In reply to Jack 'Patch' Flint (msg # 254):

You shoot him, and have some men carry the body out. Given the lack of entrances, the rest of the prisoners see the body being removed. It does not make them more receptive to staying with you.

Contacting the fleet in orbit goes much better. They will have an airstrike here within the hour.

Roll 1d6-1 twice, once for the tanks and once for the APCs to give the number of vehicles destroyed or disabled by the airstrikes before they reach you. There are 2 Rifleman units in each APC.

You send the men to man the weapons left behind by the Vilani. That will aid somewhat in the defences. Raiding the medbay for drugs to aid healing will ensure most of your men are back in combat shape. At least for the fight.

With news that there is an attacking army coming, many expect you to loose and want to keep their heads down, but a number offer to assist as unarmed medics if you will let them go after the fight. Some of your men actually would prefer not to hand the enemy behind them weapons, but as medics they are not opposed.

Enemy:
Riflemen x10 (each with 10 men) 640x10 =   6400,     F, Rec
Personnel Carrier x5            800x5  =   4000,     Cav, F, T2
Main Battle Tank x5             4000x5 = 20,000,     Arm, Cav, F

TS: 2080x5 + 4000x4, 640x10 Recon (=TS F, 800x5+4000x5 Cav, 4000x5 Arm)

Your Forces:
2 x Riflemen (TS: 640) x10(1) men, F, Rec
2 x Combat Engineers (TS: 640 x8(1) men, F, Eng
1 x Anti Tank Guided Missile crew (TS: (1920))x4, (Arm)
2 x Mortar Team (TS: (800))x4, Art
4 x Support Weapon (TS: (800))x3, F
Intelligence Analysis: 14, Strategy: 14
Terrain: Mountain, Terrain Bonus 4(2 underground), defensive bonus of +12,
TS: 5120, 2560 Recon (2560 Eng, 11,520 F, 3200 Art, 3840 (Arm))
Your Men are Good Quality with Good Equipment.

Are you suggesting sending an expeditionary force beyond the safety of the fortress (as the Vilani did) to attack the tanks before they get here?

Jack agreed to unarmed medics, and made a mental note to punish those that had fought against him and then not redeemed themselves. (OOC: He'll lock them in a room afterwards and throw a few grenades in etc. - let it not be known that Jack is unfair)



"Now, we've set up and we have an airstrike coming in, hopefully that'll take out a bunch of the vehicles, and level out the playing field. Everybody get to position, and think of the glory your victory here will manifest! he called out


OOC:

Dedicated /fortified defence

14:21, Today: Jack 'Patch' Flint rolled 5 using 3d6 with rolls of 3,1,1.  Strategy.
14:22, Today: Jack 'Patch' Flint rolled 1 using 1d6-1 with rolls of 2.  APC.
14:22, Today: Jack 'Patch' Flint rolled 4 using 1d6-1 with rolls of 5.  Tank.


No expeditary force, relying on the airstrike to do damage. The combat engineers, if they can set up some traps/mines/etc. would be good though.

In reply to Jack 'Patch' Flint (msg # 256):



Enemy:
Riflemen x10 (each with 10 men) 640x8 =   5,120,     F, Rec
Personnel Carrier x4            800x4 =   3,200,     Cav, F, T2
Main Battle Tank x1              4000 =   4,000,     Arm, Cav, F

TS: 12,320, 5120 Recon (12,320 F, 7200 Cav, 4000 Arm)

Your Forces:
2 x Riflemen (TS: 640) x10(1) men, F, Rec
2 x Combat Engineers (TS: 640 x8(1) men, F, Eng
1 x Anti Tank Guided Missile crew (TS: (1920))x4, (Arm)
2 x Mortar Team (TS: (800))x4, Art
4 x Support Weapon (TS: (800))x3, F
Intelligence Analysis: 14, Strategy: 14
Terrain: Mountain, Terrain Bonus 4(2 underground), defensive bonus of +12,

TS: 5120, 2560 Recon (2560 Eng, 11,520 F, 3200 Art, 3840 (Arm))
Your Men are Good Quality with Good Equipment, double strength.

