Andrew continued to fire, covering the two members of the team as they fell back to the wall. Once the team was behind the sea wall Andrew made a suggestion.

"I have a radio if you want to call in corrections so we can have the the fire fall on the Poles and not the house. Especially given we are going to need some shelter soon."

He indicates the radio on his chest pouch.



Behind Sea Wall
Sergeant Johnson
Scout team, behind sea wall
HK21E (54/100 belt box)
Firing four bursts on poles.



Andrew Johnson rolled 69 using 1d100.  Burst 4.
Andrew Johnson rolled 60 using 1d100.  Burst 3.
Andrew Johnson rolled 19 using 1d100.  Burst 2.
Andrew Johnson rolled 78 using 1d100.  Burst 1.</orange>


-

OOC: 1st, Erin 'Torv' Torvinen, rolled 51 using 1d100 ((51)).
2nd, there is very little movement to observe from the Polish Infantry at this time. They have taken a beating and need to regroup, that is obvious to all.
3rd, corrections will alter how long it takes to receive supporting fire

Andrew blasted away again. But, the Poles were keeping low and in the indistinct shadows. It appeared they were pulling back for the moment. The flare passing overhead suddenly shifted due west as the wind whipped up and lighting cracked nearby. The following thunder boded ill, the typhoon's rains coming sooner than expected.

There were several muted pops as the Poles tossed out a trio of smoke grenades that the wind whipped about the area quickly. The effect was an acrid smelling fog that limited visibility to twenty yards or so. It was most evident to Torv and Andrew, they lost sight of the other recondos in moments.

"Mission corrections sent. Not sure of the quality of the corrections." Torv said over their comms. "They storm has thrown up a lot of heavy ionospheric crackle. From what I could make out the star shell should pass overhead in four minutes."

There was a shot.

"I think they are pulling back to the access road." Torv continued. "I took a shot at the last man I could see before the smoke hazed everything out. The winds are rough now. Listen, I can't Keep or Gem, maybe the team should pull back now."

"We need to get back far enough that we don't get smoked by the fire mission at least."

In reply to Roger A Castle (msg # 79):

"Everyone ok to move ?" If given the all clear Andrew will lead the team back the way they came in along the sea wall. Looking to avoid any trouble or run ins with unfriendly forces.



Andrew Johnson rolled 45 using 1d100.  Recon = success



-

With the smoke and the quiet Pat rose up and "Let's move Keep" he said a little too loudly, the ringing in his head making it hard to hear and keep his volume under control.  He dashed off towards the seawall zig-zaging as he ran waiting for a blow to the back at any moment.

The trio of Recondos moved quickly, despite the loving attempts of the Polish infantry. Moving back to Andrew, Roger and Patric soon took up an order of march with the the three of them moving about ten yards apart as Andrew lead the way sweeping the shadows with his HK21.

It hurt. Andrew felt every ounce of the machine gun like it was pinned to the muscles in his forearm with wood screws. Every breath made Roger wince a bit, be looked forward to taking off the constraining body armor. Just now while the Poles could still shoot him. And Patric was digging trough his pockets, he knew he had some Army issue pain relievers somewhere. Swiss Army knife, button compass, notepad, ink pen, EOD multi-tool, match-case, extra field compress, bug repellent, toothbrush,.....

The star shell passed overhead like a tiny comet passing through the heavy grey clouds. It was also three minutes early. Someone aboard the Destroyer had expedited their fire support mission.

"Run, Run, Run!" Torv's voice erupted in their ears. "It too damned early."

Andrew picked up the pace considerably, while at the same time looking for cover. At this point hard up against the sea wall might be the best bet. When the time runs out that is exactly what he will do, if they have not seen anything else suitable. "Against the wall."


-

Castle leaned against the wall next to Andrew.

"Well on the bright side the f***in' poles won't have time to get clear either."

He took the small radio that had been offered earlier and made ready to transmit fire correction for as long as they were alive to do it.

"Oh god damn." Pat his head throbbing with pain pushed on running as quickly as he could he threw himself against the sea wall when time was up and grabbed for his personal medkit and took the pain killers.

Seconds passed and turned into minutes. Then the passage of the 5 inch shells came in like angry little foghorns passing by. There was a trio of explosions that where heard but not felt percussively; the smoke shells.

A quick check revealed both good and bad. The shells put up and effective wall smoke between the Polish infantry and the Recondos. But, one shell had struck the house and the rook was begin to catch fire.

