Having looked at the Second Edition with the Updates, I am fine with using that.

Same here

I too prefer Star Wars Reup.

For my part, I've had bad experiences with REUP. At the same time, I'd still really like to have good experiences with it, considering the sheer amount of work that went into the project. I can't promise no complaints, but I am eager to see it go well.

Out of curiosity, is anyone here a contributor to the REUP project?

Reup looks good to me.

Greetings all.  You now have your own TwoOneBee class medical droid at your disposal.  So let's go ahead and take on that Imperial Star Destroyer.  If we survive I'll be happy to patch you up so we can do it again :-).  Seriously I'm excited to be here and  I look forward to role playing with everyone.

As for what I would like to have changed about the Star Wars movies, a few things come to mind.  I think some of the comedy was  too over the top for my taste.  I don't mind the Ewoks, though again they were overly silly at times, same with Jar Jar Binks, except he was mostly obnoxious in the Phantom Menace and  better afterwards.  I do think one of the best things they could have done was not let Lucas direct, lol.  Just my opinion, but I think he was a better writer than a director.

GM thank you very much for the links.  I'm studying this new version and really enjoying it.  I think I would be fine with REUP rules, now I have access to a copy :-)
This message was last edited by the player at 03:42, Thu 19 Nov 2015.

Scoundrel and rebel agent. ;)

Perhaps we are all new rebel agents brought together as a crew of this ship to carry out missions. Keeps us focused.

@TwoOneBee , unless things change, Garren is pretty handing at droid repair and programming, so I guess I will be putting you back together.

Welcome metal man.

I'd love to go with a Special Ops Team (Galaxy Guide 9 - Fragments from the Rim). The last Star Wars game I played other than as a GM, I was on was on a Spec-Ops team. Deep undercover, with a heavy combat bent. It was a fun campaign.
quote from GG9:

I can make my character's back story work in either way, whether we go rebel or scoundrel.

Worst case we could split the group into rebels and scoundrels.  Wouldn't be the first or last time the two groups worked together (with some sort of compensation for the scoundrels at least).  Also, it worked out pretty well for Han Solo... Less so for Lando, but he was more of an entrepreneur than a scoundrel.

I'm kind of curious what sort of characters everyone has come up with for the game.

Vanz Garren is a charming rogue with more than a few tricks up his sleeve. While not a stranger to combat, he would prefer to avoid violence if possible and would rather rely on his wits and charm.

Team,

I am unexpectedly busy until Saturday night and then I should have some time to catch up on what I am behind on.  So I am dealing with group decisions now and I hope to catch up to all of your private messages then.

I believe I have activated all character sheets now.  I have uploaded a very basic placeholder as a character sheet but the sheet should be editable so feel free to add your own sheet.  I am not a stickler for conformity as long as I can understand the sheet in the end.  Feel free to upload your brilliance! :-)

But you may want to hold off for a bit because:
1.  At this writing, we haven't yet nailed down the specific version of the D6 rules we will be using (although certain trends are becoming apparent).
2. Whatever version we use, I will offering some custom character creation house rules.  But this is all good as I am only adding to character options, not taking away.  So any standard, legal character will work for this game but may not fully utilize all of the unique potential this game offers.
3.  I hope to offer a custom character sheet template when I can find the time.

Speaking of the rules system, there has been some interest in REUP since its mention (I am a fan myself).  I am therefore updating the preferences table above as I interpret your later comments.  Again, let me know if I have misrepresented you.

 Akiri  Has OpenD6, open to other systems, cool with REUP
 Celes Varik  1SW preferred, has had bad experiences with REUP
 Nate Stryker  No preference expressed
 Shen-Nuyun  Has 2SWRE but open to other systems, cool with REUP
 Thuk  Open to any system, cool with REUP
 TwoOneBee  Has 1SW, open to other systems, enjoying REUP system
 Vanz Garren  2SW preferred, now prefers REUP
 Zane Konig  Open to any system, cool with REUP
 Zekk Vekarr  2SWRE preferred, cool with REUP

Once I have listed everyone's preferences correctly, I will make a decision on the rules system.

If you would like, you might give just a paragraph's description of your character.  Put down what some one might learn about your character after a week of mundane activity aboard ship.

Would it be fair to say that, even if some characters don't want to be Rebel agents as such, none are against working for the Rebellion now and then (especially if there is some coin involved)?

I am aware that we currently have nine players.  I don't believe that will be a problem as long as it is planned for.  I have some ideas I will share when I get a little time.  For now, the one character approach I have is that a large dysfunctional crew will fall apart faster than a small dysfunctional crew.

So I think your crew must be crazy competent and simpatico.  I am inspired by another crew of about the same size, the crew of Serenity, from the Firefly series.  The scary crime boss, Niska, hired Mal's crew because their reputation was the best.

You will also probably have a ship at the larger end of the Starfighter scale.  However, thanks to your ace pilot and Star Wars forgiving interpretation of physics, your large barge can still ease down a (surprisingly moist) asteroid tunnel that more agile TIE fighters explode against.

Gotta go. I hope for more tomorrow.  I look forward to your feedback...

My character is going to be a navigation/engineering type. He is a serious type with a total blind spot when it comes to humour. He may be funny at times but it will be entirely unintentional. He and his family all lived on Sullust where they worked for the Imperial ship building corporation SorroSub. His parents were imprisoned for asking for better working conditions and Shen-Nuyun and a few others tried to free them shortly after the news of the (first) Death Star's destruction filtered through to the workers. He fled the planet shortly after the failed jail-break attempt.

Celes is a bounty hunter, and very serious about her job. She takes organized crime rather personally, and has made it her mission to show people that bounty hunters can be just as dedicated to justice as anyone, rather than just heartless mercenaries who trade their morals for money. She's with the Rebellion (or the crew, anyway) in hopes of putting the Republic back the way it should be, and allow the Bounty Hunters' Guild to do its job properly again.

Thuk is an arboreal Heavy-G primitive. He is scary big strong and tough, does poorly on flat ground but can climb nearly anything. Thuk regards most human things (including stormtroopers) as ridiculously fragile and tends to break things without meaning to. He regards democracy (and the Rebellion) as a weird alien aberration but is loyal to his pack (that's you). He can speak Basic (sort of) and has a natural talent for starship gunnery. Thuk follows an obscure warrior code (The Way) and tends to try to persuade people to give up their blasters on the grounds that it 'weakens you'.

Akiri is a guilty looking young woman who seems to know a lot about Imperial protocol, and fits that slightly out of date Imperial deck officer uniform she brought with her pretty well.  She's skilled in shipboard operations (with specialized training for whatever vessel we end up in), coordinating groups, and close quarters combat.  She speaks when needed, and has made it clear to the squad that if someone needs to talk about anything, she's willing to listen.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:30, Thu 19 Nov 2015.

Nate is a Bounty Hunter, with a knack for stealth and taking hard targets. He prefers to slip in quietly, take down his target, and leave quietly, with a rather large fireworks display timed to create confusion after he's gone. He joined the rebellion, because his parents were killed by the Empire during a "suppression" (a rebel cell was supposedly active on his home planet, so they destroyed every settlement in the system). Skills focus on stealth, blasters, and demolitions.

Zane is a broken man that's trying to make a come back after attempting to drink all his problems away.  He appears to be a smuggler and but seems to have training that suggests there's more to him than meets the eye.*  CorSec has had him listed as a wanted person and terrorist for over a decade.

He's a skilled pilot and ship system operator.  He's not the sort of person you want to try and repair anything... ever. Despite his lack of repair skills he enjoys spending time scrounging for parts (even if they aren't needed or compatible with anything he owns)

*- Sadly he doesn't transform.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:20, Fri 20 Nov 2015.

"*- Sadly, he does not transform."

*Insert sad violin music here*

Hey all,

I'm still busy until Saturday night.  So again I can just address general matters generally.

As a point of record, Shen-Nuyun has changed their name to Shen Nyun so we haven't lost and then gained a player.

On Saturday night, I will make the determination of the rules set we will be using, which will then speed character generation, which will then speed up game development.  I continue to welcome your thoughts on the matter.

While I've got a little time tonight, I would like to talk about party NPCs.  Here's my thoughts:

With such a large group of PCs, I think we should minimize the number of NPCs in the party.  But I think there should be at least one.
With such a large gender disparity amongst the PCs, any NPCs should be female (where that applies) barring a reason otherwise.
With so many PCs, we don't need any more drama amongst the NPCs.  So NPCs will be competent, cooperative, circumspect and generally professional (much more Kaylee than Jayne).

So, with those thoughts, here are the only two NPCs I think are necessary for the crew:

The Captain, The Captain is the leader of our merry band.  Cap is very laid-back and invites dissent and discussion.  Cap is utterly loyal and protective of the crew.  The sole purpose of Cap is to help break up irresolvable differences between players and/or characters (which I consider very unlikely from what I have seen of this group).  If the group gets along, Cap can be bumped off (or otherwise leave) during the first reel.

The Translator droid:  Except for a few rare plot devices, miscommunication simply slows a game down.  Given the party's large size, this protocol droid will be utterly devoted and helpful and not at all annoying (unlike some protocol droids I could mention).

That's it for necessary (IMO) NPCs.  Here are some completely optional suggestions for NPCs:

Smart Ship:  As we learned from 3PO's dialog during Episode V, the 'Falcon is intelligent.  Would you like the game ship to be smart?  It seems that no one can make a decent droid pilot (or TIEs would be droids) so the ship would probably be a library droid, full of KNOwledge skills and with a schoolmarm's concern for her charges.

Ship's Pet:  Would anyone like a ship's pet or mascot?  I picture the pet is some kind of dangerous watchbeast or a tiny scamp that likes shiny things.  Either way, the pet is intelligent and loyal to its flock/herd/pack/swarm (the crew).

Space Gandalf:  In Lord of the Rings, Gandalf is so powerful compared to the rest of the Fellowship that he often disappears for a time so the other characters can feel like they matter.  In fact, Gandalf had the good taste to off himself (for a little awhile anyways) halfway through the first film.  Now this is very much like Episode IV, where Obi-Wan outclassed the other heroes until being kabobed by Vader (and then becoming a hazy ghost mentor).

So, my question is, would you like an incredibly powerful Jedi Master to be part of the party until dying mid-way through and then becoming a spectral mentor to the padawans?  While having such a plot would be very Star Wars, it is also frustrating to be second-fiddle to an NPC, even for a short time.

The Kid:  While some of the party are young and/or Force-sensitive, do you want to really drive the point home by having a rugrat with real Force potential aboard.  For the short term, the crew would be protecting the nipper from Sith pursuers.  But would such a pint-size passenger work long-term?

The Haughty Princess (or Prince):  Both trilogies so far have dealt with a princess in trouble.  Would you like a haughty noble aboard?  Nobility seems to work differently in the Star Wars universe, much like a job rather than a birthright.   Naturally enough, the noble could be attracted (but in denial) to any scoundrel PC (if the player liked the idea).

I will stop here for now.  Let me know what you think and feel free to suggest fellow crew:

Thank you Vanz, good to know you'll be able to fix my shiny metal hide as I'm rather attached to it you might say.  I see you keep that little sentry bot around and it seems to function adequately (Please tell me it's housebroken) As long as you promise you won't use chewing gum or duct tape like the last repair guy did.  That's what I get for trusting a Gamorrean.

What a diverse and  multifaceted crew we have; I love it :-)  As for me, there's not too much to tell.  TwoOneBee is a very competent medic who's rather obsessive about organization and cleanliness.   It's programmed not to harm any living being and has a natural empathy towards other sentients (which to TwoOneBee includes droids).  In fact its knowledge of alien cultures is impressive.  It is honest to a fault and remains annoyingly calm in most circumstances.  TwoOneBee has NO love at all for the Empire, blaming them for separating it from its previous owners.  It clearly hasn't been mind wiped in years.  Also, when not helping to keep the crew healthy,  it loves to play Pazaak and other such games.

My character is definitely biased towards the Rebellion.  It's always more fun to be the heroes :-)

Captain and Competent Protocol Droid are both excellent NPCs to help keep our group on track.  My thoughts on the optional ones :

Smart Ship.  I think that would be a brilliant idea.  It could definitely make for some unusual and potentially humorous situations. (I know I set course for Manaan, why are we headed for Utapau?).

Space Pet.  Again I think this could add some atmosphere and might be good for occasional comic relief, or our pet might have some benefit.  A pet could be cute or a pest or a valuable guard animal or tracker even.

Space Gandalf (I admit that name made me laugh more than I should) might be interesting to have someone pop on now and then to suggest missions or give training to the Jedi padawan(s).   He or she needn't die, just be more of an advisor/mentor type (sort of like Galen the techno Mage from Babylon 5 Crusade).

Kid.  Might be fun for sub plots, and for the Jedi or force sensitives on board to help him/her explore their connection to the force.  Why not?

Haughty Noble.  Could be interesting although it' could also be annoying.  It would depend on how you played it I suppose.  A noble wouldn't have to be haughty, they could be humbled by the suffering of their people, or depressed and in need of someone to give them 'a new hope'.

I'll give the idea of NPCs some thought :-).
This message was last edited by the player at 07:12, Fri 20 Nov 2015.

In reply to That Old Fossil (msg # 52):

I'd be perfectly happy with using the REUP rule set, I downloaded a copy yesterday and am reading through it with great interest. It looks like a worthy successor to WEG's offerings.

As for NPCs, I think starting off with an NPC ship's captain is a good idea, helps to start the group off in a focused way rather than having a group of strangers all with different agendas from simply turning into a ship full of wandering space hobos.

I'm not sure about the Kid (done twice already), Smart Ship (too much like Trek), Space Gandalf (maybe part of the Jedi's development later on) or Noble (same reason as Kid).

The Protocol droid might be useful to rationalise how the party communicates with other alien races, though the occasional comedy moment could be had by miscommunication some very rare dialect and the pet may be good for some light relief too.

Just my thoughts.

In reply to That Old Fossil (msg # 52):

As far as NPC's go:

The Captain and the Gandalf. Both of these are, to varying degrees, nosering npc's. While we probably have some already gaping in horror, nosering games can, with mature gamers, be very successful. For the Captain, a 'what will the Captain do' thread where the pc's can vote works well, making what the pc's want what the Captain orders.
The Gandalf is more tricky, but a pure adviser personality "Sorry boys, but I have failed against Palpatine, I am happy to teach you but you will have to decide for yourself" would work or you could simply inflict frequent force visions on the force users (lots of flavor).
For both, the real question is how good you are as a GM, can you resist the temptation to force the plotline or to deus ex machina? Of course, in Star Wars, should you resist this?

I like the Translator droid. Smart ship, maybe. How does this advance the plotline or provide flavor? Pet/mascot. Sure, although pets are by definition non-sentient. A Kid, particularly a high Force-potential kid, provides an instant enemy. This is a good thing. Of course, this starts us in the big leagues from the get-go.

I think with so many PCs we can go with less NPCs than more. Perhaps the old Jedi has come out of hiding with the destruction of the death star and joined the rebellion. I like more Jedi in the universe myself.

In fact I would like Garren to learn the ways of the force, either from another player or from an NPC Jedi. So having an NPC Jedi would work well for Vanz. Don't imagine he will become a Jedi Knight during the game, but would like to role-play out the his apprenticeship.

Zekk  was planning  on going the failed jedi route but the just discovering  the force route with a gandalf  sounds better.

BTW I am traveling right now so I can't write more. And I am in sync with the gm time table

I am pretty ambivalent.

I'm with Akiri on this one.

Personally, I'm on board with the Captain (if no PC already fills that role, an NPC sounds really good) and the Protocol Droid (though I also like having around a few other technician droids for color). As for the Kid, not sure where it's been done before in Star Wars, unless we're looking at novels. Closest to a Kid in Star Wars I've seen has been Short Round from Indiana Jones, and he didn't have a bottle of soda as his weapon. :P

In all, I wouldn't be opposed to either a kid mascot or a small animal, or a kid who has a small animal (it's in the Kid template, after all). As for making the kid Force Sensitive, I am expecting that to take really dark and depressing turns. In my head it's already going super philosophical and moral/ethical. From another direction, I'm wondering which characters in the group are already Force Sensitive.

From the sounds of it, Vekarr is looking to go Failed Jedi, which would sorta make him our Space Gandalf already. No need to even kill him off or anything. And if Garren wants to learn the ways of the Force and be a Jedi like somebody's father, then we wouldn't need a Kid to fill that role, as we'd already have the dynamic there.

Stay away from the Mines of Moria, Vekarr!  We need you!

LOL
I said that I won't be going the route of the failed jedi so that "Gandalf" could join us. It'll make more sense for Zekk to be learning as much as possible from the old geezer.

Makes sense to me!

Before we continue with our discussion on NPCs
Can we determine the roles that we think that we have at this point?

What do you mean by roles?

Do we have a pilot, etc?

Ah, well, I don't know about specifically a piloting expert, but I was going to give Akiri specializations relevant to managing whatever freighter/ship we were on, if only so if the pilot catches a round or we need an extra crewman, she can rotate.

I figure a deck officer would know how to manage various systems just in case.

In reply to Zekk Vekarr (msg # 66):

I've not picked skills yet, but I'm more of a navigator/repair specialist.

Deck officer as in capital ships? I believe we're going to be on a Space Transport.

Given time for certain skills to atrophy and certain skills to improve...

(That's my excuse)

My character will be able to pilot.  Although, if we do end up having a NPC Captain he might end up piloting the main craft.

Well I'm pretty sure I'll be your know it all,  Pazaak playing, ships Doctor:-). Just don't call me Bones!  Dammit I'm a doctor not a robot...um wait a minute :-)

Perhaps we could combine the Captain and the Old Jedi into one character. A character similar to Obi Wan, a Jedi Knight who survived the hunters and who has now emerged from hiding and recruited a team to assist him in completing a mission. Zekk Vekarr, and later Vanz may have joined him as students while he was in hiding and have joined their master as he undertakes the mission. Reduces the number of NPCs by coming them into one.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:17, Sun 22 Nov 2015.

That sounds logical.

Actually that IS a good idea!  Number One, make it so, oh wait wrong series :D

Team,

Thank you for your patience. :-)

I am finally free of this week's obligations and can now start giving you the detailed responses your detailed replies deserve.

