Quote from: Consonant Dude
It occurs to me that a genre-specific military game, covering stats and systems from WWI to present-day might be a good thing in this hobby. With supplements and scenarios specifically aimed at different periods and wars. I feel there is an empty spot for the taking.
[/QUOTEAbsolutely.  Historical RPGs in general are lacking, GURPS notwithstanding.  It would be cool for games with "genre-emulation" (tailor made for the feel) systems devoted to various historical periods.

Quote from: Consonant DudeThere were other interesting suggestions. UA, CoC, etc...

Unfortunately, he's not really into the DIY mode. He really was looking for a full-blown WWII RPG.

I've reviewed the suggestions you all kindly made with him. We're going to investigate BEL a little. We'll look at Gear Krieg as well, although that requires more work.

Otherwise, he's trying to accept that he might have to use GURPS or let the project die.

It occurs to me that a genre-specific military game, covering stats and systems from WWI to present-day might be a good thing in this hobby. With supplements and scenarios specifically aimed at different periods and wars. I feel there is an empty spot for the taking.

Thanks for your help!

I started with the Napoleonic Wars. Next is WW I. I'll get to WW II eventually. That's the idea, anyway.

-clash

I'm not intimately familiar what's out there for CoC WWII but I have heard that there's a WWI supplement out there.

Quote from: David JohansenI'm not intimately familiar what's out there for CoC WWII but I have heard that there's a WWI supplement out there.

It's a module, IIRC.  I played it once at my old gaming club, and it was a lot of fun.

Behind Enemy Lines was rereleased in pdf form recently, and as noted above can be bought from drivethru.

Otherwise, Gurps WWII could do the trick, but is a bit complex, also the vehicle rules are snafud and although it says all you need is in the core book, it ain't.  The character templates reference advantages and disadvantages contained in the 3e rulebook and Compendium I but not in the WWII core book.

A point which seriously pissed me off as it happens, if I buy a book which says on the back it is all you need for play, I do not expect to be referenced out to other books.

Could somebody tell me what makes GURPS WWII fun? What kinds of PCs do you get to play, and how do you avoid the chain of command issues? I.e., you're all grunts, the Lieutenant tells you to storm that trench, machinegun fire ensues, you die, the end.

Part of what I find so neat about T2K is that, given the setting, you don't have these issues--command and control are gone, and you can roam freely.

What's a typical mission/adventure in GURPS WWII?

Just to be clear, I'm not being quip. Whenever someone starts a WWII thread I really want to play. I'm just wondering if it can be done with a realistic (sic) RPG rather than with Gear Krieg or Godlike and such.

The campaign I'm planning to run in 1/32 when I get my modelling projects a little further along will be set in France during and just after the British withdraw at Dunkirk.  The PC's will be separated from their unit and trying to get back to the boats in time while avoiding the Germans.  Then they'll wind up in touch with the early roots of the French Resistance.  Eventually they'll make it back to England, only to be assigned to work with a Commando unit as liasons with the resistance for a mission or two.

I'm a little undecided about whether to use GURPS or a specific subset of my Galaxies in Shadow rules.  GURPS won't have High Tech out until this fall or next at the rate things went last year and the Basic Set is pretty limited for WWII hardware, but not a total loss.  But, GURPS lets you dodge bullets.  And that just doesn't fly for a gritty WWII game.

Quote from: flyingmiceI started with the Napoleonic Wars. Next is WW I. I'll get to WW II eventually. That's the idea, anyway.

-clash

   I actually downloaded Starcluster Light just to see if the lifepath-style system would work for simulating a soldier going through various phases of training.  I could see the age-based system being altered to one based on moving through various military schools.  "Mother's Milk" skills would become "Civvie Street"--what you did and learned before being drafted or volunteering.  Then comes Basic Training, Advanced Training or Corps School, and beyond that specialist schools to represent elite or highly specialised units like airborne or OSS.   Instead of templates, you kinda build your soldier up in a lego-brick-by-brick style.

Shades of Earth might suit your needs.

Quote from: SamarkandI actually downloaded Starcluster Light just to see if the lifepath-style system would work for simulating a soldier going through various phases of training.  I could see the age-based system being altered to one based on moving through various military schools.  "Mother's Milk" skills would become "Civvie Street"--what you did and learned before being drafted or volunteering.  Then comes Basic Training, Advanced Training or Corps School, and beyond that specialist schools to represent elite or highly specialised units like airborne or OSS.   Instead of templates, you kinda build your soldier up in a lego-brick-by-brick style.

That's the basic idea. In In Harm's Way: Aces in Spades the WWI Pilot game I'm almost done with, you get 7 background skills, depending on your background, for age 18, then you go through Flight and/or Gunner training before going out to the war, gaining 4 skills per school. Skill gaining in service is also faster - you gain a skill every 6 months rather than 1 per year. Extend that to different schools - Airbourne, OSS, Armored, Artillery, etc. - with different skillsets, and your chargen is done. In the In Harm's Way games, you play a troupe of three characters - Officer, specialist/non-com, and private - with a single large skill pool to draw a number of skills from - 10-20 skills depending on the specialty - rather than building them up like the officers.

The rest of the game is background and toys, really. Of course, Aces in Spades has a big chunk of the book dedicated to planes and dogfighting rules...

-clash

Weird War II may be what you're looking for. (minus the Weird.)

and

Weird War II Playtest 2005

may be of interest.
=

Quote from: McrowShades of Earth might suit your needs.

Never heard of it. Do tell, please!

WWII era RPG that can support anything from Military to Indiana jones type of campaigns. the basic Idea is that magic exists, though it is known only to relative few. These few (department 12, Neter,SS, and others) are all in secret war and magical arms race.

i've been thinking about doing the same (ww2 adventure) but would just use CoC with some tweaks.  

is Shades of Earth current/in print?

Yep! It's a Hinterwelt game - and a cool one!

-clash