Once the discussions were concluded, Thor turned his attention to scrounging. although it was unlikely he'd find any amongst the "enemy", the 10th TD was the best chance he'd had in a long time to score some more ammunition for Mjollnir.
While he was at it, he might as well find a battery charger, spare packs, blankets, cold weather clothing and a compass.

The Q store, or whatever passed for it around here was his best bet, so, with a run of his fingers through mud caked hair to make himself look presentable, off he went...
This message was last edited by the player at 13:21, Mon 31 Jan 2011.

Regretfully, Dawid passed all the batteries back.

"Sorry, I can't seem to do it with this old alternator. I'll have another look later, right now I just can't seem to get it to work."

"We're deciding how to proceed." Jan replied in French over the radio.  He hated talking in the open like this but there wasn't time to arrange a face to face meeting so they had to rely on the Baron's forces being unable to understand French.  Tenuous but it would have to do for the moment!  "Are there any high priority targets we should know about?  What other AFVs does he have still besides the two tanks?  We've heard something about hostages being held somewhere but who are they?  Also, where is the Baron's HQ?  Over."

He know a lot of the answers to those questions already but it was worth checking with another source to corroborate their current intel.  He held off telling Acorn of the death of her husband for the moment.  He needed any information he could get from her at present!

When Matias speaks Piotr marks out the locations and scrabbles a few words in the corner. With his finger he trails the route Matias is speaking about. He nods agreeingly. “When you're right about those defenses around the nuclear zone, that might be an option to consider, great report Matias.”



“Unfortunately I agree with you. Honestly how much I'd like to protect our less fortunate comrades I have no clue as to how to accomplish that.”



Piotr looked at Mariusz it was a friendly gesture and he was right they really did not know much about this group on the other hand that obviously went both ways.

“Thank you... Mariusz, that's your name right? I'm really interested in your stories,but I think if we're in combat soon, it's better you lot get to know us first and figure out how we best fit in, maybe share some basic SOP. You all have worked as a cohesive unit and we're the new guys on the block. Best to get to know the new guys, survive the next battle, and share our stories over a campfire afterward.” The last words even came with a little smile.

Suddenly Piotr appears to reconsider his last words, maybe there was one question.

“One think I was wondering about though, the one that did the talking ” pointing at Jan or if out of sight the general direction where he was last seen “mentioned a female contact in Warsaw during the meeting. Do you know anything about that? Maybe this contact can help arranging the diversion we need”

When the commanders reconvened Piotr made sure he was there with the updated map.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:13, Mon 31 Jan 2011.

A messenger- one of the Russians by the looks of him- entered the farmhouse and spoke quietly with General Koronev. Johnstone was there in a flash.

The General laughed but his face expressed some worry. His announcement to those gathered marked the resumption of the evening planning conference.

"Apparently, this Baron Czarny has sent an envoy of sorts to Wyszkow- a van mounted with large speakers. He has asked my men to join his Black Legion. He offers food and shelter. My men are loyal, but many of them are no longer thinking with their heads. With night coming on, some of them might take the opportunity to slip off and see what's on the menu in Warsaw. Czarny is a cunning bastard, to be sure. I will need to return soon to make sure that I have a division in the morning. I would like you to come with me. Perhaps if my men see some of our new allies, they will be less inclined to consider throwing in their lot with the Baron."
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:13, Tue 01 Feb 2011.

"Well, the Baron's palace, his motor pool, and the granary are all important targets. The hostages are civilians chosen for various reasons to live under guard near the Baron's palace. He keeps them to discourage active dissent.

AFVs must be armored vehicles? Last I saw, which was two days ago, he had the two tanks, three light tanks, two tracked infantry carriers- one of which can swim apparently- and three armored cars. He also has one canon. He used to have two but rumor has it that he lost one."

Bayer nods, signaling agreement, and says, "We're ready." He then adds, "There are some things my team could benefit from that your unit may be able to assist with."

