“If you're going to live by the river, make friends with the crocodile.”

- Indian Proverb

Wednesday, October 4th, 2000
-0800hrs.
Vistula river, approx. 30km downriver from Krakow, Poland
50 F
Light overcast

The tug steams along at just under 10 knots, passing through open, tree-studded farming country broken up periodically by patches of wild woods. You've seen no sign of active human habitation since leaving Niepolomice. Despite the absense of humanity, unimaginable only a few years ago, the trip takes on a peaceful, almost leisurely complexion.

Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:50, Wed 17 Oct 2007.

0800 John will take a well earned rest..Doing one man LP/OP all night long takes its toll...When john wakes in the morning he will clean weapons and sharpen knifes...He will not talk alot and once his gear work has been done he will eat a light breakfast and drink alot of water...




John
Taking care of his own mission
G3 on person
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:57, Wed 17 Oct 2007.

It was cool and pleasant fall day, the trees along the bank having long turned colour but not yet shed their somewhat tattered leaves.

Dawid's head finally felt fine, the stitching still a little tender and itchy. There would probably be a pretty nasty scar there once it healed fully.

Mixing a couple of chipped enamel mugs of tea with lemon ("borrowed" from the crates they salvaged back at the locks) Dawid sought out the new arrival, the American woman, and introduced himself.

"Hello, I am David Walduś Piotrowski, at your service. Formerly serving in the Polish army as an artilleryman. If I may say, you did very well in protecting those people back there. They owe their lives to you."

His English was quite good, but accented. Dawid has short dark hair swathed in a bandage, dressed in modern Polish Army camouflage fatigues, with an open fresh face and corn-fed looks of a farm-boy.

Max is pleased to be back on board the Queen, but immeadiatly feels unease at being on the water again.  He seeks out Bayer

Good job back there, getting in and out quick like.  I think it was the right call, though i would have preferred to have been back before sunup.

Max walks the boat, slapping Snow on the back
Good job back their with the house clearing

There is a good feeling all around, resulting from the success of the mission for the guys who where in battle for the first time as a team.

He seeks out Tucker
You had the second floor, right?  I thought you had eyes on that contact also.


Max
making friends
not looking to sleep, finds his way back to starboard dushka

Maddock's first order of business is to attend to his gear. Weathered and well-used though it is, he makes a determined effort to keep it in good working order. Both the heavy automatic rifle and the stubby Sterling get a good cleaning, the magazines checked and refilled, and all the working parts serviced. A check of his walkie, NVGs and load-bearing gear follow. He seems skeptical of the new Soviet-issue grenade, and buries it in his pack.

Some food, water, and a quick scrub have him feeling half-way human, and a change of fatigues accomplishes the rest.

Maddock then seeks out the Hauptman, and asks for a moment of his time. "Begging your pardon, sir, but I was wondering if I might know the why of this jaunt upriver. Being the new man aboard and all. And you'd said some'it about sorting out who does what on who's say-so before we moved-out. Might be that this is the time for it, sir?"

Quyen emerges from the galley. She still wears her US issue pants but is now sporting a green Adidas track suit top, the hood pulled up and over her black hair. She dumps her gear in a corner, unsure of where "her spot" really is. She's pleased she got the ticket out of the village. It was hard to leave, but was the best thing for her... she was lucky to get out alive anyways.

"I'm Minh Quyen. I was with the 8th Mech before me and some other fellows got lost and ended up back there." she jabs a thumb over her shoulder towards the village. "I appreciate the compliment Dawid. Its obvious though they and I would be dead if you and your friends didn't show." Her own English was similar to Dawids'... good but accented.

She decides to sit out the first couple of hours while everyone gets on with their responsibilities. She'd seek out Captain Bayer later. She returns to her corner and falls asleep.

"I am very pleased to meet you... Minh. Minh? Minh." He seemed a little unsure of how to pronounce her unfamiliar-sounding name, rolling it around in his mouth, getting a feel for the sound of it. Satisfied he got it right, he smiled and sipped his tea.

"Such is the fortunes of war you know, and we must give thanks to God for our safety. I guess you're glad to be reunited with some of your fellow yanks?"

He pulled a cigarette out of a plain cardboard packet, offering her the last one, then lit up with a wooden match. The loosely-packed tobacco was harsh and most likely cut with sawdust or worse, the cigarette paper pulpy and grey.

Snowy is leaning against the gunwale, his UN cap back on and his helmet on the deck next to him. He's carefully stripping rounds out of one used mag and topping up another one. When Max slaps him he grins and says "You're not that bad either mate. Houseclearing gets the old adrenalin going, doesn't? And I thought for sure that we'd get back to the tug and see it keel up, and then have to walk home. Anyway, all's well that end's well." He rises to his feet and recovers his helmet, hanging it on his waterbottle. "I think this carbine needs a bit of a clean. I might run it over to Yazzie to have a look at too, while I'm a fair machinist I've got to hand it to him on the shooting tools, he's got a steel thumb. Did you see the sharpshooter G3 he made? Anyway mate, that's where I'll be if anyone wants me."

Snowy seeks out Yazzie and sits down while he's finishing his tasks. "Yazz, I thought I'd bring my carbine over to you. It felt kinda funny last night when I cocked it, like it was catching or something. It seems okay now but, you know, better safe than sorry. It's still dirty from last night's shoot though, I haven't had a chance to clean it."
Snowy plumps down the M4, careful not to jar the sighting gear. He unslings his tactical shotgun to have a weapon at hand, should the need suddenly arise.

John will take the M4 like a new born baby or crown jewels.."I know much about this my friend...will do a clean and and a bur job on it if you want...also can lightin up and smooth the trigger with the tools I have but after that thats all I can do..."

OOC(doing a bur job is taking the bolt out and inspecting it for metal burs that are there from use.He will take a small stone and file the bur off and smooth it over a rather easy job. He will then inspect the chamber and reciever and see if there are any burs there and do the same to them. This action will take up to an hour.Once done he will relube the weapon and perform a functions check. The trigger work is rather easy also. He will inspect the trigger group to see if the sear and cam are matching up and the areas of contact are smooth. Most guns come from the factory with a rough trigger and they need to be smoothed out. The best way to improve a weapon is a trigger job. The acuracey will go up by about 15 to 20 percent due to a smooth trigger pull.)


John
doing weapons work

Blaring out from atop the bridge roof, Gunny Parks' booming voice interupts your thoughts,

"Small boat, 300m off the starboard bow, coming in fast!"

You look up to see, coming towards you, a long, low boat, cutting an impressive bow-wave as it rounds a bend in the river ahead. It appears to be a pleasure cruiser of some sort– the kind used to shuttle sight-seeing tourists to and fro on the river back in the days before most of the sights worth seeing around these parts were blasted to bits by airstrikes, artillery, and tac-nukes.

Actions?

Snowy takes back the M4 and smiles as he works the bolt. "Cheers Yaz, I owe you one. I'll . . ."
He cocks his head when the warning is called, and says "Shit! Back to work!"

Snowy bolts out and along the deck, up to the DShKM where he puts his helmet back on. He laughs when her remembers he's carrying two shoulder arms; a carbine and shotgun. "I look like bloody Rambo!"

Taking the handles of the machinegun, Snowy releases the friction lock ready for action.

"Minh, come with me now!" Bolting for the bow gun, he let the mug drop to the deck planks with a clang, spilling out the last dregs.

When he reached his action station at the 82mm Vaslik, he sat down and instructed Clarence to load a clip of HEAT rounds into the magazine. When that was done, he pulled the charging handle to load a shell into the breach and called out, "Anti-Armour Loaded!".

Using an anti-armour shell was overkill for this target; one fragmentation (HE) round would likely annihilate the flimsy pleasure craft. However, they had more HEAT rounds at the moment than HE, and one shot either way would probably do the trick with the round's explosive characteristics.

Up in her usual position in front of the bridge, Anneka took cover behind the sandbag wall next to Griet and tucked the RPD butt into her shoulder. Eventually she'd have to arrange for one of the more mechanicallly minded men to fabricate a mount for the machinegun but for now it's bipod would suffice.
"Where'd the AGS end up Dawid?" she called down to where he worked feverishly with the new woman.
"You ok with the PK Griet?" she asked without waiting for Dawids reply.

Back aboard the tug, Bayer seeks out Clarence. After listening to the nights events for the tug he gives the American a short after-action report for the shore party. He finishes with, "Considering all... I think we pulled through quite well. Especially throwing a dozen people, strangers to each other, from different Armies and trades into this... umm mission."



"Ja, everyone did well. I am quite happy with it and agree... back a bit sooner would have been better. However Adam..." Bayer trails off the sentence, unsure how to finish it.

As the men and women began to disperse from the deck to get on with their after-action routines, Bayer goes inside and grabs a clean uniform. Returning outside he changes on the deck, appreciating the cool October morning air. Maddock finds him as he finishes lacing up his boots.



Standing up he nods, "Ja, ok. I'll grab the other new passenger and inform her as well ok?" Freshly dressed he finds Quyen talking to Dawid and brings her back to his gear and an awaiting Maddock. Bayer looks at Maddock and Minh...

"I'll put this quite simple. The tug is part of a trade mission from Krakow to Warsaw. Adam has hired us as security. Keep the tug, its cargo and crew protected... for as you know its a dangerous route. Until last night, (he raises one eyebrow) thats all we were.

Konrad thinks for a moment about what else to say. "So, as you can guess... your passage in exchange for enlistment into our group... we can all help each other. Ok?" he asks. "If so, we'll be sorting out ourselves a bit more later this afternoon I will guess. Most are off dealing with their gear or sleeping right now."

After their conversation ends, Bayer picks up his dirty uniform and gear and stows it away into his rucksack. He then heads to the galley to try to find something to eat. When Parks' warning about the approaching boat is given, he curses in German and runs to the bridge, stuffing the rest of his sandwich into his mouth.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:41, Thu 18 Oct 2007.

Talking with Dawid, Minh continues - "It's good to actually be able to talk to someone... I'm no 'Yank' though... but yeah, good anyways."

When Dawid offers her the cigarette she looks at him. She wonders if he caught her eye'ing them? "Cool." she says taking the last one, "You sure?" She politely waves off Dawid's attempt to light it though... instead resting it on her upper lip, tucked under her nose. I don't care how silly I look.

When Captain Bayer approaches however she quickly tucks it away, careful not to break it. After being spoken to with Sergeant Major Maddock she speaks up - "You'll get no trouble from me. This is just what I've been waiting for. It would be good for me to sorta pay you guys back for backing me up last night. Just tell me where I should be on the boat."

Minh returns back to Dawid once her meeting with Konrad is done... the cigarette, returned to its previous position. "You know. My dad told me that a lot of people who fought for Saigon during the American War were punished for years after it was over. Don't you worry when all of this is over, your country will hold it against you? Helping Americans?"



She rushes after him, unsure of what was happening. At the mortar she kneels down beside him... distant though as she is not sure what would be too close to get int the way. "What do you want me to do?" she asks, "I don't know anything about this thing!"

Minh Quyen
Ak-74
Next to mortar
Awaiting instruction

The new girl seemed a little out of her depth, but then weren't they all really? Thrown into a hostile country, far, far from anywhere that could possibly be called home and into a situation few of them had any prior training for.
"Hey, you," she called down from her sandbagged nest.
"Specialist. What can you do?"
It was good to see another woman aboard, especially one who wore the same uniform. It was even more comforting to see that, like her, she wasn't exactly a "normal" American soldier...
This message was last edited by the player at 12:20, Thu 18 Oct 2007.

"Yankee, Ivan, Tommy, Fritz... what's in a name? It may not be an accurate name to you, but to us it's all the same. It's nothing personal" he replied.



Dawid smiled at this eccentricity, accepting it without comment, after all, the ways of all foreigners were strange indeed. He waited, smoking and sipping his tea.



He laughed. "Ha! Even worse, working for a German! Americans aren't too bad, the British we quite like, actually. At least it's not Russians. No, if anyone asks, I'm really working for this boat's captain, Adam, a true son of Poland!"

"But I'm really just a deserter trying to get home, back to the farm. No one cares who I work for."



"Do not worry! Help Clarence with loading."

He replied to Anneka, calling up, "I left the Plamya at the stern, unless someone moved it! We probably won't be firing the 23mm anyways, so it's safe enough there!"
This message was last edited by the player at 15:18, Thu 18 Oct 2007.

Quyen looks up - "I don't know heavy weapons." She isn't sure how to answer the question about her abilities. She adds "I can shoot rifles and blow shit up." Err... what a dumb answer.

"I can handle myself but thats pretty much it."



She looks back down at the mortar and slings her rifle over her back. Grabbing one of the rounds she assumes is a HEAT round she holds it in anticipation.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:47, Fri 19 Oct 2007.

The oncoming boat slows as those on board presumably note the impressive armaments on the tug arrayed against them. It continues to approach, albeit in a deliberately non-threatening manner. It is definitely a river tour boat, about 20m in length. The covered seating area is partially recessed into the hull and provided with banks of windows set just above the main deck along both sides. As it closes with the Krolowa, a man emerges from a hatch near its bows. Striking a Captain Morgan pose, he gives the Krolowa a wave and shouts in a salesman’s syrupy tones,

“Ahoy there! Permission to come alongside?”

Without awaiting a reply, the boat begins a wide, arcing turn to come up alongside the Krolowa, about 15 meters off the port side.

The man on the bow, presumably the boat’s skipper, resembles a pale imitation of a 70’s American Blaxsploitation movie title character. He wears a somewhat mangy, full-length dark fur coat over a turquoise blue shirt with a wide butterfly collar, unbuttoned to reveal several gold chains around his scrawny neck. His eyes are hidden by mirrored aviator sunglasses and a black cowboy hat resembling those sometimes worn by American Air Cav pilots in barracks. His bejeweled right hand is on his hip, pulling his coat back to reveal a large revolver with a silver finish in a black leather holster at his belt. Below the belt, he sports tight, lime-green trousers with what look to be silver tipped cowboy boots protruding from the flared bottoms.

At the con is a young man wearing blue coveralls and sporting a longish, limp, brown Mohawk hairdo. Slung on his chest is a Hungarian AMD-65 assault rifle.

The "skipper" of the tour boat addresses his new audience,

“Hello my friends! You have the good fortune of crossing paths with Damian's Floating Emporium of Pleasures! What you want, I got. You want ladies? I got ‘em. You want hashish? I got it. You want heroin, I even got a little bit of that. You name the vice, I name the price*; we can work out a deal. What do you say?”

