Around an hour after Dave and Kett set out with their valuable load of fuel, the entire camp of 34 people, 18 horses and a UAZ-469 arrive at the former Soviet repair yard. The time has been spent contructively with basic repairs completed to the truck (enough to get it mobile at least) and most of the newly aquired stored loaded aboard.
[Private to Major Richard Smythe: Roll observation check - you've got the best obs of the stayers - scary isn't it!]

OOC: I'll update the equipment thread sometime in the next 24 hours or so.

OK, since I'm an Aircraft Mechanic myself I'll help out with the repairs where I can, keeping an eye on proceedings all the while.


Obs: 3
Roll: 6

" 'ey laddies. Fairly nice to see you all."

Don opens up with a smile when seeing everyone again.

"So, should we really stand here for much longer? There was an incoming army on the way here, or did I get something wrong?"
[Private to GM: Hmm, am I wrong here?]

No comment. :)

All vehicles are now ready to move under their own power but (due to as yet unrepaired damage) only at half move for the M2 and BTR-80. This equates to a travel move (if you keep all the vehicles together) of 70/32 (on road/off road per four hour period in kilometres).

Your problem though is still fuel. With all the vehicles set up to run on Alcohol, you only have enough to travel about 500 metres. If, on the other hand, the three vehicles capable of using the diesel were converted, your range would increase significantly to around 75/35 kilometres (a bit more than four hours) for the diesel fueled vehicles (M2, Truck, BTR) and a measly 66/13 kilometres (1 hour, 20 minutes) for the other two (UAZ, BRDM)

Conversion takes four hours to complete but you have the advantage of the work having already commenced. Completing repairs to the suspension of the M2 and engine of the BTR will also increse range.

You have two mechanics (Gallin: 1, Sergio: 6) and a large group of labourers (some who may even have higher skills).

Repairs were initally progressing at a snails pace but now that everyone is all together again, you should be ready to move out in only a few hours.
Some of the Poles with you have come forward and offered their technical expertise and most of them have proven to be highly skilled. Fuel conversion for the M2, BTR and truck are swiftly completed and UAZ and BRDM made ready for travel almost immediately (by fueling)
Ammunition is redistributed and the UAZ is finally armed with a loaded PK machinegun.
Radio traffic since the linkup has predominantly been in code.
[Private to Staff Sgt Dave Guido: Dave, is it possible to jam transmissions with normal military type radios? There are some references here and there but nothing concrete.]

"What's the plan?,", Kett asks.  He has been playing solitaire with a ragged set of playing cards, the letters in russian cyrillic.

NPC'd
Sergio uses his mechanical skills as soon as he arrives to assess the damage to each vehicle. Since he's the highest rank with an sort of skill in this area, he assigns priorities as he goes.
I need people on the M2 autoloader and suspension, turrent traverse and engine on BTR, and suspension on BRDM. All else can wait.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:45, Fri 12 Nov 2004.

NPC'd
Seeing herself as little use with the repairs, Tanya climbs into the turrent of the BRDM and checks out the KPV machinegun.
The good news was that the weapon could cut through almost anything short of a tank. The bad news was that there was only 125 rounds for it and the coaxial PK machinegun was damaged although there was still a belt of 150 rounds loaded in it.
Col Nelson, I've got ammo here for the PK I can't use.

NPC'd
Mills didn't know anyone here besides the SEAL Winters. Even so, the best chance of survival now that his own mission had gone belly up was probably to stick with these people. At least most of them could speak english....
Knowing that he had no ability to assist in any way besides heavy labour, Mills took it upon himself to use those skills he did have and move out into the field to provide a sentry for the workers.

Meanwhile, Andy does a sweep around the repair yard, looking for likely avenues of attack, dead zones where they'll need indirect fire, etc.

NPC'd

Don, grab that and get it over to the UAZ please. There's a PK there with none.
Sergeant Major Brown, get the vasilek mortar setup in the centre there. Ready all the mortar rounds for it too. Leave the ILLUM and WP loaded though, we won't be here long enough to need it. I'll give you hand as soon as I can.

Dimitar found himself the default driver of the M2. Since the interior was coated with Russian blood and body parts, he decided to do a little "detailing". Scrounging up a bucket, rags and some water, he proceeded to drag out the two bodies and wash down the interior.

Andy asks, "Col, sah.  Should I setup the claymore along the mostly likely approach, and maybe some grenades on trip wires?"

[Private to GM: OOC: grenade trip wire trap:
1 - attach empty can to tree.
2 - Pull pin on grenade, insert into can (note, must be snug enough the spoon on grenade can't move, but loose enough that grenade can come out  Can be done with grenade lying on bottom of large can, this is more dangerous.)
3 - Tie one end of wire or strig to grenade, other end to tree on other side of trail.
4 - Victim catches wire with ankle, pulls grenade out of can, spoon flys off.
5 - boom]

"I'll play Indian for the 82.  Indirect fire mission, right, Sgt. Major?", Kett says grabbing his binoculars and his web.

"I will shoot for metal to metal right away but I would expect that I will just end up bracketing.  I am not specced in FO so I am a bit rusty.", he continues.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:05, Fri 05 Nov 2004.

Don helps out with carrying some ammo, and asks the civilians to help.
He isn't really fond of the soldier-mumbojumbo that is spoken now when the group is full again. AND he is not fond of using all this precious time on getting a LOT of vehicles and stuff.

"We really should move out with as few vehicles as possible, to get as far as possible with the small supplies we have. We should also leave the civilians if that is possible. Let them get a car if they want it, but the main thing is to get clear ourselves. We got to get back to sweet old Scotland."

"'ey laddies, I am Cináed Donnachaid. Any of you from Scotland?

Don greets the new members of the group.

"Canada, sir.  Warrant Officer Gary Kett.", Kett says falling back into his routine of calling anything that moves "sir" just in case they outrank him.  He shakes the Scotsman's hand strongly.

With the extra help of the Polish refugees, the repairs progress quickly. An hour, then two pass without incident although coded radio traffic is constant the entire time.
Soon enough all five vehicles are ready to move out although not yet at full combat capability.

Pack it up, Lt Col Nelson calls as soon as the report of mobility is given. We head to that village our scouts found this morning. The repairs will continue once we are there.

Kett jumps up into the back of any vehicle with an open machine gun.  He checks the belt load (if available)and the muzzles and the slide for obstructions.

If no gun is open he hunkers down in the back of a truck with his rifle loaded and ready.

Gallin will clean himself up and check on any wounds the party may have sustained, and check to make sure the refugees are okay, then take a quick look around the repair yard for any first aid kits, no matter how small or insignificant they seem. Then he will take up whatever position is available.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:37, Fri 12 Nov 2004.