He lists only two of the basics, not wanting to overwhelm the officer with more than his meager force could provide, "We need batteries charged - and somebody with radio communications training to help setup a long range directional antenna with some wire."

Bayer then turns to the NCOs and says, "Get everyone ready. We'll be leaving shortly."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:04, Tue 01 Feb 2011.

Leaving was good. They had a truck to carry them and spare their weary feet. Moving to the main body of the Division might make finding the odds and ends he was after easier too.
Quickly ready, he offered his assistance where needed.
"Ready Magni? Need help Sunna?"

Matias was pretty sure that Thor had called him 'Magni'.  He looked at the large man skeptically, wondering if a correction would be worthwhile.....

"I am Matias," he said slowly in Polish, then German and English.  Surely the man had to speak one of the 3 languages?

Other than the oddity with the Norweigan, Matias was sad to go.  The food had been wonderful, much better than the Baron's mess tent.  When there even was a mess or food provided, that is.  If he understood everything going on around them, maybe he should tell the Russians that.  They might get a meal or two, but then they'd be the Baron's dogs; only fed at his leisure.

Matias supposed he'd get used to this nomadic lifestyle.  He grabbed his pack and went along with the group to join the Russians.

"Is the envoy still here?"

"We will just have to make any attack during daylight. We learned that most of the housing is empty during the day. If we where able to get the APC running well and make a fake turret we could use it to gain entry to the centre of the city. Make out we are black guard troops"

"It would require a lot of luck and some good acting on your part, but I believe it could be done."




"Intelligence gathering more then anything else. They should be captured or attacked, though it does give us another avenue of approach. A fair more dangerous one mind you. We could play a deserter group, several people in the group speak passable Russian we could even take a couple from the 10th with us ?"



With no concrete plan in place Craig gets ready to go. Most of his diminished gear is close at hand so he begins another task he was meaning to complete.

Taking out one of the 30 round mags in his PLCE he empties the ammunition into a plastic bag and begins inspecting each round. He then takes his bayonet and cuts off some the copper casing on the bullet exposing the tip of the lead core. Finally he scores the tip of the lead and reloads it in the magazine. He does this with the four 30 round magazine and the six 45 round mags he is currently carrying. It passes the time on the truck ride.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:48, Tue 01 Feb 2011.

"Thanks for the intel.  It will prove useful in fighting the Baron." Jan replied to Acorn, continuing in French, and making some mental notes of the information she was giving him.  He then paused for a couple of seconds before continuing.  He felt indebted to her for the information she had given freely and he felt that he had to give her something in return, even if it was bad news.  “Before I sign off for the moment I must give you some sad news.  Labędź was killed a few weeks ago, not long after I met up with him.  I’m sorry for your loss and I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I felt that you deserved to know.”

Jan avoided telling her any details of her husband’s death – she didn’t need to know that the warlord who had had her husband executed, along with the other seven members of Jan’s French Foreign Legion team, had made an example of them.  The warlord’s men had stripped them, strung them up from trees and then disembowelled them, even the dead Legionnaires who had been killed during the fighting before they were captured.  It had been a statement to the people he dominated!

After another pause Jan continued.

“I will contact you again and help where I can.  Labędź planned to get you out of Warsaw and the country and I will see what I can do with that.  Getting you out of Warsaw should still be possible, assuming that that is something that you still wish to do.  Anyway, I will contact you again when I can and hopefully we can meet up.”

---

The radio conversation completed Jan returned to the main room where the others were to update them on what he had found out.  He addressed his report to Konrad but spoke loud enough for all present to hear.

“My contact says that the Baron is extremely angry.  Earlier on today executed ten civilians at random for helping the foreign raiders.  He is apparently talking of disarming his NATO company, the Polish troops want to kill the Ukrainians over friction between the two groups and some of his militia have started deserting.  He has shot some deserters to make a point but my guess is that the morale of the majority of his troops is still very bad.  There is a rumour that he may launch a big attack against a hostile force to the north of Warsaw but that sounds like propaganda designed to make him sound more powerful than he really is.”

