"It had become a place of darkness. But there was in it one river especially, a mighty big river, that you could see on the map, resembling an immense snake uncoiled, with its head in the sea, its body at rest curving afar over a vast country, and its tail lost in the depths of the land."

-Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:14, Sun 08 July 2007.

Monday, October 2nd, 2000 -0700hrs.
Near the north bank of the Vistula river, southwest of Nowy Huta, Poland
50 F
Light Fog, Visibility 50-200m

The native crew of the Wisla Krolowa work tirelessly in the dawn chill to kedge the tug off of the mudbank against which is was moored and fasten the barge to its bows. Thusly configured, the tug backs away from the shore into the middle of the channel, before turning downstream. You man your station, the cold helping you stave off sleep. The smell of the river fills your nostrils and condensing mist dampens your clothes. It's almost hard to tell where the river ends and you begin.

Fully underway, the boat begins passing Nowy Huta and you all get a good look at the devastation. Half sunken and rusting vessels- dredges, barges, tugs, waterborne cranes- litter the river just of off the shoreline, like giant tub toys cast aside by a careless child. The city itself is a jumble of burnt brick and twisted metal. It is hard to believe that anything but the dead still walks its silent streets.

As the Krolowa approaches the eastern edge of the city, a bridge can be seen through the mist ahead. Its central span is missing, as well as part of its northern base.

Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:36, Sun 08 July 2007.

Sometime after the boat cast off, Dawid realised there was a newcomer on board.  Beforehand, he was too tired and busy setting up the auto-mortar to notice.  When it was convenient, he politely called her over and fetched her a chipped enamel mug of weak but hot tea, without milk.

Sipping his own battered aluminum cup, he said in Polish, "dzhehny dobri.  It is good to have someone along who is knowledgeable about boats.  Are you familiar with the river at all?"

Dawid was wearing the newer Polish army "Pantera" style camouflage battle dress and green beret.  He had artilleryman's branch collar tabs and Pultunowy's (SGT) rank epaulettes over the Polish national flag shoulder flashes. He seemed to be having some difficulty staying awake, and yawned as he rubbed at his eyes.  Setting down his mug, he splashed some water from his canteen onto his farm-boy face.

He offered her a cigarette if she wanted, and a light if she needed it, then lit his own and one for Joost if he was around.

The tug's engines throbbed in the grey dawn.  The devastation on the banks and in the river was only partly shrouded by the light mist clinging to the water.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:53, Sun 08 July 2007.

"Dziękuję," Griet said as she took the cup of tea.  The heat seeped through and into her sore hands.  During the outfitting, she'd pitched in as hard as anyone else and hadn't stood around looking smug like a useless Political Officer.  Though no stranger to hard work, she'd forgotten exactly how much there was to do aboard ship.  Her hands hurt, but it was a good feeling.

"Only where it goes.  The Vistula is big, but we never sailed it.  They make enough jokes about us without putting a warship aground," she replied.  When David offered a cigarette, Griet eagerly leaned in and let him light it for her.  She took a deep drag, relishing the bite of smoke in her lungs and the awareness it would bring.  "It's good.  Cigarettes are getting hard to find.  What they bring on the black market is criminal."

Griet smoked in silence for a bit, studying David with no sense of awkwardness.  "So why is it that I, a sailor, work on land for the ORMO and you, a soldier, work on the river for the Captain?" she asked in a joking tone completely at odds with the blasted landscape that moved past them like an unending scene from a propaganda film.

Snowy is still tired from the all-nighter that he and Blue pulled to get the various weapons mounted. He stands near the port bridge door, close enough to access the DShKM outside but not in the way should Uller or Adam want to use the door.

Today he is ready for action. He is wearing his flash hood rolled up under his helmet and has his protective goggles on his helmet. He also wears his kneepads and elbowpads. Over his kevlar he's wearing a grey floatation vest with 'customs' written on it, he's been dragging it around in his kit for years. His beloved M4 carbine hangs from his patrol strap as he uses his binoculars to add another set of eyes scanning the riverbanks and the waterway for obstacles and dangers. Snowy's equipment is stowed below. He looks across the banks, noting how Adam and Uller work as a team with a peripheral awareness. Bridge operations involve your senses projected outside the room you are in, but also being intimately aware of the team within. Snowy idly wonders if AFV crewmen operate the same way.

He rubbed the burn he picked up yesterday while cutting an ammo feeding hatch into the forward cargo hatch, it being vital that the Vasilek's explosive ammunition be stowed in a sandbagged locker below the waterline. He and Blue had discussed the pros and cons of having explosives low down where a lucky plunging hit could sink the boat. Blue's comment that anything hitting that ammo would sink the Tirpitz settled it, they stowed it low and gave it all round sand bagging. Anna had told him to leave the burn open to the air and let it dry. Good advice.

Snowy felt suprisingly good, although he didn't want to admit it. The long stint of work had calmed him from the day before's events and he could look at Dawid without being too bitter now. The Poles drank tea, which was possibly the best thing about Poland, or anywhere for that matter, that Snowy could think of. He lowered his glasses and looked around, wishing he'd come here before the war. Too late now. Still, he was on a bridge of a vessel and doing what he did best. You take what satisfaction you can these days.

Grinning tiredly, Dawid pulled out a flask and splashed a familiar strong-smelling clear liquid into his mug.  He offered it to Griet and Joost, saying, "ah, wodka... the farmer's breakfast."

She got the sense he wasn't flirting but acting in a comradely fashion after a hard night's toil.  If nothing else, the hard work had helped get rid of the chill of the late afternoon swim in the river after returning from Nowa Huta.  That was to rinse off any fallout particles, not that there should have been any, but he'd badly needed a bath anyways.

"What am I doing here?  My unit essentially ceased to exist after we smashed the invaders up at Kalisz a couple of months ago."  He sighed, remembering the confused battle and the disintegration afterwards.  "Never really made much of an effort to rejoin after, I guess.  So I'm AWOL.  If not a deserter.  I guarded a merchant's caravan going to Krakow, and they paid me in cigarettes.  I got off short of the city; they told me that the Rada would end up making me work for the ORMO whether I liked it or not."

"I'd like to get back home, a little town to the Southeast of Warsaw, called Grzybów.  You probably never heard of it.  My folks got a farm.  Maybe it's still there."

Looking out over the river, he drew on the cigarette, then flicked ashes over the gunwale, watching as the orange sparks quickly drifted down towards the dark river water rushing by.

Still not meeting her eyes, he sipped his tea and wodka, continuing, "if, ah, Adam isn't going past Sandomierz, then I guess I'm walking after that.  I can find my way, as long as I steer clear of the provisional national government downriver in Lodz; they wouldn't be pleased at all to see me."

Finally meeting her eyes, he then said, "Old Adam is a good man.  Maybe a little too good for this world.  The German is a good officer, even if he is, well, a German, and I will follow him.  Of the rest of the invader mercenaries, probably the Britishers, well, they are really Australians I guess, are the most honour-bound by the rules, or at least the rules as they see them.  At least there aren't any Russians!"  He laughed, as if thanking God for small favours.

"What about yourself?  The Polish Navy is... was up in the Baltic, last I heard.  Long ways from here."
This message was last edited by the player at 07:10, Mon 09 July 2007.

Failing to stifle a huge yawn, Anneka stumbled upon Snowy near the bridge.
"Let me see that burn again, floodlights are no good for assessing wounds."
Without waiting for a reply, she grabbed his arm, pulled up his sleeve and peered at the reddened flesh through equally reddened eyes.
"It'll do but you need to get some sleep." They all did, especially those of them who had drawn the hardest of the work, lifting and carrying heavy sandbags, metal plate and wooden beams.
"I'll speak to the Hauptmann about a rest schedule, probably two hours on, two off or something like that."
Dropping the arm, she turned abruptly and went in search of Konrad...

After driving the truck back from the burnt out city with the metal they need for strengthening the gun emplacements and the ship itself, Tucker parks the truck near the ship so that the material can be off loaded.  He slides out of the cab of the truck grabbing his rifle/grenade launcher combo, leaving the keys in the ignition so it could be moved when it is time to do so.  He checks in with Bayer to see where he can help out with his injuries.  Tucker will comply willing when he hears that they have to be out on the water by the morning.

His leg being a little sore from a gunshot wound and the work to get the Wisla ready to sail from the day before, Tucker makes his way to get himself a cup of coffee (or something else hot to warm him up) and makes his way to the deck.  He sling his M-16A2/M-203 over his shoulder as he comes out to see where they are.  He will greet anyone he sees with a nod and by raising his cup.  He reaches into his pocket and takes a couple of pills ([1] anti-biotic/[1] mild pain-reliever) he had put aside and uses his beverage to wash them down.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:57, Mon 09 July 2007.

John lies in the snipers nest over the bridge scanning the river banks with his bino's.He feels comfort in being behind the sand bags and the cold metal of the ak that lays by his side. he will be in a constant left right on both banks of the river in a slow movement to keep secuirty up.

Feet dragging and barely upright, Anneka stumbles into Konrad.
"Hauptmann Bayer, I suggest that you organise rest for everyone as soon as possible," she drawled. "Nobody's in shape to fight off a mosquito let alone a proper attack."
With those words, the fatigue she'd been so bravely fighting took hold. Sinking to the deck, she was asleep almost before she'd stopped moving.
[Private to GM: Yes, I was right - Anneka is utterly exhausted and will be out for a full period (four hours) minimum.]

Rather than taking a nip from the flask, Griet added a splash of it to her tea.  She didn't even bother to wipe the mouth of it first.

"I do not think anyone really cares about being AWOL or not any longer.  Certainly not these dead," she said and moved an expressive arm to encompass the ruined scenery.  "You are still in Poland, and where else does a Pole belong, nya?"

Griet listened attentively to his rundown of the crew.  Such information was worth far more than the cigarettes he'd been paid in, and he was giving it away for free.  Oh, doubtless he didn't think so.  Men always seemed to expect payment in flesh from her for things.  But as far as Griet was concerned that was a bill she did not intend to honor.  Even if he was a fellow Pole and sort of cute.

"Do not make the mistake of trusting the German," she warned with a quiet intensity in her voice.  "They put a number on my Grandfather when they put him in the camps.  Told him Slaven Sind Sklaven, all Slavs are Slaves.  His brother, his sisters, all of his family butchered or starved by the Nazis."  Griet paused to spit forcefully over the side of the tug.  "Don't trust the Germans," she repeated.

"I was on the Warsazwa."  That was, or had been, a large rocket armed destroyer; better known as the Kashin class to NATO.  A shrug.  "She was a good ship but she is no more.  Griet did not seem inclined to elaborate.

"There is no going home."  Was she telling Dawid about her own home or warning him against continuing his trek?  "Krakow is as good a place as any, better than most.  It is safe enough, and the ORMO gives me food, a bunk, a job that isn't stooping to cut rye or carry slops to a pig.  It's good, and helps our people.  Ha, we even give work to the invaders who would starve without us.  It is a proud thing to be in the ORMO, Dawid.  Be proud of being a Pole."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:45, Mon 09 July 2007.

Robert will walk over to the Dawid and the new woman who was added to the ship yesterday while they were in Nowy Huta getting the necessary metal needed to reinforce the ship.  "Good morning Dawid, ma'am.  I'm Robert Tucker.  Everyone calls me Tuck though," he says to both.  "Nice job yesterday in the city.  I gave your piece to Cap'n Adam yesterday and told him to give it back to you when he was ready."

Clarence sits not far from the pow-wow on the bow of the tug, listening in to what he can understand of the conversation between the two Poles. It's rude to eavesdrop, he knows, but he hasn't survived this long by trusting total strangers. The last time Milk spoke to Dawid, the man was digging a grave for the prisoner he'd just shot in the head. The woman (Griet was it?) seemed friendly enough- at least compared to her ORMO buddy- but it seemed too much of a coincidence that she should show up now. How was she going to single handedly assure that the tug completed its Rada appointed mission to the ORMO's satisfaction? Something about the situation seemed... fishy.

He peered out southward over the river. He couldn't see much forward because of the barge. Hopefully, the lookouts on the bridge roof were keeping an eye out for obstacles ahead. The barge was something else Clarence felt uneasy about. It was too big, too unwieldly, too much of a burden. It slowed down the tug and made it more difficult to manouver. It also hindered the Vasilek's ability to fire low over the fore quarter. But, the barge was the crew's meal ticket, and besides, Clarence thought, every mariner needed his albatross.

They needed to get more firepower forward, Clarence reasoned. It was time to take the innitiative.

"Yo, Dawid. Sorry to interrupt man, but I think that PK of yours would do us more good higher up. Maybe up on the forward bridge railing there. At least that way it can fire over the barge. With that big-ass thing in the way, your MG's not goin' to be able to hit anything small or low to the water out front."

Clarence tries unsuccesfully to stifle a yawn.

"And, everyone needs to get some sleep. We should start taking shifts so folks can take at least a cat-nap."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:15, Mon 09 July 2007.

He slouched over the rail, thinking about what she'd said.  "Well, let us say I trust Captain Bayer as a leader, even though as a Pole I have little love for the rest of his people.  After all, we're perhaps only 50 kilometres downriver from Oświęcim... what the Hitlerites called "Auschwitz"."

"I am proud to be a Pole and I love Poland!  It hurts me what's been done to our country.  The North Atlantic Pact soldiers say they came to liberate us, but," he gestured at the destroyed city around them, "please, let us not ask the good people of Nowy Huta if they feel "liberated" in their graves.  Those that have graves, that is."

Sipping some more from his mug, he continued, "true, it may not matter to most people if someone is a deserter, but I believe it still matters to the Polish army and the provisional government.  They don't control most of the country, but one way or another I may be passing through their zone of control so that's something to watch out for.  Either the government tries to regain control of the country and the hammer (and sickle) falls on Krakow, or there will be complete chaos and anarchy all throughout Poland again, dragging what remains of civilisation down and Krakow with it."

Taking a last drag off his cigarette, he crushed it out against the railing and then placed the butt in his blouse shirt pocket with the others.

"Whatever happens, I belong with my family's land, and if I die protecting it, then I will die free on Polish soil."


OOC:  As has been pointed out on a different T2K list, what we call the "Warsaw Pact" was known to those in it as the "Warsaw Treaty Organisation"; in return they referred to NATO as the "North Atlantic Pact", as turnabout is fair play!
This message was last edited by the player at 20:46, Mon 09 July 2007.

He offered Clarence a cigarette.

"That is a good idea.  A pintle mount on the main deck firing over the barbette would be my choice because that would mean it's protected and high enough to fire over the barge.  Also, I am a good machine-gunner and if the Vasilek is not an appropriate weapon, then I will be otherwise sitting idle."

"But failing that, I will carry out your suggestion.  I will also ask our NCOIC, Tuck, if we may have some sort of rest schedule set up immediately."

"Griet, if the PKM GPMG is placed up there," he pointed up behind them to the sandbagged railing on the Weather deck in front of and underneath the Bridge, "then that will likely be your action station."

OOC: Sequentially speaking, this dialogue basically happens when the discussion with Griet is complete.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:35, Mon 09 July 2007.

Offering the half-empty pack to Tuck, Dawid replied, "Good morning, Sergeant.  Thank you, I will go ask the Captain now."

"Clarence has suggested a sleep schedule.  As our chief NCO, I pass along this suggestion to you to implement as you see fit.  Personally, I am awake enough to continue on watch."

"Also, I have some a Russian-made night viewing scope, what you'd call goggles.  We may not travel on the water by night, but if we are attacked or otherwise wish to operate in darkness, they could be useful."


OOC: For reference, this dialogue could happen either before or after Clarence talks to him.  My limited understanding of the military is that while organisational matters like a nap schedule are not exactly beneath the CO's attention, seeing to the physical needs of the team and similar routine matters (like knowing capabilities) is what a senior NCO is for.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:47, Mon 09 July 2007.

