Chapter 45: Powder Keg

Gronckle: Boulder-class dragon

''Overview: Metaturnal logistical and aerial/ground support dragon. Primarily useful as economic and logistical support, with significant applications in civilian use and minimal tactical use on the modern battlefield outside of congested zones. One of the few dragon breeds capable of sustained precision flight in all three dimensions. Inadequate as bombing platforms due to lack of speed. Primary military uses are undermining fixed fortifications, high-density urban combat, and logistical transport platforms (all Imperial heavy and light armor and crew-serviced artillery weapons have standard lifting hardpoints to facilitate this use).''

''Breath Type: Heptane/Oxygen-melted mineral projectiles. Specific effects variable on mineral chemistry (see Gronckle Appendix C: Gronckle Lava Sub-types)''

''Identification: Medium size. Variable-coloured scales and hide, studded with bony nodules, typically but not universally with brown overtones and a secondary colouration for ventral surfaces and hide nodules; four legs with grasping paws capable of small degree of gross manual dexterity, small single wing-pair (high-speed wingbeats). Large head with significant crunching and biting teeth capable of cracking silicate-based stone with ease, large blunt horn, yellow eyes of variable width based on lighting conditions and mood. Conical bodyshape, with a blunt thagomizer.''

Strategic Role: Logistical support; ground support; urban combat supremacy and support; construction support; sapper strikes

''Known Weaknesses: Slow speed. Requires ingestion of metallic or mineral ingots in order to fire projectiles. Minimal injury to wings will ground dragon. Modern armour-piercing weapons are capable of penetrating armoured hide with ease.''

Phenotype Cluster: B7!F5-SØSØS1+MØTØT3+

''Populations: Plentiful. Quite possibly the single most common form of medium-size dragon, these dragons are common in nearly every nation, in rural, suburban, terraurban, and urban settings; used for personal and communal transport, logistics, construction, industry, and personal companionship, they are an omnipresent factor in everyday life.''

—North Sea Empire, Office of Draconic Intelligence, Dragon Breed Profiles (Declassified), 1822 Edition

Foreshadowing
Put spoilers here

Epigraph Tie-In

 * The epigraph mentions the Gronckles are used in construction. The chapter shows Hiccup wanting to use them to dig more tunnels.

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