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The picture of the outpost can be deceiving.  It is from inside the concrete wall, which can be seen on the far left and right of the picture.  Once you get close to the concrete wall, only people in the two towers can see you.  This attack will take place at night where you should have the gear advantage.  Team Members can wear most any type of armor they want.  Pretty much anything Whyte Hat has, you can use.  You do have to penetrate the base and make sure all the operational electronics are destroyed.  Just shooting the array with an anti-material rifle will not fulfill mission requirements.

Also, this is an 8-Ball job.  The A-Team will be withdrawn after this attack to be ready to react to the Desert Devils.  8-Ball is certainly in on the decision making, but he is also the main combat solo and this is a "final show down".  Failure to secure the "Radar and Surveillance Station" means overall mission failure.  The initial attack is meant for all available PCs.  You might want to think able how to breach the outer concrete wall.  The inner wooden defenses are elevated and reinforced in some places.  Intelligence doesn't believe the area is seeded with mines, but there 'could be' some command detonated mines at the two main gates.

This attack is commencing at about 2:30 am in the morning on a new moon, so the Desert Devils may take some time to rally.  These aren't trained troops, but just vicious (deadly) gangers.            

Playing out the whole fight with the Desert Devils will end up with a lot of NPCs rolling dice and that isn't exciting game play, so I have reduced the next session down to planning, which we are doing now, and two to three short fights that will need the PCs personal attention to decide the outcome of this struggle. 

Each player will pick one to two of their PCs (or combat buddies) for each combat scenario.  The first will be the destruction of one of the Desert Devils' radar and early warning positions.  Below is a picture from one side of the installation.  It is in some trees so it is hard to see from a distance.  This picture DOES NOT include a light net over the facility which makes seeing or using sensors to see inside difficult.  There is a concrete wall with barbed wire surrounding the inner barb wire.  There are two sturdy gates in the concrete wall north and south and the concrete (possibly reinforced) wall is about 10 to 12 feet (~3 meters) tall.  There are an estimated 12 to 18 defenders inside.

Desert Devils' Radar Installation

Phase One:  The two radar/security installations will be attacked.  The 3rd Platoon and supporting troops will move out from Carlin and move rapidly down Nevada Route 278 to block any movement north towards Interstate 80 and Union Summit Road.  The 1st Platoon and its supporting troops will move north from Eureka Airport and block NV 278 south.  PetroChem will deliver the missile and bomb strikes while Whyte Hat's AVX-9C will deliver cluster and cratering rounds on a strike against the airfield.  The artillery will commence firing and begin to reduce the entire Desert Devils' base.  The Militech RPV-500 Tiltrotors will be set to intercept any Desert Devil's aircraft that tries to take-off.  The B-Team will also remain in the area after their attack on the second radar station.  They will be equipped with MANPADS to shoot down any aircraft that tries to lift off.  The AVX-9C will return to the Union Mountain base to rearm for its next assignment.

It will not take the Desert Devils too long to figure out where the fire is coming from and that a ground attack will be needed to take out the guns.  The Ranger Platoon reinforced by the 82mm mortar battery is positioned in the closest pass to reach Union Mountain, while the 3rd and 1st Platoons are positioned to cover the two other passes that the Devils could use.  These Raffin Shiv no longer have satellite coverage, but Whyte Hat still does, so we will see any move they might make.

Phase Two:  Intercept and destroy any attempt to reach the guns placed on Union Mountain.  If the Desert Devils don't destroy the two guns, this heavy artillery battery can lay waste to every facility those Raffin Shiv have.  Whyte Hat's reserves will wait until the enemy has committed their reserves and will then use its superior airpower, firepower and mobility to reduce them. 

Phase Three:  The three full offensive platoons Whyte Hat has in the area will close in on Alpha bringing the mortar battery in range.  At some point the Desert Devils will realize that Alpha is lost and they will try to pull out.  This is where two of the QRF squads, the Dacian Wolf and the A & B Teams will tear into the retreating Desert Devils.  

Phase Four:  Hopefully, mop up the Desert Devils.   

Basic Positions at start

If the initial attacks on the radar stations are a success, then their might be a tank fight with the Dacian Wolf, if Cossack can make it.  There will also be one, shall we say, a mop-up fight, if you succeed in forcing the Desert Devils to retreat.           

Well, we have some issues this August it would seem.  Besides Tigerguard's work situation, ASTRAL is ending and we will be switching to Roll 20 for our VTT (virtual table top).  Also, the Elko County Arc is ending soon.  In fact this next should be the last episode.  Ending the Desert Devils is the last thing the Team needed to do to "win" this scenario, so to speak.  Quite frankly they don't have much of a prayer as things are working out.  Still, the Team must accomplish a couple of victories to secure the Desert Devil's destruction.  The question is what can the Team do to insure this.  To this end I have designed the endgame for Saturday as a few short, sharp fights. As to the Alpha airstrip, we will go with 8-Ball's suggestions of air-launched cluster munitions followed by some 155mm cluster rounds from the two big guns if more is needed. 

1. The attack will commence in the predawn hours with small commando strikes against two of the primary radar and surveillance stations located in the hills east of Alpha.  The A-Team will be responsible for one attack and the B-Team for the other.  The success (or failure) of the B-Team will mirror the A-Team (the PCs).  The A-Team will be withdrawn immediately afterwards by the EEC Airjeeps.  The B-Team will keep their eyes on the Alpha Base to harass the Desert Devils and protect the Forward Observers for the artillery.    
2. PetroChem will deliver the large "bunker buster" burrowing bomb on the main fortified headquarters, followed quickly by the two missile attacks on the tank bunkers.  Targeting will be according to your previous notes.
3. The 155mm guns from the Union Mountain base will commence firing and begin to reduce the enemy positions.  
4. The 1st Platoon with the M-75 Light Tank, a BTR-15, the 37mm ETE anti-tank gun and the 75 Krup Gun will move north from the Eureka Airport and block the Tyrone gap.  They will have already mined a small access road over the mountains to the east.
5. The 3rd Platoon with the Patria Light Tank, two BTR-15s and a pair of Hummers will come down the road from Carlin, NV and cut off any move north.  The fastest way to Union Mountain is through Telegraph Canyon and the Diamond Mine (Road).  The Ranger Platoon along with the mortar battery will be waiting in ambush there.  

Any attempt to move on the Union Mountain position will be able to be intercepted.  There is more than enough ammunition for the big guns to raise Alpha to the ground.  The Desert Devils will have to abandon Alpha.  They probably don't have enough vehicles to move everyone, so this will cause them major problems.  If they manage to get any of their five aircraft into the sky, only one (the old P-47) is any real threat to, the Team's AVX-9.  The drones can handle the other small craft.  The Union Mountain base has multiple MANPADS as does every ground unit.  

The A-Team will be ready to spearhead any counter strike against an attack on the guns on Union Mountain.  The Whyte Hat Force Commander thinks that the Desert Devil's will have to abandon their base quickly or be completely destroyed.  Whyte Hat's fast, mobile forces will pursue and tear at the flanks of the retreating columns.  This should lead to their rapid disintegration as a cohesive force.  The Lander County Sheriff's Department to the west of here will be ready to deny them any possible shelter in that county.   

Yes, the two "cruise missiles" can strike the bunkers, and each tank has a bunker.  Those tanks are their most powerful offensive weapon.  

As to the airstrip, what kind of specialized ordinance would they need.

Also, I am a little hesitant about designing the whole Desert Devils' base as it will probably end up being destroyed by missiles, artillery and air strikes.  I need to put detailed design efforts into things that the PCs will actually do when we play.

Well, you can target the 'cruise missiles' or 'loitering munitions' if you want to call them that where you want, but they must be fired at the beginning of the fight.  These two weapons are the only ones you have that can crack the tank bunkers and guarantee destroying a tank with one shot.  Your artillery might be able to do it after a few hits, maybe.  With shell flight time and such, the Desert Devils could easily move the big tanks before the (two) 155mm guns crack the tank bunkers.  The artillery are to target the enemy supply dumps and try to destroy them before the Desert Devils can move them.

