World War II The Vanguard Issue #3 - Operation Dynamo - SILVER SENTINELS TEAM

Silver Sentinel

Roll Call:
Silver Sentinel
Thunderclap
Sterling Silver
Hothead

Having burst from the depths of the channel, soared through the air and high into the sky, the Vanguards vessel soared past startled Nazi fighters, even equipped as they were with modified engines - including jet booster packs that allowed them to outsprint anything the Allies had! They were still wood, canvas and metal framed, thus limiting their top speed. Thundering across Belgium, the craft soared high above the clouds, travelling at several times the speed of sound. Even so, it took minutes before the team were able to identify an area in the vicinity of Rochefort, Belgium where the Nazi armoured divisions had crossed the river a few miles north to advance towards the British Expeditionary Force. The French forces were making a fighting withdrawal, trying to slow the onslaught of Nazi forces, but the Axis held all the aces - upgraded futuristic weaponry, devastating killing machines, metahuman operatives and of course, the giant destructive robots that gouged a path through the Ardennes for the tanks to roll through.



OOC Highlighted Green area is Rochefort, a village on the edge of the Ardennes forest, where cover might be afforded.

Sterling Silver offered to carry Thunderclap down to the forest area. "Aye, that'd be fine by me, just watch yer hands, alright?" replied Thunderclap. Sterling Silver blushed somewhat, frowning. Attitudes in the 1940s were clearly less relaxed than future times.

Swooping down below cloud cover the ship darted for it's destination, slowing right up and a hatch opening on the 3rd floor airlock. With a salute and nod to the other teams, Silver Sentinel and his crew disembarked, their first objective to get to the forest and cover in one piece! It was clear that the Nazis were advancing full on, and in the distance armoured divisions stopped, rotating guns to draw a bead on the ship, but unaware of its status now that the Psychic Network had been disrupted. For all they knew now, they could be firing on their own!

The ship hovered for a moment or two, the team disembarked and then it soared away.

Silver Sentinel and his team landed without incident in the trees at the edge of the forest. They had a number of options.

To the north (OOC dashed red line) a thick stream of armoured Nazi units poured towards the river Meuse and the town of Dinant. They could attack the convoy from cover of the forest (OOC towards the right of the map with the red box marked Kluge) mounting hit and run raids on the endless supply convoys - which were heavily guarded. They could attempt to stop the convoy in it's tracks at some point, with a bold (suicidial?) assault, ambush them from the cover of buildings in Dinant itself or try some other tactic - clearly they were trying to cause the most disruption for the least risk, but there were thousands of German soldiers. From this distance, with field binoculars, it looked like a long snaking like of walking troops, fast moving tanks, horse drawn supply trains and trucks carrying ammunition. Amongst all that were doubtless scattered German special forces!

=========

The Nazi commander stopped on a ridge and watched the departing craft.

(OOC translated from German)

"It never ceases to amaze me, seeing the technology from the future and from other worlds. If I had not seen it with my own eyes..." he said, then looked to the trees through binoculars, seeing nothing, save the briefest glint of metal.

He walked to a nearby tent and turned to the cloak and hooded half dozen who stood waiting for his orders. His command tent had been set up here to oversee the smooth passage of supplies to the front. A necessary, but dull assignment, rather like the Commander himself. As staff came and went in the tent, updating positions on maps and relaying radio orders, they skirted around the half dozen, sensing, feeling, something sinister about them...

"Investigate that area. We received no word of superhuman reinforcements and we have lost contact with command at Berlin. Until communications are re-established we are on our own. No matter. None can stand before us! But see what was deposited in those trees. And bring it to me..."

"Alive...?" rasped a voice from within the hood, its features hidden. The Nazi shrugged. "Whatever."

The six departed, making for the edge of the camp without obstruction from any fearful Nazi soldiers that dared look in their direction!

OOC: Very band of brothers (minus the superhuman powers), I love these kind of films: Guns of the navarone, where eagles dare etc.

I cant find any info on hothead like his powers or anything, I have the list of Thunderclap and Sterling Silvers though.

Quick questions, the local town is it abandoned and what are the blue squiggly lines..... are they roads?

IC: Making there way deeper in the dence forest with out making a sound the SST (SILVER SENTINEL TEAM OOC: Sorry didnt know what else to call them) found their way into a small clearing.

With a nod to the others Silver sentinel stopped, took a quick look around and crouched down with the others.

"Right chaps just to refresh your memories about this op, I dont need to tell you that its completely off the books, its not SOP and we wont be getting any back up." Sentinel said rolling out a map, placing it on the ground and using a few small stones to pin it down.

"Guerilla tactics boys thats the name of the game, confuse Jerry causing him to waste resources and time ...... MORE importantly taking the heat from our boys in Berlin. There is a thick stream of armoured Nazi units poured towards the river Meuse and the town of Dinant every day at 0500 hours passing at this point (ooc: the black cross) at 06.15, his boys" Sentinel said looking up at each one of there faces "is the closest point to the forest and the perfect point for an ambush, the Jerries know it too and would be expecting this.

