Thus if we follow generic plot line #5, we either have to liberate Lask or settle them in another location with the (false) promise of fuel.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:24, Wed 23 June 2004.

Don wakes up, and stretches his arms. He has had a good nights sleep, as always. After getting a small breakfast of left-overs from the day before, he stroles around the others.

"Ah, them trees here, could have even been home in the trossachs."

Don watches the women in the group getting up.

Unfortunately, there is nothing romantic with this Rob Roy here. No lassies interested this night either... Well, they'll come, they always do...

"So, Mr Nelson. What are we to do today then? The Poles actually spoke about fuel. Lask isn't the smallest of places, but there might be some farm in the outskirts that might host some soldiers. Might even have something to drink there? They are Poles, after all. I guess they are out of 25 year old Ardbeg, though"

Climbing stiffly to his feet, Dimitar rubs red, tired eyes.  His attention perks up considerably when the Scotsman mentions drink.  He understood the rolling 'R's of Don's speech better than any of the others, but it was the promise of liquor that alerted him most.  It had been several weeks since the last of the vodka had finished and the annoying trembles had returned.  Recently, they had been bothering him more than usual which did nothing for his temper.

Scratching absently at his crotch while listening to the conversations around him, he sullenly watched the camp waking up.

OCC now we have patched up the story line.

Guido wakes up, does the obligatory scratching of the crotch (better to get it over and done with) while yawning loudly and streatching to wake all in hearing distance, just to be certain clears his throat and nose in an obnoxious snorking noise (you brought this on yourself Nuked) and promtly spits it on the base of a near by tree.
If this doesn't get rid of the plebs nothing will...short of shooting them.
Guido does a quick walk around camp to make sure the picket is still awake, making sure to say Hi to Cam as she can only speak Danish.[Private to Nuked: The second group may not be aware of this.]
This message was last edited by the player at 06:49, Thu 24 June 2004.

Returning from downwind with a shovel in hand I proceed to nudge the Military folks awake to get the day started.

<If only we had a bugler>

Alfred, after a short nap, gets up, freshens himself up, and gathers his small cadre of profesionals, specifically including the two Majors.

Gentlemen and ladies, we have a challenge before us. We have a limited food supply and a need to get more, exacerbated by the presence of our Polish friends. We also have limited supplies of fuel. Plus what is left of the Red Army probably won't be too happy to see us.

So, what options have we? Do the locals know a place where we can acquire food and shelter and perhaps acquire some more food? That is an early question and I'm hoping those of you fluent in the language can sort that out. We need any leads or intelligence we can acquire.

I would suggest we not linger here. We have wounded and staying in one spot, although attractive, might not be a wise idea given the small unit we wiped out last night and the depletion of local animal populations.

So, suggestions? And before anyone suggests dumping the Poles, I have considered that and will do so if and when it becomes absolutely necessary. I'd rather leave them somewhere well situated than out in the wilds, quite frankly.

Alfred sits back to let the team members contribute anything they have to offer.
If it becomes necessary to invite over a couple of locals for further debriefing, then so be it.

Gary listens to the Colonel. He also listens to the Scotsman, though visions of an unpleasant fate dance through his head when he thinks of meeting superior forces in an urban environment....

Don, do you think we might run into some trouble in Lask? Does anyone have any intelligence as to who is in control of Lask and what their attitude might be like? Further, do these locals have any clue where they might be safe or where might offer them a safe place to stay? We can't drag them all across Europe. We've got families back home and our countries probably need us...

"How about a recon and see what we are up against?"
This should be fun.

Sergeant, I'm not altogether sanguine about splitting this small command up while we're this deep in enemy territory. There are still fairly sizeable enemy force elements around.

On the other hand, it may be a productive idea, but mostly when we're a bit closer to Lask, if it seems to be productive to head in that direction.

If the local chaps can feed us any useful information as to what might await us in Lask or if, perhaps, they have another recommendation on where we might go that they might be safely settled, then perhaps we can allow that to guide our strategic planning.

Once the larger strategic direction is established, tactical decisions like where to laager, when to put out an advance team, and such become more clear.

My intention is still to get Donald back to Jolly Old England eventually. And getting him killed would put a jolly big crimp in those plans I should think.

While having this conversation, Alfred uses a Bayonet to scratch a rough map into the sand. When the locals are called over, he will use it, with Don's help, to illustrate some of the possible options and solicit their opinions.

OOC: The Ref said these are educated folks... time for them to contribute some of their brain power and local area knowledge to aid their own cause (and ours).

Don gets the spokesperson and asks for someone that knows the surroundings to help with the map.

"Allrighty then, laddies. Let's see what we have around here"

He settles among the others prepared to translate whatever said.

With questions relayed through both Don and Gallin, you work out that, they mentioned the previous day, they come from Lask. The town has been badly damaged by the recent fighting and many of the townspeople have fled. Many Soviet and Polish soldiers passed through the town heading west after the 256th Brigade (which most of you were a part of) was destroyed and it is presently home to Polish cavalry troops. Further questions lead you to believe that the headquarters of the Polish 11th Border Guard Brigade are located in the town.
Emplaced in the town square are several big guns, most probably artillery in the 105 to 125mm range. All the soldiers are armed with AK's and they have some machinguns and RPG's. No armoured vehicles have been observed to be with the Polish unit. In fact, it appears that they are totally horse mobile with all their stores carried by pack animals and on wagons.
Relations between the soldiers and townspeople are very bad (one of the reasons these people are in the woods and not the relative comfort and safety of their homes). The soldiers see the townsfolk as traitors as some assistance was given to the US troops when they were there.
It is a little doubtful as to how useful this information is as nobody in the group of refugees has been back to town in a week or so.

