5 Parsecs Chirsu campaign – Week 3 and 4

Introduction

Playing a Five Parsecs From Home 1st edition campaign.  Starting with one party member.  No aliens, no psionics. 

Week 3

Inventory: pistol, rifle, autorifle, jump belt, nano-doc.

Enemies: Isolationists, Star crew

Chirsu trades (again!) and acquires a laser carbine.  While Chirsu and Jayy are wandering and seeing the sights, Jayy gets into a heated argument with a off-duty trooper.  Things get really ugly and Jayy can’t let it go. (Met someone, failed a persuade roll and now it is a chance encounter.  This is not the mission – the argument happened during see the sights.)

Chance Encounter: Defeat or drive off the other side. Each side takes turns placing one figure on their half the table. Figures cannot set up within 9” of the halfway point between the two table edges.

The enemy is 1 Trooper with a rifle, talent is sharp shooter and wearing mesh armour.

Terrain – in a room.  Assuming that the argument happened in close range so made it a room.

First turn is the trooper.

Setup

The trooper fire at Jayy.  Rolls a 6 and Jayy is KO.

Poor Jayy

Chirsu fires – misses with both shots; the trooper returns fire, rolls a 6 and Chirsu is KO.

Poor Chirsu

The trooper rolled twice and rolled a 6 both times.  Sometimes it just works out that way.

Chirsu would have got a mental scar from the KO (lose one random talent) but Chirsu use the nano-doc to be fine instead.

Jayy receives a moderate wound and must rest for 4 weeks so will not be around for the mission.

However Jayy did mention to Chirsu that bounty hunters were searching for him (campaign event to add an enemy) and also provided him a lead to an opportunity to deal with the cultists, one of the main factions in the settlement.

Mission is an Encounter (Defeat or drive off the other side. Each side takes turns placing one figure on their half the table. Figures cannot set up within 9” of the halfway point between the two table edges).

Cultists

Enemy: 2 Cultists, armed with rifles. One has a blade.

Terrain

Structure | Structure

                Structure

Structure | Linear obstacles

Conditions are None: None.

Onc again the terrain screams indoors, converting structures to a room and so just set up 4 rooms in a 2x2 grid and I rolled for doors.

First turn is Chirsu. I rolled to see if the Cultist stay together or split up.  They start split up.

Table

Deployment

Chirsu moves to the door to fire at the 1^st cultist, The cultist can reaction fire.  Has a 1 in 6 chance of suppressing Chirsu. The cultist suppresses Chirsu, meaning Chursi turn has ended and cannot fire.

Chirsu is suppressed (two green markers)

The 1^st cultist has a blade and Chirsu is suppressed.  Both of these will give the cultist a very large advantage in melee. So the cultist charges Chirsu, engages in melee and Chirsu is out of action (the cultist roll a 6 to to make sure).

Cultist charging

Chirsu is Knocked out

It is taking longer for me to configure the table than it is to play the game!  I am thinking I may need to recruit to actually have a bit of tactical play in the battles.   Although the narrative that is generated is great.

Mission outcome: failed.

No change to enemy list.

No change to faction strength.

Chirsu gains a light wound and must rest for 2 campaign turns. equipment fine

Campaign event. Found a bargain. Traded away the pistol and rolled on the loot table. Colonist rations: While they all tend to taste the same, colonist rations basically last forever without going bad and are optimized to provide the perfect balance of nutrition, energy and boredom. Rations last for 4 missions. Group may ignore effects of 1 Shock die per mission, chosen whenever the player decides.

Faction: Bandits (6) rolls 6; Corporation (4) rolls 3; Cultists (5) rolls 5. No change. 

Week 4

Inventory:  rifle, autorifle, laser carbine, jump belt, colonist rations (4 missions)

Enemies: Isolationists, Star crew, Bounty Hunters

Resting.

Must lose an item to pay for the week (rifle).

