human level game....

[VR Dragon]

I have been pondering about a Star Hero game with 150 point characters. I want to make it lethal like a space marines game would be. All this I figure I can handle....

 

 

But when it comes to equipment. How do I figure out how much starting cash they would have. what kind of limitations do I put on equipment since I don't want a player balance problem.

 

What other things should I keep in mind or have I not thought of?

[Starwolf]

Re: human level game....

 

I think the first question should be what is the campaign background like. In Star Wars apparently it is ok for Han Solo to walk around a Star Port under Imperial control with a blaster strpped to his hip. Try that in LA International and the SWAT guys are gonna want to have an extended conversation with you about airport security.

 

As to how much... it depends again on your game. Are the players in the military, and if so are they on duty most of the time during the game. If so they should be fairly well strapped with lethal goodies, but if not, even military personnel must obey civil laws when not on duty as to restrictions on carrying firearms. In our SH campaign where allowed my character carries a concealed blaster (for which I bought a concealed weapons permit), but realizing that 1) there are places where lethal weapons ar frowned upon, and 2) I don't want to hole our ship with an errant blaster bolt, I carry a concealed stunner pistol in those places. Even our mercenary/security guy (yazarian) doesn't generally walk around with grenades and assault rilfes in the downtown areas, or in civilized space ports.

 

Our GM started us off with 6250 tm (tms are our credits/dollars) and that seemed about right for just starting out based on equipment costs listed in SH & TE. If a player wants more starting money he/she should buy the perk, and guidleines as to how much more they get to start with are listed in the 5E book. Another option is to use resource points if the players are part of an organization that issues equipment. Or you can use a mix. The use of resource points is detailed in Dark Champions.

[Nolgroth]

Re: human level game....

 

As Starwolf said, the legality of equipment is a huge "control" method. If the characters are in an Israel-type environment where off duty soldiers carry some sort of firearm wherever they go, things will be a little different than a Washington DC environment where there are very strict rules about the possession of weapons.

 

In terms of money, decide how much you want them to have. For my game, I figured what the yearly income (based on the Wealth Perk, Poor Disadvantage or default income) would be and divided that by twelve. Based on the costs of items, it was plenty for them to buy the basics and still have some pocket money left over. One character had a lot left over because he bought the Wealth perk for his character.

 

Availability is another method of controlling equipment. For exotic and highly illegal/controlled substances, they may be available on the black market, but do your contacts have the clout to get them to you and do you have the bankroll to finance that man-portable, electric powered, belt fed minigun?

 

I have been more than a little tempted to implement Dark Champions style Equipment pools into the game. Ever since I read about them, I have been itching to try them. Fortunately, I have a group of players who don't feel the need to test the game reality by walking through New Athens spaceport armed like they are guerilla insurgents. Before were done that may change, but right now everything is cool.

[Markdoc]

Re: human level game....

 

I've never run Star hero, but as a longtime modern/espionage Hero GM (and FH GM, where the same sort of problems pop up) I'd echo the "keep equipment under control" line.

 

Even more, though, I'd specifically state "Keep armour under control". This is easy to do. In the US, which has very liberal firearms laws, you can buy (within limits) handguns and rifles - but walking down the street with a rifle is likely to draw attention. You can also buy (in some states) light body armour, but walking around wearing that is also going draw even more attention from the law.

 

Even if you are in the military, telling the lieutenant that the squad is going to catch a movie downtown and, oh, by the way, they're taking body armour an M40 and some M16s - well....

 

If they have to buy weapons illegally, the game changes. A simple handgun can cost 20-50 times base price if sold illegally, and heavy weapons are simply likely to be unavailable.

 

So, in practical terms, some advice.

 

Keep access to weapons and - especially - body armour low key. Nothing changes the balance of combat like armour.

Remember that weapons have ammo, which runs out fast, so if they are getting weapons on the black market, getting ammo for unusual weapons is very difficult.

 

To make this stick, try to match the players off with equivalent foes. If your players are in ordinary clothes with handguns, they are not going to appreciate continually facing off against guys in combat armour, with full-auto weapons. To do it sometimes, is OK - a way of saying "these guys are badasses". Do it frequently, and your players will want the same gear.

 

This has the added adavantage that occasionally you can let your players gear up with battlesuits and funky weapons for a real challenge and then *they* get to feel like badasses. Players like that

 

cheers, Mark

[bigdamnhero]

Re: human level game....

 

But when it comes to equipment. How do I figure out how much starting cash they would have. what kind of limitations do I put on equipment since I don't want a player balance problem.

One easy "cheat" is to base whatever currency you want to use against 2006 dollars. Equipment then costs roughly what a 2006 equivilent would cost, modified by how "unavailable" you want certain things to be. It gives players an easy frame of reference to understand how much money is worth compared to the cost of things. Of course, prices likely won't be uniform across the galaxy.

 

Even more' date=' though, I'd specifically state "Keep armour under control". [/quote']

Well, I agree that you don't generally want the PCs walking around town in Starship Troopers suits (from the book, not the movie). But letting them have access to decent armor means you can have respectable weapons in the game without killing off a PC every session. Especially if you're using Hit Locations (which I prefer for most SH games), giving a character a good vest doesn't make him invulnerable enough to cause problems IMX.

 

You can also buy (in some states) light body armour' date=' but walking around wearing that is also going draw even more attention from the law.[/quote']

True, but only because modern body armor is fairly obvious. This may not be true (or at least less true) with futuristic armor.

 

Remember that weapons have ammo' date=' which runs out fast, so if they are getting weapons on the black market, getting ammo for unusual weapons is very difficult.[/quote']

That's an excellent way to handle the "found weapons" problem. Sure, they can take the Mega-Guns off the enemy strike force they just beat. But after a session or two, they run out of ammo and become fancy clubs. Oh by the way, don't forget that those weapons may have serial numbers that can be traced...

[Yansuf]

Re: human level game....

 

Even more, though, I'd specifically state "Keep armour under control". This is easy to do. In the US, which has very liberal firearms laws, you can buy (within limits) handguns and rifles - but walking down the street with a rifle is likely to draw attention. You can also buy (in some states) light body armour, but walking around wearing that is also going draw even more attention from the law.

cheers, Mark

 

Quite a bit of modern armor can be worn under normal clothing without being obvious. The heavier armor worn by soldiers and SWAT teams is one thing, but a vest that will stop most handgun rounds today (unless they have special Armor Piecing ammo) can be as light as 4#, and worn as an undershirt.

Next time you see a picture of the president (or VP) with their secret service detail, see if you can spot the armor. Almost all (if not all) the guards are wearing armor, but it is not visible under their suits.

[Curufea]

Re: human level game....

 

Special Armour Piercing ammunition in this case can be defined as steel jacketted - or millitary rounds, rather than lead.