"The way I see it our best chance to hold up the convoy with a 'downed' tree but the timing must be dead on, too early and the convoy will just drive around and too late and the first tank will be crashed giving away our potion. What we want is the Germans to dismount and 'attempt' to remove the tree, many Nazis will be watching the forest at all time the tree is being taken care off but better that than the whole convoy loading round after round if that tree falls too late. We lay traps in the forest in advance, hopefully thin out there numbers in there then fall back to Rochefort. Our intel tells us that its cleaned out so no cilvilans should be there .............. and if anything happens to me Sterling is your CO" SS said placing a hand on the young mans shoulder.

OOC: Unless hothead has more experience but i remember reading the man repect Sterling and would follow him anywhere.

IC: Removing his knife from its sheath and point once again on the map.
"Preperation is key for this mission gentlemen, we need to set up as many traps as possible in the woods hear (ooc: red cross) and also camo pits hear (ooc: blue cross) so when the Nazis attention is diverted to the woods while covering the tanks Thunderclap and I attack from the pits with you two covering us when our covers blown" (ooc:Sterling Silver and Hothead)


"We have to be quick to 'take' care of the tanks and halftracks, grab what ever equipment we can after because when we return back to the forest we will have thousands of German solders on our heels"

"We only get one shot at this, if it all goes belly up plan B is to head to Rochefort and hold them off." Standing up sentinel willed his armour helmet over his face from his excess metal in his suit.
"I only ask gents that you try not to kill them all as we need a radio operator alive with his radio to confuse the enemy more but thats only a secondary objective"

Sentinel saluted the team, the team saluted back before hothead lauched a fireball at the map (ooc:guessing he can do that) and all four all them whent to there assigned tasks.

ooc: does it make sense?

Silver Sentinel Team


OOC Good post - details of the Justiciars in the Notable Information thread, as well as early in the Dunkirk thread with Slobotham describing them in his own words. No character sheets for them required really - this is war - I expect at least some of the Justiciars to be minced, unfortunately (not a great choice of word but you face thousands of troops) so the only thing keeping them alive is the plan you team leaders come up with. Let's see - the town is NOT abandoned, but the people have locked themselves indoors and taken shelter where they can. Blue squiggly lines? Rivers.

Sterling Silver nodded. "Sounds like a good plan. The Nazis aren't constantly advancing - some sections are slower than others, so gaps in the line with no one in sight are our cue to work on the roads. The Nazis can go round them but ploughed fields and undergrowth make for slow going. We have grenades and the element of surprise, but when the bullets start flying, only Silver Sentinel here will stand a chance for long."

"Hey! My flame is hot enough to melt a bullet!" said Hotshot.

"Maybe so, but a hundred bullets?" asked Sterling Silver. Hotshot chewed a lip, then turned away.

"Let's get started on the trees. Sentinel, sir, why don't... ah heck. In the field, are we alright calling you Sentinel, Steve? Seems odd calling you sir when we all started the same time, and I don't think the top brass will mind seeing as we're out here getting shot up so the boys on the other side of the river can get away." said Thunderclap.

Sterling Silver scowled. "Discipline and the chain of command must be maintained! Besides, if you'd been made Captain you'd want everyone to know about it!" Thunderclap grinned and made his way over to a tree. Sterling Silver offered to brace it. The plan was to break it so an application of strength would send it toppling. "Should have brought a saw, but this will have to do." said Thunderclap and he held up a glowing hand.



Everyone covered their ears as Thunderclap delivered an explosive punch to the tree! Wood smashed outwards in every direction, birds took flight, hundreds of leaves began falling down and there came an ominous creaking from the tree. Thunderclap winced, then looked around, before looking up at the creaking tree. "Bugger." he muttered.

=========

Advancing up the road several miles away...

OOC translated from German

"What was that?" ordered a commander sat at the head of an armoured column. Behind him were more tanks, trucks, artillery, and hundreds of soldiers.

Worse than all of those, though...



"Scourge Squad! I am... uncomfortable with your methods and lack of honour, but I have been ordered to make use of you! Scout out ahead. Find out what the disturbance was. It is more than likely our own troops. Report back so that we can perhaps aid them in their efforts."

The Scourge Squad stared with undisguised malice at the 'merely human' Commander, then commandeered a jeep, tossing the protesting occupants to the floor and roaring off!

The Commander hawked and spat as he watched them go. "Rest here! We are still ahead of schedule!" he shouted, and the order was passed down the line...

=========

They came from another direction, sleek, fast, deadly...

Thundering across the countryside at over sixty miles an hour, the half dozen 'Animen' headed for their prey. They had been told to investigate and bring back whatever they found - dead, or alive...

=========

Back in the woods with a sheepish looking Thunderclap protesting...

"Come on! I didn't know it would be that loud!" he said, sagging back onto a tree stump. "How are we going to dig the pit and chop trees down? With our bare hands?"

OOC Don't jump too far ahead with your next post - 20 minutes or so of activity, then ... well, you'll see

Sentinel just threw thunderclap a look, "You know what your right we cant lay traps and dig all this by morning (OOC: Im assuming we are doing this under the cover of darkness)........just..... just try to keep it down okay?" Steve turned away and carried on laying small pitfall traps filled with sharpend sticks, noose traps like his old man had shown him when they were hunting before the war and standard issuse miltary explosive traps with the little amount of supplies they had. All the while Steve was thinking how he knew they would be lucky if anyone made it out of this alive.