"Expect HE in a minute." Torv said.

Andrew watched the smoke round exploded on the house, "Well looks as if we will have to find another bed for the night ?"


-

"I think that one was bad luck any way."

"Bloody Murphy strikes again." Pat said with a shake of the head then a sharp pain reminded him that it took time for the pain relief to kick in.

The first of the high explosive rounds ripped the morning just the lighting and thunder began in earnest. It was ominous to say the least. But, the explosions produced by the near ninety pounds of filler composition 7, nitro-glycol 67% drowned out the weather instantly.

Especially at distance of one hundred twenty meters.

The shells fell three to four seconds apart and had the sound a war that was running away from them. The disorientation wasn't severe. Minutes of calm, a canteen's worth of water, and handful of pain reliever, extra strength was the need of the moment. The battle damage assessment could wait until then.

"I can't see you guys." Torv said. "Are you still alive?"

"Nope. Not yet. Still f***ing dead for a minute or two yet.", responded Roger.

He ate a couple of grunt vitamins and chugged water until his canteen was empty.

When he was able he rose high enough to just clear the wall with a night scope and scan for enemies in the direction he knew they had been before the HE fell.

If he saw anything moving he would update the artillery and depending on how big it was maybe call in more of the death from the sky.

Andrew worked on sorting out his arm and removing the bullet lodged in his armour. He used one of his field bandages and took some pain killers before making sure his work on the bandage would hold.

If need he would assist with any corrections and making sure the rounds covered the parking lot where the second squad had been sent as well as falling on the vehicle he saw pull off the road earlier before rolling back from their position.


-

"The mission has been pushed again. Birds are the air." Torv informed the trio. "Two snakes are inbound, six minutes. The first flight of slicks is due to pass over in ten."

As if on queue, the weather burst loose with a heavy, cold rain. Thunder echoed under the dense rain clouds and occasional lightning bolts lit the gloom for moment.

In reply to Dr. Strangelove (msg # 93):

"Well that may put the fire out at least." He placed his black poncho over himself as he continued to watch the fireworks.


-

"God loves the infantry.", Roger chuckled

Thunder crackled and the wind howled slapping the earth with fat drops of rain. An edge to the storm, almost as a subtle calling, the men could have sworn someone whispered, "Amen, brother."

"Oh bloody hell" Pat uttered as he realised he had left uis poncho in the back of the Rover.  He dug out his beret and gingerly placed it on his head.  He huddled down in cover waiting for the bombardment to finish.

OOC: placing beret over wounds in defiance of the situation, stiff upper lip bonus of +5, leaves him with a -5 modifier.

"Snakes are two minutes out." Torv said. "It appears that the Poles took a real beating. I can see a lot of downed trees, a handful of craters about the size of a mortar position, and at least eighteen bodies. You guys should get moving."

Scanning the path of destruction left by the artillery strike made the trio glad they weren't facing such attacks. The house had taken a single HE shell, but was mostly intact. A path of craters led out to the west clearing a path through the magnolias that ran at least one hundred fifty meters, if not a bit more.

The truck was in the shallow water near where Roger and Patric first crossed the seawall. The bodies, some from the assault and the others of the men trying drag away wounded comrades, litered the ground like so many broken toys. There wasn't ant sign of movement, nor shouts of wounded men or the orders of NCOs.

The rain limited visibility at distance, and the storm was growing worse. Too bad for reliable target interdiction by anti-aircraft missiles. But, that also applied to helicopters in the air.

"So do we sweep the area and make sure the missiles are gone or destroyed ? Hold up in the house until the storm blows out ? Or do we give them the all clear and roll them in ?"


-

OOC: you don't have call in or wave off the airlift. It is coming, with the whole invasion force, no matter what now. The typhoon has pushed the time table and makes withdrawal back to the ships an impossibility for the moment.

"I looks like, wait one." Torv said.

Moments later a shot rang out west of the trio. It came from deeper inland, but the weather made it hard to place the shot. Possibly within one hundred fifty meters. Maybe a little less. The crack of the bullet was slight, rain muted. But, the direction of the shot was unmistakable. It was aimed at Torv.

"We swee..."

Castle's hopes that the enemy sniper had cleared the area 'or got blown to hell' were shattered before he could finish his answer showing him that that was clearly not the case.

"Raider 1, Raider 3, Torv? You still with us?"