The Adventures of M Squad! An AAR for Nuts.

ADVENTURES OF M SQUAD - An AAR for Nuts

This was my first time playing a THW game besides FNF and ATZ, so it was a new experience. Also since, in ATZ I only encountered zeds, this was the first time I used the In Sights test. Hopefully I did it correctly.

I used a Game Mastery plain map with objects representing trees, since I had randomly rolled a forest. Unfortunately, I don't have pics this time as I'm not sure where my camera is. I'll try and get some pics in the future. This is actually 2 encounters, with 2 different objectives.

Now, on with the game!

The members of M Company were on a plane to be dropped over Toulon, France in an attempt to flank German forces in the coastal cities. However, artillery fire forced the plane way off course, and the group was forced to jump early. Enemy fire also destroyed the plane before the entire group could jump, and the 4 who landed just outside a forest were the only members they could see.

Bugs: (Star) Rep 5, Fit 5, Pep 3, Sav 3, Marksman, Steely-eyed, Fit. SA Rifle w/ scope, Pistol. (Bugs got the nickname from his excellent eyesight and sneaky nature on the battlefield.)

Nerd: Rep 4, Fit 2, Pep 4, Sav 3, Nerves of Steel, Fluent. SA Rifle. (Nerd got his name from his love of reading, which is how he picked up several languages rather quickly.)

Grin: Rep 4, Fit 4, Pep 2, Sav 3, Stone Cold, Fit. Shotgun/grenade launcher. (Grin got his name from his habit of smirking in the face of danger.)

Vyper: Rep: 3, Fit 3, Pep 1, Sav 2. Marksman, Dim. x2 SMG's. (Vyper is the FNG and resident oddball of the group and is sometimes too brave for his own good.)

Objective: Figure out where the **** we are!

The group entered the forest, which quickly opened to a clearing (Section 8). Suddenly, they walked right into a mine. Everyone dove for cover, with Bugs getting the worst of the blast. Luckily, his Star Power saved him.

(Really, what kind of psycho just leaves a mine in the middle of a clearing, where there's absolutely no cover to dive behind and protect . . . On second thought, I think I see their point.)

Stepping back into the wooded area, the group hears yelling up ahead (1st PEF passed 1d6). Slipping behind some trees, the group waited and saw 2 old men (civilians) running their way PEF 2). Suddenly, 3 German soldiers appeared, apparently chasing the men.
Although the 2 seemed well trained, leaping from tree to tree so they weren't in the open (At least I'm guessing this since they were both Rep 5), Bugs dropped both with his rifle. They searched the bodies, but found nothing but ammo.

The two men were grateful and shook hands with Bugs' group, but they also spoke in a language the group didn't understand.

Bugs: "Nerd, I thought you knew multiple languages."

Nerd: "I don't this one, but it sounds like Italian to me."

Grin: "Italian? Ya mean we landed all the way in Italy?"

Nerd: "I doubt it. When we were hit, the plane veered south, not east."

Vyper: "Bummer, I'd love some pasta right now. Jumping from a plane makes me hungry."

Grin: "Vyp, eating makes you hungry. It's a wonder you're barely a buck ten!"

Bugs: "Well if those soldiers were here, there should be more. Let's take one and question him."

(At this point I decided that, since the group had already encountered all 3 PEF's so early, all rolls of doubles on Activation would generate more PEF's.)

Continuing through the forest, the group encountered 3 more German troops (Rep 4, Rep 3, Rep 3). One of them was busy preparing an anti-tank weapon while the other 2 watched.

M Squad won the In Sights and opened fire, with Nerd and Grin dropping 2 of them in seconds. The third, who had been arming the tank-killer, dropped his toy and took off into the woods.

Vyper: "Let's get him!"

Unfortunately, they ran right into a group of 6 more soldiers (Four Rep 4, two Rep 3). Fortunately, even though the group had been running, they won In Sights again. Nerd tried to talk with them, covering his flag insignia and pretending to be a fellow German soldier (Pep test), but they weren't buying it (Failed 0d6). Bugs quickly pulled his pistol out and shot 2 of the soldiers dead before they could react. Grin shot 2 more with his shotgun before they could raise their weapons. Nerd decided he was too close to shot one, so he lunged forward and slammed the butt of his rifle into the man's head. With a crack, the man fell to the ground, bleeding. The final one took off running. Nerd fired at him but missed.

