[OW] Die Hards: Eleventh Hour

[Mazer Rackham]

Scarlet/Stimms:

 

At the unexpected and sudden outburst, the 'Die Hards' prick up their ears, and Stimms watches Judge silently move towards Lughead.  Caution hasn't been abandoned, but in fact has increased.  The furtive movements of the squad betray a communal nervousness.

 

Orks can't talk like blue-blooded officers, but they are Xenos - and who knew or wanted to find out what chicanery they could produce?

 

Judge begins to tap a gentle cadence on his rifle stock.

 

Steel, please take a Challenging (+0) Awareness test to discern the sounds and pattern.  The cipher is basic, so no training in that is required to understand or reply - this is just to pick it out from the background noise.  A jungle is not a silent place.

[Beren]

Stimms' face curdles into discuss as he hears the question echo through the trees.

 

Emperor-above, a blueblood. He'd almost prefer the Orks. 

[Mazer Rackham]

Posted on behalf of Steel Company:

 

Awareness Test: 81 with a TN of 33.

[Steel Company]

Scarlett holds her breath trying to filter out the sounds of the jungle, yet between the wildlife and general noise of water and wind, she cannot pin point it.

[Mazer Rackham]

Stimms:

 

Suddenly, all noise in the vicinity ceases.  Judge stops his gentle signalling.  The birds do not chirp, and even the annoying and wayward monkeys that chatter and pull at branches above the swamp and wetland are silent, still.

 

Even the rattle of insects is muted, and the heat and silence both become oppressive as a giant shadow begins to cut across the jungle floor, eclipsing the meagre light from above.  As you look up, you can see the lumbering behemoth of an Imperial Battleship entering low orbit.  Some of you may know the Class, others may not care.  Its cruciform shape harkens to old buildings, temples of worship dedicated to Him-On-Terra.

 

It is the sign of a destroyer bigger than Orks, and even though some hours separate the meeting of violence between this emissary of armageddon, and the ground upon which you stand, those numbers feel exceptionally small.

 

Lughead grunts, low.  It's almost to himself as far as Ogryn mannerism go.  "Ere, is dey landin?"

 

He gives a meaty fisted wave.

 

Scarlett:

 

"Look, it is an Ogryn!" Halbast hisses.

 

A quick look up reveals Lughead, partially risen from his crouch, waving at the behemoth above.  Walker grabs him and pulls him down.

 

The squad - or what's left of it, are ten metres away.

[Steel Company]

Scarlett lets out a sigh of relief before standing and slinging her rifle and motioning for the Midshipmen to follow as she hurries over to the squad. Once she was close enough she called out to Judge, "Any trouble for the squad? I ask as we got lucky and avoided a group of Kommandos."

[Mazer Rackham]

Stimms/Scarlett:

 

Judge nods a greeting.

 

"We've found Nails, but had to leave him behind with Whisper,"  His understated report doesn't match the dark frown on his face.

 

A bundle of twigs, and plant stalks smelling of alcohol and a terrible mix of sweat and something akin to animal ordure appears beside Scarlett.  "Well Katherine, introduce us, dear."

[Steel Company]

Scarlett whirls on the Midshipmen, gritting her teeth together as she says, "Judge, this is Midshipmen Halbast. Sir, my squad leader Judge."

 

After the quick introduction, Scarlett spares a moment for a withering glare at the rest of the squad, as if challenging any of them to say her real name.

[Mazer Rackham]

Stimms/Scarlett:

 

Ignoring Scarlett's discomfort, Halbast nods, dislodging a dead frondleech from his shoulder.  "Pleased to me meet you, fellow.  Squad Leader?  A Sergeant?"

 

"Lieutenant, Second Grade."

 

"Ah!" the Midshipman brightens.  "Then by right of Naval Tradition, I think I'm in charge!"

[Steel Company]

Scarlett puts her face into a free hand as she says, "Sir, I think you're forgetting the separation of Navy and Guard assets that was done, long before anyone of us were born. Navy cannot command Guard units, just as Guard officers cannot command naval units."

[Beren]

Had anybody been paying attention, they might have noticed that their medic was hunched over, looking at his feet, and quit possibly doing his best not to erupt into a burst of laughter.

