[Sun] 11 Oct 2015 (First World Problems / Waffly Jesus)

[Kefirz]

Sorry for going quiet on comms Peasant, but CC was firing non-stop and I had a lot of chatter in HQ channel also, so I probably didn't reply to a lot of things.
Additionally, when the thunder run order came out, the CO vehicle also drove to the church to extract the AAF guys, so we were a bit busy there also.

All in all, yes it was chaotic, mainly due to the fact the AAF were about to be wiped out, but that is the spirit of that mission, chaos.
Also, it didn't help that there was a diver team and that added more questions than answered.

[Costno]

This was an incredible session, the turnout was stunning.

Mutineers
Started this as AAF autorifleman in the church. As darkChozo mentioned, my death was the result of me trying to go out and rescue both Tubby and OneRaven. To clarify, there was at the time only one CSAT enemy covering their position, so I ran out and prepared to turn and burn and put 200 rounds of 6.5 into this guy before rescuing my downed teammates. As I rounded the corner and opened up, what I can only describe as an exaggerated moment of pulp fiction divine intervention, I managed to put ~75 rounds in a perfect circle around 'Jabari Jules' before he took me down too. darkChozo made the right choice in cutting his losses and leaving the three of us to bleed out outside the compound as more and more CSAT arrived.

Pancho TE

Slotted as MAT2 gunner under grumpy, we were given very clear orders to not die. After hiding until being told to crest a hill to shoot at a reported tigress, we did our best to try to find this tigress, only to see it duck out of view before we could shoot. It would be about 20 minutes including a dead CV before we saw it again, during which time we were joined by Netkev and pushed further inland. At some point the gods became dissatisfied with the amount of death being slung upon us, and we had to take down a couple IFVs and an Ifrit pouring into the city along the road from the west. Thankfully we had just enough rockets. Afterwards we moved in to help Juliet, but never encountered another enemy.

Inter IV
Attacking side A2 rifleman, we worked as a base of fire as A1 and Bravo moved into town from two directions. Only ever saw a couple enemies poke their heads out of windows, hopefully my bullets kept them down long enough for the rest of the team to push in. Still good fun.

Waging War

Slotted again as a MAT gunner, this time under washington. Though the ambush wasn't in the best spot, washington decided to be proactive and push up to find the remaining convoy vehicles hidden behind a hill. Using our coordination formed over a insurgency session the day before, we pushed up and took down a fireteam plus of enemies, and put some rounds onto a couple armored vehicles and a mean looking tree.

HSLD
Fireteam led this mission under Fer. Things were bogged down at the beginning by some frag throwing (Video evidence may be requested by Party Prosecutors, not sure if I caught anything but may help build a case). This mission was extremely smooth, we touched down, moved in under cover from B1, and shot a couple guys. Within about 2 minutes of engaging, we were told all targets were eliminated and we extracted quickly with minor injuries.
The only thing I think I would change in this mission is to force the teams to have to confirm dead CSAT units, rather than having a hint pop up. I think the first run of HSLD we had to confirm that all 3 were dead, before heading back, which adds a little length to the mission (and a sense of danger).

Shipping Problems
Blufor, ran around, dodged twitchey shipping crates, did some tacticool dropping onto the ground and shooting, almost got shot by fer, actually shot a teammate, but also took down a couple enemies.

Helicopters
Probably my favorite of current after-party shenanigans, managed to take down Fer in a hail of rockets, only to be rammed out of the sky, by a enemy helicopter riding eternal shiny and red, a couple minutes later.

[Ralian]

Whoo, what a session! So many people! And with people comes bullets, explosions, and server issues.
And also banter, which was particularly bad this session. It's sad when there's so much talking in teamspeak that the hosts can't effectively slot, and everything slows down. If you're new here we hope you had a good time, just use chat rather than VON for non slotting-critical issues please when we're all in one channel. No worries

It has come to my attention that embedding my videos broke the timing for some obscure reason. To skip to a time either open my video in youtube or jump about a minute earler than I said (depending on how far through the video you are. Sorry.


