Dry (open to all who want to join)

[jynx]

The sun beat down of the dry cloud of dust which was brought about by the tank speeding through the desert. Justin and his platoon were riding on the back end of the tank. Justin's eyes were the only sign of his face, as a ripped sock was tied around his mouth and nose.

There was a loud blast, and Justin pushed both men next to him and pointed over the side of the tank. The men instantly turned and jumped to the ground and rolled. Justin immediately followed. The cloud of dust gave the perfect cover from any possible enemies spotting them while they re-coordinated. It was shortly after Justin jumped that he found his squad.

Justin motioned with a swing of his arm for the men to follow him as he chased the cloud of dust for cover. Artillery shells were crashing around the tank and bullets from large caliber machine guns soon begin to ricochet from the tanks body. Justin tried to stay behind the tanks cover, but soon the bullets were so thick that he had no choice but to order his men to take cover. They were now in the battle zone!

The artillery fire was now behind them, with steady pace and nuisance. Justin laid down the sight of his Mauser Karbine 98k over the field, but could not see anything. The entire field was clouded with dust from the tanks, and only bullets from machine gun fire would break this blindness.

Justin waited patiently, watching the field down his sights. Finally the dust had broken, and there was complete stillness among the field. The tanks were in heavy engagement, but there was no sign of close enemy troops.

Justin motioned his arm forward to his men, signaling them to move forward. The two men crawled along the dry sand to position themselves forward.

[Captain Matherson]

Chris laid in the sweltering sand, the heat was almost unbearable, but lying in it was better than sitting up and being shot in the temple. Two men were lying next to him in their makeshift bunker, built part way into the side of a sand-dune. It was hardly even a bunker, just some ditched dug into the ground to give them some cover in the vastly flat desert.

Intelligence had reported an armour column moving down this road, and sure enough, the German tanks had come rolling down towards them. Chris and his men were off to the left of the track, and they had seen the dust rising from the armour’s tracks before any iron plating caught their eyes.

The first mine to go off missed, and instead it exploded in a massive dome of sand rising up like a beast. Dug that one in too deep The next mine did more damage as the second tank ground to a halt and tripped off one below its front, knocking it away in the explosion.

”Hold your targets.” The machine gun bunkers all around them had roared to life, arrayed so that once the tanks had hit the mines, they would be surrounded, and so they were. The dust however was still too thick for Chris’s RPG soldiers to get a good shot, so he waited until the dust from the mines had cleared, before gazing down his iron sights. ”Fire”

The rockets launched from the cannons with a sharp hiss and soared through the air, screaming through the dust and flying lead towards the tanks. As they reloaded, Chris scanned the road for any soldiers emerging and fired his first shots of the battle at some Germans near the back…

[jynx]

The two soldiers had just crawled over the small hills that gave them the little cover that they had when the tanks were hit by a number of explosions, what seemed to be RPG's from near enemies. Justin watched as a soldier from another platoon reacted to the explosions by standing and running, but didn't get very far. A bullet ripped through his chest as he laid in the open sand.

Justins platoon continued to advance slowly to seek better cover. While one of the men found a hole from a recent mine, the other was still crawling forward. Justin was making sure to keep a close eye on the field as they advanced, and the path of the RPG gave him exactly what he was looking for. He sighted the origin of the RPG to find a small shape, and fired on it. Another RPG hit the tank in front of Justin, and he crouched up and rolled into the mine hole that gave him better coverage. He patted his soldier on the back to let him know he was there, and looked over the ridge to scan the field.

Justin watched as the tanks sprayed bullets from their mounted guns, machine guns were set and begin returning heavy machine gun fire, an individual behind him begin radioing in our own artillery strikes, and platoons all around him were shooting into the sand dunes. The tanks had stopped, either because they were immobilized by the mine field or they didn't want to enter it. Either way, most of them were still operable, with a few exceptions that were hit by RPG's, and begin firing shells into machine gun bunkers.

