Twilight 2000 - The Modern Dark Ages : The Abridged Version Chapter 20
GM - Fusilier
Chapter 20 - Baltic Coast - Hunters II : December 7, 2000
Summary: The unit meets some new Canadian friends, and then takes the fight to Warmia Awakening on the east side of the Elblag.

Mad Dogs Unit Roster:
John Jameson McCarthy - player
Helmut Meyer - NPC
Varis Babicevs - player
Arthur Fox - NPC
Anna - NPC
Ferro - player
Billy “Crack” O’Brien - player
Aleksandar Mazurek - NPC
Per Kolstrup - player
David "Tosh" Lines - NPC
Katarzyna Majchrzak - NPC
Walter Krupp - NPC
Czeslaw Kaczka - NPC
Piotr Auttenberg - NPC
Michael Kessler - player
Karel Janku - NPC
Lukas Fischer - NPC
Tomasz Andropov - player
Charles "Charlie" Price - NPC
Chris Walsh - player
Janacek Czerny - player
Jose Rodriguez - player
Henry "Hank" Voight - player
Reggie Grant - player

PC Assets:
Armored Humvee Lobo - M2HB (In Katy Rybackie)
Volkswagen Iltis (At Kaminski's)
BTR-80 (Der Krok)
Humvee (Alpha, or Frankenhummer) - AGS-17 (In Katy Rybackie)
Humvee (Destroyed / Parts) (At Kaminski's)
Humvee (Destroyed / Parts) (At Kaminski's)

  • The battle at the end of the last chapter has come to a close. The Mad Dogs have three cultists in custody - a youth, an older catatonic woman, and a man. At least 5 others managed to escape into the woods. The team decides that they need to work on their mounted assaults, and loots the dead
  • Interrogations of prisoners take place while the unit sets up a perimeter. The boy is one of two missing from Katy Rybackie. The man is a WA hardliner. The old woman remains catatonic.
  • At this time, Krysia reveals that she is looking for a man named Patryk Wojcik, former Swibno police, who was caught selling weapons and ammo to bandits. Her mission is to kill or capture him and return him to Swibno. She checks over the bandit bodies for him to no avail.
  • The unit returns to Katy Rybackie. Kessler advises Filip Wojcik of the result of the attack on the bandit WA group, and asks to see the wounded Canadian.
  • A found Warmia notebook is analysed for data. There's a note that Russians are near a lighthouse. It also mentions a "Lena", presumably Lena Lepper. It mentions some sick people, as well as a crash site of some sort nearby. Here are the specific notes for reference:

    Note#1:
    If we can see your fucking smoke they can see your fucking smoke. You are putting you and us both in danger. Fix your stupidity or I will.
    Note#2:
    Let everyone know to leave the mushroom guy alone. He's our eyes now.
    Note#3:
    You said only one boy and we don't have batteries like that. (In different handwriting there's a response on the bottom of the same page) I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further.
    Note#4:
    We're going across. I'll make good with Mazur with that KGB type we found plus a couple new boys. That ought to make up for The Twins. You and Nina can come, I owe you that. There's room and your guys will understand. (In different handwriting there's a response on the bottom of the same page) Nina is sick. Good luck.
    Note#5:
    Russians around lighthouse. Send *unintelligible*. I think *unintelligible* *unintelligible* crash site or that submarine? Meet us by the bend if *unintelligible* shit.
    Note#6:
    Lena killed the mushroom guy.

  • Kessler and Grant go to visit the wounded Canadian at the Fisherman's Museum at the far end of the town. The wounded man seems to be dying from a gunshot wound which has perforated a lung. His name tag says Mackenzie, and he's being looked after by a woman with the surname Wieczorek. Kessler attempted to talk to the man, but gets only confused mumbling in return "Forty nine. Forty nine nine'y." "Same as range control." "I'm non'alone. Tell Drummer t'go... I'm fine. No point." Kessler then talks to Filip more about Warmia's men. Filip mentions that one of the men is captured from Malbork, but that he doesn't know him (Kessler thinks Filip might be lying).
  • Per meets one of the town's hardened warriors, named Stasia. Elsewhere, some tracked vehicles are seen under tarps. One appears to be a tractor, another is said to be some type of military construction vehicle possibly.
  • Marta starts to spill the beans on Lena carrying a hidden weapon; Lena then attempts to attack Marta while both are still bound as prisoners inside the Krok. The chaos gets put down with Marta having a bite taken out of her ear and Lena unconscious. The Mad Dogs decide they have too many prisoners and need to figure out what to do with them all. In the meantime, there seems to be some type of disagreement which has taken place between Filip and Stasia, regarding some possible outsiders nearby. Stasia rides off with some fighters to investigate.
  • Filip confirms there's a lighthouse near The Twins. He says you can't reach the top of it anymore, but most of it is still there. He also mentions that Stasia used to be with Warmia.
  • A patrol is sent out to follow Stasia's fighters and to assist where able/figure out what's going on. Soon enough, gunfire breaks out ahead.

