I just picked this up today at lunch.
Has anyone played it.
circa 1984.
any fond memories?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v149/boojiesdad/goldhero.jpg)
I didn't know GW ever did a superhero game. This is really really old. Apparently was published by amateur game designers in '82 before the ol' GW picked her up and published the version you have.
GW at one time distributed and focused on RPG's including D&D.
This same game is now known as Squadron UK which is free.
You can peruse that here. (http://squadronuk.co.uk/)
What I most remember about Golden Heroes was that it had the most unfortunate abbreviation for its Game Master: the SS, for Script Supervisor.
Well the site with the free rules seems to not have anything up to download anymore. Guess they lost the rpgnow access when they got bought out by drivethrurpg.
I remember it fondly. It is not terribly fiddly (compared to other games of its time) and it had a good comic book feel. They have updated the rules to a new addition which is why you can't find the old one for free anymore.
http://squadronuk.co.uk/
I think I still have a copy knocking about in the garage somewhere.
As a kid I loved the idea of combat being divided into 'frames,' which divided actions into panels like one would see in a comic book. It's a nice bit of genre emulation that I still have a soft spot for.
The British sensibility (that GW used to do so well) was intact, and helped me believe that a UK-based superhero team was not only viable, but preferable. For someone who grew up with the inspired madness of Alan Moore's Captain Britain it was a godsend.
It's a really sweet game that was well designed and played well (even if it LOVED the randomness) but could allow some interesting solutions to rolling the same power twice, as well as the panel timing and the "backgrounds"
It had a lot of charm.
I'm not sure how Squadron UK holds up, as I've not read it all the way through (its not in print, and I admit to preferring to read game books off line, I spend a lot of time online writing games myself, so off the computer reading is good. )
Its a luvverly game and I'm still running it, and playing in a campaign that has lasted three years.:D
Quote from: SilverlionI'm not sure how Squadron UK holds up, as I've not read it all the way through (its not in print, and I admit to preferring to read game books off line, I spend a lot of time online writing games myself, so off the computer reading is good. )
Squadron UK is pretty much the same set of rules with the name changed to avoid confrontation with Games Wankshop. There are a few minor changes in some powers and rules. I like the changes as they add to playability.
Quote from: James MaliszewskiWhat I most remember about Golden Heroes was that it had the most unfortunate abbreviation for its Game Master: the SS, for Script Supervisor.
Simon Burley, one of the authors says he deliberately coined the name, and hence the abbreviation. He must have had a bastard of a GM somewhere along the line.;)
GOLDEN HEROES IS BACK
Well almost, the Scenarios have been turned into a surcebook. which includes the unpublished "LANCELOT CAPER"
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1426158885/legacy-superhero-role-playing-in-the-united-kingdo (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1426158885/legacy-superhero-role-playing-in-the-united-kingdo)
A Superhero sourcebook for the United Kingdom. Based on the scenarios of THE British Superhero game of the mid 80's.
Back in the day, there was a superhero RPG published in the UK. It was originally an A5 printed booklet, then a box set with two supplements, a couple of boxes of lead figures, some articles and scenarios in a certain gaming magazines. Its name is own by a third party so cannot be mentioned, let's just say some of the Heroes were Golden
Well that was 30 years ago, and we still have a soft spot for the original game. Which is where Legacy comes in. [Redacted]* was a superhero game set in the UK, what Legacy does is, to take those original scenarios and articles, update and expand on them and create a coherent universe, where the UK is the predominated place for superheroes.
These are the old scenarios used to create a universe for British Heroes.
Crossfire (an Alien Exchange) Legacy of Eagles
Queen Victoria and the Holy Grail
The Lancelot Caper (unpublished)
STRIKEBACK
American Dream
Reunion
Peking Duck
Pilcomayo Project
Contagion, Coincidence & Confusion
The goal for this project is get enough money to pay for proofreading and editing. Nothing too ambitious. Nice and simple.
This is Legacy, a sourcebook for roleplaying superheroes on the streets on the streets of the UK. The book which currently stands at 140 pages will have background material on why some people are superpowered and other aren't, it will have details of various Villains old and new, there is an origin scenario which is an update of the Pilcomayo Project.
The book will also contain: stuff on Time Travel, parallel dimensions, the source of both magic and superpowers, there is a chapter America, the EAGLES (from Legacy of EAGLES), a vast array of background information , The book also includes a century of Heroes, a year by year almanac of heroes since 1900. And details of the Official British superhero teams since 1899. Including the Queens own Shadow V.
All in all, it is everything you might need to run a superhero adventure in the United Kingdom.
