Recon Mission - solo adventure

[kcdusk]

Mason Geddes is used to a life of being a solo operator, behind enemy lines. Collecting intel, tracking high value targets and causing a touch of mayhem on the side. Living outdoors and surviving for weeks at a time where most people couldn’t survive a night is Masons version of down time.

However, with current hostilities hotting up, Management has decided to pair Geddes with another operator.

That person is Diesel. No first or last name, Just Diesel. For the most part Diesel is happy to let those around him believe he is a mechanic - hence the single name reference. But in reality Diesel has two outstanding skill sets. One, he is a hand to hand and close fighting expert. And secondly he has a friendly outgoing nature that has seen him cultivate personal contacts wherever he has travelled. This people skills combined with his specialist operator skills are why he has been paired up with Geddes. Their strengths and weaknesses compliment each other.

Together, they should have created a great two-man team. However there introduction did not go well, a fight ensured and a frosty beginning to their relationship began (Diesel failed a social conflict role to determine how their relationship starts. Then Diesel failed his push roll!). On the plus side, Geddes largest concern was whether Diesel could handle himself, and in the ensuring fist fight Geddes learned the hard way that he can. Onto new beginnings.

The new two person unit was instructed to cross the border and investigate new infrastructure being built 15 miles from the make shift fence line that delineated the two warring sides. The fence line itself was no longer the robust protective defence system it was intended to be. Today, it was breached in many places. In fact every couple of hundred meters or so there were large holes, enough to drive convoys of vehicles through.

Rumours were that both sides had heavily mined the demarkation line to account for the holes in the fence. How true these stories are, is not clear.

While full scale war has yet to break out, most fear it is not far away. Cold wars and hot wars are in many ways easy to operate in. Black and white. This grey war presented unique challenges.

Geddes and Diesel were in country preparing to cross the border and get eyes on new infrastructure being built. A contact only semi-known to Diesel has arranged a meeting to provide necessary equipment for the op.

Diesel warmly greets their new friend. Pleasantries are exchanged before getting down to business. Diesel has taken the lead, and is doing all the talking. Geddes stands an uncomfortable distance apart. Too far away to be in the conversation, but too close that he remains conspicuous.

Fortunately Diesels negotiations this time go as well as advertised. The contact has brought the necessary equipment which includes a handful of fragmentation grenades, a white phosphorus grenade, 2 x smoke grenades and 2 x claymore mines. As a bonus they are offered an Armburst anti take weapon. Diesel gives Geddes a look “do we want this?”.

Geddes makes an exaggerated shrug with his palms up “Of course we’ll take it!”.

The exchange has gone well. The contact accepts payment and offers his latest intel on where to cross the border. Diesel suggests that their work does not involve crossing the border, but what else would these two be doing here? And needing this kind of equipment?

Nevertheless, Diesel listens to where a successful crossing recently took place. Yes, the hole in the fence was abut 300m wide. “But stick to the wheel marks, there are many mines there but the vehicles have left an obvious trail through the minefield that should be safe.



As a solo referee i am trying to include more iPC and NC interactions. This will mean more social conflict situations. The above negotiation for starting kit included opposed rolls between Diesel and the contact. Diesel had a +1 for his negotiating specialy, +1 because he imposed no additional cost on the contact and a -1 because Diesel had some difficult/valuable preferences he wanted met.

I created a small matrix to help me decide how the negations went.

Failure meant negotiations stalled and no change took place.
one success would pistols and a SMG available.
2 successes would make SMGs available and 50% chance of a LMG.
3 successes would mean the PCs could choose starting gera and inclusion of an AT weapon which ended up being the case, and an armbusrt was choosen due to low weight and being single use (ie not overly powerful).


I have created a 4 stage solo mission that i am playing through.
For each stage i have a set of tables (rumours, moods, radio chatter) and a selection of encounters that could come from the 52 card playing encounters or my own created self-prepared encounters. So even sitting here now as the Ref, I do not know where the story line will go or what the outcomes will be.

Next up is the infiltration stage.

