The Polzev Commonwealth and the Opruvalon League have been at war for seventeen years. Many new and terrible industrial inventions and blood magics are used, often with horrific results. The newest are magical "hell bombs", that have begun to be employed with near apocalyptic results. The two sides are nearing exhaustion. The war is almost over.
The military situation is becoming increasingly unstable and chaotic. Supply lines are severely disrupted and many units are no longer in fighting order. Higher command and unit cohesion are starting to break down. Entire units have disintegrated. Desertion is becoming common. Mutinies are starting to occur with regular frequency. And, in some cases, entire units have been unceremoniously released from duty by their immediate commands.
The crew of the OLAS "SILVERWING" has been operating out of the Magras Gunlao Archipelago on patrol duty as part of Operation "RIGHT FIELD". Contact with "RIGHT FIELD" command has become erratic. Supplies are running low.
Two days ago, Colonel Nawarti radioed all elements of "RIGHT WING", explaining that the operation was no longer sustainable, and that higher command had not been in contact in several days. All elements of "RIGHT WING" have been released from duty. He ended the address by saying "good luck - you're on your own." (1)
Captain Arvald and his command crew were in the back room at the local tavern, commandeered as an impromptu command center, trying to figure out what the next move was. There was a knock at the door.
"Come in!" the Captain said.
A man entered, wearing a field uniform that had seen better days and carrying an intelligence satchel. While he was wearing the insignia of a Senior Sergeant, his demeanor was rather casual.
"Captain, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Sergeant Janz from the local garrison. I have a proposition for you."
"Yes, what sort of proposal?"
The Sergeant pulled a packet of documents out of the satchel >
"This is an intelligence package - don't ask where I got my hands on it - on a Polzy (2) airship that seems to have gone missing. The MV Holteczieouder was carrying a special cargo. I have good reason to believe that cargo was several tons of gold bullion."
(1) As I mentioned earlier, this is partly inspired by the old GDW RPG "Twilight 2000", and this line in particular is an echo/homage. For those unfamiliar, the game, published in the mid-1980s and very much a product of the cold war, is set at the end of a cold-war-gone-hot scenario. The war starts in 1995, and stays conventional through mid-1997. In July, the Soviets start with a few small tactical nukes, and things slowly escalate until a limited strategic exchange occurs over Thanksgiving weekend of 1997. The war continues to grind on until NATA forces make final big push in Poland in early summer 2000. This is when things ultimate fall apart all together. In the introductory scenario, "Escape from Kalisz", the players get a military style briefing detailing the actions their parent unit, the fictional 5th Infantry Division, in the final offensive, and their current situation- trapped in what is functionally enemy territory, division HQ over run by Polish forces, and the 5th ID basically having ceased to exist as a functional unit. The briefing ends with the division commander's radio message of the same "good luck - you're on your own."
(2) Opruvalon military slang for Polzevs.
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