Marko flops onto his rack with a sigh of relief and pent up stress.
"We managed to scrape by without casualties, just a few wounded here and there. From what I hear, other teams didn't fare so well. We were lucky we were out of line of fire of that dammed stubber. Things would've gone a whole lot worse otherwise."
Marko hunts around for a bottle of booze, amasec, wine, whatever he stashed away last opportunity. Pulling the stopper, he offers it to Flavia.
Marko escorts the squad out of the room, grabbing some refreshments (if available) on the way out.
"Good showing, team," He addresses the squad once back in the halls leading to their barracks. "Let me pay the LT a visit and I'll meet you all back at the racks. Check your gear, and your buddy's, let's be ready for our combat drop first thing tomorrow. "
Marko sets off to find the LT, starting at the med bay.
"They also seemed to expect a more "formal" means of engagement. One of their officers actually challenged me to single combat, and seemed rather surprised when I chose a more "efficient" path. They also carried much too much equipment for a simple raid, and too high quality at that." Marko grins at D, standing near the door for ventilation's sake, as he recounts the duel. He then slides over the datapad with his collected notes and observations on the combat.
"This is what we noticed just after, it may contain some insights I've blanked on in the interim."
Marko takes a bit of time to organize his gear and ensure everything is in order for the upcoming drop. He then notes everything he and his team observed and experienced in the previous skirmish, making sure to note how the enemy seemed extra prepared with ammo, rations, and the like. He saves three copies, one for himself, one for the command, and one to keep with Diana, as a redundant backup.
Once he's sure everyone in the squad is set to proceed, he gathers them via vox or word-of-mouth and leads them to the muster briefing.
"Let's patch ourselves up, grab the rest of your kit, and chow. Once we've got the essentials taken care of, we've got a Regimental briefing at the hold. But I wanna make sure we're loaded for bear before we step off...who knows when these fraggers are gonna show up again."
Marko grabs the shock maul and a laser sight, tossing the smaller device to D.
"Square yourselves away. When we hit the regimental briefing, I want you all with full kit. No sense being caught with our hoops in the wind a second time."
Via vox: <Sgt. Kelliber acknowledged. Negative casualties. All hostile pacified.>
Marko staves off his attackers blows, sparks flying from the adamantine teeth of his chainsword. Dodging and weaving to avoid the electric maul, he spares a glance to see Dirty D step into the Telum's blind side, driving a dagger into his side. Taking advantage of the distraction, he drags the whirring chainsword blade across his chest, nearly eviscerating the bastard.
"Took ya long enough, D. Thanks for the assist."
Wiping gore and sweat from his face, Marko looks over his squad.
"Here we go, Killers! Make a hole and watch your hoops for that stubber!"
Marko lobs his frag grenade into the nearest cluster of enemy, before moving up to another covered position.
1d100 ⇒ 29 Standard attack; BS 29+10=39 (success)
1d100 ⇒ 96 Command (target 44) Get Them! Order All comrades within communications range grant PCS additional +4 damage when performing Ranged Volley or Close Quarters orders
You have 1 roll, anyone on the squad can do it.
+20 Bonus to Logistics Test (For this roll)
Suggested Gear:
Lascarbine +20 Logistic test
Lasgun +20 Logistic test
Auxiliary Grenade Launcher +0 Logistic test
Preysense Google +10 Logistic test
Respirator +20 Logistic test
Anointed Maintenance Toolkit +10 Logistic test
Grenade Launcher +10 Logistic test (1 per squad)
Flak Armor +20 Logistic test
Light Carapace +0 Logistic test
Mono Knife +10 Logistic test
Missile Launcher +20 Logistic test
Demolitions Charges +20 Logistic test
Autocannon +10 Logistic test
Heavy Bolter +10 Logistic test
Help me out here GM: this list is potentially for the whole squad? As in 1 of each item?
"From what I'm gathering, if it ain't us, frag it. Then shoot it again before ya get near it. Sounds like it'll be like being back home, only trees and bugs 'stead of ganger knives and rust rats."
"Food, gear, ammo. Maybe not in that order, but they're all crucial. I'll check in with the other squads and see what the word is regarding supply. If we get a chance don't hesitate to grab what you can, like I said we could be sitting in the jungle for a while on our own."
"Final question: do we have any plans or intelligence on the command structure for those servitors? Are they something ouer enginseer may be able to compromise and exploit?"
Once the squad disperses from the briefing room, Sarge gathers up his usual team and holds a short, informal brief of his own.
"So we got ourselves a poop sandwich. Let's gather up enough mustard and salt to make it edible, neh? Scrounge up what you can, ya heard the brief in there; like as not we won't be seeing a supply drop for some time planetside. I don't wanna have to rely on our knives and fists against gun servitors and snipers."
