Thanks for all the positive comments guys, they're much appreciated and I've finally got off my hands and written some more about this sorry tale of daring don't.
Probably another quick recap is in order :-
D.R.O.S.S. the chaps and chapesses in green berets are just about to blow their breeching charge around the door but have been attacked by a swarm of bees from the bee hive that has fallen over from a small anti personnel mine that had exploded in their vicinity.
C.R.A.P. were almost in position on the other side of the house and would soon be starting to prepare their charge. There was not much sign of activity in the house.
BOOM went the explosives and the area around the door became a big hole, dust and debris everywhere.
Smoke and Flash Bang through the upper window screamed ‘B’ then get in there.
Jethroe made it back to the doorway just as the first flash bang missed the window opening and fell to the ground close to him, try again ‘B’ screamed, tell Jethroe to lob flash bangs through the opening before going inside.
This was Jethroes view through the hole, a man in a red fez lying dead in the hallway. He was too close to the door when it exploded.
‘B’ shouted “excellent, we put a flash bang through each door before we proceed, clearing the rooms and shouting lie down on the floor”. Things were getting really tense at HQ.
“OK – you see stairs on your left, on the far side is the other exterior door, 3 other doors (Red Lines) one on your left 2 on your right, which door do you go for”. “There is just Jethroe with Bryce following him”.
This picture flashed up on my screen, “what the hell! We’ve been hacked” Is this GCHQ or the FBI checking on our suspicious communications!!!!
Good grief they want a ransom, I hope they’ve not locked the laptop, I had all sorts of trouble last time this happened when I got a message from the FBI who said I had to pay a $200 fine to release my computer.
“It’s me” said ‘19’, “I’m in Lidl following all the excitement”.
F’me it’s Excavado de Vaco in person. The leader of the Tequila Banditos! Exclaimed ‘B’ and continued without a pause “Jethroe points his gun upstairs and maintains position. Bryce opens first door right and chucks in a flash bang”.
OK, as that happens 19’s men finish placing their charges, 19 are you still there, what would you like to do?...... Silence.
Excavado de Vaco had left Lidl on his coal black stallion Lightning followed by quite a large posse, it made the Wiltshire Papers the following day. Masked bandito robs Lidl, flees with a baguette and a can of something in a pink tin.
The radio waves were hot with messages from ‘B’ “Check on radio with ‘19’ I don’t want my chaps blown up by his charges”.
Followed by “URGENT D.R.O.S.S. to C.R.A.P., I need to take cover before you blow”.
I was then sent a youtube link by ‘B’ about how the SAS clear buildings.
Sometimes I think he takes this too seriously.
OK I watched the opening of the 30 min video, then shut it down. It didn’t quite work like the video.
Bruce opens the doors just a little, lobs the Flash Bang inside, the members of D.R.O.S.S. hear a shotgun blast and Bryce is blown across the hall, slithering to the ground badly wounded, a big hole has appeared in the thin plywood door and there’s a loud explosion as the Flash Bang goes off.
“Shall we wait for ‘19’ to get home?” I enquired – “Yes”, ‘B’ replied “I’ll go and make a coffee”. “Yep, me too”
When we resumed our 2 men in Whitehall were quickly up to speed and like a pair of racing whippets crossed the line running.
I’m exploding my charge in 5 seconds shouted ‘19’ 5,4,3,2,1
BANG.
I asked if he wanted to take cover first?
Ok we all take cover, Jethro backed out of the house, shooting into the room that the shotgun blast had come from but he couldn’t see if he hit anything and it was quiet in there.
This was the situation on that side of the house, there were 2 chaps in the dining room which was the communications centre with the CCTV feeds etc all going in there. The dice indicate how long they still had to go before the effects of the Flash Bangs wore off. If D.R.O.S.S. had stormed straight in they would have taken them without resistance, but because C.R.A.P. were running a little late, they had the opportunity to get back on their feet again.
We’ve played a few of these electronically communicated games during lock down and the man looking at the table can see everything that’s happening but the players in general have very little idea what’s going on. Mind you in the past when we’ve all been in the same room together we’ve no idea what’s going on but that’s probably just our age.
It can sometimes be a little frustrating and so for this game I’d tried to overcome that by giving everyone radio communication and body cameras, communicating with both ‘19’ and ‘B’ at the same time and tried to ensure that things that might be forgotten about in the heat of the action were brought to their attention. I’d mentioned the guard dog that had attacked C.R.A.P. had only taken refuge behind the blue forklift truck in the farm yard. From the pictures I thought is was pretty obvious that the bit of yellow string attached to the dog was a chain or rope and so it would still be there.
I mentioned it twice during the course of the game and then in the excitement everyone including me forgot about the dog.
The members of C.R.A.P. were just moving back to take cover when I remembered it. Andy Donovan was the nearest man and the dog attacked him.
‘19’s’ orders were crystal clear. Donovan – Strong as an ox, bright as a button, excellent shot….TAKE OUT THAT DOG….!!!!
‘B’s’ helpful response “not as brave as a racoon though?” went unheeded.
Surprising everyone including himself, Donovan stood his ground and fired at the dog, who died.
This is not the picture I sent but it shows the men of C.R.A.P. moving back to take cover and the white circle is the mine I mentioned earlier, maybe last post, or will be that the last post for the man nearest it?
Final picture for tonight, and as Andy Donovan looks for the best cover to hide behind we are all thinking "who the hell are the people in the house and what do they want." Will anyone survive the assault and if they do, do we really care.
Bon nuit.