The headquarters company of the Durasteel Tigers is located in an underground bunker, still solid and intact after heavy combat. Rayshielded and concealed from satellite observation, the bunker's location was once a top government secret, and many high-level officials lay in hiding here during the pirates' attack and occupation. The walls are massively thick ferrocrate with durasteel plating along the inner wall as well as the outer, with a layer of composite along the outside to confound ground-penetrating sensors. Inside, the command center consists of parking and maintenance space for dozens of heavy armored vehicles, repair facilities, ammo bunkers, and armories, all connected by a maze of corridors designed to make storming it very costly. All the vehicle facilities are close to the entrance, the interior corridors are much too narrow, barely wide enough for two armored soldiers to pass side by side. The maze of twisting passageways were once all alike, but the Durasteel Tigers have posted markers at key intersections. People familiar with the Durasteel Tigers' route markings are generally able to find their way without error.
(OOC Note - The various locations within the HQ are simulated by "places" code.)
** See 'Places #help' for more information **
[Exits : [LZ] Landing Zone, and [CB] Central Belden ]
[Players : Major_Disaster, and Micheal_Harris ]
[Things : M1A6 Blower #690, M2A4 Ursa #681 'Butcher', FNA21 1100K Skimmer Jeep #663(#663X), M2A4G Ursa #619 'Reaper', Skimmer #669(#669X), M9A3 Combat Car #624(#624X), Tactical Map, and Quartermaster Object ]
Micheal_Harris
Michael Harris has a light tone to his visage. None the less, one might call his look swarthy. His hair is short and brown, typical for service, but with a slight squarish outline. He's quite obviously scarred from either training or battle and his framing MIGHT belie some combat readiness but...he's a bit on the chunkier side with what looks to be a very average build. His movement is surprisingly dexterous however...especially for such a wide, stocky looking frame. It sure isn't all muscle though. His left eye is probably missing, as an eye patch on that side is a permanent feature. His unremarkable grey uniform has even less remarkable patches on it, barely visible in a slightly darker grey, showing that he's only at an E1 grade.
Carrying:
Heuvelman IA2XSM, and Pvt Micheal Harris's Tanker's Vest With Plates
Ben_Magnum
Ben Magnan is a thin, nervous-looking man in his early twenties. He's got mousy brown hair that's already thinning, and washed-out-brown eyes. He's got a narrow face and a weak chin, with a sallow complection. His gangly appearance is indicative of his lack of coordination, and he doesn't move so much as stumble along from place to place. He has narrow shoulders and a toastrack chest, but spindly legs, though he keeps it all going well enough.
He's currently wearing the uniform of the Durasteel Tigers - gunmetal gray with subdued rank and unit markings that can be seen close up, but are hard to pick out from any distance. They mark him as a 1st Lieutenant in a Combat Cars unit. His tailor is quite skilled, because he doesn't look like a total dork despite everyting to the contrary. He at least looks very pleased with himself, though his uniform shows no ribbons and he has no service stripes indicating longevity. His heavy utility belt seems ready to fall off his narrow hips under the weight of a pair of Heuvelman H94-X's.
Carrying:
1LT Ben Magnum's Tanker's Vest With Plates, Mitchell T21AR, and Heuvelman H94-X
Pvt Harris. You are here on Kodar as part of your tour. This is not what you signed up for, exactly, but sometimes the service puts its own needs before yours. What a concept. Anyhow, here you are (after your failed survival roll in the technician field) in an actual combat batallion. In light of your technical and medical background, though, you were put in 13 Company, which is basically the spares batallion. Extra medics where needed, extra tanks when the frontline units get theirs blown up, that sort of thing. The broken tanks (and people) often rotate through the company as well.
Your platoon leader, 2nd Lt Hart, is older and pretty laid back, and as long as you don't get people killed and don't lollygag on the tank repairs, he's a nice guy. He spends a lot of time in the comm center, and you'd think he runs it, though he's mainly just coordinating all the shit that needs coordination. One morning, though, you get a beep on your own comm unit and are told to report to a particular briefing room.
Pvt Micheal Harris rubs his forehead a bit as he wanders in the direction of the appropriate briefing room. He's not an irritable guy or anything like that, he just kinda likes his 'routine' and automatically worries a bit when he's called specifically to rooms or areas he doesn't normally go. This whole merc thing was an interesting choice for this guy. That's why we're all here though, right? We're all freaking interesting. Assuming he can locate this briefing room...and why the heck wouldn't he?...he'll signal that he's available in whatever way is appropriate for our setup here. A knock, 'doorbell', run a CAC type thing across a scanner or....open the door and step in if he's supposed to?
The door is just a door, as this was just a spaceport outbuilding before the Tigers, you guys, appropriated it for use. The door is open, so you can go right in. A Sgt is in there, and the briefing is actually being given by the Captain. The Commanding Officer of the 13 Company, Capt. Jaynes. Not liking it is probably getting stronger as he waves you in to what probably used to be a small conference room, now being used for sort of the same purpose. He's 34, but looks older, and while you can tell he's been in the service for a while, he doesn't have a ton of decorations or anything, so he probably hasn't seen a ton of action, himself. Which may be why he's head of 13 Company, basically a repair company. Capt Jaynes waves you in to take a seat, and the Sgt nods to you.
