d20 RPG Objects Blood and Guts In Her Majesty's Service.pdf

Blood and Guts:

In Her Majesty ’ s Service

by Fraser Ronald

INTERIOR ART

Joseph Wigfield

COVER ART

Jeremy Simmons

MILITARY Consultant

Brad Clark

LINE MANAGER & MECHAnICS EDItOR

CHARLES RICE

PROOF READING

CHARLES Baize

LAYOUT

CHRIS DAVIS

WWW.RPGObjects.COM

d20 Modern(tm) is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast, Inc.,

a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., and is used with permission.

Dungeons & Dragons(R) and Wizards of the Coast(R) are

registered trademarks of Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary

of Hasbro, Inc., and are used with permission.

blood & guts

Introduction

I am neither British nor a member of the Special Forces community of any country. While my present job has me working

alongside the military, I have never served in the military. I am, however, a gamer and a writer. I mention this because while

this supplement is about the special operations units of the United Kingdom, it is a game supplement rather than a military

science text. Every effort has been made to be as accurate and complete as possible in reference to units and equipment,

however, playability trumps reality in this work. Luckily, I have had the assistance of Brad Clark, a friend, gamer and

member of the military who lent his expertise and assistance in a valiant attempt to keep all the statistics for equipment

relatively realistic. I have no doubt there are errors and omissions in this text. I accept complete responsibility for these

problems. As hard as Brad tried to keep me tied to the real world, I focused on playability and game mechanics. There will

undoubtedly be people who will read this supplement and say: “Those stats match the BAe Harrier GR Mk 5 better than the

Mk 7.” To that, I can only say: “Fair enough, use your stats.” As long as there are a couple of players who say: “Oh, man, I

am so going to play an Increment character. Sweet.” That will make up for any negative comments I might receive.

My father was also never a member of the Special Forces community, but he stood watch through many a cold night in the

Battle of the North Atlantic on the HMCS Longbranch. I would humbly like to dedicate this supplement to all the men and

women who have answered the call to duty and service, be it in the military or the auxiliary services such as the merchant

marine. For a moment, let’s forget the politics and thank those in uniform for their selless sacriices. There are many more

peacekeepers and makers than there are warmongers.

Internet Resources

While not exhaustive, here are some links to more

information about the military of the United Kingdom.

Information on special operations forces is not readily

available from oficial sources, but newspapers and

industry journals sometimes offer interesting little

treasures.

Center for Strategic & International Studies

http://www.csis.org/

Daily Mail

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

Defence Journal

http://www.defencejournal.com

Federation of American Scientists

http://www.fas.org/

Oficial Web Sites

Ministry of Defence

http://www.mod.uk/

Guardian Unlimited

http://www.guardian.co.uk/

The British Army

http://www.army.mod.uk/

Global Security.org

http://www.globalsecurity.org/

The Royal Air Force

http://www.raf.mod.uk/

Jane’s Information Group

http://www.janes.com/

The Royal Navy

http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/

SkyNews

http://www.sky.com/news/

Other Internet Resources

BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/

Telegraph

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

Center for Defense Information

http://www.cdi.org/

The Times

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/

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Chapter 1: The Special Operations

Forces of the United Kingdom

A History of the UK Special

Forces from World War II

World War II

World War II had a profound impact on the military of the

United Kingdom. The conlict gave birth not only to the

Commandos, but also the Special Air Service and the Special

Boat Service. Those units already in existence, such as the

Gurkhas, found themselves tested to the utmost in the worst

of conditions.

Originally created as a mobile raiding force in North

Africa, the Special Air Service proved to hit much higher

than its weight. It had no equal as a deep strike unit and

long-range reconnaissance force. In the deserts of North

Africa, the hills of Italy or the forests of occupied France,

operators of the SAS completed harrowing missions no other

unit would consider.

The modern day Special Boat Service had many

antecedents in the war. Along with the Special Boat Section

(SBS), maritime units included the Combined Operations

Pilotage Parties--tasked to landing site reconnaissance--

the Royal Marines Boom Patrol Detachment--used to raid

shipping and harbors--and the Landing Craft Obstruction

Clearance Units--which acted in the same capacity as the

USA’s Underwater Demolition Teams. The wartime SBS

had both reconnaissance and direct action responsibilities.

