Everyone's takes on the "iconic" characters.

[simonmark6]

I don't know about other people, but one of the things that made a real impact on me when I first discovered Twilight 2000 at University was the impact the flavour characters had on my imagination. I quickly pictured a group of disprit characters trying to survive in a chaotic environment. Up until then, PCs had tended to be like game pieces, they had personalities and histories but never really seemed real.

I realise that some of this was because TW2K was the first game set in the "real world", or GDW's take on the near future at least. This made PCs and situations seem more real to me.

Anyway, the purpose of this thread is to see if others have already, or would like to stat out and expand on the back stories of the "iconic characters" (to steal a D&D term). I would be interested in seeing people's takes on these characters and how they would have to alter the rules to create such PCs. A backstory would also be interesting.

As far as I can see, there are 10 characters mentioned in the V2 rulebooks:

The narrator, Monk, a mechanic with a high initiative
Carson, the Major's driver, described as a demon behind the wheel
Gordon, a female engineer
Jones, the Welsh sniper/interpreter
Wood, the medic, described as being a pre med student, presumably a term of Undergrad Uni with a chem/biol major and then conscription
Griffith, the master scrounger
Bobbi Lee, who needs no introduction...
Sgt Anderson, the ancient Vietnam Vet
Alvarez, no info
The Major, leader of the band

I'll kick off with my countryman, Jones the sniper:

Name: Gethin Jones aka "Jones the sniper"
Nationality: Welsh
Gender: Male
Service Branch: Infantry
Age: 33
Weight: 76kg
Throw Range: 20m
Initiative: 4
Rank: Corporal
Rads: 28
Load: 30kg

Strength: 5
Mechanic 1/6
Rifle 9/14
Unarmed MA: 3/8
Thrown weapon: 1/6
Autogun: 0/5
Grenade launcher: 1/6

Constitution: 5
Swimming: 1

Agility: 6
Ground Vehicle, Wheeled: 3/9
Stealth: 2/8

Education: 5
Computer: 1/6
Electronics: 1/6

Charisma: 4
Welsh: 10/14
English: 10/14
German: 4/8
Polish: 2/6
Instruction: 1/5
Leadership: 1/5
Persuasion: 1/5

Intelligence: 6
Farming: 5/11
Tracking: 2/8
Observation: 4/10

Signiature Weapons or Kit:
L42 rifle
HK-69 grenade launcher

Backstory
Gethin was born on a small hill farm in Mid-Wales near the market town of Llandeilo. His father was a tennant farmer who worked in a valley's pit in order to supplement the farm's meagre earnings. Gethin's father was determined his son wouldn't follow him underground and encouraged him to do well at school. Unfortunately, Gethin wasn't academically gifted and preferred the outdoor life. He was, however, reasonably gifted at languages and passed his O level in German.

At the age of sixteen he left school and joined his father on the farm. This was supposed to be a stop-gap measure until he had enough qualifications via night school to go to University.

Then the miner's strike left Gethin's father without a regular income and once the strike was over, the farm had been repossessed by the owner. This broke Gethin's father's heart and he died soon after. Gethin was left without a job or a home and decided to join the Army whilst he decided what to do with his life.

He joined the Royal Regiment of Wales and found that he really enjoyed the life. His outdoors skills meant that he was more adept at fieldcraft than his urbanite peers and he was directed toward the unit's sniper/scout unit. Gethin recieved training in stealth, reconnaisence and communications (electronics). His knowledge of German made him a popular companion when he was stationed in Germany and he realised the benefits of knowing local languages. A long standing girlfriend also spoke Polish and he picked this up just befor ethe war started.

During the war he served with the RRW through the early years and the siege of Warsaw. He was loaned out to another unit as a sniper/scout during the Baltic push and was separated from his unit. He met Monk shortly after and was absorbed into the group.

If anyone is interested in a different take on Jones, or trying their hand at any of the other characters, I'd love to see them here.

[leonpoi]

Cool. when you're finished I can use them as a reoccurring group that the pcs can meet, first somewhere near kalisz, later in krakow, etc. nice idea.

[simonmark6]

So, here's Alvarez, the guy only mentioned once. He's effectively a chipher so I've made him a Texan with a term in a factory and then conscription into the infantry. He'll be pretty much a generic grunt.