The ladies he refers to lounge about under the covered, window-lit, passenger seating section. They appear either highly jaded or slighty sedated. Their make-up is garishly overdone; their attire the stereotypical prostitute’s uniform of mismatched short skirts, high heels, and fish-net stockings. There are four of them, the oldest looks to be in her mid to late thirties, the youngest just past puberty.

Looking out of place sitting amongst the girls is a short, bald-pated man with a bushy Stalin-esque moustache. Cradled in his lap is a sawed-off, double barrelled shotgun. His pudgy face has the sweaty palor of sickness about it. Across from him is a rather large still.

*OOC: I'm aware this probably wouldn't rhyme in Polish.

Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:16, Sat 20 Oct 2007.

"After we cleared it, I was up there and didn't pick them up right away because I was searching the dead body.  Maddock seemed to have things well in hand with you and the others covering them!"

As the 'Pleasure Boat' comes into view and eventually along side, Robert goes forward to where the automortar and Dawid and Clarence are.  "You guys are ready right?" he asks them before moving to a better location on deck where he can see what is going on.  He currently has on his Kevlar vest & helmet, bdu's, Bandoleer of [6] M-16 mags, and his Colt revolover in his shoulder holster.

Robert Tucker
M-16A2 [27/30]/M-203 {HE]
On deck watching boat pull up along side tug

"Ready when Clarence gives the word!" He muttered under his breath, "Fucking criminal parasites, I'd shoot the lot of them, the men, that is."


Dawid Piotrowski
82mm Vasilek automatic mortar (5/5 HEAT)
This message was last edited by the player at 05:31, Sun 21 Oct 2007.

Konrad sighs under his breath. He lays down his G36 in the corner of the bridge and sides next to Adam at the wheel. Crossing his arms he asks, "This sort of thing common on the river?" Nodding to the approaching boat preparing to side up with the tug he continues, "You going to talk with them? Might be good source of info on where they just came from. I think it'd be best if it were you, a non-soldier." Konrad pulls out his P7 and checks it as he waits for Adam to move to the deck.

Once they move down to the deck, Bayer quickly but casually grabs Tucker's attention, "Grab another guy to be ready to board just in case. Don't make it obvious though, ok."

Bayer will stand behind close to Adam off to the side and let the old man do the talking.

Konrad Bayer
P7 Handgun
Moving from Bridge to Deck
This message was last edited by the player at 08:35, Sun 21 Oct 2007.

Tucker nods nonchalantly to Konrad and gives him a quiet, 'Roger that," as he looks around to see who he can grab with him.

OOC: Who is closest not manning a position right now?

"I will volunteer to assist you. I know the language of course, and the Vasilek isn't going to be too useful at this range," Dawid offered. "Either that, or Minh here looks like she can handle herself."

"Yeah, I can handle myself." she assures Dawid. "But you speak Polish. I'll back you up." She puts the heavy 5 round clip of mortar ammo back in its case and unslings her rifle.

Minh Quyen
Ak-74 (5 Magazines)
Next to Mortar
Ready for action

Maddock slips away from Bayer, to his stacked gear. He slips his vest back over his head, loosely tabbing it shut before fishing out the Russian frag and the Sterling. He carries it low and tucked behind his broad leg as he 'strolls' forward along the rail.


Moving along rail
Silenced Sterling (34rnd) + Russian frag

The look on Adam's face makes it obvious that he disapproves of the Krolowa's new company.

"Traveling merchants are fairly common on the river. I've not seen this sort of 'merchant', though. I will speak to him if you wish, although I doubt we'll learn anything without first paying for it. What are we willing to trade to get it?"

Clarence scowls as the "pleasure" boat's pimp-captain addresses the crew of the Krolowa. Seeing the young ladies lounging about on the passenger deck made him think about his own daughters back home. The sight almost made him hope they were dead...

He picked up the AKSU-74 by its sling from where it was hanging on the barbette shield and flicked the selector switch to single shot.

A firefight at this range would be short, sharp, and vicious. The girls wouldn't be safe either. He hoped it didn't come to that.

To Tucker, Dawid, and Minh he says, "I got you covered. Take it easy though. Words before bullets, right?"

Bayer realizes Adam's probably right... these guys no doubt look for profit in everything. Shaking his head as they head down to the deck he says to Adam, "Ja, trade isn't something I like to deal with myself." He looks up to Soleblume and to a few other faces giving them a "what the hell is this?" kind of look.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:47, Sun 21 Oct 2007.

Anneka caught Konrad look towards her when she glanced over her shoulder.
"Oh, fine!" she sighed.
"I'll deal with them if you want, I know the language and sat in on a few "negotiations"..." Black market trades for medical supplies usually.
Her first thoughts had been to send them on their way with a few choices words to speed them. Who in their right mind would waste valuable trade goods on women, drugs and the like when food, shelter and safety were in such short supply?
But trade was trade. Perhaps they could get some information on the state of the river or perhaps these slime had something else they hadn't shown yet? Maybe they were smugglers carrying a secret cargo of working computers or a barrel of gasoline?

Blue wanders over to take a look at the new arrivals "Major see if the have any Australain beer, I'd even drink a fosters if they had it." he adds with a smile.  He moves over to stick close to the major should she choose to go abourd the other boat Blue will tag along happy to rely on his fists should they prove necessary.

john will stand on the top deck next to the rail with his G3 at the alert."herr Hauptman i have the man with the shotgun" he is my big target now do you want me to adjust??"


John
coving party
G3

"I know times are tough but Fosters?"
Blue must be desperate to be willing to swallow that swill. Still, none of them had tasted a decent drop in the past couple of years...

"I didn't say I'd like it." Blue adds sheepishly.

Bayer acknowledges Soleblume with a nod and a look of mild relief. He stands beside Adam and the Major as they speak with 'Captain Morgan'. Bayer takes a brief look around at where his people are.

Konrad Bayer
P7 Handgun
With Soleblume and Adam alongside the pleasure boat

Tucker looked back to Dawid, and called him up along with Minh.  "You and Miss Minh can hang near me.  You can translate for us if we need it Dawid.  I'd like to know what this guys peddling besides the obvious."

Turning back to Clarence, "I know you do Clarence.  We're just standing by here making sure nothing funny happens.  Sound off if you see anything!"

Max smiles at the first joke about "fosters" beer.  He shakes his head, having dealt with these jokes throughout his life.

A second "fosters" joke is cracked, and his smile broadens.

After eyeballing the joke pranksters, Max speaks

I wouldnt drink it, it tastes like shit!

Blue grins at Max "Since when have you tasted shit Max?" asks Blue innocently.  "Last I looked it wasn't issued in rat packs, or do you grunts get special issue."  he adds with a grin.

Blue
Steyr AUG
With Soleblume, Bayer & Adam at the Pleasure boat.

The river pimp sweeps his eyes across the Krolowa, noting with a brief but noticeable expression of surprise (or is it alarm), the three women- all armed- on board the tug. He's clearly not used to unsubmissive women.

Adam addresses the floating brothel captain with obvious distaste.

"Well, Damian is it? We are not interested in the 'pleasures' which you offer. What we do need is information."

"That's not much fun! But, suit yourself. What kind of information are you looking for?"

The pudgy man in the passenger compartment coughs. He looks like he's about to keel over.

Adam continues, "We're headed to Sandomierz. Anything you can tell us about the river ahead would be helpful."

"Well, we've seen plenty of this damned river and I'd be happy to tell you all I know. But, I'm a businessman, not a charity. Information is going to cost you just like anything else."

"Name your price then."

Damian surveys the tug again, more deliberately this time.

"I don't deal weapons; I deal in luxuries. No offense, but yours doesn't appear to be a vessel- or crew- much concerned with luxury. However, one should never judge a book by its cover, right? I accept gold, jewelry, fine spirits- no still drippings, mind you- narcotics, cigars, cigarettes, functioning electronics..." He glances at Minh briefly before continuing, "Girls of course. And boys. You know, the 'finer things'."

Adam's face turns bright red. He grips the rail with white knuckles, biting back rash words of contempt and anger. It's obvious he could use a little help right about now...

Actions?

"herr hauptmann...I have this bag that you might use....."


with that john tosses the hauptman the bag of gold teeth.....
he will move bac to the alert position and cover the man with the shotgun.




John
coving group
G3 (74 rounds)

Nodding, Dawid dug through his pack and brought out one of his vodka bottles and a carton of cigarettes. He forced an eager smile on his face and came back to near where Tuck was standing, then lit a smoke and offered the pack across the gunwale to the black-marketeer/pimp, leering at the girls all the while.

Bayer remains silent as the two river captains talk. He picks up Yazzie's bag and looks inside before quickly closing it back up... it made him feel very uneasy but he's able to conceal it.

Noticing Dawid rummaging through his gear as well he walks over and will collect the vodka as well (if Dawid is offering it as trade).

Once all trade goods are collected Bayer returns to his previous position. Directly behind and off to the side of Adam and Soleblume.

OOC - Anneka, you are conducting the deal right?
This message was last edited by the player at 10:19, Tue 23 Oct 2007.

Leaving the heavy RPD where it was, Anneka headed to take over the negotiations from Adam. Not certain that the pleasure boat was as harmless as it appeared, she took a short detour by the radio room to pick up her Uzi and a couple of spare mags. With SMG slung, she spotted the grenade launcher recovered from the ZOMO back before they'd even laid eyes on the tug.
"Hmm, could prove useful," she muttered to herself before picking it and the two tear gas grenades up.

"Max, you know how to use this?" she called back to the Australian at the rear facing gun.
"Just in case..." Tear gas would be far better than trying to dodge a hail of heavy calibre machinegun bullets if it all turned to crap.

Launcher delivered into what she hoped were capable hands, Anneka headed to rescue Adam.
"Konrad," she whispered as she drew near, "Is there anyone watching the starboard?" From what she could see, just about everyone and their weapon were facing the pleasure boat.

"I've got it Adam," she declared in almost perfect Polish. "No need for you to dirty your hands here."
She risked insulting Damian but didn't want to undermine Adams authority by appearing to simply dismiss him.

Finally able to devote her attention to the trader, she continued in Polish. "We can offer gold, prewar spirits, medicine, or perhaps food. Maybe you might be interested in medical aid for your man there?" She pointed at the sickly looking man with the sawn off shotgun apparently keeping the "ladies" company.
"And for your women we have a small selection of clothing they may wish to trade for...."

OOC: I'm assuming the case of spirits we picked up at the lock is prewar.
Also assuming the weapons locker/radio room is either unlocked or she's able to gain access quickly

Armed with Uzi (loaded) + 3 mags
Negotiating in Polish

Minh stands up and slings her rifle over her shoulder. She walks casually over to the edge of the boat in front of the mortar and pulls out her cigarette that Dawid gave her earlier in the morning. Pulling down her Adidas hood she lights it with a cocked head. Minh's eyes half close as she draws heavily on the smoke... all the while she looks at the pimp captain. Flicking the match overboard with practiced precision it ricochets off the pleasure boat into the water. Her expression is one of disinterest. The pimp, his boat, his profits all fail to impress her. Stuffing one hand into her pants pocket she discreetly rolls her eyes at sight in front of her.

Bayer nods to Soleblume as she passes him. He looks up to the sniper's perch and gestures with his head for Parks to keep watch elsewhere. He mouths "OK?" to him.

Konrad Bayer
P7 Handgun
Main deck behind Adam and Anneka

Tucker waved off the offer of a smoke and dug into his BDU pocket and took out one of his cigars since it seems the smoking lamp has been lit on deck.  He turnes to Dawid, "Keep that shit low for now unless we need it for Intel Dawid.  If you wanna offer it, that's fine by me but, let's not show them too much!  Where'd you wind up servin outta Miss Quyen?"

"Ah, nows here's a fellow businessperson! We'll take it. All of it!" Damian signals the mohawked youth at the con and the tour boat sidles smoothly alongside the Krolowa.

The transfer is made. Damian takes the 2oz. of gold teeth- he doesn't look at all shocked when he opens the pouch which contains them- Dawid's good Vodka, a bottle of antibiotics, and a few tins of food from the locks. He turns down the offer of medical help explaining that his companion has once again overindulged in consuming some of their liquour stocks. Damian seems very pleased with his haul- probably chalking it up entirely to own powers of salesmanship- and happily goes about delivering on his end of the bargain.

"The first thing you'll want to know is that the bridge at Szczucin is in bad shape." He looks up at the Krolowa's bridge towering above him, "I don't think you're going to be able to squeeze under it- I'd sell you some explosives if I had any. But, I don't. Aside from that... We heard some gunfire at Ulcie Solne. Not too heavy, but it weren't no hunting party, if you know what I mean. There's really nothing else between here and Tarnobrzeg except for sandbars and burned-out ruins. Now, since you're offer was so generous, I'll throw in a little free advice. Stay the fuck away from Tarnobrzeg. The boys up there are rough and they don't pay. Lost two of my best girls up there; I was lucky just to get out with my boat! There's some crazy shit going on in Tarnobrzeg. And I know crazy shit!" He laughs at his own remembered exploits. "Sandomierz is better. They've got a serious ORMO there and things are run pretty civilized. Oh, we saw a helicopter up near Nowy Korczyn. A heli! Can you believe that shit? Seriously. Couldn't tell you what kind, but it Vic swears it was Russian. Well, we won't keep you any longer. Word is there are a lot of good business opportunities in Krakow. I'd like to try and get there before nightfall; suss things out. But, if some of your crew would like to partake..." He says, sweeping his fur-clad arm over the passenger compartment. "I could wait a few minutes. We have a private suite..."

Actions?

OOC: The spirits from the lock were post-war, Krakow-label Vodka.

If there's anything else you'd like to say or do to Damian and/or his "crew", now's the time to speak up. Otherwise, they'll go on their merry way.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:48, Wed 24 Oct 2007.

"You're taking notes Sergeant Thompson?"
It wasn't one of her best trades, but the information they'd gained should be useful - provided they could trust it.
"Would you mind working with the good sergeant to mark up a map?" she asked Damian. Might as well get as much from him as they could. After all, they'd paid for it hansomely.

Having delegated the details of the trade to Bluey, Anneka turned her attention to the occupants of the boat. Using the transfer of goods as an excuse, she crossed over and tried for a quiet word with one of the ladies.
From the little Damian had revealed of himself and his operation, Anneka was almost certain the women weren't there of their own free will. Anyone trading in boys and girls surely weren't above a little slavery...

Uzi, loaded plus 3 mags
attempting to speak privately with one of the "ladies"
This message was last edited by the player at 05:59, Thu 25 Oct 2007.

"What about other river traffic?" Bayer asks aloud. "And what is crazy shit about Tarnobrzeg?"

"For a bottle of my good vodka, I should be at least getting some oral pleasure!" Dawid quipped.

