RPG Review: My Little Pony: Role-playing Game- Renegade Studios

 

My wife got this as a gift for her birthday, so technically this is not my copy.  However, it resides in our household so I decided that I could give it a read and let you all know what I found.  I am somewhat familiar with the franchise, as I was a watcher of the O.G. version way back in the late 80's.  I have also seen the re-booted Friendship is Magic show.  However, I would not call myself a Brony by any stretch of the imagination.  

My Little Pony has proven a popular enough I.P. that this is not the only My Little Pony (MLP) RPG on the market, and it probably won't be the last.  However, the version I have is published by Renegade Studios and uses their proprietary Essence 20 system.  This is the same system they use for Transformers, Power Rangers, and G.I. Joe.  You can read a lot of my thoughts on that system in my G.I. Joe review, and those thoughts pertain to this game too.   

To me, it looks like a modified D&D 5E system but instead of straight bonuses to checks, it uses a bonus dice that gets larger the better you are at something.  It has a lot of other similar yet appropriately re-named mechanics as 5E after that.  For example, instead of Advantage/Disadvantage they call it an Edge or a Snag.  

This has a couple of advantages.  First, it is easy to transition established D&D players to this system as it is essentially the same.  Second, all of Renegade's systems are cross compatible.  You can have G.I. Joe characters, MLP Characters, and Power Rangers all in the same game without any real issues if you wanted a Saturday Morning line-up adventure.  However, the disadvantage is that the game system can be a bit crunchier than you might want for a cartoon-based game.     

So, since a lot of that was recap to what I said about the other Essence 20 systems, let's take a closer look at what this game does to make it feel like Friendship is Magic! 

Things I Like

The introduction chapter is narrated by Pinkie Pie, which changes this section up a lot for those who have read a lot of these types of "What is an RPG" sections before.  Keeps it a bit fresh and really highlights the tone of the game.  What is that you say?  Well, this is a game about telling a story where you work together as a group to solve problems and to explore the world of Equestria with friends. Simple really. 

Sometimes, I think the Essence 20 system Renegade uses can be a bit much for someone new to RPGs.  I imagine some of the folks who get this book might be beginners.  To help facilitate them, they have a set of 6 pre-gen characters at the end of the book called the Renegade 6 that you can print and play with right away.  In addition, the game comes with a first adventure called "Stealing Thunder".  This is a good way to help players learn by doing instead of sitting down and reading an entire book.  In the Intro, they go Chapter by Chapter to give a summary and let newbies know which chapters should be read by who and why.  For example, the Game Master and any players who have Magical powers should read Chapter 8: Magic.   

There are two special mechanics to encourage Ponies to work together.  The first is some simple rules for Group based tests, where Ponies make skill tests appropriate to a challenge.  If half or more succeed that is a success.  The second Mechanic is that all Ponies can use a resource called a Friendship Point to create a Friendship circle, that gives all the Ponies in it benefits when they are a part of it.  By working together, they have a better chance of assist, help, and heal. 

Modifiers take the form of Dice Shifting in this game.  As you assign ranks in skills, these ranks give you additional dice to roll with a d20.  Modifiers increase the size of these bonus dice up or down to add (or subtract) from you d20 roll.  There is a nice ladder on page 113, that goes from Auto-success to auto-fumble!     

The basics of a Character are the 4 Essences.  However, if you want to be a spell-caster you need to use a single point of essence to create or improve your spell-casting ability.  Therefore, magic is a sacrifice from other physical capabilities to create a trade-off.  In addition, spell-casters can always try to dispel another casters magic as a contested skill check.    

Wealth and acquiring gear is an abstracted concept in this game.  Most day-to-day items you can just assume you have available.  Wealth and resources are a standard test where some Perks, Roles, and backgrounds might give you an advantage. There is also a section on having pets as well.  I am a bit sad, because I know at least 1 of my players MUST HAVE A PET in every game.    

The game has a really good breakdown of how to create Conflicts in the game including the Goal, Obstacles, Rewards and Consequences, Participants, and Scope of the challenge.  It also breaks down that a challenge may cause physical Health damage but is more likely to cause stress that reduces a character's Essence temporarily.  This represents mental stress.    

Since a big part of the game is exploring Equestria and the setting, I am glad to say that this book has two sections on the topic (Three if you include the enemies section).  There is a whole section on Exploration and what that means.  This includes diseases, the environment, and other details.  Then, there is a chapter on key locations in Equestria to be explored!  Often times, this pillar is overlooked in a game, but not in this one!  The Friends and Foes section also lays out NPCs from the show and some potential threats to Ponyville.  These all help populate the world.  

The section for the GM was not very helpful.  It was better to read the starter "Stealing Thunder" adventure to get an idea of how the game was to be played.  It had good examples of conflicts and combats that made sense in the world of the Ponies.  It also was useful to understand difficulty levels and various tests.  

I was also disappointed that there was no dedicated section about resolving or using Social skills, even though it is obviously a key part of the rules.  They seem to just the same as standard checks with no meat beyond that.  Since a few Roles lean heavily into Social as does the game itself I felt like this was a big omission.  The section on Conflicts helps, but the core of the Social Pillar focused on standard checks only. 