Ratios
TS     2.4 : 1, Vilani favour  +4
Recon    2 : 1, Vilani Favour  +1 to recon contest
Eng      Only You              +3
F     1.06 : 1, Vilani Favour  0
Cav      Only Vilani           Siege in poor terrain, not useful, 0
Arm   1.04 : 1, Vilani Favour  0
Art      Only You              +3

Hence, despite their numbers, the variety and composition of your troops gives you an additional +2 (plus the +12 defensive bonus of the fortress) for a total of +14 overall while you select DEFENSIVE tactics. Any attack puts you outside the fortress...and you loose the +14 bonus, and may even give them the +3 for cavalry superiority.

Since your position is known (thanks to the escaping enemy 2IC) and their position is known (tahnks to the airstrike) there is no point rolling recon contest.

The enemy selects Deliberate attack to halve that scary +12 defensive bonus you have.

Enemy Roll: Target = skill  +1 (Strategy) -0 (Casualties) +0 (Risk) = ??

Your Roll: Target = Skill (14) +2 (Type) +6(DB) +? (Strategy)- 0 (Casualties) +? (Risk) =

What Tactic and Risk factor do you select for the first round?

OOC:

I made the selection for tactics in the last round, Just whatever 'deliberate defence' (full defence) is

14:21, Today: Jack 'Patch' Flint rolled 5 using 3d6 with rolls of 3,1,1.  Strategy.

Jack's risk factor personally will be +2 this round.

In reply to Jack 'Patch' Flint (msg # 258):

Vilani Forces

TS: 12,320, 5120 Recon (12,320 F, 7200 Cav, 4000 Arm)

Your Forces

TS: 5120, 2560 Recon (2560 Eng, 11,520 F, 3200 Art, 3840 (Arm))
Your Men are Good Quality with Good Equipment, double strength.

Ratios
TS     2.4 : 1, Vilani favour  +4
Recon    2 : 1, Vilani Favour  +1 to recon contest
Eng      Only You              +3
F     1.06 : 1, Vilani Favour  0
Cav      Only Vilani           Siege in poor terrain, not useful, 0
Arm   1.04 : 1, Vilani Favour  0
Art      Only You              +3

Ok, you are both being deliberate!

The enemy selects Deliberate attack to halve that scary +12 defensive bonus you have.

Enemy Roll: Target = skill  +1 (Strategy) -0 (Casualties) +0 (Risk) = ??

Your Roll: Target = Skill (14) +2 (Type) +6(DB) +1 (Strategy)- 0 (Casualties) +2 (Risk) = 25, rolled 5. 20 under.

The Vilani attack is solid, but predictable. You have men in place to take out the tank, and they do so. The others following them are then cut down with the heavy weapons, some captured from the fortress, and the enemy suffer heavy casualties.

Casualties: Vilani: 40% (-8), you, 0%

Their next round they attempt to use the same deliberate attack once again...from a different angle.

Seeing that they were working to defend well, Jack decided to continue in the successful strategy and hold defence as long as possible.

OOC:

00:03, Today: Jack 'Patch' Flint rolled 11 using 3d6 with rolls of 5,3,3.  Strategy.

In reply to Jack 'Patch' Flint (msg # 260):

Ok, you are both being deliberate again!

The enemy once again selects Deliberate Attack to halve that scary +12 defensive bonus you have.

Enemy Roll: Target = skill  +1 (Strategy) -8 (Casualties) +0 (Risk) = ??

Your Roll: Target = Skill (14) +2 (Type) +6(DB) +1 (Strategy)- 0 (Casualties) +2 (Risk) = 25, rolled 10. 15 under.

The attempt to flank you by the Villani fails when the command tank is hit. Lacking armour, the APCs are used as fire support...with disastrous results. The enemy, suffering even heavier casualties, starts to withdraw.

Casualties: Vilani: 85% (-17), you, 0%

They are trying to withdraw with heavy losses.
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:50, Thu 04 Mar 2021.

Jack decided to make the enemy suffer and press his advantage. While they were withdrawing he commanded his forces to push hard, and stagger their retreat and kill them all while they ran


OOC:

Im not sure exactly what the correct 'strategy' is mechanically. But I want Jack's forces to fully commit to attacking them while they retreat, and maximise their losses.

