GenCon, Operation Doublestrike and Top Secret

[CarlZog]

So, when I heard the RPGA was running a d20 Modern game at GenCon that was going to be a return to "Operation Rapidstrike" -- the first Top Secret module, I had to be part of it.

I loved the original Top Secret... And who doesn't remember Operation Rapidstrike?

Apparently a lot of people... Nobody at the table had even heard of it before. I was shocked.

Is there ANYONE here who played Top Secret? Who remembers Rapidstrike? I'm not getting that old, am I?

CZ

 

[Dragonblade]

I played and still have the box set for Top Secret/S.I. which was the revised follow up to Top Secret. Its pretty cool.

Never played or saw the original Top Secret.

 

[CarlZog]

The original game was a lot grittier, while S.I. was more flamboyant -- like a John LeCarre novel vs. a Roger Moore James Bond movie.

CZ

 

[MEG Hal]

So, when I heard the RPGA was running a d20 Modern game at GenCon that was going to be a return to "Operation Rapidstrike" -- the first Top Secret module, I had to be part of it.

I loved the original Top Secret... And who doesn't remember Operation Rapidstrike?

Apparently a lot of people... Nobody at the table had even heard of it before. I was shocked.

Is there ANYONE here who played Top Secret? Who remembers Rapidstrike? I'm not getting that old, am I?

CZ

I remember in fact I have talked to (in the last year+) Merle Rasmussen who created TS and wrote most of the adv/supplements as well.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

I remember playing the first module that came with the boxed set. I had to sneak a look at the text to "guess" that the password was "pair-a-dice". No way I could have figured that out on my own.

Rapidstrike was a cool read but after three character deaths in that original module I kind of gave up on Top Secret. Too deadly for me at the time.

 

[HellHound]

It is -all- about the original Top Secret.

Forget RapidStrike, for me it was Operation Sprechentestelle Codename: Pisces (the yellow-covered one from the Top Secret boxed set).

We ran Top Secret for about two years in High School. Most of the other players were in it for combat missions and therefore loved RapidStrike, but I love the whole genre and game system.

Anyways, combat was too deadly.



In fact, that's my gripe about Top Secret/SI. It wasn't deadly anymore. Full auto did +2 damage instead of filling a person with bloody holes.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

I remember the original Top Secret fondly (as well as the early editions of Gamma World). Never did try TS/SI. Did that come out about the same time as Star Frontiers? Didn't care for that one, either -- got most of my SF gaming from Traveller.

 

[MEG Hal]

Just pulled my TS box off the shelf to show it it is still being loved after all these years!

 

[CarlZog]

Re: Re: GenCon, Operation Doublestrike and Top Secret

I remember in fact I have talked to (in the last year+) Merle Rasmussen who created TS and wrote most of the adv/supplements as well.

Wow. What's he doing these days?

 

[MEG Hal]

Re: Re: Re: GenCon, Operation Doublestrike and Top Secret

Wow. What's he doing these days?

He is working in the midwest and at one point we were discusiing TS stuff, he was not familiar with d20 but man, could he write good modern stuff back in the day...at that time I emailed his wife and she replied for him and we talked on the phone, he seems to be doing well and is a very nice guy to boot.