First Patrol

“Blake’s Raiders”

Walls, Mississippi

Monday, 8 July, 2030

“Having established a reasonably secure campsite, I detailed SGTs Rodriguez and Whitehead to scout west toward the Mississippi River.  Our maps showed several pre-war farms in the area and even a small town called “Norfolk”, which had river access.  HQ wanted to know if the river access was still useable.  Heck, if nothing else, it could be used for fishing, and controlling the access point would deny its use to smugglers, or worse…”

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

SGTs Rodriguez and Whitehead spend the morning scouting the farmland north and west of Walls, MS, checking farms near Mud Lake, but finding very little to salvage.  Almost everything of value has already been scavenged, and most of the buildings are partially, if not completely burned.  Having performed similar building checks as part of their regular patrols, they have a system of examining the structure from a distance with binoculars, then riding no closer than extreme rifle range (800 meters) before dismounting, and approaching on foot.  If possible, the horses are staked out behind cover, such as trees or the crest of a hill.

The pair spends most of the morning working west from Walls toward the Mississippi River.  As they work their way south along the Mississippi River levee, they discover an armed encampment [Roll of 7 on the Clear column of the encounter table] at the Norfolk landing [AVG:RCN roll of 48 (skill:75)]

[Roll of 1 on the clear row of the encounter table, for a range of 100 meters]

[This close to Memphis, the area is considered Army territory.  Roll of 6 reveals the group to be marauders.  Roll of 6 - the group is 1 elite, 2 veterans, 2 experienced; 1 SMG, 3 assault rifles, 1 auto rifle, 1 special weapon and 1 vehicle.  Special weapon roll is a 9 - MK-19 AGL;  vehicle roll is 9 - 5-ton truck.  Since this is a river landing, the 5-ton truck is actually a small tugboat, with the MK-19 mounted on the flying bridge, allowing this group to extort local communities for food and fuel.  It has 3D6 rounds remaining (7 rounds)].

[The marauders are camped out ashore, as the tug’s living quarters and galley were badly damaged in a firefight.  They do keep most of their equipment aboard the tug, only bringing ashore what they need (tent, sleeping bags, food, etc.)]

[The pirates (DIF:RCN roll 17, spot the mounted scouting group and choose to attack.]

[50/50 chance that the MK-19 can be used, since it is mounted on the tugboat.  Roll is 66, so no.  It would have taken four rounds from when the gunner starts running toward the tug before she can start firing the MK-19 anyway...]

[Elite NPC is armed with SMG [roll of 1] (to establish their authority - 2 magazines); 1 veteran armed with assault rifle (M16), 4 magazines; 1 veteran armed with assault rifle (M16), 4 magazines, 1 experienced armed with LMG, (M249) 1 belt)]


Elite NPC
Hits: 28
Coolness: 1
CRM: 60 (to hit: 36/18/4)
CAR-15 SMG [ROF:4  DMG: 1, Range: 30 meters; 2 magazines (10 ea)]


Veteran NPC-1
Hits:  34
Coolness: 2
CRM: 60 (to hit: 36/18/4)
M16 [ROF:4  DMG: 2  Range: 50 meters; 4 magazines (10 ea)]

Veteran NPC-2
Hits:  28
Coolness: 3
CRM: 50 (to hit: 30/15/3)
M16 [ROF:4  DMG: 2 Range: 50 meters; 4 magazines (10 ea)]

Experienced NPC-2
Hits:  24
Coolness: 5
CRM: 50 (to hit: 30/15/3)
M249 [ROF:4  DMG: 2 Range:  50 meters; 1 belt (50)]

Experienced NPC-1
Hits:  28
Coolness: 4
CRM: 40 (to hit: 24/12/2)
HW: 40 (to hit: 24/12/2)
M16 [ROF:4  DMG: 2 Range: 50 meters; 4 magazines (10 ea)]
MK-19 [ROF:8  DMG:x10C Range:200 meters; 7 rounds]

The Elite NPC is at long range, the two veterans and experienced NPC-1 are at medium range.  The marauders would like to capture the horses, so the MG gunner is ordered to hold his fire unless it looks like a mounted scouting party member is going to escape, or if he has a shot at a dismounted party member.

Combat Order is:
SGT Rodriguez
Elite Marauder
Veteran-1
Veteran-2
Experienced-1
SGT Whitehead
Experienced-2 (M-249)

Combat Round #1
SGT Rodriguez, seeing the marauders reading their weapons, yells at SGT Whitehead to take cover, diving off her horse and grabbing at her M-16 in its scabbard (DIF:AGL - 22, so success).

