starting a new campaign?

[cavtroop]

So, looks like I'll be able to line up 2-3 people for an infrequent campaign run.

Question is, what do I run? My initial reaction is to run the base campaign from v1 - kalisz, krakow, vistula etc. Had LOTS of fun with that in the 80's, and I still have all the source material for it. Plus, it's alot less prep I have to do.

But part of me wants to create something from scratch - though the 'far from home, trying to get back' meme is one that pulls strongly.

FWIW, we're going with the 2013 rules set, but I don't want that to limit my choice of campaigns/backgrounds. I'm more than happy to run 2013 rules, but the v1 timeline, for instance. Or, something homebrew, who knows, it's early in the process :)

So basically, I'm just fishing for suggestions here - throw stuff against the wall and see what sticks. I welcome any ideas you have, past campaigns you've run/been in that were fun, etc.

[jester]

One I have contemplated is covering the Fighting involving the 10th Mtn, Marines and British Marine Commandos in Scandinavia against Russian Marines and Airborne.

We see in the vehicle guide we have forces in Yugoslavia, as far as I know, no one has played there.

Korea would be good as it is often overlooked.

Russian Drive into Alaska

Early before Kalisz and facing down the Mexicans and Division De Cuba would be interesting. Being one of the troops on the boarder when they do come across.

Here is one, and I admit I am stealing the idea from Dr. Strangelove and Ice Station Zebra,

The PCs are tasked with salvaging a downed B-52 and the nukes/data recorder with BDA data that went down somewhere over the Russian Far East. This could also be switched to a U2 or SR-71 and the film it has. This would be valuable information if the governments were going to negotiate a peace. Know how bad the enemy is, how effective you were so you know what they are bluffing and what they aren't.


A band of guys who are stuck somewhere in the Med trying to get home. Kinda of like the Odessy with a 2000 or 2013 flavor.

[guncrazy]

I wish I could play...Would love to play the game!

[mikeo80]

I wish I could play...Would love to play the game!

You and me both! :rolleyes:

[Targan]

We see in the vehicle guide we have forces in Yugoslavia, as far as I know, no one has played there.With the added bonus that the troops in Yugoslavia were under CivGov control, and most campaigns seem to be MilGov based. Could be an interesting change.

Here is one, and I admit I am stealing the idea from Dr. Strangelove and Ice Station Zebra,

The PCs are tasked with salvaging a downed B-52 and the nukes/data recorder with BDA data that went down somewhere over the Russian Far East. This could also be switched to a U2 or SR-71 and the film it has. This would be valuable information if the governments were going to negotiate a peace. Know how bad the enemy is, how effective you were so you know what they are bluffing and what they aren't.The mini module Broken Arrow is one of my favourite Challenge Magazine mini modules and covers a similar scenario, albeit in the Dakotas.

[HorseSoldier]

Some good ideas thus far.

A completely from scratch one would be the POW-escape idea, only start it in a prisoner of war camp in Siberia. PCs might try to make a go of getting out to friendly forces in Iran, or trying to make for US cantonments in Korea, allied PRC forces in China, or getting across the Bering Straits to Alaska.

Another one I have thought might be interesting was an isolated town in the US, UK, or similar that hosted a POW camp for Warsaw Pact troops earlier in the war. Post-nuclear things locally are pretty much chaos, and the town government strikes some sort of deal with at least a portion of the POWs, with the upshot that the local militia ends up being composed of the local sheriff's department, some locals, and a whole slew of ex-pat Russians, Poles, and Czechs with no hope of getting home. Throw in a New America cell nearby, some roving Hells Angels, a group of POWs who decide to go marauder instead, and perhaps some potential recoverable facility like a hydroelectric dam or some such and you've got enough scenario ideas to keep a game going for years.

[jester]

Horse, the POW one has been done a few times. And even the POWs in the US was done. I was following a game with that very theme for a year about six years ago.

