The reason I was discussing Savage Worlds with one of my gaming buddies the other day is because I'm working on my 19th-century supers campaign, taking place in a pulpy sort of alt-history right after the Civil War. I'm waffling between ICONS, Two-Fisted Tales, or possibly some other system to run it. Here's the pitch. Feedback is welcome in terms of system or additions!

The Civil War had ended. The last Confederate armies had surrendered barely six months earlier. The Union, though battered and frayed, had been restored. Andrew Johnson struggled to keep radical and conciliatory factions together as President Abraham Lincoln’s unlikely successor. Much of the nation put aside their arms, tried to shut out the nightmares, and continue on with their lives.

It was then that the Skyfire happened.

Known alternately as “The Great Rain of Fire”, it was simply the largest meteor storm in recorded human history. Hundreds of meteorites crashed through earth’s atmosphere, some as small as a fist, with others as large as a wagon wheel.  They fell across the entire Northern Hemisphere; North America, Europe, the oceans, Asia, and well into the Arctic Circle.

Those who were exposed to the meteorites often became ill, but as they recovered, something amazing happened. Either their physical or mental prowess grew far beyond that of the known limits of mankind. Some became capable of amazing feats of strength, while others saw their speed enhanced to the equal of the fastest horse. Still others gained control over the elements themselves.

By sheer luck or cosmic design, England received more of these meteorites than any other nation on Earth. The effects of the meteorites faded within the week, but not before thousands of soldiers and subjects were influenced by their power.

One of these men, a Colonel Basil Welch, was one of the new “Astoundings”, as the public came to call him. Using a mix of bewildering wit and brute force, he swiftly deposed Queen Victoria and named himself Lord General of the Empire of Great Britain. Within six months, joined by an enthusiastic Napoleon III of France, he had occupied all of Portugal (a longtime British ally), forced Spain into a humiliating puppet state status, and seized all major Atlantic colonies formerly held by those states, while supporting France’s invasion of Mexico. Ireland’s population was also decimated after another attempted revolt against British rule.

Still, the Lord General desired more. With amazing speed, he began to assemble two of the largest invasion fleets in history. One would focus on the port of New Orleans. The other, on New York City.

October 7, 1866. A slumbering New Orleans was caught off guard by a massive invasion force of British and French troops. By year’s end, the Restored Colonies (as the Lord General named them) stretched from New Orleans to Mobile. Called out of retirement, a stalwart Ulysses S. Grant pushes the Anglo-French advance back at Vicksburg.

At the same time, a British fleet assaulted New York City, which surrendered almost immediately due to the traitorous machinations of its mayor, Fernando Wood, who had resigned from Congress just in time to return to the mayoral office through an “emergency” election. New York City became the basis for British troops to conquer much of New England, though Boston could not be broken through siege. A southward turn of British forces was stopped just outside Philadelphia by a small force led by Gen George H. Thomas.

Again, the weary sons of the South and North align for battle, but this time side-by-side against a common threat. General Robert E. Lee has been captured, and William Tecumseh Sherman lies gravely wounded. John Bell Hood has brokered a separate peace as the new President of Texas, and vows to keep his nation neutral in this fray. The others fight on: Grant and Thomas, Longstreet and Hill, Forrest and Early, Sheridan and Custer.

But this is not the same battle they once knew. Terrible weapons of war have arrived, some a progression of the last war (Mr. Gatling’s new weapon, improved ironclads), while some are terrible new weapons inspired by the heightened intellect of those touched by the Skyfire (land behemoths, destruction rays). There are also many who find themselves physical specimens capable of shrugging off a volley of rifle fire, or crushing cannon with their bare hands.

As the winter thaws and early spring dawns across the fragile Union, a great campaign for the future of the United States, Liberty, and all Mankind is about to begin.

(The great news is, I already have a setting map ready to go, thanks to the Public Domain!)

Funny. I'm setting my upcoming Savage Worlds western game in the same year. My first intention was to use GDi but I think SW will fit my players' preferred approach to the genre better.

Have you looked at Kerberos Club? I'm not very familiar with it but it does sound like something that could be useful. It's available for several systems, FATE and Savage Worlds being ones I'm aware of.

Great pitch.

Was Kerberos Club an inspiration? I mean, it's got Victorian supers and Brits meddling in the American Civil War. It's also got a Savage Worlds edition you might want to look into for inspiration (I own the Wild Talents one and I think it's a pretty damn good setting).

Quote from: The Butcher;612292Great pitch.

Was Kerberos Club an inspiration? I mean, it's got Victorian supers and Brits meddling in the American Civil War. It's also got a Savage Worlds edition you might want to look into for inspiration (I own the Wild Talents one and I think it's a pretty damn good setting).