This Sceptered Isle has called. Its time to talc up the spandex and get pledging:
One of my favourite games, possibly the best GW game. Loved the (mostly) random power rolls, and the way you were encouraged to write an short origin story explaining how you got those powers.
Golden Heroes was always one of my favourite supers games too. So much so that when Squadron UK was pulled from sale at Games Workshop's request I wrote my own retro-clone of it called Codemane: Spandex.
I've had lots of fun in campaigns of both the original and my clone, but of all the parts of the game the character generation is the finest.
I've never known any other game like it. Creating characters in Golden Heroes is just so much fun, even if those characters will never be played!
If anyone's interested in my clone of the game, I don't promote it much, because I don't want to compete with the new edition of Squadron UK - but it's available for free download on my website (linked in my sig).
Quote from: Blacky the Blackball;804783Golden Heroes was always one of my favourite supers games too. So much so that when Squadron UK was pulled from sale at Games Workshop's request I wrote my own retro-clone of it called Codemane: Spandex.
I've had lots of fun in campaigns of both the original and my clone, but of all the parts of the game the character generation is the finest.
I've never known any other game like it. Creating characters in Golden Heroes is just so much fun, even if those characters will never be played!
If anyone's interested in my clone of the game, I don't promote it much, because I don't want to compete with the new edition of Squadron UK - but it's available for free download on my website (linked in my sig).
I picked this game up on a lark about 8 years or so ago. Never got to play it, but had a blast making characters for it.
Quote from: kevinrolfe;804740These are the old scenarios used to create a universe for British Heroes.
Crossfire (an Alien Exchange) Legacy of Eagles
Queen Victoria and the Holy Grail
The Lancelot Caper (unpublished)
STRIKEBACK
American Dream
Reunion
Peking Duck
Pilcomayo Project
Contagion, Coincidence & Confusion
These scenarios are fantastic! The only ones I haven't run are
The Lancelot Caper and
Contagion, Coincidence & Confusion.
Will any of these scenarios (other than the updated Pilcomayo Project) be included in the sourcebook? Or will they be receiving a separate publication?
Queen Victoria and the Holy Grail and
STRIKEBACK are two of Marcus L Rowland's finest scenarios for any game, and I say that as a BIG fan of his work.
Lancelot caper is the unpublished one, and C, C&C was in Fanzine.
The scenario in the book are Pilcomayo project.
The next book I hope to release is the "Rise of the Overlord" campaign. Which features the following scenarios, which follow on from PP.
Peking Duck
Lancelot Caper
Legacy of Eagles.
Queen Victoria & the holy grail has spawned a number of scenarios, which will probably become the Grail Quest book.
The rest will fall under the "Shadow under the Stars" book.
I have drawn from each every possible thing I can. I have also used all of the articles as well as inspiration.
The book currently sits at 140 pages with out art or formatting, I have some 30 odd to go in and 10 A4 pads filled with hand written notes a well.
I'll post some snippets soon
The first method
The three Circles of Spiritual Evolution was originally thought to be a just a myth. A sweet idea, but not based on scientific fact, however, evidence was found in the strangest of places. On a series of carved stones (The Hu Stones), found in a lake on Ynys Mon (Anglesey) by iolo Morganwg. (There is in fact not 3 but 4 the 4th is known as Anwnn and relates to everything supernatural)
Manuscript
Despite iolo Morganwg having forged a number of his manuscripts, one stands out. The lost, or last manuscript. The document is a translation of an ancient set of stones carved with Oghams (Ancient Celtic writing).
The Stones were pulled from that most holy of holy's *Llyn Carreg Bach (The lake of small stones) in the 1700's, by iolo himself. The stones are named the Hu Stones, after Hu the Mighty. *
The translation gives a more accurate interpretation of the 3 (4) circles of spiritual evolution, Ceugant, Gwynyd & Abred (Anwnn)
• The Innermost circle (Ceugant) relating to talented gentlemen and women who it calls the "Children of Artos". Super-powered heroes (8 power rolls)
• The middle circle (Gwynyd) relates to the enlighten ones, which seems to mean clever, or naturally gifted ones. Heroes who have built a device to give them power etc.(6 to 8 power rolls, but all power is via created device)
• The third or outermost circle (Abred) relates to normal people
Hu The Mighty is not dead he exists and plays a part in the bigger picture. ill get to him at some point.*
This is the other method of becoming a super.
The Hero Plague
Penimunda Research faculty.
Hans Kemmlar arrives to inspect the facility and its scientists, who had plans to gather together for his special projects team.
The Research *Team
· Heinrich
· Schmidt
· Bernhardt
· Spillane
· Atolli
· Hammoto
· Miebach
After a brief interview , and personal evaluation by Kemmler, each scientist was assigned a Project.