Name: Hector Alvarez
Nationality: USA
Gender: Male
Service Branch: Infantry
Age: 25
Weight: 92kg
Throw Range: 32m
Initiative: 3
Rank: Private
Rads: 18
Load: 45kg

Strength: 8
Armed MA 3/10
Mechanic 1/9
Rifle 4/12
Unarmed MA: 5/13
Thrown weapon: 1/9
Autogun: 0/8
Grenade launcher: 1/9

Constitution: 7
Swimming: 3/10
Small Watercraft: 2/9

Agility: 5
Ground Vehicle, Wheeled: 3/8
Electronics: 1/6
Machinist: 2/7
Tactical Missile: 0/5

Education: 4


Charisma: 4
Spanish: 10/14
English: 10/14
German: 4/8

Intelligence: 4


Signiature Weapons or Kit:
M16

Backstory
Hector was born on Texas' Atlantic Coast and grew up sailing small boats and roaming around the town he lived in. His education could be described at best as modest and he graduated and started work in a local factory. When the war started he was contented to stay in his job, but the factory produced a non-essential product and couldn't easily be re-tooled to a military use. This meant that Hector was put into the draft and ended up as a conscript being shipped to Europe.

He has served conscientiously enough even though he hasn't distinguished himself. Hector is content to follow the others and look after his buddies.

[Webstral]

I'm enjoying reading your takes on the characters. I'm totally with you about a fascination with the game being tied in to the characters. I often imagine specific characters in specific settings as I write. Good work so far!

Webstral

[simonmark6]

Thanks, I appreciate that. It's funny how what is essentially a gear head's wet dream can generate such dynamic characters. I've been playing RPGs for years, but my favourite characters are mainly from TK2.

I'll get some others up later but if anyone else wants to chip in, feel free. I've started with the easiest ones in my opinion, Monk, Sgt. Anderson and Bobbi-Lee are much more controversial.

[jester]

My online chat campaign a couple years ago, most of the NPCs where characters from the game. I also had some of them from the boxcover of the 1st Ed. Some lasted a while, others were there for breifly.

As I have posted a bit again, I made Bobby Lee with her Ranger patch into the only daughter with FIVE older brothers from Tennesee, their father worked at Dixie Gunworks.

I even included Cutler the traitor from Operation "Reset." And he was still a traitor who set the PCs up.

Alvarez, wasn't he the one who was killed that they base City of the Angles on?

[simonmark6]

It could well be the same Alvarez, there's a lot of confusion about these characters, especially teh art work ones. There's a Spanish-American looking woman called Perez on several covers and also mention of a Perez dying in the tunnels below Czestochowa.

Nice background for Bobbi-Lee, there's definate background information to suggest lots of brothers and a Southern State origin. I've tended to go for lower end characters as the flavour of the colour text is a group of youngsters and draftees. Monk only mentions the Major and Sergeant Anderson by rank so I've tried to keep the characters low rank and relatively low experience.

[simonmark6]

Name: Helen Gordon
Nationality: USA
Gender: Female
Service Branch: Infantry
Age: 29
Weight: 68kg
Throw Range: 28m
Initiative: 3
Rank: Private
Rads: 19
Load: 42kg

Strength: 7
Rifle 2/9
Unarmed MA: 3/10
Thrown weapon: 1/8
Autogun: 0/7
Grenade launcher: 0/7

Constitution: 7
Swimming:3/10
Riding: 2/9
Climb; 2/9
Combat Engineer: 3/10

Agility: 5
Ground Vehicle, Wheeled: 3/8
Ground vehicle, Tracked: 1/6
Tactical Missile: 0/5

Education: 6
Construction: 4/10
Excavation: 4/10

Charisma: 4
English: 10/14


Intelligence: 5

Signiature Weapons or Kit:
M16/M203
Engineer's Demolition Kit

Backstory
Helen was born in a dormitory town outside Pittsburg. She was always interested in construction when she was young and her parents encouraged her to go to University to study Civil Engineering. Unfortunately, whilst her grades were good enough to attend the course, her father lost his job when she was 17 and the family were unable to pay tuition.
Instead, Helen got a job working on a construction site. She proved able, despite the opposition she faced from some of the men on site. She became a reasonable constructor after eight years in the job and had saved enough money for her to attend University.
Sadly for Helen, the war began and she was drafted into the engineers. She is a competent engineer and has saved the group several times, unfortunately, her combat skills need a lot of work.

