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Violent Pursuits

DirkNotSoGently Holistic Detective Agency Autodueller Civs Faction Group: Members Posts: 261 Joined: Nov 11, 2011 Summer was approaching in Somerset and the temperature was rising in more than one way. As the sun rose earlier and stayed later, causing all the radios to crackle constantly, the metal of buildings to bake and ping in the fierce radiation and the wildlife to become even scarcer that usual - the effect on the human population was ... odd. A palpable tension was building, a sense that something was coming - but instead of nervousness or trepidation the mood was one of rising excitement. By the time the dates had been posted on the noticeboard at Dexter's, betting had already started on the outcome of the first matches in the Somerset Squad Combat Leagues - commonly abbreviated to 'SCL'. Every week throughout the whole year, there were the races, death-races and rallies that formed the main bloody entertainment for the hard-living peoples of Evan - a chance to watch others struggle and fight for survival - and then a chance for elation and heaping plaudits on the winners. All of this to divert from the daily hardships of life in the new, sun-blasted world. But SCL was the big one! Separated into five Divisions, each team had to buy into the lowest rung on the ladder and work their way up year by year - with restrictions on cars and crew changing in each division and the competition becoming fiercer as you climbed. Of course the rewards were considerable. Each division naturally sported huge dollar prizes - but also the winning team was assured specialist training from some of the most renowned veterans in death-racing history. There was also the morale aspect to consider - each team would sport the colours and insignia of a single wilderness camp. As the teams performed, morale among the regular workers at the camp would wax and wane, translating to very real changes in levels of productivity in the farms, factories and workshops they manned. The start of the SCL each year led to a frenzy of speculation, comparison of previous form - and of course betting. Some people doggedly supported a single team or gang regardless of performance, others were more fickle changing allegiance as fortunes shifted and still others followed no-one in particular, simply reveling in the excitement and bloodshed. The tension was no less in the HDA barracks where Ruth was announcing the crew for the upcoming season. "Now you all know that we are teamed with Brassicas again this year - we ran with them all through Division 5 and they gave great advice and picked up the slack where we fell down. So, I don't want to hear anyone talking about working with the 'Cabbage-heads' any more, understood?" Her gaze traveled across the whole group of assembled gangers - but may perhaps have lingered once or twice on prime suspects. "Now - before I call out the crews, remember we are in Division 4 this year - having had a pretty easy ride through Division 5 if we're honest. The limits on cars and crew experience are different this year and the selections made reflect those limits and the people available due to other commitments rather than any absolute comment on ability or potential." Some around the room were listening intently as this was new information, whereas others who followed the sporting events more closely, were nodding in understanding. As Ruth finally got to the point and called the crew names, there were unhappy looks from some hopefuls who had been overlooked this time round, mixed with smiles and a few cheers for those chosen. Ruth interrupted the ensuing chatter ."Right you lot, everyone else back to your day jobs while the crews and I go inspect the cars - and remember, no-one outside the gang hears about the crew selected. Understood? We don't need to offer any hints that might help the competition." Ruth waved for the crews to follow her out of the barracks and across to the HDA garage, where she took a ring of keys from her pocket and approached a darkened corner of the shed that was usually considered 'off-limits'. The wall there had a small roller door - wide enough for only one car to pass and blocked comprehensively by a stout workbench pushed up against it - and a regular man-sized portal with a very solid-looking door blocking access. Both door were completely unadorned, with no indication of what lay behind. The dark red door had steel hasps secured with padlocks top and bottom and a standard door lock at waist height - Ruth selected a different key for each and had a little trouble reaching the top padlock, but finally swung the heavy door wide. Inside was a smaller area, with two vehicles in HDA colours and decals inside. Both cars were clearly in pristine condition - and from the proprietorial manner Ruth immediately adopted, the crews could tell she had spent much of her time working on these vehicles. Ruth began talking, her eyes never leaving the cars, highlighting changes, enhancements and modifications made to increase their chances while working within the defined limits of SCL Division 4. As the afternoon wore on the crews spent their time going over the vehicles and planning their strategies for the events to come. ... ......................... vet wv deathrce1 pvp5 pvp1 pvp2 circuit3 circuit2 Posted Jun 1, 2015, 2:09 pm