Engagement West of Katy Rybackie
  • The group following Stasia soon encounters two groups ahead exchanging gunfire. One of the groups turns out to be Stasia's, unsurprisingly. Among Stasia's group is a dead man, recently shot, named Tymon.
  • From the west comes a Canadian Grizzly APC, backing up the second group. After some confusion and scrambled radio calls, a cease-fire is called, and Kessler agrees to meet the Canadians and "Drummer" in Sztutowo.


(Continued)
  • Kessler and company meet up with the Canadian Grizzly and meet Corporal Drummer. The Canadians are from 11th Corps, and it turns out that the wounded Mike Mackenzie in Katy Rybackie is their commanding officer, whom they want back. Kessler's patrol and the Canadians then start making their way back to Katy Rybackie.
  • Meanwhile, McCarthy negotiates with Filip and secures the release of Mackenzie to the Canadians.
  • With everyone back in Katy Rybackie, Kessler, McCarthy, and Drummer go to the Museum. Drummer decides to take Mackenzie with her, despite his terrible and worsening condition, in the hopes of saving him (though she likely knows it's a lost cause). Outside, Stasia is confronted and stopped from intervening by Kolstrup.
  • The Canadians with Drummer are identified. They include Moore, Fraser, Reid, and Brownie. Another soldier along with a tied up civilian prisoner are seen in the back of the Grizzly.
  • Mackenzie is put aboard the Grizzly in a stretcher and the Canadians depart for at least 8 hours back to wherever their biv-site is. The Mad Dogs also bed down in Katy Rybackie for the night.
  • The next morning, the group splits.

Group 1
  • Kessler, Ferro, and others meet up with Drummer south of Sztutowo. They exchange information and radio channels. Drummer mentions that the Canadians have recce'd a Polish position in Oslonka (platoon strength, maybe horses, maybe a mortar as well - dug in).
  • Drummer relays that her unit is short on supplies. Kessler offers up a joint venture to attack Warmia Awakening across the lagoon and take their supplies. Drummer agrees. The meeting concludes and Group 1 returns to KR.

Group 2
  • The rest of the Mad Dogs go to investigate the east side of KR, where the larger engagement happened the night before. They check out the nearby houses and investigate the remaining bodies and raft site. Outside of some random items, not much of interest is found. Group 2 then returns to KR.

Continued
  • Back in KR, Kolstrup goes to meet Stasia to learn about her time with Warmia. She lets him know that General Mazur will run before fighting, and that the monastery east of the lagoon is of significance to Mazur.
  • Other random duties are seen to. Andropov performs maintenance on the vehicles. Grant sees to any wounded or sick locals. Babicevs and McCarthy drive and hand off the prisoners (minus Marta) to the Polish forces in Rybina without incident.
  • The Canadians return, and both units work out a plan to head east across the lagoon in search of WA's command element. The Canadians ring with them an Argo ATV and a motorbike (strapped to the Grizzly). Three more of their unit are identified: Ouellet, Giles, and Goopey. (page 17 descriptions). Moore doesn't seem to be present.
  • Both units depart KR, leaving the Humvees (disabled), and make for the east side of the lagoon. While crossing the Elblag, the Grizzly gets stuck in the river. Reid gets in the freezing water to attach some tow lines, and drenches Rodriguez as she gets aboard the Argo. The tow lines are connected to Der Krok, but snap. The BTR is eventually able to dislodge the grizzly after multiple attempts at pushing it.
  • The unit proceeds onward toward Suchacz, passing Prochnik and nearing Lecze. Nearing the Fuel Depot, the unit splits up into a recon element and a main body. The recon element is comprised of Kolstrup, Walsh, Ferro, O'Brien, and Fraser.


1st Engagement at Suchacz

Recon
  • The recon element pushes forward through the Fuel Depot and encounters a small farm and orchard. In the barn, they find a disabled BMP, and note that there are occupants in the farmhouse.
  • Deciding that the inhabitants are likely hostile, the recon element assaults the farmhouse. They neutralize 4 hostiles and leave another one sick and dying, though both Kolstrup and Fraser step on an improvised nail trap.
  • After clearing the farmhouse, O'Brien sets it aflame, and the Recon element continues pushing forward toward Suchacz. On the way they see enemy moving through the woods. Deciding to bypass the enemy in the woods, the group then hits a treeline.
  • Beyond in a field with a different farmhouse, they see perhaps 9 mounted enemy, along with one or two on foot. They decide to ambush this group as they hear an air-raid siren starting to sound, likely alerting the entire town to the approaching Mad Dogs on the road.
  • The Recon Element massacres almost everyone near the farmhouse, and then assault the farmhouse itself. A white Lada attempts an escape before the driver is shot and the vehicle comes to a stop.
  • The group breaks into the farmhouse and quickly clear it, though Ferro suffers a cut on her arm for her efforts. (estimated 12 KIA)

