The Great Escape

[rcaf_777]

I have often wonder why a group of PC would go to Krakow, given its in the opposite direction of friendly lines, I know there could a number of reasons why. Enemy Troops, no map, they don't the intell big picture.

Anyway I came with a route that could take a group back to point near friendly lines. Going off of the basic rule book's unit information and player's brief. They are about 250 km from friendly units. With a PC's group covering about 25 km a day(FM 100-61) it would take them about 10 ten days to get back to friendly lines. The final point on the map(if the link works) is a small village near the Oder River.

The river acts as the front line between Polish/Soviet and NATO. As it a fairly wide and deep it makes a great barrier. I figure that since the river crossing would be heavily guarded or destroyed, the PC's would have to find a way to across without vehicles or any heavy equipment (Small boat or swimming)

I have included village stops for side adventures, the first stop is Laszno which the basic rule book identifies as the location of the First Free Polish Legion.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=11n8IiCeoIA0ssqU7qsljNawP8Zo&usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1j4QDJ5K7kOiUkuaMmmPp3vPB0t8&usp=sharing

[James Langham2]

More likely reason - 2Lt and a map....:D

[LT. Ox]

More likely reason - 2Lt and a map....:D
Now wait just a sec. I represent that.

[Adm.Lee]

Google Maps said I needed your permission to see the map; request sent.

I did wonder (back in the day) why south, instead of straight west, but the module and its sequels, pulled us along.

[ArmySGT.]

I have often wonder why a group of PC would go to Krakow, given its in the opposite direction of friendly lines, I know there could a number of reasons why. Enemy Troops, no map, they don't the intell big picture.


Booze, cigarettes, the red light district..... The 1SG is looking for them.... and the Platoon Sargeant needs some troops for the CSMs to do list.

[rcaf_777]

Google Maps said I needed your permission to see the map; request sent.

I did wonder (back in the day) why south, instead of straight west, but the module and its sequels, pulled us along.

I changed the permissions to anyone I give the link too so it should work now?

I plotted the modules of the Polish Campaign and if you play them in order the PC's would travel from Kalisz to the Free City of Krakow then up the Vistula to Warsaw and then to Czestochowa to look for the The Black Madonna. In total is a 682 km trip traveling in a big triangle! They would about 100 km south of the beginning of the campaign. which would still leave them 350 km from friendly lines.

[Adm.Lee]

As it played out for me, I ran my 1st group up to Warsaw, and then west on the train, I don't think they really spent time on Black Madonna. Later groups spent all their (much shorter) campaigns in both Krakow and Silesia, never getting out.

Maybe someday, I should just have them find the train right after Kalisz?

[WallShadow]

Why? Per canon, it's a target of opportunity along the path of least resistance. And, an actual working city with a stable (such as is is) neutral government.

[rcaf_777]

Why? Per canon, it's a target of opportunity along the path of least resistance. And, an actual working city with a stable (such as is is) neutral government.

Not really as per canon Kalisz is where the 5th Div was attacked and destroyed while is taking part is 11th Corps Operations to clear the Baltic Coast and gain possession of Baltic fishing areas and any upper Vistula river barge traffic.

The Free City of Krakow is 241 Km to the south. Looking at the map provided in the basic rule book you will see about seven major units, plus one group of marauders between Kalisz and Krakow. Does that sound like a path of least resistance? The main reason PC's are traveling to Krakow is that US forces might be there.

After looking at what Google maps had to offer on Poland, I found that having a PC group playing each adventure in order, would end up with your group going in a big circle. Konin, which is the starting point for Going home Adventure, is only about 50 km north of Kalisz. (See Link to map)

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1btUDGsJVwQ-PSayodivznk_ie_Y&usp=sharing

The other thing I notice is with using the train to get the players to Bremerhaven. There is no way to get the train into Germany.

The German Polish border is called the Oder–Neisse line which follows the Oder and Lusatian Neisse rivers. There about 12 Bridges, 2 Railroad bridges and one ferry crossing. Both Rivers are wide and deep enough to prevent an unprepared vehicle from crossing. Since most of the Oder–Neisse line is now the Soviet-NATO front line, I can't seeing any bridges still standing. Maybe the German Army would try and rebuild them for a later offensive. But the Poles or Soviets would be trying to destroy them too or vice versa

I am guessing that the PC's would run the train along the Warsaw–Kunowice railway. This is a Polish 475 kilometer long railway line, that connects Warsaw with Lowicz, Kutno, Poznań and further to the Polish-German border at Frankfurt an der Oder. The line would most likely end some where short of the front line Rail Bridge.

Not a big deal, just mean a PC group would have to figure a way across the river. For many PC's this would mean the lost of heavy weapons and some vehicles.

[Cdnwolf]

I agree with you one hundred percent about the party going in a big circle and ending up back at Konin after the 5th destroyed all the bridges there.

I had my characters play the Black Madonna module AFTER Escape from Kalisz as it would make more sense since the characters are heading south in the first place.

The players are survivors of the US 5th Infantry Division
(Mechanized), which was destroyed near the Polish city of Kalisz
in mid-July of 2000.
This group has been heading south for the last month, hoping
to rejoin friendly forces. They've picked up rumors of an
American unit somewhere in the vicinity of Dobrodzien. They've
also picked up rumors of a group calling itself the Wojsko Slaskie
(Army of Silesia), which claims to be the armed might of someone
called the Markiz Slaskie (Markgraf of Silesia) and which
operates in the area south of the city of Gliwice.

From there it would be easier for them to be heading to Krakow

[Olefin]

Our original campaign had us raising some hell on the way out of Kalisz and then doing the Madonna before we went to Krakow - seemed to make more sense and my GM had both modules when the game started

I always thought the timing was too short between Kalisz and Omega - that you hardly really get a chance to get a campaign going when you have to suddenly go balls to the wall to make it to Bremerhaven - if you take the proper time to brew fuel you have to sit still way too often - I suspect many GM's faced with the limited time really didnt enforce the fuel rules right to the letter of the law as to how far players could go on their available fuel - we captured diesel and gasoline from the Soviets on several occasions which let us run our vehicles a lot better than trying to run them on methanol

[Silent Hunter UK]

When I saw the title, I thought this was about the classic war movie... anyone done a campaign like that?