Warbirds: Endless Blue. (Warbirds RPG. Pilots. ISOT F/Any. Seeking GM.)

[Lustful Bride]

The end of World War II marks the dawn of the Jet Age. Combat aircraft ride on plumes of fire and break the speed of sound. They launch missiles from impossible ranges and destroy their foes without ever meeting face-to-face. But at the end of the day, war never changes. It is people killing people, because diplomacy has failed to produce any reliable solutions to their conflicts. But sometimes, diplomacy is not possible. You cannot make peace with a people who seek only conflict.

Nothing starts conflict better than scarcity.

And no scarcity is worse than the scarcity for food and water.

Welcome to the world of Azure. A world covered in nothing but water, with only a few rogue landmasses here and there, and rocky islands breaking the endless waves. But that is about to change. A few scattered islands, ripped out from Earth are but newcomers to the waterworld that they will now be forced to call home. Here among the dazzling fragments of the Caribbean islands is where a few skilled pilots make the difference between victory and defeat against an old evil that refuses to finally die.

Back on Earth, the world had been in the midst of The Cuban Missile Crisis. A time in history where the world was nearly annihilated in nuclear fire as the two greatest powers on Earth pointed weapons at one another and dared their rival to make a move. More and more naval, Marine, and Airforces were pouring into the Caribbean, as the lines were being carved into the sand between the East and West.

The entire world waited with fear as the US and Soviets seemed ready to finally push the nuclear button over a couple of nuclear missiles on Cuba (And some hidden in Turkey), and with each passing day tensions only grew hotter and hotter, with nuclear destruction only being avoided at the very last minute.

But here is where the history of this Earth will split off from our own. During the tensest moments of the crisis, a freak storm suddenly forms over the region, above all these islands, planes, ships, submarines. It is the worst storm anyone has ever seen, morphing into a massive hurricane that refuses to stop!

Ships are nearly lifted up out of the water, planes are unabe to take to the skies, even submarines diving low can feel the turbulence, and it shows no sign of stopping. Some US/NATO ships speed to Florida, others head to friendly ports in Haiti and Puerto Rico. The Soviet ships all hunker down in Cuba and everyone braces as the storm gets so bad it sounds like the heavens are screaming as they are torn apart. There is almost no communication going on between anyone.

People in the rest of the world know that the super-hurricane is sitting in place and that many are trapped on the islands, but that is the extent of it.

With nothing else to do (and not wanting to leave the region too much in favor of one side of the other) everyone is just hunkering down and praying for it to end, when there is a bright flash, and suddenly silence.

The skies clear up, and for the first time in almost two weeks the people of the Caribbean can see the stars above them. They breathe a sigh of relief, while the people back on Earth gasp in horror at the complete loss of so much landmass, so many people, and so much military equipment. All gone.

The new arrivals on the world of Azure consist of most of the Carribean islands, along with parts of Florida and the Yucatan peninsula, were picked up and dropped into this new world, relatively in their respective regions. The New arrivals (so far) seem to consist of the Florida Keys (and part of its peninsula), Yucatan Peninsula, Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and Nassau. But more smaller landmasses are being found, giving their region of Azure an almost Archipelago like nature.

It doesn't take long for recon flights to see that there hasn't been a nuclear engagement as some feared....everything is just gone! They are trapped on a new world, covered in oceans and skies. With only what they brought with them to help them survive. Which isn't much when you realize both sides brought forces into the region for a war, and now without their mother countries, NATO and Soviet forces are facing a resurgence of local resistance.

Castro is ready to cut off food for the Soviets if they don't give him respect, and in Puerto Rico the insurgency is bubbling up again. Why should the natives obey the yankees when there is no longer any yankeeland to tell them what to do? But the stronger military forces of the US and USSR (what remains of them) stake their claim over the territories that they must consider home now, leaving Cuba with Soviet Marines, Airforces, subs and missiles, and forcing the Americans to try to hold on to the remnants of Florida.

