I recently scored the Blitz Airstrike Counter Pack. So I decided to break out the old Tactical Air Support book that's done little more than collect dust. A few weeks ago, I was flipping through the book and decided that I really wanted to give the Dogfighting rules a go. They looked really sleek and were pretty easy to learn, especially if you have experience with the Silhouette game system. I decided to take two qualified pilots (North) against a Southern Ace.
After playing the rules, I HIGHLY recommend using pilots of veteran level or higher. My qualified piloted constantly were missing skill checks and suffered. One Northern pilot suffered light damage as a result from a failed roll and another of my Northern pilots that had a clean shot at the Southern Pilot, but blacked out after making a turn that was too tight and failed both his Piloting and FIT tests. Neither of my Northern Pilots were able to get off even a single shot due to constantly dealing with the effects of failing skill tests. Also, I believe that I should have used two hex maps instead of just the one (18x22). One other suggestion is to not be afraid to make tight turns. Playing it safe also contributed to the troubles my Northern Pilots faced. I was constantly running into the edge of the map and was forced to make tighter turns than I needed to.
I did use a d10 to mark the altitude. At the beginning of the game I rolled two d6s to determine the harddeck. If an aircraft wanted to go higher than 10 MPs, you were off the board and left the field. If you wanted to go below the harddeck, you simply put a marker next to the mini to note that it was below the harddeck while the d10 showed how many inches below the harddeck the mini was. I also noticed a few other areas that needed a little tweaking. (i.e. the aircraft control loss table where you sideslip how far do you sideslip when you loose control)
That said, the rules were really a blast to play. The dogfighting was pretty slick. You definitely have to think differently. You can't just go balls to the wall or you pay for it. You do get a healthy supply of MPs for the aircraft. And I often found myself making sure that I moved enough to keep from stalling. They don't need to the Blitz treatment. I don't think the whole game lasted more than a ten rounds. Even with the constant checking of rules total gameplay timed in at about 30 minutes. I could definitely see myself playing this game more as I get used to the rules. I can't wait to play with one of my buddies to see what they think. I've been hankering to do some 6mm air to air combat for a while and here I had the rules all the time. Oh and Banzai I will defintely be putting some of your work to use once I get the hang of Dogfighting. Even thought the rules are old, if you have them and some of the airstrike minis handy I'd defintely recommend giving it a go.
Heavy Gear is a trademark of Dream Pod 9, Inc.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Monday, August 31, 2009
Gender Gear: Code Blue - Episode 1, "Man Down"
At Brisco County Health Clinic, Holls leaned up against a wall in an operating room where a doctor and a medtech treated Nanny's injuries. Outside the operating room, Double Jay and her flight crew sat with Sarge while he waited on news of how Nanny was doing. Enroute to the Clinic, Nanny had gone in and out of consciousness, but had slipped into a coma shortly after Double Jay had landed the Samson and the medical staff had rushed him into emergency surgery. Benny had stayed in the haul of the Samson staring at the blood covered steering wheel of the ORV that Nanny had been driving. The sound of an incoming message broke his quiet reflection.
"This is Rat One. Go." Benny said trying to keep his voice as monotone as he could.
"Rat One this is Willard. We're sending you a priority attachment now." the voice said as Benny slide into the passenger seat of his ORV.
"Roger, Willard. Be advised, we have a man down and he is currently being treated for his injuries." Benny said as he flipped up a panel on the dash board revealing the units Tactical Communicator and Computer (TCC).
"Understood, Rat One. This is a Priority Five Op. We need you back at HQ ASAP!" intoned the voice sternly as Benny continued to fiddle with the TCC as he brought up the message on the viewscreen.
"Roger that, Willard. Consider us en route. Rat One out." Benny snorted as he cut off the radio and tapped the print key on the TCC. Slipping on his headset, he pulled the message out of the printer. "Sarge, we just got new orders."
"You gotta be kiddin' me." Sarge responded with a grimace. Double Jay rolled her eyes as she over heard since Sarge didn't have his headset plugged in.
"Never that, Sarge. You know you're my favorite turd." Benny teased as he began pulling off the rigging the secured the ORV in the Samson's hull.
"I'll grab, Holls." Sarge said as he stood up and made his way for the operating room.
