水浒传 / Water Margin Theme

[Toys_god_of_War]

I had this idea of doing Water Margin thing, with a modern day twist.

Instead of the Medieval Costumed theme, we can do a modern equivalent of Water Margin theme!

For those who not sure what is that,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_Margin Here is the dope on it.

There are 108 character in the Water Margin.
All with their unique traits and weaponry.

There is even a cartoon on it, Cartoon Network's Hero:108.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero:_108

[Howe Liang]

I know the famous Wusong for killing a tiger with his bare hands and avenging the murder of his elder brother.

[bravo20]

So, we will have roughly a Company of Heroes? (going by a platoon of 28, times 4 platoons for a rump company to give 102, + 1x IC and 2IC? ). 108 different guys with 108 different guns...

Or scale down to some of the more well-known heroes like Song Jiang (leader), Wu Yong (strategist), Lin Chong (the disgraced high official), Wu Song, Lu Zhi Shen (the meat and wine-drinking warrior-monk), etc etc? Modern interpretations of their characters, or something.

Just a random follow-up thought.

[Toys_god_of_War]

So, we will have roughly a Company of Heroes? (going by a platoon of 28, times 4 platoons for a rump company to give 102, + 1x IC and 2IC? ). 108 different guys with 108 different guns...

Or scale down to some of the more well-known heroes like Song Jiang (leader), Wu Yong (strategist), Lin Chong (the disgraced high official), Wu Song, Lu Zhi Shen (the meat and wine-drinking warrior-monk), etc etc? Modern interpretations of their characters, or something.

Yeah yeah yeah, somewhere along these lines.

The 108 can be guerrilla fighters made up of ex-special forces, rag tag bandits or framed civil servants , fighting to topple a corrupt rule.

替天行道- "Dispatch justice in name of what is Right" was the motto of the 108 heroes.

Idea of Modern Day Equivalent

Lin Chong- Presidential Palace Guard Head Trainer. Framed for crime in a kangaroo court.
Standing at six feet tall with fierce eyes and a head resembling a fierce great cat. The man who was called "Head of the Leopard" ( 豹子头 ) was marksman & accomplished soldier.
 Assault rifle with 4x scope, heavy pistol with .45 caliber, fighting knife.

Lu Da / Lu Zhishen- The commanding officer of a infantry battalion, standing at 7 feet tall, he was court martial-led  for his involvement in a bar brawl resulting in the death of an individual. He fled to a monastery where he made himself a new identity.
His moniker "Monk of Flowers" stems from the blossom explosion he makes from his barrage of M203 launched grenades.

Choice of weapons: M203 with bandolier of grenades strung round his neck like necklace, Heavy caliber revolver like .357, .44 magnum, uses his fists for melee.

Yang Zhi- "Green Beast", a special forces operative who is descended from a line of military career family. His convoy was ambushed by bandits and he was the only survivor. His superiors blamed him for his incompetence and had him dishonorably discharged.

Penniless, he wander the countrysides as a disillusioned veteran. Forced to sell his prized "Bowie Knife" in a bazaar, a hooligan challenged him to a fight which he slays the 'hood within 3 strikes.

He was dubbed the "Green Beast", due of his ability to blend in the forest and take shots from that position without much alarm from the opponent.

Choice of weapon: silenced rifle, silenced pistol and his bowie knife.



How is that ?

[shadowk]

Sounds just like the "A-Team" lol...

[Toys_god_of_War]

Now to figure, 108 of these unique bad-ass characters.....

Song Jiang- This man at first sight, is most unlikely the leader of the 108 heroes. Standing at 5 feet plus, average height.

Nicknamed, the "Just In Time" man, he has the uncanny talent of arriving just in time to turn tides of crucial engagements or call down artillery strikes without the use of targeting equipments.

A SWAT officer by training, he was reported for his association with the Liangshan faction off duty by his wife who was having an affair with his second in command. Wanted by the authority, he fled to the countrysides.
He was later captured when he e mailed his angry thoughts to his parents.
Trialled and found guilty for treason, scheduled to be executed by firing squad.

The Liangshan insurgents mounted a rescue operation, stormed into the prison fortress and got him free.

Democratically elected by the Liangshan faction to their leader, he accepted his position.

Choice of weapons: M4 carbine, 9mm pistol and fighting knife. (from his origins as a SWAT operative)    

[Toys_god_of_War]

Factoid:

Do not let a young read Water Margin (少不读水浒)
Do not let the old read Three Kingdoms (老不读三国)

This was once used by the Mongols to prevent the Chinese from having plans to overthrow them in Yuan Dynasty.

Water Margin meant guerrilla warfare, direct actions
Three Kingdom meant tactics, strategic plannings

[bravo20]

Yeah, thats it. Although I think Lu Zhi Shen should just be wielding a handheld grenade launcher. M79s, anyone? Or something from ArmsCor.

Will do my take on Wu Yong when I get home tonight.

[Toys_god_of_War]

Lu Zhi Shen; can also use the MK19 AGL, that would sound to far fetched.

Hence a more down to earth is a M203, since they are guerrilla fighters, they cannot be generous with ammo.
Ammo is limited. Get from raiding state armoury!  

[slowpoke]

they are all Chinese characters, so why are they using mostly western weapons?  I would expect them to wield Chinese Type 56 or the more recent QBZ-95 and other Eastern Bloc derived weapons.

