Table of Contents
Welcome to James Kemp's Wiki
This is a collaborative web platform that allows people to edit1) the web pages to provide additional content for some of the stories I have written and the roleplaying games that I am involved in, whether as a player or GM.
There are several namespaces operating slightly different wiki subjects. These are, in no particular order:
- Skyss - Story Background - a fantasy novel I wrote for NaNoWriMo 2016.
- Perfects - background for the near future story and some police roleplaying that I ran in that universe
- Theocracy of Daprav - A D&D campaign that I ran with Glasgow University Games Society around 2002-3.
- Jim Wallman's Universe - a roleplaying by e-mail campaign that I play in, this is an unofficial wiki and none of it is canon unless Jim says it is.
- Interstellar Freelance Unlimited - subset of the Universe pages covering the activities of a mercenary company that we are currently roleplaying every Full Moon.
- Earth Imperium pages. These cover the activities of the Government of the Solar republic (aka Earth Empire) in Jim's Humanity Will Prevail campaign, including the Earth Imperium News Items.
- Free Worlds Alliance - covering the activities of another emerging polity in the Humanity Will Prevail campaign. Mostly contributed by Eric Moroney.
- Universe Background - page collecting the various bits of background info that have come up in various e-mail discussions for the campaigns set in Jim Wallman's Universe.
- Master map of the Universe (6Mb PDF, as at 3212).
- Delta Green - some roleplaying campaigns about horror and conspiracy. The main one was set in Berlin in 1953.
- Free games rules - a collection of free rules for wargames and other sorts of face to face games that I have designed or run.
- Wargames rules - I'm not just a player of games, I also do rules for them from time to time as well as one-off games. A primary outlet for this is through Chestnut Lodge Wargames Group.
- Other free rules - at the moment just those for the 1689 (Orange or Lemon? and Bonnie Dundee, respectively about the debates in the Scots Parliament and then the military campaign of Viscount Dundee during 1689) and The Other Side of the COIN (about what makes people become insurgents). All games that I have have produced for Chestnut Lodge Wargames Group.
- Background for a near future universe where I have written some fiction and also run some roleplaying games in.
Comments and complaints to me at webmaster@full-moon.info please.
James Kemp
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Recent Additions
Who Are the Taliban
this is mostly from a BBC report, but I have edited it a little.
The Taliban emerged in the early 1990s in northern Pakistan following the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan. A predominantly Pashtun movement, the Taliban came to prominence in Afghanistan in the autumn of 1994.
The Taliban's promise - in Pashtun areas straddling Pakistan and Afghanistan - was to restore peace and security and enforce their own austere version of Sharia, or Islamic law, once in power. In both countries they introduced or supported Islamic punishments - such as public executions of convicted murderers and adulterers and amputations of those found guilty of theft.
Men were required to grow beards and women had to wear the all-covering burka. The Taliban showed a similar disdain for television, music and cinema and disapproved of girls aged 10 and over from going to school.
The Taliban in Afghanistan are still believed to be led by Mullah Omar, a village clergyman who lost his right eye fighting the occupying forces of the Soviet Union in the 1980s. Afghans, weary of the mujahideen's excesses and infighting after the Soviets were driven out, generally welcomed the Taliban when they first appeared on the scene.
Their early popularity was largely due to their success in stamping out corruption, curbing lawlessness and making the roads and the areas under their control safe for commerce to flourish. Despite ever higher numbers of foreign troops, the Taliban have steadily extended their influence, rendering vast tracts of Afghanistan insecure, and violence in the country has returned to levels not seen since 2001.
Their retreat earlier this decade enabled them to limit their human and material losses and return with a vengeance.
Free Games Rules
I do more than just wargames, there are a host of other types of games that I design and run, mainly at Chestnut Lodge Wargames Group (CLWG).
About CLWG
Despite the 'wargames' in the title the group runs and plays a host of different political and economic games as well. The group is very much activist focused, and has a far higher level of participation than most groups do. Partly this is down to the requirement on membership that each member must write at least one article for MilMud (the club newsletter - Milmud Archive) and put on at least one game each year.
I've been a member of CLWG since, I think, 1994 or 1995. I do know that it was the Spring games weekend following the megagame “Death of Fascism” when I joined, but I'm not too sure of the actual date. In the just over ten years I've been in the group I've been the admin officer, games organiser and milmud editor. I'm pretty sure I've done at least two terms in each of those posts, but again I haven't been counting. I've also designed and run a fair number of games, some of which I still have the rules/briefings electronically (there were a few games and some design sessions that were done without pre-prepared briefings and never got written up effectively afterwards, so not everything is available).
Games in Progress
I get lots of ideas about games but never quite enough time to actually sit and write them up and do the other necessary preparations for running them. This means that there are some half-finished, or just started projects that lurk in the games folder on my hard disk. One day I will return to them and finish them off.
