[Group] The Wrecking Crew

[Catsmate]

The Wrecking Crew.

Hi all, following our game session last night (which involved the Misfit Mob) we were discussing the idea of a comparable group for UNIT/NA.

So, is anyone interested in contributing to such a project?

Basically 10-12 people, not necessarily detailed builds, who are part of UNIT, not necessarily voluntarily, assigned to a group to keep them more-or-less out of trouble. 
But trouble keeps finding them....

People from various walks of life, some military/law enforcement (and the US has many such agencies), scientists (perhaps seeking vindication for 'odd' theories), students and people who Saw Too Much.


The original character concepts for the Misfit Mob were:
The flaky psychic with unreliable telepathy.
The acerbic, wheelchair bound scientist.
The investigator who can see patterns no-one else can (even when they're not there).
The soldier with no sense of humour and a preference for force as the first option.
The junior officer who annoyed her superiors and got stuck with this mob.
The in-over-his-head geek student who Saw Too Much and got conscripted.
The timeworn cynic who has none-too-happy memories of the Doctor's exile.
The PTSD case who had to kill her comrades to save the planet. The practical joker who takes nothing seriously, for a reason.  The alien who's not quite trusted fully and has a dodgy shimmer. The new recruit, a short ranged, receptive, telepath with poor social skills and an invisible monkey friend.


Contributions and ideas welcome.

[grinch]

Sounds like a good idea. Feel free to use my write up of the DC comics character Director Bones should you ever want them to make an appearance in your campaign.

Personally, I rather like the idea of a political cartoonist on UNIT’s payroll who uses his satirical cartoons to pass on messages and intel to the rest of the group.

[Catsmate]

Sept 2, 2023 19:55:13 GMT grinch said:

Sounds like a good idea. Feel free to use my write up of the DC comics character Director Bones should you ever want them to make an appearance in your campaign.

Personally, I rather like the idea of a political cartoonist on UNIT’s payroll who uses his satirical cartoons to pass on messages and intel to the rest of the group.

Thanks! I'm looking for deskbound Director/Coordinator type.

[grinch]

I also considered perhaps one of this American based Misfit Mob being an otherwise normal UNIT technician.

In actuality, he’s from another universe and is an alternate version of a pre existing member of the American UNIT who UNIT keep assigned to minor investigations and operations. If only to avoid him potentially bumping into his main counterpart. Thankfully, with said counterpart being based on the other side of the country this seems unlikely.

So, to cut it short he’s more of a guinea pig who they keep distracted while they study him.

[Catsmate]

The first few character concepts.

'Big Mac'

• Time displaced soldier, from the Master Incident in 1980.
  

UNIT-NA experienced a rather complex case in 1980-82, involving an attempt by the renegade Time Lord known as 'The Master' to steal an experimental TARDIS. UNIT's Scientific Advisor (and his liason team) headed off an a mission of his own to stop the theft. Meanwhile UNIT confronted a detachment of robotic Yeti and the involvement of the inter-dimensional being known as the Great Intelligence in Washington state.
The effects were almost catastrophic, and even with Gallifreyan assistence events led to the triggering  ofthe eruption of Mount Saint Helens in 1980. Worse, the odd interacions between multiple TARDISes and a piece of legacy Time Lord technology left a number of temporal instabilities littering the area.

Two years later in 1982 a sequel occurred when a UNIT associate within a group of geologists probing the volcano's effects from two years previously reported some odd changes in behaviour among her companions and sightings of 'Bigfoot'. During the investigtion The Master was found attempting to extract a TARDIS from the solidified lava. 
While rescuing a Gallifreyan suffering from amnesia Staff Sergeant 'Big Mac' MacNeill was caught in the edge of a temporal effect and thrown almost forty years forward in time.

Now he's adjusting to life in the twenty-first century and the 'New UNIT'. For lack of a better place for him his superiors assigned him to the 'Wrecking Crew'



The Concierges.
Janine, Lucine and Francine are the three concierges (and gofers) for the building. Officially they're not part of the Crew but there is a lot of overlap between their duties.
They are inseparable, except when one of them is manning the front desk, which appears to be pretty much  always. They are helpful, a little detached and always seem to know something the others don't (they're wired into the UNIT gossip network).

