“Barbarism is the natural state of mankind… Civilization is unnatural. It is a whim of circumstance. And Barbarism must always ultimately triumph.”

-Robert E. Howard, Beyond the Black River
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:01, Sat 15 Sept 2007.

Tuesday, October 3rd, 2000
-1430hrs.
Vistula river, approx. 20km downriver from Nowy Huta, Poland
60 F
Light overcast

The Krolowa steams smoothly through the brown water at a leisurely 5 knots (Adam  wants to ease the newly repaired engine back into action). The current has slowed considerably as the landscape returns to level. Flat fields, uncultivated and overgrown with weeds, line both banks. Scattered clusters of naked trees break up the monotony.

You start to feel the cold. The adrenaline in your system has dissipated and an overwhelming feeling of exhaustion falls upon you. But, you're no stranger to this post-combat phenomenon. After some food and water, and a little light duty, you'll be fine. There's still three or four hours of daylight remaining and the captain wants to make up as much ground as possible before anchoring for the night. This area is lousy with marauders...

OOC: Gunny's on a cot in the tug's makeshift sickbay and Griet is on the bridge with Adam. Let me know where your character is when you post by putting in the subject line. Now's the time to talk IC and take care of any routine maintanance or other business you would like to on board.

Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:16, Thu 18 Oct 2007.

Upon completing the transfer from small craft to tug, Maddock finds a corner to deposit his gear so that it might be reasonably secure but also out of the way. Carefully and deliberately, he releases the current magazine from his L86A1, renders the rifle safe, and tucks the mag into his webbing. The heavy rifle is then set with his pack, leaving him obviously unarmed.

That task completed, he finds Dawid. Assuming that the Polish artillerist is still standing under his own power, Maddock will draw him aside for a quiet word. "Dawid, my son, I've a notion that you should be taking me to meet your headman, yeah? An introduction, all polite like, so that he knows who's come aboard. Lead on, old son, lead on."

From somewhere inside his Royal Marine fatigues, Maddock produces a battered, stained and torn beret, badged with a sword rising from the waves, and sets it parade-perfect on his balding head.


On Deck, Aft
Unarmed
Speaking w. Dawid

When Tucker finally gets back on the tug, he drops his MOLLE vest and weapon on the deck as he begins to help onload all of the gear that they got from the lockhouse area.  He knows that most of the crew/team is working overtime and their bodies are close to wearing down but, once the supplies and shore party are back on board, some can begin to rest easy.  Tucker makes a twisted face as he hears Gunny Parks' knee twist and pop and rushes next to him as he hits the deck.  Rob grabs Parks under one shoulder and helps get him down below so Anneka can take a look at him.

Tuck goes back to the main deck and to gather his stuff where mostly everyone probably still is.  He turns to Clarence and Dawid, "OK guys.  Make ready and secure the eighty-two before we get under way.  Weapons and personal gear next.  You know the routine Clarence.  We'll sort through the new shit after that."

After he gets his detail set, Tucker will appraoch Bayer.  "You want a debrief now or after we secure this stuff Major?"

Snowy makes the last line fast, stretches his tired frame and heads into the forward accomodation area where the packs were stored. Lying his M4 within easy reach, he plops down in his wet gear on a chair and strips his armour and rig off, lying it beside the weapon. Wearily, he strips off his clothing and rubs himself dry with whatever part of it is the least damp. Opening his pack, he shivers a bit and pulls on a blue-black set of combat overalls and slips a similarly coloured woolly-pully over the top. It's not until he's pulling on dry socks that he realises he feels a whole lot better. He replaces his webbing and armour, but hangs his helmet off his webbing and puts on a light blue 'UN' baseball cap instead. He feels so restored in fact, that he's whistling while he hangs up his damp bunny-cams to dry. Gathering up his weapon, he clears the chamber and safes the action before heading up to the top deck to see Max and Blue.

John watchs gunny fall and lets out a soft "fuck" under his breath. He takes his gear and weapon and moves to the top deck to clean up and rack out. once he reachs the top deck he breaks down his AK and field strip cleans it then does the same with his pistol. after cleaning his weapons he reloads them and starts cleaning his gear. once the gear is clean he will move to the medical area and drop of the meds he was carrying minus two bottles of pills for his own use. he wont talk to anyone he dose not have to and will climb back up to the top deck. once there he will pull out his ponco liner curl up and fall to sleep.



John
sleeping
weapon slung to right leg
sleepPPPPPPP

Clarence collects his radio from Tucker and returns to his post in the auto-mortar gun tub. He's dog-tired. The stress of combat and the clash of wills at the lock had taken it's toll on his body but, even more so, on his mind. He eases into the makeshift armored cupola, slinging his AKSU within easy reach. He plans on keeping it handy as it'll come in handy in a boarding situation. He removes his helmet, pulls his brown knit cap over his uncomfortably long, curly hair, and replaces his helmet, leaving the chin-strap unfastened. He checks his radio carefully before turning it off- no use in running down the battery. He'd already used it far more than he'd planned; at least it hadn't been damaged during the day's excitement.

Clarence lays down an oily rag on the deck in front of himself. Sitting cross-legged, he proceeds to field strip and clean the AK-74 he'd selected from among the captured weapons (OOC to Rae- preferably, the nicest one: maybe a newer M model if possible). He works quickly and diligently, reassembling the sturdy weapon as quickly as he'd taken it apart. It is then, as he admires his handiwork, that it hits him. His stomach rumbled painfully, tightening up on itself in protest to the long and eventful period that had passed since its last job. Slinging his squeeky-clean new rifle, he gets up and heads aft, looking for a belated lunch.

"Unless there is anything pressing you have to tell me, lets wait until night when we anchor. We can have a O Group and general meeting in the galley then. In the meantime as you said lets get on with basic maintenance. I see most are already on top of things, however we should have a little organization, if for anything security. So here are some taskings alright?"

OOC - I'm not trying to throw around leadership weight, just thought it might be good to get things a bit organized. If you don't like it please tell me OOC and I'll step back.

Looking at the NCOs Bayer continues "Either you, Milk or Blue make up a sentry roster for those who are not injured. At the very least the forward machinegun must be manned at all times. If you see fit add another sentry."

"We'll keep our battle stations but now that Joost is dead. We need someone assigned to his AGS. We'll take care of his body and gear later."

"We don't need to babysit the men, but they should be taking care of personal weapons and kit maintenance first. After that they can do whatever they wish... eat, sleep, whatever."

If there are no questions or any other suggestions, Bayer will leave the NCOs to themselves to sort out the after op routine. He'll make his way to the bridge where he assumes Adam will be.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:23, Sun 16 Sept 2007.

"Tonight will be fine then sir.  It's nothing that can't wait but, it does need to be addressed accordingly!  Also, the new guy, Maddock, you want to speak to him later as well?

I'll get with Blue & Clarence about getting a watch schedule going and I think we should have one sentry on duty at night along with the foward machine-gun.  Outside of pulling a watch, we've got enough expereinced operator's here who know how to take care of themselves and their gear.  If that's it then Major, I've got my own shit to see to," Tucker says stepping back to see if that's it and then dismisses himself to get on with his own maintenance.

Tucker will first approach Snowy and then Clarence and give them the same earful, "Konrad says it's up to us three for a watch schedule for the crew.  After we're all cleaned up, let's come up with something and knock this out quickly.  We're staying at battle staions for the time being.  Sound good?"

Once Rob has finished meeting with Bayer, Snowy, and Milks, he tries to find himself a dry part of the deck where he can go over his equipment and weapons, more so the two new ('new' meaning never owned by him before) assault rifles he found.  He cleans up the M-16 and the AK-74 before he goes over his own weapons.  Once he has completed that, he picks up his gear and heads below decks to where the rest of the boat's gear is being stowed (and his) and places the two rifles into the armory with the magazines inserted into the weapons and the chambers unloaded and on safe.

He finally reaches his big pack and duffle and starts to get out of his wet and dampened clothes and changes into a fresh pair of BDU's.  Tuck takes his wet clothing over to where the boiler room is and sees if he can put his clothes near there, out of the way, so that they are able to dry off.  Tucker leaves his MOLLE rig with his other gear and puts on his shoulder rig holstering his Colt Python and spare speed loaders (2), kevlar vest and helmet, a bandoleer of mags for his M-16 before he heads back up to the main deck.

Tucker
M-16A2 w. [1] mag 30/M-203 w. [1] HE loaded
PM of weapons and gear before changing and coming back up on main deck

SLEEPPPPPPPPPPP


SLEEZZZZZZZPPPP




John
sleeping
weapon slung on leg

Grzyech chases Tucker out of the boiler room, brandishing a large wrench and spewing forth a stream of Polish expletives. The man is obviously quite protective of his work space!

[Private to Robert 'Tuck' Tucker: Don't worry- I'm not trying to give you a hard time; I'm just trying to develop the Polish NPCs a bit more. Tuck will be ablet o hand his clothes on a steam line somewhere other than in the engine room. Thanks for the quick reply on the captured weapons.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:47, Sun 16 Sept 2007.

Griet lugs the heavy PKM back up the stairs to the foward railing overlooking the main gun (Vasilek) on the foredeck. She's exhausted, both physically and mentally. Ground combat is still relatively foreign to her and, this day, she has seen more of it before lunch time than she has in this whole damn dirty war.

She stares at the PKM with a feeling of almost helpless frustration. She's never cleaned such a weapon before and it bothers her that she's going to ask for help to do so. Dawid seemed friendly enough, but he did get awfully frustrated with her back in the field during the firefight on the way to the locks.

She leaves the gun on the deck behind the low wall of sandbags and climbs the short ladder to the bridge. Adam is there, standing next to the stony-faced Uller, who sits in a tall, padded, barstool-like chair behind the wheel. She calls Adam aside and the two converse quietly in Polish.

When Griet sees Dawid again, she will ask him for help cleaning and loading the PKM.

After washing off blood from his face, Dawid had Anneka re-dress his scalp wound. His own Polish army beret sat on his head, green with a silver eagle flash.

At Tucker's order he quickly double-checked to see the Vasilek remained secure but ready for action, noting that it should be serviced as well that day before bed.

With Clarence by the gun tub he cleaned the Tantal and then battle-sighted it. He said cheerfully, "well my friend, when we last parted you seemed concerned we would never meet again. It is good to see your fears was unfounded!"

Mad asked him to convey him to the "headman", and Dawid nodded. "The Captain of this, noble vessel "Vistula Queen", is "Old Adam". He has hired Hauptman Bayer to lead his security forces for this trip. I will convey you forthwith." They headed aft and then up the stairs to the bridge.

Once there, he introduced Maddock to Bayer and Adam.

He then commented to Konrad, "things were very successful today, all things being considered. However, until we pick up more 82mm ammunition, I would advise against further indirect fire missions. We should only engage targets we can see to make most efficient use of our ammunition." [Private to A. 'Mad' John Maddock; Cap'n Rae; Konrad Bayer; Robert 'Tuck' Tucker: "I believe Mr. Yazzie's fire direction was more luck than skill, and he is wasteful. We should see who else is better at the task."]

Finding Griet afterwards, he handed her the other Tantal.

"Listen, you did very well today. You learned the most important things for an infantryman: don't run, and you must fire at the other fellow. Now, I will show you how to strip and clean this weapon, and the PKM. Plus operate the mortar so there will be backup."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:21, Tue 18 Sept 2007.

Bayer leaves the party to their business of personal maintenance and rest. Since his time as a Leftenant this was a time he felt that officer's were not needed to be about... interfering as it may with the NCO's jobs. Such a veteran crew didn't need much supervising anyways.

In the bridge house Dawid informs him of his opinions on the mortar... "Yes, I understand. It was unfortunate that we didn't acquire more ammo. However, such a common round as you know, I'm sure we will be able to sometime soon. Don't worry, but thank you for telling me. In the meantime, what about your head? I take it you are restricted to light duties and nothing more serious?"

[Private to A. 'Mad' John Maddock; Cap'n Rae; Robert 'Tuck' Tucker: Bayer's Forward Observer is 4... what about you guys and the others?]

After Dawid's response Bayer excuses himself to speak with Adam. "I would like to discuss with you the route ahead. What are we expecting... towns, woodland, farms? Do you know of any armies of any sort? Bridges, obstacles... anything you can tell me will be useful."

[Private to Cap'n Rae: Is there a map Bayer can take?]

As Adam responds Bayer notices the new passenger had entered behind Dawid. He gives him a quick nod as Adam speaks, acknowledging his presence and letting him know he'll be with him in a moment.

After discussing the route ahead, Bayer turns to Maddock and addresses him. "This is Captain Adam Rataj, the skipper of this boat and our employer. I am Captain Bayer, tactical commander. We also have a US medical Major and an attached Polish Chief aboard along with the NCO's and men."

Bayer takes a moment to look the man over as he introduces himself in turn. He doesn't recognize the beret badge but the waves and dagger clearly suggest to him he is a Marine Commando of some sort. His professional bearing he impresses upon Bayer is enough to convince him his rank is genuine.

"I am interested to hear how a man of your rank and unit became captured by bandits in Poland. Would you care to tell us of your... ahh.. story?"

Max hams it up with the rest of the NCOs for a little while, before quietly dissappearing outside.  He does a lap of the Queen, as has become his custom.

Without thinking about it, Max finds himself by his Starboard side Dushka.  He resists a smoke.  Max has never smoked, but finds the habit of starting it up gnaws at him constantly.

Sitting alone, Max surveys the country side as it passes by.

"Yes sir, that's what I've been told, although I don't like being coddled like a child! As for the mortar, it is still a powerful weapon-look at the havoc we wreaked!-but getting more ammo should the opportunity arise again is an absolute must."

"Well, thank you for your time, sir, but I must excuse myself."

With that, he saluted and left.  [Private to Griet Niewiadomska: I forgot to mention, he said to Griet, "do not worry about what Yazzie said to you on shore. After all, he's just an American, and therefore doesn't know any better".]
This message was last edited by the player at 16:39, Mon 17 Sept 2007.

As Bayer describes their relationship to Captain Rataj, Maddock's eyebrows climb his craggy forehead, but he schools himself back into proper form quickly. Once Dawid steps away, he knuckles his forehead in a respectful approximation of a salute, and rasps out, "Regimental Sergeant Major Maddock, Special Boat Service, His Royal Majesty's Royal Marines, Sir." He doesn't trouble with formality, but it has the tone of a senior NCO reporting to a commanding officer, all the same.

"Your boys picked me up in that flattened lock house. Seeing as they cut me loose, I'm not minded to hold the shelling against yon Pole. As to how I was getting there, I've been yomping about in the backcountry since AG Cromwell's breakthrough went tits up, beggin' your pardon. Wrong side of a bridge we dropped to cover a withdrawal, and effing months of sleeping in hedges while I work my way out of Red country. Had a few other lads with me, but Ivan's done for 'em a while back. Lost the plot, found my way to the river, then I walked into this lot all fat, dumb and happy. Didn't even have a chance to lace into 'em when I realized they were Ivans doing a bad Pole, and not the other way wither." He scratches idly at his beard.

"Bloody chuffed to see you, though. I thought some of your lads were taking the piss out there, with the carry on and losing the rag in a hot zone. I don't figure I understand how NATO boys wind up merc'ing it, but it's better times than doing what I've been doing, I'd wager."

After a moment, he winds down, apparently a bit surprised at his own verbosity. He shrugs uncomfortably, unaccustomed to the informality.

Adam introduces himself to Maddock, shaking the Royal Marine's hand with a calloused and surprisly firm grip.

"It is a pleasure to meet you. I'm glad we could, er, help you. You are welcome aboard, of course." He adds, almost embarrassed, "I assume you plan to join the security team, no?"

He hurries on to the next topic, addressing everyone within earshot and inviting all those interested to gather around the chart table.

"I travelled the river last, about five months ago. All that I know of this area may have changed since then. I have spoken to others- reliable people- who have sailed the river in recent months and things are much the same. Which is to say: dangerous.

"Here are the locks. We are here. As you can see, this region is mostly farmland, thinly peopled. The area is overun with bandits, however. Krakow has sent expeditions into the countryside here, to the north of the river, but they can hold nothing- there are simply too many bandits about. We are approaching the village of Nieplomice, here, on the south bank. I know a few people there. Their militia has managed to hold the bandits at bay- at least they had when last I received news of them. It would be a good place to stop for the night, if there weren't still several hours of daylight left.

"About 20km down-river of Nieplomice, where the Raba River joins the Vistula from the south, is the town of Uscie Solne. There used to be oil facilities there but of course they were destroyed long ago. The town itself is- or was- abandoned, but visited at times by fools looking for petrol. This stretch of the river is difficult- the Raba brings with it much sediment and debris. There are several other, er, tributaries that join the Vistula in this region as well. The dredges have long since ceased their work so we can expect many... natural obstacles.

"This is much to remember, I know, so I will continue later, once this section of the river has been mastered." Adam adds with a hopeful, but you suspect, half-hearted, grin.

"We have several maps of the river. You are welcome to take one, Mr. Bayer."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:05, Tue 18 Sept 2007.

"Thank you. You were... decisive." Griet's response is guarded but sincere.

She gladly takes the Tantal from Dawid, and sets it in her lap as she attentively watches the young Polish soldier break down the machine gun.

[Private to Dawid Waldus Piotrowski: OOC: How much more ammo do we have for this thing?]
This message was last edited by the player at 00:18, Tue 18 Sept 2007.

On the starboard companionway, Max is surprised by the sudden appearance of a lone figure emerging from the underbrush near the south bank of the river.

The man is dressed in cold weather civilian clothing and appears to be carrying a slung rifle of some kind, likely civilian as well. He waves both arms frantically in the tug's direction. As the tug continues down river, the man jogs along the uneven ground at the top of the bank, waving and yelling something unintelligable in what sounds like Polish. He does his best to keep pace with the tug, by all appearances desperately trying to flag it down as he stumbles alongside.

Actions?

OOC: Since returning to the Krolowa, all PCs have had chance to grab a quick bite to eat and Yazzie has even managed to catch a few winks.

He replied, "if you hesitate, you are lost! Of course, hit the dirt or find other cover, but always take the fight to the enemy if you can." With that, he reloaded the PKM, and cleaned and stripped their weapons. Also, he fetched a 3-cell "Lifchika" chest ammo harness and 6 spare AK-74 magazines. "This should do nicely."

[Private to Griet Niewiadomska: The Tantal shares the same ammunition and magazines with the AK-74, so there should be plenty of ammunition.]
This message was last edited by the player at 16:21, Tue 18 Sept 2007.

The sickening crack of Parks' knee was all too familiar to Anneka. There was little doubt in her mind that something had snapped, either a bone, or worse, ligaments. Either way, he wouldn't be out sniping for a month or two.
"Thanks sergeant," she said gratefully to Tucker once Parks had been settled in the mess. A shot of morphine later and Parks' troubles where a distant memory - to him anyway.

Bandages and splints later (plaster was a little hard to come by of late), Anneka removed herself and took care of her own needs...
[Private to GM: to be continued once I get home from work]

Max see's a person running along the bank, trying to attract the attention of The Queen.  He watches amused for a second or two, before realising he's not watching a movie here ... he has to act.