Starting tonight, I expect to have some time free practically every night until next Saturday.  Let me get to work and answer some questions.  I will answer general questions first and then, finally, get to your personal messages.

1. ROLES:  I'm glad the question was just asked because I wanted to cover it.  There are two kinds of roles; crew roles (pilot, medic, etc) and story roles (young Jedi student, bitter vengeance seeker, strange alien, etc.).   As it turns out, I have been blessed with an almost perfect mix of story roles without even trying.  We have various flavors of Jedi and padawan, a droid, an iconic and obscure alien.  I don't think it could have turned out better and I won't really worry about story roles.

As far as crew roles go, I see it like this; in some Trek games, the positions are incredibly constrained.  If the starship only needs an Assistant Transport Tech, than that is the only position a player might apply for.  I wanted to avoid such rigid requirements so here is the basic idea.

In practically every incarnation of the D6 rules, characters are technically skilled in every skill (except Advanced and Force skills) just some are more skilled than others.  To simply move the game ship 'from one end of the Galaxy to the other' only requires the 2D Astrogation and Piloting that every character is likely to have.  The ship's autopilot may be able to do that for such a routine journey.

But it is the character's skills that make the ship a true force against the Empire rather than just a stylish barge.  So your characters aren't what makes the ship fly, your characters are what will make the ship a legend.  It will also determine the mission focuses.

If I had a surplus of bounty hunters, your ship will be a bounty hunting ship.  Were you biased toward pirates, you would be privateers.   If you had a bunch of medics, you would have been a heroic medical ship constantly under fire.  And so on.

As it happens, we have a bunch of would-be Jedis (and skilled partners) and that is the focus we will go with (in fact, it was the approach I was secretly hoping for).

Onboard, probably everyone is a pilot, medic, gunner, muscle and such as needs must.  Ideally, the best skill is in the best position but all of the NPCs are quite capable.  Think, again, of the peerless Firefly series.  Wash, Mal and eventually River could pilot Serenity.  Them plus Inara could fly the shuttles.  In a pinch, Zoe was a fair medic.  So all of them could pinch hit if necessary.

Let me know what you think!

2.  NPCs:  From what I have read, no NPC idea I suggested was universally popular or unpopular.  So here's what I think.   A lot of how an NPC is received is in the details of how it is presented.   Therefore, any NPCs will likely be folk you meet during this mission.  Popular NPCs can be invited aboard (and will have a plot reason to join), unpopular NPCs ("Exsqueeze Me!") will leave or die.  If folks like the idea of Smart Ship (necessarily aboard), that could be an upgrade bought or designed later (you have some good techs).  The only NPC guaranteed to start with the crew is the Protocol droid.

Speaking of droids, I have no objection to other droids being aboard, as they are essentially affordable by most any ship crew.  The droids can be drones without personality (newly activated) or actual characters (like TwoOneBee, growing a true personality after a few years without memory wipes).

I also have no objection of a Captain and Jedi Master being combined into one NPC.  It seems that if the players like a Jedi Master NPC, they like the old wizard (or witch) as a distant and occasional adviser, which is pretty much how Obi-Wan ended up.

"If you choose to face Vader, you will do so alone.  I cannot interfere."

I am utterly cool with this.  'Captain' Gandalf would only be a shipboard presence for a short time in the game and then leave (or be ghosted) so that you are the heroes while Professor X stays in the X-Mansion.

If the Captain stays and is just a Captain, likely the ship will be run like a 'pirate democracy.'  Pirates are a pet subject of mine and I could write a few pages on the subject but to sum up; your average pirate crew was a bunch of sociopaths who HAD to work together, every member of the crew was NECESSARY.  So, out of sheer narcissistic self-interest, pirate ships were amongst the first democracies since Ancient Greece.  In a few sentences, in-combat, the Captain was generally in charge, out-of-combat, every member got a vote and the Captain could be vetoed or even replaced.

One last NPC idea I forgot before:  The Lone Clone
I find how Star Wars does clones interesting, turning one person into, effectively, a colony of army ants.  Would you like to have a recovering clone.  Or would it be very un-Star Wars to actually think of stormtroopers as once-people?

Some optional spoilers to help clarify my words:

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Here is a spoiler for The Force Awakens, although it is essentially shown in the trailers.  The main character, Finn, is a Stormtrooper at first.  It is strongly implied that he is a clone but I cannot confirm that.  It turns out that Finn has some affinity for the Force so even clones might have the potential to be Jedi.

For my game, it is revealed that the Empire is experimenting with cloning.  They are trying to clone Sith Apprentices.  The dimmest Rebel analyst can easily confirm that this project must be very problematic or the Empire would have won by now.  If the players wish, the Empire is also cloning Rebel opponents (when they can get a few cells) so the players might find themselves facing an evil, younger version of themselves.  In short, would you like a angry youth you are attempting to deprogram aboard (think of River Tam with a lightsaber) or this idea too weird and dark for a simple action game?

---

Let me know what you think...

More soon, tonight if I am lucky, including my decision of the rules system...

We have a new player! :-)

Gentlebeings, raise your lightsabers in greeting to Veron Naku (who should post a Howdy soon).

With Veron, we now have ten players.  Soon, I hope to write a post explaining why I believe ten players is not a detriment to this game.  I'm busy tonight and I just want you know I have been thinking about the issue.

Hello, I will be your resident "Space Gandalf". Well, literal Space Gandalf would be infinitely cooler, but too bad, you are stuck with me :P

So any young whipper snappers who want to learn about lightsabers and the Force know who to turn to :)

Welcome on board Master Naku. Vanz is but a novice student of the force, with much to learn.

Hoping you have three dice in each of the force skills.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:40, Sun 22 Nov 2015.

Yes, I do indeed plan on that :)

If I remember correctly, you have to purchase force skills with starting Attribute dice at character creation, so if any of you who want to learn force skills don't have an RP reason to be already trained in them, then it's a lot better to simply start out as Force Sensitive without any force skills and simply learn them from me ingame.

That's one option, but it'll cost 10 cp to get that 1D. And another 10 cp to get that 1D+1

Wait, 10 CP? Aren't force skills raised just like regular skills and thus it would cost only 1 CP for 1D and 3 CP for 2D?

If not, then I guess I have been playing it wrong this whole time :D

It's 10 cp to get 1D attribute. So it's a good idea to get Alter 1D
I may have been confused with your comment. I had thought you were talking about raising attributes not skills.

OK, I continue to use my streak of free time.

I have made my choice of the game system for this game.  I believe the choice I have made is the most popular choice but, unfortunately, no choice was universally popular.

So I realize that I might lose some of you by this hard choice.  I do understand if that is the case and I thank you for your interest so far.  I ask that you do read to the end of this post even if my system choice disappoints you.  I intend to suggest some house rules and I welcome suggestions for house rules to get you the game you want.

OK, my choice of rules system for this game is the Star Wars, Second Edition, Revised, Expanded & Updated (which I am shortening to REUP).  I have made this choice for several reasons:

1. REUP is arguably the most popular of the rules systems suggested.
2. REUP is Creative Commons and freely available.  No one has to buy anything or wait by the mailbox.
3. REUP is the most current and evolved version of the original Star Wars rules.   While OpenD6 Space is possibly as expanded as REUP, it is configured to general sci-fi settings and not as perfectly tuned to Star Wars proper as REUP tries to be.
4. In my opinion, it is easier to simply 'not use' complicated parts of an expanded game than try and make parts of a simpler game more complex in parts.

Had I known REUP existed when I made my initial pitch, I would have made it the rules system from the first.

If I have misjudged the party zeitgeist and REUP is, as a group, wildly unpopular, let me know.

Otherwise, with REUP as the game system, let me continue.

I am perfectly willing to use house rules with REUP and I welcome your suggestions.  The house rules will have two general aims; increasing character creation options and simplifying some unnecessarily complicated (or just plain unwanted) rules.

In an earlier thread planning this game, I put forth some house rule ideas that have now been slightly outdated by me knowing both about the REUP system and this particular party's preferences.  But you can optionally read the thread to see my intentions at least.

I will detail my thoughts on house rules later but for now, here are some summaries:

1.  I am offering more character creation options but not taking any away.  Thus, any stock character you can make with the REUP rulebook should be legal (but perhaps underutilizing some options unique to this game).  Aliens and droids not in REUP such as; fanon additions, additions from previously released WEG SW books, or completely custom creations will likely be possible options for a character.

2. Force-sensitive characters will be slightly more powerful than most games.  However, your Sith pursuers can sense use of the Force perhaps better than a standard game so a Jedi must be very mindful of their actions.  There are also plot reasons (some of which will be explained before game start) why Jedi have such a burden of responsibility.

3. Combat with endless, identical minions become tedious no matter how good your character is at it.  So fights with stormtroopers and TIE fighters (just to name some examples) will generally be sped up.  Minions will fall easily but, remember, there are usually endless numbers of minions.  The usual strategy is a careful retreat against waves of minions.  Every now and then, a single minion might be a challenge.  A single trooper pinned down Leia on Endor until she was saved by an Ewok.  So there are exceptions.

4. Lightsaber combat will likely be simplified and less dangerous to the wielder.   A non-Force user could still use a lightsaber as a melee weapon.  But this is unlikely, lightsabers are rare and only fully utilized in the hands of a Jedi.
5. Chase scenes won't really be matter of spatial factors (thus requiring complicated tactical movement rules) but challenges of complexity (requiring skill rolls and thus favoring the party).  Speed and maneuverability stats will be used as modifiers to a roll.

6. The Command rules are likely to be simplified.

7.  For routine situations, a player may simply declare that they roll the average for their dice (3.5 for 1D, 7 for 2D, etc.)  This will speed up non-action scenes and posting in general.

This is just a first blush list of possible house rules.  Let me know what you think.

Next up, with the rules system determined, I can now give you my first draft of detailed character creation rules.  Remember, that stock REUP characters are probably automatically legal.  I just want to give you more options.

Hold off on fretting about Force powers for just a little bit.  With any luck, I will get the character creation rules up tonight.  Short answer:  Force powers are easier to buy in my game.

Ok, I guess I should explain myself better. Basically, this is how I believe it works:

You have 18D Attribute dice and 7D skill dice at character creation. But in order for your template to start with force skills, you have to buy the first die in each using your attribute dice instead of skill dice.

It's because the default game is set in the rebellion era and finding anyone willing to teach you can be really difficult, dangerous and takes some time. So starting with them gives you an opportunity to start working on them from the get go without having to find a teacher first.

Afterwards, you raise Control, Sense and Alter as regular skills and can raise them with your beginning skill dice too. You can even have specialities in them for specific Force Powers.

If you start without them, you can buy them as normal skills later on, but you need a teacher to learn the first die.

Also, Force skills cost double CP if you don't have a teacher.
This message was last updated by the player at 05:22, Sun 22 Nov 2015.

I like force users in this period , because you have to be subtle or you will end up surrounded by bounty hunters ... Hey wait a minute.

Exactly!

For the record, the official abbreviation for the system is "REUP", so no confusion will arise there. My primary concern here is with the sheer number of skills added to the 2e rules. The game went from around 30 skills to around 100, without giving more skill points for heroes. They become more spread out and less effective, even when just trying to focus on the one thing they can do really well. If we have some way of handling that, I'd be less worried about the system. I do have recommendations, but they have their own problems.

My secondary concern is that REUP is very much an equipment-based game. If we get gear based on what we should have access to rather than getting a number of credits and told to go shopping, that'd also work out really smoothly, I think. (For my part, when I wrote up Celes, I just took the Bounty Hunter template and removed the jetpack and thermal detonator.)

I don't have time tonight to elaborate completely but you won't need that many skills for this game.

And above all, this will NOT be an equipment game.

I think you will be impressed...

OK, these are the provisional character creations rules for this specific game and based on the REUP rules.  I don't expect them to change much if they change at all.  But I do welcome your input and feedback.

1.  PRACTICALLY ANY CHARACTER YOU CAN MAKE WITH THE REUP BOOK IS LEGAL:  I am hard-pressed to think of any exceptions.  You can be human or any of the listed aliens.  I would prefer adult characters, your ship is no place for kids.  However, young Force-sensitives may have no where else that is safe.

2.  PROBABLY ANY ALIEN CONCEPTION WILL BE ALLOWED IF IT DOESN'T AFFECT GAME BALANCE:  Feel free to suggest custom or fanon aliens.  In general, their attributes should range from 1D to 5D (Humans are limited to 2D to 4D).  But with only the same 18D, a superhuman attribute somewhere means a subhuman attribute somewhere else.  For every innate superhuman advantage, there should be a corresponding disadvantage.

Advantages should either be a bonus of dice or a simple ability (low-light vision for example) that, ideally, can be simulated or countered with tech or the Force.

If you cannot think of any disadvantages, it could be that your species is:
Discriminated against by the majority of other species, maybe with cause.
A slave race of the Empire
So alien that usual medical care is at a disadvantage.

Let me know something about your custom alien culture and how recognized your species is.

3.  NEAR-HUMAN CHARACTERS ARE NO PROBLEM:
If you just want to 'look' alien, I do understand (I am a fan of makeup, cosplay, body adornment and the shows Face Off and Skin Wars).  If your character has stats within the human range, you can simply be near-human with no problem.

4.  CYBORGING IS ALLOWED BUT NOT PARTICULARLY ENCOURAGED:
If you want to have cybernetic parts (likely due to injury) that don't affect game stats, have at it.  The character sheet for Luke Skywalker doesn't usually list his cybernetic right hand.  If you want to have a cybernetic appendage that has special powers, we will talk about it.  Any advantage will either be common tech minaturized and concealed with the cyber-bits or a simple die bonus.  To help limit cyberware to those who really want it, remember that damaged cyberware doesn't heal on its own and people are generally distrustful of cyberware, especially that concealed as flesh.

Since I am mentioning cyberware, I feel obligated to offer rules for androids.  Androids are available as player characters but they are not necessarily superhuman or startling to others in the galaxy.  In the Galaxy, androids are generally called Human Replica Droids, the most notable is an assassin named Guri.   However, most HRDs are nowhere near that capable and are about as competent as your average human.  There are three basic models of HRDs:

Fully artificial:  The 'flesh' just looks real.  The character is considered a droid and is built with the droid rules.  Any technical scan or just keen observation will reveal the truth.  Think Commander Data from Star Trek.

Partially biological:  Flesh outside, droid inside.  The character is built using the droid rules.  The droid can simulate any human function but reproduction.  Damage to the flesh covering is merely cosmetic but can shock onlookers.  Think of a wimpy human-weight and durability version of a Terminator.

Fully biological:  Technically, the character is just another lifeform made using the human, near-human or alien rules.  They may have deliberate limitations or legal status within the Empire.  These are similar to the Replicants from Blade Runner.

Replica droids can be made for most species but humans are the most common species so HRDs have the most utility.  Android tech is known and a simple scan will reveal just about any android for what it is.  An android impersonating a living person or simply denying its true nature is generally illegal and the android will likely be reprogrammed or simply destroyed.

5.  SPECILIZATIONS, COMPLICATIONS AND ADVANCED SKILLS ARE OK BUT NOT NECESSARY FOR THIS GAME:  Your character can have any of these but they are not necessary (but could be useful) and some old-school players might find them an unnecessary complication.

6.  YOU CAN IMPROVE YOUR MOVEMENT SPEED WITH SKILL DICE:  I must allow this but I do not recommend it.  Chases in this game will be won by skill rolls and you won't be able to outrun a blaster bolt.

7.  FORCE-SENSTIVE CHARACTERS ARE MORE POWERFUL:

OK, here is the biggest chunk of my custom rules.  Read them carefully if you are thinking of playing a Jedi.

BEING FORCE-SENSITIVE:  As with REUP, you can simply declare your character Force-Sensitive at character creation.  But, in these rules, a non-Force sensitive character can declare themselves Force-sensitive at any time with no cost after game start.  This allows a player to change their mind.  It could be the Force Awakens within them.  Typically, a character becomes Force-Sensitive younger rather than older but this is not a requirement.

Once a current character becomes Force-Sensitive, they can buy Force powers cheap to start with (at 1 pip a point until the 1D and then normally from then on).

If a character becomes Force-sensitive but then changes their mind again before buying a Force power, I would normally have no problem for them losing their connection with the Force.  But, on a story level, can the Force be denied?  While most Force-sensitives eventually accept their destiny, it wasn't a choice they got to make.  So I will listen to my players about this.

BUYING FORCE SKILLS:  This is the big change.  In this game, a Force-sensitive can spend their Skill Dice, rather than their Attribute Dice on Force Powers.  I've always felt that spending Attribute Dice was too much of a sacrifice for being a Jedi.  So under the usual Skill rules, you could spend 7D on Force Skills (technically, you could only spend six as each skill has a 2D limit; so you could have 2D in Control, Sense & Alter with 1D spare for something else, maybe lightsaber).

You may specialize (as per the specialization rules) and gain a +1D with one application of a Force Skill.  So you could have Alter 1D, (specialization Telekinesis 2D).  You should have the necessary Force Power for this.

You can even still use 1D of your attribute dice for your first die of a Force skill and then add skill dice but I do not recommend you sacrifice that much of your character for that.

BUYING FORCE POWERS:  Even if you don't have a particular Force Power known, you may still attempt it at a -1D penalty,  powers that require multiple skills can lose 1D for each 'part' of the full power that they don't know.  So, if you know the Force Power Affect Mind using control but not the other two (Sense and Alter), you lose 2D in the attempt.  Some rare Force Powers have prerequisites, you can still attempt them at -1D per prerequisite.  Obviously, past a certain point, you simply can't attempt a skill.

I don't particularly care for Force Powers but with so many Force-sensitives aboard, it is way for each to be an individual and, with the custom rules, they can still attempt an action.  The Dark Side of the Force will offer you certain free Force Powers in return for Dark Side Points.  More on this later but accepting the offer is a very bad idea.

