Turn 13: Man Down!

The Devil Dawgs' sixth campaign.
Post Reply
User avatar
wargamerGM
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2021 5:17 pm

Turn 13: Man Down!

Post by wargamerGM » Sun Apr 17, 2022 6:39 pm

Colonial marines scattered away from Williams as the Xenomorph landed on his back and began tearing great chunks out of his armor. Williams yelled in terror and flailed wildly, like a man on fire, as he stumbled across the dance floor trying to dislodge his unwelcome passenger.

"EVERYBODY, GET OUTTA DE BULDING NOW! WILLIAMS, STAY STILL MON!"

People ran for the exit as Hall and Sykes leveled their rifles at the threat but Williams either didn't hear Halls instruction or didn't comprehend. In his panic he continued to stagger around clawing at the monster riding on his back. The Xenomorph finally succeeded in tearing free the armour plate protecting the back of William's neck and raised its front claws to strike just as Sykes and Hall opened fire.

Sykes's round arrived first, clipping the upraised claw and blowing off the extended limb. The Xeno shrieked and reared back just as Halls round arrived, striking it centre-mass. The 10mm high-explosive caseless round penetrated the creatures carapace and exploded inside it's chest, the sudden over-pressure causing the creature to burst! It exploded from the inside out, showering Williams with pus-yellow fluid. Williams's yells of fear rose in pitch to a sudden scream of agony as the creatures blood splashed across the back of his neck. Williams voice abruptly died as the concentrated acid rapidly ate through his spinal column and he pitched forward on his face, paralyzed and unable to make any more than a gurgling noise while the acid continued to dissolve his neck and the back of skull until it had eaten all the way through and separated the unfortunate marines head from his shoulders.
MGySgt John Abrams
1st MSF, 2nd Div, 1st Batt 30th MIR
Serial Number: A11/TQ1.95.60390E9

User avatar
maxvale76
Chief Warrant Officer 3
Posts: 773
Joined: Mon Jun 22, 2009 9:56 pm

Re: Turn 13: Man Down!

Post by maxvale76 » Mon Apr 18, 2022 11:06 pm

Samantha lowered her rifle, closed her eyes for a brief moment and let out a highly unusual for her; "MOTHER F#$KER!" to no one in particular, then sighed deeply and moved to the body of poor Williams and quietly spoke into the platoon wide channel. "Williams is KIA......whenever the building is fully evacuated, somebody please return with a HRP (Human Remains Pouch...a.k.a. a Body Bag)...I'll stay wit' him." Turning to look at Skyes, she shook her head and said to just him; "I shoulda done someting' besides fire a shot.......'dis is on me."

She lowered her head and said a quick prayer to a Deity she only believed in half the time and then looked back up at the senior NCO with sad eyes' "Did you know if he had any family?"

<Tag everyone>

<Tag Skyes>
ImageSGT Samantha "Sam" Hall

M41A Pulse Rifle
Image Image Image Image Image Image
Image Image Image Image Image Image
Image Image Image Image Image Image
Image Image Image Image Image Image
Image

Image

User avatar
eyeball
Sergeant Major
Sergeant Major
Posts: 438
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 1:16 pm
Location: australia

Re: Turn 13: Man Down!

Post by eyeball » Mon Apr 18, 2022 11:55 pm

Paulson let people pass him at the front door as he kept up his surveillance of both his motion tracker and the area around him, the screaming inside grew to a terrified wail then then shooting started, people pushed and shoved even harder to get out the door and Paulson was jostled from side to side.

williams signal suddenly shut off, Hall swore under her breath but it broadcast easily across the squad channels.

next came the news that Williams was down but Paulson had already guessed that from the loss of signal, had the marines shot him? it seemed unlikely, he replayed the noisy scenario in his head the gun shots, the screams, the loss of signal, all had happened at the same time. His brain could not fathom what had gone wrong.

Paulson moved slowly through the last doors and into the Bar he had not come in the front before, it was bright lights, tacky music, mirrors and dark corners and there was Hall still knelt by Williams and it suddenly became very clear what had happened, most of William's shoulders and all of his neck where gone so was some of the floor underneath, the shots fired had done their job too well and bad luck had kicked in. Instead of knocking the creature away it had exploded in place.

Hall looked crappy, pale and angry she looked up and then at his hands, he had forgotten the HRP, "sorry Ma-am"Paulson stuttered "I'll just go get it," turning a crisp parade ground maneuver he left the building to retrieve the item.
ImageLCpl. Robert Paulson
incinerator, 2 spare fuel bottles, motion detector, first aid kit, pistol, knife, 2 frag.
special weapons tech
Image Image Image Image Image Image
Image Image Image Image Image Image
Image Image

Image

User avatar
BarbarianMathematics
Sergeant
Sergeant
Posts: 100
Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2018 9:41 pm
Location: USA

Re: Turn 13: Man Down!