"Ive secured the area behind the forest Sir but ...." announced Sterling Silver as he approched SS

"Please call me Steve, I know your level of discipline for the chain of command is admirable, if circumstances were different I would be taking orders from you and that would be an honnor Will, you would make an excellent captain but you know as well as I...." Steve said looking around and lowering his voice
".... this is a sucide run, granted a necessary one"

"Which brings me to my next point sir... er Steve our intel is incorrect ......Rochefort is still occupied. The villagers have boarded them selfs inside through fear of the Nazi patrols nearby. Forgive me for speaking freely Steve but we cant ask them to take in a group of British solders of the run from a thousand Nazis"

"You know Will that if those Nazis dont find us they will tear down that village even if we arent there because they know thats the only place for miles around, its just good tactical sense. We arent monsters, we cant let those villegers be slaughterd" he replied with an exhail of air and a slouch in his sholders

"Hmm I know ...."

Hothead bound into the clearing interupting "Sir, we have finished with the camo pits, we are good to go"

Silver Sentinel Team


With everything in place - a tree ready to fall across the dirt track through the forest, grenades tied to trees, a long length of string through each ones pin so that they go off staggered, but cause a huge amount of confusion and damage. Camouflage pit traps to spring from and strike, causing more confusion... It was, at best though, a delaying action. The German army was huge, the Vanguard few in number...

=========

The cloaked, hooded figure knelt, sniffing...

"Well?" growled another of the cloaked figures. "Yes, I have four distinct scents. That way." the mysterious figure said, pointing.

The group set off at a run. moving faster over the rough terrain than any creature of the wild might be able to do, but resembling a wild animal with the way they moved...

=========

The Scourge team rounded the bend in the road.

"Set up position up there, and there." said the leader. He watched as his two marksmen moved to the trees and started climbing. Something was afoot. But what? His superhuman senses strained to hear... It was hard with the armoured column not far behind. Narrowing his eyes the Nazi metahuman hawked and spat, melting into the trees with his team mates following...

=========

Silver Sentinel looked nervously about...

His plan was sound, but when arrayed against hundreds of armed, trained infantry, tanks and who knew what else, half a dozen grenades each, a few super powers and trusting to luck didn't seem much. Just then he heard the first tanks come round the corner, and gave the signal. His energy blast had scythed through the tree almost to tipping point. Now he and Sterling Silver leant their strength against it, sending it creaking, splitting and cracking, then to crash down across the dirt path! Instantly they melted into the trees and got into position. The Nazi column stopped. There was some shouting (in German), and squads began to spread out, watching the trees. A Commander bellowed for the tree to move.

Almost time to strike...

Suddenly Silver Sentinel heard the growl of an animal some twenty feet or so behind him. What in the...? He turned, saw only undergrowth. But there was something amiss. Would he continue with his plan, give the signal to attack and start tossing grenades and energy blasts?

Or perhaps he would investigate the noise behind him? His team were relying on his leadership, and whilst Sterling Silver and Thunderclap were solid team players, he knew Hothead would soon grow impatient, burst into flames and fly up, tossing fireballs down, left and right at their foes!

OOC Couple of options there, or you might come up with your own. The nazis are scouring the trees, looking for some sign of an ambush. Your team is in position... your move...

'No' thought SS 'Priorty number one is my men and the mission whatever that is'

Steve made his own animal noise to signal the attack and let slip the dogs of war.

As predicted the surround Nazis to the tank covered the wood with their rifles and sub machine guns.

The trap was sprung, Sterling Silver and Thunderclap lauched into action, leaping out of the camo pits on the otherside of the tanks and silenty moving closer to the unsuspecting solders from behind.

OOC: Sterling and thunderclap to attack the solders using the suprise to their advantage until their cover is blown then thunderclap to use his sonics to stun (im guessing thats his attack) if things get to hairy for them they should bail and hothead should rain down fire on them.

Im guessing you have other plans for me if not energy blasts to pick off targets the others cant finish (is it possible to ready that action?) Okay this is going to get messy, over to you mate

Silver Sentinel Team


Sterling Silver and Thunderclap, both hand to hand combatants, found their best weapons to be the strings of grenades they carried carefully. Rising from the pits, both wearing khaki fatigues, faces darkened with smeared soil, they inched through the bushes towards where the Nazi column had stopped. Soldiers were spreading out, machine guns poised and looking out into the forest.

Elsewhere Hotshot waited high in a tree, looking down. Unusual for him, he was nervous, and slowly wiped his forehead. Then he saw it. A dark shape in the trees heading towards Silver Sentinel from behind!

With the Nazis below him and watching the trees at eye level, his team-mates on the other side of the column, Hotshot was caught between a rock and a hard place! Cursing under his breath, he considered hissing a warning to Silver Sentinel, but knew the Nazis were closer. Knowing that if he used his powers to light himself up in the tree, he would be denounced as an idiot who'd sprung the trap too early, and likely jeopardised the safety of the group by opening them up to attack from the Nazis. Besides, Sentinel was a big boy - one of the most experienced Justiciars, and a Vanguardian to boot.

