This is just a little post to show that even though my blogging is sporadic, I am still cranking away on my Star Wars gaming source book thing. I have posted a section of it on mediafire in pdf format. If anyone is interested in downloading it, the link is here:
http://www.mediafire.com/?ipa9sb81dwn4z5b
This particular snippet is part of my 'organizations of the galaxy' section. In particular, it details some of the non-Jedi Force traditions in the Star Wars galaxy. Keep in mind that as with all materials I am producing, this is my personal take on things, not the exact 'canon' as presented by other sources.
Please let me know what you think about the format and content. Thanks!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Top Ten Star Wars Fighters
Yet another in my blatant attempts to give the public what it wants. No. Not more 'Star Wars Babes', rather, more top ten lists! So here we are. Admittedly this (like all other top ten lists) is highly subjective, but I will give reasons for my decisions on each. So here we go:
10. TIE Bomber
It may not be pretty. It may not be glamorous. But it gets the job done. You only really see any of these in the Empire Strike's back. And there, we see them randomly bombing asteroids to try and flush out the hidden Millennium Falcon. But this fighter earns points with me for feeling as though it is part of a 'family' of vehicles. So often in movies, every vehicle you see is completely unique in design. While this can be cool, I find that a group of vehicles that all share a common 'look' helps to make the Empire feel more unified and 'real'- and monolithic. They go for homogenous legions of troopers. Why not the same thing in space.
9. Vulture
The droid starfighter. I never understood the point of this fighter being able to transform into a 'walker'. Seriously. Why did it have to do that? It was made all the more stupid by the fact that when in 'walk mode' it was essentially walking on its weapons- i.e. they were pointing down and not usable. Meh. That having been said, I liked the compact and aggressive look of the fighters. And in space at least they looked like they could get the job done.
8. Naboo N-1
They were elegant. They had chrome finish. They had a droid socket. All plusses in my book. They were also grossly overmatched in a standup fight, both in terms of numbers and seemingly firepower. But then, that was part of the story that they helped to reinforce. These were patrol craft and interceptors, designed to provide security for a peaceful planet. They weren't designed to attack capital starship fleets-and it showed. They very neatly symbolized the 'more civilized' time of the Old Republic that was coming to an end.
7. TIE Fighter
The Symbol of the Empire and one of the most original and distinctive starfighter designs ever. These weren't just rockets with fins or airplanes in space. They were something completely different and something that set the tone for many designs to come. So they weren't entirely effective against Rebel ships on a one-on-one basis. So what? They Empire had a lot of them- once again reinforcing the faceless legion aspect of that philosophy. It was the obedient collective that would triumph over the individual.
6. Delta-7
The Jedi Starfighter as presented in Episode II. Tiny flying triangles. They looked fast and aggressive, but at the same time fragile. Again, I think there was symbolism at work here. Like the lightsaber, these were an elegant and precise weapon to be wielded by the Jedi. And like the Jedi themselves, they were a peacetime design, intended for peacekeeping duties, not the front-line rigors of all out war.
5. ARC-170
A beast of a starfighter seen only briefly in Episode III. I LOVE the look of the ARC. It alludes to the X-Wing design that would evolve from it, but at the same time has an antique World War II bomber vibe to it, what with the big bubble cockpits, multiple crew and a tail gunner! Sweet. Not surprisingly, there is more symbolism here. This is a craft built for war. Big and brutal. It shows how far the Republic has come (how far it has fallen?) from its peaceful pre-war days to the increasingly desperate fighting at the end of the Clone Wars. Unfortunately, in the movies we see that even something as badass looking as this can be taken out by hordes of droid fighters.
4. Y-Wing
I have a soft spot for the underdog. And the Y-Wing qualifies as that. In the movies, these craft just look... old. Old and beat up. And yet they fly out to do battle. You also have to give some respect that these bombers were the first given the task of blowing up the Death Star. That shows quite a bit of trust put in them by the Alliance tacticians. To me, these craft just look the part. A warhorse- albeit a warhorse that is past its prime.
3. TIE Interceptor
You really only get a few glimpses of these in Return of the Jedi, in the final space battle at Endor. I love them for the same reasons I love the TIE Fighter and Bomber. The Interceptor looks like part of a family. In this case, its an evolution of the family. The dagger-point wings give it a distinctly more aggressive look than the standard TIE. Even so, in action we see quite a few of these get toasted by the Rebels. Wedge in particular doesn't seem to have much problem with them. But then, Wedge rules.
2. A-Wing
Another design introduced in Return of the Jedi, the A-Wing hearkens back to the look of the Jedi Delta-7 in my mind, though instead of a triangle, its more of a wedge shape with fins. It just looks fast and maneuverable, and it is shown to be so in the movies. I like compact fighter designs like this and the A-Wing feels 'just big enough' to do what it is shown doing (unlike some other fighters I will mention later). The fighter also has the distinction of being the design that took down a Super Star Destroyer by ramming the bridge. Very David and Goliath.
1. X-Wing
The classic that I will forever be in love with. The X-Wing looks tough and elegant at the same time. It has a droid socket (which I love). It can 'transform' from cruising mode to fighting mode. In the movies it is shown to be (with a skilled pilot at the controls) the match for anything else in space (except perhaps a Dark Lord of the Sith). It is just awesome. I guess that's why I get irrationally ticked off when folks try to 'replace' it with things like the E-Wing. But then they designed a better version of it (the XJ) and now I am happy again.
So there you have it. My top ten fighter. But before I go, I want to talk about a couple that were at the bottom of my list, and why they wound up there.
Eta-2
This was the Jedi Starfighter shown in Episode III. In appearance, it was kind of the midway point between the old Delta-7 starfighter and the TIE design to come in the future. For these reasons I respect the design overall. Unfortunately, to me the Eta-2 just seemed WAY too small to be as 'awesome' as they showed it in the movies. The engines were so freaking tiny.. hell, everything about it was. To me, this strained the credulity of the design. Star Wars has always felt 'functional' to me, and this seemed out of line with the rest of what we have been shown.
B-Wing
You only glimpse this fighter in Return of the Jedi, and even then I don't recall seeing it actually do anything. This somewhat lackluster 'first impression' wasn't helped at all by the stats the craft was given in the roleplaying game. Slow. Unmaneuverable. Lightly armored. But.. oh, it had slightly more powerful weapons than similar craft. Oh, and it was supposed to attack Capital ships directly. Well, if you played by the game rules, that was just suicide. As designs go, I guess you have to give it SOME points for creativity. I mean, it is asymmetrical and does have that whole 'body rotates around cockpit' thing going. Even so, I'm not sure this design can ever overcome the stigma attached to it in my mind. Pity really.
