The 13 men and women of the Russian, British and American forces, dresses as a rag-tag band of German soldiers, leave about to take a more round-about route to their destination, the Reichsluftfahrt-Ministry. The rest of the combined company are to follow about an hour behind them.

Lena, having spent the last few years in Berlin, is able to double as a local guide. The woods north to the Olympic Stadium are thinner than they used to be, with many trees taken down for materials.
It's a lovely day in April, now that the sun is out, it soon starts to warm up nicely.

Then, the artillery starts again. The shells are not falling anywhere close, but they can be heard continuosly, a rolling thunder, answered by the stakkato gunfire of German 88s and smaller artillery.

Once they have cleared the forest, the little troop enters what seems to be a small village inside the city: A grid of small houses, surrounded by tiny yards and gardens, picket fences all around them. The shutters of all the windows are closed, but there is some movement behind some of the windows. From somewhere, music can be heard, Bach or Mozart, maybe, accentuated by the falling shells.

Once the troop of 13 reaches the other side, you're back in the city of Berlin. Multistory houses line the railway leading east and west. And on the other side is the river Spree.

Either could take you closer to your destination. The railway track will get you easily east, but then you'll have to cut down South, possibly taking you much closer to the fighting than you might want to.
Or you try and find a boat or two on the Spree. That should take you much closer, but may draw more attention than you want.

"We should see how abandoned the river is, those who can step quietly and understand German."  She repeated it, not knowing a better solution for dissemination.  "[Language unknown: U urilsi her ticll aichonun ec ominha ck, ioerad yin evnti din remapa der oshiofnian Whiconing.]"

Yelena waited to see if any of the officers would respond first, but when they were quiet she half-raised her hand. [Language unknown: "A allis Verhatugh redat eklar o undtheear. Setios i maevwiie Ta ei ousou elha e."] Indeed, quietly getting into position and then patiently staying there were activities that helped keep Yelena alive and make her successful.

OOC: 5 notice, 4 stealth

08:48, Today: Yelena Malkin rolled 4,5 using d6+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 2,3.  Notice.

08:48, Today: Yelena Malkin rolled 4,1 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,1.  Stealth.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:49, Fri 16 Apr 2021.

Hearing the ladies quietly discussing their plan, Zholdin gave a slight shrug.

"[Language unknown: Me yinaveone itil tinentwas ingardore lessheich ant, thce oses p ing yin ha earsomast saal ulted dinerstio ineouloul pre p aleiin lependunit.]"  Lena committed, figuring three was probably enough to go peek.

A commando Lena was not, but she'd been doing enough spying to be reasonably discrete with her footfalls.

Notice 5, not great but thank goodness for recently acquired Edges - 06:30, Today: Lena Vogt rolled 4,5 using d8+2,d8+2, rerolling max with rolls of 2,3.  Eyes and Ears.

Stealth 6 - 06:29, Today: Lena Vogt rolled 3,6 using d6+1,d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 2,5.  Sneaky Sneaky.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:32, Fri 16 Apr 2021.

Lena, Yelena and Zholdin cross the railway tracks, subconsciously stopping to look if there's a train coming, then hurry to the other side of the road. The other ten stay behind and take cover, ready to strike at any unwitting German patrol.

Across the tracks, you notice the remains of a few billboards, apparently hacked up by Berliners in search of firewood. Beyond is a patch of wild, untamed bushes and high grass.

The three sneak forward, until they spot a small boat anchored on the make-shift pier on the Southern - so their - side of the river Spree.


There are two men visible on deck, facing each other. One of them is sitting at the prow, one hand dangling across the reling, the other holding a metal cup.
He faces a man leaning against the window of the bridge, who's right now taking a big gulp from his bottle.
Both are wearing faded German uniforms which have seen better days.
The name of the boat is faded, but Lena can make out "Kleine Bismarck". Little Bismarck. Possibly a reference to the former pride of the German Kriegsmarine, which had been sunk a few years ago.

Yelena raises her rifle and Zholdin takes a few tentative steps forward, then trips as his right for goes into a well-hidden hole and he can't suppress a curse as he falls flat on his stomach.
Both men turn towards the noise.

Now, you can see that the left man, the one leaning against the captain's bridge, is standing merely on one leg, his right one, the left missing above the knee. The sleeve of his left arm is also pinned up, and the left side of the man's face - who otherwise could be considered quite handsome - is a scarred ruin, with part of his lower jaw and his eye missing.

The other man, sitting on the prow, turns more awkwardly - both of his legs are missing.

"I'm sorry, the Little Bismarck is unavailable for tours at this time!" the half-man yells ower.
"Don't be so hasty, Walter, don't you see these are two very lovely ladies?" The other one chimes in.
"Come on over - hope you are not too thirsty, but we're drinking to the end of the war! We'll be happy to share!"

Walter mutters something and the legless man shrugs.

Since she was made anyhow, Lena dropped the hat she was wearing and sauntered over, crossing hip over hip like she owned the place.  Her tone, she slurred just a little to suggest inebriation, and she was a little breathy, a little sultry.  Well, actually, a lot sultry.

"[Language unknown: Is, pl o wh, areen tho sta set nce ro reaingatelar tilope?  E nc eve noess o fooul outouteve seliitat, oltr us ti re sti at ureho whiionugh.  Et ectouloer wa ng pr les llur menlarstr, in ul trons ekofll preec.]"

She ran her hands up and down her sides suggestively as she could in clothes that were meant for a very different body.  It was both to tease, to show off what she had acquired.

"[Language unknown: Ousse hasonsticstr ilni adreis thnelahi arela, as comek he?]"  She walked right up on them.

Audacity.  It was all Lena could think to try.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:18, Mon 19 Apr 2021.

Yelena simply smiled at Lena's attempts at seduction. The sniper was trying to figure out how to take them both out with a single bullet, but perhaps the spy's idea would work. If it didn't there was always time for more shooting.

Her rifle was pointed downward as she stepped in front of the fallen officer to hopefully conceal his presence, waiting to see how Lena's offer would be received.

Zholdin, for his part, seemed more than happy to lay there as Lena attempted to talk her way out of the situation.  Well, happy might be the wrong word, he was positively fuming, but still.  Thankfully Yelena had the presence of mind to step in front of him and provide some sort of concealment, so all he could do was lay as motionless as possible and wait.

((08:52, Today: Warmaster, on behalf of Lena Vogt, rolled 2,2 using d6+1,d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 1,1.  Persuasion + Attractive.

08:53, Today: Warmaster, for the NPC Legless and Walter, rolled 3,4 using d6,d8, rerolling max with rolls of 3,4.  Smarts
))


No-Legs tilts his head and seems confused, but Walter shakes his head.
"What are you, SS? Volkssturm? Go bother someone else and let us be in peace. This country has already taken everything from us. You should run that way", he points to the West, "and hope you reach the Elbe before the Russians do."
His friends slightly nods in agreement.
"They're already in Marienfeld, I've heard", No-Legs shakes his head and points to the bridge, "at least that was the word on the radio." He shakes his head. "That they put rifles now in the hands of the women, too..."

Lena switched tactics. lol what a roll

"[Language unknown: Wiee encek pr ek ouset, linlesoer fo E i anul EN yinromati heel hisessoul la icaai tinlarare waseaucomnteateing p il ol peulck.]"

She didn't quite drop her initial disposition, but she let it slip a little.  It wouldn't do to radically shift all at once.

At hearing their ruse had seemingly worked, Yelena prepared to move on, but stopped short when Lena chose the path of more talking. She was a talkative one, it seemed. Yelena was mentally ready to fire her rifle, but was following the lead of Lena for now.

[Language unknown: "Mo Latourith?" ] They both start to chuckle.
[Language unknown: "Caove nt omeortshe omeles-ersoveill dinseters adta ngecioolneio acei icbeck preanynce."]


[Language unknown: "Pl iveiprit. Es anom antwilcom ioek host lisaieei k hetiho."]
They both turn serious again. [Language unknown: "Ha theintoun hou ssprai a hoularent ntiet ti ive nc encvirint, T ilieon."
"Ive poit wer il shelating niilme at."
"Nc wianolio tailllnd manounast. Roou ourvenhat hasromlat hios of art eenfo Nt Ncro."
"Ut, ndear. Taei larreavir he ngain di ouheosce ntiatethe, o iternd of e reayinate te diai andsonhaslinhas io dili eennotlar utncen."]
They both chuckle again.

[Language unknown: "Ai th evenceredine plwit ncead ulee unwhpr of undit Omean evelardin?"]
He scratches his chin. [Language unknown: "E, ardherble poekpa. Teren, ere mo miain k his m asusof. Eaulinove foroulons mewefi wi iline, larughvor iveel, eiar u. Pa fo p ast pr olwi preoveove arwies teckno m."]

Wehrkraftzersetzung. The "undermining of the fighting ability of the Wehrmacht". A chill runs down Lena's spine. Until recently, you'd be picked up by the Gestapo for talk like that, never to be seen or heard of again.
Well, not quite true. There might be a letter, telling the family that their husband, father, daughter or sibling had unfortunately fallen ill and died of pneumonia.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:23, Wed 21 Apr 2021.

Lena raised a hand and signaled the other two should close in.  This could go badly.  Very, very badly.  But, well, audacity.

"[Language unknown: Rutpe ersatiout ome e eion fiaius hiio ulill.  Ioomec foio ing osalth, al lanore sa si ss onat ard Reev Nino asheck omet com dereenpro es in thmi thli anpeel man mence et la herichoer thoearnti st astreaant la eiofun unas menandstiure ei evanis saom esugh fievnc ceitil be bleourant ckomek fo?  Releac'hosa Di ceeiwa siic utha pofout seeiho ti il.]"

Yelena still felt she had the advantage of firepower at her disposal, so she obeyed the beckoning of the spy from Pennsylvania. The Soviet sniper was wary, however, as she didn't know what these men might have hidden away on their boat.

[Language unknown: "Tiämanforyin, a ati ar mi reeste, ac wit we larourome. Hiive e llofel et tinandess alate Yinres'erawhi usca rom robe-ncio"], he vaguely indicated the East.
"And I've never seen three Russians at once. More like 300."

The legless man pursed his lips. Then he said:
[Language unknown: "Ecchndnanciv, laringounwit ek ure?"]

Walter seemed to take this in stride.

Yelena frowned at this change. But it seemed the one that liked legends was switching tactics. The sniper was nothing if not agile, and followed along as best she could. [Language unknown: "P hatesswas isasun all evomit il. N eraithpre ic ingst, O tiolatent sa trofek. Fi ne sa blethuant toof eitang."] She paused and frowned. [Language unknown: "Wh mohi men atprme liheur he ckie nd fifo po osear weofplerca, Ne ndeugheau?"]

Yelena looked at the men for some sort of response to her observation. They were probably well aware that the 1930G she held was issued to Russian infantry. Not that fascists hadn't captured plenty of them during their various offensives.

This message was deleted by the player at 18:49, Wed 21 Apr 2021.

((If you're impatient, you can get closer, of course. :-) ))

[Language unknown: "Ut eichna'olek dine ioame Witoutpre."]
[Language unknown: "Ma ive aditni p Andrutati toarca."] The man without legs rolled his eyes.
Walter giggled.[Language unknown: "Elen Ateionwilpro Stit Adsiil rosa Ionion'ersameers. Utlin ee Ut t Mincpepr ntiherare uraiek." ]
[Language unknown: "P i onel! Ckame whe... resticsom pollck, romcomsta liecil. Ivme ck Forvirnde, whiinewhi."]

Poldi looked at the Red Army detachment before him.
[Language unknown: "Heine for na Hoet'ndie leroinho?"]

Yelena smiled thinly as the men argued about their proximity to the English monarch. [Language unknown: "Urevirredreaous witus un? All i eau Thevselaro larhisles mall ropre at itng'tronhe, Ngreli." ] She inhaled and exhaled slowly.

The sniper briefly looked to the East then back to the men. [Language unknown: "Etchme Leurei Tosice miil n atat si prleas. Ol reugh ho ereichany atiooutoca evefi thdiasti. Hewe ieceee oveandeau es ous entrfo ular atistista an er ha adin pefiel ess re wassonest. Ent pe Om ck."]

She jutted her chin toward the boat. [Language unknown: "Il saniv encstahas enc p tin timopeic si pe belin? Maai ha ei llpami esetst tell ng ter Netrus ol on thentirat."]
This message was lightly edited by the player at 04:24, Thu 22 Apr 2021.

Walter and Polid looked at each other, but the man standing replied first.

[Language unknown: "Li nesiec? Eehino? Enicad of waei stfi ill unhoet a laur e ieal wil ouave Erüniwiadutol."]

The American pretending to be a German pretending to be a Russian tried to pile on.  "[Language unknown: U ive tinousion witthostr vorsannot ei, n moench icle tr westpe k ousthusta ai beoer.  Aiwhul ast oncano hoil ame ionbleove esstedtin st a llome ss nt parom ulma but ou.  Ng iouughenc ha ck u ive earforlat, his dise ieus fo st laulomne, nc foprst tedng nt werpre-ameout.  E ar nope ntli p erstermenous, ncpr no comen niivli lawhnt aspa k menintoursan fies'eine.]"

Yelena narrowed her eyes slightly. She first looked at Lena. [Language unknown: "Erlihe, oun inch n vores ckchwe trnaun utec th wa setse siel ic n rom Verintlar'undtio. Po ulpeni iv urchiohiai stwe airiosnana le, i, tiasulck o Hiou'ssrito."]

She then looked back to the two boatmen. [Language unknown: "Not nipeti ck ilet e e inrea. Traio atecplonul k ouwit tr red hiunha. Ate ne men p witet allwa popepr er t. Nopr Olekur Cktoec herichpre oneandoer in ek sievutun tiilitst t has Dioer Mebeol. Saeau re, er, wasmen'icaeau ngme forri hatiouous?"]

Walter and Poldi looked at each other, then, finally, Poldi shrugged.
Walter responded: [Language unknown: "Ureurerut, werousent. Proute, k le ivsang arle areredughere. il ie t wernotore eraderich ngro se unac ersyinica."]

((In the interest of moving this along))

A few minutes later, the vanguard of the united Russo-Allied forces occupied the boat. More than anything, Walter and Poldi seemed to be mildly amused by the recent chain of events.
Poldi, showing surprising agility, grabbed the side of the roof over the bridge, swung to the side, and then into the bridge itself, grabbing the steering wheel.

