Morrow Project Play-by-Skype

[helbent4]

Currently, I am part of a play-by-Skype Morrow project game, Recon CA-4. We will be starting a new chapter and moving to a new area of operations, so new players are welcome.

1) It's run like a conventional sit-down game, but the players are geographically separated so we need to use Skype in a kind of conference call mode. Our usual "game nights" are every other Sunday, 5:30PM Pacific time.

2) We try to use some kind of added real-time mapping client to keep track of movement in combat, with mixed success. It takes some organising but when it works it rocks, being able to see everything tactically.

3) The CA-4 game is using d20 and is a modernised version of the Project.

http://henrick.com/ca4/

That said, we're taking a break from the CA-4 game and I will be running a 2-3 session "one-shot" relating to my own TMP campaign, which has a different timeline (based on Final Watch and therefore using the TM 1-1 timeline).

1) I'll be using revamped 3rd edition Character and combat rules.

2) PCs will be part of a newly activated Frozen Watch team, Specialty FW-11S. PCs can be from any of the 4 branches: MARS, Science, Recon or Specialty.

3) This one-shot adventure will be using the TM 1-1 timeline, and team freeze date is 1987.

We're going to go back to CA-4 when we're done with this interlude, but the first game will be this Sunday so if you're interested, please PM me ASAP or email with a character concept and I'll send you the character guidelines:

helbent4@gmail.com

or Clive, our usual PD:

clivegh@aol.com

Tony

[LBraden]

I would love to join, but its a bit too late in the day for me, as that I am 8 hours ahead of Pacific time (currently 7 due to USA still on Daylight savings).

But I wish the group well.

[helbent4]

Originally Posted by LBraden

I would love to join, but its a bit too late in the day for me, as that I am 8 hours ahead of Pacific time (currently 7 due to USA still on Daylight savings).

But I wish the group well.

Lee,

Thanks! Yeah, the game would start past midnight for you. Okay if you're an unemployed night owl, not so good if you're not.

Hey, I would love some help with maps and base layouts. I see you're pretty handy with that, mind giving me a hand? I'd need a unique bolt hole plus a few other floor plans and vehicles...

Tony

[LBraden]

I am unemployed, but the new rules in the UK means I may end up either 1) being put onto a 13 week 9-5 "jobsearch course" or 2) Getting stuck volunteering god knows what hours.

So at minute, unhelpful, I may see about getting in this coming Monday, but after that it will be up in the air.

[helbent4]

Originally Posted by LBraden

I am unemployed, but the new rules in the UK means I may end up either 1) being put onto a 13 week 9-5 "jobsearch course" or 2) Getting stuck volunteering god knows what hours.

So at minute, unhelpful, I may see about getting in this coming Monday, but after that it will be up in the air.

Lee,

Yikes, that's kind of brutal.

Hey, shoot me a character concept circa 1987 and I'll create an NPC for you. From the UK is fine. You can join in on the first session and then maybe your PC (tragically) catches a bullet afterwards?

Pre-Freeze Briefing:

The Morrow Project is designed to assist the USA in recovering after WWIII and comprises nationals from the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia and NZ. (The Atlantis Project covers Europe and the rest of the world.) Your briefing is that in the mid-late 90's a failing Soviet Union will make a desperate bid for world domination. This involves launching an invasion of western Europe and the Middle East, with limited preemptive nuclear strikes on US military facilities and biological/chemical strikes on population centres with therefore less chance of provoking a massive response.

While the west abandoned Civil Defence for all intents and purposes, the USSR never did. It's theorised by Project planners that this preemptive strike on the west will give the Soviets the breathing room to recover first from any retaliation, absorb conquered territory in Europe and then deal with China. The Morrow Project is a kind of "privatised" Civil Defence initiative, intended to primarily aid in economic recovery in time to prevent complete Soviet postwar world domination. Political recovery and continuation of government is of course FEMA's responsibility, while the military/police will handle restoring civil order. It's also expect that damage to the industrial infrastructure and population centres (ie: cities) will be a lot less than an all-out nuclear war.

PD Note: My theory is if an all-out war was expected and the nation completely destroyed, the Project would be much better armed and differently organised than it is in the books. For example, while Cadillac-Gage builds the Commando series of APCs and the Stoner system (Dockery said that CG was a COT-owned company) they also build tanks (the Stingray, which Thailand has used in combat vs. Burma). Instead of individual teams scattered across a state (or a nation) it would be smarter to concentrate the Project into brigade-sized units located around a few self-sufficient areas where they can be supported by artillery and air support. And so on. As is, I think the original plan for the Project expected a level of destruction much less than what actually happened or what most people assume, but that's a personal opinion.

Tony

[helbent4]

PD Note: the game has been proceeding along and we completed our second session. Presented here is a summary of our first session. Following will be summaries of subsequent sessions.

Also, this is not the only active player group in this campaign. If there is interaction between player teams, then those will be posted as well, including summaries to that team (providing another perspective on the events of this game as it affects others, or they affect it).

Team Log: Specialty FW-11S (Frozen Watch)

Specialty FW-11S is a Frozen Watch team intended as replacements for Project teams in the central I-5 corridor operational area. FW-11S's bolthole is located to the east of Grants Pass Oregon, within a few kilometres of the I-5's pre-war route. This is a "Special" bolthole in that there is a semi-permanent "Emergency Shelter" built on top, built to look like an abandoned Oregon Dept. of Transport vehicle storage shed. As this team was intended to be activated to provide replacements for all possible team branches (MARS, Recon, Science, Specialty) no periscope or vehicle was provided as it was assumed there would be an on-site team during revival. There was no vehicle door or ramp, although there was a standard personnel exit and cofferedammed emergency exit (that is, filled-in with sand).

