Fast forward about 2 minutes:
The machinegun fire dies down after all targets disappear on to the beach. Apparently its traverse does not allow it to engage targets down on the beach directly. You figure out that the machinegun was probably designed to engage targets on the water.
You've pushed the 12 meter motor yacht into the water, but the engine is disassembled and lying on the beach. It's far too heavy to lift or take with you.
You hear the sound of your boat approaching, but you also hear the distant sounds of men yelling.
As you push the boat further out into the water, a shot splashes into the ocean nearby. As more shots land, you hear the distinctive sound of a mortar being fired and suddenly the air around you fills with thick fog and the familiar smell of a heavy smoke shell.
About 30 seconds later a towline is shot towards the boat and you climb up on the boat, as its tow journey begins. More mortar shells are launched by your allies to give you cover as machine guns open up on the water around you.
"Hold on, we have some problems here; there's an aircraft about!" you hear Antonio yell, just as you hear a strangely soft sounding aircraft engine above the smoke.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Monday, May 6, 2013
Sunday May 17th 1925 0301 hrs Santa Lucia Island, Cape Verde
Harry is in shock as the flare he fired into the sky is joined by another one, a different color, arcing high above the beach, fired from the mountain behind him, it appears. You all hear yelling in the distance from inland.
Harry dives for cover as the enemy machinegun opens up on your position, the distinctive sound of a water cooled Maxim machinegun ripping open the night sky.
Connor was moving to an overwatch position when the machinegun opens up. "About 500 meters up the mountainside inland" he thinks to himself, as he slides down towards the boat, yelling at the others to follow him.
The man in the boat is temporarily dazzled by the flare as Alexios, the flare light behind and above him, takes aim and fires once, the man's head disappearing in a bloody froth.
Doc Brass is stunned by the developments, despite his time in combat. He slinks down next to the wounded man, temporarily stunned and unable to take action.
XP 13 each. It has only been about 4 seconds since you fire the flare. None of you are hit, but Connor senses that the machine gunner will be much closer next time. You can't see the machinegun position.
If you all make a mad dash down the beach to the boat, you might be able to get behind a dune or rock that is below the line of sight of the machinegun. Harry and Connor both realize this and yell out to the others.
Harry dives for cover as the enemy machinegun opens up on your position, the distinctive sound of a water cooled Maxim machinegun ripping open the night sky.
Connor was moving to an overwatch position when the machinegun opens up. "About 500 meters up the mountainside inland" he thinks to himself, as he slides down towards the boat, yelling at the others to follow him.
The man in the boat is temporarily dazzled by the flare as Alexios, the flare light behind and above him, takes aim and fires once, the man's head disappearing in a bloody froth.
Doc Brass is stunned by the developments, despite his time in combat. He slinks down next to the wounded man, temporarily stunned and unable to take action.
XP 13 each. It has only been about 4 seconds since you fire the flare. None of you are hit, but Connor senses that the machine gunner will be much closer next time. You can't see the machinegun position.
If you all make a mad dash down the beach to the boat, you might be able to get behind a dune or rock that is below the line of sight of the machinegun. Harry and Connor both realize this and yell out to the others.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Sunday May 17th 1925 0301 hrs Santa Lucia Island, Cape Verde
The wounded man is in shock, but Brass is able to secure the tourniquet and stabilize his injuries. The unarmed younger man, teenager really, whimpers and hides his head. When questioned by Connington about the machinegun, he looks up and up the hill behind you, just as a flare lights up the night sky.
Alexios approaches the boat as the flare lights up the sky. He sees that it is beached and has a couple of bullet holes through the bridge area. He dives for cover behind some rocks on the beach, as a man climbs on top of the boat's bridge area rapidly, the rifle slung on his shoulder clanging against the metal rungs of the ladder.
