During the halt, Hakala shuts down Fatass to conserve fuel and allow her to cool down, noting current fuel levels. Removes the CVC and rubs his hand through his hair to get the blood circulating in his scalp. Scans the area the front and sides of the M113, particularly the terrain that may be hiding someone or something that may take out their vehicle.

Upon hearing the nearby gunfire and screams, he glances back over his shoulder at Lt. Burris.

"Shall I fire her up, Eltee?"

In reply to Dane Hakala E3 (msg # 6):

Burris leans down into the crew compartment and says "Nah, keep it off until we can figure out what's going on. Dick, Lolek. You two see anything out there?" Burris puts the binos to his eyes and scans the terrain leading up to the fort, looking for covered route to enter the fort, and looking for anyone looking back at them.

22:53, Yesterday: Ryan Burris O1 rolled 23 using 1d10+19.  Observing the Fort, Awareness, 17+, Binoculars (+2).
This message was last edited by the player at 15:58, Sun 25 Apr 2021.

(Hope I did this right):


01:37, Today: Dane Hakala E3 rolled 20 using 1d10+11 Awareness/Notice +11.  Scanning area for any obstacles or signs of ambush that may impede travel.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:41, Sun 25 Apr 2021.

In reply to Dane Hakala E3 (msg # 8):

"What a cluster we gotten ourselves into but the people up there seem to be having a worse day, LT. We need to go up and find out what is going on and put a stop to it."

Turning from the LT, Logan does some serious mud searching, trying to find a route on foot to fort to his front.

Observing the fort, Awareness 11+, no mods.

07:56, Today: Tom Logan E5 rolled 14 using 1d10+11 ((3)).
This message was last edited by the player at 05:57, Sun 25 Apr 2021.

"Lieutenant, this is bad terrain, yes.  Could fit through this area, maybe," Lolek says, pointing out through the rain toward a potential route.  Of course that could be a dead end.  Sometimes these things were hard to know till you got closer.

11:54, Today: Karol 'Lolek' Kazimierz Zalewski E2 rolled 18 using 1d10+14.  Identifying a Route to the Fort, Awareness 14.

Ignore my other roll, I forgot the die roller defaults to d20. <sigh>

Hoping he wouldn't be the first of them to draw the eye of a hidden sniper, Dick exited through the rear door of the APC.  Keeping to the left of the armored vehicle's bulk, putting the machine between himself and the fort, he crouched down low and looked forward and towards the fort, taking care to slowly scan the muddy mess of trenches and bunkers for any sign of movement, however so slight it might be.

(Time is 7:42pm today) Observing the immediate area in the described directions.  Awareness 4.  Rolled 13 using 1d10+4.

(If I did something wrong, let me know.)

In reply to Richard Cox E4 (msg # 11):

Dombrovsky likewise exits the Humvee and leans over the engine block to put another set of eyes on the objective.

18:07, Today: Michael L. Dombrovsky E4 rolled 16 using 1d10+14.  Observing the fort. Awareness 14.

(Cox, I'm guessing your Awareness is higher than that since your Int should be added in...unless I'm doing it wrong!)

The vehicles are brought up behind heavy cover. In the past this might have been a Soviet artillery position until the lines pushed up to the city. The berms are still here giving both good cover and a good view over the intervening ground at the cost of being knee deep in muddy water.

After deploying the shrill screams continue, moving behind the fort's walls. There's desperate fighting going on but the gunfire is tailing off making it difficult to understand what the situation is.

Across the trenches are the heavy ridges of the old pre-WW1 fort's walls, long lines of earth ramparts devoid of vegetation. You know this fort took heavy fire back in the Siege, there's supposed to be some big tunnels or something under it but they were attacked by bunker-busters. No one has any idea what's behind those long ramparts.

You quickly scan the ground, time is of the essence if you want to be there in time do anything rather than see what happened as the corpses cool. There's two flooded "saps", trenches leading to No Man's Land, leading from the positions below you that can be used to rapidly get up to the fort's walls. Adjacent to these saps are breaches blown in the walls and your guts shrink of what it must have been like for the guys going through those breaches back then only to encounter the fanatical Polish defenders.