The six team members are John Breckenridge (Specialty: Medical), John Barrows (Science), DJ Carson (MARS), Frank Kowalski (Specialty: Field Support), Patrick McMahon (Specialty: Engineering) and Melissa Wolkewietz (Recon). All are armed with Personal Load #9 (Uzi, Hi-Power, grenades, 2x M72s and ammunition). They were frozen in early 1987 at a secure Project cryo-facility, then deployed in the bolthole on 26 August, 1987.

Initially, only four of the six cryotubes entered a proper wakeup cycle (Breckenridge, Barrows, Kowalski, McMahon). The other two (Carson, Wolkewietz) receiving faults and cycling back down into cryosleep mode to preserve the lives of their occupants. The four personnel began post-wakeup routines, removing IV drips, oxygen feeds, EKG/EEG monitor/defibrillation pads, etc., re-hydrating and getting dressed from the clothes/equipment lockers in their cryotubes. Breckenridge commented that no one was going to jump out of the tubes "like Rambo"(PD Note: thus making the first gratuitous 80's reference).

The bolthole computer indicated the cryotubes' wakeup cycles had been initiated by an authenticated ELF signal transmitted from Prime and not a local Mobile Command Team or on-site team. This was unusual but not unprecedented. The team saw there were also several crates and plastic 55-gallon water drums packed into the cramped bolthole (which was already smaller than usual). Although there was no periscope there was a UHF antenna lead next to a charged AN/PRC-70 radio, by some wall-mounted equipment cabinets. The gear listed below is in addition to the Basic Load and Basic Issue of the personnel:

Frozen Watch FW-11S

Team Manifest (supplemental)

1 Fusion Power Cell (Activated for Team Wake-Up)
1 Drug Kit
1 Surgical Kit
4 Personal Medkits
1 AN/PRC-70 secure radio set (at wall battery terminal)
3 AN/PRC-68 secure hand radios
1 Pioneer Kit (Axe, Shovel, Pry-Bar, Bow-Saw, Sledgehammer)
1 Shelter Kit (Tarps, Nylon Cords,ropes, fire-starter)
2 "Stokes" basket-style para-medic style stretchers
6 Cold Weather Kits (1 per personnel)
4 Ration Packs, Dehydrated
1 Water Purifier, Portable
4 55-gallon water drums (Non-carcinogenic plastic)
1 S&W M27 .357 Revolver
3 Speedloaders, 6x .357 cartridges each

Standard Personal Issue (19.69kg)

1 Coveralls, O.D. Resistweave (AC=9)
1 Beret, Green
1 pr. Boots, (AC=4)
1 Underwear Set

1 Webbing w/
2 Ammo Pouches
1 Holster
1 KCB-70 Knife/Bayonet
1 M17A2 Protective Mask
1 M1 CBR Kit w/6 antidote loads (*-*-*-*-*-*---)
1 Pocket Knife
1 Morrow Project ID (MPID)
1 AN/PRC-68 Personal Communicator w/ Scrambler
2 Canteen w/Cup, 1 litre
1 Rechargeable Flashlight
1 Compass
1 Medkit, w/8 loads of the following

Antitoxin *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*---
Antibiotic *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*---
Coagulant *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*---
Pain Reliever *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*---
Sleep Inducer *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*---
Stimulant *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*---

1 Basic Pack w/
1 Mess Kit
1 Waterproof Poncho/Shelter Half
1 Toilet Kit
1 Folding canteen, 5 litre
3 Boxes of Matches (50 each)
1 Sleeping Bag w/Ground Sheet
1 Weapons Cleaning Kit (Multi-Caliber)
1 Underwear Set
1 Nylon Cord, 50 meters (50kg breaking)
Rations, 14 days (*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*---)
1 Coveralls, O.D. Resistweave (AC=9)

Basic Personal Issue (20.564kg)


1 UZI w/12 mags.
1 HP-35 w/3 mags.
4 M26A1 Grenades
2 M34 WP Grenades
2 M72A2 LAWs



While some took stock of the equipment and supplies, McMahon (trained as a backup RTO) attached the radio and proceeded to attempt to contact Prime using CW (Morse code) as per normal protocol. Prime promptly answered with the correct authentication. They then instructed the team to exit the bolthole to set up the collapsible long-range antenna for secure voice communication as the bolthole's UHF antenna package seemed balky. They were informed of the date (24 Oct. 2140) before the transmissions ceased abruptly.

McMahon, also a professional hunter and tracker, was sent through the personnel exit and discovered the hatch did not open to the outdoors but into a small concrete-walled crawl-space under a medium-sized building. The basement/crawlspace was mostly dirt-filled and there was evidence of several years of animal activity (burrows, nests, remains, etc.) There was a second metal trapdoor leading up into the ground floor of the building in one corner, and an "ash trap" for a fireplace in another. Despite there being vents to the outside the air inside the crawlspace was foul and difficult to breathe.

He could hear sounds of partying and merriment came from the building above. Moving closer to the trapdoor, McMahon determined that someone (a woman) near the trapdoor was being threatened with rape or worse if she failed to cooperate and admit guilt to some unspecified crime. There was no answer from the presumed hostage or prisoner. A quick call to Prime asking for reinforcements received a partial reply that amounted to no reinforcements being available, then the radio went dead (again).

It was decided to dig out the emergency exit, as this would almost certainly lead outside the building. At the least this would allow for an alternative and perhaps unseen exit route. Further, it would be a possible means of out-flanking the presumably armed and dangerous individuals upstairs. This was quickly accomplished and an outside investigation revealed the structure on top of the bolthole as a medium-sized 2-story concrete-walled and metal-roofed shed or garage, with an open interior bay area surmounted by a kind of loft over the vehicle-wide doorway. Further careful reconnaissance determined the structure was occupied by 6 armed individuals visible inside and one lookout on the roof. Also, there were 2 female prisoners (1 older, 1 younger) in the corner by the trapdoor in the floor to the crawlspace underneath. There was an apparently unconscious female lying just inside the main vehicle bay door (which was partially fallen off its hinges).

