Jay stood over the body of the cannibal, a grim smile on his face. He took no pleasure in the killing, but was glad that the monstrous beast would no longer be a threat to poor travellers on this road. After quickly checking that the cannibal was alone he searched the body, looking for ammunition and valuables. He left the man's clothes but took his boots. He had learned in his time in Poland that decent boots were a valuable commodity.

He took the time to do a further search of the cottage, again looking for valuables, decent clothes or foodstuffs (of the non-human meat kind). He would take anything of interest, as it could always be ditched back at the boat. Finally he gathered up the rifle and woodaxe, and then headed back to the Queen, meeting Jeff en route.

Back on the boat he reported to Jan. He simply stated, "it is done", before returning the radio. He then went to the stores to deposit his loot and reload his magazine.

Once finished he will assist with any tasks that need doing, including foraging/scrounging parties, and will also make sure that the boat crew know about the axe, and that there may be a ready cut supply of logs at the cannibal's cottage if required.

OOC - Will add woodaxe, rifle and ammo to stores, plus boots (if they were in reasonable condition) and anything else I find. Will take 10x 5.45mm rounds from stores to reload my magazine.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:29, Sun 06 Jan 2013.

Thijs spoke up, "I have some more information to add, Kapitein.  You should be aware that the dam at Wloclawek has been destroyed.  It is my estimation, however, that the Wisla Krolowa would be capable of passing through the channel without using the lock.  Which is just as well, since the lock is also heavily damaged.  It is my thought that if this boat can pass the dam, so can the gunboat from Torun."

Jan had simply nodded in reply to Jay when he and Jeff had returned.  "We'll done and I am glad that you are not hurt further."

---

At the meeting as Jeff was posing as a Russian Jan had considered posing as a Czech mercenary, as he really should have done when he'd first met the Queen and her crew rather than admitting his FFL connection, but had decided against it as it served no real purpose, unlike Jeff's masquerade which could reveal some valuable intel.

When Konrad called for options Jan instead asked some more questions.

"Capitaine, do we know how many rafts there are?  Would it be best to bring two or three up river to here and then do many journeys across the river taking a few horses and men each time?

"Also do we have anyone now who knows how to fire a mortar or AA gun?  We will need lesson from the Russian crew as part of the deal."

"About how wide is the breech?" Griet asked the Dutchman, "the charts and my memory suggests it can't be more than about five hundred meters unless they uses something massive to blow away the spit as well. If it is that narrow, we can still use the chokepoint to our favour. We seriously messed up another war boat using a 120mm mortar, this time we might not be able to sink it but we could even the odds out more by bombarding it before we engage it."

"I was a Weapon Systems Officer aboard the Karjala - that means, I was in charge of the weapons teams as well as the maintenance of the said weapons. I have some recollection of how to fire a mortar and I can most certainly handle a 'Sergei' - she had two of them for AA work. As for the Vasilek, I'll just need to take a look at it first and familiarize myself with it."

When Jay passes the sandbag detail on his way back to the tug, Danny briefly stops him with a hand on his shoulder, gives him a searching look, and says, "thanks."  With that, he sends Jay on his way with an admonition to warm up and dry out.  Before heading back to the tug, he roughs out the beginnings of two more graves.

---

Once back aboard, Danny leaves Winona in his cabin with most of his gear, but straps on his gunbelt and double-checks his sidearm before heading into the conference.  When he sees Ryan's condition, he excuses himself, pulls a spare parka from stores, and brings it back, handing it to the Marine with a quiet, "El-tee."

He then tucks himself into a corner, craning his neck to see the map.  When Bayer asks for input, he waits out the initial flurry, then clears his throat.  "Tech Sergeant Larue, U.S. Air Force," he introduces himself to the newcomers.  "Guys, what do you know about the Torun force's morale and mindset?  If they lose their gunboat, will they back off or will they keep trying to fight the war?"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:30, Sun 06 Jan 2013.

At the approach of Yevgenny's party, Connolly straightens up with a sigh, cracks her back, and wipes off the worst of the paint spatters.  After a quiet word with McClurg, she puts on her professional face and makes her way through the crowd (such as it is) to the new nominally-friendly arrivals.  "Lieutenant," she says, offering her hand to Ryan and Anders in turn, "Captain-Lieutenant, welcome aboard.  I'm Dominique Connolly, Captain Bayer's ops officer.  If you have any immediate needs, let me know and I'll see what we can provide."  She gives Carlisle a brief, ironic smile and adds, "Mister Ryan, I'd say 'welcome back to the warm,' but..." she gestures to the weather.

