0123 - The Great Escape - Part IX - The Mad King - Turn 1

 1250 10 AUG 2000, Near Kamieńsk, Poland
===================================

• "Technically, we opened up first but Potato said he knew where this was going and wanted to get ahead of the rush. He mowed down the left flank of them baddies and they opened up on us. I got hit in the noggin' but I remeber an explosion. When I came back to and wiped the blood away, a lot of them baddies were there with the hands in the air. A lot, not all, but a lot. Serves 'em right."

A few pencil strokes later and the map is finished. Remember these are tactical maps. You are not expected to detail the entire campaign world but rather just the immediate vicinity and the most prominent features. The map shows a small village with a cluster of buildings. To make it intersting, I have added the improvised walls and a tower to the south. From here, the guard has a vantage point from which to see the entire map. I have also decided a few basic rules regarding the terrain features. Total time invested, 10 minutes.

Most of the guards are surrounding the king to the north but some remain scattered around the village to ensure that his "loyal" subjects don't run off. They can join the fight if the shooting starts and probably will. They are not willing to die today, so their break point will be 20%, except the king who will fight to the death.

Everything is set up and now is time for the dying.

Initiative
Now time to draw initiative for this round.

Order Name
1 Potato
2 NPCs (Not Particularly Cooperatives)
3 Griffin
4 Macron
5 Logan
6 Marshall
7 Klasha
8 Harris
9 Robinson
10 Wally


Initiative Step 1 - Potato
As he thinks the situation has deteriorated enough, Potato drops prone (Free action) with his PKM, taking aim (Fast Action) at the left flank of the enemy and lets loose with a long burst (Slow Action). The range is 4 (Short).

• Task: Fire a burst at the civilian guards
• Ability Die: Strength A (D12)
• Skill Die: Heavy Weapons B (D10)
• Modifiers: None
• Mod. Ability Die: Strength A (D12) [Unmodified]
• Mod. Skill Die: Heavy Weapons B (D10) [Unmodified]
• Ammo Die: 4
• Roll: 8,10,2,4,6,6 (18 rounds expended)
• Result: 5 Successes

The legs of the civilians are covered by the wall they are currently standing behind. The first hit goes to Civilian 4, hitting him in the torso. The total of three hits means a total damage of 3 + 2 (for the additional hits) = 5, which is more than enough to drop the civilian.

The other two hits go to civilian 5, one round hitting him in the torso for 3 and the second punches through the improvised barrier (-2 damage) before hitting him in the leg for 1, incapacitating him. No need to roll suppression, as all the occupants of the hex are down.

Initiative Step 2 - NPCs
Befitting his somewhat unstable nature, the king will take aim at Harris (Fast Action) and fire his UZI until the barrel melts down (Slow Action). What he lacks for in skill, he will make up for in empty casings. The range is 4 ( Medium).

• Task: Fire full auto at Harris
• Ability Die: Agility C (D8)
• Skill Die: ---
• Modifiers: -1 Medium range
• Mod. Ability Die: Agility D (D6) [-1 Step]
• Mod. Skill Die: --
• Ammo Die: 4
• Roll: 5,--,2,3,5,1 (11 rounds expended)
• Result: Failure

The spraying looks impressive but in the end, it is useless and the team presses on unharmed.

Civilian 1 will take aim (Fast Action) at Marshall (determined randomly) and fire at her (Slow Action). The range is 4 (Short)

• Task: Fire at Marshall
• Ability Die: Agility C (D8)
• Skill Die: Ranged Combat D (D6)
• Modifiers: --
• Mod. Ability Die: Agility C (D8) [Unmodified]
• Mod. Skill Die: Ranged Combat D (D6) [Unmodified]
• Ammo Die: 1
• Roll: 6,4,5 (5 rounds expended)
• Result: 1 Success

The civilian rapid fires his entire load of ammo, hitting Marshall in head. She has no helmet and takes three points of damage. She is knocked prone and must roll for suppression. Her CUF is C and the Unit Morale (as she has LOS to those around her) is B.