The POW theme, one of my favorite means is by following the Survival, Escape and Evasion/Resistance manual. The escape in transit. A POW Train, ala that one movie with Ol Blue Eyes.....what was it....Von Ryan's Express? Then the POWs are now freshly escaped, in the middle of who knows where with just the clothes on their back. What is strange is, that has happened several times in real life.

[leonpoi]

I would personally do the v1 timeline, or that kind of era anyway. However, since you're using the t2013 rules there will be a lot of equipment (sights etc) that may not be appropriate.

For me, personally, I like the 90s timeline because there still are a basket case of weapons and equipment and armed forces are in transition. If you set it in the 21st century, well equipment can be more advanced, but I think less varied (at least for regulars).

Otherwise I'd do some modern small-scale thing militia vs occupying force in a post apoc takeover of a small town.

[Mahatatain]

Horse, the POW one has been done a few times. And even the POWs in the US was done. I was following a game with that very theme for a year about six years ago.

Just because its been done before doesn't mean that its not worth doing again!:) How many campaigns are completely original? :D

For example I'm setting up a campaign at present, which will start in the Ukraine, where the PCs will be NATO soldiers who were POWs but have been released as long as they join the "Ukraine Independence" forces. The campaign will eventually move into getting out of the Ukraine and getting home. I'm therefore using ideas from at least two published modules without actually running anything as printed!

I would personally do the v1 timeline, or that kind of era anyway. However, since you're using the t2013 rules there will be a lot of equipment (sights etc) that may not be appropriate.

For me, personally, I like the 90s timeline because there still are a basket case of weapons and equipment and armed forces are in transition. If you set it in the 21st century, well equipment can be more advanced, but I think less varied (at least for regulars).


I considered doing the same thing myself at one point and asked a question specifically about Reflex sights on the T2013 forum, which might be of use to you:

http://www.93gamesstudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=52&t=2509


Question is, what do I run? My initial reaction is to run the base campaign from v1 - kalisz, krakow, vistula etc. Had LOTS of fun with that in the 80's, and I still have all the source material for it. Plus, it's alot less prep I have to do.

But part of me wants to create something from scratch - though the 'far from home, trying to get back' meme is one that pulls strongly.


Returning to the original question another interesting option would be to set the campaign in Iran and focus on some characters who have become separated from their parent unit and are either trying to get back to it or back to "home", wherever home is.

[atiff]

What about something kind of based on elements of the series "Jericho?" The characters set up shop in a town and try to build it up from effectively nothing to a functioning town? It might be a lot more about survivalism, trading, politics and negotiation than a combat campaign.

[Rainbow Six]

An idea that was suggested on one of the old boards was that of staff from an Embassy overseas trying to get back to their home country. Could include Military personnel (e.g. US Marine Security Guards), Intelligence agents, and civilian workers / dependents (as well as nationals from allied nations).

Perhaps an evacuation was planned, the Embassy staff travelled to the airport in convoy and the PC's vehicles got separated from the convoy and missed the last plane home?

[Mahatatain]

An idea that was suggested on one of the old boards was that of staff from an Embassy overseas trying to get back to their home country. Could include Military personnel (e.g. US Marine Security Guards), Intelligence agents, and civilian workers / dependents (as well as nationals from allied nations).

Perhaps an evacuation was planned, the Embassy staff travelled to the airport in convoy and the PC's vehicles got separated from the convoy and missed the last plane home?

That's a very interesting idea!

[cavtroop]

That's a very interesting idea!

Oooh, I like this one. great thing about it, is that you can start it almost anywhere - Africa, South America, etc.

Some great ideas in this thread. I love the embassy one, but the Korean idea, along with prisoners from Siberia and the Mediterranean one have my creative juices starting to flow :)

[Adm.Lee]

How about the Caribbean? There's plenty of pirates, cities to restart, ships and boats to recover. There are 3 mods to draw names and faces from, with New America in Tampa, the Seminoles in the rest of Florida, Mexicans and Texicans. Plus the Soviets want out, the Cubans might want to try dominating things, and lots of little island countries might just want to be left alone.