Max stands up and takes a sec to confirm its only the one person, and determines the threat level as low.  He steps into the middle of the Queens deck and waves two hands up at the watch/bridge of the Queen, hoping his movement brings attention to himself, and he can then direct peoples eyes to the person on the side of the Queen.

I hope someones up there, and they're not all playing checkers in the lounge, he mumbles to himself.

Having attracted someone elses attention, max turns to face the person again.
I'm sure we did a head count before moving off from the lock, he deadpans for his own benefit.

Max is guaging how close the person is to the Queen & how fast they are moving in relation to himself.  How much time does Max have before the person falls behind or out of view????  This will determine his next actions.


Max
Trying to gain bridges attention
Cautiously watching the unidentified person

Clarence makes his way back to the forward gun turret from the galley, mulling over the day's events as he munches on a piece of cold chicken. The team performed well, all things considered. The flap back at the lock house was an embarassment- one he played no small part in. He lost his cool under fire and it shamed him. He's have to smooth things over with Anneka at some point. Swallowing his pride would be difficult but, with so many miles still ahead, it would be foolish on many levels not to try.

Back at the gun, Clarence set aside a hunk of chicken wrapped in brown paper for his gunner. The kid was off somewhere, a flury of boundless energy. He should be in bed, taking it slow and easy after being wounded- in the head no less! But, he had things to do and people to see, it seemed. Clarence could faintly remember when he was that young. He'd of done the same.

Man, that was a long time ago...

He leaned back against the inside of the gun tub and shut his eyes for a few moments. He was sleepy, but with no watch routine established, keeping watch couldn't just be someone else's responsibility. He looked up towards the bridge. Griet wasn't at her post. Max, however was up on the starboard Dushka and he was waving emphatically at something or someone. Clarence stood up to take a look at what had Max all worked up and there, on the shore, was a civilian, desperately trying to get flag down the tug.

Here we go again...

Blue sat having a chat with Snowy, he noticed Max waving at someone and said "Friendly bloke isn't he Snow.  Ya reckon he's spotted a sheila or something and wants the Capn to pull over.  Maybe he thinks he'll get lucky"

Snowy raises an eyebrow and says "Bloody hell Blue, do you think he can really score out here? Nah, I think you're dreaming. What's it worth to ya?" He grins at Bluey and tries to see what Max is waving at.

"Strewth mate, I reckon even an ugly mug like yours has a shot out here, can't be many eligable batchelors like you too floating past." He scratches at his beard, "A case of Crownies when we get back, says if it's a shiela he'll score.  If it's a bloke & he scores then that's two cases.  How's that sound mate?"

Snowy, shading his eyes, says "It's a bloke, I may be in for two cases at this rate. You wanna saunter up there and see what's going on? I'll look after your gun for you while you're off being colonel general sergeant major."

Bayer is thrown off guard from Dawid's salute.  He can't remember with any degree of accuracy when the last time he was saluted.  He snaps one back to the Pole as quick as he can, at the same time trying to make sense of Dawid's response.  He wonders if he insulted Dawid in any way, but can't tell.  Surely he wasn't coddling him or downsizing the importance of the mortar.

With Dawid's sudden departure Bayer turns to Adam and the two converse about the route ahead.  He accepts the map from the old Captain and slides it into his map pouch of his webbing.  He catches sight of his old dogged eared map of Eastern Germany and immediately pushes old memories out of his thoughts.  Returning his gaze to Adam he thanks him for the info he provided.  "Danke, as I said, any amount of information is valuable."

The two men then turn their attention to Maddock, patiently waiting for introductions near the entrance of the bridge house.  He returns Maddock's slaute, ready this time for it.  What followed for speech from Maddock seemed like a record being played backward to the German, unfamiliar with much of the English terminology.  While he struggled to make sense of what he was being told, he nodded, in an vain attempt to mimic understanding.  In the end, he simply decided Maddock was definitely British and seemed a good enough fellow to trust.

Besides catching the occasional words it sounded like he was covering a withdraw but was left behind because he was sleeping.  Then he got lost but was happy about it.  Surely this wasn't accurate, so he gives him the benefit of the doubt.

Bayer does however catch the words "merc" in Maddock's speech and points it out as friendly as possible... "Despite our situation and what we may or may not be doing here, I'd perfer not to label ourselves mercenaries.  We are simply cut off and working on staying alive through whatever means."  Whether he was naive or not, he still considered himself an officer of the German Army.

Bayer, seeing the man was probably interested in settling down for a bit, excused himself from the conversation. "Alright. Well as I said, you are welcome to lend a hand.  I'd appreciate full cooperation with the other NCO's... but if there is nothing else, feel free to stand down."

With that Bayer makes his way down to the main deck in search of Tucker and the other Sergeants.  "How are things coming with the duty roster men? The Australian, up there on the gun has been there since this morning, he should be relieved as soon as possible ja?"
This message was last edited by the player at 09:32, Wed 19 Sept 2007.

Max gives up the waving.  Either someone has seen him by now, or its too late anyway.

Well, chalk another one up for the security team.  We're a sharp bunch, arnt we?  Unless we get bit in the friggen arse we're simply not gonna know about it.

max takes another desperate look at the person on the bank.  A civilian?  Mebbie.

We're all soldiers now, of one kind or another.

Max grips his AK-74 and fires a single shot into the air.

Lets see what happens now ...


Surveying the Queen for signs of life, Max shrugs nochalantly uppon seeing both Blue and Snow looking in his direction, but he looks embarressed when he see's Clarence, is that his name?, looking mystified at Maxs firing of his weapon as a means of communication.

Max holds both his arms out from his body at each of the parties, silently asking What we doing????


Max
Looking for direction

OOC: Continued from previous post.
IC:
Anneka soon fond herself back in her self appointed position just forward of the bridge.
"Have to get myself a deck chair," she quipped to herself as she began inspecting the RPD she'd salvaged. An old weapon, nearly fifty years had passed since it's construction, but still servicable albeit with a little extra care and attention. Too heavy really to be carrying about and not the most accurate, but it would do to suppliment the PKM Griet would soon be bringing back to the same location.

An hour or two later and her personal needs had been met, weapons cleaned and Uzi reloaded from the meagre 9mm stores. She'd even found a few minutes to stitch up Dawid's headwound.

Finally able to relax, she'd almost drifted off for a few minutes doze when a shot rang out just metres away behind the bridge.

"Who fired!?" she roared. "What's going on?" Her position on forward section of the sandbagged upper deck didn't allow for vision to the rear. It did however provide an almost perfect overveiw both forward over the barge and to each flank...
[Private to Max Fosters: In other words, she can't see you without moving from her position.]

Tucker is trying to get with the other Sergeant's to get some kind of duty roster started for at least the rest of this day when Konrad walks up from behind him.  He turns responding, "I'm trying to get with them now Major.  Everyone's tidying up their gear and as soon as we can, we'll get the proper people relieved."

Tucker responds to Max's single shot with a flinch after he calls out about the figure on the shore.  "Jesus Christ!  We gettin' shot at aready?"
This message was last edited by the player at 15:10, Wed 19 Sept 2007.

This message was deleted by the player at 16:56, Wed 19 Sept 2007.

Bayer gives a simple "Ok" and affirming nod to Tucker and steps away from the NCOs, giving them some room to do their job. Deciding to check on the rest of the crew he makes it only half way to the mortar when the shot is fired.

He crouches down to the deck for a moment to try to take in what was happening. Being only a single shot and not a volley of continuous fire or even a burst from a DSHK, he thought it was probably an accidental discharge from somebody's weapon. However, not taking any chances he unbuckled his helmet which had been attached to his webbing and seated in onto his head.

He hears some yelling, one of the Australians, but can't make out what is being said. Making his way towards the other side of the tug he finds Fosters holding his AK-74... and looks to be the obvious shooter. "What ist happening?"
This message was last edited by the player at 17:47, Wed 19 Sept 2007.

SLEEP>>>>>>SLEEEPPPP

The man on the shore flinches as Max fires his warning shot, but he makes no move to unlsing his weapon. After a moment's hesitation, he continues his desperate pursuit of the tug, trying to keep pace as best he can, waving and shouting now almost frantically. You can see that he's flagging now, struggling to keep up. The tug will be leaving him behind soon. As the tug's security team's attention turns to the stranger, those with a working knowledge of Polish can make out some of his hoarse cries,

"Stop! Help! Village! Stop!"

Adam moves to the starboard side of the bridge and raises his binnoculars to his eyes.

"Could that be?" he mutters to himself. Then, he shouts at Uller,

"ALL STOP!"

Uller immediately throttles back and the tug slows almost imperceptably.

Snow and Blue, near the rear Dushka position (?), notice two more men approaching from the west and a bit inland (your right as you face the southern shore on the Krolowa's starboard side). These men are mounted on horseback, and wear camouflage uniforms. They are moving at a gallop, on an apparent intercept course towards the tug's pursuer. They are about 200 meters away and closing fast. One of them raises an AK series rifle and takes shaky aim at the man on the riverbank...

[Private to Anneka Soleblume: Your diagnosis of Gunny's knee injury is a torn ACL. His knee needs to be immobilized as much as possible. He won't be going ashore anytime soon! Also, sounds like Anneka is stationing herself where Griet is located. That's fine. The two can split shifts or double up.]

[Private to Dawid Waldus Piotrowski: How much PKM ammo is left? Also, your AK-74 is zeroed; the Tantal is not. Do you want to keep the AK-74 for a bit, until you get a chance to zero the Tantal? After that, the AK-74 goes back into the swag pool?]
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:47, Thu 20 Sept 2007.

As Max explains of the man on the shore, Bayer looks over his shoulder to the see the man struggling to keep up along the banks of the river.  Adam's sudden order to stop the tug however causes a look of alarm on his face and he leaves Max, rushing up into the boat house.

Assuming Adam is stopping for the man he calls "Stand too! Stand too!" He is unsure if the crew are either aware of what is happening or if they manned their posts in anticipation anyways.

Stumbling into the bridge house... "Captain Rataj! Wait, it could be a trap. We should be stood too before we halt for this man."

Bayer moves next to Adam and digs out his own field glasses.

OOC - Bayer is unaware of the horseback fellows.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:27, Thu 20 Sept 2007.

"Ah Fuck.  Here we go again mate." says Bluey as he jumps onto the Dushka and opens up at the two mounted men. "Fancy fresh meat." Blue adds looking at the two horses down the sights.

Rear Dushka
Opening fire
This message was last edited by the player at 00:31, Thu 20 Sept 2007.

Tucker will reach down for his newly acquired binoculars, compliments of the marauders, and tries to focus in on the man on shore.  Tucker will yell up to Yazzie, "YAZZIE!  POSSIBLE TARGETS ON SHORE LINE!  YOU'RE THE LONG GUN NOW!"

"I know this man. We must help!" replies Adam hurriedly, before issuing further orders to Uller in rapid-fire Polish
This message was last edited by the player at 01:39, Thu 20 Sept 2007.

A long stream of green tracers spews forth from the aft Dushka. Through the strobe-like fire blooms of the weapon's muzzle flash, Blue watches the tracers pass a few meters behind the mounted men. The effect on the riders is immediate. They wheel sharply- one horse nearly losing its footing on the damp ground- and retreat from the river at breakneck speed.

The man on shore tumbles headlong over the lip of the riverbank (whether he does so intentionally or by accident is not clear) and half-rolls, half-slides down the river bank before regaining his footing near the water's edge. He waves feebly after the tug with one arm, his other fumbling desperately for a hand-hold on the slick bank.

John wakes up with a start and looks up in shock....

"what the fucks going on????"

"I dont have a long gun I can only spot targets>>>"

"I dont know what you want done give me an order???"



John will move to the rail and lay down and look toward the shore line with the spotting scope.


John
Spotting targets
AK-47 next to side

"That man? Alright." Bayer calls out to the gunners... "Cease Fire! Friendly on the shore." There was too much potential for confusion and mistakes at this point. Better to just hold off the shooting at anyone right now before someone thinks the man on the shore is a target. Seeing how those horsemen have played it smart and booked off as well.

Bayer runs out to where he can have eye contact with Milk. "Clarence! Two men, two men only! Prep an inflatable to bring that man aboard!

Calling over his shoulder... "RSM Maddock, I need a man who can handle a small boat, I assume you can ja?" He moves again to where he can communicate with the rest of the team. "Remainder maintain your posts and watch for targets. Small boat heading out... provide cover."

OOC - Yazzie you want to take Park's rifle if he is incapacitated? Were short sniper support otherwise.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:13, Thu 20 Sept 2007.

"SPOT US SOME TARGETS THEN YAZZIE!  LOOKS LIKE WE GOT SOME TANGO'S OUT THERE PAST THE PERSON ON THE SHORE," Tucker yells up to Yazzie while he tries to keep his attention back to the shoreline.

Snowy braces himself as Bluey grabs the handles of the big fifty. Disregarding his M4, Snowy readies his binoculars and focusses on the two horsemen. Then scanning the riverside for more targets.

"I have no other targets mate, can you get those two bastards? They're getting away."

Binoculars, M4 carbine (slung)
Acting as observer for rear DShKM
Rear DShKM

Acknowledging she wasn't the greatest of shots and not willing to expend valuable ammunition for the RPD, Anneka watched their other flank. It wouldn't be the first time diversionary tactics had been used on an otherwise extremely defensible position - she'd treated enough of the results to know that much.
Besides, at this point the true combat specialists appeared to have everything in hand, even if they were a little gun happy. There was little need for her input at this stage...

Max takes "his" starboard side Dushka, but refrains from firing.  It seems Blue has done the job.  He looks up at the bridge, that Bayer fellow seems happy enough to talk to the Captain, and begin issuing orders.

Must be ok, i guess.  Max is relieved his single shot to raise attention was the right thing to do.

Max turns to scan in the direction the riders have ridden off in.  They may have friends reinforce them now they have been chased off.


Max
Watching for reinforcements

"we have two riders range 300 meters and moving away"

"pact cammo uniforms"

"pact small arms"

"one unknown on the beach"

"he is down with no present wounds"


John returns to the spotting scope looking for more information.



John
spotting scope
ak-47 at side

Just before taking a smoke break after all the running around, the shooting and mayhem started again. Sighing, Dawid left the dis-assembled Tantals and PKM on the deck and heaved himself up. He then jogged forward to his duty station, picking up his AK74 when he arrived.

After chambering a round and setting to to full-auto, he asked Milk, "what's the matter now? Well, let's get ready for action, I'm sure they'll tell us."


Dawid Piotrowski
AK-74 (6 spare mags)
Manning the Vasilek (5 rds HE),
[Private to GM: I guess we've not had a chance to zero the rifles, because that would mean a trip to shore. The PKM's ammo is updated; the last 10 rounds have been linked to a new belt of 100, so with the one the went into the water there are 2 more spare 100-rd belts and a case of 600 left. Note re: the 23mm ammo, there should actually be 2x 50-rd boxes with 33 rounds total remaining (which won't last long with an ROF of 10!). Also, how many spare mags for the Stechkin, and is the stock present?]
This message was last edited by the player at 16:50, Thu 20 Sept 2007.

Maddock snaps a sharp nod at Bayer's question. He then turns and calls out crisply, "One more boat-man on me, sharply now! Let's go!"

He turns and heads for the small launch he arrived on earlier, snatching for his gear and firearm.


Prepping boat party
L86A1 LSW

In response, Clarence flashes a thumbs-up at the German. Not yet having had a chance to zero his "new" AK-74M, Clarence grabs his AKSU and throws it over his shoulder, briefing Dawid as he hastily readies his gear.

"Well D.P., seems that civie on the beach wants our attention pretty bad. He's been trying to chase us down and wavin' like he's touched in the head. Someone started shootin' the aft Dushka and I caught a glimpse of two horse riders heading away from the river. That's all I know. I'm gonna go prep the dingy. Oh, there's some chicken for ya." he adds, pointing at the brown paper package on a sandbag next to the mortar.

With that, Clarence heads quickly back to where the inflatables are stowed, presumably meeting up with the new Brit, Maddock somewhere along the way.

"You look like you know how to handle a boat." Clarence says to the RM. "I'll follow your lead."

If Mad has someone else to ride shotgun, Clarence will happily defer. If not, he'll go along, just to speed things up.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:14, Fri 21 Sept 2007.

Bayer watches from the top deck as Clarence and Maddock rush off to launch an inflatable. He figures they'd need another man but leaves it up to Clarence.

Turning about he moves towards to Adam, on the way he notices Soleblume had taken up to watching the opposite side the action was on. Her back is to him but he nods in agreement anyways. Bayer sides up along next to Adam and asks him politely "You know this man ja? Who may he be?"

After Adam has told him he remembers something and approaches Soleblume. "I had forgotten. We need a replacement on the auto grenade launcher, as well as the need to deal with Joost's body. Remind me later ok? Or perhaps you'd take care of it."

"Sure," she replied, not taking her eyes from her self appointed arc of responsibility.
"I'm probably best suited to it anyway," she continued with a grimace. Despite most on the tug having had extensive combat experience, Anneka was sure she'd seen more dead and wounded that the rest combined over the past few years. Especially back in the dark days of November 97 when the nukes were raining destruction across the planet.
"Hey Dawid," she called down to the foredeck. How about you take over the AGS for the moment? You're the expert aren't you?"
With the ZSU on the aft deck, the lighter autogrenade launcher was quite superfluous. Far better it be moved up and take the pressure off the mortars extremely limited ammunition supply.
"That'd be ok with you wouldn't it Hauptman Bayer?"
This message was last edited by the player at 04:55, Fri 21 Sept 2007.

"Oh, with pleasure!" Still sitting at the gun, he sealed the brown pouch and stuck it in a tunic pocket for later. You could fault the western powers for many things, but their field rations were light years ahead of anything similarly offered by the Polish army or, heavens forbid, the Russians.



Assuming Bayer doesn't have a problem:

He called back and up, "yes ma'am, I will be there in one moment." Picking up his rifle he trotted aft towards the ZU and the AGS-17 Plamya. He was really starting to feel tired from all the day's activities, and his stitched-up head head started to throb again.

"Nothing to see up front, anyway." He squatted down to man the low-slung weapon, covering the shoreline. He would rather man the ZU, but with only 33 rounds remaining a few good bursts would exhaust its ammunition supply.

OOC: if he sees a target he gives it a couple of bursts. He's looking for a couple of horsemen, as per Clarence.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:12, Fri 21 Sept 2007.

"No worries mate." Blue replies sending another series of short burts after the fleeing horsemen.

Blue
DSHK
Sending the horsemen away.

Blue sends two more arcing, hopeful bursts after the riders. Neither appear to find their mark (but odds are good that the riders at least soiled themselves). In a few seconds, the riders are out of range, and soon thereafter, out of sight.

