Spodilicious
  • News
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    • Contents
  • Rage Virus
    • Part 1 - A police story
    • Part 2 - Attrition
    • Part 3 - Going nowhere
    • Part 4 - Special Weapons and Tactics
    • Part 5 - Tactical retrograde
    • Part 6 - Mission accomplished
    • Part 7 - It's pretty much all downhill from here
    • Part 8 - Hollerton Field
    • Part 9 - Out of the frying-pan
    • Part 10 - How few remain
  • Five Men in Ukraine
    • Five Men in Ukraine: 30 October 1943
    • Five Men in Ukraine: 05 November 1943
    • Five Men in Ukraine: 14 November 1943
    • Five Men in Ukraine: 29 November 1943
    • Five Men in Ukraine: 13 December 1943
  • First Bishops' War
  • DBA
    • Mongols v Georgians
    • Timurids v Georgians
    • Mongols v Il-khanids
    • Mongols v Il-khanids II
    • Pre-feudal Scots v Anglo-Danish
    • Caledonians v Scots-Irish
    • Vikings v Saxons
    • Mongol campaign
    • Ming v Mongols campaign
    • Picts v Strathclyde Britons
    • Mongols v Russians
    • Russians v Swedes
    • Danes v Prussians
    • Kaykhusraw & the Mongols
    • Köse Dağ
    • Mongols in Korea
    • Mongols in Korea II
    • Yuan v Koreans
    • The Danes in Estonia
    • Danes v Estonians
    • Norwegians v Scots 1263
  • SF
    • Sladden >
      • Sladden - chapter 0
      • Sladden - chapter 1
      • Sladden - chapter 2
      • Sladden - interlude I
      • Sladden - chapter 3
      • Sladden - chapter 4
      • Sladden - chapter 5
      • Sladden - interlude II
      • Sladden - chapter 6
    • Dunhold >
      • Dunhold I - the raid
      • Dunhold II - the Guffinsson device
      • Dunhold III - a walk in the country
      • Dunhold IV - assassin's greed
      • Dunhold V - assault on precinct XIII
      • Dunhold VI - hostage & rescue
      • Dunhold VII - the gun
      • Dunhold VIII - tank shock
      • Dunhold IX - raid on Beteneb
      • Dunhold X - firebase Ragnhild
      • Dunhold XI - hit and run
      • Dunhold XII - just-in-time logistics
      • Dunhold XIII - infiltration
      • Dunhold XIV - Applewhite & Nettles
      • Dunhold XV - 'They've got a cave troll!'
      • Dunhold XVI - The bridges at Itrook
    • Dalek Invasion >
      • Dalek invasion - chapter 1
      • Dalek invasion - chapter 2
      • Dalek invasion - chapter 3
      • Dalek invasion - chapter 4
      • Dalek invasion - chapter 5: Bob's story
      • Dalek invasion - chapter 6: Bob's story (2)
      • Dalek invasion - chapter 7: Dalek hunters
      • Dalek invasion - cast
    • Voyage of the USS Minotaur
    • Mutants & Death Ray Guns >
      • From Dust: Introduction >
        • From Dust: Prologue
        • From Dust: Chapter 1 - the Trademaster
        • From Dust: Chapter 2 - the Wretched
        • From Dust: Chapter 3 - the Device
        • From Dust: Chapter 4 - Tucamari
      • Big Dode in the wastelands >
        • 1 - The ordeal
        • 2 - The rats
        • 3 - An ally
        • 4 - Scorpion!
        • 5 - Water! Water!
        • 6 - Cornered rats
        • 7 - The river
        • 8 - R-10-T
        • 9 - The pilgrims
        • 10 Hostile contacts
        • Appendix 1 - Bestiary
      • Don Chimpanzino
      • Therianthropes are go!
      • Against the Wretched >
        • Against the Wretched - 1
        • Against the Wretched - 2
        • Against the Wretched - 3
      • Rangers of the wasteland >
        • RotW scene I
        • RotW scene II
    • Five Parsecs from Home: The Independent Scout part 1
    • Five Parsecs from Home: The Independent Scout part 2
    • Five Parsecs from Home: Squall's Legacy
    • Five Parsecs from Home: Jot the Jawa
    • Five Parsecs from Home - Arcadian Phoenix
    • Schar's World
    • Battle for the Planet of the Apes, Goats, Rats and Pigs >
      • Chapter 1
    • Marines v Aliens
    • Fallout >
      • Fallout - part 1
      • Fallout - part 2
      • Fallout - Resistance part 1
      • Fallout - Resistance part 2
    • England Invaded! >
      • Ottoman airship raiders
      • A sharp action at Fawkham
      • On the road to Canterbury
    • Gangs of New Neasden >
      • Gangs of New Neasden part 2
    • Post-Brexit Gangs of Middlesborough
    • Operation Last Train
    • Silver Thorn
    • Goblin Civil War
  • Dark Ages skirmish
    • Dark Ages skirmish: Chapter 1
    • Dark Ages skirmish: Chapter 2
    • Dark Ages skirmish: Chapter 3
  • Douglas of the 92nd.