The eventual plan hinged on Breckenridge sneaking from the emergency exit out to the woods and then walking back to serve as a distraction. Barrows, also outside, would cover the inside of the building from a side window. McMahon and Kowalski would pop out of the floor trapdoor and attempt to secure the nearby hostages. Thus the maximum surprise would be generated through deception, threats from one direction (a side window) and entry from an another unexpected direction (the floor in the rear). The armed individuals were dressed in a somewhat archaic "mountain man" and "western" fashion, although hair was trimmed unexpectedly short and facial hair was well-groomed. Various bolt-action, lever-action rifles and double-barreled shotguns were visible but mostly not at hand.

Breckenridge approached from the front, and was challenged by the roof guard (a woman armed with a pump shotgun and revolver). He attempted some subterfuge regarding his identity and purpose (as he was mostly dressed in Project winter gear) and the confused roof guard did not open fire immediately, but hesitated. This drew the apparent leader (a man) outside to see what the commotion was all about. As the two were about to shoot Breckenridge the signal was given and McMahon threw open the floor trapdoor and exited, yelling at everyone to drop their weapons. Kowalski followed and did the same, both were armed with their sidearms. From the window, Barrows fired a burst from his Uzi into the metal roof.

There was a short sharp fight in front that was over in less than ten seconds (PD note: 2x 4-second Combat rounds). The end result was the male leader down on the ground with a carefully-aimed wound to the foot, and the female lookout down on the roof with a leg wound. Just as the people inside the building were secured and the hostages were being freed, an attacker with a shotgun hiding upstairs took a last desperate shot down the stairs (from the loft) and hit Breckenridge as he entered the structure. Breckenridge was unhurt due to his Resist-weave coveralls absorbing the charge of buckshot. The attacker was wounded in the return fire. In all, there were eight armed attackers within the building (6 male, 2 female) and they all surrendered without further incident, not having their weapons in hand and being taken completely by surprise by the sudden assault from all directions.

When the building was finally secure, it was remembered there was a woman on the roof. McMahon set off to find her, while Breckenridge treated the wounded prisoners, Kowalski kept watch on the trail down towards I-5 and Barrows guarded the prisoners. Tracking the woman was simple, there was a little fresh snow, she was dragging a wounded leg and bleeding at the same time. Run to ground behind a fallen tree, she surrendered without a struggle. McMahon disarmed her and escorted her back for medical treatment by Breckenridge.

Back at the building, it was determined that there was a fourth female prisoner, upstairs in the loft on the floor. She had been killed execution-style (shot in the back of the head, arms bound) and was naked, indicating probable sexual assault. Barrows, a former professor of Chemistry who spent years tracking a serial killer who kidnapped and murdered his child, was deeply emotionally affected but did not act out his desire to punish the offenders, even to obtain information. Barrows recalled that using torture during interrogation was not only unethical and heavily sanctioned behavior, but completely unreliable as the victim would simply say whatever they thought would be believed or what was the questioner wanted to hear, and end the punishment.

Captured Weapons:

2 Springfield '08 .30-06 rifles (excellent pre-war manufacture, fair condition) + 8 clips (5 rds. ea.)
2 Winchester '94 .30-30 rifles (poor post-war 6-shot copies, poor condition) + 24 rounds
2 Double-barrel 12 ga. shotguns (fair post-war manufacture) + 29 rounds (buckshot)
2 Bows (good quality) + 40 arrows, 2 quivers
1 Remington 870 12 ga. shotgun (pre-war manufacture, excellent condition) + 9 rounds (slug)
1 Colt Anaconda .44 Magnum revolver (pre-war manufacture, excellent condition) + 8 rounds.

Note: rounds are total, and all are black-powder reloads.

Clothing: fur-lined wool and leather jackets and coats of a vaguely military or police cut. Several pairs of wool trousers and wool shirts in various sizes. Leather thigh riding boots, lace-up calf-high leather boots (military/police-style). Holsters, gunbelts, cartridge belts.

Badges: 6 bronze stars, 1 silver star (all hand-made).

[helbent4]

Team Log: Specialty FW-11S (Frozen Watch)

Late Night 25 Oct - Early Morning 26 Oct.

After tending all wounds, it was decided for the team to complete its instructions to establish voice communications. It was hoped that once this was done, the malfunction of the cryotubes would be resolved and the remaining personnel revived. Further, there would be some questioning and interrogation of the prisoners.

While McMahon sorted out the radio by setting it up outside and running the antenna to the roof, Barrows continued to guard the prisoners while Kowalski watched the trail towards I-5 by concealing himself in the woods. The weather continued to be poor, with a mixture of snow and rain (sleet) and night began to fall in the mountains.

Interrogation of the prisoners determined that the nearest community was Grants Pass, to the west along I-5. The population was about 200, with an Oregon State Police garrison of some 100 people, including 3 police cars and 1 jeep, and a "Road Warrior" (like the movie), possibly an improvised armoured vehicle of some kind. The local commander was called a Sheriff, or possibly Judge, or maybe they were different people who's roles in the power structure was unclear or ill-defined. Regardless, there was little time to clarify as it was clear that the team should relocate sooner rather than later.

The women hostages were somewhat forthcoming. The older woman and younger girl were related as mother-daughter. Margaret Mancino, the mother spoke for the pair, and Sasha Mancino was her daughter. She said she was a widow and they lived in the local area. They had been collecting wood and looking for a goat of theirs which had run away. After locating the runaway goat, they were confronted by the patrol of bandits, whom they called "Badges" (a generic term for all gangs descended from law-enforcement entities). The gang accused the mother-daughter of theft and apprehended (kidnapped) them for interrogation and "questioning". The third woman appeared to be catatonic and in shock and was treated for wounds that indicated sexual assault. Her full identity remained a mystery at that time, as was that of the forth women (who had been killed).