After he was done talking on the Main Deck, Dawid jogged back aft to where his PKM was sitting on its bipod beside an aluminum ammo can with a spare 100-round belt.  Picking it the GPMG by its wood carry handle in one hand and the ammo can by the canvas handle in the other, he climbed the stairs to the Upper Deck and  then forward to the balcony at the front of the Weather Deck in front of and under the Bridge.  He placed the GPMG's butt against the wooden deck, and the bipod up on the sandbags, muzzle pointing towards the cloudy sky.

Seeing both Old Adam at the wheel and Snowy's shadowed face beside him, he climbed up the stairs from the Upper Deck to the Bridge Deck and entered the wheelhouse.  He nodded a greeting to Adam, hesitated, then somewhat apprehensively addressed Snowy (unsure of his rank), "good Morning, Mr. White. I would like to thank you for fashioning the barbette, and to say the ammo hatch is a brilliant idea."

The tangled wreckage of the banks passed by them as the bridge drew closer, the only sound the rush of the water as the tug plowed downstream and the engine.


OOC: Rae: I can RP asking Adam for his sidearm, or if this seems like too time-consuming, we can assume this happens "off-screen" or in the next GM narrative post as it's likely locked in the Ammo locker.

Snowy looks at him blankly and lowers his binoculrs. "I don't understand. I was going to make barbettes anyway. But yeah, we had to keep the ammo low. Make sure there's a ready supply near the gun though."

"Uh, I will," he replied, "and thanks anyways."  He sensed White was being obviously reticent, and prepared to ask Adam for his sidearm back.


OOC: if Snowy doesn't continue the conversation or otherwise blows him off, then the dialogue will naturally shift to him asking Adam about his sidearm.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:22, Tue 10 July 2007.

Parks lays on his side of the make shift bunker. Looking it over he's still concerned with the angle of fire he can possible achieve but it will have to do. His SVD rests with with it's bipod extended and ready for action if it's needed. Parks isn't comfortable in his current circumstance but that isn't all that unusual. He doesn't like the fact that there is no place to slink away to if this position gets to hot. No terrain to blend into to avoid detection. Parks puts his trepidations aside for a second and turns to look at his new spotter. So Yazz, who's  taking first watch? Or are we planning on bagging it here for now while the weather holds? I can sleep just about anywhere at this point."
Parks looks to the skies as if for answers on future prospects. "Think on it a bit while I go see about some food and try to set up some Coms to this position. Yelling only goes so far and our radios won't last forever." Parks slides backward to the latterwell and scales down and enters the bridge intent on seeing about some food for Yazz and himself and asking the Adam what type on ICS the ship might have.


OOC I have no clue how the different positions are currently set up. A drawing, even a rough drawing, would help for now. Things like: Is the sniper nest covered enough to be fairly rain proof? Is the postion wide enough to allow moderate movement for 2 within? etc.

Max grabs his gear and stows it wherever he's pointed, likley near the sleeping quarters.

max will do a recon of the boat by walking a slow lap.  Not being particularly "boaty" he is fascinated by almost anything.

Standing at the front of the boat, he looks down stream, towards where they're heading.

Squinting through the mist he confirms, a broken down brige is up ahead.  Max will turn and look up towards whereever the person steering is, to see if he thinks they can see the upcoming obsticle.

Tucker takes the pack of cigarettes from Dawid and takes one for himself and lights it up, handing the pack back to him.  "Thanks.  I usually don't smoke these but, I haven't had one for awhile.  As far as a sleep and watch schedule, I'll go and speak to Bayer shortly to see what he wants to do.  Am I the highest NCO aboard?" he asks Dawid and Milks if he's still there.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:59, Tue 10 July 2007.

"I am unfamiliar with your ranks."  He took the pack back.  "Although no one really seems to be wearing their rank tabs anyways.  Yazzie nominated you as top NCO (NCOIC), and no one objected.  Someone has to look after the "children" for Hauptmann Bayer, might as well be you!"

Dawid's rank of Plutunowy was demarcated by 4 lines on his battle dress epaulettes; it was somewhere around a Sergeant NATO code OR-5.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:47, Tue 10 July 2007.

Seeing no good reason to smoke his own when somebody else is giving them away, Joost accepts Dawid's offer of a cigarette and a light.  He takes long drag, watching the hulk of approaching burnt out bridge materialize thru the fog as he listens in on Dawid's conversation with the newcomer.  Joost is making a half-hearted attempt at avoiding eye contact with her.  A casual observer might mistake this activity as an expression of shyness or some other lack of social comfort, but in reality Joost is wondering how far into this voyage he will get before the ORMO trooper eventually recognizes him for who he is.

"So," Joost eventualy pipes up, indirectly addressing Griet but still looking forard over the bow, "Looks like the local civil authority has issued us a babysitter for this cruise.  Lovely.  The peacekeepers must have danced a jig when they found out they were getting a genuine Zampolit to run overwatch."

Joost chuckles to himself, stopping to reflect and admire his own appreciation of the situational irony at play when he realizes that Tucker has joined the group on the foredeck.  "How's your ass?" he crudely inquires as to the status of Tuck's wound.  Joost accepts Tuck's response and follows on with his own medical advice. "Nothing can't be fixed with a little bourbon and some duct tape, right Sergeant?"

They laugh, and it feels good to lighten up a bit.  Joost takes another drag off his cigarette and then turns to a more serious tone as he addresses Tucker.  "Look mate, I think we've covered that I'm ex-Legion.  I was a Sergent in the Second Paras, but that was pushing twenty years ago.  More recently, due to what we shall call a case of mistaken identity ..."

He hesitates, stoppping to eye the ORMO trooper, then continues, "... I spent some time with the Brygada Podhalanska, the Highland Brigade.   Polish mountain troops.  As a conscript Szeregowiec - basically a Private.  It is a rather ... sordid ... tale that mostly involves me being in the wrong pace at the right time, but the long and short of it is this."

Joost stops to punctuate the "this" in his last point by extending toward Tucker the index finger of the hand that cradles his cigarette which he then places back between his lips.

"I have played this game enough times to understand that committees don't survive first contact with the enemy, so I will abide by this, this ..." He waves his hand  around over his head, "...this chain of command.  But you - and the Hauptmann - must know that I have no interest in subordinating myself to some kind of NATO or UN expeditionary force.  I am an independent operator and intend to remain so.  I will man my post and I will cover your back.  I put my services at your disposal, but this is not my Army.  I hope we have an understanding."

Joost stops to take another hit and absorbs Tucker's reaction before continuing.  "On that note, I have fired an AGS only a handful of times in my life.  I am afraid I am not much of a machinegunner, so I first respectfully request a reassignment of billet.  Or, conversely, permission to expend some ammo getting myself re-familiarized with the weapon system."

Tucker shrugs his shoulder, "Well, as long as no one objects or isn't goin' to have hard feelings, I guess I'll do it as long as Bayer's OK with it as well."

Robert looks around to make sure no one else is around and then he turns back to Dawid, speaking in a low voice.  "Between me and you about the other day, I wasn't against you tappin' the guy in the head.  I was actually thinking about it myself before you came out of nowhere, in front of a group of people whom you never met before, and shot him in the head.  You need to use a little more common sense around people you don't know, especially, not knowing the what the other people are capable of doing."

"I am Griet Niewiadomska," she told Robert.  "Is pleased to make known you."  She turned slightly away from him to face back to Dawid.  When she spoke, it was quiet and earnest and accompanied by a hand on Dawid's upper arm.  "That is why, no matter how many times they invade us, they conquer us.  Not the Germans, not the Russians, not these Americans and Englishers.  You're a good man, Dawid.  You're a good Pole."  She gave him the briefest of smiles then let go of his arm.

Dawid's motivations were simple and could be used in the right way.

She listened as the men discussed the combat placement of everyone, following the arm gestures and tone as much as the words.  Joost had an accent she found very hard to follow, but did not fail to note him speaking of being a conscript in the army.  How that had happened would be worth finding out.

When they paused, she spoke.

"I can shoot the PKM, or the DShK," she announced.  "Was good anti-aircraft or anti-small boat weapon.  Can also shoot the AGS.  Is small and slow compared to naval gun, but this is not a Kashin yes?"

Whether it's fatigue or a misleading sense of security born from being aboard a relatively large, heavily armed boat in the middle of a large river, the security team settles into a very relaxed disposition. To puncuate this somnambulant atmosphere, Blue dozes idly on a pillow of sandbags under the awning by the rear Dushka while Anneka, a very lightly built woman, has gone so far as to pass out on the bridge. Konrad, half-asleep on his feet, seems to notice a second too late to catch her, and stumbles over to assist the fallen Israeli medic.

Only Max, whose somewhat casual- though no less fortuitous- glance up at the bridge, has any inkling that the boat and its passengers are under any kind of threat at the moment. He sees a brief glint at the lip of the bridge, on the right hand (southern) side of the collapsed central span. The glint disappears momentarily, but as Max continues to stare at the spot, wondering if his tired eyes are playing tricks on him, he becomes fairly certain that he can make out a human form at the edge of the gap in the same spot he'd innitially spotted the glint. The tug will be passing underneath that very gap in a matter of only two minutes.

Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:58, Tue 10 July 2007.

Standing a little ways away from the others, he spoke in a low voice.

"Thank you for this advice.  I know that was a foolish action under the circumstances, and I am ashamed I acted in a criminal manner."  He ducked his head, unwilling to meet the other man's eyes for a moment.

Then he looked up.  "All I knew was what must be done, and that I had to act quickly.  I was willing to exchange my life to save those of the people in the Abbey, and I had no fear.  I placed myself in God's hands and knew either He would preserve my life, or it would be forfeit.  The outcome wasn't decided by Snowy or I or Hauptmann Bayer."

Eyes burning with an intensity that was surprising considering how close to the end of his rope he must be, he said, "perhaps trading one's life to protect the innocent is not the way of the soldier.  But it was what I was willing to do."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:29, Tue 10 July 2007.

Snowy, unaware of the danger, still scans the area with his binoculars as he has been doing.

As Konrad assists the small medic her dogtags slip from within her shirt. "Major Anneka Soleblume" it states, "US Army". Who would have thought the softly spoken woman actually outranked just about everyone?
Finally put to bed, she slept on, completely oblivious to events around her. Not even the rythmitic thumping of steam pistons below decks penetrating her extreme exhaustion...
This message was last edited by the player at 13:30, Fri 13 July 2007.

Tucker laughs at Joost's comment about his injured ass, "I still got some left even after all of the ass chewings I got on the carpet coming up!"  He then gets serious when Joost goes on about his past and his current intentions of being an independant operator.  Tuck takes it all in and considers his words before replying.  "I'll try to put it simple to you Joost.  Most of us here are, or were, NATO soldiers at one time or another.  Some consider themselves still in, others are probably like you.  I'm looking for and was hired to do a job, like the rest, because now, I'm an independant operator due to this war.  I'm willing to go along with certain rules that may be brought into play and if people accept that they want me to be the NCOIC, then I don't have a problem with that either.  We do need some kind of structure to try and keep everything fairly reasonable and amicable.  I'm sure if people want to walk away from the job, then that will be their choice to do so.

As long as you're willing to do as you said about manning your post and covering our backs, I don't think there'll be too many problems and that's good enough for me.  This many people in the tight quarters we're going to have isn't going to be easy but, at least we've got food, water, a medic, and transportation around for now.  At least here, I've got a shot at making some money and maybe get enought to get out fo Poland one day and get out of Europe.  All's I know is that I'd rather be doing this right now then getting my ass shot off by PACT soldiers on some unknown battlefield that don't mean shit to anyone.  I resepct your opinions Joost and will keep them in mind!"

Tucker looks at Dawid in his eyes.  "As long as you know that what you did was fucked up, lesson learned and don't do it again because you might not be this lucky the next time!  You can beleive in whatever you want to about religon playing a part.  I don't get into that stuff but, if that keeps you going everyday then I say keep believing but, please use some better judgement!  This conversation about the marauder is over now, now let's drop it and worry about what we're here for," Tucker says to Dawid.

"I understand and agree, the issue is quite over as far as I'm concerned."  He started to leave, intending on carting the PKM up onto the weather deck.  Hesitating, he smiled and said, "Religion?  That's what happens in Church.  Faith... that can be a different story.  If you will excuse me?"  With that, he took his leave, letting Tuck finish his smoke in peace.


OOC: there, that seemed to work out nicely.

Still standing by Snowy, Dawid turned around to see the commmotion.  Concerned, he knelt down by with Konrad to see what he could do.  After a moment, he brought out his canteen and handed it to Konrad as he unscrewed the cap.  "Sir, try this, she just collapsed?"

Max notices a glint, and a human shape.

Max turns back to the bridge, looks up, and waves an arm, then both arms - trying to attract attention.

If there is no response, Max will call out to whomever it is stationed in the "crows nest", and direct them to check out the brige ahead.  Specifically on the south side ...

If Max is still not able to raise anyone, he will walk, then run up to the brige.  At this point its just a person up ahead.  Max still doesnt know how serious it is, and is feeling more overcatious than threatended.

Snowy is about to answer Dawid when Anna slumps to the ground and shouting out on the bow rings out at the same time.

"Uhh, what the fu . . ."

Snowy sees Dawid and Konrad turn to Anna, so he redirects his attention outside.

"Max is trying to get our attention, I gotta put an intercom in the forward mount."

Stepping around the two men tending to the exhausted medic, Snow rubs his eyes tiredly and goes out onto the bridgewing. Leaning against the rail, he shouts to Max "What's up mate?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:20, Wed 11 July 2007.

Max is relieved to get someones attention.  Having found someone to share his thoughts with, Max turns and points to the brige up ahead, and shrugs his shoulders as if to ask "Will we be OK?".

Then, Max points to the south end of the bridge, and indicates with his fingers "1 person".

It could be one of the Captain's lookouts, Max thinks to himself.  Still not alarmed by what he has seen.  He just wants to make people aware of what's coming up.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:22, Wed 11 July 2007.

Nodding in acknowledgement, Snowy answers "One man, on the the bridge." He then re enters the pilothouse and says in a clear voice.

"Captain, lookouts report a single man on the bridge. Shall we send out a scoutboat?"
This message was last edited by the player at 23:29, Thu 12 July 2007.

Noting out of the corner of his eye Snowy exiting the Bridge, Dawid returned his attention to Anneke.  He sat back on his heels shaking his head while saying, "I have no medical knowledge."  He asked, "who shall tend to the medic?"



Standing up so that he was out of the way between Konrad and Snowy, Dawid held his tongue.  He was waiting for someone to tell him what to do because he was obviously doing sweet-fuck-all where he was.


OOC: I rolled 19 for Medicine: Diagnosis, so that's definitely a wash.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:58, Wed 11 July 2007.

Tucker looks up to where Fosters is and sees him motioning something to Snowy.  When he catches it, he will unsling his rifle and say to anyone around, "Let's man our stations people!  We've got on the bridge up ahead and no tellin' what else, or who else, is with them."

If there's no one still around Tucker, he will go and start waking people up or grabbing them from whatever they're doing and gets them to come up/out to their stations.  He will then go and get his MOLLE vest and put it on over his kevlar vest and snug his chin strap on his helmet.  Once Robert has done that, he will get out his binoculars from his MOLLE butt pack and begin to scan the bridge area first and then it's surrounding areas.

Tuck
M-16A2 [1] 30 round Mag loaded/[1] 40mm HE loaded
Trying to get people to their staions and get his gear on

Clarence responds quickly to Tucker's command. He enters the barbette, slapping on his kevlar helmet on the way. Looking over the metal lip of the mortar turret, he unslings his AKSU-74 and trains it on the bridge. He's not sure where the threat lies, so he scans the span, trying to acquire a target. It's too far off yet for his carbine to be effective, but using the Vasilek against a man-sized target is pretty much out of the question. Besides, his gun-crew partner has disappeared.

"Tucker, where's this target? That's a big-ass bridge your talkin' 'bout!"

Clarence notices that he's alone in the barbette. If there was a target for the big gun-mortar, he'd be hard-pressed to do anything about it without the Polish artillerist. Clarence reaches down with his left hand and switches his radio on.

