0153 - Going Native - Part II

0800 20 AUG 2000, Dobrodzień, Poland

===================================

"We packed up what we needed: beans, bullets and clean socks (if we had 'em). Everybody had their seats and had checked their weapons when we got another warm body added to the group. Shootin' at 'em last week, takin' 'em along for the ride this week. Welcome to the Polish Reality."

 

It's all about hybrids. We take bits and pieces of our games that work and combine them to make even better gaming experiences. It is like that here too. I use the GME an lot to keep the randomness in the game and to assist when I hit a snag. I use scenes and lists of course, to keep track of the action and the world around the characters. I use the travel mechanism from T2K to determine when the group meets people on the road and I use my modified encounter rules to detail those groups. Take the best and combine it to make it better.

 

This is the GME template I use to track the relevant Adventure information:

 

Adventure Name: Going Native

 

Adventure Notes:

The group travels to Krakow to find a DIA agent in hopes that he can assist them in locating a group of Spooks that the cav troops were to contact.

 

Chaos Factor: 5

 

Lists

Character List	Threads List	Locations List
2LT Jade Marshall (PC)	Traveling to Krakow	Cantonment in Dobrodzień, Poland
2LT Wayne Logan (PC)		Iov wants to leave the group and travel farther east
SSG Michael Griffin (PC)
MAJ Edward Harris (PC)
SPC Walerian ‚Wally‘ Losinski  (PC)
MSG Eduard “Potato” Potapenko (PC)
SFC Jack Robinson  (PC)
SSG Micheal Macron (PC)
AGT Sukhikh Klara “Klasha” Kirillovna (PC)

 

We will fill it with life as the adventure continues but the initial data has been entered. The Chaos Factor is set to 5 at the beginning but may change based on how well (or poorly) the scene goes for the characters.

 

In the first scene, before the group sets out, it would be important to determine the status of our POW. The group captured a Soviet trooper during a supply convoy raid and have bringing him along since. The trooper could be an asset but we first need to determine if he wants to actually work with the group.

 

Scene 001 (CR 5) - Talking to Iov

===================================

Scene Setup

The group is preparing to depart for Krakow and want to talk to Iov about his future with the group.  Will he talk to them?

 

[GME: Is Iov willing to talk to the group ? - Chaos Rank 5 - Likely (he has been well-treated up to now and has no reason to fear the group 75%) - 37% - Yes]

 

Klara and Harris will talk to Iov, and offer him the chance to travel with the group as they make their way East. If he accepts, they will arm him and place him in the convoy.

 

Scene Resolution (Die Roll: 8 - Unaltered)

 

Klasha and Harris pull Iov aside and explain the situation to him. The group cannot hold him indefinitely and they need to move out. They offer him a place on the convoy as it moves east and a home with group, if he wants to have it.

 

Klasha will attempt to Persuade him:

 

Task:	Persuade Iov to join the group
Ability Die:	Empathy B (D10)
Skill Die:	Persuasion B (D10)
Modifiers:	+1 assisted by Harris, +1 have more people, +1 won't cost Iov anything, +1 Iov is held captive, -1 NPC motivation: moderately sociable	= +3
Mod. Ability Die:	Empathy A (D12)	[+1 Step, total = +1]
Mod. Skill Die:	Persuasion A (D11)	[+1 Step, total = +1]
Ammo Die:	--
Roll:	12,9,--
Result:	3 Successes

 

That is going to be hard to beat but Iov does get to try.

 

Task:	Resist the persuasion
Ability Die:	Empathy C (D8)
Skill Die:	--
Modifiers:	-1 held captive	= -1
Mod. Ability Die:	Empathy D (D6)	[-1 Step, total = +1]
Mod. Skill Die:	--	--
Ammo Die:	--
Roll:	3,-,-
Result:	Failure

 

Iov accepts the offer to travel East with the group. We can assume that his loyalty now switches to the group.

 

Since the group is travelling East and we know from his back story that he just wants to get home, will Iov want to leave the group at a later point in time? We can ask the GME:

 

[GME: Will Iov tell the group that he will want to leave later when the group is farther East? - Chaos Rank 5 - Somewhat Likely (he needs to group to travel safely but is probably worried that they will not take him if he tells them he will want to leave - 65%) - 70% - No]

 

Guess it will be his dirty little secret until then. We can add it as a possible thread so. Maybe a random event will bring this into the spotlight.

 

Not wanting to leaving him feeling unloved, we have to arm him. Luckily we have an AKR left over some body armor "donated" by some of our former enemies. At least he won't be stuck using just harsh language.