The live together in an immaculate bungalow not far from the business park where they grow orchids and cacti respectively.
No-one in the Crew is entirely sure is the rio are (more-or-less) normal human triplets, Zygons, androids or someting actually weird.



Sarah the Plumber.

• "Hi, I'm Sarah, the plumber".

Actually Sarah is more than a plumber; she's also electrician, and in the mundane sense not in the 'tradecraft' senses.
Even clandestine international organisations dedicated to saving the Earth from the evils of the outside universe need someone to make sure the taps work and the toilets flush.

When the office building assigned to the Crew was being renovated it needed someone with the skills to figure out the services needed and boss the outside crews. Someone with the security clearance to be in the building without having to be dosed regularly with amnesiacs.
Of course Sarah couldn't be 'read in' to actual UNIT operations, that'd be ridiculous. But she knows more than she should.

She's also a superb handywoman, electrician and general contractor, a capable (if unlicensed) civil engineer and architect and good with networking and computers. And a not-bad electronicist who can get pressed in to fabriating gadgets.

She's not exactly combat trained, though she's done some self-defense classes and some of the Crew have given her lessons, but she's had to fight things on job sites.

[grinch]

I really like Sarah the Plumber. Probably the most normal of the characters until she stumbles across something or discovers some entity lurking in the drains.

[grinch]

Another character idea is an alien left over from a previously thwarted invasion of Earth. They have spent the last few years imprisoned within the Black Archive vowing revenge and plotting to escape. But never got around to it.

If anything, they’ve actually acclimatised to life on Earth and mellowed out somewhat. No doubt helped by the fact that their race never came back for them. To the point where they occasionally offer their aid to the Wrecking Crew. Of course, they still have to be accompanied by a UNIT officer who holds a restraining device in the event they get nasty.

It’s the sort of character which could either be a member of a previously established species such as the Skith or the Voord or a completely original alien species.

[Catsmate]

Sept 11, 2023 14:45:34 GMT grinch said:

Another character idea is an alien left over from a previously thwarted invasion of Earth. They have spent the last few years imprisoned within the Black Archive vowing revenge and plotting to escape. But never got around to it.

If anything, they’ve actually acclimatised to life on Earth and mellowed out somewhat. No doubt helped by the fact that their race never came back for them. To the point where they occasionally offer their aid to the Wrecking Crew. Of course, they still have to be accompanied by a UNIT officer who holds a restraining device in the event they get nasty.

It’s the sort of character which could either be a member of a previously established species such as the Skith or the Voord or a completely original alien species.

Vardans? Auton?

[soultaker666212]

Sept 11, 2023 17:28:28 GMT Catsmate said:

Sept 11, 2023 14:45:34 GMT grinch said:

Another character idea is an alien left over from a previously thwarted invasion of Earth. They have spent the last few years imprisoned within the Black Archive vowing revenge and plotting to escape. But never got around to it.

If anything, they’ve actually acclimatised to life on Earth and mellowed out somewhat. No doubt helped by the fact that their race never came back for them. To the point where they occasionally offer their aid to the Wrecking Crew. Of course, they still have to be accompanied by a UNIT officer who holds a restraining device in the event they get nasty.

It’s the sort of character which could either be a member of a previously established species such as the Skith or the Voord or a completely original alien species.

Vardans? Auton?

I was also thinking Auton with this as well

[grinch]

Sept 11, 2023 17:28:28 GMT Catsmate said:

Sept 11, 2023 14:45:34 GMT grinch said:

Another character idea is an alien left over from a previously thwarted invasion of Earth. They have spent the last few years imprisoned within the Black Archive vowing revenge and plotting to escape. But never got around to it.

If anything, they’ve actually acclimatised to life on Earth and mellowed out somewhat. No doubt helped by the fact that their race never came back for them. To the point where they occasionally offer their aid to the Wrecking Crew. Of course, they still have to be accompanied by a UNIT officer who holds a restraining device in the event they get nasty.

