In reply to Apel Avtomian (msg #244):

Drew:

"Then lets take the fight ta the enemy.  Shall we?"

Sgt Drew
M16A2
A meeting of the minds

There is one company made up of about 50 NATO deserters (mostly Americans and Germans with a few Brits sprinkled in). Most are to scared to leave or uncertain about survival. The majority I'm sad to say have lost all moral or human decency.

Craig moved a little in his seat trying to get the blood moving in his bound hands.

“Any ambush will have to be rapidly set up and adaptable. While I have no problem with the deployment of “special” weapons I don’t think they will be able to be used in any ambush situation. We would have to stop the vehicles dead, no driving through. If you have an anti-tank mine and other dud ordnance we have a start. Daisy chained IED’s with anti-tank equipped teams should deal with any armour and vehicles. The 120mm up a tree will deal with the soft top troop trucks and dismounts”

“We are looking at a least two APC’s and three to four trucks maybe more. Having thought about the MBT’s I don’t think they will be present for this little operation, to much to risk.”
This message was last edited by the player at 08:38, Sat 26 Dec 2009.

In reply to Craig Sutherland (msg #246):

"Thanks, Drew, that's solid advice. And yes, if we are to fight for a free Poland, let it be here. I'm not familiar with this Alamo, but hopefully it was a great battle where the good guys won and returned home safely, covered in glory?"

In reply to Sutherland, he said, "no MBTs? You mean no tanks? Great! Wonderful! APCs will be dead meat for the anti-tank gun."

He smoked, then said wistfully, "it would be nice to capture that howitzer. I could make good use of it, do not worry. But it's obviously a key weapon for the Baron, and a primary objective should be to destroy it."

The Krolowa puts in at the improvised town pier. As usual, the Bishop is there to meet the group.

Through the cold and pale light of pre-dawn, you walk to the parish hall/militia HQ and brief the Bishop. As always, he listens quietly, the gears in his keen military mind turning as each new piece of information is filed. (OOC: assume that he knows everything that you do).

"Well, we'd best get moving. It takes only a couple of hours to drive from Warsaw down to the crossing.

"If we don't know which road their convoy is taking (the 801 or the 50), Piotrowice is the natural place to set up an ambush. If they've done their studies, though, they will see this too. Damn! If only we knew which road they were taking..."

It's the first time you've heard the Bishop curse. He's quiet for a moment, his face pale and drawn. When he continues, his brow is furrowed and a look of resignation settles over his face.

"As you know, most of our best men are dead or wounded, but there are a few seasoned veterans who can still fight*. We can't afford to lose any more of the experienced troops but, this appears to be the endgame, and if we don't stop this gas attack...

"So, my men are, once again, at your disposal- a poor choice of words, but you know what I mean. Please be aware of their limitations. I've seen an improvement in the skill and confidence of the greener fighters- you've done wonders with them in just a couple of days- but, most of them haven't seen much in the way of real fighting and it sounds like the Baron is sending some of his best men."

Just as you think the Bishop is done, he continues,

"As to 'your' gas**, I am uncomfortable with the distances involved this time. Otwock was one thing, Piotrowice is quite another. It is just too close to home."

As diplomatically as he is able, the Bishop is putting his foot down regarding using the remaining VX shell as part of your ambush.

Next Moves?

OOC:

*See the intel thread for current militia strength and equipment.

**Since the gas shells can't spin to mix the stuff to its deadliest, I'm treating the gas shells as a kind of "dirtibom". Consequently, the gas won't spread very far and those exposed to the compounds will take longer to die from it. As a conventional alternative, you still have dynamite charges rigged by Minh and the dud 120mm shell to employ as IEDs.

Also, keep in mind the town has possession of an Alvis Stalwart amphibious, wheeled transporter. It is currently not in working condition. NO ONE in the party, however has had a look at it. If you plan on moving the Rapira and/or the Vasilek, you'll need something to tow it. The Baron has your STAR and the T-H is dead.

Time for a plan, folks. Let's put some options of the table, pick and choose, and if, there's not a consensus, put it to an OOC vote. You've got 4-8 hours, IG, to get ready to meet the Baron's convoy so let's not spend more than a couple of turns working up a plan. You're on the clock.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:56, Sun 27 Dec 2009.

  Drew:

  His mind spinning once more.  As he listens to the hollyman rant he pauses and reconsiders his commitment.  "What a fuckin hypocrite.  He was okay with using lots of chemical rounds when it didn't threaten the vil, but, one round near the town when it is all or nothing and the fucker baulks...what a piece of shit."  Drew thinks.  "Fucker must be bipolar or someshit."