- Venzuela has oil to covet, lots of places grow food.
- The drug cartels may still have lots of weapons, gunmen and boats.
- The various Communist guerrilla armies, supported by the remnants of Nicaragua and Cuba could still be factors.
- Plus, you could put your PCs on a sailing ship (not necessarily the Constitution replica), and zoom them all around for a "mission of the week" television-episode-style campaign.

I forget, has SouthCom moved from Panama to Miami in the T2k timeline? Might it be trying to evacuate now, or hold on to the Canal? Is that even worth anything?

[HorseSoldier]

I forget, has SouthCom moved from Panama to Miami in the T2k timeline? Might it be trying to evacuate now, or hold on to the Canal? Is that even worth anything?

Still there in the Twilight timeline, I would think. Transfer of the canal would have occurred after the nuclear exchange, and I don't think the US would be in the same hurry we were IRL to pull troops out of the region with the Soviets and Cubans still going concerns.

[pmulcahy11b]

I forget, has SouthCom moved from Panama to Miami in the T2k timeline? Might it be trying to evacuate now, or hold on to the Canal? Is that even worth anything?

The Canal itself is of militarily very limited value, due to its small size and the slowness of its operation. However, the Canal Zone could serve as a useful base for operations in the Gulf of Mexico, Central America, and South America. For that reason, it might be useful to hold on to. As I've stated elsewhere, I don't think the Russians would bother to nuke the Canal.

Come to think of it, these Americans are close enough to the States that they might try to go home. Or, they may become a thorn in the rear of the Mexicans.

[weswood]

Oooh, I like this one. great thing about it, is that you can start it almost anywhere - Africa, South America, etc.

Some great ideas in this thread. I love the embassy one, but the Korean idea, along with prisoners from Siberia and the Mediterranean one have my creative juices starting to flow :)

A former member of the board here started a very short lived campaign based on this. The players were Embassy personnel, mostly Marine guards, in Africa. The game started with the players in 2 Landrovers just missing the last U.S. plane out.

[Grimace]

Yeah, some interesting ideas.

Here's one:
The group is a special advisory group dispatched to meet up with Soviet divisions in Alaska who have ceased allegiance to the USSR. While there, they get attacked by the bad guy Soviets. So that way they'd have to work with Soviets and fight against Soviets and have to always figure out which is which. Plus, it would be in Alaska, which isn't a usual game location.

[Rainbow Six]

A former member of the board here started a very short lived campaign based on this. The players were Embassy personnel, mostly Marine guards, in Africa. The game started with the players in 2 Landrovers just missing the last U.S. plane out.

I know the one you mean. If memory serves the game originated from a thread on the board (probably RPG Host?) where the scenario was discussed. I did try and see if I could track down the original thread in the archives here last night, but couldn't find it.

Going from memory, another suggestion on that thread that someone (sorry, don't know who) came up with was for the PC's to be a group of East German or Polish troops who had been posted to the Chinese theatre earlier in the War and were now trying to make their way home overland.

I think the thread had more details on both scenarios - someone may remember it and have a copy of it archived somewhere? (I think there are some details of the game Wes refers to on Antenna's site).

Cheers

[jester]

I remember both campaigns.

The embassy game was run by Law. It was on another site all together.

The other campaign, I remember some of the players but forgot who was the GM. That was on Yahoo Groups, if they haven't deleted it, they files may still be there. I was a lurker there for a time when I had the time but lost track. It was interesting.

[Trooper]

How about classic ”behind the enemy lines” in the Litsa front in december 2000? Long journey from Kola peninsula to Narvik. Players can fight their way through northern Norway or they can try get in Narvik through northern Finland and Sweden. Even that wouldn’t be an easy option- FDF units would probably send NATO stragglers straight to POW camp but some units like 6th infantry brigade in Kilpisjärvi- (garrison of free “city”) might even help them.