• Task: Roll for Suppression for Marshall
• Ability Die: Coolness Under Fire C (D8)
• Skill Die: Unit Morale B (D10)
• Modifiers: --
• Mod. Ability Die: Coolness Under Fire C (D8) [Unmodified]
• Mod. Skill Die: Unit Morale B (D10) [Unmodified]
• Ammo Die: N/A
• Roll: 4,2,--
• Result: Failure

Marshall is now suppressed, forcing everyone else in the hex to check (Panic Spreads). She also takes 1 point of Stress. This the majority of the team.

• Task: Roll for Suppression for Logan
• Ability Die: Coolness Under Fire C (D8)
• Skill Die: Unit Morale B (D10)
• Modifiers: --
• Mod. Ability Die: Coolness Under Fire C (D8) [Unmodified]
• Mod. Skill Die: Unit Morale B (D10) [Unmodified]
• Ammo Die: N/A
• Roll: 6,8,--
• Result: Success

• Task: Roll for Suppression for Griffin
• Ability Die: Coolness Under Fire B (D10)
• Skill Die: Unit Morale B (D10)
• Modifiers: --
• Mod. Ability Die: Coolness Under Fire B (D10) [Unmodified]
• Mod. Skill Die: Unit Morale B (D10) [Unmodified]
• Ammo Die: N/A
• Roll: 1,5,--
• Result: Failure

• Task: Roll for Suppression for Harris
• Ability Die: Coolness Under Fire C (D8)
• Skill Die: Unit Morale B (D10)
• Modifiers: --
• Mod. Ability Die: Coolness Under Fire C (D8) [Unmodified]
• Mod. Skill Die: Unit Morale B (D10) [Unmodified]
• Ammo Die: N/A
• Roll: 3,8,--
• Result: Success

• Task: Roll for Suppression for Macron
• Ability Die: Coolness Under Fire C (D8)
• Skill Die: Unit Morale B (D10)
• Modifiers: --
• Mod. Ability Die: Coolness Under Fire C (D8) [Unmodified]
• Mod. Skill Die: Unit Morale B (D10) [Unmodified]
• Ammo Die: N/A
• Roll: 7,9,--
• Result: Success

• Task: Roll for Suppression for Klasha
• Ability Die: Coolness Under Fire B (D10)
• Skill Die: Unit Morale B (D10)
• Modifiers: --
• Mod. Ability Die: Coolness Under Fire B (D10) [Unmodified]
• Mod. Skill Die: Unit Morale B (D10) [Unmodified]
• Ammo Die: N/A
• Roll: 1,5,--
• Result: Failure

That is unfortunate. Now a third of the team is suppressed. In addition, Marshall, Griff and Klasha also suffer 1 stress.

Time to continue with the rest of the baddies.

Civilian 2 takes aim (Fast Action) at hex the group around Marshall is in with this RPG-7V and fires (Slow Action). The range is 4 (Short).

• Task: Fire the RPG at the group
• Ability Die: Strength C (D8)
• Skill Die: ---
• Modifiers: --
• Mod. Ability Die: Strength C (D8) [Unmodified]
• Mod. Skill Die: ---
• Ammo Die: N/A
• Roll: 5,--,-- 
• Result: Failure

The rocket deviates. The direction is South and the distance is one hex. Although the rocket impacts short of the target, most of the team are caught in the outer edge of the explosion.

Potato, Griff, Marshall and Klasha are all prone. The explosive damage is reduced by one step, removing the danger for those team members. Harris, Logan, Macron and Wally are still standing and in danger of being hit by the blast. The results are as follows:

Character 2D6 Hit Roll Result
Harris 5,5 No hits
Logan 2,6 1 hit (Head, has helmet, fails to penetrate, knocked prone, takes 1 Stress point)
Macron 1,6 1 hit (Torso, has vest, fails to penetrate, knocked prone, takes 1 Stress point)
Wally 1,5 No hits

Logan and Macron are both passed hit again and knocked down, forcing a suppression test.

