Shoot Da Moon
First IC thread;  https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...ease-IC/page50 

OOC 1 Thread;  https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...he-Disease-OOC 

Dice Rolls 1 Thread;  https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...ase-DICE-ROLLS 

IC 2 Thread;  https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...e-Disease-2-IC 

Worse Than the Disease OOC 2 Thread;
 https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...-Disease-OOC-2 

Worse Than the Disease DICE ROLLS 2 Thread;  https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...e-DICE-ROLLS-2 

====

The robot responds to Sean’s noises with no speech or even beeps/boops.

Instead, it opens fire with an automatic rifle towards anywhere it hears Sean making noise. Each time, the gunfire does not hit Sean - it may not even penetrate the concrete floor.

The attempts to communicate go nowhere. Eventually, Richard finishes the megaphone.

(OC: What does Richard say?)
u-b
Sean takes note of where the robot shoots at him  from . Is it a specific stationary position? Is it a position that changes to mirror his previous position? Is it something else? Barely above whisper, Sean reports that he's fine.

Richard holds the megaphone and, taking cover as much as practically possible, shouts at the motel.   "Attention defenders! Counter strike team speaking! Shoot two times if you would like to negotiate!"   The he takes full cover and listens. Meanwhile, people watch how the motel or the robot react.
Shoot Da Moon
Sean can’t see the robot, and the bullets don’t penetrate. It’s hard to guess where the robot is, as even the sound is muffled.

Richard gets no response from the motel. The drivers in the vans also do not respond. Perhaps they want to conserve ammunition?
u-b
Richard then shouts, using the megaphone again:   "Attention attackers! Shoot three times if you would like to negotiate!"  

Assuming continued lack of response and observing the strong enough floor, Sean next proceeds to bleed the robot's ammo. He remains on the upper floor, shouts some proposal to the robot, then changes the room at random, shouts again, etc. He intends to determine whether the robot changes the rooms after him and to let the robot shoot as many rounds as possible. He does not expect the robot to shoot until it has no ammo at all, but any reduction is welcome. He might chenge this plan if even one bullet penetrates the floor (anywhere, not necessarily close to Sean), but otherwise would continue until completion. In either case, he counts the approximate number of rounds that the robot has shot and has the observers report if the robot ever visits rooms with windows.
Shoot Da Moon
Richard’s megaphone-enhanced calls fall on deaf ears, or simply the dead.
No response.

Sean, meanwhile, finds the robot only talks back to him in the same way guns do.
He keeps baiting the machine to fire again and again, the bullets never achieve penetration through the concrete floor. Sean does realise, however, that the concrete will eventually be chewed away if about 100-150 rifle rounds are emptied into a relatively concentrated spot.
It’s definitely moving around down there. It follows the noise.
Sean counts bursts of 5 shots. He manages to tease the bot into unleashing 5 bursts in his shout-and-move gambit.
His observers report that they occasionally see the bot pass by a window briefly and only partially. It seems to stick mostly to the centres of rooms.
u-b
Sean then proceeds to lure the robot in different ways. First, he makes some noises on a windowsill and the wall under it as if he's trying to climb down Richard's side. He might do that more than once, if applicable. Every time the robot shows up to look outside the house, Richard would make a shot. Then Sean drops down some remains of furniture as available, also on Richard's side, also to try to get the robot to investigate that and get shot some more.

 
 Spoiler 
Will do that as long as it works, hopefully granting Richard some shots at the robot. Richard will aim at the most probable position where the robot could make its appearance, but if that guess fails, will need 3 seconds to aim + 1 second to shoot.
 
Shoot Da Moon
Sean’s attempt to make noise at first does not lure the robot - it was too soft. But then he found a few wrecked pieces of wooden furniture that were big enough. When he dropped those from the window, the fall down made enough of a crash to get the bot’s attention.

The machine goes to a window on the first floor to look out. Sean does not find anymore debris useful as a distraction.

But Richard does get a somewhat clear shot at the bot…
(OC: the window gives the robot light cover. -2 penalty to attack, failure might hit the wall covering its “waist” and below.)
u-b
Richard shoots a long burst at some sensor the thing uses to look outside. Sean curses and drops to the floor as some of the bullets hit the wall around target area.  "Damn, man, can you exert a bit more care!?"  To which Richard responds:  "Are you all right? Just thought I would improve my chances. Those sensors are very difficult to hit."   "All right. At least, at these ranges the thing does not even try to shoot at you. Unfortunately, I'm all out of lures." 
Shoot Da Moon
Richard manages only a single hit, but it does strike the robot’s sensor dead-on. There is a shower of sparks and the bot wrenches away in pain. Richard is sure he disabled the machine’s “eye” and it is now severely damaged.

But it remains active. Just reeling a bit from the hit. It moves away from the window and into the building.
u-b
Sean takes a whistle out of his pocket, opens the visor, puts the whistle in his mouth. He then takes a position upstairs where he can see a very narrow subset of downstairs, has some cover, and would have better (up to total) cover if he would drop down on the floor (and definitely total cover if he would crawl one hex along the floor). Crouching there and aiming downstairs, Sean turns on the IR Taclight, and starts to whistle loudly, aiming at that very narrow subset of downstairs that he has visible. He plans to do that for one full minute or until the robot appears to investigate, in which case Sean should be ready to shoot.

 
 Spoiler 
Please specify the number of hexes watched (preferably that would be either one hex or one straight line) and also the range.
 
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Sean takes a whistle out of his pocket, opens the visor, puts the whistle in his mouth. He then takes a position upstairs where he can see a very narrow subset of downstairs, has some cover, and would have better (up to total) cover if he would drop down on the floor (and definitely total cover if he would crawl one hex along the floor). Crouching there and aiming downstairs, Sean turns on the IR Taclight, and starts to whistle loudly, aiming at that very narrow subset of downstairs that he has visible. He plans to do that for one full minute or until the robot appears to investigate, in which case Sean should be ready to shoot.

 
 Spoiler 
Please specify the number of hexes watched (preferably that would be either one hex or one straight line) and also the range.
 
 
 

Sean finds a position at the top of a set of stairs. The cover would require him to fling himself to the side or backwards to the floor behind the landing.

(OC: the hexes watched are one or two. The range is 7 yards. Be prepared to dodge and drop.)

Sean’s whistling eventually lures the blinded robot to the bottom of the stairs. It seems the machine can’t find its way around, knocking into walls and catching itself on the bottom step of the stairs. It can’t climb up, certainly.
In the meantime, it let out bursts of gun fire at random, none of it hitting Sean or penetrating the concrete surfaces.

And now Sean has his shot…
u-b
Sean shoots a long burst down at the robot's remaining sensors and gets into full cover as fast as he can.

 
 Spoiler 

 
 Originally Posted by Shoot Da Moon 
 OC: the hexes watched are one or two. 
 

There's a big difference between those cases, so, if you don't mind, I am calling it one.
 
Shoot Da Moon
Sean managed to hit the bot’s weak point 4 or so times. And he thinks it definitely managed to get past the armour and damaged internal mechanisms to a significant degree.

Sean notes that the bot now seems distinctly flailing. Its movements have slowed, he thinks bits of it are sparking.
(OC: the robot is now reeling, low on HP.)

The machine fires its rifle wildly, but it does not even come close to Sean as he ducks away.
(OC: you spend 1 FP. Has Sean rested recently? Because I distinctly remember him being exhausted by low FP not too long ago.)
u-b
Safely out of line of fire, Sean thinks he might be taking the upper hand over this war machine, but this would still require some amount of work, and, with Sean's luck, might end very badly over a slightest misstep. So, Sean decided not to rush things for the moment, instead doing the following things, in order and in parallel:
1. Report to Richard that he is perfectly fine.
2. Over the course of some five minutes, occasionally whistle for a dozen of seconds.
3. Over the course of some five minutes, occasionally shoot a round at the ceiling (5 rounds total).
4. Let the robot continue to shoot, spark, catch fire or something.
5. Reload with a new mag.
6. Analyze the robot's behavior over those five minutes.
7. Ask people if they have seen any activity anywhere.
Shoot Da Moon
Richard is relieved to hear Sean’s okay.

The robot fires the occasional burst in response to Sean’s noise making. It certainly can’t locate Sean, let alone fire upon his position. The bullets do not penetrate any building surface.

The bot does not self-destruct.

Sean reloads.
(OC: how much ammo and magazines does Sean have left on his person by now?)

The bot looks weakened. It moves much slower than before.

Sean’s allies report in that the soldiers at the motel seem to be leaving, walking back to the vans. Some are severely injured or dead, being carried over the shoulder by their fellows. In about 5 seconds, they’ll all be inside the vans and ready to move.
u-b
Hearing the report, Sean defers further provoking the robot until some later time and gets into position where he can target the soldiers. He proposes Bart and Richard to do the same with flamer guy at the ready. The preferred targets would be the drivers (once they are in position at their seats or approaching the driver's side door) and before that any carriers of any other troops,  not  at the torsos. And the observers should look for another robot and/or any escapees.
Shoot Da Moon
Sean has problems getting into position, because the motel and the space behind it is at a weird angle to the windows of the building he’s in.

Nevertheless, he manages to open fire and savagely disable his target’s legs. The limb is severed in a puff of blood as the two hits mangle what he aims at.

Richard and Bart do just as well. One more soldier hauling his comrade is stopped by two hits to the leg. A soldier not so burdened eats a load of buckshot right at his left knee, shredding his own leg and ending his locomotion.

Most of the soldiers just keep moving, but about 5 of the enemies try to grab the fallen off the ground roughly. The newly injured are all bleeding heavily, leaving a crimson trail behind them as they are yanked towards the vans with great effort.

The drivers of the vans duck down in reaction to the gunfire. There are no other people coming from the motel. The robot makes a weird electronic screeching noise downstairs. The flamer man radios in that he’s not close enough to the bad guys to try roasting them.
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 We spend two seconds to shoot at some more walkers.

[roll0] on Guns (Rifle) 13 (18 skill, +1 bond, +1 laser, +1 braced, +1 determined, +6 acc, -13 range, -2 legs) rcl 3 [roll1] [roll2] [roll3] pi
[roll4] on Guns (Rifle) 17 (17? skill, +1 bond, +1 sight, +1 braced, +8 acc, -9 range, -2 legs) rcl 3 [roll5] [roll6] [roll7] pi
[roll8] on Guns (Shotgun) 13 (13 skill, +1 braced, +1 sight, +4 acc, +5 RoF, -9 range, -2 legs) rcl 1 [roll9] [roll10] [roll11] [roll12] [roll13] [roll14] [roll15]... pi- 
 

Sean and his allies open fire again.

The targets manage to haul their injured along the ground for a moment before three of them are shot. Without knowing where the far-off bullets are coming from, the bad guys can not avoid the on-target lead coming their way.
Sean’s target gets his leg blown off without much resistance. Sean is pretty sure the enemy is KO’d or dead.
Richard bull’s eyes the bad guy with all of his bullets and also maims him viciously. The blood loss is already painting the ground in dramatic fashion.
Bart earns another notch as his shotgun blast tears up the unarmored leg of a bad guy.
Interrupting the exfiltration, the shot soldiers all fall to the ground and can no longer move away.

Two soldiers pulling injured to safety keep at it, ignoring the fresh casualties. They are now close enough to easily shout to the drivers.
The rest of the soldiers pile into the van. One of the drivers sits up in his seat, a lit pipe bomb in his hand.
u-b
Sean and Bart target the two dragging wounded while Richard says he will target the driver and does just that.
Shoot Da Moon
Sean and Bart unleash hellfire upon the would-be escaping bad guys. They fail to anticipate the shots incoming. Both are punished by having their legs torn out from under them. They drop the dragged injured as they fall down, unable to move any more.

Richard, in the meantime, lands a single headshot on the driver with the pipe bomb. The helmet does not manage to stop the bullet from tearing through the target’s noggin. The driver slumps over, either KO’d or dead without a prayer.
(OC: were you aiming at the Skull or the Face there?)

The soldiers in the van respond by tossing some pipe bombs of their own into the mass of injured. They apparently do not want them to fall into enemy hands.
(OC: note to self; they’re going to go off in 5 seconds.)
u-b
With lack of additional targets, eventually the decision is made to target the van. Richard turns on the beam and the troops take a quick aim...

 
 Spoiler 
Depending on who sees what, decision-making might take a few seconds. Then one second to illuminate and aim. Will aim at either the vehicle or the people inside depending on what can be seen.
 
Shoot Da Moon
The shooters spot the soldiers in the vans - they count 4 or 5 in one. There is a driver in the other van, still alive, still ducking down in cover. The van with the dead(?) driver has two soldiers hiding inside, they have not thrown any pipe bombs lately.

They can all easily duck into the van to avoid exposing themselves.

The pipe bombs landed around the injured bad guys, their fuses lit and counting down…
u-b
Richard keeps beaming the light and makes one shot at a van's fuel tank. He makes a hole and petrol starts to be flowing. The others open fire en masse and score numerous hits at the vans and the passengers. A very notable of those hits is a prolonged tight beam burning attack at the same petrol tank. Sean does not participate and instead just observes.
Shoot Da Moon
The hail of hot lead and the laser fire hit for impressive effect.

Between the shots to the petrol tank and the pipe bombs the soldiers still had on their persons, the first van become ground zero for an explosion. Clearly, a hit or two struck a bomb, or a lit bomb got dropped. The second van is simply set on fire, its fuel tank burning it.

Either way, an engulfing inferno makes the night bright, the spilled petrol ablaze. Observers are certain the occupants of the vans have been hit multiple times and are either blown up or on fire. Definitely injured enough by gunfire that escape from the vans is unlikely.

In the meantime, the pipe bombs have ever shortening fuses…

Sean realises that he has not heard from the robot below him much recently.
u-b
Sean says he'd like half the observers to look at and around his building for any signs of an escaping robot and the other half to keep looking at the scene with the vans for any escapees. Meanwhile, he approaches the stairs leading down to listen for the robot. It is of interest if the thing has only stopped shooting or has stopped moving / left the scene altogether. Richard reloads his rifle with a new mag of match-grade ammunition.
Shoot Da Moon
The recent gunfire drowned out a lot of sound. But Sean thinks he managed okay, thanks to his headset protection.
His allies observing the area report no robots leaving the building or moving across the place - there’s a lot of open ground, so it’s unlikely the darn machine is on the run.
Sean hears not much noise downstairs - but it could just be running silent, staying still, keeping its metal head down…

The pipe bombs down by the bodies near the motel or the vans explode.
A gruesome layer of gore paints the ground.
The vans continue to burn, fires raging. They’re probably very much wrecked.
u-b
Sean hears continued explosions and waits about half a minute upstairs, in case the robot's self-destruct sequence is activated. If all is clear, he sneaks downstairs and tries to locate the thingy.
Shoot Da Moon
The time passes by without incident. Without any noise from downstairs.

Sean creeps down, undetected. He spots the robot, still active (it has LEDs on), motionless by a wall corner, away from a straight sight line. Facing away from the walls. Its only noise is a quiet hum of internal machinery.

It is lying in wait, blinded.
u-b
Sean stops as soon as he sees the robot, takes some time to aim at an intact-looking camera, shoots a short burst at it and retreats upstairs.

 
 Spoiler 
A heroic retreat for 5/12 =&gt; 4/12 FP and Sean better rest now.
 
Shoot Da Moon
Sean is sure he managed to get all his bullets right on target.
The sound of the gun echoes all throughout the building.
But the robot stays functional despite the massive damage to its internal circuitry done by the gunfire.

(OC: not a death check, but it must roll to stay conscious.)

Sean retreats up the stairs, his breath deeply ragged, like a dog’s. His muscles burn.
He hears the machine try to unleash its integral rifle, but the bullets do not touch him. It was a wild burst, the bot is blind.
It may or may not try to follow him, but at least it won’t get far.
u-b
Sean listens for a bit, then declares the robot as passive and says he'll need some more time to finish the thingy. He proposes people do the following:
1. Observe.
2. Get our cars to Richard's house not in direct LoS from the motel and keep the drivers 100% on stand-by.
3. Collect the unconscious prisoners (the vans' drivers, if not taken away in the captured vans) and the gear that is thereabouts (including Sean's dropped empty mags, empty casings, anything surviving pipe bomb explosions maybe). Do  not  use the pickup truck to transport any of that. In fact, make it ready to collect one disabled battle robot.
4. Do  not  approach Sean's house.
5. Report to Sean when done.
6. Sean will try to produce one disabled battle robot and report when he's done.

 
 Spoiler 
Sean will act again in 20 minutes (or more if the people take longer). Richard turns off his beam and changes his position.
 
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Sean listens for a bit, then declares the robot as passive and says he'll need some more time to finish the thingy. He proposes people do the following:
1. Observe.
2. Get our cars to Richard's house not in direct LoS from the motel and keep the drivers 100% on stand-by.
3. Collect the unconscious prisoners (the vans' drivers, if not taken away in the captured vans) and the gear that is thereabouts (including Sean's dropped empty mags, empty casings, anything surviving pipe bomb explosions maybe). Do  not  use the pickup truck to transport any of that. In fact, make it ready to collect one disabled battle robot.
4. Do  not  approach Sean's house.
5. Report to Sean when done.
6. Sean will try to produce one disabled battle robot and report when he's done.

 
 Spoiler 
Sean will act again in 20 minutes (or more if the people take longer). Richard turns off his beam and changes his position.
 
 
 

Sean’s allies and Richard receive his orders.
They can observe from afar, that’s not a problem.
Driving their cars away is also fine.
There may not be any surviving enemies - the vans are on fire, they were caught in pipe bomb explosions, they got shot up before that…
They can retrieve the mags and casings without an issue. They think.
One of the Troubleshooters comments that if they can capture the robot, he’s sure that the merchants of Gunmetal will gladly buy it off them for a huge favour or big ticket Old World tech. He suggests radioing them for advice on how to safely capture the darn thing.

(OC: how many FP does Sean recover from rest?)
u-b
Sean clarifies his orders and takes some rest. If the robot does not try to get anywhere, after some 20 minutes Sean sneaks down to check on its well-being armed with APDS...

 
 Spoiler 
Likely two APi projectiles down the bore, so Sean expects the weapon should be non-functional. A step into cover that action, then plain move upstairs, then repeat with the last "eye" / FMJs, then provoke to check no more shots fired and look for behavior changes.
 
Shoot Da Moon
Sean relaxes from a while as he listens to the bot downstairs.
Nothing much happens, and he gets some much needed stamina back.

His allies report in that both van drivers are dead from blood loss. They’re starting to stink.
The bomb blasts left not much to scavenge. Guns were wrecked beyond repair, armour is mostly torn (they salvage parts worth only a quarter of what the thing used to be worth, for repair jobs), personal effects like cigarettes and rations were annihilated, bullets all cooked off…
Empty magazines and casings were recovered.

After his rest, Sean sneaks down. He finds the bot again, this time standing still in another corner.
With two merciless shots, he bull’s eyes the robot’s remaining weapon, although he is not sure if he managed to disable it. It’s dead metal, after all, and a highly advanced Old World reinforced armament.

Either way, the robot does not respond in time, Sean shoots it up again before it can do more than twitch.
More bullets aimed at the machine’s weaker parts, the sensors. Three more hits on target.
It hangs on, absolutely savaged by Sean’s rifle fire.
It does not fire back with its rifle, however, instead trying to blindly move away to somewhere safer.
u-b
Sean consults with Richard and they decide to head the Troubleshooter's advice. They discuss their position, then Richard uses the car's radio to contact Gunmetal. It's not exactly business hours, but supposing somebody answers, hears what needs discussing and gets us someone of appropriate rank and qualification, the discussion could start roughly as follows:
1. We are now near a battle robot that was originally fully operational tracked well-armored model with four cameras armed with a combat laser and an LMG or some such. We have disabled all its cameras, the laser and the LMG, but it still retains the capacity to move around, slowly and blindly, and we are unsure whether we should disable it further, hence the call. We can provide the details about the robot if requested.
1.1 We can keep disabling the robot and handle it when it stops moving, OR...
1.2 Attempt to somehow immobilize it without inflicting additional damage, OR...
1.3 Transfer it to Gunmetal's men in its present state and place.
2. We can consider at least the following options, but also other options that Gunmetal can offer:
2.1 We pay for repairs and reprogramming and get the robot for ourselves. We are not sure if this will run afoul of Gunmetal's export regulations, even if the robot never visits Gunmetal itself, so there are also the following options.
2.2 We transfer the robot and get a LARGE chunk of funds credited to our account.
2.3 We transfer the robot, get full citizenship for a number of us (where "a number" is some 3+)  and  a small chunk of funds credited to our account  and/or  some official recognition for our settlement and people thereof (not quite full citizenship, but the details are TBD).

So, before we negotiate the details of the deal, can we have some advise about...
3. What are the other options.
4. What is negotiable and what is non-negotiable.
5. What we should do to the robot and how we should handle the capture and/or transfer to get the maximum value out of it.
Shoot Da Moon
Radioing Gunmetal takes 15 minutes.
When someone picks up, they quickly transfer the call to a more senior engineer.

The robot peeks interest very quickly.
The engineer identifies it as a Tracked Assault Sentry-Eliminator. A military grade Old World hunter-killer machine.
Gunmetal wants it badly. Badly enough that the engineer’s superiors are quickly invited in to monitor and handle the radio call.

The Gunmetal representatives make an offer for the bot; Sean (they confirmed his identity) is believed to be in the market for an Old World artillery or mortar weapon - not usually sold to outsiders. In exchange for the robot, they can trade him the weaponry, ammo for it, and even training in its use. Is their information on Sean’s desired purchase correct?

Bullets, barter and credit can be given in addition to that.
They can certainly give him (and his settlement) privileges of “valued customer” and recognition in addition to that…

The Gunmetal men comment that using an electrical attack to disable the machine is the best option, but unlikely to be viable to Sean and his allies. Shooting it more risks destroying it, assuming Sean and his allies even have weaponry capable of penetrating its armour (Gunmetal seems very skeptical about that).
They offer to just send a team of their professionals to capture it instead. All Sean has to do is keep the robot contained or distracted until they arrive (in 45 minutes), and then lead the team over to the machine. The team will take care of the rest, they have their trucks and electrical weapons.

Getting the robot captured will hard without an electrical attack. Its armour is extremely durable and hardened. Even explosives that are not Old World RPGs or vehicle-mounted may not do any damage.
u-b
Sean is unsure if he wants a mortar more than he wants a robot, but ends up deciding that without happy Gunmetal he is not very likely to have either. He says he won't need much ammo for the mortar save for a few sample rounds to copy. In principle, he does agree to guard the robot for 45 minutes and then transfer it to Gunmetal men. Assuming Troubleshooters do not mind, the location is named and a safe approach not risking any landmines is named. He declares he wants in return:
1. A mortar (the exact type is to be determined).
2. Training in its use for a few men.
3. A few sample rounds of various types.
4. A TL9+ pocket computer with Artillery program for the mortar (optional, but highly desirable).
5. Valued customer status for him and his settlement.
6. No charge for drone repairs that are now underway.
7. A truckload of petrol.
8. Full data on the robot when it's in (Sean seems to have discovered two deficiencies already, but he's interested in more data about the type, like at least its vision types, hearing protection etc.)
9. Rebuilding one piece of tight-beam burning laser (to be provided by Sean) into a wide-beam blinding laser and training a man in its use.
10. A weapon that's good against the robot (like an electrolaser or what), he'll want a list of all things available and applicable, including the models the Gunmetal men are bringing into action tonight and training in its use.
11. Maybe some funds credited to his account, especially if not all of the above is available.

 
 Spoiler 
Sean is pretty much ready to have some of his desires stricken down or declared "available, to be paid for" (the later is more preferable than the former), but if he has everything, he will be very happy with the value he gets for the thing.

Please do not advance the time right this moment, I'll have another post incoming with what Sean does during that time.
 
Shoot Da Moon
(OC: no time passes, then. Assume this info is made plain when talking to Gunmetal.)

Most of the mortar designs Gunmetal has are a little outdated by Old World standards.

They have elite soldiers that know how to use mortars, they can instruct Sean and his comrades. Training could take weeks, though.

Munitions for the mortar are uncommon - their factories typically stick to bullets and grenades. But Gunmetal is fine with supplying a decent stash if Sean can hold up his end of the bargain. Buying more is fine, but it takes time to manufacture more for him.

Gunmetal does not have any pocket computers, for sale or otherwise, at any tech level. Their own computers are fairly large.

Gunmetal is happy to mark down Sean and his people as trustworthy, the New World advanced combat robot is a great treasure.

Drone repairs are fine. They have a guy who loves drone tech, so they can have him handle it.

How big of a truckload for the petrol? They do not have a big rig, but they can provide twenty Jerry cans without a problem. The entire region has been switching to ethanol when it can, as the gasoline supply is dwindling.

Rebuilding a laser and modifying it would be a very expensive and time-consuming process for their engineers. They warn that the laser tech is cutting edge even back when the Old World was just The World.

Taking the robot apart and studying it will require weeks if not months. Repairing it is also going to be a slow and painful process. They do know of some general weaknesses of fighting robots, though.

The Gunmetal team plans to use a “lightning gun” to capture the robot. It’s an energy weapon they developed and rarely use in the field. One of their most valuable treasures. The price tag for just one is probably more than Sean can afford.