In the mean time, McMahon established voice contact with Prime Base. They informed the team they had been activated to effect the rescue of Morrow Project personnel and another HIV (High Value Individual) who were taken prisoner far to the east, in Colorado. The team was to proceed to a vehicle cache located in nearby Ben Hur Lampman State Park about 12 km to the east. McMahon was instructed to return to the bolthole to find maps and codebooks that had been secreted behind the cabinets. The coordinates of the vehicle cache and the target would be supplied via radio. As well, Prime would attempt to start the wakeup cycle for the remaining two personnel, Carson and Wolkeweitz.

McMahon and Breckenridge returned to the bolthole and succeeded in reviving the other Project personnel, and retrieve the maps and code book information. Breckenridge was designated ad hoc team leader of FW-11S, and plans were made to make a night march to the vehicle cache. The freed hostages were to be brought along and the bolthole supplies and tools were loaded onto the stretchers (including an empty plastic water drum to store additional water). Margaret and Sasha could walk, the unresponsive woman would be carried. Margaret also asked to accompany the team much farther, as it would be impossible to return to her home after the patrol of Badges went missing. It was agreed to transport her and her daughter to a community in Utah as it was on the way to their destination in Colorado. Margaret knew the local area and offered to act as guide.

The Mission (Operation Deep Freeze): FW-11S was tasked with recovering the vehicles as instructed, then proceed east to Colorado. Three Morrow Project personnel had been captured in California by the Slavers, who sold them to clients of theirs known as the Breeders. FW-11S was to free these prisoners and any other slaves, then ex-filtrate in a westerly direction. There was no additional Project support available at this time. Also, the Breeders' numbers, capabilities and exact location were as-yet unknown. Prime is currently investigating and will supply the details when they became known. It was known that the Breeders buy slaves for medical research and experimentation, and their life-span was less than a week once they reached Colorado. The captured personnel were on their way now and expected to arrive at their destination within the week, giving the personnel until around the 3rd of November to complete their mission.

In an hour team left the emergency shelter area, concealing the bolthole's entrances. The prisoners were bound together and stripped naked left underneath a blanket with the fire going. Although they were warm enough and would eventually escape, the lack of clothing at night and in the snow would seriously hamper any pursuit or attempt to get help. Eventually it was surmised someone would come along and free them but by the then the team would be long-gone. Darkness and falling snow would cover their tracks until morning, if they were not completely covered by then.

Lacking long-range weapons, some of the team procured captured rifles and shotguns. (Barrows taking a Springfield rifle, Breckenridge taking the .44 Magnum Anaconda and a Winchester rifle, McMahon the Remington 870 shotgun, Kowalski the other Springfield, Carson the other Winchester. Margaret and Melissa each took a bow.) For the trip to the vehicle cache, Carson (a MARS branch member) took point and Barrows brought up the rear with everyone else in between carrying supplies and stretchers. The snow soon stopped, making travel easier.

The path from the building led south down a mountainside to the former I-5 corridor, now a trail known as the "Open Road". Using flashlights, team followed the trail through thick forest alongside the Rogue River, the town of Rogue River itself gone, the ruins completely vanished in the forest. After several hours they reached the location of the state park and found the now-buried USGS marker, which pointed to a nearby cliff face. Inside a chamber hollowed in the cliff side were parked 2 XR311 jeeps, with some supplementary equipment.

One XR311 was the standard "Recon" version with M2HB machinegun in a ring mount, while the other was a "convoy escort" with paired M60 GPMG and XM174E3 auto-grenade launcher on pintles mounted on the roll-bar:






Each vehicle is issued the following supplies:

VEHICLE SUPPLIES

The following list of supplies are carried in the vehicle. The supplies are
placed in the vehicles while they are in storage and so are available for
immediate use.

1 pr. AN/PVS-7 NVGs
1 CP-7 Laser Range finding binoculars
AutoNav navigation system
2 AN/PRC-70 scambled radios
1 Radio Direction Finder
1 Magnetic Sensor Unit
Fusion-Powered Water Filtration System
Vehicle Equipment, Containing;
1 Shovel
1 Axe
1 Sledgehammer
1 Machete
20m Tow chain
1 Set Vehicle Camoflage Netting, Poles
Sandbags
Road Flares, 12
Spare Winter Kit (Personal)
3 Fire extinguishers
XR311 MPV Tool Kit
M122 Tripod
1 Large MedKit
Mountaineering Equip, contains;
2 5Om 11mm Nylon rope
1 Folding grappling hook
20 Pitons
30 Snaplinks
1 225grm Hammer
6 M688 40mm Rocket shells
2 Ration packs, 120 man-days total
Trade pack containing;
50 Silver Dollars
6 one liter bottles of Whiskey
6 Sewing kits
4 Mirrors
6 Comb and brush sets
6 Hunting knives
6 250g packs Tobacco
2 Cartons Cigarettes
6 packs Hard Candy
Various toilet articles
6 Fishing kits
2 kg freeze-dried coffee

Extra weapons and ammunition carried:
1 M79 40mm GL (for Mountaineering Kit)
1 M21 rifle/10 Mags.
4 ARMBRUST 300s

1 case M26A1 grenades
1 case M7A3 CS grenades
1 case M34 WP grenades

2 Ml8Al claymore mines
1 roll primer cord
2 M1 timers
1 M183 demolition charge
10 M2A1 detonators
1 case Mk 1 Illumination Grenades, 25

1 case 9xl9mm, 2880 rds
1 case 7.62x51mm, 920 rds
1 case 5.56x45mm, 1640 rds
1 case 12 gauge, 500 rds

Additional weapons and ammunition:

1 M2HB .50-cal. w/5 belts (525 Rounds total)

or

1 M60 GPMG w/3 belts (300 rounds total)
1 XM174E3 w/3 drums (1 drum ea., HE, HEDP, CS. 36 rounds total)
Additionally: 1x case each; 40mm HE, HEDP, CS Gas,Parachute
Flare, Starshell, Smoke, Stunbag, Multiple Projectile.