15:44, Today: Jack 'Patch' Flint rolled 17 using 3d6 with rolls of 6,5,6.  Strategy.

damn :D

In reply to Jack 'Patch' Flint (msg # 262):

That strategy would be either an Attack or All-Out Attack strategy (loosing your defensive bonus). I will go with the former, as I assume you would not be so reckless just yet.

The Enemy are employing a desperate fighting retreat.

Enemy Roll: Target = skill  +7 (Strategy) -17 (Casualties) +2 (Risk) = ??

Your Roll: Target = Skill (14) +2 (Type) +0 (Strategy)- 0 (Casualties) +2 (Risk) = 18, rolled 17. 1 under.

A junior officer takes over commanding the retreat, and most uncharacteristically, he puts himself in the rear to try to buy tie for his men to escape. It is a brave ploy, but their casualties suffered are too great and your push forward, though costing a few injuries as your men leave their defenses, surround the remaining attackers and they are taken down. You loose 5 men as they fight to the end, but all are now injured or dead.

Casualties: Vilani: 100% , your casualties; 5 dead, 6 injured.

The battle was over, finished and they had decimated the enemy. His force's losses had been minimal  and so he was happy with the result.

"Lets have a look what treasures we have in this place..." he said, opting to search the fortress for anything of use before officially handing it over to those more willing to make use of it.

With this battle won, and the victory sealed, Jack expected at least some acknowledgement from his peers at his hard-earned victory and smiled inwardly as he knew he'd taken a step further towards advancing his own personal power.

"Prepare transports after we've searched the place" he said, wishing to return to his ship sooner rather than later.

In reply to Jack 'Patch' Flint (msg # 264):

The reward for work well done is...more work! You are recognized as capable, having captured the fortress and held it, and are promised more men, for the purposes of winning more battles!

The fortress is a very defensible position, and you are asked to hold it for another week, as other similar battles are waged throughout the planet. Despite the control of space and air, the local battalions, with the best of the equipment, continue to fight bravely. Then you are given new orders...to leave the fortress and head to the nearby city to capture it. The forces there are not known, but may be as many as 1000 irregular troops, and perhaps 200 trained troops.

You will be given additional forces, and it is recommended you leave some men in the stronghold to hold it as well. Most of your injured men are recovered or evacuated. Additional forces are expected to be Tanks, APCs and about 200 Riflemen, but are not as experienced. Please select forces to leave behind.

Your Forces:
2 x Riflemen (TS: 640) x10 men, F, Rec
1 x Combat Engineers (TS: 640 x11 men, F, Eng
1 x Anti Tank Guided Missile crew (TS: (1920))x4, (Arm)
2 x Mortar Team (TS: (800))x4, Art
4 x Support Weapon (TS: (800))x3, F
Intelligence Analysis: 14, Strategy: 14
Expected Terrain: City, Terrain Bonus ?
TS: 5120, 2560 Recon (1280 Eng, 11,520 F, 3200 Art, 3840 (Arm))
Your Men are Good Quality with Good Equipment.

08 of April, 2179

Jack frowned at the notion he was to hold the fortress further "The Starshine is my place. Ill give you a week and no more" he said and so he did. He had everyone manage their shifts and ensure the fortress was well defended but the time on solid rock didn't do well for Jack and so he felt restless.

In reply to Jack 'Patch' Flint (msg # 266):

The week is to be used to prepare for the next assault, which you were asked to lead, as detailed above.

The first part of the preparation is deciding what forces to leave here to hold the fort, since they do not want to send another large force to capture it if you abandon it and others take it over. It is recommended leaving at least 10-20 men here, including Infantry support weapons (basically entrenched machine guns) and the anti-tank guided missile crew.

Jack decided it was best to leave a skeleton team. Two support units and a unit of riflemen. They should be able to hold off any forces long enough for reinforcements to re-arrive. The rest he would take with him.



OOC:

2 support (heavy weapons) and 1 infantry to be left behind.