Simple funds depend on the state of the robot. The better shape it is in, the more Gunmetal is willing to credit Sean.
u-b
Sean can make do with twenty Jerry cans and while the rest of Gunmetal's offer is not stellar, he generally agrees. He summons two Troubleshooter men (at least one of them with a radio) and two AK-47 men to his house and guides them upstairs around the robot one by one in as many tries as necessary. If all goes well, he leaves those men to keep an eye on the robot and wait for Gunmetal men. Then he takes Bart, dogs, two Garand men, two AK-47 men, laser pistol Troubleshooter man and flamethrower Troubleshooter man and, in two cars, takes a detour exactly like the Sacred Snakes took to end up some 50 yards away from the motel exactly on the route the Sacred Snakes took. No lights are used for the trip, instead Sean's own vision and Bart's NVGs are used. Then he gets the men out of the cars and assesses the situation. The rest of men, including Richard, are to remain in houses on the other side of the motel just as they were.

 
 Spoiler 
Say, 20 minutes on the radio with Gunmetal means 2 more FPs are restored. Then getting men to guard the robot, then a detour. How much is the darkness by then, in general and in around the motel with burning cars?
 
Shoot Da Moon
The Gunmetal representatives are happy to deal with Sean. They are sending their men over now.
The allies of Sean reposition themselves according to his orders. They are nervous about entering the building, creeping around the robot.

The drive in the cars is much smoother. Following the route eventually brings them to a large deserted campsite by the road, it has been abandoned recently, objects and campaign equipment packed up and taken away. Lots of people used this place as a place to rest and store supplies. Many cars and motorcycles drove away from here in west-ford direction 2 or so hours ago.

(OC: the darkness is getting much worse. The sun definitely has gone fully down by now. Call it a penalty of -7. The burning vans act as a torch, however, eliminating darkness within 6 yards. Within 18 yards of the burning vans, the darkness penalty is only -3.)
u-b
Sean remains alert for any other robots and, for that matter, men, but his attention is divided between the roofs and windows of two buildings, the burning cars and tracks / possible mines on the ground. Anyway, he intends to follow the intruder's footsteps. And their wheel tracks before that. For now, he goes alone...

 
 Spoiler 
Carefully approach the entrance used by the attackers, then go inside as far as they went or until something interesting is noticed.
 
Shoot Da Moon
The campsite is not a building, it seems it was once a series of tents and vehicles circling a large fire pit.

Sean is sure no men or robots are on the move in the area. Even the animals are scarce.

(OC: do you mean, you want to investigate the motel now? The campsite is far away from the motel.)

There are no signs of life coming from the motel. It might have been cleared out. Or the raiders inside fled through some secret passage.
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Yeah, Sean is inclined to follow his originally intended route and investigate the motel, ignoring the camp for the moment. 
 

Moving on, Sean and his allies check out the interior of the motel.
They gingerly make their way past the barb wire fence, where a hole has been opened by the Sacred Snakes.
There are landmines placed around the parking lot, in the approach to the motel proper. The soldiers invading did not trigger any of them.
There are waist-high concrete barriers nearer the motel buildings. At the edges of the parking lot are bigger stone blocks meant to stop vehicle ramming. The motel buildings had sandbags blocking various doors, but the soldiers seemed to have moved them.
Sean notices that the motel buildings seem to have murder holes in their walls, so those inside can shoot at invaders on the outside.

As previously observed, the motel is made up of two buildings, a bigger one and a smaller one. The bigger one seems to have an office out front. The smaller one is devoted solely to guest rooms.
u-b
Sean did not notice anyone shooting at the retreating attackers besides his team, so is somewhat optimistic about his approach. But with either some Sacred Snakes or some defenders re-appearing from the Gutter or what not, the risks are still there. He tries to sneak to some concrete barrier and then do some estimates:
1. Which building(s) have the attackers last emerged from, if any?
2. Which building(s) have the attackers visited, if any?
3. Does it seem feasible to get Bart with the dogs to the same concrete barrier, then release the dogs to search the aforementioned building(s) without anyone tripping any mines (Bart should be able to follow Sean's footsteps, but Sean is not quite so sure about the dogs - they could be guided, but that depends on how wide is the safe path, and whether there are mines between the barriers and the buildings).
Shoot Da Moon
The attackers apparently came from the larger building.
They went into both buildings, the smaller one first.
The dogs should be able to search the area safely. Bart keeps them alert for explosives and well-trained, he proudly informs Sean.

(OC: Bart will need to roll his Animal Handling (Dogs) skill. The dogs can roll an effective Smell-18 roll to detect bad stuff and bad guys.)
u-b
Sean chooses to do it in the same order, the smaller building first. If the dogs do not seem to bark at anyone alive or die an audially recognizable death, he then does the smaller building himself.
Shoot Da Moon
The dogs are let off their leashes and begin checking the area. They avoid stumbling into any danger. They bark to signal Bart that they’ve found something in the smaller buildings.

Coming in after them reveals a few dead bodies lying on the ground of the building. They’ve been looted and left to rot, sometimes without top layer clothing. Certainly, without armour and weapons. Not even bullet casings were left behind.
The walls of the building have been partly demolished to allow travel between rooms easier. There are bear traps set up underneath the windows to the outside, to deter invaders coming in from the entry points.

The center of the building is dominated by some sort of tunnelling operation. Three wheelbarrows are full of dirt, 7 shovels are dirty and very used, a really big hole has been dug out, the big tunnel leads underground and goes in the direction of the bigger building. The tunnel is big enough for two adults to walk down the tunnel side-by-side.
u-b
Sean checks the bodies for any tattoos and to get an impression of the types of wounds sustained, then leaves them alone. Then, maybe consulting with Bart and the dogs, he attempts to determine whether the attackers went to the larger building through this tunnel or some route above ground. Whatever that is, that would be the route he lets the dogs take. He will then follow, accompanied by Bart, if the dogs seem to survive.
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Sean checks the bodies for any tattoos and to get an impression of the types of wounds sustained, then leaves them alone. Then, maybe consulting with Bart and the dogs, he attempts to determine whether the attackers went to the larger building through this tunnel or some route above ground. Whatever that is, that would be the route he lets the dogs take. He will then follow, accompanied by Bart, if the dogs seem to survive. 
 

The dead do indeed have tattoos on their necks. They all feature some sort of circle with many numbered segments, alternating in red and black slices.
The wounds that killed them are gunshots, 100%. Mostly around the torso and limbs. A few have been hit in the face, ruining their good looks.

The dogs rebel against their orders. They do not want to go down the tunnel, or even sniff around it. Bart guesses that the smell of chemicals is turning them off.
Sean is sure that no-one went through the tunnels - the recent tracks of soldiers (they wore different footwear than the raiders living here) do not go down into the tunnel but instead outside the building, to walk over to the other building’s above-ground entrances.

Bart manages to get the dogs calmed, just barely. They wander ahead, sniffing. Getting the scent of recent dead human, according to Bart. The dogs lead them over to the entrance to the motel’s check-in office. Sean notes that the door has shot through many times, by SMG fire, and all the holes look recent. Then the door was smashed in, allowing entry.

The room beyond has more corpses inside, some of which have been caught in a small bomb blast. The office looks trashed, furniture tipped over or wrecked. No lights on. No walls knocked down, either. A few doors to other rooms, left open.
u-b
At Sean's request Bart sends the dogs to investigate the area(s) beyond the open doors. Sean intends to follow the dogs (not very closely) and eventually open some more doors for them while Bart remains in the first entered room.
Shoot Da Moon
(OC: you did not need to roll Animal Handling again.)

Bart directs the canines with focus and care. The four-legged soldiers find no new life or threats in the rooms beyond.
The rooms are an old restroom, an office and then a one-person bedroom, refitted to be little personal living spaces for squatters. Sleeping bags and the remains of rations are scattered on the floor. Cloth sacks of dirt are left discarded, suggesting more tunnels have been dug in this building.

A door in the old bedroom leads to an uncovered secret passage. From inside the passageway, it becomes apparent that it had peepholes at regular intervals, to spy on the old rented guest rooms.

Rooms (other than the front office the men just went into) accessed from the outside of this side of the building are a laundry room and a rec room. They are also deserted. Neither have corpses or enemies in them, it seems. The sandbag barricades on their doors were not disturbed.
u-b
Sean quietly navigates the secret passage, using all the peepholes in sequence to observe the rooms, unless he finds opposition before he's done. If all is clear, he then intends to make a guess about which part(s) of the building still remain to be seen and how he could get to the roof to check on the sniper that could be still there, possibly checking the roof before remaining part(s) of the building if that seems to be safe enough.

 
 Spoiler 
Expecting the sniper to be knocked out or dead (would like to know which it is), and either looted or not (please also specify).
 
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Sean quietly navigates the secret passage, using all the peepholes in sequence to observe the rooms, unless he finds opposition before he's done. If all is clear, he then intends to make a guess about which part(s) of the building still remain to be seen and how he could get to the roof to check on the sniper that could be still there, possibly checking the roof before remaining part(s) of the building if that seems to be safe enough.

 
 Spoiler 
Expecting the sniper to be knocked out or dead (would like to know which it is), and either looted or not (please also specify).
 
 
 

The peepholes all allow checking the guest rooms - which have been opened up and connected by demolishing walls, same as in the smaller building. These rooms are definitely more messed up, with about 10 fresh corpses lying on the floor or slumped against walls. Grenades have been tossed around, leaving small blast craters wrecking the furniture and decor.
Sean spots a radio in there, but it’s been blown to bits by gunfire. The floor has also been dug up, for a large tunnel, similar to what he found in the smaller building. Wheelbarrows, bags of dirt, shovels - the tools of excavation.
Looks clear.

Places Sean has not checked yet are the utility shed by the empty pool and a storage closet outside. The other places were checked by Bart and his other allies. They found nothing out of the ordinary.

Sean goes around to the ladder to the roof on the other side of the building. When he gets up there, he finds the sniper where he left him. Dead. Unlooted. The small human-nest of comfy pillows, supply backpack and small radio hidden by the sign is untouched.
u-b
Sean takes a note of whether the radio had an extended antenna on the roof that might still have survived or it had a small and directly attached antenna. He also checks whether the attackers went down the tunnel in this building (he expects that they probably didn't). He then checks the dead sniper's rifle and binoculars, but climbs down without taking them. He does take the small radio, though, which he gives to Bart, who is not to mess any deals and to listen for any incoming transmissions. He then proceeds to check the utility shed, approaching from the side opposite to the burning vans and peeking in. If all is clear, he'll do the same to the storage closet.

 
 Spoiler 
Please specify the items checked.
 
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Sean takes a note of whether the radio had an extended antenna on the roof that might still have survived or it had a small and directly attached antenna. He also checks whether the attackers went down the tunnel in this building (he expects that they probably didn't). He then checks the dead sniper's rifle and binoculars, but climbs down without taking them. He does take the small radio, though, which he gives to Bart, who is not to mess any deals and to listen for any incoming transmissions. He then proceeds to check the utility shed, approaching from the side opposite to the burning vans and peeking in. If all is clear, he'll do the same to the storage closet.

 
 Spoiler 
Please specify the items checked.
 
 
 

The radio has an extended antenna on the roof. It’s set up next to the sniper’s nest.
The attackers did not go down the tunnel. Maybe the raiders living in this building did, but not recently.
The rifle is a Colt Lightning, fully loaded.
(OC: see Adventure Guns p35 for stats)
The binoculars are standard issue, same model as the ones Sean has found on raiders in the past.
Bart inspects the radio, and finds it has been shot. Recently. The attackers must have blasted it during the fight, perhaps to prevent raiders calling in back up.
The utility shed has a whole mess of digging equipment, well used. More than just shovels. No sacks of dirt, they were being emptied out somewhere.
The storage closet contains four plastic barrels full of water. Eight metal military-grade ammo canisters are left in there, opened up and empty. The attackers might have stolen it all. Or the defending raiders loaded up before they either began fighting or running away.
u-b
Sean makes an assessment of which digging site (smaller building or larger building) looks more recent. He takes a short trip to the cars to get a gas mask and a full load of ammo. He also takes the flamer guy with him. He also reports his plans and findings to Richard. Then he leaves the flamer guy near the entrance to the tunnel in the smaller building, puts on the gas mask, turns on IR light (assuming the tunnel is not illuminated) and tries to sneak down there to take a look, careful not to trigger a mine.
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Sean makes an assessment of which digging site (smaller building or larger building) looks more recent. He takes a short trip to the cars to get a gas mask and a full load of ammo. He also takes the flamer guy with him. He also reports his plans and findings to Richard. Then he leaves the flamer guy near the entrance to the tunnel in the smaller building, puts on the gas mask, turns on IR light (assuming the tunnel is not illuminated) and tries to sneak down there to take a look, careful not to trigger a mine. 
 

The smaller building has a more recent digging operation.
The fire-trooper takes up position where Sean tells him. He warns Sean to be out of the tunnel when he lets loose. A cookout under ground will be an absolute slaughter.

Sean’s journey into the tunnel is eerie. There’s fresh blood stains on the ground.
He finds the tunnels under both buildings are connected. No big surprise there.
The tunnel, once joined up, then leads west. It seems to go on for quite a long way. Maybe a mile? Certainly, the end is not sight.

Going down the tunnel, Sean eventually runs into the expected explosive traps set up on the ground, 50 yards after entering the tunnel. Two landmines, also wired to a few sticks of dynamite (placed around the walls, perhaps to cave in the tunnel). No sign of any people, though. The blood trail petered out about 20 yards back.
u-b
Sean carefully examines the blood stains and any accompanying (foot-)prints before he gets back out of the tunnel to report in and consult with the people some more. The questions to the Troubleshooters are as follows:
1. Do Troubleshooters want to investigate the tunnel?
2. If so, do they want to do it now?
3. Would they assist Sean if he does it now?
4. Do they have an explosives guy to remove the mines? Sean thinks he should be able to do it, but would not mind if it's done by someone more competent.
5. Do they have gas masks or would they risk going without them? Sean is not sure the chemical scent is  dangerous , but then again, he didn't quite check.
6. Do they know of any interesting sites to the west, as far as a  long  hand-made tunnel could go?
7. The big question is if the tunnel is  complete , to which there might be hints from local rumors.

As for the bleeding guy, Sean might have leaned:
8. If he went through.
9. If he went back.
10. If he went through a camouflaged passage.
11. If he was alone.
12. If he has spent time here maybe applying bandages or setting that mine trap).
13. Also anything else.

He also examines his maps, which are old and not very detailed, but could at least hint at some old major non-secret installation and disclose the "normal" notable features on the surface, like maybe settlements.

 
 Spoiler 

 
 Originally Posted by Shoot Da Moon 
 Two landmines, also  wired  to a few sticks of dynamite... 
 

Some det cord in the open?
 
Shoot Da Moon
The blood is dried, but fresh enough to be only hours old at most.
Footprints are very common - there was heavy traffic back and forth, for days on end. And there’s definitely recent footprints.
Sean gets back and report in without incident.

The Troubleshooters want to investigate further under safer circumstances - when it’s daylight, for example. Assisting Sean is okay, but they ask him to consider a more cautious approach.
They do have a soldier who knows bombs and such, yes.
(OC: the NPC has skill 14.)
The men have no gas masks. If something feels wrong, it IS wrong, they advise. Consider backing off, someone else can kill them later.
The Troubleshooters thinks there’s old forest cabins over there, why?
The Troubleshooters have not heard of any tunnels. But might mean any potential witnesses were murdered shortly after their discoveries…

The bleeding person went through, not back. Not the camouflaged passage. They were escorted by another. Did not linger much, kept moving, no time for first aid. No blood on the bombs - probably did not set the land mines. Footprints are heavy boots, no bloody handprints on the walls. No signs of gunfire in the tunnel itself.

The maps don’t help much. Forest, rockiness, hills, bad terrain. Lots of places to hide out there. Few settlements except directly around the roads. Ruins of Old World towns. Needle in a hay stack, is that the Old World expression?

 
 Spoiler 

Some det cord in the open?
 


The dynamite is wired with det cord, yes.
u-b
Sean is not sure how the daylight is safer inside a tunnel. Besides, at least against tattooed types he feels noticeably safer in the dark. He explains this and then proposes the following plan, which we are to execute unless there are strong objections:
1. A team of Sean, the explosives man, the flamer man and the laser man prepare to go down the hole to at least find where it ends and maybe exit it depending on the circumstances. We do it, like, now.
2. The rest of the teams mostly remain on guard, but two men explore and loot anything that remains here at the motel, even if it is only good for parts. When they are done, they remain at the motel to keep the holes secured from our side.
3. Bart remains in charge of the motel and Richard remains in charge in general.
4. Sean will be on the radio, but one man should be put in the sedan with the radio there to communicate with Sean and relay to the rest of the teams when the signal starts to weaken.
5. We take the following gear:
5.1 Sean replaces his expended stun grenade, tops all the mags to full and is good to go. He goes without the gas mask because the others have none either.
5.2 The explosives man takes Bart's NVGs, four hand flares, a bagful of grenades and whatever tools he needs. We have some 18 pounds of grenades, which should be good enough.
5.3 The laser man takes Richard's shield and familiarizes himself with control of two tactical lights mounted there.
5.4 The flamer guy takes Sean's flashlight, after which should be good to go as he is.

The operating procedure should be roughly as follows:
6. Sean sneaks some 40 yards in front, but less around any turns and corners. He uses IR tactical light to illuminate his way.
7. The explosives guy will see things in his NVGs by Sean's distant, but powerful, illumination. He leads the others who are not to turn their own lights unless absolutely necessary and will thus walk effectively blind.
8. He will come to Sean when waved in to disarm any mines and will then go back to resume like #7.
9. Sean will report to Richard, maybe through the sedan guy.
10. The notable commands, in case Sean is close by or out of the way, will be "blast", "light" and "fire", directed correspondingly at each one of the men. There is not command for laser guy to shoot, but after the lights are on, he is to fire at will.
Shoot Da Moon
What the Troubleshooter men mean, is that going into the countryside where the tunnel might come out is safer in the daylight.

The expert goes to work, and gets the devices disarmed after 40 minutes of careful tinkering. He collects the inert bombs for his own collection.
Once that’s taken care of, the team can advance down the tunnel. The underground passage goes on for more than 900 yards. The flamethrower man switches to a sidearm and puts on ear-plugs, feeling it’s too dangerous to use a flamer in this tight corridor. He warns everyone to be careful of ear damage. The guy with the laser agrees. (His weapon is quiet, other guns are not.)

The other men bunker down and get the motel scavenged. They don’t expect too much now. They watch the tunnel, and the perimeter.
Bart nods and tends to his dogs as he co-ordinates the men. Richard keeps his weapon loaded. They both hope Sean hurries back.
The radio may run into problems underground. The enemy probably does not have jammers or anything, though. Sean keeps in touch with his comrade until they get about 150 yards down the tunnel. Then the signal gets increasingly interrupted.

Sean notes how much of his supplies are left.
His allies take the gear he asks them to. One complains a bit about “hauling the heavy stuff.” Another tells him to shut up. The explosives expert warns blowing grenades in the tunnel is definitely a bad idea. It’s tight quarters, and could cause a collapse.
The laser shooter is unused to the shield. He note the tac-lights could be used to dazzle a foe in dark conditions.
The flamethrower man keeps the flashlight handy.

Sean’s scouting is smooth-going. The tunnel seems to curve only slightly, after 300 yards. It gently slopes downward (maybe half a yard at a time) every so often, never sloping upward for 100s of yards. The others follow him. No more boobytraps are spotted. No more bloodstains on surfaces. Eerie silence. No gas smelt. No rumbling in the earth. Air remains breathable. His radio reports get increasingly less received. The signal seems to cut out entirely after 600 yards, perhaps the total downward sloping got deep enough beneath the surface.

The tunnel keeps going after the 900 yard mark, but now there’s noticeable upward sloping.
Sean’s team questions if they should keep going?
(OC: a slow and stealthy movement would mean 1 yard per second. Sean and his allies have been walking in the tunnel for about 13.5 to 15 minutes, not counting the bomb defusing.)
u-b
Sean continues to lead the team along the tunnel. The same procedure - quietly and in the dark.
Shoot Da Moon
The tunnel slopes upward gently as the trek forward goes on - and it starts twisting a bit.

After another 14 and a half minutes, Sean and his brave followers make it out of the tunnel, out into the fresh air of the outside. It looks like the place is in the middle of raw wilderness, partly camouflaged by trees and shrubs. Just a short walk away, is a single room wooden cabin with no windows. It looks dilapidated, probably built before The Ruin, a relic of the Old World.

Sean gets radio contact back as he exits the tunnel.
The Gunmetal crew have arrived and are handling the robot, fingers crossed.
Richard sees they are setting up and aiming a large electrical cannon mounted on a metal tripod…

The area looks deserted, no people in sight. Sean notes that people tracks are all over, recent. The cabin is empty. It was used as a hideout, empty food cans and other signs of habitation are inside. A car was parked here until a hour ago, but it was driven off to the north. It drove on dirt roads, roughly blazed trail through the light forest here.
u-b
Sean concedes he has no idea what is going on. He would rather expect they've used the motel to dig to something...  interesting , like a shelter, some gutter site or connection, a base of some other faction or what not. An empty shack in the woods is totally not striking Sean as a worthy goal to dig to. He tries to make sense of the recent activities. Maybe this whole mess was dug the other way around? Or, like,  what ?

If nothing noteworthy is found, the plan is to report as much, then do the following:
1. Request the loot team to examine the attackers' bodies (two drivers should about do) for any marks, mutations and similarities (read: cloning).
2. Request the loot team to finish packing by the time Sean's back.
3. Sean leads the men back through the same tunnel. This time we can go faster.
4. And then we are outta here, preferably to some Troubleshooter site if they invite us. We have topics to discuss.

 
 Spoiler 
If we successfully escape, please hand me the loot. This would include two attacking drivers, one defending sniper, the casings ejected by the robot (if any), potentially some digging equipment (this can go as "a lot of that, $X, Y lbs") and I am not sure what else. I'll be including two broken radios if they are good for parts, an extended antenna, four empty barrels and eight empty ammo canisters (not sure what they are worth).
 
Shoot Da Moon
The shack has a (crummy) bed, two empty wooden chests and a single wooden table. It looks like whatever was stored here, got taken away…

The loot team is annoyed at having to dirty their hands with dead bodies, but agree to follow orders. They report back that the corpses look pretty darn human, they have tattoos on their bellies. The tattoos all depict the same sigil; a big snake eating its tail, coloured silver. They are not clones, they are different looking people. The corpse in the motel are raiders, with tattoos on their necks.

The loot teams start packing up, glad to be going home.

The tunnel back is just as dark, but not as threatening. They arrive back at the motel. Their allies are waiting for them.

The Troubleshooters are okay with going to a safe place, and discussing what happened here. It’s 25 miles away, but they have enough fuel to get there.
Everyone is tired. Sean is tired.


  
 Spoiler 
If we successfully escape, please hand me the loot. This would include two attacking drivers, one defending sniper, the casings ejected by the robot (if any), potentially some digging equipment (this can go as "a lot of that, $X, Y lbs") and I am not sure what else. I'll be including two broken radios if they are good for parts, an extended antenna, four empty barrels and eight empty ammo canisters (not sure what they are worth).
 
 

 
 Spoiler 
 You got it!

The drivers *each* (so double what comes next for a total) had a H&amp;K USP pistol (High-Tech, p. 102), two magazines fully loaded with pistols bullets, a total of 24 pistol bullets, a small knife, hiking boots, some flame-resistant clothing, an advanced ballistic helmet (huge value, Sean’s allies really want that for themselves), an improved assault vest with advanced trauma plates (again, huge find, the loot team are salivating), and two preserved rations.

The sniper and his nest had a scoped Colt Lightning rifle (stats are in Adventure Guns page 35, scope adds +3 Acc), a pair of binoculars, 40 rifle bullets, a light Kevlar vest, road leathers covering everything else but the head, a pack of 13 cigarettes, a lighter, a small cheap flashlight, a cheap small knife or can opener, 6 tins of canned food, two plastic bottles full of water, boots, a small bottle of illegal drugs (7 pills), a small wooden club, 5 road flares, no helmet, and a cigarette lighter.

Digging equipment is 10 big shovels, 8 wheelbarrows, 20 cloth sacks, and 2 hand carts…but bigger construction equipment (perhaps from the Old World) was not stored at the motel. Maybe it was once kept at the cabin on the other end of the tunnel?
The broken radios can be salvaged for parts, but they’re worth 1/4 their usual price for that, major repairs are needed.
Antenna’s fine.
Barrels are good.
Canisters are basically 1/10 steel drums in terms of weight, DR, HP, carrying capacity and value.
The casings from the robot are for rifle bullets. The loot team found 80 of them.
 
u-b
The group observes the Gunmetal people's handling of the robot and leaves the site after them. Hopefully, the trip would be uneventful. If all is well, Sean would like to meet some Troubleshooter officer on duty and, along with Richard and the representatives of Troubleshooter side of the action, report on the events. After the reports are made, and presumably briefly written down, and accompanying questions answered, Sean would like to arrange a place to sleep for himself and his men. He defers dividing the loot until the morning, but proposes the general principles of "both sides get equal value" and "this does not include the robot, which is totally Sean's". If these are agreed with, he expects the process to go smoothly.