Main Body
  • Babicevs and Rodriguez attempt to make a pass at the Canadian women while the Main Body waits for updates from the scouts, but to no avail. When the Recon element assaults the farmhouse, the main body starts moving again.
  • On the road to Suchacz, the Main Body encounters a roadblock with multiple hostiles. The Main body assaults the roadblock with overwhelming firepower, but after a minute it's clear that the hostiles have fallen back through the forest toward Suchacz. Only one enemy body is found. The Main Body continues on as the air raid siren starts to wail.
  • As most of the Mad Dogs and Canadians cautiously enter Suchacz, a lone enemy is seen making animal noises from in a nearby trench. Kessler attempts to silence the man to no avail. Several shots start ringing out from behind. Soon, at least a score of attackers start assailing the Mad Dogs from the right flank at extremely close range.
  • A desperate defensive action ensues. Aleksandar is wounded gravely when Babicevs accidentally mistakes him for a bandit, after himself getting pegged in the face by a flying rock. Charlie Price is shot multiple times before a bandit brings a hatchet down on the man, killing him. Multiple WA members are killed in the firefight.
  • As quickly as they appeared, the remaining WA fighters retreat into the night as the Main Body breaks contact and moves toward the lagoon to regroup.

(Continued)
  • After a brief, 5 minute respite, the Main Body decides to head south to pick up the Recon Element. In the meantime the Scouts are searching the farmhouse and discover a bunker of sorts, the entrance to which they block with a nearby tractor. The two groups attempt to use flares so that the vehicles can navigate to the farmhouse.


2nd Engagement at Suchacz

Main Body
  • As the main body begins moving toward the Scouts, they cut down at least one straggler, before suddenly finding themselves rolling into a large encampment. In the encampment are numerous enemies and structures, including bunkers, shipping containers, and a large, ominous makeshift building, quickly nicknamed the Kremlin. The main body moves in and with the help of both armored vehicles, quickly overwhelms the spartan cultists. Kaczmarek is hit in the arm, but it doesn't seem bad. Kessler is hit as well, but his body armor absorbs the impact.
  • After clearing multiple bunkers and defensive positions, the group makes it's way to assaulting the Kremlin. They light the makeshift palace up, until smoke can be seen coming out of the top of the building. The team then takes a pause while they figure out how to properly infiltrate the edifice, before deciding upon breaching the ground floor using the Carl Gustav.
  • As some Mad Dogs breach and enter the Kremlin, a smaller attacking force of WA ambushes the BTR and Mad Dogs outside. The enemy are crazed, and like many WA fighters encountered so far, dressed bizarrely. The Mad Dogs outside manage to fight off the sneak attack. It's later found that in the ensuing chaos, the WA fighters set a mine in front of the beleaguered BTR, but it fails to detonate due to not being armed. Jan is shot in the head, but the shot ricochets off his helmet. McCarthy takes a heavy physical blow to his chin.
  • The Mad Dogs in the Kremlin clear the lower two levels, but decide to hold off on clearing the third due to what's assumed to be a fire. They kill at least a couple of hostiles, including an African American woman.
  • Upon readying to exit the Kremlin, Rodriguez sets off a booby trap that leaves him with wounded legs and a hole in his left hand, and Babicevs with a wounded left shoulder and forearm. The assault team then exits the Kremlin and the battle concludes.

Recon
  • As the battle between the Main Body and Warmia begins in earnest not far away, Kolstrup sees a man and 2 women moving away from the firefight toward the forest. Kolstrup opts to let them go in order to not spoil the Scouts' position at the farmhouse. Walsh attempts a ruse to get them to come closer, but only succeeds with one of the women, who is later shot and commits suicide by the Lada.
  • A mortar position is located near a house to the southwest, which Kolstrup engages and silences with sniper fire. He keeps an eye on it and ends up killing multiple hostiles as the Grizzly and Canadians assault and clear the position. The Canadians then recover what is, in all likelihood, the Mad Dog's own mortar from back at The Twins.

(Continued)
  • The entire unit finally consolidates at the farmhouse just past midnight. After a short patrol, everyone beds down as best they can for the evening. In the morning, tasks are assigned - searching the camp, looting, security, and checking the bunker in the farmhouse are all on the agenda for the day.



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