DAY 5 – APRIL 22nd 2000
PRASZKA, POLAND – NIGHT
SITREP and ENEMY FORCES *** SPOILER *** [click to expand]
The first hours of the night go by without anything noticeable, until 4:00 when the enemy makes its move.
The players don’t know this, but a number of units from the group that has been harassing the town all day have crossed the river. One of these units is heading for the area where the players are spending the night. Enemies are not shown in the maps yet, but I’ll write down here the markings for their combat tokens.
The enemy unit comprises:
- SCOUT represented by a token marked with ‘1’ on the combat map; he’s modeled after a Polish Soldier from the referee’s manual: HIT CAP: 5 CUF: C
ATTRIBUTES
STR: B
AGL: B
INT: C
EMP: C
SKILLS
RANGED COMBAT: C
DRIVING: C
CLOSE COMBAT: D
RECON: C
Carries and AKM + 1 reload + 1 hand-held FLARE. Has Polish army fatigues + steel helmet.
- LEADER represented by a token marked with ♠ on the combat map; he’s modeled after a Polish officer from the referee’s manual: HIT CAP: 5 CUF: C
ATTRIBUTES
STR: C
AGL: B
INT: B
EMP: B
SKILLS
RANGED COMBAT: C
RECON: C
PERSUASION: D
COMMAND: C
Carries a P-83 pistol + 1 reload + 1 smoke grenade. Has polish army fatigues.
- GROUP 1 formed by 3 fighters and marked with ‘1’ on the combat map; modeled after marauders from the referee’s manual HIT CAP: 5(x3) CUF: C
ATTRIBUTES
STR: B
AGL: C
INT: C
EMP: D
SKILLS
RANGED COMBAT: C
DRIVING: D
CLOSE COMBAT: C
RECON: D
They each carry a hunting rifle + 1 reload and a knife. They wear a mix of civilian and military clothes.
- GROUP 2 formed by 3 fighters and marked with ‘2’ on the combat map; modeled after marauders from the referee’s manual HIT CAP: 5(x3) CUF: C
ATTRIBUTES
STR: B
AGL: C
INT: C
EMP: D
SKILLS
RANGED COMBAT: C
DRIVING: D
CLOSE COMBAT: C
RECON: D
They each carry an AKM + 1 reload and a knife. They wear a mix of civilian and military clothes.
The enemies can see the campfire’s light in the distance and decide to investigate; they move toward it spreading out with the SCOUT leading 20-30 meters in front of the others.
A firefight awaits the group…
ROUND 00
The enemy SCOUT gets to the edge of the building containing the unit with the decoy campfire.
RECON ROLL [click to expand]
In a cloudy night max visibility is 5 hexes = 50 meters (page 60 of the player’s manual), so that’s the distance at which a first attempt at spotting the enemy can be made.
Opposed roll for RECON to see whether the enemy SCOUT (who’s leading the enemy party) manages to move unnoticed: the SCOUT rolls for infiltration with a +1 for cloudy night and a +1 for moving in an urban environment; he’s approaching from N-W so ALEX is the one who could spot him. ALEX rolls with no bonuses
SCOUT rolls[D10+D10] = 0 SUCCESSES
ALEX rolls[D10+D8] = 1 SUCCESS
The SCOUT gets spotted at the corner of the building where the campfire unit is (see map of round 00)
ALEX is looking down the row of units, his shoulder pressed against the weathered concrete wall and his head slightly tilted. He sees an indistinct shape at the far opposite corner, past the unit with the fire: a shade of black just different enough from the cloudy night to make it barely stand out. He squints while his grip tightens on the rifle.
The shadow grows more distinct and assumes the shape of a torso, then the head. It pops in and out twice, then ALEX sees and arm and the vague shimmer of a rifle barrel. ALEX’s mind is immediately at work.
The SCOUT gestures at GROUP 1, telling them to move around the campfire building and close on it from the other side of the row.
WITH THE EYES OF THE REFEREE [click to expand]
I’m not sure whether ALEX can notice this given that the SCOUT is at the edge of the visibility range and is partially concealed by the building. I have ALEX roll for RECON with a -2 penalty (house-ruled)
ALEX rolls[D8+D6] = 1 SUCCESS -> he gets that the SCOUT is probably not alone.
I didn’t bother with initiative since nobody is initiating combat yet. I’ll keep in mind that ALEX will go before the SCOUT.
ALEX’s eyes are now focused on the newly arrived guest, and sees him turn and gestures to someone behind the row of units, before returning to his apparent observation of the decoy fire.
ROUND 01
ALEX moves to the opposite unit in the block through the hole in the wall and warns NASCAR by gesticulating to him. He then moves back to his original position.
WITH THE EYES OF THE REFEREE [click to expand]
I house-ruled that it takes the full round for ALEX to move, get NASCAR’s attention, convey his message, and get back. Since the SCOUT is keeping an eye on the decoy unit and ALEX wants to move to his previous position unseen, I ruled for an opposite RECON roll.
