First off, I want to thank everyone that has recommended sources for me to check out. I have decided not to use them because I don't want to be too derivative of anyone else's work. Retro-cloning is a little ambiguously close to this anyway, but I figure with the glut of D20 stuff that hit after the OGL I can be given a little leeway on this, I just want to make a cool game where everyone gets to play without having to learn a whole new rule system. I have made my own entirely different games in the past, so I am pretty secure there*.
I have decided to work on this using a number of sources limited to-
B/X D&D as my primary engine. When I get stumped I will turn to it's closest relatives for answers, in this order; Holmes Basic, OD&D, then AD&D- but only the PH or DMG.
EGG's article "Sturmgeshutz and Sorcery" for his take on modern WW2 weapons in D&D (when I dig it out, it has literally been decades since I read that.).
Sgt. Rock Comic books and possibly adding in Sgt. Fury, Unknown Soldier and Haunted Tank Comic books. Mostly from memory, because I don't actually still have any of these.
Old Episodes of Combat and Rat Patrol, both of which ran before I was born and I have only seen occasionally and sporadically in syndication.
I have a couple of other ideas too, since I had time while I was over helping my dad switch out the snow thrower attachment for the lawn mower on his tractor; but I am still mulling them over. I am kind of excited about this project though!
*No, none of my stuff was ever published. My game designing days were mostly pre-college, and pre-internet; I never submitted anything anywhere for publication. The only evidence of my design days that I have left are some variant rules stuff I wrote for Axis & Allies that survived by virtue of being stored in the box with my Axis & Allies game AND having been written fairly late in my game design "career".
The WWII part of S&S uses Tractics rules-so you'll need that too.
ReplyDeleteThe big problem is AC doesn't really work. Everyone's AC 9 unless wearing a helmet- AC 8. Maybe AC 7 for the Germans as they had the best helmet? You'll have to go to some sort of Cover class system.
Classes: Soldier, Officer, Medic, Engineer, Radioman, Sniper/Marksman, Artilleryman, Paratrooper.? Paratrooper might be a skill or something, they did tend to be the cream of the crop.
Skills: Driver, if a necessary skill. Not everyone could drive a vehicle, even a truck, the US forces were probably the best set in that regard, the Russians the worst.
Mortar, Machine-gun. While in most armies the infantrymen should all have some familiarity with the heavier weapons their designated users did have specialized training to get the most out of them. Again the Russians probably end up on the short end for these skills as well.
Please keep me posted about this man. Seriously I love where your going with this!
ReplyDeleteFantastic. I loved Sgt. Rock and Unknown Soldier comics...even though they were before my time (when I was a kid I ended up reading many of my uncles very old and battered issues).
ReplyDeleteA couple-three questions-considerations:
- How "fantastic" do you want it? Are there monsters and magic and such? Or is this straight WWII with a B/X engine?
- Some other military RPGs to look at for inspiration (and outright theft) include Palladium's RECON (for firefights and Old School style military role-playing), Albedo Platinum Catalyst (squad rules and ideas for an RPG with a high casualty rate as well as mental/shellshock damage and chain o command), and especially Godlike (for its extensive WWII research, equipment, and timeline).
- Since B/X is a treasure-hunting game, what are the specific "adventure objectives" for YOUR game?
I think this sounds cool, and would love to play a B/X WWII game. I'm a fairly deft hand with B/X conversions...drop me a line if you want any suggestions/feedback.
: )
Very interesting, looking forward to hearing more of this.
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