  Drew pauses at this point.  He really considers if these people are worth all the trouble.

  At the mention of a town Drew blurts out,

"A TOWN!  They have to go through a town?"  He is excited.

"Tell me all about this town!  Can we get there first? Is it deserted, freindly or on the side of the Baron?"  If they haveto go through a town well, its a defenders paradise.  Bog em down and whittle em down there, especialy if its empty.  When it gets to hot, we blow the place or put it ta the torch and run for it.  And like I said before, hit em running and gunning along their route of march just like Lexington and Concord."

  Drew pauses,  then asks,

"What highways are capable of handling armor? If one has bridges that can't handle mech, well that narrows things down.  If they have bridges, well, some of us stall em up while others rig em ta blow.  Engage em at the bridge, then when they roll across we blow em, we can also drop some telephone poles and trees on the road, clog it with wrecked vehicles and shit if we can while the rest of us buy time either on the road or in that town.   Like I said, the locals can defend their town and bolster their defenses, while some of us can hit fight a delaying action."

  Drew looks around at the others,

"Come on people this is  economy of forces 101."

"We got dynamite, we got some anti armor weapons we can do it.  Hell, back in the day I could have done it with a squad of my own men."

  Drew waits,

"Well, anyone else have any bright ideas because they are getting closer each second we stand here with our dicks in our hands."

Sgt Drew
M16A2
Trying to help develope a plan and get info

"Yes, the town- Piotrowice- it's only about 4km to the NW of here, across the river.* It's really just a small village and its entirely abandoned. A few of the people living here now came from there, originally.

"The 801 is the larger road- four lanes- and runs more or less parallel to the Vistula, within a kilometer or so of the river. In fact- correct me if I'm wrong- the pirate camp you destroyed was on or near the 801 southwest of Otwock. If I recall correctly, the pirates had a 100mm anti-tank deployed near the bridge where the 801 crosses the Swinder. If you deployed the gas there, the Baron's convoy may avoid that route. He knows of the gas, correct?"

The Bishop looks to Apel and Craig for confirmation.

"The 50 is a two-lane road and is a less direct route from Warsaw. The convoy would have to take several side roads just to get on to the 50. It is also mostly out of sight of the Vistula. If the Baron fears your tug, he might want to keep the convoy as far from the river as he can. That consideration would make the 50 a better choice.

"I know it's dangerous to start guessing what your enemy will do. We know what he can do and we should focus on that. With that said, I am starting to think that the Baron's convoy will take the 50. It would be a gamble to assume this, but if I were him, that's the route I would choose.

"Piotrowice would be the safe bet but its an obvious place for a trap. The 50 offers many good places to set an ambush but we can't be 100% sure they will use it." 

OOC: *Look at the map of G-K posted in the Maps notice thread. Follow the 50 across the river and about 4km NE and you will find the intersection with the 801 at Piotrowice.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:58, Sun 27 Dec 2009.

Tom stands on the dock until everyone is offloaded and follows the others towards the parish hall. On the way he notices a familiar profile in one of the garages, he moves closer offloading his webbing and weapons at the door. He remembers the village headman mentioned something about an Alvis Stalwart and here it was in all it’s glory.

Tom does a quick walk around checking the wheels, axels and under-carriage. Then he climbs onto the deck and accesses the engine. He quickly checks all the common reasons it mite not turn over. He then jumps into the drivers seat and turns the key if they are present, if not he hotwires the ignition. If the engine tries to turn over he will concentrate on the mechanical side of things, if not electrical. Tom will keep working on the truck until someone comes and gets him. There’s no point helping with the planning, there where better qualified people then him in that regard. If there are other people standing around he will try to collar them into helping.

Craig nods at the assessment from the bishop. “I believe your assumptions will prove to be correct but we need reconnaissance elements with radios here and here on both roads and they need to leave now. With the gas and the tug the Baron will take the easy road."

“He believes he has the superior combat force so a trip through unfamiliar territory will not faze them. Also he does not know of our defection in his mind his plan is still secret. If you have an engineer they should be prepping the 120mm round and the other IEDs. I don’t think we should change the route into the town in any significant way we need total surprise, but I defer to anyone with more skill in this area.”

“Now if you are willing to take a chance I would like to leave now to take the route 50 observation role ? I am happy for one of your men to accompany me to be honest I would like the extra set of eyes.”
This message was last edited by the player at 08:14, Sun 27 Dec 2009.

"I'll stick with Lieutenant Sutherland," says Apel.  "We have a lot of history together."

Apel pauses. "Scratch that.  I should go with whoever is covering route 801 since I'm the only other person who knows what he's doing.  Or.. uh.. wherever you need me" Apel says awkwardly.