The Elite Marauder, knowing his SMG has a shorter range, spends the round taking aim at SGT Whitehead.

Veteran NPC #1 fires at SGT Rodriguez (79,35,40,05 - One hit; location roll 4 - chest; damage - 21, minus 12 for body armor for a final total of 9 damage)

Veteran NPC #2 fires at SGT Whitehead (90,98 - Veteran-2’s gun jams)

Experienced NPC #1 fires at SGT Whithead (95, 75, 57, 77 - no hits).

SGT Whitehead dives for cover, but fails to grab her M-16 out of its scabbard (DIF:AGL - 54)

Experienced NPC #2 fires at SGT Rodriguez [40, 35, 75, 80] but misses.

Combat Round #2
SGT Rodriguez, having taken fire where she is, rolls away from the horses and readies her M-16, aiming at the NPC with the M-249, deeming him to be the most serious threat.

The Elite marauder fires at SGT Whitehead (95, 98, 100 - The Elite marauder’s CAR-15 explodes in his hands, causing 28 damage and knocking him to the ground, unconscious.  He will remain unconscious for 1D10 (4) turns)

Veteran NPC #1, startled by the explosion at his boss’ position (AVG:CRM - 92), loses his combat action this round.  He makes his morale check (Coolness (2) - 5) and stays put.

Veteran NPC #2, is also startled by the explosion (AVG:CRM - 84) and loses his combat action of trying to clear his jammed gun.  With no working firearm and his boss wounded suddenly, he fails his morale check (Coolness (3) - 2) and turns to flee.

Experienced NPC #1 is not started by the explosion (AVG:CRM - 06), so no morale check is required.  Experienced NPC#1 continues firing at SGT Whitehead (51, 72, 75, 65 - no hits).

SGT Whitehead pulls her 9mm pistol and prepares to fire, despite being at extreme range.

Experienced NPC #2 is not startled by the explosion (AVG:CRM - 22), so no morale check is needed.  He elects to fire on SGT Rodriguez, since she is aiming a weapon at him (69,57,89,46 - no hits)

Combat Round #3
SGT Rodriguez fires at the Marauder with the M-249 (Experienced NPC #2) (36,76,22,14 - 2 hits - 19 and 27 points for a total of 26 points (after reduction for armor).  Experienced NPC #2 is down and unconscious.

The Elite Marauder is unconscious for the remainder of this turn and the next three turns.

Veteran NPC #1, with his boss and one comrade down due to combat, and another comrade fleeing, fails his morale check (Coolness (2) - 1) and also turns to flee.

Veteran NPC #2 begins running toward the boat, where the group has been storing their supplies and gear anyway.

Experienced NPC #1 makes her morale check (Coolness (4) - 5) and fires twice more at SGT Whitehead (71, 97), but misses.

SGT Whitehead fires at Experienced NPC #1, despite the extreme range (22,33) and misses.

Experienced NPC #2 fires at SGT Rodriguez as he is hit (73,70,46,45) for no hits.  He is now unconscious, and will remain so for 3 turns.


Combat Round #4
SGT Rodriguez, seeing Veteran Marauder #1 running away, takes careful aim at him.

Veteran NPC #1 begins running toward the boat.

Veteran NPC #2 continues running toward the boat

Experienced NPC#1, with an empty weapon, her boss and one comrade down, and taking fire (even if it is inaccurate), decides to join the others in fleeing back to the relative safety of the boat.

SGT Whitehead fires twice more at Experienced NPC #1 (54, 41) and misses.

Combat Round #5
SGT Rodriguez fires at the Veteran Marauder #1 (14,19,01,95 - 3 hits, including a critical hit, but her gun jams on the last shot - 20, 24, and 44 points of damage, for an instant kill, even accounting for armor.  (Three normal hits would have been a kill, even without the critical hit).

Veteran NPC #2 continues running toward the boat

Experienced NPC#1 continues running toward the boat.

SGT Whitehead fires one last time at the fleeting Experienced NPC #1 (54) and misses.

Post Combat
SGT Rodriguez clears the jam on her gun and reloads her partially expended magazine.  They both return to their horses, which had remained where they were when the SGTs dismounted, as they had been trained (DIF:EQ, 23).

Using their binoculars, the pair spot the small tug boat where they marauders had it hidden amongst the trees (AVG: RCN, 68), but fail to spot the MK-19 (AVG:RCN 98).  Still, knowing the remaining marauders are alerted, they decide to withdraw from the area back toward the North, keeping the trees along the river between the tugboat and themselves, until they are well out of range, before they turn back East toward Walls.