"That's some great deal-making there." He looked sideways at Minh and rolled his eyes in mock exasperation.


Dawid Piotrowski
Holstered 9mm Stechkin (21/20), Nearby 5.45mm Tantal (30/30)
Waiting on the Queen so that it's not too crowded on the other boat.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:43, Thu 25 Oct 2007.

As Anneka jumped across to the little boat Blue shot Yazzie a look then jumped across into the boat.  He reached into the pocket on his leg and pulled out his battered notebook and pencils and began to take notes as per orders.  "So the bridge is down at Szczucin, what's it made of, steel or concrete or a mix?  Is is a suspension bridge?  Any sign of marauders when you went past?  What about strong points or defences?"

Blue
Steyr Aug/M203
On board the pleasure craft.

Quyen continues to smoke her cigarette, nearly down to the nub now, but she won't waste any of it. Her eyes half close each time as she draws in, but she never stops watching Damian or his 'hardy' crew. She lets out a slight laugh at Dawid. It isn't her place to say it, but lets it out more as a joke than anything - "Screw em. Keep the vodka and put those clowns ashore."

Minh Quyen
Slung AK-74
Along side the railing near the bow
Mildly antagonizing and mouthing off a bit
This message was last edited by the player at 21:10, Thu 25 Oct 2007.

Anneka attempts to chat with the girls, but they're reluctant to speak with her. Mohawk-boy and Pudgy are nearby and both glare suspiciously at the army medic. It's pretty clear that the girls aren't going to say much while under the watchful eyes of the pleasure boat's crew.

Damian, meanwhile, responds to Konrad and Blue's questions, with Adam acting as translator for both parties.

"You know, crazy shit! Like burning people alive in public. Cutting people's skin off before they're dead. Raping people to death in the town square. Crazy shit! They're a real bunch of animals up there. Soldiers from all parts. Russians, Czechs, Germans, Poles, Americans- it's like the old U.N. except all fucked up like! We couldn't get out of there fast enough.

"We've passed a few other boats on the river 'tween here and Sandomierz. Travelling merchants like ourselves, a few refugees in houseboats; no gunboats like yours, though, he-he. As for the bridge, it's a steel number. A tressle bridge, I think it's called. It's falling apart and there are big sand bars sticking out from the banks on both sides. We didn't see anybody up there, though. Good luck getting this beast through!"

Having completed the transaction, Damian makes a last pitch on behalf of his girls and, there being no takers, bids his farewells. "It's your loss..." Mohawk-boy applies the throttle and the Floating Emporium of Pleasures pulls ahead of the Krolowa, loops around, and heads upstream at speed.

The Krolowa continues along on her course, moving at a modest but steady pace downriver. At her current speed, she should arrive in the vicinity of Ulcie Solne in just under an hour.

So far, you know that Ulcie Solne is not inhabited but it is said to harbor supplies of gasoline- a rumor to which Adam does not give any credence- and Damian reported hearing gunfire emintating from the direction of the town.

Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:19, Fri 26 Oct 2007.

John will finish work on the M4 then Fall asleep>


"hey let me finish the work on you weapon so i can catch some sleep..."






John
sleeping
top deck

OOC: Sorry, RL is beating me to death.

BIC: Tucker watches the exchange of words as Dawid translates what he can to Minh and himself.  Tuck snickers when Dawid mentions getting some 'oral pleasure' for his vodka but quickly snaps out of it when he remembers Minh is standing near them both. Robert snickers some more at her commnets and asks, "Like their boat better Minh?"

Maddock relaxes by increments with the boat pulling away and past, safing the Sterling and returning it to his gear pile. A little rack time is definitely called-for, with energy levels depleted and nerves frayed.

Stretching with a cavernous yawn, he makes his way back to the stern and his kit, to rack out and catch a few hours rest.

After the sideshow had left Bayer looks to Adam, "How long until we pass the by the first town?"

Afterwards he'll go find Bluey, "Blue. You are an engineer, a combat pionier ja? I know you haven't seen it yet, but can you make a guess whether we have enough explosives and equipment to clear that bridge ahead? Any thoughts on it?"
This message was last edited by the player at 15:42, Fri 26 Oct 2007.

Before the other boat pulled away, Dawid asked, "so, where can we find you in the future? I really think we have some future... business that I would love to attend to." He leered at the women.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:33, Sat 27 Oct 2007.

"Well Boss, I think we do, if not there are otherways to bring down a span but then we got the problem of how deep the river is.  Until I see the bridge I can't be exactly sure.  Now if you'll excuse me Boss I'll go check what we have in the way of Boom!"  Blue gives a grin before moving off to check the explosives supplies.

Tucker looks at Dawid with a smile on his face as he takes another puff off of his cigar.  "Sounds like Tarnobrzeg is the spot to be to get your fantasies taken care of Dawid!  Crazy time there huh?  What the fuck is going on in that place?  Sounds like some kind of medievil and Mad Max kind of shit goin' on in there.  Hope Adam don't kow anyone in there that needs help!"

SLEEEEEPPPPPPZZZZZZZZZZZZ.......







John
sleeping on top deck

During the next bit of down-time, Dawid disassembled the Stechkin machine-pistol and cleaned it.

He also zeroed the Tantal, and helped Anneka do the same (OOC: I believe she has the other, either her or Griet) as well as taught her how to maintain the rifle.

"If you are used to the old Avtomat Kalashnikova series of rifles, this is an improved version. It is just as rugged, of course. For one, the combined safety and selective-fire lever on the right side are now two separate controls. Plus, the select-fire lever is no longer the Safe-Auto-Single progression that is sometimes confusing in battle (because if you are in a crisis and you jam the lever all the way down you put it into single shot mode), but a simple Single-Autofire switch on the left side above the trigger with the safety lever still is on the right side of the upper receiver."

He also reloaded the ammunition used in the last fight, placing loose rounds into the non-disintegrating linked belt.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:50, Sat 27 Oct 2007.

The talk of the bridge caught Minh's attention. After waiting until the boat pulled away and things got back to normal she followed Hauptmann Bayer in his search for Bluey.

When their discussion was over she approached him, "Captain, hearing the talk of blowing the bridge or whatever... I can lend a hand. I was a MP, but spent half the war in my division's engineer brigade as a replacement. I know a bit, enough to help Sergeant Thompson if you guys want it." She was thankful for being given passage out of the village and wanted to repay this as much as possible.

After speaking with Konrad, Minh finds her corner where she stashed her gear and gets some sleep. It had been a long night in the village.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:38, Sat 27 Oct 2007.

"Yeah, I know you can't tell without seeing it, I just thought I'd ask though."

After Blue had left Minh approached him, after waiting to speak to him...



"Ok. Good to know. I'll keep it in mind. Do you have any thing in your gear you think you'll be able to use, like demolitions? If so, let Sergeant Thompson know alright? He's sorting it out."

Bayer then proceeds to the rear deck will he makes a pillow out of his kevlar and lays down in the sun.

Konrad Bayer
Rear deck
Resting
This message was last edited by the player at 18:15, Sat 27 Oct 2007.

The Krolowa steams along through the meanders of the Vistula at a cautious 5 knots. The security crew catches up on routine gear maintainance and rest. You think about the villagers of Niepolomice and wonder what will become of them.

The tug passes to the north of the outlet of the Raba river. The channel here is clogged with debris from the confluence of the two rivers. Before the war, this stretch of the Vistula was regularly dredged to keep it navigable. Four years of neglect and it has returned to an almost primordial state. Adam and Uller expertly manouver the agile tug- made much less so by the big, ungainly barge- between sandbars, mudshoals, and large, partialy submerged snags.

As you approach Ulcie Solna, you can make out the sound of distant gunfire. The firefight Damian mentioned is apparently still underway. The firing- mostly Soviet small arms, by the sound of it- is sporadic but it doesn't stop for more than a minute at a time. Rounding a bend in the river, ahead and to your right you see the remains of a town. Various decrepit storage buildings dot the shoreline, all in various stages of disprepair. This used to be an embarkation point where fuel refined further inland was loaded onto barges for transport to destinations up and down stream. One such partially sunken fuel barge clings precariously to a low concrete pier which juts out a dozen meters and into the river. This docking facility, as well as most of the town, was blasted by repeated conventional airstrikes earlier in the war. The town has been abandoned for some time. Scavengers of all stripes, drawn to the town by rumors of partially full and more or less intact underground fuel tanks, have stripped everything of use from the area. Nothing but empty shells of buildings- some burned out, others nearing total collapse- remain. You can't see the source of the shooting, but the sound is growing louder as you draw closer to the skeleton buildings. It is most assuredly coming from the town just on the other side of the docking facilities.

Without so much as a shouted warning, the tug lurches to an abrupt halt. The innertia carries you forward and you nearly lose your footing. The engine sounds rise to a low scream for few moments before shouted orders from the bridge- and common sense in the boiler room- result in a shutdown. The Krolowa is stuck fast on a submered mudbank about 300 meters northwest of the fuel embarkation station.

ACtions?

At the sudden arrest in movement, Maddock jerks awake, having been little-disturbed by small arms fire in the distance. A series of economical movements gets his vest back on, helmet loosely strapped, and then into his webbing.

He listens for orders or an explanation of what has snagged the tug, with an eye toward the small boats in case they are needed.


Aft Deck
L86A1 LSW
Waiting and watching

Bayer had only begun to fall asleep when the boat made its sudden stop. He lay there for a second listening. He didn't have much nautical experience, but it didn't take much to realize they had become grounded somehow. As he continued to listen the sounds of the distant gunfire caused a sour face. He didn't think grounding the boat would be too big of a deal, unless somebody showed up.

Bayer stands and puts his gear on, Maddock near him having already done so. Kevlar on, but helmet strapped to his webbing he gives the Royal Marine a look of annoyance (at the situation). He then proceeds up to the bridge where he expects Adam will be.

"Besides the obvious, anything I should know? Like how long it will take or do you need any help?" he asks.

At the mortar, Dawid righted himself, quickly re-assembling his Tantal. The lesson with Griet had gone well, she was familiar with the Kalashnikov but being in the Navy hadn't had much experience with the newer Tantal. After about 45 seconds he had it back together and he pulled back the cocking lever to charge it, then made sure the safety was off and the selective fire lever was set it to single shot.

Taking his binoculars from their battered case, he scanned the riverbanks, looking for threats and danger. Gunfire echoed across the water, bursts and flurries of pops, with the occasional loud boom.

"Er, it depends on how badly we are stuck. We will probably need to send out a small boat with the rock anchor and kedge ourselves off."

Walter enters the bridge, seeking instructions. Adam provides them in rapid-fire Polish with a riverman's accent too difficult to follow. As Walter leaves, Adam turns back to Konrad,

"Walter and Tadeuz are going to drop the rock anchor. It would be wise to have the other boat standing by in case of emergency. The river is slow but treacherous here. Perhaps Mr. Snow could be put in charge of that. He did a fine job at the locks yesterday. Maddock is a boatman too, is he not?"

As if Konrad didn't have enough on his plate at the moment, Adam adds,

"And the gunfire. That is not good. You will make sure we are ready in case of attack?"

Anneka had, as usual, spend the time since meeting the other boat attending to her personal needs, inspecting wound dressings and working on the tugs defences.
The sound of gunfire as they drew closer to the town of Ulcie Solna sent her scurrying back to her appointed position forward of the bridge.
Sitting down in her position, she brought the RPD's stock up to her shoulder, just in time to be thrown forward into the sandbag wall!
"Shit!" she swore loudly, rubbing at her bruised left shoulder.
"What was that?" A glance up to the bridge showed she was unlikely to get a reply from them for at least a few minutes - they obviously had more important things on their mind than answering similar queries from everyone aboard.
As the situation unfolded and it became evident they were stuck fast, Anneka stood and spoke into the bridge.
"Konrad, seems like we're stuck for a while. Could I suggest sending a landing party ashore to set up a screen while the crew get us unstuck? Might also be an idea to scout out the firing and see what's happening."
Sitting on the tug and allowing any hostiles to sneak up on them didn't seem a very smart thing to do. Far better to send a team or half a dozen or so to secure the immediate area and any cover that could be used by snipers and the like.

Konrad shakes his tired head, they never seem to get a break. Looking at Anneka and Adam, "Right. Let me collect some people." Without bringing everyone to the bridge from their duty stations he only grabs Maddock, Dawid and Tucker - they can inform the others whats going on.

Once assembled he gives out a short set of frag orders, "Alright. We are grounded as you probably know. A raft is going out with the crew to work on getting us off the sandbar. We're going to put ashore a small cover team, and provide a secondary boat team at Captain Rataj's suggestion."

"Sergeant Tucker, its your turn again. Yourself, Thompson, Fosters and Quyen. You'll be put ashore to set up a standing patrol near the river's edge. Don't get drawn into the battle in town, its important we keep those in town uninvolved. You are more a mobile force to ambush anyone who makes a move on us. Stay low. Ensure your team has one radio and report all contacts. Call sign Raider."

"Sergeant Major, (looking at Maddock) you and Mr. White can both handle a boat so thats where we need you. Adam would like to to be able to assist with the recovery and any emergency since the river is ah... treacherous here. Land the shore party first then standby to assist wherever. Make sure your team has one radio."

"Everyone else, including myself, will man the heavy weapons here and provide a reserve element. I'll have my radio."

"Dawid. Do we have any options for indirect fire support. The mortar or AGS? In case our machineguns can't hit the their targets. What do you recommend."

"Any questions or suggestions on this? Let me know now." he asks everyone, looking mostly at Maddock and Soleblume.

OOC - Is Yazzie back or is he away?
This message was last edited by the player at 12:04, Sun 28 Oct 2007.

Maddock nods readily enough. "I'll land the shore party and circle the work crew, who will be under Mr. White, aye, Hauptman." He checks his rifle and webbing while he waits for the orders to be confirmed and the meeting to break.

"Correct. Also be ready for either a hasty extraction of the shore party or possible the landing of the reserve force if necessary."

Daeid replied, "well sir, that's about the size of it. Both can be used for indirect fire. We have more ammunition available for the Plamya, but of course the 82mm is more accurate and packs a bigger punch. It depends on who is calling the shots when it comes to indirect fire. I would suggest we not make barrages a habit, save that for a "high value" target."

"Simply put, keep the Vasilek loaded out with WP so we can quickly create a smoke screen for anyone on shore who needs to break contact. If we discover a raider camp, then dump the rest of the HE on it. Other than that, we can try out the Plamya in an indirect role."

"Alright Dawid, we'll go with that. AGS unless absolutely necessary and 82mm smoke available for hasty extraction."

