Tuesday, October 1, 2013

10th Oct 2013: Escape Takistan, Our first ArmA III mission!

Those who served:
Caverick
Plancake
Berklesnort
Malchyrntyne
Ivan (aka "Dad"!)

ESCAPE TAKISTAN.


Our prison guards went down and we scrambled for their weapons in the desert night.  We moved quickly, arming ourselves and moving out within a minute. A light blinked in the distance, so we made our way through the darkness toward it.

Taking cover among some rocks, we observed three to four soldiers manning a roadblock. The 4WD made it a tempting target; we needed to put some distance between us and the prison ASAP.

Just then a chopper approached, drawn by the commotion at the prison. SPLAT maintained fire discipline, trusting that the helo was headed for our last known location (the prison) and had no knowledge of our current whereabouts. Its uneventful passing proved us correct.

A BMP sped along the road, and we kept our heads down as it passed. We then split into two teams to assault the roadblock. One approached via a gully and I led the other to some rocks along the road. We talked up and lined up, and once the go signal was given all enemy soldiers dropped within a second.

As we moved in, however, disaster struck. The BMP returned in a cloud of dust and stopped next to the 4WD. We all scrambled for cover and concealment, but it hadn't seen us. It sat at the roadblock unmoving, a giant metal sentinel.

Plancake reported that one of the soldiers we took out had an RPG on his shoulder. We held our breaths as Plancake bellied his way up to the roadblock. It turned out he was mistaken, but the enormous anti-material rifle he found was a handy substitute.

Not having anything to answer the BMP with, we gave up all thoughts of capturing the 4WD and withdrew into the darkness. We needed a new plan. Ivan spotted a two-man patrol further down the gulley, and I took them out with noisy shots from my FN FAL. 

Malchyrntyne found a map on one of the bodies, so we regrouped at a nearby village to plan our next move. An enemy ammo dump was about a click away, which would give us the firepower to take over an enemy communications centre and call for help.

We moved out, legging it across the sand in the moonlight and avoiding an enemy patrol. A plume of dust flared behind us: the BMP had gone a-hunting and was headed our way! We scattered and kept moving, but though the enemy armour came close it eventually drove off without finding us.

Over the next hill was an ammo dump. At least 8 soldiers milled around its crates and static defenses. Here SPLAT slowed down, taking time to set up our positions and designate fire arcs. We counted down, a volley of fire erupted from the hill, and we secured the ammo dump within five seconds.

After finding a map I geared up with an RPG-7 and an AK with a scope. Berklesnort and I left the vehicle for the others and legged it across the dunes in the direction of the comm centre. We were most of the way there when Plancake dropped off the others in his UAZ with 50 cal, and came back to pick us up.

The comm centre lay at the bottom of a valley swarming with soldiers. To make matters worse, a little further up the mountain was an old brick fortress guarded by more troops. Thankfully, no armour was added to the mix. We crept closer on foot and found great cover in the rocks, designated targets and attacked.

It was a short, furious battle. Ivan found it difficult to get the range using open sights (he thought he'd grabbed a scope), and some of the troops were hard to hit as they ran, but SPLAT made them all KIA in short order taking no casualties! We ran in, Berklesnort got on the horn and requested an evac, then we mounted up with the comm centre's vehicles and hightailed it out of there.

It was here that we almost came to disaster. Due to some map misreading we headed in the wrong direction and blundered straight into some enemy armour! Our drivers spun us around quick and floored it, and we would have been drawn into the cascade of being killed rescuing each other apart from one crucial fact: We didn't open fire! In the darkness they mustn't have seen us, and we sped off toward the distant extraction point.

There were some tense moments along the way, such as Plancake bursting through some trees into the headlights of an APC (we sped on through and lost it), and Malchyrntyne getting his vehicle bogged (he was rescued by Ivan). When we drew near the evac point we were particularly wary of the last-minute surprises that had spoiled previous escape attempts (skirting around another roadblock and patrolling vehicles). We reached the EP and two Blackhawks lifted us away to freedom!


ESCAPE FROM STRATIS


Once we realised that all players at the time had ArmA III, we headed in for our first team game! Some of us took awhile due to an update download, but we soon found ourselves on the beautiful mediterranean island of Stratis, having no idea what we were doing.

Some things we figured out that were helpful included:

1) Each type of item has a specific spot on your inventory, eg you can only get a map from someone if you drag it to the map spot.
2) What you can carry depends on what type of harness/vest you're wearing. The harness has a little progress bar beneath it, so you can (for example) drag a couple of medikits onto it, and see that you still have space for a couple of grenades.
3) G throws a GRENADE. Watch out!
4) on the top right where it shows your ammo and stance, the horizontal bars are for how many bullets you fire at a time. So you will never see "Auto" or "Semi", you'll just see five bars or one.
(please add to the list!)

After escaping the prison and grabbing some Katiba assault rifles from our former guards, our first objective was the hill with the radio towers. The best attack angle for me seemed to be along the road on the right side of the hill (I think it's SE). We took out the guards (I shot three), geared up at the crates there and demolished the radio towers.

As we got onto some quad-runner motorbikes a patrol responded (some along the road and a lone soldier near the tower). We took them out, then continued to our next objective, to obtain a rocket launcher from an enemy-held villa.

I had just started to say that I thought we were getting close when we were hit by explosions and gunfire. Malchyrntyne was blown clean off his bike and one or two of us were hit. We pulled back and regrouped, then Berklesnort and I flanked to the left while Plancake pumped rifle grenades and the others assaulted.

The flanking worked, I had one of them cold, but couldn't manage to hit him. Just then an avalanche of explosions washed over me and I went down. An Ifrit controlled the villa, pumping bunches of grenades over the buildings at us. I was dangerously exposed in the middle of a firefight, but as the armour turned its attention to the others Berklesnort bravely crawled out there and got me back on my feet.

The grenades pounded our hill. It was just a matter of time. Seeing via the map that the Ifrit was behind a building and we'd taken out all (known) soldiers in front of it, I concluded that the safest course of action was to charge. Berklesnort and I waited until a volley of grenades landed, then ran to a low wall in front of the villa and threw ourselves behind it. Berklesnort commented quite accurately that the small, garden-landscaping wall looked much bigger from a distance. It was like we were crouching behind a box of Kleenex.

We sprinted to the villa (I saw grenades hitting the corner of the building as they tried to track us) and burst inside. Berklesnort ran upstairs while I took out a man in the downstairs hallway and swapped my rifle for a SAW-style MG. I joined Berklesnort upstairs looking down on the Ifrit in the courtyard, and spotted a man on the balcony less than a meter away from Berklesnort! I KIAed the soldier, then the room exploded as the Ifrit pumped grenades into the house and part of it collapsed!