PD Note: the XM174E3 is an automatic grenade launcher tested in Viet Nam. It is a recoil-operated selective fire weapon firing low-powered 40mm grenades, using a pistol grip. Magazines are flattened oval drum-type holding 12 rounds. The sights are of M79-type and the weapon can be fired from the hip, vehicle or tripod-mounted.





The cache door was faulty so while Kowalski worked on it, the team got the vehicles organised and loaded up. The Project uses a stretched version of the XR311 (more resembling the Lamborghini Cheetah) with more room behind the front seats. Extensive electronics in front and equipment still only comfortably seat 2 with 2 more in jump seasts in back. Assignments were as follows:

FW-11S-A (M60/XM174E3): Kowalski (driver), Carson (gunner), Breckenridge and Barrows riding in the jump seats.

FW-11S-B (M2HB): McMahon (driver), Wolkeweitz (gunner), Margaret and Sasha in jump seats, unidentified woman on a stretcher secured to the rear cargo deck.

Some weapons were redistributed, with the eventual supplementary weapon loads and ammunition were as follows:

Kowalski: Load #9, M21 rifle/10 mags.
Carson: Load #9, M21 rifle/10 mags., S&W M27 .357 (6 plus 2 speed-loaders)e
Barrows: Load #9, Springfield (1 5-round clip in the magazine plus 3 spares)
Breckenridge: Load #9, Colt Anaconda (5 in weapon, 3 loose), Springfield (1 5-round clip in the rifle plus 3
spares), 1 Winchester copy (6 rounds in weapon, plus 12 loose rounds)
McMahon: Load #9, Remington 870 (5 + 3 12 ga. Slugs)
Wolkewietz: Load #9.
Maragaret: Bow + 20 arrows
Sasha: Bow + 20 arrows

Proceeding in their vehicles further east towards Klamath, per Margaret's directions, the team halted after dawn and camped for 6 hours for some much-needed rest. It began to rain, melting what snow remained. The team reached Klamath at around 1700 hours. Klamath was a small farming village surrounded by a wooden palisade, with 4 observation towers. An American and Oregon state flags were hung from the gate and there were two guards (1 armed with an M16A2 and another with a shotgun). The team was allowed into town by the Mayor (called the Governor) and booked rooms at the tavern/inn and renting the local stable down the street to shelter their vehicles.

The Governor was very forthcoming about historical trivia and current information, what little he knew. Many of the people in Klamath (formerly Klamath Falls) were descended from surviving FEMA personnel and members of the state government relocated there during the war. Therefore they consider themselves the rightful government of Oregon and the only legitimate local representatives of the federal government after the death of the Last President, Dick Cheney (the pre-war Secretary of Defence.) This is many generations after any of this ceased to mean anything. Further investigation may reveal the historical truth but of course it's largely irrelevant in day-to-day practice, as the Governor's militia (the protective detail and State Guard) only controlled the satellite farms in the Klamath valley and Lake, and around Klamath itself.

The team found out additional information about the Badges who controlled the former I-5 corridor, know know as part of the Open Road. The Open Road mostly followed the old Interstate system, although other trails and routes did exist. While the Open Road was often the most well-maintained route in a region it was also paradoxically the most dangerous. It was plagues by bandits, highwaymen, bikers and even rogue Truckers and while travelers tended to be well-armed, those that preyed on them were equally well-armed. The gang who infested the Open Road in Oregon were descended from the Oregon State Police, also known colloquially as Badges.

Additionally, it was revealed that slavery was common in many communities. Slavery as an institution was promoted and protected by the Slaver's Guild, an organisation with branches throughout most of the prewar contiguous United States that billed itself as "labour procurement specialists". They employed slave hunters (known as "bounty hunters" or "skip tracers") to track down escaped slaves, and mercenaries to retaliate against communities that interfered with their business or that of the slave hunters, such as sheltering escaped slavers. The people of Klamath privately opposed slavery but did so quietly to avoid the wrath of the slavers. Klamath also kept a low profile to avoid the attention of the local Badges, allies of the Slavers. Being off the Open Road helped them do both, but they were still an important secondary trade route east.

In general the Slavers (at least on the west coast) had a strong commercial motive, but also strongly believe that slavery was something that the Founding Fathers approved of and felt was important (after all, the Founding Fathers were all slave owners, too). Further, for generations they have tried to foster the belief that abolition was only imposed upon the unwilling states through government interference (a war) and resulting from judicial activism, a hijacked Constitution, the ACLU, etc. The nearest branch, the Western Slavers Guild, was located in a former casino in Taho, Nevada.

That evening, Breckenridge talked to the as-yet nameless victim, using his training in trauma and sexual assault counseling, assisted by Melissa Wolkeweitz. The former hostage finally opened up, revealing her name (Jennifer Sims), but she was unable to tell them much else.

After finishing talking to the Governor, the team made a report to Prime (using a wire antenna looped through the rafters of the barn) and went to sleep for the night in the tavern and barn. In the morning the team traded for supplies and Breckenridge met with the local EmDee in order to run a clinic. The EmDee, Doc Winslowe, had a facial tattoo of a caduceus to denote her status as a medical professional. Doc Winslowe offered to take care of Jennifer as it was clear further travel would imperil her fragile mental state, and the Team eagerly accepted the offer. Further trades and commerce was conducted prior to the team's departure.

A final call to Prime for further instructions and intelligence on their planned route (through eastern Washington, southern Idaho towards the Colorado border) surprisingly yielded additional information from another active team Specialty QP-11 (PSYOPS), located in the Puget Sound and part of Combined Group Seattle.

[helbent4]

Wednesday, 26 Oct. 2140

FW-11S finished its conversation with QP-11's Team Leader and Seattle's deputy group leader, Lee Harvey Oswald. Transmissions had to be kept short for security's sake but they would receive additional details later.

Further conversation with the Governor that morning revealed the last universally accepted legal President of the USA was Richard "Dick" Cheney, George H. W. Bush's Secretary of Defense. He died soon after the war ended in 1990, and the shattered nation was left with different opposing and hostile factions as the population continued to dwindle.

