WW2 Supers d6: Mission Six: Saipan

[Rex]

Gurung

Gurung will keep look out as they move past the tanks.

[ateno]

Elias will continue with his people, a quick clean to his rifle and a drink of water. He looks inside the abandoned tank to make sure its not sabotaged to blow if moved.

Elais Tucker

[jemmus]

Saul looks at the abandoned tank, and for any signs of where the crew might have gone. They'd be lightly armed compared to the IJA troops in the valley and may need help.

[Monsieur Rose]

Acme

All good with the luck point use.

Marvin looks over the tanks. "Anybody have an idea on what caused those holes? Any other tracks nearby, or are we looking at a talent?"

[max_vale]

'Death Valley' in the plateaus near the base of Mt. Tapotchau in the central part of the island of Saipan at approximately 1:05 PM 25 June, 1944


As SST 4 and a platoon of Army troops moved near the shot up Sherman tanks and one Sherman tank that was stuck in the mud, several things happened as the patrol moved close to and around the stuck vehicle....

Major Marvin Acme looks at the holes in the destroyed tanks and quickly comes to the conclusion that an Anti-Tank cannon, probably something in the 40-50mm range, is the most likely culprit. Looking around, he saw that several hundred yards away, in the 'upper left' walls of the valley were some cave openings that had good fields of fire and were perfectly positions for what was probably a Japanese Type 1 47mm AT (Anti-Tank) gun and its crew to have set up shop to be in excellent 'sniping' position for vehicles in the valley. His attention was immediately brought back to the 'abandoned' tank though as suddenly the .30 caliber 'ball' turret on the front opened fire and a top hatch flipped open and a muddy uniformed IJA member screamed and moved to man the .50 cal on the top of the turret....

A trio consisting of CPL Saul Rabinowitz, Chief Elias Tucker and an Army PFC named Lashley were closest to the tank and Saul looked around to see what may have happened to the crew of the Sherman. He saw a pile of 4 or 5 bodies, all shot up and hastily thrown around the far side of the stuck tank so they wouldn't be visible from the trail on the opposite side and he immediately was about to call out a warning when it happened....

From inside the tank, a trio of IJA troops who had clearly moved forward to attempt to use the tank for their own purposes, sprang an ambush. One manned the 'ball turret' .30 LMG on the front of the tank and he sent a spray of rounds into the trio closest to the tank, which included Saul, Elias and poor Jim Lashley. Lashley was pulped while Tucker was spun around by a couple of rounds hitting his side and upper leg and Saul caught a round that deflected off the back of his shoulder blade, but still hit with enough force to drive him to the ground*....

Elias Tucker was moving close to the stuck tank with Saul and a quiet but good natured Army PFC named Jim Lashley when he saw movement inside the narrow 'view screen' of the Sherman and then suddenly the top hatch opened and an IJA Trooper scrambled out to man the .50 cal while another IJA member stayed inside the tank and opened fire with the ball turret. Lashley got drilled with half-a-dozen rounds that stitched his torso to pieces while Elias caught a round in his lower left side and upper left leg that spun him around and dropped him to the ground, throbbing in pain**. He saw Saul get knocked to the ground as well, but he could tell the tough Marine was already getting up, so he doubted it was very serious. The entire turret of the tank began to move and its main cannon was sweeping towards Acme, Roker and the rest of the patrol......

Senior Chief Roker was shocked out of the moment when the Sherman Tank that was stuck in the mud suddenly starting firing its MGs and its big turret started to swivel to point its long barreled main gun his way. He saw Saul and Elias get dropped to the ground, though both were still moving and he wasn't sure exactly what he should do next, but he KNEW it would have to be fast.....

Gurung moved to watch over the rest of the patrol as it moved towards the stuck Sherman on its way towards finishing the patrol to clear 'Death Valley'. In the blink of an eye, the tank proved to be a trap as IJA troopers manning its weapons opened fire and wounded Tucker and Rabinowitz and killed a young Army solider. Another IJA trooper moved to man the HMG on the top of the tank while yet another started to move the turret to aim towards the main body of the patrol.....



