My problem comes in that I have a great idea for a quest where the PCs have to go and find a missing friend inside the blockaded district, but I have few ideas about actual encounters to take place inside because I have never had a war zone in any of my sessions.
So far for encounters I have:
-Trying to get into the district
-Refugees trying to escape the district
-Enemy Patrols
-Disease infested bodies (but I need suggestions for diseases)
-A POW camp where their friend is actually held.
So any suggestions of encounters, ideas, mood setters, whatever is appreciated.
What kind of approach is this revolution taking? Are they blasting down buildings, or are they more focused on killing those who actively resist them?
Speaking of those actively resisting the revolution, are they doing anything other than sitting at the perimeter? Could the players feasibly walk into a firefight?
If you could answer some of these questions, it'll help us (or maybe just me) come up with ideas for you.
Nothing says "You're in a war zone" like having arty dropping on ya.
If you wanted to be kind to the players, you could make it interactive rather than CutScene TPK-
Artillery Encounter
Danger: effect of shelling while in target area
Escape: leave target area
Complication: enemy FO will have arty follow as team tries escape
Make up an appropriate level pair of FO guys as far out as reasonable for the setting, with stealth skills high enough to generate spot DCs around 25-30 depending on player level. The team must either spot & neutralize the FOs, or spot & egress to where the FOs cant see, or wander around all over the place while getting shelled till they happen to get somewhere the FO cant see.
Use my HE Shelling Formula houserule to put some hurt on them without TPK by Howitzer
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Mortarbomb, Clockwork Flechette
A clockwork device made up of a stack of rotary disks on the bombs axis, that release flechette darts by centrifugal force on dropped impact. Using heavy torque presses at the muntions factory, the bomb are wound up and loaded, then attached to the projection mainspring & fin unit.... ready for the motor launcher to break the ceramic disk launch initiator. The light mortar team is a Tubeman to carry & operate the mortar tube, and an Ammoman to carry & load the ammo. The Heavy variant has no mainspring and relies on a 4man SteamMortar Wagon for launch.
Quick & easy, use standard HE Frag effect, 60mm stats for light, 81mm stats for heavy, and cut both lob ranges 1/8 of gunpowder models
The original Cognitive Movement was meant to be an uprising of the lower class automaton people lead by an automaton scientist. However, the party killed him before he went public and a rather crafty human convict has somehow wrangled leadership of the revolution. He said himself that he now has an army which he can use to take over the city. It seemed from the last session that there were a great deal of destroyed buildings, though we were in the worst of the fighting, however, many of the automatons are massacring civilians. Of course the CM's political opposition, Flesh & Bone, have a militia that have been doing just as terrible things, though they have been offering aid to refugees.
The session is going to take place probably 2 days after the initial battle. The F&B militia makes up most of the perimeter guard, and they don't have that many leaders so it is unlikely that they would venture forth into the district much. The military does have a relatively small presence, though it is growing by the day. I think the military may be shelling the district a small amount, and F&B may have the occasional foray into the district, but generally they are waiting for more support before any major actions. So the players could plausibly happen upon a firefight.
They artillery encounter's a good idea, but I'm wondering how the FO would relay messages to the arty. While I don't think that the 4th City military would actively try to shell the party, the insurgents might use close support mortars.
As a final note I would like to mention that I know fairly little about military tactics, let alone victorian era military tactics, so please keep that in mind.
Here's another encounter idea:
Collapsing Building
Danger: Refugee building PCs are hiding in may collapse on them, turning them into bloody pancakes.
Escape: Flee the building, eliminate demo/fire-team.
Complication: Refugees are panicking, rushing for any escape they can find to get out of the building. A large blast has taken out a critical support on the west end of the multiple-story building, causing the structure to dip in that direction. The building will collapse soon, especially if the refugees aren't organized.
Unfortunately, there is a fire/demo-team waiting at the primary exit - on the east side -, ready to fill any fleeing refugees/militia with lead. The PCs must either risk leaving from one of the less stable exits, or eliminate the fireteam on the west side.
Add fires, old ladies, and small children as you see fit.
They artillery encounter's a good idea, but I'm wondering how the FO would relay messages to the arty. While I don't think that the 4th City military would actively try to shell the party, the insurgents might use close support mortars
The FO could write the corrections on a 1' chalkboard, and the firebase uses a 500x telescope?
Match, Mirror, & Morse ?
If the party isnt in uniform, then they really should put out the good china for a visit from their pal, Friendly Fire. FOs are good at spotting, not knowing everyones name & alliance ;). Rest easy, I'm sure the goverment man at the party's funerals will issue a heartfelt "Ooos, sorry."
Danger: Fight with enemy, Fight with own troops
Escape: Win fight, or negotiate
Complication: Hostages
Have the enemy take some hostages before the party gets there. Then the enemy demands the party take out a bunker of (2-4) good guys up the street or the Hostages get upgraded to Casualties. The party can try to
- fight the enemy: wrong, half enemy fights while half kill hostages
- fake acceptance and then sneak/ambush enemy: maybe kill hostage, 1 in 10 each round each enemy
- fake acceptance and get help from goodguys: at least 3 diplomacy / negotiation type rolls for whatever
- accept and attack bunker: fair fight, but have it come back to bite them / take reponsibility
- unexpected party action: guys that think outside the box should get rewarded.... even if they ruin a well planned encounter with an easyout
Danger: Never before encountered, high EL monster to fight
Escape: Combine forces with existing enemy to overcome monster
Complication: They dont trust us, we dont trust them
By requiring the players to team up with an existing enemy you practicaly guarantee the ole HeDies SheDies TheyDie.... WeDie. Have the party encounter an enemy unit getting spanked by some horror, RoboTroll with a 20mmAK or some sillyness, and make it clear that the troll is interested in what is food more than the color of uniforms (FWI, the players are always 'food'). Pick a creature too tough for the players, and some enemy unit equally tough as the players, and have the players encounter it about 2-3 rounds in on the fight between the creature & the enemy.
