Planning a 1950's One Shot

[urbwar]

(since this seemed to have been missed in my Poll thread, I figured I'd start a new thread to get suggestions from people for this)]

So I decided to go ahead with the 1950's scenario. Since Kev offered to help, below is what I have so far. Any suggestions, feedback is welcome, as I want to flesh out my game notes in the next week or two.

The Guardians of Liberty (though I actually use the name Freedom Society of America for the one shots) have seen their ranks sundered thanks to the McCarthy hearings. Scarlet Siren and Wonder Man are no longer active heroes. The Wraith has gone solo, fighting criminals on his home turf, while Nightgaunt is off battling mystical menaces in other realms.

American Ape struggles to hold the team together, bringing in a new hero named Major Meteor. Along with Sky Marshall, The Badge and Velocity Jane, the team does it's best to continue representing the best of America.

As for the bad guys:

Talking with a non-gaming co-worker, I got the idea to take the character Sovi-Ape from The People's Revolution, and change his background. Instead of being created by a Soviet Scientist, he comes from the same hidden group of intelligent primates American Ape does. Unlike AA's embracing of Democracy, Sovi-Ape embraced communism, ans went to Russia, where he served them with valor during the war. I'll be changing up his abilities and such, to reflect these changes.

Anyway, Sovi-Ape comes to the U.S. to cause problems for the country. He either recruits or creates a team of villains with insect motifs, and has them commit various crimes for him (at least 1 or 2 of these villains will be Soviet agents, so they can spill the beans on where Sovi-Ape's lair is for the final confrontation).

These crimes are for equipment he needs to create the giant ants he wants to unleash on America. His goal is to have the creation of these ants blamed on the bomb tests done in Nevada, so as to create opposition to America's nuclear *.

So, that's what I got. I know the end game is to confront Sovi-Ape in his lair, with the heroes fighting him and some giant ants he created. I know that there will likely be at least 1 or 2 confrontations with the villain team as they commit some crimes (I have enough villains that I can have the players take on some, and the rest are off stealing stuff somewhere else).

Past that, I'm not sure how I am going to connect those events, and if those are enough for 4 hours. I might throw in a red herring clue that the villains are working for an alien (since one of Sky Marshall's enemies is an alien, it works), but again, not sure.

So Kev, here's your chance to help out (and anyone else as well). So let's see what suggestions you can come up with!

Oh, and title I'm going with is "FSA: New Frontier". Cheesy, I know, but I had to get my submission in ASAP, as almost all the game slots have been filled all ready, and I wasn't able to think of something better.

[urbwar]

So, no feedback/suggestions from anyone?

[Saker]

It sounds good. It appears complicated enough to engage the conspiracy theorists and simple enough for the followers to appreciate.

The only question that I have is why ants/insects? Is that the best idea Sovi-Ape could think of to hurt the public perception of the nuclear *? Or did he get some tech that he is trying to exploit?

EDIT: Oh, I heartily concur with your coworker about connecting the backstories of American Ape and Sovi-Ape. It is very comic books to have similar characters have their origins touch.

cheers

[kevperrine]

Sorry girlfriend moving this past week and weekend (meaning I'm effectively moving it)... so no/little time. I'll reply with thoughts in the next 2-3 days.

I've got a new game coming too! So I'll hopefully get some of the same fun and help! Hooray!!

-kev-

[urbwar]

Saker,

One of my goals or the one shot is to incorporate an element of Atomic Horror movies, which tended to have giant insects to showcase how Nuclear Weapons mutate the mundane into something dangerous. 50's movies weren't great on plot (then again, neither were the comics back then), and I'm trying to replicate that.

I've done complex plots all ready for previous one shots, and wanted to do something less so. Plus it sort of allows me to use an element of the movie "Them!", which is still one of my all time favorite sci-fi movies

[Saker]

Urbwar

OK. I understand. On the other hand, most people (players) may not remember / know that. Maybe provide an explanation for why ants / insects is the focus, such as the soviets finally yielded results of their insect research, or a researcher was trying to harnass the power of ants for laborers and this toy was an serendipitous output.

my two cents
cheers

[Dustland]

Weird side note, Stalin actually had an experiment going where they tried to cross-breed a human and a chimp, hoping to create a "super soldier". The lead scientist was a zoologist named Ilya Ivanov who ended up getting himself exiled because, well, that crap only works in the comics

Google Soviet Apeman and you'll find it.

