Showing posts with label Stars Without Number. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stars Without Number. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Ashes Without Number!!

 

     Happy I backed the latest Kevin Crawford release: Ashes Without Number! 

     Those who have followed my blog for a while know that I am a big fan of Post Apocalyptic gaming and Kevin Crawford's games (such as Stars Without Number).  Back in the day Mr. Crawford put out Other Dust which was a fun P.A. game using the same basic engine as SWN). Well Ashes Without Number has taken P.A. Sandbox gaming to the next level!  

     This book has tables galore, so even if you have a different P.A. game you are running, you can still use this book to work up a fun campaign. I'll post more about this game soon, going off to read my copy that just arrived in the mail today! Woo Hoo!!



Friday, July 26, 2024

Sector 85: Adventures Beyond the Stars - Compatible with Stars Without Number

       Long time readers of this blog will know that I am a big fan of Kevin Crawford's Stars Without Number RPG.  Before Covid, I ran a SWN homebrew campaign that was loads of fun and the players really enjoyed it! It ended in a TPK, but the players still occasionally bring up fun moments from the campaign. While I haven't posted about SWN or the many other Without Number games in a while, I am still a huge fan of Kevin Crawford's work. His tables are worth the price of admission alone. I recently (today) came across a new 3PP product for SWN:

Sector 85: Adventures Beyond the Stars!  (SWN Compatible)

     This looks like loads of fun! Late 70's and 80's Sci Fi is my jam! And this setting is all about that!

Here is the blurb from the author about the product!

"Introduction

Sector-85 presents a setting inspired by and emulating low-budget science fiction movies and TV series from the 60s, 70s, and 80s.

These stories emphasize action and adventure. They are often set in what appears to be the California desert—sometimes Spain, sometimes Argentina. Sets are re-dressed factories and public works facilities decorated with tattered fishing nets, corrugated metal, and piles of junk. Lasers flash in brilliant streaks and go “Pew! Pew!” Anything struck by a laser explodes in a shower of sparks. Abandon any notion of realistic space physics or cutting edge computer science. Robots come in three flavors: sexy android, comic relief, and menacing war-bot. Computers save data on bulky storage media. The good guys wear distressed leather jackets and riding boots. The bad guys are bald cyborgs and maniacal dictators, or both.

The most powerful faction in Sector-85 is the Orion Federation, a noble democratic alliance based on exploration, science, democratic ideals, and the peaceful and equitable resolution of conflicts.

The Orion Federation has fought two wars in the last twenty-five years against a powerful totalitarian regime known as the Nova Concord. The Concord survives today as a covert criminal and terrorist network known as the Nova Underground.

The defeat of the Nova Concord has opened the way for new factions to rise up and expand. The New World Coalition is gaining popularity with the former worlds of the Concord. The recently discovered Ministry of Avon is seeking to exert its influence on its new neighbors. The unstoppable Go-Tan Armada closes in from beyond the sector with no force to stand in its way.

Summary

This product is divided into four sections.

History

A broad-strokes history of Sector-85, designed to slot neatly into existing Stars Without Number timelines.

Factions

Brief overviews of the major competing factions of Sector-85 along with game statistics.

Systems

A one- or two-page description of each of the star systems in Sector-85. Each system description includes information on every planet in that system. Each system also includes a short plot hook or story idea based on a low-budget movie or TV series from the 60s, 70s, or 80s.

Appendices

Appendices include game statistics for fourteen spacecraft common to the sector, along with a list of inspirational TV series and movies."

I'm gonna see if my players would be interested in trying this out.  I need a break from Fantasy gaming. And some 80's esque SWN Sci Fi might be just what the doctor ordered!

Have a great weekend!!  -B.B.!

Sunday, January 30, 2022

P.A./Sci-Fi Random Inspiration Generator

    I Love random generators. As a GM I have found over the years that making use of various generators can really take my imagination and my games into some fun directions that I wouldn't have otherwise gone in.  Over the holidays I was reading a a gaming blog post (sorry I honestly don't remember which one) about suggesting going through your Sci Fi book collection and randomly opening to a page, taking the first word that jumps out at you on that page and jot it down.  Then after you have a nice list to work with voila a Random Inspiration Generator is born!  

