Nothing to do but wait and hope they weren't detected...

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 49):

After nervous few minutes, the Labrysian soldier turns and walks slowly back to the tank, before the tank departs once again.

"I think we're okay, but we better move soon just in case."
With the possibility of more Lab interference in the near future firmly in the back of his mind, Meir turned his attention to observing as much as he could in the canyon as quickly as he could. Hopefully they'd spot what they needed within minutes and be able to withdraw to the quads quickly.

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 51):

Your initial observation showed a number of caves set in the canyon walls. Some appeared to be guard posts, with turrets clearly visible. Well travelled roads indicate substantial traffic to a few other caves on either side of the canyon, some of which may be connected deeper in the ground. There are at least ten scout tanks and two heavier tanks visible, with many troops.

Kicking himself for neglecting to bring a camera, Meir quickly dictated notes of what he could see and their relative positions into his recorder.
He'd use the cartography software on his laptop to draw up a map as soon as they'd withdrawn to a safer location. It wasn't ideal, but it wouldn't be the first time he'd created charts and diagrams based on memory and brief notes.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:35, Sun 18 June 2017.

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 53):

As Meir is recording, the sounds of battle further down the canyon can be heard. Troops below take up defensive positions and get out of the open.

"You see anything Thornhammer?" he whispered.

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 55):

"Thought I saw an explosion about a mile away. Wait, isn't that one of our fighters?"

In the distance you can just make out a small saucer-shaped craft, about the size of a 6dTon fighter, crossing the canyon at high sleep. Some of the tanks nearer you fire at it, but only hit the canyon walls. The heavy tanks below seem to be tracking it, but have not yet fired.

The scout tank that was looking for you seems to have taken up a position on the canyon lip about 200 yards from your position, in the opposite direction to the battle. Its turret is turned generally in your direction, but you have cover.

Meir considered their options.
Firstly he thought about asking Thornhammer to take the vehicle out with the LAW if the flier came near enough to look like they'd done it - but that idea was discarded as too risky given the rather noticeable back blast of that sort of weapon.
Then he considered contacting the flier by radio and offering their services as forward observers and target spotters, but without knowing the right frequency to use that would probably just end up with the Labs tracing their signal and throwing some artillery at them.
Really, their only true and logical option remained the same as it had been the entire mission to date - stay concealed, observe everything and only fire if discovered.

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 57):

"Do we have any limpits to stick on that thing?" he whispers?

He shook his head slowly in the negative. Tanya may have some but she wasn't there actually on the ground with them.
He'd deliberately left them out of the equipment as this was only supposed to be a scouting job. The weapons deliberately chosen to reduce the temptation to go on the offensive or try their hand at a spot of impromptu sabotage.

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 59):

The fighting grows rather intense down the valley. You see through binoculars a number of scout tanks firing, before one explodes. There seem to be a number of shots fired from the top lips on both sides of the canyon. Then a second tank expodes, leaving just two more scout tanks firing. Then a large medium tank, like the two below you, comes into iew near the top of the canyon.

Three more scout tanks come rumbling up the track towards your position.

OOC: Tanya and Tonkin are still hidden about 150 yards away on the other side of the track. There were 4 plasma mines on the guards you killed and his nearby. Damage 6dx4 burn ex sure.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:29, Thu 22 June 2017.

"You know how to use them and honestly think you can sneak right up while they're looking this way?"

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 61):

"No sir. Well, we were given some training in use of Labrysian weapons, but sneaking around them is a better idea. But I am just letting you know what we have..."

"Hold and wait."
Although the situation appeared to be deteriorating, once the fighter had left the area he expected the armoured vehicles would also soon return to their usual positions. With a little luck, the two sentries they'd killed would be written off as casualties of the aerial attack and little effort would be spend looking for alternate, ground based causes.
Of course to pull that ruse off, they'd need to reposition the bodies and fake battle damage. Hmm, perhaps tossing them off a convenient cliff would be enough to cover up the real cause of death...

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 63):

Indeed, the situation does deteriorate. As you stay hidden and watch, two Scout tanks stop near you, one about 130 yards away facing away from you and the other about 50 yards away facing in your direction. They pull off the road ane into bushes, with the near one in bushes about 20 yards from your current positions. There are more explosions, some on the opposite cliff , and some on the near cliff, before you hear the unmistakable sound of a LAW flying through the air and hitting the tank about 150 yards away! The explosion seems to cripple it, though you cannot see the source...

Miles and miles of canyon and they just had to stumble into a battle zone. Weren't the humans they'd come to rescue supposed to be somewhere else entirely conducting some sort of ambush?
Unwilling to enter the fray while the attackers remained unidentified, Meir kept his aim on the hatch of the closest vehicle and trusted Thornhammer to seek suitable target a little further away - it wouldn't do to be caught in the blast radius of their own missile should firing prove necessary...

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 65):

The battle seems to rather have stumbled onto your position, rather than visa versa. As you watch and wait, several Labrysians armed with rocket launchers come into view, only to be hit by plasma guns from the scout tanks. Even as they are being hit, rockets come from other directions and smash into the scout tanks. Along the lip of the canyon, the story is repeated several times as the government troops are overrun along the top of the canyon.

Down below, the heavy tank starts to rise up. Rockets hit it from several places along the canyon wall, and fire is poured onto the attackers from below and the far canyon wall. There seems to be a pause as the attack seems to stall, before mortar rounds start raining down...

Watch and observe. As long as Labs were killing Labs Meir was happy to stay out of sight and let them get on with it.
The moment they turned their attention to Thornhammer or him though, explosives and steel cored lead projectiles would be flying.

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 67):

As the fight progressed, the attackers started taking heavy casualties from the heavy guns of the tanks. Several light tanks were destroyed below, and finally the heavy tank succumbed after a particularly heavy mortar barrage had a round strike home, but the light tanks, soon supported by a number of APCs filled with government troops began to inflict heavy enough losses to turn the tide.

Then the fighters seen further down the valley began to make their way up the valley towards you, also supported by ground forces. You note some of these troops are human.

OOC:
So from how I'm reading the books, these are basically just a "sticky" version of a "typical" smart grenade which uses the 64mm warhead stats - in other words it's virtually identical to the plasma hand grenade and utterly useless against armoured vehicles?
IF we contributed to the fight, we'd be stuck using the two 84mm one shot missiles Thornhammer's carrying, and our 25mm grenade launchers (shaped charge ammo). Hopefully Tanya's got a weapon that can contribute too.

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 69):

That is pretty much right, though the mines can be set to go off when something steps on them. They can take out a track, which on a steep slope can be lethal, buy they are best against troops.

Tanya's 64 mm mortar is mounted on her grab bike, so she is limited to her 25mm Grenade launcher. Though if she can get to the mortars that have been shut down by the scout tanks (which shot some of the crew before being taken out), she could use it...

OOC: The problem with mortars though is of course that they're an indirect fire weapon and not generally the most accurate thing on the battlefield. Smart munitions go a long way to improve accuracy, by they're still a high angle weapon without (except in rare and fairly unique cases) a direct fire capability.

In reply to Meir Galinski (msg # 71):

True. But with smart munitions and less armour on top, that can turn to an advantage. Not to mention cover from direct fire...

Actually mortars can do direct fire ... they just need a clear line of sight to the target ... Soviet, French and others Mortars and others operated like this through WW2.