"Don't worry about Nanny." Double Jay added. "We'll stay with him and let the Marshal know what's going on."
"I'll help them get squared away." said Double Jay's crew chief as she raced to the Samson.
"HOLLS!" shouted Sarge, his voice reverberating off the walls.
"What are you screaming about?" Holls asked as he slipped out of the operating room and shot Sarge a look that seemed to infer that Sarge was crazy.
"We gotta go! Priority Five Op." Sarge exclaimed.
"What? Now?" Holls quizzically said. "Don't they know we have a man down?"
"Don't think 'they' care. Come on. Double Jay and the girls are gonna stay here with him." Sarge responded as he put his arm around Holls and guided him towards the door. The engine of one of the ORVs roared to life as Benny pulled out of the belly of the Samson.
"Be Safe Guys." Double Jay's crew chief said.
"I will, Nick." Holls said as he gave Double Jay's crew chief a kiss on the cheek.
"AWE how sweet." Benny remarked as he contorted his face to look as though he was about to throw up. Exchanging looks, Holls and Nick gave each other a quick hug. "Get a room." Benny responded.
"Yeah," said Sarge with a chuckle as he climbed into the passenger seat of the ORV "save some of that for the honeymoon."
"Don't pay any attention to those guys, Love. They're just jealous." Holls rolled his eyes and said as he climbed into the back of the ORV holding on to the thirty for dear life as Benny started off.
"Just make sure you come back with all your 'vital' parts, Hun!" Nick teased as the rest of the N Deep Team broke into laughter.
As the N Deep Team made their way back to base. the Team was startled by a trembling of the ground. Unshaken, the N Deep Team ignored it. Unknown to them, the Earthers had been in the Helios system for several months. There had been several very brutal space battles during that time. Earthers had fought their way to Terranova and had begun overtly landing troops planetside. The Earthers didn't have a planethead established yet, but not for want of trying. In a scramble, the Westphalia Cabinet had begun recalling Talon teams. Hence the Priority Five Op. This was the equivalent of your mom calling your name as the streetlights were coming on. You didn't care what you had going on at the time, you just know you had to go.
Apparently, a Talon team had been recalled and it was up to the N Deep Team to link up with them. On a long list of things that weren't known at the time that the N Deep Team received their message, the Fury carrying the Talons had been hit as it was making reentry and crashed. By the time the N Deep Team had gotten back to HQ, the distress signal had already been given. Begrudgingly, Sarge and his crew were forced to ditch their ORV. They had six people to pick up and even with two ORVs it would have been difficult to say the least.
However, you don't become a member of an N Deep Team without learning how to be resourceful. Ordinarily, a Badger would be used for this type of mission, but the N Deep Team had been refitting, updating and modifying an old Mongoose. It was almost as fast as their ORVs; had a reinforced chassis; had a computerized system that controlled the air pressure in the tire complete with run flat tires; had an up to date sensor suite complete with ECM capabilities which were cannibalized from a "procured" Warrior I; and most importantly for the N Deep Team, the rear drop ramp had been replaced by a make retractable door not unlike a garage door complete with a machine gun pintle mount. In addition this modified Mongoose could carry eight people comfortably (of course when it comes to Northern APCs the term comfort is relative).
"This is Rat One to Willard." Sarge called into his boom mic. With a man down, he had to crew the 20mm autocannon gunner's station.
"This is Willard, go ahead Rat One." replied the voice of an apparently bored radio telephone operator (RTO)
"Sorry to interrupt your doing nothing Willard, but we need to speak to the Chief."
"Hang on, Rat One." said the now annoyed RTO as he called for Chief. Chief had been sitting nearby, while he monitored several of the operations the NDDP HQ had going on. This was an effort to slow down the Earthers until other forces could be rallied
"Chief here, what ya got, Sergeant?" Chief asked in his usual nonchalant manner which was seemingly oblivious to communication protocol.
"Chief, we're coming up to the rendezvous point and we have no joy on that Talon team. Please advise." Sarge said trying his best to maintain a watchful eye for enemy units.
"Rat One, be advised. We've just intercepted a mayday from the Talon's shuttle crew. Transmitting coordinates." the RTO interjected.