He could look after himself, and Hotshot didn't want to look like an idiot. Then he saw a second dark shape heading towards Sentinel from another direction...

=========

Silver Sentinel waited to strike. They would punch into the first tank, then another behind it...

That would block the road and create a trap for the Nazi troops. Then they'd attack from both sides, using cover of the trees and Hotshot would rain fire down from above, panicking the soldiers. Once the convoy was in disarray they'd make the decision whether to continue or break free, but they'd have stopped the vital supply convoy, a sure fire way of cutting off ammunition and relief to the Nazis at the front, and slowing down their lightning advance.

That's when he saw Hotshot light up, clothed in fire, high up in the tree! What on Earth was he doing? He'd just blown the whole ...

"BEHIND YOU!" bellowed Hotshot, and he flew out of the tree, drawing fire from startled Nazis who followed his trail with bullets! Suddenly the place was alive with gunfire and shouting!

Sentinel whirled...



A wild animal... no, it was bigger, more powerful than that! An ANIMAN burst from the undergrowth, all growls and claws, launching itself at Silver Sentinel! He had a fraction of a second to throw up his arms and bear the brunt of the charge that crashed him against a tree with a "HUFF!!"



Then another figure entered through the trees, watching as the two combatants rose and circled one another! Silver Sentinel flicked a glance to the creature with the claws, then the newcomer, who proclaimed "I do not recognise you! Perhaps you are a British agent as we have been warned to expect! I shall enjoy zis!" he laughed, moving into a fighting crouch and onto the opposite side of the werewolf like creature!

OOC Silver Sentinel is unharmed by the initial attack thanks to the warning from Hotshot. Out on the trail, pandemonium ensues as the team toss grenades into the middle of the Nazis and Hotshot blasts them from above whilst drawing fire! Silver Sentinel has other worries though, but the Initiative roll (Heroes 10, Bad guys 7, 4 frames) helps. The wolf-man is in swinging range, the Nazi will require a frame to reach. His gun holster is open and a smooth easy draw will have it out, and blasting at the Sentinel! Over to you.

OOC: Blimey thats alot of action. How far away is this Nazi in the wood about to draw his gun? If he is in range could I blast him with one hand to prevent him from grabing his pistol (stuning him or something, guessing my blast isnt powerful enough to kill him) while my other arm is raised attempting to block the werewolfs attack? Hopefully the claws of the werewolf, although superhuman will have a harder time trying to rip through my armour. If not hopefully the Nazi gun fighter wont have a clear shot of me while in fisty cuffs with the puppy, so full blast at the werewolf point blank

OOC You can blast the Nazis gun, but it's a small target (total required 21 or more to strike, as opposed to the usual 18+) I'll leave that to you, also when you blast your energy I'll assume a full power shot unless you state otherwise. Full power is x5 multiplier, using 5 energy points, and damage is split 50/50 between Htc and Htk, or all on one at a cost of -1 Damage Divider. Quick Blast is 1 or 2 energy points (x1 or x2) and only takes a frame rather than 2. Remember at some point you can use Hero Points. 1 Hero point allows you to add a D20 to your hit roll and boost it up. Might be worth doing to take out enemies quickly. That said Silver Sentinel is not easily or quickly downed with 110htc, so you have plenty of time to think about what to do.

Silver Sentinel Team

Silver Sentinel was suddenly caught between a rock and a hard place! He raised a hand, aiming at the Werewolf type creature, and unleashed his most effective blast!

OOC That's 5 energy points leaving our hero on 10/15 on round 1/5. Roll of 15, +3 WC +6 DC = 23-17=6 Accuracy. x5=30 points of damage. 15Htc and 15Htk after reduced dividers. The Animan is on 20/35 htk and 25/40 Htc

The creature howled, its chest a black scorched circle of hair!

Sentinel twisted, aiming a shot at the Nazis gun in its holster...

OOC Tricky this. You could do with a roll of 13 or more. Anything less will miss.16. That'll do it.

The Nazi cries out as the blaster spins away, and he immediately scours the undergrowth to see where it's gone!

OOC Another 1 energy point meaning 9/15 remain on round 1/5. You have 1 frame remaining to quick blast or punch, or save to defend yourself with (though see my note about your Htc/Htk figure - you are nigh on bulletproof as it would take ages to chop you down with bullets)

The creature howled, its chest a black scorched circle of hair!

"And I thought you smelt bad before" quipped Silver sentinel struggling to keep the beast at arms length.

Sentinel twisted, aiming a shot at the Nazis gun in its holster...

OOC: Wow really happy with that, I'll see whats the animan like to take down before thinking a about the hero point.

It might be a good idea to upgrade my speed it future so I can keep up and take down more enemys quickly.

Ok time to go toe to toe with a super werewolf, whats wrong with that

Silver Sentinel Team

Having hurt one enemy and temporarily delayed another, Sentinel felt good about his chances - he was bulletproof, super strong, his enemies were Nazis and he didn't have to hold back on them... what could go wrong?