Elite NPC #1 eventually regains consciousness.  He avoids an infection (Roll: 88), but will need a week to fully recover from his wounds.

Experienced NPC #2 also regains consciousness, but will develop an infection in his wound (Roll: 12).  There is a 25% chance the marauders have any antibiotics left (Roll: 06).  Experienced NPC #2 is lucky.  He gathers his dropped weapon, and begins to make his way to the tugboat.  He will also need a week to recover from his wounds.

The other marauders scavenge brass and the usable gear from their dead comrade’s body and bury him in a shallow grave whilst plotting their revenge. 

During the return trip to Walls, the scouting group finds an armed settlement at Glover, MS. [Roll of 6 on the Clear column of the encounter table, AVG:RCN roll of 11 (skill:75)]. 

[The Mid-South Institute, a pre-war, privately run self-defense school had merged with the citizens of Glover, to provide defense of the farms in the area and now call themselves the Glover-Mid-South Militia, or GMSM.  They have defeated attacks from the Norfolk pirates and other marauders but are primarily focused on defense (and growing food). Roll of 8 on Village settlement size table, population of 400.  Two rolls on special weapons table - 7 - MG, 10 - 120mm mortar; two rolls on vehicles - 2 - MBT, 7 - 2 ½ ton (still).  The tank is an M-60 that had been in the front of the local VFW hall.  The town of Glover has distilled enough alcohol to return the tank to basic operation using black powder fired, cast iron rounds, but with poor accuracy.  The tank, combined with the mortar (10 rounds remaining) and the machine gun (M2HB with 1 belt remaining), has allowed them to defeat or drive off any marauders that have come this way (so far)]

[Group Leader - Melissa Xavier Gerbing; King Hearts - Honorable; Ace Spades - Charismatic.  The heiress to a radio ministry dynasty, Ms. Gerbling is an effective speaker, even if the radio waves have gone silent.  But, her focus is not on personal gain, but on stopping injustice, including marauding.  That’s not to say she is soft.  She understands that this world demands everyone pull their own weight, if not more.  Sloth, idleness and deceit are are dishonorable.]

The two Sergeants encounter a work group in the fields.  A Militia patrol quickly shows up.  After showing a copy of their orders to the Patrol Leader and then to the Duty Officer, SGTs Rodriguez and Whitehead elect to continue back to Walls to report in rather than meeting with Ms. Gerbing personally.  They let the GMSM forces know about the encounter with the Norfolk marauders and advise them that their CO will likely come speak to Ms. Gerbing in the coming days.

The scouting group finally returns to the camp in Walls very late.  SGTs Rodriguez and Whitehead (and their horses) are very tired after a long, busy day.  The morning patrol covered about 10Km, so SGTs Rodriguez and Whitehead were not riding at a hard pace, even accounting for time spent checking out abandoned farmsteads.  However, being involved in combat makes it a period of hard work, increasing their fatigue.  The trip from Norfolk Landing back to Walls in the afternoon was at about the same pace.  The distance is shorter, but figuring that they spent longer talking to the folks at Glover before returning to Walls.  SGT Rodriguez has suffered a slight wound to the chest and will need a day or two to recover and allow the bruise on her ribcage to heal.  Although both SGTs are fatigued to level 2, they will recover after one night of rest.


Map of First Day’s Scouting

The blue line is the route the mounted scouting team took from Walls, checking old farms for survivors.  The red dots are locations that G-2 thought were possible locations of survivors or valuable farm-related salvage (shows what they know).  The red star west of Norfolk is the site of the river landing and where the fight with the marauders happened.  The teal line is the route the scouting group took as they withdrew from combat, encountered the farming village of Glover and the GMSM, and finally returned to the camp in Walls, MS.
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“My scouting group returned late in the day after a very successful day’s scouting.  SGT Rodriguez suffered bruising to her lower rib cage, courtesy of enemy fire from a group of marauders that had, as the G-2 suspected, occupied the Norfolk landing.  The group, now reduced in number, maintains a large craft, apparently unarmed, that they undoubtedly use to extort the local populace and interfere with river trade.  They may be working in concert with an armed boat that has been reported in the area.

I hope to establish a working relationship with what appears to be a well organized, armed farming community at Glover, MS.  Perhaps with my support and firepower, this self-styled “Glover-Mid-South Militia”, or GMSM, will be willing to quickly attack the Norfolk marauders.  If this band could be eliminated and the boat captured, the GMSM could expand their control to the river’s edge and even begin maritime operations.  

