Morte et Dabo

[Christopher J. D'Dario]

The cold concrete walls rose up around them as the soldiers of Pelican Company marched through the dead streets. Their footsteps echoed lightly down the many alleyways and their faces were reflected in the many windows. Marching along with his men D’Dario had his head down in thought, It hadn’t been long since he had fully recovered from the wounds of his last engagement with American Forces and all he had been thinking about since leaving the base was what went wrong. He looked around at his men; most of them had survived that battle without any wounds at all. But there were plenty of new faces too.

He looked forward to the point men, good old Ulissie was scouting ahead with First Squad close on his heels and ready to give support if needed. Second Squad was coming up not far behind them and D’Dario and their medic came next with Third Squad bringing up the rear. Marching alongside D’Dario was their new Mortar crew. It would be interesting to see how well they performed in such a closed in area, if they even ran into an enemy force, and judging by the amount of civilians around it would be unlikely for that too happen. Civilians had a habit of disappearing just before the bullets started flying. However just because D’Dario didn’t believe there would be any action here didn’t mean his men shared his thoughts, he kept those thoughts to himself as well, making sure that the scouts would be alert and take this patrol seriously.

He eyed the civilians with distaste, they had become compliant with the invading force quickly, any uprising had been stomped into the ground as soon as it appeared and anyone caught acting suspicious was removed immediately. All in all it had been an easy take over, and now all that was left to do was to patrol the dull streets and keep the citizens in line.

Map

[George O'Brian]

OOC: SeeJay, never specified if it was neutral first posts or not. I assumed not.

Sergeants were the backbone of the army apparently. To O’Brian, it felt like he was the bitch of the army, having little say to make tactical decisions with his higher-ups, but being given the responsibility to make sure tasks were carried out. His current task, however, was not too bad. Two reinforced rifle squads had to hold a few blocks in an Italian town, just one part of a major battalion-wide offensive.

O’Brian was in one building, he had the assault element with him. Himself in command and weighed down with the radio, alongside Private Edward Brooks, a stoic man armed with a shotgun and bazooka. Ten other men sat around, Privates Bobby, Johnson, Williams, Bown, Green, Wilson, Walsh, Gennaro, Muldoon and Malcolm. There were not as many NCO’s as he would have liked to have with him, but that was not a massive concern. The men were not too green, they could handle themselves. With semi-automatic M1 Garand weapons, they were happy to take on whatever the Italian army threw at them.

O’Brian pulled the handset for his radio over to his mouth, speaking out. “Boxer Two-Two, this is Boxer Two-One. Status check, over.” Only a few metres away, his support section spoke up. Corporal Stuart was speaking in to O’Neil’s radio set. They were based around a Browning .30 cal heavy machine gun operated by Privates McCartney and Slattery, with riflemen supporting them. The reliable rifles of Grant, McCartney, McKay, Green, Kessels, Hunter and Holmes were ready and waiting, a perimeter watching for Italians. They sat in dead silence by windows and barricaded doors. The .30 cal had been set up on a table just behind a window, the tripod giving it reasonable vertical movement, as well as horizontal.

“Boxer Two-One, all good. Still no sign of Italians, you’ll be the first to know, over.”

O’Brian nodded, before taking a moment to add a joke. “Boxer Two-Two, I’d appreciate it if the Italians were the first to know when you open up on them, out.” Replacing the handset, O’Brian looked back out at the dull street. A wind was blowing quite strongly north to south which he took note of in case he had to call in any artillery strikes. It would be a pity if he had to and ruin the Italian town, but the somewhat aptly named Gale was stoodby in the event of an emergency and some more support was required.

Over by Corporal Stuart, Slattery noticed something moving. Out in the street, a figure cautiously advancing down the street. Slattery slapped McCartney’s arm, who was noticing the same thing. “Oi, Corporal, look at this,” he said, quietly but with definite urgency. Stuart moved over, looking out the window and checked what he was seeing. It was definitely an Italian soldier advancing down the street. It was all he needed to see as he signalled O’Neil “Target confirmed. Fire when ready.”

McCartney racked the action on his .30, drew a bead on the chest of his target, and squeezed the trigger, letting a solid ten round burst out. He released the trigger, adjusting his aim and fired again. Beside him, Slattery fed ammo and watched the tracers, calling adjustments to the fire. From windows around the building, riflemen stood to as Stuart shouted orders. “Italian infantry approaching from the West. Fire at all targets.” With small smiles of glee, all of the riflemen leaned out of windows, getting in to comfortable firing positions, some resting rifles on window sills, other elbows, and began firing off rounds with their M1’s at everything that moved. Stuart quickly grabbed the radio sending out a contact report. “Boxer Two-One, Boxer Two-Two. Italian infantry from the West. Engaging. Interrogative; Can you see how many targets, over?”