Like the Combined Operations Pilotage Parties, the SBS

reconnoitered possible landing sites, but it also performed

raids on shipping and coastal targets.

Over 112,000 Gurkhas served in the British Army

during World War II. They fought in almost every theater

of operation, from North Africa to Italy to Indochina and

Burma. The Gurkhas helped to form the Chindits, a special

operations group ighting in the jungles and often operating

behind enemy lines. A total of ten Victoria Crosses were

awarded to soldiers of the Gurkhas during World War II.

The Royal Marines Commando, like the SAS and SBS,

were born out to the necessities of the War. Churchill wanted

a force that could raid the coastline, and the Commandos

were created for this task. They saw action all across Europe

and the Far East, including landings at Salerno, Anzio, and

Termoli. The Commandos, as can be expected, played an

important role in the D-Day landings. By the end of the War,

the Commandos numbered 8,000 ranks, a size never since

equaled.

In 1940, Churchill requested the War Ofice create an

airborne infantry force and by the end of 1942, the 1st

Airborne Division, trained to insert using parachutes and

gliders, was ready for deployment. Success--as infantry--in

North Africa led to the creation of the 6th Airborne Division

from a nucleus of veterans of the 1st. The 6th proved

successful in Normandy but the 1st’s attack on Arnhem as

part of Operation MARKET GARDEN failed. Still, the

fearsome reputation of the two units survived the war intact.

The Post-War Years

With the war over, the men of the SAS hunted down

escaping Nazis, delivering them to the Nuremberg War

Crimes Tribunal. Very soon, though, the special forces

community faced extinction. The reputations and successes

of the special operations forces could not save them from

the axe. Their deeds, for the most part, were left unsung

as stories of great battles and great generals dominated the

popular histories and mass media. The SAS survived as a

reserve unit, the 21st Regiment (Artists Riles) Special Air

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Chapter 1: Special Ops of the United Kingdom

Service.

After name changes and shufled responsibility, the varied

maritime units from World War II became the Small Raids

Wing and were tasked with mine and ordnance removal

during the formation of the nation of Israel. By 1950, the

name was changed to Special Boat Wing and its units

referred to as Special Boat Sections, giving rebirth to the

acronym SBS. The missions of the SBS entailed all those

responsibilities shared by the varied maritime units in the

war.

The 1st and 6th Airborne Divisions were reduced to

16th Independent Parachute Brigade and was deployed

for security operations in the Middle East and the Brigade

saw action in the Suez Crisis of 1956. During the Crisis, 45

Commando performed the irst ever operational helicopter

assault.

assemble a relief army, led by the United States. US General

Douglas MacArthur made an unexpected amphibious

attack at Inchon, cutting the North Korean army’s supply

lines. The UN forces then pushed the North Koreans back

with US forces entering Chinese territory in pursuit of the

enemy. This instigated the Chinese to throw their impressive

resources of manpower behind the North, driving the UN

south. From that point, the war remained a stalemate until

the armistice of 1953.

41 (Independent) Commando Royal Marines was created

for the speciic purpose of ighting in Korea. While the

main responsibility of 41 Commando was coastal raiding,

at times it took on the role of an infantry unit and fought

with distinction alongside the US 1st Marine Division at the

Chosin Reservoir, one of the worst battles of the war.

The SBS also operated in Korea, often from submarines.

SBS operators, inserting in small, powered craft or canoes

and kayaks, raided all along the North Korean coast. On at

least one mission, the SBS moved inland and destroyed an

important rail line.

The Malayan Emergency

The Malayan Communist Party (MCP)--dominated by ethnic

Chinese--created a paramilitary arm called the Malay Races

Liberation Army (MRLA) in response to the UK’s post-War

“Malayan Federation” plans. The MRLA was illed with

veterans of the Malayan Peoples’ Anti-Japanese Army, which

the UK had trained and equipped. Beginning in 1948, the

MRLA attacked British interests in Malaya (now known as

Malaysia). This drew the UK into its irst sustained military

operation of the post-war era.