“Apel as you know I would always want you along for the party but our new friends may not want us to travel so close to our old comrades in this situation.”

He pauses to look at the faces gathered then continues

“Are there are no objections to Apel taking the other recon position with one of your men in tow ?”
This message was last edited by the player at 08:25, Sun 27 Dec 2009.

Drew:

  Drew releases a snort, then a chuckle and then outright laughter.

"A river....they gotta cross a river...oh man!  <as he shakes his head>  like I said, a defenders paradise.  Deny em the crossing.  We just gotta hold it, they gotta come up with the firepower and manpower ta take it and cross it.  And we all know, crossing a contested bridge or ford underfire, its madness."

  When the new comers lay out their plan, Drew looks at the hollyman and then to the Hauptman and then back at the two new guys,

"New guys, are you thinking what you are saying?  You blow into town, give a storey, then want to go an act recon for our  ville?  Even the offer of taking one person to keep you honest.  Sorry guys, but as the resident new guy, I am thinking you maybe spies now and, well the idea of poping you and dumping you in the drink isn't a bad idea after hearing your plan."

  "Padre, we got a couple guys who are fast runners in your militia?  Kids even, who are fast on foot?  We send  em ta watch the roads, just watch em.  Give em a flare ta launch if they see them comming and then they haul out of there, they don't engage, they don't stick around, they just run to where its safe.  Then we'll know where they are comming from.  Like I said, we hit em in the town, and at the river crossing, those are our key natural defensive positions.  The harassing along the road is just ta harass them and buy time for everyone else."

  Turning to Mihn, with a distasteful look,

"Are you healed up enough ta get ta work on some demo charges with the dynamite?  Maybe even rig the bridge ta blow and a few charges ta take down some trees."

  Turning back to the padre,

"Padre, ya think you can get your people together ta start bolstering the towns defenses?  Maybe recuit a some of your best men with an axe ta help drop some trees and phone poles  across those roads or lend a hand ta Miss Ming the Merciless there. <pointing to Mihn> in her preperations.  And remember, we are here ta help your people.  So, they need ta help themselves.  They need ta get ta work building their defensive positions and get it done  before they get here."

  Drew waits for others input, as he is counting on his fingers and planning in his head.

Sgt Drew
M16A2
Planning

Quyen replies, "No. No they don't. They are using a D-30, which is Soviet howitzer with over 15 kilometers of range. There isn't any river crossing. The village he mentioned, is what is on the other side of the river."



"Yes. I'm healed up enough to follow whatever plan my commander here orders." she answers.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:44, Sun 27 Dec 2009.

Drew:

Turning to Quyen,

"Yeah a howitzer, well, that tells us one of our priority targets along with any MBTs.  And if they have to transit the vill across the river, then well, I've already said it."

  Drew pauses his face goes blank,

"Whats the crew and support needed by a howitzer?  And how many people are needed to make it operational?  Once they set it up, we could have a small force hit it and take it out, a grenade down the barrel, kill the crew, steal the sight or breachblock...well, anyhow, that's my idea.  Hit em en route and from behind."

  Drew goes outside and stares at the sky in the direction of the soon to be attackers.

Sgt Drew
M16A2
Waiting

Bayer holds up a hand and says, "Quiet please. I'm trying to listen to everything that can be learned before saying anything."



Bayer then shakes his head and answers, "I'm afraid there are objections to this. It's out of the question."

Turning to Dawid and the Bishop he asks, "You won't be able to fire that anti-tank gun from the tug Dawid. Anything in mind to move that it? Either that British transport or something else in town?" He then continues, "If not, I believe we'll have to rely on textbook tank-killer teams along with the explosives and gas we have available... and make use of the Rapira another day."

The Bishop lifts his hand to signal for quiet.

"Let me clarify two points. Mr. Drew, the bridge I mentioned is the 801 bridge over the Swinder- the river near the pirate base. Because of the gas your party released there and the proximity of the 801 to the Vistula, I believe the pirates will take the 50 instead. But again, this is what you would call a hunch.

"The other point is this, Hauptman, the VX gas is off the table. Piotrowice is too close to Gora-Kalwaria. I won't risk civilian casualties or contaminating arable land this close to town. The rest of our resources are at your command. The gas, however, is not."

OOC: It may be helpful to take a look at this. You can follow the 801 and the 50 north to Warsaw. Piotrowice is clearly visible where they intersect about 4km NE of G-K.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms...00475ae03a3e88352428
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:37, Sun 27 Dec 2009.

"Understood." Bayer replies.

In reply to Konrad Bayer (msg #260):

Dawid grinned.