It’s the sort of character which could either be a member of a previously established species such as the Skith or the Voord or a completely original alien species.

Vardans? Auton?

A Vardan could make for an interesting choice. I’m imagining for this character they’d be more sentient and knowledgeable compared to the relatively mindless Autons. 

Not to mention, as the years advance and technology progresses they could make for a useful ally. Absorbing all manner of information from news broadcasts. 

In fact, maybe that’s why it’s reluctantly entered into an agreement with the Wrecking Crew. It’s been scanning all manner of communication frequencies and ala Dalek they can’t find a single message or transmission from Varda. 

With regards to its handler, maybe that could be another member of the Wrecking Crew? Appointed only to keep an eye on the Vardan?

[Catsmate]

Sept 11, 2023 19:33:44 GMT grinch said:

Sept 11, 2023 17:28:28 GMT Catsmate said:

Vardans? Auton?

A Vardan could make for an interesting choice. I’m imagining for this character they’d be more sentient and knowledgeable compared to the relatively mindless Autons. 

Not to mention, as the years advance and technology progresses they could make for a useful ally. Absorbing all manner of information from news broadcasts. 

In fact, maybe that’s why it’s reluctantly entered into an agreement with the Wrecking Crew. It’s been scanning all manner of communication frequencies and ala Dalek they can’t find a single message or transmission from Varda. 

With regards to its handler, maybe that could be another member of the Wrecking Crew? Appointed only to keep an eye on the Vardan?

There were a  couple of Vardans, with different agendas, in the EU novel No Future.
Perhaps one such remained behind, hid away ane emerged (or was found).
I do like the idea of them having an assigned 'minder', there's a chance for conflict. 


 

[Catsmate]

A couple more character outlines.


Nikeisha Johnson
Nike is a pretty straightforward and dependable UNIT field agent, with a slight remaining Yankee accent and enough of a sense of humour that people don’t resent her business-first attitude.
She capable, perceptive and intelligent, capable with common technolgies, intrusion and combat.

However, secretly Nike is a hoarder; she's acquired a vast array of 'conventional' weapons and equipment, and rather a lot of alien junk from UNIT operations. These are stored in her secluded suburban house, and several unofficial storage lockers around the office, that have non-standard locks and are 'misfiled' on the mnagement system.
Plus a few buried caches and leased storage containers.

Sometimes Nike fantasises about the day when something terrible happens and she unveils her stash and provides this ghear the other UNIT agents, who re impressed by her foresight.
Physically she's a dark-skinned woman, dark hair and eyes, 1.73 tall, but wears lifts as she thinks looking tall will help her control the situation. 
She has and excellent range of contacts, within and without UNT


Gerald Peterson
Peterson was a USAF Iraq veteran and former Department of the Air Force Police lieutenant.
This mix of careers, not to mention some contac with UNIT opertions in te Middle East, has left him skilled at both security and counter-security tradecraft, technology and violence.
Gerald says very little but is an excellent listener, which causes other people to trust him with their problems and secrets. He accompanies the rest of the gang to the pub but once there he drinks hardly anything.


Ghulam Kaur.
Ghulam is a Pashtun, who was assisted by some UNIT troops from a difficult immigration situation in exchange for his assistence 'in country'. They'd first met him after he killed an alien cultist who tried to kidnap his sister to sacrifice her to his alien master.

• In fact contact with the alien had overwhelmed the cultist's mind, who say the creature as a djinn or daemon, and the whole human 'sacrifice' business was a artefact of this psychosis. 
• Ghulam's sister Uzuri now lives with him and works in a tech startup.Ghulam

Ghulam owes his stay in the USA to the influence of UNIT.
He never touched alcohol when he lived in Afghanistan, so he was totally defenseless the first time the Crew invited him to the pub. He has since developed a mild drinking problem, which most of the Crew are fine with because they consider him a fun person to be around.

[Catsmate]

And a couple more. One of which is rather dark.

Austin Martinez
Austin is seven feet tall, courtesy of Gigantism, caused by a piturity gland tumour. After a fairly normal upbringing and a university scholarship studying archaeology, Austin ended up working at a chain store in CITY before UNIT acquired his services.