[simonmark6]

Name: Martin Wood
Nationality: USA
Gender: Male
Service Branch: Medical
Age: 25
Weight: 80kg
Throw Range: 20m
Initiative: 3
Rank: Private
Rads: 15
Load: 30kg

Strength: 5
Rifle 2/7
Unarmed MA: 4/9
Thrown weapon: 1/6
Autogun: 0/5
Grenade launcher: 0/5

Constitution: 5
Swimming:3/8

Agility: 5
Ground Vehicle, Wheeled: 5/10
Tactical Missile: 0/5

Education: 6
Biology 3/9
Chemistry 2/8
Trauma Aid 3/9

Charisma: 5
English: 10/15
Persuasion: 1/6


Intelligence: 6
Survival 2/8

Signiature Weapons or Kit:
M16
Doctor's Medical Kit

Backstory
Martin comes from a solidly working class Boston background. His father worked on the docks and his mother was a cleaner at a hospital. Whilst Martin was only a little above average academically, he worked hard to get the grades for Pre Med. His parents worked themselves to the bone to help him with the tuition and he attended Boston U and graduated with enough credits to go to Medical School.
The Draft put an end to that. Martin was sent to Basic and from there joined the Medical Corps. He was sent over to Europe and attached to a rifle company where he has served ever since.

[leonpoi]

I think this one is a bit rushed - persuasion I think is CHAR skill, and he has no medical skills for being in the med corps.

[simonmark6]

Good spot, editted to change Persuasion to CHA and give him the three points he has in Trauma Aid.

Thanks.

[simonmark6]

Name: Jack Griffith
Nationality: Canadian
Gender: Male
Service Branch: Support
Age: 33
Weight: 80kg
Throw Range: 20m
Initiative: 3
Rank: Corporal
Rads: 20
Load: 30kg

Strength: 5
Rifle 5/10
Pistol 3/8
Unarmed MA: 3/8
Thrown weapon: 1/6
Autogun: 1/6
Grenade launcher: 0/5

Constitution: 5
Swimming:3/8

Agility: 5
Ground Vehicle, Wheeled: 4/9
Tactical Missile: 0/5
Electronics: 2/7
Forgery: 2/7

Education: 5
Computer: 5/10

Charisma: 6
English: 10/16
French: 3/9
Persuasion: 3/9
Instruction; 1/7
Leadership: 1/7


Intelligence: 6
Survival 2/8
Tracking: 2/8
Scrounging: 4/10

Signiature Weapons or Kit:
C7 LSW
Para Ordanance P-14

Backstory
Griffith has spent his life looking for easier ways to do things. He studied computer sciences at college because he was under the impression that getting in on the buisness at the ground floor would be a sure way to riches.
He found out however, that computers wasn't just about sitting on your backside and looking at a screen and he quickly got into pirating software and videos. He got further and further into the black market until the war started and he really began to make money.
Finally, the heat got too much for Griffith and he tried to eascape prosecution by joining the army. Despite not enjoying people shooting at him, he found his true niche. As a supply clerk he always had the best kit for himself and for his unit. his kit is still almost pristine despite the years of fighting, now he finds that the skills he'd used to make his life comfortable were now needed to keep himself and his friends alive.

*Design Notes: I decided to make Griffith Canadian in homage to James Garner's character in "The Great Escape".

[Fusilier]

These are quite interesting. Nicely done.

[kato13]

Originally Posted by simonmark6

*Design Notes: I decided to make Griffith Canadian in homage to James Garner's character in "The Great Escape".

He was an an American of the RAF Eagle Squadron. That is why he was helping organize the 4th of July celebration.

[simonmark6]

Oh, right, I saw the RAF uniform and assumed Canadian. My bad. Still, I'd like to keep him Canadian for the cool guns...

I looked up some other stuff about Garner, he described himself as his company "scrounger" in the Korean War where he received two Purple Hearts, the second one was awarded when he got shot in the arse by and American jet. Kudos!

[jester]

Originally Posted by simonmark6

Oh, right, I saw the RAF uniform and assumed Canadian. My bad. Still, I'd like to keep him Canadian for the cool guns...

I looked up some other stuff about Garner, he described himself as his company "scrounger" in the Korean War where he received two Purple Hearts, the second one was awarded when he got shot in the arse by and American jet. Kudos!

He was also a 16 year old merchant marine sailor in the battle of the atlantic as well. I saw an interview given by him as a follow up with the film he did with Julie Andrews and James Coburn about filming the D-Day landings, the film was tongue in cheeck and he had a few comical things of course, but he also went into his personal history as well which was more than cool.

