24 November, 2013

Get to the Gunboat!

Knowing that they were being stalked by something, Schaefer set up defences and waited for it to come at them. The trip wires and mines did nothing though and now he decides to get his people the hell out of there and get to the gunboat.


Ahead of them, Hamid drags his hostage through the jungle, angling for the jetty where he trusts his dhow awaits him.

Harper and Carpenter go ashore from the gunboat to make contact with the Marines, while Cook and Kennedy 'hold the fort'. 
Overlooking the Marines' defences, the Hunter is still cloaked
Shore Party makes contact with the Pirates, they race up the hill to get a superior position, but Harper is killed by concerted musketry
Carpenter hunkers down around the corner and tries to come up with a plan to save his life and the hostage
The exultant pirates go to the top of the cliff and display their hostage
The Marines make it to the river bank - from there they open fire on the pirates in the distance, killing a few of Hamid's companions and clipping the hostage's leg
Eyeing up the river crossing, Schaefer has his men take cover behind a rock formation
The Hunter de-cloaks
and leaps down to move towards bridge
Carpenter rushes back up the hill and takes on Hamid's sword with his bayonet
Having no time to finish the slaver, Carpenter scampers back to the foot of the hill and hides in the undergrowth as more pirates arrive on the scene
Hunter tries to cut off the Marines at the bridge, but they're still taking their time crossing the river
Kennedy urges the wounded hostage back to his feet and over to the gunboat - raking the nearby pirates with his tommy gun as he does
Rushing into wreak havoc, the Hunter survives the snapshot from Schaefer as he runs past
Blaine and Billy go down as the Hunter unsheathes wicked wrist blades
Gunfire from Schaefer and Hawkins sees Hunter unscathed, but return fire from the Hunter's shoulder cannon vaporises Schaefer's weapon
Schaefer somehow avoids the Hunter's wrist blades but drive him backwards - he shouts out for Hawkins to run for it!
Hamid has scrambled down the cliff face, ignoring the pain from his leg and making towards the shore - Kennedy watches the carnage ashore and tells Cook to fire up the engines
Schaefer withdraws firing his trusty M1911 but it has no effect and as the Hunter turns towards him Schaefer drops it and raises his fists. The Hunter accepts the challenge and the wrist blades withdraw. Within moments Schaefer goes down crippled, and it's only then that the Hunter notices the rest of his prey is in danger of escaping!
Cook stands guard at the rear, bearing the old reliable Springfield 1903, while Kennedy is at the prow. The hostage has been given a quick tutorial and is at the wheel
Pirate scrambles past crocodile to swim aboard, but instead of making common cause with the sailors, he attacks Cook with his sword (but is dispatched back into the river!)
The Hunter arrives with preternatural speed at the jetty and leaps across to the gunboat!
It guts Cook without too much trouble and looks to enter the engine room
But only gets a faceful of lead from Kennedy for his trouble (destroying its useful mask)
Further fire from Hawkins damages the shoulder cannon and it withdraws back to shore to think again
With no way of chasing the gunboat, the Hunter disappears back into the jungle. Back on the bank of the stream Schaefer struggles to bind his wounds and salvage what he can for his last stand...

17 November, 2013

Coming Aboard?

Lt. Vanderbolt leads a small gunboat towards the rendezvous point with Gunny Schaefer’s squad, but as they cruise towards the landing point, a dhow slides up behind them, ignoring their hails.


A band of Zanzibari Pirates have been patrolling the area and are aware that their glorious leader has raised the ire of the Americans. They will attempt to prevent any interference by taking control of the boat.

Grant goes aft to challenge the approaching dhow
But the pirates have taken positions ashore as well
In fact, they've set up a small gun overlooking the jetty - it opens fire on the gunboat and Warner, manning the Lewis Gun near the bridge takes a direct hit
Other Zanzibaris converge on the jetty
As Seaman Black and Lieutenant Vanderbolt seek to take control of the prow gun, they are hit by a fusilade of musket fire from the shore
Harper and Carpenter jump to the jetty (avoiding the crocodile lurking below) and open fire on the group nearest - driving them off
Meanwhile, the dhow starts its approach and the pirate aboard open fire, killing Grant - though taking serious return fire from Kennedy's tommy gun
Harper and Carpenter have wiped out the gun crew and turn it on the dhow
Kennedy has been hit by the pirates (dropping his sub-machine gun overboard) and one of the pirates makes it across in an attempt to finish him off
The other group of pirates rush down the jetty and jump aboard
Harper, now hobbling with a gammy leg, rushes towards the shore - he spots that the gunboat is in serious trouble of being taken!
Thankfully he spots that Kennedy has gotten back to his feet, and he points his shotgun back at the remaining crew of the dhow
Kennedy has more than that to contend with - with just a pistol left, he leaps up to the top deck and runs for the bridge
Somehow, Cook and Kennedy defend the bridge against both groups of pirates with just their pistols!
The leader of the Zanzibari pirates run back to his ship
So, it looks like the navy will be able to make the rendezvous with Schaefer after all...

05 November, 2013

No Time for Invitations

The marines have found the Pirate camp, a small fortified village at the edge of a knoll, descending to a winding stream bed below. Almost 20 men, dressed in the flowing robes of Zanzibari pirates and armed with a mixture of muskets and rifles move around the camp. A small field gun guards the entrance to the camp.
A sudden cry from one building at the edge of the camp grabs their attention. The door flies open as an American hostage staggers through. A pirate leader approaches the beaten man, raising him to his knees. With one swift motion he draws a sword and beheads him. He strides quickly back into the house, closing the door behind him.


Schaefer gathers the squad together in a huddle and whispers angrily: “They just killed one of the prisoners.  No time for invitations. We take them, now.”

With Schaefer directing Blain's fire on the pirates gathered outside the fort, Billy leads his team down to rescue the remaining hostage.
Quicker than anyone anticipated, Hamid rushes out of his lair with the hostage in tow. Azzan leads his men past them to see off the attacking marines
Malik's crew prepare the gun for action. Anyone coming through those gates will get a faceful
Hawkins and Eliot take cover behind some crates to give Billy covering fire
Billy leads Dillon around the back of the fort, and they exchange fire with Hamid - missing the hostage (even with the shotgun!). Billy does manage to wound the pirate leader in his leg
Billy advances on the old pirate, as Hamid drop his rifle to draw his sword - somehow he escapes any harm
Just as Billy reloads his shotgun to make sure of Hamid, Omar reaches the stream to open fire on the marines.
Though just as they prepare to do so, Hawkins and Eliot let rip with a deadly fusillade of fire and wipe out the entire group of pirates!
In the confusion, Hamid slips away and crosses the stream at an unknown ford. The marines have failed in their mission, but there'll be hell to pay!
Having advanced up to the wall of the fort, Blain spots a westerner running from the scene - having no time to ask questions he opens up with his Lewis Gun, dropping the man in an instant
Billy leads his team up to the parapet of the fort and their concerted fire wiped out the gun team. But the return fire from the other group inside the fort hits Hawkins and Eliot as they crouch exposed on the walls.
Billy and Dillon are rushes by Rashid's men and Dillon falls to their clubbing. Billy fights them off (though he's wounded) and Rashid races out of the fort and into the jungle
Billy spots movement in the trees beyond, but Schaefer orders them to move out pronto. They need to catch up with Hamid to rescue the hostage and make that rendezvous with the navy's gunboat.

Something is out there, in the trees, waiting, watching.

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