Forward from the first Star Frontiersman
My gaming group sat down at the big conference table in the
basement of the local public library and pulled out soda and
potato chips. So far we had played board games: Chess,
checkers, even more complex games like Shadow Lords (anyone
remember that game?), Axis & Allies to name a couple. Yes, I
guess we were dorks. We had never played a RPG before.
I pulled out the Star Frontiers box. It already had a dented
corner from it being in my backpack. I pulled out the hastily
made character sheets and handed them all out. We had one
pair of dice that we had to share, and we made our characters.
One of our players at the time wanted to have a spaceship. I told
him that this particular game didn’t work that way – that
characters purchased passage on passenger liners and mining
ships to get from point A to point B (Knight Hawks accessory
hadn’t come out yet). He whined and complained, until I
promised to give him one as long as he accepted the hardships
that would come along with it. He readily agreed.
So we started our adventure as freight haulers. We were all excriminals
who couldn’t get jobs because nobody wanted to hire
you when you had a record. We were loading crates onto a
banged-up piece of junk boxy scout ship.
As we did, we were annoyed by the customs inspector arguing
with the ship’s captain (whose name escapes me – I made it up
on the spot so it was probably dumb). During that argument,
one of our characters dropped a crate (random Strength checks
until someone dropped it). Out poured a bunch of contraband
drugs... we all stared astonished as the ship’s captain pulled out
a blaster and shot the inspector dead!
He forced us into his service because his own men were out
carousing, and he needed an impromptu crew. We had many
adventures under the command of that smuggler, and eventually
we tired of being his reluctant crew and had it out with him. He
died at our hands, and we were piloting around the Frontier in a
stolen ship wanted for many crimes, always looking over our
shoulder for Star Law and the several criminal bosses our excaptain
had pissed off.
That’s why I keep coming back to Star Frontiers. So many
memories of such amazing sci-fi fun. I plan to try to give this old
game new legs through these gazetteers, the first of which you
hold in your hands (or are reading on your computer!). If you
have material you’d like to see presented, please contact me and
I’ll add it. Of course, I may take license to make modifications or
clarifications to what you provide. Hey – it’s my project!! Haha...
Enjoy,
Bill Logan
Roll Initiative!
This excerpt came from an article by Bill Logan on Creative Refereeing in Star Frontiersman #8. For me it was an awesome moment gaming Star Frontiers and I can almost imagine that special moment in his son's eyes.
My son was playing a Yazirian, and the rest of the
player’s characters had been shot down or stunned
by members of the Redhawks, a notorious band of
thugs and killers they were sent to disburse. He
started getting really into the situation, I could see
it in his eyes. He was worried for his character and
was wondering if he or any of the others were
going to survive this adventure.
He rolled for battlerage… and even with the pitiful
chance of success, he succeeded. Even though the
odds were against him, and even though
battlerage wouldn’t be enough to save him, I knew
I had to let him have his moment. I could see it in
his face: the memorable moment of the adventure
was here.
“Time slows for you… everyone else feels a single
heartbeat but you feel like that heartbeat stretches
out for many seconds. The storm strengthens, the
rain coming down in the alley with great power –
as if providing a soundtrack to the impending burst
of rage you’re about to unleash. The remaining
Redhawk’s eyes widen when they sense your
building surge of raw animal power – but it’s too
late… you unleash it!
“Roll initiative…”