GMing a city defense

[guncrazy]

Yes I suspect the PCs will be doing that so I planned ahead for it.

[WallShadow]

(Mostly) fake minefields, with enough real ones and lots of booby-trapped fakes to slow them down.
If you have a good idea about the way the Warlord's forces would be coming, set up some tempting almost-hidden caches along their line of approach with whiskey laced with antihistamines, which will have them falling asleep on their feet or behind the wheel. If you're feeling evil, rig up some Gatorade bottles with antifreeze--their livers will thank you for it.
Otherwise, scorched earth
Contaminate water sources--wells, reservoirs, apparently sealed bottled water--with some easily-obtained E. coli bacteria (I'm sure you can figure that one out).
Stealth raid to steal or damage the breech blocks of the artillery. And the good old tried and true "sugar in the gas tank" trick.
If they reach the town, make sure they will be channeled into dead-ends and crossfires,with rat-holes allowing the defenders to shoot, scoot, and shoot again.

[pmulcahy11b]

Just a note -- MOUT is regarded as an infantryman's nightmare, and with good reason. Every window, every crack, every corner, every car, every everything could have a gun or grenade behind it, and everything could be rigged to explode. You're constantly on edge, because an attack could come from anywhere. And it cuts both ways.

[Legbreaker]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

And it cuts both ways.

Worth noting that any little trick or makeshift weapon system the PCs/defenders come up with, the militia could also be using.
Drainpipe mortars, chlorine gas, jam tin grenades, trench catapults, etc. The only limit is imagination.

[guncrazy]

The game commenced last night (Tuesdays are game night) So far the battle has started off poorly for our struggling PCs. After some time preparing and talking amongst themselves about defense prep they get underway and fast forward to the action. The siege begins with M198's shelling the town killing 10 men and giving one of the PCs a wake up call lol. Due to a great observation roll on the outskirts one player spots their F.O in the distance (we are in Texas/NM so desert terrain. The 81mm mortar is ordered to fire on that position. The player rolls for the mortar team and rolls a 20, catastrophic failure! being the nice GM I am I let him roll again to avoid a true nightmare scenario, the player rolls another 20. The round cooks off in the tube killing the crew and all remaining round for the one mortar. Only 1 81mm remains in the city. Round 2 sees the second mortar roll a 1 on its roll and hits the F.O position silencing the militias Howitzers, at least for the time being. Trucks can be seen and heard approaching the city as the shaken but determined defense prepares for urban combat....Thats where it stands now, next round will be actual initiative and combat commences.

[.45cultist]

Originally Posted by guncrazy

The game commenced last night (Tuesdays are game night) So far the battle has started off poorly for our struggling PCs. After some time preparing and talking amongst themselves about defense prep they get underway and fast forward to the action. The siege begins with M198's shelling the town killing 10 men and giving one of the PCs a wake up call lol. Due to a great observation roll on the outskirts one player spots their F.O in the distance (we are in Texas/NM so desert terrain. The 81mm mortar is ordered to fire on that position. The player rolls for the mortar team and rolls a 20, catastrophic failure! being the nice GM I am I let him roll again to avoid a true nightmare scenario, the player rolls another 20. The round cooks off in the tube killing the crew and all remaining round for the one mortar. Only 1 81mm remains in the city. Round 2 sees the second mortar roll a 1 on its roll and hits the F.O position silencing the militias Howitzers, at least for the time being. Trucks can be seen and heard approaching the city as the shaken but determined defense prepares for urban combat....Thats where it stands now, next round will be actual initiative and combat commences.

Dang! Sounds like they needed a team outside to harass the howitzer crews.

[guncrazy]

Originally Posted by .45cultist

Dang! Sounds like they needed a team outside to harass the howitzer crews.

Yeah I think they are finally gettign that point lol. But now that the first wave is coming they will have to deal with street to street combat first. Their first combat ever, pretty excited for it. Its amazing how some timely placed terrible rolls add to the roleplay lol.

[swaghauler]

Originally Posted by .45cultist

Dang! Sounds like they needed a team outside to harass the howitzer crews.

THIS!