Iron Stars - muhammad

Muhammad Amufo takes a crisp breath of the frozen Angelos air as he steps off the CBSS shuttle that brought him here. The first of the locals to be taken back to Pelasgon, indoctrinated into the military system, and trained, he and a small group of fighters has returned to the northwestern rebel enclave , ready to bring the fight to the corrupt capitalist governments here responsible for so much suffering. The locals look to be doing okay but the fields here show the evidence of renewed bombing raids from the city across the sea. Several captured ATV explorers fitted with high powered machine guns keep watch on the sky and countryside, and all through the settlement as you make your way through it, you get the feeling everyone here is just itching to hit back again. Your compad pulses once, as do most others here, a short message. Rebel command has a few assignments they need volunteers for, and anyone interested is to come to the now landed and deployed rebel airship at the north end of town.

"This time we won't shed our blood in vain." Muhammad exclaims to his comrades in a hopeful tone. He adjusts the CBSS insignia on his uniform and doubles his pace towards the airship.

You can see a crowd of about thirty is gathering at the airship entryway, though they're keeping a respectful distance from it. Massive camo nets that are constantly being improved are helping to keep air raids from targeting this place with ease- along with new defenses at the edge of town. A whiteboard has been set up and the aide to the resistance leadership is getting some various maps and markers laid out. There is a groan as the flywheel door opens and Major Oleg emerges from the dark interior of the ship. "Coffee for the volunteers eh?" he tells the aide. "I'll finish setting up" The aide scurries off to comply. "Welcome all of you" Oleg says, looking at the assembled group here. "I hope you're all ready to do some work and earn those war stories to tell the grandkids. I've got three missions lined up, and I'll give some general details on each, before giving you over to squad leaders for more specific briefings. Does everyone understand?"

Muhammad nods and listens to the instructions intently while trying to think back if he has ever served under Oleg.

"The three assignments" he says as coffee is passed out to everyone. "the air raids have started again. We need a team to cross the sea on one of our transports to put that airfield out of commission for good. Our last raid stopped the attacks for a while but it is clear other airframes have been moved up to continue their air campaign. We've hit them a couple times, they'll be watchful, but this is too important to pass up for a safer time. The second mission , we need to begin exploring eastward. There is one other large village on this continent. We don't know what's happening there or how the locals might feel about joining us. We need a team to take a quiet look around, maybe try to engage a few of the locals in conversation and then report back, see if we might find some new allies- or determine what the obstacles might be in getting them to join us. And finally the third mission, We need to do a security sweep of the woods north and east of the village. We scattered the capitalist forces in the nearby village during our last raid, and the people those nobles had under their sway are now here, proud to fight and live alongside us- but we can't allow any loyalists to linger in the countryside. Every moment we aren't hunting down survivors is another moment they're getting organized. "

"Which one do we do first, sir?"

(you get your pick of which of the three you want to do)

19:32

(Npcs will go handle whatever you elect not to do)

Muhammad volunteers for the second mission

"The second mission , we need to begin exploring eastward. There is one other large village on this continent. We don't know what's happening there or how the locals might feel about joining us. We need a team to take a quiet look around, maybe try to engage a few of the locals in conversation and then report back, see if we might find some new allies- or determine what the obstacles might be in getting them to join us. Alright, Muhammad and five others, we'll assign one of the ATV explorers to you so you're not crossing the next few hundred kilometers on foot. Be safe out there and take good notes on what you find. It's going to determine our next series of moves. You are dismissed, I'll handle briefing for the other groups" An aide takes you and the five others from the meeting, and circling around to the side of the airship you see the small rebel motor pool.

19:56

"your chariot" he says, handing over the activation code fob to the group.

Muhammad walks over to the vehicle and inspects it. "Wow, i'll man the gun." (Are the guys i'm with CBSS trained too?)

