Allen1
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Posts posted by Allen1
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As to confirmation regarding to what the Heavy Weapons in the suspected positions are, this is what you have been told:
- The (suspected) ATGM position in the area of C street and 765 road isn't confirmed and as I stated in my previous post there is only a 58% chance that this is a Heavy Weapons position. It is a two story house with between 3 and 7 heat signatures that have been detected off and on. They can't be sure if any ATGM is there.
- The (suspected) ATGM position(s) in the area of 1 street and 2 street (northwest corner of town) is actually 2 different houses. One position is given a 31% chance of having a heavy weapon and the other has a 17% chance of having a heavy weapon. These two positions are far enough from each other to need each to targeted individually. They are also unable to tell if either of these positions has an ATGM launcher.
- As to having the stealth team neutralize ATGM position in the area of 1 street and 765 road (hostage warehouse is nearby, we don't want a stray shell hitting it. Or even nearby). The probability of this being an ATGM position is 92%. They can't guarantee there is a missile position there, but at least a half a dozen or more people are in that large building.
- [Ignore (for the time being) the ATGM position in the area of 1st street and A street.] I intend to neutralize it by infantry attack through the town, in the final phase of the battle. Still, have a drone in the air keeping an eye on its whereabouts. This position is located outside a trailer/business and protected by some kind of wall. It has a 99% chance of being a missile position although they can't tell if it is a LATGM or a HATGM.
The two positions in green (#3 and #4 on the list) we can can hit with a high probability whenever we want anyway.
To use the Krupp gun for indirect fire, the gun needs a gun crew (Angel and the Team's armorers / weaponsmiths can fill this roll). It also needs a separate gunner and spotter both of whom must have the skill: Artillery Operations. There are only two people with that skill: Jesse Wayne and Marshal Suárez. The marshal is currently up with the Stealth Team, and has the gear to call in the fire. Once inside the town she will have some trouble calling in fire on positions she can't see. Drones will help, but will still make adjusting fire very difficult. If she is involved in a firefight at the time, then calling in artillery would become next to impossible for her.
Up until the morning all the Montello Madmen have seen of Whyte Hat is the Dacian Wolf dancing far out of range and at high speed. [Official range of HATGM is 6000 meters for extreme range and only 2000 meters for LATGM at extreme range.] Once they realize how many troops and equipment we have committed to surrounding them, we can't know their reaction. Even if the Stealth Team manages to neutralize the (possible) ATGM position in the area of 1 street and 765 road, any sort of alarm might tell that we are already in town and the threat to the hostages then becomes even greater. This is just something to think about. Once the Montello Madmen know we have troops in the town, I doubt they will sally forth to try and silence the Krupp gun. They will probably concentrate on clearing us from the the town. If Marshal Suárez ends up in a firefight in Montello, then the Krupp Gun will have to be rolled up for direct fire. If a HATGM is in range, the Krupp Gun can be fired on. In any event, the Stealth Team might need rescuing before the ATGM positions are neutralized. Of course, you can just right them off, but sending in the A-20, the GMI Hover Transport or a BTR-15 to pick them up might be a recipe for further losses.
As to gathering serial numbers from captured equipment, you can certainly do that. Tracking the shipments are a whole different thing to be dealt with later. In regards to where any other hostages are, you have no further information. The Montello Madmen DO have MAPADS; one was seen and fired at your RPV-500 Tiltrotor remote. The drones have gotten as low as they dare in surveilling Montello. They hope to gather more information during daylight.
Montello is a tough nut to crack, but crushing them and saving the townspeople could be the beginning of getting the other citizens of Elko County (other than those in Wells') to begin to look at your presence as 'a good thing'.
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There will be time after the next Montello fight to finish sorting, selling and distributing gear and bonuses. As to the sniper rifle, the Oasis Nomads will keep that as they were the ones that killed him; to the victors and such.... You still need to work out the details of your arrangement with these Nomads, but victory in Montello (without a massacre of civilians) will confirm their (and others) trust in Whyte Hat. However, that is for the future.
These are the proposed Team positions just before dawn on Saturday, February 17th:
The Notch: Over the night, the QRF squad dismounts from their BTR-15, and that vehicle is left to help defend Oasis. The squad moves up to the "Notch" with the 75mm Krupp Gun. Angel and a couple of the weapons techs that worked on the gun act as gun crew, while Jesse Wayne acts as chief gunner. Marshal Suárez will be up near Stealth Team, but will act as Forward Observer with drone support. There will also be a Hummer w/40mm AutoGL in notch with lots of ammo, and the EEC Airjeep there on stand-by. Additional Team members Marshal J.J. & the Swede will be with this group.
The Stealth Team: This group consists of Marshals Suárez and Law along with Mitzi. Just before dawn, Mitzi and Marshal Law will move into Montello along the route they scouted out earlier. There they will secure / help escape the 20 hostages they discovered. Continued drone surveillance has identified three guards and their positions at this warehouse. Marshal Suarez will call in the first artillery strike on the south east missile position target (92% confidence). Drones will watch closely the suspected north east missile position target (58% confidence). [FYI - South west missile position target is 99% confidence and north west missile position target are two at 31% and 17% respectively.] From there she will provide continued F.O. ability for the Krupp Gun and / or support the rest of the Stealth Team by having 5th Street covered with her sniper rifle.
Southern Blocking Force: This is 1st Squad of the 1st Platoon with command element and two BTR-15s. They will sit well outside of town on NV 233 to stop any attempted escape south.
'Dacian Wolf': This is sort of a northern blocking force that needs to spend the morning dancing around well outside of range, but being seen as to far away to interfere with a strike from Montello to the "Notch". At first it will be a feint, but someone will try a run for the Utah border, eventually, and then the hunt is on.
GMI Hover Transport: This group will serve as a strike or (hopefully) counterstrike force. It will consist of the GMI Hover Transport (of course), its component QRF squad, 8-Ball and Jamal.
Possible Initial Opening Positions Saturday Morning
At dawn the Krupp 75 will open fire on a selected missile target. Hopefully this will draw an attack to stop it. If the attack comes the GMI Hover Transport will come out of hiding in its current low point in the terrain and make a run south. Hopefully artillery will take out the missile positions. The GMI can then cut off the retreat of any survivors of the attack on the Notch or rescue our notch defenders if things went badly. Hopefully, they will have a clear run into Montello where they can drop off their passengers, who can then link up with the Stealth Team. This group should be able to clear the rest of the town.
Anyway this is what I made out of my notes from our closing last Saturday. Also, note that all roads over mountainous areas are snow covered and impassable to most vehicles. The exceptions are snow cats, snow mobiles and hover craft. Note: Map says Jamal is with Krupp Gun, but he can be where ever he wants. Comments? Suggestions?
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OK, well, that didn't go as expected, but still it went very well. Out of the 45 raiders with 9 vehicles: you succeeded in killing 20 on the field, the combat drone hunted down 6 more before it emptied its chain gun and the survivors on foot could successfully hide. Of your two wounded prisoners, one dies, but the second survives. Two of their pick-up trucks escaped, but only a total of only 17 gangers made it back to Montello. More importantly, you captured a fully functional HATGM with 3 reloads, a RPG-A with 4 reloads and a (very) lightly damaged 37mm ETE LATG. There was a lot of large cyberware pieces, small arms and some decent armor
Yes, the Snake Nation Nomads at Oasis were not happy that the Team lied about who they were, but that was balanced out some by Jamal's good work and his burgeoning friendship with the Nomad's medic Sally Greene, sister of Karl Greene, the family head. T.J. also made a friend of his 'shadow', Charlie Hobbs, a warrior, and the mechanic with eyes for Teresa, Tommy Grimes, still has hopes with your ice princess, so he's good. Marshal J.J. acquitted herself well with her apology and even got one in return. Of course, the main point here is that you fought for them, kicked the Montello Madmen's asses back up the road and are pursuing them. The Team also left an eight man squad with a Ma Deuce and crew to defend Oasis along with food and fuel. The mechanics do appreciate you leaving the vehicle wrecks as they can make use of them. You are well on your way to making some strong and surprising allies with this Nomad Family.
It will take a maximum effort of all of Whyte Hat, but you will be ready to move out with the second infiltration just before dawn. The plan is to open up with artillery on a suspected anti-tank missile position at dawn. By then, Marshal Suárez will have 'shoot to kill' approval from the local authorities for use against the Montello Madman. More details to follow.
As a note, I didn't expect people to start firing so soon. The initial drone attack wasn't near you and the Montello Madmen's attention was either face planted on the ground from leaping from their crippled vehicles. Had you waited to shoot, the gangers that had escaped from the destroyed vehicles would have started to run towards the hotel (and you). They would have closed to close range, still not knowing you were there. I don't think a single man would have lasted more than two rounds. Regardless, that may have motivated the rest to leave sooner, so you never know. Take the win, it was a big one!
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8-Ball at the raid site is about being the raid leader and supervising / security. Jamal is handling the Forensics and the two make a top observation and analysis team. Also, Jesse Wayne is there along with a Whyte Hat QRF squad in a BTR-15 and Captain Wilkins with another deputy sheriff.
OK, having Angel come is the GM trying to get the character some game time. The reasoning (excuse) for bringing him is, Angel can be his misanthropic self. His life story is your story as is your name, Angel. Also, this way, you aren't totally lying, which can be detected , maybe. Just cut out the part of his life story about moving to Night City. You met (Teresa) and (T.J.) in L.A. about a year ago and fixed their 'Drifter' a couple of times over a few months. The Nomads there have the skilled talent to run a full service garage. Angel's opinion on what he sees could prove valuable, or he can stay in Wells and repair armor. Yes, have a lever action '44' style weapon ready for tomorrow for Angel to have with him. It could prove a conversation starter for the Team.
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Teresa wasn't 'in disguise' when she went to Oasis, but her current face is 'officially' that of a 'Wasteland Drifter'. If someone managed to get a picture of her and ran a facial recognition search, they might find a notation that she is a 'zip' and suspected smuggler. The same is true for T.J., but he did change his appearance for the meeting in Oasis. Teresa hasn't attended many meetings outside of the base. She has always sent someone else to represent the US Marshals at most meetings (usually J.J.). Therefore, she has kept her current face out of the public eye. Not that this matters much. She is a rather 'unfriendly' individual. This is not to say she is angry or hostile, but she seems totally uninterested in anything except her job and her physical conditioning. The young woman's only outside interests appear to be working out (running and using her Bodyweight Cybergenics Machine). Well, except that she disappears for a few hours a couple of times a week for some 'private time'.
Please remember, that telling me as GM about your plans, isn't the same as talking with any NPC that I run. As it stands now, the Team is in three different locations when we start.
