An Adventure Idea

[kato13]

DeaconR 06-11-2005, 04:39 PM Recently I read a novel called The Last Ship (William Brinkley). When I was a kid, my great-uncle, who was on the Murmansk Run, told me more than one hair raising story when he was in his cups. I think ever since then I've been fascinated by stories of the sea, though through one thing and another I've never done more than go fishing or whale watching in a boat or ship. However, all this came back when I was recently reading David Poyer's series on the US Navy and then this particular book.


The concept is that a US navy destroyer is engaged in supporting Strategic naval forces at the start of WWIII. It finds itself isolated and alone, the shores it tries to approach too high in radiation to remain long at. Ultimately, the ship's company decides that their main duty is to survive, and that they must seek out some safe harbour. However, some among the crew, led by the Weapons Officer, believe that because of a signal fragment from a National Emergency Command Center in Mississippi that they must return to the United States.


It occured to me that for those who are interested in doing something a little different in TW2000 this might be just the thing: to have the players join the crew of a ship seeking safety and a possible future. Given the usual sorts who make up TW2000 groups, the players would soon become a valued landing party and could get into all sorts of interesting situations, chasing rumors, trading for information or goods, helping in local conflicts and so on.

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thefusilier 06-11-2005, 11:17 PM I remember seeing that book in the bookstore and wanted to pick it up. What ship was it and was it nuclear powered or just a destroyer or frigate. If so I guess it wouldnt be able to sail for too long.

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Matt Wiser 06-12-2005, 12:32 AM I've got the book: ship is a nuclear-powered destroyer. 152 men, 26 women.

They and a Soviet Typhoon-class sub are the only known survivors, according to the book.

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pmulcahy 06-12-2005, 01:08 AM I have that book too (read it about 5 years ago); the nuclear destroyer is the guided missile destroyer USS Nathan James (I don't know if that's the name of a real US Navy ship, though); her primary armament is Tomahawk missiles, both conventional and with 200kt nuclear warheads. The Soviet sub's a boomer, (I haven't found anything saying her class), called the Pushkin; she still has several SS-N-20's on board at the time of the encounter between the Nathan James and the Pushkin.


The book gives a very interesting encounter between two former combatants (they decide it would be best to be "former" combatants rather than try to finish World War 3), what happens when a mutiny takes place aboard the Nathan James over differing opinions of what the Nathan James should do next, and what one does when there are a lot of men and only a few women left, they are all ostensibly civilized, but the need to repopulate the planet and tame sex drives is in their minds. The book also deals with PTSD taken to the point of psychosis (in some cases).

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TiggerCCW UK 06-12-2005, 04:36 AM Sounds like an interesting book, I'll keep an eye out for it. The scenario could be interesting as well, although the PC's would have to get used to the idea of only having fairly light gear - no M1s aboard ship.

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thefusilier 06-12-2005, 12:08 PM I don't have my source info handy and can't remember... does the US navy have IRL nuclear powered destroyers? I thought it was just crusiers, carriers and subs.

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pmulcahy 06-12-2005, 12:34 PM A quick look at MilNet (www.milnet.com) doesn't show any, except as "future technology." But it's a better plot device than a conventional-powered destroyer, which may be why Mr. Brinkley did it.

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Matt Wiser 06-12-2005, 10:40 PM Only one type of Soviet/Russian Sub "capable of under-ice operation" and equipped with SS-N-20: Typhoon. The description, crew size, and other comments would make Pushkin a Typhoon-class boomer. Though I doubt these two ships are the last ones....throw in an Ohio, LA, Trafalgar, or Sierra as well. As for women: the Navy has conducted (or is conducting) studies as to letting women serve on the Ohios. Some have even suggested making a few attack boats all-female....

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DeaconR 06-12-2005, 11:02 PM If you knocked out satellites communication ranges would be a lot more limited, and also probably major communication relay sites would be knocked out as well. So you wouldn't necessarily know about other ships.


Anyway, the book was written in the late 80s.

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Rogue765 06-13-2005, 02:20 AM According to fas.org, the U.S. Navy had two nuclear-powered destroyers, the USS Bainbridge DLGN 25 and the USS Truxton DLGN 35, built in 1967, renamed Guided Missile Cruisers in 1975, and decomissioned in 1995. The Bainbridge served in the Gulf during Desert Storm.

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abaumgartg 08-09-2005, 05:48 AM I was just looking through old posts. I just saw African Queen last night (John Houston, Bogart & Hepburn). Not really a t2k kind of movie, but with the basic story would make for a good twilight adventure. Or help add some local color to the Pirates of the Vistula. Taking an old and small wood burning river boat down a rough river and then trying to blow up a WWI era German steamer. Again, while the movie is not gritty enough for t2k, it gave me some good ideas for the Vistual adventure, and possibly others.

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DeaconR 08-10-2005, 08:57 AM In that case also check out the novel "The Sand Pebbles". The movie is passable but the book is quite good. It takes place during the Nationalist uprising in China in the 30s, and mostly is about an American coal burning gunboat and how the changes in China affect the crew, who are mostly hands that have served in China since WWI.

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