At his end, O’Brian had already heard the fire and grabbed his handset, “Solid copy, Boxer Two-Two. Standby, over.” Grabbing his binoculars from around his chest, he leant out of the window, exposing his head and shoulders and quickly scanned the street, before returning inside. He spoke loudly in to the radio so that the entire building could hear too. “Boxer Two-Two, it looks like a rifle platoon from the West. No armour. Engage all targets, over.” From inside O’Brians building, men leant outside, rifles in shoulder putting enfilading down the street at the Italian soldiers who had no cover. “Bobby, Johnson, Williams and Brown. I want you outside on the corner of the building, better firing angles.”

The four men gathered themselves, before climbing out of a side window so they didn’t present a target. The men ran around the back of the building, stopping behind the corner. Boby went prone, Johnson next to him whilst Williams and Brown leant over them firing with their M1’s at targets whilst O’Brian and a few other riflemen leant out of the windows of the building, firing off rounds at anybody remaining in the street. Whenever one man had to reload, another was taking his place.

Meanwhile, Stuart was organising his riflemen. “Hunter, watch our asses, don’t let them Italians flank us. Holmes you can help too. Everybody else, hold fire until you have a clear target. Watch all of our angles, don’t let these Italians sons-a-bitches fuck us today. It’s gonna be a good day for the Marne, hooah?!”

Clean
Fire
My men, just FYI:

BTB Edward Brooks -GO

Private Robert Bobby - GO
Private Andrew Johnson - GO
Private Eric Williams - GO
Private Jeremy Brown - GO
Private Alex Green - GO
Private Jackson Wilson - GO
Private Leonard Walsh - GO
Private Donald Gennaro - GO
Private Robert Muldoon - GO
Private Ian Malcolm – GO

Corporal James Stuart - GO
Heavy Gunner Dylan McCartney - GO
Assistant Gunner Robert Slattery – GO
Radio Operator Joseph O'Neil – GO

Private Alan Grant - GO
Private Micheal McCartney - GO
Private Harry McKay - GO
Private Joe Green - GO
Private Chris Kessels - GO
Private Daniel Hunter - GO
Private Thomas Holmes - GO

[Edward"Butcher"McMillan]

Moderation Post:

Allied Soldiers:

Sergeant George O'Brian

BTB Edward Brooks

Private Robert Bobby
Private Andrew Johnson
Private Eric Williams
Private Jeremy Brown
Private Alex Green
Private Jackson Wilson
Private Leonard Walsh
Private Donald Gennaro
Private Robert Muldoon
Private Ian Malcolm

Corporal James Stuart
Heavy Gunner Dylan McCartney
Assistant Gunner Robert Slattery
Radio Operator Joseph O'Neil

Private Alan Grant
Private Micheal McCartney
Private Harry McKay
Private Joe Green
Private Chris Kessels
Private Daniel Hunter
Private Thomas Holmes


Morale = Average.

Axis Soldiers:

Sergente Christopher J. D'Dario

Medic Reinhold Krainenfield
Sniper Ulissie Borric

Cpl. Landon Dillis
MG. Vito Liesuno
Sld. Domanic Bellise
Sld. Jacobo Disines
Sld. Livio Deluna K.I.A.
Sld. Marco Morettie
Sld. Peppe "Le Pew" Morettie
Sld. Dexter Mori Wounded/Moderate

Cpl. Davide Jaccobi
MG. Tori Velichi
Sld. Baldo Torbelli
Sld. Corrado Selianto
Sld. Emido Tellisi
Sld. Jacob Milanti
Sld. Luka D'Risso
Sld. Romeo Julietti


Cpl. Marcellus Illuiti
Sld. Alvise Prelooni
Sld. Davide Jelico
Sld. Etzio Talani
Sld. Ginovani Drico
Sld. Luca Bellic
Sld. Niccolas Ilion

Mortar Crewman Sld. Brioki Sallito
Mortar Crewman Sld. Asello Stilli
Mortar Crewman Sld. Zessi Villi Wounded/Major

Morale = Startled, but not scared.

Actions:

- The American troops came into battle forcefully, looking to secure the town with a ferocious quickness, however it was not to be so.

- The civilians in the area saw them approaching before they set up and having already witnessed the arrival of the Italian Army troops, they knew exactly what was about to happen.

- The majority of the civilians ran for cover, some of them didn't even stop and vacated the area entirely. This set the Italian soldiers on alert and they too began to wonder.

- With a few quick orders, Sergente D'Dario had his men leave the street and find what cover they could.