"Sergeant, I'm looking at the sat imagery of that grid now. Vat freaks are all over that area. Stay frosty!" Chief warned as he started at the satellite images streaming in from the Hermes 72 Network.
"Copy that, Chief. Rat One out." Sarge said as the N Deep team began proceeding to the crash site of the Black Talon team.
"This is Rat One. Go." Benny said trying to keep his voice as monotone as he could.
"Rat One this is Willard. We're sending you a priority attachment now." the voice said as Benny slide into the passenger seat of his ORV.
"Roger, Willard. Be advised, we have a man down and he is currently being treated for his injuries." Benny said as he flipped up a panel on the dash board revealing the units Tactical Communicator and Computer (TCC).
"Understood, Rat One. This is a Priority Five Op. We need you back at HQ ASAP!" intoned the voice sternly as Benny continued to fiddle with the TCC as he brought up the message on the viewscreen.
"Roger that, Willard. Consider us en route. Rat One out." Benny snorted as he cut off the radio and tapped the print key on the TCC. Slipping on his headset, he pulled the message out of the printer. "Sarge, we just got new orders."
"You gotta be kiddin' me." Sarge responded with a grimace. Double Jay rolled her eyes as she over heard since Sarge didn't have his headset plugged in.
"Never that, Sarge. You know you're my favorite turd." Benny teased as he began pulling off the rigging the secured the ORV in the Samson's hull.
"I'll grab, Holls." Sarge said as he stood up and made his way for the operating room.
"Don't worry about Nanny." Double Jay added. "We'll stay with him and let the Marshal know what's going on."
"I'll help them get squared away." said Double Jay's crew chief as she raced to the Samson.
"HOLLS!" shouted Sarge, his voice reverberating off the walls.
"What are you screaming about?" Holls asked as he slipped out of the operating room and shot Sarge a look that seemed to infer that Sarge was crazy.
"We gotta go! Priority Five Op." Sarge exclaimed.
"What? Now?" Holls quizzically said. "Don't they know we have a man down?"
"Don't think 'they' care. Come on. Double Jay and the girls are gonna stay here with him." Sarge responded as he put his arm around Holls and guided him towards the door. The engine of one of the ORVs roared to life as Benny pulled out of the belly of the Samson.
"Be Safe Guys." Double Jay's crew chief said.
"I will, Nick." Holls said as he gave Double Jay's crew chief a kiss on the cheek.
"AWE how sweet." Benny remarked as he contorted his face to look as though he was about to throw up. Exchanging looks, Holls and Nick gave each other a quick hug. "Get a room." Benny responded.
"Yeah," said Sarge with a chuckle as he climbed into the passenger seat of the ORV "save some of that for the honeymoon."
"Don't pay any attention to those guys, Love. They're just jealous." Holls rolled his eyes and said as he climbed into the back of the ORV holding on to the thirty for dear life as Benny started off.
"Just make sure you come back with all your 'vital' parts, Hun!" Nick teased as the rest of the N Deep Team broke into laughter.
As the N Deep Team made their way back to base. the Team was startled by a trembling of the ground. Unshaken, the N Deep Team ignored it. Unknown to them, the Earthers had been in the Helios system for several months. There had been several very brutal space battles during that time. Earthers had fought their way to Terranova and had begun overtly landing troops planetside. The Earthers didn't have a planethead established yet, but not for want of trying. In a scramble, the Westphalia Cabinet had begun recalling Talon teams. Hence the Priority Five Op. This was the equivalent of your mom calling your name as the streetlights were coming on. You didn't care what you had going on at the time, you just know you had to go.
Apparently, a Talon team had been recalled and it was up to the N Deep Team to link up with them. On a long list of things that weren't known at the time that the N Deep Team received their message, the Fury carrying the Talons had been hit as it was making reentry and crashed. By the time the N Deep Team had gotten back to HQ, the distress signal had already been given. Begrudgingly, Sarge and his crew were forced to ditch their ORV. They had six people to pick up and even with two ORVs it would have been difficult to say the least.