• Task: Roll for Suppression for Logan
• Ability Die: Coolness Under Fire C (D8)
• Skill Die: Unit Morale B (D10)
• Modifiers: --
• Mod. Ability Die: Coolness Under Fire C (D8) [Unmodified]
• Mod. Skill Die: Unit Morale B (D10) [Unmodified]
• Ammo Die: N/A
• Roll: 4,9,--
• Result: Success

• Task: Roll for Suppression for Macron
• Ability Die: Coolness Under Fire C (D8)
• Skill Die: Unit Morale B (D10)
• Modifiers: --
• Mod. Ability Die: Coolness Under Fire C (D8) [Unmodified]
• Mod. Skill Die: Unit Morale B (D10) [Unmodified]
• Ammo Die: N/A
• Roll: 2,8,--
• Result: Success

Say what you will about both, they are not easily flustered. As the last of the shrapnel falls, the Battle of Nowhereville continues.

Since Harris, after all that, is still standing, Civilian 3 will take aim at him (Fast Action) and fire his hunting rifle (Slow Action). The range is 4 (Short)

• Task: Fire at Harris
• Ability Die: Agility C (D8)
• Skill Die: Ranged Combat D (D6)
• Modifiers: --
• Mod. Ability Die: Agility C (D8) [Unmodified]
• Mod. Skill Die: Ranged Combat D (D6) [Unmodified]
• Ammo Die: 1
• Roll: 6,2,4 (4 rounds expended)
• Result: 1 Success
• 
  

The round hits Harris in the leg for 3, forcing another suppresssion test.

• Task: Roll for Suppression for Harris
• Ability Die: Coolness Under Fire C (D8)
• Skill Die: Unit Morale B (D10)
• Modifiers: --
• Mod. Ability Die: Coolness Under Fire C (D8) [Unmodified]
• Mod. Skill Die: Unit Morale B (D10) [Unmodified]
• Ammo Die: N/A
• Roll: 2,1,--
• Result: Failure

Like the others, Harris finally goes prone and is suppressed after the third try. He takes one Stress point.

Note: one could impose a -1 penalty for each suppression check after the first to reflect how hard it would be to resist the urge to duck when receiving a lot of fire, like Harris.

Civilians 6, 7 and 9 will run toward the barrier to see what all the shooting is about.

Alone in his tower, Civilian 8 will aim (Fast Action) at Robinson before firing at him (Slow Action).  The range is 9 (Short)

• Task: Fire at Robinson
• Ability Die: Agility C (D8)
• Skill Die: Ranged Combat D (D6)
• Modifiers: --
• Mod. Ability Die: Agility C (D8) [Unmodified]
• Mod. Skill Die: Ranged Combat D (D6) [Unmodified]
• Ammo Die: 1
• Roll: 7,3,3 (3 rounds expended)
• Result: 1 Success

Robinson is hit in the arm for 3 points and he takes 1 point of stress. He also must make a Suppression check.

• Task: Roll for Suppression for Robinson
• Ability Die: Coolness Under Fire C (D8)
• Skill Die: Unit Morale B (D10)
• Modifiers: --
• Mod. Ability Die: Coolness Under Fire C (D8) [Unmodified]
• Mod. Skill Die: Unit Morale B (D10) [Unmodified]
• Ammo Die: N/A
• Roll: 3,7,--
• Result: Failure

Now the rest of the team can fire back, although a lot are now suppressed.

Initiative Step 3 - Griff
Griff is suppressed and may not take any actions.

Initiative Step 4 - Macron
Macron is prone but not suppressed. Time to return fire.

Macron will aim his AK-74 (Fast Action) at King Dunderhead and squeeze off some rounds. The range is 4 (Short).

• Task: Shoot at the King (no, not Elvis)
• Ability Die: Agility B (D10)
• Skill Die: Ranged Combat C (D8)
• Modifiers: +1 Rifleman Specialty = +1
• Mod. Ability Die: Agility A (D12) [+1 Step]
• Mod. Skill Die: Ranged Combat C (D8) [Unmodified]
• Ammo Die: 3
• Roll: 9,3,6,6,6 (18 rounds expended)
• Result: 4 Successes

Wow, Macron punched his ticket. Still, he is protected from the waste down by the barrier. Two rounds take him in the torso and the other two in the arm, for a total of 8 points of damage. The King has left the building and is now truly dead. All NPCs that witness their king go down take 2 points of Stress.

Initiative Step 5 - Logan
Logan is suppressed and may not take any actions.

Initiative Step 6 - Marshall
Marshall is suppressed and may not take any actions.

Initiative Step 7 - Klasha
Klasha is suppressed and may not take any actions.

