Landing and cross country

It’s Monday, August 19, 1991. Yesterday, Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev was removed from office in a coup arranged by hard-line communists in his government.

Protests against the coup are breaking out across the Soviet Union. Nationalist insurgents in the various Soviet republics are declaring independence from the illegitimate “State Committee for the State of Emergency.”

The Investigators are members of a Soviet Spetsnaz, or Special Purposes Forces, unit. They were selected for this elite military service due to their political reliability and physical fitness. After intense training and as much as two years of service in Afghanistan, they are hardened combat veterans. Many suspect that the coup plotters intend to use Spetsnaz units to bully the opposition into line. However, fate has intervened and the Investigators’ Spetsnaz unit has been kicked out of bed for a less political, but even more pressing, assignment

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Re: Landing and cross country

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"Viktor Sergeyevich Muradov," says Viktor, gripping his hand and shaking it firmly as he smiles with the memories. "Yes, I love hunting, and it is a pleasure to do it with my family! My grandfather taught me to hunt from an early age, and I have a natural talent for it. I've always been skilled at stalking prey, but accurate shooting is my true strength. Becoming a sharpshooter in the Spetsnaz was inevitable. My grandfather was a hero in the Great Patriotic War, where his hunting skills were very useful."
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Re: Landing and cross country

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Babenko doesn't care much of the dead animals. Cold is cold, and just a nuisance to his mission. Well, in this case a major nuisance, since they lost so many people already and they even haven't found their target yet...

"Was your grandfather a sniper? I read some amazing stories of their exploits against the fascists!"
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The journey gets harder as you go further forward. Snow and ice form and it needs to be cleared from the windshields and periscopes every 10 - 20 minutes now and the outside temperature has dropped to about -15. Two hours after leaving the plane, about 07:15 hrs, the radio bursts into life once more as transmissions from the Mi-26 Helicopter carrying the other half of your company led by Starshiy Leytenant Poliakov starts to cut through though the heavy static. At first the radio, once it has been correctly tuned in, indicate the pilots arguing with some officers who are clearly safe and snug at the Norilsk Air Defense Base.

Leytenant Poliakov (Highly agitated);- "Norlisk Base, This is Leytenant Poliakov We cannot penetrate any further into this blizzard - conditions are simply <static> ... gerous to continue further"

Pilot 2 (in background);- "Mayór, the rotors <static> cing up - we need to turn back now sir"

Norlisk Base (calm and collected, after a slight pause);- "Negative Leytenant Poliakov. You are to continue as ordered you MUST try <static> you understand?"

Leytenant Poliakov (voice rising);- "I respectfully ask you <static> re-appraise the situation Sir ... I have never seen anything this severe at this time of year <static> I grew up around here."

Norlisk base (after a longer pause);- "Negative Leytenant Poliakov, we demand that you continue. The safety of the Soviet Union may be at stake here I order you to <static>"

Pilot 2 (in background);- "Sir even the fuel <static> freeze"

Leytenant Poliakov (shouting);- "Negative Norlisk base - I refuse to endanger the lives of these men and this helicopter <prolonged burst of static> errand. When the storm passes we can go in without <static>, but to try now would be suicide, and murder on your behalf if you continue to force us."

A new voice comes on the radio all but shrieking wildly at the helicopter crew.

New voice;- "This is Leytenant General Konstantin Pavelovish Suslin of the Strategic Rocket Forces, you may remember me as the man who ran the mission briefing back at Norlisk airbase. If you continue with you treacherous talk about abandoning your mission you will be treated as deserters and your helicopter will be intercepted and shot <static>. Furthermore, the wives, parents, siblings and children of any deserters will undoubtedly meet with the gravest possible consequences for your cowardly actions, do I make myself clear Starshiy, Leytenant, Poliakov."

Leytenant Poliakov (shouting);- "Lt. General <static> greatest respect, these orders are totally insane and I believe the man issuing them equally mad."

Leytenant General Suslin (voice now a loud roar with each word accented) ;- "Poliakov get your f*%!ing helicopter to site 6 as ordered or I'll personally flay you, your wife and your children," (his voice lowers back to a dull roar), I will pay special attention to your new born boy Кирилл (Kirill) who I will take a personal interest in if you <static> Poliakov, you have a simple choice to make! Oh how he will suffer!"

Leytenant Poliakov (shouting above the noise of the helicopter, but very calm and collected, like a man who is resigned to his fate);- "Leytenant General Suslin Sir, My fervent wish is that you may burn in the deepest pits of your own personal Hades. I just hope I <static> your tormentors, a role <static> relish. You have left us no choice but to follow your orders. I wish to state that ...