Justin stared down the barrel of his weapon searching for a target. Finding a half circle protruding from the sand, he pulled the trigger ...

[Captain Matherson]

Chris instinctively snapped his head back down inside his bunker when the soldier’s head beside him burst apart not seconds after he had fired a rocket off. Chris held the other soldier by his back. ”Drop the rocket and pick up that machine gun!” he nodded as he cast the rocket launcher down into the hole and brought up the heavy machine gun. Each bunker had been given one, but Chris’s didn’t have as much ammunition as the others because of their launchers.

Regardless, the soldier brought the heavy repeating rifle to his shoulder and jammed it into life, the barrel spewing forth a burst of flame half a foot long, and the sound echoed like a drum across the desert in quick, short, successive bursts to conserve the barrel.

Chris grabbed the radio off the dead man, as chance had it that had been his radio operator. Because of the pre-anticipated attack, their co-ordinates had already been relayed to the artillery battery two miles north, and all the Captain had to do was give the word. ”Firestorm Three this is Foxtrot Seven. Fire two, zero, zero on previous co-ordinates. Over.” Two miles of flight would mean approximately 20 seconds until the shells would hit down.

That was an impressive response time, and Chris wasn’t expecting there to be any enemy artillery this far out into the no-mans land. But he’d been wrong before. The two forces were so close now though that he’d only have time for this one bombardment until he risked hitting his own men. He said a silent prayer that it knocked out most of those tanks.

An full Abrams patrol was twelve minutes away at their last radio check, but Chris judged the battle would be over by then. He slinked across, away from where his ally had been shot and propped himself up to line up some more soldiers. There was one soldier crawling around from the behind the tanks, and another two lying in a mine hole. Chris chose the two in the mine ditch and fired off three rounds in quick succession towards him. But it was a bolt-action rifle, so the rounds were a second apart…

[PuNk! ™]

Moderation Post:[/u]

I’d just like to firstly say, great thread as-of-yet and although some of the aspects in the thread are slightly major (having tanks/RPGS/Mines) I won’t rule them out. This is still very much a trial period and I am also contemplating the scenario of member’s having their own platoons/companies to command. Where they can purchase units and grade them with weapons been seen fit.

So you’re off the hook - partly because you’re already both playing out an idea I had in mind, giving me a great insight to what it’d be like to have on the board. Such as commanding units of your own, equipping them, etc…

Allied Effect:
The Allies had dug in well to enforce the on-coming presence of the German Division approaching, gaining good cover & sight over most of the on-coming battlefield before them, more so, they had the element of surprise on the enemy advancing as mines, makeshift bunkers and Heavy Gun emplacements were situated amongst the field.

This has given the Allied the upper hand, as Infantry Squads on the Axis side are heavily pinned from Gunfire, RPG rounds hitting the division’s tanks & more so, the German’s are still inhabiting mine land. A crucial danger zone, that has out rightly stopped the tanks from advancing…

Artillery has also been ordered to bombard the enemy, but from such close quarters, the bombardment is narrowly missing Allied soldiers, as a stray shell obliterates one of Captain Matherson‘s bunkers, containing four men. Knocking out one of the Heavy Gunner‘s nest - but this is a small price to pay, as Captain Matherson successfully destroyed half of the Axis tanks, turning the armoured tanks into churned twisted shrapnel metal.

Captain Matherson‘s Effect:
Captain Matherson has issued clear and instructed orders throughout the battle, narrowly missing injury on several occasions from the enemy tank’s bombardment of hailing gunfire. Perhaps it’s just luck? Compared to several comrades who’ve fallen under Captain Matherson’s command from the enemy fire within the midst of the battle.

Captain Matherson has also succeeded in using rough tactical planning in stopping the enemy from advancing and calling in artillery support, but suffered casualties of his own from a stray shell.