---

As the Kommando and Yevgenny's small party filter into the galley, she pulls Mariusz aside and gives him a much warmer smile.  "Mari, I don't know how the hell you do it, but you're a genius."  She tilts her head at the meal.  "You know what this is going to do for our diplomacy, right?  Good job."

---

In the conference, Connolly remains quiet but continues to eye the charts speculatively.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:50, Sat 12 Jan 2013.

Robert dresses down for the meeting wearing only civilian clothes, his Colt Pythin in its leather holster, and his Russian long coat going for comfort and warmth since he wasn't on duty for the meeting.  He sits (or stands) and listens to Konrad's briefing about the 89th and nods to the new people when he is introduced by Bayer.  When asked about brief options, he chimes up.  "Maybe I'm missing something Boss but, can't we just move these rafts further down river from the damn and patrol craft and cart 'em over away from there?  Or, do they got that many eyes to see what the fuck we're doing?  Plus, they got a thousand plus troops and a metal gun boat?"

Bayer nods and says, "Noted, danke."


Bayer motions for the Russian liaison to answer this question. Jan's next question was answered by the Finn.


"That helps solve our allies' problem but not ours... we, the Queen I mean, still need to bypass Torun. The gunboat needs to be eliminated for us to accomplish that." he answers.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:53, Mon 07 Jan 2013.

Yvgenny holds his hands about a foot apart and then separates them another foot and replies, "About ten meters by about twenty meters- big enough to hold maybe ten horses and their riders at a time. Much bigger and we can't move it to the water."

Connolly gives Bayer a slight shake of her head and waits for him to acknowledge her. "Sir," she says, stressing the honorific so there's no confusion about Konrad's command status despite her own rank, "the gunboat's only half the problem. We still have to bypass a thousand men, and I assume they have heavy weapon emplacements beyond what's on their boat." She glances to the Russians for confirmation, then continues. "We can't go around - the river is a fixed route. We need to move them out of position or convince them not to oppose our passage." She flicks her gaze toward Warren and concludes, "right now, it looks more like a strategy and intel problem than it is a tactical issue."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:28, Mon 07 Jan 2013.

The Finn nodded in greeting and stroked his beard for a moment. "My professional, what's the word now, ah, estimate would be, the enemy vessel is an old landing craft, about 19 meters long, five meters wide and draft of one meter. They have made some changes to it, added armor and so on, and have made it slow by that. 23mm HEI rounds did not have much effect on it and the small arms like RPG did not seem to have any either. I have an idea how to take it out, but it might call for equiment I don't have."

Anders stroked his beard again. "If you have or can get me a set of diving gear, I would say the best option would be attacking it below the waterline. The armor can not extend too far there, wouldn't be practical. A heavy enough charge underwater, detonated remotely from the shore would probably break the hull or topple it, because the armor and the turret has probably made it top heavy. The other way is to pound it from above with 120mm rounds. It is probably slow to respond to the helm, so it can't dodge too much."

"As for needs, if you have anything that resembles coffee, I would sell myself for it. Most of my stuff was lost with Karjala, and what I managed to gather taken when I was captured, but I think I might get at least some of it back after the river crossing is complete."

After a short pause, the Finn speaks, once again. "Also, if you need a gunsmith or a mechanic, I suppose I am your man. I also have a civilian rating for naval engines and some skill in the electrical side as well."
This message was last edited by the player at 06:55, Mon 07 Jan 2013.

Tucker nods to Bayer's, and everyone else's input and then, continues.  "I get the point that we need to still pass Torun.  Even if we can take out the patrol boat, we still eleven-hundred troops looking to blow us out of the water.  Maybe we need to talk to them directly to see where we stand?"

"The troops in Torun sound like they have some communist fanatics leading them," commented Jan.  "They are staying in their position and trying to continue with the war even though they are kilometres away from it.  With eleven hundred men even if we set up a diversion somewhere the force they would send in response would still leave them significant numbers of men to guard the river."

He looked at the Russian liaison Yvgenny.  "Do you know if they guard the river much?  Or do they think that their boat gives them plenty protection there?  All I can think of at present is sneaking into the town to blow up the boat and then trying to sneak the Queen through at night so that it is difficult for them to attack us.  I am sure that Griet will tell me how stupid an idea that is."