Tomorrow, Sean would like to...
1. Hear what the Troubleshooters can say about the Slavers.
2. Hear what the Troubleshooters can say about the Sacred Snakes.
3. Hear what the Troubleshooters can say about the Troubleshooters.
4. Hear what the Troubleshooters can say about the Vermont Rangers.
5. Propose the Troubleshooters continue to gather the intelligence on their own, both on the Slavers and the Sacred Snakes, and on their operations here, including maybe finding out what the hell was this whole digging about.
6. Meet the Troubleshooters ultimate leadership (is that "Black Alice"?).
7. Propose that the Troubleshooters comment on the situation with Vermont Rangers and the Old World police station. If the question or motivation for asking it seem unclear, Sean will explain.
8. Propose that the Troubleshooters try to engage in a diplomatic solution, maybe dispatching a small diplomatic team to go with Sean.
9. Propose that we establish some trading relations. Sean is interested in computers, robots and lasers (the later might include hiring wielding men), but maybe also in some other stuff. He's also interested in intelligence. He has some surplus vehicles and potentially explosives. He also has some fighting ability. In time, he might have surplus chemicals. What are the Troubleshooters interested in?

 
 Spoiler 
We will accept any reasonable accomodation and will post two guards at a time. Not really expecting anything, but no reason to change a good habit. Also, please describe the site and the area it is in and extra non-Troubleshooter people around, if any.
 
Shoot Da Moon
In about 10 minutes, the Gunmetal team manages to fire off the electrical charge and shutdown the robot. They quickly move in, start dissembling the bot, taking out its power supply, and packing up the parts. The robot’s broken form is carted off to the van for transportation. A thumbs up from a Gunmetal expert confirms that the machine is captured completely.
It takes them some more time to get ready to hit the road, but it’s without incident. One of the team talks to Sean, discussing the deal and the package.

After that, Sean talks to a Troubleshooter. She writes down a full report in their notebook for her superiors.
She offers to guide him to a campsite that’s safe, in case he doesn’t feel like driving back to his base. They put off dividing the loot for a night. The robot is no concern of hers.

The campsite she shows Sean is 20 miles away from here. It has not been used much recently. Tents and fires are set up easily. The armed men organise watches. No other people around. Bare bones camping spot. The Troubleshooters have enough supplies and expertise to make bunking down no problem.

(OC: Before we move on to the next day, all PCs have earned   3 bonus Character Point s  for surviving the motel fight and the combat robot attack. For this feat, they can now improve their Reputation in both bonus and scope. Then we can handle Sean’s questions for the Troubleshooters.)

Sean, Richard, Bart, the dogs, the militia and the rest all go to sleep peacefully, exhausted by the stress of the violence and danger they experienced just hours ago…
u-b
Sean tells the Gunmetal men that he'd like to learn if they can provide a 120 mm mortar complete with a carriage. Sean does not require anything modern or fancy, so a WWII design, either refurbished or built to spec, will do just fine. He can pay for extra quality though. Failing that, he'll listen to alternatives. They are to evaluate the robot and we'll talk it all maybe the evening tomorrow.
Shoot Da Moon
The Gunmetal folks will check their stock to see if such a weapon of war has been manufactured. They’re fairly sure they have one. Expect it in 2 or 3 days, delivered to the radar base.

 DAY 89 

(OC: Sean may have his Flashbacks triggered by robots in the future. That encounter with the TASE was harrowing.)

The group of warriors wake up to a clear and somewhat chilly day.
The Gunmetal people radio in to inform Sean that they are getting started on the bot. Any breakthrough will take weeks at least, but it looks very promising.

Sean then starts talking to the Troubleshooter soldiers. They answer questions.

The Troubleshooters have been skirmishing with the slavers for a good long while now. They’ve never managed to clear out an entire hideout of them until Sean showed up. Their numbers have definitely been thinning.

The Sacred Snakes are a boogeyman. Nothing solid has been said about them, just vague horror stories coming from outside the state. By all accounts, they are monstrously evil.

The Troubleshooters are local heroes, true crusaders for justice. They have their own fortress, packed full of Old World tech. They protect the innocent for 35 miles around their base.

The Vermont Rangers are not well-known around their parts of the state. They seem to be paramilitary? Patrolling the north of the state? Either way, Sean’s word is good enough for them that they’ll negotiate and cut a deal with them.

If Sean and his friends want intelligence, the Troubleshooter would happily tell them what they know. But a full report needs time to prepare. Big stacks of paper in the archive, and lots of files on the base computer. None of them are sure what the tunnel was really all about. Digging for gold?

The Troubleshooters highly doubt Sean can get a meeting with the leadership. Sorry, but they have important duties to fulfil, and even a great warrior like yourself is not a big enough deal to interrupt the work. The Troubleshooters are not allowed to discuss details of the leadership with Sean.

The Troubleshooters shrug their shoulders. If Sean says so, they can agree to some demands from the Rangers. They’ll contact the Rangers, give them a concession or two.

The Troubleshooters aren’t really merchants. They know of some merchants travelling around their territory, the Troubleshooters can ask them to approach Sean for trade. If the Troubleshooters need something, they will radio Sean with an offer. But they doubt they are allowed to sell stuff to Sean, the leadership is not very interested in that.
u-b
Sean tells the Gunmetal men that he seem to have found a major weakness in its design and would like that confirmed. Namely, some or all of the four cameras seem to have through-hole mounting with video processing unit beyond those holes. Sean makes this guess because the robot seems to have gone blind after Sean shot just one of the four cameras. Other things of interest include, but are not limited to:
1. The type of each of the four cameras: grayscale, color, low-light, near IR, far IR, multispectral, other.
2. The ammo capacity (both for the laser and the gun).
3. The main battery capacity (both in absolute terms and in some operating hours).
4. Whether the laser feeds or cross-feeds from the main battery or just has its own.
5. Manufacturing marks (builder, date, etc.).

He also clarifies what he would strive to get mortar-wise:
6. The thingie itself (Accurate and/or Reliable if possible), plus standard carriage.
7. One piece of evey tipe of ammo for it.
8. One complete set of parts for each type of ammo.
9. One complete set of drawings and specifications for each type of ammo.
10. An instructor to accompany it to Sean's base to train men.
If he gets  all  of that, he'll be the happiest man in the state.

Negotiating with the Troubleshooters, Sean clarifies, that he would ultimately like to achieve... well, if not an alliance, then a treaty of sorts, between himself, the Troubleshooters and the Rangers. A mere truce would be a plus, a step in right direction, but not the ultimate target outcome. It seems the Rangers are now more worried party than the Troubleshooters and while some concession might be appropriate, Sean would like a more constructive interaction than just avoidance. He is not sure what it would take to achieve that. Say, how would the Troubleshooters look at more joint missions like this last one, presumably not involving the Sacred Snakes for the moment? And how would they look if Sean gets a Ranger or two there too?

As for "them not merchants"... Sean doubts they run a closed economy, so they likely buy and sell? If they collect taxes or something, they might not sell much, and if they don't sell Old World tech ever, Sean would understand that, but he would like to get the request through the leadership. Meeting the leadership is not really mandatory, but a request for one piece of computer or laser, if Sean cannot get that through said merchants, would be something Sean would like to go all the way up. Sean, for his part would be totally willing to let the Troubleshooters have all the miscellaneous loot if they agree to get and inferior van.

If the loot is successfully divided, Sean will consult with the merchants before pushing his request.

 
 Spoiler 
There are two vans, at $200000. And there is $160000+ of other loot. Sean will agree to take:
11. Both vans.
12. Both their radios.
13. All empty casings in all ammo canisters.
14. No other thing.

And he gives an inferior van worth $120000. This way each party gets about $280000 and the Troubleshooters get what they want.

So, what do the merchants have in stock and what they can possibly get?
 
Shoot Da Moon
The Gunmetal spokesman takes down Sean’s information in a notebook. They note that a lot of Old World combat robots were reliant on video cameras as sensors. They figure the sensors are colour-blind (because a combat robot has no need for distinguishing colours) but with night vision. Infrared vision and multi-spectral seems rare, perhaps due to software limitations. The ammo capacity of both weapons is an interesting topic; the laser probably has enormous if not infinite shots due to an on-board battery (that may be solar-powered), the rifle could be reloaded by the bot’s masters. (They figure the rifle bullets capacity of the bot could be around 500 at most.) The power source of the bot is probably an integrated battery like you’d find on a big rig truck. These batteries usually last 6 hours on a full charge. The laser is probably powered by this battery. The manufacturer will have to be researched, and it may require either access to an Old World database or questioning the actual masters of the bot.

A standard model mortar is available, but an improved model would (at best) require a big markup and a week of work to make improvements. The carriage is no problem.
The mortar ammo is fine, although they have doubts of certain exotic ammo being available. Standard ammo is the most common in stock.
The Gunmetal people would probably object to sharing schematics and building plans for heavy-duty highly destructive weaponry and its ammo. They fear it might disrupt the region’s balance of power and cause wars with high death tolls if lots of people knew how to manufacture these kinds of bombs.
An instructor is available, they can call him in from the city to drive to Sean’s base.

The Gunmetal spokesman wryly notes that getting everything you want all the time was a dream of the Old World, and they only came close some of the time…

The Troubleshooters can send Sean’s call for peace up the chain. It might take a few days, but their superiors might listen to him. Sean is known to be a hero, after all. A joint mission in the future might be okay, as long as there are no more combat robots and less explosions. They think the presence of the Sacred Snakes was a fluke; the out-of-staters are unlikely to come around Vermont again, especially as Sean and his allies brutally wiped them out this time. They have not tried to attack anywhere in Vermont previously, as far as they know.
The Troubleshooters are willing to give the Rangers a chance if Sean backs them up.

The Troubleshooters buy and sell mostly with a select gallery of merchants - and the process of making deals with them is done by a special team of Troubleshooters specially trained for it. Their taxes are light; mostly consumables like rations and bullets. They get nervous about Old World tech, they worry about the tech getting out of hand and spreading to enemies like the raiders. They point out that the combat robot was Old World tech, and it was deployed by the cruel and brutal Snakes, and it almost killed Sean himself. They can courier messages to their superiors but they make no promises that the brass will treat it with care. Sean is unlikely to buy a computer or a laser off the Troubleshooters, they warn. They may not have any they can afford to lose. The big haul from the mission could buy 2 flamethrowers, huge amounts of bullets, rifles, 6 NVGs, some good armour for 4 people, 2 or 3 cars, 500 days of medical supplies, a season’s worth of food for a small village…that’s what the militia has to spare, anyway. The Troubleshooters could even sell them a spare safe house hidden in their territory. It’s every secure, and got room enough for 8 people. Sean would under their protection while staying there.

The loot is definitely something the Troubleshooters would accept.
Sean can have the vans, the radios, the casings, and the canisters. It’s a deal.
u-b
The Gunmetal people are told that a week or two lead time would be fine. Say, about the same time when the drone is repaired? Sean will withdraw "rebuilding one piece of tight-beam burning laser" part of the deal to cover the increased costs, if that's acceptable. Sean clarifies that he does intend to manufacture his ammo, but does not intend to sell it, or designs. We can make that a contract or something. He can do that without the schematics to start, but that'll likely mean re-creating those. He can make do with two each of HE, WP, smoke and illumination. He'll maybe invent some others. He does not mind if Gunmetal posts some observers or does regular inspections to monitor the non-proliferation. Maybe the mortar instructor can double for that for the moment.

He also raises a question of improving his odds fighting those robots and to that effect might need even more accuracy from his gun. It is debated back and forth and the following options are raised:
1. Better scope. Sean ultimately asks if Gunmetal has a TL8 x32/x8/x2 variable scope with tritium-illuminated reticle. That could cost Sean some $20000 or more, but he's fine with that.
2. Better ammo. Sean says he has designs, and specimen, of exact ammo he wants, but has no time to produce it in the amount he needs. This is fine-tuned match-grade ammo and thus cannot be mass-produced the usual way. As the result, Sean ends up saving it "for later" and not having it on the rare occasions he needs it. Sean asks if the Gunmetal would have the capacity to produce the exact same ammo for him? Any price. He'll buy by the lot.
3. Anything else that can be done about improving the accuracy? Here Gunmetal raise an option of recoil-compensating muzzle devices, but Sean says he does not want the extra audial/visual signature. Gunmetal person then raises an option of barrel weight but these are normally used on handguns, not on long arms, so might not work well on a rifle. To this which Sean responds he already has something heavy-ish under the barrel and doubts that additional weight would work any better than that.
4. Any computer aids are not available.

So, two out of four, Sean will take both if he can have them. He takes a note of compensators, though, and might buy some for his troops.

Discussing things with Troubleshooters, Sean sees three different possible cases the Troubleshooters might be differently worried about and clarifies their view on them:
5. Sean sells the tech.
6. Sean loses the tech.
7. The Troubleshooter don't have the tech when they need it.

Sean tells he possibly can compensate for the last of these, depending on what the tech is (like, if it is a laser gun, he can provide some good conventional guns maybe, or support with his men or what not), we can continue to build mutual trust to lessen the first of these (or maybe Sean hires a team with the thing, if they are for hire; a per-operation basis will do) and nothing can be done about the middle one as Sean totally intends to take the thing to danger.

That said, "lots of files on the base computer" is  extremely  interesting. Sean would like to learn about the history of the events before the downfal of the old world and also of any notable sites, which can be checked if they have survived or not. He has been told that data files have been tampered with in some locations, erazing the locations of shelters in particular, so while they dig through that, they should take note of whether their data has been subjected to a similar attack. Can he be cleared to ask specific questions? He does not yet request to be cleared to get the answers (this might have to be decided per question), but if they have working computers, looking for some keywords might be quick.

 
 Spoiler 
See GURPS Tactical Shooting page 76 for details about compensators.
 
Shoot Da Moon
Changes to the order are fine.
The Gunmetal people offer to just sell them the ammo ready made, but they can send someone over to help him make the products. It’ll cost mostly the same anyway.
Gunmetal does not have such a better scope to sell - the tech is not known to them.
Better ammo is on the table. They can charge him a steep but fair price for them. It’s never bought by outsiders and their own people use it sparingly. So they may have to craft it for him, if their stocks are less than what he orders. It work take too much time, though.
Improving gun accuracy is trickier. It would require taking in the firearm for workshopping. Maybe a day or two of hard labour.
(OC: check the price for Very Fine (Accurate) on a rifle? That would increase the Acc statistic?)
There might be gun accessories that they could try…
The Gunmetal people are not sure there’s any computer aids that could Sean do what he wants. Most of their computer stuff is either for heavy industrial machinery or hacking into Old World networks.

Compensators are for sale.

The Troubleshooters will take conventional weaponry and boot-strapped soldiers in place of exchanged tech, although they may need a lot of it to make the trade fair. How big of an army does Sean have?

Old World databases are mostly found in The Gutter - ‘nuff said. The Troubleshooter notes rumours that people who go snooping into Gutter computer networks tend to wind up dead at the hands of random assassins paid by unknown shadowy criminals.
The Troubleshooters doubt that Sean will be allowed to look at their files. Or get questions answered. Everyone is paranoid about that stuff.

(OC: Sean should make a reaction roll with a -5 modifier if he presses the issue, to see if the Troubleshooters allow him any access to their files.)
u-b
Well, not that big of an army. And of course, Sean will need the retain the most part, so maybe two more relevant questions would be:
1. How many can he have on call. Or, rather, how many men  should  he have on call.
2. How many  should  he dispatch on site.
3. How good good their equipment and training should to be?

The actual quantities vary, with qualities and otherwise. The Troubleshooters can take his average guy here and use that as a unit of measure in which to price their gear. Let's say he has at least this many. He will, of course, need the approvals from three instances, and it will have to be arranged like temporary swaps with set duration and mission profile, but it can be done.

The weaponry (and armor, for that matter) is easier to quantify. Here he would need two approvals and it can be a permanent sale. The troubleshooters can use the men's setups as a unit of measure in which to price their gear.

We can talk again when they come up with the prices.

Sean is not quite done buying and selling stuff, as there are some interesting items already on offer, but otherwise lets the Troubleshooters be, not pressing any proposal or issue.
Shoot Da Moon
The Troubleshooters have 2 or 3 squads free to deal with problems as they pop up freelance. The rest are tied up in regular duties. They’d like 1 or 2 more squads, to help with patrols and the like.
(A squad is about 8 to 11 soldiers.)
They’d prefer the soldiers to be veterans - good at not just fighting but also wilderness survival and vehicle mechanics. As best equipped as they can be.

The average Troubleshooter is decently trained, and has pretty good equipment for the region. They consider hiring one of their squads to be worth $7500 in bullets or barter goods for a week.
(OC: let’s call it base skill 13 and at least $5000 in gear for the entire squad. The Troubleshooters have armour that’s mostly TL 6 and 7, and their firearms are mostly TL 6. They have petrol bombs and explosives of all sorts. Not many lasers, a few more flamethrowers.)
u-b
Up to two dozen veterans for patrol duty, roger that. Sean will contact when he comes up with a plan that warrants the exchange. He then checks the specific hardware available with each of the traders (I guess they are somewhere around or are radio-reachable).

 
 Spoiler 
The gear sought (likely not all bought at once if we happen to have stellar availability):
1. One TL8 x32/x8/x2 variable scope with tritium-illuminated reticle. Failing that, a battery-illuminated reticle. Failing that, a plain one will do.
2. One TL8 Large Radio Scanner + Direction Finder + Large Long-Range Antenna Array.
3. One TL8 Medium Radio Scanner + Direction Finder.
4. Two TL8 Medium Radios (preferably with secure encryption).
5. APDSDU+P Rifle Cartridges - Sean wants at least 21, but might buy more if available. Failing that, some analogs might do.
6. Collimating sights (both tritium- and battery-powered; all of them - these are TL7 and Sean is ready to buy by the dozen).
7. Colt M16A1 (Sean will buy by the dozen, preferring Fine if available).
8. TL8 Tinted Gas Masks with radio adapters (Sean will buy by the dozen if available, but these  are  TL8).
9. Some Large Tactical Lights. Preferably TL8 with normal, IR and low power modes, but Sean is not terribly picky.

The other purchases will depend on what Sean spends on the above.
 
Shoot Da Moon
The promise is noted by the Troubleshooters. They look forward to working with Sean in the future.
Sean gets in contact with the traders.

The traders have a plain TL 8 variable scope available. Only 3, though. They have much more of the TL 7 and TL 6 models.
They have a TL 8 Large Radio Scanner and a Direction Finder, but no Large Long-Range Antenna Array.
They have a TL 8 Medium Radio Scanner.
They have two TL 8 Medium Radios (but no encryption).
They can sell the exiles up to 40 APDSDU+P Rifle Cartridges.
They have 6 collimating sights, all battery-powered.
They can sell the exiles a dozen Colt M16A1 guns, but none of them are Fine.
They have four TL 8 Tinted Gas Masks (no radio adapters) in stock.
They do have plenty of large tactical lights in their inventories. TL 8 models with IR and low power modes are much rarer - only 5 and those were lucky finds.

What are you buying, Sean and friends?

(OC: are you returning to the radar base soon, before or after this wheel-and-deal? Sean and his allies have not yet driven back, as far as the IC thread is concerned, if I am interesting it correctly.)
u-b
Sean double-checks that the variable scope has the exact magnifications he wants and then proposes the deal buying that scope, 10 simple 2x scopes, 6 collimating sights, a medium radio scanner, all APDSDU+P rounds, 16 rifles (preferably all M16A1s with 3 high-quality improved capacity magazines each instead of the original junk), 4 gas masks, 5 NVGs, 5 high-tech tac lights and some change. He'll pay for all of that with 10 cheap Bergmann MP18s (deposited now) and 7 bikes of varying quality (delivered this evening). He will note the coordinates of the radio merchants and will try to contact them when he raises more funds. As some last-minute thought, Sean asks if anyone has any paint suitable to camouflage some vehicles. Depending on the price and the availability, he'd buy enough to camouflage four cars.

 
 Spoiler 
I know 16 is more than 12, but maybe the later is approximation or Troubleshooters sell some rifles of their own. Sean also hopes the magazines are available. All the logistics it to be done by Waffle house men. Sean allocates them 100 rifle rounds for this whole affair and it they want more, they can deduct from Sean's account.

The proposal is  here  (before the paint).

This is before going anywhere. Sean will make sure the Waffle House delivers things ASAP and drive to Gunmetal after he's done with local traders.
 
Shoot Da Moon
Sean sees the scope is to his liking.
The order can be fulfilled, but he has work it out with several different merchants to purchase everything that he wants.
(The M16A1s do not come with high-quality improved capacity magazines, none of the merchants have those, he’ll have to settle for normal magazines.)
The cheap MP18s are accepted as barter, they can be salvaged for parts at least. The bikes are welcomed even more, the merchants all like to have backup vehicles.
The merchants all have paint for sale. They can offer all ranges of colours - most of unsuitable for camouflage. There is a selection of paint colours for camouflaging, though. They have enough spray cans of the stuff for four cars. But Sean will have to apply it himself.
(OC: the price of the spray cans are normal, the usual cost multiplied by the TL modifier.)

The Waffle House men take the bullets (including from the account) and get to work on the shopping trip. They warn Sean that it might take most of the daylight hours before they can get back to base with all the stuff.
Some of them tastelessly wonder where the heck Sean got all this buying power in the first place (none of them were around in the exiles’ earlier days).

The drive over to Gunmetal begins after breakfast. It is not even midday. The exiles have a good feeling about today.
u-b
Sean alters his plans when he learns from the trader how much paint it takes to cover a car. He limits the purchase to just what he needs to completely repaint both vans - he does not want to fly somebody else's flag and does not want his cars to look like they've had something to hide to begin with. He  could  have painted only the sides in the original colors, but a match would not have been trivial and paying a bit more to have a camouflage seems reasonable. Meanwhile, he covers the sides of vans in the camouflage nets that he has.

As for the magazines, he is somewhat disappointed, but does not make a big deal out of it and mainly buys the rifles with whatever mags they come with (one per rifle). He buys three more magazines and, with what he has now, that'll make a full set for a start - an active mag and a spare mag for each rifle.

He then drives his car, and leads his caravan, to Gunmetal, where he presents his rifle and the rounds that Richard has made for it (complete with their specifications) and proposes that the accuracy of the rifle is improved, to be paid for from his account with Gunmetal, and that the process to produce the best possible ammo for  this very rifle  is developed and that 240 rounds are probuced as an initial batch, like, at $40 a pop? He also asks about accessibility of high-quality improved capacity magazines (either Old World plastic ones or newly-made steel ones will do).

While Sean is thus occupied, Richard calls the Funny Platoon and asks if he'd be cleared to get any infos about the Sacred Snakes and their relationships with any locals.

When Sean is done shopping, he proposes to take the artillery instructor along to begin training the troops on theory as soon as tomorrow.
Shoot Da Moon
The vans are easy enough to paint and camouflage. It just takes time and the right equipment.
The merchants take down the order for the rifles and the magazines.
The drive over to Gunmetal takes not much time - it is still morning when he gets there. The journey is uneventful. The roads are still crappy, though.

Talking to folks at Gunmetal goes smoothly. The people are more impressed with the exiles than ever. Rubber-necking bystanders bug them for details on what happened. The traders look over the rifle and consider what Sean wants to buy. They tell him the improvement job will take 2 hours of work. The specialty ammo can be manufactured in less than that, by another team of craftsmen. The magazines are available for purchase, how many does he want?
The bill for all these goods and services is steep, but they are sure Sean can pay for it all, right?

Richard radios the Funny Platoon, gets through after 20 minutes of waiting, gets some packets of intel after the militia considers his request for 3 minutes.
They tell him the Sacred Snakes are supposed to be based out of New York State, they rarely if ever leave that state and enter Vermont, the Snakes are mostly unknown within Vermont. Most people who know of them treat the Snakes like a boogeyman - a spooky story of maniacs with Old World super-weapons coming to eat our children and grind our bones to make their bread.

The artillery instructor greets Sean with a firm handshake. He is oddly dressed for a Gunmetal soldier - he is wearing a flamboyant tie-dyed shirt with thick navy blue trousers. He’s got a few small packets of drugs tucked into his pockets, he offers Sean one discretely.
u-b
Since the expected completion of his order is so fast, Sean decides to wait until it's all done. He clarifies that he wants 32 of those mags. Oh, and 6 recoil-compensating muzzle devices that could be swapped back and forth with standard M16A1 flash hiders. Sean will pay from his account and also withdraw some rifle rounds to leave a remaining balance of $5000. He'll let the Gunmetal men do the  calculations  to verify that part.

Richard, while he is on the line with the Funny Platoon, asks if they know of any entities suppressing the use and/or proliferation of computers and software anywhere in the state or generally can comment about such use and such proliferation, maybe per region. He then leaves the busy line to let the other people talk.

Sean shakes hands with the artillery instructor. He thanks for the offer, but declines it. He notes that the base we are going to has a "no use" policy with an "expulsion" sanction, all instantiated by Sean for, well, practical reasons. For the like practical reasons he's not going to expel the man right away if he uses the stuff at the base, but he would prefer him to be as non-public as possible and not to involve anyone. Meanwhile, Sean would have some lemonade and discuss the requirements for people to learn Artillery and Forward Observer. Is it just smarts? Some perception? Anything else?
Shoot Da Moon
The Gunmetal traders seem a little annoyed at the order of 32 magazines.
The compensators are in stock. They command one of their couriers to hop on down to the warehouse to fetch the products.
The accountant on standby dutifully records the transaction, and takes the bullets offered by Sean. He counts it all out in front of him. They approve the sale. A few of the men on the floor seem to be a little taken back by Sean’s wealth. They are used to doing this kind of business with entire cities, not mere individuals or a single gang.