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The Saturday before Easter is good for us here, so we are good for Saturday, April 16th for Episode 50. Tomorrow we will start on the following day from where we ended. The two prisoners were transferred to Elko. Teresa also went to Elko to get a Priority One finding against the two and begin enhanced interrogation. She has summoned some interrogation 'experts' who will arrive on Sunday to Elko. If your character has the interrogation skill, then you will want those characters with Teresa in Elko. Once these 'experts' arrive they will take over the interrogation.
The Swede will start in the Whyte Hat Field Hospital in Wells recovering from his wounds (he is in critical, but recovering well. 8-Ball (as raid leader) and Jamal (due to his high Forensics skill) will start at the site of the last battle as they finish up the situation reports. They will be finished on that first afternoon. Players get to pick where their other characters start. I would suggest one in each primary location (battle site, Wells or Elko).
Here is the known schedule of scheduled upcoming events:
Saturday, February 10, 2074: Enhanced interrogation of two prisoners from cannibal gang. Forces pull back from last battle site and return to base.
Sunday, February 11, 2074: Wells Militia’s 3rd Commando shows up to begin training and gets its arms and equipment issued to them. Enhance Interrogation Team shows up in Elko.
Monday, February 12, 2074: Full scale surveillance of Montello begins with 24 hour drone over watch. 8-Ball begins two week training session for 3rd Commando. Hidden signal repeaters are continued to be hidden up and down Interstate 80.
Thursday, February 15, 2074: Angel flies into Wells airport in the evening and gets briefed.
Friday, February 16, 2074: In the early am, Angel, Jamal along with Marshals Suárez and Law fly to Salt Lake City to pick-up the Marshals’ wasteland drifter van. They drive back thru Oasis and stop there. Jamal plays the compassionate doctor bring some supplies for the people there. Angel (as himself) is the master mechanic friend of the two ‘wasteland drifters’. Again, this is just a meet and make friends. Standard precautions will be taken.
Tuesday, February 20, 2074: Fortified, underground Command & Control Center finished at Wells Airport comes on line. Multiple computers come on line, but not linked nearly enough for AI creation. One for 3-D holographic map projection; another for main Virtual Control Center; last for predictive intelligence and situation analysis. There is a back-up for each system.
Friday, February 23, 2074: Whyte Hat Strategic Battle Mapper should have crunched all the accumulated local data, be calibrated and labeled dependable. It starts operation
Sunday, February 25, 2074: 3rd Commando finishes its training and is now active.
Monday, February 26, 2074: Third wave of reinforcements arrive in Wells. (This is the earliest possible date for arrival, it could change)
There are things NOT on this list that players have told me they want their characters to do. We will be going day by day tomorrow, so it will be players' responsibility to let me know when you want to do these actions. With the arrival of the third wave of reinforcements, the infantry company will be at full strength and many of the support troops will be on station. This will represent most of Whyte Hat's combat strength. The last reinforcement will occur just before Whyte Hat starts guarding convoys, but is mostly support personnel and equipment.
OK, this is where we stand now.
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7 hours ago, senior officer Mikael van Atta said:
Penny's situation is not being pressed on, because we aren't sure it was the Montello group who are behind her kidnapping. We do suspect. If we knew - 8-Ball would simply request to roll there in force - with enough men and guns to take the group down, if they don't surrender, and hopefuly enough to make them surrender to the Marshals.
This is the key point here. With the Voodoo Boyz there was no question who the enemy was and they had already tried to kill the Team on a couple of occasions. The 'intelligence' you received on the bandit situation in Elko County is as much as the Sheriff's department knows, but, as they stated, the situation is fluid and ever changing. There is NO hard evidence that the Montello Madmen kidnapped Penny, killed Hargrove's bodyguard and two of the three Patterson brothers. Marshal Suárez has called Washington to expedite the delivery of the first of your 'long loiter time' UAVs. This has been approved and the craft is scheduled for delivery this coming Monday (restart on Saturday). Your new drone command center isn't on-line yet and won't be for about another 10 days. For now everything is being run from your overtaxed Armadillo. Still, the new drone will give you immediate 24 hour surveillance capability on Montello (along with what you already have flying). This will allow you to calculate much about the Madmen's numbers, defenses and if there are civilians present. You might even catch them committing a crime or two that will give you pretext to act against them. Yes, the law is on your side here, but you can't afford a mistake that will turn the suspicious locals against you.
Once the Marshals have enough evidence, then Whyte Hat will be loosed to deal with them!
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Yes, since the Team is now working with three US Marshals, the "rules of engagement" are different from the previous game arcs. The first part had you working as bodyguards for an 'artist', who turned out to be international criminal. You continued on to work with her in South America (either that or face some Priority One charges in the USA). There you were, well, basically, cartel enforcers. You had the police in your pocket (for the most part), but still managed to come out of it, loved by the locals, since you didn't abuse your power. Back in Night City, the Team went into business for itself (or rather Mitzi) and helped pull your combat zone neighborhood up by being a model of self-reliance and building alliances. Now, you are, in a sense, trying to do the same thing for an entire county that is still in a state of collapse. Unlike in Night City, where you did work with the police, now and then, here in Nevada, you ARE the police. But unlike South Beach in Night City, most of the citizens of Elko County don't want you there. So far you have all played the political game well and are bringing many of the citizens around to seeing you as a solution rather than a problem. As GM, I have trolled situations by you, where you could have legally gone in 'heavy' to solve your problems. You have all shown cautiousness when warranted and been decisive when called for. My hat off to you all!
The Team has recognized that you must tailor your response to the situation and not to take what you see initially at face value. Marshal Law is very correct in that (at least he and Marshals Hunter and Suárez) have to 'play by the rules'. The last episode had you discover a particularly loathsome gang of wasteland cannibals, but only found that out after you shredded most of the gang. Marshal Suárez only authorized the action, because you had continuous drone footage of the gang hijacking a farm supply truck, murdering two of the men from that truck and then followed them back to their 'lair'. Still, when you closed in on them, Marshal Law was correct in identifying himself and calling for their surrender. Of course, we all knew they wouldn't, but it still had to be done. Kudos in taking some prisoners and turning them over to the county Sheriff.
With all the video evidence, the rescued survivor and prisoners turned in, there will be quite a bit publicity that is about to explode across, not only the Nevada media, but all across the country. Eyes will again be turning on you. Those in Elko County who wish you evil (and you have barely even scratched the surface on finding out who they are) are now aware of the serious threat Whyte Hat poses to their operations. Every successful operation will raise your local status a little, but a single misstep will cost you dearly.
So, all of this talk about carrying 'less than lethal' weapons is a good thing, but, now and then, you will face cyber-crazies that are beyond redemption and just need killing. The problem is telling them apart from basically descent people, who are suffering and desperate just to feed themselves. The Nomads at Oasis and that cannibal gang are just one example. Being the 'good guys' can be tough, because your opponents don't often (or never), play by the rules.
As to mounting a ranged taser as an underbarrel weapon, true, there is nothing in the game canon, but Angel could do it easily. Also, the company (Whyte Hat) has a number of paintball pistols and squirtguns filled with sleep (and other) drugs along with a couple of microwavers. Also, anyone can request and receive a silencer for a company weapon and probably any personal one. After 48 episodes, you have risen up from the street and are starting to get noticed by movers and power brokers. These people are starting to calculate you all in their plans (for good or ill). Whyte Hat are now the up and comers and beginning to get access to all the top gear. However, never forget, they higher you rise, the greater the (possible) fall!
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No problem at all. This will all straighten itself out for the April 2nd session. Come on when you can.
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A lot happened in Episode 47 last Saturday as clues to many of the issues plaguing Elko County came out. I realize it is difficult to keep them all straight. so here is a quick digest of some of what the Team learned.
Clues Discovered in Episode 47 to Elko County Situation
A – Initial Crime: Attempted Murder of Whyte Hat Advance Team on 12/22/73
On this day the first Whyte Hat team came to Wells, Nevada for an informal meeting with their local supporters and city officials. After a fruitful meetings with these officials, the Whyte Hat Team (8-Ball, Angel, Cossack and Jamal) returned to their motel rooms near the old Petro Travel Area. They were awaken by a phone call from a US Marshal Team, who was running a surveillance operation to take down a suspected smuggling operation. The brief firefight left all the attackers dead including a traitorous Elko County Deputy Sheriff and a corrupt Wells City Constable. They made a prisoner of Fang, the motel manager, who the Marshals had evidence connecting him to this unsuccessful attack on the Team. The Marshals immediately led the Team to overrun a former tire center warehouse across the street that housed some trucks and men involved in the smuggling operation. The Marshals knew about this since they had entered Wells as drivers (disguised as wasteland bandits) of one of the smugglers’ trucks.
Interrogation of Fang and one prisoner from the tire warehouse tipped them off to the incoming attack by the Jackpot Bandits. The Team also eventually learned that this incoming attack was intended to destroy the City of Wells infrastructure and make the town uninhabitable in the winter. This would have led to the collapse of the local government. Whyte Hat dispatched their hovercraft unit consisting of an up-gunned A-20 and a GMI Hover Transport with infantry squad for a speed run from Carson City to Wells in the middle of a blizzard. The two hovercraft struck the approaching bandit force with high speed attack runs. All enemy vehicles were captured or destroyed and the surviving attackers’ men fled into a second snow storm.
Further investigation discovered that a company named Lavil Mouri held the lease on the Petro Service Center, the old Intermountain Tire Center and motel complex where the Wells part of this conspiracy was located before Whyte Hat took over. The US Marshals ran the name through a translation program and discovered it was two words in Haitian Creole that meant: ‘Dead City.’ This company is registered in Panama whose laws keep the names of the owners a secret to all inquiries. The fact that the name is in Haitian Creole has led the Team to believe that the assassination may have a connection to the Voodoo Boyz of Night City. Perhaps they didn’t totally destroy that organization six months ago?
B – Assassination of Fang while in Police Custody on 1/22/74
The Elko County Sheriff’s Department and local DA conducted a ‘vigorous’ interrogation of the captured slaver (from the 12/22/73 incident) turned in by the US Marshals along with their damning evidence. He had little information of use and this questioning was followed by a quick execution. Fang, however, had spoken of against killing the Whyte Hat team before being threatened with death into agreeing to it. There was also no evidence that the manager knew anything about the slaving operation. In exchange for a fine, time served and a head start out of the county, Fang agreed to tell all he knew or overheard. On arrival at the county courthouse, he fell over dead (of course) from what turned out to be a virulent form of Bio-toxin 2 usually found in Central America and the Caribbean.
After a quick but thorough investigation by the US Marshals, the Elko County Sheriffs and local coroner, they discovered that Fang was poisoned by a prison guard named Kevin Smith, who had just left for his scheduled vacation in Reno. They contacted the Reno police and learned that Kevin Smith had passed away in his hotel room from what the Reno coroner concluded was a heart attack. Of course, neither the Marshals, the local sheriff or Whyte Hat believe it. The body was being sent to the dead man’s brother, Chris Smith, who also lives in Elko. When informed of the suspicious circumstances of his death, Chris Smith promised to hand over the body to local authorities to get to the bottom of his brother’s death.
