Dieter Brandt quietly entered the town. He had been on the road for many days yet, and this was his first sign of allied forces. Ever since he had lost his unit he had seen nothing but Soviet troops and refugees, so it made a change to see faces that may be friendly.

He had a decision to make. Should he bypass the group and keep heading West. Germany was still a long way away, and he had precious little supplies. Scavenging off the land had proved difficult, as so much had been destroyed or harvested already, and there was precious little game. He had taken the odd pigeon, but they were feral birds who had fled the city, and tasted disgusting.

He longed for his home in the Black Forest, and a big joint of roasted boar, cooked slowly over a big fire. It had been a while since he had done that with his father.

He made a judgement call. He would approach the camp. They looked like a ragtag bunch of misfits, but he had learned over the years to never judge on first appearance. The fact that they were organised, not to mention still alive, was a promising sign.

Dieter stepped out of the rubble of the blasted house he had been holed up in for the past few hours. He left his bow slung over his shoulder, and let his Army-issue PSG-1 hang low. He didn't want to appear threatening, but needed to be ready to move quickly if they turned hostile.

He walked slowly towards the camp, with his right hand off the pistol grip of his rifle, raised slightly in a passive gesture. He targetted the two men he had earlier identifed as officers (OOC-Craig and Apel) and headed towards them, apprehensive of how they might react.

In reply to Steven Drew (msg #674):

"One: Drew is right, we need to keep screening the refugees showing up. We had a problem before with a spy for the Pirates in our camp. The Bishop was handling security then, let's ask him to keep at it."

"Two: I am completely against trading the howitzer. We have ammunition for it, and this is a weapon I'm an expert in using. A few fragmentation and gas rounds do not sound like much but we have turned the tide of a fight before using less. Plus, it can easily be turned against us if we trade it to the government," he added, pointedly.

"Three: I don't think the government garrison will recognise the 120mm tube, as long as we make sure all identifying marks are gone. But if we don't want to risk it then they won't know the 82mm tube from Adam. As much as I like the helicopter we don't have fuel and the pilot is wounded. But that's something Lublin really will certainly recognise as theirs."

"Hide it in the barn, I say!"

He looked at Sutherland and Arpel. "Do you know where the Baron is located? Can you mark it on the map?"
This message was last edited by the player at 18:03, Fri 26 Feb 2010.

"Do you think that there is any trade value in the helicopter?" Jan asked.  He doubted it himself but others may well know better.

In reply to Jan Cerny (msg #678):

"I was able to cut a deal with the local garrison commander to let us go when we stole the trucks and Zu-23 before. So he's... flexible, and kept his word."

Dawid shrugged, uncertain.

"Trade for the helicopter? Not as such, but if we fake a shoot-down and let the government ORMO take credit, they could do us a favour. Maybe, if we're lucky."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:06, Fri 26 Feb 2010.

  Coulter had been quiet durng the discussion, listening tying to piece together the situation from what elements he could understand. He decided to get into the discussion at least on the pheriphery.  "Any piece of technology is valuable, though the value differs between those who would want it, at the least it is a status symbol, of a lost ability, at the most it is an item of power projection,  fuel would be the problem, I know from experiance that some fuel is available from the various tanks, it may have to be filtered and there might not be much in a given tank but enough could be scrounged for at least a short flight,  I am not to sure if a synthetic alternative would work perhaps some type of enriched ethanol or some such".
  Looking around, "What is your situation here?  I heard someone last night say something about  arecon into Warsaw and a conflict with some 'Baron' ? Can someone explain what we've dropped into?"
  Taking a deep breath, considering how far to pushg things but he never was known for going half way, "Thanks for the help, especially for patching up Irina, now it appears you have at least one or more problems,  I don't know the local situation, hell I am not even sure just were the hell I am in Poland,  but if you  need a hand I would be glad to help as long as it doesn't derail our getting to the States.. "

In reply to Jared Coulter (msg #681):

Dawid replied, "Jared, the Black Baron is a local warlord who has gained power and influence in the area, and wishes to rule all of Poland. He was allied to the Pirates that were north of here on the outskirts of Warszawa, whom we destroyed. He sent a punative expedition against us which we also destroyed, and captured two APCs and a 122mm howitzer plus nerve shells he intended to drop on the town."

"Arpel and Sutherland were part of a company of foreign mercenaries he employed. Most are scum, no offence, but some are just NATO soldiers cut off behind the lines and without anywhere else to go."