Things I Don't Like

This game has too many rules and is far too crunchy for a game of My Little Pony!  For example, the core concept of Cutie Marks giving a higher skill dice when it applies to a situation is a good, solid, simple rule.  However, what makes up your Pony is so much more!  There are a lot of skills and a lot of special rules for a new person to recall.  The higher the level the more to recall! 

For example, they have 6 sample characters to get you started.  Looking at one of them there are..... 8-10 special rules per character from a combination of sources.  Many times, these can be somewhat specialized or situational bonuses.  They really needed to streamline this down for ease of play into core ideas.  This is before you even get into Essences, Defenses, and Skills to recall as well.  Too complicated for what this game is trying to be.  You should not need a front-and-back page character sheet for this type of game.   

There are a couple of pages for rules about weapons!  I think the focus in on using them as equipment more than against other creatures, but the rules do cover it.  Seems a bit Un-Pony like to me, but I guess bad guys can use them too. 

This game talks about using battle maps!  AHHHHHHHHHHH!  This does not feel like it should be a game where tactical elements and positioning should be a thing.  The Combat section is far too long for a game like this with a level of detail that should not be required.  However, it does specify that when you go to 0 Health that doesn't mean you are dead, just defeated.  However, this whole section seems more complex than a Saturday Morning cartoon about Friendship should really be.   

Meh and Other Uncertainties

Like other Essence 20 systems, character creation is actually pretty simple.  Your character needs an Origin, Influences, and Role.  Origins are if you are an earth-bound Pony, a Pegasi, or a Unicorn in this game.  Influences are like backgrounds that helped shape your character that comes with some situational bonuses and some ideas for RPG.  Your Role is basically your class that comes with various Class features.  

Unlike the G.I. Joe RPG, the Roles in this game do not match 1-for-1 as closely to D&D classes.  They take the form of a "Spirit of...." and grant situational bonuses.  Most of these are more social focused and conflicts in this game are more about social interactions than actual ficticuffs.  They have:

1. Spirit of Generosity - More of a Buffer character

2. Spirit of Honesty - A Social class

3. Spirit of Kindness - A healer and de-buffer of foes

4. Spirit of Laughter- A battlemaster of performance with a variety of tactics using expendable resources. 

5. Spirit of Loyalty- A sentinel and bodyguard type of class

6. Spirit of Magic - A Caster class

This game uses a Fumble and Critical Success rules.  Fumbles are on a failed test with a d20 roll of 1.  Criticals happen when you roll a success and the highest number on your bonus die. A bit different than D&D.  

There are three spell levels but only specialized Ponies will get to the third level of spells.  The basic level has about 12 spells in 4 categories, the next level has about 8, and the last, most difficult level has 8 as well.  There is also rules for making and using Magic Baubles like Healing Salves and more powerful items.    

The game has a very simple meta-currency called Friendship Points.  These allow players to re-roll dice, trigger special effects by class, active a Friendship Circle, avoid hits, and get hints as needed.  The GameMaster is encouraged to hand them out based on good role-playing and other generally playing in a way where Friendship is Magic!    

Final Thoughts

To quote the introduction: "How can fate be so cruel?  All I ever did was love you, my shiny clicky magical math rocks!" 

This game showed some development and improvement compared to the G.I. Joe. rulebook from Renegade.  It did a better job explaining Conflicts and non-combat oriented parts of RPGs.  I think it also broke-away from the usual Essence 20/D&D 5E framework a bit more than usual.  The Roles especially seemed more thought-out for the type of game being played.  

However, this game is still a bit too complex for beginners, a bit too rules-heavy, and way too focused on combat for what I was expecting.  I would imagine combat should be resolved by a few simple dice rolls and decisions more like a Powered by the Apocalyspe style game, and less like a tactical combat focused-game like D&D.  I think it makes too little of the Social and moral issues of MLP to focus on the easier "physical" conflicts.  However, very rarely do they settle conflicts in MLP this way.  This is not a Military Fantasy show like G.I. Joe!  

My wife would be a first time GM and my group is asking her to run this.  As a first time GM, I think this game needs to beef up the GM section AND make it a bit simpler to run for newbies.  As it stands, I think it will be a challenge for her to run all the mechanics and manage all the character abilities as presented in the book.  Afterall, she is a casual fan of the show and mostly likes it for the color palette and more of a casual RPGer.     

That said, I think this could be a nice change of pace for a short campaign or palette cleansing 1-off for a long running group of RPGers.  I could also see the reliance on the known Essence 20/D&D 5E framework could also make for some fun Convention games of this.  However, as written it is more of a game for experienced RPGers than I expected.   

Until next time!

Become a Patron and get access to all the cool stuff, a peak behind the curtain of Blood and Spectacles, and early-access to playtest games!  

Blood and Spectacles Patreon! 

You can follow Blood and Spectacles Facebook page or Instagram for more fun! 

Check out the latest publications and contact me at our Blood and Spectacles website

Or purchase all out games at the Blood and Spectacles Publishing Wargames Vault Page!                                    

