RPG Resource: Click here for home page
 
 
Main Menu
 What's New
 Reviews
 Genre Resources
 Master System List
 Complete Product List
 Shared Campaigns
 Community Content
 General Resources
 Game Companies
 Journals
 Inspirations
 Board & other games
 Copyright Statement

Search



Call of Cthulhu: The SOE Handbook

The SOE Handbook

As role-players, it's rather nice to know what our characters are capable of doing... then we can plan actions with understanding of their skills and knowledge, and make our characters as realistic as possible. Sometimes we only have our imaginations to draw upon, as there are no real-world equivalents, but if we are playing WW2 undercover operatives, there's a wealth of historical information to delve into... even if we won't find mention of the Mythos there! This book is based on the training and skills developed for the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and it the sort of thing we can assume any character working for N will have received training in to a greater or lesser extent, depending on their background.

This is, of course, a game supplement, so the various things it says that your character can learn to do are accompanied by appropriate additions to the Call of Cthulhu ruleset. Notes are also provided specifically for Section N operatives, showing how 'classic' SOE skills transfer into the special situation of combatting the Mythos as well as Nazis. There's also a couple of useful appendices, one showing where SOE and Network N facilities are to be found and how agents were trained, and one on incorporating at least some of the training into your game itself - perhaps developing individual skills prior to a specific mission, or making the training itself part of your plot.

Most of the book is written as a facsimile SOE Handbook and could be regarded as an in-game resource. If your character has access to SOE training, he's read it or something like it - and as a Section N operative, he'll be privy to N's little comments on it as well. It's made up of sections based on various activities: combat, espionage, and irregular warfare; and the whole thing makes for a fascinating read.

The Combat section begins with a reminder that SOE agents ought not to get involved in combat unless absolutely necessary - leave that to soldiers. However there will be occasions when it becomes necessary to fight to complete mission objectives, to remove threats, to stay alive... or if the opportunity arises to do great harm to the enemy. It looks at firearms, with an eye to deliberate acts of assassination as well as the more familiar firefight. There's even a bit about heavy weapons, with the assumption that the agents have captured them from the enemy rather than brought them along themselves (hence needing to know how to use German weapons rather than the British equivalents). Due to the nature of clandestine operations, however, hand-to-hand combat (possibly with improvised weapons or your bare hands) is also likely and there's an extensive section devoted to that, with matters such as dealing with sentries and disarming foes being covered. Note that these are REAL fighting techniques, be very careful if you're tempted to try them out on your friends.

Possibly the most interesting section is the one on Espionage. This is what is often called tradecraft, the tricks used by spies to gather and communicate information to their parent organisation. Falling into several areas, the first is human intelligence, that gathered by you or from other people, including things like evaluating the reliability and honesty of your sources and avoiding being noticed. Many informants won't know why you are gathering information, if they even realise that you're gathering it at all. The section also looks at disguises and cover identities - tasks that can involve the building of an entire 'legend', a well-backstopped identity that will withstand investigation. There are notes on how to pass a routine interrogation at a checkpoint or the like, as well as the tougher questioning you'd expect if trying to access a secure facility or if you get caught up in a security sweep. Some rules are provided for this. Then on to building networks, deception and counter-intelligence.

The third main section covers Communications. Radio, of course, was the mainstay but as anyone might chance on the frequency you're using, codewords are a good idea or you can delve into the esoteric world of ciphers. There are other ways of communicating, many of which fall under the tradecraft banner - leaving signs for others to observe, dead drops. Then there's propaganda - communicating with the enemy to mislead or lower morale or otherwise influence them. Or the media - generally newspapers - can be used to pass information on without anyone suspecting that it has been done. The delivery of orders is also covered, including the formal structure of content.

Finally there's Irregular Warfare. Building on the more personal aspects of combat discussed earlier, this is aimed at the sort of things you can do to weaken, confuse or demoralise the enemy. Sun Tzu said "Kill one to terrorise ten thousand", but here it may be a case of creating a situation that will cause the enemy to commit more and more forces into a specific area to the detriment of their efforts elsewhere. Sabotage, rebellion, ambushes, assassinations, direct attacks and subversion can all be tools in your arsenal. There are useful notes on moving around covertly, and there's a fair bit about using explosives. House-to-house fighting, ambushes and attacking railways to best effect are also covered along with sabotage and arson. Again, these are genuine real-world tactics, but ones which can be used to good effect in your game (I've been drawing on my military training for years to fuel my role-playing...). There's a bit more on surveillance and subversion, which extends material covered in the Espionage section nicely.

There's an extensive Weapons and Equipment section, and this gets interesting fast as specialised kit for the well-dressed spy abounds - easily-concealed firearms, disguised explosives, incendiaries... there's even an exploding rat! Should you need to venture underwater, necessary equipment is covered - and if you're on the water, why, there are even seasickness pills to be had. There are other useful items as well, but care must be taken to never have stuff that screams "Agent" on you in case the enemy searches you as you go about your business...

Probably essential if you want to run World War Cthulhu seriously, there's a lot of useful information here for anyone planning a World War 2 or just thereafter setting for a game whether or not the Mythos features. If you're not using the Call of Cthulhu ruleset, it should be easy enough to convert the game mechanics to whatever system you are playing. Overall, a fascinating read, and well-grounded in historical fact.

Return to The SOE Handbook page.

Reviewed: 11 December 2017