Creepypasta in Twilight:2000 - Numbers Stations

[raketenjagdpanzer]

Maybe this falls more squarely under the idea of "Twilight Nightmares" but it doesn't involve Cthulhu or zombies or anything like that...

The idea of numbers stations always seemed sort of ... I dunno, I can't put my finger on it as to why, but creepy. Now the rational part of my brain says "this is just SIGINT, this is just intel work, whatever, doesn't mean a damn thing"

But as a game hook, or at least the beginning of one, what about a Numbers Station that starts up either right after the TDM, or after the destruction of the 5th division - a Numbers Station that defies all jamming attempts and can be heard on both NATO and WarPac frequencies.

A few potentialities exist:

For the "straight up" T2k game, it is in fact an automated station hooked to a high-powered transmitter, maybe one run off of a compact RTG or solar power (or something else exotic) that was designed to kick on after a nuclear attack and issue "orders" (pre-recorded) to various units of whatever flavor black ops (Spetznaz, CIA, MI-6, etc.). The orders continue until the equipment breaks down or is discovered and shut down. The orders contain all kinds of things like equipment cache information, satellite tracking information (assuming you're the kind of GM who'd go for the idea of some surviving sats still in storage orbits), all kinds of cool/spooky/mysterious information.

For the "twilight nightmares" T2k game...the numbers station isn't supposed to be found. It was never supposed to turn on. If it came on it meant that something so unspeakably horrible was about to happen that truly the survivors of the TDM would, for the short amount of time they had left, envy the dead. Is there any hope, though? Why build such a system if there was no hope of surviving whatever comes next? Maybe the answer is in the code. Both sides are beginning to piece this information together and realize that without cooperation, what's left of humanity is doomed...

any other interest or thoughts?

[atiff]

Cool idea. Gives a way to insert almost anything you like into a game.

[Rainbow Six]

Yep, definitely a good idea. I like it - opens up lots of different possibilities.

[Cdnwolf]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numbers_station

[ex3313]

Didn't the sov's have a similiar sys except it worked off a missle launch Dead hand I believe

[raketenjagdpanzer]

Originally Posted by ex3313

Didn't the sov's have a similiar sys except it worked off a missle launch Dead hand I believe

http://www.cracked.com/article_18381...roadcasts.html

UBV-76 is the most obvious suspect.

[mcchordsage]

I'd certainly be interested; there's a lot of potential for numbers stations in Twilight 2000.

[HorseSoldier]

Shortwave radio and single use pads would be the preferred means of pushing info to agents in a world where SATCOM is out of the equation. Probably a lot of WW2 era code words being broadcast also, "Fred has a new bicycle," and such.