Hans Kemmler put Miebach to work on Dx-1, Whilst his contemporaries were sent to the Aerie, to Wellesburg, Castle Austria.
He was told Dx-1 was the main priority and he was the only one up to the job. Kemmler lied. Dx-1 and Meibach were patsy's. A false lead for the enemy, a red herring, a fake Super soldier program, Meibach, his ego massaged, accepted willingly. Leaving immediately, not even asking after the others.
The other scientist made there way to the Aerie, part of their story is covered in the Finest Hour book.
Some of the products of the Aeries Super Solder program
·*Korrosion*aka Dr Konrad Schmolhaus
·*Blitzkrieg*aka Unknown
·*Leuchtkafer*(Firefly) aka Arnold Schweissor
·*Doppleganger aka Bernhardt Willhelm
·*Nocturne*aka Gustav Schiller
·*Samurai Supreme*aka Leo Halsinger
·*Fulmineo*aka Mario Estallino
·*Feuerdrake*aka johan Steinbeck
·*Nachjager*aka Gustav Stoller
The Dx-1 project far from being a Red Herring actually worked, to a point. It was an amphetamine based drug which temporally enhanced the five senses and increased the strength of the user. But before he could productionise the drug, a BLACKWATCH unit assaulted the research lab and extracted Menabach back to the UK, to Porton Down.*
The ruse worked the Dx-1 project (despite actually working) drew attention away from the aerie's supersoilder program. But not for long, a team of BLACKWATCH volunteers crashed landed near to Wellesburg. They were recovered and take to the Aerie where they were used as guinea pigs. That team later escaped and became the lost Shadow V team.
Meibach became a prisoner of the UK, he gave up most of his secrets to the DX program, however he developed a more deadly version, DX-10 this was designed to kill. an airborne pathogen which when he escaped Porton Down. he released on Londons bridges, only nothing happened, DX-10 did not kill it attached itself to the DNA of its victims and in a couple of generations created a Super Human.
Meibach escaped the UK but was captured by the Russians and sent to there top secret research lab hidden deep under*
the mountain Kholat Syakhl, in the Ural mountains Russian. a place that would later become known as the Dyatlov pass.
DX-Project
DX-1*This is an amphetamine based version which gives Speed level one *to the victim.
DX-2*this version had extract of Mushroom and can give a temporary Psionic ability equating to 2 Power levels for 1d6 hours per dose
DX-3*this version can heal 2d20 Kill/Stun levels
DX-4*induces flight at ½ level
DX-5*victim explodes 30 seconds after swallowing
DX-6*victim can breath underwater for unto 4 hours at a time
DX-7*give the victims children strength at level 2
DX-8**thought to be useless, but actual gives the victim invisibility at will.
DX-9*Gives the Grandchild 6 Power level
DX-10*Gives the grandchild of the original victim 8 Power levels (this was the version released on London's Bridges)
A secret snippet from the Lancelot Caper
[REDACTED]'S PLAN
Project Lancelot is a joint operation between the StarTech Corporation and DICE, The giant electronics
multinational is develpoing a radically new form of combat armour, the microcircuity of which actually
interfaces with the nervous system of the wearer. StarTech originally offered the new armour to the US
Government, but they declined to purchase it thanks to the influence of a powerful religious lobby close to
the President, who felt that the techniques used were 'an attempt to improve upon Gods's Creation', and
therefore blasphemous.
Unwilliing to let such a potentially profitable project drop, StarTech offered the armour to DICE, who have
agreed to assit in the field testing of the armour in return for the price being dropped to a level they could
afford. This arrangement came as a great relief to Technon, who got out of haveing to be wired up to the
armour himself. StarTech's technicians are a little nervous of the effects that the armour may have on the
wearer as several monkeys were killed by it in preliminary testing but they are fairly comfident that they
have ironed out the faults and can only be sure by testing the armour on a human wearer in battle
conditions.
[REDACTED] has used [REDACTED] influence in government circles to learn of the existence of Project Lancelot.
She had originally intended to simply steal the plans and sell them, but recently she has discovered that a
cargo of nuclear warheads is abou to be shipped from a goverment-owned factory ta a navel base.
Fortuitous circumstances have enabled her to come up with a plan to steal the armour, use it to steal the
warheads, and blame the whole thing on a group of innocent superheroes. The warheads are to be sold
to [REDACTED] [REDACTED], a [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED]
I remember seeing at least part of it in a used-book shop and thinking it looked a bit like V&V (which is one of my favorites) but with more refined details.
Give it a go, whats the worst that could happen....
