British Contra-Paranormal Unit

[Hammers]

I am putting together a British equivalent of the American BPNR and I am trying to find sources, both real and in fictional pop-culture, to bases this unit on.

I am not concerned witht *who* should be in it but what the rank and file grunt would look like. I am pretty certain they shold be military rather than police. Would they carry their regimental berets or a special unit beret? Would MI 7 be an appropriate name? Could the Doctor Who UNIT troops be used as models?

[Bullshott]

I guess the answer will depend on what date you want to use these for.

[Vanvlak]

I solved that problem theoretically, so far: Torchwood was established by Queen Victoria, and when I get round to doing something in this area I intend to use troops from 1890 to 1922 assigned to Torchwood agents. So regular troops, plus 1 or more 'specials'. If they operate for longer periods, a few staunch squaddies might end up being indentured in Torchwood itself, in which case I'd probably go for a look which retains the original uniforms (pride in the regiment) and adds the odd weapon or three.
The argument can of course be extended to the present. UNIT is distinct from Torchwood, and uses a common uniform and favours berets. Can't help thinking that an SAS-type force would do the job for the current Doctor. I prefer the 'retained uniform' argument - permits some variety too. They could be issued with special kit for special ops, and this would depend on the scenario - for generic ops, if you prefer not to go for the retained kit look, again, for modern day types I'd go for SAS-style; for 1945-1980 (say) - umm, standard issue gear with berets, I'd say, a la UNIT; for WWII, LRDG ruffians or Popski-ites or commandos would be fun. Anything before 1940, I'd prefer to retain the uniforms.  
Going beyond the good Doctor(s), the same philosophy can of course be applied to any other sort of character/organization.
In my case it would be fair to admit I have made one such application, but that is in the Aeronef scale, with HMAS Platypus, currently allocated to Torchwood.

[JollyBob]

If it's for modern era, then I would guess a generic special forces look would be appropriate, with, as you suggest, a distinctive beret or other uniform marking.

I was actually thinking about this myself the other day, and was very tempted by the Falklands War british troops from Gripping Beast to represent UNIT. Lots of nice FNs and other kit:

http://www.grippingbeast.com/shop.php?CatID=46

How serious is your game going to be? A name like M.I.9 (sounds better than seven, I think, and what are the ones in between?   ) would be good for quite a dark, modern game, whereas an older or less serious organisation would maybe have an acronym like UNIT or Spectre or similar.

[Rhoderic]

MI7 was the propaganda & censorship unit. Maybe name it MI20, as MI1-MI19 are all already taken

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MI_numbers

EDIT: Or perhaps MI13 or MI18, as these are listed as "Unknown (may have never existed)".

[fastolfrus]

MI7 was the propaganda & censorship unit. Maybe name it MI20, as MI1-MI19 are all already taken :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MI_numbers

EDIT: Or perhaps MI13 or MI18, as these are listed as "Unknown (may have never existed)".

Undeniable proof that one of them is Torchwood ! "Unknown or never existed" indeed.

[revford]

I use some of those Gripping Beast characters in my modern UNIT, alongside TAG Modern British Paras.

MI-13 sounds good and mysterious.  

[fastolfrus]

"UNIT is distinct from Torchwood"

Without wanting to be too picky, UNIT is a United Nations Intelligence Taskforce, Torchwood is a secret British Empire force.

For early Torchwood appearances (pre 1914) I'd opt for either a variant Royal Engineers/Royal artillery uniform (because they're quite a techie bunch) or perhaps Royal Navy (again the technical connection and also James Bond is a naval officer) or perhaps a yeomanry style uniform - there are lots of interesting yeomanry designs. I'd opt for the same choices 1918-1939. Post 1945 most yeomanry inspiration disappears from the choices, although there is quite a good picture here of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry :
http://www.barder.com/ephems/605

Black uniform, chainmail eppaulettes, red caps... and swords.
Of course that's dress uniform, but it gives you somewhere to start.

[Hammers]

I would go for inter war troops.

