Total conversion idea - 'Belfast 1979'

Everything about GhR and its mods.
Post Reply
[BIG] Ranger
Operative
Posts: 182
Joined: Fri Dec 12, 2003 7:38 am
Location: UK
Contact:

Total conversion idea - 'Belfast 1979'

Post by [BIG] Ranger » Sat Apr 02, 2005 2:09 am

[I have already outlined, briefly, the weapons and skins required for this modconv in the MDT section of this forum - this is the scenario/map outline.]

Overview:

Northern Ireland, 1979

Growing discontent, violence and frustration with British procrastination and Loyalist intransigence over devolution has turned the province into a powder keg, ready to be ignited with the slightest spark. It was the height of the so-called 'troubles'.

Republican prisoners, including Bobby Sands, were conducting a high-profile 'dirty blanket' protest in the infamous Maze prison. On August 27, 1979, an IRA bomb killed Lord Mountbatten as he was sailing off southern Ireland, and in a separate attack 18 British soldiers were killed in an ambush. The heightening tensions, and the British outcry ensured that the two factions were never further apart.

The British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher ('The Iron Lady'), struck a hard-line stance and the scene was set for an inevitable and immanent show-down.


Protagonists:

Government factions:

• RUC - Royal Ulster Constabulary. The Northern Ireland police force, largely drawn from the protestant population.
• British Army - infantry units (acting as police units) backed up by elite elements, such as the Parachute Regiment and the SAS

Republican factions:

• IRA - Irish Republican Army. The primary armed faction leading opposition to the 'British occupation'. Well armed, the IRA has a large armoury of heavy weapons to call on including RPGs.
• INLA - Irish National Liberation Army. Marxist based terrorist group, notorious for the Droppin' Well disco bombing in Ballykelly, Co Derry, which killed 11 British soldiers. Smaller and less heavily armed as the IRA.

Scenarios

There are five maps in my 'scenario' - outlining a progression to full-out civil war in the province. The goals are simple; the Republican faction must ensure this progression to gain maximum support, and the British must disrupt this progression to maintain the status-quo.

Mission map 1 - 'Bandit Country'

The countryside on the border of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland was known as bandit country by the British. Weapons smuggling and cross-border incursions were rife, and to deter this the British had set up a chain of outposts and watch towers.

The map is wide-open farmland, overshadowed by a few observation posts. Ideal sniper country!

The mission entails the British foiling a large arms consignment crossing the border area. The INLA must ensure the shipment - by truck - crosses the buffer zone. Success or failure is determined on whether any of the trucks leave the northern end of the map.

Protagonists: INLA versus British infantry

Mission map 2 - 'Fort Apache'

The first steps toward civil war would undoubtedly be an attempt to create vast 'no go zone' for the British in the Ulster countryside - traditionally the most hostile areas for government troops.

The map is a small village, with a RUC (police) station at it's centre.

The mission is an all-out attack by the IRA on the RUC station - guarded by a small contingent of RUC officers - in an attempt to overrun the outpost. The British must move in infantry to prevent this and rescue the RUC officers. The mission is lost to the British if all the RUC are killed.

Protagonists: IRA versus British infantry & RUC

Mission map 3 - 'Harry's Game'

Belfast - Harry McGerk is a local INLA warlord who hold sway over several streets in a Republican area of the city. Special Branch has identified him as the instigator of the recent arms shipments into the province, and so has issued a warrant for his arrest.

There are three problems; first his hard-line supporters will not let him go without a fight, second this is a residential area with many civilians which the INLA will no doubt try to mingle with, and finally, McGurk is a double agent working for British MI5!

The map is a section of several parallel streets, lines of narrow low dwellings with lots of alley-ways connecting them and many upstairs windows from which snipers can shoot from. McGerk's house is at the end of a cul-de-sac, where he is protected by his entourage of INLA gunmen.

Because McGerk is a double agent, both sides can loose is he is killed! But the British also loose if any civilians are killed in the ensuing crossfire.

Protagonists: INLA versus British Paratroopers from 2 PARA


Mission map 4 - 'Postman's Knock'

In an attempt to take the 'war to the city' the IRA has planned an audacious raid on a main post office. Primarily for the publicity - as they hope to mimic the historic Eastern Rising in 1916 when the IRA set out on a all-but suicidal mission to capture and hold the General Post Office building in Dublin. Although this original mission failed, it went down in Republican history as a great 'victory' in the struggle for independence.

The map centres on the main post office building, from where the IRA are be-sieged by the British forces. The surrounding buildings, however, offer some hope of a 'bust out', with the numerous alleys and houses providing cover for the IRA to escape.

The British must successfully prevent the IRA from breaking out of their stronghold, but primarily they must kill or capture the leader of the small group of 'terrorists'. Additionally the British must deal with sporadic sniper fire from surrounding buildings AND take care not to harm and civilians. The IRA group must simply get its leader away from the city centre to win.

