So I've noticed a huge lack of RPGs with storylines. Or at least ones that unfold at a decent pace. So I've decided to make a two-parter (and possibly a subsequent sandbox sequel). But too much explaining, let's get to the story already!
Nearly 64 light years away from the Blue Planet is a mostly barren alien world, mostly inhabited by polymimetic crystalline formations, and the occasional fungus patch. The crystal itself is the future of human space technology, with it's self-replicative behavior. Unfortunately, the scientists that were studying the crystals were mimicked. With the jumpstart of having a living being in it's molecular memory, it began spawning a whole civilization. This attracted the attention of a race of ancient explorers, of whom we know little. But now, to harvest the crystal and put it to our own uses, we have to subdue the local fauna and transport them to processing plants. Sure, some naturalists had objections, but the war council made a tactical decision that they wouldn't complain after a few minutes in the cold vacuum of space.
12/4/AD2162/0630 Earth Time: Mankind is half an hour away from it's first interstellar invasion. You've got to gear up and get to your dropship. Outside the generation ship there are faint pops in the atmosphere, probably enemy fighters.
Character sheet:
Rank: Name: Type: Age: Gender: (only for officers and infantry) Size: (height, weight, build, pick your type before you do this) --------------- --------------- Conditions: HP: Vehicle: Group: Primary: Secondary: Sidearm: Melee: Augment: Backpack: --------------
Types: (basically race)
Officer: Human (male or female) Rank: 2nd Lt. HP: 60/60 Size: No specs Weapons: A41 Carbine, B12 Shotgun, Colt M911, combat knife Specialty: Access to vehicles, platoon-size groups Description: A cushy, well-paid job well behind your assigned cannonfodder. Or if you've got nothing to lose, at the very front of the onslaught.
NCO: Human Augment Rank: Corporal HP: 75/75 Size: Larger than regular human, no real restrictions Weapons: G60A SAW, 40mm rocket launcher, Razor Automatic pistol, KA-BAR Specialty: Access to augments and mech suits, team-size groups Description: NCOs are the liasons between the cannonfodder and the officers.
Warrant Officer: Human Augment Rank: Warrant Officer HP: 80/80 Size: Slightly larger than an NCO, consistently heavily built Weapons: M20 Assault Rifle, 40mm Rocket launcher, Colt M911, Trench knife Specialty: Access to heavy vehicles (e.g. tanks, fighters), mech suits, augments Description: Highly trained and specialized soldier capable of a dynamic addition to any fighting force.
Infantry: Human (male or female) Rank: Private HP: 50/50 Size: They take 'em all shapes and sizes Weapons: M20 Assault Rifle, P90C SMG, Colt M911, Combat Knife Specialty: Access to careers such as medic, driver, gunner, or grunt. Description: Cannonfodder.
More weapons will be available later on, and if the players ask, more vehicles. Choose your loadout, and I'll set the rest up. Your rank is basically your level, and with level comes larger teams and access to better quality equipment and weapons. Want to increase your HP? Equipment does that. Augments also do that.
Word to the wise for wannabe officers, managing a large group can be as challenging as it is rewarding. You can get promoted to the point where you control several tanks, aircraft, or even ships! But managing those resources is time-consuming.
Your objective: Establish a foothold on the alien homeworld, and push to what seems to be their capitol. Expect heavy resistance.
You knock them down. One crawls away, calling for backup on his comm. You leave a pretty solid dent in the door, enough to keep it from opening regularly.
Squad Charlie: Support Bravo (100 Sergeant Ackles/75/50/50), Medical Charlie (100 Sergeant Stephans/45/50/50), Bravo Scouts (100 Sergeant Padelacki/75/70/75), Transport Alpha/Bravo (75 Corporal Jameson/A50//B50/50)
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Gear: Padded Boots (5hp), padded pants (5hp), padded jacket (5hp), Padded Gloves (5hp), Knee guards (5hp), elbow guards (5hp), shoulder guards (5hp), Plate Vest (25hp), Tactical Interface Helmet (40hp, allows platoon helmet cam access, mobile command interfacing with vehicles)
Primary: A41 Carbine (180/30 rounds)
Secondary: B12 Shotgun (45/5 shells)
Sidearm: Colt M911 (42/7)
Melee: combat knife
Augment: N/A
Backpack: 2 flares, command radio (allows access to fire support, reinforcements), 2 smoke grenades, 4 MREs, 2 bottles of water, 2 power cubes, flashlight, 2 HE grenades
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"Fire team Alpha and Bravo enter the ship, use extreme caution. If anything seems wrong just get out of there, understand me? Remain in radio contact throughout. Do this fast, the recordings will be sent directly to command for analysis so just get in and get out, we need to move." I order as I wait for the "leader" of the rag-tag bunch of troops to join me.