Once the A & B Teams strike the radar stations and airstrip (if the airstrip remains an initial target), the B-Team will continue to harass the Desert Devils from the hills to the east of Alpha and the A-Team(s) will be picked up by the EEC Airjeeps and brought back to the Union Mountain Fire Base to be ready to repel the expected counterattack.

As to the actual yield of the bunker buster and the two cruise missiles are irrelevant to this conversation as they are being selected and delivered by PetroChem.  The "bunker buster" is for the fortified headquarters and you have selected two tanks for destruction according to the list above.  A generalized map will follow in a day or two.  For now:

Miscellaneous Events During the Month of May, 2075

Friday, May 3, 2075:  Initial report on the arrest of Max Gruik is released.  After reviewing battle cam footage, the U.S. Marshals and Whyte Hat were praised for their professionalism.  The State of Nevada wins the jurisdictional battle as the Team has uncovered enough evidence to indict Max in the insurrection and murders in Eureka County.  Those Class 1 offenses all carry the Death Penalty in Nevada.  There are mass resignations and arrests in White Pine County as all the bits of local ‘blackmail evidence’ that Max has collected becomes public knowledge (Mitzi does with hold a few tidbits for later).  The remains of the White Pine County government rids itself of the Church of the One True Path before the Free State of Nevada or Mitzi does.  This information spill also brings on mass desertions in the Church of the One True Path in Elko County throughout the month.

Monday, May 6, 2075:  West Wendover Police Chief Toby Samuels stands with Mary Zuma, daughter of the late disgraced Elko County Deputy Sheriff Roberto Zuma.  He backs her claim with his belief that her father was framed or duped by retired, former Captain Benjamin Roberts.  Chief Samuels now believes that Captain Roberts, Lt. Gregory James, Officer Phillip Cortez and officer Harry Chan were involved in the operation known to law enforcement as the “Wendover Source”.  All these people named by the chief have dropped out of sight in the past ten days along with Officer Harry Chan’s fiancé. 

Thursday, May 16, 2075:  Whyte Hat Intelligence confirms (with high confidence) that the Desert Devils are planning on an all-out attack to shut down Interstate 80 and US 50 for the July fourth weekend this year.  Operation Dien Bien Phu can be ready by the second or third week of June.  Mitzi has contacted PetroChem with some of the withheld information regarding the Desert Devils’ complicity in deliberately shifting the blame to Trade Town for the attack on the last PetroChem convoy.  The mega-corp is interested in a little pay back and has some unused heavy ordinance left over from the Trade Town attack.  They also want travel and fuel station rights along US 50.  Mitzi is working that out. 

Wednesday, May 22, 2075:  The Nevada Bureau of Investigation does another forensic audit of Sargent Roberto Zuma’s accounts and finds that he didn’t create or use any of these.  Their opinion is that there are enough grounds to reexamine Sargent Zuma’s guilt.  The Nevada Attorney General looks into it.             

Monday, May 27, 2075:  NIGHT CITY – Memorial Day; gangs from the Combat Zone and Freedom Park try to break the new 150^th Street Wall mostly along the beach and by the highway.  They attacks are easily contained, and don’t come near South Beach.

WELLS – A U.S. Marshals’ office opens in the old Post office Building in Wells.  It has a receptionist and regular office hours. 

Well, it took 3 rounds (10 sec) to cuff and black bag one person which is pretty fast speed-cuffing in this situation, but yes, there are faster ways.  Tasers are effective which surprised me that no one took the Excalibur Stunsticks from the Eureka County Courthouse scenario this time.  Someone is armor with an assault rifle might not go down right away to a sleep "paintball" load, but a civilian is 2 shots and either down or very unstable on their feet; when there is no time to cuff.  However, on this last extraction, which is what it was, the Team was fast, efficient with a minimal loss of innocent life (and I think that was no loss, actually).  Total on ground time was only about 22 minutes.  Whyte Hat suppressed all radio, NET and telephone traffic that would have signaled the White Pine County Sheriffs or a larger Church of the One True Path response.  The Team was gone before most anyone knew you were there.  

As to the proposed basic attack plan on Alpha, it begins at night with a four man Team (PCs) hitting one of the Desert Devils' radar stations at the summit of one of the peaks about a mile due east of the Alpha Base.  Your "Combat Buddies" will be hitting a similar station at the same time.  Your success (or failure) is theirs.  The B-Team lays cratering charges on the runway of their airport.  PetroChem is donating their "bunker buster heavy guided bomb.  Samantha Burke has had the special NET Runner operated targeting control device installed.  Whyte Hat Intelligence thinks they have found a possible weakness in the Desert Devils command bunker.  They will set the attack at that point.  There are two more (donated) cruise missiles to target.  The runway cratering should ground the aircraft until the artillery gets  to them.  The tanks are another issue.  They can target up to two tanks.  Possible targets are: Militech MT-4 MBT, M-1a5 Abrams, the T-72, Navy M-40 GEV and 2x Paneuropa Armored Cars.  If you target tanks, one will always be out of its bunker so choose an alternate to any tank target.  After the missile strikes, the 155mm guns commence firing.  They will look for the guns, but have no more access to satellite data, so it will be a ground search.  The scouts will probably come up across Diamond Mine (Road) or Union Summit Road.  The first (Diamond Mine) route is the most likely and will be blocked by the Ranger Platoon and the mortar unit.  The second (Union Summit Road) will have the Hover Unit ready to block the canyon.

While this is happening, the 3rd Platoon from Carlin with the Patria LBT, a BTR-15, 2x Humvees and other soft vehicles will move down NV 278 to block any move by the Desert Deils north.  Meanwhile the 1st Platoon with the M-75 Tank, one BTR-15, 2x Humvees, the 75 Krupp Gun and the 37 ETE Anti-tank gun move north from the Eureka Airport to block the Tyrone Gap and any Desert Devil move south.  Once the radar stations are down, the EEC Airjeeps will pick up the A-Teams.  The B-Team shall keep watch over Alpha and the Whyte Hat forward observers.  The Desert Devils will have to attack Union Mountain or give up Alpha.  The 1st and 3rd Platoons will be positioned to deal with any major enemy movement.  The hope is to break their morale by destroying Alpha at range.

Thoughts?

OK, lots of zip cuffs and black bags for everyone!

Max Gruik Arrest Operation on Farmhouse

1^st Wave; in AV-4

• AV QRF squad of 8 troops (all in EMA-1 Armor)

• U.S. Marshal T.J. Law in Hooded Viper

• U.S. Marshal J.J. Hunter in Pit Viper

• 8-Ball in EMA-1 Armor

• the Swede in EMA-1 Armor

• Jamal in Medical Armor

• Jesse Wayne in EMA-1 Armor

• Force Commander’s orders are to land 20 meters from the front of the farmhouse.  The Team led by the US Marshals rush the front door.  Your warrant authorizes an unannounced intrusion, but please have a Marshal shout a warning as you crash the front door.  No need to be subtle.  As we will be striking after sunset, most of the Farm Hands outside appear armed.  The QRF squad will sweep around both sides of the farmhouse.  They will secure the rear and engage any who try to interfere.  The Team will secure and search the farmhouse immediately.  The AV will lift off, pull out of range of a possible shoot down and wait to be called in. 

2^nd Wave; of Two RPV-500 Tiltrotors (Arriving Five Minutes after 1^st Wave)

• Both loaded with a mix of ground attack ordinance and Battlemapper pod.

• They can suppress any remaining resistance at the farm then intercept any incoming reinforcements.

3^rd Wave; Two EEC Airjeeps and the Dacian Wolf with the Hover QRF Squad in the GMI HoverTransport (Arriving 6 minutes after 2^nd Wave)

• The Two Airjeeps will be empty except for pilot and gunner.  They are there for patrol and ex-fil.

• The engagement at the Farm should be over by now.  The hover forces will then act as a mobile unit to intercept in force any attempt by the Church of the One True Path or their corrupt Deputies to interfere.  Any encounter with a White Pine County Deputy should be with a U.S. Marshal in their Viper Suit.  He / She has jurisdiction and that point isn’t negotiable. 

