So I am having a urge to create a campaign where all of the players are members of a squad of soldiers (Think Dirty Dozen) picked to go on a suicide mission or face execution. (No violent or sex crimes, but theft, assaulting the officer in charge, etc). I want to make each game night center around them trying to take on a specific but new and interesting deadly mission in an extremely dangerous war torn environment. (Think war ravaged France or Poland in WW2). The populace could either be supportive or antagonistic. The movement during travels will be hindered by traps, recent battle plunder, or possible ambushes. I want them to be part of a side in a very nondescript war, that doesn't really have good guys or bad guys. Just two sides who've been at war for decades and no sign of stopping in sight. (Think the 40k planet of Armageddon that's been humans fighting orcs for over 200 years. Or Cadia, which was fighting for over 1,000 years) No one is really alive that remembers the beginning or the cause. Just that if they don't fight, they die.
Problems:
- Firearms - Futuristic? How do I run a campaign using firearms. There are no BFGs or Vulcan Miniguns, and there won't be M82 .50 cal sniper rifles. Maybe each person gets a pistol or a Automatic rifle depending on their class?
- Magic - How do you factor magic into a high-tech campaign? What good is magic missile if my Rifle can cast "AlaKABLAM" 5 times per attack? Do I limit magic to non-Evocation magic?
- Maps for Terrain and encounters? Need bombed out cities and ruble strewn cities. Sewers and undercrofts. Can't find any free sites.
- Campaign notes and Editing stories/missions. Aside from Pen and paper notes, I don't really have an effective way of recording ideas and mission themes. Is there a good phone app I can use on the go to record and organize possible thoughts?
- Vehicles? In a combustion engine vehicle, how do you normally run encounters? Horses can't keep up with a ground car at max speed, but max speed drains gas and it's possible they miss good loot? I want travel to really be an afterthought. I don't want a crawl campaign, where they have to roll for each day of travel. They are venturing out past the no man's land barrier each day in search of their objective, and returning. They MAY get a vehicle later on, but I don't want to include the option at start.
- Classes vs jobs? Should I alter fighter to be proficient with ranged weapons, and make the Ranger more of a "scout/sniper" character? Great at finding the best path, and finding the objective. Rogue will be a trapsassin. Able to detect, and disable all traps, providing they are leading, and great at stealth kills, but a real glass cannon. No armor, just basic uniform and cap. Druids will have to be redone somehow. Clerics will be squad medics, and Paladins will be Chaplains. Artificiers will possibly be sappers/demolition, dunno. All the magic classes, are still a mystery to me? Maybe different forms of "Intel guys"? Warlocks are interrogators, Wizards are warrant officers, or experts of war that can identify anything and grant proficiency? Sorcerers will likely be Heavy gunners? The guy carrying the big squad support weapon/Mortar/Anti-vehicle. Monks will need to be a hybrid of Rogue and Fighter? Bards will be completely useless.
Help is appreciated. I have a rough inkling of what I am wanting to try, but don't want to try and put it on paper till I have a better understanding of if it's even feasible/fun for players!
I can’t answer all your questions, but I’ll say a couple things. First, the folks who made d20 modern back in 3e, just updated it for 5e, called Everyday Heroes. That might be worth a look. Otherwise, re-skinning is your friend. Bows become rifles, carts become trucks. Spells become technology. Goblins become enemy soldiers. If you’re going to use 5e for the mechanics, it can work, just don’t do things that will upset the math.
It depends on how serious you want the setting to be with regards to magic. There's plenty of anime that combines technology and magic to take inspiration from. With regards to balancing magic and guns, you may want to start your characters at a higher level to qualify for guns. Remember to take into account that most spells are about more than just damage. There are spells that slow enemies, charm, restrain, create illusions, heal. Or maybe some of their first missions involve sneaking into enemy territory and acting off the records so the military can't supply you yet with guns.
Does anyone use anything other than pen and paper for jotting ideas/story writing? I tried using my laptop, but I'm not always near it, and have to keep one hand on the baby right now. Is there a good dictation app?
You might be interested in Eberron’s Oracle of War adventures set in the Mournlands. The Mournlands is a huge remnant of a battlefield. Adventures now compete for relics to be found in this dangerous wasteland.
Here's some short answers with little to no explanation.
Firearms - make them true to the period you want and make up some rules for them if you cant find any online. E.g. Thompson SMG - 30/90 range, 3d4 damage.
Magic - Either make it a no-magic campaign or reflavour your magic spells to be modern weapons E.G. Fireball = long range artillery fire for effect 8d6 fire damage.
Maps - Make them on inkarnate or overlay battlefield images onto D20. If you're playing in person just draw stuff with marker pens your players will buy into it no problem.
Notes - Pen and paper is GOAT. I use my notes app on my phone. Most other stuff is made up on the spot because your players will do anything but what you want.