Initiative Step 8 - Harris
Harris is suppressed and may not take any actions.

Initiative Step 9 - Robinson
Robinson will aim (Fast Action) and fire his AKM at Civilian 3 (Slow Action). The range is  4 (Short).

• Task: Fire at Civilian 3
• Ability Die: Agility B (D10)
• Skill Die: Ranged Combat C (D8)
• Modifiers: --
• Mod. Ability Die: Agility B (D10) [Unmodified]
• Mod. Skill Die: Ranged Combat C (D8) [Unmodified]
• Ammo Die: 3
• Roll: 2,8,6,6,1 (13 rounds expended)
• Result: 3 Successes

This results in three individual hits on the unfortunate wanna-be marauder. They hit the marauder in the head, torso and leg (barrier stops the round) for a total of 4, incapacitating the civilian.

Initiative Step 10 - Wally
Wally will use his AK-74 to help the others clean the defenders of the wall. He will aim (Fast Action) at Civilian 1 before firing (Slow Action). The range is  4 (Short).

• Task: Fire at Civilian 1
• Ability Die: Agility B (D10)
• Skill Die: Ranged Combat D (D6)
• Modifiers: --
• Mod. Ability Die: Agility B (D10) [Unmodified]
• Mod. Skill Die: Ranged Combat D (D6)) [Unmodified]
• Ammo Die: 3
• Roll: 4,3,6,4,3 (13 rounds expended)
• Result: 1 Success

The round his the civilian in the torso, wounding him and giving him and additional point of stress. He will need to make a suppression test.

• Task: Roll for Suppression for Civilian 1
• Ability Die: Coolness Under Fire D (D6)
• Skill Die: Unit Morale B (D10)
• Modifiers: --
• Mod. Ability Die: Coolness Under Fire D (D6) [Unmodified]
• Mod. Skill Die: -- [Their great leader has perished]
• Ammo Die: N/A
• Roll: 3,-,--
• Result: Success

The civilian fails the suppression roll but the fight is effectively over.

The marauders have suffered 2 KIA, 3 WIA (of which two are incapacitated), with a total of 50% casualties. This is more than twice their break point and they will throw their hands up and one the mercy of the characters.

Nowhereville is now secure.

0122 - The Great Escape - Part IX - Heading Home - Day 3

 0600 10 AUG 2000, Near Piotrków Trybunalski, Poland
===================================

• "It is not like we are looking for trouble. We never look but it apparently has our forwarding address wherever we go. This guy (sorry, did not bother to ask his name) wanted us to join his little ragtag band of wanna be rulers. We told we had a thing and did not have time for his show. That went over poorly and then next thing I know, everybody is cockin' weapons. That was just before the fireworks started, of course."

Now the team needs to move on but the wounded Soviet soldiers do pose a problem. Sure, cold-hearted individuals would leave them to their own devices, maybe even promising to tell and passing Soviets where they left them. This might even be something a lot of gaming groups would do without a second thought when they are not playing in character. This is not the case here.

Logan will not allow the Soviets to be left alone. This means either they go with the group or he stays with them until they can be handed off. Now no group is going to drive off and leave their sawbones, so we need to make room in the trucks. They are currently full with the POWs and there is no way we are squeezing in 9 new stretcher cases. Somebody is going to have to walk.

The POWs can walk to Piotrków, where there are rumored to be Warsaw Pact troops. This will also support the illusion that the group is actually escorting POWs.

Morning Shift

Weather: The weather remains fair.

Light Conditions: Light

Activities: Wally will ride shotgun in Worse with his partner in crime Robinson driving and Klasha with the wounded POWs that cannot walk. Marshall and Potato will be leading off in Bad with Logan tending to the wounded Soviets. The rest will form a loose security perimeter around the walking POWs. Bad will lead off, followed by Worse.

Navigation: Navigation is not necessary, as the team is traveling by road.

Hazards: The group must make a hazard roll for a new shift driving on the road. Since they are traveling together, we will make a group roll. Marshall in the lead vehicle will make the roll, assisted by here commander Potato.