As soon as you find Max and hopefully some information about his operations, ex-fil as rapidly as possible. 

Sounds like a plan!  You might want to NOT fill up the AV-4 with all troops.  You will need room to bring back any prisoners, wounded and items of interest for your case against Max.  Also, if you have wounded you will need space for them.  The AV ambulance in the CIty of Elko doesn't have authority to cross into White Pine County.  Using this craft in a military operation makes it a legitimate target in any future fight.  With just the regular load out, the first wave will have up to 10 QRF troops in EMA-1 Armor plus you can add a lot of the Team which will fill the passenger compartment.  The two EEC Airjeeps can come in empty and pull out the Team when the fight is over.  The AV-4 should whisk a (hopefully alive) Max and any evidence out as quickly as possible.  With just the AV, Hover QRF and the Team that is over a score of heavily armed and trained troops versus maybe the same number of lightly armed 'farm hands'.  Whyte Hat Intelligence feels they will resist to the end as Max will probably have his most loyal and fanatic supporters by his side.  Less than lethal is a nice thought, and should apply to Max if he is found, but as to the others....

As to legal status, Max Gruik is a wanted Federal criminal as well as being wanted in several other states, but, unfortunately, not Nevada.  The farm he is suspected to be in is within 5 miles of US 95 which puts this clearly in the jurisdiction of the U.S. Marshals on the Team.  Only the approach needs to be covert since this arrest will be big news and probably create some issues with White Pine County, but really, who cares?  It might be wise to get a warrant to raid the farm from the Federal Judge in Carson City.  You won't need it in hand.  It just has to be signed when you officially cross the White Pine County border.  

As to the RoE,  Max needs to be taken alive.  If you are fired upon, fire back.  Also, you are the cops, so your word will take precedence over the criminals.

The B-Team leader, Emyr Rhys, listens to all this and suggests that time is of the upmost importance here.  He has two of his Team "under cover" in Night City.  If they figure out the overwatch trick or realize that most of the information the OTP is garbage, his people will be in mortal danger,  Going in on horseback would take to much time to position.  If he were doing this, he would create a fake a bandit attack against a small Whyte Hat patrol near the town of Currie.  There should be lots of radio chatter and then dispatch the Hover and AV forces with drone support to fight the "attackers" in Elko County.  The White Pine County Sheriffs at least will be listening and not get too alarmed by the Whyte Hat troop movement.   Anyone in the area will hear 'the fake bandit attack' firefight, over the border in Elko County.    Of course the AV and hover forces go past Currie (out of sight of the town) and make a run at the farmhouse.  The target farm is 35 miles south of Currie.  The AV-4 is there in seven minutes, the drones in twelve minutes, the two EEC Airjeeps, the Dacian Wolf and the GMI HoverTransport in eighteen minutes after passing by the Town of Currie.  Currie is sometimes considered a ghost town, but there are usually a few people there.   

This part of Emyr's plan shouldn't be recorded in any report:  When Whyte Hat's forces break for the farmhouse, there should be a NET attack on the communications Networks in White Pine County.  Primary targets are the airport (to suppress the radar), the Sheriff's communications systems and as much of the telephone systems as possible.  These facilities shouldn't be destroyed, just disrupted for as long as possible; an hour would work well.  

There is no nabbing the courier as the package has already been delivered.  This courier could be a dupe and "kidnapping" him, a man who isn't wanted for anything, is something the U.S. Marshals can't legally approve of. 

The question of how the sheriffs could contact the target farmhouse is something you don't know.  You do know that your NET Runners haven't detected any landline to that farm and there are no telephone poles even going by the place.  The Sheriff's Department HQ is in the City of Ely, which is about 40 miles from the target farmhouse.

Run Up to Episode 57 in April, 2075

Sunday, April 14, 2075:   Mitzi, 8-Ball, U.S. Marshals Law and Hunter are slipped aboard an Elko Transport flight from North Oak back to Wells, NV.  Eymr Rhys, the B-Team leader comes with them as an advisor.  Their visit to Night City is to be considered Top Secret & need-to-know only. 

B-Team Covert Agents Jon & Claire send an info dump Mitzi gave them from her phone in the form of coded reports that will have to be decoded by Federal Express Mail Service: RUSH.  They make the cell phone call to give the heads up and that is traced by B&B Technologies to Karl Harker.  One piece of information is that the old Wendover Source is now operating at the Border Station in White Pine County and is about to spill all he knows about the Church of the One True Path’s operations in that County in exchange for immunity.   

Monday, April 15, 2075:  Episode 57 planning begins.

Tuesday, April 16, 2075:  The overwatch signal on the paper in the package is traced to the main house on a small farm on NV Rt. 893 (White Pine County Road 18) at 39.792 X -114.705.  This house has NO electronic signature.  Whyte Hat Intelligence doesn’t move their satellite but uses passing U.S. government satellites to scout out the site.  There is at least a dozen ‘Farm Hands’ at that location who are heavily armed.  Intelligence suggests an attack as soon as possible.  When they decrypt the information, Max Gruik may flee.  Eymr Rhys informs the Team that radar from the Ely Airport reports any movement of Whyte Hat's air assets to the White Pine County Sheriff's Department, which, he believes, in turn informs the Church of the One True Path.   

 Farmhouse Location

As you can see the area around this location is open and flat.  Any approach will be seen quickly.  There is a rest atop on the Great Basin Highway nearby that the courier, Harker, stops at a lot.  Also, to the east of the farm is the old Ghost Town of Schellbourne.  It sits on a working private ranch owned (through cut-outs) by the Church of the One True Path.         

Farm Buildings Layout

The Satellites can’t see anything inside The Farmhouse or the Cottage, which is made of thick stone.  There are people in the Barn (a good number) and the Cabin.  There is machinery shed at the north end of the property that rarely has any visitors, except for the ‘Farm Hands’ who occasionally do some work around the house.  Whyte Hat Intelligence thinks Max is hiding in the Farmhouse.  There are always 3 to 4 armed people patrolling on the ground above.  (The dotted red line doesn’t represent anything at all except that there are NO buildings outside of the marked areas.)

Farmhouse Picture

The picture above is of the Farmhouse looking north from the parking area off White Pine County Road 18. 

Wednesday, April 17, 2075:  Now, Episode 57 begins.  

As far as Operation Dien Bien Phu is concerned, the Whyte Hat Force Commander is doing this part of the planning (I should really name him by now).  It is hoped that everything will be ready by summer this year.  The original idea was to wait for winter and the snow to fall so any Desert Devil counterattack would be hampered by the weather and the destruction of the base would leave them without supplies and quarters for the winter, but your Intelligence Section believes the Desert Devils' attack will come sometime in early fall.  This is why they want to be ready for the summer.  The fall of Trade Town has allowed Whyte Hat to move up its schedule.  The Force Commander will be beginning preliminary planning this spring and 8-Ball, Cossack and the U.S. Marshals will certainly be asked to take part in the planning.

I had introduced Emyr Rhys, the B-Team leader, and his two covert agents so you could ask them questions and maybe brainstorm a plan, but since that hasn't happened, Rhys does have an idea.  Jon, the male operative is a NET Runner and Claire, his partner, is an 'electronic security specialist'.  He suggests that his agents report the meeting you are having in Night City currently and claim Claire got close enough to one of you (from Wells) to clone some information off their phone (Mitzi's perhaps) containing some important information that will be rushed to Max.  Jon is supposed to deliver information via the Federal Express Mail Service, but if the information is important enough he is to send it RUSH (normally 2 days) and call a cell phone to make sure it gets picked up immediately.  The information will be on paper and it should be treated with an overwatch substance that can be tracked from orbit.  The Church of the One True Path never uses electronic means to transfer any information.  They do have some computers, but they are NEVER linked to the NET.  This information must be good and important enough that it will be rushed to Max. 

That's his idea anyway.