He's also an excellent linguist with an intuitive grasp of human and non-human laguages, something that makes his invaluable to UNIT. His pleasant manner and archaeological background means that he's often 'borrowed' by UNIT section 9J.

His apartment is occasionally home to Dr Rama Singh, a fellow 9J "nerdling" who appreciates his.... dimensions, and his ability to keep his mouth shut while she talks endlessly about whatever currently interests her, which varies from week to week.

---

A quick note on UNIT's Section 9J.
In the Whoniverse archaeology can be a dangerous business, with a tendency to unearth things that are, well, Unearthly. Mind controlling artefacts, not-quite-dead aliens, Things From The Dungeon Dimensions, et cetera. Hence Section 9J.

Their main function is to ensure that no evidence of alien or paranormal creatures, artefacts, or activities is unearthed, except by appropriately vetted Section 9J personnel. Those personnel are archaeologists, anthropologists, historians, media specialists, lawyers, scientists, technicians and bureaucrats, mainly drawn from UNIT, though outside specialists are also used.

In Britain this division operates as UKARP (the United Kingdom Archaeological Review Panel). An obscure QUANGO attached to either the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, the Office of the Deputy Prime-Minister or the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, depending on who you ask.
UKARP has the power to initiate, investigate, supervise, and if necessary, shut down archaeological digs in the UK and other British territories (like the Channel Islands). Officially it's of utterly negligible importance.
See this thread for more.

---

Rory Butler the Witchsmeller.
Rory was formerly part of a 'Broadsword' urban opertions team within UNIT-NA, and before that a Chicago police SWAT officer. Then, when raiding an apartment everything went horribly wrong.

SOMETHING entered his head and rode him like a puppet. He killed five of his comrades in as many seconds and carried the alien's equipment out of the building, before setting the building on fire. Nine more people died.

After that things got horrible. The creature used him for two months; killing people, stealing stuff and kidnapping children and more. All the time Rory was screaming inside his own head.

Then UNIT caught up with him and extracted the thing from his head.He still has the scars, including a rather dramatic one on his forehead.
Two years of therapy followed, and amnesiac treatment.

He's almost manged to stop thinking about the kids.

Thanks to the occupation of his mind Rory has a limited psychic ability. He can sense strong emotions, but is very, very, good at detecting mental control, possession and hypnotic influence.
They call him the Witchsmeller.

Rory presents himself as a hale and hearty Ynkee and is pretty good at hiding how uncomfortable he is around kids. Not because he’d ever hurt them again, but because they remind him of the times he already did.

There's a lottery on when he'll kill himself.

[grinch]

Sept 12, 2023 8:25:19 GMT Catsmate said:

Sept 11, 2023 19:33:44 GMT grinch said:

A Vardan could make for an interesting choice. I’m imagining for this character they’d be more sentient and knowledgeable compared to the relatively mindless Autons. 

Not to mention, as the years advance and technology progresses they could make for a useful ally. Absorbing all manner of information from news broadcasts. 

In fact, maybe that’s why it’s reluctantly entered into an agreement with the Wrecking Crew. It’s been scanning all manner of communication frequencies and ala Dalek they can’t find a single message or transmission from Varda. 

With regards to its handler, maybe that could be another member of the Wrecking Crew? Appointed only to keep an eye on the Vardan?

There were a  couple of Vardans, with different agendas, in the EU novel No Future.
Perhaps one such remained behind, hid away ane emerged (or was found).
I do like the idea of them having an assigned 'minder', there's a chance for conflict. 


 

It does actually beg the question whether his/her/it’s minder even has the technology to subdue the Vardan whether it gets out of line or whether it’s just a bluff.

[grinch]

Sept 12, 2023 9:06:48 GMT Catsmate said:

And a couple more. One of which is rather dark.

Austin Martinez
Austin is seven feet tall, courtesy of Gigantism, caused by a piturity gland tumour. After a fairly normal upbringing and a university scholarship studying archaeology, Austin ended up working at a chain store in CITY before UNIT acquired his services.

