OSR Commentary The Philosophy of Play & Learning - Cepheus Engine & Original Traveller rpg

 Learning to say,' I don't know everything as a dungeon master' is OK & important. There are still system kinks & ideas that even after all this time I've learned from fellow dungeon masters or even non gamers. I think that the most important thing in gaming is being able to say, 'I'm still learning & that I don't know everything'. Being open to others & new ideas is as important as actual play. The idea that one person can master every facet of table top role playing is absurd. Sometimes the only way to learn some of the 'tricks' or techniques for gaming is from older gamers.

The reason why I know so much about Traveller is because of my adopted uncle who was my DM back in the Eighties. His love of the game was infectious & his collection of books massive or least that's how it appeared to a very young me. Sharing his love of the game with us kids was very important & led to a love affair with this system going back decades. Now this is being expressed through play in DM Steve's Cepheus Engine rpg campaign by myself & his other players.

And my own explorations into this system are on going. There are players that I know who can rattle off rules & systems within 2d6 easily. That's no myself even as a DM. Can I construct a star ship? Yes, & it will work for an adventure or play. A tank or a mecha?! Yes. But there's gonna be a ton of rules, settings, etc. that I don't know about. Part of the unwritten philosophy of the OSR & Cepheus Engine. Gerry Miller JR captured this so well in our Cepheus Engine Facebook group;

"Anything in Traveller, any edition, can be converted to Cepheus Engine. I prefer Cepheus Light & Cepheus Modern and how it simplifies the game. I think Cepheus Light gets as close to Classic Traveller as any derivative version, including The Mongoose editions. The biggest thing is CT is deadlier its armor as a modifier to hit system is brutal. All of the newer derivatives use armor as point damage reduction once hit. That kinda loses something of old grit for smooth simplicity and less die modifiers to track. I have converted Classic Traveller campaigns over to Cepheus Light, The PC's, Ships, NPC's etc.. Prior to The Cepheus Light Character generator I would use the CT character generator and just convert them. Classic Traveller is still very payable you just have to home rule the old computer rules a bit on starships. The nostalgia of that game lives in my heart forever. I have homerules for both versions and I like to beef up PC's a bit. YOU CAN ALMOST DO ANYTHING WITH THIS 2D6 ENGINE"

"If you scroll and look at the PDF files on this page you can see i have files explaining my conversions and attempts on homerules. It is a great system and I like tinkering with the mechanics to make things fit and work. I truly think you can almost do anything with this system. That is what Traveller was originally meant to be a simple 3book outline for GM's to create whatever they wanted to create." 

The Cepheus Engine Facebook & even the MeWe Cepheus Engine rpg groups are some of the best on social media. These groups are by fans of the game & creators of the 2d6 system. There's a huge amount of experience there. My  suggestion is to take advantage of it. 

This blog is called Sword & Stitchery now I don't often take the time to talk about the cross over with sewing machine repair or the sewing hobby. But that cross pollicization is there within our respective  hobbies.  Each time another sewing machine repair business goes out or the owner dies. I will often hear its better for my own sewing machine repair business. Nothing could be further from the truth. Each & every time another sewing machine repair technician passes on. The total accumulated knowledge, wisdom, & experience  of a lifetime is lost. Its lost to the community of hobbyists,  sewers  & the hobby is poorer for it. 
This is the same with gamers & our own hobby. How often do we hear of another designer, writer, or  gamer's passing & the devastation such a loss causes to a group of players. The loss of a life time experience & the wisdom of the table top is lost to all of us. 
This blog entry should not end on such a morbid note. Let's get back to the fact that dungeon masters should be open to continuing to learn even if its a system that they've been playing for a life time. 
The fact is that its only recently that I've gotten back into the foray with both original Traveller & Cepheus Engine. Remember it takes a lifetime of play & the play is the thing. 

OSR Review & Commentary On Alien Breeds By Paul Elliott from Zozer Games For The Cepheus Engine Rpg or The Old School Traveller Rpg

 "ALIEN BREEDS is a roleplaying supplement for the Cepheus Engine and other classic 2D6 SF roleplaying games.  It details a new species of hostile alien predator with both an unnerving and horrific lifecycle as well as an ability to mutate ad hoc to suit its current environment. ALIEN BREEDS works well within Zozer Games’  own SF setting called HOSTILE, but it can be used in any Cepheus Engine game – as long as your players can handle this beast… and there is certainly no guarantee of that!"

