'uuRu yi kyyy ve kiki yrk'
'The prey leaves a good trail but expects the hunter'. [Wookiee saying meaning that you shouldn't follow directly the trail left by what you are hunting but should take a path parallel to avoid the prey spotting you as you hunt it. In this situation, we shouldn't follow directly along the path of the Raiders because they will likely spot us coming.]
Raal climbs on board and takes the stick of one of the speeders. "Wich way?"
"That way, sir. I believe Urirawa is right; we should run paralell, perhaps 150 meters off the tracks. The heat may cover our approach. Still, we should be ready for hostility, sirs." Call points in the direction the Tusken were heading and leaps into the speeder.
The Imperials jump into the speeders, preparing to follow the Tuskens. A few minutes later, with the party taking a wide arc to avoid following the tracks directly, a large wrecked sandcrawler looms over the landscape. Jawa bodies litter the surroundings, dessicated by the suns. The Imperials are able to come in quietly along a rocky outcropping about 150 meters from the sandcrawler. At least a dozen Sand People mill about the sandcrawler's exterior. More are certainly inside. The droid is nowhere to be seen.
"That's a lot of raiders. If we take them from surprise and hit them from a distance, we have the advantage. Anyone have a set of electrobinoculars?" asks Sho as he scans the area.
"Another option is to send in half as melee skirmishers in one speeder while the others fire at a distance. Of course that splits the party."
"Last option is to go in guns blazing and then use the speeders as cover while we get up to the group."
"All options are better than waiting until they get back to their camp."
'yi u rurru yyk hyy iv hykkk....'
'If we kill the big ones [Banthas] then the little ones [raiders] will have to walk. With the speeders, we can keep away from their cheap clubs [gaffi sticks]. I'd choose that large non-tree limb [rock outcropping] to set up our fire on the Banthas. After the Banthas shoot those with guns and last shoot the rest as they chase us in the speeders. They won't carry any droids away without the Banthas.'
Listening to Urirawa, Sho responds. "Strike first. Strike fast. Strike hard. With the speed and strength of the noble Vornskr." quoting his Master. "Sounds like my Master Tyvokka."
"I vote we go with the trooper's plan. Strike their mounts first, then those with ranged weapons, then pick off the melee skirmishers. We should approach them from two sides so we can prevent escape in case they turn one way or another. I'll drive one speeder since I have limited ranged effect."
Sho then looks to the others for action, feedback or alternative plans.
Dak nods. "Sounds like a good plan - the kind of thing I bring my rifle along for - I can still get relatively clean hits at a little over two hundred meters, though around ninety would be preferable," he says. "So, if we can find somewhere around that distance away, I should be able to pepper them with slugs and force them to keep their heads down; stopping them from being able to return fire on the rest of the squad as easily."
"Sounds good. I'll drive the other speeder and go in close."
"Sounds good. I'll drive the other speeder and go in close."
"You're senior here Raal. Your call. I would recommend Loreck drive the other speeder since you have some ranged capability with your officer training."
"I'm not proficient with long ranged rifles and my pistol is the most effective up close and personal. I'll ride with you to melee."
"Good plan," Loreck agrees, fingering his lightsaber, "until we get closer we may be best to fight through the force anyway."
Loreck heads to the second speeder with Call and Raal.
INITIATIVE
Dak
Krassus
Loreck
Raal
Sho Larn
Urirawa
The area is crawling with Sand People. The Imperial forces will have to bring their strength to bear immediately to gain the upper hand.
Krassus braces himself, sighting along the laser sights of the heavy rifle. He thumbs the rifle to autofire and aims at the cluster of Tuskens around R-12. He breathes out, breathes in, breathes out and fires at the same time.
Autofire:
Damage:
Call's shot is textbook perfect. The cluster of shots hits the 2x2 square and mows down the raiders there without a single sound.
Sho, having no ability to attack at a considerable range, opts to delay his actions for now.
"Get us within 12 meters of one of those banthas and I will toss it onto the other." states the Kensae as he begins concentrating on the Force.
He reaches out to sense the life force of those in the trawler.
Dak does the same, lying prone as he aims through the scope of his rifle; adjusting the knobs on the side and top for range and wind. He squeezes his trigger on the exhale, putting a single slug downrange. Unfortunately, just as he finishes squeezing the trigger, the raider lowers his head, for whatever reason, and the slug passes over him. A couple of seconds later, he hears the bang.