[urbwar]

Weird side note, Stalin actually had an experiment going where they tried to cross-breed a human and a chimp, hoping to create a "super soldier". The lead scientist was a zoologist named Ilya Ivanov who ended up getting himself exiled because, well, that crap only works in the comics

Google Soviet Apeman and you'll find it.

That's actually Sovi-Ape's origin in People's Revolution

[urbwar]

Urbwar

OK. I understand. On the other hand, most people (players) may not remember / know that. Maybe provide an explanation for why ants / insects is the focus, such as the soviets finally yielded results of their insect research, or a researcher was trying to harnass the power of ants for laborers and this toy was an serendipitous output.

my two cents
cheers

One of the things I liked about "THEM!" is when the scientist gives a briefing on how dangerous ants are in the insect world. They are organized, use tactics in combat, and are vicious warriors. If they get into cities, they could hide in the sewer/subway systems for a nest, and be hard to root out. That's mainly why I thought using Ants was good. Plus. Sovi-Ape can comment that he's using a Matriarchy (since ants have Queens) against a Democracy, to the benefit of Communism

Having said that, I like your suggestion about harnessing the power of ants. One of the villains in The Colony has an ant motif, so I could see a connection between him being given ant-like abilities by the Soviets, and then Sovi-Ape takes that research, and finds a way to mutate ants into giant size.

Not sure if it will come up in play, as none of the characters are really detective types. However, one character does have Telepathy, so he could find it if he reads the right mind.

Since I wanted to have some members of The Colony be actual Soviet agents with insect powers, this gives me the perfect connection between them and Sovi-Ape now...

[Saker]

Excellent. It all depends on audience. Some people don't need an excuse to roll dice and go to combat.

cheers!

[urbwar]

Excellent. It all depends on audience. Some people don't need an excuse to roll dice and go to combat.

cheers!

So very true. I'm going to try that new character program for Excel that Kev likes to use so much, and see if I can make some sheets this weekend. Once I do, I'll post them in the builds forum

[kevperrine]

So Kev, here's your chance to help out (and anyone else as well). So let's see what suggestions you can come up with!

Okey-doke.
Hope my thoughts help brainstorm Urbwar... Also hope I'm not "too late". Also want to let you know that all my thoughts are only grains of salt, clearly yer ideas are AWESOME - these are just my additions or suggestions for change.

Oh, and title I'm going with is "FSA: New Frontier". Cheesy, I know, but ....

Cheesy?
Really... that depends on your outlook at Comic Books and the "era(s)" you enjoy. Me... I love'em all. I like more eras than others. But I enjoy and "respect" them all.
It bugs me (my open outlook and love of ALL eras) when some people make fun of, or grown at certain comic book tropes.

So cheesy? Maybe... but that's a TROPE of that era. In fact, were I Narrating this... I'd embrace and ramp up that cheese. It *should* be expected and wanted from the players of that style era. That's how those comics WERE. To it to the max.

Now... a difference in that take is that if you are specifically going against those tropes (making it a trope/style of it's own - much like the modern "Ultimates" did to older era/tropes and styles of favorite heroes). Two great short-arc comic series called: "Battle Hymn" and "American Way" did this in a very neat way, taking a new approach to older eras of settings that would NORMALLY be more "innocent" or "naive". Battle Hymn turning the WWII tropes into more realistic styles. American Way taking the decades of the 60-70s into a modern realistic style.

The Guardians of Liberty (though I actually use the name Freedom Society of America for the one shots) have seen their ranks sundered thanks to the McCarthy hearings. Scarlet Siren and Wonder Man are no longer active heroes. The Wraith has gone solo, fighting criminals on his home turf, while Nightgaunt is off battling mystical menaces in other realms.