"Anyone see Dawid, tell him he's cordially invited to get his ass back in his post!"

Tucker's shout bringing people to action stations finally penetrated Dawid's fog of tired indecision.  Adrenaline flooding his body, he slung his canteen and sprinted out of the bridge and down the stairs to the Upper Deck, then down the stairs to the Main Deck.  He pounded around the corner and screeched to a stop at the improvised barbette.

Seeing Clarence already at his station, Dawid grabbed his helmet, thrust his beret under an epaulette and jammed it on.  He sat down in the small metal gunner's seat, grabbing the azimuth and elevation control wheels and making the firing pedal was clear to fire.

Looking around he realised something was missing.  "Uh... loader?  Load one clip of fragmentation, if you please."  Seeing none in the barbette, he pointed to the ammo hatch.  "I think they're down there."

Dawid Piotrowski,
Vasilek (0/5 rounds)
Getting the mortar ready to fire.

OOC: I'm assuming that the mortar was unloaded while we were working on it, and we weren't storing live rounds there either.  Dawid forgot to load it when they got under way, so there it is.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:24, Thu 12 July 2007.

Joost pats Tucker on the shoulder as he walks past and says, "Good chatting with you, then, mate.  I'm gonna go check that rig then hit the rack."

The action of the last day and a half are rapidly catching up with him.  There is a sour pit in his stomach and he is beginning to feel punchy and uncoordinated.  Even after taking in to account his remarkable physical condition, he knows he has been awake far beyond the margin of safety for a man of his age.  Sleep shifts should have been ordered hours ago, but there was work to do.  Turns out there is always work to do aboard a boat, but he knows better.  Safety first.  He wonders how many times he must have recited that while sailing for Maersk.

Joost arrives at his station on the vessel's fantail and inspects the grenade launcher's mounting rig.  A 29-round drum of 30mm high velocity, high explosive grenades is loaded.  He toys with the idea of popping off a few test rounds just to allay his apprehension and lack of familiarity with the weapon, but he is dog tired and figures it will still be there when he wakes up.  Satisifed, he sits down with his back against the gunwhale and folds his arms across his chest.

He has just nodded off to sleep when Tucker's call for general quarters startles him awake.  He manges to pull himself into a standing position, then charges the action on the autocannon and swings it thru the limits of it's horizontal and vertical traverse.  Bleary eyed and dizzy, Joost fumbles with his radio then calls out "Fantail checks clear.  Standing by."

He yawns hard.  And again.

Fuck!

Somebody is going to get hurt.

[Joost]
On the fantail
Mounted AGS-17
Sweeping the stern for targets and trying to stay awake

Griet jogged for her action station, keeping to the maxim Up and Starboard, Down and Port even though there was no crush of bodies like there would have been on a more heavily crewed ship.  That was how training was supposed work; an unconscious following of drilled in orders.

When she reached her position with the PKM, Griet flopped down on her belly behind it and began working on making sure the gun was ready to fire.  She puzzled over the feed mechanism for a minute before remembering that the PKM fed from the righ and ejected from the left, unlike the heavier DShK she was used to.  Once that was sorted out, she squirmed herself into a comfortable position and lifted the butt of the PKM onto her shoulder.

Griet Neiwiadomska
PKM (1 box?  100 rds)
Settling in as gunner
This message was last edited by the player at 12:36, Thu 12 July 2007.

Max is ambling back from the front of the boat, when he hears shouts about getting to your post.

It suddenly dawns on Max, that maybe the Captain doesnt know everyone on the river/

Shouting to no one in particular
"Wheres my post?"

Max will make for Snow, to assist him.

Upon arriving where Snow is, Max will speak
"Snow, i've just got back to the boat.  Where is my position?  Last i heard we were the dismount team ..."

After coming back up on deck with his MOLLE rig on and his binoculars in hand.  He yells out to Clarence, "WAIT ONE CLARENCE!  MAX!  WHERE IS THE TANGO?"

Tucker will then begin to scan the bridge area where Fosters said there was a person up there.

John will scan the bridge with his binos.

"People, we have contact on the bridge. Range to target is 200 meters. The target is wearing Russian cammies. The target is armed with an AK."


Once Gunny mans his spot, John will call out wind and range calls to him only.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:22, Thu 12 July 2007.

Max changes tack and heads to his heavy machine gun.  He is picking up on the urgency that others are now displaying.

Maybe this isnt one of our guys, he thinks.

"Contact was one guy, on the south side of the bridge.

That's all I got."
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:24, Thu 12 July 2007.

Adam looks from the bridge to Snowy, then back again, pondering his options.

Uller cuts in from the wheel, "We should keep moving. If that man is an observer for artillery, it would not be good to sit still here."

Adam looks again to Snowy, awaiting his response. Uller scowls at Adam's deference to the foreigner.

The Wisla Krolowa continues forward towards the damaged bridge at about 10 knots. Looking up, you can clearly see a man, dressed in woodland pattern cammies (without binoculars, you have trouble recongnizing their national origin at this distance). He stands close to the near-side railing just a few feet from a yawning gap towards the center of the span. At some point in the war, someone decided to blast some sizeable chunks from the length of this bridge. It does not appear that any attempts at repairing it have been made.

The man on the bridge lifts the binnoculars to his eyes again, and casually studies the tug below, apparently unconcerned at the burst of activity aboard. You notice now that the man is not alone. There is another just over his shoulder.

The security team, minus the unconscious Anneka, the attendant Konrad, Gunny (ladder? bridge?), and the snoring Blue are all manning their action stations now.

OOC: As soon as Snow posts his advice to Adam, I'll put up another GM sitrep. Feel free to post in the interim.

Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:44, Thu 12 July 2007.

"Better late than never." Clarence mutters.

Grunting, he lays down his carbine and crawls down through the ad-hoc ammo hatch. In the dimmer light of the cargo hold, he finds a clip marked HE in Russian and hands it up to Dawid. Then, he hoists himself back up on the gun deck and takes up his rife, attempting to reacquire the target. He'll try to observe how Dawid loads the ammo clip while also keeping an eye on the man on the bridge.

[Private to Dawid Waldus Piotrowski: Dawid will have to give Clarence some training on the Vasilek. He could probably figure it out, but he's not sure how to load the thing. I don't want Rae to blow us up the first time we try to fire. :)]
This message was last edited by the player at 19:09, Thu 12 July 2007.

"Well skipper, it's your river. If there's a good channel there we should be able to keep going, but if it's a choke-point we need to secure it first. The fabric of the bridge seems to have been dmaged, so the debris is below it. Do you know the clearance-to-keel of this bridge? Do you think there's enough room?"

Snowy adds "And for chrissakes Uller, grow up."

Uller glares at Snowy for a long second before using the excuse of the river to break eye-contact.

Adam responds to Snowy's recommendations, "The channel should be clear here. I've negogiated this passage before, in a similar vessel."

Adam makes a conciliatory expression at Uller before continuing, "We will continue."

Adam relays course and speed instructions to Uller in Polish. The first mate makes some adjustments to the wheel and the throttle, nosing the barge towards the partial central span.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:24, Fri 13 July 2007.

The tug continues forward, maintaining a speed of appoximately 10 knots. The bridge is only about 100 meters away. The two men on the bridge can be made out much more clearly now. Both wear camoflage fatigues not resembling those of any NATO army. Your best guess is that the leaf pattern is one of the older Russian types. The foremost man- the one studying you through binoculars- has a slung rifle. The other holds an AK model in his hands. They continue to watch the tug as it approaches, neither appears the least bit alarmed or threatened by its appearance. In a few moments, they'll be able to spit on the Krolowa.

Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:34, Fri 13 July 2007.

Max has made his way to his GPMG.  From where Max is stationed, he will try and see the captains deck, to see what the the drivers and Old Adams reaction is to the man, wait ... two men, are on the bridge.

So far the driver and Old Adam appear calm.  And certainly there has been no panic from Snow.

Max waits by the GPMG, he drops his AK-74+BG-15 combo onto the ground so its out of sight and his hands are free, if they are needed to take the big machine gun.


Max
Standing next to the machine gun
Looking towards the north end of the bridge, away from where the two known men are.  And checking the east or west bank (depending on what side of the boat Max is on) for any other signs of life.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:44, Fri 13 July 2007.

Snowy pulls down his flashood and settles his goggles over his eye. He keeps his gloved hands off his M4 as he steps out the pilot house door. He claps Max on the shoulder and looks up at the men standing motionless on the bridge. Waving to them in a friendly manner, he says quietly to Max "Now we see if the locals like us or not."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:56, Fri 13 July 2007.

Sheepishly, Dawid replied, "sorry for my absence, my friend.  You will be looking for a green-painted projectile with "82mm HE Fragmentation" in black markings with Cyrillic or Polish script."

The 5-round clip was extremely heavy, weighing 50 kilos.  He grunted in exertion as Clarence handed it up.  Waiting until his nominal loader was in position to see what came next, Dawid then placed the clip into the guide rails of the ammo tray, then rammed them down into the magazine until they slid home with a click.  Pulling a handle to load the first round he said, "that's it, we are ready to fire.  Ammunition can be continually loaded, and the barrel can be cooled with water without damaging it."

"Fragmentation ready!" he called to Tuck.

Checking to see that they had a moment and that all hell wasn't breaking loose, he continued to Clarence, "aim through the sight.  This handle here is azimuth, this is for elevation.  That pedal down there fires.  The other locks the traverse."

"Our range is 200 metres.  The trajectory is flat enough to not need correction."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:46, Fri 13 July 2007.

The man with the binoculars returns Snowy's gesture of greeting with a statue-like, motion free wave. The other man, however, a little behind and just out of site of his companion, raises his middle finger in a universal gesture of a different sort.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:00, Fri 13 July 2007.

Max doesnt take his eyes off the two men above when Snow slaps him on the shoulder.
"We'd look a right bunch of tossers if goes pear shaped Snow, so they better be friendly"

Max relaxs seeing one of the men give a short salute like gesture to the boat.

Max cracks a wider grin as he see's the second man give him "the bird".  Its all Max can do, as he resists the urge to return the "salute".  It would have been an instinctive gesture in times gone by, but now, its best not to rile the locals or push your luck.

Parks is headed to the bridge when he notices the activities of the other seems to show something interesting on the ruined bridge ahead. He changes directions and heads aft hoping to see over the superstructure to whatever has their attention. His AKR is slung and at his side, as always, and he lays a hand on it instictively.

[Private to Cap'n Rae: I haven't been told i see anything yet so i will not post that i have. If they are easily viewed then I will expand my post a bit.]


Parks
Behind bridge on the ladderwell
AKR (30)
Moving aft trying to see what is going on ahead.

This message was last edited by the player at 05:01, Fri 13 July 2007.

Snowy laughs, and says "Well, at least they have the quality of 'honesty' amongst their merits." On a more serious note he continues "We gotta get an action drill for dealing with bridges sorted out mate, we've got a few more to deal with yet. That makes me think; we gotta have a map of the river to sort out each day's sailing mission. We've got no RV points, no idea of what's happening except when it lurches into view and bites us on the bum. I'll chat to the Old Man about it."

Max nods
"Yes.  We need to get ourselves sorted out.  We said when we were back in the Ural, that we needed to sort ourselves out.  We're all new here, so nothing really clicks.  But we've been too busy to even disucss it.

Most of us also need to get some sleep, we need to organise some shifts.

It feels like its all going to fast.  We're asking for trouble.  We're already heading down river and we're so disorganised.

Max goes quiet.  He doesnt mean to be critical.  He's just stating facts.

"Two tango's warsaw pact uniforms range 100 meters rifles slung or at alert no threat yet, one man with bino's"

By her count there was so much lead ready to go downrange at the two figures, the bridge would probably collapse further under the weight of it.  Griet ignored the two men and forced herself to take up a watch off the port side, scanning the bank beside and in front of the tug's path.  Something bugged her.

The PKM loosely followed her scanning gaze.

Griet Neiwiadomska
PKM (1 box?  100 rds)
Looking to port.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:23, Fri 13 July 2007.

John will continue to scan 360 Deg's in search of more tango's

Clarence devotes as much attention to Dawid's impromptu loading lesson as he can while still keeping an eye on the figures on the bridge.

"You make it look easy, D.P. I think I got it."

Clarence notes the divergent gestures given by the unidentified lookouts ahead and above.

Cocky bastards. Givin' us the finger with five or six big barrels trained on his ass. Looks like we're headed into serious Indian country...
This message was last edited by the player at 22:02, Fri 13 July 2007.

Tucker turns to Max making his way towards Snowy, "MAX!  Starboard Dashka!"

Making his way now towards Joost on the AGL-17 launcher, "Joost, you good?  You see anything different than what we've got now?"

If nothing has changed and Joost is set up and ready to go where he is, Tucker is going to then move towards the Vaselik where Milks and Dawid are.  Time permitting, "How we doin' here fellas?  Ready to go?  I don't want you two opening up on anything unless you got a bigger target than those two on the bridge, Roger that?  Did one of those fuckers flip us the bird?" Tucker asks the duo.

Tucker
M-16A2 [1] MAG 30/M-203 [1] HE Loaded
Checking his assigned positions on Deck One

Not being able to see over the superstructure and seeing people man the guns, Parks figures its a serious threat. He heads to the ladderwell he just used. Once he's at the top goes prone and crawls to his SVD. "What we got Yazz?"Parks says as he slides his body into a suitable firing position.


Parks
Prone, behind cover in the snipers nest
SVD (scoped)(bipod)(10)
Starting to scanthe bridge for targets

"It is not so hard.  Oh yes, this lever here selects for single or multiple shots.  When it is like this, it is like big machinegun.  When she is fired singly, she is like big grenade launcher."

Catching Clarence's look at the men on the bridge, he added sourly, "Russian bastards.  I know of no regular formations around here.  There have been many desertions."

"If you would please, I think we could use another clip of fragmentation."



"They did indeed, Sergeant.  At least they're not shooting at us, which I think means they are deserters."

"We are prepared to fire, but don't worry, we will try to seek a worthwhile target.  Our traverse is limited to basically what's in front of us.  We could not engage the men up there if we wished, unless we turned the boat."

Dawid Piotrowski
82mm Vasilek (5/5)
In the gun tub, ready to fire.

John will inform the gunny of everything that has passed and they will continue to scan.

[Private to John Yazzie: This would be a good spot for some RP/dialogue...]
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:08, Sat 14 July 2007.

The Krolowa eases under the dilapitated bridge. It resembles a giant, fire-blackened, rust stained erector set with several jagged chunks torn out. As you pass under its shadow, you become aware of just how easy it would be for one of the men on the bridge to drop a grenade onto the tug, wreaking havoc and taking lives. For a moment, you imagine an oblong green orb falling slowly through the forward hatch into the 82mm mortar ammunition...

Fortunately, this time, no such direct action is taken by the two men. As the Krolowa passes to the far side of the bridge, Joost looks up and reacquires the pair. They've moved to eastern railing of the bridge and continue to observe the tug for a few moments. Then, they board what is probably a motorcycle (from his angle of view, Joost can only see their heads and shoulders over the railing, but the noise their ride produces is familiar) and head off southward at a dangerous clip.

In the pilothouse of the Krolowa, Konrad has assessed Anneka's condition and determined that she has not suffered any head injuries. It appears that she has simply passed out from exhaustion. He takes a blanket and covers her in place, then requests the presence of the various team leaders (Tuck,Gunny, Clarence, Snowy, and special envoy Griet). Konrad suggests a rotating shift whereby one member of each team sleeps for two hours while the other maintains watch on his/her assigned sector. It's not much, but it should help the group make it to nightfall without succumbing to Anneka's misfortune.

Then, Adam addresses the assembled group, unfolding a map of the Vistula from Krakow to the Wisloka river on the small chart table at the rear of the pilothouse.