10. TIE Bomber
It may not be pretty. It may not be glamorous. But it gets the job done. You only really see any of these in the Empire Strike's back. And there, we see them randomly bombing asteroids to try and flush out the hidden Millennium Falcon. But this fighter earns points with me for feeling as though it is part of a 'family' of vehicles. So often in movies, every vehicle you see is completely unique in design. While this can be cool, I find that a group of vehicles that all share a common 'look' helps to make the Empire feel more unified and 'real'- and monolithic. They go for homogenous legions of troopers. Why not the same thing in space.
9. Vulture
The droid starfighter. I never understood the point of this fighter being able to transform into a 'walker'. Seriously. Why did it have to do that? It was made all the more stupid by the fact that when in 'walk mode' it was essentially walking on its weapons- i.e. they were pointing down and not usable. Meh. That having been said, I liked the compact and aggressive look of the fighters. And in space at least they looked like they could get the job done.
8. Naboo N-1
They were elegant. They had chrome finish. They had a droid socket. All plusses in my book. They were also grossly overmatched in a standup fight, both in terms of numbers and seemingly firepower. But then, that was part of the story that they helped to reinforce. These were patrol craft and interceptors, designed to provide security for a peaceful planet. They weren't designed to attack capital starship fleets-and it showed. They very neatly symbolized the 'more civilized' time of the Old Republic that was coming to an end.
7. TIE Fighter
The Symbol of the Empire and one of the most original and distinctive starfighter designs ever. These weren't just rockets with fins or airplanes in space. They were something completely different and something that set the tone for many designs to come. So they weren't entirely effective against Rebel ships on a one-on-one basis. So what? They Empire had a lot of them- once again reinforcing the faceless legion aspect of that philosophy. It was the obedient collective that would triumph over the individual.
6. Delta-7
The Jedi Starfighter as presented in Episode II. Tiny flying triangles. They looked fast and aggressive, but at the same time fragile. Again, I think there was symbolism at work here. Like the lightsaber, these were an elegant and precise weapon to be wielded by the Jedi. And like the Jedi themselves, they were a peacetime design, intended for peacekeeping duties, not the front-line rigors of all out war.
5. ARC-170
A beast of a starfighter seen only briefly in Episode III. I LOVE the look of the ARC. It alludes to the X-Wing design that would evolve from it, but at the same time has an antique World War II bomber vibe to it, what with the big bubble cockpits, multiple crew and a tail gunner! Sweet. Not surprisingly, there is more symbolism here. This is a craft built for war. Big and brutal. It shows how far the Republic has come (how far it has fallen?) from its peaceful pre-war days to the increasingly desperate fighting at the end of the Clone Wars. Unfortunately, in the movies we see that even something as badass looking as this can be taken out by hordes of droid fighters.
4. Y-Wing
I have a soft spot for the underdog. And the Y-Wing qualifies as that. In the movies, these craft just look... old. Old and beat up. And yet they fly out to do battle. You also have to give some respect that these bombers were the first given the task of blowing up the Death Star. That shows quite a bit of trust put in them by the Alliance tacticians. To me, these craft just look the part. A warhorse- albeit a warhorse that is past its prime.
3. TIE Interceptor
You really only get a few glimpses of these in Return of the Jedi, in the final space battle at Endor. I love them for the same reasons I love the TIE Fighter and Bomber. The Interceptor looks like part of a family. In this case, its an evolution of the family. The dagger-point wings give it a distinctly more aggressive look than the standard TIE. Even so, in action we see quite a few of these get toasted by the Rebels. Wedge in particular doesn't seem to have much problem with them. But then, Wedge rules.
2. A-Wing
Another design introduced in Return of the Jedi, the A-Wing hearkens back to the look of the Jedi Delta-7 in my mind, though instead of a triangle, its more of a wedge shape with fins. It just looks fast and maneuverable, and it is shown to be so in the movies. I like compact fighter designs like this and the A-Wing feels 'just big enough' to do what it is shown doing (unlike some other fighters I will mention later). The fighter also has the distinction of being the design that took down a Super Star Destroyer by ramming the bridge. Very David and Goliath.
1. X-Wing
The classic that I will forever be in love with. The X-Wing looks tough and elegant at the same time. It has a droid socket (which I love). It can 'transform' from cruising mode to fighting mode. In the movies it is shown to be (with a skilled pilot at the controls) the match for anything else in space (except perhaps a Dark Lord of the Sith). It is just awesome. I guess that's why I get irrationally ticked off when folks try to 'replace' it with things like the E-Wing. But then they designed a better version of it (the XJ) and now I am happy again.
So there you have it. My top ten fighter. But before I go, I want to talk about a couple that were at the bottom of my list, and why they wound up there.
Eta-2
This was the Jedi Starfighter shown in Episode III. In appearance, it was kind of the midway point between the old Delta-7 starfighter and the TIE design to come in the future. For these reasons I respect the design overall. Unfortunately, to me the Eta-2 just seemed WAY too small to be as 'awesome' as they showed it in the movies. The engines were so freaking tiny.. hell, everything about it was. To me, this strained the credulity of the design. Star Wars has always felt 'functional' to me, and this seemed out of line with the rest of what we have been shown.
B-Wing
You only glimpse this fighter in Return of the Jedi, and even then I don't recall seeing it actually do anything. This somewhat lackluster 'first impression' wasn't helped at all by the stats the craft was given in the roleplaying game. Slow. Unmaneuverable. Lightly armored. But.. oh, it had slightly more powerful weapons than similar craft. Oh, and it was supposed to attack Capital ships directly. Well, if you played by the game rules, that was just suicide. As designs go, I guess you have to give it SOME points for creativity. I mean, it is asymmetrical and does have that whole 'body rotates around cockpit' thing going. Even so, I'm not sure this design can ever overcome the stigma attached to it in my mind. Pity really.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Top 10 Star Wars Duels
Not surprisingly for a movie series that features guys wielding laser swords, there are a lot of duels in Star Wars. But then again, not all of these even feature laser swords. Below are my top ten favorite duels (and an honorable mention).
10. Leia vs. Jabba
How does the Galaxy's most powerful crimelord go out? Choked to death by a slave princess in a Gold Bikini. You know? When I have to go out, I could think of worse ways.