Mutineers: Useless (but badass) dive team
In which I dick around with Stephen, Washington, and Waffly

Synopsis:
7:50: Mount up and roll out, boys!
12:20: What are we even supposed to be doing? Should we have a beach day?
15:10: You pay a price for stealing.
20:40: Combat at last, men!
26:15: So how should we take out this vehicle that doesn't notice us? Also a horrifyingly disappointing ending. Good job men.

I would say it was a fun mission but I'm not exactly qualified to. I missed the entire briefing and got plunked in a team that went off and just did its own thing, trying not to get in the way of the big boys. We spend a few minutes hanging out and trying to figure out what our plan is, then we mount up and roll out looking badass *goofy on our quadbikes. After a brief episode of stealing stuff and getting run over, we head for the hills *factory to find some targets that might be more our size. We take out one or two bad dudes, finally find a rocket to take out an ifrit that's been completely oblivious to us, and then the mission ends before we get to execute our plan.

As sad as it is, this was the perfect role for me this session as I arrived just in time to hear... well... not even the briefing. Thanks for leaving some dive team slots open!


Pancho Te: CSL
In which I end up splitting charlie into support and assault elements.

Synopsis:
5:10: Let's be honest, GP's are the main reason I take element and squad leadership.
11:00: I become a follow me truck
21:00: I did everything I could. Crap.
22:00: How the hell did he survive that even?
29:00: Spot on, mortar team. Spot on.
42:45: Why didn't I just use a grenade?
44:00: Someone tries to declare me dead early. Also, how NOT to clear a room with injured friendlies inside.

Fun as usual, but I really should stop taking element lead roles in this mission. It's pure comms hell, not helped by the fact that we had charlie *and* juliet squads, as well as attachments and victors. Nobody's fault in particular, but comms is really painful in Pancho.
I do love the wave reenforcements, but both times I've played this mission I've either survived til the end or died (Killed! ) too late to wave in.
In any case great job everyone. We lost less people this time around! (or maybe charlie had it easy - last time I played I ended up being sole survivor.)


Inter IV: Glorious Defense leader; "Stonewall" Ralian
In which I stand like a stone wall, except that I don't.

Synopsis:
7:40: We're gonna fucking do this!
24:20: Yeah, not so much.
Also,
15:10: So this will be the command building.
18:45: Um... let me rethink that.

And that's all she wrote. Just so happened that command building was the first to get hit, and we effectively had no defense. Apparently comrades decided to occupy one building with six people. I mean I *guess* it was technically two rooms, but it still makes you so easy to hit with grenades. My patented defense plan: Two story? Four dudes, two on each floor. Multi-room one story? Three dudes. Less than that? Two dudes or nobody. Nobody defends alone.

Also, it took too long to get the UAV in the air. It was my fault though - my UAV dude was new and forced into a position he didn't know how to use. I should have asked if anyone wanted to swap with him

"What if they go with my patented, Attack from every direction in a straight line plan?" "Yeah, nobody's going to do that."
-INDFOR Briefing, before we get attacked from all sides.


Waging War: Just a lowly RAT from A2
In which I get a bit separated from my squad, do some badass rifling and don't even get to fire a rocket.

Synopsis:
4:25: Fuck da police, I'll look out the window if I want to. (It makes for more interesting footage.)
4:50: [REDACTED]. So sorry about that Good thing I'm a bad shot.
12:00: Contact! Also my really bad recoil management.

This was a genuinely fun mission, but as in any ambush unless it has some great distractions there is no job for anyone except the engineers (if your AT don't fire early ) and for your AT elements. I thought being a RAT might free me from this somewhat, but A2 was clearly just a support element. There were no rooms to be cleared, no enemy locations for A2 to hit. Sure, maybe Alpha got the overall satisfaction of destroying the convoy, but A2 wasn't so much a part of that - mostly MAT and MMG.
The closest I got to blowing shit up was when there were reports of an enemy IFV down the road, I crawled through the reeds to get it but then the mission ended before anything could come of it. Sorry wall people!


HSLD: TH2 Pilot
In which I need to work on my approaches, but overall get the job done I guess.

