Mini Review - Hulks & Horrors

I'm a big fan of the TSR Buck Rogers XXVc roleplaying game - the big chunky boxset was great value and had everything you needed. Although the game was clunky, and the Buck Rogers label was tacked on to it for various reasons, it was a solid game and was great fun. As a fan of Buck Rogers I didn't mind the setting, but it was easily adaptable to any sci-fi setting regardless.

I always thought it was a wonderful contender as a generic sci-fi game, just as Dungeons & Dragons was a generic fantasy game, and it was a shame they didn't make the leap into making it into the official sci-fi version of D&D.

There were two game systems I always saw as the sci-fi version of D&D; Traveller and the D6 version of the Star Wars which I used to great effect in various sci-fi settings. With these other great systems, did D&D really need a sci-fi version of itself?

Bedroom Wall Press seemed to think so, and so they created Hulks & Horrors. The completely free 156-page book is a great little system and easy to use. If you know Basic D&D then you'll know H&H, and you'll be zipping across the cosmos in no time. The book contains:

Complete rules for characters up to Level 6 and beyond
7 character classes: Pilot, Scientist, Soldier, Psyker, Hovering Squid, Omega Reticulan, and Bearman.
Easy to learn old-school inspired game rules and combat system
Weapons, armor, and equipment inspired by classic science-fiction
Spaceship construction and combat rules
Random tables for creating whole sectors of space
Loot generation rules
Dozens of alien monsters as well as guides for designing your own
Dungeon-mastering advice for sandbox space exploration
Optional rules for customizing Hulks & Horrors

It's quick and easy, and other than the odd rule change it's the system we know and enjoy. I've always enjoyed Basic D&D and this game certainly reminds me of that. The combat system is pretty good - you have to roll below a target number on a D20, which is the attacker's To Hit bonus plus the AC of the target, which is better the lower it is, and a base target number of 5 - and it's easy to use.

The spaceship system is nice and easy and helps give ships a bit of a personality, and there's enough customisable options to help personalise a vessel. Then there's a great big galaxy to fly the thing in, with sectors and planets to explore.

You get a complete game with this, and there's plenty of options and material to get a few hefty campaigns out of.it. My gaming group had fun with it last year and we're about to embark on the second lot of adventures; we've already been exploring planets like we've explored kingdoms, abandoned space stations like age-old citadels and mined asteroids like dungeons. Other than the jetpacks and the laser pistols, this is a great D&D clone.

This is the sci-fi version of D&D I've been waiting for.

Boardgame Design

Our future masterpiece

Me and my eight year old boy Bruce spent an hour brainstorming some game ideas tonight, and we came up with a new fantasy boardgame with RPG elements that can be played solo, can be used with dice and can also be used as a trading card game.

How? I hear you ask. Well, I'm not telling you as we're in development.

What I found inspiring about the whole thing was bouncing ideas off a boy, not even in double digits, who got excited about things because there were things to get excited about, and aspects of the game we were creating were cool because they were cool and not because they work mechanically.

That was refreshing. I get so bogged down in mechanics, design and how it all fits together and flows I sometimes forget about the most crucial part - having fun.

Next time you sit down to brainstorm a new game plan, I suggest you get an 8-year old to sit in on a few sessions. It could change your whole perception of game design.

Book Review - Halo: Hunters in the Dark

By Peter David
Publisher: Titan Books

Review by Richard Williams

Halo is great. I'm a huge fan of Halo and have consumed quite a considerable amount between the games, books, comics and films. But I can see now that Halo has been so successful it has fallen into the trap of being contributed to by more and more authors and the quality, as with any mass production, must therefore go down from time to time.

In a nutshell Hunters in the Dark revolves around a team of humans and elites going to the Ark (from the 3rd Halo game) to try and stop a countdown that has begun and will result in all of the Halo rings firing, wiping out all life in the galaxy. Therefore the portal that is on Earth, that was used by the Master Chief, is re-activated and the team head off and much adventuring ensues. That's the main premise and it's not a bad one, fitting nicely with what we already know about Halo.

Unfortunately Peter David wrote it.