He's also an excellent linguist with an intuitive grasp of human and non-human laguages, something that makes his invaluable to UNIT. His pleasant manner and archaeological background means that he's often 'borrowed' by UNIT section 9J.

His apartment is occasionally home to Dr Rama Singh, a fellow 9J "nerdling" who appreciates his.... dimensions, and his ability to keep his mouth shut while she talks endlessly about whatever currently interests her, which varies from week to week.

---

A quick note on UNIT's Section 9J.
In the Whoniverse archaeology can be a dangerous business, with a tendency to unearth things that are, well, Unearthly. Mind controlling artefacts, not-quite-dead aliens, Things From The Dungeon Dimensions, et cetera. Hence Section 9J.

Their main function is to ensure that no evidence of alien or paranormal creatures, artefacts, or activities is unearthed, except by appropriately vetted Section 9J personnel. Those personnel are archaeologists, anthropologists, historians, media specialists, lawyers, scientists, technicians and bureaucrats, mainly drawn from UNIT, though outside specialists are also used.

In Britain this division operates as UKARP (the United Kingdom Archaeological Review Panel). An obscure QUANGO attached to either the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, the Office of the Deputy Prime-Minister or the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, depending on who you ask.
UKARP has the power to initiate, investigate, supervise, and if necessary, shut down archaeological digs in the UK and other British territories (like the Channel Islands). Officially it's of utterly negligible importance.
See this thread for more.

---

Rory Butler the Witchsmeller.
Rory was formerly part of a 'Broadsword' urban opertions team within UNIT-NA, and before that a Chicago police SWAT officer. Then, when raiding an apartment everything went horribly wrong.

SOMETHING entered his head and rode him like a puppet. He killed five of his comrades in as many seconds and carried the alien's equipment out of the building, before setting the building on fire. Nine more people died.

After that things got horrible. The creature used him for two months; killing people, stealing stuff and kidnapping children and more. All the time Rory was screaming inside his own head.

Then UNIT caught up with him and extracted the thing from his head.He still has the scars, including a rather dramatic one on his forehead.
Two years of therapy followed, and amnesiac treatment.

He's almost manged to stop thinking about the kids.

Thanks to the occupation of his mind Rory has a limited psychic ability. He can sense strong emotions, but is very, very, good at detecting mental control, possession and hypnotic influence.
They call him the Witchsmeller.

Rory presents himself as a hale and hearty Ynkee and is pretty good at hiding how uncomfortable he is around kids. Not because he’d ever hurt them again, but because they remind him of the times he already did.

There's a lottery on when he'll kill himself.

Poor Rory. Sounds like he could do with a friend. And is the lottery something the other officers in UNIT have put together? Would seem a bit cruel if other members of the Wrecking Crew started it. 

Just out of interest, did you have anything specific in mind for the entity which got inside his head? I’m imagining it akin to something a child might draw. A spindly creature with twisted limbs and a distorted face. The sort of bogeyman only a young child would dream up. 

And of course, it also begs further the question. Did UNIT destroy the Entity or is it sealed away in their equivalent of the Black Archive?

[Catsmate]

Sept 12, 2023 18:33:40 GMT grinch said:

Sept 12, 2023 8:25:19 GMT Catsmate said:

There were a  couple of Vardans, with different agendas, in the EU novel No Future.
Perhaps one such remained behind, hid away ane emerged (or was found).
I do like the idea of them having an assigned 'minder', there's a chance for conflict. 


 

It does actually beg the question whether his/her/it’s minder even has the technology to subdue the Vardan whether it gets out of line or whether it’s just a bluff.

Hmm, that's a good question. Some sort of directional EMP device, cobbled together from alien tech perhaps? But yes there is room for an interesting dynamic there.

[Catsmate]

Sept 12, 2023 18:46:09 GMT grinch said:

Sept 12, 2023 9:06:48 GMT Catsmate said:

And a couple more. One of which is rather dark.

Austin Martinez
Austin is seven feet tall, courtesy of Gigantism, caused by a piturity gland tumour. After a fairly normal upbringing and a university scholarship studying archaeology, Austin ended up working at a chain store in CITY before UNIT acquired his services.