Miscellaneous Events During the Beginning of the Month of April, 2075

Tuesday, April 2, 2075:  Although the truce between Whyte Hat and the Desert Devils expired at the end of March, this Raffin Shiv group sends a message to Mitzi through the Luftwaffe that they intend to continue to abide by the truce’s restrictions forbidding raiding on Interstate 80, northern Eureka County and all of Elko County.  Whyte Hat Intelligence believes they are only doing this because the Desert Devils aren’t ready to open up hostilities yet. 

Friday, April 5, 2075:  Whyte Hat Intelligence comes to an agreement with a certain U.S. governmental agency to coordinate the movements of their LEO satellite with access to that agency’s surveillance assets in a higher orbit when passing over the Alpha, NV.  This will reduce the amount of time that Whyte Hat is blind to the Desert Devil’s movements around Alpha by almost 80% without tipping InfoComp and their customers off.      

Wednesday, April 10, 2075:  Francisco Aguinaldo and his wife, Rosa, the parents of Valerie, Ramón, Fawkes (Xavier) and the rest, move to old Trade Town to begin repairing the hydraulic systems, agricultural lands and the old fish farms of Ruby Lake.  This Nomad group is welcomed by the people of that place as they are desperate to rebuild their lives.   

Friday, April 12, 2075:  After sunset, Mitzi invites 8-Ball, U.S. Marshals Law and Hunter on a flight to Night City aboard one of Elko Transport's C-23s where they are whisked to a penthouse at the South Beach Hotel for the night.  They are told not to contact and /or tell anyone about this trip.   

Saturday, April 13, 2075:  In the morning, the Team members, who just arrived from Wells, meet Emyr Rhys, the leader of Whyte Hat's B-Team.  He briefs them on their operations in Eureka County and White Pine County.  Rhys introduces them to his two agents that were under cover in White Pine County as a couple.  They have just been sent to Night City to spy on Whyte Hat by the Church of the One True Path that they infiltrated.  The records of their cover identities from White Pine County were altered by OTP members in that county government so these two wouldn’t be suspected in Night City; this is somewhat ironic.  They have the name of a person in White Pine County that may be the courier that brings messages to and from Max Gruik.  He is one of the 12 that Mitzi suspects and has had these two undercovers looking into.  The two covert agents warn the A-Team that this messenger might not know that he is indeed the courier.  This man, Karl Harker, is a delivery man for Federal Express Mail Service, which has a single office in Ely, White Pine County’s seat of government.  The two agents have looked into the eleven other people on the list they got from Mitzi and are sure that Max isn’t at six of those locations.  They also doubt that he is at the other five either.  All of those locations have some form of electronic communication ability.  Whyte Hat Intelligence has been looking for targets that have NO electronic communication ability. 

Sunday, April 14, 2075:   Mitzi, 8-Ball, U.S. Marshals Law and Hunter are slipped aboard an Elko Transport flight from North Oak back to Wells, NV.  Their visit to Night City is to be considered Top Secret & need-to-know only.

Monday, April 15, 2075:  Episode 57 starts.

Let the games begin!

Miscellaneous Events in the Nevada Outback during the Month of March, 2075

Monday, March 4, 2075:  The State of Nevada publicly executes former Eureka County Judge Jaime Scott in a pay-per-view event through DMS.  He is drawn and quartered while alive.  His head and right top quarter are sent to Eureka where it is displayed outside the Sheriff’s office where a number of Eureka citizens were beat, tortured and lit on fire during the New Years Insurrection.    

Saturday, March 9, 2075:  The Visigoths finally open their ‘Road House’ at the Welcome Rest stop just west of Wells on Interstate 80.  The county government has been fighting them over licensing and other issues.  Mitzi stood behind her promises and gave this project Whyte Hat’s full support.  These actions cement the alliance between that bike gang and Whyte Hat and locks down the safety of Interstate 80 through the gang’s territory. 

Wednesday, March 13, 2075:  NIGHT CITY – The Night City council votes to build a wall along the south side of 150^th Street by sealing up all the windows on those building fronting the south side of the street and sealing off all north south roads but two.  The wall will be maintained by the Morrison Square Security Group, and will run from the Pacific Ocean to the fence under the Interstate 16 Loop.  This will turn the Freedom Park neighborhood into a semi-walled combat zone. 

Monday, March, 18,2075:  Mary Zuma, daughter of the late Sargent Zuma, the accused ‘Wendover Source’ does another interview with Denny Webber, the media from the Elko Daily Free Press, which is also picked up (video wise) by both DMS and WNS.  She rages on about the lack of progress in the reopening of the investigation of her father as being the sole ‘Wendover Source’.  She hints of a dark conspiracy at work and wonders if the late Marshal Teresa Suárez’s sudden and mysterious death is part of it.  Some of Denny Webber’s questions and Mary’s answers suggest possible collusion between Mitzi, Whyte Hat and the Nevada State Border Patrol that has led to Whyte Hat / NSBP cooperation in the recent events in Eureka County.  No direct accusations are made, but the inferences are clear.      

Friday, March 22, 2075:  The Oasis QRF moves quickly when sensors along the Interstate detects two vehicles coming from the south and a drone notices that they park under the highway overpass at 40.946 x -114.365.  There is a brief firefight where the interlopers are killed.  They were in the process of setting up enough explosives on the bridge supports to drop the overpass onto the highway. If thy had succeeded this would have closed the highway on the first anniversary of Whyte Hat officially reopening Interstate 80.  The dead attackers are sent to Wells where autopsies are performed along with DNA sampling to identify them.  Samples of the explosives are sent to Federal labs for analysis.   

Tuesday, March 26, 2075:  NIGHT CITY – Construction begins on the wall to separate the Freedom Park neighborhood and Morrison Square.  The NCPD has to assign a permanent C-SWAT unit to back up local security as the gangs attack the construction crews.  This whole project is very unpopular in the San Morro area (except in Morrison Square) as it signals that the city is losing control.  South Beach fears that property values may take a dive.   

OK, I talked with MItzi about buying some satellite data from InfoComp to see what their orbital asset can do, but she doesn't think that is a good use of company money.  She feels it is clear that Whyte Hat knows what it is doing, which is watching where Whyte Hat is looking with their satellite.

That InfoComp satellite is dedicated to watching where the Whyte Hat one is looking.  It is never 'not around'.  This is another reason not to buy its data through a third party because it makes InfoComp's snooping more financially beneficial to that mega-corp.  

Leo Bloom - Yes, keep looking, but NETWatch has been actively looking for years to no avail.

Graves & Barker et al - a good assessment here; they will turn up eventually, probably.

Things in your old neighborhood in the Tong area are just fine.  Wu Deng and his sister are still scrabbling a little over power, but their blood connection keeps their rivalry verbal and non-violent.

As far as the Freedom Park crime lord is concerned, he is much like the character, Top Dollar, in the U.S. movie, The Crow (1994).  In fact that is the Freedom Park crime lord's avatar.  He is a complete wildcard and extremely unpredictable.  Your gang rank / streetwise (and Mitzi's advice) tells you to "let sleeping dogs lie".  Both Night City Whyte Hat and the Chrome Berets steer clear of him, but they do keep tabs on him and his rivalry with Morrison Square.  

Of course the Desert Devils are arming up.  It is clear that between them and Whyte Hat, in the end "there can only be one."

B&B Technologies hackers and the few Whyte Hat have don't want to attempt to penetrate any more of InfoComp's data bases as that mega corp is now on alert and actively searching for the perpetrators of the recent breaches on their systems. 

You can't get an accurate assessment of the capabilities of the InfoComp satellite without inspecting it (or hacking it) and since it is in orbit, inspecting it is difficult to impossible.  With InfoComp on alert, no one wants to risk hacking the satellite.

Check, on building the Eureka Militia on the Trade Town model.  It shall be done.

The problem with Leo Bloom is that no one knows for sure who he really is.  This makes "paying him a visit" problematic.  The real name of a NET Runner isn't generally known.  People may suspect, but proving anything is very difficult.

The locations of former Commissioners Graves and Barker along with the other former officials under indictment are not known.  Maybe they went to White Pine County or to Alpha?  

