Peter Pan - The Wargame
by Jim Webster

Fantasy plus Hueys, that's the ticket. So here's a game for you... The UN's peace keeping operations have become more extensive over recent years, as more and more of the world's trouble spots have been taken under their wing. However, each peace keeping operation has its own problems, its own cultural difficulties. Hence when you were placed in charge of a multinational force sent to maintain order in Neverland, you knew it wasn't going to be easy...

The problems are easily spotted:

The Lost Boys: A tribe of delinquents whose lack of respect for parental authority is matched only by their liking for touting round heavy armaments and indulging in long standing feuds with the island's indigenous population. Led by that notorious Warlord Peter Pan, they have some airborne capability and are tactically airmobile.
The Indians: A proud and warlike people who have long standing feuds with the Lost Boys and the Pirates.
The Pirates: A band of wild freebooters whose unsavoury presence has soiled the island for many years, they plot the overthrow of all legitimate authority. They have fought many actions against both the Lost Boys and the Indians, and it is believed they also have designs on the mermaids. Led by that desperado Captain Hook, they have considerable anti-aircraft and direct fire artillery capability and perhaps are the best organised military force (land and naval) on the island.
The Mermaids: Apart from providing a hostage drowning facility second to none, these middle persons of crime have managed to keep themselves out of the firing line recently, although their area is regularly invaded by others. Have excellent amphibious capability.

Your military force is as follows:

HQ Section: Consists of communications and miscellaneous aid and social workers.
1st American: A US airmobile light infantry company, 10 strength points strong.
2nd French: French Foreign Legion company, they can go anywhere and do anything, 10 strength points strong.
3rd British: Royal Marine company with amphibious capability. 10 strength points strong.
4th U.A.E.: United Arab Emirates company, leg infantry with APC's available, 10 strength points.

The procedure is as follows. You have five units, but the HQ has no capacity for self defence. The various hostile factions can deploy forces 10 strength points strong. Your task is to keep them apart. Each move you roll and get problems to deal with. However various forces have hidden disadvantages...

The Americans being airmobile, cannot be used against the Pirates. When used against the Indians, there is a 1 in 3 chance that they will go native. The French cannot be safely sent into close contact with the Mermaids, as once there they have a 50% chance of going native. The British have a 50% chance of going native if called upon to deal with the Lost Boys, whilst if dealing with the Mermaids, the impeccable manners of the Royal Marines means that they will take twice as long as anyone else. Also they cannot be used to restrain animals, being animal lovers to a man. The troops from the UAE will not go native, as they are unaffected by other peoples cultural foibles, however in the presence of the Mermaids they may well be lured into Political Incorrectness and as such could lose you 1dlO brownie points.

So each move roll 1d20 on the following table:

Pirates move on your HQ.
Lost Boys start fighting the Indians. 1d6 moves.
Pirates attempt to attack the Mermaids. 1d4 moves.
Pirates attack the lost boys. 1d4 moves.
Indians start an attack on the Pirates in the Mermaids Lagoon.
Captain Hook demands that you send someone to do something about the Crocodile. 1 move.
Indians attack the Lost Boys. 3 moves.
Pirates attack the Indians. 1d6 moves
Team of social workers demand escort to take them to see the Lost Boys. 1d3 moves
Indians move on your HQ.
Mermaids arrive at your HQ to protest about overt sexism displayed by the writers of wargames scenarios.
Lost Boys move on your HQ.
Lost Boys move in on Mermaids. Spend one move separating the participants and a further two moves providing counseling.
Captain Hook still wants someone to do something about that blasted Crocodile.
You are reinforced by an extra TV Crew. Double brownie point loss from now on.
The Pirates kidnapped a party of social workers and are now holding them hostage, send one squad to police the negotiations. 1d6 moves.
The Mermaids have kidnapped a touring Rugby team, send one squad to police the negotiations for their release. 1d6 moves.
According to your informant, a vertically challenged native called Tinker Bell, the Lost Boys have kidnapped a young girl called Wendy, and are holding her against her will. Break her Out. 1d6 moves.
The Mermaids are holding a CLA operative, claiming he has been selling arms to the Pirates and using the money to fund the Lost Boys. Release him. 1 move.
Peace breaks out; the lion lies down with the lamb, beer drops to Id per pint, send someone round to break up the crowd of sightseers.

Brownie Points:

You only ever lose Brownie Points. You start off with 50.

-10 Each time you do not send a force to deal with a problem the moment it arises.

-20 If any of the warring parties take over your HQ because they found it undefended

Combat:

Whenever you send a force to deal with a problem they will automatically succeed through sheer force of personality, provided it is strong enough. Where there are one or two participants (as in 7 or 8) then 10 strength points is enough. However in 5, there are three so you must send 20 strength points.

For every problem you roll up, each says how many moves it will last (either a set number or a die roll), if it doesn't then it lasts one move.

Going Native:

Due to the atmosphere of Never Land, Troops run the risk of "going native". If the Americans go native, you have rather more Indians, many of whom are carrying Ml6s and wearing feathers in their Fritz helmets. If the French go native, we have a Mermaid lagoon with Cafe Society. If the British go native you have no Royal Marines and the Lost Boys have just acquired a Marching Band.

Winners and Losers:

Basically just see how long you can stay in command before your Brownie Point Total drops to zero and you are replaced.