Recreation Vehicles and Embedded Journlaists in T2k

[natehale1971]

As the subject header says...

I have been trying to get a T2k game going, and had someone had asked about the posiblity of their character having an off-road Recreation Vehicle. Now this is pretty interesting since the character they are thinking of playing is an embedded journalist... and the RV would have the equipment for them to do their job (sat upload equipment, battery rechargers, ect) that the three person embedded journalist team would be using.

Now I like the idea, because it would have luxuries in it that the soldiers (even the officers) wouldn't have... and that there would of course be some resentment towards them. Especially since the NPC they are wanting to have as the Producer of the embed team is suppose to be an elitist snob who use to be a 'face' person until they lost their on screen credibility (still don't know what they are suppose to do, the person buidling the character hasn't decided just what kind of activity the producer got caught doing, that didn't destory their crediblity for being able to find good news stories... just the fact that people didn't find them creidble to do the reporting themselves).

Some of the ideas for the modifications for the RV that they were asking about was solar pannels on the roof, and off-road capabilities.

Now comes the part i'm asking everyone about... Just what kind of RV would have been good as the base for them to have used to modify to do everything that they need it to do. And a list of some more of the kinds of modifications that the news agency would need to do to the RV.

BTW... the name of the news agency is going to be the WBN (Westinghouse Broacasting Network) News Channel. The Embedded jouranlist team will be composed of a Field Producer (the disgraced field correspondent), Field Correspondent and Cameraman.

Now the player of the Correspondent wanted to have the Cameraman also be there to provide security, but when i told her that a cameraman isn't the best choice for security since they are focused entirely on what their camera is pointed at (a friend of mine actually was a professional cameraman for a local news programming out in Arizona for six years until he broke his knee and hip during one of the assignments they were on).

Can someone who knows, tell me how security for Embedded Jouralist Teams are orgasnized? Or are they ad-hoc and used in an as needed basis? Or are their security provided by PMC's that are employed by their news agency?

I had thought of a public affairs officer and public affairs boadcasting specialist being assigned to them as 'minders' and a couple of military policemen providing their security.

but if someone can tell me what is acutally used, i'll go with that instead.

[rcaf_777]

How about using something like

http://www.cnn.com/services/warriorone/

or

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Land_Rover_Defender_110_Gen1_broadcast_vehicl e_CENTER_TV_germany_frontleft_2003-03-03_U.jpg

or

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bidgee/5245804749/

The way I figure a news crew could use any one of thses types of vehicles and possible towing a small trailer with could used to living space for the crew or they could have a cargo model for carrying, tent rations, water ect

They could be in the company of Public Affiars team which would travel is standard military vehcile

I more rear team might a bigger vehcile an set up, the last major excerise I was on the brigade had huge media tent and parking area for they vehicles and another sent up for the discovery crew that was fliming a whole tv show about us.

[pmulcahy11b]

What show is this? When did it/will it air?

[raketenjagdpanzer]

How about using something like

http://www.cnn.com/services/warriorone/


Oh this is just adorable : The vehicle "came under heavy fire near Baghdad".

HERP DERP YA THINK?

What fucking dildo at CNN decided to put their reporters in a vehicle designated as used by the US military - and painted the same color as the combat vehicles in theater? My God, you might as well have given them a "CNN M113" complete with mounted .50 cal and battalion markings.

Stupidity never ceases to amaze me.

[simonmark6]

This might be the beast you want:

http://www.unicatamericas.com/

The embedded reporter had better have some good combat skills or a decent mentor otherwise someone's going to have this beauty off them in a flash.

As for the producer, what about if he lost it with someone he was interviewing? His studio might not trust him on screen but still trust his news nose.

[WallShadow]

I'm trying to figure out just how much of their electronics have weathered the EMP storms of the nuclear battlefield. And how are the journalists getting their stories back to whatever is left of their parent companies?

I'm also sure there's going to be some hard-assed Intelligence officer that'll be breathing down their necks to make sure they don't compromise security. Alternately, same goon would be hounding the reporters to review, evaluate, and possibly confiscate any materials on the pretext of military necessity.

[rcaf_777]

What show is this? When did it/will it air?

