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Topic: Guns, Goblins, and Steel Monday Nights Campaign (Read 2278 times) |
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Lazybones
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This thread is intended both for In-Character posting and Out-Of-Character info (questions, tactical discussions, absence notices, etc.) related to the Monday Night Group's run through Guns, Goblins, and Steel.
The first session will be posted as soon as the group completes the Knights of the New Republic campaign. I anticipate that first session taking place either on July 30 or August 6.
The group includes the following players:
Boomer
chiz
Jenniza
mannedoc
Smart Alec
TheBaldMan
Posting in character each week will earn you an extra experience award (150% of the usual award if everyone in the group posts during a given week). I'll start with 500xp base and increase that as the campaign progresses.
This campaign involves some radically different interpretations of the base NWN ruleset, so be sure to read the Player Guide to the campaign at http://lazybones18.tripod.com/ggsplayer.doc. You may need to paste that link into your browser to access the file. The Player Guide contains information about the character creation rules that we will be using in this campaign. Also note the haks required.
If you want to get some ideas for the campaign, you can look at the first page of the Sunday campaign's run through the module; just don't read the rest of the thread as this may contain spoilers.
Likewise you can contact me if you want to ask questions or suggest character ideas. I will try to accommodate everyone but the basic premise for the plot requires a majority of the group to be American soldiers in the Third Infantry Division stationed in Baghdad at the start of play. You don't have to know the other player characters in advance, but you can be part of the same unit if you wish. The first session will involve the group being issued a mission briefing from a company commander named Captain Markham. The mission outline is included in the Player Guide in case you want to build off it in your initial character posts.
Finally, you can use this thread to post links to portrait files, or to post your intended voiceset and head model to avoid conflicts.
You may find this portrait package useful: http://nwvault.ign.com/View.php?view=Portraits.Detail&id=5319.
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Lazybones
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One last point: the core group of soldiers should include a squad leader with the rank of second lieutenant or staff sergeant. I will leave it to the group to select who should fill that role. Otherwise character ranks (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Army#Rank_structure) are up to you. Other roles within the squad (medic, scout, wise-cracking slacker, etc.) can likewise be decided through discussion.
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Smart Alec
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Can anyone suggest some good research materials for learning about modern-day US Army Infantry? I rented out Black Hawk Down and got a friend to lend me Full Spectrum Warrior, but aside from that...
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| « Last Edit: on: Jul 20, 2007, 1:37AM » |
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Lazybones
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I mostly used Wikipedia. Beyond that, it's mostly movies and TV shows (the short lived Over There was very interesting, if controversial).
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Gulfwulf
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There's also Band of Brothers on the History Channel. Some good war movies:
Saving Private Ryan. This is probably one of the more realistic movies out there that's not a documentary. The opening and closing battles were great.
Full Metal Jacket
Platoon
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mannedoc
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How about the movie The Red Thin Line?, or I think that's the name, not sure.
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mannedoc
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I’m using the Portrait Pack suggested by LB, the one I’m going to use is m_soldier_26. I might go for a scout (ranger) if that is allowed. About voice set not sure yet.
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Jenniza
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I ran this past LB already for approval. 
I'm going to combine my hobbies (The Movies & NWN).
This is Oki Tawanaka, FOX News. (FOX News War Correspondent)
As often as I can possibly crank them out, I'm going to post short simple movie (nothing elaborate like On the Ledge).
In terms of NWN, she will be a non-combatant that is as stated a FOX News War Correspondent. She will have already been stationed there and used to the conditions, and very pro-military and conservative (as typical of most FOX News War Correspondents.) Although she might be your moral conscious, she certainly wouldn't get in your way, considering she doesn't MAKE the news, she simply REPORTS the news. As such, the intention is that for the duration of the campaign she'll NEVER use a weapon or enter combat, instead, I'll be spending the time taking screenshots and such for use in movies. Also, interviews and such. Think of Oki as your own traveling bard and PR campaign manager when travelling from town to town.
Anyway, any advanced sense of what your characters look like might help me make renditions of your characters in "The Movies" software character creator palette called "StarMaker". It might not be exact; but, the more time I have the better. Otherwise, I'll just take close-up snapshots on Monday nights or use posted portrait packs, so feel free to say anything in text as well if you want something specific (I don't know how to make scars yet, but I can totally warp the shape of the head contures, facial features/deformities, hair styles, facial hair, skin/hair/eye color, weight, age, and stuff like that.)
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| « Last Edit: on: Jul 22, 2007, 4:09AM » |
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Smart Alec
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Couple of questions...
1) The player guide tantalisingly hints at being able to "to take levels in other classes later in the game". Is it a good idea/allowed for us to build our characters stats and backgrounds with other classes in mind?
As some examples, if I played the Lieutenant/Staff Sergeant, it would be tempting to build him with the Paladin in mind.  If the Demolitions Trooper, Wizard would probably be considered. If the Medic, then Cleric, etc.
2) Does anyone else actually want to be in command? If not, I'm up for it. If so, front and centre, Lieutenant.
| Although she might be your moral conscious, she certainly wouldn't get in your way, considering she doesn't MAKE the news, she simply REPORTS the news. As such, the intention is that for the duration of the campaign she'll NEVER use a weapon or enter combat, instead, I'll be spending the time taking screenshots and such for use in movies. |
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Depending on how bad things get, I can forsee a time when one of the troopers asks the reporter, "Ever used a gun before? Ok. You hold it like this, pull the trigger like this. Squeeze off. Now follow me." 