When it comes to using iconic xenomorphs the Alien Breeds  supplement brings it home from zozar games for the Cepheus rpg or old school Traveller. This is a forty one page solid adaptation of the alien monster. But what Alien Breeds does is create a number of xenomorph variations in spades for adventures. Paul Elliott, always brings more bang for the buck as a author & designer.  Even though Alien Breeds is a good supplement its the inclusion  of the adventures & the installations   that makes it excellent for Cepheus rpg campaigns; "a typical colony installation. It is a fairly small example, big enough to hold may be 50 or 60 people, enough for an extended science survey, a prospecting mission or the maintenance of some new equipment on planet – perhaps a powerplant, refinery, test mine or atmosphere processor."
And  Alien Breeds   is perfect to add into the outer interstellar gulfs of TSAO: These Stars Are Ours! from Stellagama Publishing. The PC's climb aboard a Grey saucer & the last thing their going to expect is a nest of Xenomorphs. Yes I realize that  Alien Breeds   is for the vaulted 80's sci fi inspired Melee rpg setting  But TSAO has marines built into the interstellar setting & the xenomorphs are a perfect biological weapon for them. 

Personally I can see  Alien Breeds   being a perfect add into the mythos of the TSRO universe. Their origins are mysterious & should be kept that way. In the Dark Horse Alien comic book universe it was implied that many alien races have used the Xenomorphs as biological weapon systems & have run afoul. I'm looking forward to getting more titles from Zozer games in the near future.  Alien Breeds   is a five outta of five in my book. 

Review & Commentary On 'The Space Patrol' by Richard Hazlewood By Stellagama Publishing For the Cepheus Engine rpg retroclone & Old School Space Opera Campaigns

 "The SPACE PATROL Needs YOU!

The Space Patrol! Help protect innocent lives from the scourge of space piracy! Fight interstellar crime! Let the Navy play its wargames, the real action is in the merchant lanes with the Space Patrol. Join the galaxy’s elite crime fighting organization now!"

The Space Patrol is a supplement for the Cepheus Engine rules and 2D6 SciFi OGL games. This book contains complete rules for creating Space Patrol characters with four detailed careers - complete with expanded event and mishap tables - expanded world descriptions discussing legal codes and interstellar law, a complete description of the Space Patrol’s organization, as well as its standard equipment. Busy GMs will find dozens of NPCs from all Divisions of the Space Patrol, as well as some of the Sub-Sector’s most notorious criminals. But beware: if these villains were easy to catch, they would already be behind bars."



Its been 'The Space Patrol' by Richard Hazlewood By Stellagama Publishing  this is a perfect addition to the alternative Traveller rpg navy book for the Cepheus Engine rpg retroclone.  'The Space Patrol' is solid book because it presents an alternative to the full on Navy military organization that's been a part of The Traveller rpg since forever. We get everything in a handy & easy to use package especially if the PC's need to be integrated into a mini ' Space Patrol'

We get everything from  'Space Patrol' for a campaign from random events, campaign affairs, even wanted NPC criminals, and all of the rewards that go with them. Into the deep dive of this we get equipment,  vehicles, weapons, even complete star ships. The corvettes here in   'Space Patrol' are worked up with NPC crews, add ons, & events. 

There are even  'Space Patrol' mimic star ships that cruise space lanes as 'easy targets' & are anything but.They sit &  wait on the edge of space for pirates. These things are nasty & deadly for their like mirage ships waiting for the criminal elements then the rest of   'Space Patrol' moves in! 

'The Space Patrol' by Richard Hazlewood is built to handle any type of campaign from cinematic to full on Traveller rpg war game conventions.  Richard Hazlewood knows his subject & the author is familiar name around the Traveller rpg forums & gaming groups going back quite a way. I mostly lurked & I'm actually relatively new to the Cepheus Engine scene. 
That being said I know quality writing & design when I see it. 

Could 'The Space Patrol' by Richard Hazlewood  be linked into the  These Stars Are Ours universe setting?! Possibly without issue with the stats, vehicles, etc. but thematically might actually be another story entirely. 'The Space Patrol' by Richard Hazlewood feels like it should be its own complete mini campaign entirely. This isn't a bad thing at all because it means that there's a lot of supplement here to use. Is 'The Space Patrol' by Richard Hazlewood  worth getting?! In a word hell yes! 
I can see running a complete bounty hunting campaign from the ground up using 'The Space Patrol' by Richard Hazlewood  as part of the basis with the PC's butting heads with them again & again. 

