Fletcher gave the outbuildings a look, evaluating for the ability to keep someone out, as well as keep anyone standing beside one safe from the sorts of weaponry they saw the weirdos use in their last encounter.  He also did what he could to check on their likelihood of providing the option for higher ground.

He also took a look inside those that were unlocked, checking to see what they contained that might be useful to the fight.

"Sure. But that's one-on-one distractin'. I'm talking about putting a whole mess of 'em into distraction at once. They've got guns, too, so I'd like to be able to get close enough to actually use my saw...ain't much good at a distance. Gettin' 'em all riled and panicky because something big and heavy is comin' helps even those odds."



"Crap." Harry says. "Well, we know which way they're gonna come from, at least. But that means they've already been here once, probably scouting. Guess that's what that paintball thing that one guy had was for."

Fletcher and Dean's inspection of the sheds revealed that they were quite sturdy.  All relatively new built, by hand with old-school tools and techniques.   The shed roofs had a relatively slight pitch and, being only one story, could be clambered up onto.  The blockhouse roof as steeply pitched and, being two stories up, basically inaccessible.

As for what the sheds contained....  Well, all the sorts of things one might expect to help manage a farm without the use of modern machinery.  Hand tools, scavenged materials (neatly organized), a small metalworking shop.  There's even some livestock penned up tight in the larger "barn" shed (mules, a skinny cow, some chickens, etc.)

Harrison can't think of anything he has available in the sort of quantity that'd be required to hide the Dog.  He's also not particularly happy with the idea that someone has been snooping around his place and marking it up with....  Well, he doesn't really understand exactly what, but he gets the idea well enough.

So far I have....
Back the Dog in amongst the sheds.

What positions/plans are you each doing otherwise?  We'll start with....say a ten minute interval; about how long it'll take to back the Dog in...

When I log back in tomorrow, I'll pull a card.  If its a Face, Time's Up!  If not, keep planning/preparing!

Next time, I'll pull two....etc...

Maybe you'll be all set....maybe you'll be interrupted....  tick tock....

Once Fletcher got back from his snooping, and someone told him about the marks, he borrowed a pair of goggles momentarily to have a look himself.

Turning to the old man, Fletcher suggested some options.  "Way they have the place marked, it'll make it 'lot easy'r ta target yer folks as they try 'n fire down from those windows.  Figure we got two options.  Either we try 'n chisel off the faces of the logs where they've been marked, my guess is whatever liquids been used prolly ain't soaked in too much, or we use the other guns we found 'n shoot the whole place up so they won't be able ta tell much 'bout anythin' when they get here without stoppin' ta take a real good look."  He reasoned.

"It'll take longer 'n maybe leave ya with some repair work if we start hackin' things up.  Coverin' the place'll be quick, but it'll prolly take a few weeks fer the rads ta diss'pate.  Don't think there'll be any long term issues far as yer folks 'r concerned, but rads is still rads."

"I'm in favor of the 'screw up their marks with our own' plan." Harry says. "'Course, I ain't the one living here after we add to the rad count, so it's up to Harrison if we want to pursue that. Moving the Dog between the sheds so it ain't immediately visible is probably going to have to do for now."

"That or we leave it alone and okie-doke them.  They're likely to come in from that exact spot and attack along the path they've marked.  Set up a kill zone right around it, attack them at the treeline, put a rearguard behind to cut them off if they run.  If we can even do that."  Kelly pointed out.

"Hmmm...that's a neat plan, too. That's why I don't make the plans." Harry says.

Dean walked the grounds, getting a feel for the place, along with Fletcher.  "Guessin we need to pick a good spot.  I'd prefer to find something up high so that I can get some good sight lines.  But I might be the best to get behind the line as well," he offered with a shrug.  Either plan worked for him.

"I would say some combination of Harry and me need to do the cut off part, but neither of us are particularly... subtle."  Kelly acknowledged.

She contemplated and shifted her pack, but didn't dwell on it long.

"Listen, we don't have a lot of time and I have an idea to draw their fire and give us a serious chance of winning this before it has the chance to go pear shaped.  Do you think you all can settle into positions along the ambush zone here where you're not immediately visible?  This might even keep their eyes off of you for a second Harry."

"What did you have in mind?" Harry asked.

Dean was utterly confident and certain.  "Pretty sure I can hide anywhere and they won't find me, even if they were only a few feet away."  both from his own skill, powers and personal experience, he was certain they'd never figure out where he was unless he revealed himself.

Harrison didn't seem particularly keen on any plans to cut up his blockhouse.  Even to remove the markings.  Spitting again, he noted, "Marked or not, they'd likely see the winders eventially...specially since we'll be shootin' at 'em from there.  I don' think we got no time to go settin' ladders and scratchin' on my damn house....  Nossir.  I don' like it."  Spit.


Nine of Spades!  Not a face.  So, you now have a 15 minute window to park the Dog and get into position and whatever else you want to do!

Tick Tick..
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:20, Tue 25 June 2019.