However, you don't become a member of an N Deep Team without learning how to be resourceful. Ordinarily, a Badger would be used for this type of mission, but the N Deep Team had been refitting, updating and modifying an old Mongoose. It was almost as fast as their ORVs; had a reinforced chassis; had a computerized system that controlled the air pressure in the tire complete with run flat tires; had an up to date sensor suite complete with ECM capabilities which were cannibalized from a "procured" Warrior I; and most importantly for the N Deep Team, the rear drop ramp had been replaced by a make retractable door not unlike a garage door complete with a machine gun pintle mount. In addition this modified Mongoose could carry eight people comfortably (of course when it comes to Northern APCs the term comfort is relative).
"This is Rat One to Willard." Sarge called into his boom mic. With a man down, he had to crew the 20mm autocannon gunner's station.
"This is Willard, go ahead Rat One." replied the voice of an apparently bored radio telephone operator (RTO)
"Sorry to interrupt your doing nothing Willard, but we need to speak to the Chief."
"Hang on, Rat One." said the now annoyed RTO as he called for Chief. Chief had been sitting nearby, while he monitored several of the operations the NDDP HQ had going on. This was an effort to slow down the Earthers until other forces could be rallied
"Chief here, what ya got, Sergeant?" Chief asked in his usual nonchalant manner which was seemingly oblivious to communication protocol.
"Chief, we're coming up to the rendezvous point and we have no joy on that Talon team. Please advise." Sarge said trying his best to maintain a watchful eye for enemy units.
"Rat One, be advised. We've just intercepted a mayday from the Talon's shuttle crew. Transmitting coordinates." the RTO interjected.
"Sergeant, I'm looking at the sat imagery of that grid now. Vat freaks are all over that area. Stay frosty!" Chief warned as he started at the satellite images streaming in from the Hermes 72 Network.
"Copy that, Chief. Rat One out." Sarge said as the N Deep team began proceeding to the crash site of the Black Talon team.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Parable Time: - Equip A Man To Fish
There were two men, one was a working man and the other was a hungry man. The hungry man tried all he knew how to do he decided to ask for help from the working man. The working man was extremely busy when the hungry man asked for help. "I'm sorry. I don't have alot of time." the working man said. "Here take this fish. It should hold you over until tomorrow." Grateful for even one meal, the hungry man thanked the working man and went on his way.
The next day the hungry man went to the area where he saw the working man. One of the working man's friends told him that the working man had gone to the river to fish. So the hungry man went down to the docks. At the river, the hungry man asked the working man for help. "I don't want a handout." the hungry man said "I just need someone to teach me how." The working man smiled. "Well then, come with me."
And so, the working man took the hungry man fishing. The two spent the entire day fishing. The working man taught the hungry man how to use nets to catch fish. The working man shared that he could catch enough to eat and to sell in the market. The hungry man learned alot from the working man. At the end of the day, the two shook hands. The working man gave the hungry man a share of the fish he helped to catch. The working man also gave the hungry man a fishing rod. Once again, the hungry man was grateful and thanked the working man for all of his help
The next day, the hungry man took his new fishing rod to the river. The hungry man spent all day fishing and wasn't able to catch anything. Fustrated, the hungry man resolved to try again the following day. The following day, the hungry man tried and tried and tried, but at the end of the day he still couldn't catch any fish. Now, not only was the hungry man fustrated, but he was also upset. He just couldn't understand why he couldn't catch any fish.
The working man was surprised to see the hungry man after not seeing the hungry man for three days. "What's wrong?" the working man asked. "It's this rod. I must not be using it right. I try as hard as I can, but still I can't catch any fish." the hungry man replied. The working man scratched his head. He had taught the hungry man to fish. The hungry man should have been able to catch fish the working man though.
Then it hit the working man. He had taught the hungry man how to fish with a net and not a rod. The hungry man wouldn't have been able do catch anything with that rod as he didn't even know how to use it. So, the working man spent another day teaching the hungry man how to fish, but using a rod like the one he gave the hungry man. This time when the hungry man went away, the working man didn't see him again until the hungry man came back to buy a fishing net from him. You see. Once the hungry man knew how to use the tools he had, he was able to get ahead. Then the hungry man remembered how many fish he had caught with the working man when they used nets.
The next day the hungry man went to the area where he saw the working man. One of the working man's friends told him that the working man had gone to the river to fish. So the hungry man went down to the docks. At the river, the hungry man asked the working man for help. "I don't want a handout." the hungry man said "I just need someone to teach me how." The working man smiled. "Well then, come with me."
