DAY 9 – APRIL 26th 2000
SOUTH of DOBRODZIEN, POLAND – NIGHT
1/116th US Armored Cavalry [click to expand]
The 1/116th US Armored Cavalry has been introduced in The Black Madonna expansion module for Twilight 2000 as one of the factions present in the Silesia region. The expansion offers a brief history for each faction, as well as their current strength and a description of any notable person complete with their stats. I based LTC MOLLY WARREN on the material provided by the book with a few minor adjustments to better fit her in my current campaign.
The expansion states that the 1/116th Cav has a few working vehicles and, while WARREN has cut ties with US command, the unit still operates as an organized force within its limitations. With that in mind, I had the idea for the plan to strike the Sheperd’s Flock army in the region.
At first light a convoy will depart from Dobrodzień, travelling along the main road leading East to Czestochowa. At the area of operations (i.e. the hex where the Flock’s Camp is supposed to be) it will leave the road and find a suitable position for a temporary camp, while the group and a few scouts of the 1/116th Cav search for the enemy. Once the Flock’s army has been found, the leadership of the convoy will formulate an attack plan. The objective is to neutralize the Flock’s capacity and render it incapable of any significant operation in the greater Dobrodzień area, as well as freeing any civilian currently detained in the camp.
The group will join the convoy and participate in the scouting and subsequent attack.
The convoy will be led by Command Sergeant Major JOHN BLUE ELK of the 1/116th Cav while LED will act as a consultant.
The convoy consists of:
- 2 HMMWVs with pintle-mounted M240B heavy machinegun, each transporting the driver plus 4 passengers (including the gunner)
- 1 M35 2.5 Ton Truck, transporting the driver plus 14 passengers
- 1 M1064A3, which is an M113 modified to carry a 120mm mortar with 25 rounds and a crew of 4 (driver included)
The mortar section and 5 men will guard the camp while the remaining 20 men (including the players) will participate in the attack. This is up for re-evaluation once the Flock’s camp has been discovered.
WITH the EYES of the REFEREE [click to expand]
I figured WARREN won’t have the convoy move off-road as that would double the fuel consumption and tax the fuel supply of the town even more.
The convoy will remain in touch via radio with the HQ in Dobrodzień, where a HMMWV and an M35 2.5 Ton Truck will be ready for evacuating wounded personnel shall the need arise.
The convoy will carry limited medical supplies for triaging wounded personnel and two of the men assigned to the operation will have basic medical training. Hopefully DONNA will be able to lend a hand.
LED argues and obtains the following:
- If DONNA is still sick in the morning, she will remain in Dobrodzień and will be replaced by someone from the 1/116th Cav
- LED and ALEX will temporarily receive a US flak jacket and LED a Kevlar helmet too. These items are to be retuned at the end of the operation
- The players will receive an MRE and a water ration each, to consume during the next day
- Once the operation is over, LTC WARREN will owe the group a favor or two (LED makes sure she uses the words “material help”)
WITH the EYES of the REFEREE [click to expand]
Something to be considered at this point:
- LED and ALEX haven’t slept for day 9, so I will house-rule they can spend the remaining hours before dawn sleeping, and then sleep some more on the way to the Flock’s camp (assuming there’s no random event slowing them down). This way they will not be sleep deprived.
- LED is still recovering from his slashed forearm and will have a -2 penalty when employing two-handed weapons.
- LTC WARREN is operating on her own, but keeps the US military organization, tactics and procedures, including its hierarchy. She only needs LED to agree to the mission, as he’s in charge of the players
- DONNA has to roll for STAMINA to see if she can shake off her food poisoning with a few hours of resting (she has a +2 because of the disease’s virulence)
- DONNA rolls[D12] = 1 SUCCESS (rolled 7)
DONNA will be fine in the morning.
FINAL POINTS
LED decides to approach the subject of SSG Crenshaw, without talking about the diary or revealing his affiliation, but describing how they found him in a cave and the conditions he was in.