[kcdusk]

Having secured weapons, gear and a locals tip for where to cross the border, Geddes and Diesel head to the infiltration point.

They choose to travel and cross at night time. This will reduce the chances of running into a random encounter, but does introduce some other difficulties that are deemed less risky.

Firstly there is a navigation check to ensure they follow the correct path to the crossing point and then onto the target. Navigation is difficult due to travelling on ground they are not familiar with (-1 navigation check) and also travelling at night (-1 navigation check). The result of the roll is 1 and 3, so a complete fail. Geddes decides to push his roll, but can only roll the die that came up a “3” as any die that come up as “1’s” are not able to be pushed. The pushed single die roll is successful (9). Therefore there are no navigation issues encountered.

Both soldiers decide to engage in a hard march, to push through the night and cover as much ground as possible. The trade off is a stamina check needs to be passed, but the upside is that they gain time on target. Both men are considered fit and the risk is worth taking. Geddes, perhaps living an outdoor woodsman kind of life pushes on like a trojan. Diesel is no slacker, but rolls a 1 and 4. Again, the result is pushed but with only a single die which comes up 10! Both soldiers have successfully navigated and force marched through the night.

Come dawn, a random encounter presents a single UAZ Jeep approaching along a road that Geddes and Diesel have had to cross. Unfortunately, Geddes fails his passive recon roll and is unable to push it. Therefore the vehicle spots the two shadows crossing the road and speed up to investigate. Encounter starts at range 20 hexs / 200m.

First combat round
In the first combat round the UAZ travels 60m to close the distance to 140m. Both soldiers hear the vehicle approaching now. They are not expecting any contacts and are not aware of any friendlies in the area, so assume the contact is hostile. Geddes decides to fire his FAL (-1 medium range, -1 dim light, -1 moving target and +1 for having a scope) and gives a full burst of bullets (4 ammo die). The result is 17 bullets expended and a single hit. 3 damage points are done, -1 for armour with hit location being internal cargo.
Diesel moves off the road 20 meters.

Second combat round
For the second combat round the UAZ closes the distance from 140m to 80m. Geddes has only 3 bullets remaining in his clip and decides to fire on the UAZ (no ammo dice) as a fast action (ie no aim) and then try to reload as a fast action for his second action (he’ll need to pass a weapons check to successfully reload). Geddes secures a single hit to the engine, for 2 damage points. I roll a D6 to determine the random starting reliability of the engine and roll a 5, which is reduced to 3 after the damage. For his second action to reload Geddes rolls a 12 and 3, so successfully reloads his magazine.
Meanwhile Diesel moves another 20m off road, to now be 40m away from Geddes.

Third Combat round
The UAZ continues to drive straight at Geddes who is standing in the middle of the road. The distance closes from 80m to 20m.
Geddes goes full ROF with aimed shots at the driver. (A+A) +1 scope -2 called shot -1 moving target -1 dim light resulting in (B+C)+4 ammo dice. The result of the die rolls are (7+8), 1,1,6,2. Therefore there are two hits and the location result is head! The driver is killed. The “6” rolled on the ammo die could be used to hit the driver a second time but isn’t necessary, so instead i use it to hit another target in the same hex being the front passenger. Both front seat occupants of the car are down, out of the fight.

Fourth Combat round
The vehicle slews to the side and passes by Geddes who stands motionless in the middle of the road. I make up my own random table to determine what happens to the now driverless car.
Roll D10 and;
1-3 the car continues to drive into the night (dead man at the wheel)
4-6 the car rolls to a stop not far past Geddes, with the remaining 2 x NPCs exiting the car to continue the fight
7-8 the car crashes and the two remaining NPCs are injured
9-10 the car crashes and the two remaining NPCs are killed

The result of the D10 roll is a “5”. The car comes to a stop 20m from Geddes, and two NPCs get out of the rear doors to continue the fight.

