Yet another weekend where I am at a convention, which is enormous fun, but enormously exhausting. One of the Picks is in honor of said con, actually - I am at MantiCon, both as a member of the Royal Manticoran Navy and as their Gaming Guest of Honor. Meanwhile, take a look at the otherwise all-new stuff in the Picks for Savage Worlds, World of Darkness, Ninja Crusade, and Cartoon Action Hour!
THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO WARRIORS OF THE COSMOS
Ah, that lovely nostalgia for all things 80s and 90s! Few cater to this better than Spectrum Games and their wonderful Cartoon Action Hour series of products. This is one of their most ambitious releases, and it has the power!!!
In this massive Cartoon Action Hour: Season 3 series book, the forces of good find themselves in a constant struggle against Nekrottus and his Blackskull Empire, who have already conquered most of Iconia! The book celebrates the 15th anniversary of this fictitious cartoon series/toy line, offering details about all six seasons.
While this is a supplement for Cartoon Action Hour: Season 3, it’s easily adaptable to any system you care to use.
This 251-page PDF contains:
• 80 characters
• 10 variant characters
• 20 vehicles
• 14 playsets
• 42 episode seeds
• 1 full episode
• An in-depth season-by-season look at the cartoon series
• A massive alternate “lifepath” PC creation system
• A random system for creating a PC’s Signature Quality
• A system for generating critters on the fly
• Information about the 2008 reboot series, the ill-fated animated movie and even more ill-fated spin-off series meant to target the “girl market”
• An entire chapter that presents information on the world of Iconia, including, for the very first time, a map!
• A gorgeous cover by C. Michael Hall
• Fantastic and evocative new interior art art by Nolan Segrest, Patrick Sullivan and Andres Rey De Castro
——————————————————————-
About Cartoon Action Hour: Season 3
Cartoon Action Hour: Season 3 is the third edition of the game that was nominated for “Best RPG” at the 2004 Origins Awards. The game faithfully and meticulously emulates the action-adventure cartoons of the 1980s, using “cartoon logic” as the basis for every aspect of the system. This is not just a universal game that just happens to be adorned with genre-appropriate art. Every single design decision was made with the purpose of bringing to life the retro-toons of yesteryear, right at your gaming table.
It can be purchased here.
THE GOON
Pinnacle launched a couple of very intriguing Kickstarters, linked to very popular Dark Horse Comics properties. This one gives you one of the strangest RPG experiences you’re likely to have, set in a world where not-very-good people need to be the heroes their community deserves.
The Goon™ Roleplaying Game is based on the multiple Eisner Award-winning comic, The Goon™, by Eric Powell.
Join the Goon’s crime syndicate—or play as Goon, Franky, and the rest of their crew—and fight off the rival gangs what’s encroachin’ on your turf, while you collect on Goon’s debts and whatnot. You might also succeed at fighting off the tide of bleak suffering that’s set to consume yer soul. Then again you might not!
But while you’re contemplatin’ the psychology and so forth, make sure to watch out for Zombie Priest and his legions of groanin’, brain-chomping zombies; they’re a constant hassle. If that ain’t bad enough, there’s crazed-yet-brilliant Dr. Hieronymus Alloy and his robots goin’ on a rampage every other week. You also want to keep a lookout for swarms of chug-heads…what they call “changelings.” Yeah. They’re nasty little buggers.
Believe me, pal, we ain’t even got to the worst of it yet. You sure you wanna join up with Goon’s crew?
This game requires the Savage Worlds core rules to play.
EMPIRE'S REIGN
Another successful Kickstarter product, now available on DriveThruRPG. Eloy Lasanta does a lot of things well, but nothing better than his wonderful Ninja Crusade game (now in its 2nd Edition). This is a rather special product, one that turns the premise on its head by letting you play heroes of the empire, facing off against the unruly, disloyal ninja!
The Emperor will lead us…
Born of loyalty and a sense of patriotism, the Izou Army isn’t made up of mindless, faceless foot soldiers. Each one is a living, breathing being fighting for what they think is right. That happens to be working toward the eradication of all ninja, putting them face-to-face with magical enemies who wield deadly forces. The Izou Army has a few tricks up it’s sleeve though.
…to a victory like never before.
Empire’s Reign is the fourth sourcebook for The Ninja Crusade 2nd Edition and explores the secrets of the Izou Army. Learn about the Emperor’s strategic military locations, and the special units he has under his control, like the Executioners, the Silver Blades or the Iron Breakers. The war has dwindled in past years, but it the powder keg has already been lit.
This Book Includes:
V20 DARK AGES COMPANION
The Dark Ages as only the World of Darkness can express them. Lots of information specifically about domains, how to build them, and how to keep them from disappearing in a wave of terror and death.
Travel the long roads and deep seas in search of power and experience danger, or tackle the wilderness to hunt monsters and face death. Settlements large and small dot the black expanse with the promise of sanctuary, life, and community. These bastions of civilization present cold comfort, when playing host to vampire warlords and sadistic Cainite faiths. Whether led by a Prince, a coordinated belief, or hounded by monsters from without and within — no domain is truly the same as another.