 

He will replace Marshall as the HMMWV driver and she will move to the bed of the 2.5-ton truck.

 

The team mounts up and heads out, in the planned order of march, headed East. The planned route is to head East, passing Czestochowa, to approach Krakow from the north. The team will attempt to recon the route there, providing this intelligence to the Cav Troops upon their return. This is a secondary mission.

 

The slowest of the vehicles is the deuce-and-a-half, with a travel speed of 8, so the team will need just over two shifts to reach their destination, assuming that they do not run into any trouble.

 

We will treat the travel shifts as individual scenes, with encounters also being treated as separate scenes. That being said, off we go.

 

Scene 002 (CF 4) - Traveling (1st Shift)

===================================

Scene Setup

Since the last scene went rather well, with Klasha fully controlling the persuasion and such, the Chaos Factor is reduced to 4. If things go well, with the characters in control of the scene, the CF goes down, if it goes badly, it goes up.

 

The team will continue to travel the main roads, travelling in formation as defined before, through Lubliniec and Czestochowa before arriving in the outskirts of Szczekoclny at the end of the shift.

 

The marching order (revised) will be:

 

• Jerry (Driver: Iov - [Driving B/C], Gunner (Mk-19): Potato - [Heavy Weapons A/B], Commander: Harris - [Recon B/D],  Passenger: Logan)
• Bad (Driver: Klasha - [Driving C/D, Recon B/C], Gunner (L7A2): Macron - [Heavy Weapons C/D, Recon B/B], Passenger (Marshall)
• Bud (Driver: Wally - [Driving B/C], Gunner (TOW): Robinson - [Heavy Weapons B/B], Passenger: Griffin - [Recon B/C])

 

Convoy spacing will be 20m.

 

The scene roll is a 7, higher than the Chaos Factor, meaning the scene takes place as planned. Off to the travel template.

 

Scene Resolution

Starting the travel.

 

Morning Shift

 

Weather:

The weather remains fair (actually, historically it was a very warm summer day (26-34°C). Here is a link to the weather archive: https://en.tutiempo.net/climate/08-2000/ws-125660.html)

 

Light Conditions:

Light

 

Activities:

Iov, Klasha and Wally will drive, with Harris, Griff and Macron keeping watch. Potato and Robinson will man the weapons, along with Marcon. The rest of the team will rest.

 

Navigation:

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

 

Hazards:

We need to make Driving checks. As the group is travelling in a Convoy, we will make one roll for the first vehicle, assuming the rest follow the first vehicle. Any hazards will probably affect the first vehicle, but we will the GME decide this, if necessary.

 

The terrain (Road) provides a +3 modifier.

 

Task:	Driving roll for Iov (first vehicle)
Ability Die:	Agility B (D10)
Skill Die:	Driving C (D8)
Modifiers:	+1 Terrain Modifier	= +3
Mod. Ability Die:	Agility A (D12)	[+1 Step, total = +1]
Mod. Skill Die:	Driving A (D12)	[+2 Steps, total = +2]
Ammo Die:	--
Roll:	4,11,--
Result:	2 Successes

 

No problems there.

 

Encounters:

Unless otherwise noted, the terrain for the all encounters is Road.

 

First Hex (Organized, -1 encounter modifier) - Group Encounter (Marauders)

Darn, more people interested in our cargo. That is unfortunate for them. We will now switch to a new scene.

 

 

0152 - Going Native - Part I

 0800 20 AUG 2000, Dobrodzień, Poland

===================================

"We made it back and the guys spent a bit of time on sick call. Macron took longest and his days as a professional ping-pong player hopeful are over. Another dream that will never be realized because of this damn fracas.

 

When the team was back up, Captain Warren called an all-officers meeting and we went, taking Logan, Harris and Klasha, as no one told us she was not an officer. Top Blue Elk gave us an overview of the current situation. Although the cav boys were holdin' their own, it looks like we were going to have to stay for a while. Recon forces have identified strong enemy concentrations between us and the German border. It is unlikely we could move in force in that direction without attracting a lot of attention. Attracting attention is something the 5th did back at Kalisz. Not looking forward to that again. Also for consideration, a lot of the cav guys had also set up home here in this little burg and wanted to stay. It may not be home to everyone but it was the best show in town at the moment.

 

Captain Warren then explained the mission of the 116th during the Final Offensive. The Cav troopers had been attached to the 5th for the Last Offensive. After our brigade was overrun, the 116th broke contact and made their way south. On the way they popped a Soviet convoy loaded with real gas, (I am not kiddin'), and used that to make their way back to their cantonment.