The LT sees a half-buried T-72 up near your position, all its ERA blown off and obviously cooked. Wondering how the hell it got where it is he looks back behind its path to see what appears to be the handles sticking out of the mud of assault bridges. The T-72 must have been part of a counter attack that breached these lines. The assault bridges look intact enough to carry the M113 although the Humvee would never make it.

Taking any of these routes would bring you through the muddy shit to the base of the ramparts. There you could take either the north or south breach into the fort's "parade"; the flat area inside the fort, or you could go around the rear to where there should be proper entrances.

The north route through the trenches appears heavily flooded, in some places right up to the parapet. It would be slow going but unless the water hides obstacles would be the safest but probably the most tiring. It leads to the north breach.

The south route through the trenches is where artillery has damaged the trench network the most. While it's not as flooded as the other route there are places where you'd be visible from the ramparts. It would be faster but risker. It leads to the south breach.

The vehicle route is fastest and riskiest, you'd literally be at either breach in minutes. However you trade safety for speed, it's exposed the whole way. However you've seen no sign of activity on the ramparts themselves and the heavy rain should mask your movement somewhat.

The rain hammers down, pounding on the roofs of the vehicles, your helmets and backs and the muddy terrain. Through the shifting curtains of rain the fortress looms in front of you, a dark and dangerous bulk which you have no idea of its layout until you get inside.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:35, Tue 27 Apr 2021.

In reply to GM (msg # 13):

"I have a better feeling about the PC covering an advance team in the HMMWV to secure the North breach before the PC rolls up. We can probably get a team dug in at the breach but they should probably have a support weapon as well as an AT weapon in case someone tries to push them out. Thoughts?"
This message was last edited by the player at 15:02, Tue 27 Apr 2021.

In reply to GM (msg # 1):

Spc O’leary grabs the team’s SINCGARS Manpack tucks it under this poncho gets out of the vehicle he was riding and take up position near the LT.

“Sir, I’m going to scan through the channels and see if I can pick up any friendly chatter?"

Scanning channels, Communication 6+

20:00, Today: Sean O Leary E4 rolled 11 using 1d10+6 ((5))

Studying both approaches closely, Dick decides that the southern route would be the least unpleasant.  While they would be exposed in places, he didn't mind trading a certain amount of risk for speed.  Plus the northern route was flooded; there could be land mines, punji sticks, or lord knew what else under that water.  And he didn't like getting his feet wet unless he was at the beach...

That reminded him.  He was long over due for R&R.  When the time came he was going to ask Lt. Burris for a weekend pass.

"Dick thinks we should enter the fort from the south."  Looking up at the LT still sitting behind the APC's machine gun, Dick added.  "We should send a scout team forward to make sure the way is clear.  Dick can go with them or Dick can take over his machine gun again."

In reply to Tom Logan E5 (msg # 14):

"Dumbrovsky, you get anything on the radio? Does it sound like we've been spotted?"

"As much as I'd like to roll on in there and lay the hammer down on these assholes, I think it's too risky to send the vehicles in without making sure the way is clear first. But ,we need to get there quickly. Dick, come here and man the fifty-cal and provide overwatch for us as we move up. Dumbrovsky, hang back as well and help Dick until we get to the rampart and give a signal for you two to move up."

Burris drops out of the commander position on the M113 and tucks the binos in his jacket and grabs his carbine from stowage.

"I think the rest of us split into two teams and bound up the north trench. We'll be more exposed, but the fifty should keep their heads down.

The lead team will be Logan, O'Leary and Hakala. One of you should grab that shotgun, there'll probably be some close-in work. The second team will be myself, Lolek, and Edgars.

The rest of the team stays back with the gear and provides security. Stax, you take up position in the fifty once Dick displaces. Once we hit the rampart, we should be able to provide cover for Dick and Dumbrovsky as you move up the South sap."

Burris slings his M4 and grabs the two handheld radios, tossing one to  and putting the other in his webbing. He takes a moment and looks everyone over to make sure they're on board, seeing if anyone points out any holes in this plan. "Its risky sending everyone up one approach, but there isn't much time to be sneaky."

"Sound like a plan? If it gets to hot, we pull back. Approach in bounds. Lead team, don't get out of earshot."

Hakala puts on his k-pot, grabs his M16A4 and dismounts from the drivers hatch. After climbing down from the APC, he chambers a round, then takes a kneeling position next to the track, scanning the area in front and sides while he waits for orders to move out.