"Kapitan, I was indeed thinking of using the AT gun on land. Much like back in the Great War against the Nazis... er, the Second World War, as others call it. We used to employ the T-12M in an indirect role, it will be amusing to use it as it was intended."

"I also know something about engines, and I was also thinking about that Stalwart vehicle. I'll see if I can get it running. It would be nice if it was amphibious, but I will be satisfied if it runs and can pull the gun."

He answered Drew, "Capture or kill the Howitzer, I completely agree this is our priority."

Starting to leave, Dawid turned and addressed Lt. Sutherland, "oh, mister, ah, Lieutenant Sutherland, thank you for the information. Perhaps the Doctor you speak of is her, if God is kind and merciful."


He spoke to the Bishop privately, then left to go have a look at the Alvis Stalwart, see if it could be started. Once at the Alvis, he asked Tom to go check the chemical shell to see if it was still in their possession, as they had removed it.

"Just in case, you know?"

Tom takes a look at the Stalwart's engine. He can immediately tell what's wrong with it but, without the right parts- which are currently not on hand in the town- he can't do anything to fix it. IF he had the parts, however, it would be a relatively easy fix.

"When I was with Brother Switek's partisans," Mariusz began, "we used ambushes a lot. Much of the time they were effective, other times they weren't. The major factors included if the enemy suspected they'd be attacked, we have that here, but more importantly, we were hit badly several times because the enemy had night vison or thermal imaging. We need to know how likely they are to have this before we plan anything."

He looked at the two defectors, "You said they'd be likely to use Eastern style AFVs, they don't usually have thermal imaging, but has the Baron taken other precautions?"

Griet listened and waited until she'd had a report back on the Stalwart, "If we have no motor transport available, we need to use one of two options, one leave the heavy weapons as a shore battery to support our ambush or two, try to rig up horse drawn tows. That would pretty much garuntee that once we'd used the AT gun we'd need to abandon it."

She looked at the situation and grimaced, "After the ambush, we're screwed. Even if we take out the AFVs and Howitzer in the first salvo, we'll then be in a foot chase with a few hundred troops. Whoever participates in the ambush has a very slim chance of survival unless we can play cleverly."

She thought for a moment and said, "Mihn, can you set up some charges that would simulate a chemical attack? The Baron's men know we have gas and the willingness to use it so if we used mock gas clouds to cover our withdrawal it might slow down pursuit enough to give our people a fighting chance."

"I still don't like the idea of a set piece ambush," she said, "we're outnumbered and outgunned and don't have total surprise on our side. If we are to do it we need to stack the odds more in our favour than they are now."

Mariusz looked over at Bishop and said, "How do you feel about the Lublin Government? If you don't mind strengthening their hand, you might want to try and contact them and offer the Baron's column as a coup de main. Trade use of this town as a jumping off point for the liberation of Warsaw in exchange for having the plane we saw do a couple of strafing runs on the convoy."

"After all," he continued, "the Lublin Government would probably use you whether you like it or not so you wouldn't be losing much by making the offer. If we use official Polis frequencies and boost the Krowola's signal we might be able to contact them."

As the discussion continued, Griet spoke quietly to her father, "It looks as if the Baron has a vendetta against us as well as a firm hold on Warsaw. Continuing forward under steam will be suicide. I think we need to get a small party into Warsaw after all this is over to see what the lay of the land is. Taking the Krowola into Warsaw is just putting our heads into the Baron's jaws."

“Firstly your plan is ill conceived and tactically unworkable. They are not here for a stand up fight, they are here to fire a few rounds at the village and then leave. They are under orders on pain of death not to jeopardize the howitzer or the APC’s. If you start lopping down trees and firing off flares they will just turn around and go home. You will still be cutting the trees as they drive past.”

“Drew is it, if you intend to make threats against people who are trying to help you maybe better served with joining the opposing forces, its how they operate”

Craig then turns and studies the map “Time is our biggest problem; we barely have enough to get to the ambush site let alone set anything up.”



Craig raises his hands and sits back in his chair “This is your command and your Op, Apel and myself are at your disposal to be utilized and deployed how you see fit.”
This message was last edited by the player at 07:49, Wed 30 Dec 2009.

With a rag in hand Tom stands at the front of the Alvis Stalwart wiping off the last of the oil and grime from his hands. When Dawid arrives Tom outlines the problem with the missing parts and their unavailability but he adds that if he had them it would be any easy fix. Maybe on the other side of the river in all the wreaks ?



He grabs his gear as he exits the garage, slinging the RPK as he moves back to the tug to check on the chem shell.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:02, Mon 28 Dec 2009.

"I'm feeling better boss so, if you can use me somewhere, I'll do what I can!"