The 1960s Decade Book

[FishXXIII]

1960's Decade Book Review

Let me start by saying I am not an official employee of AEG, the publisher of this book. I am a Bounty Hunter, which means I run demo games, but I have the ability to pick and choose which books I use in my demos. I am a registered and regular posting member of the official messageboard. I did not receive this book for free; I purchased it from my local gaming store. I do have my name listed in the additional writing credits (credit was given for submitted gadgets that were printed), but the decision to purchase the book was made before I obtained that knowledge.

I have decided to review this product for two reasons. 1. The 60s is the golden age of espionage and this book captures its spirit. 2. Regardless of genre and timeframe, GCs and players alike will get use out of this book for Spycraft and Shadowforce Archer (and even a bit for Stargate SG-1).

Let's start off with the website address: Spycraft's Official Website. The Messageboard is one of the best places to go, you can talk to the design team pretty directly and ask questions that an effort will be made to answer. Some of those answers have been included here.

Here's a table of contents with a rough outline to get us started:

Chapter 1 - The U.S. Current situation of the US in the 60s. Broken down by leader, including how they affect the espionage world. Includes goals of the US at the time, Espionage and Intelligence agencies in operation, Tradecraft (highlighting various types of INTEL), Operations (Air America, etc) and what they were up to, Lifestyle (civilian life was like), and a chase map of Washington DC (illustrated).

Chapter 2 - The Soviet Union. Follows the same format as the U.S. Includes rules for agents to call on GRU resistance help, and tips for playing a Soviet campaign. Includes a supplement to Fixer/Pointman's Brainwashing as well. Includes a chase map of Moscow.

Chapter 3 - Everybody Else. Like the first two, but more compact and covers more countries (including China, Cuba, East Germany, United Kingdom, Vietnam, and West Germany). Includes NPC write-ups for specific people and various special NPCs, like police officials. Random language charts for what the civilians would be speaking are included and a Berlin chase map.

Chapter 4 - Events. Espionage Climates (see below) are introduced, and guidelines for running a 60s game as opposed to a modern game (and how to handle agents interacting with historical events). There is a breakdown of events for each year, with major and minor conflicts, plot hooks, and appropriate Espionage Climates for successes or failure of objectives.

Chapter 5 - Styles. Presented are several different ways to run campaigns in general, with a loose focus on the 60s. Includes Military Campaign, Swingin' Sixties, and Telefantasy. Each has rules (like Military adopts Stargate SG-1's command rules and makes weapons cheaper), one agency example, one threat example, all the NPCs you need for both sides, and several plot hooks. Also mentioned is New Breed's supplement, Mission: Highly Improbable, which will expand the Telefantasy genre (Alliance's website has it listed as being distributed by Osseum Entertainment).

Chapter 6 - Agent Options. The first part breaks down each Spycraft book on what is or isn't available in the 60s. This includes how skills are different, what departments are available, what classes can be used (or changed), what feats need modification, what gear is available (bundles being revised/completely rewritten as needed), and how other rules mesh. Includes all Spycraft books released (No SFA books, see below), including Gentleman's Agreement. Inflation is covered (basically 60s prices are 1/5 modern prices), Power Rating limits, and some idea of what isn't technologically feasible in the commercial and espionage fields at that time. The travel chart is updated for traveling to new locations taking longer. Allegiance is like Dungeons and Dragons' alignment, but it's more what power group you ascribe to then what morality. The only two that are really fleshed out are American and Soviet Allegiances. There are feats granting bonuses and some departments (CIA and KGB) requiring Allegiances. A couple additional backgrounds are included before we dive into departments.