 Richard Hazlewood  knows his subject, knows it well, & has a really good grasp of the Traveller & Cepheus Engine rpg material. The Space Patrol is going to be used in several up coming campaigns & I really look forward to digging in deeper into more of Stellagama Publishing books soon! Grab 'The Space Patrol' by Richard Hazlewood  today if you wanna bust some heads & arrest those pesky space pirates unless their the PC's!? 

Review & OSR Review of 'These Stars Are Ours' Interstellar campaign by Omer Golan-Joel, Richard Hazlewood, & Josh Peters For The Cepheus Engine rpg system

 "These Stars Are Ours is a space-opera setting for the Cepheus Engine Core Rules and other 2D6 OGL SciFi games.  Set in 2260 AD - two years after the Terrans took Keid and forced the Reticulan Empire to capitulate the book it introduces the player characters to the immediate aftermath of the Terran victory in the Terran Liberation War against the mighty Reticulan Empire and its many thralls. For their part, the upstart Terrans, bolstered by their victory against their old masters, now move to become a power to be reckoned with in interstellar affairs. Against this background of espionage, maneuvering, and saber-rattling, and on the new interstellar frontiers, the player characters can forge a destiny of heroes or villains of the new United Terran Republic. The book provides all the astrography and background necessary to set a sci-fi campaign in the exciting times of the 23rd century.

It is two years after we won the War against our old Reticulan masters. We - the children of Mother Terra - are now free to forge our destiny and put our mark on the stars. These stars are ours! This is a time for bold men and women to step up and claim the universe. We need intrepid explorers to discover the riches of our far frontiers; enterprising merchants to open new trade routes with far-away alien stars; cunning spies and agents to protect us from any alien plot against our hard-won independence; and of course - daring soldiers and spacemen to protect our borders and push back those who would enslave us again.

We are not alone - brave Cicek warriors and even Reticulan and Ssesslessian defectors fought along our side against the Reticulan legions. Against this mighty alliance, stand our many enemies - both internal and external. Corrupt politicians and crime-lords plot to turn our glorious Republic into their own plaything at our expense. Ruthless pirates and raiders rob far-flung colonies, heedless of the opening they give to our greater enemy. In the shadows, House Thiragin - the Reticulan noble house which once ruled Terra with an iron fist - plots and plans for its ultimate revenge on us upstart “barbarians”. For all of this - children of the Earth – Mother Terra needs you!"

Between work & my gaming group its been a wild two days of writing, reviewing, & revamping These Stars Are Ours review for this blog. This is a great supplement & setting campaign material for the Cepheus Engine rpg system.  

This is a complete interstellar  campaign setting in every sense of the word, this thing is bloody huge with a history, background, setting material, empires, factions, planetary information etc.  These Stars Are Ours feels like a mix of Space Above & Beyond & 'The High Chaparral' with a wiley sense of the 'Brown Coats' from 'the Serenity' TV show. There are elements of the Expanse here but they are few & far between. This book has the classic Traveller three black rpg books feel to it & that's done on purpose by authors  Omer Golan-Joel, Richard Hazlewood, & Josh Peters

The  Reticulan Empire is a nasty piece of with expansive holdings & all kinds of dangerous bits & pieces lurking at the edges of the works The military of the humans have an extensive array of alien allies that are available for PC options. The book presents a huge pethora of PC options, ships, & even forces all presented with the history,deep background, & even powers behind the scenes. 

Is These Stars Are Ours  worth the price of admission?! Yes, its campaign setting  as deep as Greyhawk & The Wilderlands of High Fantasy. This is part of the background of the interstellar high wheeling space opera feel of These Stars Are Ours . 

The deeper part of the background dives into the reasons for the politics, placement, & even possible future warfare within the setting all at the fingertips of the DM. Its a nice little gem of a space opera setting from which we've just freed ourselves from the old Reticulan masters!

 

The Greys are actually available as a PC option with all kinds of options & they are completely viable as a table top possiblity. They are fully fleshed out, & there's a full range of government bodies, rebels, star ships,etc. all for these dangerous & utterly ruthless aliens of popculture. 

The star ship diagrams & plans  of 'These Stars Are Ours ' perfect for handouts for the players. I love 'These Stars Are Ours '& its gonna be one of the choices for a complete interstellar campaign settings that I'll be using at the table top level. If you get a chance definitely pick up 'These Stars Are Ours '! 

