World War II Resources for d20 Fun...

[ragboy]

I had mentioned this in another WWII thread, but I wanted to start a new thread with just WWII Resources. Here's the ones I've used to build my (as yet unplayed) spy/resistance slanted campaign:

Websites:

Site devoted to WWII medical kits
http://home.att.net/~combatmedic/

WWII military ranks by country and service.
http://www.elsham.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ranks.html

Lots o' Weapons...some WWII.
http://stormy-night.org/stonyland/weapons.html

I think this is broken...can't remember what this one was...
http://www.wssob.com/links.html

SOE Agent Equipment Packs
http://clutch.open.ac.uk/schools/emerson00/soe_agents_equip2.html

Some SOE/Jedburgh Stories and Images
http://www.carpetbaggerops.org/Agents/Agents.html

Detailed info on German Armed Forces 1918-1945
http://www.feldgrau.com/index.html

FBI Files on Nazis
http://www.thememoryhole.org/history/fbi-nazi-files.htm

News from the Front
http://www.5thdivisiondiamonddust.com/demo/index.htm

The Suitcase Set (Story of a British Radioman...very big file)
http://www.g3sds.org.uk/docs/suitcaseA4.pdf

All the casualties from the Jedburgh teams in France
http://freespace.virgin.net/arthur.brown2/casualties.htm

Jedburgh KIA's.
http://www.alliedspecialforces.org/jedburghteamsrollofhonour.htm


Jed Team composition.
http://freespace.virgin.net/arthur.brown2/teams.htm

Jed Team codenames
http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/reference/etocode.html

Books:

Clandestine Operations: The Arms and Techniques of the Resistance 1941-1945 by Pierre Lorain (Excellent resource for an Occupied France campaign -- arms, explosives, aircraft, radios, codes, etc. -- Hard to find)..

Secret Agent by David Stafford (SOE focused)

SS Intelligence by Edmund L. Blandford (This one is pretty dense. The author assumes a lot of foreknowledge on the reader... )

Movies:

Where Eagles Dare (haven't read the book, but I want to. Great WWII spy movie)

Kelly's Heroes (very RPG-like behavior from these characters)

Great Escape (always a fave -- so adventurous it has to be true...

Ug...too many to name at the moment.

 

[Edward Kann@StoryART]

Hi Ragboy

Those are awesome references.

We've been taking the WWII setting and moving it into a space / science fiction setting.

The combination of WWII and space ships, colony worlds and that sort of thing seems to be working out really well.

Check our stuff out in the downloads section of our website.

www.storyartgames.com

Rocketship Empires 1936 is the stuff you might want to take a peak at. You might have fun with this. Then again you might want to stick to more traditional WWII era stuff.

Take care. Couldn't help but say to hello to another WWII buff.

Edward Kann
www.storyartgames.com

 

[ledded]

Those are awesome references.

We've been taking the WWII setting and moving it into a space / science fiction setting.

The combination of WWII and space ships, colony worlds and that sort of thing seems to be working out really well.

Check our stuff out in the downloads section of our website.

www.storyartgames.com

Rocketship Empires 1936 is the stuff you might want to take a peak at. You might have fun with this. Then again you might want to stick to more traditional WWII era stuff.

Take care. Couldn't help but say to hello to another WWII buff.

Edward Kann
www.storyartgames.com

Rocketship Empires looks very interesting, thanks for posting that up. I'm a big fan of WWII/Alternate WWII gaming, and that looks like something I definitely want to get my hands on. I look forward to getting some more information on that one.

Ragboy, *great* links; some of those I've seen/used before but others I have not. I'll have to dig up a bunch of the ones I used for our WWII Superhero game/story hour and post 'em up when I get a chance.

We might want to start a list of books to read as well as websites, maybe a new thread, I got a lot of great flavor, inspiration, and information from several of the books that I've read. Stephen Ambrose (several), General James Gavin (On to Berlin), Patrick K O'Donnel (Operatives, Spies and Saboteurs --- a great book on early to late OSS operations), Donald R. Burgett (Currahee!) and a host of others.