This brother became furious when the body arrived and it had already been cremated! The Reno coroner produced a NET message (email) purportedly from Chris Smith to have this done. This message appeared (at first) to be legitimate. Neither the Team or Sheriff Johnson believed it, since both Kevin and Chris were (and are) practicing Mormons. While cremation isn’t officially banned by the Mormon Church, it is generally not done. The Team turned the message over to Samantha and her NET Runners from B&B Technologies. They traced the message to a small NET Café on Grand Cayman Island. This has led the Team to believe that perhaps their situation has attracted the attention of rich international players.
C – Attempted Shoot Down of the C-23 Transport Aircraft on 1/26/74
On this date Elko Transport’s C-23 had a scorpion AA missile fired at it while it was on approach from the east to the main runway of the Harriet Airport in Wells, Nevada. No one saw the launch, but the crew estimated it came from just off Interstate 80 about 3 to 5 miles east of Wells. This aircraft was a former military transport and not all of its government equipment had been taken off when it was sold to this ‘civilian’ company. In particular, it still maintained its military detection equipment, chaff, flares, ECM and EECM gear. The pilot’s excellent flying skills and anti-missile defenses spoofed the missile, but not before twisting Angel’s stomach. He was on board and blew lunch. Yes, a bit of a mess, but not death. 8-Ball immediately called up a reaction force and proceeded to head to the area where the AA missile was launched. After patrolling the road for a while, they saw no trails on the side of the highway leading away from the area of the suspected launch point. There was no further attempt to locate the people responsible, but air operations were altered to vary flight paths.
D - Kidnapping of “Pretty” Penny, the Murders of the Patterson Brothers and Fredrick Hargrove’s bodyguard / driver – 1/31/74
On the last day of January, the Team received a call from Captain Wilkins at the Wells Sheriff’s substation. A very angry man that had arrived in his expensive RV and was reporting the kidnapping of his young son’s nanny (Penny), murders of his bodyguard / driver and the Patterson brothers. These three brothers ran one of the small independent convoy guard services using a lightly armored ‘technical’ mounting an old Russian 14.5 caliber heavy machine gun. The brothers operated between Winnemucca and West Wendover, Nevada. 8-Ball, Jamal and Cossack immediately went to the Wells City Hall (where the Sheriff’s office is) to investigate the alleged crime and provide requested medical attention.
The attack took place at the interchange of Interstate 80 and Nevada 233 at the tiny town of Oasis. This is where the suspected bandit group, the Oasis Toll Collectors, operate out of. As the two vehicles exited the highway to by-pass the destroyed highway bridge, the Patterson brothers’ technical was blown off the road by “some kind of missile” fired from under the wrecked bridge. Heavily armed men leapt out to ambush the now stopped RV. Fredrick Hargrove, a wealthy executive from San Francisco, tells the police and Team that his young son’s nanny, Penny, gave the baby a small sedative and hid him in a disguised compartment before the attackers stormed inside. The bandits immediately shot the bodyguard dead, after he had surrendered, and tossed him out the door. These attackers immediately demanded that Hargrove turn over his child, who would be held for ransom. Somehow they knew he was traveling with his progeny. Apparently, the bandits were not aware that this was a young male child, so they immediately assumed that Penny, the nanny, was that ‘child’. When asked, Penny said, yes, she was Hargrove’s daughter in an effort to protect her young charge. Hargrove confirmed this after a light beating. The kidnappers gave the man an account number and told him to have €100,000 deposited in that account within 72 hours or they would sell his ‘daughter’ to people with a use for such a pretty young thing. The bandits then looted the RV and sent the man on his way in his now somewhat stripped vehicle.
While this man was clearly the victim of a somewhat heinous crime, it was equally clear that he was a total ‘dick!’. Although he could probably easily afford to ransom the young woman who had saved his young son from being kidnapped, he had no intention of paying anything. In fact, he expressed no interest in the young woman’s fate or to do anything about it. Hargrove was more outraged when Captain Wilkins declared his RV a ‘crime scene’ and said he would be holding on to it for a day or so, while his ‘crime scene techs’ examined it. He doesn’t have a CSI team of his own and turned the RV over to the US Marshals and the Team. A plane flies in to Wells the next day with a new nanny for his baby and four solos who are hired to drive the RV back to San Francisco. Hargrove flies out on that plane with the new nanny and his child and washes his hands of the situation and Penny’s fate.
The forensic examination of the RV reveals blood splatter (a lot) from the bodyguard and a little from Hargrove himself. It also reveals a lot of semen samples and other DNA evidence from both the nanny’s and Hargrove’s bedrooms indicating that the relationship between the two was probably more than employer and nanny. They also collected a lot of unidentifiable fingerprints in the RV. After a couple of days, the RV was turned over to the four hired solos and they drove the vehicle back to San Francisco. Captain Wilkins informs the Team that there are two things that bother him about this incident. One, the Oasis Toll Collectors are one of the least violent of the suspected bandit groups. They have never killed anyone and never waylay any vehicle with obvious armed escort, although he concedes they might have decided to up their game. And two, how did they know that Hargrove was traveling with his child, but didn’t know that the child was a male baby?
Regardless, this crime had to be investigated. The Team decided to run a single tractor trailer by Oasis on a mission to pick up supplies in Salt Lake City. An order for needed food and equipment was made to vendors in the Utah capital that would be picked up by his single truck. However, the trailer would also contain one of their elite Quick Reaction Force squads. Marshals Suárez and T. J. Law were flown in by AV (EEC Airjeep) a couple of miles behind the mountain southwest of Oasis. From there the two former Special Forces operators moved over the mountain in their winter survival gear to high ground just over a kilometer from the interchange at Oasis. The two set up their anti-material rifles (an M-90 and a Nomad Long Rifle, both ET) to cover the town and interchange. From there they observed the residents of Oasis.
On Thursday, February 1st the “Q-truck” with Whyte Hat troops ‘trolled’ through the interchange looking to get hijacked. A few miles away, again on the other side of a mountain, the EEC Airjeep waited with the rest of the Team in full combat gear to sweep in if there was trouble. No, there was no trouble. Yes, the residents of Oasis had weapons and lookouts, but didn’t really react to their tractor trailer combination. It was only some of the children who stood on a concrete barrier as the Team’s vehicle passed where they pumped their arms up and down to get them to blow the trucks airhorn. This Cossack did much to the youngsters delight. In fact, no vehicle that passed through was harassed or seemed to catch the local’s attention.
The following day the “Q-truck” returned with a load of supplies (mostly food and miscellaneous equipment), and rolled through Oasis and again. The only reaction was enthusiastic children looking for Cossack to blast his airhorn again, which he did. However, the Team did get to roll by where the Hargrove RV ambush took place and saw the blast marks of the destroyed technical of the Patterson brothers. There was evidence that the destroyed wreck had been dragged to a vehicle repair garage in the tiny town.
That evening the two Marshals on overwatch trudged back across the mountain and were picked up the next morning by the EEC Airjeep. What they observed wasn’t much of a bandit operation unless they were the laziest thieves either had every seen. Still, they must know something about what happened so it was decided to pay them a visit. Rolling in with their tanks and APCs was considered, but rejected as too heavy. Instead, Marshals J.J. Hunter and T. J. Law drove up in their new marked BMW 2073 (i.e., BMW 2020) driven by Cossack. When the residents of Oasis see the ‘cop’ vehicle approach, the children are rushed inside and the town goes on ‘alert’. A man is waiting in the road for them. He is unarmed except for a side arm. A few other let themselves be seen and they are armed with assault rifles at rest. Marshal Hunter gets out and tries to explain that they are here to investigate the recent hijacking of the RV, but is met with derision by the man standing in the road. He expressed his anger (screams) at J.J. that the government only cares about the ‘rich fat cats’ that ‘own’ the Feds. As to whatever happened at the interchange, they didn’t see anything, they don’t care what happened and the Marshals (or any law enforcement) are NOT welcome here! The man ended his tirade with (the current RL Ukrainian response of) “Go fuck yourself!”
Needless to say, Marshal Hunter wasn’t pleased, but did leave. On returning to Wells, she sent a message to the DA and County judge in the City of Elko that she would be there on Monday to get an arrest warrant for everyone in the Town of Oasis (about 20+ people). On Monday, her request for a warrant was laughed out of court, although the judge and the DA didn’t actually laugh in her face. Without any evidence that the people of Oasis had been involved in the kidnapping, there would be no warrant. Being rude and uncooperative with the police isn’t much of a crime in Elko County. Both the judge and the DA want physical evidence: a video of them hijacking or killing someone would do.
When they returned to Wells, the Team decided on a new plan. The three Marshals came to Wells with two driving one of the slavers’ tractor trailer trucks while the third drove their ‘wasteland motorhome’ (an old rebuilt New American Drifter). Their rebuilt Drifter has been kept inside Whyte Hat’s vehicle garage (the old Intermountain Tire warehouse) so it hasn’t been seen with Whyte Hat. Marshal Hunter has been seen by the residents of Oasis, but Marshal Law was in the back seat behind tinted armor glass, so was unseen. On Tuesday, February 6thMarshals Suárez and Law will done their wasteland nomad garb along with Dr. Jamal Hemings, who will be their new ‘package’ that the doctor has hired to escort him to Salt Lake City. They will rig the ‘Drifter’ to have engine trouble and stop at the garage in Oasis for repairs. Of course, if they are a bandit group, there will probably be a fight, but instead of facing a civilian doctor with two scruffy bodyguards they will face three highly trained former Special Forces operators. Also, drone operators, who just arrived in Wells, will bring down a circling Militech PRV-400 Tiltrotor dripping with missiles and a 12.7mm chaingun. The EEC Airjeep with 5 Team members along with a Yakurichi-Ural BTR-15 APC and its Quick Reaction Force squad will be nearby (out of sight and sound) and will be able to arrive in a few minutes.
However, the hope is that these people are lacking on medical support and with the children they have seen, the Marshal’s and Jamal will be able to trade medical services for repairs. Maybe they can glean some information about this group and even learn something about what happened with the kidnapping of Penny, the nanny. Either way, friendly contact can hopefully be developed and the Team can get a better understanding of this group.
We will meet again this coming Saturday and either make friendly contact or have a big shoot out. Who knows what?
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It is true that we are moving three weeks ahead from where we ended when the first of Whyte Hat's forces arrived in Wells. I was going to cover this time during Saturday's upcoming Episode 47. However, by sharing the aerial video of your battle (and victory) against the Jackpot Bandits with the public along with Mitzi's actions in regard to the Chamber of Commerce and the repairs to the city's infrastructure, you have succeeded in bringing around most everyone in town to at least "give you all a chance". By hiring many of the town's unemployed, this has further endeared you to the people of Wells. You still have many more of your people coming and that will bring new challenges in your relationship with the townsfolk. Of course, this won't necessarily be bad, but only time will tell. As I have stated before, only Luther's has "banned" your men (and women). None of Roy Batty's other businesses have done so. In fact, most have been very welcoming to Whyte Hat (and their money).