And so, the working man took the hungry man fishing. The two spent the entire day fishing. The working man taught the hungry man how to use nets to catch fish. The working man shared that he could catch enough to eat and to sell in the market. The hungry man learned alot from the working man. At the end of the day, the two shook hands. The working man gave the hungry man a share of the fish he helped to catch. The working man also gave the hungry man a fishing rod. Once again, the hungry man was grateful and thanked the working man for all of his help
The next day, the hungry man took his new fishing rod to the river. The hungry man spent all day fishing and wasn't able to catch anything. Fustrated, the hungry man resolved to try again the following day. The following day, the hungry man tried and tried and tried, but at the end of the day he still couldn't catch any fish. Now, not only was the hungry man fustrated, but he was also upset. He just couldn't understand why he couldn't catch any fish.
The working man was surprised to see the hungry man after not seeing the hungry man for three days. "What's wrong?" the working man asked. "It's this rod. I must not be using it right. I try as hard as I can, but still I can't catch any fish." the hungry man replied. The working man scratched his head. He had taught the hungry man to fish. The hungry man should have been able to catch fish the working man though.
Then it hit the working man. He had taught the hungry man how to fish with a net and not a rod. The hungry man wouldn't have been able do catch anything with that rod as he didn't even know how to use it. So, the working man spent another day teaching the hungry man how to fish, but using a rod like the one he gave the hungry man. This time when the hungry man went away, the working man didn't see him again until the hungry man came back to buy a fishing net from him. You see. Once the hungry man knew how to use the tools he had, he was able to get ahead. Then the hungry man remembered how many fish he had caught with the working man when they used nets.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra Review 100% Spoiler Free
As you know, Rise of Cobra was released yesterday here in the US. I just got in from seeing it today. All I have to say is WOW. The movie was very well done. For the most part, it stayed true to the comic book series. It did have it's campy moments, but they were few and far between while remaining enjoyable at the same time. There were some twists on a few action movie cliches. One bright spot, you didn't have to wait for the action. G.I. Joe shows up pretty early in the movie and brings tonnes of action with them. While I didn't and still don't like the international Special Forces thing, I have to say that it really works. Best of all, for fans of G.I.Joe there were plenty of easter eggs throughout the movie. They really don't contribute to the plot, but your heart skips a beat everytime you see one. It's really kid friendly without being overtly so. There's almost no profanity, although the characters do say sugar honey iced tea a few times but that's about it. ALL of the characters were executed very well. There weren't any that felt like an after thought or filler characters. All in all it was a really good movie. Definitely see it if you can. I've been waiting for a GIJoe live action movie since I was 12. (I'm 31 now) Out of what I'd really want to see in a live action GIJoe flick I'd say that I got about 85% of what I really wanted. I just wanted to endorse the movie for all of those who had doubts about it. I hope this helps.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Gender Gear: Code Blue - the Pilot
"Whacha got, Holls?" asked a husky man wearing a NorGuard infantryman's uniform.
"Not sure, but what ever it is it's kicking up alot of dust." answered Holls as he adjusted the scope on the thirty caliber machine gun mounted on the back of an Off Road Vehicle (ORV).
"Are you sure it's not a Sandstorm forming?" asked the husky man.
"Can't be, Sarge. The pattern's not right." Holls responded as he looked over his shoulder. "It has to be some kind of vehicle, but it looks more like it's closer to something that's mansized. If I had to guess, I'd say that they're ATVs."
"Well it'd be mighty unneighborly if we didn't say Hi." Sarge said as he walked over to his ORV grinning at the driver. "Let's hit it!" Commanded Sarge as the drivers of the ORVs exchanged looks and started up their vehicles.Sarge and Holls held on tightly to the hand grips on their thirties as the ORVs sped toward the sighting of the dust cloud.
"EARTHERS!" Shouted Benny, Holls' driver, into his boom mic. Benny really didn't know what to make of the strange looking vehicles. They almost looked like Earther Frames, but these seemed as though they were too small to be Earther Gear knockoffs. The only telltale was the CEF emblem that all Terranovans knew all too well.
