Griet spoke to Bayer for a little longer, "I used to come here as a teenager," she said, "it was a training centre for sailing and my Uncle Boris, a Party official got me on the course to help boost my grades with extra-curricular credits. I used to sleep in the building over there. There is a church down the road with a big graveyard. We might want to use the mausoleums there rather than dig a grave. If I remember there was even a Jewish section we could lay Anneka to rest in."

She frowned, "When we were here we used to play in the bluffs around here, they were steep and filled with caves. It was an adventure to search for caveman stuff. If the cannibal is local they might know about the caves and use them to hide in."

She looked at Walter, "If we do moor in the middle of the harbour we'll need to face the prow into the westerlies, they were a bitch when the wind was in the right quarter."

She turned back to face the residential centre. She had spent many summers there and at the time she had loved it, young, pretty and possessed with natural charisma, Griet had been the centre of attention and the undoubted leader of the girls. She had also been a bitch, filling the void in her heart by making other kids' lives a misery. She remembered on fat little girl who had been a particular target. She had endured three weeks of hell and had never returned.

Jan nodded in agreement with Jeff.

"Yes, he has made his point and now left.  This is a fight he cannot win and he has enough sense to avoid it."


"The man has gone," Jan answered over the radio.  "Hunting him would be very dangerous.  This is his territory.  What do you want us to do now?"


"Are you sure?" Jan replied.  "He will be out on his own against a man with a rifle who knows the territory.  Are we setting a trap?  Or do you want him at the house closest to the dock as a forward sentry?  I do not understand fully.  Please explain again."

Bayer replies over the net, "Roger. A trap. The weather is worsening, if he tries to return home I want a Kommando lying in wait. He is one man... soon we will be at war with a thousand men. Over."

Bayer then listens as Griet tells him her story and says quietly, "That sounds nice. I mean... what you said about coming here before." He then says, glancing out the wheelhouse window and shaking his head at the inconvenient situation, "If he stays in the caves I'll be happy. I just don't want him interfering with the Russian liaison or near the boat. Loners and hermits usually keep to themselves... I am hoping he will."

Bayer then remembers the mentally disturbed old man he met upriver, living in the shack with the wild dogs as the only company. He wondered what he was doing right now. Bayer then realizes he still had the medal the old man gave to him and sighs deeply.

"Understood.  Jan out," he replied over the radio before turning to Jay.

"Jay, when we pull out of here you stay hidden and see if the shooter returns.  If he does then kill him.  There will be Russians along soon so do not do anything to them.  Also do you want my radio?"  If Jay did then Jan handed it over.

Once Jay was organised then Jan called quietly to Danny who was still inside the house.  "Danny, pull out now and join us.  We are to go back to the boat."  After the medic joined them Jan led Jeff, Thijs and Danny back to the boat.

At Jan's order, Danny rejoins the sweep team, wearing a grim expression.  "Somethin' you need to know, dude," he advises Jan in a low voice.  "The reason that fuck took a shot at me is that I found his stash."  He spits, then continues, "There's a chopped-up kid in that freezer."

He faces outward, scanning the terrain, and concludes, "It's Konrad's call, but I'm guessin' we don't wanna be associated with that shit if the Russians decide to check the box too."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:10, Fri 04 Jan 2013.

"Jan, I can stay instead. I speak and look Russian, and this is exactly the kind of stuff I've been doing for 10 years now. "

If Jay is still the one to guard, Jeff shrugs and heads to the boat with the others. He'll accompany Craig in the snipers nest.

Griet got on the intercom and detailed several people to various tasks.

"Anyone not actively on guard or involved in sweeping the village report to the aft deck and let's get some work done," she said.

She met the work parties and said, "OK, one party needs to start filling some sandbags, go down fairly deep as we can always use it as a grave later. Second party I'd like some work done on the deck damage, make sure there are no sharp edges to cause injuries and clear any debris from the deck."

Griet grabbed Mariusz and took him to work on the sandbag party.