DirkNotSoGently Holistic Detective Agency Autodueller Civs Faction Group: Members Posts: 261 Joined: Nov 11, 2011 Separate sleeping quarters had been set aside in the HDA bunk-house for the SCL crew members, located away from the main bunk room to allow for undisturbed rest and private conferences. Unfortunately this 'special treatment' led to a feeling of isolation from their fellows on the first night - but it was hoped it would lead the crews to bind closer together as a team. A more immediately welcome change was the additional food and water rations assigned. The first morning in the new room, the crew woke to the most wonderful smell. To their astonishment they found a table laid for breakfast, with each setting having a large plate of bacon, egg and fried potatoes, a glass of fresh orange juice and a small light brown pill. As they were diving into this unusually hearty breakfast, Margaret entered the room carrying a handful of written sheets. As the gang's main trainer she had taken charge of the group the day before to make sure they were all adequately prepared. "Ah. You've found breakfast then? Tuck in ... you're going to need it. Don't forget the pill - it's just a supplement - we need you all in top condition for the next few months." As she spoke she walked around the table placing 2 sheets next to each crew member. "These are your new training schedules and assignments. I know you have each concentrated in the past on specific types of weapons, and it's those skills that earned your place in SCL. Now we need you to broaden your horizons and build additional skills in car handling, wilderness scouting and on weapons you may not have used before." The paperwork showed a gruelling schedule of in-town training sessions, wilderness outings and competitive race and death-rally events stretching from early morning till late each day. "We've outfitted four cars for your expeditions outside of town - two pairs of identically equipped Windsor IIs. You'll be running two cars at a time, with spare cars in case of repairs to damage, and since Britt will be going out with you to act as Scout and keep you out of trouble that'll mean only 3 of you outside at a time. During that time the others will work on weapons maintenance, theory or in-town events, so that no time at all is wasted. Any questions?" The ensuing silence was taken as a negative by their new coach - although it may just have been due to the crews digesting both the new information and the larger than usual morning meal. "Right then - let's be about it!" she barked, dragging the slower eaters reluctantly from the table - tomorrow they would eat faster. ......................... vet wv deathrce1 pvp5 pvp1 pvp2 circuit3 circuit2 Posted Jun 3, 2015, 11:57 am Last edited Jun 3, 2015, 12:02 pm by DirkNotSoGently

DirkNotSoGently Holistic Detective Agency Autodueller Civs Faction Group: Members Posts: 261 Joined: Nov 11, 2011 Tension continued to mount as the time for the first event in SCL Division 4 crept closer. Ruth prepared the crews for what to expect come the kick-off. "Okay guys," Ruth started the briefing "your first event is against a team calling themselves H.G.A - a bit close to the bone, eh? - managed by two separate gangs: Triskellion and The Dark Side. Your cars will be taken out to a random spot in the combat area by the event crew - and you will travel to them in an enclosed van. The same thing happens to the opposing crews. Prior to the event you'll have only a small window to reposition - and your information about the location of your enemy will be vague. Remember to stay flexible - what you think you know about the enemy may turn out to be wrong." The group listening nodded their understanding as Ruth continued. "Communication will be key here - talk to each other and to your colleagues in Brassicas. Focussed fire on a single enemy - on the same side - will yield much more telling results than splitting your targets - and arranging that requires you to talk to each other." "We've gone with the same squad name as last season - 'Thors Bath Salts' - for no real reason except we couldn't think of anything better." Ruth smiled at that and the levity eased the tension slightly. Ruth went on detailing assignments for drivers and which weapons to use and finally seemed to be nervously recapping things the crews already knew. Nervous themselves, the crews listened with increasingly poor attention until the arrival of the event marshal cut things short. "Good luck, everyone." was all Ruth had time to finish with as the gangers trooped out to the waiting van. ......................... vet wv deathrce1 pvp5 pvp1 pvp2 circuit3 circuit2 Posted Jun 9, 2015, 11:48 am

DirkNotSoGently Holistic Detective Agency Autodueller Civs Faction Group: Members Posts: 261 Joined: Nov 11, 2011 The HDA cars, a pair of modified Mercenary chassis each with souped up engine and medium & heavy machine guns mounted, were already waiting in the designated combat area outside of the Somerset town walls - but close enough to be seen from the walls by the eager spectators, many holding high powered binoculars for a better view. The latter group was only surpassed by the official commentators - three people equipped with telescopes for the event and speaking into microphones linked to speakers along the walls. As the crew climbed into their cars, they could see a slight haze of diesel smoke from the road behind - suggesting that was where the opposing team were setting up. The road continued ahead and on either side steep hillocks rose up - narrowing the access. After a quick conference with the leader of the Brassicas cars, it was decided to use these mounts as firing points - restricting the enemy ability to close and flank, while simultaneously offering a good chance of hitting their weaker roof armour and panicking the crews. "Here we are ladies and gentlemen on another blazingly hot day at the gates of Somerset for our first match in this season's Squad Combat League Division 4!" Hollered the announcer through the speaker system. "Both teams have elected to field 4 mercenary chassis each - which sounds dull, but the fun comes as we see how they have equipped their cars to stay under the set limits for offensive and defensive capability. The cars are at their starting places and - yes! - there's the klaxon. As all regular SCL fans know, the decisions made in these first few moments can be vital to the outcome of the match. As the engines roar to life and gunners assume control of their weapons, choosing the right attack vectors - and getting into place quickly - is key." "As expected fans - it looks like the first move by Thor's Bath Salts is to run for high ground as the H.G.A. close - this is a classic tactical move and if pulled off well can be really effective. The H.G.A. however are roaring forward, piling on the pressure to get in place swiftly. How well the drivers manage their vehicles here could have at least as much effect on the outcome as how accurate the gunners prove to be." The announcer was of course filling time, as for the next 30 seconds or so there would be nothing to see but glimpses of maneuvering cars shown through the dust clouds kicked up by their movement. The Brassicas cars split right from the road, circling and climbing, while the HDA cars went left. The goal being to reach the top of their mounds facing back down the road towards the enemy. The 2 cars manned by Brassicas drivers made their reposition perfectly, but an unseen ridge on the other mound jolted one of the HDA cars off line - forcing his colleague to shift to compensate - resulting in both cars being at the back of their mound - facing that portion of the road rather than back the way they had come. Seeing the maneuvering, the canny drivers for The Dark Side, slowed their cars to avoid the very top shots that could spell such disaster - while the Triskellion drivers were more eager and kept closing the distance rapidly. Meanwhile only the Brassicas gunners had line of sight on the enemy - which they now used to open up a hail of heavy machine gun fire on the approaching vehicles - attracting of course a response in kind. As the sound of the weapons fire and the impacts on armour rang out across the low hills, the crowd on the walls roared their approval and looked forward to the violent conclusion - many not caring which way the result went, just that there was carnage to revel in. ......................... vet wv deathrce1 pvp5 pvp1 pvp2 circuit3 circuit2 Posted Jun 9, 2015, 11:50 am

