Bad Times in the Big House

The Office of Strategic Services had initiated a series of arms, ammunition, and supply drops across France in the months leading up to D-Day. After the Allies landed ashore, the OSS sent agents to assess their investments in the local resistance and requisition any unused ordinance for operations on the front lines. 

Rick "Slick" Reynolds, a Texas cowpoke-turned-spy, and his team came ashore three days after the Americans and British entered Normandy and were tasked with taking stock of a shipment of guns and ammunition that had been dropped only a week before a few miles south of the beachheads. Their mission was simple: link up with the resistance cell in the village of Doran and organize the return of the shipments ammunition and weaponry to the American and British forces. 

Later that week

Slick Reynolds and his team had no way of knowing that Doran had been occupied by the Germans and its resistance cell completely destroyed. Luckily, the Germans had taken the village after the weapons drop and its hiding place was unknown. Unfortunately, Slick and one his comrades, Owens, were captured while surveying the village. The rest of the team managed to evade the Germans and return to Allied lines to report the situation. 

"There's gotta be at least twenty krauts in the town, Captain." reported a shaken Pvt. Strudebaker, still clutching Owen's field jacket. 

"We've got our forces tied up all over this goddamn region. I can't spare any of my men, but our British friends may have the capacity," replied Capt. Farwell, whose paratroopers were still regrouping. 

Fortunate for Slick and Owens, R Troop of No. 47 RMC was the closest unit to Doran not currently committed to any operation. This meant Sgt. Remy Hall and his cadre were tasked with the job of rescuing the imprisoned OSS operatives and recovering the hidden supplies.

L-R: LCpl Harrow, LCpl Darcy, Sgt. Hall, Mrn. Percy, Mrn. Pembroke, Mrn. Fagen, Mrn. Burr

"Plain and simple lads," says Hall to his unit, "Couple of wankers from across the pond ended up in the nick and Jerry's got the keys. Since we've got nothing pressing on our schedules, we've been asked to collect them. And if that wasn't easy enough, the Yanks have dropped a few of their things near the village that they've asked us to collect."

"We're a courier service now, Sergeant?" asks Pembroke.

"Beginning to feel like it, eh Pemby? Alright, we hit this village of Doran at dark" quips Hall as he retreats to his quarters for a brew and biscuit.

The village of Doran

Doran is small with a dirt road cutting through the village east to west. Most of the structures in town had been bombed out except the municipal building in the southwest that housed most of the occupying Germans. Slick Reynolds was being held in a small building to the north outfitted with a rough iron cell and two guards. The hidden OSS supplies were northwest of the cell and could only be discovered if Germans happened upon them during their patrols. If so, the Germans would quickly move to destroy the supplies. 

Hauptmann Erwin Carlz is in charge of the German unit occupying Doran. He's a bastard and, unbeknownst to Remy Hall and his men, has already tortured OSS Operative Owens to death and will be duplicating his efforts on Slick Reynolds shortly. Hall and his men are on a deadline as Carlz has already ordered two of his men to retrieve Slick from his cell. If Hall and his men cannot intercept Slick before he enters Carlz's red room of pain then his fate is most certainly sealed. 

"Are my tools ready, Heinke?"

Hall and his men approach Doran from the east under the cover of darkness. 

"Harrow, you and the Bren team cover the road. Once we grab the Yank, you better make sure we don't have a tail," orders Hall.

Harrow trains his rifle from the second floor of a bombed out building while Fagan and Burr ready the Bren below.

A lone German sentry guards the road from behind a sandbag emplacement near the bombed out building. The sentry made the harmless decision to face west, all that was needed for Pembroke to make his lethal move.

"I suspect you won't be telling me where the American is?"

Hall and Percy stack up on Pembroke and proceed to the take cover by the trees near the building where Reynolds is held captive. Darcy takes an approach towards to the municipal building. 

