Play Snapshot/Mayday Tonight?

[SgtHulka]

Would anyone like to play Snapshot and/or Mayday tonight?

I've set up Snapshot to play it using OpenRPG, and could do the same for Mayday in fairly short order. I'll be in the lobby of the Blackstar Games Server at around 8 pm PST, so if you're interested, jump in and say hi.

OpenRPG is a free Virtual Tabletop program available from:

http://www.openrpg.com/

So long as you can install it, work your way to the Blackstar server, and say hi to someone there named "SgtHulka", I can teach you the rest.

 

[Border Reiver]

I'd love to give it a shot but 2000hrs PST is actually 0400hrs GMT and since I'm working at 0700 I'll not be able to attend, maybe on the weekend.

 

[Piper]

w00t!!!11!

openRPG loaded and Blackstar server found.
Thanks for putting in the work to bring this together!

 

[SgtHulka]

Heh heh, cool Piper, look forward to seeing you tonight.

But keep your expectations low! I haven't played Snapshot for about a year, and even then it was against myself. And I haven't played Mayday in like 25 years. So don't expect a challenging opponent!

Border Reiver: yeah, I might be able to jump on some weekend. Maybe late some Saturday night, which would be early your Sunday morning?

 

[SgtHulka]

Thanks again for the game, Piper. My dice were hot!

Now that we've knocked off the rust, maybe next time we play it will take less than 3 Hours.

To that effect, we should probably give some thought as to what scenarios we want to persue. A bit over a year ago I posted some scenarios to this forum that I had intended to be a little campaign. One player played the crew of the Intrepid and the other player played the crew of the Beowulf, and scenarios would alternate back and forth. Scenario one was Beowulf versus the Intrepid player playing mooks. Scenario two was Intrepid versus Beowulf player playing mooks and so forth. Trouble is, I had an idea of how the campaign would work over time (how to replace dead crewmen, etc.), and I've forgotten what my idea was. I think it had something to do with rolling up replacement crew or choosing them out of Supplement 1.

So starting to play through that is one possibility.

Or, we could just play through the book scenarios. Since character generation took so long, we should either pre-generate characters or roll for characters using Supplement 1.

If we want to pre-generate characters, we could create a list using the Invisble Castle online die-roller. You can use your forum name "Piper" and it will record every roll, so we can keep each other honest. I'm sure you're honest, but I need incentive to keep myself honest!

Even if we don't play through the scenarios I posted to this forum, it might be interesting to create and/or take from 1001 characters two full ship crews and use them both for Snapshot and Mayday. That way skills like "Pilot" or "Gunnery" don't end up being "wasted" skills.

Let me know your thoughts.

 

[Piper]

Thanks again for putting this together. I had a blast, in spite of being soundly thrashed

I really like the idea of trying out the scenarios you adapted, possibly tying them together with an occasional Mayday night. We could pull from 1001 characters or just generate some from Book 1. Maybe generate 6 and pick the best 4? Replacements would be added to the pool as needed.

Pre-generating characters is a good idea and Invisible Castle looks fine.

How would you feel about adding a random number of grenades per side, say from 0 to 2 based on die roll?

 

[SgtHulka]

Originally posted by Piper:
...or just generate some from Book 1. Maybe generate 6 and pick the best 4? Replacements would be added to the pool as needed.

Good idea. Let's do it. And let's assume a Tech Level 10 limitation equipment purchases. Keeping in mind, of course, that some scenarios will require all weapons and armor to be stowed in the ship's locker.

Originally posted by Piper:
How would you feel about adding a random number of grenades per side, say from 0 to 2 based on die roll?

Sure.

Character number 1 coming up...

 

[SgtHulka]

Snapshot character #1:

UPP: 3B8377

Enlisted in Army, barely surviving a training accident during his first term. He is commisioned to Lieutenant after his recovery and is quickly promoted to Captain. Despite his inherent weakness, he learns to brawl (1), improves his education (to 8), learns to drive an ATV (Ground Car 1), and learns to handle himself with a bayonet (Blade 1). He also learns Rifle-1 in basic training and SMG-1 in officer's training. His first term of service over, he attempts to re-enlist and only succeeds by forging his fitness report.

He excels his second term and is promoted to Major. He survives close-combat (Blade-2) and gets a desk job (Admin-1). He has become reduntant at this point, and his request to re-enlist is denied

He leaves the service with improved privelage (Social +1), somewhat wiser (+1 Int), and with 25,000 credits.

Unfortunately, he has no marketable skills, and will likely be forced to work as a Private Contractor with a Striker squad.