More draft snippets
1941 Howitzer (Big Bertha) helps out with the drive to get 100,000 women to do war work, part of the "Women of Britain, come into the factories", campaign
1942 - British military scientists from Porton Down, with help from Windlord exploded bombs filled with Vollum 14578 on Gruinard Island, which is also known as Anthrax
1943 - Windlord makes a passing comment to John Bull during a mission behind enemy lines, about what he thought he saw off the coast of Gruinard island. This ultimately resulted in John Bulls discovery of the Eagles Nest.
1961 - The EAGLES help MI5 uncover, the Portman Spy ring
1962 - The EAGLES are deployed to Dudley to help suppress race riots in the town.
1963 A UFO was tracked entering Russia airspace over the Laptev sea, it flew south west and was picked up by UK radar over West Germany, the station officer in Berlin, reported that is look like a ball of fire falling from heaven. Radar lost the object over Staffordshire, where it crashed to the fringes of a large area of forest, known as Crannock Chase. The duty officer at GCHQ made the call and the EAGLES were asked to investigate.
First reports described it as translucent with a strange, discernible glow from within. Protector and Plasma the EAGLES' scientists, who were amongst the finest in the world, obviously thought that the meteor warranted further investigation for they transported it to their undersea base using a prototype P.1154, the super-secret EAGLES NEST. From that moment, nothing more was heard of the EAGLES, except...
Some five hours after the EAGLES had taken the meteor, which they had described to authorities as a meter, to their base; their prime scientist and assistant leader Protector appeared in the centre of London and started to go berserk
An unpolished location of note
Jezreel's tower
Jezreel's tower, exists in the neither world between our existent and beyond the bridge of swords, it has become a way point. Shortly after construction a rather complex warding spell was cast over the building, to protect it. The very soul of the building moved itself to the neither world. Part of the landscape of that neither world is a farm, The farm. A strange collection of buildings which almost have a life of there own. A dark place, that exist in many places and many times. It was there before Jezreel's tower, it will probably be there long after. The neither world is a timeless realm, where the laws of physics do not apply,
The Tower arrived in the neither world in the 1960s, however Shadow V reported visiting it in 1954, they found Baba Yaga. whom they had dispatched in 1942. Which has given the idea that the neither realm exists outside of time.
Jezreel's tower is a powerful conduit of magic. It currently lays empty after the last owner to cross the threshold, never returned.
Using the Tower in game.
The tower can be used as a secret base.
In the land that surrounds Jezreel's tower, it is here that the actual the Farm exists. When conjurered a replication of the farm appears, it's true horrors remain in the neither world. What appears in the conjured version is from the mind of the conjurer. The farm began life in the foot hills around Schloss Frankenstein (see strikeback). The temporal displacement cause but a number of time travellers and Outcasts magic caused it to move to the neither world. It as a whole had become almost sentient, a soul taker
Another unpolished nugget
The Extra-normal Association of Government Law Enforcers or EAGLES.
In 1947 SquadronUK had defeated the SS Werewolf, the last pocket of Nazi resistance was crushed, in the winter of that year SquadronUK, the team that had been as an umbrella group for Superheroes to fight the Axis of Evil disbanded. As the spectre of the third Reich slowly faded from Europe the majority of the war time super heroes and villains tired of the bloodshed, and the horrors of the trenches, retired, only a handful remained active, John Bull was one of these.
It was in 1949 SquadronUK the war time orgnisation that garthered to gether the UKs heroes, had dispanded. the home Secretary James Chuter Ede saw there was an increase in the Supervillians and a rather haphazard superhero community to protect the UK. He proposed that a new national team be set up to counter the growing threat, from committee room B, The Extra-normal Association of Government Law Enforcers, or EAGLES as they came to be known was born, or at least the idea was born. It was felt throughout the halls of Whitehall that only one man, one Hero could be called upon, John Bull. The Home Secretary had John Bull summoned to Whitehall, Ede told John that his country needed him, The Eagles had a leader but had yet to have a team. John was given 1 month to set things up. MI6 and MI5 had liaison officers set up and S.O.L.O opened up its records to allow for the formation of the team.
The founding Members of the EAGLES were John Bull, Howitzer, Spitfire, The Hurricane, Tommy Atkins and Jack Tar. Though both Tommy and Jack took a back seat and only participated on one adventure, choosing to spend there retirement by the sea in a nursing home at Whitby, two old soldiers at peace at last. The National Archives still has the black and white footage of their funeral a private affair attended by the Queen and the then Prime Minister.*
Spitfire and Hurricane were killed in 51, when they fought The Destroyer. With only John Bull and a Howitzer who was planning her wedding to socialite Richard Bingham. The Eagles were at a cross roads disband or rebuild, having never shunned his duty John Bull rose to the challenge John rebuilt using SOLOs links, a team was put together, just in time to save Howitzer and her soon to be husband, from the clutches of the Dominator, another of the EAGLES foes. This event changed Howitzer, Trapped, in The Dominators dungeons, Howitzer was able to see Richards other side, ī his true self. As the Eagles saved the day Howitzer called of the wedding and permanently moved in to the Eagles nest. She never spoke of what happened in the dungeon to anyone.