[simonmark6]

I knew he was in the merchant marine academy, but not that. The man had an interesting life, I always liked him as an actor but have much more reason for respecting him now.

[Rainbow Six]

This a cool thread...am enjoying it and looking forward to your take on the rest of the group.

Cheers

[simonmark6]

Name: James "Kit" Carson
Nationality: USA
Gender: Male
Service Branch: Support
Age: 25
Weight: 72kg
Throw Range: 28m
Initiative: 3
Rank: Private
Rads: 20
Load: 39kg

Strength: 7
Armed MA 0/7
Mechanic 3/10
Rifle 3/10
Unarmed MA: 3/10
Thrown weapon: 1/8
Autogun: 0/7
Grenade launcher: 0/7

Constitution: 6
Swimming: 2/8

Agility: 9
Ground Vehicle, Wheeled: 8/17
Tactical Missile: 0/9

Education: 3


Charisma: 3
English: 10/13


Intelligence: 4
Survival 2/6
Navigation 1/5

Signiature Weapons or Kit:
M16
Tools

Backstory:
Jim Carson was born with the smell of exhaust fumes in his nostrils and was driving off-road and on go-kart tracks before he was ten. His parents indulged his love of driving and whilst he was successful in amateur racing, he never had the luck to be picked up by a professional team.
After scraping through High school, he started driving for a delivery firm and met Dan Anderson, one of the managers. The young driver impressed the grizzled veteran and when Dan found out that Carson had been assigned as a replacement to his Division, he pulled strings to get the driver assigned to his CO.

Design notes:
Monk describes him as a demon behind the wheel and a crack shot. I couldn't model the crack shot bit and keep the character within the concept of a bunch of youngsters with a few vets in tow. If the alternate rule some GMs use that Small Arms can use the higher of STR and AGL, he's better, but still not "crack". Maybe he's just lucky and rolls well...


Name: Thomas "Monk" Monroe
Nationality: USA
Gender: Male
Service Branch: Infantry
Age: 25
Weight: 88kg
Throw Range: 28m
Initiative: 6
Rank: Private
Rads: 27
Load: 36kg

Strength: 7
Armed MA 0/7
Mechanic 5/12
Rifle 5/12
Unarmed MA: 4/11
Thrown weapon: 1/8
Autogun: 0/7
Grenade launcher: 1/8

Constitution: 5
Swimming: 3/8

Agility: 5
Ground Vehicle, Wheeled: 3/8
Machinist: 1/6
Tactical Missile: 0/5

Education: 5


Charisma: 5
English: 10/14

Intelligence: 5
Survival 2/7


Signiature Weapons or Kit:
Tool Kits
M16

Backstory:
Monk was born in Pennsylvania and trained as a mechanic in technical college. He was a boy scout before going to technical college and had learned the basics of living off the land. When the war began he joined up immediately and was sent to Europe, he's an honest guy if a little naive.

[simonmark6]

Name: Dan Anderson
Nationality: USA
Gender: Male
Service Branch: Infantry
Age: 53
Weight: 92kg
Throw Range: 20m
Initiative: 4
Rank: Sergeant Major
Rads: 52
Load: 33kg

Strength: 5
Armed MA 0/8
Rifle 8/13
Unarmed MA: 5/10
Thrown weapon: 1/6
Autogun: 3/8
Grenade launcher: 2/7
Heavy Artillery: 2/7
Heavy Gun: 2/7

Constitution: 6
Swimming: 3/9
Climb: 2/8

Agility: 2
Ground Vehicle, Wheeled: 3/5
Tactical Missile: 0/2
Ground Vehicle, Tracked: 5/7
Electronics: 1/3

Education: 6
Construction: 3/9
Excavation: 3/9
Computer: 2/8


Charisma: 5
English: 10/15
Russian: 1/6
Instruction: 4/9
Leadership: 3/9
Persuasion: 7/12


Intelligence: 6
Survival 2/8
Forward Observer: 2/8

Signiature Weapons or Kit:
M16/M203
M1911A

Backstory:
Dan Anderson "saw the elephant" for the first time in the A'Shau valley in Vietnam. He did his term of duty with the 7th Cavalry and volunteered to stay in country until the US finally pulled out of the conflict. He found that he loved the service and strove to be the most complete soldier he could be.