"I am afraid that resting will have to wait for a couple of hours. We are here." he says, indicating a point just southeast of Nowy Huta with a gnarled finger. He slides his finger a short distance across the map to a sharp bend in the course of the river and continues, "These are- were- the locks. They are about 5km from here and we will be there soon. They were destroyed by NATO airstrikes a few years ago to prevent the crossing of Russian reinforcments during fighting south of here, causing flooding downstream. The concrete walls and steel doors were destroyed, but pieces remain, shifted here and there by the surging river. Also, a small island in the channel and many trees along both banks were submerged after the locks were blown, so there will be many obstacles. I have passed through there since their destruction, but never with a barge. I would like someone to take the small motor launch and act as a pilot boat to guide us through them. We will move very slowly, so we will be vulnerable. I did not like the looks of those men on the bridge. If what you said about their [Russian] uniforms is correct, they are probably part of one of the marauder bands that roam this area at will. We must be especially vigilant during the passage of the locks. Your thoughts?"

OOC: From the GM- In this next turn, I'd like the team leaders to finalize the plan for passing through the locks and then inform their teammates of whatever is decided.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:50, Sun 15 July 2007.

Parks looks at he map his wrinkles face showing concern turns to the Captain. "How long before we can clear that stretch and get back into open water if all goes fairly well? Are the walls of tha' lock going to be above deck or is it so flooded that our mounted weapons can still be brought to bear on our flanks? while waiting for an answer Parks looks over the gathered people.
If those lock walls are still above our decks then I'd recommend shore parties on each side.  It'd be to easy for some yahoo to just lean over the side and fire an RPG, or god knows what,down into us. Tha' mortar is the only effective weapon we'll have off the boat at that point. We've got enough folks here to put four man teams on each side, leaving a few on the boat and one in the scout dingy." Parks pauses a second and scans out the windows as if thinking. Otherwise we just stick with the boat and use it's firepower as best we can. I'd suggest 3 plans one for each scenario, depending on how much of the boats firepower we can bring to bear.
If my snipers nest is above the walls then that's the best spot for me and yazzie. making it three man teams on each side with sniper and mortar support.
If it's below the walls then Yazz and I will go ashore. Making it 4 man teams with mortar support from the boat."
If all or most tha' guns can be brought to bear then we stick with the boat." Parks looks around the small crowd again. Waiting for questions or rebutals

Snowy nods in agreement. "Yep, we're going to have to clear the channel sides. It'd be child's play to pre-register the lock and slam us where we can't manouvre, then pick up the pieces as we drift past. Not only that, but in such narrow confines we risk them rushing us and boarding the tug. That is, of ocourse, if there is a 'them' - but our mates on the bridge seemed to be getting downstream as fast as their bike could move them."

Snowy pauses before adding "We're going to have to land a party before we send in the pilot boat, they'd make good hostages and an inflatable is no platform to defend yourself from. I'm no marine, I'll leave the nuts-and-bolts to the footsloggers here about clearing the bank. But we should take bunker busting equipment with us." Snowy grins and quips "I gotta go along as well, you guys only found two sheets of bloody steel last time when we sandbagged the whole bloody boat! I gotta keep an eye out for bits, I'm sure you guys found a pub somewhere and played pool all afternoon!"

Tucker listens to what Captain Adam has to say about the upcoming passing of the damaged locks.  It doesn't sound too good making our way through it with the barge but, being that it is Adam's ship, he's got the say on the barge coming or going.

Tucker will take the opportunity to speak up when the Gunny and Snowy are finished.  "Here's my take on this.  I think it important to keep our personel on the ship, with the exception of the person guiding the boat through.  With all due respect Gunny, if we did land two teams, that mean we'd have to recover three teams, to include the motor launch, and leave a minimal crew on the deck weapons.  Not only that, I think it would take too long to do if any of them are under fire from our friends that just left.  I think even sweeping the one bank may be too risky with our limited time to prepare and that everyone is pretty well spent right now from getting the ship ready.  It would be a bad combo that could lead to someone getting unconsciously careless.

Now, if we do decide to land a party, I'll agree with Snowy that they'll need to bring some equipment for clearing structures or whatever is our way.  They'll have to move quickly and be able to be extracted as quickly as possible once we're clear of the locks.  Then there's repelling boarders if they have a means of getting close to us.  Not even going twenty-four hours and we're getting shit already!

Griet cleared her throat.  She'd been standing outside the group as usual, eyes moving back and forth from speaker to speaker.  It might have been an attempt at furthering her comprehensions of the discussion, or she could have been watching for signs of deception.

"Mmm, Krakow ORMO platoon has at locks.  Six months.  Try keep river open traffic."  Griet paused, gathering her words of limited English.  "Bandits problem at locks, yes?  Sovietski tank division three eight.  Problems," she repeated before lapsing into Polish directed at Old Adam.

"We've had troops trying to guard the remains of the locks and keep them navigable for traffic.  They've been harassed repeatedly by marauders from the Soviet 38 Tank Division.  It is reasonable to assume that the men we saw today might be scouts for them.  Even if they don't have a radio, with that motorcycle they could already be ahead of us and spreading the word."
This message was last edited by the player at 11:57, Sun 15 July 2007.

"The Soviet 38th Tank Division!  It does sound like trouble Griet.

So, your ORMO pals should be near the locks trying to keep them open from marauders, right?  That may be useful to us, if they're there!  Do you know if the 38th had any vehciles left, APC's or tanks specifically?" Tucker says to the female ORMO member.

Snowy interjects "Even if we do have friendlies there, once we've contacted them this is a good time for us to conduct a drill of how we deal with obstacles. We shouldn't rely on outside help, and we can iron out problems as we discover them."

Clarence leans against the back bulkhead near the sleeping medic, stroking his bristly chin unconsciously in a stereotypically thoughtful pose.

"Yeah, something about those two on the bridge wasn't right. They acted like they owned this whole damn river. I think we should approach the locks as if they're held by a hostile force. If it turns out to be the Krakow ORMO, well, cool. If not, we won't get caught with our pants around our ankles. Better safe than sorry and all that."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:11, Sun 15 July 2007.

"My thoughts exactly," agrees Snowy, stretching. "We gotta send a recon team in, probably most of the security force, and examine what's there and how to deal with it. If that island's held it'll be hell to shift as there'll be no land approaches. Like Milky said, we scoot down in the inflatable and disembark. Then we recon the banks, checking out the situation as we go, and report back. If it's held by the opposition, well we can either radio a plan meeting or pull back and tell the Krakow guys that their locks are held by the other side. Regardless, we should pull back upstream and rest the security team, we're strung out and we'll only make mistakes if we go in with our eyes hanging out of our heads." He gestures over at Anneka sleeping under a spread sleeping bag.
"Also, we may need to untie the barge to navigate the lockway. If the lock is absolutely stuffed, we're going to have a cataract over the high edge which means we'll have to find a way around. This could be a slow, long day's work with our backsides hanging out. So it makes sense to be cautious and find out what we're dealing with. I can scratch up an OPRDER, with some help, if you like."

Parks interjects after Milk seems done. "I am no expert by any means but correct me if I am wrong Captain.  The tug and barge will have to head through the locks slow as hell. Easily kept up with on foot. And I wouldn't suggest the teams be along side the boat. More clearing ahead. Splitting the teams is only to cover both sides. Unless we plan to leave one flank unguarded. If it gets seriously heavy on a bank then dive in. The enemy will have to expose itself to the boats guns to continue the attack. But again, we only use shore patrols if the tugs to low to use her guns." Parks pauses a second. "I agree with the teams landing well ahead of time if needed. Stay near the boat ans scout as best we can. Sneaking through I don't think is an option. Even if those last two weren't part of this group, we will still be seen coming. How do ya not spot a tug and barge on a river?" Parks turns and nods to Griet for her intel. "This Ivan tank division actually gives me more hope. I doubt they will use tanks against us. If they attack it will be for the gear we haul. Sinking us wouldn't suit them none. Besides, most tankers I have met couldn't fight their way out of a wet paperbag without a half inch of steel in front of them and atleast a 75mm pointed down range." Parks chuckles at his last comment in some rememberance of the past. " I understand we are tired. But deads a whole lot worse. I have yet to see a soldier fall asleep in combat. Let make a few different plans, brief our troops and try to get some rest before this starts. I am still a bit confused though. When you say locks you mean a series of gate that have to be open and close, flooded and drained to get us over a hump right? If the gates have been damaged and the place isn't properly manned then I don't how we're getting through. Or is it more just a canal with gates. No need to flood or drain?" Parks looks to the Captain for answers.

"Snowy, Parks, you guys seem to have the expertise here for waterborne ops so I'm just throwing out suggestions.  I don't know shit from shinola about this whole locks and passage through the canals and stuff.  I'll go along with anything reasonable here guys, and excuse me, girls," Tucker says apologetically to Griet.

"And you're right about not sleeping in the middle of a firefight Gunny.  We're all just gunna have to suck it up just a little bit more 'til we get past the locks," Tucker syas to Gunny Parks.

A shrug was the bulk of her answer.  "Not speaking to them for while.  Cannot say."  She looked at Tucker and shrugged again before turning to hear what Parks had to tell her.

"Is different terrorizing civilians," she told him.  "Real soldiers give them more fight than want maybe."

As it becomes obvious that the security team needs more time to prepare for the passage of the locks, Adam orders Uller and the indigenous crew to locate a suitable achorage site near the shore and moore the tug before continuing to brief the security team.

"I shall describe the locks as best I can." Adam slides a piece of paper and across the chart table and begins sketching the lock and barrage system With a grease pencil.

"The river splits here, about 5km downriver of our current position. This large island separates the main channel, to the south, and the locks, to the north. The main channel was blocked by this low dam. But, it was bombed here, forming a small cataract. I do not believe we could pass through there. The locks are here." Adam pokes his finger at the north side of the island. "They had proper doors but those were blown out by the bombings. The water flows quickly through the locks there, so the channel is deep enough to pass through, but it is very narrow. The barge will just fit through. The control house for the locks is right here. It is damaged but still standing."

OOC: Please check out the new Maps notice. Many thanks to those that have helped with maps, images, and technical advice.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:29, Sun 15 July 2007.

It is now approximately 7:30am, game-time.

The tug is about 5km upriver of the locks. Once underway, it will take about 30 minutes to an hour (depending on your speed) to steam there.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:31, Sun 15 July 2007.

John will stay at his post. The crew and the security team will need a set of eyes to cover them. He will continue to scan in 360 deg 's looking for anything.


"Boss, I'm staying here- will be set of eyes for you all."
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:08, Wed 18 July 2007.

Dawid locked down the Vasilek, then picked up his rifle and headed aft.  Finding Joost taking it easy by the Plamya automatic grenade launcher, he lit a cigarette and offerend one to the other man.  Joost took one and he lit it.

"So, are you familiar with this weapon?  It is easy to operate.  I will shoe you the basic principles, then I shall show you how to operate the Vasilek up forward as well."

Joost yawns again and takes the offered cigarette.  As he inhales, the glow from the embers gives him half a mind to burn the back of his hand with it to ensure that he stays awake.

"I've been checked out on the Plamya, when I was with the Brygada Podhalanska.  But it's been a few years, and - like I told Tucker - I was never much of a machinegunner to begin with.  I suppose it's like riding a bike.  Maybe when we find a more appropriate time I will rattle off a few to get that old feeling back."

He takes another drag off the cigarette, then motions to the fore with it cupped in his hand.

"Now that monstrosity on the bow - that I should get familiarized with.  When I was in the Legion, I was Airborne, then a stint the Second Paras.  My secondary specialty was forward observation for the field artillery.  Been twenty years since I've called fire, but I don't expect much has changed with the basics."

He taps a finger to his temple.

"I was never really so good with all the math but the spatial relations came naturally.  Nowadays it's all computers, anyway - right?"

Joost stifles another yawn.

"Those assholes we passed at the bridge have me concerned.  We're coming up on the locks soon and we will be vulnerable there.  I suppose that's what they're on about up in the pilot house.  We have to stay alert, but I tell ya Davey if we don't sleep soon somebody is going to get hurt."

"If you say so," Dawid replied.  "They had that equipment at the Regimental and Divisional level at one time.  We always had to do things the old fashioned way.  Mostly because we could no longer rely on advanced electronics, especially after the use of nuclear weapons.  Perhaps Western artillerymen are different."

"My battery's last gun was a horse-drawn WWII-era 152mm Howitzer that was over 50 years old.  Computers help, but do not fundamentally change artillery."

As Joost stifled another yawn, Dawid struggled to do avoid doing the same.

"Stop that!"  He gave up, and yawned too.

"There, feel better?  So, you should be fine for the Plamya.  Aiming and skill are the least important things about using an autofire weapon."

Let us go forward and examine the Vasilek.  Which is "cornflower" in Russian, by the way."

As they walked, they continued the conversation.




"If we fight, we fight.  I think we have enough firepower to cow any rabble we come across, and eliminate any who pose a real threat.  But then, who knows these days?  Those poor children back in the rubble had no business picking a fight with us.  They're lucky they're not all dead.  I hope they find the abbey safely."

Arriving at the forward barbette, he said, "here we are."  Quickly, he explained the controls.

"If you fire it on full-auto, it's like a machinegun.  If you fire it indirectly, it's a little like a grenade launcher, although there are differences."

"If you have any knowledge of those systems, then you should already know the basics."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:32, Mon 16 July 2007.

"Okay, decision time. I say we land a scout team and check out the situation. We can heave to about two to three klicks upstream and go down in the inflateable. If we draw fire, we call in mortar fire and back off. We take the PKM, a loader, an FO, a few shooters and a coxswain. What do you guys think?"

Parks nods agreement. "It's probably best that we scout this ahead of time. But we can't take so many that the tug's left vulnerable. The less folks tha better. If I had a willy peat gun bag I could just do a slide in insertion. I can still do it, just gonna take a bit longer once i'm feet dry. This is more my bread and butter. If someone has a grid map, I can go in to scout and make arty plans while I am there. The rest of ya can make ghost insertions all along the beach and see what there is to see." Parks pauses for a moment then turns to Griet. "Ma'am, do you know of any freq your ORMO boys use alot so we can try to raise them? This is after all sanctioned by them. Either they can help or stay the hell out of the way. I'd hate to shot one of them not knowing they are friendlies."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:28, Mon 16 July 2007.

The Australian had an easy air of command that Griet found herself responding to despite their differences in nationality and purpose.  Competence, no matter what skin it wore, was worth respect.  That made him dangerous too, if it came to a show of force over conflicting ideas as to how to proceed.

Gunny's question drew her attention and she turned to listen to him.  After a pause to puzzle out his words, she shook her head.  "Nie, no radio.  If too many marauding Sovietski, maybe no more ORMO."

"Excuse please."  Griet nodded to Old Adam, then let herself out of the pilot house and began to make her way forward to where Dawid and Joost were talking.

"If we're going to do anything, let's put a four man fire team on there to snoop around, get some intel, and get the hell out. While they're on the ground, the inflateable can check out the locks untilthe ground team needsto be extracted."

"So who's going on this recon? And when? Seems to me we could hold off a bit and let everyone get a couple hours shut-eye first."

"I don't think we have the time to take a couple of hours of sleep Clarence.  I think with those two assholes on the bike just cut any kind of break chance we had. I think our best bet is to make the best spped there and try to get Adam's ship through as quickly as possible.  If we give them the time, they mightbe able to screw our asses up real good.  Only a suggestion," Tucker says to everyone on the pilot house.

Max speaks up during a moment's quiet, after almost everyone else has had their say
"Well, we did see those guys earlier.  But as a matter of principle, i'm against us always sending out scout parties.  If we send out a party for every lock, broken down bridge or suspicious looking nook, we'll end up walking the river.

Sure, this time, lets scout it out.

I'm fine for resting first, if need be."
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:06, Wed 18 July 2007.

Blue having snatched some sleep under the awning lifts his head at the commotion caused by the sight of potential hostiles.  He lifts his beret from over his eyes and grunts.  "Well better than nothing." he grunts as he takes his beret and puts it in a pocket then puts his helmet on.