Geddes fires from close range (A+A) +1 scope -1 dim light and uses two ammo dice (A+A)+2D6. The result is (7+3),3,6. Therefore one hit (damage 3) and an additional hit with the 6 on the ammo dice OR an extra damage point which would mean a critical hit. I rule that the 6 on the ammo dice cannot be used to hit the second NPC as they exited from the rear doors, i do not consider them in the same hex. Therefore 1 NPC is downed by Geddes.
Diesel has seen all of the above, and chooses to quick draw his M9 pistol and fire on the lone remaining NPC. The range is long, in dim light though, and a single D6 is rolled for a miss.

Fifth Combat Round
The lone remaining NPC and Geddes get a chance to win initiative. Geddes wins and fires from close range with two ammo dice. The result is (12+7) for a hit +2 damage which is a critical hit, to the legs. From the critical hit table this results in a crushed ankle. The lone NPC is down.

[kcdusk]

Turn 6
Both remaining enemy soldiers are down with critical wounds. This raises an obviously difficult question, what to do with them? In the interests of time Geddes and Diesel march on, but away from their intended target (they will tab around once out of LOS). They leave the enemy in pain but alive and unrestrained. It will still be some time before they are able to raise the alarm.


Geddes and Diesel march on, changing direction a few times to make following them more difficult before arriving on target at the village behind enemy lines. They are able to find an observation point with reasonable cover and prepare a makeshift camp as the sun rises.

As per page 147 of the Players Manual, making camp is a survival skill check. Failure sees a roll on the camp mishaps table on page 148.

Diesel has the lowest survival skill at level B+B, therefore I use his stats for the survival check. He rolls 9+6, therefore 2 successes. Geddes and Diesel find a hollow in the ground that enables them to stow their gear from view of the village. And there is just enough undulating ground that they are able to observe the village with little chance of being seen.

In order to have a hidden camp, a roll on recon is required. Diesel again has the lowest skillset here at B+C, so he makes the roll and gets 4+8. Therefore one success.

Over the course of the day they learn via intercepted radio chatter that there are civilians in the village pleading for help (taken from random encounter generator). A slight breeze stirs the grass between the PCs and the village. The breeze provides welcome coolness and the moving grass helps screen their vantage point while they decide on their next moves from here, to occur in the coming night.

Geddes and Diesel will have to tab around the village in order to locate the SCUD site. However the pair are reluctant to leave, knowing there were innocent civilians asking for help in the village. Discussion centred around using the Armburst ATG to target the enemy leader either during the night or in the morning and hit the building he was in. However, a combination of not being close enough and also alerting the entire village to their presence meant this option didn’t get seriously considered. Instead, Geddes decides to infiltrate the village under the cover of night, and eliminate the leader where he sleeps. Diesel will be on overwatch.

This will require Geddes to defeat two layers of security. The first layer is getting to the village unseen. The second layer, is entering the building where the leader is sleeping.

Geddes begins moving towards the village at 4am. This requires an opposed recon roll to ambush as per page 60 of the players manual. Geddes recon stats are A+A modified by terrain (shrub which is +0) and darkness (-2 to the opposition roll). The enemy recon are D+D with -2 mods due to darkness, meaning they don’t get a roll. So Geddes only needs a single success and rolls 5+8, therefore 1 success and Geddes has made it into the village unseen.

Geddes is now required to pass the second layer of security to enter the building, which is another ambush attempt. Geddes is A+A, with +1 for being in a city/indoors. The security is a little tighter here in the building, and is C+D.
Geddes rolls first and gets 4+11, therefore two successes. The opposition rolls 4+4 therefore no success, and Geddes is in the building unseen.

Geddes is essentially bedside, and takes out his knife to perform a killing blow. The target is prone (+2 to hit) and defenceless (+3 to hit). Geddes close combat is A+B, boasted to A+A due to the mods. Geddes rolls 5+2. Misses! Geddes pushes his rolls. He rolls 10+7 for 3 successes. Due to not rolling a “1” on any of these rolls, he is not subject to any damage from pushing his roll. After a brief struggle (due to pushing his roll), the evil despot leader is killed in his sleep.

