LVI's F2F Journal

[LVI]

0800 HRS - Cheung now interrogates the POW. He gains little in the way of major Intel but enough to determine what to expect in the way of resistance at the last set of towers 750 m away. Cheung blindfolds the POW, and ties his hands. He will put the POW with the wounded and KIA into 2-6; and they are taken back to the Heavy’s to drop off. Then 2-6 will p/u Sgt Derry and head back to the ½ way point.

*** Cecil notices once the firefight is over 2 dead Mexican soldiers that were hit by Derry’s Barrett. One has a gaping hole where his right shoulder/Trap once met. He bled out instantly. The other’s right arm is almost off at the Bicep. His M16 is still gripped in his hand. He too has died from a loss of blood. ***
0815 HRS – Bronco 1-6 gives a soldier to Bronco 6Actual and they again advance to the right tower. Bronco 3-6 and 4-6 takes the right tower and this time
Bronco 2-6 will advance from behind down the middle. Derry will fire the .50cal at any targets.

Bronco 1-6 and 6Actual once again take fire, but very limited and all small arms. Once they get close enough Cecil unloads another salvo of 40mm into the left tower. He gets 8 hits and the tower implodes and they are still 30m out.

Bronco 3-6 and 4-6 start taking fire from their tower. However as the left tower has imploded Cecil now directs his remaining 10 rds onto the right tower. 3-6 and 4-6 get to the entrance once the 40mm have stopped. They can see that there are Mexican soldiers retreating into the city on the other side (approx 20 m) away. 6Actual tells them to follow. Meanwhile 1-6 is told to breach the right tower.
Cecil reloads his MK19 and 2-6 is now beside 1-6 and will cover with there .50cal while 1-6 driver, commander and rear passenger go and breach the tower.

After they open the door and have thrown a flash bang in they enter. The first 2 soldiers in are immediately shot from above and the 3rd who hasn’t entered yet yells “Ambush, 2 down” and proceeds to blind fire into the entrance.

Sgt Derry unloads his .50cl into the tower and Ct Chan runs to support the 1-6 commander. As does both the driver and commander of 6Actual (Lt Col Cheung).
However Derry’s rounds are effective enough to successfully kill any survivors left in the tower. Cheung also calls for 2 M26 grenades to be thrown upstairs too just as a precaution. Once 6Actual is able to secure the tower, Capt. Chan and the other EMT manage to pull the 2 wounded soldier out and start to treat.
0830 HRS – Capt. Chan has rolled against his PARMED: HARD and discovered that one of the soldiers (the rear passenger) has a entrance wound at the base of his neck, thru his body and out his rectum. Thou he will die almost immediately for the short while he is still alive he is a Quadriplegic. The 2nd has a sucking chest wound PARMED: ESY and Chan administers a clot gel, morphine and tells Lt.Col Cheung that we need a medivac ASAP.

Cheung radios for an immediate EVAC with 2 priority WIA and 1 serious WIA, 1 Friendly KIA and 1 POW. Battalion confirms and will send in a UH60 shortly.

*** In total 50 rds of 40mm HE, 200 rds of .50cal, 5 x flash bangs, 7 x M26 Frags, 5 rds .50 (Barrett), 400 rds 5.56N and 100 rds of 7.62N were used by
Red Striker 1-9 to successfully take the 1.6 km long interstate Bridge. ***

0830 HRS – 1330 HRS: The remaining engineers from 3-6 and 4-6 inspect the bridge for any signs that our heavy armour is unable to be supported. There conclusion is the bridge is fine and any affects that linger from the nukes that went off a few years earlier would’ve been noticed.

0850 HRS – Medivac arrives with another 4 - UH60. They have a platoon dropped off to stay as sentries.

1400 HRS – The weather has turned for the worse. Light rain mixed with flurries of snow have started, making driving and climbing very difficult. Plus there is a cold front from the North about to collide with the southern winds off of the Gulf.

