About scenarios, adventures and campaigns

[Marc]

Did you buy a T-80, too?
Mmmmm... perhaps "Kelly's Heroes" could be an interesting turning point in my current pre-Kalisz campaign.

[Marc]

Target: Boris Yeltsin

I’ve run this game a few years ago, but it was a mini-campaign more than a single adventure (three days of gaming). Here you have the opportunity to put your players in the critical moment where v2.2 timeline starts to diverge from reality, the assassination of Boris Yeltsin.

In my mini-campaign the characters were approached by the agents of the hard-line communist faction who aspire to seize the power through a coup d'état, indignant because the retreat of the soviet troops inside the borders of the Soviet Union, the abolition of the Pact of Warsaw and the growing instability in some of the republics. The group of characters was made up of a mix of intelligence agents and former soldiers who did not know between each other. Of course each character had his own reasons, but all of them were totally convinced about the need for a strong hand to guide mother Russia to the “right path�. In a very secret meeting in some remote site, they are informed about what they need to know about the oncoming rebellion and their assigned paper in the conspiracy.

The first mission is not to kill Boris Yeltsin (this is a kind of “opportunity goal that emerges in the final mission of the “mini-campaign�), but to eliminate certain important key general who is serving in a Central Asiatic Republic and is about to return to Moscow to be informed by the legitimate government about certain signs that can point that a conspiracy against the government is under way. The rebel faction is afraid that if this general keeps himself loyal in the out coming rebellion (as it seems to be), an important part of the hesitant generals would eventually keep their adhesion to Gorbachev’s government. The mission is to eliminate the general before he arrives to Moscow, preferably in some way that allows to blame any insurgent group in the Asiatic republic. When we run this game, the players accomplish the objective with a portable missile launcher, destroying the transport plane of the general just after its take off, still at few meters above the runway.
The second mission of the “mini-campaign� was, in fact, an urban combat in the streets of Moscow. I thought it would be funny a good firefight, with the 4th Guards "Kantemir" Tank Division and the 2nd Guards Motor Rifle “Tamanskaya� Division trying to take control of the important points of the city, defended by loyal forces.

And finally, in the third mission, the military heads of the rebellion discover that Alpha Team and other Military units designed to spearhead the attack against the Russian White House, where some members of the parliament and Boris Yeltsin have locked up themselves, have not appeared in the assigned starting points. Afraid of an unsuspected defection, the rebel commanders orders the group of characters to do the dirty work. In the game, the players assaulted the Parliament building from helicopters and, after sweep the upper floor of opposition, demolished it over the parliament main chamber where the politicians were concentrated.

[Badbru]

I can't see the French Adventure seed working for me though.

France and England have a refugee/illegal immigrant problem now. Add in the effects of the Twilight war as detailed in either v1 or v2.2 timeline and you can multiply that by whatever figure you can guess at.

The reason given in the timelines that French forces move/invade to the Rhine is to provide a solid geographical barrier against hordes of refugee's that threaten to overwhelm their nation.

The reason that there is a 50km wide swath of lawless anarchy land beyond their border is because French forces go out of their way to create, encourage, and maintain it. That 50km swath is a French controlled free fire zone. They have no reason and no desire to obtain more of it, quite the opposite.


Thus, turn the adventure seed around.

For the rag tag bunch;
Have your player's try getting through that maelstrom. Worse still for the players have them need to escort (you may read smuggle here if you wish) civillians through that to the promise of life as it was pre war with electricity, and all the wonders that entales, running water, and the promise of hot showers that entales etc etc

For the stable military unit group;
Have them working for the German government, not the French, trying to bring some semblance of peace to that area so German citizens can repopulate the region.

[Matt Wiser]

No, Marc, we didn't buy the T-80, mainly because we had our own armor (an "unmanned" M-1A1 and a captured T-72), but we couldn't eliminate the last T-80 because our tanks couldn't manuver into the town without getting spotted. We drew out the other two T-80s and the M-1 nailed one, and an antiarmor team with RPGs and a Carl Gustav nailed the other one in an alley. Besides, the other vehicles the Russians had in the town got trashed when a demo charge in the attic blew down the Russian HQ. (all that rubble comes down on something...) The tank crew needed their T-80 so they could get away.

