FSB Pious Piotr : An adventure for Only War.
Draft 2
(See background material on Skrynne in the back of the Only War book.)
This adventure is meant for starting PCs. It is written with the assumption that the PCs are not a mechanized or tank formation. If they are a mechanized formation, it's possible to just write their transport into the background, though they won't be using it. But this series of adventures isn't really adaptable to a tank formation.
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Visibility in the jungle:
Unless otherwise specified, visibility is 25 + 4d10 meters.
Anyone have numbers for how far you can see in various types of terrain?
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Situation:
The PCs regiment has just started landing on Skrynne. The company to which the PCs belong being among the first parts of the regiment on the ground and operational.
Mission:
One of the last combat-effective formations of the Skrynne-guard (several thousand men) is entrenched in a river valley and is under assault by ork forces.
The company must quickly move to establish a fire support base roughly 15 km further back along the river valley to provide artillery support for the Skrynne-guard.
Forces:
Friendly Forces:
2 under- strength regiments of the Skrynne-guard, roughly 15km ahead of the fire base.
On the order of 5000-6000 men total, down from a paper strength of around 4500 per regiment.
Mission Forces:
The PC's company (~160 men)
1 Artillery battery (6 guns, ~ 60 men)
1 platoon of engineers (~40 men)
1 platoon of logistics and medical personnel (~40 men)
If the regiment is organized significantly differently, then pick units out of it the make up roughly the same numbers.
Enemy Forces:
Ork forces in regimental strength or greater. (so around 3000-5000 orks)
In addition, ork infiltration units of platoon sized (40-50 orks) or smaller are operating behind the Skrynne-guard
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Opening:
The company and attached forces are assembled on the landing ground, where they will board heavy air transports to take them to the site of the firebase. Just as the company is starting to board the transports, the platoon of engineers that had been attached to them is diverted to repair a bridge bombed by ork fighta-bombas. This is the last time the engineers appear in the adventure. But later, when the PCs are slaving away with shovels, be sure to point out how much easier this would have been with the engineers.
It's around 2 hours of flight to get to the position where they are going to establish the firebase. An imperial bomber has already dropped a tree clearing charge, which has cleared a circle of jungle roughly 200 meters in diameter. The area still smolders.
The completed fire base will be a rough circle of bunkers 100 meters in diameter, a barrier of accordion wire will and mines will be set 25 meters beyond that, which leaves around 25 meters of further clear ground to the edge of the jungle.
Time frame.
This adventure takes place over roughly 10 days.
Characters:
The Lieutenant:
The lieutenant of the PCs platoon is quite knowledgeable about the things a lieutenant should know, but he doesn't really possess leadership quality. So the PCs will have to do much of the work in motivating their platoon. On the plus side, the lieutenant is able to clearly and correctly answer just about any question the PCs ask him, such as the proper way to dig latrines, the best places to site their bunkers, and so on. If they ever come up with a solution to a problem that involves a skill they don't have, they can 'consult the lieutenant' on how to do it. This reduces the unskilled penalty by 10.
Remember to place the lieutenant in the background when describing scenes. He could be shoulder deep in a latrine pit, waving around a shovel and explaining how to dig straight sided holes. He could be out on the perimeter lugging around accordion wire and showing the troops how to link the ends of the wire together so they form a continuous barrier. He's not afraid of work (unlike most officers) and he has a certain endearing puppy dog earnestness; he just can't really give commands.
The company Commissar
If the PCs don't have a Commissar among them, then he is the only Commissar in the firebase.
The when enforcing discipline or giving speaches, the Commissar speaks with a rather distinctive accent, which makes his voice easily identifiable. When talking in a more normal context, the accent disappears.
He mostly uses 'command presence' to achieve his ends, and rarely resorts to straight up intimidation. His usual method of operation is to hand out many small punishments, or just deliver a humiliating tirade to the trooper that has drawn his ire, rather than resort to the more severe punishments he is allowed to dispense. The only time he is likely to throw the book at someone is if they are engaging in criminal negligence that endangers other soldiers. Examples: sleeping on watch, carelessness with explosives, reckless driving within camp, and similar.
Inspirational video: Sgt. Maj. John Sixta
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Establishing the fire base
The PCs will encounter various problems while establishing the firebase, they should be encouraged to find solutions and direct their platoon to implement them. Given the short time period, the PCs will not be able to make more that 3 exact number would need play testing logistics tests in attempt to solve the problems they encounter during the adventure.
