Bayer turns his attention to the sudden arrival of the truck. Running over, he speaks into his radio, "Hold firm. All around defense centered on the two houses. Keep your men in place."

Once he finds out what's going on, he motions Quyen and her team over. While she is on her way, Bayer says to Wicks, "We need to secure the demo, and or detonate it."

"Quyen, load up." he says as she arrives. If its possible to be able to place the AGS on the Tarpan where it can fire without having to dismount it, he'll also tell them to do so. "And get Ling in the back."

Toggling his radio, Bayer says, "Mariusz, keep your squad here with the machineguns. Hold this position. We'll be back."

After climbing aboard, he speaks into his radio, "Queen. Sunray. Standby, fire mission to follow. Tentative target is the bridge at grid... NH 432 490."

OOC - I can't remember if we left the demo or not IG, but assume it was overlooked in our posts.

In reply to Konrad Bayer (msg #832):

Looking with great satisfaction as the flaming wreck collapses even faster, Dawid considered lighting a cigarette.

"Ah, even if it's a wasted round, it's well-worth it. No Pirate's going to stick around here now, unless they're insane."

After hearing the call for a fire mission, he hustled back to the stern, bringing the radio with him. After dialing in the correct angle and bearing, he transmitted, "Eagle calling Sunray, ready to shoot. We are standing by. Please confirm."

He looked, they were getting a little low on ammo, maybe a half-dozen fragmentation  rounds left. Dawid wanted to be sure before committing them, but when the target was firm he would fire without hesitation.

82mm Vasilek (2/5 HE)
Aiming for indirect fire and holding.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:50, Wed 16 Sept 2009.

As he watches Ling falls unconscious, he lifts her out of the vehicle and moves her to Stoners makeshift triage. He relays what she said to the Captain when he arrives and climbs into the passengers set while changing out his grenade launcher for a HEDP round. He also locates the M72 they recovered from the check point and the Russian anti tank mine.

When the rest of his squad and the auto grenade launcher arrives Wicks lends a hand getting it seated and ready.  He places the RPK-74 militiaman in the front passenger seat and the two remaining militia in the back. He then climbs aboard and finds a place in the vehicle HK-69 at his shoulder.


Alan Wicks
M14K (19/20) HK-69 (1/1 HEDP)
Moving out
Tarpan
This message was last edited by the player at 08:56, Wed 16 Sept 2009.

Mariusz said, "Yes, Sir," to Bayer and then started to organise his squad and the machineguns into a defensive position. As he did he detailed two uninjured squad members to examine the dead and recover equipment.

Griet took Bayer's message and yelled at Dawid, "Dawid, back to the mortar please, we need to prepare for a fire mission, tentative target is the bridge at grid... NH 432 490."
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:00, Wed 16 Sept 2009.

In reply to Mariusz Tokarski (msg #836):

He replied, "already there, Ma'am, standing by for a definite target from the Kapitan."

Knowing there are hostiles still about, perhaps with an RPG, he got down behind cover to wait, making sure Luboslaw and the other loader did the same.

82mm Vasilek (2/5 HE)
Waiting for a definite fire order
Rear deck, Queen.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:52, Wed 16 Sept 2009.

Tucker calls out over the radio, "CONTACTS!  In the woods. Engaging now!"  Not wanting to take any chances of leaving any possibility of leaving something behind them to hurt them later, he presses the triggers down and begins to sweep the wooded area where he (and Ondar) saw the looky-Lous.

Tucker
Starboard Duska
Firing at people in the woods

"Lets go." Quyen yells to her assistants. Covering with her AK74 at the ready, she lets the two slower ORMO lug the AGS and ammo back to the truck first.

Upon arriving, she reports to Hauptmann Bayer, "Contact to the south. Scattered infantry. I got one or two." If its feasible, Quyen will then help mount the AGS where it can fire forward on the Tarpan.

As everyone loads up, she says, "Do you want me to leave one or both of my guys to help reinforce Mariusz's squad's position? If we're taking the truck I won't really need them much."

Griet reported the boat's status back to Bayer, "Sunray this is Queen. We are good to go."
She heard the heavy chatter of the Dushka again, she hoped the crew would be able to deal with it.

MAG

Wicks drags the unconscious Angelita Ling out of the driver's seat of the Tarpan-Honker and carries her the 75m or so to Stoner's aid station in the front yard of the now-secured first target house. Stoner's managed to stabilize the militiaman wounded in the legs but there's not much he can do for the gut-shot man without a proper field surgery. Ripping open Angel's fatigue blouse, Stoner knows right away that she's not going to make it. Four neat, round bullet wounds, two in the chest, two in the upper abdomen. Between shallow, ragged breaths, a froth of blood bubbles out around her pale lips. She's obviously suffered at least one punctured lung.