Review: Pendragon Gamemaster's Handbook - Chaosium

Sometime last year, I picked up the Pendragon Core Rulebook for 6th edition.  That review had some critiques about what it was missing, and that the Core Rulebook did not give me everything I needed to run the game.  After doing some research, it appears that others felt the same way and that the Core Rulebook was more of a Player's Handbook.  As the Gamemaster, you needed a different level of detail and that seems to be what this book is intended to provide.  

For those who do not know, Pendragon is a role-playing game where you attempt to take up the mantle of a Knight from the Arthurian Legends.  This is a semi-mythical time period of British history that was greatly influenced by other European takes on what it meant to be a good Knight through-out the Middle and High Middle Ages.  There are various versions of the Legend of King Arthur had his Knights and most of them dwell on the later period.  However, the actual roots of the Saga take place over a 150-year legendary time span, and this game lets you play characters and lineages from the opening to the end of the Myth Cycle. 

I really am a fan of the "idea" of Pendragon as it puts players into an actual society and then asks them to role-play what life in that society may look like.  This is a very different feel for a game where you are character who is semi-lawless out on the frontier.  Here you are the one that represents civilization and its changing ways, and it your job to uphold what civilization you can.  Sure, you can become a character of legend, but the focus is very different from what you see in a typical frontier style RPG.  I have a soft spot for these types of games where players must act within a society, including its constraints and limitations. 

Now, let's strap on our armor, hoist ourselves up on our chargers and grab our lance.  It is time to go out on a quest into the heart of the Pendragon Gamemaster's Handbook..... 

Things That I Liked

First off, there was a lot of things I wanted covered in the Pendragon Core Rulebook such as Feasts, Magic, Foes, Religions, and intro adventures.  Thankfully, this book covers all of those topics very well.  It really fills in the blanks in a way that I think I can actually run the game now.  Yippee!  

The mechanics for Feasts are really fun!  I often joke that Legend of the Five Rings is the game of dinner parties, but Pendragon takes it to another level.  In this game, your main success measure is Glory.  You gain Glory a variety of ways, but you also earn Glory at Feasts!  Characters earn Glory based on where they are seated compared to their Lord, actions they take, and if they do not have a "for sure" agenda; they can draw Feast Cards.  These are essentially random events that act as a spring boards to Trait Tests and/or role-play.  All of which can gain you Glory as a Knight.  This game has a mechanical benefit for engaging in the Social Pillar of the game, and not just a Narrative benefit.  This is a very cool mechanic. 

There is a nice section about running the game as the GM.  This includes advice about moving through time, navigating technology changes, and other items unique to the setting.  Unlike many settings, this one is NOT frozen in time.  In fact, technology improves as you move forward in the Myth cycle.  You start with chain mail, spear and simple shields, but end with full plate armor, horse barding, and dedicated lances.  However, I think my favorite piece of advice in the GM section is this, "When running a scenario, it you have a plot planned out; avoid random events."  Music to my Trad/Neo-Trad ears!  West End Games: Star Wars my favorite GameMaster section, but the advice given in this book is probably my second favorite.  I have an excellent idea of how this game should be approached and played.  

Appendix A gives a very handy summary of Glory rewards for a variety of situations and PC/NPC types.  This is helpful as Glory rewards are often scattered in the rulebooks.  This helps consolidate them into a few pages.  Since this is a key measure and main success metric in the game, you can bet Players will want GMs to get this right.    

Things I Did Not Like

One thing that stands out with this game, is that it is a rather roll heavy game.  Many times, situations in the rules are abstracted down to a Trait test or series of Skill Rolls.  Success is based on the dice rolls more than anything else.  The narrative is shaped by these rolls, so luck can play a big part in what will develop and where the plot may go.  There are ways for players to mitigate the roll of luck using Passion checks, but there is also a risk.  In addition, rather complex situations that may take a few hours to role-play out fully, are designed to be resolved with a few rolls and a few moments of dialogue.  This allows the game to pack 1 year into a session or two.  However, it also leads the game to be a relatively streamlined experience, and some key events are not allowed to breath.  The game itself moves briskly from challenge to challenge, but this can disrupt the Narrative.  However, this game is designed to be more simulation of Arthurian Legend.  

This simulation also leads to a variety of "rituals" in how the game is played.  I.e. when you meet foreign Knights on patrol you do X.  If you end up at a foreign castle you do Y.  If you are flirting or courting you do Z.  The rules cover the most common situations and quickly and easily systematizes them into a Trait test.  This makes the game almost feel more like a series of pre-set rituals rather than creative role-playing.  The characters themselves are trapped a bit, which is one of the games strengths at recreation, but also a constraint on innovative role-play. 

The focus of this book is to put the Player-Knights in the County of Salisbury from the start of the time of the Boy King through to the end of Arthur.  Therefore, much of what is written tends to focus on that time period.  However, there is a great deal of time and geography that can not be covered in this book.