“I have been told that he now has two tanks operational, one positioned outside his HQ and the other positioned at the old stadium.  As of two days ago he is reported as having those two tanks, three light tanks, two tracked infantry carriers, one of which is apparently amphibious, three armoured cars and one canon, which is probably the other D-30 howitzer.  Now we have done some serious damage to that count of vehicles so if it is accurate then we have knocked out most of his armoured vehicles besides the two MBTs.”

“I have not been able to identify any further priority target locations apart from the ones that we already know.  My contact was able to tell me that the people held as hostages are civilians chosen for a variety of reasons in an attempt to discourage active dissent.”

Jan then turned to General Koronev and switched to Polish.

“General, if you have any spare rockets for an RPG-7 I think that we still have a launcher and some AT capability would be good if we’re going tank hunting!”

Once someone brought Jan up to speed regarding the Baron’s offer to recruit some of the 10th Jan added a comment of his own.

“General, it would be worth telling your men of the Baron’s losses and his distrust of his own troops.  Should they choose to join him they would probably find themselves disarmed and either executed or used as forced labour!”
This message was last edited by the player at 11:28, Tue 01 Feb 2011.

Mariusz grabbed his kit and smiled at the others, "We're off again, you'll get used to it, so far since I've been in the group I've ridded on bikes, trikes, trucks and tanks as well as tugs and boats, all I need is a train and a plane to get the whole set!"

Monika took a break to get some of the stew and awful beer.  Monika learned early that you didn't turn down a chance to eat.  After all, you never knew from where your next meal would be coming.

In reply to Mariusz Tokarski (msg #63):

"Horse. Cart. Máni forget," he chipped in with a wink.

The general watches and listens as Thor does his heli-dance. He can't help himself but smile a bit as the large, hirsuit barbarian tries to communicate with the others. The man is odd in any language.

[In Russian]"Is he trying to tell us that he has a helicopter? That seems like something you would have mentioned already."

Robert gets up and shouts for his team to assemble.  "MY PEOPLE, ON ME!"

Once they all gather from around the camp, "OK, we're going to be pulling out of here pretty soon.  Gather up whatever you can and I'll have to check on any extra packs to see if we're lucky enough to get any.  Make sure yer kits are ready to go.  That's all I got for now so, just be ready to move out quickly once the ball gets rolling!"

Once he disperses from his team gathering, he will approach Konrad, "Hey boss, we get any spare packs from these guys?"

Bayer shakes his head as he throws his tac vest over his parka, "I don't know Robert. I'll leave the logistics and administration to you and the other NCOs to handle."

After this was translated for Jan he offered an explanation to the General.

“Some kind of observation helicopter landed at Gora Kalwaria shortly before we left,” he replied in Polish.  “The pilot was wounded and the passenger died shortly after joining us.  I think that the villagers still have the helicopter but I do not believe that it has any weapons mounted or much fuel.”

Switching to English he spoke to Konrad, though not privately.  “Capitaine, what are our immediate objectives?  Are we going tank hunting?  If we are then we need some more AT weapons!”

As the discussion neared its end Jan got all of his gear ready to move out and also asked Monika to redress his wounded arm.

When sergeant Tucker called out for his squad Piotr tapped Janek and Lech on their shoulders pointing at their assigned NCO. “ You better join him, he said.”

Stuffing the map back into his vest, he collected his kit, throwing it into the back of the truck before looking for Dawid and the rest of the squad helping out where possible.

Catching Matias’s eyes and could guess his thoughts. Having fought on the move for most of the war since ’96, Piotr was used to the constant travel, but he could imagine how this was on the young lad. putting a hand on the young man’s shoulder he voiced  “You’ll get used to it my young friend. Eventually you’ll learn to sleep while on the move” adding almost laughing when he recalled a prank he once played on his truckload of passengers “If the driver lets you that is.”