(yes)

21:06

(i usually dont name NPCS until we have been with them for a bit so I don't get hundreds of them we will never see again)

(Wise)

21:07

Muhammad does as he said and jumps in back of the ATV and grips the handle of the gun. (edited)

The team piles into the grav vehicle and its plates whine just a bit as they cycle up. Parts are still hard to come by and rebel techs have worked miracles to keep the small fleet of captured ones you now have working. You can feel evertone else settling in below you and they truly have packed a large amount of fittings and comfort into the vehicle, a truly worthy scout. The pilot swings it around slowly, taking it out of the village and they begin heading east across the frozen landscape. (d10 for the hex outside the village, as we've not gone this route yet)

(1)

21:42

Muhammad takes a small notebook out of his coat, it's cover stained by dirt and it's edges worn away. He flips it open and jots down a few lines ending with "...I have a bad feeling about this mission."

Moving into the woods the explorer slows a bit as it is forced to make its way around thick trees and other obstacles. Animals flee from the sound of its buzzing grav plates and birds take to the sky. The scanners inside ping gently once, a metallic object , 250m away.

"What was that?!"

They do not know, that is why the scanner returned an unknown metallic contact. The group is debating what to do, and looking for opinions.

(Is it not on the scanner anymore?)

(Still is, just says metallic, 250m away, group is trying to decide how to handle this)

"Quickly! Disable the engine, it might be an enemy vehicle!"

The engine is cut off, and the vehicle settles onto its belly waiting for power to be switched on again. Everyone waits to see what else you suggest, as you're the only one working through the sense of panic setting in.

Muhammad points at one of his comrades and says as calmy as he can manage "You there! Come with me. We will scout ahead on foot." Muhammad turns to the driver "Be ready to pick us up if we signal." (edited)

(alright, so three guys and you, leaving two to crew the vehicle, driver and someone taking your place on the HMG? Sounds good?)

(I only want to take one person to scout)

(Okay. You’ve edited your post since I’ve been in this thread last, so I wrote my reply based on what the information was at the time)

(I've only fixed a grammar error)

(You said multiple people before, I can pull the audit log but that’s why I wanted to confirm how you wanted things …either way, one person is fine but I know what I’d seen) You and one other soldier exit the short ramp at the back of the grav explorer and step into the forest. You hear the sound of some kind of engine in the distance now that the noise from your own has been silenced. Whatever is out there through the thick branches is running on a combustion engine and it sounds like the term “ running “ is being generous to its condition. (edited)

Muhammad moves from tree to tree towards the sound, trying to keep a low profile. He signals to his squadmate to follow behind him.

)once we get your level up all put in I will continue on with this mission )

(Sorry, i was busy on the weekend i'll do the levelup today.)

1

(No worries. Just never said anything here and the mission thread gets auto archived soon, wanted it in more than once place )

new hp: 7 [1:22 PM] ab: 1 [1:22 PM] Spent 3 skill points to improve STR by two [1:22 PM] Chosen the focus Wanderer

19:34

(copied from your thread. and we'll get a notice/wis now that we're back in this thread to see if we can figure out whats going on in the woods)

(ok)

19:55

(6)

The air is still charged with energy and you’ve been around grav vehicles long enough to know what many of them operating in the same area does to the air in the area. You’re not alone here. Whatever vehicle is out there they’ve turned it’s engine off too, and it’s crew is probably fanning out to do the same

Muhammad tells the soldier to go back to our vehicle and set up a defense with the others. Muhammad then hides in a bush and waits.

After ten minutes passes, two rag-tag looking figures are stumbling through the woods 30m away from you, passing from behind a thick trunk of a tree. It doesn't seem like they've noticed you, but they will in a moment

(Is there no chance to avoid detection?)

(I'd need to see w hat you do to try to avoid it before I can answer that, this whole thing depends on player input)

Muhammad is prone in the bush. He is keeping his rifle ready to shoot in case he is detected.

The two scouts spend a few seconds. One takes a knee and consults a bioscanner strapped to his hip. Lying prone, but with no other steps taken to conceal ourselves, they're able to spot you.

