2300AD

[Triumvir]

Spinning off the aliens thread. Here is where we can talk about how much we'd like to have a go at 2300AD before we all realise timezones and schedules don't align!

I love the setting, and would play or GM pretty much any 2300 campaign using original or Mongoose editions, or even the 3.5e version. There is a free BRP conversion knocking around on the Internet.

I have a campaign idea involving the Sung as a central theme, but with plenty of scope for other setting signature elements to come in. Also would be very happy to play.

I have quite a bit of free time given my life situation, but my timezone is a bit weird: GMT+3.

So, what do we think?

 

[lategamer]

Honestly, I'd probably use the Step Dice version of YZE (used in T2000 and Blade Runner - actually BR would really fit.) - I'm probably a little obsessive about it at the moment. A little bit more coercion and we could have conversion rules for any system right here in the thread.

I'm GMT+1.

It's my favourite of the Traveller iterations but I found the system clunky.

 

[lategamer]

KAFERS (YZE-Step)

Kafers have an imposing humanoid presence, standing over two meters tall (and therefore taller than most humans other than Spacers) and are heavily muscled (emphasizing their difference again). Their torso is large, encased in a hard, spiny carapace and their skin elsewhere is tough with short coarse bristles. Their heads are relatively smooth but when their mouths open, revealing multiple structures for biting, manipulation, tearing and shredding, most humans would recoil in horror. Even worse when witnessing them feeding. Kafers are descended from a carnivorous scavenger species and their heads and mouths are designed to feed 'head first' into prey carcasses. Their mouthparts are also useful for 'cleaning' their entire head of food remnants. Their eyes are deep set with articulated ridges which again have a function in protecting the eyes when a head is plunged into a carcass.

Their hands consist of three opposable thumbs which makes using Kafer tech challenging for humans. Humans think of them as insects (hence the name in German, Kafer = bug) but they're not remotely related to Earth insects. Probably important that in the Kafer language, they refer to themselves as "Vah", meaning "the race".

Kafers by and large are dull creatures, opportunistic and cruel (resembling a hyaena in play). This challenging behaviour is used in their society to make them more alert. When challenged, they release a hormone simlar to adrenaline which causes a change in their intelligence – transforming them into tactical geniuses. They'll make use of any tactic while stimmed – and their intelligence will remain high for about thirty minutes after the conflict. Some Kafers are smarter than others and quickly are promoted to officer roles. Kafer commanders will often employ a club to beat their squads on the head and back in order to keep them alert and engaged.

Kafer expansion is about territory and access to resources. They can be highly motivated to expand onto garden worlds with indigenous life (things they can eat). They'll pursue food and play with it, looking for a challenge that will, inadvertently, stim their intelligence. They will be dogged in their pursuit of prey (high Stamina).

Human expansion is coming to the rear of the Kafer territory and Kafers are expanding aggressively in other directions. Kafers have interpreted this as a tactical move by humans (nipping at their hindquarters) and have been enthusiastic to respond in kind. The threat posed by humans has caused a significant uptick in general intelligence among Kafers and a savage response. Retaliations in kind by humans in the French arm have been met and raised tensions accordingly. Observers would suggest that the Kafers have significant appetite for war.

STR d12
Force d8
Hand to Hand d8
Stamina d12
AGI d8
Firearms d8
Mobility d6
Stealth –
INT (d10 for officers or when stimmed)
Recon d6
Survival d6
Tech –
EMP d6
Command d12 (officers)
Medical Aid d6
Persuade –

CUF – or d12 when stimmed.
(natural reaction of unstimmed Kafers is to retreat. But 1d6 turns later, they become much smarter)

Armour: Kafers have Natural Armour of 2 for torso hits.

Kafer Talents:
KILLER
TOUGH

Kafer weapons:

Vved Ush 'pistol' – a heavy revolver with automatic fire
– ROF 3, Damage 2, Crit 3, Range 2
Vved Ach 'rifle' – with integral grenade launcher
– ROF 3, Damage 3, Crit 3, Range 5
– ROF 1, Damage C, Range 3
Vved kala'ach – a rugged laser rifle with grenade laucher
– ROF 1, Damage 2, Crit 2, Range 10
– ROF 1, Damage C, Range 3

 

[lategamer]

OK, now you've sent me on a wormhole of The Expanse. Seems it would fit right into 2300AD, more than Traveller.