Finaly profile:

Army Major 3B8488 26 yrs old 25K Credits
Brawl-1 ATV-1 Bayonet-2 Rifle-1 SMG-1 Admin-1

 

[SgtHulka]

Snapshot Character 2:

Starting UPP: 858245

Enlists in the Scouts and surviveshis first term of service, where he is stationed on a high-G world that improves his strength (+1) and where the aggressive animals force him to learn to handle a shotgun (Gun Cbt-1). Like all Scouts, he learns rudimentary Piloting skills (Pilot-1). The character believes the recruitment propoganda and re-enlists. Unfortunately, that is the last mistake he makes, when his X-Boat tender is attacked by pirates and he's killed.

 

[SgtHulka]

Snapshot Character 3:

Starting UPP: 767989

His quick intelligence makes him a promising merchant recruit, and during his first term he both survives and is commissioned to the rank of 4th Officer. However, he barely loses his promotion to a Vilani kiss-ass. Despite that set-back, he applies himself during this term of service, learning important business skills (Admin-1), rudimentary Piloting skills (Pilot-1), and how to program a computer (Computer-1).

He re-enlists and survives the term but that promotion continues to evade him, perhaps because he didn't apply himself as well this term (Jack-O-T-1).

He re-enlists, survives another term of service, and this time is even promoted to the rank of 3rd Officer as he learns first aid (Medic-1) and becomes a proficient pilot (Pilot-2 now).

He survives a fourth term of service behind a desk (Admin-2 now). But he grows fat (-1 End from aging).

He survives (using first three rolls of mistaken command there) his fifth term of service but again is passed over for promotion. This time, however, he learns the much sought-after Navigation skill (Nav-1). He grows even more portly (-1 more End from aging).

Comfortable in his position, it appears he will continue as a merchant until forced out, as he spends a sixth term without promotion, but he learns how to handle a shotgun (Gun Cbt-1). His smoking habit is catching up to him. (-1 Str, Dex and more End from aging)

A seventh term of service brings him no closer to promotion. He does get back in the pilot's couch, however (increases to Pilot-3). He is growing quite frail in his middle age. (he is now a total of -2 str, -1 dex, -3 end)

Before his eighth term he is forced into retirement.

In appreciation of his loyalty, he is given a Low Passage, Shotgun, Blade, and has acquired a savings of 30,000 credits. He also has grown smarter (+2 Int) and has grown more proficient in the Shotgun (+1 skill).

Sadly, he has no chance of gaining ownership of a Free Trader, which was the primary reason he chose that branch of service in the first place. With his Piloting, Navigation and Computer skills, however, he can fill multiple positions on a starship's crew, and his medical skill will no-doubt come in handy.

His final stats are:

Merchant 3rd Officer 554B89 46 yrs old
Admin-2 Pilot-3 Comp-1 JoT-1 Med-1 Nav-1 Shotgn-2
Shtgun, Passage, Blade, 30,000 cr

 

[Piper]

Snapshot character A:
starting UPP
Enlisted in the Marines. and died in a horrible training accident.

 

[Piper]

Snapshot character B:
Initial UPP

Third son of a minor Imperial functionary, his father calls in a few favors to secure him a position in the Navy.
He struggles through his first term but his father's influence is enough to see him through and gain a commission.
Influence can only go so far and he fails to achieve promotion.
In the academy he joins the fencing club and learns the rudiments of foil but quickly loses interest.

Posted as a supply officer on a hospital ship, he learns the ins and outs of computer operations and acquires basic
medical skills.
Interested in pursuing a medical career, he reenlists for a 2nd term.
The Navy has other ideas and assigns him as Third officer on a patrol cruiser where he has a couple of close calls.
During the tour he is promoted to Lieutenant, serving as
gunnery officer and pulling watch as pilot.
In his attempt to be transferred back into the medical branch, he steps on some toes and is denied reenlistment.

Nursing a grudge, he is prowling the downport looking for a berth on the first ship going "anywhere that isn't here."

Final UPP: 379B9A
Age: 26
Navy, 2 terms
Skills: foil-1, computer-1, medical-1, gunnery-1, pilot-1.

Three rolls on the cash table.
Cr61000

 

[Piper]

SgtHulka: do you want to expand character generation to include Supplement 4: "Citizens of the Imperium"?

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

What time do you guys play this in relation to Eastern Standard Time?

 

[SgtHulka]

Originally posted by Baron Saarthuran von Gushiddan:
What time do you guys play this in relation to Eastern Standard Time?

Baron,

We've only played once so far and haven't yet scheduled our second game. When I'm free on weeknights, it is about 7 or 8 pm Pacific Time (10 or 11 pm Eastern time). I'm also looking into an early morning Sunday time to play with Border Reiver, who is in Europe, I think.