[Marc]

Originally Posted by Badbru

I can't see the French Adventure seed working for me though.

France and England have a refugee/illegal immigrant problem now. Add in the effects of the Twilight war as detailed in either v1 or v2.2 timeline and you can multiply that by whatever figure you can guess at.

The reason given in the timelines that French forces move/invade to the Rhine is to provide a solid geographical barrier against hordes of refugee's that threaten to overwhelm their nation.

The reason that there is a 50km wide swath of lawless anarchy land beyond their border is because French forces go out of their way to create, encourage, and maintain it. That 50km swath is a French controlled free fire zone. They have no reason and no desire to obtain more of it, quite the opposite.


Thus, turn the adventure seed around.

For the rag tag bunch;
Have your player's try getting through that maelstrom. Worse still for the players have them need to escort (you may read smuggle here if you wish) civillians through that to the promise of life as it was pre war with electricity, and all the wonders that entales, running water, and the promise of hot showers that entales etc etc

For the stable military unit group;
Have them working for the German government, not the French, trying to bring some semblance of peace to that area so German citizens can repopulate the region.

Mmmmm… You have touched some important points I had not thought about. Ok, let me see…I agree about the problem of the illegal immigration on the present day. We’ve got the same problem here in Spain, mainly with people coming from North Africa, South America and East of Europe. But I’m afraid that the France of T2K would not have any problem or any considerations with illegal immigration. Sadly, if the host country is not worried to provide help, shelter, water, food and return the immigration to the other side of the border, the problem for this country nearly disappears. Any foreigner trying to illegally trespass the frontier would be shot at sight. And with a government enforced with emergency powers little could be done for the French population to admit any refugee without risking the resources received from the state. And the same could be said about a refugee that would have managed to trespass the border and live in French territory. Without the resources supplied for the government and with the fear to be denounced by a civilian or seized by security forces, his or her life would be as miserable as at the other side. This seems a plausible situation for France as a starting point of a campaign situated in 2000. Well, I’ve not thought about it before, but it sounds ominously similar to a totalitarian country…

Another point I’ve not thought about before your post is the effect over the neighbor territories of closing the borders and shot at sight to any person in the 50 Km wide strip in the French border. One thing is true. These neighbor territories at the other side of the Rhin would feel little affection to France in 2000, regardless to any previous historical relationship. All the refugees that after the first stages of the war tried to go to France, still unaware of the real meaning of the “La Zone Morte”, would have pass trough or being camped in these territories. Stories about people being shot, starvation and all the problems originated by improvised refugee camps in villages and towns that were yet struggling to survive before the arrival of the refugees.

Anyway I would not let aside the campaign seed. The contrast between what the French expect to found and what they will found in reality it’s a good and interesting point for me. And more, with characters of mixed origin, like was suggested by HQ. Of course changing the point of view and put the characters as a helping force in the German side is a good alternative, too. But it would not be the same shocking feeling for the characters coming from a relatively untouched country, entering in “Indian Territory” with a mission that probably obeys to a misjudgment of the people who has conceived it.

Mmmm… it seems that the entire seed has gained some grim, realistic perspective.

And finally, I like very much the seed of smugglers trying to pass people trough the frontier. It’s a good idea for a group of characters from Catalonia and the South of France, per example. The French frontier here, according with the v2.2 book, seems a little more permeable. Mmmm… but I must confess that my English skill still not reach to the expression “rag tag bunch” .

[Slappy]

New guy here. Just ran into this forum while googling in a bout of T2K nostalgia.

While territorial annexation might be out of the question for the French, it would be reasonable to expect that they might have reasons to exert influence in the dead zone. They would probably want to prevent organized units moving into the area unless they could be controlled. Missions could include interactions with 'puppet states' or bandit gangs covertly supported by the French in exchange for respect of the border and help with refugee control. There will also be things and people of value that appear in that area from time to time. No rumors of destruction will be strong enough to keep out all comers. Gold, warheads, importaint scientists, high profile French national refugees could all potentially be of interest to the French regime. The players could be a team of French commandos sent to recover the items or negotiate with a local power moving into the zone.