I bash against it repeatedly with mighty kicks similar to how they taught me in how to breach-and-clear. If that doesn't work, I grab one of the soldiers and threaten his life if he does not tell me how to open the door.
Squad Charlie: Support Bravo (100 Sergeant Ackles/75/50/50), Medical Charlie (100 Sergeant Stephans/45/50/50), Bravo Scouts (100 Sergeant Padelacki/75/70/75), Transport Alpha/Bravo (75 Corporal Jameson/A50//B50/50) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gear: Padded Boots (5hp), padded pants (5hp), padded jacket (5hp), Padded Gloves (5hp), Knee guards (5hp), elbow guards (5hp), shoulder guards (5hp), Plate Vest (25hp), Tactical Interface Helmet (40hp, allows platoon helmet cam access, mobile command interfacing with vehicles)
Primary: A41 Carbine (180/30 rounds) Secondary: B12 Shotgun (45/5 shells) Sidearm: Colt M911 (42/7) Melee: combat knife Augment: N/A Backpack: 2 flares, command radio (allows access to fire support, reinforcements), 2 smoke grenades, 4 MREs, 2 bottles of water, 2 power cubes, flashlight, 2 HE grenades --------------------
Your men move in closer to the ship. Sergeant Miller starts prying at anything that could open and let them inside. There is a hatch on the top, but that would require them to wade through possibly unstable and acid-covered wreckage.
You see one of the men trying to rip off a bulkhead to presumably get inside. Unfortunately it's a bulkhead and he's not that strong.
Name: Bob "Tower" Light Type: NCO Kill Count: 8 Age: 32 Size: 7' 8", 357 lbs --------------- --------------- Conditions: Burned, piercing leg wound, stitch in side HP: 135/145 Vehicle: Squad: Fireteam (75/50), Scout team (75) Gear: Padded Boots (5hp), Combat Pants (5hp), Plate Leg guards (10hp), Ammo belt (2 saw clips, 3 rockets, or 6 pistol clips), Padded Jacket (5hp), Plate Vest (25hp), Combat Helmet (20hp) Primary: G60A SAW (300/100 rounds)(automatic) Secondary: 40mm rocket launcher (9/0 rockets)(semi-automatic) Sidearm: Razor Automatic pistol (80/20 rounds)(automatic) Melee: KA-BAR Augment: Domino (triples group size) Backpack: 4 MREs, Bottle of water, shovel, flashlight
(I hate to ask, but where are you going? You need to pay attention to @JACKinbigletters' posts, since you and loop are in the same area. I'm the OP, and I'm not sure where you're headed.)
The door bends outward even more. You proceed to pick through the soldiers that are still somewhat alive and threaten them, but none of them respond to you. While they aren't as strong as you, they are extremely conditioned.
I'll just suggest what Ogaga Onowighose once famously said:
As the liquid goes down your throat, splattering around your mouth, running down your neck and dripping off your chin, you suddenly understand women a little better.
It feels like a strong cinnamon rum, burning all the way down. You can feel something pleasantly refreshing pushing around in your body. Some of your veins begin glowing the same azure color, and your skin becomes increasingly nacreous.
You feel increasingly puissant. Some of the color fades from your vision, but things become remarkably clearer. The blood running up your back into your head feels fizzy, like freshly-poured soda.
Outside you hear heavy footsteps, and the whirring of heavy machinery. With a resounding smash, the door is kicked through like paper. A suited soldier steps through the entrance.
Just a foot shorter than you, this new enemy cuts a formidable figure, but not as intimidating as some of the other things you'd seen.
You grab his gun, and pull it towards you. You outweigh him by 100 pounds, and pull him bodily towards you by his gun, but he does not release his grip. He begins firing into your torso. You headbutt him, making a loud banging noise, but the metal plate covering his head protects him.