Punching the lever Raal guides the speeder through the rocky outcropings, trying to gain as much ground as he can.
Are there any options besides coaxing to get more speed out of the thing?
Sho Larn reaches out with the Force, prodding the life forces inside the sandcrawler. There are another half-dozen Tuskens inside. They all appear to be on the first level. Perhaps they can't figure out how to get to the higher levels.
Sho communicates what he senses to the rest of the team via their comlinks.
As they zoom past the rocky outcroppings, the Imperials get a better look at the Tuskens outside the ruined sandcrawler. Each of the bantha riders has a slugthrower rifle, while it appears that the others only have gaffi sticks. It's difficult to tell from this distance if they have any other weapons, especially considering the robes of the Sand People.
Raal engages the repulsor and sends the speeder hurtling towards the Raiders. Urirawa sees the satisfying hits of Call's disciplined fire. He sees other shots going wide of the mark.
The only thing he doesn't see is anyone shooting the Banthas.
It looks like the original plan to stay at a safe distance had changed.
Urirawa did what all troopers do when their officers charge. Keep his head down and shoot.
Urirawa settled his bowcaster aiming at one of the riders with a slugthrower and fired.
The bowcaster like all wookiee weapons; it was manufactured by the owner. Urirawa had chosen the wood for the stock and spent many months shaping, waxing, and perfecting the weight of the stock and mechanism. The sight over his life had become as familiar as his own eyes.
It was a simple matter to shift his aim from the Bantha's head to the raider's chest.
The rail gun nestled deeper into Urirawa's arms as it sent the bolt at super sonic speeds into the Raider's chest.
There was an energy detonation as the missile ripped the torso apart leaving only a hollow cavity where a heart and lungs had once been.
One down but Call had already put two down. Urirawa would have to do better if he wasn't going to fall behind.
Huzzah! A Crit! That is one dead raider.
Total = 32 damage!
NPC INITIATIVE
Tuskens 1-3
Tuskens 4-6
Tusken 9-12
Riders 1-2
The Tuskens begin to shout and bark at Imperial attack. The Raiders on the banthas swing slugthrowers towards them and begin to aim.
Call swings his rifle from the dead raiders to the next cluster he could see (O-25). He breathes out, in, and fires on the out breath.
Attack:
Damage:
Once again Call is home. Aiming across the desert seas of Tattooine, protecting his own from the Tusken Raiders. The blast hits textbook perfect, blowing the two raiders off their feet and into smoking death with a single shot. Without pausing he scans the sand to find his next target.
Dak continues to aim at the nearest rider, and opens fire a second time.
Raal focuses on getting the speeder within range, he can't help but think he'd be faster running thought than driving the SoroSub.
Lost in thought as he puts the lever to the max, he is surprised by the sound of the engine sputtering at his handling.
We should now be at BI 12, but the speeder drops 1 down the condition track.
Raal's speeder zips over the sand dunes, as Urirawa fires away with the bowcaster and Sho Larn prepares to use the Force. Another few seconds and they will be within melee range of the Sand People.
Raal's speeder zips over the sand dunes, as Urirawa fires away with the bowcaster and Sho Larn prepares to use the Force. Another few seconds and they will be within melee range of the Sand People.
"We have a huge advantage if we keep them at a distance. Focus on those with rifles. Ignore the banthas. If they take off, we can easily outrun them. A bantha without a rider is meaningless." orders Sho.
He then attempts to grab the nearest raider with a rifle and toss him into the next closest one.
Sho tried but failed to move the raider. Try? There is no try. Do or do not. Sho summons forth a will borne of training, of tradition, of loyalty, of duty. The will is transformed into action. The action catapults the raider across the space into his comrade. One bantha was now riderless. Two raiders were now gravely injured and tangled.
The initial burst of shots from the speeders throw the Tuskens off balance. They are used to being the raiders, not the defenders. Two now-riderless banthas stampede in different directions. The remaining Tuskens on foot rush towards the speeders, barking their strange warcry and raising their gaffi sticks above their heads.
The bantha rider thrown by Sho Larn hits the ground with a thud. He gets to his feet and fires a hasty shot at Raal, who is piloting the nearest speeder. He appears unsteady, as if being thrown in the Force gave him a grave injury. It is nearly a perfect shot. Raal feels the prod of the Tusken's aim in the Force and activates his lightsaber, trying to outrun the speeding bullet.