"Possible allies include a Ukrainian Tank Division that has mutinied and was in contact with the CIA. However, they are either to the east or south, I forget which. The communist government at Lublin doesn't like the Black Baron, but we may not gain a lot from their friendship."

He outlined the following that was known about the Black Baron's forces:

The Baron's army consists of about 10 companies consisting of between 50-100 troops each. The company is a mixed bag, organized along national lines.

One of them, the "Black Guard" has several operational armored vehicles, including an ex-Red Army T-80 dug out of a collapsed building in Warsaw and an ex-Polish army T-72. It also has two BMP-1s, two M113s, two OT-64s, and one BTR-60, as well as several "jeeps" and trucks. Several more scavenged AFVs are either being stripped for spares or restored to operational status. The Black Guard is run like a motor rifles company.

There is one company of mostly Ukranian deserters from the Soviet 9th TD that also possesses armored vehicles. They have a BMP-2 and two BTR-80s. They will also probably get control of the T-80 once the Baron trusts them enough.

There are seven companies of Polish infantry. Four of the companies are veteran Polish army deserters/mutineers, while the other three are made up of very young or very old former army conscripts with minimal training and little combat experience. One of the veteran companies is being equipped with bicycles. It has about 3/4 of the bikes it needs.

There are two companies of horse-mounted cavalry. One company is made up of Poles, the other of Russians, including a few Don Cossacks. The Russians and Ukranians don't get along at all and are usually kept separate to avoid any ugliness.

There is one company made up of about 50 NATO deserters (mostly Americans and Germans with a few Brits sprinkled in). This was the unit Apel and Craig were assigned to. Morale is uneven. Some of them are reluctant to serve the Baron but are afraid to leave, while others rather enjoy the work. The core of the unit can only be described as sociopathic.

There is also an artillery company with two D30 howitzers and two Soviet-made 120mm mortars. There are only a handful of shells/bombs available at the moment but a few of them are extremely deadly...

The Baron is enraged at the successful resistance of Gora-Kalwaria and the destruction of his brown water navy (the pirate force). He has recenly acquired several blood agent rounds for his D-30s...

"After destroying most of a detachment of the Baron's Black Guard, possibly most of the company, including two BMPs and a BTR, we now have one of his D-30 howitzers and I believe two or three chemical rounds. I am very familiar with this weapon and that ammunition."

Dawid looked at Jared and lit one of his remaining cigarettes, offering the pack. "Honestly, no one knows whether the rendez-vous in Warszawa is even still on for you people, or hasn't already happened. It's a lot, asking you to help rid Poland of this madman, but it's deeply appreciated. It's important for the future." He expression seemed to say it was the least you could do, considering NATO invaded Poland and then annihilated its cities and slaughtered her people afterwards.

"Light?"

Griet frowned as she listened to the conversations around the table. Given that the town was already nearly full of refugees, things were looking bleak for Adam's plan of pulling out the rest of the family from the hell of post bomb Warsaw and to the relative peace of this place. She remembered a story that her step father had read to her once, it had been about a group of English capitalists trying to survive in a Britain that had lost all grass and cereals and thus was falling into chaos and starvation. They had fought their way to one of the men's brother's farms, a place where the brother had made defences and switched to pigs and potatoes only to find it already full and they were turned away.

In the end, one brother died and the other became a boyar warlord. She sensed the same sort of irony developing here. Adam's dream had always been a quixotic one and now it seemed to be fading even further as the security team shifted its focus from finding her father's family to defeating the Baron. It was true that the two tasks were interlinked, but she wondered what her father thought and worried that he might do something stupid.

She finished the last of the nettle tea and said, "The militia here need ammunition, more than we can scrounge from the dead. We've fought several major engagements over the last few days and been successful at looting but the militia have barely more ammo now than they began with. We have no ammunition for the 120mm mortar and the 82mm stuff is best used with the Vaselisk. I'd suggest we check the 120mm tube for distinguishing marks, give it a coat of white wash as "winter camouflage" and then sell the two tubes for all the ammo we can get."

She paused momentarily, "As for the helicopter, stick it in a barn for now and we'll wait and see what happens, unless of course we have someone in town who can pilot it in which case we either use it to recce Warsaw for us or keep it in reserve for a single sortie to back us up if things get bad."

Mariusz looked at the two defectors from the Baron's forces, "How was the Baron feeding his troops? Did he extract tribute on a weekly basis or did he take a proportion of the harvest from his subjects and store it in a central place? If he did that, do you know where the supply dump is?"