Both target buildings are secure. Militiamen man the doors and windows, creating a makeshift, all-around, wagon-wheel type defensive position at the northern end of the small hamlet. Mariusz sends his lightly wounded man through the second house to gather enemy gear. He comes back with two AKMs, a couple of magazines full of ammunition for each of them, a Tokarev pistol with one loaded mag, and one Soviet-made hand grenade. The main assault group has killed at least 16 pirates in and on the approaches to the pirate camp, with another 7-10 probables and at least as many enemy WIA.

The cost is steep for the small force. One militiaman is dead, shot in the face before the first building assault. Three are wounded, one almost certain to die within the hour, another badly wounded but stable, and the third suffering from an ugly but non-life threatening hand wound. And then there's Lt. Ling...

Konrad and Minh load up the Tarpan-Honker and fix the AGS-17 to its pintle mount. Although Angel's fresh blood stains the driver's seat and the floorboard at its base, the vehicle appears undamaged. The squad carrier is ready to roll.*

One of the militiaman shouts out a warning. Several pirates are approaching through the woods to the southwest, about 200m out, apparently attempting to sweep around and hit the group on its right flank.

*Please let me know who and what is aboard the T-H in your next turn. Thanks. Also, for the defenses in the two captured houses, I need to know how many militia in each one (and anywhere else you want them stationed) and where the MGs are. Feel free to place Drew wherever you want as Jester has not posted in the last couple of turns.

FSG

A small cloud of smoke and dust is dispersing above the former firing sight of the M1943 mortar. There appears to be some movement in the tall grass around the spot and, since there is very little breeze at the moment, it's likely that at least a couple of pirates survived Jan's grenade.

Wisla Krolowa

Tucker hammers the treeline with a 20-round burst, felling another small tree with 12.7mm fire. As the last tracer disappears into to murk beneath the sparse canopy, Tucker searches for enemy movement in the beaten zone. He sees nothing. From his erie above the bridge, Ondar reports the same. Whoever had been watching the tug from the eaves of the wood has either been killed or driven off again.

On the bridge, Grzych's hollow-sounding voice drifts up through the old fashioned speaking tube.

"Repairs complete. We'll be able to shut the pumps down any second. The Queen can move freely now. She'll be able to give you almost everything; just don't push her too hard."

The PT boat is completely engulfed in flames, the turret torn open and belching sparks and black smoke as the last of its 23mm ammunition cooks off. What could very well be the last motor torpedo gunboat in the entire Baltic theater of operations has been gutted by a motley crew of NATO fugitives, an Israeli field hospital doctor, Polish freedom fighters, a Soviet defector, and their merry band of militant Catholic Polish fighters.

Next Moves?
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:33, Fri 25 Sept 2009.

"Alright. Leave them." Bayer answers. Toggling his radio, he says, "Mariusz you have two reinforcements. Hold these buildings. We'll fall back on your position once we're done."

As soon as the last man is aboard, he says to the driver, "Get to the bridge."

Before the truck gets into view of the bridge, Bayer will tell the driver to slow. He doesn't want the Tarpan to get too close to the bridge where he expects the enemy to be. Once they get close enough, he'll order Wick's squad to dismount and continue the advance ahead on foot with the trucks creeping along behind them.

The people staying in the 2 buildings should be...
Mariusz Squad
Both MG teams
Two of Quyen's ORMO

The people going in the Tarpan should be...
Wicks Squad
Quyen
Bayer

As he drags Ling to Stoner he turns and yells at the house;

"Drew get up into the roof of the larger house."

Wicks moves around slightly as the Tarpan drives along the dirt road. He tries to angle himself so he has a better line of attack facing forward and to his right. Sitting in the rear compartment just below the grenade launcher he gives up and concentrates on the right hand side. Turning to the Captain;

"What's the plan of attack ? Draw them down the road and detonate the Gas ? Or try to take them out with a ambush and detonate if it goes pear shaped ?"

Once the vehicle stops he directs the two militiamen armed with assault rifles to the opposite side of the road and keeps the RPK-74 gunner with him on the left hand side. Using as much cover as possible and with his rifle at his shoulder they move through the underbrush towards the bridge. Once in visual range Wicks will halt the convoy to scan with his field glasses.

OOC: If Wicks can see the advancing pirates coming from the woods he will fire his GL at them.