1405 HRS – Red Striker 1-9 regroups and continues towards the bridge at Channelview, TX.

1420 HRS – The lead Humvee (Bronco 1-6) Geiger meter starts going off. Everybody’s Geiger’s start going off. All players roll for RADS.

[LVI]

1430 HRS – Red Striker 1-9 reaches the Channelview Bridge. After spending the next 30 minutes observing the bridge for hostiles they agree to send a Recon team onto the bridge, cross it and observe the far side.

1515 HRS – The recon team reaches the far side without contact. After briefly setting up a small compound they radio for group 1 to cross (Bravo 1-6, 2-6 and
5-6 Heavy). Once they are across they expand their perimeter.
The balance continues to maintain a perimeter on the east side of the bridge.

1530 HRS – 1800 HRS: Engineers inspect the bridge and afterwards their conclusion is the bridge is safe for our armour to cross.

1800 HRS – Lt.Col Cheung radios battalion and informs them that they have reached their destination and that the bridges are safe to cross.

*** The team rolls 1d6 for every 1 hour they are in the radiation area. They are forced to stay for 3.5 hrs, therefore roll 1d6 x3 for rads ***
Upon radioing Battalion the team advances approx 9 KM west until they reach the Sam Houston / East Fwy connector. Its approx here where there Geiger’s are no longer picking up Rads.

1930 HRS – Recon units from the Eastern forces meet up with Red Striker 1-9, who has set up a perimeter1/2 km east of the connector, located at the Triumph Hospital Parking lot.

2015 HRS – The main units have now arrived. The elements of the East force are now starting the long process of refueling and getting more ammo. The Logistical units that come with group refuel and give some ammo to Red Striker 1-9. Fuel isn’t the issue but ammo is.

2100 HRS – It is a now a snow storm outside. Temps have dipped to 25 degrees.

2200 HRS – Lt.Col Cheung has a meeting with the General and his advisors. He briefs them on the mission. It’s been noted that thru the past 40 HRS his team has lost the following: 3 – KIA, 2 – Critical WIA, 1 serious WIA = 6 total. Furthermore Cheung asks for some reinforcements. The General informs his aides to assign him some reinforcements.

2300 HRS – 2 – USAR (MOS 1x infantry, 1 – Logistics), 1 – US Army 3rd cav. Reg. Ft Hood, TX (MOS Engineer E-8 first Sgt.) and CIA agent Miller greet Lt.Col Cheung and inform him that they are now part of Red Striker 1-9.

2330 HRS - The team tries to sleep as there is a major briefing at 0400 HRS.

November 2nd
0400 HRS – Agent Miller, Lt.Col Cheung and Cpt. Chan meet with Colonel Bennett and the General to discuss the day’s actions.

“As of 0300 HRS elements of the Northern front’s recon units have arrived at George Bush Intl. Airport with zero resistance. We are now sending 80% of the Eastern Front to meet with them and set up a new FOB. The balance will advance south to Ellington AFB, or what’s left of it. There they will set up another perimeter and await further instructions.” Red Striker 1-9 will be part of the advance south to Ellington AFB. The Eastern fronts and the Northern fronts WILL unite at George Bush Intl airport this morning. Damn this weather but we must not fail! However the Southern front (strike force Alpha) has run into serious troubles. Due to the lack of proper landing equipment, stronger than expected resistance and the horrible weather there advance has stopped! They are experiencing almost a 50% casualty rate. Only 75% of the forces were able to land and there inward push has all but stopped!
Strike force brave on the other hand has successfully driven the majority of their enemies west and currently have men on guard at the Corpus Christi Intl Airport. They have recon elements advancing to Cal Allen and Robstown and control the entire Harbour. Our units move at 0600 HRS”.

0500 HRS - The snow has let up for now, but the road conditions are horrible. Plus there is a warm breeze from the gulf creating a wet humid mist in the air. Making visibility very, very difficult. The temp is sitting at 19 degree F and isn’t expected to warm much higher than 32 degrees.