During the Malayan Emergency, an ex-SAS oficer,

Mike Calvert, helped to recreate the SAS in its modern

incarnation. The operators of this new SAS learned the

secrets of jungle warfare from Chindit veterans and the

Gurkhas. This new SAS became masters of the jungle. In

doing so, they removed themselves completely from the

strictures and norms of the regular army. Rank meant little

in the jungle, and command went to that individual most

capable of leading. The four-man patrol became the standard

operating unit, with four-patrol troops and four-troop

squadrons.

While the SAS patrolled in small groups, the Gurkhas

provided the manpower to protect civilians and British

interests from attack. With veterans of World War II still

peppering its ranks, the Brigade of the Gurkhas proved adept

at jungle warfare and counter-insurgency. The Gurkhas

served through the entirety of the Emergency, acting as

the backbone of the British military in that campaign. The

jungles and swamps were soon denied to the insurgents, their

sphere of control shrinking rapidly, until their inal outpost

was taken and the emergency ended in 1960. By that time,

Malaya had gained independence and the avowed anti-

colonial actions of the MRLA no longer made sense.

Conflict in the Middle East

Along with the Suez Crisis, UK special forces were

involved in places like the Sultanate of Oman and Aden,

both dealing with communist insurgents. After success in

the Malayan Emergency, the resurrected SAS was almost

disbanded, but its special skills and counter-insurgency

experience proved important in Oman. The actions of the

SAS in the jungles of Malaya and the deserts and rocky

wastes of Oman, though not public knowledge, made them

highly sought after by foreign countries looking for trained

military and close personal protection forces.

In 1958, the Special Boat Wing became the Special

Boat Company, and the motto “Not by strength, by guile”

was adopted. The operational units remained Special Boat

Sections, so a form of continuity existed.

The SBS, fresh from successes in Korea, joined the SAS in

the Middle East and went on to create a long-term presence

in Bahrain, which remained for several decades. Conlict

with communist insurgents again erupted in Oman in 1970,

and lasted until 1976. The SBS began its involvement by

inserting SAS patrols by boat. The two covert units often

joined forces for extended inland patrols, in later years.

Along with reconnaissance and direct action, the SAS

trained the Sultan’s army in counter-insurgency tactics.

The Indonesian Confrontation

The conlict between British-backed Federation of Malaysia,

and Indonesia began in the small country of Brunei. On

December 8, 1962, the North Kalimantan National Army,

supported by Indonesia, attacked the Sultan of Brunei and

seized the nation’s oil ields as well as European hostages.

The Sultan requested British help. The Gurkhas in Hong

Kong received the call at 11 PM and arrived in Brunei at 9

AM the following morning. In a few months, the situation

had been resolved and the rebel commander had been

The Korean War

Communist North Korea, with the backing of Russia and

later China, attacked South Korea--a struggling democracy

backed by the United States--in 1950. Almost the entire

peninsula was overrun before the United Nations could

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Chapter 1: Special Ops of the United Kingdom

captured. This, however, was only the opening gambit.

The Gurkhas had all but completed mopping up the

Indonesian-backed insurgents in Brunei when Indonesian

troops entered the Sarawak and Sabah areas of Malaya.

Indonesia hoped to halt the formation of the Federation

of Malaysia after a United Nations sponsored referendum

delivered an outcome unfavorable to Indonesia. By August,

the Gurkhas had clashed with Indonesian irregulars inside

Malaya. After the creation of the Federation of Malaysia

on September 16, 1963 (Brunei did not accept admission

and Singapore left later), Indonesian regular troops entered

Malaysian territory with the aid of locals, many of them

communist sympathizers.

The SAS, well versed in jungle warfare and counter-

insurgency, mounted intelligence-gathering operations and

increasingly attacked targets inside Indonesian territory and

perpetrated cross-border incursions, forcing the Indonesian

forces into a more defensive posture. The SAS purposefully

did not engage in drawn-out battle, rather it focused its

efforts on reconnaissance and sabotage. Alongside the SAS,

the SBS patrolled not only the waterways, but also the

swamps and jungles the insurgents used to hide. The two

covert units worked together to win over the indigenous

populace by providing medical aid and supplies, as well as

protecting isolated villages from communist reprisals.

