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Twilight 2000 - The Modern Dark Ages : The Abridged Version Chapter 15
GM - Fusilier
Chapter 15 - Northern Poland - Running on Diesel : October 31, 2000
Summary: The team loads the fuel, and frees some prisoners in Jazowa. Then the team heads west again, and have a ceasefire with local Polish forces. They then fight Soviets in Bogatka, and finally they re-enter Gdansk after a successful mission.

Mad Dogs Unit Roster:
John Jameson McCarthy - player
Helmut Meyer - NPC
Varis Babicevs - player
Francis "Frank" Benucci - player
Anna - NPC
Caleb Mulcahy - NPC
Ferro - player
Billy “Crack” O’Brien - player
Thomas Cooper - NPC
Aleksandar Mazurek - NPC
Thomas Marshall - NPC
Per Kolstrup - player
Owen Hollister - NPC
David "Tosh" Lines - player
Katarzyna Majchrzak - NPC
Walter Krupp - NPC
Alan Little - player
Czeslaw Kaczka - NPC
Piotr Auttenberg - NPC
Michael Kessler - player
Karel Janku - NPC
Lukas Fischer - player
Sabine Riedel - player
Tomasz Andropov - player

PC Assets:
Ambulance model BMP
Armored Humvee
Volkswagen Iltis
BTR-80 (Krok)
Kaminski's Wrecker truck
Tencza's flatbed heavy truck
Humvee (wrecked and non-usable) (left in Gdansk)
PTS-M
Tarpan Honker

• Krupp’s work party ends up extracting 6600L of usable diesel, and in the morning the Mad Dogs convoy heads out from the fuel depot. They first stop at Fredyryk Burant’s partisan camp in the ecological reserve. There, they give Burant 200L of diesel for all of his help, along with dropping off Caleb Mulcahy, who has decided not to continue with the Mad Dogs. The unit then travels across the Elblag bridge with the toll, and make it over surprisingly easily. The convoy then reaches Kepki, where they had earlier blown a bridge, and found the bridge still down.

Group 1

• Kessler, Ferro, Babicevs and Benucci head south to Jazowa to check the bridge in that town. There, at the eastern side of the bridge, they find a man in American BDUs shackled to a light post. He says that his friends are prisoners of Russians on the other side of the bridge, and states that if the Mad Dogs try to cross, his friends will be hurt. He also mentions that they’re all being watched right now.
  
• The shackled man is named Shawn Keller, and claims to be from the American 50th armored, from the 112th field artillery regiment. Kessler and crew decide things look too shady, and leave the man there, obeying his request to move on. They head back to Kepki.

Group 2

• JJM and the rest of the team checks the bridge at Kepki more thoroughly. They decide to attempt to repair it using telephone poles and local materials, and jobs are assigned. They also discuss using explosives to down the telephone poles and get to work on sketching out the repair plan. Then the patrol returns.

(Continued)

• Not sooner than Kessler returns than he goes back out, this time in the Krok. His team moves across the river to scout things out on the far side of the river at Jazowa, in order to determine if Keller was telling the truth. There they find what appears to be a small Russian outpost, and can see Keller still chained on the other side of the bridge. Not wanting to risk discovery, Kessler’s team again pulls back.
  
• Meanwhile at Kepki, the bridge work takes a little longer than expected, but progresses nicely. By 8pm local, the bridge had been repaired and all vehicles had made the crossing back to the northern/western side of the Nogat river. The team then decides to check again on the OP at Jazowa.
  
• Ferro and Fischer go ahead to scout the enemy position, while others prepare for an assault to free the alleged hostages.
  Engagement at Jazowa
  
• The Mad Dogs take their combat vehicles to assault the enemy position at the bridge in Jazowa, killing most but not all of the small number of defenders. There turns out to be 11 prisoners total, but during the assault one of them jumped out a window in an escape attempt, but after breaking his ankle from the fall he was shot by an escaping guard. The leader of the prisoners is a man named Sgt. Woods, who JJM recognizes from the 8th as a Bradley commander. Another of the prisoners is a man named Muller, who was picked up by the Poles during the Hel raid. Keller is released when Andropov manages to pick the lock on his chain. The unit takes aboard the prisoners, and heads out to link back up with the civilian vehicles at the bridge south of Marzecino (where they had repaired a bridge last chapter).
  