*Saul is just Grazed (I made an OUTSTANDING Strength roll for you to resist damage!), so he'll be at -2 for all actions next round only (not -2 dice, just -2); Tucker is Wounded, so he's at -1D to all actions until treated. The tank is no more than 25 yards away from any of you and one trooper is out on the top of the tank and he has some Cover, so he'll be a bit more difficult to hit....the others are inside the tank, so they are quite well protected from regular shots.....

[Rex]

Gurung

Gurung drops to a knee and brings his Enfield up into a tight firing position. He then takes aim and double taps (2 shots) at the IJA manning the closest machine gun. He then moves to the next machine gun.

[ateno]

Elias will low crawl towards the side of the trail and advance to the tank under concealment.

Elias Tucker

[jemmus]

Saul rushes to the side of the tank, zigzagged to try not to get made into mincemeat. He grabs above the tread and with a mighty strain, tries to turn it onto its side.

Trying to Super Strength talent.

[Monsieur Rose]

Acme

"Cover!" He shouts as he curses himself for allowing the trap to snap on them. Marvin dives for cover behind a burnt tank and starts to pull a grenade to toss. Luckily, he spots Saul being heroic and pauses momentarily, then throws the grenade to land where the tank will once be tipped over.

[Zhym]

For just a fraction of a second, Roker considers whether to just say "screw it" and try for some heroics. Wolf out, run for that tank, and try to drop a grenade in it? It has some appeal—mostly because he's so tired and hungry at this point that he doesn't give a damn.

Then he sees Saul run for the tank, figures that two supers running pell mell at the tank is just silly, and dives for whatever cover he can find.

[max_vale]

'Death Valley' in the plateaus near the base of Mt. Tapotchau in the central part of the island of Saipan at approximately 1:10 PM 25 June, 1944


The members of SST 4 and the Army soldiers they were with all reacted as the IJA troops in the 'disabled' Sherman Tank sprung their trap and opened up with the immobile vehicle's weapons....

The .30 caliber ball turret moved, tracking Roker and a pair of nearby soldiers named Honeycutt and Garcia and as it opened fire, the veteran Navy Radioman and both Army troopers scrambled to get out of the way and under cover. Fred managed to do so, the sound of numerous ricochets all around him ringing in his ears. Garcia was the same, but Honeycutt fell to the ground, screaming in pain as a round slammed into his side....

The BOOM of the 75mm main gun of the Tank firing was DEAFENING to all around the tank, but luckily for the Talents and regular soldiers alike, the IJA trooper who fired it was NOT a Tank gunner and the shell went screaming over their heads and exploded some 50 yards away, raising a short lived eruption of dirt and foliage some 2-3 yards into the air and all around.....

Riflemen Gurung took aim at the IJA trooper who had thrown open the top hatch and manned the .50 caliber Heavy Machinegun mounted there and he fired his Enfield Rifle, annoyed with himself at missing with the first shot, but his second shot hit the Japanese Trooper in the upper shoulder and the man was deprived of his ability to fire the weapon for the moment as the wound took his hands off the spade grips.....

At about that moment, Saul Rabinowitz rushed over and activated his Talent Power of Super Strength, attempting to tip the Tank over, but all he managed to do was to lift it an inch or two off the ground for a moment*. Still, this WAS enough to throw off the aim of the wounded IJA trooper who had by now managed to re-man the .50 cal and open fire, but it caused those shots to zip into the ground CLOSE to, but not INTO Major Acme and the nearby SSGT Morris and a Bazooka wielding Solider named PFC Connors. Then he heard Acme's voice yell out, "COVER!" and he heard something 'clink' and 'clang' on top of the Tank, so he dropped down to the ground as the grenade exploded above him.....