 

Captain Warren reiterated that that offensive was the last gasp and there probably would not be another one but the offensive was not the important part. The 116th had been sent on a mission to meet up with some spooks but were not able to make contact because of the Soviet resistance. That team, at least in her opinion, may be out there somewhere and we need to find out if they are and bring them home. For that, we will need a bit of help.

 

One of the people in all of Poland that might know where the team is would be their handler. Captain Warren and team never met him personally but had radio contact with him prior to their jumping off on the Kalisz adventure. Captain Warren knows that he is a DIA agent working out of Krakow. She assumes that he also had contact with the team that the 116th was to meet up with. Maybe he knows where the team is and how they can contact them.

 

Our mission was to pose as traders/marauders and travel to the city. Entrance would only be given to those that could pay their way, so we would have to make a good show of it. Once in the city, our mission was to find and make contact with the agent with nothing but his code name: Strongman."

 

Skipping ahead a bit in the timeline. The team has returned to the cantonment and had a chance to heal up a bit. On the way back, the team will recover the Cache #1 (70% intact, roll is 51), recovering the ammunition and the small tent.

 

Posing as a group of traders/marauders itself would not be that difficult. A lot of merchants use ex-soldiers to protect their convoys and marauders can consist of pretty much anyone with a gun. Not a lot of call for CVs when applying to become a marauder. The question would be what to appear to want to sell/transport. The team has gathered a lot of equipment over time and this would be something that could possibly be sold in Krakow. The team can load the stuff on the 2.5-ton truck and maybe pick up some other equipment they may be needing.

 

A lot of the captured weapons and equipment will be sold. Before that, the team can try to a) standardize their weapons and b) switch to Pact weapons, allowing them to easily resupply using captured equipment. The team will switch to AK-74/RPK-74/AKMR weapons. The only persons not using the standard weapons will be Potato (with his PKM) and Griffin (who will use a SVD-63), but both of them use the same caliber weapons, so they will be able to share ammunition. Robinson, the only member of the team with an AKM, will trade that out for a RPK-74, adding another support weapon to the team. The team also has the RPG-7V (carried by Robinson), the GP-25 (carried by Harris) and the PKM (carried by Potato).

 

So, the cover will be arms dealers. The group can have a small convoy, with the HMMWV (Jerry) and the 3/4-ton Truck (Bud) protecting the 2 1/2-ton truck (Bad). In the bed of the Bud, the team can mount their TOW-launcher, making a cool technical and providing the team with antitank support. We have a tripod and three missiles in the cache. We can also mount one of the AN/PRC-119 SINCGARS radios to allow the vehicle to communicate with the lead vehicle.

 

The Hummer has a Mk-19 available but it is damaged. The team needs to get some spare parts and heads to the market. We also need some more mags for both the RPK-74 and the SVD. We will send our resident spook Klasha, assisted by Wally as the Grease Monkey in charge. The team can hit up Metody, as they still have credit with him from the last transaction.

 

First of all, determine if weapon parts are available. These are Common items and they are available on a D6 roll of 3 or higher. The roll is a 5, indicating there are some and another 2D6 roll means that the merchants have 5 available.

 

Note: the following uses a hybrid out of my rules for Trade in Twilight:20000 (https://twilight2000solo.blogspot.com/2019/08/0079-trade-in-twilight-2000.html) and the rules as presented in the v4 version. Regarding the v2 Wear Value, this had an effect on the costs. The same should apply to Reliability and it does. The following shows the effect on the base price for those items based on Reliability:

 

Reliability	Base Price Modifier
A	100%
B	90%
C	80%
D	70%
F	60%

 

The Reliability F does means that something is broken but that does not mean it cannot be repaired or used for parts. That is why it is not just reduced to 0.

 

The weapon parts do not have reliability, so their base price will not be affected by their reliability. The base price for the parts is 25 rounds per part or a total of 125 rounds for the total. We modify this by (D6+7) * 10% or (5+7)*10% or 120%. This results in a modified base price of 125 * 120% = 150 rounds.  Metody, for all his faults, is not greedy so the base price remains at 150.

 

Time for Klasha to do her magic.

 

Task:	Convince Metody to lower the asking price
Ability Die:	Empathy B (D10)
Skill Die:	Persuasion B (D10)
Modifiers:	+1 Psy Ops specialty, +1 assisted by Wally, -1 you ask for something valuable	= +1
Mod. Ability Die:	Empathy A (D12)	[+1 Step, total = +1]
Mod. Skill Die:	Persuasion B (D10)	[Unmodified]
Ammo Die:	--
Roll:	7,10,--
Result:	3 Successes

 

Not bad, but it is an opposed roll, so Metody gets his chance.