Departments include a new D-3 by the name of Technical Espionage, Astronaut/Cosmonaut, FBI, Foreign Military Advisor, Project: Blue Book, and CIA, KGB, and Fourth Estate (Media), which are Macro-departments. The Wire is one part Snoop, one part Sentry, and just as much a technical hands-on guy as the 60s can get. There's note saying you can't multiclass Snoop and Wire (the Wire being the 60's Snoop alternate), which inspires confidence that the writers wiere thinking ahead. The prestige classes are lower tech, but just as accustomed to past or present service. The Attaché is the real-life spy, shaking hands and handing off Intel. The Code Breaker, who is like A Beautiful Mind's John Nash. The Menace, which is the typical Dr. Evil/Ernesto Blofield, with the flexibility to handle campy and serious villains alike. Finally the Spymaster is what Pointmen want to grow up to be; basically, he's the man who keeps the entire team on track and successful. Skills are revisited more in depth including a complete replacement of Computers. There are a few new actions as well, Anticipate which grants a bonus to Defense against a specific target which is likely to attack, as well as new things to do in combat with a camera. Feats include Basic Combat, Ranged Combat (with Revolver Basics/Mastery), Chase Feats (that really stand out as stylish), Covert feats, Gear Feats (like Camera Basics/Mastery and Off the Books for gear you need the Agency shouldn't know about), Advanced Skill feats, and Style feats (including several for Allegiance benefits). New bundles and gear are included with older model guns and armor making appearances. Finally, to wrap up this gigantic chapter are the new gadgets, still around today, like new attaché cases, shoes, hats, and several decks of cards to use.

Chapter 7 - Rules. Gambling and Seduction are revisited and given more depth. Play Poker, Billiards (adding that extra English to your shot), and several other games with varient rules for handling casions around the world. Cheating and Nudging is covered for less honest agents. Also, Seduction isn't just about sex anymore and it's great to see how alcohol is a factor. Long-term Contacts is another new use for those precious skill points. It's like being able to have a Faceman's Backup, but it requires more effort on the agent's behalf. Spend up to 5 skill points to essentialy get a personal lieutenant, but it costs action dice to get the friend to come visit. There is also a limit to prevent an agent from having too many friends. Stress is included, for when the espionage world gets you down. A GC can spend action dice when an agent has been exposed to an extremely stressful situation to basically trigger a poison-like effect of draining stats or causing status problems like Sleeplessness or Shell-Shocked. New Threat Agendas to expand on those prested in Fixer/Pointman book are included (Genocide!). NPC classes have finally made a crossover with some old faces returning and bringing new friends such as CIA and KGB agents.

Chapter 8 - Threats. This makes heavy use of Fixer/Pointman's Mastermind system enhancements, which doesn't mean they arn't useful, but some of them will lose their toys if not allowed acces to the expansion material. Full NPC stats, vehicle stats, and maps are provided when needed. Each threat has several plot hooks. The Goodchildes are like do-gooders that don't know when to stop (and have some questionable practices). The New Spartan Order is comprised of veterans itching to get back on the field and keep the world in perpetual war. The November Revolution are a trio of Russians that hate the US, but revel in the posh life of the West. Often, their schemes involve violence. Operation: TURNSTYLE follows two corrupt Soviets undercover in the US, trying to ruin their homeland's nuclear weapons project. The Silencers are hard-core Soviet assassins, keeping the Motherland's secrets quiet. The Sleeping Water Society is Japan's most determined righting the wrong of their defeat at American hands.

In-depth Thoughts:
They use a very different font for this book, which intentionally sets it apart from the others and works for the book in a good way. Most of the chapter quotes are from real politicians; several of the more prominent are from JFK, which keeps the book realistic. Espionage Climates are well thought out and can easily be an addition to a Spycraft game of any genre, in 60s or modern times. Basically, they are an additional rule that stays in effect for a mission or campaign, like critical threats are always activated for free, but an agent can pay an action die to prevent the crit if he is trying to go easy on someone. SFA is only mentioned when absolutely necissary, but AEG is working on a web enhancement for the 60s in the SFA setting to be released on the website.

For the departments, if one isn't available it says why and when it ceased, and sometimes additional options for those of us playing in SFA, like CIA's Project: MKULTRA may really have developed some psionics and may take Psion feats as their bonus feats. Some of these notes, called Future History are somewhat vague and unhelpful, especially when trying to figure out what KGB directorates are still around, or when they ceased to be available. It should be noted, however, that departments in this book do things departments have never done before, like boost Charisma for class abilities (Hello Pointmen!), and allow an agent to ignore minimum agent level when selecting his bonus Gear feat at 1st level. There's an error with the Wire's table that should be noted, the text is correct and Jury-Rig and Intercept Communications should be reversed, gaining more uses of Intercept Communications and only Jury-Rig +8.

