[Sun] 27 March 2011

[fer]

Missions:

• Bombs Away
• Airfix
• Rural Ural

Were we wiped out in all three missions? Of course we were! Thanks to all the comrades who came along tonight, it was a blast. Thanks to Housemaster, for writing all three missions. Greetings also to Comrade DMA, who joined us in his first Folk session, and to returning comrades Madwookie and Rho. Now, if only we can stop comrade Jefke from all the inappropriate touching ...

[DMA]

Cheers for the greetings Revolutionary Commisar-Comrade. Missed the last mission since I had to take the night train to Stockholm, but I am sure you gentlemen managed to caress each other just fine without me.

Anyhow, good stuff. See yous in the futures.

[fer]

Bombs Away

Tigershark's plan was all about speed and - to begin with - parallel tasking; alpha and bravo fireteams rushed towards different potential crash sites whilst Tigershark himself got onto the roof of a building in Yarum to see if he could spot the downed helicopter first. With nothing spotted at the southern crash site, alpha was re-routed to the northern one, while Tigershark and myself joined bravo in the rush to the eastern site. Pushing up to the city I had already seen EI on the main road that runs north-south through the built-up area, and soon we heard alpha being engaged to the west of that dividing line. Shortly after, bravo was in action as well. Tigershark, who had been accompanying bravo, was wounded - popping smoke, I dragged him into a building and patched him up. Bravo dealt with a technical that came in from the north, but soon we were on the move again, shifting west towards the mosque in the belief that the helicopter was at the northern site.

It was at the mosque that things began to unravel. Our force moved straight through the complex, but came under heavy fire at the western gate. Tigershark was killed, so I ran into the courtyard yelling out for the alpha FTL to step up. No response came, so command fell to bravo FTL, G. Whilst he rallied his troops I went back to the east gate, then crept north - instantly encountering two EI. I managed to get the drop on both, before getting the news that due to a mission issue, the downed helicopter was at none of the three sites. G was given the order to pull all his troops out to the villa, but as we moved out of the mosque complex we heard the sound of approaching jets!

The bombing run looked, felt and sounded spectacular, but we all survived it. However, barely a block east we ran into a group of EI and got bogged down into a messy, close-quarters firefight. Just after tending to a wounded DM, I took a round in the face, and thereafter watched in horror as the survivors were worn down by a gradually enveloping wave of EI. Nobody made it out alive.



Rural Ural

It was a good plan from comrade Igor: overwatch on the first target area (the factory complex in the north-west of the AO) from a sniper, two fireteams and an MMG-led base-of-fire. We approach quickly in the Vodniks, debussed close - but not too close - to our initial positions, and ran quickly through the wooded hills. Unfortunately, we picked the same spot some local hunters had decided to use for a picnic, and they weren't in the mood to share. Tigershark and I ran straight into an enemy foot patrol; in a desperate firefight took several of them with us, but were overwhelmed. From the afterlife of the spectator script I watched in horror (and amusement) as the EI used the truck-mounted ZSU to demonstrated ArmA2's peculiar take on rag-doll physics. Comrade Rho did some flying.

[fer]

Airfix

We got out of the helicopters and I ND'd my weapon, injuring Reggaesmurf in the legs (I think); someone else panicked and opened up with an MG and Housemaster died. Barely seconds after the end of the opening cutscene, and without any help from the enemy, and we were a mess.



Welcome to Folk. Start again.

I don't often get to be overall commander at Folk - I don't like to command on my own missions, and on others we have much better combat leaders; but I really wanted to have a crack at this mission from comrade Housemaster. My plan was pretty straightforward:

• The main force (alpha and bravo fireteams, plus the MAT1 and CO elements) would skirt around the airbase to the west and take up positions just north of the hangers / concrete apron.
• MMG1, with charlie (read: regaesmurf and his RPG-18) providing close-security, would set up a base-of-fire (BOF) high on the southern ridge.
• When everyone was in place, the BOF would open up and draw fire/enemies southwards, after which the main force would strike the hangers.

That was the plan, but like all plans it had to be adapted. My initial route for the main force was what some ST veterans will recognise as a 'Boka flank'* (i.e. to reach London from Paris, go via Stockholm), so as we ran I tightened the route to cut down on the distance. Later, I saw a depression just west of the runway, into which I ordered the main force (as it would cut further time off their advance). Tigershark, who was MMG1 assistant-gunner up on the ridge, spotted the low area at the same moment and advised me that it could be used as a place to launch a rocket attack on the enemy M113, which tended to pass by the western end of the runway on its patrol. Accordingly, I ordered bravo to be ready to crawl up to the runway itself. Alpha and the MAT1 element continued northwards, whilst I dropped off on the slope to the south-west, from which I could see most of the airfield.

Again, the plan had to be adapted: reaching its final waypoint, MAT1 reported the ground was very exposed, so I asked them to re-position as best they could and be ready to fire their rockets at the jets on the concrete apron (after which they, and alpha, would have to assault the hangers). At the same time, the M113 reached, and began to move away from, the western end of the runway. Sensing that the window to eliminate it was closing, I ordered the BOF to open up, and bravo to fire its rocket. Bravo missed.



Oh well. We were in it now. MAT1 launched its volley, taking out infantry and at least two of the jets parked on the concrete apron; alpha fired next, before joining the now rocket-less MAT1 team in an assault of the hangers. I know at least Rho (alpha) and Housemaster (MAT1) made it inside the perimeter, but like bravo out to the west I don't think they survived long. Meanwhile, up on the southern ridge, the BOF team was getting encircled by enemy armour, and forced to scramble down the hill towards the airbase. The M113 was still operating, and my options were diminishing.

Naturally, I ran straight for the targets, pausing only to pick up some rockets and loose off two shots at the remaining jet on the concrete apron. I missed. Then the voice of my dead comrade, DM, came into my head and told me that everyone else was dead and that I should attempt to fly the remaining jet into the enemy and die a heroic, firey death. And because I always listen to the voices in my head, that's precisely what I attempted to do.

I was shot down an arm's length from the cockpit.

[Reggaesmurf]

And again, lots of fun last sunday!

Airfix insertion:
As you can see, some guys love me. Others just like to unload on me...


Fer's 'Arm's length' :