 

Task:	Resist Klasha's persuasion
Ability Die:	Empathy C (D8)
Skill Die:	Persuasion B (D10)
Modifiers:	--
Mod. Ability Die:	Empathy C (D8)	[Unmodified]
Mod. Skill Die:	Persuasion B (D10)	[Unmodified]
Ammo Die:	--
Roll:	3,6,--
Result:	1 Success

 

So, we have grand total of 2 successes, which reduces the asking price by 20%, giving a final asking price of 120. Metody can take that off our credit.

 

Next on the shopping list, magazines. These are not given in the equipment list, but I believe a price of 5 per 10 rounds of capacity is fair. The question is, do they have some available. These will be common items, of course, so we again roll a D6 for 3 or more. The roll is 4 (meaning they available) and another 2D6 roll and we see that 12 magazines are available. Of those, 6 (random 6 roll) are SVD magazines and the others are magazines for RPK-74.

 

The price will be 6 x (10 rounds x 5) = 300 + 6 x (40 x 5) = 1.500. No reliability or greedy merchant influence here so the base price stays at 1.500. Maybe Klasha can bring it down.

 

Task:	Convince Metody to lower the asking price
Ability Die:	Empathy B (D10)
Skill Die:	Persuasion B (D10)
Modifiers:	+1 Psy Ops specialty, +1 assisted by Wally, -1 you ask for something valuable	= +1
Mod. Ability Die:	Empathy A (D12)	[+1 Step, total = +1]
Mod. Skill Die:	Persuasion B (D10)	[Unmodified]
Ammo Die:	--
Roll:	2,9,--
Result:	1 Success

 

Guess his margins on magazines are a bit strict. He still gets his chance so.

 

Task:	Resist Klasha's persuasion
Ability Die:	Empathy C (D8)
Skill Die:	Persuasion B (D10)
Modifiers:	--
Mod. Ability Die:	Empathy C (D8)	[Unmodified]
Mod. Skill Die:	Persuasion B (D10)	[Unmodified]
Ammo Die:	--
Roll:	2,4,--
Result:	No successes

 

One success total will bring down the price by 150, for a new total of 1350. Again, use that credit (now totaling 1470). The team can pack up their new belongings and head back to base.

 

Once back at base, Wally needs to repair the Mk-19. Robinson can help and hopefully they do not blow it. The gang needs this weapon.

 

Task:	Repair the Mk-19
Ability Die:	Intelligence B (D10)
Skill Die:	Tech B (D10)
Modifiers:	+1 assisted by Robinson	= +1
Mod. Ability Die:	Intelligence A (D12)	[+1 Step, total = +1]
Mod. Skill Die:	Tech B (D10)	[Unmodified]
Ammo Die:	--
Roll:	8,8,--
Result:	2 Successes

 

So, Wally was successful. That is great news. Two successes signal a repair (to Reliability level D) and a further repair to level C. The weapon can be maintained by Wally, possibly increasing its Reliability later. For now, we can put it on the HMMWV. We can also add a tripod and the other radio. The vehicles are then ready to go.

 

We will transport the weapons on the 2.5 ton truck. Maybe Wally and Robinson can do something about the Reliability of the truck before we leave.

 

Task:	Increase the Reliability  of the truck
Ability Die:	Intelligence B (D10)
Skill Die:	Tech B (D10)
Modifiers:	+1 assisted by Robinson	= +1
Mod. Ability Die:	Intelligence A (D12)	[+1 Step, total = +1]
Mod. Skill Die:	Tech B (D10)	[Unmodified]
Ammo Die:	--
Roll:	12,10,--
Result:	4 Successes

 

The team is smoking today and the Reliability is brought back up to C. Maybe they welded some scrap metal over the holes in the floorboards.

 

The truck should probably also have a weapon. In the cache, we have a couple L7A2s and one would fit nicely on the ring. Unfortunately we do not have any more radios, but we do have some walkie-talkies, so that will have to do. Throw 500 rounds of ammunition in the back and we can load up the stuff we want to sell. After that, some food and water and we are on the road. Bad will be pulling the tank trailer with about 413l of alcohol.

 

Now to divide up the team. We will need drivers and gunners for all vehicles, with the rest of the team divided among the vehicles.

 

The marching order will be:

 

• Jerry (Driver: Marshall, Gunner (Mk-19): Potato, Commander: Harris, Passenger: Griffin)
• Bad (Driver: Klasha, Gunner (L7A2): Macron
• Bud (Driver: Wally, Gunner (TOW): Robinson, Passenger: Logan)

 

Convoy spacing will be 20m.

 

Off we go.