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Originally Posted by Rapparee
I know the Polish modules mightn't appeal to the majority of them so I was thinking of running the aforementioned Escape From Kalisz as an intro and prequel and then maybe try them on Armies of the Night. Other modules that I'm sure would definetely pique their interest would be Allegheny Uprising, Satellite Down, Urban Guerilla, Kidnapped and maybe Boomer. I'd just be using them as guidelines but I was just eager for any general advice, especially on that of the modules if people are familiar with them and have played them or used them for a group.
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Rapparee
Maybe some tactical "cheat sheets" or perhaps NPCs with combat experience that can clue the players in is a good way to go. However, if they were doing some 'Nam gaming then they probably have a good grasp of things.
Kalisz is a good adventure and has a lot to recommend it, not to mention being a classic. European adventures have some advantages; Poland was set up specifically to be a kind of "wild west", where the PCs could do what they willed without having to deal with any kind of outside chain of command. On the other hand, being trapped far behind enemy lines imposes a certain kind of existential concern, plus the players will eventually find themselves picking up Warsaw Pact gear simply due to lack of outside supply, if they don't go native completely.
At least we do have the Internet now. Back when I ran Kalisz, the Black Madonna and Krakow in the mid-80's, I had no idea what Poland was like beyond the odd out-of-date library book. Much less how to pronounce "Czestochowa". With Wikipedia, now I can look up individual towns, vegetation, the Polish language, etc.
You might want to cut to the chase and start with Going Home. It's the tail-end of the first round of European adventures, of course, but once it's done the players are in a different continent, giving your game a more broader geographical sweep than the Vistula river valley.
Back in the USA, many adventures are written so that players can belong to either the MiLGOV or CIVGOV faction, depending on your or the players/PCs' sympathies, if any. They could even be freelancers ('armed contractors" or whatever you want to call them) if neither side appeals. (Many soldiers seem to despise civilian leadership in general, while backing MILGOV is like expecting American draftees fresh back from Vietnam backing an unconstitutional coup led by General Westmoreland in the aftermath of WWIII.)
Of the adventures you suggest, I'd advise Kidnapped or Urban Guerrilla. I've run the latter, and the former adventure is a key event in the post-war USA as the successful completion hamstrings New America, everyone's favourite bad guys. For specifically free-lance (ie: mercenary) groups, "Pennsylvania Crude" in Challenge 49 is a good choice.
One last piece of advice to a new GM is decide if you want to place restrictions on gear or let the players decide according to the generous rules in the main rulebook.
Some GMs go for a "gear light" scenario, restricting player choice to a greater or lesser degree depending on the rationale for the game start. Breaking out from Kalisz or with many of the other adventures, players are assumed to have as much supplies as they can carry and start mounted in vehicles up to and occasionally including tanks. The opposite end of the scale is the PCs barely escape with the clothes on their backs and not much more (if that). My experience is both methods have strengths and weaknesses.
Depending on their choices using the book method, the players can start with a wide selection of weapons and tools to allow for many different approaches. Unrestricted choice generally leads to considerable firepower, which can lead to stereotypical play. Certainly, you can impose some reasonable restrictions ("no nukes!") and you always get a veto, but to a degree your players are not going to lack for equipment and ammunition unless they make poor choices.
In my opinion, the standard starting equipment allowance is relatively straightforward to set up, is less likely to lead to player frustration (as the players have largely a free hand) and is therefore what I would recommend for a starting group and GM. A limited setup is probably more suitable for more experienced GMs, as it adds challenge to an already challenging and deadly game. It also requires very careful bookkeeping on the part of the GM and players. (If every shot must count, you must carefully count each shot.)
On the other hand, if you want a "gear lite" approach, "Gateway to the Spanish Main" has that as a suggested start. (The players start unarmed, shipwrecked and adrift after their prison ship is torpedoed.) Or, the sailing ship replica can pick them up in Europe for transport to the USA, stripping the PCs of vehicles but leaving them with what the ship can carry (which could be a lot!).
Tony