As the troops in the back of the BTR-152 swing their weapons towards where the command group lies in wait, Mariusz initiates the ambush with a single shot aimed at the driver of the STAR truck. The windshield spiderwebs in front of the the driver’s upper body as the heavy 7.62mm N bullet punches through the glass. The truck jerks and wobbles slightly but continues roughly on its original course. Due to the badly cracked windshield, Mariusz can’t tell if he’s actually hit the driver or not. (Mariusz -1 round)
A split second later, in answer to Konrad’s orders to the Rapira crew, you hear a sharp, loud crack, followed almost immediately by a resounding boom. The left side of the BTR-152 is enveloped by a brief sunburst of fire and surrounded by a lingering cloud of dust and smoke. Despite the spectacular direct hit, the BTR-152 continues to roll steadily forward, its troop compartment- which now appears to be completely empty- spewing smoke and wildly corkscrewing sparks. You see what appear to be two bodies lying motionless on the cracked asphalt in about the same spot where the APC was just hit. Approximately 50 meters further on, the BTR-152 comes to a sudden, jerky stop and the driver’s door, after a couple of unsuccessful attempts, clangs open. The driver stumbles out on to the road, clutching at the back of his neck with one hand while raising the other. No one emerges from the still-smoking troop compartment. (Rapira -1 100mm HEAT round)
Konrad’s LOS to the STAR truck is momentarily blocked off by the dust and smoke of the broadside 100mm HEAT strike on the still-advancing BTR-152. After a couple of seconds he thinks he can make out the silhouette of the STAR’s boxy cab. Realizing he might not get a better shot, he pulls the trigger of his HK-69 GL and, two heartbeats later, the truck’s front grille explodes in orange flames as the impacting 40mm HEDP grenade shreds its big engine. The STAR rolls forward for another ten meters or so before coming to a halt in the middle of the northbound lanes. Angry flames dart out of a gaping hole in the engine compartment, licking at the crew cab. (Konrad -1 round 40mm HEDP)
The driver of the Zil truck towing the D-30 howitzer seems unsure how to respond to the sudden chaos developing in front of him. He slows a bit as the STAR is hit but continues forward, narrowing the distance between himself and the now stationary STAR. Craig has the unwitting driver in his crosshairs the entire time. Just as the Zil driver starts to turn to his right, angling towards the westbound lanes, a bullet fired from Craig’s G-3 punches through the driver’s side window and into his chest. He lurches to the side and the truck follows. A 40mm HE round fired by Stoner, at almost the same instant as Craig’s first shot, hits the tarp covering the bed of the truck and explodes in a puff of white smoke and spray of incandescent sparks. The truck drifts into the median before rolling to a stop. (Craig -1 round; Stoner -1 40mm HE)
Drew rakes the passing Zil, adding to the carnage. When the truck stops in the median, no one emerges from the bed. He turns the M240 on the bed of the STAR to his left and lets loose with another burst. Tracers dart into the open bed and he can see men fall. (Drew -20 rounds)
After a moment's hesitation, the miltiamen attached to the command group open up with their rifles and LSWs, peppering the STAR and the Zil with fire. As soon as the dust cloud thrown up by the Rapira's considerable muzzle blast partially disperses/settles, the RPK gunner attached to its crew starts shooting up the trucks as well. The sound of their bullets impacting against the trucks sounds like small stones being thrown into a metal bucket.
At the rear of the column, Jan rises to one knee and depresses the trigger on the Soviet-made RPG-18 disposable AT rocket. The launcher tube jerks a little on his shoulder as the rocket blazes towards the trailing OT-64. Just as the APC’s KPV sends a stream of tracers just inches over Jan’s head, the 64mm HEAT warhead strikes the OT-64 about two inches below the driver’s view port, producing a terrific flash and tremendous bang. Its pug nose emerging from a halo of white smoke, the OT-64 coasts to a halt a few meters from Jan’s squad’s position. For the moment, at least, the stricken APC’s KPV stops firing. The infantry, whose heads and shoulders had been poking up through the roof hatches of the OT-64's enclosed troop compartment, have apparently ducked down into the belly of the APC. (Jan uses up RPG-18 single shot LAW)
Meanwhile, at the head of the main column, Minh takes careful aim on the lead OT-64, now accelerating and rotating its small turret to its left flank. As it passes, she pulls the RPG launcher’s trigger. The rocket leaps towards the wheeled APC but lands short, exploding just 20m from Minh’s position. Bits of shrapnel whiz and snap by as Minh ducks behind cover. Had she not already planned on ducking down immediately upon firing, one of the bits of shrapnel could well likely be lodged in her head right now. She peeks up over the log to see if she hit the APC. There’s a lot of smoke but the OT-64 rolls on, seemingly undeterred. The forward pair of tires on the driver’s side, however, appears to have absorbed some of the shrapnel from the short RPG round. A particulary brave infantryman fires his rifle at Minh's position from one of the open roof hatches at the back of the OT-64. Luckily, the smoke and movement impeed his aim and no one is hit. Another infantryman shoots up the unoccupied woods to the left of the OT-64. The rest of the infantryman have ducked back into the troop compartment for the moment.(Minh -1 round RPG HEAT)
Jones faces west and sets his sights on the departing HUMVEE. All he can see is its rump end, and the back of the gunner’s head and shoulders. At the sound of the gunfire and explosions to his rear, the gunner turns in the HUMVEE’s cupola. Jones, the gunner already in his sights, fires a five round burst. The gunner jumps slightly, as if stung, and drops abruptly into the HUMVEE’s cab. As the HUMVEE accelerates away, Tom follows it with 10 more rounds. It’s hard to know whether he’s done it any further damage as it speeds away but Jones thinks he sees the gunner’s RPK fall from the HUMVEE roof and tumble onto the road. The HUMVEE’s squat, boxy body blocks Jones’ LOS to the Ural motorcycle & sidecar which, alerted by the rapid acceleration of the HUMVEE (if not the gunshots), accelerates in turn so as not to get run off of the road by its larger partner. (Jones -15 rounds)
From the southwest corner of the house, Dawid, Arpel, and the rest of the mortar squad can clearly see the Ural motorcycle and the HUMVEE hauling ass down the 50.
Summary:
Ural motorcycle/sidecar undamaged, heading west at approx. 50kph
HUMVEE apparently undamaged, heading west at approx. 50kph
Lead OT-64 damaged forward, left side tires; moving into the traffic circle at approx. 40kph
BTR-152 severely damaged (possibly on fire); immobilized
STAR severely damaged; immobilized
ZIL & D-30: truck damaged; currently immobile
Trailing OT-64 badly damaged; immobilized
Current Tac-Map:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms...812&t=h&z=18
Next Moves?
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:56, Thu 07 Jan 2010.