Major Acme raced to some cover with the skinny Staff Sergeant Morris and the short but stocky PFC Connors, carrying a Bazooka, right behind him. As he saw the Tank's turret and the wounded IJA trooper on top of it wielding the .50 cal aim his way, he yelled out "COVER!" even as he pulled a grenade and they all dropped and all flinched and tensed as the .50 opened up, but its spray of rounds just chewed up the ground half a yard away. Looking back up again, he saw that Saul had NOT managed to tip the tank over, but probably HAD managed to lift it up as it it was firing, causing the rounds to fall short. Marvin armed the 'nade and tossed it on top of the tank, pleased to see his aim was PERFECT and it went off and pulped the Japanese trooper, dropping his body back into the tank's turret through the open hatch. The fact that the turret was still moving meant at least a couple of more Japanese soldiers were inside the tank. Connors started to get his Bazooka ready to fire, but Acme realized Rabinowitz was RIGHT THERE as well.....

Elias Tucker hissed and grunted in pain as he stayed low and moved to cover, trying to get close too and on the flanking side of the Tank. He was able to do so, ignoring the various sounds of Machieguns, a Tank main gun and other weapons fire along with a grenade explosion. He felt/smelled/heard Saul activate his Hyper Strength Power but a quick glance showed that the Tank was still upright. As he was contemplating what to do, a glint to sunlight off metal caught his eye and he looked over to the distant walls of the Valley som 500 yards away (position 6 on the map) and he could see some silhouettes man-handling a long barreled Anti-Tank gun piece into position and he realized they would soon fire on the Sherman tank. He suspected the glint came off of a silhouette standing by himself off to the side....probably using some binoculars**......


OOC: Okay, the current situation has Saul right next to the tank, everyone else pretty close and under cover now and Saul, while your Hyper Strength WILL allow you the chance to tip the Tank over, it will be a DIFFICULT task for you as your Strength Power is a Minor One. You have 5 Dice to beat a 20.....and last round you had a -2 from being Grazed. The -2 is gone now, but keep that in mind. You CAN use a Luck Point if you so choose to increase your change to do so...or do something else. You ARE right next to a Tank with an open top hatch, so there's that.....

Acme, you know Connors' Bazooka has two main issues....first is that he'd be MUCH better off trying to shoot the Sherman in its thinner rear armor (you guys are near the front and sides)...and TWO, Saul is right there as well and might catch some of the blast....

Finally, Tucker would know that an AT Gun typically would have somewhere around 5 men manning it, including a 'Commander' who looked for targets and spotted and adjusted fire; which almost certainly was the guy with the binoculars. Now, the gun is 500 yards away and in some rocks, so these are some TOUGH shots if Tucker is thinking along those lines.....but possible.

[Rex]

Gurung

Gurung will scan for additional targets as the others deal with the tank itself. If he sees any he will take a shot.

[ateno]

Elias tries not to think of his wounds or noise and calls in his Focus, looks for wind and adjusts for height and sights just a bit left and a foot and half above the binoculars and relax and squeeze off a shot.

Will use my last luck point.

Elias Tucker

[jemmus]

Saul, unaware that he's spoiling a bazooka shot, quickly climbs onto the hull of the tank, pulls a grenade's pin, and drops the pineapple into the hatch. He dives for the ground and lies flat.

[max_vale]

'Death Valley' in the plateaus near the base of Mt. Tapotchau in the central part of the island of Saipan at approximately 1:15 PM 25 June, 1944


The Talents of SST 4 and their attached Army Platoon of 'Valley Cleaners' continued to fight the Japanese Army Troopers who manned an immobilized M4 Sherman Tank AND a crew of a 47mm Anti Tank gun some 500 yards away......

Major Acme moved in a flash, yelling out "NO, DON'T!" as he practically tackled PFC Connors who was starting to aim his Bazooka at the captured Sherman Tank, spoiling his aim and when the angry Soldier started to yell at the Marine SST Officer, Marvin just said, "My man is climbing up on it to put a 'nade down the hatch!" and everyone turned to watch the spectacle....