JEDI ARE MORE POWERFUL BUT DO HAVE SOME DISADVANTAGES:
So, with Jedi so powerful, why should anyone play anything else?
Detailed answers to follow, but essentially:
1.  Jedi are hunted aggressively by the Empire.  They offer a bounty to normal people (or threaten their families) to turn them in.
2. Special squads of Jedi Hunters seek out all reports of Jedi or even lightsabers.  The Sith can sense active use of the Force better than a passive Jedi.  If lesser squads fail, better squads take up the task.  The top man is Vader and he is after the top target, Skywalker.
3. Jedi are the first target and are to be taken alive if possible.  Barring that, the Jedi's intimates are to be captured and used as bait.  The Jedi are being isolated from their loved ones and thus are more vulnerable to corruption and guilt.
4. The Dark Side of the Force is trying to corrupt Jedi.  It is very subtle and can't tempt the spotless Jedi but can subtly influence flawed Jedi on the edge of falling.
5.  For all of the reasons to stay hidden, the Jedi must do what is right or the Dark Side wins by default.  The Sith are patient, they know the Jedi must respond to their provocations.

Non-Force sensitive characters have some advantages:
1.  They didn't have to spend most of their potential on Force skills.
2. They don't have to be quite as morally pure as Jedi.  This doesn't mean they are sadists but they may be able to do 'what needs to be done'.
3. While the Sith realize a Jedi's companions are powerful, likely they will have their hands full fighting the Jedi.  Also, the Sith cannot track the non-Force users as well.
4. If the players like, ysarlmiri may be in the game.  For those that don't know, these are tiny creatures who can block the Force within an area.  Jedi and Sith are disadvantaged as they lose their primary skillset.

I will stop here because I have to get to bed.  Let me know what you think.  More tomorrow...

Cool. I was kinda hoping for REUP too, I like the overall look of the book.

I'd already made a start on my character using that book.

Welcome to our new Cosmic Gandalf too.

I like Force Users in most periods for different reasons.

Firstly, welcome Veron Naku :-).  I love Jedi; they treat their Droids well, so the more the merrier:-).

Secondly, I'm totally cool with REUP.  I just need time to learn how it differs from what I'm used to, but I'm working on that :-)

Thirdly, like your house rules GM.  You have given your players a very broad base from which to build,  and that is bound to ensure some well rounded and interesting characters.  I'm not sure the Force Rules will affect TwoOneBee much, but as a player I live for the role playing and the story itself.  It WILL make our lives more exciting with all these Jedi Hunters around.  It makes sense to me, at this turbulent time in Star Wars history, that the Force is more prevalent, more powerful, because it is so very out of balance, so your rules fit perfectly with the time you've chosen in my opinion.  I look forward to seeing what you and our players will do with the powers they will learn.  I do love a good light saber duel :-).

I agree that chase scenes are one of the highlights of Star Wars stories so thank you for keeping those rules simple.   As for battling "minions"  I know, on RPOL, speeding up things is almost always a good idea, but I also do have a sort of pet peeve when it comes to minion fights as well.  Storm troopers and battle droids and such should be a serious threat, otherwise why would the common folk be so afraid of them?  Many times in the movies and the various tv shows, they are shown to be incompetent with blasters and are far too easily fooled.  Again this bothers me.  A victory against foolish foes is no victory at all to my mind.  You did mention that some of the troopers, TIE fighters etc will be more dangerous, so I'm pretty confident you'll strike a good balance between the two extremes.

Replicas hmm?  A very interesting idea.  It actually gives me a few ideas for storylines.  Imagine a small planetary colony that was all Replicas trying to live a normal life away from those who would use them.  Just going there might be very dangerous for Humans, especially Jedi who could probably sense the truth eventually.  The Replicant population wouldn't want the rest of the galaxy to know about their little safe haven after all.

I am not familiar with the Yasamiri, but they sound like a fun foil for Jedi and Sith alike so I'd say yes to those,

I have a few personal questions about my character, but I'll ask those in private.  As a long time GM I am interested to see how you'll balance ten characters. :-)
This message was last edited by the player at 17:18, Sun 22 Nov 2015.

So initial skill dice for the first die as well?

As a suggestion, maybe all Force Sensitive characters could automatically start with 1D in each Force skill? Unless you think it would be unfair to the non-force sensitive characters, but in the last game I've played the GM let us do that and it worked pretty good. After all, we will be the primary targets of Darth Vader's Noghri death commandos :)
This message was last edited by the player at 23:35, Sun 22 Nov 2015.

I'm sure you'll need to to kill a number of Imperial dogs before you guys get jumped by some Noghri in a dark alley.

I'm sure that will come soon enough in this game :)

Need a bit of clarification on Force Skills vs Powers.
Force skills = Control, Sense and Alter
We can buy these with the 7D.

My question is really about Powers. How are these gained? Normally at 1D, you gain a Power. And I believe that with each pip, one would also again another power. Just want to confirm this is correct.

That is, to my knowledge, correct.

I played a slightly houseruled version of this game before.

Yes, this is how it should be.

Whew, thanks to all of you for your patience.

Again, I am playing catch-up and I know I have not yet answered some of your specific questions in private messages.  I hope to make great strides this week in bringing the game forward.  Remember that we have a long lead time, the game doesn't start until January 1st.  And you won't have to slavishly watch this thread every day.

Let me quickly answer your OOC replies since I posted yesterday and, with luck, the custom character creation rules shall be done and you can start to actually make your characters (I know some of you have already done so).  The next post deals more fully with skills and equipment as they refer to characters and I hope will answer some questions.

TwoOneBee, I love it when players add to this universe and I hope to (again, later) give guidelines to players adding more than characters for this game.  For now, if you want to develop your replica idea, I will do my best to add it to the game.  If you would like the crew to know about the replica's secret, then the replica planet is one of the hidden bases for the crew and some replicas can be contacts for the characters.  If not, then the secret is something the crew might learn as a game mystery.

To clarify, your 7D of skill dice alone can boost your Force-Sensitive character from 0D up to 2D (as 2D is the limit for skill advancement for a beginning  character). You don't have to spend your attribute dice on Force skills and I recommend that you don't.

Force-using templates that start with Force Skills have usually spent their too-precious attribute dice to get Force skills that another character can buy more cheaply given time adventuring.  But this single adventure doesn't really have the time to get someone their first Force skill strictly by the rules.   The reason you don't have to spend attribute dice to have a Force-skill is that I don't want it to be too expensive for a character to be a Jedi.  The reason I don't just give you an initial die in a Force Skill (where the first die doesn't cost either attribute or skill dice) is that I don't want it to be too cheap.  You basic options are:

1.  A normal being very skilled in everything but the Force.
2. A semi-skilled being with some modicum of Force powers, a bridge between two extremes, likely a group Padawan.
3. A capable and dedicated Force user, second-best at everything else; and thus making the non-Force-sensitives still valued members of the crew, likely the group's Jedi.

Force Powers are bought normally.  starting at one Force power at 1D and then one power per pip from there.  Don't forget, in this game, you can still attempt a power you don't know.

If I still haven't answered your questions, let me know.

I will be closing the game to new players tonight.  It has now been one full week of 'auditions' and I have been very blessed with enthusiasm.
One more player has squeaked past the scary blast doors before they CHOMPED shut.  Say Howdy to Daugrim if Daugrim don't say Howdy to you first.  There is a very small chance that another player might just make it in time.  Again, I realize that you all might be wary of so many players.  I hope to explain soon why this crowding should be minimized.

The next post is the final notes of character creation.  If you still have questions, ask me.  Or you can just make a character as best you understand the rules.  Star Wars D6 is so simple compared to other games that any needed corrections are likely to be simple and minor.

Hey there, glad I could join the game. My character is a Togorian Mercenary/Engineer, skilled with both a Blaster and his Scimitar. He has a fascination with technology and is very good at repairing and upgrading things. I thought about giving him the best I could in Space Transport repair, unless it would be redundant to the group.

Welcome, Daugrim, it is good to have another custom alien (as well as an iconic alien)!

OK, this should be last big post on character creation.  I will post these into the player thread after your replies but it looks like the OOC thread is sufficing for both purposes.

CONNECTION TO OTHER CHARACTERS:  In the game, it used to be mandatory to have a Connection to Other Players besides being comrades in the great struggle against the Empire.  I welcome this but will not force it.

In a perfect world, I would start the game with your fantastic origin story; how you met, bickered, but eventually worked together and became a team.  Bitter experience with PbPs lets me know that if the player characters don't start together, it might take months in real-time to get them together.

So, the game will start with you already being members of the ship crew.  If you wish to narrate a prior background with another character, I do welcome that and will try and work it into the game.

Every crew NPC I will make is open to having a Connection with PCs by default.  So, you can start with a NPC being your good friend (and I assume you are theirs).

SKILLS:  There are a dizzying amount of skills in REUP compared to earlier editions.  It can be daunting to know what skills to specialize in.  Let me help put your mind at ease:

1.  First, remember that your character is able to attempt any skill use (barring Advanced and Force skills), so in a pinch, you can probably make the one rare skill attempt with a few Character Points or a Force Point spent.
2. I cannot tell you what skills are ideal because the game will be based on your skills.  Rebel Command (or your patron) knows your skill sets and sends you on the missions where you would excel.   If you are all combat skills, you fight.  If you are all interpersonal skills, maybe you go on diplomatic missions.  In short, your mission will be determined by what you, as a group, are particularly good at.

3. When I make the encounters, I won't include a challenge that has a skill roll that SOMEONE in the group cannot make.  If the adventure requires exceptional expertise in a boring skill (Galactic Agriculture 7D), then I will include a nerd NPC who can make the skill.  In which case, the team's job is to protect Poindexter so the civvie can actually complete the mission.

4. If you still have trouble, look at the list of Important Skills of page 15 of REUP.  These are all of the useful and cinematic skills an action hero could use.  A mix of these skills at least makes you the buddy who can save the expert who can save the Galaxy.

5.  I will answer your questions and look at your skill list.  I may make suggestions not because I am wiser but because I know what skills are particularly needed in the adventure.

LANGUAGES:  Miscommunication rarely serves a game except certain plot devices and comic relief; especially for a game with so many players.  This is one reason why you will have a translator droid as an NPC.

It is also the reason why I am making this determination about the game.  The most common language in the Galaxy (and the human default) is called Basic and its most 'basic' components (what we might call letters) can be expressed many different ways.  Although the audience perceives Basic as modern English, I assume Basic is a highly evolved language with an efficiency honed from millennia.

In essence, the most 'basic' components of Basic can each be expressed by a letter on a monitor, a matching human vocal phenome, a astromech beep or a specific wookie growl.  So it is possible that a talking human, a growling wookie and a beeping R2 unit may be having a conversation in Basic.  This is not necessarily how the main Star Wars heroes actually communicate.

I could make an argument that Han talks to Chewie in Basic (which Chewie knows) and Chewie replies to Han in Wookie (which Han knows).
OR
I could make an argument that both of them are talking in Basic but it takes real practice to hear Chewie's grunts precisely.  This is why it seems only Han can understand Chewie.  3PO, being specialized for translation, can understand Chewie as second nature.  There are humans who can also understand an astromech's sentences in Binary as well as understanding Wookie.

So, the long and short is, that any alien player character who cannot vocalize in understandable human terms, can understand Basic and, with patience, a human can understand them.  An alien may play dumb as bigoted humans (such as many Imperial personnel) may not suspect an alien can secretly understand them.

Again, any alien player character can understand Basic if they wish.  I will break established Star Wars canon to allow this.  I welcome feedback and rebuttals.

DARK SIDE POINTS:  I am modifying the Dark Side rules a bit but, for now, if your character starts with a Dark Side point (as some templates do), it is manageable.  You want to avoid adding to your 'collection', though. :-)

This is about it for making characters.  Next post is about equipping characters.

So, any fellow defectors here?  We could have been part of the same 'vetting' process by the Rebellion, mayhaps.

I know we have a large contingent of Rebels on board.  But was there anyone else, like me, that was planning on doing this just for the creds? Aka being neutral or on the shadier side of the law?

In reply to Zane Konig (msg # 107):

I an in it for my pack. Does that count?

Welcome Daugrim :-).  I am the ship's medical droid;  I have a feeling I'll be seeing you soon lol.

Old Fossil.  Wow, I was just thinking out loud, as they say, but I'd be glad to elaborate on it for the game, it's a good idea thank you:-). I'll give it some thought.

Zane.  No sir, not I.  TwoOneBee is a rebel through and through, unless he gets mind wiped that is :-)
This message was last edited by the player at 05:49, Mon 23 Nov 2015.

EQUIPPING YOUR CHARACTER:

Your character can generally have anything they can rationalize as personal equipment.  However, equipment is only so valuable in this game because:

1. STAR WARS IS NOT AN EQUIPMENT GAME:  In general, a better-skilled character will always outmatch a better-equipped one.

2.THE EMPIRE USUALLY HAS BETTER, AND ALWAYS MORE EQUIPMENT, RESOURCES AND PERSONNEL:  The Rebellion knows that it can never win on the basis of having better or superior equipment than the Empire and none of its strategies depend upon superior equipment.

3. ALL EQUIPMENT HAS A CHANCE OF BEING DETECTED, MORESO IF USED OFTEN AND VERY CONSPICIOUS:  Given its superior resources, any direct stand against the Empire is eventually a losing one.  Therefore, once detected, Rebels forces are on borrowed time, they are either retreating or dying.  And gadgets can be detected much better than epic skills or Force powers.

4. REBELS ARE OFTEN CAPTURED:  This is a feature of all of the Rebellion era films.  Rebel agents are trained to not necessarily depend on their equipment, to escape, and use 'local' resources (primarily dropped stormtrooper rifles).

5. SOME PARANOID FACTIONS WILL ONLY MEET IN THE MOST SECURE OF ENVIRONMENTS:  Their scanners are so good, you can only be equipped with light clothing.

6. THE SITH LEARN QUICKLY:  If a particular combination of your equipment (say, powerful armor and weaponry) decisively defeat the Sith and one can get away to make a report, likely all Sith and servants will have that same combo next time you meet (they can afford it).

Let me put it another way, the crew is infiltrating an Imperial base.  They have to move through the bordertown (where any weaponry is legal), the city (where weaponry is illegal) and then the base (where your mere presence is illegal).  Character A is as equipped as Boba Fett, character B is in casual clothes.

In the bordertown, A is noticed, watched and targeted.  If things go badly, A is the main target.  B is basically ignored and saunters through.
In the city, B saunters on through.  A is stopped and forbidden from passing.  A removes most obvious tech and continues through the city but having to pass through ever-increasing levels of scrutiny and scanners.
With great difficulty, both A and B begin to infiltrate the Imperial base.  Using con or judo, they are able to borrow some Imperial uniforms and equipment.  They separate but A keeps a small Rebel hacking device.   The device causes all kinds of undetected havoc for awhile.  Both A and B make difficult con rolls.  Eventually  a hacking device is detected but not located by the Empire.  B cons the first searchers, so does A until they find the hacking.  A is imprisoned and everyone is questioned again.  B has to make another difficult con roll and may fail.

To further drive the point home, let's say you raid Boba Fett's closet and then take on stormtroopers with the most advanced of armor and weaponry.  Each might easily bag you one hundred stormtroopers more.  But there are a hundred more after that, and a hundred more after that and so on...  You can that all equipment is at most a helper to either not being detected or getting away fast once you are detected.

You can see from the above example that unnecessary dependence on equipment is a bad thing.  But at the same time, some gadgets are necessary to succeed so here are some guidelines:

1. You only need one of most items.  A gunslinger with one blaster is more deadly than a novice with two.

2. If it is illegal, use the least conspicuous version needed to get the job done.  If you can do the job with a pistol, sneak that in rather than a rifle.

3. Armor slows you down.  And speed is your best advantage against stormtroopers.

4. Any covert, stealth, or hacking tech is not foolproof.  It will eventually fail against any scanner if used enough.

5. Nothing is more concealable than hidden skills or Force powers, always depend on them before equipment.

6. If one of you is caught with illegal equipment, the rest are in danger during the following alert.  In short, you all need to travel light if you are being sneaky.

OK, all of that said, now we can get to specific equipment:
For this game, there are two kinds of equipment; common (which can be mass-produced and bought, even illegally) and special (which cannot be easily mass-produced or bought at any cost).

Common Equipment rules:
Armor:  All common armor slows you down.  Armor that doesn't is special equipment.

Weapons:  You can have any common weapons; blasters, grenades and the like.
  Lightsabers are special equipment.  The bigger the weapon, the more likely it is to be noticed.  More than one grenade and things get harder to hide.

Any kind of covert, illegal or stealth tech:  Most of this is simply illegal to even possess and none of it is foolproof.  Use it often enough and you will get detected.  So bring it only if you must and use it only when you have to.

Droids and Vehicles:  These are best handled in a later post on ship and group resources.  Let me know what you would like to have.

Other common, non-weapon, legal tech:  Generally allowed.  Just remember that it slows you down after a certain amount.

Special Equipment rules:
Special equipment is stuff that cannot be easily mass-produced or obtained.  Because of this, characters will generally not be separated from special equipment for long (or be able to replace that special equipment due to rare circumstances).  The only way a character is like to lose their special equipment for good is through poor decisions.

There are several kinds of special equipment:
Sentimental equipment:  This is merely a mundane and possibly useless object of sentimental value.  Anakin's crude pendant given to Padme is an example.  Players can have as many of these as they choose to define.

Enhanced equipment:  A piece of enhanced equipment is one that has an extra dice of effect or gives an extra skill dice (due to its quality).  Alternately, a simple stat (range or durability) may be increased.  Every character can have one piece of enhanced equipment if they can give a few sentences that add to the character's story.  So, in order to get a Blaster with +1D damage, a character may have to write that the blaster was the last legacy of their lost parent who was a master weaponsmith.

Special Force Items:  In addition to a piece of enhanced equipment, a Force-Sensitive character can have one special Force artifact.
For most characters, this will be a lightsaber.  If the player wishes, the lightsaber can be a short (shoto) saber or a double-bladed saber.
Some Force-sensitive characters don't use a lightsaber, they may instead have some kind of weird weapon that only a Force-user could control or possibly an aid to Force powers, like a Jedi Holocron or a special crystal like the Kaliburr Crystal.  As these items are very powerful stock, yours would be damaged or have an additional quirk or two.

A Force-user can combine their enhanced item and Force item together, say, into a lightsaber with +1D damage.  Don't lose it.