It may be too much to ask for the GMSM to formally come under the command and control of the 197th.  It appears that they are self-sufficient, or nearly so and I suspect attempting to convince them to relocate would be particularly futile.  However, they might be willing to accept additional labor to expand their farming operations or even allow a patrol from the 197th to be permanently co-located with them.  Time will tell.

It is my intent to leave the two SGTs here at the camp with the horses tomorrow to allow them some extra rest.  SSGT Ruiz, SPEC McCarthy and I will take the Humvee, sans trailer, to Glover to mount an expedition against the Norfolk marauders.  If this GMSM is unwilling to assist, then I will return to Walls and we, as a group, will attack at dawn on Thursday.

Departure

Blake’s Raiders”

Memphis, Tennessee

Sunday, 7 July, 2030

After morning chow, we double-checked that everything was properly secured, everyone had the correct radio frequency lists, and so forth.  I sent SSGT Ruiz ahead in the HumVee with SPEC McCarthy as the driver and SGT Whitehead as the gunner on the MK-19, while SGT Rodriguez and I rode the horses behind.  The plan was for them to drive a little past the edge of our patrol area and set up camp.  SSGT Ruiz and I had gone over the maps, and had picked out primary and alternate campsites for the first week’s worth of travel, knowing that it was probably useless to try to plan out much further than that.  The primary today was the Walls, MS Fire Department.

[Horse travel : 20km per period]

[Encounter Roll:  5 - Military Convoy; The HumVee group encounters a 5th Army convoy headed toward the refinery at Robinson, IL for refueling.  The refinery is controlled by the 194th Infantry Brigade, which is also supporting the 5th Army.  They reported recently encountering a group of refugees on foot [Encounter Roll: 8 - Refugee]

[Encounter Roll:  6 - Merchant Convoy, Cargo Roll 4 - Shell Casings.  The mounted group encounters a merchant convoy with a load of shell casings of various calibers for reloading. Captain Blake advises them of the proper approach for trade with the 197th G-4.  They don’t have anything of value to trade other than shell casings (INT:ESY roll of 23, second Cargo Roll 4 - Shell Casing).]  The platoon left their small caliber ammunition reloading supplies behind for this mission.

[Because the two groups are moving at such different movement rates (50km/hr for the HumVee vs 5km/hr for the mounted group), I will roll two encounter rolls for each period that they are not actively trying to stay together.  Since the HumVee has the still, it will spend more time stationary, while the mounted group patrols the area, looking for skilled survivors and valuable salvage.]

SSGT Ruiz established a camp near the former town of Walls, MS.  The only reason to stop there was that there had been farms to the west before the war, so I hoped to find good forage at a minimum.  Who knows, I might even find some experienced farmers and farm equipment that could be recovered…

After weeks of grazing in a fenced pasture, the horses weren’t particularly happy to be confined after the ride, but I detailed SGT Whitehead and SPEC McCarthy to work with them while SSGT Ruiz and I made a foot patrol of the area.  SSGT Ruiz spotted a small herd of feral pigs, and we were able to bag nine of them with our crossbows before the rest scattered into the woods [Roll of 10 on Clear column of encounter table (based on map); Roll of 27 vs ESY:RCN (40) to gain advantage; 2D6 roll of 12 for total number; 2D6 roll of 3 for the number escaping; 3Kg of meat each for a total of 27Kg of food]

Seeing no sign of survivors, we returned to the camp with the results of a successful hunt, ate a satisfying meal of freshly roasted pork, and I retired for the evening, leaving SPEC McCarthy and the two SGTs to share the overnight watch.

Map of the Area South of Memphis


The blue marker in the center of the map (near the US 61 and TN-175 markers) is the platoon’s normal cantonment at the Geeter Primary School, and the point of departure for this adventure.  The blue marker at Walls is where the platoon stopped for the night.  The road distance from the school to Walls is just under 12Km, just beyond the platoon’s normal patrol area, which ends at Lake View, just across the state line.  

Preparations for the Mission

“Blake’s Raiders”

Memphis, Tennessee

Saturday, 6 July, 2030

Once SSG Ruiz and I finished working up more detailed plans for the mission, I broke out the second bottle of moonshine.  We had a couple of small drinks each while we ate, then I sent her off to share the rest of the bottle with the platoon.

The next couple of days passed quietly.  Word had gotten out that Memphis was not accepting unskilled refugees.  During the last month or so, the few groups we had seen approach our position had all heeded the multiple warning signs we had put up, and turned away, presumably to head toward the refugee camps along the Wolf River near Shelby Farms.

