Solo Warhammer 40,000 – Take 2

Purely by accident, I came across CR4104, which is a plug-in for Two Hour Wargames’ 5150 which adds the major races of the W40K universe. As in 5150 itself, each race has its own troop types, reaction test tables, and weapons. I haven’t tried it, but if you’re interested, you can find it on Wikisend or Rapidshare; search for “CR4104-v03.pdf” and ye shall find.

Hell’s Gate

This is a novel by David Weber and Linda Evans, which I’m unsure whether to flag as SF or fantasy, despite the little rocket ship on the spine by which my local library announces its classification.

It’s a long book, and very clearly the first in a series, for which it sets up the main characters and ongoing conflicts, while hinting at other subplots yet to come (what are those whales cross about?)

We have two dimension-hopping civilisations, which use “portals” to cross from one parallel universe to another. Neither has space travel, so all universes are limited to slightly different versions of the same planet. Neither is related to contemporary Earth; I found this confusing for the first few chapters, as I had to assimilate two sets of unfamiliar names, ranks, organisations, nations, and so forth, rather than the usual one.

One of these civilisations is based on magic, and as a consequence has no mechanical technology more advanced than a crossbow; but it is able to use spells to do what we would call genetic engineering, as well as levitation, fireballs and the usual trimmings. Their use of dragons for air superiority and as airborne ferries gives them an edge in transport and reconaissance.

The other civilisation has no magic, but does have psionics, and a roughly Victorian technology. They have telepaths, artillery and lever-action rifles, which gives them an edge in communication and allows them to project power (or at least artillery shells) through a portal without sending people; this the magicians cannot do.

The novel did a good job in making me care about the main characters, and in depicting the inexorable slide to war between these two civilisations after two exploration parties bump into each other, and open fire.  I’ll keep an eye open for the second and subsequent volumes, but do not feel compelled to rush out and buy them.

The Arioniad, Episode 0 – Setup

I’m trying a variety of solo games to see which system works best for me. Readers will already have noticed 28 Months Later (All Things Zombie) and Talomir Nights (Warrior Heroes), and there are two more queued up using Savage Worlds; Mythic, and Warhammer Quest. Mythic first.

Mythic has its own RPG built in, but is essentially a “game master emulator”, which uses dice rolls to replace the GM; this allows one to play solo or same-side games without anyone having to run them.

However, I have a hankering to play in an old school Classic Traveller game; an RPG which recreates the feel of the 1950s and 1960s science fiction I read as a teenager. CT’s character generation and combat rules – while still playable – are a bit dated though, and I want to stay current with Savage Worlds, so I will play a CT/SW/Mythic mashup and see what happens.

First I need a character. I’ve always liked Scouts, so create one of those using the MetaCreator software I have for such occasions.

• Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6.
• Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d6, Healing d6, Notice d6, Piloting d8, Repair d6, Shooting d6.
• Charisma 0, Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 7, CV 76.
• Hindrances: Heroic, Loyal: Friends.
• Edges: Ship.
• Gear: $25. Kevlar Vest: +2/4, Glock: 2d6, Knife: Str+d4.

“Ship” is a new edge I’ve added for this game. As an ex-Scout, the character has constructive possession of a surplus scout ship; it is still owned by the service, and they will maintain it and (sometimes) refuel it, but they expect him to do odd jobs for them from time to time, and to report on what he finds while wandering. For this reason, many people he encounters will assume he is a spy.

Next, the character needs a name. The first thing that pops into my head is “Arnie”. Not science fictional enough. Hmm. Swap syllables; “Arin”. I’m pretty sure that is a girl’s name, and the character will be male. Aha! “Arion”. That’ll do. Greek poet, rescued from pirates by dolphins. Also credited with inventing the dithyramb, which is no doubt appropriate. Arion may or may not get a family name later.

I decide I will also draw the background from ancient Greek history, which is currently a minor trend in RPGs – see Hellas, for example. That places the campaign in a far-future equivalent of the 7th century BC.

So, we shall begin with Arion gazing out of a diner window in Tenaro Downport, main starport on the planet Matapan, known both for its temples and as a place where mercenaries can be hired (as was the original Matapan). He is looking at the ship which brought him here; his ship, the “Dolphin”.