The Menace is Spycraft's first Senior Agent class. SFA fans will recognize the format: instead of the traditional 10 levels; the Senior Agents are for higher-level characters and are only 5 levels. Senior Agents and NPC classes have both appeared in SFA books since the almost beginning, and it's good to see they have crossed over. Some of the feats are those that have been cut from other books (for space or by accident), which is nice that their uses are revealed here, but unfortunate that in the books there were intended for a prestige clas shave have requirded or given the feat and no explaination of its uses was included. There is a LOT of cross-referencing bewtween the 60s and the silver Spycraft books. Spycraft is a game where each book adds more to the core, but to save reprinted a feat or system every time it is mentioned, a listing of where to get the information is provided instead. While a good plan, sometimes it can be frustrating if you havn't picke dup a specific book yet, to get a prestige class that extensivly uses a system frm another book. Specifically, Departments as of late give feats not in the book and prestige classes have feat requirements that might have been cut. The Forum for the game is a great place to bring these problems to the design team's attention. When Face/Snoop was released, The Pen is Mightier was cut (and is incidentally printed here), and no one could use the Journalist. The design team posted the feat in the message board, allowing everyone access to the feat (even added to the Latest Word erratta update sticky), until it could make it into a book. On the same topic, NPC classes were reprinted from the SFA line. This is a rare occurrence. Some were reprinted in Stargate, but Stargate is a separate line, not a campaign setting. It's also been said that the Class Guide books (the only ones that are referenced) are the Essential Core Books, which would indicate that cross-referancing will be limited to referancing books with the Essental label on the back. Some of the Threats might not fit in as well in the modern day setting.

Final Thoughts:
Remember when Forgotten Realms came out for D&D? That's what the Shadowforce Archer book is. This is more like Oriental Adventures. It can be a setting, but it's more like a subsetting. You can play a 60s game, a SFA 60s game, or possibly even a Stargate 60s game. If you want to give your agents a more realistic setting with real world history, then this will take care of 10 years of work for you. Also, you could use most of this for NPC or players if they are willing to be older. An agent 50 or so years old in preste day would have been old enough to train in the 'old school' way in the 60s. Don't let the thought of it being a book about yesteryear fool you into thinking it isn't useful. As a final note, the design team has openly said the sales and public opinion of this book will decide if future Decade books will be planned. If it gets the green light, the 1940s Decade book will be up next (and hopefully a SFA web enhancement), with an undisclosed 3rd in the works.

Fish (wanderingmonk@hotmail.com)

 

[Messageboard Golem]

The war might have been Cold, but the intrigue is red hot.
Spycraft setting! Return to the era that perfected espionage in a brand new Spycraft setting! This 240-page sourcebook allows you to play through the knuckle-biting tension of the Cold War using the standard Spycraft modern day rules. Fight back the tide of nuclear paranoia and take a stand in one of the most unconventional wars the world has ever known!
High-stakes espionage at the height of the Cold War!
Delve into the titanic game of cloak and dagger between the superpowers.
Create your own history in this blockbuster return to the golden age of spies.
Customizable Gameplay! Run a superspy campaign against global menace or branch into the gritty battle of East vs. West in Europe, Russia, the U.S., and abroad. Play a game of political tension or a taut suspense thriller. The choice is yours
New and modified base classes! This comprehensive guide to espionage roleplaying in the 1960s puts a unique spin on the Spycraft base classes, resulting in an entirely new game!
New and modified prestige classes! Become any of several major players of the period.
New departments! Play a rugged agent of the CIA, the KGB, MI6, and more!
New and modified agent options! An entirely new selection of feats, skills, backgrounds written just for the 1960s.

New gear and vehicles, shifting the modern emphasis from gear to the Cold Waremphasis on the agent.
Classic spy gadgets! Lower tech, same Spycraft style!NPC classes! Face off against East German border guards, Soviet sleeper agents, or CIA gunmen.
Dozens of plot hooks! Whether you want to play the events in the news or a game behind the scenes, this book has everything you need!