American Ape struggles to hold the team together, bringing in a new hero named Major Meteor. Along with Sky Marshall, The Badge and Velocity Jane, the team does it's best to continue representing the best of America.

Okay... first fun suggestion (you may already DO this for a one-shot). Take this and write it up in a word doc, include some cool pics (definitely the images of the heroes) maybe some fun pics that make you think of the timeperiod... google search for comics of that era, crop down some comic panels, etc... Then publish that as a PDF and/or print it out for everyone at the table.
This is background that YOU care about (because you made the characters and love them) but just saying it to the play group won't be memorable at all. If you're not USING Wonder Man, etc... as PC-Hero pre-gens, no one will care to listen. If they have a mini-background of "What went before..." to hold, read and take-away as a handout - they may care and you can then use those heroes as NPCs and it will matter to the players, since they'll know who they are already.

I'd also make a cool character sheet for the pre-gens, stats on one-side and a larger pic and bio-sheet on the opposite double-sided sheet. Print them on cardstock for some WOWS! (seriously... it sounds odd - but plain old cardstock "feels" more "important" and impressive than the most expensive non-cardstock paper prints)

As for the bad guys:

Talking with a non-gaming co-worker, I got the idea to take the character Sovi-Ape from The People's Revolution, and change his background. Instead of being created by a Soviet Scientist, he comes from the same hidden group of intelligent primates American Ape does. Unlike AA's embracing of Democracy, Sovi-Ape embraced communism, ans went to Russia, where he served them with valor during the war. I'll be changing up his abilities and such, to reflect these changes.


No question. Best idea.
Connections like this are always better and more memorable in comics. That's one of the reasons alot of more modern updates of heroes/villains origin stories take the separate origin stories (written back in the day in less cohesiveness or forthought) ... alot of origins are being combined to make more sense or cooler connections.
For Example:
- alot of Marvel Armor origins now have Stark connections

I know that there will likely be at least 1 or 2 confrontations with the villain team as they commit some crimes
...
Past that, I'm not sure how I am going to connect those events, and if those are enough for 4 hours. I might throw in a red herring clue that the villains are working for an alien (since one of Sky Marshall's enemies is an alien, it works), but again, not sure.

Couple thoughts.
In my experience.... I find it very hard to work in more than 3 "confrontations" in one (short) 4 hour session. So if you can get 1-2 of the minor villain confrontations PLUS your opening PLUS your final BIG climax confrontation with the Big Bad ALL in one 4 hour session... YOU WIN.

I'd worry about getting all that done as is.
Though...
I do think that MY home groups (and my general style of Narrating) demands alot more TIME for any scenes, whether investigation/role-playing scenes or action/combat scenes. I *demand* alot alot alot of description - in a nice fun awesome way... But THAT effort does take my groups/games alot more time to resolve.

Example:
Issue #1 of my new adventure for our new home-campaign was mostly broken down to: [approx: 3 hour game]

- Scene 1: a cut-away, "audience" description scene of the origin of a villain group that would climax the story. [approx: 10 min]

- Scene 2: cross-cuts of each of the 3 PC-Heroes investigating the situation, allowing them to describe their heroes and do a little role-play between each other planning via com-links. [approx: 50 min]

- Scene 3: arriving at the event (a bank robbery set-up) and facing the minion villains... (THIS is similar to your note/idea in that I imagine the Big Bad has several different minion villain teams doing other jobs, but I planned only to tell the players about the recent events and "show" them one in which they battle the minions) [approx: 1.5 hours]

- Scene 4: some minor very quick investigation and role-play following the battle to determine the hero's next step to follow-up on what they'd learned... [approx: 10 min]

- Scene 5: arriving at the second big set-piece with a new team of villains (the ones from the origin in scene 1). This scene only had them arriving - cliffhanging the battle for next Issue's opening scene. [approx: 20 min]

Point is... figure out what you KNOW you can "do" with the time. Then break down your scenes into what I'd call "SET-PIECES" or in comic book terms: Chapters or Scenes.

