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NAME: L-CPL. JOSEPH WICKES
LOCATION: MONTIGNY-LES-METZ (near Metz)
HP: 100/100
TIME: 10:13 {LAST TIME CHECKED} (PM)
WITH: PVT. SILMAN (?) | PVT. THOMSON | PVT. JAMES | PVT. ALLEN (?)
You throw your supplies onto the back, and then, with James, climb onto the trailer. Thompson begins speeding (at top speed) towards the British-held line but you see nothing but destruction. Houses, farms, trees - everything is burning. Wounded Brits lie on the floor rolling in agony from their injuries.
You could bring the injured with you? You have room for between thirty and forty but it will be squashed and you might have to walk behind it. |
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jhewoiJoin Date: 2013-01-06
Post Count: 2230 |
Get the wounded onboard. No man left behind. |
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NAME: L-CPL. JOSEPH WICKES
LOCATION: MONTIGNY-LES-METZ (near Metz)
HP: 100/100
TIME: 10:13 {LAST TIME CHECKED} (PM)
WITH: PVT. SILMAN (?) | PVT. THOMSON | PVT. JAMES | PVT. ALLEN (?)
You lift each wounded onto the back of the trailer and climb onto the flat surface. You reach into the bag of supplies and grab, with both hands, a jerry can full of clean, fresh water. You use the time of the travel, because the tractor is reasonably slow, to fill the canteens of the wounded and help them to drink and eat when possible.
James, also assisting you aid the wounded, surprised you with his medical talent. He seemed to be injected just the right amount of morphine and fixing the bandages around the wounds properly to be helping the soldiers. James was, no doubt, a hero.
It takes about two hours to reach your destination and your are pleased that, however disturbing, only three of the forty-two wounded died. These were the three extremely wounded that wouldn't awaken from their comas.
Your tractor enters the town of Bar-le-Duc and is immediately met by dozens of British troops assisting the wounded towards the correct medical zone. Your are met by a bunch of high-ranking military officials who look very, very pleased.
"Ah, Lance Corporal Wickes." The General says. You don't recognise him, however you do recognise a lot of Junior Officers behind him. "And... Private James?" He asks. James nods. "Congratulations, you're both being promoted. Corporal Wickes and Lance Corporal James. Also, Silman and Allen died in the retreat. I'm sorry." He finishes. You nod and begin to turn around looking at James. Thomson rushes to you and proclaims that he, also, has been promoted to Lance Corporal.
>["WITH" HAS BEEN EDITED | "PVT. SILMAN" AND "PVT. ALLEN" REMOVED: REASON: K.I.A]
>["NAME" HAS BEEN EDITED | "CPL. JOSEPH WICKES"
>["WITH" HAS BEEN EDITED | "L-CPL. THOMSON" and "L-CPL. JAMES" ARE UNLOCKED] |
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jhewoiJoin Date: 2013-01-06
Post Count: 2230 |
Tell my men to restock on munitions, and also restock on MG ammo myself. Check time while I'm at it. |
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NAME: CPL. JOSEPH WICKES
LOCATION: BAR-LE-DUC
HP: 100/100
TIME: 10:13 {LAST TIME CHECKED} (PM)
WITH: L-CPL. THOMSON | L-CPL. JAMES
You order your men to restock their ammunitions and they quickly follow orders. They take bandoleers of Lee-Enfield rifle ammunition and then take loose bullets into their pockets. Each man carries two grenades in their large pockets beside their knees.
You take three large magazines of Besal calibre and tuck them into your small back-pouch before also taking two grenades, in your knee pockets, and spare loose Lee-Enfield bullets (in the event that you may need to pick up the British standard).
You look and see another three men running to you. "We've been assigned to your Section, Sir!" They say, with a salute. "Very well." You nod and they begin to load up their ammunition and canteens.
