Sunday, February 24, 2013

Project Moonbase/Cat Women of The Moon Mash up For Your Old School Space Opera

File:Project moonbase.jpg
Gen. 'Pappy' Greene: Colonel, I'm sending Major Moore as your co-pilot. 
Col. Briteis: Bill Moore? Oh no General, you can't! 
Gen. 'Pappy' Greene: And why not? 
Col. Briteis: The big lug hates me, he's jealous of me. 
Gen. 'Pappy' Greene: Now you listen to me, 'Brighteyes'... 
Col. Briteis: "Bright-ice", if you please... 
Gen. 'Pappy' Greene: Shut up BrightEYES, and listen to me! Major Moore is the best pilot we've got, better than you are! 
Col. Briteis: But, I don't understand why you... 
Gen. 'Pappy' Greene
: PIPE DOWN! If he weighed 90 pounds instead of 180, he'd be a Colonel and a public hero and you'd still be a Captain. But you got the orbiting flight, ... 

I began mining this "classic" for a quick Stars Without Numbers one shot classic game.  This was a great collaboration between Robert Heinlein and Hollywood. The result was weird to say the least. 



Plot According Wiki: 
Set in a future 1970, the United States is considering building bases on the Moon. Colonel Briteis (Donna Martell), Major Bill Moore (Ross Ford), and Doctor Wernher (Larry Johns) are sent to orbit the Moon to survey landing sites for future lunar missions. However, Dr. Wernher is an impostor whose mission is to destroy the US's Earth-orbiting space station, which he plans to do by colliding the rocket with the station on the way back from the Moon.
While on the way out, however, Wernher inadvertently gives his identity away. In the ensuing struggle for the control of the rocket, Col. Briteis has to make an emergency landing on the Moon. With them all marooned, Dr. Wernher redeems himself by helping establish communications with Earth, although an accident results in his untimely death. In response to the unexpected turn of events, the US authorities decide to make the immobilized spaceship the core of a new moon base. To avoid a scandal, their commander, General Greene (Hayden Rorke), cajoles Major Moore into proposing to Colonel Briteis (so as not to have an unmarried male and female astronaut alone in close quarters for weeks). Briteis accepts, but requests that Major Moore be promoted toBrigadier General after they are married so that he will outrank her.

Project Moonbase Nuclear Boost Rocket 
File:Jacque Fresco - Project Moonbase Models (1953).jpg
Power:3/2
Mass:5/0
Cost:210,000
Hit Point:15
Crew:1/20
Speed:4
Armor:0
AC:8
Fittings:Spike Drive-2, Atmospheric Configuration, Extended Life Support, 6 tons of Cargo Space


USGF Space Station Dry Dock 

Power:50/8 Mass 40/1 
Hit Points: 120  Crew 20/200 
 Speed  - Armor 4 AC 9 
Weaponry : Plasma Beam (+3 to hit/3d6+1, AP10) 
Defenses: Hardened Polycermanic Overlay 
Fittings: Armory, Braker Gun Array, Lifeboats,Cargo Lighter,Ship's Locker, Workshops, Radio Telescopes, 3,000 tons of Cargo space 

 Actual Play 

The PCs are sent to a satellite dead zone on the moon to check out some unusual ruins that have recently powered up fusion reactors. The USAF sends a crew of 8  to this desolate area of the moon. The multi leveled mega dungeon ruin belonged to some long forgotten race of near men. 
 The PCs were surprised to find a fully functioning city devoid of people. The characters were surprised at the fact that there was a full atmosphere and a traces of habituation up to over 100 years ago.
The twelve level  temple complex claimed one set of lives as a giant spider munched on one PC as she was checking out some computer records.

 The players kept expecting to find The Catwomen but all they found instead were skeletons, giant spiders, and undead. 



Random Encounters Within The Catwomen's Temple City 


  1. Alien Skeleton warriors armed with swords and shield. Fight as soon as encountered. 
  2. Psychic Ghosts of the ancient past enacting terrible pagan rights of sacrifice 
  3. A skeleton of an unknown human dressed in a strange red uniform. The skeleton is slightly radioactive and has a strong tachyon pulse. There are the remains of some sort of equipment nearby but they have been smashed to bits. 
  4. A poisonous serpent like alien creature AC 5, Hit Dice 2-2,Attack Bonus +8 Damage 1d6 poison bite,Saving throw 15+ Move 40' Morale 10 No# 1d6 
  5. Ancient Construct - AC:3,HD 4, AB +6 Damage 1d8 Fist,Saving Throw 13+ Move 30' Morale 10 
  6. Psychic Illusion - Sacrificed woman dying slowly and she beckons you for help. The illusion will cause 1d8 hours to pass around you. 
  7.  Working interocitor  - This thing will try to blast you for 1d8 points of damage range 100 meters. Deranged psychic imprint runs the thing. 
  8. Nictomorph guardians Page 153 SWN rulebook guarding an ancient treasure vault with 1d4 minor artifacts. 
  9. A minor floating eye ball robot 4 hit points, badly damaged and only moving in right angles. It will repeat anything said to it. Otherwise useless. 
  10. Tyrant Moon Spider AC 4, Hit Dice 10 Attack bonus: +12/+12/+12 Damage 1d10 claws,1d12 bite, Saving Throw 10+ Move:40, Morale 12 

The PCs recovered an interocitor and almost bought it when a giant spider attacked them. They escaped and packed up and decided to nuke the place from orbit because it was the only way to be sure. 

6 comments:

  1. You MUST watch the MST3K riff of Project Moonbase. They riffed it in Season One, and it's HYSTERICAL.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbHywdH2Z7Y

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  2. Yup that's an absolute favorite of mine Tim! Thanks I didn't know it was on you tube. Thanks for the comment
    The same sets were used for both Catwomen of the Moon and Project Moonbase hence the mash up!

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    1. It's the Commando Cody serial short that kills me.

      "You're watching...Commando Cody...
      It's a new serial from Republic...
      He gets in trouble...every week...
      But he's saved....by editing...
      Just a tweak of his nipple sends him on his way...
      A pumpkin head and a rocket pack...he'll save the day!"

      Delete
    2. AHAHA yeah I'm a huge fan of the Commado Cody stuff and that little bit kills me everytime. Thanks for the laughs!

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  3. Alien skeletons. Psychic ghosts. Undead are made even better with a pulp sci-fi veneer.

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    Replies
    1. The pulps make everything better including Mondays! Thanks for the comments fellas. It was a great game even though some of the guys died rather badly.

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