Cepheus Journal #3 is avaiable!

"The Cepheus Journal is a free and ad-free Fanzine for the Cepheus Engine RPG. We will cover all sorts of settings that uses the Cepheus Engine rules. That could be Science Fiction, Fantasy, Modern, Historical and more."

The Contents:

• Alpha Centauri
• The Quarlon
• Additional Shield Rules for Sword of Cepheus
• Disarm Rules for Sword of Cepheus
• Factions
• People’s Army of Vietnam Rifle Platoon
• Vega Subsector
• Provincial Cruiser
• The Gebbebem
• Tau Ceti
• TSAO Review
• The Nissi

Excerpts from Disarm Action and Shield Rules

Whiteshadow, a PC sorcerer, is Charmed by an enemy magician. The enemy instructs him to disarm Cuthden Redfang, his comrade, who is attentively watching the stairwell down to the next dungeon level. Redfang is guarding against an attack from below, so he does not notice what Whiteshadow is doing. The Referee decides Whiteshadow gets Surprise in his lunge for Redfang's two-handed sword.

Whiteshadow: No STR DM, +1 for Melee Cbt, +2 for Surprise, total +3

Redfang: +1 STR DM, +2 for Melee Cbt, +1 for heavier weapon, +1 for wielding a sword, total +5.

Redfang's player threw a 4 +5=9. Whiteshadow's player threw 5+3=8. Whiteshadow fails to get the sword out of Redfang's hands. Now Whiteshadow's player gets to do some role-playing to explain his curious behavior. Redfang is unlikely to attack his comrade without clear evidence of treachery, but Surprise is lost. Without it, Whiteshadow's chance of success is slim.

The Shield of Sligh the Invincible

This mythical weapon of great potency guarded the mightiest warrior of the Eastern Steppes as he waged relentless war on the Central Kingdoms. It was described by some as a circle of mirror-bright metal which no sword or ax could mar nor dull. Fearlessly Sligh stood against hordes of foes bearing the shield which only he was strong enough to hold. At the Battle of the Sundered Slopes he alone held a narrow defile against the Army of Five Kings while his forces raised a breastwork in the gorge behind him. 

After his death the Shield of Sligh became the prize in a mighty tournament fought by the Five Kings, as they all coveted it. A mysterious knight calling himself The Disinherited One entered the contest, and besting all comers, rode off with the Shield. None were able to follow him, or learn what his right name was. The shield vanished from men's tales after that contest. 

Yes, these are the two bits that I wrote for this issue.

Here's a Link to Issue 002

Here's a Link to Issue 001

Check it out!

Product Review - Cepheus Atom

Cepheus Atom by Omer Golan-Joel; published by Stellagama Publishing through DriveThruRPG.com

I'm using my old review format from the Amber Zone reviews to discuss this game book.

C-Atom is a compact (less than 50 pages of rules!, and that's digest-sized pages) rules-light game set on Earth, after a cataclysmic war that ended the world. Nuclear weapons, poison gas, germ bombs, you name it. All the nasty stuff you can think of has happened. C-Atom is not set up for complex characterizations, and nuanced interactions with exactingly detailed NPC societies. It's a 1950's vintage Atomic Horror movie. The author calls it a “beer and pretzels” game.

Location: The game's setting implies that the whole Earth was affected by the Final War. So the PCs can begin play in their own home town if they want, or pick any place on the planet. It's terrible most everywhere, though, so expect trouble wherever you begin.

Mission: Survive! Maybe the PCs can find someplace that isn't ruined by Contamination where they can find a bit of peace and begin to rebuild the world. The rebuilding part, however, is outside the scope of the game.

Complications: There are mutants and monsters and out-of-control robots aplenty to ruin the PC's day. Even the environment is out to get you; Contamination is everywhere, and will Mutate you with enough exposure. Most of your equipment must be scrounged. Fortunately there are some high-tech goodies to be found - like Jetpacks!