Currently, though, it doesn't look like I'll have a chance to play again until next week. Maybe next Monday night or so.

Feel free to start rolling up characters =)

 

[SgtHulka]

Piper and anyone else interested,

It occurred to me that the most effective way to roll up characters is to focus on Marines with Gun Combat-X. However, we are ostensibly rolling up the crews of the Beowulf and Intrepid, which is a spirit I see we've both stuck to so far.

So how about we further incentivize "real" starship crew characters with these two rules...

1) Your four chosen characters must be capable of fulfilling the basic crew positions on your starship. These are, at minimum:

Owner (Scout or Merchant with Starship)
Pilot (Pilot-1)
Engineer (Engnrg-1)
Gunner (Gunner-1)
Medic (Medic-1)

A single character may fulfill two crew positions plus the Owner position so long as he has the required skills. It is possible, therefore, to have a single Owner/Operator-Pilot-Medic, a single Gunner-Engineer, and then two Marines with no skills other than Gun Combat, if you were lucky enough to have characters with the appropriate skills.

2) If you *don't* have enough characters with the appropriate skills to fill out your crew roster, your *opponent* chooses a character with the appropriate skills from Supplement 1 "1001 Characters" or Supplement 4 "Citizens of the Imperium".

3) When characters are injured in a scenario, they are given a chance to recover between scenarios as per standard traveller rules (here having someone with Medical-X will help). Characters who die as a result of poor Medical Treatment or who are killed in combat are replaced as per rule 2 above.

The idea behind these three rules is to emphasize the importance of rolling up a balanced crew and keeping your crew alive, since your opponent will almost certainly choose the *lamest* character from 1001 Characters to replace your rolled character. This is especially true of the "Owner" crew member since, as you can see by my character 3 example, you have to get pretty lucky to gain access to a ship.

As for Citzens of the Imperium, sure, let's allow it. I'm a little concerned that Pirates might dominate, but it might be fun to have alternate ships like Yachts, Lab Ships and Seekers. Though it means digging up .jpg deckplans with 50 pixel squares.

EDIT: I re-read LBB 2 and saw that my crew positions were wrong. I've changed them to reflect the only 4 crew members needed on a Yacht, Free Trader or Safari Ship.

 

[SgtHulka]

Character 4:

Starting UPP: 6793A7

He tries to enlist in the Scouts but the Fifth Frontier War breaks out and he is drafted into the Navy instead. He survives his first term serving as a ship's gunner (Gunnery-1 and Vacc Suit-1). His re-enlistment papers are mis-filed and he finds himself mustered out on Regina after only a single term of service. All he has to show for it is a membership to the Travellers' Aide Society.

Final UPP:

Starman 6793A7 22 yrs old Travellers'
Gunnery-1 Vacc Suit-1

 

[Piper]

Snapshot Character C
Initial UPP
After having been rejected by the Marines, she is drawn into the seamier side of life. (draft roll of 6: Other)
The road is not without hazard, but she survivesthe first term and acquires bribery and brawling skills.

Unfortunately, her career is cut short and she finds herself needing quick passage off-planet.

Final UPP: B78579
Age: 22
Other 1 term
Cash Cr10000
Skills: bribery-1, brawling-1

 

[SgtHulka]

Character 5:

Starting UPP: 3446AB

Well-educated and of high social standing, Character B enlists in the Navy, where he hopes to emulate his father, "The Admiral". He survives his first term but despite his father's connections fails to receive a commission. His play in his squadron's basketball team improves his dexterity and makes him popular (Dex +1 Soc +1).

His re-enlistment request is accepted but once again he is passed over for commission. Perhaps his father had enemies in the service? This time he learns to handle a Laser Carbine. (Gun Cbt-1)

During his third term of service the Fifth Frontier War breaks out he survives a firefight while operating as a forward observor . His is recognized for his bravery and finally receives his commission, but receives no further promotion. (+1 Edu, For Obs-1)

During his fourth term he is promoted to Lieutenant and is given advanced education as a medic (Int +1, Med-1). He remains moderately fit. (-1 Str from aging)

He is refused re-enlistment and retires a Foil, two High Passages, 100,000 credits.

Final UPP:

Navy Lieutenant 2547AB 34 yrs old Foil HighPsgx2
Frwd Obs-1 Laser Carbine-1 Medic-1

 

[SgtHulka]

Character 6:

Starting UPP 999464

Character 6 would have made a promising Scout but is drafted into the Marines instead, where he is killed during his first combat drop.