Over these three weeks, you have been able to clear the snow off the streets of Wells and the airport. More importantly, you have also cleared the snow off Interstate 80 from about Deeth to the Pequop Mountains which is where the other towns have cleared to. Also, by clearing the snow off the roads north and south on US 93 to where the operating ranches are, you have earned a small amount of respect from the very independent ranchers. So, when we start this Saturday, you haven't had any 'local troubles'.
Now, as to Interstate 80, there is some traffic on the road. You also learn that there are a few people who make their living as armed escorts on that highway for those who can afford their fees. These 'escort services' usually consist of a single or maybe two vehicles. There is a couple of regular armored vehicles, but most are up armored pick-up trucks with a heavy weapon. They generally operate in the Spring, Summer and Fall, but some are seen in the winter. They never stop in Wells as you don't sell fuel yet. Captain Wilkins will also tell you that there are rumors that some of these 'guardians' do the occasional hijacking, but never when they have been hired by a client. He stresses these are just rumors and his department's investigations have never uncovered any evidence that this is true. Of course, all of the cases involved cases where all of the victims were killed and their vehicles destroyed by (possibly) heavy weapons fire. It is his opinion that these rumors could be encouraged by these 'guardians' themselves so travelers will employ them rather than risk being attacked by them. He only mentions this in the spirit of full disclosure. Personally, he doesn't think these rumors are true.
So, this is where you stand when we start on this Saturday. The next arrival of Whyte Hat forces is scheduled to arrive on Febrary 1st, but they are trying to be ready to arrive a few days earlier than that. FYI, since the arrival of your up-gunned A-20 Panzer with the name 'Dacian Wolf' painted on it and your two hover vehicles ripping apart the Jackpot Raiders, many citizens of Wells have started to refer to your whole unit as the 'Dacian Wolves'.
OK, talk with you all at game time!
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Some quick answers here:
2 hours ago, TigerGuard said:1 ) I formally request that when the artillery piece we confiscated is operational, we paint Luperscal's Long Gun on the gun shield.
The Krupp 75 you captured has no gun shield at this point, but one could easily be made and mounted. This is well within Angel's skill set. As to naming it Luperscal's Long Gun, sure, great name!
2 hours ago, TigerGuard said:2 ) @SnowynI would like Whyte Hat to present a formal list to the town council (and any of the prominent citizens who attend such meetings) of businesses which are off limits to all of our employees and those businesses who are willing to accept our patronage. Such a presentation should come with a week or two week grace period for the information to be disseminated amongst the town and thus give them a chance to move their business from one list to the other, should they so choose. I do not want any of our people being arrested for going in to one of Roy Batty's establishments, and I would like the town, and it's leaders, to understand we will operate on a level of respect of asking permission instead of forgiveness.
Maybe I am not understanding this, but Whyte Hat can't hand people a list of businesses their people are banned from or welcome at. Only those businesses can request (public businesses are open to the public and can't discriminate) that your people don't enter. Besides, only Luther's Sports Bar and Grill has 'requested most emphatically' your soldiers don't enter their premises. Roy Batty owns quite a number of businesses and hasn't banned your troops from any of this stores or other businesses. Your men (and women) have been welcomed into Roy's Market and every other business in town. Talk to @Snowyn about this on Saturday.
2 hours ago, TigerGuard said:3 ) In the Wells Sourcebook I see that the Tire Center located alongside our burgeoning home is known for "NOT asking questions" about the damaged vehicles they tend, but I do not see that business in the list, or an indication of who owns/operates it. If I've overlooked that info can someone please direct me to it? If it has been omitted, I would like to move quickly to discern the who part of that question.
Obviously I was not clear. but during Episode 46 when you went across the street from the motel and freed the slaves in the truck, captured one of the kidnappers (killed the other), confiscated the fuel truck and the truck of supplies, that was the Tire Center you are asking about. It is now the vehicle repair garage for Whyte Hat. It was leased to another legal entity, Lavil Mouri Repairs, whose contract on the building ended on December 31st of this year. Whyte Hat's lease began on January 1st. The Elko County Sheriff's Department is investigating that organization. When we begin the next episode Marshal Suárez (and any PCs who wish) will be heading to the City of Elko to interrogate Fang, the Motel Manager. He hasn't been executed since he actually didn't try to kill or kidnap anyone. Yes, he is facing a few charges, but has agreed to tell all he knows to lighten his sentence.
2 hours ago, TigerGuard said:4 ) I would like to suggest a business to business overture to both Great Basin Beverage and the 333 Ranch to attempt to come to an arrangement for monthly purchases from both. If we can agree to buy enough beverages from Great Basin to cover what they have been losing to bandit raids, perhaps they'll let us put up some observation cameras along their perimeter to extend our eyes. And if the Ranch is willing to make a sale to us once a month, that could go a long way toward keeping morale up amongst our people is they would have fresh food once a month.
The Whyte Hat commissary is already buying from Great Basin Beverage. Whyte Hat's plans are to ring the town with a sensor grid as it is. Those designing this defense grid don't want anyone to know where these sensors are located so that would preclude talking about putting up cameras there to the Great Basin Beverage people. As to speaking with the 333 Ranch to buy food supplies, that will have to be done in game as you haven't met those people yet. Good idea though!
3 hours ago, TigerGuard said:5 ) We had talked of making some sort of opportunity out her for the Knowles sisters - are we leaving them to their own devices to find a path forward? Are they operating a restaurant within the Petro station grounds, or will that entire area be restricted to duty personnel and therefor inconvenient for an actual business? I remember they said they did not want to be the mess hall for our organization, but I do not know if more has been discussed now that we have so much more information on the city.
Look at this from Mary Knowles' point of view. She has gone from being a prisoner of a psychotic booster gang to having a lovely apartment above her very successful restaurant in a (now) moderate zone. She is taking care of her sister, Kathleen, who has finally come out of her shell and is doing well in a very good school. The young sister did suffer a setback when Suzy was arrested and imprisoned. The two had become very close, but the girl has recovered and is again doing well. Why would Mary want to move to a (pardon my French) "poor, shit hole, little town" in the middle of nowhere without a functioning school? The sisters' story isn't over by any means. Kathleen will never be happy working in a restaurant and is constantly training with Jake. She will come knocking on Whyte Hat's door someday
As to T.J.'s suggestion of taking over the old Post Office, yes, that was always in Marshal Suárez's plans. She intends to wait until Whyte Hat is closer to full strength in Wells. She also wants to do this with the blessings of the City Council. To earn that, her plan is to hunt down the bandits that are plaguing the area. As to blasting the Star Spangled Banner, an interesting idea and fun idea, but for the fact it is in a very nice, upscale (for Wells) residential neighborhood, next door to the Wells Library and about 1000 feet from the Te-Moak Wells Colony.
To elaborate on when we start next episode, it will be Sunday, January 21, 2074. That day the Elko Transport C-23 will be heading from Wells to the City of Elko where they will drop off Marshal Suárez and those who wish to interview (interrogate) Fang, the motel manager. From there the C-23 heads to Reno and finally Night City where it will drop off Angel for his school week. The plane will return to Wells on Friday, January 26, 2074 with supplies and Angel.
You should note that the second platoon will be arriving the following week. Their quarters in the motel will be ready.
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In response to the request for information on the Elko County bandits, Sheriff Johnson provides you with the following information.
The First Elko County Bandit Report from Sheriff Johnson
The situation in Elko County isn’t just simply that it is full of criminals, because this just isn’t the situation. True, there are a large number of wasteland crazies out there, but most of these so-called “bandit groups” are just plain folk with no other means to feed their families and survive. The Collapse forced the Federal government to abandon much of their responsibilities to many states, which while a blow to the people of Elko County didn’t surprise many as their trust in the Feds wasn’t very high anyway. Then the new Free State government also tossed them away as they concentrated on Nevada’s gaming and entertainment industry to bring them through those dark times. However, once a small measure of recovery had been achieved, Carson City just continued to ignore this part of the state. The only state agency that remained was a small Nevada Border Patrol station in West Wendover on the Utah state line. The attention of this station was fixed on people and cargo coming into the state, and not in keeping any sort of order in Nevada itself. With no outside help coming from anywhere, people watched what little traffic that was on the highway and decided that ‘procuring’ some of that wealth passing through their area was the only way to survive.
The groups that prey on Elko County and the rest of the so-called Outback can be roughly divided into three types. The first are just small groups of desperate people with no prospects of work or gainful employment. These people are not particularly vicious and usually just rob the occasional traveler to provide for their families. Sometimes these groups grow into a more organized criminal organizations and get involved in large scale operations of robbery, slave taking and kidnapping. The third basic group are often referred to as Raffin Shiv and/or Wasteland Raiders. These groups have descended into savagery and often commit the heinous crimes against their victims. They view themselves as the new barbarians taking down the corrupt ‘New Rome’ (America) and creating a purer, free world; that is if they even bother to justify their actions at all.
It is hard to keep track of these groups as many form, merge, fall apart or are destroyed by other bandit groups. Many of these groups, especially the more vicious ones, are cannibalistic in the sense that they fight among themselves and destroy each other. Although there are unconfirmed reports that some have descended to literal cannibalism.
Known Major Organized Groups
Desert Devils (actually in Eureka County)
This infamous group of Raffin Shiv is the largest and most well-armed group of that type in Nevada. They are actually located near the town of Alpha in Eureka County. It is rumored that they have an alliance or have bribed the corrupt Sheriff of Eureka County. These Raffin Shiv never attack any resident targets in Eureka County and only attack convoys moving along US 50 that have refused to pay the local sheriffs to escort them across that county. This group mostly concentrates their raids on areas to the south and southwest of Eureka County, which is why the Free State government is finally getting concerned about them. Still, smaller raiding parties do hit Interstate 80 between Carlin and Battle Mountain often after some Eureka County Sheriffs have detained any protection the convoys have hired on spurious charges. This is why you will be guarding the convoys all the way to Battle Mountain and have US Marshals working with you. As you have suspected the Desert Devils also hire themselves out to any (including major corporations) to do “dirty deeds”.
This is the most heavily armed group in the state. Besides 500 to 600 fighters they also have 4 actual tanks: These are a M-1E1 Super Abrams, a (many times rebuilt) T-72, a Militech MBT-4 and a Militech M-75 Light Tank. They have never committed their M-1E1 Super Abrams to anything but defense of their holding near Alpha. This may be due to a lack of spare parts, but definitely that fuel for its turbine engine is so hard to come by. These vehicles are rarely ever sent far from home. This is probably due to their lack of a tank recovery vehicle. This is the only group in Elko County that is known to have an air wing. It consists of 4 small light planes. These are mostly used for reconnaissance, but all are armed and can drop (dumb) bombs.