The situation is the one of round 00 in reverse: ALEX has a +1 for weather/light and +1 for having full cover for 90% of his movement (he ends the movement in a position where he can shoot the enemy). The SCOUT gets no bonuses. ALEX can push the roll (active roll) while the SCOUT can’t (aside from him being an NPC, it is a passive roll).
ALEX rolls[D12+D10] = 1 SUCCESS (not pushed)
SCOUT rolls[D8+D8] = 0 SUCCESSES
ALEX moves back to his original position undetected and has line of sight on the SCOUT.
GROUP 1 moves along the perimeter of the area as shown below; GROUP 2 and the LEADER move down the row to the next intersection, closer to the decoy. None of the players have their path in their sight, so this movement goes undetected (ALEX would have been the only one capable of scouting them, but the entire path of GROUP 2 and the LEADER is beyond max visibility in a cloudy night).
ROUND 02
ALEX assumes overwatch position with his hunting rifle trained on the scout’s position.
NASCAR gets LED attention and warns him there’s someone else in the area [similarly to round 01, I rule that this consumes both LED and NASCAR’s rounds]
The SCOUT keeps his position and GROUP 1 proceeds in its movement along the perimeter of the block.
GROUP 2 turns the corner on the next raw entering DONNA’s field of view. Seeing someone suddenly turn the corner, quickly followed by two more armed men startles her. She quickly adjusts her position and gets ready to fire.
WITH THE EYES OF THE REFEREE [click to expand]
At first, I was going for an opposite roll for GROUP 2 to remain undetected and DONNA to spot them, but it seemed silly since there’s no cover in between them, they’re well within visibility (it’s roughly 30m from DONNA’s position to the corner) and there are three men in GROUP 2 moving as a pack. I therefore ruled that GROUP 2 is spotted by DONNA while turning the corner.
DONNA raises her M16A1, waits for all of GROUP 2 to turn the corner, aims, then yells “Contact!” (free action) and fires off a burst, starting the fight.
INITIATIVE AND DONNA’S ROLL [click to expand]
Here we go; this is the initiative order:
- DONNA who spotted GROUP 2 in this round and started the combat by firing
- ALEX who spotted the enemy first
- NASCAR who was warned in round 01
- LED who was warned just now
- The enemy’s LEADER (for whom I drew the initiative card #2)
- GROUP 2 (for which I drew the initiative card #6)
- The SCOUT (for whom I drew the initiative card #7)
- GROUP 1 (for which I drew the initiative card #8)
DONNA uses her fast action to aim and her slow action to fire her weapon: she is at short range (no penalty) and has a -2 for cloudy night; she rolls 6 ammo dice in a long burst hoping to cause some damage.
DONNA rolls:
- RANGED COMBAT [D6] = 0 SUCCESSES
- Ammo dice [D6+D6+D6+D6+D6+D6] = no sixes
She pushes the roll:
- RANGED COMBAT [D6] = 0 SUCCESSES
- Ammo dice [D6+D6+D6+D6+D6+D6] = 1 + 2 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 5
DONNA has no luck, she fires (1+2+2+4+4+5) 18 rounds and her M16A1 reliability drops by 1.
DONNA presses down on her rifle’s trigger hard, with a quick pause between two long bursts. The smell of spent powder stings her nose as her rounds impact the units on the other side of the row, sending debris all over the place. She sees her targets dive to the ground but cannot confirm any hits.
ALEX hears the gunfire one row over, but remains disciplined and keeps overwatch, waiting for the SCOUT to exit his partial cover.
NASCAR and LED have used their turn communicating.
The enemy LEADER moves to the corner that GROUP 2 just turned and, as soon as the gunfire ceases, peeks around it, but can’t shoot because the fighters of GROUP 2 are in the way.
GROUP 2 was using its fast action to move (they moved roughly 10m so they can move another 10: they do and take cover behind a broken-down car, concluding their fast action) while returning non-aimed fire to DONNA (slow action).
GROUP 2 ROLL [click to expand]
GROUP 2 fighters all have AKMs, they are at short range (no penalty), they get -2 for non-aimed fire and -2 for cloudy night; using the group rules one of them attacks and the others give him a +1 each; they roll 4 (full ROF for AKM) ammo dice trying to saturate with fire whoever is shooting at them.
GROUP 2 rolls:
- RANGED COMBAT [D6+D6] = 0 SUCCESSES
- Ammo dice [D6+D6+D6+D6] = 2 + 2 + 3 + 4
- Hit location die = HEAD (which was one of DONNA’s exposed parts, she got lucky)
GROUP 2 is unlucky as well, spending (2+2+3+4) 11 rounds to carve a few more holes in the garage structure.
Their fire is inaccurate and hits the units between them and DONNA.
Finally, the SCOUT and GROUP 1 are respectively keeping position and moving around the block, concluding Round 02.
ROUND 03
DONNA decides she’s wasted enough ammo and cannot sustain that volume of fire for long, so she takes her frag grenade, pulls the pin (fast action) and throws it (slow action) aiming for the central part of the paved way, just past the broken-down car. She also yells “Get this you f*****s!” (free action).
DONNA’S ROLL [click to expand]
I instantly decided that when bullets start flying DONNA is likely to lose her composure and start yelling and cursing as her own personal way to manage the adrenaline.