"'Less they pull off their goggles 'n can actually still see normal, should be they won't see anyone."  Fletcher added as a reminder.

"'Cept me of course, but I'm not so useful as ta be settin' up anywhere really."

"One second Harry."  Kelly nodded to Dean.  "Then you're the best for the job.  You should get in position."

She turned her eye to Fletcher.  "Do your best to find a good ambush position."  She turned to the farmer.  "You too.  I'm going to try to talk them into surrender.  It's not going to work, but it should give a momentary distraction."

"As for how I'm going to do this Harry-"  Kelly opened the pack she had shifted and pulled out a long piece of white cloth tightly wound.  "-I reckon I will put on my uniform so they recognize my jurisdiction."

She untied a scrap she kept around it and dropped that back in the bag and with a flick of the wrist unfurled the garment and proceeded to put it on, making sure the red cross was on the front this time.

So Kelly's "brilliant" plan is to stand there right in their most probable path wearing her Templar tabard, sword out, prepared to cast deflection, and try to parley with them because she's hoping a(nother) Templar will not be what the Weirdoes were expecting.

The hope is that this will give everyone else a round with The Drop.

Harry frowns as Kelly brings out her colors. "I can see that working, sure. But I ain't very good in an ambush. My directives won't let me initiate hostilities until I've confirmed hostiles. That usually means I can't act until the shootin' starts." He thinks for a moment. "The programming they stuffed into my head was to make sure I was a deterrent. Taking orders from military and civilian authorities, protecting Agency supplies and assets, and this confirmation thing...they made it real clear that they didn't want me to be some sneaky cybrog ninja things dropping in unannounced. They wanted me big and loud. So if you're doing this, I'm going to be right out there with you. Maybe give 'em some extra incentive to be nice."

Kelly couldn't help but smirk at Harry.  "Uh-huh.  Programming.  Yeah that programming of yours is inconvenient sometimes."

She actually did not doubt Harry was telling the truth but it amused her all the same that this one time the other voice in his head was telling him to do what he wanted to anyway.

"Going to have to get some red spray-paint and make a stencil one of these days."

Harry smirks. "It certainly can be. Let's get ready."

((OOC: So yeah, I'm just going to follow Kelly's lead as she sets herself up. Also going to get my shotgun out, so that it's ready for use.))

Fletcher looked ready to say something else when Kelly began 'suiting up'.  Instead he paused to observe her for a moment, then shrugged and headed back for the Dog to get ready.

When Kelly tabards up, Harrison's eyes go wide and he straightens up a bit.  The truck was weird.  The cyborg was impressive.  But a legend of the Here and Now just revealed herself.  Everyone knows the Templar stories floating around the Wasted West.  Secretive knights with amazing abilities standing up to the horrors of this benighted world with sword in hand.  Every settlement tells Templar tales. Every settlement in a hard way hopes, loudly or silently, that a Templar will step up in the time of need.  Not every settlement is so lucky.

Templar's are rare.  Templar's are choosy.  You gotta be worthy.

The old farmer just got shown by a legend that he and his folk are worthy.  The Dogs had seemed willing to fight before, but who could know what road people really wanted.  A Templar and her squad of heroes, though?  Now he knew this crew was here to save him and his family.  He spat again, then almost looked apologetic for the first time.  He then tugged the whole chaw out and chucked it away; wiping his hand on the coveralls.  He was in a hearthtale now.  Can't be chewin' at a time like this.  Clearin' his throat, the old farmer said, "What kin we do, ma'am?  I'll stand the line witcha too, if'n you want.  I'll get my boys.  We got spears."  He glanced over at Dean, who was now basking in some of that Templar shine based on proximity, "If you need high ground, c'mon inside and take a winder.  Good view.  Good cover."  Harrison looked back to Kelly again, "Whatever you need... Thank you..."

Harrison and the Farm Folk will get two white chips for the fight to represent Hope!

Ace came up and, while that's arguably not a face card, it is the highest card in Deadlands!  SO, you had fifteen minutes to prepare!

Plan details so far -

Dog is parked in the Sheds.

Kelly and Harry are gonna stand out in the open near the main "gate"

Dean is seeking a high vantage point.

Fletcher has.... IDEAS.... and one of the "invisibility" suits?

Delilah is gonna take up a position by the door to the blockhouse.  She's not much for running and feels like the building is the likely target.  She has one of the Environmental Protection Invisibility Suits.

The Farm folk were gonna be inside to defend the house like they normally would.  But, Harrison now wants to grab some of his folk and stand the Hero's Line with the Templar and Harry.  Kelly can likely talk him into or out of anything, planning wise.

Finalize the Plan!  Tomorrow, barring RL problems, the battle begins.

Fletcher came back to the ambush area gingerly carting an odd series of tubes stuck together in such a way that they pointed in all directions which were mixed in with a bunch of electrical wiring and at their core encaged the two ammo hoppers from the "paintball guns" they'd gotten off the previous batch of weirdos.

"Show me where yer gonna stand 'n wait for 'em."  He asked of Kelly and Harry, then set the device down a short distance from that spot.