What will happen next? Well, as Chandler famously said, “When in doubt, have a man come through a door with a gun in his hand.” So we’ll start scene 1 there, when next I have time and inclination to play the campaign.

Favourite Video Games

As I mentioned a few days ago, when I added an Xbox Live membership to my Xbox, it ate all my game saves. So, some of them I am playing again, to recreate those saves; and some I can’t be bothered with. That got me thinking about my favourites, and how I categorise them…

Replayed

These are the ones I like best; the ones so good that as soon as I finished them, I felt compelled to play them again, immediately, and on a higher difficulty level.

• Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. First-person shooter with a dramatic storyline including several parallel stories with different protagonists, flashbacks, and other narrative devices.
• Diablo II: Third-person shooter/RPG. Quite possibly the most addictive game I have ever played. Captures the feel of old school Dungeons & Dragons as we used to play it in the late 1970s.
• Half-Life: The original survival horror first-person shooter, which raised the bar for a generation of games. Dated now, but still playable, and I wish they had put it in the Orange Box – I’d still be playing it.
• Wing Commander III: The first flight simulator I ever played, and the first with full-motion video I ever played. That was astonishing at the time.

Finished

These are the ones that I actually played through all the way to the end. Not quite as good as the Replayed category, but still excellent games.

• Half-Life 2: Sequel to Half-Life, another first-person shooter. I love the way the NPCs are so polite to Dr Freeman in this one, and also the fun you can have with the electromagnetic crane and the gravity gun.
• Halo, Halo 2, Halo 3: I finished these just before the Xbox ate my saves, which is just as well, as I might have blown a gasket otherwise. The first one in particular suffers from repetitive levels, but solid gaming nonetheless.
• Wing Commander IV: I liked the way that one’s behaviour determined the outcome in this and WC III, although not quite enough to replay it and choose the other outcome.

Someday

These are the ones that I haven’t finished yet, but intend to, someday. Maybe when I retire.

• Aliens vs Predator 2. Just because I loved Aliens the movie so much.
• Neverwinter Nights. D&D 3rd edition as a computer game, which it needed to be, frankly, because keeping track of everything face to face was just too hard.

The rest of the computer and video games I’ve bought, I never finished. Not that there were many of them, but it’s intriguing that I didn’t. It feels like I don’t have enough time, but I suppose if I wanted to play them badly enough, I would find a way to do so.

Televised Sheep Fighting

Another classic idea from Jeremy Clarkson: Televised Sheep Fighting. I laughed myself silly.

Warning: Do not read Jeremy Clarkson if you are offended by the politically incorrect. It will only upset you.

Solo Warhammer 40,000

As I mentioned earlier, many people find this site while looking for information on playing Warhammer 40,000 solo. This is not something I do, you understand; but I would refer you to the 4D Kay Project, which is converting W40K for use with Two Hour Wargames‘ 5150 rules. THW have the best rules for solo and same-side tabletop wargaming I’ve yet found, and I’m not alone in that view; they win awards and everything.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled surfing.

Talk Like A Pirate Day 2009

Arrr, maties! Don’t ye forget that tomorrow be International Talk Like A Pirate Day!

Talomir Nights, Episode 4

Johann and Gottfried have escaped the mountain village where they were held captive, but are now being hunted down by the Ekraen knights who took them prisoner.

“Eet eez like hunting, non?” says Sir Bertrand de Plastique. “Except ze prey eez more cunneeng, which makes eet even more fun.”

I next determine the size of the fugitives’ lead. This is (6 – ER) hours, or two hours. What of the pursuers? I roll 1d6 and add the ER for a total of 7; consulting the table on p. 55, this means the pursuers have twice my CV or points value. Hmm. The points value of my group has changed because there are only two of them now, with different statistics; a quick recalcuation puts it at 6, so there are 12 CV worth of pursuers. Ouch. Let’s see who they are; I roll 2d6 several times on the Ekraen army list, selecting figures until the Ekraen CV total is at least twice as large as the party’s. This gives us a force of three knights, four crossbowmen, and two infantry. This could be a challenge. However, they have to catch us first!