"Just that I think the shore party should clear and occupy overlooking positions to prevent their use by possible hostiles. They shouldn't need to move far out of our line of sight."
Most likely they'd be able to remain visible, at least from the river while denying cover and concealment. They may even be able to covertly observe the nearby fighting from those same positions.
"I'm sure the crew don't need anyone taking pot shots at them while they work."

"Ja, agreed. They needn't move out of sight or too far. I'm sure they will make good use of the ground once they've landed. I only worry that they will get drawn into the conflict. I'd rather quietly get us unstuck and be on our way without the others interfering with us."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:39, Mon 29 Oct 2007.

"Then they should be instructed to remain concealed unless either the tug is under threat or they are discovered and fired upon."
The plan appeared to be falling into place, but like all good plans, it would only survive until contact with hostile forces.
"Now, as for us, only the DShK's and AGS need to be crewed for the moment? Must make sure we have at least one set of eyes watching each direction. In fact, I would advise the majority of those left on the boat watch everywhere but the shore parties direction - they can take care of themselves for now."

"Ok, sorry I must not have been clear enough, but good to clear it up now. Ja, the standing patrol acts like an OP, concealed and silent. But different in that it is capable of combat IF necessary, like as you said, if the tug is under attack."

He looks at Tucker to make sure all were in agreement and all was understood.

"Ja, for the tug. Heavy machine guns and AGS are manned. I'd still like the DSHK facing the shore party to be manned, for combat use. Lets have Dawid on the AGS, Clarence, Griet and perhaps yourself on the DSHKs? Gunny parks is also on the roof for precision fire. How does that sound."

Sleep...



...




John
sleeping

"I'd like Yazzie to go with the shore party too. His scounting abilities would be best utilised there and will still leave myself, Clarence, Dawid, Griet, Parks and yourself available to crew the weapons."
"Additionally, gas masks should be taken by the shore party to enable us to cover their withdrawal with tear gas if it becomes necessary."

Tucker is jolted from his resting place as he feels the tug come to an abrupt halt in the water.  He immediately grabs his M-16 and heads for the main deck to see what is going on outside, hoping that they haven't damaged the hull of the tug.  He'll muster anyone beleow to report to the top deck if they're near him or in earshot.

When Tucker gets to the main deck, the first thing he hears is the gunfire in the distance and then probably the yelling in Polish as Adam's people try to figure out what is going on.  He then has his attention grabbed by Konrad calling him up to the bridge.  He makes his way up there as fast as he can taking in the landscape all around them.  "I take it we hit one of those sandbars they were talking about before?  Shit, now we got gunfire out in the distance too?" he says aloud before Konrad tells him that he's leading another shore party.  Rob nods in approval, "You got it sir.  Call sign 'Raider' should be ready in about 1/2 hour.  Can we get Clarence's radio for the OP?"  Tucker stays to listen to any other comments, suggestions, or questions that come up before going down to the main deck to get his shore party ready to go.

When he gets down to the main deck, he begins to loosen up the ties on his shoulder rig carrying his Colt Python.  "Thompson, Max, Quyen!  Front and center, shore party up!"  Rob wiats for all of them to assemble on the deck and simply tells them, "Konrad's got us going ashore to as a cover party while they work on getting the tug off this fucking sandbar we're stuck on.  We're going in, taking a quick look around and secure us a nice, defndable spot and holding it until we can get underway again.  Maddocks our drop off and pick up when we're done.  Our call-sign for this OP is 'Raider.'  Nothing we don't need.  Safe side, water and something light to eat in case we're there for a little while.  Heavy on ammo and grenades.  Max, you'll have the radio and are with me.  Thompson, you and Minh pair up.  Questions, suggestions, or comments?"

Minh Quyen is awoken when the tug grounds itself. She sits up and pulls down her hood, trying to hear any voices. There is some shouting topside but she can't make it out. Two minutes later she is positioned near the mortar.

Tucker's call gets her moving and after receiving her orders moves off to quickly sort out her gear.

Digging through her pack she grabs some extra frags and WP grenades and her two mines; a claymore and a POMZ-2, just in case. After strapping the mines to her webbing with her bungee cords she moves back to Tucker to report for action.

Placing her bush hat on her head she says - "I'm ready." to Tucker and nods an acknowledgment to Bluey Thompson, her fireteam partner.

"Don't forget gas masks," Anneka said, grabbing Tuckers arm.
"We'll only use the tear gas if necessary but better to be prepared."

Bayer climbs up to the rooftop where Parks and Yazzie are perched. After explaining the situation to the two Marines he adds, "Yazzie, I could use you to get a little closer to the town for some extra early warning, and maybe some info if possible. I can't offer you much backup or support, if any, so you'd have to take extra care to stay out of sight. What do you think? You just have to get as close as you think is safe enough."

Yazzie seemed to like to work solo and this was his sort of deal, but Bayer left it at that.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:03, Tue 30 Oct 2007.

Ditching his helmet, Maddock checks to ensure that he is only carrying fighting kit. The heavy, long-barreled L86A1 is left behind, it's range and stopping power traded for the lighter and more manageable Sterling again. An exchange of ammunition follows before he is ready.

He heads to the point where the small boats are fastened, calling out to Trevor White as he gets there. "Mr. White, seems we're the boat party today. What's say we get these ladies into the water 'afore that lot come to pile in?"


Moving Aft
Silenced Sterling
Prepping the boats

This message was last edited by the player at 02:40, Tue 30 Oct 2007.

Patting her carrying pouch, Quyen says "Got mine."

Minh Quyen
AK-74 (5 Mags) + 4 Frag, 1 HC Smk, 2 WP Smk
Ready to load up into the inflatable
This message was last edited by the player at 02:47, Tue 30 Oct 2007.

The landing team loads into one of the inflatables while the wounded Walter -putting on a display of toughness- and Tadeuz load the rock anchor into the other.

The landing team pushes off and heads to shore. The water here is not swift, but the numerous mudflats and sandbars lurking just above and below the waterline create cross currents and eddies that are tricky for even the most experienced boat handlers to spot and manage. Fortunately, Snow and Maddock are up to the task and the landing team is deposited safely ashore. The team clambers out of the boat and begins moving across the cracked and pitted concrete towards one of the industrial buildings that mark the southernmost point of the town of Ulcie Solne. Maddock and Snow drag the boat ashore and make it fast before setting up behind cover to monitor the progress of the both the kedging crew and the landing team, ready to respond in an emergency. In the distance, the sporadic crackle of gunfire continues.

The landing team approaches an old, rust-streaked tanker truck parked about 30 meters from the first building. Its wheels long ago stripped by scavengers, it resembles a giant, mottled beetle carapace. As they prepare to make the last bound past the truck a lone figure emerges from around the far corner of the building. He's clad in the Russian woodland pattern camoflage that you've grown accustomed to seeing over the last four days. His rifle is slung on his back and, in his right hand, he carries a stick with a dirty rag tied to the end. He rounds the corner tentatively, waving the rag gently and lifting his left hand in a gesture of non-aggression.

Actions?

"Keep watch of your arcs people, let the shore party take care of the Russian."
Good advice she thought. The whole point of them watching everywhere but the shore party was to secure the rear. They'd know soon enough if they needed help and it was only a few short metres from one side of the tug to the weapons installed on the other...

Soleblume seemed to have things in hand with the boat's security team, so Bayer decides to climb up and join Gunny Parks on the rooftop. Lying low he pulls out the fieldglasses he took earlier from the bridge and observes the town and its shoreline where the shore party was.

Konrad Bayer
G36/HK-79
Rooftop
Observing town

"Sergeant, at the corner! One man." Quyen calls quietly to the team in case not all have spotted the Russian. "I can handle him... yeah?" she asks.

Minh Quyen
AK-74 (5 Mags) + 4 Frag, 1 HC Smk, 2 WP Smk
Shore party's location
Awaiting to deal with the Russian

As the boat is getting ready to push off from the tug, Tucker makes sure that everyone's got everything they need before they get on the raft and go to shore.  "Can't use it if we ain't got it and there's no FedEx to deliver it to us if we forget it!  If everyone's good, lock and load and let's do this.  We take care of our own first.  We make sure we get out., all of us!  If we're fired upon, fire back."

As the boat closes to the shoreline, Tucker begins to concentrate more on what's around them as they approach.  When the raft hits shore, Tuck gets himself out of the raft and takes a position of cover while the others do the same and Maddock and Snowy bring the raft back out into the river.  He looks around to make sure everyone is good and they're ready to move.  When they're ready, he signals to Bluey and Minh to head out with him following them and Max as the 'tail-end Charlie.'

Approaching the burnt out truck and getting ready to make the last bound to the buildings, he catches sight of the person in Russian fatigues holding a white flag and trying to signal to them.

(Minh: "Sergeant, at the corner! One man." Quyen calls quietly to the team in case not all have spotted the Russian. "I can handle him... yeah?" she asks.) "Got it!  he's yours Minh if it gets funny.  Anyone speak Russian?" Tuck says aloud as his rifle comes up to cover the flag holder.  He looks back to Fosters, "Cover up behind the truck Max.  Keep an eye out and get ready to call the tug."

Tucker
M-16A2 [27/30]/M-203 [HE]
Encountering person with flag

Snowy straightens up and flashes Maddock a grin. "Yeah Sarge, that sounds like the G-O. Call me 'Snowy' if you like, my ears are kinda tuned for the name. Whenever I hear 'Mister White' I have this urge to run and hide from any NCO who's probably about to give me a bollocking. Well, that's my experience anyway."

Snowy helps Maddock get the zodiac into the water, adding "Watch this bastard Sarge, the bloody motor cuts out. I've had the head off it twice and I can't find the bloody problem. I think it's basically possessed by the evil one. Or made by Mercury Outboards. One or the other."

After they've dropped off the shore party, Snowy whispers "Good Luck!"

Snowy White
M4A1 Carbine (fixed by Yazzie!) + 6 clips (-10 rounds)
In the Zodiac
Staying on station
This message was last edited by the player at 23:41, Tue 30 Oct 2007.

Gunny has the lone Russian in the crosshairs. As Konrad comes up behind him, he says in an even- almost cold- voice.

"Give the word; I'll take him out."

At this range, it won't be the easiest shot but with the tug at rest and the target standing in the open, Gunny is confident that he can pull it off, if need be.

Griet sees the wisdom in watching the shore opposite the loading facility but that doesn't make the idea any more palitable.

She lugs the heavy PKM over to the left side of the forward companionway and props in on the sandbagged railing, facing the northern shore. She feels terribly exposed with her back to the obvious danger as if the words "free shot" we're blazing in neon between her shoulder blades. She knows that it is more a matter of psychology than one of combat reality, but nevertheless, she feels her nerves starting to fray a little.

"Whattaya say we get this gun trained on the town, just in case." Clarence says to Dawid.

It makes sense not to ignore the weak side of the boat but he would like to first to prepare to meet the known danger. Once the Vasilek is ready to provide as close to instant fire support to the shore team as possible, Clarence will shift to the port railing next to the Vasilek barbette, providing a keen pair of eyes and the modest firepower of his AK-74 to the weak side defense.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:05, Wed 31 Oct 2007.

"Clarence, why don't you trade out that pea shooter for the RPK-74 while we're sitting here. I think it's in the radio room with the rest of the spare weapons. Might as well grab the gas launcher while you're at it if you can handle it."
With both of her small hands almost swallowed by the huge twin spade grips of a DShK, she swung the weapon in a slow arc covering the port (north? west?) bank, searching for anything worthy of playing host to the heavy 12.7mm slugs.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:58, Tue 30 Oct 2007.

John will slide over the edge of the tug with his water proofed pack and weapon  and get into the water. He is on the back side of the ship so the landing team or the enemy cannot see him. he will float about 200 meters down river and then swim to the shore with his pack in front of him weapon resting on top. Once he hits the shore he will shoulder his pack and move into the tree line with the grace of a cat. Once there he will set into a hide for 5 miniutes and wait just in case he was folled or spotted he. He will also contact the ship. He will get up and move after five miniutes toward the village to do a recon of the area. He will move in the trees slow enough not to be spotted an he will stop every few miniutes to do (look,listin,smell). Once he is within a kilometer of the village he will stalk in.(On your stomach moving slow with you body cammoed with local vegitation.) once within 300 meters he will set up in a hide and radio in to tug to tell them he is in position.


1st Transmission
"tug this is knife, have made it to shore,moving to city"

2nd transmission
"in position at hide site have city in view wait for salute report"



John
Doing the above
G3 at ready (74 rounds)

Given the go-ahead by Tucker, Quyen slings her rifle and draws her M9 as she closes in on the Russian. Aiming with one hand she beckons him forward with her other. She slings his rifle over her shoulder, and as she's done countless times, whips her handcuffs on him with practiced precision.

"Walk." she says, whether he understands or not doesn't matter as she guides him back towards her teammates with her freehand.

"He isn't searched yet. What are you going to do with him Sergeant?" she asks Tucker.

Minh Quyen
AK-74 (5 Mags) + 4 Frag, 1 HC Smk, 2 WP Smk (+ Russian's Rifle)
Shore party's location
Manhandling the PW

This message was deleted by the player at 01:23, Wed 31 Oct 2007.

As asked by Bayer, Dawid moved the AGS-17 Plamya to the bow gunwale closest to the town, along with two spare ammo cans.

Going over and training the mortar on the town, Dawid loaded out the 82mmn Vasilek's magazine with WP rounds. "Loaded with phosphorous shells!" he called out.

"Clarence, I think Captain Bayer asked you to handle one of the Dushkas and Griet the other? At any rate, you know enough to handle the Mortar in a basic way, but I can easily man either weapon as need be. But for now, I will operate the Plamya as asked."

Making sure his rifle was cocked and handy, he settled in to wait, listening for a radio call or other signal his services would be needed.


Dawid Piotrowski
AGS_17 Plamya (50/50, 2x spare 50-rd ammo cans)
Waiting for instructions.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:23, Wed 31 Oct 2007.

"Roger that Gunny, lets see how this plays out. I don't trust this Russian's sincerity." There is a hint of worry in his voice.

Observing through his field glasses he continues, "I wonder who else spotted the landing party's arrival and our boat sitting here. Any why would this guy just come out of nowhere and surrender to us?"

When Yazzie's transmission comes over the radio Bayer makes a brief response, "Tug, roger."
This message was last edited by the player at 06:01, Wed 31 Oct 2007.

OOC: What is the prisoner doing
[Private to Minh Quyen: I want to see the POW's reaction before I reply to your post!]

Maddock had gentled the boat against the shore with professional elan, allowing the shore party a relatively easy exit. He then waded ashore himself with the bowline and settled in to wait for the recall or evac order. Sterling cradled in his lap, radio tuned and handy, the Royal Marine makes himself as still and unobtrusive as possible.