In regards to the Valentine's Day incident in Night City, of course the local Whyte Hat office is looking into it.  There has been years of bad blood between the criminal overlords to your north (from South Beach) in the Morrison Square and the Freedom Park areas.  Their rivalry is one of the reasons that South Beach has been able to prosper as these two criminal organizations didn't want to drive any of the major players in South Beach to support one side or the other.  The Chrome Berets have been watching this situation closely.  They have street connections that the local police lack.  They concur with the police that the gangs of Freedom Park didn't take part in the attack on Morrison Square.  However, they have heard that the Freedom Park crime boss did help organize gangs outside his area to take part in the Valentine's Day assault on Morrison Square, but this is just rumor and innuendo. 

1 hour ago, senior officer Mikael van Atta said:

Do we need to drop in for a prompt visit and bang some heads...?

A good question which, as GM, I can't answer.  There is no evidence that the Freedom Park crime lord actually is responsible but he is a very powerful and influential gang leader.  As to the gangs that committed the attack, they are back in the combat zone.  Right now, none of these groups bother South Beach, but that might change if you strike at them.  It is also rumored that the Freedom Park crime lord has forbidden any attacks on South Beach by his people and has made it clear that other gangs would not be welcome in Freedom Park to trade or party if they make a move against South Beach.  This man has scrupulously avoided any conflict with South Beach Security, Whyte Hat and the Chrome Berets for years.      

Here are a few quick answers before the February data dump.

The Desert Devils in Alpha having been building many bunkers in their fortified complex lately.  Whyte Hat Intelligence believes that many of these are being used to store supplies.  They also believe that most supplies are brought in by returning raiding parties, but that doesn't seem to account for the amount of material they have been storing.  (see the February 28th entry below as a possible explanation of why this might be.) 

Legally the Church of the One True Path is sort of a 'franchise operation'.  This keeps each 'church' legally free of blame or culpability for the actions of another.  Also, freedom to practice your own religion is enshrined in the Nevada Sate Constitution, so getting this church outlawed is a difficult proposition.  Your current 'evidence' doesn't rise up to any where near enough to get the minimalist Nevada State government to move on them; keep digging.

Miscellaneous Events in the Nevada Outback during the Month of February, 2075

Friday, February 1, 2075:  The newly trained Whyte Hat 4^th Infantry Platoon arrives in the City of Wells to begin escorting and protecting traffic on Interstate 80.

Monday, February 4, 2075:  The veteran 1^st Platoon supported by a BTR-15 is transferred from Wells to become the garrison at the Eureka Airport.  They relieve the Hover QRF, a squad of the 2^nd Platoon and a squad from the Elko Airport garrison.  The town of Eureka will be patrolled by a semi-permanent force of 12 Nevada State Border Patrol officers with the three remaining loyal Eureka County Deputies.  Fourteen local Eureka County recruits arrive in the City of Elko to undergo a 20 week training course to rebuild the Eureka County Sheriff’s Department.  They are scheduled to graduate on Saturday, June 22, 2075.

Tuesday, February 5, 2075:  Elections are held in Eureka to replace  the now wanted ex-Commissioner Graves, the former Town Constable Norman Bates, Sheriff and Town Magistrate.  The slate proposed by Commissioner Morris (the DA’s grandfather) wins all the offices.  The state suspends the county judgeship for a year and the state appointed judge remains in town with his state bailiffs.  8-Ball, assisted by some trainers brought in from the Whyte Hat training base in North Oak, begins training a 65 person militia for the Town of Eureka.  The locals listen to the trainers, but they clearly view and respect 8-Ball as their leader.

Wednesday, February 6, 2075:  The Nevada State Guard’s military police platoon withdraws from Eureka.

Saturday, February 9, 2075:  A funeral mass is held at the Saint Thomas Aquinas Church in Wells by Father Mark Donnelly for the late Marshal Teresa Suárez followed by an internment at the Wells Cemetery.  Local politicos take the opportunity to make speeches, but clearly none really knew her.  Only Te-Moak Tribal Policeman Tom Harris spoke about her warm feelings for the area, which she finally confided to him.  He also spoke of her love of horses and all the work she put in on her days off to help the local student rodeo club, whose members all attended the service.

Thursday, February 14, 2075:  NIGHT CITY – In the Morrison Square neighborhood just north of South Beach, a Valentine’s Day Festival is overrun by rampaging street gangs from further north and west of that neighborhood.  The Morrison Square Businessmen’s Association’s security force is able to barely contain the violence.  That association blames the crime lord from the Freedom Square neighborhood just to their north for the attack, but police surveillance at the time shows all the attackers came from areas on the other side of the highway (east); not Freedom Park.  South Beach was unaffected by this spate of violence.    

Sunday, February 17, 2075:  A small group of raiders from northern Utah crosses the Nevada border to conduct a lightning strike of Montello.  They are detected just before the state line and both the Hover QRF (from Wells) and Wheeled QRF (from Oasis) are mobilized.  By the time the Dacian Wolf with the Hover QRF arrive, the attackers have been crushed with prisoners taken by a mixed force of Elko County deputies, the Montello militia, some of the Nomad Oasis militia, Whyte Hat personnel in Montello and the Wheeled QRF.  These disparate units were supported by an RPV-500 Tiltrotor.  A study of the fight by the Whyte Hat Force Commander credits 8-Ball’s joint training program between Whyte Hat and various county LEOs and local militias for the quick victory.  Interrogations of prisoners reveal that this was a small independent band operating in the Utah, Nevada and Idaho border area.     

Wednesday, February 20, 2075:  A number of trucks containing extremely valuable rare earths for electronic manufacturing are stolen and disappear on the highway US 50 traveling from east to west just over the western Eureka County line in Lander County.  The Desert Devils are suspected of making this unusual winter time raid.  A disturbing fact here is this convoy was protected by two Paneurope Gladiator Armored Cars, which have also disappeared.  The following day, two trucks pulling flat bed trailers arrive in Alpha with loads covered by tarpaulins which immediately pull into recently built bunkers that Whyte Hat Intelligence house the Desert Devils’ armored units.  The Lander County Sheriff’s Department eventually arrives on scene, but finds no trucks, no bodies and no armored cars.  That sheriff sends a report to Whyte Hat with his suspicions that this was the work of the Desert Devils, but can’t prove it.

Monday, February 25, 2075:  When J.J. Hunter was appointed Chief U.S. Marshal in the Outback, she inherited the reopening of the investigation of Sargent Zuma’s death and guilt as the sole ‘Wendover Source’.  This Marshal requested from B&B Technologies a ‘deep dive’ on (Officer, now Sargent) Roger Chang, the former West Wendover State Border Patrol office’s computer expert, who was transferred to the State Border Patrol’s Computer Center in Carson City.  While B&B found nothing actionable, they did uncover rumors that around the time of Chang’s transfer to Carson City an infamous Nevada NET Runner and money launderer known as ‘Leo Bloom’ moved his base of operations from the Outback to western Nevada.  ‘Leo Bloom’ supposedly does work for many important Nevada politicos, criminal bosses and ‘movers and shakers’ in the state.  This connection between Sargent Chang and ‘Leo Bloom’ is based on this movement and rumors picked up from other criminal NET Runners that were contacted.    

Thursday, February 28, 2075:  Whyte Hat Intelligence and B&B Technologies issue their report on how they missed the New Year’s attack on Eureka.  There is nothing provable, but they have discovered the mega-corp InfoComp has positioned one of their satellites in an orbital position that can watch where Whyte Hat’s satellite is looking.  They have also discovered that the Desert Devils have an account with InfoComp, and believe that several other major corporations are also paying for this information.  B&B Technologies had to stop their NET ‘sneak and peeks’ since InfoComp detected their intrusions.  They will lose a NET War with that Mega Corp.  However, before they halted these small data raids, they learned that whoever paid for Geronimo’s Flying Circus to provide air support for the last raid on Oasis is also buying this data from InfoComp. 

So this brings us to the end of February.  I will wait for a few days to give everyone a chance to comment and / or suggest any new courses of action.

