Horseman:
Hi everyone, I'm fairly new to the site, but an experienced player and GM. I am working on a 1930's Pulp adventure game.
System: Semi-Free Form (GURPS Lite Framework)
Theme: 30s Pulp Type hero adventure, think Indiana Jones, the Mummy, the Untouchables, Secret Agent
Jumpoff Point: 1932 Winter Olympics, Lake Placid, NY
Narrative
This game would be an episodic serial. Where each adventure is a episode. The characters would travel around the world taking on different adventures.
I really like the idea of the episodic serial. The serials of the time period were a lot of fun to watch and it fits so well in a game.
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There would be pre-determined character arch-types, that players could customize some to their own taste, and perhaps original characters submitted by players. The Episodes would explore the international events and characters that led to WWII.
The characters will start at the 1932 Winter Olympics, Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt is in attendance and just cranking up his 1st Presidential Election run. Prohibition is still the law of the land and Speak Easies abound. The main transcontinental travel is still by ships and private flight is just coming on. The National Socialist German Workers' Party(NAZIs) are posed to make take their first steps to power in the July 1932 German Elections. Imperial Japan has invaded Manchuria and is on the verge of getting the Republic of China to turnover Manchuria to Japan. Mussolini is advancing Italy's Colonial Empire in Africa. The El Mirador Pyramid is discovered in Guatemala in 1930. The bulk of the world still travels by foot, horseback or by train.
This is the world the characters will enter and adventure through.
I'm looking for any feedback or interest in the game.
Good time period and starting point. Certain historical events have started becoming evident and certain types of equipment has also become more sofisticated. There are also various types of travel that are more iconic now available so that globe-trotting in a reasonable time can now be done.
Now some of my specific questions - yes some are being a bit nit-picky but are not intended as being critical.
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Pre-Determined Characters
1. Old Timer – German immigrant to America. Born 1898, was in Great War from 1915-1918, wounded twice, Sapper and Engineer. Favored gear; Trench Shotgun, grenades and entrenching shovel.
Which side did this guy fight on - German or US? If German then the Winchester 97 trench gun might not be the best of choices as they really thought the shotguns were not honorable (to say the least). Rumors of execute anyone found using one persisted. Otherwise a good character idea.
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2. Flyboy – Canadian Bush Pilot. Born 1912, spent most of life as trapper and guide, canoeing, barnstorming and later flying in Northern Canada. Knows Driver. Favored gear; 45-70 Springfield and ski plane or float plane
Good character idea, very useful in my thoughts. Question - which 45-70 Springfield? The Trapdoor Springfield rifle or carbine, or simply a rifle that fires the 45-70 round? If the second, then might I suggest a Winchester 1886 in 45-70 or a Winchester 1876 in 45-75 (as used by the RCMP)? He would probably be a good mechanic for his plane, not necessarily so good for anything else)
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3. Driver/mechanic - Chicago American Bootlegger. Born 1912. Spent youth working for gangs in Chicago running booze around the Great Lakes by boat and roads to and from Canada. Knows flyboy whom he’s met from runs on Minnesota Lakes. Favored Gear; Tommy Gun with 100 rnd drum, straight razor and anything with a engine.
Another useful skill set. No questions.
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4. Indirect Fire – French Surveyor former Naval Gunner. Born 1913. Mathematical prodigy, helped survey and layout Maginot Line after a short stint in the French navy as a Gunner off the shores of Africa. Recently flown into Canadian Northwest Territories by flyboy, to do survey work. Favored Gear; Sten Gun and a 50mm mortar. Knows the Spaniard.
Another good, useful character concept. The Sten gun wasn't even being thought of for close to a decade. But it is an iconic looking item. Just to throw something different out there, take a look at the Steyr-Solothurn Sl-100.
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5. The Spaniard (Weapons) – Actually a Basque separatist. Born 1910. Spent youth in Basque resistance movement in the Pyrennes. Later exiled and became a Mercenary in North Africa and the Middle East. Knows Spanish, Berber, Arabic, English and French. Favored Gear; Trench Knife, M1911 Colt, MP40, walking stick. A friend of Smuggler.
