[WWII/TS/Covert Ops/Weird War II] Götterdämmerung on Walpurgisnacht

[Michele]

The party is obviously part of the Swedish diplomatic personnel, and they are traveling to Berlin with plenty of additional space on their vehicles because they are going to pickup and evacuate some personnel and stuff from the Swedish embassy. Their vehicles are painted white and sport a large Swedish flag.

Verifying this will be difficult, as communications will have broken down everywhere, and also because actual such convoys were incredibly doing the rounds even while the last shots of the war were being fired (they were going to POW and concentration camps, but those are details). Naturally, one stubborn and/or Nazi diehard officer could still refuse free passage until he gets clearance from higher ups - which means at the very least a long delay.

They can go away in the same way, openly heading for either the Danish border or a port in Allied hands.

As to the type of opposition, at this time anything goes. You could have Volkssturm old men equipped with StG 44s, just because nobody managed to deliver them to more deserving units.

Another source is C. Ryan; better for the ambience and personal anecdotes than for general military history, but that is probably what you need.

[fredtheobviouspseudonym]

I'd suggest using the Swiss as cover, as there are probably more OSS/SOE agents speaking German (the primary Swiss lingo) vs. Swedish.

By late 1944 the OSS, at least, and I'd guess the SOE as well, could forge not only papers but the Gestapo/SD identity disks that give the bearer unlimited rights to search, arrest, and question. You'd do fine until you met a bloody-minded oppo (i.e., actual Gestapo agent/SS officer/SD official.)

You even infiltrate/exfil. by aircraft -- I know Monty was using a Fieseler Storch and I'd guess other guys had other German aircraft. Depending on how big the item was requiring extraction a Siebel transport or a Ju-52 might work.

(Of course, your big problem would be to avoid Allied fighters -- targets were scarce by April 1945 and a lot of fighter jocks were hungry . . . I'd suggest night.)

Another option might be to have non-German speaking members of the group act as "foreign volunteers" (i.e., slave labor, complete with striped suits) under SS/SD control (i.e., those that do sprechen sie Deutsch.) Claim to be furthering some secret German weapons project. (IIRC the German Post Office was then working on nuclear research . . . don't ask.)

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Michele

The party is obviously part of the Swedish diplomatic personnel, and they are traveling to Berlin with plenty of additional space on their vehicles because they are going to pickup and evacuate some personnel and stuff from the Swedish embassy. Their vehicles are painted white and sport a large Swedish flag.

Verifying this will be difficult, as communications will have broken down everywhere, and also because actual such convoys were incredibly doing the rounds even while the last shots of the war were being fired (they were going to POW and concentration camps, but those are details). Naturally, one stubborn and/or Nazi diehard officer could still refuse free passage until he gets clearance from higher ups - which means at the very least a long delay.

They can go away in the same way, openly heading for either the Danish border or a port in Allied hands.

Originally Posted by fredtheobviouspseudonym

I'd suggest using the Swiss as cover, as there are probably more OSS/SOE agents speaking German (the primary Swiss lingo) vs. Swedish.

Such a convoy sounds excellent as a method of exfiltration and perhaps even support. Some PCs might even enter Berlin in one.

Actual OSS agents parachuted 30 miles outside Berlin at the end of March 1945, buried their weapons and communication devices in a field and took a train inside the city. They had papers, but no one asked to see them and they decided to stay illegal in the city, as it seemed easier in the chaos than trying to find someone to deal with their work orders. Obviously, some PCs could enter this way earlier than the rest of the team and act as forward scouts. They'd get weapons from one of the very few resistance cells or from a convoy pretending to be Swedes or Swiss.

Granted, German would be a more useful language in Berlin than Swedish, which would suggest a pretend Swiss convoy.

On the other hand, how many German soldiers know Swedish when they hear it? Anyone who could speak accented German and a vaguely Scandinavian language should be able to pass, inc. Norwegian or Danish resistance figthers recruited into the SOE.

Hell, a lot of Polish or Lithuanian seamen or port workers would speak German with a similar accent and be able to repeat a few phrases in passable Swedish too.

For that matter, Finland (where the majority speak at least some Swedish) was fighting Nazi Germany during the early months of 1945 and many of their soldiers had previously served alongside German soldiers on the Eastern front (some of them actually as part of the SS). As at least one Finn joined the US Special Forces after the war, it wouldn't be a huge stretch* to imagine a platoon or so of them serving the SOE/OSS for new papers, a nice cash settlement and a ticket far from the Soviet Union.

*Comparatively speaking, considering that we are considering allowing ourselves at least one and probably more of: the Grail, the Spear of Longinus, the Amber Room, werewolves in Wehrwolf, sorcerous black knights of the Thule Society and Ragnarok.

