0134 - Off We Go Again - Part VII

 Just a not from my side: I would like to thank Tomas and the team from FL for their feedback. I am worried that my comments may have sounded a bit like I do not like the game. This is not the case. I think the team have done a wonderful job of porting the game to a more modern format and I think that the game will benefit from that. This is saying a lot, as I am a die-hard v2.2 fan but we have to move on. I know that the game will not suit everyone but it suits me and I am happy with that.

Their are aspects of the Alpha that I do not like, I have to admit, but Tomas and the FL team do take the feedback seriously and are working to make things better. Still, the fact remains that I, as the GM and controller of my game, have the option to decide what rules I use or not. Tomas is right on this but I wanted to try the rules in an encounter, as I believe it would be unfair of me to just throw away a rule without at least trying it out. What are sandboxes for if not that.

So, Kudos to the FL team, a gearhead has gone rules-light and loves it. Keep up the good work. Need a playtester, let me know.

Now, on to the current engagement.

Initiative
The rules allow for the characters to trade initiative, so we will move Harris up and Klasha down

Order Name
1 Griffin
4 Macron
5 Harris
6 NPCs (Not Particulary Cooperatives)
9 Klasha

Initiative Step 1 - Griffin

The arrival of the Javelin team has become a real danger for the team. Our resident sniper Griff will aim (Fast Action) and engage (Slow Action) the Javelin gunner. The range is 6 (Short) and Griff will add one ammo die.

• Task: Engage Soldier #3-4
• Ability Die: Agility A (D12)
• Skill Die: Ranged Combat B (D10)
• Modifiers: +1 Sniper Specialty, -2 Target is prone = -1
• Mod. Ability Die: Agility A (D12) [Unmodified]
• Mod. Skill Die: Ranged Combat C (D8) [- 1 Step]
• Ammo Die: 1
• Roll: 5,6,3 (3 rounds expended)
• Result: 1 Success

Griff used more ammo (based on the ammo die - 3) than he had in his magazine (2). The ammo die is removed but the weapon is then empty.

The round hits the gunner in the torso, causing 3 points of damage und a critical hit, incapacitating the NPC.

Initiative Step 4 - Macron

His buddy could still pick up the launcher, so Macron will engage the other trooper. The range is 5 (Short) and Macron will add three Ammo dice to the mix.

• Task: Fire at Soldier #2-4
• Ability Die: Agility B (D10)
• Skill Die: Ranged Combat C (D8)
• Modifiers: +1 Rifleman specialty, -2 Target is prone = -1 = -1
• Mod. Ability Die: Agility A (D12) [Unmodified]
• Mod. Skill Die: Ranged Combat D (D6) [-1 Step]
• Ammo Die: 3
• Roll: 3,3,1,3,2 (6 rounds expended)
• Result: Failure

The fire is ineffective, not even managing to suppress the trooper.

Initiative Step 5 - Harris

With his 203 reloaded, Harris will engage the troopers and there is no shortage of targets. There is always a danger deviation, so we can choose a centrally located target, like 3-1 and 3-2. Even if the grenade does miss, there is a good chance that it will hit another hex with some baddies.

Harris will aim (Fast Action) and fire his grenade launcher (Slow Action) the hex containing 3-1 and 3-2. The range is 6 (Medium).

• Task: Fire M203 at Officer #2-1
• Ability Die: Strength B (D10)
• Skill Die: Heavy Weapons  D (D6)
• Modifiers: -1 Medium Range = -1
• Mod. Ability Die: Strength B (D10) [Unmodified]
• Mod. Skill Die: --- [Removed]
• Ammo Die: -- (Heavy weapons do not use Ammo Die)
• Roll: 2,--,-- (1 rounds expended)
• Result: Failure

The round misses and deviates. Since the range is six, it cannot deviate more than half the range (or three hexes). The direction roll is 6 (northwest) and the range is 4, reduced to the maximum of 3, exploding harmlessly on the road.

Initiative Step 6 - NPCs

The current casualties are at 18%, which will not be enough to cause the convoy to withdraw. They still have a lot of valuable cargo to protect.

Officer #1-1 and Soldier #1-2 will continue to move to the right flank (two Fast Actions).

