FASA Behind Enemy Lines (CT WW2)

[Enoff]

Interesting never knew about these rules before, supposedly based on CT rules?
http://boardgamegeek.com/rpgitem/48774/behind-enemy-lines

From the back of the Boxed set:

"Behind Enemy Lines is a role-playing game which allows you to take on the character of a U.S. infantryman in World War II. Parachute drops, night raids, sniper ambushes, pitched battles, combat patrols, and long-range reconnaissance probes are the challenges you face. Your enemy is cunning, well-trained, and well-equipped. Your ingenuity, your courage, and skill are all that stand between you and disaster."

Box contains:

Book 1 - Character Generation and Basic Rules. 96 pages of information and tables ranging from character generation, tank data and equipment weights to the basic sighting and fire tables. Simple and complex games can be played with selected use of this information.

Book 2 - Event Tables - 48 pages filled with event tables for all types of terrain and situations. In all, 38 tables giving detailed Game Master information and general player descriptions are included.

Book 3 - Missions - A 56 page booklet containing three full length missions, four incidents, historical biographies, and 192 non-player characters. A 16 page booklet filled with maps for the missions and incidents is also included.

112 illustrated counters depicting American and German soldiers, civilians and special equipment, are provided. The counters are two-sided, showing active and incapacitated states of the various characters.

Four cardstock sheets of the charts and tables most used in play. Also included is a sample character sheet.

Two six-sided dice.

 

[creativehum]

I don't think so.

Here's a write-up about the game. More information about the game in the comments section.

It's much more limited in scope than Traveller -- or most RPGs.

 

[McPerth]

It's many years since I played it, but I remember I also thought it seemed based on traveller by its game mechanics.

 

[Enoff]

Thanks for the link creativehum

 

[creativehum]

Since it came with 2 six sided dice, I'm more than willing to believe that the resolution mechanic might be:

Roll 2D6; get 8+ with -/+DMs.

For some that might be Traveller. For others, not so much. (How are characters built? What kinds of skills are available? And on on.)

We can all draw a line between same-game/not-same-game-but-has some-similar-things. I tend to notice the differences as much as the similarities, so I draw a darker line between games "being the same." From the blog post I linked to, it seems like it's different than Traveller. (The guy who wrote the blog post knows all about Classic Traveller ]and made no direct comparison between the two games.)

That said, I've never read Behind Enemy Lines. I might though, given what I've read!

The PDF is available here.

 

[GypsyComet]

2d6 roll high seemed to have struck a chord at FASA, as it is also the mechanic behind Battletech. The Pilot and Gunnery skills are essentially Traveller skill rolls boiled down and buried under different descriptions.

 

[aramis]

2d6 roll high seemed to have struck a chord at FASA, as it is also the mechanic behind Battletech. The Pilot and Gunnery skills are essentially Traveller skill rolls boiled down and buried under different descriptions.

Look at the general gaming world... There are a lot more 2d6 games out there than just Traveller; essentially, T&T saves are 2d6 roll high, while the combat system is damage rolls only (no to-hits), and T&T predates Traveller by several years. GDW also had En Garde, in '75, which was also 2d6 roll high for a lot of things.

 

[BlackBat242]

Since it came with 2 six sided dice, I'm more than willing to believe that the resolution mechanic might be:

Roll 2D6; get 8+ with -/+DMs.

For some that might be Traveller. For others, not so much. (How are characters built? What kinds of skills are available? And on on.)

We can all draw a line between same-game/not-same-game-but-has some-similar-things. I tend to notice the differences as much as the similarities, so I draw a darker line between games "being the same." From the blog post I linked to, it seems like it's different than Traveller. (The guy who wrote the blog post knows all about Classic Traveller ]and made no direct comparison between the two games.)

That said, I've never read Behind Enemy Lines. I might though, given what I've read!

The PDF is available here.

At least one person in the comments section of that link stated:

by Bill C. [Verified Purchaser] Date Added: 01/20/2007 00:00:00
This is what a WW2 RPG looks like, this is what a ground military RPG from any era looks like.

