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.