*The X Man* Better Off Dead Darkwind Guru Slavers Faction Group: Game Manager Posts: 2,207 Joined: Jul 25, 2012 OOC: This thread has been a very good RP read. Please don't leave us hanging waiting for the rest of it. I need to know what happens to Cabbage Heads!!! I'm on pins and needles here!! ......................... vet wv marshal paintladder zom circuit3 paintball raceL1 race1 pvp4 hammer circuit2 pvp2 circuit1 gwped pvp5 pvp3 pvp1 deathrceL1 triangle1 combatL1 elmsautumn combat1 northernsummer1,3,0 Posted Jun 9, 2015, 6:15 pm

DirkNotSoGently Holistic Detective Agency Autodueller Civs Faction Group: Members Posts: 261 Joined: Nov 11, 2011 The two cars crewed by Brassicas members were facing the guns of all 4 opponents as the HDA drivers desperately wrestled to bring their cars in line. Massed machine gun fire was impacting armour and kicking up dust all around them, but the Brassicas gangers were seasoned veterans and held their nerve staunchly while returning fire. The closing of the Triskellion vehicles provided a chance to recover - and rather than making another attempt to gain the hilltop, it was agreed the HDA drivers would circle the base of the mound - to point at 45 degrees back up the roadway. Before long both HDA cars were firing, but they were so rattled by their earlier mistake that many shots flew wide of the mark, while the Triskellion gunners were targetting a single car and finding their mark with fiendish consistency. "There we are SCL fans - it looks like the first car to throw in the towel is Squaddie 1 from the HDA. At this point we can only speculate about the extent of the damage, but it's clear that their side armour has been holed through and there seems to be thick smoke coming from the exhaust. Squaddie 2 is now the focus of attention for the Triskellion gunners and ... yes, it seems that the Brassicas cars are moving in to assist their junior partner on the team. This could shift the balance with 3 cars firing at two and the damage is starting to mount for Triskellion. If Thor's Bath Salts can force one - or even both - of the H.G.A. cars out of the match then their chances should improve significantly." Unfortunately, despite the Brassicas gangers coming to the aid of the HDA - a gambit which resulted in successfully putting one Triskellion car out of the match - too much damage had already been taken by their cars. A push from The Dark Side, closing along the road and targetting the side of the Brassicas cars as they hammered Triskellion effectively sealed the fate of Thor's Bath Salts. One by one the remaining HDA and Brassicas vehicles were damaged to the point where they could no longer fight and although they knew they'd been hurt, the H.G.A emerged victorious. After the combat, both Ruth and the Brassicas boss received a note from the gang bosses partnered in H.G.A., congratulating their team on a hard-fought battle and advising that despite the event allowing the winner to retain the defeated cars, they could be collected from the Triskellion garage, as a mark of esteem. She smiled at that - but not very widely - as she was reading it while walking over to the Somerset hospital to visit two Darryl 'Mackie' McKeon - who had a cast on his broken shoulder and a frame immobilising his shattered lower jaw. He would be out of action for at least the next event in one month's time and she was already considering who could replace him. She knew that Brassicas faced the same issue, with two of their crew out of action for at least the next event and cars even more badly damaged than the ones owned by HDA. As expected, the risks grew with progression through the SCL divisions - and she was just hoping the reward for the gang would justify how she was putting her guys and gals in harm's way. ......................... vet wv deathrce1 pvp5 pvp1 pvp2 circuit3 circuit2 Posted Jun 10, 2015, 10:56 am Last edited Jun 10, 2015, 10:56 am by DirkNotSoGently