After allowing the Krolowa to drift a few meters closer to shore, Adam orders Walter and Tadeuz to drop the stern anchor. The inflatable sets off towards the shore, with Maddock at the tiller and Milk in the bows. During the short approach, Clarence keeps his AKSU trained on the man clutching to the steep bank. The man makes no move towards his weapon; instead, he leans back and raises both hands, relief mixed with exhaustion and apprehension etched on his face. The boat glides into shore and Milk, with hand gestures and a mash-up of phrase book Polish beckons the man aboard. He obliges wearily but promptly and without incident, willingly relinquishes his weapon (a well used, bolt-action hunting rifle) to Clarence. Their guest secure, the boat team swings the prow of the zodiac back towards the Krolowa. Safely alongside, the man is escorted from the boat to the bridge. Adam awaits his arrival at the threshold of the bridge’s exterior doorway. The two men shake hands, and then embrace. Adam, arm around his guest’s shoulder, guides the man into the bridge, offering him a blanket and sending the muttering Uller limping off to fetch some hot tea. As soon as the he is seated (in the captain’s own chair, no less), the man introduced by Adam as one Marcin Bosacki, opens up immediately, his relief at the relative safety of the tug quickly giving way to the same urgency that had fueled his headlong scramble along the shoreline after it. He speaks at length and Adam listens, concern written all over his ruddy, weather-beaten, white-whiskered face.

(OOC: Those with adequate Polish skill follow along themselves. The rest of you receive the following report, second hand and after the fact, but in time to post a response/reaction during the next turn.)

“We’ve been under siege for almost a month. They’re Russians, I think- or Ukranians. I don’t give a fuck which anymore; they act like fucking Huns, the lot of them! They don’t have enough men to completely surround the village, but with the horses, they don’t need an unbroken cordon. They post a constant watch and ride down anyone who tries to escape- you saw them!. We’ve lost a half-dozen fighters trying to leave to find help. Anyway, the riders tried to break into the village directly a couple of times early on, but we managed to fight them off pretty well. For the last few weeks, they’ve just launched probes- almost every day and sometimes at night. I don’t think they’re really looking for a way in anymore; they’re just trying to wear us down and get us to spend the last of our ammunition. They know we’re running low. They came to town about two months ago looking to trade for food. One of our less cautious militiamen let slip our need for more ammunition. They agreed to exchange it for provisions. Of course, they never intended to make a fair trade. It was a double cross, and our envoy was murdered. Our people managed to take a couple of them out during the transaction, though, and they rode off. We thought we were done with them and vowed to be more careful with armed strangers. Ha! Then, a month ago, they returned, and they haven’t left us alone since."

Bosacki pauses just long enough to sip at the mug of tea almost dropped in his lap by the ever put-upon Uller,

"We’re down to about half strength- the village militia, that is. We’ve got only a dozen defenders now plus four wounded who aren’t quite mobile but can still manage to use a weapon. We’ve gotten our defensive tactics down to a science- the American woman has helped us with that- but it’s fucking exhausting. Our real problem at the moment is our ammunition- or a lack of it. We’re down to only a magazine a piece for the Kalashnikovs and a handful of rounds for the rifles and shotguns. At the rate we’re using it, it’ll only be a few days before we’re forced to fight with axes and spades- maybe less if they attack in force. Surrender is not an option- we've all heard what we can expect from the likes of those bastards if we do. I am  it- our last chance- making a final try to get to Krakow and bring back help... Or at least more bullets!” He pauses, seemingly at a loss for words for the first time in the last several minutes. Then, he continues, his voice cracking, “Thank the Virgin of Czestochowa that we stumbled across one another. It is truly a miracle.” He chokes back a flood of tears so that only a trickle escape down his sweat-beaded face.

Adam gravely addresses those present.

“I must help these people. They helped me once, when I had nothing to offer in return. This is a debt… a debt of honor."

You’ve never seen Adam more earnest or determined in the time you’ve known him. You get the distinct impression that he'd go back to Nieplomice alone, if you let him.

Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:48, Fri 21 Sept 2007.

Before john talks he pulls the captian to the side with a wink and nod and talks into his ear...

"Herr Hauptman I want that rifle I can use it to snipe..IT has a scope and it looks like an old M98 Kar...a great sniping weapon...I'm and armorer as stated before and I can fix and maintian It...we should use this as a time to kill some maurders, gain some friends and some gear...we give them the extra AK's and some ammo and we have friends for life...our good will spreads down the river and it will help us."


with that quick and low use of words john looks at the Hauptman with a what do you think look....


John
talking into Hauptmans ear
ak-47 slung

"Ja, I agree best choice."

Once the man from the shore had been brought to the bridge, Bayer did his best to understand his story but had to wait until a translation could be made to make sense out of any of it.



Bayer nods at the Adam... he didn't like diverting from the mission and placing the men in a position where they could be unnecessarily killed. However he knew he had no choice but to go along. Adam was the boss anyways. "Alright Adam, we'll need to get some things together first. Where is the closest you can anchor the tug to the town? Here? And how far is it from the river?"

As soon as Bayer was done speaking with Adam, Yazzie grabbed his attention and
discreetly asked him for acquiring Marcin Bosacki's rifle. "Ok, I'll try to get it for you. Fair trade I would say, rifle for their survival."

When Yazzie offers his opinion on helping out the villagers, Bayer starts to feel less convinced that its a bad idea to help. "Good will... ja..." he says deep in though.

Bayer unbuckles his helmet and attached it to his webbing. He places his G36 in the corner (on the floor so it doesn't fall over with the gentle heaving of the tug) and approaches Anneka...

"Major, I'm going to make up a quick plan for a land operation. Ve'll gather the men in the galley in 25 minutes for a quick set of frag orders*. Meantime... could you identify what weapons and ammo we can part with that would be good to equip the village hauptschutz with? After that, distribute the arms to be carried to the men and inform them of our task. Anything else you can think of that needs to be done?"

*Quick and informal, opposed to standardized NATO mission orders.

After coordinating with Anneka, Bayer looks to Adam once again. "Adam, I need this man to tell me some more about the bandits. Do they have heavy support weapons? Does he know where they are camped? Can he offer any other info on them? Oh yes... Yazzie can do more damage with his rifle... may he exchange it for one of our spares?"

OOC - What time of day is it? How soon until nightfall.

Konrad Bayer
Tug Bridge
P7 Pistol
Conferring with Anneka and asking Adam a lot of questions.

This message was last edited by the player at 11:51, Sat 22 Sept 2007.

Once the small boat is secure, and the messenger has been conveyed to the bridge, Maddock scares-up a cup of water and some food for the exhausted Pole. Stumping into the fringes of the gathering, he presents the refreshments, with a murmured injunction to, "Have some kip," before taking his place along the wall.

Maddock's grasp of Polish is insufficient for the task, so he nods along as the words are relayed around.

Adam replies, "Of course." and conveys Konrad's questions to the unexpected guest. He replies at length and Adam translates,

"He says there are about two dozen bandits. They have automatic rifles and one or two light machine guns. They had an RPG but they have not used it for for the last couple of weeks so they are probably out of rockets for it. They have nothing bigger. They all have horses, and probably two or three spare ones, thanks to the militia's good shooting. He does not know where they are camped but he suspects it is in a small wood to the north of the village.

"We are anchored almost directly south of the village. It is about 2km from here."

 [Private to John Yazzie; Konrad Bayer: Anneka Soleblume: Nice try. The militaman's rifle does not have a scope. We'll go ahead and say it's an old K98k with six rounds of ammo. A scope can be mounted, though, with Yazzie's gunsmithing skills. I've updated the swag list as best as I can (not everyone has replied regarding their intentions to keep their old weapons)- please note the box of 500 7.62 x 39mm reloads picked up at the locks. That alone would really help the militia's cause.]
This message was last edited by the player at 16:33, Sat 22 Sept 2007.

"Major I will work with you on the weapons if you like ..i have experiance in working on them ,,,"


"what i would take is 3 AK-74's with 15 mag's. Thats 5 per weapon."

"we also need to take 3 of the AKM's with 3 mag's a weapon. that's 9 total."

"we should also take the 500 reloads to fill what they have now."

"the 5 frags would also be useful to them.."

"all this gear we can part with and it wont hurt us."


"hey buddy i would like to talk to you. how's the rifle shot. what kind of shape is it in.Can i look at it?"

If the pole allows him to inspect it he will use his skill to asses if the weapon is worth a darn.If it is he will put the next conversation to him.

"do you have more ammo for this back at your camp? i would like to trade you for a AK-74 and some magazines? what do you think."

If he is up for the trade john and the major will start to work on drawing the weapons and ammo for the camp. they will draw the 6 rifles and grenades and the spare ammo. he will also draw a 7th rifle and mags for the Pole.

Once this is done John will work on the rifle to mount the scope from the Damaged RPK-74 to it.

OOC:: mounting a scope to a rifle is easy skill. It can be done by an unskilled man in a half hour and a skilled gunsmith with basic tools in 15 miniutes.

John
working with the Major

After the informal meeting got underway, Dawid (cigarette in hand) smiled and said, "not that this is debated now, but I am in agreement with Adam that we should help these people. In fact, I would probably do it anyway, for they are fellow Poles, and I am a son of Poland. We should act as more than just travelers and mercenaries."

"Be that as it may, I can think of two plans. One would be to again basically bombard the camp from afar, with a team possessing the PKM and AGS-17 mop up the survivors. On the other hand, we could do the job with just the Plamya and PKM supporting a foot assault on the enemy encampment, keeping the Vasilek in reserve. Either way, I would suggest that the tug be temporarily freed from the barge to allow for tactical mobility."

"Although it is difficult to pull off, a night attack would be good."

Hearing the suggestion for duty stations, Dawid added,

"I would like to suggest some changes, if that's all right. There is no room on the bow for the AGS-17, unless it's in front of the Vasilek, which would be unhealthy for anyone manning it and foul the gun's arc of fire, so perhaps the pilot-house roof would be a better position for that."

"Also, while I am unfamilliar with NATO ranks but Thompson and Foster seem to take direction from White. I would rearrange them so that Mr. White is at the rear Dushka (as it's generally a superfluous weapon unless someone is attacking from aft!), leaving him to consult with the Captain about nautical matters."


Main deck (Team 1):
Position #1 Bow mounted Mortar (Clarence Milk/Piotrowski)
Position #2 Aft mounted ZU-23 (Robert Tucker)
(Team leader: Milk)

Upper Deck (Team 2):
Position #3 Forward mounted PKM (Griet Neiwandomska)
Position #4 Port mounted DSHK (Bruce Thompson)
Position #5 Starboard mounted DSHK (Max Foster)
Position #6 Aft mounted DSHK (Trevor White)
(Team Leader: White)

Roof of Pilot house (Team 3):
Position # 7 crow's nest sniper/spotter position. (Rick "Gunny" Parks/John Yazzie)
Position # 8 Pilot House roof mounted AGS-17 (Maddock)

Bridge (Command Group):
Hauptmann Bayer
Major Soleblum, Medic/"advisor"
Griet Niewiadomska, government liaison
This message was last edited by the player at 21:00, Sat 22 Sept 2007.

Clarence slaps Dawid on the back and quips, "Hey, kid, you mind smokin' that thing outside? There's already enough shit flying around here that could kill me."

Clarence then addresses the entire assembled security team,

"If nobody objects, I'd like to volunteer to stay here on the tug. We need to consider them marauders circlin' back here once the shore party is out of sight and we don't want to leave our sailor friends on the boat unprotected. Dawid's done a good job showin' me how to operate the Vasilek so I can also provide fire support if you folks need it."

"As for the weapons we're gonna 'donate', I say we keep the 74s and the 5.45mm ammo since quite a few of us carry weapons that use it. We found a box of Pact 7.62mm back at the locks that looks like reloaded brass. We also got a half-dozen or so AKMs that can fire the stuff. We could easily part with a couple of those and that whole box of rounds. The German G-3s we found- they fire NATO 7.62mm and we don't got any more of that so it wouldn't hurt us none to give those up either."

"Sounds like those villagers have some wounded. They need meds too?"
This message was last edited by the player at 00:02, Sun 23 Sept 2007.

Robert Tucker lights up one of his cigars as he sits back and listens to the Poles story about his town, damn sad story indeed.  What makes it interesting is that Adam owes this town for past actions where they helped him, you don't see someone of that character in this world in these miserable days.

Tucker winces a bit as he shifts his weight to his other leg remembering the fresh GSW he got to his buttocks the day before.  He knew he shouldn't be trouncing around the Polish countryside trying to help a group of desperate villagers but, at least it is for a good cause.

Respecting Adam's dedication to the villagers, Tucker will step up when the briefing was over, "I want to lend a hand here Major Bayer.  If Adam feels they're worth helping, then it's wirth my effort to try and help good people from these scumbags!  How long do we have before we shove off?  Before we leave the tug Cap'n, I believe we should be tending to Joost's body properly!"
This message was last edited by the player at 00:43, Sun 23 Sept 2007.

As they prepare for Bayer's informal meeting Blue swings buy Max's station "Mate, how you holding up, need a break?  If you do go grab a kip or if you want to offer any suggestions come along to the board meeting."

He stops to let Max respond before heading off to the meeting.

As he listen in he pipes up "Dawid mind your own business, we don't take suggestions from fucken murderers.  Captain I'll be outside until the air is clear in here and then we'll talk about my men."  With that he turns and leaves signaling Snow and Max if either of them are there to follow and wait outside.

Blue
Waiting Outside for the Captain
This message was last edited by the player at 00:09, Sun 23 Sept 2007.

john will say some last parting words....


"folks i dont talk much but here it goes about me..I was in a raid company of marines and have spent the last few years doing hits like this...i will help if you want but wont push my ideas..i spent the years before the war hunting maurders on my land and have alot of experiance in this..if you need help in the planning i will be outside sleeping.."



John
walking outside to sleep

Tucker shrugs his shoulders, "He can come as far as I'm concerned.  He's the best one for this kind of OP."

Snowy looks at everyone there opaquely, nods to Bluey and follows him outside, closing the door after any who walk outside.
"Well Blue, that'll throw the cat amongst the pigeons, but I guess it had to be done. What do we do if they boot us off the boat? I was thinking we should do something about this village no matter what."

john will look at the Aussies outside and say this....


"they fucking need you..he is a killer. he is a dime a dozen. i would have arrested he in my past life and he would be getting butt fucked in the state jail. thats not how you handle shit arrest and then decide..i have killed maurders dont get me wrong . i'm no saint but there was a council and it was decided..i'm going to go sleep some more. remember if you need weapons work I'm a trained armorer.have a fun talk....."


John
walking to go sleep

Bayer listens closely to everyone's opinions. When they've all had a chance to make their concerns known Bayer addresses the crew. "Alright, organization for the shore party is as follows... Assault Group, Sergeant Thompson IC, Sergeant Tucker 2/iC, Foster and White."

[Private to Robert 'Tuck' Tucker: You ok with this?]

He's aware of their sudden departure so speaks to Tucker alone. Shooting a glance to Maddock and Yazzie he continues... "Sniper group, Mr. Maddock and Yazzie." Bayer searches the room and locks eyes with Dawid and Anneka..."Support Group, Major Soleblume and Dawid... you are well enough to haul a GPMG ja?" Nodding to Clarence... "Clarence you'll stay behind with Griet and the Gunny as security."

"Chain of command... myself, sergeant Thompson, Major Soleblume, Mr. Maddock."

OOC - Anyone have any major problems with this let me know please. It isn't a permanent organization, just one for the mission at hand. That includes the chain of command, I ordered it that way based on people's group placements more than anything. We will sort out something better later. I'm trying to focus more on this mission first though ok?"

As he continues addressing the team Bayer pulls out a small crumpled piece of paper and reads off some taskings...

"Ok, pre-deployment taskings... Anneka, as before, a detailed list of what arms, ammo and stores we are taking. Oh yes, ensure you have a sufficient amount of medical gear for several wounded ok?"

"Tucker, your right about Joost. I meant to do it earlier and shouldn't have waited. You take care it with the Australians ja? No scavenging his gear please... put it into ship's stores."

"Dawid, get yourself the medium machinegun and all the ammo... disperse it among the team if needed."

"Yazzie, do what you can to that Mauser. We need a sniper."

"Mr. Maddock and Clarence, prep the inflatables for immediate use please. Then how about moving the AGS to the rooftop."

Returning his gaze upon all those who are present he continues presenting his plan... "We'll slip into the village at dark to prevent us being seen by the bandits. I want them to be unaware of our presence until the first shot is fired. The Pole will accompany us and once we are close, he'll continue on ahead to warn the village that we are a friendly force coming in."

"We'll see about how we'll deal with the Russians once we've assessed everything on the ground. However, time is important. The longer we are away from the tug the more chance there is of somebody coming along. We don't have to eliminate all of them, just do enough damage to discourage them from continuing the siege."

"Once your taskings are done, prep your gear and get some rest. We go ashore after dusk. If anyone have any questions, or recommendations I want to hear them.

OOC - How many radios do we have? Bayer has one.

Konrad Bayer
P7 Pistol
Addressing the team

This message was last edited by the player at 08:48, Sun 23 Sept 2007.

Whats up Snow?

Bayer seems a good sort.  Methodical, organised.  As long as the ground party takes a radio, and we leave enough shooters on the Queen, we should be OK.

Max
talking to Snow and Blue

Nodding to Yazzie as he leaves, Snowy thinks for a second and looks across the terrain reflexively.

Sighing, Snowy leans back against the rail, and darts a look at Bluey. He says to Max "It's not Konrad, Max. Bluey's had enough of Dawid because he feels the murder of the prisoner means he's given up any right to be part of the decision makin' process."
"As far as I'm concerned, Bluey's my immediate boss and Konrad's boss officer. Old Adam, well he's 'Master Aboard' but I think he's prone to makin' crappy tactical calls. Still, it's his bridge so he's The Old Man." Snowy doesn't explain, but it's obvious that to him 'The Old Man' has some sort of moral authority.
"I guess Bluey's not happy takin' what he sees as orders from people outside the loop, and on the nose at that. That last action was a shit-fight; everyone barkin' orders and not workin' together. Well, if we go a-house clearin' we'll be bringin' back more deaders if that crap continues." He gestures towards where the covered body of Joost lies.

Anneka had chosen her position forward of the bridge for the primae reason that it allowed her to listen in to every important conversation that took place while not needing to leave he self assigned arc of responsibility. And so it was that she overheard Marcin's story in his mother language and understood it's import.

She nodded simply in reply before asking Marcin directly in Polish, "What weapons are there in town? What rounds are needed?"
It was all good an well to supply them with weapons and muntions, but wouldn't it be far better to simply carry ammuntion for what they already had? A rifle weighing 4kg was just a loadstone compared to the same weight of bullets.

"Thankyou, but I'm sure I can manage. You'd be best served getting some rest."
It wasn't as if they'd be handing over crateloads of gear. Whatever they took would need to be carried on their own backs - in her mind they simply couldn't risk taking the motorcycle and alerting the brigands their continued presence.

"I agree provided that's what they need. If we can get away with carrying just ammunition then we should do so. I for one don't relish the idea of hauling too much gear through a hostile night."
Anneka had already set in her mind that they would be moving under the cover of darkness. To do otherwise would be to invite disaster.
"I suggest we hold the G3's though. They're a nice rifle from what I know of them. We should definately take the PK, RPD and RPK however. Firepower will be vital if, no, when, we strike trouble."
"I would suggest that someone else carry the RPD, it's a bit much for me although the RPK should make a nice subsitute for my water pistol." With a cheeky smile she waved at her uzi.