I fire at one of them (9/7)

16:53

Muhammad fires*

The shot misses, and both of them go prone in reply as the shot blows out some of the tree trunk closeby. The rest of the team wants to know if they should use the machine gun, now that you've been spotted anyway.

(do i have a radio?)

(Your compad works fine enough, figured its more or less the same)

"I need backup! Use the machine gun!" Muhammad talks into the compad

The machine gun sends steaming shells into the woods and the two men are cut down. Their bodies are punctured and broken , tumbling into the dirt

Signal the vehicle to begin moving towards where the enemy came from

(Did you want to get back aboard , or do you want to be on foot?)

(I want to stay on foot for now)

Advancing across the woods you can see the enemy vehicle slowly backing up. Losing contact with their scouts has tipped them off that they’re not alone, but the enemy did not know your numbers. You can see it, 100m away, backing through a grove of trees

(What kind of vehicle is it?)

(Same as yours. Another explorer )

Muhammad tells the others to fire at the enemy. He runs to the fallen enemies in the meantime.

They’re both dead by time you get to their bodies. They’re armed similarly to you. The heavy machine gun on the explorer opens fire and damages the enemy as it continues backing up. (Evasion save)

(10v13 failed)

The suppression volley from the enemy explorer hits your own but doesn't seem to damage it- the rounds are stopped by the thick armor. One of the stray rounds strikes you as you try to dive into cover (2 damage)

(you're up again, i wasn't clear that's my bad)

Muhammad runs behind a tree and clutches his wounds while watching the events unfold.

(You’ve got a main action if you want to use it for anything )

(I hold my action)

The vehicles continue their skirmish with the ATVs firing heavy machine guns on one another. The enemy vehicle is heavily damaged and it continues slowly backing away into the treeline

00:59

(Got a chance to use it now or else it’s next round )

Muhammad lays fire on the enemy vehicle

16:33

(23/6)

There’s a small pop and flash of flame as the vehicle comes to a halt and the burning crew begins coming out the escape hatches

Muhammad starts moving towards the wreckage to deal with any survivors

Of the survivors, a quick mercy burst is all that's needed to put them down. Their explorer is burning heavily now and you can hear the soft pops of the first of its machine gun ammo cooking off inside as the fire begins spreading into the main weapon's magazine.

Muhammad goes to check the scouts killed by the machine gun to see if he can salvage a rifle. Then he sits back into the vehicle and continues on his journey.

Their personal weapons have been shattered by the heavy weapons fire that killed them. Having blunted the enemy scouts in this area and with damage to the vehicle the team decides it best to head for home

23:22

(3xp, 5000 credits )

Muhammad agrees and waits until the vehicle arrives

(Any ideas of what you might want to get into?)

(I want to complete my original mission after repairing the vehicle)

(Vanon is there now already, so we've got the first and third available still)

(Then i would like to do the first one)

A team is being assembled on the short runway here to make an assault across the sea to a Capitalist airfield that has been an eternal thorn in the side of the rebel base here. Almost daily, flights of bombers cross the sea to level bomb the region and damage is getting to the point that the locals cannot keep up with repairs anymore. The harsh cold season is coming and materials used now for repairs cannot be used to improve homes against the conditions later. The team looks to be made up of nine other members, and from the cargo plane you'll be deploying via grav chute near the airbase. Everyone is being given four demolition charges to place around the base, hopefully sneakily. Hangars, fuel storage, munitions storage, parked planes you can reach safely, and the runway itself are all potential targets. The facility has been raided before but only light damage was caused, and they will likely be on alert.

(How do we exfiltrate)

(skyhooks)

21:24

(I was going to go over that once we moved things along here, )

(did enough time pass for me to heal?)

