Pulp Alley/40k AAR: "Backside Roasting" PART 2 ADDED

[axiom]

Out of interest, which bits of the rules to do you use cheetor? Just the main rules or the expansions? How much adaptation is required? I'm wholly unfamiliar with the rules, so a steer would be helpful

[cheetor]

Out of interest, which bits of the rules to do you use cheetor? Just the main rules or the expansions? How much adaptation is required? I'm wholly unfamiliar with the rules, so a steer would be helpful

I am enthusiastic about this ruleset for numerous reasons, so I am wary of coming off as all "born again" on the topic, but I will try my best not to

The basic rulebook is more than enough to keep you going for many games without needing more material.  The core rulebook has the card deck for the game printed in it, so you can make the deck via the PDF: I used a printed out and sleeved deck for my PA games for six months or so, at which point I decided to indulge in the printed deck.

The expansions all add various Abilities or Scenarios or vehicle rules etc, but they dont alter the core mechanics.  A lot of it feels like the majority of the game including the expansions was written at the same time, so the expansions integrate remarkably smoothly.  So you dont require the expansions, but if you enjoy the game then you will almost certainly want them.

My group doesnt modify Pulp Alley for our games in the 40k setting at all.  The ruleset is intentionally generic: its intended to represent a certain sort of unlikely, hair-raising, cliffhanging sort of action.  As that sort if action is, to my mind at least, consistent regardless of setting (Indiana Jones, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Terminator, Lethal Weapon, Inglourious Basterds, James Bond, Hart to Hart, Star Trek, Dan Abnett 40k fiction, 2000AD etc, they all follow close to identical patterns for action scenes as far as I am concerned) I dont feel the need to alter the rules at all.

Trashy stories – the sorts of pulp stories that I want to play games centred on – tend to be the same regardless of setting. Genuinely speculative sci-fi could be ill served by a set as heroic as PA, but for pop-culture - pulp - its ideal.
The only house rule that we use involves a certain Ability that we think becomes overpowered in multi-player games. We just outlaw that single ability when we play multi-player.

If a game feel a little generic - a possibility with every generic ruleset, for obvious reasons - then I think that the best thing to do with a working engine like PA is to make the scenario itself inherently sci-fi, rather than the rules, if you know what I mean. For example, have multiple versions of the same character in play due to timey-wimey nonsense or have the game take place in a depressurising space ship, or (like Malebolgia has done) add on a cyberspace/hacking cyberpunk element, that sort of thing.

I hope that answers your questions, in a not so concise manner.

[FramFramson]

I'm curious about which rule your playgroup has deemed to be overpowered... 

[Malebolgia]

Let me guess...Hardened Veteran? IMO a bit too good for play and personally not a fan of it as it tends to dominate the combat a bit too much.

[FramFramson]

Let me guess...Hardened Veteran? IMO a bit too good for play and personally not a fan of it as it tends to dominate the combat a bit too much.

Hah, that's the one I had in mid too. 

I don't use it too often in my leagues, but it's there once in a while.

[cheetor]

Yeah, its Hardened Veteran that we have some reservations about in multi-player.  Its effects stack a little too much we feel.

In our experience getting the balance of offensive/defensive Abilities versus things that facilitate grabbing Plot Points is more tricky in two player, making HV less of a no-brainer, although it is still powerful in that context.

Hardened Veteran is notable by being the only PA Ability that we have circumstantial reservations about (to date at least).  We have found a much larger number of issues in every other system.  PA is exceptionally tight overall.

[Wolf Girl]

Awesome stuff, Paul!

If you aren't aware of my new Phantom Agent 2015 promo, please check it out -

Hardened Veteran is notable by being the only PA Ability that we have circumstantial reservations about (to date at least).  We have found a much larger number of issues in every other system.  PA is exceptionally tight overall.

Thanks, Dad took the design and development of Pulp Alley very seriously. It was playtested for three years and re-written five times before it was released. That doesn't mean it's perfect, but he tried to make it as good as he could.