Well, Operation Dien Bien Phu has already been approved up and work is already underway.  The gun crews are in training and delivery of the 155mm artillery has been finalized, so it will proceed according to plan unless something unexpected comes up or it is cancelled on your end. 

Yes, 8-Ball will be requested to go to the Town of Eureka and form a local militia.  There are a few experienced military veterans among the volunteers; enough to form an officer / NCO cadre.  You have the captured weaponry to begin outfitting them.  Some of the weapons that the citizens of Eureka grabbed up will make a reappearance.  More on that later.  

In the beginning of February, the 4th platoon will arrive in Elko County.  This brings Whyte Hat forces up to about the strength of a small battalion.  Numbers wise, you are now on par with the Desert Devils.  However, they have many more combatants, but far fewer support personnel.  Their superior number of combatants is more than off set by Whyte Hat's overwhelming technological advantage.  At present neither side is in a position to take out the other without risking defeat themselves.  

In regards to where to post the new 4th Platoon, you are exactly right.  The 4th will be posted in Wells and commence convoy protection, which is what their Whyte Hat training prepared them for.  They will replace the veteran 1st Platoon which will be sent to the Town of Eureka along with one BTR-15.  A large supply and communications section will be assembled to support them.  The M-75 Light Tank and the 75mm Krupp Gun will remain in Eureka.  Construction will begin to build another surveillance security net in Eureka with the thought to have it eventually integrate with the Elko net.

As to the 'Wendover Source' investigation, the question is, "What are you going to do about it?" 

The U.S. Marshals have been authorized to reopen the investigation, but many of your suspects are law enforcement officials or are now out-of-the-country.

In regards to the Church of the One True Path, when you compare the the lists of the identified dead in Eureka with the names of the church members from that county in Mitzi's files, you discover you have literally almost wiped out the cult in that county.  The main church building in Eureka County, located just north of the airport, is quickly burned to the ground by angry locals, but not before any records and files, both hard copy and digital are seized.  District Attorney Ellen Morris takes custody of them, but you do have full access.  The church members in the county totaled ~200 according to MItzi's files, so you killed or captured just over a third of that total.  Other members were detained by the angry mob afterward, but that group consisted of primarily women and children.  There is no sustainable charges that can be brought against them, so they are eventually released.  Most move to White Pine County just to the east.  The remaining 30 to 35 of the members of the One True Path killed/captured were from White Pine County, which is the local stronghold of that cult.  There are about 1,200 members in that county which represents about 10% of the county's total population.  Mitzi's files indicate that she believes Max Gruik is hiding somewhere in White Pine County.  Whyte Hat Intelligence is working on trying to find him, but they are getting NO cooperation from county authorities there.

This is the legal situation of the Church of the One True Path.  It is considered a criminal organization in Night City, NorCal and SoCal and has been effectively shut down.  Many of the members who remained in the cult have fled to the three main counties in the Outback (Elko, Eureka and White Pine).  There are several hundred members in Elko County (including County Commissioner Meadows.  In fact there are about a dozen members in the Wells area, who are under surveillance.  No member of the church from Elko County took part in the New Year's Day attack.  There are multiple arrest warrants from Night City, SoCal and NorCal for Max Gruik and a federal warrant for securities and banking violations.  The cult leader used to have some overseas operations, but all have collapse or been shut down except for one on an island between the Philippines and Indonesia.  Max probably moved the center of his operations to Nevada because of its very lax laws.  This state is the only one that hasn't outlawed or restricted his cult.

There is a 'church' in the City of Elko, a large one in the City of Ely (the county set of White Pine County) and two smaller ones also in White Pine County.  The church in Ely is (sort of) the primary one, but Max Gruik has never been seen there.  Other than this, the cult really doesn't have a "base".    

I will be working on events in the month of February 2075 over the next few days if anyone has ideas on what they would like to do about any of this.       

Miscellaneous Events in the Nevada Outback during the Month of January, 2075

This month is spent mostly on trying to unravel the alliances and leaders that attempted to overthrow the legal government in Eureka County.  Throughout the month the Desert Devils are very quiet.  Their raiding comes to a complete stop.  Although this is usually a time of the year that they rest and refit, they are unusually quiet and are making serious improvements to Alpha’s defenses.  Whyte Hat Intelligence is baffled on how such a force from Alpha could get to the Town of Eureka without them noticing it.  Near the end of the month, they begin a major research project to discover this and call in B&B Technologies for support.  They expect to issue a report by the end of February, 2075. 

Friday, January 18, 2075:  The total of killed and wounded in the New Year’s Day fight for Eureka is released.  There were almost no wounded taken as most were hit by a 7.62 mini-gun and 14.5mm Rifle fire.  Once the gangs broke the citizens of Eureka came forth to extract their revenge.  The final official count is:

·      Desert Devils:  66 K.I.A., 0 Wounded and/or captured

·      Other gangs & wasteland raiders: 20 K.I.A., 4 wounded and/or captured

·      Church of the One True Path: 82 K.I.A., 16 wounded and/or captured

·      Former corrupt members/allies of previous administration: 2 K.I.A., 4 captured

·      Total opposition losses: 170 K.I.A., 24 wounded and captured.

·      Whyte Hat Intelligence estimates this represents 63% of the total opposition.

The most important prisoner taken was former Eureka County Judge Jaime Scott.  Under questioning by the U.S. Marshals, he spilled everything he knew about the participants of this rebellion.  Unfortunately, he couldn’t identify or explain just how this odd alliance was put together or who was exactly legally responsible. 

Tuesday, January 22, 2075:  The State of Nevada finishes its own report on the how’s and whys of what has been occurring in Eureka County that led to the arrests of the corrupt former administration and their attempts to remain in power.  The state accepts the Desert Devils claim that they weren’t officially involved in the take over and massacre of so many of the citizens of Eureka on New Year’s Day.  Whyte Hat is completely cleared of any wrong doing during the retaking the town.  What is uncovered is that Whyte Hat is completely responsible for the uncovering of all the evidence that led to state issuing arrest warrants for all the corrupt officials at the end of last October.

I (as GM) stated at the beginning of this arc, Whyte Hat has expanded its operations and scope.  The Night City office of Whyte Hat has continued to operate under one of Mitzi’s contacts / assistant fixers for operations in that city and elsewhere.  Consider the group in Wells, Nevada supporting Whyte Hat’s military arm to be the company’s “A-Team”.  The Night City office, besides its group of security personnel, trainers (in North Oak) and rental bodyguards, has its own Edgerunner group known as the “B-Team”.  A few months ago, when someone (the Desert Devils) assassinated the acting Eureka County DA and his number one assistant after the conviction of the four Desert Devil leaders who led the attack on the convoy moving on Interstate 80, the new acting DA, Ellen Morris, who you just rescued, secretly contacted Mitzi and hired Whyte Hat to help her with her investigation of the corrupt Eureka County administration.  Knowing that Whyte Hat’s operations in Elko County were under scrutiny, Mitzi turned this job over to her Night City office’s ‘B Team’.  That group was to operate completely independently with NO communication between them and the Wells office.  Mitzi was only briefed on their progress during her few visits back to Night City to limit any chance of discovery. 

Now Whyte Hat has a contract to defend the Town of Eureka, it gives them some authority in that county.  There are those in Nevada that are starting to worry about her and the growing power of Whyte Hat in northeastern Nevada.  When the Federal government authorizes your Federal Marshals to secure US 50, it will bring arrest powers to them and the ability of Whyte Hat to secure the entire county.  While Mitzi’s and Whyte Hat’s increasing power is begin to alarm some in Nevada, the most of the people of Elko and Eureka Counties are increasingly supporting your security company.  By the end of January, the Town of Eureka officially requests Whyte Hat to help them form and arm a local militia.

Thursday, January 24, 2075:  The Team receives the news that Marshal Teresa Suárez has passed away due to a rare previously undiagnosed auto immune condition, Sjögren Syndrome II.  When the end came, she requested to be buried in Wells, NV.  The city government immediately granted the request and her funeral (at the local Catholic Church) will take place in the first week of February.

