*
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
March 29, 2024, 12:43:47 AM

Login with username, password and session length

Donate

We Appreciate Your Support

Members
Stats
  • Total Posts: 1686599
  • Total Topics: 118110
  • Online Today: 626
  • Online Ever: 2235
  • (October 29, 2023, 12:32:45 AM)
Users Online

Recent

Author Topic: The Rescue of Madame de Gaulle  (Read 6757 times)

Offline has.been

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 8235
Re: The Rescue of Madame de Gaulle
« Reply #30 on: November 10, 2022, 09:25:09 AM »
Quote
In that first image of the game report, with the two rescue groups near the top of the shot, there seems to be some sort of red rimmed barge and some odd contraption to the viewer's right midway between the two groups.  Maybe I need to hunt up my spectacles and maybe even ring up my optometrist!

looks like someone's mobile phone.

Online syrinx0

  • Supporting Adventurer
  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • *
  • Posts: 3146
Re: The Rescue of Madame de Gaulle
« Reply #31 on: November 12, 2022, 05:57:40 AM »
Now, what is taking Vagabond so long?!  Isn't he back from his travels already!?   :)

Indeed the suspense is quite nerve wracking.  I shall have to indulge in a few cocktails to bring the tension down to a manageable level.  Why would one travel to these North Yorks Moors where there is no internet? Perhaps its one of those restorative spiritual retreats one reads about in the Sunday adverts?
2024: B: 0; P: 148; 2023: B:77; P:37;

Offline Mad Lord Snapcase

  • Supporting Adventurer
  • Galactic Brain
  • *
  • Posts: 5030
  • Snapcase Hall, Much-Piddling, Devon
    • The Life and Times of Mad Lord Snapcase
Re: The Rescue of Madame de Gaulle
« Reply #32 on: November 12, 2022, 08:16:36 AM »
Quote
Why would one travel to these North Yorks Moors where there is no internet? Perhaps its one of those restorative spiritual retreats one reads about in the Sunday adverts?

Or maybe it's because he's going undercover on some dangerous mission?   ;)


Offline Elk101

  • Moderator
  • Elder God
  • *
  • Posts: 10510
Re: The Rescue of Madame de Gaulle
« Reply #33 on: November 12, 2022, 09:04:01 AM »
Great report! I was surprised to see the commandant removed so quickly. It makes we wonder if someone worse is waiting?

Offline Doug ex-em4

  • Supporting Adventurer
  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • *
  • Posts: 2486
Re: The Rescue of Madame de Gaulle
« Reply #34 on: November 12, 2022, 10:41:35 AM »
Or maybe it's because he's going undercover on some dangerous mission?   ;)
His dangerous missions usually involve underwear rather than undercover…..

Doug

Offline FifteensAway

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 4607
Re: The Rescue of Madame de Gaulle
« Reply #35 on: November 12, 2022, 02:36:15 PM »
For has.been: my question was, shall we say, very tongue in cheek - and maybe outright cheeky, the clues being in asking about spectacles and ringing someone.   lol. Hoist on your own petard, methinks!  :D

Okay, so Vagabond may have gone off on a secret mission and did some "finding himself" stuff but he still needs to get his "rear in gear" and get us the rest of the story!

Or so say I.  Before syrinx suffers from an excess of suspense.  That just won't do.  ;)
« Last Edit: November 15, 2022, 04:04:38 PM by FifteensAway »

Offline Bravo Six

  • Supporting Adventurer
  • Mastermind
  • *
  • Posts: 1885
Re: The Rescue of Madame de Gaulle
« Reply #36 on: November 12, 2022, 05:58:31 PM »
What an amazing adventure Snappy! Great AAR and the figures and terrain are inspiring to say the least.

Bravo!!  :-*

Offline CapnJim

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 3658
  • Gainfully unemployed and lovng it!
Re: The Rescue of Madame de Gaulle
« Reply #37 on: November 13, 2022, 07:34:00 PM »
Well, so far so good.  For our intrepid heroes and heroines, anyway.  Not so much for the dastardly baddies.  I await further installments in this fascinating affair.

