Twilight 2000

By The Dawn’s Early Light Campaign

Hodge’s Grey Ghosts

TURN SEVEN

Radio Intercept in Russian: 1st Voice: Trojan Horse is a go with 11 trojans and 9 horses over; second voice Greg says get it on, over, 1st voice Bang there dead, over, signal weakens and fades...

Radio Intercept: In English: 1st voice: uncle sam to miss be gotton child are you hit, second voice; affirmative get out of...explosion...static

Radio Intercept: In German CLEAR OUT OR WE WILL OPEN FIRE, reply in English I authenticate Whiskey Bravo 117 NATO Lima Sierra... autocannon and machine gun fire, Top these Kruats aren’t friendly request permission to return fire...Negative fall back...

Strong Signal in English with an Italian accents 1st Voice Luigi round up the boys Ivan’s on our turf...AGAIN...second voice damn boss I got a date tonite can’t we make the hit tomorow 1st voice Inga? 2nd Voice who else...1st Voice OK we’ll deliver the hooch and make the hit at the same time 2nd voice thanks boss catch you later

Corporal Grey placed a call to main body for a pick up. Policed up weapons & ammo( including my spare .50) from battle & join up to main group. Did basic first aid on my self using my clean socks as battle dressings underneath my head rag.
Jesse, SFC Hodges, brought the rest of the group forward and told everyone Sergeant Jensen was dead. "Jenson didn't make it. Damn, we need a medic. Hell, we need a couple of troops that are life saver qualified at least.. Jenson was the medic, who takes care of the medic when they are hit..." Airbornes body was draped over his horse,
<ooc: what is the horse count now?>-3
Move the party west and find cover in a large well stocked root cellar in bombed out village {OOC Village D on tactical map} and hold up for the night. Late that night from midnight to one in the morning the sky was alive with blue lightining to the north and Hodges could almost swear he had seen the outline of an eight legged horse if only for an instant. Jess with a look of remorse and comfort "Fare well comerade's and party harty. "The party will only take what they need for immediate needs from the larder, plus a days worth.
"The people here will need this for the coming winter. We're no marauders, we pay our way folks." After the meal of sausage and beats? Jess fires up his corn cob pipe from his limited stash of tobacco.. "So Molestein, what's your story? Where were you headed?"
SSG Molstein related the last moments of the 5th Division’s 7th Engineer Battalion: I reported the bridge at Sieradz wasn’t blown. Soviet Motor Rifles had overwhelmed the Security Detail and chewed up the rear guard as well. My platoon continued to try and set charges while the fighting erupted around us. An AT missile made short work of the 7th Engineer’s last M728 Combat Engineering Vehicle. The Platoon Leader bought it at the same time. All but two of my platoon fell in fierce fight fighting that had ended hand to hand. I tried to get my last two men out, flagging down a frantic nurse in an Ambulance Hummer. She took the two wounded and hauled ass. Meanwhile I confirmed that the bridge was intact and Ivan was pouring across. A hectic trip back to the Rally Point , dodging patrrols and hordes of stragglers from both sides. Reporting the situation at the bridge to Major Owens, who didn’t seem to care or have a clue. The CSM was drinking beer and everyone else doing their own thing. Next I found my men had died of their wounds. Then all hell broke loose as Ivan hit the Rally Point. I Grabbed my gear and hopped on my dirt bike and have been on the run ever since

To the group: "I figure we'll still head for Leszno, then figure out where to go from there. What you all think? I'm open to suggestions."

Specialist Carly commented, “works for me”

Specialist Drake said, “why not”

PFC Besada as he practices his quick draw, not very fast, “varmits any way we go”

Pvt Rutherford doesn’t say anything, but nods.

Pvt Brown answers, “My social calender seems to be free, why not”

Pvt Frug waits on Brown’s answer then says quickly, bashfully, “me to I’m in”

Pvt Jones says nothing

Lieutenant Krominoski comments, “I guess sarge, but how about Poznan, if a retreat is underway and any railways are servicable they would be moving from there. Might be nice to hitch a ride. Srem has an SF safe house. Anyway your call.”