There was no extent United States as a political unit, and there hadn't been one since shortly after the war.

Per anecdote, population growth in the Pacific Northwest and presumably across the country seemed remained stable since the war, with only a few places enjoying significant growth while many other areas suffered a continual decline in population. The former cities were generally shunned, because not only nuclear but chemical weapons were employed, some allegedly remaining dangerous and even killing would-be scavengers for years or even generations after the war, if rumour was to be believed. At any rate, only the most brave or foolhardy would venture into the ruins, which by now were well picked-over despite the dire warnings.

The cause for the war was unclear to everyone, although people seemed to think the Soviets had struck first, and then launched an invasion immediately after the bombs fell in November 14, 1989. This was the official history as far as the Governor knew. There were contradictory rumours that the war was an accident and the USA had struck first.

The team took on some food and water, then departed along the old highway 91 towards Bend. The trail followed the old highway north along the foothills of the Cascade mountains. At one point they saw some deer ahead on the trail but decided they didn't have the time to hunt, even for fresh venison. They moved from the wet coastal area to Oregon's high plains, and they weather became cool and clear, very dry.

Compared to before the war, a little more of the high desert plains was now covered by evergreens and Ponderosa pine, although most remained rolling grassland. The road was in fairly good condition, but it was deserted and they didn't see anyone or anything except the birds, which seemed to be plentiful. The places where pre-war bridges had washed out were spanned by replacements made of wood, mainly trestle bridges. Someone had made at least an intermittent effort to keep the trade route open.

That evening Oswald with QP-11 briefed them via radio on a transfer of slaves from the Slavers to the Breeders in Franklin, Idaho. Franklin, at least 10 years ago, had no walls and seemed undefended, and seemed to be the main transfer point for regular buys of slaves for unspecified purposes. It was theorised that their base would be located somewhere nearby. The Breeders were signaled by radio and arrived in a deuce-and-a-half. There were 2 guards in fatigues carrying rifles, and 2 more "civilian" types in white coats to supervise. In general, it's been determined the Breeders were located in the geographical region around the central Rockies. They got most of their research material from the Slavers but sometimes went far afield to personally procure items or people needed for their research. It was thought to be medical research of some kind, and their victims inevitably disappeared.

Thursday, 27 Oct 2140.

The next evening they camped in the wooded foothills of the Rockies to avoid being caught out on the plains. Kowalski saw something move in the darkness gathering under the trees, and a grizzly bear charged them out of the gloom when Breckenridge challenged it.

Breckenridge's 40mm CS canister went wide, and Carson shot the charging bear twice, aiming for the hear, but that seemed to have little effect. Kowalski opened up with the fifty-cal but it quickly dodged under the spray of bullets and tracers. The grizzly hit the side of the XR311 with a crash that rocked the vehicle on its suspension, then sat back stunned. The small clearing was filled with the fading echoes of gunfire, especially the 50-cal, and reeked of gunpowder

Carson quickly fired off more shots, aiming for the eyes, but the bear simply slumped over, dead. Upon examination it was found to be a normal grizzly, and Carson had killed it with the shots to the heart but it hadn't figured that out when it went for the jeep.

On the plus side McMahon, an experienced hunter, managed to remove its claws, teeth and hide but they were unable to get much meat due to the lack of available time. The hide would keep a couple days in the cool dry weather. Preparation would take several hours of curing in the shade and 20-40lbs of salt, neither of which they had. Instead, the hide could be traded, uncured, further down the line.

The team relocated to get away from the carcass, which would attract predators. The meal, a mixture of rations and fresh food traded for in Klamath and cooked by Margaret, was a real treat.

That night, from over a kilometre away, they heard wolves howling under the moon at their good fortune of a free meal.

Friday, 28 Oct 2140

The team started off at 0800, just as dawn was breaking, as was the team's travel pattern. The weather continued to hold out, and by noon they were traveling along the Snake River, the border between Oregon and Idaho.

Stopping for a meal, they were raided by some squirrels looking for food. McMahon tried to shoot them with his bow but was unable to hit any. They made camp, as usual, when darkness began to fall at 6pm.

Saturday, 29 Oct. 2140

The skies clouded over after dawn and it started to rain. By midday they reached Boise, home of one of the larger population centres in this part of the high plains. The team was able to park their XR311s inside an actual parking garage, and spent the evening shaking off the cold of the road.

Boise, a town of over a thousand, was located at what used to be Northwest Nazarene College, a Christian liberal arts college founded in 1913. After the war the faculty and students banded together to survive. Eventually, the Boise Merchant's League became based out of here after being forced out of Boise proper by raiding militia from one of the larger Aryan Republics. After the end of the Aryan Republics War in 2101, the Merchant League decided to keep its headquarters there and the town has experienced considerable growth, relatively speaking. Boise merchants were some of the few establishments that accepted gold and silver in trade.

At Cohen's tavern they met a "travel agent" and arranged for Margaret and Sasha to travel with a trader's convoy to Bountiful in Utah in a few days. Their passage was largely paid-for with the massive grizzly hide. They were also sent on their way with some silver, the Project-issue cold weather clothing they'd been loaned, and a shotgun plus ammunition. They were sad to part with the team but they all enjoyed their company that evening.

As per usual, Breckenridge made friends with locals drinking there on a Saturday night, including an intelligent-looking young mountain man name Grainger who wanted to join the team after hearing of the Project's mission to rebuild the USA. His request was declined, as Morrow policy regarding field recruitment was unknown at that time.

They learned more about the Aryan Republics war. A large coalition from across much of the former USA banded together to defeat the Neo-Nazi militias and their Christian Survival League allies (elite "missionaries" all the way from the US Southeast) at the Battle of Mountain Home but the coalition (which, among others, included the Boise Merchant's League, Wyoming Cattleman's Association, the Federation of American Survivalists, mercenaries as far away as Seattle and Cheyenne, even natives from the Dominion to the north, etc.) fell apart soon afterwards.

