story arc
- Thread starter kafka47
- Start date
I always had the feeling that it wasn't so much a story arc in the B5 sense as it was more a future history. I always felt that GDW had plotted out the historical timeline and then simply presented the adventures at appropriate places along that timeline for the PC's to interact with.
This gave rise to the Poland storyline detailing the end of the war - Kalisz, Madonna, Krakow, Vistula, Warsaw and Going Home. Once back in America, the story shifted to the distigration of the US - Armys, Alleghany, Airlords, Kidnapped, Urban Guerrilla as one possible line. Then you have the Last Submarine trilogy which gives an overview of the Naval situation. Next there are all the various one shots that exist in this pile and last is the Return to Europe - Return to Warsaw, Bears Den, White Eagle and UK.
After that it's second edition time and that, as far as story is concerned is even less coherent than the 1st edition ever was. What little story that was attempted before GDW closed was the Merc 2000 material although there was a turn back to Europe again at the very end.
Loren Wiseman was, IIRC, line editor for T2K. You might ask him (lkw at io dot com) if he remembers anything about it.
Hope this is of some help,
William
This gave rise to the Poland storyline detailing the end of the war - Kalisz, Madonna, Krakow, Vistula, Warsaw and Going Home. Once back in America, the story shifted to the distigration of the US - Armys, Alleghany, Airlords, Kidnapped, Urban Guerrilla as one possible line. Then you have the Last Submarine trilogy which gives an overview of the Naval situation. Next there are all the various one shots that exist in this pile and last is the Return to Europe - Return to Warsaw, Bears Den, White Eagle and UK.
After that it's second edition time and that, as far as story is concerned is even less coherent than the 1st edition ever was. What little story that was attempted before GDW closed was the Merc 2000 material although there was a turn back to Europe again at the very end.
Loren Wiseman was, IIRC, line editor for T2K. You might ask him (lkw at io dot com) if he remembers anything about it.
Hope this is of some help,
William
No, I wasn't thinking of B5 when I mentioned story arc. But, at least from the first volume of reprints. It does seem that the adventures were meant to be played in some sort of general story line. As you said, a future history.
Would someone be so kind as to outline this history, if they have connected the dots between the various adventures?
Would someone be so kind as to outline this history, if they have connected the dots between the various adventures?
Thanks for a chronology of the major battles. This helps somewhat to see how the Third World War was waged.
But, hasn't anyone tried to compile a thread that linked events in adventures together into a storyline? As I stated in the original post, it is clear from the reprints that GDW wanted everyone to play all these modules in sequence...was this idea dropped in later modules? Or maybe only Marc owns all the modules...
BTW, the reprints mentioned two unpublished adventures at the beginning...would Quicklink consider publishing these modules as the adventure to accompany the T20 Twilight sourcebook?
But, hasn't anyone tried to compile a thread that linked events in adventures together into a storyline? As I stated in the original post, it is clear from the reprints that GDW wanted everyone to play all these modules in sequence...was this idea dropped in later modules? Or maybe only Marc owns all the modules...
BTW, the reprints mentioned two unpublished adventures at the beginning...would Quicklink consider publishing these modules as the adventure to accompany the T20 Twilight sourcebook?
Rather to my discredit I have practically everything ever publish for T2K sitting in a loft (I worked in a game store and no one ever bought T2k so I got them all cheapish to clear the stock)
I would have to say that I agree with William's sketch - You run from Poland helping the Poles, get the last ship back, go to New York or Texas to help mil gov/civ gov. Go to redneck country to capture a stock pile and take on the New American fascists.
You then have a little escapade with the submarine and go back to Europe and (if you are English) end up in GB taking on armies of football hooligans for King Charles III (man that was a cheesy supplement).
T2K v.2 had little plot - but you could go to Bangkok (presumably in that submarine!)
Oh and later you get picked up by the VILANI!, which makes T2300 rather redundant
I would have to say that I agree with William's sketch - You run from Poland helping the Poles, get the last ship back, go to New York or Texas to help mil gov/civ gov. Go to redneck country to capture a stock pile and take on the New American fascists.
You then have a little escapade with the submarine and go back to Europe and (if you are English) end up in GB taking on armies of football hooligans for King Charles III (man that was a cheesy supplement).
T2K v.2 had little plot - but you could go to Bangkok (presumably in that submarine!)
Oh and later you get picked up by the VILANI!, which makes T2300 rather redundant
Hmm, with a little work and tweaking, surely this could be the basis for a great T20 epic.
We could have instead of the US infantry, we could have a group of Solomani Army soldiers trying to make their way back home in the ruins of many worlds of the Solomani Rim War. The RDF sourcebook and Desert Storm modules would be perfect for desert worlds. The Last Submarine could be a deserted starship laying in the demilitarized zone.
