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.
M90A3 Hoplite Alpha: Operator: 200/200 Specialist Bath HP: 200/375 Weapons: 40mm autocannon (/60 rounds), 20mm rocket pod (54/6 rockets) M90A3 Hoplite Bravo: 200/200 Specialist Carn HP: 25/375 Weapons: 40mm autocannon (/20 rounds), 20mm rocket pod (54/6 rockets) M90A3 Hoplite Charlie: 200/200 Specialist Jackson HP: 150/375 Weapons: 40mm autocannon (/40 rounds), 20mm rocket pod (54/6 rockets) M90A3 Hoplite Delta: 200/200 Specialist Kane HP: 80/375 Weapons: 40mm autocannon (/40 rounds), 20mm rocket pod (54/6 rockets) Gear: Interface bodysuit (allows your mech to use your primary and melee weapons) Primary: .50cal LMG (0/1340 rounds) Secondary: N/A Sidearm: N/A Melee: Mechsaw Augment: Dread Maxx, Dread Hawk Backpack: N/A
In every direction. Just dirt, rocks, and dead things. Ahead, the battle rages on. Every once in a while, there is a dull thud as an cannonfire rips open the ground, nearly a mile away.
M90A3 Hoplite Alpha: Operator: 200/200 Specialist Bath HP: 200/375 Weapons: 40mm autocannon (/60 rounds), 20mm rocket pod (54/6 rockets) M90A3 Hoplite Bravo: 200/200 Specialist Carn HP: 25/375 Weapons: 40mm autocannon (/20 rounds), 20mm rocket pod (54/6 rockets) M90A3 Hoplite Charlie: 200/200 Specialist Jackson HP: 150/375 Weapons: 40mm autocannon (/40 rounds), 20mm rocket pod (54/6 rockets) M90A3 Hoplite Delta: 200/200 Specialist Kane HP: 80/375 Weapons: 40mm autocannon (/40 rounds), 20mm rocket pod (54/6 rockets) Gear: Interface bodysuit (allows your mech to use your primary and melee weapons) Primary: .50cal LMG (0/1340 rounds) Secondary: N/A Sidearm: N/A Melee: Mechsaw Augment: Dread Maxx, Dread Hawk Backpack: N/A
(Not quite what i expected but anyway, some questions instead because that doesn't clear me. Are my allies in a straight line position or circled? Who needs help the most?)
Your fire your semi-automatic, mid-to-long-range assault rifle at the marines two feet away from you. You hit one up the leg twice and one in the torso, before the other two tackle you as you limp towards the other edge of the trench. You feel your head pitch forward and smash against a rock on the ground. Your vision blurs, as you struggle to stay standing. You can't hear anything. A bright beam of light bursts through your diaphragm and guts. Without your spine intact, you topple backwards. As you struggle for your last breaths, you can see your twitching guts fried and hung on your exposed rib cage. The sensation of not being able to breath reaches your brain slowly. As blood pooling in your lungs rushes up into your throat, you feel like writhing in an effort to breath. The agony keeps you from moving much more than to desperately try to cram your scatter guts back in your body. Your legs and hips are hanging on by tattered flesh around your kidneys. A fit of sneezing and coughing blood racks your dying body as some blood goes into your nose. Finally, you don't feel like moving. You don't even care. Your lids feel heavy. Your hands feel like a hundred bricks are tied to them. Your head feels like it's tied down. As the last few convoluted thoughts pass through your head, you let out a quiet, gurgling sigh, and you slip into the cool, refreshing embrace of death.
M90A3 Hoplite Alpha: Operator: 200/200 Specialist Bath HP: 200/375 Weapons: 40mm autocannon (/60 rounds), 20mm rocket pod (54/6 rockets) M90A3 Hoplite Bravo: 200/200 Specialist Carn HP: 25/375 Weapons: 40mm autocannon (/20 rounds), 20mm rocket pod (54/6 rockets) M90A3 Hoplite Charlie: 200/200 Specialist Jackson HP: 150/375 Weapons: 40mm autocannon (/40 rounds), 20mm rocket pod (54/6 rockets) M90A3 Hoplite Delta: 200/200 Specialist Kane HP: 80/375 Weapons: 40mm autocannon (/40 rounds), 20mm rocket pod (54/6 rockets) Gear: Interface bodysuit (allows your mech to use your primary and melee weapons) Primary: .50cal LMG (0/1340 rounds) Secondary: N/A Sidearm: N/A Melee: Mechsaw Augment: Dread Maxx, Dread Hawk Backpack: N/A
Your platoon is about 2km to your north. On either side of them are advancing troops. There is an enemy frigate coming in low over the clouds, and you can feel the engines rumble.