Berklesnort and I stumbled through the smoke and back downstairs to find the rest of SPLAT joining us. Ivan reported another Ifrit joining the fight. I saw Malchyrntyne round a shipping container, cross into the Ifrit's line of fire and get cut down. Behind him was an enemy soldier, who had a rocket launcher on his shoulder! I shot him, ran across the courtyard (APC MG nipping my heels), grabbed the rocket and sent it into one of the Ifrits. Ivan took out the wheels of the other, and as the crew jumped out SPLAT mowed them down and secured the area.

It took us some time to figure out that there were more rockets for the launcher, and first aid kits in the immobile APC. Our next objective was to use the launcher on some armour protecting another radio tower, so we got back on the bikes. I tried to ride Malchyrntyne's damaged one, but while it ran on three wheels it was too unsteady to be useful. I ran instead.

At the final objective, two more APCs opened fire from long range and some of us were hit. Seeing that the APCs had a wall of rocks on their right, I decided to use the wall to close the range. Berklesnort and I kept our buddy team, and circled to the right.

We were almost there, and had just crossed a road when an APC roared along it and pulled up behind us. Berklesnort and I ran toward the objective, which put a small hill between us and the armour, but the others were cut down and decided to call it a night. 

Our buddy team assaulted the enemy position alone. At this point I figured out full auto, which was very helpful but made me run out of ammo in no time. We put down 3 or 4 soldiers before I ran dry, and I had just reached a body and grabbed his rocket to use on an APC when I was hit. Berklesnort fought furiously (I'm sure he hit at least one more) before they got him too, and the mission came to an end.
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Wednesday, September 25, 2013

11th Sep 2013: Escape From Chenarus


Mission: ESCAPE FROM CHENARUS (Iceman Edit)

Those who served:
Caverick
Plancake
Berklesnort
Malchyrntyne

Chenarus, night.
The dim glow from the burning barrels flickered across the faces of the two guards watching our cramped jail pen. Malchyrntyne, Plancake and I nodded to each other. Darkness had fallen. Now was the time.

Plancake stood in front of one guard while Malchyrntyne and I jumped the other. While Christian grabbed his AK-74, I whipped the silenced Makarov from his holster and emptied the clip into the other guard. Plancake grabbed his rifle, I flicked open the gate, and a firefight broke out in the darkness.

Malchyrntyne and Plancake dropped most of the guards. Remembering the golden rule, we didn't hang around. I grabbed a rifle and some NVGs, and we bolted into the night.

Headlights swept along a nearby road and a drone buzzed overhead as we took cover among the trees and consulted Plancake's map. He placed us at Old Fields, North of Novy Sobor. Just then we stumbled across another POW, Berklesnort, who had also escaped in the confusion.

We crept back toward the jail to get him a weapon, our first mistake. I was hit by a sniper and went down. Berklesnort  had me back on my feet almost immediately, and I found that someone had taken out the sniper. Running to him I found that he had a sleek M8 sharpshooter, and a map.

"This way!" Plancake cried, and we ran through the forest to regroup with him. Skirting a small lake to the east, we found ourselves creeping across an open field with only the darkness as cover.

Plancake led us to a nearby ammo dump with an unarmed UAZ, where a soldier manned a static gun as a patrol circled warily. The scope on my M8 didn't work with night vision, so I had to leave the goggles off. By the time the rest of SPLAT was in position to attack, my eyes had not only adjusted to see them, but the patrol had gone around the ammo dump to reappear next to the static gun. A nice, clustered group.

I checked with the rest of the squad, obtained permission to engage and squeezed off a few shots in succession. Boris dropped like dominos. The dump was ours!

"We've got 30 seconds" I said.

Having planned en route, we moved as a machine. Malchyrntyne and Berklesnort  checked the bodies and watched for the approaching enemy while Plancake and I loaded some AT rockets into the UAZ.

"Move move move!"

I slung a Strela launcher over my shoulder. We then climbed into the UAZ, and as we began to sight enemy reinforcements closing in, Plancake sped us away into the darkness. He took no chances, keeping us away from any sign of civilisation as we worked our way toward an enemy communications centre (and only hope of contacting friendly forces). Parking on a forested hill, we crept to the treeline and surveyed the scene.

It lay in a valley next to the town of Polana. Patrols moved across the valley, static guns protected the communications van, and a GRAD rocket launching truck cast its headlights across the scene. We were outnumbered and outgunned, but our only hope of escape lay amid all those troops.

We concocted a plan. Malchyrntyne and I would attack at long range, drawing the enemy. Berklesnort and Plancake were to move to a small shed along the road from the enemy base, and run in to secure the comms van.

Confident I could could see well enough through the scope to hit something, I decided to give my NVGs to Berklesnort,  as he only had iron sights. I dropped them to the ground.

"There are the goggles, Berklesnort. See them?"

"No" he said patiently. "Because I don't have night vision".

I facepalmed myself. Both of us groped around in the darkness, but couldn't find them.

We all split into buddy teams and proceeded to move to our positions.

"Wait".

The battlescape suddenly shifted. The GRAD drove down to the road, infantry following. Plancake then spotted some more soldiers on the other side of Polana. Had we been detected? A few tense breaths and we decided we hadn't been. Malchyrntyne and I no longer had line of sight on the enemy though, so we moved across the ridge and took up position again.

I could only see the top half of the GRAD. I also only had one shot. Then Malchyrntyne reported that he hadn't grabbed a rocket in our hasty departure. If I missed we were toast, but what else could we do?

"Ready".
"Engage".
"3... 2... 1..."

WHOOSH! The Strela sped from my shoulder toward the GRAD. While it was still in the air Plancake and Berklesnort  opened up at the patrol nearest the comm centre, and Malchyrntyne peppered soldiers from the hill. The GRAD erupted in a fireball, and the enemy milled about in confusion as they were cut down.

Plancake and Greg sprinted down the road toward the comm centre.

I switched my attention to the soldiers on the other side of Polana, dropping three of the five I saw before losing sight of the other two among the houses.

Malchyrntyne had already run down to support Plancake and Berklesnort. I moved to assist, taking out the two static guns.
As Berklesnort secured the comm centre, Plancake sent the transmission. Friendlies knew we had escaped, and directed us to an extraction beach far to the south.

Suddenly Malchyrntyne and I came under fire... from behind! I spun to return fire, but couldn't see anyone in the darkness and was hit. Malchyrntyne came to my aid and was hit as well. A Ural truck crested the ridge, parked in front of us and then dramatically turned its headlights on. Lying there in the pool of light I realised that these were the soldiers in Polana I had missed. If I had held my fire, we could have got away.