DirkNotSoGently Holistic Detective Agency Autodueller Civs Faction Group: Members Posts: 261 Joined: Nov 11, 2011 *The X Man* said: OOC: This thread has been a very good RP read. Please don't leave us hanging waiting for the rest of it. I need to know what happens to Cabbage Heads!!!  I'm on pins and needles here!! OOC : Thank you, Mr Game Manager Sir. I just wish there was a more logical place I could serialise this, as i feel I'm monopolising the Badlands RP area  ......................... vet wv deathrce1 pvp5 pvp1 pvp2 circuit3 circuit2 Posted Jun 10, 2015, 11:01 am

Bolt Thrower Quantum Symphony Darkwind Guru Deathrace Mafia Faction Group: Members Posts: 727 Joined: Sep 12, 2013 DirkNotSoGently said: *The X Man* said: OOC: This thread has been a very good RP read. Please don't leave us hanging waiting for the rest of it. I need to know what happens to Cabbage Heads!!!  I'm on pins and needles here!! OOC : Thank you, Mr Game Manager Sir. I just wish there was a more logical place I could serialise this, as i feel I'm monopolising the Badlands RP area  OOC:  If no one writes in it, they don't get to complain.  Monopolise away. ......................... vet wv northernsummer1,92,1 Posted Jun 10, 2015, 4:08 pm Last edited Jun 11, 2015, 12:25 am by Bolt Thrower

*The X Man* Better Off Dead Darkwind Guru Slavers Faction Group: Game Manager Posts: 2,207 Joined: Jul 25, 2012 DirkNotSoGently said: *The X Man* said: OOC: This thread has been a very good RP read. Please don't leave us hanging waiting for the rest of it. I need to know what happens to Cabbage Heads!!!  I'm on pins and needles here!! OOC : Thank you, Mr Game Manager Sir. I just wish there was a more logical place I could serialise this, as i feel I'm monopolising the Badlands RP area  OOC: This is exactly the place, the RP Forums. The only thing that I would suggest is keeping the stories listed in the town forums in which they occur. This makes it easier to associate specific events with the towns they are held in. But keep it up. Most players may not comment on these threads, but many of them still enjoy reading them. And with characters like the Cabbage Heads, it only makes you want to read more  ......................... vet wv marshal paintladder zom circuit3 paintball raceL1 race1 pvp4 hammer circuit2 pvp2 circuit1 gwped pvp5 pvp3 pvp1 deathrceL1 triangle1 combatL1 elmsautumn combat1 northernsummer1,3,0 Posted Jun 10, 2015, 5:59 pm

*Brunwulf* Wulf Guard Darkwind Guru Renegade Group: Marshals Posts: 1,299 Joined: May 17, 2012 Bolt Thrower said: DirkNotSoGently said: *The X Man* said: OOC: This thread has been a very good RP read. Please don't leave us hanging waiting for the rest of it. I need to know what happens to Cabbage Heads!!!  I'm on pins and needles here!! OOC : Thank you, Mr Game Manager Sir. I just wish there was a more logical place I could serialise this, as i feel I'm monopolising the Badlands RP area  OOC:  If no one wirtes in it, they don't get to complain.  Monopolise away. OOC: Yeah- exactly! I  can't wait for your next event! GOOD STUFF DIRK!!!! ......................... vet ww wv e2g gwextrav sssc northernsummer gateautumn deathrce1 marshal race1 raceL1 combat1 pvp5 pvp4 pvp3 pvp20,1,0 Posted Jun 10, 2015, 11:40 pm

*Brunwulf* Wulf Guard Darkwind Guru Renegade Group: Marshals Posts: 1,299 Joined: May 17, 2012 OOC: I LOVE reading player penned stuff like this- especially when it's this good. More, more, more!!!! ......................... vet ww wv e2g gwextrav sssc northernsummer gateautumn deathrce1 marshal race1 raceL1 combat1 pvp5 pvp4 pvp3 pvp20,1,0 Posted Jun 10, 2015, 11:50 pm

Racing Robbie The White Ashes Darkwind Guru Renegade Group: Members Posts: 761 Joined: Jul 3, 2012 OOC: All it does is make feel guilty that I have done a event report for the last geek event Good work, keep it up and anyone who gets away with using the phase Cabbage Heads is a winner in my eyes ......................... vet wv northernsummer e2g raceL1 deathrceL1 slay2013 pvp3 ww pvp1 semiprocombat0,1,0 Posted Jun 11, 2015, 11:15 am