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| « Last Edit: on: Jul 22, 2007, 6:44AM » |
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Lazybones
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on Jul 22, 2007, 6:42 AM, Smart Alec wrote:Couple of questions...
1) The player guide tantalisingly hints at being able to "to take levels in other classes later in the game". Is it a good idea/allowed for us to build our characters stats and backgrounds with other classes in mind?
As some examples, if I played the Lieutenant/Staff Sergeant, it would be tempting to build him with the Paladin in mind. If the Demolitions Trooper, Wizard would probably be considered. If the Medic, then Cleric, etc.
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In GGS, classes are "unlocked" by training with an NPC of that class. Spellcasting classes will definitely be available. In fact, all of the non-evil base classes and most of the prestige classes will be opened in the course of the campaign, although some will be available sooner than others. I will post here after a session when a new class is eligible for advancement, although in most cases the player will have to take action (such as posting that they are training with someone they met that game) to open a class.
LB
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Lazybones
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Okay, sounds like we have the lieutenant (Smart Alec), the sergeant (Boomer), the reporter (Jenniza), and the scout (mannedoc). There's lots of other roles you can play, so I look forward to hearing from chiz and TheBaldMan this week. PM me if you have any questions or want to run something by me prior to posting.
Those of you who are playing U.S. Army soldiers can "place yourselves in context". You're stationed at Expeditionary Base Dragoon in northeast Baghdad, and have been working on clearing operations as part of the recent surge. You don't all have to be part of the same unit as the upcoming mission will be drawing on specialists from a number of areas of expertise. You can work out common backgrounds with other PCs if you want your characters to have worked together in the past and be familiar with each other, or you can be a recent transfer. The game will begin with you reporting to a mission briefing from a company commander named Captain Markham.
I'll make the same offer I made to the other group, which is to double the starting XP bonus for creative and/or deep introductory character postings.
I am running on empty tonight, so I'll get the inaugural game posted tomorrow.
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TheBaldMan
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Private First Class Manfred “Phil” Filamento was from a long line of hardcore military families. Not distinguished mind you, but true enough that khaki ran in his families very veins. In fact, until Phil no one in his family had achieved a rank higher than Private. Not discounting it was dumb luck that enabled Phil to achieve the rank of Private First Class, to his family it would as much seem as he had achieved the rank of General.
Phil’s home since birth had always been that of a military base and despite the rigorous military education he received he was the least of the exceptional. He did however know the front from the back end of any gun and could assemble and reassemble most weapons blindfolded. He was a hard worker, muscular, and better looking than most which gave him much distress as this often caused his peers and seniors to overestimate his intellectual abilities.
In short, Phil was, in the vernacular, “dumb”. But more often than not when he made a mistake it often put the situation in his favor. Like the time he was arranging his grenades during his first tour in Iraq and on of the pins fell out. He had hastily thrown the live grenade into a dark alley and thwarted an ambush. If they had a badge for “dumb luck” he would have received it.
Likeable enough, as long as you did not mind talking in monosyllable words and did not mind a blank stare every once in a while, but he was if one thing reliable. He followed orders almost to an obsession and would gladly take a bullet for his fellow soldier.
//unlike Mug this guy will be too stupid to be hungry 
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| « Last Edit: on: Jul 27, 2007, 3:23AM » |
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Jenniza
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Not to be mean or anything (rain on parades, etc); but, promotions from E1 to E4 (privates) are typically based on time served (although not 100% guaranteed, and demotions can happen due to bad behavior, etc, Article 15's for minor offenses, not just Court Marshalls).
I really like that your character is the "General" of the family... because to be the only E3 out of them all really implies that a lot of them got busted down a lot, I think.
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From the US Army IET Handbook
SOLDIERING
Promotions: Most promotions in the Army are not automatic. You will be promoted on the basis of superior performance and increased skills in your fields of specialization.
Promotion to Grade E2. A private will be advanced from pay grade E1 to E2 after completing 6 months of active duty, barring legal action. Local commanders may recognize outstanding performance by promoting privates to pay grade E2 after as few as 4 months of active duty.
Promotion to Grade E3. Unit commanders may advance a private with 12 months time-in-service and 4 months time-in-grade to private first class (E3). Commanders may recognize outstanding performance by promoting privates with as few as 6 months time-in-service and 2 months time-in-grade.
Promotion to Grade E4. A private first class may be promoted to corporal (E4) with 24 months time-in-service and 6 months time-in-grade. Under certain conditions, this time may be reduced to as few as 15 months time-in-service and 3 months time-in-grade.
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Article 15. Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) is a form of non-judicial punishment that can be imposed by a commanding officer for a relatively minor offense. An Article 15 can be imposed upon any soldier who does not demand a court-martial. Enlisted personnel are notified in writing of any punishment administered under Article 15.
There are two types of Article 15 proceedings: summarized and formal. A summarized proceeding may be used for very minor misconduct, the punishment for which should not exceed an oral reprimand, extra duty, restriction for 14 days, or any combination of these punishments. The maximum punishments for a soldier grade E4 and below by a company or field grade commander during a formal proceeding are given in Figure 4-1.
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| « Last Edit: on: Jul 24, 2007, 11:17PM » |
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