I assume the Force item is a family heirloom or other personal but a player may choose to find their Force item this game.  They are out there, possibly peeled from a Sith's cold, dead and may have mysterious powers of their own.

I'm going to stop here for now.  Remember, you might have a Space Wal-Mart aboard your ship but everything you take with you off-ship should be very carefully chosen.

I believe that I have given you enough information that you can at least make rough drafts of your characters.

If you need to ask me questions, go ahead.  Or you can just make your character as best you can see.  This game is SO simple that any corrections are likely to be rare and minor.

We have time to get the characters so don't panic.

I have now essentially closed this game to new players.  Character applications are still accepted and lurkers are welcome but I am not accepting new characters at this time.

Just before I did so, one more player applied and I have accepted their application.  I will add the player's character as soon as I get a name.

This brings the player total, finally, to twelve as we begin.

Tomorrow, I hope to post a few on your common background and your choice of ship.  After that, I will explain how I think this game can hold so many players.

We are on our way...

Welcome to the other new starters!

I'm looking forward to playing this, my first Star Wars game for many years. I like the feel of the game Old Fossil is trying to engender within the group and feel that (like the new Force Awakens trailer) it is taking things in the right direction.

I hope we can keep the atmosphere going as PCs too. I feel also, the timing (as in post Battle of Yavin - pre-RotJ, is a good choice.

I think for the size of crew we have, it may be advisable to go with a medium freighter like the Corelian Corvette. That leaves plenty of room for equipment, supplies, and a section of it could have been converted to hold a shuttle bay, so we have a less conspicuous landing craft for missions. It's far from an ideal ship as far as maneuvering, etc, but it makes sense that a team this big would have a big ship. No matter what ship we choose, we'd need to upgrade the hyperdrive, so it's faster than a typical Imperial Star Destroyer, and other cruisers, and it would be a good idea to sacrifice cargo space for point defense guns to fend off Tie Fighters. I don't think it's a good idea to go with any of the "standard" alliance style or other military grade troop transports, as they would immediately raise a red flag with the empire. A medium freighter, however; would have an excuse to put extra weapons on board, since there is a fear of piracy, especially for a ship operating in the rim and outer rim.

My first thought with a group this size is to split them into two teams of 6 and run them separately. With a ship big enough, like the Corvette, it would also work to have them stationed on the same ship but deployed separately. Or we could simply try having a massive team of 12. :P

I'd there is a team split hope posting rate is taken into account.

With so many players (active and prospective), I thought I go ahead and list my thoughts on why I don't think so many active players will be an insurmountable obstacle.

1. GAMES LOSE PLAYERS:  Most games I have ever been a part of have lost players.  This is no one's fault.  Sometimes the player's real-life needs more attention.  Or perhaps, despite earnestness and enthusiasm on everyone's part, the chemistry just isn't there, things just don't gel.  I would guess I will lose about a quarter of you the first month.

I get this.  I do.  You don't have to fret or worry about letting me know the truth.  You can leave the game at anytime (and generally return) at any time.  It is all good.

2. THE POSTING REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS GAME CAN BE EXTREMELY RELAXED:  In most games, the motto is, 'your character must contribute', in this game, the motto is, 'your character only should not distract'.

Let me give you an example; one player suddenly has an illness in the family and has to withdraw from the game for an unspecified while.  So what happens is the character is just sidelined from the main group.  In-character, that could be that the character goes down a different hallway of the Death Star (as happened in Episode IV) until the player can rejoin the game.

That's it, no lecture, no problem.

It gets even more flexible.  With so many players, the game can't necessarily wait for a tardy player.  For example, the characters are in a combat and I am giving everyone to the weekend to post there intended actions for the round.

But (for whatever reason) one player is tardy.  Here is what I would like to have happen.  The tardy character simply doesn't affect combat this round.  They don't take or deal damage.  Their 'share' of opponents (I scale the challenge to the number of players) also neither score or take damage.  The round is effectively a draw for both sides.

When the combat is nearing its end, it will be decided for the 'absent' combatants the way it seems to be going for everyone else.

But let's say, a player has to absent for a long non-combat scene where a character cannot easily be written out.  Say a long shuttle ride, for example.  Then, with the player's permission, their character will 'go passive'.  That is, the character will be assumed to be present and cooperative but not particularly imaginative or participatory.  At all times, the character is assumed to be intelligent and able to defend themselves, but not particularly active or impulsive.

If a player does not care for these ideas, I will respect them as much as I can (although the game cannot just stop for any one player) but the more players that can go for this idea, the smoother the things might run, for a player and the game itself.

3.  THE SHEER NUMBER OF PLAYERS IS A SELF-CORRECTING PROBLEM:  If a player feels that we simply have too many players, likely they will drop out of the game (or as seen above, simply take a break for awhile) until there are fewer players (which oddly enough, will help fix the problem for everyone else).

Please don't misunderstand me.  I am not trying to invite people out of the game.  But, as I don't know how many might drop out (or which players), I have to keep as open a stable as possible at the beginning and let the players sort itself.

Eventually, a game will have the right number of players that it can support, in the order of the players who love the game the most (as it should be).  In short, I am trying to keep as many true fans of the game as best as I can.

4.  THE STAR WARS SETTING AND RULES ARE VERY FORGIVING TO SUCH A LARGE PARTY:  If we were playing some other game with complicated rules and setting (very complex character stats, gridded combat and murky npc motivations), it would be almost impossible for with so many players.   But the Star Wars rules are so forgiving and most minions are so straight-forward in their motivations that if (Force forbid) I couldn't run a combat this week, willing players could finish it for me.

In short, you won't even need me for minor rules resolutions and can resolve them in your post without waiting for me.  The game is sped up.

5. CHARACTERS CAN SIDELNE THEMSELVES:  Let's say Players A & B are busy in real-life and so their characters are sidelined in a private thread for now.  The rest of the players are posting normally so their characters are together in the main action.  But eventually two of those players would like a sideline of their own (perhaps a private conversation or a sabaac game).  It can happen because each player will be given their own thread for such things by default at game start for their optional use.

Let me give you an example, the ship is in hyperspace between dangerous missions.  This is usually a simple post where wounds are healed and plans for next mission are begun.  But two players want their characters to have a extended conversation and emotional scene together which would slow the game down for everyone else.

Here's what happens, they continue the conversation in one or both of their private threads and the main game continues on a normal speed.  The conversation would be considered a flashback if it lags too far behind the main game.

6. STAR WARS IS A GAME OF HEROES WORKING TOGETHER:  Some genres almost require character secrets and ulterior motives but not Star Wars.  Your characters are working together and have no need to hide things from one another.  So I don't have to spend extra time on player secrets and can generally only post once to the group over any particular subject.  I assume that players won't use player knowledge against other characters.

7.  UNNECESSARY CHARACTER SEPRATION IS MINIMIZED:  Unless there is a compelling reason for characters to be separated, they generally won't be.  In most cases, the team will only need a single vehicle (probably the crew ship).  Even when characters have to be separated, there would likely be holographic conferencing available which allows the intangible observation and interaction that is the essence of most non-combat encounters.


These are some of my ideas.  Let me know what you think..

In reply to Nate Stryker (msg # 114):

A Corellian Corvette is a full blown Capital ship.  We could technically manage it with 7 men on a skeleton crew but its's generally crewed with over 30 in a freighter configuration.  Also the cost of having such a ship is outrageous.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:46, Tue 24 Nov 2015.

Although it may not seem like it, progress is being made on the game.  Again, I will get to your personal messages soon.  But, also again, I am trying to get general matters out of the way first.

One more note on Character Creation, you may optionally assign your character one friend and two acquaintances as your Contacts.  I will try and work them into the game.  I can't do them all but I will do what I can.

I know you are champing at the bit to get the ship determined.  I will try and get that to you tonight or tomorrow.

We have two new players,  welcome to Shira and Orion (who squeaked in at the last moment).  We are now up to thirteen players.  I believe this will work.  We will find out soon enough.

OK, it is time to get a background for the game.  Here are my suggestions:

1.  Your crew contains some of the few non-Sith Force-users left in the Galaxy.  Some of you were Jedi old enough to escape Order 66, the others were young talents who became Padawan and part of the crew in the intervening years.
2. You may not have wanted to become Jedi but the Force would have eventually turned you towards one moral pole.  You took flight because the Empire was going to turn or kill you.  The years have brutally taught you all that stealth and mobility have been your only real defense up to now.
3.  You have had to grit your teeth and reconcile two quotes:
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
and
"Decide you must, how to serve them best. If you leave now, help them you could; but you would destroy all for which they have fought, and suffered. "

You save some sometimes and sometimes save yourself to save the Galaxy later.  This approach has been fairly successful up until recently.  The Sith are aware of a travelling group of Jedi but know next to nothing else about them.
4.  Until the creation of the Death Star and the dissolution of the Imperial Senate, the Empire did not have enough power to spend the Galaxy on hunting Jedi (their only threat).  Now they do.  And one lone Force-sensitive pilot brought down the Death Star so the Empire is fully committed to destroying the Jedi.
5.  With the growing power of the Rebellion, the Jedi have joined forces with them.  Their family has been moved to Rebel safe worlds and the Jedi now have some level of support helping them.  The fugitive Jedi now have a powerful ship and very skilled crew helping them.
6.  The Jedi believe that they can soon stop running and begin to themselves strike back.

Force-users really can't stay neutral during this war but other crew members have chosen to court death by travelling with them.  Why?  Some may have just been compelled to do good (like Obi-Wan and Leia).  Others may have been generally well-meaning but forced into fighting the Empire by circumstance (Luke, Han, Lando, etc.).  Doesn't matter, once the Empire is hunting you, sooner or later it is you or them.  What others might call goodness is really realizing you didn't really have another choice anyway.

With such a large number of crew (and by that, I mean players), the ship is likely run with military precision and your characters are every bit the scary professionals you need to be.

Let me know what you think...

I am working on guidlines for YOUR choice of game ship and should have them up tomorrow.

For now, here is a fun question.

Now and then, you may each get to use Rebel Starfighters on a mission rather than your game ship.  You are techically members of one of the few (reserve) squadrons under the control of Rebel Intelligence.  Each squadron usually has a one-word name.  Past Intel squadrons have been called Dark Squadron, Grey Squadron, Black Squadron.  Let me know what you think.

Usually Rebel spies use modified Y-Wing longprobes for purely intel missions.  But I am more forgiving.  Let me know your favorite Rebel fighters (A, B, X & Y-Wings) or suggest a fanon or custom suggestion.

The Rebels also have a small fleet of captured Imperial craft for use in subterfuge missions (similar to the shuttle Tyderium).  Let me know what you might requisition.

Um, giving Thuk a starfighter to play with (read:break) is a really bad idea. Gunner, sure, but pilot no. Just no.

Is there a two man variant of the Y-Wing? I could pilot if you man the weapon?

Y-wing is two man. There is a one-man variant, but they are commonly two-man (and a droid). That will work.

They also make a variant of the Y-Wing that can transport four people in addition to the pilot.

Not relevant, but cool.


REPLY TO MESSAGE 119

I love Y-Wings.  I know they're inferior specimens compared to the X-Wings, but they're highly refitable.

I also like A-Wings, because one of them technically won the Battle of Endor...AT RAMMING SPEED.

My character is also pretty terrible at piloting anything, since his mechanical attribute is very low. He is better at fixing starships then actually controlling them.

We won't be the most skilled in EVERYTHING. But I like how all of these elements will come into play. I'm sure that beyond piloting there may be elements of gambling, swimming, beast-riding, etc, etc.

Based on the era of play, the Y-Wing or a modified Z-95 Headhunter would also be really cool.

I love the Z-95, purely because its a venerable old fighter.

Hello, I just wanted to say Hello. I guess I just squeaked in, Old Fossil was nice enough to allow me to join the game.


Here is a little about my character. I hope every one likes. Hit the begin button when getting to the site.

http://www.starwars.com/games-...b79ee4b07726efd2f226

Akiri, meanwhile, could probably do well enough as a backup pilot, but if you handed her a hydrospanner and asked her to change the oil...

Well, she'd probably have recruited someone else to do it by the time you get back.

Welcome, Orion.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:55, Tue 24 Nov 2015.

The Z-95 and the Y-wing are almost the same age, and almost as much modified as one-another. They're two of my favorite ships, and my vote will go to Y-wings when we need either heavy firepower or a lot of equipment (scanning probes, tug ships, very very small transports, ion cannons, basically anything small enough to fit on a big starfighter) or Z-95s when we need either speed or to not look like Rebels (anyone could have a Z-95, they're everywhere).

This goes back to that first concern I mentioned: In 1e Star Wars, you had the Starship Piloting skill. That worked for starfighters on up. In 2e, they split it into Starfighter Piloting and Starship Operations. I do not have the skill points necessary to take both. If it comes to the choice, I'll probably end up leaning toward the starfighters. Also, pewpewpew!

Welcome, Orion! I didn't expect to have Optimus Prime join our crusade, but since he is all about freedom for all sentient life, I should've figured we'd get your attention. :D

I invested in the skill for piloting freighters and what have you in case we need to fly a shuttle or the ship we're on.

I'd be interested to know if there are any changes to the character advancement rules.

Given the choice, I'd probably say a Y-Wing myself.  They may be outclassed by the newest stuff the Imperials might have but in the right hands they're a deadly platform.

Hello, everyone! Excited to be a part of the game!

Now you get to pick your mighty ship (more or less)...

In an (optional) earlier thread before this game opened, a game ship was discussed by me and other players...

a padawan needs help with Star Wars D6/Episode V era game. (A thread for questions I had about running a SW game on RPoL.  My thanks to all who replied.)

As a general rule, the party is free to choose their ship.  The choices in the thread above are fine.  I do ask that we have deck plans, either found or custom designed by the party.

Having now learned more about the game and its players, I am listing an updated list of suggested parameters:

1.  YOUR SHIP-CLASS IS BUILT UPON AN ANCIENT DESIGN.  The basic design of your ship is old, as is much of the tech in Star Wars stagnant, though advanced, technology.  The plans have long been in the public domain and there are infinite variations of the basic plans.  The original plan was robust enough to still be cutting-edge with just a few modern components.

2. YOUR SHIP-CLASS IS A COMMON DESIGN:  Partly because it is old and mostly because it is a proven design, there are literally billions of ships of the same class as the game ship.  Knowing the ship-class you fly doesn't help the Empire in and of itself.

3. YOUR SHIP-CLASS IS MODULAR, IT CAN BE CONFIGURED QUICKLY AND MODULES ARE AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE GALAXY:  If the Empire can't catch you (and they haven't yet), your ship will look completely different after an hour in a decent shipyard.  This ability has kept the ship safe for years.

4. YOUR PARTICULAR SHIP IS OLD, ALTHOUGH MODERN UPGRADES PREVENT HER FROM BEING OBSOLETE:  Old ships have character and lots of room for history.

5. THE CREW DOES NOT HAVE A FULL ACCOUNTING OF THE SHIP'S HISTORY AND OWNERSHIP:  This allows me to add some surprises and mysteries later.  The ship may also have known quirks that are difficult to fix.

6. YOUR SHIP MAY NOT LOOK LIKE MUCH ON THE OUTSIDE BUT SHE IS A TRICKED-OUT WONDER:  As characters will fight for their ship whether it is a nag or prize stallion, you may as well have a great ship.  One ship is only so powerful and I can always throw more TIEs at you.  Amongst other enhancements, the ship has; a bacta tank, hidden compartments, and a small workshop for tiny items, forgery and hacking.  Feel free to suggest more.

Some features may be there but not working. Why?  If is seems the ship needs this advantage, it is sometimes easier to 'get it working' again than to come up with a contrived plot reason why there is suddenly an extra deck.

7.  YOUR SHIP IS COMBAT-READY (TO SAY THE LEAST):   Ship combat is an integral part of Star Wars and very exciting for the crew involved.  But for the passengers, it is very boring.  So your ship has lots of opportunities for crew members.  There are many guns so everyone can take part in combat if they wish.  Remember, using a gun doesn't mean you are that good at shooting necessarily and the Empire has endless TIE fighters.

8.  YOUR SHIP DOES NOT HAVE LIFEPODS OR SECONDARY SPACE VEHICLES:  Extra vehicles mean more player separation and the crew ship will mean more when it is the only option available.  The ship may have a planetary vehicle (an airspeeder van or some such).

9.  YOUR SHIP IS ONLY AS BIG AS YOU WANT IT TO BE:  Realistically, your ship is probably large as these things go as there are over a dozen of you aboard.  But Star Wars got asked to the prom and Realistic didn't so; your ship is big enough to hold all you and small enough to fly between the raindrops (given your ace pilots).  YOU ALL get to decide what that means.  Maybe you can all live in the ship's lounge (I hope no one snores).  Or maybe your Leviathan has special Interalite panels or extra Thrustium in your engine and you can tie TIEs in knots.

OK, that is it for now.  Let me know what you think for a ship.  And, like a stray, once you name her, you get to keep her.

Tonight is a little tough and I have really only been able to just get the ship questions above out tonight.  Tomorrow I should have more spare time and that should generally last until the weekend.

I will get you some belated replies tomorrow, I hope.  For now, some quick answers:

OK, Grey Squadron's default fighter is a two-seat Y-Wing variant (which helps the 'unpilots'), possibly a Longprobe.  Other fighters are allowed.

You have variant Astromech droids in your fighters that have the boring skills you need to fly.  You can just concentrate on Starship Piloting.  In general, choose the fun skills for your character and the game will adapt to it.  This is one advantage of Smart Ships, they can do the dull stuff for you 'on the fly' (literally).

The more detailed replies (and replies to letters) I hope to get to tomorrow.

For now, here is a quick question I could use answered:

Regarding Jedi in general, are they really supposed to be completely without attachments?  That is, are they really separated from their families?  Are they celibate?
I can see plot possibilities either way.  And your characters largely weren't raised in a Jedi Academy but probably had to learn 'on the run.'  I am asking more about the Jedi you might meet during the game and the vulnerabilities the Sith might exploit.  However, the Sith might also have to surrender attachments so as to serve Evil better.