Walter, in the meanwhile, pointed towards a few ropes tethering the Little Bismarck to the small pier.
A few minutes later, he joined Poldi in the bridge, where he grabbed a small tin box, opened it, grabbed what seemed to be a mint and threw it in the air, catching it with his mouth. Poldi grabbed one of the little tablets, his fingers shaking and he dropped one with a mild curse. The second one landed between his teeth. Both men chewed in silence for a moment and then sighed with relief.
Poldi started whistling a tune. Lena recognized it - a popular song about Berlin and about Berliners keeping a positive outlook.
Whatever happens in the world... the Spree keeps running through Berlin.

((https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfOzVVarvTg))

Once everyone had boarded, Yelena stood near to the crew of the Little Bismarck. Ostensibly to keep them in line, though most anyone could have played that role. She helped guide them to the destination. Or at least she would be ready to point to a spot for their landing when it became clear where that would be.

When it seemed they were cruising and necessary attention for piloting was at a minimum, Yelena attempted conversation. [Language unknown: "Ernte a ll er ni. Tioil ioec it fione ec te anoer ri?"]

Lena acted as a spy, listening to the conversation.

She actually faded into the rest rather innocuously when she didn't have attention on her.

Julius sat on the inside of the boat, under the shade. It wasn't to get himself under cover, but because he was never keen on boats. Even though he knows that it won't rock on the river, and feel completely different to the sea voyage that brought him across the Channel and into Europe, even the slight movement of the boat distracted him.

He tried to ignore the movement of the boat by counting to himself, starting with one, but then saying that number in another language, and then another, going through all the languages he knew, before doing it all again with two, and continuing on.

Poldi shrugged, carefully steering the Little Bismarck into the middle of the river and going upstream.
[Language unknown: "Poonai p aite linereera. Iestla ngol utos o iouanytin ac in, m to traies ticprever ll us eensetshe. U erehatain aiear olut ho saca ni fo anelac ng hatlesughith."]
He grinned. [Language unknown: "P londri ek nathe Urweat Ulriisil. No trssla lat hiess."]
He seemed more focused now than before.
[Language unknown: "T nti nasine utdin anyiouatewil ad ome na ut reicul iefios, ti etpapa omng mancla ckman il oreil." ]He tapped one of the instruments in front of him, showing a needle that was just a little over the red "R" line.

Walter hopped over to Julius, and offered him the tin can with the mints. [Language unknown: "Whman antnotich rompa on hat. Entastain fi ivofme, hiel? Lo, nopl les, evtoet men noul ca allourort."]

Julius reaches out to take one of the mints. [Language unknown: "Loinan. Ingie nc, Innot tiivto itectr conoutble. Ati, ncmeac ive, eireho?"]

Sucking on the mint, Julius focus on the smell and taste to distract him from the movement of the boat.

The mint had a sharp tang to it, but it worked wonders. The movement of the boat, a moment ago nauseating, was dimmed into a minor distraction and then disappeared altogether.
Julius swallowed and could feel the cold travel down his throat, then spread out into his whole body, invigorating him. The rough wood under his fingers seemed to raise its grain and he could make out small imperfections in what he had thought to be a smoothly planned wooden rehling.

He felt... great, to sum it up in a single word. He hadn't felt that great in a very long time. The chances of their mission succeeding seemed to increase with every wave the Little Bismarck broke on her way upriver. Soon, they'd have their target. And he'd be right there to wrestle Kemmel to the ground. Mentally, of course.

[Language unknown: "Omday Pasaen Veroneereing, undntiear? Dissul whi he com stiverund on alpre trol man? A thaicheve io utunpa? Chbe ar romnt ort rathatnde tiar ecssse?"] Yelena was curious enough to ask a few questions, particularly since her time with these two was likely to be relatively short.

She did smirk at the question about getting to the front. [Language unknown: "P lo ai ho evin as esie haswascom conndenot, u ch ant haol, nd? Nteanture eiprst ivman u arin enev iveughkor."]

Poldi shrugged.
[Language unknown: "Wasarecon ovekorwhiectrom wi me th estndeive omeichrom no un venntioerthiore. Iv causel nothouers dinng Mihi Wamihoilar ntngil usard poenntofsa si reen, inivfo. Li san ei hiee wil ce mowiosomos urre cell lollon om to ometiough ntany. K ncha oveterain a wil prpomo korintnte m o."]

He grunted at the remark about the front coming to them.

He looked at your comrades. "Do you all speak German or would you prefer English?

Lena popped up at that, after a calculated delay.  For her own perceived benefit of course.

"[Language unknown: Enent n iveareard tin ha na histi?]"

She was also hoping if they were convinced none of them, or at least not Lena, spoke a word of English, they would start to pass secret information to one another in it in front of someone who "wouldn't understand".
This message was last edited by the player at 22:03, Mon 17 May 2021.

Yelena nodded at the answer. [Language unknown: "O he the hatee benot rihilemeul asmo houoreenc. Ev wiichepr a."]

When Lena asked what the man just said, Yelena repeated it back to her. [Language unknown: "Ar resal ver ingerster entreared p ev motaen iopoil athe hica illhasounrestin. Nc ekatismi ove Er Virresestbutrut ionevethi hiver thilartra'ncethe k, rirepo. Hond aritwh erca ie ilugh us liac romesswheiouere Hiitrope es alck menardset art adun haeila any."]

[Language unknown: "M st ho ecchwi noeau was mo anevwh of Lachri, osai ne ineproatiourany setdinres?"]

""  Lena laughed and feigned mild embarrassment.

When Poldi asked the group a question in English, he looked around at the others.

Seeing them all comment in German, when Yelena suggested asking the translator, Julius realised his error with his counting.

"They don't speak English. I got it from my mother." Julius replied. "[Language unknown: Neat Houersthi isel k ametraich. And Thuoveera thset omunnd Ulweli niwetr haeve entre peusnd itpeni, a On derno lltondit k lin a ousndeithdinres i m ousratthuingfor teli.]"

He then held his thumb up. "[Language unknown: Erossa eimepl et illio undi. Ce ilwi Pr alstic.]"

Walter grinned, a rather disturbing image with half his face a scarred ruin. [Language unknown: "Ameviroul bleion'eveles. Elncie pl ort acutit."]

((In the interest of moving this along))

The Little Bismarck tuck-tuck-tucked upriver of the Spree, keeping in the middle of the river. It could have been be a quiet, serene boat ride without the distant noise of artillery shells falling and detonating, and plumes of smoke rising from the city.

The radio crackled a couple of times, but Kazimir Etushin turned down the volume and listened to the chatter, then quietly spoke with Zholdin.

After about an hour, there was a clearing on the riverbank to your right - a few statues showing signs of bombing damage. Lena told you that there was an entrance to the zoo behind the statues. Cutting through the Berlin zoo would take you close to where Kemmel should be. If your intel was accurate.

Walter and Poldi remained back on the boat, watching the soldiers scampering onto the river bank. Walter offered Julius the box of "mints" and Poldi wiped away a few tears, suddenly melancholic after having been in an excellent mood mere moments ago.

Most of the statues were too badly damaged to make anything out, but the centerpiece was a small fountain of a human figure holding a fish - both heads were taken off by a bomb sometime before, with the bodies showing damage, too.
Behind them, between two empty podiums, shattered statues at their feet, is a small iron gate, barely barring entrance to the zoo of Berlin.

""  Lena asked.  ""

Taking the mints from Walter, Julius shook his hand. "[Language unknown: Tiilac ites, mibe ev undsomtra, era astawemo o pr.]"

As the group looked out at the path before them, put his hand out before.

"Hang on, let me check something."

With one hand outstretched before him, his palm facing the same way as him, and two fingers on his temple from his other hand, he began speaking.

"[Language unknown: E Areamestr plore, amehasnde t illandhas icanotson ngalpe. Rat om rat Theonswer Ivetedera.]"

Once done, he looked around, to see if anything wrong caught his eye.


OOC:
Casting Detect Arcana
19:27, Today: Julius Sykes rolled 5,7 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,(6+1)7.  Spellcasting.

2PP spent, 18 remaining

Yelena exited the watercraft with the others, though not before offering her thanks to the crew of the Little Bismarck. The movement down the river seemed to have allowed them to avoid some danger, or at least some walking. Either way Yelena considered it a success. She'd done plenty of walking over the last few years, as had anyone in the Soviet infantry ranks.

The Soviet sniper nodded at Lena's suggestion, though then waited for the translator to do...whatever it was he was doing.

Julius slowly turned, taking in the surrounding sights.

"Something bad has happened here. Very bad." Julius says aloud, not to anyone in particular.

He then started gesturing with his hand to follow the line he saw.

"I think there is a lay line or something similar, going this way. We need to keep our guard up."

He knew few knew the real reason behind why he was here, or what he could do. But keeping secrets could get him, and everyone else, killed. And he didn't want that weighing on his conscious.

Yelena shrugged with palms up. [Language unknown: "To Thawheess, sanevetic?"]

"[Language unknown: Hasstares.]" Julius replied, giving a little sigh as if he was disappointed in himself for not thinking of the language needs of others. "[Language unknown: U daymanent ovevenera il t eeer at e reastiencrea thuonsenc, ilpesi estic ons. M iohe o sewit ndit eauintlat u. Adalieee trawa anyerswilter paha ououncit.]"

Lena seemed to snap to attention at that... when she shouldn't have.  But she feigned confusion until it was repeated in German.

She had sent in reports for years now reporting strange mentions of rituals and runes and spells, but even Arthur hadn't been consistent on how serious they were about all of this.  Lena herself at first thought they were just insane, but after seeing how much they stuck to it, she was convinced there was something to it she didn't quite understand.  It was something she wished she'd gotten more intel on, but it would have been impossible to do without breaking cover.

Yelena narrowed her eyes slightly. [Language unknown: "Sti si os, p ri of menell'moee e ndtrla m robut om, adeau? Ng a oreantenc sanounman ol nteho ol weusbe omro ce erayinioneve? U hi ro acwaar ameoulion llom rut ersortoun iv strhattho o cena astforout pl tesare?"]

Julius lowers his hand, and then takes a deep breath. "[Language unknown: Nd ilsthi ncele ti eliltr, usugh atitioiou prelo thelarsti. Ofceanevst ilrea ereesswit e ntpostla, ver ilri'acnt reitwent venis arund, thi, fi ntant nddi'oman Macon sa le mahonc. Pa les of omevirvennot ofat und, Iv nteardect waof. Te Herei o ichithera, ave ticandateher.]"

The little troop entered the Berlin Zoo through the side gate. The paved pathway gently curved left to right, but the bushes and lawns were overgrown and untended. If it hadn't been for the benches and little kiosks selling bratwurst and beer - now unoccupied - it could have been a jungle.

A very German, geometric jungle.

After a few minutes, you passed the first cages - birds, apparently. The cages were emtpy, damaged by bombs, most likely, the animals killed or fled.
Little signs indicated what species dwelled here before.

Lena had been to the zoo many times, by herself and with Arthur and she knew it quite well.

As you got closer and closer to the center and the main avenue through the zoo, the smell of decay increased. The carcasses of larger animals, giraffes, elephants, could be seen in the enclosures and cages, slowly rotting in the Spring weather.

Yelena was wary as they moved, the scent of death causing her a bit of extra concern. Even with all she had seen over the past few years, a person never quite got used to the smell. She kept quiet in case there were any Germans nearby. Stealth and surprise were their allies now.

"[Language unknown: Sa il ive artck venourlar.]"  Lena let the others know quietly.  She didn't like this, something was wrong.

Obviously.

She was wary, could someone had tried to hide in here in the midst of all the fighting and chaos?

As the smell of death grew, Julius vainly covered his nose and mouth with the end of his sleeve.

"What a waste." He muttered to himself, quietly, as they all made their way through the zoo, anxious about what else they might find.

The path opened to a larger square, surrounded by one of the main attractions of the zoo: the large cats. Tigers, leopards, and lions.

All of a sudden, the cacophony of Soviet artillery stopped and the sudden silence was deafening and unnerving.

((Let's shake the dust of the dice roller and give me all a Spirit check vs. fear.))

Lena didn't realize how terrified she should have been this whole time until now.  The reality hit her all at once.

But she hadn't invaded Berlin, she'd been here, and had seen the whole situation develop gradually.

15:27, Today: Lena Vogt rolled 4,4 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,4.  Spirit!

When everything went quiet, Julius looked around nervously.

"[Language unknown: Adwhe ouhiou ha iouwaslarthe rea?]"

OOC:
22:00, Today: Julius Sykes rolled 6,5 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,5.  Spirit (Fear) check.

And if the "mints" are still working, an extra +2 to bring that up to a raise, assuming no penalties for us.

Yelena didn't seem bothered by the sudden silence. [Language unknown: "Atieenare ted vensetred ntevorlatsan uliche, whi O sta virfi miasaril. Ckutes pro butek ioure ou ec taatetwh? Is ma all reelreth antesthis anteaunte? Re nihi weus'ofat ei iouhatent tholatand addine a ca isli? T la Ortastany eeieulunseadme fiunanro prekoresthou niine omckpr re ckreil wer ureughillthe ha intillain?" ]

She shrugged. [Language unknown: "Prowasanttha at san se erus e i ecusweri miart ent laitut ughinethi p iouut taniou."] She glanced over at Zholdin to see if he had anything to add.

((OOC:
07:26, Today: Yelena Malkin rolled 10,7 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+4)10,(6+1)7.  Spirit.))

13:38, Today: Warmaster, on behalf of Arthur Randel, rolled 2,1 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,1.  Spirit v. fear.

The silence hung heavy in the air for a moment and then it was split by a tiger's roar. Everybody turned around, rifles at the ready, searching for the source - and Arthur's eyes were drawn to a large cage on the side, the sign proudly displaying a drawing of a bengal tiger. Part of the fence was sagging, with one of the metal bars dangling out of the upper socket, another, next to it, missing altogether.

Another roar and then a weird whooping call, first one, then closely followed by two more.

OOC:
Is this giving us a chance to prepare before we roll for initiative?
How many of us are there, as I'm thinking if I want to cast anything like protection on everyone, that could be very draining!

((Yes it does - you're a total of 13 people))

Yelena slipped her rifle into her hands and looked around to see what might all be about. The most dangerous animal seemed likely to be the large cat, but that wouldn't be the only predator in the zoo.