I was also disappointed that there was not a small section on Estates and Estate management in this book.  The main player-state seems to be as Household Knights.  However, I am very interested in running a Campaign (at least partially) as landholders and said responsibilities.  Half the fun of the game seems to be creating a family and lineage to grow over the full 150+ years of the Arthurian Myth cycle.  Also, I could see a fun campaign revolving around the adventures of a Conroi (10-15) of Mercenary Knights as well, but that is hardly touched on here.  Most of the Mercenary Knight detail comes from the main rulebook.  This book seems to want the focus to be on the last 50 or so years of the Arthurian Saga as Household Knights.    

The starting Scenarios also feed into this idea of Household Knights of Salisbury at the end of the era of Anarchy between Uther's death and King Arthur pulling the Sword from the Stone.  The Starting scenarios start the players as Squires, arranges for them to be promoted to Knights, and then allows them to get involved dealing with Saxons and border fights.  These scenarios slide easily into the Starter Set, the Grey Knight, and the Great Pendragon Campaign.  However, they are "mundane" adventures and years focusing on Saxon foes and battle, with a flavor of feasting.  It does not touch on magic or Fae or the more "wonderous" sides of the setting.  However, they do give an example of how to structure a session/year for a GM and serve to get Player-Knights stuck in.       

Meh and Other Uncertainties

There is a very detailed description and section on the various religions of the people of Arthurian Briton.  This section would have been really useful in the Core Rulebook as well.  However, the detail and history of each is fascinating.  This includes Roman and British Christianity, Heathenism(Spirit Worship), Paganism, Wodanism(Norse), and even Evil for NPCs.  As a history guy, this was really interesting to read!  

Of course, these religious traditions also have access to different Magic traditions and Miracles too.  Each of these traditions also has different spiritual foes such as fae, fiends, and Angels as well.  Of note, only fiends (agents of Satan) can use true illusions.  Illusion-like effects from other creatures like glamour change and warp reality itself.  Fiends may not change parts of God's creation as punishment so therefore their works are pure illusions.    

There are detailed rules for running Mass Battles.  These can be applies in tournament style Melees or in actual field Battles and Sieges as well.  These reminded me a bit of the Legend of the Five Rings or Dune: Adventures in the Imperium rules for Mass Battles.  However, the Pendragon rules for Mass Battle seem to be a bit more detailed.  

There are two full Chapters on NPCs and Beasts that the Player-Knights might encounter.  This ranges from standard Pictish warriors, to Saxons, to animals, to Witches, to Giants, and other Fae and Fiends.  They also offer some ideas on how the more bizarre creatures appeared in Arthurian Legends.  They also give Stat blocks for some Key NPCs, mostly from the later periods of the Myth Cycle.    

Appendix B is pretty cool as it has a lot of detail for expanded reading.  This ranges from Academic works, Traditional Folklore, and all the way to modern fiction.  A solid list to help you get a feel for the genre.        

Final Thoughts

If you plan on running Pendragon this is really a must have book.  The detail if gives for the various religions of Briton alone is amazing and worth the read.  The Feasts rules are also really cool and a great look at how to systematize the Social Pillar.  The Bestiary and discussion of Magic helps build on what a complete and interesting world Pendragon lives in.   

That said, 6th Edition still has a few blindspots for a fully developed campaign.  The first is there is very little discussion or talk about the "Exploration Pillar".  Granted, much of the region is "Known" but not to the Player-Knights.  There is some discussion about visiting foreign lands, but those lands are left largely blank.  In addtion, Knights are often Nobles and Land-holders and this book does not touch on that aspect of the setting/campaigns at all.     

With this and Core Rulebook, you now have enough to play Pendragon.... mostly.  Afterall, the GM can fill-in the rest of the Map as they see fit beyond Salisbury.  Afterall, Your Pendragon May Vary!  If you make your Player-Knights Household Knights you have everything you need for a good campaign.  If you want to explore some of the other possibilities of the setting, this will lead you to more books to buy. 

Become a Patron and get access to all the cool stuff, a peak behind the curtain of Blood and Spectacles, and early-access to playtest games!  

Blood and Spectacles Patreon! 

You can follow Blood and Spectacles Facebook page or Instagram for more fun! 

Check out the latest publications and contact me at our Blood and Spectacles website

Or purchase all out games at the Blood and Spectacles Publishing Wargames Vault Page!                        

Battle Report: Castles in the Sky - Visiting the Sudova Riviera!

 

Oh boy, after painting up the Austro-Hungarian Fleet that I picked up from Scale Creep Miniatures, it was time for them to hit the table.  Freshly painted miniatures are always a joy to take to the field, even if they often get hammered on the table.  

The Dual Monarchy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire often treated the Balkans as their Sphere of Influence.  The Dalmatian Coast and the Sudova Riviera in Montenegro were both claimed to be their own airspace.  The Concert of Europe never officially agreed to this, but it was a defacto Fait Accompli.  Therefore, it was not unusual for airships from the Dual Monarchy to be found patrolling the area.  

However, the British Empire had been toying diplomatically with an Entente Alliance with Italy.  The Italians and the Austrians were part of the Triple Alliance along with Germany.  However, Italy craved the Dalmatian coast and the territory on the other side of the Adriatic.  In order to curry favor and potentially cause a rift in the Triple Alliance, the British decided to test the Austrian resolve above the Sudova Riviera. This area is well known for its beaches and tourism, rather than its military importance.