Another angle might be characters in the area contacted by such a team and offered a chance to 'earn their citizenship' by performing a dangerous mission for the French. This would be a sort of Merc:2000 / T2K crossover. Whether the offer is legit would of course only be learned later.

[Mohoender]

Welcome on board Slappy

I see some very interesting point in what you are saying but I can't imagine these kind of people (scientists, engineers...) travelling solely through Germany. Actually I would imagine them going to Switzerland and may be to France through Switzerland.

Moreover, from what I have read in v2.2 bribery and some means of support (high proficiency is exactly that) will get you in France anyway.

About the Dead Zone, from what I understand, it was carved through military operation and by letting people starve to death or die from sickness. Someone, said that France could be somewhat Totalitarian and I wouldn't be surprised by that. I expect to see several concentration camps (so called refugee camps) around that area. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised to see France relying on forced labor as well.

IMO, the military figures given per cannon are way too small. They are based on peace time numbers while the country would at least rely on partial mobilization. They also overlooked the Gendarmerie, Police and Custom forces.

On the dead zone, one question remains about the populations who had been living there before it was established. For the Dutch, you can expect the worse as that country remain at war with France. It seems that some German units also opposed the french advance but that couldn't have lasted very long. Nevertheless, I would expect the German to have face a better situation than the Dutch. People would have been expelled but with no needless violence, part of them being brought to the "New France", another part leaving the area to other regions of Germany.

After all, you have German speaking people in Belgium and France while the people of Luxembourg are simply German. I doubt that none of them would accept any violent action on German people (of course locally things could be different). Many of them would have family living there and they would care.

Things would be very different for refugees, however. Anyway, as long as people don't know or can say they didn't know... (Watched the movie Fatherland, or read the book, it's interesting on that subject).

You ruled out the idea of territorial conquest. I disagree. France may not look at Germany for strict territorial expension but it could very well hope to form some kind of federation with several Landers (especially the non-catholic ones). Germany still retain several valuable mineral ressources.

Moreover, France would need some kind of safe route to Poland. After all, the Polish community of France is really important (my ex-wife family is still sending present there every year and that is more a rule than anything else to Poles) and among our major politician's names are the Poniatovskis. Among their ancestors you'll find the last king of Poland, and the Marshall Josef Poniatovski (1st Empire). I also just realized that another major french politician family is of major Polish descent (Kosciusco-Morizet). One of their ancestor is Tadeus Kosciuszko (a Polish and American hero from the war of independence and from the Polish uprising of 1794: directed against Russia). With Poland in such terrible situation (and all other contenders virtually gone) I would not be surprised to see the French attempting to create some new Polish states (such as the Duchy of Warsaw). And if you want to add some history to that one of our king had been king of Poland. Actually, in a T2K Poland, France hold many Polish symbols that could be as important as the Black Madona.

[Marc]

Bon dia! And welcome, Slappy!
Other possible scenery for this campaign is Catalonia. Little is described about the situation in the Iberian Peninsula, but given the state of the things in the present day, it would be extremely difficult for any rebellion to succeed if opposed by the Spanish Army. So, if we accept the canon situation as described in v2.2 timeline, with an independent Catalonia, I must suppose that the rebellion have been unopposed by the Spanish Army, for the moment, taking advantage of the anarchy and the loss of control from the Spanish authorities. But, knowing the inevitable future retaliatory reaction from Spain (for historical experience), one of the choices available for Catalonia is to ask for help to France, offering the annexation in exchange of an important degree of autonomy. A dangerous game, yet tried in the past (for example in 1640), that has never worked . Sadly, another time like a puppet between two states, but seems a plausible explanation and, given the situation, it could be the only choice.

A lot of the possible plots mentioned regarding this seed would match in this zone, too.

[Badbru]

Originally Posted by Mohoender

Welcome on board Slappy

Seconded. Welcome Slappy.

You ruled out the idea of territorial conquest. I disagree.

