Hoffmeister: The Aftermath

Graves detail carries off Captain Thorpe in a body bag. Nobody even salutes. The only notice anyone gives of him at all is the occasional shrug.

Still, the company took Hoffmeister and, in the days following, the unit is brought quickly up to full strength again. Dowler and Pickard look good in the reports. Benedetto less so, and there is rumor he may come up on charges for drinking.

As the last of the reinforcements and supplies are brought in, so is the new company commander, captain Fowler.

The captain's first announcement is that the company has been chosen to lead the main assault into the town of Banholz. The company will have armor backing them up, along with some artillery support, and some reserves standing by for reinforcement, if needed.

Newly built and painted armourfast vehicles (one M4 and two M10's at the rear of the column) move up to support Fox Company in their next push.
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Revised Company Roster

Fox Company:
Captain Norman Fowler, commander (replacement)
1st platoon (full strength, some replacements)
2nd platoon (full strength, many replacements)
3rd platoon (full strength, many replacements)

Support:
1 M8 Scout Car
2 M4 Sherman Tanks
2 M10 Wolverine Tank Destroyers
1 Artillery Fire Mission
Reserves (unspecified type/number)
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New NPC

Company Commander (Replacement): Capatin Norman Fowler

Description: A pragmatic man, whose primary interest, outside his duties, is family. He talks freely about his own, and also takes an active interest in his men's families' well-being. Most of the men have quickly taken a liking to him because of this. He is a cautious but competent commander.

Traits/Stats: Personality: Pragmatic; Interest: Family; Combat Temperament: Cautious (-1 DRM to number of cards drawn); Combat Leadership: Level II (average); Background: Average.

Cumulative DRM: -1 DRM to number of cards drawn for the US each turn.
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Revised NPC

1st Platoon Leader: Lt. Clinton Dowler

Description: Lieutenant Dowler is a mercurial fellow, as quick to offer a kind word as to jump into a rage – both perhaps related to what many view as his religious fanaticism. He can be charitable to the men around him when they are in need, and severely judgmental and angered when they engage in any activity he perceives as sinful. The fact that he often quotes biblical verse while addressing his men will no doubt win him points with fellow believers, but will also certainly turn off the foxhole atheists in his platoon.

Traits/Stats: Personality: Mercurial (-1 DRM), Interest: Religion (pious/devout), Combat Temperament: Even, Combat Leadership: Level 2, (Average); Background: Average.

Cumulative DRM: -1
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[Game note: the "after-the-battle" narrative was drafted based on results rolled for with the Platoon Forward rules – Post-Battle Events: Freeform (Replacements/support); Manpower (reserves); Manpower (Arty support)]

Gratz: The Aftermath

Despite the frantic withdrawal from Gratz, one of Lt. Grover's sergeants manages to bring his body out. Falling back to an assembly area – no more than a large clearing in the woods – the company is in complete disarray. First platoon was completely wiped out, second platoon is down to about a dozen men, and third platoon is the only one largely intact, though Pickard's men are fairly shaken. Benedetto watches as some men bring over Grover's body and lay it with the other corpses recovered from first platoon. "I'm beginning to see what old Grinder had against the captain," he mutters to himself. He looks around as if there might be a spare bottle lying around, but of course there isn't. Not in this mess.

"Lieutenant!" calls a voice. Benedetto spins around to find himself face to face with the battalion commander, Lt. Col. Kenison. "What the hell happened here, lieutenant?" Benedetto hesistates at first, but gives the commander his assessment. Kenison nods and pats the second platoon commander on the shoulder. "You're doing a fine job lieutenant. Keep up the good work. I'll make sure you get back to full strength with the replacements coming in."

Benedetto watches the battalion commander stomp off to find Captain Thorpe. The need for a drink gnaws him again. Medics working on wounded men. Soldiers running back and forth. A jeep pulls up and a new lieutenant steps out, in a clean, pressed uniform with a duffle bag thrown over his shoulder. The fresh L-T approaches. "I have orders to take over first platoon. Any idea where those boys are?" Benedetto points to the line of dead bodies where Grover was just laid down. "Over there," he says. The new lieutenant crosses himself. "With the Lord then," he says softly. "Well, I suppose I just better report to Captain Thorpe and wait for the replacements."

Once the young lieutenant is out of sight, several trucks arrive. Sergeants run up to them barking orders. "You men, you're in second platoon with Lieutenant Benedetto. Form up on me! You others, you'll be in first platoon with the new lieutenant. Fall in over there!" Benedetto wonders how long it will be before these men are lying beside Grover and the others.

[Game note: the "after-the-battle" narrative was drafted based on results rolled for with the Platoon Forward rules – Post-Battle Events: Freeform; Encounter; Player Choice (Replacements)]

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Revised Company Roster

1st platoon (brought up to two squads; new commander)
2nd platoon (brought up to three squads with replacements)
3rd platoon (intact with three squads, no replacements)

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New NPC

1st Platoon Leader (Replacement): Lt. Clinton Dowler

Description: Lieutenant Dowler is a mercurial fellow, as quick to offer a kind word as to jump into a rage – both perhaps related to what many view as his religious fanaticism. He can be charitable to the men around him when they are in need, and severely judgmental and angered when they engage in any activity he perceives as sinful. The fact that he often quotes biblical verse while addressing his men will no doubt win him points with fellow believers, but will also certainly turn off the foxhole atheists in his platoon.

