A Post-Apocalyptic Christmas

James “Hat trick” Jones was born in the summer of 1969, he spent his youth in Beaufort, South Carolina. when not at school or home. he would go on hunting trips with his Pa. after leaving school he joined the Beaufort County Sheriff Department. At 24 at the rank of sergeant, he left his career in law enforcement, to join the US Military. At 27 he was promoted to Corporal. when war broke out J.J had just been promoted to Sargent and started a special operations assignment. He was issued a sniper rifle. His “job” as to seek out people of interest and terminate them. now he’s alone behind the enemy lines if the is such a thing anymore. His mission now is to reconnect with his command, but until then he will he will carry out his orders he was last given.

It is now Dec, 3 days before Christmas. He is cold, hungry, and thirsty.

There is a small error on the character sheet, coolness under fire (CUF) should be an (A) not a (D), I also missed out Sniper as a specialty and that he started with 5 permanent rads

I plan to move 3 squares per day on the main travel map and draw one card per hex from the encounter deck. I plan to keep doing this until the 3rd of January 2022 or till the death of the character.

I did a unboxing of the core set, referee screen and the dice pack, here.

Unboxing

Lodz Poland

Weather Heavy Snow

JJ Leaves town in his Polski Fiat 126p, heading southwards on the main road.

JJ  has to roll a Survival to search the car wracks, Intelligence B (D10) + Survival C (D8). I fail the roll with a 3 & 1. I cant push the roll (reroll) becuse i rolled a 1.

JJ Gain 1 stress from the road of death scene

Note: the bloody first roll of the game failed (facepalm)

JJ short on food pushes on past the refugees.

JJ spots the minefield just as dusk starts to fall. Tomorrow JJ has to decide whether to retrace his route back to a junction he has passed or carry on, on foot.

Day 1 is done. no as of combat yet.

please leave comments on what you think JJ would do.

Disclaimer

I know I’m not following the rules 100%, I’m trying to make an interesting story

Piotrkow Trybunalski, Poland

Weather Heavy Snow

JJ decides to leave the Polski Fiat back at the minefield, JJ has set his sights on reaching Krakow before the year’s end. As he remembers this is one of the army marshaling points before the shit hit the fan, and JJ hopes that maybe he can reconnect with command there.

Passing thru Piotrkow Trybunalski, JJ passes a 220-meter by 44-meter deep nuclear strike crater. JJ decides to avoid the crater so as not to take any extra rads

JJ searches the site of this tank battle and Rolls a 7 and a 3 on the recon check. with one pass he finds a golf club, JJ decides to leave this behind

JJ encounters a half-crazed US officer in Sulejow, who tries to order JJ to execute some civilians. JJ tries to reason with the officer. But I failed the Empathy C (D8) & Manipulation F (No dice) check as I rolled a 5, I pushed the roll (rerolled) and got a 4.

The officer pulled his pistol and tried to shoot JJ, and missed. However, JJ’s police training kicks in JJ pulls his own pistol and kills the officer.  JJ rolls Agility A(D12) & Ranged Combat B(D10) and rolls a double 10. this counts as four successes. one hit and 3 carried over onto damage. 1 base damage + 3 bonus damage. this wouldn’t normally be an instant kill, as an officer normally has 5 hit points, however. The torso is rolled on the hit location dice and then a D10 was rolled, on the hit location chart. 10 on the torso chart is a heart shot, resulting in instant death

JJ Buries the Officer the best he can in the frozen ground, marks the site on his map. so if this shit show is ever over they can send the body home.

JJ sets up camp in the ruins of Sulejow at the end of day 2

Sulejow Poland

Weather Heavy snow

A Roadside IED, only an issue when in a vehicle. JJ is on foot so easily avoids the device

JJ passes a recon roll and sees a fire with a hunter cooking meat on. JJ uses his rifle scope to see that the hunter is cooking human flesh, JJ can see the half butchered body. JJ takes aim and rolls a called headshot. this is a -1 to the roll. JJ rolls a 10 and 3, then a location 8 on the table with a shattered neck location. JJ then does a second coup de grâce shot killing the hunter

JJ meets a group of hunters, who are willing to trade meat for ammo. But after the last encounter, JJ is unwilling to trade. However, they allow him to share their camp for the night

Weather: Heavy Snow

30 miles  North West of

Skarzysko Kamienna, Poland

Another hunter encounter, JJ passes a recon  check to avoid them

JJ approaches a small retail complex of 11 buildings.  JJ fails his recon check ( also failed the reroll )and stumbles on a local bandit leader and one guard. JJ wins the initiative and shot the guard dead. the bandit leader draws his uzi and runs at JJ to get in range. JJ has time to take and shoot and wound the bandit leader.  just as the bandit leader lets loose at JJ with the uzi and hits JJ causing 2 damage.