Pvt Micheal Harris offers a salute to his commanding officers and...well, and the Sargent. Dunno if they officially count as CO's technically. Not versed in the vernacular well ^^; He steps over, carefully, to the room he was called to and after offering appropriate nods of a quiet greeting to his peers he takes the proffered seat and pays close attention, keeping the noise levels as low as he can for now. If they're going to send him god knows where, he better pay attention.
It's just you two getting briefed, it seems. Capt Jaynes shows you both a map (OOC: look map) and says, "As you know, the Oscars," the perjorative term for the enemy, "are hunkered down in B-City." He points to the CITY hexes by W5 on the map. (OOC: We're in the CITY at A12 ourselves.) "As you might expect, we've got special forces keeping an eye on them. And they've got some keeping an eye on us, though we try and take them out when we can. As it happens," he goes on, "One of our scouts, a Captain Novak, was on her way back to brief the Colonel when the enemy jumped her around here...." he laser-pointers hex D10, the road just north of some forest. "We're not sure what happened next - her automatic meds triggered, and her locator beacon is active, but no voice comms, so we're not sure if she's OK, or what. What we need you two to do," he says, "is take a jeep out and pick her up. And take out the enemy scouts if you can. But be careful, we don't know how many there are or how they're armed or anything."
Tactical Map A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ / \__/ \__/~~\__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/HI\__/MT\__/HI\__/ \__/ 1\__/ \__/~~\~~/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \LL/MT\__/HI\LL/ \__/ \ / \__/ \~~/~~\__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/HI\__/MT\LL/HI\__/ \__/ 2\__/ \__/~~\~~/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \LL/MT\__/HI\LL/ \__/ \ / \__/ \~~/~~\__/ \__/ \__/ \__/RC\__/ \__/ \__/HI\__/HI\LL/ \__/ \__/ 3\__/ \__/~~\~~/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \03/SB\__/ \__/ \LL/MT\LL/HI\__/ \__/ \ / \__/ \~~/~~\__/ \__/ \__/ \__/SB\__/ \__/ \__/MT\__/HI\LL/SB\__/ \__/ 4\__/ \__/ \~~/~~\__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/HI\LL/SB\__/SB\__/ \ / \__/ \__/ \~~/~~\__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/HI\LL/ \__/CI\__/SB\__/ 5\__/ \__/ \__/ \~~/~~\__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/AC\LL/ =\==/==\TY/CI\__/ \ / \__/LW\__/ \__/ \~~/~~\__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ =\12/IC\=_/ \__/CI\TY/SB\__/ 6\__/ \__/LW\__/ \__/ \~~/ \__/ \__/ \__/ =\=_/HI\16/HI\__/ \TY/CI\__/ \ / \__/LW\__/ \__/ \__/~~\__/ \__/ \__/ =\=_/ \LL/HI\LL/LW\__/ \TY/SB\__/ 7\__/ \__/LW\__/ \__/ \~~/~~\__/ \__/ =\=_/ \__/ \LL/ \__/LW\__/SB\__/ \ / \__/LW\__/ \__/ \__/ \~~/ \__/ =\=_/ \__/ \__/HI\__/LW\__/LW\__/ \__/ 8\__/ \__/ \__/ \__/==\==/==\==/CC\=_/ \__/ \__/HI\LL/HI\__/LW\__/ \__/ \ / \__/ \__/ \__/AC\__/ \~~/ \14/IC\__/ \__/ \LL/MT\LL/LW\__/LW\__/ \__/ 9\__/ \__/ \__/ =\11/ \__/~~\__/RC\15/ \__/ \__/HI\__/HI\__/LW\__/ \__/ \ /SB\__/ \__/ =\=_/||\__/ \~~/ \02/ \__/ \__/HI\LL/MT\LL/ \__/LW\__/ \__/ 10\__/SB\__/ =\=_/ \||/ \__/~~\__/ \__/ \__/HI\LL/MT\__/HI\__/LW\__/ \__/ \ /SB\__/ =\=_/ \__/||\__/ \~~/ \__/ \__/HI\LL/MT\__/MT\LL/ \__/LW\__/ \__/ 11\__/==\=_/FR\__/SB\||/ \__/~~\__/ \__/HI\LL/MT\__/MT\__/HI\__/ \__/ \__/ \ /CI\__/ \ST/FR\__/RC\__/ \~~/ \__/ \LL/MT\__/MT\__/HI\LL/ \__/ \__/10\__/ 12\TY/SB\__/FR\ST/SB\01/ \__/~~\__/ \__/HI\__/MT\__/HI\LL/ \__/ \__/ \km/ \ / \__/ \ST/ \__/ \__/ \~~/ \__/ \LL/ \__/ \LL/ \__/ \__/ \__/ \__/ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z CITY = Urban area, tall buildings, wide paved roads that can take heavy loads SB = Suburban area. Mostly low buildings, mostly narrower paved roads LW = Light Woods FRST = Forested = || = Highways - wide roads that can take heavy loads ~~ = Water HILL = Hilly terrain MT = Mountainous Terrain RC = Refugee Camps
Pvt Micheal Harris just sort of listens. He hasn't been asked to speak and although he can PROBABLY ask questions, he tends to wait until he's offered the opportunity. He has a decent memory still and can certainly wait without forgetting his questions. A combo of med systems kicking in and no voice implies the Captain might be hurt. Some scouts somewhere are hopefully going to pay for this c.c Attack OUR captains will you. He bristles SLIGHTLY but keeps his cool, sitting more upright in his seat. He keeps failing at things but he sure as hell cares about what he's doing, even if his personality doesn't ALWAYS belie it.
