Crafty Games Create-A-Hero Contest!

[Crafty_Pat]

Quick Q.  1 entry per person?  50 entries?  No limit?  (I'm a stickler on the detail side of things.. sorry. )

No limits. You can only win one credit (at least, per character) and 1 copy of the PDF though

He means "(at least, per person)" there. One credit + 1 PDF per person, no matter how many characters you submit. However, submitting more can potentially get you more material in the product, which is its own reward.

[Gentry]

Its a madness now, dangit:

Codename: Heron
First and Last Name: Cynthia Waterdown
Birthplace: Tahlequah, Oklahoma
Primary Specialty: Airlift Pilot
Secondary Specialty: Logistics
Military Grade: O-3 (Captain)
Character Bio: There is a Cherokee legend about Heron and Hummingbird. Much like the European fable of the Tortoise and the Hare, it presents the two birds making a wager with each other over a race. Heron, like the Tortoise, wins by moving steadily toward the finish while Hummingbird loses time flitting off course to sample the flowers.

Captain Waterdown draws her codename not from her namesake bird's lack of speed, but from its singleminded determination to succeed. Born on Cherokee nation land to an underage single mother, she was a month premature, and her initial survival was in doubt. Still, she overcame the complications of her birth, unwilling to just give up and die.

Raised on Cherokee nation land, her prospects for getting off “the Rez” were few, and she watched many of her peers simply give up, submitting to alcohol or dead-end jobs. Unable to stomach spending her life staring at Oklahoma, she studied hard, and entered the US Air Force via the Oklahoma State University ROTC program.

As an ROTC graduate from a lower-tier school, her prospects for glamorous duties in the Air Force were limited. Shunted into Airlift Operations, she worked the co-pilot seat on a number of different aircraft, tenaciously mastering every nook and cranny of their flight systems. Her glowing performance reports finally earned her a pilot's slot in the USAF's new C-17 Globemasters, and quickly brought her to the attention of The Unit, who needed airlift pilots they could count on.

Heron now flies C-17B aircraft modified to the bleeding-edge needs of The Unit. Having applied her usual style of steady systems mastery, she can fly her Globemaster right up against its performance envelope, and knows when and how to push past the limits to do her job—delivering troops and material to The Unit's hot zones, no matter the opposition.

Quote: “No, you can't land there. But I can.”

Heron (Special NPC — 93 XP): Init V; Atk V; Def IV; Res VI; v/wp VI; Competence VII; Wealth III; Skills: Drive V, Electronics V, Mechanics V, Resolve V, Tactics VIII.
Weapons: Beretta 92 (dmg 1d10+1 lethal, error 1-2, threat 20, ammo 15M4 (9mmP), range 25 ft., qualities: none)
Gear: Military flight suit with helmet
Vehicle: C-17B Globemaster (cal V)
Qualities: class ability (The Getaway, Vehicle Familiarity I (C-17B)), feat (Crew Dog, Daredevil, Defensive Driving, Jackrabbit Start, Need for Speed), specialty (Pilot).  

[Mister Andersen]

Not knowing how these things work, but having watched JAG with its guest Aussie, how does attaching members of foreign militaries to something such as thus unit here?

[Freelancer]

Codename:  Animal
First and Last Name: Aloysius Eugene
Birthplace:  Boston, Massachusetts
Primary Specialty:  Special Forces
Secondary Specialty:  Weapons Master
Military Grade: E-7 (Sgt. First Class)
Character Bio:  Born to Northeastern liberal arts college professors who named their son the most unforgiving of names, it was little surprise that he had certain disagreements in school.  Although he played well the role of the intellectual in order to find the protection of a social clique, he soon found that college did not hold the attraction that his parents assumed it would.  Instead, he dropped out after one year and signed up for the Army, taking the most strenuous of classes and physical training.  Psychological testing indicated a certain aggressiveness bubbling beneath a calm exterior, which was actually noted as a desirable trait.

Although most servicemen would consider the Special Forces as a goal to aspire to, it was more of an afterthought to Aloysius when he found out he could qualify.  He only wondered how far he could progress in his chosen field.  Much to the consternation of his parents, their ex-European Literature major is now qualified with a series of heavy weapons and enjoys hand-to-hand combat.

To date, his career has been stalled by more disagreements, most often with superior officers.  Aloysius' current problem stems from thinking he knows more than them.  Unfortunately for everyone involved, he's usually right.

Quote:  "I crush you like Xenophon!"