(We've had at least a night, but you'd have had medical attention back at base so you're fine either way)

A pair of demolition charges are passed out to you- your part in the assault. As for everyone else, they board the plane and once you make it aboard yourself its four heavy engines being starting up, and you are in the air- heading toward your destination. Everyone begins donning the grav harnesses that will allow you to descend safely from great altitude.

Muhammad straps in his grav harness and cocks his pistol. He stands ready in front of the exit, waiting for the lights to turn green.

The flight is a few hours long. Some of the team prays. A few sleep. Two others try to complete a game of cards on the metal floor of the plane. Everyone is nervous. The red cabin light turns amber and everyone begins standing up and assembling their kit. The ramp lowers and outside the target site the light turns green and everyone begins the jump@(Pilot /dex)

(6)

You manage to keep yourself on target despite the high crosswind, and the team looks to be landing in a small forested area 5km from the airbase. Once you clear the woods its a 3km overland hike through the open plains, before getting to the airbase limits. You manage to get a look of the place from overhead, and will advance on it moving in a southward direction

14:29

Original message was deleted or could not be loaded.

Pinned a message.

"We should split up, me and 5 other guys will try to move in from the west. The rest will move all the way to the buildings on the east and cause damage there." Muhammad proposes to the team. He draws a rough plan of his idea on a piece of paper. "What do you think?"

Without knowing what kind of resistance you’ll be facing they agree on principle. They’ll keep in touch but you’ll be unable to support one another if you get into trouble.

Muhammad and his group begin moving according to the plan.

(sneak/dex)

(13, nat12)

200m out from the buildings (so at the top part of your first northern red arrow) the team crouches behind rocks. Night has set in firmly here and you can see the hangars have lights on them. Two guards stand 100m away, backs to you as they turn from the wind to try to light cigarettes. The noise of a bomber taking off is loud enough to conceal sound for the time being. It is being pulled out of its nearby hangar and its four engines are beginning their loud process of turning on.

Muhammad briefly thinks about using his laser pistol but he realizes that would probably be too noticeable in the night. So instead he starts sprinting towards one of the guards while the noise of the plane conceals his footsteps. He signals the others to do the same.

(what's the plan here as far as when you get close to them? )

21:41

(just so i know if I need to roll something, ask you to roll something, or just have ready)

(Stab them from behind)

(okay, so we're going for an execution, they're going to get a chance to notice you and got an 8, so they do not. It is a stab/dex skill check to melee execute)

(4)

(That will not work, so we will get initiative , as the failed execution will alert them)

(2. Also did my comrades succeed with the other guy?)

(no they got a 4 as well)

22:32

(the two guards got a 5)

22:33

Although they could not hear you, a chance turning around as you close to within 10m has them spotting you. The engines of the large bomber are all running on half throttle now as it begins moving to the runway- you cannot hear them, or your team mates, but you know the fight has to end quickly. They level their rifles and fire, both shots missing as your team rapidly approaches, firing at where you were, not where you are now.

Muhammad charges into one of the guards and begins stabbing him.

(roll your attack when you can)

(18/3)

The knife blow lands squarely, wounding the guard before another of your companions piles into the fight and delivers his own finishing blow-ending the man before he gets a chance to club up his rifle. The other three drag the second patrol officer to the ground, knives flash, fists ensure he has no air in his lungs to scream. You're left with two bodies, and are out in the open.

If they had any lights on the team quickly turns them off. (is there any cover like a bush or a tree around?)

(It’s cut down to open ground for this exact reason this close to the base but there were some rocks you guys were hiding in close to the cliffs where you first started observing the place )

Knowing that they cannot waste time taking care of the corpses Muhammad moves on, instructing the others to do the same.

The two sentries handled for now, you're able to get a clear run to the back of the hangar that the bomber has just come out of. The sheet metal hangar seems to amplify the sound, concealing your approach from anyone else who might be listening. On the other side of this building is the first of the runways, and you would expect more people to be working and watching there.

Muhammad uses his climbing gear to begin climbing onto the roof of the hangar, planning to scout from up there and maybe find an unguarded entry into the hangar.

