What, it’s 2015 already?

Well, well, well. Another new year dawns and here I am again, writing another new post. Seems like only August or so since the last one. In my defence, I have been fairly busy. Alongside the usual family and real life stuff, I have been helping out my pal Kevin with his successful Kickstarter campaign for his Squadron UK book, Legacy. I’ve been converting characters from the old system to the new and this has been taking up a lot of my keyboard time since around November last year.

We have also started up an irregular game running through the D&D starter set (which we love), with one session down and the next due in a couple of weeks. I have some plans for some other stuff but won’t mention it here for fear of jinxing it.

Proud dad

Today I am very proud of my daughter. Or should I say, more proud than usual. Foremost among the reasons for this are that tomorrow, she and one of her school friends will be selling tickets at school for a fund raising project for Children In Need. What is so cool about this is that Maddie, and her friend, decided to do this on their own. They came up with the scheme. Approached the headmaster to get approval, came up with the posters and pretty much organised the whole thing themselves. That she and her friend felt moved  enough to take action is pretty amazing, in this world where we are led to believe that children are lazy and self absorbed. Not these kids, and the same can be said for kids all over the UK tomorrow who will be doing similar things, and for other kids around the world who get involved in charitable endeavour because they know it’s the right thing to do. 

Savage Worlds: Space 1999 title image

Just playing about with a bit of imagery for Savage Worlds; Space 1999

Savage Worlds: Space 1999

One of the projects I have been mulling over for a while is Savage Worlds: Space 1999. Here is the bulk of the fluff text written so far.

Introduction  

Following a nuclear atrocity in 1987, global thermonuclear war is narrowly avoided. As mankind finally begins to operate with common cause, the resultant treaty demands that all weapons grade nuclear material is buried on the far side of Earth’s moon. Man’s first permanent lunar habitation is being constructed at this time, and it is determined that Moonbase Alpha will serve as guardian of this testament to man’s folly and it is hoped that finally humanity can begin to take it’s tentative first steps out of the solar system. Humans have already walked on Mars and Venus. Several more ill fated space missions are launched before Moonbase Alpha finally becomes fully operational in 1997.

During 1999, preparations for a landmark mission to the recently discovered planetoid, Meta, are under way. A mysterious signal has been detected which indicates there may be intelligent life awaiting mankind’s arrival.  Following a series of unexplained deaths among the Meta probe crew, it becomes apparent that massive energies are building in the nuclear waste disposal areas. Before the situation can be controlled, a vast thermonuclear conflagration hurls the moon, Moonbase Alpha and her 307 inhabitants out of Earth’s orbit and plunging into interstellar space. The date is September 13th, 1999.

Moonbase Alpha

Moonbase Alpha probably represents humanity’s greatest single achievement. The latest developments in the fields of engineering, science and humanities come together in this lasting testament to man’s determination and ingenuity.

The base occupies a circular footprint 2.5 miles across in the crater Plato. The structure extends deep underground as well. At the hub of Alpha is Main Mission, the central operations command post.  This tower stands eight stories above the lunar surface and it is from here that all base operations are managed. In addition, all deep space exploration activity is co-ordinated from this location as well as the base’s secondary function, the monitoring of the nuclear waste areas. The rest of the base’s surface structures are arranged in a radial fashion around Main Mission.

Situated at outlying points around the base are the five launch pads. It is from these facilities that Alpha’s fleet of Eagle spacecraft are launched and recovered. In addition, the launch pads can be reconfigured to receive all current and planned manned spacecraft. Each pad connects with the large underground Eagle hanger complex, allowing craft to be moved between launch pads in a matter of minutes.

All sections of Moonbase Alpha are connected by the underground travel – tube system. This rapid transportation network consists of fast moving passenger pods, which travel through a sealed tunnel system.  Each car can hold up to six personnel in seated positions. In addition, there are stairwells and elevators located at convenient points to ensure ease of movement around the facility. All sections of the base are designed to be sealed by pressure tight doors in case of rapid decompression.

Moonbase Alpha is totally self-sufficient, with power generated by several highly efficient nuclear reactors and solar power accumulators. In addition, Moonbase personnel are able to grow or manufacture all required foodstuffs, fabricate and repair the base’s fleet of Eagle spacecraft and process all of the oxygen and water requirements for the facility.

Several artificial gravity net towers encircle the base, providing slightly less (0.93%) than earth normal gravity conditions within the base and environs. The field generated by these towers also offers some protection against micrometeorite strikes and the like.