Grabbing his Austeyr he moves to his position aboard ship and awaits orders.

Parks stand and listens to the comments. With a a shake of his head he decides to step in again. " Tha' more we send the more chance of being seen. Tha inflatables aren't silent or I doubt even muffled. They'll hear us coming. Just give me a few hours to take a quick look-see. I will slide in and you guys can do four or five false drops. This is my neck of the woods we're talkin' about. Let me do my job. If this shit goes south ya lost one man. If it goes well you risked only one man and it was tha one man with the training to get tha' job done." having said his bit, Parks scans over the maps for a second. "Preset fire for these 4 locations. If I am in danger you can light off your big toy out there and give'um something else to worry about while I beat feet out of there. If it goes well, you have eyes and ears in place to watch as you approach and make your way through. You can have a dingy pick me up on the other side. I can do alot more good out there then here. If the lock walls are too high, i'd still suggest a team on each side clearing ahead unless I tell ya it's to hot." Parks pauses for a few seconds. "Up to you gents. I've said my fill" With that he steps to the side to study the maps for likely hide sites and egress routes.

Max shrugs his shoulders at Parks last comment.  Then nods.

"It doesnt have to be this way, one man taking all the risk.  But if that man  is keen on the idea, so be it.

The idea has some merit."

Seeing that Joost had the basics, Dawid ended up by showing him how to operate the disposable RPG-76 rocket.  "We will keep this here with the Vasilek.  That way we may engage threats to our flanks if we can't turn the mortar in time.  But if you need it, then I or Clarence will bring it. You extend the folding stock, then aim through the top sights here and here."  He set it in the sandbagged enclosure that protected the gun-mortar.



"Will you kindly excuse me?  I have something to do that I've been putting off."

After finishing with Joost, he saw that they had a few minutes of relative quiet.  The dark river was flowing by them as they lay at anchor, boat gently rocking in the current.  Moving towards the bow and the direction of the rising sun, he decided on saying some quick morning prayers, having forgotten them all yesterday and at dawn in the rush to complete modifications to the boat and then travel.

The morning was peaceful if a little overcast.  He took off his beret and and he set his rifle down on its butt, propped up on the railing beside him.

Although he held his Rosary beads in hand, he would not say the Mysteries until later that night.  It being Monday, he would contemplate the Joyful Mysteries.  Yesterday he had skipped contemplating the Glorious Mysteries in the evening.  He wondered if that would also be so tonight.

"Pater Noster, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum. Adveniat regnum tuum. Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie, et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo. Amen."

Finishing the Lord's Prayer, he moved on to The Hail Mary,

"Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen."

Finally, in Polish, a prayer to Our Lady of Częstochowa,

"Holy Mother of Częstochowa, you are full of grace, goodness and mercy. I consecrate to you all my thoughts, words and actions, my soul and body. I humbly beseech your blessings and especially your prayers for my salvation. Today I turn myself to you, good mother, totally, with body and soul amid joy and suffering to obtain for myself and others your blessings on this earth and eternal life in heaven. Amen."

Finishing up, he made the sign of the cross and put his Rosary beads back in a battle-dress pocket, where he would take them out tonight if he had the opportunity.  He put his beret back on and slung his rifle over his shoulder.


OOC: I'm assuming if Griet wishes to interact with Dawid, she would wait until he was done his prayers.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:35, Wed 18 July 2007.

Tucker puts his hands on his hips considering what gunny Parks wants to do.  "the final decision is up to the Captain but, that sounds like the best course of action to take right now Gunny.  If you want it, it's yours.  What can we do to help you and what will you need?"

Griet caught Dawid in the middle of his devotions.  Religion always made her nervous.  It was less of an issue in Poland than in most of the Soviet Union, but the Party still frowned upon it.  Griet's family had abandoned their faith a generation past and it had no place in her life.  Still, so many Poles clung to the Church that she recognized what Dawid was doing and afforded him the time to finish.

When he was done, Griet cleared her throat and closed the last few steps to put them within comfortable speaking distance.

"They're still talking about what to do," she told him.  "I told them that we had some men at the locks trying to keep them open, but I don't know if they are still there or not.  With the way the Soviet units have become nyetkulturny bandits, I'd suspect the ORMO unit there has been attacked - at least probed."  Griet found herself craving another cigarette and her eyes briefly flicked towards Dawid's pocket before she forced them away.

"You can bet the men on the bridge sent word ahead by that motorcycle.  Soon the whole river will know we're coming.  Griet leaned against the rail, her elbows on it which bent her back out slightly over the water.  She stretched, easing the tension out of her muscles; tension put there by her position aboard the Queen.

"They," a nod of her head towards the Pilot House showed who she meant, "want to send a boat out to scout the locks.  They are talking about who to send."

"You're not going," she told him with flat intensity.  "I want you to stay on the boat."

Snowy shakes his head looks at Gunny, saying "I don't like it. If you get nailed we'll have no idea what happened, no way of knowing whether to try an extraction or not, no way of knowing if we should do a follow up. It all depends on you maintaining your stealth, and has no fall back. Even if we do blind drops, they know we're up to something and you're vulnerable to a sweep."

He looks at Gunny evenly and rubs his jaw "it's not that I don't think you know what you're doing, but if the locks are held by the 'forces of godless communism', we'll have to land a strike team anyway." He looks out the window at the flat riverbank, low and lacking much cover.

Looking back at Gunny, he says "if you're dead set against us landing a patrol, I think you should at least take your spotter. We can form a ready reaction group here if everything goes south. I'm sorry, it's just my training, we never do anything without backup - even our snipers. In fact, we deploy our snipers with a three man element for flexibility, but I'm a cop and not a soldier."

[NPCed]

Konrad stood quietly, listening carefully to each man's input. He felt uncomfortable making a command decision- he'd made that clear already- but, once again, it was time for him to accept the responsibility of command. Unfortunately, he wasn't quite sure of what the correct decision was. He spoke out loud, addressing the others, but he was really trying to clear things up in his own head. Fatigue was slowly taking over.

"Those men on the motorcycle- whoever they were- will have warned their commrades that we are coming. Since we have stopped, they will be wondering where we are and why we have not arrived yet. They may be sending out sweeps already. I hesitate to send a rubber raft into that. But, we all need rest. The entire crew of this vessel is not prepared for an armed passage of the locks, if it should come to that."

He paused, nodding his head subtly as he made up his mind about how things would be done. When he continued, there was a greater air of certainty in his voice.

"So, we will all depart aboard the tug for the locks in four hours' time. If the Gunnery Sergeant wants to risk a reconaissance mission in the meantime, so be it. However, I do agree with Mr. White that he should not go alone. Sgt., you and the other Marine seem to work well together; I would like you to take him with you. Snowy, I would like you to handle the insertion. Select another man to assist you if need be. We will move the barge up into mortar range before the recon team departs. Should the marines need support, they will be able to call in fire.

Sgt., please maintain radio contact. I will have someone monitoring your channel the entire time. Find out as much as you can about the lock's defenders and defenses in the next four hours. Avoid contact. Any questions?"

Responding to the tone of finality in Bayer's voice, Adam orders the tug crew to make way. Uller grumbles as he complies, having only minutes previously supervised the laborious process of heaving to. Within minutes, the exhausted crew is again steaming downriver- more slowly this time- to a point at the edge of the Vasilek's indirect fire range.

The team leaders, having finished their meeting*, return to their teams and inform them of the plan, arranging for alternating sleep and watch shifts for the next four hours while the recon and insertion teams prepare for their mission.

<Brown>* Team leaders, please feel free to wrap up the planning session before moving on.

Lighting a cigarette for himself and another for Griet, Dawid nodded in agreement as he replied in Polish, "Do not worry about me leaving this vessel; I will not be doing much walking this trip!  My fate is tied to Adam and the Hauptmann, and my skills will be needed here to run the Vasilek, or one of the machineguns."

"I do think it is wise to reconnoitre the locks in some manner from on shore.  My choice would also be to anchor the barge and make our first approach with the tug unburdened and manoeuverable, then take the barge through when we are assured of our safe passage."

"I am much more valuable as an artillerist practicing my art on board the boat, but I am skilled with machineguns as well."

"Speaking of the artillerist's art, we have enough 82mm munitions to fight a few skirmishes, or perhaps one serious battle.  Our authorised tactial load was 226 shells per tube for battle, and we only have about 30 assorted shells, so you can imagine how far those are going to go.  These babies really eat up the munitions!"

"Which reminds me, I should bring up another clip, this one of Anti-Armour, in case we run into some bunkers.  At some point you or I should see if we can trade for some more along the way.  82mm should be common enough."

"I am glad that a fellow Pole is along for the ride," he said, gratefully.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:28, Wed 18 July 2007.

"good I will get out and hunt again. Guns i will do as told and we will come back."

" will get about an hour or so sleep so one else cover the look out"

with that john will walk down to the lower deck and lay down and sleep for as long as he can.

"Okay boss. I'll need another hand that knows what they're doing, so I guess it's either Joost or Griet - I think they've both got sea time and can take over if I buy it."

"Gunny, this is your show. You tell me what you want done and how you want it done, and I'll deliver." Snowy grins "of course, if you want me to draw fire for you, we may have an argument!"

Looking around at the sudden activity he said, "hey, I think we're getting going.  Let us pray to the saints everything goes well."  He made the sign of the cross for good measure.  He smiled to show he was kidding her a little.

As they got underway, he got into his flack jacket and put on his helmet.  The metal seat was cold under his buttocks, but it felt good to be in the seat of some artillery, even if was a bastardised mortar/autocannon.

"Loader, please locate and hand up one clip of Anti-Armour/Fragmentation.  We will keep it ready by the gun for the moment." He told Clarence what too look for written in Polish or Russian on the 82mm HEDP rounds.

"If Snowy's going to take Joost, I'll rotate sleep between Clarence and Milk on the Vasilyk and I'll have to do my best on the grenade launcher.  Someone's going to have to cover me while I get my two hours unless, you want that post unmanned?" Tucker says to Bayer and the other section leaders.

Rob then walks up to Gunny and Yazzie extending them a hand, "Good luck you two.  See you both when you get back aboard!"

Dawid liked to talk.  It wasn't something Greit did, but she was an intent listener.  Sometimes too intent.  It was as if each word was drawn in behind her eyes, weighed for meanings and then carefully filed; a secret policeman's eyes she'd been told before.

She forced herself to wait before taking the cigarette.  Being too needy was a weakness she'd been schooled to combat.  When she did take it, Griet nodded her thanks.  "If they ask you to go, tell them I told you to stay with the mortar.  No one else is as qualified to support the reconaissance team.  I'll be up there," she looked towards the PKM position above them, "watching and will come down if there's a problem."

Griet touched Dawid on the shoulder, nodded, and made her way towards where the sleeping Anneka lay.  She crouched beside the deeply unconscious woman, careful that the ashes from her cigarette did not fall on Anneka.  In repose the woman looked child-like; an impression heightened by her petite form.  Griet noted that she'd been covered up with care by one of the others.  Good, so there wouldn't seem to be any problems with rape it seemed.  Griet resisted an urge to further tidyt he blanket, rose instead and made her way up to the gun mount she'd been assigned.  Briefly she looked down at Dawid making preparations for possible action.

The farm boy needed to go home, to try and forget the horrors he'd seen; the horrors they now drifted past.  Unfortunately, she didn't think it would work.  The survivors in this atom-blasted world were the ones who knew more of war than they'd ever known of peace.

Clarence walks from the bridge to the stern and informs Blue and Joost of the plan. He asks one of them to take first watch (2 hours) while the other sleeps. After the quick briefing, Clarence makes his way forward.



"Who're you talking to, D.P.? Man, you really are tired, huh? We'll talk about sleep in a minute. This is the plan: we're moving the tug to within a couple kilometers of the locks. Snow is taking Gunny and Yazzie downriver a little further in a raft and inserting them to do a little recon. In four hours, the tug is going to follow. So, we've got about four hours and everyone needs to get some rest. I'll take first watch if you like."

John sleps waiting for mission

"ZZZZZZZZZ"

"Why, I'm talking to you, of course!" he said, grinning.  "That's good we are not moving, but we can still provide support even from this range.  Tell you what, I will go below and hand you up a spare clip, then find a spot to get some sleep."

He climbed down into the hold, then located and handed up a clip of 82mm HEDP ammunition, grunting with the strain. Done, he found a spot belowdecks to crash until Clarence woke him.

As everyone starts to file out, Snowy nods an informal salute to Adam and marches out with the rest. Going down the stairs and along the sandbagged rail to the bow, he stops and scans the riverbank again through habit. Everyone seems to be congregating around the Vasilek position, and he frowns at his extempore efforts at a mounting. A little niggling memo is inserted in his subconscious to do something about that sad effort.

Walking up, he releases his M4 and lets it hang from his strap. He takes out a water bottle and lets the conversation envelope him so he can get a feel of the mood. Noting the business-like tone, he waits for a pause and says "we're dropping off a two man team on the bank to check out the locks. I need someone with small boat experience to be part of the boat team in case I get perforated, we can't afford to lose the inflatable. From my dubious memory, the only people I can remember saying they've got small boat experience is Joost and Griet, but some of you others no doubt have hidden talents. We'll be taking the PKM as well, so the other person should be comfortable with that as well. Now, have we got any takers for a nice afternoon's boating?"

Looking up from down in the hold where he was looking for a place to sleep, Dawid rubbed his eyes and said, "I can both handle a boat and of course the machinegun, although I am not very quiet.  I can also ride a horse.  Aside from some experience as a mechanic, I can also handle misfires and dismantling simple explosives and booby traps."

Max offers up
"I could take the PKM, but, i got to see some action last time by going out witht the scrap metal team.  So i can stay back this time, share the glory and all.

Snowy nods to Max and says "Thanks mate, but we're more concerned with boat skills here. If you can pilot the zodiac is the main thing, we should all be able to suppress with the PKM."

"So far we've got Dawid, who else?"

"I don't have a lot of experience with them but, I've handled them on few occasions when we practiced waterborne assaults and what not," Tucker says.

OOC: Small Watercraft Skill: 3/10

Parks studies the maps for a bit then goes ti find Snowy. Catching up to him on the bow parks walks up and gets his attention with a nudge. "Are we Planning on waiting until nightfall. If not, I would suggest it. There is alot of open ground in the area. A daylight insertion would have to be atleast a mile out. Then a long slow crawl to get within easy view range. If we can wait until duck we can insert much closer and I have a starlight scope that should allow observation. I want to get to the point almost due west of the northwestern point of the island. From there we can easily observe the locks and the island side. Once we have gathered what ever intel is offered we can sneak toward the locks from the northern banks. If it's to thick you can extract us before getting there with the tug. If we can sneak thru the area, then you can pick us up where the Locks canal rejoins the river. Daylight insertion should be here." Parks points out an area where a small canal joins the river from the north. "A nighttime insertion can get us within half that range." Parks points at the map. "Any questions so far?" Parks waits for any response.

"Well, it looks like Dawid stays on the gun, Max has his turn on the tug and Tuck comes with me. If you have a moment Tuck, we should look over the zodiac and make sure everything's okay. Gunny's up in the pilthouse working on his insertion, so we'd better saunter back up there and see what the story is."

Snowy screws the lid back on his waterbottle and replaces it on his webbing.

"We should see about getting two radios, one for the recon element and one for the boat element. That means one for a base station on the tug and we're pretty much right. I gotta charge up all my batteries too, come to think of it."

Tuck nods to Snowy, "It would appear that I have the time to look at the boat with you to make sure all is well.  I'm not too sure about using the PKM on the raft if we get into it.  I'd feel more comfortable using the RPK if something happens.

That sounds like a solid plan Gunny.  I'm glad we've got people like you, Yazzie, & Snowy with us and your expert knowledge.  I'm not use to this waterborne ops stuff, not my thing."

Before Snowy and Tuck leave for the pilothouse, Clarence reminds them,

"I've got this Prick-119. At the very least, you oughtta be able to get a hold of us to call down fires if things get hairy. Joost and the German have radios too, but I'm not sure they can handle the range."

