An Alternative Survivor's Guide to the United Kingdom

[Targan]

Another couple of films that have influenced me are Doomsday, starring Rhona Mitra and a Paul Verhoeven film from the 80's called Flesh and Blood which stared Rutger Hauer and was set in the Middle Ages - there are probably a couple of references to both of those dotted around here and there as well.

Flesh and Blood was a great film! A band of mercenaries whose leader (played by Hauer) comes to believe that he is the reincarnation of Saint Martin, the Patron Saint of Soldiers (well, in this film that's what they referred to him as, but I'm aware that in many Christian traditions the Archangel Michael is considered to fulfill that role). It's been so long since I saw it I'd completely forgotten about it until Rainbow Six mentioned it.

[Ironside]

I am using the Museum of East Anglian Life in my alternate UK.

eastanglianlife.org.uk/

There is a working forge and two matched steam ploughing engines.

[Brit]

You may find the film, 'The Last Valley', interesting. Set in the very 'T2K' Thirty Years War it depicts a band of mercenaries, of varying nationalities, finding a valley seemingly untouched by the war. Their leader is played by Michael Caine.

[simonmark6]

Snap, I thought of that one too and have used it several times as a basis for TW2K

[Rainbow Six]

Evening all,

Attached a few more pieces of my Alternative Survivors Guide to the UK short pieces on the Dutch (with a nod to James Langhams Naval Party 67; James and I bounced several ideas back and forth about the Dutch Royal Familys passage to the UK) and the Secret Intelligence Service, together with three organised groups Mebyon Kernow (which has been posted before on the Duke of Cornwall thread, but am reposting here to keep everything in one place), the Highland Coalition (a version of which has been posted before this version is slightly expanded and is a joint work with RN7), and the East Anglians.

Ive also included a contents page for anyone thats following the whole thing and wants to have an idea of whats included. Note the contents page includes the New Jerusalem Movement I havent reposted that as it was only posted relatively recently.

These articles pretty much bring the main body of this Alternative Survivors Guide to a conclusion. I only have a limited amount of time to devote to it these days, and I think Ive done what I set out to do when I first started to seriously work on it in late 2003 / early 2004 (although its origins go back further than that, to hand written notes going back to the 1990s). My first intention was relatively modest I wanted to expand on the order of battle for British forces in the UK, with a particular emphasis on the TA and HSF, which were largely overlooked n the official material. I did that, going through a series of drafts, several of which I posted to the previous incarnation of this forum at RPG Host.

As I did this various conversations began to take place, both on and off the board, and gradually I began to develop something that expanded my vision of the UK in T2K, based on the framework put forward in the official material. My intention is not, and never has been, to replace the official material or claim any sort of official status for my own work the intention, quite simply, is to put forward an alternative take on the UK in T2K which gamers can use or not as they wish.

A number of people have supported and encouraged me in writing this material; many have offered feedback and suggestions, several of which I have attempted to incorporate into the work, and would probably never have thought of on my own. To all of you, thank you. In particular, Id like to acknowledge LouieD, whose help has been invaluable, particularly with regard to the order of battle; RN7, who has contributed a huge amount of input, in particular to the Regional Guide; and DudeUK. This project did spend some time in hiatus from 2006 to 2008, and it would be fair to say that had DudeUK not posted a thread to the forum about the order of battle which caused me to dust everything off, it might well have stayed in hiatus. Both DudeUK and RN7 have also contributed text to various pieces.

So...I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I have enjoyed creating it. I may still tinker with it a little...Im still not 100% happy with the Separatists piece and I have two pieces that I plan to start working on which I hope will eventually take the form of modules to accompany the guide The Free City of Newcastle and Brummies of the Night (for those unfamiliar with the term, a brummie is someone from the City of Birmingham). But the main body of the work is now done and is presented here in its entirety. Your comments and feedback, are, as always, most welcome.

Dave Ross

[Rainbow Six]

And the three groups mentioned...

[James Langham]

Really good articles, it feels weird to be quoted! I may take a few other bits from your Dutch article if I may - I really can't see the need to create when such good ideas already exist!

Evening all,

Attached a few more pieces of my Alternative Survivors Guide to the UK short pieces on the Dutch (with a nod to James Langhams Naval Party 67; James and I bounced several ideas back and forth about the Dutch Royal Familys passage to the UK) and the Secret Intelligence Service, together with three organised groups Mebyon Kernow (which has been posted before on the Duke of Cornwall thread, but am reposting here to keep everything in one place), the Highland Coalition (a version of which has been posted before this version is slightly expanded and is a joint work with RN7), and the East Anglians.

Ive also included a contents page for anyone thats following the whole thing and wants to have an idea of whats included. Note the contents page includes the New Jerusalem Movement I havent reposted that as it was only posted relatively recently.

These articles pretty much bring the main body of this Alternative Survivors Guide to a conclusion. I only have a limited amount of time to devote to it these days, and I think Ive done what I set out to do when I first started to seriously work on it in late 2003 / early 2004 (although its origins go back further than that, to hand written notes going back to the 1990s). My first intention was relatively modest I wanted to expand on the order of battle for British forces in the UK, with a particular emphasis on the TA and HSF, which were largely overlooked n the official material. I did that, going through a series of drafts, several of which I posted to the previous incarnation of this forum at RPG Host.

As I did this various conversations began to take place, both on and off the board, and gradually I began to develop something that expanded my vision of the UK in T2K, based on the framework put forward in the official material. My intention is not, and never has been, to replace the official material or claim any sort of official status for my own work the intention, quite simply, is to put forward an alternative take on the UK in T2K which gamers can use or not as they wish.