Thompson's explosion caught her a little off guard. She'd seen the incident he refered to but had thought that had been dealt with long ago.
"Sergeant, a quiet word if I may?" she said low enough so that only those within a few metres could hear.
"I respect that you feel strongly about what happened but we need to put it behind us. As was mentioned before, this is Dawid's country - we are just unwanted guests. Besides, we need him to trust us, he may be the only one able to pull our asses out of the fire in the days to come." A jerk of her head towards the Vasilek showed what she meant. They could well find themselves in great need for Dawid's skill with the artillery peice and if his aim was off.... Well, they didn't need to create reasons for him to "accidently miss" if they could help it...

With that ticking time bomb defused, at least for now she hoped, she turned her attention back to the planning.
"Would it not be prudent to continue downstream another few miles?" she said to Konrad and Adam. "Those two who escaped will be sure to tell the others. I'm all for walking an extra hour or two if it means our home here is out of the way."
"Also, we should take every radio we can muster besides two left here on the tug. If we're to protect an entire village, I think yelling between groups might prove a little bit useless. Two radios left here would ensure that if one breaks down, we aren't left out in the cold.

OOC: A long rambling post but there's a lot to cover! More to come if I get the chance in the next day or two.

OOC- Tucker has a hand radio.  Also, Tucker will stay in the briefing until the end to make it easier.

"I think we should offer up the 500 rounds of ammo we just picked up and a few weapons we got of whatever fires it.  It's not like we bought it ourselves and these people seem to need it  more than we do right now.  It'll probably be ironic using the marauders ammo back against them!  If we spread out the load between ourselves, we shouldn't have too many problems carrying it more than two klicks to the town.  Most of us have had to hump more than that for miles at a time so that shouldn't be a problem.  Once we're able to dump off that ammo, we should just have our own combat loads and an extra belt or two for the PK.  I think maybe we should hold out on anything bigger than that for now since we don't want to take a chance bringing anything more than what we don't need with us.  If we can route the Russians quickly enough, we should be able to ferry in medical and other supplies fairly quickly."

After the meetingis over, Tucker will aproach the Australians.  "Konrad has asked me to assist you guys with properly disposing Joost's body.  We're to add his kit to the armory below when we've completed the burial."

Tuck
Onboard Briefing

Dawid laughed and replied, "oh sure, next you'll tell me I can't smoke in a movie theatre or on the bus!" He looked at Clarence to see if the man was actually being serious, and if so he would butt the cigarette out.



Looking unconcerned, Dawid let the comment pass.

"Yes, Konrad, I believe I will be fit enough to carry the PKM. Also, we should consider taking the Plamya as well."

After the meeting broke up, he said a prayer over his friend Joost's body. Silently, he beged forgiveness for his soul and that God grant him His mercy and everlasting grace. Finished, he made the sign of the cross.

Although the man had claimed to be a mercenary, unlike the rest of the westerners he's actually served the Polish people and wasn't an invader like all the rest. Whatever else he had done, he'd earned the right to have his body accepted by the waters of the holy Vistula as an honourary son of Poland.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:24, Wed 26 Sept 2007.

standing outside john hears the last of the brief...and speaks to the entire group so all can hear......


"so i go with the marine and the bossy woman does not need my help (small chucle)...great choice herr hauptman pick a woman that is a medical officer to get weapons ready...when you have an armorer right in front of you..maybe i should be looking to someone else....i will roll with the marine no problem there. i have done many a mission in the north sea in the eary part of the war with the sas, 40 commando and the sbs. do you know colors watters he was my mission team leader on the sparrow raid in 97'? where you there. i took out the control tower at the airfield. well folks i guess we dont want to do a raid here but walk into the spiders trap. sure lets walk into the base camp and turn in all of our offensive power. I say we move to the bandit camp. set up two bases of fire one with the ags and one with the pkm. both two man team the rest of us move in and clean up after a 3 to 4 min base of fire. right out of the 6-5 infantry unit leaders book nothing to fancey. with the base of fire at sunrise they might have 2 people up with 2 dozen in camp sleeping. we move out from here go to a tactical release point from there the teams with comm break into three groups. the group goto there objective rally points and from there the attack starts. once the base of fire from 2 points rains death on the camp from 300 meters out the rest of us wait til they are fucked up.once this happens we move in and put bullets in brains and the mission is over. we pack up the bandits gear take what we want and donate the rest to the people.so we dont have to give up any of our shit and we dont have to hump it. its win win for all. but who fucking cares i have not dont this eaxct mission 500 times over the last 3 years while you all rode around in apc's. so why take my advice or ask me questions. if you want to do it my way just say yes i will make a signal plan and a op order if not we can walking into the spiders trap and die."


with that john looks at the group for thier reply..........

John
talking to group
ak-47 slung

Bayer holds up a hand to Yazzie... "Relax, if she can't do her task then pass your concern up the chain. Until then lets see how it works out. And if it makes a difference I had no idea you were an armorer."

[Private to John Yazzie: I gave her that job because I thought it would be simple and keep her off from bossing people around. If she thinks she still has some power she may not shoot her mouth off so much which is what I think more people want.]

"A raid on their camp is not ruled out. But we go to the village first. Besides, if our raid fails for whatever reason, we cannot arm the village without returning back to the boat and then heading back to the village... all while they are aware of our presence. And 6th Panzergrenadier Division has experience with raids as well so don't think we all breezed through world war 3 without a fight alright? Just relax and get on with getting your hands on a sniper rifle."

Bayer then addresses Soleblume "I'm taking care of the radios myself. They'll be organized once I find out how many we have. If the bandits are looking for the tug they'll find it. If walk further it adds more time they have to find it, and more distance we spend getting back to it in an emergency. Good suggestion but we go from here."

Once Bayer has finished addressing the various concerns he moves over to Clarence and leads him away from the others a bit. "You are one of the only neutral men it seems right now. When the time is right, I want you to talk to the men, all of them. I'd rather it come from you than an officer. You must speak to them about our group as a team. There are too many feuds going on right now for me to be comfortable with. Its a distraction and damaging our ability to work together. Can you do this for me?"
This message was last edited by the player at 17:31, Sun 23 Sept 2007.

"fine herr hauptman but remember a raid with a apc and walking the groud is two differnt missions.. you should know this ...but if you dont then maybe i should not listen to you anymore.. and yes i will get i rifle dont worry about me and i told all when we first started this i work on weapons...maybe your dont think so well and cant remember?????maybe the stress is getting to you....with that he walks off not wanting to talk anymore... he will walk to the gunny and talk to him....."


john walks away not wanting or waiting for an anwser..he wont say anymore or even look at others.....


"gunny i have some problems..i have a weapon but no scope..can i use your spotter for the new rifle???? also i need your radio.... with you here on ship you wont need it..i will alot..these retards cant gell togther or make a good plan to save there lifes...when i go on the side of aussies over my own then shit has gone bad .but they are the only ones with a level idea right now. and i have done more op's with britts then my own this war so i tend to follow them..so can you hook me up..i will trade this gold here just to use them and will give you 50 % of any loot i find out there(smile on face) what do you think???"

" do you have any senior advice for me on how to deal with these people? i could use your help right now ...you know gunny to cpl leadership??"

john
talking to gunny
ak-47 slung

Marcin is a bit surprised by the American woman's excellent Polish. He nods in acknowledgement of this before replying,

"We have seven 7.62mm and two 5.45mm Kalashnikovs. We need more ammunition for them, of course. The other weapons are shotguns- 12 gauge- and hunting rifles: thirty-ought-six and .22 calibre. And my 8mm Mauser. I am willing to trade the American my rifle but I will need a weapon in return."

Maddock's eyebrows race for his long-disappated hairline at the vitriolic exchanges. One broad hand covers his mouth, obscuring any further expression while he looks on, trying to piece together what is happening and what rat's nest of conflicts and feuds he has signed-on with. The abstention of the Australian's, Yazzie's impassioned commentary, and the uneasy balance between the officers is all fairly evident.

He does cough politely at one point, to interject when Bayer is detailing the groupings. "Begging the Hauptman's pardon, sir, but while I've spent some time creeping about, I'd make a stronger contribution packing the AGL up country, or a mite bit further forward. I'm afraid my walkie's battery is dry as an Irish tap, unless we can charge or swap it."

Clarence nods gravely. Everything the Hauptman said was true. The voyage, only two days in, had reached a tipping point. Clarence wasn't sure he could trust everyone aboard, but he really didn't have a choice anymore. He'd either have to trust them, or set off on his own across hundreds of miles of Indian country. It wasn't an easy decision to make, but it had to be done.

"Yes sir, I'll do it. I didn't handle myself very well earlier today but you're right. The team needs keep their egos in check and learn to work together. Otherwise, ain't none of us getting outta Poland alive."

He salutes Bayer and heads out to martial the troops. On his way, Clarence pulls Anneka aside for a quick word,

"Major, I'd like to keep one of the LMGs* on board to cover forward. I don't care which one but we need an automatic up front. Also, with only three of us staying aboard, we may need an MG we can move around."

*OOC: Either the PKM, the RPK-74, or the RPD will work.

Clarence works like a sheep-dog to assemble the team for a quick pep-talk. Once they are all within earshot, he addresses them,

"Alright troops. It's time we started to work together. There's a lot of expertise assembled here- and a lot of egos. We need to use the former to the fullest and supress the latter as much as possible. There are too many little cliques forming and feuds brewing on board. That ain't good for any of us. If we don't work as a team, for the greater good, people are gonna get killed. The good Hauptman Bayer is doing his best to keep our shit together and we're not makin' it any easier for him. I've been part of the problem. I lost my cool back at the locks and it could have cost us. We may not all be NATO, technically. Hell, some of us weren't even on the same side when this war started. But, we've got to start fighting for one another instead of fighting with one another. We're all we got right now. I don't know what else to say."

Clarence hesitates for a moment, seeming to weigh something of great signifigance in his mind, before continuing in a tone that is more serious, more personal, and more heartfelt than you're used to from him,

"There is one more thing- something you all oughtta know. I got my hands on something back in Krakow- something that could literally change the world. It's called RESET and I ain't got time to explain what it is right now. Truth be told, I don't quite understand it all myself. All I know is that it could help folks rebuild civilization and I've got to get it back to the States. Only way that's gonna happen is if we all work together. I realized early on on this trip that I'm gonna have to rely on you to help me get this thing back home. I've got to trust every one of you; fight for you; risk my life for you- so that you'll do the same for me; so that I can complete my mission. Other people- bad people- want to get their hands on this RESET thing I'm carrying. My being here may make this journey even more dangerous than it already is. I can't fault you for jumpin' ship, or puttin' me ashore 'cause of this. Hey, maybe it'd be best for all of us. But I'm asking you not to do that. This is bigger than any of us. I ain't no MLK, but I have a dream. I can see this team pullin' together. I can see us makin' it back home- wherever that may be. I can see this war ending and the world startin' over again. Let's put our differences aside and move forward together. Please. That's all I have to say."

He pauses, then wraps up in his customary Sergeant's voice.

"Alright, sunset's in about three hours. If we're gonna do this, let's do it right. Let's get ready to roll as quickly as possible and then everyone should try to get in a little rest before heading out. Any objections? Dismissed!"
This message was last edited by the player at 23:31, Sun 23 Sept 2007.

Bayer nods in agreement "OK, Recommendation accepted, we'll lug the AGS. And regarding you radio... I'll see what I can do*."

*OOC - Spare batteries anyone? Rae, In the ship's stores?

Our 2i/c would be somewhat our QM... anyone want the job? It'd make things like this go more efficient if they were in charge of distributing and keeping tabs on stores and supplies.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:44, Mon 24 Sept 2007.

once john starts talking to the gunny he quickly goes to work on the twin G3 rifles. he will take both weapons apart and start to do whats called a limited technical inspection. he will find the best parts and start to make a pile of them. once he has found the best parts he will put that rifle together and place it off to the side. he will then put together the lesser rifle and place it back into the armory..once back to the deck he will take the G3 aparts again and begin to modify the weapon. He will start to work on the bolt. he will debur and smooth out the bolt and re lube it and place it off to the side. he will then debur and smooth out the reciever. he will take the trigger action apart and and smooth up the trigger and make it lighter to the break. he will then inspect the barrel and clean it. once he has upgraded the weapon ( about 2 hours). he will take the bipods off the MG3 and add them to the G3 (there is already a place to put them on). once he has added the bipods he will add the scope to the top of the weapon and zero it out mechanicley and replace the adjustment caps. once this is done he will inspect the ammo and the magazines for the weapon. (about another hour).

"Guns the weapon is ready now i have a first class DMR."

John when he hears Milks speach will place a small smile on his face

"Milk is it cool if we talk..i have a question"


John
talking to Milk
slung G3

"Thanks Marine, I just need to cool down a little I geuss." Says Blue with a nod.  "I'm an armorer myself mate, but thanks for the offer.  Enjoy the rest."

"Thanks Ma'am.  I think the thing that worries me is the way everyone else isn't worried about it.  I mean what's to stop him from turning the Vasilek on us?  For all we know about him he's a serial killer, he's got to be more than a little crazy or stupid.  I mean who the fuck just tops a prisoner in front of his captors."  He looks wearily across the river to the shore.  "I just don't trust him and I don't think I ever will.  Sorry Ma'am but that's the way it is."

"Your right mate, if we get put off the Queen then we will hole up here for a while then head back towards friendly lines.  Who knows Stephanie may still be alive." Blue sighs wearily. "Maybe"

A cold, hard look of sadness flashed across Anneka's face before she turned away.
"More people than you'd know," she murmured.

Monday, October 2nd, 2000 -0630hrs.
Vistula river, approx. 25km downriver from Nowy Huta, Poland
55 F
Scattered clouds

The sun sets in the west and the security team is in the process of finalizing preparations for it's relief mission to the besieged village of Nieplomice. You've all had time alone to think about Milk's revelations as well as his impassioned plea for team unity. As darkness begins to fall, the crackle of small arms fire erupts in the distance. It's obviously coming from the Nieoplomice, 2km to the north. As you listen, the sound builds to a sustained crescendo. The occasional green tracer can be seen zipping skyward near the horizon. It looks and sounds like the town is experiencing more than a just a probe this time.

The zodiacs are quickly loaded and the shore party- including an insistant Captain Rataj- sets off for the north bank with a selection of weapons and supplies for the village militia. The boats make their landing safely; the shore team is offloaded and the boats are returned to the Krolowa by Tadeuz and Walter. After a brief pause to look, listen, and establish coms, the shore team/s set out for the village.

Actions?

OOC: Yazzie has helped the [NPCed] Gunny up to the bridge roof where he will continue to act as lookout/counter-sniper.

This is the last call for shore party members. I need to know who's going and what weapons and equipment you intend on taking along, both for your own use and such items designated as aid for the village militia. If you don't post your intent, you're getting left on the boat and I'll decide what you're ceding to the militia.

[Private to Anneka Soleblume: Please let me know which LMG/SAW (the RPD or RPK-74) is being left on board the tug. Anneka may carry the other since no one else is volunteering.]

[Private to Bruce 'Bluey' Thompson; Trevor 'Snowy' White: I hope neither of you are seriously planning on quitting the game. I can't tell if your recent IC musings are just pure RPing or whether they reflect some general dissatisfaction with the game. If you would like to abandon ship, the village is a place where your character could do some real good. Please let me know if/when the time comes (and I hope it doesn't!). Thanks.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:09, Tue 25 Sept 2007.

editted

Maddock slips over the side of the inflatible with practiced ease, keeping his heavy rifle raised and as dry as possible. He uses his other arm to steady the boat so that the others can debark more easily, before helping turn and push it off.

Once that is accomplished, he wades up soggy bank, quickly testing the hand radio, before crouching down and waiting for the others. His face and forearms are streaked with boot black and soot, to try and break up the outline of his face and exposed skin.

When/if Yazzie meets up with him, he will mutter, "I'm noisy as a bollock in the woods, so best you be taking the lead, boyo."


Riverbank
L86A1
Climbing riverbank

This message was last edited by the player at 14:47, Wed 26 Sept 2007.

Bayer will strongly insist Adam remains on board the tug... but will have no choice but to submit if his request goes unheeded. Prior to loading he will ensure that there is a working radio for Maddock (sniper team), Clarence (boat security), and Anneka (support team) and himself (assault won't need one since Bayer will  be directly behind them in combat). He curses under his breath as the sound of gunfire builds, but doesn't say anything. At the final mission briefing he reminds everyone assembled about noise discipline, actions-on drills, and other fighting patrol routine. Looking back at Clarence he smiles and quotes an old Amerikan war movie "See you next year."

OOC - Can we adjust who has the radios please as per above - temporarily of course.

Hitting the shore Bayer announces to the team leaders to immediately prep the men for the move... "Ok, order of march... Sniper team, myself and the Polish guide, assault team, Adam, and support."

As the men assemble he looks to Yazzie... "Whenever you're ready, lead on."

OOC - In addition to his personal gear Bayer will take six flares.

Snowy has put on his damp bunnycams again, and has his NVGs on his helmet. He carries his M4 on the patrol sling and is using both hands to carry the back end of the AGS-17. He nods to Konrad as he gives his orders, saying nothing but acknowledging that he's heard and understood. He checks his various stun, gas and concussion grenades to ensure that they don't make a sound in thier grenade bags, and that his gasmask is ready for use. Straightening one of his elbow pads, Snowy leans over to get a grip on the rear legs of the grenade launcher. On his back is the harness holding the long Halligan Tool for mouseholing and a pair of big boltcutters. He glances at Blue, Max and Tuck to sort out who is where in the patrol order and says softly to Bluey "What's the drill if we get bounced? Do we go to personal weapons or get the grenade launcher going?"

"Tuck, you and Max use your personal weapons, Snow, you and I will get teh AGS up & running.  OK?"  Blue replies "Now lets all check webbing and make sure your first aid kits are all in the same place.  And lets just have a quick weapons check whilst we are at it." as the group goes through the motions preparing for the operation.  "Do we have a volunteer for point?" he said as he grabbed the front legs of the AGS.

Clarence watches the shore team disembark, climb the riverbank, and fade into to the darkness. After establishing radio coms*, he silently wishes them good hunting before attending to the security of the tug. He looks up towards the bridge roof and confirms that Gunny is in position, keeping an eye on the forward arc. Satisfied, Clarence props the borrowed RPD against the Vasilek's pseudo-barbette for possible- and hopefully unnecessary- future use, and heads aft to keep an eye on the tug's rear, taking the radio with him.

*The tug's call sign will be "Queen Bee"
This message was last edited by the player at 00:30, Wed 26 Sept 2007.

To say that Griet is displeased with Adam's insistence on accompanying the shore party is a significant understatement.

During the planning phase, she tried to disuade the old riverboat captain but his stubborness overpowered her own and she was left with little choice to but to stay on board herself to make sure that the petulent Uller- with whom she'd already had one rather unpleasant run in- behave himself.

Griet left her newly acquired wz. 88 Tantal rifle on the forward companionway and reslung her handier AKSU-74. She pulled the P64 pistol from her holster and chambered a round, before returning it and heading up to the bridge.