The Balkans would provide ample description for any number of Balkanized worlds. The KGB would make a perfect INS and rival units of the GRU could form the basis of mop-up crews of the MofJ Special Branch.
And, when the soldiers make it back to Home to the core Solomani worlds only to find a three way between the moderates (Civgov), the military brass (Milgov) and Neo-Nazi fanatics (New America movement).
Naturally, I am basing all this upon the completion of reading the first set of reprints and my extensive reading of the articles in Challenge, especially, the adverts for T2000.
Do others think that is something which will work?
We could have instead of the US infantry, we could have a group of Solomani Army soldiers trying to make their way back home in the ruins of many worlds of the Solomani Rim War. The RDF sourcebook and Desert Storm modules would be perfect for desert worlds. The Last Submarine could be a deserted starship laying in the demilitarized zone.
The Balkans would provide ample description for any number of Balkanized worlds. The KGB would make a perfect INS and rival units of the GRU could form the basis of mop-up crews of the MofJ Special Branch.
And, when the soldiers make it back to Home to the core Solomani worlds only to find a three way between the moderates (Civgov), the military brass (Milgov) and Neo-Nazi fanatics (New America movement).
Naturally, I am basing all this upon the completion of reading the first set of reprints and my extensive reading of the articles in Challenge, especially, the adverts for T2000.
Do others think that is something which will work?
Graham2001
SOC-12
As far as I can tell the order of the T2K adventures was as follows:
Players starting in Europe all began with 'Escape from Kaslitz' the path that followed had two branching points, the first depends on which direction the players try to escape from the Kaslitz area, the second is dependant upon the players actions in Krakow.
'Escape from Kaslitz', leads either south to 'Black Madonna' or south east to 'Free City of Krakow'
'Free City of Krakow', leads west to 'Black Madonna', roughly north to 'Pirates of the Vistula/Ruins of Warsaw' or east to 'Bears Den'. (NOTE: While published as part of the 'Return to Europe' series, chronologically 'Bears Den' takes place only a few months (December 2000) after the events of 'Ruins of Warsaw', which runs late August to October 2000.)
From Black Madonna the only real path (As far as I can tell.) is east to Krakow, however from all of the presented scenarios it is possible to either involve the players in 'Going Home' and return them to the United States or contrive their move to the Middle East or Britain.
The pathway in the United States is more complicated; there are four entries, 'Red Star/Lone Star', 'Airlords of the Ozarks', 'Gateway to the Caribbean' and 'Armies of the Night'.
'Red Star/Lone Star' leads either to 'Airlords of the Ozarks' or to 'Urban Guerilla'
'Airlords of the Ozarks' could lead either east to 'Allegheny Uprising'/'Kidnapping' or the players could go to either 'Red Star/Lone Star' or 'Urban Guerilla'.
'Gateway to the Caribbean' was intended as the lead-in to 'Urban Guerilla' but could also lead the players to 'Red Star/Lone Star'
Finally, 'Armies of the Night' leads either west to 'Allegheny Uprising'/Kidnapping' or north east to the 'Last Submarine Trilogy'
The 'Last Submarine Trilogy' leads back to Europe and 'Return to Warsaw'(Sequel to 'Ruins of Warsaw')/'White Eagle' (Sequel to 'Black Madonna'/'Free City of Krakow')
In the Middle East the adventure path is short, there are only two scenarios, 'Shell Game' (Challenge 30) and 'Kings Ransom'.
There is only one published British adventure, 'Sheltie Holiday' (Challenge 43).
Please note that this does not included either 'Satellite Down', or 3W's 'City of Angels', which I have not read.
I hope this is useful.
Graham
Players starting in Europe all began with 'Escape from Kaslitz' the path that followed had two branching points, the first depends on which direction the players try to escape from the Kaslitz area, the second is dependant upon the players actions in Krakow.
'Escape from Kaslitz', leads either south to 'Black Madonna' or south east to 'Free City of Krakow'
'Free City of Krakow', leads west to 'Black Madonna', roughly north to 'Pirates of the Vistula/Ruins of Warsaw' or east to 'Bears Den'. (NOTE: While published as part of the 'Return to Europe' series, chronologically 'Bears Den' takes place only a few months (December 2000) after the events of 'Ruins of Warsaw', which runs late August to October 2000.)
From Black Madonna the only real path (As far as I can tell.) is east to Krakow, however from all of the presented scenarios it is possible to either involve the players in 'Going Home' and return them to the United States or contrive their move to the Middle East or Britain.