Nodding in confirmation, Dawid added, "we shall be able to provide fire support upon request.  Sargeant Tucker, if we are waiting until nightfall, then perhaps we should have some kind of sleep schedule so that some of us can nap while the others keep watch."

"I'm not sure if mine will handle the range either.  We'll figure it out by the time we leave.  As far as sleeping goes, I waqnted to see when the landing party would be out.  Since they're not going until nightfall Dawid, I want you and Joost to take the first four hours and get some sleep.  Myself and Clarence will man the auto-mortar and grenade launchers first.  We'll split it four on, four off for now.  Once everyone's had a chance to sleep some, I want to get myself and Clarence up to speed on our weapons stations so we're not throwing shitty rounds down  range."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:01, Sun 22 July 2007.

After consultation with Parks, Konrad agrees that the benefits of a night insertion of the recon team outweigh the potential costs. The balance of the day is spent getting up to speed on the operation of the various heavy weapons and catching up on sleep. The team works in shifts with one half keeping watch while the other rests. By nightfall, everyone feels significantly more rested and alert and those staying behind can look forward to even more sleep.

As the sun sets, Snowy and Tuck man the inflatable and fire the sputtering alcohol powered outboard motor. Gunny and Yazzie, equipped for a short, nightime recon, board the small rubber boat and the group heads off downriver.

A couple of hundred meters from the insertion point, Snowy cuts the engines and lets the current take them towards shore. The inflatable slides up to the north bank and the recon team debarks, stopping to look and listen for five minutes before moving out. They make radio contact with Milk back on board the Krolowa. As Snowy and Tuck paddle back into the channel, Gunny and Yazzie move out into a treeline parallelling the river. The night is growing colder but they barely notice. The make their way east along the treeline, stopping periodically to check for signs of enemy pursuit or impending ambush. The only sound they hear is the sharp coughing of the inflatable's engine, carrying through the almost oppressive silence. After three or four barks of the motor, the silence descends again.

Having paddled upriver a hundred meters or so from the insertion point, Snowy attempts to restart the outboard. After several yanks at the starter cord, he gives up and he and Tuck begin the long, laborious, paddle-powered return to the tug.

After two hours of deliberate, cautious movement, the recon team pulls roughly parallel with the westernmost point of the island. Gunny studies the island through the starlight scope, the grainy green image revealing the long, slightly bent barrel of an SA-60 AA gun pointing skyward from an old prepared position just a couple dozen meters from the tip of the spit. Gunny catches sight of movement in the pit. A few minutes patient waiting reveals the torso of a man dressed in camoflage fatigues, the origin of which is hard to determine through the false light image of the scope. At least one man seems to be manning the position but there may be others asleep in the pit.

After studying the position for thirty minutes, the Marines continue eastward along the treeline towards the locks themselves. After two more hours of stealthy movement, they settle into their first OP and begin watching and waiting. With their optics, they can make out the ragged, backlit outline of the lock's damaged control building on the north side of the lock complex. Leaning against the buidling appears to be a motorcycle. A campfire burns within or nearby, casting undulating shadows around the area. Caught periodically by the firelight is the shape of a large truck. After careful study, it is determined that a large, double barrelled gun (probably a ZPU-23-2) protrudes from the back of its bed, pointing roughly upriver. A pile of rubble at the far (south) side of the lock acts as an MG nest (probably a PK). There is some movement aound the locks from time to time. You count five men. As the hours pass, you notice several more but it's hard to keep an accurate count. You estimate that at least a platoon holds the locks. In the dark, there's no way to tell if they are ORMO or Russian marauders. A tattered and limp flag of some sort hangs from a makeshift pole leaning at about a five degree angle near the control house but it's impossible to make out anything else about it.

OOC: It is now about 2am. Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:06, Sun 22 July 2007.

"No problem mate, I'll take the first watch I caught a bit of kip on the way here." Blue replies cheerfully. "Dutch go catch some Z's"

Waking up from his not-so-refreshing nap in the afternoon, Dawid splashed some river water on his face, then urinated off the stern.  After a smoke and some chow, he was up and ready to go.

By 0200 Lima (local time), he was at his action station sitting at the gun, Russian NVGs on his helmet but flipped up.  He wore his flack vest, and after he checked Clarence he had the other man check him to make sure there were no holes or gaps.

For this little excursion, the gun was loaded with one clip of 5 HE rounds, with one spare HE clip and another of WP beside the weapon.

"The burning of the Phosphor rounds provides a useful smokescreen," he said to Clarence.  "Although there is little value in this at night, it will be useful during the day."

"This weapon can also be fired like a conventional mortar, by dropping a shell down the tube.  Notice how the carriage is designed to hold the weapon hight enough to allow for the tube to recoil almost straight down.  But for right now, we have a shell in the breach, so don't drop one down or we will be sorry!"  He laughed at his own not-very-funny joke.  More seriously he said, "it's true, I have seen it happen in battle."

While waiting, he lit another cigarette.  He was careful to shelter the coal by cupping his hand expertly around it, so that no orange light escaped.


Dawid Piotrowski
Vasilek (5HE/5)
Gun Position #1
This message was last edited by the player at 11:36, Tue 24 July 2007.

It's pitch black on the river, and Snowy is dressed head to toe in his tactical gear. You can't make out his face in the gloom, but his posture is unmistakeable.

"Tuck, the bloody motor won't start."

Crouched over the outboard in the dark, he looks back at Tuck with his AN/PVS-9 and gives the motor another chug. Nothing.

"Damn. We checked this bloody thing. We both checked the bloody thing. Start, bugger you."

He hauled on the lanyard again, wincing at the loud sound carrying over the dark water.

"Bloody hell, we might get killed because this stupid thing won't start."

Almost twelve solid hours later Anneka finally awoke refreshed and able to function as a human being once more.
"Coffee, need coffee," she muttered, pulling on her boots, picking up her Uzi and stumbling towards the wardroom.
Peering through a porthole showed it was dark outside - she never intended to sleep so long, and she felt guilty for it. But, her body had needed it even if her mind had been screaming to stay awake and share the workload.

The following few hours saw Anneka checking wounds, pulling guard duty and listening closely to the recon plans.

As he was already awake, Max was happy to take the night shift, letting others catch some kip (sleep).

By 2am though, others are starting to wake from their slumber, and Max will turn in, hoping the next 6 or so hours are as uneventful as his watch was, allowing him uninterupted sleep.

Tomorrows a new day.


Max
On watch till 2am
Sleeping from 2am - 8am or so
This message was last edited by the player at 11:47, Tue 24 July 2007.

Clarence tugged his poncho up around his neck to ward off the night-time cold while he pulled his watch shift on deck near the Vasilek mount. He kept a close eye on the near bank being as that was the most likely enemy approach. Nothing had come across the radio in hours- from either the recon team or the insertion team. It wasn't a good sign but then, he hadn't heard any gunfire either.

He felt better after sleeping during the day. He was also feeling more confident in his ability to operate the Vasilek should something happen to Dawid. The kid was a good teacher.

When his shift on guard ended, Clarence moved aft first to check on Blue and Joost. After chatting a bit with the man on guard on the stern quarter, he headed back to the bow.

"Wake up D.P. It's your shift, kid. Nothing on the radio so far. Everything is quiet. I'm going to stock up on some more shut-eye. Wake me up if you hear anything."

Clarence removed his poncho and and crawled into his sleeping bag on deck. After almost a decade and a half in the army, Clarence could fall asleep nearly anywhere at any time. He slept lightly but soundly, senses on alert, ready to spring to action if need be.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:32, Tue 24 July 2007.

Robert comes out after long needed sleep and begins preparing for the insertion of Parks and Yazzie for their recon mission on the banks of the river.  He doesn't bring much with him except for his body armor, a pair of IR goggles and a worn shoulder holster that carries a Colt Python and two speed loaders on his right side.  He picks up the RPK from the armory and grabs about ten magazines for it and puts them in a bag or bandoleer (whatever is available).  He will darken his face and exposed skin with whatever is available (probably from the engine room) and get into the raft with the others and push off to start their drop.

Tucker flattens out in the raft as much as he can to keep his profile low while they insert the two Marines on the shore.  As they try to get back out, Tucker watches as Snowy has problems with starting the motor up.  Keeping the RPK up and looking back to him, he says in a whispered/hushed voice, "OK, relax for a second.  Let's give it a minute and try it again.  I don't have much training on this stuff so, if you got any better ideas, I'm open for 'em!  We can try to row out some more in the mean time."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:00, Tue 24 July 2007.

John points at the camp and then his eyes and shows a crawling motion with his hand. He has decided to recon up farther and check out who we are dealing with. He will make a signal to the gunny to cover him. Using max stealth and observation, he will crawl to within 50 meters to check uniforms and voices. He will move slow and stay in a low crawl in the vegetation and the shadows. He will stop every few feet and look smell and listen to ensure he has not been spotted. The actions will be like a sniper stalk taught to him in the nation. This could take hours but he is not willing to take chances. Once in place he will stay there unitl he has enough information to move away.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:04, Thu 26 July 2007.

It was cold and damp on the river.  The radio was quiet, no urgent calls for fire missions.  Dawid took off his helmet and put his beret back on, then wrapped himself in his blanket to ward off the chill.  The metal gunner's seat was cold and hard beneath him.

Behind him on the deck, Clarence slept under the connected shelter-halfs that were strung up over the cargo boom in a make-shift awning.  It wasn't much, but it was more than enough to keep off the dew and the rain.  Unlike the field, at least here there was hot water with which to wash and shave.  He felt if not like a real soldier again, at least less of a deserter and rabble.

He looked out over the water without the NVGs on to spoil his night-vision.  If a call for fire support did come, he would use them because the muzzle flash from the mortar would blind him anyways.

The man's face still wouldn't leave him, like it had haunted his earlier dreams.  Sighing, he finished his cigarette and stood up, stretching.  It was tempting to take off his flack jacket in the absence of any threat, but at least it was keeping him warm and the moment you let down your guard was when you would need it the most.

Trying not to disturb anyone, he got up and made his way across the dimly-lit deck to the galley, brewing up a pot of tea.  With some added Wodka, it would do nicely to ward off the night chill.  Around him, the boat creaked and swayed in the river current.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:01, Wed 25 July 2007.

Parks acknowledges Yazzies hand signal and removes his radio slowly from his webbing. Double checking the Freq and volume, he keys the mic while covering the reciever with his hand to muffle the sound. "Sandbag this is Guns over. At position one. Eyes in target. Platoon or larger sized outfit. AA emplacements, MG nests and possible mobile AA spotted. Plan fire for the control house area. Taking a closer look. Will advise. Guns out." Parks replaces his radio and settles in behind his weapon and scans the locks area for any reaction due to possible intercept. He takes note of the water level within the locks to see how high or low the tug will ride within it's walls.




Parks
OP-1
SVD-scoped-bipod(10)(Starlight)
Slowly scanning the Locks area for any sign or activity or intel. Covering Yazzies approach.

Snowy seems to be taking this as a personal affront, he stares at the engine venomously and gives the lanyard another savage wrench. Nothing. Again.

"Bugger it, this is making too much noise. We'll have to paddle out as you say. You'd better get on Milky's PRC-1119 and tell them we may be late home. It's going to be a bitch quietly paddling this beastie against the current, but if the moon comes up we'll be lit up like a wharfside brothel at knock off time, so we'd better get to it."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:47, Wed 25 July 2007.

Cradling a mug of hot something or other (she just couldn't bring herself to call the mud "coffee"), Anneka found her way up to the bridge.
"Adam, how much trouble would it be to swing the tug around sideways? No engines of course, just the current."
Shouldn't be too hard really. Simply a matter of dropping a second anchor in the right place and letting out more line on the other.
"I'd like to be able to use both the mortar and grenade launcher if they run into trouble."
Made sense really to present as many weapons as possible to the "enemy". Besides, it wasn't as if they were likely to make a run for it, or even capable for that matter.

[Private to GM: Griet will sleep with her pistol in her hand, the SMG tucked under the blanket near her feet.]It was the time of night when old people died and babies whimpered for their mother's calming touch.  Griet slept on the deck near one of the forward DshK mounts.  The recon team had taken the PKM so she just moved her position.  Likely she could have commandeered quarters, at least on a hot bunk basis, below in the crew's sheltered cabins but the ORMO woman hadn't.  A bit of folded heavy tarpaulin provided enough of a shelter and wrapped in a blanket she hardly felt any chill.  There was no sign of where about her nest she'd stashed her SMG.

Every so often she drifted awake enough to hear the low murmur of voices or footsteps, but it was nothing approaching true consciousness.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:15, Wed 25 July 2007.

Tuck nods grabbing the radio.  "Milks, Tuck.  Be advised, motor out.  Using hand power to get out of op area.  May be late for dinner, Over," Tucker calls to the boat.

Tuck
RPK
Calling the ship on their current FUBAR SITREP

Adam thinks for a moment, kindly regarding the petit Israeli medic.

"It would not be difficult if it weren't for the barge. With it, we would jut too far out into the channel where the current is faster. The anchors would probably hold, but it is not a certainty. And floating debris would be more of a danger. In the daytime, I might try it but at night, not."

After what seems like hours of hard rowing, the insertion team returned to the Krolow, arms sore and clothes soaked with sweat from exertion. Those keeping watch on the bow could hear the insertion team's splashing and grunting before they could see them.
[Private to Griet Niewiadomska: The PKM is still in place. I believe the insertion team took the RPK instead.]

Snowy and Tuck are helped aboard and the inflatable* is hoisted on deck at the stern of the tug. The pair give their report and then retreat to their posts for some much needed rest.

On shore, Yazzie begins his long crawl closer to the lock. Gunny watches the Pima Indian dissappear into the darkness before calling in a SITREP. Those monitoring the radio back on the Krolowa follow the recon team's progress from afar.

It takes Yazzie about four hours to cover the distance between OP1 and the locks. Once within 50 meters of the lock's defenses, he settles in to wait. He can see more now. The gun in the back of the truck is definitely a twin 23mm AA weapon. He still can't identify the flag and he's not quite close enough to make out the language spoken by those on guard.

There is a rustling nearby, increasing steadily in intensity, then the sharp snap of a breaking branch. A man strides out of the trees to within ten meters of Yazzie, prone in the underbrush. The man unfastens his fly and begins to urinate, eyes following the urine stream into the bushes in front of him. He leans his head back and breathes out heavily in relief before looking back down to admire his marksmanship. After a few shakes and a satisfied grunt, the man stuffs his equipment back into his trousers, turns around, and heads back from whence he came. He never noticed the American Marine lying silently still just a few meters away in the bushes.

False dawn begins to creep up along the eastern skyline. For the third straight day, a light fog clings to the river and its low, green-clad banks.

Actions?

It is now approximately 0515hrs. Back on the Krolowa, the crew has begun to stoke the boiler in preparation for the tug's planned dawn departure. The entire security team is now awake or in the advanced stages of waking.

*Someone will need to check the inflatable's outboard and conduct any necessary maintainance or repairs before it can be used again.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:45, Thu 26 July 2007.

When Gunny's report came through, he woke up Clarence to answer it, then found Konrad and informed him.  Listening to the information, he muttered, "Oh well, it will have to do."



On the boat, Dawid acknowledged the insertion party's radio call on Clarence's PRC-119 radio set.  "Piotrowski here.  Acknowledged."

After helping them aboard, he fixed the exhausted and chilled men some tea, adding wodka if they assented by holding up his flask and raising his eyebrows questioningly.

Then grabbing a tool kit and a trouble light he pulled the Zodiac's outboard "donk" and went to work on it, making sure the fuel line was clear, the most likely culprit on a petrol engine converted to burn alcohol.  Also, converted engines tended to burn a lot hotter than normal, leading to problems with the manifold like vapour-lock.  Leaning out the gas-fuel mixture should do the trick.

OOC: Mechanic Asset: 12

Then he tried to see what he could do to fix the outboard motor, accepting whatever help anyone else wanted to give him.  "I only know tractors and trucks. Still, an engine's an engine.  I hope."

