Introduction
Some of my adventures are based in a colonised
solar system in 2228, a variant on the 1988 High Colonies RPG setting.
For the last 20 years I been interested in a future solar
system setting and not content with the published ones (e.g. Orbital, GURPS
Terradyne, Jovian Chronicles). I on and off attempt to create my own setting
but abandon them early on as they are not what I am looking for. Recently I came across a description of High
Colonies, an RPG from the 80s that is set in the near future in our solar
system. I bought a second-hand copy and
while not perfect, it is good enough for me to use as a setting.
High Colonies RPG
A good review of the High Colonies RPG can be found here, with another description here. It even has a Wikipedia entry.
Note this is the 1988
High colonies, not the 2020 Columbia Games High Colonies. I do not have the 2020 version but the Solar
System population is about 20 million compared to the 1988 version that has about
150 million.
High Colonies is mostly about the description of the
setting. As the review points out it is light on with RPG mechanisms and also
how things work in the future. The good
news is that the mechanisms seem to be loosely aligned to Traveller so it would
be easy to run a Traveller like game using the settings. It also means that
Orbital is a great resource on how things would actually work in High Colonies.
High Colonies was published in 1988 when the Cold War was in
existence. It postulates a rush to space
in the early 2000s by both Corporations and nations, particularly the US and
USSR. An alien race, not well described,
enters to solar system in 2093 and sets up on Titan. A war on Earth breaks out
in 2117 and Earth is rendered uninhabitable. A right supremist movement springs up and
takes over some colonies using grown short-ling Rem-Soldiers (aka replicants)
but is defeated after a few years. The
year is now 2188 and there are about 150 stations (orbital habits and surface
colonies) described with a population from 20,000 to 12 million. Most are owned by an Earth nation or a corporation,
but some are cults or societies. There
is a lot of tension between corporations and nations, and various “leagues” of
stations.
Example stations
There are 163 stations with specific descriptions ranging
from empty to 12 million. It does state
there are many other stations of less than 20,000 people not identified,
leaving plenty of scope to create smaller stations. Of the 163 stations
mentioned, 129 are > 20,000. There is not much detail on the stations –
location, population, organisation and a short description. Here are some
example stations:
Adler
Location: Earth GSO
Function: Colony
Population: 800,000
Organisations: HTC, CPL
Government: Multi-party parliamentary.
Attitude: Wary
Notes: Adler (Eagle) was built by Germany in 2118. Together
with Lowe, it makes up the Republic of Germany.
Agony
Location: On Io
Function: Mining
Population: 4,000
Organisations: OL
Government: Military.
Attitude: Closed
Notes: A prison station administered by the Outstation
League. Agony lives up to its name by being one of the most dangerous penal
colonies in the Solar System.
Bolivar
Location: Saturn GSO
Function: Colony
Population: 5,800,000
Organisations: OL, CPL
Government: Restricted parliamentary
Attitude: Wary
Notes: Bolivar was built in 2101 by the Pan-Latin Congress,
an organisation of thirteen Central and South American nations. Each nation
maintains its own sovereignty and elects representatives to the federal
government.
Cook
Location: L3
Function: Colony
Population: 1,200,000
Organisations: HTC, CPL
Government: Multi-party parliamentary.
Attitude: Wary
Notes: Cook was built by Australia in 2071.
High Plains
Location: Jupiter Polar Orbit
Function: Colony
Population: 3,070,000
Organisations: Olm CPL
Government: Restricted parliamentary
Attitude: Open
Notes: Built in 2123, High Plains was one of the “regional
colonies” intended to alleviate population pressure in the continental United
States. The colonists of High Plains were largely drawn from the American
southwest, primarily Texas. High Plains declared its independence from the U.S.
(as represented by Aldrin and Kennedy Base) in 2159.
Organisations
These are most of the major organisations in the Solar
System. It is a summary of 8 pages of
detail in the RPG.
Band of Humanity
Founded in 2194 is it is a collection of smaller extremist,
white supremacist organisations.
Belt Miners Association
Created in 2172 it is a loose organisation of independent
workers and businessmen in the Asteroid Belt; regulates prices and contracts.
Co-Prosperity League
Founded in 2122 to regulate space colonies and economic
controls, it was a significant organisation for 40 years before the Earth Home
War. Structured similar to the UN with
any organisation able to join and has light touch control over its
members. In decline since the rise of
the High Terran Commonwealth and the Outstation League and currently under the
control of the unions.
High Terran Commonwealth
Founded in 2167 its members are limited to nation states and
wields extensive powers and the most powerful organisation in the Solar
System. In rivalry with the Outstation
League and the Pan-System Enterprise League.
Independent Commercial Organisation
Founded in 2096 initially to protect its corporate members
from the Pan-System Enterprise League (“The Seven Witches”) via its collective
economic strength. Tended to be outer
system and has a major ally of the Outstation League.
Outstation League
Founded in 2168 to counterbalance the High Terran
Commonwealth and it similar in structure to the HTC. A powerful organisation with high military
potential.
Pan-System Enterprise League
The oldest organisation created in 2060 by the “Seven Witches”
(Seven major corporations) with the original intent to destroy organised
labour. While the aim is not entirely
abandoned, the League is now use as price-fixing, information sharing and
mediation between its seven members.