It's called combat school and it was aired in Canada in 2009, don't think it was shown south of the border, since is was centered around a platoon of Canadian soilders prepairing for a tour of duty in Afghanstian

here a link for more info on the show you should be able to you tube it if you care to see it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combat_School_(TV_series)

The Warrant Officer is my father in law neighbour, my kids seem to love him?

[Targan]

As the subject header says...

I have been trying to get a T2k game going, and had someone had asked about the possiblity of their character having an off-road Recreation Vehicle. Now this is pretty interesting since the character they are thinking of playing is an embedded journalist... and the RV would have the equipment for them to do their job (sat upload equipment, battery rechargers, ect) that the three person embedded journalist team would be using.

Are we talking regular V1 or v2x Twilight:2000, in Europe in the year 2000? If so I doubt the situation would exist as you're describing it. I absolutely agree that at the start of the war there would have been western journalists embedded with NATO units in the European theater but post-large scale strategic and tactical nuking, how could they do their jobs in the manner which we would understand them today? Satellite upload equipment? What satellites? By 2000 there are only a handful of satellites still functioning and I doubt they would be available for private, commercial use. The only major western nation in 2000 with an intact economy and society is France, I guess they would still have wide-circulation newspapers and TV stations and other media outlets. But in countries like the UK and the USA any surviving media outlets would be very local, most likely hardcopy newsletters or the occasional radio station.

I don't see a problem with any given character having an RV, soldiers from all sides would have gathered a vast assortment of various non-military vehicles along the way. As a GM I would happily substitute any vehicle rolled on the starting vehicle lists with a reasonable equivalent if that was what the players wanted. One of the PCs in my last campaign was a German salvager and he started the game with a VW Kombi. I just think that all the private media embedded journalists in Europe would have been sent home years before 2000, drafted, killed or become some kind of bizarre freelance latter-day troubadors or town criers. And if the latter, how long do you think it would be before a military unit they were with or encountered noticed all the useful stuff in their nice shiny RV and confiscated it?

[natehale1971]

It's basically the V1 timeline, but has the start of the Sino-Soviet War in August 2000... 2001 the fighting is confined to USSR and PRC, but when the fighting turns against the Soviets they force Warsaw Pact to send troops who arrive in 2002. Nukes aren't thrown about in the Euro-Soviet War theater until 2005 with the last real nuke exchanges happening with the TDM and retailation strikes. The Summer Offensive takes place in 2007.

Unlike the regular T2k setting there are still some satellites... CivGov uses the Emergency Alert Service network, and MilGov has the Armed Forces Network to provide broadcasting and network news. thus the working cable networks fall into one of these two umbrellas.

a rough outline of the timeline...

1989: The Black winter, the Soviet Union crackdown on the pro-Democratic movements throughout Eastern Europe.
1990: Desert Shield
1991: Desert Storm occurs, teaches both the US and USSR lessons that they will use to modernize both their nations armed forces.
1992: Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías coup d'état overthrows the Venezuelan government, and brings his socialist government to power. Zaire becomes the African Peoples Democratic Republic, the first step in establishing the Congo Pact.
1993: The Italian Republic given permission by the United Nations to rebuild the infrastructure of the Somali Republic.
1994: France withdraws from NATO. PRC, Mongolian Peoples Republic and North Korea form the Beijing Pact...
1995: A cabal of left-leaning officers carry out a coup d'état in Mexico. The new Mexican government secretly opens talks with Venezuela & Cuba establish a military treaty organization that will become known as the Havana Pact while still taking US foreign economic and military aid. The third and successful assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II took place in Makati City, Philippines. The Third Taiwan Straight Crisis.
1996: After the growing split between the heads of state of the Italian Republic and the Hellenic Republic with US and UK leadership of NATO, they formally withdraw from the NATO Alliance and ally with France to from the Med Alliance.
1997: The 'luxury industries' that are allowed to be imported into the Eastern Bloc: Starbucks Coffee Shop and Café, Victoria's Secret lingerie, Levi Strauss, Barnes and Noble booksellers, Pepsi, McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken.
1998:
1999:
2000: Start of the Sino-Soviet War
2001: Warsaw Pact nations forced to send forces to the Sino-Soviet War.
2002: The Best forces of the NVA and other East European Armies used as cannon fodder sparks uprisings throughout Eastern Europe.
2003: DDR Bloodless Coup. US reinstated the Draft. Start of Euro-Soviet War.
2004: Presidential election cycle, the start of Rationing of War Critical Resources.
2005: Limited Nuclear exchanges & the Thanksgiving Day Massacre.
2006: CivGov/MilGov Spilt occurs over serious irregularities of the legality of the so-called rump congress.
2007: The Summer Offensive.