 

[lategamer]

 

[Silverlion]

Alas, I'm like GMT - 6 Which puts me way off set from y'all so far.

 

[lategamer]

Alas, I'm like GMT - 6 Which puts me way off set from y'all so far.

Just move. I mean, problem solved amirite?

 

[Triumvir]

Alas, I'm like GMT - 6 Which puts me way off set from y'all so far.

Depends? I can go till 12am my time, which would be 3pm for you. Both my existing games involve US folks playing in their afternoons.

I also just played a game starting 6am my time with US Pacific Coast guys playing in their evening.

My Sunday eves are taken up with an existing campaign. I have another game on my Sat evenings, but I expect it will wind up soon.

The possibilities and scope for confusion are endless!

 

[AsenRG]

I'm GMT+2 (at the moment, it varies between this and GMT+3) so I can fit right in with most of you guys.

Even more importantly, I can probably pull (2d3 take lower die, add 1d3-2 if both dice are 3) of people if I mention "SF game on Discord starts at..." in front of the right people...

However, my work schedule is irregular, so it would work best if we weren't to expect 100% attendance. I can work around it most of the time, though.

The only version of 2300 AD I'd have a problem with is the d20 one. BRP, Mongoose, original, YZE...if you give me some time to read it, or help me make a character, I'm fine.

Then again, if you tell me how to make a character, I'm usually fine. I started playing BRP games with an online game (PbP at that) on TBP, which I joined despite not knowing the system. I honestly said so to the GM, though.
"Eh, it's d100 roll under, it's got active defenses like GURPS, which is what I play(ed at the time), it's highly lethal, but again, so is GURPS with all the bone-crunching turned on...and I'm a fan of the setting, though you obviously know it better. So, if you could help me make a character, can I join?"
That was more or less my explanation. He was willing to help me make a character, as it turned out, and we had lots of fun... fast forward 15 years or so, and today I play BRP-like games almost exclusively (not because I wouldn't play anything else, but it just so happens).
So, I'm going to play any game, and try to learn the system as I go. But even after I do, I'm going to play to the setting, as our robertsconley puts it.

Also cross-posting for Ronni Sanford...

Please keep me in mind too as I would love to play. any version of 2300 / Star Cruiser.

Also I'm planning to run a mini-campaign using the newest Mongoose 2300AD version in April or May and will have a couple of open virtual seats for those that can handle a Saturday or Sunday 3:00pm to 7:00pm (US Central Standard Time) time slot. Note, while the Kafer might make an early appearance in my games, my setting happens a little bit prior to the Kafers trying to blitz humanity and thus won't be nearly as military focused.

...I like the sound of "not militarily-focused take on the setting", but I admit that 23-03 my time might be a bit rough. Saturday to Sunday, I could stay until 01 Sunday, but more than that on a regular basis would be tough.

 

[Ronnie Sanford]

Alas, I'm like GMT - 6 Which puts me way off set from y'all so far.

I’m GMT-6 too, at least until the summer when I will be GMT-5. Why does Texas still use daylight savings time?

 

[Ronnie Sanford]

Spinning off the aliens thread. Here is where we can talk about how much we'd like to have a go at 2300AD before we all realise timezones and schedules don't align!

I love the setting, and would play or GM pretty much any 2300 campaign using original or Mongoose editions, or even the 3.5e version. There is a free BRP conversion knocking around on the Internet.

I have a campaign idea involving the Sung as a central theme, but with plenty of scope for other setting signature elements to come in. Also would be very happy to play.

I have quite a bit of free time given my life situation, but my timezone is a bit weird: GMT+3.

So, what do we think?

BRP is normally my preferred ruleset though I’m interested in learning Traveller / 2300AD too (and have bought some of the books).