Hmm, the standard 'stock light freighter' is too small for our group, and the next step up, the Corellian Corvette, too large. How about one of the old Trade Federation ships? Getting their arse kicked during the Clone Wars probably produced a lot of "Um... surplus." Nudge nudge wink wink ships. They are designed for automation and are probably (hello, Trade Federation) common trading vessels. Let the droids run it for the most part but man the guns or repel boarders when it actually matters. Configure it as a 'Q' ship, and you can slip quite large Rebel groups in with ease.

The Citadel-Class is a space transport.
Crew: 3
Passengers: 14
Cargo: 50 tons
Carried Craft: 2 starfighters - we can replace with land vehicle(s)

Does it have at least 12 guns (or space for them).

Points to consider,
1: Federation trade ships are roughly the same size as an Imperial Star Destroyer.
2: For the size of crew we have, and the fact that we're going to need landing craft, and apparently a few fighters, that means we'll need to look at upgrading to have a full launch bay in the freighter, which means minimum size is medium freighter. It doesn't have to be a Corellian Corvette, but it does have to be a medium freighter.
3: For a team this size, there would have to be a decent support chain, for supplies, fighter and landing ship repair, etc. (unless we're expected to do all of that ourselves).
4: Our ship is essentially going to be our base of operations, so will need to be big enough for us to operate autonomously for extended periods.
5: Most landing craft will be short-range (no hyperdrive), which means that during an op, our home base will be hiding, probably out of the system.
6: If we're operating starfighters out of the ship, we'll draw attention of the Empire, if they are seen launching from our ship. As a result, we must only choose long range fighters. IIRC, the Z95 is a short range, so unless I'm wrong, we can't use them. No freighter would be launching fighters ever, and a military grade ship is out, as all of those are illegal, so the Empire would be coming after us instantly upon us entering a system where they are in control.

This will sound strange, but what about a convoy of small freighters. The idea almost like a roving band of nomads.

I do not mind a medium freighter though

Assuming we are talking about the 'Battleship', then true. Bigger, in fact, nearly twice as large. Most of that is empty space of course. There is, however, a significant difference between the crew requirements of a true warship and those of a converted bulk freighter that a hopeful PR department has hung the label 'battleship' on. An ISD requires 40000 crew, a TFB 25. 25 we can probably do (tack on a few more droids), 40000 is probably beyond us, no matter how enthusiastically OF recruits.

I don't see the cargo space as a problem, saves on re-supply. In fact, we will probably be supplying other Rebels, free plot hooks :) Or is it that the class is called the 'hulk' class and you are worried that it is prophetic?


Mm, Corvette would work, lot more crew required though.

I'm fine with whatever situation we end up in.  If we end up being forced to double bunk in a smaller freighter or what have you, that's just part of the plight of the Rebellion, yeah?

Anyway, did anyone want to collab on backgrounds?

Let me possibly clear up a misunderstanding that may have turned out to be a happy accident.

When I planning this game, I had initially thought that you would have one Millennium Falcon type ship that you would zip around TIEs in.  One rare occasions you would leave the old ship at a safe place and zoom around in your personal starfighters.  But I didn't explain myself very well and some of you have suggested a bigger ship that might have the starfighters in it.

Thinking about that, that could be a viable approach.  A few considerations, it might require a larger crew (faceless redshirts, we have enough of a cast), the big ship couldn't do the whiz-bang whoosh combat a smaller ship could do.  What it might be is that your little ships protect the big ship.  I was concerned about this as I loathe player separation but starfighting in one location is not really different from a ground brawl in one location.  One worry is that one fighter's hyperdrive might be damaged when you need to make that big jump away from the Empire.

What could be done is that the big ship has a small tractor beam; not enough to drag an unwilling vessel but enough to bring a crippled friend into the mothership's bosom.  This is an approach that can work.

But you don't have to take it just because a more logical universe would demand it.  If you just want it to be so, you could crowd into a ship as tiny as the 'Falcon.  You don't all have to stay in the crew quarters.  In the sailing ships of old, quarters and operational sections of the ship were often the same thing.  The sawbones slept in Sick Bay, the gunners near their guns.  It may also make the ship more personable.  Remember that Kaylee preferred to sleep in a hammock in Serenity's engine room.

As far as excessive guns go, I am assuming that the guns bolted onto the craft are very light guns, they don't have to be turrets.  A good example would also be the galleons of old with their broadsides of cannons.  This is a awkward way of letting everyone at least attempt something during space combat.  Even the bombers of old could have up to six turrets.

In the end, all I am saying is it is really up to you; you can use the Rule of Cool to make any ship work.

Tentatively, I have decided on only three NPCs that are worth developing as actual characters for the game (if it applies, you can have lots of nameless redshirts).  A few quick notes:
* To counter the gender disparity, all NPCs will be female (where gender applies) unless there is a reason not to be
* With such a large PC component, all NPCs are loyal, efficient crew that only help their friends.  If there is time, some of their history can be used for a later subplot.

IDEA #1: THE PET; The ship has a pet.  The pet is loyal, bright and ship-broken.  It wears a collar or band to identify it as owned and not a wild nuisance.  The collar also contains a tracker.  With so much smart, tough, alien muscle already aboard, the pet is a small sneak with some advantages (senses, camouflage) the crew doesn't have.  I welcome ideas on pets (anyone can custom design one).

Here are some of my ideas:
1: The useless furball:  The useless furball has minimal stats and abilities.  It stays on the ship and doesn't cause trouble.  You may be asking; what is the point of a pet with no useful skills or even use as a plot device.  The furball's purpose is meta-plot; a pet, even a little one, changes a ship from a mobile office closer to a home.  Also, the pet can be used to reveal a character with the Pet the Dog or (Force forbid) Kick the Dog tropes.

However the pet could be actually useful.  You can assume that someone, somewhere has tried to domesticate and 'improve' some critters in the SW universe we may have only known in their 'classic' state.

2:  A Kowakian monkey-lizard, this is the same as Salacious B. Crumb, Jabba the Hutt's very annoying pet.  You advantage is your monkey-lizard is only annoying to others, it loves all of you.
3:  A Spynock, ages ago, a warlord tried to domesticate mynocks.  The idea of a swarm of battery-draining flying weapons was too good to resist.  The idea never worked out in a large scale and spynocks ended up being the Galaxy's equivalent of a 'pirate's parrot', they are actually fond of the few droids that will let them drain just a 'little' power from 'em.
4:  It would take a real Jedi Master to know this but in one of the published SW adventures there was an off-hand mention of some silly monkey-like creatures with black-and-white markings that seemed to mock stormtroopers.  Naturally, Rebels and rebel sympathizers would be keeping these.  I just can't remember the actual adventure.
5:  A Ysarlmir, these Force-blocking lizards can really vex a Jedi.  But they can also really vex a Sith as well.  Yours likes you and can modify its Force-nullifying powers somewhat to help its friends, unless it is distracted.  It is often distracted.
6: Vomskr, these creatures hunt using the Force, thus they consider Jedi and Sith to be crunchy snacks.  Yours likes you (and you feed it well).
7: Any critter from the REUP book or anything from the SW setting might work as well.

I welcome your ideas for critters.

IDEA #2: A TRANSLATOR DROID:  A thorough read of the REUP book shows that dumb personal translators are available for purchase.  So we don't even really need a protocol droid but they are an iconic part of Star Wars.  Your droid is polite, loyal and not annoying.  Options:
1:  Your droid is a secret Rebel espionage model.  Her capabilities have been boosted in some way, including suppressed military programming.  She doesn't remember this most of the time and would be horrified of the impoliteness of subterfuge.
2:  Most such droids have a pleasantly bland voice, yours may have a sexy voice (maybe Kathleen Turner) or annoying (maybe Fran Drescher).
3: If you have the Twi'lek leader as an NPC (see below), the droid may have artificial lekku and can speak to her living charge with them.

IDEA #3: A TALENTED COORDINATOR:  This is my emergency captain (in the unlikely event the crew doesn't get along), she can voted out at any time.  She is also with a high Perception score which gives the entire team a high Initiative score.  You will go first most times.  She is also exceptionally skilled in the Command skill.  Command is a boring skill to play but a useful skill to have in the team.

If we go for Captain Gandalf, then the Captain is a truly skilled Jedi Master and she is doomed the moment the game starts.  She returns as a ghost.  However, as we now have a new Gandalf, Cap is probably just a skilled manager.  She may have minor Force skills and her potential is known to rather limited (1D in any Force skill max.) but it does give her insight into her Jedi comrades.

While I would like to make Cap an alien (partly to get an inhumanly high Perception score and to get another iconic alien aboard), she can easily be human if you all wish.

Options:
1. BARABEL:  High Perception but perhaps not as iconic as some species.  The Barabel worship Jedi and thus a motivation is there.
2. BITH:  High Perception and iconic.
3. CAAMISI:  High Perception but not iconic.  Their ability to share memories with themselves and Jedi would be a neat storytelling tool.
4. CEREAN:  High Perception, iconic from the prequels and bonus to Initiative rolls.
5. CHANDRA-FAN:  High Perception and iconic.
6. DEVARONIAN:  High Perception and iconic.  But very likely male, the females tend to stay home and the dudes wander.
7. FALLEEN:  High Perception but not iconic (part of the EU and maybe not even canon).  Alluring pheromones could make Cap a distraction.
8. GOTAL: High Perception and somewhat iconic, may not get along with 'noisy' droids.
9. TALZ:  High Perception and somewhat iconic, want to take revenge for the Empire's enslavement.
10. TOGRUTA: High Perception and iconic (more out of the movies than in), has a slight bonus in being Commanded.
11. TWI'LEK: High Perception and very iconic (seen in several movies), heightened Persuasion skill, secret lekku communication, often underestimated.
12. UMBARAN:  High Perception and barely iconic but is creepy fun and would likely be a rebel to her own species as well as a Rebel in general.

Let me know what you think or suggest your own choices.

I like Twi'leks, but a Cerean Captain might be interesting too.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:45, Thu 26 Nov 2015.

OK, some quick notes:

We have a fourteenth applicant.  I accepted Orion because that application was only a hour after I officially closed the game to new players and might have been unfair.  As it turns out, I am very glad I did or I would never have known about that cool Star Wars scrawl. :-)

I believe thirteen players is pushing my limits even given this simple setting, ruleset and excellent players.  So, I have told the fourteenth applicant that they are the first on the waiting list.  Would you all mind if I invited #14 to a player level of access so they can at least participate in discussions?

Here is some good news:

I think I finally have enough feedback and answers to start developing the game further.  It may have seems (or still does) like I was ignoring your questions so that I could ask my own.  It is simply that I wanted to get the general questions and polls out of the way first.  Now I think I can get to work.

I will spend the next few days finally getting to your unanswered messages and posts.  You should see some new threads soon.  If I am very lucky, we can have a fun bar fight (optional for all players) to test out our posting styles before New Year's Day.

If I have answered your questions to your satisfaction, take a break for about a week or so.  I think you will find the place much improved.  If there is still more we need to talk about, that is fine too.

So let me just add a few more optional questions:

1.  Is there any aspect from the Star Wars settings (characters, places, tech) you would like me to particularly weave into the adventure?  I will do what I can.
2. Conversely, is there any Star Wars element we can leave out?  I have asked some of all of these questions in piecemeal before  so you don't have to answer me again if you already have.
3. Finally, a catch-all; is there a question about this game I should have asked (and what would your answer be)?

That's it.  Take a break from the game (if you wish) for a bit.  In any case, I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.  If you don't celebrate Thanksgiving, I still hope you are among good food and company. :-)

OK, this is me answering all of the loose ends in this thread that I have been neglecting so far.  I am moving from earliest to now and will try and get as much done as I can tonight.

It seems like the OOC thread has been good enough for character discussion but I eventually I hope to copy the relevant posts to the player thread.

Soon I will get to your long-suffering personal message threads.  But, for now, starting from the beginning to this thread...

The GM Notes thread is not for GM secrets, my laptop's hard drive is much more secure than that and available offline.  The GM Notes thread is for me developing bits for the game that I feel would be likely too boring for the players to have to read through.  Remember, that since I insist players read all relevant material, I am diligent about making what I can an optional read.  Players are welcome to read and comment but the topic might be as dull as Hyperspace travel times between game-unique locations and the like.

I have no problem with cutscenes that don't reveal too much to the players.  You can trust most players with player knowledge.  For example, if The Empire Strikes Back was MY game instead of a movie, I would still cut-scene to Vader 'accepting' Needa's apology because it was a neat scene that really didn't give away much to the player (except that Vader was one bad dude).

While I do feel that giving the Force a scientific explanation rather than a spiritual one was a misstep, I do want to offer this is Lucas' defense.  What I think midi-chlorians were supposed to be was something like mitochondria.  Mitochondria are elements of your cells that have their own DNA, separate from the usual nuclear DNA.  Mitochondrial DNA is very similar to some kinds of bacteria living today.  So, in essence, every cell of your body is a true 'symbiotic circle', two different life-forms living together.

So the midi-chlorians could be the Force source in every living cell that simply expresses itself for some.  Which I think is very poetic.  And it beats the idea that everything about you is merely a support system for a walking bacterial infection. :-)

I like the idea of Twi'leks in the game (although Bib in a bikini almost ruined that ;-) ) for several reasons.
First, they are iconic aliens (one of the few species which has been seen in more than one movie).
Second, they can have high Perception scores, which helps Initiative, which helps the entire party.
Third, while any race within the Empire can be declared a slave race, only Twi'lek seem to be used as pleasure slaves.  This offers interesting plot devices for NPC characters (as such could be very uncomfortable for a player to play).
Fourth, Twi'leks have high Persuasion skills, very useful for a party to have.
Fifth, if you need iconic art for your Star Wars game, there is no shortage of Twi'lek 'art'.  Don't search for game art at work and leave your image filters on.  Trust me on this.  :-)


I am really big on the Force being 'noisy'.  It will help make every use of the Force a mindful one and the non-Jedi characters suddenly more prominent.

Thanks for everyone's help on the character sheets.  If I get time, I will try and come up with an optional fancy sheet for everyone but what you got is fine so far.

Stopping here, will continue with OOC catchup soon...

I was wondering how far along folks are with their characters.  Perhaps folks could put something in their character description so we had a place to see who are characters will be interacting with.

@Vanz: I'm done with character generation bar the equipment selection. I may tweak my background just a little, maybe to include a connection or two with other characters.

@Old Fossil: I think a Twi'lek captain sound good. As you say high Persuasion would be beneficial as a command type character.

A Ysarlmir, or monkey-lizard type pet would be an interesting addition to the ship's compliment. As for the ship itself, I would say a cramped Falcon type ship would help foster greater connections between crew, though I understand other's wanting to have something with a little more punch (and space.)

@ Shen.

Great.

PS I cant see a bunch of Jedi wanting a Ysarlmir on board.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:39, Thu 26 Nov 2015.

Where better to hide from the Sith, than in a Force blind spot?

Isn't being deaf to the Force once you've seen it really disturbing to Force Sensitives?

I'm pretty far along with my character.  I just need to work more character description in, really.

The Sith can sense said Force blind spot and that can be very suspicious.

Ah, of this, aware I was not.

Hmm, yes and no. A Sith physically present would be made suspicious by it certainly, but it does stop the kind of long-range detection that might lead a Sith to be present in the first place and it's a big galaxy.

Well, I'm off to work for Thanksgiving.  Anyone feel free to PM if you want to have a linked background.  I'll be able to reply sometime tonight.

If a Sith would use Sense Force they could sense a big hole in the force in our ship, if they rolled well enough. I think, atleast.

I wouldn't mind a linked background myself.

In reply to Veron Naku (msg # 157):

It's like having a hole in your radar I would say. Sure if you know there is supposed to be a signal there you figure somebody has a B1, but if you don't, no signal means nothing there.

Since I wasn't around the last day or so thought I would bring this up about the ship selection.

Don't forget a medium freighter is a freighter.  As in, it's meant to carry things... So take all the information you see about "passengers" with a grain of salt.  That just means that in a stock configuration the ship would have X-amount of passenger rooms or bunks.  With a heavily modified cargo ship there's obviously things that can be done to the interior as well as the exterior.  Say for example a previous owner had a business where he needed to discreetly transport paying customers.  He could easily have converted someone the space in the cargo bay into extra living quarters.

So, it's not entirely inconceivable that the ship has some additional space for people or other rooms (ex. a workshop) in exchange for being able to carry a little bit less in the way of commercial goods or general supplies.

Even a light freighter, Falcon-sized, could fit this many characters if the cargo section were reconfigured as living space. Granted, we'd still need to explain what the ship is /for/, since otherwise that'd be a bit weird. "So exactly why do you have a crew of twelve and no cargo space or weapons?" "We, uh. We like to fly around? :D" "Uh...huh."

I plan on porting my 1e character sheet over to my Description soon, and then tweaking it to REUP from there as necessary. Celes's background will go up as well, which should help figure out tie-ins. I can't keep track of this many PCs, just yet, so having a tough time suggesting tie-ins myself.

Celes's basic run-down is that she was born to colonists, lost her family to pirate raids, raised by aliens, joined the Imperial Academy, left the Imperial military, and became a bounty hunter. Strong sense of justice, weak sense of diplomacy. I think Nate Stryker and I were working on tying our bounty hunting job together.

In reply to Celes Varik (msg # 161):

A good point, and one I've already thought about.  A YT-1300 actually had a passenger only version that was available (called the YT-1300P, not very original corporate overlords).  It traded off all cargo space and turned them into bunks.  Basically turning the ship into an oversized taxi that would have been operated by independent spaceflight companies that either ferried tourists or people for business.

The Barloz, I have accurate deck plans for... well about as accurate as a heavily and quite frankly scary level of detail for a ship that was never actually invented in any way other than artist renderings.  I previously shared them in the interest thread.

Strangely enough these deck plans have additional credence by having the original WEG artist that made the ship as a consultant.

The Barloz has 3 deck-levels, the top is mainly systems, observation, and common rooms.  The second deck is where the cockpit is, living quarters and a ton of storage.  The bottom floor is well, cargo space.  You could literally convert the second floor into whatever you want and still have enough cargo space on the bottom deck to still claim to be a freighter


Another possibility although a newer ship is the Ghthoc 720 (or slightly smaller 540)
Which seems to be only a single deck, although like the YT series of ships it's much wider than the Barloz which needed three levels because the ship was more narrow and longer.  Once again, you could literally take one entire cargo bay and turn it into something else, like quarters, entertainment, work areas, and still have plenty of room to act like a cargo ship if desired.