Each side now rolls 2d6 and tries to pass the lowest Rep in their group. Johann rolls 4, 6 and passes 1d6. The knights roll 1, 2 and despite having a lower Rep pass 2d6. As they passed one more d6, the lead reduces to one hour, and the pursued reduce their effective Rep by one point, to 3. As the lead is now one hour or less, the pursuers have caught us. It looks like we now set up a Battle encounter, which I assume is the pitched battle encounter from p. 70. Feh, it’ll do. I skip over generating forces as I already know what they are.

Each leader now rolls 2d6 trying to pass his Rep for deployment. Johann rolls two sixes, which would be good in most games but not Warrior Heroes, and Bertrand rolls 1, 6, passing one die. This means he is the attacker and has the advantage. The defender (Johann) sets up 12″ from his table edge, and the attacker sets up 18″ away from the defender.

I choose Johann’s table edge, and roll on the terrain generator to produce a town on a board mostly covered in hills and woods, but with one piece of clear terrain, which as luck would have it is on Johann’s table edge. Johann sets up 12″ onto the table, on the edge of the clear section. The knights set up on a road section, with 6″ of clear terrain, then 12″ of hills (which halve movement) between them and the party. All town buildings must be placed in clear terrain, so this board square is packed with them; it must represent a corner of a larger urban area.

The party rolls 2 and the knights roll 4; both activate, but the knights got the higher score, so activate first. What will they do? Well, I expect since they are pursuing the party they will want to close in, so they will try to advance 12″; they haven’t taken a test that will allow them to charge yet, so they are moving at a canter.

However, after they have moved 6″, they are within 12″ of the party; time for a Test of Wills. Sir Bertrand has Rep 5, so rolls 5d6 and is counting successes (rolls of 3 or less). 1, 3, 2, 5, 2 so four successes. As a star, Johann is allowed to choose the number of successes he rolls, and with Rep 4 he gets four dice. He chooses four successes, since any other result ends with the knights charging him and Gottfried, which is unsafe when you’re on foot with no armour. Both sides halt in place; I picture one of the knights launching into a speech in Ekraen, which Johann probably would not understand. This means the knights have not yet surged ahead of their crossbowmen and other infantry.

Now it’s the party’s turn to activate. Johann decides this is a good time for a Fast Move Test, and he and Gottfried turn and run. Both now roll 2d6 against Rep; Johann scores 3, 5, passes 1d6, and moves 150% of his normal move, or 9″. Gottfried scores 1, 6 and does likewise. The group are now 3″ from the table edge and 21″ from the knights (who stopped after moving 6″, on the edge of the hills).

New turn; the party rolls 1 for activation, and the knights roll 1 as well; a tie, so neither moves. The knights continue to pontificate in Ekraen, and the party looks frantically for somewhere to hide, as the townsfolk sensibly run inside and bar the doors.

Turn 3; Johann rolls 6, knights roll 1, so Johann and Gottfried stand about trying to look inconspicuous as the knights advance 6″ through the hills, becoming separated from their infantry. They are now 12″ from the party, so time for another Test of Wills. Sir Bertrand rolls 4, 4, 4, 3, 4 and passes one die. Johann opts to pass one die as well, since anything else will trigger a charge test which he could well lose.

Turn 4: Johann rolls 1, knights roll 6, so Johann and Gottfried activate and the knights don’t. Our protagonists move 8″ and sneak away off the board, mingling into the crowds.

Another encounter survived, another set of advancement rolls; Johann’s Hardiness increases to 3, and his Social Standing to 4, while Gottfried’s Rep increases to 5, and his Hardiness to 3. I decide that their actions in this encounter don’t constitute running away, since the precedent in other THW games I have is that running away only counts against you if it was the forced outcome of a reaction test.

Lesson learned: I could have played episodes 1, 3 and 4 without setting the table up at all. So, in future I won’t bother putting lead and terrain on the table until combat is joined.

“Was nun, Kleiner Mann?” asks Gottfried, as he liberates some disguises from a washing line.

“We tool up,” says Johann. “Then we go looking for the knight that rode Alexa down. And make him sorry.” Pause. “And don’t call me Kleinermann. My name’s Johann.”