As you know Peaches is an extraordinary person,  and climbing on the roof of a wooden hut and making the shot is what she does best. The claim is perfectly justified. although the Mad Lord was reading and interpreting the rules, I just nodded and agreed because we seemed to be doing so well.

To my way of thinking, there is no need to justify this extraordinary shot.  So go the fortunes of war(games).  Something similarly unexpected happed in a modern game in which I played. I was leading a band of modern-day commandoes into a camp somewhere in Africa.  My sniper couldn't be bothered to hit the tower sentry at whom he was shooting, so my ground commander had to take said sentry out with an unlikely burst from his suppressed MP5.  From the ground.  Which he did.  So I for one believe that claim!   
"Remember - Incoming Fire Has the Right-of-Way"

Offline Vagabond

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1622
    • Vagabond's Wargaming Blog
Re: The Rescue of Madame de Gaulle
« Reply #38 on: November 14, 2022, 07:07:08 PM »
There seems to be an undue level of excitement over Tubby Snapcases story about his chaps in the SAS. To give them their due they performed adequately with the exception of Peaches who is exceptional as Dougers will attest.

I have returned from the very grim north to the - just grim north and can indulge myself in hot water, central heating and internet, more I can not say.

Fifteensaway did you see our Viking raid game, the one where the Mad Lords glasses case stood in for a Viking ship..... I thought not or you wouldn't ask about a mobil phone, that stood in for MGB69.

Indeed the suspense is quite nerve wracking.  I shall have to indulge in a few cocktails to bring the tension down to a manageable level.  Why would one travel to these North Yorks Moors where there is no internet? Perhaps its one of those restorative spiritual retreats one reads about in the Sunday adverts?

Syrinx you will need to calm down or it could lead to an embarasing situation.

Thanks to everyone else for their comments, I'll attempt to lower the tone of the Mad Lords post fairly soon, before he produces the final crescendo of his Opus Magnus

Offline mikedemana

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2848
  • Investigating curiosities around the globe...
    • Worldwidemike
Re: The Rescue of Madame de Gaulle
« Reply #39 on: November 15, 2022, 03:10:04 AM »
Great stuff! The heroes are so surprisingly...competent!  lol

Or maybe it's just the affair with the truck bursting through the camp gate in another tale that can't be scoured from my memory...!

Mike Demana

Offline Vagabond

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1622
    • Vagabond's Wargaming Blog
Re: The Rescue of Madame de Gaulle
« Reply #40 on: November 15, 2022, 12:16:49 PM »
My apologies for the delay in picking up the baton from Tubby Snapcase but “Better Late Than Never”, is I think, the SAS motto so that will have to suffice as my excuse I’m afraid.

My text is below the pictures rather than above.


Just to give a little context this is an over view of the camp and my chaps are coming from the river on the left hand side and my chaps are the SBS although I don't think they'd been formed at this time. I'll have to check.
My task is to search and clear the Cooler and two large huts on the river side of the compound.


Having left the relative safety of MGB69 the cockleshell hero’s led by Major Johnny Vagabond paddled up the Trieux River, they had the camp walls on their right hand side and the unknown on their left.

Knowing the reputation of the cunning Camp Kommandant, Baron Graff Von Dougers the chaps were paddling extremely quietly. At any moment they were expecting the dark night would be illuminated by a concealed machine gun post opening fire as they drew level with it, shredding their canoes and worse still – shredding them.

This fortunately didn’t happen, although it was a nerve wracking 30 minutes paddle for the chaps.


The raid was timed just before high water and they were being gently pushed up the river as the tide rose helping conserve energy for what lay ahead.


Peering intently through the gloom 1st Lt Toastrack saw the small bend in the river that he’d identified as the best landing point, some where they could breakout from the incoming tidal flow without getting swept on up stream.
Patting Vagabond on the right shoulder and indicating with a twirl of his right hand that this was the place the bold duo pulled into shore as the tide pushed them gently against the river bank.