[Toys_god_of_War]

"they are all Chinese characters, so why are they using mostly western weapons?  I would expect them to wield Chinese Type 56 or the more recent QBZ-95 and other Eastern Bloc derived weapons."

Dude, the general idea is a mix of weapons.
This is like a made up-alternate world.

Why ? Because its from China ?
The Chinese peeple are all over the world, from US to UK to HK, what about them?

I personally prefer a mix because it represents reasonanbly the rag tag band of guerrilla fighters under a One flag to do bring down a decadent / corrupt leader.

I am an ethnic Chinese, am I entitled to carry only a Kalashnikov or Moisin Nagant ?

The Taiwanese Chinese uses US weaponry from US military aid.
Why I used Taiwanese Chinese, is because Taiwan people is made up many races like aboriginal tribes & Chinese who came from the Civil war between KMT & CCP.



 

[bravo20]

Alright, and now, for Wu Yong:

Nothing much is known of his background except for the fact that he enlisted in the Human Reform League (my analog to the PLA, creative interpretation) and earned a commission as a navigator-bombardier on the H-6Z strategic bomber. His last known post was with the air attache's office based in Singapore.

He was actually handpicked into the supersecret research facility known as the High-Technology Aerospace Weapons Centre (HAWC). Over the years HAWC was involved in several HRL flashpoints, with Wu Yong's work on satellite imagery and intelligence analysis picked up through his course of work resulting in the success of the operations. However, his rise through the ranks through unorthodox and 'loose cannon' methods earned him the ire of his superiors, and he was drummed out on drawn-up charges. Now with the Liangshan faction, he serves as chief tactician and intelligence analyst, usually providing support from home base or in the various airborne command centres the Liangshan faction operates.

His favourite weapon remains the sidearm he was issued with and trained on: the SIG-Sauer P226 pistol. Beyond this he has little combat skills.

[I'm already thinking of what vehicles we might add to the posse, but that's not really gonna occur for a cosplay. Heh.]

[Toys_god_of_War]

BTW why must stereotype all of them to be PLA / PRC ?

I never mentioned a single word on it / with it.

I am envisioning a fictional country, not real life equivalents.

Bravo 20; the Liangshan insurgents dun have their own air force. That one is too way off......

It is more believable that (Wu Yong, his call name is "智多星" aka All-Knowing   )his uncanny talent in second guessing his opponent in the heat of battle and brilliant use of scout units as skimishers and intel gatherer made the Loyalist look like amatuers despite their use of UAVs and satellite recon.

[icykrazy]

*Clapz*

I know nuts about 水浒传... but I would like to say it is very creative!

Well done!

[bravo20]

I never really stereotype mah. Just... creative interpretation. Who cares if our modern-day guy is Chinese or Uzbek or European... just thought he'd be cool as a Chinese.

TGOW: Well, maybe they don't have their own airforce, but they own some air assets, in this case. A small Learjet or turboprops... *shrugs* Unless you are really going for the bare bones insurgent type.

[Toys_god_of_War]

I never really stereotype mah. Just... creative interpretation. Who cares if our modern-day guy is Chinese or Uzbek or European... just thought he'd be cool as a Chinese.

TGOW: Well, maybe they don't have their own airforce, but they own some air assets, in this case. A small Learjet or turboprops... *shrugs* Unless you are really going for the bare bones insurgent type.

Don't be upset, I just voicing out ah.
Don't ambush me in 1 dark corner and run after me with chopper.......

Start barebones first then slowly add gradually.

Maybe a used Huey or I know you all thinking of .........a Hind gunship !

[bravo20]

Nah, I'm not upset. Just responding with reasons of my own. Kekeke. I was thinking they could be a rump company in the style of the now-defunct Tamil Tigers, hence having air (and even naval) assets. Hinds might be a little too expensive, an old UH-1H Huey from RSAF stocks feels better IMO. Kekekeke!

[Toys_god_of_War]

Li Kui - The bad ass of all bad asses, named "The Black Hurricane" by his opponents because of his twirling of the double Colt 1911 in the heat of battles.

Standing at 2m tall, Li Kui cuts a formidable figure alone with his grenades and magazines of .45 ammo hanging from his combat harness.

His loyalty to Song Jiang was unquestionably firm.

One engagement with state forces, he alone force their retreat when he singlehandedly ran headlong with his 2 Colt 1911 blazing away.

[Toys_god_of_War]

Nah, I'm not upset. Just responding with reasons of my own. Kekeke. I was thinking they could be a rump company in the style of the now-defunct Tamil Tigers, hence having air (and even naval) assets. Hinds might be a little too expensive, an old UH-1H Huey from RSAF stocks feels better IMO. Kekekeke!

Mi-8 Hip also can.


More fierce wan! Jolly Green Giant!



I like the idea of a fleet of ramshackle Cold War Helicopters. 
 

[Toys_god_of_War]

Qin Ming; a brigadier general of the state army division. Sent by the state to crush the Liangshan insurgents, both fought to a draw as a result, he offered to parlay with them.

He was denounced by a corrupt politician as a traitor when he was negotiating with the Liangshan insurgents.  

Forced to join the insurgents, he now fights to clear his name.

A man of quick temper and loud voice, he dubbed "the exploding man" /  霹靂火 by his peers.

Choice weapons: AK-47, Mauser C96 , Kukri knife.