JJ fires again and kills the bandit leader

on the outskirts of Skarzysko Kamienna. JJ hears a heavy track vehicle. having not taken anything to deal with armor. JJ passes a recon check and goes to ground as a T-72 and a GAZ-66  with a dozen US POW’s in the GAZ-66. AS the vehicles rumble on past eastwards.

JJ spends the night in the woods, he treats his wound. At dawn, he will move on again

Weather: Heavy Snow

Outskirts of Skarzysko Kamienna, Poland

The Military convoys carry on thru the night, the last one passes just as dawn breaks. it is led by a BTR-70 and two GAZZ-66’s. JJ stays hid until they have rumbled on past

JJ recon’s the bus and spots the viper before it attacks. JJ then searches the bus and finds a tire iron and a crowbar. JJ leaves these behind as he doesn’t need the added weight of them

JJ encounters a pack of rabid-looking dogs, the dogs attack JJ. JJ shoots and kills one with a pistol. the second bite’s JJ for 1 damage. JJ shoots and kills the second dog. (There is a 1 in 6 chance that these dogs have rabies. So I roll a dice if I roll a 1 JJ gets infected, luckily I rolled a 4 so no rabies)

JJ again sets up camp for the night at the halfway point between Skarzysko Kamienna,  and Kielce

Weather: Heavy Snow

halfway between Skarzysko Kamienna,  and Kielce Poland

JJ stumbles onto a bear, JJ wins the initiative. JJ shots the bear and does 4 damage. The bear charges at JJ, but before ut can reach JJ . JJ shots it dead.

JJ encounters more hunters and they share 4 rations with him

JJ hears the train coming and passes a recon test to hide, as he still doesn’t have anything to deal with large vehicles.

JJ rests on the outskirts of Checiny for the Night.

JJ checks his map and reckons he will be in Krakow in just over two days.

Note: I roll for the weather every day, on a 1 the weather gets one step worse, and on a 6 the weather gets one step better. To date, there have been plenty of 1’s but you can’t get worse than heavy snow

Weather: Cloudy ( i finally rolled a 6 on the weather chart)

Outskirts of Checiny, Poland

JJ wakes in the dawn, to see the sky a bright orange from a huge fire south of him. JJ has no choice but to head east to find a different route

No more movement south via this road

JJ investigates a 120m crater 24m deep, at the bottom is a fallen US soldier. JJ takes his dog tag, marks the position on his map. and buries the fallen soldier the best he can. He takes the soldier’s assault rifle. But leaves the broken walkie-talkie he find on the body.  JJ gains 1 rad from these actions

JJ spots a roadblock on the road ahead, JJ passes a recon check to ambush the roadblock. There are two marauders manning the roadblock, both fain a survival check to spot JJ. The first thing the marauders know of JJ is when one takes a round to the leg, fails a strength test, and falls over screaming in pain due to no longer having a knee cap in one leg. Before the second marauder has time to react, he is lying dead next to his screaming friend. JJ calmly approaches the 1st marauder and shoots him in the head with his pistol.

JJ lays claim to their pickup truck with half a tank of fuel. DShK machine gun with one reload, RPG-16 with 1 reload, and 7 domestic food rations.

JJ sets up camp here for the night with the forset fire lighting the night sky like and ever-present dawn

Weather: Cloudy

Outskirts of Jedrzjow

JJ puts his foot down and tries to run these NPC’s, he narrowly misses them. and carries on at speed under a hail of bullets

The dog runs off at the sound of the pickup truck

The sun breaks briefly thru the clouds, JJ  Loses 1 stress.

JJ spends the night in Szozekociny

Weather: Cloudy

10km west of Szozekociny

JJ drives past a small patrol of Soviet Soldiers, they let him pass after trying to trade with him for food

A Soviet Roadblock with a BTR-70, they wave JJ on past. after failing to realize he was a soldier

A 160m by 32m deep crater, JJ stays well clear of it.