The only real American stronghold now is a small piece of land won during the Spanish American War, and mostly forgotten about. Puerto Rico.

Tensions still remain as the two military forces share a close border (with Hispaniola beginning to act as a kind of border/DMZ between them). Resources are tight, and rationing is as tight as possible. Despite the fear of remnant nukes, the true fear now is that they may all go hungry, so ships and planes are sent out to find other landmasses, and begin immediate efforts to mine materials and fuels, while the admirals and eggheads try to figure out how they might get home...if ever.

It is during these operations that the newcomers begin to see signs that they are not alone. Distant radio signals. Radar contacts that are too far away to investigate, and most damning of all...abandoned mining rigs on Rock Islands or sea based oil rigs.

Despite the hatred the newcomers might have for each other...even they must agree that there is something worse out there. The radio signals sounded faintly like German...and when they investigate abandoned rigs and rock islands, they discover more than enough Swastikas and Iron Crosses to not be surprised when distant scouts spot familiar ship silhouettes, and her the rumble of Wehrmacht plane engines.

Many are unable to believe it, or outright refuse to think it is true. How can it be? But it all comes to a head when Soviet Migs manage to shoot down a strange Delta Winged aircraft that was not made by any of the newcomers, and carries the symbol of the fascists.

The Nazis have been on Azure for some time now, beginning operations to escape to Antarctica when it was clear that their days were numbered. Members of the SS, Thule Society, and other illicit groups, planned to one day return and take the world from the lesser peoples that had forced them out. They experimented with all manner of forbidden sciences and unholy rituals. Some of them seemed to have actually worked, taking their facility to the South Pole of Azure, where they spent the post war years expanding, mining, manufacturing, testing, readying themselves to become the Fourth Reich, and one day take the planet Earth by force.

But it seemed that God, fate, or the universe itself, had something else to say about that. What was once a Nazi playground is now contested territory by not only their old enemies, but also a whole host of people who do not fit their psychotic idea of racial superiority. some of the weapons the newcomers have brought with them even seem to match or surpass the Nazi Wunderwaffe!

This revelation causes quite the panic among the Nazis, though the new living space provided is also very tempting for them.

The Nazis, slowly coming to understand that a new set of islands have appeared out of nowhere, realize the important value that these islands represent. New lands in an otherwise aquatic world! Lands that are suitable for farming and cattle raising, as well as containing populations that the Nazis could enslave and force to work on their behalf.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Once allies, then bitter enemies, must become brothers and sisters in war yet again. It is the only way they are to survive if they want to rise up against the threat of the Nazis in this new world.

"We beat em before! We'll beat em again!"

Initial fighting goes in favor of the newcomers, as many of the soldiers from the East and West were veterans of the last great war, and knew how to engage Nazi units, or had faced the fierce might of the Japanese Empire, which made them more than ready to face a few outdated Stukas and U-Boats, leading to the Allies claiming several islands away from the Caribbean Archipelago, giving the Allies some more minerals to farm and a bit of extra manufacturing capabilities.

But its still not enough. They will all need to pull together and fight as a cohesive force if they are going to defeat the entrenched Nazis, and cut out the heart of this evil once and for all!

So to do this, they begin to turn to the populations of the islands that they had initially seen as a burden, and start recruitment drives, reminding everyone of the horrors the Nazis unleashed, and what a victory for them would mean. They even begin allowing women to enlist if it means they can get more helping hands.

Monica Rodriguez is among those being given a chance to fly in the skies for the very first time, even if it means she's going to be relying upon an old clunker like the F86 Sabre (Instead of those fancy F-100s or F-4 Phantoms. Hell even an F-8 Crusader might be better than this Korean War relic). She passed her exams (surprising some of the recruiters with her ability to read and write in both English and Spanish fluently, as well as able to do some mathematics on the fly in her head) with respectable test scores, before proving in the training flights that she is able to fly just as well as the men.