Chief Roker entertained some thoughts of going 'Wolf-Mode', but just lifted his head up to check out the IJA manned Sherman, as did PVT Garcia next to him. Both immediately ducked their heads down again as the ball-turret MG sent a spray of rounds at them, showering them both in dirt as the near misses knocked turf down on them and all around them. Both of their faces went grim as the screams of pain from PFC Honeycutt, lying wounded near them were silenced as several more .30 caliber rounds ripped into him. A moment later a pair of explosions came from the direction of the tank, one right after the other. One was dulled and muted and then the other was loud. Risking raising his head again, the Navy Radioman NCO saw that the Sherman Tank had smoke billowing out from it open hatch and drivers 'window' AND had a massive rent-open rear deck with flames billowing out of it, clearly having been hit by a large, armor-piercing round......

CPL Saul Rabinowitz pulled of a piece of heroics as he climbed up the captured Sherman tank, pulling one of his grenades off his webbing as he did so and pulling the pin and arming the weapon. He dropped it down the open hatch and was about to jump off the armored vehicle went something hit the Tank from behind and and explosion BLEW him off the tank instead. He found himself on his back on the ground, bleeding from several cuts and scrapes from shrapnel* and his ears were ringing and the sky spinning as he realized the Tank had been hit by something right after he dropped the 'nade....

Coastguardsman Elias Tucker ignored his pain and activated his Talent Power of FOCUS and he let the world seem to fall away, all distracting sounds and smells to fade away and his entire existence seemed to shrink into the scope of his Springfield Rifle. He focused on the Japanese Officer directing the crew of the Type 1 47mm AT Gun some 500 yards away and he took a breath and held it for a moment. He adjusted his aim slightly, let the breath go and squeezed the trigger...feeling the butt kick back into his shoulder....vaguely realizing the AT gun had just fired and hit the Sherman Tank as he did so...and through his scope, he watched his .30-06 round slam into the Officer's chest and drop him to the ground, never to rise again from 500+ yards away....

Gurkha Riflemen Gurung took his attention off of the Sherman Tank and he looked all around, noticing his Teammate Tucker aiming his Rifle towards the far off Valley Wall. Looking that direction, he saw a well positioned Japanese AT Gun being moved slightly and then a binocular wielding Officer nearby, who was clearly directing the Gun, drop his arm and the weapon fired. The shell slammed into the back of the Sherman and quickly caused the engine to explode and fire to start billowing out of the rear, now split open deck. At almost the same time, an muted explosion echoed from within the Tank and smoke started pouring out of its hatch and from the flying off from the AT Gun hit Saul, Gurung figured he must've climbed on board and dropped a grenade down the open hatch. Brave, that one. Meanwhile, a quick glance back at the AT Gun crew saw the Officer drop to the ground and the echo of Tucker's rifle hit his ears about the same time.....500 yards away, in a tight cluster of rocks.....that was one helluva shot the American just made.....


OOC: Okay, Saul is Wounded (-1D to all actions until Treated) and the Tank is basically toast. Some 500 yards away the IJA has an AT Gun working and firing at your position....though they just lost their Leader/Spotter....

[ateno]

Elais will keep his focus up and turn to the left just a hair and see if there is a shot available into the crew. Anyone will do.

Elais Tucker

[Rex]

Gurung

Gurung will try to plot a course with the best cover to get closer to the AT-Gun. Then he will activate his armor and run for it.

[jemmus]

Saul looks himself over, fearing the worst. But he still has two arms, two legs, two hands and two feet. And two eyes, and of course one head. His temper rises, and he tries to raise up to blindly fire rounds into the likeliest spots on the cliff above. But a jolt of pain quickly dampens his temper, and he instead crawls away from the blasted and dadblasted tank toward a spot of shelter. He looks back to check the situations of his Marines and Army teammates, then along the slopes and cliffs for the enemy.

[Monsieur Rose]

Acme

He gathers Conner and Morris, then moves with them to check on Saul. "What the hell kinda grenades do you have?" He jests while looking over his wounds. "Nice work exposing that gun, now we just have to get closer. Are you up to it?"

Marvin calls out to the rest of the group. "We need to close the distance. Spread out and advance with cover!" He points to Gurung. "Like that!"

[max_vale]

'Death Valley' in the plateaus near the base of Mt. Tapotchau in the central part of the island of Saipan at approximately 1:20-2:00 PM 25 June, 1944


The 'Valley Clearing' platoon that consisted of Special Services Team 4 of Talents and an attached Army unit went about the business of finishing up the 'clearing out' of a valley in the plateaus near the base of Mount Tapotachau on the island of Saipan....