Peter David is an author I really enjoyed as a teenager. But his work is one of those things that I look back on now and realise that I simply wasn't able to tell a good book from a bad one at that age. He uses lines like 'in a voice that sounded as if it came from beyond the grave' in an attempt to add flair to simple dialogue. Good authors don't do that. Or, if they do, they use something that at least makes sense and isn't quite so hyperbolic.

This doesn't feel like a necessary book (as Fall of Reach did) but very much has the air of something that was churned out with the Halo name on it for no greater reason than to take my money. This book neither complements the larger Halo universe or seems like it will in future. It does, however, feel like a Halo product (which is more than can be said for the backstreet abortion that was Halo: Nightfall). The setting feels authentic and the characters feel like Halo characters, albeit exceedingly two-dimensional ones.

Regarding characters; the human ones are much more poorly presented than the Elites. The humans say and do things that leave me thinking 'no they wouldn't'. Or they suddenly comprehend things that they have no reason to. Or they are able to do things that frankly requires such specialist training to achieve at the standard being described that I'm left thinking 'nonsense'. Such as being able to speak to a Huragok flawlessly in their own language which, for those not initiated into the lore of Halo, revolves around sign language using their multiple tentacles. This strikes me as about as likely as talking to a chameleon by changing your colour. Which I know isn't why chameleons change colour but you get my point. The Elites, on the other hand, come across well and are not given any abilities that seem out of keeping with their traditions, training and culture. Aside from the gunnery officer being an A-class medic able to fix human bodies that have sustained massive trauma. Which is especially strange given that Elites shun medical treatment for themselves, let alone others. The book makes this point but I don't think the author pointing out that something doesn't make sense is a suitable way to address the fact that it doesn't make sense.

Sadly there's the usual B-movie quality sub-plots that you might expect from a tie-in novel like this, revolving around old feuds and missing family members that (Surprise!) turn up later in the book. There's also the way the book moves on at a rollicking pace as though it had to keep to some kind of time limit. And the action lacks the authenticity that Karen Traviss brings to her works, no doubt informed by her background as a defence correspondent during her time as a journalist.

Looking for positives; the cover art is absolutely brilliant. That can't be denied. And the Monitor on the Ark, called Tragic Solitude, is an engaging presence that I enjoyed reading and learning his thoughts and perspectives. His dialogue with, what I suppose, is the lead female protagonist, Olympia Vale, is for me one of the highlights of the book. His time stuck alone for 100,000 years on the Ark have left him with some interesting ideas on what needs doing to the galaxy and why.

But overall this book felt like a slog to finish it and I'm still not really sure why it's called Hunters in the Dark. I think this book will seem like a great read to younger audiences (my 15 year old self would have loved this) and people who just can't get enough Halo of any quality will, presumably given those criteria, find it an enjoyable read. But I personally found it an unnecessary tie-in with generally weak characters, unsatisfying action and too many implausibilities.

NEWS - John Carter RPG coming from Modiphius

John Carter fans, return to Barsoom with a series of officially licensed tabletop games from Modiphius Entertainment!

The Dying World of Barsoom Needs Heroes: Will You Answer the Call? 

First brought to life by Tarzan author Edgar Rice Burroughs in 1912,  John Carter is a Confederate officer who survives the American Civil War only to find himself transported to a fantastic version of Mars called Barsoom. The Mars stories spawned a generation of writers who went on to create such classic worlds as Dune, Star Wars, Superman, Avatar and Dungeons & Dragons. It is only fitting that John Carter is brought to life in the industry Burroughs’ ideas helped inspire.  As with many other gamers, the John Carter books inspired a love for Barsoom in Chris Birch, founder of Modiphius, who nurtured a collection of gradually disintegrating novels:

“I remember finding the whole set in a quirky bookstore in Shepherds Bush when I first moved to London, complete with gorgeous 70’s art. The adventures of the Warlord and his friends were hugely inspirational. These classic planetary-romance stories took me on a fantastic journey, and it’s been a dream to see Barsoom come to life through a series of games and miniatures.”

Modiphius is committed to a faithful adaptation of Burroughs’ planetary romance and Edgar Rice Burroughs’ John Carter draws directly from Burroughs’ original texts.