In reply to Jack 'Patch' Flint (msg # 268):

Your Forces:
5 x Light Tanks (TS: 2000) Arm, Cav, F
10 x APC (TS:1600) Arm, Cav, T1
21 x Riflemen (TS: 640) x10 men, F, Rec
1 x Combat Engineers (TS: 640 x11 men, F, Eng
1 x Anti Tank Guided Missile crew (TS: (1920))x4, (Arm)
2 x Mortar Team (TS: (800))x4, Art
2 x Support Weapon (TS: (800))x3, F
Intelligence Analysis: 14, Strategy: 14
Expected Terrain: City, Terrain Bonus ?
TS: 44,160, 26,880 Recon (1280 Eng, 38,160 F, 3200 Art, 26,000/29,840 (Arm))
Your Specialists are Good Quality with Good Equipment.

Your expected enemy is anticipated to be 200 regular troops (20 Riflemen units perhaps, or some specialists?) and up to 100 irregular units. Recon contest may be needed to determine actual numbers.

15 of April, 2179

OOC:
Recon Roll:
14:09, Today: Jack 'Patch' Flint rolled 4 using 3d6 with rolls of 1,1,2.  recon.

/// ALLL RIGHT!

In reply to Jack 'Patch' Flint (msg # 270):

Your intelligence agents manage to capture a lone enemy agent. It turns out he was carrying a small computer back to to command with details of defences in the city you are directed to attack, as well as the neighbouring city.

There are the following:
2 medium tanks, recently repaired but still not fully functional.
20 units of riflemen
80 units of irregular troops

Nearby city has
30 units of irregular troops
5 units of engineers

After squeezing the man for information, Jack pointed him in a direction with the barrel of his pistol and magnanimously told him "Get walking, if I see you again I'll have your hands cut off". He made sure that the man was walking in an opposite direction from the city, stripped of any useful belongings other than the basic survival requirements - water and  a pack.  He wasn't against killing the man, exactly, because if they captured other enemies he wanted them compliant enough to give intelligence - but he sure as hell wasn't going to let the man give them a heads up.



Jack thought it best to play this one safe. He didn't want to get squished between two forces, and so he thought it best to take out the city with tanks first. The goal was to flank the city from the side opposing the second city; it meant they wouldn't have to fight on two fronts.

JAck didn't like their medium tanks stacked up against his own light tanks, but given that they were damaged but he had the numbers and a team of anti-tank soldiers. It meant he certainly had the upper hand. The infantry fight would be won easily, he thought, set up his support teams in good places, let the infantry fire at their regulars and then have the mortars blow the irregulars to kingdom come - they would break quickly. Hopefully the fight could be won before any reinforcements came to relieve them.

In the worst case, he could have Starshine bombard the city from above.


"Do we have marksmen?" he asked one of the officers. E let them go in teams of two and get them high, aim for officers, hit the torso, wound if you can. Lets break them hard. he said

Then he held his arm out to be handed his rifle.

OOC:

15:27, Today: Jack 'Patch' Flint rolled 11 using 3d6 with rolls of 3,2,6.  Strategy.
// Jack will personally take +2 risk. He'll be fighting in the front lines with their infantry, against the regulars.

// Strategy is 'dedicated attack' (just a good stnadard attack)

BTW, did you know there's a GURPS discord?
https://discord.gg/vk5GtQy
This message was last edited by the player at 14:29, Tue 13 Apr 2021.

In reply to Jack 'Patch' Flint (msg # 272):

Your Forces:
5 x Light Tanks (TS: 2000) Arm, Cav, F
10 x APC (TS:1600) Arm, Cav, T1
21 x Riflemen (TS: 640) x10 men, F, Rec
1 x Combat Engineers (TS: 640 x11 men, F, Eng
1 x Anti Tank Guided Missile crew (TS: (1920))x4, (Arm)
2 x Mortar Team (TS: (800))x4, Art
2 x Support Weapon (TS: (800))x3, F
Intelligence Analysis: 14, Strategy: 14
Expected Terrain: City, Terrain Bonus ?
TS: 44,160, 26,880 Recon (1280 Eng, 38,160 F, 3200 Art, 26,000/29,840 (Arm))
Your Specialists are Good Quality with Good Equipment.