The Cohen family appeared to be mutants of some kind, part of a subculture known as "Stubbs". Although of average height for dwarfs, their condition didn't appear to be related to any apparent genetic disorder, such as achondroplastia, and was atypical of dwarfism in general. See supplementary report.


Sunday, 30 October 2140

Early the next day, the team left, following the Snake River along the Open Road, once the I-60 through southern Idaho. They were on the lookout for Aryans and other renegades that roamed that stretch of road.

They were extensively briefed on how to deal with the contaminated areas around Mountain Home AFB, remnants of Soviet nuclear strikes. All of the fallout was long gone except immediately downwind of the base. A few radioactive hotspots still remained downwind of the missile fields and it was considered safest to keep on the Open Road/Interstate, as surface water didn't collect due to its construction.

Midday, they came across advance scouts for what turned out to be the "Highballer Freight and Shipping Company". The group actually a family of what are called "Gypsy Truckers". The scouts, led by a young woman named "Lucey", were mounted on motorcycles with wooden-spoke iron-banded wheels, severely limiting the speed of these vehicles. When the rest of the convoy came into view, there was a large rig and over a dozen smaller vehicles, mostly pickups and vans with some cars, all with the same wheels. Automatic weapons were visible from rifles to machineguns, alongside truck-mounted ballistae, crossbows and black powder weapons like rifles and shotguns. The Gypsy Truckers assumed they were fellow truckers, but time prevented them from doing much more than exchanging information on road conditions between the trading post in Pocatello and the Merchant League HQ where the team had stayed the night near Boise.

By nightfall they made Kyle's trading post in Pocatello. They picked up a little information about the Breeders, or at least a group that Truckers had seen to the south of there, around the town of Franklin, which matched the team's intel. The Breeders mainly kept to themselves. Prime was instructing Morrow Landsat One to make an orbital survey of the Big Hill area to the Northeast of Franklin. Unfortunately, there was no way to transfer actual graphical information to the team in their field as the AN/PRC-70 radios have no data transmission capability.

The team continued on into the night, traveling by night-vision until they were in the Big Hill area. For security reasons they completely bypassed the town of Franklin. After setting up a forward camp, two members (Carson and McMahon) were sent on a reconnaissance patrol of the area.

FW-11S Issue weapon (IMI UZI):

[northdoc]

Awesome man. Sounds like a great adventure. Wish I could have been in on it.

[mikeo80]

These blogs are a great read. I wish I could take part, but that dread disease "Real Life" prevents it.

My $0.02

Mike

[helbent4]

Early Morning, 31 October


The forward camp was set up a few kilometres north of Big Hill, just off a track that ran along the Bear River. Due to tire ruts it seemed likely the Breeders were using this route to get to their base. Big Hill had once been on the route of the Oregon Trail, a route that often followed the high ground over ridgelines and hills where possible to avoid slogging through the canyons and gullies of the mountainous lowlands. Big Hill was considered the steepest ascent and descent on the Oregon Trail, and the route only detoured over it because the other terrain around the low mountain was so much worse.

They had debated pushing making camp or following the track further in their XR311s, but without having a better idea where the base was located they could come upon it or a party of Breeders unexpectedly. That would likely cost them the element of surprise, the main thing they had going for them. Prime reported problems with MorrowSat One and so they would have to keep waiting for satellite surveillance. A route recce on foot seemed the wisest course even though time was almost certainly of the essence.

Carson and McMahon set off on foot in the predawn darkness following the Breeders' trail. Carson armed with an M21 rifle and McMahon with a Remington 870 Shotgun. They also carried a backpack radio. This mountainous area had once been near the Cache National Forest and the track skirted the boundary as it meandered northeast along the snow-covered river valley floor. They passed the ruins of a small prewar power plant, now a roofless concrete shell, the smokestack long-fallen over. The tire tracks were easy for them to follow, frozen muddy ruts across a light covering of snow. The few running vehicles they'd seen so far used wooden wheels but these were made by recognisably rubber tires. The weather was clear and cold. Wind whistled through the leafless trees.

About 10km NE from where they set up camp the track abruptly turned west and began to climb steeply towards some mountains, disappearing into the snow-covered trees. They could feel they were getting close. The two scouts radioed in their findings, then proceeded cautiously upwards through the forest of stunted alpine trees. At the 5400 foot elevation mark they came to the remains of a fence-line. There were only a few rusted sections poking above the snow. A crumpled metal sign, mostly rusted away, read, "NO ...RESP... ...ITE W. US DE..." The rest of the lettering was illegible but it was clear there had been some kind of prewar installation here. Likely secret and remote, far from prying eyes. Even before the war this forested mountain country was empty and dry, now it was even emptier and colder, thanks to a cooler climate.

Sure enough they soon smelled wood smoke. Then they spotted the track disappearing into the dark mouth of a vehicle-sized tunnel set into the mountainside. It was guarded by a large, fortified blockhouse made of logs sitting right in front of the entry tunnel mouth. The path split around it to get in and out of the tunnel, there were additional bunkers dug into positions flanking the main blockhouse. Wood smoke wafted from a chimney on roof of the blockhouse. Trees had been cleared in a couple hundred metre radius on a regular basis from the entrance and guard bunker. They couldn't see anyone around outside. Carefully and quietly they made their way around the clearing. To one side was the mountain, On the other was a deep, wooded ravine filled with trash and garbage. Scavengers would be attracted to the ripe smell, including bears. Maybe that was the point, with bears a danger in the neighborhood lurkers outside would be discouraged. Fortunately, there were no bears about! There were plenty of fresh springs in this area, as well as hot springs. They could tap the former for fresh water and the latter for geothermal electrical generation if they didn't use something like a nuclear power plant or other source of power for electricity. There looked to be a second entrance to the tunnel but it was collapsed a long time ago.

