players playing themselves?

[Brother in Arms]

Ok I know everyone has done this before with there own self....

but I need to start out a group that has never played an RPG before and aren't super excited about playing make believe or pretend.... none of the players know anything about RPGing... (so I am thinking of running a 2013 game) But they all love guns and militaria so I think this is the only game I can get them into.

So here is the Idea....I am having my 3 room mates play themselves as characters.....this way they can just be themselves and won't have to worry about pretending to be someone else. And That way they can concern themselves with combat and survival.

The reason I think it will work is because they are very unusual group of gents to be living together even here in the U.S.

here is what the party consists of:

PC's
1. 23 Year old Gunsmith (who own many firearms and huge quantity of Ammo, and concealed carries daily, grew up in Burlington Vermont.

1. 23 Year old head Security Guard (owns a few firearms and concealed carries daily, grew up in Burlington Vermont.

1. 24 year old Ex Marine Iraq War Veteran (owns a few firearms and concealed carries daily, Grew up in Burlington Vermont)

Those are basics about my roommates the third chap is the only one with military experience the rest are avid recreational shooters and former air soft players.

Then there is Me... I will be a (NPC) who is conveniently visiting Mum in Maine 3 hours away, so I won't be able to help them. At least not right away.
1.28 year old Gunsmith(own many firearms and huge quantities of ammunition concealed carries on occasion, Grew up in Western Maine)


So here is what I am thinking these guys all have guns and gear at there disposal so I am thinking that once they get there character (which I think I will make but let them tweak) I will explain to them they have 5 minutes to get all there gear and bring it to the living room. Blow a whistle and they are off to literally physically get all there kit!!!!

But I need to figure out why they would only have 5 minutes to do this in.

There will be at least 3 semi-auto M4 carbines but one is in pieces and not functioning, 1 Semi-auto M16A1. They could also ransack my Semi-auto AK, SKS and Saiga .308 out of my room. They also have a Springfield M1A, A PS90, Beretta storm, another SkS, Scoped Bolt action .308, a potentially a back pack full of hand guns....these are the sort of guys who literally keep dozens of loaded magazines lying around.... but don't have any food packed.

So I need them to leave quickly cant have them hole up in the Apartment too much stuff and guns.

What do you guys think and what is the tactical signifigance of Burlington Vermont in 2013? Im wondering if it would even be there or if it would be blown up due to Lake Champlain and Platsburgh naval base just on the other side of the lake. I have read that lake champlain was an actual target of nukes for the Russians to increase the mushroom cloud effect of nukes. But we are close to Canadian border so they could slip into the top of VT and make for the largest city in VT...thus Burlington and hopefully onward to the massive shootout, called the battle of Burlington!

Let me know what you think and please any help this is going to be a crazy undertaking...

Brother in Arms