Actually, no I didn't. I merely can't see the reason for expanding further beyond a geographical feature like a major river when you expanded towards that feature in the first place so that you could stay safe and secure behind it. I cannot see the point of territorial conquest north and east of the Rhine. I do not rule out territorial conquest for France however. The very move to the Rhine was territorial conquest,-to establish a strong geographical border. Furthermore RDF Sourcebook suggests that France is expanding their influence in the Iran-Iraq region (Gulf states,yes?) Further I would have them reasserting their former African empire from Algeria right around the West coast of Africa to Cameroon and beyond. Would the Diamond trade in the Congo still be valued in the T2K world? Franco Belgian Union don't forget.

France may not look at Germany for strict territorial expension but it could very well hope to form some kind of federation with several Landers (especially the non-catholic ones). Germany still retain several valuable mineral ressources.

By "Landers" do you mean Belgium & Netherlands etc? And, Germany's valuable mineral resources would be greatly coveted, by Germany.

Moreover, France would need some kind of safe route to Poland.

"Like", maybe, "want" I could even see, but "need"? I'm less convinced that they would "need" a safe route to Poland, and would it have to be a land route?, passing through Germany?

After all, the Polish community of France is really important (my ex-wife family is still sending present there every year and that is more a rule than anything else to Poles) and among our major politician's names are the Poniatovskis. Among their ancestors you'll find the last king of Poland, and the Marshall Josef Poniatovski (1st Empire). I also just realized that another major french politician family is of major Polish descent (Kosciusco-Morizet). One of their ancestor is Tadeus Kosciuszko (a Polish and American hero from the war of independence and from the Polish uprising of 1794: directed against Russia). With Poland in such terrible situation (and all other contenders virtually gone) I would not be surprised to see the French attempting to create some new Polish states (such as the Duchy of Warsaw). And if you want to add some history to that one of our king had been king of Poland. Actually, in a T2K Poland, France hold many Polish symbols that could be as important as the Black Madona.

[headquarters]

I like the conspiracy ( reminds me of the 1990s ) and of course - the Russian take on things

Originally Posted by Marc

Target: Boris Yeltsin

I’ve run this game a few years ago, but it was a mini-campaign more than a single adventure (three days of gaming). Here you have the opportunity to put your players in the critical moment where v2.2 timeline starts to diverge from reality, the assassination of Boris Yeltsin.

In my mini-campaign the characters were approached by the agents of the hard-line communist faction who aspire to seize the power through a coup d'état, indignant because the retreat of the soviet troops inside the borders of the Soviet Union, the abolition of the Pact of Warsaw and the growing instability in some of the republics. The group of characters was made up of a mix of intelligence agents and former soldiers who did not know between each other. Of course each character had his own reasons, but all of them were totally convinced about the need for a strong hand to guide mother Russia to the “right path�. In a very secret meeting in some remote site, they are informed about what they need to know about the oncoming rebellion and their assigned paper in the conspiracy.

The first mission is not to kill Boris Yeltsin (this is a kind of “opportunity goal that emerges in the final mission of the “mini-campaign�), but to eliminate certain important key general who is serving in a Central Asiatic Republic and is about to return to Moscow to be informed by the legitimate government about certain signs that can point that a conspiracy against the government is under way. The rebel faction is afraid that if this general keeps himself loyal in the out coming rebellion (as it seems to be), an important part of the hesitant generals would eventually keep their adhesion to Gorbachev’s government. The mission is to eliminate the general before he arrives to Moscow, preferably in some way that allows to blame any insurgent group in the Asiatic republic. When we run this game, the players accomplish the objective with a portable missile launcher, destroying the transport plane of the general just after its take off, still at few meters above the runway.
The second mission of the “mini-campaign� was, in fact, an urban combat in the streets of Moscow. I thought it would be funny a good firefight, with the 4th Guards "Kantemir" Tank Division and the 2nd Guards Motor Rifle “Tamanskaya� Division trying to take control of the important points of the city, defended by loyal forces.

And finally, in the third mission, the military heads of the rebellion discover that Alpha Team and other Military units designed to spearhead the attack against the Russian White House, where some members of the parliament and Boris Yeltsin have locked up themselves, have not appeared in the assigned starting points. Afraid of an unsuspected defection, the rebel commanders orders the group of characters to do the dirty work. In the game, the players assaulted the Parliament building from helicopters and, after sweep the upper floor of opposition, demolished it over the parliament main chamber where the politicians were concentrated.