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Michele

As to the type of opposition, at this time anything goes. You could have Volkssturm old men equipped with StG 44s, just because nobody managed to deliver them to more deserving units.

Very much so. And fanatical SS troopers with the Death's Head (Totenkopf) insignia, even if they by all rights should be nowhere near Berlin at the time*, ex-Fallschirmjäger fighting under Otto Skerzeny as part of elite Wehrwolf** units and the aformentioned sorcerous Black Knights of the Thule Gesellschaft.

I was wondering more about the level of organisation and security of the more mundane threaths likely to be encountered prior to the scenario leaving the realms of reality behind while making derisive noises.

I want the adventure to start out with a tense scene or two where sneaking around and bluffing through potentially suspicious opposition are both options, but shooting their way in might also work. And then have a scene where combat which is more or less inevitable, but which nevertheless serves primarily to allow the players to display the awesomeness of their hand-picked To Save the World pre-gen characters and their ultra-lethal supporting team members.

Police, security forces and small units of confused defenders are all good for the above. Volkssturm is excellent. Within walking distance of Reichskanzlei, what are likely units to be encountered and who commanded them?

I mean before one would encounter units from Kampfgruppe Mohnke, that is. I will be... making some changes to that Kampfgruppe for the purposes of this scenario. :)

*And most certainly shouldn't still be fighting despite mortal wounds and what appears to be decaying skin tightening over their skulls.
**Oh, yes.

Originally Posted by Michele

Another source is C. Ryan; better for the ambience and personal anecdotes than for general military history, but that is probably what you need.

Have Beevan, shall have to obtain Ryan.

[scc]

I think this motivational poster describes your campaign: http://s100.photobucket.com/user/Alm...GURPS.png.html

[Randyman]

Originally Posted by Icelander

Very much so. And fanatical SS troopers with the Death's Head (Totenkopf) insignia, even if they by all rights should be nowhere near Berlin at the time*, ex-Fallschirmjäger fighting under Otto Skerzeny as part of elite Wehrwolf** units and the aformentioned sorcerous Black Knights of the Thule Gesellschaft.

I was wondering more about the level of organisation and security of the more mundane threaths likely to be encountered prior to the scenario leaving the realms of reality behind while making derisive noises.

I want the adventure to start out with a tense scene or two where sneaking around and bluffing through potentially suspicious opposition are both options, but shooting their way in might also work. And then have a scene where combat which is more or less inevitable, but which nevertheless serves primarily to allow the players to display the awesomeness of their hand-picked To Save the World pre-gen characters and their ultra-lethal supporting team members.

Police, security forces and small units of confused defenders are all good for the above. Volkssturm is excellent. Within walking distance of Reichskanzlei, what are likely units to be encountered and who commanded them?

I mean before one would encounter units from Kampfgruppe Mohnke, that is. I will be... making some changes to that Kampfgruppe for the purposes of this scenario. :)

*And most certainly shouldn't still be fighting despite mortal wounds and what appears to be decaying skin tightening over their skulls.
**Oh, yes.

So, add a Monster Hunters tag to this thread?

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Randyman

So, add a Monster Hunters tag to this thread?

Well, the Weird War II title implies some of the same things. But sure.

[Randyman]

Originally Posted by Icelander

Well, the Weird War II title implies some of the same things. But sure.

MH has a specific tone to it that could fit (IMO, very well), but MH tends to be less compatible with TS, recent Pyramid articles notwithstanding. :) So the flavor might not quite fit precisely.

[GoldenMonkey]

They won't want to be wearing anything close to SS uniforms when the Russians finally arrive. That will be an unpleasant death.

They also don't want to use a cover as Soviet-sympathizer Germans, members of the local Communist party or whatnot. Those guys didn't fare too well either.

As far as getting out, the Swedish might be a good route. I wonder what would happen if the team took shelter and re-emerged in their Allied uniforms after the fighting had stopped. Not sure they'd be able to get past the Soviets with their prize, but they might be able to stash it for later retrieval.

[acrosome]

Originally Posted by GoldenMonkey

They won't want to be wearing anything close to SS uniforms when the Russians finally arrive. That will be an unpleasant death.

No matter what they stand a great chance of dying unless they get out before the Russians overrun the place. What they really wouldn't want to be in that event is female.

The Russians started shelling Berlin on 20 April and didn't stop until the city fell. Berlin was encircled as of 24 April. It seems a bit of a stretch to me that they'd let anyone out, be it Swedish, Swiss, or whatnot. Did they do so historically? Seems more likely they'd at least detain such missions for a few years, if not "disappear" them.

This is a hard one.

Agree- a flak tower must be involved, somehow. And if possible a Sturmmorser. :)