I like thinking of them as set-pieces because in comics the imagery of the location is very fun and important to consider and play with in Narrating.
Feng Shui is a RPG that takes this idea very well. Make COOL places to have a fight, or even just to have a role-play/investigation scene.
Especially in a one-shot - ALL the scenes should be set in a memorable place... They shouldn't just meet in a meeting room to be briefed on Soviet-Ape - the heroes should meet in the SPECIAL SECRET HERO WAR-ROOM that just happens to be in the head of the Statue of Liberty! (or Mount Rushmore, etc..)

Anyway. My point. Set up the scenes you want (for battles, or investigations, etc...) then separate them by having COOL locations.
Those locations ALSO determine all the cool props you can use to smash people.

Anyway, Sovi-Ape comes to the U.S. to cause problems for the country. He either recruits or creates a team of villains with insect motifs, and has them commit various crimes for him (at least 1 or 2 of these villains will be Soviet agents, so they can spill the beans on where Sovi-Ape's lair is for the final confrontation).

These crimes are for equipment he needs to create the giant ants he wants to unleash on America. His goal is to have the creation of these ants blamed on the bomb tests done in Nevada, so as to create opposition to America's nuclear *.

So, that's what I got. I know the end game is to confront Sovi-Ape in his lair, with the heroes fighting him and some giant ants he created.

This seems great.
I'm not sure what you want help on exactly.

If you want to brainstorm out the details, talk about what you have and I'll toss out ideas. Otherwise... I'd plan for specific COOL events and/or the villains more to know what I'm going to do with the adventure.

For me... it's the actual villains that drive the cool fun factor. Having cool names, images and powers (in that order) are what I find to be the most fun for players.
With that... how will your GIANT ANTS be MORE COOL than just plain old Giant Ants we've all seen? I'd think about that more...

hope that helps some.
-kev-

[urbwar]

Kev,

I'm going to reply to only part of your post. While you gave me a lot of advice, much of it wasn't what I was looking for. I was mainly looking for suggestions/feedback on the storyline for the scenario itself. All the stuff about setting scenes I know how to do fairly well all ready as a GM, and all the advice about making pdf files and cardstock sheets, etc, is not something I plan on doing (for a variety of reasons). I appreciate all that stuff, but it just wasn't what I was seeking.

Anyway, on to the relevant stuff:

No question. Best idea.

Glad you like the initial concept. Wasn't sure if it is as good as my previous 2 games, but it was all I could come up with in time to make my submission. Then again, knowing some of the people who will likely be playing (the great thing about the event is that it's organized by a message board, so I know many of the people and their gaming habits. I also know some of whom will likely play in the game, so I have a fair idea of how they will play the characters), it won't be that big a deal

In my experience.... I find it very hard to work in more than 3 "confrontations" in one (short) 4 hour session. So if you can get 1-2 of the minor villain confrontations PLUS your opening PLUS your final BIG climax confrontation with the Big Bad ALL in one 4 hour session... YOU WIN.

I'd worry about getting all that done as is.
Though...
I do think that MY home groups (and my general style of Narrating) demands alot more TIME for any scenes, whether investigation/role-playing scenes or action/combat scenes. I *demand* alot alot alot of description - in a nice fun awesome way... But THAT effort does take my groups/games alot more time to resolve.

I don't think it will be a problem. Let Freedom Ring had 4 battle scenes, and it fit in 4 hours. Plague of Darkness had 3, and the game ended 30 minutes early. If time is an issue, I can easily drop a confrontation or 2. It's one of the benefits of running a game with a basic premise, and some potential scenes; if time doesn't permit, drop a scene and adjust what the player's learn in a different one to lead to the endgame.

This seems great.
I'm not sure what you want help on exactly.

My main concern was whether or not the premise of the adventure was good enough. This is something I haven't done before (ie running something semi-silver agey), so I'm not sure how good the basic concept for the scenario is. Thus I was asking for other people's feedback/suggestions. Golden Age I can do, Modern/Iron Age I can do, even Cosmic I can do. Silver Age isn't really my thing.