Traits/Stats: Personality: Mercurial (-1 DRM), Interest: Religion (pious/devout), Combat Temperament: Even, Combat Leadership: Level 1, Below Average/Green (-1 DRM); Background: Average.

Cumulative DRM: -2

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New NPC
Battalion Commander, Lt. Col. Max Kenison

Traits: Personality: Likeable; Interest: Engineering; Combat Temperament: Even; Combat Leadership: Level 4 (Excellent); Background: Average).

[Game note: no detailed description or DRM, since he only exists for the purposes of his encounter with Benedetto and will not be seen again (encounters with previously met NPCs are re-rolled).]

Platoon Forward Solo Hürtgen Forest Campaign Personalities

Using the Platoon Forward campaign rules, I set up some personalities for the company and platoon commanders of my fictional company. All given names were created using a random name generator. Nicknames were created based on the personality traits generated by the Platoon Forward rules. The Dice Roll Modifiers (DRM) are based on the personality traits of the character.

The campaign will be set in the Hürtgen Forest, and my fictional company will be part of the historical 1st Infantry Division.

U.S. Force: Fox Company ("The Misfit Marauders") of the fictional 4th Battalion, belonging to the historical 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division ("Big Red One")

Company Commander: Capt. Walter Thorpe

Description: Captain Walter Thorpe is a career officer with one thing only on his mind – climbing the ranks and getting ahead professionally. He'll screw over anyone he has to in order to do this. In a word, he is a jerk to all peers and subordinates, whom he sees only as stepping stones to professional advancement. While he is an exceptional tactician, he may recklessly volunteer his men for jobs too big for them to handle in his desire to make a splash with the top brass. His total disregard for his subordinates' needs (and sometimes lives) has earned him the nickname "Captain Ass-Hat."

Traits/Stats: Personality: Unsupportive (generally unpopular; -1 to campaign progress rolls; -2 DRM); Motivation/Interest: Position (promotion/furthering his career); Combat Temperament: Bold (+1 DRM); Combat Leadership: Exceptional (Level IV) (+2 DRM); Background: Average

Cumulative DRM: +1 to US reserve cards and to AFV move/fire cards played.

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1st Platoon Leader: Lt. Lewis Grover

Description: Grover rose from the ranks. Due to the circumstances of his rise to platoon command, he hates Captain Thorpe. Grover became a lieutenant and platoon leader the day after Thorpe sent the first platoon on one of his rashly bold career-advancing attacks while Grover was just a sergeant. The platoon lost its leader, and Grover lost a lot of good friends that day. He blames Thorpe for their deaths, and will look for any way possible to bring down the Captain in the eyes of the higher echelon commanders. His hatred burns so hot that he often cannot help grinding his teeth in the Captain's presence. Consequently some of his men call him "Grinder."

Traits/Stats: Personality: Cheap; Motivation/Interest: Revenge; bears a grudge against Capt. Thorpe; Combat Temperament: Bold (+1 DRM); Combat Leadership: Rookie (Level I) (-1 DRM); Background: Up from the ranks

Cumulative DRM: +/- 0

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2nd Platoon Leader: Lt.Todd Benedetto

Description: Lieutentant Benedetto is a socially meek fellow, who turns a little too often to alcohol to bolster his confidence. In combat, he is a more than competent platoon leader – when he is sober. But when going into combat under the influence, he becomes a loose cannon. His decrease in judgment is not offset by his increased boldness. So far, no combat deaths are attributed to his drinking, and some of the more "macho" men in his platoon even prefer going into battle with him in that condition, as they equate (quite mistakenly) his socially quiet demeanor as "cowardice" and believe (quite wrongly) that sober he is more likely to get them killed in combat. Other men are worried about it though, and his drinking has earned him the nickname of "Lieutenant Beercan."

Traits/Stats: Personality: Meek; Motivation/Interest: Alcohol, loose cannon when drunk (2-in-6 chance each day); Combat Temperament: Even (when sober)/Reckless (when drunk; red/black cards are interchangeable); Combat Leadership: Poor Level 0 (when drunk; -3 DRM) / Above Avg (Level III) (when sober +1 DRM); Background: Average

Cumulative DRM: +1 sober /-3 drunk (red/black cards interchangeable)

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3rd Platoon Leader: Lt. Howard Pickard

Description: Lietenant Pickard is a morose individual, whose eternal frown has earned him the nickname "Pouty-Puss Pickard." A moderately competent commander, the only notable thing about him at all, besides his glum personality, is his keen interest in making a buck, by any means he can shy of actually breaking regulations (though he's not afraid to bend them a little). There is sometimes a bit of tension between Pickard and Lt. Grover, as the latter, somewhat of a skinflint, not only refuses to invest in Pickard's high-risk get-rich-quick schemes, but quite often discourages others from doing so as well.

Traits/Stats: Personality: Glum; Motivation/Interest: Wealth; will seek out money by any legal means; Combat Temperament: Even; Combat Leadership: Average (Level II); Background: Average

Cumulative DRM: +/- 0