Monday, January 28, 2075:  Reports that the late Marshal Suárez requested arrive.  They are the locations and current situations of the entire staff of the Nevada State Border Patrol officers assigned to West Wendover at the time of the’ West Wendover Source’ leaks.          

• Captain Kevin Roberts is the former commander of the State Patrol’s office in West Wendover.  He helped organize the West Wendover Police Department before retiring after 26 years on the job.  The man was also on the investigative commission that came to the conclusion that the late Sargent Roberto Zuma of the Elko County Sheriff’s office acted alone as the ‘Wendover Source’.  He has since moved to Venezuela.  The man does speak decent Spanish, but hasn’t any known connection to that county, which has no extradition to the United States.

   

• Lt. Gregory James now assigned to the Nevada State Border Patrol office at the entry point from Utah at US 50 in White Pine County.

   

• Former Sargent Henry Huerta retired from the State Border Patrol and is now the current West Wendover Police Chief.  His father was from Venezuela. 

   

• Former Officer Toby Samuels is now the Sargent on the West Wendover Police Department.

   

• Former Officer Roger Chang, the West Wendover office’s computer expert has been transferred to the State Border Patrol’s Computer Center in Carson City and promoted to Sargent.

   

• Officer Ivan Kovalenko was transferred and is now assigned to the State Border Patrol office in Primm, NV on Interstate 15 at the SoCal line.

   

Wednesday, January 30, 2075:  A new US Deputy Marshal, Phillip ‘Hakan (Fiery)’ Crow, who is a Shoshone from Battle Mountain Te-Moak Band, is assigned to the Wells office.  He is ranked as number three in authority.  J.J. Hunter becomes the Chief Marshal and T.J. Law moves up to the number two position. 

So this is where everyone stands at the end of January, 2075.

This is a great picture of the Court House that shows the front and the annex attached at its rear.  The annex has judicial offices on the second floor and the main holding cells on the first floor.  There are no exits to the outside from the holding cells themselves.

The stairs are the main staircase inside the front door.  The open doorway at the top of the picture on the second floor is the main entrance to the court room.

These are very good reference photos for Saturday!

In regards to the 75mm ammunition, you have a lot more shells ready than the last time you bombarded Montello with that gun.  You are right that the bombardment should at least keep their heads down and maybe give the RPV-500 Tiltrotor drone a chance to close and destroy the position with overhead direct fire.  We shall see.

Unfortunately, 8-Ball won't be able to use his Gun-Fu based abilities, but he can still fire two weapons at the -3 penalty.  At the range that he will be fighting this won't make too much of a difference.  Short Range for the 14mm Borg handguns is 18.75 meters.

One more thing, just before the Team makes its first run in on the court house in the first EEC Airjeep, recon shows that the streets around that building are clear, so Teresa is having the RPV-500 Tiltrotor NOT fire off its smoke rockets now.  Instead, it will save them to cover the arrival of the second Airjeep, which may not be a surprise when the enemy realizes who is attacking them.

I will comment on things here that I can.  The Mi-26 helicopter has a limit on what kind of vehicles it can carry internally and a weight limit of two 1000 kg. vehicles according to airforce-technology.com, so the M-75 will be carried in a sling underneath.  However, it can then hold other things internally in its huge cargo bay.  My thoughts on the internal load is this: it is too late on the fortified position as your intelligence unit thinks ATGMs are already in place and operational.  It would be foolish to assume that this position doesn't have a MANPAD there, so the 75mm Krupp Gun w/crew, a Hummer to tow it and bring ammunition forward along with a squad of Whyte Hat regular infantry to relieve the QRF troops guarding the Eureka Airport would be an intelligent load out for the first flight.  Move the artillery forward and bring the enemy position under indirect fire to destroy (or drive off) the enemy from their crossroad position.  

As to the intentions of your opposition for seizing this airport, time will tell.  Below is a map of the Eureka Airport and its position in relation to the town.

Airport Map

This next photo is an aerial shot of the area immediately around the old Eureka County Court House with a scale in the bottom right corner. 

Aerial Photo - Court House Area

The building marked 'DMV' just to the south is closed and boarded up.  No one has been seen going or coming from it.  Across the street are two of the other architectural gems in town: the Jackson House Hotel and the Eureka Opera House.  If your opposition tries to hold them against you, try not to damage them too much; pistols and melee weapons are in order rather than 14.5mm assault rifles.  The next photo are those two historic buildings which you should try not to damage too much. 

Eureka Historic District

Also, everyone should realize that while you are in your Pit Viper armor, your REFLEXES will be limited to 10 and you will be unable to use your Martial Arts skills.  Your smartgun function of the universal link will also not function, but the DFB (direct fire bonus) of the Pit Viper replaces this, so nothing is actually lost there.  T.J. with his ACPA training and Hooded Viper isn't as restricted.  The increased armor protection of the Viper armor along with its Toughness Modifier and the ability to use Borg weapons more than makes up for the restrictions above.  The hope is that the shock of ACPA units in the field so quickly will seriously affect enemy morale.  

Enough for now!

From what I read, these 1/2 space weapons located on your wrists are located in armored housings and need to be drawn out to use, therefore as long as they remain in their housing, your hands are free to use other weapons or equipment.  A 40mm Auto GL would be nice, but Teresa would also want you to use a 14.5mm assault rifle.  Anyway, Whyte Hat isn't a police force but more of a paramilitary force.  Acquiring an ACPA 40mm Auto GL for crowd control is certainly something that can be explored, but Jesse Wayne would be the better wielder of it.  It has crossed Teresa's mind that after the court house building is secured, T.J. with his C3 computer and superior sensors should be on the roof.  See my last post, which came a minute before your post here, for the change in status of the siege of the Eureka County Court House.

I will post the answer to your recent PM on my own message to you in a few minutes, but yes, I remember now and will make the appropriate reward.    

Situation Around Eureka at 3:50 am on January 1, 2075

I am still waiting on what weapons T.J. wishes to bring, but I think we can proceed with the next ‘information dump’.  First, some physical and weather facts about Eureka on this date:

Morning twilight begins at 7:10 am, but due to the town’s position in the valley, it will not provide much light except for people to see aircraft in the sky.  Sunrise occurs 7:40 am, but the streets will not be fully lit until about 8 am.  Sunset will be at 4:59 pm with evening twilight ending at 5:30 pm.  The forecast for today is clear with light to no winds.  It did snow heavily (well, for this area anyway) two days ago leaving about 3” (or 7.62 cm) on the ground.  The temperature hasn’t gone above freezing since so there has been no melt.  That is expected to change today as the projected temperatures are a high of 37^o F (2.7^o C) from its current 16^o F (-8.8^o C).  The roads have been cleared of snow in the Town of Eureka itself and south to the Silver Sky Lodge RV Park which appears to be uncharacteristically full of RVs for this time of year.  The north & west on US 50 is clear up to the pass at Devil’s Gate and also north up to the Eureka Airport on NV 278. 

Your long duration drones and satellite surveillance have been able to observe the town for a short while and this is what they have learned.  There are groups of armed people (perhaps 50 in total) roaming the streets, some are looting, but a number of these groups are taking some people from their homes and bringing them to the Town’s Administrative Center at 701 South Main Street.  On the map this center is identified as such.  There are about a dozen heavily armed people outside guarding this building, and it is estimated maybe twice that number inside in addition to prisoners being brought there. 

Downtown Eureka

At the Eureka County Sheriff’s Office and County Jail (411 North Main Street), there is a huge armed crowd of well over 100+ with fires burning outside (keeping them warm) as the drones witness at least two people being brought out of the building and hung alive on the corner of that structure.  They are then being beaten like a pinata by members of the crowd before being set on fire to the cheers of the mob that is being led by uniformed Eureka County Sheriffs.