I haven't read Kerberos Club. I've been working on the setting idea for awhile, but am just now putting it together. That's interesting, though--I'll have to check it out. FATE is a non-starter, but if there's another rules edition, I'll have to see if it has any bits I can add.

I *think* the available options for Kerberos Club are Savage Worlds, FATE, ORE and Hero.

Quote from: HombreLoboDomesticado;612298I *think* the available options for Kerberos Club are Savage Worlds, FATE, ORE and Hero.

Wow--they really statted that sucker up across some different systems!

Now I'm really curious how close this game is to my pitch.

A little bit more:

The Military Situation, March 1867.

The Anglo-French forces in New Orleans have spent much of the winter solidifying their claim on their territories, referred to by the British as the “Restored Colonies”. Their forces have been heavily augmented by a reserve guard of “Astoundings” who are often delegated to special tasks or command roles.

On the other side, Ulysses S. Grant has few “Skyfire” augmented troops of his own, but he does have brand new “Land Behemoths” Also called a Mobile Battery, the land behemoths used powerful internal combustion engines to bring superior firepower to bear on various parts of the Anglo-French line. Despite horrific losses, Grant has kept his army closely locked with the British forces in a terrible grip. He very much misses the assistance and advice of William T. Sherman, who lies grievously wounded, but endures all the same. He has given an independent command to Nathan Bedford Forrest, whom he finds odious, but recognizes as one of the best small-unit fighters in the army. Forrest’s men have continually confounded the British commanders, and have caused general havoc in a series of raids behind their lines.

The situation George H. Thomas faces outside Philadelphia is far more dire. A troop revolt had to be put down by several Confederate regiments, which threatened to tear his entire army apart. Further, he has almost no Skyfired compared to British forces, and has even had to contend with several New York “Tory” regiments that have been raised. Yet even though many of his forces were severely punished in a series of battles, Thomas simply endures. The British cannot push past him.

A second army, this one led by Robert E. Lee himself, was annihilated by the first-ever use of a Destruction Ray. This huge, immobile tower fortunately failed after the first use, but was enough to destroy seven entire regiments almost to the man. Lee himself was captured, and along with Winfield Scott Hancock, remains in some rotting prison hulk off the coast of New York City.

Raids by British troops along the Gulf Coast and Atlantic seaboard have been challenging, while the American Navy, led by a Skyfired John Ericsson continues to build towards what seems like an inevitable collision with the most powerful naval forces in the world.

The British tried to open up a third front in Florida, but were badly decimated by disease and by their setback in the Battle of New Smyrna by General James Longstreet. However, Longstreet’s armies have been badly stripped of needed forces, and it remains unclear what spring campaigning will bring.

In Canada, a brutal civil war continues, as the only major Royal to escape, Prince Arthur rules, joined by Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli and the monarchist general Garnet Wolseley. However, an army from Great Britain is expected to augment the Lord General’s current forces and break the current stalemate.

Mexico has been almost entirely conquered by France, but a strong guerrilla movement, combined with the oppressive climate, has insured France cannot secure their claim.

Even with his “Astounding” super-soldiers, Lord General Welch knows the manufacturing and industrial power of the Union can win out in the long run. To this end, he has ordered an all-out spring offensive in an attempt to crush their morale and force them to sue for peace. Several super-weapons are rumored to be in the works for both sides, as are reinforcements. The American forces have augmented using both volunteers and the draft, whereas the British have sent for battle-hardened troops from throughout their Empire.

The Political Situation

The United States was in the throes of Reconstruction when the Anglo-French attack came. Andrew Johnson, beleaguered successor to Abraham Lincoln, has been a deeply unpopular President, viewed with suspicion by both sides of the aisle. The Democrats and ex-Confederates distrust him as a successor to Lincoln, and the Radical Republicans feel he is suspect as a southerner himself. However, to his credit, Johnson has been a tireless executive since the war started, and continues to work to pull the nation back together. The nation will not vote on a second term for Johnson until next year.

Johnson’s Cabinet, as it stands:

Vice-President: Vacant
Secretary of State: William H. Seward
Secretary of the Treasury: Hugh McCulloch
Secretary of War: Edwin Stanton
Postmaster General: Alexander Randall
Attorney General: Henry Stanbery
Secretary of the Navy: Gideon Welles
Secretary of the Interior: Orville Browning


Other Nations

Spain
Spain is still technically independent, but has had to cede all Atlantic territories to England or France. Currently, Isabella II is an immensely unpopular monarch, and continues to face threats from the British as well due to repeated unrest throughout the country. Spain’s only remaining aspect of their former imperial glory seems to be their possessions in the Pacific, though those seem to be tenuous at best with French and British interests what they are.