"Repairs." Bayer answers. "I know the engineers taught you more than just how to blow things up." he adds with a friendly nod.

When Jan and his team arrives back at the Queen, he splits them up into the two work parties that are already on the go, "Robert and Jan... repairs with Quyen and Lieutenant Sutherland. Thijs, Larue, and Warren-or-Jay... sandbag detail with Mariusz." He then jots down a simple 20 minute rotating sentry for all to partake in.

As Jay began to prepare for his solo mission, Jeff interjected. His logic seemed sound, so Jay nodded that he was happy for Jeff to take the detail instead, unless anyone disagreed.

OOC - happy for Jeff to take this one if he wants. I guess he has a radio and NVGs.

Quyen smiles slightly and answers "Yes sir. I do prefer one over the other but I am good at both." She then makes her way outside where she finds Craig and takes stock of what tools they had available. Then after she zipps up the oversized tankers jacket and cups her hands to light up a smoke, Minh will get to work dealing with the aft damage.

Jan shook his head in disagreement with Jeff.  "No, the person who stays here is a trap for the cannibal.  The Capitaine's instructions about the Russians were just in case whoever stays here meets them so your skills are better used elsewhere as they are not supposed to meet them.  Jay is the best at staying hidden so he stays."

He then glanced back the way that they had come before continuing to talk to Jeff.  He had a fairly good idea why Jeff wanted to be the first to meet with the Russians and he needed to talk to Konrad about it away from the spook.  "As we withdraw though Jeff we will find you a place where you can set up and cover Jay as well as being in a position to meet the Russians where they arrive."

He didn't give Jeff a chance to discuss it further.  "OK, let us go.  Jay if you get concerned at all then withdraw to the boat."

Leaving his radio with Jay if he wanted to borrow it Jan then led Thijs, Danny and Jeff back towards the houses just to the south of the dock.  There he left Jeff, ideally set up in the roof cavity of one of them where he had sufficient elevation to be able to support Jay.

Jan then led Thijs and Danny back to the boat.

---

As he arrived back on the boat Jan reported to Konrad.  "I have left Jay at the house as a trap as ordered but I have also left Jeff in a house at the southern end of the dock where he is able to cover Jay.  He was keen to stay out and greet the Russians when they arrive and he can also do that from there.  Do we want him talking to the Russians though?  He will try to recruit them for his masters but do we care?  If it is a problem I will go and get him and bring him back here.  What do you think?"

Jay nodded and took the radio, securing it on his webbing. As the others moved out he quietly found a suitable spot to hide. He located a building opposite the cannibal's house and snuck in, doing his best to disguise his presence there.

When he entered the building he carefully placed a number of sticks and other items on the floor. Hopefully they would alert him if anyone tried to sneak up on him. He checked the building thoroughly, looking for a suitable spot on an upper floor or in the roof where he could watch the cannibal's house without being seen.

Once he was secure he settled in to maintain his vigil, waiting for the monster to return...

Craig was glad of the additional help.

I have marked the boxes with the most damage and was just about to start on the repairable ones. If we could get some weather boards off the houses we could use that and hand tools to fix the rest. Also if we could get at the framing in the buildings we could make a double think chest high rampart around the edge of the deck with a gap between the two layers. That should stop most small arms and fragments. How long have we got here, anyone know ?"

Upon returning on board, Thijs began to prepare to assist with repairs.  Feeling left out of the loop due his lack of a radio, he asked around, "What is going on?  What are our plans?"

"You got it boss," Tucker says as he gets ready for the detail to form up and reports to Sutherland and Minh.

Robert says to Minh with a smile, "You tell me what you need here Minh.  I'm not as 'tool savy' as some people."