In northern Sweden local separatist movement is quite capable to defend local villages. Marauders have short life span there but they are willig to help God fearing NATO soldiers in need?

Somewhere between Kola peninsula and Narvik players should find out why soviets are invading northern Norway? You can recycle Boomer after your players have found an NATO unit in Norway.

[Tegyrius]

An idea that was suggested on one of the old boards was that of staff from an Embassy overseas trying to get back to their home country. Could include Military personnel (e.g. US Marine Security Guards), Intelligence agents, and civilian workers / dependents (as well as nationals from allied nations).
When I was demo'ing 2013, this is the setup I used for my usual scenario. Marine task force sent into Central Africa to evacuate embassies and American citizens and stranded there by the nuclear exchanges and general breakdown, then making their way overland to a port city to try to find a ride home. The action centered on arriving at said city (I used Abidjan) and liberating a freighter from the local warlord. Always thought it'd make a good kernel for a longer campaign.

- C.

[cavtroop]

Great info guys, thanks for all the tips. I think I'm going to go with the 'Embassy Staff trying to get out' theme. I think it give the players flexibility in the characters they want to play - almost anything goes, and can make sense in the theme of the game.

Another question - I debated opening another thread for it, as it's a different subject, but we'll see.

The players I have lined up for this game are all time-constrained by family, jobs, etc. I'd like to have a game where if one of them can't make it, the rest can still play, but keep the reasoning plausible, so the missing PC doesn't have to get played as an NPC. Any thoughts on this? I was thinking of making every game session a mini-adventure, where the team runs out of a central base or something, and if one guy cant make it, he just doesn't go out of the wire with the team. However, that limits the size and complexity the adventures can be.

Anyone deal with this, or have any thoughts?

[pmulcahy11b]

With the Embassy Staff theme, an interesting wrench to throw in might be a dependent. Nothing like a whiney 8-year-old with a teddy bear to throw a wrench into the works...

[Rainbow Six]

With the Embassy Staff theme, an interesting wrench to throw in might be a dependent. Nothing like a whiney 8-year-old with a teddy bear to throw a wrench into the works...

Nice idea...as an added twist how about if said kid is the child of a senior diplomat who is part of the group. Then have said senior Diplomat "think" he (or she) is the one in charge and start throwing their weight about...

[cavtroop]

While its an intriguing idea, and would add a very interesting and real twist to a game, I generally don't have children in my games. Not a place I generally want to go given RL circumstances.

[TiggerCCW UK]

While its an intriguing idea, and would add a very interesting and real twist to a game, I generally don't have children in my games. Not a place I generally want to go given RL circumstances.

I'm the same, I usually avoid having kids in the game as I find it a bit too close to the real world. Funny isn't it, that we have no problem with society being destroyed and devastated and the whole world going to hell in a hand basket, but yet the idea of kids in peril makes us uncomfortable. I think its probably a good healthy sign for us though :) The only time I've had kids involved was when the PC's had to rescue a group of kids who had been seized for medical experiments by a lunatic neo-nazi fringe group in Poland. Thankfully the group bought straight into the premise of rescuing them and went in without any of the excessive force they sometimes use and rescued them all, without injury to any of the kids :)

[TiggerCCW UK]

[QUOTE=cavtroop;24680]
The players I have lined up for this game are all time-constrained by family, jobs, etc. I'd like to have a game where if one of them can't make it, the rest can still play, but keep the reasoning plausible, so the missing PC doesn't have to get played as an NPC. Any thoughts on this? I was thinking of making every game session a mini-adventure, where the team runs out of a central base or something, and if one guy cant make it, he just doesn't go out of the wire with the team. However, that limits the size and complexity the adventures can be.

Anyone deal with this, or have any thoughts?[/QUOTE

I'd go with a number of mini adventures designed towards a major goal. For example they need to get out of the area using a helicopter extraction. First one could be securing fuel, then a seperate adventure each for finding a pilot, spare parts, a helo, a landing site and transport to get them to the site and then of course the journey to the site and the actual extraction.

