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08:33, 28th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Space Academy Cadets.

Posted by Tortuga
Tortuga
member, 1787 posts
Fri 23 Mar 2018
at 19:26
  • msg #1

Space Academy Cadets

Players are cadets at a sci fi space academy, learning investigative skills, combat skills, starship crew positions, and whatever else they need to do their jobs. This is, in effect, an extended sequence of character creation ending in the characters prepared to adventure across the galaxy.

The question is: Who is training the characters? Who will they be work for? What are they being trained for?

Options:

1. Space Patrol. They work for the state, protecting the rights of innocent civilians from criminals, pirates, organized crime, and whatever else might pop up.

2. The Survey Corps. They explore the limits of known space, new worlds and civilization, filing reports, and the like.

3. Galactic Intelligence Service. You work for the elite espionage corps, infiltrating subversive organizations, both foreign and domestic, protecting the State and furthering its interests.

4. Corporate Troubleshooters. You've been trained by a multistellar corporation and will be employed solving problems for them, at their facilities across the galaxy.

5. A mercenary conglomerate. You'll be part of a large merc outfit, hiring out to whoever needs work done. Maybe frontier worlds need a few deputies until the new sheriff arrives, or a corporation needs some unruly miners scared off.

So, there you have it. Five options. If you're interested, respond with which options you find most appealing, in rough order of preference.

Other details: The game will be run in GURPS, with newbies welcome - the academy basically IS your character creation, with the courses you take deciding the bulk of your skills beyond what you managed to pick up before being sent there as an adolescent.
HEarlPendelfield
member, 66 posts
I need a vacation
Fri 23 Mar 2018
at 19:32
  • msg #2

Space Academy Cadets

My choices in order from first choice to last would be - 2, 3, 5, 4, 1. But I could totally see the academy being set up to train people for all of those, with recruiters from all the different groups showing up during final year of training to scout and hire cadets.
Tortuga
member, 1788 posts
Fri 23 Mar 2018
at 19:35
  • msg #3

Space Academy Cadets

That works as an idea, but somebody has to be footing the bill. The government? A major corporation? Maybe the Academy itself is a corporation.

But ultimately the PCs will be hired by some agency for some purpose, and that forms the main thrust of the campaign, so it makes sense to simplify it down to the PCs being trained by that entity.
airellian
member, 423 posts
Fri 23 Mar 2018
at 20:26
  • msg #4

Space Academy Cadets

Sounds interesting! My vote would be 1, 2, and 3 in order of priority. :)
swordchucks
member, 1476 posts
Fri 23 Mar 2018
at 20:33
  • msg #5

Space Academy Cadets

I'm a sucker for learning games in GURPS, so tentative interest.

Probably 2, 1, 4, if I were to rank them.  A little more "Star Fleet" and "post scarcity" than not.
Dgorjones
member, 60 posts
Fri 23 Mar 2018
at 21:37
  • msg #6

Space Academy Cadets

You could add another option for counter-intelligence.  Think The Departed. Surely those space pirates you mentioned are sending moles into the space academy to act as spies.
Tortuga
member, 1789 posts
Fri 23 Mar 2018
at 21:48
  • msg #7

Space Academy Cadets

I'd consider option 1 to be the equivalent of the FBI in many regards, though counter-intelligence could be an element in really any of the games.
Brygun
member, 2022 posts
RPG since 1982
Author & Inspiration
Sat 24 Mar 2018
at 15:43
  • msg #8

Space Academy Cadets

Just an option but the Voltron Universe has Galaxy Command

In the reimagined series the most of the Paladins aren't even graduates.
Brygun
member, 2023 posts
RPG since 1982
Author & Inspiration
Sat 24 Mar 2018
at 15:46
  • msg #9

Space Academy Cadets

I think you would also want to consider the stance the organization has a law enforcement vs military vs both. Which is pretty much the basis of the OPs question.


Does the Space Corps patrol between planets but not on them? Can the SC follow leads into colonies on worlds? what about space stations? Is it by the type of crime or danger?