- First and Second squad moved into the building to the north, as did D'Dario and the medic along with one MG and the Mortarmen. The remaining troops darted into the southern building, the remaining MG moving with them. The Sniper dropped back to the rear of the formation and ducked behind a corner.

- However not all of the Italian forces were able to get to cover in time, First squad was hit the hardest having been the first to be seen and at the front of the formation. Deluna was killed outright as several rounds tore through his body, convulsing a few times after he hit the ground. Mori was hit in the lower abdomen and buckled over in the street, shortly after a second round sliced through his calf. His wounds are moderate currently, but the only things he can really see are flying debris from bullet impacts, and his dead friend. Shock is a definate possibility if he is not tended to soon.

- The Artillery Cadets intended to take the mortar with them, but being lesser trainned under stress than standard infantrymen, once the rounds came in, they abandoned it as they were the last group still on the street and the weapon was quite heavy, two made it in but the third was hit in the lower back whilst climbing in the window. He fell backward with some force upon the ground. One of his kidnies is failing from the puncture and he has been paralyzed from the waist down. These are major wounds and without attention from a surgeon in the very near future he will most likely succumb to his wounds.

- The Italian soldiers that had made it to cover returned fire as best they could. The American troops were still trying to track all of the movements from the scattering Axis forces and had yet to concentrate their fire.

- Both sides are currently firing upon one another, nothing to tremendously heavy, but enough to keep heads down.

- There were no American casualties sustained at this moment in the battle.

- The civilians still remaining on nthe map are trying their best to hide from what is unfolding, the vast majority are terrified, however there are a couple *HINT* that still have their wits about them that may be able to provide information about what they know of the area...and who is in it.

Map - img26.imageshack.us/img26/2519/map1il.png

Next Post: D'Dario

-JT

P.S. SeeJay, you haven't seperated PVT fromm CPL on your map, now at this moment on the map I can pretty much figure which ones they are, however later in this battle I forsee it becoming extremely difficult. If you would be so kind as to differentiate between PVT and CPL in your next map I would really appreciate it.

Will do

[Christopher J. D'Dario]

D’Daro was drawn from his thoughts about the past when Ulissie made his way from the front of the collum to the back, saying under his breath that they needed to get off the streets. D’Dario looked around and finally noticed the way the civilians were acting. Panicked, rushing about with their hands covering their heads as if showing that… showing that they weren’t armed? That they weren’t threats and shouldn’t be targeted…
Adrenalin suddenly exploded through him as he realised what their actions meant, they were fleeing from a combat zone.
“Ambush! Clear the streets!” He shouted as loud as he could and darted to his right, grabbing the medic and pushing him past the artillery cadets towards an open window, everyone began to scatter but it was too late, from somewhere ahead of them a mass amount of fire exploded from the windows and bullets began ripping into everything around the Italian Unit. D’Dario landed hard on the floor in the building and was quickly followed by other men; he got to his feet and started helping others through the window.
“Corporal Dillis! Get everyone and regroup in the main room!”

He looked back out on the street to assess the casualties and was mildly surprised at the lack of bodies on the ground. Deluna, one of the men who had made it this far with D’Dario looked like he wouldn’t be fighting anymore, his chest ripped open and his blood pooling around him. His heart dropped a little in his chest as he looked at Deluna’s body but he would have to mourn him later, he looked at the others and noticed they were still alive. He called over the medic and pointed to the wounded soldiers.
“Reinhold! As soon as you get a chance get those men inside and take care of them!” He looked at the artillery cadets and noticed they had left their mortar on the street; they would be useless as combatants without it.
“You two can help Reinhold get those men off the streets, then get your cazzo mortar and find a safe place to set it up!”
He went to the door and shouted at everone else as Reinhold and the cadets ran past him and into the other room.
“Sweap this building and find any ports of fire and open up on the enemy!”

He turned angrily from them, after this was over he would find some way to punish them for leaving their weapon. Looking back out the window he spotted Corporal Illuiti at the window of the building opposite, D’Dario didn’t like that his force had been split and used hand signals as well as trying to shout over the gunfire from the Machinegun.
“Fire and Manoeuvre to the east!” He repeated the message and hand signals a few more times to be sure that Illuiti got the message. That would be the only order he would be able to directly give Third Squad, he hoped that Illuiti was a competent enough Corporal to look after the men he had there.