All of the crew scrambled quickly out of the kayaks and the four men designated to go over first moved quietly to the cover provided by the wall. Vaggers and Toastrack were on the left with Hampster-Crust and Jonty Mountfalcon over on the right.
The Bren took up a defensive firing position off to their left and behind a convenient tree. He would remain there to cover the retreat if it became necessary. Jolyon Pugwash provided additional backup for the initial assault in case the move over the wall was detected by the enemy guards and things got hot. He would follow the assault team over the wall once they’d cleared the first line of the enemy.

You will have appreciated already that the SAS had the unenviable approach to a wire fence, not knowing who might see them as they crossed the open ground but once there, they could cut the wire knowing what they might face. However the SBS had a solid concrete wall to overcome, they could use it to cover their advance but the final vinegar strokes would take them over the wall into the unknown.

Death or glory boys……death or glory.   It’s a better motto than the SAS “Better late than never” don’t you think?


The walls of the compound had been hurriedly constructed and this was the view that Jonty Mountfalcon had through a gap in the wall. Raising his hand for attention he did the two fingers pointing at his eyes and then one finger pointing at the gap in the wall.

If you look carefully you will see what he saw, a German guard having a crafty fag and facing into the compound.


Nodding to show he understood Vaggers decided that as time was short they would have to take some chances.

Hampster-Crust cupped his hands together and gave Vaggers a leg up to peer over the wall. There was nothing between the Cooler and the middle hut but in the dark he couldn’t see the wire on the other side of the compound, even so it all looked clear ahead and to his left.


But to his right was the German guard, fortunately still enjoying his quite fag and no doubt thinking of the petite French waitress at the local restaurant or Brunhilde the Ordinance Clerk at Battalion HQ or some other engrossing dream, so engrossing that he never noticed Vaggers appear above the wall and then disappear back down.


Vaggers dropped out of sight just as the Guard finished his fag and turned to continue his circuit of the walls.

This was all the information the intrepid Major needed and Vaggers signalled to Jonty and Badger to make their move.

Jonty was boosted over the wall and landed quiet as a slippery eel behind the guard. He had his Fairburn Sykes knife held firmly in his left hand. Moving forward cautiously he reached out with his right hand and pulled the guard back onto the knife at the same time crushing his windpipe to stop the inevitable call for help.


Professionally done without a sound being uttered the Guard died quietly and Jonty let him slip slowly to the floor.


The rest of the boys followed Jonty over and spread out along the wall and Jolyon moved from his covering position joining them.

With his trusty knife still in his left hand Jonty moved towards the door of the Cooler, trying the handle with his right, he was not surprised to find it locked.
Vaggers split right to the door of the nearest large hut, this is where they expect to find the detainees and hopefully Mme de Gaulle. It was, as expected locked but he was confident the teams training under Soloman & Soloman the best locksmiths in London would enable them to pick these simple locks.

In the pre raid briefing Vaggers had outlined his plan of action to the men.

Once over the wall he and Pugwash would search the 2 large huts on their right and the rest of the team would secure the Cooler and the left flank. The right flank was hopefully being dealt with by the fly boys from the SAS, although as a member of the Senior Service he didn’t put too much faith in their ability to do this, he was to be pleasantly surprised at the efficiency of their operation.

Not something that needs to be shared though.


He would have smiled if he could see how inefficient the German guards were off on his left flank.

They had been moving in a desultory fashion along the wall in the direction of the river side but have now decided they must relieve themselves of excess schnapps, and then they spent a minute or two topping up their alcohol levels before continuing the rest of their circuit.


This is just to show the position of the SBS before the inevitable happens.

Jonty the lefty or should that be Sinister Jonty has just tried the Cooler door, Toastrack and Hampster-Crust are moving to back him up when he opens it. Vagabond and Jolyon are by the hut door.


With empty bladders the guards continued their patrol and turning the corner are confronted with Jonty in his rubber suit, a sight that would stop anyone in their tracks. Especially as it was slick with wet blood from the decommissioned guard.

Without a second thought, knowing that any noise would compromise the mission the three brave seafarers charge forwards, knives drawn, as one of the guards realized he hadn’t quite emptied his bladder previously.


Vagabond and Pugwash are testing their skills at lock picking. They’re finding it’s a little harder under pressure.