The Funny Platoon has not had much contact with computer users except for Gunmetal city. They have heard of people getting killed over such tech, typically by thieves or jealous merchants. Same kind of business as being violently robbed for your gun and bullets. Anything else just sounds like a conspiracy theory.

The instructor nods sagely, agreeing with Sean that caution and discretion should be the priority. (Sean thinks he’s just brown-nosing.) Sean and the man enjoy the lemonade, talking about the training.
The instructor goes by the name Billy Bob, and he is a lifelong citizen of Gunmetal, employed as an explosives specialist.
He would prefer the students to be already familiar with explosives, sharp-witted scouts who always see the bad guys coming, knowing orienting skills like using making maps and judging distances, highly respectful of human life, and very very very loyal.

He does not want renegades and the bloodthirsty to learn how to operate such highly destructive weapons. Knowing what you’re shooting at with these cannons is important. Caring about what you’re shooting at is just as important.
u-b
Sean comments that he has no established means to check the loyalty. Some people have been around Sean for longer and thus can be considered tested better, but those could be all over the place on the aptitude scale. Talking of which... does Billy Bob have some appropriate aptitude tests? If not, maybe he can organize to get some? Sean tells he has an excellent explosives specialist, but he expects the man to be quite busy.

Either way, when we are done here, we drive back to base.
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Sean comments that he has no established means to check the loyalty. Some people have been around Sean for longer and thus can be considered tested better, but those could be all over the place on the aptitude scale. Talking of which... does Billy Bob have some appropriate aptitude tests? If not, maybe he can organize to get some? Sean tells he has an excellent explosives specialist, but he expects the man to be quite busy.

Either way, when we are done here, we drive back to base. 
 

Billy Bob can run some exercises that test a candidates’ abilities. It’s like an obstacle course or knowledge quiz.
Billy Bob comments that it would be prudent for the explosives expert to stand by and supervise the training and the tests.

The drive back to the base takes long enough that it’s past midday by the time they arrive back, but no dangers or obstacles present themselves along the way.
Checking in, Sean learns the prisoners taken back during the lab raid have died by their own hands, usually with poison capsules. It seems suicide was preferable to the exiles’ questioning. How defiant.
u-b
Sean takes the doc and some time to investigate the bodies - first to see where the poison capsules were hidden (and whether their locations were uniform) and second to maybe collect some remaining samples for the doc to further investigate. Sean would like to come up with the answers to the following questions:
1. Can he prevent the same outcome by a more thorough search of the next batch of prisoners?
2. What poison that was and how does it act?
3. Is there an antidote for it to be administered after the poison to prevent the subject's death (the subject's resulting health is not an issue)?

He also takes some time to introduce Billy Bob to the Rangers officer, explain the reason for the man's presence here, and propose the following:
4. Anyone already in militia (whether full-time or part-time) or hunters, the Rangers officer, Bart, Sean, Richard, Tariq and Simone are to undergo some tests taking maybe the better part of tomorrow, likely in batches. Anyone can choose not to undergo the tests, but then they miss the opportunity...
5. Which is a free training for paramilitary specialist occupation which will be offered to some of those found more apt.
6. Nobody else is eligible to take the tests, except maybe the people recommended by the Rangers officer whom he declined militia positions to which they have personally volunteered based only on their physical fitness or weapon skills.

He also reports to Rangers officer the events with the Troubleshooters, underscoring the following:
7. They have given valid intel on the slavers.
8. They fought alongside Sean.
9. They have shown no enmity towards the Rangers.
10. They declare villingness to negotiate peace with the Rangers even if they have to make concessions.

Sean suggests it would be wise to make such peace and double check the intel about the Troubleshooters through varying other channels (Funny Platoon and what not). Sean reports and suggests the same to Major Chalmers, via encrypted channel.

While Sean is at it, Tariq shows. He reports he finally got the GL into a "normal" looking shape that should no longer be at excessive risk of breakage, jamming and exploding at the user's face. For now, it will remain with Lemus. Sean tells Tariq he's going to be busy supervising the training and making more gear, but we will try to keep his total workload to tolerable levels. He also gives Tariq the update about the events.

Then Sean hands the radio scanner to Simone and asks her to familiarize herself with the thing. Sean will have more use for it later, but for now, she is to use it to automate the hell out of it to monitor the surroundings for any regular and irregular radio transmissions, the general pattern of which and the most interesting of which are to be reported to Sean.

Then Sean asks both Simone and Waffle House radio men about any news and also about the following:
11. Any reports of mutant animals?
12. Any reports of anyone reacting to the reports of mutant animals? Here Sean expects that maybe Blackwire's men react, but he does not say it out loud.
13. Any other reports about the state and the security of allied entities (mainly Waffle House, Power Plant, Snow Bunnies and settlers in some radius around the base).

 
 Spoiler 
Also, I've included the mags in the shopping and this ends up completely draining Sean's account with Gunmetal and Sean also sells his old scope (at 0.6 nominal price) and recently collected empty casings (presumably at par).
 
Shoot Da Moon
The cause of death is a pretty clear-cut case of poisoning. Little capsules of cyanide. Probably hidden in socks or concealed sewed-in pockets. Two capsule were recovered, apparently spares. They were kept in very small sealed plastic cases.

In the future, guards can search prisoners more thoroughly. The linings of a jacket, the socks, under shirts.
The cyanide was bitten down and swallowed. Death was very quick after that.
There might be an antidote, but it must administered quickly. Within 30 seconds at most.

Billy Bob makes the rounds.
The militia are eager to try out. The hunters are less hyped. The actual exiles are all okay, when and if they have spare time. The Rangers try to act detached, but they are actually eager.
The free training attracts attention from anyone not already assigned to a duty.
The Ranger officer asks for more time to compile a list of good candidates for training. He may have to make some radio calls.

The Rangers are pleased with the report.
They certainly seem happy to tell their superiors the good news.
Major Chalmers agrees with Sean. They’ll get right in it, talk to them again in 2 or 3 days’ time.

The other exiles continue their work at Sean’s command. The work will keep them busy for some time.

The radio jockeys report no mutant animals making waves. Waffle House is in okay shape, they are in an economic upturn. They thank Sean for his patronage. The power Plant are busy working and keeping the machinery in good shape. They have not been attacked recently. The Snow Bunnies are experiencing a big lull in the action - no raiders have attacked anyone anywhere in their turf. The settlers are also living peacefully.

Sean’s account with Gunmetal is running low, but the merchants seem unfazed by this. They figure Sean is a very good customer and will do good trading with them in the future. No worries.
u-b
Sean agrees to give the Rangers officer the time to select and transport the candidates. While the tests and training are thus postponed, Sean proposes Tariq, Billy Bob and Rangers officer choose and design the position for the thing, so that the men could start working on it. Sean envisions something like the following, but is open to any and all applicable suggestions:
1. A dug out site somewhere inside the perimeter of the base (preferably the old/inner perimeter, where mostly the exiles, Waffle House and maybe militia have access) where it would not hurt the normal operations, shatter the glass in the surrounding buildings when fired or cause excessive damage if ammo explodes. If possible, Sean would prefer if it would be out of range of the best thrower with the lightest hand grenade anywhere outside of the perimeter and also out of range of the best portable flamethrower. Otherwise, the plans should be made to extend the perimeter in some foreseeable future.
2. Up to full-profile depth, if that's allowed by ground water levels (some drainage work is ok).
3. Sand-bagged above the ground as necessary.
4. Able to store at least 24 rounds in 12 wooden boxes safe from explosions and elements in some dug-out(s) and at least 8 rounds in the open ready to fire.
5. Allow the crew to shelter from the elements defend themselves with small arms if it comes to that.
6. Would be comfortable and last with minimal maintenance (read: wooden sidings and such).
7. Able to house a TL6 Very Fragile Medium Radio with TL7 Rechargeable Very Large Battery in such a way that nothing gets damaged by firing and weather (this might mean positioning the radio in some hole in the ground (along with the ammo should do) and running the cables to the handset and the antenna. Hopefully the Waffle House radio men could provide the cabling.

That work being started, Sean has no more plans for today.
Shoot Da Moon
Setting up the mortar is best done in a flat plain clearing near the radar base, inside the fence, Sean’s allies suggest. They dig out a pit, they have shovels. It’ll take a while, perhaps 2 hours. Sandbags could be arranged, with more working men getting around to it.
The supply dump can be reinforced and made secure by guards and explosives experts.
Speaking of guards, a small squad could be assigned to patrol and stand guard.
More secure barriers would require concrete or big heavy metal pieces. Unlikely.
A light roof over heads would be easy, by using sheet metals and wooden supports. More workmen can easily erect a barebones shed.
The radio is fine. Coverings can be done with fabrics and plastic tarps. The cabling is the hardest part, they’ll need to buy from Waffle House or try scavenging the old radar base’s junk.

The day goes by without incident. The weather is clear, no animals approach, no trouble can be heard reported on the radio.
u-b
Sean is not in hurry to have the position complete. A few days would be good. He'll pay for any associated expenses, wood, cables and all. He'll just need a figure. One more thing is to have means to get the thing in and out. Maybe a ramp or some such. Sean does not expect the guards to be needed at the position right this moment if the inner perimeter is guarded. If it is not, yes, one guard at the inner entrance seems fine. Maybe Waffle House people already do that? And maybe one guard at the outer entrance. Sean will leave arranging the patrols to Rangers militia officer.

The next day Sean hands Tariq the RPG-7, declaring that it would be good if he completes the thing to same standard of quality he has achieved with Milkor and maybe makes a training round to test it.

Sean himself takes some time for administrative duties. He hands out a total 530 rifle rounds to the militia men (10 to each of 15 part-time man and 20 to each of 19 full-time men, including the veterans and Bart). He does it personally, not through the officer, clarifies that it's for their regular living expenses (not really a pay or a share of the loot - that will come if and when Sean would unwind the operations, for now they are to hold onto their gear as a sort of a promise), and collects all sorts of comments or suggestions.

 
 Spoiler 
1. How far would be the outer side of the position from the outer side of the perimeter?
2. Do Waffle House people complete the shopping trip without incident?
3. Can you remind me how long before the WMD guardian mutants arrive?
 
Shoot Da Moon
The 5 workers request $250 for equipment and parts, plus $20 a day in wages for each of them. (Paying in bullets, rations and water is preferred.)
They already have a wheelbarrow and cart for transport around the worksite.
The guards organise themselves. They have enough manpower to set up properly.

After that, Sean gets back to resting and maintaining his gear.
The rest of the day goes by without incident. The exiles and their allies sleep well at the base…
(OC: mark off the food and water consumed.)

 DAY 90 

The weather is good, morning breakfast is delicious.
Tariq looks over the RPG. He comments to Sean that he hopes it will be put to good use. Whatever they attack with it will need to be one hard target.
The hirelings, allies and companions all gladly accept the bullets. None of them have any complaints. A few are curious about what exactly Sean plans to do in the future (he’s tooling up something fierce), although they admit there is probably a need for secrecy regarding that.


  
 Spoiler 
1. How far would be the outer side of the position from the outer side of the perimeter?
2. Do Waffle House people complete the shopping trip without incident?
3. Can you remind me how long before the WMD guardian mutants arrive?
 
 

(OC: 1. 30 yards.
2. Yes. They did. This time.
3. You estimate they should be arriving in 2 or 3 days. Assuming nothing happened to them.)
u-b
Sean pays 45 rifle cartridges for the materials and two days of work. He expects that should be about enough, but ask him again in that time if not.

Sean is not quite sure about the one hard target for the grenade launcher. In fact, he plans something to the contrary, but we will get to that. Not sure what that means, Tariq gets to work and completes the upgrade in about two hours.

When he is done, and Sean is done with the militia, Sean invites him to sit with Richard, the Rangers officer, Billi Bob and the Doc to consider the options in an otherwise  very  private meeting with all radio transmitters turned off and Lemus on guard somewhere on the other side of the door. Sean says he'd like something like our 40mm gas grenades, but more potent and with a wider area effect. He asks what they should be able to pull with our current technology.

 
 Spoiler 
I'd like the Sean to end up informed about the following facts. Please correct me if any turns out not a fact or does not became known:
1. The doc should be able to synthesize tear gas, vomiting agent to accompany it and even some synthetic capsaicinoid, but only when he's done with the vaccine in about N days, which either can or cannot be suspended. Batch quantities, regular prices.
2. The rounds to disperse it should be quite possible to produce, both for the mortar and for RPG-7. They can be bursting-cargo or ejecting-cargo. One type is faster, the other type is safer, but both normally result in the same radius and both are perfectly compatible with all chemicals listed above.
3. The bursting-cargo round for the mortar can be based directly on WP round for it, will have 6d cr ex inc explosion and will immediately scatter the contents in 42-yards-radius area, with the cloud lasting some 1 minute in "typical" weather.
4. The crushing explosion cannot be made smaller without sacrificing the spread nor can it be made non-incendiary, but maybe it can be made blinding in some small-ish radius like and with the audial effect already it could double exactly like Schermuly Stun in 10-yards-radius. This'll make the round up one TL, from TL6 to TL7, but won't otherwise cost anything.
5. The ejecting-cargo round for the mortar can be based directly on smoke round for it, will deal damage only on a very (un)lucky direct hit and will spread the contents in 42-yards-radius area at 5 yards per second lasting some 2 minutes in "typical" weather.
6. Similar RPG-7 rounds can be made as well, but they will be smaller and will have smaller area of effect. While no bursting or ejecting rounds for RPG-7 have been made, they have been made for RPO-D and RPO-Z variants of RPO-A, which has performance quite similar to RPG-7 thermobaric round.
7. Say, bursting-cardo uption will have 6d cr ex inc explosion and will immediately scatter the contents in 32-yards-radius area, with the cloud lasting some 1 minute in "typical" weather.
8. It could be made to double as 10-yard-radius stun with some minor variation.
9. Ejecting-cargo option will do ...d(0.5) cr on direct hit and will spread the contents in 32-yards-radius area at 5 yards per second lasting some 2 minutes in "typical" weather.
10. How can the mortar rounds be produced, mechanically? They are not quite explosives and definitely not small arms, so maybe the steel parts are to be imported for final assembly here at the base? Or maybe Tariq will get a crash course on those, study an example and spend a character point?

Sean does not explore other cargo options. If someone suggests something  even more  potent, he'll listen, but say he is strongly not interested in any lethal poison gas at the moment.
 
Shoot Da Moon
The workers get to…work…
Tariq takes a break after getting his own work done.

The meeting is behind heavy metal doors in the base.
The other men opine that scavenging Old World military bases for chemical weapons could help with the project. They’ve heard rumors of such places. Even if they have no actual samples of the weapons, there might be blueprints and recorded research that shows the way.


  
 Spoiler 
I'd like the Sean to end up informed about the following facts. Please correct me if any turns out not a fact or does not became known:
1. The doc should be able to synthesize tear gas, vomiting agent to accompany it and even some synthetic capsaicinoid, but only when he's done with the vaccine in about N days, which either can or cannot be suspended. Batch quantities, regular prices.
2. The rounds to disperse it should be quite possible to produce, both for the mortar and for RPG-7. They can be bursting-cargo or ejecting-cargo. One type is faster, the other type is safer, but both normally result in the same radius and both are perfectly compatible with all chemicals listed above.
3. The bursting-cargo round for the mortar can be based directly on WP round for it, will have 6d cr ex inc explosion and will immediately scatter the contents in 42-yards-radius area, with the cloud lasting some 1 minute in "typical" weather.
4. The crushing explosion cannot be made smaller without sacrificing the spread nor can it be made non-incendiary, but maybe it can be made blinding in some small-ish radius like and with the audial effect already it could double exactly like Schermuly Stun in 10-yards-radius. This'll make the round up one TL, from TL6 to TL7, but won't otherwise cost anything.
5. The ejecting-cargo round for the mortar can be based directly on smoke round for it, will deal damage only on a very (un)lucky direct hit and will spread the contents in 42-yards-radius area at 5 yards per second lasting some 2 minutes in "typical" weather.
6. Similar RPG-7 rounds can be made as well, but they will be smaller and will have smaller area of effect. While no bursting or ejecting rounds for RPG-7 have been made, they have been made for RPO-D and RPO-Z variants of RPO-A, which has performance quite similar to RPG-7 thermobaric round.
7. Say, bursting-cardo uption will have 6d cr ex inc explosion and will immediately scatter the contents in 32-yards-radius area, with the cloud lasting some 1 minute in "typical" weather.
8. It could be made to double as 10-yard-radius stun with some minor variation.
9. Ejecting-cargo option will do ...d(0.5) cr on direct hit and will spread the contents in 32-yards-radius area at 5 yards per second lasting some 2 minutes in "typical" weather.
10. How can the mortar rounds be produced, mechanically? They are not quite explosives and definitely not small arms, so maybe the steel parts are to be imported for final assembly here at the base? Or maybe Tariq will get a crash course on those, study an example and spend a character point?

Sean does not explore other cargo options. If someone suggests something  even more  potent, he'll listen, but say he is strongly not interested in any lethal poison gas at the moment.
 
 

1) The doc has never tried making a chemical weapon before. He may need scientific documents dating from the Old World about the subject.
2) Making new bombs will require appropriate materials. Metals, explosives, chemicals. Lots of them.
3) Incendiary explosives might require scavenging industrial chemicals. Raiding factories that date back to the Old World could score us some.
4) Flash bombs are relatively easy. Perhaps we just need magnesium and we can try dissembling flares?
5) Smoke bombs are also easy.
6) Explosives can be manufactured pretty easily by Gunmetal factories, bought without much stress, and then modified with enough materials and a good techie.
7) Sean’s allies comment that typical weather in Vermont can be very snowy in the colder seasons. Watch out for that.
8) Making stun grenades have more bang would be useful, but really only for outdoors combat. It’s overkill for indoor fighting.
9) Direct hits are probably rare, so reduced damage isn’t much of a handicap. The increased spread means the weapon should be deployed only against confirmed enemy positions and never in occupied urban areas, to avoid bystander casualties.
10) The mortar rounds are manufactured in Gunmetal factories. Old World tech is used. Importing the high quality steel can cost a lot, but it is not subject to many restrictions on sales by the Gunmetal leadership. Gunmetal is always very reluctant to share schematics for advanced tech, especially very destructive ones. Tariq may be out of luck there.

The other men do not volunteer ideas about explosives warheads. The subject seems to make them a little uncomfortable and they admit that warfare in Vermont rarely resorts to mortars and missiles. Even RPGs are uncommon.
u-b
Sean asks Tariq to produce a smoke round for RPG-7 and a WP round for the same and calls the meeting over for the moment. He then goes to meet the visiting traders, if any. He'd like to propose to buy the following:
1. A set of maps for Vermont more detailed than a simple road atlas. The more detailed the better.
2. A set of thick wide differently-colored permanent markers. Red, Green, Blue and Black would suffice.
3. A can of bear spray.

If not currently for sale, he would be willing to pay double to have this stuff delivered to him right here at the base anywhere within three weeks from now instead of chasing it around piecewise.

Then he takes Bart, dogs and pickup truck to do some hunting. The first place they drive, the dogs have refused to pick up the trail so Sean does it himself only to later lose it. The second place they drive, the dogs pick up something, but that turns out not exactly what Sean has hoped for. The men make their shot(s) and maybe bag something, then drive to another place. By now, Sean is out of good ideas that would not involve extensive driving, so releases the dogs as some less-than-ideal looking place, but the dogs to pick up a trail and it even seems reasonably promising...
Shoot Da Moon
Tariq asks Sean if the exiles have the materials needed for the work. Stuff like bombs, fuel, and industrial chemicals?

After that, the traders talk to Sean.
They can sell him maps. They have contacts with explorers and wanderers, it might take a few days to fully call in their sources to produce the good maps that Sean wants.
They can sell Sean markers, in all those colours.
The can of bear spray is the biggest question mark. Definitely something being sold, but they may need hours or a day to call in a supplier from elsewhere in the state.
They do not see a need to charge Sean extra for this stuff, it’s all low strain. They just need time.

The hunt takes 3 hours total. Nothing out of the ordinary disrupts the outing. Their second location scores them two rabbits. The third location leads them to a wild oxen. Perhaps it was pulling a wagon or cart, and escaped human corrals.

(OC: the Basic Set Campaign has stats for oxen, you know where to find it?)
Shoot Da Moon
The hunters blast the oxen stone dead without a problem.
The carcass, despite the absolute slaughter by bullet inflicted, is still very heavy. Transporting the meat onto the automobile takes a while and a lot of sweat. But the exiles and their allies manage it eventually.
Then the drive back through the wilderness with the dead animal. It takes much less time than the arrival, and any possible obstacles are already avoided.

(OC: don’t need to roll Navigation or Driving again, you succeeded the first time.)

Butchering the oxen will almost certainly take a while, though. At least it’ll provide plenty of meals.
u-b
Sean spends the rest of the day with the men, butchering, roasting, feasting and generally socializing and relaxing. He is not sure what he will do tomorrow, but he is sure he'll leave the following three tasks completely to the men:
1. Building the permanent mortar position.
2. Painting the vans.
3. Processing the meat.

He plans to check with Simone in the morning to see if she has figured out how to operate the radio scanner and what she has picked up.
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Sean spends the rest of the day with the men, butchering, roasting, feasting and generally socializing and relaxing. He is not sure what he will do tomorrow, but he is sure he'll leave the following three tasks completely to the men:
1. Building the permanent mortar position.
2. Painting the vans.
3. Processing the meat.

He plans to check with Simone in the morning to see if she has figured out how to operate the radio scanner and what she has picked up. 
 

The cookout of the oxen is a joyous occasion. The men note that much food they’re getting out of the beast, preserving it will require smoking a good portion of it before it spoils.

The workers are busy beavering away at the mortar pit. Painting the vans is a very easy task that other workers complete without much of a fuss.

The oxen is butchered with the sharpest and cleanest knives the men can find. Then they burn the cuts over a fire to make sure it’s all edible.

The RPG munitions were cranked out with minimal trouble.

Sean goes to sleep that night satisfied.

 DAY 91 

The next day is clear and cool. Breakfast is oxen steak, of course.

Simone made a big mistake and accidentally broke the scanner…it needs repairs now.
u-b
The news about the broken scanner are disappointing, but since Sean has recently managed to break a thingy himself and since we have lived without a scanner seemingly fine until the moment, Sean does not make much of an event out of it. He tasks Simone to get Waffle House radio men's help in diagnosing the problem and return to him with estimates of...
1. Will anyone here be able to perform those repairs?
2. If so, will he need time, common parts, exclusive parts or what?

Anyway, when the grenades are ready, Sean takes Tariq and Richard for a ride. Somewhere close enough, in the open, where we would be able to contain the spread of fire, so no wood, no last year's undergrowth, this year's grass is fine. He takes the launcher, loads smoke round, aims as well as he can, then shoots at some pre-selected mark some 100 yards away. He carefully observes the effect - area covered by smoke, how fast it spreads, how long it lasts... Then he repeats the same with WP round. This one dissipates faster, but also spreads much faster, is pretty much louder and overall seems to be more spectacular. Tariq notes it's also simpler to make. The team then spends some time stomping the remaining fires and drives back to discuss production plans.
Shoot Da Moon
Simone makes some calls. She comes back 15 minutes later, with news.
She can get a repairman no problem, there’s a few techies wandering through the area who stop by the base to camp out with other hobos.
She can provide him with parts out of the base’s supplies - if Sean will allow it - and the hobo has his own tools. It will take some time, no more than 1 hour. Pretty easy, should be done before lunch.

The drive over is smooth enough. They find a good clearing far enough away from the base to not annoy the residents with loud noise.
The first shot off goes well. The smoke performs admirably, less so in the outdoor setting than it would indoors. It lasts less long. But it is within his expectations and hopes.
The second shot is also good. The bang-and-burn effect works great, letting off a nasty chemical-smelling smoke. Bright sparkles in the confusion. A terrifying weapon of the Old World, unleashing it upon humans seems downright sadistic.

The fires from the WP are harder than usual to put out. The chemicals give them staying power. Sean worries (perhaps irrationally) that he got something in his eyes.

The drive back is just as uneventful as the drive over. Back at base, people are busy, productive.
u-b
Sean approves the repairs, which are promptly commenced.

Returning back to base, Tariq begins to work according to the new production plan. He makes one flawed bursting-cargo rocket, discards it and then makes three bursting-cargo rocket that meet his standards of quality before calling it a day. These are to be filled with the stuff, but that is Sean's problem.

Sean tells the men doing the ox that he'll take 200 pounds of the resulting jerky and that the rest is theirs. He then supervises Simone trying the repaired thing again, before the repairman is left. He then asks the repairman to help him mount two Very Fragile Medium radios in two freshly-painted vans. The radios formerly present in them will go to the storage.
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Sean approves the repairs, which are promptly commenced.

Returning back to base, Triq begins to work according to the new production plan. He makes one flawed bursting-cargo rocket, discards it and then makes three bursting-cargo rocket that meet his standards of quality before calling it a day. These are to be filled with the stuff, but that is Sean's problem.

Sean tells the men doing the ox that he'll take 200 pounds of the resulting jerky and that the rest is theirs. He then supervises Simone trying the repaired thing again, before the repairman is left. He then asks the repairman to help him mount two Very Fragile Medium radios in two freshly-painted vans. The radios formerly present in them will go to the storage. 
 