The Captain nods to you both. "That's as much as we know. Take a jeep out and pick her up. Most of the jeeps are fitted with the emergency locator beacon detectors, you can use that to home in on her." You've worked on those before, basically they'll home in on her position if she's transmitting, and you can use it to drive straight to her. Of course so can bad guys, so the locators often operate on limited bursts, sending out info and then going quiet. So there'll be a little search in your search and rescue. "Any questions?" he asks.
Pvt Micheal Harris doesn't want to creep anyone out or anything, but he ponders these things from time to time. Possibly due to a lack of MUCH 'in field' experience. He raises his hand up slightly. "Yes sir. If the captain has been terminated...do....we attempt to recover the body?" He quiets down at that point, looking calm but... he doesn't want to find corpses of his allies. Oh, he WILL. He'll have to. He'll be lucky to survive all the combat himself, in fact, but...none the less, these are his allies. They're people.
The Captain's face twists up, but he nods. "Yeah, bring her back dead or alive. We're not gonna leave our people here on some rock we're just visiting," he says wryly. "That's one of the reasons you're in on this - bring your medical gear with you, and do what you can if she's hurt." He looks to the Sergeant, who shakes his head, and asks, "Any more questions?"
Pvt Micheal Harris seems to have shared a moment. No one ever wants to ponder that eventuality but...we're all adults here. We better be. He nods once, a determined look on his face. Oh yes, if the Captain's still with us...then she's GOING to make it back here. Sometimes failure is just not an option. He shakes his own head. "No sir."
The Captain nods, salutes. "All right, then. Go do it." The sergeant gives a grunt of affirmation and rises from his seat, heading out the door.
Pvt Micheal Harris nods as well, rising to his feet and offering the Captain a salute. "If she's still with us, she's coming back home safely, sir." He turns to follow the sergeant out the door unless the Captain tells him to do something else.
Nope, you're both out the door. First Lietenant Magnum is just outside the door as well, though if he was waiting to see the Captain, he's changed his mind, and now he's following you two towards the motor pool. Which is to say, the parking lot where all the airjeeps are.
Pvt Micheal Harris offers Ben a nod hello and a cursory salute. Everyone seems to rag on this guy and not take em seriously. Harris isn't going to hate on em for that one. Hopefully he can get his shit together in the field though. We have a member of our little family here to save. Mike assumes he's going to be taking driver position?
A little way along the corridor (safely out of earshot of the office you'd been briefed in, some might say), Magnum says, "Sergeant, if I may have a word with you?" The sergent grunts sourly, but softly enough that it's not too obvious, and says, "Yessir, what can I do for you? Only we've got a mission to get on." And yes, you're the driver. The junior guy is almost always the driver. Magnum draws the Sgt aside, and there's a bit of heated discussion. Well, sort of heated. Finally, the sergeant shrugs, mutters, "Yessir," and stomps back up the corridor. Magnum smiles to you widely and says, "Well, Private, it looks like it's you and me now. This ought to be pretty simple, yes?" So .... he'd been listening in to the briefing, and pulled the Sgt off it to call his own number? Well, the mission's still in need of doing, so....
Pvt Micheal Harris gives Ben a look, watches the sergeant leave...and scowls slightly. Ah. This must be why no one likes this guy. He sighs softly...still his boss. He offers a salute. "Yes sir." He turns on his heel and continues over to the drivers seat, hopping in if not prompted to do something else. The sergeant looked pissed so...this is bound to suck. Wasting any more time on red tape could cost the Captain her life though, so...it's time to go.
1LT Ben Magnum follows along to the jeep and climbs into the commander's seat. Not the gunner's position, which is behind and between you both. The tribarrel hangs limply from its mounting pole. Magnum begins tweaking some of the instruments in the locator beacon control thing like he knows what he's doing, and lets you get started with the driving thing. "It's a nice day, at least," he remarks casually, and that much is true, the weather could be a lot worse for driving in an open vehicle.
Micheal_Harris (Pvt Micheal Harris) is assuming the driver position of FNA21 1100K Skimmer Jeep #663.
FNA21 1100K Skimmer Jeep #663(#663X) FN A21 1100K Jeep Agility: +1 Crew: 4 FA: 14 TL: 9 Sensors: -2 Hull: 3 Weight: 2 tons Computer/- Structure: 3 Un: 6 Speed: 160kph (100mph) 267m/turn Armor: 12 6/- Ranges: Distance Hits |___Front_|___Under/Int Adjacent: < 10m 1 | Hull | Destroyed Close: 10-50m 2 | Armor | Main Wep Short: 50-250m 3 | Drive | Driver Comp Medium: 250m-1km 4 | Drive | Power Plant Long: 1km-10km 5 | Armor | Ftg Comp Very Long: 10km-horizon 6 | Hull | Destroyed Distant: OTH Weapon Cat Type Damage Special Auto OH Mag A C S M L VL D Main Weapon Tribarrel 4d6+4 Destructive 6 12 200 -1 0 0 -2 -4 -8 -12 Commander: 1LT Ben Magnum Driver: Pvt Micheal Harris Gunner: No one To take a position in the jeep, 'assume' To leave a position, simply 'bail'. If there are multiple vehicles, 'bail663'. To see a list of possible actions, use the 'actions' command.