Without waiting for any additional orders, Holls opened up with his heavy machine gun. The RATATTATATAT sound of Sarge's thirty soon followed. Their first shoots were wild as the two fought for balance as much as they tried to aim. Eventually, Holls was able to "walk fire" unto his targets clipping one of the Earth units and nailing another square in the chest... or at least what was supposed to be its chest. Sarge laid down some "spray and pray" as three of the Earth units took cover behind a rock cropping. The trio began to return fire, the buzzing of their gatling guns the answer to Sarge's attempt to suppress them. Benny manuvered into the lead position and began to weave his ORV seemingly erratically until the ORV began in a circular pattern around the survivors of the group that Holls had opened up on. Sarge's driver, Nanny, had manuvered his ORV in a similar manner and had began to encircle Sarge's targets as his thirty began to eat away at the Earther's cover.
Split into two groups, the Earthers were unable to achieve fire supperiority and were gunned down by the thirties of Sergeant Chris "Sarge" Tull and his Norguard Deep Desert Patrol (NDDP) unit aka N Deep Team. N Deep Team and others like it had become the back bone of the NorGuard presence in the Badlands during the Interpolar War when the bulk of the Northern Guard resources had been diverted elsewhere. Unlike other Polar Units, N Deep Teams earned the respect of Badlanders by working with local law enforcement to stop raids by Rovers and have even been known to attack other Northern units trying to pillage small towns and homesteads.
As the N Deep Team paused to reload their weapons and contact their HQ, the buzz of more gatling guns came to life. Benny grabbed his assault rifle as he dove away from the driver's seat of his ORV. Nanny had already began firing as he propped a foot up on the dashboard in an effort to steady his aim as he cut loose on full auto. Sarge and Holls seemed to fumble with their ammo belts as Benny and Nanny continued to lay down covering. Unfortunately for the N Deep Team, even though the shots fired by the pair of drivers were deadly accurate, their assault rifles lacked the punch to make it past the armored Earth troops.
"Do you guys mind hurrying it up?" Nanny inquired talking out of the side of his mouth while continueing to fire his weapon. "We're hitting them, but they ain't goin' down."
"Got it!" Sarge called out as he opened up on the Earthers. This time Sarge's aim was spot on as he didn't have to fight to stay in the ORV while shooting. Sarge nailed one in the head creating a "pink mist." Holls had no need to let the Team know that his weapon was up as he let his thirty do the talking for him.
This time the Earthers weren't as easy to kill since the N Deep Team had lost their edge they had when they were mobile. The Earthers had manage to encircle their prey, but the thirties forced them into cover preventing the Earthers from getting any good shots at pair of ORVs. Fustrated, Nanny swore and threw his assault rifle into the passenger's seat and began looking for the grenade launcher he kept when he needed something with more punch. Just as Nanny managed to bring the grenade launcher to bear, he took a round to the abdomen and slumped over the steering wheel.
"MAN DOWN!" Sreamed Sarge as he continued to fire at a pair of Earthers sharing cover.
"On It!" Shouted Benny as he raced over to Nanny ignoring the medic bag behind the seat, intending to use his own personal first aid kit.
"This is Rat One to any nearby unit. " Holls called into to his boom mic as he fired with one hand while switching his radio to an open channel with the other. "We have engaged Charlie Echo Foxtrot units. Possible armored dismounts. Requesting assistance, medical if possible. We are pinned down and have wounded. We are zero five klicks North of the Ingram Homestead. Transmitting exact coordinates via attached text." Holls continued as Benny reached Nanny.
"He's still alive!" shouted Benny as he pulled Nanny out of his seat and behind the cover, albeit relative, of the ORV. As Holls scored a hit on one of the Earther units, Benny took out a utility knife and began cutting away Nanny's BDU shirt. Praying that Nanny had worn his vest, Benny found little comfort when he discovered that the round had gone through it. Benny slid his hand under Nanny to feel for an exit wound. "And Prophet wep!" Benny exclaimed as he discovered that the round had gone completely through Nanny. "Stay with us, Bro. We're gonna get you outta here." Benny said more for his own comfort than for Nanny's.
