Jeff obliges with his flashlight.  He uses the red lens and his body to hide as much of the light pollution as he can.  Coupled with the fact they are currently in a ditch, it shouldn't be too bad.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:58, Wed 09 Feb 2011.

Matias saw that Tucker and Quyen were used to working together, so when she took Tucker's right, he drifted to the left to cover the maximum area.  He kept his eyes peeled for any movement, ready to fire at anything besides the already spotted body.

Matias
Following Tucker on the advance southward
PM-63 (15/25) + 4 extra mags, all (25/25)

SLAM.

Dieter felt himself being hammered to the floor. Lying on his side, he felt the chill of the evening envelop him, or was it just the evening? His legs were numb, like sitting in an ice bath, and his head started to pound. He tried to breath, but struggled to get a proper lungful, As his eyes closed he simply whispered,"Papa."

Staying behind the machine gun crew as they moved Craig continued to scan for movement in the distance. AK at his shoulder he would double tap any targets that presented themselves through the Russian NVG's.


Support squad
Firing on enemy targets

AK-74/BG-15 (34/45) + 4x45 (0/1 HE) + 8x40mm HE- held at shoulder
AKS-74U (35/45) - wedged in webbing
Browning HP (18/20) w/ silencer + 2x20 - holstered
F-1 FRAG Grenade x 6

Jan continued looking around, trying to spot Dieter and using his IR goggles.  He was tempted to call out to the German sniper but he wasn't certain that the enemy had fully withdrawn yet!

He kept scanning before moving back towards Konrad.

"Capitane," he muttered quietly.  "I can not find Dieter.  If the ambushers have withdrawn we should get everyone to report.  Some was hit in the truck but I am sure I saw Dieter get off."


Jan
Crouched on the road and moving back towards Konrad.
Searching for Dieter, using his IR goggles.
F88 Steyr AUG (30/30 rounds - 7 mags total) - held
 - Underslung M203 (1/1 HE - 8x HE, 3x HEDP & 1x ILLUM total)
Frag Grenade x4
Sig Sauer P226 (15/15 rounds - 4 mags total) - holster

Tucker catches Minh's signal and gives her the nod to proceed ahead and check it out.  "Be careful," he replies quietly back to her as he looks for the other ex-Polish military soldier that was with them, Matias.  As Tucker sets up on the right-hand side of the body, Robert signals with his hand to Matias (pointing at him with his finger and then to his eyes to watch on the left) as to which sector to watch while Minh advances.

TUCKER
M-16A2 [30/30] / M-203 [HE] - {READY WEAPON}
Browning HP-35 [13/13] SAFETY 'ON' Cocked & locked
H&K SOCOM Pistol [12/12] (Holstered) {[2] Full 12 round / [1] 10/12 Round mag [Loaded]}

Salvaged Gear:
*Claymore Mine & Pouch    2.0
Mag Bandoleer [6 MAG 30] 3.0  {5x30, 1x22/30}
[1] M-16 mag (BDU Pocket [18/30])

*NOTE: Claymore given to Sutherland (remove upon use)

This message was last edited by the player at 21:59, Fri 11 Feb 2011.

Taking position in the ditch, Piotr looks to make sure Mariusz is within speaking distance before he starts scanning the darkness to the south while speaking to the young partisan.

“You've fought with the captain, any idea how he would proceed. Will he counter and try to run the enemy down or will he hold?”

Piotr's mind was going in overdrive. Without proper communication, in fact without any contact or knowledge of what the German commander was planning there was not much they could do from here. Even getting back to the main element was risky in this darkness.

“Teo, check our lady driver, make sure she's alright. Then secure to the north”

Piotr Pawlowski
In roadside ditch south of the truck
SVD  [9/10]
Observing south for possible enemies, talking and ordering Teo

Mariusz thought for a moment and said, "The Kaptain will keep his eyes on teh most important strategic element, keeping the General alive. He'll establish a strong fire base and try to get mobile again by getting us to regroup and move on. I have a radio, if you want I can request advice, orders may come soon anyway. If you do want to pursue the enemy I'll have to radio the move in, we'll be crossing their arcs of fire and I'd hate to think of them firing at us as we blundered through their fields of fire."