Post by BarbarianMathematics » Wed Apr 20, 2022 12:05 am

Having heard the shrill screech of something awful following up with the sound of a human screaming caught Sokolova's attention from looking at the tracker. That, being followed up by Hall's cursing, then the confirmation of the worst case scenario happening after hearing the narration of what the sound was.

In Sokolova's mind, she looked behind her toward where she was holding the back door open, then back to the motion tracker, torn on moving to the main room and staying in position, but her training got the better of her, checking her motion tracker to make sure there weren't any more hostiles, but sending a message over the signal, one slightly less bad. "Motion tracker isn't reporting other things yet. I run another scan to be sure, unless you need anything else in there."

<Tag anyone>

Trying not to think of what the next room over looked like, she peers at the tracker once more. The implications of there being another one loose keeps her mind preoccupied for the time being.

<Roll awareness>
<Roll tracker>
ImageLCpl. Tanya Sokolova
USCM Special Forces Recon Team
Image Image Image Image Image Image
Image Image

Image

Corporal Nikolai Pushkin - ComTech
(Currently recovering)

User avatar
LT_Chun
Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
Posts: 158
Joined: Tue Feb 11, 2020 9:46 pm

Re: Turn 13: Man Down!

Post by LT_Chun » Sat Apr 23, 2022 12:57 pm

Henniger squealed his eyes shut.

"Henniger copy. One KIA, Williams. Third Team secure the body when able. We take care of our own."

<tag everyone>

He opened his eyes and returned his attention to his perimeter sweeps on the drone set.

<roll awareness>
ImageLCPL. J. Henniger USCM
A11/TQ2.0.22146E1
U.S.S. Chimera
Recon Rifleman, Comtech electronics secondary
3rd FTL, Call Sign Devil Dawgs.

Armor and webbing
M41A Pulse Rifle + 7 mags
M40 Grenades x 10
Hand Welder
Service Pistol + 2 Mags
Mk. 1 Combat Knife
Rations/Water
Com-Tech Bypass Device
Image Image Image Image Image Image

Image

User avatar
eyeball
Sergeant Major
Sergeant Major
Posts: 438
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 1:16 pm
Location: australia

Re: Turn 13: Man Down!

Post by eyeball » Sun Apr 24, 2022 12:10 am

Paulson grabbed a HRP from inside the transport and headed back into the building as the call came that confirmed the KIA. Paulson himself had not really known Williams well but they had served together and that counted for a lot, someone covering you ass in this environment quickly built up a bond that few civilians would every know.

Slowly and with as much dignity as possible paulson helped Hall put Williams remains in the bag. then before zipping up he took off a dog tag and emptied his ammo pouches and slung his pulse rifle over his own shoulder now very glad he had only been carrying a pistol it would make this a little easier.

Paulson heard movement behind him and as Hall failed to react he assumed it was the rest of third squad, now a pitiful 3 persons coming to help carry Williams to the transport. with two carrying and the third holding doors they managed to get Williams out of the building and to the transport with no fuss or hassle. Paulson and Henniger did up the straps that secured Williams into place, and paulson wondered about the fate of the other marines, not his own teams but the ones they had come to intercept, there was clearly some activity going on in the other vehicle. Almost as an after thought he handed the dog tag to his squad leader and tapped the pulse rifle, "just going to keep this untill we get to a more open area, not sure my flamer is collateral friendly." paulson cleared with Henniger.

<tag 3rd fire team>
<tag Henniger>
<and pulse rifle and ammo to my current load out>
ImageLCpl. Robert Paulson
incinerator, 2 spare fuel bottles, motion detector, first aid kit, pistol, knife, 2 frag.
special weapons tech
Image Image Image Image Image Image
Image Image Image Image Image Image
Image Image

Image

User avatar
maxvale76
Chief Warrant Officer 3
Posts: 773
Joined: Mon Jun 22, 2009 9:56 pm

Re: Turn 13: Man Down!

Post by maxvale76 » Sun Apr 24, 2022 11:13 am

Samantha's dark face was mostly wooden...a couple of silent tears slid out of her big, brown eyes as Paulson handed her Williams' dog tags which she put in a pocket and coughed once to make sure her voice was clear when she gave him a quiet "Thank you", before slinging the bag over her shoulder with a grunt of effort.

"Top, we're on our way out..."; she turned to her squad mates; "Okay then, let's move....keep alert in case the Xeno has any buddies....", she says in a robotic tone to keep herself together.