The other Tusken Raider appears shaken by Sho Larn throwing his ally at him. He takes aim at the Kel Dor Kensae and fires his slugthrower. The slug flies straight towards Sho Larn as if it had his name on it.
Sho grunts with pain as the shot hits. This was going to be a long fight and he didn't want to waste his best defensive maneuver now.
Hearing Sho's advice over the comm, Loreck continues to sweep around in the speeder, keeping the troopers at a safe distance from which to take out the Tuskens.
Seeing the bolt coming Raal ignites his lightsaber and tryes to bat it away, to slow to react Raal takes the blast full force and grunting with pain slumps over and lies motionless.
Seeing the bolt coming Raal ignites his lightsaber and tryes to bat it away, 1d20+8 to slow to react Raal takes the blast full force and grunting with pain slumps over and lies motionless.
Krassus = 27
Sho Larn = 20
Raal = 18
Dak = 17
Tuskens 1-3 = 15
Tusken 9-12 = 13
Riders 1-2 = 12
Tuskens 4-6 = 11
Urirawa = 5
Loreck = 5
Raal slumps onto the speeders' controls. It continues to accelerate, heading straight for the side of the massive sandcrawler. There are only a few seconds until its impacts.
Urirawa watched Raal and Sho get hit with slug rounds. For a moment he worries that Raal might pass out and at the speed Raal was pushing the speeder it could be deadly for all the passengers.
Urirawa for a moment reflects back on lessons he learned at his father's side in the forests of Kashyyyk.
'Father, why did you let me eat the bulba plant if you knew it would make me sick?'
'Life is hard in the Forest and you only learn lessons by experiencing the pain yourself. A lesson learned through pain is remembered twice as long as one learned from words.'
Urirawa hoped Raal and Sho would learn respect for fire arms in the future. 'Courage was admirable but charging a Bantha with a stick was foolish,' his father had taught him.
With Raal steadying in the seat, Urirawa shifted his aim to the next of the riders with a slug thrower.
The violent jerk by the Kensae Sho left the rider jerking to his feet in the sand. The Bowcaster's hyper-sonic bolt just grazes the man's right shoulder.
A grazing hit is all it takes as the energy payload of the bolt detonates removing a third of the man's neck, chest, and shoulder.
Call had splashed two more raiders which meant the score was now four to two and one of Urirawa's was almost dead. Urirawa would have to do better.
Wow, that was close but a 12 is what I need and 26 damage leaves no doubt on what happened to that rider.
Believing Raal was okay, Sho let his attention lapse. That was a mistake. Raal was slipping into unconciousness and causing the speeder to lose control!
Sho yanks Raal physically out of the way as best he can and wrestles control of the vehicle. He attempts to turn hard left and then veer away from the sand people.
Sho jerks the speeder's controls to the left, just in time to avoid an impact with the sandcrawler. The out-of-control speeder strikes one of the Sand People running towards them. As it has no wheels, the Tusken's injuries are limited to the initial impact. The speeder comes to a stop sideways only 3 meters from the side of the sandcrawler.
Urirawa looks at where the speeder stopped and all the raiders in the area.
He remembers something one of Call's Uncles had said many years ago back during the clone wars.
'It's not the clankers that you got to worry about. It's the officers. They're the ones that will get ya killed.'
Urirawa wonders if this will be the day that the Uncle was right.
Call spotted the near crash in the distance. Seeing the Tusken scattering and then moving toward the downed speeder, Call thumbs his rifle off autofire and aims at Tusken 2. Breathe in, out, in, out and fire.
Attack:
Damage:
Suddenly the rifle jams, sand interfering with its delicate mechanics. Call begins the process of unjamming it while leaning forward to Loreck. "Sir! I believe we've accomplished all we can accomplish from his distance, sir. I advise we move closer to provide cover for our comrades, sir."
Dak opens fire on the Tusken that Call missed. Unfortunately, his incredibly poor shots are making him more and more impatient, which has the interesting effect of making his shots even less accurate.