He's also an excellent linguist with an intuitive grasp of human and non-human laguages, something that makes his invaluable to UNIT. His pleasant manner and archaeological background means that he's often 'borrowed' by UNIT section 9J.

His apartment is occasionally home to Dr Rama Singh, a fellow 9J "nerdling" who appreciates his.... dimensions, and his ability to keep his mouth shut while she talks endlessly about whatever currently interests her, which varies from week to week.

---

A quick note on UNIT's Section 9J.
In the Whoniverse archaeology can be a dangerous business, with a tendency to unearth things that are, well, Unearthly. Mind controlling artefacts, not-quite-dead aliens, Things From The Dungeon Dimensions, et cetera. Hence Section 9J.

Their main function is to ensure that no evidence of alien or paranormal creatures, artefacts, or activities is unearthed, except by appropriately vetted Section 9J personnel. Those personnel are archaeologists, anthropologists, historians, media specialists, lawyers, scientists, technicians and bureaucrats, mainly drawn from UNIT, though outside specialists are also used.

In Britain this division operates as UKARP (the United Kingdom Archaeological Review Panel). An obscure QUANGO attached to either the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, the Office of the Deputy Prime-Minister or the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, depending on who you ask.
UKARP has the power to initiate, investigate, supervise, and if necessary, shut down archaeological digs in the UK and other British territories (like the Channel Islands). Officially it's of utterly negligible importance.
See this thread for more.

---

Rory Butler the Witchsmeller.
Rory was formerly part of a 'Broadsword' urban opertions team within UNIT-NA, and before that a Chicago police SWAT officer. Then, when raiding an apartment everything went horribly wrong.

SOMETHING entered his head and rode him like a puppet. He killed five of his comrades in as many seconds and carried the alien's equipment out of the building, before setting the building on fire. Nine more people died.

After that things got horrible. The creature used him for two months; killing people, stealing stuff and kidnapping children and more. All the time Rory was screaming inside his own head.

Then UNIT caught up with him and extracted the thing from his head.He still has the scars, including a rather dramatic one on his forehead.
Two years of therapy followed, and amnesiac treatment.

He's almost manged to stop thinking about the kids.

Thanks to the occupation of his mind Rory has a limited psychic ability. He can sense strong emotions, but is very, very, good at detecting mental control, possession and hypnotic influence.
They call him the Witchsmeller.

Rory presents himself as a hale and hearty Ynkee and is pretty good at hiding how uncomfortable he is around kids. Not because he’d ever hurt them again, but because they remind him of the times he already did.

There's a lottery on when he'll kill himself.

Poor Rory. Sounds like he could do with a friend. And is the lottery something the other officers in UNIT have put together? Would seem a bit cruel if other members of the Wrecking Crew started it. 

Just out of interest, did you have anything specific in mind for the entity which got inside his head? I’m imagining it akin to something a child might draw. A spindly creature with twisted limbs and a distorted face. The sort of bogeyman only a young child would dream up. 

And of course, it also begs further the question. Did UNIT destroy the Entity or is it sealed away in their equivalent of the Black Archive?

Yeah, Rory has..... problems. Not entirely trusted, disliked by those he's brought in to check for mind control.
Plus there may be issues with external law enforcement from his actions while possessed.

I didn't really have a concept for the possessor, other than it being physical, hence the scars from its removal. Something along the lines of an Iytean, or the worm creature from Laymon's Flesh.
The lottery was one of the reasons he ended up with the Crew.

[grinch]

Sept 12, 2023 19:52:04 GMT Catsmate said:

Sept 12, 2023 18:33:40 GMT grinch said:

It does actually beg the question whether his/her/it’s minder even has the technology to subdue the Vardan whether it gets out of line or whether it’s just a bluff.

Hmm, that's a good question. Some sort of directional EMP device, cobbled together from alien tech perhaps? But yes there is room for an interesting dynamic there.

Yes, enough to cause extreme discomfort but not enough to destroy him completely.

Of course, there’s nothing to say the Vardan couldn’t find a way to make themself impervious to the device’s effect. 

