AKULA’s After the Bomb project 1980s imagination - pg18 AA HMGs

[AKULA]

I’m going to use this thread for a project that has been fermenting for a while now...I suppose technically it could sit in the Post-Apoc forum, but given its based on the UK in the 1980s I thought it would be more appropriate to post it here.

“After the Bomb” - the starting idea

- set in early/mid-1980s in the north east of England
- takes place post a “limited” nuclear exchange between NATO & USSR
- Games will centre around a village/small town & how it’s inhabitants fare
- focus on scavenge and survival
- rules will probably end up being homegrown
- will fictionalise place names, but based in part on actual locations
(please avoid naming real towns in the thread)


Inspiration

Twilight 2000 as a setting is obviously an influence, but the main source of inspiration is actually the short-lived Jericho TV Series, set in the US...again with the focus upon a small town, post a nuclear event.



The game will be as much about scavenging for supplies, and protecting what you’ve already got, as out and out combat, although I expect there will be plenty of scope for that as well.

Reference material

To come up with the setting, I’ve looked at some contemporary sources to give a flavour of what I have in mind.

First up there is a 1982 pamphlet “Target NorthWest” which while it makes a lot of assumptions, does tackle the main issues, such as fallout, communications, food etc




I’ve also looked at a couple of different contemporary UK Government studies for what a UK target list may or may not look like






As the various papers/scenarios (such as Operation Square Leg) talk of a range of anything between 150-1000 megatons being used against the UK in an all out nuclear exchange, I’m going to go for a more “limited” scenario....otherwise the game will only consist of cockroaches, especially as the fallout will be spread over a wide area by the prevailing wind 

That’s it for now...my next post will set out the general surroundings for the campaign map

Useful links

Probable Target List(within the UK)
https://www.robedwards.com/2014/06/revealed-the-106-cold-war-nuclear-targets-across-the-uk.html

https://robedwards.typepad.com/files/probable-nuclear-targets-1972-national-archives.pdf

“Target NorthWest - Defence Preparedness”
https://digitalarchive.wilsoncenter.org/document/110194.pdf?v=76a08c0ba94dc5109274c2014ba19e88

Home Defence & Emergency Planning
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/information-management/osp14.pdf

Civil Defence Rescue Manual
https://era.ed.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1842/5384/A12.CD.H7%20Civil%20Defence%20Handbook%20no%207%20Rescue.pdf;jsessionid=479002CD5CA36F512040074BE12C98F4?sequence=1

UK Cold War Communications - UKWMO, Royal Observer Corps
http://www.ringbell.co.uk/ukwmo/Page221.htm

Coldwargamer’s excellent blog - ORBAT etc
https://coldwargamer.blogspot.com/2012/05/orbat-1980s-british-bg-part-7-infantry.html

More ORBATs
https://www.battleorder.org/military-organization

[carlos marighela]

Oh come on, that map was long ago revealed as part of desperate joint marketing effort by Stoke and Swansea’s respective tourism boards to encourage people to visit. Let’s face it, what else would work?

Visit Stoke-on-Trent. Last on Anyone’s List to be Nuked.

 

[Paul @ Empress Miniatures]

If you drop enough bombs you will not need many figures or trucks. Not sure I like this project   

[Dags]

If you drop enough bombs you will not need many figures or trucks. Not sure I like this project 

Don't worry, Akky will be doing it at 1:1 scale so you'll still be able to retire early 

Looking forward to seeing how this pans out 

[voltan]

I'm just hoping the Bed sitting room is amongst your inspiration file.

[Silent Invader]

Looks great Matt  8

Hopefully it’ll inspire me to do more with my own late 70s early 80s post apoc project for which I’ve assembled a load of bikers, moped riders, quad bikes, etc (I’m playing fast and loose with history as well) - no A bomb for me though, just oil shortages, virus, breakdown of society..... 

Am very much looking forward to following progress. 

[ulverston]

Poor old Preston was high on the list though a time traveller visiting today from the early 80's may think the missiles had been flung about! I look forward to your work with this interesting idea.

[Ewart]

Oh come on, that map was long ago revealed as part of desperate joint marketing effort by Stoke and Swansea’s respective tourism boards to encourage people to visit. Let’s face it, what else would work?

Visit Stoke-on-Trent. Last on Anyone’s List to be Nuked.

 

Here was me thinking this map represented the fact that Stoke has actually been A-bombed. Not sure I could tell the difference day to day.  I mean it's not like a USSR nuke would make that much of a difference to the streets here, probably clean them to a nice glow.

[NurgleHH]

Matt,
with the new Version of TW2000 I was also in the mood for it. But I tend more to a 21st century RCW. It is a very old idea from the inspiration of the Copplestone Nebo-soviets.
But I hope you show more of your stuff here. Very interesting and exciting.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

I look forward to seeing how this goes.

Do not forget Threads and The War Game.

I have not actually eaten the Spam yet.

The Death of Grass by John Christopher is an interesting view on on how things go down hill.

[Jack Hooligan]

I'm really into creating my own settings for games as well (not so much rules...I'll leverage the hard work of betters), so am following this project.
Also, as an American military brat living abroad (W. Germany) through the entire 80s, 80's cold-war-gone-hot/WWIII scenarios in Europe are of interest.

[Captain Blood]

Brilliant. What a great idea.

But Salcombe?

The yachties will be the first to die 

Ah, those Russians... 

[carlos marighela]

At a guess, at least one of those USAF ‘airbases’ on that map is the former CFS at RAF Little Rissington, which the tin tanks were using as a military hospital at the time. Not sure that would have been a priority target for the Soviets.

So maybe Stow-on-the-Wold (where the wind blows cold) or Bourton-on-the-Water would be safe spots?With the latter you get the added advantage of creating a miniature village that has it’s own miniature village (6mm buildings set inside a 28mm town?)

Whatever you do avoid Mid Somer, it has a higher casualty rate than any post nuclear exchange wasteland.

[Andym]

What about setting in the town you live?...or where you were brought up? Or even a recognisable city? You could make specific scenery from your town? Even if your location gets blasted during the apocalypse, the survivors going back in after the devastation to salvage stuff, would make a good game. Just because the bombs dropped in the 80's would mean its all 80's tech, but it could be set later when the fallout ain't so bad.

Loving where your going with this mate! I had some good pictures of a post apocalyptic London somewhere....

[Mr Kissyfur]

So maybe Stow-on-the-Wold (where the wind blows cold) or Bourton-on-the-Water would be safe spots?With the latter you get the added advantage of creating a miniature village that has it’s own miniature village (6mm buildings set inside a 28mm town?)

Oh my word this is an amazing idea! )))