DAY 16 – MAY 3rd 2000
LUBLINIEC, POLAND – MORNING
ROUND 01
WITH the EYES of the REFEREE – ENEMIES [click to expand]
For the enemies’ stats I’m using the table for typical NPCs on page 37 of the Referee’s Manual. They are all carrying an AK-74 or AKM with one reload and a knife, they all have a 50% chance of having a pistol, and 50% chance of having a steel helmet.
The sentinel (ENEMY 1) has a flak vest, a frag grenade, 2 more reloads for his assault rifle, a GP-25 grenade launcher attachment for his AK with 2 40mm grenades, and carries a portable radio.
No backpacks and no LMGs, as this is a foraging/hunting party
“Ah, f**k!” yells DONNA right before dropping prone (free action) “get down!”. She trains her M16A1 towards the enemy and assumes overwatch (fast action).
ENEMY 2 turns as his comrade yells, but cannot see anyone around. Nevertheless, he drops the axe, grabs his AK-74 and goes prone in the grass among the trees.
ENEMY 4 sprints towards his comrade while getting his AK, drops to the ground, adjusts his helmet and starts scanning the area (consuming all his actions).
NASCAR goes prone in the vegetation (free action), and assumes overwatch over ENEMY 1’s hex (fast action).
ENEMY 3 goes prone on the spot (free action) and scans the area, his AKM at the ready.
ALEX adjusts his telescopic sight, aiming at ENEMY 2 with a slow action (which will grant him a +2 on his next attack, since he’s firing from a stable platform. Player’s Manual, page 63).
LED goes prone (free action), and assumes overwatch over ENEMY 3 (fast action). From his position it doesn’t look like he has been made, but the enemy sentinel may have spotted another member of his team.
SENTINEL’S REACTION [click to expand]
ENEMY 1 has spotted DONNA – and I’m assuming/house-ruling NASCAR – so now I have to decide how he’s going to react. Seeing two armed figures closing in but trying to stay hidden can only spell trouble for him, and given the recent killing of their commander I’m picturing him a bit on the edge.
I’m therefore giving him a 75% chance of attacking the players, and a 25% of calling his HQ in via radio:
- Roll [D100] = 38 -> his finger is already on the trigger
Firing his weapon would activate NASCAR’s overwatch, but it’s up to the player to decide when to activate it exactly. ENEMY 1 is a trained soldier, and will therefore go prone before shooting. NASCAR’s orders are to be ready to fire, but he will make sure ENEMY 1 is about to fire before opening on him. Final call: ENEMY 1 goes prone, then NASCAR opens fire.
DONNA has overwatch over the same hex; she’ll wait for NASCAR to open fire and then follow suit.
ENEMY 1 goes prone and raises his AK towards the silhouettes he spotted straight North of his position, his finger already on the trigger, ready to squeeze off a small burst.
NASCAR can clearly see ENEMY 1’s head lining up with his iron sight, and that’s enough for him. He presses the trigger and his M249 comes to life.
NASCAR’S ROLL [click to expand]
NASCAR is at medium range (the M249 has a range of 6, which is just enough), firing at a prone target (-1), and has the Machinegunner specialty (+1). He rolls HEAVY WEAPONS and 4 ammo dice (ROF for the M249 is 6):
- Roll HEAVY WEAPONS [D12+D8] = 0 SUCCESSESS (rolled 5 and 4)
- Ammo Dice [D6+D6+D6+D6] = 6 + 5 + 3 + 2
No hits, but ENEMY 1 would at least be suppressed, thanks to the 6 rolled on the ammo die. Nevertheless, he pushes the roll:
- Push-roll HEAVY WEAPONS [D12+D8] = 2 SUCCESSES (rolled 8 and 7)
- Ammo Dice = 6 + [D6+D6+D6] = 6 + 6 + 5 + 1
- Hit Location Die = TORSO (rolled after deciding to push the attack roll)
Good re-roll: NASCAR hits ENEMY 1 in his torso, inflicting 2 base damage points + 1 for the extra success and further increased by 1 using one of the 6s rolled with the ammo dice. Total damage is 4, reduced by 1 on account of ENEMY 1’s flak vest, for a total of 3, which is critical and kills him (simplified rules for NPCs).
NASCAR uses the remaining 6 on the ammo dice to hit ENEMY 4 who is in the same hex:
- Hit Location Die = TORSO
ENEMY 4 is hit and suffers 2 base damage points. He is suppressed and will lose his next round.
NASCAR’s M249 reliability drops by 1 on account of the 1 rolled on the ammo die when pushing the roll. He fires a total of 6+6+5+1 = 18 rounds
Three short bursts land precisely on the target hex and a hail of bullets invests ENEMY 1, who goes limp on the grass. Right beside him, ENEMY 4 is hit in his torso and suppressed.