Alexios approaches the boat as the flare lights up the sky. He sees that it is beached and has a couple of bullet holes through the bridge area. He dives for cover behind some rocks on the beach, as a man climbs on top of the boat's bridge area rapidly, the rifle slung on his shoulder clanging against the metal rungs of the ladder.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Sunday May 17th 1925 0300 hrs still Santa Lucia Island, Cape Verde
Alexios fires at the previously sleeping man who grabbed a rifle and yelled last turn
Perception Roll is 90+20 = 110 to eliminate dimly lit penalty, full bonus
Fires rifle 50 + 40 (medium range) miss.
Brass fires at the same person he fired at last frame, but fails to draw a good bead on him. The muzzle flash and noise. Perception roll 64 + 20. Fires at +20 total 55+20 = 75 is a miss.
Connor dashes up into position, rifle held ready.
Lloyd fails to spot his target and also fails to hit. Perceptin roll 75 total, shot roll 32 total.
The 30 year old rifles have a tremendous muzzle blast and the fireballs that light up the sky dazzle everyone's vision. You're certain the rifle shots have been heard all over the island.
The man with the rifle throws it down and screams "no shooting!! no shooting!!" in Portuguese. The wounded man is on his knees, trying to put pressure on the massive arm wound, not paying any attention at all to his surroundings.
You advance on the two men and notice that the man who surrendered is about 15 years old and has no shoes. His rifle is an impressive looking 50 year old Martini-Henry blackpowder rifle and his friend, who, in the 10 seconds it took for you to arrive at the scene of the campfire, managed to wrap a rope around his upper arm in an attempt to staunch the bleeding. He is a much older man, also shoeless, wearing knee length cut off pants and a dirty t-shirt. You notice that next to the campfire is a double barrel shotgun that probably belonged to wounded guy.
Looking down at the boat, you see no activity at this time. Around the island, no reaction (yet).
XP 11 each.
Perception Roll is 90+20 = 110 to eliminate dimly lit penalty, full bonus
Fires rifle 50 + 40 (medium range) miss.
Brass fires at the same person he fired at last frame, but fails to draw a good bead on him. The muzzle flash and noise. Perception roll 64 + 20. Fires at +20 total 55+20 = 75 is a miss.
Connor dashes up into position, rifle held ready.
Lloyd fails to spot his target and also fails to hit. Perceptin roll 75 total, shot roll 32 total.
The 30 year old rifles have a tremendous muzzle blast and the fireballs that light up the sky dazzle everyone's vision. You're certain the rifle shots have been heard all over the island.
The man with the rifle throws it down and screams "no shooting!! no shooting!!" in Portuguese. The wounded man is on his knees, trying to put pressure on the massive arm wound, not paying any attention at all to his surroundings.
You advance on the two men and notice that the man who surrendered is about 15 years old and has no shoes. His rifle is an impressive looking 50 year old Martini-Henry blackpowder rifle and his friend, who, in the 10 seconds it took for you to arrive at the scene of the campfire, managed to wrap a rope around his upper arm in an attempt to staunch the bleeding. He is a much older man, also shoeless, wearing knee length cut off pants and a dirty t-shirt. You notice that next to the campfire is a double barrel shotgun that probably belonged to wounded guy.
Looking down at the boat, you see no activity at this time. Around the island, no reaction (yet).
XP 11 each.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Sunday, May 17th, 1925 0300 hrs Santa Lucia Island Cape Verde
Connington tries to sneak into position (since the invisible castle links don't work, I'm just going to roll and post my results here) (Subterfuge roll 90+40 =130). He finds a route that can possibly get the party into position and returns.
During the ten minutes nothing unusual happens. The group tries to sneak into position:
Conningtons' aid roll to help the others stay quiet (Subterfuge roll of 32 + 40 = 72, no bonus to rolls), but it is dark and the ground is sandy and rocky. However, the waves breaking on the beach below are relentless in their repetitive sound.
Dr. Brass total subterfuge roll is 60 + 0 = 60
Alexios total subterfuge roll is 03 + 20 = 23 (but 01-05 always fails)
Lloyd total subterfuge roll is 22 + 0 =22
Conningtons total roll is 72 + 40 = 112
Alexios, as he moves up, steps on a loose rock and it crunches loudly underfoot, sending him sprawling to the ground.