He shrugged, "It's a gamble, if the ambushers have a vehicle they could hit us again before we reach the 10th, if they haven't they could fade into the night and leave us chasing our tails if we do pursue them."

Crouching at the sedan, Bayer nods as Jan reports back, "Alright. I don't want anyone left behind. See what you can do. If nothing comes up we'll have to do a sweep once the General is able to be moved."

Then with nobody else free, Bayer walks down to where the motorcycle rider ended up. He keeps to the road, in the middle of the team's permimeter, but stays low.

OOC - Mari I forgot you had a radio. What type is it?
This message was last edited by the player at 15:30, Fri 11 Feb 2011.

“You got a radio!?!” The surprise made him look sideways. Piotr had missed all about that. All Mariusz was telling was confirming his thoughts. He had already called the German captain a wise man earlier that day. This only reconfirmed this.

“You better try to radio call in our status and position.”

Piotr Pawlowski
In roadside ditch south of the truck
SVD  [9/10]
Observing south for possible enemies, planning and ordering Teo

"No problem," Mariusz said and picked up the handset, "Kaptain," he said, "This is Mariusz, I'm with the rest of the squad by the treeline, requesting orders, over?"

Dawid and Woj set up the PKM at the road junction. A slight upward curve in the terrain to the south about 100m from the crossroads likely conceals the enemy force from view. Craig, a few meters to the west, likewise sees no further sign of enemy activity through the lense of his NOD. From all indications, the ambushers have buggered off. You can't help but wonder why they didn't press their initial advantage or put up much of a fight when your team began to return fire.

Konrad moves a few meters to the west of the crossroads and finds the mangled corpse of the motorcycle messanger. He looks like he must have absorbed a round or two before skidding to a stop on the rough pavement. He may or may not have been dead at that point. If not, it's clear that the heavy Ural truck finished the job.

Meanwhile, Tucker and Minh close on the body 15 meters or so south of the road. Minh's hand recoils from what has become a routine scrounging operation when she recognizes the starlit face of her German comrade in arms. Dieter, somehow sensing the presence of a friend, lets go and breaths his last. (RIP, Dieter)

Matias, covering the small clearing team's left(east) flank, spots a lump in the relatively flat field about two dozen meters to his left. As he stares at it, it resolves into two suppine human forms. Neither moves a muscle and it soon becomes apparent that both are most likely dead.

Monika bandages Johnstone's ugly facial wounds. Besides staunching the bleeding, the bandaging has the added bonus of shutting him up. He settles down and waits for the pain relievers to kick in. The general's wounds are much easier to dress. The severed finger gives Monika more trouble than the clean bullet entrance wound in his upper hip but she manages to bandage both efectively on the first attempt. As instructed, the Russian bodyguard removes the driver's nearly headless corpse, climbs into the vacant seat and, after a couple of attempts, gets the car started and running again.

Several hundred meters to the east, Mariusz radios Konrad, as the Poles from the truck (and the Russian, Vita) attempt to coordinate their deployment with the temporarily stranded main force to the west. Thor, scanning the fields to the south of the ambush zone through his night optic, spots some movement about 150m or so from the road. One or two figures are moving south low and fast. Thor can only see their heads and shoulders bobbing along, close to the ground. He could take a shot, but it would be a tough one and he's running low on rare .50-caliber ammunition. Vita remains alone in the cab, collecting herself and thinking of how best to deliver a justification for her failure to follow the orders of nominally superior officers.


Next Moves?

Upon discovering that the General's motorcycle driver was beyond help, Bayer begins moving back to the sedan. When he arrives, he's about to ask if the vehicle can be driven again when the bodyguard restarts the motor, answering his question. Surprised by that the car was still mobile, he says, "Well Jan, at least now I don't have to tell you to piggyback the General home."

His radio then crackles with Mariusz's voice, which comes as a surprise to him. In all of the excitement and confusion following the long and tiresome days, he had forgotten that the boy was given a radio.



"Captain Bayer here." he replies, not bothering with his call sign. "Bring that truck back some. Only half way to the intersection though... we will come to you. Stay sharp for more enemy. Out."

Bayer then turns back to those by the sedan and says, "Warren. Jan. I've got Mariusz bringing up the truck a ways, but I don't want it to get too close or we might end up having to walk home. You two take front security in front of the car. We move shortly."