- Scotland 1689 - In reality there are two games here and one of them has already been run at CLWG back in August 2005. The 'Glorious Revolution' as some people call it was a bit more contested in Scotland than in England, although the extraordinary high level of apathy amongst the population was probably pretty similar. I have gamed (as a 3/4 finished play test) the Highland Campaign of Viscount Dundee 2) and I think that there is probably some mileage in gaming the Convention3) which decided that King James VII had forfeited his crown and that it should be offered to Prince William of Orange.
- The Other Side of the COIN - what makes people become insurgents? Loosely based in modern Afghanistan it is a look at things from the peasant farmer point of view rather than the insurgent or government forces.
Z155
Z155 is an independent world in Quadrant 8 currently at war with the Free Worlds Alliance. There were about 1,220,000 people in the system in 3211. Z155 has a Poor economy. It was founded in 3206.
General
Z155 is largely controlled by members of the First Church of Earth. The First Earthers form the majority of the colony and control the government, military, judiciary and police. Violence between the First Earthers and minority Satanists has marred the colony’s history since at least 3207. Z155’s population is 60% FCE, 5% other Christians, 25% Satanists, 5% Church of Elvis and 5% other religious groups.
Government
In theory, Z155 is a Republic. The capitol is Friendly City. Z155’s Chief Executive is First Minister Reverend Ian Floralpattern, a member of the Christian Socialist Party. The Legislature is a colonial council, controlled by the CSP. The CSP is made exclusively of First Church of Earth adherents.
The multi-religious Free Thought Party is the main opposition party. Its leader is David Spart, and it is largely made up of Satanists. The FTP briefly gained control of the Colonial Council in 3207 through a no confidence vote, but the CSP regained control through the arrest of several FTP councilors. The Democratic Rights Party is another opposition party. It is led by Ruby Royale, and includes many members of the Church of Elvis. Currently the Council is 39 FTP councilors, 13 FTP councilors, 3 DRP councilors and 5 independents.
The First Minister currently holds emergency powers, following the declaration of a state of emergency in late 3211. Most opposition politicians are in hiding and the FTP has been barred from Council meetings, making Z155 a semi-theocratic dictatorship.
Military
Z155 has a paramilitary force called the Crusader Corps, dedicated to “Protecting God-Fearing People from Evil”. It numbers roughly eight thousand to twelve thousand soldiers, divided into ten “Legions”. The Corps is not very well trained and only has limited equipment. It had a few locally made armored cars but no serious AFVs. It has received some additional training from Gritrow Solutions, a PMC. The Corps is mostly deployed in and around Friendly City. The Crusader Corps is commanded by General Angeline Floralpattern (The FM’s daughter) and answers to Minister of Security and Protection Anna Forkin and the First Minister. General Floralpattern has no military training or experience.
The Crusader Corps are all members of the First Church of Earth and have been implicated in the burning of Satanist homes. The police have not acted to protect the Satanists, since they are 97.2% FCE themselves. The Corps has also been used to round up “subversives and criminals,” mostly minority religious groups.
The Crusader Corps is supplemented by a small planetary militia of perhaps 2,000 mostly part time soldiers. They are lightly equipped. Like the Corps, they are headquartered in Friendly City. The Security Militia is commanded by Major Jolene Padgett
Z155’s navy, the Sword of God, has a mercenary-crewed Armed Class 5000, Warrior of God. Warrior of God is the government’s pride and joy, as a navy is unusual for a colony of Z155’s size. It is captained by the determined but inexperienced Jamie Floralpattern.
It remains unclear how the Crusader Corps and Sword of God will fare in combat with the Free Worlds Alliance. The Corps has lost at least one armored vehicle and several soldiers thus far in the war.
Foreign Relations
On T98, Z155 held a referendum on polity membership. 52% voted to join the FWA, 10% voted to join some other polity and 37% voted no. This result surprised the CSP, who expected an easy victory for their “No surrender of sovereignty” campaign to cement their control of the colony. The First Minister declared the Referendum invalid and declared a state of emergency. A number of public protests by the “Vote Yes Alliance,” a coalition largely led by the FTP, were dispersed violently by riot police and Crusader Corps troops. The government then cracked down on minority religious groups, arresting many. The Free Worlds Alliance did not take kindly to this, and issued a strongly worded protest and a travel warning suggesting FWA citizens leave the Z155 system.
War with the Free Worlds Alliance
In T100, the Free Worlds Alliance declared war on Z155, according to Chairman Jackson to restore “order, democracy and peace.” Floralpattern vowed not to surrender and to fight the FWA. In response to the war, Z155’s government took a number of foreign nationals into “protective custody” in response. This included nationals of Pratt, Lamster, Killikrankie, the Union of Xyon and Centauri Conglomerate. Other FWA nationals were arrested as “agent provocateurs.” They are being held near major military installations. The Crusader Corps has done some digging in, but not very effectively.
