T2K ramblings

[Enoff]

Been having fun looking over the old T2K books, sort of a time capsule of the 80s. I am surprise how much background research went into the source books on vehicles and weapons. Seems like a lot of research was done for The Third World War board game. I am not into the dystopian campaign idea but it seems it would be easy to use for a Tom Clancy style covert ops campaign.

 

[BlackBat242]

In 1986-89, in addition to T2K-setting adventures, we also used the rules-set for "current-era" (late 1980s) mercenary games - and for better vehicle/aircraft/boat-ship rules to go with our Top Secret games.

We even used it for inspiration and tech details for Gamma World and Traveller - and if we had been still playing Champions we would have used it there also.

 

[aramis]

Been having fun looking over the old T2K books, sort of a time capsule of the 80s. I am surprise how much background research went into the source books on vehicles and weapons. Seems like a lot of research was done for The Third World War board game. I am not into the dystopian campaign idea but it seems it would be easy to use for a Tom Clancy style covert ops campaign.

Merc 2000 was the alternate timeline without WWIII, but with a lot of brushfire wars... it was a supplement.

 

[Enoff]

Yes I am digging the idea of T2K with Merc and Special Operations. I've been reading your stuff posted on RPG Aramis and others such as Supplement Four's posts about the combat system.

I've already thought of a fun adventure seed using TNE and Dark Conspiracy as unknown technology and alien science. I'll post some ideas later. I blame most of everything on Supplement Four and his getting me interested in Marvel comics!

 

[Supplement Four]

Yes I am digging the idea of T2K with Merc and Special Operations. I've been reading your stuff posted on RPG Aramis and others such as Supplement Four's posts about the combat system.

I've already thought of a fun adventure seed using TNE and Dark Conspiracy as unknown technology and alien science. I'll post some ideas later. I blame most of everything on Supplement Four and his getting me interested in Marvel comics!

Happy to inspire...but...but...I never played Twilight 2000!

Are you confusing this with the stuff I've written on Top Secret/SI? That game has an excellent task system, and it has a supplement dedicated to brush fire wars and special ops around the globe (real or fictional small team operations).

 

[Enoff]

You were actually discussing the TNE combat system, but isn't it the same as the T2k 2.2 system? http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showthread.php?t=32878 I haven't gotten into the detailed mechanics of either system to be honest. I think I am more motivated by the adventure idea and then I'll find a system I can fit it to.

Yes I am very inspired by TOP Secret, I was going to follow their formula for adventures. I just like posting on this board and figured I would use the T2k system. Also I guess I am inspired by all the Cold War military stuff from the source books. There is no community like this one supporting TS, but I'll use a lot of ideas from it. Its also nice to think outside the Traveller timeline and be inspired by Marvel stories. Seems like I can find a comic for any strange idea I come up with.

 

[aramis]

You were actually discussing the TNE combat system, but isn't it the same as the T2k 2.2 system? http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/showthread.php?t=32878 I haven't gotten into the detailed mechanics of either system to be honest.

TNE is slightly different in a few details from T2K 2.2. But not so much as to cause confusion other than title.

If you've run the TNE combat mechanics, you've essentially run the T2K combat mechanics. You can readily import the differences into TNE to make a slightly more detailed combat environment.

 

[Enoff]

adventure seed "Suez 1956"

Here is some of the crazy stuff I've been thinking of, its a work in progress so I'll be editing it frequently.

Royal Marine Commandos Special Op Suez '56
Events taking place just before Operation Musketeer, the Anglo-French and Israeli invasion of Egypt to secure the Suez canal.

You are called into the office of Maj Dalby, of Military Intelligence.

You are informed that your commando unit is being assigned to a secret mission in the Middle East, providing support for an agent of special branch.

Your unit has been assigned to operate from the HMS Avenger, a special ops helicopter carrier operating in the southern Suez canal.

 

[Enoff]

Agent Palmer has been assigned by his boss Colonel Ross to investigate a mysterious person before Operation Musketeer can get underway.

Intelligence is worried about a character named the Mahdi, who has unknown capabilities and intentions.

It has been found out that many Middle Eastern leaders fear him greatly and might be under his influence. This might hazard our operation to take the Suez canal that has been nationalized by Egyptian President Nasser. Thought to be himself under the control of the Mahdi.

Its reported that he operates from a secret base in an ancient temple located outside of Cairo.

The HMS Avenger will proceed up the Suez and launch your team by helicopter to secure the base.

Its been reported the Mahdi has access to unknown weapons and technologies.

In the past he has used assassins of extraordinary capabilities.

We are counting on you to make this mission a success!

 

[Putraack]

That's nifty, I like the use of comics in the briefing.

I switched from Top Secret to T2k when the latter one came out, but I never got around to using the rules for an espionage game. I did run a Caribbean-based Merc campaign in the late '90s, that was fun. I ran 3+ campaigns of T2k in its original setting, using both rules editions, and still run it at conventions, feeding the nostalgia of '80s gamers and the young players of modern-warfare video games.