• Task: Avoid a hazard while driving
• Ability Die: Agility B (D10)
• Skill Die: Driving C (D8)
• Modifiers: +3 driving modifier for roads, +1 assisted by Robinson = +4
• Mod. Ability Die: Agility A (D12) [+1 Step]
• Mod. Skill Die: Driving A (D12) [+2 Steps]
• Ammo Die: N/A
• Roll: 9,12,--
• Result: 3 successes
  

It is easy sailing for the group, which was to be expected as they are moving at walking speed. Midway into the shift, the encounter the first Soviet OPs outside Piotrków.

Encounters:

• Hex 1 (Piotrków, Poland): This is mandated encounter with a Soviet patrol, since we know that there are Soviets in the town. The characters probably do not know the exact nature, only that they are their.
  

Potato will approach the barrier and demand to speak to an officer, explaining that he has wounded Soviet soldiers that require medical attention. After a while, an officer shows up. On a 1-2, Potato outranks the officer, 3-4 they are the same rank, 5-6 the officer outranks Potato: 1, Potato outranks the young officer.

Wally and Klasha will back him up, insisting that the troops were the victims of an IED on the road to Bełchatów. Potato will insist that the wounded be offloaded now, as he must transport the prisoners to a prison camp father south (which is a lie).

• Task: Convince the Soviets to take the wounded
• Ability Die: Empathy C (D8)
• Skill Die: -- none --
• Modifiers: +2 being assisted by Wally and Klasha, +1 Potato outranks the young officer, +1 the wounded are Soviets, just like the officer, -1 the Soviets will then have to care for the wounded, -1 the officer knows of no prison camp to the south  = +2
• Mod. Ability Die: Empathy A (D12) [+2 Steps]
• Mod. Skill Die: -- none --
• Ammo Die: N/A
• Roll: 11,--,--
• Result: 2 successes
  

The young officer orders his men forward, helping the Soviet wounded down from the trucks and loading them on hand carts for transport to the division hospital of the 124th Motorized Rifle Division.

Potato orders the American POWs aboard and the group sets off again. Marshall and Robinson are driving, Griff and Macron keeping watch.

Since the encounter would not have taken long group can still continue. I will rule that they have lost half a shift of travel, which means that they may still travel 4 hexes this shift.

• Hex 2 (near Kamieńsk, Poland): Ace of Spades (The Mad King).
  

Just one day without having to draw down on someone. Is that too much to ask? Apparently yes.

The group approaches a fortified village defended by scrap barricades and 9 civilian guards and a pompous "king". In addition, there are 50 "subjects" of the king in the village. The encounter range would be 28 but the group will close up to 5 (leaving the trucks and the POWs behind), as they may want to talk. The king is probably part of the marauder band that fled Kamieńsk when the Soviets arrived nearby. Old habits die hard, apparently.

The stats of the "king" and his royal entourage are:

• Civilian STR C, AGL C, INT C, EMP C, Hits 4 Close Combat D, Driving D, Ranged Combat D, Recon D Pistol or shotgun with one reload and one RPG-16 (one reload) to share
• Leader has STR B, AGL C, INT B, EMP A, COMMAND B, and carries an Uzi with two reloads.

There is a total of 35 rations of domestic food in the village.

PCs can be persuaded just as NPCs can. It is a long shot, but the "king" can at least try. The "king" offers the group to become part of the glorious army he is creating to reclaim Poland. In return for their service and that of the group traveling with them, they will have first choice of anything they want, men, women, wine, food and what ever tickles their fancy.

• Task: Persuade the PCs to join the marauder army
• Ability Die: Empathy A (D12)
• Skill Die: ---
• Modifiers: +1 the king has more men on his side, +1 joining will cost the PCs nothing, +1 in a war torn Poland, his argument of a secure life is not a bad one, -1 the characters are not in the same hex = +2
• Mod. Ability Die: Empathy A (D12) [Unchanged]
• Mod. Skill Die: Skill Dice (D6) [Added to cover the additional step up]
• Ammo Die: N/A
• Roll: 6,3,X
• Result: 1 success
  

The offer would give the characters a lot of security but being a marauder means a short, violent life that end with a bullet if your are lucky. This is an offer the characters will politely refuse, of course, upon which king dunderhead demands they leave half their stuff as tribute. Any PCs worth their salt are going to tell the delusional individual in no certain terms that they will not be giving up any equipment. So the conflict starts.

Off to the tactical map we go.