[Mazer Rackham]

Judge's face doesn't change.  "Normally Scarlett, that's correct.  Unfortunately, Standing Evacuation Order 13 puts Mr Halbast in the right."

 

"Thank you Second Lieutenant," Halbast smiles.  "Shall we get on now - and do you have a medic?"

 

"Stimms?" Judge calls.

 

As you straighten, you could swear there's a ghost of a smile at the corner of his mouth.

 

"Move it.  We go in five.  Scarlett, take point.  Midshipman, stay with me.  Near the back."

[Beren]

Stimms hastens over to the naval officer, standing ramrod straight and giving a brief respectful nod.

 

"Anything I can do for you sir?"

[Steel Company]

With a nod Scarlett unslings her carbine and goes into a hunched forward motion with her weapon at the ready, her motions making it clear that she was never some basic guardsmen.

[Mazer Rackham]

Lughead falls in behind Scarlett.  He keeps his voice low, but even so it's a rumbling, throaty utterance.  "Nice 'ave you back Scar-let."

 

Lingering near the rear of the line, Halbast grins at Stimms.  "Finally, proper respect.  Good show."

 

He looks around conspiratorially, before leaning in to you.  "Just a touch of counterseptic...for the uh, delicate places, you understand.  Frondleeches."

[Steel Company]

Scarlett gives a wave with her left hand before retuning it to the foregrip on the carbine as she says, "Good to be back, big guy."

[Beren]

Again, Stimms finds himself struggling to maintain an even, unreactive, composure as he nods again in considerate understanding.

 

"Of course, sir."

 

Stimms unslings his kit, and rummages around a little before providing the requested substance to Halbast. He then readjusts his gear, and waits a moment in case the naval officer feels the need to dismiss him.

[Mazer Rackham]

Halbast takes the small tube of counterseptic and winces.  "Er, thank you soldier, well done."

 

He taps your shoulder in what he believes is a comradely fashion, and turns to follow Judge down the trail.

 

----------------------------------------

----------------------------------------

 

Ten minutes later, as Scarlett leads the team towards the bridge they must cross, and the trail to Thunder Point, a loud explosion comes from up ahead, roughly 150 metres.

 

"Help!  Throne, help!" the cry is pained, desperate.

 

A pall of black, dirty smoke rises into pencil-thinness, and a sharp tang of crude propellant drifts downwind, along with something that smells stronger than Halbast.  A rattle of automatic fire rips the swamplands canopy.

 

It does not come in your direction.  Someone else it seems, has found the Orks.

[Steel Company]

Pressing her lips together Scarlett presses on as she says, "Time isn't on our side now Sir, I can't make another detour with green skins this close. But it's your call."

[Mazer Rackham]

Judge nods and gets low, indicating for the squad to move forward into the thickets and trees separating you from the fighting.

 

As you come through, you can see the bridge beyond, towards map North.  Damaged, but still navigable it is the only way you know to cross Thunder Point Falls, and the roar of the torrent confluence can be heard as a steady tumble.  In a clearing, four guardsmen are fighting for their lives, one of them desperately applying a tourniquet to each of his thighs, above the red, jagged ruin that are his knees.

 

They were obviously going for the bridge, and tripped some kind of Orkish mine.  The Emperor has not deserted them though.  They are bedded down behind thick tree trunks and are in a natural hollow in the ground which is keeping them from being cut apart by the Orks.  Not only this, but one of them has a plasma gun, which he discharges in the ambushers' direction, illuminating the whole clearing and half-blinding everyone.

 

Twenty metres to the beleaguered soldiers' West, you can see a clutch of three Orks, matted with woad and thick clay, they carry an array of daggers in xenos-hide baldricks, and they do not shout and bawl as ordinary Orks are wont to do.  Perhaps these are the Kommandos Scarlett mentioned.

 

They do not appear to have seen you, concentrating instead on the prey they have caught.

 

"Wide-eyes, Stimms, stay here and cover our way out.  Midshipman Halbast, do you concur?"