• Fearing that the Rybina crossing has been heavily reinforced since their last encounter there, the Mad Dogs head to Stobiec to lay up while some scouting of Rybina takes place.
  
• In Stobiec, the Mad Dogs plan out how to recce Rybina, and decide to do a long range observation from Tujsk using the NODLR. During this time, Babicevs also uhh... relieves himself... with a jar of strawberry preserves found in Jazowa. The recce patrol heads out.
  

Group 1

• At Stobiec, the Mad Dogs not on patrol listen to Emma Cassidy as she gives a brief description of the prisoners whom she has checked out for health issues, mentioning that most of them have PTSD. She says specifically not to issue a weapon to Major Dunn, fearing that he might be a danger to himself or others.
  
• The Mad Dogs also question the now freed prisoners during this time. Woods describes being captured during a feint against Malbork when the 8th was first passing through Poland. The prisoners also relay that they know Jonathan Young, and that he is being kept in Malbork, but no word on Felix Steinhoff, Arthur Fox, or one of Kessler’s missing men, a man named Wurz.

Group 2

• McCarthy, O’Brien, Benucci, Ferro, Riedel, and Babicevs head to check out Rybina. They drive to Tujsk, and dismount for a walk to the river’s bank. Observing the bridges, they see a flag being flown next to a lantern. Assuming this flag might be for them, McCarthy decides to investigate and approaches the bridge on his own. Bajek (from the last Vistula crossing) is at Rybina, and talks to McCarthy. He states that he has orders to recover the PTS-M for help with engineering project in the area, but would prefer to avoid further bloodshed if possible. He mentions that if the Mad Dogs would be willing to peacefully part with the vehicle, then his Polish unit will escort the Mad Dogs back to the Vistula, as well as hand over Arthur Fox.

(Continued)

• The recce returns to Stobiec with the offer, and all agree that it’s a good idea. They also decide to send the BTR ahead to the Vistula to check things out.
  

Group 1

• In the early morning, JJM, Ferro, Benucci, Lines, O’Brien, Babicevs, Riedel, Anna and Aleksandar depart aboard the BTR and make for the ferry crossing at Swibno. The amphibious vehicle makes it there quickly, only for the Mad Dogs to learn that the ferry hasn’t been seen in 2 days, and a fairly large queue of travelers are now waiting to cross. They also meet a mercenary there that seems to recognize McCarthy, and the group offers to give the merc a lift. O’Brien meets a couple in the queue that was heading west - the couple mentions hearing a siren and screaming in the distance when they were camped outside Stegna.
  
• Others attempt to trade. Riedel meets a traveling performance group led by a man named Adam.
  
• The BTR signals the Poles across the Vistula, who signal back that the island is closed, and ask the Mad Dogs to wait for a day before crossing. Someone in the queue mentions that there’s some kind of war happening in Gdansk, but it may just be rumor. Vicky Gorden gets on radio with JJM next, and lets him know that a night crossing may be viable. She also advises that communications have been lost with Gdansk, but that some artillery can be heard in the distance to the west. It seems no one is clear on exactly what is happening in Gdansk. The rest of the convoy then reaches the crossing.

Group 2

• Kessler and the rest of the convoy reach Rybina. It appears as though Bajek was being honest. He brings a few men with him to ride in the PTS-M to ensure that there's nothing sketchy afoot. He also motions for his adjutant, whom he seems to trust implicitly, to ride in the Humvee with Kessler. The man is named Artur Netzel, and he enters the Humvee and sits next to Kessler. The two have a nice conversation about family as the convoy motors east. Outside Junoszyno, Muller (the former prisoner) sees a light prop plane to the south of the convoy. Netzel confirms that the plane isn’t part of the Polish army, but after doing some close passes the plane seems to move on. The convoy then reaches Swibno and the ferry crossing.

