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Old 01-27-2016, 01:42 PM   #11
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Default Re: WWII Gaming Advice

Looking at the characters I would maybe add a low level disadvantage to each and use the points to up their core skills/competencies.

With the assumption that food is in short supply one scene could kick off with the PCs seeing a pig (wild or escaped) do they shoot? Are they worried about the noise? Also gives you a dry run with combat.

Another option is a bear.

While most of the combatant's in the battle of the bulge where American and German there where a few other nationalities present. Luxembourg resistance fighters with poor English skills should make the PCs think.
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Old 01-27-2016, 05:00 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by RyanW View Post
I've always wanted to run a scene like this:

Soldier #1: Who won the World Series?
Soldier #2: (long pause) Can you ask me who won the Rose Bowl?

The other way, according to legend, is ask them to sing the second verse of the Star Spangled Banner. If they know it, they're a spy.
That's good.

The relevant scene at the climax of Stalag 17 is a winner. Lots of GURPS-able scenes in that film, come to think.
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Old 01-27-2016, 05:27 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by RyanW View Post
I've always wanted to run a scene like this:

Soldier #1: Who won the World Series?
Soldier #2: (long pause) Can you ask me who won the Rose Bowl?

The other way, according to legend, is ask them to sing the second verse of the Star Spangled Banner. If they know it, they're a spy.
Actual event -- British actor David Niven was queried as above. His answer? "I haven't the faintest idea -- but I do know I made a picture in 1939 with Ginger Rogers." One of the MPs said "Yeah! I remember you."

One way to dodge a bullet.

Also: Depending on your financial resources you might want to buy (either hardcover or download) the 3rd Edition GURPS WWII book, and/or Dogfaces. Extremely good short overview of the war, that time and place.

As for languages remember that lots of young GIs were children of immigrants. So they might well know at least some German or Yiddish (the latter perhaps not so good for mollifying possible Huns, but would allow a chance to understand some of what the Krauts are saying.)

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Old 01-27-2016, 05:55 PM   #14
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I ran through characters and tried to give them higher skill levels in their primary skills. They now have more skills in the 13 area and half of them have at least one at 14-15. Though I'm having trouble coming up with good niches for some of them.

The Bazooka assistant has the skill to actually use a bazooka(which the players will have a chance to find one in the first session) to help them deal with some combat situations. Out of combat though, he is lacking with only his high Lifting ST and 13 in Mechanic keeping him useful and I'm struggling to make him more unique.

Quote:
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As for languages remember that lots of young GIs were children of immigrants. So they might well know at least some German or Yiddish (the latter perhaps not so good for mollifying possible Huns, but would allow a chance to understand some of what the Krauts are saying.)
That makes me want to make one of them a German American and send a private message to everyone saying that they have each been randomly rolled to be an American. Then drop one hint at the start that, since they didn't know each other before the ambush, they don't actually know if one of them isn't a German in disguise.

The MP does know some French, which would be helpful as a decent number of people in the area would know it.
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Old 01-27-2016, 09:06 PM   #15
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Thunder, since this is the first game that you've GMed how much play experience have you and your players had?
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Old 01-27-2016, 09:43 PM   #16
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I don't have a solid group yet, I plan on putting up a LFG on roll20 but I've been in two GURPS games as players. One was a Byzantine Empire Crusades era game and the other a Cyberpunk low level runners kind of game. My experience with RPGs in general goes back for about four years where I started with DnD 3.5.
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Old 01-27-2016, 11:35 PM   #17
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Well just so you know I wouldn't be against taking part in this, it's been a while since I've actually played GURPS and would like to get my feet wet again.
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Old 01-28-2016, 01:03 AM   #18
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Is administration not the skill for someone who would be checking paperwork at a military base? I was just going to give him like a +3 on individual soldier's paperwork as that would be the stuff he was checking most often.
I'll admit that maybe I got confused there. I was thinking forgeries and such, and for some reason had it in my head that you'd use Forgery for that.

Now that I've checked my book Administration is the skill of "...running a large organization." I don't really see how that would apply to checking papers, is he trying to spot a forgery?
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Old 01-28-2016, 07:57 AM   #19
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That makes me want to make one of them a German American and send a private message to everyone saying that they have each been randomly rolled to be an American. Then drop one hint at the start that, since they didn't know each other before the ambush, they don't actually know if one of them isn't a German in disguise.

The MP does know some French, which would be helpful as a decent number of people in the area would know it.
Is the goal to actually have conflict in the party while they find who the spy is? Even if there isn't one, there would be a lot of paranoia in a group like that. Since rifles are so deadly, a single traitor could easily go full-auto and mow down the party when their back is turned.

Unless the danger of a German IN the party is a main theme of the game (it would certainly be interesting if it was! Sort of like an RPG version of mafia.) I would leave it out completely in case it derails the adventure completely.

On a related note, if anyone does something like this and includes an anti-PC, make sure to make it clear to everyone playing that an anti-PC exists! If not, PC's will normally accept basically any strange introduction, player excuse, ect. without questioning it because they are suppose to be working together.
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Old 01-28-2016, 10:38 AM   #20
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I'll admit that maybe I got confused there. I was thinking forgeries and such, and for some reason had it in my head that you'd use Forgery for that.

Now that I've checked my book Administration is the skill of "...running a large organization." I don't really see how that would apply to checking papers, is he trying to spot a forgery?
Easily done. Armies are a large organization, and they run on paperwork. But to be safe, check the Basic entries for Forgery and counterfeiting and see what an opposed test requires. I don't recall at present.
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