It was like she was born to fly, and even if the Yanks and Ruskies might thumb their noses at her on occasion, she would endure it all to have her wings. Even if it means having her life on the line, and having to kill other people. But its not as if those Nazi bastards would ever feel pity for her, so why should she feel any for them?

Being assigned to the 106th Grey Falcons, comprised of other new recruits in older planes, she is eager for a chance to get up in the air and show her worth. She knows its a bit naive, but maybe this time things will be better when the war ends. Maybe everyone can finally put down their weapons when it is all said and done, to relax, and enjoy the endless blue waters of their new home.

Monica's Stats

Character Name: Monica Rodriguez.

Callsign: Heron-3 (Rookie Callsign).

Rank: 1.

Nationality: American (Puerto Rican).

Squadron: 106th Grey Falcons

Background: Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Monica never thought that she'd amount to much, and was happy to just work at her family's restaurant with her parents and younger sister. The product of two parents who'd been content to do the same thing every day, she thought little about what kind of future she'd want. Things were as good as they were going to get. Why change it?

But the longer that she thought about it, the more she longed for something more. Was this really the kind of life that she wanted? Spending every day working in her parent's restaurant, and eventually taking it over, maybe finding a man? Is that all there really was to it? She pondered on it so often that she started to fall into a malaise that refused to leave her.

The only thing which seemed to snap her out of it, was an air show that was held at the local American airbase. Monica had never really been interested in flying, but on this day, just seeing the way the planes defied gravity, pulled impossible maneuvers, and the utter freedom that flying seemed to promise.

After that airshow, Monica dove deep into learning about flying, reading books about other women who took to the skies, such as the Night Witches, Amelia Earhart, the WASP women from the War. She even began to clearly favor the Navy and Airforce personnel who would occasionally show up at the restaurant. She'd give them more attention, bat her eyes, and ask them questions about planes, flying, and their experiences. Men just can't help but talk to a pretty face.

Monica never would have thought she'd get a real chance to fly, but then the Cuban Crisis happened, followed by the Great Storm which ripped them out of their homeworld, and put them all into this new aquatic purgatory. The Yankees and Soviets are desperate for manpower against their Nazi enemies. The Nazis are dug in, have manufacturing capabilities, and know the world better than they do. They aren't in a place to be picky, and once the Soviets in Cuba started to employ women in the air, the Americans had to respond in kind.

She didn't want to kill, but this might be the only way she will ever get to fly. Monica won't back down from it. Not for one second.

Appearance/Mannerisms: Monica is a young Hispanic woman in her 20s. She has a healthy build from spending much of her life walking around the island, working in the restaurant, and dancing for patrons. But it is also this upbringing which gives her what seems to be two clashing personalities. She can be flirtatious, friendly, and welcoming, but can also drop that on a dime if someone is rude or harassing her. Plenty of patrons got too handsy with her at the restaurant, and while Monica can't take down a raging bull, she is more than able to break someone's nose with a swift punch.

Stats:

Body: -1

Mind: 1

Spirit: 1

Defense: 3

Resist: 2 (Spirit +1 Incidental Armor).

Health: 3

Situational Awareness: +1

Occupations:

Entertainer (Restaurant Server/ Dancer.) +1 Perform and Etiquette

Skills:

Awareness: 2 (K).

Athletics: 1

Barter: 1

Command: 1

Etiquette: 1 (Free)

Investigation: 1

Mechanics: 1

Perform: 1 (Free)

Persuade: 1

Shooting: 1

Survival: 1

Piloting Skills.

Piloting (SA):  2

Strafing (SA): 1

Gunnery (SA): 2

Ordinance (SA): 1

Advantages:
Sex Symbol
• lvl 1 - Most people consider you to be very attractive. You can gain a +1 to a roll where your looks might help you out.

Good Luck
• lvl 1- “Right place, right time” situations happen a lot for you. You never lose money at the casino. You may re-roll one failed roll per session.