Even Star Trek has IIRC a DS9 Riza Episode where they talk about making an arrest because they are Star Fleet Officers.

An interplanetary policing force can have special elements within it. Police forces with homicide or SWAT for instance could translate into the Space Corps.
evileeyore
member, 77 posts
GURPS GM and Player
Sat 24 Mar 2018
at 16:26
  • msg #10

Re: Space Academy Cadets

I'm interested in 3, followed equally by 2 and 4.  Not so much in 1 or 5 as those sound more military (or at least more rigid in hierarchy, mode of conduct, etc).
Tortuga
member, 1790 posts
Sat 24 Mar 2018
at 16:51
  • msg #11

Re: Space Academy Cadets

I'm picturing a rather diffuse stellar state without FTL communications, so the PCs will be largely on their own without a great deal of central oversight or backup.

What they'll be doing:

1. Space Patrol:
Patrol members are assigned to a system (or a sector, depending on how easy I make FTL travel) where they're the federal state's representatives. They will be occasionally given specific cases by their central authority, but for the most part they're there to keep the peace, respond to requests for help, and investigate what they deem worth investigating.

Sort of like Old West federal marshals. In space. For the most part they're representing the stellar authority.

2. The Survey Corps:
The PC's ship will be sent to an unexplored system. They gather information, investigate what seems interesting (anomalies, habitable planets, mineral deposits), and write up comprehensive reports on their findings. There may well be first contact encounters, so xenobiology/psychology/etc may be useful.

3. Galactic Intelligence Service:
Terrible things to preserve SPACE DEMOCRACY. But quietly. Infiltrating subversive organizations, blackmailing private citizens, eliminating dangerous individuals, for the greater good. The greater good, gentlemen.

4. Corporate Troubleshooters. Sort of a combination of 1 and 3 without any real legal authority to back you up, but your employers have great lawyers. The profits will flow! Just... ah... don't get caught doing anything you shouldn't do. And for the love of god don't tell me about it.

5. A mercenary conglomerate.
You're a unit employed by a big merc outfit. You'll be offered missions for various public and private entities. One week it might be strike-breaking, the next it might be privateering, or guarding a free-trader's ore.
helvorn
member, 76 posts
Sat 24 Mar 2018
at 18:43
  • msg #12

Re: Space Academy Cadets

3 sounds fun.  1 could be a lot of fun if it's more space marshals and less space cavalry.
Rothos1
member, 514 posts
Sun 25 Mar 2018
at 04:07
  • msg #13

Re: Space Academy Cadets

I like the idea of number 2 the Survey Corps. I also know zilch about GURPS mechanically. Maybe this could be the first venturing of Starfleet to map out transwarp routes as Warp is polluting subspace?
Tortuga
member, 1791 posts
Sun 25 Mar 2018
at 14:34
  • msg #14

Re: Space Academy Cadets

Survey seems to be the favorite, so that's what I'll go with. Other details:

1. The characters are fresh out of high school.
2. FTL is fairly new. They will be the first class at the academy, and the first major wave of FTL exploration.
3. Intelligent life has not yet been encountered, but everyone has been eagerly anticipating it.
4. Colonization up to now has been via sublight sleeper ship, and a few government sponsored FTL colonies, but none have been established for more than a generation. In fact, the sleeper ships had just arrived when Jump Drives were developed.

I'd like to use "real" star maps if possible... anyone have a link to something more or less accurate AND easy to use?
helvorn
member, 77 posts
Mon 26 Mar 2018
at 04:10
  • msg #15

Re: Space Academy Cadets

An open, task oriented command structure might be best for a survey game.  It would keep people from being constrained too badly by a chain of command.

As for realistic star charts Traveller 2300 used 3D charts IIRC.  Just be careful though as 3D charts can get complicated quickly.
Tortuga
member, 1792 posts
Mon 26 Mar 2018
at 15:21
  • msg #16

Re: Space Academy Cadets

The chain of command will be light years away in a setting without FTL communications, so PCs will be on their own to get the job done.

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