As the crew got the tug ready to sail by building up a head of steam, Dawid said to Konrad, "Captain Bayer, I suggest we untie the barge and leave it anchored here in mid-stream.  That way we may manoeuver freely in support of the party on shore, and move to engage those possible targets directly.  Re-securing the barge later will be relatively easy, if we do the job properly now."

Edit: I took out the radio conversation.  It's probably not something he would want to field at this time and he's not familiar enough with NATO-style radio protocols to field such an important call and thus would be out-of-character.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:15, Thu 26 July 2007.

Konrad makes his way to the railing to welcome and help aboard the insertion team. After helping Snowy and Tuck out of their inflatable boat he listens to their report, nodding quietly. Once finished he responds to them both with a simple "Alright, well done.". The pair then leave him to get some short rest.

Nearing 0600 Konrad finds Piotrowski working on the inflatable boat. "No problems ja?" He glances over the work in progress... a matter of simple interest really as motors are something he's unfamiliar with.

Looking at his watch he listens to Dawid's suggestion about the barge. "Hmmm, pros and cons either way, but I agree with you. I'll speak with the Captain. (he pauses and looks at his watch one more time) Ensure everyone is awake and ready would you? We will stand too in 20 minutes."

Bayer then heads off to find the Captain...

As he's helped over the rail, Snowy whispers to Tuck. "Another paddle like that and we'd look like Arnold Schwarzenegger."

Dawid has made Snowy a mug of tea, possibly the only thing that could penetrate Snowy's lingering distrust. He waves off the offer of vodka and stirs in some of his precious powdered milk. He smiles at Dawid tiredly, his flash hood pulled up over his face into a strange looking beanie, and says "You want some milk in yours mate? This is my special stash." He has an introspective sip of his tea and settles on the deckplates, his M4 on his lap.
As the night drags on, Snowy goes down onto the main deck, his precious cuppa still in his hand, and settles down near the forward mount. He crosses his legs and resettles his helmet and its NVGs on his head. He listens to the quiet and the soft movements of the combat crew. He'll lend a hand with the outboard, although that's likely to have been taken into the engineering room and its better light, but otherwise he'll just relax after the long paddle and recoup his strength.

"Konrad!" Anneka called as she spotted the man ducking past the doorway.
"I think we should move the grenade launcher so it can cover the lock. I asked Adam if he could reposition the tug but it's a bit of a job it seems."
Anneka waited with one hand against the doorway and the other resting on her slung Uzi.

Dawid gratefully accepted the offer.  Sipping his steaming tea he said, "thank you.  Milk, even powdered, is difficult to come by.  Wodka is easy!"

"If you care to, I need some assistance on the small boat motor.  I know we have another raft, but no point in putting off repairs.  I am no expert in mechanical repair, but I know my way around an engine.  It's over at the forward gun," he gestured forward.

Hesistating, he added, "I know this is probably a bad time to bring this up, but I believe you were right about what happened yesterday.  If Poland is to become a strong nation once more, we need to act from the strength of our convictions and fairness.  Not relying on the power that comes from the barrel of a gun but from laws and justice."

After 0515 or so there was enough light on the forward deck to work on the outboard, so that's where the engine was, surrounded by tools.



After wiping his hands with a grease rag, Dawid saluted and replied, "yes, sir, immediately."  With that he trotted off to wake Tuck and the others so that the crew of the boat was awake and at action stations in good time.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:38, Thu 26 July 2007.

John on, the near miss on contact, will move back in the same slow sniper crawl, staying in the brush and shadows of the sun coming up. He  will move back to  100 meters away from the camp. Once there, he will find a way to move back to the insertion point with speed and get ready for extract. John feels good that he was not spotted but knows that Guns has him covered with the sniper rifle and that makes him comfortable in his actions. Once at the insertion point, he will stay in cover and set up a security posture.


John
moving away from camp
weapon slung
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:06, Thu 26 July 2007.

On his way to find Adam, Konrad is intercepted by Anneka...


"I'm on my way to see him now. We may be leaving the barge, so he'll be able to maneuver."

He doesn't mean to shrug her off, but he's upset with himself that the plan and preparations are occurring so late.

With that he rushes up to the bridge or wherever Adam is...

"Ok... What do you have to say if I said we leave the barge until the lock is secured? We'd like the grenade launcher to be able to fire, and we need to be maneuverable... especially if things go to shit and we need to bug out."

He waits for an answer - then adds "Second question. I'm not familiar with these locks. To transit this vessel through - do we sail on through? Or must we actually need to secure it?"
This message was last edited by the player at 17:50, Thu 26 July 2007.

Tuck gladly accepts the help from the crew in getting back to the tug.  He falls to the deck exhausted next to Snowy and breathing heavy.  He exhales loudly and then sits up accepting the mug from Daiwd.  Rob also shakes off the offer of vodka for his drink but, gladly accepts the powdered milk from his raft-mate.  "Yeah, we'd look pretty good walking around decks looking like Arnie in his 'Commando' days.  And thanks for the creamer, mate!'

After a few more minutes, Tucker will get himself up and return the RPK and mags to the armory for the time being and go to his bunk area to get some well needed rest.  He will clean up quickly and change into some clean, dry clothing before heading off into sleep.

Clarence watches the eastern skyline transition from black to a dark grey as the phenomenon known as false dawn unfolds. He stretches out, trying to loosen up his aching joints. The combination of cold, damp, and sleeping on a hard, steel deck have really wrought havoc on his fit but aging body.

I'm getting too old for this shit.

At least he's not dog tired anymore.

Clarence looks up and sees movement on the bridge. Pocketting a small, tattered note-pad with the Recon teams last SITREP, he climbs the ladders to the pilothouse.

Pulling out his notepad, Clarence addresses the folks assembled on the bridge, "Good morning people. We haven't heard anything from the recon team for a few hours. At last report, they'd counted about a platoon of men with at least one MG and what looks like a mobile AA gun. They hadn't been able to identify the nationality of the troops there. Chief [Griet], did the ORMO stationed there have anything like a large calibre, mobile AA gun with 'em?"
This message was last edited by the player at 15:23, Thu 26 July 2007.

"I suppose we could leave the barge temporarily." he looks questioningly at Griet before continuing, "As you know, it contains all of our merchandise- a significant investment. We cannot afford to lose it."

"As for the locks, with all of the recent rains, the river is running higher than normal. There is about a 3 meter difference in elevation between this end of the canal, where the Island separates the main channel, and the opposite end of it. We should be able to sail through the locks without problems unless we are opposed. I haven't taken this tug through before, but if I remember correctly, the upper machine guns should be able to fire over the lock walls- at least for the first half of the canal, including the control building."

Blue had grabbed as much sleep as he could and felt much better.  He had risen before the dawn as usual and headed up on deck.  Unsure where his duty station was he sought on of the other NCO's who might know.

"G'day mate, I missed the pow wow where am I supposed to go?" he says after finding Tucker or Milk.

Konrad nods silently to Adams comments, but his facial expression clearly betray his feelings of concern and worry. He speaks slowly, not just for Adam, but for himself to think things out as he goes. "I see. Based on our manpower, the opposition, and our situation... I must tell you this will not be easy. I understand the cargo's value... however, besides the possible difficulty in navigating through the narrow lock with it, it can be boarded easily ja? It will not be good to be fighting close quarters on your barge and boat."

Holding up a single finger for Adam to wait a moment to respond, he moves over to the open door of the bridge. "Sergeant Tucker... Piotrowski... Niewiadomska... come to the bridge." (OOC actually open invitation to all)

As he waits he returns his attention for Adam to speak.

As the bridge becomes more populated, Konrad continues... "Gentlemen, I regret that our plan is not yet established for transiting the locks. I would like full input on... One - whether we keep the barge in place and secure the lock first, before coming back to collect it. This is for its protection from fire, boarding, and for maneuvering. And... Two - shore party volunteers. We may need to land a section to secure the locks."

Konrad looks at his watch before opening up the floor for comments.

Dawid replied, "First, have Gunny report if there is a motorcycle parked there.  Those Russian cocksuckers there were eying us from shore were riding one.  If it's there, then we're dealing with those Russian deserters and we probably have a fight on our hands."

"If we're going to fight, now is a good time, before it gets light.  The crew can stoke up the boilers without worrying about the smoke being silhouetted because as we all know the sun rises in the West, and we are fortunately to the East."

"To answer your question, leave the barge; if we drop a couple of mortar rounds onto the camp and then use the tug to land a party to secure the locks, we can come back and pick it up.  On any case I will be happy to stay here to man the Vasilek.  Gunny can spot for us, as well as shoot anyone with his Dragunov."

He sipped some more tea.


OOC: FYI, the tug was spotted by a pair of Russian soldiers on a motorcyle.  They did not seem friendly.  This part of the countryside is crawling with deserters from a Russian Division that mutinied.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:49, Fri 27 July 2007.

"Yeah, I'll give you a hand with the rotten thing, but I reckon there's nothing wrong with it apart from spite. Outboards are like that, they're spitefull buggers mate. That's why we call 'em 'clip ons', because when they act up you just unclip 'em and turn them into an anchor." Snowy grins and sips his tea, leaning back against the gunwale and letting the ache from the long paddle, crouched over in the dark and waiting for a PKM to open up, ebb out of his limbs. Wierdly enough, for the first time in what seems years he feels peaceful. Even knowing his crewmates are out in the weeds, probing an enemy position and risking everything, doesn't seem to dent his serenity. Still, he doesn't let go of his weapon or let his vigilance down; one of the reasons his head is below the level of the gunwale.



Snowy smiles and says "Gawd I miss a good cuppa, it's the cure for all ills. Blue, on the other hand, would prefer a nice beer and I can't say I wouldn't say no to that either." He shifts over to make room and adds "I hope the boys in the weeds are okay, with that bloody outboard acting up we're limited in the ways we can help them out apart from that beastie" he gestures to the Vasilek.



Snowy is suprised that his anger doesn't return, yesterday seems so far away.
"I think what got me offside so much was that he was my prisoner, in my 'duty of care'. I let him down, even if he was a dirtbag. Really mate, and no offence, but if I'd had my head on right I would have had my weapon out long before you got close. I shoulda' known that taking a prisoner into a strange area is risky, and I should have been on top of it." He pauses and takes another thoughtful sip. "ZOMO. Political Police. I know you guys don't like 'em for what they were before the war, and from what I hear all the good men were transfered out into the Border Guards and MPs and just scumbag militia psychos brought in to make up the numbers, so now they're far worse. Still, we have to not drop down to the level where we are the animals. They're our benchmark, we have to stay above them, or nobody'll be safe. I'm sorry to say but I think the days of nation states is long gone, we may get something very different after this 'age of war', but the basic situation of the weak being abused by the strong must still be resisted by good men and women. Anyway, that's the plan. And we all know what they says about plans and reality."



"Bluey, siddown mate, we're having smoke-o. You just missed the 'Olympic five click paddle-like-hell event' in which Tuck n' me came about bloody last. We dropped off the lads onshore and they seemed okay, dunno if they've checked in since then."

Snowy's still resting when the call to the pilothouse comes up.

"I reckon we all better go hear this, we can get to the guns quick enough should we need to. Come along fellas, let's hear what the boss has to say."
This message was last edited by the player at 07:19, Fri 27 July 2007.

Dawid speaks first and when he finished, Konrad once again holds up a finger towards the team to pause the discussion. Looking back to Dawid he asks him "Raise the recce team on the radio would you? Ask for an updated SITREP on the locks."

He then returns his attention to Sgt Tucker and the other men who wished to join the impromptu meeting. "Next."

Tucker smiles, "I sure do know what you mean there!  I'd like a nice shot of scotch or whiskey on some ice right now myself so don't feel bad!  I don't know the working of the motors that well so I don't think I'll be much use to you and Dawid.  You need anything else though and if I can help, give me a holler!





(Tucker)"It could've been worse Blue, we could've been the dead part!  I'll take last over dead any day!  The Gunny and Yazzie will be fine.  Those two Marines are god at what they do, they won't disappoint!"



Tucker gets up with Snowy and heads out with him.  "Better get up there before the yelling starts!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:09, Fri 27 July 2007.

Tucker enters the bridge area and gives everyone a 'good morning' nod before finding a place to lean for the meeting.  "Well sir, I know there's been some talk about leaving the barge behind us while we engage targets and pick up the recon team.  Personally speaking, I don't know if it is such a good idea to leave the barge, fight, and then come back for it, if we're able to and the boat isn't too FUBAR'd from the fight.  We'd then have to make repairs and then hook up the barge and then go through the locks if I'm still understanding the plan properly?  Boarders are going to be a problem if we havethe barge with us but, we're going to have to work that out.  We're stretched pretty thin but, if it needs to be addressed, I'll personally volunteer to repel boarders on the barge.  I just don't think it would bea god idea to leave it and then come back for it if we're able," Tucker says leaning on one of the walls in the pilot house.

"No gun big," she answered Milk.  "Only small arms like this," she patted her always slung behind her AKR.

"We keep barge," she interjected firmly.  "Is mission.  Mission will not fault."

Griet looked at the Captain, Dawid then at the German Konrad.  She seemed to lean forward, like a boxer readying themself for a conflict.  Her tone was noticable sharper and stricter when specifically addressing Konrad.  "We fight barge and tug through.  No fight tug, come back, find barge, then maybeso fight tug and barge through second twice.  Is waste of time and ammo."

"We go no more than two hour now."

Parks waits for Yazzies return or something to report. He continues to scan the locks and wait.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:46, Fri 27 July 2007.

Clarence nods as Griet confirms that the ORMO detachment didn't have a "technical" (HMG or AA gun on a truck).

"Sounds like the ORMO been run off. We gotta assume the people holding the locks are hostile."

Clarence consults his note pad again before continuing,

"In their last transmission, Gunny reported at least a platoon around the locks. I'm not sure we should split up the team in the face of a dug-in force with superior numbers. Our greatest asset is the firepower on this boat and I think we should use it: lob in a couple HE shells from the mortar- maybe some smoke- then steam through with guns blazin'. Just something to think about. I'm going to try to raise the recon team; then I'll be back."

[Clarence waits for any direct response before heading out to the companionway to call the recon team.]

Clarence steps out into the chilly darkness on the companionway and fires up the radio.

"Guns; Sandbag. Request updated SITREP, over."

Tuesday, October 3rd, 2000 -0530hrs.
Moored near the south bank of the Vistula river, approx. 4km upriver from the locks
49 F
Scattered light fog, Visibility 50-200m

Gunny lies still, observing the locks through his image intensifier. After years of doing just this sort of thing- the last few in Poland- he's learned to distinguish between Polish and Russian troops. One particular sentry wears a soft, black leather Russian tanker's winter helmet; the Poles use a hard, green helmet similar to tankers in most Western armies. This and other subtle visual clues strongly suggest that the men currently in possession of the locks are Russian marauders formerly of the 38th TD that the Polish ORMO woman mentioned the day before. No loyal Russian units are known to be operating in this AO.

John Yazzie arrives noiselessly back at OP 1, having made surpirsingly good time- the return trip taking only a third as long (roughly an hour) as the innitial infiltration did. As far as he can determine, he hasn't been detected or followed.

On the Wislaw Krolowa, the impromptu planning session continues. On the bridge, an old-fashioned speaking tube coughs to life. Gryzyech reports from the engine room that a full head of steam is available at a moments notice.

Griet has made it clear that leaving the barge and it's cargo of Krakow manufactured bicycles and sewing machines (both foot-powered, by the way)- even temporarily- is not an acceptable option, at least as far as the Krakow Rada is concerned. Adam appears to defer to her "recommendation", albeit somewhat unhappily. Anyone who studies his face can tell that it rankles him to have to relinquish any degree of control of his beloved vessel. Uller is more vocal in his opposition, muttering something about "Rada whores" loud enough for all to hear.