Thanks for the input in MI 1 to 19, Rhoderic. MI 13 or MI 12½ would indeed be appealing.

But, back to one of my original questions: didn't soldiers retain some regimental uniform items when assigned to special branches?

Edit:

MI1: Code-breaking (see GCHQ)
MI2: Russia and Scandinavia
MI3: Eastern Europe
MI4: Aerial Reconnaissance
MI5: Security Service
MI6: Secret Intelligence Service
MI7: Propaganda
MI8: Military Communication Interception (see GCHQ)
MI9: Undercover operations, POW escape
MI10: Weapons analysis
MI11: Field security police
MI12: Military censorship
MI13: Contraoccultism
MI14: German specialists
MI15: Reconnaissance
MI16: Scientific Intelligence
MI17: Military Intelligence "Head Office"
MI18: Paranormla interception
MI19: POW debriefing

M13 it is.  

[xeoran]

No, most insignia is removed. The LRDG removed all badges and the only unifier was a black Tankers beret. Similarly the SAS all wore red/khaki berets. 14 Intelligence wore no signs etc. Most flashes, rank signifiers, regimental bits and bobs etc are removed. Though as MI 13 may not have existed or at least wasn't documented then perhaps they do.

Like Jolly Bob said, how dark do you want it to be? If light then regimental berets anbd badges is fine, in fact the more the merrier. Add huge moustaches and so on and you're there (as a model I advise Garth Ennis character "The Major" AKA "Fluffybottom" from his Bloody Mary series. Great two series.) If dark then no insignia and I advise reading the book, "The Operators" about 14 Intelligence as a model. I presume its light because you want pop culture references in which case I have to point you towards the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen as the epitome. Any particular characters? Just a few off the top o' the bonce (mostly from comics).

Rat Pack
Darkies Mob
Captain Hurricane
Archie the Robot
The Spectral Hand
Sergeant Without Stripes
The Bootneck Boy
H.G. Wells in power armour
Johnny Red
Alf Tupper
Charlie of Charlies War (little knowm but the strip continued into WW2 only without Pat Mills)
Battler Britton
Biggles
Aleister Crowley
Any sort of Anglo Indian
Adrian Carton de Wiart
etc.

Plenty more if you want it. As for various no good occult bits and bobs have a gander here: http://darksondesigns.proboards21.com/index.cgi?board=troop&action=display&thread=1173623917

Hope that helps.  

[Hammers]

Hey, not bad!

I may nick any number of things from there, xeoran.

[xeoran]

Hey, not bad!

I may nick any number of things from there, xeoran.

Be my guest, I love spreading the Weird War goodness. One condition though- we'll need pictures! Can't have a Lead Adventure without seeing some LEAD!  

[Bullshott]

Hammershield
If you are going to use these as an inter-war unit I'm not sure if the 'MI' status for British Inteligence services was actually used then. For a pre-war operation I would go for a secret Government department or a specialist organisation with Goverment backing (e.g Torchwood). An anonymous name like Department 13 would be good.

As an idea of how a such unit might have been organised, I offer an actual intelligence unit from WW2. The following is typical of the fragmented nature if British intelligence operations prior to the start of the Cold War:

NID30 was Naval intelligence Department Room 30, commanded by a naval officer - Ian Flemming (its true - you can't make this stuff up ...). Their role was to capture equipment and documents that may assist naval intelligence. They accompanied operations in Norway, Sicily/Italy and then France/Belgium/Germany after D-Day. They operated ahead of the front line to sieze intelligence material before the Germans could remove or destroy it and also to prevent it being destroyed by their own troops (secret intelligence papers are great for lighting cooking fires ...).

NID30 was the 'office' in London and also supplied technical specialists (naval officers and also attached officers from orher services) to accompany missions). To provide some 'muscle', NID30 operations were conducted by 30 Commando - a 'combined services' unit.

The army soon split off and did their own thing. By D-Day this operation was officered almost entirely by Royal Navy and Royal Marines (but the RAF still supplied some specialists), with the commandos being drawn from the Marines.