The base is equipped with the latest advances in long-range sensor instrument packages in keeping with its intended role as command post for man’s expansion into extra-solar space. In addition, Alpha’s main computer is by far the most sophisticated ever constructed, integrated with all aspects of the base and it’s operations.

Base Personnel

The population of Alpha represent the best physical and mental specimens from the world’s population.  Competition for a place on the base’s staff is fierce and unremitting. Personnel are rotated through the facility in roughly six-month duty cycles although this may vary depending on mission requirements. The successful applicants are often world leaders in their respective fields, and certainly qualify as the best of the best.

Base personnel are organised into several sections, identified by uniform sleeve colour for clarity. Visitors to Alpha wear uniform with a plain sleeve. Each section has a section chief, who reports to the base Commander. As of September 1999, sections and associated chiefs are as follows;

Section	Uniform Sleeve Colour	Section Chief
Command	Charcoal	John Koenig
Main Mission	Flame	Paul Morrow
Technical	Rust	David Kano
Services	Yellow	Sandra Benes
Reconnaissance	Yellow	Alan Carter
Medical	White	Helena Russell
Security	Purple	Tony Verdeschi
Special	None	Victor Bergman

Technically, services and reconnaissance are one section but due to the varied nature of the tasks covered, two section chiefs are assigned, each with a different area of responsibility.

Uniforms consist of a beige two-piece uniform with the appropriately coloured sleeve denoting Section. In addition, a vinyl belt is worn which holds the individuals commlock and can also be fitted with a stun gun holster if required. Security personnel wear an additional over shoulder sash connected to the belt.

Eagle Spacecraft for Savage Worlds

The Eagle spacecraft is a modular transport and utility vehicle deployed to the Moonbase Alpha facility.  The Eagle, in it’s different configurations, carries out all crew and equipment transfers to and from the  base. It also serves a defensive and scientific function as required.

The Eagles are maintained by the technical section on Alpha. The base also has the facilities to fabricate new Eagles as required. A large underground hanger provides housing for the bases’ complement of thirty vehicles. Eagles are transported through the hanger complex to the bases’ launch pads as required.

Eagle (Reconnaissance)

Acc/TS 100/800 Toughness 28(6) Crew 2+4 Cost Special
Notes Climb 2, Spacecraft/Atmospheric, VTOL
Weapons Laser Gun, Space-to-space missiles

Also referred to as Survey Eagles, this type  has an extensive computer bank on the starboard side of the passenger pod. Reconnaissance Eagles are used to explore alien planets and regions of space; the sophisticated computer bank is used to obtain, store, and analyse data gathered from the planet being studied including atmospheric composition, valuable minerals resources and biological life.

Eagle (Passenger)

Acc/TS 100/800 Toughness 28(6) Crew 3+8 Cost Special
Notes Climb 2, Spacecraft/Atmospheric, VTOL
Weapons None

This Eagle is designed to transport personnel in relative comfort. The passenger variant was used primarily to transfer crew from Earth to the moon and vice versa. In addition to the pilot and co-pilot, the passenger Eagle has a steward as part of it’s crew. Originally, this Eagle carried no armaments, although these are likely to have been added following breakaway.

Star Wars D6- Lars Nellon

Lars Nellon

Character Type: Failed Jedi

Character Name: Lars Nellon

Player Name: Steve Race

Height: 5’6″

Weight: Unknown

Sex: Male

Age: 50 – ish

Physical Appearance: Short, balding with a grey, bushy beard. His robes are looking extremely worn and dog – eared.

DEXTERITY: 2D+2, Dodge 3D+2, Melee Parry 4D+2, Lightsaber 4D+2

KNOWLEDGE: 3D+1

MECHANICAL: 2D

PERCEPTION: 3D+1

STRENGTH: 2D+2,

TECHNICAL: 2D

CONTROL: 1D

SENSE: 3D

FORCE POINTS: 1

 

Equipment: Lightsaber (5D), robes, bottle of rotgut, 250 credits.

Personality: Cynical, foul mouthed and pessimistic, but with a heart of gold.

A Quote: “Kids? Gah, kids! You wanna learn how to use the force or not? Where’s the whiskey?”

 

I have a good feeling about this……

It feels good to be excited about Star Wars again. Like most males my age, and some females, my first experience of Star Wars is indelibly burned in my brain. It was around my 11th birthday so I assume early January 1978. My memory might be failing me, but I believe in those days, movies would often take months to cross the pond. I remember my parents had bought me the novelization and I had devoured that before my dad took me to see it. We saw it in Leicester Square. I think it was playing at the Odeon and i have a strong memory of queuing for hours, along with a bunch of long hair types, you know, sci fi fans. Bizarre side note, but I remember we queued for so long that my dad had to nip to a bakers and get us Cornish pasties to eat. 