Ashore
Silenced Sterling
Holding the ready boat

A light rain begins to fall, gradually darkening the concrete floor of the pier facility and muffling slightly the sound of gunfire.

The Russian (by appearances) envoy seems somewhat surprised at the rapid approach of the pistol wielding woman but he doesn't attempt to run or resist as the diminutive MP cuffs his hands behind his back. He walks with her, dragging his feet a bit as she firmly directs him towards the fuel truck.

He looks frightened and more than a little confused. He's a young man, probably in his mid twenties, a few weeks' worth of sparse, straggly growth on his face and neck. His summer uniform is filthy and worn. He's attempted to compensate for the onset of winter by wearing a civilian pullover beneath his out-of-season summer fatigue shirt. The leather of his quaint Russian jackboots is cracked and peeling. It looks like quite some time has passed since his unit was properly resupplied.

He looks nervously from face to face and, marginally satisfied that he's not to be killed immediately, begins speaking, first in Ukranian, then in Russian, and finally, as no one offers even a glimmer of recognition, in very poor, thickly accented Polish. A look of dismay washes over his face as he realizes that the people he's been sent to talk to have no idea what he is attempting to communicate.

In the distance, the sound of small arms fire is joined by the sharper crack-boom of automatic cannon fire. Due to the rain, and the intervening buildings, it's almost impossible to accurately judge how far away the source of the firing is.

Meanwhile, Walter and Tadeuz successfully dump the rock anchor into deeper water 50 meters astern of the Krolowa, watched by Clarence who's moved to the aft Dushka position as ordered. The two Poles flash a thumbs-up signal to Clarence who relays the message- via the old "Mark I Voicebox"- to Anneka and Konrad, manning their stations a few meters forward of his new position.

Actions?
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:38, Thu 01 Nov 2007.

"Maddock, this is Tug. Raider has one PW in hand. Prepare to bring to my location. Over."

Watching the Russian and the shore party he calls them up on the radio, "Raider, Tug. What does he want? I have Maddock standing by to bring PW to my location, over."

Clarence's call gets Bayer's attention. "What happens now?" he asks aloud. Not sure if Adam needs to be told he slithers down from the roof into the bridge where he expects the Captain to be. If he is there he pass on what Clarence told him about the rock anchor.

In response to Konrad's news, Adam exits the bridge and makes his way to the power winch to continue the process of dragging the tug off of the sandbar.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:50, Thu 01 Nov 2007.

Maddock shifts about to try and get a better view of what the shore party have been up to since landing. He keys his mike twice quickly to acknowledge Bayer, hand gripping the workman-like build of the Sterling.

A sturdy booted leg pushes the boat somewhat back into the water, though he holds the painter line tight.


Prepping the boat
Silenced Sterling

As Minh brings the prisoner back over to the truck, he waves everyone back there and has them set a quick preimeter to try and figurte out what the guys wants.  Tucker can only look at the guy with questioning eyes as he goes from one language to the next and continues to look for answers from them.  He shrugs his shoulders and looks around, "Anyone got any idea of what the fuck he just said?  Max, get on the horn to Bayer and tell him we got one in custody and need a translator ASAP."

"Don't speak it Sergeant." Quyen informs Tucker of the Russian, as she stands behind him with her M9 pointed at his back. While they wait for the radio call to go out, she uses her free hand to search him, dropping any items of interest or danger into a pile on the ground.

Once done she'll sits the Russian down cross legged and watches over him.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:52, Fri 02 Nov 2007.

Tucker looks to Minh, "You can put the piece away if he's secured Minh.  He's already probably scared enough right now.  Don't need him messing himself in such close proximity!"

Bayer returns to observing the riverside through his binos next to Parks. "Maddock, this ist Tug. Proceed to Raider's position for PW pickup and transport to my location over." he says over the radio.

Once Snowy has taxied over the Russian, Bayer will be waiting on the tug's deck to take hold of the prisoner. He'll then guide him up to Soleblume's battle position so she can speak with him without leaving her station vacant.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:08, Fri 02 Nov 2007.

Making the boat fast again, Maddock hustles up the river bank to retrieve the prisoner, as instructed. He has rudimentary Russian and Polish, enough to get his point across without gratuitously brandishing his SMG.

If the 'prisoner' is willing enough to follow, he will take him to the boat and move to the tug. If not, an awkward attempt at translation can occur on the shore.


Retrieving Prisoner
Silenced Sterling

Maddock hustles forward to collect the prisoner, leaving Snow in charge of the boat. As the burly RM moves to help the prisoner to his feet, the young man becomes agitated (although not aggressive) and refuses to budge, leaning back until he's almost lying flat on his back and doing his best to become dead weight. Almost frantically, the Soviet soldier again addresses those assembled in sloppy Polish. You listen carefully, trying to piece together a coherent thread from what, to your untrained ears, sounds mostly like gibberish.

"Red army... camping in town... bandits come... we ambush... they return... have tanks... we retreat... see your boat...  twenty men... please help us... they are coming with tanks... kill everyone... take your boat... hurry... please... waiting...".

In the distance, the firing continues. It's growing louder and more urgent. Looking up you can see black smoke rising over the warehouse.

On board the Krolowa, you can see the smoke too. The tug begins to shudder as the powerful winch removes the slack from the anchor. The pitch of the winch engine rises until, with a satisfying lurch, the tug pulls itself free from the sucking mud. The Krolowa's engine reawakens and the old tug begins backing to a safe distance from the mudbank. Walter and Tadeuz manouver to recover the pick anchor and complete the operation.

On the bridge rood, Gunny whispers to Konrad, "There's a man on the roof [of the warehouse]..."

Meanwhile, Yazzie stealthily makes his way towards the town.

[Private to John Yazzie: You inch your way forward through the sparse growth stretching inland from the shore. After crossing about 100 meters, the concealment ends but you've gone far enough. Fifty meters ahead and to your right (SE), rifle fire eminates from a large, run-down administrative building. Part of the building is burning fiercely. Fifty meters beyond that you see a green and brown mottled metal box on tracks, firing into the defended building with its coax. It's a BMP-2.  Several dismounts follow literally in its tracks. Another BMP can be seen through the smoke beyond the first. It seems to be manovering to flank the defenders. Yet another AFV waits in the distance, 100 meters to the south. It's hard to identify due to all of the smoke and the random pieces of equipment that appear to be strapped haphazardly to its turret, but it looks like a T-72...]
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:23, Sat 03 Nov 2007.

"Tug this is knife stand bye for salute report"

"Size, 2 Bmp-2's with 5 plus dismounts each and a T-72"
"Activity, assaulting large building"
"Location, 100 meters South east of my position"
"Unit, unti is unknown"
"Time, Time is now"
"Equipment, Mix o Soviet small arms"

"tug we need to get the fuck out of town...I will be moving back to the river asap...dont wait for me i will swim out to you..."

"knife out"


John
Moving back to ship with stealth and speed
G3

"Raider Raider, tug! Man onz the roof!" Bayer quickly calls over the radio. Looking through his binos with his free looking for the Russian he asks Parks, "Gunny, what is he doing? Fire, if he becomes an immediate threat."

As the situation with the rooftop Russian plays out, Yazzie's report comes over the radio to further complicate the situation. Bayer mutters a curse in German, then responds, Yazzie's report. "Tug, roger. See you on the boat. Out."

Crawling over to the edge of the rooftop perch, he calls down, "Dawid, armour spotted! Ready HEDP on the mortar!"

As the tug is recovered off of the sandbar, Bayer once again calls over the radio, "Raider, Tug, return to my location quickly. Bring that PW. Schnell! over"
This message was last edited by the player at 10:33, Sun 04 Nov 2007.

(Assuming this call is heard by Tucker & if the call by Yazzie was heard also might certainly be a factor) Tucker turns his attention back to the roof top(s) where he thinks there is a target being called out buy the tug.  "Guns Up!  We got at least one possible Tango on one of these rooftops around here," Tucker says to everyone behind the burnt out truck.

Tucker
M-16A2 [27/30]/M-203 [HE]
Looking for target on rooftop called in by Tug

John will move back to the trees the same way he came in slow and with stealth. once he reachs the trees he will E and E to the river bank and prepair to move out.




John
Moving to ship
G3

The radio crackled with commands, reports and static. Bayer leaned over and shouted, and what he said brought a cold sweat to Dawid's skin. "Armour? Good Christ! HEDP? Ah, yes, loading Anti-Armour/fragmentation!"

Scrambling over to the Vasilek, he unloaded the WP shells from the magazine and carefully replaced the "ready" shell in the clip. He then reloaded the weapon with 82mm HEDP. "Anti-Armour/fragmentation loaded!" As an aside to himself, "this will peel light armour like a grape. God help us if there is heavy armour like a tank!"

Trying to calm his nerves, he sat in the the Vasilek's gunner seat, taking personal command of the weapon.


Dawid Piotrowski
82mm Vasilek, (5/5 HEDP).
Reloading the Vasilek with HEDP and then manning it.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:41, Mon 05 Nov 2007.

Quyen makes sure she is under cover from any potential rooftop fire. She unslings her AK-74 and awaits further orders.

Minh Quyen
AK-74 (5 Mags) + 4 Frag, 1 HC Smk, 2 WP Smk (+ Russian's Rifle)
Shore party's location
Covering.

"He knows we've spotted him. He just disappeared. If he pops up again and tries anything stupid, I'm puttin' him down."

Inside the bridge, Uller adjusts the Krolowa's props and bow thrusters to point the nose of the barge towards deeper water. Being that no one spotted the mudflat that's held the boat up in the first place, there's no guarantee that the channel ahead is completely obstacle free. Uller continues to make adjustments on the throttle to hold the boat on station. Once the decision has been made to move out, the Krolowa will be ready.

[Private to Dawid Waldus Piotrowski: Clarence is currently manning the aft Dushka, as directed by Anneka. I didn't want you to think I/he was being rude and ignoring you/Dawid.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:26, Sun 04 Nov 2007.

Maddock listens, nodding seriously, as the ragged man tells his broken tale. The scout's report of armor moving into the town is all the evidence he needs.

He keys his radio. "Ah, acknowledged, Tug. PW is requesting aid against aggressors. Repeat, PW is asking for support for his people. Advise shore party soonest, over."

Maddock stands beside the PW, trusting in the long gun on the tug, as he keeps the Sterling trained on the ragged man.


Guarding PW
Silenced Sterling
Awaiting Orders

"Maddock, Tug. You have to get Raider and yourself out of there. Heavy armour is in your location. Tug's operation is complete. Rooftop is covered by us. Over."

Bayer nods and acknowledgment to Gunny Parks and climbs down onto the deck below. Informing the others in the team, Bayer calls out, "Two times BMP and one time T72 in vicinity with dismounted infantry. Shore party is facing... complications with PW."

In the bridge he will confirm with Adam, the tug's situation.

A cold sweat broke over Dawid when he heard there was not just two BMPs, but a T-72 as well.

He looked over and up at Bayer. "We could deal with one APC, two will be difficult... we could probably take out the tank with a side or rear shot."

"What kind of troubles with the prisoner?"He thought about who was there. Was it possible they had no one along that spoke Polish or Russian well enough to translate? He couldn't remember if Maddock knew any other languages, but considering the rest, this was a distinct possibility. "Do they need someone to translate for them?"

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



Dawid Piotrowski
82mm Vasilek, (5/5 HEDP +5 WP "on deck").
Manning Vasilek.
[Private to GM: My mistake, I thought Clarence was there. I changed the text to Dawid talking to himself. Also, I doubled Dawid's INT (9) to make an "Idea" check as to what the difficulty was with the PW.]
This message was last edited by the player at 05:20, Mon 05 Nov 2007.

Quyen becomes openly agitated and impatient with the prisoner's counter-efforts, which remind her of a child's tantrum of lying down flat as dead-weight. "We can't let this one guy take control of the situation." she says aloud as she gives him a mild kick to the leg.

Minh Quyen
AK-74 (5 Mags) + 4 Frag, 1 HC Smk, 2 WP Smk (+ Russian's Rifle)
Shore party's location

Bayer calls back down, "He is resisting or something. Hard to tell. They are to transport him back here but he's lying about onz the beach."

Bayer looks upriver and continues (addressing all of the team) "Corpoal Yazzie is swimming back. Keep an eye out and help him above if needed."

With that he pivots around and lies alongside Parks.

"Hauptman Bayer!" Anneka's voice cuts through the sounds of panic coming from almost everywhere.
"I suggest Yazzie remain where he is and spot for us. I don't think we can stop them, but at the very least we can slow them down a bit. Perhaps throw a HE or two from the mortar, a dozen or so AGL grenades and a few hundred rounds of indirect DShK?"

There was a quite lot they could do to slow the attackers down and with a little luck they might even damage one or more of the armoured vehicles. The accompanying infantry would certainly be thinking twice.
Besides, even if they weren't going to assist the Russians, and that definately wasn't one of her own priorities, there was no way their slow tug could ever outrun even the tank, even without the barge.

"Have Yazzie stay where he is until we know if our fire has had any effect. We can arrange to pick him up a little later."
Again they had options. One of the two boats, which were much faster than the tug, could be sent back to retrieve him, or somebody could take the motorcycle. All Yazzie needed to do was lay low for a short period before making his way downstream a mile or two, presuming they still intended to go in that direction.

Even if Konrad chose to continue with his present course of action, there were a few things she herself could do.
"Warrant Officer Milk," she called towards the stern. "Would you be so kind as to prep the autocannon?"
A peashooter compared to a tank, but there was nothing like a stream of armour piercing tracer to send a tank or APC into a rapid reverse, no matter how short lived that stream might be.

If they all lived through this, her highest priority at their next trading opportunity would be to aquire some antiarmour weapons. Something modern would be ideal but right now she'd settle for an old WWII Bazooka!

"Corporal Yazzie has made the call from his local perspective. He would have stayed if he felt it was safe enough." Bayer calls back down. "Even if I told him to stay, I doubt he would."

"Why do we need to slow them down or stop them? We're done here. This battle doesn't concern us. All it takes is for that tank to make a single shot and this tug is fucked."

"Exactly! That's why we need to slow them down, make them back off before they spot us."
She could see that he needed her to spell if out for him.

"Right now they don't know we're here. In just a few minutes from what I can hear, they will be in position to see at least the mast above you and do you think they won't investigate?"
Well armed they might be, but armoured enough to withstand even just the autocannon of a BMP?

"We should try and force them back, or at least delay them a few minutes while we head off down stream. Hopefully they'll think our fire comes from Russian reinforcements. If it's accurate enough, they should be fooled into thinking the position they're attacking are acting as the spotters and will concentrate their attention there."