Uller was there, sullen and silent, sitting in the captain's high, barstool-like chair. He looked at her in a way that made her discomfort even more pronounced before turning his attention back to the fireworks display to the north.

"It's going to be a long night..." He drawled, almost suggestively.

You're damn right it is...

Tucker moves off later (or sooner) with the Aussie's and give a decent 'at sea' burial for their deceased team mate.  Tuck says a private prayer for Joost as the body slides into the waters of the Vistula River and on to it's final resting place.  He excuses himself after a few minutes and goes below to get his gear ready for the assault and hopefully catch some sleep before they leave.

When the call comes to muster on deck for the departure for the village, he puts on his MOLLE vest and then shoulders his M-16/M-203 and hand carries his smaller patrol pack in his hands.  He drops the pack on deck and awaits for the order to baord the rafts after all final briefings.  Tucker boards his assigned craft with the main assault team on the marauders and he gets as low as he can while the craft is guided to the shore as he points his M-16 outward searching for any possible targets.

Tucker checks his gear once more and musters up with the assault team as they get the AGS out of the raft and ready to move.  "I haven't walked it in awhile Blue but, I'll take the point since you guys are humpin' the launcher."

After bayer and the Polish guide move out, Tucker moves out behind them.

Tucker
M-16A2/M-203
Point for assault team on marauder camp

After his friend's funeral, Dawid prayed, preparing himself as best he could for what was coming. As before any fight he felt fear, but knew he had a job to do anyways. He couldn't let his comrades down, regardless of their feelings towards him in return.

Thinking again about Joost, his thoughts eventually wandered to his family like usual. He didn't expect to see them alive again, despite his reason for coming along on this trip.

He also wondered why the death of a vicious murderer and deserter like the ZOMO caused so much hard feelings, while so many Poles had died much worse deaths at the hands of NATO and their westerner allies. Including in all likelihood Dawid's family.

Stalin had said that a single death was a tragedy, whereas a million deaths was merely a statistic.

Perhaps this was one reason for the outrage: the ending of the marauder's worthless life had brought them all face-to-face with the reality of what was happening, what they were a part of. Whereas to the western soldiers the millions of dead Poles around them weren't "real people" and their deaths were meaningless, something they hadn't personally witnessed or taken part in and therefore weren't responsible for. In a way he envied this disconnection to the horror because it protected them on some level. If these people saw themselves as superior and somehow above the atrocities of war, then they could not be touched by it.

[OOC: to an extent this is editorialising, but it's not directed towards anyone in particular. If anyone feels that this is some kind of personal "in-thought" attack against their PC, I will gladly edit it out or (better yet) have this as a conversation with an NPC like Griet). -TS]

He reloaded the spent non-disintegrating link belt of 7.62x54mm R from the case of ammunition so there were 3 spare belts for the PKM, then emptied the MG's brass-catcher. Those spare belts went to the other members of the "Support" group that he would be part of. Otherwise, he stripped off most of his other extra gear and clothing, leaving just the basics and some extras like the Stechkin, his Russian-made NVGs (carefully fit over his beret and bandaged head) and flack vest. He hoped he didn't get hit in the head again...

Edit:

Unfortunately, there was no human way he could wear the Russian NVGs over his bandged head. It either wouldn't fit, hurt like hell, or both. With a curse he gave them to Anneka, whom he figured would be on point anyways.

He whispered, "here, perhaps you may get some good use out of these. This is the power switch, this is focus, this is how you adjust the straps."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:50, Wed 26 Sept 2007.

Anneka climbed from the boat and struggled up the bank loaded down with her basic equipment and supplies. She'd wisely left the underpowered Uzi behind in the weapons locker and claimed the RPK-74 and a few extra magazines. While not significantly heavier than her usual weapon, it packed a far greater punch, better range and accuracy - even if she only possessed basic skill with automatic weapons.

Showing unexpected skill for a medic, she slunk through the gathering darkness with barely a sound. Every peice of equipment had been strapped tightly or padded carefully before they'd embarked the boat - she knew from experience that it only took one small sound to bring a world of hurt down upon their heads. Even her exposed skin had been rubbed with charcoal and dirt to remove any possibilty of shine. Wouldn't do her complection much good but neither would a bullet...

"Queen Bee, this is Starlight. Radio check, over." she murmurred into the handset she'd been given.
[Private to GM: Skill 11, roll 4 - stealth]

The landing team moves out towards Nieplomice in a loose wedge formation. Yazzie and Maddock are at the point of the spear, leading the group at a steady but cautious pace. Konrad and Marcin follow a few meters behind the point element. Marcin has slung his WWII era K98k rifle in favor of an AK-74 from the ship's stores; Konrad carries a slung AKM in addition to his G36 combo.

Dawid walks a few meters behind and to the left of the point element, carrying his PKM with 110 rounds of ready ammunition and an additional tin of 100 rounds in his pack. Anneka is in the same spot on the right arm of the wedge, carrying the RPK-74 and her medical gear (along with a few extra items in anticipation of wounded in the village). Tucker, also lugging a spare AKM as well as his M-16/M-203, is a few meters behind and to the right of Anneka. Max is Tucker's opposite number; he also carries an extra AKM intended for the villagers. Snow and Blue are in between the two arms of wedge, towards the rear, lugging the AGS-17 AGL. Old Adam walks beside them, carrying a pair of AKM rifles (one ready, one slung).

Everyone carries a handful of loose 7.62mm S rounds in a pocket, empty pouch, or canteen cover. In this manner, all 500 reloaded rounds are on their way to the village militia.

You advance towards the sound of gunfire which grows louder with each step. In just under an hour, you've covered the first of two kilometers between the river and the village. The ground underfoot is soft and uneven- furrowed fields carpeted with a knee-high layer of unharvested winter wheat, bent nearly double by its overripe grain. In some spots the, earth is almost bare, showing clear signs of repeated passage by numerous horses. It's dark, but the sky ahead is a few shades lighter than the jagged, inky black line that marks the horizon. That dark threshold between heaven and earth is periodically lit up by gunfire which flashes brighter and more menacingly with every step.

Abruptly, Yazzee halts and goes to one knee, raising a clenched left fist. He signals sharply to drop in place and then goes to ground, disappearing into the earth like a shade. You just barely manage to hit the turf yourself when a barrage of fire erupts from about 50 meters ahead. Green traces race by just a meter or so overhead. Chancing a quick glance towards the source of the fire, you see a line of four muzzle flashes, spaced a few meters apart (the traces emanate second from your right in the enemy ambush line). It seems someone besides the villagers was expecting you...

Actions?

Try to keep your PC's initiative and positioning in mind when posting combat turns- I'm not being a stickler, but it helps me imagine who does what first and so on. You may want to follow the model in the Posting Guidelines notice as well, to get the most out of your turn.

Initiative
Yazzie 6
Konrad, Blue 5
Max, Tuck, Anneka 4
Snow 3
Maddock, Dawid 2
Adam, Marcin 1

[Private to A. 'Mad' John Maddock; John Yazzie: I'm assuming that you're each carrying both your personal weapons. Let me know which one is being fired when you post a combat action. Thanks.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:16, Thu 27 Sept 2007.

Bayer drops to the ground, the old AKM slung over hit back bangs into him and its sling digs into his neck... "Zielfrontseite! Contact front rapid fire!" he hollers over the cracking gunfire.

As he yells he flips up the sight and a fires a 40mm HE round at the center of the ambush line from his G36/HK-69.

OOC - Rae, are Blue and Snowy able to fire the AGS from their position without killing me, Yazzie or Maddock?

If not...
(In his second turn) Bayer will communicate the following once the team's fire was successful in dulling at least some of the enemy fire... "Thompson, White! Right flanking! Go!"

Konrad Bayer
G36/HK-69 (30 Rounds/1 HE)
Shouting and firing 40mm
Center of main body.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:05, Thu 27 Sept 2007.

When Yazzie's signal came, Dawid threw himself down. The spare ammo tin swung around his back and nailed him in the left kidney but he ignored it. Tucking the stock into his shoulder with his left hand he grabbed the pistol grip with his right and pulled the trigger in controlled bursts.

Muzzle flashes spat fire, while a grenade exploded with a flash and then a shower of sparks. He fired a burst at the right target, one at the left, and then one in the middle. Green tracers arced out, some striking a hard surface like a rock and ricocheting up in the air.


Dawid Piotrowski
PKM (100 rounds)
Firing 3x5-round bursts
To the left of the point element
[Private to Cap'n Rae: Not to be too technical, Speaking or giving orders is an action. So Konrad actually fires the 40mm HE as his second action.]
This message was last edited by the player at 07:01, Fri 28 Sept 2007.

John will start from the left and go right giving each muzzel flash an aimed shot using the scope and bipod legs.....He will fire twice then roll on his belly 6 to 8 feet then fire at other two targets.....



John
engageing targets
G3 (80 rounds)

Maddock drops abruptly enough to all but bounce on the hard-packed earth. As tracers and snapping near-misses streak overhead, he deploys the L86A1's bipod, and settles the butt against his shoulder.

With patient precision, he begins firing single shots at the source of the tracers, lining-up after each discharge.


Prone in point
L86A1
Firing single rounds

At the intial indication of possible trouble from Yazzie, Anneka crouched down in the knee high wheat, the RPK held parallel to the ground at the shoulder. Her satchel of extra medical supplies nudged the ground, able to be thrown of her shoulder with just a good shrug.
The sudden, violent explosion of gunfire whipping over their heads almost caught her by suprise, but as wired as they all were she reacted quickly. A burst of fire errupted from the RPK's barrel, the recoil almost knocking the slight woman over with it's unfamiliar force. Half a second later and she was down. The satchel slid from her shoulder and she rolled to the side to avoid the almost inevitable burst of return fire.
Half a breath later and a metre ot two from her inititial position, she popped up again to observe for targets...

OOC: Probably a couple of actions in all that.

Anneka
Initiative 4
Firing single burst in the direction of the flashes from a kneeling position
Dropping down and rolling sideways
Armed with: RPK-74 and harsh language
[Private to GM: What size mags are available for this weapon? 30, 40, 45, 60, 75 Drum, or 90?
http://www.pmulcahy.com/automa...automatic_rifles.htm]

Reacting as quickly as he can from the sudden gunfire and Konrad's orders, Tucker shoulders his M-16/M-203 and fires an HE round at the ambush zone.  "FRAG OUT!" he yells before going prone in the damaged wheat field.

Tucker
M-16A2 w. [1] 30 round mag/M-203 [1] HE loaded (and firing)
Firing an HE round at the ambush line


OOC: Sorry for the short reply but, I had little to no sleep last night and had a hot day on the range today.  I'll try to make it up in next posts.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:08, Fri 28 Sept 2007.

"Crap" says Blue, "Ok mate lets set her up but keep low.  Have you used one of these before Snow"

Blue
Setting up the AGS-17
Austeyr & M203

"Yeah mate, I like 'em more'n the Mark 19," Snowy grunts as he kneels on the rear legs of the tripod to settle them in the dirt. "They're more nippy than that big beast. Grab your glasses and give me a target."

AGS-17 (M4 slung)
Getting gun in action.
In a field of wheat.

[NPCed]

Max reacts to Yazzie's signal. As the fire winks out ahead, Max goes prone, making a mental note of where the enemy muzzle flashes are. He pops up quickly, points his Russian-made grenade launcher at the enemy directly opposite him, and pulls the trigger before flopping back down on his belly in the sagging wheat to reload another Russian 40mm HE grendade.

Max
Left, back of wedge
AK-74/BG-15
Fired GL, now prone/concealed, reloading

The firefight is over almost as quickly as it began. Overwhelmed by the barrage of counter-fire (including three 40mm grenades in quick succession), the surviving enemy manage to muster a few panicked shots in response before withdrawing to the east (your right) hastily along the shallow, sunken tractor path in which they had set their ambush.

Anneka and Tuck can just make out the heads and shoulders of two men running at a crouch down the lane. Anneka snaps off a quick burst after them and the skirmish is ended.

The sound of not-so-distant gunfire continues from the village, now only a kilometer away. An orange glow begins to flicker and grow to the north as a building bursts into flames.

Actions?

[Private to Robert 'Tuck' Tucker: No worries, Tuck. We all enjoy your efforts.]

Bayer slips another 40mm HE round into the HK-69 just as he catches sight of some of the ambushers running away. "Yazzie! Maddock! Fight through and clear anyone else outta there! Everyone else cover, and prepare to move!" he hollars to the team.

"Anyone hurt?" he asks to nobody in particular... but looking back into the darkness to try and pick out Old Adam's silhouette in the high grass behind him.

Once Yazzie and Maddock clear the ambush line he'll then signal for them to lead on again to the edge of town (but not to enter it). He doesn't bother mentioning it, as the rest of the team probably is thinking the same thing... the Russians know were coming for sure now.

john will move through the ambush in a low crouch bounding to the old saying of "i'm up he see's me i'm down" he dose this so as not to give away a target. He will move throought he ambush putting a round in the head of each down bad guy. making sure they arnt playing opussom or that they have to take captives. once through the ambush zone he will signal to korad that the area is clean and he will slip into a hide position.....



John
attacking trough the objective]
76 rounds for G3

Once Konrad gave the all-clear, Dawid stood up and slung the strap of the heavy MG over his shoulder so that it was hanging by his right hip. Spent shells jingled in the canvas brass-catcher hanging from the left side of the receiver. He adjusted the spare ammo can he was carrying so that it was hanging more comfortable on his left hip, counter-balancing the MG on his right.

Looking at Anneka and noticing she was looking overloaded he said, "I suggest you give the other ammo can to Adam if you're having difficulties with it."


Dawid Piotrowski
PKM GPMG (90/100) Stechkin (21/20)
Standing up and advancing
This message was last edited by the player at 00:03, Fri 05 Oct 2007.

Maddock follows Yazzie, less nimbly, but bearing the heavy L86A1 without apparent trouble. He concentrates on covering the flanks of their two-man advance, trusting in the American scout's senses and clearly sharp reflexes to take care of the point.

If Yazzie feels the need to 'confirm' any downed marauders, it does not appear to faze the Royal Marine.


Up front
L86A1 LSW
Covering Yazzie in advance

As Tucker watches the remaining ambushers take off, he decides to reload his M-203 launcher with another HE round while Anneka takes a couple of potshots at them in retreat.

"Tucker's good," he yells out to Konrad when he asks if everyone is OK and comes up to a knee to survey the area.  He looks back to make sure the rest of his team is good and moves out the last kilometer to the town with the rest of his team.

Tucker
M-16A2 [30]/M-203 Loading HE
Reloading M-203 w. HE round and getting ready to continue moving towards the village

[Private to Cap'n Rae: Thanks Rae!  I'm adjusting my HE count on my sheet too!]

Adam pats himself down and, satisfied that he has not taken any lead, calls out to Konrad,

"I am fine!"

He stays down and out of the way while the point element clears the ambush site- he clearly knows his place on land.

Marcin, likewise is unwounded- and less discomfitted than Adam- by the exchange. He addresses Konrad and Adam translates,

"The bandits have entered the village. The survivors should have fallen back to the church near the center of town. That was the plan, at least."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:39, Sun 30 Sept 2007.

Konrad nods at the updating information. Tonight's plan of events were pretty much scrapped at this point.

"Ok, things are changing but the mission remains the same. Once we get near the village ve'll establish an ORV and go into an all-around defense. We'll assess the situation from there and amend our plan."

With that he repeats the signal to Yazzie and Maddock to get them away from the ambush site before those Russian's return with more men.

*Objective Rendezvous

Anneka nodded in the gloom in reply to Dawids suggestion as she took a long swig of her canteen.
"Adam," she called softly, stripping ten rounds from a spare 30 round magazine. "Could you carry my medical pack and a few spare mags for me?" she said sweetly. "These other men seem a little preoccupied with their own kit to help out little ole me." He comment was tongue in cheek but she hoped she got the message across. Anneka was a small woman with a correspondingly small physical stature, ill suited to carrying large loads across muddy fields.
Replacing her depleted magazine with a fresh one, she slid the ten rounds into place before securing it in her webbing.

Reloading weapon and mag while watching her arc of responsibility
Armed with RPK-74 (40rds)
1 x40rd mag
1 x30rd mag
Dawid's NVGs
[Private to GM: Carried by Adam? {4.05kg}
Medic bag, small              0.3
Field medical assortment #2   1.4
Field surgical kit            1.0
5.45mm Mag, 30rd, full, x2    1.0
5.45mm Mag, 30rd, 20rds, x1   0.35]

Yazzie rises like a specter from the long grass and moves swiftly into the enemy's hastily abandoned position. Two widely spaced shots echo into the night, announcing the discovery- and confirming the certain demise- of two enemy casualties. Two AKMs and six magazines of ammunition for them are recovered, along with a Russian flak vest, two bayonets, and one fragmentation grenade.

The team reforms its wedge, and moves off towards the village with renewed vigor and vigilance. Within a few minutes, the dark outline of the village church's tower can be picked out against the midnight blue sky. Periodically, a muzzle flash winks out from this tower, indicating that at least one defender still holds out hope of rescue. The sound of firing has died down considerably, although an occasional fusillade continues to postpone the stillness of the night.

The team stops and circles up, forming an ORV in a small stand of trees, two-hundred meters short of the church. The ground between the ORV and the objective is flat an largely unbroken, save for a small graveyard abutting the churchyard. The church is buffered by about 50-75 meters of open ground on all sides. The are two-story buildings to the east and west of the church; sporadic fire directed at the church originates from the eastern building. The bandits seem content to bottle up the village's remaining defenders in the church, for the time being, at least.

Marcin approaches Konrad and asks to use a torch to signal the church defenders of your arrival/approach.

Actions?

[Private to Anneka Soleblume: Adam will gallantly carry Anneka's gear. Shouldn't she carry her medkit though?  That's her primary role/responsibility...]
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:41, Fri 05 Oct 2007.

"Max, Snow setup the AGS.  I'm going to chin wag with the boss." Blue moves to join the Captain "Well Boss, SNAFU or what?" he says jokingly.  "I'm not sure how many of us have NVG's, I don't they got stolen back in 99. But I have a couple of illums if we need them."

Bayer waits in the center as the team sets up a 360 degree defense, with the AGS at the 12 o'clock position facing the church. He keeps Marcin by his side.

Blue is the first to move to the center for the element commander's o-group...



Bayer is uncertain what "SNAFU" means, but can easily tell by the Australian's demeanor what he is getting at. "Yeah, Looks like a change from a raid to an open assault. Not sure who has NVG's I'm afraid. I don't have a set myself, but have my illum too plus a few flares I took from the tug if we need them."

Once the men are set up, he signals for Maddock and Anneka to join them at the center. As they approach he indicates to Marcin a "No." in his best Polish. Not yet anyways.

"Ok. What do you think? I say simple setup. Firebase here with Support and Sniper teams. At H-hour hit that eastern building. A minute later Assault and myself behind them do a right flanking and clear the building."

"The people in that church are holding their last and are likely desperate and scared... any approach to it, even with our guide is likely to get some of us killed by them. Not to mention the Russian's who are have it under close observation and fire."