Axis Effect:

The Axis side have overwhelming power to dominate the Allies, if it wasn’t the mines & heavy emplacements from makeshift bunkers, keeping both the tanks and infantry back. The Axis on the other hand, do still have half their tanks functioning without engine or weaponry problems. Meaning, either side could still win the battle out righteously.

From the prior bombardment of Allied Artillery support, the minefield can now be considered cleared, as most of the remaining dug in mines have ruptured and exploded from the heavy ground force from the Artillery bombardment. Although the remaining mines have been destroyed, three German infantryman have also been obliterated by the mines exploding - not the artillery, ironically.

Heavy tank fire and machinegun fire has also gained enemy casualties, as the Axis have successfully killed several Allied men, not including rifle fire from Sergeant Kempster and his men aligned on the battlefield themselves.

Sergeant Kempster’s Effect:

Sergeant Kempster has issued formal commands to his units to advance slowly with silent commands, giving the Sergeant quality knowledge in remaining stealthy on their advance. Using these stealthy tactics, Sergeant Kempster has successfully, along with his men advancing, managed to take another several casualties by surprise from their quiet - yet violent advance.

OVERALL:[/B]

The Allied frontier is breaking slowly and the Axis have lost a lot of power, only being left with half of their tank division, that’s either crippled or damaged somewhat. Anymore Artillery strikes now would result in major casualties on both sides as the battle-line between both sides is thinning.

Using more strategy tactics may just win the battle for either side… It’s very close.

[jynx]

Justin searched the field for machine gunners who were sticking out too far and were an easy target. Right then, he felt the warm splatter of blood on the side of his face. He ducked back down into the mine hole instantly. Quickly looking over himself, he found no wounds. He looked up to see his soldier bleeding and pulled him down under cover. He was wounded by 2 shots, but still breathing. Justin told him to stay here until we could get him a medic.

Almost instantly there came explosions all around Justin. The ground shook and Justin lowered his head and tried to stay deep in the hole as possible. The sound was defeaning, and the ground was shaking. Sand piled in from the sides of the holes, partially covering Justin and the wounded troop.

After, there was complete silence. The machine gun firing seemed to cease because the enemy couldn't see into the dust and chaos the artillery had brought about. A loud explosion of a delayed shell seemed to explode further in their advance. This snapped Justin back awake from the shock of the chaos that was just around him.

He looked up and couldn't see nothing but dust and smoke. Justin remembered his soldier taking cover behind a wrecked tank and instantly jumped up and begin running there. Justin found his soldier alive, curled up like a child awakening a bad nightmare. Justin grabbed him and pulled him up.

Justin ran with the soldier to where he remembered the tanks advanced the farthest, the right sector. Although all these tanks were immobilized or inoperable, they supplied great cover for when the dust and smoke finally settled. Justin soon arrived at the tank he wanted for cover, to find that it had been completly destroyed. Three other men were positioned there, but by the time Justin saw them, they all charged in hope to advance and capture a near by machine gun bunker.

Justin was in the least bit as hopeful, and was happy to sit back with using the tank as a cover from enemy fire. He ordered the soldier to take the left side of the tank, where there was heavier enemy fire from machine gun bunker. "don't be stupid, stay low and pick off machine gunners or RPG's" Justin said to the soldier. He sprawled out onto the sand and peeked around the tank and waited for the sand and smoke to clear to see if the advance was successful to take the bunker. Justin would pick off any enemy troops who survived.

The silence was broken when Justin heard the remaining tanks who were still mobile and operable peeling away machine gun bullets, and a shell was soon fired. Without hesitation though, Justin as well heard the enemies roaring response to the tanks breaking from the cover of the smoke and dust ...

[Captain Matherson]

Chris watched in silence as the ground was ripped to shreds by the artillery shells. It was the first and last bombardment he was like to get. Break them. Break them all! he prayed, meaning more or less the tanks than the soldiers themselves. Once their armour had been knocked out of action it would be easy to pick off the remaining soldiers. If they could knock out the armour.