Several members of the team remain close ashore, within sight and hailing distance of the tug, filling sandbags. This process also creates pits in the cold Polish earth suitable for two shallow graves, should the party decide to bury Anneka and Gunther here in scenic Dobiegniewo. The rest of the crew goes to work repairing the mostly superficial damage sustained by the Wisla Krolowa in the battle of Plock, filing down sharp edges in railings and gunwhales, and painting over the scourings and pock marks from blast damage and bullet strikes. The only paint in the ship's paint locker is black and red left over from the tug's last paint job (this occured after the Kommando parted ways with the tug near Zwollen, and prior to the subsequent unexpected reunion at Gora-Kalwaria). Unfortunately, there's no white paint left, so the mostly white superstructure takes on a black and red speckled appearance- from a distance, the Krolowa now looks a bit like some kind of exotic duck. It has to be done, though, Tadeuz explains, to prevent rust, a mortal enemy of any ship afloat.

Meanwhile, Jay and Jeff remain in the hamlet, lying in wait for the suspected cannibal. Jeff sets up in a builing near the road with a direct line of sight to the cannibal's cottage. Unfortunately, the entrance to the cottage is on the side opposite to Warren, limiting his ability to provide overwatch for the vulnerable Jay. Furthermore, several dozen trees lie between Jeff's position and the cottage, limiting his lines of fire. Still, from this house, Jeff can cover both the cottage to the west and the access road leading from the highway to the docks.

When the rest of the sweep team returns to the docks, Jay begins looking for a suitable hide from which to ambush the cannibal should be return. There's a shed behind the cottage, but it doesn't face the entrance. The cannibal could return home and Jay might never see him. He considers climbing a tree but the branches are mostly bare, severely limiting the concealment value such an elevated venue would offer. The only option left is the cottage itself. Jay makes his way inside, shuts the front door behind him, and sets up in the shadows behind the still-warm potbellied stove. All he can do now is wait.

After about an hour, the anticipated precipitation starts. The temperature has dropped several degrees from the morning high of 37F and the steady breeze has become a stiff, penetrating wind. The freezing rain comes in at about a forty-five degree angle, stinging exposed skin and quickly soaking through non-water proof clothing. It is not good weather to be outdoors in.

The rain hitting the roof and west wall of the cottage make it hard for Jay to hear anything moving outside. The stove has gone cold and the diminutive Ghurka begins to shiver. Without warning, the front door swings open violently, but there's no one there. The strong wind has apparently blown it open. Freezing rain enters the foyer of the cottage. Jay's just about to relax when a man-shaped shadow fills the backlit doorway. Jay is ready to act but he's stiff with cold and his fingers are numb so his control is off. At point blank range, Jay squeezes off a five-round burst and the dark figure spins around, hit once each in the arm and the leg. The man falls hard to the wet floor, snarling in pain and rage. Despite his wounds, the man reaches for his weapon, a long bolt-action rifle lying on the floor beside him. At the same time, Jay is up and moving out from behind the stove. The man has hold of the rifle now, and he's trying to manouver himself and the rather unwieldy weapon so that he can bring it to bear on the intruder. He's not quick enough. From only a few feet away, Jay puts another five-round burst into the struggling man, ending his life. In the cold dim light shining into the cottage through the open door, Jay gets a good look at the individual the party has been preoccupied with since discovering the disturbing stash of trophies and man meat. The hirsuit man is dressed in grubby civilian winter clothes. He looks to be in his thirties or forties and his teeth are stained brown. With his knit red watch cap and full beard, he looks to Jay like a younger, grubbier, altogether more evil version of Old Adam Rataj, the Kommando's former patron. Jay secures the man's rifle, an old Moisin-Nagant, and leaves the corpse lying in state. Outside the doorway, jay finds a woodsman's axe propped up against the wall. The man must have set it there before reentering the cottage. (Jay -10 rounds; 1 wz. 91/98/26 [Polish Moisin-Nagant clone converted to the 7.92mmx57 Mauser] recovered)

Jay walks through the freezing rain back to the tug.