DirkNotSoGently Holistic Detective Agency Autodueller Civs Faction Group: Members Posts: 261 Joined: Nov 11, 2011 By the third month, the pre-match tension still had not eased. The excitement in town and the elaborate preparations to avoid any advantage on either team were a factor of course - but the mauling of the HDA in the first event had resulted in some fairly painful injuries and highlighted exactly how much was at stake. Deaths were uncommon in the SCL events - but they did occur. The second event against 'In The Ring' had been less brutal, resulting in a win for the HDA and their cruciferous allies. The enemy tactics relied on focused fire on a single car at a time, this combined with the HDA/Brassicas team dividing their forces to try to confuse their opponents had still resulted in a harrowing experience for at least one of the HDA crews. As always, prior to the third event, Ruth spent the time in the prep room with the team chatting idly about various things and trying to ensure no-one started stressing out before the bullets even began to fly. It helped that even the rawest of the crew was a seasoned veteran of the town tracks and in the wilderness - but even so, nerves were an issue. This weeks event was against a team called 'Leaf on the Wind', owned by the Overlanders gang. The gang were based in Somerset and long established as a local player - but because their activities were concentrated on courier missions and wilderness runs by themselves, little was known about the gang around town. "... and remember," Ruth said "wherever possible focus heavy fire on your opponents' side armor. If you catch them while turning or on a terrain bounce there's a chance you can flip them - after which they're as good as dead." The crews of course knew all this - but the reminders were useful as it was very easy to forget the simple things in the heat of combat. Just then the buzzer sounded and Ruth led the team to the door - where she had to leave them. Once again they were driven to the combat area in an enclosed van to embark in their vehicles, already assigned their starting locations. Once in the cars, the crew checked out the nearby scenery and had a short time to reposition to try to block attacks from behind with ridges while positioning for best attack routes. As they maneuvered, they watched for smoke, dust or heat haze - any indication of the location of the cars from the other side. Try as they might however, they could spot nothing - which could be very bad. Without some sort of forewarning, it was far harder to prepare a plan of attack. The most powerful engines available for combat cars were either rotary or v8 variants - both of which tended to produce more exhaust fumes than their tamer counterparts. However, deducing from this that the opposing team had opted for a number of smaller cars could be an error - a single, far more powerful vehicle could also result in less smoke - and would require completely different tactics. As the crews pondered and fretted, the start time for the event came & went - but without the klaxon to signal the go. SCL cars deliberately had no long range comms gear - to prevent outside interference - so all the crews could do was sit and wait. Another 5 minutes passed before support vehicles run by the League organising committee rolled into sight - flying a flag to signal the match was aborted. The rumour around town was that an Overlanders squad had run into trouble in the wilderness and all the gang's cars had been despatched to assist. Unfortunately, by the event rules, this unforeseen absence meant that they forfeited the event and full points went to Thors' Bath Salts. The occasion was by no means unprecedented given the nature of survival in Evan and the thoughts of all in town turned to hoping the gang saved as many of their crew as possible from a grisly death in the wastelands. ......................... vet wv deathrce1 pvp5 pvp1 pvp2 circuit3 circuit2 Posted Jun 25, 2015, 12:00 pm

DirkNotSoGently Holistic Detective Agency Autodueller Civs Faction Group: Members Posts: 261 Joined: Nov 11, 2011 "Do anything rather than give yourself to reverie." William Ellery Channing ---- Ruth 'Spanners' Fisher came awake as the sounds of movement in other parts of the HDA Somerset bunkhouse filtered into the small private room that her status as gang leader accorded her. As she rose, a twinge of complaint from the recent injury to her right shoulder set off a chorus of complaints from other parts of her body. As she swung her legs out of bed and paused there for a moment, the choir found new voices - her many lower body injuries, from her fractured pelvis, through torn muscles and broken long bones all the way down to a phantom pain from her missing toes - now joined in the song of aches and pains. "It's not the years," she quipped to herself, sighing heavily. "It's the mileage." Smirking at the old saw, she reflected back on her time with the HDA. She was the last survivor of the group who had originally decided that working together offered their best chance at survival in Evan and had named themselves for a pre-scorching fiction story. Astonishing to think that was only 3 years ago now. As she reflected, she realised that she couldn't even remember who it was that christened her 'Spanners' because of her mechanical skill, but from the earliest days she had been the leader - making plans and setting her friends to execute them, sometimes sending them to their death in the attempt. Her eyes drifted to the ganger roster open on her writing desk, where she tracked the training progress and relative strengths of each member - the gang now numbered over fifty members across several locations, a far cry from the early days. Ruth had realised a while ago that she had reached her own limit in technical ability and although she was now working on her skills in other areas, her many injuries over the years were definitely slowing her down. There were already some more junior gang members rapidly approaching her mechanical skill and a few had surpassed her combat abilities a while back. Soon Saul would once again eclipse her leadership role and take over the gang again - but they had resolved that amicably and when the time came the handover would be by mutual agreement. Glancing round the room again - her view taking in the training ledger, the chart for this season's Squad Combat league, the financial records and vehicle manifests - Ruth realised she might actually welcome the change with open arms. No-one in the gang could spot the potential in a new recruit the way she could, but all of this admin work was a burden she was looking forward to passing to someone else. Her reverie was cut short as a ruckus from the main bunk-room drew her attention - it sounded like a few of the newer members banging heads in their attempts to establish a pecking order - but there was only so far Ruth would let that go on before banging some heads together herself. With another sigh she heaved up off of the bed and started getting dressed. Once again, duty called. ......................... vet wv deathrce1 pvp5 pvp1 pvp2 circuit3 circuit2 Posted Jul 14, 2015, 3:58 pm Last edited Jul 14, 2015, 9:32 pm by DirkNotSoGently

