Below is the "valley of death," as it has become known to the combatants, though you'd be hard-pressed to agree with the name after seeing the serene river meandering through a dense grove of maple trees. But then you notice the pock-marked earth-- tell-tale signs of heavy shelling from a past skirmish; the recent rains have created makeshift ponds. This valley serves as the primary passage through this mountainous region of Tarakia. Now it will also serve as a choke point and staging ground for an ambush.

"This will be a Soldier's fight," Corporal McKinley tells me. Corporal Angus McKinley is a 26 year old pilot of a Soldier Hound. He speaks with the air of a quiet professional, but on the battlefield he fights with extreme ferocity. This seems to be a common trait among this battle-hardened unit. "A Soldier Hound's world is all about close combat. We ARE the front lines. When you're in that close and toe-to-toe sluggin' it out with the enemy, there is nothing pretty or elegant about it. Its dirty, ugly fighting...and we're the best at it."

His Hound, well-suited for most terrains, is a two-legged armored beast with a top speed of 40 miles per hour. He carries a rack of 4 automatic cannons on the right side of the cockpit and 3 anti-hound rocket launchers on the left. Soldier Hounds are front line specialists and their role is vital in close combat situations. I note the distinct tiger stripe pattern painted on all of the Hounds around me. With strong tones of reds, whites, and blacks (almost like that of a coral snake), it seems more like a warning than a camo pattern.

Looking over his Hound the Corporal says, "It's not really standard issue colors, but we want them to know it's us...and to fear us. If they see they're about to tangle with Hell's Hounds they know they're in for a wicked fight. Anything we can do to psyche them out gives us an edge."

Suddenly, the air vibrates with the sound of mega-ton footfalls. The Hounds of Sal Kar are seen entering the valley through the thick foliage of the trees. Through my zoom lens I can see the water in the crater ponds rippling from the vibration and leaves fall from the trees. I'm staked out on a ridge near the Heavy Gunner Hounds which affords me a very clear view for the ambush that is about to unfold.

I can hear the distinctive mechanical clicking and pneumatic whirring of the Tarakian Heavy Gunners as their large cannons rise up and lock on. A volley of explosions is launched as cannons fire off in rapid succession. In the valley below I can see a shock wave pattern of splintering trees and torn-up earth as the shots rip into the back of the Sal Kari line. Their path of retreat has just been cut off.

As the front of the Sal Kari column begins to scatter, I see the red Soldiers of Hell's Hounds charge in. They move like pack hunters firing their guns and rockets as they close in. The initial assault is brutal. They double- and triple-team their prey, attacking with blind side tactics and chase down any would be retreaters. Hell's Hounds were quick to cut a swath through the Sal Kari line.

When the battle was over this place had once again earned its name as the valley of death. Plumes of smoke rose up from the burning wreckage of decimated Hounds and fallen trees. A few of the Sal Kari forces were captured, but most were destroyed. This was the most intense close combat I had witnessed since my time here. This is what Corporal McKinley means when he says, "This will be a Soldier's Fight".