I determine that Geddes needs to pass one more recon opposed roll to exit the village unseen. If he is successful, the enemy soldiers wont know who killed him. To be fair, the end result could go anywhere from there. The new leader could make an example and kill villagers to enforce his will. Or at the other end of the spectrum, the new leader and soldiers may exit and flee the village, if they didn’t believe in the direction their old leader was forcing them to take.

For Geddes and Diesel, it was a risk they took to give the villagers a chance for life to improve.

Geddes recon is A+A verse enemy of C+D.
Geddes rolls 11+4 for two success.
Enemy rolls 8+1 for a single success! Geddes wins the opposed roll though, having two v one success. Geddes returns to the hide unseen.

The following night, Geddes and Diesel pack up and stealth away into the dark, in search of the mobile SCUD launcher thought to be on the other side of the village.

[Raellus]

Nice stealth op. I'm curious as to what happens to the villagers with the despot dead. Do things get better or worse for them? Perhaps this can be determined by the Orace?

-

[kcdusk]

My intention was to bypass the village and get onto the mission. The village details came from a new purchase, "Solders, farms and refugees" and i had trouble having my PCs move past the village knowing there were messages of help.

I was a bit torn, stay on track, or do something knowing whatever we did was like short term and could result in reprisals against the village. In the end i decided the PCs would act.

Great question re what happens to the village, and i have been giving it some thought.
* leave the future of the village unknown?
* roll for an outcome?
* despite the despot being killed, the result may not improve for them (welcome to T2K!).

In the end i decided if my PCs come back this way, they could call in on the village and i will roll then for the current state. And determine what the PCs may do then.
* if still under evil rule, they could spend more time trying to improve village life
* if prospering, they may call in and create an ally of the village

[kcdusk]

Geddes and Diesel travel through the night to reduce the chances of being discovered. They skirt around the village and begin moving through rural terrain, made up of fields with poorly growing crops, perhaps knee high.

Unbeknownst to them, they are approaching a natural dam holding water. Its an oasis in the landscape, which the locals have been irrigating their crops from (random encounter from Soldiers, Farms and Refugees). The dam is large, about 50m across (the same length as an Olympic swimming pool) and 20m deep. With the water being about 10m below the dam rim.

The dam though, has an menacing human element to it. A large crucifix rises from the ground, made from two tank barrels welded together (a mood element from the Refs Manual). The crucifix is able to be seen from some distance away and is the first sign to Geddes and Mason that they are approaching some new important location, causing them to be on guard. What the structure will turn out to be, and what meaning it carries, remains unknown.

What Geddes and Mason are unaware of is that an extermination squad is already at the dam, refilling their personal water canteens. There are 6 members in the squad, whom are on foot. Being trained, they do have a lookout on the top of the bank, while 5 members fill their water bottles.

The team has been sent out by a local warlord to take food from villages, and asses how the current crops are progressing. The current group understands that fear is a powerful motivator and the more fear they instil in others, the more they are respected and less likely to encounter resistance. This was also a random encounter from Soldiers, Farms and Refugees).

With Geddes and Mason taking a cautious approach to the tall crucifix, located at the dam with 6 marauders filling up water supplies, we have an encounter. Range is 200m.

Diesel has the lowest recon of B+C and makes a passive check (cannot be pushed). B+C -2 for star light, +1 for moving stealthy due to seeing crucifix = C+C = 2D8. Roll is 3,6. One success. Diesel notices the silhouette of a single soldier standing on top of the dam.

Diesel motions for Geddes to lie low. And points ahead. First to the taller crucifix structure, then slightly to the side of it. Diesel looks directly at Geddes to ensure Geddes sees and understands there is a person up ahead.
Geddes is the better stalker. He taps his own chest, indicating he will move on alone. Diesel will remain behind as backup, and provide overwatch.
Geddes hands his FAL to Diesel so that he can provide overwatch, as Diesel is woefully inadequately armed with a pistol. This leaves Geddes with his knife and his own 45 pistol.

Geddes will attempt to creep up and ambush the solitary figure. Being at night, Geddes assumes he’s not dealing with a farmer or some other civilian type. In other words, Geddes treats the target as hostile until proven otherwise.