Likewise, word had clearly gotten out that the 197th was a military force not to be trifled with, and marauders had pretty much quit trying to probe our lines.  Between myself, SSG Ruiz, and SGT Rodriguez, we had enough engineering skills to build effective roadblocks and other barriers.  We had been spending at least a couple hours a day, every day, alternating between extending our lines of roadblocks and barricades and improving existing ones as we patrolled.

Spec McCarthy didn’t like being stuck in camp nearly all the time, but he also had only very rudimentary equestrian skills (EQ: 10), all gained during the time he’d been with us, and we did a lot of our patrolling on horseback.  Besides, having grown up on a farm in Wales, he knew more about farming and fishing than most people in the Battalion.  Of course, he was more accustomed to using powered farm equipment on hundreds of hectares of crops, but that also meant knew how to fix stuff, including vehicles and machinery.  I’ve never regretted saving him from the Texian Legion that had taken over the school he was attending.  In some ways he was a raw recruit, because we just didn’t have things like boot camps anymore, (heck, we were lucky to have good boots, never mind boot camp) but he was generally willing to learn and do his part.  He had also been invaluable in helping us spot ringers claiming to be experienced farmers or mechanics, hoping for a free ride.

We had turned the auditorium at the school into a combination stable and garage by cutting out part of a wall, and other platoons would occasionally bring their vehicles over for maintenance or repairs.  G-4 sent a platoon down with the supplies and the secure radio I had requested for the mission.  They also brought the cargo trailer I requisitioned in place of the horse trailer we brought up from Vicksburg, but the 2 ½ ton truck that brought the trailer down was in pretty bad shape (wear value 9).  Since Alpha platoon was handling lookout duty, I asked McCarthy to put some extra effort in working on the truck, figuring that if he could pull off a miracle, I might be able to parlay it into some extra equipment from their LT.

[ 2 ½ ton truck.  Base maintenance number 4.  Specialist McCarthy is instructed to spend all day (2 full periods, 8 hours) working on the truck.  This reduces the breakdown risk from 9% to 7% per period driven and McCarthy’s high MEC skill (MEC: 70) means the next potential breakdown is automatically avoided, giving the G-4’s own mechanics the chance to get the truck back into the shop for additional work.]

[Reaction:  The LT that G-4 sent down with the supplies is highly motivated by power (9 of spades), but is also deceitful (King of spades).  Roll of 10 on the military cargo table of encounter equipment (medical).  Roll of 5,6 and 6 (decided to stop after any duplication).  He has two cases of atropine auto-injectors (10 each) and a case of refills (100 doses).]

I knew something was strange when he offered me 5 atropine auto-injectors and 25 doses of atropine, but I wasn’t exactly sure what was going on.  I doubt that we’re going to encounter any marauders using nerve gas, but what the hell, they won’t take up any space and they might come in handy somewhere down the line…

While Specialist McCarthy worked on their truck, the rest of us worked on hooking up and testing the new radio.  Then we hooked up the cargo trailer, decided what to keep in it, loading the rest of our gear and supplies in the HumVee and making sure everything was properly secured.  Everything we were leaving behind was locked in one of the former classrooms.  I secured the door with tape and made sure the Alpha Company LT knew that I would have his ass if any of our stuff came up "missing".

Once we were loaded up, I took the G-4 LT aside to discuss the supply situation, but he wasn’t very forthcoming [DIF:INT, rolled a 27 against Captain Blake’s INT skill of 50 for a bare failure, so no negative reaction from the G-4 LT, but no extra information or supplies.  Could have been worse...]

After sending the G-4 troops off, I told the platoon to stand down for the evening, so that we could head out at first light tomorrow, warning them that this was likely the last break they were going to get for a while.  Since we had all made the march up from Vicksburg together, we knew the routine for this kind of patrol.  As SGT Whitehead put it, “Better busy than bored, Cap.”

Planning

Alpha Platoon, Romeo (Recon) Company, 2nd Battalion

197th Infantry Brigade (Mechanized)

“Blake’s Raiders”

Captain Kemp Blake, Commanding

Memphis, Tennessee

3 July, 2030

The platoon wasn’t particularly excited when I got back from the Civic Center with our new orders, but they weren’t particularly surprised, either.

We had been pulling roadblock duty on the south side of Memphis since the 197th had arrived in the area from Vicksburg late last year.  We had started out conducting anti-picket raids against the outlying positions of the self-styled "Warlord of Memphis".  They never did figure out that mounted snipers had an advantage against patrols on foot...  Once we rolled their outer pickets back, we supported 2nd Batt’s tanks in the attacks their heavier units.  