[grinch]

Just out of curiosity, does the Wrecking Crew have much to do with the Misfit Mob? If only to share information with one another and see how differently they operate in contrast.

[Catsmate]

Sept 14, 2023 18:31:30 GMT grinch said:

Just out of curiosity, does the Wrecking Crew have much to do with the Misfit Mob? If only to share information with one another and see how differently they operate in contrast.

Hmmm, I acually hadn't gotten that far in my design.

I'd expect that initially they'd be keep apart by senior mnagement, after all they were intended/created as dumping grounds for the oddballs and other problematic staff¹. After they establish themselves as actually useful, if still odd and looked at askance, they migh well link up to exchange ideas, and even staff.

Good suggestion grinch.




1.Rather like the 'Strategic Planning Unit' in a certain overnment department I could name or the 'Laser Project' in Langford's The Leaky Establishment.

[grinch]

Sept 15, 2023 8:25:46 GMT Catsmate said:

Sept 14, 2023 18:31:30 GMT grinch said:

Just out of curiosity, does the Wrecking Crew have much to do with the Misfit Mob? If only to share information with one another and see how differently they operate in contrast.

Hmmm, I acually hadn't gotten that far in my design.

I'd expect that initially they'd be keep apart by senior mnagement, after all they were intended/created as dumping grounds for the oddballs and other problematic staff¹. After they establish themselves as actually useful, if still odd and looked at askance, they migh well link up to exchange ideas, and even staff.

Good suggestion grinch .




1.Rather like the 'Strategic Planning Unit' in a certain overnment department I could name or the 'Laser Project' in Langford's The Leaky Establishment.

The two groups could even up forming their own network of oddballs and oddities outside of UNIT circles.

You could even tie it in further with the Expanded Universe by using The White Rabbit pub as a meeting place.

tardis.fandom.com/wiki/White_Rabbit_(London)

[Catsmate]

Sept 15, 2023 19:11:30 GMT grinch said:

Sept 15, 2023 8:25:46 GMT Catsmate said:

Hmmm, I acually hadn't gotten that far in my design.

I'd expect that initially they'd be keep apart by senior mnagement, after all they were intended/created as dumping grounds for the oddballs and other problematic staff¹. After they establish themselves as actually useful, if still odd and looked at askance, they migh well link up to exchange ideas, and even staff.

Good suggestion grinch .




1.Rather like the 'Strategic Planning Unit' in a certain overnment department I could name or the 'Laser Project' in Langford's The Leaky Establishment.

The two groups could even up forming their own network of oddballs and oddities outside of UNIT circles.

You could even tie it in further with the Expanded Universe by using The White Rabbit pub as a meeting place.

tardis.fandom.com/wiki/White_Rabbit_(London)

Interesting idea, oddly I'd planned on having the Crew frequent a pub/bar just outside the industrial park that includes their office building. And there's also the Rainbow Code, though I'd envisioned that as more of a UNIT haunt.

Thanks.

[Catsmate]

OK, after Friday's session I'm also considering an Australian group like the Crew and the Mob. Ideas and possible names welcome.
Perhaps a multi-national group covering the Pacific.

[soultaker666212]

Sept 17, 2023 16:51:59 GMT Catsmate said:

OK, after Friday's session I'm also considering an Australian group like the Crew and the Mob. Ideas and possible names welcome.
Perhaps a multi-national group covering the Pacific.

Down Under Investigators

[grinch]

Sept 17, 2023 16:51:59 GMT Catsmate said:

OK, after Friday's session I'm also considering an Australian group like the Crew and the Mob. Ideas and possible names welcome.
Perhaps a multi-national group covering the Pacific.

How about taking something from The Emu War thread we discussed a while back?

Probably the oddest member of this Australian counterpart. An Emu who is either from the original flock that was inadvertently enhanced by the elixir given to them by snake oil salesman Doctor Marshall Manor Meyer or a descendant. A lot of the flock was probably culled over the years so he might be among only a few left. 

Fiercely intelligent bordering on genius level. Wears a translator device cribbed from spaceship wreckage enabling him to speak. Has his moments but can be rather insufferable. It doesn’t help that he keeps banging on about the sovereign rights of his fellow Emu kind. 

