Battle of Kalisz

[Mahatatain]

What follows may be a dumb questions so my apologies in advance if it is! It’s nearly 20 years since I ran any part of the Escape from Kalisz scenario and I’m now wondering if I made some tweaks to the units present when I ran it all that time ago (I certainly didn’t have the NATO vehicle guide at the time).

Essentially I’ve been re-reading the Escape from Kalisz scenario that comes with the v1.0 box set (well technically quickly scan reading it at the moment) and I was wondering if there were any non US troops on the NATO side who were serving with/alongside the 5th ID during the Battle of Kalisz? I don’t mean just individual guides or translators or stragglers who have been incorporated into American units – I’m mean actual units, probably of British, German or Canadian origin.

When I ran the scenario previously my PCs were a mix of Americans and British but I’m now wondering whether I had stretched things in allowing a number of British characters.

Also if there were non US units at the Battle of Kalisz does anyone have details of them?

Thanks,

Mahatatain.

[M-Type]

I wouldn't know about full 'foreign' units per see, but I know the rules talk about how many units are conscripting locals for their forces. Your British players could simply be ones whose unit was destroyed (or whatever), and the 5th ID picked them up. If they can fight I'd say they're valuable.

The first game I ran had a unit with a mixed nationality group. It adds a certain level of disbelief, but its fun overall.

[Legbreaker]

There is no such thing as a dumb question, unless it remains unasked.

A brief reference exists in the background material towards the presence of some Polish guides, but no mention of numbers or organisation (may have been just half a dozen local civilians for all we know).
Other than that, it was a solely American show with regards to the 5th ID (ignoring the previously mentioned stragglers, etc).

Nearest other formal unit of another nationality (besides enemy) would be the Canadians, followed by either the Germans or British way back on the Polish border.

IMO, non-US troops within the 5th ID may have been grouped together to ease language, cultural, and doctrinal issues (there's significant difference between the way a US infantry platoon operates compared to British). Logistically it makes sense to group them together as well given their base issue of gear and weaponry (M16s are just a bit different to G3/G11/L85/L1A1s for example).

[Mahatatain]

Thanks for the info. I will have to see what Nationalities my players want to play before deciding on if/how I need to tweak the NATO units who are present at Battle of Kalisz.

[Legbreaker]

Individuals shouldn't be a problem at all. The US 2nd Marines have 7 different nationalities in their ranks by the time of "Going Home" - that's more than there are NATO countries in theatre.

[Mahatatain]

Originally Posted by Legbreaker

Individuals shouldn't be a problem at all. The US 2nd Marines have 7 different nationalities in their ranks by the time of "Going Home" - that's more than there are NATO countries in theatre.

Where is that piece of info about the US 2nd Marines from? Is it actually in Going Home?