This lesson was not lost on Berklesnort and Plancake. They pulled back up the hill in the darkness, wisely holding their fire. When the soldiers moved in from us and converged on the comm centre, Berklesnort provided overwatch and intel while Plancake came down and revived us. We all fled back uphill to the UAZ and escaped by the skin of our teeth.

What followed was a long, tense drive south. We avoided civilization wherever we could, driving through dense forest and not using headlights. Many times we would approach a road, hear approaching engines and stop silently as the light swept the trees in front of us.

At last Plancake pulled the UAZ to a halt on a clifftop overlooking the coast. We crept down to the base of it, scrambling for cover among some rocks as the sound of armour was heard. The armoured car stopped right in front of us!

To have come so far, only to fail now. We all gripped our weapons and prepared to make a stand. I sighted through my scope at the Vodnik... and saw it had stopped for some cows. It eventually threaded through the herd and was gone.

Smelling freedom, SPLAT sprinted across the highway and railway, splashed through a sandbar to a little island, and whooped at the glint of approaching lights. The armed speedboats whisked us away from occupied Chenarus to freedom!

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2nd April 2013: Destroy the Bridge/Destroy Power Station


Mission: Destroy the Bridge



Those who served:
Caverick
Plancake
Ivan
Berklesnort
Dan
Malchyrntyne

Parachuting out of our C-130 over the ocean, we steered toward the coast and the distant glow of a campfire. This was our RV and supply point:



After gearing up, we crept along the road and engaged the enemy. A Tunguska forced us into the forest, and we did most of our fighting among the trees. Speznatz chased us in, and we had a difficult time holding them off. Once the armour was eliminated, however, we moved down to the coast, pushed the enemy out and satchelled the bridge.

This triggered a wave of reinforcements! I downed a Hind gunship that led the way:



But it was only the beginning. Dan and I took out a boatload of troops that pulled up to the beach, then armour drove us back into the trees for cover.
Once we had dispatched the tanks we moved in to mop up, and I finally hit something with a rifle grenade: a UAZ at long range. Mission won!




Mission: Destroy Power Station


Tasked with driving the enemy out of an entire city, we formed up into a convoy and moved out:



We passed a service station and were ambushed by a force from a village to the north. Once they were repulsed we moved ahead only to run into a roadblock with well dug in defences. Our advance was halted while we flanked and eliminated the threat. Dan and I then took the south flank to avoid the enemy getting behind us, while Richard, Christian and Greg pressed toward Electrozavodsk's train station.

It was furious, house-to-house fighting. The enemy were well dug in on rooftops, cranes and even the sea wall, catching us by surprise numerous times. Progress was slow, and just when we thought the tide was turning the enemy were reinforced by a tank!

After some careful teamwork we destroyed the tank and discovered a warehouse full of vehicles. These we scheduled for demolition, and pressed on:



We took the train station, and attempted to press east when we encountered another strong enemy force. I was taken out but my assailant was expertly flanked and surprised by Richard:



I then pushed forward into the town centre, and discovered massacred civilians in front of the church! Among them was an insurgent playing possum who took me out. Greg came to my aid, reviving me and then holding off troops as I regained my feet:



We took out the perpetrators of the atrocity:



Then entered the church to find hostages. Unfortunately when I stopped to take a picture of them, another insurgent hiding in the church killed two before we could KIA him:



We freed the hostages, but a heavy wave of reinforcements was coming in hot!
Leading the charge was an Mi-8 Hip helo. I was ready, and hit it with a missile, but not before it dropped paratroopers on the town. To make matters worse, it was followed by a gunship!



The gunship started plastering us with rockets as enemy tanks began to roll into town. I had to get the hostages out of there! I ordered them into a truck and floored it along the highway, drawing the attention of the gunship. Rockets exploded either side of my fleeing truck, movie-style, as I sped west to our base.
I screeched around a building and ran smack into a large force of the enemy who had come in behind us and retaken the roadblock! The hostages and I were cut to ribbons.

Respawning at the train station, I rushed back to the town centre. Picking my way house to house, I found some enemy gunmen in a neat row and cut them all down. When I then saw the line of hostages, I realised they had been a firing squad, and had perpetrated another atrocity:



By now the armour and troops had pushed us out of the town. Greg and I were cut off and behind the lines. We frantically dodged around corners, watching each others backs. Twice I was able to recover AT weapons from bodies and hit their vehicles, twice I almost stepped on enemy soldiers, once I fluked a long range shot while wounded and wobbly, and Greg and I were almost taken out by a guy that jumped out behind us:



Just when it looked like our luck had run out, there was a roar of engines and the enemy tanks exploded. Richard and Dan rolled into town with a large contingent of AI- the cavalry had saved the day!



We then pressed the attack on the power station:



And then blew it up. Dan set off his charges then ran in as Richard set off his:


Greg and I then mopped up a couple of stragglers, and mission won!


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6th Nov 2012: Heroes of Chenarus

Mission: HEROES OF CHENARUS


Those who served:

Plancake (Richard)
Berklesnort (Greg)
Manchrntyne (Christian)
Caverick (Cav)
Ivan (Ivan)


--

SPLAT's AAV roared into the lightening dawn:



Travelling through Krasnostav, we stopped behind a large shed to the south and called in some artillery on the enemy checkpoint further along the road.

After it hit, we advanced and encountered strong opposition. The commies had kept their heads down. Berklesnort and I flanked to the west and had some success, but were winged and driven to ground. This enabled our comrades to press the attack, then Berklesnort and I charged the roadblock. There was some mopping up with a Speznatz soldier (who took out two of us and had me pinned down behind a tree) then we'd taken the checkpoint.



I appropriated an RPG7 launcher from one of the bodies. Keeping the momentum, we called in an artillery strike on the AA hill and climbed it. Berklesnort and I moved to the south, the best attack position, as the others came under fire to the northwest. Spying the imposing figure of a Tunguska, I sent the RPG into it. It was inactive, but still standing.

This drew some unwanted attention. I spotted one of the Reds cresting the hill searching for us, and drew a bead on him just as he fired. A bullet clipped my fatigues as I dropped him. Another soldier reached the top of the hill, saw us and ducked down behind a sheep! Berklesnort neatly shot the sheep, and I got the man. The rest of SPLAT was hitting the hill base hard, so I moved up and was promptly shot.

By the time Berklesnort had brought me around, we'd taken the base. Plancake and I drove back to the airfield- he got some satchels and I placed a couple of stingers into the repair truck. We drove back and Plancake blew up the Tunguskas- objective complete!





I waited at the south end of the hill with a stinger, but the Hinds were nowhere to be seen. Did they only start a patrol when we approached the city?

It was time to move toward Berezino, so we saddled up in the AAV and HMMV and moved out. Intel told us that some tanks sat unmanned near a base. If we could stop their crews getting across a road, we could get them for ourselves. All we had to do was race right past a vastly superior force. What could go wrong?