A bunker roared up in flames as a stray shell smashed through its roof, igniting the ammunition contained there. Chris swore in his breath, just another proof that he couldn’t call in another bombardment. ”Pick that rocket launcher back up.” Chris muttered to the soldier beside him, who hurriedly loaded a round down the wide barrel and hoisted the metal cannon to his shoulder, ready.

A sudden urge took Chris and he unclasped the heavy machine gun from the edge of the bunker and carried it over to the back. He opened the tripod and set it down facing back to the entrance of the bunker. With all the dust in the air, it would have been reasonably easy for German infantry to attempt to gain some ground on the bunkers. With the gun here he would be able to quickly respond if his bunker was overrun.

The dust was clearing, and with it the whizzing of newly loaded RPG’s stirred the air and gunfire hammered back into life. Chris stole a glance over the lip of his bunker and fired a shot at an enemy soldier, quickly analysing the tanks. Most were either destroyed or immobilized, but there was still enough to cause trouble. The Captain picked up the radio again. ”All Foxtrot, this is Foxtrot Seven. Focus your fire on the damn tanks and bring them down. All bunkers caution for hostiles breaching the frontier. Over.” They quickly acknowledged the command.

At least now they won’t take so many of us from behind. If they’re that good. The dust was unsettling. Chris had wanted to keep his enemy in sight at all times to prevent them advancing on the bunkers, the dust had been thicker than he had anticipated. That was why he had urged caution to the others.

Chris leant his back against the wall, raising himself, firing, and ducking back down methodically, and always keeping an eye on the entrance. Break them now!...

[jynx]

Justin peeked around the tanks cover after the smoke and dust had cleared. The gunfire from the troops advancement had died down considerably. The bunker was silent. Justin quickly counted the men lying dead between the bunker and himself. Only two bodies, meaning one soldier had captured the bunker.

Justin quickly turned around and slapped the troop on the back who was defending his back. He motioned for him to follow him, and ran crunched over pressed against the tank. He then pushed off and ran into the bunker and leaped in. The other soldier soon followed behind him. In the bunker Justin found the final troop from the other platoon bleeding from the stomach, and blood splattered everywhere in the bunker. Four dead bodies were lying on the ground, 1 badly burnt from a grenade. The other three had blood seeping from lethal wounds. Justin pointed to the machine gun mounted on the ridge of the bunker. The troop grabbed it, but it was hit with schrapnel from the grenade.

Justin touched his eyes with two seperated fingers, and pointed to the ridge. The troop sprawled out and peered over the edge. He hustled back down to Justin, "The tanks are mostly turning into rubble from the RPG's, bunkers have been taken on the left flank as well."

Justin stared at the dry sand. He pointed to the entrance of the bunker and the soldier moved in position to protect it. Justin just stared at the ground thinking ...

"The mine field has been cleared, and we have secured small strong points. The radio guy was positioned quite far behind the action, before I even came into contact with the enemy and well behind the tank formation. He should've called reinforcements soon as he saw our tanks being obliterated, or he ordered a retreat I missed. Knowing Rommel and his persistance to push forward, I doubt it was the latter. We have to be recieving reinforcements soon. If not, we will have no hope in retreat through the open desert. If so, they can supply us with the relieve my men need. I have two injured soldiers on my hands who need medical attention, one under my command."

Justin reached into his bag and removed his remaining shells. Loading a few into his karbine, he looked up with regret ...

"We can just hold this bunker until we recieve relieve ... or die"

He kneed down behind the soldier to help him fire upon anyone who entered the bunker ...

[Captain Matherson]

Chris waited with his soldier beside him, exchanging fire with the bunkers which had been overrun. The tanks were pretty much useless now, thanks to the consistent RPG fire, but the victory he had assumed he would receive after they were knocked out didn’t seem so imminent anymore. Two of his bunkers had been overrun, and being held. Whatever troops were still in the tanks column wouldn’t be alive for much longer, but the bunkered soldiers would prove difficult to smoke out.