Stepping up to the group discussing the situation in Lask, Dimitar offers his opinion.  "I go to Lask.  I take him or him for speaking.", he said, pointing his finger to first Don and then Gallin.

He waits momentarily before continuing, "I am part of soviet army.  I check story and radio back."  Dimitar pauses and looks around at the small encampment, the jeep with little fuel, the hungry refugees and the wounded soldiers.  "I not stay here to die.", he mumbled softly to no one in particular.

I find it difficult to think of where would be okay to leave them? They have a little fighting now, but if they find themselves against real soldiers, like ourselves, they'd be no match? Tapping his chin he ponders.

Maybe some of us would like to stay with them?

[OOC: A good way to help them and dump any players that aren't here no more, which sadly may start to include me? Dependin on the internet connection at home!!!]

[OOC: From other thread. So much so fast? I'm a little lost]

It seems to me that we lack the resources to take on the Forces in Lask. I suppose we should then pool our knowledge about what we know about destinations in other directions.... maybe there is a better place to head to. I don't think we can take on artillery and machineguns and a big pile of troops.

I think we have to look at taking the refugees and trying to resettle them elsewhere if we're going to do them any good.

Gary seems frustrated with the situation, but that could describe how he feels about a lot of the last few years.

William helps himself to breakfast, before packing and loading his kit. He looks at all the movement around him, sizing up their potential and the value of their worth, and what it meant to him and his goals of escaping Poland, finding a nice quiet tropical island, and just living, no more fighting, no more running, just living. He snaps out of his dreams and coldly contemplates his companions, professional killer here, granny with a gun there, shark on a leash here, teenager with a knife there.

I don't think we have much choice. She pointed over at the UAZ-469. That thing isn't going to get very far on wishes and we only have enough fuel left in it to get about as far as that tree over there. I suggest a quiet little scrounging trip into Lask. We could do with some ammo for the PK up there and we could even find us a few heavy weapons if we get lucky.
I can't imagine the troops there are in great shape after the pasting 256th gave them laast week and it sounds to me like the HQ of the cavalry unit that caught us is there. Where there are HQ's there are almost always supplies and we may even get lucky enough to disrupt the entire unit for a day or so while we get some distance.
I know the likelyhood of finding fuel in the supply dump of a cav unit is next to nil, but at worst we could find ourselves in possesion of a few more horses.

Chaps, I see the young lady has a point. We've got to have some fuel for the UAZ or some horses to replace it. Some pack horses mightn't be a bad idea. I'm not so worried about disrupting the unit, despite that being in our original orders, because they're probably already fairly disorganized as a consequence of the fighting.

Nonetheless, they are still a force to be reckoned with. If we have enough Pact Uniforms, it would be ideal to have the entire team dressed thus. Standard British DPM or Yank Woodland Pattern will tend to attract the eye.

Perhaps we might (with the right weaponry) masquerade as a Spetznaz unit who have been operating to disrupt the NATO forces, as these are often attached at the Brigade, Division or even Army level. Of course, if we all speak Russian or Polish, this would explain our mixed equipment.

I think anyone who cannot speak neither Polish nor Russian ought to be assigned to continue gaurding the gear and the civilians, perhaps even starting a movement westward. We may have to abandon the UAZ - we'll be out of food shortly so that is more important than the vehicle. The wounded can be carried on litters.

So, let us assemble a small group of Russian or Polish speakers, see to it we are primarily outfitted with Russian or Polish equipment, discard most of our NATO-esque details like dog-tags, letters home, etc. Anything that would identify you definitively as an Allied soldier.

Then, under the cover of darkness, we infiltrate Lask, attempt to covertly acquire supply and perhaps further transport.

And try hard not to let the blighters kill us all....

"We have Plebs to pull it, only problem is food."
"As for the cavalry, their horses are not trained as was demonstrated at our visit to their camp last night, a grenade and the horses will run."
"They don?t appear to be as well trained as is made out, their only advantage is numbers."
Guido paces, looks at Don "We could try talking our way back to NATO lines." indicating a pistol being placed on the side of the head and being fired.

"Is that really a great idea, Mr Nelson? I thought it was down to me and Doc then? Are there any russkies here as well? Hehe...

The Scotsman looks around on the other in the group.

I speak Russian as well, a legacy of time spent in Moscow getting an education and touring the Republics by train. At least, I speak some Russian. Enough to communicate, but I probably have an accent.

Gary seems to be dubious about the idea of a trip ot Lask, but he's equally dubious about sitting here.

"I can speak German" (4-like thats going to help). does a cross and prays for a quick and painless death.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:07, Wed 30 June 2004.

"I was member of Soviet army", says Dimitar.

I don't know how useful I would be. Although I can speak perfect German, East Germany has been on the NATO side for the last couple of years. I suppose it is possible that a few hard core commies have stayed with the Ruskies.
This message was last updated by the GM at 05:35, Wed 30 June 2004.

All I can Speak is perfect Polish and Perfect good ole American.

I was never any good at languages, only got my o level italian.