SITUATION
Shortly after escaping the German encirclement near Kharkov, orders arrived from Moscow ordering our heroes to another part of the front some 200 hundred miles to the north. A truck was commandeered and the distance was covered in only five days!
The region they arrived in was a relatively static part of the front. The area of operation of immediate concern to them was a forested. The German lines were on the other side of the woods.
For the last few months every full moon a nightly patrol in the woods has disappeared only to be discovered some time later, all dead and horribly mutilated. Last full moon a commissar had to shoot four members of the platoon that was to send out a patrol before they would go, none returned…
As the next full moon approaches, morale is at an all time low. Rumors of werewolves and the living dead run rampant. Executions for desertion at an all time high.
The BPO team has been brought in to determine if the source of the dreadful occurrences is arcane in nature.
SCENARIO
Patrol the woods during the night of the full moon.
FORCES
Soviet Forces
Leytnant Marcov - Wild Card - Jackson
Ag d8, Sm d8, Sp d6, St d4, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 4, Toughness 5
Skills: Fighting d4, Shooting d6, Notice d4, Stealth d4, Driving d4, Throwing d4, Repair d8, Knowledge (Occult) d4
Edges: Command, Rank: Officer, Ace,
Hindrances:
Gear: Pistol (Range: 6/12/24, ROF1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1)
Serzhant Boris Trotsky - Wild Card - Dave
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d8, St d4, Vg d10,
Pace 6, Parry 4, Toughness 8
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d8, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d6, Intimidation d6
Edges: Quick, Rank (NCO), Nerves of Steel, Rock’n’Roll, Fleet Footed
Hindrances: Phobia (minor): NKVD, Enemy (Minor)
Gear: Ppsh SMG (Range: 10/20/40, ROF3, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1, Auto)
Soviet Riflemen (Trotsky’s Squad) - 10
Ag d6, Sm d4, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 4 (5), Toughness 5
Skills: Fighting d4, Shooting d6, Notice d4, Stealth d4, Throwing d4
Gear: 8xMosin-Nagant Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2) +Bayonet (Str+d4, Reach 1, Parry+1), 1x DP LMG (Range: 24/48/96, ROF3, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2, Auto, Snap fire), 1x Ppsh SMG (Range: 10/20/40, ROF3, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1, Auto)
Efreytor Androv Markovich Virgilovski - Wild Card - Rick
Ag d8, Sm d4, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d8,
Pace 6, Parry 6 (7), Toughness 7
Skills: Fighting d8, Shooting d10, Notice d6, Stealth d4, Driving d4, Throwing d4, Survival d4, Tracking d4
Edges: Brawny, Improved Nerves of Steel, Dodge, Combat Reflexes, Marksman
Gear: Mosin-Nagant Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2), Bayonet (Str+d4, Parry+1)
Rayadovoy Alexie Sackalov - Wild Card - Darrin
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 4 (5), Toughness 6
Skills: Fighting d4, Shooting d8, Notice d6, Stealth d4, Throwing d4,
Edges: Brawny,
Gear: Mosin-Nagant Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2), Bayonet (Str+d4, Parry+1)
Rayadovoy Ioseph Dizaleski - Wild Card - Patrick
Ag d8, Sm d4, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d8,
Pace 6, Parry 4, Toughness 6
Skills: Fighting d4, Shooting d10, Notice d8, Stealth d6, Throwing d4, Survival d6, Tracking d6, Climbing d4,
Edges: Alertness, Trademark Weapon (Sniper Rifle),
Hindrances: Arrogant, Minor Phobia (wolves and dogs), Stubborn
Gear: Mosin-Nagant Rifle Sniper Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2, Snap Fire, Scope),
German Forces (elements of 44th Army corps)
Hauptman Heinrich Strüdell – Wild Card
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d10, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 5
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d8, Notice d8, Stealth d6, Intimidate d8, Throwing d6
Edges: Rock-n-Roll, Command, Combat Reflexes, Dodge,
Hindrances:
Gear:
MP-40 SMG (Range: 12/24/48, ROF3, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1, Auto)
Luger Pistol (Range: 12/24/48, ROF1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1)
German Veteran SS Team #1 (6)
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d8, St d6, Vg d8,
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 6
Skills: Fighting d8, Shooting d8, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d6
Edges: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Rock’n’Roll
Hindrances:
Gear: 4x Kar 98K Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2), Bayonet (Str+d4, Reach 1, Parry+1), 2x MP-40 SMG (Range: 12/24/48, ROF3, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1, Auto)
German Veteran SS Team #2 (6)
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d8, St d6, Vg d8,
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 6
