The Quatermass Run - Part 6: It's Got a Bridge
With the final instrument data package secured, the stalkers could finally leave the Zone. The revelation that something large had circled their camp overnight was worrying, as was the prospect of large numbers of armed robed men with a thing about killing stalkers (from Blanco's description these could well be the same ones that ambushed Fletcher's crew at Grimdale Ring).
The Landrover was on its last legs. Its gearbox was now stuck in first gear, so it would be a slow drive out, especially as last night's rain had turned the roads into muddy streams. However, it should still have been an easy run out of the Zone; cross the next river at the ford, then over the open moors towards home.
Then they saw the state of the ford, now impassable due to the torrent that flowed over it. Fletcher looked ,at the map,"We have only one real option, short of going back deeper into the Red Zone. If we double back a quarter mile we can take the fork to Stoneybridge. It's got a bridge, a stoney bridge".
They were committed to their route now. However, as they approached Stoneybridge something didn't feel right to Fletcher. It was just too quiet. He told Ingrid to stop the Landrover and let Blanco drive. They would proceed on foot while Blanco.
This scenario is a variant of one from the Black Dawn campaign, run at TL3 with a 9 turn limit and a somewhat loaded POI deck!
Game setup. Blanco gets to drive the Landrover, while the rest of the team approach the village cautiously on foot. With the river in full flood the stalkers have no choice but to go over the bridge at the far side of the village.
As the moorland mist closed in McLaren checked out the garage, revealing a mutant wandering around the forecourt. It hadn't noticed the stalkers yet, so they decided to check out the house opposite before they opened fire.
Fletcher crouched behind the wall by the garage, from where he could get a better view of the house. A couple of well aimed stones went through the windows, but nothing responded. With there probably being no hostiles inside, Bunny Warren raced towards the house to search for salvage. Unfortunately he forgot about the mutant, which raced across the road towards him. However, Godber was alert and took the creature out with his SLR. Unfortunately the gunfire might alert other hostiles to their presence.
With the mutant out of the way, Ingrid entered the mutant's lair in the garage, finding 500 quid worth of salvage plus a med-kit and some E-juice (she would have found better salvage if I had remembered to roll on the TL3 column instead of TL2). She stuck the E-juice in her rucksack and fixed the med-kit on her webbing for immediate access. Meanwhile Bunny entered the house and found an equipment cache including a load-bearing harness containing a flashlight and a med-kit.
The stalkers advanced towards the Post Office on the right, with McLaren moving to cover the rear of the building and Godber advancing up to the forecourt fence to cover the front.
McLaren had a good view of the Post Office, but nothing could be seen inside, even using his starlight scope.
As he was nearest the front door, Bunny kicked open the door and almost walked into a tripwire attached to a boobytrap. Feeling lucky, Bunny successfully defused the bomb. Using his keen Scrounger skills, a search came up with 1,500 quid worth of salvage.
With the Post Office appearing to be clear, McLaren moved up its side and took cover behind the pillar box. Meanwhile Godber and Ingrid scaled the fence at the rear of the garage forecourt to cover the rear of the next building, while Fletcher covered the front. While Godber covered the building, Ingrid gave it a good look-over and pronounced it to probably have no hostiles inside.
Time was pressing on so Fletcher told everyone to leave searching the building and check out the one on the left over the crossroads. Everyone took their positions and Fletcher aimed a large stone at the building. As he threw the stone his foot went through a rotten floorboard and he ended up on his back (critical failure on bolt toss/inspection roll) The stone hit the building roof and clattered loudly off the tiles.
Bunny and McLaren were both on Alert. Bunny saw movement of armed men behind the windows, so he lobbed a smoke grenade in front of the building. Seeing couple of a hooded figures skulking at the side of the building, McLaren let loose some 7.62 from his SLR, killing one with a Critical Hit. Using his free action he took a shot at the other, but a successful hit had no effect on him and McLaren's normally reliable SLR jammed (Critical Failure).
A gunman in the first floor window let loose burst from his AK-47 at McLaren. On bullet hit the Scot, but he was saved by his flak jacket. However, the second gunman at the side of the house was more lucky and succeeded in wounding McLaren.
Another gunman behind the rear fence tried to get a shot at Ingrid. However, she was too well obscured so he went on Alert to wait for her. To his surprise, Ingrid moved into the open and advanced firing at him. He was so surprised by her move that his shots went wild. Ingrid was more lucky and a burst from her Sterling pinned the gunman and allowed her to move up to the fence.