"Seems a shame that the cavalry should arrive on time." teased a Samson pilot as he brought her hopper into a hover causing a brown out forcing the Earthers to change positions and move closer to get a better shot. The N Deep Team took full advantage of this as they were using IR goggles. Without cover, the Earthers were running ducks (which isn't all that different from sitting ducks if you've ever seen a duck run).
With the Earth Forces dispatched. the Samson pilot with unobstructed view gave the all clear and began to bring in the Samson in for a landing. As Benny continued to apply pressure to Nanny's wounds, Holls began to pull out the rigging gear to secure the ORVs while in transit. Sarge stayed on his thirty and continued to cover the N Deep Team and their ride. As the rear ramp began to lower, Nanny began to come to.
"I'm dying and she's making jokes." Nanny managed trying to sound as pathetic as he could. (Which wasn't all that hard given the circumstances)
"Never thought I'd be so glad to see you flygirls, Double Jay." Sarge teased as levity began to work its way into the situation. Benny helped the crew chief get Nanny onto the Samson as Sarge and Holls slid into the driver's seats of the ORVs. All in all, it took ten minutes from the time the Samson landed until Double Jay had the hopper back up in the air and headed for a nearby health clinic (although by our standards it was more of an animal hosipital except they also treated people). Even though Nanny had regained consciousness, he had lost alot of blood and time was of the essence. Double Jay and the N Deep Team knew he didn't have long. While on the way to clinic, Double Jay dropped a bomb shell on the N Deep Team.
"I just thought you'd like to know, Sarge, but you boys weren't the only ones hit. Looks like the Earthers are ready for round two. They're saying that it's a second invasion."
"Not sure, but what ever it is it's kicking up alot of dust." answered Holls as he adjusted the scope on the thirty caliber machine gun mounted on the back of an Off Road Vehicle (ORV).
"Are you sure it's not a Sandstorm forming?" asked the husky man.
"Can't be, Sarge. The pattern's not right." Holls responded as he looked over his shoulder. "It has to be some kind of vehicle, but it looks more like it's closer to something that's mansized. If I had to guess, I'd say that they're ATVs."
"Well it'd be mighty unneighborly if we didn't say Hi." Sarge said as he walked over to his ORV grinning at the driver. "Let's hit it!" Commanded Sarge as the drivers of the ORVs exchanged looks and started up their vehicles.Sarge and Holls held on tightly to the hand grips on their thirties as the ORVs sped toward the sighting of the dust cloud.
"EARTHERS!" Shouted Benny, Holls' driver, into his boom mic. Benny really didn't know what to make of the strange looking vehicles. They almost looked like Earther Frames, but these seemed as though they were too small to be Earther Gear knockoffs. The only telltale was the CEF emblem that all Terranovans knew all too well.
Without waiting for any additional orders, Holls opened up with his heavy machine gun. The RATATTATATAT sound of Sarge's thirty soon followed. Their first shoots were wild as the two fought for balance as much as they tried to aim. Eventually, Holls was able to "walk fire" unto his targets clipping one of the Earth units and nailing another square in the chest... or at least what was supposed to be its chest. Sarge laid down some "spray and pray" as three of the Earth units took cover behind a rock cropping. The trio began to return fire, the buzzing of their gatling guns the answer to Sarge's attempt to suppress them. Benny manuvered into the lead position and began to weave his ORV seemingly erratically until the ORV began in a circular pattern around the survivors of the group that Holls had opened up on. Sarge's driver, Nanny, had manuvered his ORV in a similar manner and had began to encircle Sarge's targets as his thirty began to eat away at the Earther's cover.
Split into two groups, the Earthers were unable to achieve fire supperiority and were gunned down by the thirties of Sergeant Chris "Sarge" Tull and his Norguard Deep Desert Patrol (NDDP) unit aka N Deep Team. N Deep Team and others like it had become the back bone of the NorGuard presence in the Badlands during the Interpolar War when the bulk of the Northern Guard resources had been diverted elsewhere. Unlike other Polar Units, N Deep Teams earned the respect of Badlanders by working with local law enforcement to stop raids by Rovers and have even been known to attack other Northern units trying to pillage small towns and homesteads.
