Re: [WW] Egyptian Campaign adventure Help!!!!!

[David <samnmax@swbell.net>]

>Hi everyone.
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>	If you are attending Egyptian Campaign Convention in Carbondale
>you are warned that the information below is ***SPOILER*** If that isn't
>use PLEASE read below and comment.
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>	Okay, so here I am a big fan of Weird Wars and I have agreed to
>run an adventure at a convention. (I have ran many adventures at
>conventions so this is not strange to me.)
>
>	I have had an active 3e campaign pretty much since 3e came out
>so I am confident of my knowledge of D20 rules. What has me worried is
>that I haven't had a chance to really play Weird Wars. I have set down
>with the rules and studied them, but sometimes that isn't the same as
>playing.
>
>	For those of you that have played what have been the surprises
>you have found in actually playing the game? Also, I am wondering how
>long combat takes. Does it run quicker in the WW setting or longer than
>the D&D setting?

Should run fairly the same. There are not many rule changes at all. 
Its quicker usually in that the weapons do a lot more damage so 
fights are shorter brutal affairs.

>
>	For those of you that want to know about my adventure here is
>what I have.
>
>Title:  "Oh Yeah! You and what Army?"
>Blurb: Your squad has been fighting since Omaha Beach and is looking
>forward to some much needed R&R. A mysterious Captain appears and tells
>you he has a mission to go 30 miles behind enemy lines with minimal
>support. "You and what army," you ask only to find out that your squad
>is the army.

<snip>

>
>	So the platoon will head out with a halftrack and jeep. Once
>across German lines the platoon is scheduled to meet 3 Sherman tanks.


>
>	The platoon will make it across German lines with little
>trouble. Once across they will stop at little wooded area to talk with
>the Captain. During, or a little after, their talk an airplane will
>strafe the area destroying the halftrack and jeep.
>	******Any suggestion on how to run this? I don't want to kill or
>even		really cause any injuries, but I want it to be tense for
>the		players. I am thinking of doing some reflex saves.

	Have them hear the plane coming. Most should get off the 
vehicle when they know they have been spotted.  Reflex saves sound 
like just the thing if its a close thing. If they insist on staying 
on the Half Track then let them have it, its a con game after all. :) 
Death death death.  Strafing aircraft guns could do 3D10 and just be 
a Reflex save versus 15 for half damage if they are still on the 
vehicle.  This is just abstract and all. I do not have Death from 
Above with the Aircraft lists or such.

>	Once out of that mess the players will begin walking towards
>their destination. They will walk into a minefield. (It will be set off
>by one of the players or NPC's.) As the players extract themselves from
>the minefield they will see several trucks of German soldiers headed
>there way.
>	The platoon will have plenty of cover and time to set up an
>ambush for the German soldiers. (Two trucks, one jeep, 2 officers, 20
>men.)

	This shouldn't be a difficult fight with the usual German 
trooper having about 6 hp.  I would put an MG42 on one of the German 
trucks. The poor schmuck standing behind it will most likely get 
annihilated as target of choice but its always nice to give the PC 
something to focus on. :)

>
>	After that fight the platoon will meet up with a single
>surviving Sherman and head for the town. At this time, or before it
>actually, I expect the PC's to be asking the Captain what the opposition
>is. The Captain figures the town is guarded by 30-40 troops and 3 Tiger tanks
>
>	The PC's will have advantage of surprise and will be able to
>easily scout the town discovering where most of the troops are
>stationed. They will be able to get the Sherman into the town by either
>using church bells to cover the sound or when the Tiger's "warm up"
>their engines.
>	In the ensuing fight the Sherman will be able to kill all there
>Tigers, but it will be destroyed itself. The platoon will be tied up
>taking care of soldiers and some strange looking soldiers as well. (Most
>of this should be a turkey shoot, but some germans will ""resist" more
>than others.)
>
>	Once inside the "bank" the players will look at the gold while
>the captain goes for a covered lump in the floor. It will be a Coffin
>and the real fight will begin.....
>
>
>What do you think?

	3 Tigers will probably be far beyond the Players ability 
unless they can sneak up very close on the Tigers and kill the crews. 
Then they potentially have the Tigers as a weapon. Assuming they 
could operate one.
	A Sherman has little chance against a single Tiger much less 
Three. In the movie the Tiger was stuck and unable to move and the 
rear hit destroyed it but in WW the  Pzkpfw VI Tiger (WW pg.71) has a 
rear armor of 80 on its Turrent and Hull. Its actually weaker to the 
side. Hull at 60.  The Sherman has a 75L40 main gun. It does 8D10 
damage for an average of around 45 points.  Its Penetration is 55 in 
the first range band so it will put about 20 points of damage against 
the Tiger after armor. Which has 125 points and won't even suffer a 
Critical until halfway down (say 3 or 4 shots) or a lucky 20 is 
rolled.
	Although to be honest if all this is background action, I.E. 
the PC's aren't in the Tanks then you can do whatever you like. And 
just have them see it all going BOOM. :)

	The problem is anyone that has seen the move is going to see 
everything coming. And since it's a WW game the odds are some folks 
will have. I am a bad example see my sig line. :). You may want to 
mix it up a little bit or change things around at the town make it 
not quite so familiar or surprise those who think they know whats 
coming. :)

	You could always cut the Tanks down to a Single Tiger and 
then it would be close but with some cover and surprise the Sherman 
might get lucky. Some Nazi zombies could make things interesting for 
the players or have the final move come at night since the Germans 
have all the roads watched during the day. Night time is always fun 
and keeps the player from just running out of the building to escape 
the Vampire and demolishing the building with whatever is at hand.
	Or...
	It's daytime and the captain gets killed at the edge of town 
by an undead patrol. The zombies wander off into brush or whatever 
not revealing they are undead. The PC's open the bag, and discover 
what's in it. The vampire is already free and has turned all the 
towns guards into zombies to protect him during the day. They would 
have to fight through them to go in the big creepy bank building and 
hunt it down. Sunset is coming soon... say an hour. Have lots of 
already dead Nazi's in there. The single Tiger tank remains in the 
town square and the German crew has been stuck in the vehicle for two 
days while they watched dead buddies wander around and heard strange 
sounds from within the bank. (The tank has no fuel.) Maybe the scared 
Germans sealed the bank and are awaiting their own version of the OSI 
to arrive. The Vampire wants fuel for the Tank to make the Tiger into 
its travelling coffin. I need to write this up. Woo.

And the tanker has got to be named Herr Ottbahl of course. :)

-- 
--
"Woof woof.. that's my other dog imitation."
David Heth
Ashley Smith