    • Douglas of the 92nd. - the supply column
    • Douglas of the 92nd. - the heliograph station
  • The First World War
    • Mesopotamia
    • Trench raiding
    • Panzer Angst September 15th 1916
    • Freikorps
    • Biplane Barmy
    • 1914
    • 1914 - Opening Moves
    • Night falls over Jutland
    • 1919
    • Zeppelin L33 over England
    • Journey's End
  • Horse & Musket
    • Meyvaci Ali and the British invasion
    • Meyvaci Ali and the troublesome dervish
    • Meyvaci Ali and the Albanian raiders
    • Meyvaci Ali and the caravan
    • Meyvaci Ali and the tax collector
    • Meyvaci Ali and the customs-house
    • Meyvaci Ali and the revolting Martolos
    • Meyvaci Ali and the Albanian menace
    • Napoleonic Ottomans
    • Late 17th century >
      • Kirk o Shotts
      • Covenanters at Pitlochry
      • Auchtermuchty
    • Jacobites
    • O Brien's Farm
    • Turks v Russians
    • Turks v Russians 2
    • The Peninsula
    • Altdorf April 23rd 1813
    • Alcuesta
    • The Old West
  • Samurai
    • Lord Sugiyama and the ten ronin
    • Neshikocho 1618
    • Ikko-ikki
  • Arty farty
    • Aberlemno
    • Acharn
    • Aikey Brae
    • Balgorkar (Castle Fraser)
    • Barra Hill
    • Brandsbutt stone
    • Broomend of Crichie
    • Clune
    • Croft Moraig
    • Cullerlie
    • Cuween Hill
    • Dunnideer
    • Clach an Tiompain / Eagle Stone
    • Cnoc Freiceadain
    • Eassie
    • Easter Aquhorthies
    • Glassel
    • Inveravon
    • Kilmartin Glen
    • Kintore stone
    • Kirkton of Bourtie
    • Lenabo
    • Leuchar Moss
    • Loanhead of Daviot
    • Loch Kinord
    • Machrie Moor
    • Maiden Stone
    • Meigle
    • Midmar Kirk
    • Migvie
    • Mulloch
    • Sunhoney
    • Tollohill
    • Tomnaverie
    • Auchindoun
    • Fedderate castle
    • Fowlsheugh
    • Slains castle
    • Bullers o Buchan
    • Camster
    • Coire Fraoichidh / Corrichie
    • Cruden Bay
    • Gourdon
    • Kinclaven
    • Loch Eich
    • Nairn beach
    • Newburgh
    • Perwinnes Moss (Scotstown Moor)
    • St. Fillans
    • Cairn o Mounth
    • Animals
    • Interesting rocks
    • And quiet flows the Dee
    • Enchanted Forest, Pitlochry
    • Strange skies
    • Covid-19 lockdown
    • One tree, one year
    • The trees
  • Fantasy
    • Song of Blades & Heroes >
      • A cautionary tale
      • Song of Arthur & Merlin
      • Succession
      • The short-lived adventures of Yark the kobold
      • Gondor v Orcs
      • Cormyr - introduction >
        • Cormyr - the watchtower
        • Cormyr - the ambush
        • Cormyr - the outpost
      • The adventures of Zou Kov >
        • The palace of Covidius I
        • The palace of Covidius II
        • The palace of Covidius III
        • The palace of Covidius IV
        • The howling
        • The beacon
        • The castle
        • Assassination
        • Run out of town
        • A new start
        • Kobold caves
      • The Dark Company
      • Theophylact the Tendentious
      • Alquin of Barrowdale
      • The Young Kingdoms
      • Zothique
      • Hyperborea
      • Vadagh
    • Lord of the Rings >
      • Mahud & Haradrim v Gondor
      • Hobbits v goblins
      • Rohan v Dunlendings
      • Gondor v Haradrim & Mahud
      • Gondor v Dunlendings
      • Faramir at Osgiliath
    • Five Leagues from the Borderlands
  • Second World War
    • Atlantic Convoy SC41
    • Burma 1943
    • Martelange
    • Dzyatlava
    • Monopoly Blitz
    • Ten minutes on a Burmese afternoon
    • Neil Thomas
    • Manchuria
    • D-Day
    • Bolt Action >
      • Encounter at Villages Pas Vrai
      • Manhunt
      • The secret agent
      • Envelopment
  • Irish independence
  • Who thought this was a good idea?
  • Modern
    • Afghanistan 2009
    • AK47 Republic
  • Terrain
    • Terrain showcase
  • Back catalogue
    • Aberdeen Beyond 2000
    • MDRG four-way scrap
    • Published articles
  • Le salon des spods
    • Semi-random scenario generation
  • Extended universe
    • Spodlight
    • Spodcast
    • There Will Be Spods
    • Spodify
  • All Under One Banner
    • All Under One Banner 03 June 2017
    • All Under One Banner 05 May 2018
    • All Under One Banner 04 May 2019
    • All Under One Banner 17 August 2019
    • All Under One Banner 07 October 2019
    • All Under One Banner 11 January 2020
    • All Under One Banner 02 April 2022
  • China 1937
  • Scrapbook
  • Fear & Faith
Picture