<orange>Alan Wicks
M14K (19/20) HK-69 (1/1 HEDP) M-72 (1/1)
Moving down the road staying low
Right hand side rear compartment Tarpan
This message was last edited by the player at 12:25, Thu 17 Sept 2009.

Observing the movement through her image intensifiers, Anneka called quitely over.
"Jan, hit them again."
It didn't worry her if the enemy were only wounded. All that mattered was that they were rendered incapable of attacking her position, or withdrawing to reinforce the forces east of the river.

Anneka
RPK-74
Observing the enemy
Directing one more grenade from Jan's BG-15

This sucked.

One dead and two probables he couldn't do much to help. Still, it could be worse. Of the twenty seven they'd started with, they still had twenty four up and effective.

Stoner did what he could to make Lieutenant Ling as comfortable as possible, a task not all that hard since she was already unconscious, before turning his attention back to saving the life of the gut shot man. There might not be much he could do without the Doc, but dammit if he was going to give up without a fight!

"I need some help to get the casualties under cover!" he yelled out, hoping somebody nearby had just enough time to assist.

"I'm expect they are looking for a fight. I doubt we'll have the manpower to hold them... or even slow them. Lets engage, and then detonate the gas as they near, to cover our withdraw and create some casualties and panic at the same time." Bayer replies. He didn't say it, but figured blowing the demo also meant it eliminated the risk of losing the gas to the enemy (although Quyen did rig them with anti-tampering devices).

OOC - After you've pointed out where Ling mentioned the enemy, we'll adjust the plan and stop sooner. I just don't want the truck to cruise into a swarm of enemy. Once we near - stop, dismount, slow advance with the infantry out front covered by the truck mounted AGS.

MAG

About half-way to the bridge, after cresting a small rize in the mostly level terrain, the UAZ pulls to an abrupt halt. Up ahead about 300m, a skirmish line is advancing towards the hamlet. A tracked vehicle- Konrad recognizes it as a PTS-M amphibious tractor with an MG propped atop the crew cab- follows about 50m behind the line of infantry. The skirmishers are dressed in a grab-bag of military garb but all sport either wide, black arm or helmet bands. As soon as the infantry spot the UAZ, they go prone and a few begin to fire. The MG on board the PTS-M joins in, its distinctive chatter identifying it as a PKM. At this range, the fire is not terribly accurate but this doesn't make it any easier to endure. In a matter of a couple of seconds, the incoming fire is coming fast and thick and at any moment now it's bound to find its mark.

Back at the hamlet, one of the militiamen stationed at the north-facing windows of the first target house helps Stoner carry the wounded and soon to be dead inside. The front rooms are already occupied by corpses, as is the bathroom. The back rooms are now facing the enemy and are more vulnerable to incoming fire.

The militia RPD gunner in the back bedroom sends a couple of bursts towards the pirate flankers forcing them to ground. The angle is bad, though, and the ventilated sedan in the backyard partially blocks the LMGer's lines of fire (there are still three enemy dead- and their weapons- out there from earlier in the fight).

Drew (NPC'ed) meanwhile, clambers up to the shingled roof of the second target house. The first house is blocking his LOS to the flanking group so he concentrates on the houses to the south and the woods to the southeast. He spots a second flanking squad of around 9 pirates moving through the trees and immediately takes them under fire. A long burst of 7.62mm N fells two of the SE flankers and drives the others back in disarray. At least one of the enemy's pincers has been cut off.

FSG

Jan readies another 40mm S grenade and sights on the rustling grass near his first hit. Pulling the trigger produces nothing but a Czech curse.

"Dud grenade!"

He begins the nerve-wracking process of removing the high explosive grenade, nose first, from the muzzle-loading BG-15.

Wisla Krolowa

The eastern shore is still, tendrils of thin, white smoke drifting at the edge of the shattered treeline. Without warning, the port-side militia Dushka gunner unleashes a furious barrage of fire at the eastern shore. He's apparently seen the smoke from Jan's first grenade impact and is attempting to saturate the area with very long-range fire. The results are less than spectacular.

Next Moves?
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:52, Sat 19 Sept 2009.

Mariusz frowned as he saw the flankers taking advantage of a blind spot in the perimeter. He looked over at the slightly injured militia man and said, "Tell Stoner we need him and his grenade launcher, or just his grenade launcher. If he comes, you stay with the wounded."

He looked back out of his window and looked for targets.

"Ondar!" Griet called to the sniper, "what's going on to port?"

As soon as the enemy is spotted and vehicle slows Wicks rolls off the right hand back corner he had been sitting in.