*EDIT*

OOC: Screwed up my roll- should have been +11 and *NOT* +17:

10:37, Today: Dane Hakala E3 rolled <red>20 using 1d10+11 ((9)).
  Scanning area for movement Awareness / Notice 11+</Red>
This message was last edited by the player at 14:39, Wed 28 Apr 2021.

In reply to Ryan Burris O1 (msg # 17):

"Works for me. A couple of smoke grenades or WP extra would be good if we need to break contact."

Logan takes the offered radio, presses the key shortly before speaking with a wink in his eye: "Redleg to Butterbar, radio check over."

In reply to Ryan Burris O1 (msg # 17):

Contemplating the slop... "Just like a rainy day at the pig farm back in North Carolina.  I hate rainy days at the pig farm in North Carolina."

Edgars will grab his gear, double check his magazines and grenades.  He'll cast around to see if anyone has grabbed the M203.  If he can find it, he'll attach that to his rifle and grab a couple grenades for that and then follow the LT.

"Time to slop some hogs I guess"

In reply to Ryan Burris O1 (msg # 17):

Dombrovsky nods, his jaw working as if he actually had something to chew.

"Roger that, hanging back with Dick, sir."

Then with a slight grin:

"Remember, guys, I'll have the large fries with a chocolate shake."

"Copy, El-Tee.  God speed fellas!"

Taking his place behind the M2 Browning mounted on the M113, Dick double checked the weapon to ensure it was loaded.  Mindful to keep his thumbs off the paddle trigger until he had a clear target, or was ordered to provide suppressing fire, he rubbed his fingers against the wooden grips at the rear of the machine gun.

Observing the north route for enemy activity.  Awareness 4, rolled 8 using 1d10+4.

In reply to Dane Hakala E3 (msg # 18):

"Hakala, O'Leary, we will make a wedge formation, Hakala on the right, O'Leary on the left. I will take point. Stay out on the wings 20m and 10m behind. Check your targets, there are civies in the area."

In reply to Tom Logan E5 (msg # 24):

Hakala takes up his designated position on the right flank of the wedge, scanning his sector. His barrel points wherever his eyes are looking as his team moves forward, keeping his finger off the trigger.


01:45, Today: Dane Hakala E3 rolled 14 using 1d10+11((3)) Awareness / Notice +11

In reply to Tom Logan E5 (msg # 24):

When the LT gives the sign, we move out, cautiously, checking out sectors. I take the sector to the front.

15:04, Today: Tom Logan E5 rolled 13 using 1d10+11 Awareness / Notice +11 ((2))

Burris raises the radio and replies "copy that Redleg. Dumbo, can you hear both of us?"

He secured the radio and checks to make sure he's got a round chambered.

"Ok Lolek and Edgars, on me. We'll follow 100m behind the lead team. Maintain at least 10m between each other. I'll scan left, Lolek scans right, Edgar's, watch our rear for anything the might come up from a side trench."

Once the lead team is set, Burris gives a hand signal to Logan to step off.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:10, Fri 30 Apr 2021.

In reply to Ryan Burris O1 (msg # 27):

"On it."

Alex pulls up the rear of LT's fireteam, maintaining watch over any threats coming out of passed trenches or shell holes.

"Keep these things full of water and stocked with catfish, and these trenches would make for some mighty fine noodling. Add a little culture here."

Stax moves to the corner of the vehicle where Cox is behind the M2B on the M113 and brings up his M-16A4 (w. ACOG) and aims in the area of where the advance team(S) are heading.
If I did this right...
SKILL: Awareness/Notice [8/15]
13:50, Today: Michael 'Stax' Stachion E3 rolled 23 using 1d10+15.  Awareness Check (8/15)

Stax
M16A4 w. ACOG sight [30/30]
Corner of M-113 APC observing forward teams approach to target
This message was last edited by the player at 17:54, Thu 29 Apr 2021.

In reply to Tom Logan E5 (msg # 24):

O’Leary looks over at Logan and gives a thumbs up and checks his weapons. He takes up position on left flank of the wedge formation. As O’Leary moves out with the group, he scans this field of fire.

20:43, Today: Sean O Leary E4 rolled 14 using 1d10+4.  Awareness/Notice.