JJ camps here for the night

Weather: Heavy snow

10k north of Zyrardow

A huge explosion is heard as a Soviet UAZ-469 is taken out by a roadside bomb. JJ put his foot on the gas as he knows someone will  come to  investigate the noise

JJ sees the sight of the ambush, but there is no help he can offer so drives on past

JJ comes across a group of refugees. they demand food. JJ not wanting to kill civilians hands over 6 rations

JJ stays here for the night

Note: two entries today as i missed yesterday , back on track tomorrow

Weather: Cloudy

Near Katowice, Poland

No real effect on this solo play thru

JJ passes a recon test to slip past, as he spots the Marauder ambush

JJ pulls into a small village and trades the Assult rifle for food and lodgings.

JJ spends the night in a real bed, the first time since this shit show kicked off.

JJ studies his map and reckons he will be on the outskirts of Krakow tomorrow evening.

Note: JJ has traveled 330km in 11 days. I know this is highly unlikely in the weather conditions he has faced most of the way. But I’m just doing a simple play thru.

Weather: Cloudy

The ass-end of Poland

JJ comes across a group of 3 children aged from 10 to 15 years. JJ gains their trust with a passed Empathy check. a couple of marauders attack the farm. JJ ambushes the marauders. JJ shops the knee cap out of the 1st marauder who falls to the ground, the second marauder shots at JJ and misses. JJ shots and kills the second marauder, then finishes the 1st of with a head shot with his pistol. JJ disposes of the bodies. Leaving the Marauders AKM’s with the kids. promising them he will send help as soon as he can

JJ passes a old man , but doesn’t stop

JJ still has the kids he left behind earlier on his mind, so much so JJ didn’t spot the ambush until the sniper fires on JJ

JJ fails recon check

Soviet sniper Passes recon check

Soviet sniper hits JJ for 3 damage

JJ jumps from the vehicle and hides behind a burnt-out vehicle

Soviet sniper fires and misses

JJ returns fire and misses

Soviet sniper fires and hits JJ for 2

JJ shots and rolls a critical, with a headshot location and a 10 JJ splatters the Soviet sniper’s brains across the top of the cars parks roof

JJ recovers an SVD + 1 reload and 5 rations

JJ will spend the night here, JJ is badly wounded and will treat his wounds overnight

Weather : Heavy f**king snow

Hell on earth, Poland

Ash rain from the forest fire, and nuclear winter. For this play thru  there is no effect

The Soviet soldiers fail their recon check, and JJ passes his recon. so manages to slip past them

The Marauders fail their recon check, and JJ passes his recon. so manages to slip past them

JJ  camps for the night

Weather: Heavy f**king snow

Hell on earth, Poland

The Marauders fail their recon check, and JJ passes his recon. so manages to slip past them

JJ trades 2 Rations with these stragglers

JJ drives on past

JJ camps for the night

Weather: Heavy f**king snow

Hell on earth, Poland

The Soviet soldiers fail their recon check, and JJ passes his recon. so manages to set up an ambush with his truck that hasDshK HMG mounted on it. JJ springs the trap. JJ mows down the soviet guards in a hail of bullets. JJ releases the prisoners. One of the prisoners is a CIA agent who informs JJ of operation reset

JJ fails the identify the aircraft and speeds on

JJ sets up camp and is stalked by wolves, JJ kills the wolves and settles in for the night

Weather: Heavy f**king snow

Hell on earth, Poland

JJ drives on past

JJ passes a recon check and spots the bobby trap and easily avoids it

JJ cant help so avoids the hose fire

JJ camps for the night

Weather: Heavy f**king snow

Hell on earth, Poland

JJ as drives, he spots a glint of a scope. he stops and stalks the would-be sniper.

JJ ID’s the sniper as a Soviet soldier, Aim’s , fires and kills the Soviet sniper before he could even spot JJ

JJ spots the bodies but doesn’t stop , he just drives on

JJ hears the clanking of tracks and manages to avoid the tank  with a recon check

JJ camps for the night

Weather: Heavy f**king snow,  always heavy f**king snow

Hell on earth, Poland

JJ’s way is blocked by a 110 meter wide , by 20-meter deep crater.  JJ abandons the truck and carries on, on foot

To the east, there is a huge forest fire. it doesn’t impede JJ route so JJ carries on.

a fog descends down on the countryside, JJ walks on.

This is the end of my play thru

This was a real basic campaign of Twilight 2000 4th edition by free league

Twilight: 2000

Happy new year

Tuffy xx