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Old 02-25-2017, 05:58 AM   #67
Icelander
 
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Iceland*
Default Update about Coast Guard

In the course of play, we managed to get the guards to drop the 'jamming' for long enough so that Agent O'Toole could speak with the duty operator at the US Coast Guard South Portland Station and confirm his earlier distress call.

Timeline for reference:
February 3, 21:58 First distress call
February 3, 22:36 Distress call from Bob the Orderly
February 3, 22:37 Confirmation of earlier distress call by Agent O'Toole
February 3, 22:54 Shots fired at Coast Guard response boat
February 3, 23:37 Current time in play

Granted, O'Toole did not adhere strictly to established police protocol during his second distress call, unleashing a stream of Southie profanity at the operator when he required clarification of things O'Toole felt that had already been stated quite clearly enough, but people who have recently been under fire and expect to be shot at again may perhaps be forgiven a lapse in courtesy toward those they feel are not rescuing them fast enough.

The Coast Guard has also received a distress call from Robert the Orderly, although dear Bob could not resist elaborating on his situation rather more than was required and as a result, sounds like a crazy person. Calling from an insane asylum. Screaming about mind-control and monsters. At least he sounded genuinely distressed and before launching into his unecessary explanation, he had stated who he was, that he was hiding from the guards who were hunting him, that shots had been fired on Jewell Island and that there were injured or dead people, both patients and orderlies.

A small response boat (RB-S II) with six Coasties on it had been dispatched to check out the earlier call. Since the 'jamming' is not technological in nature, detecting it may not be as easy as I assumed, but that does not matter as much as it might. While the response boat was cruising off Jewell Island, trying to pick up radio signals, the M2HB machine gun from one observation tower fired on it. Just a warning burst, repeated twice before the response boat shied off and high-tailed it out of range, but the tower unmistakably fired at a US Coast Guard vessel.

Now, how long from those bursts until the MSRT out of Chesapeake, VA assaults Jewell Island?

We assume that the duty officer in Virginia had received warning of a potential situation about fifteen minutes before those shots made it official. USCG Air Station Cape Cod had already spun up an MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter, which takes off as soon as those shots are confirmed and will pick up six Coast Guardsmen from the MSST in Boston en route.

I'm assuming that one two man team of sharpshooter and observer will be landed on Cliff Island and two others will rappel down to cutters or response boats taking up station around Jewell Island (outside of effective .50 BMG range). Among those cutters will be the USCGC Jefferson Island, a 110' Island-class patrol boat and two RB-S II 29' response boats. As soon as they can be dispatched and steam there from Boston, the USCGC Flyingfish (87' Marine Protector-class coastal patrol boat) and USCGC Escanaba (270' Famous-class cutter) will join them, with additional crew from the Boston MSST and a MH-65D Dolphin helicopter in support.

A HC-144A Ocean Sentry turboprop plane will take off from USCG Air Station Cape Cod as soon as it can be readied for flight, to circle Jewell Island, gather information and serve as the on scene commander platform.

Now, for the PCs on Jewell Island, still trying to stay ahead of the guards hunting them, still staying inside or in the tunnels to avoid being shot from the towers, when will they notice a Coast Guard response?

What assets are there around Jewell Island at the current time in play; 43 minutes after shots were fired at a response boat, 60 minutes after receiving confirmation of the first distress call and 99 minutes since O'Toole's first distress call alerted anyone that something was taking place?

What help will the Coast Guard be to people in danger on the island and how long will it take?

How long before there are tactical operators on Jewell Island?

And can anyone suggest a plan for the Coast Guard?

I was thinking they'd take out the towers from helicopters while boats raced in to land tactical teams. They wouldn't land anyone until they had at least three adequately armed cutters for fire support, to suppress the heavy weapons on Jewell Island. Start by securing an outer perimeter, moving to surround Manhanock Asylum. Seizing the guard barracks before worrying about how to secure the main complex. Then setting up a parameter all around the main complex and try to establish a dialogue.

Obviously, before all this, they'll try to talk some sense into whoever is talking to them from the Warden's office, but I'm assuming that since the response boat was fired on, there may be no answer to any attempts at communicating with Manhanock Asylum. Deputy Warden Tyrrell was not available at all between at least 22:38 and 23:08 and we don't know whom he'd leave in charge and if that person would even answer calls from the Coast Guard.

And we don't know if Warden Tyrrell returned to his office after his stint away or if he's doing something else that doesn't leave him available to anyone calling Manhanock Asylum, whether by radio or phone.
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Last edited by Icelander; 03-03-2017 at 02:49 PM.
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