"After a short few weeks of rest we were returned to the line, with a few new recruits to bring us up to strength. Steinbjarnison and his dog were never recalled to their unit - someone lost the paperwork I suppose - and so they remained with us.  The new boys were good, but some of them were young; Skapsson couldn't have been more than fifty.  There was a rumour that we to be sent for training as airmobile infantry, but that never happened. Instead we got a couple of trips in obsolescent dirigibles, which qualified us as airportable. Poor Ingi Svæinsson leaned against an improperly secured hatch on one of these flights, fell out, and never recovered from his injuries.

"We were sent forward to garrison a new-built firebase, thrown up half-way between two of the outlying forts to the west of Dunhold. [Between Rutter's Fort and Fort Resolution, where the allies held on to the west of the Nura.] I think the high command had discovered that the enemy were infiltrating between the forts; even one or two of the enemy getting through can cause havoc in undefended areas. You know the sort of things they do.

"The firebase was called Ragnhild after someone's wife or mother or sister. When we arrived at first I thought it had been destroyed by artillery fire, but it  turned out that 'firebase' was a bit of an overstatement. It was just a series of breastworks, sangars and barricades thrown up by engineers and added to by the garrison. The garrison was also sadly depleted, which is why I suppose they threw us - light infantry, with short ranged weapons, and half of us new - in. 

