By Gar, it’s been awhile since I piggybacked on one of Grognardia James’ posts, so I thought I would glom on today.
I so very rarely think about World War 2 settings for RPG’s. Why would I? Although I like to watch the occasional documentarily or WW2 movie, this is not a genre I have had a lot of love for. A lot of gamers my age and older cannot really say the same. In this scene, WW2 fanatics are legion. Whether it was hanging out at Aero Hobbies as a kid, or in my gaming groups of the 80’s and 90’s, there was always a WW2 lover in my groups. More often than not, these were older guys that had started out with war gaming. SPI and that kind of shit. You will actually still see a lot of that at little gameday events and cons. Older dudes standing around terrain tables pushing tanks around little French villages (Achtung! Where are the pretty French fraulines?), while the little kids at the other table being forced to play D&D with their dads glance over at the tank models with longing.
War is hell, but I like my hell with good doses of Demogorgon and Orcus, thank you very much. But this had me wondering – if I was going to run a WW2 setting RPG, what would I do to make it interesting enough for my players, and more importantly ME, to sit down and work on it?
Well, for one thing, the 1982 game mentioned at Grognardia, Behind Enemy Lines, doesn’t seem to account for a lot of things you would want in your character in a more modern game. Apparently in BEL, you don’t get much in the way of skills outside military ones that you need for missions. Things like Animal Husbandry, and Play Music Instrument, would be just the thing to flesh out a G.I. Joe. You’d want to have “Ox” with his great strength and pro boxing skills, or “Sketch” with is cartooning ability. Your platoon should have “Strings” the negro guitar blues man, and don’t forget “Joey Provoloney” the New Jersey born company cook who always finds a way to make a delicious lasagna out in the field.
OK, now you have your fleshed-out Joes, but what about scenarios? Well, they ain’t gonna be your run of the mill mission to grenade that nazi bunker on the hill. Here are some ideas I would inject if I had to run a WW2 setting:
Zombies, zombies, zombies! The dead are suddenly rising all over the world, and no where on earth are they more plentiful than on the battlefields of Europe or islands in the Pacific. Can you imagine the dead starting to rise on the beaches of Normandy? I betcha Tom Hanks wouldn’t give a rat’s ass about finding Private Ryan anymore!
Dino Wars! Nazi scientist have recreated dinos using mosquito’s in amber, and they are afield! Pterodactyls over England! T. Rex’s on the Russian front! And don’t forget the 50 foot Megalodon Sharks to attack those yank subs out near Bora Bora.
Gigantogantua: the Japanese have unleashed a giant lizard/turtle/gorilla from their ancient legends, and aimed it directly at the west coast of California. “We destroy yankee by destroying his true heart and soul – Horrywood! Banzia!
Heroes and Villains: the world’s first true superheroes are sent by the allies to fight the supermen of the axis of evil. What is that ruckus up in the sky? Why, it’s Captain U.S. vs. Commandant Creepo!
Monster Blitz Squad: those dirty krauts have resurrected the famous monsters of Europe to join the SS Stormtrooper squad of monsters! Dracula! Frankenstein! Wolfman! Hell, those sausage dog eating bastards have even recruited Baba Yaga and her chicken hut! We’re doomed, unless we can count on the knowledge of that doddering old Professor Soandso the government stuck with us.
Alien Axis: “they” have arrived in their flying saucers, but whose side will “they” be on?
So there you have it. Maybe WW2 gaming might not be so boring after all. Do you have any ideas?
