I think we can spare a little fuel to wash them out properly. Would alcohol be suitable or should we just sacrifice a litre of diesel?

What's the condition of the BMP? I'm not expecting it to be drivable any time soon (but we do know where there are some parts not so far away).

Oh, wait, Ben put a charge on each of the engines......   :(
Maybe they didn't go off as planned?  :D
This message was last edited by the player at 03:50, Thu 02 Apr 2009.

I was already thinking of giving a little bonus for the task roll. I like to when the tasks are played out in detail as a kind of incentive bonus. If you want to use some fuel (either will do), I think it'd be okay to (again) make it a little more easier on the task roll.



Nobody really checked thoroughly as far as I know. I mean nothing as in an intentional, detailed inspection with results based on a roll. Its got about a half dozen 25mm rounds into the front hull and turret... it won't start, and there is obvious damage to its weaponry.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:37, Thu 02 Apr 2009.

It's definately on the list of things to do. As soon as the BTR is running nicely, hell, even before then if Jordan isn't doing anything, it'll be given the once over.
It'd be nice to get it running to give us a bucketload of choice, but on the other hand we're running out of crewmen pretty fast and fuel will disappear in a heartbeat. Should at least be able to strip it for parts and supplies - fuel, ammo, weaponry, etc and in the meantime it makes a nice, scary looking pilbox.

As Ben and Boswell spent a fair amount of time in it during the night (it was their sleeping quarters and Varis did show them the various systems), I think we should already have a reasonable idea of it's condition.


I'm rather keen to take the BTR-70 with us, but should we take the unarmoured and non-amphibious Humvee too? The BTR will make a great cargo carrier and still towing vehicle (which allows the M113 to use it's rear ramp) while being only marginally more expensive fuelwise (88 litres per period for the BTR and 70 for the Hummer).

Do we have any volunteers to crew it, or requests to change from their current assigned seats which are:

M2 Bradley leading
Driver:                 Stone
Gunner:                 St. Gil
Commander:              Jameson
Passenger 1:            Arthur Fox
Passenger 2:            Oskar Friedmann
Passenger 3:            Helmut Meyer
Passenger 4:            Varis Babicevs
Passenger 5:            Kurt Weiss
Passenger 6:            Erich Hawkins

M113 2nd
Driver:                 Jordan
Commander (M2):         Jagelis
Gunner (M240):          Kelly
Gunner (PKM):           Tom Handley
Passenger 1:            Anderson

Hum-vee rear
Driver:                 William Hicks
Commander/Gunner (M60): Captain Gideon
Passenger 1:            Lt Boswell
Passenger 2:            Jan Krejick

This leaves Rooke and Kaminski still to be placed and Boswell all alone (and he can't drive according to the Cast thread).
This message was last edited by the player at 13:08, Thu 02 Apr 2009.

When it comes to equipment maintenance, I can be fairly creative when I want. My fater was a mechanic for a few hundred years[he started back around 1945 when he was 14], and while I am not, I know enough to make good solid posts on that sort of thing. Combined with a reasonable familiarity with the equipment, and access to a few shelves worth of reference books on auto repair I can fake a lot. :)

As far as equipment goes, I defiantly planned on looking at the truck and BLT to see what we are dealing with. It just seemed like from the descriptions that the BTR was the best starting point.

As far as flushing the filters, I would go with methanol. It dries quicker and leves less residue on the air filter and on the fuel filter it might just cut some of the old petrolium based gunk better. Pluss we have more of it so we might as well start there.

I was more referring to the mechanical aspects of it. Any of the PCs can give a general inspection and come out with something like what I posted above. But it'd take either a mechanic/tracked vehicle/weapons related roll to know exactly its condition (like its wear value), and if there isn't something working right - what the exact problem.

As a rough example, you may own a car and it suddenly keeps overheating... that's a simple inspection that anyone can do. But it may take someone with some skill to tell you why.

Boswell can drive providing its nothing more than he'd be used to driving his car to work (on a road). Once you start going x-country or in combat, the chance of mishap begins with him. So, its possible and totally up to you if you want to use him this way.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:58, Thu 02 Apr 2009.

