun down and sighed with relief;
The Ogre still had weapons that fired out more rounds,
That took out the tank and rained fragments all over the ground.

The howitzers could finally hit the giant tank,
And new damage was showing quickly on its flank;
The general yelled to the infantry to take out its treads,
The men rushed at the Ogre, though full of dread;

It spoke not a word, as its weapons cut the infantry down,
And decoding the enemies' battle plans turned right around,
To run over the last of the mechanical units that had come in too close,
And after taking out the howitzers headed back at the command post;

It crashed through the walls turning the command into rubble,
The mission complete it headed back to its lines on the double.
Though no one was left to hear as it rolled away from the fight –
The robot called out: "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

-- Stephen Sciame, MIB 1201