Once Jan's question had been translated into Polish or Russian (Yvgenny speaks both), the liaison responds,

"None of us have been up there, so I don't rightly know what the riverside defenses are like, if there even are any. But there is a standing bridge there, apparently, and Red Army doctrine places quite a bit of importance on guarding bridges, especially with what your NATO raider companies have done. They've got to keep the bridge open for supply convoys and local merchants and the like. Since they've got the monitor, though, I suspect that their riverside defenses, aside from the stuff around the bridge that is, are rather thin."

"Maybe after we get the cavalry across, we'll have some trade goods to pose as local merchants?"

Carlisle raises an eyebrow at he Finn's suggestion of some kind of a limpet mine.

"Well," the Marine acknowledges, "if it comes down to that, I suppose I'm SCUBA qualified. And pretty handy with high-order explosives. But I gotta say, I'd prefer a solution that doesn't involve me getting that close."

He stuffs his mouth full with a scoop of the chow generously provided by the young Pole and continues talking, apparently oblivious to the breach in etiquette.

"Or that wet."

Quyen finds a seat in the galley (or tries to) and sits down to eat and listen to the discussion. She splits her attention between Mariusz's food and the conversation but apart from whsipering her appreciation to their amazing cook, she keeps quiet.

"Posing as merchants sounds like an interesting idea to me," commented Jan in reply to Tuck.  "We could try sailing close and posing as merchants with something to trade and a desire to pass through.  For a start if we have two mortars we are not very likely to be going to be able to use both at the same time so we could sail close, attract their attention in some way and wait for them to approach.  When they do we say that we are merchants with a mortar and shells for trade.

"Alternatively we could do some recon initially.  Several of us could approach by land and say that we are guards from a merchant convoy who are interested in coming to trade but wish to find out what the local situation is.  Or if some people wish to get wet then we could send swimmers down the river to have a look at the defenses.  The water may be too cold for that though."  He looked at Danny as he mentioned the water temperature.

"For proper diving, we'd need dry suits. I used to dive recreationally before the war and the dry suit works even in the winter. If we want the underwater approach, I'm not saying we need to plant the explosives on the hull. Probably just being near enough the boat underwater would work for the explosion to damage it, so setting up an improvised naval mine or two in the river, detonated from the shore would probably do the trick. If it doesn't destroy it, the weight of the armor might make the boat to topple over with the added armor changing the balance of the hull."

"We tried a swimmer before and it was very difficult, and that was with a proper Navy SEAL of all people, and it was a couple of weeks before it has gotten this cold. I am not supportive of such an idea right now." Bayer answers.

"However any decent plan makes use of a recce, so that is what I believe is a future step." he adds. "Preparation and execution of such can be done concurrently to the 89th's work on their rafts."
This message was lightly edited by the player at 11:20, Tue 08 Jan 2013.

"Do you want part of that recee to be several of us posing as a merchant's guards?"

Bayer thinks for a moment and says slowly, "I don't know Jan. This isn't like Warsaw or the other places. The Russians here are still at war. The old rules apply. Just about everyone here can be seen as either an enemy or deserter... regardless of what we may say is our new career."

Griet really liked the idea of heading up with the tug boat to recon the city. It meant they could carry on past and solve all their problems whilst leaving the Russians swinging in the wind but she kept her council on that until there weren't any representatives present.

"Some sort of recon is necessary," she said, "if you're worried about the Russians pulling people as deserters or enemy, Mariusz and I could pass as civilians. I even have my papers that discharged me from the navy."

She looked at Mariusz, "He's a pretty boy, I could pimp him out to lonely Russians."

Walter, who understands a fair bit of English (he refuses, however, to speak it), has been listening in, gleaning a basic understanding of the Kommandos' objectives and of the obstacles standing in their their way. In his native tongue, he offers,

"If Torun's garrison is like the other Soviet garrisons along the river, they won't hinder trade as long as they stand something to gain from it. In my experience, checkpoints usually skim a little off the top and let the merchants pass. If they seize a boat, they might gain more in the short term, but they're probably losing more in the long run. They want you to come back so they can skim a little more each time you pass through. We used to pay 'tolls' in liquor or food. We tried paying in gold once but the bastards held us for three days while they tore the ship apart looking for more- and they beat the shit out of Grzyech!

"I'd also remove the Vasilek, if I was going to pose as a merchant. Anything heavier than a Kalashnikov would probably be seen as suspicious or threatening. We got a licence for our Dishkas from the Krakow Rada. We still have it around here somewhere, don't we?" he asks, looking to Griet for the answer.

"We never had a security team of NATO people on board either. The Russkies might be looking for stragglers or deserters or the like and they'll probably search the boat. I'd recommend only having Poles on board, if you plan on posing as merchants."

-
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:17, Thu 10 Jan 2013.