*update, during an Officers of DICE adventure it was discovered that [spoiler redacted]
Early draft of the America team
The National Defence League
The National Defence League or NDL is the USA's official, government-backed super hero team. Their HQ is in Washington but for various reasons they often find themselves operating out of auxiliary bases in New York and Los Angeles. The heroes listed below are those on the current active register though many other American heroes have worked with the team at various times during its history. They are financed by the American government, although some members, including Stretcho and Firebird, contribute to running costs.
Brief History of the NDL
The first team operated from 39 to 59, disbanding after the Korean war, the war which saw The Patriot, American Eagle* and Gunslinger all Killed/Missing in Action. Between 1960 and 2001 there were a number of aborted attempts to rebuild the team. Including an attempt to persuade Technon (Star Techs enforcer, though it was Gary Stokes the first Technon not Brian Garson who had been asked) It was due to these failures and the cold war that the Senate Covert Operations and Planning Executive (S.C.O.P.E) authorised two projects to build the USA a new breed of super solider. Project Montauk out of Camp Hero run by the CIA and the other by Star Tech, run by Jackson Stone out of a secret base near Rendlesham Forest in England, using a variant of MK-Ultra. Currently neither of these of these projects have come to fruition (further expanded on in American Dream). 39 to 59 Roll Call
(Codename: The Sons of Liberty)
The Patriot, American Eagle (MIA), Gunslinger (KIA), Rocketman (Traitor), Mage (Disappeared), Osprey and Goshawk (the ill-fated Rosenbergs)
*America Eagle is part of the time travelling Shadow V
Current Line up
The NDL, has a large pool of Heroes to call upon, it has structured the Team in the following way. The team make up changes on a month by month basis
Away Team
Used for covert missions, Current team consists of: The Patriot, Strecho, Mr Magic, Redskin, Powerchord and Firebird
Home Team
This is the team stationed on American soil and is on Active duty
Coyote (Team Leader), Huntsman, Pioneer, Man Mountain (Paul Bunyan) & Lady Liberty.
Off Duty
Wolfskin, The Ghost who Walks, Windwalker, Sasquatch and Lilith
The group also have a reserve list of Heroes whos Membership is pending, these include Eagle Spirit, Magician, Starburst, Metal-head and Rocketman II. There is also a Top Secret Member who is currently going through her paces at Camp Hero, her name is MISS AMERICA* (*this is explored in the Adventure American Dream)
Quote from: kevinrolfe;805191Give it a go, whats the worst that could happen....
Not really the best question to ask about any Kickstarter... :)
Great game. I have the boxed set as well as some illegal PDFs I found online. Love the frame mechanic for combat and the rules for campaign play where characters develop their relations with the public, etc. Powers are a very limited selection, but that can be fun as well, especially when dealing with indecisive types. The rule that one must rationalize one's power or lose it is awesome.
Squadron UK is NOTHING like Golden Heroes. Barely a family resemblance. It's also chock full of typos.
Nothing but love for Golden Heroes!
Quote from: kevinrolfe;804740GOLDEN HEROES IS BACK
Well almost, the Scenarios have been turned into a surcebook. which includes the unpublished "LANCELOT CAPER"
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1426158885/legacy-superhero-role-playing-in-the-united-kingdo (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1426158885/legacy-superhero-role-playing-in-the-united-kingdo)
A Superhero sourcebook for the United Kingdom. Based on the scenarios of THE British Superhero game of the mid 80's.
Back in the day, there was a superhero RPG published in the UK. It was originally an A5 printed booklet, then a box set with two supplements, a couple of boxes of lead figures, some articles and scenarios in a certain gaming magazines. Its name is own by a third party so cannot be mentioned, let's just say some of the Heroes were Golden
Well that was 30 years ago, and we still have a soft spot for the original game. Which is where Legacy comes in. [Redacted]* was a superhero game set in the UK, what Legacy does is, to take those original scenarios and articles, update and expand on them and create a coherent universe, where the UK is the predominated place for superheroes.
These are the old scenarios used to create a universe for British Heroes.
Crossfire (an Alien Exchange) Legacy of Eagles
Queen Victoria and the Holy Grail
The Lancelot Caper (unpublished)
STRIKEBACK
American Dream
Reunion
Peking Duck
Pilcomayo Project
Contagion, Coincidence & Confusion
The goal for this project is get enough money to pay for proofreading and editing. Nothing too ambitious. Nice and simple.