9. Han vs. Boba Fett
After all the hype that had built up around Boba Fett it could not have ended any better in my book. Taken out by accident by a guy who was still half blind and didn't even realize what he was doing. The scream was nice. As was the plowing face first into the side of the sail barge and falling to your doom in the mouth of a giant sand monster. Joking aside, I really like it when movies take what you expect (a big showdown) and turn it on its ear. Raiders of the Lost Ark did this to great effect and I think this is another example of that.
8. Han vs. Vader
One of the shorter 'duels'. Han does an awesome quickdraw and manages to get off several shots- only to find it all for naught. Vader just ABSORBS the shots in his hand, then plucks the blaster away from Han without breaking a sweat. This scene does a great job of showing how good Han is, but at the same time how utterly outclassed he is. At the time it was awesome because we really never get to see Vader 'in action' all that much. He's usually just standing around menacingly or choking guys to death. Who knew he could just absorb blaster bolts!?
7. Yoda vs. Dooku
This is a controversial one. A lot of people were upset with the way Yoda was shown fighting. In the theatre a lot of people were actually laughing at this big showdown. And truthfully? I was one of them. But in this case, I was laughing WITH the movie, not at it. I mean, after all, what kind of fighting style IS a tiny dude like that going to use? Graceful and elegant just doesn't seem to work (it would take too long for him to be able to run over to an opponent). Psychotic, leapy buzz-saw? Yeah, I can believe that. There is a group of folks who think that Yoda shouldn't have been a duelist at all, that he was somehow 'above' that kind of thing. Meh. He was a Jedi knight. Jedi fight with lightsabers. It makes sense to me.
6. Obi-Wan vs. Anakin
Yeah, this one is remarkably low on the list considering what a big moment it was. This was THE fight that people had been wondering about since the first rumors of Vader's backstory began to leak out. It didn't disappoint. The duel was suitably titanic and charged with emotion and had a suitably horrific ending. But it just wasn't a 'cool' as some of the other duels- perhaps because I had built it up so much in my mind over the years that it didn't quite live up to expectations.
5. Han vs. Greedo
A short one, but an important one. I definitely like the original version better. It set the tone for Han Solo as a kind of 'grey' character in a universe of (literally) black and white. Besides, Greedo pretty much SAID he was going to kill Han. Han had every right to shoot before Greedo got the chance. I loved the coin flip to the bartender afterwards- sorry about the mess.
4. Jango vs. Obi-Wan
I loved this showdown and I imagine a lot of fanboys did as well. Here we finally get the scene they had been clamoring for since Boba's ignominious 'death' in Return of the Jedi. A knock-down, drag-out fight between a Jedi and a Mandalorian warrior. It did not disappoint. The duel as a whole did a great job of portraying just how badass BOTH combatants were. On the one hand, you have Jango using every weapon and dirty trick at his disposal- along with a lot of just flat-out guts and cleverness. And on the other you have an experienced Jedi Knight being pushed to his limits by a 'normal' person (albeit a normal person with rockets, flamethrowers, blades, tangle-wire, jetpack, etc.). To me I liked that it pointed out that however badass Jedi may be, they aren't invincible. This was important foreshadowing for events to come.
3. Yoda vs. Palpatine
I had always wondered if this duel ever took place. In the original trilogy, we see that Yoda is a very powerful Jedi. One of my first thoughts was "Why didn't he try to stop the Emperor?" Well here the answer is revealed: He did try. And he failed. THAT really drove home to me the power the Emperor wielded. Sure, Yoda knocked him on his ass a few times (literally), but the Sith Lord was just too much to overcome. Seeing Yoda scrabbling woundedly through the air ducts to escape was the culminating moment of the Jedi's fall from power. The good guys had truly lost.
2. Luke vs. Vader (on Bespin)
This duel had a huge impact on me as a 10 year old boy. Up until now I'd only really been exposed to stories where the 'good guys won'. I was shocked earlier in the movie when Luke seemed to be failing at his training and then came this fight. Whuf. It did a great job of setting things up, though. At first, Luke seems almost able to hold his own. In fact, early in the fight he displays some pretty cool moves (at the time at least). But slowly, Vader just pours on more and more of his own power. He wasn't just out to 'beat' Luke, he wanted to impress upon him just how outclassed he was. And wow, did he succeed. To his credit, Luke never gave up. He even managed to land a lucky blow. But then? Off came the hand. And moments later, the revelation that turned the saga (and Luke's psyche) on its ear. Yeah. Truly memorable.
1. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan vs. Maul
For all the faults in Episode I. All the things I didn't like. This was the one thing they did right- at least up until the very last blow of the duel. These were not the Jedi of my youth. Here was have an incredible duel with flips and leaps and moves so quick you could hardly see them. Add to this the 'Duel of the Fates' music and wow. I still get chills thinking about this duel. The fight choreography was nothing short of awesome. In my book, this is probably the best duel of all time. Unfortunately, there is one thing that sours it. The way Maul died just didn't fit with the rest of the duel. It seemed as though they just 'stopped' the choreography and tacked on this arbitrary ending. I know I or about a million fanboys could have come up with a better ending than what was done.
There they are. The top ten duels in Star wars. But before I go, there is one honorable mention:
R2 vs. Yoda
This scene still makes me giggle. Yoda, who has not yet revealed himself as a Jedi master, starts tearing apart Luke's camp site on Dagobah. R2 takes it upon himself to take back a lamp that Yoda had 'acquired'. The two get into a 'fight', with R2's claw clamped on the item, trying to pull it back and yoda wailing on the droid's head with his walking stick screaming "Mine! Mine!". Heheee. Nice.
10. Leia vs. Jabba
How does the Galaxy's most powerful crimelord go out? Choked to death by a slave princess in a Gold Bikini. You know? When I have to go out, I could think of worse ways.
9. Han vs. Boba Fett
After all the hype that had built up around Boba Fett it could not have ended any better in my book. Taken out by accident by a guy who was still half blind and didn't even realize what he was doing. The scream was nice. As was the plowing face first into the side of the sail barge and falling to your doom in the mouth of a giant sand monster. Joking aside, I really like it when movies take what you expect (a big showdown) and turn it on its ear. Raiders of the Lost Ark did this to great effect and I think this is another example of that.
8. Han vs. Vader
One of the shorter 'duels'. Han does an awesome quickdraw and manages to get off several shots- only to find it all for naught. Vader just ABSORBS the shots in his hand, then plucks the blaster away from Han without breaking a sweat. This scene does a great job of showing how good Han is, but at the same time how utterly outclassed he is. At the time it was awesome because we really never get to see Vader 'in action' all that much. He's usually just standing around menacingly or choking guys to death. Who knew he could just absorb blaster bolts!?