As the siege dragged on, we stayed put as the tanks were dispersed in order to tighten the noose around downtown, and especially covering the river on the west side to keep that asshole from getting supplies, or worse, escaping into Arkansas.  Other units swung around to the east and the to the north side of the city to stop the "Warlord" from fleeing up into Kentucky.  

I guess the old man got the idea to lay siege to Memphis from time we spent resting and refitting in Vicksburg, which had been under siege during the old American Civil War in the 19th century.  Here we were in the 21st century, doing the same thing all over again, with pretty much the same result - lots of civilians dying of starvation.  History may not repeat itself, but it sure does freaking rhyme.  At least we weren’t fighting CivGov forces, so it wasn’t ‘technically’ a civil war.  Yet.

Because we had been mostly stationary for several months, our HumVee was in pretty good shape, courtesy of Specialist McCarthy's efforts.  We had patrolled, mostly on horseback to save wear and tear on the HumVee, for about  eight to ten klicks out in an arc to the south, scavenging everything of value and making sure all the buildings in the area were vacant.   In fact, the G-3 said that our platoon having kept our horses alive and in good shape was one of the reasons HQ picked us for this mission.

Alpha Platoon of Alpha Company had the sector next to ours.  They had already gotten the orders to expand their coverage west to relieve us. Some of their people showed up not long after I got back from downtown and Sergeant Whitehead and Specialist McCarthy began showing them the lay of the land around our position.

I told Staff Sergeant Ruiz that once the handoff to Alpha Platoon was complete, she was to stand the platoon down until Saturday morning, when we would start serious preparation for the mission.  Hearing that lifted everyone’s mood, especially when I mentioned the bottle of moonshine that the G-3 gave me for the “platoon’s 4th of July party”.

Of course, I didn’t mention that the G-3 gave me TWO bottles of hooch...

SSG Ruiz and I sat down in my office and began making serious plans.

Orders from Headquarters

Weekly Report

Alpha Platoon, Romeo (Recon) Company, 2nd Battalion

197th Infantry Brigade (Mechanized)

“Blake’s Raiders”

Captain Kemp Blake, US Army, Commanding

Geeter Primary School

Shelby Road and Horn Lake Road

Memphis, Tennessee

07-13 July, 2030

In accordance with OPORD 197-2030-07-14 of 03 July, 2030, I provisioned and equipped my platoon for an extended reconnaissance, security, repatriation, and salvage (RS2) mission of the area south of Memphis, along and to the east of Interstate 55.  The platoon departed our catonment at the Geeter Primary School as scheduled on Monday, 08 July with an expected duration of no less than 30 days and no more than 120 days, per the OPORD.

Commander’s expressed intent was to:

Locate survivors

• Encourage unskilled and minimally skilled survivors and their families to remain in situ
• Encourage skilled survivors and their families, especially farmers and mechanics, to relocate and repatriate within the protected environs of the Memphis bastion in order to expand food and industrial production in support of continued 5th Army and 197IB (M) missions.
• The location of unskilled survivors, as well as those skilled survivors unwilling to relocate and repatriate shall be recorded and routed to 197IB (M) G-9 upon the completion of the platoon’s mission

Evaluate Infrastructure

• Evaluate and record the condition of roads, bridges, and other infrastructure and route said information to 197IB (M) G3/4/5 upon the completion of the platoon’s mission.  Limited repairs may be made at the discretion of the platoon leader.

Evaluate Marauder Threat

• Locate all marauder groups operating in the area.
• As the platoon leader feels is appropriate, engage and suppress said marauders to improve the security environment for the 5th Army in general and the 197IB (M) in particular.
• Any groups that cannot be safely engaged are to be avoided and reported to 197IB (M) G-2/3/5 via radio.

Locate Valuable Salvage 

• Locate any valuable salvage materials 

• Take immediate possession of such portable materials that may be, in the platoon leaders’s opinion, safely transported by Alpha Platoon.

• Immediately report, via radio, to 197IB (M) G-4, the location of any salvage that Alpha Platoon cannot transport that is, in the platoon leader’s opinion, of sufficient value to warrant an immediate salvage mission.  Livestock, especially animals capable of reproducing are considered especially valuable.

• Record the location of any salvage that Alpha Platoon cannot transport that is, in the platoon leader’s opinion, of sufficient value to warrant a future salvage mission.  Said records are to be routed to 197IB (M) G-4, upon the completion of the platoon’s mission.