[LVI]

Sorry for anybody who's been paying attn to my thread, but ive gotten really lazy. So here is a new story line, but i still have 2 more to create. I will try to get those done before Sept 15 (our teams next meeting)

Chapter 7 – Operation New Texas Dawn part 3

OPERATION #4 – INVASION: ELLINGTON AFB

Overview: As of Nov.2nd the weather isn’t expected to let up, so the 3 battalions from the Northern front will advance without support west. 1st and 2nd battalions will go straight to San Antonio while 3rd battalion will advance to Austin. Currently all 3 battalions are at George W. Bush waiting for word. These 3 battalions will depart at 0700 hrs.

The Eastern front will send 3rd battalion, incl. their support battalion (under strength) and Red Striker 1-9 south to Ellington AFB once the weather lets up. ETA is sometime in the next few days.

November 4th
0100 HRS - Word has come down to the team that even though the west ward advance is slow we are continuing with the southern assault at 0500 hrs.

0430 HRS – Word starts to come across the radios that the assault towards San Antonio has been ambushed by the Russian forces just miles before they reached their target. No word yet on the status of 3rd battalion.

0500 HRS – 3rd battalion starts is southern advance to their objective. They have been briefed and expect minimal resistance. Joining Red striker 1-9 is CIA agent Miller. Agent Miller is in Bronco 6-Actual and has Intel regarding the base.

0600 HRS – 3rd battalion arrives to their pre-strike co-ordinates. Elements of 3rd battalion are units from the 1st armoured division. They have been split into 3, with the main force (4-M1A1, 4 – M2, 4 - M113 and 2- HMMVW) striking thru the Northern end of the base.

The battalions M60 tanks (4 – M60, 8 – HMMVW) will be striking from the south thru the fence line and Red striker 1-9 plus the majority of the HMMVW(x18) and 2 M-1 Abrahams will attack from the west (front gates) where they expect the least amount of resistance. The strike will commence at 0800 HRS when 2 – A10’s will drop there ordinance on selected targets to open up the AFB’s fences and berms that have been made by the Mexican Nationals. Once the A10’s have unloaded all 3 sections will advance to their targets from there waiting area, approx. 2 km’s away.

The main objectives of the strike is to take control of the AFB and its 2 main hangers. Red Striker 1-9 will take control of the outer gates and the bases inner gate 1km away. Then advance into the airbase and assist in the taking of the hangers.

0800HRS – Right on time (with overcast and light rain 34F) the A10’s strike and the advance is on. Within minutes Red Striker has reached the main gates and faces immediate resistance form 1 – M48 tank entrenched and various RPG tank hunter teams. The column is led by the 2 – M1’s, so the M48 is taken out quite quickly.

0810 HRS – Red Striker advances past the outer gate with no casualties. But the main hwy the team is on has a 100 degree turn left to enter the main outer gates then there is a 1 km straight stretch until they reach the inner gates. The immediate 4 groups of 2 vehicles manage to turn in to the 1 km stretch without any resistance. (2 – M1 / Bronco 5-6 & Bronco 6-6 / Bronco 6-Actual & Bronco 1-6 / Bronco 2-6 & Bronco 3-6). All units behind them start taking heavy fire from Mexican units that were waiting until they could strike.

In the first salvo, 50% (9/18) of the HMMVW from behind are hit by RPG’s and HMG.

[LVI]

0811 HRS – The southern team radio heavy resistance and that 2 of their 4 M60s are destroyed and the balance of the team is trapped and taking fire from all directions. Not knowing the resistance Red striker is facing in the latter parts of their column Lt.Col Cheung advances 4-HMMVW from there column to advance south and not to turn with their team. These 4 HMMVW never make it the 1km south to help out. Around the same time, Cheung is unable to make radio contact with the Northern teams.

0815 HRS – in the first 100m one of the rear HMMVW has been hit by an RPG, thus bringing the number up to 14/18 HMMVW now destroyed.

