I'm looking at running some mini-campaigns or one-off adventures this autumn after my ancient 4e campaign finally concludes. One game/setting I'm looking at it Achtung! Cthulu. I was wondering if anyone has some of the adventures, which do you like best, and why?

A secondary question is whether I should use Savage Worlds or Call of Cthulu. I played and GM'd CoC 30 years ago, so am pretty rusty - still have my CoC 2e Games Workshop hardback. I played SW a few years ago and have the Explorer's Edition, never GM'd. I'd like the game pulpy not brooding-horror, and I'd like to use paper pawns & sketched maps, but I like how CoC gets out of the way during play, where SW is deliberately 'gamey'. OTOH I've heard that CoC is too lethal for A!C's pulp two-fisted setting. I was thinking about using CoC with some of the BRP 'pulp' options, like doubling hit points for PCs and major villains, and probably rolling PCs on best 3 of 4d6 (best 3 of 2d6 +6 for SIZ & INT). Or would SW still work if I got rid of the card-dealing initiative (eg could use side-based init, perhaps from some kind of command/leadership check) and toned down the Bennies?

Quote from: S'mon;902535I'm looking at running some mini-campaigns or one-off adventures this autumn after my ancient 4e campaign finally concludes. One game/setting I'm looking at it Achtung! Cthulu. I was wondering if anyone has some of the adventures, which do you like best, and why?

A secondary question is whether I should use Savage Worlds or Call of Cthulu. I played and GM'd CoC 30 years ago, so am pretty rusty - still have my CoC 2e Games Workshop hardback. I played SW a few years ago and have the Explorer's Edition, never GM'd. I'd like the game pulpy not brooding-horror, and I'd like to use paper pawns & sketched maps, but I like how CoC gets out of the way during play, where SW is deliberately 'gamey'. OTOH I've heard that CoC is too lethal for A!C's pulp two-fisted setting. I was thinking about using CoC with some of the BRP 'pulp' options, like doubling hit points for PCs and major villains, and probably rolling PCs on best 3 of 4d6 (best 3 of 2d6 +6 for SIZ & INT). Or would SW still work if I got rid of the card-dealing initiative (eg could use side-based init, perhaps from some kind of command/leadership check) and toned down the Bennies?

I've read only "Assault on the Mountains of Madness", "Kontamination", "Trellborg Monstrosities" and "Three Kings". Of those four I liked only the first one - the rest I perceive as boring, unimaginative crap, with graphical design being their only redeeming value. So, "Assault" would be my choice, but it's full-scale campaign, so it's not that relevant to your needs, I guess.

I'd rather play or build a different scenario upon Digging for a Dead God, the first part in "Curse of the Yellow Sign" series.

As for the system's choice, I'm not that proficient in Savage Worlds, but exactly for reasons you described (lethality), I'd settle for the default choice. It's a game where PCs are supposed to either succumb to the madness, or die. Screaming non-optional.

Quote from: JesterRaiin;902544I've read only "Assault on the Mountains of Madness", "Kontamination", "Trellborg Monstrosities" and "Three Kings". Of those four I liked only the first one - the rest I perceive as boring, unimaginative crap, with graphical design being their only redeeming value. So, "Assault" would be my choice, but it's full-scale campaign, so it's not that relevant to your needs, I guess.

I'd rather play or build a different scenario upon Digging for a Dead God, the first part in "Curse of the Yellow Sign" series.

As for the system's choice, I'm not that proficient in Savage Worlds, but exactly for reasons you described (lethality), I'd settle for the default choice. It's a game where PCs are supposed to either succumb to the madness, or die. Screaming non-optional.

Thanks - I just ordered Heroes Of The Sea Zero Point May 1940 as it was only £10.99 delivered in print, at least it's not on your list of crap. I had considered Trellborg as I liked the basic idea, but I was already concerned about reports of its linearity, & I guess now that settles it. Thanks for the recommendation for Assault on the Mountains of Madness; as it's set late in WW2 I was thinking about doing some earlier stuff first (set in warmer places preferably!), then if I decided to do an A!C campaign I could segue into it.

