As the members of SST 11 take a look a the situation, several attempt to figure out some good tactics to defeat the enemy while Koda also decides to use his Talent Ability to see what 'the Spirits' can tell him....
Koda pulls out a small amulet and holds it in his hand as he closes his eyes and starts quietly talking to the Spirits and his senses reach out and study the area ahead of them. He can tell that Major Stone's dispositions are essentially correct; the enemy lies mostly in a line let to right from the left of the pillbox to the intersection of the roads (corso on the map) to the right and number perhaps 40 souls. He can also tell that the pillbox was NOT built here and has only recently come to lie on this particular patch of Earth....as if from nowhere.....
At about the same time Koda activates his power and all the Allied Talents feel/smell/hear his Power being activated, machiengun fire from an MG 42 in the pillbox opens up and tears into the corner of the Farmhouse they are all ducking behind, frighteningly close to where Koda is. The Talents look at each other and all have the same thought....if there's a German Talent in that Pillbox, he just felt Koda's power being used as well....
Bob speaks up and says, "I think if Jimmy and I take 'Gloria' and move out towards the Railway Station over there, that should draw their fire and attention, I can pound them with the 20 millimeter while doing so....that should help some, I'd wager".
During and after Koda's report and Bob's suggestion, Phil and Nahum mull over the tactics and while Heuron isn't really able to come up with anything, Chisholm realizes the drainage ditch is indeed their best bet. If they use Stone's mortars to put some smoke on the slit trenches and then send Bob and Jimmy out on the left flank, that should occupy the attention of the Germans enough for SST 11, followed by most of what was left of D company to move up the ditch and then when they were parallel to the slit trenches, take them from the flanks. Chisholm gives this assessment and Stone is quickly on board and telling his men to gather up all their gear and get ready. Hyde-Smythe waves Bob and Jimmy to get into 'Gloria' and likewise makes sure his weapons are ready while having SST 11 members do the same.
With that done, soon the sounds of 'Gloria' moving out can be heard and the little armored vehicle is soon moving out towards the railway station while its 20mm cannon is pounding away at the German lines. The distinctive sound of multiple MG 42 opening up and lighting up the side of the vehicle with sparks quickly adds to the cacophony of sound and Stone orders the half-dozen men staying behind with the pair of Mortars to start firing their smoke shells and then calls out to Hyde-Smythe, "Let's move Captain!"
Just as everyone starts to head out down the drainage ditch, there is the terrible sound of screams coming from a couple of wounded Canadians out in the field as Gloria unknowingly runs over them....the tall grass had hid them from sight and the scene is enough to sap some of the vigor and energy from everyone watching*. Stone gets them back on task with a "GO!" and they are off....
The trip up the ditch is slow and nerve-wracking, but no booby-traps are found and after what seemed like an eternity, they are right past the Olive grove and near the hedges and pensione building that lies at the middle of the German Slit-Trench lines. Taking a cautious peek over the sides; they can tell the Germans have no idea where they are and smoke is covering most of the far left (past the Pillbox) and far right (intersection of the roads) trenches. The trenches closest to them each show groupings of a dozen German troops with a pair of MG 42 crews to either side (4 total). A fifth MG 42 was obviously in the Pillbox. Stone motions to Hyde-Smythe and rest of SST 11....
"Okay, you boys take the left trench and that bloody Pillbox and we'll take the right to the intersection of the roads. Good luck!", and then the Major is leading his 20 troops in an assault. SST 11 looks out and sees their objectives spread out over 30 yards, more or less in a line perpendicular to the drainage ditch where they currently are....
Closest to them is a trench with 3 German Riflemen lying prone, about 5 yards away. Some 5 yards past that is a pair of German soldiers manning an MG 42 machinegun in a small trench. Then 5 yards past them is a another small trench with 2 soldiers, one holding an MP 40 SMG and the other holding some kind of rifle with a side-loading magazine they'd never seen before. 5 yards past them is another small trench with another MG 42 crew and then 5 yards past them is another small trench with 3 more German Riflemen. Finally, 5 yards past the last trench is the Pillbox; which fortunately did NOT have a slit opening facing their direction.
OOC: I hope that all made sense...but basically over 30 yards are 6 groups of enemies; 5 small trenches (about 6 feet wide and 3 feet deep) holding 2 or 3 German Troops over 25 yards distance and then 30 yards away is the metal pillbox, looking something like this:
On the far side of the Pillbox and to the far side of the trenches being assaulted by Stone and D company are more Germans, but they are currently covered in smoke, so it's hard to tell how many, etc. There is also the Pensione in front of you, from which no movement or sounds can be heard and in the distance, several 2 story houses, likewise, no sounds or movements can be seen/heard from.
*Everyone loses 2 WP from the demoralizing sight....