You can find BRP conversion rules of the original GDW 2300 game here -> https://basicroleplaying.org/files/file/265-2300ad-to-brp/ and BRP conversion rules for 2300 Mission Acrturus here -> https://basicroleplaying.org/files/file/266-2300ad-brp-mission-acrturus/

Not sure if either of these have ship construction rules…

 

[Ronnie Sanford]

I'm GMT+2 (at the moment, it varies between this and GMT+3) so I can fit right in with most of you guys.

Even more importantly, I can probably pull (2d3 take lower die, add 1d3-2 if both dice are 3) of people if I mention "SF game on Discord starts at..." in front of the right people...

However, my work schedule is irregular, so it would work best if we weren't to expect 100% attendance. I can work around it most of the time, though.

The only version of 2300 AD I'd have a problem with is the d20 one. BRP, Mongoose, original, YZE...if you give me some time to read it, or help me make a character, I'm fine.

Then again, if you tell me how to make a character, I'm usually fine. I started playing BRP games with an online game (PbP at that) on TBP, which I joined despite not knowing the system. I honestly said so to the GM, though.
"Eh, it's d100 roll under, it's got active defenses like GURPS, which is what I play(ed at the time), it's highly lethal, but again, so is GURPS with all the bone-crunching turned on...and I'm a fan of the setting, though you obviously know it better. So, if you could help me make a character, can I join?"
That was more or less my explanation. He was willing to help me make a character, as it turned out, and we had lots of fun... fast forward 15 years or so, and today I play BRP-like games almost exclusively (not because I wouldn't play anything else, but it just so happens).
So, I'm going to play any game, and try to learn the system as I go. But even after I do, I'm going to play to the setting, as our robertsconley puts it.

Also cross-posting for Ronni Sanford...


...I like the sound of "not militarily-focused take on the setting", but I admit that 23-03 my time might be a bit rough. Saturday to Sunday, I could stay until 01 Sunday, but more than that on a regular basis would be tough.

Thanks for the cross-post AsenRG! I’ve seen you on BRP Central, though not lately I think. I might could run a game earlier on Saturday but a 8+ hour time difference is hard to deal with

 

[lategamer]

BRP is normally my preferred ruleset though I’m interested in learning Traveller / 2300AD too (and have bought some of the books).

BRP is generally a thrill-killer for me. Sacrilege I know.

Not sure if either of these have ship construction rules…

How important are ship building rules? They leave me cold (but as you can see from my BRP comment, I might be a wrong’un).

A friend of mine lives putting together ships in FF&S. I did it a few times in the old Traveller rules. A long time ago.

These days I either want someone else to own the ship or for it to be magic. Like a long lost Darrian warship. Or the Liberator.

 

[Ronnie Sanford]

Honestly, I'd probably use the Step Dice version of YZE (used in T2000 and Blade Runner - actually BR would really fit.) - I'm probably a little obsessive about it at the moment. A little bit more coercion and we could have conversion rules for any system right here in the thread.

I'm GMT+1.

It's my favourite of the Traveller iterations but I found the system clunky.
[/QUOTE

Honestly, I'd probably use the Step Dice version of YZE (used in T2000 and Blade Runner - actually BR would really fit.) - I'm probably a little obsessive about it at the moment. A little bit more coercion and we could have conversion rules for any system right here in the thread.

I'm GMT+1.

It's my favourite of the Traveller iterations but I found the system clunky.

I bought Blade Runner so I could port some of the setting elements to a BRP setting I’m slowly working on but I haven’t read it yet and I’m not familiar with the YZE engine… yet…

 

[Triumvir]

...How important are ship building rules? They leave me cold ...

Especially for 2300, I think "not as much as Traveller" for two reasons. One, PCs are much less likely to be owner-operators of a ship.

Two, ship-to-ship battle is a) probably a bad idea anyway as quite likely to lead to TPK and b) can be handwaved.

Original 2300's emphasis on shipbuilding I think was mean to appeal to gearheads and wargamers. I'd argue a lot of GDW-era 2300 (and Trav) makes more sense seen through a wargaming lens. At least two of the Kafer Dawn adventures are really wargame scenarios.