7. Yoda vs. Dooku
This is a controversial one. A lot of people were upset with the way Yoda was shown fighting. In the theatre a lot of people were actually laughing at this big showdown. And truthfully? I was one of them. But in this case, I was laughing WITH the movie, not at it. I mean, after all, what kind of fighting style IS a tiny dude like that going to use? Graceful and elegant just doesn't seem to work (it would take too long for him to be able to run over to an opponent). Psychotic, leapy buzz-saw? Yeah, I can believe that. There is a group of folks who think that Yoda shouldn't have been a duelist at all, that he was somehow 'above' that kind of thing. Meh. He was a Jedi knight. Jedi fight with lightsabers. It makes sense to me.
6. Obi-Wan vs. Anakin
Yeah, this one is remarkably low on the list considering what a big moment it was. This was THE fight that people had been wondering about since the first rumors of Vader's backstory began to leak out. It didn't disappoint. The duel was suitably titanic and charged with emotion and had a suitably horrific ending. But it just wasn't a 'cool' as some of the other duels- perhaps because I had built it up so much in my mind over the years that it didn't quite live up to expectations.
5. Han vs. Greedo
A short one, but an important one. I definitely like the original version better. It set the tone for Han Solo as a kind of 'grey' character in a universe of (literally) black and white. Besides, Greedo pretty much SAID he was going to kill Han. Han had every right to shoot before Greedo got the chance. I loved the coin flip to the bartender afterwards- sorry about the mess.
4. Jango vs. Obi-Wan
I loved this showdown and I imagine a lot of fanboys did as well. Here we finally get the scene they had been clamoring for since Boba's ignominious 'death' in Return of the Jedi. A knock-down, drag-out fight between a Jedi and a Mandalorian warrior. It did not disappoint. The duel as a whole did a great job of portraying just how badass BOTH combatants were. On the one hand, you have Jango using every weapon and dirty trick at his disposal- along with a lot of just flat-out guts and cleverness. And on the other you have an experienced Jedi Knight being pushed to his limits by a 'normal' person (albeit a normal person with rockets, flamethrowers, blades, tangle-wire, jetpack, etc.). To me I liked that it pointed out that however badass Jedi may be, they aren't invincible. This was important foreshadowing for events to come.
3. Yoda vs. Palpatine
I had always wondered if this duel ever took place. In the original trilogy, we see that Yoda is a very powerful Jedi. One of my first thoughts was "Why didn't he try to stop the Emperor?" Well here the answer is revealed: He did try. And he failed. THAT really drove home to me the power the Emperor wielded. Sure, Yoda knocked him on his ass a few times (literally), but the Sith Lord was just too much to overcome. Seeing Yoda scrabbling woundedly through the air ducts to escape was the culminating moment of the Jedi's fall from power. The good guys had truly lost.
2. Luke vs. Vader (on Bespin)
This duel had a huge impact on me as a 10 year old boy. Up until now I'd only really been exposed to stories where the 'good guys won'. I was shocked earlier in the movie when Luke seemed to be failing at his training and then came this fight. Whuf. It did a great job of setting things up, though. At first, Luke seems almost able to hold his own. In fact, early in the fight he displays some pretty cool moves (at the time at least). But slowly, Vader just pours on more and more of his own power. He wasn't just out to 'beat' Luke, he wanted to impress upon him just how outclassed he was. And wow, did he succeed. To his credit, Luke never gave up. He even managed to land a lucky blow. But then? Off came the hand. And moments later, the revelation that turned the saga (and Luke's psyche) on its ear. Yeah. Truly memorable.
1. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan vs. Maul
For all the faults in Episode I. All the things I didn't like. This was the one thing they did right- at least up until the very last blow of the duel. These were not the Jedi of my youth. Here was have an incredible duel with flips and leaps and moves so quick you could hardly see them. Add to this the 'Duel of the Fates' music and wow. I still get chills thinking about this duel. The fight choreography was nothing short of awesome. In my book, this is probably the best duel of all time. Unfortunately, there is one thing that sours it. The way Maul died just didn't fit with the rest of the duel. It seemed as though they just 'stopped' the choreography and tacked on this arbitrary ending. I know I or about a million fanboys could have come up with a better ending than what was done.
There they are. The top ten duels in Star wars. But before I go, there is one honorable mention:
R2 vs. Yoda
This scene still makes me giggle. Yoda, who has not yet revealed himself as a Jedi master, starts tearing apart Luke's camp site on Dagobah. R2 takes it upon himself to take back a lamp that Yoda had 'acquired'. The two get into a 'fight', with R2's claw clamped on the item, trying to pull it back and yoda wailing on the droid's head with his walking stick screaming "Mine! Mine!". Heheee. Nice.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Amusing
It should really come as no surprise to me, but you gotta love the internet. Take a wild guess at what is (by far) the most popular post on my blog(according to the built in blogger analytics thing)? Give up? Well, it has to do with a Gold Bikini. Yep. You guessed it. It's this post.
And after that, overall, the 'Top 10' posts seem to be the most popular. Interesting.
And after that, overall, the 'Top 10' posts seem to be the most popular. Interesting.
Magic Items in Star Wars
One of the things I dislike about the D20 Star Wars system— and one of the reasons it feels too much like D&D in space to me— is the whole 'items that give you bonuses' thing. Admittedly, this was more prevalent in the d20-based Star Wars video games (like Knights of the Old Republic) than in the tabletop game (from what I've seen).
Yes, I understand that some weapons and equipment would give you a benefit over others. Some things are just better made. A bonus to damage or accuracy or even a little boost to a skill. These are all things I have no problem with. It makes sense in a realistic and cinematic sense.
What I object to are items that give a bonus to something more metaphysical in nature. Like a headband that gives you a bonus to 'wisdom' or a set of robes that gives you a bonus to your Force skills. Especially if said items are 'stock' items. It isn't just one legendary HEADPIECE OF WISDOM.. its a.. headband that a whole order of Force users wore. It isn't a special set of robes infused with Force focusing crystals, its...just clothing that a particular group wore. Not only does it 'magically' give you a bonus, it is also a relatively common thing that someone, at some point, was mass producing. Even if you buy into the 'magic' aspect of it it becomes less so when it is just one of many, not a unique thing. Well, at least it does to me.