Three hours after the riders left, they return, six men on five horses. Yvgenny is back and, as promised, he's brought a signaller, a short, boyish looking man who he introduces as Andrei. In addition to Andrei, Yvgenny has brought along the two POWs he mentioned, a Finnish naval officer by the name of Anders Mattson and a USMC engineer officer named Ryan Carlisle. Yvgenny, Andrei, Anders, and Ryan climb on board the Krolowa and out of the freezing rain. All four men are soaked through. The other two Soviet cavalrymen remain in the hamlet, setting up camp in the Polish government youth center (where they also stable their horses). They are not going to risk the return journey under the current weather conditions.

In about three hours, the party has filled a few dozen sandbags* (and dug two shallow graves), salvaged some wood from a couple of the hamlet's abandoned buildings, made minor repairs to the tug's battle damage (unfortunately, the paint hadn't had a chance to dry before the rain began, giving the tug an even more bizzare streaky appearance), kill a suspected cannibal (no formal investigation or trial was ever conducted, the Kommando acting as judge, jury, and executioner), and, to top it all off, the tug's complement has grown by four (for the time being, at least).

It's about 1300 hours and the storm has just begun. Wlcolawek is about 15 kilometers downriver. After about an hour, the freezing rain has given way to snow.

*The sandbags and wood can be used to either enlarge or strengthen the quarterdeck (aft) defense position- it can either accomodate four people now, or it can stop up to and including 7.62mm rounds at long ranges. Unfortunately, however, the overhead tarp that used to cover the quarterdeck was destroyed, so all work on the position has to take place under the elements.

Updated tac-map: https://maps.google.com/maps/m...pn=0.077508,0.264187


Next Moves?
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:11, Sat 05 Jan 2013.

The Finn, recognizable as a soldier only by the blue garrison cap with a red cockerel on front, sporting a golden lion like the one on the Finnish Coat of Arms and the navy blue work coat with a rank insignia (one broad, one narrow and one broad faded straight gold stripe) on only one shoulder (apparently the other one had been ripped off somewhere, somehow), was clad in a mix of civilian clothing. He sported a rather thick, heavy beard, clearly having lacked shaving equipment for some time and a thick, dark brown hair.

"Gentlemen", he said in a bit accented English, "I am captain-lieutanant Mattsson, formerly of FNS Karjala. The Soviets 'obtained' my services by catching me after I had floated to Poland after my ship sunk, and I had had some adventures of my own." The man truly looked the part. "I have been promised my freedom, if I help them across the river. Not such an easy task, with the amount of horses they have."

Jeff hears the gunshots and surmises that Jay was in contact.  He arrived after the engagement had ended, exchanged a nod with Jay and the two walk back in the rain/snow to the tug.

Once inside, he makes himself comfortable in the galley.  He's ready to provide translation service from Russian to English if needed.

Mariusz retreated to the kitchen as soon as his shift was over and he was soon humming merrily to produce a supper worthy of all the hard work that had been put in over the last few days. It was also a meal to welcome new people and to celebrate the memories of the lost.

He began by working on the good durum wheat that he had been hoarding and he worked it in several ways before forming it into pasta parcels containing a little bacon and mushroom. He cooked the parcels in a rich tomato sauce and set the dish aside to work on the main meal, Bigos, the Polish Hunter's stew with dumplings and a mashed potato side.

As the stew bubbled merrily away, he worked on the final element of the meal, an apple pie to remind the Americans of Thanksgiving.

He worked happily inside the steaming kitchen, pushing the horrors of war away by resorting to his family's cure for all things: pile the calories on.

Jeff had broken his SAKO TRG apart to clean it, being careful to not interfere with the zero of the optics.  He worked quietly generally ignoring Mariusz in the galley until the smell got to him.

He stood up, leaving the bolt in a cloth on the table.  Never much of a cook, he's astounded by the bounty that Mariusz was whipping up.  "Son, is that..." his eyes grew wide  "Is that an Applie Pie?  I don't know if I've even seen one in the last 10 years."