DirkNotSoGently Holistic Detective Agency Autodueller Civs Faction Group: Members Posts: 261 Joined: Nov 11, 2011 Robert 'Ripper' Bousquet engaged the safing blade on the heavy machine gun mounted at the Badlands training range before demounting the ammo feed and clearing the breach. He frowned as the pulleys brought the paper target up-range for him to review - already knowing what he would see. Again, the bullet spread was ... okay. Not good, but okay. However a quick comparison with the target sheets from the last few weeks told the full story. He diligently marked the spread and measured the outliers as a way of avoiding thinking about it for a moment. Although recent training sessions had been more focussed and concentrated than before, it was to no avail - his scores were just not improving. If he was honest with himself, he would have to accept that they were never going to improve either. An uncorrectable astigmatism in his left eye was conspiring with slightly shaky hands to keep his accuracy from progressing further - and he knew that as of right now he was not good enough to fully support his gang-mates in the dangerous wastes south of Badlands Truckstop. So far his lack of progress had not been noticed by Saul, who managed the Badlands contingent of the HDA, but it was only a matter of time - and it was probably best if Robert brought it up himself rather than waiting for Saul to address it. With a resigned sigh he tucked the paper targets under his arm and left the range - if Saul was in his 'office' then he would get this over with right now. ... Saul Stewart was a man so reliable and unflappable that his gang-mates had christened him 'Steady' back in the early days after his recruitment. In the time that had passed since, that tendency had only become more pronounced, his careful and methodical approach to all situations having served him well so far. Thus it was that Saul *was* in the small cubby area off the bunk-room that people jokingly referred to as his 'office', poring over paperwork and trying to decide how best to use two nitrous-oxide systems looted after hits conducted on Anarchist trade convoys south of the town. Saul looked up as Robert approached. "Hey Ripper, what's up?" he asked, noting the frown creasing the normally cheerful ganger's brow. "I need a word," came the reply "do you have a few minutes?" "Sure, take a seat" Saul pointed to the fold-out chair leaning against the wall at the entrance to his small work area. Robert sat down as indicated - but then paused, gathering his thoughts and trying to work out how to start. "I've got a problem that we need to discuss." He finally said. "To do with my training progress. No matter how hard I've tried recently, my aim just isn't improving any more." "Oh?" said Saul "I did notice your improvement was slowing recently, but I'd assumed it was just a slump. Are those your training targets?" The morose gang member nodded, passing the sheets across and Saul noted the careful date notation on each as well as the ringing of the main bullet spread as well as notation on maximum distances. "So what makes you think you won't improve any further with practice?" Saul asked. Saul listened impassively as Ripper explained about the distortion of his vision and the shaking hands. After asking a few questions about the training regime being followed, Saul replied carefully. "Okay. This isn't the end of the world, Robert. While we would normally hope for your skills to improve to a better level than this, there are still roles you can fill in the gang if you can be a bit flexible." Saul noted the relief apparent in every line on the ganger's face as well as his position on the small fold-out chair. Clearly the ganger had been expecting to be immediately dumped from the group that had taken him in more than a year ago and been his workmates, friends and family ever since. "We've got a courier arriving later today from Somerset, so if you like we can rotate you back there. Your skill is fine for the lesser threats in the north or even for the lower divisions of the combat leagues. The other option is that we have openings at Rapture's End for competent crew who are prepared to retrain as camp mechanics as well as running combat missions." Looking far happier than he had when he came in, Ripper thought for a second before replying. "Honestly, moving to Somerset might be just a bit too strange. I think I'd prefer to work as a camp mechanic at Rapture's End if that's okay?" "No problem at all." Saul said. "Jolting John is in town right now - if he can't get you there safely then no-one can. Have a word with him just now, but there's no need to head out until you have time to get yourself organised and say proper goodbyes." Ripper smiled back - although this would mean some changes, he already knew a few of the guys at the Camp and he'd heard it was a booming site, almost a town in it's own right. Also the gang ran very similar hardware from camp as they did at Badlands, so orienting himself should be simple. "Now - I've got to get drinks arranged for tonight." he muttered to himself as he walked through the bunk-house, mentally preparing a list of what to take with him. ......................... vet wv deathrce1 pvp5 pvp1 pvp2 circuit3 circuit2 Posted Jul 15, 2015, 2:56 pm

