Well, time for another new project, because I don't have enough going on, right? ;) I've been wanting to play some very small scale (five or six guys versus four or five guys type of thing, sometimes bumping up to eight or nine guys versus six or seven guys) fights honoring the American dogfaces of World War Two. No Special Forces, no high speed, nerves of steel, steely-eyed killers, just regular old guys pulled from the farm or the factory and thrust into action against Hitler's legions. So I plan on using Ivan's "Five Men in Normandy" for the former, and "Five Men at Kursk" for the latter, and the Germans will start out qualitatively better than the doggies, though I'm hoping enough GIs will survive from campaign to campaign for them to actually get better. Plus the German troop quality will get progressively worse.
I plan on following a squad of guys through the American portion of the Second World War in Europe; the platoon will be part of a cavalry unit, either Corps or Army level, not really going to specify, that way I can do whatever I want ;) And the point of being a cavalry unit vice my normal rifle platoon is that I plan on getting a vehicle onto the table quite frequently, ranging from a Jeep to a halftrack to Stuart to a Sherman or Wolverine, all operating in conjunction and arriving at my whimsy. I plan on starting in North Africa, probably not until Tunisia (I'm not interested in fighting Vichy French), then Sicily, some Italy, pulling out and landing in Normandy, the breakout, and into Germany (probably Hurtgen, Aachen, that sort of stuff). Let's get to the boys.
I'm also going to follow supporting tank and tank destroyer platoons in 6mm, using Too Fat Lardies' new "What a Tanker" rules.
Squad Leader: SGT Cherry, 30, Refugee from Czechoslovakia (formerly Cernosek), joined in 1936, he's hoping for revenge against the Nazis for what they've done to his country. After North Africa, he's really doubting whether he's cut out for the infantry. -PH (T7), North Africa
Assistant Squad Leader: SGT Hackett, 21, dropped out of college in KS to join after Pearl Harbor, he fancies himself Errol Flynn and longs to prove his gallantry. -PH (T5), BS/V (T12), North Africa
BAR Gunner: CPL Burress, 18, Straight out of high school in MD, drafted, he's here to serve his country. -North Africa
BAR Assistant (1): PVT McGovern, 29, joined in 1931 out of OH, busted numerous times in the peace-time Army, he's an adventurer looking for excitement, not always in the best of ways. -North Africa
Grenadier (2): PFC Porter, 29, aspiring novelist in OR, joined after Pearl Harbor, he's chasing glory in the Hemingway model. He's lived up to it in North Africa, but it's not really all he'd hope it would be. -PH (T7), SS (T12), North Africa
Rifleman (3): CPL Graham, 21, nephew of Congressman from MO, drafted, a model citizen looking to burnish his credentials in furtherance of his own political career. He'd become friends with Saxon, a real hero, which had made him become a hero, but he's in a funk after Saxon's death. -BS/V and meritorious promotion to PFC for rushing MG (T7), North Africa
Rifleman (4): PVT Lowery, 17, Family owns a restaurant chain in NY, drafted, but all he can think of is getting back to his Mama. He's really feeling ostracized by the squad; they're claiming he was goofing off after getting hit, instead of getting back into the line. He knows they're right. -PH (T1), North Africa
Rifleman (5): PVT Goodburn, 17, Family farmer in KS, drafted, he's a simple patriot looking to fight for freedom.
Rifleman (6): PVT Alt, 24, construction worker in NC, drafted, his wife couldn't stop crying when he left, said she saw his death in her dreams.
Rifleman (7): PVT Copeland, 17, family farmhand in OK, drafted, his adventure meter has been pegged since boot camp, he can't wait to see what's next.
Rifleman (9): PVT Cooper, 17, farmhand in NE, drafted, he never thought he'd escape the cornfields, this is one big adventure.
Of Interest:
Platoon Leader: 2nd Lieutenant Pelluer, 22, Coalmining family from PA, college scholarship, ROTC commission, he's a patriot defending democracy. -North Africa
Platoon Sergeant: SFC Thomas, 32, Grade school teacher from IA, drafted, identified as NCO material and sent to 'Shake and Bake,' he just wants to do his job and get back home to his wife and kids.-North Africa
Runner: CPL Birden, 23, Father runs a radio station in NY, drafted and thought he was getting into radio, this is all so new and foreign to him, there's no way he's going to make it outta this alive. -North Africa
Anti-Tank Gunner: CPL Roberts, 21, Worked at a cannery in northern CA, drafted, his young bride just delivered a baby girl, and there's nothing he resents more than the Nazis pulling him away from them, so he's determined to make them pay. -North Africa
Anti-Tank Assistant: PFC Maas, 19, Roughneck from TX, joined up after Pearl Harbor, he's a patriot looking to defend his country from fascism. -BS/V (T8) and meritorious promotion to PFC, North Africa
Platoon Leader: 2LT DeBerg, 21, just finished college at Harvard, ready to see what he can do in this man's war.
Tank 2: SFC Smith, 31, Depression-era drifter kid from NJ, joined the Army in 1934 for the chow, he loves the comradery of shared hardship. KILLS - 2, awarded Silver Star (T4), PH (T11), North Africa
Tank 3: SSG Ross, 29, Ties to the Mob in NY, joined up in 1937 to avoid the heat, he's looking to make a name for himself to advance his criminal career. KILLS - 2, North Africa
Tank 4: SGT Snow, 22, Teamster from IL, drafted, he's filled with a sense of dread that there's no way he'll see home again. -North Africa
Tank 5: CPL McNair, 27, big band leader from TN, drafted and put through Shake and Bake, he figures big band man equals big hero, no problem.
Tank Destroyer Platoon:
Platoon Leader: 2LT Lutz, 22, family farmhand from AL that made it to college on a football scholarship, he plans on being a hero just like his Pappy in the Great War and his Grand Pappy in the War of Northern Aggression.
Tank 2: SSG Gamble, 34, Warehouse manager in MI, drafted, a little nervous, but here for Ma and apple pie.
Tank 3: SGT Donaldson, 25, Beat writer in DC, drafted, he's a registered Democrat simply doing his civic duty.
Tank 4: SGT Lewis, 34, former soldier of fortune in Spain and Africa from MT, changed identity and joined in 1938, he's happy the war came along to give him a shot at turning his life around.
Tank 5: CPL Word, 28, Former biologist in CA, joined after Pearl Harbor, he enlisted out of a sense of patriotism.
Convalescent:
None
Gone:
2LT Barker, Tank Plt Ldr (T3), KIA with entire crew
PVT Jones, rifleman, lost leg to MG-42, sent home to Louisiana (PH T5).
CPL Petry, rifleman, legally blind from head injury, sent home to Massachusetts. BS/V (T2), PH (T6)
PVT Baldinger, rifleman, KIA (T8)
CPL Grunhard, Tank Plt, 2 tank kills, posthumous Silver Star, KIA with entire crew (T10)
CPL Saxon, rifleman, DSC and meritoriously promoted to CPL (T7), KIA (T12)
PVT Eatman, rifleman, KIA (T12)
Replacements:
PVT Szott, 20, Small time crook given a choice by the judge in IN, but he's no hero, he's simply looking to get back home.