Frag grenades have a range of 3 hexes (30m) which is enough for landing one at the end of the row of units (page 70 of the player’s manual states that a grenade’s maximum range is short). For a thrown weapon, DONNA has to roll using her MOBILITY:
DONNA rolls[D8+D8] = 2 SUCCESSES (!!! – not pushed)
The frag grenade lands exactly in the spot where it can deal the most damage; in this case both GROUP 2 and the LEADER are in the BLAST C area and benefit from no cover.
Explosion (BLAST C) roll[D8+D8] = 1 SUCCESS
Every member of GROUP 2 and the LEADER suffer 2 damages (none of them has armor and the hit is not critical, so there’s no need for rolling the hit location die), all fighters in GROUP 2 go prone and are suppressed losing both actions in their next round. The leader (treated here as a major NPC) makes a CUF roll with -1 for being close to 3 of his men who just suffered damage (house-ruled).
LEADER rolls for CUF: roll[D6] = 0 SUCCESSES
The LEADER is suppressed as well and goes prone
Her grenade lands right where she wanted. A loud bang reverberates in the empty units and metal shrapnel smash the remaining car windows and impact the wall of the units on both sides.
ALEX hears the explosion as well as DONNA yelling, and thinking the others are managing their side keeps his overwatch, hoping for the SCOUT to make a (wrong) move.
NASCAR decides to go prone (free action) just outside of his unit, he then aims his machinegun (fast action) down the row of units; his targets are all within visual distance (50m in cloudy night) and at short range (60m for his M240) but he does not fire since all targets are now prone (-1 to attack roll) and in partial cover (the LEADER is partially covered by the corner and GROUP 2 is behind the broken-down car)
LED has seen the impact of the grenade and the enemies falling to the ground; he decides his pistol won’t be effective at that distance and sprints in the alley between DONNA and NASCAR while gesturing at the latter his intention. LED covers 20 meters with his regular movements and attempts to move further (2 fast actions).
LED’S ROLL [click to expand]
Moving further than 2 hexes on foot in a round requires a MOBILITY roll, which allows to move one further hex (10m) for every success rolled (page 58 of the Player’s Manual); LED benefits from his RUNNER specialty granting him a +1:
LED rolls[D12] = 2 SUCCESSES (!!)
LED moves 2 extra hexes (20m)
The enemy LEADER and GROUP 2 lose their actions recovering from suppression.
The SCOUT has seen no movement coming from the decoy unit and has heard the gunfire and explosion one row over. GROUP 1 should emerge from the other end of the alley at any moment, so he decides to move down the block, check the fire and go around the corner to the next row where the battle is taking place.
WITH THE EYES OF THE REFEREE [click to expand]
I gave him a 50% chance of moving down the row (evens on a D6, it came out 4).
The SCOUT’s movement triggers ALEX’s attack with his hunting rifle.
ALEX’S ROLL [click to expand]
ALEX uses his hunting rifle (range 10, ROF 1): he’s at short range and within visibility, but gets a -2 for cloudy night; he also rolls 1 ammo dice:
ALEX rolls:
- RANGED COMBAT [D8+D6] = 2 SUCCESSES
- Ammo die [D6] = 3
- Hit Location die = TORSO
The SCOUT is hit and the second success inflicts an extra point of damage for a total of 4 damages. The scout has no armor protecting his torso and suffers critical damage (hunting rifle has a CRIT of 4), which is lethal for a minor NPC.
ALEX fires 1 round.
The enemy SCOUT is hit just as he leaves his position, the single bullet entering his upper torso and dropping him on the ground dead.
The fighters of GROUP 1 arrive at the corner (it takes roughly half of their movement action) just in time to see ALEX shooting at the SCOUT; they immediately stop at the corner and attack ALEX.
GROUP 1 ROLL [click to expand]
Having shot at the SCOUT, ALEX is close to the S-E wall of his unit, granting him partial cover. The fighters of GROUP 1 are armed with hunting rifles. They’ve spent their fast action moving so their fire will not be aimed (-2), and they suffer an extra -2 for cloudy night. Using the rules for groups of NPCs only one of them fires with the other two giving a +1 each. They use 1 ammo dice (ROF for hunting rifle is 1).
GROUP 1 rolls:
- RANGED COMBAT [D6+D6] = 0 SUCCESSES
- Ammo dice [D6] = 1
Group 1 doesn’t hit ALEX, who’s now alerted there’s more enemies coming from the south. Also, GROUP 1 has an empty magazine and will need to spend the next round reloading (these amateurs forgot to reload before going into battle); on the same note I didn’t specify that the players have reloaded so ALEX started the fight with 4 rounds in his mag, now down to 3.
Their fire is inaccurate as they unload a few rounds in the general direction from which they saw the muzzle flash of ALEX’s rifle. Bullets impact the structure littering the unit adjacent to ALEX’s with debris.
End of Round 03
FINAL COMMENTS (sort of)
I’ll save my final comments for when the battle is over.
If you want to know more about the dice mechanics of TW2K, check this page.