Pvt Micheal Harris straps on his appropriate harnessing and starts the jeep up. He mutters a 'Yes sir' and is momentarily silent...and then pipes up, channeling a little insubordination here MAYBE but...you know, they're just words: 'I think I would be able to enjoy the weather more if I knew I had a gunner covering our trip, though. Sir.'. He's not happy having lost what was likely a battle hardened and SUPER useful sergeant.
1LT Ben Magnum (OOC) says, "For things like checks, say what you're checking, then roll, then you can pose the results in your next pose. Checking sensors to find the beacon"
1LT Ben Magnum checks SENSORS(0) + EDU(1): 2d6 + 0 + 1 = 11
1LT Ben Magnum says, "Well, I'm sure if the enemy turns up, you'll just /completely/ outmaneuver them, so there's nothing to worry about." His tone is kind of dismissive, though he adds, after taking a look at your expression, "I -am- qualified on the tribarrel, if it comes to that. But I can't operate the search box from back there, can I?" Probably not, in fact. And he does seem to have a blip for the missing Captain on the screen, so maybe he's not totally useless.
Pvt Micheal Harris grumbles. "A fair assessment, sir. Directed energy weapons have a faster travel than the jeeps lateral movement, however. ... Just so you have that information available." He shakes his head and gets back to work. He's not going to sit here and 'argue with a manager who doesn't care' -.-; See how quickly this guy shits himself when dangerous stuff starts happening. If they're all started up and ready to go, though, he'll start driving...
You cruise out of the compound with a wave from the guys on watch. It's pretty short work to pick up the main road eastbound out of the city, and it looks like the woods and our captain are about 30km away. Maybe 10-15 minutes drive, depending on how fast you want to go. It's not that Lt Magnum doesn't care ... it's that he doesn't understand. But he's been feeling the need to do something bold and this seems ... bold, but safe also. He keeps checking the locator, and radios back to HQ every 5 minutes or so, "Rescue 1, moving towards target."
FNA21 1100K Skimmer Jeep #663 heads into the ruins of downtown Belden. FNA21 1100K Skimmer Jeep #663 has left. Micheal_Harris heads into the ruins of downtown Belden. Micheal_Harris has left. You head into the ruins of downtown Belden. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Central Belden was once a proud metropolis, home to millions. Now, its tall towers lay in ruins and debris litters its thoroughfares. Fallen towers and demolished mansions, offices and homes, city utilities, trade centers, monuments, all pounded to rubble - first by the pirates arrival and the citizen's stern resistance, then by the Durasteel Tigers forcing entry and driving the pirates out.
There is little obvious about the Tigers' occupation, their vehicles and forces spread througout the city at the company level, small clusters of vehicles parked in underground garages, or else moving through the ruins, maintaining a watch. Drones flit through the air, seeking signs of the enemy as well, more obvious, and more expendable.
[Exits : [HQ] Durasteel Tigers HQ, and [O] Outskirts of Belden ]
[Players : Micheal_Harris ]
[Things : FNA21 1100K Skimmer Jeep #663(#663X) ]
Pvt Micheal Harris ponders to himself, as the cruise on. Yeah, he shouldn't have said 'doesn't care'. Ben is probably an ok guy...he just shouldn't be doing this. Not without a complete retraining. He knows how to track the beacon though...so that's important. He keeps a steady eye out as they go however...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Central Belden was once a proud metropolis, home to millions. Now, its tall towers lay in ruins and debris litters its thoroughfares. Fallen towers and demolished mansions, offices and homes, city utilities, trade centers, monuments, all pounded to rubble - first by the pirates arrival and the citizen's stern resistance, then by the Durasteel Tigers forcing entry and driving the pirates out.
There is little obvious about the Tigers' occupation, their vehicles and forces spread througout the city at the company level, small clusters of vehicles parked in underground garages, or else moving through the ruins, maintaining a watch. Drones flit through the air, seeking signs of the enemy as well, more obvious, and more expendable.
[Exits : [HQ] Durasteel Tigers HQ, and [O] Outskirts of Belden ]
[Things : FNA21 1100K Skimmer Jeep #663(#663X) ]
FNA21 1100K Skimmer Jeep #663 heads towards the outskirts. FNA21 1100K Skimmer Jeep #663 has left. Micheal_Harris heads towards the outskirts. Micheal_Harris has left. You head for the outskirts of Belden. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The area surrounding Belden is mostly ruins. Once a mix of tall, mighty buildings and palatial mansions, months of hard combat have reduced the city outskirts to a jagged mass of ruins with the occasional skyscraper in questionable condition. No one, or almost no one lives in this area, officially evacuated and little enough to draw looters given the degree of destruction.