Before we even got there, things went wrong. A wayward rock tipped the AAV on its side.



We tried nudging it with the hummer, but it was too heavy. I gave up on the several-tonne machine and started heading back to Krasnostav to get a civilian vehicle, but Plancake didn't quit so easily. He moved the tracks back and forth, edging the AAV over to another rock, and tipped it back upright! As we would see later on, his perseverance probably saved the mission.


I got back on the guns of the AAV and we continued down the road. The freak rocks leaped out and struck again, one flipping us higher than the trees!



Fortunately Plancake had his APC pilot's wings and we landed right side up. We skirted the edge of a minefield and assembled to the north of Berezino, an entire city of the enemy. I radioed in for an artillery strike, and while the shells were in the air SPLAT slammed the pedal down and charged!



We entered the city, turned onto the long straight road leading to the base, and the shells landed. Fire fountained as we sped down the road, and when the smoke cleared I saw figures running for the tanks! I gave a burst from the MG, then switched to the grenade mortar and blanketed the road ahead. Plancake screeched us to a halt in front of the tanks (and the troops) and we sprang out. In seconds I'd jumped into a tank, floored it onto the road and sped back the way we'd come... but nobody followed. We'd taken another two tanks, but Ivan had been cut down and the others stayed behind, holding off the wave of troops until they could rescue him.

Bad turned to worse. The shadow of a Hind gunship swept over me! Those mean mothers had a ferocious appetite for tanks. Hoping the others had all the attention of the troops, I leaped from the tank, hoisted the stinger to my shoulder and let fly. As it turned to line up an attack the rocket hit it, and it came down over the town of Khlem to the northeast.

My jubilation was short lived. As I turned to get back into the tank I caught a bullet, and fell to the road.

Meanwhile the others had pushed back the communist counterattack and were reviving Ivan. Richard drove his tank up the road and revived me. I got up and jumped into his tank by mistake, and was instantly hit by an RPG! I switched to the gunner's seat as they shot Richard, and turned to face a new wave of troops as another rocket streaked in. I couldn't see the AT soldier through the smoke, so I hammered lead at where the flash had come from. I dimly heard over the radio that there was a second Hind inbound. The smoke cleared to show enemy soldiers everywhere!

I sprayed lead all over the place, hammering down soldiers left and right and trying to see if any had long tubes on their shoulders. It was an immense attack, I inflicted over thirty casualties. At last it looked like the tide had turned, and my gun fell silent.

I got out and began to revive Richard, but was shot by yet more troops. Greg came up and tried to revive me, but was taken out too! Then the Hind hit and destroyed one of our tanks!



Then the Hind was shot out of the sky by a well aimed cannon shot by Ivan- objective complete! He drove his tank up and got out. I held my breath. Would he succumb to the domino chain of death that had taken out the rest of us? Christian was over at the docks hiding in a building and had no vehicle- if Ivan was shot Christian was the only one left, and vulnerable.



However, having three tanks around the bodies created a shield, and Ivan brought us all back. We got back into our two remaining tanks, slapped it in B for boogie and got the hell out of dodge:



We thought we'd withdraw to the AA hill, where we'd left the repair truck. On the way we stumbled across a UAZ and a hapless soldier. We showed them our new firepower. You can see the vehicle being launched above the trees:



We crossed the road, then suddenly I was hit by an RPG! Another blasted my tank before I could figure out where it was coming from. A squad ambushed us from some trees. Richard and Christian ripped into them, taking out most of the squad. One soldier sat apart from the others- the AT specialist. He hit us again! How much more could the tank take? My gunners were busy with the others, so there was only one thing to do. As he reloaded his rocket launcher I stomped the accelerator and roared toward him. It was a race I narrowly won- as he hefted the weapon to deliver the coupe de grace to us, I rammed into him.

Ever more in need of the repair truck, SPLAT resumed its climb up the slope. As we reached the village of Khelm I saw movement; another squad! The two tanks worked together this time, taking them down effectively:



We continued up the hill, but my battered tank couldn't manage the slope. We stopped it deep in the forest and Richard ran up to get the truck. We relaxed as the repairs were done, finally stopping and realising we'd stolen the tanks from the lion's den and lived!



Suddenly BOOM- a lone AT soldier had crept through the forest and hit us! Richard gunned the engine of the truck and sped it away to safety. I drove my tank further into the forest, then climbed out to chase him down on foot. Greg and Ivan, in the other tank, got there first and mowed him down.

We repaired the tanks, and moved into position to return to the lions den and assault it. After some long range fire from the hills overlooking the city, we moved in and a cat-and-mouse mop up operation began. The Reds still had a strong contingent reinforced by some APCs, and put up a good fight. Before long, however, their base was ours!



However, we had a new problem. Greg had dropped out and reconnected, and now he was miles away at the airfield. The only transport was a Venom helo, but Greg didn't know how to fly it! He bravely climbed in, and I took the role of the every-step-of-the-way gravelly mustachioed traffic controller. Richard and Christian drove off in the tank to engage the outer burbs of Berezino, while I talked Greg through flying the bird. He not only made it to us, but pulled off landing in a city!

He then switched to his more experienced role as crew chief, settling in behind his minigun, and I took off in the helo. Christian, Richard and Ivan were giving the Reds what for (achieving the third objective), and it sounded like all our fighting had only got Boris mad. I swept over the township and blanketed a tank with hydra rockets, then saw a huge fireball rise from the buildings. Richard and Christian's tank had been destroyed!

Christian then bid us farewell and signed off.

Ivan was too far away and had his own problems. The town was still firmly in red hands and they'd just taken out a tank, but Richard's life was ebbing away. I came in low over the town and settled down at the south end.



Bullets immediately began starring the armour and windows. I jumped out into the fire expecting to get cut down immediately, but I made the comparative safety of the buildings and ran to find Richard. I felt bad leaving Greg sitting in a pilotless chopper amid all that fire, but took some comfort in the fact that he was the squad's most experienced door gunner. I got Richard on his feet and we sprinted back to the bird as more men appeared on the streets. Our helo was a durable old duck, still managing to claw us into the air.

Ivan, meanwhile, was out of the armour and into big trouble. I flew in fence height and alighted in a field, and we were immediately fired upon by some soldiers (one of whom had a huge booming sniper or anti-material rifle). There was a tense moment as Greg and Richard suppressed the enemy while Ivan climbed in:



We then staggered into the air and soared back to the airfield:



We reported to the CO, who commended us for being frickin' awesome.



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23rd Oct 2012: Heroes of Chenarus


Mission: HEROES OF CHENARUS


Those who served:

Plancake (Richard)
Cav (Caverick)
Malchyrntyne (Christian)
Berklesnort (Greg)
Danny Boy (Dan)
Smoke (Aaron)

---

I stood on the grass of the Insurgent Airfield with my squadmates. After fighting over this ground for so long, it was good to be home.