Grey alien By Yasir999 - Own work not in 'These Stars Are Ours' Interstellar campaign but this piece of artwork fits the dangerous authoriterian alien bastards!

Review & Commentary On The 'UFOs' Source Book By Omer Golan-Joel From Stellagama Publishing For 'The Cepheus Engine' Rpg

The  Traveller rpg  has a very complicated history with the gaming groups I've been a part of going all of the way back to the days of White Dwarf magazine when it was actually a table top rpg. Early issues of White Dwarf always carried Traveller rpg adventures & it wasn't long before we were playing them on a regular basis. 

Skip ahead to the early OO's & I come across 'The Cepheus Engine'  & its basically the retrclone of early edition  Traveller. Which is fantastic because there's a very active & highly bombastic fan community built around it. Why wouldn't there be!? This is classic Traveller & its all down to my friend Omer Golan-Joel. Whose work on  Adventurer, Conqeuror, King's Barbarian Conquerors of Kanahu should be familiar to anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis. 
Back to  'The Cepheus Engine', Omer has been a one man OSR! Seriously he's been putting out Science Fiction & Science Fantasy content for years! I got into the whole hog of the Engine because of its convertability to Original Dungeons & Dragons. Yeah that's a sort of open secret no one talks about. But when the Expanse television show hit there was a bit of excitement. 

Anyhow Omer's been a one man engine of creativity when it comes to the completely open game content engine of  'The Cepheus Engine' which is completely modular & he's been adding systems books, settings  etc. onto the rpg system as it goes. The author's got his own great little smaller tier setting book for 'The Engine  called 'These Stars Are Ours'. Its a nice little gem of a space opera setting from which we've just freed ourselves from the old Reticulan masters!  This isn't the 'Expanse' but more of an old fashioned space opera mixed with a bit of that old fashion 70's U.F.O. paranoia.. 

"Weather balloons. Swamp gas. Low-flying planes. We have all heard the excuses given by government suits, news hacks, and close-lipped military officers. But the truth, as they say – is out there. For decades, maybe centuries – even millennia – they have visited us. Short, thin gray beings bent on exploring – or maybe conquering and exploiting – Terra. They pilot starships that are technologically advanced beyond anything Humanity had in the 20^th and 21^st centuries: archetypically saucer-shaped but there are other shapes as well. Terrans designate these ships as "Unidentified Flying Objects" – or UFOs. This supplement allows you to combine such advanced alien craft, as well as their Reticulan crews, into your science-fiction role-playing campaign"

This brings me right up to seeing Omar last night on MeWe putting up a link for Drivethrurpg for his latest UFO source book  for the Cepheus Engine. This is actually the Reticulans, or Gray's source book. Damn this is a nice little package for a source book. It clocks in at thirty pages but within those thirty pages it crams & jams in the material. Last night I printed the book out because I've got use for it. 

Everything in this book is useful material from the ground up, & it provides the DM with everything they actually need to run Grays as both a alien race & antagonist NPC's. The whole cloth here is down to the bare tacts & facts on the Grays' 

All of the information is indexed & codified for convience, we're given a brief over view of the 'These Stars Are Ours' setting & material then dive into the history,culture,etc., of  the Reticulans.  We get government, military, & a brief history, but we also get current status. 

There's an air of the tragic & glorious about the Grays here but their interactions with humanity including domination have been dangerous to us & themselves. Its like the two culture's destiny is intertwined. 

One of the real areas where UFO source book  for the Cepheus Engine shines is the Gray's Ships. We get a ton of blue prints & plans that can be used for hand outs. If you grew up in the Sevenities then this clicks in with spending hours watching reruns of 'Insearch of' & pouring over UFO books as a kid. I did & this source book took me back to the spooky time with nightmares of Grays & their abductor ships. 

And for the four dollars you plunk down you get a complete work with all of the plans featured in the UFO source book  for the Cepheus Engine as separate downloads that can be printed out & used during game play! Which for me is worth price of admission alone. 

But as I said the Gray here have their own agenda & there's a sort of 'mysterious rebellion' feel to the UFO source book  for the Cepheus Engine. That ties in with some of the Grey agenda that I've seen other corners of the OSR these days. 

On the other hand is the UFO source book  for the Cepheus Engine worth getting on its own?! Well this is a well put together sourcebook that hits all of the bells & whistles for me. The 'These Stars Are Ours' is intriguing enough to make me want to investigate it further for future reviews & blog posts. Do I think that the UFO source book  for the Cepheus Engine is worth your time, energy, & money?! Absolutely!