Another good character concept. Someone with a strong language talent is very useful to have. The MP-40 wasn't developed until 1940 though. Try the MP-18 or MP-28, both of which were readily available.
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6. Sniper – Blackfoot Half-Native American. Born 1912. North American hunting guide, hunter, trapper. Has been hunting since he can remember, taught by his grandfather in Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest of America. Spent sporadic periods traveling US in Wild West show. Knows Flyboy. Favored Gear; throwing tomahawk, elkhorn hunting knife, scoped M1903 Rifle.
Another good concept. You might think about on of the the variant 03s or maybe he got his hands on a National Match version.
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7. Doc (medic) - Kicked out of Chicago Medical in last semester for dalliance with Deans daughter(found, drunk and in bed with Doc), practicing medicine without a license(treating wounded gang members) and gambling. Born 1903. Though quite talented, has weak willpower when it comes to having fun. Knows Driver. Favored Gear; surgeons bag, Walther PPK.
A very necessary character concept, sooner or later (probably sooner) one of the characters is going to get hurt, LOL. The PPK has only been out for a couple of years, good choice though.
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8. Sparks (communications) – British Lady of the lower gentry, knows the ways of court and likes the finer things. Born 1912. Has been fascinated by radios since very young and well schooled in communication and signal through her work with British Weather Services. Spent time in Northern Canada with her parents relaying polar weather anomalies. Knows flyboy. Favored Gear; Flare projector, Sten gun, derringer.
Another useful character concept. Again, the sten isn't out or even in development yet. But how about a Broomhandle Mauser with the attached stock instead? The derringer is fine and readily available, probably in .41 rimfire.
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9. Swede(machine gunner) – Bear of a man, 6’ 5 250 lbs. Born 1909. Raised in Swedish Military, took a liking to machine guns of all types, traveled as a gunner with the Swedish Navy. Knows Swedish, English, German and Russian. Favored gear; Lewis Machine Gun, Browning M2 50 cal.
Another good idea. Great choice on the Lewis gun, which caliber? Now, as to the M2, while it was out, I would suggest going with him being familiar with the water cooled version as the various navies liked those more and honestly, the availability of the air-cooled ones would be severely limited for civilians. The FN-BAR is another possible choice, well available in multiple different calibers.
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10. Cowboy (shooter) - Grew up on a Wyoming cattle ranch living the life of a cowboy. Born in 1901 in Ten Sleep Wyoming. At the age of 14 he was in New Mexico with his father selling horses to the Cavalry when Poncho Villa attacked the 13th US Cav. He helped fend off the Mexican raid when 18 Americans were killed. The Mexicans escaped with 100 horses, and the Wyoming boy took chase, stealing back 20 that night. Later he joined a Wild West Show and became fast friends with Sniper. Favored Gear; matched Colt 45 peacemakers, Model 94 Winchester rifle.
Interesting concept, useful but perhaps not as necessary as others, still I like it. Any specific reason for the Winchester Model 94? Staying with a more iconic cowboy theme, I'd have gone with a 73 or 92 instead.
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11. Farmboy (Jack of All Trades )
Born in Slovakia and raised in PA and Kansas. Parents were Slovak emigrants to Western Pennsylvania. His father worked his way up from a coal miner to a Millwrights assistant. Very versatile and tough, he can fix anything, and seemingly do anything, great stamina and clever.
Another good concept, if perhaps a bit more subtle on the surface.
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12. Smuggler – Born and raised in Liberia, very charismatic, currently making a living smuggling armaments and coffee to Germany that are in violation of the Versailles Treaty. …………………knows Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English, German and several local languages to include Manding, Gola and Kru.
Another useful concept. Again I like the language set. And I'm sure his contacts could be of great use.
You've got some good ideas up there, some well thought out character concepts. It's going to be hard for the players to decide which to use as they all bring something different and useful to the table.
Now I've got to think about which one I like the most and can do the best job with. As to use of "language," I've got no problem as long as there are no objections from other players and isn't used just for the sake of being used - pretty much the same as Quasar says. I would suggest that certain words (primarily racially charged) be off the table even if they were readily used at the time period. Just something to think about
This message was lightly edited by the user at 14:54, Sat 04 Feb 2017.