>["WITH" GAINED: "PVT. LEWIS", "PVT. JENKINS" AND "PVT. COOKE"]
Second Lieutenant Toft approaches you, near the armoury, and smiles. "Wickes, dear chap. You're a Corporal now. What attachment do you want to your section?" He asks.
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jhewoiJoin Date: 2013-01-06
Post Count: 2230 |
Tell him to specify what attachments are available for my Section. Also, check time. |
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NAME: CPL. JOSEPH WICKES
LOCATION: BAR-LE-DUC
HP: 100/100
TIME: 12:43 {LAST TIME CHECKED} (PM)
WITH: L-CPL. THOMSON | L-CPL. JAMES | PVT. JENKINS | PVT. LEWIS | PVT. COOKE
ATTACHMENT:
You look at the watch and check the time.
====={12:43 (AM)}=====
Second Lieutenant Toft hands you a clipboard with a signature and a list of items. You begin to, carefully, read the clipboard.
[CLIPBOARD:
2 ARMOURED CARS
1 MEDIUM ARMOURED TANK
2 LIGHT ARMOURED TANKS
4 ARTILLERY PIECES (WITH TOWING CARS)
(SIGNED,) GENERAL HARRISON] |
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jhewoiJoin Date: 2013-01-06
Post Count: 2230 |
The medium tank. |
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NAME: CPL. JOSEPH WICKES
LOCATION: BAR-LE-DUC
HP: 100/100
TIME: 12:43 {LAST TIME CHECKED} (PM)
WITH: L-CPL. THOMSON | L-CPL. JAMES | PVT. JENKINS | PVT. LEWIS | PVT. COOKE
ATTACHMENT: ONE MEDIUM TANK
You point to the medium tank and Toft nods. "Right away, son." He jogs off and minutes later you hear the thunderous tracks of the tank heading directly towards you.
You still need to prepare for the German offensive.
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jhewoiJoin Date: 2013-01-06
Post Count: 2230 |
I need to know more of my surroundings before I set up defenses; send one of my men to scout out my defense line thoroughly, while I check the tank crew and its ammo load. |
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NAME: CPL. JOSEPH WICKES
LOCATION: BAR-LE-DUC
HP: 100/100
TIME: 12:43 {LAST TIME CHECKED} (PM)
WITH: L-CPL. THOMSON | L-CPL. JAMES | PVT. JENKINS | PVT. LEWIS | PVT. COOKE
ATTACHMENT: ONE MEDIUM TANK
The tank commander climbs up to the hatch and looks down at you. "Alright, Wickes, is it?" He asks. You nod. "I've got twelve rounds in 'ere pal." He confirms, you smile and turn around, looking at James. "James, go check out the area and report to me the defensive lines." You command. He runs off immediately.
What would you like to do as you wait for him to return? |
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jhewoiJoin Date: 2013-01-06
Post Count: 2230 |
Check the status of the tank, and the tank model. Is it a Matilda, or a Valentine? Or some other tank model? Inspect its MG, perhaps give it a few of my Besa magazines if they're running low. |
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NAME: CPL. JOSEPH WICKES
LOCATION: BAR-LE-DUC
HP: 100/100
TIME: 12:43 {LAST TIME CHECKED} (PM)
WITH: L-CPL. THOMSON | L-CPL. JAMES | PVT. JENKINS | PVT. LEWIS | PVT. COOKE
ATTACHMENT: ONE MEDIUM TANK (MATILDA)
It is indeed a Matilda and it's fully functioning with no damage. Just imported from the UK to help the defensive. You see that it has no MG attached. You could donate your Besal to the gunner?
Also, James quickly returns after climbing the church tower and inspecting the surroundings. Bar-le-Duc is an historic town filled with old buildings surrounded by a hilly forest at all sides. Running directly through the centre is a river with a single stone bridge across the centre of town. |
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jhewoiJoin Date: 2013-01-06
Post Count: 2230 |
Give my Besa to the Matilda, along with all the MG ammo. I've learned out of experience against the German Panzers: A tank without an MG is a dead tank against infantry.
