MongooseMatt
First Post
Hi guys,
The latest instalment for the Judge Dredd roleplaying game is out this week, literally linking Mega-City One and Brit-Cit together - The Rookie's Guide to Atlantis and the Black Atlantic.
Written by Marc Farrimond, this tome takes campaigns out of the big Mega-Cities and out into the wild, whether you want to stay in the 'civilisation' of Atlantis or go further afield and begin exploring the Black Atlantic.
The first chapter gives a brief overview of Atlantis and the major Service Plexes (from Britannia to Ulysses) and what visitors can expect to find on arrival. This moves on to a complete tour of Atlantis, from the various sectors, the government and politics of the place, to the very real needs of the Justice Department and specific locations. Marc does a great job of exploring the major landmarks, including the Atlantis Maritime Museum, Haynes Industries Research Labs and the Viro-Dome. The crazes of Mega-City One have spread to Atlantis, it turns out, though they have adopted their own flavour with Scum Surfing and Skinny Dunking being popular pursuits. A variety of organisations (such as Free Edwina and Sons of the Kraken) that are bound to get in your players' way are introduced, alongside some of the more unique diseases and environmental dangers present in Atlantis.
Characters of Atlantis takes a look at some of the people born (or at least bred) within the society of Atlantis and its surrounding environs. Prior Lives abound, including Aquaball Players, Aquanauts, Dockers and Tunnel Rats. Plenty of sample Atlantis characters will allow GMs to flesh out their scenarios quickly and easily.
The next chapter, Law of the Sea, details the various aspects of the Justice Department in this region of the world, from the perspective of both Mega-City One and Brit-Cit. This includes the Black Sky Patrol, Harbour Patrol, Ocean Patrol, Immigration Control and Sea Watch. The Justice Department Service Station, based deep in the core of Atlantis, is fully fleshed out, alongside Poseidon, Mega-City One's Undersea Defence Facility. However, the Unwritten law used by pirates and cut-throats also receives attention, and this may prove to be of a lot more use to certain players and campaigns. . .
Pirates of the Black Atlantic get a lot of attention for themselves and Global Piracy is examined in great detail (along with some handy mutiny rules). Players can begin life as Pirates of the Black Atlantic and the Pirate Captain and Pirate King prestige classes will ensure their life on the waves is duly rewarded. Smuggling is also covered as a valued pursuit on the sea, which may suit more cautious players.
The Technology chapter is where players (and their foils!) will be able to get their hands on a great deal of new kit for an oceanic life. From the Laz Cutlass and Nautilus Pistol to the Ahab Harpoon and Hellblazer Micro-Nuke, there are weapons-a-plenty here, all ready to be given to a raving pirate crew and attached to their mighty vessel. That said, no pirate captain is complete without his Squawkbox Robo-Parrot. . . Aquatic equipment abounds and there are enough ships and other ocean-going craft to populate the entire Black Atlantic and keep a pirate campaign going for years, from Osprey Gunboats to Minotaur-class warships. The Justice Department are by no means left behind, however, and a complete Sea-Fortress generation system is included, and rules for underwater combat mean that life may not be safer for anyone below the waves.
Marc has managed to include a complete chapter on Trade and Commerce rules, allowing players to sell their ill-gotten gains after a plundering expedition or, perhaps, opening the way to a campaign based on an honest merchant ship trying to avoid the attentions of pirates - anything is possible in the world of Judge Dredd! However, they will have to avoid more than mere pirates, as Marc has also included a chapter governing the weather and the various denizens of the Black Atlantic - and very little beneath the waves seems to be small! From the Black Kraken to escaped marine dinosaurs, the life of any ship's captain is likely to be less than peaceful and players will be grateful for the veritable armoury present in previous chapters.
The book winds up with a chapter on Entertainment, finding out just what citizens get up to in Atlantis and the surrounding areas. Various clubs are detailed, along with public attractions and mainstream entertainment, such as deep-sea fishing (and we mean 'deep'). The full rules for playing Aquaball are also provided, along with a Pro Aquaball Player prestige class, if your players get diverted from their campaign and begin running their own teams. . .
The Rookie's Guide to Atlantis and the Black Atlantic is priced at $21.95 and is available this week from all good games stores and book shops.
