In reply to Michael Kessler (msg # 74):

I don't have anything further.

I think it needs to be a hunt (go look for them) or a swift reaction to the next attack (before they get away).

I don't think ambushing them before an attack is practical. Too much ground and the attacks have been spaced out.

How about we assemble the Mad Dogs in Forest City. We send out a foot patrol with a strong reaction force (re the vehicles) on standby. As soon as the patrol gets hit, we call in the cavalry and smash them.

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If we’re going to hunt them I think stealthy is the way to go. Send out recon patrol(s) after dark to try and pinpoint their location. If / when we find them hit them with everything that we have.


I think the challenge here is finding a balance – if the patrol is too strong the bandits may leave it alone, if it’s too weak it can’t defend itself properly.

If we’re going to bait a trap for them maybe we could have some people move in to the campground disguised as refugees while the rest of the unit waits close by. We don’t even need to leave the people in the campground, just make it look like it’s occupied – start a camp fire, pitch a couple of tents, then withdraw after dark and see if they take the bait.

OK, I’ll post something tonight to wrap up the conversation with Walter and get us back to base so that the people not in the recon party can jump into the IC mission planning if they so wish.

I'm starting to think of a plan that would integrate the Catholic militia so their headman can get kudos.

My idea is we get the catholic militia to act as a stop line cutting off the escape from the island. Then we use what's left of the militia to form a firebase in the Vauban-style fort to the north (although that might be where the bandits are so we'll need to scout it out first.

Once the militia is in place we sweep the island and route out the bandits. The Krok could act as a mobile pill-box as we clear different sections and root out the bandits.

That way when we capture them we'll be able to give the militia's leader the credit for the success and the extra personnel means we might be able to do things without our arses hanging in the breeze for once.

How does that sound as a start? Too complex?

The spell-check doesn't recognise arse, or recognise by the look of it.

Arse, arse, arse, arse, arse...

Minor point, that fort has been mentioned as being occupied by the Fisherman's League.

Even better, that means we don't need the firebase as they won't flee there.

In reply to John Jameson McCarthy (msg # 80):

Works for me...

In reply to John Jameson McCarthy (msg # 82):

Count Frank in

In reply to John Jameson McCarthy (msg # 80):

Sounds like a good plan to me.  I think that the key is to find the bandits camp - they seem to have been operating in the area for a while so they will presumably have one.

In reply to John Jameson McCarthy (msg # 80):

Sounds good.

Initially I suggested that Kessler runs security and listens in on the radio so he can comment. Would it be better for him to set up the security and then come in to the talk? If there's a problem someone could radio him. That might be less artificial and our opposite number might feel we're monitoring what he says and recording it of we do it the other way.

Dave, what do you think?

Might be better for him to be inside.

In reply to John Jameson McCarthy (msg # 87):

That's fine by me.

OK, if you post up some disposition I'll get the meet and greet done.

I’ll do my best but I’ve no clue who’s there so it will have to be vague. If we’ve got the Iltis and the Humvee we have seven / eight seats (I think). Kessler, McCarthy, and Kaminski account for three for those so that leaves approx five, which isn’t enough for every pc.

OK, by my count there are six players (excluding me and mark). To try to give everyone a chance to get on to the security detail I’m going to presume that Fuse lets us squeeze up in the vehicles so that everyone can get one pc there.

So I suggest the security detail is as follows

Fischer
Ferro
Babicevs
O’Brien
Lines
Benucci

I won’t be posting until later so if anyone with more than one pc wants to do a swap just shout. If I’ve missed anyone I'm sorry – I’m at work so trying to do this as and when I can.

Yes, all players (1 character) may be present, regardless of seating.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:42, Fri 26 May 2017.

In reply to Fusilier (msg # 93):

Sounds good to me!

In reply to Michael Kessler (msg # 92):

Sounds great.

The militia stop line will need to cover about two kilometres of area so they're spread thin.

I'm thinking something like:

1) We lend the Forest City people the Dushka and some rifles so they can defend their settlement. We add a radio operator as advisor/liaison.

2) The loaner militia cover the bridge and cut the bandits off from our compound/mortar pit.

3) The Knights split into two groups to cover the campsite and just south of that so they can support each other. We may need to lend them radio or flares (if we have them).

As for us, we'll need:

Mortar team (Anna can be one)
An RTO/liaison for the Forest City settlement (Andropov or a volunteer)

Also, do the rest of us stick together as an attack force or do we assign an NPC force in the ILTIS to act as a pursuit group if the bandits slip through? Their job would be to delay flight until the Hum-vee/BTR get there.

Can anyone think of a way of dealing with non-bandit groups we encounter that aren't willing to co-operate with a heavily armed group? At the moment I'm coming up with a variation of "If they run they're VC; if they don't run, they're well-trained VC" but I don't think that will go down too well.

Any suggestions would be gratefully received.

Maybe just a promise that we will do whatever we can to minimize civilian casualties. I know that doesn't explain how and may not be the sort of reasonable answer he wants to hear but maybe just being honest about it will work. Honest being, "we'll try to make the right call as it happens because that's all we can do at this point".

I thought we were sneaking over by boat at night so nobody knows we are around. If we drive vehicles over they (bandits / whoever probably watches the road) are going to be alerted.

Not especially. We can try the old 'innocent people should have nothing to hide' but that's probably not going to go down too well either.

We could offer to take a couple of Piszczek's men with us - he's got to have people who he trusts implicitly, a key lieutenant, something like that - and say we'll include them in any decision as to how to proceed if we encounter such a group. That gives them a say - and potentially a veto - in how we deal with any such group.

We should probably also say that if and when we find the bandits we will do what we can to take prisoners provided it doesn't put mean putting ourselves at risk,


Most of our NPC's are on secondment to the Marians at the moment. By my count if Anna is on mortar duty and Krupp is in light duties so presumably not taking part that only leaves Janku and Aleksandr (and if Aleksandr is on RTO duty that obviously only leaves Janku).

How about the following:

Humvee
McCarthy - VC / Overall operation commander
Ferro - Driver
Babicevs - Gunner
Riedel - Medic

BTR
Kessler - VC
Andropov - Driver
Fischer - Gunner

Dismount Squad (ride in / on BTR)
Kolstrup - Squad Leader
O'Brien
Lines
Benucci
Price
Walsh
Czerny
Janku

RTO
Aleksandr (If you'd prefer Andropov to do it then we can swap them around but being a Pole I think he's a good choice for the dual task of liaison. It's also a good way of making him feel valued - 'this is an important job, Aleksandr, etc, etc'.)

That doesn't allocate anyone to the mortar with Anna, Other than McCarthy I don't know who has the appropriate skill set?

I tried to work it so that for those who had multiple characters their characters were on different assignment where possible - I think the only instance was Lines and Czerny, although that can be semi dealt with by putting them in different fireteams.

If we want a team in the Iltis we could shift some of the dismount squad but that would mean splitting our forces.

None of the above is set in stone, it's just a suggestion, so if anyone would rather do it another way just say.


I think sneaking in would have been the best option if we were going to try and lay an ambush for the bandits but for this option we need the vehicles.