The pathway in the United States is more complicated; there are four entries, 'Red Star/Lone Star', 'Airlords of the Ozarks', 'Gateway to the Caribbean' and 'Armies of the Night'.
'Red Star/Lone Star' leads either to 'Airlords of the Ozarks' or to 'Urban Guerilla'
'Airlords of the Ozarks' could lead either east to 'Allegheny Uprising'/'Kidnapping' or the players could go to either 'Red Star/Lone Star' or 'Urban Guerilla'.
'Gateway to the Caribbean' was intended as the lead-in to 'Urban Guerilla' but could also lead the players to 'Red Star/Lone Star'
Finally, 'Armies of the Night' leads either west to 'Allegheny Uprising'/Kidnapping' or north east to the 'Last Submarine Trilogy'
The 'Last Submarine Trilogy' leads back to Europe and 'Return to Warsaw'(Sequel to 'Ruins of Warsaw')/'White Eagle' (Sequel to 'Black Madonna'/'Free City of Krakow')
In the Middle East the adventure path is short, there are only two scenarios, 'Shell Game' (Challenge 30) and 'Kings Ransom'.
There is only one published British adventure, 'Sheltie Holiday' (Challenge 43).
Please note that this does not included either 'Satellite Down', or 3W's 'City of Angels', which I have not read.
I hope this is useful.
Graham
I have most of the T2K 1st ed stuff downstairs. I have Satellite Down, but I'd have to go look where it fits - somewhere in the North American section I think.
The bit that doesn't tie in (unless you took the Sub off in that direction) is the middle east bit. And given modern day events, if one was to retrofit T2K (or T2.01K) to modern history, that might be a *starting* place for US or allied forces.
Interestingly, as Canadians, we always played in Europe and made getting back to Canada a priority, so the US modules weren't really that interesting, but the coverage of Canada in the Challenge Mag was very interesting and of some importance to us in terms of what to do and what adventures to run once we got back.
What was the comment about Charles III? Is this from the mentioned UK module? Why was it cheesy? What was the synopsis?
Good game. Doesn't modernize well and my players kind of grew to not like the whole post apocalyptic bit.... we gave up Gamma World, Aftermath, and Morrow Project too.
The bit that doesn't tie in (unless you took the Sub off in that direction) is the middle east bit. And given modern day events, if one was to retrofit T2K (or T2.01K) to modern history, that might be a *starting* place for US or allied forces.
Interestingly, as Canadians, we always played in Europe and made getting back to Canada a priority, so the US modules weren't really that interesting, but the coverage of Canada in the Challenge Mag was very interesting and of some importance to us in terms of what to do and what adventures to run once we got back.
What was the comment about Charles III? Is this from the mentioned UK module? Why was it cheesy? What was the synopsis?
Good game. Doesn't modernize well and my players kind of grew to not like the whole post apocalyptic bit.... we gave up Gamma World, Aftermath, and Morrow Project too.
Graham2001
SOC-12
I have to agree there, the linkage between the Middle East and the rest of the setting was very loose. This was primarily because GDW did not provide much information on conditions in the area between the Middle East & Europe, aside from that information found in the second of the 'Last Submarine' adventures and an article on Yugoslavia/Albania in Challenge 47.
My T2k is in the attic - so I am working from memory.
IIRC - The British sourcebook had the government of Charles III around Kent and Essex. The rest had descended into neo-tribalism with (and this was ultra cheesy writing to my mind) football hooligans controlling cities such as Manchester (the Red Devils).
Given that most Red Devils live in London and are all soft boys - I would have thought they would have wiped out by the bomb.
I think there was a scenario about getting something for Charles III in the book but can't remember fully.
IMO think the British sourcebook was utter c**P and not worth getting unless you want to finish the collection. Sheltie Holiday was quiet good.
IIRC - The British sourcebook had the government of Charles III around Kent and Essex. The rest had descended into neo-tribalism with (and this was ultra cheesy writing to my mind) football hooligans controlling cities such as Manchester (the Red Devils).
Given that most Red Devils live in London and are all soft boys - I would have thought they would have wiped out by the bomb.
I think there was a scenario about getting something for Charles III in the book but can't remember fully.
IMO think the British sourcebook was utter c**P and not worth getting unless you want to finish the collection. Sheltie Holiday was quiet good.
Graham2001
SOC-12
I had a look through a copy owned by a friend and there are no scenarios in the sourcebook itself.
Sheltie holiday is very good, its a shame however that the sourcebook it was written for is such a let down.
Personally I'd recommend getting a Lonely Planet guidebook of England and improvise from there. Preferably with the help of the material from Subterranea Britannica.
Another good source (If you can find it.) is Peter Lauries 'Beneath the City Streets'.