Solar Federation of Labour
Founded in 2063 due to the anti-labour action of the Seven
Witches and wields considerable power across the solar system for organised
labour. Recently effectively took over
the Co-Prosperity League.
Timeline summary
This is a summary of the 13 pages of timeline information in
the RPG. I have made only two biggish
changes:
- The aliens on Titan never happened (I replaced the Titan station with a Korean station).
- I have moved all the dates 40 years (it was published in 1988 and nothing postulated in the early years has occurred. Rather than compress timeframes, I simply moved everything 40 years out.
Otherwise it is good enough to use as background. While the history is a bit naff, I don’t mind
the idea of a very balkanised solar system.
Also, it is extrapolated from 1998 and the Cold War so the USSR is still
large in the history. So we need to
assume that China ascendency slowed, as does their space race, and Russia space
program continued apace.
2030s
Russia creates a moonbase, Japan advances orbital technology
and orbital solar power generators are built and supply most of the word energy.
2040s
US and Russia build Earth and Lagrange orbital stations, Various
nations and Corporations begin operation on the Moon.
GenStarr Corporation sets up a huge “space factory” in Earth
orbit. Others follow in future decades.
2050s
US and Russia build lunar stations.
Minor skirmish on the Moon and Syria/Israel could have
escalated into a major wars but was both diplomatically averted.
More nations build
statins at Lagrange points.
2060s
Labour unions consolidate into three dominating
organisations due to disregard of labour laws in space.
Larger (>200,000 population) orbital stations built.
European Union launch Daedelus starship to Bernard’s Star.
Argentina rivals Brazil for dominance in South America.
Advanced interplanetary engines built, reducing travel times
and opening up Jupiter and beyond to affordability.
2070s
Increasing mining at Mars and the asteroids. Seven corporations have a stranglehold on
mining and nicknamed “The Seven Witches”.
The Seven Witches for the Pan-System Enterprise League
(PSEL) aimed at destroying organised labour in space. The three major labour
unions form the Solar Federation on Labour.
A major strike in a LEC factory station is met with force by Genstarr
with thousands of casualties.
Xanadu (entertainment and gambling) built in Earth orbit by
Adam Stembridge Associates.
Very large (able to house more than three million
population) orbital stations built.
Many “Captive Labour Stations” built where nations sign with
corporations to supply penal labour, leading to gross abuse.
2080s
Three year Corporation War between GenStarr and LEC achieves
little.
Over the next 20 years, orbital stations are affordable to
build and many nations take advantage to build their own. Colonists flood into space.
2090s-2100s
The Seven Witches announce independence from Earth law. The Twenty Minute war occurs when US-Russian
forces attack GenStarr HQ and the attackers are eliminated.
Following the Twenty Minute War, many colonies declare
independence.
Russia launches starship to Wolf 359.
South American internal conflict.
2110s-2120s
Founding of the Co-Prosperity League (CPL) between most
stations agreeing to various regulatory and economic processes and a Joint
Peacekeeping Force.
Daedelus broadcasts from Bernard’s Star for 26 days and then
is never heard from again.
Bio-Gens created - artificial sterile humans taking two
years to “grow”. CPL agreement to not
arm Bio-Gens.
2130s-2150s
Terraforming of Venus begins
Starship reaches Wolf 359 and ceases transmission after 12
days.
Guinea and Liberia war involves US and Russia and the Seven
Witches.
The ongoing Guinea-Liberian wars escalates and then
deescalates.
2157
Earth Home War. Overnight
nuclear, chemical and biological war wipe life from the planet. Economic chaos ensues but the colonies pull
through, co-ordinated by the CPL.
2160s
National leaders “in-exile” form the High Terran Commonwealth (HTC), similar to
the UN but with greater powers and only open to Terran nations. CPEL continues
to exist but with less influence.
Outstation League (OT) formed by non-corporate stations.
2170s
Inconclusive year-long Outreach War in Saturnian system
involving HTC, OL and Adam Stembridge Associates.
First Ecumenical Council of all major religions.
Minor war breaks out between two of the Seven witches and
Russia on Luna and in the Asteriods.
After four years Russia wins and the leader of one of the atrocity
attacks, Carter, flees to the outer system.
2180s-2190s
Carter attacks stations in the out system and is eventually
defeated.
The Outstation League and the High Terran Commonwealth sign
a treaty to put their forces under joint command, and also take over the
Co-Prosperity League’s Joint Peacekeeping Force.
Mercenary units spring up.
White supremacist Band of Humanity formed.
2200s-2210s
Band of Humanity discovers Bio-Gen reproduction, created
Ram-Soldiers and goes to war against some stations. Commonwealth is slow to
act, inferior Bio-Gen soldiers created in response and eventually Band of
Humanity defeated attacking Korean Titan.
Venusian influenza spreads throughout the solar system
killing approximately five million, especially bad in the inner stations. And
then disappears.
Expedition to Earth finds some plant and animal life but no
humans.
2220s
Unions gain control of the Co-Prosperity League.
Another outbreak of Venusian influenza occurs causing
another one million deaths.
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