Weird WWII: "Operation: Skull Crusher"

Here is a battle report, blast from the past! In fact, I think is was the best game I ever played so read on and see what ya think. Lets now visit, OPERATION: SKULL CRUSHER!

The US commando contingent. The American's were tipped off that the Red Skull is at a secluded inn in France. Luckily, a deep undercover OSS agent has infiltrated the inn and has reported that the Skull will be here for the next few days. With only a couple days to put together a mission, the American commandos have been successfully parachuted in and are on their way to take out one of, if not the most, wanted Nazis of the war. The American's mission is to either capture or kill the Red Skull and then rendezvous with a flight of US R-12 helos to make their EVAC. The commandos are comprised of 2 sections of elite 82nd Airborne paratroopers commanded by none other then Captain America with his sidekick Bucky. OSS Agent Ring is undercover as one of the inn's staff as well.

The Red Skull's contingent. The Red Skull has decided to rest at one of his favorite spots. He is scheduled to meet the Fuhrer where he will introduce his newest creation, the X1. This creature was created using the Skull's newest take on Prof. Erskin's formula and if the Fuhrer approves, X1 will be the first in a new army of super soldiers for the Third Reich. A flight of FA 223 Dragons will pick up and transport the Skull and his men to the meeting with Hitler early in the morning. The Red Skull must survive for his meeting with the Fuhrer. Along with the Red Skull and his newest abomination are two Valkyrie body guards and 3 squads of security troops. The Skull is also protected by several of Arnim Zola's Brutes.

The inn's staff. The inn is staffed by several French civilians with no political affiliations whatsoever. All they want to do is survive the war as best they can. The staff comprises of a desk clerk, chef, grounds keeper and whore.

Pre-battle table set-up. There is a slight Northerly breeze with all night rules in play. The Germans have already set up and the Americans will enter on the board during the game. The Skull's Dragons are in route and will arrive within 12 turns. The inn's phone line has been cut and a radio-jammer has been activated by the Americans so no calls of help from the Germans will be answered.

The Red Skull is enjoying himself with two of the inn's girls. A Valkyrie bodyguard guards his door along with the other just outside downstairs by his car.

The sentries at the bridge are startled by the sound of an oncoming vehicle. The check point ahead should have stopped any traffic but just as the sentry pickes up his field phone to report it, the light from the street lamps show what horror is now at hand, Captain America!

Before the sentries can react, Cap leaps from the speeding Jeep just before it smashes into the German's truck bursting into flames. Cap's leap smashes the skull of the Brute as he sprays his Thompson at the other sentries. One German goes down as the other hits the deck for cover.

The rest of the Americans emerge from the woods at the inn's rear after hearing Cap's entrance.

Just as the paras emerge, a Brute sentry hears the intruders and charges! Bucky, along with a BAR team, opens up on the charging creature.

But as the American's rounds rip into the flesh of the bio-construct it detonates its suicide belt causing a massive explosion that obliterates it along with the Americans.

The inn's rear sentries retreat back to the inn after the deafening explosion from the Brute. A MG42 opens up on the treeline where the paras are emerging.

The Americans return fire as the Gorilla moves forward protected by his heavy armor.

Some paras move up to see if they can assist Bucky's section but are greeted by a site of total carnage.

At the same instance, the Skull's Valkyries burst through his door and whisks him away. But as a terrified girl goes for her cloths the other reaches for her pistol.

As the Red Skull descends the stairs, the railing to his front explodes with gun fire! Down the hall, Agent Ring takes another aim at her target just as a sentry levels his MP40 and fires.

After his near death by the undercover agent, the Red Skull orders the rest of the staff killed. With gunfire all around, the Valkyrie ready their ward to prepare to make a break for the car.

Meanwhile out front, Cap is deflecting a murderous assault from a MG42 from the gatehouse sentries.

But suddenly the fire stops and the reason stands before the Sentinel of Liberty. "I will feast on your flesh!" says the monster in broken English. Then the epitome of evil rushes for Cap with no other want but that of his death!

The combat is fierce and epic but as the blood and mud subsides, its the red, white and blue that stands victorious over that of fascism!

Horrified at what they just witnessed, the mg crew in the gatehouse opens up again with their buzz saw. Cap ducks and weaves the deadly fire and leaps on top of the truck firing his Thompson at the Germans. The .45cal slugs rip into the gun crew causing the gunner to fall dead on the floor while the others dive for cover. A couple more German sentries add to the battle but Cap effortlessly deflects their desperate shots.

