Unreachable
Alpha FTL: Fer
|- AR: Black Mamba
|- AAR: Unaco
|- RPG: F1yer
As Alpha FTL I led the A/B squad, tasked initially with being the centre of the platoon's front. Our start line was up on the hill north-east of the airstrip, in the tree line, from where we were supposed to give covering fire to C/D and E/F as they enveloped the the enemy positions from south and north respectively.
Bravo was first to its position, and came under fire before I got Alpha on line with them. Engaged earlier than planned, our platoon scrambled to its designated positions and attempted to return fire in volume. It was frantic stuff, especially when an enemy UAZ drove up the hill track, almost onto our position. A crackle of gunfire from my fireteam finished the crew before they could open up on us, but by this point Bravo was already calling for medical help. Falling back from our positions in some trees a little way down the hillside, we returned to give aid to Bravo, linking up with the platoon medic. Around us, the other squads were moving forward rapidly, and I was conscious that A/B was failing to provide the expected covering fire.
When the 3 survivors in Bravo were patched up, Alpha returned to the advance, bounding between groups of trees on the hillside, slowly making our way to the flat ground. Behind us, Bravo had commandeered the enemy UAZ, turning the terrible force of its grenade launcher on the enemy. Still we lagged a little (though we were engaging targets on the airstrip all the while), and when I spotted men from C/D below us on the flat, I hurried to place all of A/B at the fence line.
With Bravo rolling just behind us, we moved along the airstrip perimeter's northern track, engaging sporadic infantry targets all the way. Finally, with the hangars less than 300m away, we turned in and ran for the cover of a burnt out Shilka on the apron. With my AR and AAR covering us, I moved ahead with my RPG man to check out the huge structures. Satisfied that no further enemies lurked by the Mi-24s, we co-ordinated with the CO to get all other elements clear and began the methodical task of rocketing the helicopters.
Just after the second Hind had been destroyed, I was looking south towards the raised berm beyond the hangars. Against the white of the sky, a head popped up, then shoulders and a gun. It was no more than a silhouette, and for a long moment I just stared, wondering why C/D's men were out there. Then a shot felled me and everything went red. I called out the contacts, then became aware of someone dragging me.
The platoon got the enemy stragglers, and I was patched up in time to get my fireteam aboard a waiting truck. With Bravo bouncing along behind in its gun-truck, we headed out to the extraction point and victory. Congratulations to comrade commander Draakon.
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Fritz Frenzy
Alpha 5 FTL: Fer
|- Unaco / Pirate / ???
After the initial confusion of assigning vehicles and realisation that group map markers were absent, I have to commend comrade StrangLove for getting the US Army platoon into a robust little column. With every driver simply following the dust cloud ahead of him, almost the complete platoon managed to snake its way along the valleys and rough terrain to the start of a green zone west of the KSK position.
Having avoided anticipated contacts on the main road to the KSK, we had made good speed. However, at the edge of this green zone we faltered: we came under fire and several vehicles stopping to engage the enemy, breaking the momentum of the advance. The CO was calling out for us to ignore the enemy and drive through the contact, and as leader of 5/6 I exhorted my drivers to push on to the KSK position at full speed.
We made it, 6's gun truck reaching the KSK perimeter first. As we scrambled out of the vehicles and behind the German sandbags, I tasked 6 with manning the western wall and my own fireteam, 5, with the south. As the rest of the platoon streamed in we gradually created a 360 degree coverage and fairly soon the enemy's fire had been reduced to sporadic contacts from the west.
There now followed some kind of logistical nightmare for comrade commander StrangLove, as he struggled to organise survivors and surviving rescuers into the limited number of vehicles. Meanwhile, the enemy fire had only partially abated, and 6 lost its FTL. In the frantic minutes that followed, I tried to organise the extraction of the remaining members of 5/6. Alas, I took a bullet to the head and was killed instantly before completing this task.
Despite the issue with the map markers, I really enjoyed this mission with greater numbers - the feeling when we reached the KSK position and joined in their frantic defence was really great!
Note: As mentioned in the session, when there are lots of vehicles at our disposal, the CO needs to diligently assign them to squads / elements at the start, so there is no confusion. Mission makers can also help by either placing elements next to their vehicles in an unambiguous way, or by starting the troops already in their designated transports. No critcism of comrades Stanglove and Tigershark - this is the kind of issue that only becomes apparent as our numbers climb. It's a great problem to have!
++
Nightblind
Alpha FTL: Fer
|- AR: AstuteCat
|- AAR: Ansob
|- RPG: Pirate
In real life, I often enjoy a beer and some light hearted political banter with comrades AstuteCat and Ansob (I'm always trying to persuade comrade Ansob to stop being such a reactionary capitalist running dog). So it was great to lead them to their deaths.