“Get out, take up defensive positions. “

As he rolls down to the rear of the right wheel he raises the HK-69 that he was carrying at the ready position and fires at the amphibious tractor. Aware the Tarpan may move very rapidly in reverse Wicks is ready to move out of the way. He then raises his rifle after the grenade is away and begins taking aimed single shots at the line of infantry.



Alan Wicks
M14K (19/20) HK-69 (0/1 HEDP)  M-72 (1/1)
Firing on vehicle
Right hand rear wheel of the Tarpan
This message was last edited by the player at 12:39, Mon 21 Sept 2009.

Dawid sat down on the deck with his back against one of the gunwales, trying to present as small a target as possible. While waiting for the called-upon fire support he listened to the radio, trying to keep abreast of the situation on shore.

Tucker continues to look out and turns his head towards the port side when the Dushka starts to pound out rounds.  "Griet, Tucker.  What the fuck is going on port side?  I got nothing over here, over?"

As soon as the truck stops, Quyen sights the AGS onto the line of enemy troops and fires. She'll squeeze off 3 rounds on semi-automatic, while using the stable mount to traverse her rounds latterly (spread out) across the as many of the enemy as its possible.

"Firing." she yells.

Quyen
AGS (mounted)
3 rounds (semi-automatic)
Tarpan

Bayer dismounts from the front of the Tarpan and drops to one knee next to the truck. After yelling, "Rapid fire!", he steadies his rifle, estimates the range, and then quickly fires a 40mm from the attached HK69.

As the round soars through the air, Bayer tallies up the enemy and contemplates whether this is the moment for the gas or not (PM'd question needs answering first).

Bayer
Firing (quick) 40mm at enemy line
Kneeling next to truck.

Suddenly exposed and under fire, the occupants of the Tarpan-Honker decide to fight rather than flee, engaging the closing enemy force with a rapid barrage of HE grenade fire.

Minh, standing bravely behind the pintle-mounted AGS-17, rakes the enemy on the road with a trio of 30mm HE grenades, scattering them. Those on either side of the road join the already busy PKM gunner on the PTS-M and open fire on the squad carrier. A bullet punches into Minh's left thigh, knocking her leg out from under her. She falls down into the bed of the Tarpan-Honker. One of the miliamen clutches at his throad as a torrent of dark red blood flows between his fingers. The same bullet that caused the wound lodges in the right bicep of the militiaman behind him. Following the lead of their foreign officers, the other militiamen (including the driver) dismount and take cover in the roadside ditches on either side of the fire-drenched squad carrier.

Wicks' and Bayer's grenades explode short of the PTS-M, causing a brief pause in the fire of its gunner and possibly causing some shrapnel wounds to those near the respective impact zones. Incoming rounds continue to strike the Tarpan-Honker and ricochet off the pavement all around it.

Back at the hamlet, one pirate flanker force (the eastern group) is driven back while the other continues to sweep around to the west, using the thickly planted trees that ring the hamlet for cover. The western house (the first target house) has only one window facing west (the small, highly placed bathroom window) and the shot-up sedan in the back yard is blocking the fire of the militiamen positioned at the south-western window). Drew, on the roof of the eastern building doesn't have LOS because the western building is in the way. Someone is going to have to leave the house in order to effectively engage the attackers.

Wisla Krolowa

The militia gunner on the port HMG continues to shoot up the western shore, yelling at the top of his lungs as he continues to burn through ammo. Ondar, on his elevated perch atop the bridge, can't identify any targets in the vicinity of the beaten zone and reports this to the bridge crew. Dirt kicked up by the impacting 12.7mm rounds joins the thinning smoke from Jan's 40mm HE grenade in obscuring any viable targets in the tall grass at the 120mm mortar's former position.

FSG

Jan successfully removes the dud 40mm grenade from his grenade laucher and reloads the BG-15 with "fresh" one. He looks at Anneka inquisitively.

"It looks like the tug has things handled?"

Next Moves?
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:34, Sun 27 Sept 2009.

"Drop another on them and the rest of us will assault."
"I want you to stay with the '19 and provide fire support to the Hauptman."
Wriggling quickly over to swap radios, she issued brief orders to Kamil and the two other militiamen.
The moment Jan's grenade hit, the four of them would run forward in an attempt to cover the approximately three hundred metres as fast as they could. If they were to receive effective fire from the enemy then they would immediately seek cover and wait for further orders.
She did not expect any serious opposition however, not after two grenades and the machinegun fire flailing the area. There would however be a number of weapons, ammunition and other personal equipment well worth recovering...

Anneka
Ordering a second grenade from Jan
Swapping the heavy manpack for Jan's handheld radio
Issuing orders to assault the previous mortar position - Jan to remain in place with the '19 and manpack radio