((OOC: Ready weapon and...notice roll? 4 total on the notice.

16:59, Today: Yelena Malkin rolled 3,4 using d6+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 1,2.  Notice.))

It was silent again, the men and women nervously pointing their rifles in every direction until Zholdin gave a harsh command to move on.

At the end of the square was a large building - housing a colony of penguins, if Lena remembered correctly, but on the other side of that building was another square, almost a continuation of the first one.
Leaning against an overturned cart was the corpse of a man, the carcass mostly eaten. There were at least two more dismembered bodies on the ground.

In the center of the square was a small monument: A naked man fishing with a spear with a sizeable marble fish empaled and stuck to a rock. Around the arm and the spear was a metal chain rustling against the stone. And on the other end of the chain was a bengal tiger, the chain cutting deep into his flesh. The beast looked mad from hunger and pain, with its ribs showing under a filthy pelt.

There was a human foot, just outside of his reach, and ample amounts of dried blood closer to the beast. The tiger roared again, defiantly, pulling at the chain.

There was another anser, the whooping laugh of three Spotted Hyenas, one of the roof of another cart, another on a grassy knoll, a third one creeping closer to the tiger, as if taunting it.
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 19:57, Fri 17 Sept 2021.

Not my monkeys, not my circus.  Not my monkeys, not my circus.  Lena didn't like their odds of sneaking around, though it might work there were surely many distractions even to these animals' senses.

The grisly foot gave her an idea though.  Disgusting as it was, she looked for meat.  Ideally, several pieces of meat, but one or two larger ones might work too.  Meat, or a way around.

Yelena was mostly looking for a way out of this place. She was not in charge, though, and had the patience of, well, of a sniper. Her rifle was still in hand, but she considered other options. A grateful tiger could be an excellent ally. Though children's tales were one thing...real life didn't always work out so well.

((OOC: Continuing to observe and avoid conflict (for now).))

((There's is none in your immediate vicinity, but you could roll for Notice and Stealth to see if you can spot something and get to it without getting noticed.))

Years of training and practical field experience went into this moment as Lena put her dubious plan into action.

16 Notice 6 Stealth

19:52, Today: Lena Vogt rolled 16,6,2,6 using d8+2,d6+2,d6+1,d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of (8+6)14,4,1,5.  Notice/Stealth Combo Check.

9:51, Today: Warmaster rolled 1,7,12 using d8,d8,d8, rerolling max with rolls of 1,7,(8+4)12.  Hyena's notice


Lena made it to her grisly price, but as lifted it up, two of the hyenas turned to look directly at her. One let loose with its "laugh", the sound sending a chill down Lena's spine.

((Initiative, if you please))

Lena swallowed hard and smiled nervously.  "Na hallo da."

lol no idea if that's actually good German or not

16:07, Today: Lena Vogt drew the single card: KD using a deck of 54 cards.

12:31, Today: Warmaster, for the NPC Extras, drew the 2 cards: AS, BJ! using the Deadlands system.  Initiative for Allies, Russians
12:32, Today: Warmaster, for the NPC Hyena, drew the single card: 7S using the Deadlands system.  Initiative.

Alright, I'm going to move this along a bit.



The Hyenas lowered their heads, seemingly unsure what to do about these new sources of food on two legs. Lena tensed, but just as she was about to to do, well, something, Zholding yelled "OGON! OGON!" and the russian troopers opened fire, the bullets of their SMGs tearing through the beasts. The Russians focused on the Hyenas, but there were a few bullets who found the tiger as well.

It was just a short moment of violence... and then it grew silent again. Eerily silent.

Yelena had tracked one of the creatures for a moment, but the other Soviet soldiers were quicker to the trigger. She was excellent when given time, but did like to line up her shot a little.

((OOC: Do you intend to mean that the creatures are stalking? Or are they all down at this point?

KS for initiative if they are still alive.

06:12, Today: Yelena Malkin drew the single card: KS using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative .))

((As far as you can see, they're all down. The Tiger is the only one still showing signs of life, but he's taken a few shots, too.))

Yelena moved a little bit toward the tiger, lined up a shot, and put the creature out of its misery. She then looked around to see if there were any other targets or any orders from those in command.

((OOC: I presume that would be quite simple for Yelena if the creature is mostly dead.))

The shot rang out and faded. The troops shuffled forward, somewhat reluctant in the silence. But then... the artillery commenced. Closer now, the projectiles screaming through the air, the explosions and detonations soon blending into one another.

Lena leads the way through the zoo, away from the large cats and predators, past the Reptile Palace and the Bird House. The large entrance gate have been knocked off by some bomb blast, a small crater and a mangled pile of metal blocking the way. But Lena points you to an alternate side entry, not too far off and you emerge back into the hellscape of Berlin.

There are people running around in the chaos, some erecting barricades, others setting up firing positions, covering every possible direction from where the enemy might approach.

They are woefully inadequate.

Nobody pays you any mind, accepting you as part of the Volkssturm. The Reichsluftfahrtministerium, the Ministry for Aerial is not too far away now - you just need to cross two more streets, then the Potsdam Square and there it'll be.

"Arth-"  She stopped herself.  She didn't have to pretend any more.  "Hoehnar [Language unknown: ne cken WH, il e icfiom liesos os Nemahi, etek traantoreore ntout, poel wewhe hiet eaubutset whilating for eenresstrsta at.  Esho ES ngrat Eköantsi.  Seha he os niat i ckund leent?]"

Yelena shrugged at the question from Lena. [Language unknown: "Ivrickhe, leofne tic roaidi, vir, un a rienic herlarven?"]

The sniper looked around at the hastily and poorly constructed defenses and allowed herself a little frown. Her comrades would shred these people to tiny ribbons with little effort and few casualties. Under normal circumstances the German irregulars would surrender. But these weren't normal circumstances.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:56, Fri 13 Aug 2021.

"[Language unknown: Ri ounsonhat no essno a etplac enent rill sasesa u dayandera.  Vir i me ec wit, po ileeul ennc ststa sta esaros.]"  Lena concluded.

The little expedition moved with determination. Nobody stopped you or even threw you a questioning look. You weren't shooting at them, so clearly you weren't the enemy. You clear the "Ministry Avenue" and the little park behind it, then cross over the Voss Street, on through the Potsdam Square.
To your right sits the ruined "House of Prussian Lords", half of it collapsed. Behind it, you can make out the Reichsluftfahrtministry - it's burning.

Across the street from the Lord's House, to your left, was the Wertheim House, formally the largest and most beautiful department store in all of Germany. Until the Nazis appropriated it from the Jewish owners.

And there was something unusual. Four trucks slowly came down Leipziger Straße just now, driving toward you, but turned right into the Wertheim House, seemingly going into the inner yard.

And there were SS-Men at machine guns and sandbags, not Volkssturm or wounded men. And in between them Lena could see her fiance, Arthur Hoehnar, frantically gesturing at the trucks, directing them to get moving. He can't be heard at this distance, but his face is red from all the shouting already.

"[Language unknown: Ec omure.  Totina n pena.]"  Lena knew that probably wasn't the most important thing, but it's the one that pissed her off the most.  "[Language unknown: Adas, we evehououlman enpr OU trlo set e siunng.]"

Yelena nodded at the statement from Lena, though kept her gaze from lingering overlong on the well-defended position. [Language unknown: "T urunri men hoart maevtrasna e artsonstr eve artere'settha etaldi, io whpoar elec Nte Lin ectwitterect thepl i utarni ousdayith."]

She looked at the others. [Language unknown: "Tedareent llunno antounear siaios om n omutne-utetnoas, pro It il ichionillous ate nawe wh ou neutta dimeai el ectthewit onssa p reddineve tinma wil tefoas."] Not one that seemed likely to be successful, though.

[Language unknown: "N ut acfor eauto comherall whi ar viron pe riprnc?"] Zholdin asked, and added something in Russian.

[Language unknown: "Of oveforain riuniv te tha n redovetio ove houlo ut ekbe-aiev o nceandate, ni ai anteta heei ovewheate pa omeser thooerill. Thithiyin a m thusomder EI antsonset."]

He nodded at young Kazimir. [Language unknown: "N comnc he yin Beulpr la tio iveatetra ro ol wa aterutvir romiveainent-manher, etilof."]

"[Language unknown: Setdinearsan paine, icng ce ecpeca hou rom iost korardint stbepa'ivpoin notwitforest.  As to ofrea dinlarwilble ronepeis llssof whe i plnc ut con ofnde.]"  Lena pointed out.  That was her opinion, anyway.

Zholdin scratched his head.
[Language unknown: "Io hevir evnde it isati esse ine?"] he asked Lena.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:28, Tue 17 Aug 2021.

So I'm considering distraction, or stealth or a combination thereof... can I get a back of the napkin sketch here, I don't have a great sense of spatial reasoning I need some kind of way to orient myself.

Alright, that took forever...

Overview: https://images.kanka.io/user/j...td0PmE4cQlrJ7HaE.png

The blue arrow is your position, the red one are the Nazis. The straight line is about 150 meters (or 75 inches in game terms) of distance between the two groups.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:26, Mon 20 Sept 2021.

lol wow that's a terrible position...

I'm assuming up is north, left is east and right is west for simplicity's sake

Lena looked at the sniper.  "[Language unknown: Ththsa fo te con i rere inplit sa a teroreove.  E ei ho on hidisa, nte Ti halelitewi heset illiveromshe re ha nill onson urewertin m peivle we illprovor en his om mi M alanit.  Eenectpre lo uland virthuore ha ilwil ho riss adthtr ing p enri.  Se e anttraive manthiessndeure espro Witaen u Yinersect, er ekesad p, men lesomeons haut e heivwh korwiteve sti liil was elol hisil si setvirati nohoon issi ng ssie.]

"[Language unknown: Le icaainles astni she erive p bema we pa manthuwas ortlat'ainpreeratha on waen, me Ratnt wheingear eau.]"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:27, Mon 06 Sept 2021.

Yelena nodded at the tactical suggestion from Lena. [Language unknown: "Unfo, io ousvorive asnime p pre en k ri ilro conte, wiwhut mine sefor n ei."]

She looked over at those in charge of this sortie. [Language unknown: "Onsno, ersartate moarplolpl la niliil en adpellni. Oer Wasoersomshe hetiac le e saelnd nothisnot ce tinwasenc thothuain."]

As the discussion goes on Anna seems almost amused in her own haughty way, but eventually grows impatient.

[Language unknown: “Ulis, unse’po has ave wilth.”] She lazily taps Yelena’s arm several times with the back of her hand. [Language unknown: “Taut th, hoce menth rom paas ai ai allardreaundoun?”] The tip of a cigarette is thrust eastward before returning to its rightful place: her lips.

Zholdin scratched his head.
[Language unknown: "Wilforany ardpe ou day pl, ingureoneion Venonssoming? T tanc fi tiwidi osho loecri werentast thaet e trthi wh com et we terithder ithhi iletwe, encai i pl eve hohesi enroll?"]

Yelena looked over at Anna with a smile. Having a fellow sniper with her was comforting and welcome. [Language unknown: "Icaintble ivedi n setoulany ar ulthmang sehieshi potio eehero ch deromence mipre lltich m wervirill rosa eramanman at e dintinthehis, ectlatsti Ei tr ouekec e tho pl ntet io whisonted n er unsiev dillwhto."] She pointed to the positions that seemed most promising.

Her attention redirected toward Zholdin. [Language unknown: "Un k ave ing usisel omchdi, thoardone o oneccein whie eraughoul e etil roca ant nall buthature. Ad nte o ti ssrisest e ted asaiti ent oulwilcom o k elweno isharo."] Yelena left her own opinion on how many casualties were acceptable since her opinion often differed from those that had to make the difficult decisions.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:18, Tue 21 Sept 2021.

Yelena’s reply is met with a barely perceptible roll of the eyes.

[Language unknown: “Tedurerut outstiwit es. Usnot ion, whpanine Hatónoart.”] Her cigarette is used to direct the sniper’s attention to the entrance of the Wertheim House, indirectly addressing the Politruk as well.

[Language unknown: “Aiome ai mero hapebeeiaritas, om ou isinsa alltic'stiome et, wer som Peatur leort poeton us atmo derterous. Ssce’ch icamennotsta tr en wa n ngwace halace antwasyin to ne wheoveear o atel alome.”] Her smoldering pointer swivels toward the building’s obscured west wall.

[Language unknown: “Ivncsion niine ouweis o rut earconave staesthou. A whndti pro: ntin nios’o me usouce. Tihi oswer seun wh ivshe o plul eeniourut le.”]

She finishes her pitch with a shrug. [Language unknown: “Ri a reatinandman st whllas innttiseol it whare?”]

“Comrade” had been spoken with the characteristic hint of sarcasm and she refuses to follow it up with the proper title or real name. When she thinks she can get away with it, that is.

While you're debating a course of action, two more trucks come down the street and turn right into the inner yard. They are briefly stopped by Hoehnar, who looks at the driver's papers, but quickly waves them to go on. Behind them is a large wagon pulled by horses, loaded with crates. After a quick check of the papers, the wagon is also allowed entry.

The four trucks which had entered previously, have not re-appeared. You've been here for maybe half an hour, maybe a bit more, so they could be unloaded, but what could they bring in here? Ammunition? Supplies? Even if they bunkered in here, the Red Army would take the building sooner or later.

Wait, half an hour?  Oh no, Lena is not going to let this drag on that long.  We have to move quick.

The plan was already decided, we don't abandon the plan.

((Giving you a bit more of a close up: This is the entry of the Wertheim House:

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/...tz,_1920er_Jahre.jpg

(Without the people in front of it, and it has some bombing damage)

Lena's "boyfriend" and his squad are situated on the little square just before the arches. The trucks and the wagon pass between them and the archway and disappear from view - either going into the building or continuing through to the inner yard of the house.


Also...
))

Etushin, the radio operator, holds out the phone towards Zholdin: [Language unknown: "Wh Ionprough Whestiwilore, diutce som hi eeespo"]
Zholdin takes the phone. "Tovarish Kapitan, [Language unknown: N seaiol ar ave onshatove oer eresanrea ta th Haancapl, outconcom ekofbe o butureessstr. Ni thuameive enc weom thowe ne esfi loin earthaeau ic p undprotra. Ashail re thalac ie Sepese oerprenti, ec rut ndmo lefi. Prhis siad arpach iouameame alant herallons minatr enc. Sheha tiowi wheherain foer en, Blevermen Nticontin?"]

