In reply to Francis 'Frank' Benucci (msg # 943):

Ok, adjust your sheet and I'll deduct the XP.

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I've assembled a detailed description of the compound in one location. I invite you to use the information that I've given to provide some detailed plan for improving it. Domestic improvements will be necessary to survive the winter and security improvements will help once I get around to throwing a Russian motor rifle regiment at you. At the moment I don't know exactly what you plan to do.

He's the problem with the wall...

The wall will be a longer term issue, at the moment the massive bridge overlooking us is something we've forgotten.

Work schedule (with man hours estimated from Challenge)

1) Obstacles (don't know, depends on what PCs want)
2) Overhead protection for slit trench: Phase 1: wooden frame: needs lumber and 10 hours work
   Phase Two: sandbags or packed earth: if we haven't got sandbags we'll build a roof frame for earth: 10 hours
3) Digging mortar pit: 8 man hours
4) Revetting mortar pit: 8 man hours
5) Zeroing in mortar and recording: 8 man hours: needs F.Obs or Heavy gun to supervise or complete
6) Roofing: 8 hours per 25m square (equal amount of time to scrounge supplies, I'm assuming we bought enough for four lots)
7) Insulating wires: 8 hours of electrical
8) Heat sump: 8 hours for trench/4 hours for piping/4 hours to fill with glass (if the kids get it)

That's 102 hours work: 96 without the electronics.

The three volunteers so far can work 10 hours a day for 30 man hours: that's three and a bit days to finish, more if we need to scrounge materials. After that, we'll need to scavenge up more roofing materials.

How does that sound for a start?

I would imagine that each obstacle will take about a day to build. We'll need to transport something substantial enough to stop traffic an place it strategically.

I imagine that such rubble will be easy to find but a bitch to move. We're going to need fuel for the truck to provide hauling capacity.

Sorry I haven't posted IC.  I'm away for the weekend rolepkaying and I have been able to catch up fully.  I'll keep trying but please NPC Ortega if necessary.

Ta,

Andy

I've done some googling and the perimeter is 200m long with 115 meters vulnerable to vehicle attack.

It takes 150 man hours to build six meters of vehicle obstacle with the tools and materials we have so blocking the whole area is unfeasible. At present we can build one six meter stretch a day so we could build two or three blocks to slow down advance on the road and do the rest later. As an estimate, covering the whole needed perimeter would take twenty days with four men, less as a whole team and we'd still need to defend the entrance.

The north side is blocked a little by the bridge so wire and mines might do there.

As for the fence, would building structures at the corners that could be manned help. I can't remember the name now but little redoubts to cut out blind spots like the Vauban Forts?

Character sheet updated

A redan? I believe they would work. If you built bunkers at the corners, out/away from the wall, they could have wide LOS to keep the wall clear of attackers. The wall has holes, plenty of them, but you can't really see well through them or have a clean shot unless you are right up against it. A tunnel beneath the wall could provide access to each one.

There's also concertina wire to think of. It's a quick method to deny ground as well and isn't a serious burden on manpower to set up... though it doesn't help much if you are concerned about vehicular attack.

Billy was thinking of using stakes and the barbed wire at ankle height with some AP mines mixed in to deny the open ground once attackers were inside the fence. He could set them up anywhere it is needed so he could cover the weak areas of the fence, just depends on how much wire we brought. We could also include some pit stakes and caltrops.

Cheapest and quickest vehicle obstacle are telegraph poles at 90 degrees in the road.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:12, Sun 23 Nov 2014.

I don't believe you'll be able to create much a minefield as there are only 12 mines on hand. At the lowest density given in the rulebook, the mines could be used for a single 10m x 10m patch and even then only give a 10% chance of a target triggering one.

The (land) perimeter is 200m long.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:38, Sun 23 Nov 2014.

The land perimeter is long so we want to channel attackers into what few mines we have.

My assessment of the ground is as follows:

Northern perimeter:
Close to the bridge and river, not likely to be under attack from vehicles. It's a prime candidate for wire and anti-personnel barriers.