Russia
The only major nation to overly support the United States in the current conflict is Russia. The Czar has promised some aid, but their offers of assistance have been largely symbolic in nature. In Europe, Britain and France still fear to attack Russia directly, and so their conflict continues by less direct means.

The Rest of Europe
Most of the remainder of Europe is sufficiently cowed by the Anglo-French alliance, though certainly Prussia has made some overtures with other nations towards resisting these changes. The Netherlands in particular has been subjected to a number of diplomatic outrages by Great Britain as of late, and fears its neutrality will soon be insufficient guard against attack.

Mexico
Mexico has been under attack by France for over half a decade now, but has lately suffered several brutal defeats at their hand. Emperor Maximilian disappeared over the winter, and instead the nation has been designated as a vassal of the French Empire. Irregular Mexican forces strike hard and often, but seem to be fighting a losing battle against the Anglo-French Alliance.

Texas
The Republic of Texas is again independent, thanks to their new President , John Bell Hood. Hood has managed to use military force so far to keep the main population centers under control, and has brokered a neutrality agreement with France and Great Britain. Rumor has it that in exchange for this, Texas could receive parts of Mexico for their cooperation. However, Bell still faces dissent, as several Union camps have been mentioned near the Red River.

Rough Timeline of Events
 
1 January 1866: The Skyfire occurs across the Northern Hemisphere. Almost immediately, there are reports of strange powers manifesting themselves in individuals who were close to where the meteorites landed.
 
9 January 1866: The final case of an individual gaining powers from one of the meteorites from the Skyfire is reported. After this date, the rocks appear to be inert.
 
1-2 February 1866: Queen Victoria is deposed by Lord General Welch and an "Astounding" military junta.
 
23 February: Napoleon III enthusiastically signs a Treaty of Perpetual Friendship with Great Britain.
 
28 March: Portugal is invaded by a joint Anglo-French army; resistance collapses after the Battle of Lisbon, and Portugal is designated a British protectorate (with France gaining several key islands).
 
29 March: The French invade the Netherlands.
 
2-11 April: A rebellion in Ireland is brutally crushed by a single company of "Astoundings" and two regular Army regiments.
 
12 April: Spain is cowed into signing the Treaty of London, which cedes most of their Atlantic possessions to the British and leaves their government a mere vassal to Britain, with only nominal independence. The unpopular monarch Isabella II is overthrown for a representative government. One day later, William III signs the Treaty of Dunkirk, ceding most of the Dutch government's rights to the French and English.
 
15 April: The Congress of Prague ends with Prussia and Russia unable to form a definitive alliance as a check to Anglo-French aggression.
 
18 April: Denmark signs an alliance with France and England, creating the Anglo-Danish-French Pact.
 
30 April: England and France secretly begin plans for an invasion of the United States of America.
 
5 May: Prince Arthur arrives in Canada, and announces the Crown-In-Exile.
 
23 July: Monarchist forces led by Garnet Wolseley rout the ill-led Lord General's forces in the Battle of Trois-Rivieres in Canada.

13 August: The last resistance in India falls to total British rule.
 
7 September: The USS Reynolds, a brand-new ironclad, disappears somewhere off the Gulf Coast.
 
11-14 September: A large invasion fleet is sighted off of New Orleans. A hastily assembled army, led by ex-Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard, is routed after the meager Union garrison in New Orleans is defeated.
 
16 September: President Andrew Johnson delivers a speech and proclamation requesting 100,000 new troops to quell this invasion. Ulysses S. Grant is re-affirmed as Commander-in-Chief, and begins to form his army in Memphis to head down the Mississippi.
 
22 September: Having rigged an "emergency election" earlier in the year, New York City Mayor Fernando Wood enthusiastically surrenders the city to the British.
 
23 September: The Rape of Biloxi: French and British soldiers burn Biloxi to the ground, but not before visiting atrocities on their civilian populace. The forces were enraged due to the sustained, desperate defense of the city.
 
24 September: All Union forces around New York City have been trounced.

1 October: General Beauregard's army fights a delaying action to allow the citizens of Mobile to flee in front of the ravenous Anglo-French army. It is a costly battle, and effectively ends Beauregard's ragtag army as an independent fighting force.

2 October: Mobile is taken by the Anglo-French army.
 
14 October: In Austin, John Bell Hood, supported by a host of ex-Confederate troops, declares himself President of a newly-independent (again) Republic of Texas. He immediately signs a neutrality pact with representatives of Great Britain and France in exchange for future territorial concessions in Mexico.
 
16 October: The remnants of General Beauregard's forces join with General Grant in the Army of the Mississippi.

17 October: The Army of New England, hastily formed under William T. Sherman, is crushed at the Battle of Long Island, and retreats.
 
