The Monster Posted July 3, 2003 Report Share Posted July 3, 2003 as a side note, you may want to prepare yourself for jokes regarding your villain's name - in re: the animated movie a couple years ago "Shrek" I like the name; it's just good to be aware of possibly unfortunate associations... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevHooligan Posted July 3, 2003 Report Share Posted July 3, 2003 Oh, man! I want to play in this sombitch! I'm am so envious of your players! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
talisman Posted July 3, 2003 Report Share Posted July 3, 2003 An idea for a picture: if you search out "concept art" and zeppelin, you should get some of the stuff for Command & Conquer. When you do, there were about 6 unused and very cool pictures of zeppelins that look very menacing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlHazred Posted July 4, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2003 Couldn't find the Command & Conquer zeppelins, although I did find a lot of Westwood Studios concept art that's pretty good. Still stymied for a large-size visual of a cool, superscience zeppelin. Not that that's stopping me... I'm trying to recall an old forum discussion. I don't remember what started the thread, but the conversation eventually covered the Maus (a German supertank design that clocked in at 188 tons). Anyway, several proposed Nazi infantry weapons were discussed, and I was trying to jog my memory. Anybody know what I'm talking about? This was last year sometime, I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
talisman Posted July 4, 2003 Report Share Posted July 4, 2003 AlHazred: E-mail me and I'll send you the pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlHazred Posted July 24, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2003 I plan on posting the version of the Zeppelin I worked up, so I thought I'd Bump this higher on the list. I've also worked up some of the other super-types that work with the Baron (so at least this post won't be entirely without content...) Fury: His name given to him by the American press, I've basically lifted Feuermacher wholesale from Conquerors, Killers, and Crooks, changing only his background to fit him into 1939. Ãœbermensch: For this guy, I took the All-American from Champions Universe, changed his Stars to Throwing Knives, renamed his Stripes into Klebstoffgranaten, and replaced his Rocket-Powered Punch with an experimental machine pistol that fires Armor Piercing rounds (necessary for him to threaten my team's brick). I also gave him super Leaping so that he can keep up with them, but removed some Contacts and a few anachronistic skills. I'd be happy if I could come up with a better name. Baron von Shreck: The master villain of my piece has yet to make an appearance on stage; I prefer my master villains to spend their time plotting and scheming rather than deal with what is (to them) a minor group of unimportant obstacles. I've been working him up by using the Millennium City Dr. Silverback, renaming his Assorted Devices VPP into a Pulp Superscience VPP (increasing it to 90 points), and reconfiguring his Sciences. Oh, and taking 5 points from Silverback's STR and dropping it into COM; I assume the Baron should look the part of a "clean-limbed Aryan". I'll undoubtedly be changing him to suit the players' desires in a master villain; I love to satisfy their cravings for a truly epic foe, so that they enjoy beating him more. Siren: Another villain that I'd like to rename, Siren is a superspy, more of a Pulp Anti-heroine than a Supervillainess. I took Dr. Macabre's Mesmerism Multipower set from Champions Universe, and added in Super-Disguise, Advanced Sneakiness and Advanced Hiding In Shadows. She's hypnotized two PCs already (one with a post-hypnotic suggestion, one in order to create the Plot situation in the last session), and is still a complete mystery to them. Maybe I can make her a medieval German faerie creature, or a Rhinemaiden; must look into their mythic abilities... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proditor Posted July 24, 2003 Report Share Posted July 24, 2003 Since you seem to have veered away from using the Komet, I don't need to do the "Oh my Lord, never put T-Stoff in a Zeppelin" dance. Some of the nice designs off of Luft 46 include things like the ME 265 or 328, and The Hienkel Wespe. Although for a pulpish feel, I'd suggest the Henschel P.75 and 87. Just give any of those planes folding wings (Like the ME-109T and the JU-87C destined for the never completed Graf Zeppelin Aircraft Carrier) and you are in business. Depending on the time frame, I'd suggest saving jets or rocket planes for the Baron himself. A prototype that he has been allowed to use (or made himself?) as opposed to just the 50th ME-262 to roll off the production floor. Radar: Yes, very nice to give it to the Zep, but the germans lagged behind the allies for the entire war at this game, so putting it there should be even MORE special. Just confirming the Radar's existance and type could be an entire mission in terms of important info for the war effort. Also, the germans were very good at optical sights and wire guided missiles. One of the Fritz-X guided bombs sank the Italian Battleship Roma in 43, so maybe have the good Baron getting ready to sink the USS Constitution as blow to morale. Maybe he just wants to shoot a Fritz-X at the white house. Having the first cruise missiles (sort of anyway) is a big icky thing for your PC's to stop. Anyway, I've rambled enough. Love the idea. I'd love it if I could convinve my players to play a WW2 setting. Good Luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlHazred Posted July 24, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2003 Originally posted by proditor Since you seem to have veered away from using the Komet, I don't need to do the "Oh my Lord, never put T-Stoff in a Zeppelin" dance. Not to worry. I'm using gasoline to "dope" the zeppelin's skin. And mounting flamethrowers as the primary weapon. Okay, not really, but it would be a hell of a firework... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyberknight Posted July 24, 2003 Report Share Posted July 24, 2003 Actually, by 1939, radar isn't particularly 'cutting edge', even in Germany. Gesellschaft für Elektroakustische und Mechanische Apparate (GEMA) was working on a 2-meter range-and-bearing system as early as 1934, and had a primative but successful 1.8 meter / 165MHz air-search set under development in February of 1936. Given that, it shouldn't be that large a stretch for a super-technical villian type to have a decent if not spectacular radar capability in place by 1939, particularly with the large amount of space available in a Zeppelin. Cyberknight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proditor Posted July 24, 2003 Report Share Posted July 24, 2003 It's not Radar per se, but the continuing electronic warfare that results from the use of bandwidth. The germans were always 6-12 months behind the curve at this. At no point during the war did they manage to jump ahead of the allies. Basically, it went: Germany deploys a radar system. England and the US develop acounter measure and a new wavelength for their sets. Germany plays catchup as they get jammed or chaffed into blindness. Now I agree that if the Baron is a super genius in the comic vein, it makes perfect sense for him to jump ahead and have something like cascading frequency Radar, or one that is just so darn powerful that it'll burn through almost anything. But that's the hook. How did he get that big a jump on the allies, and does "normal" Germany have this too? Oh No! Send the heros to get these answers before the war effort is doomed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlHazred Posted July 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2003 Hmmm... Seeing as villains usually have some capability of predicting the heroes, I'd considered giving him an additional villain, from the Ahnenerbe; I figured he'd have a crystal ball or something. Radar backed by his powerful Zuse computer, would give him that and be more in keeping with his Pulp Superscience Overconfidence. Cool ideas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proditor Posted July 25, 2003 Report Share Posted July 25, 2003 I've been inspired by this thread to give a WW2 campaign another shot with my group. I'm having wonderfully convoluted thoughts about the French Submarine Surcouf.... If you don't know this monster, check the link. http://groups.msn.com/Surcouf/_homepage.msnw?pgmarket=en-us My current thoughts are to have an American version, or simply "grab" the Surcouf in 41 when she "sinks". It all becomes a cover story for an extensive refit where she gets tricked out for commando/super work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow Warrior Posted July 25, 2003 Report Share Posted July 25, 2003 Airship Ideas A good science fiction story featuring a super dirigible is Philip Jose Farmer's "The Dark Design" (The Dark Design). This features a real beast of a rigid airship called The Parseval. It has all sorts of super whizzy stuff like torpedo launchers, bombs, on board helicopters, steam powered machine guns, etc. Good source of ideas for a combination of retro and high tech. Come to think of it, there are probably stats and descriptions for it in GURPS Riverworld. The blurb on the SJG website would seem to suggest that there are... GURPS Riverworld . Sounds like an ideal source to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow Warrior Posted July 25, 2003 Report Share Posted July 25, 2003 Airship Ideas Sorry, duplicate post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDK Posted July 26, 2003 Report Share Posted July 26, 2003 Originally posted by AlHazred I'm less interested in tactical details (he'll probably be using salvaged Martian Heat-Rays as primary weapons), and more interested in the special touches that make any base memorable. Launch assist/arrest platforms for Messerschmitt Me 163B Komets and other experimental planes? If a platform, is it on top of the gasbag, or slung underneath? Large side-mounted propellers to provide lift/steering? Faux stone wall and tower designs, emulating the character's lost castle? Or pulp-era continental styling, making it look like a luxury train car? The devil is in the details... You could use a similar lost tech for his air force, the Auto-Gyro. These could easily use the top as a landing platform. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbsousa Posted July 28, 2003 Report Share Posted July 28, 2003 Check out this link, blimp lovers... http://popularmechanics.com/science/military/2002/3/return_of_battle_blimps/print.phtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbsousa Posted July 28, 2003 Report Share Posted July 28, 2003 Check out this link, blimp lovers... http://popularmechanics.com/science/military/2002/3/return_of_battle_blimps/print.phtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbsousa Posted July 28, 2003 Report Share Posted July 28, 2003 Check out this link, blimp lovers... http://popularmechanics.com/science/military/2002/3/return_of_battle_blimps/print.phtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbsousa Posted July 28, 2003 Report Share Posted July 28, 2003 Check out this link, blimp lovers... http://popularmechanics.com/science/military/2002/3/return_of_battle_blimps/print.phtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbsousa Posted July 28, 2003 Report Share Posted July 28, 2003 Check out this link, blimp lovers... http://popularmechanics.com/science/military/2002/3/return_of_battle_blimps/print.phtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbsousa Posted July 28, 2003 Report Share Posted July 28, 2003 Check out this link, blimp lovers... http://popularmechanics.com/science/military/2002/3/return_of_battle_blimps/print.phtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbsousa Posted July 28, 2003 Report Share Posted July 28, 2003 Check out this link, blimp lovers... http://popularmechanics.com/science/military/2002/3/return_of_battle_blimps/print.phtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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