Ah yes, the old "HV" debate. Within Pulp Alley, there are certain abilities/perks that are designed to make specific league concepts possible. Likewise, there are abilities/perks designed to counter specific league concepts. HV is intended to make small (2-3) character leagues possible, and it is also designed to be a counter to the human-wave leagues.

Personally, I rarely take HV. I just don't think it's particularly useful. It's a fairly decent second or third choice but there are better abilities to select first, in my opinion.

Even up to a month before publishing, I remember Dad talking about splitting HV into two different abilities - one that only affected Brawl and one for Shoot (like he did with Gangs). But based on playtesting, we found that HV was not an advantage within the context of actual scenarios and frequently had little to no impact on the game at all.

If your games are more geared towards skirmishes or larger groups then HV is going to have more impact. Also, things such as terrain and styles of play can have an effect. So if it's not working in your group then I'd definitely agree with throwing it out.

If Dad ever get's around to doing "Pulp Alley 2nd Edition", I'm sure this will be one of the things we debate again. Then again, he's started working on the "Pulp Leagues" book and he's talking about including a compilation and updated list of all the Pulp Alley abilities, so maybe he'll try to sneak a change in there and split it into two abilities.

Shhhh.... it's a secret. 

[Dr Mathias]

Excellent and informative thread

[cheetor]

Excellent and informative thread

Thank you Dr M

Awesome stuff, Paul!

Thanks Mila

Thanks, Dad took the design and development of Pulp Alley very seriously. It was playtested for three years and re-written five times before it was released. That doesn't mean it's perfect, but he tried to make it as good as he could.

It shows, unquestionably.

Shhhh.... it's a secret. 

Noted

If you aren't aware of my new Phantom Agent 2015 promo, please check it out

I would put up the reports one way or another - they suit my gaming group and I - but the Phantom Agent promos are a nice cherry on top.  I will be in touch for sure, thanks. 

Meanwhile I have put up a report on the follow up game: "Final Boarding".



For this game we tried a more involved scenario, "Final Flight" from the Perilous Island supplement.  The most distinctive element of this scenario is that the forces are on neutral ground, policed by a third party (policed by simple rules mechanics really).  Once a character has used its Brawl or Shoot skills it becomes "Wanted" and spends the rest of the game in peril as the third party tries to stop the disruption.  More details of how it works are in the blog post.  It was a nailbiter



Conceptually the scenario was a 40k retheme of the setting (think a Mos Eisley/city-of-thieves run by mobsters keeping a close eye on the two players forces), but the mechanical details of the scenario remained identical to those printed.



The terrain was a bit cobbled together for this one (including some stalwart buildings that I built for playing GWs Confrontation back in 1992 or so that have seen some serious table time over the years) so this game doesnt really look as nice as the other dedicated terrain sets that I use, but its reasonably easy on the eyes nonetheless.  I would call it adequate, if not inspiring.  I am currently working on a set of urban sci-fi terrain, including a lot of pieces ideal for scenarios like this, but for now, this stuff will have to do.

Reservations about the terrain aside, the game itself was absolutely great fun, with the Wanted mechanic making it all very unique and very tense   Details on the blog for anyone interested.

[Malebolgia]

What a terrific report! Love how the scenario unfolds with the tension building up and ending in a blaze of gunfire and explosions. Two thumbs up!

[warburton]

Great stuff - very entertaining to read. Thanks for posting this.

[Tri3]

Who makes that really cool Robot cowboy you posted.  Looks totally fun.

[blacksoilbill]

Another great battle report - sounds like a fun game.

[cheetor]

What a terrific report! Love how the scenario unfolds with the tension building up and ending in a blaze of gunfire and explosions. Two thumbs up!

Thanks, I am glad that the tension that built up in the game comes across.  It was a particlarly tense game

Who makes that really cool Robot cowboy you posted.  Looks totally fun.

Its the lovably daft Robosherrif from East Riding Miniatures bizarre and amusing Golgo Island range.

Another great battle report - sounds like a fun game.

Thanks blacksoilbill, it was a particularly memorable game actually, tense and exciting.

[hubbabubba]

Fantastic narrative gaming. Lots of fun.

Are those the Foundry SWAT team you're using as your merc enforcers?