The sentry's head jerks in your direction and he taps his sleeping buddy with his foot. You're about 75 meters away, and visibility is okay, as the light colored ground reflects enough moon and starlight to let you make out human shapes fairly well. However, the -20 dimly lit penalty still applies.
Brass fires first, he rolls a total of 51 on his perception roll to try to get a better bead on the target and eliminate the dimly lit shooting penalty. At medium range, his shot is at +40 and his total roll is 115, despite the -20 penalty due to light conditions (in other words, he rolled a 95). The sound of the Kropatchek and the muzzle blast is immense and the sentry takes a shot in the right arm, damage 7 points, blowing the arm mostly completely off. The sentry screams in a short burst of horror and surprise.
Serafim is busy getting up from his spill this round.
Connor fires next. He also is unable to eliminate the dimly lit penalty with a perception roll and his shot is at +20. He fires at the wounded sentry, but misses with a total roll of 78.
The sleeping man jumps up and grabs a rifle from the ground, screaming "attackers!" in Portuguese with the local Cape Verde dialect.
Lloyd fires at him instead of the wounded sentry. With a 102 perception roll, he gets a better bead on him, but his total bonus of +10 added to my roll of 75 is not enough to score a hit.
Next round.
All PCs have XP of 10 now, as per my email. Basically, if you, a a group can get a post in once a week, either as individuals or as a group, you get the XP bonus. If someone isn't participating enough, I'll let them know or you let me know if you're emailing each other behind the scenes.
Group posts should not become the standard format, I might add. In combat, particularly, I expect that you would mostly post individually.
During the ten minutes nothing unusual happens. The group tries to sneak into position:
Conningtons' aid roll to help the others stay quiet (Subterfuge roll of 32 + 40 = 72, no bonus to rolls), but it is dark and the ground is sandy and rocky. However, the waves breaking on the beach below are relentless in their repetitive sound.
Dr. Brass total subterfuge roll is 60 + 0 = 60
Alexios total subterfuge roll is 03 + 20 = 23 (but 01-05 always fails)
Lloyd total subterfuge roll is 22 + 0 =22
Conningtons total roll is 72 + 40 = 112
Alexios, as he moves up, steps on a loose rock and it crunches loudly underfoot, sending him sprawling to the ground.
The sentry's head jerks in your direction and he taps his sleeping buddy with his foot. You're about 75 meters away, and visibility is okay, as the light colored ground reflects enough moon and starlight to let you make out human shapes fairly well. However, the -20 dimly lit penalty still applies.
Brass fires first, he rolls a total of 51 on his perception roll to try to get a better bead on the target and eliminate the dimly lit shooting penalty. At medium range, his shot is at +40 and his total roll is 115, despite the -20 penalty due to light conditions (in other words, he rolled a 95). The sound of the Kropatchek and the muzzle blast is immense and the sentry takes a shot in the right arm, damage 7 points, blowing the arm mostly completely off. The sentry screams in a short burst of horror and surprise.
Serafim is busy getting up from his spill this round.
Connor fires next. He also is unable to eliminate the dimly lit penalty with a perception roll and his shot is at +20. He fires at the wounded sentry, but misses with a total roll of 78.
The sleeping man jumps up and grabs a rifle from the ground, screaming "attackers!" in Portuguese with the local Cape Verde dialect.
Lloyd fires at him instead of the wounded sentry. With a 102 perception roll, he gets a better bead on him, but his total bonus of +10 added to my roll of 75 is not enough to score a hit.
Next round.
All PCs have XP of 10 now, as per my email. Basically, if you, a a group can get a post in once a week, either as individuals or as a group, you get the XP bonus. If someone isn't participating enough, I'll let them know or you let me know if you're emailing each other behind the scenes.