Jackpot Raiders
Sheriff Johnson doesn’t know much about the Jackpot raiders. Exactly who, if anyone, is in charge there is unknown. Groups from Idaho came down and looted the town years ago. Over the years people trickled back in until finally a group of traveling bandits (Nomads or Raffin Shiv depending on who you ask) rebuilt one of the casinos, a brothel and other ruined entertainment centers there. They turned it into a poor man’s Arcadia with no holds barred blood sports, gambling and hunting ‘safaris’ where humans are your prey. As such they ignored the rest of Elko County and drew most of their business from Idaho. The recent overthrow of the former fascist Idaho state government led to many of the wanted enforcers of that disgraced regime fleeing there. (see the Schwarze Jäger below).
After that change of administrations in Idaho, Jackpot started to become more of a problem for the Elko Sherriff’s Department. This is when the attacks in the Wells area began to become very serious. By then traffic on Interstate 80 had shrunk to a trickle. It soon became apparent that high jacking wasn’t their primary concern. The City of Wells was their target. The previous raid before the Team arrived to crush the current assault ended with much of Well’s infrastructure destroyed, looted and carried off to Jackpot.
Montello Madmen
Up until recently most people believed that Montello was destroyed and abandoned after the last raid overran it. It is now known that the raiders stayed (or returned) and have taken the town as their own. This group is classified as Raffin Shiv by the Elko Sherriff’s Department. They aren’t considered too much of threat to the rest of Elko County as they generally attack targets in Utah and then flee back over the border. It is suspected they have an alliance with The Oasis Toll Collectors (see below).
Snake Nation Reservation (Goshute Reservation in White Pine County in Nevada and Tooele County, Utah)
This is a curious place in that it is a federally recognized tribal reservation (honored by both the Nevada and Utah Free State governments). During the Collapse many of the reservations inhabitants joined the Nomad movement. When these families and bands returned to the reservation they brought many of their new Nomad allies from the Snake Nation with them. These groups have intermarried to the point that the many of these Nomads have a large percentage of Goshute and/or Shoshone blood. Many of the Snake Nation groups have adopted Native American ways and often identify with that culture rather than mainstream America. In the Nomad world this reservation serves as a way station for Snake Nation Nomads. While the residents don’t usually bother traffic in Elko County, there have been reports of attacks against Petrochem vehicles.
As a note this is where the Aguinaldo Family is located (Ramón and his sisters along with their extended family members). Fawkes’ family are an agricultural group that specializes in water management in arid environments and hydroponics.
Trade Town (Shanty Town)
This extremely well-fortified settlement located at the southern edge of the county is a trade and rest center for many groups in Elko and surrounding counties. It also maintains a local standard town government, but unlike the town of Halleck, which is recognized by the Elko County Commissioners, Trade Town is considered an illegal operation and criminal organization. It was Trade Town that reportedly shot down the only helicopter owned by the Elko County Sheriff’s Department. This wasn’t done by a missile, but rather with a large, possibly radar controlled gun. This settlement has fortified walls and minefields covering all approaches. Besides possessing a well-armed defense force, there are often many nomad and bandit groups visiting to do business. The local Raffin Shiv do business here and, although other Nomad Nations hunt Raffin Shiv, the town enforces peace between the two groups in their area of control.
The resident townspeople don’t usually engage in raids, robbery and other banditry, but provide a place for groups who do to unload their loot and get supplies. The favorite form of entertainment there are the blood sport games held about once a week. There is also a rumored slave market although Trade Town officials deny it. Nomad groups tolerate this place since most legitimate towns in the area don’t trust any Nomads (officially) and see no difference between them and the Raffin Shiv.
Visigoth Motorcycle Club
This band of motorcycle “enthusiasts” live in and control the small town of Halleck just south of Interstate 80 about half way between the cities of Elko and Wells. Almost the entire town’s population belongs to, are related to someone in or friends with the bikers. The gang scrupulously maintains their town “government” with a magistrate, town clerk and a constable (the club’s Warlord). The primary concern of the club and town is (reputedly) smuggling although they have been rumored to hijack an occasional truck or two.
Known Minor Organized Bandit Groups
Ghosts of Numaga
These are a group of Northern Paiute tribesmen from the wastes of the northwestern part of the county who blame both the Free State and Federal government for the wretched conditions of the local reservations and are taking the fight to the ‘white man’. They take their name from Numaga, the great Paiute War Chief, who fought the Pyramid Lake Wars back in the 19th century. It is a very small group and aren’t much of a threat in Elko County. They depend of their brothers and sisters in the Duck Valley Reservation for support. As such rarely raid in Elko, and keep their attacks centered on the State of Idaho, Humboldt and Eureka Counties in Nevada.
Oasis Toll Collectors
This small group occupies the remains of the Town of Oasis which lies at the intersection of Interstate 80 and NV 223. The overpass on which Interstate 80 passes over has been destroyed forcing passing traffic to use the exit and entrance ramps to bypass the now missing Interstate roadway bridge. They stop any vehicle that looks like they can extort for cash or goods in the form of a ‘toll’. They aren’t a particularly vicious group. They don’t even attempt to stop large or well protected trucks or convoys, so they are not a threat to any convoy that Whyte Hat will be guarding.
Schwarze Jäger (Black Hunters)
This group of psychotic Nazi bastards is made up of former enforcers of the old fascist regime of Idaho who fled the state after that government was overthrown. They take their name from the nickname of the old SS Dirlewanger Brigade which was led by convicted criminal Oskar Dirlewanger, a sexual sadist. This unit was responsible for numerous atrocities in Eastern Europe including the massacres that followed the Warsaw Uprising and Slovak National Uprising in 1944. They are known to visit Jackpot for ‘rest and recreation’ and are said to have a lair east of that town. This group is loathed by the Native Americans of the Duck Valley Reservation. It has been said that the Native Americans informed Jackpot that they would hold them responsible for any attack by the Schwarze Jäger on them after one particularly savage raid. Under threat of being banned from the only town that would supply them, they have stayed away from the local reservations. Although they do occasionally raid into Elko County, most of their attacks are aimed at Idaho.
Small Bandit Groups
The Elko County Sheriff estimates there are about 20 small bands of raiders scattered across the county. Half are located north of Interstate 80 and half south of that route. These groups appear and disappear with great regularity. They join together, fight and break apart regularly. Many are just plain folk who have no other means of surviving, but others are the archetypical wasteland crazies who commit horrifying atrocities to their victims. They generally don’t stay in any permanent location so they are hard to keep track of.
Local Air Pirates
Geronimo’s Flying Circus
This collection of air pirates is based somewhere in the Apache lands of Arizona. They are a mixture of propeller driven and small jet aircraft that force down cargo zeppelins or slow moving transport planes. They do stray into Nevada airspace from time to time, but are more of a threat in the southern part of Nevada, but are known to have alliances with ground based raiders in Nevada. Their main threat to Whyte Hat is that they do serve as mercenaries for anyone with money and fuel.
The Luftwaffe
These are renegades from the Idaho Air National Guard, who claim they are attempting to restore the rightful (fascist) government in Idaho. They are actually just a group of greedy bandits that are furious that they have lost their favored place in the old corrupt government. It isn’t a large group, but their aircraft are all fairly modern military aircraft. Again, they are for hire and unlike some in Geronimo’s Flying Circus, they are all experienced combat pilots. For enough money they would strafe their own mothers’ house.
This information is from the point of view of the Elko County Sheriff's Department. It is all true as far as they know, but there could be difference between this and what actually is true. Any differences is the result of bad intelligence and/or an honest mistake. I hope you all find this useful in your planning. As of now, I am planning the (in game) start date for Episode 47 to be January 22, 2074. This will be about three weeks after when we ended. In that time, Whyte Hat has been constructing their new base as well as working on repairing the City of Wells damaged infrastructure. Saving the city from the Jackpot Raiders along with Mitzi having Whyte Hat join the local Chamber of Commerce and her wonderful speech to them, the city's business leaders are coming around to giving you all a chance to make good on your promises. Mitzi's hiring program in Wells to assist in building your new headquarters and repairs to the city itself has cut local unemployment by 50% already. All of this adds up to an excellent start in winning over the previously hostile citizenry.
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Yes, the Wells Militia and its commanders will need some work to bring them around, if that's possible. You all have a good start in earning the trust of the rank and file of the militia. Mitzi makes sure that everyone in town sees the video of Cossack's hovercraft attack on the approaching Jackpot bandits. By putting the attackers old .75mm Krupp gun on display at your base, not even your biggest critics can deny your victory. That gun blasted the town during the previous raid by Jackpot. The importance of the capture of that gun can't be underestimated.
Turning over the weapons that you captured has improved the armament of the local militia. Below is about how well they are armed now.
The Wells, Nevada Militia
The Wells Militia is divided into three sub-units, each commanded by one of the town constables. They train, if you can call it that, once a month during the months of April, June, July, August & October. These ‘training sessions’ are little more than some marching drills, a little shooting practice depending on how much ammunition each member brings because the town doesn’t supply any, followed by a cookout and much alcohol consumption. Needless to say, the militia is rather ineffective and fairly pathetic.
One of the main reasons for this (besides their lack of training and discipline) is the fact that each of the three constables have complete control of their own unit and only have to follow Chief Constable Renshaw’s orders when an emergency is declared by the mayor. This was instituted to prevent any constable to command the militia and threaten the city government. This almost happened during the Collapse as the Chief Constable at the time tried to take over the town to “save it”, but was assassinated by an unknown individual with a long range rifle shot.
Chief Constable Walter Renshaw: This man is descended from one of the first families to settle Wells, Nevada. He owns a good deal of land outside of town where his family’s ranch used to be, but that stopped operating years ago and the buildings have been burned and looted. He is in to his early seventies and some believe his age is effecting his thinking processes. His “1st Battle Commando” (his name for the militia’s organizational command set up), has most of the best weapons and men. He subdivides his Commando into two equal sections. As to his lack of military experience, he claims to have read many books on it and besides, many of the country’s top generals in the American Revolutionary War weren’t trained and they beat the British Empire! At first, he was completely opposed to Whyte Hat’s presence in town, but the repelling of the Jackpot raiders has brought him into the “I’ll give them chance camp”. Still, he won’t listen to any suggestions or changes in the militia.
Constable Kevin Hathaway: He is the #2 constable and as such commands the 2nd Battle Commando. His training consists of instruction from Constable Renshaw and reading a few books from the older man’s library. He seems like a good man, but perhaps not the ‘sharpest tool in the shed’. He supports Chief Constable Renshaw in all his pronouncements.
Constable William Humphries: This man is the new constable to replace the late Constable Hooper, who you killed when he tried to assassin ate the Team on the night of their arrival in Wells, NV. He is another descendent of one of the first families of Wells. He has only recently returned to Wells after serving 12 years in the Nevada National Guard. State cutbacks forced his retirement at the rank of first sergeant. Although many others wanted the constable position, his experience and deep roots in the community carried the day. Although Chief Constable Renshaw favored another candidate, he is happy with William’s selection. Along with his new position, the new constable has inherited command of the 3rd Battle Commando, which is the smallest and most poorly armed.