I grabbed an M4A1 RCO GL (assault rifle with scope and grenade launcher) from the crate. While SPLAT geared up, I took the repair truck and drove it toward the first objective, an AA nest on a forested hill to the south. Parking the truck in a clearing some 200m from the objective, I circled to the south for a recon and got eyes on.

Two Tunguska AA tanks were backed by a small encampment with a UAZ, a static MG and several troops. I reported to the squad, and Plancake suggested a fire mission. As I was calling it in, a commie ran over the hill and drew a bead on me! I struggled with menus while bringing my weapon up, and we shot each other. He fell, I didn't. Then the artillery pounded their position.

The rest of SPLAT arrived. We put a couple of rockets into a Tunguska, but it was still intact. I put a couple of rifle grenades into it but was shot and fell. When I was revived (by Plancake?), the battle was on. SPLAT's experience really came through here. While Berklesnort, Plancake and I attacked from the east, Malchyrntyne and Danny formed a buddy team and flanked to the south, both racking up a lead in the kills. We were hit a couple of times, but once Dan took the guns of our AAV APC we secured the hill.

We'd run out of ordinance and still hadn't blown up a Tunguska, so Dan and I ran back to the HMMV which was parked next to the repair truck. We intended to go back to the base to get some rockets, but as we did so the others moved west and came under fire from a roadblock. Richard and Greg were hit, leaving Christian facing a significant force on his own.

Changing plans, Dan and I jumped in the HMMV and sped to the rescue. I stopped atop the hill to switch to the AAV, and floored it down the hill as their revive time ticked away. Swinging the armour in front of the bodies, I shielded them while Christian revived. As we were doing so, Dan pressed the attack in the HMMV but was hit by a Metis launcher. We called in artillery on it, then Richard drove the AAV, I got on the turret, and we drove down to the roadblock.

A chaotic battle ensued. the AAV was hit with an RPG as I started to open fire, but we wiped out several soldiers including a flanking attempt. Richard and I jumped out to revive, then came under fire from soldiers to the north who had come from Krasnostav. We dealt with them, but were too late to revive one of us (Dan?). While they re-entered we swept the area, then suddenly...

SCHLOOP!

We all appeared back at the airfield again! Due to a glitch in the mission, all personnel were withdrawn to the airfield when someone entered (or re-entered) the game.

Dan hefted some satchels, Christian got an MG, and Richard took off with them (and Greg?) in the Venom. I ran to get a vehicle. I found a pickup, drove into Krasnostav and swapped it for a large Ural truck, then headed for the roadblock.

Dan parachuted down to the repair truck, drove it to the top of the hill and satcheled the Tunguska. First objective complete!

I neared the roadblock and gaped- the enemy had retaken it! Bullets plinked through my truck as I swung it around and fled back to Tunguska. They'd also fired at Richard, who landed next to my truck. We all crept south and started to engage the enemy.

Suddenly a Vodnik APC screamed up and screeched to a halt on the road. As troops began to spring out SPLAT laid down a heavy stream of fire. We took out both gunners and the entire contingent of troops! I tried to hit the driver but he panicked and fled back up the road. We then found that when the commies had retaken the roadblock, they'd blown up our AAV!

I went back for the Ural, only to find that an enemy soldier had infiltrated Krasnostav! I searched the streets where he'd been spotted but was unable to find him. Seeing a much better yellow truck, I decided to give up my search for the soldier and rejoin my squad. I climbed into the truck, started the engine, and gaped at the enemy solder standing in front of the truck! I floored it and rolled over him into a dead end, then jumped out to make sure. He'd survived the truck just fine. The 7.62mm I put into him, not so much.

By the time I rejoined the others they'd proceeded south toward the next objective- to rescue some hostages. As I joined them they (and my truck) came under fire, so I swerved into the forest and doubled back. Greg had been hit, so I swung the truck in front of him and Richard revived. I got out and SPLAT engaged and defeated the enemy force (I got two).

We proceeded cross-country to the small town where the hostages were. Greg and I recced, saw an enemy encampment and engaged. We'd kicked a hornets nest! We shot a couple but Greg was hit. Christian arrived and covered while I revived Greg, then I was winged. To make matters worse, a Hind gunship droned overhead looking for us. The enemy began to flank to the north and south. It wasn't looking good.

The tide of battle suddenly turned. The others arrived in the nick of time, attacking from the north. I called in our close support air Apache, which pounded the enemy position. Reinforcements also arrived, with a notification that Smoke was joining us..

SCHLOOP!

We were all back at the airfield. We actually schlooped twice, as Richard had to restart.

I ran into Krasnostav and retrieved the Huey Venom, floating it back to the airfield. Once SPLAT was all aboard we headed back toward the hostages. Dan, in a skydiving mood this mission, wanted to jump down to the repair truck, so I clawed him some height. He jumped and I headed us for the hostage village. We were peppered with MG fire, so I took us out west and looked for a good angle of attack. We were hit again, so I circled to the south.

Dan offered a repair, which sounded timely. I swept down to the site of one of our earlier fights, and as Dan pulled the truck alongside I heard an engine. A Vodnik roared down the road! I leaped from the chopper and sighted through my scope. It wasn't just any Vodnik, it was the gunnerless one that had fled earlier!

I gave chase on foot, running him down and putting several shots into the window. As my squadmates joined me the armoured glass gave way, I capped the driver and SPLAT jumped in. We now had an armoured vehicle again, with two guns!

I ran back to the bird. "That's how we do it, gentlemen", I said, feeling cocky.

I then heard a strange noise. What on earth was that? I looked to the north, to see fire fountaining out of the forest. More fire boomed, closer this time. A gigantic tsunami of flame and destruction swept down the hill, towering over me. It was a terrifying sight.

I tried to run, making it only two or so steps before the enemy artillery shells found me.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

They say when your body is subjected to enough suffering, lucidity drifts away and you find yourself in a dreamlike state. This was found to be true. I found myself stranded on an island far to the south, alone with one of my oldest friends.

There we were, far from civilisation and the horrors of war, in an idyllic setting. I looked into Berklesnort's eyes, he looked into mine, and we both felt spontaneous, identical thoughts. No more waiting. There was only one thing to do.