Not seeing anything more of interest at the entrance, they decided to see if they could find something interesting on top of the mountain. Climbing up the forested mountainside to the barren peak wasn't easy but they made it in a few hours. Indeed, it looked like there was the rusted remains of some kind of antenna farm near the rocky summit. A collapsed rusty chain-link fence once enclosed a couple of now- rusted and crumpled parabolic dishes along with a few standing (and a few more collapsed) antennas. Everything was rusty, corroded, broken-looking and covered with snow. There was one antenna that looked like it was still in use. Communications cables led down the mountainside about a hundred metres to a hatch in the middle of a series of snow-covered grated vents. Beneath the locked hatch was a concrete shaft going down into darkness. Some of these underground bases had ventilation shafts that doubled as escape tunnels. It looked like maybe they'd found a way in!

PD Note: Not finishing this recap has been a big regret of mine. As it happens, I am planning on continuing my campaign, of which this is peripherally related, so I've done some reading up to refamiliarise myself with some details of the campaign background. It's been five years since we played this game so while I can remember general details much is lost. Still, there doesn't seem to be a reason not to finish off this adventure write up so I will give it a try. I did some light editing to correct errors in earlier posts and if and when I find the maps I made I will include them.

The adventure I wish to run will cap off my PF-010 Final Watch campaign. This will be run as a Play-by-Post game on rpol.net. I'll post details when it comes together in case anyone's interested.

[helbent4]

Late Afternoon, 31 October 2016

Further investigation on the mountainside revealed the access hatch to the presumed ventilation shaft was not alarmed. Although it was secured from the inside by a simple sliding metal bolt there was no padlock or other sophisticated lock. The bolt brackets were heavily corroded and could probably be forced open using a pry bar. Covered ventilation ducts next to the hatch seemed to still be active, indicating air was being drawn down the ventilation shaft and expelled from other vents nearby.

Having found a potential way in, it was decided to move the team up.

There was a concern that the vehicles could meet some kind of Breeder patrol. But their own recce element had not seen footprints on the track leading to the underground base, only tire prints. They surmised it was unlikely the Breeders would send out a foot patrol, maybe due to it being later in the year and the cool temperatures. They would have easily heard a vehicle motor echoing in the quiet mountains if a vehicle had been sent out. Ergo they thought it was safe to move up the XR311s, without meeting someone on the track once their own foot patrol moved down to where they could keep an eye on the entrance.

Meanwhile, the main body of the team contacted Prime and got ready to move. One of them noticed a squirrel was missing its tail. This could have been evidence of an accident, but a second one was seen at the same time. Definitely a mutation, much like the enlarged grizzly. Still, the significance was difficult to gauge. Prime advised them that there was a backup element en route that could be there that night. They packed up and set out on the trail, hoping to link up with their forward element.

The XR311s made their bounds without incident, pulling of the track 1.5 kilometres from the tunnel entrance. They covered their tracks in the snow by dragging branches and and camouflaged the vehicles in the woods using camo nets. Further observation from within the treeline revealed remote CCTV cameras mounted above and to both sides of the large mountainside entrance. It was unclear if these were operational or not. There also seemed to be some kind of telephone or communications cable leading from the tunnel to the blockhouse.

Generally, the plan was to infiltrate the facility via the ventilation/escape shaft near the top of the mountain, locate the captured Morrow Project personnel and others, then exfiltrate via the same route. To incapacitate the occupants of the facility, a case of M7A3 CS gas canisters would be taken and deployed into the base's ventilation system. the ventilation shaft would likely have some kind of blast valves that might make passage difficult if they were intact but it was possible these systems had been removed.

It was difficult to say what they would find underground. The presence of dual open horizontal access tunnels (albeit one being collapsed) suggested this facility was hardened against nuclear attack. The usual layout for such underground hardened facilities was for there to be a hollowed-out chamber inside the mountain, within it (possibly mounted on shock absorbers) would be a secondary structure, essentially a small skyscraper built inside this chamber. But the layout would be inverted compared to the aboveground kind with the most important levels being the lowest ones. Usually, garages, mechanical (HVAC, filtration, water, power) and storage areas would be on the lower levels and basement but here they would make up the top levels. The top level was also where the horizontal access tunnel from outside would connect to the base. Next would be living quarters and administration/offices. The most secure and sensitive areas, in this case involving medical experiments, would be on the lowest level(s). That's also where the prisoners would be kept.

The horizontal access tunnel leading outside would not be a straight shaft leading from outside to the base like a mining tunnel. Instead, the tunnel would be more like a "T", with the top "arm" being the tunnel to the outside with two entrances on different sides of the mountain, with no doors sealing them. The access tunnel to the installation itself would be in the side of this tunnel (forming the base of the "T") and sealed by blast doors. The theory was that while a door in the side of the mountain might be blown in by the brute force of a blast, any shockwave would simply pass along through the open tunnel from one end to the other, without impacting the blast doors directly. The recce element had seen such an open tunnel mouth and another, collapsed, one a ways off and this configuration led them to believe this was a hardened facility. Without going inside the actual layout was a mystery but it was all they had to go on.

Optimally, they would send one team down the ventilation shaft to effect the rescue while another conducted some kind of distraction to draw out guards/security personnel to, say, the blockhouse out front. Or assault the blockhouse and take it to secure the main access tunnel as a secondary escape route. But they only had 4 personnel, and all would go in through the top. If that route proved impassible they would then try the front entrance and deal with the CCTV cameras and blockhouse as they saw fit.

"Go" time was set at 0215 local time. At 0245 they would reach the top of the mountain and the ventilation shaft, and by 0300 they would be inside to deploy the gas and enter the facility proper from the shaft. Prime approved of the timetable, advising the team (call sign FOXTROT 1 & 2) that the support element (VIPER 1 & 2) would stand by until the rescue was completed and take the prisoners off the team's hands for transport and treatment. Afterwards, FW-11S would make its way north-northwest back towards Boise and await new orders.