Those Shermans should be here soon. Chris thought to himself. The patrol couldn’t be far off now, and the battle surely wasn’t going to be over before they got here, like he had originally thought. Chris fired another round off towards one of the bunkers when a soldier popped his head over the lip of the wall. The one on the right had only two in it, from what he could tell, but the one on the left had more. However, Chris still had more bunkers in a semi-circle.

Machine gun fire raked across the front of one overrun bunker, showering the interior with dust, sand and wood splinters. ”Pick that RPG back up.” The soldier knelt down for the rocket launcher and dropped a rocket-propelled grenade into the long barrel like he’d done so often before.

”There’s only a few left sir,” he replied as he hefted the launcher to his shoulder, already knowing what was about to be asked of him.

”We shouldn’t need many more,” Chris peered over the edge of the bunker. ”Fire on the one on the right. Aim for the window and get that rocket right inside them.” The soldier nodded as he prepared himself. The Captain fired off some shots to suppress the Germans on the right, but a bolt-action rifle isn’t really great for that, as the rocket was fired towards them, a jet of flame spewing across the track towards the bunker. The air around it sizzled as it flew, and it gave a high droning as it span through the clearing dust…

[PuNk! ™]

Moderation Post:[/b]

Allied Effect:

Captain Matherson has succeeded in holding the line, even if a couple of bunkers have fallen into Jerry’s hands, Captain Matherson still has the defending upper hand. RPGs and Suppressing Machine Gun fire has been well placed and marked on enemy units, successfully stopping infantry from advancing on the left flank, but failed to prevent enemy advancements on the right flank.

RPG rounds have been professionally fired from a secure sector (bunker) towards the tanks, successfully crippling anymore damaged armoured beasts to a pulp. The Germans do still have a few functioning tanks on the other hand, which haven’t been successfully used to their full means - whether they’ve suffered engine failure or lack of commands, from loss of tank crew life, they remain dauntingly lifeless on the battlefield with small firing being done towards the Allies.

Upon Captain Matherson’s last command to fire an RPG round towards an outstanding bunker garrisoned by Germans, the shell didn’t successfully penetrate the window (from a mean’s of inaccuracy), but did successfully penetrate the bunker’s outstanding exterior, the wall. Exterminating the bunker’s open window into a collapsed debris mound, sending those inside into a cavern of darkness and dust, with a deafening recoil of sound. But no physical casualties have been inflicted from the RPG round.

Captain Matherson’s Effect:

Chris Matherson has still given fully fledged commanding orders to his soldiers and held a good proportion of the frontline, even if fear of being flanked has been issued. Chris Matherson has also successfully fired well precise shots in suppressing the enemy, but using a bolt-action rifle and giving away his aim upon enemy units, he has inflicted no casualties from recent suppressing fire.

Axis Effect:

The Germans have successfully taken two bunkers on the right flank and proceeded to give infantry based fire on the remaining left flank. German Tanks have also failed to deliver, as lack of movement and heavy bombardment hasn’t been used, either meaning, lack of orders have been given or further armoured technical issues have taken place, resulting in further tanks being pinned or destroyed by RPG fire from the Allied defence.

The Axis have also lost a bunker, but with no casualties, meaning the right flank advancement is failing to hold without support. Either the Germans get tanks advancing on their position immediately or further infantry support is given, the Axis will fail to advance any further.

Although the Germans are failing, well precise shots have been issued and Captain Matherson’s RPG man has taken a fatal wound to the chest from standing in the open to issue RPG firing on the bunkers.

Sergeant Kempster’s Effect:

Sergeant Kempster has been issuing clear orders to his units and shown aggression in infantry based warfare. Expending units and using objects around him, he has successfully made good advancements, but with no error to his orders, the tank division has failed to suppress and advance on his location, where the right flank could easily be sealed.