Leaving Liesuno and his machinegun who was strafe firing rounds out window he went out into the main room to discover his men hand rounded up a few civilians, they were under guard by Corporals Dillis and Jaccobi while everyone else was watching the windows or firing out of them. Unlucky bastards, caught in a combat zone, and yet D’Dario owed them a thanks for alerting his men to the ambush they had been walking into. If it wasn’t for them and their actions, things could have been a lot worse.
“Talk to them, find out if they know anything.” He said to Dillis.
“Jaccobi, with me” D’Dario had never learnt English fluently enough to be able to hold a conversation with someone, he had learnt a few words here and there, but overall he found it a difficult language to get a grip on so he surrounded himself with as many English-speaking soldiers as he could. While Dillis was asking the civilians questions like “Do you know who the other soldiers are?” and “Do you know how many of them there are?” D’Dario was looking around the room, trying to decide the best course of action.
“Keep an eye on those the windows, the sneaky bastards could try and flank us.” He looked over at Dillis to see if the civilians had been able to tell him anything.

(If Illuiti gets the message.)
Meanwhile in the southern building Corporal Illuiti had regrouped the men and passed on the simple order.
“We Fire and Manoeuvre to the east, I think there are some enemy unit in one of the buildings across the road so we’ll have to be careful, standard breach and clear on the rooms.” He had to shout over the cracks of the machinegun in the other room, but the men got the idea.
“Go to it!” Shouldering his Carcano Illuiti darted low into the room where Velichi was spraying rounds at a broken window across a courtyard that had a large fountain in it. The fountain was empty and would have made a good firing position with low thick walls to protect anyone hiding behind it.
“We’re going to cross the road, keep up the fire then join us!” He shouted in Velichi’s ear before firing a few rounds at the window himself. He backed out into the other room and followed the last of the soldiers out the window, then sprinted the short distance over the road to the next building, Talani was firing at the building across the courtyard to try and keep whoever was over there down behind their cover. Illuiti gave Velichi a hand signal to cross and joined Talani in providing covering fire. Velichi hefted his Breda 30 and followed the footsteps of the other soldiers and exited out the southern side window and darted across the road, climbing through the window and joining the other men inside.

Illuiti and Talani threw themselves against the wall and then climbed in the window, as a squad they breached the other rooms, keeping low when they saw the large windows in the front room and Velichi set himself up and opened fire again on the building across the courtyard. The other men joined him while Illuiti tried to decide what to do with the civilians, in the end he just told them to stay where they were and closed and locked the door to the room.
“Talani watch our backs!”

Ulissie, unsure of what he should be doing, just remained where he was, he brought his rifle up and leaned just enough around the corner to be able to get shot off should any of the enemy soldiers in the house just before the far corner try and make a run for it across the street.

Maps
Movement
Fire
Clean

[Edward"Butcher"McMillan]

Moderation Post:

Allied Soldiers:

Sergeant George O'Brian

BTB Edward Brooks

Private Robert Bobby
Private Andrew Johnson
Private Eric Williams
Private Jeremy Brown
Private Alex Green
Private Jackson Wilson
Private Leonard Walsh
Private Donald Gennaro
Private Robert Muldoon
Private Ian Malcolm

Corporal James Stuart
Heavy Gunner Dylan McCartney
Assistant Gunner Robert Slattery
Radio Operator Joseph O'Neil

Private Alan Grant
Private Micheal McCartney
Private Harry McKay
Private Joe Green
Private Chris Kessels
Private Daniel Hunter Wounded/Moderate
Private Thomas Holmes


Morale = Average.

Axis Soldiers:

Sergente Christopher J. D'Dario

Medic Reinhold Krainenfield
Sniper Ulissie Borric

Cpl. Landon Dillis
MG. Vito Liesuno
Sld. Domanic Bellise
Sld. Jacobo Disines
Sld. Livio Deluna K.I.A.
Sld. Marco Morettie
Sld. Peppe "Le Pew" Morettie
Sld. Dexter Mori Wounded/Moderate

Cpl. Davide Jaccobi
MG. Tori Velichi
Sld. Baldo Torbelli
Sld. Corrado Selianto
Sld. Emido Tellisi
Sld. Jacob Milanti
Sld. Luka D'Risso
Sld. Romeo Julietti


Cpl. Marcellus Illuiti
Sld. Alvise Prelooni
Sld. Davide Jelico
Sld. Etzio Talani
Sld. Ginovani Drico
Sld. Luca Bellic
Sld. Niccolas Ilion

Mortar Crewman Sld. Brioki Sallito Wounded/Moderate
Mortar Crewman Sld. Asello Stilli
Mortar Crewman Sld. Zessi Villi Wounded/Major

Morale = Regrouping and stabilizing

Actions:

- The Italians were able to keep their wits about them during the initial encounter and are beginning combat operations, the quick orders from their commander bolstered their morale and his forces are following them.