In reply to Jan Cerny (msg #69):

"Sokol. Double you 3 Sokol," he added with feeling.
"Lift, strong. No look helikopter. Strong."
He held his arms out to his sides to indicate something large and powerful.

Wednesday, October 25th, 2000
2130 hrs.
34F
clear skies; slight breeze from the northwest
Jackowo Gorne, 6.5km west of Wyszkow, Poland


The sun has set, leaving darkness and renewed cold in its stead.

With the general anxious to return to his men, especially in light of the increased risk of desertion created by the Baron's latest gambit, the party climbs aboard the Ural (the general and his party piles into a civilian sedan) and the tiny convoy heads for Wyzckow, with the general's motorcycle riding messenger on point. The Serock contingent heads the opposite direction, back to their homes after having established a tentative agreement to reconvene the planning conference- either in Serock, Wyszkow, or Jackowo Gorne- in the morning.

You drive about 6km east down the 62, rolling through fallow fields, mostly denuded of snow, and passing a few abandoned homes.

It occurs to you that this dark stretch of straight rural road, just a few kilometers north of the Baron's fiefdom, would make a pretty good place for an ambush.

It's at that moment that gunfire rakes the three-vehicle column. Green tracers leap from the darkness to the south and streak past you in a pyrotechnic display of supersonic death metal. The steady hum of the Ural's old engine is drowned out by the staccato snare drumbeat of automatic weapon's fire. It's all you can do not to loose your bowels. The evening's hot meal feels like a lump of iron dropping suddenly from your belly down to your genitals.

The tracers are blazing past from south to north. Up ahead, the motorcycle is down in a shower of sparks, its rider lost in the darkness somewhere on the side of the road. The general's sedan swerves into the ditch on the north side of the road, where it clumsily crashes to a halt.

In the cargo bed of the Ural, several of you are showered with blood and bits of skull and brain matter as someone on the right side bench is struck in the head. You're pretty sure it's one of the new guys- Lech or Teo or Janek- but it's hard to remember with all of the incoming gunfire. You estimate that at least 10 men are lighting you up with at least one LMG and several automatic rifles. The dead man lurches forward and falls face-first on to the deck, his ass sticking up in the air. Bullets punch through the Ural's thin skin or ricochet off into the darkness.

It occurs to you that this is how the Spider relief detail must have felt as you cut them to pieces just 24 hours ago.

Vita [NPC'ed] is driving.


Next Moves?


Updated Tac-map: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms...38,0.016469&z=17
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:48, Wed 02 Feb 2011.

"Stop the truck! STOP!" Bayer shouts to the Vita. Then over his shoulder to the men in the bed, he yells, "Dismount! Dismount! Out out out!"

Bayer will then exit the vehicle, waiting only as long as it takes for it to slow to a safe speed (not stopped). He'll then drop into a prone position facing the enemy.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:02, Thu 03 Feb 2011.

Quyen was just starting to nod off when the violence up ahead startled her. Tightening her hold around her rifle, she climbs over the truck's bed rails and holds on with her other arm. She watches the snowy ground passing by, judging when can let go and then does so. Then once she's off of the truck, Quyen will find a low firing position.

Quyen
AK74 (30/30)
Evacuating over the side
Tucker's Team

Jeff had been sound asleep in the left side of the truck when the ambush had commenced.  Instantly awake, he watches as the car carrying both of his bosses swerves off the road.  He curses, and expects to feel the truck to accelerate through the ambush.  As Konrad orders it to slow instead, Jeff prepares for a dismount over the North side.  As soon as it's slow enough to be safe, Jeff is out and over, and instantly in the ditch on the north side of the road.

"I'm going to get the men out of the car and into cover!" he shouts over the incoming fire and still running truck engine.  With that, he crawls his way to the sedan.  Keeping below the lip and away from the bullets.


Jeff Warren
Crawling to Sedan to check passengers/throw them into cover
AK-103 [30/30]