Like most people, the opening moments of the movie had me hooked on the saga within seconds. The music and that iconic imagery which blew all other cinematic experiences up to that point out of the water. I was in love with Star Wars, big time.

So we all know how the rest of the story goes. I saw all three movies at the cinema multiple times. The first movie we owned on vhs tape was Star Wars. I went and saw the special editions in 1997, and the feeling of disquiet began. Sure it was cool to see the movies on the big screen again, but those changes niggled.

Then the prequels came out and I went like everyone else I knew. After all the rationalization and discussion, I realised, you know what, they’re just not that good. The reasons vary but I then began to fixate on the original movies again. I was determined to own the original editions and only watch those. You’ve heard it all before .

So here we are in a new era in a galaxy far, far away. I’ve heard a lot of negativity but also a lot of positivity regarding the sale of Lucasfilm to Disney. I’m definitely in the positive camp. I see no reason the believe that Disney will dumb down Star Wars any more than Lucas already had. Star Wars is a fairytale like any other and predominantly will, and should, hold appeal for the young. Disney know how to walk the fine line of appealing to the kids and pleasing the adults. Disney also know how to make money in a variety of ways. Anyone who has been to a Disney park in recent years will have seen the vast range of Star Wars/Disney related merchandise you can get. From Jedi Mickey statues to Clone Wars crossover t-shirts. It’s high quality product and does nothing to dilute the brand of Star Wars.

I believe that Disney will bring all of their creative and financial might to bear on making Star Wars Episode VII the biggest and best movie of 2015. Shame that New Hope title has already been used. I’ll be in line, as i’m sure most of you will be. What is exciting to me that this looks to be only the beginning of a new chapter in the Star Wars saga. Hopefully I can get past all the bad feeling and disappointment of the last few years and look forward to new adventures which will blow my mind all over again.

Punch it, Mickey.

Necessary Evil Redux – Part 1

Here’s a link to the Necessary Evil thread on my forum. The write up for the first session is on this page.

Bear in mind this is not the beginning of the campaign, rather a restart. Hopefully you’ll get a flavour of it, though.

 Necessary Evil on Renny’s Game Forum

You can’t go home again, or can you…?

So the cliche goes. This week I returned to the gaming table with some of my regular gaming group, and one friend I haven’t gamed with for a while. Things have been shaken up recently, as our long – running AD&D campaign has come to an end. This state of affairs may or may not be permanent, but the gap gave us a chance to revisit a campaign we last touched in 2009. The campaign is Necessary Evil for Savage Worlds, a game set in a world where alien invaders have killed all of the superheroes and it’s up to you, the super-villains to save the world. We had a ton of fun playing this when we started the game, but for one reason or another it had come to an end. This was the single most requested game to revisit since our old Justice Associates days. The enforced break in the AD&D game gave us a chance to pick up where we left off. Suffice to say, this game went great. Everyone seemed invested in it, and pleased to be there. The characters were as much fun as we remembered and even my last minute decision to run without maps and miniatures seemed to pay off. It was gratifying and a great experience. Hopefully, this time around, we’ll be able to keep the game going for a while longer.

Sgt Christopher Bourne, Unit Soldier

Sgt. Christopher Bourne – Professional – Unit Soldier 1970’s.

This is a character for the Dr Who: Adventures in Space and Time RPG.

Background Concept

Sgt Bourne is a seasoned soldier with extensive experience, much of it against the alien nasties who seemed to make it their business to invade the home counties during the 1970’s.
He’s a steadfast soldier, and not much rattles him, although he was briefly captured by a Silurian war party and the memories of that experience still trouble him somewhat. Generally another brew and a fag will steady his nerves though.

Native Space Time

20th Century, 1970’s, Earth

Attributes

Awareness: 3
Co-Ordination: 4
Ingenuity: 2
Presence: 3
Resolve: 4
Strength: 4

Good Traits

Brave
Face In The Crowd
Military Rank (Minor)
Tough
Voice Of Authority

Bad Traits

By The Book
Dark Secret (Minor – Flashbacks)
Dependency (Minor)
Obligation (Major)

Skills and Areas Of Expertise

Alien Culture 2
Athletics 3
Convince 2
Fighting 4
Knowledge 2
Marksman – 4 (Automatic Weapons)
Subterfuge 2
Technology 1
Transport 3