In reply to Finger of Fate (msg # 656):

Is it easy to sneak downwind of them? Also, what do we have that can start a fire after a short delay?

No, you'd be quite exposed as you'd have to leave the creek bed... probably need to scout for a better approach.

In reply to Finger of Fate (msg # 658):

Then we will fall back and scout for another approach.

If you go back to the main flow, which is heading south, you can move more easily ... a few scans while next to a bush or something, gives you enough so you can plot where to go ... the next draw is small and doesn't look worthwhile, but the next one does, being both wider and deeper, as well as heading in about he right direction.

In reply to Finger of Fate (msg # 660):

Then we will investigate that draw next. Carefully.

That pays dividends as down closer to the large camp the gully takes a turn and at the other end, some 20 meters away is another group of guards. Fortunately not looking your way much.  Back a short ways is a small gully that goes south some and then looks to go off to the east again.

In reply to Finger of Fate (msg # 662):

Wind direction straight back to the camp from here?

From you, the camp is ene and the wind is out of the sw, so you need to work a bit further around the camp ...also would help if you were able to light multiple fires along a line ...

In reply to Finger of Fate (msg # 664):

Multiple fires is what I have in mind, starting on the edges and working towards the middle. But looking at starting the fires just out of sight of the guards to allow them to build. Also looking at getting my men in position to start them simultaneously at the two outer edges, before working towards the middle, and then making a run along the creek beds, hiding there.

OK, so this last creek bed is adequate for your task, being a round four feet deep...
Stealth with a +2 is needed
and then some way to create fire ...

In reply to Mustafa Zephyr (msg # 665):

Mustafa is stealthy. What are his options with starting fire?

In reply to Mustafa Zephyr (msg # 667):

Well personal basics should include a flint and you have a knife ... blow on some dry grass and you can make a small slightly smokey fire...  but dry grass burns up pretty quickly ... No one has any candles.

In reply to Finger of Fate (msg # 668):

Does any of my crew have torches?

Unfortunately no ... not with them. But most do have a knife and flint ...  one doesn't have a flint.

In reply to Finger of Fate (msg # 670):

Then we need to move to two groups, out of sight either side of the main enemy group and about a mile downwind and a mile past the end of the enemy group so that when we light the campfire the enemy will not be able to easily detect it, and set up a small campfire with some reasonable sized logs before lighting it. Then set a time to light it, light the fires together with some logs, then move towards the centre with the logs, lighting the fire to grass as we go, before heading back down along the gully and back to the main creek. Whilst it may catch some who are injured, the idea is to create confusion to allow those that want to to escape.

Give me a general success roll ... high numbers  being desirable here.

In reply to Finger of Fate (msg # 672):

Well, not super, but OK. Rolled 13

No, actually rather a good roll ...  Each of those with you takes a burning ember/stick from the fire and keeps it burning so that they can start a small fire at the location to which they are assigned, then use small bundles of grass to spread it to either side so that you have a 60 foot start in 4? locations about 60 yards apart. The wind and dry grass do the rest and  the fire converges into a wall with in minutes, moving toward the camp at about 1 foot a second creating a lot of grey smoke and flying embers which stay low due to the wind. the fire also spreads to each side  at a 10-15º angle to the wind.

I assume you choose to un-ass the current gully and head back as you came. As you get to the main gully you can see that the fire is stymied by the disturbed earth and the low wall, but that the burning embers soon ignite tents and other flammable objects. Pandemonium is obviously rampant with in the camp and you soon see men jumping over the low fence only to face the fire swinging around the outside ... but they run in your general direction and the guards are to busy saving themselves to interfere... The sounds of horses, terrified by the fire is also loud and apparent.

What are you doing?

In reply to Finger of Fate (msg # 674):

Not sure what you meant by 'un-ass', but if it can be loosely translated as 'start the fire and fuck the hell away' then yes.

We will head somewhere distant to hide and observe, ready to move away at a moments notice. Are the men running our direction armed? If there are a few guards trying to round them up, I will have the archers target those rounding up.

Un-Ass = getting your backside out of there...

I am assuming that you used the gully to with draw and are back by the bigger gully running SE/NW and near the first group of guards but a bit further away.  Most of those coming over the fence are armed, some have shields, some don't. The guards are largely pre-occupied with saving their own asses, but that means that after an initial move toward the camp, they are now heading your way to get outside the fire.
Many of those running have no interest in staying with the army, but some do and a few are trying to corral the others while moving away from the fire.  You will soon have company.

In reply to Finger of Fate (msg # 676):

Mustafa will quickly ask those with him if they should fire a few shots at those trying to corral the others, or just get out of there. He figures they might have a better idea of what is going to happen if they are seen...

They are torn but decide to try at least a single volley (3 Bows) at long range (a soccer fields length - 100 meters?).
I'll let you roll.

In reply to Finger of Fate (msg # 678):

<100m, Range penalty -9, > 100m, -10

Rolled 13, 8 and 10 for the three guys. How many archers are having a shot? His own roll of 15 was a waste of a bullet...even with a skill +acc of 16, he needed a 7 at least to hit. The Bow with an acc of 2 or a longbow with an acc of 3 would only need a skill of 16 or 15 respectively to hit with the 8. Quite possible with a weapon bond...or a little longer aiming, if they have the time.

Your archers have the following skills-
13
11
15
So all miss, although some close enough to alter the mens priorities.

You now have a few well inside 100 meters... say 80 and closing. these would seem to be men escaping from the army you'd think. Being an armed man in front of their desperate flight may not be good.

In reply to Finger of Fate (msg # 680):

Right. Join in the flight then. If they see us running, they are likely to follow...ask the men if we should lead them back towards town, of far, far away...