"Sawicki. I want you to ride in the car with the General."

Bayer then gets back on the radio, "Sergeant Tucker. Standby for withdraw. But first I want a sweep of the ground for Dieter. You have two minutes. Make it quick."

And, "Dawid, did you copy my last on withdraw? Your team will take the rear and follow us once we pass by your position. Everyone will RV with the truck down the road."

OOC - Basically everyone maintains a security perimeter as the car moves (at trotting speed) down the road to RV with the waiting truck.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:17, Sat 12 Feb 2011.

     Monika stopped and knelt by the body of the driver.  She gathered his belongings, both military and personal, placing them in the front seat of the car.  As she got in the vehicle, she spoke softly to the General.  "I have collected your driver's things and placed them in the vehicle.  Perhaps you can see that they get back to his family."


Monika Sawicki
Suppressed PB/6P9 (8/8) and one extra (8/8) mag
PM-63 SMG (15/15) and 4 extra mags (15/15) (25/25) (25/25) (18/25)
Suppressed PM-64 (6/6) and two extra (6/6) mags
Doing what she can to help
This message was last edited by the player at 02:12, Sat 12 Feb 2011.

”I can't see a thing, looks like they have turned tale and run for it.”

Craig flipped up his NVG's and turned them off. Turning towards Dawid he adds:

”Do you think we will do a sweep for bodies ? I think my grenade was on the money. They may have intel or some of the poles may know them from the Barons forces and the ammo would be good.”

He glanced at his own PLCE.

"Wilco," Mariusz replied and then looked at the others and said, "The Kaptain wants us to head back toward them but only halfway to the intersection where they will join us. May I suggest we accompany the truck on foot? That way we can keep up a defensive perimeter and be able to react better if we are attacked."

In reply to Konrad Bayer (msg #138):

"Yes, I have it," he replied to Konrad.

He turned to Woj. "Everyone will pass us, then we take the rear position. Get ready to move when I say!"


Dawid Piotrowski
PKM GPMG (80/243)
Road W of Intersection
Aiming and Covering South, then moving east.

In reply to Konrad Bayer (msg #138):


Tucker stares at the body of Dieter as he watches Minh's reaction.  He signals for Matias to stay where he's at for the time being as he goes to confirm the findings as his radio goes off with Konrad calling him.  "Umm yeah Boss, good copy.  Won't need that much time though.  We got 'em here.  He's um, K.I.A.. Over."

Tucker kneels down next to the body to try and figure out how Dieter bought the farm.  He looks back up at Minh, "I'm Sorry.  I know you two were close.  Stay with him OK?  Matias thinks he's found another couple of bodies over by him.  We'll take care of it, just stay low sweetie."

After listening to Mariusz, Piotr seemed to consider their orders for a moment.

“You got any idea how much ground we covered after passing the crossroads?”

Not really waiting for the answer he decided to do as the captain told.
“Alright we're going to back her up. We start with 50 meters. Mariusz,  Teo, you lead the way. One on either side of the road. Call out at any sign of danger or obstacles. I'll be at the drivers side, Lech takes the other rear position.”

Looking up at Thor at the rear of the truck,

“I know you don't take my order, but please keep eye out for danger with that thing”

After assigning positions Piotr moves towards Vita to check on her. “You think you can back her up at a slow pace?” He asks while opening the door to the drivers position. “Just listen to my instructions.” After that he makes sure he can keep eye on Teo and will instruct the female driver when necessary to keep the truck on the road or maintain the right pace.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:37, Sat 12 Feb 2011.

Quyen's shoulders drop and she exhales deeply when she realizes the body is Dieter. She then kneels next to him, leaning in close and placing her ear over his face so she can listen for a moment.

When Tuck passes by with Matias on their way to check on the dead enemy, Quyen stays with Dieter. She slings her AK74 over her shoulder and collects his weapon up off the ground. Then when Tucker returns, she says quietly (knowing there still could be enemy out there somewhere), "Sergeant. The Hauptmann is going to want Dieter's body taken. How about you two carry him and I will take his weapon and cover?"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:58, Sat 12 Feb 2011.