Marko says nothing about the extra image shown during the brief, logging that as "counter-morale" for the time being.
"Regarding the locals, weaponry and armor load outs typical? Are we looking at Las rifles and flak vests, power armor and force weapons, artillery, cavalry?"
After the spiel about flora/fauna: "Any know repellents for the insects and/or prrdators? Any success capturing o containing the lizards? Will the local fauna serve as acceptable prey for our riding beasts?"
Sergeant Kelliber tried to make sure he always arrived first at these dammed briefings. Unfortunately, when you're ear deep in trading scuttlebutt and scrounging for spare gear, the hours click away too easily.
Walking in and seeing some of his squad already beating him in, he half-grins and nods an informal salute.
Taking up his spot near the front of the lectern, he opens up his notebook and readies himself for the briefing.
"So, any word on the mission yet, squad? Heard anything through the grapevines? "
Sgt. Marko had a rough childhood, not that he talks about it ever. Born into abject poverty, like most of the hive worlders, his mother used hard drugs from well before he was born until her death just after his 7th birthday.
His father was not in the picture, one of a myriad variety of gangers and factory workers his mother 'serviced' to get her fix. His neighbors tried to help the boy, but times being what they were, he often went without. Cold, hungry, angry, and determined to survive, he began to steal without compunction.
His first kill came a bit before he turned 9, with a rusty shank he'd fashioned from street scrap. It was over some shoes, which Marko had found and another street boy wanted. Marko won, taking the shoes and everything else the boy had.
Life progressed like that for a while, with the street urchin moving up the ranks of gangs, until the conscription troops scooped him up one evening. Now fed, clothed, armed with actual weapons, and given the authority to mete out the justice of the Emperor, Marko took a real shine to the Guard. He worked hard, learning all he could of squad based tactics, using his natural paranoia and street-hardened experience to drive him.
Making Sergeant only a short time ago, Marko looks forward to the chance to once again engage the enemy. His crew now is a strong and varied one, and he wants to use their skills to do some real damage.
Characteristics: +6 Ag, +3 Per, -3 BS
Aptitudes: Agility.
Skills Common Lore (Imperium, War), Deceive, Linguistics (Low Gothic), Survival
Talent: Catfall; Heightened Senses (Hearing), Paranoia or Unremarkable; Rapid Reaction, Skilled Rider or Ambush
Wounds: -1
Favored Weapons: Missile Launcher, Demolitions
Special Rules
Accustomed Crowds Hive worlders grow up surrounded by crowds, and they are used to weaving through even the densest mobs with ease. Crowds do not count as Difficult Terrain for hive worlders, and when Running or Charging through a dense crowd, they take no penalty to Agility Tests to keep their feet.
Hivebound Hive worlders seldom endure the horrors of the open sky or suffer the indignities of the great outdoors. Whilst outside of an enclosed or artificial environment (such as a hive city, voidship or similar), they suffer a –10 penalty to all Survival Tests, due to their continued unfamiliarity with such places.
Ripper Tactics: When member of a Skirmisher regiment hits a Surprised or Unaware target as part of a Strike and Fade Mounted Special Action, he increases the distance his Mount can move after the attack by a number of meters equal to his Mount’s Agility Bonus.
Standard Regimental Kit: 1 1 hunting lance, 1 las pistol with four charge packs, 1 flak jacket and flak helmet. 1 riding beast, 2 saddlebags, 1 set of riding tack, 1 saddle blanket, 2 week rations for mount, Universal Regimental Kit
Mount Info
Spoiler:
Stalker
WS 40 BS 01 S 40 T 30 Ag 45 Int 10 Per 40 WP 20 Fel 10
Movement 8/16/24/48 Wounds 14
Armor: Tough hide (2)
Skills: Athletics, Awareness, Dodge, Stealth, Survival
Talents: Hard Target, Heightened Senses (Smell)
Traits: Bestial, Dark-Sight, Deadly Natural Weapons, Natural Armor (2), Natural Weapons, Quadruped, Size (5)
Weapons: Shredding Claws and Teeth (Melee 1d10+7 R; Tearing)
Sgt. Marko 'Sarge' Kelliber
31 Year Old Hive Worlder
5'11" 185 lbs Brown Eyes Black Hair Right Hand Dominant AB+ Blood Type
Characteristics
WS 32
BS 29
S 30
T 31
Ag 42
Int 33
Per 35
Wil 36
Fel 34
Starting Talents
Air of Authority
Weapon Training (Chain)
Paranoia
Skilled Rider
Equipment
Las Pistol
Chainsword
Hunting lance
Las pistol with four charge packs
Flak vest and flak helmet
Riding beast
2 Saddlebags
Set of riding tack
Saddle blanket
2 week rations for mount
Universal Regimental Kit