Joost dozes fitfully by the aft Plamya mount. Max listens in on the bridge conference from the starboard Dushka mount. Clarence stands nearby attempting to contact the recon team on the radio. Blue is up an about at last and feeling almost as fit as before leaving Krakow (and getting shot in the head). Others have gravitated towards the bridge as well, either desiring to give their input to the plan for the morning's run to- and, hopefully, through- the locks or just to listen in. The rest of the native deck crew shuffles about, preparing to make way.

OOC: Yazzie has reunited with Gunny. If your PC is on the tug, please remember that you can't see what the recon team has seen, so no metagaming, right? Ya'll have to wait for the recon team to report back. But, in the meantime, you can (and should) hash out a plan for passing through the locks. The Krolowa departs at the next GM post, regardless.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:06, Fri 27 July 2007.

Snowy shakes his head when the opposition is explained to him.

"A forewarned platoon of men and two 'automagic' cannon - dug in? You gotta be kidding. And us going through an unrecconoitred narrow, confined set of rapids over two ruined lock gates. Guys, we don't have a snowball's chance of bouncing these blokes."

Finishing his tea, he rests his mug and continues.

"Now, we are either going to negotiate or avoid I reckon. If they've shot up the ORMO, then we can forget that. If they've just run them off then they are obviously in the tax business. Our only asset in that situation is Griet; she talks with Krakow's voice. We might be able to find out what they want and subtly threaten them with Krakow's arty to make 'em play nice. Then again, they mighten't even know that Krakow exists as a threat, but they have met the lock guard. Griet, can you get on the horn to Krakow and ask them what the story is?"

"Let's put ourselves in their boots. Their bike outriders have come back and told them an armoured gunboat is coming their way. They haven't moved. They know we're coming - we've got nowhere else to go and they had people watching the river - so they want to encounter us. Either they want to shoot us up or threaten us and take stuff. Let's hope those guns are out of ammo."

Finishing his own tea and then lighting a cigarette, Dawid replied, "I am thinking that they remain there because they do indeed have ammunition for those weapons."

"Guns never reported a motorcycle.  So we don't know for sure it's the same Russian goat-ballers that were looking at us.  But from what Griet's said we should assume it's not her people there."

"As an artillerist, I advocate dropping explosives on the problem until it goes away.  They are a murderous rabble.  As deserters, once they run they will not stop.  If the Rada is worried about their goods in the mean time, then we may leave a guard on the barge to protect it."  He winked at Griet.

"However, if Konrad decides our best chance is to talk our way through, then I am also willing to do whatever I can to assist.  Maybe they'll only take half of what we have.  Less if we give them have one of the women," he half-joked.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:51, Sat 28 July 2007.

John will tell Guns what he saw in hushed tones and with hand signals. He will then ask the gunny to use his radio to call in a fire mission.



"Tug, this is John. Adjust fire shift from a known point the control building over.... one round in adjust, 25 meters north of known point, 25 meters west of known point......"


On hearing the shot go off he will say "Shot out".... on impact of the round he will say "Splash, over".


He will then adjust fire onto the target with 50 meter incraments and then call over the radio for "5 rounds in effect".

Once the five rounds fall he will either call for the mission again or call in a bomb damage assesment of the target.....


John
prone
observing fire
This message was last edited by the player at 02:27, Sun 29 July 2007.

Considering the "out of the blue" nature of the request compared to the SITREP (telling them something they already knew), unless otherwise ordered by Konrad Dawid will hesitate before carrying out the fire mission.  Although he does go man his weapon.

He nodded his thanks and said matter-of-factly, "thank you for listening to my opinion, I believe for now will be more use at my station.  Anyone who wishes to receive further instruction may join me if you wish, if we are to fire in anger."

On the way, he woke up Joost to instruct him on operating the Vasilek.
[Private to Cap'n Rae; Konrad Bayer: What the hell?  I think Yazzie is something of a loose cannon...]
This message was last edited by the player at 09:24, Sat 28 July 2007.

Max is stitting by his Dushka.  He has a steaming cup of coffee, or something.  Its earlier than he wanted to be awake.

He sits with his head just over the rail of the boat, looking out into the false morning.  Some birds have started to sing.  The hot cup of water n coffee is nice, especially on his hands.

Max is warming up, and folds his beanie up so that his ears exposed but his head is still covered.  He notices Dawid moving about, but thinks nothing of it.

Max
With his Dushka

As Konrad listens to each of those who input their opinions he shakes his head from side to side a number of times. Not an expression of disagreement, but rather of frustration as each person offers a good argument... unfortunately with many in disagreement to each proposal. Every one stops talking as Dawid calls to the recce team on the radio.

As the Marines in the bush send their SITREP he looks at each of the faces in the bridge in turn... AA gun static, AA gun mobile, dug in platoon...

When the call for the fire mission follows, Konrad quickly says to Dawid with a raised hand "Tell the boys to wait. Fire mission not yet but very soon." After Dawid relays the message and dismisses himself to the mortar Konrad nods a thanks to him.

"Ok. Thank you all for your opinions. I'm very fortunate to have you. What is unfortunate is our lack of time." He looks at each of the members once again before issuing out his simplified 'frag' orders. Speaking loud and clearly to first those assigned to the main deck "Primary targets will be the flak guns of course, they must be neutralized. The mortar and AGS will concentrate fire at them under the direction of Sgt Tucker. Move the AGS forward after this meeting."

"Upper deck gunners. Engage infantry - watch for boarders. Mr. White since your gun is in the rear, I'd like you to help locate targets and watch for boarders."

"Every one be prepared to be selected to repel boarders on board or to land ashore at the lock... if necessary."

"The snipers will direct initial bombardment and provide suppressive fire on the flak guns if needed. I'll be in contact with them along with Sgt Tucker."

At last he turns to Adam. "The barge will remain with your boat. However, you must make the decision whether we storm through the lock or send an envoy first to talk our way through. If they don't know we are coming - they would then. But it means avoiding damage and casualties... probably at the cost of some of your cargo. This is more your decision than ours."

"Questions or concerns? If not, Sgt Tucker provide a fire mission. Remainder stand too."
This message was last edited by the player at 11:27, Sat 28 July 2007.

He saluted, then left.  At his gun, he waited for Milk to join him and assist in manning the weapon and monitoring the radio.  He switched the firing from clip-fired to a more conventional mortar where the rounds were dropped down the tube.  When joined by Milk, he would signal up to the bridge he was ready.

Looking up at the sky, he figured that they still had good time to launch their attack, which would likely mainly consist of an artillery barrage, anyways, with some judicious sniping.  From personal experience he knew that one of the fringe benefits of being a deserter was that no one was probably going to tell you to get up at the crack of dawn!

[Private to Cap'n Rae; Konrad Bayer: Well, you managed to take those diverse opinions and make something like a plan.  Congrats on your first command decision - sort of.]
This message was last edited by the player at 00:04, Sun 29 July 2007.

Max finishes off his coffee.  Theres a bit more action up on deck.

"What the ...?"

"Say again on fire mission sandbag?"

"Be advised not ORMO at site; same motocycle as before."

"Fire the fire mission now!"

"Do not, repeat do not come within 4000 meters of locks."

"Heavy AA guns will tear up the tug."


"Fire the mission now!"


John
prone
observing fire
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:45, Sat 28 July 2007.

Tucker remains leaning on the wall on the bridge while he waits for the actual SITREP to be relayed to them.  "We'll certainly need to concentrate our fire at the emplaced weapons they have if we stand any chance of getting through there.  Talking might not be a bad idea but, I don't think the cargo that we're here to protect should be up for barter.  I think it may be a bad idea to try and talk to 'em right now."
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:49, Sat 28 July 2007.

Old Adam nods his head solemnly.

"I have seen how people like this 'negotiate'. I have every desire to avoid a fight but I do not see how we can secure peaceful passage without giving up much of our cargo and all of our heavy weapons. Sadly, that comment about the women may not be too far off the mark. Their safety, especially, will be under threat. Furthermore, whoever attemtps the negotation takes a grave risk with their personal safety. Marauders are not above taking hostages."

OOC:
*Referee's note: the Wisla Krolowa's organic radio equipment was removed by government forces years ago and has not been replaced. The only radios available to the party are those carried by its members.

[Private to Dawid Waldus Piotrowski: You may want to change the bit in your last post where you're talking to the recon team from the bridge. I believe Clarence is right outside the bridge talking to them on his radio.]
This message was last edited by the player at 20:47, Sat 28 July 2007.

John waits with the radio hand set in his hand next to his ear... as dawn, the best time to attack fades away. His anger grows.




John
prone
observing fire
This message was last edited by the player at 02:27, Sun 29 July 2007.

"So, full steam ahead and stay the course then ladies and gentlemen.  I'll see to getting the grenade launcher moved better to support the vasilyek.  You sure you want it moved Konrad?" Tucker asks him before setting out to handle the task.

Clarence stands just outside the bridge as the sky continues to lighten. He can feel Yazzie's frustration through the handset.

"Guns, Sandbag. Wait one. I'm working on that fire mission. Waiting on authorization from Sandbag actual. Stand by. Over."

Clarence calls into the bridge,

"The recon team is requesting an immediate fire mission on the locks. They say it's definitely not the ORMO there and Yazzie saw a motorcycle. They're ready to direct fire. Are we doing this?"

Clarence isn't keen on a fight, but he's not keen on betting on the marauders' good graces either.

Snowy starts pulling his flash hood down over his face, saying

"They've seen our mortar, they know our strengths. I don't think this is being thought through totally. I'd haul the sniper team out and work this out better, but I'm not the boss. My bet is we fire, our sniper team gets greased by a clearing patrol."

As the group at the meeting disperse Konrad answers the final comments...

To Sgt Tucker... "I think we should have it firing forwards for this one. Unless you disagree, lets have it moved."

To Clarence "Ja. Fire mission now. Target the flak guns."

To White "It is a very bad situation we are in. However, the Captain is eager to continue sailing and the longer we sit here the more chance for us to lose the initiative. I'm sure the snipers will be able to extract fine."

He places an arm on White's shoulder and adds "I know it hasn't been planned well. I take blame for not preparing earlier. If you have ideas, let me know."

Parks continues to watch the locks paying special attention to the heavy weapons. He practices shifting fire from one to the other so when the shit starts it's not a new movement. He makes mental notes of any unprotected areas thru which to fire. Parks gives Yaz hand signals to stay low and watch their exposed left flank and aft.  Then speaks in low tones, never leaving the weapon sight. "I plan on taking shots as the mortors hit. It will mask the fire I hope. Help me time the round travel so my shots are just as the shells hit. Help me spot exposed targets but keep an eye out for patrols. Oh. and set up opt fire for 50 yards ahead of us and walking north. Code it X-ray. If we call it, that is our distress call. We can handle a few until they get close. But if those AA guns get on us we are six foot and digging. I'm quessing we are under their arc of fire. Our rally will be the insertion point. Alot of open ground for them to cover if they follow. If I drop, take the gun. Sights are set to 100, 200, 400, 800. standard for this weapon." Parks goes back to shifting fire drills and waiting for the brass to shit or get off the pot.



Parks
Prone, In hide north of river.
SVD (10) bipod, optics
Practicing shifting fire drills while keeping an eye on the locks.

In hushed tones and hand signals, John will say the following.


"Will set the primary as zebra and the FPL as x-ray danger close."

"We are under the arc of the guns."

"Take out the guy at the SA-60. Have fire mission coming down on control house."

"Will cover side and rear during fight but I will not be able to call out targets."

"I think you take targets on your own and I will do clean up, if it comes to that."

"Don't worry if the shit goes bad- will call in WP and that will smoke screen us out of here."

TO the tug.

"Shoot the fucking fire mission; do not come closer- current fire mission is TRP Zebra."

"FPL for us is call sign X-Ray; it's 300 meters west and 50 north of the locks- that's danger close- only 50 meters from us. Request WP/HE for that mission to lay smoke screen to cover our withdrawl."

"We're wasting time- 3/4 should be asleep still."

"Lets catch them napping."


John
prone
observing fire
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:16, Mon 30 July 2007.

Not being able to hear Konrad's decision (or the radio), Dawid looked up at Milk, waiting for a signal to drop an 82mm HE down the tube and start the show.  Before that he would adjust the mortar according to the spotters' request.

Dawid Piotrowski,
82mm Vasilek
Forward Gun Position

Tucker shakes his head, "Works for me boss.  I'll go and give Joost a hand moving it and settingit up."
Tucker makes his way to where the AGL-17 grenade launcher is set up and Joost's station.  He walks up to him and taps him on the shoulder.  "We're moving you forward to better support the mortar.  They're already calling for a fire mission and need to get you set up ASAP.  C'mon, let's get this moving,"Tuck says to Joost, obviously there to give him a hand in moving the weapon forward.

Tuck
M-16A2 [1] MAG 30/ M-203 [1] HE
At Joost's position getting ready to move the AGL-17 forward

As the others left, Griet made way for them but made no move to follow.  As she backed up, it seemed that contact with the bulkhead caused her AKR to slip around to the front, though she didn't reach for it or put her hand on the grip.  It was just movement of equipment.

That changed once most of the people were out.  Before anyone knew of her true intention, she had the conical muzzle of the stubby submachinegun pressed painfully into Uller's crotch.  Griet's finger rested on the trigger and the sound of the firing lever slipping off of safe carried far more than such a quiet noise dictated.

There was no expression on her face, not even a tightening of her lips or the expressive skin around the eyes as she looked directly into Uller's face.  Griet's words were flat and quiet.  "A whore gets paid to fuck.  You, I'll fuck up for free if you ever call me that again."

"Got it, sir. I'm takin' the radio down to the gun. Break in if you need to."

Clarence slides down the ladders to the main deck and makes his way forward to the Vasilek.

"Alright D.P., looks like you get a chance to strut your stuff. Konrad's given us the green light. We got a fire mission to shoot!"

Clarence setttles into the loaders position and sets up the PRC-119 so that it's not in the way but he can still access it easily.

"Ready. Let's make 'em count!"

Nodding, he adjusted the weapon to the correct azimuth and elevation.  The "known aim point" was the tip of the island, which was marked clearly on the map, and a common reference.

Satisfied, he easily lifted a 10kg 82mm HE shell and carefully fitted its tail in the breech.  "COVER EARS!"" he yelled in warning.  In a practiced motion he let go of the bomb and smoothly turned away, shutting his eyes and covering his ears.  The shell slithered down the barrel with a metallic scrape that he felt as much as heard, followed by the explosive SLAP! of the propellant igniting and throwing the bomb up and far out into the purple pre-dawn twilight sky.

When he took away his hands and looked back at it, the gun was finishing its recoil cycle and he sat down in the gunners seat that was fixed to the carriage, ready to make any needed corrections.  "Clarence, would you load the gun for me?  Thank you."


Dawid Piotrowski
Vasilek
Aiming and Firing.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:53, Sun 29 July 2007.

Uller backs up against the wall of the bridge wincing as the AKSU's hard, conical muzzle presses into his groin. He literally bites his lip, his eyes moving from the weapon in Griet's hand to her hard visage. He glares at her for a couple of long seconds before an added dose of pressure causes him to rock his head back and stand on his tip-toes. When he speaks, his voice is a full octave higher,

"Yes... Ma'am."

Defeat washes over Uller's pained face.

Adam cuts in,

"Chief Niewiadomska, please."
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:43, Sun 29 July 2007.

Not even the hard slap of the mortar firing, felt as much as heard, made Griet's gaze flicker.  However, at Adam's words she backed away from Uller, but her finger remained on the trigger and the firing lever off of safe.  It sounded like a request, but Griet understood it as an order and responded appropriately.

"Aye aye, Captain," she said and then turned and left the bridge.  Before she began climbing towards her position, Griet safed the AKR and shoved it around to the small of her back.

That was stupid.  Now I have to watch out for him and the invaders.  So what if he called me a whore?  Stupid, stupid, stupid, Griet chided herself as she headed towards her assigned weapon.  Now she'd have to find some way to make sure Uller wouldn't be seeking revenge.