Here and there among the ruins, often hard to see until very close, are small clusters of military vehicles parked around an intact first story, or else patrolling the broad avenues. The armored vehicles of the Durasteel Tigers are painted to blend in with the debris, making them hard to pick out at first glance, even when moving.
[Exits : [In] To Belden, and [CA] Contested Area ]
[Players : Micheal_Harris ]
1LT Ben Magnum seems to be enjoying the ride as you head out of the city. He was pretty pleased to pick up the beacon so easily, he's glad he read up on that before coming out. The road is mostly clear, we're still close enough to base to see occasional patrols, and the Oscars don't get here often to cause damage. Now. From the look of it, dislodging them in the first place was a helluva fight. What he's not doing is keeping an eye out for the enemy or any of that, he's mainly enjoying the ride and checking the beacon.
FNA21 1100K Skimmer Jeep #663 heads into the combat zone. FNA21 1100K Skimmer Jeep #663 has left. Micheal_Harris heads into the combat zone. Micheal_Harris has left. You head into the combat zone. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The contested area on Kodar covers a broad swath of land hundreds of miles wide, including hills and mountainous areas, swamps and river valleys, small cities, and suburban areas. Most of these have been evacuated, but there are holdouts, and looters, here and there, clinging to life as they knew it or else risking their lives to life in the abandoned homes, despite the artillery fire in the distance and the occasional tank platoon or scout patrol. The planetary capitol, Kodar City, sits at the eastern edge of the contested area, occupied by pirates from outside the subsector. Belden, a major manufacturing center on the western edge of the contested area, is occupied by the Durasteel Tigers mercenary company.
Within the contested area are various forward posts, occupied towns, fortified positions, and so on, the position and disposition of which vary daily.
[Exits : [Be] Belden, and [KC] Kodar City ]
[Players : Micheal_Harris ]
[Things : FNA21 1100K Skimmer Jeep #663(#663X) ]
Pvt Micheal Harris just wheels them along. His look has darkened considerably. He realizes that Ben is probably going to become a liability if or when the shit hits the fan. It's fine to stay calm...hey, shoot the shit to keep your cool, listen to music maybe....smoke a cig, whatever. Stop blowing kisses at butterflies though and pay attention. Ah well...he slows the jeep a bit as they get into the area. That won't help with 'dodging' but Ben's in lala land if he thinks Mike's going to out maneuver the kind of weapons they use ANYWAY. This place screams 'danger'. He doesn't look back over as he says, "Sir? This is a dangerous area now. We have to be careful."
1LT Ben Magnum nods agreement about danger, and it's just as well you're not looking, cause he looks a little green. "Careful, yes," he agrees completely. He checks the map and the elecrtonics once again, and says, "Okay, Private, it looks like we can turn here, and head about 075..." he points the way into the trees south of the road.
Pvt Micheal Harris slows to a halt and scans the area visually. He frowns. He doesn't like how uncovered they are...how under-gunned they are..he only has a PDW here...and he doesn't trust Ben on the tri-barrel only because he doesn't know if he has the nerve to pull the trigger while pointing at another living creature! Understandable but...this is what they DO. (Is there anything out of the ordinary? Can I roll a check or is there just nothin'?)
1LT Ben Magnum (OOC) says, "You can look, yes. 'check recon/int' is the command."
1LT Ben Magnum checks RECON(0) + INT(0): 2d6 + 0 + 0 = 4 1LT Ben Magnum (OOC) can't see past his hands over his eyes. Pvt Micheal Harris checks RECON(-3) + INT(1): 2d6 + -3 + 1 = 3
Pvt Micheal Harris is just gonna drive in that direction, then, unless something's going to happen now that these 2 morons missed something?
1LT Ben Magnum has, for his own part, sort of slouched down in the seat, trying to look less like a target, perhaps. You're maybe 5-10 minutes out from the captain's locator beacon, so the rest of the trip's probably going to be through the forest. It seems like the bad guys may have been hiding here? Or else the Captain went here for cover after her ride got shot up? Or both, maybe? There's nothing for the moment, though the driving requires enough of your attention, avoiding fallen trees and big rocks and such, that it's hard to be a lookout also.
Pvt Micheal Harris slowly wheels the jeep around and begins to drive carefully, which means more slowly, in the direction the LT pointed him. He grumbles something about how great it'd be to have a dedicated gunner right now but not loudly enough to call attention to himself. He continues to scan around but...he's not good at it. They dispatched someone with 1 eye and somebody with no combat experience REALLY to go perform a live rescue. Yay for a lack of personnel surplus c.c Oh well, someone's gotta try to save the captain.
1LT Ben Magnum rolled 2d6+1 Result: 9 1LT Ben Magnum rolled 2d6+2 Result: 5
Things are just as you say. Such is life. The bad guys are either less blind than you, or a hover-jeep makes more noise than a couple of guys walking through trying to be quiet. Either way, the first sign you guys have of trouble is a powergun bolt zinging past. It's hard to tell where it came from, they apparently tried to snipe you from a ways off, themselves. To no avail.
1LT Ben Magnum (OOC) says, "Bad guys have fired at you but missed. Also, the command 'actions' will list off several things you can do."