(Continued)

• The unit moves into the woods north of the ferry crossing to unload the PTS-M and to facilitate the handoff of the vehicle to Bajek and Netzel’s men. Bajek also releases Sergeant Fox back to the Mad Dogs. Emma Cassidy seems to be missing. The unit then splits as it sends out a couple of patrols.

Group 1

• At the forest camp, Kessler organizes a search for Cassidy. He quickly discovers that Marshall is missing as well.
  
• Arthur Fox talks with JJM and tells him about his time as a prisoner of the Poles. He mentions that the Poles treated him very well, but that the Baltic front is on the verge of collapse, and that he won’t be surprised if the Poles start a coup against the Russians in Malbork before Spring, and maybe sooner if the 42nd GRMD hadn’t shown up. He also mentions that Bajek’s crew won’t desert, but that they’re more on the side of the west than on the side of the Russian generals.

Group 2

• The patrols head south to Przemyslaw, which no longer exists as any kind of recognizable town, before they split in two groups. The Krok heads east through the battered remains of the town, with Alan Little leading a scavenging team.

Group 3

• Ferro’s patrol in the Humvee continues south until hitting a canal with a partially repaired bridge. They dismount as the bridge doesn’t appear to be able to support the Humvee, and use binoculars to observe an agricultural complex to the east. Deciding that they can’t proceed in the Humvee, Group 3 backtracks to swap vehicles with Group 2. Now in the Krok, Ferro’s group crosses the canal amphibiously. Getting closer now to the agricultural complex, they see that it is both occupied and well-defended. Deciding that it probably doesn’t have a trailer, at least not one worth the risk, the Krok turns around and joins Group 2 scavenging in the destroyed ruins of Przemyslaw. They find some small trinkets to trade, but mostly nothing of value. At dusk, both groups head back to camp.

(Continued)

• Marshall and Cassidy missing turned out to be a false alarm. Cassidy has been down at the river asking about medicine and promoting the Marian enclave, and Marshall had been off talking to the American mercenary. Both received a dressing down by the officers for leaving without notifying anyone.
  
• Vicky Gordon calls on the radio to relay a boat trailer has been found and is for sale for some ammunition. The only problem with the trailer is that it isn’t big enough for all the fuel barrels. The offer is accepted by the Mad Dogs, and the trailer will be sent over at night. In return, the islanders will take the trade goods, along with anyone the Mad Dogs want to send ahead onto the island. Gorden mentions that she doesn’t know when the ferry will be back to the east side of the river, but it won’t wait for the loading of the trailer (in other words, the ferry will arrive to the eastern shore, drop the trailer off, take on any Mad Dogs, and then hightail it back to the western shore).
  
• Andropov comes up with a plan to build a makeshift trailer for Tencza’s truck out of wood, and the crew gets to work.
  
• At night, the ferry comes across to trade the trailer, but refuses to take on any other travelers. This causes a near panic in the line of travelers, camped out and waiting for the ferry, but Kessler calms everyone down before a riot can break out.
  
• At camp, Alan Little radios the Major that there has been movement noticed by the southern OP in the ruins to the south. Some Mad Dogs go to check it out, led by O’Brien.
  
• JJM talks the ferrymen into accepting some of the various travelers (the Humvee, JJM and two others from the Mad Dogs, 10 of the queued civilians, and two other civilian vehicles), in order to prevent a riot. The American mercenary introduces himself to Kessler as E. Morris, and it appears that he may have been a sergeant at one point.

Group 1

• The ferry carries JJM, the Humvee, and the local travelers across. About halfway across the river, a flare goes off over head, but no other action seems to take place and the ferry makes it across.
  