The Tusken who just rounded the sandcrawler eyes the speeder as it comes to a halt. He rushes towards it, bringing his gaffi stick above his head for a crushing strike at Sho Larn. It connects with Sho Larn, sending a shockwave through his body. The nearest Tusken Raider piles on the speeder, charging towards Urirawa. The ragtag armor holds and protect the Wookiee, who is likely to retaliate with a disproportionate amount of force.
The two Tuskens between the speeders glance around and charge towards the further back speeder. They move surprisingly quickly over the sand. The first one charges at an angle that puts him at the side, swinging at Loreck. Despite the high ground of the speeder, the Tusken connects with the sharp edge of the gaffi stick, cutting Loreck as he passes. The other Tusken charges wildly, directly in the path of the speeder, swinging the gaffi stick at Krassus in the front seat. His suicidal charge pays off as Krassus is impaled by a sharp piece of metal, straight through his armor.
Two of the other Sand People, including the one just hit by the speeder, rush towards the fallen bantha riders. At first it appears that they are trying to help, but after a moment it is clear that they are simply picking up and readying their slugthrower rifles. Two more rush towards the speeder that Loreck is piloting, gaffi sticks raised.
The riderless banthas rush away from the battle, but one of them still has a rider. He takes aim at Dak and fires a single shot. It goes wild and hits the speeder behind him.
Having already taken damage from these uncouth warriors, Sho elects to engage his Force Shield to deflect the blow.
Sho manages to erect a shield to take some of the force of the blow. It was a toss up on how much was prevented and how much was allowed to get through.
Urirawa has been in several tough spots in his life but this is fast shaping up to the worst of his life.
The raiders stabbing Call was almost beyond his ability to reason. If he hadn't already raged then that surely would have been the start of a rage to end all rages.
Urirawa finding himself in close combat with a raider he tosses his bowcaster down on the seat beside him and grabs his Vibro-Ax. It was time to see how willing the raiders were willing to sell each of their lives to the force.
Urirawa does an almost perfect 'cutting draw'. It is a technique similar to the idea on some worlds of Iajutsu where it is one motion to draw, strike, be prepared to sheath the weapon again.
Living on Kashyyyk where every minute has death lurking in the shadows it is important to make such fluid strikes the extension of a warriors will and body.
It is all muscle reflex from countless practice draws on air and wooden targets.
The raider notices very little of this as the sweep of the vibro blade bites through the man's skull slightly under the right orbital and exiting the other side of the skull. Instantly, the upper brain was bisected from the lower brain as the raider collapsed to the ground.
Call was still up four to three on Urirawa but he was gaining ground. He just hoped he could gain ground fast enough that Call wouldn't need to suffer any more gaffi sticks to the body.
That one is down and not moving.
Loreck thought about performing some maneuver with the speeder, spinning around and hitting the Sand People who were now piling up around. He instead simply presses the controls forward, striking the Tusken who just stabbed Krassus. The speeder hits him with a thump, dragging the gaffi stick out of his arms and knocking him to the ground. Loreck reaches deep with the Force and gathers it around him to gain intertia. With a Force-assisted leap, he jumps out of the speeder and onto the back of the bantha. As he ignites his lightsaber in midair, he swings at the bantha rider, allowing the Force to guide his strike at the Raider, who is distracted by riding and aiming at the same time. The silver lightsaber cuts into the Tusken, who yelps in pain and brings around his slugthrower rifle.
Krassus feels the pain of the Tusken's attack acutely. He takes a moment to gather himself and then fires at Tusken 10 before he can bring his rifle to bear on anymore of his comrades.
Swift: Second Wind to heal 14 damage
Attack:
Damage:
Another swift action to begin recover along the condition track.
Sho knows they are not strategically prepared to fend off a good number of Tusken raiders here so close to the Jawa trawler. He decides he needs to clear the field a bit before they speed off. He reaches out with the Force and catapults the hapless nomad into the raider trying to use the rifle.
(Swift action) Get Force power back using talent.
(Standard Action) Use the Force skill check: ; Damage
The Force is with the Kel Dor kensae today as he succeeds in flinging the stinky enemy into his comrade.
He then takes the opportunity to try to maneuver the speeder away from the area of the trawler.
Dak drops his rifle and draws his DL-44, firing at the nearest Tusken who's still standing. This time, Dak's marksmanship is somewhat improved, and the bolt of plasma hits his target square in the chest.
Sweat pouring of his brow a painfully prolonged grunt can be heard from Raal.
If yes, then thats what he does.