Group posts should not become the standard format, I might add. In combat, particularly, I expect that you would mostly post individually.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Sunday May 17th, 1925 Santa Lucia Island, Cape Verde
Sunday May 17th, 1925 Santa Lucia Island
Brass XP7 Dashwood XP7 Serafim XP6 Lloyd XP7 LVL1
By around 2am, you near the island. The tug disguised as a fishing boat is surprisingly quiet, although the smell of the powerful coal powered steam engine is pungent. As the coastline looms up ahead, a cool wind makes you shiver. Clouds loom overhead, but the sky is still mostly visible and you can see a about 30-50 meters once you hit land, Connor estimates. When the engine is cut, all you hear is the lapping of the waves and the wind whipping around the boat. You make sure that everyone is clear on the light signals. Antonio and his crew expertly prepare a boat tow line and pat you all on the back and give you a thumbs up before you disembark.
Dr. Lloyd spots tiny prick of flickering light near the boat site, possibly a camp fire.
Alexios takes charge of the rowboat and manages to get everyone into it safely.
[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4015577/]Alexios boat handling roll (1d100+40=47)[/url] However, the boat ride is rough and you feel like you made too much noise and a lot of seawater came into the boat. You arrive on the shore, wet and apprehensive, but no one seems to be reacting.
(GM note: feel free to check out the island's topography on Google Earth, you see that there is a mountain range in the middle of the island, which is only about 13 km long and 3.5 km wide at its widest. Very dry, desert like almost, white beaches, some low scrubs)
Your group pulls the rowboat in and up on the shore and then carefully moves up the dunes. You all definitely see a small camp fire now. It appears to be up on the dunes and not down at the beach where the boat supposedly sits.
Moving carefully and quietly; here are some related rolls and results
Dr. Lloyd [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4015589/]Tracking roll (1d100+60=139)[/url] manages to find tracks of three seperate individuals, one barefooted, have walked these dunes in the last day or so, meandering around and doubling back at times. They appear to lead back to the campfire area.
Connor [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4015593/]Small Unit tactics roll to approach fire (1d100+60=134)[/url] does an excellent job in positioning the group for its approach and helps everyone stay fairly quiet, even though only he has the subterfuge skill, although two have the jack of all trades perk. As predicted, the sound of the surf breaking on the rocks is hypnotic and loud and covers most casual walking sounds after 20 meters or so.
About 100 meters out from the campfire, you find a good stopping point and concealment behind dune bushes and a couple of rock formations. You can't see the boat from here, as it is below your line of sight down on the beach, but at the campfire you defintely see one man standing near it and what could possibly be another man asleep on the ground.
Connor sneaks down to the edge of the dunes to peek down at the beach
[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4015599/]Sneaking to look at boat (1d100+40=89)[/url] He does make a little noise, but he is over 100 meters from the targets, sounds of surf in the background and there is no apparent reaction from the man at the campfire.
Connor tries to spot what's on around the little yacht, which is indeed pulled up on the beach.
[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4015604/]Perception roll to see what's going on around boat (1d100+20=55)[/url] There is no apparent activity around the yacht, but it does look like there is a mound of something covered with a tarp perhaps laid out on the beach up away from the breaking surf line.
Connor returns to the party. Decision time.
(I'm not assuming that you all are taking your shots now, as you haven't laid eyes on the boat
Brass XP7 Dashwood XP7 Serafim XP6 Lloyd XP7 LVL1
By around 2am, you near the island. The tug disguised as a fishing boat is surprisingly quiet, although the smell of the powerful coal powered steam engine is pungent. As the coastline looms up ahead, a cool wind makes you shiver. Clouds loom overhead, but the sky is still mostly visible and you can see a about 30-50 meters once you hit land, Connor estimates. When the engine is cut, all you hear is the lapping of the waves and the wind whipping around the boat. You make sure that everyone is clear on the light signals. Antonio and his crew expertly prepare a boat tow line and pat you all on the back and give you a thumbs up before you disembark.