• JJM and the Humvee are then escorted to Sobieszewo Island’s command post, where the ruling council is present. There, he’s introduced to a Dane named Ivar Christiansen, and learns that Przejazdowo is under attack. Ivar asserts that the attack is a diversion, meant to draw troops from Gdansk. Gorden is present, and says that a runner was sent to check out Gdansk since radio communication is still down, but the man has yet to return. Another man introduces himself as Mariusz, another member of the council, and asks JJM why the Polish army was present with him when he arrived on the other side of the river. JJM responds and explains the situation with the PTS-M trade, and offers aid from the Mad Dogs wherever he can. He also promotes Babicevs to Sergeant Babicevs. The council is apparently at a standstill as to whether to send a platoon of new troops over to help Przejazdowo. Gordon and Mariusz are for it, while Ivar and another councilman names Bartosz are against, stating that the men aren’t yet drilled enough to take on Soviet regulars. After some discussion, JJM helps turn the discussion toward helping the beleaguered town.

Group 2

• Benucci and Lines spot a figure prone in the grass, and observe him. Soon he stands and dashes toward the ferry once it's pulled away from the shore. Then they see the flare go off, and lose the man in between themselves and Kessler in the BTR, coming back the other direction. Kessler uses a bullhorn to get the man to surrender, and he does so, claiming that he was just trying to get aboard the ferry. The unit lets the man go after searching him and the ruins in which he was hiding, where they found nothing incriminating.
  
• In the morning, Group 2 assembled at the crossing and uses the ferry to make it back over the Vistula. They quickly cross the island and link back up with McCarthy’s small group.

(Continued)

• Together again, the team is quickly given the plan and assignments for the coming 2nd battle for Przejazdowo.
  
• Christiansen arrives dressed for battle. He lets the team know that the Russians probed Przejazdowo last night, but there was no assault. He also explains the results of a recce patrol the local militia had sent out overnight, and says that the Mad Dogs will likely be spotted the moment they cross the river near Przejazdowo - therefore it sounds like the coming battle will be a simple advance into contact. Ivar also talks about how Polish forces from the 12th are being relieved all over the place by the 42nd GRMD, as the Poles seem to have lost their will to fight after the defeat at Gdansk, and later at Przejazdowo the first time.
  
• The Mad Dogs, the American prisoners from Jazowa (now armed and equipped with minimal ammunition), along with the platoon of militia led by Mariusz and Christiansen, and their civilian entourage head out for Przejazdowo. The plan is to leave a blocking force at Wislinka to hold any Russian reinforcements from Bogatka (along with the civilian vehicles), while the rest of the force moves to hit the Russians on the way west.
  Engagement at Kanal Piaskowi
  
• The unit then heads south toward Kanal Piaskowi. They dismount, and approach the area on foot with vehicle support. It doesn’t take long before the unit engages with an enemy force. It’s ugly, semi-urban combat. While doing some room to room clearing, Fischer takes a hit in the abdomen. Lines takes a leg hit, and one of the Polish militia fights gets hit in the ankle. Little gets tagged badly with a shot in the stomach and another in his chest. Before long, the Mad Dogs finish clearing the small village and secure the canal crossing.
  
• Next, the team starts making their way to an assault on Bogatka itself, while word is received that the Bogatka defenders are pulling out of the destroyed town and moving north to a small hamlet. Regardless, Bogatka will still need to be cleared.
  Engagement at Bogatka
  
• The unit advances on Bogatka, with the Humvee moving to the Northeast corner of the village while the Krok moves to the Southeast corner, with the BMP providing covering fire from in depth. An antitank round seems land right next to the Krok - throwing Babicevs off the top, taking out one of the Krok’s wheels, and throwing rocks into Lines cheek and hand. It later turns out that this was in fact a mine strike rather than an AT round.
  
• Ferro and Lines dismount and advance with the Krok into the southern part of the town. Ferro sees someone with an American boonie hat peering out from a window. It turns out to be Raymond Sims, USMC scout sniper, who joins the group. The town of Bogatka is indeed found to be relatively empty, with the Soviet platoon having fled to a hamlet north of town.
  Engagement at the hamlet north of Bogatka
  
• The Mad Dogs regroup, and move to assault the hamlet. As they get in range and dismount about 300m south of the hamlet, a Sobieszewo militiaman is hit, and the Humvee has a tire popped.
  