Classes - sounds like you have that down so Im not going to comment. You get this DM
Campaign sounds killer btw
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So I am having a urge to create a campaign where all of the players are members of a squad of soldiers (Think Dirty Dozen) picked to go on a suicide mission or face execution. (No violent or sex crimes, but theft, assaulting the officer in charge, etc). I want to make each game night center around them trying to take on a specific but new and interesting deadly mission in an extremely dangerous war torn environment. (Think war ravaged France or Poland in WW2). The populace could either be supportive or antagonistic. The movement during travels will be hindered by traps, recent battle plunder, or possible ambushes. I want them to be part of a side in a very nondescript war, that doesn't really have good guys or bad guys. Just two sides who've been at war for decades and no sign of stopping in sight. (Think the 40k planet of Armageddon that's been humans fighting orcs for over 200 years. Or Cadia, which was fighting for over 1,000 years) No one is really alive that remembers the beginning or the cause. Just that if they don't fight, they die.
Problems:
- Firearms - Futuristic? How do I run a campaign using firearms. There are no BFGs or Vulcan Miniguns, and there won't be M82 .50 cal sniper rifles. Maybe each person gets a pistol or a Automatic rifle depending on their class?
- Magic - How do you factor magic into a high-tech campaign? What good is magic missile if my Rifle can cast "AlaKABLAM" 5 times per attack? Do I limit magic to non-Evocation magic?
- Maps for Terrain and encounters? Need bombed out cities and ruble strewn cities. Sewers and undercrofts. Can't find any free sites.
- Campaign notes and Editing stories/missions. Aside from Pen and paper notes, I don't really have an effective way of recording ideas and mission themes. Is there a good phone app I can use on the go to record and organize possible thoughts?
- Vehicles? In a combustion engine vehicle, how do you normally run encounters? Horses can't keep up with a ground car at max speed, but max speed drains gas and it's possible they miss good loot? I want travel to really be an afterthought. I don't want a crawl campaign, where they have to roll for each day of travel. They are venturing out past the no man's land barrier each day in search of their objective, and returning. They MAY get a vehicle later on, but I don't want to include the option at start.
- Classes vs jobs? Should I alter fighter to be proficient with ranged weapons, and make the Ranger more of a "scout/sniper" character? Great at finding the best path, and finding the objective. Rogue will be a trapsassin. Able to detect, and disable all traps, providing they are leading, and great at stealth kills, but a real glass cannon. No armor, just basic uniform and cap. Druids will have to be redone somehow. Clerics will be squad medics, and Paladins will be Chaplains. Artificiers will possibly be sappers/demolition, dunno. All the magic classes, are still a mystery to me? Maybe different forms of "Intel guys"? Warlocks are interrogators, Wizards are warrant officers, or experts of war that can identify anything and grant proficiency? Sorcerers will likely be Heavy gunners? The guy carrying the big squad support weapon/Mortar/Anti-vehicle. Monks will need to be a hybrid of Rogue and Fighter? Bards will be completely useless.
Help is appreciated. I have a rough inkling of what I am wanting to try, but don't want to try and put it on paper till I have a better understanding of if it's even feasible/fun for players!
Thanks in advance for any advice or thoughts.
I can’t answer all your questions, but I’ll say a couple things. First, the folks who made d20 modern back in 3e, just updated it for 5e, called Everyday Heroes. That might be worth a look.
Otherwise, re-skinning is your friend. Bows become rifles, carts become trucks. Spells become technology. Goblins become enemy soldiers. If you’re going to use 5e for the mechanics, it can work, just don’t do things that will upset the math.
It depends on how serious you want the setting to be with regards to magic. There's plenty of anime that combines technology and magic to take inspiration from. With regards to balancing magic and guns, you may want to start your characters at a higher level to qualify for guns. Remember to take into account that most spells are about more than just damage. There are spells that slow enemies, charm, restrain, create illusions, heal. Or maybe some of their first missions involve sneaking into enemy territory and acting off the records so the military can't supply you yet with guns.
Dnd already has a firearms mechanic in game. You can find more information here. http://dnd5e.*******.com/firearms
In regards to maps you might be able to find some useful ones here:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/54516413
https://www.patreon.com/BirdieMaps/posts?filters[tag]=free
https://www.seafootgames.com/free-dnd-battlemaps-with-adventures/
Does anyone use anything other than pen and paper for jotting ideas/story writing? I tried using my laptop, but I'm not always near it, and have to keep one hand on the baby right now. Is there a good dictation app?
You might be interested in Eberron’s Oracle of War adventures set in the Mournlands. The Mournlands is a huge remnant of a battlefield. Adventures now compete for relics to be found in this dangerous wasteland.
https://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/409421
https://eberron.fandom.com/wiki/The_Mournland
Here's some short answers with little to no explanation.
Firearms - make them true to the period you want and make up some rules for them if you cant find any online. E.g. Thompson SMG - 30/90 range, 3d4 damage.
Magic - Either make it a no-magic campaign or reflavour your magic spells to be modern weapons E.G. Fireball = long range artillery fire for effect 8d6 fire damage.
Maps - Make them on inkarnate or overlay battlefield images onto D20. If you're playing in person just draw stuff with marker pens your players will buy into it no problem.
Notes - Pen and paper is GOAT. I use my notes app on my phone. Most other stuff is made up on the spot because your players will do anything but what you want.
Classes - sounds like you have that down so Im not going to comment. You get this DM
Campaign sounds killer btw