Animal (Special NPC — 122 XP): Init IV; Atk VI; Def IV; Res VI; v/wp V; Competence V; Wealth VI; Skills:  Cultures V, Resolve VIII, Science VI, Survival VIII, Tactics VIII.
Weapons:  H&K Mk. 23 (dmg 1d12 lethal, error 1, threat 19-20, ammo 15M4 (.45), range 30 ft., qualities: BLK, CMP, RGD, TBR, TKD, UPG [laser sight, suppressor])
Gear:  Stress ball, pocket edition of the Iliad
Vehicle: 
Qualities: damage reduction 2, feral, henchman, superior attribute (Str +6, Dex +4, Int +6), feat (Autofire Basics, Flamethrower Basics, Grenade Basics, Marksmanship Basics, Berserker Basics, Berserker Mastery, Berserker Supremacy, Martial Arts), natural attack IV (slam)

[OverNinja]

Not knowing how these things work, but having watched JAG with its guest Aussie, how does attaching members of foreign militaries to something such as thus unit here?

You don't attach foreigners to a covert unit (in Real Life^TM), as they do things you don't want anyone to know about.
That said, there are exchanges between Special Ops units such as Delta, SAS and GSG9.
In fact Charlie Beckwith was with SAS before he founded Delta.

[Gentry]

Yeah, I think the whole Special Forces concept covers a multitude of sins when it comes to "X is actually from service Y".

[Freelancer]

Codename:  Sensei
First and Last Name:  Mike Duffy
Birthplace:  Compton, California
Primary Specialty:  Infantry Unit Leader
Secondary Specialty:  Rifleman
Military Grade: E-9 (Master Gunnery Sergeant)
Character Bio:  Duffy is the owner and operator of the Semper Fidelis Martial Arts Training Center in his hometown, where he teaches karate, jiu-jitsu, and krav maga, five days out of the week to disadvantaged youth.  On some nights and weekends, he can often be seen doing volunteer work in the neighborhood, be it painting over graffiti, serving food at the homeless shelter, or working with the neighborhood watch programs.

When called to service, Duffy himself is a force multiplier.  During the Battle for Fallujah, his urban Humvee patrol was ambushed by RPG and small arms fire while coming to an intersection.  Duffy's driver was shot and instantly killed, but he quickly took the wheel and accelerated into the ambush, while laying down cover fire with his free hand.  This bold and unexpected move caused some terrorists to break off and run, enabling the rest of his patrol to escape.  Normally this would be the end of the action, but Duffy pursued the fleeing men, even going as far as to dismount and give chase on foot, to the amazement of his men.

Quote:  "There will be no disrespect in my dojo."

Sensei (Special NPC — 104 XP): Init VI; Atk VI; Def VIII; Res V; v/wp V; Competence V; Wealth III; Skills:  Athletics VIII, Intimidate VIII, Resolve VI, Survival V, Tactics VIII.
Weapons:  Colt M16A4 (dmg 4d4 lethal, error 1-3, threat 20, ammo 30M5 (5.56m), range 125 ft., qualities: NFM [S/B])
Gear:  Crucifix, vial of dirt from his backyard
Vehicle:  Humvee
Qualities: class ability (lead/1 session), fearless II, henchman, superior attribute (Str +6, Dex +4, Cha +4), feat (Autofire Basics, Autofire Mastery, Dirty Fighting Basics, Dirty Fighting Moves, Dirty Fighting Mastery, Martial Arts, Master's Art), natural attack IV (slam)

[Mister Andersen]

Another question for those who know: how does the Army handle folks who have served in foreign armies and want to join up with the US army?

[OverNinja]

Another question for those who know: how does the Army handle folks who have served in foreign armies and want to join up with the US army?

You have to be a permanent resident alien, and you enter as an enlisted soldier (no warrant officers or officers).
For warrant officers and officers, you have to be a citizen, though you probably can earn citizenship and then proceed to officer training.
It doesn't state so in www.goarmy.com, but after the term of service you get citizenship.
There is no mention on previous military service, this would probably have to be asked directly from a recruiter or US Army.

Of course there has been the Lodge-Philbin Act (1950-59), where the US recruited non-resident aliens for infiltration units.
Most famous of these recruits was Lauri Törni or Larry Thorne.

Törni/Thorne was awarded the Mannerheim Cross, Iron Cross 2nd Class, Bronze Star, Purple Heart (2), Distinguished Flying Cross and the Presidential Unit Citation (Studies and Observations Group).

[Mister Andersen]

Is the LP Act still active?

[OverNinja]

Is the LP Act still active?

No. It expired in 1959.

[Crafty_Alex]

Mr. A - probably easiest and best to make them American for this project. It's a core part of this product's premise.

[Mister Andersen]

What can I say, I always preferred Digger to Recondo.

[Gentry]

You can always go with the American who liaises with and has has cross-trained heavily with a non-American armed service. Not precisely what you want, but maybe the next best thing.

[MilitiaJim]

You can always go with the American who liaises with and has has cross-trained heavily with a non-American armed service. Not precisely what you want, but maybe the next best thing.

American infantryman who has family in the military back in the old country.  (If he wasn't born in the US, he will have trouble / it will be impossible to get the security clearance for many jobs.)