Cap leaps head first into the firing Germans and effortlessly finishes them off in close combat with his shield.

Meanwhile, the Americans at the rear of the inn press their attack. The fleeing German sentries are bombarded by several rifle grenades as they try to flee in one of the trucks.

With a avenue clear, the Americans run forward using the generator building as cover from the MG42.

Inside, the gun battle between Agent Ring and one of the sentries intensifies. 9mm rounds rip apart the bedroom. The fusillade finds its mark with wounding the OSS agent and killing the innocent civilian caught in the fight.

The German then throws in a grenade to finish the job but at the last minute, Ring dives for cover and barley escapes death!

With the explosion above, the the Valkyries decide its time to make a run for it. The trio heads for the car just as Cap emerges from underneath the gatehouse. A long second is had by the two arch-rivals before Cap is suppressed by heavy fire from one of the Valkyrie and several sentires.

Then suddenly, the doors to the Skull's room opens up and a nude figure emerges from the smoke. Agent Ring takes aim at the German sentries below with her pistol causing them to flee back into the inn. Ring then takes aim at the Skull and then pulls the trigger. "CLICK"! Out of ammo and injured she screams to Cap, "GET HIM! Get the Skull!" as she falls to the balcony's deck.

Seeing that Agent Ring is hurt and that the Skulls escape is blocked by the wreck in front of the bridge, Cap decides to assist the OSS agent as the Red Skull's car screeches off.

As the smoke clears the German enters the room to finish Ring off but to his horror it isn't a wounded nude woman before him. Cap smashes the man's skull and he falls limp to the floor. Peering down the corridor he hears the MG42 firing from the rear balcony. "We need to knock out that mg and give Bucky a chance to make it to the inn" yells Cap to Ring. Cap grabs a shredded nightgown and covers the agent, "Are you going to be ok?" says Cap. "Are you kidding? Get going boy scout!" Ring replies and with that Cap heads for the mg crew.

Outside, the pinned paras see the escaping Skull's car and take aim but aren't able to score any hits in the darkness. The Gorilla-suited para turns the trucks engine into slag with a Willie Pete and then adds fire to the Skull's escape too no avail.

Before Cap attacks the mg crew, he hears a crack of gunfire to his back. Cap swings around to see a German with a leveled MP40 fall face first at his feet. Cap then throws a grenade down the steps at the other German fleeing down them. The German is blown to bits before he can make his escape.

"Your welcome" smiles Agent Ring with a smoking .45 in her hand as she kicks the lifeless body of the German at Cap's feet. Cap returns with a smile and says, "Thanks for the assist." "We're even now sweetie so lets get this show on the road" replies Ring. Cap opens the door to the rear deck and effortlessly rolls a grenade at the feet of the unsuspecting mg team. The Germans are blown to shit by the grenade allowing the rest of the Americans to move up. "I'm going for the Skull now, tell the boys to push towards the bridge." orders Cap as he runs down the steps.

Witnessing Cap's handy work, the Americans move up!

The Sarge orders the Gorilla to make his way to try and stop the Red Skull while the rest of them clear up the inn.

Just as the para Sarge was about to bash in the door of the inn, Agent ring emerges lighting a cigarette and says, "The inns clear. Help Cap out with the Skull at the bridge." Off guard by the sight before them, the paras smile at the half nude woman and head off in the direction of the bridge.

Seeing no other escape, the Valkyrie crashes through the hedge and heads for the bridge.

Seeing their escape blocked by the wreck, the Skull orders the Valkyrie to smash into it and push it out of the way. In the gatehouse the survivors of Cap's assault plead with their commander's help. "Now for the Fatherland you must fight on!" returns Skull. Just then, one of the Germans screams that Cap is heading their way.

The gatehouse mg opens up on the charging Cap opposite the bridge allowing for the Valkyries to clear a way to escape.

"Auf Wiedersehen, herr Kapitän" says the Red Skull as he waves goodbye laughing. Cap sees the skull escape through the gatehouse and screams, "NO!"

With their leader's escape assured and no need to fight on, the Germans in the gatehouse give up to Cap.

With the failure of the mission, Cap is hit again with the news of his best friend's demise. Without a word, Cap gently puts his partner's body, along with the other GIs who fell in their make shift convoy. The Americans along with their dead, Agent Ring and their German POWs head off to their extraction point in silence. As Cap drives he whispers to himself, "Skull, I will get you if its the last thing I ever do."