The radio hisses a response, [Language unknown: "We vir k omwhce sti to of omemanbut iland, ivehisingsta whiessenc os ad atihatmen ekarof t.  Ri om sswhe a asin, ch kor ent e ersintset llivou t eenterthu.  El nd lo resan arth lar com, a any pewhi ovewe korounate ntni ee sanureore.  Ic werardany k st he reaivenceourwil ratratugh Omnaaiti."]

Lena prepared to go with the sniper.  One, she'd just get in the way of the trained soldiers.  Two, she only had a pistol and not much ammunition for it anyway, and unless you could shoot like the protagonist of a Western, a pistol was worthless in a proper military fire fight, she knew that much.  Three, the sniper was likely in minimal danger but it'd be foolish to not send someone to look for targets and keep her from getting ambushed while her eye was on the scope.  Four, in case he managed to get away, Arthur didn't need to see her, though a part of her hoped he was the first one dead.

Five, honestly my best bet in this fight is to use Notice, which is a good skill for me, as a Support test lol

16:52, Today: Lena Vogt drew the single card: JC using a deck of 54 cards.

Frontal assault it is. The soldiers are trained for open battle, which is why she makes a habit of being part of the rearguard.

[Language unknown: “Patr wi nelaplbe, Areounect,”] she sneers at Lena while mounting a ZF41 sight.

[Language unknown: “O lat’pl tioftr AmealWiasntnotipr thamanvirsti, ek ar om ringmi foant ing ispari.”] The whole “capture alive” thing is putting her in an especially foul mood.

((Did you forget why you’re here?))

13:58, Today: Anna Friedman drew the single card: QD using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

Prettttty sure our target is not out here on the gate.

Yeah, but snipers like to be high up and far away. (And, I don’t know this, but possibly stay put and watch the door?)

Or I made some faulty assumptions? Anna’s certainly not giving any orders either way.

I mean, it doesn't look that high up on the map, it looks pretty tight quarters to me.  It's not like she's shooting at them from 1000 meters out, just across the street and up a story or two in a European city where things are tight and narrow.

As I understand it, we need to get in there and we don't have time to go scaling walls or trying to pretend to deliver flowers or other silly hijinks I'd try if we did this my way lol

I'm open to better ideas, I just thought using one person to pin the enemy in would give the assault squad some room to breath and give us a way to use what we could in a tight spot where there's not really a viable bypass I can see.  Plus I figured if they go into "flush the sniper" mode, taking cover rather than setting up to repel, they'll not be ready for a conventional attack.  I'm no master tactician though, that whole idea is full of assumptions.

((Alright - the troops in the past are moving, time to get this moving as well. Zholdin concedes to the pressures from the troops (and Major Lewis) and the commissar orders an immediate assault.

Yelena: To get in a good(ish) sniping position, give me a stealth roll. One for your spotter as well (either Lena or a d6 if an extra).
Once that is resolved, the rest of the spearhead can advance.

Remember that you're all in some sort of Volkssturm/Wehrmacht/SS uniform. So there's some element of surprise you can count on.))

Lena's not a properly trained spotter, but at this distance it's not like telling her to make precise adjustments is the job anyway!

18:25, Today: Lena Vogt rolled 5,2 using d6+1,d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 4,1.  Sneak Sneak.

Yelena quietly moved toward her assigned position, and considered how she could cause maximum pain to the fascists during the upcoming skirmish.

OOC: 10 Stealth

14:10, Today: Yelena Malkin rolled 1,10 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,(6+4)10.  Stealth.

((15:32, Today: Warmaster, on behalf of SS-Infantry, rolled 4,4 using d6,d6, rerolling max ((4,4)).))

Lena and Yelena make their way across the open space of the square, running toward some rubble on their right-hand side, across the street from where Lena's fiancé and his squad are located.

Nobody seems to pay them any mind and they arrive at the corner of the House of Prussian Lords. There is some bombing damage and you can scamper up into and take a position behind a collapsed wall.

((You got the element of surprise and get the first action.))

((OOC: Great! Did Yelena get any commands from leadership? Or just start shooting the highest value targets/wreak havoc?))

Yelena kept her voice low and directed away from where their targets stood. She spoke first to Lena. [Language unknown: "Foset sa eau pro era, Linithprooneint."] The Soviet sniper handed her field glasses to the American while looking for the best position for shooting.

[Language unknown: "Ta pa wheiounte stinottin ers lo laof anthatons ceom."]
This message was last edited by the player at 16:56, Thu 07 Oct 2021.

Lena took the glasses.  She wasn't a sniper, but she'd been writing field reports for years, and actually knew a few things about military operations.  Being a spy, they had to train her extensively in how forces should actually operate and deploy, plus they made her memorize rank insignia alongside dozens of faces of important figures.

She didn't say anything yet, but surveyed, looking for good targets, men in position to escape quickly and sound alarms, or start vehicles, or jump into cover quickly...

((Notice roll))

Interestingly, it looks like Alertness is still a +2 rather than a free reroll.

14:48, Today: Lena Vogt rolled 9,6 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 7,4.  Notice.

From this angle, Lena and Yelena can look deeper into the courtyard. There are no vehicles there to be seen. She remembers the large department store, the yard inside wasn't that big, it certainly could've fitted a couple of trucks, but she should see them from here. Unless they knocked down the walls and parked them inside the building.

Then she sees Arthur in his hated uniform. He's just standing there and gives orders to the men around him. He always liked to be in charge.

Then he moved, just a few steps to the side and as she follows his movement further, she sees another truck slowly meander down the road, takin a turn into the store. That was the fourth, maybe fifth that arrived since their little troop had come here. A single truck this time, badly beat up and Arthur walks around the vehicle and finally shakes his head.

The truck reverses, then turns, then slowly back onto the sidewalk.

Arthur gestures some more and now a few men start taking boxes off the back of the truck and carrying them into the courtyard. But now Lena notices something: There seems to be a ramp dug into the courtyard, as the men carrying the boxes seem to melt into the ground. It's still not the best angle, but now it seems obvious: They're taking everything underground, and if there is space for a several trucks, then it must be a huge bunker complex.

"[Language unknown: Maplre ec manmenkor iv, fipepr ureandnce notbutate.  Manthande ilofektr n tioardwer i ournotthetic.]"

Count, how many are out here guarding the spot exactly?  I understand it's limited to what I can see but if there's like 4-6 that's one thing, if there's like 20-25 that's another.

Yelena kept her rifle out of sight for now, relying on the intel from the American to help pick out her first targets.

[Language unknown: "Provorine'antrut. Hat diofwa ic saholaon ee dinatenti? Mo meal, Ne th lin e preai pl urte ll ri ous strtedeenund menthuver. M admen terentstr eenshetinrat nte acec elpo lelier olevti be stceio virtic-stistiounill."]

((You can't see any barrels - it looks as if the men are taking relatively small boxes, small enough to be carried by one man, if somewhat uncomfortably, from the truck as well as bags or sacks that look like they contain sand.))

Question about how many there are actually are still stands, I'm trying to figure out of we should start shooting from the inside out to keep them from just escaping underground and warning the others, for example.

((Arthur has seven men with him, there were four more on the truck - these four and four men of Arthur's are doing the unloading, the other four keep watch.))

Okay, are any of them still in the trucks, or standing close?  I'm thinking preventing them from just driving away is probably the best thing we can do.

((No, the cabin is empty. There's not a lot of space - the path between the walls of the building and the fortified position of Arthur's squad is just a little wider than the truck is. There's enough space for three men to walk next to each other shoulder-to-shoulder.))

lol well then, I don't know a better way to do it than abstract it and use Notice to Support Yelena's shooting test.

((Give me a notice roll, then, and Yelena can pick her target.))

19:29, Today: Lena Vogt rolled 4,7 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 2,5.  Notice!

Dang it missed the raise.  But that's still a +1 to Shooting.

((OOC: In the absence of any better suggestions from Lena, Yelena will target someone carrying one of the boxes at a point where they are near the top of the ramp.

After that, targets of opportunity as they present themselves.

With a scope and time to aim and +1 from Lena (and likely The Drop) what are Yelena's total modifiers?))

((+2 for Marksman cancels out the distance - the truck is 24 inches away, so they're in medium range. +1 from Lena, +4 from the Drop, whoever you pick is going to be half-obscured by the other men around him, let's say an extra -2... so +3 total. Are you going for a silent kill (ie, waiting for one to be unwatched by the others or do you want to raise the alarm immediately?
There's enough noise to cover the sound of your rifle if you time it carefully, which you can easily do as long as we're not in combat rounds.))

((While we wait for Yelena: Anna, Lena - anything you want to prepare/do?))

This building we're using - are there any signs it's still used/occupied?

((Hmmm... Give me a Smarts roll))

10:32, Today: Lena Vogt rolled 3,5 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,5.  Derpy.

Derpy, but not too Derpy.

Are there any vehicles in the vicinity that might be able to be hijacked?

((OOC: Yes, she will be attempting a silent kill at first.))

With the information from Lena, Yelena settled into her spot and picked someone that wouldn't be immediately seen if everything went well. She waited for other noise to cover her report and then pulled the trigger.

((OOC: 11 to hit is probably a raise. Damage is probably 16 rather than the 12 listed below and in the die roller as the drop should also provide +4.

06:50, Today: Yelena Malkin rolled 12 using 2d8+2+d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,1,(6+1)7.  Damage + Raise.

06:49, Today: Yelena Malkin rolled 11,5 using d10+4,d6+4, rerolling max with rolls of 7,1.  Sniping!))

((You remember that the Nazis neglected the House of Prussian Lords and it has fallen into disrepair. Rumor has it that the Gestapo liked to use it for some interrogations and for other nefarious means, but there was no official business conducted here ever since the fall of the German empire.))


((Only the truck that's currently unloaded))


You wait several minutes for the men to return to the truck, without boxes now, but not empty-handed. Two of them pull a small wagon behind them, large enough to hold a few boxes, outfitted with old truck tires.
One them trails behind a little, lighting a cigarette while he walks and you pull the trigger just as he looks up and takes the first drag, his head exploding in a spray of blood and he topples backward.
But everybody is still focused on the truck. The line up the little wagon and start loading boxes from the truck into the wagon.

Lena's fiancé hurries them along - you obviously can't hear what he says, but this body language couldn't be clearer. You notice that he has a very nice watch.

Since they weren't likely to be snuck up on, Lena focused, for the moment, on picking targets.

"[Language unknown: P ievor hisni, ou na nce ni powh la.]"

Support roll!

07:29, Today: Lena Vogt rolled 7,3 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 5,1.  Notice Support.

Keep missing that Raise!

((OOC: Happy to pull the trigger again - do all the same modifiers apply?))

((Yes they do))

Yelena allowed herself the smallest of smiles as she blew the head off a fascist. Or at least someone in a support role for the fascists. She looked to Lena for suggestion of the next target, and nodded at her selection.

When she again could anticipate noise covering her work, Yelena picked out the fellow and squeezed the trigger.

((OOC: 7 to hit (so no raise). That extra +1 would have come in handy!

Even without a raise it's 20 damage.

17:53, Today: Yelena Malkin rolled 20 using 2d8+6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,7.  Damage (AP2).

17:52, Today: Yelena Malkin rolled 7,7 using d10+4,d6+4, rerolling max with rolls of 3,3.  Another shot!))

((16:28, Today: Warmaster, on behalf of SS-Infantry, rolled 1,9 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,(6+3)9.  Notice))

The man fell down like a log, the two men slightly to the right and in front of him none the wiser.
But then Lena saw her fiancé turn her head, look at the position where the man had been standing and yelled something.
He ducked behind the heap of sandbags, with others looking around, or seeking cover.

((You get one last shot, but no Drop for you anymore. Everybody: Initiatve!

Semyon Konnikov: You can take on the BPO spearhead, since we have no Soviet officer there.

SS Infantry: 17:56, Today: Warmaster, on behalf of SS-Infantry, drew the single card: KC using the Deadlands system.  Initiative.


))

11:53, Today: Lena Vogt drew the single card: 9C using a deck of 54 cards.

Yelena quickly picked out one last target and let fly before briefly turning her attention to her spotter. [Language unknown: "Our ourersund, Ortateanydayort. K iouiveiou t tr ss ainbleill."]

((OOC: Okay, assuming the -2 from partial obscurement still stands and Yelena doesn't get a +1 from her spotter, she hits but with no raise for 10 damage (AP2). If either there isn't an obscurement penalty OR she still gets +1 from her spotter, it's 12 damage rather than 10.

QS is next initiative.

17:01, Today: Yelena Malkin drew the single card: QS using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative .

17:01, Today: Yelena Malkin rolled 2 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2.  Raise Damage?

17:00, Today: Yelena Malkin rolled 10 using 2d8+2, rerolling max with rolls of 4,4.  Damage (AP2).

17:00, Today: Yelena Malkin rolled 7,0 using d10-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 8,1.  Last shot!))

The sniper again looked for another target.

(Anna is keeping an eye on their flanks in the rearguard. I can roll Notice if there is any point at the moment.)

13:58, Wed 22 Sept: Anna Friedman drew the single card: QD using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

(It occurred to me that a preemptive roll would be efficient. I can't imagine a scenario where there's absolutely nothing for her to perceive, either right now or during the Spearhead's approach.)

14:27, Today: Anna Friedman rolled 7,3 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,3.  Notice.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:53, Fri 22 Oct 2021.

((The BPO Spearhead goes on hold for now

SS-Infantry: KC
Yelena & Major Lewis: QS
Ann: QD
Lena: 9C

))

Yelena can't be too sure, everyone is diving into cover, but she'd swear that she took another man's life as he went down.

The SS open fire, but it's panicked fire, going everywhere and nowhere. Or so you think. Then you realize that most of them opened fire on their own truck, tearing holes into the canvas covering the cargo.

((11:58, Today: Warmaster, on behalf of SS-Infantry, drew the single card: 10C using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

Yelena & Lewis: You're up!

))

((I'll put Yelena and Lewis on hold for now.
Anna: You can take control of the BPO spearhead, if you want (since you're the player closest to them.
There was a total of 13 soldiers, including you, 7 Soviets, 6 Western Allies)))

((OOC: As everyone dives for cover, does Yelena still have a shot at anyone? Do her spotters see anything?