For the cost of a few rounds wasn't it worth at least a try? It's not like they actually needed to defeat them...

"We don't know whether we've been spotted or not. And firing off may lose us that advantage, along with the ammo. All we'd do is piss em off, we can't handle a force like that. We're leaving now anyways, and don't need a fighting withdrawl, unless they do show up."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:20, Mon 05 Nov 2007.

"Tug, Raider, acknowledge. Snowy, get ready for bug-out." Maddock releases Transmit, and looks at the other shore party members. A long look at the recalcitrant prisoner, and then he shrugs broad, powerful shoulders.

"Hauptman says we've got armor making a push into town, against this'un's lot. The tug's mobile, Yazzie's pulling for rendezvous, and the Hauptman wants  yon prisoner on the tug, and us gone, now. He's coming with us, one way or the other, at least for now."

He looms over the prisoner, slinging the Sterling in favour of the stubby handgun from his holster. His other hand, with scarred knuckles and a prize-fighter's splay, is held ready. In broken Polish and Russian, he says, "Coming with us if want or not want. Can come nice or come hurt but come must."


Shore Party
Browning High-Power
Prepping the prisoner

Tucker looks around at the siutuation and ducks back down to look at the others.  "OK, listen up.  Blue and Max, start to head back to the raft and give Maddock a hand with the PW.  Me and Minh will cover you and then be right behind you shortly there after."

Minh doesn't saying anything at first, but acknowledges Sergeant Tucker's order by immediately moving to one corner of the old truck and taking up a ready fire position. "Covering." she calls over her shoulder once in position, followed by a much quieter, "Lets get outta here."

Minh Quyen
AK-74 (5 Mags) + 4 Frag, 1 HC Smk, 2 WP Smk (+ Russian's Rifle)
Shore party's location

It all happens so fast...

As Maddock and Blue heave the envoy/prisoner to his feet, he wrenches free, pivots on his boot-heel, practically dives around the corner of the stranded tanker truck, and sprints awkwardly across the wet pavement towards the dock building, hands still cuffed behind his back and hollering like a banshee as he goes.

Presumably hearing his comrade's cries for help, the man on the roof pops his head up above the concrete parapet and tentatively raises his AK.

Your former prisoner is about halfway to the relative safety of the building.

On the tug, Konrad and Anneka continue to debate the tactical necessities of the tug's current situation while Clarence- more of a communications than a weapons specialist- attempts to prep the ZU-23-2 for direct fire.

Gunny lines up the rooftop target in the scope of his SVD rifle.

Yazzie makes his way back through the foliage to the riverbank. The return trip to the tug- soon to be a moving object- against the current is going to be much trickier than the trip from tug to shore.

Actions?

With no chance of stopping the former prisoner, Quyen, already in a fire position, fires semi-automatic until he goes down.

Minh Quyen
AK-74 (5 Mags) + 4 Frag, 1 HC Smk, 2 WP Smk (+ Russian's Rifle)
Shore party's location

Several shots cracked through the air behind her as Anneka kept her eyes scanning her arc.
"You think they don't know we're here now?" she asked Konrad rhetorically. Sure the shots may have been swallowed up in the noise created by the "battle" beyond the buildings, but....

With john at the river bank he finds a place to make a hide and pulls out his radio....


"tug this is knife..Break contact I say again break contact... its a T-72!!!"


" I will move down stream when you blow the ships whistle."

"i will move about a mile then float out to you.. will need pick up line out so i can be picked up..snow will know how to set the line..."

"you dont have a chance in hell against a tank and two BMP's dont kid yourself move when you can and thats now.."

with the transmissions out john will hide himself on the river bank in the weeds and reeds. he will set the rifle out to defend himself..


John
setting up hide
G3 (74 rounds)

The firing of shots from the riverbank catches Bayer's attention and he swivels around to return his focus back to the shore party. Catching sight of Gunny about to fire he adds, "Take the shot, Gunny."

Also immediately after Yazzie's voice breaks over the radio. Bayer yells down to Adam, "Adam! We can start moving! We'll collect the others a little ways downstream." Lifting the radio handset, "All call signs, this ist Tug. Tug is leaving. Link up ASAP."

"Griet," Anneka called forward. "You know how to use one of these?" she tapped the port side DShK once she'd gained her attention.
"Be prepared to man the starboard gun in a hurry. Sounds like we could be in for a rough time shortly."
Although the PKM was a good weapon, it lacked a certain something against armoured targets. The heavy machinegun on the other hand at least had a chance of inflicting damage against more than just infantry.

"Hauptman Bayer, may I suggest you come down and man one of the heavy weapons until the shore party boards? Dawid might need a hand up front with the mortar and AGS."
It was times like this that drove home just how short on manpower they were. If even just one of the BMPs were to reveal themselves, those who remained on the tug would probably have a hard time fending it off. Sure the Vasilek could deal with it, but one it's loaded clip was expended it would take Dawid a very long time to reload it by himself.

"Warrant Officer Milk, how's it coming back there? Think you could manage a burst or two in the general direction if needed?"
Anneka wasn't particularly worried about accuracy for the moment. She very much doubted that such a light weapon, even one that fired more than thirty rounds per second, would do much more than scare a tank.

Once it seems as though the landing party is safely on their way to loading up into the boats, Bayer will acknowledge Soleblume suggestion. "Let me know if something comes up ok?" he says to Parks as he climbs down to the deck below.

Bayer will assume the gunner's role behind the AGS.

OOC - Rae am I posting too much? I try to respond alot regarding communication, between PCs as to help keep the game momentum going and such, but am wondering what the GM thinks.

Maddock snaps to the Weaver stance, Browning held steady by two meaty hands, and fires a pair of shots at the fleeing prisoner. He barks an order, "Back to the boats. Move it!" and shortly follows his own advice, making sure that Minh follows, too.


Firing at Prisoner
Browning High-Power

Griet answers in her gently butchered English, "Yes, I will do."

The DShK is a weapon for which she had received formal training during her stint with the now extinct Polish Navy.

Clarence shouts back over his shoulder, "Yeah, I think I got it major. Just don't expect me to hit anything with it." he adds wryly, spinning the traverse whell to bring the twin flared barrels to bear on the docks.

OOC: Konrad, I think your post rate is fine. It's actually quite helpful to have an additional IG director keeping the campaign moving. By all means, keep it up (as long as you're enjoying yourself...).

The prisoner drops like a sack of wet cement, his momentum sending him sliding a meter along the wet cement before his body- now carrying two 5.45mm bullets- comes awkwardly to rest in a dirty puddle.

As the young conscript's blood mingles with the rainwater, the shore party beats feet- sans Minh's cuffs- for the boat where Snowy awaits, outboard engine coughing to life.

Almost simultaneously, Gunny watches through his scope as his target's head erupts in a spray of pink before it disappears behind the rooftop parapet. One shot, one kill. His mouth hints at a smile with the grim satisfaction of a job well done.

All visible threats are eliminated. The sound of automatic rifle and canon fire from beyond the fuel transfer buildings tapers off slightly, suggesting that one on the two sides contesting the town has managed to come off on top. It is likely only a matter of minutes before one or the other of the contestants shows up near shore...

The Krolowa begins making way. Slowly, cautiously, but with a sense of urgency and purpose, Uller and Adam manouver the tug towards what they believe to be an open channel closer to the north bank. Adam says, with more than a hint of desperation in his voice,

"We need someone on the roof to watch the river. Look for odd waves and ripples, changes in the color of the water, that sort of thing. Quickly!"

He understands that if the likely hostile armor catches the Queen hung up on another obstacle, they'll make short work of her. Speed is of the essence, but so is finding a clear path ahead.

Yazzie waits downriver for an opportunity to reenter the water and- if all goes according to plan- be recovered safely by the boat crew.

Actions?

Holding position and waiting for the tug to apear.

"Hauptman Bayer!" Anneka calls after nodding acknowledgement to Adam.
"New plan. I think you, as the only one not vitally employed at the moment, should climb back up the mast and watch the river for Adam."
Damn they were short staffed. She hated asking Konrad to do it, but until the shore party were back aboard, who else was there?
A few days back she'd have asked Parks to do it, but with his injuries....

"Ja, I will do that. Have two men selected to recover Yazzie." Bayer calls after everyone (except Yazzie) is brought aboard. Climbing back up to the rooftop he sits next to Parks and lays his rifle within arms reach on the deack. He readies his binoculars and begins scanning the river ahead. He'll yell below any suspicious area of the river, as well as announce Yazzie's approach.


Konrad Bayer
G36/HK-69
Rooftop next to Gunny Parks
Watching forward for navigation hazards.

OOC - Is Bayer's task 'Observation' or would it be considered 'Small Boat'... hopefully is the first.

"Shit." Says Snowy, going for understatement of the year. "All right, everyone grab a seat and watch an arc. Mad Dog, are we clear to go?"

Quyen gets up to run with the rest but remembers her cuffs almost immediately. She whirls around and sprints over to where the dead man lies in the puddle, key already in hand. Flipping him over, she unlocks them as quickly as one with her experience could. As soon as the cuffs are off she races back to join back up with the rest of the team. "Sorry." she says to Maddock and Tucker, "Didn't want to leave my gear behind."

Quyen then takes up a free position on the boat and as per Snowy's orders, watches her arc.

Minh Quyen
AK-74 (5 Mags) + 4 Frag, 1 HC Smk, 2 WP Smk (+ Russian's Rifle)
Climbing aboard inflatable

OOC - I fired 5 rounds, yes? Thats what the Dice Roller shows.

This message was last edited by the player at 11:33, Thu 08 Nov 2007.

Maddock is the last aboard the boat, barking, "In and down, damnit, girl!" He pushes off hard, half-tumbling into the boat himself. "Go, Snowy."

He rights himself carefully, so as not to unbalance the boat.

"We'll get these back aboard and fetch Yazzie, hey?"


Landing boat
Browning High-Power

"Yup, he's actually swimming back to the barge. Man, you marine type guys are hard. I don't wanna put my pinkie in this soup." Snowy turns the throttle and brings the zodiac around, heading for the tug.
"Good idea to get your cuffs back miss. If they'd found that guy with his hands cuffed and back-shot, we might find ourselves getting a rough greeting further downstream."

Cradling his M4 as he guides the inflateable, Snowy hunkers down and says over the motor's noise "Max, Tuck, how are you guys going for five point five six? I've only got what's in my mags, and I've shot off a dozen rounds of those. Has the Old Man got any ammo for us?"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:38, Thu 08 Nov 2007.

Taking her place in the inflatable, Quyen gives Maddock a somewhat guilty look.



"I suppose you're correct." she replies. She only wanted her cuffs back, but Snowy's reasoning made her feel less bad over the risk she took. She looked quickly over at Maddock to try to tell if he may have heard Snowy's comment.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:37, Fri 09 Nov 2007.

Robert curses under his breath as he watches Minh run out for her handcuffs off of the fallen soldier.  He does his best to cover her while she does that and waves Minh back to the burnt out truck next to him.  "Done now?" he says to her and then motions with his free hand to make towards the raft where the others hopefully made it to.

Tucker watches as Snowy and Maddock are directing everyone into the raft and finds his spot and fire arc as he gets in and waits to shove off.  He looks to Maddock and then back to Snowy as long as the shore party is all loaded up, "Get us the fuck out of here Maddock!

How much you need Snowy?  I got my own spares of it but, I'm not sitting too pretty.  Won't last long in a sustained fight.  I got some stripper clips back in my gear on board and I can give you some if you really need it.  Hate to say it but, we're going to have to start looking into using some local shit or something more easily available to us."

Tucker
M-16A2 [27/30]/M-203 [HE]
Covering a fire arc in the raft

As the Zodiac heads for midstream, the sound of fire picks up behind you. The battle of Ulcie Solne is apparently entering the endgame phase. Errant tracers race overhead as the antagonists engage in desperate, close quarters battle. Fortunately, not much attention appears to be directed at you at the moment. When the two boats- one large and lumbering, one small and nimble- finally are noticed, the fire sent in your direction is poorly delivered. But, the message that accompanies it is clear- you are not welcome in Ulcie Solne.

The zodiac pulls up alongside the Krolowa, and the team begins reboarding the tug. As both boats are underway, the task is a little trickier than is comfortable, but everyone makes it on to the Queen's deck safely. The Krolowa, now further removing itself from the river inlets which clogged the channel with their effluents, finds deeper water. As you look back, you can see the exhaust of an armored vehicle as it pulls on to the pavement of the fuel loading facility. The commander's hatch opens and he surveys his surroundings. He sees the Krolowa, now three hundred meters distant and pulling away at 10 knots, and pauses for a moment, appearing to consider his options. After a few seconds, he shrugs his shoulders as if saying "Oh well, I suppose this one's gotten away." The BMP-2 makes no effort to engage the tug. Clarence, for his part, decides not to tempt counterfire by engaging the vehicle with the ZU. He's pretty sure he couldn't have hit it anyway- a case of you leave me be, and I'll leave you be.

Meanwhile Yazzie kicks himself into the river. It quickly becomes clear that he and the tug are not converging at the same rate and that he is going to be left behind. Fortunately, the zodiac is still tied alongside and ready for immediate deployment. The zodiac team swoops out and lifts the soggy marine out of the cold brown water before returning to the tug for good. The team has made it out of a potentially deadly situation in one piece, sending two possibly hostile strangers to the great hereafter in the bargain. You're a bit shaken, your adrenaline is still pumping, some of you are a bit wet, but you are alive.

Actions?

John will set about cleaning his gear and weapon. he will dress down to his skivies and remove his wet uniform ( he will hag it on 550 cord) and put on his dry one from his pack. he will clean his weapon and wipe down his ammo to insure all is clean and dry. he will go to the gally and remove a meals worth of food and water and consume it there not talking to others or getting in the way. once his is done with his meal he will return to the top deck to lay out his sleeping roll and he will take a nap.



John
going about post mission duties
G3

Before most of the team heads off to take care of post-mission routines, Bayer grabs Soleblume, Maddock, Tucker, and Clarence (but he advertises it as an open invitation regardless of rank or position), and asks them to join him in the galley for some planning. He also asks Fosters and Thompson to post sentry while the meeting goes on (I think they are still away from the game right?).

Once everyone has got a seat and is ready, he begins, keeping it very informal and open for all to input their ideas. "We are still going through the expected process of organizing ourselves. I've posted a sentry watch schedule, but also need to discuss other... um, routines. What do you think of the sentry roster? What are our immediate concerns, besides acquiring some anti-armour? Also, a reminder. The next town we pass is Nowy Korczyn, a small village, we don't know much about it. But after that we have Szczucin and the collapsed bridge. Thompson, can't predict if we have enough explosives without seeing it, but figures we have enough for clearing a portion anyways. We also have the Vietnamese one... Quyen, who knows a bit about demolitions to help him. So... lets have it out. What other concerns do we have?"