• Meanwhile, the Krok flanks the west part of the hamlet, and its dismounts move into the hamlet on foot. While doing so, Ferro takes a round to her arm. A grenade is dropped on the assaulting force from a second floor window - when Lines tries to kick it away it explodes with him still inside the blast radius, and he collapses (wound to his other leg [the one not hit earlier] and his hand). As Ferro and Kessler move into the kitchen in one of the houses, gunfire from a house nearby lances in through the windows and Ferro takes another hit.
  
• Ivar radios that a tank and at least 2 APCs are inbound from the west, about 1.5km out, with a second group of armor somewhere near the Refinery.
  
• Approaching the hamlet from the south, the BMP takes a nasty hit from an RPG-7 (later found to have killed Alan Little and Thomas Marshall instantly in the passenger compartment) and the Mad Dogs near it are then charged by a bunch of angry Russians. JJM takes a grazing wound to his leg as the charge takes place, then a brutal clubbing from a rifle stock as he gets embroiled in vicious hand to hand. Krupp gets hit where his neck meets his shoulder and is bleeding profusely. JJM almost gets choked to death before Riedel saves him, by stabbing his attacker repeatedly with a pair of EMT scissors. The charge is repelled. The BMP is critically damaged and will not make it back to Gdansk under its own power.
  
• Meanwhile, the BTR rams a building to make an entrance, which is then assaulted by O’Brien, Babicevs, and Benucci. The trio clear the building, take a prisoner, and Kessler’s team regroups. Kessler quickly interrogates the prisoner, and learns that the enemy are in the area in company strength, along with 2-3 BTRs for each platoon, along with 3 tanks and a BMP at the regiment level. The prisoner thinks that one of the armored columns coming to the hamlet are the platoon’s BTRs returning. In return, Kessler promises the man his freedom.
  
• With the fighting at the hamlet winding down, all Mad Dogs regroup on JJM, look to their wounded, and begin preparations to assess the BMP while McCarthy sets up an OP to get eyes on the armor column. The armor column is found to be vehicles from the IB, and the battle for Bogatka is over. The unit makes for Gdansk once more along the 501 highway in a large armored column along with the IB vehicles, who had come east to check things out.
  
• The unit then stops in Przejazdowo while the IB column resupplies the beleaguered forces there. Near one of the bunkers, two men stare at the Mad Dogs. One of them is Charles Price, with the other being Chris Walsh. Some of the American prisoners, including Capt. Muller, Vogel, Scott (Vogel and Scott were just named) and others, being members of the IB, will stay in Przejazdowo with their former (and now current again) commander Hauptmann Woermann. The Polish militia platoon, having completed their mission of reducing the pressure on Przejazdowo, now take their leave with their dead and wounded, and make for their island on foot.
  
• The convoy of Mad Dogs and IB vehicles continue their trip back to Gdansk. About halfway between Przejazdowo and Gdansk, the unit stops and releases their Soviet prisoner on the side of the road, as promised. Passing the railroad outside of Gdansk, the plane seen earlier near the ferry is seen again, only this time with rocket pods attached to its wings. It fires two rockets, but misses. On its next pass, it fires four, and manages to crash the Tarpan Honker. Aleksandar takes a minor head wound, as does Janku from the exploding window glass, along with a more serious wound to his hip. After some shooting at ghosts in the railyard, the Mad Dogs decide to abandon the Honker.
  
• The unit finally gets back inside the Gdansk city limits. All remaining passengers (including the prisoners) outside of the Mad Dogs and Tencza are sent on their way into the city, finally relieved to be back somewhere safe. Kaminski and Kolstrup are waiting for the Mad Dogs when they finally get back to the compound.
  