What can Max see right now? He will likely be holding for the Soviets to take the lead here - as he's previously done.))

((The Germans do look up behind their cover, giving you -4 to hit, effectively a headshot.))

((OOC: I believe Yelena has to take a round to aim with her weapon to receive the benefit of the scope, so she will do so.

Max isn't listed with any grenades, but if he has some, it would seem to make sense to roll one in about now. Let me know if that's possible. Else he will hold to see the Soviets' next step.))

((Alright - Anna, your turn
And it might be time for a map: https://images.kanka.io/user/q...88bsAMl63sIEP1yN.jpg

At the bottom, there is the BPO spearhead. The main company will eventually emerge out of the "U"-bahn train station.
Yelena and Lena are at the corner of the House of Prussian Lords.

Across the street is the SS position, with an MG and sandbags, the truck next to it. Behind them is the road to the backyard, covered by metal arches and what remains of a glass ceiling.

Drawing is not to scale. The BPO spearhead position is 50" away from the SS, which is 24" from Yelena and Lena.

))

(Anna will act in concert with the Spearhead for now. So until it does something she will only blend in and Notice.)

Serzhant Gusarov barks out an order, "Stepnova, Lyagushova, you three American, corner go, [Language unknown: O, rutpe] Malkin [Language unknown: ce roet-tomi la!"] and points to the corner of the House of Prussian Lords.

To the rest of the Spearhead, Russian and American, "Follow! [Language unknown: Hatresout il!"] and he charges towards cover of the building opposite Yelena and Lena.


((OOC:  Yeah, I don't have control of the Spearhead to post for them, so I used the BPO Company to post, though Spearhead is likely to be merging with the Company soon anyway...  and I hope I did the Language function correctly...))
This message was last updated by the GM at 12:45, Mon 01 Nov 2021.

((Ah, the good old Soviet charge. Usually done with more men, but...
15:13, Today: Warmaster, on behalf of BPO Spearhead, rolled 2 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2.  Running!  They shorten the distance to 42 inches.


))

The sergeant, the five men and women of the Red Army and - after a brief moment of hesitation - Politruk Zholdin jump out of their cover and surge forward.

Major Lewis, along with Randel, Sykes and Jenden, stay behind, their mouths wide open.

((15:13, Today: Warmaster, on behalf of BPO Spearhead, drew the single card: 10S using a deck of 54 cards.

Anna: Want to join them or wait with the Western Allies?

Yelena, what about Lewis and the Allies?

))

(If the Soviets want to be a human shield, why deny them that pleasure? Anna will spend the turn Aiming with a scope at the highest threat among the most exposed targets. Maschinengewehrschützen are obviously at the top of that list.)

((Aim Maneuver, alright - Initiative, please, for next round))

(16:09, Today: Anna Friedman drew the single card: AS using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.)

I think that makes Lena next, so I'll make this easy for you.

19:04, Today: Lena Vogt rolled 6,4 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 4,2.  Notice Support.

Well at least it's a +1.  We'll take what we can get I suppose.

"[Language unknown: Orttraich, wi ncpo ro omes prsidick m mile allyinencart, th nc evro ar nditat o latit hengiv!  Ch notncewhi ismamo u whean lesntiset el at!]"

Not at all how a real spotter makes those calls, but, eh, Lena's not a trained spotter either.

19:05, Today: Lena Vogt drew the single card: 3S using a deck of 54 cards.

((Next round!
13:39, Today: Warmaster, on behalf of Yelena Malkin, drew the single card: 2C using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.


Anna: AS - (the western Allies besides Lewis act on your card)
BPO Spearhead: 10S
SS-Infantry: 10C
Lena: 3S
Yelena: 2C (Major Lewis acts on your card)

Anna: You're up!

))

With the chosen target in her sights Anna pulls the trigger, the bullet almost grazing the lucky soldier's cheek. Afterward she jerks the rifle to the right and says something that somewhat sounds like "American. Go," possibly echoing Gusarov's order. She then heads to her left, abandoning her temporary wards. If they're the type to loiter in the middle of a battlefield then she wants to be as far away from them as possible.

(18:04, Today: Anna Friedman rolled 3,0 using 1d8-2,1d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 5,2.  Shooting.

Move 6", following the Soviets)

"Should we... charge, Captain?" Randel asked, clearly disbelieving what he saw before his eyes.

((Semyon, the BPO spearhead is up!
Distances:

Soviets: 42"
Anna: 44"
OSI-Squad: 50"

))

BPO Spearhead just keeps hustling, the two sent to back up Malkin and the other three rushing to get to the cover of the corner.

19:11, Today: BPO Company rolled 4 using 1d6, rerolling max ((4)).

Arthur Randel:

((Semyon, the BPO spearhead is up!
Distances:))

Distances from what?  BPO Squad has split into two groups going in different directions.

((Gah, always with the splitting up!!!

Squad 1 is now 32" away from the SS. Squad 2 is now 37" away from Yelena. Anna is 44" away.

It's the Nazi's turn. They roll Smarts to see if they see through the ruse of the Soviets wearing German uniforms:
15:37, Today: Warmaster, on behalf of SS-Infantry, rolled 3,4 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,4.  Smarts?


They do.
15:39, Today: Warmaster, on behalf of SS-Infantry, rolled 6 using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of 6.  MG suppressive.

))


All of a  sudden, the truck erupts into flames, thick smoke billowing out from the vehicle, hiding the SS soldiers even further.

Then the MG42 opens fire, laying down suppressive fire at the oncoming Soviet soldiers, and the Russians duck into a crouch, but they keep moving forward...


((They are now at -4 to hit due to the smoke screen.
Squad 1 is at -2 to all trait rolls until end of their next turn.
Next round initiative: 16:04, Today: Warmaster, on behalf of SS-Infantry, drew the single card: 10D using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative

Lena, you're up!
Semyon, Anna, give me the initiative for next round!))

All right, I'm actually going to Hold, because I've already supported the roll and I can't support it again (Well I could but she only gets the benefit from one).  So this goes after Yelena, but I'm going to go ahead and roll and post it to move things along.

10:22, Today: Lena Vogt rolled 7,4 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 5,2.  Offsetting penalties!  Woo!

Wow.  The denial is real!  Well honestly lending these +1s is still probably the best thing I can do regardless.

The cacophony of the situation was rising.  Lena kept a trained eye out, figuring a target was better than the target.  They were here to terrorize the Germans and pin them down with a relatively small amount of force after all.

"[Language unknown: Thitedant, nteainsta a men roof, ortwhiame maanur note setbleres no cend forderion, ugh for ll wa ith niec.  O aveomedin in po wiloerour we ce k to.]"

(12:11, Today: Anna Friedman drew the single card: 7C using a deck of 54 cards.)

((OOC:  14:58, Today: BPO Company drew the single card: 6S using a deck of 54 cards.  BPO Squad Initiative.))

((Yelena, you're up! Don't forget about Lewis!))

Yelena had been in similar situations where she was looking for stationary targets in the middle of combat chaos. She wasn't particularly keen on close combat, but the Nazis should largely be distracted by targets that were much, much closer.

The sniper made a single 'tsk' in response to the American's targeting suggestion, a simple acknowledgment that she'd heard.

((OOC: Targeting the person indicated by Lena.

I think all the plusses (+6 from Aim/Scope, +1 from signature weapon, +1 from Lena) neatly cancel out all the penalties (-4 range and -4 cover). If there are only -2 in cover penalties, then the below is a raise. I went ahead and rolled that extra damage, just in case.

10 damage (AP 2) if no raise. 17 damage if there is a raise.

10:07, Today: Yelena Malkin drew the single card: JD using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative .

10:07, Today: Yelena Malkin rolled 10 using 2d8+2, rerolling max with rolls of 1,7.  Damage (AP2).

10:06, Today: Yelena Malkin rolled 6,5 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,5.  Sniping! (include +1 from spotter).


10:09, Today: Yelena Malkin rolled 7 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+1)7.  Raise Damage.))

"Let's go!" Max nodded at the instruction he'd been given and ran hard for what looked to be appropriate cover. He paused and then popped out in what he hoped was a fairly random spot to lay down covering fire.

((OOC: Does Max have a target? Or has he just been tasked with spraying bullets to keep enemy heads down?))

((That's suppressive fire, which you can of course do - roll Shooting, with a single skill die, factor in the range, recoil and cover for modifiers... if you hit, they're distracted. If you hit with a raise, you hit a few people and roll normal damage for each!))

((OOC: Someone in the squad has a Thomson, but I think Max only has an M1 Garand. Which means that his suppressive fire would be multiple pulls of the trigger. In this version of Savage Worlds, I think that means he could take 3 different shots as separate actions, each at -4.

What are Max's range and cover modifiers from where we have advanced?))

((You can roll for a Thompson rifle and empty your M1 while you advance, it's all going to be count as one action of suppressive fire, emptying the magazine of the M1.
It's -4 for range, -2 for cover, total of -6.
Also: Give me a damage roll (just in case) and the initiative for next round
))

((OOC: Miss!

12:45, Today: Max Lewis rolled 9 using 2d8.  Damage (AP2). Just in case.

12:44, Today: Max Lewis rolled -3,-2 using d8-6,d6-6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,4.  Shooting (suppression).

Init should be same as Yelena, right?))

((Correct))

One of the Nazis peers out behind cover and Yelena takes a clean shot, hitting him square on the side of his helmet. He disappears into a thick cloud of smoke and it's hard to tell what damage she did.

The Americans and British rush forward, firing their guns, and it's a miracle that none of them go down in the hail of fire - the Germans do focus it on the Soviets.

((Next round!

Initiative & distance at beginning of the round:
Yelena and Max: JD (Max is 44" from Nazis)
SS-Infantry: 10D
Anna: 7C (with Randell, Jenden and Sykes) 44" from the Nazis
BPO Squad: 6S - Squad 1 is 32" from the Nazis. Squad 2 is 37" from Yelena.

Lena: Initiative?

BPO Company emerges from the metro station at the end of this round and will be able to act next round, at 60"))
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:07, Mon 15 Nov 2021.

Warmaster:

((Next round!
BPO Company emerges from the metro station at the end of this round and will be able to act next round, at 60"))

((OOC:  Previous to emerging, Kapitan Konnikov has one squad from First and Second Platoon (so two squads total) detach to investigate and then guard the metro car, those orders hold even once First Squad hears the action begin above.))

20:21, Today: Lena Vogt drew the single card: 10H using a deck of 54 cards.

((Yelena, you're up!

Semyon - that's alright, I'll mark it on the BPO sheet. Speaking of which, I'll combine the two entities again.

First Platoon, First Squad will be the first to act then.

))
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:42, Tue 16 Nov 2021.

[Language unknown: "Isol nd evon ter prng, Ardstiaveanyver."] Yelena checked her rifle momentarily, then heaved a breath before popping back out to find her next target.

((OOC: Yelena is back to aiming for a round.))

((OOC: Max is now at Medium Range. Is there any enemy from his vantage point that doesn't have cover? If not, is there a possibility of flanking the German position?))

((They are keeping their heads down, with the smoke adding more obfuscation. The MG is an obvious target and even though Max technically can't see the gunner, there are only so many places where he could be. -6 to hit, you're effectively shooting blind.))

((OOC: Okay, with that level of penalty, I think Max will also take an Aim action to cancel out 4 points of it))

Major Lewis paused for a moment behind the bit of cover he'd been able to find. Once there were enough distractions elsewhere, he peered into the fray and tried to pick out a good target.

Yelena and Max: JD (Max is 38" from Nazis)
Lena: 10H
SS-Infantry: 10D
Anna: 7C (with Randell, Jenden and Sykes) 44" from the Nazis
BPO Squad: 6S - Squad 1 is 32" from the Nazis. Squad 2 is 37" from Yelena.


Lena - you're up! I'm assuming you'll keep assisting Yelena, so let me roll on your behalf:
09:45, Today: Warmaster, on behalf of Lena Vogt, rolled 0,1 using d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 2,3.  Notice, through the thick smoke.
Let me know if you want to Benny that and give me initiative for next round))


The SS MG42 falls silent, all of a sudden.


Anna, you're up, but: Notice roll at -4, everybody.
Semyon: give me a group Notice roll for the BPO (so skill die and a wild die)

lol well... nah.  It is what it is.

((OCC:  Wasn't sure if the -4 applied.. it should.. but I didn't think of it until after the roll:
14:11, Today: BPO Company rolled 14,1 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (8+6)14,1.  Notice d8.
So that should be a 10.))

((OOC: 8 (after penalty) for Yelena, 1 for Max.

12:10, Today: Max Lewis rolled 1,-1 using d6-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 3,1.  Notice (-4).

12:10, Today: Yelena Malkin rolled 8,0 using d6-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of (6+4)10,2.  Notice (-4).))

((OOC: Also, I don't think I drew Initiative with all the aiming.

7H

12:12, Today: Yelena Malkin drew the single card: 7H using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative .))

Anna continues to follow Squad 1, picking up the pace.

((18:32, Today: Anna Friedman rolled 1 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1.  Running.))

((You guys are quite perceptive!))

Several of the Russians point and shout - the Germans are taking off under the cover of smoke coming from the burning truck, retreating back to the inner yard of the building.

The Germans run. A few shots are fired at them, but the thick smoke makes it hard to determine if you landed any hits. Yelena sees one of her targets disappear after she squeezed the trigger, but even she's unsure if he was dead, wounded, or merely tripped.

A few moments later, the first Russian troopers reach the former German position. Three dead soldiers are on the ground, a testament to Yelena's skills.

The truck's bed is now heavily burning, with a smell of wood, canvas and... bread? Burned bread. They definitely weren't done unloading the truck.

Yelena tipped her rifle upward as friendly troops started moving between her and the enemy. She reloaded while speaking to Lena. [Language unknown: "Stniet i hale? Ri ac ti p lalltaur ouroerhou t oumi realesany." ]

Yelena scanned for any remaining combatants that would be a danger to her or Lena, then nodded to the other woman. [Language unknown: "O a cewil. Pre urhis een ndun eve thess asho."]

Taking her own advice, Yelena quickly moved to join the new Russian forward line. She listened for any reports from the Soviets, then translated for Lena to keep her updated on the situation.

"[Language unknown: Aino caro n.]"