"Hitting a two story building with six people isn't exactly textbook tactics, but we don't have much to work with here regarding numbers."

"...options? Ideas?"
This message was last edited by the player at 08:27, Tue 02 Oct 2007.

Maddock scratches at his beard. "If your mob go into the building from that side, if anyone shows around the building, the church mob are like as not to shoot at them. Or bring our support echelon under fire when we open up on the building. Can we risk NOT contacting the church mob, then?"

He unstraps the NVGs from his helmet. "Someone can take my clunkers if they like. The muzzle flash on the AGS is going to play merry hob with 'em if I try and keep them running out here."

The barrel-chested Royal Marine takes a swig from his canteen, and rubs some clinging mud from his trousers while he waits for the others to chime in.

"Ahh, sorry ja. I forgot that, good point. Our guide will try to signal them but not until H-hour to preserve surprise. He'll try. But even if he fails to do so, hopefully they at least won't shoot the firebase as they ought to see Dawid's tracers. Assault will have to consider any line of sight to the church as a danger zone."

OOC - Sorry, I sort of mentioned not yet signaling the church to Marcin but forgot to actually say it as part of the plan.

Bayer then accept the NVGs from Maddock but holds them out for Bluey. "You and your team will need them more than me. But if nobody wants them I'll use them."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:43, Tue 02 Oct 2007.

"It's a bad situation we find ourselves in with no right approach to it." Anneka commented as she stripped Dawids NVGs from her helmet.
"Add these to the assault too. Better there than back here were we're likely to be firing on fixed lines."
As fire support, their fireplan would be worked out ahead of time. The assault group on the other hand would need every advantage they could give them.
"This is where my skills fall a little short but I would suggest establishing a relatively secure firesupport position overlooking the assault area. I think four or five people should suffice - myself," she gently tapped the RPK-74, "Dawid and his PK, one on the AGS and the remainder to provide local security. Everyone else could take part in the assault."
Obviously Adam shouldn't be a part of the actual attack - he was far too important as the captain of the tug to expose him to such great risk. Marcin however would almost certainly be required as a friendly face to show the defenders.
"Say, Adam and either Yassie or Snowy stay for security in addition to whoever's operating the AGS?"
Anneka was a little unsure at the moment. Most of her combat training had been defensively orentated. Assaults such as this, while not entirely unfamiliar, wasn't something that she'd had to deal with very often.
"Oh, and one more thing. I'd advise any illumination grenade rounds be left here with a launcher. The assault team will probably have too much on their hands to fire them off."

Bayer listens as the element commanders offer up some points. Blue says something quietly to him and after a moments thought speaks up... "Ok. Mr. Maddock will replace Sergeant Thompson as Assault element commander. No problems eh?"

OOC - Normally people wouldn't change teams like this mid-op but Rae suggested it for better game play and I think we'd all agree. I just couldn't come up with a good IC way of changing them.

Bayer takes Anneka's NVGs and holds it and Dawid's in his hands. He'll offer them later to Maddock, Tucker , Max and Snowy if they don't have any... otherwise he'll wear a set.

"Major you are korrect. Support and Sniper elements will remain here overlooking the objective. Adam will also remain to watch your back. You'll have overall command of support and give the order to initiate the fireplan at H-hour. It will be at XXXX hours or upon our call by radio."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:45, Wed 03 Oct 2007.

As the assault team begins to form up, Tucker drops his spare pack and extra gear he carried up to this point with the AGS team.  He digs out two [2] spare magazines for his Browning HP and the frag grenade he found on the island near the lock house and sticks them in a pouch or pocket in case he needs them.  He also takes out his own NVG's and attaches them to his helmet, waving off Konrad's offer of one of the spares.  Tucker forms up with Maddock and the others when he is ready to go.

Tucker
M-16A2 [30]/M-203 [HE]
Getting ready to move out with Maddock and assault team
This message was last edited by the player at 15:15, Wed 03 Oct 2007.

Maddock nods crisply, regains his NVGs, and carefully tests them before clipping them onto his helmet. He, too, drops his pack, after carefully transferring magazines for the Sterling SMG into his fatigue pockets.

"All right, lads, you know the drill. Check NVGs if you've got them, bring a canteen, drop anything else that doesn't shoot or explode. Every manjack one of you should be carrying at least one frag, so share them out if you've got a packful. As my old mate used to say, 'when in doubt, grenade it out'. Lively now, lads."

He follows his own instructions, carefully strapping the awkward length of the Sterling to his chest for when things get too close-in for the L86 to be any good. "Anyone with an SMG or shotty, don't leave it behind."

"Shit!  I should've brough the Flechette rounds with me.  I got a decent load of 40 mike-mike HE and HEDP, one frag, and my pistol Maddock.  I'll leave three ILLUM rounds here and take one with me, just in case," Tucker tells Maddock.

Checking the PKM, Dawid saw he was down 10 rounds, nothing to worry about. Adam was carrying the spare ammo cans, relieving Anneka of that burden.

"Adam! Stay by me, my friend!" he said, in Polish.

"Right, we are ready? Let's do it! Oh, any recognition signal so we know when to stop firing at the building, in case we do not want to endanger those going inside?"

"I have 2 grenades if anyone needs them for room-clearing."


Dawid Priotrowski
PKM (90/100) Stechkin (21/20) 2 frags
Waiting for the show to get on the road
At the ORV Point.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:04, Fri 05 Oct 2007.

"Alright, the fireplan will be one minute of good rapid fire on the building. Then one minute of slow rate on the west edge of it while Assault makes its final approach to the opposite side. After that we'll be inside or too close for you to fire... so your targets will be anything else you see in the area. I'll have radio comms with Soleblume if things need adjusting or if you spot anything we should be aware of."

Bayer attaches his own night vision to his helmet, but holds onto the two spare sets for Max and Snowy if they want them. As he readies his own gear he speaks quietly to the Assault element, "As what Mr. Maddock said. Load up on grenades. We'll be in for some room clearing action... stack up against the door, throw a grenade, enter and clear... repeat, repeat and repeat. Its your show Maddock and Robert, but due to our small size I would recommend using only a two man entry for each room as you'll need the other two to cover hallways and corners. I'll be in the rear with our guide to help cover our back. Don't forget Snowy has that halligan tool if we need some forced breaching."

As he adjusts the straps and lenses on his night vision he realizes his hands are shaking.

"I'll take those two grenades Dawid... I'll hold on to them for Assault if they run low." Bayer then stuffs them into his webbing and makes a final check on his P7 and his own grenades.

OOC - Added 2 Frags from Dawid to inventory. I'll give em back later if they are not used.

"Ok, Assault, if you are ready lets proceed to our assault line 100 meters southeast of the building and wait for H-hour. (about where the Assault icon is on map.). Bayer looks at his watch... he's timed H-hour to give them enough time to cover the short 150 meter move using maximum stealth and security. They should also be able to get into their waiting position and get some closer eyes-on the objective as the clock ticks.

Konrad Bayer
G36/HK-69 (HE)
Final mission brief
ORV/Firebase
This message was last edited by the player at 18:44, Wed 03 Oct 2007.

Marcin uses a borrowed torch to flash a prearranged signal to the militiaman in the church's bell tower. The signal is returned almost immediately. Apparently, the militia lookout had seen them coming in and somehow identified them as friendly.

Adam crawls over to Konrad and informs him that contact has been made,

"The militia know we are here so don't worry about taking fire from them. Good luck."

The assault team (Snow, Max, Tucker, Maddock, Konrad, and Marcin) moves stealthily towards its jumping off point about 100 meters from the southeast corner of the building. They take no fire during the manouver and the possibility exists that they could make it to their target unobserved. But, crossing 100 meters of relatively open ground is judged too dangerous without first giving the objective some preparatory fire. At H-hour, the AGS-17 opens up planting 30mm HE grenades around and through the second story windows. Dawid's PKM sends a stream of green traces through the right-hand window before shifting fire to the left, alternating with the fire of the Plamya. Yazzie, focused on the west side of the building is presented no clear targets so he holds his fire.

The assault team rushes the back garden, hopping over or kicking through the flimsy gardern fence to stack up against the back wall by the rear entrance. The door is wood, with heavy iron bindings. It must be at least two inches thick and appears to be bolted from the inside. Bits of plaster and brick rain down on the assault team, as Dawid and Blue (having switched to his AUG as the assault team moved out) continue to put rounds into the upper level of the building.

Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:25, Wed 03 Oct 2007.

Maddock slings the L86A1 and readies his ugly little Sterling.

"Mr Tucker, if you'd introduce us."

Tucker looks at Maddock and gives him an evil smile as he points to the front door and to his M-203 to make sure they're on the same page.  He looks to the others and signals them to cover up and raises his M-203 loaded with and HE round at the heavy bound door in front of them.  Giving a final nod to Maddock, Tucker counts down with his left hand, 3-2-1 and then regains his two-handed grip and prepares to 'introduce' the assault team.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:05, Thu 04 Oct 2007.

John will sniper low crawl about 50 meters from the ags to the west. to get into position to lay fire on on th west building that is not being attacked at this time. he will set up a sniper hide and search for high value targets..



OOC..this action is about 2 miniutes time so john will next post when given ok by Rae...



John
moving into position
G3 (74 rounds)

Max nods at Yazzie and Tuck as the countdown starts, Max checks the person behind is watching their backs as the countdown passes 3 ... 2 ... on 1 Max watchs the two lead soldiers burst into the room ...

... Max follows also, looking for potential targets while staying out of friendly (cross)fire.


Max
3rd in the stack at the target building
AK-74 (30) BG-19 (1HE)
3rd PC through the hole ...

Bayer follows the four man stack as they breach the door and enter. He stays in the rear and out of their way, keeping Marcin right next to him at all times. Putting his back up against the wall he grabs his radio handset "Support, this is Sunray. Breach secure. Anyone outside is enemy, no friendlies outside, out."

Konrad Bayer
G36/HK-69 (HE)
Following 4th Assault man (Snowy)
Ground floor breach

Snowy has his flash hood on and his gas mask loose around his neck. He holds his M4 by the foregrip as he checks his NVGs and then turns on the laser spot, the ruby-red beam glowing in the dark. He looks at Konrad and motions to the big halligan bar entry-tool on his back with a questioning look.

M4 carbine (six clips, 175 rd)
Stacking up for the breach.
4th in the assault.

Maddock waves Tucker off, and signals Snowy to come forward.

"Better not risk trying to blast it. If Mr White can crack open the door, we'll loft in a frag, and follow in after the blast, yeah?"

Snowy steps up and strategically inserts his halogen tool, working the tip in a couple of inches between the stone door jamb and the heavy wooden door. He begins to pull then push, attemping the wrench the bolt head out of the cement. He fights with it for at least two minutes until he feels a satisfying pop and the door gives, a couple of inches. Just then bullets splinter through the door. Snow literally falls back and to the side of the doorway in order to avoid the fire, tugging on the halogen tool as he does so and the door, succumbing to Snow's full weight, pops open. Maddock reaches around Snow and tosses a grenade through the opening. It detonates with a muted boom as smoke and debris vent through the open door. Maddock is first in, silenced Sterling at the ready. He sees a shape stumbling through the smoke from around the corner of a doorway and fires on it, to the sound of spent brass spilling on the tile floor. The shape shudders and then drops to the floor. The rest of the stack follows Maddock into the back room.

The team moves quickly and efficiently through the lower level, all senses on high alert, clearing each room thoroughly. The bottom story appears to be a bakery, with storage rooms, ovens, display cabinets, and the like. Aside from the dead Russian in the hallway, it is clear. The team then moves up the staircase.

At the top of the stairs, on the landing, is another body. A thick, smeared blood trail shows how he crawled out of the southern room after being wounded- fatally, it would seem- by the barrage of prep/cover fire. The other rooms, which appear by their modest furnishings to have been living quarters- are empty. Looking out across the street through the northern windows, those with NVGs can see two more Russians, one in the upper story window facing you and another in the lower level entryway. They appear a bit confused, glancing back and forth between the church to their west, and the bakery directly to their south.

Meanwhile, at the ORV, Dawid and Blue notice a head and shoulders portruding from around the southeastern corner of the two story building the assault team has just entered. One of the marauders has apparently ceased his pillaging to investigate the sounds of heavy gunfire coming from the south.

The militiaman in the bell tower opens up on the buidling across from the bakery and the church doors (facing east) open. A small figure toting an AK-74 rifles bursts out of the church and races through the graveyard towards the ORV, 100 meters distant.

Actions?

Maddock calls back down to Bayer and their guide, "Clear!"

With quick hand gestures, he indicates the two two Russians in the facing building, still apparently bewildered, to the other members of the assault team, and indicates that they should be brought under fire.

He awkwardly makes to release his Sterling to it's sling and return the L86A1 to use, crouching out of the way while he rearranges affairs.

Bayer trails behind the Assault element as they clear the rooms. He looks back over his shoulder to make sure Marcin is watching the rear and not the excitement going on ahead of him. "Support, this is Sunray. Main floor clear, moving up now, Out."

On the second floor as the Maddock and Tucker lead the assault stack on their search for the enemy, Bayer kneels down and checks the body of the Russian who tried crawling to safety. He'll look for anything worth taking.

Once Maddock calls out that the building has been cleared, Bayer again keeps the support team informed. "Support, this is Sunray. Objective secure. All personnel are within the building. Assessing situation. Out."

Grabbing the thin Pole by the arm he guides him through the darkened building in search of Maddock. "Well done men. Mr. Maddock as soon as you can, could you set us up some security here. We need to find out whats going on in that church... before any counterattack fixes us in place here."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:24, Thu 04 Oct 2007.

John will hold fire until targets can be identified....




John
holding position
G3 (74 rounds)

Konrad confirmed that everyone was inside the building, there were no friendlies outside.

Seeing the head and shoulders peeking around the building, Dawid shifted fire and gave the man a couple of bursts. Green tracers lanced out, empty shells jingled into the canvas brass-catcher attached to the side of the receiver.

He said, "Check your fire! Friendly coming out of the church! Adam! See what that guy wants!"


Dawid Piotrowski
PKM GPMG (50/100), Stechkin (21/20)
Firing 2 5-rd. bursts at Marauder by church
At base of fire position to South
This message was last edited by the player at 00:09, Fri 05 Oct 2007.

Tucker acknowledges Maddock with a 'thumbs up' and falls back into the entry team's line in front of Konrad.  He watches as Snowy struggles with the door using his haologen tool and stops himself from laughing as fire comes through the door as he falls off and away from the front of it.

As they all enter behind Maddock and his silenced Sterling SMG, Tucker covers his corners as he enters and waits for the all clear to come as they sweep.  He nods to Bayer as he indicates to Tuck that they were going upstairs first.  Rifle up in front of him, Tucker begins up carefully going heel to toe on the steps and being deliberate in his footing.

Signalling a stop, Tucker indicates to Bayer that he's got one down on the top landing of the stairs.  He continues on once he knows that Bayer sees him and continues to move throughout the top level, clearing it.

As it is determined that the building is clear, Tucker moves over to where Maddock is indicating that he has two targets across the way.  He moves up to the edge/ledge to where he can take aim at one of Russians as he notices Maddock going for his IW rifle too.

Tucker
M-16A2 [30]/M-203 [HE]
Finding a point to take aim on a Russian Marauder and fire [1] three-round burst at him

Max watchs the others signals and take up defensive positions looking out at further targets.

Max will take up a position at a doorway, providing close cover to the team.  He will do so in a kneeling position.


max
Ak-74 (30) BG-15 (1HE)
Kneeling position at a door way, close support

Snowy has picked himself off the ground and followed the assault in, moving along the wall with his weapon out and the big halligan tool held clumsily in his left hand that holds the foregrip. He calls 'clear' when he has no targets, and then following on. After the building is cleared, he turns to Konrad and hands him the halligan bar.
"Could you put this back in my carry harness mate? I can hardly reach it from here."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:44, Fri 05 Oct 2007.

Swearing as the straps tangle, Maddock goes red in the neck. "Sod it, Mr Tucker, My White, fire on that lot in the opposite building, quick as you like. Hauptman Bayer, sir, please hold on to Mr White's tool; we might need it again yet."

Temporarily giving-up on freeing his L86, he retains the shorter-ranged Sterling. "Mr Foster, watch the front door, if you please; targets of opportunity. I'll keep the back door under eye. Did you have a next move in mind, Hauptman?"

He scoops up the fallen Russian's frag and drops it in a commodious pocket on his way to a vantage point on the back door.


Watching the Back Door
Silenced Sterling [29rnds] + 2 clips

This message was last edited by the player at 15:25, Fri 05 Oct 2007.

Konrad takes the Halligan tool from Snowy but holds onto it at Maddock's recommendation. He nods in agreement to Maddock's fire order to Tucker and White, "Ja, shoot tham."



"I think we need establish contact with the people in the Church immediately." He looks at Marcin and then continues, "I'm going to send Marcin over first to inform them of what is happening, and hopefully come right back here... does anyone here speak Polish?"

OOC - He won't send Marcin unless the two Russian's across the street are eliminated by Tucker and White.

"Now! Go!" the heavily accented Pole tells her as he swings open the large bullet ridden church doors. The breeze of fresh air hits her as Minh Quyen races around the corner of the village's bastion. Running over the collapsed picket fence that surrounded the graveyard she bolts past headstones, some overturned with age and neglect.

"Janusz! Marcin! Where the hell are you?" she calls out as she nears where she caught sight of the relief's??? support base during the fight. How they... Marcin and Janusz found help she had no idea, but wondered what they wanted in exchange for their help. "Janusz! Marcin!"

Catching sight of a group laying low, she nears them, slower, and more cautious now. "Hello?" she asks... one hand holding the AK-74 pointed straight up into the air while the other hand stretches out into the darkness.

Damn... I don't know any of these people...
This message was last edited by the player at 20:18, Fri 05 Oct 2007.

Adam calls out from behind the imagined safety of a tree trunk,

"Marcin is in the building to the east. We are friends come to help; you may approach."

Blue [NPCed], ever wary of strangers bearing arms, keeps the woman in the sights of his Steyr AUG as she draws nearer to the ring of trees.

Dawid, meanwhile opens up on the human shape peeking around the corner of the building his teammates had just taken. The tracers miss wide, ricochetting off the wall of a neighboring building. The second burst is more accurate, tearing a chunk out of the nearer building's southeast corner. But between bursts, the interloper had safely withdrawn into the wide alley separating the buildings.

[Private to A. 'Mad' John Maddock: I had Mad fire a five round burst into the marauder on the ground floor, so his ready ammo count should be 25/30. With 9mm in a smoky room, quantity is almost as important factor as quality.]
This message was last edited by the player at 21:39, Sat 06 Oct 2007.

Max doesnt take his eyes from the doorway, and what lays beyond.  Responding to Maddocks direction, Max takes a kneeling position at the front door, AK-74 at the low ready position.

Max
Ak-74
Kneeling at front door, close protection

Snowy kneels and turns off his laser spot. Bringing the M4 to his shoulder he checks his target and the downrange, then starts making aimed shots at centre of mass. He keeps shooting until the target falls or disappears from view. As the carbine kicks he gives an unconscious grunt with every shot. If the target falls or is obscured, he immediately calls "moving!" and shifts to a new position.