Campaign event. Laying low for a while. All injured characters recover as if they had rested for 1 more turn.  Woo-hoo!  That was lucky.

Bandits (6) rolls 5; Corporation (4) rolls 4; Cultists(5) rolls 4. Bandits and Cultists rolled under while Corporation did not.  Corporation is reduced by 1 to 3 strength.

Character event for PC: Personal milestone - the character has achieved some sort of personal goal. If this result is generated a second time for the same character, they will leave the campaign permanently.

5 Parsecs Chirsu campaign – Week 2

Introduction

Playing a Five Parsecs From Home 1st edition campaign.  Starting with one party member.  No aliens, no psionics. 

Week 2

Inventory: pistol, rifle, jump belt, nano-doc.

Chirsu again trades and needs to choose between a grenade launcher or an autorifle.  They take the autorifle as it is a better all-round weapon for close and long range.

Chirsu did not realise it at the time but sometime in the past they made an enemy of some Isolationists.  They choose now to enact some revenge.  Chirsu gets a little advance notice of their assault and holds up in an office

Assault: Select a location, item or terrain feature that you are defending. The player's forces set up in, on or within 6” of this feature. Attackers set up with 6” of any table edge of their choice.

Isolationists

Enemy: 2 Isolationists, both armed with pistol.

Terrain:
LOS blocking forest or ruins | Scatter e.g. boulders, debris, single trees
                LOS blocking forest or ruins
     Structure                           | LOS blocking hill or bushes

This terrain screams to be inside a building.  I setup some rooms and walls using Battle System Cyberpunk walls.  Chirsu is guarding the room on the bottom left.

Deploy

1^st Isolationist gets a scurry (no reaction fire) so moves close.

2^nd Isolationist moves close but just out of sight of Chirsu.

Chirsu fires at the 1^st Isolationist and they are suppressed.

2^nd Isolationist moves into range of Chirsu, who reaction fires for no result.

2^nd Isolationist then fires and pins Chirsu.

Chirsu activates, as they are pinned they may only fire at closest (i.e. 1^st Isolationist).  The 1^st Isolationist is suppressed and must retreat (as they are already suppressed).

2^nd Isolationist fires and misses, Chirsu fires back and the 2^nd Isolationist is Knocked out.

1^st Isolationist unsuppresses and needs to get into range but has no choice to move into the LOS of Chirsu.  They move to where the 2^nd Isolationist was located. Chirsu fires at 1^st Isolationist and the 1^st Isolationist is Knocked out.

Chirsu KOs 2nd Isolationist next to the 1st one (also KO)

Chirsu wins!

Winning does not convince the Isolationists to leave Chirsu alone (no change to enemy list).

Chirsu also finds out that it is not only the Isolationists he has annoyed in the past,  there was a run-in with some Star crew that have made them an enemy (campaign event).

Faction changes: Bandits (6) rolls 6; Corporation (4) rolls 6; Cultists (5) rolls 5. No change

While chilling, Chirsu runs into Jayy who was a soldier he served with years ago. Chirsu convinces Jayy to join him for the next mission while Jayy is between jobs.

Jayy, Soldier, War torn hell hole origin. Brawler; SMG, jump belt.

5 Parsecs Chirsu campaign – Character generation and week 1

Introduction

Playing a Five Parsecs From Home 1st edition campaign.  Starting with one party member.  No aliens, no psionics. 

This post has the generation of the single character, location and the first week (1 week will equal 1 campaign turn).

Initial party

5PfH 1st Edition has this paragraph in Character Creation “You could even start a campaign with only a single character but note that “heroes” have no special protections in Five Parsecs From Home. One shot and it could be all over.”

Always up for a challenge, I am starting with one character.  Originally I was going to go for 2, but why not go low?

I used the character creation from the rules but with my modified talent, weapon and gear list.  Also I did use the background table from Starport Scum as that seemed to be just a bit better than the one in Every Star an Opportunity.

