On the Road
Saturday, October 21st, 2000
0800hrs.
37F
Thick overcast
Strong breeze from the N
Approximately 20km SE of Warsaw, Poland
You climb into the high cargo bed of the Stalwart, dragging your considerable stock of weaponry and supplies with you. By the time all of you and your assorted gear are aboard the Stalwart, the sun, soon to be swallowed by the low band of dark grey clouds, is starting to creep above the eastern horizon. A chill breeze blows, bringing with it the scent of rain.
Once everyone and everything is aboard, the Stalwart's engine rumbles to life and it starts crawling down to the draw in the west bank of the Vistula. You are jostled about somewhat as the amphibious cargo carrier travels the relatively short distance off road and the acrid smell of its engine exhaust is sharp in your nostrils.
The Stalwart eases into the frigid brown water of the Vistula river and paddles sluggishly across like some olive green hippopotomous. It comes as some relief as it begins hauling itself out on the east bank. You hold on for dear life as it slowly lurches its way up the steep riverbank. Once it makes it on to more level ground, it starts picking up speed. After a few kilometers, you hardly notice the constant vibration.
You pass through miles of deserted countryside. Empty villages line the way, looking like neglected Hollywood sets. The bordering fields are thick with long, wild grasses and weeds. Reminders of war are everywhere. Burned and rusted out AFVs and trucks litter the landscape like the long discarded toys of some child giant.
100 meters off in a field on the right side of the Stalwart, several wolves burry their muzzles in the innards of what is either a large deer or a small horse. They barely pause to notice your passing.
Your driver keeps to the roads, weary of long forgotten but no less deadly mines. The vibration in the floor of the cargo bed grows steadily more intense as each kilometer passes beneath it. After traversing about 10km, a high-pitched whine starts coming from deep inside the vehicle. The driver pulls to a halt. After a minute or two, he emerges from the cab's top hatch and addresses the recon team (in Polish).
"The transmission's winding up. We've got to take her off road for a while so hold on. I don't know how much farther this thing can carry you."
During the time it takes to traverse the next few kilometers, each of you is hyper-aware of the danger posed my mines. In the thick grass and snow-flecked mud that borders the roads, it will be nearly impossible to spot one until it is right beneath the Stalwart's wheels.
As it emerges from a small wood approaching a run-down satellite town a couple of kilometers to the northeast, the Stalwart literally grinds to a halt. The smell of superheated metal and singed oil surrounds you. After another two or three minutes of uncertain silence, the driver emerges again.
"Sorry guys. She's just about done in. If there's any chance of getting her back to Gora-Kalwaria, I'm going to have to drop you off here. It may even be too late. I hope you brought food for three more*."
You look around. Drab fields, dead wood, gray sky- It's all very grim and oppressive. Somewhere to the northwest lie the ruins of Warsaw. And you know that the Black Baron is waiting...
Next Moves?
*NPC list to come shortly.
Please do me a favor and post a combat tag with your PC's carried weapons and electronics in this first turn so that I have an easy-to-find record of what you've brought.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:39, Sat 13 Mar 2010.