As he opens up the floor for everyone to speak, he folds his map to show the area they face ahead of him, along with some markings he wrote on it with a grease pencil. He lays it out in front of those assembled. http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/5223/map3od8.jpg

OOC - What time is it?
This message was last edited by the player at 13:19, Sat 10 Nov 2007.

The crisis over, Dawid lugged the AGS-17 back to the fantail. Then he secured the Vasilek, keeping it loaded with HEAT rounds. He settled in at the bow, scanning to the shorelines to port, starboard and fore with his binoculars.

Clarence listens quietly as Bayer lays out the situation. The Hauptman is everything Clarence has come to expect from practicioners of Teutonic military tradition- calm, competent, conscientous. He reckoned their chances of survival- and his chance of completing his mission- were all the better for Bayer's presence on board.

As Konrad finishes up, Clarence speaks, "Didn't our pimp friend say somethin' about seein' a Russian chopper up 'round Nowy Korczyn? If he wasn't trippin', that can't be good for us. When my team left Krakow, we split up and headed off in all directions, each man except me carrying a dummy set of RESET papers. At least that's what I was told. As that ORMO prick back at the monastary pointed out, our departure from Krakow didn't go unnoticed."

He glances at Griet searching for a reaction and seeing a thin smile creep across her lips, continues,

"I'm sure the local KGB/GRU had to know about it. We played the race card hopin' that the Reds wouldn't take a black courier seriously- I can't exactly blend in to the local population, he, he. But, if they picked up any of the others or my handler... The Reds put two and two together and they're bound to come lookin' for this boat. A helicopter would be real good for that job and not just anybody has one, ya know what I mean? I don't like it."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:21, Sat 10 Nov 2007.

"Yes... the helicopter, near Nowy Korczyn. We must be careful on how to deal with it if we see it ourselves, especially if it was a Mi-24, you know those gunships armoured liked a tank... the Hind. If it comes in close to check us out, should we try to shoot it down? If not, it could destroy us with long range missile and gun fire. But shooting it down may be a challenge itself with what we have. Well except for the zoo-23, but its ammo is low and has a limited arc of fire on this boat. Anyway, its a good point, the sentries will have to be reminded to keep an eye up, as well as down."

As for, Nowy, Korczyn, keep in mind he only saw a helicopter flying near there. We don't know where it is based. It may not have come from there.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:01, Sat 10 Nov 2007.

Quyen sits next to Dawid, pulling the hood of her green Adidas track top over her head, covering all but small part of her face. She won't say much, unless spoken to, but will keep an eye on the river ahead. He webbing and rifle lay on the deck beside her.

Tucker lets Konrad finish before giving his input.  "We're kind of short the way it is Konrad so I don't know if a sentry roster is necessary to go along with a watch schedule unless you somehow combine it?  Other than that, I think we keep it to just a watch schedule.  If you want to throw an extra set of eyes out at night, that shouldn't be too bad.

Concern I have right now is shore parties.  I don't have a problem doing them but, I think those going ashore shouldn't be dressed in any kind of military clothing.  We've got a decent mix of it but, no need to draw any attention to ourselves.  It might seem like a minor thing to me but, some civvie clothes wouldn't be bad.  People are tired and afraid of anyone now a days in any kind of BDU's after what we've done to their country and our own.

Not only should we be looking for more explosives, I think we should be looking into getting some kind of reloading machine for our own brass.  Some AT stuff wouldn't be too bad either after what we just left behind us at the last town.  Some 40 mm grenades would be nice too.

We're also going to need to start getting some more of us trained on the DShK MG's and other weapons we've got.  Those MG's and the AGL are the bread and butter of the tug since we're limited on ammo on the Mortar and 'ZOO.'

This next town, Nowy Korczyn, even though there's been reports of a Soviet helo in the area I think we should see if we can take a look around and maybe see if we can get some trading done or at least some Intel on what's ahead of us.  We don't really know what's there but, going in as merchants not dressed in military garb, might open them up.  Who knows, maybe we can get lucky and they know where we can get some of the shit we need?"

"That may be a good idea Robert, the clothing. If anything, like how Quyen wears mixes civilian attire with issued pants. At least in this area anyways, since most most marauders it seems are apparently deserters from that Soviet tank division, and likely to still be wearing their uniforms.

For making a visit to Nowy Korczyn... what do you think? (he looks to Soleblume, Maddock, Clarence and whoever else is present) Maybe we should see what the rest of the men think as well. Each stop we make slows our progress and increased our chances to casualties, but as you said, we could use some additions to our firepower. Although we can be pretty sure trade is available in Sandomierz. Lets put it to a vote perhaps?

For trade, it seems our priority is anti-armor. Anti-aircraft and 40mm grenades should also be kept in mind.

For the machine gun training, excellent idea. We should find out who is skilled the most with them, and have them run some of the men through instructional periods with them. It'll also give them something to do... keeping busy and being productive. Well set something up once we've got some instructors who have experience identified.

Major? Sergeant Major?

OOC - Tucker, the watch schedule and sentry roster were the same thing... just referred to as by two names. One person on duty during the day and two by night. In order as per the OOC thread.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:19, Sun 11 Nov 2007.

"Far as I know, Dawid's the top guy for our heavy weapons.  Like I said, have him continue to train Clarence on the Mortar but, everyone else who isn't up to speed needs to get there, me included, on the other stuff.

Another point I think we need to work out is who stays and goes during shore parties.  We're spread pretty thin right now and can't afford to leave the tug too short-handed while we're out walking the shores.  If we're going to rotate personnel for shore details, then we need to step up the training for the tug's defenses.  Everyone's competant enough with small arms so that's not a problem.  We also have a problem with the language it seems.  We're going to need to set down with someone who is basically fluent with Polish and or Russian."

OOC: I failed to read the OOC post about the watch schedule before I posted.  Also, I think it would be better for the NPC's to stay on  board while most of the action will be with one of the shore parties?  An NPC would be useful to cover a skill needed that PC's may not have.

Maddock, having doffed his helmet and harness for a dry change and the battered beret, accompanied Bayer without complaint.

Hearing out the Hauptman and his US subordinate, Maddock scratches idly at his jaw. "As it happens, laying charges and dropping bridges are part of my package, if you follow. I have the tools but not the supplies for it; all used up in the field previous to now."

He jerks his thumb to indicate the area above deck, where the rest of the team are situated. "Mr. White and I have the small boats operation down, and plenty of experience with it. We might think to designate a prefered fast-deploy package of men and kit for the boat parties; less dickering when the time comes to go over the rail. Also, I can train or operate the AGL without trouble; I'm a little slow on the drop for keeping-up with Yazzie, though."

"Anti-tank would be a real blessing, agreed, but I'm getting the word that the men are worried about rounds for their shoulder arms. We aren't like to be able to standardize, but with Yazzie to gunny them, we might strongly consider cutting down the variation in each man's kit, and trying to bulk up the ammo supplies. Does us no bloody good to be able to swat tanks if the first farmer with a Mauser can pot the boys."

Clarence nods in agreement as each man shares his assessment. When Maddock finishes, Clarence adds,

"Well, we got plenty of 5.45mm ammo and quite a few extra rifles. That seems to be what the local rabble prefers too so it shouldn't be hard to get more if push comes to shove. We're ready to switch over anytime we need to. Now, if we're going to do any business in Sandomierz, we're gonna need stuff to trade for what we want. That pimp pretty much cleaned us out of non-military trade goods. As for what lays between us and Sandomierz, Uller told me that the pimp said its pretty much nothing but ruins between here and there. Except for, that is, Tarzanoberg or whatever it's called. Sounds like we should be expecting a fight there for sure."

OOC: Minh picked up another AK-74 today. I'll add it to the Weapons Locker forthwith. She, Milk, Griet, Dawid, and Max all already carry rifles that fire 5.45mm and we have the RPK-74 as well.

Also, I've failed to mention that Walter, Tadeuz, and Uller all have a skill of 1 in autogun, having acquired, mounted, and played around with the old Dushkas. They can all operate them in a pinch if needed.

The rain continues to fall, lightly. Blue, dry beneath the awning abaft the main stack keeps a watchfull eye on the rear arc. Max dutifully shivers away at the starboard Dushka, daydreaming about real Australian beer. Under their pup-tent on the bridge roof, Yazzie continues to push for the title of "Most Well Rested Team Member" while Gunny Parks continues to study the river ahead- a task made difficult by the rain splashing off of the surface of the murky water.

Dawid and Minh huddle quietly under the blue tarp which serves as the sleeping quarters for the Vasilek crewmen.

Uller is at the con of the Krolowa, while Adam naps on a cot wedged in tight next to the chart table. The tug steams along at a cautious 5 knots. It is approximately 12 o'clock noon, Polish standard time.

Actions?

OOC: Just in case they want to get in on the meeting, I've deliberately left Snow and Anneka's positions up in the air since neither has piped in yet. Seems like the meeting is going along pretty well so nothing much has changed this round.

"Please elaborate your suggestion, Sergeant Major. How would you recommend we go about this?

Quyen breaks the silence with a few quiet words to Dawid. [Private to Dawid Waldus Piotrowski: "I hope Maddock and Tucker don't think I'm an idiot. When we withdrew I ran back for my handcuffs that were on the Russian prisoner. Snowy said it was good that the Russians didn't find a cuffed man shot in the back, but honestly, in the rush of things I just didn't want to leave my kit behind. I just don't need them thinking I don't know what I am doing."]

She notices some water dripping from the front of the tarp falling onto one her boots. She pulls it in closer into a dry spot. "This sucks." she says.

Lighting himself a cigarette and offering the pack, Dawid laughed quietly. "Welcome to sunny Poland!" Rain pattered down on the blue tarp over them, slowly washing away the bloodstains splattered on it.

[Private to Cap'n Rae; Minh Quyen: (Note: I'll include Rae). "Don't worry about going and getting your manacles. Tucker is a practical sort, Mad looks to be as well, they will understand even if they wouldn't think to do that themselves. It'll be fine." ]
This message was last edited by the player at 06:59, Mon 12 Nov 2007.

Quyen takes the pack and picks one of Dawid's smokes out. "Cheers." she says handing it back. Its not enough to break a smile but welcomed none the less. She'll smoke it right down to the butt.

Remembering something she adds, "I've got a RPG HEAT round in my pack. No launcher though. I was holding onto it for trade, along with a few other things, but thought I'd mention it if we come across a launcher."

Minh Quyen
AK74 (28 Rounds) - 5 Magazines
Hanging out under the mortar tarp

”Well, to start off I notice you’ve got a few of the soldiers pulling double shifts overnight.” She pointed at the sheet of paper Konrad had written the roster on.
”I know Parks can’t do much more than rest anyway, but Griet at least might get a little annoyed.”
If past experiences were anything to go by, so would Parks. What soldier wouldn’t complain about double duty?
Although Adam hadn’t said anything specific, she was fairly sure that this wasn’t exactly a trading mission.
”I think that our explosive supply isn’t as much of a problem as you might think. I’d like to scrounge around the next village and see if I can’t find a few “supplies”.
Looking a little sheepish, the small woman continued, ”Back when I was studying medicine I had an interest in chemistry too. You won’t hear me admit it back home, but I was responsible for a large proportion of the louder and more destructive pranks around campus. I think I can remember enough to mix up a batch or two of explosives. Could even manage some smokeless gunpowder, primers and tear gas if I’m asked nicely.”
For a while Anneka hadn’t been too sure if she’d continue with medicine over chemistry, but the deteriorating conditions that led up to this hellish war had demanded medics more than research chemists. Even so, she knew far more about the subject than she cared to – up to and including the creation of most of the nastier chemical weapons…

”So it’s probably a good idea to find some more ammo for that gun back there then? Everyone should be rotated through training on it too.”
Konrad was right about the arc of fire available to if on the rear deck. Something had to be done about it.
”Why don’t we shift the ZSU onto the barge? I think we need to post somebody up front anyway to watch for sandbanks and so on, and so it sort of makes sense if we put a weapon up there too – just in case….”
All it would take was a few sandbags, a handful of logs, maybe some sheet steel, if they could find any, and they'd have a very useful weapon position. Well away from the tug itself it would be capable of engaging targets almost from the flank while having almost unrestricted arcs in case that helicopter showed up.

”We should ensure the picket has whatever night vision aids we can scrounge up to. I’m fairly sure we can use the tugs systems to charge up batteries for them. Speaking of which, have all the radios been charged lately?”

”I disagree.” Anneka stated firmly. ”As tired and afraid as the locals might be, they’ll usually keep out of trouble at the sight of armed soldiers. Stop dressing in uniform and we could be taken as marauders, or worse, if any pact units were to capture any of us, they’d be well within their rights to execute us as spies!”
Their uniforms were one of the last vestiges they had of proper military organisation and belonging to a legitimate army rather than being little more than the deserters, thieves and murders they’d all fought before.
”When we approach a village or town for trade, it’ll be our actions as much as our appearance that dictate the locals response. As long as we act like we’re still answerable to higher command and the Geneva Convention, I think we’ll do ok.”
“Remember too that most of us wear NATO fatigues, very different from the Russian and Polish issue many of the marauders will be wearing. Who knows, if we act right and look the part, we might even be seen a liberators from the “scourge of communism,” she finished with a touch of sarcasm.

”I think that’s fairly straight forward for purely security task such as the last one. Those who went ashore are probably the best suited for that type of task but we definitely got caught out with the language issue.”
Who amongst them had expected that a simple security cordon would have resulted in the taking of a prisoner?
”Obviously Adam should be a part of any trading activities. It’s his boat and cargo of bicyles, and last I heard we were here simply to assist him with security while he carried on his business.”
“Other tasks will probably require tailoring a team to suit.”
She paused for a moment, deep in thought.
”I think it’s about time we conducted an audit of everyone’s skills too. Once we’re done here, I’ll head around with a notepad and record what everyone can do and their estimate of their ability.”
“I’ll categorise each skill into good, average or poor so that Konrad and whoever else is involved with planning can select the right people for the job.”

After Major Soleblume is finishes, Bayer addresses her concerns one at a time.

"Ja. I needed two more names to pull double shift so that the sentries were not pulling extra long shifts. I'd perfer a maximum of an hour, but stretched it out by an extra thirty minutes. I hoping that Griet will understand. She is best suited to remain onboard and thus likely to get more rest than those on shore ops. I saw it as a fair tradeoff... same with Parks. We'll see what she says.