Ingrid's blood was up. Now standing at the hole in the fence she had a clear view of the prone gunman picking himself up. A burst from her Sterling had the desired effect, including a Critical Hit. Using her free action, Ingrid scaled the fence and move to the corner of the house. Looking around the corner she saw not one, but two robed figures with AKs. Not being one to waste an opportunity, she lobbed a hand grenade that somehow failed to affect either gunman. With an action remaining, Ingrid resorted to her Sterling. That sorted them!
With one gunman remaining on the first floor, Bunny moved up and let loose his shotgun, succeeding in stunning his target. Fletcher yelled "finish him" (2 actions donated using his Leader skill). Rushing over the road, Bunny entered the building and ran up the stairs to the gunman cowering next to the window.
Bunny was now so close to the gunman that the gunman had no choice but to try to use his rifle butt on his shotgun-armed assailant. It didn't go well for the gunman, who ended up smeared across the wall.
One house to go and they would be at the bridge. Fletcher signalled to Blanco to bring the Landy and try to get it through the gap between the police car and the pillar box. Cautiously approaching, Blanco only succeeded in stalling the engine (failed Will test = Pin).
McLaren applied a med-kit to his wound, using his remaining actions to remove Pin markers. Meanwhile, Bunny's thieving instincts kicked-in. He ransacked the house, finding 1,500 quid worth of salvage, another load-bearing harness and a box of AK-47 hot loads. Not being one to miss an opportunity, he picked up the gunman's AK and wiped the blood from it.
The rest of the team moved into position to look at the final house. They couldn't afford the time for Bunny to reappear and McLaren to recover, so Ingrid checked out the house, seeing more robed gunmen moving into ambush positions. Without the full team in position, a couple of well placed smoke bombs obscured any vision from the occupants of the house.
Since they were unable to see their attackers I made each occupant of the house roll a Will test. If they passed they would hold their ground and go in Alert. If they failed they would exit the house to regroup with others to the rear of the building. Two failed, so they joined up with others outside the building.
Securing his gas mask and powering up his starlight sight, McLaren entered the smoke. His opponents couldn't see him but he knew where they were. Four shots, four kills.
Ingrid advanced through the smoke and hurled a grenade at the window. She fumbled the throw, the grenade bounced off the window frame and sailed back over her head into the street. Fortunately none of the stalkers were near where it landed. Fletcher swore loudly. Godber also moved up to the window with a grenade. This one went into the building. Unfortunately it rolled to the back of the room and had no effect. Fletcher swore again, moved up to the window and showed them how it was done.
As the smoke cleared, that left one gunman remaining on the first floor. Bunny moved up to shoot at the figure in the window, but the gunman got his shots off first and Bunny went down.
The gunman didn't last long, as Godber moved to a better position and filled the window space with 7.62mm rounds.
Ingrid rushed over to Bunny to tend his wounds. As she applied the med-kit she heard Blanco force her Landy past the police car and pillar box. She winced as she heard the scrape of metal on metal.
With just the bridge in their way, Fletcher had a close look at it. Although there were no hostiles in sight, this had to be the next worse result. Cobwebs! Webs of silvery filaments that could paralyse a man if he brushed against them. The bridge was covered with the webs. If they drove the Landy over the bridge it would also get covered and someone was bound to be affected, if not when they drove over then when they got out the other side. There was only one option. They would have to abandon the Landy and work their way between the webs on foot. So close, but it was the only option. Fletcher would miss the Landy and Ingrid would certainly be upset.
Epilogue:
After getting over the bridge the crew put some distance between themselves and the village before going to ground in the cover of an old sheep pen.
Ingrid had checked Bunny and McLaren's wound dressings and Godber was now comforting her over the loss of her Landrover. At least Blanco was happy, now that Bunny had given him the Kalashnikov and box of hot loads that he had picked up.
Fletcher checked his pack to make sure that the data recorder he had removed from the last instrument package was safe. He then mused over their situation. That was a close run thing. Where did all those robed fanatics with assault rifles come from? They were fortunate that Bunny and McLaren both only sustained flesh wounds.
The crew had also used too many grenades in flushing out the hostiles (note to self: teach Godber and Ingrid how to throw grenades when they get out of the Zone). However, he shouldn't run them down. Godber was his usual reliable self with his SLR and Ingrid did an excellent job of taking out most of the first group of fanatics single-handed (only surpassed by McLaren wading through the second group with his SLR). On the plus side, they had found some good salvage and gear.
The thing that really p*ssed off Fletcher was that they had left his spirit stove and tin of tea in the Landrover. This made it personal. Those fanatics were going to pay for this.
There was no sign of anyone pursuing them, so maybe their luck was finally in. Then Godber chirped up that at least whatever was stalking them the night before hadn't been seen yet. All of the crew stared at him. If looks could kill ...
15 July 2010, 09:33:44 PM