Sod this crap. I shot him five times in the face and chest, then stood on a grenade.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~

I coughed weakly and opened my eyes. Aaron had inserted SPLAT into the hostage village, then came back for us. I lay on the ground amid the smoking ruin of the chopper and the repair truck:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/splat_squadron/photos/album/524461070/pic/801439017/view?picmode=&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&count=20&dir=asc

Greg and I took the guns of the Vodnik, and Aaron drove us toward the village:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/splat_squadron/photos/album/524461070/pic/385768259/view?picmode=&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&count=20&dir=asc

Plancake had eliminated the last guard, liberated the hostages and told them to head for us. We pulled up, the hostages got in, and Aaron drove them back to the airfield in style:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/splat_squadron/photos/album/524461070/pic/1558114135/view?picmode=&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&count=20&dir=asc

Second objective complete!

We then geared up with Stingers to take on the Hinds to the west. Christian had dropped out, so we left a Ural truck at the airfield and all went west in the Vodnik. We stopped near an enemy checkpoint, and were considering engaging it when...

SCHLOOP!

We were back at the airfield. We jumped in the truck with Christian, and all drove back to the Vodnik. We bypassed the checkpoint, skirting around it to the north, and cautiously approached the town of Gvozdno. We moved from house to house, but saw nothing.

The sound of rotors drew our attention. A Hind appeared above the treetops and SPLAT let it know who was boss with two stingers in short order. It came down fairly intact near the village, and I ran to get the crew. There was a hammering burst of static gun fire, and I was cut down. There was a base there!

I was revived and ran to help. Dan was taken out about then. They were making mincemeat of us. Even our trusty Vodnik was hit with enough fire that it exploded. Richard tried to reach Aaron and was also cut down. I managed to shoot two officers drawing a bead on me, then tried to reach Richard and was also cut down. Because I died next to a wall Greg was able to get to me, but for the others it was too late. Those that fell valiantly decided to stay down rather than schloop us all back to the airfield. Richard stayed to watch, but it was late and the others had to go.

I stepped out to have another go at the static defense, and was very lucky. He was up in a little tower, and I'd been looking along the ground, but he was facing the other way and I got him. Greg and I then attacked the remaining troops (during which I accidentally got Greg with a bit of shrapnel). We shot two and the other fled to the south.

Investigating the base, I found a Strela that I launched into the damaged Hind. It was still standing! Fortunately Greg found some satchels and we blew up the choppers:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/splat_squadron/photos/album/524461070/pic/943633262/view?picmode=&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&count=20&dir=asc

Third objective complete- we could now finish the mission!

Unfortunately it was a long way back, with troops from the checkpoint in between. Unless...

SCHLOOP!

Plancake came back in, transporting us back to base. We posed with the CO:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/splat_squadron/photos/album/524461070/pic/1729204881/view?picmode=&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&count=20&dir=asc

Then reported to him and received a thorough debriefing. We humbly accepted his praise on behalf of SPLAT:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/splat_squadron/photos/album/524461070/pic/1915229941/view?picmode=&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&count=20&dir=asc

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/splat_squadron/photos/album/524461070/pic/9220133/view?picmode=&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&count=20&dir=asc




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25th Sep 2012: Midnight Sun/Secure Oilfields


Mission: MIDNIGHT SUN


Rhe rematch.

We started off with Dan, Christian and I. We seized an opportunity for extra lives just after insertion when the other chopper was caught on the ground and exploded. After healing the occupants we headed up the west side of the river.  Christian (the marksman) took the high ground while Dan (medic) and I (team lead with crappy gun) engaged the enemy on the riverbank. This meant we attacked from two directions, and though we were winged with enemy fire we took down the whole patrol and a couple of enemy from the mortar base.

We then attacked the outpost on the north side of the dam. We met heavy resistance with enemy snipers that not only took out Dan and I but also hit Christian up in the mountains! Fortunately we were not all hit at the same time, were able to revive each other and press the attack. Dan and I stormed the building and took it, while Christian hit the more tactically important SPG truck. He sniped the gunner and driver, and it was ours.

We then moved south across the dam and attacked the mortar base. Fortunately the bulk of their force had left the safety of the base and were moving north, and Dan and I cut them down quickly. We captured the base, Dan got on the mortars for the first time and had a merry old time bombarding the fields to the northwest (racking up five kills with a single shot).

Although we hadn't destroyed the base yet, the Hind gunship caught wind of us and lifted from the airfield. I'd kept the SPG truck ready in anticipation of its attack, and had it waiting on the dam wall. I hit the chopper while it was still far off. The enemy pilot, however, pulled off a Crowning Moment of Awesome. Not only did he autorotate the chopper to a successful landing the crew could walk away from, but he actually managed to bring it down at the north end of the dam wall, jump out and personally exact revenge- he shot me out of the truck with his AK!

Christian held off the attack while Dan revived me, then we mopped up the crew and headed for the Shilka. We were met by a large force coming along the riverbank, but some good fighting (especially from our AI) held them.
Once we'd pushed them far enough back I tried to hit the Shilka with the SPG, but couldn't take it out. Greg and Dan entered the compound to do it the old fashioned way, but were taken out by some stubborn resistance. While they were being revived an AI took out the last enemy gunner there, and I was able to satchel the Shilka.

Greg and Ivan joined us, just in time to press the attack on the airfield. Greg had a lot of frustration with missing NV goggles (the AI he took over must have gone for a swim). We took out a couple of the static guns and were able to get Dan into an Su25, but one of the guns winged him and he ploughed into the riverbed.

Greg, Christian and I roared onto the airfield in the SPG truck, but we underestimated the enemy strength and had to run from the truck, leaving it on the runway. There was a long running gun battle. Christian took out the ones on the tarmac, while I mopped up some flankers along the riverbed. Once it was clear enough I ran for the truck, drove it to the hangars and jumped in the other Su25. I taxied to the start of the runway, and was shot and killed by a static gun we missed! Christian took it out and revived me, and I found the jet was still flyable, so I took off. However I was also hit by another MG, lost power and cratered.

There was only one objective to go, and SPLAT hit it from all angles. Christian and Ivan came from the airfield, Dan and Greg approached along the river, and I'd visited the weapons cache. I pumped about 20 grenades from a grenade launcher into it, ran in and placed a satchel, and we won!


Mission: SECURE OILFIELDS


We tried this again. This time we split into twos and threes and spread out around the derricks. We fared much better, even (apparently) wiping out the entire enemy force that attacked Lazelar. However as we geared up to take the fight north, one of the enemy crept in and satcheled the last derrick.

I had a great moment when I ran toward a derrick to defend it from three apporaching t-72 tanks! I only had one SMAW shot, but figured it was better than nothing. However before I could take the shot I came under fire (and was hit) by a soldier with an MG, and ran into a shipping container for cover.
I couldn't hit the guy, and had to wait till he moved on. By then, the tanks were parked... all around the container! A total worst-case scenario.
Just wanting to get my shot off before dying, I leaped out and shot one point blank. Somehow, I didn't die. the crew jumped out, I shot one, and then headed for the safest place I could think of... into the tank! I jumped in, and the turret still worked! I hosed down the rest of the crew, blew up the other two tanks, sent an HE shell into a truck full of troops (launching it into the air) and shot down a chopper! Who knew I could take down all of that with one SMAW in hand? The fortunes of war...