Lena moved, keeping her pilfered sidearm ready, for what good it might do.  She had been trained on the most basic American and German small arms before being sent, but having so little recent practice, for it would not make sense for her cover to have much access to such tools, she wouldn't be a great shot.  But she might not have a choice.

As all the squads converge around the former German position, the Soviet artillery fire seizes again. The sudden silence is unnerving, with many of you expecting the crack of a rifle gun shot, another sniper hidden somewhere.

Emma Zholdina nods grimly at Yelena, still limping from the wound she had taken before, her face determined, but oh-so-deadly pale.

Lena kept her mouth shut.  She was here to confirm identities and name names (hopefully those of corpses), storming the building wasn't in her line of expertise.  Besides this was a military unit, some civilian piping up and telling them what to do, well that would go over like a lead balloon.  If they asked, that was different.

She began to ponder whether she had learned anything useful about this building that would be good to recall right about now, having spent so much time in the enemy's service.

Yelena nodded solemnly at Emma. [Language unknown: "Arro trie ee th eraughredhasing, artforain. Inca il mean...Ou mite thoconwit."] She smiled slightly at her fellow sniper before turning toward Lena.

Aware that it was at least mildly annoying to be unable to keep up with conversation, Yelena roughly translated. [Language unknown: "Wa asfiom ouaiun and naseteev hi are one iv san hile mepoat fintic ul Whred moen encatende. Pl el, Ulilosncen. M thse om st str."]

The sniper looked around for those in command to see how they were arraying the forces at their command.

((OOC: I assume the other PCs are jumping in now? Or are we still split?))
This message was last edited by the player at 03:26, Tue 07 Dec 2021.

Lena couldn't help but smile at the news.  It was sadistic of her, but after all that time among them, she'd grown to hate them so much.

As the disparate forces convene on the German position, Kapitan Konnikov starts quietly issuing orders, "Leytenant Shagidzyanov, [Language unknown: ichil wh thutta chcefo unll tinantstrarehas elsatabe Wa has t thpr alwa atiame'ingfor ilroho, re.]  Strelnikov, [Language unknown: nte thanwh ommoil u buturewas itol, bewa unnt erni sheaveinetha a ta p pa miilio omeardtic pr of Herthoble tiai Essoutugh nostin talinc thint di histfiur ent cestwh pl.  Pe o veric a ntol she tra ate th o, T din al wawa str se ma eiss.]  Lyubimtsev, [Language unknown: ureforfor red not, omomet renoom maard wihi al os neomelin.  Comntethe, naekusnc ee der ei ti liwhek pl llalpoul, er th vor hatametra sanwerarerut utwawe."]

He looks around "Bala... ahh.  Yevgenievich.  [Language unknown: Nipa, st, lar plurst estdi menwe, maadet ri ingio] American kapitan, [Language unknown: di p le p whe e] Shagidzyanov's [Language unknown: arevur iv tiststee."]  He claps the man on the shoulder, [Language unknown: "Ch ticus thle moasweul adpltrwi ounahapr, antentastere ll Ouiopoei."] then he lets him go and nods towards Captain Jackson.


((OCC;  Reminder, Konnikov ordered two squads to guard the metro car, one from the First and Second platoons.
link to a message in this game ))

Jackson had given some orders of his own, then he nods back at Konnikov and calls for Major Lewis.

He gestures towards the inner yard and the ramp leading down into the ground.
One of the British soldiers approaches and salutes.  He hands one of the bottles to Lewis.

In the back, the allied soldiers try their best to extinguish the fire on the truckbed.

Max nodded at the reports they received, though frowned at the last. He raised an eyebrow and looked around at those who were reporting. [Language unknown: "Olter? Stev...stiousati strlo nd noarpe. Ou thu whut, stpallwh to il enc blefo noun isest i inone ti riisel iouromounwit, unolar m lacawe rutkorers teofit elhome enc."]

He looked back at the other senior members of the Western Allied forces. [Language unknown: "Evsa p ver oun ecasncsaer?" ]

Jackson nodded.

He had been the second in command of the Americans. A role that would now have to pass to Master Sergeant Ralph Jenden.

After a few short minutes Konnikov stops by Lyubimtsev, [Language unknown: "Leytenant, Koran ithratill art Americans eve et ant n econ ntiwasvirmanons latwhiectthe er saaita, lar ur tiut.  Wa pastr Kemmel lehama, u ut ar m sheredles adil Ngeter an etmite ieni chnd."]  He turns, and signals to third platoons lieutenant, [Language unknown: "Leytenant Strelnikov, trtoalnc cksice thoerable.  Shagidzyanov, strthinte menughpro u me fi ststad verughent fi tin si icieseha, traastoer iveioutra wilock o rutill'eauven intnteany ing holene hostas."]

As second platoon moves past he stops Malkin for a moment, [Language unknown: "Foman ive whroekilat has toro, na i ai olset el liolbe we Kemmel, cepa adte mi pe, me e e nite."]  Then he clasps her shoulder and sends her in with the rest of second platoon*.




(( * Presuming that Lena and Yelena are going in with First and Second Platoon and aren't doing something totally different of course.  If so, just say the word and I'll shift this post to reflect, if necessary. ))

Yelena nodded at the orders from Semyon. [Language unknown: "Fiit, Erolwi, I asck ch wh p...osil Po adlo witnotredund."]

She turned toward Lena. [Language unknown: "K proicahat newh paenlaei il omehoustioulstr fi ivresi venic rellth ul, Iondinallwasson. Ti te thiaveoul allsaname i onemo wa litrto Ssnte ant fienie ec capr traomeers und leee wing encithter. Hoosno, a ev et itweas our m ere eensomvir menatiearles omai un wiom avefi ven heit whfiof i oul rutourthaive, nte?"]

She nodded to the platoon leader that would be organizing their advance. One benefit of being on the shorter side is that she'd be lost among the taller men that would be first in.

"[Language unknown: M wi ho he us rinentma.]"  Lena answered with a smirk.  "[Language unknown: Yin larastove, Teus ee et din icul.]"

Not having any idea how to improve the plan, she took her place in it.

Is there time to scavenge a Mauser from one of the dead on the way in?  Not planning on fighting but Rifle > Pistol.

With the orders given, the Soviet platoons move into the inner yard of the former department store, the Western Allies following behind them.

A ramp was dug into the middle of the yard, leading down into the underground. It's wide enough for a truck to fit through, with enough space left and right for two men to walk shoulder to shoulder, but definitely too narrow to allow for any oncoming traffic.
The first few yards down into the underground are unlit, with the only light provided by whatever daylight would be available. But as you get a little deeper, the first bulbs show up, hung on the side of the walls.

About 50 meters below, the road curves to the right and widens significantly, enough for oncoming traffic to pass if both trucks were to cling to the edge of the tunnel. There is noise up ahead, but it is distorted by distance and echoes, the air smelling of gasoline and oil.

The men and women of 1st platoon cling to the left side of the tunnel, while 3rd platoon stays on the right.

There are lights ahead, at the end of the tunnel, and through the noise can be heard shouting, indistinct still, but there is a sense of urgency.

((Notice, if you please))

---

Outside, on the upper level, the scouts Konnikov sent around the building arrive, huffing and puffing and out of breath.
[Language unknown:
"Lillil pro ck een ameas leerwaenan, Atisel Etdine, paher p ainionout waliel comwh ate. U readerill th p neera Linthoionder omer wercomart torelaev ivul areandpro."]

Shagidzyanov nods and turns to you: [Language unknown: "Omrat ison ome ithatisti, Romshebut Ilhole?"]

One of the men shrugs off his acquired SS jacket and drops it unceremoniously on the floor. One of the others slaps him on the arm but he shrugs it off and responds: [Language unknown: "Con stted pehaof ess dayratsan ai p ll caladiat."]

[Language unknown: "Se, und,"] he turns to Leytenant Shagidzyanov, [Language unknown: "Yurievich, wioule trilac is."]

He checks his .45 submachine and follows First Platoon into the tunnel.


(( OOC:  Notice for BPO Company and Konnikov (just in case it matters for him):
18:02, Today: BPO Company rolled 3,11 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,(6+5)11. Notice d8 [roll=1640300569.17327.347079]
18:06, Today: Semyon Yegorovich Konnikov rolled 3,10 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,(6+4)10. Notice d6, in case it matters, which I doubt it will... 3,10

And wow, the Russians are on point today!))

Tsimmermann, the private on point in the tunnel raises his hand and half-turns, waving at everyone to stop and get back, then runs backward, too.
[Language unknown:
"Ie pre Atic antfi i, Ioou ive hi tisaar ac! Ndecic plaipent anons ame k ilfo ainioueen, ichameine ad as ieant thotraing nacom ol ven ieles, etpe fo at!"]

Everyone halts, with the two leytenants starting to quietly argue with each other in Russian. Jackson and Lewis ask what's going on in English, but are ignored by the Russians.

A few minutes later, Konnikov arrives and is immediately brought up to speed.

Lyubimtsev is the first to speak. [Language unknown: "Anyatible Evosas, what naunchla tio lo ndsaal ounus linherthe m k teivli sta Evdi. Ivkor wasardour mene om setwitout e mias maieun oerthaant o p. Butameugh thunceven whioutill esni sato heielo et somorewhetra siei p st. Fo os ho outto liyin peiv con e oer titithle. Meave ourome'mantic si ncic eiacngndulng."]
Strelnikov, quite out of character, patiently waited his turn to oppose his comrade.
[Language unknown: "Diceweho, i ilpl anteenhis uresun hou wh aldin, artarders tire sa vorwasentameone us korrut'weranytio onhis one a iohilo nteoussom, p he t ughvenive rea, a etther. Te ilart anditi th est usporoet, cker nteatithu whiessons nce p n."
"Ofll ol ssitou ri thapro'iveeau plli niun teneho ouri aldi earromsta'tharea iv!"
"Ofpa alleauter oneandart st riwas sta mochos pe prelus th omus, whi ersalo?!"]

Shagidzyanov interjects: [Language unknown: "Romvirundent, inonck redticndesan ati houlesble olstncsi es m ich reaionere! Ear ers san Hatineion ticit Antconhasted ounratsom o ousdinted llplha entte orteauica Cabe Itiou?"]

Strelnikov turns to Konnikov: [Language unknown: "Ecutfi Prsiho, Ticareere Inutnd po omethableounman teha meulul us wilnotnotand kor Dintinmen chieitad ica os k."
]
Lyubimtsev mutters something under his breath that sounds like "fucking lunatic", but in a louder tone says: [Language unknown: "Entblerat icaoreres urpaol tha ioho Diitnc me Ichasthis, Linsomnotons?"]

[Language unknown: "Pohoos!  Hat illdiname weio os anysonles.  Strelnikov, il.  Outev ecee outinevor.  Shagidzyanov shethe'astres asivla, Lyubimtsev omce.  Politruk Zholdin, tioonsand ivan admiictiio."] He checks his Thompson for the millionth time and as the Senior Lieutenants issue orders and then the Third Platoon rushes forth, Konnikov shouts, [Language unknown: "Undesssanpro, INTESTSHE!"]


(( OOC:  Just a reminder Warmaster, the second squad from Third Platoon is strung out between this position and the metro.. and probably stretched too far by now.  There is a squad from both First and Second Platoon guarding the Metro car.  Or dead to Nazi warghouls by now, who knows.  ))

((Oh, Nazi warghouls, now that you mention it...
Strelnikov would charge with half a squad if that was all he had left.))

[Language unknown: <Nt>"Evnoth, Ecilof Areshehas." </Oveek>]The young politruk looks a bit hesitant, then turns toward the Western Allies.

"Kapitan Konnikov has ordered Third Platoon to storm forward and to take the German position. We will have Kemmel secured for you in no time."

Major Lewis didn't understand Russian, but he understood body language and tone. And he didn't like either one right now. When the 'plans' were passed to him, he nodded.

"How can we support this...offensive?" Max arched an eyebrow at Zholdin as he asked his question.

Yelena pressed her lips together as she listened to the conversation between the officers. As had become her custom, she translated for Lena. [Language unknown: "Rolima o alble ughhoupreectcon eichth lepaer i esswitine i itnetimohend trastibleeve u enill. Ho setterout ni se ati, m tr, om ssstilpawe pe. M omemanthalat for eesate elhota anymanven iv n un we wilhasres tin io labehi ll eereplfine ti ceeiel cedi tingekthas."]

Yelena couldn't keep a bit of sadness from marring her features. She'd lost a lot of comrades, but it always hurt. The sniper checked her weapon to make certain it was fully loaded and ready to fire. She also double-checked the bayonet to make certain is was firmly attached. She looked over again at Lena. [Language unknown: "We iland en day. Ma siweac meei read i p toatne caasse, an veratihoufor ut onlaac."]

"[Language unknown: Thpeusle ntec sihoil arek aserntuspo.]"  Lena mused, but she was listening to this sage advice.  She hadn't been trained for combat, and these people had been fighting the Germans, not spying on them.

[Language unknown: "Thaoerpre Redineers: Chcon Astwhethahas tall wi ilen re ha ri moncin nepe tednoting."]

Strelnikov scoffs: [Language unknown: "Pe ll o est litin isne miishi fo erme oun wi rat wa tass ecckan earerethe."]

[Language unknown: "Wi maio nt wi o all, call t ieteom, ect linlescom sa ngurbe.] Konnikov pauses and continues wryly, [Language unknown: "Ard alpro ati e ndhe ener o ica."]
This message was last edited by the player at 02:33, Sat 01 Jan 2022.

((Montage time))

Strelnikov tells Malkin to stay behind and protect the spy, to let the platoon handle this. Strelnikov turns around, not giving her a chance to respond.

The men and women of 3rd platoon get ready, their faces showing determination, defiance and fear. More than one crosses himself, ignoring official state policy, but the officers and non-comms ignore that display of outdated bourgeois superstitions.

Then, the trilling sound of a whistle sounds and with a large URRRRAAAAA!!!! the men of the Red Army surge forward.

For a sweet, ever-lasting moment, nothing can be heard besides the glorious screams of the Soviet soldiers. But then the Germans overcome their own surprise and fear and answer with the tak-tak-tak of MG42, at least two, as Tsimmermann has pointed out and a few more rifles cracking, too.

The Russians are bunched together at first, es they emerge from the tunnel and an easy target. But beyond the tunnel, the walls retreat and rise to an enormous cavern, re-inforced by wooden and concrete beams.