0816 HRS – 200m mark Red Striker losses another 2 - HMMVW from the rear of the column. Unknown to Bronco 6-actual, the team has lost control of the outer gate and the balance of the HMMVW behind Bronco 4-6 & Charlie 6-1 ,and Charlie 6-2 & 6-3 are all now in flames. The few soldiers that had jumped out are in a fierce fire fight.

0817 HRS – 300m mark and Tango 1 (right M1) takes a RPG and is disabled. However Tango 2 manages to fire an rd down range at a M48 waiting at the inner gates. Direct hit!

0818 HRS – 400 m mark and no hits, but the column is held up while the crew of Tango 1 jump onto Bronco 5-6. Meanwhile the units in the southern advance call for a full retreat while somebody get onto the radio from the Northern advance and advise whoever is listening that there advance is over and they have lost all vehicles. Agent Miller speaks up and advises Lt.Col Cheung that we need to retreat ASAP.

0819 HRS – 500m mark and Bronco 6-6 takes a RPG blast and stops in its tracks. Before the crew is able to dismount and get out it blows into a fireball! Since the column is now stopped due to this, another RPG manages to hit the team, this time from behind. Taking out Charlie 6-2. The blast form bronco 6-6 knocks Bronco 2-6 onto its side (driver side). Captain Chan and SSgt Derry manage to get out without injury, but the driver is knocked unconscious behind the wheel. Derry and Chan attempt to retrieve him, while Bronco 2-6 takes heavy small arms fire. This causes it to start on fire.

0820 HRS – In the chaos of this firefight, Cheung turns to Miller and asks him “Why are you here, and what do you know?” Miller tells Cheung that if this mission was to fail, he has the permission to call in a tactical nuke to the AFB. “Cheung, your team was a pawn, used to probe the strength of what was here” Cheung is pissed and says that they are not retreating just so we can launch ANOTHER nuke onto American soil!. Miller states that there is only one shot at this!

0821 HRS – Derry and Chan now have the driver out and move him to Bronco 3-6. Meanwhile another 2 RPG blasts hit, this time killing Charlie 6-3 and Charlie 6-1.

[LVI]

0822 HRS – 600m mark and a lucky grenade shot from a 40mm hits Bronco 1-6 in the rear right axle. The crew gets out and jumps onto Tango 2. Cheung assesses the situation. Units remaining: Tango 2, Bronco 5-6 Heavy, Bronco 6-Actual, Bronco 3-6 and Bronco 4-6. Cheung glares at Miller and radios “All units, full retreat, I say again, full retreat! Code word Winter Bobsled!” Miller tells Cheung that all units need to be at least 2 km away from the AFB in over to not be in the immediate blast. Miller also says to Cheung that he will not call in the strike until we are off base.

Cheung advises his driver that at the 700m mark there is a road going west and to turn there and pin it to the rendezvous point. Cheung radios what’s left of his team to turn at the 700m mark and pin it. Bronco 6-actual turns and waits for his entire team to turn. Tango 2 turns and when he does cuts off Bronco 5-6 Heavy. 5-6 takes a RPG to the rear axil of the LAV and it is now unable to move. The crew gets out and jumps onto Bronco 3-6 and 4-6 which make their way around the LAV and once past 6-Actual, peel there way south until they reach the chain link fence.

0826 HRS – Bronco 6 Actual, Bronco 3-6 and 4-6 and Tango 2 make their way back to the HWY, where they proceeded to go to the primary meeting point. Once there they wait until 1000 HRS before Miller will make the call. During this time all radio contact with the rest of the units in 3rd battalion has ceased and we are unable to make contact with Elements of the Eastern front at George Bush airport.

1000 HRS – No units arrive! Miller has a blast if conscious and decided against calling in the Tactical nuke. The team does a quick pow wow and decides to head west along the Sam Houston FWY.
Along there slow ride they do not encounter any resistance from the Mexicans, or from any local gangs & Militia (Texas Legions).