Pvt Micheal Harris (OOC) nods. He's gonna TRY to throw the jeep toward a sequestered area where they can hopefully park it and get behind some hard cover, since the Jeep is sucky at keeping them alive x.@ ...He can't even return fire from here really. Is range a thing? I can't remember. *Also checks the actions list*
Driver Actions: Significant: -Manoeuvre -Increase safe turn angle -Increase acc/braking from 10%/20% to 20%/40% of max speed -Take evasive action -Go hull-down -Navigate hazard Minor: -Control Vehicle in a straight line or along it's current course with a turn of no more than 30 deg. -Dodge -Take Cover -Hit the Deck -Dismount The Driver can also move the tank object with the 'drive' command.
Pvt Micheal Harris (OOC) asks, "This'd probably be a pretty big, fast move especially for a vehicle. IS there any good hard cover in the immediate area?"
1LT Ben Magnum (OOC) says, "Range is a thing. You can absolutely maneuver to increase range and cover. There's some decent-sized trees. Not that'd hide you completely, but that might spoil their aim."
Abbrev|Skill --------------------------------------------- 1. dht|drive-hovertank 2. dho|drive-hover (other) 3. gtt|Gunner-turret 4. gcp|gun combat-power rifle Syntax: check/ check
1LT Ben Magnum (OOC) says, "'check dho/dex'"
Pvt Micheal Harris checks DRIVE-HOVER (OTHER)(0) + DEX(1): 2d6 + 0 + 1 = 7
1LT Ben Magnum (OOC) will try to pick them up on scanners while wetting himself.
1LT Ben Magnum checks SENSORS(0) + INT(0): 2d6 + 0 + 0 = 8
Pvt Micheal Harris (OOC) says, "So, did I end up crashing? It was below an 8."
1LT Ben Magnum (OOC) says, "Yeah, but it wasn't a roll to avoid a crash, it was just a roll to make their life harder in shooting. So you only failed to give them a penalty to hit you."
As you yank the wheel around and floor it, Magnum is frantically fucking around with the sensors and making little whimpery noises. He's drawn one of his pistols, but then as he tries to manipulate the controls of the sensor suite and he winds up dropping the gun at his feet. On the other hand .... "Over there, about 300 meters," he says. "But I think we ought to head back to base, things might be too hot here!"
Pvt Micheal Harris has his features darken. He yells back at Ben. "You can indict me for insubordination later, SIR, but a.)If you don't help me rescue the captain, I'm going to shoot you! b.)Shut the flying fuck up and get on the gun and return some fucking fire and c.)Radio in if we have any range! ALSO MAYBE NEXT TIME DON'T SCARE OFF OUR FUCKING BACKUP" -_- He isn't taking that as an order. He's on the verge of punching Ben in the face, n.n;; He's moving toward the beacon, though. Live or die, they're attempting this so Ben had better just make peace with it.
1LT Ben Magnum whimpers as you yell at him, and he's gone pasty white. Using his seatback for cover, he fires off a bunch of rounds with his pistol. Though he's lucky if he hits some trees, at this range. But the jeep's speed, slowed as you are for the forest, is still faster than the enemy afoot, so their fire is quickly left behind, and now you're approaching the last source of the captain's locator beacon. The woods here are pretty thick, and there's a stream about 4 meters across. Easy to just drive over in a hover jeep, but you'll throw up a lot of spray.
1LT Ben Magnum (OOC) says, "Make a recon/int"
1LT Ben Magnum checks RECON(0) + INT(0): 2d6 + 0 + 0 = 8 Pvt Micheal Harris checks RECON(-3) + INT(1): 2d6 + -3 + 1 = 1
1LT Ben Magnum (OOC) says, "You fail to find your ass with both hands."
Pvt Micheal Harris can't pinpoint any further without getting out it seems or personal devices he doesn't have. He tries to get Ben in the game ONE more time. "SIR. Please. I BEG of you. Get your shit together before we both die. Man the tri-barrel...and cover me. I'm going to find as much of a hiding spot as I can...and get out on foot." He pauses...and speaks a bit more softly. "If you don't help us, even if you survive, my and possibly the captains death will be on YOUR hands." He hopes this emphasizes how serious this all is. Who knows? Can he even find a good 'hiding' spot? He seems bad at spotting things. Maybe Ben sees something.
1LT Ben Magnum actually, ironically, makes himself useful once again. "Belay that," he says about you getting out. "Over there, in the bushes by the side of the river." He points, and indeed, camoflauged in the mud is a body, in what looks like Tigers' uniform, apart from the mud.
Pvt Micheal Harris blinks once. He peers back at Ben, eyebrow raise....smiles slightly, nods...and looks back to where he needs to drive. He speaks slightly more softly. "Thank you, sir. Please forgive my earlier impertinence. This is a very high stress environment. Now...we need to make a quick decision. I won't leave the jeep if you order me not too...but if there are traps, we'll both die AND lose the jeep...if I go, it'll just be me and you can get out of here. Do you have a final opinion, sir? This may be our last moment to plan."
1LT Ben Magnum uhms as you lay it on the line, sort of. "This is the middle of the woods, Private. The Oscars can't have trapped /the whole woods/. And she would have set some of them off if they had. So .... you know, get out and do your medical thing on her, and bring her back, right? That's what we're here for. And then we can get the hell out, right?"