(OC: do you junk the flawed rocket entirely, hang onto it as a last resort or for further bug-stomping, or recycle it for parts in future inventions?)

The new munitions are stored in secure metal boxes in a locked up armory. A guard is posted to keep an eye on them.

The oxen meat is smoked into durable preserved jerky. Lucky that the base has a food storage. The leftovers and byproducts are used in compost heaps, used as animal baits, repurposed for glue, and other miscellaneous applications.

After the scanner is repaired, the techies get to work on installing the radios and taking out the old ones. The job does not take that long. The repairman floats the idea of improving the fragile equipment by replacing parts with new ones.
(OC: upgrading the radios to be no longer Fragile is a modification via the inventing rules, IIRC. Wanna try it?)
u-b
Sean clarifies that he does not intend to use these particular radios for an extended period of time and will sell and replace them when he has more funds. The question of whether to repair them is then the question of how much it is going to cost and how much of that he would be able to recover on sale. Sean is now interested in at least discussing his options.

 
 Spoiler 
Okay, these are  listed  as having 0 HP and worth $1250 x4 -50%. I guess when in full health (but still very fragile), these could worth $2500 x4 -50%. And when refurbished these will worth $2500 x4. Now, what it will cost Sean to perform those steps, either at the same time or in series? I guess the later is certainly economically viable if the man is some sort of Gadgeteer. If he is not, I'll look up the math. Does he claim any specific skill level and/or daily rate?
 
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Sean clarifies that he does not intend to use these particular radios for an extended period of time and will sell and replace them when he has more funds. The question of whether to repair them is then the question of how much it is going to cost and how much of that he would be able to recover on sale. Sean is now interested in at least discussing his options.

 
 Spoiler 
Okay, these are  listed  as having 0 HP and worth $1250 x4 -50%. I guess when in full health (but still very fragile), these could worth $2500 x4 -50%. And when refurbished these will worth $2500 x4. Now, what it will cost Sean to perform those steps, either at the same time or in series? I guess the later is certainly economically viable if the man is some sort of Gadgeteer. If he is not, I'll look up the math. Does he claim any specific skill level and/or daily rate?
 
 
 

The techie discuss what the radios need for repairs and upgrades.

(OC: FOR UPGRADES; use same rules as inventing BUT the value of the finished product minus its value NOW is the “item value” for the purposes of skill penalty, time needed and value of parts needed I believe. So $2500x4 minus ($2500x4 -50%). Same TL modifier. Use the lower penalty for modifications. Half dice roll when determining bugs in the finished product.)

(OC: Merely REPAIRING is different. Repair first, then upgrade. Double check the actual books for the exact rules, and use those if they contradict my yammering here. The NPC has base skill 14, but has a good quality tool kit, time and whatever help the PCs can give him. Going over my books in a quick glance, repairs have TL modifiers, modifiers for $2500x4 -50% value of item, -2 for major repair, modifiers for parts, major repair needs part equal to 1dx10% of item’s value $2500x4 -50%.)
u-b
Sean lets the techie guy diagnose the radios. The results are not very promising. Sean thinks about it. While he  can  use three barely functioning radios, he chooses to optimize for resale value, so gives the man a go to scrap one of them for parts and repair the other two. The man promises to give a report by the evening.
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Sean lets the techie guy diagnose the radios. The results are not very promising. Sean thinks about it. While he  can  use three barely functioning radios, he chooses to optimize for resale value, so gives the man a go to scrap one of them for parts and repair the other two. The man promises to give a report by the evening. 
 

In nearly a full shift (5.5 hours) of time, the hired repairman manages some excellent work fixing up the gear, cannibalising one radio for parts to put back the other items to a much better working condition. One radio even got enough replacement parts that it now does not fall part the second someone frowns at it.

He says the replacement parts can be his payment, as they’re relatively advanced and very useful for his work.
u-b
Sean lets the man keep the parts and also gives a $100 bonus for excellent work. Then Sean also consults with him to learn if the man knows people willing to buy and use the equipment. He says he could be willing to sell up to three radios splitting the merchant's share in a direct transaction to the end user.

Whatever the answer, Sean asks the man to hang around for a moment and checks with the actual merchants if they have, or can be expected to get, the following:
1. Small TL8 radio with built-in basic encryption, x2.
2. Tiny TL8 radio (a non-encrypted civilian model will do), x3.
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Sean lets the man keep the parts and also gives a $100 bonus for excellent work. Then Sean also consults with him to learn if the man knows people willing to buy and use the equipment. He says he could be willing to sell up to three radios splitting the merchant's share in a direct transaction to the end user.

Whatever the answer, Sean asks the man to hang around for a moment and checks with the actual merchants if they have, or can be expected to get, the following:
1. Small TL8 radio with built-in basic encryption, x2.
2. Tiny TL8 radio (a non-encrypted civilian model will do), x3. 
 

The techie’s heard of traders in and around Gunmetal who go for electronic stuff. He gives some names, radio frequencies, descriptions and addresses.

The merchants have not expected to deal in radios lately. But they would be willing to buy the radios Sean has now.
u-b
Sean radios the merchants from whom he has recently bought the radio scanner and who still have good radios he has not bought. He says he might be interested in buying something smaller for the moment, like a number of...
1. Small TL8 radio with built-in basic encryption.
2. Tiny TL8 radio (a non-encrypted civilian model will do).

If those are available, Sean lets Richard contact the merchants recommended by the techie to see if they would like to buy some older stuff at better prices than the local merchants would give. If those are unavailable, Richard instead discusses a sort of a swap deal (old things for new things, in case people around Gunmetal have new things).
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Sean radios the merchants from whom he has recently bought the radio scanner and who still have good radios he has not bought. He says he might be interested in buying something smaller for the moment, like a number of...
1. Small TL8 radio with built-in basic encryption.
2. Tiny TL8 radio (a non-encrypted civilian model will do).

If those are available, Sean lets Richard contact the merchants recommended by the techie to see if they would like to buy some older stuff at better prices than the local merchants would give. If those are unavailable, Richard instead discusses a sort of a swap deal (old things for new things, in case people around Gunmetal have new things). 
 

The merchants do not have any small or tiny TL 8 radios, let alone any with encryption. They have a few small radios of earlier TLs (7 and 6) but none with encryption.

They can buy radios without a problem. They reserve the right to streets-test the merchandise first before buying. And they may offer a lesser price for the stuff if it’s obviously kit-bashed rather than manufactured.
u-b
With no superior replacement in sight, Sean holds on to the old radios for the moment. One will get mounted on the mortar position, one will be mounted in one of the vans, and two more portable onew will be handed to people as needed, like the other van and patrol. Before the smaller radios are handed anywhere, Sean hands them to Waffle House men for a moment, to record the frequency they had set on them. He asks if the men can do some listening on that particular frequency, using the large radio of theirs. Maybe the former users also have a large radio, which might be busy on the frequency. Well, that's not guaranteed, but worth a try. Anyway, he tells the repair man good bye and calls it a day.
Shoot Da Moon
The radios are handed out and the frequencies recorded.

The attempt to listen in on the frequency for a large radio fails. No activity is found. It seems right dead.

(OC: next day?)
Shoot Da Moon
Sean and the crew at the radar base finish the day with a quiet dinner.

(OC: make the food and water consumed.)

 DAY 92 

The next morning is clear and cool. No animals were spotted by perimeter lookouts, no people are incoming or travelling along the nearby roads according to scout. The base inhabitants are as busy as bees, getting to work straight after breakfast.
u-b
In the morning, Sean calls a meeting with Waffle House men and the Rangers officer to discuss a job formerly posted at Bread Basket, that might still be current. He asks if we could pick or invent an entity to undertake the mission and take Sean along to the site. A possible, but incomplete, list of entities would be:
1. The Rangers (as a whole org or any officer or unit of theirs).
2. The Waffle House (Sean is unsure about this).
3. A private entrepreneur hiring some Red Brick force for the task (said force could be  The Thousand Sorrows and The Kingslayers , but likely need not be disclosed).
4. The Snow Bunnies (if they'd be willing to participate; they seem to be in good shape and low on prospects; could be Sean's top pick if they are willing and Rangers are not).

The goal would be to take the job without disclosing Sean is taking the job, learn the details, including the location, then let Sean know and participate.

 
 Spoiler 

 
 Originally Posted by Shoot Da Moon 
 They've unearthed (from a recovered old world military map) the location of an advanced old world scientific facility hidden in the mountains, and want explorers to journey there to get a copy of their scientific records. 
 
 
Shoot Da Moon
Neither the Rangers or the Waffle House men want to do what Sean suggests.
The Snow Bunnies are unlikely to accept, they’re fairly far away.
Red Brick mercenaries could work, but they’re less reliable.

They express skepticism as to why Sean needs to be so discrete about taking the job. Why does he not want people to know it is him?

They suggest Sean simply not take the job if he’s so unsure about it.
u-b
Sean explains that he mainly just wants to investigate the lead, but he's a person non-grata in Bread Basket, so would be unable to go take the job personally. Maybe he could also bargain to remove that status if the findings turn up any good. In either case, it should not be problematic to hand over the results eventually, so just the matter of taking the job.

Meanwhile, what is the officer's take on Fort Ticonderoga and its inhabitants? Can we find information if they are outlawed by the Rangers and by all three big cities' standards or do they enjoy some protection from somewhere? Is it expected that the border will be safer or the opposite if we'll let the fort become unoccupied? That is, including the possibility of increased traffic and disease transfer if the roads will seem safer. Also, a question to Waffle House men - do the ticonderogans have a radio and any presence on the common ether?

 
 Spoiler 
Do we have  any  surviving prisoners anywhere? I presume all batches of raiders are dead, even if we've had more than one? I don't remember if we have released the lot of the mutant guys at Waffle House or might have had non-raider prisoners. If you do not remember either, I can search the threads.
 
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Sean explains that he mainly just wants to investigate the lead, but he's a person non-grata in Bread Basket, so would be unable to go take the job personally. Maybe he could also bargain to remove that status if the findings turn up any good. In either case, it should not be problematic to hand over the results eventually, so just the matter of taking the job.

Meanwhile, what is the officer's take on Fort Ticonderoga and its inhabitants? Can we find information if they are outlawed by the Rangers and by all three big cities' standards or do they enjoy some protection from somewhere? Is it expected that the border will be safer or the opposite if we'll let the fort become unoccupied? That is, including the possibility of increased traffic and disease transfer if the roads will seem safer. Also, a question to Waffle House men - do the ticonderogans have a radio and any presence on the common ether?

 
 Spoiler 
Do we have  any  surviving prisoners anywhere? I presume all batches of raiders are dead, even if we've had more than one? I don't remember if we have released the lot of the mutant guys at Waffle House or might have had non-raider prisoners. If you do not remember either, I can search the threads.
 
 
 

The men express skepticism about Bread Basket. The mission might not be enough to earn Sean and his allies favour with the city. They seem pretty isolationist and xenophobic, to be honest.

Fort Ticonderoga is known to be a nest of raiders and bandits. A huge gang of thieves and robbers, perhaps originating from out of state, or split off from the usual slaver army. They are hunted and wanted dead by all cities and militias, as far as Sean’s comrades know. Taking the fort and destroying the current occupiers completely would secure the border. Making the roads safe is a hard and open question. Even defeating the entire slaver army might not free Vermont from evils. It’s possible the current gang in charge of the fort came from the state south of Vermont. None of them really know much of anything about the other states in the country. As for the disease, well, that mostly comes from mutated animals.

The Fort Ticonderoga gang definitely does not have any radio comms or nothing. They’re all some sort of silent runners, uninterested in talking to anyone else. They just kill, steal and spy.

(OC: if memory serves, most if not all of the bandits who were taken prisoner are dead. The bandits who deserted and joined the exiles willingly are still alive and aligned with you, though. The mutants at the Waffle House may still be alive.)
u-b
Then we'll investigate Fort Ticonderoga and address the other options after that one. Sean would like some limited secrecy about his proposed op as not to alert the opposition. What exactly is meant by "limited secrecy", Sean will explain in a moment. As for actual proposals:
1. Sean proposes that people hit the radio to find some stuff about Fort Ticonderoga and its inhabitants. The actual people doing that would be the Rangers officer (his channels) and Richard (Funny Platoon, radio-enabled traders in affected areas and on affected routes - Waffle House radio men could help with freqs and callsigns). The reason of these inquiries should not be disclosed and the scale of the inquiries should not be advertised to each individual opponent. This would pose some risk of the leak, but since Fort Ticonderoga is not supposed to be radio-enabled, Sean will tolerate that risk. Of particular interest:
1.1 The name of the gang, if there is one. If we learn this, we'll use this as well with the location name for subsequent discovery.
1.2 History of the gang (before and after the place) and the place (before and after the gang).
1.3 Current status of the gang (as quantitative as possible, but, failing that, qualitative will do): manpower, leadership, transportation, armaments, notable gear (especially night gear, lights and so on), legal status confirmed etc.
1.4 Current status of the fort: exact location (and when the rivers shows up in the answers, we'll probably remember to inquire about routes and bridges, all of them, not just the nearest or most direct), terrain, type and state of the fort, things outside of it (like clear land, hills, wood, river, settlements adjacent to it, etc).
1.5 Current status of town Ticonderoga and people and things of interest therein.
1.6 Would the fort gang be able to call for  any  outside help (including from out of the state) or are they likely to be completely on their own?
2. Meanwhile, Sean will organize the volunteers, adjusting his idea of "needs" as new information shows up. Besides the core team, the preference will be given to permanent militia  not  taking part in the last gig, but he isn't too picky. He will not disclose the mission before we depart, but will let anyone opt out as soon as the mission is declared. This activity should not be hinted at over the radio.
3. Knowing #1  and  #2 would be a big giveaway, but Sean does not expect many parties to know both  and  have interest in spreading the info. In either case, Simone is monitoring the freqs hereabout.

 
 Spoiler 
Please roll Diplomaty and Reaction for Richard as many times as applicable, for up to 5 hours.
 
Shoot Da Moon
Sean’s allies consider what he is proposing. They can try looking for gossip on the Fort and the gang in it. That will take some time. The secrecy involved is what you have to thank for that. They warn that the info probably won’t be particularly in-depth or accurate.

What the radiomen find out from trawling the airwaves and rumor mill is;

The name of the gang occupying the Fort is “The Burning Tower.”

They took over the Fort ten years ago. They are a coalition of various criminal gangs, now culturally melded together, that were escaping states other than Vermont, fleeing from the south and to the north. They stopped on the border and murdered a community of traders for the Fort. Their internal culture is a chimera of the various gangs that joined forces to occupy the Fort, with bizarre languages and initiation rituals. Their flag is a mix of green-and-yellow stripes alongside a blue roaring lion on a red background.

The gang has grown stronger every year since taking the Fort. They shake down travellers and merchants - anyone going both in and out of Vermont by the southern border. They have military-grade rifles and machine guns, a light collection of grenades and other explosives, good but not great armour, lots of medical supplies and rations, a steady source of clean drinking water (probably a well), a generator, an improvised prison of captives for unknown purposes, good fortifications/bastions (high walls, fence, concrete barricades, landmines) as area defences, high towers for lookouts, about 6 cars for travel, 20 cross-country motorcycles, about 80 gang members, floodlights.

The gang is led by 5 or so strong leaders in a small council.

The entire gang has a big bounty on their head, but no-one really expects anyone but another army to claim it. $2000 for every leadership councilman brought in, dead or alive. Below that, a standard member of the gang hunted down (and once proof has been given) earns a reward of $100. Bounties can be cashed in at any major city, given in bullets or rations. Identifying the bounty usually means showing the gang member’s trademark ritual scars (a spiral pattern, on the belly and back) and uniform (road leathers with patches, dyed red and green) to the official.

The Fort’s located on a major road. Right on the southern border.  120 miles from the radar base.  There’s a big river nearby, the Fort is at one end of a bridge across it. The terrain is woodland, hills, somewhat mountainous. Roads are in bad shape, almost destroyed. The Fort used to be an old colonial era artefact, but fortifications back around the fall of the Old World has made it into a real bunker. Perhaps not as nasty as a military base, but definitely a hard nut to crack.

Ticonderoga overall is a ghost town, occasionally a hideout for fugitives or refugees. Although the drug trade is apparently a big business for the roving biker gangs and corrupt merchants. No “proper” settlements, near the Fort or at the town. As far as the cities are concerned.

The Burning Tower may have allies from out of state, but not in Vermont. If freelance crooks trade with The Burning Tower, that would explain a lot.

The allies are a little fatigued by Sean - they just came back from a rumble and now he wants to pick ANOTHER battle so soon? With another faction of bad guys? He has a thirst for making enemies, it seems. They should definitely rotate out their troops for fresh warriors, rather than using the squads previously engaged in fighting.
The permanent militia around the radar base (familiar with Sean and trusting him) looks ready and willing, though. The core team (Bart and his dogs, for example) is willing to stand by Sean, too. When are they riding out?

Simone sticks to the radio. Tariq has been working hard in the machine shop. The meat from the hunted oxen is cooked and kept preserved.

(OC: rolled in secret.)
u-b
The intel collected by Richard is... interesting. And not quite matching what Sean expected to confirm. He aborts the whole enterprise for now, and sits with Richard to dig through the intel. He opens the road map on the page where Ticonderoga is, opens his notebook on the page where his notes about Fort Ticonderoga are, and writes the following on another, blank, page:
1. Western border, according to Road Atlas.
2. Southern border, according to __________.
3. Coordinates: 43.84 N, 73.39 W, according to Road Atlas.
4. Coordinates: __________, according to __________.
5. Big river and bridge on the southern border: __________ (present or absent; Sean does not easily find these in there, especially together).
6. Is old revolutionary war fort, according to Traveling Merchants.
7. Men: 20, according to WH Radio ops quoting Vagabonds.
8. Men: 80, according to __________.
9. The Burning Tower gang, according to __________.
10. List of all sources contacted or referenced today: __________________________________________________  __________________________________________________  ________.

Sean asks Richard to fill the blanks, possibly writing more than one source per item, and also to comment of whether he's sure he heard it right.
Shoot Da Moon
Richard informs Sean of what he wants to know;
2) the source was a lone traveller and hermit living out in the woods, contracted by radio while digging around community channels for gossip. Unreliable.
4) the coordinates would put it just at the southern tip of the state, according to that hermit. Exact number was not given, just worked out through their own map and GPS.
5) the river and bridge could match a few places in the most southern part of the state, but no names were provided.
6) None o the merchants know. They steer clear of the southern and western areas of the state - there’s been reports of disease outbreaks.
8) the hermit, again.
9) A small group of some different vagabonds, these ones hike up and down The Long Trail to scavenge. Probably drug dealers or other shady types. Could be involved with Red brick gangsters.
10) A hermit. Scavenger gang. Wandering traders. Scouts. Couriers. Minor mercenaries. Explorers. Gossip collectors. Community channels on the radio.

Richard asks Sean if there’s a mix-up or a deliberate attempt to sabotage?
u-b
So, no Funny Platoon? Sean has listed them as one of recommended sources and it would be quite interesting to hear what they say. Were they unavailable or unwilling to answer? That hermit is certainly an interesting subject. Can Richard...
1. Go over his  earlier report  and  strike out  everything reported only by that hermit?
2. Get through to Funny Platoon and append their take?

We'll think about what to do about the hermit after we are done with #2.
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 So, no Funny Platoon? Sean has listed them as one of recommended sources and it would be quite interesting to hear what they say. Were they unavailable or unwilling to answer? That hermit is certainly an interesting subject. Can Richard...
1. Go over his  earlier report  and  strike out  everything reported only by that hermit?
2. Get through to Funny Platoon and append their take?

We'll think about what to do about the hermit after we are done with #2. 
 

The Funny Platoon was unavailable. An operation of some other groups took up their attention. Something about busting drug dealers.

Richard edits his report.

The Funny Platoon liaison asks the group to call back in the evening. They should be finished with their current business by then, fingers crossed.
u-b
Waiting until the evening is fine. Meanwhile, do Waffle House radio men have any records or memory of any communications with or about this "hermit"?

 
 Spoiler 
What time would be "now"?
 
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Waiting until the evening is fine. Meanwhile, do Waffle House radio men have any records or memory of any communications with or about this "hermit"?

 
 Spoiler 
What time would be "now"?
 
 
 

The hermit is known on the radio channels as a regular source and gossiper. Most have a negative opinion of him as bragging and obnoxious. The man’s history is known. He’s been active as a radio personality for 3 or 4 years.

(OC: the time is midday “now.” But seeing as you’re skipping ahead…)

Sean is finishing his dinner later that day when he gets word that Funny Platoon is open to comms again. They had to manage some fallout and after-operations cleanup, not to mention all the squads returning home or patrolling to another location.

But they’re ready to talk now.

Sean’s questions about Fort Ticonderoga have them digging through their files. They report back that the Fort is indeed occupied by a gang of bandits and it is on the western border. But the gang is not well-known. They appear to “lie low” and probably do most of their crimes and most noticeable activity out of state, to the west of the border. They could be involved in the drug trade, and probably rob travellers going to and from Vermont’s west. Their numbers, uniform, heraldry, gear, vehicles and competence are all unconfirmed. Scattered reports contradict each other.
u-b
Sean is satisfied by the received report and thanks Funny Platoon for information. Now, he is of the opinion that the operation should stay aborted. Namely because for the bandits...
1. The numbers are still unconfirmed.
2. The activity within the state is limited.
3. Drug trade is not something Sean is determined to fight against just "for the principle", without an outside request.
4. Which leaves only robbing interstate traders, which is  bad  but not so much bad as to proceed with scarce intel, at least as far as Sean is concerned.

So, Sean leaves the topic at that and checks with Simone to see how learning the radio scanner is going.
1. Has she figured out how it works?
2. Has she intercepted our last communications with the informers and Funny Platoon (the later should be non-decipherable, but the freq and the duration should be discoverable).
3. Any other interesting activity over the period, near the base or otherwise?
4. Is she up for the task of nailing down and monitoring the raider's central radio station? Sean was able to contact it from afar using modest equipment, so it should be large and powerful enough. Sean is fine if she does not record non-local responses.
5. Is she up for the task of nailing down all other similar stations in the state?
Shoot Da Moon
Sean’s allies accept his judgement.

Simone thinks she has a handle on the scanner.
She has not intercepted the communications. She missed the window on that while she was still studying the tech and ironing out the kinks.
She has no notable activity to report. She’s been underperforming all day, though.
She doubts she can really get a handle on the big target, but she can give it a shot.
Maybe she’ll manage picking up on the other stations. Give her some time, maybe a day.
u-b
Sean lets Simone proceed with no hurry and calls it a day.
Shoot Da Moon
(OC: mark off the food and water consumed.)

The people of the radar base go about their work for the day. When it gets dark, the residents turn in and enjoy a quiet sleep.

 DAY 93 

The next morning sees the radar base wake up to quiet and clear weather.
u-b
In the morning, Tariq begins to make ejecting-cargo rounds for RPG-7. This is expected to take the whole day and then some.

Sean pays a short visit to Blackwire representative at the base to inquire if there are news to report on their  latest orders  of some nine days ago. He's fine if the representative does not have the most recent news, but can find out in a day. He's also fine if the news are in, but are not particularly interesting.

Whatever that yields, Sean takes Richard, Bart, the dogs and the sedan, and plans a route to go through all four reported  supply safes .
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 In the morning, Tariq begins to make ejecting-cargo rounds for RPG-7. This is expected to take the whole day and then some.

Sean pays a short visit to Blackwire representative at the base to inquire if there are news to report on their  latest orders  of some nine days ago. He's fine if the representative does not have the most recent news, but can find out in a day. He's also fine if the news are in, but are not particularly interesting.

Whatever that yields, Sean takes Richard, Bart, the dogs and the sedan, and plans a route to go through all four reported  supply safes . 
 

Tariq’s work goes smoothly enough.

Blackwire reports in; they scouted the locations but found no raiders. Hideouts were found empty, no people and no supplies, vehicles that were parked there had been driven away. They suspect the bad guys withdrew their numbers north to a more defensible position, judging by local rumors of raider convoys sneaking around. As for the mutated animals, the men managed to encounter several packs and exterminated them all. They even tracked down one pack to a nest or lair, and completely burned it out. They choose to see this as a good sign.

The route to the supply safes will take a standard 80 miles of driving between various areas to find the hidden safes. They have the codes and instructions on where to find them hidden, not to mention warnings of any booby traps keeping trespassers away.
u-b
Sean records the location of the burned-out lair and adds it to the end of his route, then is on the way. He intends to visit all of the locations today, even if it takes more than 8 hours because of playing it safe and thorough. He takes a note of all traps that are mentioned and is on a lookout for traps that are not mentioned (and compares the plan and the fact goes), but also sees if the locations are currently watched or have been visited, plundered, etc.
Shoot Da Moon
Sean finds a good route and avoids running into any obstacles.
(OC: your successful roll cuts down the effective distance by 10%, lowering the fuel cost to match.)

The first safe Sean goes to is hidden in the basement of a half-ruined house, under a pile of junk. It is not trapped. The code works. Inside the rather small personal safe is 100 heroin pills in medicine bottles, to be used as barter good, bribes and entertainment.

Sean moves onto the next one, a larger and sturdier model kept in an office building, up some stairs and behind metal doors locked with combination locks. There were a few boobytraps (electrical wiring on metal doorknobs) placed around “bait” supply drops (fake food packets left out on desk counters). Sean is instructed to ignore them and just go upstairs, he enters the combinations to open the doors. The safe is bolted onto the floor in a windowless room. Opening it up, Sean finds 900 pints of clean water in plastic bottles and forty MREs.