http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/rr81/rspake2064_1999/T2k/Twilight_War_world_alliances.png

[James Langham]

This might be the beast you want:

http://www.unicatamericas.com/

The embedded reporter had better have some good combat skills or a decent mentor otherwise someone's going to have this beauty off them in a flash.

As for the producer, what about if he lost it with someone he was interviewing? His studio might not trust him on screen but still trust his news nose.

Having been involved in some training for journalists my thoughts as to the syllabus:

* basic weapon familiarization - namely what it can do to you and cover and basic weapon unload drills

* IED threat - less relevant in TW2000, NBC would take its place

* Reaction to effective enemy fire on foot and in a vehicle

* Dealing with check points (less so for embeds)

* How not to look a threat - does your camera look like an RPG from the front, etc

* How to surrender safely

*Dealing with being a prisoner

* How to react to rescue missions

* Defensive driving

* COMMON SENSE

Might be worth catching Ross Kemp in Afghanistan episode 1 for a documentary showing how he trained and reacted. Both series are excellent viewing for a portrayal of early ops in Helmand.

[Matt W]

Just a few suggestions...They're mostly chrome, but might make life a little easier

Employer:
Make the journalists' employer a FRENCH news company. They can stil be US citizens - but freelancing for the "only game in town".
That might explain how they can get information back to HQ - and a reason why their satphone doesn't get confiscated (it only has one "number": Paris). It would also provide something a little like Diplomatic Immunity

Military liaison:
Assign one or more Combat Camera (MOS 25V) personnel to the escort. The Combat Camera people would appreciate use of the journalist facilities aand have military training.

Egoboost:
"Radio Luxembourg" (a real music station that ceased in 1992) is being run by the French for purposes of propaganda & public diplomacy. This station can be picked up over most of Europe (and by both sides). The journalist's reports are sometimes aired on Radio Luxembourg and she can (eventually) get records played. Again, this gives the PCs a little bit of protection - if they can get requests played, it would mean a lot to some soldiers

[Legbreaker]

You could have the producer the victim of a disfiguring accident - leaves his face horribly scarred.

I really can't see the high tech goodies being in the media's hands any time after late 1997. Even if the items can't be used as is, they can be broken down and used as parts for other military equipment. Also, there's going to be a LOT of secrets that people want to keep hidden, particularly after the nukes and everyone becomes more and more willing to do ANYTHING to stay alive. Somebody waving a camera about is going to attract a lot of very unwanted attention and the reporters will very quickly find themselves in shallow grave.

The only areas they'd be able to even attempt to do their job is in the more organised and less heavily controlled areas. They can forget about going anywhere near a battlefield until well after it's been fought. Going behind enemy lines or even into no mans land will also get them killed in a hurry.

[Rainbow Six]

Perhaps the disgraced reporter come producer said something during a live broadcast earlier in the war that gave useful information to the enemy? Maybe gave away the position of a friendly unit that was then targetted by enemy artillery, causing heavy casualties, something like that? Maybe they were working for CNN or someone like that at the time and got fired, and WBN decided to take a chance and hired him / her as a producer as they knew he / she was a good journalist.

[natehale1971]

I like that Rainbow Six... that was similar to what i was thinking having happened.

France is a hostile force in my setting, the leading country behind the Med Alliance... So that wouldn't really work to protect them. The idea behind my campaign is that while there was nuclear exchanges things haven't completely broken down totally. There is still some simbulance of society in the 'safe zones' like the Free City of Krakow and of course back home.

While the CIVGOV and MILGOV split isn't really public knowledge... and that both 'governments' are supporting a 'free press' in an effort to prove that they are the most legal footing when it comes to the spilt (especially since CIVGOV has done some really screwy things, not just the gunfight over a congressional seat, but other more thugish behavior to get legislation passed in the 'Rump Congress' or the 'appointments' of cronies and staffers to fill empty congressional seats to get a Qurom).