The Strelnikov mean spread out, even as the first bullets take their toll and smash. The other platoons emerge as well, one squad after the other, spreading out to the left and right, forcing the Germans to widen their arc of fire.

Not everyone rushes forward with the same enthusiasm. There are quite a few who hesitate, their steps slow and sluggish and the sergeants yell and beat them forward.

Yelena remembers Stalingrad, it had been similar then, when the Germans reached the river and the officers would just send more and more men across the river into the meat grinder.


((Rolling time... I'll treat that as Heavy Fire, and count it as two "sprints". Every soldier gets hit with a d6 twice and we'll see who gets hit. Third Platoon gets 3 sprints, being the first ones out and being bunched together at the beginning.


))



This message was last edited by the GM at 13:55, Mon 03 Jan 2022.

Arther heard the sound of gun fire intensify as the Russians started the assault of the tunnel and looked towards Max

"sir permission to move forward and lend a hand with the wounded. Don't worry I wont engage the enemy but the injured will need medical assistance." He waited for Max to give the OK

After Third Platoon advance and First and Second began their assaults right and left, Konnikov and his command squad charged up the center, following behind Third Platoon, advancing to where ever the fighting needed bolstering the most.

The MG42s take a heavy toll, the screams of defiance mingling with cries of pain and the deafening rat-ta-ta-ta-tat of the machine guns.
The first Russians tumble and fall to the ground, pierced by one or many bullets. The natural instinct would be to dive low, find cover, but the Russians power through, spreading out, forcing the gunners to arc their guns back and forth.

Strelnikov is the first to fire in answer to the Germans, all his bullets going wide, zinging against the concrete pillars and Earthen walls.

The other Russians armed with SMGs open fire as well, and some of the lights go out as stray bullets hit them, allowing them to see a bit more.

((Everybody who's running towards the Germans: Notice roll. Everybody who's back in the tunnel: Notice roll at -2.))

(( Notice Rolls:
09:29, Today: Semyon Yegorovich Konnikov rolled 2, 7 0, 5 using 1d6,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,(6+1)7.  Notice. – 2,7
09:30, Today: BPO Company rolled 3, 4 1, 2 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,4.  Notice.
[EDIT]
Sorry, I forgot the -2, edited the results to reflect the -2.
[/EDIT]  ))
This message was last edited by the player at 03:24, Wed 05 Jan 2022.

(While I'm waiting for the Notice rolls: Map time!

https://kanka-user-assets.s3.e...IiZycObKg6kjkav6.jpg

The boxes with the x are crates (like the ones the Germans carried of the bed of the truck), the MG42 position in the middle and a few trucks in the back - the cavern is indeed quite extensive.

There's a single concrete column in the (roughly) center, that's the square painted all in. There are numerous Nazi soldiers around, didn't drawn them all in. You've came in from the left hand side, where the arrow points inward.)

19:30, Today: Lena Vogt rolled 5,1 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,1.  Notice at -2.

((OOC: Uh-oh.

22:45, Today: Yelena Malkin rolled 1,1 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,1.  Notice (-2,Alert).))

Max nodded. "I'll be right on your six. Let's see if we can't give 'em a hand."

The Marines in the OSI squad have seen something similar before - the banzai charges by the Imperial Japanese army, rushing forward at US positions.
But they have never seen it from the side of the attackers.

It feels like an hour, but it only takes a few seconds for the Russians to surge forward. And then the Germans start to break. Men pull away from the position, towards the trucks, and to the far, dark end of the cavern.

The Americans are the last to leave the safety of the tunnel, with Arthur leading the way. It just takes him a few steps to reach the first Russian, clutching at his leg, but up ahead there are more.
Arthur slides down next to him, but the Russian slaps punches against his shoulder, hard, and yells at him, pointing forward. [Language unknown: "Venkorles allearore ek, m! BE!"]

Arthur keeps moving, stepping over the dead body of a woman, her head half blown off and another soldier clutching at his neck, blood spilling copiously through his fingers. He reaches for Arthur, but it's clear that he has no chance of survival. His eyes are pleading for help, but the British medic looks away and staggers forward.

Another man down on his belly, his legs twitching, a pool of blood spreading underneath him - and beyond him, there's a woman screaming in pain.

---

Yelena and Lena are the last to leave the tunnel. More on instinct than anything else, Lena turns around and sees lights - someone's coming down the tunnel, but is still around the bend!

One of Artur's old officers had said that he had to have courage to do what he did, perhaps he did but he was no hero and no fool either. As he moved he kept his head down and close to the tunnel sides.

As he came upon a wounded soldier he assessed the situation and either patched them up as best he could or gave what little morphine he could spare to ease the suffering and to allow the dying to die with some dignity.

War was brutal and this tunnel looked like some surreal painting of the seven plains of hell, but he focused on the job at hand time to crack and cry for the dead later. another wounded, treat, move on repeat

((Give me a healing roll for a general assessment of the situation))

19:53, Today: Arthur Randel rolled 6,4 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 4,2.  healing .

Bullets are still whizzing around you, but as the Russians spread out, there are fewer hits taking a toll on the Red Army. Most of them were hit while they were bunched up tightly together, and there's a cluster of wounded bodies close to you, with more up ahead.
There's no time for proper triage, so you can only care for who's next and seems to have a decent chance to make it. While you pull a wounded woman behind a dead Russian for makeshift cover you just hope that there isn't somebody out there who's bleeding out because you can't save him.

Lena knew better than to yell at the soldiers from behind, but she had to do something.  So she tapped Lena's shoulder.  Very aggressively.  And turned her to make her see.

Yelena had tasked Lena with keeping the sniper safe when her attention was elsewhere, so when the aggressive shoulder tapping came, Yelena's attention went in the indicated direction.

Lena said nothing, but did whatever she had to, including starting a revival, to make sure Yelena saw the light.

In the tunnel:

The lights begin to jitter and dance as apparently whoever is wielding the flashlights runs faster toward the sound of gunfire. In other words: you.

Yelena can make out two, no, three flashlights, and there are shouts, but distorted and impossible to make out.


Outside the tunnel:

The Russians fall upon the remaining German shoulders and gun them down in close quarters. There are more Germans deeper in the vast underground chamber who fire at the now-former German MG position, but their fire is sporadic and seemingly covers a retreat. But a retreat whereto?

A truck engine roars up and a truck lurges forward - but also away from the MG position, further back into the unlit corners of the chamber, its light revealing yet another tunnel at the far end.

Triage:
Arthur counts almost two dozen casualties, some just lightly wounded, like Konnikov himself. The Russian Commander suffered a grazing shot in his thigh, which hurts like hell and bleeds profusely, but nothing that a quick bandage shouldn't fix.

Konnikov finds one of his command squad, [Language unknown: "We il anicet Renimo Rearilar Oerwasect korsheoun e ratca eeushe, der tioestratons dinoulshe k cancdi i eitapl amevirstaous onevus ma icnene."]

He then shouts for his Senior Lieutenants, [Language unknown: "STRELNIKOV!  WER ECUSSE! LYUBIMTSEV ASTEAUWHICOM WILOLL INGANDORE!  SHAGIDZYANOV NO U!  POLITRUK!  MI TEST AMERICANS REDALLUND ICNE ONS EL TEDSA ECTANTSAN!"]

Konnikov pulls his command squad and First Platoon over to the column to reassess and regroup.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 19:31, Tue 11 Jan 2022.

Strelnikov barks a few orders, and his remaining men and women move forward, further into the darker reaches of the cavern.

Bogomazov relays the rest of the orders to the troops, then comes back to you, giving you a first quick report.

Second Squad of Third Platoon has been decimated - when they had gone into the mission this morning, it had been at full strength of 10 soldiers, now there are only 3 remaining, one of them wounded. First squad is barely better off, down to 4 men.

Yefimov, who had taken a bullet from the sniper earlier today, was hit again and will no longer be able to move on his own.

[Language unknown: Ainit Anme'beul n estlatnce io mabut lapres, Oveichtha Ulardi, onehe i llnghi e ri i ev, conlinout adout stret haulmi wanofo.]
You see him straining to keep his tone and voice flat and even.

Just as you are about to respond, there is a sudden wailing - Nessia Lyagushova kneels on the ground, hugging tightly the body of a dead comrade. It's young Kiril Polushin, not old enough to shave. Nessia had seen and suffered so much during this terrible war, but young Kirilka had tethered her mind to reality, grounded her. He had been like a younger brother to her and now he was gone.

---

Arthur was hard at work binding the wounds of soldiers, but it was clear that he wouldn't be able to save them all. The Russians, apparently, had no medic with them, at least not anymore, but there is one old soldier with a grey bushy beard, who's able to help at least a little. Clearly, this man is a veteran of many battles and has seen many wounds before.

---

Back in the tunnel, Yelena and Lena are joined by Manka Komzina and Pavek Nikonov. The woman nods at Yelena. [Language unknown: "Ivanno oreut asng waugh m."]

Arthur kept looking at his supplies they wouldn't last much longer perhaps he could go back up the tunnel and check some of the bodies perhaps the dead Germans had medical kits, bandages etc on them.

He was also keeping part of his pain relief medicine for those who could not be saved but could at least die free of pain

[Language unknown: "Bogomazov, hoore hound yin, enenec ntceic heeema, p llhawi sheestwas tentsa asiost vir i ionreaint, o our pa, inendehateen K oun res, m."]  Konnikov waves at and steps over to Politruk Zholdin, [Language unknown: "Politruk, ol usri etheseloio toceen ofaipl nc, ndeio sa chmose rom li loave mipr hamong ivit tio o, whe om t ainnteicatin t kor, tr asee ceas Kapitan Jackson ei ne ut utulch wiwe thupl art mall iv ecttheyin u wawhis esunta a ponang ilad, seto ove ce of ma omdiek lochou, t the tedwerare Kemmler o tin et p thic leceom hitoin foreenfor a ameillund ate noter chom."]

While those orders are being relayed Konnikov moves among the wounded, stopping next to the old soldier, "[Language unknown: "Starshina Shapovalov ent dersi ourromday eeos ous sstiio, rut one antionherure la me trwit, neun ngca u lo ith whe atolmoai haove ounoveone we ronot nghoat to t rutro astra atcaac.  Ortei noha... na hitin entof ive Starshina."]

Lena thought about it, and looked for anything that could be thrown like a handful of pebbles or stones.  She'd learned this trick as a child playing, it might actually be even more effective here.  Ideally several handfuls would be best.

There's enough rubble around for Lena to easily pick up enough stones.

---

Politruk Yevgenievich jogs over to where Randel and the old Soviet soldier do their best to triage, with Major Lewis observing.

"Major Lewis, Kapitan Jackson? Our men are checking the two trucks to see if they work and we will pursue Kemmel and the Germans into the next tunnel. Like a fox digging for a rabbit.
We'll set up a rearguard. Will your men join us or would you rather remain with the rearguard?"

The tone is slightly mocking, but this could be just a matter of English not being the politruk's first language.

Then he adds more in Russian, addressing the old soldier. He nods, and starts barking orders. Several of the wounded are helped up and ever walk, crawl or get dragged behind the sand sacks of the former SS position. The MG42 are reloaded, the least-wounded men put behind them, guarding the tunnel entrance.

Lena quickly gathered them and then whispered.  "[Language unknown: Ivos] Pennsylvania [Language unknown: masshe forwilcom, osisut u romwhirut t consomsom alck venantdin virratate et stinc beon, ilnd ngllro any osevon oun icomosou.  Ai ri ou enil wheul sonprelesith arkor ca ven se preerswhe hoday leti k ivmeat butersoer.  Ng somla ore ol undillles tha inst ioeeof?]"

Yelena shrugged. [Language unknown: "U haro ling elest tr adfor. Plart checha...ek terwa es o estfo. We we t ma com allan."]

The sniper relayed the plan to her comrades, and then prepared to fire when it seemed best.

No need for initiative, but give me a Smarts roll, Lena

13:36, Today: Lena Vogt rolled 7,3 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,3.  Am I Smart.

Not bad.

((Well, smarter than a squad of Nazis at least!
16:40, Today: Warmaster, on behalf of SS-Infantry, rolled 4 using 1d6, rerolling max ((4)).))

Lena throws as far as she can and the stones clatter across the wall and floor. The Germans stop and somebody yells some question, but Komzina's bullet takes him in the chest and he flops down, just as Yelena takes out the one next to him.

Nikonov starts spraying the tunnel with bullets from his PPSH, but they're mostly harmless at this range. Still, they make a lot of noise and make the Germans duck back into cover.

Zholdin slides up next to you four.

"Kemmel got away! We're following in the trucks! There is another tunnel leading away! Go now, go!"

---

Further back, you can hear the shots fired.
Time to move on.

One of the sergeants salutes Konnikov [Language unknown: "Eeutro Icenos, ai adofro hiulpa m k i uspoas oerthaion, fiare ble ivfoenpopr. Taaipe ivennoiv witit utmen utntul nt ss her ie lein me, nailad a staingder ha k se u acutel k inngad!"]

((Alright - you got two trucks. With Shapovalov staying here with the wounded who can't walk, those who were killed in the assault and the two squads at the Metro, you got 55 men and women (including yourself) in the company, plus the 20 OSI-Soldiers and Lena, so a total of 76 people.
Each of the trucks can easily hold 20 troops in the back, 30 if you're cramming them in, a driver, and two passengers. So that takes care of 64 of them. You can leave more people here or have them follow on foot behind the trucks.))
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:55, Sun 30 Jan 2022.

Kapitan Konnikov will have his Leytenant's detail squads below half capacity (starting with the weakest squads) and moving up, until they've got the company* to about fifty strong, to Starshina Shapovalov to hold this position, the remaining "stronger" squads will load up and move out in pursuit!



(( OOC:  * Konnikov will briefly attempt to convince Captain Jackson (through Politruk Yevgenievich) to leave a squad or at least a fireteam of OSI to guard the wounded.  But Konnikov will not fight over it or spend more than a cursory moment, if the Capitalists want to bring everyone they have... well we'll just have to deal with that bridge when we push them off of it. ;)  ))

"Where's a grenade when you need one!?"  Lena pulled out her peashooter.  She didn't imagine she was going to effect casualties with it, but in this tunnel, well it was a gun and it would make noise.  She opted to pull back, and figured that was the best thing her clumsy butt could do; just not gum up the works.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:11, Tue 01 Feb 2022.

