SOTR Invaders

[Hat Guy]

At our local gaming club (link on the side there), we're starting to really get into Secrets of the Third Reich, and previously this year we played a fair amount of Super System. So naturally we've accrued a reasonable amount of WWII and Superhero figures. The logical progression from here was to fit Heroes into our SOTR armies. The game already has some good characters to start from, we use Buck Holt as Captain America, Black Jack as Union Jack and the German Vampire as Red Skull. I'm also working on a Latverian Army using the German rules, but that's almost a different thread...

However, not every "Golden Age"* character has an easy simulacrum in the SOTR books, so I figured it'd be fun to have a go at creating them from scratch. I'm starting with Marvel's Invaders/All Winner's Squad as I already have several of the figures in my Super System collection. I will move on to Super-Axis and other teams and Golden-Age heroes when I get the chance, but you're welcome to beat me to it.

So to start with, substitutions:

Buck Holt (USA) - Captain America
Union Jack (Brit) - Union Jack
Vampire Support Option (Ger) - Red Skull

There's the other USA character that would work well as a Nick Fury, but I can't remember his name right now. If anyone else has some ready substitutions, please post them.

Ok, now to get into the tricky stuff.

The Invaders
When using Buck Holt as Cap or Black Jack as Union Jack, add the following rules to their profiles:

Heroes of Freedom: Any member of The Invaders can be Requisitioned for their normal RP cost for a USA, British/Commonwealth or French Partisan army.

Once An Invader: If a member of The Invaders is taken as an Army's character choice, another Invader may be taken as a support choice. For example; an army that includes Captain America can requisition Union Jack as a support option for his normal RP cost. All Support slots may be filled with Invaders if so desired.

(When using Buck Holt as Cap, his Cool Roll modifier applies only to USA units)

That'll do for now. As soon as I get some free time in about a week, I'll post up Playtest rules for the Blazing Skull and the Human Torch.

*(Yes, I know that several of the heroes I'm mentioning weren't published until the 1960s or later, but their adventures took place in WWII. Besides we're talking about Superheroes fighting WWII in 1949 with magic and walking tanks, historical accuracy went out the window miles back.)

[TheShadow]

Hellboy would be a good addition as he was sort of active during WW2, albeit a little younger !
ive been using Hasslefree's Harby and Cobra as Hellboy and Nick Fury respectively, just using the sentinel rules for them, i think the USA character you're thinking of is Wild Bill Donovan

[Scorpio]

During the war, Hellboy was at best a little kid. We've used the 'kid Hellboy' fig for our AE-WWII games, the stats for a war hound, which works pretty well. (He's a scary kid!)

[Hat Guy]

I may have mentioned it before, but Hellbaby makes a great objective counter for WWWII games.

[Hat Guy]

Ok, so haven't done too much playtesting, but here's what I've got so far:

The Human Torch - 10 RP
Deep Insertion, Fast, Thick Skull, Bulletproof, Hard to Kill, Drop Trooper, Utterly Fearless
Hero of Freedom (As above)
Once an Invader (As above)
Floating - The Human Torch ignores terrain when moving
Torch - Any enemy model that spends a Close Combat Round in base-to-base contact with The Human Torch is automatically hit by a Flame Thrower attack.
Armed with Flame thrower

The thought Process: In order to create a game-play equivalent of the Torch's flying ability without creating too many complicated new rules, I've had to go for a combo effect. With Deep Insertion and Drop Trooper the Torch can be called in after the first turn or can start closer to the enemy (he's flown in and landed to fight some Ratzis) with Fast and the Dhrone Hover rule, he can outmanoeuvre most infantry. Almost every character in the game has Thick Skull and heavy personal armour in some form or another, it makes them that much better than standard infantry.
I haven't had a chance to use the Torch in a game yet, but I should get to it soon.

Bucky - 4 RP
Bucky has a Cool of 10
Armed with Thompson SMG and Medkit
Fast, Utterly Fearless, Thick Skull, Tough
Sidekick: Any army that includes Captain America my purchase Bucky for his RP cost. Bucky and Cap will operate like a two-man Unit. Bucky does not count towards the Character Limit.

Thought Process: Bucky can be either his original or Ultimate incarnation, whatever you prefer. He's not really powerful, but the SMG and Medkit should come in handy in games, he's really just intended as a flavour character for your army.

So, I was working on The Blazing Skull, and it occurred to me that he's basically a man in a costume, a "Mystery Man" the kind of which was pretty common in the Golden Age. Now there seems to be basically two types of Mystery Man, the Spirit of '76/The Angel kind that inspire people and the Blazing Skull/Batman kind that prey on fear. Bearing this in mind, I figured it'd be easier to make a simple Mystery Man character that can be used as a support option for Allied Troops, basically functioning like an Allied Vampire.