     So I did just that I grabbed a stack of my Sci-Fi (many P.A. related) books and the below list was created. Unfortunately in a cleaning binge, I put the books back up on the shelves before I wrote down which ones I used. * Doh*, I know I used Hiero's Journey, a random Deathlands book, Ensign Flandry and several others. I think it was 6-7 books in all.  Some of the words may initially seem bland, but don't be surprised they can spark some unexpected creativity when you are stuck for an adventure theme, or suggestion for an NPC or contents of a vault chamber!    

P.A./Sci-Fi Random Inspiration Generator

 1 Wrinkled

2 Other

3 Tangled

4 Monsters

5 Starless

6 Rust

7 Rustling

8 Run

9 Corroded

10 Survivors

11 Ruined

12 Howl

13 Cache

14 Map

15 Scorching'

16 Fury

17 Boss

18 Outpost

19 Empty

20 Family

21 Artifact

22 Engine

23 Dark

24 Underground

25 Vanish

26 Poison

27 Traitors

28 Cautious

29 Worn

30 Flicker

31 Sand

32 Abandoned

33 Attack

34 Shunted

35 Deep

36 Scent

37 Stolen

38 Strange

39 Watching

40 Violent

41 Power

42 Love

43 Blessing

44 Silent

45 Lured

46 Desert

47 Brute

48 Distant

49 Death

50 Harm

51 Shredded

52 Old

53 Bones

54 Acid

55 Attack

56 Resupply

57 Kick-Ass

58 Awesome

59 Road

60 Traders

61 Hollow

62 Repair

63 Ally

64 Tomorrow

65 Painful

66 Smoke

67 Beacon

68 Sun

69 Irradiated

70 Mutation

71 Secure

72 Claws

73 Teeth

74 Terrors

75 Blaze

76 Glass

77 Carnivores

78 Slime

79 Concealed

80 Feared

81 Books

82 Guards

83 Pipe

84 Wounded

85 Dissolve

86 Strike

87 Marauder

88 Frozen

89 Metal

90 Screech

91 Cover

92 Vanished

93 Masks

94 Territory

95 Profane

96 Stuck

97 Deathtrap

98 Rocks

99 Charts

100 Exterminate

     

 So lets see if this idea generator works...

Testing it out, I have no preconceived notions...  First question how many rolls on the table do I make?

I'll roll a d6 to determine that... I get a "6" ...so six rolls.

First I roll "84 - Wounded" - so someone or something is wounded...interesting..

Roll 2 is " 87 - Marauder" - seems we are dealing with a wounded marauder encounter...

Roll 3 is "8 - Run" - A wounded marauder on the run? wonder why they are on the run?  Are the local authorities after them??  Lets keep rolling...

Roll 4 is " 42- Love" - Ok now we are definitely getting a theme here, a wounded marauder on the run, and love is involved? They fall in love with the wrong person?...lets do our next roll...

Roll 5 is "27-Traitors" - So I'm starting to see a Romeo and Juliet type of scenario here. A Marauder falls in love with someone from outside their group, this person is maybe part of a group that the marauders prey upon or is their beloved part of the local Establishment/Authority?, are viewed as Traitors by both sides perhaps?  One last roll to go...

Roll 6 is "93 - Masks"- At this point I'm thinking we are dealing with a couple of lovers on the run, one is wounded, one is a Marauder and the other is not, they are considered traitors by both sides and while on the run are hiding out under some sort of covert/masked means.  Maybe pretending to be someone other than who they really are...

     Lets take these ideas just a bit further... Starting with the Marauder....who are they?  

For me a great resource for additional ideas is Pinterest.. I have several collections of different images I have saved over the years, filed under different boards.   Looking around I quickly find one that jumps out at me!


I know this is a cosplay image of Jack from Mass Effect (image by Sabi Noir) but it really inspires me with some ideas.. So I'm thinking the Marauder is a female.  Now I need a name.... how about Jax or Jaxs? I like the sound of that...My google fu finds a few more cosplay images of this character..


This is the cosplay actress Anna Moleva

     Great I like this, so what about her beloved?  I think this person will be a member of the "Authorities" Going through my Pinterest boards, I find the below image.  He looks like he has been through some rough times, ragged uniform, some possible injuries and a cornered look in his eyes. So lets tweak the above narrative a bit, the Marauder isn't the one that is injured, instead it is this guy. Maybe he is some sort of scout or pilot? He could have crashed on the planet and/or been captured by the Marauders. Jaxs and he are on the run and he is injured. Maybe she helped him escape? Due to his injuries, he can't travel far without frequents rests?