This message was last edited by the player at 06:47, Sat 28 Nov 2015.

This ship can land on the planet. And we can all fit with vehicles and guns too.

<img src="http://img14.deviantart.net/ee92/i/2010/318/4/8/citadel_cruiser_by_asokyeesrim-d32utn9.jpg">

And here is the deck plans
<img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kDF_pm8GGNU/TpIOys70ygI/AAAAAAAAAJs/lf8TyT6-ggs/s1600/Citadel+Cruiser+Atropos.jpg">
This message was last edited by the player at 21:17, Sat 28 Nov 2015.

Team,

I hope y'all have had a good Thanksgiving or just good food and company.  I know I did (although it really stings to be a Cowboys fan sometimes).

I know some of you are frustrated at what may be the slow pace of this game.  We are moving very slowly this week but very quickly for a game that will begin in a month.

I will do some work tonight, not so much tomorrow (real-life game) and hopefully lots Sunday.  You've probably noticed that I am not asking page-long questions anymore, I am simply catching up to what you have already given me.  I will continue to catch up on past posts and messages.

Some quick replies to recent posts:
1.  Thank you all for your thoughts on your mighty vessel(sl.  We will get the ship right one way or another before game start or I will give you a secret base with different ships used for different missions.
2. Regarding Ysalamiri, I see sensing the Force as kinda of like looking out at a cloudy night.  'Noisy' or unskilled Jedi can seem like stars, torchlight or even campfires.  Ysalamiri come across a little dark globes, blending into a dark sky, but obvious if close to a 'bright' Jedi.  Should you have a pet Ysalamiri, it will be as bright as restrained as a seeing-eye dog.  But, it can be startled and not suppress its natural anti-Jedi field.  In the Thrawn trilogy, the Jedi seemed surprised when near or in a Ysalamiri's range.

More later tonight, I hope...

   Thanks Old Fossil, glad you and everyone else here had a good Thanksgiving, I did too.  Sorry I haven't been around as much this week, but some real life events (my wife losing her job for one) have kept me offline more than usual.  I should have more time this coming week, hopefully, since I do need to work on my droid some.

   I appreciate the work that you've done, its amazing everything you've already put in place, considering the game hasn't even begun yet.  As far as our vessel is concerned I am good with any choice, so long as I can find room for a Med bay :D  I like the Citadel class one Zekk posted the schematics for, it looks fairly roomy at least.

  Having Ysalamiri for pets I think is a neat idea, I approve.  Of course, I'm not a Jedi, but there could be advantages to having a secret weapon that could deprive a Dark Jedi or Sith of their force abilities temporarily.  It would put the rest of us on an equal playing field for at least a moment and might even save our space bacon at least once.  Those are my two cents anyway.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:33, Sat 28 Nov 2015.

Regard Ysalamiri.... from my character's point of view, Zekk, would oppose keeping these creatures around.

---

From a player's point of view - why would a force-user want to keep something around that would keep him "blind". No character would want to be blind in any way.

If the other players would want to keep a Ysalamiri - you should research the amount of support was necessary to keep these alive aboard a ship. It wasn't as simple as keeping a dog on a leash. LOL

Hello, friends! I'm one of the ghostlings of Datar. Friendly, curious and cheerful, but the galaxy is a pretty rough place for ghostlings.

Are there any skill sets we as a group are missing?

OK, still catching up to you and thank you for your patience. :-)

I have done a little bit.  Feel free to go to the new Cast and Crew Rehersal (Introductions & Connections) thread.  Feel free to optionally go there and meet Ali & DeeJay, they are predisposed to readily accept optional Connections with other Characters.  You can list your own character if you want to.  Just a paragraph will probably do.

Regarding the Ysalamiri, they are just one option for a pet and are the most problematic.  They can accidentally nullify their Jedi masters and they take a lot of care (special trees, temperamental, etc.).  The one advantage they have is that they can separate any Sith from their Force-powers with no warning.  They could even trap Vader, although he was quite capable even without Force Powers.    It could be fun to see some cruel Sith Inquisitors suddenly without lightning and the more mundane PCs would then have an edge.

I personally might recommend the Vomskyr, a Force-tracking hound.  It can sense the Sith before they sense you.  Remember, the party doesn't have to have a Ysalamir or ANY pet, this is just an option and possible asset.


More tonight maybe, tomorrow for sure...

I'll be editing the post on msg 163.
I'll leave the url but will remove the image from view.

Vornskrs.  The favored pet of Talon Karrde.  They'd have to be incredibly well trained because they regarded anyone with force powers as their favorite prey and meal.

Also, hello to our new Ghostling friend.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:56, Sat 28 Nov 2015.

In reply to Zane Konig (msg # 170):

Aww, thank you! *Hugs... lightly*

Welcome Shira :-). I find the Ghostlings a truly unique and interesting species in the Star Wars universe, and I have no doubt that TwoOneBee would as well. :-)

In reply to TwoOneBee (msg # 172):

Thank you! I'm sure we'll be great friends. I'll have something up in Crew Rehearsal tomorrow.

Team,

OK, I'm behind the 8-Ball again but I will try and get as much as I can tonight...

Quick notes on recent posts:  A Vomskyr would pretty much have to raised from space cubs to be calm.  But remember a small group of Force-sensitives could continually use Calm Animal to help domesticate the cub.  I've not doubt the cub would have otherwise been treated with great kindness and love.

To help manage the cub's bloodlust, the Jedi might 'run the Vomskyr' as we might run the bulls.  Why would Jedi play such a dangerous game?  To train the both cub and Force-sensitive to one day outfox the other should the Sith have either.

But if the Vomskyr is getting too unlikely, don't worry about it.

Maybe the Mynock is a better choice.  Or perhaps we will just start the game without a pet.  You will have enough to do.

Is anyone have a problem accessing their character sheets? One player is and I want to see if this is a common problem.

mine is not open

I don't have it open just like Orion.

Let me work on the locked sheets.  So I know, are other sheets working?

For now, characters who can't get sheets to work can post their character in the OOC thread if they wish. It will be a simple cut-and-paste to put that character in the sheet once enabled.


I notice no one is really biting at the single piece of enhanced equipment option.  This is not a complaint, it may have been a misfire of mine (there will be others, no doubt). Instead, I could take away the toys of the Sith to compensate (they have their own 'Q-Branch', just like you.

Let me know what you think... :-)

I can access character sheet without issue at present Old Fossil.  Sorry to hear others can't :-(.

As far as the enhanced equipment, I would like to accept if that's okay.  What is a droid without attachments?  Deejay isn't the only one the rebels upgraded after all.  I think others will accept as well, now you've reminded them.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:57, Mon 30 Nov 2015.

OK, continuing answering some old OOC questions:

It looks like several are for, and none are truly against, being closely allied with the Rebel Alliance, if not actual Rebels.  Your fighters in Gray Squadron are being reserved. :-)

Maybe  kissing your sister just means that Tattooine is really in the country (strains o' vibro-banjo music). :-)

A belated thanks for everyone's advice to me in access levels and character sheets.

I will check out the Special Ops in Fragments from the Rim.  Let me know if there are elements from other SW WEG books you like.

Regarding how incompetent Stormtroopers are; it is genre for minions to be endless and incompetent.  :-)  There are good story reasons why they are.  But if I had to defend troopers on a  realistic basis, I would say this:

A single stormtrooper is useless in the same way that a single army ant is useless.  Alone, they can't do much damage but they are rarely alone.  Even missing and dying takes a moment away from the opposition.  A moment that other stormtroopers use to arrive.  Sooner or later, they will overcome any opponent, as enough army ants will kill a man.

But that is a little too analytical for Star Wars. :-)

As far as advancement goes, as I am running a single adventure, it is not a big concern right now.  You can assume that any Jedi with 3D in a Force Skill can teach that skill to that rating.  One of the focuses of this game is to find as many Jedi teachers as possible.  You may find more teachers in addition to the fine teachers in the crew already.

We have a fifteenth applicant who is now second in line for newly open player slots.

Whew, OK, tomorrow I should stat up the NPCs and give each NPC their own personal thread.  And, in so doing, give an example of individual PC threads.  This is an unusual approach for most games and I will explain it further when I have the NPC example.

Then, I approve your characters, stats and all.  And then we are well on our way.

Send me questions and feedback... :-)

In reply to That Old Fossil (msg # 181):

I always assumed Stormtroopers varied wildly in skill since many of them didn't really face any meaningful opposition; the Rebellion is very limited in the number of forces it can deploy, so many stormtroopers spend their careers intimidating locals who can't really fight back. In that situation it's enough to have bullies with guns; actual battle skill isn't necessary.

Oh yeah, enhanced item! I totally forgot about that. Would a bonus to my armor be alright? I've kind of, uh...got a theme going for the character. :D

On Stormtroopers, I have read a lot of good explanations for them. The one I've seen most recently dissects their presentations in each of the films. In New Hope, they smoothly and efficiently swarm a Rebel ship, lose very few of their numbers, and capture a valuable target alive and unharmed. Later, they manage to discover a single gear in a desert on a planet made entirely of desert and manage to deduce their target is a droid. Then with a single tip, they discovered their target's ship, managed to set up a freaking artillery cannon before it took off, and were simply too late to stop them. On board the Death Star, they were under orders to let them get away unharmed, but to make it tough. With that order, they willingly allowed themselves to be killed on Vader's order, and that plan worked.

In Empire Strikes Back, they easily took a heavily defended base with, again, relatively few casualties. They took over a floating mining city with zero time to prepare, in such a way that the people of the city were unaware it was even happening, and hid their own presence. I'd like to point out that they also followed the Falcon there and arrived first, which is...literally impossible. Only thing Boba Fett ever accomplished, and I'll give him that.

And in Return of the Jedi, they were overtaken by a comically adorable force of vicious cannibalistic monsters who managed to survive in a deadly hellhole world. At this point I'd like to mention that the tree log trap the Ewoks used to take out an AT-ST takes days to prepare, if it's done quickly and perfectly. The Empire didn't see them as a threat, which means they hadn't been fighting them for those days or weeks, which means the Ewoks had set up that trap to hunt something /else/. And they weren't freaked out at all by fighting twenty foot tall metal monsters that shoot explosions. That planet is clearly a dangerous place. Underestimating ewoks is a terrible idea. Making fun of stormtroopers for losing to them is also terrible. (Also note that they were only losing during that early element of surprise, and then the battle started going the other way until Chewie took a walker.)

So yeah. I don't see any level of incompetence from stormtroopers. They're dangerous unless ordered not to be. They just happen to be given orders by idiots who are then Force choked for being dangerous to stormtroopers.

*Claps* couldn't have argued that point any better myself.

It should also be noted that the main cast of Star Wars (and characters starring in the EU books) all have insanely preternatural skillsets.  It was truly a coalescing of superpowers.

To the normal people and soldiers out there the Imperials would appear as highly efficient and overwhelming in numbers, thus guaranteeing success.

However, The main cast made it look like a match between the Harlem Globetrotters and the Washington Generals. Let it be known that the Generals won approximately 6 games out and had some 14,000 odd losses to the Globetrotters.  Including finishing on a 43-year losing streak before disbanding only a few months ago.

Be wary of anyone who says a squad of stormtroopers is weaksauce.  They've never seen the pain four guys with guns can unleash if they kick a door in and move in any sort of unison.

You don't need to be good to use team tactics, you just need training...and Stormtroopers have plenty of that.  Imperial Combat Doctrine is based upon overwhelming numbers, which works pretty well for soldiers armed with semi-automatic and automatic weapons.

That's why the Rebels that provide meaningful resistance are experienced and working together.  For every experienced Rebel that appeared on screen in an important battle, probably two hands worth died along side them or running operations in support of them.

Like how Biggs bought it because Wedge wised up and got out of the line of fire on the trench run.

I think it is even simpler than that, stormtroopers are more political troops than field force.

A little swamped tonight.  I should get some stuff up tomorrow. :-)

Here is my thought on a ship

Mobquet Medium Cargo Hauler
 Craft: Mobquet Custom Medium Cargo Hauler
 Alignment: General
 Era: Rise of the Empire
 Source: Pirates & Privateers (page 67)
 Type: Medium transport
 Scale: Starfighter
 Length: 113 meters
 Skill: Space transports: Mobquet Custom hauler
 Crew: 2, skeleton: 1/+10
 Crew Skill: Varies widely
 Passengers: 8
 Cargo Capacity: 700 metric tons
 Consumables: 2 months
 Cost: 120,000 (used)
 Hyperdrive Multiplier: x2
 Hyperdrive Backup: x11
 Nav Computer: Yes
 Maneuverability: 1D
 Space: 4
 Atmosphere: 280; 800 km/h
 Hull: 7D
 Shields: 2D
 Sensors:
 Passive: 20/0D
 Scan: 50/1D
 Search: 80/2D
 Focus: 4/3D
 Weapons:
 2 Laser Cannons
 Fire Arc: Turret
 Skill: Starship gunnery
 Fire Control: 2D
 Space Range: 1-3/12/25
 Atmosphere Range: 100-300/1.2/2.5 km
 Damage: 4D
 Game Notes: +5 to modification and replacement rolls.

Although one of the slower transports, its slightly reinforced hull and extra space helped increase its popularity.[3]

The ship consisted of three modular nodes, that could be modified to serve the need of the owner. The standard design included crew quarters, storage, defensive weapons in front node, speeder racks in the second node and computer units in the third node. It wasn't hard to install new weapons, increase the passenger capacity or modify the cargo space.[1]

Common installed weapons were two fire-linked twin medium laser cannons (which were also retractable) and a concussion missile launcher that was dorsal mounted.[4]

The ship was one the few Mobquet attempts to break into the starship market.[3] Because of Tagge's connection with the Empire, the freighter was licensed as medium transport rather than a heavy cargo carrier.[1]  At least one Mobquet medium transport was used to make up a Hidden Jedi Temple.[5] A Mobquet medium transport was also the basis for the Starlight Intruder's design.[3]

https://echostation57.files.wo...ntruder-03.jpg?w=480

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_r3Uogt6Q...00/Mod%20Mobquet.jpg

Nate approves this ship choice.

I'll post something in the backstory thread later this wekk, I am pretty much swamped with work right now.

I like it because we can use different modules. That would allow us to carry a large number of y wings as needed.

The ship is also  easy to customize. One version in Dark Empire has a hyperspace of 3/4. Almost as fast as the Falcon.

Droid Hold?  Indeed!  It does however have a good sized infirmary with room for a bacta tank.  I therefore approve :-)

Wow. That thing's like a flying palace. If we're allowed, I am all for it. Here I was thinking the twelve of us would have to squeeze into a light freighter without killing each other over who ate the last Sorosuub Cosmic Twinkie.

Team,

I am again a little swamped tonight.  I hope to get some content up in posts and messages later.  But I wanted to put this little blurb up just in case I couldn't get to any more.

Again, I thank you for your patience... :-)

7D hull seems like a ton!

In reply to Shira (msg # 195):

Not really, that is starfighter scale, not capital scale. 2D in capital I think (could be wrong).

Edit: Actually 1D (I looked it up).
This message was last edited by the player at 11:08, Wed 02 Dec 2015.

It's an official ship for stats, and seems to fit our needs. If we are going to be using y wings we will need something like a carrier/tender from which to operate. But in the mean time it is still small enough to fly under the radar. If the y wing idea changes we just change out the module.

Looks good to me. A nice 'little' ship. I like the modular design.

I had the feeling we'd all be cramped together, a half dozen crew bunked up together in tiny crew quarters.

In reply to Vanz Garren (msg # 197):

As I recall our star fighters would be provided for missions they'd be required and That Old Fossil said our ship wouldn't have any secondary spacecraft.

Well I guess my think was the ship could be equipped with a cargo module equipped to carry x wing. The captain and some others not on th r mission  could always remain with the ship. Whatever the GM said.

OK, some more time tonight.  Again, I will answer general topics and get back to personal replies and messages.

First, while it is true that I did say your ship would not have secondary spacecraft, your reasoned arguments have caused me to reconsider.  I can see how a big ship holding little ships could work.  So consider it a viable option.  I believe the selection of ship will be one of the last questions to be answered before game start.

Let me give you some good news.  As I have hinted, I hope to offer an OPTIONAL freeform encounter maybe as soon as this weekend.  You won't need to have your characters nailed down or statted out for this to happen.  More on this later if when I can pull it off.

Here is what I need to get all of this underway.  I have enjoyed your character connections, let's get you connected with the Star Wars Galaxy in general.  Let me know what you think of the general party background.  Suggest any differences or variations:

1.  A few Jedi, padawan and friends did survive the Great Jedi Purge caused by Palpatine's subversive Order 66.  Some of the older human characters (or those aliens with sufficient lifespans) may have been part of that great escape.  Otherwise, you were gathered by mentors now long gone.

2. The few remaining Jedi Masters decided to scatter and operate independently of each other and also in secrecy from each other.  This was to stop one captured Jedi cell from compromising the others.  It was believed that very few Jedi (if any) could survive the interrogations of both Vader and Palapatine.  (GM Notes:  This also explains why your party is separate from Kenobi and the Skywalker twins.)

3. In the intervening years, your party gained young padawan and lost members, through death or corruption to the Dark Side.  Your party joined forces with the nascent Rebellion.  You have spent these lost decades trying to both help the hopeless and to keep yourselves secret from Sith pursuers.  You have achieved the latter by sometimes sacrificing the former.  The Sith have never been able to track you so far.

4.  With the creation of the Death Star, the Tarkin Doctrine of Rule by Fear could be fully enabled.  The Imperial Senate was disbanded and the Sith now had free reign to purge the Galaxy of the few remaining vestiges of Jedi.  When a lone Padawan destroyed their technological terror, hunting the Jedi became an absolute obsession.

5.  Currently the Jedi party are part of a Rebel Special Ops Mission Team (from Fragments of the Rim).  The Rebels would have preferred to secrete them away while they trained the next generation of Jedi.  But the party is needed now.  So now they will act...


