IanBruntlett
Emperor Mongoose
Also, say if some players blatantly used hi-tech equipment in front of natives, maybe a visit from the Spanish Inquisition is in order?
17th Century Pirates anyone?
- Thread starter MongooseMatt
- Start date
alex_greene
Guest
I didn't expect that.IanBruntlett said:
IanBruntlett
Emperor Mongoose
No-one does :twisted:alex_greene said:
I threw a yes in there, but its qualified: I'd check it out to see how you pulled it off, I don't know that I'd be all over it.
Like crazy cat, my first impulse for a pirates game would be Savage Worlds. I also have fond memories of an ICE game, Run out the Guns, based on Rolemaster mechanics but without the char-gen. I probably wouldn't run that now, but it had some cool carousing mechanics I might try to salvage.
Like crazy cat, my first impulse for a pirates game would be Savage Worlds. I also have fond memories of an ICE game, Run out the Guns, based on Rolemaster mechanics but without the char-gen. I probably wouldn't run that now, but it had some cool carousing mechanics I might try to salvage.
I think it could be superb. Would happily volunteer to help with number crunching/playtest/assisting writing
Traveller is a nice, generic system and its mechanics translate to olde worlde as easily as not.
A decent map (showing trade routes and ports), some new career tables (agreed, start earlier and reduce the term - maybe 14/2 years?) and you're good to go. We could with more detail on the ships themselves - naval combat will be a bigger deal, and 'the weather gauge' is an important part of determining success. Equally, the standard rules for vehicles shooting at each other could stand a little scrutiny - firing assault rifles between speeding cars, or lasers across light-seconds of range, and a randomised target location is fine. Shots at near-point-blank-range between 17th century warships, where some areas (main hull) are massively tougher than others (masts and rigging) and there are easily defined 'shoot to cripple' targets, mean that a completely random target isn't really acceptible.
The nice thing is that once you've got a tweaked 'historic naval engagement' working, it works for spanish main pirates, napoleonic naval, hanseatic, hell, even greek and roman if you do it right.
Currency, fine.
Trade - obviously no radioactives, but the system is as good (or bad) as it ever is.
Encounter tables and reputation (a la Pirates of Drinax) would be good. Depending on when you set it (e.g. post-napoleonic wars as you indicated) you've only really got a scale of Navy - Everyone else - Pirates, so SOC becomes a useful 'alignment indicator', with the easy proviso of inverting your SOC DM in appropriate situations.
Traveller is a nice, generic system and its mechanics translate to olde worlde as easily as not.
A decent map (showing trade routes and ports), some new career tables (agreed, start earlier and reduce the term - maybe 14/2 years?) and you're good to go. We could with more detail on the ships themselves - naval combat will be a bigger deal, and 'the weather gauge' is an important part of determining success. Equally, the standard rules for vehicles shooting at each other could stand a little scrutiny - firing assault rifles between speeding cars, or lasers across light-seconds of range, and a randomised target location is fine. Shots at near-point-blank-range between 17th century warships, where some areas (main hull) are massively tougher than others (masts and rigging) and there are easily defined 'shoot to cripple' targets, mean that a completely random target isn't really acceptible.
The nice thing is that once you've got a tweaked 'historic naval engagement' working, it works for spanish main pirates, napoleonic naval, hanseatic, hell, even greek and roman if you do it right.
Currency, fine.
Trade - obviously no radioactives, but the system is as good (or bad) as it ever is.
Encounter tables and reputation (a la Pirates of Drinax) would be good. Depending on when you set it (e.g. post-napoleonic wars as you indicated) you've only really got a scale of Navy - Everyone else - Pirates, so SOC becomes a useful 'alignment indicator', with the easy proviso of inverting your SOC DM in appropriate situations.
TrippyHippy
Emperor Mongoose
Yes.
Something on the lines of the Cowboys and Aliens as well as Attack Squadron Roswell. Thematically, I guess you could introduce an 'alien' backstory if you wanted to retain the Traveller sci-fi motif.
Something on the lines of the Cowboys and Aliens as well as Attack Squadron Roswell. Thematically, I guess you could introduce an 'alien' backstory if you wanted to retain the Traveller sci-fi motif.
The basic concept of Traveller where the independant ship in the midst of nowhere is the speed of communication is essentially the Age of Sail, its always been a model (for good or ill)....so a Pirates version using the engine is effectively using the source concept material for the original game in its natural historical context.
You will want to cover - merchant navies, national navies, pirate bands of different types, privateers and the assorted support professions like the smiths, the traders, the explorers - army stuff can be included too - infantry, officers, so much fun. I'll leave everyone to see the most obvious parallels.
THe work is going to be primarily in the background, setting and ancillary items rather than the core system mechanics (beyond new careers which will be hard going to get right). In some respects my worry would be that becuase the conversion seems so obvious and easy that it will get done too quickly than it actually needs.