Pvt Micheal Harris smiles just a bit. This guy's TRYING to keep his cool. He can respect that. He nods, rolling up in the direction of the body, slowly...and if he can get next to her, as discussed before, he'll nod over at Ben. "I would still suggest you get on the big gun, sir, but if not...be careful and keep as much of you covered by the jeep as possible." He doesn't want this guy to get hurt. He isn't a BAD guy. If nothing else happens, he'll slip out of the jeep as quietly and careful as possible, draw his PDW...make sure it's unsafetied and ready to fire...and taking a lower stance, advance slowly torward the 'body'.
1LT Ben Magnum (OOC) asks, "Oh, check medic/int?"
Pvt Micheal Harris checks MEDIC(1) + INT(1): 2d6 + 1 + 1 = 5
1LT Ben Magnum takes the second piece of advice. He crouches down just about as low as he can get. But ... at least he's monitoring the sensors. He's monitoring them just as hard as he can. You sneak up on the Captain just as quietly as you can. The first thing you notice is she's pretty badly banged up, with cracks in her helmet and her clamshell. But ... nothing that looks like fatal damage. When you roll her over, you can see has dispensed it's medical chemicals.
Pvt Micheal Harris (OOC) asks, "I assume by my roll that...I can't help her any further?"
1LT Ben Magnum (OOC) says, "Well, that was a diagnosis roll. You can attempt to help her, though the window for first aid has passed (1 hr). You can attempt a surgery roll."
1LT Ben Magnum (OOC) says, "Though it requires a hospital or sick bay, so you'll be at a -2 out here in the wilds, and you -can- make it worse if you goof up."
1LT Ben Magnum (OOC) says, "On the other hand, you did a pretty cursory diagnosis, with her clamshell still on and all the mud everywhere..."
Pvt Micheal Harris (OOC) says, "I dunno if she's too hurt to move, either, but leaving us all out here is certain death. x.x"
1LT Ben Magnum (OOC) asks, "So ....?"
Pvt Micheal Harris is going to try to move her as gently as he can, he can try lifting her if he can manage it. It looks like Ben's not going to man the gun, so we're just going to hope for the best here! He scans the area while trying to move her. If he can't lift her, he may remove her armor if he can do it quickly and the med chems are already spent. Does he need a check for that?
1LT Ben Magnum (OOC) asks, "check medic/str for me?"
Pvt Micheal Harris checks MEDIC(1) + STR(0): 2d6 + 1 + 0 = 6 1LT Ben Magnum rolled 2d6-1 Result: 11
No check needed to see that her meds are spent. As you roll her onto her back to get ready to pick her up, she groans, and she winces as you try and pick her up. Looks like she was just unconscious after all. (Failed the first roll by a bit, and there were penalties to the roll). Magnum whispers urgently, "Get a move on!" as the captain writhes in your grip, actually getting a foot on the ground. Then the world goes wahooni-shaped, because with her wounds, and what little leverage she has, you'd have to do everything wrong and she'd have to get pretty lucky because she actually manages to bodyslam you down into the river. But she's awake now. Magnum is staring, and possibly catching flies.
Pvt Micheal Harris coughs and sputters from the river. As long as he can still breathe, he can keep his cool. He mutters. "I'm very glad to see you're alive, sir. ...Can you move on your own? I can help you but we need to get the hell out of here yesterday." Either way, he's going to try to work himself to a standing position and help the captain stand as WELL, if she can. If not, he'll assist as appropriate?
She's actually standing on her own, now, if unsteadily, and taking things in as quickly as she can. Ma'am is acceptable, but so is sir, and she doesn't seem to care. A lot of the actual combat types aren't bothered by it - this one certainly isn't. "I'm .... not too great," she admits, "but I can get into a jeep, with a little help. But there's some twerp in my seat," she adds, and Magnum squeaks a little as he scampers up and into the gunner's position as the captain approaches the jeep. She'll accept a hand up, and she grits her teeth as she's helped into the commander's seat. "There were a pair of Oscars that took out my speeder, they were hunting me," she explains, which means she was probably using the river for cover against whatever detectors they had. "I assume you took care of them?"
Pvt Micheal Harris rises to his feet and jumps back into the driver's position. He glances back at the Captain and shakes his head. "No sir. I'm afraid we were very nearly sniped by possibly the same opfor. I have no idea if they converged on us while we were moving. This mission has been fubar almost since it's inception but...I'll say it again, I'm glad you're still with us." He'll try to start up the jeep and assuming it starts, glances back at the Captain. He's probably wait for orders.
The captain, to Lt Magnum's whimpers, says, "Then take us back to where you found them. El-Tee, shut up and spin up that tribarrel. We ought to be able to take them out with that well past where their rifles can do much of anything." You can hear the tribarrel powering up, so it seems that Magnum -is- at least knowledgable in that, and the Captain looks to you. "Let's do this, Private. I want to get back to base /today/."
Pvt Micheal Harris grins widely. THIS is a lot more like it. Ben did ok but...you WANT to follow a good leader. He offers a thumbs up. "Yes sir!" He brings the jeep into gear and gets set to roll back the way they came, assuming nothing stops em. He's going to try to go as quickly as he safely CAN, but if they aren't attacked he won't try any 'crazy driving'.
