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…”

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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.