Astounding Tales and .45 Adventure

[Prof.Witchheimer]

I have a brief question relating to the pulp rule sets. What actually is the difference between Astounding Tales and .45 Adventure?

[Howard Whitehouse]

I'm sure Rich can give a better answer, but briefly I think that AT! are more RPG-influenced, looser in structure, and more suited to a 'Director' (GM) driven game than .45 Adventure, which is more detailed and closer to a more traditional skirmish game style.

Rich has done work to permit hordes of 'mooks' in .45 Adventure, and I've tightened up some of the rules and added more detail in some areas, so they are possibly closer now than theyr were a year or so ago. But, in general, I'd suggest that if you have three figures a side, .45 Adventure will be more satisfying, 30 a side and AT! will move more quickly.

It's very much a matter of gaming taste, and - since there aren't any issues about specific basing  - you can happily use both in your gaming life, depending on the scenario.

[Operator5]

Howard's got a good basic start to the differences and one error.  

.45 Adventure has STRONG elements of RPG with players encouraged to build multi-part scenarios and use the same characters as they move through the story. In fact, our next release The Gargoyle: Death Soldiers of the Jade Hood will include all the rules you need to have your characters grow in experience (sort of like Necromunda and Mordheim now). It will also include ideas and suggestions for building your own campaign and a fictional city, New Commerce City, for you to use in whole or to just take parts.

.45 Adventure is also more character oriented with players encouraged to personalize their heroes and sidekicks. As characters are wounded they become less effective. Since most pulps are really about the characters, I focus on them.

I've also found that most action takes place in a very small area (even on big table games). So why spend lots of time running across a board when you can cut to the action. I suggest (though do not require) that players work on smaller terrain boards, just 2' x 2'. Check out the Gallery section of the Pulp Heroes website and look at the Little Wars boards that Jim Stuht has done.

And Howard is right in that .45 Adventure is designed more for 2 players to sit down and play and not use a GM. To simulate some of the mystery and uncertainty of a pulp novel, I use Encounter Markers. Some of these may be traps and some clues. Some could also be nothing at all.

You can use upwards of 10-20 figures in .45 Adventure using the Hordes of Mooks rules, but I usually suggest that be one scene out of a multi-scene game as .45 Adventure is not designed to be a military action game. If you want to have squad on squad action as your normal game, then probably AT2 would be more to your likeing.

I always suggest checking out all the FREE downloads we have on the website and deciding for yourself. It's much easier and cheaper than buying rules you won't like.

Rich

[Howard Whitehouse]

I am ashamed to have committed an error, and will fall on my sword.  :cry:  

But it's a 28mmlead sword, so I'm OK now.   ::

[KeyanSark]

The Gargoyle: Death Soldiers of the Jade Hood will include all the rules you need to have your characters grow in experience (sort of like Necromunda and Mordheim now).

Experience? Must have...!  

[Prof.Witchheimer]

Thnaks, Howard and Rich, I also think the both books are quite interesting, I'd like to play a little skrimish and i'd like sometimes to play a battle.

I'm looking for alternative rules for Back Of Beyond, Howard, what you think about, is it possible to adapt the AT! to play BoB with it?

Back to .45 I like the idea of  2' x 2' boards, the photos looks great, the small size means a good chance to get the table finished, and you can build all the landscapes what you want, city area, cave, desert, jungle and so on. Yes, I like it and I should make one...

[Operator5]

I'm looking for alternative rules for Back Of Beyond, Howard, what you think about, is it possible to adapt the AT! to play BoB with it?

From what I recall of AT1 and hearing through some snitches what's up with AT2, I think it could handle BoB as long as you were not looking for a historical representation of the time. It's Lead actors and extras format lends itself well to having the Mad baron and his minions face off against Skip Carter, archaeologist, and some American mercenaries.

Rich

[Mo]

I have it on good authority that Howard Whitehouse and Richard A. Johnson are one in the same person, pulling the scam of the century selling us saps 2 sets of rules for the same genre.

You should have at least pretended to live in separate states, boys!

(Can't wait to see how they run a game 'together' at Historicon!

[Howard Whitehouse]

AT includes lists for White Russians, Red Russians, the Mad Baron, Chinese warlords, Dinosaur hunters and Soldiers of the Bwitish Empire - so there's certainly material for BoB adventuring. I've run scenarios based on the search for the Lost Tomb of Ghenghis Khan. So yes, it works as long as you are more interested in 'Rip-Roaring Adventure' rather than 'All About the Russian Civil War'.

[Howard Whitehouse]

Richard and I are identical twins, born about ten years apart in different countries. He is much taller and thinner than I am, owing to his doing 'Special Scientific Exercises', and my  training known as 'Eating Ice Cream.'

Richard lives in New Jersey. I live ten miles north of the state line.

[Prof.Witchheimer]

I have it on good authority that Howard Whitehouse and Richard A. Johnson are one in the same person, pulling the scam of the century selling us saps 2 sets of rules for the same genre.

 ::

AT includes lists for White Russians, Red Russians, the Mad Baron, Chinese warlords, Dinosaur hunters and Soldiers of the Bwitish Empire - so there's certainly material for BoB adventuring. I've run scenarios based on the search for the Lost Tomb of Ghenghis Khan. So yes, it works as long as you are more interested in 'Rip-Roaring Adventure' rather than 'All About the Russian Civil War'.

'Rip-Roaring Adventure' is enough for me   didn't know you have the typical "BoB" Lists. Just the troops or also cavalry, artillery and air support?Is there a free download demo of AT?

[Mo]

Richard and I are identical twins, born about ten years apart in different countries. He is much taller and thinner than I am, owing to his doing 'Special Scientific Exercises', and my  training known as 'Eating Ice Cream.'

Ahhhh. A fellow master in the ancient art of Ice Cream Consumption. I earned my black belt years ago (and have been letting it out ever since)

[Operator5]

Richard and I are identical twins, born about ten years apart in different countries. He is much taller and thinner than I am, owing to his doing 'Special Scientific Exercises', and my  training known as 'Eating Ice Cream.'

Howard was of course born with all the good looks and brains, I just got the flat feet.

Rich

[Howard Whitehouse]

My lists tend to focus on stereotypes of characters  - the cruel officer with exquisite manners, the brutal NCO, with rather general categories such as 'Pathetic Conscript', 'Cossack trooper', 'Heroine of the USSR'.

Cavalry are noted, but not artillery. The heaviest weapon I allow for is the HMG. If you've got artillery, use yer imagination!