Quote from: S'mon;902555Thanks - I just ordered Heroes Of The Sea Zero Point May 1940 as it was only £10.99 delivered in print, at least it's not on your list of crap. I had considered Trellborg as I liked the basic idea, but I was already concerned about reports of its linearity, & I guess now that settles it. Thanks for the recommendation for Assault on the Mountains of Madness; as it's set late in WW2 I was thinking about doing some earlier stuff first (set in warmer places preferably!), then if I decided to do an A!C campaign I could segue into it.

Best of luck!

I admit I'm a bit biased towards Modiphus. The majority of things they released that I had the opportunity to read, seemed like a mediocre content wrapped in an awesomely looking, well... wrapping. There were exceptions, of course (Space 1889, pretty much everything Jason D. wrote for them), but in general? Looks over entertainment.

Opinions aside:

I'm not sure if this is any helpful, but I had plenty of fun recreating pic related in almost every War-themed systems I've been running, ranging from Godlike to Only War. It was always quite nice experience and I trust my players were honest when they said that.

Quote from: JesterRaiin;902559Best of luck!

I admit I'm a bit biased towards Modiphus. The majority of things they released that I had the opportunity to read, seemed like a mediocre content wrapped in an awesomely looking, well... wrapping. There were exceptions, of course (Space 1889, pretty much everything Jason D. wrote for them), but in general? Looks over entertainment.

Yeah, I'm worried about that - the A!C books look great, but I'm worried there's no 'there' there - certainly the Investigator's book just seemed to be Wikipedia-level historical info plus some basic chargen that had almost nothing Cthulu-related in it. The Keeper's Guide has more, but the Adventure Seeds are very minimal and seem to be mostly "little old ladies are killing hitchhikers" sort of level. I suspect this is one of those '90s-style games that leaves it to the GM to do almost all the actual work.

I think I'd rather run/play World War Cthulhu, which is darker in tone and more espionage than action/adventure.

Quote from: S'mon;902581I suspect this is one of those '90s-style games that leaves it to the GM to do almost all the actual work.

Was that a 90's thing? I seem to remember books of that era going on and on in endless detail about settings.

Quote from: Simlasa;902591I think I'd rather run/play World War Cthulhu, which is darker in tone and more espionage than action/adventure.

Was that a 90's thing? I seem to remember books of that era going on and on in endless detail about settings.

It has that sort of non play oriented 90s style detail. Whereas my 2e CoC book is crammed with actual adventures.

Quote from: S'mon;902603It has that sort of non play oriented 90s style detail. Whereas my 2e CoC book is crammed with actual adventures.

Ah, OK... more like a setting guide for fan fiction writers than a roleplaying game?

Quote from: S'mon;902581Yeah, I'm worried about that - the A!C books look great, but I'm worried there's no 'there' there - certainly the Investigator's book just seemed to be Wikipedia-level historical info plus some basic chargen that had almost nothing Cthulu-related in it. The Keeper's Guide has more, but the Adventure Seeds are very minimal and seem to be mostly "little old ladies are killing hitchhikers" sort of level. I suspect this is one of those '90s-style games that leaves it to the GM to do almost all the actual work.

Scratching head...

Well, I can't say I find Achtung! very good game. It's not terrible, alright, it features plenty of interesting and useful data, but in the end, I find it a bit dully written. Reading it brings no joy, there's no spark "wow, I already have truckloads of plot seeds I'd like to try"...

Your description is spot-on. It seems more like a framework, rather than a game, an additional line of sourcebooks resembling a bucket of LEGO bricks with just a basic premise instead of more detailed instruction, rather than a standalone product (even if it is).

Quote from: Simlasa;902605Ah, OK... more like a setting guide for fan fiction writers than a roleplaying game?

The Bird says truth...

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Oh... I didn't recognize you in that haircut.