He continued, "If there's danger of starvation here, perhaps after we've recced the area and, hopefully, found allies, we could raid these stores if they exist. Destroying them would weaken the Baron, but even better, we might be able to steal the food and aid ourselves. Of course, that all depends on what we know about his logistics, it could be impossible."

Dawid nodded in reply to both Griet and Mariusz.

"I agree with Griet, let's get rid of the 120mm and 82mm tubes. I can do what's needed to hide the identity of the mortar from all but the most detailed inspection. Hide the helicopter for later. Maybe we can think of a way to trade it off, maybe not."

He was impressed with Mariusz's idea.

"Yes, that's a good point. Once the Black Baron goes away so does the need to make Gora Kalawria into a fortress. If the Baronm is defeated we may be able to collect both food and ammunition."

"Refugees... that shouldn't be too much of a problem, especially now it's getting towards winter. Most people have found enough to survive where they are, or are dead. Travelling along the roads at this time of year is very dangerous."

Jan was slightly embarrassed by Dawid's generosity with his cigarettes but overcame it and took one for himself.

"Thank you my friend," he said to Dawid.  "One day I will repay you properly!"  He put a lot of emphasis on his promise to Dawid.  It obviously mattered to Jan.

Having lit it, and taken a couple of drags, Jan then added his own thoughts to the discussions.

"Raiding the Baron for food as part of this recce would be a mistake in my opinion.  Unless we're stealing some vehicles as well we will be on foot and we won't be able to carry much food with us.  And if we destroy the Baron's food what will be the outcome?  Will it cause him to be more desperate to attack us because he now needs more food to feed his troops?"

He exhaled more smoke before continuing.

"I think that the plan for the recce to Warsaw should be as follows.  The recce team should be small and should not include anyone who can be identified as coming from Gora Kalwaria."  It was obviously that Jan regarded himself and most of those around the table as the likely people to make up that team.  "We should be transported as close as possible by vehicle and should be dropped in the early hours of the morning so that we can move away from our drop area before daylight.  We should each be carrying a weeks worth of food as we may well be in Warsaw for a several days and can't presume that we'll be able to find food there."

As he spoke Jan produced a small piece of paper with some notes on it.  It was obvious that this wasn't a sudden thought of the top of his head but something that he had been considering for a while.

"I think that our objectives should be as follows.  One, find out as much as possible as we can of the Baron's forces and area of control.  Two, find out if there are any groups or communities in Warsaw who oppose the Baron and if there are then make contact with them.  Three, if we discover anything of significant military value belonging to the Baron then we should launch a commando style raid to destroy what we can before leaving Warsaw.  Four, if we can steal any vehicles to help our extraction from Warsaw and return here then we should do that.  Five, if we locate any food stocks we should note their location for a later and larger raid to secure them for ourselves and the refugees arriving in Gora Kalwaria.  That raid should include whatever transport we have available to allow us to move the food back here."

Having said his piece Jan then remembered his cigarette and took another drag.

"What do people think of my plan for the recce?" he asked everyone present.

In reply to Jan Cerny (msg #686):

Touched by his gratitude, Dawid smiled at Jan's response. "We are brothers and sisters here. Comrades, all."

"Good plan, Jan. I agree that food (and getting it) is something we need to worry about only after we deal with the Baron. I would be very happy if the Baron's other D-30 went good-bye. That would leave the only one in our hands. Any ammunition for it would be high-priority as well, to be recovered or destroyed."

He poured some tea for everyone, a fundamental part of Polish life. There were no lemons and it was weak, but it was hot.

"As for intelligence, we don't know what the Baron knows about us. I shouldn't think it's a lot, at least not so that he could tell if any given person is from here or not."

"Also, I forgot to mention that I think it would be okay to trade in the AGS-17. We've got little ammunition for it anymore, but not none."

"I'd like to go on the recce into Warszawa. I'll take a PKM GPMG plus a few spare belts, if anyone wants to help carry ammunition for me."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:35, Sat 27 Feb 2010.

"Alright, we'll trade the two mortar tubes for more small arms ammunition. Don't worry Dawid, the howitzer will remain with us for now. Did you confirm how many rounds are available?" Bayer answers.

Then motioning towards Jan he adds, "And yes... we're planning a recce, not a raid. We've too little resources and too much to do without complicating our being in his backyard by blatantly attracting attention. Jan's outline fits with our immediate needs and abilities. The scope of our excursion into Warsaw will be to gain information and try to establish support with some of the population."