Equipment will be the another big area to look at - how much (you want a lot of toys), how wide a range and will the tech levels be kept at Traveller levels for compatibility or split up into more gradations than currently in place.
How historical is it going to be - will it be the real Spanish Main, or will it slightly altered history (ie Pirates of the Caribbean films)
There's a lot of potential in my views but also some big pitfalls because the translation is so natural.
You will want to cover - merchant navies, national navies, pirate bands of different types, privateers and the assorted support professions like the smiths, the traders, the explorers - army stuff can be included too - infantry, officers, so much fun. I'll leave everyone to see the most obvious parallels.
THe work is going to be primarily in the background, setting and ancillary items rather than the core system mechanics (beyond new careers which will be hard going to get right). In some respects my worry would be that becuase the conversion seems so obvious and easy that it will get done too quickly than it actually needs.
Equipment will be the another big area to look at - how much (you want a lot of toys), how wide a range and will the tech levels be kept at Traveller levels for compatibility or split up into more gradations than currently in place.
How historical is it going to be - will it be the real Spanish Main, or will it slightly altered history (ie Pirates of the Caribbean films)
There's a lot of potential in my views but also some big pitfalls because the translation is so natural.
Personally i'd stick to Savage Worlds Pirates (as others have mentioned). That said, it sounds like it could be fun and some people would like it. Might be interesting to pick a low tech Marches World with a lot of water as a setting.
That said
I'd much rather see Droyne, K'kree and Hivers done (and a Vilani book maybe?).
That said
I'd much rather see Droyne, K'kree and Hivers done (and a Vilani book maybe?).
Hondo just popped into my head there. Been watching too much clone wars....
"This Venture Is No Longer Profitable!"
On a more practical sense, aquatic psionic aliens (anyone play terror from the deep?) gives you a way to recreate the more outre ghost/spirit/pocket world bits from Pirates of The Carribean.
GypsyComet
Emperor Mongoose
So we started with "Cowboys and Aliens". Then "Jets and Aliens".
This would be "Pirates and Aliens".
That still leaves "Vikings and Aliens", "Ninjas and Aliens", and "Romans and Aliens". With an option for "Neanderthals and Aliens" and the one some people assume is already part of the official setting, "Sumerians and Aliens".
This would be "Pirates and Aliens".
That still leaves "Vikings and Aliens", "Ninjas and Aliens", and "Romans and Aliens". With an option for "Neanderthals and Aliens" and the one some people assume is already part of the official setting, "Sumerians and Aliens".
Nathan Brazil
Banded Mongoose
So, why then did Mr. Sprange tease us with TL 2 and pirates?Jame Rowe said:
*sigh*Or is Medieval TL 1?
Egil Skallagrimsson
Mongoose
Pyrates?
I am fairly neutral about a 17th century supplement, to be honest I would much rather the Pirates of Drinx cycle was completed, whether as free download or as book I really don't mind. Similarly, Droyne, Hivers and K'Kree seem to be disappearing into the far distance, would like to see those developed.
I would rather Mongoose focused on the sci-fi side of trav, yes, it is easy to use the rules for historical rpg, and the supplement will be an absolute doddle to write, but would it have much of a market? Anyone interested in the Spanish Main will already have done their research, and drafted up the amendments needed to their preferred skirmish wargame or rpg rules.
So, overall, its a black spot from me.
Egil
I am fairly neutral about a 17th century supplement, to be honest I would much rather the Pirates of Drinx cycle was completed, whether as free download or as book I really don't mind. Similarly, Droyne, Hivers and K'Kree seem to be disappearing into the far distance, would like to see those developed.
I would rather Mongoose focused on the sci-fi side of trav, yes, it is easy to use the rules for historical rpg, and the supplement will be an absolute doddle to write, but would it have much of a market? Anyone interested in the Spanish Main will already have done their research, and drafted up the amendments needed to their preferred skirmish wargame or rpg rules.
So, overall, its a black spot from me.
Egil
TrippyHippy
Emperor Mongoose
Ancient Aztecs and/or Egypt and Aliens would be quite interesting I think.
I think the big pull Mongoose are feeling for pirates, however, lies with the notion of ship design and living on the frontier.
I think the big pull Mongoose are feeling for pirates, however, lies with the notion of ship design and living on the frontier.
Egil Skallagrimsson
Mongoose
Would not (wooden) leg end be a better fit for pyrates?
Thing is, any good pyrate needs to be able to swash his buckle in a dramatic manner, which legend can handle quite well, while MgT mellee combat is not so good (unsurprisingly, the system emphasises other aspect of play).
Egil
Thing is, any good pyrate needs to be able to swash his buckle in a dramatic manner, which legend can handle quite well, while MgT mellee combat is not so good (unsurprisingly, the system emphasises other aspect of play).
Egil