Dark Ages Companion includes:
• Domains scattered across the world, from small fiefdoms to massive cities. Bath, Bjarkarey, Constantinople, Rome, Mogadishu, and Mangaluru each receive coverage.
• Apocrypha including plot hooks, new Paths, and mysteries to explore in your games.
• A how-to guide on building a domain within your chronicle, including events and servants necessary to make a domain as functional or dysfunctional as you wish.
• A study on warfare in the Dark Ages period, so combat in your chronicles can gain authenticity and lethality.
SAGANAMI ISLAND TACTICAL SIMULATOR
As you read this, I am in Minnesota at MantiCon 2017, a fantastic show devoted to all-things-geeky, but centered on the Honorverse. Not only am I a member of The Royal Manticoran Navy (Captain Sean Patrick Fannon, Commanding Officer, HMS Reliant; Communications Officer for the Office of the First Space Lord), I am also the Gaming Guest of Honor.
In honor of all that (see what I did there?), here’s a callback to a great space combat game set in the Honorverse. What’s fascinating about this game is how it manages 3D movement and combat at a truly science-fiction galactic scale.
Space Combat in the Universe of Honor Harrington!
Saganami Island Tactical Simulator puts you in command of the ships of the Honorverse. Based on the game engine from the Origin Award winning game, Attack Vector Tactical.
Thrill to the long range missile duel, dancing in 3-D vector space with broadsides of laser heads. Or close in to “kissing distance” and unleash the titanic fury of grasers and lasers!
SITS uses two game scales – the tactical game scale has 7.5 minute turns, and 125,000 km hexes. The system scale uses 25 light second hexes and 1 hour turns, with simple rules for transitioning between scales.
This download includes JUST the rule book as found in the box game version of SITS.
-----
So there's the week's Picks, and as you read this, I am probably in uniform, talking to many other Honorverse fans, or perhaps running a special Honorverse-themed session of Freedom Squadron.
I truly hope you're having a grand weekend and a good spring!
The Adventure Continues...
Note that I use affiliate links in all my posts as a way to generate additional revenue for my efforts; I make my Picks and other article choices, however, based on the desire to share a wide variety of things with you. Thank you for your support.
Sean Patrick Fannon
Writer & Game Designer: Shaintar, Star Wars, Savage Rifts, much more
Please check out my Patreon and get involved directly with my next projects!
THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO WARRIORS OF THE COSMOS
Ah, that lovely nostalgia for all things 80s and 90s! Few cater to this better than Spectrum Games and their wonderful Cartoon Action Hour series of products. This is one of their most ambitious releases, and it has the power!!!
In this massive Cartoon Action Hour: Season 3 series book, the forces of good find themselves in a constant struggle against Nekrottus and his Blackskull Empire, who have already conquered most of Iconia! The book celebrates the 15th anniversary of this fictitious cartoon series/toy line, offering details about all six seasons.
While this is a supplement for Cartoon Action Hour: Season 3, it’s easily adaptable to any system you care to use.
This 251-page PDF contains:
• 80 characters
• 10 variant characters
• 20 vehicles
• 14 playsets
• 42 episode seeds
• 1 full episode
• An in-depth season-by-season look at the cartoon series
• A massive alternate “lifepath” PC creation system
• A random system for creating a PC’s Signature Quality
• A system for generating critters on the fly
• Information about the 2008 reboot series, the ill-fated animated movie and even more ill-fated spin-off series meant to target the “girl market”
• An entire chapter that presents information on the world of Iconia, including, for the very first time, a map!
• A gorgeous cover by C. Michael Hall
• Fantastic and evocative new interior art art by Nolan Segrest, Patrick Sullivan and Andres Rey De Castro
——————————————————————-
About Cartoon Action Hour: Season 3
Cartoon Action Hour: Season 3 is the third edition of the game that was nominated for “Best RPG” at the 2004 Origins Awards. The game faithfully and meticulously emulates the action-adventure cartoons of the 1980s, using “cartoon logic” as the basis for every aspect of the system. This is not just a universal game that just happens to be adorned with genre-appropriate art. Every single design decision was made with the purpose of bringing to life the retro-toons of yesteryear, right at your gaming table.
It can be purchased here.
THE GOON
Pinnacle launched a couple of very intriguing Kickstarters, linked to very popular Dark Horse Comics properties. This one gives you one of the strangest RPG experiences you’re likely to have, set in a world where not-very-good people need to be the heroes their community deserves.
The Goon™ Roleplaying Game is based on the multiple Eisner Award-winning comic, The Goon™, by Eric Powell.
Join the Goon’s crime syndicate—or play as Goon, Franky, and the rest of their crew—and fight off the rival gangs what’s encroachin’ on your turf, while you collect on Goon’s debts and whatnot. You might also succeed at fighting off the tide of bleak suffering that’s set to consume yer soul. Then again you might not!