John Carter —The Roleplaying Game-- Due for release: Christmas 2015
Explore the wonders of Barsoom from the vast deserts to the ancient cities. Discover the forgotten secrets of a world that was old when life first spawned in the oceans of Earth. Play as pilots, warriors, scientists, or one of the terrifying green Tharks.  Create you own Barsoom adventures or take on the great journeys as John Carter himself along side Dejah Thoris, Kantos Kan, Xodar, Tars Tarkas, Thuvia of Ptarth, Carthoris of Helium or any of the other major heroes and heroines of Barsoom.

The John Carter roleplaying game uses 2d20 LITE—a streamlined version of the 2d20 system featured in the Mutant Chronicles, INFINITY and Conan roleplaying games. Designed for fast flowing action accentuating the exuberant adventures of the original books, 2d20 LITE let’s you dive into the game immediately with a sleek, pulse-pounding system. Major industry artists will help bring Barsoom to life.

John Carter: Swords of Mars—Miniatures-- Due for release: Spring 2016
A line of collectible miniatures for use with the roleplaying game brings your adventures to the battlefield. Play small skirmishes or fight a war for the dying planet—scalable rules provide for both. Defend ruins against a horde of Tharks, raid the city of Helium to capture the Princess or take your battle airborne with the Red Martian navies.

John Carter: Warlord of Mars—The Board Game—Due for release: Summer 2016
Enact the greatest adventures across the ancient world of Barsoom as you lead your heroes through crumbling ruins and take to the skies in the beautiful ships of the Helium Navy. Can you save Barsoom from ruin at the hands of dastardly scientists or ancient forces?

For more information on the John Carter tabletop gaming line by Modiphius please visit www.modiphius.com/john-carter

GMorts Chaotica Iron Kingdoms Roleplay - Session Eight

I'm a bit behind with these session reports. I'm knee deep in Warhammer FRP 1st Edition right now but this game is seriously looking like it might be my next game, mainly thanks to these reports.

You can read the next session here.

Preview - Star Wars: Armada

By Fantasy Flight Games

The UK Games Expo was, once again, a massive success this year. I attended it on the Sunday and had a great time, and with my wife Lisa and son Bruce in tow we hit the halls of the Hilton Metropole Hotel.

There were plenty of amazing stands there and I got myself some great bargains, but there was one stand I wanted to visit on behalf of Jedi News and that was the Fantasy Flight Games stand, and we found it in one of the major halls. We timed it just right; there were several demonstration games going on and plenty of people milling around, but we were lucky - the one game we really wanted to try was about to start and we dived in quick before anyone else could grab a seat. With a huge smile me and Bruce sat down to play Star Wars: Armada.

This game of great hulking capital ships is something I’ve been looking forward to for a while. The models looked great - the Destroyer, the Corvette and the Nebulon-B ships, as well as the fighters, were great to look at and would make great models in anyone’s collection.

At first I was looking for the similarities to FFG’s X-Wing Miniatures game, but I soon realised that the games were quite different. X-Wing relies on fast thinking and immediate turn-based responses, to reflect the quick fights between smaller ships, but these things required forward planning. We had the Imperial Destroyer and huge lumbering behemoths such as these do not turn on a shiny credit. We had to think a few turns ahead, decide on the strategy we would need to defeat these troublesome Rebels and hope that the decisions were the correct ones.

There are a lot more rules to absorb in this game, moreso than X-Wing for sure. What may have taken twenty minutes to resolve in an X-Wing fight might take up to an hour with Star Wars: Armada. Once you commit to a maneuver there are several rounds of lumbering turbolaser violence, but the initial assumption that the turns may be a little boring is cancelled by the sheer amount of punishment these ships give out, and the split-second decisions you make for your fighter squadrons. The game never feels boring and there’s plenty to do as the most powerful warships in the galaxy slowly rumble across the table and chip away at each other. Still, this was just a few turns I played and I have yet to spend a lot of time choosing my orders and plotting my assault. Will the game have legs? Only long-term games and the expansions will tell.