Chirsu, the sole party member

Chirsu

Chirsu, Soldier, Military outpost origin. Skills: Trader, leader. Gear: pistol, rifle, jump belt.

Trader skill: Roll twice on trade table and choose one or +1 to trade tasks.

Leader skill: When activated, all in 3" may recover, +1 to recovery checks.

Jump Belt: They permit the user to jump to the roof of a building one story tall or to clear most obstacles. The wearer can't move in the turn they use the belt. It can also be used to safely descend from any heights present on a typical gaming table.

Motivation: Power. You dream of one day being on top, legions at your beck and call.

Class: Soldier. “Professional Military” can mean anything from government troops to local goons with (mostly) the same colour helmets.  Game effect: on a roll of 6, begin the game with a random Talent (this was Trader). Add a rifle to groups armoury (added).

Background: After growing up you got a decent job. Things going great and finally you found true love. All was lost because of a system wide market crash.

Location

I am playing this in a version of the Columbia Games High Colonies setting – 200 years in the future, the solar system has lots of nation-aligned colonies and space habitats.  Earth was rendered uninhabitable in a war about 70 years before the current time.  The setting may not have a significant bearing on the game but we shall see.

Location: Dreamtime space colony at Mars GSO

League: Terran Commonwealth; nation Australia; climate Moderate, atmosphere: Breathable, extensive, population: Single large city, biosphere: Moderate biosphere, social: Bureaucratic democracy, main export: Manufactured products.

Factions (strength): Local authorities (1), Corporation (4), Cultists (6).

Problems: Ruthless corporation, Infiltration by external force, Out of control tax collection.

Week 1

Chirsu chooses to trade and acquires another rifle.  They also manage to get in a bit of training but not enough to be skilled in anything.

Searching though the possible missions, there is an opportunity to grab a local map from a mercenary.

Grab: Place an item in a terrain feature on the opposite half of the table. This item must be picked up and carried off your own table edge. Each side sets up within 6" of opposing sides.  PCs go first.

Merc

The enemy is a mercenary with an autorifle.

Terrain (generated as a 2x2 grid with a central zone as well)

Rough e.g. marsh, craters | LOS blocking hill or bushes

                Rough e.g. marsh, craters

Linear obstacles | Rough e.g. marsh, craters

Conditions are pretty gloomy: All fire above 18” range will not score a KO.

The local map is behind a hedge in the bottom corner. 

Battle board

Playing on 2'x2' table so figures move on to the table in the first turn rather than setup on the table.

The mercenary is entering from the left, Chirsu from the right. Chirsu moves into the woods while the mercenary moves to guard the local map.

First moves

Chrisi gets to the edge of the wood, is spotted and the mercenary reaction fires and suppresses Chirsu.

Mercenary firing at Chirsu

The mercenary fires again and the gun jams (double 1!).  Chirsu recovers from the suppression and fires at the mercenary but misses.  The mercenary unjams their autorifle. Chirsu fires and misses, the mercenary reaction fires and Chirsu is KO.

Mission failed.

It was never going to end well.  A rifle Vs an autorifle. And both are in cover.  Chirsu would need to be lucky to win and just had normal dice.

The Mercenary does not seem to hold a grudge (didn’t make them an enemy).

Chirsu comes to later and is all good.  They check their equipment and no damage there either.

There is an opportunity to sell and item.  Chirsu chooses to sell a rifle and acquires a nano-doc (one-use item curing ill effects from an Injury roll).

Faction changes: Local authorities (1) rolls 5; Corporation (4) rolls 3; Cultists (5) rolls 2.  The Local Authorities as a faction is reduced to 0 and gone. New faction: Bandits with strength 6!  There is a story in here that could be leveraged later where bandits have sprung form nowhere and overtaken local authorities, corporation and the cultists to become the main source of the underpinning power across the settlement.

After this initial setback, Chirsu embarks on some self-reflection and their motivation changes from Power to Discovery (The idea that there is uncharted space seems like a wrong that must be corrected).

