The legionnaires jog across the desert toward the low rise indicated by Sgt. Duval, the only sound their boots on the stony ground. Sweat breaks on every brow, stains every smock, faster than even the bone-dry air can evaporate it. Eyes blink back drops of salty water, palms grow slick, feet burn in leather boots.
The rise proves to be an outcrop of rugged limestone stained reddish-brown by oxides in the soil. Lavareaux orders Dinter and Martinez to stop on the reverse slope of the outcrop and the rest of the unit takes up a loose line in the lee of the rise. Location: G7
After receiving no answer initially, Vidal tries to contact in the incoming aircraft again. “Juliet 4, this is Hourglass. Radio check, over.” The radio crackles to life, the drone of a prop engine unmistakable in the background. “Hourglass, this is Juliet 4. Confirm your location?”
Duval overhears the exchange and advises Vidal, “Twenty-two Echo Seven, air ident is black on yellow.” Vidal relays the information to the distant pilot and receives acknowledgement.
Standing on the reverse slope of the rise, the sergent-chef says, “This is our assembly area if we’re engaged. Fall back here.” Duval turns to Neumann, “Position your men in the that defilade,” pointing to another outcrop of rocks about 70m west, “to provide covering fire for the advance element.” Location: F4
The German sergent nods, points to Normand, Pyotr, and Gonzalez and says, “You lot, let’s go.” The four legionnaires hustle forward, past the rise, to another smaller limestone protrusion. “Spread out, don’t bunch up,” Neumann orders the legionnaires in his German-inflected French as he unlimbers the old bolt-action Mauser. “Pick your targets. Be ready to relocate, klar?”. As the four men take position among the rocks, both Normand and Pyotr notice that Gonzalez fumbles with his rifle, his hands shaking.
Normand and Pyotr: Choose between kneeling and lying prone. Kneeling provides one-half cover but does not provoke a ranged AoO if your character stands while in a threatened square (note: this is a house rule – the standard rule is rising from kneeling or prone provokes AoOs) – prone characters gain three-quarters cover but do provoke a melee or ranged AoO if they stand while in a threatened square.
Duval next turns to Lavareaux. “We’re heading for the defilade there,” he says, pointing to another stony outcrop. Location: C4 “We’ll cover your scouts from there.” As the jumpmaster speaks, the throaty drone of a piston engine can be heard, faint at first but growing stronger. Duval motions the men forward and the legionnaires advance across the desert, crossing a sandy gully and taking up a position among the rocks. As they jog across the desert, Vidal hears the pilot’s voice across the radio. “Hourglass, Juliet 4, two minutes out. I have two fast movers in-bound ETA seven minutes.”
Marcel and Vidal: Choose between kneeling and lying prone.
As the legionnaires take cover among the rocks and Lavareaux sends his scouts, Dinter and Martinez, forward toward the oued, the plane – Juliet 4 – comes into view from the south, following the course of the wash. The engine grows louder as the plane approaches while Dinter and Martinez advance in a hurried crouch, rifles at the ready, toward the edge of the oued.
All: Spot checks and Initiative please.