Fearsome Mystery Man - 7 RP (USA/British)
Armed with Pluck, Dearing-do and a good Right Hook!
Mystery Men have a Cool of 10
Bulletproof, Utterly Fearless, Fast, Combat Monster, Horror

(Think Batman, Blazing Skull, Hooded Justice, Sandman etc)

Heroic Mystery Man - 7 RP (USA/British)
Armed with Pluck, Dearing-do and a good Right Hook!
Mystery Men have a Cool of 10
Bulletproof, Utterly Fearless, Fast, Combat Monster
Inspiring Presence - Friendly units within 8" of a Heroic Mystery Man may use his Cool for suppression and morale tests.

(Think Nite Owl, The Angel, Spirit of '76 etc)

Enough for now, Arnim Zola and his Seigesoldat soon.

[Weird WWII]

You forgot one of the best members, Namor.  Don't let the fish scaled Speedo fool ya, he loves picking up E100s and throw them around the battlefield.  Don't forget that the Flaming Duo are in a gaseous state when they are in fire form so good luck stopping those two.

I'm a Golden Age geek sorry,
Brian

[Hat Guy]

I haven't forgotten Namor, I'm a big fan of the Prince, I've just left him to last because I don't have a mini of him yet.

Also I had no idea the Torch was ethereal when flaming, I though he fought Namor and they exchanged blows? Also he seems to carry and punch heaps of stuff whist on fire?

As for Toro/Tara, I'm personally not too keen on the Kid Commandos, I really can't see myself being bothered to do The Human Top. And how would Toro be much different from the Torch? I'm honestly asking if you know...

[Weird WWII]

Here are my takes on most of the Invaders.  These are for BGWWII rules but you can probably easily mod it to SoTR.  The background is Golden Age but the scientific specifics are taken from the various Marvel Universe stuff over the years.

Hope that helps,
Brian

Cap
http://whattheminiatures.com/forum/index.php?topic=69.0

Bucky
http://whattheminiatures.com/forum/index.php?topic=70.0

Namor
http://whattheminiatures.com/forum/index.php?topic=313.0

Human Torch
http://whattheminiatures.com/forum/index.php?topic=131.0

Toro
http://whattheminiatures.com/forum/index.php?topic=79.0

Blazing Skull
http://whattheminiatures.com/forum/index.php?topic=135.0

Miss America
http://whattheminiatures.com/forum/index.php?topic=455.0

[Hat Guy]

Ok, with exams behind me and some more hero figures on their way in the mail, I can focus on gaming for a little while. So without further dudes:

Arnim Zola - 16 RP (Germany)
Thick Skull (no skull), Bulletproof, Extra Armour
Arnim Zola has a cool of 10
Seigsoldat: An army that includes Arnim Zola may include 0-2 Seigsoldat that do not count towards the Support Option limit. Seigsoldat follow the rules and RP costs for Temple Flesh Golems, with Zola possessing the Keys.
White Dust: Platoons under Arnim Zola's command gain Uncanny Resilience.

The thoughts: Skully may be the most devious Ratzi agent, but Zola is an evil genius without peer. Ok, maybe he's not much chop in a fight, but he can fart out sub-standard Super Soldiers almost as fast as Dr Doom. Two flesh golems and a ton of German infantry with Uncanny Resilience make a fearsome army that'll take a few punches from Cap.

Stay tuned True Believers, for the sensational sentry of the sea, the Sub Mariner!

[Tas]

What about the Ghost Who Walks?

I was thinking he could work well with any of the Western Allies, particularly in the Pacific Theatre but not necessarily so, and have some great stealth skills.  Just the thing for a Commando force perhaps.

And its real easy to bring him back next time, even if he gets pulped in the current game!

Anyone other suggestions for integrating the Ghost Who Walks?

[WallShadow]

There's the other USA character that would work well as a Nick Fury, but I can't remember his name right now. If anyone else has some ready substitutions, please post them.

If you're speaking of the DC combat team that mirrored Sgt. Nick Fury and the Howling Commandos" (Dum-Dum Dugan, Pinky Pinkerton, Izzy Cohen, Dino Manelli, Gabe Jones, Reb Ralston) that would be Sgt. Rock and the "Combat-happy Joes of Easy Company"--Bulldozer, Wildman, Little Sure Shot, Ice Cream Soldier, Jackie Johnson, 4-Eyes, Turtle, and hosts of other red-shirted disposable GIs.

[Hat Guy]

I have a Sergeant Rock clix gathering dust somewhere, but there's also a huge variety of Pulp WWII heroes from comic lines other than DC or Marvel. Battle Picture Library has Major Easy and Johnny Red and Target has a few British Heroes, though I can't remember any of their names right now.

I think a custom figure with standard NCO or Officer rules would be adequate for most of the characters that fight with guns rather than super powers.

[Tas]

but there's also a huge variety of Pulp WWII heroes from comic lines other than DC or Marvel.

Like Major Kurt Hellman - aka Hellman of Hammer Force!

http://www.sevenpennynightmare.co.uk/?p=519

Who is my German SOTR Army Commander of course 

[Christian]

That is a really interesting comic. Thanks for the link!

[Jakar Nilson]

Like Major Kurt Hellman - aka Hellman of Hammer Force!

http://www.sevenpennynightmare.co.uk/?p=519

Who is my German SOTR Army Commander of course 

Interesting to see the differences between the original Action run of Hellman and the Battle run.