The few turns we got to play were good fun, but I feel that a proper blast at the game is in order. And when I say blast, what I mean is an entire afternoon/evening of getting to grips with the system and the dice, and putting these ship up against each a few times, just to iron out any rules kinks.

As with other FFG products, Star Wars: Armada is a collectible game so be on the lookout for plenty of ship expansions. The table is going to look absolutely epic with a few capital ships slowly moving into a better position to rain lasers on each other.

It was a lot of fun, and I’m looking forward to getting my teeth into it proper.

Book Review - The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski

Published by Gollancz

'Geralt of Rivia is a witcher. A cunning sorcerer. A merciless assassin. 

And a cold-blooded killer.

His sole purpose: to destroy the monsters that plague the world. 

But not everything monstrous-looking is evil and not everything fair is good. . . and in every fairy tale there is a grain of truth.'

I first became aware of Andrzej Sapkowski and Geralt the witcher through the video games, whioch no doubt many people did. I never played The Witcher, I wasn’t a huge fan of The Witcher 2 (though it was enjoyable), but The Witcher III blew me out of water; sumptuous visuals, amazing atmosphere, and a wonderfully rich open world to explore. The adventures of Geralt now had my undivided attention.

So I looked further into the history of the character and the world and picked up a copy of The Last Wish, Andrzej Sapkowski’s first volume regarding the witcher and an introduction into the larger world he has created.

It’s been a long time since a fantasy setting has really stuck in my mind - I had not yet come across any fantasy worlds that have excited me as much as Tolkien’s Middle-Earth, Howard’s Hyboria, Warhammer’s Old World or Fighting Fantasy’s Titan - but Sapkowski’s world is rich and alive, primarily through the actions and attitudes of the characters rather than any long-winded narrative on the author’s part. I suppose I had a lot of help from the computer games, too, what with the wonderful design work and the huge map to explore. The book far transcends that, though, and the stories are rich with detail and a sense of reality not often found in books such as these.

So, briefly, Geralt is a witcher, taken as a child and put through some rather terrible training to become a sorcerous witcher, able to cast spells and fight against the monsters of the continent, to protect unsuspecting normal people from the terrors that lurk in the dark... for a price. Think of him as a monster bounty hunter, but he does have principals and a sense of honour and duty. His white hair, scarred face and cat-like eyes make him stand out and he and his skills are celebrated, untrusted and reviled, depending on where he is at the time.

The book is more of a sequence of short stories, each adventure reflected upon as Geralt recovers from a nasty wound while fighting a striga, a monster thought created by an incestuous relationship between a king and his sibling. And that’s the first story; it doesn’t get any better - vampires, elves, angry Knights, cursed men, insidious Queens, and all and sundry come out of the woodwork to play in Geralts sandbox, but don’t be deceived; not all beauty is good, and not all ugliness is evil.

The narrative doesn’t mess around and goes on a great pace, with enough detail to paint the world but no long-winded descriptions full of prose and sweeping paragraphs of world-building. Basically, enough to create the picture in your mind, with no huge walls of text that you skip past because you simply didn’t need to know about the small inconsequential details. It can sometimes be brutal, and the fight scenes are well detailed and can be quite exhilarating.

I found the dialogue to be excellent and the conversations build the relationship between characters, carry the story and create the world in which they live, almost as if you’re listening to an audio recording of their conversations. The characters are solid and yet unpredictable, with the sully Geralt the most interesting by farm his boisterous friend Dandilion was incredibly annoying and frustrated me greatly - as I feel he was designed to do - and Yennefer was intriguing and designed in such a way that I’d love to learn more about her and what made her the way she is. All in all, great characters with depth and a lot of feeling.

It’s a great book and one that I enjoyed immensely. I have only touched on the world of the witcher through a small amount of time on the game, but it‘s the books where I think I’ll find the true heart of the setting. I’m incredibly eager to read more. This book was certainly something I found hard to put down.

A world of danger, intrigue and more than few surprises - a must read for any fantasy fan.