Send one of my men, the one most skilled with a rifle up the church tower. Place the Matilda on a road in the town, where it has line of sight on both the forests on the side and the bridge. Send men to set up sandbags near the Matilda to further enhance its protection. Then maneuver all my remaining men to the forests on the left, and follow them. |
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NAME: CPL. JOSEPH WICKES
LOCATION: BAR-LE-DUC
HP: 100/100
TIME: 12:43 {LAST TIME CHECKED} (PM)
WITH: L-CPL. THOMSON | L-CPL. JAMES | PVT. JENKINS | PVT. LEWIS | PVT. COOKE
ATTACHMENT: ONE MEDIUM TANK (MATILDA)
You hand your Besal, and all of the ammunition, away and begin to scavenge the town for a loose Lee-Enfield and a couple of magazine clips. You manage to find a Lee-Enfield with a rusty bayonet - "you'll give somebody tetanus if you stab 'em with that" joked Thomson. The entire squad, and yourself, found the joke rather funny and it highlighted the dark humour of war.
"Thomson, up onto the church tower. Rush to the armoury and get yersen' a scope." You command. He nods and runs off. You command the attachment, a standard newly built Matilda, to take position with a perfect sight over the forest and the bridge. You send Lewis and Cooke, whom you hardly know, to fetch the sandbags and set up a defensive position across the tank to ensure the crew, and infantry, remain safe whilst protecting the town.
Just as you plan for the remainder of your squad, and yourself, to retreat to a defensive position in the forest, Second Lieutenant Toft approaches you and demands that you remain within the town. "You're the most successful section in this town, Wickes, and I bloody well won't let you leave now!" He shouts, you agree to stay. |
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jhewoiJoin Date: 2013-01-06
Post Count: 2230 |
Then set up near the Matilda. If possible, plant some mines on the bridge and on the other side of the bridge. |
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NAME: CPL. JOSEPH WICKES
LOCATION: BAR-LE-DUC
HP: 100/100
TIME: 12:43 {LAST TIME CHECKED} (PM)
WITH: L-CPL. THOMSON | L-CPL. JAMES | PVT. JENKINS | PVT. LEWIS | PVT. COOKE
ATTACHMENT: ONE MEDIUM TANK (MATILDA)
You command Thomson, James and Jenkins to grab some land mines from the make-shift armoury and plant them across the bridge, and on it, in an effort to stall the inevitable German advance. Once that has been completed you immediately order that the entire squad set up their defensive positions around the Matilda tank, with the official working name as Medium Tank.
Thomson has a brilliant idea. He decides to cover his trench-coat in rubble to make it look dirty, but also to blend in with some destroyed buildings used for cover, and then chooses to lay down within the rubble so that he is nearly invisible to the untrained eye. He decides he shall use this as his sniper position, to take out enemy targets secretly. "Aim for Officers." You advise him.
You quickly find yourself running out of time. The German advance is so near that you can hear it echo across the hillside. |
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jhewoiJoin Date: 2013-01-06
Post Count: 2230 |
Stuff as much ammo and grenades into myself as I can, and then spread them evenly to my men. Also, if time permits, swap my rifle for a Sten. |
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NAME: CPL. JOSEPH WICKES
LOCATION: BAR-LE-DUC
HP: 100/100
TIME: 12:43 {LAST TIME CHECKED} (PM)
WITH: L-CPL. THOMSON | L-CPL. JAMES | PVT. JENKINS | PVT. LEWIS | PVT. COOKE
ATTACHMENT: ONE MEDIUM TANK (MATILDA)
You grab as much ammunition as you can and distribute it across the squad as fairly as possible, as time allows you to do this. Unfortunately, you cannot find a Sten as they haven't been invented yet, it's still 1940.