Then in a low voice he says "Listen, if a newcomer walks in, I'm not American."  His Russian attire would hopefully convey the message that he wanted to be treated as such in the face of strangers.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:48, Sun 06 Jan 2013.

Craig worked on the quarter deck until the weather drove him inside. He was keen to put the double layer frame wood balustrade into effect but did not raise it as an issue if the others felt otherwise.

If they have additional days he hoped to collect enough 4x2 framing wood to protect the entire deck as well as repair the original boxes used for protection. If they had additional days he would collect gravel to put between the new wood layer for additional protection.

He at least wanted to bring the protection back to what it was with maybe some additional. If the roof on the house was tile or something similar he would use weatherboard's to replace the shredded tarp.

Carlisle boards the river tug with Yvgenny, the RTO and the Finn. Lanky, unshaven and dressed in a filthy mix of civilian, Soviet and American-issue gear, he doesn't waste much time surveying the condition of the vessel before moving inside.

"Carlisle. Ryan." The Marine introduces himself to anyone present. "First Lieutenant, United States Marine Corps. Combat Engineer."

He huddles, shivering under a wool blanket.

"The Russians picked me up last spring, north of here. They made me the same deal as the Finn: We get them across the river and I can walk. Until recently, that effort was focused on the bridge at the Wloclaweck dam, but every time we get halfway close that godforsaken monitor floats down from Torun and blows it up again. Fuckin' bridge over the River Kwai. I'll be whatever help I can. Just let me dry off a little and get some chow in me."

When Jay and Warren returned, Bayer didn't ask or say anything about the man suspected of cannibalism. He heard the shots earlier, and simply nodded once to Jay, leaving it at that.

Bayer then welcomed the visitors on board, but not before giving Griet a look first. It was her boat after all and he had no interest in overstepping his bounds. "Squeeze yourself into the galley." he says to the four men, and motioning for his Kommandos to do the same. Bayer then instructs Kellerman to stand watch - promising the American he would make sure some of the pie that they could smell would be saved for him.

When everyone was finally crammed into the galley, Bayer sat at the head of the table. It wasn't so much of a command thing, but rather he wanted to be able to see everyone for the meeting he had called for. Looking at the four new faces, Bayer waits until it goes quiet then says, "I am Hauptmann Bayer, of the ermm... Kommandos. We are a free company, most recently in the service of Warsaw." He then nods to Griet and introduces her, "Captain of the boat, CPO Niewiadomska." And finally to Jan and Robert, he simply says, "My acting NCOs."

Bayer then explains the situation to Kommandos, once more to those who are already aware and for the first time for those like Thijs who were still in the dark. "Downriver is the town of Torun... currently occupied by a sizable Soviet force of roughly eleven hundred men... and apparently still considering themselves at war, and thus going to be problem for us. Most pressing is the fact that they have some type of armored river gunboat." He then lays out the map Adam gave him and pointed out the city for those who are close enough to see it. "As you can see from our guests though, we are not alone. Close by is the 89th Cavalry Division... yet another Soviet force, but one that is most interested in getting across the river and going home. I've agreed to their proposal for mutual cooperation. We need to get past Torun... and they need to get three hundred men and horses across the river."

Bayer then motions to Yvgenny and continues, "The 89th are constructing some sort of rafts, near Wloclawek, this side of Wloclawek actually. The tug can power them across, but only once the gunboat is no longer in use since the town is under observation by enemy patrols. In addition to their battalion strength in mounted troops, the 89th also have a ZU-23-2 and one 120mm mortar available for us... in addition to some more 82mm ammunition for our Vasilek.

Bayer then folds his hands on the table and asks, "Options? Keep it brief."
This message was last edited by the player at 08:10, Sun 06 Jan 2013.

In Russian accented English, Warren offers "I am Stárshiy Leytenánt Filipov.  I am assisting Mr. Bayer, and will be able to provide translation services as needed."  He repeats this in fluent St. Petersburgian Russian for the guests.