Officer #2-1 again needs to attempt to recover from suppression. His CUF is still C (D8) and the Unit Morale is C (D8, 3-1 and 3-2 are within the line of sight and not suppressed). The results are 5,1 (failure) and he remains suppressed.

Engineer #2-2 will return fire, choosing Macron as his target. The range is 5 (Short) and he will add three ammo die to the pool.

• Task: Engage Harris with M16A2
• Ability Die: Agility C (D8)
• Skill Die: Range Combat C (D8)
• Modifiers: -2 Target is prone, -1 Forest terrain (sorry, forgot this before) = -3
• Mod. Ability Die: Agility D (D6) [- 1 Step]
• Mod. Skill Die: -- [-2 steps and removed]
• Ammo Die: 3
• Roll: 2,--,3,4,5 (12 rounds expended)
• Result: Failure

The rounds are zinging by Marcon but thankfullly his aim was off.

Soldier #2-3 will grab the FN-FNC that his buddy dropped (Fast Action) and fire off a long burst at Griff (Slow Action) without aiming. The range is 6 (Short) and he will add 4 ammo die to the pool.

• Task: Engage Griff with FN FNC
• Ability Die: Agility B (D10)
• Skill Die: Ranged Combat C (D8)
• Modifiers: -2 Quick Shot, -2 Target is prone, -1 Forest terrain (sorry, forgot this before) = -5
• Mod. Ability Die: Agility D (D6) [- 1 Step, last die cannot be removed]
• Mod. Skill Die: -- [-2 steps and removed]
• Ammo Die: 4
• Roll: 1,--,2,6,5,5 (18 rounds expended)
• Result: Failure

Griff still needs to check for supression because of the six on the ammo die. Harris has a CUF of C (D8) and the unit has a morale of B (D10). The results are 5,7 and Harris passes his suppression check.

Soldier #2-4 was suppressd last turn and can now check to recover. His CUF is C (D8) and the Unit Morale is C (D8, friendly troops are within the line of sight and not suppressed). The results are 1,2 (failure) and he remains suppressed.

Officer #3-1 again will aim his AKR (Fast Action) and fire at Macron (slow action). The range is 5 (Medium) and Macron is prone and behind cover. He will add three ammo die to the pool.

• Task: Fire at Macron
• Ability Die: Agility B (D10)
• Skill Die: Ranged Combat (D8)
• Modifiers: -1 Medium Range, -2 Target is prone,  -1 Forest terrain = -4
• Mod. Ability Die: Agility D (D6) [-2 Steps]
• Mod. Skill Die: -- [-2 steps and removed]
• Ammo Die: 3
• Roll: 3,--,5,5,4 (14 rounds expended)
• Result: Failure

Macron is taking a lot of fire but he seems to have found a good position and remains unscathed.

Soldier #3-2 will seek cover (Fast Action) and reload his weapon. One could roll to reload and see if this was a Fast or Slow Action, but this does not really make a difference, as NPC will not perform any other actions.

Soldier #3-3 saw his buddy get hit. He could attempt to move away, trying to get into cover (1-3) or retreive the Javelin and make the Americans pay (4-6). He decides (1) to make the most of his feet and stands (Fast Action) and run South (Slow Action) before droppin prone by the wagon (Free Action).

Initiative Step 9 - Klasha

Last but not least, Klasha. She can see 1-1 and 1-2 moving in on the flanks and decides to give them a piece of her mind and some lead. She aims (Fast Action) and fires at 1-1 (Slow Action). The range is 4 (Short) and she will also add two ammo die to the roll.

• Task: Fire at Soldier #2-4
• Ability Die: Agility C (D8)
• Skill Die: Ranged Combat C (D8)
• Modifiers: -1 Forest terrain = -1
• Mod. Ability Die: Agility C (D8) [Unmodified]
• Mod. Skill Die: Ranged Combat D (D6) [-1 Step]
• Ammo Die: 2
• Roll: 7,1,4,3 (7 rounds expended)
• Result: One success

The round hits the soldier in the arm and he is automatically knocked proned and suppressed.

Panic spreads and now #1-2 also has to check for suppression.  His CUF is C (D8) and no one in his line of sight is unsuppressed. He rolls 5 and fails the roll. He drops prone and is suppressed.

At the end of the turn, the Soviets have 18% casualties and an additional 36% currently suppressed. Things are not going well for them.