Geddes gets to make an opposed RECON roll. Geddes recon is A+A, -1 for terrain, -2 for trying to get into same hex for a total of B+C. While the enemy soldier has C for recon, with a -1 for darkness making it a D.

Geddes rolls 5,4. No success.

Soldier rolls 5. No success.

Geddes pushes his roll, and rolls again, achieving 8,6. Two successes.

Geddes successfully creeps up to the soldier. Given the 2 successes, I determine that Geddes reaches the soldier unseen and becomes aware of the 5 other soldiers at the dam, who were out of sight as they were down in the dam at the waters edge.

Geddes pauses to consider his options.
1. Retreat, and make the same stealthy crawl back to Diesel before bypassing the dam

2. Attack the soldier first, then deal with the others after

3. Attack the other soldiers first, leaving Diesel to (hopefully) engage the lone soldier visible to him.

Turn 1
Geddes decides to attack the lone soldier first (gets first initiative and a +3 in close combat to the successful ambush) with his knife, trying for a silent take down. And then hopes to lob a grenade down the side of the dam where the 5 soldiers are milling about. By attacking the soldier with the knife, this should tip Diesel off that any other people are hostiles. Also, the grenade will make the group of soldiers duck for cover, confuse them, mess with their night vision and buy time for Geddes to move away, around the outside of the dam wall, so that Deisel could engage from the front of the dam and Geddes could engage the soldiers from the side in a pincer type movement.

Geddes close combat is A+B. +3 for ambush. -2 for aimed blow with a knife to the head/throat. So A+A = 2D12 and the roll is 1,6. A single success doing 2pts damage. Geddes was hoping for more, in fact was hoping for a critical hit in order to do away with this first soldier cleanly. Do I push the roll?

I decide to push the roll. And roll 2D12 again. But wait …. I just realised I can only roll a single D12 again because the die that already is showing a 1 cannot be used to push. So I can only roll 1D12. This changes the odds a bit! Do I keep the single success, or roll D12 again where 1-5 is a miss, 6-9 is the same single hit and 10-12 is a critical hit?

I decide to roll one dice again, I have a greater than 50/50 chance of still achieving a hit, and a 25% chance of the critical result I am after. But a roll of 1 will really ruin my day!

The roll is ….. 6. No change to the result. 2 points of damage are done to the soldier who is alive but suppressed, rolling around on the ground with a bad knife wound to his neck. However, due to pushing the roll and also not getting a critical hit, the soldiers at the waters edge of the dam are immediately alerted to Geddes presence.

Turn 2
Geddes already had a plan in his head so he gets the first action this turn, and moves 20m away at 90 degrees from Diesel after knifing the first enemy.

The 5 soldiers go silent as they realise they are under attack, and run to the top of the dam where Diesel was last seen and arrive at the top of the dam where their buddy lies in pain.

With the 5 soldiers appearing out of nowhere, Diesel takes aim with the FN Fal and fires full auto from 200m away (long range. In hindsight he could have moved forward a bit also to improve his chances of providing effective cover). Diesel is no marksman, so has 2D6 + 5D6 to hit. He rolls 3,3,1,3,6,4,5. 19 bullets are fired out of the 20 in his magazine, and the lone 6 means the targets must make a CUF roll.

The enemy are a trained extermination team, so I give each soldier a CUF of C. So each soldier rolls a D8 with the following results 5,4,7,7,4.
3 soldiers are suppressed, while 2 remain standing and alert.

Turn 3
Geddes carries out the next and final part of his plan, such as it was. He pulls the pin (fast action) from his grenade, and throws it (slow action) with a check against Mobility. A+B. D12+D10 are rolled for the throw and the result is 5+9.

A single success. The grenade lands in the same hex and 2D8 are rolled for each standing NPC.

Soldier 1 (standing) rolls 4,3 so no effect

Soldier 2 (standing) rolls 7,7 two success so grenade does 2 dam +1 for the extra success = 3 damage points. This is also a critical hit. Hit location is (5) arm and critical hit is (8) shattered elbow.