OK, this is a very simple background.  You can change or weave bits of your choosing into it. If there is something you REALLY don't like above, let me know.  Some ideas:

1.  The game can take place anytime between the two Death Stars (the destruction of the first and the creation of the second).  The only real difference is whether Hoth is still available as your Rebel base.

2. You can put the major Star Wars elements into your party (or personal) background.  Want to have dated one of the Star Wars characters?  Fine.  Want to have got to 'borrow' the Millennium Falcon (possibly even with Han Solo's permission) for a mission, go ahead!  But this would be background, none of those demigods will be in this game or you would be the redshirts in your own movie.

3.  I need a name for your group and your ship.  Your suggestions are likely better than mine.  Otherwise, you are the Ninjawas flying the Mighty Mynock! :-)

Let me know what you think.  I may be busy until Sunday but have some time after that.  We are still way on track for New Year's Day...

In reply to That Old Fossil (msg # 201):

Optional encounter, fun! Looking forward to it!

And I do like Hoth...

Computer troubles.  May not be able to post until Sunday night. :-(

In reply to That Old Fossil (msg # 203):

My laptops have given me endless trouble. I hope your computer gets fixed!

I was able to find secondary access to the internet tonight.  You can probably tell from all of the new threads that something is up.

I will try and explain it all in a day or two.  Thanks for all of your patience...

I have a suggestion for the ship name. The Fabled Star.

Basically, the old legend to follow a star to a destination of refuge.

The Fabled Star sounds good.  If we were smugglers I would want something skeezier, but we ain't smugglers.

In reply to Orion Pax (msg # 206):

It sounds nice! Shira will insist on being told the fable, though.

Sounds good to me, though Shen will likely not understand the reference.

I think the ship should have a logo on it that represents the name. Something like a small field of stars, with the second to the right glowing brighter than the others.

And straight on until morning?

A small field of stars.  We could just use the Pleiades.  Course, then we'd just be using the Subaru logo.

In reply to Zane Konig (msg # 212):

*Giggles* Product placement!

This is what inspired the name for me.

It speaks of the undiscovered country



Man has explored all countries and all lands,
And made his own the secrets of each clime.
Now, ere the world has fully reached its prime,
The oval earth lies compassed with steel bands,
The seas are slaves to ships that touch all strands,
And even the haughty elements sublime
And bold, yield him their secrets for all time,
And speed like lackeys forth at his commands.

Still, though he search from shore to distant shore,
And no strange realms, no unlocated plains
Are left for his attainment and control,
Yet is there one more kingdom to explore.
Go, know thyself, O man! there yet remains
The undiscovered country of thy soul!


Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Pretty poem. Better in its original Klingon, of course.

Orion, I LOVE the name and what it stands for, not to mention the glorious poem :-).  Thank you so much for sharing it.  I like the field of stars idea, or maybe something suggesting motion, like a stylized comet, or shooting star?  Better to burn out than fade away and all that.

Old Fossil, I think the individual threads are a brilliant idea and I intend to take full advantage of mine.  Also I agree with your assessment of the situation following the destruction of the first Death Star.  A very perilous time to be a Force User.  Makes me glad to be a droid... oh, wait I'm a droid in a ship full of Force Users.  Maybe I should rethink my career choice.

Shira: I like Hoth too.  Makes me homesick for Canada lol :-)

Thuk:  I love the reference :-). Maybe we should be called the Lost Ones, or just the Lost lol.

Ceres:  I can think of many descriptive phrases for Klingon poetry, but pretty is not one of them :-)
This message was last edited by the player at 17:05, Sat 05 Dec 2015.

I prefer Vogon poetry myself :P

Celes, I believe it was Shakespeare that was originally in Klingon. Romeo and Juliet was especially poignant in Klingon.

*dances* Aw Yesh, somebody noticed.

Team,

I'm sorry for the delay.  I am trying to get a new laptop to upgrade to Windows 10. It isn't. :-(

I am loving the names you are suggesting.  What luck to have such a group of poets. :-)

It may be Tuesday before I can really add something.  I will try and get something up tonight.

In reply to That Old Fossil (msg # 220):

Aww, I hope the windows update goes well. Whenever you have time!

No worries Old Fossil.

My office has just upgraded to Windows 7....

I had bad work weekend, so I understand not being able to get on all too well.

Folks,

I am sorry for the continuing delays.  I am dealing with laptop transitions and an unexpectedly heavy schedule.

We are still on course for a game start of January 1st.  I know that I am very late in replies.  I will try to catch up to some of it best guess Thursday.

Folks,

I am sorry for the continuing delays.  I am dealing with laptop transitions and an unexpectedly heavy schedule.

We are still on course for a game start of January 1st.  I know that I am very late in replies.  I will try to catch up to some of it best guess Thursday.

Not only do you have access problems, you're now suffering Double Post Syndrome ;)

Sigh, Again I am delayed.

I had hoped to get the first IC post up tonight and finally answer your weeks-delayed questions.

I will try to get up what I can soon.  I have high hopes for Sunday and most of the week after that.  We are still very much on course for starting proper on Jan. 1st.

No worries. I'm sure we can all wait a little while longer.

I believe we can.

I'm not going anywhere Old Fossil. :-)

I'll get a post up on that ICish Thread once i can get to a proper keyboard, hopefully tomorrow night. Everything is going smoothly so far, boss.

Garren is still here.

I'm still here, and finally making a connections post for anyone that is looking for... well... you know, connections.

I'm alive!! I'm ALIVE!! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAhahahahahahahahaha!!!

Team,

Sorry for the constant delays, it has been a very tough week.  I will try and get to some of the backlog tonight.

Thanks, as always, for your patience...

Catching up on OOC thread backlog first...

First, I love the name and all of the poetic references.  The Lost Ones flying the Fabled Star it is (let me know if I missed a suggestion)!  I love the logo ideas, you guys are quite the Samurai (who also knew flower arranging and other artistic endeavors).

I wish to thank you all for the ship suggestions, they were all very good ideas.  After careful considerations, I have chosen that the Fabled Star is a Mobquet Medium Cargo Hauler, for these two reasons (at least):

1.  The ship has a hangar, if we needed to store other fighters or vehicles.  Separating the group is something I wish to avoid but should it become necessary, you may as well have a ship designed to carry other ships in a pinch.

2.  The behemoth is Starfighter scale.  To my mind, it should be at a higher scale due to its sheer size but if it is in the rules, I am willing to use 'holy writ' to our advantage (even the Devil can quote scripture).

Let me know if I have misread the Zeitgeist and a different ship is preferred.


And I think that is it for OOC thread backlog as an immediate concern, let me know if I have missed anything.  As always, I welcome your feedback...

Next up, some IC if I can find the time tonight...

IC post half-completed, including a cameo from the original trilogy.  I will have to post it tomorrow night.

I love the team name, the ship name, and the model itself. Wonder if we can get a room to use as a prison cell, should the need arise. (I /am/ a bounty hunter, I hunt bounties. Gotta keep 'em somewhere.)

I'm sure a prison cell can be arranged.  Or there is always freezing them in carbonite along with the holo-dinners.

I have posted an IC post in the Christmas special thread.  I apologize for not tailoring it to each individual character but it took all the spare time I had to get this out.

Again, I am suffering from a very busy week.  I will try and get something more out at the weekend.  I knew December would be busy (which is why we are starting in January) but I didn't think it would be this busy.

Excellent. Not too comfy with the idea of carbonite, as that was a one-time, jury-rigged process that wasn't guaranteed to work, not a regularly done process. Cells are easiest. Especially if they look more or less like guest quarters, but simply can't be opened from inside. :D

No worries about time, you're pushing us along at a nice pace already! Look at the sheer number of players, and all we've gotten done, and we haven't even hit our intended start month yet! This is fantastic.

Oh, another fun tip! If you wanna separate parts of a post, such as different scenes, you could use the < hr > tag, just without the spaces. It does this:

---

And there ya go, neat way to distinguish between the ship, cantina, and garden.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:17, Wed 16 Dec 2015.

Excellent. Glad to see things moving along.

Vanz, which group did your character join?

I'm going away for the weekend, just in case anyone was wondering if I've gone AWOL.

P.S. I will be avoiding all Episode VII discussions as I'm going to see the movie after Christmas.

I'm glad we have been able to do a little something before the game begins.  I've got a great group of players.

I was kidding about the carbonite sith-sicles, though.  Carbonite is probably too tricky to work with.  But I do wonder how you might keep a Sith prisoner.  Or do you all just not take Sith prisoners? :-)

I have some unexpected free time tonight, I will try and make the best of it.

First, I have started a new, optional thread for spoiler-free discussion of The Force Awakens!  I ask that you put spoilers in SPOILER tags outside of that thread.  I'm pleased to say the movie is trending in the high-nineties on Rotten Tomatoes. :-)

---

Second, I am very pleased by the IC dry-run, you are an inventive group of troupers.  I am going to let the IC lie fallow for tonight while I try to catch up on long-suffering loose threads.  I will start using the HR tags to separate scenes changes within posts.

For those who want to run a little more in IC while waiting for me, here are some brief notes I have.

In the cantina, the ghostling male will see Shira over the hololink and be instantly charmed by her.  His declaration of attraction will be misinterpreted by Evazan to comic effect.  Both Evazan and his mandroids will be distracted enough by our heroes long enough to not turn the ghostling into just a plain ghost.  Frankly, you are a lot more to fold, spindle and mutilate than a wimpy ghostling.  Pouring a drink on one mandroid might cause his cyberware to short out in any comic way.

In the garden, it is impossible to sense any Force-use by Ita-Kon.  Ita-Kon is becoming wary and uncertain before the young man's implacable arrogance.  There is a small ripple in the Force from the young man, there is no obvious physical changes nearby, likely this is a use of a Control or Sense power.

---

Third, I have finally added a reply to the Cast and Crew Rehearsal thread.  Short answer:  I like it all. :-)

Fourth, I am now beginning the slow process of answering your long-delayed private messages.  I should get that all answered over the weekend. :-)

That's it for tonight barring some more luck.  I may be able to post something tomorrow.  I should be able to spend a fair amount of time Saturday and Sunday night  on the game (knock on Endor-wood)... :-)

In reply to Shen Nyun (msg # 243):

Same.  I'll probably not be seeing it until a little before Christmas.

Hello, folks;

I hope to get some stuff done tonight.

I have seen The Force Awakens and I have enjoyed it very much.  I have posted some thoughts about the new movie and how its new revelations might retcon the game (the short answer; not much if at all).  These thoughts are optional and you need be in no hurry to read them.  Watch the new movie first, I think you will be pleased.

I wish to get to your IC posts but tonight I am finally getting to your private messages.  I am truly sorry that it has taken weeks to get back to you.  I will start answering them tonight and tomorrow night.  I expect to get them done by then.  Otherwise, I will be at Medieval Times on Tuesday but I should have some free time after that.

After that, I start to approve your characters, enable errant character sheets, and hopefully we will be ready by the 1st.

Whew!

OK, let me get to what I have been vainly promising to for the past few weeks.  I am going to try and finalize each character for the game.  Here is what that means:

1. For each player, I will read (again, to refresh my memory) all that you have written about your character.  If I have any further questions, I will ask you about them.

2. If your character is statted, I will check the stats to make sure they are legal (likely a formality, I am more generous than the rules and you have all been quite responsible).  If there is any misunderstanding, I will ask for clarification.

3. If your character is not statted but all other questions have been answered, I will formally ask you for your character's stats.  If you would like, I will help or make your characters stats for you.

4. Once your character is statted and legal, the character will be posted to your character sheets, and (maybe) as a post on your individual threads, along with your backstory and relevant info.

5. The very FIRST time your character is mentioned in the official IC thread after January 1st, the name will be a link to your character so others can get a quick reference.  I may template tiny links in my posts to each character at the end of my IC replies so that we can keep track of such a large crew.  You don't have to do this.

6.  For myself, I will make a quick cheat sheet of the crew members with about a paragraph on each of them.  The info would be what people would likely glean from the character after an easy mission.  Not that your characters keep secrets from each other but this will be more general knowledge.  Feel free to edit my quick intro.  Each character in this intro will be linked to its larger description.  The cheat sheet may be included in the very first part of the official IC thread.

7.  I will get Ali, DeeJay and The Fabled Star statted (it has a few 'years of special modifications' since coming off the shelf).


I do realize that some people still cannot use their character sheets.  I have put access to character sheets on the back burner for now.  I don't believe the fix will be complicated.  But if it is, I can still copy-and-paste your writeup in the sheet for you.  So we have a workaround for now and thus the problem can be pushed back for a bit (Star Wars fans are patient, look how long it has taken to get to Episode VII).

The fact that I might focus on (and approve) one character before another doesn't really mean anything.  It certainly doesn't mean that I like the first character more than the second.  All it means is that, at the time of writing, it was simply more productive to focus on Character #1 than Character #2.

OK, I get started on all of this the next post.  Let me know your feedback.  And, again, I thank you for your severely tested patience...

Here we go,

I may have fixed the character sheet trouble.  Try it out and let me know what happens.

I am generally progressing in the order of my current messages, unless there is a reason to skip.  Remember, the order in which I complete this list means nothing more than it was more feasible at the time

The crew so far:

Name:  Thuk
In a paragraph:  Thuk is a Borduvian Shambler, a large hairy alien that could pull a Wookie's arm out of its sockets.  While the species is not past Stone Age technology, they do have some strange awareness (Sense skills) not noticed by those who consider Shamblers to be just 'dumb muscle'.  Thuk protects the crew because they are pack.
Connections: (added later)
What remains to be done:  All important character questions have been answered.  Thuk has been statted and I am reviewing stats. One quick question; Does Thuk rhyme with chuck, rook, or mook?

Name:  Nate Stryker
In a paragraph:  Nate was a bounty hunter whose family was killed by the Empire.  The Empire simply wiped out an entire settlement rather than waste resources on finding the specific suspected Rebels (the 'Alderaan solution').  Having suffered great injustice, Nate takes great care to make sure his quarry is truly 'deserving' of his talents.
Connections: (added later)
What remains to be done:  All immediate character questions have been answered.  I now formally ask for character stats.

Name:  Zane Konig
In a paragraph:  Once a brilliant undercover cop on Corellia, Zane was paid the ultimate complement by the underworld.  He was worth the trouble of framing.  Now this good cop is considered a bad seed.  His fellow Jedi have perceived his innocence and he is a valued member of the crew.  Being Corellian, he is a natural Jack-of-all-Trades aboard a ship.
Connections: (added later)
What remains to be done:  All character questions have been answered for now.  I now formally request character stats.

Name:  TwoOneBee
In a paragraph:  TwoOneBee is a exceptional medical droid.  It's medical skill is enhanced by the fact that it has never had a memory wipe and has thus developed a quirky but true personality.  It's 'natural' empathy makes TwoOneBee utterly opposed to the Empire.  Officially 'owned' by Ali the Twi'lek, TwoOneBee is trusted to operate without supervision.  It is never wise to argue with your doctor.
Connections: (added later)
What remains to be done:  All character questions answered for now.  I now formally request character stats.

And this is where I end it for today.  Some quick thoughts:
1.  Again, don't worry if I didn't get to your character.  I will in time.
2. If you don't like my bullet description, I will edit it to your wishes.
3. If I got something wrong, or you already have submitted stats, let me know and I will correct it.  It is easy for me to get lost in all of this wonderful complexity.

Let me know what you think.  I'm likely busy tomorrow but free until Christmas and some more after that....

Fyi Fossil, a click on any characters name (top left in every post) takes you to the character description section, intended as a non-spoiler description. Unless I misunderstand your intent, you likely will not need links.

Thuk rhymes with mook.

I posted my character sheet...in my character sheet...uh yeah.

Boss, a few questions. I don't really like using the Character Sheet section because it's private, so is it alright to leave my sheet in my Description, like i have it now?

Also, the RPoL die roller can be set to use the D6 Classic system, which includes a wild die. Would you like to set that as the default for die rolls? It might help us out a bit.

In reply to Celes Varik (msg # 252):

Good old Wild Die.

The wild die has allowed me to do nearly impossible things in the past. I've even managed Heroic rolls with 5D+1

My stats are posted in my character sheet, Old Fossil, though I will gladly send them again in a private message if you wish.  Your paragraph for TwoOneBee is good, it pretty much sums the character up, without going into too much of his history.  I approve :)

Alright, now that I have a working keyboard again, I can get started on making myself awesome (stat-wise).... Or at least as awesome as a human can get... Or at hopefully at least  passable...  Or at the very least not terrible...  Although knowing the dice roller it'll go out of its way to make me seem terrible.

I'll post some more details today. My apologies for the delay, life's been pretty hectic lately.

Team,

Thank for your patience.

Yes, let's use the Classic D6 RPoL die roller with the Wild Die.  I had thought to set that up later but if anyone knows how to set it up now, I would appreciate the help.

I apologize to anyone who has already submitted stats that I have missed.  I will find them and check them out.  My apologies for not realizing you had already done so.  This is my first game on RPoL and this forum is quite different from all of the others I have used.

You do not have to have your stats on your character sheet if you wish as long as I have an approved copy somewhere.

I'm not referring to any particular references but, speaking in general, I dislike unnecessary secrecy (player or character) in games.  It is proper and de rigeur for some genres but not the white-hat and black-hat Rebels and Empire settings.  Also, characters doubting each other slows down an action game, the party works against itself rather than the greater enemy..

As long as a character's secrets do not work against another character, I won't sweat it too much.  Against a swarm of stormtroopers, no one really needs to know you once kissed your unrevealed Jedi sibling.

More to come tonight, with any luck....

Ooh, something I can help with! Here's how to set up the die roller.

First, go to the Die Roller. It may sound obvious, but it may not, as some sites have a separate settings page for it.

At the bottom of the big block of awesome, you'll see "Configure the roller". Click that. You'll end up on a screen just like the die roller.

From there, set the Game System/Special Dice to D6 Classic. (Classic adds up totals, Legend counts anything 3 or above as a success and counts successes.) It's also fun to click Record Each Die, so you can see the results. :D

Click Set as Default and you've got your dice set properly! Yay!

Celebrate by either dancing or having a lightsaber duel. Or both. Lightsaber duel dance.