Removing his map again he slides it over to Sutherland, "I still need what you know marked on my map. There is no plan until you fill in where are the Baron's forces and territorial limits... as well as other elements of civilian population in the city. Warsaw is too big for a group our size to go into without a basic framework."

Drinking some of the tea, Bayer then says, "As for the helicopter, I support the idea of turning over to the government. We don't need to be looking to make them as friends, but we can't afford new enemies either. Especially since we share a common enemy. Hiding it won't work and we might even be able to come out ahead of things if they are flexible enough."

"Dawid consider yourself going on the recce for certain."

Bayer then looks at his watch and asks, "Who is the newest straggler... the German?"
This message was last edited by the player at 16:40, Sat 27 Feb 2010.

Taking a place at the table just as Jan finishes his contribution. Craig introduces the new German to the assembled group but lets him fill the others in about how he came to be in the village.



Taking the map from Konrad Craig and Apel spend several minutes adding various intel to the map. The Baron's base in east Warsaw (Praga)on the East bank, he adds the position of the HQ/"palace", the barracks, motor pool, D-30 position, etc.
OCC: Rae is working on the map.

"He has mounted squads patrolling a perimeter 10km or so from his base and foot patrols in the remains of the city. He also has a company-sized garrison on the west bank."

"The bridges between the east and west bank are out save one which has been crudely repaired so as to allow for foot traffic only."

"During the summer and early autumn, the Baron's men were extracting a monthly "tax" of food from the surrounding communities. Since food production drops off radically in winter, he's demanded four months worth of food in advance. Folks in compliance with the Baron's demands are in the process of delivering this food. This has put a lot of strain on the people living in and around Warsaw. Those that don't comply are subject to reprisals of various sorts."

"I know of a farm that we could use as a base for a deeper recce on foot, it was owned by the people who initially took me in. They are good people if they are still there and would provide as much help as possible. It's a two storied stone building with a large barn and several other out buildings. It at least gives us a place to stash the vehicles for when we enter the city on foot.

"I think we should have some sort of recon group ahead of the vehicles on foot, there seem to be several people suited for this role now in the group. Maybe give us a heads up for running into anything nasty."

Finished Craig retakes his seat.

In reply to Konrad Bayer (msg #688):

As he served the tea, Dawid looked delighted at the news he was going on the recce and they were keeping the howitzer. He wore a slightly disappointed face at the mention of turning over the helicopter, as if losing something so cool pained him but he didn't comment as the decision was made. When the Kapitan asked about the 122mm ammunition he replied,

"Ah, there are three explosive fragmentation shells, and two chemical agents, binary rounds. Let's not do anything with the bike while we're away, I can fix it. First, I'm going to make one of those bike carts we took with us to Zwolen."

"Also, we could consider giving up the AGS-17? Just a thought, although when I fix the bike we could still mount it on the sidecar."

"Thank you Lieutenant," Dieter replied to Sutherland, in clear English with a soft German accent.

He turned to the group and repeated the story he had detailed to Sutherland earlier. "I am Dieter Brandt, Gefreiter from the 6th Panzergrenadier Division. I was on a fire mission somewhere to the East of here when we were ambushed. We were hit hard, and my platoon was all killed. I managed to get away, and have been heading west since then, trying to make for the border or meet up with other allied forces. For the past two weeks or so I have been moving around, and you are the first group I have met. I have seen many refugees, and several enemy units, but little else."

He spoke further about his past. Before the war he had been a civil engineer, working for a consultancy company in Stuttgart. He had been raised in the Black Forest and had a love of hunting, with both rifle and bow.

Physically, Dieter is in his early 30s. He has an athletic build with dark brown hair and brown eyes.

"This reconnaissance mission sounds interesting. I would like to accompany you if I may, so that I may prove myself." He grinned gently and patted his PSG-1 as he said, "I am pretty useful with this thing, and may be of assistance in the field."

Griet thought about the helicopter. Whatever happened here, the people of Gora Kalwaria would have to reach some sort of accomodation with the Lublin government and handing over the chopper would be a sound gesture.

"OK," she said, "I agree that handing over the helicopter is a good idea but we'd better come up with a story about the crew, we'll need a reason why they aren't being handed over as well."

"Is it too optimistic to assume saying they escaped after landing? It was dark and the militia lack the training to capture somebody who is obviously highly skilled... seeing how they were able to steal the helicopter in the first place under the noses of the Reserve Army HQ." Bayer asks.

"I would think they ought to be pleased enough just being able to recover their aircraft so easily." he adds. "An escape seems plausible... and doesn't require us complicating things more."

