In-house Honorverse rules?

[Finarvyn]

Clearly this forum is a low-traffic zone and I suspect it's because the companies planning on creating an Honor Harrington RPG seem to have hit some design snags or something.

However, there's no reason why we couldn't have some suggestions and ideas posted right here. Create an unofficial Honorverse reference for our own use.

So ... I understand that two companies were working on this: one T20 and one otherwise. Does anyone have any ideas for either platform to post here?

It would be nice to get some Harrington chatter...

 

[lordmalachdrim]

I've been thinking of giving a try at running a game in this verse using Alternity.

 

[Finarvyn]

I remember liking the ALTERNITY rules, but haven't looked at them for quite awhile. From what I remember of them, however, they're pretty fast and loose and would be good for a Harrington game.

 

[mbrinkhues]

Let me ask a mean question:

Is the HH universe useabel as a distinct role playing universe?

I can see it used as a Wargaming universe, preferably with Foracker working as Tactical Specialist for Harrington while beating up that other StarNation sometimes mentioned.

But all RPG scenarios are not "HH" specific, they can be played in a Traveller universe just as well, even the Tech is similar enough once you are past the Starships

 

[atpollard]

Originally posted by Michael Brinkhues:
Is the HH universe useable as a distinct role playing universe?

From a game mechanics standpoint, the Honor Harrington universe is very similar to the Traveller universe once you get over the basic scale difference (thousands of gees acceleration). Starting with the basic High Guard rules, emphasize missiles above all other weapons, hand wave impenetrable shields top and bottom, and allow combat in jump space with jump drives being the speed in parsecs per week and you have 90% of the ‘feel’ of the Honorverse using Traveller rules. The differences are mostly chrome (picturesque descriptions of how things work that have little critical impact on the basic game mechanics.)

In my opinion, it is the political landscape of the Honorverse that is most different from the Traveller Imperium (although the degree of difference and specific differences will vary based on the Traveller ‘Era’). ‘Coreward’ the Honorverse has the old, hyper stable, large corrupt Empire of Classic Traveller. The Star Kingdom of Manticore is the young powerful emerging empire (like the T4 Milieu zero or 4th Imperium) full of political factions. There are other ‘neutral’ kingdoms to interact with like the ‘Peeps’ and ‘Anderman’ (?). Most of all, the Honorverse has independent worlds. All of these aspects can be found in one of the Traveller eras, but none of the Traveller eras contain the variety of the Honorverse.

The development of technology is another theme prevalent in the Honorverse but missing in the Imperium. An Honorverse campaign should start out at a moderate Traveller TL (say TL 12) and progress gradually by 1/10th of a TL per year of game time for Military Ships and 1/20th of a TL per year of game time for Civilian Ships. In the Imperium, world have been at their current TL for many generations.

Personally, I question whether it is worth the effort to faithfully recreate the Honorverse, but I would heartily recommend stealing concepts from the Honorverse to apply to YTU. I especially liked the ‘patronage’ aspect of the Manticore Navy and see great possibilities for breathing life into Traveller patrons (including the Player Characters keeping an eye on some young up-and-coming NPCs– Adventure: we need to bail the kid out of the trouble they got themselves into).

 

[BlackBat242]

"I can see it used as a Wargaming universe, preferably with Foracker working as Tactical Specialist for Harrington while beating up that other StarNation sometimes mentioned."


Manticore, Alliance, Haven, & Anderman vs Solarian League?

Sounds like fun!

 

[mbrinkhues]

Actually "Peep" is the Term used by the valiant Manticorians for the aggressive attackers <sound of a Trashing> Peep is the belitteling term used by the corrupt and agressive Monarchist of Manticore for the valiant, peace loving citizen of the Peoples Republic of Haven.

We wish to thank StateSecurity for the educational programm applied to our anchorman.

===========

SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER

The following hint at events up to and including the last Novel (At All Costs) If you intend to read them, don't spoil your fun

SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER

I always liked how Weber shows all nations as Grey. Even the good guys have a lot of failures and problems and even the bad guys have valiant, honest and hard working members


Andermani are first neutral but later Allies (and MUCH needed Allies) of the Star Kingdom (later Star Empire) of Manticore. They first appear during "Honor among Enemies", the Alliance comes during "War of Honor" and they fight and die with the Manties during "At all costs"

Peeps are Peoples Republic of Haven, Manticores main enemy in the books up to "At all costs". The become the "Republic of Haven", a democratic government that actually tries for peace but is snuffed by the then in power Manticore administration and some corrupt diplomats in the Solarian Confederation and war breaks out anew. A peace try by Haven is Sabotages during "At all Costs" leading to another battle. If only they and the Manties would talk (The Mantie queen IS a major problem).

