22-12-YC121

We saw our first real casualties these last two days.  Twenty-seven troops, almost an entire platoon, Leytenant Antonov amongst them.  An assault by the enemy that suggests they may very well be considering saving their artillery and facing us in hand-to-hand combat instead.  Twenty-seven of ours, but we have accounted for over eighty of theirs in return, so I think that our small numbers hides the skill that deSilvestris Household Naval Infantry have in this sort of environment.  Perhaps that shall give the Tribals pause, but I suspect it shall just make them fight all the harder, attempting to outdo one another in their primitive personal quests for glory.

Unfortunately, at least thirty civilians we also killed.  The Tribals seemed to make no distinction between us and the innocent locals.  True, those locals had taken up arms, and I imagine that is all the barbarians saw - there was no discernable attempt at any target identification.  They seem to be an undisciplined, though undoubtedly brave, rabble.  I think the inhabitants of this town are the bravest of all of us.  That is how most of our casualties were sustained - protecting the civilians who were not fighting, mostly elderly and children, as they sought shelter.

East Hav is the name of the town, though most of the Company seem to have an odd affection for Mining Settlement 45.  Indeed, they are already calling themselves The Forty-Fivers.