Start of a Five Parsecs from Home (1st Edition) Campaign

 Introduction

It has been a few years since postig here.  I have not been idle and in those years have gone through about 3 fairly different versions of 1d6 SFRPG.  There is a low priority post coming on them.  But as a detour, I have long wanted to do a 5 Parsecs campaign. 

I have finished playing six quick very small linked FiveCore Pulp Skirmish games using FiveCore Skirmish Pulp Adventures. (on my non-SF blog)  My plan was next for a 10-game (or thereabouts) Five Men in Normandy campaign and then follow that up with a 1st Edition Five Parsecs from Home campaign. I got a bit of a 20mm WW2 fix recently and also got too involved in looking at the 5 Parsecs rules and so started one with 5 Parsecs.  I am also obsessing over how to combine Classic Traveller, my 1d6 simple SF RPG rules and some 5 Parsecs stuff.  But that will be for a later day.

I used an Excel spreadsheet to assist in generating missions and determining pre and post mission results.

5 Parsecs from Home 1^st Edition (5PfH1) rules commentary

I am using 1st edition as it uses the 5Core rules (that I like) and doesn’t track funds.   2nd and 3^rd edition's many tables are tied into the combat system, have credits etc.  1^st Edition is more streamlined that later editions – 1^st edition has less chrome and so less to track!  I am also using parts of Every Star an Opportunity (1^st Edition).

My main aim was to use the process as written as much as possible and to minimise any table changes.  As I play I may change some of the tables.

Changes

• Converted the tables to 1d20 (most of them, even though d100, had around 18-23 entries) and tweaked some of the tables.
• Removed all Unity references and all the Alien & Psionic stuff (wasn't very hard really) as my universe doesn’t have them.
• Created a revised list of 20 talents (mostly based on the ones mentioned in the rules). 9 combat related, most of the rest gleaned from the tables and a couple that seemed useful for pre and post tasks.
• Modified the weapon table significantly – weapons are aligned to Classic Traveller and 5Core Skirmish, and also less chance of the more powerful ones.
• Armour became Classic Traveller armour (mesh, cloth and combat armour)
• Expanded the characteristics of the enemies list (possible weapons, talents etc.) to vary them up.
• Replaced the background table from Every Star an Opportunity with the one from Starport Scum.

For reference, here is the turn sequence I am using (note ESaO = Every Star and Opportunity supplement):

If travelling

• Travel to another world
• Roll starship event (ESaO)
• Each enemy roll 5+ and they follow you, else remove enemies
• Remove patron list

Assign and resolve tasks

• Rest: Any characters must rest if injured. If all injured then turn is only one see the sights and no mission - go straight from see the sights to campaign events
• Pick up to 2 activities, 1 if less than 2 characters not resting in party. No activity other than one see the sights if all characters resting.
• Find Patron: One go only. New patron: 6+, +1 patron talent, +1 if use second activity. Existing patron: 5+, +1 patron talent. Patron may relate to faction.
• Train: 6+ for one character to gain a talent; if already have talent, roll character event
• Trade: can be selected only once.
• Sell: can be selected only once. Sell one item to roll on the Trade table
• Recruit: 5+, +1 recruit talent, +1 < 5 crew, +1 if use second activity. A natural 6 is a goon (no special, talent etc. Handgun or rifle)
• Track down enemies: Select an enemy. 5+ tracked them down and may fight them as the mission
• Repair: Repair a damaged or broken item
• Gamble: See Gear loaded dice
• See the sights: see the sights

After resolving activities, must do a see the sights if not chosen as an activity

Resolve Rumours

If d6 <= #rumours then on a quest.  Remove rumours. Quest type: SS (p49) or problems (EsaO)

Enemy mission

If not tracked enemy then roll a d6 for each enemy. On a 1 then enemy mission (more than 1 then random)

Mission

If not tracked enemies or enemy mission, or starting a quest (must do a mission if start a quest) then optionally not do a mission. Go to Campaign events.