Synopsis:
0:25: Infiltration
2:50: AJAX and I land just long enough to say good day to each other. In a horribly exposed position no less.
5:40: A bit of overwatch
8:50: Exfiltration
11:50: I think we can fit a few more.

Good mission as usual, but it didn't really feel oper8tor this time, thanks to a variety of minor issues. First, I think sparks should have taken TH1 - he's good at coordinating shit tons of helicopters at once. Also, AJAX had two passengers go AFK on him - I also think there was some problems with grenades with Bravo at some point, as well as some possible friendly fire. We also need to do it at night if we want it to feel really oper8or - but doing it at evening was beautiful.

We need work, but at least nobody crashed. I think that's the new norm for us.

"It's a shitstorm down there." -Ralian, talking to himself as usual
"Ralian might land on a house if you don't tell him not to." -Sparks

Afterparty

That round of shipping problems ended in me falling off a roof to my death. Wish I'd recorded that.


So close man. So close.

[boberro]

Don't engage, wait for them to pass the [*rocket launched with wooooosh sound*] bridge... [*boom - rocket hitting the tank*]

TBF I didn't hear ASL telling us to get off the bridge, so I only hid after someone said that they can see the T100, but I doubt that they would not go meet with our mines if not attacked.

[Peasant]

Don't engage, wait for them to pass the [*rocket launched with wooooosh sound*] bridge... [*boom - rocket hitting the tank*]

Yes. I fired when I fired because the convoy had stopped and infantry had started dismounting. I had a lock on the tank and didn't wanted to kill the tank before it started shooting.

[Ralian]

Don't engage, wait for them to pass the [*rocket launched with wooooosh sound*] bridge... [*boom - rocket hitting the tank*]

Yes. I fired when I fired because the convoy had stopped and infantry had started dismounting. I had a lock on the tank and didn't wanted to kill the tank before it started shooting.

Its all good. Like you said, they had noticed us. No way were they going to go all the way to the mines.
We really had problems being oper8or tonight because we had so many people . No way were we actually going to set up a coherent and working ambush.

[Sparks]

BTW Ralian, that was a sweet solid landing in HS;LD (the extract from the town, not the RTB landing in the hanger). Nice work.

[Mabbott]

Don't engage, wait for them to pass the [*rocket launched with wooooosh sound*] bridge... [*boom - rocket hitting the tank*]

Yes. I fired when I fired because the convoy had stopped and infantry had started dismounting. I had a lock on the tank and didn't wanted to kill the tank before it started shooting.

Its all good. Like you said, they had noticed us. No way were they going to go all the way to the mines.
We really had problems being oper8or tonight because we had so many people . No way were we actually going to set up a coherent and working ambush.

*grumble* I had a perfect ambush planned *grumble* Whoever was spotted is getting sent to Gulag

[Sparks]

Mutineers
Bravo 1 FTL with Soviet (AR), SuicideKing (AR), AleksRUS (RAT), Grumpy (R) and Delta (R)





A new mission, comrades! And with divers on quad bikes in the middle of the altis high plateau! Surely the Party's missionmakers' creativity and unpredictability knows no bounds!

For the really sweet 40mm underbarrel grenade launcher glory of the party and to boss people about out of a deep sense of loyalty and duty, I volunteered as FTL for Bravo 1, and we happily sat in our vehicles while command sized up the situation, assigned the divers to their respective quad bikes and ensured they all had their flippers, and finally we rolled out, diving off the road before the first confirmed mine position and taking up a point from where we could advance into the town. We were cautious at first, because we had a dug-in enemy and lots of mines; but our brethern in the AAR couldn't keep their fool mouths shut and their disco music turned down hold out against superior forces for long, so we had to abandon caution and charge full-tilt into the valley of many shoot-y things to save them. Bravo Vic was confused by this and tried to restrain our boundless enthusiasm with the only tools at its disposal, it's totally working radio heavy machine gun. After some delicate negotiations over our orders, Bravo Vic moved up to take point and clear the way for us. Cheered on by this large well-armoured, heavily armed death machine rumbling on ahead with its zoom cameras and thermal vision, we were sure any enemies just standing in the open would be instantly spotted and we would only have to worry about those hiding in a cowardly fashion in the houses.

