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D6 Star Wars RPG Thoughts
- Thread starter Water Bob
- Start date
LostSoul
Adventurer
I think that you should just cut through the prologue and skip to either here
or here
depending on how big of a deal you want to make the cargo shipment.
Tell the players that you're going to jump into the middle of the action, like a good Star Wars story would, but that will require some framing. If they're okay with it, prepare a "title crawl" that deals with GOBI and the backstory, then jump to the point where they have some real decisions to make.
If they're not okay with that, drop the idea of running the module (use it as the outcome for a wild die complication on an astrogation roll, or add it to a table of adventure seeds). Then flesh out the backstory with GOBI and the wicker goods, the repo agents/crime lord, and any other possible adventures/sources of cash the PCs can come up with.
(For GOBI - instead of playing the PCs as fools, which isn't very "Star Wars-y" in my opinion, how about this: Princess Leia or Bail? (I forget his name) Organa are sending a message to someone (probably a Bothan) in the rebellion. The message is molecularly encoded in the wicker, so yeah, it is just wicker. You have to put it together in the right way to read the message - the "code key" - which only the guy on the target planet has.
The message is about some kind of secret imperial project - big news! - that they've got wind of, and the rebel agent should send his "espionage" astromech droid to go and collect it from some kind of big imperial installation. But there's a mole in the operation and the Bothan dies - he won't be the first - and the PCs are caught up in the intrigue, with the promise of a lot of cash if they complete the mission. If that's all they care about.
Obviously you can read between the lines - the PCs are going to get the Death Star plans on R2-D2. Maybe they'll even be on the Tantive IV when Vader captures Leia. While I wouldn't get too caught up on Star Wars canon, there's a lot on this page you could mine for adventure ideas.)
or here
depending on how big of a deal you want to make the cargo shipment.
Tell the players that you're going to jump into the middle of the action, like a good Star Wars story would, but that will require some framing. If they're okay with it, prepare a "title crawl" that deals with GOBI and the backstory, then jump to the point where they have some real decisions to make.
If they're not okay with that, drop the idea of running the module (use it as the outcome for a wild die complication on an astrogation roll, or add it to a table of adventure seeds). Then flesh out the backstory with GOBI and the wicker goods, the repo agents/crime lord, and any other possible adventures/sources of cash the PCs can come up with.
(For GOBI - instead of playing the PCs as fools, which isn't very "Star Wars-y" in my opinion, how about this: Princess Leia or Bail? (I forget his name) Organa are sending a message to someone (probably a Bothan) in the rebellion. The message is molecularly encoded in the wicker, so yeah, it is just wicker. You have to put it together in the right way to read the message - the "code key" - which only the guy on the target planet has.
The message is about some kind of secret imperial project - big news! - that they've got wind of, and the rebel agent should send his "espionage" astromech droid to go and collect it from some kind of big imperial installation. But there's a mole in the operation and the Bothan dies - he won't be the first - and the PCs are caught up in the intrigue, with the promise of a lot of cash if they complete the mission. If that's all they care about.
Obviously you can read between the lines - the PCs are going to get the Death Star plans on R2-D2. Maybe they'll even be on the Tantive IV when Vader captures Leia. While I wouldn't get too caught up on Star Wars canon, there's a lot on this page you could mine for adventure ideas.)
Wednesday Boy
The Nerd WhoFell to Earth
Stellar ideas!!
JiffyPopTart
Bree-Yark
I am pretty sure you have this wrong, and as a result combats would be pretty boring indeed. You are allowed to do extra actions on your turn but each additional action you do past the first makes all of your other actions harder to do. You figure out how many actions you want to do total and lose 1D from all your rolls for each action beyond the first.
So, for example, this might be a combat round....
PC1: I just want to move up (one action) to the crates and try to not get shot (dodge - second action).
GM: Give me a dodge roll minus one die.
PC2: Why are you hiding from stormtroopers? They suck. I want to shoot all four of them with my Heavy Blaster Pistol (4 actions).
GM: Give me four Blaster rolls at -3D each.
Or, in my favorite moment of the old campaign we played back in the day....my Jedi responds to a knock at the door and opens it to find 4 bounty hunters with blasters at the ready to take him in. My reply....
ME: I want to pull my light saber (one action), block all four of their shots at me (4 actions) and instead of just blocking them I want to actually deflect them back at the individual shooting at me (4 more actions).