The marauder in the doorway opposite the now secured bakery jitterbugs grotesquely as five high velocity rounds tumble in quick succession through his flesh. He collapses in an heap in the threshold, jerking spasmodically for a few seconds before laying still. The figure in the second story window, above the doorway, ducks out of sight at the sound of unexpectedly close gunfire. Someone nearby- it's hard to tell if it's coming from across the street or not- shouts something in Russian but you can't make out its meaning.

Max, angled to look eastward down the far side of the street catches a glimpse of movement off to his right on the nearside of the street. He sees a Russian-uniformed figure emerge from a gap between buildings, turn east, and move quickly away from the sound of the fighting.

[Private to Max Fosters: Max can step out of the doorway to take a shot at the fleeing bandit but he'd be temporarily exposed to the possibility of counter fire from down the street.]

Maddock, standing guard the back door, sees nothing of note; neither does Yazzie, keeping watch on the team's left flank (to the west).

At the ORV, the stranger is welcomed into the perimeter. Noting the woman's thickly accented Polish, American uniform, and distinctly Asian features, Adam addresses the newcomer in English,

"Marcin brought us to help. He is over there," Adam says, pointing to the bakery to the east, "I visited here a few months ago but I don't think we've met. You are?"

Blue [NPCed] pipes in from behind the Plamya, set up a few meters away, "Brilliant! Another bloody Yank..."

For the first time since the relief party left the Krolowa, the sound of gunfire ceases. Men can be heard shouting in Russian from further down the street to the east, the sounds of their voices receding steadily.

Actions?

Tucker and Snow both fired at the same target, hitting him with all 5 shots, collectively. Tucker -3 rounds; Snow -2 rounds.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:29, Sat 06 Oct 2007.

Max see's a single soldier fleetingly.

Movement!  Russian on the run.

I cant get a shot.


Max
Kneeling at front door
AK-74 at the low ready

Tucker begins to exhale as he squeezes the trigger on his M-16A2 and it recoils from the three-round burst andhe watches the Russian fall under his rounds and rounds from someone else, more than likely Snowy.  As he takes in that the one on the second floor moves away from view, he changes his grip so his hand finds the trigger on his M-203 launcher and calls out, "ROUND OUT!"  Tucker fires a HE round at the window where the Russian just ducked back into.

Tucker
M-16A2 [27/30]/M-203 [HE]
Firing HE round at 2nd story window where Russian Marauder just back into and away from

Quyen, relieved, moves in next to Adam and kneels next to his tree stump. "No, you must've come through right before I arrived. I'm Minh Quyen. We're holding out in the church... some others might be hiding elsewhere, but I don't know. There are not many of us left who can fight, or have ammunition. We've many wounded included civilians."

She shakes her head... "They are savage. We've been trying to send out runners for help. There was another guy too, Janusz, any sign of him?"



Quyen looks over into the darkness... "I'm no Yank." she says without emotion.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:35, Mon 08 Oct 2007.

Bayer doesn't wait to find out if anyone speaks Polish. With one Russian down, and the other suppressed, he decides to send out Marcin before more marauders arrive.

Grabbing Marcin by the arm he rushes him downstairs to the front door, next to Fosters. Pointing at the church he says in his best Polish with mimed hand gestures "Go. Go. Come back."

Bayer figures common sense will prevail. Marcin will go to the church and let them know whats happening... whether he returns or not isn't critically important. As the Pole moves off into the fire lit night he looks to Fosters, "Think we'll be out of here before dawn?" he asks almost jokingly.

John searchs for targets on the west side of the camp..anyone unlucky enough to pop a head out will be killed....



John
searching for targets
G3 (74 rounds)
coving west flank

Without turning from his watch of the door, Maddock calls deeper into the interior. "Hauptman Bayer! A runner went from the church to the support echelon. Might be we should raise them on the walkie, sir?"

The ugly metal of the Sterling has warmed in his broad hands, as he crouches in the shadowed interior of the building.

Max covers the runner, keeping an eye out for where the Russian dissappeared but he was not able to get a shot off on.

"we better be outta here by morning.  We loose our cover and NVG advantage when the suns up.

That, and i got another appointment in the morning".


Max cracks a smile at his final comment, he's just deadpanning a former busy pre-T2K life.


Max
AK-74, covering Marcin
Kneeling, low ready position

"Ok got it!" he calls back. Bayer double checks the radio's frequency and calls up support, "Support, this is Sunray. Objective secure, attempting contact with church now. All ok. Whats you SITREP over?"

As he waits for both a response and Marcin's possible return he moves further back into the shadows. Max was right, their success thus far has been due to surprise and a technological advantage. By dawn they'd be without both and outnumbered. Whispering back to Fosters he continues, "Ja. You're correkt. If Marcin doesn't return in a couple of minutes we need to get moving. Either form a solid defense if they have the strength left or keep up the momentum of our attack as it is... which is what I am more inclined on. But we need to find out the town's status."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:22, Mon 08 Oct 2007.

What?  I thought this was going to be a quick in and out mission.  We were dropping guns and ammo off only?

Now we are talking of staying, and maybe attacking?

What does the Captain say?  It feels like our reason for coming down river has changed.

Tuck fires his M203 and watches the metallic orb, glinting momentarily in the firelight from down the street, sail through the second floor window opposite. It detonates with a flash and smoke vents out into the night air as small bits of debris rain down onto the street. If there was still someone in that room when the grenade exploded, they’re undoubtedly in bad shape now.

Marcin nods at Konrad's instructions and pantomimes something that looks like shooting in return. He then moves off to collect the AKM rifles and ammunition from the two dead Russians in the bakery before departing out of the back door instead of the front. He cuts to the west and runs for the church as quickly as he can carrying four rifles. He makes the church doors without taking any direct fire and disappears within. In fact, no more gunfire can be heard at all. The Russian shouting you'd heard earlier has also faded to nothing. The only sound other than your heart beating is the crackling of flames as fire consumes several buildings on the eastern side of town.

After several minutes, Marcin exits the church but instead of returning to the bakery, he heads for the ROV. When he arrives, he quickly briefs Adam before the pair shuffle over to Minh's position. Marcin quickly embraces her, a look of immense relief on his tired face. Adam addresses Minh in English,

"Marcin says the lookout in the church tower reports that the bandits seem to be leaving the village, heading east along the road. He's counted about a dozen of them. Please go tell the officer in the bakery. His name is Konrad- a German fellow. Nice bloke. The back way is safer. Marcin will go with you*- they're expecting him. We shall cover you both, as they say."

Actions?

* Editted, as Jinny pointed out an obvious flaw in the previous plan.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:04, Tue 09 Oct 2007.

Waiting for targets.....





John
waiting for targets
G3
protecting west flank

Bayer is quick to answer waving his hand, "No, sorry I didn't mean that exactly. It is a quick ahh operation. Not staying. I just meant once we committed ourselves to battle, it isn't always easy to just walk away from it."

"Ok... lets go." she says quietly to Marcin. Quyen leads the pair towards the bakery but as they get closer to the rear entrance, she allows Marcin to approach first. Lacking night vision she can only assume she is being watched. Waving one hand in a silent 'hello' she holds her rifle in a non-offensive manner with her other.

Sure enough, someone is guarding the darkened doorway. After being let in she and Marcin find the German officer. "Hello. Adam sent me. I'm from the church. We've got a lot of wounded there and we're down to the last few rounds of ammunition... and thanks by the way."

She looks at him for some sort of direction.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:14, Tue 09 Oct 2007.

"Hauptmann Bayer... we've brought arms and ammo. How many fighters do you have?"

As she replies he unhooks his radio handset from his webbing and raises it. "As I was just saying to Mr. Fosters there..." he nods his head towards Max in the doorway. "We need to be clear on something. We are passing through, not staying. We'll give arms and help, but we need to be going before dawn. Just so you know."

Squeezing the send button he calls up support. "Support, this is Sunray. Move to church. Put the GPMG in the doorway to cover north and south approaches to the bakery... Soleblume take charge of the civilians and wounded, get Adam to help you. We'll see about setting up the AGS after, meantime Sergeant Thompson can watch the front doors with Dawid. OK? Over."

Bayer moves to each of the men in Assault... he will collect any weapons and ammo they may be porting and distributes it amongst himself, Minh, and Marcin. He goes to Maddock last...

"I'm going to the church, I could use your help in there. I need your men to hold this building though, alright? Tucker will take charge."

Once ready he will have Minh, Marcin, Maddock and himself move to the church to drop off some weapons and further assess the situation.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:44, Wed 10 Oct 2007.

Max nods a silent greeting to the newbie.

Yeah, right, we're just passing through.  Feet wet again by daybreak.

Maxs tone isnt convincing.

Bayer, am i assult or holding this building?


Max
kneeling at front door
AK-74 (30),  GL (HE)
Clarifing role

"Hold please. Need some men to keep this building... you, Snowy, and Tucker OK? Maddock'll be back soon."
This message was last edited by the player at 11:08, Tue 09 Oct 2007.

Roger that

Max stares out into the night.  Then turns to look at Snow

Hey, snow, did you have the AGS grenade launcher?  If we're staying put we may take the time to set up.

Maddock emerges from the shadows as Minh and Marcin enter through the backdoor, ugly little Sterling cradled in his arms, regarding the new arrival with flat dispassion. He follows them to Bayer, and nods crisply in response to his orders.

"Mr Tucker," he calls up the stairs, "You have the building. Mr Foster and Mr White will remain with you; we might send the AGS up from the support position, but I wouldn't count on it just yet. Hold tight, eh, lads?"

Waving Marcin and Minh out through the door in the lead, he waits for Bayer before slipping back out into the night.


Following to church
Silenced Sterling (29rnd mag)
Rearguard


[Private to Cap'n Rae: The Sterling seems to have a 34rnd mag, from which I deducted the 5 rounds you'd mentioned.]

Watching the round hit where he saw the Russian marauder duck back into the building, Tucker smiles confidently that if anyone was still there, they would be spread about the room.  He works the action of the M-203 forward and lets the empty 40mm casing fall to the floor of the window he's at while he reaches down to his grenadier's vest for another round (HE).  Inserting it into the tube, he closes the breech and brings the M-16 down to a low ready covering the building he just shot at.

He hears Bayer and Maddock making their way around the room.  Tucker looks to Bayer, "I left the rifles back with the the rest of my gear before we came here Major.  Whatever I had is there and I'll take it from here.  Just let me know who I got and we got you covered!"

Finding out he's got Foster and White to stay with him, he then replies to Maddock's call from downstairs.  "Roger that Maddock.  We'll hold and the grenade launcher would sure help if you can get it to us!  Good luck," he yells down to him and calls for Foster and White.  "Real quick, Foster, post up downstairs somewhere to get a good look at where these commie fuckers ran off too.  We think we got 'em all out but, to early to tell.  Stay frosty.  Snowy, I know we cleared the house but, it was kind of quick.  Give me a quick sweep to make sure we don't have anything or anyone hidden in here on us or any closets or stairwells that might be concelaed or covered.  I'll post up top.  Sound off if you've got anything!"

Tucker
M-16A2 [27/30]/M-203 [HE]
Directing defense and quick search of building

"You guys want the AGS? Ok, once support gets here I'll have it brought over." Bayer says to both Tucker and Max as he moves out the door.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:42, Wed 10 Oct 2007.

Max nods at Tucker, then makes his way to the front door (facing north as per the map), and pays particular attention covering east, away from the church, as that is where the last of the Russians were seen running.

Max takes a knee in the front door, covering East as best he can.  Its a little awkward, being a right hander he cannot get his weapon out as far as he'd like in the event of trouble to get a good los angle on the street.

Every now and then, Max will observe West towards the church.


Max
Kneeling
Ak-74 (30) + GL (1HE)
covering front door

"sunray this is knife"

"going to move to the field east of the town and set up an lp/op and hold there... will only engage if compermised will stay in radio contact with you...."


John will pick up his weapon and move to the field east of the city and move into a hide position and wait to report to the commander about enemy movements.




John
setting up a hide
G3 (74 rounds)
east flank cover

Quyen nods an understanding to Hauptmann Bayer... "I understand. Any help will still be greatly appreciated by the people here. Not counting the wounded, we have seven effectives left. Others might be hiding out elsewhere, but thats all thats in the church. Ammo is... well pretty much gone."

As the group readies to move to the church, she looks at Maddock in the dark and raises her eyebrows and gives a friendly upside down smile... "Minh Quyen."

Church group:

The team at the ROV pack up and head across the village cemetary to the pockmarked church, passing the corpse of a marauder along the way. The sanctuary is packed with civilians, at least fourty or fifty people looking tired and frightened, but their faces brighten somewhat at your arrival. Anneka is directd to a corner where a dozen wounded are gathered and begins the triage process, dealing with those whose wounds are serious but treatable first. Two of the wounded, one lung-shot and the other with an arterial bleed are not going to make it. The others, with a hodge-podge of various cuts, burns, broken bones, and puncture wounds, should survive and recover with the treatment means available.

The remains of the militia are literally down to their last 2-3 rounds each. The full AKM magazines you've brought for them are hurriedly distributed among the seven unwounded fighters and the loose rounds are emptied from your pockets on to a woolen blanket for reloading. Without prompting, several of the younger village boys and girls nimbly begin slipping bullets into empty magazines.

In the absense of Yazzie, who's trecked off on his own despite Konrad's instructions to the contrary, Dawid lugs the PKM up the stairwell to the church tower to join the lookout/marksman there and provide overwatch/fire support for the village defenders. The PKM represents an exponential increase in firepower for the defenders.

Blue, assisted by Adam, lugs the AGS to the church and sets up behind an impromptu barricade of dislodged pews by the oft perforated front doors.

Bakery group:

All is quiet in the bakery. Snowy searches the place from top to bottom and finds nothing out of the ordinary. This bakery, unlike many in this part of Poland, is fully functional and a few spare loves of stale but edible bread are recovered. The team, still vigilant, enjoy a simple but satisfying repast.

Knife:

You head east across the relatively open ground south of the village, making good use of the shadows cast by the burning buildings on the eastern edge of the village. Those at the border of the village have almost completely burned down; a few more within the eastern margin- deliberately set by the marauders- still burn brightly. You find a suitable spot for a impromptu hide next to a tall stack of hay and hunker down. Scanning the surrounding area through your scope, you see nothing of interest.

All:

After about an hour after the last shot was fired in the village, you recognize the faint but unmistakeable sound of gunfire in the distance. At first, it's just the familiar crackle and pop of AKs. Then, the deeper, throaty roar of heavy machine guns joins the fracass. After about ten minutes, the sound of the firing tapers off and an uneasy silence descends once again.

Actions?

OOC: By my quick and dirty reckoning, it is now around 10pm in Niepolomice, Poland.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:42, Thu 11 Oct 2007.

"sunray knife"

"in position on the south east side of camp behind hay bales..."

"have heavy gunfire off in the distance could be the ship???"

"will hold here and report any further contacts..."

John will try and asses the direction and distance of shots fire and try to figure out if they are coming from the boat.....


John
holding hide position
G3(74 rounds)
covering south east flank
This message was last edited by the player at 00:54, Thu 11 Oct 2007.

With Tucker being satisfied that the building is now secure after Snowy's sweep, relaxes slightly as he unbuckles his helmet but leaving it on.  "OK guys, this is our place for now, probably the night.  I'll pull first watch up here, Max, you got the first floor for now.  Snowy, since you did the sweep, you get first crack at some shut-eye and some grub.  Bread's a little dry but, looks edible.  Let's not hoard it  because it's not ours and these people are probably going to need it.  Max, you get next shift off your feet, than me.  One of us on each floor unless we get other orders from Konrad.  Check you're gear and let's get settled in.  I got bino's for the second floor person too."

Once the gunfire goes off in the distance, Tucker brings up his binoculars to see if there's anything he can see (in the dark).  "Someone's having a bad fucking day on the receiving end of that heavy," Robert says when he hears the heavy machine-gun in the distance.

Tucker
M-16A2 [27/30]/M-203 [HE]
@nd Floor in Bakery trying to see anything he can

Inside the church, Bayer looks about at the grim sight. It may be difficult to walk away, but he reminds himself he can't fight every battle... on top of his own mission. Besides, they did equip the town with arms and ammo.

As Support moves up to their new positions he operates his radio, "Knife, Sunray... roger, out."

Confident Tucker has got things under control at the bakery, he turns to Maddock. "Tasking? How about organizing the local militia, put half of them into proper fighting positions here, and the other half into the bakery. I'm going to expand our perimeter a little and have Assault clear another building next door."

He stays out of Soleblume's way as she does her job but slips up next to Adam. "Well we're here. You've helped them. What now Adam? Should I prep the team for a longer duration or return to the boat... how far do you want to take this?"

Regardless of Adam's answer he exits past Bluey at the church doors, and enters the Bakery. "Sergeant Tucker. Your team is tasked to clear that building across the street, and occupy it. Alright?" He notices they had begun to stand down for a while, but figures they could do so just as easily across the street.

A few minutes later the sound of distant gunfire is heard, followed by Yazzie's radio report. "Tug, this is Sunray. Send SITREP over?"
This message was last edited by the player at 08:12, Thu 11 Oct 2007.

”Sunray this is Starlight. Acknowledged. No change to sitrep, over.” Anneka replied briefly to Konrads first radio message.

”Sunray this is Starlight. Acknowledged. Out.”

Laying the RPK where she, or anyone else for that matter, could reach it quickly, Anneka began the heatbreaking task of assessing the wounded. Most could be saved, if with scarring, a limp or some other souvenir to show for it. Two though were beyond help. Maybe if she'd had a proper hospital, even a proper feild hospital like the one she'd been in command of just a few short months before. Sure they'd been short of almost every medical consumable - bandages, antibiotices, anesthetics - but at least they'd had most of their equipment still working...

"Hauptman Bayer! That sounds like it came from the river!" she cried in alarm. They'd left the tug virtually undefended and in exactly the same place the marauders had last seen it. She'd told them they should have moved it!
"Please send some of our soldiers to check. Or at least radio for a sitrep!"
She'd have done that herself if only the radio she'd been assigned had the range.

Quyen had helped lead the militia's defense, but it was a role she had accepted without the necessary training and experience. If anything, it provided a room and food. With the arrival of this mixed group, she understood they had things under better control.

Quyen approaches Konrad, "Captain, what do you need me to do? Want me to go along with your men checking the other building out?"

If he agrees she'll accompany him to the bakery and report to Tucker. Tipping her bush hat (she has no helmet) to him in a nod, "Sarge, you got me too."
This message was last edited by the player at 10:21, Thu 11 Oct 2007.

"Ja, Its ok with me. Sergeant Tucker is leading our Assault element right now." Bayer says on his way to the door.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:49, Thu 11 Oct 2007.

Maddock nods, and nuckles his forehead in response to Bayer's directives. He then indicates the new troop, Minh, with a quick beckon. He clocks Bayer's response, in case the Hauptman prefers her going with Assault.

"Right, no time for stories, eh, but you can be calling me Sergeant Major Maddock for now. How's your Polish? I need to get these militia organized and moving right sharp; that'll go a deal easier if someone they know is passing things along."