• Destroy any weaponry, military vehicles, ammunition, or other militarily-useful salvage that cannot be safely transported or secured by a future salvage mission.

Radio communication with 197IB (M) shall be limited to weekly location and status checks, except as provided above.

The Player Characters & Their Equipment

There are five player characters. All PCs were rolled up using the worksheet from the rule book. Nothing was fudged.

Captain Kemp Blake, US Army
Combat Engineer
Age: 55

After graduating High School in Andersonville, Georgia, Kemp enlisted in the Army, serving in the Combat Engineering Corps.  After his initial tour was up, he returned home and used his GI Bill benefits to study Civil Engineering at the University of Georgia.  He then got a Master’s Degree in Architecture. Initially working for a large firm in Atlanta, after a few years Kemp decided to move to a smaller city, opening a business in Columbus, Georgia.  After buying a building to serve as both his home and offices, Kemp learned that the President of the bank where he got his mortgage was also his next door neighbor, and a retired Army General. They soon became good friends, and with the support of the General, Kemp became an officer in the Combat Engineering group of the local Army Reserve Center at nearby Fort Benning.

As more and more reserve troops were activated and sent to the battlefields in Europe and Korea, then-Lieutenant Kemp’s unit was attached to the 197th Infantry Brigade (Mechanized) at Fort Benning, and activated as part of the strategic reserve.

During the campaign against the Texian National Legion in late 2028, then LT Blake distinguished himself several times in battle and was promoted to Captain and given command of a small reconnaissance unit.  An avid hunter and fisher, Captain Blake adopted the idea of horse-mounted scouts as motorized vehicles became harder and harder to maintain and operate. His cavalry scouts were used effectively against pickets set up by the self-styled “Warlord of Memphis”, especially during the harsh winter of 2029-2030.

Staff Sergeant Helen Ruiz

Combat Engineer

Age: 42

Staff Sergeant Ruiz has been part of the Army Reserve Combat Engineering group ever since she completed her original term of active duty service. She had originally planned to use her GI Bill to pay for college, but shortly after returning home from active duty, her father began showing signs of early onset Alzheimer's, so she began assisting with his care while working as a substitute teacher in the school systems in the Fort Benning area. Helen's mother began suffering health issues as well and both of them passed away shortly before the Twilight War began.

Like Captain Blake, SSGT Ruiz was activated as part of the strategic reserve and attached to the 197th.

Sergeant Myra Whitehead

Infantry

Age: 31

SGT Whitehead is the daughter of two career infantry soldiers who retired in the Fort Benning area before starting a family. Growing up around the base, she saw both the good and the bad of military service and ultimately decided to pursue a career in medicine, becoming an RN. She married a fellow RN who was also from a military family. The newlyweds were offered, and accepted, positions at a military hospital in South Korea. SGT Whitehead was widowed when her spouse was killed by North Korean Special Operations forces who conducted a parachute attack against their hospital at the outbreak of the Second Korean War. Returning home a refugee, enlisting in the Army as an infantry soldier was a natural outlet for her grief, and an avenue for revenge.

Sergeant Adele Rodriguez

Ranger Infantry

Age: 36

SGT Rodriguez’s Ranger platoon was scheduled to deploy to Europe, when they were bumped off their C-141 for ‘higher priority cargo’ - nuclear armed Tomahawk missiles.

With deployment to Europe no longer practical, SGT Rodriguez' Rangers were attached to the 197th and became the Brigades’ de facto scouting element during the initial security and disaster relief operations that the 197th was assigned to accomplish in Georgia and Florida beginning in mid-2027.

When the 197th was ordered west, fortunes changed for the worse. It turned out that the leader of the Texan National Legion, self-styled General (actual Colonel) Steven Dexter, was a graduate of, and former instructor at the Ranger school, so he often anticipated the tactics of the scouts, leading to high casualty rates among the 197th's Ranger-based scouting elements.  SGT Rodriguez was assigned to Captain Blake’s company after Captain Blake distinguished himself in action against ‘General’ Dexter’s Texians and he was assigned the responsibility of scouting the left flank of the 197th as they advanced north against the ‘Warlord of Memphis’.  

Specialist Daniel McCarthy

Vehicle Mechanic

Age: 24

Dan McCarthy grew up on a farm in Wales.  The youngest of six siblings, he grew up helping with all manner of farm-related chores, but also knowing that he would inherit little, so he concentrated on his studies in addition to his work around the farm.  Developing a particular knack for fixing things, he won a contest to appear in the long-running BBC show Top Gear.  That appearance impressed an executive at Chevrolet enough that Dan was offered a chance to intern at a Chevrolet plant in Marshall, Texas while also attending school at a nearby university.