Climbing to the roof you lay flat and have a commanding view of the rest of the base. The hangar has a skylight, and it look like a door on its western side does not have anyone standing near it right now.

00:14

(ther'es more going on around here but i answered your immediate question first)

(Are there any planes, fuel tanks or other targets in the hangar?)

The hangar is empty now since the plane that was in it is moving out to the runway. You don’t see any fuel or munitions being kept inside this hangar. Two technicians are getting ready to close the large doors for the moment.

(Any demolition targets around the hangar?)

There is another hangar to the right of you that looks like it still has its plane inside. Across the runway you can see men emerge with a cart full of racked bombs from what looks to be some kind of ammunition magazine. The building looked to be hardened and set into the ground. They make for the hangar to the left of the one you're on now.

Muhammad asks two of his comrades to come inside the hangar he is on. He asks the others to scout the other hangar.

(Are you staying on the roof them while they handle those two tasks? If not, what group are you with? ) Two of them descend back down the climbing ropes you have set up. They'll report back soon. The others likewise begin descending, preparing to push right, where those technicians are also heading.

(I'm directing them through the radio using this vantage point from the roof so that they can avoid detection.)

(Lead/cha)

(10)

The technicians are without a doubt coming for that hangar so they can load the bomber inside. Your men have swung around the back, but if they go in there is no way they won’t be noticed.

Muhammad tells them to wait until the the first hangar is handled.

02:36

(Do the technicians have any weapons)

The technicians don’t have long guns strapped to them, but this being a military base it is safe to assume they don’t have more than sidearms on them. They begin opening the front hangar doors to bring their racks of bombs inside.

(Where do the hangars get their electricity from, do they have any cables connecting them to the other parts of the base?)

Base power seems to be coming from a reactor , but with planes taking off and landing stringing wires around looks to have been a hazard. The lines must be underground.

Wanting to avoid detection for now Muhammad leaves two infiltrators at the hangar asking them to report in regularly about the status of the bomber. He himself climbs down from the roof and begins searching for other targets southwards with the others. He also tries to contact the other group on the eastern side of the base to ask about their status.

THey're about to lay charges on one of the barracks buildings here, and have dispatched three sentries quietly. For you yourself, you'll need to cross the runway to get at the control tower, the armored magazine, or the hangars on the other side. The runway is flat, and offers no concealment or cover.

(Can't we go around the runway?)

(We would have to go all the way north or south around the base, so we can, but its a lot of time. Its a decision you have to weigh)

(Okay then we leave 2 people at the hangar and the others run across the runways)

(If that’s including you, I need a sneak/dex)

9

1

You’re able to cross the runway quickly after getting off the hangar roof. The technicians are still attaching bombs to racks in the bomb bay of the plane in hangar 2. It doesn’t seem like the underground magazine entrance is guarded by anything

The group goes in

There is a short , gently sloped ramp that leads to the doors of the underground magazine. You can hear two voices on the other side of the metal doors shouting out to one another as they prep the bomb loads that the other half of their team runs to planes. The doors are solid metal. You cannot see through them and it sounds like the two technicians within are unaware you are outside.

Muhammad readies an explosive charge in his hand, the others point at the door with their guns ready to fire.

16:52

Muhammad opens the door. If the technicians do not spot him he tries to place his charge among the bombs. If they do notice him his group will hold them up.

(7 for their notice vs 9 for your sneak, so they won't see you sneaking in)

Okay, then Muhammad quickly slips into the underground building and places an explosive charge under one of the bombs on the rack. And as quickly as he went in he leaves the building.

From outside the team is regrouping. The East team thinks they've pushed their luck as much as they can and are getting ready to fall back.

(Where is the control tower compared to us?)

(30m to the west of your position on this side of the runway. There would be a heavy metal door at ground level to get in)

(Does it have a balcony?)