As the N Deep Team paused to reload their weapons and contact their HQ, the buzz of more gatling guns came to life. Benny grabbed his assault rifle as he dove away from the driver's seat of his ORV. Nanny had already began firing as he propped a foot up on the dashboard in an effort to steady his aim as he cut loose on full auto. Sarge and Holls seemed to fumble with their ammo belts as Benny and Nanny continued to lay down covering. Unfortunately for the N Deep Team, even though the shots fired by the pair of drivers were deadly accurate, their assault rifles lacked the punch to make it past the armored Earth troops.
"Do you guys mind hurrying it up?" Nanny inquired talking out of the side of his mouth while continueing to fire his weapon. "We're hitting them, but they ain't goin' down."
"Got it!" Sarge called out as he opened up on the Earthers. This time Sarge's aim was spot on as he didn't have to fight to stay in the ORV while shooting. Sarge nailed one in the head creating a "pink mist." Holls had no need to let the Team know that his weapon was up as he let his thirty do the talking for him.
This time the Earthers weren't as easy to kill since the N Deep Team had lost their edge they had when they were mobile. The Earthers had manage to encircle their prey, but the thirties forced them into cover preventing the Earthers from getting any good shots at pair of ORVs. Fustrated, Nanny swore and threw his assault rifle into the passenger's seat and began looking for the grenade launcher he kept when he needed something with more punch. Just as Nanny managed to bring the grenade launcher to bear, he took a round to the abdomen and slumped over the steering wheel.
"MAN DOWN!" Sreamed Sarge as he continued to fire at a pair of Earthers sharing cover.
"On It!" Shouted Benny as he raced over to Nanny ignoring the medic bag behind the seat, intending to use his own personal first aid kit.
"This is Rat One to any nearby unit. " Holls called into to his boom mic as he fired with one hand while switching his radio to an open channel with the other. "We have engaged Charlie Echo Foxtrot units. Possible armored dismounts. Requesting assistance, medical if possible. We are pinned down and have wounded. We are zero five klicks North of the Ingram Homestead. Transmitting exact coordinates via attached text." Holls continued as Benny reached Nanny.
"He's still alive!" shouted Benny as he pulled Nanny out of his seat and behind the cover, albeit relative, of the ORV. As Holls scored a hit on one of the Earther units, Benny took out a utility knife and began cutting away Nanny's BDU shirt. Praying that Nanny had worn his vest, Benny found little comfort when he discovered that the round had gone through it. Benny slid his hand under Nanny to feel for an exit wound. "And Prophet wep!" Benny exclaimed as he discovered that the round had gone completely through Nanny. "Stay with us, Bro. We're gonna get you outta here." Benny said more for his own comfort than for Nanny's.
"Seems a shame that the cavalry should arrive on time." teased a Samson pilot as he brought her hopper into a hover causing a brown out forcing the Earthers to change positions and move closer to get a better shot. The N Deep Team took full advantage of this as they were using IR goggles. Without cover, the Earthers were running ducks (which isn't all that different from sitting ducks if you've ever seen a duck run).
With the Earth Forces dispatched. the Samson pilot with unobstructed view gave the all clear and began to bring in the Samson in for a landing. As Benny continued to apply pressure to Nanny's wounds, Holls began to pull out the rigging gear to secure the ORVs while in transit. Sarge stayed on his thirty and continued to cover the N Deep Team and their ride. As the rear ramp began to lower, Nanny began to come to.
"I'm dying and she's making jokes." Nanny managed trying to sound as pathetic as he could. (Which wasn't all that hard given the circumstances)
"Never thought I'd be so glad to see you flygirls, Double Jay." Sarge teased as levity began to work its way into the situation. Benny helped the crew chief get Nanny onto the Samson as Sarge and Holls slid into the driver's seats of the ORVs. All in all, it took ten minutes from the time the Samson landed until Double Jay had the hopper back up in the air and headed for a nearby health clinic (although by our standards it was more of an animal hosipital except they also treated people). Even though Nanny had regained consciousness, he had lost alot of blood and time was of the essence. Double Jay and the N Deep Team knew he didn't have long. While on the way to clinic, Double Jay dropped a bomb shell on the N Deep Team.
"I just thought you'd like to know, Sarge, but you boys weren't the only ones hit. Looks like the Earthers are ready for round two. They're saying that it's a second invasion."
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