Then, just a few weeks after he arrived in Texas, the Twilight War began.  Putting his farm knowledge to good use, Dan helped raise crops while keeping the factory running as the American supply chain slowly ground to a halt.  Dan was captured by the Texian National Legion when it occupied Marshall, but he was liberated by then LT Kemp Blake when the 197th routed the Texian forces from their easternmost redoubt.  Dan distinguished himself by diagnosing several vehicle issues by sound alone (and fixing all but one), and accepted enlistment in the U.S. Army. He has served as the primary vehicle driver, general mechanic, and master gardener for “Blake’s Raiders” ever since, while also trying to learn how to ride a horse and master the lore, lingo, and unique culture of the post-Twilight War U.S. Army.  

Group Equipment

Equipment was pretty straightforward.  Everybody gets an M4 as their personal weapon.  Captain Blake also gets a 9mm pistol. I found a list of standard personal gear (LBE, uniforms, boots, poncho, sleeping bag, etc.) that was a standard $1,000.  I tacked on an extra $1,000 in cost for Captain Blake being the CO of the unit and needing things like extra uniforms, a dress uniform, etc.

I figured that a two-horse trailer would be a quite a bit more than the cost of a standard 1-ton cargo trailer, and decided on $4,000.  Everything else was just standard equipment out of the book, except for the two sniper rifles, as I described in the introduction.

Some equipment, such as the secure radio and the trailer with the still are issued to the group by 197th HQ and will be returned at the end of the mission, so they don’t count against the group’s budget.  Likewise, the group’s horse trailer is being left behind, but still counts against their budget.

I’m not going to list all of the tools, medicines, etc. that I bought for the group.  I did find a character generation sheet with equipment online, and I used that to come up with the total costs.  I based my purchases on what I recall my old group needing, and partially to match their skills.

Platoon Equipment List

Budget:

Specialist McCarthy: $  5,500

SGT Whitehead: $16,000

SGT Rodriguez: $15,500

SSGT Ruiz: $16,500

Captain Blake: $33,000

Total: $86,500

- HumVee, horses, etc.: $28,000

- Personal Equipment: $  6,000
- Small Arms: $  7,120
- Heavy Weapons: $  2,120
- Equipment and Tools: $35,015
- Ammunition: $  5,136

- Magazines: $ 500

- Misc: $ 500

Sub-Total: $84,391

Remaining Balance: $  2,109

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HumVee, Horses, Trailers, etc.

HumVee $14,000 (wear value of 3)

MK-19 GL $  5,000

50km Secure Radio Provided by 197th HQ and to be returned

1-Ton Cargo Trailer with still Provided by 197th HQ and to be returned

Subtotal - $19,000

Horse x 2 $  4,000

Horse tack, etc. x2 $  1,000

Subtotal - $  5,000

Horse Trailer $  4,000

Vehicle Sub-total: $28,000

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Personal Gear $  1,000 each

(Personal weapon, fatigues, boots, ruck, LBE, sleeping bag, etc.)

Officer’s gear $  1,000
Personal Gear Sub-Total: $  6,000

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Small Arms & Accessories

- M4 x 5 (Issued weapon)

Equipped with high-power scopes and laser sights

- 9mm Pistol (Issued to Captain Blake)

Equipped with laser sights

- Crossbow x3

Equipped with high-power scopes and laser sights

- Crossbow Pistol x 3

Equipped with laser sights
- 9mm Pistol x 2

Equipped with laser sights
- Pump shotgun x 2
- M2010 Sniper Rifles (with high-power scopes and bipods) x 2

- M249 LMG x 1

- Knife x 5

- Bayonet x 5

Small Arms Sub-Total: $7,120

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Heavy Weapons

M320 Grenade Launchers x2

M72 LAW x 2

Heavy Weapons Sub-Total: $2,120

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Ammunition

.22LR 1600 (for trade)

5.56N 2800 loose

5.56N 1340 belted

7.62N 500 loose (for trade)

9mmP 480 loose

40mm HVDP 100 belted

40mm Chem   72 loose

40mm HE   72 loose

40mm Illum   44 loose

Grenades

M67 Frag x 30

M34 WP x 30

M25 CS x 30

Mines

M18A1 Claymores x 6

Food

Domestic - 450 Kg (90 days per person)

MRE - 75 KG (10 days per person - emergency rations) 

Grain for Horses - 180 Kg (90 days per horse)