"Within a couple of days we were settled in, and discovering that food and ammunition were in short supply, as the country round about was not safe for unescorted convoys and instead packages were dropped by airship.  However they had to wait until the wind was in the right direction, cut the engines, and drift low over our position before shoving crates on parachutes out the hatches. As you can imagine there weren't many supply drops. 

The perimeter of the firebase had been divided into six sectors, and corporal Torkelson had been put in charge of one sector. We had a corner to defend, and had only our ready ammunition on us. There was extra ammunition in a rockcrete building in the interior of the firebase which also served as our quarters and command post, but it was guarded by sergeant Thangbrandson, a fearsome whitebearded veteran. He could barely walk due to old wounds on his legs but he managed to eke out our tiny amounts of food and ammunition to an extraordinary degree.  Some of us were more afraid of him than of the enemy.

"Most nights some of the enemy tried to creep up on our sentries, and that's when Steinbjarnison's dog was very useful, barking and howling when they came close. Not long after she was also invaluable carrying ammunition in little panniers he'd made for her, but that's another story.

"Before we'd been there a week the enemy made a serious attack.  I was on guard with a couple of others. There was no preliminary bombardment, but I saw movement on the edge of the woods.  There were always a few goblins skulking about there, but suddenly there seemed to be hundreds of them.  This time there were officers with them, and as the officers went by the goblins they passed scampered out into the open with apparent enthusiasm.  They obviously meant business this time, so I shouted for corporal Torkelson and ducked down behind my barricade."

 From an interview with Sigfast Galtisson, recorded in his old age. 




Picture


Section Leader Torkel Torkelson
Quality 3+ Combat 2
Leader, Pistol, Short Move, Steadfast. 64 points.

Koll Egilsson, Hjor Ingisson, Sigfast Galtisson
Quality 3+ Combat 2
SMG, Short Move, Steadfast. 38 points.
 
Kari Elvarson
Quality 3+ Combat 2
Pistol, Short Move, Steadfast.  34 points.
 
Varin Skapsson
Quality 3+ Combat 2
Pistols: Twin, Short Move, Steadfast.  48 points.
 
Ulvar Steinbjarnison & Trixie
Quality 3+ Combat 3
HTH Specialist, Pistol, Steadfast, Superior Senses, Medium Move. 60 points.

1 x NCO @ 64; 3 x SMG @ 38; 1 x Pistol @ 34; 1 x Twin Pistols @ 48; 1 x dog team @ 60 = 320

Goblins:

1 x Officer
Quality 4+ Combat 2
Leader SMG @54

1 x NCO
Quality 4+
Combat C2
NCO SMG @44

23 x Infantry
Quality 5+ Combat 1
Gregarious Assault Rifle @ 19

Total 535



Once again Torkel Torkelson's indomitable 2nd Section finds itself in action against a Goblin sortie inside the Disputed Zone. Following their steady defence of the airship field at Shortside the previous day 2nd Section assumed that their recall to Divisional HQ at Baranduin would be in the nature of some rest and recuperation. Instead, being one of the Dwarf Airportable (Dirigible) units, they were sent to Firebase Ragnhild to defend it against a possible Goblin incursion.

There has been some disquiet in Dwarf military circles in recent weeks over what is regarded as the misuse of elite dwarf attack units which have been thrown in willy-nilly to shore up a distinctly shaky front line in the Disputed Zone. Dwarf GHQ have acknowledged the criticism but have pointed out that the recent increase in attrition amongst Dwarf units have forced the use of the stronger and more mobile sections being basically used as fire brigades to prevent deeper penetrations into the shrinking defence perimeter. 



The Attack

The Goblins, present in platoon strength, divided themselves up into three attacking squads : -
Squad 1 (led by Platoon Leader Ufthak);
Squad 2 (led by Platoon Sgt. Gruszch);
and a larger Squad 3 allowed to roam freely in the hope that it could take advantage of any defensive lapses.