LIKED: The enclosed missions and encounter tables.

DISLIKED: The classic Traveller based RPG rules are dated, still fun, but RPG games have improved since then.

QUALITY: Very Good

VALUE: Very Satisfied

 

[Enoff]

Might look into the character creation later today to see how Traveller oriented it is. No social standing in the core rule book but something like it is added in the British Commando supplement.

Table of Contents of the Core book (1982)
Introduction
Characters and Character Creation
Wounding and Character's Condition
Game Modes
Sighting
Night Movement and Combat
Surprise
Weather
COMBAT
Artillery Fire
Mortar Fire
Grenades
Weapons
Flamethrowers
Hand to Hand Combat
Tanks
AntiTank Weapons
Event Tables
Maps and Mapmaking
Troop Quality
Interrogation and Rumors
Medals and Decorations
Communication
Mines
Gear
Explosions and Explosives
Paratroops
Rangers
Appendix I Surviving Behind Enemy Lines
Appendix II Surviving Behind Enemy Lines as a Game Master
Appendix III An Introduction to Role Playing Games
Appendix IV Glossary
Appendix V Bibliography
Appendix VI US Weapons and Equipment
Appendix VII German Weapons and Equipment
Appendix VIII Index

 

[McPerth]

For some that might be Traveller. For others, not so much. (How are characters built? What kinds of skills are available? And on on.)

No social standing in the core rule book but something like it is added in the British Commando supplement.

Well, memory may fail me, but as I remember, in those aspects, the game would be more related to T2K tan to Traveller, being als othe fate of a military group in war, and having nearly no system for non war related RP.

The character creation, IIRC was also by stats, background skills and learned skills in service (depending on how long have you been there, which w decided on a table too), and I guess Soc was not deemd necessary in the US WWII army (as it represents).

Of course, there's no need to by equipment or so, so no economic system was given in the game.

 

[Dulinor]

The PDF is available here.

That's a newer edition, not the original FASA game.

 

[Enoff]

That's a newer edition, not the original FASA game.

I have the 1st ed from FASA, the table of contents seems similar. I guess you would say this is the 3rd ed available on drivethru? 2nd ed was published by Companions Inc.

 

[creativehum]

That's a newer edition, not the original FASA game.

You are correct.

 

[Hyphen]

At least one person in the comments section of that link stated:

One person = "Bill C."

Maybe Bill Cameron? Whipsnade?? ;-)

 

[Enoff]

Lots of interesting books to find about Commandos

 

[BlackBat242]

SAS: http://www.amazon.com/Stirlings-Desert-Raiders-Virginia-Cowles/dp/0553125850

 

[McPerth]

The basic Behind Enemy Lines was about US troops and after D-day.

I know there was a suplement for British comandos, but I never saw it.

 

[Enoff]

Oh, thanks McPerth, I've been so focused on British Commandos that I wasn't seeing that. I have the British Commando supplement and Guns of Navarone. Also have a copy of Strategy & Tactics #64 with its game "Raid!" from 1977.

http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/4037/raid

Funny Blackbat I had just been looking at some Italian movie about WW2 commandos in Africa. Always had a fascination with Stirling's Raiders, I guess because of "Rat patrol" when I was young.

The Rat Patrol - Theme Song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyFvoARQYXg

Seems a lot of the episodes are on youtube.

 

[McPerth]

Sure the British comandos will be fun to play (among other things because it allows you more span of time to play, as they began their raids quite before D-day).

There was also a "campaign" for Squad Leader (not ASL) for British Comandos in one ASL anual, and the AH game Raid on Sain Nazaire.

 

[Enoff]

AH game Raid on Saint Nazaire

Yes I have seen that, there is a vassal module to play it online, but I guess you can also play it solo. http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1425/raid-st-nazaire

I had watched a BBC documentary on the raid, Jeremy Clarkson: War Stories: THE GREATEST RAID OF ALL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXusKM5uX0s

Been meaning to watch this old Lloyd Bridges war movie "Attack on the Iron Coast" someday, which is a Hollywoodized version of the raid.