So he's got say a "poor" rating then?

Ben would definatley have looked over the BMP weapons for servicablity when Vairs was showing him and Boswell what the various labels meant the previous evening - rather bad form to try using the 73mm for example when the breach has been blown out. A couple of dry firing runs during the familiarisation should have found most of the more obvious problems too (like lack of ammo or faulty trigger mechanism).

Actual overall vehicle condition and specific mechanical issues are definately something for the mechanics to look out for.

Yes. Poor would be accurate.

Ok, turn post is up. Everyone is finished what they were doing and free to start something new.

I'm at work and don't have my notes regarding the BMP's damage. If I remember correctly it has some major engine damage and the 73mm is busted up... but don't quote me on this yet. Looking back over the thread... the missile launcher was blown off as was the IR light. The front hull took some good solid hits and it'll probably be needing some serious work and suitable parts for the engine. Its fuel tanks were not ruptured though.

I'll hold off adding the BTR until I know what you want to do with it.
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:47, Fri 03 Apr 2009.

Hey folks,

Sorry I haven't been around lately.  My wife has been monopolizing the computer and I have not had enough ambition for writing to kick her off ask to use it.  In addition, I had to work some extra days this week, including today (Friday).  I am going to try to post Saturday night, since I have the day off from work in order to attend a wedding (hopefully, I will not be too wiped out from the festivities).

I believe I am beginning to get accustomed to the rigors of working again after nearly a year of unemployment, so I am less tired as when I started.  Now all I have to do is talk my wife into letting me play on the computer once in a while...  I hope to be able to start posting regularly again starting this coming week.

Thanks for letting us know. Hope you are able to stick with it and find the time.

On a related note, I think we may have lost Fox... and possibly Kaminski.

T2K is truly a war of attrition.

I'd REALLY like to take the BTR. It's armoured similarly to the M113 and armed with a heavier weapon plus coax. We've got 1570 rounds of 7.62mmL belted at my last count (Fusilier to confirm of course), so plenty to supply the PK.

Can any parts be scrounged from other one?

Can parts be stripped from the BMP (like the bildge pump) and installed in the BTR? What about rigging up a pump from the farm to do the job?

The trim panel isn't much more than a sheet of plywood - I think that we could knock something together fairly quickly, and the holes should be able to be patched by cutting pieces from other vehicles and welding into place.

One other good reason to take it is the "Trojan horse" concept comes into play. With a crew of three (the commander appears to dismount with the infantry) and 8 passengers, there's a reasonable chance we can simply drive up to say a bridge checkpoint without a shot being fired before dismounting right in amongst them. A few holes, and missing pump and trim become much less of a problem for river crossings.

As the BMP has suffered major engine damage, then we should drain the tanks into our own (same with the pickup), strip out any working weapons and ammo, as well as any electronics such as radio, range finder, night vision, etc. With the engine knocked out, I don't think anyone's going to be putting it back into service any time soon so not a lot of point destroying it with explosives when we leave.

To my mind, it's really just sorting out the vehicles that's now keeping us here. Once that's done, we pull in the mines, take down the wire and move on.

So, who'd like an armoured vehicle to call their own?

OSKAR.

Oskar cannot drive.

I say we should take the BTR, for a little while anyways. I get the impression that we're kinda of penned in here in the village. Our departure may be more of a breakout... the more vehicles we have means there is more targets for the enemy to deal with. And if we lose a ride we'll still have the means to haul everyone out.

If it doesn't come to that, we might want to trade off one of them for something like fuel.

Where is our next objective?

I wouldn't mind taking the BTR. Fueling and crewing it are going to present greater challenges but it does give greater protection and carry heavier firepower than the Humvee. I don't think Varis will be of much help as a driver, though.

What have we been hearing on the radio over the past couple of days?

Nothing really. I don't think anyone has been purposely spending time trying to listen in on any (known enemy channels) though. Nothing has come over the friendly side since the very beginning* except for Doyle.