A number of people have supported and encouraged me in writing this material; many have offered feedback and suggestions, several of which I have attempted to incorporate into the work, and would probably never have thought of on my own. To all of you, thank you. In particular, Id like to acknowledge LouieD, whose help has been invaluable, particularly with regard to the order of battle; RN7, who has contributed a huge amount of input, in particular to the Regional Guide; and DudeUK. This project did spend some time in hiatus from 2006 to 2008, and it would be fair to say that had DudeUK not posted a thread to the forum about the order of battle which caused me to dust everything off, it might well have stayed in hiatus. Both DudeUK and RN7 have also contributed text to various pieces.

So...I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I have enjoyed creating it. I may still tinker with it a little...Im still not 100% happy with the Separatists piece and I have two pieces that I plan to start working on which I hope will eventually take the form of modules to accompany the guide The Free City of Newcastle and Brummies of the Night (for those unfamiliar with the term, a brummie is someone from the City of Birmingham). But the main body of the work is now done and is presented here in its entirety. Your comments and feedback, are, as always, most welcome.

Dave Ross

[Rainbow Six]

Thanks James - help yourself to any bits that you want from the Dutch piece (or elsewhere for that matter).

Cheers

[mikeo80]

Rainbow,

The six articles are very well done! I know you said you are working on improvements. I, for one, can't wait!!!

I especially liked the mention in the Dutch section concerning Prince Willem Alexander and Prince Henry of Wales.

"The two princes are guarded by a contingent of Gurkhas..."

Guarded well indeed.

I would think that HRH and his government might not say WHERE the two Princes are....

But would make a very understated mention of the Gurkhas....

The two Princes are as safe as possible....

Even the most ardent Scottish/Welsh/Irish seperatist does NOT want to go up against the Gurkhas. EVER!!!

My $0.02

Mike

[pmulcahy11b]

Even the most ardent Scottish/Welsh/Irish seperatist does NOT want to go up against the Gurkhas. EVER!!!

My $0.02

Mike

As I recall, the Afghanis tried more than once to bring up Gurkhas on war crime charges (I remember thinking when I saw that how stupid it was) -- and the Taliban are reportedly deeply afraid of them.

[WallShadow]

Tough, really tough!

IIRC, my wife was telling me about a WW2 incident where a Gurhka unit was being pinned down by a German machinegun nest with 5 Germans in it. One of the Gurkhas waited for the gun to stop for reloading, charged the nest and shot 2 of the enemy before his rifle jammed, bayonetted a third, went hand-to-hand with the 4th and killed him with a spade, then was last seen chasing the panicked last German down the road, spade in hand.

Sorry if I mangled any of the details, but it makes a hell of a good story!

BTW, on our cruise on the Norwegian Dawn in 2005, my wife had occasion to call for Ship's Security (nothing serious, just some preteen stupidities that were escalating to annoying-as-hell). When Security showed up at our cabin responding to our request, it turns out they were Gurkhas. I don't rememeber any further problems.

[James Langham]

And also the politest people I have ever met and always immaculately turned out even in civvies.

IIRC, my wife was telling me about a WW2 incident where a Gurhka unit was being pinned down by a German machinegun nest with 5 Germans in it. One of the Gurkhas waited for the gun to stop for reloading, charged the nest and shot 2 of the enemy before his rifle jammed, bayonetted a third, went hand-to-hand with the 4th and killed him with a spade, then was last seen chasing the panicked last German down the road, spade in hand.

Sorry if I mangled any of the details, but it makes a hell of a good story!

BTW, on our cruise on the Norwegian Dawn in 2005, my wife had occasion to call for Ship's Security (nothing serious, just some preteen stupidities that were escalating to annoying-as-hell). When Security showed up at our cabin responding to our request, it turns out they were Gurkhas. I don't rememeber any further problems.

[mikeo80]

I would think that even the baddest of the bad, let's say Seal Team 6 or Spetnaz would have second thoughts going up against these guys.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Brigade_of_Gurkhas_recipients_of_the_Victoria_Cross

In this article it lists the 26 Gurkhas or British officers who received the VC since it's inception. That is 2% of the VC's went to the members of these units.

Tough is not enough of a word for these guys. I would think that in the T2K Universe, after the nukes have fallen, not only the two princes listed above, but HRH would also be guarded by the Gurkhas.

Go ahead France, Russia, who ever....make their day. After they are done turning you into sushi, they sharpen their kukri's. And wait....

My $0.02

Mike

[Targan]

The Badass of the Week website (http://www.badassoftheweek.com/list.html) has some excellent Gurkha stories, including one from a few years ago about a Gurkha who had recently retired from Indian service when he single-handedly took on an entire gang of bandits who were robbing a train he was travelling on. He was going to play it safe until the bandits attempted to rape a young woman, then he pulled out his kukri and started hacking. Needless to say things went very badly for the bandits.

Edit: Here's the link to that story: http://www.badassoftheweek.com/shrestha.html

[Rainbow Six]

Rainbow,

The six articles are very well done! I know you said you are working on improvements. I, for one, can't wait!!!

Thanks Mike...I have a bit of tinkering in mind...I'll probably spend some time over the next few months expanding the Regional Guide a little as well. I also just picked up a book on e bay that details the RAF as it was in 1989 (i.e. before Options For Change), so may have to review what I've done on the RAF.