Co B, 116th ACR

[dragoon500ly]

The more I hear about Major Po, the more convinced I am that I have served with this officer!

LOL

[Chris]

During a face-off between Major Po and his command element and Captain Warren and her senior commanders there was a brief shoot-out. One of Warren's men was killed and several of Po's men were wounded. Following an extremely tense stand-off Warren and Po agreed that their respective units would go their separate ways.

Wait, what!! Major Po backed down You can't be talking about the same Major Po I keep reading about on these forums.

Chris

[helbent4]

Wait, what!! Major Po backed down You can't be talking about the same Major Po I keep reading about on these forums.

Chris

Chris,

As Targan mentioned, Major Anthony "Angel of Death" Po certainly never forgave nor forgot this slight. In his dreams he hits her with a spinning Eagle Claw kick, then rips the beating heart from her chest cavity as a heavenly choir declares: "FATALITY!".

Ah, I kid, don't get me wrong, I think most of us have played ber-badasses like Po at one time or another either for kicks or to make some kind of point. (I know I have and had fun doing it.) Po's just been around for so long as a PC that there's an "Angel of Death" story for pretty much any occasion. A slightly over-the-top story that sometimes makes one want to take a shower afterwards.

Tony

[Targan]

One thing to remember is that Po was far from being the most deadly combatant among the PCs and major allied NPCs. He was a decent shot and was pretty good at Wing Chun but there were other PCs that were much bigger, scarier, better shots or just all-round more deadly. Po's most scary combat asset was his brain. And a built in machiavellian ruthlessness that I simultaneously admired and despised.

[boogiedowndonovan]

To try and get what he wanted, Major Po attempted to seduce Captain Warren but he critically failed his seduction roll and licked the scar on Warren's face...

Targan, that scar story is epic. Love it every time you bring it up.

Not sure if anyone else has the White Eagle module, which happens after Black Madonna and Going Home (Operation Omega), but B troop 1/116th stays behind...and Molly Warren is appointed the Duchess of Dobrodzien by the Margrave of Silesia.

Sooo, an argument could be made that when your group of PCs run into B troop, they don't even consider themselves part of the US Army anymore.

[Adm.Lee]

I think you have an opportunity to demonstrate to the group the concept that units are shedding the chain of command and settling down in place. Not just Soviet divisions mutinying, but NATO ones, too.

My suggestion would be that Captain Warren flash her written orders, and politely refuse to follow along. Offering guides, food and shelter would be good. Then, perhaps in a quiet aside over dinner, the troop first sergeant has a one-on-one with the PCs' ranking NCO, to explain that the troop isn't going anywhere anymore. The decision to settle down is popular with the boys and girls, and trouble-making officers trying to break this rice-bowl won't like what they find. (Could be junior officer to junior officer, too, but the "wise old sergeant" angle would be more appropriate). Play up that the survivors of B Troop are tight, and have been together since before the war. Bonds like that are not overcome easily, not when reinforced by years of combat and close living.

Having said that, there could easily be one or two troopers who don't really want to stay, and might join the PCs. If a heavily-armed group comes by with the intent to march , well, there's safety in numbers, right They didn't object to the Captain's decision earlier, because they didn't see themselves making it to Germany alone. OTOH, pissing off the Captain and the rest of the troop won't win any recruits.

[Targan]

Play up that the survivors of B Troop are tight, and have been together since before the war. Bonds like that are not overcome easily, not when reinforced by years of combat and close living.

I absolutely agree on this point. I gave numerous example to my group of tight bonds within B Troop. For instance Captain Warren was very protective of one of her junior sergeants, a pretty blonde lass who had been one pf Warren's bank tellers when Warren had been a bank manager in Boise, Idaho. Warren had talked the girl into joining the national guard before the war to give her more self confidence. An example of personnel more likely to want to leave Dobrodzien was Warren's 1st Sgt, John Blue Elk. He was a Regular Army tanker before the war, had ended up with B Troop as a straggler in 1998 and in my campaign had absolutely no intention of living out the rest of his life in Poland.

[helbent4]

One thing to remember is that Po was far from being the most deadly combatant among the PCs and major allied NPCs. He was a decent shot and was pretty good at Wing Chun but there were other PCs that were much bigger, scarier, better shots or just all-round more deadly. Po's most scary combat asset was his brain. And a built in machiavellian ruthlessness that I simultaneously admired and despised.

Targan,

Sure, that's why he's the "Angel of Death" and not "Rambo" or "Audie Murphy". The Doctor thing fits, too.

I'll have to take a closer look at White Eagle, I ran Black Madonna some 25 years ago and it would be interesting to have a look at the aftermath.

Tony

[HorseSoldier]

I agree with the idea that some colonel rolling into town with B/1-116th is unlikely to get a very warm reception unless he makes it real clear real quick that he's not looking to take charge. I like the idea of one senior NCO to another discretely laying down the law. I also agree with the idea of being able to use the encounter with B/1-116 as a way to inject a couple new PCs (or NPCs) into the group.

Interesting possible angle would be CPT Warren having to work to restrain overly dedicated subordinates who decide to try and off the colonel, while not necessarily having any interest in giving up her command.