The Forces: 

Austro-Hungarian Empire

Kaiserin Class Armored Cruiser- SMS Maria Theresa - Command 3

Zenta Class Cruiser - SMS Aspern - Command 1

Novara Class Cruiser - SMS  Saida - Command 3

Huzsar Destroyer- SMS Salamander  - Command 2, Air Torpedo

British Empire

Indefatigable Battle Cruiser- HMS New Zealand - Command 4

Warrior Class Cruiser - HMS Armstrong - Command 3

Duke of Edinburgh Class Cruiser- HMS Regent - Command 2

Active Class Light Cruiser- HMS Antigone - Command 3

Mission

Today we will be playing a Patrol mission per the rules in the main rulebook.  There will be no Complications.  

Set-up

Today, we will be fighting on a 48 MU by 48 MU table.  1 MU will equal 1 inch.  

The British are the Attackers and will be deploying approaching the coast.  The Austro-Hungarians will deploy on the opposite board edge.  Both sides are up to 12 MU in from their board edge. 

The terrain is a coastline cutting across at an angle.  The coastline has some cliffs and mountains of various heights of 1-3 at the coast, with two larger mountains at 4 and 6.

The British are coming in at an angle, looking to cut across from Southwest to the Northeast.  They are at speed 5 and altitudes between 4-6.  The Battle Cruiser is leading the way.   

The Austro-Hungarians are coming in from the same edge but moving Northwest to Southeast.  If no one changes course, the two sides will cross paths in the center of the board.  They are at altitudes 5-7 and at speed 4 across the fleet.       

As usual, I will be breaking the game down into three general phases to make it easier to document and follow the battle.  I won't be detailing every ships movement or altitude change.  The first two turns are the Maneuver phase, the middle turns are the Battle phase, and the final two turns are the End Phase.  This is a 6-turn game.

Maneuver Phase

The HMS New Zealand picked up speed and moved to cut off the Austrian ships, while the rest of the squadron turned towards the enemy.  The Austria-Hungarians turned away and stayed tight, with their Destroyer shooting out ahead and starting to turn back into the fray to snipe.  

The HMS Regent opened the battle with some bow shots that rang off the hull off the SMS Maria Theresa, leaving three friction.  The Maria Theresa returned fire and clanged a shell off the British cruiser as a warning. 

Battle Phase

The British aggressively press forward, with the HMS New Zealand dropping to the same altitude as the Maria Theresa to attack.  However, the Austro-Hungarians make an aggressive turn into the oncoming British and manage to Cross the T of the Cruiser squadron.  

The HMS New Zealand and Regent Fire for Effect and rock the Austro-Hungarian flagship with 8 friction and 2 hits.  The HMS Armstrong and Antigone fire at the SMS Saida, but their bow guns only manage to cause some friction.  The Austrian command ship's rudder is jammed from the barrage.   

The Austrians give as good as they get, with the Maria Theresa and Saida returning fire on the HMS Regent and landing two hits and some friction.  The Regent's Air Screw is fouled and her Rudder jammed in the exchange.  Air torpedoes from the Dual Monarchies flagship manage to strike home on the HMS New Zealand as well, causing a hit.  

The shot was a lucky one as the New Zealand explodes in a cataclysmic chain of explosions!  The explosion is so large that it hits the SMS Salamander and causes her screw to be fouled.  It also further damages the HMS Regent!  Promising careers are cut short as the New Zealand goes down with all hands! 

The Captain of the HMS Regent takes command of the fleet, despite having his own issues.       

With the British Flag gone, the battle quickly devolves into a general melee.  The British elect the Austro-Hungarians to go first.  The Maria Theresa is stricken and flies straight her rudder jammed.  The SMS Saida uses a Command to Come About and turns to go straight down the throat of the British fleet, who scramble to get out of the way.  Meanwhile, the Aspern and Salamander try to get into the fight.  The HMS Regent is stricken to move slowly forward due to a jammed rudder of her own.  The HMS Armstrong moves to engage the SMS Saida on equal terms.      

The Captain of the Saida lets loose amongst the British cruisers with disappointing results.  He manages to cause a hit on the HMS Regent, which damages the Bridge!  Fire from the Aspern misses the Armstrong, but the Maria Theresa has better luck putting shells on target.  The HMS Armstrong takes two hits and is Crippled in the exchange!  The Captain calls for all hands to abandon ship as she starts to sink.  The Salamander misses the HMS Antigone or has her Air Torpedoes swatted away.   

Things look rough for the Brits, but it didn't go all the Austrians way as the Saida is pounded in her position between the two British ships.  In return she is also Crippled and has her screw fouled.  The SMS Saida is also sinking.  

For their troubles, the SMS Saida and the HMS Regent strike their colors.  They are too busy managing their damaged and sinking ships to keep going.  However, the HMS Armstrong refuses to strike.  At the end of the turn, their is still Friction on the HMS Armstrong and the HMS Antigone.  

