"Not everyone is a Major Winters, you know." Topic

Thought it would be fun to make "anti-warriors" – bad leaders based on actual soldiers or the movies. Her are some of mine – what are your thoughts?
Colonel Pitts (from Eagle has Landed) minus 25 points
Charge! Col Pitts is so tactically inept that defending teams can ignore pinning penalties if assaulted by a team led by Pitts.

Maj Gen Jack Leslie (from movie Anzio) minus 25 points
Not so fast – let me think a minute: The general is far too cautious. Takes a motivation test to assault. The first time one fails – the men break cover (and are subject to defensive fire) but halt 2" from enemy while general considers his options.

Captain Sobel (Band of Brothers) minus 25 points
Rongo Starr: Captain Sobel can't navigate. Take a skill test when the captain enters any sort of terrain feature. Failure means he gets lost. Make a full move in a random direction.
Hi-Ho Silver! Not knowing what else to do, Captain Sobel charges straight ahead in assault. Defensive teams get an extra dice in defensive fire phase.

Leut Dyke, will halt any attack 2 turns into it, on a roll of anything but six. Will leave the battlefield on a roll of 3 to 6, leaving a Sargent in charge.

I like idea! Flesh it out some more.

I'm not a bad enough leader? I need help?

Seriously though, the player CANNOT KNOW how bad this figure is before a game.
A GM should bestow this boon on him, or players could draw cards referencing good and bad qualities. They can't know how the leader is going to react until a situation arises where it's necessary. In FoW, I keep my leader well to the rear.

Perhaps the GM could just let the player know he would be saving 25 points, and not let him know about the officer's qualities until the game starts.

Grelber

You have to be careful that the player won't just hide the leader away. So hidden qualities – some of which might be positive or others negative – are a possible idea.

Captain Maitland – not present on the battlefield because he found a really nice boat he's trying to ship back to Martha's Vineyard, leaving the battle to be lead by sergeants.

+1 boy wundyr x

This was all meant "tongue in cheek"
Am quite sure it would never be tolerated in a serious game.
wrgmr & boy wundyr – That's the spirit!

Any other suggestions?

Not a suggestion but I recall that AH-Squad Leader had a +1 leader one could buy for cheap. (+1 modifier was bad in SL)
Poor counter never got used in all the years I played SL.

The 6+1 leader is in a number of scenarios in ASL.

I'm trying to figure out what special trait(s) Sgt. Schultz and Col. Klink would get. For the Sgt., something about doing anything to avoid the Eastern Front (obviously wouldn't work when he's already on the Eastern Front…).

And then there's Oddball, whose platoon of tanks have a greater movement rate going backwards and a 50% chance of shooting a paint round instead of HEAT.

Lt. Minderbender – any air attacks for either side attack all forces on the table equally, as he's contracted them out to both sides.

I love this idea! Better to make up a random table, not knowing which characteristic you get until the opening move.

I like it, but maybe with rolling a dice for the bad "skill" at random. We could call it Tiger Dunce.

"I'm trying to figure out what special trait(s) Sgt. Schultz and Col. Klink would get. For the Sgt., something about doing anything to avoid the Eastern Front (obviously wouldn't work when he's already on the Eastern Front…)."

How about the "I See Nothing Rule"
Any platoon Sgt. Schultz is attached to treats all enemy units as concealed during firing, even those in the open.

Capt. Mainwaring and his crew.

Captain Cooney (from Attack!) Reluctant/Trained.

"Daddy used to beat me!"
When any platoon in Cooney's company comes under fire for the first time, Cooney must make a motivation test. If he fails, he curls up in a ball and gibbers leaving 2ic Lt. Woodruff (Confident/Veteran) in command. If he passes, roll a D6: 1-3, he orders Lt. Costa's platoon (Confident/Veteran) to immediately assault the nearest German platoon. 4-6, he shoots Lt. Costa.

Dad's Army in Flames of War.

Warmington-on-Sea Home Guard platoon (Confident, Conscript).

Platoon HQ
1 x Rifle team

Home Guard Platoon
1 x Rifle/SMG team, 3 x rifle teams

Captain Mainwaring, warrior. Confident, Conscript.
"Now Pay Attention Men"
Due to Mainwaring's unshakeable belief in his own planning and that the platoon is relatively immobile, the platoon always begins in prepared positions and are gone to ground at all times.

Sergeant Wilson, warrior. Confident, Veteran.
"Gather around everyone"
Wilson always re-rolls the first failed motivation test.

Corporal Jones, warrior. Confident OR Reluctant, Veteran (see below)
"They don't like it up 'em!"
Jonesy always re-rolls failed motivation tests in assaults, which is counted as Confident.
"Don't panic!"
Jonesy's motivation becomes Reluctant when testing against incoming fire.

Private Fraser, warrior. Reluctant, Veteran
"We're doomed!"
Mainwaring's motivation drops to Reluctant if he's within 4" of a stand containing Fraser.

Private Walker, warrior. Fearless, Conscript.
"I can get you some decent knicker elastic"
Any team with Walker attached may make a reconnaissance withdrawal move when it comes under fire.

Private Pike, warrior. Reluctant OR Fearless, Conscript.
"I saw this James Cagney movie once"
If Pike is equipped with an SMG, his motivation becomes fearless.
"Mum won't like it if I stay up this late, tell him Uncle Arthur"
The platoon may not make any night time attacks.

Private Godfrey, warrior. Confident, Conscript
"My sister Dolly made these teacakes"
Re-roll any failed save throws.

Colonel Klink, warrior. Reluctant, Trained.
"Hogan, dis-missed!"
Any allied platoon may bring back one destroyed team as Klink has proven that there has never been a successful escape whilst he's been in charge.

"It's a Tiger tank, really"
A German company with Klink in charge may field one platoon of US M7 Priests painted in German tank grey.

Lt Gruber, warrior. Reluctant, trained.
"Would you like a ride in my little tank, Rene?"
Even though Lt Gruber is in command of a platoon of armoured cars, they are counted as an tank unit and do not use any of the reconnaissance rules.

Colonel Nicholson, Fearless Veteran
"What have I done?"
An Allied unit that has Nicholson attached may attack another allied unit if they fire at any Japanese targets within 4" of a bridge.