Enemy Forces, location 1, Defence Bonus: +3
2 x Medium Tanks (TS: 2000) Arm, Cav, F
20 x Riflemen (TS: 640) x10 men, F, Rec
80 x Irregular troops (TS: 320) x10 men, F, Rec
TS: 42,400, 38,400 Recon,(42,400 F, 4,000 Cav, 4,000 Arm)

2nd Location, 5 miles away, approximately 2 hours away, on foot.
30 x Irregular troops (TS: 320) x10 men, F, Rec
5 x Combat Engineers (TS: 640 x11 men, F, Eng
TS: 12,800, 9,600 Recon (3,200 Eng, 12,800 F)

Ratios, initially only location 1
TS     1.04 : 1, Your favour   0
Recon  1.42 : 1, Vilani favour +1
Eng    Only You until location 2 joins, +3
Eng     2.5 : 1, Vilani Favour +1 After location 2 is engaged
F      1.11 : 1, Vilani favour 0
Cav     6.5 : 1, your favour  +3
Arm    7.46 : 1, Your favour  +3
Art     Only You              +3

Total Modifiers: Vilani: +2 (Defence Bonus) +1 (Eng, after location 2 engaged) = +4
Yours, +3 (Eng, until location 2 forces join) +3(Cav) +3(Arm) +3(Art) = +12
Hence, you have a Base +8 bonus to the Strategy roll.

Your Attack, Regular Attack, Skill 14+8(Above)+2(Risk) = 24, rolled 11, so 13 under.

Vilani Commander is choosing a deliberate defense.

Your Casualties: 5%, You need to roll over 5+2=7, Position Bonus +2. Penalty due to casualties: -1.
Their Casualties: 25%, rolled 12. Penalty Next round: -5

The call that you are attacking goes out almost immediately you make contact. The enemy is well emplaced, as you would expect, and they fight tenaciously, but your fast units, backed by tanks and mortars, and able to punish them through sheer force and speed. Despite being heavily outnumbered, you push into the city, making use of snipers once the higher buildings have been captured, and you are soon in a strong position, with a number of irregular troops surrendering when faced with the fast light tanks. Your scouts report that the group from location 2 will be in a position to assist these after 3 more rounds.

Jack grimaced, but had expected it. At least the reserves were coming from the other side, and they wouldn't be pincered in.

"Right, they have reinforcements coming in. We need to push hard and win this first battle, so we can emplace.

Push hard! Kill 'em all! he said shouting out.

Their flanking and superiority was apparent, and so he decided to push them hard, to take and hold the defensive place before the reinforcements arrived. It was a gambit, but he was willing to sacrifice the soldiers for the victory. If he'd do it, they'd do it and so he stood up from behind his cover and screamed out in anger while chugging bolt after bolt towards the enemy.

Jack was in the fight, he was enjoying himself and it took all his willpower to not just lose himself in the glorious chaos that was unfolding round him. The singularity of shooting enemy meant that all the grander considerations of strategy and planning. He fired, and fired and then pushed forward with the rest of the men and fired some more.


OOC:

Jack's risk will be full +3
All out attack (I want to maximise the win, here, if it takes away any of our bonuses, then i dont want to do it. Ideally a move that will remove their bonus, or not deteriorate ours)

Here we go, fingers crossed:
09:46, Today: Jack 'Patch' Flint rolled 9 using 3d6 with rolls of 1,4,4.  Strategy.

pretty decent

In reply to Jack 'Patch' Flint (msg # 274):

You push the attack hard, and manage to take both tanks out of the fight. As mortars fall on the command post, the enemies attempt to fall back and exchange ground for lives turns into a route as the experienced enemies are cut down under your superior firepower. However, as they are fleeing back towards the reinforcements that are coming towards them, you really only have this round to stop the remnants of this force joining the other force. Your large numbers of APCs and Light tanks are now causing massive damage to the retreating troops, which are seeming to melt back into the city.

Hence, you have a Base +8 bonus to the Strategy roll.

Your Attack, Regular Attack, Skill 14+8(Above)+2(Risk)+2(Strategy)-1(Casualties)+2(Position Bonus) = 27, rolled 9, so 18 under.

Vilani Commander is choosing a deliberate defense.

Your Casualties: 0%, Cumulative casualties: 5%, You needed to roll over 5+2=7, for last round, I rolled 8 on your behalf! Position Bonus +4. Penalty due to casualties: -1.
Their Casualties: 40%, Cumulative 75%, Fortunes rolled 9, so enemy command post hit! Penalty Next round: -13

Pressing the advantage Jack continued to push hard, hoping to decimate the enemy as much as possible before they joined their reinforcements.