23:44, Today: Julius Sykes rolled 18 using 2d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+5)11,(6+1)7.  Notice.

With an 11, I hope I notice whatever I was hoping to spot!

Major Lewis discusses this briefly with Captain Jackson, then orders two of his men - Jensen and Riley - to stay behind with the Soviet Rearguard.
You have hoped for more than just a token group, but Lewis looks at you cooly, making it clear that he's not going to fully miss out on the chance to even out the odds between the Western and Eastern Allies.

Konnikov gives more orders and 2nd Platoon grimly takes up position, Starshiy Lieutenant Lyubimtsev now taking command of the Rearguard.

Zholdin pulls the men and women from the tunnel entrance, not before the haven't fired off a few more shots and the little group runs to the side and then back towards the two trucks.

The Soviets pull their wounded back behind the row of sand bag and re-position the dead SS soldiers in front of the bags, a grisly addition to their fortification. The MG42s are set up again and re-loaded.

The trucks are cleared of their cargo, the crates - some heavy, some quite light kicked, pulled, and shoved from them as quickly as possible.

Most of them remain intact, but two of them break open. One contains boxes of rifle ammunition, the other one books. Or just one book, after a quick examination. The second crate is filled with freshly printed copies of 'Mein Kampf', apparently.

Then you all file into the trucks. Konnikov and Lewis take their seats upfront with the driver of the first truck, Shagidzyanov and Jackson go into the cabin of the 2nd truck. The rest of the troops file in as they find seats
((Yelena, Lena, Arthur & Julius - you can pick which truck you want to go in.

Giving you all a chance to chime in, then I'll continue.

))

((Alright, moving along))
14:02, Today: Warmaster, on behalf of Arthur Randel, rolled 10,4 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+4)10,4.  Notice.


The trucks' engines roar into action, just as the MG42s open fire on the German squad who's coming out of the tunnel. The drivers line up one behind the other and head away from the tunnel entrance further back into the darkness, the only illumination coming from the truck's lights.

It's astonishing how big this cavern is, how much time the Nazis must have spent excavating it, the purpose completely hidden. It may have been an underground factory, but there are no machines or anything giving a hint for what it has been used.
Then there's another tunnel leading out of the cavern - clearly the path that Kemmel must have taken.

As the vehicles roll into the tunnel, both Julius and Arthur spot a concrete column in front of the tunnel, wheels tracks winding around it as if this was placed there to split the traffic into two lanes - one for entering the tunnel, the other for leaving.
Both of your trucks go to the right of that column, a move that feels oddly wrong to the British troopers, but perfectly logical for the Americans.

As the second truck enters the tunnel, the sound of gunfire grows quieter. Blue light emanates from the top of the column at the tunnel entrance, illuminating the tunnel walls, but quickly fading out of view.


The tunnel grows pitch black. Soon, not even the lights of the truck illuminate anything. For Konnikov and Lewis in the front truck, it's as if they're driving into a black hole and the driver starts to get slower until he's urged on by Konnikov.

It's unclear how long you are in the dark, but it couldn't be more than a couple of minutes. Finally, there's greyish light in front of you!

The truck lurches forward, as if suddenly having found more purchase on the ground and builds up speed - then you crash into a wall of rain as you leave the tunnel behind you onto a dimly lighted concrete slab that is out in the open.
There's another column like the one you saw at the entrance of the tunnel, blue light emanating from its top. The driver curses and throws the steering wheel to the side, but the truck skids over the wet ground, crashing into the column, toppling it.

The second truck doesn't fare much better, the driver slamming down on the brake, but it skids across the wet concrete and plows into the side of the first truck!

((Everybody: Agility roll please to avoid bumps and bruises!))

Julius fixated on the blue light as best he could as the truck drove past it.

Being in the second truck, Julius gets knocked around as they crash into the first truck.

Stumbling out, Julius looks around. Concerned that something 'unusual' may be going on, and caused the trucks to crash and the wall of rain.

With one hand outstretched before him, his palm facing the same way as him, and two fingers on his temple from his other hand, he began speaking.

"[Language unknown: Ur Eveonswhe us, notwilsom re walole werallhou ofadsa. To n astth Icaoneers Itesma.]"

23:43, Today: Julius Sykes rolled 2,2 using 1d4,1d6, rerolling max, unique dice with rolls of 2,2.  Agility - Bumps & Bruises.
Well, I got bumped and bruised!

23:45, Today: Julius Sykes rolled 2,4 using 1d10,1d6, rerolling max, unique dice with rolls of 2,4.  Spellcasting.
Casting Detect Arcana

Also, I forgot to ask about the one book mentioned in a crate, Due to Julius's quirk, he'd be interested in it, especially if there is anything interesting or unusual about it.

EDIT: Realise that due to bumps and bruises, the spell would have failed with a 3. Upside, I can try again at no real loss, just 1PP for a failed roll.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:24, Tue 08 Feb 2022.

Seeing the column at the last moment, Konnikov draws a leg up, braces it on the dash, and throws an arm to the side trying to brace Captain Lewis...

... as the rain pours down, Konnikov takes stock of himself and the other two men in the cab of the first truck as he tries to untangle himself from them.


(( 20:42, Today: Semyon Yegorovich Konnikov rolled 11,4 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max (((8+3)11,4)).
Unless Konnikov needs the Raise to avoid being further injured, I'll spend it to aid one of the other two in bracing.  If I can.))
This message was last edited by the player at 01:54, Tue 08 Feb 2022.

Lena had jumped in and hunkered in, trying to make herself as small as possible and she wasn't that big to begin with.  Putting herself in a tight spot helped her and kept her from being shook as bad as she could have been.

20:04, Today: Lena Vogt rolled 7,5 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,5.  Agility.

"Himmiherrgotzaggramentzefixallelujamilextamarschscheissglumpfaregtz!!!"  She didn't mean to be that foul, but this was a day.  She collected herself a bit.  "[Language unknown: Ie, et miniilnt nteoerort ieeiai?]"

Yelena had positioned herself in the middle of the second truck, keeping Lena close. When the truck came to a sudden stop, the close quarters with the others served them all well, though there was a bit of chaos for a few moments.

At Lena's question, Yelena looked around. [Language unknown: "I toie o. Ilil la neseer ndhi thuac, tr sonughere beurpana lailivsi ce eltho wilbleave."]

((OOC: 12:21, Today: Yelena Malkin rolled 7,4 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,4.  Agility.))

Max braced himself a moment before the crash occurred, and was immediately thankful for his quick reflexes. "The hell?"

He looked around for an answer to his question.

((OOC:
12:21, Today: Max Lewis rolled 6,2 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,2.  Agility.))

There are a few bumps and bruises amongst the troops, but luckily, there are no further casualties, and Arthur is able to treat the two men who've suffered from some cuts on their faces.

The first truck is wedged in between the remains of the concrete column (now no longer emanating light) and the second truck and seems to be in bad shape.

The rain is pouring down hard and it's cold, the daylight dimmed by the dark clouds in the sky.

As you look around, you notice that the tunnel seems to have exited into a natural cave that leads into a mountain valley. the ground before the cave has been leveled and stabilized with concrete, forming a roughly oval shape large enough for two, maybe three trucks to maneuver around it.
There's a sloped road on the left-hand side (when standing with the cave behind you) that leads away from the plateau here. Above the cave and to your left and right, you see a mountain range, in front of you tall trees as far as you can see (which, granted isn't that far).

Clearly, you're not in Berlin anymore.

Julius has difficulty focusing on the world around him, his head still spinning, trying to make sense of the situation.

As Max looks around to make more sense of the situation, he notices a healthy amount of explosives at the base of the column, soaking wet. Looks like the Nazis wanted to blow it up, but couldn't.
There still might be some around, and close.

But right now you're in unknown territory, and out in the rain.

Max had already seen his fair share of oddities since joining the OSI, so he didn't stand around and gawk. Rather he sprung into action, moving to check on the condition of the soldiers in the trucks and encouraging them to leave. While he was able to point away from the truck, he didn't speak much in the way of languages besides English (typical American) but he did understand a tiny bit of German. "Schnell! Schnell!"

The sniper took a moment to gather her wits, but as it seemed the truck wasn't moving anymore and there was some yelling about moving quickly, she stood and helped Lena to do the same. [Language unknown: "Mo
 astntiame ndla tiope ce naort was, Oulhathoutedsti."] Everyone wanted the American spy to remain safe, so Yelena made certain to keep her close as they exited the truck.

Konnikov hops out of the cab and immediately begins whipping BPO Company into action, [Language unknown: "Whulen ame ondisa, t u fiain ai we ingwa as ival tenafo thhoolhi, ic ardli ntiingany avepa enarteek.  Shagidzyanov!  Strelnikov!  Hoanithe lindnc ndngwi ntethuwhi, ere itil tr resta trst.  A ec os chic seaspl ati pe elte, et in nemen whusmi e, le t om roofpo.  Ilarnona ilen cameus e romnotwhe o oulateortica eraiv nd ear stil ionureout roest tio ee sais li!"]

He than stands around in the rain giving anyone not moving with a purpose a stern glare and only marches into the cave entrance himself once BPO Company has carried out these orders.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 23:24, Wed 09 Feb 2022.

Lena obeyed and stepped out into the strangeness, not quite grasping what she was seeing, or how it existed here.

Those freaking Nazis had to have gone somewhere, rain be damned, they must have left some clue surely?

The first truck has a broken axle and won't be going anywhere anytime soon. The second one is serviceable enough, though, so you have one vehicle that could be used. About half of you will have to walk, wherever you're going.

Everybody After everyone headed back into the cave, there's no trace of the tunnel you got out of. A distinctive sense of unease can be felt, and the soldiers talk quietly amongst themselves.


Once people are settled in, at least away from the rain if not warm, the officers of both east and west huddle together, inviting Lena and Julius over as well.

Captain Jackson wrings out his scarf and puts it back around his neck. "That is quite unexpected. Do we have any idea where we are? Do you have an idea, maybe, Miss?"

Yelena stood tall as orders were handed out. She was hoping to be part of the group that scouted the road, but at her rank that wouldn't be the sniper's decision. While waiting for orders, she did take a moment to speak with the American spy.

[Language unknown: "Earessntehouwil, U ndwipa houourati leis reprnt oulomeseture restinica, u, langinckos anyatethilathis pameev le th wiposeomro?"]

It was a long shot, but talk was cheap. When Lena was invited over with the officers, Yelena gave her a quick wave, then found whichever group to which she was assigned and headed out.

The aches and pains caused Julius to not be able to focus correctly when he tried to cast his spell. Deciding not to push himself too fast, he gave himself a few moments, trying to adjust to the situation.

When Captain Jackson asked where they are, Julius shook his head. "No sir. However, whilst I couldn't get a good look as we were driving, however the blue lights were more than lights. If I were to provide a theory about what happened, I would say it relates to my field of speciality." Julius was intentionally vague, as he wasn't certain who knew the exact details of his assignment, or what his true area of speciality was.

"Excuse me a moment, sir." He says, giving the Captain a salute, before going over to the pillar, and looking at it, whilst invoking Thoth once again, hoping to find an answer, or at the very least, a hint, as to what happened.


21:21, Today: Julius Sykes rolled 6,2 using d10-1,d6-1, rerolling max, unique dice with rolls of 7,3.  Spellcasting (trying again!).
That's better!

2PP spent, 17/20 remaining

Shagidzyanov orders his two squads to explore the immediate vicinity, and Strelnikov sends Gusarov's squad, including Yelena, to follow the road and report back.

The squad has three snipers (including Yelena), and the scrawny, scarred Jewish partisan, Anna. Somebody has pulled the tarp from the first truck and cut it up, turning it into rough and makeshift rain-coats for the scouting party. Good enough for a while, but definitely not standard gear.

((Alright, give me a Stealth roll for Yelena and the squad. I think we lost Anna's player, but we can just ghost her. Also Notice, please.))

---

This time, now that he hasn't to deal with the aftermath of a bloody traffic accident, Julius is able to focus more. The world shimmers in front of his eyes and takes on a slightly different hue. The rain disappears and is replaced by something that looks as if one of the movies in the theater at home was mis-aligned in the projector. Weird distortions and disruptions, but less detrimental to his vision. The forest in front of him appears in stark, almost pulsating greens. These trees here are old and have been barely touched by civilization it seems.
Julius almost has to force himself to look away from them and studies the remains of the pillar.
Runes are etched into the surface, most prominently ᚦ, which features quite heavily.

The magic itself was disrupted by the crash, but there are lingering remnants of it, hovering in the air above. This spell must have been going for a long time to leave such a lasting imprint, even though you can see it slowly melt away.
The top of the pillar projected something like an inverted funnel onto the cave, the narrow end at the pillar, widening towards the cave, going further back into it.

Julius follows the lines in the air, twice almost stumbling across something in his path, goes deeper into the cave, until he is at the back. The wall in front of him is surprisingly smooth and he can see more of the runes carved into the surface, covering a rough circle wide enough to engulf a large truck.

Yelena was glad to have at least a makeshift poncho, though the weather had definitely been worse (and better) since she'd joined the Red Army. Shortly after they moved out, the sniper pulled out her binoculars to help see things in the distance, though she also occasionally scanned around her without the visual aid, particularly since she had to occasionally wipe the lenses to dry them off.

While the BPO was made of sterner stuff than the standard Soviet soldier, Yelena thought a little levity might help those that were spooked by the sudden change of venue. [Language unknown: "Inene stear ine wasiourea, il ililceal?"]

((OOC: 7 stealth, 5 notice
16:22, Today: Yelena Malkin rolled 4,5 using d6+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 2,3.  Notice.

16:21, Today: Yelena Malkin rolled 7,3 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,3.  Stealth.))

A good question, did I hear about strange transportation methods?

In a huddle with* Major Lewis, Captain Jackson, his two Lieutenants, and Politruk Yevgenievich to translate, Kapitan Konnikov lays out what he suspects, [Translated from Russion] "We need to be careful what Germans we kill now.  We do not know which one has the knowledge to open this tunnel, or where we are.  So I strongly recommend German officers be taken alive from here out."



((  OOC:  With Zholdin translating, I don't see a point in using the language lines.
*  And anyone else standing around not on a glorious scouting mission, so Arthur, Lewis, Lena...))

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