• Kaminski is paid his due, and Tencza is fine with finding a new trailer for himself (the fuel payment included risk to his truck, and he’s convinced that he’ll easily find another trailer).
  
• Kolstrup lets the team know that Owen Hollister left to work with the Tarawa marines, and Thomas Cooper to work with the Marians. He also talks about the city in general - a coming food shortage, unemployment, the Russians probing off and on. He mentions that the city is about to start issuing paper money. Kaczka helps the Mad Dogs unload the fuel and equipment from the journey. The unit also checks the vehicles, and dig graves for the fallen. Katarzyna Majchrzak is still there at the compound as well, and makes everyone lunch, as she's taken on the role of cook for the unit.
  
• The Humvee leaves for the city proper, dropping off Tencza and Dave at their garage on Market Street. It then drops off Emma Cassidy and Krupp at the basilica. The Mad Dogs present stick around for a bit, and meet a medical staff member named Sergei, who lets them know that payment for Krupp will be on credit from JJM.
  
• Everyone returns to the compound, where JJM gives a speech about his plans for the future, and talks about his reasoning for fighting to keep Gdansk free.
  
• After a brief memorial service for the Mad Dogs that we’re lost on the fuel depot mission, the group splits, with many going shopping, some on intel gathering duties, etc.
• Price and Walsh go to find a local contact called Fat Man, in order to get paid for their work in Przejazdowo.
  
• Babicevs, O’Brien and Lines hit up Gang Anjo for intel, but come away empty handed except for the knowledge that Volodya might have information about the 8th for sale to JJM if he’s interested.
  
• At the same time, Kessler’s group goes shopping at the solidarity market before heading back to the basilica. At the church, Emma Cassidy grabs them and takes them up into the tower, where they meet Dr. Mary Tymoshenko. She offers some goods for the return of Cassidy, which Kessler politely refuses. When talk of the fuel comes up, Tymoshenko offers 7 day rations per liter. She also asks Kessler for 3 or 4 trustworthy men to help on a farming project (protection), in return for medical services for the unit.
  
• Back at the bar, the Mad Dogs meet a former Polish partisan, who talks to them and mentions the Great Mill, a combined water mill, granary, and bakery that supplies much of the city with bread.
  
• The Mad Dogs finally reconvene at Kaminskis Compound, which has now been situated with heated stoves, a fixed roof, improved electrical system, and latrines for improved sanitation. JJM addresses the troops - they’ll begin trading with the Marians for food. They’ll also send Arthur Fox, Piotr Auttenberg, Helmut Meyer, and Czeslaw Kaczka to the Marians Farm for guard duty. On top of that, duty rosters are given out, with a focus on repairing the vehicles, adding improved defenses to the compound, repairing the compound and preparing the quarters for the coming winter, and improved plumbing.
  
• Kessler states his intentions of staying in the city until Spring, due to the worsening weather.

Time skip starting November 3rd. During this time:

• Soviet shelling has ceased.
  
• Friendly forces successfully defended Przejazdowo.
  
• Riedel works with and subsequently gains a better understanding of the Marian enclave.
  
• The Krok, the Iltis, and the Humvee were repaired - the BMP still needs parts and more work.
  
• A slit trench, and mines are added to the compounds defense, as are watchtowers on the roof of the main building and a super sangar covering the southern approaches.
  
• The rowing club roof is repaired fully, and windows boarded up and insulated. Plumbing wise, a water filter is located, along with a 1000L water storage tank for the compound. A boiler device for heating will take another week or so.
  
• Owen Hollister returns from Tarawa Company to pick up his rifle and say goodbye.
  
• A terror attack (bombing) takes place at solidarity market.
  
• The Polish army cantonment in Pila declared for the Polish Free Congress.
  
• Kaminski returns from the marketplace one day with a rumor that the Black Madonna is somewhere in Gdansk.
  
• Walter Krupp dies of his wounds. Just kidding, there was a mixup and Krupp will be coming home in a few days.

It is now November 11th.

• Information about General Meretskov is relayed by Kessler and Andropov.

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