Post by Catsmate on Apr 11, 2014 12:09:58 GMT
Inspired by a recent article, in Nature of all places, about a paper debunking the idea that such a base ever existed.
The idea of a secret organisation of Nazi supporters, survivors of the fall of the Reich and others preparing for another attempt at world domination is a common one in fiction. Pretty much every TV series of the sixties onwards with science fictional leanings, any many without, used the idea (e.g. The Man from UNCLE, The Tomorrow People, The New Avengers, The Champions). Often we some variation on the "they saved Hitler's brain" trope also.
Even Doctor Who used it, in the sixth Doctor novel The Shadow in the Glass. Of course the Doctor was also around for Hitler's riser to power (Timewyrn - Exodus) and inadvertently inspired the German development of stealth aircraft (Just War)
Who has visited the frozen south quite a few times over the years, most notably Snowcap Base was the scene of The Tenth Planet, the fourth Doctor encountered the Krynoids there and it was the setting, complete with Cybermen base, of the novel Iceberg. But there were many other visits and references, in all media.
The idea of a Nazi redoubt there goes back a long time too; just after the end of the Second World War rumours, and a few strange events, contributed to the idea. The Byrd expeditions, especially Operation Highjump, are often associated in popular culture and fringe literature with an attempt to assault such a base. Byrd's own comments, that the United States should be prepared for an attack by "hostile planes coming from the polar regions" are often distorted to support such beliefs.
The foundations for such a base are built on very flimsy reality. In 1938 the German government did send an expedition to the Antarctic and on the 19th of January 1939, the Kriegsmarine ship Schwabenland catapult launched a pair of Dornier seaplanes, modified for the conditions in Antarctica, from a position off the coast of Queen Maud Land. The planes mapped and photographed nearly 600,000 km2 of ground, ranging about 500km inland. They also dropped dozens of six-foot metal spears adorned with swastika fins to stake a claim to what expedition commander Kapitan Alfred Ritscher "New Swabia". The only actual landing on the continent was a brief one on the 29th January 29 during which the explorers examined an area of hot springs and entered a large cave system, along with the usual flag-raising.
The expedition then departed for Germany arriving back on April 10th.
At the end of the war the curious actions of two German submarines, U-530 and U-977, both of which surrendured in formerly Axis friendly Argentina in 1945, contrary to the orders issued by Admiral Dönitz. U-530 especially has inspired various theories from 1945 onward; as well as the decision to travel to Argentina, there was the loss of the boat's deck gun, the destruction of all crew identification before the surrender, the missing ship's log and the excessive time it took them to reach South America. Oh and claims that it landed Hitler and Eva Braun before surrendering.
Mix in the disappearance of various Nazis, comments like Dönitz saying "The German submarine fleet is proud of having built for the Fuehrer in another part of the world, a Shangri-La on land, an impregnable fortress!" and general worries of a Fourth Reich and there's plenty to work with.
Of course in the Whoniverse there's even more. Time travellers and aliens, not to forgo native oddities like the Silurians and Sea Devils.
There was the involvement of the War Lords and the Gallifreyan renegade the War Chief in the rise of the Nazis; did they leave some technology behind when their base of operations was destroyed by the seventh Doctor and Ace? Perhaps they established a base in the Antarctic and the Nazis took it over. If there was a transmat link or pre-pregrammed SIDRAT they could have shipped a lot of people and material there before the war officially ended, or even after. This would also mitigate the sheer difficulties in maintain such a base with nuclear power and advanced technology.
For further complications add the Cybermen to the mix. in Iceberg it's stated that they established a base in the antarctic before the events of Invasion. So there's the potential for two groups, both interested in 'improving the race' in approximately the same place and time. Especially after their invasion is frustrated (whenever that was) they may be open to a degree of cooperation.
Now I called this post Antarctic Space Nazis so it's time to tie in some space travel.
Of course you don't need to give them spaceships to get them into space. Maybe that War Lord transmat also links to a secret lunar base (though why would they build one there?).
Or perhaps it's a different piece of alien technology.
Marcus Rowland wrote an excellent Call of Cthulhu scenario called Bad Moon Rising that has the British Royal Navy in the 1920s accidentally find a Gate linking a coal mine to a crater on the moon, which had a number of mysterious pyramids, various bits of alien technology (mostly junk) and a base complete with ancient aliens (the Great Race of Yith) in stasis. They establish an outpost there investigating the alien site.