Protagonists: IRA and British infantry & RUC

Mission map 5 - 'Bad Crack'

The ultimate phase in the instigation of an all-out civil war. British intelligence suspects that there is to be a grand war conference - an unprecedented meeting of the war councils of both the IRA and the INLA. The goal is the formation of a single Republican Army, uniting the hoards of 'irregular' gunmen and thugs across the province in a large-scale uprising.

Should it succeed, the RUC and Army contingents in Northern Ireland would be completely over-whelmed, and the levels of violence - the Republicans hope - would undoubtedly turn international opinion against the British and force them to make large-scale concessions.

The map is a rambling farmhouse in the depths of the countryside, surrounded by hills and wooded areas. The buildings are heavily guarded by both IRA and INLA gunmen and snipers. This is a NIGHT mission.

A British SAS force must infiltrate the outer security cordon, and assault the farmhouse itself - their mission, the assassination of the combined leadership of the IRA and INLA!

As this is just but one of many British night-raids across the province to pre-empt the immanent up-rising the SAS unit cannot expect any back-up, as the government forces are spread too thin. Therefore if they are wiped out the whole British strategy will fail and the Republicans chances of a successful revolt is greatly increased.

Killing both 'terrorist' leaders will signal a British victory.

Protagonists: IRA & INLA versus British SAS sabre squadron

-----------------------------------------------

Please see the MDT section of this forum for notes about weapons and skins.

User avatar
LordLothar
SEAL
Posts: 560
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2003 3:18 pm
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow

Post by LordLothar » Sat Apr 02, 2005 9:25 pm

sounds cool
hooah
Ich stehe alleine

Dark uk
Operative
Posts: 169
Joined: Sun Jul 25, 2004 1:06 pm

Post by Dark uk » Mon Apr 04, 2005 1:35 pm

Yeah sounds good. Just out of interest where are you from? I basicly live in Belfast Northern Ireland myself.

[BIG] Ranger
Operative
Posts: 182
Joined: Fri Dec 12, 2003 7:38 am
Location: UK
Contact:

Post by [BIG] Ranger » Mon Apr 04, 2005 11:59 pm

Dark uk wrote:Yeah sounds good. Just out of interest where are you from? I basicly live in Belfast Northern Ireland myself.
Hi there Dark...

I'm from the UK - living in sunny Yorkshire at the moment!

:)

Glad you like it - I'm hoping Macgamingmods might adopt this idea as a group mod/conversion project. MDT (see thier section) look like they might be interested...I'd love Monoman to be involved too.

I think what we don't have at the mo is a map-maker, but if we get one we might need to call on your services for some photo material showing Belfast (be nice to have an accurate reconstruction of the main Post Office for the 'Postman's Knock' senario).

Regards, Ranger

el_presidente
Peon
Posts: 69
Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2004 10:27 am
Location: los angeles memorial coliseum
Contact:

Post by el_presidente » Tue Apr 05, 2005 8:34 am

i agree -- GREAT effin' mod idea!

however, i am having a tough time finding where "basically belfast" is on the map, dark -- jk
people think all we do is lie around and think of how rich we'd be if we didn't think life could improve

[BIG] Ranger
Operative
Posts: 182
Joined: Fri Dec 12, 2003 7:38 am
Location: UK
Contact:

Post by [BIG] Ranger » Tue Apr 05, 2005 10:40 am

el_presidente wrote:i agree -- GREAT effin' mod idea!

however, i am having a tough time finding where "basically belfast" is on the map, dark -- jk
Many thanks for your support - hopefully, if we build up enough support ( - and get the word out! - ) we will start to get enough momentum to move the project forward.

My first goal is now to see if Monoman thinks this mod/conv is good enough to host on this forum in it's own section as a group project. Then we can really get down to the nitty gritty of planning missions, designing maps and discussing the inventory.

Fingers crossed!

Again, ta for the kind words.

Ranger

Blade
Veteran
Posts: 323
Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2004 7:30 am

Post by Blade » Wed Apr 06, 2005 1:26 pm

Mmm, MDT has picked it up.

[BIG] Ranger
Operative
Posts: 182
Joined: Fri Dec 12, 2003 7:38 am
Location: UK
Contact:

Post by [BIG] Ranger » Wed Apr 06, 2005 11:22 pm

Yep, and many thanks to Blade from MDT for kindly picking this up.

So, basically, all further information, background work and discussion on this topic will be - as far as I'm concerned - under the MDT section of this site.

Again, thanks to everyone who expressed interest - either on this forum or directly to myself by email - but mostly to the guys of MDT (who I was delighted to meet on GameRanger the other night!) for thier support.

Check out the MDT section.

[BIG] Ranger

Dark uk
Operative
Posts: 169
Joined: Sun Jul 25, 2004 1:06 pm

Post by Dark uk » Sun Apr 10, 2005 9:45 am

el_presidente wrote:however, i am having a tough time finding where "basically belfast" is on the map, dark -- jk
heh, well I just normally say I live in belfast to people online becasue people are more likly to know where that is although I live in a town just outside it called 'Holywood'. Thats one 'l' not two like the america Hollywood.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 17 guests