While this all appears chaotic, north of the town a group of about 20 well-armed people are holding the Eureka Airport.  Only a half a dozen are outside while most are taking cover from the cold inside the main airport building.  The runway has been plowed.  Also, on a rise just to the east of the interchange of US 50, NV 278 and Home Stake Road, there are around two and a half dozen other armed men building some sort of position with hay bales and packed snow.  Your intelligence unit has studied the works being constructed and believes that about 3 ATGM emplacements are being created with maybe some machinegun positions.  From here they can control all access to the Town of Eureka from the north and west. 

Court House front exterior left

The situation at the old Court House (10 South Main Street) has changed.  There are only a couple of armed people outside can now be seen.  The last communication your HQ received from there was at 3:35 am.  It was from the town’s deputy auditor who (via a satellite phone) said that the crowd forced the doors of the court house.  The town officials, state judge and remaining guards have locked themselves in the walk-in safe to escape being murdered.  They have only a couple of hours of oxygen at best, but maybe less at worst.  The deputy auditor’s last words before he threw his phone off the roof (shattering it) was “Hurry, for God’s sake, hurry!”

A text message arrived a few seconds after the phone shut off.  It is the combination to the safe. 

 Picture of Safe

Unfortunately, there are no floor plans available for the court house.  (IRL, I did a very diligent search but alas nothing.)  However, I have included a number of pictures here.  The actual court room is on the second floor and takes up a little over half of the second floor.  The safe is located on the first floor, but you can’t be sure which office it is in.  The back portion of the building (on the corner of NV 780 and Monroe Street) contains the holding cells, judges’, court clerks’, and bailiff’s offices.  The first floor has many county offices.  The building is a sturdy brick structure with bullet resistant windows. 

District Court room from Gallery

To enter the building, the plan is to jump from the low hovering EEC Airjeep to the roof.  Reconnaissance has seen no one on that roof since members of the mob shot and killed the deputy auditor.  There is a roof hatch, near the front of the building (east) that leads to an attic storage.  In that room there is a door on the west wall leading to an elevated gallery overlooking the court room.  At the north end of the gallery there is a set of stairs leading down to the main floor of the court room.  The first floor can be accessed either by the main stairs in the front of the building or through stairs located in the judge’s annex in the back.  The estimate is around 30 opposition may be in the building. 

Looking East from Judge’s Seat to Gallery

Now for some answers to obvious questions.  There has been no movement from the Desert Devils in Alpha.  Their base isn’t on alert and many are clearly sleeping off their New Year’s Eve celebrations.  The normal guards are up and on duty, but they seem to be unaware about what is happening in the Town of Eureka.  Still, the Whyte Hat Force Commander is prepping the AVX-9C Viper for action in case the Desert Devils in Alpha start to stir.

At this point in time (3:50 am), the situation and plans are:

·      4 am: The first EEC Airjeeo will drop four Team members on the courthouse roof under a smoke barrage by a RPV-500 Tiltrotor.  The drone will then stand off and be available for recon and ground attack with its chaingun, if necessary.  The EEC Airjeep will fly to the City of Elko to refuel and be ready to bring in troops or supplies as needed.

·      4:20 am:  The second EEC airjeep will arrive with the remaining three Team members (Jesse Wayne, the Swede and Jamal) with addition ammunition and supplies.  For now, it will attempt to reinforce the court house, but that may change depending on the situation on the ground.  It will also then go to the City of Elko unless the situation calls for the craft to remain in the area.    

·      4:25 am:  The AV-4 with as many of their QRF and other troops as they can gather in Elko will depart for a high speed run to Eureka.  Initially, their primary target will be to secure the Eureka County Airport.  That airport and the hill just to the northwest of it, lie on the route that the Desert Devils would have to take to get to Eureka quickly.  Also, holding the airport will allow Whyte Hat’s fixed wing aircraft to bring in more troops and supplies. 

·      4:45 am:  The AV-4 arrives in the area of the Eureka Airport.  If it isn’t detected it will assault the airport garrison. 

·      4:50 am:  The Dacian Wolf and the Hover QRF should reach the area of the Eureka County Airport and link up with the AV troops from Elko. The AV-4 will then fly to the Wells Airport to pick up more troops, the 37mm ETE anti-tank gun and/or the 75mm Krupp Gun depending on needs at that time.  Decision on where to further commit these combined forces at the airport will be decided at that time.

·      5:00 am:  The Mi-26T4 will depart Wells airport with the M-75 Light Tank being carried in a sling and the AVX-9C Viper flying escort.  They will head for the Eureka County Airport.  That helicopter should have an additional 8 tons of carrying capacity left, but the cold temperature may reduce that.

·      5:30 am: An Elko Transport C-23 will leave Wells Airport for the Eureka County Airport with whatever the AV-4 cannot carry to Eureka.

·      6:00 am:  The Mi-26T4 should arrive and deliver its M-75 Light Tank to the Eureka Airport.  The helicopter will then retire back to Wells. 

·      6:15 am:  The C-23 from Wells should arrive and deliver its cargo to the Eureka County Airport.  The aircraft needs to unload quickly and depart before the sun rises.   

 As we all know, no plan survives first contact with the enemy, so no one knows how this will work out (not even me).  With this information Teresa further defines the Rules of Engagement.  This is now a military style operation.  Anyone wielding a weapon or allied with an armed crowd is to be shot.  The Marshals are to call for surrender and anyone who does will be granted quarter.  As we will be heavily outnumbered, people are instructed to take no chances, do not walk by any downed enemy combatant that you are not sure is dead.  However, there is to be NO back tapping.  We do want prisoners but will have trouble guarding them.  Therefore, it will be important to secure the holding cells at the old court bouse quickly.  Everyone has pictures of the former county officials that appear to be leading this insurrection as well as all the current and former Eureka County Deputies.  Teresa will tell everyone that it is important to try to take some of these people alive.

Now is the time to try to tear apart this plan and find its weaknesses.

Some quick answers that I can give you at this point:

• OK, on 8-Ball's weapons load out.
• A 40mm Auto GL can be had, IF someone chooses it as their primary ACPA weapon and they must have a heavy weapons skill of 4+.
• The pintle mount on the first EEC Airjeep will have its 7.62 MG and operator.  If you want to change the weapon on the second EEC Airjeep, that will take some time and delay its departure.  The Force Commander will not let the second EEC Jeep depart without both its pilot and gunner.
• Your batons may have be electrified like the Excalibur Taser Stick (or mace function as the Excalibur Mace Stick); player's choice (Teresa will go with the Taser Stick as it is a good idea).
• As to the ability to use Martial Arts in these Pit Viper suits, the answer is no.  This is due to the fact that the Reality Interface System and the Reflex/Control Systems of the Pit Viper do not permit it (pages 60, 64 & 65 of MM).  You should also note that your maximum Reflexes will be just 10.  Now T.J. with his training and being in a Hooded Viper with its more advanced systems is able to use Martial Arts, but only as high as his PA Combat Sense.  Also, his Reflexes are not particularly impacted by his ACPA.  On a positive note his C3 Computer does interface with B&B Technologies Battlemapper System, so he can transmit that data to everyone else with their Full-HUD Wide Band Reality Interface.  (Before you ask, Angel CAN NOT alter these systems as of yet.  This is the first public field test of this armor and his knowledge of PA Tech isn't that good.  Raven MicroCybernetics will be looking forward to his after action reports.)   
• Sorry, you don't have any aerial reconnaissance as of yet and the only information you have from the Town of Eureka has already been given.  Communication to that town is spotty at best.  There will be another 'information dump' when I have everyone's weapons choices and equipment load out for the first EEC Airjeep. 
• As to Snowyn's question on double clips on the 14mm pistols, that is a NO.  They already have a 20 round magazine.

A note from the GM here:  I am trying to make each episode encounter unique and different.  Again, you will have the advantage in gear, but be challenged by numbers.  Fighting in a quasi-urban setting with limited numbers where mass destruction isn't an option is the challenge here.  Some serious damage will probably be unavoidable, but massed fire from aerial assets (5" rockets and such) is right out. 

Anyway, when I get weapons and equipment choices from everyone (or I get tired of waiting and just assign them), you will get answers to some more of the questions posed above.  However, town maps and floor plans of the Eureka County Court House will come as soon as I finish them.