GM: Dude, that's 9 actions. Everything at -8D.
ME: I guess I am using my force point too!
The result was 4 dead Bounty Hunters and a moment that would be the coolest moment ever in the SW movies had it been filmed.
I loved D6 SW.
Man, I wish I was wrong about it, but, straight from pg. 46 of the first edition Star Wars rules: Each combat follows the following sequence.
Decision Segment: Where Players and the GM decide upon what they're going to do for the round.
Declaration Segment: Where Players and the GM announce the intended actions of each character.
First Action Segment: (I'll copy this verbatim) Each character for whom an action was declared takes his first action. An "action" is either movement or a skill or attribute use.
Second Action Segment: If any character declared more than one action, characters' second action are now resolved. Any character for whom only one action was declared does nothing (but may dodge or parry) in this segment.
Subsequent Action Segments: If any character declared more than two actions, additional action segments ocur until all characters have performed all declared actions.
You're right. This is quite boring if played on a grid, which is how I usually do things (though I'm warming up to the idea of going mapless in the future).
You have to remember that this combat system was designed to be played without a map. Star Wars game sessions are more casual affairs (designed like AD&D 2nd edition) where the GM and players sit comfortably around the coffee table in the den. When a combat breaks out, the GM will ask his players what they will do.
Jon: Roark will is going to run to the crates, and using them as cover, fire at a stormtrooper on the left.
Brad: Babbs will cover Roark's move. Babbs won't move himself, but he will fire twice at the stormtrooper on the left.
GM: Both stormtroopers will split up, one moving to the left, the other to the right, along the wall, attempting to catch you two in a cross fire. The one on the left will fire once at Roark. The one on the right will fire once at Babbs. They'll both fire first then move, getting into position for next round.
That's the first two phases of the combat. Next, we go into into the First Action Segment.
GM: OK, everybody gets to roll their firs actions. The stormtroopers fire:
ST Right gets a total of 18. He takes a -1D on the shot because he's performing two actions.
ST Left gets a total of 12. He also takes a -1D on the shot for the same reason.
Babbs takes a -1D on his first shot because he declared two actions and fires at ST Left, getting a 15.
Roark does not take a -1D penalty on his throws because, although he is peforming two actions, characters are not penalized if they walk--Roark's shot will come in segment two. And, since he's moving in segment one, he'll roll his DEX to determine if he's shot at before he reaches the cover of the crates. He throws DEX code, getting a 16.
Order of resolution for the first segment (this is determined by their skill and attribute rolls above):
1. ST Right fires at Babbs.
2. Roark moves to crates.
3. Babbs fires at ST Left.
4. ST Left fires at Babbs.
ST Right fires at Babbs....
This means that ST Right was quickest with the trigger (with his 18 Blaster Rifle shot) and shoots Babbs.
Brad: Babbs will attempt to duck the shot. He rolls Dodge and adds the total to the trooper's target number.
GM: The trooper missed! His shot sizzles past you, and you can hear it explode on the wall down the corridor behind you. But, Babbs is now doing three actions during the round, so his second shot in segement two will be at -2D.
Roark moves to crates....
GM: Roark, ducking the blaster fire, arrives at the crates and goes down on one knee.
Babbs takes first shot at ST Left....
GM: OK, Babbs has already fired, so the -2D penalty because of his Dodge Reaction is not applied to any throws that have already been thrown. It's a total of 15 on his attack.
GM: ST Left will Dodge, but that doesn't help him. Babbs still hits.
Brad: My damage is 13 points.
GM: Your blaster bolt slams into the trooper and throws him up against the wall. A second later, he's on the ground (the trooper is stunned, down for the rest of the round--but the GM will not tell the players this--they have no way of knowing).
ST Left Fires At Babbs....
GM: This can no longer take place since Babbs just downed the trooper. Now, we're moving into segement two.
Segment Two.
We're doing second actions now. ST Right will move. ST Left is still stunned, so he will do nothing. Roark will now fire from his crouched position behind the crates. And Babbs will take his second shot at ST Left (even though the trooper is down, Babbs declared to shots at him).
So Babbs and Roark roll, since they are making blaster shots. ST Right has no need to roll because nobody is firing at him. And ST Left is still stunned.
Babbs gets an 8.
Roark gets a 16.
Order of actions in this segment...