This is Legacy, a sourcebook for roleplaying superheroes on the streets on the streets of the UK. The book which currently stands at 140 pages will have background material on why some people are superpowered and other aren't, it will have details of various Villains old and new, there is an origin scenario which is an update of the Pilcomayo Project.
The book will also contain: stuff on Time Travel, parallel dimensions, the source of both magic and superpowers, there is a chapter America, the EAGLES (from Legacy of EAGLES), a vast array of background information , The book also includes a century of Heroes, a year by year almanac of heroes since 1900. And details of the Official British superhero teams since 1899. Including the Queens own Shadow V.
All in all, it is everything you might need to run a superhero adventure in the United Kingdom.
This Sceptered Isle has called. Its time to talc up the spandex and get pledging:
Are they just reprinting the adVentures from White Dwarf then? Or is it a rewrite? Already have most of those, I think.
No this product is a sourcebook which draws on the scenarios as inspiration. The scenario that is included is a reworked Pilcomayo Project.
Not really interested in the setting you have laid out but would certainly enjoy some adventure modules geared for use with Golden Heroes.
Now I need to get out GH and those old White Dwarf articles/scenarios and persuade my current players to play GH.
I loved Golden Heroes. Years later I still remember the example by which they showed how the same power set could be rationalized so many different ways to create different heroes.
Quote from: amacris;805970I loved Golden Heroes. Years later I still remember the example by which they showed how the same power set could be rationalized so many different ways to create different heroes.
That's one of my favorite parts of the game: the player must tie together his hero's powers and discard what doesn't tie in.
Gotta love ol' Wolf-Purge, Deeman, Mars, Mirrormaid, The Scarab, Electron, Circuitor, and Lawmaster!
Oh you mean Squadron: Nottingham
You say the setting doesn't grab you, but the scenarios do. May I ask, from the snippets I have released, what doesn't grab you. Given the sourcebook, at its heart is a golden hero world.
I ask out of curiosity. You spend so long on a project, it is possible to get blinkered.
As for future releases. If all goes well here are some tidbits
1 Rise of the Overlord ( Peking Duck, lancelot Caper & legacy of Eagles)
2 the grail quests. (Queen Victoria & the Holy Grail. Plus Hitler and the holy grail. Something, Something Maltose Falcon. And Queen Victoria and the Shadows out of time).
3 beneath the shadow of the stars ( crossfire, American Dream, reunion, C, C&C.)
Maybe it's just me but I don't care for a setting with a timeline laying out histories and predecessor heroes, even if it's cool stuff, as I know my group and I will never use it as we like to build from scratch. Too many assumptions about the world for us to use it. Like: what if we want to play as the first-ever super heroes?
Whereas adventures I can usually change a detail or three and use. Again, I may be a minority of one.
Quote from: Matt;806116Maybe it's just me but I don't care for a setting with a timeline laying out histories and predecessor heroes, even if it's cool stuff, as I know my group and I will never use it as we like to build from scratch. Too many assumptions about the world for us to use it. Like: what if we want to play as the first-ever super heroes?
I like building from scratch but having a known history can be quite evocative. Something I loved about City of Heroes were all the enormous statues to heroes past... with plaques telling of their deeds and downfalls... melancholy tales of great sacrifice. For whatever reason it fired us up and had us feeling we were part of a larger tradition... it established the mindset.
I'd rather build my own setting but I'd still be inclined to have that 'those who went before us' element... though I suppose that would generate itself in a longer campaign.
I totally understand where you are coming from, which is why I have taken the published/unpublished scenarios, and created a world. But I have tried to create a canvas you can adapt and mould it to your needs.
I love history, I like the idea of games with a sense of history, so that a hero in 2014 can find the lost Star-rod of a fallen hero of the 1950s. In fact I enjoy this so much, I have been running a shared universe campaign. Using various teams. Over a 200 year period.
There is one character who was used in a 5 part campaign, jumping through time, that was 2013. I ran another adventure set in 1954. Telling some of his back story, this year and next year he gets to go to Crimea.
This is not set in stone take the bits you like, dump the chaff.
Ah, see, if the history were something my group created I would revel in it as well. But reading abou someone else's campaign history, not so much. But keep up posted on what you come up with--if there are scenarios/adventures and other material for use with Golden Heroes it may still be worthwhile for me. As long as it's not deeply connected to an assumed past and heritage.
And in any case, I'm happy to hear others are keeping GH alive!
Forth scenario announced.
This is the set up for the potential forth scenario. It is set in both England and the Town of Deadwood, in the US
The Siege of Deadwood.*The date is 30 June 1865.