Overall:[/b]

Captain Matherson has successfully managed to take down a further good proportion more of tanks from RPG fire and secured the left flank of the frontline. Justin Kempster still has one fully functioning bunker with suppressive fire, but has lost one bunker due to a RPG round - but the men inside are still alive, but with no sight of fire. A few remaining battered tanks from the artillery barrage and minefield are still very much functional roughly, but have failed to advance on the weakening flank - leaving the Allies Stronger.

Without reinforcements or proper tank commands, the Axis Division will fall or be forced to retreat.

[Captain Matherson]

Chris swore and caught the soldier beside him as he fell back into the bunker after firing the rocket. A sucking chest wound was bleeding into his vest, and he tore the fabric apart, revealing a dark, gaping wound in his left breast. The man was gasping and his eyes were wide in fear as he coughed up blood which gurgled down his neck and into the sand.

Oh crap. Crap… Chris wasn’t a medic, but he had an extremely basic knowledge of field medicine. But he knew that nothing was going to save this man. He pressed down on his chest to stop the bleeding, but his gasping slowed, spluttered, and then finally stopped as he lay still. Chris lowered his eyes and sat back away from the body, taking in a deep breath.

He reached over for the radio. ”Firestorm Three this is Foxtrot Seven. Current position under assault. What’s the situation of our armour support? Over.” He had to wait a few seconds before he got a reply. ”Foxtrot, armour has encountered enemy resistance and is currently engaging South of your position. E.T.A unknown. Over.”

Chris knew which direction South was, it was the way the German patrol had come from. The tanks had probably met up with the columns rearguard. God please let them crush them. ”Foxtrot Out.”

Matherson leant over his wall to fire a few shots towards the enemy bunker, checked to see that no-one was entering through the machine-gun guarded entrance, fired again, and again, and again. There was nothing else to do.

The gunfire was rattling all around him, they had to kill the Germans who were in the bunker, the other one looked pretty much like a wood and sand prison where it had caved in. They won’t be dead, Chris noted. Better keep an eye on that…

[jynx]

Justin stared down the entrance of the bunker when he heard a RPG skreeching through. He hit the ground soon as the explosion blew out the wall to the bunker. The dry sand stuck to the sticky blood all over his face. Covered in rubble and debree, Justin stood and grabbed the other soldier and yelled "Grab that soldier, RETREAT!"

The infantry picked up the wounded troop in the bunker and ran right behind Justin, covered by the smoke and dust unsettled from the blast. They reached the tanks, which gave them more cover. Furthering back more, Justin slid into the mine hole that held his wounded soldier earlier. He threw him over his shoulder, and begin running fast as he could across the desert, knowing now the germans had no intention of relieving them. Either the rest would retreat, or they would die.

OOC: Gotta go outta town and won't have internet access. I'm withdrawing and surrendering my position. Thought for our assault and overwhelming odds against defenses (mine fields/ bunkers/ artillery) we did pretty good. Pretty much, realistically, I don't find that a sergeant in this situation can give orders to the tanks and/or promote a win from my current position, so I surrender. Either the german generals will reinforce this region considering the breakthrough, or my character would realistically die (which I don't want).

[PuNk! ™]

Moderation Post[/b]

Allied Celebrations, Axis have Retreated!
The Battle is over; this topic will be locked.

Great battle guys, it was good seeing one of the very first threads on the board be played out with such use of knowledge and equipment. Obviously, next time, let's hope you's buy the units/equipment first and don't worry, units won't be expended so easily or destroyed so easily, unless you take good care of them.

For courageous battle, you've both earned a good deal of Command Points!
Remember, you may retreat from a thread at any moment, taking the risk to stay in the thread could land you dead, wounded or captured. Simply retreating does not mean you will be captured/killed.

Captain Matherson has earned: 50 CP
Sergeant Justin Kempster has Earned: 40CP & Promotion, congratuations Oberfeldwebel.

~Danny