With that... how will your GIANT ANTS be MORE COOL than just plain old Giant Ants we've all seen? I'd think about that more...

Honestly, I don't consider that relevant. They won't show up until the confrontation with Sovi-Ape in his lair, and there won't be more than 1-3 of them tops. I just wanted to have Giant Ants in the scenario

And yes, your feedback was helpful. If you thought the basic premise for the adventure was solid enough to work with (as Saker did), then I'm more comfortable with running it now. Just need to finish statting out the new hero sheets, and making up the villains now

[kevperrine]

I'm going to reply to only part of your post. While you gave me a lot of advice, much of it wasn't what I was looking for. I was mainly looking for suggestions/feedback on the storyline for the scenario itself.

I'm sorry urbwar.
Ummm.... I suppose I went that way with my thoughts/advice because (please don't take this negatively) but the storyline or scenario isn't really fleshed out to me at all. I was asking for more in the way of - how are the scenes fleshed out, what environments, what minor villains and minions, what major themes or tropes do you want to push, do you have non-villain NPCs you want to bring in (supers or army generals, etc... for example: having THE PRESIDENT of the USA give Golden Age heroes their mission is always very era appropriate).

All that.
Because as is, I didn't think there was anything to comment on really....
Again NO offense (you know I'm replying cause I wanna help and like your style!) but correct me if I'm wrong but the storyline is only a short vague outline now consisting of:

- the title: "FSA: New Frontier"
- It's the 1950s.
- The "The Guardians of Liberty" aren't around. (with background notes the players may never see/know)
- "American Ape" is recruiting the PC-Hero Team. (with no notes on how this will happen in-game)
- With the opposition... either recruited or created ... a team of villains with insect motifs, is committing some sorts of various crimes. (the various crimes and villain team: that you haven't outlined for us yet)
- The background: All the crimes and those villains a product of "Sovi-Ape" from The People's Revolution (with background notes the players may never see/know)
- Then somehow getting to a final confrontation with "Sovi-Ape" at his secret base (What is the base? Where is it? How will they find/investigate/clue it?), and there will be 3 Giant Ants there to defend his base. (which we have no stats, powers or anything for)
- "Sovi-Ape's" actual plan being to frame the USA's Nuke program in the eyes of Americans, hopefully to get American's to force the US Military to shut down all Nuke operations. Which I'm guessing might be so that Sovi-Ape can then come in with his OWN Russian Nukes??


Okay!
I love the concept. But there's nothing to comment on in my humble opinion yet.
OR...
Are you actually looking for us (forum folks) to help you FILL-IN those details? Do you want encounter ideas? Stats? Minor insect-themed villain ideas? Ideas for what/where Sovi-Apes base is? Ideas for making the Giant Ants?

I was just confused as to what to offer in reply.

I don't think it will be a problem. Let Freedom Ring had 4 battle scenes, and it fit in 4 hours. Plague of Darkness had 3, and the game ended 30 minutes early.

Wow.
I'd love a recap, round to round and/or description of play. I Narrated a game last night and BARELY got through 2 battles with some short role-play scenes to bridge the action before/after.
I think my groups do ALOT more "cool-comicbook-description" than any other group... We're not "slow" with the rules. So I have to assume that's the challenge that makes it harder for me/us to get through action/battles. (I actually experience this same thing with MOST of my RPGame adventures I GM or play in)

This is something I haven't done before (ie running something semi-silver agey), so I'm not sure how good the basic concept for the scenario is. Thus I was asking for other people's feedback/suggestions. Golden Age I can do, Modern/Iron Age I can do, even Cosmic I can do. Silver Age isn't really my thing.

Again... Devil's in the details. The GOOD stuff that will make it really POP as a golden/silver agey comic style can really only be "ADDED" in the detail.
You got the big swaths of era/style cool: Soviets & Giant Ants. But for more... you need detailing out the encounter heists for scenes, situations, locations and villain concepts.

With that... how will your GIANT ANTS be MORE COOL than just plain old Giant Ants we've all seen? I'd think about that more...