Talomir Nights, Episode 3

Gottfried and Johann find themselves held captive in the mountain village they were trying to raid in episode 2. It has no dungeons, merely an old house. By midnight, Gottfried has managed to open the door to the room where they are held, and the two sneak out, relieving a couple of sleeping guards of their hand weapons. Their own weapons and armour are nowhere in sight, nor is their companion Alexa; since she was last seen skewered on a lance, this is not surprising.

(No picture this time, as the terrain is laid out as for episode 2; our heroes start in the big building in the middle of the board.)

“No horses,” whispers Gottfried as they emerge.

“That way,” Johann replies, pointing back down the trail they used to reach the village initially. It has the advantage that they know the way.

“Any sign of Alexa?” Gottfried only shakes his head.

Each time the protagonists move, as per p.56 of the rulebook I roll 1d6; if the score is equal to the current turn, their captors are alerted.

Turn 1: Johann and Gottfried activate and move 8″ towards the table edge, 18″ distant. The alert die roll is 3, so no-one has seen them yet.

Turn 2: Same again, except the alert die roll is 6. The table edge is now only 2″ away, and the tension mounts.

Turn 3: They activate a third time, the alert die roll is 2, and they’re away. Yay for the heroes!

The lesson learned here is that unless you’re unlucky, or gallop away on stolen horses, you’re quite likely to escape capture; more likely if you have a high Rep, as lower Rep figures will take more turns to move off the board.

A successful escape, however, may generate a pursuit encounter. I roll 1d6 against the ER of the region, and since I’ve now found that table, I can use the proper number: 4. I’ve decided that the knights would only hold Johann captive for a few days at best before realising he has neither a ransom nor any useful information, and killing him out of hand; so it’s still August, meaning there are no seasonal ER modifiers. I roll a 3, so there will be a pursuit.

Meanwhile, Johann and Gottfried have survived another encounter, and roll for advancement as per p. 16. Johann increases his Hardiness to 2, and his Social Standing to 3; Gottfried increases his SS to 3 also. They must’ve picked up the silverware on the way out.

Homicide and The Corner

Over this last few months I’ve been reading these two works by David Simon (and Ed Burns, as co-author of The Corner).

Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets is the story of a year in the life of the West Baltimore Homicide unit, and the inspiration for the cult TV show The Wire. Overall verdict: Very interesting, highly recommended.

What strikes me most from this book is the things TV detective shows get right (the pressure on detectives, the damage to their family lives, the internal politics, the attempts to trick prisoners into confessing, and the black humour) and the things they get wrong (the trustworthiness and value of forensic evidence, the likelihood of a gunfight occurring, the likelihood of a gunshot wound dropping someone instantly, and the chance of actually solving any given murder).

I particularly recommend the Geraldine Parrish case, which would not be at all out of place on Life or The Mentalist. I couldn’t help laughing at the plaintive cry of the hitman with a contract on one of Mrs Parrish’s female relatives, after three or four failed attempts: “Why won’t she die?”

The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighbourhood is the other side of the coin; a year amongst the drug-addicted urban underclass of West Baltimore. Overall verdict: Outstanding journalism, but very depressing.

One can’t help but have a grudging respect for people who every day wake up with nothing but the clothes they’re wearing, and by nightfall manage somehow to scrape together enough money to feed their drug habits. One can’t help but be depressed by the way they live, and give thanks that one doesn’t have to live that way oneself.

The authors’ thesis is that these people have no sense of self-worth, no purpose, and precious little love in their lives; and they will do anything to get it (dealing drugs, teenage pregnancy), or to anaesthetise themselves against the lack of it (consuming drugs). In the absence of any hope of improvement, I’m not at all sure I’d do any better than that myself; the few people highlighted as trying to make a difference work incredibly hard for miniscule rewards, or more often, the hope of a miniscule reward in the far future.

It’s hard to see how more police, more prisons, or tougher laws will deal with all this. Modern Western culture has written off those on the corner as irrelevant; the way to resolve the problem is to change that underlying position. Unfortunately, the authors just document the problem and the approaches that don’t work; they offer no solution, and I don’t see one either.