The next destination is located at a somewhat remote campaign site. There are bear traps all over the ground, circling the campsite. Approaching the campsite with the heads up from Blackwire is slow but safe. Looking inside a trailer parked at the site, there’s a hidden lever under the bed. This opens up a hidden passage under the bed, a ladder going downwards into an underground room dug out, through the floor of the trailer. This safe is less secure, more lightweight, and has a simpler code to unlock. It contains an insulated sleeping bag, a 20-man tent, a 35mm camera (no film loaded), a cutting torch with no gas bottle, 2 sets of web gear and 15 sticks of dynamite.

The last safe is located down a mountainside cavern. It takes a bit of crawling and requires a light. The boobytrap here is simply a bomb wired to the safe. It can be disarmed with a number code that Blackwire provided, and it is. Opening the safe (it is waterproofed and kept under a black plastic tarp) is easy. Inside is a dissembled AK-47 7.62x39mm rifle, three rifle magazines, and 20 rifle bullets in each magazine (60 rifle bullets total).

With all those safes looted, Sean and his allies may return to base…

(OC: the AK-47 is $450 x8 = $3600, see High Tech page 120)
u-b
Before going back to base Sean visits the site of the burned-out monster lair to estimate...
1. If the Blackwire's men did indeed handled it.
2. To have a look at what such a lair could look like.
3. The qualities and quantities of monsters involved.
4. If anyone was at the site since then (like, men, or maybe monsters that were away from the lair at the moment of the massacre).

If there is nothing particularly surprising in there, Sean would drive back to base.

 
 Spoiler 
5. What time it's be at that point?
6. Any news on prospective students by the Rangers' officer?
7. Mutant guys arriving maybe?
8. The traders maybe having procured the goods?
 
Shoot Da Moon
The trip over to the former nest takes a bit of time. It is a rocky drive through rough wilderness.

The place is indeed burned out - a nasty fire consumed a whole bunch of trees.
The lair was a burrow and den, signs of animals living here are all over. Droppings, shed fur, paw prints, bones and tanned skin scraps from leftover meals, dried blood, rotting carcasses. The animals were some kind of mutated wolves, now torn apart and badly burned up. Sean counts three packs’ worth. The only sign of humans around here are the weeks old bones - a few skulls, most ominously - from people devoured by the monsters.

No-one has come here recently. Nothing that contradicts Blackwire’s report.

Back at base, Sean finds that it’s midday.
The Rangers tell Sean and his friends to expect delays. There’s been a shakeup.
No mutants of any kind have been spotted lately. Indeed, gossip on the radio claims there’s been a massacre of mutants somewhere in the north.
The traders have managed to half-way fulfil the transactions. They got exactly 50% of what Sean and the exiles wanted.
u-b
Sean is back to base and goes to visit Blackwire's representative.
1. He thanks the whole group for their service and the leads to supply safes, which were all good.
2. He proposes the gang be on lookout for mutated animals, but if their numbers are dwindling and allow other activities proposes also the following:
2.1 Find the group of mutants Sean is expecting and either escort them safely to close vicinity of the base or otherwise do whatever is necessary to either ensure their safe arrival or at least fate known.
2.2 Gather some info of the raiders' resulting position(s) after their retreat north, their operations (supply conyvoys at least maybe), numbers, plans etc. Some limited-scale offense is allowed if there is a good opportunity to get a live guy, but otherwise is discouraged.
3. Meanwhile, Sean is ready to be handed a bill for services already provided, a supply request or what not.

After he's done with Blackwire's man, Sean finalizes allocation of gear among all the militia, now with intent to leave them at the base for the moment.

 
 Spoiler 

 
 Originally Posted by Shoot Da Moon 
  DAY 84  
 


 
 Originally Posted by Shoot Da Moon 
 The mutants confirm, they will start heading over to the radar base. They have to travel about 65 miles to get there, so expect them in 5 or 6 days. 
 


 
 Originally Posted by Shoot Da Moon 
  DAY 93  
 

I am to update the doc with loot-handling and gear-handling, which I will do eventually, but now let's rule that Sean did it here and now.
 
Shoot Da Moon
The men under Blackwire nod and shake hands with Sean.
They agree to do patrols for mutant animals. There are various reports on the radio of such creatures, all over the state.
They can send out scouts to try and track down the mutants coming towards the base. They’ll patrol down all the usual major roads.
They can try gathering info on the raiders. It may take a lot of time, though, as the raiders going to ground typically means they’ll switch to radio silence and disguise themselves as travellers on obscure side-roads.
The Blackwire men ask Sean for barter goods and supplies (bullets, medical supplies, campaign equipment, illegal drugs, vehicles and fuel, batteries, water and food, etc.) that’s worth $5000. The whole group will split the shares up themselves. Handing over most of what was recovered from the safes could probably cover it, at the least?

The militia gives Sean a thumbs up. They are organised enough. They ask what Sean has got in mind next?
u-b
Sean lets the Blackwire man take:
1. A total of 100 pills of illicit drugs (including heroin), worth $2500.
2. A TL7 first aid kit wirth $400.
3. A 20-man tent worth $300.
4. 450 bottles of water worth $900.
5. 225 pounds of jerky worth $900.

To the militia men Sean says that:
6. He intends to eventually begin artillery training, but this is being delayed because reasons. He is not in a hurry, so that's just as well.
7. Meanwhile he is out of  good  leads, so would try to come up with some as soon as this evening. Meanwhile, he takes suggestions from the men based on their previous experience of living a good part of life in this world.
8. Having the above in mind, and also that the raiders are amassing north and that we ate located generally north, we stay defensive in case the raiders try to do anything funny.
9. Speaking of that, Sean now has enough of gear to promote any or all of part-time militia to full-time militia (and, sure, equip them all the way to Sean's standard), so checks if there are volunteers. He understands people can have all sort of their own plans, so no pressure.

In the evening, Sean sits with the maps, Richard, Rangers' officer and a few appropriately-informed men of the militias to look over any interesting leads which could yield some stuff and not be claimed and occupied or plundered to the ground already. Military, aviation and manufacturing could well be apparent on a good set of maps, but Sean is not particularly picky.

 
 Spoiler 

 
 Originally Posted by Shoot Da Moon 
 There are bear traps all over the ground, circling the campsite. 
 

We have the tools to detach them if they are attached, so how many?


 
 Originally Posted by Shoot Da Moon 
 The traders have managed to half-way fulfil the transactions. They got exactly 50% of what Sean and the exiles wanted. 
 

So, let's say the maps and the markers, but not the bear spray.
 
Shoot Da Moon
What Sean offers is quite acceptable. The payment is taken gladly.

The militia takes note and prepares themselves.
The men comment that the north-west part of Vermont has been under control of the raiders and slavers for as long as they can remember. Perhaps trying to infiltrate the region with an eye towards figuring out the weak points of the enemy occupation could be a worthwhile venture?

About four people express interest in becoming full-time. The rest are a little hesitant, either due to the danger or the time investment.

The maps reveal the location of an Old World Air Force base in Burlington.


  
 Spoiler 

We have the tools to detach them if they are attached, so how many?

So, let's say the maps and the markers, but not the bear spray.
 
 

There are 12 bear traps set up around the safe.
They don’t have the bear spray yet, but they do have the maps and markers.
u-b
An air force base and the nearby international airport seem interesting. Not exactly where Sean would feel safe, but anyway interesting. Sean asks the Rangers officer if it is known to be claimed and/or occupied, known to be neither or not known either way. He asks Richard to ask Funny Platoon about the air base and its occupants, claimants or controllers. He tells select people to go to sleep NOW and be ready to depart before first light in the morning, as soon as it is bright enough to drive in NVGs. He also tells everyone this might again be aborted, we'll see.

 
 Spoiler 
If Richard's inquiry does not yield anything to cause yet another abort, we depart as soon as it's -8 points of bright, so you can as well advance the time to that early in the morning.
 
Shoot Da Moon
The Rangers affirms that it is occupied and fortified by heavily armed militia, who deeply fear the raiders and slavers. Real paranoid about spies and saboteurs. Approach with caution. They otherwise know little about the militia bunkering down there.

The Funny Platoon says gathering information could take a while - come back in at least 4 hours.
(OC: making a secret roll…if you want to take more than 4 hours, the roll gets a bonus.)

The people selected go to their quarters and rest.

It will get dark enough for Sean’s purposes at 7 PM to 4 AM.
(OC: anything Sean wants to do in the meantime? Otherwise, it’s a time skip to the next day…)
u-b
Richard clarifies to Funny Platoon that he will be comfortable getting the info in bulk at 03:30 in the "morning" and asks if the infos could include the occupants' legal status and radio freq and callsign.

Sean asks the Waffle House men if they know the station (Sean would expect an airport would have enough good-quality radio equipment to almost guarantee a possibility of there being an active station) and either case if they can contact it overnight.

 
 Spoiler 
Please skip to the earlier of...
1. Waffle House radio men contacting Burlington airport / air base station.
2. Funny Platoon responds with their finds at 03:30 or thereabouts.
 
Shoot Da Moon
Richard and Sean ask questions.

The Funny Platoon gets to work.
The Waffle House guys admit they know little about the dug-in militia. They do not know if the base has regular radio contact with outsiders. It could be another community of isolationists hiding away from raiders and slavers.

With no other option, Sean and his allies hit the hay…

 DAY 94 

At 03:30, the Funny Platoon call back after a good stretch of research and trying regional contacts.

They report that the Burlington militia appear to be an alliance of runaways from Gunmetal city and local defenders who were almost routed by raiders and took up shelter deep in the Air Force base to escape being wiped out. They are currently politically outcast by most Shelter-descended cities (Gunmetal is in no mood to forgive the wayward and stretched its political muscles). The topic is a third rail among the regional merchants.

They have a radio contact, but are firmly rejecting any attempt to communicate with anyone “not on the list” - their circle of accepted outsiders and welcomed traders is an exclusive and small group.

They seem to stay out of other people’s affairs, mostly out of fear of danger.
u-b
Since the Burlington people are reported not to be hostile, Sean decides to pay them a short diplomatic visit and see if anything good comes out of it. He does not have very high hopes if they are as reclusive as claimed, but thinks it's worth the gas even if he will be turned back at the people's checkpoint.

 
 Spoiler 
Driving one van. Sean, Richard, Bart, dogs, 5 full-time militia  not  from the last mission (I will describe how they are equipped).
 
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Since the Burlington people are reported not to be hostile, Sean decides to pay them a short diplomatic visit and see if anything good comes out of it. He does not have very high hopes if they are as reclusive as claimed, but thinks it's worth the gas even if he will be turned back at the people's checkpoint.

 
 Spoiler 
Driving one van. Sean, Richard, Bart, dogs, 5 full-time militia  not  from the last mission (I will describe how they are equipped).
 
 
 

The journey out from the base takes Sean and his crew south-west and through jagged old roads.

(OC: the trip from the base to Burlington is 55 miles, if I have the map right.)

Burlington was a big city back Before. The biggest in Vermont. Driving through, Sean sees that it is now half-retaken by nature (lots of animals and plants dominating the cityscape) and also haven to furtive small communities of hermits (he sees man-made structures like improvised barriers blocking streets, but no people out in the open).

Sean can locate the old airport on the map, but he finds all roads that lead to it are blocked. Concrete barriers, sharpened stake pits, fences with barbed wire, destroyed or disabled bridges, even straight up high walls made of sturdy materials in a few cases. Most of them have conspicuous watchtowers built on nearby buildings, implying human surveillance and security guards trying to keep everyone out. Even if you got past these roadblocks, it would still about 10 minutes of driving until you got to the airport proper. A few roads have warning signs painted on Old World billboards next to them.

“KEEP OUT”
“TRESPASSERS NOT TOLERATED”
“PRIVATE PROPERTY”
u-b
The message seems to be clear enough and the attitude seems reasonable enough, still, Sean sees no overwhelming reason to just turn around right away. He stops on a road pointing the van at an appropriately-looking watchtover, lets his people disembark, honks and some 10 seconds later twice flashes the high beam. Then he waits for any reaction.
Shoot Da Moon
A rifleman hidden on a watchtower responds to Sean…

By firing a warning shot, that lands on the ground near Sean’s position.

The universal symbol of “go away.”
u-b
Sean turns the van around, the back to the watchtower and the front away from the roadblock. Then he starts summoning men in, one by one, at thirty-second intervals. Richard is to get in first and to operate the radio, hailing Burlington Airport's "public" frequency.

 "Hi there at Burlington Airport! We are Richard Clark and Sean Pires from the north-east Radar Base. In case you have not heard about us, we do monster-hunting and raider-hunting completely free of charge and general problem-solving on the cheap. We want to discuss trade, current threats and regional politics. We are at your [side] roadblock and waiting for instructions." 
 
 Spoiler 
Please make another reaction check and a Diplomacy roll (base skill 15). Reaction modifiers would be: +2 for Charisma, +2 for Voice, at least +2 for Reputation (if recognized on 10-). If no response or we are told to get lost, Sean drives out of sight after the last man gets in, then stops.
 
Shoot Da Moon
Sean’s allies rejoin him.

The voice in the other end of the radio hail is a raspy growl;
“We’re quarantining. There’s been an outbreak of disease all over town. We’re not interested in visitors. Stay away from the wildlife. And us.”

Another voice joins the conversation, this one is low but feminine;
“We are not interested in trade right now unless you have a lot of medical supplies. We have no knowledge of regional politics, so no luck there either. It’s not worth risking contagion just for buying meals and bullets.”

The other voice, the man’s voice, butts back in;
“And as for current threats, well, you just heard the big one; a nasty pandemic. It spreads through bites, stings, scratches and blood splatters. We ain’t got no raider problems, so you can just clear out now.”

The woman ends the contact with a suggestion;
“There’s an outpost at the south end of town, just before the highway entryway. They’re not our people, but they are friendly enough. If you want to do any trading, go there. Maybe they help you get back to us after a few weeks, when the disease should be burned out. For now, steer clear of us and the city.”
u-b
Sean consults with Richard for a moment. Then Richard transmits again.  "Well, we don't have a lot of medical supplies with us, but that is doable. We also have a good doc and pharmacist, who's busy at the moment, but can consult you on the details if you are not sure what you need. Or you can just provide the list. We can do up to ten grand worth on credit. More than that will need negotiations. Do you know for sure how much of what do you need and on what schedule, like all now or in batches will do?" 

Richard lets them answer, then clarifies:  "You said it's all over the town. Does this include or exclude the outpost at the south end? Is it likely they also will need medical supplies? Are they active on the radio?" 

Sean is not quite sure what's so worrying about a disease that  only  spreads through bites, stings, scratches and blood splatters, but does not object playing along for now and intends to eventually learn more.
Shoot Da Moon
There is a pause on the radio.
And then, the male voice again;
“Disinfectant, painkillers, surgical instruments, bandages, splints, blood packs.”

The woman cuts in, “What do you want as payment? Bullets? Services? We don’t have much.”
The way she said “services” has an edge to it. She is skeptical, wary.

“We want as much as we can get, as fast as possible.” The man says. “Now or soon. One big lump of stuff or in instalments, it does not matter.”

“We have our own doctor, no need to send over yours, thanks.” The woman says, in a sharp tone that implies “we do not trust your people, we will rely on our own.”

When Richard ask about the outpost, the man replies;
“The outpost is safe. It’s out of the blast zone, so to speak. It bunkered down when the first reports were circulated. They knew the procedure for staying healthy. Everyone needs medical supplies, everywhere. They have their own radio, they talk to plenty of people, yes.”

The man sends the exiles a radio frequency for the outpost.
“They can talk more about the situation, they know more, and they like to chat more.” The woman instructs the exiles, with a pointed subtext of “go bother someone else, you obnoxious little so-and-so’s.”
u-b
 "Payment could be... say, surviving things of aviation thematic? Airport automation equipment? Military gear? In fact, we are not terribly picky. If it has value, we can as well take it. We'll check the outpost and see what we can get for first lot." 

Sean sticks an arm out of the window to wave the tower man goodbye and is on his way to the outpost. While Sean drives, Richard contacts the outpost on the radio to say to expect us and get us instructions how to approach the outpost without incident.
Shoot Da Moon
Sean sticks an arm out of the window to wave the tower man goodbye and is on his way to the outpost. While Sean drives, Richard contacts the outpost on the radio to say to expect us and get us instructions how to approach the outpost without incident.[/QUOTE]

The man sounds a little unsure; “Well, truth be told, we did salvage a lot of the airport equipment for parts. High quality metal and internal mechanisms, mostly. The military gear, we have, but…I do not think it’s for sale…”

“You god darn right it’s not for sale!” The woman butts in.

“Ok, ok! We’ll just offer up the stuff that’s not gutted, then. We didn’t touch the planes, but good luck scarping together the goods to trade for *them…*” The man comments.

No-one waves back as Sean and his allies depart. The ride over to the outpost takes 30 minutes, mostly due to roadblocks and rerouting. No-one is seen, no animal life is observed. The town appears eerily quiet and deserted. The outpost won’t entirely contradict that feeling, but there are a few distant people spotted inside the structure, which is a large concrete tower surrounded by waist high barriers, a few tank traps and another barbed wire fence.

The radio contact gets picked up right away during the drive. The voice in the other end is a high-pitched young man, probably a teenager. He explains that the exiles should park their vehicle outside the perimeter in plain view of the tower, so they can be observed from afar. Once they are deemed safe enough, a representative will be sent out to talk to them.

“You can’t miss ‘im- he’ll be the one in the bright yellow full body proc-suit. Don’t try anything funny, we got snipers on deck. And try not to cough on anything, for goodness sake!”
u-b
Sean does as he's told, parking the car in clear view of the tower. He tells everyone to stay inside. When the approaching representative is seen, Sean will leave the car, unarmed, and meet the representative some 10 yards away from the car. He intends to remain at a distance of at least 1..2 yards from the representative (or more, if the representative feels like it) and absolutely not shaking hands with the representative.
Shoot Da Moon
The rep is indeed dressed head-to-toe in a body-covering yellow NBC suit.
He is clearly not used to it, stumbling a bit and making sure to grip his writing instruments right to avoid dropping them. Sean can partially see the man’s face in the clear plastic “face window” - he looks nervous.

The transactions begin after a quick introduction. The rep questions Sean about how long he’s been in Burlington, wherever he or any of his compatriots have encountered any animals or people since they entered city limits, what their business here is, and where they plan to go to after they leave Burlington.

He writes down the answers Sean gives. And records what he requests from the outpost.
u-b
Sean states that he has not really been in Burlington, at least not out of his vehicle, more like just checked a few approaches to the airport and went out of the car for maybe five minutes in front of one of checkpoints without really touching anything. No contact with animals. Long-range visual contact with maybe a few people at the checkpoint. Sean's original business have been to discuss trade, current threats and regional politics with the people at the airport, and sure enough they mention this threat of a contagion! So Sean's plans would be to help deal with this threat and then proceed with the rest of the original plan, presumably after some time. The places to visit after Burlington would likely be the Radar Base and Red Brick, in unspecified order, then Burlington again.

For now, Sean requests:
1. A clearance to discuss the details of the pandemic.
2. A protocol of how these details would be discussed.

The discussion itself can happen over the radio, which would be convenient, but not mandatory. Sean proposes the following protocols for #2 above, roughly in order of his preference:
3. Modern encrypted radio with the Outpost, the Radar Base and Sean on the same freq.
4. An older radio, dealt to low power with Sean acting as an intermediary between the Outpost and the Radar Base (Sean has good encrypted comm with the Radar Base).
5. Voice.
6. Paper.

Sean will list the first round of topics and questions as these might be relevant in considering his clearance, but more topics and questions are expected to arise based on the answers.
6. When was the pandemic declared as such?
7. How much back from that it could be traced (to the date of the first person known to get ill).
8. Is it in any way repeat of any previous pandemic or outbreak since the big one? If so, what are the similarities and differences?
9. Does it seem like a replay of the big one? Why or why not?
10. So far, how many people are total at...
10.1 Burlington city.
10.2 Burlington airport.
10.3 This outpost.
11. How many people in and out of all those locations have...
11.1 Been infected.
11.2 Recovered.
11.3 Died.
12. What can be said of other neighboring places - were they affected before or after, how do they cope, etc.
13. Is it known, generally or specifically, where this pandemic spreads from and to?
14. What can be known about the disease?
14.1 Name.
14.2 Is it bacterial, viral, artificial or other?
14.3 How does it spread?
14.4 How does it go? Incubation period, symptoms, systems failing, etc.
14.5 What treatments are known to have what effect? Sean is interested in both effective and ineffective treatments.
14.6 Is therapy expected to help deal with it in any shape or form? Like, antibiotics, other non-specific treatments, other specific treatments?
14.7 Is surgery expected to help deal with it in any shape or form? Like, would surgical instruments, bandages, splints and blood packs be of use?
14.8 Is vaccination expected to help deal with it in any shape or form? Like, does surviving the infection leads to a strong immunity?
14.9 It seems the prevention is at least somewhat effective. Any comment on this, like the current quarantine regime both externally and internally at all #10 locations? What quarantine regimes have been known to be effective/ineffective?
15. Are there any doctors threating infected patients here at the Outpost?
16. If so, could they...
16.1 Provide a list of necessary and not currently available to them supplies and equipment, complete with quantities and motivation for obtaining these?
16.2 Discuss the details with our doctor (as #3+ above, over the radio is fine)?
16.3 Run tests at the request of our doctor (like, blood tests, in vitro tests etc.)? If they have already ran tests, what are those tests and what do they show? Sean does not expect to understand all the detail, but if those exist, the doc got to have them.
16.4 Try treatments at the suggestion of our doctor?
16.5 Provide samples at the request of our doctor? Sean is not yet sure this is a good idea at the moment, but floats it anyway, just for sake of completeness.
17. Have any other communities and settlements been informed? What is their reaction?
18. By the feel of it, is it more like tuberculosis, Ebola, the stuff you now normally see throughout the cities or like the big one?
19. Anything else the outpost has to say about any related topic to a party that...
19.1 Might be eventually affected.
19.2 Might be willing to help them overcome the thing.
Shoot Da Moon
The rep seems comforted by Sean’s light contact and brief stay in Burlington. He copies down what Sean has to report. He cautiously hopes that Sean’s minimal contact with potentially dangerous elements is a sign that the disease is burning out.
Sean’s business gets a neutral response. The rep is neither annoyed nor enthusiastic about trade and gossip.
The rep pauses when Sean mentions helping dealing with the contagion threat. He comments, with some skepticism, that Sean is brave to do so, as he’ll need to drag-net the whole city in search of any infected animal populations to purge with fire and industrial cleanser.
The rep has not heard of the radar base, but he has heard of Red Brick. And he gets quite nervous when discussing Red Brick. He’s heard there’s been a shakeup or civil unrest brewing in the mob city.

The rep can pass along info on the disease, he’ll need to get the sheets from his superiors in the outpost and bring them back here, but he can share it freely. The protocol for avoiding and handling the disease is somewhat easy to comprehend even for a medically untrained person…he thinks.

He’ll try to patch Sean through on a radio channel. Their equipment is not particularly good and has short range, but it works. It is not encrypted. They can try what Sean is thinking of. They have a loudspeaker and bullhorn, of course, but it might not be what Sean would like. They can exchange letters at a dead drop, they sometimes do that with scouts, travellers and merchants.

The pandemic started about two weeks ago.
No-one really knows how it got started. None of them are virologists or anything. The first person to get ill the rep knows of was a regular merchant who made the rounds to the north buying stuff from scavengers. He definitely got the illness from an animal attack. There were probably people who got sick before then, though.
The rep is sure this disease is a new thing. Not related to The Ruin of The Old World. That virus was airborne, wasn’t it? And it destroyed the nervous system from the inside out, right?
The rep hasn’t heard of a big outbreak hitting Burlington since The Ruin. Maybe people got sick from other stuff, but it was never like what we got now.

Burlington city has about 5,000 total within its borders. All of them spread out pretty far, by his reckoning.
The airport has 200 people living in it, bunkered down.
The outpost has a gang of 20 living here permanently.

The rep can only speak for his own people. The outpost had one person infected, but they got quarantined almost instantly. No-one else. They barely survived.
He’s definitely heard of dozens getting sick and dying in the city. Judging by the radio reports, it’s wiped out five or so gangs of people over the course of a week.
No idea what’s going on in the airport. Maybe they’re all safe?

The rep has not been outside Burlington or checked up on other communities in Burlington. He thinks the disease has stayed in the city. No radio reports from outside have mentioned it, anyway.

Mutated animals look to be the culprit. No idea why, how or when. Don’t go near them.

Nobody bothered naming the darn thing. It’s just a disease. The only disease that matters right now.
The rep shrugs. It spreads by bodily fluids - blood, spit, vomit, coughing, droppings, meat. Animal bites are the usual case.
It takes about two or 3 days to start killing you. Victims cough, vomit, bleed from the nose and mouth, get feverish, feel pain all over, and get brain fog. They die of toxins in the lungs or something.
Treatment is done with medicines of the Old World - manufactured anti-virals with proper bed rest and sustenance in a safe isolated place. The rep’s not a doctor. Their medic handles it. He’s seen it take 2 days to fight off the disease.
No surgery. The surgery is used to treat injuries sustained from other dangers in the city.
The rep knows nothing of vaccinations. He’s never heard of vaccinations for this disease. As for immunity, well, it sounds like a good idea, if you can get it.
The rep simply describes his own outpost resorting to quarantines and no-contact measures. It seems to work. He thinks other people do the same thing elsewhere. No idea if they’re okay, though.