Honestly, I don't consider that relevant. They won't show up until the confrontation with Sovi-Ape in his lair, and there won't be more than 1-3 of them tops. I just wanted to have Giant Ants in the scenario

Oh... What I'd do is make one generic Giant Ant. Then for fun... describe them each as a slightly different color (as would be shown in a comic or animated show to differentiate them with minor personality) THEN give each of them a unique "special" style of attack...

#1. One likes to throw opponents (and improvised weapons!) into stuff: PUSH power.

#2. One likes to omit a defining pitch by scratching it's legs together (or whatever ants do): a "sonic" maybe MIND SPIKE style attack.

#3. One likes to burrow up from under his prey burying them in rubble! to then attack or set-up his brothers: IMMOBILIZE or DAZE.


Make sense?
Is that more what you're hoping for Brainstorming help?
hope so... I'm trying...

-kev-

[urbwar]

I'm sorry urbwar.

No need to apologize.

I was asking for more in the way of - how are the scenes fleshed out, what environments, what minor villains and minions, what major themes or tropes do you want to push, do you have non-villain NPCs you want to bring in (supers or army generals, etc... for example: having THE PRESIDENT of the USA give Golden Age heroes their mission is always very era appropriate).

I never write all that stuff out. That's not how I GM. I have a basic plotline, some key scenes I would like to take place, and stats for the bad guys and characters. From there, I go with the flow of how the players react, and detail stuff as needed.

It's worked well for the other 2 games I ran, whereas when I ran some actual modules (last Recess, I ran a 2 part V&V game along with Plague of Darkness for BASH). The BASH game was more fun, because I wasn't reading from a prepared module. And I only ran them more by the book because I hadn't run V&V in a very long time. Had I been more comfortable running it, I would have been more loose, like I am with BASH.

Because as is, I didn't think there was anything to comment on really....
Again NO offense (you know I'm replying cause I wanna help and like your style!)

None taken. Like I said, I wanted some ideas thrown at me to help connect some things. What I have so far is vague, so I wanted a little more to work with

- The "The Guardians of Liberty" aren't around. (with background notes the players may never see/know)
- "American Ape" is recruiting the PC-Hero Team. (with no notes on how this will happen in-game)

The Guardians are still around. Part of the team is gone, so they are under powered, which is why Major Meteor is now in the team. The players will know about this, as it will be mentioned at the start of the game. It's not majorly important to the scenario itself, but it does set the mood that the team is at a low point (ie down, but not out kind of mood). All the characters save Major Meteor are members of the team from the 40's, and were involved in the earlier scenario I ran. 3 of them (Scarlet Siren, Wonder Man & The Wraith) are not, and Nightgaunt was an NPC (being the team's Spectre type). The others (American Ape, Badge, Sky Marshal, Mr. Flexible & Velocity Jane) were founders of the team. Think of it as The Avengers after Thor, Iron Man, etc left, and Cap had only Ant Man & Wasp, then brought in Hawkeye, Quicksilver & Scarlet Witch. Similar premise, just different circumstances. They feel they have something to prove, to themselves, and to the world.

I hope that better explains the set up for the characters at the start of things

Are you actually looking for us (forum folks) to help you FILL-IN those details? Do you want encounter ideas? Stats? Minor insect-themed villain ideas? Ideas for what/where Sovi-Apes base is? Ideas for making the Giant Ants?

I was just confused as to what to offer in reply.

I was just looking for some suggestions on tying together the robberies by the members of The Colony to Sovi-Ape. At the moment, my idea is for them to get it from Red Ant, as he's a henchman with a low mind (and thus easy for Major Meteor to mind read him for info).

Also, some suggestions on just what kind of equipment they are stealing, so the players will see it's important, but not know why so easily.

The idea is that the equipment they've stolen prior to the start if the scenario were needed to help create the Giant Ants. When they meet the pc's, they are getting more equipment, but nothing that will prevent Sovi-Ape from making them.

