|
|
Post by hardlec on Jul 1, 2016 9:06:52 GMT
I had an idea for a "long story" that got a bit too long. So I'm going to split it into two stories.
Part of my development issue came from having too many strong characters.
Patton
I originally planned for Col. Patton to relieve Amarillo. After Scott's book, I realized that my work was too ridden with anachronisms to be modified, so I plan to start over. Lt. Patton comes back from the 1904 Olympics. He starts as the commander of a troop (platoon) of rough rider cavalry, and survives several battles to become Lt. Col. Patton commanding an armored battalion. During this time, Patton often worked with Native Americans who follow the traditional lifestyle and resist the Martians from behind the lines. The story ends as a wounded Col. Patton is sent to Washington to recover.
Second Story
Col. Adna Chaffee takes his regiment down the Ohio River, part of the offensive by the US to retake the area east of the Mississippi. Chaffee uses his secret weapons, a Jesuit who was a professor of Geology from South East Missouri University, and a professor of Physics from Tuskegee University. With this brainpower, Chaffee destroys a Martian Redoubt.
I know I have fudged some dates, which I attribute to the first invasion.
Where should Patton Serve?
Is there consensus about the existence of multiple (dumb) rocket launching systems?
Do tripods self destruct to avoid capture?
|
|
|
|
Post by scottwashburn on Jul 1, 2016 10:54:45 GMT
I've been debating whether I will introduce Patton into my series. Of course Patton only graduated West Point in 1909, so he's a fresh shavetail at the time of Book 2. Frankly, I'm no great fan of Patton, so I'm very, very, VERY tempted to introduce him into my story--and then kill him  |
|
|
|
Post by madmorgan on Jul 1, 2016 11:05:41 GMT
Hehe, scott you devil. I use Patton in my AQ games as the, now general, organizing a modern USA tank division. See my numerous threads with TO&Es and OOBs about this go, including the SPA battalion. I don't have (and probably won't unless IG does one) a Patton tank per the rule book, but the Conqueror lines command tank comes close and I've Spartan and Ironclads S-5 (the David) for his personal tank. In the case of the David, I just add the special crew rules to the imposing tanks stats and there you go. After all, the Patton model tank only had a few extra weapons - what makes it awesome is Patton and his crews special rules. As far as the rocket systems, I think everyone agrees that the rocket is a valued addition to the human forces - any number of launchers and platforms are available to our AQ world, from the lowly Armored Car and air plane to the massive ship and land based setups. Have a look at my attempts with Ships, Airpower, and the TX TO&Es for examples.
|
|
|
|
Post by scottwashburn on Jul 1, 2016 12:44:58 GMT
Ah yes, rockets! In a recently written chapter, one of the heroes encounters Robert Goddard and Charles Munroe (who was a pioneer in shaped-charge explosives). Can Bazookas be far off? (Actually, yes they can, probably not until Book 3). |
|
|
|
Post by madmorgan on Jul 1, 2016 12:49:13 GMT
Wonderful - I've already got some rules for them and look forward to your presentation for same |
|
|
|
Post by hardlec on Jul 1, 2016 14:38:10 GMT
Thank you, gentlemen.
Patton of my alternate history starts in 1908; graduates a year early due to the needs of the service; gets to serve in Oklahoma; makes Coronal in his first year and then he is wounded. Please, Scott, don't kill him until after that.
Georgie will still be a glory grabber, but much less narcissistic when I get done with him. (Vision Quest)
I have been involved in the MRLS discussions. Hale rockets already existed, and the Cheyenne who serve with Patton will use something similar. A disposable option to a regular artillery.
Chaffee, imho, was a better officer than Patton but died between the wars. The Patton tank in AQMF seemed to me a very direct homage to FoW tiger tank rules.
Patton the Olympic athlete is interesting to me. Patton the abuser of men with PTSD not so much. The Chaffee will get the Patton's ability. No extra weapons but great crew abilities.
Thurgood Jones, Ph.D from Tuskegee, may have met Goddard and Munson. A character of my imagination, his true value kicks in when Martian Red washes away human color differences.
Chaffee starts his mission in 1916.
I hope to avoid complex Martian politics.
|
|
|
|
Post by boxholder on Jul 1, 2016 15:01:08 GMT
Well, love him or hate him, Patton had the vision of what mobile warfare was (and could be). And he had a gift for offensive action that could keep opponents off balance. The impetuosity that accompanied his self confidence cost him dearly.
He was the prototypical Greek tragic hero translated into more modern terms and modern times: a mix of good and bad, weak and strong, admirable and despicable.
But I'm not sure Scott's death sentence for him is appropriate. But, it is his storyline.
PS. The first book was an excellent read.
|
|
|
|
Post by hardlec on Jul 1, 2016 15:03:52 GMT
The last warrior should be killed by the last bullet of the last battle. GSP
|
|
|
|
Post by scottwashburn on Jul 1, 2016 15:18:04 GMT
Patton gets more credit as an armored warfare 'visionary' than he deserves. True he commanded a tank battalion in France and saw action there. But afterwards when he and Eisenhower (who commanded the tank training school in Gettysburg during WWI) tried to push the idea of armored forces, they were told quite clearly that tanks had no future in the US Army and if they didn't want to hurt their careers, they should shut up. And they did! They both dropped tanks like a hot potato and followed the official line. No Billy Mitchell protests for them! Patton didn't get back into armored theory until WWII was underway. Of course in this timeline things are different |
|
|
|
Post by hardlec on Jul 1, 2016 17:13:27 GMT
True. It was Adna Chaffee who fell on his sword career-wise.
|
|
