2300AD Core Book Preview

[Lysander]

Inside art varied greatly. I like some of it, whilst much of it is not really great. However, I don't recall ever having been confused by its rendering of Käfers.

I struggled with their "heads" and what they really looked like. The sourcebook cover threw me off a bit. They certainly did not feel "bug-like" (as in the "cockroach" explanation I recall for the name) or even like a crustacean.

Frankly, someone could do a great service by doing a proper sketched full anatomy of the Kaefers. At least in my opinion.

When we fought skirmishes, I generally used GZG Kra'Vak or even Copplestone Predators (later I used WizKids) .... but neither was on point.

 

[dalek4890l]

I think the best ever Kaefer picture was from the Challenge magazine 'X-Wing down' scenario. In this article you have a good picture of a Kaefer and Human in close combat. Although it is only a waist up picture the detail on the Kaefer is very good.

 

[Gee4orce]

I think the Kafers on the cover of Kafer Dawn were drawn in a style that didn't match any other illustration of them. The Kafer sourcebook has then with more insect-like mandibles, and no pointy noses - much more like they are described in the text.

My 0.2p worth though - I've never liked the Kafers as a concept. The whole ideas of stress-induced intelligence is silly. Intelligence is evolutionarily very expensive, so if you've evolved the hardware (so to speak) they why not use it all the time ?

 

[Pentapod earplug]

I chose that picture as a reply to the earlier comment of the non-present carpace on the new illustration. The nature of the carpace is not evident from the sourcebook cover since that only shows the face. I never saw that magazine illustration. Sounds like a good one.

I always liked the Käfer concept. Beats all other alien concepts I've come across so far. What I did not like was the extraordinarily boring adventures that accompanied them. Tedious excuses for railroaded mass slaughter of commies in space. As far as this sub-setting goes, I still think that 2300 AD had a lot more to do with Twilight than anything else, such as e.g. Traveller.

On a different note. I still like the cover art of the various books, bur I am curious as to the strangely calm and unbothered facial expression on most people in clearly distressing situations.

 

[jwlovell]

I chose that picture as a reply to the earlier comment of the non-present carpace on the new illustration. The nature of the carpace is not evident from the sourcebook cover since that only shows the face. I never saw that magazine illustration. Sounds like a good one.

I did a bit of google searching and found this:

 

[GJD]

Kaefers have no nose, though - another problem with the Kafer sourcebook illo was the ridiculous hooked nose it gave them. ("My Kaefer has no nose!" "How does he smell?" BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM "Dead!")

 

[Pentapod earplug]

Nose or no nose, where are they at? Two months late, into the third now. I want shiny things!

 

[Colin]

It's with the printer, as far as I know, and should be in soon.

 

[dalek4890l]

The 2300AD core book is due for release at the end of the month

Which month would that be?

 

[Pentapod earplug]

I have heard of the Mongoose tendency to not be overly much on time, so I guess I was prepared for some delays. Let us hope that they will manage to get it out within 3 months late tops at least.

 

[Colin]

I have to bear a significant amount of blame for the tardiness of this book. I couldn't stop tweaking until the end, and correcting little errors...

 

[IanBruntlett]

I have to bear a significant amount of blame for the tardiness of this book. I couldn't stop tweaking until the end, and correcting little errors...

Not a problem. Looking forward to it and I prefer a perfectionist outlook instead of a hurried/sloppy outlook

 

[Pentapod earplug]

Raising the bar, eh . Looking forward to it.

 

[Colin]

ssssooooonnn...

 

[Gamerguy]

I like the preview quite a bit. I am also certain that the 2300AD book once released will be a must have book for your Traveller collection.

 

[Pentapod earplug]

M-kay. Not my non-existing Traveller-collection, though. Not to say Traveller delenda est, but I see no reason to base collections on core rules. Me? I just look forward to a nicely updated 2300AD universe in a massive book.

 

[Putraack]

So, I only skimmed this thread, due to the spelling issue.

Is there a possibility of a Star Cruiser II? That's what hooked me into the 2300 setting in the first place, and drew me in again when I rediscovered the "Lone wolf" campaign in Challenge magazine.

 

[Mark A. Siefert]

Is there a possibility of a Star Cruiser II? That's what hooked me into the 2300 setting in the first place, and drew me in again when I rediscovered the "Lone wolf" campaign in Challenge magazine.

How about A Call To Arms: Star Cruiser? It would probably have the easiest movement rules of any of the game's iterations: "Move the ship (or missile, or drone) anywhere you want up to its' maximum Speed. No Turn allowances, don't need them."

However, if we are to play to scale, say 1 inch = 60,000 km, weapons ranges are going to be very, very short.

On the other hand, I always wanted a mini of the Richelieu and/or a Reagan class in my miniature collection.

 

[Pentapod earplug]

Minis! I Will Buy! I need Richileu, and an Aconit or two. And a Bismark. Oh, and fighters too. Well, I need most of them. I have asked before and, since I am utterly useless at 3D modelling; How hard is it to convert a 3D image to a printable model?

 

[Strithe]

How about A Call To Arms: Star Cruiser? It would probably have the easiest movement rules of any of the game's iterations: "Move the ship (or missile, or drone) anywhere you want up to its' maximum Speed. No Turn allowances, don't need them."

However, if we are to play to scale, say 1 inch = 60,000 km, weapons ranges are going to be very, very short.

That was pretty much the case with the original wasn't it? If you wanted to reach out & touch someone you needed missiles.