Mitheral
"Growf!"
An alternate history of an alternate history (based on the 1984 film of the same name). We will be using original characters.
Backstory
In an alternate 1980s, the United States is strategically isolated after NATO is disbanded. At the same time, the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies aggressively expand. In addition, the Ukrainian wheat harvest fails while a socialist coup d'état occurs in Mexico.
In September (1985), in the town of Salida, Colorado, a local high school teacher pauses upon seeing Soviet troops parachuting from An-12 transport aircraft. He walks outside to question them and they open fire. Pandemonium follows as students flee amid heavy gunfire, narrowly escaping the chaos.
In town, Cuban, Nicaraguan, and Soviet troops are trying to impose order after a hasty occupation. The Cuban Colonel instructs the KGB to go to local sporting goods stores and obtain the records of gun sales.
The students flee into the wilderness after hastily equipping themselves at the sporting goods store. On the way to the mountains, they run into a Soviet roadblock, but are saved by an attacking U.S. Army UH-1 helicopter gunship.
Alternative
As an alternative to teenagers, we could fictionally enlarge Salida to encompass the nearest small towns and add a college. The real Salida had a population of about 5-6000. It had two high schools (one public, one smaller private). The alternative would allow for college age characters.
Or … we could do a mix. However, do you suppose that adults will take orders from teens?
Characters
Age ranges will depend on the options we choose. Personally I prefer adult characters. Teens would pretty much all be students. Adults could be either college students - or other.
The main thing I am looking for in the characters will be heroes. Ordinary people are capable of extraordinary things. All characters should include their interests, majors, and/or jobs - especially any that might come into play - in their CS. Any history involving military, hunting, combat, camping or survival should likewise be mentioned.
Also, please note: someone is going to have to lead. Whoever that is should be a strong writer and experience with GMing.
Edit: I will also need a strong writer with experience GMing to help run some of the invaders. This person will need to consult me for technical accuracy. (It has been a very long time, but I am former military intelligence from the Cold War. My specialty was Air and Space, but had experience with all branches. I worked at a joint command. I suspect that just my order of battle will be enough to guide you.)
Technology
It is 1985. All those wonderful digital technologies will be unavailable to civilians. There was a primitive internet, but only in use by classified government facilities and very limited. The first made for public use cell phone came out in 1983, but was very expensive ($4000) and unreliable with limited coverage. Heck, rotary phones were still common. So were payphones. Cash registers had no scanners.
I am also familiar with military technologies of the time, especially Soviet (and some of the latest US developments in the Star Wars program). I will apply that knowledge - or rather the limitations - as appropriate. There are a number of capabilities we have today that we take for granted that did not exist yet in 1985 - except perhaps in a lab. Despite that, certain events have to happen for the scenario to be possible. In the movie the F15 pilot says that the Soviet ICBM’s were a lot more accurate than thought possible.
Plot
US Map start of WWIII
The plot is pretty much the same as the movie. Start a resistance. The group can’t win. That is tactically impossible. But they can make the occupation costly. We will begin with the group - or a couple smaller groups making it out of town. (The invaders WILL conduct a door to door search of the town. It will be only a matter of time before anyone hiding in town is caught.)
I WILL be putting together an Order of Battle that will detail all the troops, vehicles and such for the region. It will include their parent brigade that is assigned to the western front. The parent brigade won’t get involved until the group causes a LOT of damage. However, this DOES mean that any damage done in terms of manpower, supplies, or vehicles will be noted. I leave the strategy up to the group. Of course, the group will have no way of knowing if their efforts are having any effect for a long time. And they will have no way to get news out.
Posting
3rd Person, past tense
Semi lit to literate
I am looking for at least
Personal arcs and Story arcs
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