Vyper stood to chase him, but Bugs stopped him.

Bugs: "Not this time. We're not walking into another ambush."

Grin: (Leaning over soldier that Nerd had killed). "Jeez, Nerd, how the ****'d you crak this guy's skull open? He's twice your size!"

Nerd: "I have no clue." (He searched through the soldier's pockets.) (Sav Test) "I found a map! And according to this map, we landed near the southern beaches of Sardinia."

Bugs: "Sardinia"

Vyper: "So what do we do now?"

Bugs: "Find a boat, I guess. Any harbors on that map?"

Nerd: "Not that I see, but there's a German camp about a few miles north of here. Maybe we can go there to get some more information."

Bugs: "Works for me."

Grin: "So we'll just march into a German camp and ask for directions to the nearest harbor. Wonderful plan! No possible way it could go wrong!"

New Objective: Enter the camp and gain info.

The group headed over a hill and into another (randomly-generated) forest (Does Sardinia really have this many?) Apparently the one soldier who had run away two encounters ago had found help because, upon entering the second forest, the group ran into a 5-soldier patrol (Rep 5, two Rep 4's, two Rep 3's).

Once again though, M Squad won In Sight (I'm really glad I rolled Steely Eyed for Bugs!). At first, the group opened fire, with Bugs and Nerd dropping the first two while the other three hid behind bushes. That's when everything went downhill!

Two of the three opened fire on Grin while he was switching to his grenade launcher. He was stunned by the first shot, but the second pierced his chest, and he was dead before he hit the ground. Furious, Vyper (Man Down Test: Pass 3d6) leaped forward, spinning around, and opened fire. He killed one soldier, but the other shot him from behind. Luckily, it had only grazed his shoulder. Nerd and Bugs then shot the last 2 dead.

Searching the troops, they found cigarettes, beer, food, and a map of an outpost in France. Hearing noise in the distance (Pass1d6 for PEF after a roll of doubles on Activation), they said a few words to honor Grin and continued.

After nearly an hour of searching (and reaching Section 1, just short of their goal), they found the camp. However, two groups of German soldiers converged from both sides (2 PEF's, rolled one after another): Two Rep 5's, one Rep 4, and seven Rep 3's.

Outnumbered in the worst way, the group used the trees for cover and opened fire, with Bugs attempting to drop the two commanders first. He got one, and Nerd got the other, but the rest opened fire, and Bugs fell to the ground. Rolling into some bushes (Thank whatever god's out there for Star Power!), he slipped out of sight and used the advantage to shoot a couple more soldiers. Nerd shot two more but took a bullet across his leg. He shook off the pain (Pass 2d6 on Recovery test) but missed any other shots.

Vyper, meanwhile, leaped into view, screaming like a madman, and took out the startled remaining troops.
Entering the camp, they found some civilian prisoners (PEF) and freed them. Nerd started to question the only one who spoke English about the location of the closest harbor, but the man refused to cooperate (Failed People test). Bugs had Nerd try to bribe him with cigarettes, beer, cheese, chocolate, a date on Saturday, tickets to a Bing Crosby concert, etc., but nothing worked.

Bugs: "Vyp, sing that song you like from that movie."

Vyper: (Nervously) "Do I have to?"

Bugs: "Should I make it an order?"

Vyper began singing, "Over the rainbow," in his slightly off-key (Okay, off the whole damn piano!) voice to the soldier. (People test: Pass!) The guard began blabbering like an auction worker.

Nerd: "He said they were using a harbor about 5 miles north-west of here, and it should still have some boats."

Eventually, more troops from M Company arrived, taking the lone soldier prisoner (Hey, I needed to do something with the guy!), and helping to retrieve Grin's body for services. Afterwards, the company took over the camp, and the commanding officer decided that the group worked best as a small squad, so they would continue as one. He claimed to officially call them, 'M Squad,' with the M being short for, 'Mental.'

The commander did replace Grin, though with a seasoned, but no-less-sane trooper (Replacements Table):

Doc: Rep 5, Fit 3, Pep 4, Sav 5, Hard as nails, Fixer. SA Rifle.

(I then rolled to raise Reps. Bugs increased to 6, Nerd to 5, and Vyper to 4. Considering they took on nearly 20 soldiers in an hour of game time, I think they earned the boosts.)