- The Italian civilians were very scared from the sudden eruption of gunfire in the streets and bringing them out of hiding was no easy task, but was accomplished none the less. However Corporale Dillis now has an elderly, underweight Italian lady clinging to him for dear life.

- The information they gathered from the civilians was both helpful and useless. The ones that were able to talk all said that the other forces were American, however troop numbers are sporadic, one man said that he saw about a dozen where as the most extreme report was a hundred. No one mentioned any military vehicles though.

- The Civilians that have been gathered up are definitely shaken, some more so than others, their future actions, if any, cannot yet be predicted.

- The Artillery Cadets worried some when their commander gave them the order to return to the streets so quickly, even if it was to help the medic and retrieve their mortar. Still they followed the orders they were given and carefully exited the windows. Heading up the street swiftly to get to Soldato Mori

- The three men were able to get to Mori quickly, the Medic tried to asses the man's wounds as they were moving him back toward the building, but as they reached the edge of the street the group crashed to the ground. Mortar Crewman Sallito had been hit, the round tore through his elbow and he lost his grip. The would isn't life threatening but he has now lost the use of his right arm.

- With strong will they were able to get now both wounded men inside. "You, put pressure here!" The Medic called out to another nearby Soldato. Directing the man to try and stop some of the bleeding from Mori's abdomen. The soldier did so without hesitation. Then the Medic jumped back out of the window. The remaining Cadet in full health was a bit dumbfounded at the man's nerve, but such an act help him to continue on.

- The pair were able to drag Cadet Villi inside of the building as well and the Medic has set about tending to the wounded men. None of their conditions have worsened from being moved. Unless the unexpected happens Mori will be stabilized but on uneasy terms by next round, Villi will be receiving attention.

- Cadet Stilli with no role model to help coax him into the street for a third time figured it was his time to set an example and barreled from the window to head over the edge and retrieve the mortar. As the weapon was not as light as he thought he struggled with it at first but adrenaline helped out, none the less they both went falling to the ground. This act set his mind back to reality and the incoming Allied fire has caused a bit of soiling to occur. Stilli has climbed back into the window without his mortar again, but is starring out into the street awaiting his next opportune moment to carry out his orders.

- Corporale Illuiti was able to receive the instructions on the second attempted set of signals, he ducked momentarily on the first set from nearby rounds impacting. None the less he received his orders and set about telling the troops with him. As their squad received no casualties from first contact their morale is still just fine and they are more than willing to follow orders.

- They grouped up to understand their instructions and catch their breath, not that they were tired, just very surprised. Within a few moments they were moving through the structure and off toward the next. The American troops across the courtyard noticed the men climbing from the window in the the side street and laid on the trigger.

- No rounds found targets, but it might have been a different story had the weapon not jammed. In haste to seize the moment the Gunner grabbed the charging handle and racked it a couple of times to get back into the fight. This cleared the weapon as the issue was a bad primer and again he was laying on the trigger. By this point the Italian squad had all but entered the building, and the Gunner was unable to stop them. However he knew they were inside and made sure they didn't have an easy time of it.

- Firing long bursts into the structure forced the Axis troops to set up under fire, which they were able to do. Then yet again the .30 caliber Machine gun jammed, the Gunner repeated his previous steps but with no success. The Assistant Gunner stepped in to...well assist. They are now being fired upon for the first time. The MG is still jammed.

- One incoming round dinged off of the Assistant Gunners helmet, deafening the man and sending him stumbling away from the window, he is fine just momentarily dazed. However another round passed by all of the men crowded at the window and struck Private Hunter in the upper thigh. Luckily on the other side of his femur from the Artery. This wound is Moderate, use of his right leg is more or less gone and he is bleeding from both the entry wound and exit wound, not excessively but the inexperienced man is starting to panic.

- During this small bit of chaos in the northern Allied building Radio Operator O'Neil has still managed to do his job...having been instructed by Corporal Stuart to notify O'Brian that "A heavily armed squad of enemy soldiers has moved. Two buildings due east of O'Brian and his men."

Map - img42.imageshack.us/img42/9056/mapcbp.png

Next Post: O'Brian

-JT

[PuNk! ™]

Moderation Post:

[/b][/center]
Since JT has gone inactive, would you guys like to continue this battle or not? You're both still active: Seejay & Nathan, but since your moderator is not, I'll give you both the chance to vote/discuss whether you would like this battle to continue or not.

Should you wish for it to continue, I will promptly need the next post within a few days and I will happily take over moderating.

Just let me know what's happening with this battle. Thanks!
~Danny[/color]

[Nathan Whyte]

If SeeJay's still up for it, I'll be able to post in about a week?