OOC Roll of 3 - miss - doesn't help for his last frame. Not sure why I put 10/7 as initiative roll when it was 10, 3, with 7 the difference giving 4 frames. Oh well.

The Werewolf went on the offensive, crazed with pain and slashing with razor sharp claws!

OOC three attacks for Animan attacks - 16, 8, 13 rolls. The 16 and 13 hit for 5htk and 4htk after dividers.

Frustrated, the Animan sees his foe barely flinch from its frenzied attack!

The Nazi scrabbling in the bushes (OOC 2 frames) grabs up his pistol and turns, firing!

OOC Roll of 15, Energy blast reducing dividers by 2 (for all Htc damage). 7 Accuracy, x5 damage for 35 points, dropping Sentinel to 75htc! He's thrown back, tumbling across the forest floor, but despite the decent hit, still has plenty of life in him! Any response? SS is hopeless at Dodging, so it's be a parry with his own energy blast if he wishes to take defensive action, and it woudl send him down the slippery slope of going on the defensive, when he's already got these guys on the back foot.

"No!" shouted the Nazi. "It's not possible! My gun can melt through steel! How is it you still live?" He adjusts the weapon, taking aim again.

OOC Initiative 8 SS, 4 bad guys. 2 frames then their four.

OOC: What about using the animan as a human sheild so he would get the blast instead, a grable check maybe and if it helps use my hero point? If its not a good idea .... how far away now is the marksman?

If he is too far away for a accurate attack dive into some dense bushs, obviously the wolf will track me and hopefully the marksman cant, so it'll be mano a mano

Silver Sentinel Team

OOC Grab roll 15, hit.

Silver Sentinel, seeing that he was about to perforated by a man with a laser gun, grabs the Werewolf with a clump of hair, twists his body and launches himself into the nearby bushes! The pair stood up, though this time there were trees as cover and a Werewolf creature in the way of the shooter, who cursed and started to move through the trees!

Suddenly Silver Sentinel was aware of others moving around him, and the very real possibility of the werewolf being part of a pack meant he might be in some trouble! However...

"Argggh!" screamed the nazi as he moved through the trees. There was a sound of growling, tearing, then blasting!

The Werewolf facing Sentinel ignored that though and slashed with his claws!

OOC Rolls of 4, 13, 12. The last two hit for 16htk and 14htk, reduced to 4 and 3htk. At that rate, Silver Sentinel could more or less stand there all day let them scrape at his armour...

There were more sounds of battle coming from the trees as the Nazis friends rushed to save him from the blood thirsty Wolfmen, opening fire and using their special powers, whilst the Wolfmen used claws and teeth!

OOC Initiative Heroes 10, bad guys 6. 2 frames to you. The Wolfman is in swinging distance, everyone else is obscured by trees. A short distance away both Nazi squads are tearing each other to pieces - hey, it happens with hero types all the time, bad guys aren't any smarter

"Just you and me flea bag and your no match for my armour" SS said through a series of small grunts, almost letting the wolfman swipe at him by now realizing that the beasts furious attacks were doing minimal damage and after all it wasnt like he could stop the shaggy, damp smelling creature.

"My turn" the hero added lauching everything he had into his single blow hitting him square in the chest (OOC: with a bit of luck), causing the beast to wimper like a small dog. Like he had many options of were to strike the wolf as it towered above him when it stood on its hind legs.

Silver Sentinel Team

OOC Roll of 18 (hit for 33htc) and 22 (20!+2), hit for 40htc

Silver Sentinel hammered the wolf creature with an armoured fist, then slammed upwards with a terrific 'cut that sent the thing spinning through the air. It was out before it even crashed into the bushes, though from the looks of it there was no transformation back into human form. Silver Sentinel shifted uneasily. What were the Nazis doing now? Changing people into animals, or vice versa?

There came a rustle of bushes and Silver Sentinel whirled, ready to strike! He relaxed when he saw Sterling Silver. "There's all hell breaking loose in the bushes! We were surprised when these dark clad Nazis came through the trees, then doubly so when these huge wolf like animals assaulted the Nazis! Rather than get involved we let them tear each other to pieces, and have been booby trapping the road. There should be..."

A series of loud BANGS! went off, and Sterling Silver grinned. The Nazis fired wildly into the trees, and soon he had to shout to make himself heard. "That's Hotshots cue!" he said, leaning in. Both looked up to see a fiery streak race over the road, fire down from above with a torrent of flame like a flamethrower, and be out of sight over the tree canopy in a heartbeat! There came a huge CRACK! and the creaking crash as Thunderclap dropped a tree into the midst of the stalled convoy, sending men dashing for cover and separating one section from the rest of it. The tanks started wheeling forwards, guns swivelling looking for targets. "My cue!" said Sterling Silver, hoisting his string of grenades. He flew up as Silver Sentinel watched, then down onto the tops of the tanks. With superhuman strength he peeled the hatch open on one, and dropped a grenade in! He started for the next tank, but a hail of gunfire spun him about and downed him!