Around the World Over Ten Years. Visit swingin' London, scale the Berlin Wall, combat social upheaval in Washington, and unearth frost-shrouded secrets beneath the Kremlin!
Extensive Player Notes! What spying was really like during the Cold War, and how to create your own personalized game that lets you experience it.
GC Notes and Guidelines! Everything from the state of the world in the 1960sto detailed descriptions of the major espionage organizations of the time, as well as a timeline of events both major and minor.
Run in the Shadows or Change History! From the space program to Vietnam to the rise of police action, options are provided for both covert and public missions on every scale.

Historical Links! Play an isolated historical session or link your games to modern day missions!
Includes a downloadable web supplement for playing Shadowforce Archer in the1960s! Face off against the monstrous designs of the devious Helix! Put down the Company's scandalous MKULTRA program! Shape history with an all-new interactive storyline linked that impacts the modern setting!

 

[Shayd3000]

PRODUCT REVIEW
Spycraft The 1960's
AEG
ISBN 1-887953-93-0


Reviewers Bias: The publisher of the reviewed product does not employ me, nor do I have any financial affiliation with any game publishing company.

PURPOSE: This review assumes the reader is already familiar with the product and is trying to make a "buy or not buy" decision. I direct you to the publisher's web site for specific product details and hype. This review will not provide the reader with many product details. Please see the publisher's catalog, or the many other very good reviews available for that information. My intended audience is the reader who is looking for a quick evaluation of a product based on specific, explained criteria. Review criteria are listed at the end of the article.


THE REVIEW:
===========
PRODUCT SYNOPSIS: This is rulebook covers in detail all of the changes required of the Spycraft system for roleplaying in the 1960's. The Spycraft Espionage Handbook is required.
WOW FACTOR(2): I couldn't put this one down! Yes, I prefer the Spycraft system over say, d20 Modern, and perhaps that bias is reflected here, however, the book kept me glued and that rates a 2.
BINDING(2): The book is hardbound with stitched pages.
EDITING/FLAWS(2): I found only a couple of editing errors. One was a word left out, and the other involved the use of two cases in the same sentence. Neither detracted from the book. If other errors are present, they hid themselves in the text well and were not noticed. The 1960's font used for titles is nice, but on the smaller sizes can be hard to read. The font is very `60's stylish though and adds to the feel of the book.
ORIGINALITY/FLEXIBILITY(2): The first four chapters of the book are mostly historical in nature, thus useable for any game involving the `60's, serving as a good reference with a gaming eye. The "Espionage Climate" rules are an interesting innovation meant to simulate when various events or player actions cause a change in the "weather". Allegiance rules are also introduced, which is an interesting variant on the familiar alignment system of other games.
EVALUATION(2): I do not think the illustrations were up to the normal Spycraft standard, and I feel with the large amount of source material available for inspiration, more could have been done with the few illustrations found in the book. Other than that, there was nothing else not to like! The book met up to the high standards set by the Spycraft team, and as much material was stuffed into the volume as was practical. Exhaustive work was done to make all existing Spycraft material useable for a 1960's campaign, which means all previous purchased material is not wasted! This book builds on the Spycraft line, but doesn't take anything away from what has come before! I like it when my previous investments aren't nullified when a new book gets published!
TOTAL RATING: This volume has earned a 10 out of 10, and is well worth the investment for anyone that already enjoys the Spycraft line.

REVIEW CRITERIA:
================
HOW I REVIEW: My reviews are very simple. I evaluate a product against a list of criteria and award from 0 - 2 points based on how the product fits the criteria. The five criteria I use are:

WOW FACTOR: On a scale of 0-2, if after reading the product I say WOW, I give it 2 points. If I wished I hadn't spent my money on it, I give it 0 points. Everything else gets one point. This is purely my opinion and first gut reaction.

BINDING: Glue binding=0. Sewn binding=1. Comb binding or stapled module=2. Hardback=+1. Why? I hate glued binding, game books should be made to last. I like my books to lie flat, comb binding and stapled modules do this easily. Hardback books tend to last better for me, so I give them a bonus point. Maximum award here is still 2 points.

