Tenkar's Tavern: Games From the Basement

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Games From the Basement - Space Master

My God but we played the crap out of Space Master! For a period of nearly a year, our gaming group shrunk to just 3 regular players - Paul, Tony and myself, the GM.

D&D just wasn't going to work well with a 2 player party (this was in the AD&D 2e era). So we experimented with other games. We did some board gaming, some Talisman, and then somehow we settled on Space Master.

I don't know how or why we got there. I had Rolemaster for a number of years, but we never really played it. We played MERP off and on in the early days of the full group, but it never really felt like Middle Earth to us. Still, we kinda had a handle on the Rolemaster system due to it's younger and simpler sibling, MERP.

One day I suggested we try Space Master, and play we did. I am damn certain I did not have a handle on all the rules, but Tony and Paul didn't know the system well enough to know I was fudging half the time to keep the game flowing. Or maybe they knew and just didn't care. Doesn't matter, as we had a blast.

I tried to keep the opposition numerous but weak. Lots of crits by the players, occasional crits on the players kept the story and the action moving. Damn, we had good times, and it worked well with the small party that we had. I don't think we ever played it with more than the three of us.

I doubt I'll play Space Master again. It's a bit more rules heavy than I like these days, and it would be impossible to get the three of us together again if I tried, as we lost Paul on 9-11. The memories are strong even if the details are a bit fuzzy at times. As was my knowledge of the rules, apparently ;)

3 comments:

baronzemoApril 11, 2012 at 10:51 PM
Never play it,but bought a used book at a yard sale one day last year for $5 buck's.
The game my group played years ago was Top Secert. For around two year-ish we were spy's 24/7.
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infocydeApril 12, 2012 at 1:31 AM
We loved Space Master. I usually GM'ed, and I doubt I had a handle on the rules either. But we did have crit tables that worked well with the uber gun...the plasma repeater. I actually ran a variety of campaigns using Space Master as generic sci fi rules source...from an Aliens campaign based on the 80ies movie to a Star Ship Troopers esque campaign. I'd say Space Master would have to be on my list of the five best/most played RPG's of all time. I found the same version that you have pictures recently and re-bought it. I originally played an earlier version. There was another short lived version out called Space Master: Rogue Trade (not be be confused with the GW offering) but it seems to have came and went quickly.
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infocydeApril 13, 2012 at 5:51 PM
Correction: Latest version that I know of was Space Master: Privateer not Space Master: Rogue Trader
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Why "Swords & Wizardry?"

Believe me when I say I have them all in dead tree format. I have OSRIC in full size, trade paperback and the Player's Guide. I have LL and the AEC (and somewhere OEC, but I can't find it at the moment). Obviously I have Basic Fantasy RPG. Actually, I have the whole available line in print. Way too much Castles & Crusades. We all know my love for the DCC RPG. I even have Dark Dungeons in print, the Delving Deeper boxed set, Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea. BOTH editions of LotFP's Weird Fantasy and some dead tree copies of the Greyhawk Grognards Adventures Dark & Deep

I am so deep in the OSR when I come up for breath it's for the OSR's cousin, Tunnels & Trolls

So, out of all that, why Swords & Wizardry? Why, when I have been running a AD&D 1e / OSRIC campaign in Rappan Athuk am I using Swords & Wizardry and it's variant, Crypts & Things, for the second campaign? (Actually, now running a S&W Complete campaign, soon to be with multiple groups)

Because the shit works.

It's easy for lapsed gamers to pick up and feel like they haven't lost a step. I can house rule it and it doesn't break. It plays so close to the AD&D of my youth and college years (S&W Complete especially) that it continually surprises me. Just much less rules hopping than I remember. (my God but I can run it nearly without the book)

I grab and pick and steal from just about all OSR and Original resources. They seem to fit into S&W with little fuss. It may be the same with LL and the rest, but for me the ease of use fit's my expectations with S&W.

Even the single saving throw. That took me longer to adjust to, but even that seems like a natural to me now. Don't ask me why, it just does. Maybe it's the simplicity of it. At 45 52, simplicity and flexibility while remaining true to the feel of the original is an OSR hat trick for me ;)

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Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Games From the Basement - Space Master

3 comments:

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