WW2 Hero: Anyone care?

[AaronD]

Now that I have plenty of time one my hand (since losing my job), I was thinking of compiling all my WW2 Hero notes into a web page or Digital Hero article. However, looking around I'm not sure if anyone would be interested. Note that this is no-superhero, band of brothers, type stuff not golden-age stuff.

Anyone else run a military campaign (however short), even if its not WW2?


Aaron

[JohnTaber]

I've run several campaigns like this in different settings. One of my favorites is based on the Network from Danger International fame. See the description in the book. I also ran a sort o multi-session 1-shot campaign based loosely on the Dirty Dozen. It was so much fun I came inches away from making it a regular campaign.

Have you seen the Unknown Eagles stuff? I assume you have but...

[BobGreenwade]

I personally would love to see War Hero as a Hero System genre book. World War II would be merely a setting book for the genre (the central one, no doubt, since that's the most popular setting for war movies).

(But then, what do I know? I'm the guy who's chomping at the bit to pick up Sports Hero or Mystery Hero.)

That said, I think a good Digital Hero article would be a great way to test the waters for the genre. Granted, there's not a lot of feedback over there, but at least you could give Steve and Dave a general idea as to what you're capable of.

In short, go for it!

[Toadmaster]

I've been working on a 1944 France game to run at the Dundracon, couldn't get it organized in time but I'm working on it to hopefully run next year. I have been basing it around a recon platoon advancing through normandy heading to St. Lo days after landing at Omaha Beach. I have a large amount of material I converted to twilight 2000 and am slowly converting it to HERO. (If I ever would stop and focus on one thing I'm converting I might actually fininsh something). Anyway to answer your question yes, I'd like to see what you've got.

[lemming]

You might want to check into the WWII stuff from GURPS.

I've run scenarios based on the Film "Where Eagles Dare" in several different types of games. (WWII supers, WWII normals, Danger International, and Paranoia)

[Alibear]

I've been thinking about running a Band of Brothers thing recently, it would be excellent IMHO. GL.

[i3ullseye]

Well, I suppose great minds think alike.

When Bruce was still line editor ai emailed him with my plan to do a WarHERO book. He liked the idea but wasn;t sure where things were going company wise. i acquired tons of good resource materials, and was planning the main book to cover both WW1 and WW2, with later expansions for Revolutionary, Civil, Viet Nam, etc......

But with the company issues it was seriously put on the back burner years ago. So just the other day I emailed Steve to see what he thought. Well, seems they are not interested in thsi book right now, but it DOES appear as a title on the HERO timeline. So maybe it is just a great idea that will never fully happen.

The vehicles books have lots of military vehicles. and the skills books will have more military packages. So I guess the source material is already there to do this without a genre book per se. But man this woudl just work so well with this system.

I also planned to work out one with zombies and the supernatural in WWII. Nothing like landing on a beach only to beset upon by werewolves in Camo gear.

Maybe this woudl be a good collective effort to post web only if enough people are interested. Perhaps they could put up a link and post materials for us, and we could funnel everything through a single editor of our own. Kinda cool....

[Herolover]

I too would be interested in seeing what you have. I of course assume you have Golen Age Champions which I recently picked up and discovered it was better than I thought.

I tried once to run a WWII adventure, using another system, based upon the movies Kelly's Heroes.

If you want Zombies, Vampires, and Werewolves you can look into Weird Wars by Pinnacle Entertainment Group. It has it all and is a pretty good resouce book.

[Thag13]

Just making HUGE guess here, but it seems that SJG has released a lot of WW2 material in the last couple of years( I am sure jumping on the SAving Private Ryan/Band of Brothers bandwagon) enough to I think flood the market for role playing material, given Gurps ease of translation to other games.

Dont get me wrong, I would like to see a WWII Hero supplement for ease of running my games, but I dont think it would be a big seller printed book wise.

PDF or as a Major Digital Hero issue, could be a winner.

Just my two cents worth....

[AaronD]

I would never suggest that it should be a printed book. However, sounds like there is at least enough interest for me to start rewriting my notes.


Aaron

[i3ullseye]

I think at this point the future (and current) books will cover the vital aspects of this. Without presenting a history lesson in a book, all you need are some rudimentary military skill packages and some pre-designed tanks and armament and you are fairly set.

[Dr.Unpossible]

I'd be interested as well. Personally I would be just fine with a "historical" WWII suppliment. But I have to admit, a "Weird Wars" style suppliment would be fun, and probably be more marketable.

OSS info would probably be the best as well for a campaign. Give the players a little more leway, instead of roleplaying an infantry grunt. That or a Commando unit.

[AaronD]

Originally posted by Dr.Unpossible
OSS info would probably be the best as well for a campaign. Give the players a little more leway, instead of roleplaying an infantry grunt. That or a Commando unit.

I agree. However, the OSS stuff has pretty good coverage in Golden Age and Digital Hero. What I was thinking was just a set of "background" info that could be used in a Golden Age, OSS, commando, or plain infantry campaign. Kinda pick and choose stuff.

I could easily fill a book the size of the Ultimates with just WWII era equipment. That's not all that necessary. Here's what I think, from a rule/campaign perspective, the hero system could use some fleshing out to support a straight military game:

- Indirect artillery, spotting and forward observers

- Tanks turrets, weapon loading and setup times. Weapon teams.

- Morale, fear and command/control

- Shrapnel as an effect of blasts. RKA Ex are just too regular for what is a hit-or-miss type weapon (esp grenades)

- Cover, camouflage, and patrolling


Aaron

[Toadmaster]

Originally posted by Dr.Unpossible
OSS info would probably be the best as well for a campaign. Give the players a little more leway, instead of roleplaying an infantry grunt. That or a Commando unit.

I used to think the same thing but the past several years I've been reading lots of WW2 history with the idea of running a game and there is a lot of room for RP even as a grunt.

Some ideas I've had, Airborne assault, the first hours or days often were chaotic and there were often individuals and groups operating alone for some time, Crete, D-day and Operation Market Garden are good possibilities. It would take some work but I thought using the June 5th drop could be fun, starting each player alone after landing and essentially running several seperate games that eventually merge into one as the individuals meet up and reform into a unit.

Recon scouts, both those attached to larger units and spec ops like the Alamo Scouts would work well, but it might eventually get repetitive.

Patrolling, typically groups of 3 to 20 would probe enemy defenses, locating strong points, determining enemy strength and capturing targets of opportunity.

Long Range Desert Group, SAS and Afrika Corps also offers a differant setting from what most picture of WW2, it was not uncommon for small groups to participate in scouting, raiding, ambush and just general mayhem missions. The British even mounted a mission to capture or kill Rommel at one point, it failed because he wasn't home at the time.

The pacific and CBI also had numerous instances of small groups operating semi independantly, both intentionally and also from the terrain.

Resistance groups also would be quite playable but that is more along the lines of OSS / SOE which you mentioned.