Location:Base Camp 20 km South of Kalisz
Time: 0330 20 July 2000
<SGM Martinez hears a faint, but unmistakable sound...the sound of a diesel engine travelling down the road.
Everyone freezes, and after what seems like an eternity, the vehicle passes and the sound of the engine fades away.
No one got a look at the vehicle, but it sounded like a large truck. SGM Martinez walks over to CPT Cappanetti
and says "Sir, if the ruskies are up and about already, we need to decide are we going to stay here another
day, or move out real quick like.">
Brantley speaks up "Cutter and I can scout ahead if you give us a direction sir. 2 folks will be much less
noticeable or ambushable than a small caravan."
Cutter voices his opinion "or maybe we should track those vehicles and see what the heck we have in the AO
- maybe this is the 12th..?"
CPT Wolfe responds "good idea Brantley. you and Cutter do the recon. take what you need. BE QUIET. Use the
treeline if possible."
CPT Cappanetti says "That's good advice, people. Quiet is as quiet does. Keep an ear out. If they're brave
enough to be just cruisin' around in a deuce with no escort...maybe we're in deeper than we thought."
Brantley and Cutter head out on a quick recon taking the LAW (from CPT Wolfe) just in case. They decide to check
the road and the surrounding area while the rest of the group finishes prepping for movement.
CPT Wolfe says "I'll be in the Hummer, need a co-pilot. Whose gonna be in the deuce? Y'all know that deuce
is freakin' loud. Y'all need to stay far enuff from them commie sh*theads. We need a pointman. Any "volunteers"?
Me and the Hummer will be second, followed by who? Deuce will be rear guard. The deuce will need at least 3 personnel.
I got commo, how bout the rest of y'all?"
CPT Cappanetti listens to CPT Wolfe, then answers "SGM Martinez, ride shotgun with 'im. Weeell, far 'nuff
is a couple a klicks minimum, so we need good recon. CPT Wolfe, Thank you vewwy much for volunteerin', soldier.
You and yer shotgun have the honors.
As for having the duece on rear guard...Baaad idea. The deuce bein' last is like strappin' a claymore to yer ass,
"This side toward buttcheeks." If the deuce takes a hit anything forward of it is likely to be frappee'd,
like a blender, ya' know? After all, we got cases o' bottle rockets, all the food, and a still on the back t'boot!
I'll keep 'er back 1.5 klicks from yer point hummer.
Brantley and Cutter bring up the rear, .5 a klick back from the deuce. I can handle the wildebeast all by mahself.
You've got a shotgun, and so does Brantley. Any spares ride with me... It'd be nice ta' have somebody in the back
to keep stowaways out, though. SSG Martinez, looks like you get to ride in back with the gear.
As for commo, Yeah, let's all get on the same freq and a sequence to hop to in case somebody else starts steppin'
on us. Too bad we don't have enough secure hoppers for everybody.
Okay, now that we've got a marchin' order, here's the plan: Ah'm gonna strap a t-buster forward facin' on the deuce
on top of the cab. The point
hummer's gonna spot for us, and when we get a sighting, Ah'll make the call about whether we engage or not. If
we do, Ah want the point hummer callin' fire for Brantley's Mk19 in the rear-guard hummer. If we don't get 'em
that way, Ah'll pull the deuce into hull down and direct fire the t-buster on 'em. If we can see some armor in
defilade, we'll drop a t-buster on the softskin, grenades all around, and see if our point hummer cain't rush in
and take the armor intact...
Ah got a lil' village in mind ta' stop at an' pickup some gear and Ruskie
uniforms, and the deuce we're followin' just so happens to be goin' our way. Let's get movin' right along... eh?
Cutter, Brantley, you have 20 minutes to do your quick recon.
Check yer ammo, boys, and let's lock 'n load."
Cutter and Brantley both snap "Moving sir!" as they head out on their recon.
SSG Martinez says "I'll get Brantley and Cutter's humvee ready while they are out on recon."