Strong Points: C-Atom gets a lot done in not a lot of space. PCs and NPCs are super-fast to create, and with a familiar setting (Earth) play can get started right away. The game's objectives and story-focus is not limited – it's precise. It is trying to do just one thing, and that it does nicely. Imaginative players can throw in whatever sub-plots they may want, or concentrate on blasting that next Lobstrosity or Spidergoat before their ammo runs out.

Weak Points: Okay, a quibble. Mutations are referred to in one place as Flaws and Perks, but not in the tables that explicate what the mutations actually do. It should be consistent.

What I'd change: This setting is not my cup of coffee, but like every other RPG product I get my hands on, I pored over it looking for things I can use in Traveller (and now also Cepheus Light & Sword of Cepheus). So not to change, but to <ahem> borrow: the Mutations fit in well with my concept of Genetically Modified Humans. C-Atom presents Mutations both beneficial and baneful, and I'll use both. The Contamination idea in general is usable as a different environmental hazard to encounter. The Unusual Weather table is handy – throw a quick complication at the PCs while they're out exploring.

In My Traveller Universe: Mutations, radiation and nasty WMD's could appear anywhere in my TU.

To Sum Up: A mechanically-simple game that your game group might try for a change of pace. It is simple enough in concept and execution to spring on a party or family get together for an impromptu game that will surely bring lots of laughs. Not a game for the serious role-player, or for those who don't want to suddenly develop Laser Eyes.

Omer was kind enough to send me a complimentary copy of Cepheus Atom. 

A Cepheus Light Vehicle Chase

Rance, Edith and Halls are in a Rambler, a light wheeled ATV. Rance was following up a rumor about a Glorious Empire installation out in the distant back woods of Mardahak. What they found instead was an old factory in ruins and an ambush. They are fleeing from a group of brigands in a pickup truck. The brigands are pursuing them hoping to steal the Rambler. Edith drives off of the dirt road and across the scrub and grass choked fields.

Rambler:

TL 7, Wheeled Vehicle, Kcr 25, AGL +0, Speed 110 kph, Crew 1 Psg 4

Light dmg 6, Critical dmg 10 No weapons, Open, 200 kg cargo

2 shooters, 1 revolver, 1 pistol JoT-1, DM -2

Pickup:

TL 6 Wheeled Vehicle, Kcr 7, AGL +0, Speed 160 kph, Crew 1 Psg 2

Light dmg 4, Critical dmg 7 No weapons, Open, 500 kg cargo

2 shooters, 1 rifle, 1 carbine Driver-1, DM +1

Athletics Skill in Cepheus Light

Here's a fun optional rule that can liven up your CL game.

At Athletics-3, characters gain the ability to use Parkour for movement around urban areas or aboard ships.

[From Wikipedia] Parkour (French) is a training discipline using movement that developed from military obstacle course training. Practitioners . . . aim to get from one point to another in a complex environment, without assistive equipment and in the fastest and most efficient way possible. Parkour includes running, climbing, swinging, vaulting, jumping, plyometrics, rolling, quadrupedal movement (crawling) and other movements as deemed most suitable for the situation (not to be confused with freerunning). Parkour's development from military training gives it some aspects of a non-combative martial art.

Parkour is an activity that can be practiced alone or with others and is usually carried out in urban spaces, though it can be done anywhere. Parkour involves seeing one's environment in a new way, and imagining the potential for navigating it by movement around, across, through, over and under its features.

A practitioner of Parkour is called a traceur (M) or a traceuse (F).

Some examples of common movements are:

• Vaulting over obstacles.

• "Precision" Jumping and landing accurately with the feet on small or narrow obstacles.

• "Arm Jumps" Jumping and landing feet-first on a vertical surface, catching the horizontal top with the hands.

• Using a rolling motion to help absorb impacts from larger drops.

• Running towards a high wall and then jumping and pushing off the wall with a foot to reach the top of the wall.

• Moving from a position hanging from a wall-top or ledge, to standing on the top or over to the other side.

Raise Shields!

Traveller has, from time to time, taken a little gentle ribbing over the fact that it has rules for spears and swords. This is a game of science fiction adventure in the far future. Well, so what if it does? Sci-fi classics from The Time Machine to The Dumarest Saga and King David's Spaceship had characters use swords and other melee weapons.

