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Kelly’s team additionally fielded 3 Shermans (76mm) from the US 321^st

 

Oddball’s Tanks Of the 4^th Armored Division  (US Vehicles page 36 of NUTS! 2nd Ed.)

US Vehicle	Front Armr	Side Armr	Top Armr	APR Main Gun	HE	AA MG	Hull MG	CoAx MG	Speed(1)	Crew	Other
M4A1(76)	5	2	1	7	6/2	HMG	Yes	Yes	20”/14” /10”	2/3	Paint Round(2) Speaker(3)
M4A1(76)	5	2	1	7	6/2	HMG	Yes	Yes	20”/14” /10”	2/3
M4A1(76)	5	2	1	7	6/2	HMG	Yes	Yes	20”/14” /10”	2/3

(1)  These tanks were modified by mechanical genius Moriarty to be the fastest tanks in this theater, forwards or backwards.  The 10” is backwards speed on a road.

(2)  NEW RULE – PAINT ROUND – If impacted on a building or vehicle, Paint Splash stuns (lowers Rep by 1) all enemy who see it for next complete round.  It is so bizarre and truly worthless that the mind numbs. 

(3) NEW RULE – SPEAKERS - Oddball’s Shermans ignore Clank Test when blaring music from Oddball’s tank.  It soothes them.  The phonograph player must be on some special suspended gimble or it would skip. 

Oddball’s Tankers Of the 4^th Armored Division  (Tank crews page 32 of NUTS! 2^nd Ed.)

Name Rank Rep(1) Job Attrib(2) Weapon(3) Rng Tar Imp Other Tank #1 with Speaker(4) Odd Ball(5) Sgt 6 TC   SMG, Pistol       Moriarty(6) Pvt 5 DRV  [Mech Genius](7) pistol       Turk Cpr 5 GNR           xWaldo(8) Pvt 4 LDR                 Tank #2 Whiskey Sgt 5 TC           xDiego Pvt 4 DRV         Howard Cpr 5 GNR           xRex Pvt 4 LDR                   Tank #3 Mo Sgt 5 TC         xHuey Pvt 4 DRV           xDuey Pvt 4 GNR           xLouie Pvt 5 LDR         xRad Pvt 3 RAD  Radio         (1)  Oddball’s tankers are a cut above the usual US tank crew in Rep.  Page 37 of NUTS! 2nd Ed. (2)  The entire platoon gains HARD AS NAILS as their bonus for “doing this one for themselves”.  Moriarty has Mechanical Genius Skill.  Feel free to assign attributes to the rest of the crews. (3)  They can carry usual tanker weapons of either pistol (1-4) or SMG (5-6).  (4)  Two of the Shermans are short a crewmember. (5)  Though Oddball has 6th Armor Div patch on his sleeve, he is 4th Armor Div as this was in Eastern France at the time. (6) Moriarty was assigned as driver as that would complement his Mechanical Genius.  Waldo seems to be the Driver in the movie as Moriarty moved around the different tank hatches quite a bit and Waldo just sat at the left hand hatch.  However, Moriarty might have been allowing Waldo some Driver experience time. (7)  New Skill – Mechanical Genius Skill – Figure can sup up an engine/machine or repair it if given the tools and parts. (8)  The x in front of the name means there was no name for this character in the movie.  Feel free to change name if desired.

Tank Crew Small Arms

Normally, once tankers bail, they exit and are gone from the scenario.  But because they are in it for the gold, Oddball’s tankers become infantrymen when they exit their tanks.  They stay with the unit and fight.  Use Crew Small Arms rule in NUTS! 2^nd Edition page 32, except that when shooting MMG or HMG, they have normal Rep as these Tankers have plenty of 30cal machine gun experience.

 

A Note on Oddball: 

If you get put off by thinking Oddball is out of place as a hippie-type in a Second World War game, just consider that he was just 8 years before the beatniks and his eccentricities may have been a prelude to them.

  

“He is the Bohemian in all of us and tank crewmen were and are that strange. One tank commander in France in 1944 was known for carrying a colt 38 rather than the issued 45 and wearing cowboy boots. Some did effect Aviation leather jackets like Oddball, and yes there are plenty of pictures of soldiers with beards.

…When off the line Oddball was all fun and games, when in action, he was all business, just the way real tankers were and still are.” 

- Steve Willougby IMBD

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