1. Roark fires at ST Left.
2. Babbs fires at ST Left.
3. ST Right arrives at the position along the right wall.
Roark fires at ST Left.
GM: Roarks is on one knee, behind the creates, blasting at ST Left. Since he's taking 2 actions this round (the move then the shot), he's -1D on his shot. And, since ST Left is prone, that's +5 to difficulty.
ST Left can't Dodge because he's stunned.
Roark misses, anyway.
Babbs fires at ST Left.
Babbs is taking 3 actions this round (The Dodge and two shots), so he's -2D on his shot and is +5 to difficulty because his target is prone.
The ST Left is still stunned, so he cannot Dodge.
But, Babbs' shot is a miss--too many penalties.
ST Right completes move.
OK, that's a full round of SW first edition. It's a lot to write out, but I think it flows fairly well if the GM runs the game as intended, that is to say, verbally playing out the combat encounter.
If you played this out on a grid, I do believe it would not have a very "Star Warsy" feel to it.
Last edited:
JiffyPopTart
Bree-Yark
From your description we must have played incorrectly (or perhaps from a different edition?) but in a way that made the action flow much better.
This is, in detail, the timing of how we did all of our combats....
1. Initiative was rolled. I can't recall at this time (we played in the early 90s!) if we did individual initiative or group, but I suspect it was individual. I can't recall what stat we used but I suspect it was Perception. Turn order was set for the rest of the battle based on this initial order.
2. At the beginning of each round everyone who wanted to actively defend had to declare they wanted to actively defend. This active defense counted as an one action.
If the ONLY action you took was defending (minus a small "free" move like ducking behind a door or diving behind a crate a few feet away) the number you rolled on your defense roll (which was usually dodge but also might have been Brawling Parry or Starship Piloting if in a space battle) was ADDED to the difficulty of the attacks against you.
If you wanted to actively defend and take other actions as well you would still roll a defense roll but instead of adding to the base difficulty to hit you, it instead would SUBSTITUTE for the difficulty if it was beneficial to you to do so. You had to figure out how many actions you were going to take on your turn so you could subtract the correct amount of dice.
3. Starting at the top of the initiative order and working your way down the list each player and NPC would take their full set of actions.
GM: Ok, Luke goes first.
Luke: I use my magnetic grapple to climb to the underbelly of the AT/AT#1 (Action 1), slash open the door with my lightsaber (Action 2), toss in a thermal detonator (action 3), free fall back into the snow (GM rules this is a free action but may cause damage), and run like hell away (Action 4). [Rolls: Climb -3D, Lightsaber Combat -3D, Grenades -3D]
GM: [after dice are rolled and damage is dealt] OK, it looks like ATAT#1 blew its doors out and is a smoking hulk, but still standing. Wedge you are next.
Wedge: I tell my co-pilot to shoot the tow cable at ATAT#2's legs as I fly by.
GM: Its a bit away from you still, you have to move to get to it this turn.
Wedge: OK, I move up to it (action 1), get my gunner to shoot a cable into its legs (GM rules this as Gunners Action 1), fly around its legs a few times to tie it up (action 2 and 3), release the cable at just the right time (Gunners Action 2) and fly like hell away(action 4). Also I dodged this round (action 5).
GM: OK, since you are flying really close to a moving ATAT you are going to have to make rolls for the two circling moves. [Wedge Rolls: Speeder -4D, Speeder -4D (he also already rolled Speeder -4D earlier for his defend roll)] [Janson Rolls: Whatver Skill Harpoon Cable Guns Are -1D]
GM: Awesome! Its all tied up. Random Hoth Rebel, you are next.
RHR: I shoot ATAT#3 with my big giant laser turret thing. [Rolls: Whatever skill the giant laser turret thing would use]
GM: Great! The shot bounces off its armor. Again. That's like the fifth time. You should probably try something else next time. OK, now its the ATAT's turn.
GM: OK, ATAT#1 falls over in a smoking pile and [Roll: Survival for those aboard] a few straglers come piling out of the wreckage.
GM: ATAT#2 pauses to take a shot at Wedge [Roll: Walker Gunnery or somesuch] and tried to move forward but [Roll: Walker Operations] fails to stay on its feet. Its front comes crashing down into the snow but its not destroyed or anything.
GM: ATAT#3 is laying waste to the Rebel trenchs [Roll: Walker Gunnery -3D four times]. RHR, you are dead buddy.