For various reasons you find yourself sitting in the saloon in the town of Deadwood.
Suddenly there is a scream and woman runs in the bar and screams "Chinatown is burning". Everyone runs out.*
Before you can leave a filthy looking Hick stops you, "Boss, youse the law, cause i needs me a law man, eyes gotta showns you somit Boss, come with me afor they come back from chinatown town"
despite any protests you have he leads you all round the back of the Bar to a small barn, in side he shuts the door and locks it, then he lights a lantern and illuminates the barn. which is bare except for a table with a blood stained white cloth covering something.
" see what i found"
he pulls of the sheet, revealing a human boy with feather stumps on his back where wings once were. the wings are under him.
"i found me an Angel"
His eyes milk over and a blank expression clouds his face, he speaks.
"oh...yes master, now master..very well"
The hick raises his hand and from nowhere he produces a ornate knife and slices off his left hand at the wrist.
blood poor's from his wrist like water from a tap, all the blood gathers in the dirt and dust of the barn floor, where something takes shape a horned creature made of blood raises up and speaks.
"Tell me mortal. what do you dream of at night, when the demons come" he laughs in a demonic way. " so it begins" there is an ripping sound and the earth shakes.
outside a dome of shadow is raising up over the whole town. "welcome to hell..."
Saddle up partner it gonna be a long night.
The game begins just after the Creature speaks.
Now I kinda wanna persuade my players to try Golden Heroes. Set in Britain in the mid-'80s.'That would be awesome. Except I can't even do a bad British dialect to save my life.
Have the team a US team, on secondment, with a CIA liason. That will reduce the need for accents
Quote from: kevinrolfe;807077Have the team a US team, on secondment, with a CIA liason. That will reduce the need for accents
NPCs don't speak?
In any case, I loathe the "government-sponsored super hero/team."
Besides, a large part of the fun of Golden Heroes is all the British goofiness!
NPCS do speak but the liason is an American.
Another snippet
"People shouldn't be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people."
―*Alan Moore,*V for Vendetta
*Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is TELL THEM THEY ARE BEING ATTACKED, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. IT WORKS THE SAME IN ANY COUNTRY."*--Goering at the Nuremberg Trials
In 1909 an attempt was made to properly regulate those individuals who fell into the heroes category, and so the Hero Act of 1909 was created. The Act took at its heart the ideas of Galton and his Eugenics theory as, at that time Iolos manuscript had not been seen by many, or enough to understand is significance. The act required two forms of registration, the official sanction and the special sanction status, the latter is for Heroes assigned to the SAS, MI5, MI6 or as part of Shadow V the Royal Bodyguard. The Act was forgotten about after a couple of attempts to enact it, then came a global war, a depression ad a second war and the act was mothballed. The 1909 act is not the basis for the official sanctioning of teams, that comes under the royal charter that set up the Night-Watchmen back in 1799.
The Royal Charter of 1799, set up the notion of Sanctioned heroes, it is quite simplistic, sanctioned heroes must give thier real name and address, this is due to the salary paid by the Government, and needing some way to identify who to pay. This is more a gentleman agreement, a handshake. It has been enshrined in law for over 100 years. And not seen as wrong, that was until the revelations of Edward Snowdon, people began to question the roll of the government.
The 1909 act goes one step further, written after the heroes reaction to the Boer war, the Government at the time wanted a simply way to control the PCs. The act ensures the Heroes are registered, not just the Sanctioned ones but any person with Extra-normal abilitys. fForbes-Bryson's amendments make the act much tougher.
The Americans have been trying to enact a kind of registration for known Extra-normal humans, since the H.U.A.C, they managed to get legislation into the homeland security act, post 911. This follows a simular model to the UK'S Sanctioning however it is license based and requires special insurances, which tend to be prohibit the less well off Hero.
Quote from: Simlasa;806129I like building from scratch but having a known history can be quite evocative. Something I loved about City of Heroes were all the enormous statues to heroes past... with plaques telling of their deeds and downfalls... melancholy tales of great sacrifice. For whatever reason it fired us up and had us feeling we were part of a larger tradition... it established the mindset.
I'd rather build my own setting but I'd still be inclined to have that 'those who went before us' element... though I suppose that would generate itself in a longer campaign.
Ahhhh, CoH, how I miss thee...
The Singularity bomb is a scenario I have run with Simon Burley at a convention. There are two tables and two games a certain points players from one table get pulled into another dimension and dumped on to the other table. This goes on until they workout what hey have to do to stop the end of the world. This is a background snippet of what the Singularity bomb is.
The Manhattan Project
On 16 July 1945, the first atomic bomb was exploded near Alamagordo, New Mexico. The heralded in the Atomic Age.