But while you’re contemplatin’ the psychology and so forth, make sure to watch out for Zombie Priest and his legions of groanin’, brain-chomping zombies; they’re a constant hassle. If that ain’t bad enough, there’s crazed-yet-brilliant Dr. Hieronymus Alloy and his robots goin’ on a rampage every other week. You also want to keep a lookout for swarms of chug-heads…what they call “changelings.” Yeah. They’re nasty little buggers.
Believe me, pal, we ain’t even got to the worst of it yet. You sure you wanna join up with Goon’s crew?
This game requires the Savage Worlds core rules to play.
EMPIRE'S REIGN
Another successful Kickstarter product, now available on DriveThruRPG. Eloy Lasanta does a lot of things well, but nothing better than his wonderful Ninja Crusade game (now in its 2nd Edition). This is a rather special product, one that turns the premise on its head by letting you play heroes of the empire, facing off against the unruly, disloyal ninja!
The Emperor will lead us…
Born of loyalty and a sense of patriotism, the Izou Army isn’t made up of mindless, faceless foot soldiers. Each one is a living, breathing being fighting for what they think is right. That happens to be working toward the eradication of all ninja, putting them face-to-face with magical enemies who wield deadly forces. The Izou Army has a few tricks up it’s sleeve though.
…to a victory like never before.
Empire’s Reign is the fourth sourcebook for The Ninja Crusade 2nd Edition and explores the secrets of the Izou Army. Learn about the Emperor’s strategic military locations, and the special units he has under his control, like the Executioners, the Silver Blades or the Iron Breakers. The war has dwindled in past years, but it the powder keg has already been lit.
This Book Includes:
- Learn about the Izou Army’s hierarchies, training methods, and military locations
- Detailed breakdowns of what the citizens of the Empire think of the ongoing war
- New Playable Options: Assignments, including Jadesmiths, Executioners and Black Smokes.
- New Adventure included!
- 12 new Pregenerated characters ready to take on the ninja!
V20 DARK AGES COMPANION
The Dark Ages as only the World of Darkness can express them. Lots of information specifically about domains, how to build them, and how to keep them from disappearing in a wave of terror and death.
Travel the long roads and deep seas in search of power and experience danger, or tackle the wilderness to hunt monsters and face death. Settlements large and small dot the black expanse with the promise of sanctuary, life, and community. These bastions of civilization present cold comfort, when playing host to vampire warlords and sadistic Cainite faiths. Whether led by a Prince, a coordinated belief, or hounded by monsters from without and within — no domain is truly the same as another.
Dark Ages Companion includes:
• Domains scattered across the world, from small fiefdoms to massive cities. Bath, Bjarkarey, Constantinople, Rome, Mogadishu, and Mangaluru each receive coverage.
• Apocrypha including plot hooks, new Paths, and mysteries to explore in your games.
• A how-to guide on building a domain within your chronicle, including events and servants necessary to make a domain as functional or dysfunctional as you wish.
• A study on warfare in the Dark Ages period, so combat in your chronicles can gain authenticity and lethality.
SAGANAMI ISLAND TACTICAL SIMULATOR
As you read this, I am in Minnesota at MantiCon 2017, a fantastic show devoted to all-things-geeky, but centered on the Honorverse. Not only am I a member of The Royal Manticoran Navy (Captain Sean Patrick Fannon, Commanding Officer, HMS Reliant; Communications Officer for the Office of the First Space Lord), I am also the Gaming Guest of Honor.
In honor of all that (see what I did there?), here’s a callback to a great space combat game set in the Honorverse. What’s fascinating about this game is how it manages 3D movement and combat at a truly science-fiction galactic scale.
Space Combat in the Universe of Honor Harrington!
Saganami Island Tactical Simulator puts you in command of the ships of the Honorverse. Based on the game engine from the Origin Award winning game, Attack Vector Tactical.
Thrill to the long range missile duel, dancing in 3-D vector space with broadsides of laser heads. Or close in to “kissing distance” and unleash the titanic fury of grasers and lasers!
SITS uses two game scales – the tactical game scale has 7.5 minute turns, and 125,000 km hexes. The system scale uses 25 light second hexes and 1 hour turns, with simple rules for transitioning between scales.
- SITS offers tactical control without massive record keeping – watch salvoes of hundreds of missiles melt away with a handful of die rolls.
- Simultaneous Sequence of Play means that everyone at the table is doing something, rather than waiting for the other guy to finish their turn.
- Accurate, intuitive 3-D movement system, allowing combat to break the plane of the map, and giving unprecedented tactical depth.
This download includes JUST the rule book as found in the box game version of SITS.
-----
So there's the week's Picks, and as you read this, I am probably in uniform, talking to many other Honorverse fans, or perhaps running a special Honorverse-themed session of Freedom Squadron.
I truly hope you're having a grand weekend and a good spring!
The Adventure Continues...
Note that I use affiliate links in all my posts as a way to generate additional revenue for my efforts; I make my Picks and other article choices, however, based on the desire to share a wide variety of things with you. Thank you for your support.
Sean Patrick Fannon
Writer & Game Designer: Shaintar, Star Wars, Savage Rifts, much more
Please check out my Patreon and get involved directly with my next projects!