Problems:
Weather inappropriate digging tools
While the engineers are missing, at least they were assigned some 'extra’ equipment to speed the digging in process. They open the crates to discover...
Snow shovels, Ice axes, 'snow hardening solution' for improving the protection of cover created out of snow, and similarly inappropriate gear.
A fact known to almost no one is that over 50% of guardsmen receiving weather inappropriate gear is the direct result of the machinations of Eldar farseer Eldrad Ulthran. His foul minions are probably stealing your jungle uniform right now and replacing it with a fur coat and hat. If the PCs were to somehow become aware of this fact, they could receive the hatred(Eldar) talent for free. Alas, they will never know.
Digging with this gear will be very slow and irritating.
Sample solutions:
Making logistics test to get proper digging gear.
Using tech use, trade(armorer), or similar constructive skills to modify the equipment into a more useful form.
If the PCs come up with an excellent solution: +2 Fortification
If the PCs come up with an adequate solution: +1 Fortification
If the PCs try a solution but fail: +0 fortification and NPC action: the lieutenant consults some manuals and comes up with a way to turn the snow hardening solution into a bug repellant. +1 Morale
If the PCs don't try to solve the problem: +0 fortification
Push that idiot stick, soldier
Without the digging charges of the engineers, the fighting positions have to be dug by hand. The extreme heat and biting bugs make this very unpleasant. In addition doing this sort of heavy labor in their armor makes things even more unpleasant. Of course, they could always slack off, it's what the rest of the platoon is doing
every PC makes a toughness test.
If they have survival suits, apply the bonus.
If they choose to take off their armor add +10
If the choose to slack off, add another +20.
Failing they test gain 1 level of fatigue. Note that this fatigue doesn't go away as normal. It'll be can be removed by actions later in the adventure. Or, if the PCs have talents like meditation, specifically for removing fatigue, they can use them once during the adventure.
Command tests or similar to keep the other members of the platoon from slacking off
Results:
Fortifications:
+2 if the PCs work hard
+1 if the PCs slack off
+3 (in addition to PC actions) if the NPCs work hard
+1 (in addition to PC actions) if the NPCs slack off
NPC action: if everyone slacks off, highlight lieutenant trying to motivate men to not slack off and failing miserably.
It was used during the Horus heresy, so you know it's got to be good
The platoon has also been issued a heavy stubber per squad, to emplace in their fighting positions. Alas, it appears these heavy stubbers where used almost 10,000 years ago to fight heretics, and were then buried under corrosive sand until the Departmento Munitorum dug them up and sent them to the platoon.
If the PCs try to get them back to firing condition, try skills like trade (armorer), tech-use, applying the Sacred Unguents, or something.
Results:
Fortifications +2 if they get the heavy stubbers into firing condition.
If the PCs try and fail:
NPC action: the lieutenant tells some very moving stories of how these holy relics were used long ago, and how any guardsman should be proud to have such a symbol around to remind them of the power and timeless endurance of man and the Imperium.
On the plus side, having such 'holy' relics in their fighting positions will give them a +5 to fear and pinning checks. If they actually want to fire them...
It's in the Water
One of the best things about traveling to new worlds is that you get the chance to collect a whole new variety of intestinal parasites. There are all sorts of things about water purification in the uplifting primer, but it seems that someone in the logistics section has been slacking off.
Every PC makes a toughness test.
if they have survival suits, apply the bonus, as they don't need to drink as much water
if they are trained in survival, add +10, to represent the various things they do by habit to ensure clean food and water.
Anyone who fails gets one level of fatigue.
Anyone who gets 4 or more degrees of failure counts as 'badly afflicted', take especial glee in describing their symptoms.
Results:
The PCs test results will reflect the results of their platoon.
Fortifications: -2 if majority of the PCs are brought down
Fortifications: 0 if the majority of the PCs are OK
If the PCs have a medic, he doesn't have enough supplies to treat everyone:
If the medic treats the PCs -1 morale
if the medic treats the 'badly afflicted' (which may include some PCs) no morale modifier
Finding source of bad water
If the PCs investigate the logistics section to check up on how they are treating the water, they find something that would make papa Nurgle proud.
They can handle this however they want. Solutions should generally effect morale, but if the conditions of the 'water' they have been drinking goes public, -2 morale.
If they (quietly) turn it over to the higher ups, or they don't investigate:
NPC action: the Commissar executes several logistics team members for endangering the company and orders the place they were treating the water to be burned to the ground with flamers, and a whole new one constructed.