Surprise was complete, the German guards didn’t have time to fire their guns before our heroes were on them, Sinister Jonty with one kill already was unstoppable and his opponent went down with a knife thrust to the throat, he fell backwards making vague gurgling sounds.
His oppo caught a lucky break though, and with an upward flick of his Mauser hit Toastrack hard in the lower regions. Toastrack collapsed on the ground in a foetal position, moaning quietly to himself and the Holy Mary.


The Guard opened his mouth to shout a warning to the camp but before he could draw breath Jonty’s knife slid into his throat as well, cutting the Jugular and he collapsed without a sound.

Jonty’s a bit of a devil with the Fairburn-Sykes, not a man to meet in a dark ally on a Saturday night after a disagreement over spilt beer.


Having searched one of the hut’s Vagabond is moving on to the next one, as Pugwash explains to the inmates of the hut that they can’t leave just yet, not until the guards have been dealt with.

Shouldn’t take too long at this rate.


“Leave no man behind”. That’s not their motto but it is their creed.

Jonty and Hampster-Crust help Toastrack over the wall. Bill the Bren fails to catch him and there’s a quiet strangulated cry as Toastrack hits the ground and resumes his foetal position and the entreaties to his Mother and the Holy Mary.

Vaggers and Jolyon search the last hut as J and H-C search the Cooler. They find more detainees but not the one they are looking for. Baron Graff Von Dougers has been too cunning by half and Mme de Gaulle has not been found in the obvious places.

There’s a sound like cicadas having a barn dance as the SAS click their clackers and Vaggers meets up with Snappers to see how his chaps have performed and imparting the bad news that their quarry is not in the riverside section of the camp.


To be continued by Snappers at his soonest convenience…..

Cheers
Vaggers
« Last Edit: November 15, 2022, 12:37:01 PM by Vagabond »

Offline Michi

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 4146
  • Hoist the colours!
    • Tableterror
Re: The Rescue of Madame de Gaulle
« Reply #41 on: November 15, 2022, 02:16:04 PM »
This is a really nailbiting story again! I love it!!!  :D :D :D

Offline FifteensAway

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 4607
Re: The Rescue of Madame de Gaulle
« Reply #42 on: November 15, 2022, 04:14:40 PM »
"Fifteensaway did you see our Viking raid game, the one where the Mad Lords glasses case stood in for a Viking ship..... I thought not or you wouldn't ask about a mobil phone, that stood in for MGB69."

Ah, I knew there was more do it than met the 'eye'!  lol ;D :D ;)

Yes, now it is "Snappers" turn to be under pressure to perform and get us "the rest of the story".  The wrapt audience (possibly wrapped against the cold depending on the local clime) awaits in anxious anticipation.

Offline Doug ex-em4

  • Supporting Adventurer
  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • *
  • Posts: 2486
Re: The Rescue of Madame de Gaulle
« Reply #43 on: November 16, 2022, 03:45:09 PM »
Good stuff, Vaggers although I had to skim over some of the more graphic descriptions being of a delicate constitution.

Of course, knowing you and Snappers, it’s a damned good job the guards were so hopeless :D

Doug

Offline Traveler Man

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1553
    • The Hetzenberg Chronicles
Re: The Rescue of Madame de Gaulle
« Reply #44 on: November 22, 2022, 04:53:31 PM »
Simply too gripping for words! Looking forward to the next report from those splendid (and so far uncannily lucky) chaps and chapess.
"It's amusing, it's amazing, and it's never twice the same: It's the salt of true adventure, and the glamour of the game."

Talbot Mundy, The Ivory Trail.

http://ajstable.blogspot.com
http://hetzenberg.blogspot.com

 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
14 Replies
5337 Views
Last post December 02, 2009, 11:53:22 PM
by The_Wisecrack
10 Replies
4888 Views
Last post March 14, 2011, 05:11:01 AM
by Blackwolf
7 Replies
5446 Views
Last post February 21, 2013, 03:48:08 PM
by Sangennaru
7 Replies
3003 Views
Last post November 08, 2015, 11:48:20 PM
by Freelancer
21 Replies
5238 Views
Last post October 22, 2016, 12:30:02 PM
by DeafNala