Structure of the Wells MilitiaThis unit is poorly organized, but Chief Constable Renshaw refuses to make changes. He really doesn’t has much authority to do so. Since the take-over attempt years ago by a former Chief Constable, each Battle Commando only has to follow orders from Renshaw if the mayor declares a State of Emergency. Other than that, the three formations are responsible for their own gear and training except on during one of the five scheduled yearly drill days. It is an extremely poor arrangement, but no one in town knew better when they set it up. Up to now the constables’ personal petty jealousies prevent any changes to the militia structure as a whole.
The donation of the eight long guns, one pistol and two mono knives to the militia has served the Team well since many in the militia weren’t happy with your presence, but have now come around to give you a chance. The news of the content of Mitzi’s speech to the local Chamber of Commerce has also warmed, not only the chamber, but also the militia members. Below is the structure of each of the militia commandos. Each of the constables is armed with a Militech Ronin, a handgun and a nightstick of some type. Cyberware is very rare out here, but a precious few have some old cyberlimbs or skinweave (usually damaged). As far as personal armor goes, there are a few with armored jackets and pants, but again these are usually damaged and/or heavily worn. There are also a couple of members of the militia that have some old night vision goggles, but for the most part, they are blind at night.
Table of Organization
1st Commando – 30 troops plus Chief Constable Renshaw
1st Section – 15 troops armed with:
3x Militech Ronins
2x M-16A’s
8x Large Caliber Hunting Rifles
2x Shotguns
2nd Section – 15 troops armed with:
2x Militech Ronins
3x M-16A’s
7x Large Caliber Hunting Rifles
3x Shotguns
2nd Commando – 30 troops plus Constable Hathaway
1st Section – 15 troops armed with:
1x FN-FAL
1x Styr AUG
3x Large Hunting Rifles
5x Shotguns
5x Small caliber rifles (squirrel guns)
2nd Section – 15 troops armed with:
1x AK 74
1x Militech M-10 .45 SMG
3x Large Hunting Rifles
5x Shotguns
5x Small caliber rifles (squirrel guns)
3rd Commando – 20 troops under Constable Humphries
1st Section – 10 troops armed with:
2x Large Hunting Rifles
2x Shotguns
6x Small caliber rifles (squirrel guns)
2nd Section – 10 troops armed with:
1x Large Hunting Rifle
2x Shotguns
7x Small caliber rifles (squirrel guns).
More information will be on the way over the next couple of days.
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I have been busy this week preparing sort of small Source Book (well, more like a Source Pamphlet) on the City of Wells. The Gazetteer for Elko County I posted earlier has a lot of information, but what I heard was the need for more detail of who's who, what kind of businesses and services are available in Wells. It turned out to be a bigger project than I had anticipated, but it is just about done now. I did want to answer a few of these questions above before I send everyone a copy and straighten out a few misconceptions the players may have. Also, while I do have a basic plan of events for this arc, I want to let the Team direct some of how and where the Team will act to achieve the mission goals. I have Snowyn's plans for her characters, and they are very much in agreement with many things you have suggested. She is preparing some more details on what she wants, so I wanted to give everyone a chance to expand on some of their plans. I should be able to send everone the 'Wells Source Pamphlet' in a couple of days. It will have a more comprehensive list of the City of Wells existing businesses and its leading citizens. For now, let me correct a few misconceptions.
Your archery hunting lessons will go off as you planned and I will assign you training points in that when I decide on the game date of the start of Episode 47. Tom Harris, the tribal policeman from the Wells Colony also has the name 'Standing Buffalo', but everyone just calls him Tom or Officer Harris. At your last (in game) meeting, he told you, just call him Tom. Referring to him as 'Sitting Bull', he would probably take as 'insensitive' at best and an insult at worse. Sitting Bull (or Tȟatȟáŋka Íyotake) was a holy man and war leader of the Hunkpapa Lakoda, a band of the Teton Sioux of the Great Plains, which is located several hundred miles to the east of where Wells is. Also, Wells in located in what is known as the Great Basin, a very different ecological area. Of course there is no reason that you, as a player, would know this, but your character might. 8-Ball has always done his research about such things, ever since the Russian - Ukrainian language error, so this is FYI and 8-Ball didn't make that error.
Officer Harris would respond to your request for instruction on Shoshone language and culture with a bit of skepticism. You not only have to deal with his local bias against outsiders, but also his Native American distrust of the motives of white men who claim to be here to help. Unfortunately, the history of the American government's constant violations of their treaties with the Native Americans means your words mean little and only your actions (over time) will impress him. He doesn't say no to your request and tells you he will ask around. Your defense of the town didn't impress the local tribal band as much as the other townspeople. The Te-Moak of the Wells Colony aren't ever raided by Jackpot bandit groups because Jackpot is in close proximity to the Duck Valley Reservation with its several thousand heavily armed Shoshone and Northern Paiute inhabitants. They are a different band than the local Te-Moak Shoshone, but they will come to their aid. Several extinct bandit groups learned this to their demise and the other bandit groups learned this lesson. In regard to eventually contacting the other tribes in the area, yes, going through Tom Harris and the other Wells Colony leaders would be the right approach when the weather changes.
In regard to the Visigoths MC, any interaction with them will have to be done in game, but the above information will give me a place to start preparing that encounter.
Yes, the town of Jackpot and its denizens will need some watching. You have denied them most of their wintertime transport and totally kicked their asses. For now, they probably aren't much of a threat until all the snow melts. Almost half of the survivors of the raid who fled north died of exposure on the way home.
As to Wells itself:
Yes, Mia would definitely move to Wells to teach in the school there, if Whyte Hat and the City can figure out a way to open the schools and solve their current physical plant problems. I am working on listings for housing available in own for purchase; the Wells Source Book will have listings for rental apartment complexes in the City. There will be places that the characters can afford to rent or buy.
In regards to the town militia, when you approach Captain Paul Wilkins, the head of the local sheriff's substation, you learn that he has NO control or authority over the town militia. The chief Constable of Wells commands the local militia. It is divided into three (roughly) equal sections, each commanded by one of the three constables. Captain Wilkins introduces you to him, but the chief constable, who is NOT the most savvy individual, is insulted by you approaching the chief deputy sheriff before him. The man does express his thanks for the raiders' weapons that you turned over to the militia, listens to your ideas and says he will consider them (forever).
As to acquiring the gear you suggest, there is no way the town or its inhabitants can afford it. I would point out that Whyte Hat has a huge stockpile of scavenged weapons in Night City. (I will send you a list later) Marshal Suárez will tell you that the marshal's service won't arm civilians with any weapons. She is ex-C.I.A. and will tell you the Agency wasn't happy that she resigned and joined the USMS, so her contacts there are 'burned'. She will express her opinion that the Agency is "a heartless group of son-of-a-bitches" and adds "she's not". (OK, I paraphrased that from the movie, Congo) The marshal is all business and not very social. She does spend a lot of time working with chief deputy Paul Wilkins, but they clearly still have issues between them and don't like each other. However, since your command position in Whyte Hat necessitates your attendance for some of these meetings, you do notice that Wilkins does steal the occasional admiring glimpse of the young woman's ass. Both law enforcement officers are professionals and don't let personal feelings get in the way of the job at hand.
When I decide the in game date of the next episode, I will give you how much Angel has learned about the infrastructure needs of the city. Right now most of that Techs efforts has to be directed at getting the facilities at the old Petro Travel Center, where your troops are currently located, up and running.
Enough for now, everyone shoot me your ideas and questions. Until later!
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Quick answer; yes, its a small town. When you admit you are a novice hunter, the people even get helpful. Bow hunting is actually safer out here as it is quieter than a gun, because it doesn't attract bandits or rancher militia. Eventually 8-Ball gets referred to a retired hunting guide and bow-hunter. He says he can take 8-Ball out for 4 or 5 weeks of Archery lessons. If he sees some improvement, he will introduce 8-Ball to a local rancher who might let him hunt on his land. This local man is clearly looking to figure the solo out.
Now, as to the next episode, you have earned at least a 'month and a half' of no serious issues, but by February there will be something that needs the Team's attention. This small city has many problems Power is usually derived from solar panels (with batteries) and/or wind turbines. There are many excellent small designs. Wells used to have both the turbines and solar panels enough to power the town. Only the larger municipal buildings needed ore power than the town had or could afford until the previous Jackpot raid.
There are a number of houses that are for sale or rent in the city. There is also a program that allows confiscated homes to be purchased at a discount with the promise t live there and NOT to sell for at least two years. Also, 8-Ball and Cossack learn that the city is going to try to reopen the schools this spring. They are looking for teachers. Both Mia and Celestine are qualified as teachers (at least in Nevada). The pay sucks (just like in real life), but couples buying a discounted confiscated property have a better chance of being accepted than single people; FYI.
As to who in Whyte Hat are going to Wells, NV: 8-Ball, Cossack, Jamal, the Swede, Jesse Wayne (TigerGuard's new 'Combat Buddy') and (eventually) Angel. Mitzi will be around a lot also. Most of these characters will be working in direct support of the US Marshals: Teresa Suárez, J.J. Hunter and T.J. Law.
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Yes, you could haul the GevHog in later.
If you want to buy a Fanmaster, then that will have to be a personal purchase.
As I am pushing the character sheets six months ahead, I have 8-Ball continuing to teach Valerie. A few months into this 'blue booking' break, Mia will ask you for some weapons training. Its not that she is going towards being combat oriented character, but being skilled in fighting are good survival skills being around the Team. Your 'Ladies Defense Classes' continued over this period, so you have at least a 2 in Teaching, if not more. I am working on your sheet over the next two days.
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What Mikael is describing here is the only way to acquire the Teaching skill, besides starting with it (most characters I create for myself usually have a Level 1 skill in Teaching at least). In the above example, the trainee is actually self-teaching this skill and the "teacher" is merely providing the source material to learn. Each "lesson" like this earns the trainee a single IP in the skill he/she wants (Pilot: Hover in this case) and the 'teacher' also gets 1 IP. It would take 5 weeks to gain a skill in this matter if you have the maximum of two lessons a week.
There will be only two company hovercraft. The Militech A-20 Panzer and the GMI HoverTransport both have full crews (Cossack in the A-20, but there is another skilled pilot when he is busy. The GMI HoverTransport already has an experienced crew. With the exception of the A-20 (who has a PC tank commander), these vehicles are not available to Team members to drive. If Cossack wants to bring and lend out his GevHog that is up to him, or maybe you want to buy a GevHog for yourself.