DirkNotSoGently Holistic Detective Agency Autodueller Civs Faction Group: Members Posts: 261 Joined: Nov 11, 2011 Ruth 'Spanners' Fisher, the boss of the Holistic Detective Agency, rushed into the Somerset bunk-room and with hardly a greeting for the gang members taking their ease there, hurrying to the back wall which led to the private areas. She entered the Combat League crew area without knocking - a courtesy strictly observed in such close quarters. While real privacy was almost impossible in the cramped and basic living conditions of a road gang - the pretence of privacy was scrupulously maintained to allow for some semblance of normal life. "Right you lot hands off c..." Remembering the petite brunette Crystal Chan was in the squad this year, Ruth quick changed to - "... whatever you're doing, and get ready to roll. You're on in an hour!" Darryl looked up from his book in alarm "What's going on? We're not due to compete till tomorrow." "Bloody Renshai have requested a reschedule - and since we've always been on good terms with them, the Brassicas leader and I have agreed. So get yourselves ready!" Realising how little time they had, the crew jumped up, changing into their race gear as quickly as they could. At least this time they'd be spared the tension of waiting and the obligatory pep-talk from the well-meaning gang leader. ... Once in their vehicles on the road just outside Somerset, the HDA crew conferred on the team short-wave channel with the more experienced crews of the Brassicas cars. All the signs pointed to Bloody Renshai fielding three vehicles, more heavily armoured than the four on the Brassicas/HDA team, known as Thors Bath Salts to the fans. Many of those were listening intently to commentary on the match while lining the town walls hoping to catch the action through high powered binoculars or in some cases even telescopes. Given their relative locations, the Brassicas crews decided that their opponents would likely try to take the high ground and make top-down shots through the weaker roof armour of the cars. The only way to remove that threat was to charge full tilt from the moment the match started - once up close, the additional car should prove to be an advantage. Revving their engines, the drivers dumped the clutch as soon as the klaxon sounded and the powerful 3 litre rotary engines hauled the cars into motion. As predicted, the Renshais were onto top of the ridge ahead, starting to circle to fire down on the Brassicas/HDA cars. The challenge would be to get close enough to engage before they could do so, as only a single turn of focussed fire could easily tear through a car roof armour and start injuring the crew inside. The Brassicas cars were on the left, veering off the road to take the front of the ridge head on up the relatively gentle slope - that left the HDA cars to try for the side of the ridge, which also meant executing a forty-five degree turn on the sandy surface as they did so. As the enemy approached rapidly, the Renshai cars slid and bumped together - their haste causing minor errors in piloting. They soon corrected though and their cars were in position to fire as the two Brassicas vehicles cleared the ridge - they had however been denied the top down advantage they had sought. Because of a slight rise in front of one of the Renshai vehicles, as the combat started only two were able to fire effectively - and at the same time the HDA car driven by Robert 'Artful' Artiaga also made the crest, firing into the side of a Renshai car, where the armour was considerably weaker. Regardless, the Reshai crew focussed all of their efforts on the targets from Brassicas - reasoning no doubt that once the more seasoned team partners were out of the way, the rest would be easy to deal with. However in just one moment more the second HDA car, driven by Darryl 'Mackie' McKeon, crested the ridge and both HDA cars were focussing fire on the side of a single Renshai opponent. Despite the third Reshai now entering the fight fully, the Brassicas and HDA crew maintained focus on the original two targets - soaking up hits themselves as they did so - and in an instant the side armour of one enemy car was breached, with the Renshai driver taking only a light concussion. Meanwhile, the bumpy terrain at the top of the ridge, and repeated hits to his side armour, forced the Brassicas car 'Muligatawny' onto a collision course with the Renshai latecomer. As the bullets continued to fly, causing an armour breach on the side of a second Renshai car, Muligatawny rolled clear over the bonnet of the Renshai laggard. The second Renshai car turned wildly moving their downed armour away from the HDA guns - again escaping with only minor injuries to the crew. The Brassicas vehicle, Muligatawny, was itself suffering - their right armour was paper-thin. However their collision and roll-over the third Renshai meant their crew had a brief respite - and they joined their guns with the HDA on the already damaged side of Jeff Green's car. One more burst was all it took - as bullets sliced through the already breached metal and carommed around the vehicle interior. The Renshai driver, Jeff Green, took a more serious concussion and a painful hit to his hand in the jolting - but the gunner, Laura Carpenter, was not so lucky. Two rounds from a heavy machine gun sought her out, removing her leg at the knee and leaving the stump bleeding heavily. The Reshai driver immediately signalled their car was 'hors de combat' - leaving Renshai with only two vehicles to fight against four. Thus it was that mere moments later, sustained fire from the Brassicas car 'Minty' and the HDA 'Squaddie2', destroyed the armour on both left & right sides of a second Renshai opponent - again bullets ricochetted around the crew compartment - knocking the driver unconcious and by an odd stroke of symmetry, destroying the leg of Mario Ball - already known to his gang-mates as 'half-there' due to previous injuries. This was too much for the less experienced crew of the third Renshai car - having arrived late to the battle and then watched their colleagues brutalised in this way, their will for the fight was gone and they signalled surrender ending the match in a decisive win for Thors Bath Salts. Even as the echoes of the last shots died, the Brassicas lead had called for paramedics and in minutes first aid was being given to the wounded Renshai crews at the side of their stricken vehicles. ... For the HDA, the aftermath of the battle was one of celebration and concern. As they hauled the conquered prize chassis' back to town, the wounded crew from the Renshai vehicles were rushed to the Somerset hospital - where they were quickly stabilised and declared in no danger, to the relief of all. Meanwhile the victory had propelled the winning team to the top of the Division 4 league table - a state of affairs which held for almost ten whole hours, at which time their very first challenger in Division 4, the H.G.A., won their event and took the top spot away. C'est la guerre. ......................... vet wv deathrce1 pvp5 pvp1 pvp2 circuit3 circuit2 Posted Jul 19, 2015, 2:24 pm Last edited Jul 22, 2015, 11:37 am by DirkNotSoGently