EDITING/FLAWS: This is an evaluation of editing and layout. If the product is filled with mistakes that should have been caught by an editor, then it rates a 0. None, or only one or two rate a two. Everything else gets a 1. Note that this is subjective, because if I didn't notice it, then I can't evaluate it. This criterion also evaluates the book layout. Obvious areas where layout causes confusion or detracts from the product count as mistakes.

ORIGINALITY/FLEXIBILITY: Original element, concept, etc=1; Innovative mechanic(s)=1; usable with other games=1; max score is 2. This criteria measures if I'm getting something I haven't bought before and if its degree of usefulness (if you play more than one game). This category is based very much on my opinion and over 25 years of playing (and buying) RPG and other gaming products. As with everything else in this review, the rating here is the opinion of the author and your mileage may vary.

EVALUATION: In this section I list my likes and dislikes. The score will be based on the ratio of like to dislikes. More likes gets a 1, more dislikes gets a 0. To get a 2, the likes need to far outweigh the dislikes.

RATING: This is the score out of ten. Remember, this score is nothing more than my opinion of the book's value when compared to a set of criteria. I've tried to outline my criteria so that you can determine if you agree with the evaluation and better judge the validity of the score based on your needs, tastes, and experience.

 

[Psion]

I agree this is the best Spycraft product this year, perhaps one of the best d20 products this year.

 

[Shayd3000]

I'd love to see you review it!

 

[Psion]

Workin on it.

 

[Psion]

The 1960's Decade Book

The 1960's Decade Book is a new concept in setting books for AEG's Spycraft game. It takes historical events relating to the intelligence environment in the 1960s and makes it into a setting book for Spycraft, complete with historical overviews, mechanics, and campaign ideas.

The book is written by Robert J. Defendi, B.D. Flory, Scott Gearin, and Clayton A. Oliver.

A First Look

The 1960's Decade Book is a 240 page hardcover book priced at $26.95. Considering 128 page softcovers are approaching the 25-dollar mark these days, and many hardcovers are breaking the 30-dollar mark, this stands out to me as a good value.

The cover of the book is silver like the generic (non-SFA) covers. The cover illustration is, as is the norm for the Spycraft line, done by Veronica V. Jones. The illustration depicts a man in a convertible (complete with Bond-style machineguns behind the headlights) firing a pistol at an unseen target.

The interior is black-and-white, illustrated by Drew Baker, Chris Grun, A. Bleys Ingram, Scott James, Lief Jones (who I still don't forgive for mangling the Alu-demon in Tome of Horrors), Michael Kaluta, and Lee Smith. Overall, the work is a bit more detailed than most other Spycraft books to date, with more shading and subjects than the more common simple line art in the line.

A Deeper Look

The 1960's Decade Book is organized into eight chapters.

The first three chapters are mostly background and historical material and have little game mechanical text. The first two chapters detail the US and the USSR respectively, and the third covers other military and espionage rivals in somewhat less detail. The material is essentially a selective history of the detailed states and their conflicts during the 60's, including the reins of various important leaders, important events, agencies, and espionage operations. Most of the material is non-fictional, but some ideas are discussed for directions you might go with some concepts of a more questionable nature, such as UFO research and psychic research.

This historical material helps GC's not too fresh on their 60's history in defining the background for a game set in the era. There is some directly game pertinent material in the form of defining resources available to agents working for the major historical intelligence agencies such as the GRU or CIA, in addition to chase maps for Washington D.C., Moscow, and Berlin, as well as a few smaller location maps.

The fourth chapter, entitled Turning Points, begins the adaptation of the era to the Spycraft game in earnest. The chapter starts off with a bang, with what I think is one of the most intriguing new mechanics: espionage climates. Espionage climates are descriptions of the political and espionage trends that affect the world of spies, with attached mechanical effects. The mechanical effects serve to add a sensible effect to the game environment in the hopes to recreate a certain mood. Examples include "death to spies" which makes threats easier, and cooler heads prevail, which makes combat a less viable option.