Local travel (p62). An encounter is see the sights.

Type:

• If enemy mission, then roll enemy mission
• If tracked enemy selected, then roll tracked enemy mission
• If on a quest, then roll quest mission
• If patron mission selected, then patron mission
• else roll opportunity mission

Enemy:

• Roll enemy
• Roll if faction related 5+ (more chance if patron = faction, ESaO) or if enemy = faction then yes
• Roll # enemy
• Roll enemy weapons
• Roll leader traits

Battlefield:

• Roll terrain
• Roll battlefield condition
• If mission required target locations, select target locations
• If mission has target object, roll target
• If mission has target civilian, use character creation
• Roll for who moves first    

Play mission

Post-mission

Successful quest mission: roll outcome +1 per lead

If lead: d6=1 travel to a previous location; =6 travel to new location (see p62 for planet travel); xxx = offworld milestone: after second milestone, next mission is final one

Fail patron mission: remove patron from list

If faction related, roll d6=1 +1/-1 to faction strength

Resolve enemies

If fought a successful mission against an enemy, roll 5+ and enemies defeated and no longer enemy

If fought a successful mission against not an enemy, roll a 1 and opposition is a new enemy.

Note: Enemy list is from enemies table.

Loot

Mission successful only

Enemy mission: no loot

Opportunity Mission: roll once

Patron Mission: roll once and roll once on Trade table

Finish Quest: roll twice and once on Trade table

Injuries & breakdowns

Out of action: roll on injury table + equipment d6=1 equipment KO

Suppressed: On a 6, as per out of action, else Ok

Campaign events

If no mission then remove 1 item/weapon from the party per character (paying for overheads)

Campaign event

Roll for faction wars (1d6 for each faction, roll under strength to be fine, roll equal or over and if all others rolled under then -1.  If 0 then gone, roll for another faction) ESaO

Settlement event, ESaO

Character events

Roll once for random character

Player actions

Emergency recruitment: if 0-1 characters able to take to field, may recruit 1-2 goons with handguns or rifles.

Other emergency, only if desperate: Pick one and on a d6=6: a weapon, reduce injury time, add talent, rivalry, friendship, patron, track enemy, repair damaged item

5Core Skirmish rules commentary

Well, when I say 5Core skirmish, the rules are based on 5Core but not the same J I cannot help but tinker!

• I have converted the 1K1S results to 1d6 (I like rolling 1d6) and 3 results – pinned (no reaction fire, can’t move, Ok next activation), suppressed (no move or fire until rallied but if suppressed when already suppressed need to retreat into newer cover.) and KO (out of action).
• To hide a figure needs to be out of LOS (e.g. behind a building) not just ducking down. A figure ducking down can still be fired at but can’t be knocked out, just suppressed (unless with 6” then possibly KO). This stems out of some conversations with Just Jack on how he plays 5MiN (in the comments).
• A figure can react fire if fired on and it missed, or if a figure moves into LOS as per the rules. If a figure reaction fires they can still be activated next turn. This is similar to FiveCore Company Command. It makes it easier to play the game and one less marker!

Table size and figures

Table size will vary from 12”x12” to 2’x2’ depending on what feels right for the mission.  Terrain generation will be for 5 location - a 2x2 grid with a central terrain type as well.

Figures are 20mm and I am using WW2 Russian and partisan figures as they look a little futuristic pulp-ish gang-ish.   

To show pinned and suppressed I use little grass-like tufts – one for pinned, two for suppressed.

Final Comment

That is about enough for an intro.  I have already done half a dozen campaign turns so will start posting them.  Some people are really good at turning a campaign turn into an interesting narrative; I am not that great, and also don’t have enough time to do that.  The actual battles do not take long as I start with (spoiler) only one party member.  I will change the output into something more readable though.