Soldier 3 (already suppressed and therefore prone so blast power reduced 1 step to C) rolls 5,2 so no effect.

Soldier 4 (already suppressed and therefore prone) rolls 4,2 so no effect.

Soldier 5 (already suppressed and therefore prone) rolls 3,2 so no effect.

The grenade goes off, sending one soldier flying with a critical wound to his arm, dropping his weapon while also falling prone. The other 4 soldiers flinch and recoil, but the grenade lands far enough away not to do anything more damaging.

Diesel has one round left and is still in overwatch, so he fires the single round at the last remaining soldier who is in a standing position. B+C +1 scope -2 long range -1 dim light = C+D die roll is 2,1 so miss.

Push roll of C since the 1 cannot be pushed. D8 roll is 6. Hit. Location is (2) torso. 3 damage points to Soldier 1 who falls prone also.

At the end of Turn 3 we have the following situation;

Geddes 20m away from the Dam (west of the soldiers) from the enemy soldiers.

Diesel 200m away from the Dam south of the soldiers.

Soldier 1 torso FAL gunshot wound, prone

Soldier 2 FAL gunshot wound to elbow, shattered

Soldier 3 prone from failed CUF

Soldier 4 prone from failed CUF

Soldier 5 prone from failed CUF

Soldier 6 prone from knife wound to neck


Turn 4 to follow

[kcdusk]

Turn 4

Night time silence returns. However, some peoples ears are still ringing more than most.

Geddes is laying down on the outside of the dam wall, some 20m away from where the soldiers took defensive fire. He is unaware of the condition of the group of men they are facing. He remembers knifing one badly, then allowing a hand grenade to roll down to the group of men before exploding, and then finally as he broke contact he heard Diesel open up on full auto, with perhaps a final single shot before the silence returned.

Diesel is laying in a field of short crops, having fired his last round and saw the soldier disappear below the dam wall. His ears are ringing from emptying his magazine.

3 wounded soldiers are crying in pain on the ground, with 3 other soldiers huddled on the downside of the dam wall. The hand grenade almost burst their ear drums, and then they took full automatic fire as they crested the dam wall, with one or two of their number going down injured. How many men were they confronted with here?

Geddes is slightly off to the side of where he expects the enemy to be, and decides to peak over the edge of the dam to see what he is faced with.

Diesel chooses to reload.

The remaining unhurt soldiers gather their wits, and look for their leader for direction.



Turn 5

Geddes is 20m away and can see 3 soldiers just below the lip of the dam who are not injured, but not co-ordinated either. He draws his 45 and calls out for them to stay laying down, and not to move! Geddes raises to his haunches and takes aim with his 45 (overwatch).

The soldiers share panicked looks, as they realise the voice has come from the side of them, not from the direction the sustained gun fire had came from. Are they surrounded? How many are they up against? Amongst the wails of the injured, what should they do?

I decide to test the morale of the group to see what the remaining soldiers will do. CUF is C but I reduce it to D due to the confusion and taking 50% casualties. I roll a D6 and roll a 6! They want to continue the fight!

The soldiers do not comply with Geddes calls to stay laying down. And variously make their weapons ready, and prepare to move over the dam wall.

Diesel remains prone 200m away with Geddes FN FAL readied with a full magazine, unable to see anyone.



Turn 6

Geddes fires at soldier 3 whom is the first to move against his shouted orders. Distance is 20m/short. A+A -1 dim light = A+B with 2 ammo dice. Rolls are 2,6,6,3. Geddes empties his magazine which results in one hit plus one hit on an ammo dice. Geddes hits two soldiers for 2pts of damage each. Soldier 3 and 4 are hit and take CUF checks (D8). Rolls are 8 and 3.

Soldier 3 passes his CUF after being hit in the torso. He stands defiantly as the bullet passes through his lower gut.

Soldier 4 slumps down, after taking a hit in the torso also.

Soldier 3 puts a hand over where his new pain point is, looks around himself at the other 5 soldiers wounded or cowering on the ground, and decides that even he has had enough. He raises one arm in surrender, while the other hand covers his seeping wound.