Yes, I realize that the Force is the Star Wars equivalent of Magic. But I prefer my magic to be more...well...magical. If it comes pre-packaged in numerous, interchangeable items then it feels to me like just some other kind of energy to be bought, sold, stored and used. It loses the metaphysical nature that I associate with the Force. Of course, George Lucas can be partially blamed for this, by officially reducing what was once an 'Energy Field that Surrounds All Things" to the emanations of a bunch of microscopic organisms living in the blood of a few specific individuals. Bleh.
In any case, I do not allow 'magic items' in my campaign- at least not of this commonplace nature. In fact, I can think of only two items I've ever really used. One was the Kaiburr Crystal (from the Novel The Splinter of the Minds Eye). What this artifact did was give a bonus to a Force user's power (I believe I did something like it gave the wielder a +1D across the board on Control, Sense and Alter). But this was a unique item. And one so treasured that it was usually kept locked up and secure until it was REALLY needed. Another was something of my own creation- the Darksaber. This was a lightsaber infused with the spirits of several Sith lords. It existed as a means of drawing others to the darkside. Yes, it gave all kinds of bonuses to those who used it (again, I think it was a +1D across the board, though I don't remember). But it also gave the user Dark Side points over time. And best of all, once the user was completely consumed, it no longer gave most of those benefits. The Dark Side is a tease like that- promising all kinds of power, but once it has you? Well, its content to leave you to your own devices.
So there you have it. I don't much care for +1 Lightsabers or Robes of Charisma +2 in my Star Wars campaign. Give me a few powerful artifacts with unique angles on them and I'm much more happy.
Yes, I understand that some weapons and equipment would give you a benefit over others. Some things are just better made. A bonus to damage or accuracy or even a little boost to a skill. These are all things I have no problem with. It makes sense in a realistic and cinematic sense.
What I object to are items that give a bonus to something more metaphysical in nature. Like a headband that gives you a bonus to 'wisdom' or a set of robes that gives you a bonus to your Force skills. Especially if said items are 'stock' items. It isn't just one legendary HEADPIECE OF WISDOM.. its a.. headband that a whole order of Force users wore. It isn't a special set of robes infused with Force focusing crystals, its...just clothing that a particular group wore. Not only does it 'magically' give you a bonus, it is also a relatively common thing that someone, at some point, was mass producing. Even if you buy into the 'magic' aspect of it it becomes less so when it is just one of many, not a unique thing. Well, at least it does to me.
Yes, I realize that the Force is the Star Wars equivalent of Magic. But I prefer my magic to be more...well...magical. If it comes pre-packaged in numerous, interchangeable items then it feels to me like just some other kind of energy to be bought, sold, stored and used. It loses the metaphysical nature that I associate with the Force. Of course, George Lucas can be partially blamed for this, by officially reducing what was once an 'Energy Field that Surrounds All Things" to the emanations of a bunch of microscopic organisms living in the blood of a few specific individuals. Bleh.
In any case, I do not allow 'magic items' in my campaign- at least not of this commonplace nature. In fact, I can think of only two items I've ever really used. One was the Kaiburr Crystal (from the Novel The Splinter of the Minds Eye). What this artifact did was give a bonus to a Force user's power (I believe I did something like it gave the wielder a +1D across the board on Control, Sense and Alter). But this was a unique item. And one so treasured that it was usually kept locked up and secure until it was REALLY needed. Another was something of my own creation- the Darksaber. This was a lightsaber infused with the spirits of several Sith lords. It existed as a means of drawing others to the darkside. Yes, it gave all kinds of bonuses to those who used it (again, I think it was a +1D across the board, though I don't remember). But it also gave the user Dark Side points over time. And best of all, once the user was completely consumed, it no longer gave most of those benefits. The Dark Side is a tease like that- promising all kinds of power, but once it has you? Well, its content to leave you to your own devices.
So there you have it. I don't much care for +1 Lightsabers or Robes of Charisma +2 in my Star Wars campaign. Give me a few powerful artifacts with unique angles on them and I'm much more happy.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Using Your Environment
What I am talking about here is that sometimes players don't think beyond the limitations of the 'stats' they see in front of them. An example of this would be a relatively 'low powered' party suddenly faced with having to take on a creature (or starship, or whatever) that is vastly more powerful than they are, stats wise. If they were to go toe-to-toe with the thing, they'd lose. So, what is the option? run away? Kamikaze attack? Sure, you could do either of those, but those aren't necessarily the ONLY options. Or rather, they shouldn't be.
As a game master, I love it when players come up with an 'out of the box' idea- one that doesn't revolve around their stats or skills or equipment. In a game- as in any good dramatic media- there should be room for improvisation and just plain clever thinking. You see it all the time in movies and books. The hero will find some unorthodox way to win against impossible odds. And yet in games, it seems to me that players sometimes get so boxed in by stats that they don't try these things as often as they could.
In a superhero game, for instance, one of your people goes up against a 'brick'. A villain who is so tough that pretty much any attack thrown at him does no damage. A player might cry foul to his GM for putting him in an unwinnable situation. But a clever player will quickly realize when the 'standard stuff' isn't working and look for some other way.
In a mini-campaign I ran, one of my players faced this very situation. Sharon was running a modified version of Spider Girl. Modified in that she wasn't QUITE as strong as the 'real' spidey. So it was that when she was faced with a brick (Rhino), her normal attacks weren't doing it. When she realized this, she began to look around for something else. Yes, there. That huge electrical junction box. Some acrobatic leaps and taunting later and she had Rhino charging right at her- at which point she lept out of the way and he plowed- horn first- into a lot of electricity. Down he went. I loved that maneuver. It was very 'comic book', but very plausible at the same time. I loved it- and I would encourage it in any player. Look around, think creatively.
On the flip-side, however, as a GM you should only try to reward good (smart) or dramatic (fun) ideas— and only when they're 'fresh'. Otherwise you might fall into a situation where players start to rely upon some MacGuffin to always appear suddenly to solve their problems. For instance, every time they face a 'Brick' they'll start to look for the huge electrical junction box. If the technique becomes 'routine' then its no longer fun or special. I am a firm believer in giving any plan a chance at success, even the 'wacky' ones, but keep in mind that a 'chance' means just that. No plan should be guaranteed every time its used.
Anyway, it was just a random thought. Back to work.