1LT Ben Magnum (OOC) asks, "check drive/int?"
Pvt Micheal Harris checks DRIVE(0) + INT(1): 2d6 + 0 + 1 = 7
1LT Ben Magnum (OOC) says, "Also recon/int"
1LT Ben Magnum checks RECON(0) + INT(0): 2d6 + 0 + 0 = 7 1LT Ben Magnum rolled 2d6-2 Result: 8 Pvt Micheal Harris checks RECON(-3) + INT(1): 2d6 + -3 + 1 = 6
It's a hover-jeep, so it's not exactly rolling, but apart from that, you guide it back to where you'd found the Oscars before. It's a pretty obvious path, considering how much ground cover you chewed up getting out of there. You're making decent time back, though it's more jungle than you remember, coming the other way. On the other hand, you weren't really paying much attention on the way out here, you were more running /from/ at that point. The Captain, watching the sensors, holds up a hand for you to stop, and points. "About seven hundred meters that way," she says, and Magnum nods. Then he cuts loose with the tribarrel on full auto and hoses the target area down like a madman. A glance back will reveal his eyes are closed.
1LT Ben Magnum rolled 8 extra dice for autofire. 2 6 6 2 1 6 3 4 1LT Ben Magnum (OOC) groups the 2 6's, and the 6 and the 4. 1LT Ben Magnum (OOC) says, "So a 12 and a 10. and some misses." 1LT Ben Magnum (OOC) has +0 for stat and skill, and it's -2 for range, so a 10 and an 8, or 2 hits. 1LT Ben Magnum rolled 4d6+4 Result: 17 1LT Ben Magnum rolled 4d6+4 Result: 18 1LT Ben Magnum checks return fire. 1LT Ben Magnum rolled 2d6-1 Result: 4
Pvt Micheal Harris lets off a bit of a 'woot' as Ben opens fire. Noticing some scatter (which is typical but ALSO seems to imply some wild firing) he glances back for JUST a second and his eyes widen slightly at Ben. He arghs. "SIR. Open your fucking eyes!" He shakes his head and looks back as he can't lose focus for too much. He'll slow here, as he doesn't want to CLOSE range so very quickly at this point.
1LT Ben Magnum (OOC) rolls again for autofire.
1LT Ben Magnum rolled 8 extra dice for autofire. 5 3 2 4 3 6 6 3 1LT Ben Magnum (OOC) will take the 6 and the 4, and the 6 and the 5. 1LT Ben Magnum rolled 4d6+4 Result: 17 1LT Ben Magnum rolled 4d6+4 Result: 19
1LT Ben Magnum's eyes remain closed all the same, it seems, or maybe he's peeking through the squint. Either way, the tribarrel chews up the oscars position something fierce, debris, wood, trees, turf, and bits of body flying everywhere. After several seconds of full auto, the Captain shouts, "Cease fire." And again, much louder, "CEASE FIRE!" That got through, apparently, and Magnum stops shooting. The captain says, "Firing like that, you're gonna melt the barrels before the fight is done." Though, as the smoke and debris settles, it looks like the fight -is- done.
Pvt Micheal Harris glances around at the 'mess' left over, whistling a bit. He blanches SLIGHTLY at bits and pieces of bodies that seem to have gotten around, such things are never pleasant, but of course he's still a soldier and has to get over it. He lifts a thumbs up without looking back. "Looks like REALLY good affect on targets. Ya got em, Sir." Ben's earned a semi-compliment. It was reckless but...at least he DID something instead of freezing.
The captain nods approvingly, and as Magnum whimpers softly behind you both, you drive back to base without incident, a job well^h^h^h^h done. Magnum is still clinging to the butterfly grips, and will need your help to get him off the back of the jeep. The sergeant, who'd been assigned the task, is watching curiously, and sort of smirks as you help Ben back to his quarters. The Captain goes to the comm center to brief the regimental skipper.
Pvt Micheal Harris will wander off to have a smoke break if he's given a few.
Pvt Micheal Harris isn't 'shaky' other than a typical adrenal response but....combat is combat. The caps alive though, and that's what's important.
Indeed, the word of the day is smoke 'em if you've got 'em, and Sgt Victor chuckles and asks how it was with Wonderboy?
Pvt Micheal Harris glances over and shakes his head with a chuckle. He offers Victor a cig if he doesn't have one of his own, assuming he smokes, and grins just a bit. "Well sergeant, it was kind of what one would expect. That being said, he kind of rose to the occasion finally. Mind you, I think the captain had to light a fire under his ass." After taking a large drag and blowing it out, he rubs the back of his head. "That guy needs to do another round of basic, though, if he wants to get out in the field."
The Sarge has a dopestick of his own (not cigarettes per se, these give you a little high and don't cause cancer or any of the long-term effects, though they serve much the same role socially that smokes did, back in the day), and he chuckles. "I'd heard he was a warm streak of piss, is what I heard. I'm kinda glad to hear there's a little more to him, though hopefully he gets his drek all in one sock before the Oscars take him out." He snorts about another round of basic. "He's a fresh-out," he says, using the term for a first-termer. "Son of somebody or other important, got sent off to be a general's VIP driver or something, back on the homeworld. Originally."