Review & Commentary On Ad Astra From Michael Brown For The Cepheus Engine rpg

 "In the mid-21st century, the dream of faster-than-light travel was finally achieved. Suddenly the doorway to the stars was flung wide open. But the new frontier was colonized not as an organized, united effort -- it became a massive “land rush.” The Anisoi, debased descendants of a once-mighty empire laid low by a mysterious calamity, could only watch as the newcomers laid claim to stars they once strode like gods. Caravans, or “trains” of colony ships bring new inhabitants from Earth every year, but also bring the old afflictions of bigotry, greed, and xenophobia. Humanity’s future might not lie in whether worlds can be tamed, but whether human nature can."




Alright so all day has been spent preparing for the four to eight inches of snow that Connecticut has coming. Right now though I promised Michael Brown a review for Ad Astra campaign setting sourcebook  for the Cepheus Engine rpg  So by the spirit of the Great Bird of the Galaxy we're gonna get right into it. 
So what's with the weird back handed original Seventies sci fi reference to the show with the pointed eared alien science officer?  Well in twenty three pages  Ad Astra takes your Cepheus Engine rpg  campaign into space the final frontier. These are the voyages of a 2d6 star ship across the galaxy with a twist or two. 
There's just enough in twenty three pages to actually pull off a campaign but couple this book with some of other Cepheus Engine titles such as Alien Contact by Old School Rule Playing . And you are litterally off & running with Trek campaign powered by Cepheus Engine. 

Ad Astra literally hits all of the high points where it needs to with very clear rules, adds in just enough Cepheus Engine goodness and then takes the whole thing where it needs to go to start a campaign. Ad Astra  isn't complex. There's just enough under the hood to get the dylethemum crystals charged & the Trek campaign under way. The action here is solid & stats easy to bring into a beginning campaign. Everything works & works well. So could it be used with straight up Cepheus Engine rpg campaign material?! Yes it just a matter of catching the right players & then getting up to speed. 

Ad Astra  takes essentially the essence of Tr em Cepheus Engine  Star Trek & then makes it happen as a viable campaign option. Ad Astra  is a great pick up & go campaign option for those who want an evenings entertainment. Without the manure of full on sci fi campaign  for those who don't know their Clarke from their Asimov. Ad Astra can do anything from First Contact to something like a simple Sixties salt vampire encounter. 

Ad Astra is a great & easy price point setting & campaign book for the the Cepheus Engine rpg . Its a fun, reliable, & very well thoughout out book by Michael Brown.

For a 2d6 Trek option Ad Astra is a perfect pick up & go Trek option for a quick pick up game or a full on Cepheus Engine powered campaign. 

Grab Ad Astra  right here &
 start your voyages  today!