As a game master, I love it when players come up with an 'out of the box' idea- one that doesn't revolve around their stats or skills or equipment. In a game- as in any good dramatic media- there should be room for improvisation and just plain clever thinking. You see it all the time in movies and books. The hero will find some unorthodox way to win against impossible odds. And yet in games, it seems to me that players sometimes get so boxed in by stats that they don't try these things as often as they could.
In a superhero game, for instance, one of your people goes up against a 'brick'. A villain who is so tough that pretty much any attack thrown at him does no damage. A player might cry foul to his GM for putting him in an unwinnable situation. But a clever player will quickly realize when the 'standard stuff' isn't working and look for some other way.
In a mini-campaign I ran, one of my players faced this very situation. Sharon was running a modified version of Spider Girl. Modified in that she wasn't QUITE as strong as the 'real' spidey. So it was that when she was faced with a brick (Rhino), her normal attacks weren't doing it. When she realized this, she began to look around for something else. Yes, there. That huge electrical junction box. Some acrobatic leaps and taunting later and she had Rhino charging right at her- at which point she lept out of the way and he plowed- horn first- into a lot of electricity. Down he went. I loved that maneuver. It was very 'comic book', but very plausible at the same time. I loved it- and I would encourage it in any player. Look around, think creatively.
On the flip-side, however, as a GM you should only try to reward good (smart) or dramatic (fun) ideas— and only when they're 'fresh'. Otherwise you might fall into a situation where players start to rely upon some MacGuffin to always appear suddenly to solve their problems. For instance, every time they face a 'Brick' they'll start to look for the huge electrical junction box. If the technique becomes 'routine' then its no longer fun or special. I am a firm believer in giving any plan a chance at success, even the 'wacky' ones, but keep in mind that a 'chance' means just that. No plan should be guaranteed every time its used.
Anyway, it was just a random thought. Back to work.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Elite Military Units in the Star Wars Universe
Though there is a lot I dislike about the Expanded Universe of Star Wars, there are some things that I find pretty darn cool. Among these are the the various Elite military units that have sprung up from various sources. These have a real-world precedent in things like the “Flying Tigers”, “Black Sheep Squadron” and “Merrill’s Marauders”. These, in turn, were the inspiration for a lot of unit names in some of my other favorite games (Battletech, for instance). Below are just a few of the most famous (and fun) elite military units in the Star Wars galaxy- including a couple of my own.
Rogue Squadron
Though mentioned only briefly in the movies (the name only appeared during the Battle of Hoth in the Empire Strikes Back), Rogue Squadron is probably the most well known elite unit in the Star Wars universe. It is a fighter squadron in the Rebel Alliance (and later New Republic). Though growing from rather modest beginnings, Rogue Squadron became the (according to the novels at least) one of the best units in the Galaxy- respected by friends, feared by enemies. The name is just awesome, as is the fact that the whole thing is lead by my favorite supporting character of all time: Wedge Antilles. And no, I don’t want to discuss ‘Corran Horn’. Ugh.
181st Imperial Fighter Wing
Okay, so maybe the name isn’t as catchy as ‘Rogue Squadron’, but every good unit needs a rival, and this is about the closest thing to a match that the Empire has for the Rogues. Led by Baron Fel (the Star Wars equivalent of the Red Baron), this squadron began as a kind of ‘dumping ground’ for the empire- and was unofficially known as the “One-Eighty-Worst”. All of that changed when Fel was put in command. Though I am all in favor of the Empire being truly ‘evil’, it does help to put a ‘human’ and even ‘cool’ face on it. The 181st does that— showing that, while evil, the Empire does have ‘good people’ in it who are just misguided. It makes the situation all the more tragic. Of course Fel eventually defects to the New Republic, but the concept of the 181st is still very cool.
Thundering Herd
The name isn’t terribly impressive (the term ‘herd’ doesn’t sound particularly aggressive), but the idea of an elite AT-AT walker unit under command of General Maximillian Veers is just badass. Veers was another ‘hero’ of mine in the movies- the only competent Imperial Officer we really see on screen.
501st Legion “Vader’s Fist”
All jokes about the ‘fist’ part aside, the 501st has grown literally to cult status in the real world. It has an entire organization of people who dress up and make appearances at local events. This makes it a lot of fun in my book. In the Star Wars universe itself, it is cool to think that there are a few units among the ‘faceless’ legions of the Empire that stand above the rest. This one, apparently populated by clone veterans of the Clone Wars (redundant, I know), is one such unit. The battle-history of the unit was explored in the Star Wars battlefront games and includes the attack on the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Talk about a ‘history’. Whuf. Kind of dark, but cool.
Legion of Alderaan
This is an elite and highly motivated combat unit in the Rebel Alliance Army. It is comprised of soldiers drawn exclusively from natives of Alderaan who were off-world at the time of that planet’s destruction. Though little is said of this unit ‘officially’, I loved the idea of it. The last sons (and daughters) of a dead world, fighting to prevent other planets from sharing the same fate. Great drama and an awesomely idealistic and fatalistic story hook.
105th Company “Emperor’s Irregulars”
This was unit introduced in the West End Games (wEG) book “Wretched Hives of Scum and Villainy”. Essentially, it is a unit of Stormtroopers stationed in a complete backwater. It isn’t clear if they became ‘odd’ by being stationed here or if they were stationed here because they were ‘odd’. But in any case, the deal with these guys is that they’re a bit crazy. A whole Company of Stormtroopers with mental problems. They’re loyal to the Emperor, they’re more skilled than the average trooper, but they’re… just a bit ‘off’. This is reflected in their personalized armor and somewhat crazed commander.
Laramus Base Irregulars
This was a Mercenary outfit first described in WEG’s Galaxy Guide 9: Fragments from the Rim. Here you have a group of beings who tend to accept ‘impossible’ missions- and expect to take a high number of casualties doing so. What kind of people would do this? Why… crazy people, of course. Or those with nothing to lose. You’ll find both kinds in this unit. Though they sell their services to most anyone, the Irregulars tend to have Rebel sympathies (which makes them all the more endearing in my eyes).
Hell’s Hammers
An elite repulsorlift Armored unit in the Imperial Army- first introduced in the Imperial Sourcebook by West End Games (wEG). This is an example of adding color and a ‘face’ to an otherwise faceless Imperial war machine. This is a unit of soldiers who AREN’T stormtroopers and don’t exactly fit the mold of the Imperial military- using unorthodox tactics and pure fighting spirit. As such, they present a quandary to the Empire. On the one hand, they appreciate the fighting prowess of the unit, on the other hand, the ‘individual’ nature of the Hammers goes against the homogenized nature of the Empire and its emphasis on the strength of the collective rather than the individual. This paradox is explored in the slim information we’re given on the unit. Evidently the Empire uses them a lot, but also shows them little respect or support- likely because they just don’t know what to do with them.