"If they don't come in the way we expect, just uh, keep that between you guys 'n them.  Otherwise it won't really work right 'n extend our advantage."  He advised them.  "Assumin' it actually works a course."  He added as he scampered off to find someplace to hunker down that was behind where they were planning on making their stand.

Fletcher doesn't have one of the "suits".  He gave one to everyone else (except Dean) and then gave the last two to McKellar's group.

Kelly checked through the goggles again.  "Right about... here."  She told Fletcher.

When the resident reacted Kelly sighed just a little bit.  "No, I need you to take positions that make sense.  If everyone stands out here as the bait, there's no one to spring the trap.  The idea is to distract them and gain an initial advantage of surprise.  It's not going to work for very long if it works at all.  Some in the house isn't a bad idea but if some want to be more aggressive, take positions along the flanks of their approach.  You see here..."  Kelly did her best to point and describe.  "...that's their approach zone, that's our kill zone.  Assuming they don't surrender.  Which they probably won't.  But we'll see."

As she took her position, Kelly debated, but then tucked the goggles away for the moment.

Harrison looked a little abashed at the Templar noting that, again, the entire plan was for her (and Harry) to draw the attention of the attackers.  To distract and maybe cause them to stumble.  But, he got the idea about the "kill zone" and went to discuss with his folks about how to support the plan.  And, no doubt, to let them know that a Templar was standing in their defense now.

---

The Dog was parked among the sheds.  Kelly and Harry were standing in the open between the blockhouse and the rad-painted track that lead the way into the farm from the deep dark woods.  The chevaux-de-fris (the heavy, wooden, pointy stick barricade) had been put back into place across the road while the truck was being parked.

As it was being hauled into place, everyone began hearing something in the woods.  It sounded like....guitar?  It faintly scritched a rhythmic driving pattern that Harry immediately recognized as the opening to the Weirdo's Warsong, Thunderstuck.  It quickly began growing louder quickly.  Closer.  It was joined by a guttural chant....rising and falling....mixing with that crazed guitar riff.  Many voices.  Many.

And it was coming from all along the woodline.

Bright, colorful lights started blinking on and off all through the deep dark of the woods to the rhythm of the music.  Like wisp lights flaring and dying to the beat of the warsong as it steadily grew....  And got closer....

Notice rolls and initial reactions!  And, Kelly had chosen no goggles for now.  Dean?

Kelly stood calmly, tabard swaying slightly in the breeze as she held the hilt of her sword.

"Pay not evil for evil, but provide things honest in the sight of all men.  As much as it lies upon you to do so, leave peacefully with all men.  Take no vengeance, but place your wrath aside, for 'Vengeance is mine' says the Lord.  If your enemy hungers, feed him, if he thirsts, give him drink.  Overcome evil with good."

If talking to one's self is a sign of insanity, Kelly belonged in a lunatic asylum, because she kept going.

"Blessed is the Lord my strength who teaches my hands to war, and my fingers to fight.  My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdues my people under me.  Lord, what is man, that you care for him, or even think of him?  Man is like a lie: his days are a fleeting shadow.

"Part the heavens, Oh Lord, and come down: touch the mountains so they shall smoke.  Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot your arrows, and destroy them.  Reach down your hand from on high, deliver me and rescue me from the mighty waters, from the hands of strange children whose mouths are full of lies, and their right hands are of falsehood.

"I will sing a new song unto you Oh God, to the one who grants victory unto kings, on my lyre I will make music unto you and sing your praises, he who gives salvation to Kings, the Lord who delivered his servant David from the sword.

"Rescue and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouths are full of lies, and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.  That our sons in their youth may be as well nurtured crops and our daughters like the pillars of a palace.  That our barns may be full of every kind of provision.  Our sheep will increase by thousands, by tens of thousands in our fields, and our oxen will draw heavy load.

"That there may be no breaching of walls, nor flight, nor captivity, nor cries in our streets.  Blessed are those for whom this is true, and blessed is the people whose God is The Lord.  Amen."

18:48, Today: Kelly MacLeod rolled 4,7 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,(6+1)7.  Notice.

Fletcher checked the distance between himself and where Kelly and Harry stood, or more correctly, between himself and the device.  Satisfied, he hunkered down to wait.

As the lights and sounds started Fletcher frowned.  There was either more of them than he'd hoped or they were very good at making themselves look more numerous than that actually were.

Reluctantly pulled two bundles out from the gear bag he carried most places.  From it he pulled out a scrap metal device, mostly metal bars, springs, and pulleys.  After releasing a catch it sprung out into the shape of a hunting bow.  The second bundle was a tool roll adjusted to hold the arrows, which he clipped to his belt.  Anyone who bothered to observe him instead of the cacophony in the trees would have seen he didn't handle the equipment with any real measure of confidence.

Still, if the show in the forest was to be believed, he might, might, need to use it for more than failing to hunt with.

He did a quick hand check of the rest of his gear and looked into the trees again, doing his best to be ready.

Fletcher rolled 1,5 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max ((1,5)).