The commandos were dressed in standard British battledress, with green berets. Commando unit tags were worn at the top of each arm and the unit had its own beret badge. A typical patrol to sieze intelligence would have 1 NID30 officer supported by 1 officer and maybe 6-8 marines from 30 Commando, all well armed with a mix Thompson SMGs, .45 automatic pistols, and various British and US rifles/carbines/MGs (also German weapons after D-Day). If required, heavy support would be supplied from additional troops from 30 Commando (including armoured cars).

After D-Day all members of this unit operating in France were issued with 'Eisenhower passes' which permitted them to pass through any military check points in either direction (they surprised US recon forces in France by arriving from the direction of the German lines - the US troops thought they were the furthest foward of the allies).

Thus you have an office-based HQ contain the leadership and specialists, drawn from both military and civilian life. These men would provide a pool of specialists to lead field operations. You will need a military arm to support this, probalby drawn from troops from all services. Weapons should be effective and reliable - take the Commando example of .45 automatics and Thompson SMGs for leaders and specialists, plus standard .303 rifles and Bren guns (or if nearer to WW1 replace the Brens with BARs or Lewis Guns). All military ranks from HQ and the support troops would wear a common uniform, but with some variations - leather jerkins would be popular with combat troops, naval officers could wear their caps with naval rank on shoulders rather than army/marines rank).

For figures use pre-1945 British commandos in battledress and beret. Avoid figures in Denison smocks or armed with Sten guns, both of which which would be totally wrong for the inter-war years). Artisan's Commandos - North West Europe are perfect - if you avoid figures with Sten Guns

http://www.artizandesigns.com/catalogue.asp?sub_range=1

Also some of the Europe Ablaze figures from Artisan's Thrilling Tales range:

http://www.artizandesigns.com/catalogue.asp?sub_range=21

For heavy weapons, look at Artizan's commandos. This pack includes snipers, a flamethrower and a Vickers K gun for serious firepower - perfect for taking out anything from demons to mechanical men! -

[Hammers]

If you are going to use these as an inter-war unit I'm not sure if the 'MI' status for British Inteligence services was actually used then.

Either you or Wikipedia are wrong here:

"During the First World War, British secret services were divided into numbered sections referred to as Military Intelligence, department number X"

No offense but I think I'll go with Wiki :-)

For heavy weapons, look at Artizan's commandos. This pack includes snipers, a flamethrower and a Vickers K gun for serious firepower - perfect for taking out anything from demons to mechanical men! -

I have exactly these in mind (I got mine from Grimm, thanks!), along with the Weird War naval priest-officer with cross and Thomson from BAM and the Popski giveaway from Crisis '07.

[Chairface]

Great idea! I've actually been working on a VSF Torchwood! Lots of fun!

I solved that problem theoretically, so far: Torchwood was established by Queen Victoria, and when I get round to doing something in this area I intend to use troops from 1890 to 1922 assigned to Torchwood agents. So regular troops, plus 1 or more 'specials'. If they operate for longer periods, a few staunch squaddies might end up being indentured in Torchwood itself, in which case I'd probably go for a look which retains the original uniforms (pride in the regiment) and adds the odd weapon or three.
The argument can of course be extended to the present. UNIT is distinct from Torchwood, and uses a common uniform and favours berets. Can't help thinking that an SAS-type force would do the job for the current Doctor. I prefer the 'retained uniform' argument - permits some variety too. They could be issued with special kit for special ops, and this would depend on the scenario - for generic ops, if you prefer not to go for the retained kit look, again, for modern day types I'd go for SAS-style; for 1945-1980 (say) - umm, standard issue gear with berets, I'd say, a la UNIT; for WWII, LRDG ruffians or Popski-ites or commandos would be fun. Anything before 1940, I'd prefer to retain the uniforms.  
Going beyond the good Doctor(s), the same philosophy can of course be applied to any other sort of character/organization.
In my case it would be fair to admit I have made one such application, but that is in the Aeronef scale, with HMAS Platypus, currently allocated to Torchwood.