22 October: British forces besiege Boston.
 
23 October: A volunteer army consisting of men from Virginia, Maryland, and other Atlantic states, led by Robert E. Lee, meets up and joins Sherman's Army of New England.
 
26 October: The Army of New England is caught off-guard at the Battle of Hartford, and is nearly annihilated, due especially to the use of the British "Destruction Ray" (which self-destructs during the battle after its first use). Robert E. Lee is captured, and William T. Sherman is severely wounded.
 
27-28 October: Ulysses S. Grant checks the British advance northward up the Mississippi at the Battle of McComb.

1 November: Two cavalry regiments commanded by General George Custer smash into a gap in British lines just outside of Trenton. The attack completely catches the British off guard and delays their advance, which is a godsend to disorganized Union forces. Custer's regiments take heavy casualties in extricating themselves, however.
 
3 November: General George H. Thomas takes up command of the remnants of the Army of New England, which is renamed the Army of the Northeast.
 
7 November: The Anglo-French forces attempt to open up a 3rd front in Florida, but are quickly bogged down in a parade of swampland, disease, and irregular combat.
 
8 November: A concentrated British attack on Boston's defenses is stymied by deployment of a company of newly improved Gatling Guns.
 
9-11 November: Grant again forces a bloody draw at the Battle of Natchez.
 
14 November: The Second Battle of McComb sees Nathan Bedford Forrest capture an entire British wagon train, but before he can turn their flank, a squad of "Astoundings" force his men back.
 
19-27 November: Facing overwhelming odds, General Thomas halts the British army shy of Philadelphia. For over a week, Thomas' forces are battled, only to ferociously counterattack. The Battle of Philadelphia will be the bloodiest of the young war, with over 17,000 Union casualties. This also the first time "Land Behemoths" are used in battle, with their crude but powerful internal combustion engines and fearsome firepower.
 
21-23 November: The Army of the Suwanee, led by General James Longstreet, soundly defeats Anglo-French forces in a series of battles outside Tallahassee, drawing an end to the 1866 Florida Campaign.
 
25-26 November: A dash west of Philadelphia by a British strike force is initially halted by the Skyfired General Emory Upton. However, one of Upton's brigades is out of position, and as a result, he is defeated at the Battle of Reading.
 
26-28 November: Anglo-French forces outmaneuver Grant, only to be decisively checked once more at the Battle of Vicksburg. They retreat into their winter quarters. Grant's armies have suffered terrible losses, but have contained the Anglo-French invasion for the time being.
 
29 November: General Joe Hooker's division pushes back the British away from Reading in the Battle of North Creek, which takes place in a terrible early-season ice storm.
 
7 December: British forces withdraw from the Siege of Boston into more tenable winter quarters.
 
12 December: The Great New Orleans raid, led by Union Skyfired, causes consternation and rage in the British lines.

20 December: A battle outside Columbia, Mississippi between irregulars commanded by General William F. Brantley and units under British Colonel Edward Hamley marks the last major battle of the 1866 campaigns. Hamley's smaller force succeeds in driving off Brantley's force, but not without moderate losses.
 
1 January, 1867: An assassination attempt on General Grant is barely halted.
 
8 January, 1867: The ironclad USS Exeter is sunk off the coast of Newfoundland by HMS Leviathan, a brand-new British naval design incorporating heavy armor and massive firepower.

12 February: Reports surface that Indian army units, along with British and French regulars, have been coming in via troop transports to New Orleans and New York City.
 
13 February: With reinforcements arrived during the winter, General Grant creates the Army of East Texas, which at least on paper will be an independent army command for General Benjamin Grierson to contest both rebel Texans and British and hostile Indian forces in the region. However, the army will remain in support of the Army of the Mississippi until such time as that theater of the war is on more secure footing.

16 February: The Union fleet in Norfolk has been building and rebuilding at a frenetic pace, using the new designs of a Skyfired John Ericsson. They hope to meet the British fleet off New York in a decisive battle, and soon.
 
19 February: Horace Smith and Daniel Wesson announce a new rifle for the United States Army: the Model 67, which incorporates a lever-action system and 12-round tube magazine. This will compete with the "trapdoor" breech-loading Springfield Model 1866 and earlier models that are currently in use throughout the Union Army and associated volunteer units.
 
1 March: Present Day.

Interesting idea for a campaign.

RPGPundit

I recently came across a supplement for Wild Talents that's actually set in the American civil war, titled This Favored Land. It's published by Cubicle 7. Might also be worth checking out.

Quote from: HombreLoboDomesticado;613198I recently came across a supplement for Wild Talents that's actually set in the American civil war, titled This Favored Land. It's published by Cubicle 7. Might also be worth checking out.

Interesting! I'll have to at least browse over it, though Wild Talents isn't my system of choice.