I'm a wargamer myself and the idea of a 2300 or Trav campaign with heavy wargame elements is not without some appeal for me. But it's not required.

A friend of mine lives putting together ships in FF&S. I did it a few times in the old Traveller rules. A long time ago.


These days I either want someone else to own the ship or for it to be magic. Like a long lost Darrian warship. Or the Liberator.

A Blake's Seven campaign would be frickin' amazing!

Why is it suddenly not letting me quote... anyway, thought I should add, I am also unfamiliar with YZE.

Second edit: Ronnie Sanford 's game is 12am-4am for me, which is a non-starter for me unfortunately.

 

[Ronnie Sanford]

BRP is generally a thrill-killer for me. Sacrilege I know.

Oh, I don’t know… I don’t think any rule set is good for every application / genre. I like BRP because I generally like crunchy, gritty simulation games rather than cinematic games but that’s likely because it’s all I know.

For instance, irrespective of games like Destined and Superworld, I wouldn’t normally think of BRP if I were running a supers campaign.

 

[Ronnie Sanford]

Especially for 2300, I think "not as much as Traveller" for two reasons. One, PCs are much less likely to be owner-operators of a ship.

Two, ship-to-ship battle is a) probably a bad idea anyway as quite likely to lead to TPK and b) can be handwaved.

Original 2300's emphasis on shipbuilding I think was mean to appeal to gearheads and wargamers. I'd argue a lot of GDW-era 2300 (and Trav) makes more sense seen through a wargaming lens. At least two of the Kafer Dawn adventures are really wargame scenarios.

I'm a wargamer myself and the idea of a 2300 or Trav campaign with heavy wargame elements is not without some appeal for me. But it's not required.


A Blake's Seven campaign would be frickin' amazing!

Why is it suddenly not letting me quote... anyway, thought I should add, I am also unfamiliar with YZE.

Second edit: Ronnie Sanford 's game is 12am-4am for me, which is a non-starter for me unfortunately.

Yeah those time zones can be killer!

I’m very much a newbie to 2300, picking up the GDW compilation CD a few months ago and the Mongoose books: Traveller 2022 Update Core Rules, 2300AD (2E), Aerospace Engineers Handbook, Project Bayern, 2300AD: French Arm Adventures (1E), and 2300AD: The Tricolors Shadow (1E) two weeks ago.

So far all I have read is some of the old 2300 scenarios (including Back Door and Lone Wolf). I haven’t even looked at the Mongoose stuff yet.

But I have been looking for a hard-scifi rpg suited to my taste for a while and I did a lot of research. I think the new, painfully expensive, 2300AD (2E) game by Mongoose is the game I want though I’m still likely to pull in a few things from Zozer’s Hostile.

All that to say, I think Triumpvir is right. From what I have read, the price of ships in 2300, makes ownership by the character party much less likely than in a regular Traveller game, though not impossible.

Having said that, I wanted party ownership to be possible because some of my players will geek out over a ship design mini-game even if mostly constrained to upgrading an old hull rather than building a new ship from scratch.

I also agree the original 2300 had heavy wargame influences (particularly the ability to wargame space combat with 2300’s sister game, Star Cruiser), something, as a reformed wargamer, I appreciate. Now if Mongoose would release an upgraded version of Star Cruiser, I would be in heaven.

 

[lategamer]

A Blake's Seven campaign would be frickin' amazing!

I mean it’s a tried and tested formula. Farscape, Firefly ….

A really strong story loop solves all.

- you’re all either synthetics or criminals sent into evaluate prospective colony worlds (Justifiers without the furries)
- going to a off world mining colony to deal with a corrupt lawman (Outland inverted)
- trying to find a stir-crazy botanist who’s killed his crew and buggered off with a multi-trillion credit geodesic habitats. (Silent running)

 

[Silverlion]

Depends? I can go till 12am my time, which would be 3pm for you. Both my existing games involve US folks playing in their afternoons.

I also just played a game starting 6am my time with US Pacific Coast guys playing in their evening.