So we ran on into the town and right into the line of sight of two enemies Bravo Vic had completely missed and I gained three pounds from all the lead that hit me in the first second of realising there had been a minor error in our communications over what Bravo Vic should do to enemies (I had meant to say "murder them all, blow them to little pieces, then urinate on the little pieces, then shoot them again", but Bravo Vic thought its orders were "ignore them, the infantry will take care of it"). Sheesh.

Bravo one took casualties while avenging me and providing cover for the escape path for Bravo Vic, but in the end it was Command Vic who rescued the last survivors of AAF and escaped with them in a high-speed, no-bleeps escape dodging a dozen rockets from several enemy helicopters, and even managed to shoot one of them down.

Snazzy!



Pancho TE
MMG1 spotter with LowerBigFoot (gunner)



Oh boy. This mission. Last time, I dove into a bush, stayed there for 20 minutes and then got exploderised by autocannon from across the valley. Not this time comrades!

MMG1 was nominally attached to Bravo with orders to push up on the western ridgeline. However, this went completely awry early on when Bravo and MMG took heavy autocannon fire coming off the beach. MMG bravely pooped themselves sought cover in a nearby two-story house, from where we had good lines of sight across the AO at the current line of advance, so we used those to mow down any EI we saw (and one whose boots we could see sticking out from under a tin shack). Bravo was trying to push up; we tried that on the western ridge, but it was no dice, half the AO were shooting in our general direction along with the autocannon fire from a Tigris (comrade, if you've not seen 20mm cannonfire land ten feet from you, I urge you to try it once or twice, it's most exhilarating. But maybe try it on your own, I've already seen it).

So we gave up on the west, and pushed a bit east, found some cover and then pushed forward. Bigfoot covered me while I charged up to a house, where I found the shed beside the house had two EI in it; a magazine on full auto and a grenade fixed that. Bigfoot joined me and we cleared the house. Then we looked at the next one further north. I thought it was pushing it a bit, but hey, that's the job. I grabbed an enemy's RPG and noting that the "house" was actually a ruin, made a judgement call that it didn't count and put the RPG into it to clear the enemies out, and then charged it with Bigfoot covering. But we missed someone and I got shot in the spleen. Bigfoot held back under orders, as the MMG was too valuable to lose, but before I bled out, Bravo 1 linked up with us and patched me up.

Feeling emboldened by not being dead, we pushed forward, only to find the next cover had an entire fireteam in one square meter behind it. In view of a 20mm autocannon. This struck us as overly concentrated so we ran away west, pausing only to engage enemies. We found the westmost cover in a ruined house, and used that to cover Bravo 1 as they moved up, then we joined them, suppressed some targets and then pushed north again, and finally found a vantage point into the town.

From there, 400m out, we demonstrated the reason for the MMG, punching through stone walls like the Irish government through an economy, killing every EI in sight and a few we could only see boots or muzzles off. Eventually we ran out of things to kill, so we moved up a hundred metres to a partly ruined two-story and proceeded to repeat this process, along with killing an RPG gunner on the hilltop 800m away with a headshot.

But eventually we ran out of targets again, and this time we asked BSL where we should go; we got directed to BSL's overwatch position where we could kill everything with impunity, so we legged it up the hill... and then right as we arrived at BSL, the world exploded and we were shredded instantly by something (still don't know what).

Overall though, with 27 kills from MMG1 in total, it wasn't a bad mission at all

Even if it did get very complex on the map marks there by the end:







Inter IV
ASL with Cardova (ASM)



Defending for once, but without M14s. Oh well, the katiba's nice too, if a bit less punchy. Though I wound up with cause to regret that later.

