Alright, so we're all familiar with the standard squad-based RP: GM is the squad's leader, and the rest are under his command, following the narrow path of story that follows. Basic cut & paste styling. But after tinkering around a bit with an idea, I figured that the typical cut & paste was too narrow and small of a look (and frankly too boring), for an RP I want to give much more weight and size too. To expand further from the typical squad.

So, you ask, what the hell is the twist on this RP style, Dr. Strangelove? Get to the point already!

Okay, so the twist is that instead of all being within a single squad, limiting the amount of players and inclusion the players can actually add to the RP, I want to turn the basic squad-based RP into a platoon-based RP, more or less. If you don't know what a platoon is, it's the tier in the military that's made up of a various number of squads (so the tier just above squads). And in this style, the joining players are all the squad leaders, commanding their own squad of NPC's, while the GM is the platoon leader, handing out orders and things like that.

This will definitely, I think, give people a much wider outlook on the size of the conflict in war-situated RP's, than has originally been done before. Even with RP's where players are leaders of various factions, battling it out with each other, making and breaking treaties and truths, I feel fall flat when giving weight and size to the actual expanse of what the RP is suppose to encompass. But this new idea, I don't think does at all. It'd also give players the chance to make more impacting decisions in how the RP plays out, without still calling it a completely free-roaming, do as you please, RP, which this idea could only be semi-free do as you please. It'd also be a very team player oriented RP, with the various players having to work together to achieve their goal in the RP, unlike others where the squad attacks, gets beaten up a bit, but ultimately wins with great honor. This RP style, I think if done well, can give a more realistic and grittier feeling to the war RP's.

And incase you're wondering, I've already started working on an RP centered around this new idea, but haven't quite finished with the details yet. I was hoping to get some input on what people here think of the idea, and what the interest level is for something new like this? I might even be able to have the RP up later today, or tomorrow, depending on how people take it, and also if I can get working on the finishing details?

So tell me what you think?

Looks freaking cool, despite my other commitments I'd be really interested in this. How big would the squads be?

It would depend on how the GM goes about the RP, and what it's about, where it takes place, and who's fighting (if the factions are already established ones through games, or created by the GM himself/herself). It could range from all sorts really, but for my own RP that's implementing this new idea, it's 5 NPC's and the player/squad leader, making it 6 total. I think 6 will give people the chance to make well rounded squads for themselves.

6 sounds perfect, gives the squad leader enough troops to have diversity in their squad without letting them uber it. It'd be interesting to see how different players control their squads and deal with having NPC's depending on them.