Scimitar Wing
This is another West End Games invention- an Imperial Fighter squadron specializing in precision bombing. As such, they make use of TIE Bombers. What I found really cool about them was the fact that they were likely the basis for the name of the Empire’s new and improved bomber, the Scimitar. It is a nice little homage that helps give backstory (and color) to the Empire as a whole.
Aggressor Wing
Though not on the ‘same level’ as the Rogues, this unit of Y-Wing fighter/bombers was a premier outfit in the years following the Battle of Endor. I like the fact that this squadron isn’t glamorous at all. They’re led by a big, bull-headed guy (Colonel Horton Salm) and have a very ‘workmanlike’ vibe. While the Rogues get all the glory, Aggressor wing does all the ‘dirty work’. I can appreciate this kind of an attitude and its nice to have such a ‘hook’ for the unit, it helps set it apart from all the other “Rogue” copycats that followed (i.e. Knave Squadron… seriously? Were you just going through a thesaurus for other words for Rogue? How original).
The Knights
The original idea for this unit came from another WEG product- fragments from the Rim. There, they detail a Swoop (biker) gang led by a Force Sensitive young man who believes in the ideals of the Jedi Knights (hence the name of the gang: the Knights). Unlike other swoop gangs, the Knights try to help people out. In my own game, this eventually resulted in them being recruited by the Rebellion. There, they became an elite Repulsorlift cavalry unit. There is a lot of symbolism to go with that. Honorable warriors riding into battle atop trusty steeds. All they need are some power-lances.. yeah. Power lances.
The Yelsainian Cavalry
I wrote about this in a previous post, so I won’t go into it here. It’s an invention of mine. Basically imagine a unit of speeder-bike/swoop cavalry with a ‘western’ motif, complete with spurs, sabers, bugles and wide-brimmed hats.
Wild Card Squadron (aka Wild Card Aces)
This was an invention of mine. In my current campaign, I stole several story elements from the whole ‘Vong Invasion’ story. One of these was the Starfighter racing circuit going on- I believe it was in the Dubrillion system…or something. Whatever the case may be, the premise is this. Lando, in another of his entrepreneurial developments, is developing a racing circuit based upon ‘souped up’ Starfighters. This makes sense to me. Afterall, in the post-war era, there would likely be a lot of these ‘surplus’ fighters to be found (aka salvaged) and used in something like this. Well, when the Aliens attacked, Lando found himself near ground zero again. Though he had retired his commission (again), he managed to talk a fair number of his racers into re-arming their race craft and joining him in helping the New Republic hold off the invasion. This mis-matched and rag-tag group made quite a name for themselves in the early days of the war. Those who survived formed the core of a semi-mercenary squadron (known as the wild-cards). They fill their ranks from a lot of ex-military or underworld pilots and fly all manner of craft, from tiny Delta-7’s to Skipray Blastboats. Their unorthodox composition and pilot roster have earned them the ‘Wild Card’ name. The enemy never knows quite what to expect.
Katarn Commandos
This is a group of commandos ‘descended’ from the Endor Strike team and headed up by a veteran of that mission- Lieutenant Page. The unit (and Page) were first introduced in the Heir to the Empire series. I like the fact that they have roots in the trilogy, despite the fact that they were first ‘really’ organized during the New Republic era. Page himself is an interesting character- completely low key- a seeming ‘background’ character, only exceedingly competent and dangerous. I wonder now if that isn’t some kind of an ‘in joke’ the writer intended based upon the fact that he was just a ‘background’ character in Return of the Jedi. But no… I’m probably the only one who puts that much thought into these things.
The list goes on, but I’ll cut it here. And in case you’re wondering, this post was inspired by the fact that I’ve started working on another section of my sourcebook- Organizations of the Galaxy! These are just a few of the units I intend to include in this. I feel that things like this add a lot of flavor to any gaming campaign and can serve as a model or inspiration for player-developed units during the game. They also make great NPCs to run into or occasionally team up with (or maybe even be rivals with?). And honestly, when you look at these, you should realize that in the greater scheme of things, they’re just a drop in the bucket, a few thousand soldiers in a galaxy with billions. Plenty of room to make your own.
Rogue Squadron
Though mentioned only briefly in the movies (the name only appeared during the Battle of Hoth in the Empire Strikes Back), Rogue Squadron is probably the most well known elite unit in the Star Wars universe. It is a fighter squadron in the Rebel Alliance (and later New Republic). Though growing from rather modest beginnings, Rogue Squadron became the (according to the novels at least) one of the best units in the Galaxy- respected by friends, feared by enemies. The name is just awesome, as is the fact that the whole thing is lead by my favorite supporting character of all time: Wedge Antilles. And no, I don’t want to discuss ‘Corran Horn’. Ugh.
181st Imperial Fighter Wing
Okay, so maybe the name isn’t as catchy as ‘Rogue Squadron’, but every good unit needs a rival, and this is about the closest thing to a match that the Empire has for the Rogues. Led by Baron Fel (the Star Wars equivalent of the Red Baron), this squadron began as a kind of ‘dumping ground’ for the empire- and was unofficially known as the “One-Eighty-Worst”. All of that changed when Fel was put in command. Though I am all in favor of the Empire being truly ‘evil’, it does help to put a ‘human’ and even ‘cool’ face on it. The 181st does that— showing that, while evil, the Empire does have ‘good people’ in it who are just misguided. It makes the situation all the more tragic. Of course Fel eventually defects to the New Republic, but the concept of the 181st is still very cool.
Thundering Herd
The name isn’t terribly impressive (the term ‘herd’ doesn’t sound particularly aggressive), but the idea of an elite AT-AT walker unit under command of General Maximillian Veers is just badass. Veers was another ‘hero’ of mine in the movies- the only competent Imperial Officer we really see on screen.
501st Legion “Vader’s Fist”
All jokes about the ‘fist’ part aside, the 501st has grown literally to cult status in the real world. It has an entire organization of people who dress up and make appearances at local events. This makes it a lot of fun in my book. In the Star Wars universe itself, it is cool to think that there are a few units among the ‘faceless’ legions of the Empire that stand above the rest. This one, apparently populated by clone veterans of the Clone Wars (redundant, I know), is one such unit. The battle-history of the unit was explored in the Star Wars battlefront games and includes the attack on the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Talk about a ‘history’. Whuf. Kind of dark, but cool.