End Phase

In an attempt to cut-off the SMS Aspern, the HMS Antigone collides with the Austrian ship.  the two ships become entangled.  They are both stricken with 3 and 1 friction respectively.   The Maria Theresa is content to gain altitude and try to move away from the battle, while the Salamander re-loads Torpedoes and moves in towards the last British ship.  

Nobody has any shooting due to being entangled.  Friction clears, but the HMS Armstrong was immobilized and stalled due to Friction last turn. This time, the captain strikes the Armstrong's colors. 

The Antigone and the Aspern trade fire, with the Aspern getting the worst of it and losing some armor.  However, the SMS Salamander manages to sink two Air Torpedoes into the stern of the HMS Antigone and causes her to lose armor and her rudder to jam.  The Maria Theresa also fires a parting shot with her stern battery, but fails to cause further damage.  

With that, the battle comes to an end. 

Conclusion 

Of course, the British Foreign Office quickly condemned the attack on the Sudova Riviera at the Concert of Europe.  It was easy to blame it on a rogue Captain.  Afterall, he was dead.  He could not defend himself or claim otherwise.  His ship and all its records were destroyed and lost.   

The HMS Regent managed to limp back to British Egypt, but it was touch and go.  The crew's effort was immortalized in harrowing ballad by some country wag.  The crew of the HMS Armstrong were detained and the remains of the ship impounded by the Hapsburg government.  However, SMS Saida ended up ditching in the Adriatic just off the coast, attempts to refloat it would be impossible.  The crew of mixed ethnicities mostly survived, and the families of those who did not were given a pension in their post-humous honor.  The Dual Monarchy pressed for the SMS Saida's replacement costs plus a ransom for their crew and the British gladly turned it over.

The Italians were not swayed to leave the Triple Alliance.    

The Austro-Hungarians managed to defend their shores admirably.  The British lost 21 Armor to the Austro-Hungarian 10.  The British had their Flagship blow up, a Cruiser sink, and a second cruiser sent scurrying with her Colors struck.  The Austro-Hungarians had 1 cruiser start to sink and strike her colors.  

For the Austro-Hungarians, the star of the battle was the Maria Theresa who blew up the HMS New Zealand and did severe damage to the HMS Regent.  The Saida deserves honorable mention as well.  For the British?  Well, something was wrong with their bloody ships today!  

The key moment was when the Austrians managed to Cross the T of the British cruiser squadron while the New Zealand tried to cut them off.  Instead, they turned into the attack at the last moment.  Good show! 

This battle had a lot of fun!  Disentangling, Commands, Sinking, and Striking of Colors!  There was so much Friction at a couple of points that it was not all cleared in the End Phase, which is unusual in a battle of this size.   

Until next time. 

Become a Patron and get access to all the cool stuff, a peak behind the curtain of Blood and Spectacles, and early-access to playtest games!  

Blood and Spectacles Patreon! 

You can follow Blood and Spectacles Facebook page or Instagram for more fun! 

Check out the latest publications and contact me at our Blood and Spectacles website

Or purchase all out games at the Blood and Spectacles Publishing Wargames Vault Page!     

  

RPG Design: Types of Scenes

 

Why, look at we have here.  It has been a long time since you have seen that banner on a blog post!  Sure, I primarily design Wargames, but I have been expanded my portfolio to include RPG Design as well.  Every good business needs to diversify!  Plus, I find that writing RPGs can be a nice creative break from just doing Wargames.  Lastly, they don't need miniatures to be painted to get them done, which helps get them finished faster!  

I tend to come from RPGs from a cinematic perspective.  For those familiar with the parlance of RPGs, I have a Trad/Neo-Trad approach to them as opposed to simulation or Old-School Revival.  I tell you this so that you know my preferences straight of the bat.  Not everyone prefers this approach, but I do.  I want my RPGs to be a collaborative story-telling adventure where ALL the players get to help put the story together, including their character arcs, the plots the GM wants to tell, and the story lines that evolve as the game develops.  In my RPG world, there is no winners, only players with stories to tell. 

If that is not your RPG bag, that is okay with me.  Play what you like!  Honestly, there is more RPG content out on the web than wargaming, so there should be plenty of stuff for your preferences.  However, you might want to stick around and see if any of what I write might be useful to you.... even if it is just to laugh at!  

Solid Bones

Most RPG games are composed of scenes.  If you think of a movie, a scene is simply the various set-pieces that help to tell the story.  In cinema, the camera tends to focus on the scenes that are important to the themes, plot, or characters.  Scenes that are not important to these elements are glossed over or happen "off-camera".  

Think about Star Wars, I use this example because we have probably all seen it.  On camera, we see Luke, Obi-Wan and the Droids go to a cantina looking for a pilot to get them to Alderaan.  We see them go into the bar and find Han.  That is the important scene.  What we do not see is Luke going to Toshi Station to pick-up some power converters, because that scene is not important.  Those scenes were deleted.  George Lucas decided to focus on the scenes that drove the story he was trying to tell.    

A good RPG encourages players to focus on the right scenes too.  Therefore, as the Designer it is important for the game itself to help the Players know what scenes are important for the game.  Some games are better at this than others. 