OOC:

Continue AoA


11:09, Today: Jack 'Patch' Flint rolled 6 using 3d6 with rolls of 2,3,1.  Strategy.

In reply to Jack 'Patch' Flint (msg # 276):

Your Attack, Regular Attack, Skill 14+8(Above)+2(Risk)+2(Strategy)-1(Casualties)+6(Position Bonus) = 31, rolled 6, so 25 under.

Vilani Commander is choosing a Full retreat.

Your Casualties: 5%,
Enemy Force, 100% casualties (Many melted back into the civilian population.)

You use your superior mobility to cut of those retreating, decimating the enemy forces before they are able to meet up with the other force. The other force is soon met, however they are still on the move when they engage your forward units in the semi-rural setting between the two settlements. Your troops are well placed to deal with them there, where the engineers are not able to take advantage of their skills.

Your Forces:
5 x Light Tanks (TS: 2000) Arm, Cav, F
10 x APC (TS:1600) Arm, Cav, T1
21 x Riflemen (TS: 640) x10 men, F, Rec
1 x Combat Engineers (TS: 640 x11 men, F, Eng
1 x Anti Tank Guided Missile crew (TS: (1920))x4, (Arm)
2 x Mortar Team (TS: (800))x4, Art
2 x Support Weapon (TS: (800))x3, F
Intelligence Analysis: 14, Strategy: 14
Expected Terrain: City, Terrain Bonus ?
TS: 44,160, 26,880 Recon (1280 Eng, 38,160 F, 3200 Art, 26,000/29,840 (Arm))
Your Specialists are Good Quality with Good Equipment, but you are wearing 5% casualties.

30 x Irregular troops (TS: 320) x10 men, F, Rec
5 x Combat Engineers (TS: 640 x11 men, F, Eng
TS: 12,800, 9,600 Recon (3,200 Eng, 12,800 F)

Ratios,
TS     3.45 : 1, Your favour  +6
Recon   2.8 : 1, Your favour  +1
Eng     2.5 : 1, Vilani Favour+1
F      2.98 : 1, Your favour  +1
Cav     Only You              +3
Arm     Only You              +3
Art     Only You              +3

Since both sides are moving, neither has any position bonus relative to each other. However, your type and numeric superiority give you a +16 advantage. The enemy immediately attempts to retreat back to the city.

Now they were in open country, and didn't have the benefit of the city to defend themselves. But even if they did hole up, the enemy could just retreat and that did not please Jack.

"All work and no play make Jack a dull boy" he shouted out while laughing, feeling a shred of something resembling excitement at the prospect of securing another victory. Happiness was a feeling that Jack perhaps didn't quite feel the same way others did, but this was possibly as close as it got and he had personally killed near a dozen enemies. It was a good day indeed.

"Kill all of them, to the man and I'll give you a full day to take what you want from the city!" he said, feeling magnanimous and wanting to share his joy.

Intelligence had reported that the enemy had some engineers and were mostly comprised of infantry, irregulars too. They would be shown the error of warring against Jack. Jack had armour. Jack had heavy support. Jack had mortars.

"Go!"


OOC:
// encouragement with promise of pillage
11:05, Today: Jack 'Patch' Flint rolled 9 using 3d6 with rolls of 3,4,2.  Leadership.

// I knew it!!
11:05, Today: Jack 'Patch' Flint rolled 16 using 3d6 with rolls of 6,4,6.  Strategy (all out attack).

// Jack will take +3 risk.

In reply to Jack 'Patch' Flint (msg # 278):

Your Attack, Regular Attack, Skill 14+16(Benefits)+2(Risk)+2(Strategy)-1(Casualties) = 33, rolled 16, so 17 under.

Vilani Commander is choosing a Full retreat.

The enemies retreat is remarkably better ordered than the previous group, though they are not successful at disengaging entirely. They manage to restrict losses significantly, before returning to the outlying houses in the city, where they seem to melt away. You capture much of the equipment, though. Particularly the heavy engineering equipment.