Our original plan called for CO in the HQ building coordinating A2 to the north and A1 to the south, and we expected to be hit from the powerplant to the northeast and the road to the south, which turned out to be the case, more or less. But on arriving in town, we found the HQ building wasn't a building but two ruined walls at approximately a right angle to each other, so HQ decamped to a two-story to the south with some of A1. I went to keep an eye to the north, and sure enough, spotted the first fireteam coming in from the north. A2 spotted another coming in to their west, and we were engaged in moments. I got hit in the kidney, was revived by Cardova and continued to suppress where I thought the enemy was; then pulled away and went to help Soviet and got shot by the other fireteam for my troubles. Soviet revived me, Cardova patched me up in one of the buildings and that was when I realised we hadn't heard from CO and couldn't raise him, and saw enemies on his last position. So now we had enemies 100m to our south and to our north, and we were bottled up in the buildings plinking from cover and that would only end with them assaulting the buildings and grenading us.

So I figured it'd be better to be aggressive, and charged south, trying to keep buildings and flora on the line of sight between me and the building I knew they were in. I flanked right, popped out of the undergrowth 30ish metres from the back of their building and spotted the first one and shot him. I moved up on the building and shot another through the doorway. I tried to throw a grenade only to realise I had none, then charged in to not lose momentum and get shot in the back from the guy I missed, only to walk through a door in front of two alerted enemies on full auto to my left side, who effectively colandered me.
Oh well.

But then to add insult to injury, the two enemies I had downed proved revivable. The Katiba's 6.3mm just ain't up to the 7.62 of the M14 Oh well. Next time!



Waging War
BSL with SuicideKing (BSM)



So command took the AT attachments and Alpha squad to go kill the convoy further up the road. Bravo was left to take the checkpoint solo and prepare a backstop in case Alpha got murderised. I had a simple plan - get big guns overlooking the checkpoint and have the guys with the lighter guns and grenades charge down the hill and kill everything. Then we'd steal all their high explosives and mines and turn the road into a spaceport so we could blow the incoming tanks and vehicles to the moon. Preferably a moon of jupiter.

And I'm not sure what's going on comrades; perhaps BSL was incredibly competent and good-looking; perhaps Bravo Squad is Best Squad; but the plan went off with very few hitches. We spotted the main enemy force long before I thought we would because the topography wasn't as sharp as I thought from the map; but map confusion aside, everything went well. We killed their vehicles with a first strike from Bravo 2's RAT; shot and exploderised the bunker behind the checkpoint; killed the troops at the tower and captured the tower; we even captured two striders, one a HMG model.

Then we planted all the explosives and all the mines. The road looked like a herd of cattle had spent an hour digesting metal and depositing it. The low stone walls and nearby buildings and anywhere tanks or dismounts or vehicles would go when approaching the checkpoint were mined. Bravo 2 had taken the tower and Bravo 1 the bunker. The checkpoint was a killing zone for 500m out in front of it. The enemy could have had five tanks and we'd have exploderised them all and launched their crews to orbit. And then right as we were ready for the biggest, loudest, funnest fight of the night....

...the mission ended. No music, no outro, just "yah, done". Worse. Case. Of. Frustration. EVER.

(Honestly, I think you broke Soviet)



HS;LD
Pilot, TH3





This was one of our fastest runs of this ever. TH3 had barely dropped off Bravo 1 and BSL, and was just at loiter altitude looking for trouble when the mission ended and we were scrambling for the extract points. TH3 and TH4 had it easy; Bravo was in a fairly quiet zone and mostly we were worried about running into each other rather than enemies and had a nice easy extract and RTB; but Alpha were in the thick of it and TH1 and TH2 had to do some nice flying to extract them.

And then they had to show off by landing in the hanger. Gosh, I wonder how many of us will be doing that next time?



AFTERPARTY


Shipping Problems (after-party)

Damn headshots...

Also Ralian, I told you roofs were dangerous



Helicopters (after-party)


Argh. Just once I'd like to be shot down here instead of being rammed or suffering CFIT...

[Soviet]

(Honestly, I think you broke Soviet)

If we don't wind up blowing stuff up next time after all that no-trigger nonsense, I fear I may spontaneously combust mid mission At least bravo squad was best squad (except in Pancho of course, in which we in Alpha heroically exploded died the least )