As the enemy pushed towards the Nura, intent on outflanking and encircling Dunhold, they confined dwarf forces in pockets with their backs to the river. Communication with the pockets for supply or evacuation was of course critical and many temporary bridges were thrown across the river by the logistics corps. One pocket was supplied solely by a temporary bridge near the village of Itrook. The enemy moved heavy artillery well forward with the specific intention of destroying the bridge. This was to be achieved by a novel method. Instead of the heavy guns firing over open sights as usual a method of indirect fire had been worked out and an observer trained to cooperate with the gunners. He was to be escorted to within sight of the bridge and, communicating with the gunners via portable radio, observe the fall of shot. This was, for the goblins, an extraordinarily sophisticated approach and the bridge at Itrook was selected for a trial.
From the comparative safety of a bunker a goblin FAO calls in corrections to his battery.
"After a few weeks of retraining and rest we received some good news. Someone at command had decided that special treatment was deserved by those who had participated in the defence of Firebase Ragnhild. This allowed us another fortnight of light duties. Our new Skallarberger comrades were not entitled to this, of course. Now, we had found out through the grapevine that corporal Torkelson was in charge of an outpost near the river, and we managed to arrange - through Bruni Frothisson, who could wangle more or less anything - that our light duty time be spent there. We were reunited with the corporal, if only for a couple of weeks, and the few second-raters he commanded at the outpost were released for other duties; so everyone was satisfied. If we'd known then what we were getting ourselves into! Mind you, for the chance to stand alongside Torkelson again, maybe we'd have done it anyway.
"The first few days were fun. Our duties were light indeed, and consisted of strengthening the outpost's defences and sorting out accidents on the bridge and its approach roads, which considering the volume of traffic were surprisingly infrequent. We reminisced about past battles and lost comrades: poor Osvald Durgrim, blown to bits in the bombardment of Dunhold; Skalagrim Helgison, Kotkell Grithsson & Styrr Snorrison who died retrieving that cursed Guffinson Device; unlucky Ingi Svæinsson who fell from the dirigible during airlift training; Koll Egilsson, Kari Elvarson & Varin Skapsson who died defending Firebase Ragnhild. As we spoke corporal Torkelson and I exchanged glances. We were the only two survivors from the original squad."
- From an interview with Sigfast Galtisson.
Section Leader Torkel Torkelson
Quality 3+ Combat 2
Leader, Pistol, Short Move, Steadfast. 64 points.
Hjor Ingisson, Sigfast Galtisson, Gardar Hrappsson
Quality 3+ Combat 2
SMG, Short Move, Steadfast. 38 points.
Thorred Magnusson
Quality 3+ Combat 2
Pistol, Short Move, Steadfast. 34 points.
