Against the French (game creation sheet)
From Hot War Wiki
This game creation sheet came out of the actual play report (see External Links) on the game played by Warren Merrifield and his group.
Contents |
Tone
A bit higher production values than the BBC (I'm thinking like a BBC/HBO co-production, like Rome), addressing Post-Apocaplypse drama. The sense of rebuilding in a dangerous environment from "28 Weeks Later", but outside the barricades, it's a down-trodden, hopeless, racist hell rather like "Children of Men".
What are the characters doing?
The characters have been assigned to investigate unrest and pro-refugee/anti-goverment movements centered in Southwark (Frogtown). They are infiltrating central London and causing chaos using saboteurs, bombs and small armed attacks. This is disrupting the vital food supply that the French fishing & farming are providing to the Government, and they want things sorted out.
There have also been reports of increased Mobile Biological Weapon activity in the area as well, and rumour has it that some French radicals have got their hands on some kind of Twisted Technology, which should be recovered and handed over to the RAF, if true.
Who are the antagonists?
The French Terrorists. One of the most militant cells is led by an former member of the WW2 French Resistance, Jean Coulinder, who leads his men on armed guerrilla raids against the refugee camps and various London establishments. It is suspected that there are other cells operating out of Southwalk, however, with more subtle -- and potentially more dangerous -- means. They may also be linked to a persistent thorn in the Government's side -- the Citizens Defence Army.
Nobody is exactly sure what the Beast of Blackfriars is, but it seems to lurk in the London Underground tunnels both north & south of the river. Reports of it's appearance vary, but it is known to snatch children & animals from shelters at night, and drag them off into flooded sections of the Tube.
With an insanity born of desperation just before the War went hot, the BERB brought in "recovered" Nazi scientists who had worked on similar Twisted Technology during WW2 and made them devise a way to reanimate the dead. Controlled by electrodes shot into the base of the skull, the ragged corpses could be made to fight again. These "Zombies" were also pumped full of strange radioactive liquids to preserve the decaying flesh and allow the troops to function even after having limbs torn off in combat. When the Betterment Centre was captured by Russian Paratroopers, the technology to create these Zombies was taken by Captain Berezin.
Captain Nicolai Berezin was the officer in charge of the GK-11 Field Unit when the Russians held the Betterment Center. According to George Cuthbert (see below), Berezin seemed to be in charge of analyzing the BERB's Twisted Technology, and ensured that the all the secrets and technology made it's way out of the Centre and to only God knows where. However, he escaped during the recapture of the facility and is still at large, presumably somewhere in London.
The Flock, a religious movement formed by the Rev. David Stone in the last year, has started to grow in followers and influence.
Who else is involved?:
Rupert Fothergill, SIS Duty Officer, is the son of a prominent member of the House of Lords, who has been 'parachuted' into this fancy job at the SIS due to his father's political connections, but doesn't really have much of a clue on what he should do now. He would much rather be out chasing women and trying to ignore the fact that there is a War on.
A former Army Sergeant who served with Sandy Sutherland, Geoff Davis took to running his pub, the Crown & Anchor, after getting one of his legs blown off after stepping on a landmine during WW2. He tries to maintain a stiff upper lip, but what with his pub getting partially burnt–out during the initial wave of Soviet attacks, and the Ministry of Public Works not interested in helping him rebuild it, things are tough. He still has a significant cache of weapons he kept after WW2, "just in case"
Geoff's only living daughter, Lynn, is currently dating Robin Normal, and is trying to support her father as best as she can. She is good friends with Harry Rathbone's fiancee, Sarah Simmons.
The head of research at the Betterment Centre when it was under BERB control, Prof. George Cuthbert was captured by the GK-11 Field Unit when the facility was captured by the Russians at the start of the War. He was rescued a few weeks afterward when the facility was recaptured by British forces, and returned to work -- although now he is officially under RAF supervision now. But what went on whilst he was held prisoner? Why was he left alive? Does he owe allegiance to the RAF? Or has he got plans of his own?
Brigadier Alistair Pycroft is a Senior Army Commander who believes that the remains of the Royal Family should be returned as Head of State to ensure the Government shouldn't "let things slide" any further than they already have.
There is also a small gung-ho band of United States Military who are determined to get enough fuel, weapons and vehicles to make an assault into the Zone of Alienation in order to reopen RAF Mildenhall.
Andre Roux is an ambitious French craftsman/fisherman who works the Thames Estuary.
Black & White Photos:
A grainy snapshot of a dark Tube tunnel with people running towards the camera with horror on their faces. The only suggestion of what they are fleeing are shadows of tentacles -- and worse -- in the background. (Rich)
A massive, unearthly vortex formed by electrical storm clouds focused above Battersea Power Station. (Steve)
A low-level shot of a cot left on a cobbled street. A mob of angry men & women brandishing pitchforks & flaming brands, marching towards it, fill the back of the frame. (Tom)
A close-up of some dark-coloured liquid running towards a storm drain inlet. A ring of garlic floats on the liquid's surface. (James)
A street scene of dirty and tired men, women and children looking sadly out at the camera. They all have severe scarring, and hideous pus-filled wounds across their faces and bodies. (Mark)