Corporal Grey “what ever they agree on I will go with. I'm to fragged to care or argue." Does anybody have any asprin? "

In response to the radio news...
"Heard they Corps pulled out of the north, so it don't make sense to head that way it seems to me." "Any one figure out the message about Home yet?
Checks on Grey.
"How's the head pard? It hurts and has an extra hole or two. Gonna make it ok? Do I have a choice Can you travel ok?" like I said do I have a choice?”

Ammo and rations left over from the pack horses are distributed equally to each individual, so every one has a full load in their mags and saddle bags are full. Pull out heading west after sunup and breakfast. Prior to moving off, all weapons, ammo, boots, LBE, and water bottles will be policed, with what ever other gear that might be useful in the future, but only from the marauders

Six sets WP LBE, 4 Ak-47’s 10 clips, 3 Ak-74’s 6 clips, 10 frag grenades, 1 SVD sniper rifle with 10 rounds, and 18 Soviet Rations

A guard is set to keep an eye on the horses, making sure the party is not snuck up on while they rest. Jess makes the rounds every two hours. To the guards he makes the same general statement. "All quiet on the home front? Need anything?" Early that morning...

He finds Frug has nodded off on his watch and is about to replace him saying. “We’ll talk about this later.” The young Private is clearly very bothered about being relieved of guard. At same time a voice with a deep southern drawl says, “The kid appears tired Sarge,” and steps out into the open and says, “I’m friendly if I wasn’t the kid would be dead for sure and he might have some company.”

Sergeant Belloch M1911 and Crossbow (Ranger Tab) The Ranger had made contact with what appeared to be American Army. With units from both sides turning into marauding thugs, you never could tell. Hodges and Belloch shot questions back and forth until each was convinced the other was legitimate. The fact that they were both Rangers gave some common ground that Ivan would have a hard time faking. Belloch waved his partner Specialist Jacques Croix forward who had been covering him with a M-203. They had a pair of motorcycles. At that point Specialist James Carly called out “Jack is that you? Croix was amazed to see Carly and replied “sure is Jimmy!” Tensions relaxxed immiediately as the two cannon cockers from 5th Divisions 2nd/21st Artillery gave each other a capsule review of their experiences. Croix had been left back at Corps HQ to retrain on mortars as there were always more artillery crew than available guns. Belloch informed Hodges they were scouting for a small XI Corps resupply detachment that was trying to get back to friendly lines but helping out any friendly forces currently escaping and evading. Being as you’re mounted and I won’t be in touch with them till tonite we can’t help you to much, but we might have some useful intell. At that point Croix looked a little uneasy and said “Sarge its been good serving with your unit but as you know a lot of the guys from the convoy have been joining up with these groups. I’m going to hook up with Grey Ghosts if its ok with Sergeant First Class Hodges. Sarge I got a Knee cap mortar in addition to my 203 with about 50 rounds. Hodges replied, “I don’t know about the bike son we’re mounted, but you will definitely give us some firepower.” Belloch said, “OK Kid, I’ll give you 3 of our four Jerry Cans of Ethanol, I can make it back with just the one in case I have to take the long road. Plus I’ve got a spare battery for a 5/25 manpack if you guys can use it.” He continued “Anyway Sergeant Hodges word is the 1109th Signals Company, is really a Spetnatz outfit that is infiltrating their guys in with our stragglers the way the Germans did during the Battle of the Bulge. The only break we’re getting is the unit only has a small cadre of vets, two or three teams at most. The rest are fresh replacements, well trained but they lack experience. A Marine Recon team that joined up with us yesterday took out three Russians the night before. other intell Smigel is being held by German Panzer Grenadier outfit with half dozen vehicles but no fuel. Koscian is being held by a US Armored Cav troop in the same situation. Both seem to have gone independent, they light up Ivan but give NATO a warning to clear out first.

Travel about 12 hours for the day. You reach a wooded area just outside of Lesno and hold up for the night.

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Next Turn begins at 1800 hours and will run to 0600 weather warm with clear skies.

Next turn due midnite January 3, 2001

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