So there should also be rules for the use of that natural companion of the sword, the shield.

Shields are the oldest defensive technology of mankind. A shield is a portable barrier, often strapped to the arm or carried by one hand. It protects the bearer against attacks from the front.

Normally you use a shield with a one-handed weapon (blade, club, handgun). If the bearer wishes, he can fit his shield with a weapon rest so that the shield supports long arms (spears, long guns). All attacks with these weapons are at DM -2.  Very high-tech shields may incorporate stabilization and anti-grav to negate this penalty. Imagine heavy weapons carried behind a gun shield!

New Subsector, New Rules, New Characters

For my new experiment in using Cepheus Light, I've rolled up a few new characters. I found some character images in Planet Stories v2 # 12 (1945) and thought they looked just about perfect for my new adventurers.

I present: 

Robert Rance, Ace Adventurer

The Remnants of the Glorious Empire - Cepheus Light

Over the last few years I have worked a good bit with the Cepheus Engine rules set. Mostly because of my work with Stellagama Publishing (Thanks, guys!) on things like These Stars Are Ours! and The Space Patrol, and now recently Sword of Cepheus. It's been fun.

Now, I'm still a Classic Traveller guy. There's nothing wrong with branching out, however. One of my new projects, therefore, is restructuring one of the subsectors of my TU, and converting all that can be converted therein to CE game terms. With my Pocket Edition of Cepheus Light, I will create new characters, build new vehicles and starships, and find out how well CL works.

The area formerly known as Weitzlar Subsector is now known as the Remnants of the Glorious Empire.

Behold my new custom-made map of the Glorious Empire Subsector

More Stellagama Goodness

Now I've got the Trio: Light, Pocket Light and Faster than Light!

Three versions

The good folks at Stellagama Publishing have provided me with physical copies of all three versions of their streamlined Cepheus Engine rules. I gave CL & CL:PE to my boys, and they've begun building their own worlds, characters creatures and adventures. 

You can get yours at DriveThruRPG.

Join the Fun!

Cepheus Light Pocket Edition

Look what came in the mail!

Actual size 8.5 by 5.5 inches

This is not a new version of the Cepheus Engine rules, it is the C-Light rules in a digest sized book. I really like this format and size. It's super portable and handy. 190 pages of rules, and they still find room for some dandy illustrations.

Haven't got the time to do an in-depth review of C-Light at this time, but it's in the pipeline. 

Thanks as always to my pal Omer Golan-Joel. 

Product Review Piracy and Privateering

Review of Piracy and Privateering

by Josh Peters

Publisher: Stellagama Publishing

Length: 83 pages

You might have thought that the pirates were supposed to be the NPCs, but surprise! The book begins with a persuasive essay aimed to encourage players to play as pirates!

When you're a Professional Pirate . . .

The book contains five sections:

1. Setting up the campaign
2. Space Encounters
3. How to Make money
4. Adventure Seeds
5. Sample NPCs

The book is system-neutral throughout. It leans toward the 2D6 dice rolling mechanic, but it would not be difficult to transition any of the tables into any 'variable degrees of success' dice rolling system. For OGL legal reasons they can't say it works with Classic Traveller, but I can. It does. That makes me happy.

Setting up

Is the campaign going to be in a Star Spanning Empire, or among competing star nations, or the fringes where it's every planet for themselves? This is an important consideration, and the author lays out the good and the bad of each type. My TU is competing star nations, and a lot of Independents. Pirates will use different tactics depending on where they are.

Wherever your piratical PCs set up, there has to be enough potential for profit to make it all worthwhile. The referee/GM has to consider this or it will be a short and unhappy campaign.

For the sake of players and GMs who aren't familiar with the practicalities of piracy, the book lays out a method of doing the deed, labeled “Piracy 101”. This section goes into a helpful amount of detail on things like:

• Finding a target
• persuading them to surrender
• deciding what to take, including whether or not to steal the ship directly
• escaping pursuit
• turning the loot into cash (but more on that later)

Stealing Stuff for Fun and Profit

New from Stellagama Publishing

Piracy and Privateering

The other, less well known reason why Marines carry Cutlasses!