 

[Enoff]

I never was into comics before. I guess I am so attracted to them now since you can find them in digital format and there are some great comic book readers for the PC and in my case Android. I've been using ComicRack, its a great program available for many different operating systems. Supplement Four got me interested by his postings about the old Star Trek ones and once I started looking at them I couldn't stop. Some of the stories get way too bizarre for me to follow but the artwork is so fun to look at and inspiring for adventure ideas.

 

[Enoff]

Well this might take me awhile the rules are so mixed with the dystopian campaign idea, combat rules don't show up until page 194 out of 282 pages.

 

[Enoff]

Chopped the T2K2.2 rules book into its components to get a better grasp of what I am dealing with.

 

[BlackBat242]

Ah... - I've only got the 1E rules - except for Merc2000 (2E) and a couple of 2E equipment supplements.

After all, all of the playing we did with that was from 1986-1989.

Publication date:
1984 (1.0)
1990 (2.0)
1993 (2.2)
2008 (Twilight: 2013)

 

[Enoff]

Sorry been going through training for a new job, not much free time at the moment.

BlackBat242 I was also looking at some of the war game projects Frank Chadwick was working on.

The Third World War (1984)
Twilight 2000 v1.0 (1984)
Twilight 2000 v2.0 (1990)
The Sands of War (1991)
"Tactical Combat in the Middle East: 1941-1991" Scale: 250 meter hexes, 15 minute turns, platoon sized units. Scenarios cover World War II, the Israeli War of Independence, the Sinai War, the Six-Day War, the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, Lebanon, the Iran-Iraq War, and the 1991 Gulf War.
Twilight 2000 v2.2 (1993)

 

[Supplement Four]

Where'd the comics come from? What comic?

Agent Palmer has been assigned by his boss Colonel Ross to investigate a mysterious person before Operation Musketeer can get underway.

Intelligence is worried about a character named the Mahdi, who has unknown capabilities and intentions.

It has been found out that many Middle Eastern leaders fear him greatly and might be under his influence. This might hazard our operation to take the Suez canal that has been nationalized by Egyptian President Nasser. Thought to be himself under the control of the Mahdi.

Its reported that he operates from a secret base in an ancient temple located outside of Cairo.

The HMS Avenger will proceed up the Suez and launch your team by helicopter to secure the base.

Its been reported the Mahdi has access to unknown weapons and technologies.

In the past he has used assassins of extraordinary capabilities.

We are counting on you to make this mission a success!

 

[Enoff]

Where'd the comics come from? What comic?

Marvel Powerman and IronFist
- I think the Mahdi is in issue 103 & 104

Been too busy at the moment Supp4 but enjoyed your Star Trek write up. Some of the stills are from The Ipcress File, a movie based on Len Deighton's novel of the same name. I think the first movie Michael Caine was in, portraying Agent Harry Palmer of MI5. I didn't know until now that it has some cult status of its own.

 

[Enoff]

Alright long weekend!! Yeehaa, new job was taking up all my time and brain power. Going to try to understand the T2K combat system and come up with a couple combat scenarios.

 

[Putraack]

I hope you enjoy learning & playing the rules. Some things I learned in years of running v.2/2.2:

- PCs with very high Initiative can run the table in combat. Pay close attention to the repetitive action rule, as well as high-init. leaders giving orders to low-init. followers. Also, knockdown and Initiative losses from wounds. Most NPCs are out of action once they are seriously wounded (10+ points damage). Don't trouble yourself with tracking hit locations on NPCs: if it isn't a head shot (2x damage), then just record the hit points lost.

- Suppressive fire: the autofire rules are fun. Note that you can hose down an area, and keep it under fire for more than just that round.

- There's a bit of math to recoil and autofire. My solution has been to print out weapon data on 4"x6" cards for the PCs, with a grid for the proper to-hit numbers, and another grid on the back, the size of the magazine/belt/whatever, for tracking ammo use.

- damage from pistols is pretty low, be prepared for lots of complaints about that. The answer is either to raise the damage, or ask your players why they don't double-tap? Have lots of statistics about how few people are killed with a single 9mm round, or something like that. Again, the knockdown rules are important.

- Subtly warn the PCs that body armor is their best friend. One of my groups featured a PC who had been an African big-game hunter, and was taken out easily by the oppo with a head-shot.
"Mike, why weren't you wearing a helmet?"
"I didn't need one when I was hunting Cape buffalo?!"
"Cape buffalo don't shoot back!"

- Also, the PCs need to know that getting shot can easily take their characters out of action for weeks in game time. They need body armor, cover, good tactics, cover, cover, and backup characters. And taking cover.

 

[Enoff]

Thanks Putraack for your insights. I have to admit my training for my new job has really been taking up so much of my time that I haven't done any gaming. I have met a lot of great young people at work that game so perhaps things will get better once I have more free time.