A roaming German happens behind the prison building, dangerously close to where the surviving OSS operatives identified as the hiding place for the weapons. 

"Boys, show the gentlemen away from the door please," orders Hall. 

Before Percy and Pembroke can bolt, the German soldier turns to look directly at Hall. Perhaps it is the darkness, perhaps it is the taster of schnapps before his shift, but the German asks:

"Richter, ich dachte du schlafst?"

"Uhh, cheers mate," replies a hesitant Hall, motioning Percy and Pembroke to pounce. The two Commando quickly dispatch the German before he can cause any harm to the team. Percy continues onto the OSS supplies, while Hall and Pembroke proceed to the prison building. 

Meanwhile, the two Germans dispatched to pick up Reynolds draw near. Their orders are to eliminate the prisoner should ANY funny business occur.

"I can't shoot the American! He promised me Babe Ruth's autograph!"

"You boys wouldn't happen to know when I get my phone call?"

"How about a last meal? No dice?"

"This feels like a perversion of justice"

While Reynolds is escorted to his unpleasant face-to-face with Carlz, Percy has stumbled across the hidden OSS supplies. 

"Sgt, I'll hoof it back to the extraction point with these goodies."

Seeing Reynolds escorted to the entrance of the municipal building, LCpl Harrow makes a judgement call. 

"Oy, Fagen, Burr. Jerry's taking him inside. Open up!"

Harrow's Lee-Enfield and the Bren gun open up on the guard escort, downing the three soldiers, leaving Reynold's to look around curiously at his deceased captors. 

"Did I say something?"

Reynold's sudden liberation was all he needed to make a quick run for the exfiltration point. The explosion of gunfire was all that was needed to alert Carlz to the arrival of the enemy force. 

"Everyone out! Meet the aggressors where they stand!"

As the Germans inside the municipal building make there way outside, a shadow appears in the hallway window and the roar of Sten gunfire fills the building. The lurking Darcy has decided to give the Germans a hello. 

"Take that Jerry!" whispers Darcy.

Having caused a commotion, Percy retreats towards the main road to cover the retreat of Slick Reynolds. 

Hall and Pembroke clear the prison building of two guards and book it to the road. 

"Appreciate the help, Tommy."

"Keep it moving, boys. Fritz woke up," says Sgt. Hall. He looks back at the municipal building to see the first German soldier appear. "Evasive action, boy!"

"Come to papa."

"Heads down! Keep your heads-". A single shot rings out in the night, cutting through Sgt. Hall. He drops to the road, making sure his men reach the exfil point. Sgt. Hall, the heart and soul of No. 4 Section, was beginning to fade in and out. 

"Suppose my bill at the Mason Arms is null and void," says Remy Hall, his last words on this earth. 

More Germans begin pouring out of the municipal building, faster than Harrow and the Bren team can react. Kar-98 fire rips through the air, catching tow more commandos. Both Pembroke and Darcy go down, bullets barely missing Reynolds. 

"I'll never forget you Tommy"

Harrow and the Bren team pull back from their position, meeting Reynolds on the ground. Percy, with supplies in tow, catches up to the group.

"Where's Hall? Pemby? Darcy?" asks the out of breath Percy.

Harrow shakes his head and Percy slams his beret on the ground. 

"Fritz isn't in a charitable mood right now. No time to mourn. Let's go," orders LCpl Harrow. 

The survivors of No. 4 Troop and their objective, Slick Reynolds scurry off.

Back amongst the Germans, Hauptmann Carlz surveys the carnage. How could we lose the American? How could such a small force cause so much destruction? Why do my men patrol with their heads up their asses?

Carlz looks down the main road in the direction of the escaping Allies. He sees movement on the ground.

"Steiner, over there! One of the commandos is moving...."

A survivor amongst the fallen commandos? Is this not the end of Sgt. Remy Hall, the bruiser of Bolton Street?

Rules: Black Ops by Osprey 

Figures: Warlord 28mm