Their medic treated one person who got sick. No-one else. Currently, they’re all healthy. Knock on wood.

He’ll need to ask his superiors and discuss the matter with the medic. Please wait a few minutes.
He doubts the doc can run tests. They don’t have a full lab. Their sickbay is a little barebones.
They recommend what medicines to try, what worked for them.
They can hear Sean out about what his doctor recommends. No promises, though. They have no samples to provide.
Contact with other people has been irregular. Lots of inconsistent results. Don’t hold out much hope.

The rep does not know much about other diseases. He can recount the symptoms, and the deaths.

The rep comments that it might be a good idea to stay out of the city for now. Be prepared to haul up somewhere safe. Don’t eat or drink anything that has not been firmly vetted. He doubts the outpost will allow sharing of their medicine. Sorry.

The rep goes to his comrades in the tower for further info, leaving Sean to ponder what has been discussed.

(OC: what medical skills does your party have at the moment? What level? I may need to roll them in secret soon.)
u-b
So, we talk local radio and Sean talks to the base over long-range radio. Sean contacts the radar base right away. The topics brought up would be as follows:
1. The presumptive Burlington epidemic that is claimed to have started some two weeks ago that's claimed to have made it at least to local radio reports.
1.1 What do Radar Base radio people know about it?
1.2 If nothing, then what the hell they think they are doing there?
1.3 If something, then why the hell they have not dug out some detail and informed Sean days ago? They can as well start doing it now.
1.4 If they know it's fake, they are cleared to inform Sean in detail right this moment.
2. The doc. He's to be called to the radio room, like, right now.
3. Sean informs the doc about the details learned so far and says there might be more coming from the local professional.

 
 Spoiler 
The  doc  has Physician-20, Diagnosis-16 and Pharmacy-20, Sean has Physician-10 and Diagnosis-6.
 
Shoot Da Moon
Sean watches the rep go inside the tower as he talks into the radio. They quickly get the medic.
The doc at the base gives his professional opinion.
“This is the first I’ve heard of it. Maybe there’s been a communications disruption? If the people inside Burlington have only short ranged radios, and the communities within the range either got knocked out or were too isolated for their own radio to reach the rest of the state, that could explain it. No way a pandemic that can kill too fast to report AND leave no survivors after two weeks.”

The doctor verbally shrugs his shoulders. He’s heard most people stay away from Burlington anyway. Lots of people say the city is full of bandits, drug dealers, mutants and killer robots.

The doctor does not think it could be fake. How on earth could you fake a disease outbreak? No-one knows anything about bio-engineering viral weapons. He asks Sean to get reports on the disease symptoms and samples, so he can study it.
Sean will need the outpost’s reports for that…

The doctor has heard of nasty unnatural-sounding diseases spread by mutant wildlife, but he has not seen such a case in person.

The radio call is interrupted by an extremely loud boom and the tower in front of him partly blown apart in a fiery blast!!
A sudden rain of ragged stones thrown from the explosion rustles the fence but does not hit the car itself.
Before Sean or any of his allies have the chance to do anything else but loudly swear and scream in horror, the sound of machine gun fire fills the air as Sean sees a constant spray of bullets erupt from a building behind the tower, about 80 yards away from Sean’s car.

A bomb went off inside the outpost.
And now a machine gunner is opening up relentlessly.

(OC: Sean may need to roll to resist Flashbacks.)
u-b
 "Out of the car! Richard, you drive!"  People and dogs start to get out of the van and scatter looking for cover. Richard gets into the driver's seat, ready to drive the car away from the scene.

 
 Spoiler 
1. Is the machinegunner's position visible and/or elevated?
2. Do we still have any darkness penalties?
3. Please map or describe the scenery, Sean would have had observed it for some time by now.
 
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
  "Out of the car! Richard, you drive!"  People and dogs start to get out of the van and scatter looking for cover. Richard gets into the driver's seat, ready to drive the car away from the scene.

 
 Spoiler 
1. Is the machinegunner's position visible and/or elevated?
2. Do we still have any darkness penalties?
3. Please map or describe the scenery, Sean would have had observed it for some time by now.
 
 
 

“DRIVE WHERE?!” Richard yells over the chaos, “WHERE AM I GOING?!” He still manages to stay in control, not letting fear dominate him.
Everyone else tries to get away in a manner not panicky. Someone manage to get behind concrete barriers, but others can only find undergrowth to go prone in.

The machine gun nest is technically not visible, but its fire certainly is, Sean traces it to an elevated position in a three storey building across the way from the outpost tower. It briefly stops firing upon the tower, for whatever reason.

There is no darkness. It is a bright day.

Sean can see the outpost is in the middle of an urban clearing, surrounded by open street on all sides for at least 35 yards. It has a perimeter of fence and concrete barriers, as previously mentioned. One or two buildings are across from the outpost in all four cardinal directions, but only one seems to harbour an enemy blazing away with heavy weaponry (it’s the tallest, only other two buildings have two storeys).

The building closest to Sean’s position, 15 yards away, is a broken down petrol station that’s mostly gutted with a caved-in roof. One storey high.
u-b
Sean does not like the machinegun being at elevation  and  having stopped fire. He snatches the flashbang and arms it almost as he's on his way.  "Wherever you can keep the van safe. Around the next corner could do."  Fortunately, Sean does not have to shout back as both him and Richard still have their helmet radios. He does shout to the rest of the men while running in one direction and pointing them in another.  "That way! Everyone else that way!" 
 
 Spoiler 
The plan would be roughly like this:
Round 1: Draw and arm a flashbang. 7 yards forward and a bit left or right, depending on which side is to the gas station. Pointing the men the same side diagonally  backward . Start cooking the flashbang.
Round 2. All-out defense (dodge) 3 more yards forward and a bit left or right, depending on which side is to the gas station, drop the flashbang under his feet.
Round 3. Crouch and all-out defense (dodge) one yard back. The flashbang goes off in front of Sean, affecting 10-yard-radius from where Sean has dropped it, including Sean but hopefully no one else. Sean resists the stun thanks to the helmet hardware. Everyone else will now have the smoke cloud between them and the machinegun. If the machinegunner or anyone else is looking at Sean using good optics, they might be in for a surprise.
Round 4+ maybe stealthily go through the cloud to behind the gas station, we'll see how it goes.

An I guess I'll have to implement the recent gear-sorting sooner rather than later...
 
Shoot Da Moon
Richard hears Sean and nods.
Then he hits the gas, driving the van with sweat dripping down his forehead.
“Get back safe.” He mutters to Sean through his headset as the vehicle starts moving, towards the gutted gas station.

The other men rally and go where Sean is pointing. They all hope he has a good plan…

Sean’s stun grenade is drawn in a flash. Speaking of flashes…
The men keep fleeing. Sean feels his knuckles go white as they clutch the live grenade.
The toss is more-or-less on target.
The machine gun is still quiet. Perhaps they ran out of ammo? Or their spotters are searching for new targets…

The boom goes off.
Sean endures it. He thanks his protective gear, and curses his circumstances. He is on the ground. He keeps going…

The machine gun does not open up again. What are they waiting for?
As Sean creeps through the cloud of smoke, he hears a crowd of people a distance away loudly running around. They’re all around, he thinks. He reaches the gas station just in time to see a whole bunch of strange-looking people closing in, swarming over the nearby area aimlessly. They’re all look…really dirty. Almost dead, judging by the weird nasty skin distortions or whatever has ruined their faces and limbs. He roughly counts about ten people closing in on the gas station, and another cluster of thirty or so running around the outer perimeter of the outpost, and even more crowds milling around further in the distance. Were they drawn by all the noise?

Sean is at the broken down fast station, the doors and windows all smashed apart and wide open.
Richard radios in over the headset, “What the hell? What are these things?!”
u-b
Sean, men and dogs are to go to the next building past the gas station, away from the outpost, using the smoke and the gas station itself as cover and trying to outrun the strange men. Maybe we can get beside or straight through the next building and meet Richard behind it? Sean does not want to be machinegunned, but neither he would like to meet another bunch of zombies head on. Having announced the plan and leading the way, Sean estimates whether the plan is going to work. Like...
1. Can we move faster than they move?
2. Are they already homing on us (and not, like, on the recent explosions)?
3. Are they approaching from the side in which we are going?
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Sean, men and dogs are to go to the next building past the gas station, away from the outpost, using the smoke and the gas station itself as cover and trying to outrun the strange men. Maybe we can get beside or straight through the next building and meet Richard behind it? Sean does not want to be machinegunned, but neither he would like to meet another bunch of zombies head on. Having announced the plan and leading the way, Sean estimates whether the plan is going to work. Like...
1. Can we move faster than they move?
2. Are they already homing on us (and not, like, on the recent explosions)?
3. Are they approaching from the side in which we are going? 
 

The building near the gas station looks to be a very rundown store of some kind, 25 yards even further away from the outpost. It is trashed as well, one storey high, wider than the gas station. Richard can drive behind it, but it’ll take time that perhaps he and his friends do not have.

The mob of freakish undead humanoids has a few small gangs lingering around the spaces between the gas station and the ruined store. They seem to move pretty fast for beings that look like ravaged corpses, perhaps as fast as Sean can move.
All the strange monsters seem attracted to the noise and smoke. Sean has no doubt that he’ll be attacked if they spot him along the way. They could definitely run into him when they approach the flash bang’s point of explosion.
The closest zombies are coming from south of the outpost, heading north toward the outpost, opposite the way Swan and his allies are going. The rest seem to be approaching the outpost or the explosion.
u-b
Sean is surprised by the speed of the approaching zombies, 25 yards seems quite a lot of open ground, and the direction from which the closed zombies are coming means we probably should risk being machinegunned instead of closing that distance on foot. Sean changes the plan once again: we get into the van using gas station as cover, then drive either south or east, depending on which side will seem to offer better street-width-to-zombie-count ratio. Sean will drive.
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Sean is surprised by the speed of the approaching zombies, 25 yards seems quite a lot of open ground, and the direction from which the closed zombies are coming means we probably should risk being machinegunned instead of closing that distance on foot. Sean changes the plan once again: we get into the van using gas station as cover, then drive either south or east, depending on which side will seem to offer better street-width-to-zombie-count ratio. Sean will drive. 
 

Sean co-ordinates the troops to stay quiet and stay low. They creep through whatever cover they can find and avoid the monsters swarming. The things seem particularly confused and unobservant, so Sean can herd his people past them and into the gas station safely.

Richard’s drive over is fast and obvious, though. The vehicle attracts a handful of monsters, they peel off from the horde. They are too slow to keep up with the van, though. So it makes to the back of ten fast station, where a few stripped down wrecks of cars and two dumpsters are rusting away.
Sean gets in and Richard switches over, riding shotgun now. His allies pile in at the back, smooth and careful. The zombies may be on their tail, but not too close.

Sean thinks the east looks safest - the monsters are thinner over there.
(OC: make a Driving skill roll.)
u-b
Sean intends to drive to the nearest place that meets the following criteria:
1. Has cover or concealment of some sort, from most sides or at least from the sides that are not wide open.
2. Has open or semi-open past that cover or concealment to give us some range.
3. Has no zombies in sight.

There Sean would stop and have Richard contact the outpost on their radio frequency to ask if they are all right and whether they have any comments, requests or suggestions.

Sean also looks around and listens on the way. At a minimum, gunshots, explosions and anything animate are of interest.
Shoot Da Moon
Sean does manage to drive away from the hot zone without hitting any monsters or crashing, but he finds the roads surrounding the immediate area are clogged with more zombie hordes.
Anyway that seems to have concealment or cover is also infested with shambling undead. He keeps driving further and further away from the outpost in a vain search for somewhere that fits his needs.

He eventually has take a road out of Burlington altogether before he escapes the swarms of monsters.
Richard calls the outpost but gets no response. No even a signal. Richard grimly hints to Sean that he thinks the worst has transpired.

Sean hears the occasional gunshots in the distance as he drive through Burlington - they fade away by the time he has left the city limits. He assumes that the sudden influx of monsters is to blame for the shooting.
u-b
Sean looks around and back through the scope to see if there are any zombies anywhere in the distance on which he can test a few things. He is not in hurry and wants to have a better understanding of the situation before he contacts either the airport or the base. If no one is in sight, Sean considers driving a bit back, to have some range to the point where he's last seen anyone.
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Sean looks around and back through the scope to see if there are any zombies anywhere in the distance on which he can test a few things. He is not in hurry and wants to have a better understanding of the situation before he contacts either the airport or the base. If no one is in sight, Sean considers driving a bit back, to have some range to the point where he's last seen anyone. 
 

There’s plenty of zombies to go around.
Behind them is a horde of at least 40, 75 yards away from their current position. They were following them.
In other directions, there’s clumps of zombies numbering between 10 to 30, all of them within 40 yards. They seem to be heading towards Sean and his allies. The terrain is rough and uneven, with scattered buildings. This slows down the monsters’ travel.
Sean is still about 5 miles of Burlington city limits.
u-b
Sean checks whether the zombies are easily killable by the most practical way of trying to kill one of them. Whether succeeding or failing, Sean hits the road again to reach a position where he would see the zombies in maybe at most 120 degrees arc behind and none of them in some 240 degrees arc ahead and to the sides.
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Sean checks whether the zombies are easily killable by the most practical way of trying to kill one of them. Whether succeeding or failing, Sean hits the road again to reach a position where he would see the zombies in maybe at most 120 degrees arc behind and none of them in some 240 degrees arc ahead and to the sides. 
 

The bullet to the heart does not seem to be very effective. While the bullet certainly blasted a big hole in the targeted area, the monster just staggers and slumps down, beaten down but not absolutely devastated. The rifle shot packs a punch but the physiology of the darn horror is resistant to them.

The bullet to the brain, on the other hand, tears apart the head without a prayer and the shot zombie is downed in a big spray of gore.

Much better.

Driving away is considered a much better idea by Sean’s allies.
They do not want to stick around in zombie country.

Sean’s trip over to a better position takes another 3 minutes. He eventually finds a good spot, on a small cliff overlooking an open field. The zombies are spread out thin, and much less numerous. Sean is getting away from the horde/s. He spies only a total of 35 zombies within 250 yards. Most are by themselves, some cluster in groups of about 4 to 7 within 10 yards of each other.
u-b
Sean chooses a group of 7 zombies and runs one more experiment on them: hit one's brain, one's leg and one's both legs and then observe:
1. How all the groups would react to him shooting.
2. How all the groups would react to him hitting.
3. How all the groups would react to zombies getting dead or disabled.
4. How the damaged zombies would react to all of the above.
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Sean chooses a group of 7 zombies and runs one more experiment on them: hit one's brain, one's leg and one's both legs and then observe:
1. How all the groups would react to him shooting.
2. How all the groups would react to him hitting.
3. How all the groups would react to zombies getting dead or disabled.
4. How the damaged zombies would react to all of the above. 
 

Sean only misses once.
His brain hit predictably destroy the monster immediately. The ruination of the head brings it down and it stays down. Whatever is making them undead cannot continue to function in the absence of a brain, it seems.
As for the leg hits, the zombie is resilient - though the shots mangle the limb and cause it to fall to the ground, the undead horror remains active enough. But it barely seems fazed by the bloody dismemberment.
The monsters do not try to devour their fallen or even check on them, they seem to judge that a re-dead monster is of no concern.

Sean notes that all the groups react vaguely appropriate to one of their number getting torn up by the bullets. The darn things start moving away from the area, into buildings or behind walls, a retreat into safety. But it is not organised. The monsters are not smart to fully use tools or elaborate gambits like traps. The noise definitely causes them to start searching for nearby threats/prey.
They are animals.
u-b
Sean gets on the radio and narrates the recent events to the doc. He is not sure if the doc has any idea what to do with new infos. Sean says he  could , most likely, bring back a sample of any size doc needs, but is not terribly enthusiastic about attempting the feat, mainly because that would mean propagating the biological hazard and Sean is not sure we would be able to make a vaccine in bulk and in time, even if one is possible. He asks the doc for the advice and any professional opinion.

Then Sean contacts Funny Platoon and has them informed. He asks if  they  have some opinion / advice, but leaves the chat about any details to Richard, having described all the observations himself.

The scale of the problem and the reaction to run away probably means we would be unable to solve this mechanically, even if we'd like to, so the problem is likely here to stay.

 
 Spoiler 
Does Sean have an estimate of their Move?
 
Shoot Da Moon
Richard gets on the radio and fiddles with it for a few seconds as he makes the call.

The doc seems utterly flummoxed by Sean’s report. What he’d describing should not be biologically possible, right?
Getting a sample might be dangerous, the doctor warns Sean not to take on too much risk just for this endeavour.
The doctor suggests just running away before the monsters close in on him.

Funny Platoon is horrified by Sean’s report. They ask him for detailed directions to the monster-infested zone, so heavily armed patrols can clean up the area with high explosives and extensive arson. If he has GPS co-ordinates, that would be great. It is important that Sean bring back as much helpful information of the threat as possible, survey the extent of the monster population.

(OC: the zombies have Move 6.)

Sean can see the distant zombie hordes may be shambling towards his position. The gunshots could have signalled his location to the monsters.
u-b
Sean responds to the doc that he has seen some  very  funny non-food-consuming mutants and might still have some in store if the doc wants to investigate non-conventional biology. That better be discussed when Sean's back to base, but for now, we have to assume that non-conventional biology does seem to exist.

Sean reads his location off the map. It is not GPS, but still coordinates precise enough for the task. He also reads the coordinates of the blasted outpost and describes the route taken, stating it's full enough of the things. Sean is not sure about the "zone" boundaries, it might be up to the whole Burlington, but inside there, there seem to be zones that still belong to the men, like the whole airport zone. Sean is not sure if those men are up to (no) good, but at least they do speak and have radio and claim to need help. Sean transmits the freq and callsign. Sean thinks he can, and will, run around the city and make test shots if Funny Platoon considers that useful, but he would not be able to deal with the whole lot, so probably care should be taken not to lure the things out more than necessary, so we will see how it goes. Sean requests a bullet allowance to replenish the bullets he spends on the task. He promises to do some eradication without a lot of full-auto, so cost per kill should be good. Generally, Sean thinks that explosives and flamers should do, but does advise full bio-hazard suits on everyone and proper decontamination afterwards, and notes the things are uncomfortably fast. He also requests that samples are taken and that he is allocated his share for the doc (no specific plans to actually take that share, we'll see). He says he'll report again some time today.

Sean tries to estimate the "hordes" and maybe starts picking some shots.
Shoot Da Moon
The doctor is disturbed by Sean’s comment.

The Funny Platoon takes down Sean’s description and directions. They instruct him to leave the area for his own safety.
Sean is pretty sure he got it right.
The Funny Platoon notes that they can give Sean bullets once they confirm his report, as a reward for his help. It should be worth 5 to 20 rifle bullets, maybe more. Slaughtering a monster gets him a rifle bullet per head. That’s the standard prizes.
(OC: there’ll be a reaction roll later, the reward depends on that result…)

After that business, Sean spies on the nearby zombies milling around his position. He frequently sees groups of 8 to 14 zombies clustered together, usually around buildings and in large wide streets. He sees about 12 of these groups spread out across an area of 400 yards. Of course, he is almost certainly missing undead horrors from his count, seeing as how many places to hide and get lost in there are in the area. There could up to 50% more than what he managed to detect…Even more, if certain buildings have big clusters crammed together in their basements or whatever.

(OC: made a secret Observation roll for you.)
u-b
Spending a bullet per head to earn a bullet per head does not seem particularly profitable, but as long as Sean sees a clear and open path for his escape and there is some distance between him and the nearest zombies, he is inclined to give it a shot, or, literally, a number of shots. He orders Bart and the dogs to watch for anything unexpected popping out (like rabid dogs, rabid rats, rabid ravens, machinegunners setting up somewhere in the distance or whatever that is) and starts the next part of this research project.
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Spending a bullet per head to earn a bullet per head does not seem particularly profitable, but as long as Sean sees a clear and open path for his escape and there is some distance between him and the nearest zombies, he is inclined to give it a shot, or, literally, a number of shots. He orders Bart and the dogs to watch for anything unexpected popping out (like rabid dogs, rabid rats, rabid ravens, machinegunners setting up somewhere in the distance or whatever that is) and starts the next part of this research project. 
 

Bart and the dogs get on guard, taking up an elevated position, making sure the wind is blowing right.

Sean’s shooting yields results; one dead from a headshot, then an excellent brain pop as the zombies try to shamble towards his position.
The third target only manages to make another 24 yards towards Sean before it gets shot in the torso (Sean barely misses the head) to little effect. Distressing, as the shot was otherwise a solid hit to the center mass. It stays up, still in the fight. It quickly runs into a building and out of sight.
After that, the zombies are still not very close. A lot of zombies instead go to ground, moving into the buildings and perhaps moving through them to advance. Sean can’t see.

There is about 20 yards of open ground between him and any building or potential cover. There is a lull in any zombies popping up to run towards him. The zombies he sees are pretty far away (250 yards), not attempting to close in. But where did the zombies close by go?

(OC: how many seconds does Sean wait and hold his position?)
u-b
Sean takes out some more targets at long range, ready to re-target or jump in the car as soon as something shows up closer to him.

 
 Spoiler 
No waiting, up to a minute of shooting, then we will see how it goes.
 
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Sean takes out some more targets at long range, ready to re-target or jump in the car as soon as something shows up closer to him.

 
 Spoiler 
No waiting, up to a minute of shooting, then we will see how it goes.
 
 
 

Sean’s allies nervously watch his back and keep their guns oiled as he snipes. The crack of the rifle shots echo throughout the area. Even from that much far away, the zombies could probably hear them all, right?
Sean’s first shot hits a distant zombie head-on, exploding its brains. Without a head, the wretched thing falls down like a puppet with its strings cut.
The second shot is also on target. The gore is substantial as the monster dies, slumping down against a nearby wall.
The zombies all react to the gunshots, by starting to search the area, although plenty of monsters remain exposed to Sean’s gunfire. The third shot blasts another undead right where it hurts, and destroys it.
A fourth shot follows suit, tearing through a skull and dropping the unnatural threat straight back into the grave it crawled out of.
The fifth shot is taken just as a lot of zombies enter buildings and out of sight. About only ten percent of the original horde is now visible, minus the ones Sean killed. Speaking of, Sean’s fifth shot blows out another zombie brain, leaving the rotting corpse-thing lying in the street in a puddle of viscera.
The remaining stragglers fare no better, Sean’s 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th shots mop them up as they cluelessly seek shelter from the gunshots.

As the minute ends, Sean takes stock. He sees the bloody messes he left in the streets, notes that most of the remaining zombies seem to be hiding away. Only about 5 or so zombies are still lingering in the open. The buildings closest to his position certainly have monsters lurking in them, he can see the occasional zombie rushing past a window facing him
u-b
Sean takes up to five remaining shots at up to five remaining targets, but does not stay to pick targets of opportunity. Instead, he chooses what should be a reasonably infested building in some 50 yards from him, takes the RPG-7 from Bart and, while he loads it, lets Bart measure the exact range using the laser rangefinder. Then Sean tells everyone to get inside the vehicle, all windows open, with Bart specifically sticking his head out to watch the rearward direction of the targeted building while the others observe all other directions. Sean aims, shoots, jumps in the van and starts driving. He occasionally takes quick looks at the rear-view mirrors, but mostly relies on Bart to narrate his observations. The intent is to drive at least 300 yards, but maybe more if the zombies are sean anywhere forward or to the sides.

 
 Spoiler 
A heroic reatreat on the same turn for 1 FP.

Of interest throughout all observations, before and after the blast:
1. Any eqipment.
2. Any skin, flesh or other condition.
3. Any signalling (like, pack animals, including humans, often use signals, like sounds, when they act in a pack).
4. Any specific reaction to the blast, both inside and outside of blast radius.
 
Shoot Da Moon
Sean’s shooting racks another 5 kills - the heads of the zombies get popped by his high caliber sniping. Messy. Although the rest of the zombies certainly seem to get it into their heads that it’s now dangerous to be outside, and there are no more monsters in sight.

Sean’s allies seem a little nervous when Sean breaks out the heavy weapon, but dutifully help him let it rip.
The rocket is just a little off. It hits the wall just by the window…
But that is more than enough to blow out the wall of the building and start a collapse. The roof caves in on where the impact of the explosive ruined a whole 8 rooms.

Bart and Sean, on lookout, spots a lot of fire and debris in the explosion’s wreckage. Any zombies caught in the blast were buried by the building’s collapse.
The zombies are making loud screams or some other vocalisations - are they in pain or rallying the troops to attack?
Half of the remaining zombies are scattering, running away from the site of the boom.
The other half are flocking to the site, apparently suspecting that prey is there.

Sean hits the gas, and drives like a demon through the countryside. He notices swarms of zombies rushing over to the area, drawn by the massive noise. Only some monsters notice the van and tries to attack, but the vehicle is far too fast for them to grab onto. And even if they did, Sean’s allies could just shoot them at point blank range.
The dogs are barking like crazy, wildly objecting to the noise and shockwave. Bart is giving Sean a dirty look, trying to calm them.

Driving through the countryside, Sean can see the zombie numbers thin out about 100 yards away from where he was. They’re nowhere to be seen completely after another 100 yards.