For Example, Legend of the Five Rings: 5th Edition explicitly breaks down the game and lays-out rules and details for the following types of scenes: Intrigue, Martial, Investigative, Exploration, Big Battle.  The rulebook tells the Players that these scenes are the heart of the L5R experience, and details how to play such scenes.  

The Anatomy of a Scene

Establishing Shot

This is a simple scene or narration that sets where the characters are physically in the world.  It is a great way to transition between larger set-piece scenes and gives a momentary break in the action, signaling that the game is moving on from where it was in the previous scene.  

Think about all the times in a movie where you see an exterior shot of a building, or a wide shot of an interior, or even a matte painting.  These basically tell your players where they are going to be playing out their scene.  However, these scenes are a mere transition to the details.  

The Inciting Incident

The Inciting Incident is a decision point that invites the players to take-action with their characters.  The Game Master often sets up a scenario that transitions into asking the player's how they are going to proceed.  The answer to that question is up to the players, but the GM has to set-up a scene in order to ask the question "What does your character do?"  

Arguably, this is the most important part of any Scene as it now opens a game session up to what the players will do.          

The Scene Itself

This is where the Player's dictate what their Characters are doing, and the GM has the world react to these actions.  This may involve role-play, a challenge check, or other mechanics.  However, it could be as simple as a narrative response to Character actions.  This interplay of Action -> Reaction can continue as long or as quickly as the Players (including the GM) wish it to last, and the Players are having fun.  

Honestly, this is the bulk of any given scene in an RPG.  

Epilogue

The scene will end with a quick wrap-up to provide closure.  The players or the GM no longer wish to react to the scene.  There is nothing left to do and no where else for the scene to go.  The GM can choose to end the scene or the players can let the GM know that they are ready to move on. The Epilogue is simply closing the scene and then starting the next scene with an Establishing Shot.

You can see how the Epilogue seamlessly can loop back to the Establishing Shot to create a virtuous circle until the player's reach the end of their allotted session time.    

The Types of Scenes

L5R gives a great start for a list of scene types that a GM and designer need to understand when thinking about their RPG experience.  I want to expand a bit on this with a few other thoughts and even detail the ones listed a bit further.  

Social Scene

In such a scene, the main driver of the action is interactions between characters and each other, or with the NPCs of the world.  In a social scene, the focus is on exchanging ideas via dialogue.  If their are challenge checks, typically they are of a Social nature.  This includes lying, detecting lies, convincing allies, intimidating opponents.  Scenes focusing on intrigue are often Social scenes.  Political games use a lot of Social Scenes.   

Notable games that make strong use of  Social Scenes are Legend of the Five Rings and Pendragon.

Stealth Scenes  

These are scenes that are focused on moving quickly and quietly without being detected. Opposed rolls often take the form of stealth checks, with the occasional bit of fast talking.  Stealth Scenes are often important in heist focused games. 

Notable game that uses Stealth Scenes are Shadowrun and Blades in the Dark. 

Investigation Scenes

These can overlap with Social scenes, but the focus here is on detecting and uncovering clues from the surroundings, including NPCs.  Typically, I do not like to hide information behinds challenge checks, but here is where key skills like investigation and perception can come into play.  

A few notable games that focus on Investigation scenes are Call of Cthulhu, Hard City and Gumshoe.

Travel Scenes

Here the focus is on exploring the unknown and discovering new things via movement.  This can use a variety of checks, but the focus is on getting from Point A to Point B successfully.  You discover new or forgotten things along the way.  

A notable exploration game is Forbidden Lands and any Hex-Crawl focused OSR game.   

Combat Scenes (Duels, Skirmish, or Big Battles)

It really does not matter of it is a one-on-one fight, party versus enemies, or the characters commanding regiments of soldiers on the field of battle.  The focus here is by solving problems with violence.  There are a lot of games that make this a big focus for gameplay and there are a variety of different mechanics for these types of scenes.  

Notable games are Dungeons and Dragons and G.I. Joe: The Role-Playing Game.

Crafting Scenes

These are scenes where characters are building or creating new things to introduce into the game world.  Thes can take many forms from magical equipment, technology, or even works of art. 

Many games incorporate some sort of crafting, but it is often focused on -or-2 character-builds or is a side-quest of the game.  Rarely is it the main driving factor of an RPG. 

Shopping and Planning Scenes

In these scenes, Characters are gathered together to come up with their plans for the next few scenes by gathering intel, making plans, and acquiring the gear they need to accomplish their goals and objectives.  These scenes are usually player driven and depending on the group maybe critical to game play, or the least exciting part of the game. 

Like Crafting Scenes, most RPGs do not focus on this aspect of the game play.  However, players engage and often initiate these types of scenes themselves.  

Putting It All Together

As an RPG Designer, it is important to give your players some idea of how scenes should work in your game, and how they flow together.  The Game Master should also have an idea of what Types of Scenes may occur in a game, with suggestions in the rules on how to resolve the most common scene types.  

As the Designer, you should also have an idea of the most common types of scenes the game likes to lean in with, and build mechanics for the key scenes.  Scenes types that are not the focus still need some rules, but the level of detail can be different.  

