Lovecraftian type campaign - ideas please

[Figleaf23]

Okay, I haven't read the suggested sources yet, but after surveying a couple prospective players very generally, I got these further ideas about the direction of the campaign.

The military undertakes a counterstrike against an identified entity/group of TMWNMTK. A large task force (thinking brigade, maybe larger) is prepared and gate-ported across space to carry out the mission (weeks/months anticipated). The PCs will accompany the unit in some capacity.*

Contact with Earth will be perforce infrequent (for some reason). In addition to the enemy, there will be a local non-combatant population (Innsmouthy-types perhaps) for the unit to interact with.


...

*So here's another thing I'd appreciate views on -- what should the PCs be? Three takes I could see are:

-PCs are senior officers of the mission
-PCs are in a unit of specialists with the mission
-PCs are regular grunts in a squad or fire-team

What strikes people as more entertaining?

[Turhan's Bey Company]

Originally Posted by Figleaf23

-PCs are in a unit of specialists with the mission
-PCs are regular grunts in a squad or fire-team

One of these, in which the PCs are the most hands-on with doing things rather than telling other people to do fun/dangerous stuff.

[aesir23]

Originally Posted by Figleaf23

-PCs are senior officers of the mission
-PCs are in a unit of specialists with the mission
-PCs are regular grunts in a squad or fire-team

What strikes people as more entertaining?

I agree with TBC that it should be one of the latter two. A Unit of specialists seems to promise more diversity of niche's for the party than grunts do, but I don't have a lot military knowledge.

[AmesJainchill]

Originally Posted by aesir23

I agree with TBC that it should be one of the latter two. A Unit of specialists seems to promise more diversity of niche's for the party than grunts do, but I don't have a lot military knowledge.

Presumably they would be military scientists. Or allied military personnel, or perhaps even security-cleared scientists from defense corporations, if you were REALLY desperate.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by aesir23

I agree with TBC that it should be one of the latter two. A Unit of specialists seems to promise more diversity of niche's for the party than grunts do, but I don't have a lot military knowledge.

I'd pregen reasonably-sympathetic grunt characters for them all, with little notes of customization to suit your player's brainbugs like Dependents for the family man and CoH: Soldier for the guy who fetishizes the military, and run a "teaser" session where they mow through some mooks with massive firepower and then get devoured by the shoggoth in the ancient temple they're guarding. I'd stat the thing up and let them roll the whole fight out, so that the feeling of utter doom is more tangible than if I'd done a GM "you lose" handwave.

Then start the specialist campaign, with everybody fully aware of what will happen if they charge in / why investigation is privileged in this setting.