He scratches under the rim of his helmet, tucking the Sterling up in his elbow. "If they've seven effectives, we'll get them ammunitioned and three of them over to the bakery. I want one other backing-up our grenadier section, and the rest stay put here in the church. That makes us the reserve in case my Assault boys run into trouble, johny on the spot as the Yanks have it, clear?"

He doesn't make any of the questions seem like they need answers, steamrolling from point to point with an easy accustomed managerial manner. "Any problems, come to me, let the Hauptman," Maddock gestures at the departing German officer, "get on with the rest of this work."


The Church
Silenced Sterling (29rnds)
Directing the Militia's Disposition

This message was last edited by the player at 16:54, Thu 11 Oct 2007.

Adam seems unprepared for Konrad's question, stammering a little as he works up his reply,

"Well... er.... I... I had not thought much past a rescue. It seems the worst of the danger has passed, but the militia is in a sorry state. It seems to me that they do not have enough fighters left to defend this entire village. I am not a soldier, so I do not what else we can do to help. I know, Hauptman Bayer, that we can not stay indefinitely but I do not want to abandon them, in haste, entirely to their own devices either. What more can we do to help them before we must go?"

As he catches wind of the distant firefight, Adam becomes clearly agitated.

"What is going on? We must contact Uller on the Krolowa!"

All attempts to contact the Krolowa on the teams' various radios fail. The only response is white noise. It is unclear whether the radios have simply exceeded their effective range or if the reason for the loss of coms is more sinister...

"sunray,,,,, Knife"


"do you want me to move to contact toward the boat and snipe some of them off???"

"would be able to handle self"

"move better at night and by self anyway..."


John
waiting for instruction
G3 (74 rounds)

"Hauptman Bayer," she implored. "I suggest you take the majority of our soldiers and head to the tug. Leave myself and Dawid here to continue assisting the townsfolk."

Why had she not insisted the tug be moved? Why hadn't she demanded greater protection be arranged for the tug? She'd forseen the attack but deferred to the combat specialists who now appeared to have been completely focused on the tactical rather than strategic picture.
Anneka blamed herself for the current situation, there was so much more she could, she should have done to ensure everyones safety....

"Adam, you should stay here too. I know it's your boat, but emotions can overrule common sense in perilous times."
If Bayer did as she suggested, he didn't need the captain charging at the enemy in some crazy attempt to drive them away from his baby singlehandedly. Cool heads would be needed.

Snacking on a piece of bread while Konrad comes into the bakery, Tucker gives him a nod and a wave with his free hand.  "What's up Cap'n?" he asks him once he's closer.  Listening and trying not to show his frustration, he finishes his slice of bread and then slings his rifle/grenade launcher combo over his shoulder and putting his binoculars away.  "All right Major, we're on it.  Snowy did a thorough sweep of the bakery and it's clear.  We'll contact you when we're through across the street!"

Tucker moves out of the room to the main room of the bakery.  He yells out, "MAX, SNOWY!  Drop your cocks and grab your socks!  We got work to do!"  Robert waits for them to assemble and gives them the quick briefing.  "OK, Konrad wants us to sweep the building across the way.  We'll go Snowy, me, then Max bringing up the rear.  Quick but thorough so we can get some damn rest!  Questions?"

Tucker
M-16A2 [27/30]/M-203 [HE]
Briefing Snowy and Max about clearing the building across from the bakery
This message was last edited by the player at 01:23, Fri 12 Oct 2007.

Sitting in the doorway to the church behind the AGS Blue shakes his head slowly.  "Anyone get the feeling we just got sucker punched." he says quietly.  "20/20 Hindsight strike's again."

After Maddock speaks to Minh, Bayer adds, "Thats fine too. Quyen, you can help the Sergeant Major here if you wish. Do you speak Polish?"

Afterwards once the shooting had been heard...

Bayer thinks for a quick moment... "Sunray, roger. Report back what you see. Out"

"Everyone else, just... calm down." He unbuckles his helmet and sits down. "Adam you knew leaving the tug was a danger. Just wait, you know yourself it can sail from a threat and its armed. Yazzie hast gone back as well."

He looks around... "Without staying here much longer, I don't think that there is anything else to do. You are right though, zeben or eight people can't defend more than three buildings or so. Besides us taking over security, we can't do much more. Perhaps we should accept that and get moving?"
This message was last edited by the player at 09:15, Fri 12 Oct 2007.

John will move out by himself on a track towards the boat but 100 meters to the left of the way they got there. he will move slow and with caution. trying to avoid an ambush...any sign of the enemy he will goto ground.

Snowy's eyes snap open from where he was snoozing beside the stairs. He rolls over and stands up, blinking and settling his weapon.

"Right, I'm on it. Where's our support situated? What axis are we advancing on?"

Minh shakes her head to both Konrad and Maddock, "No, I don't speak any Polish. When I first came I here I was with two other guys from my unit. One of them spoke a bit and that got us by. Since... well he died a few days ago. Since then I've been barely (she waves her arm to indicate the last stand at the battered church) making due. A couple of them understand a few words of English... other than that I just point."

Looking at both of them she continues, "Yeah, I'd probably be more helpful staying with the Sergeant Major, a familiar face to the Poles if anything."

Without waiting she musters up the seven remaining militia and leads them over to Maddock. "This is it." she says. "All rearmed and loaded."

<DarkGreen>"Supports behind us and we're going in the front door."

Maddock's expression sours as the prospect of using his own broken Polish sinks in. "All right, then, you're the familiar face, as you say."

In halting, awkward Polish, he tries to explain what he wants of the seven presented militia fighters. At every turn, he uses common hand gestures for direction, numbers and the like, to try and reinforce his words. He gestures at three likely looking men. "You three to bakers make wide eyes. Make the yelling if Ruskies come. My friends go new." To the other four, "You three here not go from. You outside to men at wall helping you them. Yes? Please. Thanking you."

<orange>
Church
Silenced Sterling (29rnd)
Directing the Militia?

Building Assault Team

You move quickly accross the narrow street, step across the crumpled body in the open doorway, and enter the building across from the bakery. A quick look around the ground level indicates that this is some kind of seamstress/tailor shop. You clear the first floor, then move up the dark stairwell. There are four rooms on the second floor, through which the stink of cordite smoke, hot metal, and loosed bowels hangs heavy. In westernmost the room overlooking the street, you find a second dead Russian laying against the wall beneath the window, a pool of blood spreading across the floor towards your booted feet. He is the building's only occupant.

Bakery Team

With some confusion, you manage to muster and deploy the 7 militamen as you'd intended, extending the east side of the perimeter to include the bakery. The militia are clearly exhausted, but they respond quickly, almost cheerfully. They seem to appreciate the direction and the sense of competency and confidence that you're projecting (whether you intend it or not).

Church Team

Adam's reunion with his village friends is being spoiled by the uncertainty surrounding the status of his beloved boat. He smiles and chats away with his acquaintances but his mind is clearly elsewhere. You can understand (if not empathize with) his unease.

Dawid [NPCed] calls down from the tower,

"Two men, on the road, approaching from the east!"

Blue sees them a moment later, backlit by the subsiding flames of burning buildings on the eastern edge of town. One is limping heavily, supported by the other, who, in his free hand, appears to be carrying a hunting rifle. They walk down the middle of the road, seemingly unconcerned about their personal safety.

Knife

You move vigilantly through the fields, paralleling the trail you blazed into the village. You hear them before you see them. Dropping into the wheat, you peek above the stalks to see ten men on horseback, each leading a riderless horse by the bridle, heading east at a brisk walk, about 50 meters away. They don't seem to have noticed you.

All

Gunfire can no longer be heard. There is still no word from the tug.

Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:01, Sat 13 Oct 2007.

John will hold in place and hope his heart beat does not make too much noise....when the riders are 200 meters away he will radio a salute to sunray..

"sunray this is knife"
"10 riders,moving east,200 meters east of me,uniform unkown,unit unknown,time is now,equipment soviet small arms."




John
laying quiet
G3 (74 rounds)

Tucker follows Snowy into the building as they begin their sweep and clear.  When they finally get to the second floor, and see the dead Russian in the room, he signals a stop as he slings his rifle and moves closer to the body.  He moves closer to check the body.

Snowy takes up position nearby, covering Tuck and watching for external threats.

Bayer is still sitting in one of the pews. Hearing Dawid's report from the tower he quickly rises and goes to find Maddock. "Two men approaching on the road. Grab Quyen and whoever else you need. Self defense only, if they are on the road either they are friendly or Russian's who want to talk. We'll cover you from here."

Yazzie's report breaks over the radio, "Sunray, roger. Try to make comms with Tug at best possible speed."

Bayer then moves over to Adam. "Yazzie is almost at your boat. This might be a good reason to excuse us from your friends... getting back to protecting your boat. They know we've helped them, and they'll understand."

Putting a hand on his shoulder he adds, "Should I get the men ready to go... or wait just a little while longer." His tone suggests he's pushing Adam now to depart. Adam is still his boss, but Konrad understands his hesitancy.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:07, Sat 13 Oct 2007.

Maddock makes a circle-up gesture to grab Minh's attention as he frees his walkie from the harness. "Assault, Maddock...two on foot entering by east. Can you overwatch? Maddock plus one coming out."

That done, he readies the heavy L86A1, and leads Minh out the front of the church, past the AGL team. "Right, lads, we've got two unknown coming in by foot from the east. Minh and I are out to meet them, but stay sharp and stay put."

Dropping into a running crouch, Maddock moves from cover to cover as best he can, making sure that Minh is close-by, until he is close enough to see the two pedestrians. He will indicate to Minh to stay in cover and keep them in her sights, before calling out in English, Polish and Russian: "Stop! Don't move!"


The east road
L86A1 LSW (30rnd)
Hailing two on foot


[Private to Cap'n Rae: Maddock will fire if they attempt to aim the hunting rifle]

Minh backs up Maddock. Kneeling behind a corner of one of the buildings she waits until his move. She takes a moment to feel one of her webbing pouches where she keeps her handcuffs, in case they need them. When the time comes she spins around the corner and aim her rifle at the two walkers, keeping most of her body behind the wall.

Adam looks up from his conversation and listens to Konrad. When Konrad finishes, Adam sighs heavily.

"I don't know..."

Another sigh,

"My friends do not know what to do. Some have asked me if they can come along on the tug. But, I know that the river is just as dangerous, if not moreso, than this village. We don't have the food or the space for more passengers either. Some of them are thinking about shifting the whole village to one of the outlying farms- to hide out and hope for the best. A smaller settlement would be easier to defend, at least, but there are many people to house and it is getting colder every day. Others are considering making for Krakow, thogh I have warned them about the marauders we met on the way. They are all frightened and tired. Perhaps in the light of day it will be easier to think clearly. I just wish we could do more. Could we stay until dawn; let them rest a bit? I'm sure Uller is managing..."

This last statement is made with some uncertainty.

Maddock and Minh

At the sound of Maddock's shouted challenge, the walkers stop in mid-stride/lurch. After a moment's hesitation, The unwounded man hurriedly shuffle-drags his disabled companion to the north side of the street and sets his companion down against the wall of a nearby house. He then takes a step back into the street and raises his rifle to the high ready position, calling out in Polish,

"Who the devil are you?"

Building Clearing Team

Stepping over and around the pooling blood, Tucker approaches the huddled figure against the far wall of the room. He nudges the body with his boot. Nothing. A cursory search reveals an AKM rifle, two-and-a-half magazines, and a crude, home-made dagger with an eight-inch blade. From the surface corrosion, it looks well used.

Dagger

The riders pause, about 200m southeast from your position. They shout back and forth in Russian (or Ukranian- you can't really tell). Their load conversation seems quite contentious. The groups splits, one party heading off to the northeast at a trot. The other, slightly larger party remains in place, milling about. One of the of the riders fires two shots towards his departing comrades, but well high. A threat perhaps? A signal? A minute after this parting shot, the second party moves out, dissappearing into the distance to the east.

Bayer thinks for a long time. "Well... how about two things first. I find out the status of your boat, and what the other men think. Then perhaps I will have a better answer for you. Give me twenty minutes."

With that he decides to check up on Maddock and Minh and their guests.

He'll ask the rest of the team what they want to do immediately after.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:53, Sat 13 Oct 2007.

"sunray knife"

"i have the group splitting


"half going east and half going northeast"

"they are moving at a good pace"

"Going to try to contact ship now"


"tug this is knife ,,radio check over"

"what is your status tug?"

John will stay in hide and not move. he will wait until all riders are gone to get up and move.


John
waiting in hide
G3(74 rounds)

Tucker unslings his rifle and hands it back to Snowy.  When he looks at Snowy and Max, he runs his and across his throat and points his thumb down to them indicating to the dead Russian.  Tuck steps carefully closer to the body and tires to visually inspect closer the rifle and knife laying on floor to make sure there's no booby-traps attached to them.

Tucker
Rifle back to Snowy/Browning HP in MOLLE rig
Visually checking the dead Russian body before moving anything

"Sod it," Maddock mutters, and steps out into view, L86 couched to fire from the hip. He steps clear of Minh's line of fire.

In his broken Polish, he gives answer. "Friends of village. Be not moving. You?"


Eastbound Road
L86A1 LSW (30rnd)
Talking

While the rest of the team scales the stairs inside, Max takes up his now customary position at the ground level front door of their new building.  Max watches out into the night, knowing that if the team is going to get bounced it will most likely come from the ground level.

The rest of the team reaches the second story above.  Max waits for any tell tales signs of struggle, or resistance.  There is no sound coming.  Good.

So far, so good.  But time is getting away from us.

There is movement in "his" street to the east.  Two figures.

Max is in his normal courching position, rifle at the low ready.

Max slowly raises his rifle to point towards the two new figure, as Maddock steps out to challenge them.

By raising his rifle slowly, he hopes to have gone unnoticed as he provides Maddock with overwatch.


Max
Kneeling, aiming at two new figures
Providing overwatch from his doorway
AK-74 (30) GL (1HE)

Glad that at least some effort was being made to contact the Tug, Anneka finished with the last of the wounded.
"Hauptman, we cannot abandon these people to their fates just yet. They're all utterly exhausted and in no state to put up any sort of fight." A wave of a hand towards the villagers showed all but a handful had collapsed into blissful sleep.
"I know it's a bad situation we're in here but we owe it to them to provide at least a nights safe rest. If those marauders come back and we're not here...."
Anneka knew what exhaustion did to a person. She herself had collapsed just days before during their efforts to get the tug fitted out before leaving Nowa Huta.

The team decides to stay the night in the village, providing a few extra eyes and hands to its defense and allowing the exhausted militia- now rejoined by one more able-bodied member who'd been hinding out since being cut off (the fellow stopped in the street by Maddock and Minh)- some much needed rest. Konrad, unhappy to be away from the tug, and Anneka set up a rotating watch schedule, allowing all of you to sleep for a few hours during the night and guaranteeing that no one succumbs to exhaustion. The remaining hours of darkness pass without any sign of the marauders.

At daybreak, you eat a quick breakfast, say your goodbyes to the villagers, and head back for your debarkation point. A few betrayed looks assail you as the villagers realize that their saviors- and security- are taking leave of them. They clearly had hoped for more. But, your original mission- to break the siege and deliver much needed weapons and ammunition- was a success and it's decided that there's little more that you there without jeopardizing the river journey. You've suffered no casualties while reducing the marauder force by six. Hopefully, the nine remaining militia can protect the fifty or so old men, women and children you leave behind. You tell yourself that they'll be alright...

After hiking back through the field you crossed last night, and reuniting with Yazzie along the way, you reach the debarkation point. Everyone with a radio attempts to contact the Krolowa. After a couple of tense minutes, Clarence's voice cuts through the static,

"What took you so long?"

With the shoreline secure, the zodiacs are sent for you. Griet is at the helm of the first and Tadeuz the second. You're ferried back to the Krolowa which is anchored about two kilometers downriver from where you left her. When you're back aboard, Clarence explains,

"Yeah, about three hours after you left, Gunny saw movement on the shore. We didn't have any NODs- and we couldn't be sure it wasn't some of you come back- so we didn't open fire until it was too late. The bad guys got in the first volley- Walter got hit in the arm; I did what I could for him. He's OK but you'd better take a look at him Major. Anyway, they were really pouring it on and I had a hard time getting to the aft Dushka. We finally layed some accurate fire on them. I'm pretty sure we got a couple of them. In the meantime, Uller had his boys pull anchor and take off down the river, hopin' to put some distance between  us and the bad guys, I guess. It musta worked 'cause they broke off and didn't trouble us no more. We been callin' and callin' but couldn't raise you on the radio. Not sure why. Anyway, all's well that ends well, right?"

You're safe back on board. It's now about 8am on October X and the weather is much like it was the day before.

Actions?

John will move to the top deck area and set up shop..he will lay out his bed roll and start to clean his new rifle and then goto sleep....





John
cleaning weapon/sleep

Before leaving Neiplomice, Dawid talked to and comforted the people they would be leaving behind.

While they had room and possibly food for the villagers on the tug and the barge (if they took what food they had with them), they ultimately didn't know how far they were going (sure, they were supposedly going to Sodomierz, but who knew where Adam was going to end up?). Or, what they would find when they got there.

He tried to convince them they were better off staying here, where their farms were and they knew the lay of the land. "You are safe here as anywhere, those scum won't be back. You fought them off now, they'll remember for sure! I promise." But he knew he was making practically empty reassurances.

Back on the tug, Dawid also cleaned the PKM and the AGS-17.

He then fell into an exhausted sleep, dreaming of the man he shot at and missed.

Rarely in combat did he actually see his target. Most of the time he just put rounds downrange and then perhaps later they would find a body or a blood trail, maybe some blood-soaked bandages or discarded wrappers. The face merged with the kneeling marauder that he had executed some days earlier, sometimes one face, then the other. Their faces then blurred and merged with those of other similar bandits and criminals he'd seen or been ordered to execute in the past.

When would his people have justice and peace? Would they always be at the feet of foreigners and mercenaries, hard-eyed "men with guns" who took what they wanted and imposed their rules?
This message was last edited by the player at 04:37, Tue 16 Oct 2007.

Tired, but happy to have suffered no casualties in their night time foray, Anneka climbed aboard the Krolowa.
"Where is he then?" she asked once Clarence had finished his report. Walter would need attention, even if just for her to inspect the Warrant Officerss handywork.
An hour or so later and the RPK-74 had been cleaned and returned to the weapons locker, Walters wound assessed, rebandaged and antibiotics applied and Anneka's personal needs taken care of...

Keeping the well used blade he found on the dead Russian marauder, Tucker turns over the rifle and ammo to Konrad for the defense of the town by their remaining militia.

After pulling his watch and getting some sleep for the reaminder of the day and night, Tucker bids a few farewells to the villagers and heads back to the tug with the others.  Upon returning to the ship, he breaks down and cleans his gear in an area where there is room for him to work.  He leaves the partially used magazine in his weapon (27/30) and an HE in the M-203 launcher.  Once he's done, he'll stow his gear and make sure his responsibilities are taken care of.

He will seek out Anneka on board.  "Mind taken a look to make sure my dressing is still good Major?"