When Sean stops his van, he finds a lonely empty barn and farmhouse, with no undead monsters (or anyone else, for that matter) in sight.
u-b
Sean remains in the driver's seat while Richard calls the outpost and everyone else is looking out of the open windows. Assuming the call is not answered, Richard then calls Burlington airport. Richard describes the recent events and observations, including the radio silence of the outpost now, but excluding our contact with Funny Platoon. Richard then asks if the airport has any comment.
Shoot Da Moon
Richard’s call does not go through. The outpost is not picking up.
He thus calls the airport and does not get answered from there either. He is not sure why they’re not picking up, but he suspects there might be problems over there, too.
u-b
Sean drives for a mile east, then reports to Funny Platoon. He narrates the additional observations and news, including, but not limited to:
1. Some 20+ zombies killed. Some damaged, but that does not mean much in this case.
2. The zombies are faster than your average men  and  half as likely to run towards explosions, meaning care should be taken not to be overwhelmed.
3. No one answering the radio anymore.
4. There might be more than just the zombie threat. There probably is.

Sean then concludes that he's done with the case unless his team would be requested to assist with systematic cleansing when it is to begin.

He then consults his new maps to see what other features might be nearby  outside  of the infested area. Like, would  Williston North  be in or out, and what would be the current position of Sean's? Another interesting case is whether  Global Foundries  on the otehr side of the river could be expected to be out, as far as Sean knows.
Shoot Da Moon
The scenery east is more depressing than his previous location; a lot of broken and gutted residential buildings.

The Funny Platoon notes that Sean’s extermination of some pests is admirable. They’ll see if they can’t arrange a reward for his efforts later.
(OC: later on, Sean can make a reaction roll to see how much he gets paid.)
The Funny Platoon comments that they appreciate his findings. They’ll despair over the radio silence, that sort of thing has not portended good things in the past.
They warn Sean to be on guard against human invaders from out of state, they were not reported to be in the area but that could change.

The Funny Platoon simply wishes him good luck as he signs off.

The map appears to put Williston North within the area swarmed by the undead. Global Foundries might be outside the danger zone. Either way, it’ll be another 2 or 3 miles’ drive to get over there.
(OC: no need to roll Driving again, we still have your roll form before.)

His current position looks deserted and safe. His team is resting and recovering from the adrenaline rush of the action just 30 minutes ago.
u-b
Sean is not sure he wants to take the Robinson Parkway bridge to Essex Junction, so he takes the one on North Williston Road. He then drives generally along the north bank of Winooski River. If there are no men and no zombies in sight, he will eventually arrive to USCIS Vermont Service Center, from which he intends to observe the GlobalFoundries to WSW, General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems to SSW, and also the residential area taking the whole north side.
Shoot Da Moon
Sean notices from afar that heavily armed and armoured men are embedded in the buildings around his destination.
Including a machine gun nest on a rooftop.
The men have rifles that seem just as good as his own and are wearing the heaviest torso gear he has ever seen.
The streets themselves are just as hostile. Aside from squads of men watching over intersections, there are concrete barriers meant to stop cars set up in the middle, and the occasional field landmines.

The approach to where he wants to go is fortified against intruders this way for 75 yards.
u-b
Sean observes the men's uniforms, if any, and any possible banners or such, then pulls back about a mile and looks at the maps for any recent marks or comments. If there are none such, or the marks do not resolve the place to be occupied by known frindlies, he logs the contact with Funny Platoon, quoting his desire to get some feedback if he is cleared for it. Not necessarily right now, he's in no hurry. If Funny Platoon also does not immediately resolves the men as frindlies, Sean drives back to Radar Base.

 
 Spoiler 
P.S. Also of interest - any dead zombies anywhere (fresh or otherwise)?
 
Shoot Da Moon
The armed strangers have the snake-devouring-itself sigil on their gear - usually the front of their torso armour. Sean recognises it as the heraldry of The Sacred Snakes - a dangerous malicious bandit army from the state of New York. They are very well-equipped and decently skilled.

The maps say nothing about such enemies.
The Funny Platoon warns him not to engage the hostiles, they are almost certainly better armed than him and could kill him very quickly. They ask him to simply report the location of the enemies, so the militia proper can carry out an assault with proper preparations and full force.

Sean sees no more zombies around. No corpses, either.

Sean can drive back to base now.
(OC: takes the same time and fuel as the drive over in the first place?)
u-b
Sean reports the location(s) to Funny Platoon and safely drives back to base. There he has a chat with the Rangers officer. Sean describes his recent observations and suggests that the artillery training begins sooner rather than later. To that effect, he asks if the Rangers officer can disclose the nature, expected duration and/or the possibility of extension of delay of getting the Rangers troops here for the training. If that's above "two days tops", Sean schedules the aptitude test for tomorrow, inviting whatever people we have at hand.
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Sean reports the location(s) to Funny Platoon and safely drives back to base. There he has a chat with the Rangers officer. Sean describes his recent observations and suggests that the artillery training begins sooner rather than later. To that effect, he asks if the Rangers officer can disclose the nature, expected duration and/or the possibility of extension of delay of getting the Rangers troops here for the training. If that's above "two days tops", Sean schedules the aptitude test for tomorrow, inviting whatever people we have at hand. 
 

The Ranger agrees that things are getting serious. The threats at play may not wait for them. He’ll tell his fellows to hurry up, and they may just do so.
He’ll try to fast-track the training. He can get in 4 to 6 hours of target practice with the artillery piece every day once it’s all set up. A week or two of training could be the absolute bare basic requirement for combat operations, although more (over a month?) would obviously be ideal.
As for extending the delay, he can try. He might manage it. Prepare for tomorrow either way.

(OC: Secret reaction roll made behind the GM’s screen. It’s a good time for Sean and his allies to have lunch. Mark off the food and water.)
u-b
Sean approves the aptitude tests for tomorrow and start of training ASAP after that. He tells the Rangers officer to have the local men informed and prepared. Then Sean checks with Billy Bob the Artillery Instructor and tells him that plan.

Then Sean checks with Tariq, who is busy making flashbangs because he's noticed we are running low. Sean approves that plan.

Then Sean checks with Waffle House men and informs them about the presence of Sacred Snakes and the zombies and asks them to try to find out some details over the radio, which might include stations near the border or Burlington leaving the chat.

Then Sean checks with Blackwire's representative and asks if anything of the following can be contacted, had, done or is otherwise viable, to be paid for by Sean:
1. Their side's contacts in or around Burlington, or, generally, the border.
2. Any data that Blackwire might have taken along.
3. Anything specifically on Sacred Snakes.
4. Sean also informs the contact about the presence of Sacred Snakes and the zombies and requests to be informed if either of those are spotted anywhere by any of their men.

Then Sean takes Bart, dogs and pickup on a short hunting trip.
Shoot Da Moon
The artillery guys, the Rangers and Billy Bob are busy as beavers. They should be ready soon enough.

Tariq gets to work and manages to craft the good stuff over the course of a work day. He’ll do more work tomorrow.

The Waffle House people appreciate the warning. They inform Sean that they’ll fortify their base and increase their patrols.

Blackwire’s people says to Sean that they can try asking around Burlington and the border, dig through their collection of intelligence, look up the Sacred Snakes, and prepare counter-measures against undead horrors and Sacred Snakes soldiers. They promise to inform Sean later of what they manage to find out. Come back in 24 hours.

The hunting trip yields results. They track down a nice big pack of feral hogs. Bart gets the dogs in place to help with the salvo…

(OC: pigs are about 20 in number, they’re SM-1 each.)
u-b
Sean and Bart shoot at the pigs. Sean is more concerned with volume and Bart tries to single out those still charging at them after Sean's bursts, then maybe tries to take out some runners.

 
 Spoiler 
Use the rolls given, but if  a lot  of them keep running  straight  at the hunters after Sean's first burst, reduce the range penalty, drop "detetermined", add two heroic retreats and stop resolving after pigs' turn after that.
 
Shoot Da Moon
(OC: each pig is 45 pounds. That’s before harvesting the meat for food.)

The gunfire drowns out any noise beyond any hope of hearing it.
Sean and Bart team up to empty their guns, tearing up a total of 19 pigs

Any pigs not shot by the hunters (that is, the remaining one) wisely decide to run away, if the dogs don’t herd them towards the kill zone. It tries to scurry out of the field, desperate to escape the dogs and bullets.

By the time, the smoke clears, the ground is coated with torn apart hogs.
u-b
Sean drives back with a truckload of pigs and offers to sell them to  locals  for  consumptions  for two rifle bullets per pig. That could be Waffle House men, refugees, militia family members or some such. Sean is fine as long at the meat does not leave the base. He expects at this price there might be more demand than supply, in which case he'll use his common sense with the allocation.

After that, he calls it a day.

 
 Spoiler 
Please advance to aptitude test phase tomorrow.
 
Shoot Da Moon
The fresh pigs prove to be a popular item.
The travelling merchants, in particular, desire to purchase the meat for Sean’s price and then immediately begin butchering and then smoking them for jerky.

The day ends on a high note.
(OC: Sean sells as many of the pigs as he wants and has. Mark down the rifle bullets gained.)

 DAY 95 

The morning of the next day features uncomfortable weather. Not as bad as it could be, but still fairly rough.
Tariq begins the day by going back to the workshop to build the munitions the group wants.
By 11 AM, Sean is overseeing the artillery training. It promises to be a long day of sweaty learning…

(OC: the NPC has Teaching-14 skill. Sean can make complementary rolls to help.)
u-b
Sean's pig sale is not as much a commercial enterprise as a desire to have the locals well-fed, and the price is mostly to avoid misuse and abuse, and cover Sean's expenses. Thus, the travelling merchants will be the last in the queue, but Sean  does  sell them any and all otherwise unclaimed pigs.

 
 Spoiler 
I am not sure if anything has to be rolled for teaching and learning besides IQ, Math etc. for aptitude tests, but Richard has Leadership-15 and the Rangers officer has Soldier-13 and Tactics-13 (and they'll both roll whatever's applicable). The skills to be taught and learned are:
1. Artillery (Cannon), preferably starting with a narrow specialization in mortars of "our" particular type.
2. Forward Observer.
3. Enginier (Artillery) at some later time (it probably cannot be crammed into the schedule).

The skills are somewhat related (one defaults from the other), but not terribly so. Not sure how much teaching them can be combined. Right now we want to teach...
4. Artillery to 6 able men + Richard.
5. Forward Observer to 4 able men + Sean.

We do as much actual teaching as we possibly can without overexerting the teacher (8..12 hours/day, reasonably split between one, the other and applicable to both) and supplement it with self-study or barely-supervised practice for 12 hours/day per student.

The Rangers can substitute 3 and 2 men with theirs, otherwise all will be drawn from permanent militia.
 
Shoot Da Moon
 
 Originally Posted by u-b 
 Sean's pig sale is not as much a commercial enterprise as a desire to have the locals well-fed, and the price is mostly to avoid misuse and abuse, and cover Sean's expenses. Thus, the travelling merchants will be the last in the queue, but Sean  does  sell them any and all otherwise unclaimed pigs.

 
 Spoiler 
I am not sure if anything has to be rolled for teaching and learning besides IQ, Math etc. for aptitude tests, but Richard has Leadership-15 and the Rangers officer has Soldier-13 and Tactics-13 (and they'll both roll whatever's applicable). The skills to be taught and learned are:
1. Artillery (Cannon), preferably starting with a narrow specialization in mortars of "our" particular type.
2. Forward Observer.
3. Enginier (Artillery) at some later time (it probably cannot be crammed into the schedule).

The skills are somewhat related (one defaults from the other), but not terribly so. Not sure how much teaching them can be combined. Right now we want to teach...
4. Artillery to 6 able men + Richard.
5. Forward Observer to 4 able men + Sean.

We do as much actual teaching as we possibly can without overexerting the teacher (8..12 hours/day, reasonably split between one, the other and applicable to both) and supplement it with self-study or barely-supervised practice for 12 hours/day per student.

The Rangers can substitute 3 and 2 men with theirs, otherwise all will be drawn from permanent militia.
 
 
 

The people enjoy the meat. Sean is paid what he asks.

(OC: You can roll all those skills to help the Teaching roll. On a success, the men can learn the skills at the 1-point level. Their relevant attributes are 11.)
Shoot Da Moon
Sean and his allies do a good job training the men in artillery.
The equipment is eat up, and the instructor walks everyone through the function and inner workings of the weapon. He covers the ins and outs of basic maintenance and firing it.

(OC: what other jobs are done at the camp before the day is out?)
u-b
In the evening after the training Sean checks separately with Blackwire's man, Waffle House radio men and Simone to check for any findings, news or progress. Then he spends some time with Tariq to discuss the production, which is to start with tomorrow. He has no other plans, but that might change if he hears major news.
Shoot Da Moon
The gossip over the radio mostly focuses on clearing out hordes of undead monsters in and around Burlington.
The outpost Sean visited is completely wrecked, signs of heavy weapons being used.
They still haven’t heard from the airport base, and assume they’ve been overrun and killed.
They managed to catch and eliminate a few squads of Sacred Snakes in the area, who had looted a whole bunch of settlements and Old World supply vaults. The fight against them cost the fighters quite a lot of men.
Sean’s allies get the word out about the Sacred Snakes and the zombies, trying to instruct the people on how to fight them and triangulate where the enemies are. They report that the biggest numbers talked about appear to be somewhere near the border and the industrial district of Burlington. One report claims they saw Sacred Snakes raiding an Old World factory.

Tariq shows Sean what he built today; explosive rockets. Mortar rounds.

(OC: any more questions or should we end the day?)
u-b
Sean inquires about the details of gotten Sacred Snakes.
1. Were they at Global Foundries side where Sean has reported them or somewhere else?
2. If somewhere else, were those at Global Foundries side also gotten?
3. If not  and  this is planned  and  expected to be a serious enterprise, is Sean welcome to participate?
4. Of the guys gotten, anyone alive?
5. Any specific weapons of tactics noticed? Like, robots, heavy weapons, lasers, flamers etc.
6. Any fancy equipment captured? Maybe crates they've been packing at the factory hind at what they were after?

What does Blackwire's man have on non-recent relationships between the raiders and the Sacred Snakes? What did the raiders generally know about the Snakes?

Any radio interception progress by Simone?

Then Sean sets to come up with a system to mark the multitude of warheads and will mark existing ones at first light tomorrow. He has no other plans for today.

 
 Spoiler 

 
 Originally Posted by Shoot Da Moon 
 Tariq shows Sean what he built today; explosive rockets. Mortar rounds. 
 

Not quite. He finishes with stocking the RPG-7. The mortar rounds are planned for tomorrow. Tariq spent the rest of today learning the specs of those round and they are supposed to be made. He'll make them his own way, of course, but he needs to know what the end results will and won't work. So, training with Billi Bob and spending one point on Engineer (Artillery).
 
Shoot Da Moon
The Sacred Snakes were captured and killed on both sides of the Global Foundries.
Sean is warned that he’ll be putting himself in serious danger hunting for Snakes. They’ll have to ask their superiors.
(OC: hidden Reaction Roll for Sean.)
There’s a few Snakes in captivity, taken alive. They’re being interrogated right now.

The Snakes had a combat robot, but it broke down just as the militia engaged them. One had a jury-rigged laser rifle in poor condition that had been misfiring. A few had flamers, but most of them were out of fuel - the Snakes were using them to fend off zombie hordes.
The Snakes had advanced heavy body armour. Some suits were looted off captured Snakes, but a lot were simply destroyed by the fighting - fire, explosions, one big nasty acid bath, etc.

The Snakes seemed to be trying to grab chemicals and metals. Useful parts for manufacturing.

Blackwire reports that the Snakes are a recent threat, and the raiders want them all dead. They think the Snakes are after Shelters and Old World technology. They certainly have better equipment than the raiders.

Simone couldn’t find any suspicious or interesting radio transmissions today. Or yesterday.
She has heard of raiders heading north of the state recently.

Tariq plans to work on mortar rounds tomorrow.
Sean marks the warheads.

Everyone goes to sleep without incident that night. The weather is mild enough that they have no trouble dozing off.

 DAY 96 

The next morning is calm, somewhat cloudy.
u-b
As Tariq sets to work on conventional mortar rounds, Sean takes the same van and people as the last time and ventures to personally check the fate of the mutants that were supposed to retreat after their unsuccessful attack on the factory. He is wary of mutant animals, zombies, raiders, Sacred Snakes and what not, so mostly drives around settlements, but does spend time to observe those settlements he passes by close enough. When avoiding a settlement is impossible or impractical, he leads the way on foot some distance ahead of Richard driving the van. About one mile from the last meeting point with the mitants, if he can get there without major incident, Sean stops the car and takes some time to look around for general changes in the area.
Shoot Da Moon
Tariq puts his nose to the grindstone.

Sean’s drive through the countryside is eerily uneventful. Quite a few settlements, especially around the north of the state, were recently abandoned - their inhabitants packed up as best as they could before fleeing south. No fights, gun or no.

No monsters, no angry animals, no disease. But there’s definitely patrols of armed humans moving around the north. By some miracle, Sean and his friends avoid running into them, although he does accidentally bump into a light obstacles on the road - typically just small trees that fell over. It mostly just slows down the drive rather than damaging the car.

The meeting place is deserted. For half a mile around, it is obvious that no-one has come this way for days. Sean can see that a regular area patrol has come through the roads 3 miles from the spot. There might be a campsite there, in use or abandoned.
u-b
Sean tries to investigate the route taken by the regular patrol, hoping to find a place it regularly returns to and observe it. He has Richard drive some distance behind.
Shoot Da Moon
The tracks of the patrol go predictably along a paved Old World road created back before The Ruin. It is in much worse condition now, but it still persists as a route through the wilderness.

Following the trail leads Sean and his friends to a choke point on the route (the road thins to one lane, the barriers on the sides of the road are sturdy metal) that seems to be positioned so incoming vehicles can’t turn around until it is too late, and the established checkpoint can see it coming.
Sean’s forward scouting allows him to avoid exposing the vehicle to the checkpoint.

The checkpoint ahead has three rows of obstacles to slow down and channel traffic in a s-shape. Reinforced-concrete walls, steel drums full of sand, and thick mounds of stone.
Armed sentries, very similar to the raiders Sean has been killing for he doesn’t know how long, stand guard. There’s at least ten of them stationed here. Tents and huts are set up behind the security. A tower with 2 snipers and a machine gun nest provides overwatch. Numerous vehicles are parked inside the checkpoint.
u-b
Sean considers his options, evaluating the situation he has on the ground. Of particular relevance to that are...
1. The exact location of this on the map. Anything much Sean can place around or especially past the checkpoint.
2. The terrain (woods/hills/plains/single-story ruins/etc.), on all four sides of the checkpoint and which side Sean and the van occupy.
3. What would be the minimum and the maximum distance from which Sean can reasonably expect to be able to open fire at the snipers (assuming some limited stealthy movement in or, especially, out) and the machinegunner (and whether the later is visible now). What would be exposed locations / cover effects of those?
4. Any cover/concealment Sean can use to move around and hide in/behind, including safely from one or two belts fired at him.
5. Does Sean expect to be able to stealthily lead the men to whatever position would cut off the inhabitants' retreat from the checkpint (like by opening fire at people trying to approach the vehicles, drive away and/or run away). No problem if we'll have to detour. Or can Sean do something like that even from his current position?
6. What are all the vehicles that look potentially operable, as far as Sean can approximate without moving around? Which way(s) are they facing?
7. Any antennas?
8. How high are the reinforced-concrete walls? How are they placed relative to us, the parked vehicles and all the other sides from which we might try to approach the checkpoint by taking some detour.
9. Any mine signs anywhere?
10. Is the stairs/ladder up the tower in the (semi-)open or fully enclosed? What about access to its entrance? How tall the thing is and what's it made from?
11. How old does the checkpoint seems (minimum/maximum, roughly).
12. What would be positions from ground-level troops if Sean attacks along the road and would those positions be vulnerable to flanking fire from something like #5 above?
13. If we take some detour, given the map and the terrain, would it be practical to take the van along or would we have problems with its lack of off-road capability like that of a pickup?
14. Any signs of recent-ish fighting, like maybe that against the mutants?
15. Approximately, how many tents of which type(s) and how many huts of which type(s).
Shoot Da Moon
1) the checkpoint is 3 miles north of the meeting place. It’s as close to the Canadian border as Sean has ever gotten. He thinks he has heard of a huge raider base with factory further north before.
2) the terrain is woodlands, some hills. Before, at, and after the checkpoint. It might get a little mountainous further north.
3) The minimum distance is approximately 40 yards from the tower (the tower’s top is 10 yards high), seeing as how the checkpoint’s road blocks extend out from there. The maximum distance is only 60 yards, due to the road’s sharp twist exploited by the checkpoint’s security. The machine gunner person is not visible past the sandbags, just the gun itself. The snipers are just barely visible (it would require a called shot to skull, face or weapon). The cover for the overwatch at the top of the tower is provided by sandbags, not to mentioned the elevated position making shooting them from below difficult.
4) the woods are good for concealment. The treeline is thick, so vehicles can’t simply drive off road and around the checkpoint. The cover is not enough to stop rifle bullets. A machine gunner would chew through them without much difficulty.
5) approaching the checkpoint stealthily would be hard. Going around the checkpoint without getting spotted could be impossible. Pulling back and going around that way is possible, but that means hiking through thick woods way off the road. The checkpoint sentries could have a vehicle prepared, to drive away to alert others in the event of an attack.
6) All vehicles look completely functional and undamaged. Half are pointed down the road one way (towards Sean’s position), the other half are pointed the other way.
7) One antenna, coming out of a sturdy looking big hut. Could be a command center?
8) The walls are chest high. They are in a straight line that partially blocks the road, requiring vehicles to drive around. The vehicles except for two are behind them. The two exceptions are parked outside the checkpoint obstacles. Going around the perimeter of the checkpoint would circumvent them, but there’s other barriers separating the inner area of the checkpoint from outside.
9) No mine signs. Probably are no landmines deployed.
10) the ladder up the tower is enclosed. The entrance has no gate or fence, but it’s in plain sight of the sentries. The tower is 10 yards high. It’s made of metal.
11) Anywhere from 2 years old to 5 years old.
12) the ground level troops can use the vehicles, barriers and maybe the camping tents as cover and/or concealment. They are not very vulnerable to flanking, there’s barriers surrounding the perimeter.
13) No, the van would be hard to drive through the wilderness, especially off road.
14) Yes. Some of the road in front of the checkpoint shows signs of battle - gunshots, explosions, fires, vehicle crashes.
15) 3 huts, 5 tents.
u-b
Sean withdraws back to the van and drives away to the nearest place where he can hide the vehicle without giving any obvious hints (like turning off the road where clearly no one has turned). He parks there and remains in the van, looking at good-quality maps that he has recently procured. Of interest:
1. If there is anything mapped past the road close enough to suspect that this checkpoint is for that and that indeed could harbor today's factory as far as Sean is aware. Any large enough old-world industrial place would likely do, but if there are more than one or something not exactly like an industrial place, Sean will consider those options as well.
2. If there is such a place, what it has been back then and how far past the checkpoint it is located.
3. How many roads lead to it, both from inside and from outside of the state, counting at about the same distance as this checkpoint in case they merge/split. What are these roads and how long would be the trip to investigate them all, taking some road(s) wide enough around the factory to avoid the patrols and then closing in to observe the checkpoints while on foot.
4. Assuming the perimeter at distance like from this checkpoint to the factory, what other interesting places would be inside the perimeter.
5. Sean marks the approximate close-in map of this checkpoint in his notebook, and writes down approximate dimensions: width x length in yards including the huts, the tents and the tower excluding the perimeter, then width x length from the inner perimeter, which is probably more than calculated by tower and huts, then if the site is not particularly rectangular also its total area in square yards.
6. He also marks the checkpoint on the map.
7. Also, what can be said about the patrool tracks Sean has seen:
7.1 Foot traffic.
7.2 Vehicles-parked-outside traffic.
7.3 And/or other vehicle traffic.
Shoot Da Moon
Sean has to drive back 1 mile before he finds a good enough spot.
1) the map does indeed suggest there was once an industrial facility past the checkpoint. Back before The Ruin. It could still be there, repurposed by the raiders.
2) The factory was some kind of steelworks. It is located about 2 and 3/4 miles past the checkpoint, straight north.
3) Only one road leads to the factory, it seems. It looks isolated. There are other roads branching from the checkpoint’s position, most go east or north-east to the Canadian border - not much else besides. A very small town once laid 1 and a half miles east of the checkpoint. You can drive east from there for about 5 to 10 miles before you arrive anywhere else resembling civilisation. Driving wide enough to avoid patrols would be hard, requiring journeying 12 miles at least through the backroads.
4) The perimeter of the checkpoint encompasses an area of about 150 square yards. Going to the factory would require driving through and past the checkpoint.
5) The checkpoint’s area is vaguely circular. The huts are about 10 square yards. The tents are four-man camping set ups. The tower is 10 yards high and it’s top is a circular platform about 4 yards in radius. There’s about 20 yards from the edge of the perimeter to any hut or tent or vehicle inside the checkpoint.
6) The checkpoint’s approximate location is marked.
7) The patrols have men on foot checking the roads and the choke points, standing guard over gaps in the perimeter. The vehicles seem to drive in and out at somewhat regular intervals, always following the road. There are tracks for sedans, vans, and trucks of various sizes. All of it going in and out both ways.