Think the Brain Gremlin from Gremlins 2 as an example. 

[Catsmate]

Sept 17, 2023 17:24:50 GMT soultaker666212 said:

Sept 17, 2023 16:51:59 GMT Catsmate said:

OK, after Friday's session I'm also considering an Australian group like the Crew and the Mob. Ideas and possible names welcome.
Perhaps a multi-national group covering the Pacific.

Down Under Investigators

Possibly, but I was looking for something more along the lines of he other groups. Suggestive of eccentricity, last resort and perhaps adumping ground. DUI seems, to me, to have an air of competence.

Ah bugger,  now as I think about it, I see DUI as competition to UNIT; a group of independent, civilian, investigators in the mould of LINDA, the Silver Cloak and the Support Group. Another one for the Ideas file..... 
Thanks, soultaker666212.

Sept 17, 2023 19:44:19 GMT grinch said:

Sept 17, 2023 16:51:59 GMT Catsmate said:

OK, after Friday's session I'm also considering an Australian group like the Crew and the Mob. Ideas and possible names welcome.
Perhaps a multi-national group covering the Pacific.

How about taking something from The Emu War thread we discussed a while back?

Probably the oddest member of this Australian counterpart. An Emu who is either from the original flock that was inadvertently enhanced by the elixir given to them by snake oil salesman Doctor Marshall Manor Meyer or a descendant. A lot of the flock was probably culled over the years so he might be among only a few left. 

Fiercely intelligent bordering on genius level. Wears a translator device cribbed from spaceship wreckage enabling him to speak. Has his moments but can be rather insufferable. It doesn’t help that he keeps banging on about the sovereign rights of his fellow Emu kind. 

Think the Brain Gremlin from Gremlins 2 as an example. 

Hmm, that has definite possibilities. Maybe there is a surviving community of enhanced emus? 

Perhaps a somewhat unreliablecamouflage device? LIke this.

[grinch]

Sept 18, 2023 9:28:53 GMT Catsmate said:

Sept 17, 2023 17:24:50 GMT soultaker666212 said:

Down Under Investigators

Possibly, but I was looking for something more along the lines of he other groups. Suggestive of eccentricity, last resort and perhaps adumping ground. DUI seems, to me, to have an air of competence.

Ah bugger,  now as I think about it, I see DUI as competition to UNIT; a group of independent, civilian, investigators in the mould of LINDA, the Silver Cloak and the Support Group. Another one for the Ideas file..... 
Thanks, soultaker666212 .

Sept 17, 2023 19:44:19 GMT grinch said:

How about taking something from The Emu War thread we discussed a while back?

Probably the oddest member of this Australian counterpart. An Emu who is either from the original flock that was inadvertently enhanced by the elixir given to them by snake oil salesman Doctor Marshall Manor Meyer or a descendant. A lot of the flock was probably culled over the years so he might be among only a few left. 

Fiercely intelligent bordering on genius level. Wears a translator device cribbed from spaceship wreckage enabling him to speak. Has his moments but can be rather insufferable. It doesn’t help that he keeps banging on about the sovereign rights of his fellow Emu kind. 

Think the Brain Gremlin from Gremlins 2 as an example. 

Hmm, that has definite possibilities. Maybe there is a surviving community of enhanced emus? 

Perhaps a somewhat unreliablecamouflage device? LIke this.

That could work. Perhaps around the time of the original Emu War when Torchwood had more jurisdiction over Australia, they culled a great number of the enhanced Emus. With the good Doctor Meyer making his escape after Jeremy put a javelin through the leader of this particular branch of Torchwood. By the time of the Australian equivalent of the Misfit Mob and with Torchwood mostly out of the picture, only a few remain. Say less than a hundred. Enough that UNIT don't really know what to do with them. And re introducing them back into the wild could cause all manner of problems.  

I like the idea of the genius Emu having a faulty camouflage device. He keeps saying he could quite easily fix it but he never seems to get around to it. And thus, there are constant reports of a "ghostly Emu" which occasionally surface. Mind you, such reports are so ridiculous they usually don't bother trying to supress or cover it up.