Book Review - Structura 3

By Sparth

Publisher: Design Studio Press

Review by Richard Williams

Sparth (or Nicolas Bouvier, to give him his actual name) is a phenomenal artist and one of the stars of the concept art genre, should such a thing exist. I find myself in complete agreement with the foreword by Thom Tenery, another exceptional artist, when he describes Sparth's work as 'utterly luminous, rich in abstraction, and graphically built'. For years now Sparth has been at the forefront of conceptual art and has been putting that talent to good use at 343 Industries since 2009. As such it should come as no surprise that the work on display in this third book (following in the footsteps of Structura 1 and 2) is of a quality not often seen, excepting of course from the people who try to imitate Sparth's style. Which, given the impact he has had on the concept art industry, is quite a few people.

Sparth's work is a riot of colour and form but not, in most cases, detail. He is a master of showing you the bare bones of something, the bright outline, with just enough shape so that you know what you're looking at, and letting your own mind fill in the story. This might not appeal to some but it is a very important skill in the world of concept art. You don't want an artist that gives you a finished picture and says 'it looks like this', rather you need someone who shows you a flavour of something so that creative minds can mine the image for every hint of context, nuance and meaning which they can then build upon. It is only later, when definite directions have been chosen, that an artist will go away and produce detailed work.

That's not to say that there is no detail at all in the work shown in Structura 3. Due to Sparth's involvement with 343 Industries there is a whole chapter dedicated to his Halo work and the book cover illustrations are also very nicely finished pieces. It's merely that the majority of work in this book falls into the former category. In fact there is a whole chapter dedicated to what are known as 'speed paints' (a term Sparth mentions in the introduction that he doesn't like) which constitutes a series of pieces where the artist only allows themselves 30 minutes to complete a piece, start to finish. As Sparth explains; "when you work within a 30-minutes time frame, you have to lock the composition in your mind first before it reaches the canvas. What prevails is your ability to put a very simple, abstract idea into concrete shapes". The result are very interesting works of art that almost beg the viewer to give them a story.

The last section of the book includes some tutorials for those that like to practice digital artistry but, speaking as someone who couldn't draw the outline of a tadpole if his life depended upon it, I wouldn't have described these as beginner pieces and I was left feeling that some working knowledge of the tools of the trade was a bare minimum requirement.

So all in all this is an excellent book. I do have a couple of complaints but nothing that would stop me from recommending it. The first is that, as mentioned earlier, most of the artwork lacks clear detail and there are three pieces that even seem childish. I prefer art that has clear definition and the only reason that I like Sparth's work so much is due to the subject matter. Sparth is a master of science fiction and seems to grasp like no other the sheer scale that science fiction cries out for. Big ships, grand vistas, towering structures, all the best ingredients of grand space opera can be found in his work. I only wish he would drawn some as fine art, not just concepts.

The other complaint falls squarely into the lap of the publisher, I think, as this book has been printed in a different format to the other two. This is a personal bugbear of mine. When I get a collection together I would prefer it if the books could all, at the very least, be printed in the same fashion. Structura 1 & 2 were printed in a sort of landscape format whereas book three has been printed as portrait. Maybe it was to show off the art to it's fullest potential and artistic merits won out over printing practicalities. All I know is that the books can't all sit on the same shelf (a long story that revolves around the number of books I have requiring shelves crammed in wherever I can fit them). I'm peeved about it, but not irate. I feel I'm being fair about it.

So if you like grand sci-fi in a colourful, rich style from one of the masters of modern concept art then this book is for you. If not then see if you can find a copy somewhere and give it a go. Sparth's the artist, if any, that's going to change your mind.

News - GREG STAFFORD & SANDY PETERSEN RETURN TO CHAOSIUM INC.

From Chaosium:

'While we wanted the Kickstarter backers to hear this directly from us first, we also wanted all of you, the faithful, to get this information as soon as possible. Here is what we sent out. More very soon.

We have pressed the reset button.

In 1975 Chaosium started out as a quirky boutique game company. We were all about creativity, artistry and craftsmanship. With every game we vowed to provide you with new realms of imagination and entertainment. Over the last few years we forgot that, and lost our way.

The Great Old Ones have Returned…

Greg Stafford, founder of Chaosium and creative force during its heyday, is now President. Sandy Petersen, world renowned game designer who brought Cthulhu into the light three decades ago, has rejoined the team as well.