The espionage climates are immediately put to use in the following section of "crises" year by year. This is a run down of major espionage events, accompanied by plot hooks for each event providing potential missions for PC agent. The outcome of each of these results in a different espionage climate depending on whether the PCs are successful or not in the mission (or in some cases, depending on how the mission is handled.) This seems to have a great deal of roleplaying potential, improving immersion by creating very real outcomes from the player's actions.

In the same vein that the Spycraft core book provides a variety of variant campaign styles, the fifth chapter of this book provides variant campaign styles based on the some 60's espionage material. These include the 60's military campaign, the "Swinging 60's" campaign (with groovy agents whose style has tangible effects) and the telefantasy campaign (based of over-the top low budget 60s espionage serials.) Each of these has some variant rules to help fit Spycraft to the genre better, a sample campaign setup, sample NPCs, and plot hooks for each. They even include a secret moonbase for the over-the-top telefantasy campaign.

The sixth chapter has new agent options. Unlike most such books, a good deal of the chapter is actually spent taking options away. As should be apparent, there are a lot of differences in technology and government between the current era that Spycraft was written for and the 1960s. The biggest change is that a sizable amount of the gear selection is not available or is reduced in efficiency in the 1960s. Many departments and classes/class abilities are affected as well, especially if they are related to modern computer technology.

Gadgets are a bit more complex consideration, given that some campaign styles are willing to stretch plausibility more than others when it comes to gadgets. Accordingly, the list of gadgets available in a 1960s game is split into three different categories, depending on whether the campaign uses plausible science for the era, super-science, or future-science.

A new mechanical concept introduced in this book is that of allegiance. Very simply put, this is the major political body that the character ideologically supports (directly or through allies) - American, Soviet, or Neutral. The main effect this has in game, other that the obvious matter of disclosing one's true master (and the consequences that would hold) is that some feats are related to one's allegiance in this book.

One of the biggest expansions to agent options is in the area of departments. In addition to refinements of existing departments to better fit the era, there are a number of new departments, primarily associated with the major agencies as they operated in the era (such as the CIA, KGB, FBI, and GRU), including different departments for different branches and specialties. There are a variety of other common fiction or actual sources for major characters, such as astronauts/cosmonauts, foreign military advisors, and journalists.

There is one new base class, the wire. The wire is the 60s era high tech espionage expert, specializing in bugging, surveillance, and evidence analysis as it existed in the 60s. There is also a small selection of new prestige classes (the attache, the codebreaker, the menace, and the spymaster. Some of this have mechanics that give a backdoor nod to genre conventions. For example, the menace gain action dice for not killing an enemy agent, or for revealing their plans. Bond villains explained at last!

Other new options includes new feats, skill uses/categories, and new gear appropriate to the era to replace all that got taken away earlier in the chapter.

The 7th chapter provides new rules, including rules for handling specific situations and NPC options. Here the book shows its Bond roots; much more detailed rules are provided for gambling and other competitive games like billiards. A number of games are given very specific rules for handling using d20 rules, including classics like blackjack and baccarat. The detail provided give players specific options, such as "putting english" on dice rolls to improve their chances.

Also in line with Bond, there are more detailed rules for seduction to change a target's disposition. Other new rules handling sections include long term contacts (a straightforward system that costs skill points, a bit like backgrounds) and effects of stress for more gritty 1960s games.

The new rules chapter provides a number of new options for the GC as well, including new threat agendas (as introduced in the fixer/pointman guide) and new NPC classes appropriate to the era, such as CIA field operatives, conscripts, and contract killers.

The final chapter of the book, similar to many SFA chamber books, contains threats, pre-defined challenges and associated missions derived from plots mentioned earlier in the book. The threats here are written up using the expanded system in the Pointman/Fixer Class Guide.

Conclusions

Overall, this is a surprisingly well contained setting book for Spycraft, containing a large amount of useful source material, Agent andGC options, as well as some great new rules material to help bring the setting to life. The most intriguing of these to me is the espionage climate rules, though the seduction rules are nicely detailed and potentially useful in a variety of spycraft campaigns.

Overall Grade: A

-Alan D. Kohler