The first one, whatever it was called was so bad, I honestly felt ripped off.  Badly statted (the SW version at least) , threadbare plot, with a load of padding and some fairly obvious bits missing for more than I've bought entire game systems for. Felt even worse cos I'd invited some folks round to play it as it looked so good - ended up knocking together a Necropolis 2350 adventure instead and have never bought another Modiphius product since.

OK here's my thoughts. A!C adventures are written in a very pulpy style that suits SW better than straight CoC. The core books (Keeper's and Investigators) are mostly setting with loads of occult Nazi's and stat blocks for the various game systems. The cults are good/evocative and well written (Black Sun etc) but much of it looks as if it comes out of an Osprey Publishing wargame text. I've played the first three adventures on-line and really they didn't do much for me as a player.

If your play style is on the pulpy side then I'd recommend going for the new Chaosium Pulp Cthulhu which increases HP, recovery and a number of other small things while using the base 7e CoC rules. It certainly has a more two-fisted feel to the game.

For a better CoC in WW2 experience I use Cubicle 7's World War Cthulhu - Darkest Hour book. You play members of Britain's SOE, Special Operations Executive, (similar to and precursor of the American OSS which can also be played) sent on a mix of SOE and Section N (occult) missions. Cubicle 7 have just released a seventies spy setting for 7e CoC called World War Cthulhu - Cold War where you can play as a member of any of the intelligence agencies. The included campaign has a great feel and is set in seventies Istanbul and involves British and Russian agents as well as the Mythos. I played in a playtest game that involved a semi-secret British listening post on Cyprus and had Erich Zann pop up in the plot.

Quote from: Hermes Serpent;902737OK here's my thoughts. A!C adventures are written in a very pulpy style that suits SW better than straight CoC. The core books (Keeper's and Investigators) are mostly setting with loads of occult Nazi's and stat blocks for the various game systems. The cults are good/evocative and well written (Black Sun etc) but much of it looks as if it comes out of an Osprey Publishing wargame text. I've played the first three adventures on-line and really they didn't do much for me as a player.

If your play style is on the pulpy side then I'd recommend going for the new Chaosium Pulp Cthulhu which increases HP, recovery and a number of other small things while using the base 7e CoC rules. It certainly has a more two-fisted feel to the game.

Thanks. I definitely want a pulpy action game punch-Cthulu-in-the-face style, not serious-doomed-investigator 'Call of Cthulu in WW2' style.

Probably I'll run the adventure I'm getting in Savage Worlds and treat it as a playtest, see if I can either sandbox it up a bit, or develop a more sandboxy campaign using it as a jumping off point. Or I might buy Assault on the Mountains of Madness.

Ken Hite wrote a well thought out and idea packed book for Osprey that might be a good fit for such a campaign.  The Nazi Occult. I considered using it for such a thing.

Amazon listing:
https://www.amazon.com/Nazi-Occult-Dark-Osprey/dp/1780965982/

Quote from: Kuroth;902941Ken Hite wrote a well thought out and idea packed book for Osprey that might be a good fit for such a campaign.

Thumbs up for Ken.

He also wrote a few short sourcebooks for Gumshoe. I recall "Die Glocke" covering same topic...

Quote from: S'mon;902739Thanks. I definitely want a pulpy action game punch-Cthulu-in-the-face style, not serious-doomed-investigator 'Call of Cthulu in WW2' style.

Probably I'll run the adventure I'm getting in Savage Worlds and treat it as a playtest, see if I can either sandbox it up a bit, or develop a more sandboxy campaign using it as a jumping off point. Or I might buy Assault on the Mountains of Madness.

Have you thought of using Pulp Cthulhu for this?  It's just out in pdf, and whilst I've only briefly read it, it has a lot of intriguing ideas and good GM advice.  (And was apparently pretty thoroughly playtested.)  The Good Friends of Jackson Elias podcast just did a whole episode on their experiences with it.

(I have to say, the thing that intrigues me is the idea of "Pulp Insanity", where failing a Sanity roll means new rules fold-up in play.  It seems pretty interesting, but I have no idea how it would go in play outside of the discussion of it in the aforementioned podcast.)