Alpha began in the forefront of the attack, charged with moving down the roadside to the south, in parallel with comrade Headspace's Bravo to our north. Behind us, armoured elements and attachments brought headlights and firepower, whilst high up to our flanks, C/D and E/F (escorting MMG and MAT teams) provided top cover for our advance. Somewhere in a nearby compound, comrade Egg was preparing to unleash some deadly map-clicking on the enemy. Apart from the fact that I could barely see my own hands, and the illumination rounds were giving the landscape the feeling of a red light street in Amsterdam, everything was set up for success!
We surged forward, taking the first few compounds with ease. The new, automatic illumination rounds allow element leaders to focus on the advance (instead of launching flares), and I think this was reflected in the early pace of our advance. Still, the enemy was by no means passive, and a lively exchange of fire was to be seen across the length of the valley.
At the second or third compound (and the last one for us before the town itself), I managed to shoot comrade Ansob by accident. Hands quivering with shock, I ran to his prone body to see if I could save him. I'd have happily cast aside my disgust at his Daily Mail habit and give him the kiss of life (or at least allow comrade Tigershark to do it), if only to make up for my terrible mistake. Thankfully, comrade Ansob was alive, and required only a bit of bandaging and the promise of a drink by way of compensation. So we stacked up at the next doorway and prepared to advance into no man' land.
We made it as far as some rocks when the rocket streaked past us, flying meters above the tarmac, following the grey ribbon right up to the nose of the M113. Bang.
I called out for comrade commander EBass, and was relieved to hear he was okay. More rockets were streaking away from the town, slamming into the hillsides near our flank elements. Comrade Ansob was still in need of medical attention, comrade AstuteCat had crawled forward to get a better view of the enemy positions. I was hesitating, calling the medic up when instead I should have either pressed forward, away from the open ground, or fallen back to the compound.
A rocket delivered the harshest possible lesson: all my men dead around me. There was only one thing left to do, and I began to run at the enemy town, hoping that perhaps I could reach a wall and provide some covering fire to the other advancing elements. A man on a rooftop cut me down as I neared the first set of buildings.
Later, in death, I watched in horror as comrade EBass issued that order.
Oh EBass, why?
Why?
Party Announcement: Reports that comrade EBass was ordered to retreat by a ranking Party official (who later disavowed all knowledge of such an order) are incorrect. The Party is saddened to learm of these accusations, and sadder still to learn that comrade EBass has quite clearly succumbed to mental illness. Arrangements have been made for comrade EBass to convalesce at a Party facility. No estimate has been given for his rehabilitation by Party doctors.
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Crateresistance
Medic: Fer
Comrade Mike's plan was based on a sound principle: guns are good, more is better. Concentrating our force in a sequential assault on the two caches should have given us superior - and decisive - firepower at each point. However, plans are only ever part of the story, and now I am reminded of that Woody Allen joke: if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.
From our starting location, comrade commander Mike had all elements move north until we were level with the Alpha cache. Wheeling right until we faced east, the platoon crossed a road in organised fashion: fireteams crossing in sequence whilst others provided overwatch. In the distance, we could hear the snap of gunfire, but comrade Mike's orders were clear: this was just the enemy firing speculative shots and we were not to be drawn into revealing our position.
On the eastern side of the road we entered woods on a slope. Here, the platoon adopted a wedge formation, Alpha in the lead, Bravo to the left, Charlie to the right. Delta, under comrade Headspace, was to bring up the rear, but an accident of navigation had brought his men across the road a little further south, near some buildings. A lone enemy gunman was waiting, and our first contact was made.
As the only medic, I had been hovering near the centre of the platoon wedge, but now I ran south to tend to any casualties in Delta. At least one person needed patching up, but not seriously. Behind us, comrade Mike was getting A/B/C to move off up the slope, mindful that we still had plenty of ground to cover on the reverse. Delta would now move a little to the right of the main wedge, screening the platoon from the rising ground to the south. Everything was wooded, but with scant undergrowth so one could see a long way into the trees.
When the fire came it was from our right - comrade Bodge's Charlie was engaged first, exchanging rounds with enemies on the high ground close to Delta. Comrade commander Mike exhorted Delta to move upon the enemy, and for Charlie to make haste into the cache (which was right ahead). I heard Bodge go down injured and ran forward to help when I caught a bullet in the head.
Cholo
To close out the night, and give the new comrades what I hoped would be a nice send-off, we played this riff on Precinct 13. Almost all the new guys were given shiny new pump-action shotguns and sent into the police house with comrade Egg to look after them.
That should have been my first clue.
When the assault happened, I was first into the eastern door, having deftly thrown some smoke in ahead of me. Dimly, through the smoke, down the dark passageway that leads all the way through the building and out of the western door, I saw a pistol-toting figure approaching.
Hurrah! It was another gang member, and toge----
...
Oh well, this is why being a gang member is not top of the recommendations you are likely to get from your career advisor, and that's before you get into the economics of it (see Freakonomics if you're ever curious). Comrade Draakon was very ninja-like, which is always fun to watch.
Great session - thank you to all the comrades who came along.
You are Folk.