In my group we have 6 regulars, 5 players and a gm for whatever game we happen to be playing. The rule of thumb we use is that if one person can't make it we play on with one of the players controlling 2 PC's for that night. If 2 people can't make it we still have a session but just play one of a selection of board games instead - Talisman, Battle Cars, Risk, Mall of Horror, that sort of thing.

Hope that helps.

[Rainbow Six]

While its an intriguing idea, and would add a very interesting and real twist to a game, I generally don't have children in my games. Not a place I generally want to go given RL circumstances.

I'm the same, I usually avoid having kids in the game as I find it a bit too close to the real world. Funny isn't it, that we have no problem with society being destroyed and devastated and the whole world going to hell in a hand basket, but yet the idea of kids in peril makes us uncomfortable.

Perhaps this is an area where the mindset is influenced by whether one is actively gaming or not...

I haven't gamed for somehere in the region of ten years and if I'm being honest it's highly unlikely that will change in the next ten years. However I do enjoy creative writing, and at the moment my primary outlet for that is T2K. Reading this thread purely from a writer's perspective, I immediately began to envisage various characters that would fit the outlined scenario (I just can't help it doing that - character generation has always been the best part of RP'ing for me). Paul's suggestion just happened to fit in with a few thoughts I had had (not so much the kid specifically, but the idea of an entire family, the head of whom was the senior remaining diplomat so was, nominally at least, in charge).

Maybe the key difference is that as a writer, one ultimately retains full control of all of one's characters...you can determine what level of threat (if any) the eight year old kid - or any other character - is exposed to and what the consequences are, whereas in an RPG many factors are determined at random by the roll of a dice...

Hope that makes sense...and to you guys who are playing any RPG regularly (but especially T2K!) I envy you! :)

[TiggerCCW UK]

I wasn't intending any citicism of the idea of having a kid in a game Rainbow, and sorry if I sounded that way :) I know what you mean about the creative control element for writing v gaming as well, and I know that your suggestion was not likely to involve any harm coming to the child. That doesn't come across very clearly reading back over it, but I hope you know what I mean?

[Rainbow Six]

No worries, Tigger, I didn't think you were having a go at all mate! ;) I was really just kinda elaborating a bit on how different circumstances can lead to different mind sets, but I absolutely didn't take anything as being critical...just mates having a discussion!

Cheers

Dave

[Targan]

I don't restrict myself in games, even if the subject matter is really grim or disturbing. In my last T2K campaign I included situations where there were children in peril, dead children, horribly abused children, starving children and children in a variety of other situations. A couple of times I included situations with children just to see whether the PCs still had consciences. Basically I wanted to gauge just how far they had fallen. I figured if I couldn't goad them into doing the right thing for children in need, they were truly lost. Surprisingly Major Po did do the right thing on several occasions in terms of looking after children in need.

[pmulcahy11b]

I'm the same way with animals -- a whole pack of dogs could be playing in a minefield without a scratch, while the first player that sets foot inside could get his leg blown off.

[weswood]

If you're doing the Embassy Personnell thing, I just thought/remembered a twist you could throw in.

When I was a young Marine going through my MOS trianing (Logistics/Embarkation) in Norfolk Va, they would use us students as OpFor on sevral scenarios. My favorite was Embassy Rescue. 8-10 students were given roles as Embassy Personnel, Ambassodar, Amb's wife, Doplimat, CIA officer, etc. We used a rappelling tower as the embassy. The training unit would come in, put a perimeter around the "embassy" and rescure the people from the demonstrators ( the rest of the students). I got to play the CIA guy once, he has a secret mission to smuggle a 1kg bag of white powder labeled "the good stuff". The training unit knew about it, cause I got searched and questioned through the whole exercise, but they never found it. The Woman Marine who was playing the Amb's wife had it in a toy baby's blanket. We changed the scenario somewhat, the Amb's wife and the CIA guy were having an affair and the "good stuff" was to be thier nest egg.