---

My own sheet is posted into my Character Description. You can reach that by either clicking my name in this post or clicking my name in the Cast page. No secrecy for me!

Hey folks! right now I'm nobody, I'm on the reserve list incase anything happens to any players and ya'll need a replacement.  Seeing the talk about Character sheets and the like, I have something ya'll might want to use to help standardize your characters and what not.  This is an Imperial Knight I played in another game, feel free to delete what's not needed and use what is!.

Character Name: Mattai Kettil
Template Type: Imperial Knight
Species: Human
Height:6'5"   Weight:274lbs   Sex:Male    Age:25?
Physical Description: Mattai stands close to 6'5" tall, with flaxen
colored hair, and golden brown eyes that twinkle with a spark of
mischievousness with a slightly broad hawkish nose his chin and jawline are
also covered with the blonde colored hair.  Broad shouldered and barrel
chested, he wears a simple vest like tunic that wraps around and ties at
the side with several cords, his lower body wearing simple thick cotton
pants, his feet are encased by thick, durable and serviceable boots.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DEXTERITY                   :3d6        PERCEPTION             :2d6
   Lightsaber               :6d6        Investigation          :2d6+2
   Brawling Parry           :4d6


KNOWLEDGE                   :2d6        STRENGTH               :3d6
   Rakata Technology        :5d6
   Gree Technology          :3d6
   Technology               :3d6
   Language: Rakata
   Language: Gree

MECHANICAL                  :2d6        TECHNICAL              :2d6
   Astrogation              :4d6        Lightsaber Repair      :2d6+1
Space Transport Operations  :4d6        Hyperdrive Repair      :3d6
Starfighter Pilot: Predator :3d6        (A) Gree Engineering   :1d6


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Control:             6d6+0|Sense                4d6+1|Alter               4d6+0
Lightsaber Combat(Freebie)|Lightsaber Combat(Freebie)|Lightsaber Combat(Freebie)
Projected Fighting        |Projected Fighting        |Projected Fighting
Enhanced Coordination     |Enhanced Coordination     |Enhanced Coordination
Affect Mind               |Affect Mind               |Affect Mind
Enhance Object            |Enhance Object            |Enhance Object
Absorb/Dissipate Energy   |Shatterpoint (Freebie)    |Shatterpoint (Freebie)
Enhance Attribute         |Strengthen Object         |Strengthen Object
Concentration             |Force Lightning           |Force Lightning
Control Pain              |Electronic Manipulation   |Electronic Manipulation
Hibernation Trance        |Instinctive Astrogation   |Force Flight
Emptiness                 |life Sense                |Telekinesis
Accelerate Healing        |Danger Sense              |[Empty Slot]
Remain Conscious          |Magnify Senses            |[Empty Slot]
[Empty Slot]              |Combat Sense
[Empty Slot]
[Empty Slot]
[Empty Slot]

Farseeing(Dm trigger only)|Farseeing(Dm trigger only)


Special Abilities:

Story Factors:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Move             : 10                    Force Sensitive : Yes
Character Points : 50                    Force Points    : 4
Wound Status     : Healthy               Darkside Points : 0
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Equipment:

Standard Lightsaber
Type: Melee weapon
Scale: Character
Skill: Lightsaber
Cost: Unavailable for sale
Availability: 4, X
Difficulty: Difficult
Damage: 5D
Game Notes: If an attacking character misses the difficulty number by more
than 10 points (the base difficulty; not their opponent’s parry total), the
character has injured himself with the lightsaber. Apply normal damage to the
character wielding the lightsaber.


Model: Standard Imperial Knight Armor
Type: Military armor
Scale: Character
Cost: (7,000) Not available for sale
Availability: 3, X
Game Notes: Adds +2D to resist physical damage and +1D to resist energy
damage including lightsabers.

Model: Imperial Knight Cortosis Gauntlet
Type: Gauntlet
Scale: Character
Skill: Melee parry: gauntlet
Cost: 1,500
Availability: 3, X
Game Notes: Grants +1D to resist damage. If a lightsaber blade touches the
cortosis gauntlet, it is deactivated for a period of time
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Background:

Born to a pair of galactic bounty hunters, Mattai was raised on board a space
ship from the day he was born, going planet side with his parents as a young
child, the two bounty hunters were quite successful in their endeavors.  A
little too successful.

Shortly after Mattai's 14th birthday a group of Rodian criminals and allies
attacked Mattai's home, damaging the ship, and killing his father in the first
barrage of fire, Mattai's mother put the 14 year old in an escape pod and
covered the pods retreat with the ship, it being destroyed by return fire.  For
days the pod drifted, the young boy waiting till it was almost too late before
activating the distress beacon.  A passing imperial ship found the boys pod,
saving his life, and the Knight aboard sensing the force potential in Mattai
took him as a squire.

Mattai had just been Knighted shortly before Emperor  Fel called him in for a
private meeting, given orders he was to travel to Nar Shaddaa, and meet up with
several others, that there was a matter of grave importance that would need
the help of a Knight for it to succeed.

Personality:

Mattai is a pretty happy dude, he takes his oath to the Emperor seriously, but
likes to joke and enjoy himself as well, quick to smile and to make jokes,
he'll flirt as well, and is quite definitely not a Jedi monk.

A Quote:

Connection with other characters:

Teeva: Not your typical Sith, don't really think of her as Sith at all,
she's got potential, as a friend, and an ally, perhaps she might even join the
Knights, she’d definitely be a positive addition.

Zarian: I feel for the kid, frozen for the better part of 10,000 years to
a galaxy that's probably alien and strange, non of his friends or family around
any more.  He's been taking it a lot better than I think I could.  Just wish I
had a fraction of his talent with a lightsaber, guys a walking death field.

Exwhyzee: Another popsicle, this one only triple digits on ice, man's
quiet and has that look about him, he's seen things a person probably shouldn't
see.  The fact he keeps going though is an inspiration, haven’t seen someone as
deadly with a blaster, I think I'd have trouble deflecting his incoming fire if
he wanted me dead...

Maya: I owe her an apology when and if I see her again, I let my emotions
get a hold of me when I sensed the Emperors death and as such I slighted her
more than just a little.

Daugrim: Don't know a lot about this guy, seems he fell in with Maya
though, so I'll have to see how things go.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Torren: Another of Maya's crew by the looks of it, we'll see how things go.

Here's a cleaned up one to quote and copy.

Character Name:
Template Type:
Species:
Height:   Weight:   Sex:    Age:
Physical Description:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DEXTERITY                   :#d6        PERCEPTION             :#d6
Skill                       :#d6        Skill                  :#d6


KNOWLEDGE                   :#d6        STRENGTH               :#d6
Skill                       :#d6        Skill                  :#d6

MECHANICAL                  :#d6        TECHNICAL              :#d6
Skill                       :#d6        Skill                  :#d6


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Control:             #d6+0|Sense                #d6+0|Alter               #d6+0
                          |                          |
                          |                          |
                          |                          |
                          |                          |
Special Abilities:

Story Factors:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Move             :                       Force Sensitive :
Character Points :                       Force Points    :
Wound Status     :                       Darkside Points :
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Equipment:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Background:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Personality:

A Quote:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Connection with other characters:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oh, that is much prettier than the garbage I was trying to make on my own.  Thanks Exwhyzee.

Merry Christmas, all! Er, I mean, happy Life Day

In reply to Zane Konig (msg # 262):

One lives to serve. ;)

I hope you are all having a very happy holiday season.  Mine has been made happier but the unexpected appearance of distant family.  This has made me late to get back to this game.  I hope to make it up this week.  Even if the characters aren't fully approved by January 1st, the game will still begin for all players and we will just get the characters nailed down as we go along (worked for Lucas, mostly).

OK, let's see what I can get out tonight...

Sounds good

I've got some fires to put out tonight. :-(

I will try and get more out tomorrow.

In reply to That Old Fossil (msg # 265):

It has been very nice!

I've been working too much.  Thankfully, I managed to sell a shift so now I work at about a human level this week.

And the work I have today is basically 'drive to West Virigina and watch videos all day', which is a relaxing way to earn a full day's pay.  Thanks Federal Government for mandating eight hours of refresher training at full pay rate!

Team,

I apologize for the continual delays in my responding.  This week has been tough for free time.  The family has been putting the Merry into Christmas this extended weekend but there have been busy tasks as well.

I may need to delay the start of the game until January 7th.  I do apologize.  I seem to have less free time than I had hoped lately.  If I lose some of you, I do understand (even if so, you can return at any time).

The good news is that you all don't generally have to do anything.  Just check the game on the 1st (and, if necessary, the 7th) to see if there is anything for you to read or do.

I really do appreciate your patience.  I am gratified that this D6 game got so impressive a response.

More tonight if I am lucky (I know I have said that before)...

That's perfectly okay, Old Fossil, the holidays tend to be the busiest time of year.  I'm not going anywhere that much I can promise you.  Enjoy the time with your family and Very Happy New Year :D

I feel bad for being amused because you honestly seem really upset. Really, I don't think it's going to bother anyone. We've all got neat characters and you picked literally the busiest time of the year to start the game. Nobody's upset with you. Real Life Comes First and all that. Glad to know it's good busies and not the other kind, though!

I'm pretty excited that I may get to see Episode 7 tomorrow. :D

In reply to Celes Varik (msg # 272):

Ditto!

I suppose I do stress a bit. :-)  To a one, you all have excellent conceptions and I don't want to lose any of you.

Thank you for the detailed characters sheets above.  I hope to use them.

Believe me, I do understand anyone else's delay.

Again, my apologies;  I didn't know that your names were links to your character sheets.  This forum has more features than any gaming forum I have ever used and I am still getting used to them.

Here is a updated list of characters.  Again, just because I approve some characters rather than others doesn't mean anything except that it was convenient to do so at the time.  Most characters are simply waiting on me or the answer to yes/no questions.

Name:  Orion Pax
 In a paragraph:  Orion was a young Alderaan noble (similar to Princess Leia).  Only some of his family survived the destruction of Alderaan and those survivors sacrificed themselves to ensure Orion's escape.  He is now utterly dedicated to avenging them against the Empire.
 Connections: (added later)
 What remains to be done:  None, character is currently approved.

Name:  Zane Konig
 In a paragraph:  Once a brilliant undercover cop on Corellia, Zane was paid the ultimate complement by the underworld.  He was worth the trouble of framing.  Now this good cop is considered a bad seed.  His fellow Jedi have perceived his innocence and he is a valued member of the crew.  Being Corellian, he is a natural Jack-of-all-Trades aboard a ship.
 Connections: (added later)
 What remains to be done:  None, character is currently approved.

Name:  Daugrim
 In a paragraph:  This giant Togarian kitty can scratch.  Daugrim has left his native backwater due to a fascination with Galactic weapon technology and some talent in using it.  He is also fighting the Empire to help rescue his friend caught by the Empire, or at least avenge him.
 Connections: (added later)
 What remains to be done:  None, character is currently approved.

Name:  Shen Nyun
 In a paragraph:  Like most Sullustans, Shen works hard and has a bent for Astrogation.  He is also a good sensor operator and techie.  He was able to break out of his species tendency towards conformity and rebel against the Empire.
 Connections: (added later)
 What remains to be done:  None, character is currently approved.

 Name:  TwoOneBee
 In a paragraph:  TwoOneBee is a exceptional medical droid.  It's medical skill is enhanced by the fact that it has never had a memory wipe and has thus developed a quirky but true personality.  It's 'natural' empathy makes TwoOneBee utterly opposed to the Empire.  Officially 'owned' by Ali the Twi'lek, TwoOneBee is trusted to operate without supervision.  It is never wise to argue with your doctor.
 Connections: (added later)
 What remains to be done:  None, character is currently approved.

 Name:  Vanz Garren
 In a paragraph:  Vanz is a Coruscant ex-pat who has a talent for what some might call petty crime.  For all that, the Jedis can sense a heart of gold in addition to the gold Vanz might have found (in other people's pockets).
 Connections: (added later)
 What remains to be done:  None, character is currently approved.

I'm stopping here for now.  Remember, it doesn't mean anything if you are not up here this post.  I should get to more characters on Thursday night (I hope).  Whatever happens, all characters are in the game, even if I haven't yet got y'all approved yet.  Let me know if you hate your sound-bite descriptions.

Hello again Exwhyzee, I play Zarian in the other game :)

Sorry if I wasn't actively participating in any discussion, but with the game starting in January I took a short vacation from RPOL. If there is anything needed from me let me know.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:18, Wed 30 Dec 2015.

OK! so I was let know by our illustrious GM that I am indeed a PC, and not just a lurker.. so incoming character dump in the appropriate thread..

OK! just posted my character history.. Exwhyzee is an old WEG games character of mine, the original game for him was born IRL in tabletop and played out just like I typed it out, from helping Vima-Da-Boda, to falling in with Reelo Baruk, to stopping my rapid aging (2 years for every 1) to earning enough credits to buy my starfighter.

While not much for making with the funny, if you ask him how he came by it, or the wicked scar that splits his sternum almost dead center like he had heart surgery, to half a dozen other stories, he'll tell you (and they'll all have been things I did with Ex tabletop side!)

That's all right, Thuk will believe you. You are all weird aliens anyway.

In reply to Thuk (msg # 279):

Aww, I'm not that weird.

Happy new year weird aliens.

In reply to Thuk (msg # 281):

*Hugs* Happy new year, big hairy friend!

Very Happy New Years everyone.  Be safe :)

Happy new years!

Happy Cycle Renew Day, friends! :D

Hey all, I hope you all have had a Happy New Year.

As you have noticed, we have not yet started the game yesterday.  I've been a little busy.  But we have a fair number of the character approved and I think the rest will follow.

So, tentatively, the game will start on the 7th.  As approving the characters was the last thing I had to do before game start, I am fairly confident this will happen.

I hope to get some work done tonight.  Otherwise, I should have time tomorrow night.

Happy New Year everyone.

I'm more than happy to wait until the 7th to start, I've only just looked at the site as a whole this morning after a very busy week or so off with the family.

OK, It was a little longer getting back.

I have done some productive work behind the scenes messaging some players and finalizing characters.

More tomorrow, I believe...

Are we missing any of the mechanical or technical traits? I was thinking Shira might have picked up a bit.

Has anyone thought of any connections my character might have with theirs?  I'm a bit bad about coming up with ideas on my own like that.. :-/

In reply to Exwhyzee (msg # 290):

Hmm, Exwhyzee could have saved Shira from trouble after she got a little excessively curious somewhere dangerous.

Zane might have worked with him on a previous Rebellion contract.  Or done a slightly less legitimate job or two with Exwhyzee during a stint on Nar Shaddaa.

It looks like I am still a little behind and the game will not start on the 7th.  I will try and start it on the 14th.  I know you have heard this all before.  But all that remains is the approval of characters and I think we have over half approved.  There is more work achieved behind the scenes than any one of you can see.  I know that I said the game would start even if all characters haven't been approved.  But we are so close, I think just one more week ought to do it.

Good news:  some more characters have been approved.  Akiri and Celes were held up by MY mistakes and I do apologize.


 Name:  Akiri
  In a paragraph:  A hero born behind enemy lines.  Akiri proudly served the Empire until the destruction of Alderaan shattered her faith in Imperial Order.  The trauma of millions of people crying out in terror and then suddenly silenced seems to awakened the Force without this repentant soul.
  Connections: (added later)
  What remains to be done:  None, character is currently approved.  Is Akiri her first, last or only name?



Name:  Celes Varik
  In a paragraph:  No-nonsense bounty hunter, taken by slavers while young but then rescued by the Empire.  It wasn't long before she learned that the Empire was just slavery by a different name.  She now fights against them, a contract as yet unfulfilled.
  Connections: (added later)
  What remains to be done:  None, character is currently approved.  Is her green hair a dye job or is there is a little more than stock human DNA in Celes' makeup?

Akiri is the only name she answers to now, but I worked out that her last name used to be Valiant.

Thanks for the info on Akiri.

OK, more characters:

Name:  Nate Stryker
   In a paragraph:  A skilled bounty hunter and partner with Celes, Nate joined the Rebellion when the Empire applied a 'scorched earth' policy to finding Rebels.  They destroyed every settlement where Rebels might have been, including Nate's parents.  Nate doesn't talk much, he lets his weapons send the Empire a message.
   Connections: (added later)
   What remains to be done:  None, character is currently approved.

Name:  Grev Longtooth
   In a paragraph:  A quiet Yuzzem scout, Grev can let his muscles do the talking but is more perceptive than most folks might notice.
   Connections: (added later)
   What remains to be done:  None, character is currently approved.

My apologies for Grev's delay.  I wasn't aware of a particular supplement.  Behind the scenes, things are moving quickly towards game start.  Most characters have been approved and the rest aren't far behind.

I am delayed until Sunday but I expect a great deal of productivity then as I am expecting some replies.  After that, I wrap up the practice IC thread (which was more illuminating and productive than it might seem).  And then, FINALLY, the real game should start within a week.

Greetings all.

Hi. Welcome to the game.

In reply to Grev Longtooth (msg # 296):

Welcome! Glad to have you as part of the group

Hello Grev and welcome :-)

Hello, Longtooth. Do you know Young Bull, by any chance? Stocky blacksmith turned hero, carried a big axe, and now a bigger hammer?

That is not quite how Celes's backstory goes, but I kinda like it. Considering shifting things to match, now. XD

What I'd written out would capsule more like: No-nonsense bounty hunter, orphaned by raiders and taken in by Trandoshans. Grew up to join the Empire, but it wasn't long before she learned that the Empire were just pirates by another name. She now fights against them, a contract as yet unfulfilled.

But yeah, pretty similar. Her hair color is a thing I've been thinking about for some time. Trouble is my mind keeps shifting between speculative science and Star Wars. I'm thinking she either got a blood transfusion, which turned her hair green, or she's simply a near-human rather than a human human. Or her family wasn't from Alderaan, Coruscant, or Corellia, so they might be humans with a hair color we haven't seen before. :P

If the Trandoshan transfusion idea helps you with plot ideas, let's do that. It's more Star Warsy. And by that I mean comic booky, but it's kind of the same thing. They used to be Marvel comics after all, and I'm sort of modeling Celes on someone else with a similar story.



Would Celes know her as Valiant, from their time in the Academy?