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26 Jun 2012: Delta Force II/Assasination of Kahazi


Mission: DELTA FORCE II

Those who served: Caverick, Plancake, Berklesnort, Josh

Tasked with retrieving intel from an Al-Queda base, we found ourselves on a windswept plain near a village in Zargabad. Climbing a hill, we came under intense fire from a large group of insurgents. We fought them off with difficulty, then proceeded south over the hill to the edge of the city.

Worse was to come. The mooj flanked us beautifully and we were almost completely wiped out. If it wasn't for Josh's reviving us, the mission would have ended there, but he brought us back from the brink. We hit back at the mooj and swept down the hill to capture the first of two rendezvous points.

As we attempted to press into the city toward the Al-Queda HQ, the mooj counterattacked in force and actually drove us out of rendezvous point one. This stopped us spawning there, and we were soon back where we started at the insertion point.

Bloodied but unbroken, SPLAT pushed back hard. Josh had repeated technical difficulties and had to drop out, but we were able to regain RV #1 and assault enemy positions in the city. A lot of fire was exchanged at medium to long range and a couple of flanking attempts were repulsed.

Rich then got behind the wheel of an RPG truck, Greg jumped on theback with the launcher, and they took the heat while I threaded through the buildings looking for the HQ.

At last I found their compound and encountered only light resistance as I ran up stairs and through shopfronts. I took posession of a laptop as the battle raged outside. Finally there was a loud blast, the building shook and smoke wafted past the windows. Al Queda had brought up rockets of their own, and taken out our truck!

I ran downstairs and peeked out into the street. The truck was a blazing wreck, Rich and Greg littering the road and moaning in agony. I spotted one mooj across the street behind a tree, but as I aimed at him two more suddenly ran across the road right in front of me! There was a furious exchange at short range, but I got all three and was able to get out and rescue my comrades.

I continued searching as Rich and Greg held off the enemy. I found a satellite phone, then had to go and help my comrades again as they were hit by sustained fire. Fortunately the enemy had moved on by the time I got there, so I was able to revive them.

By the time I'd found some Al-Queda documents, Richard and Greg were engaged in another pitched battle with some enemy reinforcements. I ran to a pickup with 50 cal that we'd taken out, drove up and screeched to a halt near the battle. Greg jumped in, Rich took the gun and I floored it out of there as a couple of bullets spanged off the vehicle.

We withdrew to the insertion point to think and plan. The extraction point was on the other side of the city, and had to be cleared first. I drove, Greg got out the map and directed, and with Rich hammering fire at enemy patrols we wound our way through the outskirts of the city.

As soon as we stopped, Richard deployed the mobile respawn. It was a good thing too, we were set upon from all directions. To the north and west was the city, to the east and south were open fields with oil pipes and trees. The enemy were everywhere. We stood together until driven apart by fire. Josh came in to help, but crashed before he could reach us. At one point Richard and I were barricaded in a little yard with Greg cut off to the north. Richard ran out of ammo and had to scavenge some. Walls were blown down with RPGs, it was chaos.

When the dust finally settled we stood in the open field of the extraction point. I radioed for pickup and when the chinook swept in from the south I felt relieved. It was a hard battle, but we'd made it!

Then the chopper was hit by MG fire from somewhere in the city, and came down roughly onto the sand. The crew immediately jumped out. Uh-oh. Rich climbed in and confirmed that it would never fly again.

That's it man, game over man, game over! What could we do now? I headed into the city to at least seek revenge on the guy that brought down the chopper. Greg, however, was thinking clearly and noted that the border was a couple of kilometeres away on the map.

So after a fierce fight against a small force we captured another pickup and jumped in. We drove all the way to the border, and won the mission!

ASSASSINATION OF KAHAZI

Those who served: Caverick, Plancake, Berklesnort.

SPLAT had attempted to take out the terrorist leader a few times before, without success. Could we achieve it this time?

Greg stook staring into space, contemplating this for many long (afk) minutes. While I was waiting for him to snap out of his PTSD, I inspected some ammo crates and swapped my M9 pistol for a sweet golden six-shooter revolver. I then hefted my FAL sniper rifle with night vision scope, and climbed onto the little bird.

We were inserted onto a rocky mountain, and immediately ran downhill through the Takistan darkness. Spotlights swept the black. The mooj were cautious.

The three of us crested a hill, moved down from the skyline and surveyed the scene. Somewhere in the town below, busy with troops, waited Kahazi. Above the town a small outpost watched the mountains. Watched for us.

SPLAT took position and called out targets. Once we were lined up I counted down, gave the order, and we fired as one. A few bullets later all the sentries were down.

Greg covered the town, Richard began to make his way to the mountains on the other side, and I crept down toward the compound. Two soldiers inside the barracks were dispatched, then I went in and found their laptop computer. One quick download later, and we had the current position of Kahazi on the map.

Greg, meanwhile, had kicked the hornet's nest. When the first few soldiers had fallen to his sniping the rest milled around in confusion, but soon they realized that their enemy was on the mountain above them, and some began to climb. They also called in air support- HQ radioed us that a Hind gunship was inbound!

It was here that our previous attempts had failed- we'd stayed too long, or they simply overwhelmed us with numbers. I withdrew to Greg's position, and while he aimed at the troops in the town with his more powerful scope, I concentrated on those that climbed toward us. This time, however, Richard was on the opposite mountain, and any attempt to storm one of our positions made them vulnerable to the other. Luck was on our side, too. A great fire blazed on a mountain in the distance where the gunship had come down though pilot error.

Greg was in great form, taking down mooj after mooj and taking out most of the force single-handed. Our main concern was the ominous sight of a T-52 tank in the middle of the town. We only had sniper rifles, and not even a frag grenade to challenge it with. However when I cut down a running solider and saw he had an RPG on his back, I saw my chance.

With Greg and Richard clearing the way, I ran down and appropriated the RPG-8 launcher. I only had one shot, so I had to make it count. Sneaking through the darkness, I used the buildings to keep hidden and at last the rear of the tank was in sight, poking out from behind a house.

I hoisted the RPG to my shoulder and let fly. The tank was hit, the house shook, and I ran. Staying to look could be fatal. Besides, I was part of a team.

"Crew is out" reported Richard and I scambled up the bank. He and Greg took out all but one, who vanished into the town.

The streets were mostly clear. It was time to hunt down the dog. I crept back down and onto the main street. I was crossing the main street when I saw the body of another RPG soldier at my feet, and took his weapon. Climbing onto the dark mountain at the other side, I found Kahazi's hideout and hit it with the RPG.