From the official description:

"A system-neutral guide to How To Be a Pirate! With explanations to help gamemasters run complete space pirate campaigns. In it, you will find guidelines for setting up a piracy or privateering sandbox campaign. There are fully developed encounter rules for figuring out which poor unfortunate souls have crossed paths with terrible player character pirates. We have also included system-neutral rules for fleshing out encounters with ships, space stations, and other unexpected sources of adventure. There are rules for selling ill-gotten booty, for splitting up crew shares, and for holding privateer courts."

I'm already using bits of it for my ongoing campaign - playing tomorrow! Once I read through the whole thing, I will post my review here. Check back soon!
 

Available now at DriveThruRPG

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/254216/Piracy-and-Privateering

Suitable for/compatible with:

• Classic Traveller
• Cepheus Engine
• Stars Without Number
• White Star
• other space opera/space fantasy type games

Signal 99 from Stellagama Publishing

Signal 99 by Richard Hazlewood, published by Stellagama Publishing, is an adventure for the Cepheus Engine system, set in the universe of TheseStars are Ours!

The publishers were kind enough to send me a copy of this adventure, so I'm sharing my impression of it. As long time readers of  my blog will know, I have worked with Stellagama before in a number of ways. However, my aim is to give as objective an account as I can. I will use the same format I've used for other product reviews.

This is an adventure for 4-6 PCs, most likely the crew of a private starship. If the PCs have no ship, they can be passengers aboard a commercial vessel. Signal 99 is available as a .pdf file from DriveThruRPG.com

Location: The Parvati system, in UTR space. The adventure takes place in space, so the exact system is not crucial to the play of the encounter.

Patron: There is no patron per se, the PCs are responding to a distress signal, which by recognized interstellar law, anyone within range must do.

Mission: The ship sending the Signal 99 is damaged and in distress. Get aboard, assess the damage, repair if you can, transfer survivors off if you can't.

Payoffs: There's no cash reward, of course, but there are things and people aboard that can be to the PC's benefit for having encountered them. PCs from spacefaring backgrounds should feel that maintaining the tradition of answering distress calls (and the expectation that others would do so for them) is the reward.

Complications: All the damage aboard makes moving about dangerous; the ship is an 'enemy vessel', the ship may not last much longer. The players will have to make some hard choices about what/who to focus on in the time they've got.

Strong points: Plenty of setting/background data for the Referee means an easy adventure to introduce. It is self-contained which means not much prep time needed. There are good deckplans and detailed explanation of the ship's damage, which will help bring the setting to 'life' and keep tension high. There is also a helpful list of 'typical actions' in task format. A quantity of high tech goodies can be found aboard. Each significant NPC is detailed with their own motivations and courses of action beyond simple survival. Self-contained but also open-ended; this can lead into a number of subsequent adventure avenues.

Weak points: This is not actually a weakness; there is a lot of time record-keeping for the referee to do, which I am not fond of, and poor at doing. Players who dither or waste time will find the clock has run out before they get anything done. One editing mistake: on page 29 there is a 'see page' reference which is incomplete, but as the adventure is only 38 pages, it is easy to determine what page is referred to [page 32].

What I'd change: I can't think of anything. This adventure is focused, with plenty of detail while still giving the PCs plenty to choose from and their choices will matter in a lot of ways.

In My Traveller Universe: Cepheus Engine is similar enough to Classic Traveller that converting Signal 99 to my TU would be no problem. If I set this adventure in Holtzmann's Corridor, the enemy ship would be from Tabraz, a planet of notorious pirates. Non-human NPCs would simply be folk from non-Imperial worlds. The adventure is focused on a ship in space, so it could be set in any world's system.

In summary, this is a good space sci-fi adventure that is more than just brawn and danger. The players will be challenged by the choices they have to make. It sells for $3.99, and I say it's worth the cost. Pick up a copy, and To the Rescue!