WARREN thinks for a moment then shakes her head “I’ve lost a few men in the past weeks, but that name is not familiar, and we didn’t have any deserters”
“He had a bag with him, we found some canned food in it and a strange object” says LED “it was a golden chalice encrusted with gems; I can’t say whether they were real or not. I figured he looted it from somewhere around this area. Does it ring any bell?”
WARREN shakes her head again “whatever treasure the city has, is something they can use to survive, and it’s all still in town. At least I haven’t been notified of anything missing”
LED tilts his head slightly to have a better view of the other woman in the room, and notices she has stepped up slightly.
“Do you have it with you? I could point you towards someone you can show it to” asks WARREN.
“No” says LED “we were already loaded enough. Plus you can’t eat it, you can’t shoot it, and it won’t keep you warm in the winter, so we left it there”
OPPOSITE PERSUASION ROLL [click to expand]
Time for an opposite PERSUASION roll: the players have not been searched, so WARREN can’t be sure LED is lying. On the other end, a chalice like the one described could be used for bargaining and is not that heavy or cumbersome. I’ll roll without any modifiers:
- LED rolls[D10+D10] = 2 SUCCESSES (rolled 7 and 9)
- WARREN rolls[D10+D10] = 1 SUCCESS (rolled 7 and 4)
LED’s lie goes by unnoticed.
WARREN nods, “where was this cave?”
LED bends over the table to better look at the map and moves around the surface slightly in an effort to obscure the map from the other woman. Right after he’s moved, he can hear the sound of a single step coming from her position, as she’s trying to see where LED is pointing.
“Somewhere around here” says LED with his finger on the map. As soon as WARREN has seen where he’s pointing, he removes the finger.
“I’ll pass the intel to my next patrol, maybe they can find some clue as to who this man is, but given the situation, that’s a low priority”
“Agreed” says LED calmly while glancing again at the other woman.
After arrangements for the night have been made, LED has one topic left.
“One last thing, ma’am, if I may”
WARREN nods as she folds the map.
“Are you in any way in contact with Praszka?”
“We used to be, for a brief period. But then they started to turn us away. Last time I sent some of the citizens of Dobrodzień along with my men and they turned them away as well. They want to be left alone, and I’m fine with that”
“That’s right: Prazka has isolated itself; they think this will improve their chances of surviving, though I disagree” says LED quickly adding “not that my opinion carried any weight when I expressed it. There are however some who believe this policy will prove unwise in time, and I’m here to ask something on behalf of one of them”
“Go on” nods WARREN.
“Would you consider re-establishing regular relations with Praszka? I mean trading, sharing intel, maybe even a common strategy for handling the Flock or whatever marauder group comes next”
“As far as I understand, they don’t want other people anywhere in the vicinity of their town”
“True. Yet my men and I are welcome – to a degree – in Praszka and we can give you a… passport, so to speak, that should grant your men a meeting with the local authorities”
WARREN looks slightly intrigued “passports are nominal”
“This is not. You show it to the guards, they’ll know it comes from us”
WARREN ponders the situation for a bit “you’re saying you can get an ambassador from the 1/116th Cav in Praszka without them turning him back or shooting him?”
“That’s right, as long as your man shows them something first”
“Alright, what’s that?”
LED smiles for a moment, as he can’t believe what he’s about to suggest. “Well, ma’am, you got a deck of cards?”
FINAL COMMENTS
The character of LTC MOLLY WARREN, as presented in The Black Madonna expansion book, is easy to like. She has limited resources and manpower and is now acting independently, prioritizing the well-being of her soldiers and of the town whose people welcomed them.
She would ordinarily conserve her capabilities, but she can recognize the danger posed by this new group that is apparently stationing not far. If you conserve your capabilities, it has to be for something, and the Flock’s camp looks like a worthy objective.
The players’ confirmation that the Flock is not your average marauder group tipped the scales towards an intervention. LED and the group have now been ‘voluntold’ to participate in the action.
The expansion’s book briefly describes the means of the 1/116th Cav, and I thought WARREN would leverage them to their full extent, throwing all she could spare at the problem aiming for a quick resolution.