BOOM! Half of the building collapsed. Nothing moved in the rubble. Richard moved to check the outside of the building and prevent an escape, while I entered the ruin and climbed the remnants of a staircase. Nothing. I turned to leave.

Above the staircase, standing on an untouched square meter of floor, stood Kahazi. He had a pistol in his hand but was looking down where the window had been, perhaps watching Richard.
I lowered my sniper rifle, and drew out my golden pistol. It was a special occasion, after all. "Goodnight, sweet prince". I shot him down as he had countless others.

As I ran out to my squad, HQ radioed in that we had to take out a secondary target, a SCUD launcher. How on earth could we do that with no hardware?

Just in time, another voice came over the radio. It was Ivan! Arriving to reinforce us, he had filled a truck with weapons and driven across Takistan to meet us. We loaded up some rockets, blew up the SCUD, and vanished back into the darkness.

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Tuesday, September 24, 2013

13th Mar 2012: Escape Chenarus/Hijack



Answering the call: 
Dan "Danny Boy" 
Richard "Plancake" 
Ivan "Ivan" 
Steven "Caverick" 
Christian "Girard Family" 
Greg "Berklesnort" 
and the triumphant return of Gavin "Nimrod"!


ESCAPE CHENARUS


Having secured an ammo cache last week, it was time to take the comm centre so we could call for help. Dan and I, Dragunov sniper rifles in hand, recced the objective. It didn't look good. A Shilka, a BMP, static defenses and a buttload of infantry awaited us:


Fortunately, having taken the ammo dump we had heavy weapons at the ready:


Once in position, we counted down and unleashed a cataclysmic torrent of destruction. The communist armour was reduced to smoking hulks in seconds, and we mowed down the infantry. Christian and I approached from the treeline to the south (even though we couldn't communicate with each other!), the rest of the squad moved down the hill, and in a few minutes we'd captured the comm centre! I called our forces for help:


The reply told us to make for a beach extraction. The EP was miles and miles away!
Undaunted, we scraped together the vehicles we had captured and formed a convoy:


We then drove together on an epic journey across the length of Chenarus, getting pot shots taken at us along the way:


The trip was so long we even stopped at a servo to refuel!


Eventually we reached the beach:

Some US jet boats came to pick us up:

Just then, tragedy struck. Nimrod lagged out and couldn't see the boats! When he got in a truck Ivan tried to drive him closer but this only left him in a vehicle that slowly sank into the sea:

So Nimrod gallantly disconnected and we won the mission!


HIJACK

The fishing boat inserted us on a beach at the north end of Utes island. We armed ourselves to attack the convoy, and Plancake and I went up the hill to get eyes on it. I blundered in front of a static defense like a total n00b and was instantly cut down, as was Dan behind me. Plancake capped Boris and revived us, then we scouted the town.

SPLAT set to work mining the road and laying charges. I went further up the hill to look for the convoy.

Suddenly I saw a full squad of eight Bori advancing down the hill toward me. As I pondered whether to open fire, I heard the sound of engines- the convoy had arrived! Which target had priority?
Reasoning that if I fired on the convoy I had eight soldiers at my back, I trusted my squadmates with the convoy, raised my assault rifle and opened up on the squad. I caught them by surprise and saw them mill around in confusion, but before they could recover and return fire I had shot seven and the eighth fled back up the hill.

I turned around. Something was wrong. The convoy, possibly because of my battle, had left the road and pulled up. Soldiers were streaming from a large truck! I sent a rifle grenade at a UAZ with a 50 cal but missed, and they cut me down. I had stupidly gone to my position solo, and had to respawn.

It was on, big time. House to house action was all around and bullets sprayed everywhere. Given that the convoy had armour and we had no AT capability we were in serious trouble of being routed. Luckily the tank rolled onto the road and Dan, thinking quickly, thumbed the activator of his satchel. The tank erupted into smoking metal, and we had a chance!


SPLAT pulled together and pressed the attack. We encountered stiff resistance- the reds weren't giving the town up without a fight. As we were pinned down and Boris began an assault, our teamwork began to kick in. We talked it up, directing each others fire, and took them down. It must be said that at this part of the mission Nimrod really excelled, taking down fifteen of the enemy. At another point I saw an enemy machine gunner throw himself into long grass. I wasn't sure exactly where he was, so I put a few bullets into the grass and flushed him out! He got up to run, and I took him out.

At another point two of the enemy were holed up at a house, hitting us hard and avoiding our fire. I jumped on a 50 cal and let the house have it just as Ivan ran into rambo them- blue on blue! Once we'd taken the enemy out I tried to revive him but couldn't, and he had to respawn.

Once we had secured the fuel truck, UAZ and Ural we proceeded to the airfield and Nimrod had to leave.  Plancake and Dan(?) led in the UAZ:


They found a couple of guards at the gate that were dealt with, then Dan and Plancake were both hit by snipers on the rooftops. Christian returned fire from the hill while I ran down to help. Dan respawned and I threw myself behind the wreck of the UAZ. Bullets spanged off the metal all around, but I was able to reach Richard, drag him to cover and revive him.

We fought back against the snipers. I got one, but they were good. Very good. Suddenly an ammo truck roared down the hill, parked itself in front to cover us and Ivan jumped out.

We had soon taken out the snipers, so I advanced to the first building. Just then it became apparent that a couple of guards and snipers were merely those on watch. The rest of the unit had woken up and the map turned red. I was caught against the building wall as all hell broke loose.

It was here that teamwork really won the day. At one point the enemy was rounding the corner of the building I was at only to be cut down by Plancake. Another time four commies pulled off an excellent flank maneuver, climbing the hill to the east and running down toward Plancake and Ivan's exposed left flank- because I was further down I could see them and got them before they could take us out. Another time I ran toward the hangar, realised I was exposed, turned to see a Boris drawing a bead on me- and he blew up from Plancake's rifle grenade!

Running around the hangar, I found myself pulling the same trick on the enemy and approaching their exposed left flank. I was able to pick off at least 4 before their UAZ with grenade launcher returned and drove me back with shrapnel wounds. As I healed myself Plancake shot the UAZ's gunner, I shot the driver, and Richard captured the vehicle. We had eyes on our ticket home:


I jumped on the RPG launcher, pumped a bunker full of HE, and we secured the airport. The only other resistance was a distant BMP. I seceded the mounted launcher for an RPG I found in an ammo crate, and hit the BMP with a couple of rockets. It returned the favour, and I lay on the ground screaming while Richard and Greg(?) chased down and destroyed the BMP and its crew.

The Hind was finally ours!


We refuelled it, and with my squadmates navigating and directing I flew us out to the aircraft carrier. Another win for SPLAT!


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