For example, Glittering Void: The Role-Playing Game of Space Mecha Theatre is focused on two main scene types.  Those are Battle Scenes and Social Scenes.  Therefore, there are rather complex rules for fighting and for negotiations that extend and expand options using the Universal Mechanics.  However, scenes for upgrading mechs, investigations, sneaking around, and shopping are slimmed down to more basic rules using the Universal Mechanic to resolve. 

In Conclusion

As an RPG Designer, and a GM; it is important to understand how Scenes work to drive an RPG game.  It is also important for the Designer to know the type of scenes your game wants to lean in on and give guidelines for all scene types.  I offered only a handful of broad scene types to give you a starting point.  As the designer, you will want to think about specific scene types your game will be recreating. 

Until next time.....

Become a Patron and get access to all the cool stuff, a peak behind the curtain of Blood and Spectacles, and early-access to playtest games!  

Blood and Spectacles Patreon! 

You can follow Blood and Spectacles Facebook page or Instagram for more fun! 

Check out the latest publications and contact me at our Blood and Spectacles website

Or purchase all out games at the Blood and Spectacles Publishing Wargames Vault Page!                                    

On the Painting Desk: Castles in the Sky- Austro-Hungarian Fleet

 

Castles in the Sky is model agnostic, but the minis in the book are all from Brigade.  My existing fleets are also from Brigade and I like the look of them. Therefore, "Liberation Day" Tariffs were announced I moved quickly to secure a new fleet from Scale Creep Games before the new Tariff pricing took effect.  I might not have been the only one with that idea, because the site didn't have much left on it.  Quantities were so low, that I emailed Scale Creep before I ordered to make sure that the volumes on the site were correct. 

Scale Creep got me my order right quick, and before Tariff pricing kicked in.  I was thankful.  This time I picked up two fleet packs of Austro-Hungarian ships.  I was surprised when I got them that they were Resin/Metal hybrids for the big boys.  I am not going to lie, I am not a fan of that. 

Despite being metal/resin hybrids it didn't take me long to get them assembled with Super-Glue and Greenstuff.  Flash was minimal, and the hardest part was getting the smokestacks off the sprue and somewhat lined up right!  

Oh boy!  Look at those beauties.  I have a few different makes and models there.  Look at those mid-size wedge shaped darlings.  They look like a Star Destroyer had a baby with the Titanic.  Ahhhh..... so cute.  I also really like the look of those metal ships on the left.  The only downside, is I am not sure which of these cool little guys will be the Austro-Hungarian escorts?  They all look a little beefy and well-armed for escorts.  

From there, I got them outside and gave them a Seer Grey undercoat.  Next, I gave them all a dark grey wash and then I dry-brushed with cheap, white-acrylic paint.  They were now ready for some paint.  I took some time and thought a bit about the color schemes.  I took a close look at the sky around me and my existing fleets.  I decided that I was going to use Graveyard Grey as the "hull", Sand Golem for the wooden decks, and Runic Grey for the super-structures.  These colors will give the ship a "camouflage" look in the sky from either the top or bottom as clouds are often grey as well.  Plus, they will still look like World War One warships.  

I decided to take a few of each ship type and give it a quick test run..... 

As a quick test of the color scheme, I was happy with the results and decided to keep going with that color scheme.  From there, it was a just a few touches here and there to make the ships "Pop" a bit.  For windows I used Voidshield Blue from the regular Armypainter range of paints.  I also gave them some markings on their "fins" where is made sense in Red and White.  These also came from the main Armypainter range.  Finally I painted the inside of the stacks with Grim Black speedpaint.   

The last step on these test models was to mount them on some bases.  I typically used a Litko flying stand ring on the base of the ship.  Then, I would insert the bases that I got from Brigade.  This gives them that flying feel and is very sturdy.  Lastly, I tried to cut-out an Austro-Hungarian flag I got with the ships using an X-acto knife and mounted it on the biggest ship's observation mast.  

This gave me a workable fleet for any games that were going to come up.  However, what if I needed a bigger fleet?  Good thing I still had several ships to get painted up! 

Satisfied with the test ships, I decided to move on and paint the rest using the same general scheme.  The only challenge was that I did not have enough Litko flying base rings for all of them.  I only had enough for about 5 more airships.  Oh well. I went ahead and painted them all anyway and decided which ones got to fly later.     

Then, here is the ships on patrol somewhere over Bosnia, patrolling the border with Serbia.  This show of force should deter any Nationalist sentiment from those regional upstarts!  

This gives our local Castles in the Sky players 2 British fleets, a French Fleet, an American Fleet, a German fleet, and now this Austro-Hungarian Fleet.   A good mix of fleets and ships for us to choose from.  

Until next time! 

Become a Patron and get access to all the cool stuff, a peak behind the curtain of Blood and Spectacles, and early-access to playtest games!  

Blood and Spectacles Patreon! 

You can follow Blood and Spectacles Facebook page or Instagram for more fun! 

Check out the latest publications and contact me at our Blood and Spectacles website

Or purchase all out games at the Blood and Spectacles Publishing Wargames Vault Page!