Silver Sentinel had been delivering a coup de grace to another wolf creature, wounded by the battle with the other Nazi group, when he heard a distinctive chatter of gunfire and saw, through the trees, Sterling Silvers front splattered with blood! He pulled himself up to a sitting position, then staggered to rise, just as half a dozen Nazis with flamethrowers ran up to encircle him!

Hotshot shouted from above "They are too close for me to blast them! the whole lot will go up!"

Sentinel looked at where Thunderclap was. One of the big dark suited Nazis was wrestling with him, and the pair rolled through the bushes, trading blows. Sentinel also saw a Wolf Creature approaching the pair, intent on devouring one.. or both?

OOC Hard choices to make. Sterling Silver surrounded. Thunderclap locked in battle and Hotshot unable to help for fear of hitting his team mates. not easy being a hero!

OOC: I wonder what was happening with the 'boys' now im not sure i wanted to know lol.

How far away is SS from the other SS? My awefull plan is to fly in and grab SS, am I fast enough and also can I flying punch one (or more) nazis on the way like a fly by punch?

"They are too close for me to blast them! the whole lot will go up!"

"Just distract them for a second and then give them hell, you'll know when" replied sentinel

"Why where are you going?"

"Im going in. We never leave a man behind" (OOC:heroic enough for you) Steve said launching himself in the air at the same time. "HAVE AT THEE BLAGARDSSSSSSSSSSSSS" The armoured man screamed as he swooped into the would be execution to save the hero and his friend fists first.

Silver Sentinel Team

Hotshot shook his head. "That kind of crazy I can relate to! I'll try to help Thunderclap with his 'buddy'!"

Silver Sentinel took to the air, swooping down towards the Nazis. he was seen, and two diverted their flamethrowers at the incoming hero!

Easily swaying past the bursts of flame he homed in on the others... just a few more...

Suddenly they opened fire, and Silver Sentinel through up his hands to shield from the heat and glare! He smashed into the forest floor, tumbling and crashing through the bushes as he heard Sterling Silver scream behind him! Then the remaining grenades that Sterling Silver were carrying went off!

And they took the flamethrowing Nazis with them!

A huge exploding ball of fire swept outwards through the trees and bushes, setting light to everything about! Silver Sentinel shook his head, dazed and singed (OOC he's taken 15htk in heat damage but no htc thanks to his armour) but recovered his senses enough to clamber to his feet and fight his way through the bushes to come to the clearing...

Sterling Silver was on fire! His costume and hair were alight, his skin blackened and scorched, and he staggered weakly amidst searing flames and charred forest shrubs, scorched hands outstretched as his eyelids were fused closed!

Fighting back the urge to be sick, Silver Sentinel started moving towards him... then saw Nazi soldiers burst from the trees, take a look at the situation and line up in ranks with machine guns ready to mow the stricken Sterling Silver down!

OOC Sterling Silver is a mess. His vigour saved him, otherwise he'd be like a side of meat that'd been in the oven for several hours too long. Horrible description, but he's just been the victim of half a dozen of his own grenades and a number of flamethrowers blowing up in his face! The Nazis with machine guns - 10 of them - will gun him down where he stands unless Silver Sentinel can somehow stop them!

OOC: Dam that didnt work out the way I hoped, he isnt pretty not more. Out of the frying pan and into the fire ............... no wait thats where hes just come from.

sorry thats terrible.

Okay how far are the riflemen? Im assumimg that if they saw a heavy armoured men running towards them they would defend them selfs before gunning down Sterling?

IC: "HEY YOU GERMAN DOGS" Sentinel screamed while running towards the riflemen, spewing molten plasma from his palms as he ran in a desperate attempt the save Sterling and forgetting his own safety. He didnt care if a he gave his postion away to a thousand German troops and he gave his life to save him, no man deserved to die that way.

Silver Sentinel Team

OOC Fastest way to help would've been to fire the plasma blasts from Sentinel, either at the ground in front of the flamethrower troops, or maybe at a tree to make it fall on the troopers and scatter them, but Sentinels action was in keeping with the quick-fire nature of this fight. Sees a friend in trouble, starts to fly over... (at Grade 1 ) and the place goes up like a bomb first...

Angry, smouldering and burning, Silver Sentinel moved into the clearing, getting the attention of the Nazi soldiers who trained their weapons on him instead. They started shouting, took aim...

OOC Gave Sentinel 4 frames to act first, seeing as the Nazis were aiming at the stricken Sterling Silver. Assumed four quick blasts of x2 energy putting him on 1/15 remaining and round 3/5. Rolls 6 (miss), 19 (hit, 15htk, 15htc damage, soldier down), 14 (hit, 10htk, 10htc, soldier injured), 2 (miss)

Having almost expended his energy, Sentinel staggers towards the Nazi troops. One was down, another badly injured, the others looking on in fear until one shouted "Schnell! Granaten!"

The soldiers quickly started fumbling with grenades on their belts, twisting the sticks and letting fly!

Eyes wide behind his helmet Silver Sentinel desperately started batting them away with his hands - some clattered against his armour at his feet, and the soldiers started scrambling to their feet from their aiming positions, seeking to run for cover! He couldn't get them all though, and turned helplessly as Sterling Silver lay, burnt to a crisp and helpless, with grenades ticking around him!

BOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!

The grenades around Sentinels feet went off, sending him tumbling through the air to crash into the undergrowth! He heard others go off a fraction later, and knew that Sterling Silver must have been blown to bits! He heard shouting as more Nazis turned up, and glanced, dazed as he saw the woods crawling with troops.

Suddenly a hand grasped his shoulder. "Time to go boss!" said Hotshot, looking about. His flames were out, so as not to attract attention, and he helped Silver Sentinel to his feet. Without a word he pointed to where Thunderclap lay behind a tree, cradling a still form - Sterling Silver!

"Pulled him out of the way behind a tree and shielded him with his body. Think Thunderclap caught some but the tree got the most." said Hotshot. "Never seen anything like it boss - you looking to take on the who Nazi army by yourself? Crazy fool!" he laughed. "Something that I thought only I was daft enough to do!"

With the woods crawling with Nazis, the pair crouched, making their way over to where Thunderclap and Sterling Silver were. The army boxer turned superhero sighed, and rolled onto his back, looking down ... at where his legs had been. He was bleeding out, and Hotshot gaped, unsure of what to say. Sterling Silver groaned, alive but in urgent need of a hospital.

"Bastards.. got me boss. Truth was it was the Nazi ... that did for me! I got the swine though..." he coughed, and looked down again. "Let off my thunderclap... in his mouth..." That would explain the drenching of blood he'd taken. Sentinel looked sadly down at the mans legs from the knees down. They were gone. "Get... Sterling out of here..." he spluttered, blood frothing from his mouth. "Thought I was bulletproof, but even... *cough* even I can't take that many... grenades *hack, cough* Go!" he hisses, weakly pushing at Sentinels chest. "I've still got..." he moved his other arm, revealing a string of grenades yet to be pulled. "A little surprise for 'em..." he grinned.

Overhead the roar of jet pack Nazi rangers thrummed - dozens of the elite troops with armour piercing rounds and well armoured, thanks to the 'future tech' kevlar they wore.The roar and clatter of tanks was loud now, as were the shouts of Nazis. They were finding the bodies of their dead or dying Metahuman operatives, killed in the mad free for all that had seen three groups collide, all dishing it out with superhuman powers. Only Hotshot was unharmed, and his flame was exhausted after circling the battlefield. He would be able to fly, and cover himself in fire, but he would be a sitting duck were he to attempt to attack the Nazis. "I need to rest." hissed Hotshot. "My powers are burnt out! We need to get out here, boss!" he said, looking around. The Nazis were searching the woods, shouting when they found a body.

It would be only a matter of seconds before they found Silver Sentinels group!

OOC The place is swarming with the army, which has arrived, along with Jetpack troopers and possibly more lethal armaments. Sterling Silver is hospitalised, Thunderclap is missing his legs and bleeding badly, Hotshot is out of energy for his distance attack, and Sentinel is on 1/15 energy points, so more or less out too. Normal day at the office again. The Nazi metahumans are smashed, mostly thanks to them attacking each other but also with the Vanguards assistance.

OOC:Stuck between a rock and a hard place.

IC:'We'll be discovered in no time. Hmm what we need is the dark power .......because that worked out so well last time.'

"Hpm" Steve huffed out loud

'I still cant control it and I feel it buried deep within me ......but.....shadows!'

Steve reached out with his mind 'Frostbite, lionheart, can anyone hear me? We have disrupted the supply lines in this area but my team is in dire shape. We ......... they need an evac ASAP. Can anyone hear me?'

OOC: I see that Frostbite is going to transport Tank back. I was thinking the drop ship could pick up the 'boys', I understand the LZ is hot but if they can get far enough away and SS is going to stay behind to distrace the enemy maybe they can get to safety, I feel thats are best option.

P.S. will thunderclap get his legs back? Maybe Garland is back in jolly old England studying her regeneration ability in the hope of replicating it in others, obvisously it wouldnt be as quick or 'perfect' as hers

smaug wrote: 'Frostbite, lionheart, can anyone hear me? We have disrupted the supply lines in this area but my team is in dire shape. We ......... they need an evac ASAP. Can anyone hear me?'

"Sentinel!" Frostbite reacted, as he imagined the others doing, with the sound of his fellow Vanguard's desperate voice in his head. Frostbite was annoyed with himself realising, of course that he'd been responsible for sending Sentinel in the first place. Clearly he'd faced odds, greater than the rest of the team, or suffered some very bad luck.

"Ok, get somewhere where you can whole up, make sure you don't get boxed in. The Nazi's are going to be looking for any of us that they can. But I think Anyman is making such a ruckus in Berlin, that the Metahuman population there is just about to explode. I'll direct the ship to come get you, as soon as we're able to. Keep me informed."

OOC: Assuming that Frostbite can contact the ship and his Frostbot, I'll get them to fly by on Sentinel, at least they might be able to get them out and hopefully the bodies. Make the men comfortable if nothing else. And then see what our options are as things unfold here.

I get the impression Paul, you're just waiting to see which one of us blinks first!