     I could keep going with this, work on his background some more, he needs a good name, but I think the list has proved it can work with some imagination.  When used with a campaign, I'd plug in my campaign factions and regions to flesh things out more.  This took a bit more of a Sci Fi direction than gritty P.A., but with some tweaks the above could readily work in P.A. Campaign. For a Gamma World Type Campaign Jaxs could be a member of the Knights of Genetic Purity or Red Death, her lover could be from a Hi Tech Enclave of Restorationists or Maybe he is a member of the KGP and she is a member of the Friends of Entropy. Lots of options.  

     Working this into a campaign the party could stumble upon these two hiding out in some ruin or under disguise in a village or town, or the party could be hired by rival factions/Cryptic Alliances to hunt down and kill/capture these two...lots of possibilities. Maybe he has valuable information on secret vaults or tech? I may have to revisit these concepts again in another post.

Have a great weekend!

Good Gaming-B.B.

 



Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Happy New Year!

Image result for star wars happy new year
What's this a post on my blog? 
Several people are doing posts reflecting on 2019 and speculation as to what they will be doing in 2020. I recently realized 2019 marked my 40 years of playing/running RPG's.  I started gaming back in 1979.  Believe it or not, the first game I GM'd was Gamma World (1st edition), and not D&D.  D&D (and D&D based games) has always been in the background these past 40 years, but I've played a ton of other games over the years.  A big helping of Sci Fi has always been there (Traveller, Rifts, Gamma World, etc..).  Gaming has been a kind of therapy for me all these years. When things were gloomy or bleak, I could channel my energies into creating interesting worlds and characters to help get through the rough spots of my life. Hardly the evil Satanic influence, that they tried to say it was back in the day. LOL

As for 2019...in 2019, I did a good bit of gaming, played (& DM'd) a lot of 5E.  Ran a really fun Stars Without Number Campaign, that unfortunately had to end due to work schedules and life stuff.  Played Call of Cthulhu for the first time in a mini-campaign. Worked in other OSR games as time permitted.  Played way too much Fallout. Later in 2019, I found myself in full blown Sci Fi mode.  I just can't seem to get enough of it. Shows like The Expanse, Mandalorian, and more, helped to feed my sci fi cravings... So here marks the first day of the year 2020...wow, for an old guy like me 2020 sounds very sci fi... growing up as a kid, we were all led to believe the world would have been nuked by now...Glad we are still here!

2019 also marked the 10 year anniversary of this blog! Wow a decade of Green Skeleton Gaming Guild. Something I started on a whim, back in the early OSR days.  I readily admit I have not posted nearly as much as I did in the early days. On more than one occasion I considered taking the blog down. I spent a good bit of time (too much time) on G+ when it was a thing, I poke around on MeWe a bit now.  But the blog is still here, I launched it when the Mutant Future RPG was a new thing, and that took me back to my P.A. gaming roots.  Heck even my online handle, Brutorz Bill, was inspired by my first Gamma World character, named after a mutant horse (Brutorz).  Haven't played any P.A. gaming in awhile, but I'm sure I will circle back around to it at some point. The Mutant Epoch has been on my shelf waiting to be played for far too long.

So where do I see things going in 2020?  I'm a fickle gamer, back in the early days of the hobby, we'd play all kinds of different things without thinking anything of switching when someone had bought a new game or adventure, always rotating back to D&D or Gamma World at some point. I think I will keep the blog up, for now anyways, I may not post much, but I kind of like having it around. For 2020, I'd like to get more Sci Fi gaming in, maybe revisit my Stars Without Number Campaign, or try something new. Cepheus Engine looks pretty cool, and a buddy just sent me Tiny Frontiers. As for fantasy gaming; 5E as much as I have tried to like it, just doesn't really wow me.  I'm an old school gamer at heart I think so that's likely where you will find me. There are so many awesome OSR games out there I still need to try; Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperborea, Adventurer Conqueror King, B/X Essentials, Blood and Treasure etc...

I hope this post finds you healthy and happy. I hope 2020 is a year of fun, laughs and lots of gaming. 
May The Force Be With You!  -B.B.