-1 morale
A guard regiment runs on it's belly.
Let's see what the Departmento Munitorum has issued to the Platoon as 'food'.
Have a single lucky player make a challenging logistics roll.
If they get 4 of more degrees of failure, their ration bricks are all flavored as 'wonderful cultural delicacies’'.
Things like Nyquil 'Green Death' flavor, 100 year egg, rice with snakes blood and bile, and similar things, or whatever other horrible flavors your players would be familiar with.
Result: -2 morale
If they fail, but with less than 4 degrees of failure, they get 'regular' ration bars. Still pretty horrible, but hardly 'rice with snakes blood and bile' flavor ration bricks.
Result: -1 morale
If they actually succeed, they get something other than standard ration bars. Instead they get prepackaged meals roughly similar to modern military rations. They even include packets of hot sauce. Should they be foolish enough to trade their rations for some of the 'horrible' variety with other platoons, they can get a +20 on a logistics test. But apply the morale penalty for horrible rations.
If the PCs can do things like get better food, or use trade (cooking):
Add +1 morale
it's all about the grooming standard
At this point, if morale is negative, the Commissar becomes concerned for the morale of the company. He resorts to haranguing people about minor imperfections in their uniform or grooming. They will hate him more than they hate their situation.
-1 morale
+1 fatigue
PCs are forced to put their armor back on, if they took it off during digging.
Collapse
If any PCs collapse from fatigue, their platoon is put on light duty for a day:
-1 fortification
+1 morale
everyone loses 1 level of fatigue
animal on the wire
A terror cat (or similar animal) with more hunger than sense has tried to get into the firebase. It set off some of the mines, and is currently hung up on the wire, making the worst noises. This causes a certain amount of excitement.
Make a pinning test at +20, if successful, the PC manages to get a good night's sleep, despite the excitement. -1 fatigue
The PCs also have to walk out to the wire and dispose of the carcass in the morning. This is not really dangerous, just irritating and disgusting, as the body has already begun to rot in the jungle heat.
Finally, a sign of the enemy
Feral ork kommandoes have somehow fired several attack squigs into the firebase. The squigs are contained in spherical 'baskets' that mostly protect the squigs from the impact, and then break open, letting the squigs loose.
The PCs have to fight around half their number in attack squigs at close quarters, in the dark. And if the PCs took of their armor to dig the fortifications, and the Commissar didn't make them put it back on, I guess it sucks to be them.
As stupid as the grooming standards are, there is at least some reason for them.
After the battle, have the PCs make a pinning test. If successful, they get some sleep. -1 Fatigue.
The fighting spirit of the Emperor's soldiers is the Commissar’s concern
If the morale is currently negative:
NPC action: The Commissar quietly approaches every trooper in the company and gives them each 10 lho-sticks. His poker face doesn't reveal the amount of doublethink that must be going on in his head.
The troopers of the company come up with many amusing stories about which orifice the Commissar pulled several thousand lho sticks, plus several other tales of similar sagacity. For tonight, at least, the Commissar can do no wrong.
+1 morale
Anti-squig patrol
The company commander had a close call during the squig attack, and is ordering the company to do night patrols outside the wire, to try to prevent it from happening again. Yes, fighting orcs and squigs in close terrain at night is a wonderful idea, sir. I'm glad you thought of it. Of course the PC's squad is volunteered.
NPC actions:
the lieutenant conducts extensive drills on how to be identified and pass through the wire and landmines without being shot by your mates. As long as the PCs come back to the firebase though their platoons security sector, they should be fine. If they somehow screw this up, consider having some nervous guardsmen fire on them.
Now, the PCs get to play a game in the dark woods with some feral ork kommandoes (treat as ork boy with choppa and leather armor (armor 1 everywhere), plus training in awareness, stealth, etc) and some squigs. There should probably be half the PC's numbers in kommandoes and around 23/rds their number in squigs. So, for example, a party of 4 PCs would get 2 kommandoes and 3 squigs. (Numbers need playtesting)
The orks got the squigs into the firebase by using a bendy tree as a catipult.
Wrapping up:
Make a note of the ending morale and fortification levels, they'll be used in the third adventure in this series, Battle of Phase Line Regina . Give a brief description of how well the fortifications or the firebase were made and the general morale of the company, then it time to go on to the second adventure in the series, FOP Nihilist Bess .
Edited by crusher bob