RM5.4

As the day passes into twilight, Captain Wangai moves his ship out into the lagoon. He’d prefer to be away for he knows full well the Germans, having put up such a fight on the beach, will be back sooner rather than later. The sea is calm and the first stars are coming out. The sporadic crackle of gunfire from the Island’s interior has stopped now, but no red flare has been launched to warn le Mollusc to flee, so the mercenary ship must stay and wait out the night. Edith Flavien steps onto the bridge holding a steaming mug of tea. He thanks her and she stands close.
“Is it not dangerous to stay here?” she whispers.
“Very” he nods, “But our people need us to wait, so we must wait. I shall tell the others to expect an attack, but hopefully the Germans will be preoccupied with the others”
Edith nods vaguely.
Ivan Kopylov looms from the inky shadows and Captain Wangai regards the mute Russian. Since they cannot speak a word to each other, he merely points to the top of the ship, to the anti aircraft gun battery that sits atop the bridge.
“Da.” Kopylov grunts. He climbs the rusty stairs and disappears leaving only the strong smell of cheap alcohol and stale sweat behind him.
“Don’t worry” Wangai tells Edith.

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Out on the open sea, two large boats cut through the water like knives. The first has the appearance of a fishing boat, but its speed and the throaty roar of its engine belay that impression. On her after deck, several men in rubber suits prepare weaponry. The second boat is different entirely, almost invisible in its dark colours, its fore deck boasts a 20mm auto-cannon and cluttered behind a forward cabin are more guns, and men in dark uniforms. A light flickers from its bridge, and the first boat veers off onto a separate course. Her Captain turns to his superior and salutes briskly.
“We are approaching the Northern Lagoon now My Lord”
Baron Von Schöenberg nods briefly, his attention on the dark silhouette of Farquhar Island. Like its demented master, it served a purpose, useful for a while, but now obsolete, a dead end. Metzger’s promises of superiority came to nothing but horrendous monsters and freaks. If mankind’s supreme form is to be found, then the search must continue along other avenues. He shakes his head sadly, aware now that the great discovery will probably not happen in his life time as he’d once hoped. Now he must prepare for the future. He turns to the communications officer.
“Inform Helga we will return to Neu-Prußen as soon as we have taken the enemy ship.”
“Jawohl!”

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Starting

Le Mollusc is at anchor in the middle of the Northern Lagoon (see red dot on image above). Several hours of darkness have passed before the Germans mount their counter attack, and the mercenary ship has been lulled into a sense of near complacency. Only Ivan Kopylov and Captain Wangai are still suspicious. Both remain at their posts, despite the late hour. Two other sentries have also been posted. Unfortunately for the mercenaries, the Germans have employed a team of divers, and these approach the ship, unseen.

Captain Wangai begins on the bridge with one other member of the crew to be chosen by player one. Ivan Kopylov is alone on the Observation deck and wide awake, note he can only look in one direction (perception) per round and he is hampered by ignorance of divers. This counters his attention, but does not affect his perception roll. Player one may specify two other sentries, to be placed any where on the ship; however these suffer a -1 penalty for boredom and inattention.

Players two and three begin the game in their cabins, mostly asleep. They may begin to deploy, one element at a time once the alarm bell rings or loud firing begins.

Player four begins off table. Once firing begins, the patrol boat moves to board the ship. The patrol boat can engage with its 20mm auto-cannon from off table any time it wishes to do so, but Le Mollusc’s twin .50’s can match the gun boat for range and destructive capability. The gun boat takes 4 rounds to get on table once it starts up its engines.

The game begins when player five’s divers reach the ships side. The rest of player fives elements begin off table, waiting to board the ship from a different direction. As it is not dark hulled, the dive boat is further away. It will therefore take longer for it to arrive on table.

Note. This chapter takes place simultaneously as chapter five

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Player One

Captain Wangai (pistol)
& group one from Le Mollusc

Players two & three

Each of the players takes one of the remaining groups from Le Mollusc

Player Four:

Baron Von Schöenberg (Handgun)
Kapitan Michael Lerner (Handgun)
2 x Crew
8 x Schattentroppen assault team (6 rifles & 2 SMG’s & grenades)

Player Five:

Kapitan Hans Orff (Handgun)
2 x Crew
(Diver commander) Hauptman Horst Steinhof (SMG & grenades)
4 x Kampfschwimmer (SMG & grenades)
8 x Schattentroppen assault team (6 rifles & 2 SMG’s & grenades)

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Map

1. Foredeck, with 75mm gun.
2. Main deck, with a hatch, down
3. Command cabin
4. Common room (currently being used to bunk Iron Fist Chung's gang)
5. Stairwell, up and down.
6. Captain Wangai's cabin.
7. Afterdeck, with stair well, up and down.
8. Bridge.
9. Stairwell, down.
10. Upper deck, stairs up and down.
11. Observation deck, with twin .50 AA gun, stairs down.

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Victory conditions

Players four and five win by taking control of the ship. They can do this by fulfilling two of three criteria; capture the radio communications equipment on the bridge and hold it by the end of the game, defeat Captain Wangai and/or defeat two thirds of the enemy force.

Players one, two and three win the game by preventing players four and five from fulfilling two of their victory criteria.
Note. Removing Captain Wangai from the game, hiding him in the hull for example, counts as a defeat.

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Special notes

All exterior areas of Le Mollusc are rough. All interior areas of Le Mollusc are difficult.

All areas on the smaller vessels count as difficult. The sea is impaasable except for the divers, for whom it is difficult.

Climbing the ships sides requires a rope with grapnel (all the divers each have such an article). To attach the rope and grapnel, a stealth roll must be passed. To climb aboard requires the diver rolls above 7 on a d6 + H/H. If a sentry is within 6 inches of the rope and grapnel when the diver attempts to climb aboard, a further stealth skill must be passed against discovery. Once a grapnel has been attached it is imossible to dislodge it from the sea.

The Heinkel He-51 which was captured in Chapter two is moored along the starboard side of Le Mollusc in preperation for being winched aboard at first light. Tethered on either side of it are the two ships boats. Due to cables attached to the aircraft, it cannot be movd during the game. It can however be used for cover (+1) and destroyed (roll against 4)

This game takes place during the night so all visibility below 12 inches is impared so perception skills suffer by -1 and stealth benefits by +1.