Sunday, May 19, 2019

Sci Fi Sunday : StarSIEGE

How cool is this? Been a big fan of C&C since it came out, this is a new version of StarSiege (and free!), based off of Amazing Adventures. I wanted to like the original Starsiege, but it was just too different from the C&C core chassis for what my group and I were looking for. This one is much closer to my play style than the original. Looks like you will need the Amazing Adventures core rules and the companion to make full use of this supplement.  I've got a Stars Without Number Campaign going at the moment, so not sure when we will get a chance to test these out, but it is good to see the Troll Lords taking the Siege engine to the Stars!

Saturday, April 20, 2019

SWN Session 5 - Legacy of Deceit

Session 5 Legacy of Deceit

Had Session 5 of our SWN Campaign last night. Things got crazy quickly! Giant Phase Scorpions, Qotah Oathbreakers, Weirding Modules! Then the REALLY big scorpion showed up! Had it not been for the party's psionic healer, we would have had 3 PC deaths! Oh yeah!

Tuesday, April 16, 2019

Sector Cabal Sigma Faction Turn 1


Hello everyone,
I'm about 5 sessions behind on posting Session Logs..yikes.  The Cabal Sigma SWN Campaign is going well. I thought I would share some of the news casts the players got a few sessions ago based on the happenings from the faction turn.  I have set my blog to no comments. I have been getting bombarded with spam, and would rather not waste my time trying to moderate spam comments. So for now I have disabled comments. Sorry for any inconvenience. 

 1/01/3200
News Casts 

S.P.T.N. Sector Public Transmissions Network – Your Public news source for Sector Cabal Sigma- Blacktron Transgalactic will begin an urban renewal and redevelopment program designed to bring economic prosperity and improvements to Paradise City-Hyperion.  Blacktron Transgalactic Executive Spokesman Guiles de'Kaizer, "This is a great opportunity for Blacktron Transgalactic to give back to the community that has been so good to us. We are taking the innovations we have developed on Marathon and sharing them with our neighbors on Hyperion, together we are better."  Wistan Frost, son of Frost Technologies  founder Hadean Frost responded that Frost Technologies welcomes Blacktron's investments in the local community and "hopes to see the quality of life for all citizens improved, not just a few for the benefit of a public relations gimmick". 

F.B.N. -Free Broadcasting Network- In spite of attempts by The Thieves Guild to block her visit to Slough Feg, the beloved Einya the Iconic, a known sentient life-form advocate, singer and entertainer has arrived on The Thieves World of Slough Feg, after meeting with local authorities she has just announced her benefits concert for Uplifted Chimpanzees will proceed as scheduled.  Einya earlier today, "We need to do all we can to raise public awareness regarding the plight of uplifted simians on Slough Feg.... look around and you can quickly see all of the infrastructure, food, water and air is possible only due to the hard work and labors of the simians on this world, yet they do not have equal rights or fair treatment, today's benefit concert is hopefully the first of many to bring needed change to Slough Feg and all of the Thieves Worlds". 

T.W.N.N.-Thieves Worlds Network News- Due to the generosity of The Thieves Guild, in spite of the event organizers improper paperwork and lack of proper registration, the Thieves Guild recognizes, that Einya is a popular singer, and given this is the one year anniversary of the Ahab Station Disaster and the simian civil disturbances from that time, the Thieves Guild will allow the entertainment concert to continue, Thieves Worlders are reminded to recognize that Einya is an entertainer and has no formal training or experience in politics or the affairs of government and should recognize her for what she is, an outworlder with a history of contributing to public disturbances and general public misbehavior.  She should stick to entertainment and leave the affairs of government, public safety and well-being to the trained professionals.  Authorities wanted to have the event on Riot, due to its arenas and an environment more conducive to such activities, but Einya insisted the event take place on Slough Feg 

A.N.A. - Arena News Agency (a T.W.N.N.-affiliate) – This just in...we are showing actual video footage from Battle Tower Arena earlier today- you can clearly see one of the arena fighters an offworlder, stealing the popular arena Mascot, instead of returning it to its holding container the individual can be seen stashing it in his tunic. Civil Police are looking for him and his accomplices now. They were believed to have taken a shuttle to Outlaw Station. One of his travelling companions has been confirmed to be an uplifted chimpanzee.  