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Team members are certainly welcome to use the Scholar system to get Pilot: AV +2. However, 8-Ball is right, if you aren't going to pursue getting more skill, which is VERY expensive (you burn up a lot of expensive fuel), then getting an AV Piloting +3 chip is a good idea.
Any lessons in driving Hovercraft will have to wait until we restart. Everyone's work and training slots are taken up until then. And yes, Pilot: Hovercraft is a 1x skill.
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I am impressed, you noticed my French styled squads! Good suggestions here, so I have made the following changes:
- The 2ic will no longer carry a heavy weapon, but instead will have a Militech Mark IV revised with underbarrel GL.
- As each platoon's command group has a 2 man heavy weapons section, the RPG-A will be added as a possible choice. A selection of LAWS (both heavy and light) will be available to the squads for the infantry.
- OK, we go British with our French squads. The gunner and everyone will have to suck it and carry some ammo for the FN-MAG machine gun.
- All mercs will be outfitted with night-fighting ability.
- There are no known air pirates in Elko County, but the Desert Devils does have a couple of light aircraft. There is a large band of air pirates up north in Idaho and a larger band of air pirates somewhere in Arizona. They have been rarely seen over Elko County (except for the Desert Devils' recon craft). The air pirates usually go after aircraft and dirigibles. They have on rare occasion cooperated with land raiders. I have listed the Stinger (MANPAD) as a possible command group heavy weapon. We shall make sure that every mobile unit will have at least one of these weapons systems. The Dacian Wolf has been retrofitted with a (single shot) VSAM for air defense.
- I have been considering some sort of indirect fire capability. Mortars in the 60mm to 81mm range or a single light air portable 105mm artillery piece come to mind. With these we could strike fortified positions at a distance or provide counter battery fire if our opposition acquires this type of weapons system.
- Yes, the bases will have a small selection of ground softskin vehicles (deuce-and-a-half's, jeeps, pickup trucks, etc).
OK, today I will be working on a short list of known and/or suspected bandit groups in and around Elko County.
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First, lets get the mission and organizational structure of the operation straight. A new private company, Elko Transport (can you say Air America?), is bringing air freight services (while opening the Wells Airport) and improved ground transport to the area (opening the old Petro Service Center) as well as providing an air ambulance service to the county. That unit is one of the two AV4s that is coming in. The air freight service is made up of: Short C-23E Sherpa x2 (A small transport aircraft similar made in Belfast, Northern Ireland that has gone through continuous upgrades). Whyte Hat has two separate contracts here. The first is with Elko Transport to protect their assets and services. Among these services will be 'convoy escort duty' starting the third week of March (1st day of spring) from the Utah border to Battle Mountain, Nevada.
11 hours ago, TigerGuard said:I would also like to ask why are we providing guards all the way to Battle Mountain when our contract is supposed to be in Elko County (with Carlin being the last town on I-80 in the County). If we have to cover the distance to Battle Mountain, shouldn't we have some sort of station for our personnel there? If we don't have a facility there, then we have to pay market rates to over-night our soldiers any time there is a significant layover between convoys.
This program is a join Federal, Free State. local and corporate operation. The Free State government has woke up to the fact that the mass of disaffected bandits they left to fester in the northeastern part of the state has grown into a serious threat to pleasure and gambling centers, especially Arcadia off US 95 and north of Las Vegas. The state has agreed to run join patrols with the Humboldt County Sheriffs from Winnemucca, NV to the Lander County border. That county is very narrow at that point and this is where Battle Mountain, the county seat, is located. The Lander County Sheriff can protect Interstate 80 through his territory. The problem is the eighteen to twenty miles of the highway that goes through Eureka County between Lander and Elko County. It is rumored that the Eureka County Sheriff may be corrupt as it appears to some that he may be in league with the Desert Devils, who it is believed reside near Alpha in Eureka County. In the opinion of Commissioner Gunderson of Wells, the whole Eureka County government is one criminal enterprise, but no one can prove it and the state doesn't care. So the route that must be protected is from West Wendover to Battle Mountain. The Sheriff of Lander County fully supports this operation and will provide Whyte Hat with rest and recreation facilities for their convoy escort personnel and access to his department's garages. At the Utah border end, Whyte Hat will be afforded the same services but from the Elko County Sheriff's sub station and the Nevada Border Patrol post there.
The second contract Whyte Hat will have is with the US Marshal's Service, which has a parallel mission to protect the Federal and US highways. While the bulk of Whyte Hat's resources will be set to guarding truck convoys, the rest will be assisting the marshal's service in aggressively (but legally) contain the bandit scourge. Whyte Hat, on its own, doesn't have any authority to do this.
Everyone needs to remember, this is an operation on a tight budget. AV gas is ludicrously expensive so any more AVs aren't in the cards for the Team and patrolling AVs are far too expensive to maintain for long. As stated earlier the actual highway escort work is scheduled to commence about the third week of March. From the first of January until then, Whyte Hat will be bringing in forces and building the facilities it needs as well as collecting intelligence on the local bands of hijackers and other criminal groups that might pose a threat to the Team's mission.
I have adjusted the mercenary force a bit due to issues brought up here. It will continue to be a four infantry platoon force (30 to a platoon). Most of Whyte Hat's large air units will be based the Elko County Regional Airport. That airport is already well defended by the Elko County Sheriffs, City of Elko Police and the airports own security force. So, only a small two squad security force (20 personnel) will be needed. Three of the four infantry-style platoons will rotate between duty at the Petro Service area, the Wells Airport (these are within supporting distances of each other), and riding escort duty with the truck convoy. Each of the first three platoons consists of this basic structure:
Command Group
- Commander (Lt.)
- Top Sargent
- Medic
- Communications
- Heavy Weapons Team - two with either (.50 'Ma Deuce', LATGM or Stinger)
Squad x3
- Squad Leader
- Asst. Squad Leader (heavy weapon - RPG-A or M-212 Grenade Launcher
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1st Section (Fire Team)
- Rifleman with Militech Mark IV (revised) and under-barrel GL.
- Rifleman with Militech Mark IV (revised) and under-barrel GL
- Machineguner with a FN-MAG machinegun
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2nd Section (Maneuver Team)
- Rifleman with Militech Dragon
- Rifleman with Militech Dragon
- Machineguner with a Militech Renegade Squad Automatic Weapon (fires the 6.5 hybrid)
The battledress is a standard National Guard cut except it has a Universal Camoflague pattern (best suited to the local terrain) but the material is SP 16 (still medium). This is fitted for a complete set of ADAP inserts which gives each location a +10, thus an SP of 26 everywhere except the head at a cost of 0 EV loss until armor is hit by fire. It could become up to +3 EV, but loses a -1 every round. The helmet is a slightly modified Police Issue Patrol Helmet. There is also a basic web / utility harness for additional gear.
Once convoy operations are underway in March, all three of these platoons will have arrived and be in position at Wells. Each will switch from static guard duty to convoy duty. Whichever platoon is mobile, will have 4 Yakurichi-Ural BTR-15 APCs. One or both of the armed Hummers can also do convoy support if not needed elsewhere.
This brings us to the last 'platoon', which will be a Quick Reaction Force (QRF). This is NOT where any of the Team is assigned. This group will be the better trained (of the recruits) and will (eventually) be outfitted in Militech EMA-1 armor. Due to the weather, the inevitable fuel shortages and logistical challenges that this operation will probably experience, each squad will specialize in fighting from a different vehicle. Of course all men will be crossed trained for all three of the vehicles. One squad will on permanent assignment with the AV-4 and therefore based in Elko. The second squad will ride in the GMI Hover Transport. This unit will often be paired with the Dacian Wolf. Cossack will eventually bring his GevHog out here; right now the trip in winter would be daunting in an open top vehicle. The last squad of the QRF will move in a fifth Yakurichi-Ural BTR-15 APC. This last squad can relieve a convoy protection detail as a favor or as a surprise to any hijackers.
The road will be under constant drone and (occasional) satellite surveillance. While the main group of drones will be based in Wells, there will be others in Elko, eventually. While there are often overcast skies in the winter, most of the year is clear, so with the wide open high desert / grassland this will make any planned large scale attack on a convoy very hard to hide in its formation and movement. However, we shall see!
Now, how does the Team fit in if they aren't with any of these groups? The three US Marshals are from the USMS 'Special Operations Group' and as such have some extraordinary training, military and otherwise. They are here under county, Free State and Federal authority to keep Interstate 80 (and US 93 to some extent) free of hijacking and other crimes. Whyte Hat is to provide them back up security services. 8-Ball heads up a group composed of himself, the Swede, Jamal and (Cossack's unnamed 'Combat Buddy'). They are subordinated to the Marshals. This group (with appearances by Mitzi) will focus on proactive measures to end the highway banditry. At the time the convoys are scheduled to begin, this group will receive the first commercial order of the Raven MicroCybernetics' Pit Viper combat armor. (see page 22 of SOF2 for description) There will only be enough Viper style suits for this group of seven (plus 1 for Mitzi). Until then, you have your Militech EMA-1.
Now, when is everything scheduled to happen (in game)?
At game start, Friday, December 22, 2073, these are the forces ready to deploy:
- A-20 Panzer (Dacian Wolf)
- GMI Hover Transport
- QRF Infantry Squad (hover)
- 1x Short C-23 Sherpa
- The Whyte Hat Team
All of this is in Night City (based in North Oak and South Beach)
On that Friday, Mitzi will be in Carson City with some bodyguards signing the finalized contracts for this job. 8-Ball, Cossack, Angel and Jamal will fly to Elko and then get a car to get to Wells that evening for the first face to face with varies local allies and power brokers. 8-Ball will appraise the present state of the area's defenses. Angel will examine the infrastructure of the proposed base area. Cossack will get them around and Jamal will try to keep them alive!
On January 1st, Whyte Hat's contract begins and they have the right to be there the day before (in this case, three days. No one should travel on New Year's Eve or a weekend. So, the following force will be massed in Reno to set off on Friday, December 29th
Ground Force:
- Dacian Wolf
- GMI Hover Transport with QRF squad
- 1st Platoon mounted in their 4x Yakurichi-Ural BTR-15 APCs
- (Suzy's old) Armadillo (now a command vehicle)
- Engineering Section (20 with vehicles including a snowplow)
- About a dozen and a half tractor trailers
- 1 to 2 fuel tankers
- (and anything else I might have forgotten by this point. (assorted Hummers and few deuce and a halves.
This force is scheduled to arrive that evening in Wells after a brief stop in the City of Elko.
Air Assets:
- The Short C-23 will begin flights to Elko County Airport from Reno and Night City. By the end of the first day they will have brought in about half the ground crew with some of their basic supplies, along with some command staff and the security section of the air wing.
- The AV-4 Ambulance (a old reconditioned Trauma Team craft) will also arrive to begin its work for Elko Transport.
- A couple of tractor trailers from the main ground column will stop here and unload equipment and supplies for the air assets.