One thought I had was that one encounter involves them trying to steal uranium, and stopping that means he can't make more Giant Ants (hence there only being 2 or 3 come the final showdown)

As for where the base is: Nevada. His goal is to use the Giant Ants to make Americans believe the nuke tests mutated said Giant Ants, so people will want the government to either stop using them, or have less of them around. Weakening America's Nuclear Deterrent makes the Soviet position stronger.

How to make the Giant Ants? Other than probably using Uranium (so they give off higher than normal radiation, much, iirc, like they did in the movie THEM!), I am not sure. I know (as per Saker's suggestion) that the process is an offshoot of the process used to create Red Ant (who was a prototype, hence him being so low powered)

Here is some basic info on some of the villains, and what I've come up with them. Since none of these are set in stone, suggestions on powers, stats, etc, for them are more than welcome:

Queen Bee: Leader of the Colony. Winged Flight, and energy stingers. I was figuring a Special Attack, but maybe also a weaken. Not sure yet.

Red Ant: All ready written up.

Firefly: Winged Flight, flame attack, bit of a pyromaniac

Black Widow: Another Special Attack type

Goldbug: An immobilize attack (trapping them in a shell that looks like gold)

Mantis: Superstrong and has super jump

Black Spider: Another one with an immobilize attack, also kind of stealthy

Swarm: This one I know I need help with. Basically, a sentient swarm of some type of stinging insect (like the old Marvel villain)

They are set up in 2 groups of 4 each. Queen Bee leads one group, and Black Widow leads the other.

I was going to group them as follows:

Team 1: Black Widow, Mantis, Goldbug and Firefly
Team 2: Queen Bee, Black Spider, Red Ant and Swarm

I'd love a recap, round to round and/or description of play. I Narrated a game last night and BARELY got through 2 battles with some short role-play scenes to bridge the action before/after.

You kind of asked me that after I posted the AP to Plague of Darkness. Honestly, I can't give you one. In Let Freedom Ring, the players had a tough time with their first villain encounter, then someone got smart, and they started to double team villains. There was a chase, a short confrontation with 2 * villains (short because of some great die rolls combined with double teaming)

Later on, there was a third confrontation with the rest of the * team, which led right into the battle with Lamashtu. That ran short because they ganged up on her much better than anticipated.

Many of the people who play these games have played together before, and most are very experienced gamers. So once they see something works, they stick with it. It's why I had to tone Badge down, because he was doing most of the knocking out of the major bad guys, when he shouldn't have been.

Plague of Darkness had mostly battles between pc's and ships, so it wasn't until the final battle that they fought the Elder Thing and Tal Z'agoth directly. Cosmic characters can take down ships pretty easily, so they were taking out 2-3 each battle with only a small amount of effort

I think my groups do ALOT more "cool-comicbook-description" than any other group... We're not "slow" with the rules. So I have to assume that's the challenge that makes it harder for me/us to get through action/battles. (I actually experience this same thing with MOST of my RPGame adventures I GM or play in)

Well, they did that in the games I've run, but I wouldn't claim they did so on the level that a regular group does. It is a different dynamic. The first group did a bit more, while the second went for more action. That much I do remember.

Oh... What I'd do is make one generic Giant Ant. Then for fun... describe them each as a slightly different color (as would be shown in a comic or animated show to differentiate them with minor personality) THEN give each of them a unique "special" style of attack...

#1. One likes to throw opponents (and improvised weapons!) into stuff: PUSH power.

#2. One likes to omit a defining pitch by scratching it's legs together (or whatever ants do): a "sonic" maybe MIND SPIKE style attack.

#3. One likes to burrow up from under his prey burying them in rubble! to then attack or set-up his brothers: IMMOBILIZE or DAZE.


Make sense?
Is that more what you're hoping for Brainstorming help?
hope so... I'm trying...

-kev-

I kind of like that idea, but might just have 1 have a special ability. The others will likely be just typical for an ant, if it were giant sized

I did find an image to use for Giant Army Ants (I think it's for a video game)s, now I just need to sit down and stat those out. I know they will have Size, and likely immobilize linked to a continual attack (though I'm iffy on that, as I find Continuous attack kind of under powered).

So, a bit more detail now, thanks to you and Saker. See, we're making progress