 

[Pierce]

We might want to start a list of books to read as well as websites, maybe a new thread, I got a lot of great flavor, inspiration, and information from several of the books that I've read. Stephen Ambrose (several), General James Gavin (On to Berlin), Patrick K O'Donnel (Operatives, Spies and Saboteurs --- a great book on early to late OSS operations), Donald R. Burgett (Currahee!) and a host of others.

Also, if you're going to do spy/resistance type stuff, I'd add anything by Alan Furst (Amazon list). Each of his works is set in Europe from roughly 1933-1945 and concern some non-espionage type that gets pulled into the spy game. My one complaint is that as he's confined himself to such a small niche, some of the stories start to blend together and sound alike. Still, you ought to read at least one or two: Night Soldiers and The Polish Officer are quite good.

 

[ragboy]

Ragboy, *great* links; some of those I've seen/used before but others I have not. I'll have to dig up a bunch of the ones I used for our WWII Superhero game/story hour and post 'em up when I get a chance.

Yeah. Send them on. Two or three of the best ones I had are gone, but I have them backed up on my hard drive.

Here's one on the Corsair. Not sure if it's relevant to d20 since you'd need some pretty specific rules to take limitations and whatnot into account, but it's a great read and could be used to add flavor to air combat.

We might want to start a list of books to read as well as websites, maybe a new thread, I got a lot of great flavor, inspiration, and information from several of the books that I've read. Stephen Ambrose (several), General James Gavin (On to Berlin), Patrick K O'Donnel (Operatives, Spies and Saboteurs --- a great book on early to late OSS operations), Donald R. Burgett (Currahee!) and a host of others.

I have a ton more books, but I got sick of typing. If you start a thread, I'll throw mine up there with what I gleaned from them. I really really want the O'Donnel book. I think I'll go get it right now. My WWII stuff has been all spy-leaning so that will fit in perfect. The Secret Agent book I noted was a nice overview of SOE with some drill-down details that made it worthwhile. And, as you know, SOE was the across-the-pond progenitor of OSS.

 

[ragboy]

Those are awesome references.

We've been taking the WWII setting and moving it into a space / science fiction setting.

I see no mention of the game system supported in the preview download. d20 Modern/Future or is it another system? Looks very beautiful and the premise seems interesting.

 

[Edward Kann@StoryART]

Rocketship Empires - Systems

We're putting together books in both d20 using the modern and future rules as a base AND in the Hero System.

We are also avidly looking to license into other major game systems. So if you have a favorite game system and connections please hook us up.

I think there are a lot of GREAT game systems out there and I really don't want to try and reinvent the wheel if you know what i mean.

What i want to do is put out the coolest and somewhat off main stream ( as in there might only be a few books similar not several thousand) campaign and adventure books I can.

Edward Kann
StoryART Games

 

[Morbog of Ghetto D]

Cool Stuff

You may already be aware...but Gurps makes a WWII series that is really cool.
You just have covert a lot of their stuff over. Great background infor on all participants.

Also Read "The Eagle has Landed" and "Flight of the Eagle"

 

[ragboy]

We're putting together books in both d20 using the modern and future rules as a base AND in the Hero System.

You guys should look at the Action! System, another OGL system that's actually based off of Fuzion, which is based off of Hero. It's a pretty tight system, but I've only played the 'instant' version, which is a quick-play stripped down version.

 

[Edward Kann@StoryART]

I will definately check the Action System out.

Here is a picture of our flying boat that came across my desk yesterday. The old 30's style flying boats make for a great adventuring party mobile base in regular pulp stuff...turn it into a starship in Rocketship Empires and now it really becomes a handy bird to take on adventures.

I really dig this picture as a big 30's and 40's aircraft buff. Hope you guys like it too.

Edward