GM: OK, thats everyone, who wants to dodge next round?
4. After every character has had a turn go back to step 2 and repeat until one side is finished.
When I played all the time in the early 90s we never used a grid or minis, just imagination. I have since played a reunion game or two that DID use a grid and felt it slowed down the pace of combat with little or no addition of strategy or tactics to trade off.
This is, in detail, the timing of how we did all of our combats....
1. Initiative was rolled. I can't recall at this time (we played in the early 90s!) if we did individual initiative or group, but I suspect it was individual. I can't recall what stat we used but I suspect it was Perception. Turn order was set for the rest of the battle based on this initial order.
2. At the beginning of each round everyone who wanted to actively defend had to declare they wanted to actively defend. This active defense counted as an one action.
If the ONLY action you took was defending (minus a small "free" move like ducking behind a door or diving behind a crate a few feet away) the number you rolled on your defense roll (which was usually dodge but also might have been Brawling Parry or Starship Piloting if in a space battle) was ADDED to the difficulty of the attacks against you.
If you wanted to actively defend and take other actions as well you would still roll a defense roll but instead of adding to the base difficulty to hit you, it instead would SUBSTITUTE for the difficulty if it was beneficial to you to do so. You had to figure out how many actions you were going to take on your turn so you could subtract the correct amount of dice.
3. Starting at the top of the initiative order and working your way down the list each player and NPC would take their full set of actions.
GM: Ok, Luke goes first.
Luke: I use my magnetic grapple to climb to the underbelly of the AT/AT#1 (Action 1), slash open the door with my lightsaber (Action 2), toss in a thermal detonator (action 3), free fall back into the snow (GM rules this is a free action but may cause damage), and run like hell away (Action 4). [Rolls: Climb -3D, Lightsaber Combat -3D, Grenades -3D]
GM: [after dice are rolled and damage is dealt] OK, it looks like ATAT#1 blew its doors out and is a smoking hulk, but still standing. Wedge you are next.
Wedge: I tell my co-pilot to shoot the tow cable at ATAT#2's legs as I fly by.
GM: Its a bit away from you still, you have to move to get to it this turn.
Wedge: OK, I move up to it (action 1), get my gunner to shoot a cable into its legs (GM rules this as Gunners Action 1), fly around its legs a few times to tie it up (action 2 and 3), release the cable at just the right time (Gunners Action 2) and fly like hell away(action 4). Also I dodged this round (action 5).
GM: OK, since you are flying really close to a moving ATAT you are going to have to make rolls for the two circling moves. [Wedge Rolls: Speeder -4D, Speeder -4D (he also already rolled Speeder -4D earlier for his defend roll)] [Janson Rolls: Whatver Skill Harpoon Cable Guns Are -1D]
GM: Awesome! Its all tied up. Random Hoth Rebel, you are next.
RHR: I shoot ATAT#3 with my big giant laser turret thing. [Rolls: Whatever skill the giant laser turret thing would use]
GM: Great! The shot bounces off its armor. Again. That's like the fifth time. You should probably try something else next time. OK, now its the ATAT's turn.
GM: OK, ATAT#1 falls over in a smoking pile and [Roll: Survival for those aboard] a few straglers come piling out of the wreckage.
GM: ATAT#2 pauses to take a shot at Wedge [Roll: Walker Gunnery or somesuch] and tried to move forward but [Roll: Walker Operations] fails to stay on its feet. Its front comes crashing down into the snow but its not destroyed or anything.
GM: ATAT#3 is laying waste to the Rebel trenchs [Roll: Walker Gunnery -3D four times]. RHR, you are dead buddy.
GM: OK, thats everyone, who wants to dodge next round?
4. After every character has had a turn go back to step 2 and repeat until one side is finished.
When I played all the time in the early 90s we never used a grid or minis, just imagination. I have since played a reunion game or two that DID use a grid and felt it slowed down the pace of combat with little or no addition of strategy or tactics to trade off.
The combat system in the game was changed several times, once with the Rules Upgrade, then again with the Rules Companion supplment. Rolling for initiative came with second edition, IIRC, or maybe the Revised & Expanded rules set.
There were five different versions of the rules, so it's likely that you either played a different version, or your GM used a house rule as I suggested in the OP.
Randalthor
First Post
To be totally selfish: Does he happen to be going to Tennessee, specifially the Knoxville area?
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