T.W.N.N.- Silas Dryx, former "Weatherman" of Ahab Station, and one of the few survivors of the station's destruction has just recently been released from the hospital after a long recovery from the injuries he sustained by the Simian terrorist attack against Ahab Station one year ago. He is equipped with some of the latest Cyberware developed on Xin Kowloon.  

This is G.N.N. - Galactic News Network – Given that this is the one year anniversary of the destruction of Ahab Station a known site of Simian abuse and control; we thought it appropriate to address the still orbiting wreck of Ahab Station.  A proposal has been made to rebuild the station as a memorial to all the simians killed during the uprising.  Unfortunately certain old guard members of the pro-human establishment are still around, and hope to restore the station to its former purpose, one of simian control and abuse. For now the future of the ruins of Ahab Station is locked up in the legal system.  With Slough Feg focusing so much of its resources on maintaining a livable environment, whatever, the outcome is decided it will be some time before Ahab Station is addressed in any meaningful fashion. 

Star Fox News – The Pro-Simian Concert Event has started, The Thieves Guild had requested high security, due to the nature and date of the event, but event organizers didn't want a militant presence to mar their message. Let's hope the event is a peaceful one, Einya is known for her anti-corporate demonstrations.  

---Massive Explosion in orbit above Slough Feg--- 

G.N.N. -This is GNN...Galactic News Network- We have just learned that Cleopatra Station is no more, the explosion just seen in the skies above Slough Feg was the apparent complete destruction of Cleopatra Station! No word on any survivors. Has the Thieves Guild's ongoing abhorrent treatment of our Simian Neighbors, led us to this day? Here on the exactly one year anniversary of the destruction of Ahab Station and the launch of the Simian's quest for freedom...  

Star Fox News- Cleopatra Station possibly destroyed! Is this a terrorist attack? Start of a second Ape Revolt? Or just a disaster caused by malfunctioning equipment?  Stay tuned to this station for further updates!  

F.B.N. - Free Broadcasting Network –This has been confirmed! Independent Sensor Scans have shown Cleopatra Station has been completely destroyed, some form of explosion has obliterated the station, a debris field now marks the location where this mega-corporate controlled facility once existed, we cannot verify any survivors or cause at this time. Genesis Combine the owners of the station have not yet made a public statement.  Cleopatra Station was a research facility working to genetically engineer crops that could survive in Slough Feg's harsh climate.  

T.W.N.N. - Official word from The Thieves Guild – everyone is ordered to remain calm, Patrol craft have been dispatched to Cleopatra Station. Authorities have the situation under control. We have no reason to believe the explosion on Cleopatra Station was anything more than a tragic accident. Please stay indoors and keep communication lines open and await further instructions.  

A.N.A. - Arena News Agency (T.W.N.N. affiliate)- Given the Cleopatra Station Disaster, for the safety of all Riotians all arena fights and gladiatorial events have been suspended until further notice, we will keep you informed as we know more.  

F.B.N. - Reports are coming in that security forces are being dispatched to all Simian Reservations under what authorities are calling a precautionary measure.  

T.W.N.N. - Thieves Worlds Network News-Due to the developing situation regarding Cleopatra Station, The Great Work on Gambit will be paused to assess for any risk against the advancement of The Great Work. Workers will have a 5 minute moment of silence to acknowledge the lives lost on Cleopatra Station.  

F.B.N.- THIS JUST IN! An apparent assassination attempt has just been made on the pro-simian rights performer Einya, in the chaos after the Cleopatra Station Explosion, at least two armed gunmen attempted to assassinate her! Fans of Einya, spotted the two would-be assassins and quickly subdued the individuals, reports indicate the alleged assassins possibly would have been killed by the mob were it not for the intervention of Civil Police that arrested the two would-be assassins and took them into custody.  One witness reported hearing one of the alleged attackers yell out human supremacist anti-simian slurs and spotted the notorious symbol of the K.G.P. - Knights of Genetic Purity tattooed to his shoulder.  

T.W.N.N. - Authorities continue to call for calm. The situation at the Einya Event has been contained, the performer is unharmed and the suspects involved have been arrested. There is still no proof of any connection between the Cleopatra Station Disaster and the disturbance at the Einya Event.