Legion of Alderaan
This is an elite and highly motivated combat unit in the Rebel Alliance Army. It is comprised of soldiers drawn exclusively from natives of Alderaan who were off-world at the time of that planet’s destruction. Though little is said of this unit ‘officially’, I loved the idea of it. The last sons (and daughters) of a dead world, fighting to prevent other planets from sharing the same fate. Great drama and an awesomely idealistic and fatalistic story hook.
105th Company “Emperor’s Irregulars”
This was unit introduced in the West End Games (wEG) book “Wretched Hives of Scum and Villainy”. Essentially, it is a unit of Stormtroopers stationed in a complete backwater. It isn’t clear if they became ‘odd’ by being stationed here or if they were stationed here because they were ‘odd’. But in any case, the deal with these guys is that they’re a bit crazy. A whole Company of Stormtroopers with mental problems. They’re loyal to the Emperor, they’re more skilled than the average trooper, but they’re… just a bit ‘off’. This is reflected in their personalized armor and somewhat crazed commander.
Laramus Base Irregulars
This was a Mercenary outfit first described in WEG’s Galaxy Guide 9: Fragments from the Rim. Here you have a group of beings who tend to accept ‘impossible’ missions- and expect to take a high number of casualties doing so. What kind of people would do this? Why… crazy people, of course. Or those with nothing to lose. You’ll find both kinds in this unit. Though they sell their services to most anyone, the Irregulars tend to have Rebel sympathies (which makes them all the more endearing in my eyes).
Hell’s Hammers
An elite repulsorlift Armored unit in the Imperial Army- first introduced in the Imperial Sourcebook by West End Games (wEG). This is an example of adding color and a ‘face’ to an otherwise faceless Imperial war machine. This is a unit of soldiers who AREN’T stormtroopers and don’t exactly fit the mold of the Imperial military- using unorthodox tactics and pure fighting spirit. As such, they present a quandary to the Empire. On the one hand, they appreciate the fighting prowess of the unit, on the other hand, the ‘individual’ nature of the Hammers goes against the homogenized nature of the Empire and its emphasis on the strength of the collective rather than the individual. This paradox is explored in the slim information we’re given on the unit. Evidently the Empire uses them a lot, but also shows them little respect or support- likely because they just don’t know what to do with them.
Scimitar Wing
This is another West End Games invention- an Imperial Fighter squadron specializing in precision bombing. As such, they make use of TIE Bombers. What I found really cool about them was the fact that they were likely the basis for the name of the Empire’s new and improved bomber, the Scimitar. It is a nice little homage that helps give backstory (and color) to the Empire as a whole.
Aggressor Wing
Though not on the ‘same level’ as the Rogues, this unit of Y-Wing fighter/bombers was a premier outfit in the years following the Battle of Endor. I like the fact that this squadron isn’t glamorous at all. They’re led by a big, bull-headed guy (Colonel Horton Salm) and have a very ‘workmanlike’ vibe. While the Rogues get all the glory, Aggressor wing does all the ‘dirty work’. I can appreciate this kind of an attitude and its nice to have such a ‘hook’ for the unit, it helps set it apart from all the other “Rogue” copycats that followed (i.e. Knave Squadron… seriously? Were you just going through a thesaurus for other words for Rogue? How original).
The Knights
The original idea for this unit came from another WEG product- fragments from the Rim. There, they detail a Swoop (biker) gang led by a Force Sensitive young man who believes in the ideals of the Jedi Knights (hence the name of the gang: the Knights). Unlike other swoop gangs, the Knights try to help people out. In my own game, this eventually resulted in them being recruited by the Rebellion. There, they became an elite Repulsorlift cavalry unit. There is a lot of symbolism to go with that. Honorable warriors riding into battle atop trusty steeds. All they need are some power-lances.. yeah. Power lances.
The Yelsainian Cavalry
I wrote about this in a previous post, so I won’t go into it here. It’s an invention of mine. Basically imagine a unit of speeder-bike/swoop cavalry with a ‘western’ motif, complete with spurs, sabers, bugles and wide-brimmed hats.
Wild Card Squadron (aka Wild Card Aces)
This was an invention of mine. In my current campaign, I stole several story elements from the whole ‘Vong Invasion’ story. One of these was the Starfighter racing circuit going on- I believe it was in the Dubrillion system…or something. Whatever the case may be, the premise is this. Lando, in another of his entrepreneurial developments, is developing a racing circuit based upon ‘souped up’ Starfighters. This makes sense to me. Afterall, in the post-war era, there would likely be a lot of these ‘surplus’ fighters to be found (aka salvaged) and used in something like this. Well, when the Aliens attacked, Lando found himself near ground zero again. Though he had retired his commission (again), he managed to talk a fair number of his racers into re-arming their race craft and joining him in helping the New Republic hold off the invasion. This mis-matched and rag-tag group made quite a name for themselves in the early days of the war. Those who survived formed the core of a semi-mercenary squadron (known as the wild-cards). They fill their ranks from a lot of ex-military or underworld pilots and fly all manner of craft, from tiny Delta-7’s to Skipray Blastboats. Their unorthodox composition and pilot roster have earned them the ‘Wild Card’ name. The enemy never knows quite what to expect.
Katarn Commandos
This is a group of commandos ‘descended’ from the Endor Strike team and headed up by a veteran of that mission- Lieutenant Page. The unit (and Page) were first introduced in the Heir to the Empire series. I like the fact that they have roots in the trilogy, despite the fact that they were first ‘really’ organized during the New Republic era. Page himself is an interesting character- completely low key- a seeming ‘background’ character, only exceedingly competent and dangerous. I wonder now if that isn’t some kind of an ‘in joke’ the writer intended based upon the fact that he was just a ‘background’ character in Return of the Jedi. But no… I’m probably the only one who puts that much thought into these things.
The list goes on, but I’ll cut it here. And in case you’re wondering, this post was inspired by the fact that I’ve started working on another section of my sourcebook- Organizations of the Galaxy! These are just a few of the units I intend to include in this. I feel that things like this add a lot of flavor to any gaming campaign and can serve as a model or inspiration for player-developed units during the game. They also make great NPCs to run into or occasionally team up with (or maybe even be rivals with?). And honestly, when you look at these, you should realize that in the greater scheme of things, they’re just a drop in the bucket, a few thousand soldiers in a galaxy with billions. Plenty of room to make your own.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)