Skills: Fighting d8, Shooting d8, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d6
Edges: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Rock’n’Roll
Hindrances:
Gear: 4x Kar 98K Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2), Bayonet (Str+d4, Reach 1, Parry+1), 2x MP-40 SMG (Range: 12/24/48, ROF3, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1, Auto)
Pack of Wolves (3)
Ag d8, Sm d4(A), Sp d8, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 5, Parry 5, Toughness 5
Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d8, Stealth d8,
Edges:
Hindrances:
Gear: Bite (Str+d4)
German SS Wolf Pack Handlers #1 (2)
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d8, St d6, Vg d8,
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 6
Skills: Fighting d8, Shooting d8, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Throwing d6
Edges: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Rock’n’Roll
Hindrances:
Gear: 2x MP-40 SMG (Range: 12/24/48, ROF3, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1, Auto)
THE GAME
Androv Virgilovski was promoted to Efreytor (Corporal), and is thus second in command of Trotsky’s Squad. Leytnant Stepanoff and Putyatin were called back to Moscow leaving Leytnant Marcov in charge. A new recruit has also joined the Squad - Rayadovoy Alexie Sackalov.
I had my werewolves all out and sitting on the edge of the table, but sort of out of the way… of course Patrick spotted them and they were immediately convinced they were for sure up against werewolves!
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)
The BPO patrol heads out from the Russian lines into the woods… feeling a little nervous they stay pretty bunched up…
With such a target rich environment I couldn’t help but throw a couple grenades in there! SS team #1 ambushed Trotsky’s squad – taking out two of them.
When the grenades went off the pack handlers unleashed the wolves on the Tank crew. One of the tank crew was immediately down in their initial charge.
Since Trotsky’s squad was still all bunched up with the SS went again I chucked antoher could grenades. Taking out another pair and wounding Serzhant Trotsky!
Trotsky’s squad went for cover and laid down some withering fire! Two SS went down and the rest were shaken by the unexpected violent retaliation by the soviets!
Leytnant marcov shot one of the Wolves.
One of the Russians got a grenade close enough to take down another of the SS troops.
One of the SS recovered quickly enough and shot one of Trotsky’s men.
The tank crews, with the help of Virgilovsky took down the rest of the wolves. But the second SS team had, by that time, snuck up on them and gunned most of them down, point blank – including Leytenant Marcov!! (Two bullets – four wounds each, soaked two of the first shot…)
Darrin was dealt a joker and (because we’re still using fortune and calamity… because it’s fun…) the second SS team ran out of ammo…!?
I decided the following turn they would all just bug out, but let the players get one more turn of firing in – during which they tagged on of the second SS team.
Rayadovoy Alexie Sackalov rushed forward and captured two of the wounded SS (on lightly wounded, the other seriously) from the first team. The third one (also lightly wounded) managed to slip away in the dark.
The trooper from the second SS team was killed in action. His comrades were able to bare him away when they left, however.
Of Trotsky’s squad – five had been taken out of action, but four were lightly wounded (mis one game) and the fifth was only nicked and will return to action immediately! Serzhant Trotsky’s looking a little worse for wear however – he’ll be carrying those two wounds with him next game!
The most exciting bit about the game, however, is the fact that Serzhant Trotsky actually made it to veteran! I’ve run a number of campaigns over the last five years or so… In some, because starting characters were kind of weak for the campaign, I would give players 5XP per game until they made it to seasoned – and still we’ve never had anyone make it to Veteran. This campaign I’ve only been awarding the standard 1-3 experience… so it’s taken some time, but he’s there! (congrats Dave!)
Jackson’s decided to make a scout for his next character – which will probably work out better than a tank commander (not much call for tanks when investigating the arcane…)
4 comments:
But Sgt Trotsky's meatshields aren't as effective if they aren't bunched up!
Looked like it was a fun time, sorry I couldn't be there.
Yes, I think Boris this very same epiphany when the first two grenades came flying his way...
Veteran Sgt Trotsky would like to thank all the little people that have partipated in his meatshield throughout the campaign and welcome any new recruits who would like to assist him in the future.
Ioseph Dizaleski would like to thank the all powerful Tim for not putting him under Trotsky's command.
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