Jan's mood soured at the news, he heard over the radio net from Tuck, of Dieter's death.  He had liked the man - Dieter was one of the few people he had met since arriving in Poland who seemed to have retained all of his humanity.  Many people he had met had a cynical approach to life, regarding death and, particularly, killing people as something ordinary that didn't really bother them.  He would miss Dieter!  Dieter had reminded Jan that turning into the cynical old veteran he envisioned himself as wasn't necessarily the right thing to do!

He still had a job to do though.  Before he moved up the road to take up front security as instructed he made a quick comment to Konrad.  "Capitane, if the motorcycle rider is dead we must strip his body.  The 10th will need all weapons and equipment!"

Jan then moved off to set up front security, keeping a watch out through his IR goggles.


Jan
Moving up to set up front security
Scanning around with his IR goggles
F88 Steyr AUG (30/30 rounds - 7 mags total) - held
 - Underslung M203 (1/1 HE - 8x HE, 3x HEDP & 1x ILLUM total)
Frag Grenade x4
Sig Sauer P226 (15/15 rounds - 4 mags total) - holster
This message was last edited by the player at 22:13, Sat 12 Feb 2011.

Robert sighed as he got up and put his hand on her shoulder, "We can do that."

Mariusz nodded to acknowledge his orders and then said, "I'll take the side of the road the ambush came from, you take the other one."

He kept his eyes peeled for trouble before moving out once everyone was ready.

"CONTACT!" Thor's voice cut across the airways, hopefully silencing all others.

"Movement. One fifty metre south Sunray position."
"One, maybe two move south."

Although confident in his skills, it was indeed the diminishing ammunition that held him from firing Mjollnir. But that didn't stop him relaying the enemy's position to those who were closer....

"Haptabeiðir, Jean. HE."

Thor "The Thunderer"
Calling fire from Konrad and Jan's grenade launchers upon enemy contacts
Barret M82A1 ("Mjollnir") (10/10) + 2x10 + 1x9
Wz.88 Tantal/BG-1 (28/30)/(1/1HE) + 3x30 / 2xHE ("Gríðarvölr")
H & K USP-9SD, 9mm (14/15) + 3x15 ("Fatle")
M-26A1 hand grenade, x2
Bayonet/knife
Individual Tactical Radio

Minh checks Dieter's still-warm body for indications of how he met his end. He's facing away from the road, towards the enemy, his legs twisted almost underneath him. There are two bullet holes in the back of his PAGST vest, and another through the back of his K-pot, just above the thick part that covers the base of the skull. Minh can't avoid the horrifying thought that Dieter was killed by friendly fire.

While Minh stays with Dieter, Tucker and Matias carefully advance on the two bodies to the southeast. Both men lie face-up, facing the road, with one man laying on the other man's legs. Both wear brown summer-weight Soviet uniforms, puffed up by the sweaters worn underneath, and an ad-hoc collection of civilian hats, gloves, and scarves. One of the men has sergeant's insignia on his uniform. Their LBE is also early model Red Army issue but their well-worn footwear is American combat boots. Two AKMs lie nearby. Even in the dark, the dead men's swarthy complexions are noticeable. A quick survey of the field beyond turns up no further signs of additional enemy, living or dead. It's too dark for amateur trackers to pick up blood trails or other spoor. (Recovered: 2 AKMS, 4 full 30-round mags 7.62x39mm, two partial mags- 12 & 23)

After taking the guns and ammo from the dead, Tucker and Matias return to where Minh waits with Dieter. Splitting up the load, they carry their dead comrade and the captured enemy gear back to the crossroads, where Dawid, Woj, and Craig have been providing overwatch.

The general's bodyguard has some trouble getting the Trabant out of the ditch. He finally manages to pull the underpowerd sedan back up on to the cracked bitumen. The dead driver's body is placed in the boot. Dieter is carefully laid on the hood. The wounded are placed in the back (Monika takes shotgun) and the car is driven off at a walking pace, with Adam's Irregulars providing security, secret service-style. There is another brief pause as the motorcycle messenger's body is placed on the hood next to Dieter.

Several hundred meters down the road to the east, the truck begins it's own walking-pace redeployment. Piotr, Mariusz, and the other Poles walk alongside the truck, keeping careful watch for signs of another ambush.

You all meet back up about halfway between the two party's stopping places.


Next Moves?
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:19, Sun 13 Feb 2011.