*That reminds me. Remember back at the start? There was clicking over the net? It was a friendly unit trying to make contact with its command. Their radio was busted and not transmitting, only breaking the air. Guess its safe to let that one out now.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:16, Mon 06 Apr 2009.

Tom's initial search came up with the following:

Rechargeable batteries x 4 (AA size... good for NVGs or small flashlights)
Electrical extension cord x 1 (20 meters)
Small (single room) electric space heater (non portable)
WD40 lubricant (or equivalent Polish brand)
Glass cutter (hand)
Plastic food containers (sealable)
Writing paper & stationery
Miscellaneous hand tools (equivalent to 1/2 set of standard "hand tools" in the rules)
Pneumatic air mattress
Flashlight
Disposable razors x 5
Cross country skis x 2 pairs
Candles x3

Nothing will be added unless I know exactly what you want to take, ok?

Noticeably absent in the search was jewelry, pharmaceuticals, and booze.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:19, Mon 06 Apr 2009.

Take the lot. We've got the space and it's all usable in one way or another.
Note that one set of rechargable batteries will be used to replace the flat ones in one of the casualties flashlights (charge them up first of course).

As far as drivers go, there's a choice of just two with any significant ability at all (most list themselves as "weak" or "poor") - Handley and Varis.
Handley has indicated IC a while back that the Humvee is his prefered vehicle and one he's spent much of his military carreer driving. This leaves Varis....

I'm quite happy if the two of you wish to trade places, but you'll both be drivers regardless, at least for the time being. Once we liberate the prisoners (if we liberate the prisoners), we might get lucky and find ourselves with an expert LAV-25 driver, but for now....

There is an upside to this. It's an armoured vehicle - you can run off the road and into things and barely scratch the paintwork!

When you guys are ready I'd like to know the following...

1. What time are you leaving?
2. What is the order of march for the vehicles?
3. Confirm Ben's seating plan.
4. What is your first destination?
5. Any thoughts on the route? Or do you want me to just use my own judgment?

As a conversation starter, we're heading into Gdansk to stay at the hotel, leaving just on sundown to take advantage of darkness and using our thermal image gear.

Sounds fine to me.

Ok, thanks Stone.




Just a reminder for myself to add this stuff...

Rechargeable batteries x 4 (AA size... good for NVGs or small flashlights)
Electrical extension cord x 1 (20 meters)
Small (single room) electric space heater (non portable)
WD40 lubricant (or equivalent Polish brand)
Glass cutter (hand)
Plastic food containers (sealable)
Writing paper & stationery
Miscellaneous hand tools (equivalent to 1/2 set of standard "hand tools" in the rules)
Pneumatic air mattress
Flashlight
Disposable razors x 5
Cross country skis x 2 pairs
Candles x3

M16A2/M203
30 round 5.56mm Mags (x5) - no 40mm ammo
US Army woodland BDUs w/boots + undergarments
Field cap ("boonie hat")
US Army issue webbing
Combat Webbing
Gas mask w/filter
Canteen and mess kit
Poncho
Rucksack
Sleeping bag
Shelter half/utility sheet
Flashlight (dead batteries)
US Army woodland BDUs w/undergarments (spare)
Hygiene kit w/mirror
Thermal Fatigues (1 set)

M177 Carbine
92FS Beretta 9mm
STANAG 30rd Magazines 5.56N (x6 loaded)
9mmP 15rd Magazines (x3 loaded)
HC Smoke Grenades (x4)
Kevlar Helmet
Kevlar Vest
Fatigues
Combat Webbing
Bush Hat
Thermal Fatigues
Rain Gear
Personal Med Kit x1
Doctors Med Kit (70% complete - no morphine)
Gas Mask
Flashlight
Pack
Sleeping Bag
Shelter 1/2

Does this magnificent BTR have any mounted weaponry?  That would make me happy.  :)

KPV with some ammo. I can't remember off hand how much - its in the thread where I think Marc or Stone inspected the vehicle.

There is also a PKT coax with zero ammo. However, the group has some so get that transferred over.