Espionage RPGs

[Ghostwind]

You could use something like True20 but Spycraft 2.0 is definitely the nuts and bolts of the game.

 

[Krensky]

I took a look at Spycraft 2.0 at a LGS and man, that's a big book. At $40, I may have to delay my purchase or try to find it at a used book store, especially given my monthly 4e habit and desire to buy Mutants & Masterminds. But it sounds cool and I'll definitely have to check it out based on what everyone has said about it, though I will probably have to wait until after Christmas.

If you do find it at a used book store, there's two things to check.

First, although the errata is available, unless the difference between new and used is greater then the price of the PDF, I would not recommend getting it. The first printing (the color one from AEG) has badly layed out gear tables. So badly they're almost unusable. it has a good bit of errata, but that's avaialble from the Crafty Games site. Second printing (black and white from Crafty Games and Mongoose, look on the back for the logos) fixes that errata and the tables. It is from the in house printing era at Mongoose though, so the binding will fail sooner or later, probably right around page 16. The US printing is slighty smaller, slightly lighter, and has a much better textbook style binding. The main thing to check for this on is that the spine is slightly rounded and if you look closely at it 'edge' on, you should see signatures rather then a stack of pages glued in place.

As far as supppliments, I would recomend getting World on Fire at the least. It presents the setting from the CCG, but it also adds two base classes, some expert and master classes, fills out the melee and unarmed comabt feat chains, clarifies and expands the contacts rules. After that, it depends where your intrests go.

 

[Weregrognard]

Palladium's Ninjas & Superspies. Having grown up on James Bond and Bruce Lee movies, this game seemed to have been made just for me.

Lovable game and it's still in print as far as I know. Fair warning though, the system is a bit outdated/clunky.

 

[Shroomy]

If you do find it at a used book store, there's two things to check.

First, although the errata is available, unless the difference between new and used is greater then the price of the PDF, I would not recommend getting it. The first printing (the color one from AEG) has badly layed out gear tables. So badly they're almost unusable. it has a good bit of errata, but that's avaialble from the Crafty Games site. Second printing (black and white from Crafty Games and Mongoose, look on the back for the logos) fixes that errata and the tables. It is from the in house printing era at Mongoose though, so the binding will fail sooner or later, probably right around page 16. The US printing is slighty smaller, slightly lighter, and has a much better textbook style binding. The main thing to check for this on is that the spine is slightly rounded and if you look closely at it 'edge' on, you should see signatures rather then a stack of pages glued in place.

As far as supppliments, I would recomend getting World on Fire at the least. It presents the setting from the CCG, but it also adds two base classes, some expert and master classes, fills out the melee and unarmed comabt feat chains, clarifies and expands the contacts rules. After that, it depends where your intrests go.

I will keep that in mind while I shop for the game. Thanks!

 

[The Green Adam]

While not my favorite genre, I had a lot of fun playing both Top Secret (the original) and James Bond. James Bond in particular is an unsung gem of a game, rarely given its due. I've found it in used game bins much more often then I would have expected and its well worth the price of admission.

AD

 

[Treebore]

We are playing a "Espionage" game right now with Gear Kreig from Dream Pod 9, and I am having fun despite the presence of Mechwarrior/Gundams. Actually we are playing in a WW2 scenario, so they are very "industrial age" level technology, so they are more like tanks on legs rather than hi tech laser shooting/guided missile death machines.

 

[Glyfair]

James Bond in particular is an unsung gem of a game, rarely given its due.

I 100% agree. If you want to simulate the feel of the early James Bond movies, it's hard to go wrong with James Bond. It could use an update given the advancement of RPGs in general, but it holds up very well.

However, it's probably not as gritty as the original poster wants. It probably isn't too hard to dial back some of the cinematic elements though.

 

[Nylanfs]

Shadowrun is a good fit. Might need a little light massaging if you are doing it from the legitimate side of spying.

 

[GrumpyOldMan]

While not my favorite genre, I had a lot of fun playing both Top Secret (the original) and James Bond. James Bond in particular is an unsung gem of a game, rarely given its due. I've found it in used game bins much more often then I would have expected and its well worth the price of admission.

AD

I agree. The chase system works remarkably well, allowing the players to bid to try to catch up to the guy they're chasing (or loose the guys chasing them). It's a balance between a risky strategy which reduces success but can give you a spectular getaway (or result in you crachig and getting captured).

 

[JeffB]

Yeesh. How could I have forgotten James Bond?

At the time, it was the only game my players actually went out and bought the basic book/set for BEFORE I did.

The Q manual is a must have.