Player Character Idea

[banez]

I was doing some google searching for this and didn't come up with much so I decided to register and post. I have been a big fan of Twilight 2000 now for over a decade. I even started up a group to play this when I was working my first full time job. Now, more recently, I have been a part of a new group that is playing Shadowrun.

So my idea is this, and if it's been hashed out or done before on this forum please link me to the thread as I'm not coming up with much in my searches, the players create themselves as Twilight 2000 characters. As the GM I would give them average stats unless they can justify something about themselves that is better than average (one of them bikes and climbs on the weekends, i'd give him a 1-2 point bonus in some physical attributes). I am just thinking about this idea and wondering if I shouldn't just give everyone 2 bonus points to apply to the area where they feel they are stronger and see how honest they are, this also eliminates any situation where someone is offended.

Anyway, so I thought about making them play themselves and start out as a bunch of gamers in the basement of a home where we play and have them hear the first bombs dropping. I'll explain the war breaking out and the first few play sessions will be about what they do to survive this time period. If someone dies I'll have them play another civilian or a solider (like a national guard) and rejoin the group. Perhaps down the road they can join up with some militia or something. During this time period I'll accelerate skill learning and character growth as their pretty average characters fill out roles and knowledge skills in this new world they need to survive in. Many of these gains in knowledge and skills can be role played as hidden talents they never knew they had because they never had to do anything but go to the grocery store for food, or a restaurant when lazy. Therefore hunting, cooking, scouting, all of these may need to be new skills they have to learn in the first few play sessions.

Anyway, I'm just brain storming here. This concept isn't new in other games but I haven't found much information on people doing it within the Twilight 2000 gaming system.

So let me know if you have feedback, suggestions, or specific things to rule out in order to make this work within the system.

Thanks!