Operation Reset - Part 6

Krakow July 20th 2000

Undecided about which direction in which to head the troopers decide they need to secure some fuel no matter which way they go. They make their way back to the centre of Krakow and to the market square. They seek out the British soldiers munitions stall and ask him where they can get access to fuel in sufficient quantities to make a long journey. He doesnt have any himself, but if they go to the Na Zdrowie, a bar on the other side of the market square they should be able to find a man called Koko. Koko is the right hand man of a powerful merchant who controls the majority of the fuel trade in Krakow.

At the Na Zdrowie the troopers make contact with Koko, as they are short of items to trade he says he will see his boss and get back to them. After a short wait in the bar Koko returns to them with an offer. Seeing as they are obviously new in town and obviously know how to handle themselves, he will give them all the fuel they need in exchange for sorting out some trouble hes been having. The boss would like them to travel to the village of Gdow, the last known location of a group of marauders he suspects of ambushing his convoys.

It took the rest of the day to walk out to Gdow, as night fell the troopers infiltrated the woods on the hill over looking the village. They spent all night and all of the next day observing the marauders as they went about their business. They made note of how many were in their group, any patterns to their movements, were they sleapt, what they ate. They all so noted that whenever they left the small circle of buildings that they occupied they would dress in heavy hooded rubber clothing. On further inspection of the area they discovered the area had been hit by a missile attack carrying chemical weapons.

In the early hours of the next morning the troopers moved in to position, and launched their attack. The attack opened with a salvo of 40mm grenades landing on and among the occupied housing. The troopers then moved in and took the village house by house. There was little to no resistance from the marauders, injured and shaken from the initial bombardment they were in no condition to mount a defence. the few women and children present were allowed to free down the nearby river to safety.

The attack over, the troopers secure the village and begin to gather anything they can trade, weapons, equipment, foodstuffs, loading it all into a pair of capturead UAZ trucks. While loading their spoils on to the trucks they discover a hatch beneath some battered straw matting. The hatch looks battered as though someone has tried to batter, shoot, cut, burn their way in.

to be continued....

Operation Reset - Part 5

Krakow July 20th 2000

With bodies on the floor, blood up the walls, and the Krakow ORMO preparing to enter their building the troop needed to move fast. After attempting to stabilize Dr Czerwinski they leave via the hole in the roof that their assailants used to assault them. Sneaking along the rooftops they find a hole in one of the neighbouring rooftops and slip inside. They make their way back down to street level they vanish into the night.

Despite their best efforts Dr Czerwinski died in the night.

After a few hours rest the troop moves back to the old town, blending in with the crowds and traffic for the market. They push through the throng to find the British soldier they had talked to the previous day. He says that he has been asking around for them and his business partner knows the location of the intelligence officer they are trying to contact, but wants to meet them in person. He gives them the Address and directions to a warehouse they use to store their stock.

Heading West out of the old town they find the district immediatley outside the gate is in surprisingly good repair. Walking through the Western districts they attempt to throw off any possible attempts to follow them. Passing out of the apparently prosperous part of town the buildings begin to rapidly show the signs of severe neglect. They pass a city block which has been cleared of rubble and has been planted with grain. There are around a dozen people working the land as guards stand watching them.

As they approach the street they are looking for the troop hears the sounds of gunfire. Turning the corner they see a dozen marauders in the street moving up to the warehouse they need to visit. There is also another marauder covering the street with a rifle. The troop make short work of the marauders despite being primarily armed with pistols.

Having cleared the street and collected up the marauders weapons, the troopers move down to the warehouse. They meet the British soldiers business partner, SGT Jones. he tells them that the last he heard, the man they are looking for is in Warsaw investigating a warlord. The troopers, faced with such a journey sit down to discuss whether they should try to get to Warsaw, or to head South towards the Mediterranean and perhaps a boat home....

to be continued...

Operation Reset - Part 4

4 miles south of Krakow July 19th 2000

Strike Zulu  Troop F13C

Marching into Krakow from the south, the troop passes through neglected industrial and residential buildings. The same buildings that during the last war had been the citys ghetto. Buildings stand in various states of decay whether from neglect, fire, or damage from looting. They spend some time searching out a building to leave the MCCS and the doctors notes in, hiding them among the long decayed storage in the cellar. People can be seen throughout the abandoned buildings, picking through the wreckage trying to find something they can trade for food. Pestered by stray dogs and feral children along their route in to the city, they eventually come to a large concrete bridge across the Vistula river.

On the bridge they come to a road block manned by Polish troops. After some discussion they leave their weapons, apart for some concealable small arms with the Polish troops and are given a day pass. The pass will allow them to pass through any further checkpoints up to the town hall, where they can obtain another pass. They cross over the bridge and continue up the main road. The buildings on this side of the river, although neglected, are in a much better state of repair. Some of the buildings have been repaired and are occupied.

By late afternoon, after passing through another checkpoint, the troop finds itself in Krakows busy market square. The market is a mish mash of tents, stalls, plywood booths, and improvised shelters. There are people selling all manner of things, hand knitted socks, salvaged copper wiring, weapons, ammunition, live stock. There are tradesmen offering all manner of repairs and modifications to seemingly anything. There are food stalls selling hot food and warm beers. Pushing their way through the jostling crowds the troopers enter the old market hall which now serves as the town hall. It is late afternoon, an the town hall is cold and quiet. 3 bored guards stand around the hall, smoking and chatting. The equally bored clerk behind the desk takes the troopers names, occupations, qualifications, and reasons for visiting Krakow. They are all then issued a more permanent pass and a ticket for a meal. The meal tickets also double up as a currency. They make inquiries about viewing the register but are told to come back in the morning as the town hall is closing for the evening.

As the troop heads back out into the market, it is turning towards dusk and the market is beginning to wind down for the evening. They all get food and do a little shopping. It comes to their attention that they are being followed by a man. Approaching the man from different angles they confront him, finding out that he is following them to bargain for Doctor Czerwinski. The man doing the bargaining has a heavy russian accent. He motions for them to look up at the clock tower, wear the troopers see a man with a sniper rifle covering the market. the man gives them an adress on a slip of paper then leaves.

The troop search for other British soldiers, they find one running quite a large munitions stall. They ask him if he knows of any other British troops in the city, officers in particular. he says he will ask around for them and let them know in the morning. Several flatbed trucks arrive in the market and the stall holders start packing up their wares on to the trucks. People strart to leave the market square, most of them leaving the old town for the night.

Having nowhere to stay the troopers keep their eyes open for somewhere suitable. As they are leaving the old town they come across a neglected appartment block facing the gates. Deciding its as good a place as any other they move in and search the building from top to bottom. Finding the building empty they retire to the upper floor, leaving guards on the first floor and trapping the stairwell with tripwires and  grenades.

at 02.00 they are awoken to the sounds of the grenades in the stairwell detonating and the screams of an injured man. The troopers on the top floor hear the sound of people dropping through gaps in the roof into the room next to theres. A fierce exchange of fire leaves the infiltrators dead, and Doctor Czerwinski critically wounded. As the sound of gunfire dies down and the troopers regroup on the top floor they hear the shouts of the soldiers guarding the gate across from their appartment building....

to be continued...