For the demolitions, its good to hear what you can do with chemistry. I wasn't too worried about our amount of explosives, I just want us to be capable of dealing with it quickly once we get there. I'd like for us to be able to acquire some tear gas... you can make that?

Placing the Zoo on the barge is a good idea... at least to me... I don't know too much about boats though. I'll bring it up with Adam. If he's ok, we'll do it... and put 23mm on our shopping list. Ja, great idea.

Uniforms. Hmmm... I admit I not so convinced now what we should do. You both have good points. Let's see what some of the others think ja? In the meantime, we'll stay as we are.

Agreed on trade regarding Adam, and what our responsibilities are and aren't.

Individual abilities. Ja, please compile a report listing what specialties and languages we have. It would be very useful."

Bayer was rather pleased with himself, or rather himself and his teammates. He appreciated the wide range of ideas and contributions made towards planning. He was glad to have had the meeting.

It seemed to Bayer that while a number of ideas were proposed and some planning had been made, there wasn't much disagreement. With no need to further debate it he decides to close the meeting. Whatever unresolved issues remained, he would put forth to the rest of the team for further opinions. They would be decided later.

In the meantime he issued out some taskings...

1. Soleblume was to compile personnel information from all of the team. Please post a list OOC or something ok?
2. Maddock was to come up with a plan of action for getting a "fast-deploy package" of men and kit.
3. Tucker was tasked with identifying instructors to run inexperienced personnel through a crash course on the DSHK machine gun (priority) and if possible one of the other support weapons. You don't have to teach, just organize it ok?
4. Bayer was going to try and have the zsu moved onto the barge, and initiate the watch routine.
5. Clarence was task with conducting a comms check and recharging batteries
(incl. NVGs)

OOC - You guys don't have a problem with doing these things do you?
This message was last edited by the player at 13:20, Mon 12 Nov 2007.

Maddock shakes his head. "No, sir. I can sort it from my end. A bare few of the boys and girls should be all it takes."

"Ah, if I may, I agree with the Major regarding proper uniforms. I think it's as important to the ranks as the indigs that we keep a certain decorum, if you follow."

More awkwardly, he turns to Soleblume. "Begging the Major's pardon, but I don't reckon we can risk trying to 'cook' explosives aboard ship. I never learned the making of high-grade blasting compounds, but I've been working with them my whole career, and I can see a few too many hazards aboard ship for that sort of work."

"Good point Major.  I guess we could be mistaken for marauders buy just about anyone by what variety of uniforms we're wearing now.  We could still be considered hostile forces by those PACT forces who are still operating to current orders from their perspective governments.  I think it would be good to have them anyways because I can speak for myself, I'd like something more comfortable to slip into than my BDU's every now and again.  The BDU's still show some sort of decorum and organization like the Sergeant Major said too," Tucker adds.

Water slowly dripped onto the deck from a loose corner of the tarp.

"Sounds good. One of the explosives experts we have along could easily make this into a trap of some kind as well, should not be hard to do. Do you have it handy? Let me take a look." He smoked his down to the butt too, then reached into his jacket and placed it in his blouse pocket.

As he waited, watching, he scrunched down into his fatigue jacket and adjusted his beret. The would on his forehead was healing nicely, the stitches would be able to come out soon. There would be a scar.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:23, Mon 12 Nov 2007.

Quyen shook her head but went and got it anyways, rucksack and all. "I was in the combat engineer brigade. I know a little about traps myself... I've got two landmines in here. A claymore and a POMZ-2. I even got four sticks of old dynamite. I swear some day I'm gonna light the fuse with a smoke dangling from my mouth and throw it at somebody."

She unzips the main compartment and lifts out the HEAT round. "RPG-16 HEAT." she announces. "We lost the launcher during one of the raids back in the village where we met."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:33, Mon 12 Nov 2007.

Bayer leaves the galley in search of Adam. Finding him, he proposes the plan to relocate the zu-23-2 (if he is awake). "Adam. Is it possible for us to move the anti-aircraft gun somewhere onto the barge? it weighs around one ton. We'd like to prop up some sandbags around it as well."

After getting an answer from the Captain he will inform all of the team of the sentry roster. He'll explain that the sentry(ies) on duty must be fully kitted up as they would during a stand too. There will be either one day or two night sentries. Night sentries need to have night vision during their shift.

There will also be two routine stand toos for all members... one at first light 0500-0600 and again at last light 1800-1900.

He informs Dawid last. "Dawid, its 1200 now, so I'll need you to start us off."
This message was last edited by the player at 11:58, Tue 13 Nov 2007.

She nodded in agreement.
"I don't intend to do it aboard the tug for that very reason. If we set up a workspace on the barge with a couple of layers of sandbags underneath and surrounding it, there shouldn't be any problem. Any accidental blast will be directed up and away while the sandbags underneath should protect the hull. It's not like I'll be tamping it down or anything while working..."
She also intended to make only small batches of a kilogram or two at a time.
That would take care of any explosives she was working on but gas was another matter. They'd have to be still with the wind blowing from behind before she'd feel even slightly comfortable about that nastiness.

"Yes sir. May I please have my grenades back? If you did not use them, that is."


OOC: The crow's nest seems like the best spot to stand watch. Assuming anyone else isn't currently occupying it.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:47, Tue 13 Nov 2007.

"Ja, of course." Bayer says digging into his webbing. He hands back over the two frag grenades. "Thanks."

OOC - Damn, I didn't forget about them until that last post.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:57, Tue 13 Nov 2007.

He took them, stowed them in the grenade pouches of his ammo harness. "You are welcome, sir."

Grabbing his Tantal rifle and vest, Dawid put away his binoculars and slung the case over his shoulder on a hip. Then he climbed onto the deck house roof, and from there climbed into the crow's nest. A thin drizzle was still falling, so he put on his plastic rain poncho and commenced scanning the river and banks with the glasses.


OOC: This makes a little more sense for posting.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:51, Tue 13 Nov 2007.

With the breaking up of the meeting, Anneka scrounged around the tug until she found some paper and a pencil. Drawing upon her own knowledge and experiences, she drew up a rough list of skills before heading around the tug to interview each of the security element.
Each time she stopped, the questions ran in a similar way....
"So, Minh is it? Tell me about the past few years in the military. What qualifications have you completed? What skills have you learnt? Have you picked up any other useful skills over the years? How good would you say you are at each of those things?"
Fairly stock standard interview questions but vital if Anneka was to compile a reasonably accurate assessment of the groups capabilities.
"Oh, and while I'm asking, is there any equipment you have that may be useful to the group as a whole?"
This message was last edited by the player at 02:28, Wed 14 Nov 2007.

Still sitting under the tarp near the mortar Quyen pulls down her hood to show her face in a more polite mannor. "Yeah, Minh Quyen. I was military police for a while, so I know PW manhandling, and interrogation technique and stuff like that. Halfway through the war I was sent to the combat engineers. I know a bit about demolitions, fortification construction, and boobytraps." She thinks for a moment. "Back home... my old home in Vietnam I mean, I handled river boats, so I can do that as well."

Pointing at her small rucksack she adds, "I've got some mixed demo and two mines. I'm also carrying a few trades items... pre-war soap, lockpick tools, jewelry, anti-biotics, and an RPG HEAT round."

"This seems to be the mortar crew's spot. You know where can I drop my gear and call my home here on the boat?" She wasn't on shift until early that evening and if she wasn't needed she figured she put her feet up.

Even though Anneka greatly outranked Minh, she felt a sense of connection with her. Both were from countries other than the one they served in the army of. She herself had grown up in Israel, neutral at the best of times to the USA but now firm allies in the fight against both communism and the more extremist arab nations.
"We're using the old paint locker down below as the magazine for now. You should probably drop your explosives in there in a minute - safer than having them on you in a fight."
"Your other stuff, as far as I'm concerned, is yours. Add the valuables to the collection in the radio room or hang onto it, your choice. The medicine though I'd like you to put in the galley with the rest of the medical supplies please."
"Feel free to draw whatever you need though, you're a part of this crew now."
Although Anneka was asking Minh to part with many valuable items, the unit as a whole were not thieves. Minh was one of them now. Whatever stores they had were for the benefit of all those aboard.
"You should probably speak to Hauptman Bayer about a permanent station but I'd suggest either staying here and helping Dawid out, or heading back to the rear deck. Most of us are camping outside at or near our duty stations but you're welcome to try finding a bunk inside if you can."

"Alright." she replies. Standing up she places her bush hat on her head and slings her webbing and gear over one shoulder. Picking up her rifle last she heads below deck to surrender some of her gear.

OOC - I will submit my medicines from my trade goods to the ship's sick bay, and remove them from my inventory. She'll also stow her demo in the old paint locker but I'll keep them on my inventory.

Antibiotics X7 Pills
Sedatives X3 Pills
Pain Reliever X1 Unopened Bottle

Once done she look for a dry spot on the rear deck, near the funnel. There she will rest - or sleep if it comes. She approach Captain Bayer later when he seems less busy.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:43, Wed 14 Nov 2007.

One down plus herself, Anneka turned her attention to Dawid once Minh had moved off to sort herself out.
"Your turn Dawid. What can you tell me and is there any items you've been holding back on us?" she finished with a smile.
[Private to Dawid Waldus Piotrowski: PM or OOC for your skill list please. No need to clutter the thread up with it - unless you'd like to rp it.]

He looked down from the small observation platform. "Item-wise, I have another bottle of Vodka and a carton of cigarettes. My anti-tank rocket and spare PKM ammo are all in the weapons locker. You know about the night-glasses, and of course I have these binoculars."

"For skills, I am well-versed in all forms of machineguns, automatic cannons, artillery like antitank guns, field pieces and howitzers, and of course mortars. I'm fairly good with a rifle and so-so with a pistol. I have only basic instruction with grenade launchers and guided missiles."

"I have some experience as a mechanic, and know how to safely dismantle explosive devices. Enough to clear a dud shell at any rate. From my youth on the farm, I learned how to ride and swim, and fish from a boat. And farm, of course."

"I speak English and Russian, and Polish of course. Lastly, I can drive cars, tractors, tanks and bikes.. a little."

"Is this sufficient?"

He didn't seem to be rude, but was occupied with scanning the passing riverbanks.

Anneka struggled to keep up with the torrent of information. She'd not had to write so fast since she'd been a student nurse in what seemed like a lifetime ago.
"Yes, yes, thank you Dawid. More than sufficient."
Tidying up her notes she headed for her next "victim", Warrant Officer Milk...
"I'm sure you know the drill," she said once he'd been located. "Lets hear it..."

Anneka finds Clarence aft, under the tarp where the aft Dushka is emplaced.

"Well, how does the saying go? Jack of all trades; master of none. I qualified marksman with the 16 and I've got plenty o' hands-on with PACT weapons. Even the young bucks couldn't take me down in the ring or on the mat. I'm a coms specialist so I know a fair bit about electronics. I've had some experience calling in fires and I know my way around a map. Then there's the stuff they teach back at Bragg: stealth, survival, tracking, basic recon- that sorta stuff. I'm not the best operator in the bush, but I've managed to stay alive this long. Oh, and of course, us Green Berets are supposed to be teachers as much as fighters. Does that help?"

Looking around the rather spacious, open deck underneath the tarp, Clarence continues.

"You might think about setting up your aid station here major. Enough open space, the tarp overhead, not as stuffy as below. These sandbags and ammo boxes will probably stop a bullet. And it's centrally located. It aint no OR, but it's probably the best spot on the boat."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:59, Wed 14 Nov 2007.

"Yes, thanks for that."
Her notebook was rapidly filling up with information gleened from members of the team. All vital knowledge if they were to effectively and efficiently manage any future encounters and events.
"It's not a bad idea setting up out here but with luck I won't need the space. For now I think it best to leave the supplies where they are. Only takes a moment to grab them if somebody's seriously hurt."
Surgery at the best of times held no guarentees. For her to have to do it alone and unaided in the completely unsanitary environment of a working river tug, well, that didn't bear thinking about.

An idea that had been floating about in her head for a few days came to mind as she reviewed Clarence's skills.
"Could you have a think about setting up an intercom system between duty stations? What materials would be needed and so forth. I'll then set our scroungers to work."

A quick bite to eat, shower and change of clothes later and she was off in search of the British man, Maddock.
"Sergeant Major!" she called, spotting him near on of the small boats. "Your turn for the interrogation chair." A small smile indicated that she'd go relatively easily on him, provided he complied...
This message was last edited by the player at 13:43, Sat 17 Nov 2007.

Clarence replies, "I just thought I'd run it by you. We really don't need two LMGs up front. Even though they can't shoot straight forward over the bow, the Dushkas can cover the forward angles well enough. If you were stationed back here,  you could cover whichever side is engaged with the RPD. The fields of fire are great. And, the good Lord forbid, if someone does get hit, this would be a good place to treat 'em. With you back here, we could use the new girl as a mobile reserve. Just think it over, OK?"



"Uh, do we have any telephone wire? If we had some and a couple of handsets, I could easily rig up an 'intercom' from the bridge to the crow's nest. Come to think of it, I could run it all over the boat, if we had enough wire. Oh, and sir, the radio and goggle batteries should be ready to go for tonights sneak and peek. But sir, I don't think it's such a good idea to send out a team after dark, especially on a night like this."

OOC: This conversation occured before the events of Chapter 6. I'm just clearing up some loose ends here.

Anneka considered Clarence's words. He made some good points but she'd chosen to set up forward of the bridge for two reasons - it's excellent view over the bow as well as it's proximity to the bridge itself. Moving to the rear deck would remove her from involvment in the day to day running of the vessel as well as move her further from the bulk of the crew.

By her count, all but Maddock and Minh were either on the upper deck or the bow of the tug. From her sandbagged vantage point she could see nearly everyone in the security element of the crew merely by taking a few steps.

"I understand your point of view Sgt Major, but I think I should stay where I am for the moment."
"But," she continued conspiratorially, "I wouldn't mind seeing Griet moved away from the centre of operations. Krakow has too much say in what's happening already without her nosing in every few minutes."

Although they'd been sharing a position for the past few days, Anneka couldn't bring herself to trust the ORMO representative. She embodied everything wrong about the situation, seeming to fill the role of a communist political officer more than a simple intermediary.

"Do you know if we've got any wire aboard already?" she asked, sure that supplies would be limited.
"I'll keep an eye out for more of course and tell anyone who goes ashore to do the same."

A working intercom would be a huge benefit. No more would they have to rely on shouting over the tugs engines, or the deep thumping of heavy machineguns. A command could be quickly and easily be issued from anywhere, to anywhere on board.