 

"What?" he ducks, although none of the bullets come anywhere near him.  "Yes, yes of course," he checks his chrono nervously, the wristwatch an expensive confection of gold and real leather.

 

"Keep by Lughead, Mr Halbast.  He'll make sure you're right," he makes the hand signal for attack.

 

Alright gents, this one is fast and loose.  You count as having a Surprise round so you can all take a pop at the Orks before they see you, and depending on how it goes, I will prepare a Structured Time Round.  The Squad deploys in a two line ambush, with Scarlett on the left flank (closest to the enemy, approx 18m away) with Walker, then Lughead, plus Halbast, Judge on the right flank of the line.  Behind by 5m are Stimms and Wide-Eyes.  I won't bother with a map, so expect a bit of fudging!  The Squad is facing Northwest, with the pinned unit 30m away, North.

 

Stimms/Beren:  Your maps indicate the trail to to the river landing at Thunder Point is to your East, 25m away, followed by a walk/run etc of about a mile from this location.  Halbast's chrono puts the time at 1247.

 

Let me know if you need more.

[Beren]

Stimms narrows his eyes as the others move forwards. He wuld have preferred nt to go ahead with just the two of them... but this opportunity was simply to good to ignore. He taps Wide-Eyes on the shoulder, and makes a brief array of hand signals so that the others can't see them.

 

Wait to engage, then retreat.

[Steel Company]

Scarlett pressed her lips together as she made a quick silent hand gesture to Lug to spread out before taking a shot at the lead Kommando. Taking a breath to center herself while using her thumb to set her carbine to maximum power setting and hitting the fire selector switch to semi-auto and took quick aim.

 

 

Half Action: half aim

Half Action: Semi-auto burst

TN BS: 72 (BS 42, +10 Short Range, + 10 half Aim, + 10 Size Hulking (Orkz), +0 Semi-auto)

Semi-Auto Burst on Kommando A: 1d100 38 Pass with 3 DoS

 

Hit One:

Location 27, Left Arm

 

DMG: 1D10+5 Pen 2 (Over load setting on Las gun, PG. 175, M36 Las gun paragraph)

Las Gun damage: 1d10+5 10

 

Hit Two:

Location: Left arm

 

DMG: 1D10+5 Pen 2 (Over load setting on Las gun, PG. 175, M36 Las gun paragraph)

Las Gun damage: 1d10+5 7

 

Reaming ammo: 52/60 (13 bursts shots at this power setting)

 

[Beren]

Squinting, Stimms pulls on his trigger and doesn't let go, spraying a fullisade of sire across the enemy position. It isn't likely to do any damage, but that's not the point.

 

 

 

Supressing Fire

BS28 - 20(supressing fire) = 08

d100: 68 (6 DoF)

 

[Mazer Rackham]

Surprise Round Continues (Rolls Offscreen, Dam only):

 

Lughead Fires at Ork A

Hits 4

Dam: 19 (Inc TB and Arm)

Ork A is Killed.

 

Walker Fires at Ork B

Hits: 1

Dam: 0 (Inc TB and Arm)

 

Halbast Fires at Ork B

Hits: 1

Dam: 3 (Inc TB and Arm)

Ork B (11 Wounds Remain)

 

Judge Fires at Ork B

Hits: 2

Dam: 5 (Inc TB and Arm)

Ork B 6 (Wounds Remain)

 

Wide - Eyes Fires at Ork B

Hits: 0

No damage.

 

The barrage of fire is enough to shake the trees, especially the wild bursts from Stimms.  In contrast, even though he is shaking, Halbast aims and fires as though he's on the practice range, striking an Ork in the head.  The duelling Laspistol he carries doesn't kill the beast, but seeing he has, and can, hurt it - a grim resolve settles around his chin.

 

The wounded Ork is still up, but bleeding purple blood from seared wounds and the passing of bullets.  It cuffs at its brutish face, ducking back a moment before lumbering back into the fight, clutching a stikk-bomb.

 

++ SURPRISE ROUNDS ENDS ++

++ STRUCTURED TIME BEGINS ++

 

Gentlemen.

 

Initiative.

[Beren]

Ag Bonus = 3

1d10: 4

4+3 = Initiative 7