The American physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, director of the laboratory at Los Alamos where it had been built, who witnessed it, said later:*'I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.'
Oppenheimer was in fact slightly misquoting the epic Hindu poem. In the dialogue between the Kshatriya prince Arjuna and his divine charioteer Krishna, the god says:
I am all-powerful Time which destroys all things, and I have come here to slay these men. Even if thou doest not fight, all the warriors facing thee shall die.
Arjuna was talking about the Brahmanda Astra* though sometimes it is called the Singularity bomb, unlike the Brahmastra or the Brahmashirsha Astra which were used at Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa. creating the Lonar crater, and the radiation which can be found on bones in the area.
The Singularity bomb has not been used, the device has the power to collapse the multiverse in to a single reality. Arjuna a prince of the Kshatriya is weakened by the multiverse , he believes there are too many copys of himself, at first he sort to kill these Dopplegangers, as he saw them, however this proved fruitless, so he made a pact with two others, from the Eagleverse, Kestrelverse and the Ospreyverse, to help create the Singularity bomb. But they failed, that was until the discovery of the collapsing timeline, an anomaly had created a temporary timeline from the Eagleverse, (see Shadow V) from this timeline came hope, the Singularity bomb might just work. And the Magestry, the collective of the three now four Arjuna (the last from the collapsing timeline) are trapped in a cycle, a time loop forever to play out every possible scenario, in an attempt to collapse the multiverse.
Oppenheimer, in reciting from the Bhagavad Gita, pulled Arjuna from his astral real into the real world, beginning the cycle.
The Brahmanda Astra*was broken down into three elements, science, magic, faith, in to hope it would not be used.
Science - the black stone
Magic - the Benben stone
Faith - the contents of Ark of the Covanent*
If these elements are brought together, from and in the same universe the Singularity bomb, can be used to collapse the multiverse.
Japanese supersoldier program
Banned since ww2 from having any kind of army, the Japanese only had a defence force, with limited resources, therefore there was no sanctioned supersoldier program, however, the private sector has been working on a supersoldier program, only instead of a suit of power Armour or a biological option, they are working of massive "Mecha", they are also throwing lizards into the Fukushima reactor...just in case.
Russian supersoldier programs
The Russians have had a series of power Armour which the west has knicknamed Boris. However there are a number of suits which fall into this category
Hybrid project - From the early 20's the Soviets were working on a supersoldier programs, first with the idea that a super Ape could be created, a hybrid human/chimp. Dr Ilya Ivanovich Ivanov worked in Africa in the late 1920s trying to create a monkey/human hybrid, *whilst officially unsuccessful, *there are rumours of a city of intelligent Apes living in Africa, it is also likely that through his research Ivanov, accidentally created HIV.*
Oborski MK1 to MK5 - Soviet era power armour, crude and big lumbering siuts. After Starlin canceled the hybrid program, the military turned to an engineer to called Professor Orlok Oborski* to create a suit of power Armour, and so the Oborski MK1 was born. The power armour program was thrown in the long grass in favor of the space program
Dyatlov - there was another attempt at a biological supersoilder program, but this ended after the tragedy that became known as the Dyatlov Pass incident. The research from that time is currently with Dr Grinsky Oborski, who, rumur has it, has made some of Miebachs research work. Time will tell. Offical Dr Oborski is head of the Russian Olympic medical staff.Theremin a Russian Cold Warrior, is thought to be from this program.
IVAN NKV MK1 to MK3 - the current power armour program restarted in the 90's, and culminating in the IVAN NKV. *The MK3 is still in use today.
*Dr Grinsky Oborski appears in Crossfire, is his grandson..
NOW only 3 days left.
Only 66 hours left.....
All done, funded at 150%, thanks for your support
Quote from: kevinrolfe;808638All done, funded at 150%, thanks for your support
Congrats!
Let us know when this is a thing for sale.
Will do...
Very cool. So happy to hear someone doing something with GH, a much-overlooked game. So much to like about it! In fact I was just reading the Supervisor's Book to refresh my understanding of combat mechanics as I'm hoping to get some guys to play it. The character generation is random enough to inspire new ideas rather than the ersatz versions of published heroes I keep seeing in point-buy games, but the rules for having to rationalize your powers keep the heroes from turning into nonsensical sets of unrelated powers. And the DUP rules really set the game apart from others in the genre.
No, you can't really make any hero you may think of with the rules as presented, and the heroes average a power level along the lines of the early '80s X-Men or Or Spider-Man or New Teen Titans or Outsiders, but for me it saves from "multiple choice paralysis" some folks get when there are too many options and that's about the top power level I enjoy.
Waiting with bated breath!