Solarian Confederation is the big, corrupt, decadend 800 pound gorilla with a bad back. Quite a few of her organisations are corrupt and in "Shadows of Saganamie" we get an insight in what goes there and how they are involved in keeping the war alive

The Graysons are your "Valiant Primitives" climbing up the ladder to equal (and sometimes exceed) their mentor in capabilities

Technologie not so much advances as it starts making use of already known principels. They don't advance a TL they just perfect availabel tech and make new uses of known scientific principels.


SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER

And more spoilers on backgroud events in At all Costs and War of Honor

SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER


And yes, the Honorverse screams to be plundered to flesh out the 3I. Even more so the last novels with Lady Harrington, Steadholder Harrington getting a privat life, a husband, a child and more than a whiff of court intrigue (And likely wished for a Pistol or Treecat to solve them)

 

[atpollard]

I could remember that the "Peeps" stood for "Peoples Republic of ..." but I could not remember the world name. Thanks for the clarification

(and that was a very funny anouncement)

 

[Finarvyn]

Originally posted by Michael Brinkhues:
Is the HH universe useable as a distinct role playing universe?

So ... is STAR WARS a roleplaying universe, or STAR TREK? I think that the Harrington novels could be tricky to play as an RPG only because they are based on intrigue and in-depth plots. On the other hand, the "hop in a starship and adventure somewhere" concept is pretty universal and there's no reason why it can't be applied to the Honorverse. Characters would likely be crew (some technical, some military, some command) and would investigate various situations and take care of whatever crisis was unfolding.

 

[mbrinkhues]

Star Wars(WEG/D6): Ships are small with "adventure sized" crews of 3-5 and privat ownership is common. The Rebells relie heavily on individual heros and small teams. Ships can be customised for small-scale (anti piracy/Tie-fighter) combat. As an alternate Trader/Smuggler scenarios work nicely and a generally low-powered (and Jedi-free) universe is playabel. There are few "must obey" rules since technology is low and costly/rare. Characters are flawed/average personalities.

=> Playabel universe

Star Trek: Civilian ships have little impact on the universe, ships are mostly HUGE and part of a military chain of command. The few small craft are closely tethered to a base (DS9). Mostly you play Starfleet personal or similar military crews. There are a lot of "must obey" rules or the universe turns into "Hunt for Red October with Photon Torpedos" and/or the gaping holes in logic open up. Characters are near-perfect in the show.

=> Not a good universe for RPG

Honorverse: Civilian ships are useless for anything but targets. Space is well known(1) with no "new worlds" to seek out and has little in the way of Aliens/Secrets. Military ships of any meaning are HUGE with large crews and part of a rather strict chain of command. The universe is highly detailed and leaves little place for another "Salamander" style Super-Hero or another rogue high ranking nobel like her. So the characters are mostly restricted to "Following Orders", a classic problem in all "Military" based RPG. T2K get's past this with the "Post WW III" setting, TNE has few ships and long message ways, Merc uses "Deniabel assets" etc. But the Honorverse has little ground action, rather fast message ships and huge fleets.


*** Spoiler for Shadows of Saganamie 7 War of Honor ***

***

***

***

(1) They find a new Wormhole Terminus of the Manticore Wormhole but even than ends up in known space. And the question never is "will we leave known space" but rather "where in known space will we end up"

 

[Savar]

The area of story is a SMALL part of the knowen space, the chars can do things in other parts of knowen space(far side of the solie space ?) and the Haven sector war is just a footnote on the news.

there is also the Intelegance side of things Crown of Slaves ?

 

[Finarvyn]

I guess my thinking is that there is no reason why the Honorverse couldn't be a fun RPG universe. Clearly, adventures would have to focus on the "human element" rather than just ships blasting each other to debris.

I would think that diplomacy missions would be important, or rescue attempts, or the like. It might be possible to use ship combat if characters have control over shooting, ship repair, command, and so on.