Greg says: "Chaosium is part of my legacy. My intent is to restore it to its rightful place in the world of gaming. Something we can all take pride in, and something that fans will look forward to." Where “what’s next?” is answered with “I can’t wait”.

The Stars are Right…

Sandy says: "I am excited to return to active participation in the Call of Cthulhu line, and I’m eagerly looking forward to working directly with Greg again. We are Chaosium's original team from the 1980s. My first focus is going to be the Call of Cthulhu 7th edition Kickstarter campaign."

Our main plan is simple (but a lot of work):

Quickly sift and sort through the current company problems
Immediately ship the remaining Horror on the Orient Express backer rewards
Focus on the Call of Cthulhu 7th edition Kickstarter backer rewards
Return to regularly making awesome new games.

We offer new hope, and ask only for your patience."

Please visit Chaosium.com for regualr news and updates. Contact us with questions, kudos, curses, or kindness. We are listening, and we will respond.

--Greg Stafford, President and CEO of Chaosium Inc. I’m puttin the band back together.'

Copyright © 2015 Chaosium Inc., All rights reserved.

RPG Review - Star Wars Edge of the Empire: Lords of Nal Hutta

Published by Fantasy Flight Games

This is a sourcebook that fans of the Star Wars underworld, like myself, have been eagerly awaiting.

‘Escape the oppressive rule of the Empire and engage in devious schemes with the galaxy’s slimiest and most notorious gangsters: the Hutts!

No matter your vice – gambling, luxury, spice, beauty, or other – Whatever your pleasure, you can find it in abundance in Hutt Space, and you can find it in Lords of Nal Hutta, the Hutt Space sourcebook for the Star Wars®: Edge of the Empire™ Roleplaying Game. Smugglers, freelancers and mercenaries flock to the galaxy’s many Hutt-controlled hives of scum and villainy to fulfill their depraved desires or make a quick profit. Opportunity is abundant, but it comes at a perilously steep price. Anyone who flies Hutt Space lanes and hauls their questionable cargo must continuously ask themselves how far they’re willing to go in the name of cold, hard credits.

In its 144 pages, Lords of Nal Hutta offers Game Masters all the information they need to bring the most corrupt and lawless stretch of the galaxy to life. The book places everything you need to base a campaign in this infamous region at your fingertips, including information on over a dozen planets and their history, people and culture, points of interest and plot hooks, as well as local creatures and challenges.’

The danger and intrigue that the underworld presents is attractive, full of possibilities and a lot of fun for players such as myself. I’ve been gaming in the dark corners of the Star Wars galaxy for nearly thirty years so to have the chance to see how the Hutts, Nar Shadaa and the criminal heart of the universe operate.

It’s a big book, in at 144 pages and wondefully presented with that Fantasy Flight Games quality, something we’ve come to expect from their products. The artwork is gorgeous and that’s something that has been consistent throughout all of these books - the imagery really captures the feel of the era of the original trilogy, and it really helps to get into the mood, so to speak, when you’re setting up a game.

So what does Lords of Nal Hutta offer us? Plenty. You want to know about the history of the Hutts? You got it. You need info on Hutt space? Here you go. Want some new aliens, gear and ships to play with? Help yourself. Want some adventures to challenge your players? Knock yourself out.

Lords of Nal Hutta contains everything a GM needs to take their group on a wild ride through this dangerous, dark place. There are some new options to play new species; Ganks, Niktos, Sakiyans and you can even play a Hutt - yeah, you read that right. Can you picture a Hutt with a blaster slung across it’s great torso? I never could. Now I can’t imagine the Star Wars universe without it, and I’m literally begging one of my players to create a Hutt character - the roleplaying opportunity, chances for character intrigue and the sheer melodrama that a Hutt PC could bring to the table is screaming out for a campaign.

Along with the rest of the great material in this book - twelve planets to travel to and adventure on, for Vader’s sake! - I think my gaming group is going to get a hell of a lot of use out of this, and that makes the book worth every penny spent on it. A great product from the guys at Fantasy Flight Games, and an important addition to the Star Wars RPG product line.