Back To The Edge...

For my birthday today, my lovely daughter (with help from my lovely wife) bought me this bad boy

It's the starter set for Edge Of The Empire and contains a nice adventure with guided play to help you learn the game as you go. Sounds perfect and looks fantastic. This will be next up for my group after we finish our current burst of Necessary Evil.

Edging out Edge Of The Empire

As per my last post, I visited Dragonmeet early in December. I came back with a copy of the much discussed Edge Of The Empire beta book, published by Fantasy Flight Games.For those not in the know, this is literally the beta version of the first Star Wars RPG in FFG's trio of games coming in the next couple of years. The Edge Of The Empire is focused around the time of Episode IV when the Empire is in charge and the rebellion has started, but is still very much on the back foot.The game is more about the fringes of society, the scum and villainy of the Star Wars universe.

I own all of the previous attempts at a Star Wars RPG and have enjoyed reading them all, if not playing them. I'm always on the lookout for a new Star Wars gaming experience and was excited to get the book. Having read through it quickly, i'm impressed with the book and what the designers are trying to do with the game. Unfortunately I have a problem. The people I game with are not really interested in buying into new mechanics. I've had this problem with other games, notably Mutants and Masterminds. i realised quickly that I would have to do a lot of work to run the game because my players are not going to run out an buy the book or read up on the mechanics which means I have to do a lot of explaining as we play, accept that the players are not going to get the most out of the system or write up a metric shit ton of crib sheets.

I have decided, therefore, to do what any sensible person would do and that is use Savage Worlds to run the adventure in the core book. I'll get my guys to create characters in SW using a system they know and understand. I'll run the core book adventure on the fly, using stats cribbed from other people's Star Wars conversion for Savage Worlds and then if the game takes, I may try and get them to port their characters over to Edge Of The Empire.

I'll let you know how that bright idea pans out.

Dragonmeet 2012

Just to show that i'm starting the year with good intentions, here are some photos from Dragonmeet. This was held on December 1st 2012 at Kensington Town Hall. Myself and Kevin travelled up for the day. Kevin was running a couple of games of Squadron UK 2nd edition, one of which I played in.

Simon Burley (in the white t-shirt), creator of Golden heroes and Squadron UK running a game

Our very own Kevin, running Squadron UK

Kevin's game table

A bit of Victory At Sea action

Happy New Year 2013

A happy new year to anyone reading this. Here we are again, start of a new year. Don't worry, i'm not going to make lots of empty promises about posting more frequently. We all know how long that lasts. Good news is that I am still involved in an ongoing Savage Worlds game which will pick up again in a week or two. I have some other stuff i'd like to do this year but we'll see how we get on.

Christmas for us was a bit muted due to everyone in the house being ill. Hopefully yours was quiet, or more exciting depending on your preference

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.