"That sounds absolutely fine," agreed Greit, "as long as that's what we spread everywhere, simple is best."

“I think that returning the helicopter sounds like the best idea,” Jan contributed, “and saying that it was found abandoned nearby with no sign of the crew is probably the best idea.”

He picked some dried blood from underneath a fingernail as he talked.  He had scrubbed up thoroughly according to Anneka’s instructions prior to assisting her with the pilot so he wasn’t sure who’s blood it was.

“Criag,” he continued, addressing the Marine.  “As you have deserted the Baron’s forces I think we should be cautious with returning to the farm of the family who hid you.  I think that going there is worthwhile to see what intel they may have but we shouldn’t leave any vehicles there.  As Anneka mentioned previously the vehicles should drive us close, from the sounds of the Baron’s patrols to about fifteen klicks from the outskirts of Warsaw, and should drop us somewhere before returning here.  Even allowing for that drop off, I think that we’re going on a long yomp.”

He smiled as he said the last word.  The British Marines had some wonderful slang words, even though English wasn’t as cultured a language as French!

  "If this 'Baron' has between twenty-five hundred and five thousand troops, he has to have an ammo supply or stockpile somewhere, or a manufacturing capacity to some extent. Is there any clue as to the location of his stockpiles.  The Recce what we call a recon operation seems to be combined with what is called an objective raid, taking out a surgical target..food is critical to everyone but that is not his force projection munitions are, if we could either capture or destroy a stockpile then that would hurt him badly.  Oh and obtaining that chopper was not without cost we lost a partizan getting the bird out, it was more a move of desperation than anything else".

The Bishop listens thoughtfully to the discussion regarding trade and the helicopter. As soon as everyone has had a say, he reveals his decision.

"I don't want to keep the Sokol here. The risk is too great. The rewards? The chances of finding a large supply of aviation fuel are slim. We have no rotary wing pilots here and the woman seems like she won't be flying anytime soon. The chance of gaining favor with Lublin, however, is slightly greater. The decision seems clear to me.

"Jupyzyk will set out tomorrow after you've left. He'll take the mortars and the AGS-17. He'll tell the commandant of Kozienice that we captured them from some bandits to the north. The commandant will likely assume that we are fighting the Baron's forces- a common enemy. Jupyzyk also tell them about the helicopter. I suppose it would be better to suggest that the crew escaped rather than explaining how we shot and killed them, not knowing, at the time, that they were hijackers.

"In the meantime, we'll hide the APCs and the D-30 and most of the militia will make itself scarce. There will be no one here worth conscripting if and when Kozienice sends someone to collect the Sokol. After mass this evening, I will make sure to speak to the community about the importance of keeping certain sensitive matters to ourselves.

"I will going now to speak with Jupyzyk and leave you to begin preparations for your reconaissance mission to Warsaw. Please let me know if there is anything that you need from us. And, once again, thank you."

After the Bishop leaves, you begin to prepare for the reconaissance mission to Warsaw. Weapons are dissassembled and cleaned. Ammunition is inspected and magazines reloaded. Batteries for the radios and optics are tested*. Slings, packs, and LBE are loaded up and taped to prevent telltale noises. You pack the last of your MREs and the Bishop provides the town's version of "iron rations"- small packages containing thin, hard bread, jerkied meat, and dried fruit.

Next Moves?

*Some of the batteries no longer work and can't be recharged. I'll get back to you on what electronic gear is no longer operable.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:36, Mon 08 Mar 2010.

After the meeting has been completed, Tucker will return to his bunk area and begin to strip and clean his weapons, mags, gear, etc. for the recon coming up tomorrow.  He sits in silence as he begins the task of cleaning his weapons & gear for the walk to Warsaw.  He also goes over what can be included (or excluded) for the recce and what needs to be tightened down so stealth is comprimised.  No one asked him to go but, he's getting ready as if he was told to go.

  "Oh by the way, if I'm going to be going along I will need my gear back."

Apel adds: "Although the Baron doled out brutal reprisals to those who refused to sacrifice their food, the populace was not happy about it.  Food is king.  Especially in winter.  It's one of the main reasons the Baron attacked G-K.  If we take his food stocks, we better be prepared to either feed Warsaw or expect a TON of refugees here."

"Although I didn't see any maps, I think the Baron keeps his food warehouses here."  Apel points to a location on the eastern side of Warsaw.  "Once in the city, I'll have a better sense of where the stockpiles are."