(It does not. It’s a glass airport control tower. Modern day ish )

The group quickly moves over to the control tower and Muhammad inspects the door for alarms and such and he tries to listen if there is anyone is on the other side.

1

The door has a heavy looking keypad fixed into its center. You’re not sure if it’s also alarmed but this is an important building to the workings of an airfield so assuming heavier security seems to be how everyone else is looking at the structure. You don’t hear anyone on the other side but there are no doubt people at the top (edited)

Muhammad asks if anyone has the necessary skills for opening this door.

None of them seem to be anymore suited than you do to open it. These are volunteers and scouts , rather than hackers or engineers

(can we evac anytime, anywhere?)

(you're in the heart of an enemy airfield , and your activity will eventually be noticed, so evacuation will be complicated the more you do)

Muhammad and the others all place their explosives on the side of the tower towards the runway. Hoping that the explosion will be strong enough to make the tower fall on the runway. After done with installing the explosives he radios all members of the team to leave the base the way they came. He begins leaving too.

(Demolition charges can be remotely detonated, so we can wait until you're clear if you want) The eastern team is also withdrawing. You can hear alarms in that section of the base as you sneak across the runaway again, back behind the hangars where you started.

Nekosmash

(Demolition charges can be remotely detonated, so we can wait until you're clear if you want) The eastern team is also withdrawing. You can hear alarms in that section of the base as you sneak across the runaway again, back behind the hangars where you started.

(Yes that's what i was planning to do, also with the charge installed among the bombs) Muhammad and his team continue sprinting back towards the cliff.

Returning to the base of the cliff you now need to scale them rapidly to get out into the plains where you can hopefully avoid detection on your way to your evac boat. (exert/str. or con, just let me know what modifier you used)

(6 with con)

The alarms begin to sound as you and your panting squad members make it to the top of the cliff. They have planted charges on a couple of the dormitory buildings that house pilots and more highly trained technical crews. Your charges on the control tower and magazine should ensure the bombing raids stop for good. Everyone on the other squad has taken a wound or two. No one was killed but a few are going to perish from injuries if you dont get to the evacuation boat soon. A two kilometer trek across the countryside is all that stands between you and freedom. "Shall we ?" the other fire team leader asks, taking the remote detonator from his front pouch. "This might backlight us, but hopefully it keeps them too busy dealing with the emergencies there to come chasing us"

"Let's do it." says Muhammad. He looks down at the base in anticipation.

1

The detonator is pressed. Several long seconds pass before the horizon glows. Explosions send smoke and debris high into the air and the alarms only seem to intensify. A bomber is aflame, buffeted by the blast wave upon take off and it explodes against the cliff you just climbed. Chaos reigns here now. (3xp, 5000 credits) Extraction is hurried but you are not followed. Your inflatable boat has you brought out to sea quickly where a small yacht in service to the communists picks you up, and come morning you are homeonce again

(advanced to level 3)

19:16

(new hp: 13)

19:19

(exert to 1, sneak to 1, unspent 1)

19:20

(extert to 0 sry) (edited)

(it costs 2 skill points to go from 0 to 1, did you have skill points left over? because this is a total of 5 spent)

(I've made a mistake read my correction)

(it doesnt look like you had any left over, you put all 3 you had on getting strength improvements

19:22

(your correction didn't fix the mistake)

19:22

(Exert was at 0, Sneak was at 0, and exert was -1. To go from level 0 in a skill to level 1, you need to spend 2 skill points)

19:23

19:24

(as an expert you get 4 skill points per level, so we could be able to improve sneak and exert to 1, and you've have had nothing left over to improve anything else)

(I've had exert at -1. didn't i?)

(it takes a point to go from -1 to 0, you spent all 4 you got between raising sneak and exert)

(ok, so i got both at 1 now?)

(exert and sneak are both now at 1, you have no skill points remaining to level anything else)

(roger)

(otherwise, I'm good to jump into anything you had in mind)

(I can come up with something too if you need it)

(archiving for now)