The latest instalment for the Judge Dredd roleplaying game is out this week, literally linking Mega-City One and Brit-Cit together - The Rookie's Guide to Atlantis and the Black Atlantic.
Written by Marc Farrimond, this tome takes campaigns out of the big Mega-Cities and out into the wild, whether you want to stay in the 'civilisation' of Atlantis or go further afield and begin exploring the Black Atlantic.
The first chapter gives a brief overview of Atlantis and the major Service Plexes (from Britannia to Ulysses) and what visitors can expect to find on arrival. This moves on to a complete tour of Atlantis, from the various sectors, the government and politics of the place, to the very real needs of the Justice Department and specific locations. Marc does a great job of exploring the major landmarks, including the Atlantis Maritime Museum, Haynes Industries Research Labs and the Viro-Dome. The crazes of Mega-City One have spread to Atlantis, it turns out, though they have adopted their own flavour with Scum Surfing and Skinny Dunking being popular pursuits. A variety of organisations (such as Free Edwina and Sons of the Kraken) that are bound to get in your players' way are introduced, alongside some of the more unique diseases and environmental dangers present in Atlantis.
Characters of Atlantis takes a look at some of the people born (or at least bred) within the society of Atlantis and its surrounding environs. Prior Lives abound, including Aquaball Players, Aquanauts, Dockers and Tunnel Rats. Plenty of sample Atlantis characters will allow GMs to flesh out their scenarios quickly and easily.
The next chapter, Law of the Sea, details the various aspects of the Justice Department in this region of the world, from the perspective of both Mega-City One and Brit-Cit. This includes the Black Sky Patrol, Harbour Patrol, Ocean Patrol, Immigration Control and Sea Watch. The Justice Department Service Station, based deep in the core of Atlantis, is fully fleshed out, alongside Poseidon, Mega-City One's Undersea Defence Facility. However, the Unwritten law used by pirates and cut-throats also receives attention, and this may prove to be of a lot more use to certain players and campaigns. . .
Pirates of the Black Atlantic get a lot of attention for themselves and Global Piracy is examined in great detail (along with some handy mutiny rules). Players can begin life as Pirates of the Black Atlantic and the Pirate Captain and Pirate King prestige classes will ensure their life on the waves is duly rewarded. Smuggling is also covered as a valued pursuit on the sea, which may suit more cautious players.
The Technology chapter is where players (and their foils!) will be able to get their hands on a great deal of new kit for an oceanic life. From the Laz Cutlass and Nautilus Pistol to the Ahab Harpoon and Hellblazer Micro-Nuke, there are weapons-a-plenty here, all ready to be given to a raving pirate crew and attached to their mighty vessel. That said, no pirate captain is complete without his Squawkbox Robo-Parrot. . . Aquatic equipment abounds and there are enough ships and other ocean-going craft to populate the entire Black Atlantic and keep a pirate campaign going for years, from Osprey Gunboats to Minotaur-class warships. The Justice Department are by no means left behind, however, and a complete Sea-Fortress generation system is included, and rules for underwater combat mean that life may not be safer for anyone below the waves.
Marc has managed to include a complete chapter on Trade and Commerce rules, allowing players to sell their ill-gotten gains after a plundering expedition or, perhaps, opening the way to a campaign based on an honest merchant ship trying to avoid the attentions of pirates - anything is possible in the world of Judge Dredd! However, they will have to avoid more than mere pirates, as Marc has also included a chapter governing the weather and the various denizens of the Black Atlantic - and very little beneath the waves seems to be small! From the Black Kraken to escaped marine dinosaurs, the life of any ship's captain is likely to be less than peaceful and players will be grateful for the veritable armoury present in previous chapters.
The book winds up with a chapter on Entertainment, finding out just what citizens get up to in Atlantis and the surrounding areas. Various clubs are detailed, along with public attractions and mainstream entertainment, such as deep-sea fishing (and we mean 'deep'). The full rules for playing Aquaball are also provided, along with a Pro Aquaball Player prestige class, if your players get diverted from their campaign and begin running their own teams. . .
The Rookie's Guide to Atlantis and the Black Atlantic is priced at $21.95 and is available this week from all good games stores and book shops.
