"Dirtside Cold War Overlay" Topic

So I may have some fellow club members willing to play Dirtside, but who laugh science fiction to scorn. Still, it seems to me I could bend it pretty well to make it into a Cold War or Postmodern RusFed/NATO scenario. Has anyone else tried to do this at any point, and if so, what advice would you give?

Seems to me it's mainly a matter of renaming offending weapons systems, so a DFFG becomes a Spigot Missile or a Shillaleagh, a GMS/H becomes a TOW, Sagger or MILAN, with various guidance levels, an RFAC becomes a 20mm Autocannon, Ortillery becomes High Altitude Bombing. I might even sneak in some "advanced" weapons before they know it – some hovercraft maybe? Oh, no, wait… Well, I'll think of something.

Anyway… Advice is welcome! I'm sure there are pitfalls, and I'd love to know what anyone might have to make me aware of.

When I was involvd in playtesting DS2, I used Cold War forces. It's just a case of designing the weapon systems to reflect your knowledge of them and their effectiveness. I would err away from just relabelling existing DS2 systems. Some systems will carry across fairly easily as you suggest (a GMS/H becomes a TOW, Sagger or MILAN, with various guidance levels, an RFAC becomes a 20mm Autocannon,) but I don't think DFFG is a very good proxy for a Shillelegh.

When I used DS2 for moderns I ignored the Large and Very Large vehicle sizes, but kept 4 & 5 weapon size classes, and armour classes too. RFAC, HVC, missiles and SLAMs only. No real weapons fit limitations. Thus an M1A1 would be a medium vehicle with class 5 armour and a HVC/5. I kept the three fire control levels. It's a great ruleset.

Have you looked at Cold War Commander? A few of us who were dirt side guys are using this set for moderns.

I'm already using it. Apparently, just knowing that the rule set for Dirtside once had ye taint of Science Fiction upon her was enough to make it unacceptable to all concerned, so it's getting shelved. I'm a little bummed out but at least CWC is a good game in itself. I suggested a compromise by setting the campaign in a fictional post-Soviet republic but that isn't going down well either. What is it about using my imagination that people think is so silly? I kind of thought that was the point but I guess there's an upper limit I wasn't aware of.

Thanks for the advice, anyway, folks!

Force on Force has a lovely companion volume called Cold War Gone Hot if you're still considering rulesets. I haven't read it yet, but it's by Ambush Alley and Osprey, so I'm willing to believe you could have some fun creating scenarios from that.

I'm planning a solo campaign using four of the FoF books, including also Tomorrow's War and Classified: Special Operations, but I'm mostly writing my own fluff, while broadly using existing 15mm SF product to guide my army lists.

I don't have anyone else's opinions to consider at this point, so I can build the entire thing my way, and then have forces that I can squeeze into Dirtside, Mighty Armor, Stargrunt, 5150, Mecha Front or any other cool sci fi ruleset anyone is willing to play or I happen to buy and try. I use the manufacturer's fluff where it coincides with mine, if I like. Many of them have some kind of near future NATO, RusFed, PLA, JSDF, etc. I decide on tech level, scenarios, locations, factions, backstory, everything else.

Maybe setting up your own solo campaign above and beyond the games you're playing with other folks would be the outlet for your own kind of sci fi creativity.

Cheers. Have fun with it. 8)

I started down that road and went pretty far but eventually ran into some complications that got too complex for my liking – I tend to be a completist and was trying to fit all of 1950-2010 into the design rules.

However, if you'd like my notes and design spreadsheet, I can pass those on for you to use/ignore as you see fit. If you want to drop me a line at chrisrobinson AT nexicom.net I'll get them to you (might be next week depending on where my memory stick is at the moment).

Don't mind me, I'm just griping. I'd love to see the material you worked up. I'll email you.

Apparently, just knowing that the rule set for Dirtside once had ye taint of Science Fiction upon her was enough to make it unacceptable to all concerned, so it's getting shelved.

Exercise a little subterfuge. Knock up a playsheet from the DS2 rulebook. Change all the terminology to protect the innocent and present it as a "set of rules I am developing for this period".