My Sunday eves are taken up with an existing campaign. I have another game on my Sat evenings, but I expect it will wind up soon.

The possibilities and scope for confusion are endless!

Yeah, unfortunately I'm not normally awake until 3PM being an atrocious night owl with bad insomnia (I was awake until 6am this morning)

Just move. I mean, problem solved amirite?

If I could move to a civilized country (i.e Not the U.S.?) I would.

 

[lategamer]

I was reading an online description of the Kafers and, I don't know why it hadn't occurred to me before, a civilisation which can manage to create the stutterwarp would certainly have managed to engineer a synthetic alternative to intelligence enhancement outside of stress and violence.

I mean, the game was designed in 1986 and like a lot of GDW stuff it aged.

What's slightly confusing in the new Edition is that they didn't modernise it. If it was indeed meant to be the result of the Twilight War but 300 years later, why is it still the old colonial powers in ascendancy. In my FRONTIER game, it's the Third World War that gives other nations a leg up. Australia. A Confederacy in Africa. Brazil. Places that weren't as damaged in the Twilight War. So it just ends up being "Europeans win again".

 

[Triumvir]

I was reading an online description of the Kafers and, I don't know why it hadn't occurred to me before, a civilisation which can manage to create the stutterwarp would certainly have managed to engineer a synthetic alternative to intelligence enhancement outside of stress and violence.

I mean, the game was designed in 1986 and like a lot of GDW stuff it aged.

What's slightly confusing in the new Edition is that they didn't modernise it. If it was indeed meant to be the result of the Twilight War but 300 years later, why is it still the old colonial powers in ascendancy. In my FRONTIER game, it's the Third World War that gives other nations a leg up. Australia. A Confederacy in Africa. Brazil. Places that weren't as damaged in the Twilight War. So it just ends up being "Europeans win again".

Kafers lagging in med tech, I can buy. They have a different attitude to pain and they breed prolifically. (Also, not to give anything away, but have you read 2320??)

Australia, Brazil and 'Azania' (southern Africa) are solid middle-tier powers in 2300. France is dominant precisely because it stayed out of WW3. But l I grant you it does not seem logical that UK and Germany are prominent as these countries were badly hit.

The background famously was gamed out from a geo-strategic board game, the rules of which are online somewhere (it was just called The Game).

However it's noticeable that the overall lineup is very reminiscent of the 1870s. Hard not to suspect the Game outcome didn't get tweaked a bit.

 

[lategamer]

Kafers lagging in med tech, I can buy. They have a different attitude to pain and they breed prolifically. (Also, not to give anything away, but have you read 2320??)

I've not read it. d20 yanno. Honestly, they'd have figured this shizzle out and would be taking supplements daily. Or even having a radio controlled dosimeter attached to every soldier. Now that would scare jaded 2300AD players.

Australia, Brazil and 'Azania' (southern Africa) are solid middle-tier powers in 2300. France is dominant precisely because it stayed out of WW3. But l I grant you it does not seem logical that UK and Germany are prominent as these countries were badly hit.
The background famously was gamed out from a geo-strategic board game, the rules of which are online somewhere (it was just called The Game).
However it's noticeable that the overall lineup is very reminiscent of the 1870s. Hard not to suspect the Game outcome didn't get tweaked a bit.

Yeah, if the players in The Great Game are really only playing the colonial powers...then no surprise. I think I'd expect more change.

It what makes it more the product of Alt-History than anything else. Twilight2000's premise was incredibly flawed.

 

[Triumvir]

Although, the fact it's the traditional nineteenth-century powers... IINN SPAAAACE is part of the appeal of the setting for me. It creates a familiar-but-different tone that is much more impactful and evocative than "United Americas and the Asian Combine", or some other "reasonable" but boring extrapolation from current day trends.

And anyway we are being a bit unfair because the next most powerful country after France is "Manchuria".

I am reluctant to admit how much time I have wasted colouring in my own 2300 world map on mapchart.net.

 

[lategamer]

Sure. I just think it’s a real missed opportunity. Everything is dominated by the nations who should still be in ashes.