Next Reinforcement Scheduled Thursday, February 1, 2074:
Ground Forces
- 2nd Infantry Platoon (airport security force)
- Command Bunker arrives and the Drone and Electronic Intelligence Sections spend the month bringing it on line.
- A Yakurichi-Ural BTR-15 APC with its QRF squad
- Increased facilities support personnel.
Air Assets
- A second Short C-23 comes into service at Elko Airport.
- The first EEC Air Jeep becomes available and will be based in Wells.
Third Reinforcement Scheduled Thursday, March 1, 2074
Ground Forces
- 3rd Infantry Platoon, based in Wells
- A QRF squad which will be based at the Elko Airport
Air Assets
- An AV-4 that will act as transport for the local QRF squad.
- The last EEC Air Jeep which will be based at Elko Airport
Sometime in the third week of March, the guarded convoys will begin. The drone force that is supporting this operation aren't just surveillance ones. There are a few combat drones Weather will sometime ground them, but bad weather affects everyone. OK, another information drop finished. Let me know what you think.
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Here is the first of the general information regarding the upcoming Wells, Nevada Arc.
Team Mission Plan for Wells, Nevada
Mission Statement: The northeast region of the Free State of Nevada has been abandoned by the State government and become extremely lawless. There is order and many good people, but a singular distrust and dislike for any governmental authority but their own local one, and sometimes not even then. These freedoms have long ago turned to license and now The monsters that have grown up in the Outback threatens raids on the reconstructed pleasure cities of Las Vegas, Reno, Arcadia and Los Juegos.
The Federal government has eyes to reopen Interstate 80 and later perhaps the rail line it follows to open up transportation across the country. The Free State of Nevada (and Utah) are fine with that as long as the Feds pay for it all.
[GM Note: In this case the feds cajoled, convinced, (maybe threatened) certain corporations that depend on transportation to pony up the funds for this little project.]
There was much political chicanery involved, but the Federal, State, Elko County and Wells governments agreed to a string of proposals that (as written) allow for a company, Elko Transport, to come into Elko County to provide Medivac Service and freight service at the Elko Airport, reopen the Wells Municipal Airport as well as the old Petro Fuel Service Area, and provide ‘other transportation services’ within the county. Whyte Hat has the security contract for Elko Transport.
At the same time, the Feds and the State of Nevada (with the county’s narrow approval) have approved the appointment of a Special US Marshal for Northeastern Nevada. There will be a trio of these US Marshals with the joint mandate from local state, and Federal governments to reopen Interstate 80 and eventually US 93 and US 50. These last two roads need more counties to approve. Whyte Hat has also signed an agreement with the US Marshal’s service to assist them in reopening these roadways.
Whyte Hat will raise a large mercenary company (~250) that will serve as a convoy protection force and protect assets in the Cities of Elko and Wells. The major air assets (AV-4 transport, AV-4 Ambulance, 2x Short C-23E ‘Sherpa’s (like a small Antonov, but with bigger range) and 2x EEC Air Jeeps along with a few drones will be based at the main Elko County Airport along with one small security platoon. The main base will be in Wells at the airport and at the old Petro Service area. Much of the drone work will eventually be done from here when the base construction is complete. The remaining three platoons will be based here. One at the airport, one at the travel center and the last will be assigned to escort duty with 2x Hummers and 3x Yakurichi-Ural BTR-15 APCs. All four platoons will rotate duty assignments every once and a while. Also based here are the A-20 Panzer and the GMI Hover Transport. The support group will consist of drone operators and computer specialists as well as medical, transportation and a heavy weapons section. Any additional advice here is welcome. Samantha and B & B Technologies have adapted the Battle Mapper System to a larger computer and some large holographic displays. The hope is to keep the entire 182 mile route under constant surveillance for ambushes from the Utah border to Battle Mountain, Nevada. This is the area Whyte Hat has to defend.
The Team will be working with the three US Marshals investigating threats to the roadways and citizens of the area. They will of course react to any attack on their highways. The field Team for Whyte Hat in Wells will be led by 8-Ball with the rank of Captain, who also serves as senior advisor to the Force Commander of the mercenary troops. Jamal is also with this group and serves as medical officer. The Swede is now a member of the Team and controlled by 8-Ball. Now, my plan is for each player to control two characters in any major engagement. Mikael is covered with 8-Ball and the Swede. Snowyn has Jamal. She will be semi-retiring Mitzi and has created a US Marshal for this arc. Both Jamal and Mitzi are from an earlier iteration of this current campaign, so she gets sometime new. Fawkes is gone and TigerGuard will also be bringing in a new US Marshal. That takes care of the second Marshal. I will come up with a player controlled NPC for TigerGuard for a combat buddy for his Marshal. Cossack will remain as a principle, but he often may be flying an AV or driving a tank, hence the combat available NPC. Angel will often be in Night City, but can fly in for the weekends if needed. He can move to Wells after graduation in March, when the base should be ready and he will be able to do all of his work there. Everyone on the Team has already met the Senior US Marshal on this assignment. She is (former) C.I.A. Officer Teresa Suárez, who was the Task Force coordinator in the battle to destroy the Voodoo Boyz.
A Brief Biography of Teresa Suárez:
Teresa was born in July, 2044 in Colombia. Exactly where is classified. Her family was fairly prosperous and (unlike most Cyberpunk backstories) she had a happy childhood until she was about 10 when the cartels decided they wanted her father’s business. Dad asked for more money; they paid him in lead. Mom took the kids and fled. They made it to America where her mother traded some important information to the US government to earn her and her kids asylum and new identities. Mom had lots of money so Teresa did well and graduated from college with an Electrical Engineering Degree. She wanted to do more than just get a corporate job, so she was recruited by the C.I.A., where her identity was changed again to protect her mother and siblings. Her terms of service in the Agency are classified, but she is highly trained and worked with Special Operations. Her field work was outstanding, but she excelled in getting various agencies together so she ended her service with the C.I.A. as a Task Force Coordinator (in Night City). Her interests had grown more towards law enforcement rather than spy work. Also, since Colombia and the United States have become politically closer, her specialty knowledge was no longer needed. The cut throat nature of the Agency repelled her a bit, so she has made a lateral move to US Marshal’s Service. With her interpersonal skills and interagency experience, she drew this assignment.
The Team will meet (or rather see her again) on January 1st when the contract starts, as well as meeting the other two US Marshal player characters.
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Sorry to hear. I hope you feel better soon. We will still meet today at the regular time and figure out where to go from there. I have a few playing options, or we might postpone depending on how everyone else feels.
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All four of the suggested Chrome Berets have rifle, handgun, athletics and heavy weapons skills, although Athletics and Heavy Weapons isn't anyone's strong suit. These characters are nothing special. They are gangers after all; yes, well trained because it is kind of a military style gang, but still a street gang. Crusher's cyberarm is the only special thing these guys have.
The armor each wears will be the choice of the controlling player, but I believe Mikael is right and you should go with the heavier armor. Whyte Hat doesn't have any spare EMA-1 armor, so its metal gear then for most of them; although the Swede and Shaka do have access to a set of US Army Assault Armor from South Beach Security (SP 28, -2 EV). Again, player's choice.
Rue won't be going in with you, but will be on stand-by for wounded. Stepan and Banzai Jack will be acting as snipers. The VDBs rarely show themselves because they know you have excellent snipers in your ranks, still these two will try make sure no one slips by you. I would like to get started with these engagement very quickly on Saturday as there is some very important things to go over after the fight.
Proposal for a Virtual Cyberpunk Game
in Cyberpunk RPG General Chat
Posted
Yes, there would be a hand held loudspeaker available immediately with a (hearing) range of 1500 meters. To get anything bigger, you would need to go and buy one.
A number of questions arise: 1 - What do you do if the gang doesn't 'sally forth'? 2 - How do you stop them from moving the missile positions once you start your (slow) barrage? [there is enough cover inside of the town to mask the missiles' movements.] 3 - What is stopping the Montello Madmen from moving the hostages and using them as 'human shields' to protect the missiles once you start shooting the Krupp Gun? 4 - How long into the daylight are you going to wait for more "daylight recon"?
You don't have the strength or the numbers to besiege the town of Montello. In fact, by nightfall of the day we restart, your drone operators will be exhausted and your surveillance coverage will fall off considerably. What happens if the Montello Madman have allies to call on? It would take most of the day for them to come to their aid, or attack Whyte Hat in other locations. The longer the Montello Madmen hold the town, the harder it will be to dislodge them. Time ISN'T on your side in this encounter.
That would be a 'no' on broadcasting to the enemy on the channel where its conversation was encrypted. Your exhausted support staff has been monitoring Montello's communications for hours. They can put you on one of their channels, but only if they don't mobilize to take out the 75 Krupp Gun and its barrages. A 'Madmen' Reaction Force moves out it should be seen massing. So, the GMI Hover Transport should be ready for its 6 mile high speed run. Once the gang reaction force moves out, the hovercraft also moves out and it should beat a motorized force over that terrain. For this motorized reaction force to be a threat, it will have to number 30 to 40 with multiple heavy weapons 'technicals' for gunfire support. The Force Commander in Wells will bring in the two Militech RPV-500 Tiltrotor drones they have to break any attack that threatens to overrun 'the Notch'.
Delaying any more would be a mistake. Montello has been under 24 hour surveillance for almost a week now. Mitzi is very insistent that everything be done to ensure the hostages safety, which means securing the ones we know about immediately.
So, a possible plan of attack:
The Stealth group goes back in under the cover of darkness. They set up in the area between 5th and 6th Streets by A & B Streets. There are 20 hostages in that area with only 2 to 3 guards. Marshal Suárez can set up to see both the warehouse near A Street and 765 (92% chance of being a heavy weapons position) and the house at C Street and 765 (only a 58% chance of Heavy Weapon). At the beginning of twilight (6:05 am) the Krupp 75 will fire a marking round (smoke) at the warehouse (92%). Drones will concentrate on watching house at house on C Street & 765 to see if they show their hand. Once, a hit is scored on Warehouse, blast it with HE. Then wait and see if a reaction force heads out.
When (and if) it does, the GMI Hover Transport starts its run and either reinforces the Notch, if they need assistance or head into town. We should have more information on the other missile positions by then, since it would be best to get that squad into town and reinforce the Stealth Team. Hopefully the Stealth Team will have moved the hostages and killed their guards by then in the opening confusion.
If the gang doesn't 'sally forth' then give 8-Ball a bullhorn (or one of their gang comm channels and let him try to call hem out. Meanwhile, Marshal Suárez will continue to call in the artillery on every known enemy position she can see.
As to Marshal Hunter, she is either at the Notch, or in the GMI Hover Transport or the A-20 Panzer, although Cossack's role is to intercept any who flee the battle to the north or northeast. Once the attack on the Notch is repulsed (hopefully), there is an EEC Airjeep there to rush four more troops (PCs probably) into the town. That will be a drop and run for that AV. Either way, this will be a hell of a fight!
Questions? Comments?