DONNA was waiting for his comrade to open fire and then proceed herself. Sha can now see ENEMY 1 is dead and ENEMY 4 suppressed, and knows she has little chance of scoring another hit on the latter (she’s at medium range, firing at a prone target). She therefore conserves her overwatch.
End of Round 01
ROUND 02
DONNA keeps her overwatch (fast action), her M16Aa trained at ENEMY 4’s hex.
ENEMY 2’s line of sight over the shooter is blocked; he therefore gets up (fast action), and moves for a patch of shrubs 20 meters away.
ENEMY 2’S MOVEMENT [click to expand]
A shrubs hex carries a -1 modifier to your movement, meaning ENEMY 2 has to consume a full movement action to go through it. In order to complete his intended movement, he needs 3 open hexes worth of movements, so a MOBILITY roll is in order. He has no skill level, and rolls his AGL only:
- ENEMY 2 rolls MOBILITY [D10] = 1 SUCCESS (rolled 7)
He completes his movement.
He moves two hexes (fast action) and drops to the ground in some shrubs (free action). He gets unlucky though, as there is more blocking terrain in between him and NASCAR.
WITH the EYES of the REFEREE [click to expand]
I figured these Russians are trained soldiers, and would try to flank the enemy when possible. In this case, they cannot see NASCAR and DONNA, but they know the shooter(s) is North of their position.
ENEMY 4 loses both his actions recovering from suppression.
NASCAR knows ENEMY 4 is prone on the grass and suppressed. He briefly considers ending his second target, but remembers their capture if possible goal. He sets his sight on the hex and assumes overwatch (fast action).
ENEMY 3 follows his buddy, getting up (fast action) and moving for the shrubs.
ENEMY 3’S MOVEMENT [click to expand]
Same deal as before for ENEMY 3’s movement. He has the same stats as his comrade, and rolls for his AGL only:
- ENEMY 3 rolls MOBILITY [D10] = 1 SUCCESS (rolled 6)
He shadows his buddy.
He sets in the shrubs a few feet from his comrade (dropping prone is a free action).
ALEX adjusts his aim through the telescopic sight (slow action), keeping his rifle trained at ENEMY 2.
WITH the EYES of the REFEREE [click to expand]
This is 50% house-ruled. The Player’s Manual states that you can fire repeatedly at the same target without breaking your aim, but if you do anything else except shoot your weapon after you have aimed, you lose the effect of the aim (page 63).
ALEX has not fired his rifle, but his target has moved and my logical conclusion is that he has to adjust his aim. He spends a slow action to gain a +2 bonus for the attack roll.
LED observes ENEMY 2 and ENEMY 3 move and disappear past an area of thick foliage. He decides to remain prone and crawl into a nearby shrub area, hoping to regain line of sight.
LED’S MOVEMENT [click to expand]
Player’s Manual, page 58: Crawling works exactly like running, but you move one hex per (fast) action instead of two, and the MOBILITY roll can only increase the movement by one hex, no matter how many successes you roll.
LED has to move only 1 hex, but the shrubs terrain has a -1 modifier to movement. He could spend 2 fast actions and get there, but decides to roll MOBILITY to get an extra (crawling) movement, and conserve a fast action. He has MOBILITY D (his Runner specialty doesn’t come into play):
- LED rolls MOBILITY [D10+D6] = 0 SUCCESSES (rolled double 1…)
He spends 2 fast actions to get there…
WITH the EYES of the REFEREE – SPOTTING [click to expand]
Now the ever-present question of being spotted: his movement brings him 4 hexes away from ENEMY 2 and ENEMY 3, and with line of sight over them. Of course line of sight works both ways, so there’s a chance he will get spotted. Time for another opposite RECON roll.
LED gets +1 for his clothes. Terrain and distance do not carry modifiers. I’m house-ruling a -1 modifier to the enemies’ roll, on account of their attention being focused elsewhere. Both ENEMY have INT C and RECON C, so it really doesn’t matter who rolls:
- LED rolls RECON [D10+D10] = 1 SUCCESS (rolled 9 and 4)
- ENEMY rolls RECON [D8+D8] = 2 SUCCESSES (rolled 7 and 6)
LED could push the roll, but he would need a 10 on the re-rolled D10 in order to have more successes than the ENEMY. He accepts that he is spotted.
The rules state that you are spotted at the beginning of your movement, but – as before – LED enters the ENEMIES’ field of view at the end of his crawl, and that’s where I’m house-ruling he is spotted.
LED slowly and methodically advances through the shrubs, gently bending their branches to minimize his presence. Finally he turns and fractionally raises his head. He sees the two enemies, they haven’t moved far. Problem is one is turned, and looking straight at him.
End of Round 2