Western Perimeter from the river to the gate:
Covered by the scrap yard/warehouse. This prevents easy access for vehicles and again can get by with anti-personnel stuff. Vehicles can access it but have to cover our killing ground first.

Western Perimeter from gate to corner:
This is wide open to vehicular attack. Long term plans are:
1) Build three blocks on the road to slow vehicle approach
2) Build extra blocks and pits on the open area to catch attacking vehicles (the pits will be concealed but some ditches had double role: we'll make covered bottoms with pungi sticks in them so if attacking infantry decide to use them for cover they'll have a surprise)
3) Anti-vehicle block along the 60m of vulnerable perimeter. This will be wooden boxes backed by anti-vehicle posts and filled with the earth in front of them which will make a ditch. This will stop wheeled vehicles and slow tracked but not stop them.

This is all very long term though. For now we need to look tough enough that most people will look for easier targets and we need to focus on making the base habitable for winter. Having great defences isn't much use if we're freezing to death.

Fuse, when we were based in the school, did it still have its radiators, and what style were they? At that period over here schools often had the big old cast iron systems heated by a boiler. That might be a source of salvage.

Redans is the word: survivalists call them Cooper Corners.

In reply to John Jameson McCarthy (msg # 954):

English call them redoubt's. The English made some spectacular earth redoubts during the Boer war and New Zealand wars.

Billy's is going to make a suggestion in game that may make the defences a mute point.

The school had the old boilers, yeah.

Re: Billy's suggestion...

There is a fort on the river, but it's in thr hands of the Fisherman's Union, your allies. I believe he's thinking of the petty warlord on the coast... where Ortega and Co. met Krupp. No fort there.

If you guys want to search out a better position feel free. There's better places out there if you want to look.

I'll be putting up the turn tomorrow.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:20, Sun 23 Nov 2014.

In reply to Fusilier (msg # 956):

Ah sorry about that got my locations mixed up.

Sorry, I'm a little confused on the groups.  Who is going with Ortega on the trading team and where to you need Tosh?

JJM I think Billy's suggestion might be something we should think about. Kaminski's spot is good but we could do better. The thing about islands is there needs to be a bridge but it doesn't have to be a island. It might save us some work by packing up and moving someplace they is more defensible.

You've got some cool ideas about apocalyptic home improvement though.

Ferro will take from stores: Hacksaw

FYI, just edited my IC post.

Fuse,

Tosh will take 119 x 5.56mmN rounds from the stores.

Thanks,

Andy

Fuse,

Ortega will take the stationary and paper set from the stores - he's always making notes and producing lists so he must need some replacements by now.

Ta,

Andy
This message was last edited by the player at 21:33, Mon 24 Nov 2014.

Sorry, is Alan after 30 rnds 5.56mmN from the stores or is he putting that into the stores?

Turn is up and covers 10 hours. I'll be adding a supplement to where the smugglers arrive in the evening and you can decide if you want to do business with them.

You need to decide on a bid to sell the dual-KPV weapon system to the F.Union as your sale is in competition with other dealers. Tell me what you want as payment and I'll roll the dice for the result. Since he was just on a "browsing" trip, Ortega will need to return tomorrow and drop off the gun system/see if the Mad Dogs' bid was accepted.

You are offering:
1x ZPU-2 (Dual KPV and ZU-23-4 mount)

You want (see the post for list of available items):
???

In reply to Fusilier (msg # 965):

Are the smugglers interested in the KPVs?

In reply to Luis Ortega (msg # 966):

No. They don't usually buy weapons and they prefer smaller items for exchange. They like to sell weapons for spendable currency like gold, silver, tobacco, fuel, bullets, medicine, etc. They get their weapons to sell by "other means".

Also remember their prices are high. Unlike the FU, the smuggler's trade will be for profit. The FU just want to put their new boat in the water so it will be a fairer deal - except that it's in competition with others.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:48, Mon 24 Nov 2014.

In reply to Fusilier (msg # 967):

Ok, so you want a list of items that we want?  Correct?  Or a $ value and a priority order of items?

Edit - what size still?
This message was last edited by the player at 23:53, Mon 24 Nov 2014.