The maps of the region show Cheung and Miller of a large park near Cullens blvd just south of the Sam Houston. The team heads there. Just before the South FWY and the Sam Houston inner change the team notices a major blockade. At least 4 armor vehicles. But since they are about 1-2 km away they are not sure. So they turn off at Cullen blvd and head south a few blocks. At the corner of Cullen and Fellows they notice an old garage. They pull up and hide their vehicles in the 3 bay garages and leave 1 HMMVW outside.

1045 HRS - The team hastily sets up a CP and guards, plus a LP across the street. Chan does an inventory of the few medical supplies he has, as he lost all of the bulk gear he had in bronco 2-6. He has a fully stocked M82 med bag, plus 4 clot gels, 4 morphine auto injectors and 1 Epi pen. Plus the defib. There are 20 men, so Cheung sends out a 4 man patrol.

1300 HRS – Patrol returns with a wounded USA-R soldier. He has a broken clavicle and a thru and thru in his right quad. Chan assess with his PAR:MED(MED) and uses 2 clot gels for the quad and stabilizes his clavicle the best he can. Chan advises Cheung and Miller that he will need serious surgery in the next 36 hours our he’s gonna die.

1330 HRS – Patrol is advised to recon the South FWY and SAM Houston to see what kind or armour is there.
Meanwhile the team settles in for the long haul.

1930 HRS – The Patrol returns with word. It appears to be TL base of some kind. They didn’t realise that the Texas Legions had armor. But there is 6 technical, and approx. 2- M48 tanks positioned at either side of the bridge (which is still intact). But they were not able to get close enough as they had multiple patrols and an outer and inner compound.

[stg58fal]

I have some questions.

In a couple places, you said that the gunner in the LAV fired 100 rounds of 25mm HE at the bad guys. This seems a little excessive, but its been a LONG time since I've even read anything from 1st edition. How many rounds does the LAV carry? How many does your group of PC's have? How long does it take to fire that many rounds from the Bushmaster cannon? I remember how in 1st edition, every 'shot' was 3 rounds, but even taking that into account, if "fired 100 rounds of 25mm HE" isn't a typo, then your players expend ammo at a rate that makes even me a little sick (and I *love* to burn ammo, both in games and in real life). And how in the heck do they resupply?

Could you clarify this a little, please? Thank you.

[Targan]

Originally Posted by stg58fal

I remember how in 1st edition, every 'shot' was 3 rounds...

That's only small arms (up to and including HMGs). Autocannons fire one round per "shot".

[LVI]

Originally Posted by stg58fal

I have some questions.

In a couple places, you said that the gunner in the LAV fired 100 rounds of 25mm HE at the bad guys. This seems a little excessive, but its been a LONG time since I've even read anything from 1st edition. How many rounds does the LAV carry? How many does your group of PC's have? How long does it take to fire that many rounds from the Bushmaster cannon? I remember how in 1st edition, every 'shot' was 3 rounds, but even taking that into account, if "fired 100 rounds of 25mm HE" isn't a typo, then your players expend ammo at a rate that makes even me a little sick (and I *love* to burn ammo, both in games and in real life). And how in the heck do they resupply?

Could you clarify this a little, please? Thank you.

Sure. Firstly I run somewhat off edit. 1. Iirc I touch base slightly on this on my first few posts. The m242 has 3 fire modes, single, semi and full. It's something like 100 rds per minute. So the pc who ran the LAV decided for those cases to blast them up. I don't allow all rds to be hits, obviously but rather I have a predetermined qty that can hit per rd.
What I hate and try to avoid is the rpg trap during a firefight where the pc can shoot only "x" rds per combat rd and low and behold the enemy is killed off in 4 rds. Meanwhile the pc had only used half a magazine. So to try and have the pc experience the loss of ammo I tend to advise my pc's of ammo usage. Sometimes it might look like overkill, but otherwise they will never have that sensation of Needing more ammo.

But my pc's have a hard time replenishing there ammo, mess, food and fuel. I just don't type every single non essential phase of my games, especially since I usually type the minutes up a few months later based off the chicken scratch of notes Ed leaves for me.

I hope this answers and if need be I can clarify and even take advise from my other T2K brothers