However, a German MP40 is available for you to use if you wish to take it. It has three magazines, all full, and was captured during the tactical withdrawal from Metz. |
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jhewoiJoin Date: 2013-01-06
Post Count: 2230 |
Get the MP40 then. |
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NAME: CPL. JOSEPH WICKES
LOCATION: BAR-LE-DUC
HP: 100/100
TIME: 12:43 {LAST TIME CHECKED} (PM)
WITH: L-CPL. THOMSON | L-CPL. JAMES | PVT. JENKINS | PVT. LEWIS | PVT. COOKE
ATTACHMENT: ONE MEDIUM TANK (MATILDA)
You grab onto the MP40, and all available ammunition, and you await the advancing Germans. It takes about twenty minutes for them to arrive, and they do so in force. The Luftwaffe begin a dive-bombing campaign against the historical town and the British suffer a lot of casualties.
Then, finally, the German offensive begins. Buildings, already damaged, are blown apart by the Panzer movements supported by strategic infantry deployments across the town. The Germans, although suffering from fatigue, manage to capture the outskirts of the town and then you see the first mine, across the bridge, explode. It's starting. Thomson, hidden beneath the rubble, begins firing and records several kills. |
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jhewoiJoin Date: 2013-01-06
Post Count: 2230 |
Wait for the infantry to actually show themselves, and open fire when they are in my effective range. A SMG in a rifle squad is like a wolf hidden in a herd of sheep, and will most likely send them running. |
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NAME: CPL. JOSEPH WICKES
LOCATION: BAR-LE-DUC
HP: 100/100
TIME: 12:43 {LAST TIME CHECKED} (PM)
WITH: L-CPL. THOMSON | L-CPL. JAMES | PVT. JENKINS | PVT. LEWIS | PVT. COOKE
ATTACHMENT: ONE MEDIUM TANK (MATILDA)
The German infantry begin to head across the bridge yet the minefield, which were placed especially across the bridge for this, caused them to halt against a stone wall at the opposite end of your men. An unknowingly stupid German ran across the bridge only to be cut down by British machine-gun fire and land, unforgettably, on a land mine. The entire bridge lifted from the foundations and collapsed into the river leaving nothing but rubble and a huge ash cloud.
The Germans continue to peek, fire and then duck - in a repeated fashion - whilst maintaining a positive fight against your men. You and the Jerries share one thing in common; you're both very, very tired and need rest very quickly.
You hear the click, bang, click, bang, repeatedly from Thomson's position and you look at the Matilda aiming wildly across the gap where a bridge once was positioned. It aims at an incoming Panzer, fires and the Panzer explodes. It had hit the under-armour where the ammo is stored - causing a devastating fireball which instantly killed those inside and severely wounded those 10-15 Germans around it.
The fire of your machine-gun among the rifles was evident yet ignored. The battle was a huge one involving hundreds of men at both sides. This would be a war of attrition. You need to continue to hold your position, but with hunger, thirst and fatigue creeping towards you; how do you maintain yourself? |
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jhewoiJoin Date: 2013-01-06
Post Count: 2230 |
If no one is shooting at me for 5 seconds, crawl behind some nearby cover and take 2 sips from my canteen. |
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NAME: CPL. JOSEPH WICKES
LOCATION: BAR-LE-DUC
HP: 100/100
TIME: 12:43 {LAST TIME CHECKED} (PM)
WITH: L-CPL. THOMSON | L-CPL. JAMES | PVT. JENKINS | PVT. LEWIS | PVT. COOKE
ATTACHMENT: ONE MEDIUM TANK (MATILDA)
The temptation is too good. You manage to take cover but as you open your canteen your mental state, and belly, begin talking to you. They demand you drink all of the water, and this you do. You place your empty canteen into your material pouch against your belt, at the back of your waist, and continue to fire the MP40 against the advancing Germans.
Before you know it, hours have gone by before you realise that it is starting to become dark however not a single metre of ground has been gained. No side looks like capitulating at the current moment. |
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