<Tag Paulson>
<Tag everyone>
ImageSGT Samantha "Sam" Hall

M41A Pulse Rifle
Image Image Image Image Image Image
Image Image Image Image Image Image
Image Image Image Image Image Image
Image Image Image Image Image Image
Image

Image

User avatar
Corporal Hicks
Major
Posts: 1733
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2007 10:13 pm
Location: Utica, Polaris System
Contact:

Re: Turn 13: Man Down!

Post by Corporal Hicks » Sat Apr 30, 2022 2:37 pm

Sykes gritted his teeth as the acid killed Private Williams before his eyes. “Mother fucker!” the curse boiled up from his impotent rage to mimic Sergeant Hall’s. Things had been going so well; he had talked himself out of a hostage situation with no injuries or deaths.
"I shoulda done someting' besides fire a shot.......'dis is on me.”
Sykes shook his head with frustration. “It’s not your fault, Sergeant. You know that.” He hated the situation. What else could they have done? Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
“Did you know if he had any family?"
“Mom and dad. A brother,” he said gruffly. The emotion hit him too but he was not as expressive of his grief. “That’s how it is, sometimes. Stay focused.”
<Tag Hall>

“Okay, people, keep your eyes open and stay focused. This is still a combat zone. Secure those civies and be ready to move!”
<Tag everyone>

Sykes switched his radio to the Lieutenant’s frequency. “Lieutenant, what do we do with the Marines we found? I talked them down but they are still armed.”
<Tag Lieutenant/GM>
ImageSgtMaj. Danny Sykes - Platoon NCO
USCM Special Forces Recon Team
Serial Number: D26/TQ6.3.48412E9
Image Image Image Image Image Image
Image Image Image Image Image Image
Image Image Image Image Image Image

Image

User avatar
Morse
Captain
Posts: 1578
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 2:50 pm
Location: Somewhere
Contact:

Re: Turn 13: Man Down!

Post by Morse » Wed May 11, 2022 4:43 pm

KIA. Area Not Secure.

Those were the hardwired thoughts that Morse had in the moment. A marine was melted by the monsters again. The horrific nature of that type of death was never easy to stomach. It was an inevitable part of the job, when you put humans in plastic armor against the most ruthless bioweapons that mother nature had devised in her darkest nightmares.

Maybe for some of the Marines there it was their first time seeing someone get killed, and it was far from a routine for Morse, but experience told him to grieve later.

Now was the time to kill or be killed.

"You heard the man!" Morse echoed Sykes. For what it was worth the mission was still active. "Eyes on a tracker, two man overwatch on the street an ally."

Morse looked at Sam, who was taking the recent death pretty hard. There was nothing Morse could say that was not already being said, and they were still in an active zone. She would still be fully capable of the job, which was what was most important.

Instead Morse moved to Sykes. "Sykes, we gotta git' the fuck outa here. Rearm n' reassess. Civies, detainees, and xenos aint a good mix for a situation like this."

< Tag Aynone
Image-SSG Allen Morse - Squad Leader
-3rd Bn, 2nd Reg, 1st Co, 8th Plt
- DEVIL DAWG
- M41A Pulse Rifle - M4 Pistol - Med Kit
Image Image Image Image Image Image
Image Image Image Image Image Image
Image Image Image Image Image Image
Image Image Image Image Image Image
Image Image Image Image

Image

User avatar
wargamer
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
Posts: 50
Joined: Fri Dec 14, 2018 3:26 pm
Location: Manchester, UK
Contact:

Re: Turn 13: Man Down!

Post by wargamer » Thu May 19, 2022 8:57 am

As soon as the sound of gunfire ended, Darren helped his patient to his feet and hustled him towards the exit. The fugitive marine was clearly in a b ad way, pale and sweating. His breathing ragged, despite the relatively gentle exertion of a brisk jog across the room. Darren kicked open the saloon door and hustled him towards the closest of the waiting APAC transport vehicles. As he went he keyed his squad-level comm-link
"This is Kelly. This dude's in bad shape, we need to get him to a proper facility ASAP or we're gonna have another little critter on our hands!"

<Tag Everyone>
ImagePFC Darren 'Doc' Kelly - Medic
USCM Special Forces Recon Team
Serial Number: D44/TQ9.21.47645E2
Current Equipment
M-41A Pulse Rifle w/ 4 Mags
M4A3 Pistol w/ 2 Mags
K-52 Field Medical Pack
2x M-18 Smoke Grenades (Red)
6x M-94 Flares
2x K-Bar Combat/Survival Knives

Image Image Image Image Image Image

Image

Post Reply

Return to “Aquarius Campaign”