M90A3 Hoplite Alpha: Operator: 200/200 Specialist Bath HP: 200/375 Weapons: 40mm autocannon (/60 rounds), 20mm rocket pod (54/6 rockets) M90A3 Hoplite Bravo: 200/200 Specialist Carn HP: 25/375 Weapons: 40mm autocannon (/20 rounds), 20mm rocket pod (54/6 rockets) M90A3 Hoplite Charlie: 200/200 Specialist Jackson HP: 150/375 Weapons: 40mm autocannon (/40 rounds), 20mm rocket pod (54/6 rockets) M90A3 Hoplite Delta: 200/200 Specialist Kane HP: 80/375 Weapons: 40mm autocannon (/40 rounds), 20mm rocket pod (54/6 rockets) Gear: Interface bodysuit (allows your mech to use your primary and melee weapons) Primary: .50cal LMG (0/1340 rounds) Secondary: N/A Sidearm: N/A Melee: Mechsaw Augment: Dread Maxx, Dread Hawk Backpack: N/A
I go to the one with more advancing enemies. "We'll hit the enemies there. Run!" I say to my squad as i myself go as fast as possible to reach that direction.
M90A3 Hoplite Alpha:
Operator: 200/200 Specialist Bath
HP: 200/375
Weapons: 40mm autocannon (/60 rounds), 20mm rocket pod (54/6 rockets)
M90A3 Hoplite Bravo: 200/200 Specialist Carn
HP: 25/375
Weapons: 40mm autocannon (/20 rounds), 20mm rocket pod (54/6 rockets)
M90A3 Hoplite Charlie: 200/200 Specialist Jackson
HP: 150/375
Weapons: 40mm autocannon (/40 rounds), 20mm rocket pod (54/6 rockets)
M90A3 Hoplite Delta: 200/200 Specialist Kane
HP: 80/375
Weapons: 40mm autocannon (/40 rounds), 20mm rocket pod (54/6 rockets)
Gear: Interface bodysuit (allows your mech to use your primary and melee weapons)
Primary: .50cal LMG (0/1340 rounds)
Secondary: N/A
Sidearm: N/A
Melee: Mechsaw
Augment: Dread Maxx, Dread Hawk
Backpack: N/A
There is no "more advanced enemies". So far, there are just tanks, as you see them, marines, and shieldbearers. There aren't any knights that you can see. Perhaps you should reevaluate your decision?
Edit: @Arvinraider24: Death is what happens when you make a poor effort at survival.
M90A3 Hoplite Alpha: Operator: 200/200 Specialist Bath HP: 200/375 Weapons: 40mm autocannon (/60 rounds), 20mm rocket pod (54/0 rockets) M90A3 Hoplite Charlie: 200/200 Specialist Jackson HP: 150/375 Weapons: 40mm autocannon (/40 rounds), 20mm rocket pod (54/0 rockets) M90A3 Hoplite Delta: 200/200 Specialist Kane HP: 80/375 Weapons: 40mm autocannon (/40 rounds), 20mm rocket pod (54/0 rockets) Gear: Interface bodysuit (allows your mech to use your primary and melee weapons) Primary: .50cal LMG (0/1340 rounds) Secondary: N/A Sidearm: N/A Melee: Mechsaw Augment: Dread Maxx, Dread Hawk Backpack: N/A
The force on the western side of the platoon seems to be closer, and therefore larger. You and your men run for a minute or two before stopping and beginning a barrage of rockets. Enemy tanks begin recieving damage, and respond by returning fire. Specialist Carn and his suit are blown sky-high by one of the explosions. When he lands, he goes unconscious, near death. The frigate begins bombarding your proximity and the platoon from the sky, getting lower. One of the tanks in the platoon formation returns fire.