The radio goes dead.
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"Da, Comrade," says Viktor to Babenko with a grin. "He was a sniper, and he killed many fascists protecting the rodina." Then the radio conversation begins, and it has his full attention.
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Melnikov only vaguely registers that the radio has come on as he is much too busy attempting to stay warm and imaging what it would have been like to fight in the Great Patriotic War.
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Re: Landing and cross country

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Babenko is too busy recreating mentally the battles of the Great Patriotic War to pay much attention to the words of a coward. What a contrast of times!
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Listening to the radio conversation Kozlov begins to think they are on their own on this mission. It seems very unlikely the airborne team will make it to the target.
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Psychology Rolls please (with a +10 bonus).

Approximately ten minutes later the following radio transmission comes through;

"All Bands this is a Mayday call from Mi-26 GR9624M, I repeat Mi-26 GR9624M - Mayday Mayday." <static> "...sition 75*34' N by 104*35' E We are exp..." <static> "Suslin and his sychophants are nothing but f&+£ing arseholes whose mothers sleep with goats! Our rotors are iced up and the fuel is freezing..." <static> "going down hard at 75*34' N by 104*35' E. Mayday Ma..." The radio goes dead.

After a minute or so you hear Norlisk Air Defence Base vainly attempting to raise the helicopter on the radio for about thirty minutes before they abandon the effort.

The convoy then receives the following radio message;

"Kapitan Kozlov, with the apparent sad loss of our comrades on the Mi-26, it has now come to be imperative that you redouble your efforts to reach site 6. The ssuccess of the mission is to be your over-riding aim - by any means neccessary, amd this is a direct quote from Leytenant General Suslin of the Strategic Rocket Forces, who adds sin the gravest terms that the future of the U.S.S.R. depends upon your success."
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Kozlov addresses the men.
The future of the USSR depends on our actions in this mission, we all have the best training the Soviet Union can provide and I know you will all give your all for our homeland. Many of our comrades have already given their lives for this mission we owe it to their memory to complete this mission and secure our glorious state's security in this uncertain period. The Soviet Union is depending on us, let's not let them down.
Turning off the radio he thinks to himself this bullshit mission is so screwed. Checking his mission documents he confirms their course to the drivers and ensures someone is given the job of keeping the windscreens and periscopes clear to ensure the party's safety.
When we are approximately 500 metres from the base halt the vehicles.
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"I serve the Soviet Union, Comrade Kapitan!" says Viktor, standing ramrod straight and saluting. He knows it is likely to be a suicide mission, but he is determined that their lives and the lives of their comrades will not have been spent in vain.
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As do we all Muradov, as do we all.
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Babenko is thinking how lucky he was to get in this group . Ate least he is alive for now, and near the place. As soon as they get to the base, it will resume to fighting the enemy.
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Previous Psychology rolls,Sorry I forgot about the Psychology rolls from earlier - Those that passed have the strong feeling that despite what you have been told - it is not the full story. There is definitely something being held back
As you pause once moer to have a clearance of the periscope and windscreen, you take the time to really take notice of the weather.

In the blizzard visibility quickly drops to less than 100 meters. Even quite large features are difficult to spot. Visibility inside the MT-LBVs is even worse, with the driver’s periscope and windows icing up, forcing them to open the hatches to get a decent look or risk tumbling the vehicle into a ravine or getting it hung up on boulders. The sky is not visible through the storm. The sun barely registers as a smudge of illumination while it is above the horizon.

The weather conditions are not merely miserable, but actually life-threatening. Anyone outside in the winds would not last more than fifteen minutes, before suffering hypothermia and frostbite. With sustained winds blowing at over 65 kph the summer temperatures outside have been driven down from 4 degrees C (39 F) to –25 degrees C (–13F). Hypothermia and frostbite will begin to affect any exposed skin in less than an hour. Proper Arctic winter clothing will protect a wearer almost indefinitely, so long as they remain dry—but with the winds pushing so much snow and ice around, even the soldiers in their winter gear will get wet and suffer from hypothermia and frostbite within five hours. During this stop, when you reckon you should be approximately ten miles from where you believe Site 6 to be located, the radio suddenly bursts into life once more.

Transcript of Radio Message

[First Voice: Hello? Hello? I am broadcasting to the men of the 4th Special Purpose Brigade, 82nd Special Purpose Airborne and Arctic Warfare Company. Captain Koslov, I have supplementary intelligence concerning Operation White 36 that was not included in your briefing. My name is Major Dimitri Grigorivich Kishenko. I am an intelligenceofficer with the GRU. I am violating orders by contacting you and I will be arrested for having done so. But there are things your team must know. Things your commanders simply do not believe.

There is a strong indication that Site 6 was not compromised by conventional forces. The blizzard is proof of that. A Perimeter Counter-Strike base is attacked and captured just hours after Premier Gorbachev was deposed, and then a storm descends over Site 6 and cuts it off from the rest of the Soviet Union? Not a storm front, comrades. A storm. Out of nowhere. Right on top of your objective. While the rest of the Arctic Theater of War reports fair summer weather, your objective is blanketed in whiteout conditions. This storm is no accident. You need to remember that as you approach Site 6.