Possibilities abound:
A space programme in the twenties especially will have a steampunk/dieselpunk feel to it, complete with Vernean space suits (lots of brass). I recommend the parts of Stargate that have scenes from the forties experiments for inspiration.
The idea of a secret organisation of Nazi supporters, survivors of the fall of the Reich and others preparing for another attempt at world domination is a common one in fiction. Pretty much every TV series of the sixties onwards with science fictional leanings, any many without, used the idea (e.g. The Man from UNCLE, The Tomorrow People, The New Avengers, The Champions). Often we some variation on the "they saved Hitler's brain" trope also.
Even Doctor Who used it, in the sixth Doctor novel The Shadow in the Glass. Of course the Doctor was also around for Hitler's riser to power (Timewyrn - Exodus) and inadvertently inspired the German development of stealth aircraft (Just War)
- Which also suggests some general possibilities; a time traveller completely accidentally changes history by shooting off his/her mouth to the wrong person or in the wrong place and then has to fix things. Preferably without causing more damage.
- One reason to go with Nazi villains is simple; they're acceptable and fun to hate. While Silurians and Ice Warrors have had positive portrayals, and even the Daleks have had sympathetic moments, it's still OK to kill Nazis. Some players may appreciate the lack of moral ambiguity (unless the GM wants to introduce some) and opportunity for unrestrained violence.
Who has visited the frozen south quite a few times over the years, most notably Snowcap Base was the scene of The Tenth Planet, the fourth Doctor encountered the Krynoids there and it was the setting, complete with Cybermen base, of the novel Iceberg. But there were many other visits and references, in all media.
The idea of a Nazi redoubt there goes back a long time too; just after the end of the Second World War rumours, and a few strange events, contributed to the idea. The Byrd expeditions, especially Operation Highjump, are often associated in popular culture and fringe literature with an attempt to assault such a base. Byrd's own comments, that the United States should be prepared for an attack by "hostile planes coming from the polar regions" are often distorted to support such beliefs.
The foundations for such a base are built on very flimsy reality. In 1938 the German government did send an expedition to the Antarctic and on the 19th of January 1939, the Kriegsmarine ship Schwabenland catapult launched a pair of Dornier seaplanes, modified for the conditions in Antarctica, from a position off the coast of Queen Maud Land. The planes mapped and photographed nearly 600,000 km2 of ground, ranging about 500km inland. They also dropped dozens of six-foot metal spears adorned with swastika fins to stake a claim to what expedition commander Kapitan Alfred Ritscher "New Swabia". The only actual landing on the continent was a brief one on the 29th January 29 during which the explorers examined an area of hot springs and entered a large cave system, along with the usual flag-raising.
The expedition then departed for Germany arriving back on April 10th.
- Interestingly during WW2 Britain sent an expedition to the Antarctic also. In fact Operation Tabarin, carried out without Churchill's knowledge, established the first permanent bases there. Officially it was to reinforce British territorial claims and frustrate potential Axis naval operations, but in the Whoniverse it could have been done for other reasons................
- The Nazis seemed more interested in sending expeditions to Tibet than Antarctica, perhaps they were trying to contact the Great Intelligence (Yog-Sothoth?)? Did they communicate with Travers after his return to London?
At the end of the war the curious actions of two German submarines, U-530 and U-977, both of which surrendured in formerly Axis friendly Argentina in 1945, contrary to the orders issued by Admiral Dönitz. U-530 especially has inspired various theories from 1945 onward; as well as the decision to travel to Argentina, there was the loss of the boat's deck gun, the destruction of all crew identification before the surrender, the missing ship's log and the excessive time it took them to reach South America. Oh and claims that it landed Hitler and Eva Braun before surrendering.
Mix in the disappearance of various Nazis, comments like Dönitz saying "The German submarine fleet is proud of having built for the Fuehrer in another part of the world, a Shangri-La on land, an impregnable fortress!" and general worries of a Fourth Reich and there's plenty to work with.
Of course in the Whoniverse there's even more. Time travellers and aliens, not to forgo native oddities like the Silurians and Sea Devils.