DirkNotSoGently Holistic Detective Agency Autodueller Civs Faction Group: Members Posts: 261 Joined: Nov 11, 2011 Thor's Bath Salts scored another win in their final event, which was fought against a scratch team put together by the league organisers due to insufficient 'real' participants. This once again propelled the team to the top of Division IV with only a single match remaining which could dislodge them. The outcome of that match however was wide open, with chances fairly evenly split between retaining the top place, shifting to second or even being bumped into third. While a higher position was clearly better, any one of the three possible outcomes guaranteed promotion to Division III for the team. Realising this of course once again sent Ruth into a tail-spin as she tried to work out crews and load-outs to satisfy the ever-changing restrictions as the team progressed rapidly through the League Divisions. Even before Division IV had officially concluded, she was again spending late nights at her desk working out the programme for success in the next season. For the rest of the gang the waiting was intolerable - not knowing if they would have another first place pennant for the bunk-house, or if they would slink into the next stage as an 'also-ran' was almost worse than being unsure of promotion at all. So when the final league match was postponed for weeks by mutual agreement of the two teams involved, taking place on the last allowable date, there were loud groans and dark mutterings amongst the pensive members of both Brassicas and the HDA. Echoes of the same sentiment could be heard around town, as punters awaiting payout or disappointment became impatient for resolution one way or the other. Arguments between team supporters became commonplace, occasionally exploding into violence, especially when alcohol or other intoxicants were added to the mixture. After one particularly bad incident which left two erstwhile friends in separate wards of Somerset Hospital, the town council called on the teams to issue a joint statement appealing for calm and forbearance while the league results were finalised. ... In the few hours prior to the final match, the excitement - and the betting - had reached fever pitch. Even scavenger gangs from the wasteland were in town - though lacking funds to wager they were trading services, vehicle parts and precious supplies in the hope of making a windfall - in some cases risking their gang safety by staking food, water and medical supplies that the gangs could ill afford to lose. Every inch of the town wall facing the combat area was lined with spectators, all eager to catch a glimpse of the action - while in town every tele-viewer and radio set was tuned to the commentary. Each slip, mistake or successful coup by either team was greeted with a mixed chorus of groans, cheers and grumbling - but so intent was the crowd that there was no time or place for animosity, in case the next development was missed. Inside the HDA bunk-house the beds nearest the radio creaked under the weight of three or four seated occupants each and a hush had settled like a blanket over the listeners. Although some in the gang had placed personal bets (mostly on second place to avoid disloyalty), of far more importance was how the outcome would affect their own placing in the league. Between third and first place the league prizes changed dramatically - with an additional four training slots and hundreds of thousands of dollars in the difference. With the gang considered home and family to them all, that difference meant better training, equipment and lodgings for everyone if they did well. Obviously better combat equipment meant improved chances of survival, but while no-one in the gang went without it made an enormous difference to have some simple luxuries provided like thicker blankets in the winter or occasional fresh fruit and vegetables in their largely cereal based diet. Before long it became clear that H.G.A. had the upper hand in the combat - and while others outside started considering settling their wagers on first place (and in a few cases fleeing town till memory dimmed) the bunk-room was hushed briefly as Ruth worked out the numbers. "Second!" She proclaimed after only a few moments. "Not as good as first, but pretty darned good all the same. The first round is on me - I'll meet you over there." With the tension finally broken, the group started to break up - some drifting away completely or heading straight to the tavern, while others paused a while in discussion. Ruth herself went to her 'office' and sat heavily in the chair. 2 Seasons - 2 promotions. She was under no illusion that this streak could continue indefinitely - each successive division was a tougher challenge for the relatively new gang and before long one of her members - her Friends! - was going to be seriously hurt or even killed in the combat. When that time came she wasn't sure that she would have the will to carry on - either with the league or perhaps even as gang leader. Giving herself a mental shake, she rose from the chair again. Now was not the time for these thoughts. She grabbed some cash from the kitty to pay for drinks and headed for the exit. Perhaps she'd pay for the second round as well... ......................... vet wv deathrce1 pvp5 pvp1 pvp2 circuit3 circuit2 Posted Aug 13, 2015, 10:23 am Last edited Aug 13, 2015, 10:23 am by DirkNotSoGently

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