Disadvantages:

Second Class Citizen (Homebrew).
• lvl 2-Despite the need for Manpower and the shift in populations, Neither the Soviets nor the Yankees are too keen on having a Hispanic Woman from a small island making them look bad.You start with 1 Fame/Rank, and unless you are in your flight suit with other Guild pilots, no one will believe you when you claim to be a member. You only earn Fame/Rank at 1/3 the normal rate, rounded down. The upside to this is that you can blend into a crowd with ease, granting +1 Stealth in social stealth situations. -1 to Social Rolls when dealing with Nazi Remnants.

Gear.

-Pistol.

-Incidental Armor. (+1 Resist)

F-86 Sabre's Stats.

Performance: 5

Armour: 1

Structure: 3 (0 -1 -1)

Radar: -3 (for gunsight only)

EPM: 0

Super: 0 (see description below).

Weapons: Heavy Machine Guns; 4 hard points (2 for fuel tanks, 2 for bombs)

Innate Traits: Environmental Controls (15,100 m / 49,600 ft ceiling), Radio (line of sight, 100 km range) Gun Camera, Limited Fuel (1.5 hours, or 2,400 km).

Warbird Traits: High-Visibility Canopy (+1 to all Awareness Rolls), Radar Gunsight (+1 to all Gunnery), Improved Flight Controls (+1 to all Stunts), G Reduction (+1 to Break Defence and Escape Defence, but not to Shoot Defence.).

Description: The F-86 Sabre was the fighter of the Korean War. It was the only allied aircraft capable of matching the MiG-15, and it earned the most kills of all of the allied aircraft. It could not match the MiG-15 in a climb or at altitude, but it was better in a dogfight due to its hydraulic controls, G-suit, and bubble canopy.

While the Sabre is not a true supersonic aircraft, it can break the speed of sound in a dive. A disengaging pilot with at least 2 rounds to the ground remaining can dive and act as though they have a Super rating of 1. They can do this for 1 round without worry, but if they attempt it for a second round, they must roll to avoid the ground as per the rules on page 72 of the main rulebook.

Monica's Sabre Ratings.

Maneuvering
Dogfighting: SA (1) + Piloting Skill (2) + Performance (5)+ trait Bonuses (1) = 9

Strafing: SA (1)+ Strafing Skill (1)+ Performance (5)+ trait Bonuses = 7

Shooting
Gunnery: SA (1) + Gunnery Skill (2)+ Accuracy (1) + trait Bonuses (1)= 5

Ordinance: SA (1) + Ordinance Skill (1)+ Accuracy (-2 for rockets. -3 for Bombs) + trait Bonuses =0 or -1

Defending
Break Defence: SA (1) + Piloting Skill (2) + Performance (5) = 8

Escape Defence: Break Defence (8) +2 = 10

Shoot Defence: Break Defence(8) -2 = 6

Stunt Defence: SA (1) + Piloting Skill (2) = 3
*First calculate the base values for Break Defence, Escape Defence,
Shoot Defence and Stunt Defence, and then apply trait bonuses and
penalties to each

TLDR: My muse demanded me to make this . It just wouldn't calm down until I wrote this all out. It is based on the tabletop RPG called 'Warbirds', which focuses on a streamlined (in comparison to other games) form of air to air combat, with multiple eras to play in. From the 40s, to the Jet Age, to the Space Age. After reading through a few of the books (and watching some youtube videos) I had a big craving for this kind of odd little setting for Warbirds. High flying action on a new world, against evil Nazis. I have no idea what madness has been given to me, but I hope you all enjoyed reading it. And if you are interested send me a PM and lets discuss things.

Oh, and if anyone is curious ISOT stands for Island in the Sea Of Time.  Its just a shorthand I've seen used in reference to similar types of stories, and I am just using that to help sort of explain the situation here. The term comes from an old book series and you see it used abit on Alternate History sites.