The Gurkhas resumed their duty of jungle patrols and

increasingly engaged in full-scale military actions against

communist and Indonesian targets. 40 Commando--based

in Singapore--was sent to Borneo to operate alongside

the Gurkhas. Supplies often reached the larger patrols of

Commandos and Gurkhas through the SBS, either along

rivers or on the coast.

The 1st Battalion of the Gurkhas was the irst military

unit to operationally engage since the end of the Malayan

Emergency, and the Gurkhas remained active in Borneo, the

principal site of conlict, until the peaceful resolution of the

conlict in 1964.

addressing maritime terrorism scenarios. By 1975, 1 SBS

was tasked to maritime counter terrorism (MCT) and given

speciic jurisdiction over guarding the increasing number of

oilrigs in the North Sea.

The responsibility for MCT did not remain long with

1 SBS. In 1979, the Admiralty and Chiefs of Staff gave

the mission to a newly created unit of the Royal Marine

Commando, the parent unit of the SBS. This new unit--

Comacchio Company--had 300 ranks, some of whom were

drawn from the SBS. Based at RM Condor Arbroath, the

Company not only had the responsibility of addressing

maritime terrorism, but also had the task of safeguarding the

UK’s nuclear arsenal.

The SAS and the Iranian Embassy Incident

It was in Northern Ireland that the SAS, knowing they

would face a hostage rescue situation at some point, created

the Special Project Team, oficially tagged the Counter-

Revolutionary Warfare (CRW) Squadron. The Special

Project Team created theoretical tactics then tested them in

ad hoc Close Quarters Battle (CQB) drills. The failure of

the German federal police during their attempt to rescue the

Israeli hostages during the Munich Olympics of 1972 led to

an even greater impetus to create effective hostage rescue

tactics.

As they say, the proof is in the pudding, and the SAS’

ierce reputation was put to the test on May 5, 1980.

Terrorists had captured the Iranian Embassy in London.

The SAS waited in the wings while negotiations continued.

When the terrorists killed one of the hostages, the authorities

gave the SAS the green light. A television crew happened

to have unwittingly found the perfect position and the

world saw, live, as operators from the Special Project Team

stormed the embassy. While mistakes occurred--one operator

actually got caught up in his own rope rappelling down the

wall and a ire erupted during the rescue--only one hostage

was killed and two injured. Only one terrorist survived after

mixing with the hostages.

Their very success proved the bane of the SAS. A unit

that used secrecy and mystery as a weapon, suddenly had

every newspaper, radio and television program clamoring for

information on the dreaded black-garbed counter terrorism

force. The type of recruits the SAS attracted changed.

While most of the successful operators remained tough,

independent but team-oriented professional soldiers, young

men with dreams of dressing in black and gunning down evil

terrorists before an appreciative audience became common.

The image of the Special Project Team, MP5s at the ready,

remains the single most recognizable face of the SAS to the

general public worldwide.

Northern Ireland and counter terrorism

The 1970s saw a new theater of operation for the SAS.

Sectarian violence had erupted in Northern Ireland and the

government of the United Kingdom--perhaps considering

their success facing insurgents elsewhere--secretly

inserted the SAS. As the warfare practiced was even less

conventional than what the SAS had faced in the Middle

East and Asia, and the constraints of legality even heavier,

the SAS encountered unexpected dificulties. Even their

successes created problems, as the media, government and

Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) scrutinized their

tactics and actions.

While the SAS attempted to sort out the quagmire of

Northern Ireland, the SBS had a moment in the spotlight.

A threat was received that a bomb had been planted on the

passenger liner the Queen Elizabeth II . The ship was in the

middle of the Atlantic, and the SBS succeeded in a hastily

planned parachute drop to the deck of the ship. While the

bomb threat proved a hoax, the SBS became concerned with

The Falkland Islands

The Falkland Islands--also known as the Malvinas--have

been a point of contention between Argentina and the United

Kingdom since the early nineteenth century. Negotiations

between the two countries regarding the fate of the islands

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