City of Angels T2013......

[.45cultist]

"City" might be better is the Mexicans were replaced with a gang using Russian weapons from Ft. Irwin, and/or Chicom weapons and advisors. Replace the girl with a person who has important info. I looked at Red Star/Lone Star first, but it would take a major reshuffle to work.

[StainlessSteelCynic]

Been a while since I checked the story of City of Angels but weren't gangs a major source of trouble in that module?
With that in mind, I don't see that you specifically need to have the Mexican forces because like you've said, you could have a gang or even a New America-type group equipped with gear "liberated" from Fort Irwin.

[.45cultist]

Originally Posted by StainlessSteelCynic

Been a while since I checked the story of City of Angels but weren't gangs a major source of trouble in that module?
With that in mind, I don't see that you specifically need to have the Mexican forces because like you've said, you could have a gang or even a New America-type group equipped with gear "liberated" from Fort Irwin.

The change would reflect that the front is in the center of Mexico, not inside CONUS. This is actually a better module for that than Red Star/ Lone Star.

[LT. Ox]

Perhaps some "inside help" at Irwin?
Makes sense to me as a lot of personnel would have time to get themselves worked up to whatever splinter group they might have allegiance too either gang or political motivated.
In 1967 we had a number of weapons go missing and a few arrests at Fort Ord. The destination of the weapons was thought to be the Black Panther Party of that era in Oakland California, I am unsure if a legal connection was ever made or if it was a for profit theft of some valuable hardware (two m-60 and several m16 plus a lot of ammo).

[.45cultist]

Originally Posted by LT. Ox

Perhaps some "inside help" at Irwin?
Makes sense to me as a lot of personnel would have time to get themselves worked up to whatever splinter group they might have allegiance too either gang or political motivated.
In 1967 we had a number of weapons go missing and a few arrests at Fort Ord. The destination of the weapons was thought to be the Black Panther Party of that era in Oakland California, I am unsure if a legal connection was ever made or if it was a for profit theft of some valuable hardware (two m-60 and several m16 plus a lot of ammo).

That's "Rosie's Bar" in Armies of the Night! But An irradiated, gang infested LA is more reasonable to the setting.

[.45cultist]

To save my dead tree versions, downloaded both "Armies" and "City". So as I start back on my civvie stuff, I can start on both coasts. My original T2K2 detailed NPC/character is a retired Lt Col. His oldest boy is in Europe for the new campaign. Might start looking at the Europe modules and the T2013 for comparison/ update later, just put a list together. For Red Star/ Lonestar I'm starting with the Texas Legion conning the State and army into arming them like the free polish unit in V1. They are also rounding up a lot of Mexican gear. They will try to wait for the opportunity to start a country. I might use them as the invaders seeking the platform. using former Chinese vehicles. My campaign had a blundered reinforcement using car haulers that scattered Chicom gear and personnel across the gulf and pacific coast. I couldn't come up with any other way for it to be there, I know it's weak.

[StainlessSteelCynic]

Not necessarily weak, I'd say that while it could be called unlikely it's not implausible.
A possible scenario for how all that gear game to be in the USA would be the one from the computer game World In Conflict. In that game, Soviet military forces were hidden on container and RORO ships with much their gear packed into sea containers. They waited until the bulk of their "civilian" fleet was in place and then started offloading vehicles and troops onto the docks under the cover of attack helicopters. Once they established their beachhead they sent out battlegroups to start the invasion proper.

So taking that a step further, why unload the gear from the shipping containers to load it into military trucks for distribution when you could hitch a couple of container trailers together and make use of the good road network in the US. That also keeps the military trucks free for troops and immediately needed supplies.

So then, a modestly guarded convoy of container trucks is travelling down some back road and gets hit by a USAF airstrike, there's going to be plenty of ruined equipment but the odds of some surviving in a usable state is pretty good too... and then the PCs are sent in to do a battle damage assessment because they just happen to be nearby (or maybe they came upon the aftermath while doing something else).

[.45cultist]

The invasion wouldn't succeed, just add gear. And a few stragglers of varying loyalty to the Party. A NPC is a comm operator looking to shelter with some stateside cousins, her cover story is student, "I lost my ID in the riots!" she has a P226, and a laptop with topo maps. She will be in the NY expedition trying to get to China-town. This character will become the comm operator. Of course this works for LA in City of angels as well.