With only three dwarves visible in the rifle pits Platoon Leader Ufthak called for concentrated fire on the defences and Dwarf Trooper Egilsson was immediately downed. This encouraged Squads 2 and 3 to advance closer to the rifle pit but 3rd Squad's advance was halted by return fire from the dwarvish defenders which hit Goblin Pte. Oyzek gruesomely causing his ammo pack to 'cook off' and throw the rest of his squad into retreat and confusion.

Platoon Leader Ufthak then ordered another volley which gruesomely shredded Dwarf Trooper Elvarson causing the defenders to take a morale test (which most of them passed). Meanwhile, in returning fire, Dwarf Trooper Skapsson ran out of ammunition for one of his pistols and while Trixie the faithful ammo dog was hastening towards his position he was shot and killed by a third Goblin volley.

The Goblin squads, sensing victory, advanced joyously and loudly up towards the defensive ramparts. This sense of impending victory was shattered by the defending dwarves popping up from their rifle pits, firing off either bursts or semi automatic fire that swept the ranks of the Goblins causing several 'gruesomes' and engendering predictable retreats amongst the mediocre squad members - some of whom fled the battlefield entirely.

In a last desperate attempt to storm the positions, Platoon Leader Ufthak led a charge forward only for his squad to be stopped in its tracks by another hail of gunfire which led to yet another 'gruesome' and 1st Squad to flee the action led by Ufthak. This failed attack resulted in the few remaining Goblins under Sgt Gruszch moving off to the safety of the woods leaving ten of their number stretched out on the ground and six of their comrades having fled completely.



Picture


Dunhold pages:
Introduction:
http://www.spodilicious.com/dunhold.html

A detachment of the dwarf 33rd Infantry Regiment clashes with a goblin patrol:
http://www.spodilicious.com/dunhold-i---the-raid.html

Dwarves & goblins vie to recover an important piece of technology:
http://www.spodilicious.com/dunhold-ii---the-guffinsson-device.html

Halfling snipers of the 3rd Bywater Sharpshooters encounter a goblin patrol:
http://www.spodilicious.com/dunhold-iii---a-walk-in-the-country.html

The 3rd Bywater Sharpshooters escort a picked sniper to assassinate an enemy staff officer:
http://www.spodilicious.com/dunhold-iv---assassins-greed.html

A desperate defence of an outpost:
http://www.spodilicious.com/dunhold-v---assault-on-precinct-xiii.html

The 3rd Bywater Sharpshooters search for a downed dwarf aeronaut:
http://www.spodilicious.com/dunhold-vi---hostage--rescue.html

A dwarf engineer has to examine an abandoned enemy wonder-weapon:
http://www.spodilicious.com/dunhold-vii---the-gun.html

The goblins deploy armoured vehicles, much to their enemies' dismay:
http://www.spodilicious.com/dunhold-viii---tank-shock.html

A dwarf squad attacks an enemy aerodrome:
http://www.spodilicious.com/dunhold-ix---raid-on-beteneb.html

The enemy make a determined attack on the defences around Dunhold:
http://www.spodilicious.com/dunhold-x---firebase-ragnhild.html

An elite sniper makes his kill and must escape his target's guards.
http://www.spodilicious.com/dunhold-xi---hit-and-run.html

A daring raid by the dwarves on enemy supply lines.
http://www.spodilicious.com/dunhold-xii---just-in-time-logistics.html

The enemy employ a new strategy, attempting to infiltrate raiders through porous areas of the front:
http://www.spodilicious.com/dunhold-xiii---infiltration.html


Halfling deserters are hunted down by their comrades:
http://www.spodilicious.com/dunhold-xiv---applewhite--nettles.html

The enemy deploy new and fearsome infantry recruited from the ethnic minorities of Dunholm:
http://www.spodilicious.com/dunhold-xv---theyve-got-a-cave-troll.html

​
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