1) My War Takes Place in 2011.
That allows for modern and a little bit of "Future Tech". From the Iraq War, when recon meets modern communications equipment, one team could send Gigs of Data in a day to prime base, so the team has a lot of tactical computers, mapping software, digital cameras, ect.
The Team all has basically a Super Iphone type PDA that holds a lot of Info in PDF, and Video Format (Such as all weapon manuals, survival guides, ect). Once the team got there communications relay station up, it set up a intranet for the Morrow Project in the High Desert area of CA, that allowed real time sharing of information and tactical updates.
This stuff is modern military, not sci fi so its easy for a GM to use.
2) I hated the rapid mutant stuff as well but I still want some Sci Fi.
So I am using a concept of a BIO Weapon (Virus) deployed by Russia that corrupts the hosts DNA in its offspring causing massive (often fatal) mutation. This is a Doomsday type weapon that basically kills off the next generation of the enemy.
I had the US government (or someone did, maybe the MP?) deploy a counter virus to stop the Russian virus, but it did not work perfectly. So there is some sections of the US that had very high mutation and others that did not as the two virus still are in a genetic duel of sorts with one side doing better or worse depending on external factors.
See the post at:
http://henrick.com/ca4/?p=134
3) As others pointed out, The team does not have enough supplies so that gets bumped up a lot. I am using what others have posted around the web to update the teams equipment.
4) There is a world out there.
I have other countries still alive and kicking. These have direct impact on the teams as they are on the coast so they can meet traders from china, south America, and New Zealand. It allows for other outside factors in a MP game to influence the players outlook.
That's it so far. Any Ideas?