Signal 99

Signal GK

Mayday

Signal 99

However it is expressed, this is the interstellar Call for Help. And Stellagama Publishing's newest adventure is all about answering that call! 

Available at DriveThruRPG

I've got mine! Review coming in a few days. 

Bringing More Psionics into Cepheus Engine or Classic Traveller

Variant Psionics for the Cepheus Engine – A review

Recently Stellagama Publishing released their Variant Psionics rules supplement, available from DriveThruRPG.com. Full disclosure, I am listed in the credits as a Consultant. I suggested a few ideas for the book, but I earn no royalties. As it says on the tin, this is written for the CE rules set, but with only minor tweaking, these rules will work for Classic Traveller as well. Which is good news for me, still being a CT kind of guy.

What does the VP book offer? Let's have a look, shall we?

The first section explains how to fit psionics into any CE setting. How often do psionics appear? More importantly, referees now have three possible societal responses to the existence of psionics: friendly, neutral and hostile. In CT, the assumption even before the Third Imperium or the Zhodani Consulate, was that psionics would face a negative reaction.

Next we have details on how Psionics are a part of Stellagama's These Stars are Ours! campaign setting. Most psionics end up working for the government, but not necessarily as spies or secret police. Still, Terrans' attitude towards psionics leans toward the negative. Life for a government psion will not be easy.

The middle of the book contains the detailed rules for the available psionic abilities. All the talents from CE (and CT) are here: Awareness, Telepathy, Clairvoyance, Teleportation, Telekinesis. Each talents has several powers associated with it. The Variant part is the new powers that have been introduced for most talents. Clairvoyance still has only the powers listed in the CE rules. Some of the standout new powers are:

Free Character Sheet for These Stars are Ours!

Available now from Stellagama Publishing at DriveThruRPG:

Character sheet for the These Stars Are Ours! (TSAO) setting; compatible with the Cepheus Engine and other OGL 2D6 Sci-Fi games.

Available in three formats: Standard PDF, Fillable Form PDF, High-Resolution PNG.

All for the low low cost of no money whatsoever. Get it here!

Watch Out For Falling Rocks! - Avoiding Hazards

Referees, you know you want to do this to your players!

Who hasn't seen a film or show in which the hero must navigate an area full of dangers? It could be a burning building, a collapsing mine shaft, an avalanche, or an artillery barrage. The hero dashes, dodges, jumps, ducks and otherwise displays their physical prowess by coming through without a scratch. This is also a way to get rid of the villain, who disappears in a shower of flying doom. 

I've worked up some simple rules to simulate these thrilling scenes.

Watch Out For Falling Rocks!

To determine the possibility of avoiding damage from collapsing structures, avalanches, rock slides, fires, etc., use the following throws. This can be used any time a character must move through an area of avoidable environmental danger or random gunfire. It will not apply to radiation, extreme heat or cold, or any other unavoidable condition.

The character moves at speed 1 (walking speed) representing the need to dodge and weave to avoid hazards. Expend one combat blow and make a throw every round until the character is out of the danger zone.

The Wreck in the Ring Now Available

I am super excited about this. I have played Traveller for 30+ years now, and for most of the time, I was making up my own adventures. Now I've got one published! New from Stellagama Publishing: 

The Wreck in the Ring

Available at DriveThruRPG.com

This adventure was written under the Cepheus Engine rules, which if anyone does not know, is the Open Game License version of Mongoose Publishing's First Edition of the licensed Traveller rules.  Now here at AF3, I'm a Classic Traveller guy, but getting a CT license to publish is harder to do. Plus, I have a great working relationship with the folks at Stellagama, doing reviews and indexing for these:

These Stars are Ours!
From the Ashes
The Bronze Case
The Space Patrol (my remarks forthcoming).

The adventure centers around the PCs exploring a wrecked starship. There are dangers to avoid and challenges to overcome, and puzzles to solve. The PCs might get rich, but if they're not careful all they'll get is a face full of hard vacuum.

The Brothers of St Cuthbert make an appearance too.

I'm happy to see my work in publication. Maybe in the future I will convert some of my home-brew universe into CE terms.

Game On!