Sj

Silver Sentinels Team
Hotshot
Sterling Silver (Hospitalised but stable)
Thunderclap (Dying - legs destroyed from knees down)

Hotshot licked his lips nervously as he peered through a bush. He turned and hissed at Silver Sentinel. "Got a group coming right at us!" He kept an eye on the soldiers coming through the trees and readied his hands. His energy reserves had been restored (as had Silver Sentinels) and both could fight, but their injured companions wouldn't last long when the bullets started flying!

For his part Sentinel was glad/amazed he'd been able to establish contact with Frostbite and hopefully secured a means of getting out of there! He glanced down at Thunderclap who grimaced before speaking. "Get out of here boss! Whilst you still have a chance! Me and Sterling will surrender, buy you time. They aren't likely to kill us straight away, being superhuman. If you don't they'll get word to their supermen and pile on this location until even you get battered into the floor!"

"They are almost on us! Get ready!" hissed Hotshot.

=========

Frostbot, being repaired on the captured Skrall Science Ship, ignored the technicians fixing its battered body.

"Direct the vessel directly towards Silver Sentinels squad, best speed. Shields up. Defensive weapons primed on automatic. Keep scanning for enemy attacks from the skies. We have to make an emergency evacuation in a hostile fire zone!"

Having given his orders, the robot watched as the Skrall technicians scurried about, performing their tasks. The ship was large and durable, could defend itself against conventional 1940s weaponry, and would be at the scene in minutes! The problem was, the nazis weren't using anything that could be described as 'conventional'...

OOC the Nazis are almost on your group where you are hiding in the trees!

"They are almost on us! Get ready!" hissed Hotshot.

"No" Steve answered through gritted teeth "Im not letting you surrender, when they fing out your super human they'll tear you apart to find out what makes you tic"

German voices were now heard in the distance.

Steve placed in hand on Hotshots shoulder and staired right into his eyes knowing this might be the last time he saw his companions again."Stand your ground, they havent pin pointed you yet. Our boys are coming back for you just lay low until then and dont use your powers unless you have to"

"Oh no you dont, your n......"

Steve gentle pushed him to one side

"Whats your problem? What happend on your last mission? Whats with the death wish?" hotshot snapped back his eyes a blaze.

"Im coming back....." Steve lied ".... trust me" he gave a wink and formed his helmet around his face once more.

The hero leaped into the bushs and made his way through the woods untill his so some distance away from the rest of the group, paused for a second then fired once toward the on coming Nazis
"HEY" he screamed "OVER HEAR" Steve then turned tail and made his way to the burnt out tanks and scorched bodies of the ambush earlier that night, which in Steves mind seems like hours ago.

Silver sentinel spoted a motorbike and side car and smirked to himself, 'perfected' he though. The exhausted young man threw himself on the bike, kicked the pin that joined the sidecar untill it gave and ... but wait no key...

The voices were getting closer once more.

'Here goes' Steve squinted and forced his finger to a point and jamed it into the barrel.

OOC: Steve mc Queen eat your heart out

Silver Sentinels Team
Hotshot
Sterling Silver (Hospitalised but stable)
Thunderclap (Dying - legs destroyed from knees down)

A number of alarmed shouts rang out... stray shots... and Silver Sentinel was off! He manhandled the bike through the trees, weaving this way and that, teasing, testing the Nazis resolve. Any shots that came close simply pinged from his armour, and he theatrically raised his finger, still key shaped, blowing the end like a smoking pistol!

Hotshot cursed, watched him go and helped Thunderclap up. Despite his injuries, Sterling Silver staggered to his feet to help his team mate. They moved away, slowly, through the bushes.

=========

Silver Sentinel knew he was buying time, but every direction he raced, Nazis came spilling out from behind trees!

Their guns were no threat to him, but to his bike? He looked down. The thing was leaking fuel and oil from dozens of stray shots, the engine starting to cough and splutter!

Suddenly a rock smashed the front wheel, causing it to buckle!

Silver Sentinel spun through the air, clattering against a tree and coming to rest, shoulders and head down! He rearranged himself and stood, finding he was backed up against a tree with dozens of Nazis levelling machine guns at him! troopers with jet packs and flamethrowers hovered higher up, looking down, and the loud clanking of *something* coming through the trees suggested the Nazis were taking no chances!

"Surrender!" spat one. "There is no need for you to die here!"

OOC Sentinel is cornered, with hundreds of Nazis in the trees around and dozens in the air. There is a cyborg/bot approaching too. Still, every ploy he tries buys more time for his team mates...

Your out of options. You know what needs to be done....... so what are you waiting for?

Questioned the shadow in Steves mind egging him on.

Steve ignored the voice and gathered himself

"You imbeciles do you really think I am the enemy? One man? Here? How would I have gotten zis far pasted the greazest army in zi vorld?" (OOC: Bad German accent) Steve yelled at the now shocked gunmen who every now and then threw each other looks with raised eye brows.

All the while in the distance he could here some kind clanking war machine getting closer, he couldnt help thinking 'wheres that blasted ship'

OOC: It'll be silly to think the bluff is going to work but I have to stall. Dont worry I have a plan *cough*