You must take special care to observe any signs of the presence of Siberian native peoples. This is critically important to the success of your mission. The Saamdi or Nenet people in particular. They will appear as Asiatic reindeer herders, but the ones you need to concern yourself with will likely exhibit signs of prolonged inbreeding due to their isolation and limited gene pool. They will likely be nomads, with no permanent camps. Do not trust them. Treat them as hostiles.

***SOUNDS OF FISTS POUNDING ON A DOOR.***

Second Voice: Open the fucking door! Open it right now or we’re shooting the lock off!

First Voice: (Speaking more quickly but trying to speak clearly.) Look for signs of
pagan religious offerings. And look to their feet. Make them show you their feet. Any
signs of malformation, disfigurement, or extensive amputation are a direct sign that
they are compromised and must be killed immediately.

Second Voice: Open the door! This is your last warning!

First Voice: Do you hear any howling? Anything on the wind. Not wolves. It’s not wolves. It’s them. They run on the air. Keeps yours eyes up. Watch the skies. Without feet they don’t touch the ground any more. They move like lightning. They run on the wind. They serve the wind.

***SOUNDS OF WOOD SPLINTERING AND THE DOOR CRASHING OPEN. MULTIPLE VOICES SHOUTING FOR THE COMRADE MAJOR TO PUT THE RADIO DOWN!***

First Voice: Their hearts are frozen. They fear fire. Use it! Use it! Burn their frozen dead hearts!

***SOUNDS OF A PHYSICAL SCUFFLE. THE FIRST VOICE IS YELLING ABOUT HEARTS WHILE OTHER VOICES TRY TO SHOUT HIM DOWN.***

Third Voice: Comrade Major Kishenko! You are under arrest for treason against the
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics! Get him out of here! Get him out of here now!

Fourth Voice: What the hell was he doing?

Third Voice: Sabotage! He’s trying to sabotage the mission! He’s an American spy!

Fourth Voice: Could they be doing this? To make it look like we fired first?
Wait?
This is still transmitting!

Third Voice: Turn it off, you fool!]

(A recording of message can be downloaded by following the link below thanks to Thaddeus Stoklasa and the good folks at The Unspeakable Oath)

http://theunspeakableoath.com/home/2013 ... ler-alert/
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Re: Landing and cross country

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"Are all american spies amateurs?"- says Babenko to no one in particular,
"Or is everyone in the base insane?"- thinks to himself Babenko. Too much time in the secretary probably.
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"Bozhemoi!" gasps Muradov, though he says nothing else - which is probably wise.
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Re: Landing and cross country

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Men we have a mission to complete, the ravings of a mad man are to be ignored. As soon as we have visibility and you can get a bearing proceed to our objective driver. Deep down Kozlov feels anxiety growing, what is happening here? There is more going on here than the generals let on, unnatural storms, madmen talking about men with no feet flying on the wind, and potentially imperialist forces taking control of nuclear weapons. Kozlov rubs his temple as he feels a headache brewing. The world is going mad, he looks around at the men, he knows he can rely on his spetsnaz troops but the others are unknown.
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Suddenly out of the gloom and swirling ice, it is no longer snow, you almost drive into a barbed wire fence. Upon clearing the periscopes and windshields, and taking a look outside for yourselves you can see another fence, 20 feet from where the outside fence lies and yet another fence some ten feet further beyond this. Guard towers are visible at the edge of your vision in either direction, though there is no sign of movement upon them. The first thing the convoy encounters
is the outer fence, topped with spooled razor-wire angled inward.
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A second thing that stands out about the fence is the multiple articles of clothes that are caught in the barbed wire. Striped shirts and pants have been blown into the fence by the powerful winds (which are a steady 70 kph with gusts over 100 kph).
OOC:   Navigation and a Spot Hidden rolls please  
A quick search reveals a sign some twenty yards away from the vehices that reads;
CORRECTIVE LABOUR CAMP 234
OFF LIMITS
AUTHORISED PERSONNEL ONLY
OOC:   What now my brave Spetsnaz?  
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Re: Landing and cross country

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Something about this situation does not feel right, and Melnikov, wary of an ambush, takes a long hard look at the area outside the vehicle.
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Kozlov checks his mission map to see if the camp is marked and it's position in relation to the target, if it is marked he shows this to the driver to check their course and position. Kozlov then orders his men to be alert for any trouble, he has memories of Afghanistan bubbling at the back of his mind.
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Re: Landing and cross country

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Those that pass the Military Science Rolls,The outer fence is designed more to keep something in rather than something out - surely not the sort of fence you would expect at Site 6.
Those that pass the Navigation Rolls,The camp is not where the location of Site 6 is supposed to be.
Those that pass the Spot Hidden Rolls,While examining the map, you notice that there are a few abandoned facilities scattered around the Taymyr Peninsula, there are no man made constructions this close to Site 6
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