There was the involvement of the War Lords and the Gallifreyan renegade the War Chief in the rise of the Nazis; did they leave some technology behind when their base of operations was destroyed by the seventh Doctor and Ace? Perhaps they established a base in the Antarctic and the Nazis took it over. If there was a transmat link or pre-pregrammed SIDRAT they could have shipped a lot of people and material there before the war officially ended, or even after. This would also mitigate the sheer difficulties in maintain such a base with nuclear power and advanced technology.
- Perhaps on a visit to Germany after the war is over the PCs discover a still operating transmat link to a Nazi base (in the antarctic or South America or wherever suits) but it is destroyed before they can investigate fully. Now they know something is up and must search for the base, possibly aided (or hindered) by agents of the former Allies, the new German government or others.
For further complications add the Cybermen to the mix. in Iceberg it's stated that they established a base in the antarctic before the events of Invasion. So there's the potential for two groups, both interested in 'improving the race' in approximately the same place and time. Especially after their invasion is frustrated (whenever that was) they may be open to a degree of cooperation.
- In the novel The Time Travellers there is a reference to the South Africans trading with the 'machine people from the South Pole'. Now this takes place in an alternate universe but perhaps the Cybermen would be open to trade with the Nazis, technology for 'human resources'.
- Cyber-stormtroopers and other Nazi cyborgs created with acquired technology.
- In Silver Nemesis the Nazi leader de Flores seems curiously unsurprised by the 'silver giants' he encounters while trying to recover the Nemesis status, perhaps he's aware of them already?
- There's also other things potentially lurking in the ice; Krynoids, Ice Warriors, the Fendahl, bases from other alien races.
- Or copy a few ideas from the Lovecraft Mythos, At the Mountains of Madness for example. An ancient alien city, formed of 'strange angles' and millions of years old, with Nazis attempting to loot it's technology and slowly going mad. How'd your players handle a Shoggoth?
- How about a version of The Thing but set in a Nazi base? Or perhaps the Nazis deploy a shapeshifting alien to eliminate an inconvenient base near their operations. Some sort of proto-Shoggoth perhaps?
- What happens in 1986 when the second Cyber-invasion happens?
Now I called this post Antarctic Space Nazis so it's time to tie in some space travel.
- Did the Nazis acquire a space ship of some sort and bring (or fly) it to their antarctic base? You'll need some reason why they didn't use it in the war effort though; perhaps it crashed too late in the war or they only got it operational as the war ended.
- Did they acquire the technology after the established their base, from Cybermen, ancient aliens or one of the numerous alleged UFO crashes of the fifties and sixties.
- Were there any bits of the 1909-13 airship programme around for the Nazis to salvage?
Of course you don't need to give them spaceships to get them into space. Maybe that War Lord transmat also links to a secret lunar base (though why would they build one there?).
Or perhaps it's a different piece of alien technology.
Marcus Rowland wrote an excellent Call of Cthulhu scenario called Bad Moon Rising that has the British Royal Navy in the 1920s accidentally find a Gate linking a coal mine to a crater on the moon, which had a number of mysterious pyramids, various bits of alien technology (mostly junk) and a base complete with ancient aliens (the Great Race of Yith) in stasis. They establish an outpost there investigating the alien site.
Possibilities abound:
- There was another Gate in Germany. If the Nazis make it operational there could be a very unusual front in WW2.
- The Germans stole the British Gate, stranding their astronauts and dooming them to slow death as they can't get it operational. Once they're established in Antarctica they finally do get it working.
- There was another Gate in Germany, but it leads to a different crater.
- Gates for everyone! An entire covert lunar exploration programme with British, American, Soviet, German, Japanese, Italian and other groups involved. Probably a bit silly but there's plenty of scope for intrigue on and off Earth. Involve the British Rocket Group, the ICMG, UNIT and more.
Such an alien device linking Earth to the Moon appears in Eternity Weeps.
A space programme in the twenties especially will have a steampunk/dieselpunk feel to it, complete with Vernean space suits (lots of brass). I recommend the parts of Stargate that have scenes from the forties experiments for inspiration.
- For a interesting complication perhaps passage through the Gate causes subtle mutations in humans that build up over time. Mutant Nazi Cyborg Stormtroopers.........