As an experienced NCO, Dan was able to train with several arms of teh service and gained experience in Armour and Artillery as well as the Infantry. He served several postings around Europe, including Reykiavik in Iceland where he learned a smattering of Russian and an appreciation of Vodka.

During one of the Draw Downs in the late Eighties, Dan was retired early and took the opportunity to use his GI Bill to attend University to study engineering and management. He was too old to properly pursue the Civil Engineering route and spent several years running a Construction team around teh country, during this time he was impressed by the work of one of their delivery drivers, Carson and when he met him later, he recruited him to the Major's unit.

When the war started, Dan was too old to be reactivated and he had to pull every string he could to get back in. Every one who realises this sees it as a sign of insanity, but Dan points out that as a member of the 5th he had a 3 in 10 chance of surviving the war, much better odds than if he'd remained a civilian.

Time hasn't been kind on the Sergeant Major and his physical abilities aren't what they were. At present his experience and skills have kept him and his team alive, secretly Dan worries that it's only a matter of time before old age gets the better of him. Until then his job is to keep the kids alive and give them the skills to stay that way after he's no longer around.

[simonmark6]

OK, last two from the first book:

Name: William "Wild Bill" Donovan
Nationality: USA
Gender: Male
Service Branch: Infantry
Age: 37
Weight: 88kg
Throw Range: 24m
Initiative: 5
Rank: Major
Rads: 55
Load: 36kg

Strength: 6
Armed MA 0/6
Rifle 9/15
Unarmed MA: 3/9
Thrown weapon: 1/7
Autogun: 2/8
Grenade launcher: 1/7

Constitution: 6
Swimming: 3/9
Combat Engineer: 2/8
Parachute: 3/9

Agility: 4
Ground Vehicle, Wheeled: 3/7
Tactical Missile: 0/4
Stealth 1/5


Education: 8
Construction: 4/12
Excavation: 2/10


Charisma: 5
English: 10/15
Instruction: 2/7
Leadership: 7/12
Persuasion: 2/7


Intelligence: 6
Survival 2/8
Navigation: 1/7

Signiature Weapons or Kit:
M16/M203
M1911A

Backstory:
William Donovan comes from a long line of army officers, a Donovan fought for Washington in the revolution and his father was wounded in Vietnam. William merely continued the family tradition.

He graduated from The Citadel rather than West Point, again, another family tradition and joined the Airborne. From there he completed ranger training and went into a line regiment in order to pursue his career. When the war started he was the Executive Officer in a battalion of the 5th Mechanised Division.

He eventually went on to command the 3/143, although by that time it was little more than a rump company with a bunch of clapped out LAV-25s scrounged from the Marines.

His men used to call him "Wild Bill", but over the year his calm demeanor and quiet way gave the lie to that sobriquet. Now all he wants to do is get his troops somewhere safe.


Name: Bobbi-Lee Mitchell
Nationality: USA
Gender: Female
Service Branch: Infantry
Age: 29
Weight: 60kg
Throw Range: 28m
Initiative: 5
Rank: Private
Rads: 21
Load: 36kg

Strength: 7
Armed MA 0/11
Rifle 4/11
Unarmed MA: 9/16
Thrown weapon: 1/8
Autogun: 0/7
Grenade launcher: 0/7


Constitution: 5
Swimming: 2/7
Parachute: 2/7

Agility: 7
Ground Vehicle, Wheeled: 2/9
Tactical Missile: 0/7
Stealth: 4/11

Education: 3
Computer: 1/4


Charisma: 3
English: 10/13


Intelligence: 7
Survival 2/9
Observervation: 2/9
Farming: 3/10

Signiature Weapons or Kit:
M16/M203
M1911A

Backstory:
Bobbi-Lee was born in the mountains of Virginia, the youngest child of teh Mitchell clan. She had six older brothers and she grew up a tomboy. When she was fifteen, her mother died and Bobbi-Lee took over looking after the boys. She still went coon hunting now and again, and she could hold her own if the boys got to "wrasslin'", but she didn't graduate High School.

She stayed on the farm for several years, only leaving to follow her brothers when they were on the Southern Cage Fighting circuit. During a sparring session with one of her brothers, an agent convinced her to join the women fighters in a new federation.

She enjoyed several years as a fighter and then the war started. Her brothers all joined up and she followed them into the forces. Her moderate fame made her top of the list of women on teh fast track to combat positions. She finished Ranger Training her first time through and was sent to the European Theatre.