Just to prevent the players from making like Sir Robin and running bravely away, lay the foundation of the players being in the area as needing to get something the enemy has... medicine or a nuke or a dvd of season3 Simpons or something the Troll will ruin.
Danger: 10-15 patrolling enemy fireteams, 2-6 neutral fireteams, crossfire
Escape: Get out of the area with MacGuffin
Complication: No gear
The players are inserted into a warzone with the objective to get some object of value from an enemy base, but gear is procure on site. The players have to sneak around the enemy troops while dodging artillery, getting weapons, and generally not dying. The neutral troops will be using guerrilla warfare, but may mistake the PCs for the enemy. The PCs only have knives, and if your feeling generous a Glock, and must get weapons by any means possible. Throw in a shady weapons merchant who only says "What are you buying/selling?" for comedic effect.
Danger: A piecemeal squad of militiamen with one "sergeant".
Escape: Diplomacy, Intimidate, or Superior Firepower
Complication: The heroes are surrounded, peaceful resolution requires parting with some gear.
Through no fault of their own, the heroes stumble into a militia checkpoint commanded by a particularly corrupt Militia Sergent (Strong / Charismatic Ordinary, at least two levels higher than his underlings), who greets the heroes with some variation of this line "We're the new gubmint... where's the taxes?"
Officially, the militiamen are to "collect taxes" to fund the war effort in general, but this squad can be brought off... for the right price. To get out of this situation, the players can either part with some of their gear (they won't accept old government money unless it's made of precious metals), bribe the militiamen directly (which makes sure they're never accosted by this particular group again), or fight their way out. Fighting out of this situation should be somewhat inconvenient, either by placing the rest of the squad aside from the Sergent in higher ground, behind cover, or both. However, the quality of the average militiaman in this squad shouldn't be too high.
"Taxes" should be taken in the form of ammunition, armor, clothing, food, medicine, and other directly useful war supplies. "Bribes" can be purchased with luxury items like tobacco, alcohol, candy, coffee, books, and so on. For added flavor, the Sergent should have some kind of weakness for some specific luxury item (a certain brand of cigar, books by a certain author, et cetera). If the players have none of these items, it should be possible for them to go out and find at least a few articles of the more common items.
Getting past the blockade is a simple matter or either bribing the militia, or going into the sewers (thus encountering crocodiles).
In the war zone the party passes plenty of dead and, knowing my party, will not have any canteens. Any nearby water is horribly tainted. Though I still need suggestions for an actual disease.
I've combined the artillery encounter, collapsing building and escaping refugees into one encounter. The party will meet or pass the 8 refugees (who have helpful advice if their wounded are tended to) and then close support mortars will begin to fire on the party with a nearby FO. The FO is using a heliograph to targetting data. If the party takes out the FO then the mortar fire is randomized rather than targeted at the refugees. Either way the refugees will take cover in a shaky building which will collapse on them if they don't leave soon. Once the mortar fire stops, a 4 man fire team with 3 rifles and a flamethrower come in to clean up survivors. The refugees/party can sneak out an unsafe back exit, or confront the soldiers.
Depending on how the rest of the quest gets written I will include the big bad monster as a boss, and maybe the "tax collectors."
Danger: One really powerful monster
Goal: Fortify a position against really big automation
Complication: You only have two hours and are cut off from HQ
This scenario encourages your players to be creative. reward them for interesting traps, homemade mortars, and the likes
The Somewhat Great Escape
Danger: 10-15 Firesquads
Goal: Escape enemy territory
Complication: No Gear, No Allies, and 20 Miles from Home
dig a tunnel or otherwise sneak in?
use false papers to get in?
Once inside, in addition to the roving patrols of troops sent to keep order your guys may likely encounter troops who are out to pilfer. This is always an interesting dynamic as the troops may not want to call for assistance because then questions come up of 'so why exactly was that golden candlestick in your bag again?'
In addition to refugees trying to get out, you also will have refugees just trying to survive, which may mean they are out looking for food and supplies and encounter the characters. Maybe some refugees are skilled criminal types who have been taking what they need (and want) by force...but what about those refugees who are willing to use force simply because they are in desperate need? (does the party gun down a starving man who jumps on the back of chacacter C and starts grabbing into the backpack?) You may encounter refugees who beg, and have a great chance of a sidequest when a mother begs that you help her sick child, there is plenty of medication in the barracks infirmary...
Danger: Bombs
Goal: Die
Complication: Bombs
Great way to end the campaign
Bombs Fall, You All Die
Danger: Bombs
Goal: Die
Complication: Bombs
Great way to end the campaign
Oh why sugarcoat it? Falling rocks have worked just fine so far.
BigAl: "And THAT my friends is why I have Weapon Focus ExoticMelee: D-Handle Shovel !!"