After Action Report on the Floralpattern Convoy Ambush, Z155
FROM: Frank Buck, Team Commander, IFU
TO: Leon Mack-Duff, Mission Director, IFU
DATE: D+13 [3211.372]
An ambush was initiated against the convoy moving First Minister Floralpattern from his residence to the Government Buildings at approximately 0930 this morning.
Ground
Friendly forces
The initial ambush was triggered by 10 Special Forces plus myself who had infiltrated to within line of sight of the residence (around 50m, with two troopers on the Northbound road, another two on the edge of the garden and the remainder in between about 40m from the road-line).
The 28 HMA in support were around 150m behind us in extended line waiting for the signal to move forwards.
Enemy forces
The exit point from the residence was guarded by a sangar with a squad of militia inside (mainly armed with Assault rifles). The convoy consisted of three vehicles, lead by an armoured vehicle and backed by a technical. The Floralpattern vehicle being in the middle. Further enemy forces were in the house and in a number of sangars and vehicle checkpoints up the road. In all there was about a Battalion strength within 300m of the house.
The Plan
We intended to engage the lead and backing vehicle and the sangar with LAW and small arms. Two men were assigned to each of the vehicles and three to the sangar. The remaining three with the commander were assigned to deal with the principal vehicle. We had a stinger vehicle immobilisation device and also engaged the engine block with 2 x Armour Piercing snipers. A CS gas grenade was also employed to incapacitate anyone attempting to move without a respirator.
What happened
The sangar and rear vehicle were destroyed as planned, although most of the troops in the sangar continued to fight. The front vehicle was missed by both LAW and small arms, and retaliated with HMG fire. The two AP shots to the engine hit the centre vehicle but the stinger missed, hitting the main body rather than lying under the tyres. However this caused the vehicle to crash. One soldier exited the rear vehicle and two civilians the centre vehicle. The forward team retained their composure despite the HMG fire and called in ATGW to destroy the armoured vehicle before it could escape. Two soldiers were seen to exit that vehicle.
The snatch squad moved forward, through the fire swept zone, to get hands on the occupants of the middle vehicle. During this both myself and Dave were hit, although both of us were only scratched and are now fine. The left flank troopers closed on the bunker and dealt with the escapee from the rear vehicle. The right flank engaged the escapers from the lead vehicle, taking one down.
The two remaining members of the snatch squad reached the middle vehicle and were engaged in melee by the two civilians, one of whom repelled the assault briefly, although the other was very rapidly over-powered. The sangar defenders took another casualty and then the HMA back up force came through the trees to meet up with us.
We recovered the casualties and prisoners from the centre vehicle, disarmed the surrendered local forces and evacuated our wounded. In securing the crash scene we noted that there were civilian hostages around the Floralpattern residence and also more troops guarding it.
At the same time as the ambush was triggered we fired 10 mortar rounds at each of the Government Buildings and the Crusader Corps HQ, mainly using WP smoke to cause maximum confusion.
As per the plan we evacuated to the RV with the hover APCs and sorted out our prisoners. We had captured a bodyguard and a driver. Two casualties were also recovered, another guard (in Crusader Corps uniform) and what appeared to be the First Minister Floralpattern.
As we were moving towards the RV the First Minister made a live broadcast deploring the attack on his residence. We immediately fired another mortar round in the vicinity of the residence to confirm whether or not that was a likely broadcast location. Our view was that he was not broadcasting from there, and that the person we ambushed was a body double rather than the real FM Floralpattern. Human Intelligence sources have since reported that Floralpattern is most likely to be in a secret bunker below the Government Buildings.
We are remaining on the surface pending more information and a second operation to capture Floralpattern alive.
Frank Buck
Director, Interstellar Freelance Unlimited
Who Was Who?
| Name | Role | Player |
|---|---|---|
| Glitius Decianus | Procurator of Belgica | James Kemp |
| Valerius Asiaticus | Governor of Belgica | Andy Reeve |
| Fabius Fabullus | Legate, Legio V | Alan Doodes |
| Pompeius Vopiscus | Treasurer to the Senate | Jurrien de Jong |
| Gauius Cornutus | Procurator of Gallia Lugdunensis | ? |
| Galba | Emperor | ?Alex Kleanthous |
| Cornelius Aquinus | Legatus IV Legio | Peter Howland |
| Verginius Rufus | Military Governor of Germania Superior | Bernie Ganley |
| Prospertius Cerealis | Procurator of Britannia | ? |
- About Glitius Decianus
- Fabius Fabullus wrote home to his Mother & Father
- The Who Was Who?