Dr. Lloyd spots tiny prick of flickering light near the boat site, possibly a camp fire.
Alexios takes charge of the rowboat and manages to get everyone into it safely.
[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4015577/]Alexios boat handling roll (1d100+40=47)[/url] However, the boat ride is rough and you feel like you made too much noise and a lot of seawater came into the boat. You arrive on the shore, wet and apprehensive, but no one seems to be reacting.
(GM note: feel free to check out the island's topography on Google Earth, you see that there is a mountain range in the middle of the island, which is only about 13 km long and 3.5 km wide at its widest. Very dry, desert like almost, white beaches, some low scrubs)
Your group pulls the rowboat in and up on the shore and then carefully moves up the dunes. You all definitely see a small camp fire now. It appears to be up on the dunes and not down at the beach where the boat supposedly sits.
Moving carefully and quietly; here are some related rolls and results
Dr. Lloyd [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4015589/]Tracking roll (1d100+60=139)[/url] manages to find tracks of three seperate individuals, one barefooted, have walked these dunes in the last day or so, meandering around and doubling back at times. They appear to lead back to the campfire area.
Connor [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4015593/]Small Unit tactics roll to approach fire (1d100+60=134)[/url] does an excellent job in positioning the group for its approach and helps everyone stay fairly quiet, even though only he has the subterfuge skill, although two have the jack of all trades perk. As predicted, the sound of the surf breaking on the rocks is hypnotic and loud and covers most casual walking sounds after 20 meters or so.
About 100 meters out from the campfire, you find a good stopping point and concealment behind dune bushes and a couple of rock formations. You can't see the boat from here, as it is below your line of sight down on the beach, but at the campfire you defintely see one man standing near it and what could possibly be another man asleep on the ground.
Connor sneaks down to the edge of the dunes to peek down at the beach
[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4015599/]Sneaking to look at boat (1d100+40=89)[/url] He does make a little noise, but he is over 100 meters from the targets, sounds of surf in the background and there is no apparent reaction from the man at the campfire.
Connor tries to spot what's on around the little yacht, which is indeed pulled up on the beach.
[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4015604/]Perception roll to see what's going on around boat (1d100+20=55)[/url] There is no apparent activity around the yacht, but it does look like there is a mound of something covered with a tarp perhaps laid out on the beach up away from the breaking surf line.
Connor returns to the party. Decision time.
(I'm not assuming that you all are taking your shots now, as you haven't laid eyes on the boat
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Saturday, May 16th 1925
Alexios, with Connor's help dismantles and checks the rifles out thoroughly:
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4000864/ total roll 67 (7+60). No failure, but Alexios realizes that the rifles are old and in not the best of shape and his efforts will not result in much increased reliability. The 8mm Kropatchek rifle has a range of 50 meters, medium range 150 meters, long range 500 meters, 1d10 damage, 8 round capacity in a tubular magazine that takes 2 rounds to fully reload.
Connington is able to devise camouflage and burlap suits, to give everyone a +10 bonus to subterfuge skills.
At midnight, you board the grey fishing vessel, which fires up its ancient coal engine. Alexios checks out the engine and sees that this fishing boat has a larger engine than most, with lots of torque. The sleeping quarters and mess deck have all been turned into coal storage. Antonio Braz and his brother Felipe, the elders of the Braz family, are on board, along with two deckhands. The Braz brothers have their own Kropatchek rifles and also carry machetes and old Portuguese army revolvers.
"Yes, here is a flare gun." (Brass World War I vintage British Very pistol with 3 flares)
In the back of the fishing boat is a small rowboat that you can use to reach the shore. The fishing boat cannot reach the beach itself, as it would ground.
Antonio: "Its' about a 40 km trip to the area where the boat is beached. It will take us 2 hours to get to the area. Figure we cut engine and drop anchor a km off shore. Here is a map (GM Note: see google maps for link I sent you). What do you want to do?"
Brass XP6 Dashwood XP6 Serafim XP5 Lloyd XP6 LVL1
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