Sunday, January 20, 2013

Battleground Weird WWII: Baron Wolfgang von Strucker


Origin:  Wolfgang von Strucker was born to a noble Prussian family at the end of the 19th Century.  He was raised in the manner of a strict and proper Prussian military background and would soon become a Heidelberg master fencer.  He excelled in military science and when hostilities broke out in 1914 he joined the Imperial German Army.  He met with great success during the war leading to many promotions and incurred a reputation as an excellent leader and soldier.  After the war, von Strucker would again lend his military genus to the Germans only this time as a Nazi under Adolph Hitler’s rule.  Wolfgang was tasked by the Fuehrer to head several secrete missions across the globe in the name of furthering the cause of Nazism and was made commander of the Death’s Head Squadron.  As the war heated up, Hitler again looked toward von Strucker to personally discredit the famous Allied commando team led by Sgt. Nicholas Fury.  He was able to capture Fury but failed to kill him and this would later become a common practice.  Due to his failings, Hitler issued orders for the Gestapo to arrest von Strucker but with the help of the Red Skull, von Strucker escaped to Japan.  The Red Skull foresaw the collapse of the Third Reich and sent von Strucker to Japan to start recruiting for a new paramilitary organization called HYDRA that the Red Skull would take over once his work with the Nazis was complete. Wolfgang succeeded in organizing HYDRA with members from the Hand.  HYDRA then began raiding both Allied and Axis armies for supplies, weapons and equipment with devastating results.  As the organization grew it was defeated by a joint Allied and Axis raid against their headquarters.  After his humiliating defeat, von Strucker returned to Germany and found favor with Hitler after developing some battlefield drugs that were found to be extremely useful in the war effort.  Realizing that the Allies will most likely be victorious, von Strucker continues to recruit and finance HYDRA although in secret.  HYDRA has been equipped with weapons, vehicles and equipment that were purchased with war booty or stolen from wherever they could be found.  Wolfgang von Strucker continues to play both sides as a Nazi officer charged with secret missions for the Third Reich and expanding his underground HYDRA military organization that he intends to use as a bid for world domination in the near future.
Name:  Wolfgang von Strucker
Rank:  Coronal (Germany) & Supreme Hydra (HYDRA)
Nationality:  Germany
Military Affiliations:  Waffen SS, Death’s Head Squadron, Blitzkrieg Squad & HYDRA
Base of Operations:  Nazi Occupied Europe
Height:  6’ 2”
Weight:  225 lbs
Eyes:  Blue
Hair:  None
Actions:  The Baron has 2 actions per turn as normal.
Senses:  von Strucker acts like anyone else when making any sensory-based tests.
Strength & Toughness:  von Strucker possesses the normal strength and toughness of a man of his age that is engaged in intensive physical activity.
Movement:  The Baron can move the normal rate.
Training:  The Baron has been extensively trained in military science and is a proficient scientist in his own right.  His organizational skills are as such that he is able to motivate, deploy and inspire men quickly and efficiently to perform just about any task he may need done.  He is a master at all known Axis and Allied weapons, explosives and vehicles and will ignore all Unqualified, Captured Use and Crew Served rules unless the technology is more advanced for the time or is alien or supernatural in nature.  Wolfgang is also an expert swordsman and when he is equipped with any sword he will receive an additional –3 to his Close Combat score.
Leadership:  von Strucker is considered an 18-3 Elite Leader ignoring all Man Alone, Enemy Vehicle and Breaking Points rules.  He also has a Command Range of 16” to all German units and 20” to any HYDRA units he is commanding.  Von Strucker can command German or HYDRA units while on the battlefield but he can never command both at the same time unless the HYDRA units are undercover and not in their HYDRA uniforms.  This is due to direct orders from Hitler himself to kill any and all HYDRA units that may be found on or off the battlefield.
Weapons & Equipment:  Wolfgang may be armed with any weapons or explosives within the combined Axis and HYDRA arsenals.
Satan Claw:  The most common weapon the Baron uses is his Satan Claw.  This armored gauntlet fits over his right hand and gives him incredible strength when used.  It is able to rip into armor with ease and can also displace a destructive energy burst when it hits its target.  When using the Stan Claw in close combat, he will receive a –5 to his final Close Combat score.  If Strucker wins in close combat, he may choose to either crush his enemy with its massive grip or deliver a lethal punch.  If a punch is dealt, then the target will be flung D10” directly away from him and land prone with a KIA result.  If the victim hits another trooper in flight, then they will smash against each other causing them a E strength hit and forcing them prone.  If it using a crushing attack, then the opponent is crushed and then thrown to the ground in a pool of blood and gore.  Treat this kill as a Gory Death for the remainder of the battle.  The claw is also capable of punching through armored plate and has an AP of 8 with a +5 to the penetration result when performing such an attack.  The claw can also pry open things with its massive fingers like pealing an orange.  To perform such an attack, the Baron must first penetrate the target with its fingertips and then grasped the target before it begins to tear away.  The claw has an AP of 2 when doing this and if it is successful it will be able to tear up to a 1” of actual scale into the target per action in doing so.  Strucker must be in base-to-base contact with the target to be able to perform the above attacks.
HYDRA:  Because of von Strucker’s rank within the HYDRA organization, he is able to command large HYDRA forces on the battlefield.  These forces comprise of HYDRA mercenaries that may be equipped with any Allied or Axis weapons, equipment or vehicles that are prominent of the time.  All HYDRA mercenaries are of Veteran Troop Quality or better as only the best can join this group.  HYDRA will never ally themselves with anyone unless directly commanded to do so by von Strucker himself.  See the HYDRA rules for more information.
Hatred:  von Strucker is full of hate and he hates no one more then Sgt. Nicholas Fury.  If Fury is present on the battlefield and is sighted by von Strucker, Wolfgang will direct all his forces to engage and destroy him.  If Fury falls from von Strucker or his forces, then all those who were directly involved with his death will automatically receive an addition point to their Morale as they know they will be rewarded by their commander for their deed.  The Baron is also an unforgiving and ruthless man and will always play with the No Quarter rules.
“Cowards Will Be Shot!”  The Baron is a unforgiving man and will not tolerate cowardice in his command.  If any friendly unit breaks within Command Range of Strucker, he can immediately kill a single random trooper within that unit for cowardice.  This is a free action and happens immediately thus causing the unit to automatically Rally out of fear of continued reprisals from their commanding officer.
Wargaming Piece:  Heroclix makes a great von Strucker in a HYDRA uniform so swing by the eBay to pick one up on the cheap.

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