Major Acme, Staff Sergeant Morris and a Bazooka-man named Connors moved to where a wounded Saul Rabinowitz was crawling and staying low after having taken out a captured Sherman Tank by climbing up on it and dropping a grenade down the hatch. Morris, the skinny veteran Army 'Dog-Face' silently took out a Medkit and went to work while everyone dropped low when the Japanese Type One 47mm AT gun some 500 yards away from them fired again and the shell exploded nearby....

Morris hissed a 'Hold Still!' to a squirming and in pain Saul, but the hot headed Marine bit back a retort and did so and Morris quickly and efficiently patched up his wound. Acme meanwhile was directing the rest of the unit to take out the AT gun by sending a few guys forward to follow an 'armored up' Gurung in working closer to the AT Gun, while having the Rifle-carrying Army soldiers over to Tucker to continue to snipe on the far away weapon and its crew....

Tucker sighted down his Springfield and fired again, but cursed when his shot JUST missed intended target. The AT Gun barked again and a shell came screaming in, but missed hitting any of the unit as the armor-piercing shell, designed to take out Tanks, was NOT particularly effective as an Anti-Personnel artillery round. He noticed several soldiers suddenly taking up positions near him and firing on the AT Gun's position as well, and he realized they were providing 'cover fire' for an Armored Up Gurung and a few others, including Connors with his Bazooka and the BAR carrying 'Tex' who were moving to get closer to the weapon and he joined in.....

Rifleman Gurung found himself up front, moving swiftly from a position of cover to another, activating his 'Armor' Talent and feeling his skin get tough and covered in armored scales all over his body as he moved closer and closer to the AT Gun up on the valley wall that had taken out the Shermans and was now firing on his friends. He heard noise behind him and throwing a quick look over his shoulder, he saw a group of 5 American Soldiers coming to back him up, including one holding a Bazook and another carrying a BAR. He moved forward again, towards a new position of cover in some scrub trees but the sun must've caught something on his person to give off a reflective flash because the AT Gun suddenly shifted aim and fired at him....

The 47mm round slammed into the base of one of the scrub trees he was nearing to duck behind and the force of the explosion knocked Gurung on his back, with a shower of bark-shrapnel flying right at him. Luckily, his armored body kept him from getting hit, but he DID land hard enough to be Dazed for a few moments. At about that moment though, the big BAR and several of the M1 Garand Rifles from the 5 soldiers that had come to help him out suddenly opened up and then a moment later, his blurry eyes caught sight of the trail of smoke from a Rocket fired from the Bazooka that streaked RIGHT INTO the 47mm gun and took it and the last remaining crew out......


Meanwhile, a patched up Saul, Acme, Roker the Radioman and Tucker were now moving towards the end of the Valley and everyone saw the forward group take out the AT Gun and everyone slumped a bit with relief. As the unit of about 15 men all together moved towards the end of the Valley, a strange, ragged scream of 'BANZAI!' suddenly assaulted their ears from a position on the closer Valley Wall (position 7 on the map) and everyone spun around to see about 30 yards away a group of maybe a dozen to 15 IJA soldiers charing out of a cave opening towards them and a ragged volley of Arisaka shots were fired....

A soldier next to Acme went down with a hold in his forehead and another near Tucker was hit and fell to his knees howling in pain. The rest of the shots were poorly aimed though and many of the charging Japanese soldiers seemed unsteady and even their screams seemed somehow....off.....It dawned on them that they were almost certainly drunk! This did little to make them feel much better though as at least 3 of the men were holding swords and the rest had their smoking Arisaka rifles leveled towards them with the long, gleaming bayonets pointed their way!


OOC: Okay, Gurung is Dazed, but he'll be okay in a few minutes and is out and away from the others a bit with 5 soldiers moving up to him and helping him out. Everyone else has 1 round to fire on the mass of charging Troops before they get close enough to engage in melee; Saul is all healed up