Monday 28 October 2019

Frozen Skies Update

This week is an update on the current status of Frozen Skies and its update to SWADE. Been posting ideas about some changes to the setting, haven't haven't covered the mechanics side of things all that much. So taking the opportunity to bring everyone up to speed on how things currently sit.





Status Report


Progress has been a bit on the slow side; a combination of SWADE finally being released, stuff going on with family life and the dayjob means updating Frozen Skies has ended up sliding onto the backburner. Though writing blog posts has helped to get some ideas down, least I forget them. Presently I can only say that the SWADE version of Frozen Skies will be out some point next year.

Either way, here is the current version of the updates though these will still change; https://drive.google.com/file/d/1H3Hrg-YoFCNUOTmNwmuWy36gRyySpM4h/view?usp=sharing

On a related note here, the Frozen Skies Jumpstart for SWADE will be updated soon as changes were needed to update some stats to bring them in line with the release version of SWADE.

What Else?


So folk should, hopefully, be aware that I've been going over and revising aspects of the setting. Changes include updating some Edges in addition to removing others and adding new ones. The Wulftouched Hindrance has been completely overhauled and now functions similarly to the Harrowed in Deadlands, which should make it more interesting to take.

Another big change is going to be Weird Science, chiefly how Ancient Tech devices will work now. Somebody suggested to run them like Ultra Tech in the SciFi Companion; effectively a -2 penalty for minor devices and -4 for major ones along with completely redoing related Edges. It got me thinking whether to include some sort of card based system to determine what sort of Ancient device the players come across, like Spades for Weapons, Hearts for Protection and so forth. This should help GMs create Ancient devices on the fly and make things exciting with the random factor and chance.

Least thats a few ideas I have, but I'm welcome to suggestions.

Monday 21 October 2019

Tyland Revisited

By now most folk should be aware that part of my efforts to get Frozen Skies updated to SWADE is going through and revisiting some of the lore of the world. This has included tightening things up a little or completely overhauling and revising others. This week is the turn of the Tyland Free State.




For Freedom And Past Glories!


On the whole, I'm pretty happy with Tyland's history and current situation. There is little I wish to change about a once proud nation that has fallen so low and suffers the humiliation of occupation by a foreign power. I'll delve deeper into Tylanish culture, though that is not the subject of this week's post.

There is a change that I do wish to make to the situation in Tyland, well technically two changes. The first of these is play up a civil war aspect with various factions vying for power with frequent skirmishes. The second change ties in alot with the first, make this civil war a proxy war between the Commonwealth and Artian Confederation as the two former wartime allies have different views concerning the future of Tyland.

Both powers covertly support different functions, usually to undermine the other and also the Provisional Government. Those in authority consider a war between the two nations quite likely, so they seek to influence and dominate what is effectively a buffer state. There are strategic implications that are taken into consideration, especially as the Free State would give the Artians air bases much closer to the Commonwealth's Home Isles from which to launch raids.

So where does this leave Player Characters?

Well they could get directly involved in things as agents working for either the Artians, the Commonwealth, the Free State or one of the militant groups. Heck, they could form their own group and fight for whatever cause they want in what could be an interesting mix of war and politics. The more nefarious could simply partake in activities of questionable legality by smuggling in supplies or even trying to sell arms to one or more of the militants. They could also exploit the chaos for their own ends in other ways by looting banks and mansions.

Hopefully this will all make the Tyland Free State more interesting and provide some fodder for games.

Monday 14 October 2019

Darkwatch: Savage Threats

In which we returnth to the war-ruined city of Ravenscroft and brave its darkened streets with the men and women of the Darkwatch. This week we take a look at some of the threats and foes that the Darkwatch faces and the ways and means that the Darkwatch has come up with to counter said threats.

Source: Defoe - 2000AD


The Savage Dark


Reeks

One of the biggest left behind by the city's former occupiers is the Reeks, though also called 'stiffs', 'walking corpses' and the 'animated dead' (zombies by another name). They are a constant problem lurking in the ruins and tunnels of the city, a danger to the unwary and a tiresome foe for the Darkwatch.

The dark forces that previously held sway over the city weren't content with leaving a few dozen reeks to plague the city's new occupiers, they sent a step further and created a number of booby-traps using the reeks. The most favoured booby-trap tactic is devices dubbed 'Necro Bombs' which have been placed in graveyards or so-called 'reek pits'. These devices are either triggered by an array of conditions or are set to a timer, though they do detonate they unleash a wave of necromantic energy that resurrects the corpses in the immediate area and raise them as reeks.

So counter this, the Darkwatch sets up incendiary devices, called 'coffin mines', triggered by trip wires round a site suspected to contain a necro bomb. Usually a flare is rigged up, the intention is for the flare to alert local Darkwatch forces.

Shades

There is a big question over who or what the Shades are, but it is generally agreed that they serve as the assassins and infiltrators of the dark forces that only recently occupied Ravenscroft. They are able to move unseen from shadow to shadow, hence their name, and the first a person knows of their presence is the sharp edge of a dagger. They have been associated with unexplained deaths and mysterious 'accidents' that have plagued Ravenscroft's contribution to the continuing war effort.

To date, the only real effective of trying to combat the Shades is the use of guard hounds who can at least warn of a possible Shade in the area.

Remants

Left behind by the dark forces as their armies abandoned the city, the Remants are the dark forces foot soldiers who've taken to guerilla warfare to contest control of the city. They are split into cells who seemingly operate independently of one another, but appear to co-ordinate their efforts. They're reliant on supplies smuggled into the city, something that the Darkwatch has struggled to deal with, and raiding the new supply warehouses for the armies now being staged through the city.

Monday 7 October 2019

Landships!

Little bit of a short post this week, working overtime at the day-job and thus I have less free time. This is an idea that I've had brewing for a while and a question on the Unofficial Savage Worlds Discord prompted me to finally post it. Hopefully this will give people more options and ideas for their Frozen Skies whilst expanding the availability of land vehicles.

Source - Keith Thompson

Iron Beasts


Landships are another weapon of war that found themselves being made surplus to requirements following the end of the Great Darmonican War. Many of the Landship fleets of the various nations were drastically reduced as armies adapted to peacetime budgets, so many machines being scrapped or sold off. Much like war surplus aircraft, many landships were snapped up by private ventures and merc outfits.

Alyeska's Wulver problem has proven to be a renaissance for landships far as the Commonwealth is concerned, their armoured hulls able to turn the claws of the fiercest Wulver. Ex-military landships have been in great demand, they're rugged and easier to maintain compared to aircraft. A few enterprising persons have looked at the possibly of constructing purpose-built civilian models.

Landship

Size: 9 (Huge)
Handling: -2
Top Speed (MPH): 25
Toughness: 24 (8)
Crew: 4 (2+10 if transport variant)
Notes: Heavy Armor, Tracked
Weapons: Varies; Any combination of turret-mounted cannon up to 76mm, Medium and Heavy machine guns on pintle mounts.