Iron Age Campaigns

[nexus]

I was curious if anyone has ever run a straight Iron Age Champions campaign. If so, how did it go?

[Edsel]

Do you mean Iron Age as in the modern era of comics?

 

Or do you mean Iron Age as in Maximus the Super Centurian, defender of the Roman way?

[Agent X]

Originally posted by Edsel

Do you mean Iron Age as in the modern era of comics?

 

Or do you mean Iron Age as in Maximus the Super Centurian, defender of the Roman way?

I've never played in an "Iron Age as in Maximus the Super Centurian, defender of the Roman way" type campaign but I sure would give it a try.

[nexus]

Originally posted by Edsel

Do you mean Iron Age as in the modern era of comics?

 

Or do you mean Iron Age as in Maximus the Super Centurian, defender of the Roman way?

 

Iron Age as in modern. But that second one sounds kind of cool too.

[Chuckg]

Never been in one myself.

[Metaphysician]

Of course, how many comics outside of Wildstorm would actually count as Iron Age??

[Chuckg]

The "Aberrant" RPG setting, by White Wolf, is pure-quill Iron Age.. it just starts out /pretending/ to be different at first, so the shock is more pronounced once you hit 2008.

[freakboy6117]

Lets see Iron Age comics at the moment well from Marvel I'd have to say NYX and the Ultimate (particularly dark for a comic without a mature content warning) certainly have a dark flavor.

 

Actually much of the Ultimate line has a certain moral ambiguity to it the latest issue of ultimate x men gave me a double take wolverine is cast in a much darker light than ever before out side his own comic which is often brutal punisher similar story.

[Lord Liaden]

Originally posted by Agent X

I've never played in an "Iron Age as in Maximus the Super Centurian, defender of the Roman way" type campaign but I sure would give it a try.

 

This may become more practical with the help of an upcoming superhero campaign book from Misfit Studios, World Not Known. You can find out more about it here:

http://www.herogames.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12113

[Hermit]

Re: Iron Age Campaigns

 

Originally posted by nexus

I was curious if anyone has ever run a straight Iron Age Champions campaign. If so, how did it go?

 

Mm, while once in awhile I delve into some 'mature' topics, no, never went Iron. I'm afraid too many of the trends in the 90's soured me on it.

 

I did start a thread once about "Champions through the ages" but while fun, it didn't go on long.

[Supreme Serpent]

Nope, we usually end up with pretty much a Bronze feel to the games.

[assault]

Re: Re: Iron Age Campaigns

 

Originally posted by Hermit

Mm, while once in awhile I delve into some 'mature' topics, no, never went Iron. I'm afraid too many of the trends in the 90's soured me on it.

 

I did start a thread once about "Champions through the ages" but while fun, it didn't go on long.

 

I only read two titles at the moment: JLA and Catwoman.

 

Catwoman is a pretty dark title in some ways. It deals with serial killers, corruption, prostitution and a lot of bad stuff. But it isn't an "Iron Age" book. It's more a dark Bronze Age one, IMHO.

 

In fact, its real influences are film noir, pulp fiction, and, in fact, Golden Age comics. It's the 1940s for the 21st century.

 

This is a game I would love to play.

 

It would be a lethal game, by the way. But it would be the lethality of the hard-boiled detective, not of the psychotic vigilante.

[Edsel]

The closest I have come is the Dark Champions games I've participated in. I ran a long-term one and was a player in a short-term one. Of course neither of these featured truely super-powered heroes (though a few of the bad guys were boderline). Both campaigns were fairly gritty and had some "shades of grey" situations.

 

Actually we did have a very short-run campaign that was Iron Age but it was very short-term (about 6 secessions). It had potential but was canceled due to other circumstances (players moving on, etc.).

 

I think that these can be very good settings. In fact I am working on my next campaign. However, it will be more street-level/agent type game since that is where my strength as a GM seems to be.

[Bengal]

Man, I feel so lame. All my games are paper age.

[Doug McCrae]

I'd have said all comics published now are Iron Age, just as all comics published between 1938 and 1945 were Golden Age, whether they were about killer vigilantes or funny animals.

[assault]

Originally posted by Doug McCrae

I'd have said all comics published now are Iron Age, just as all comics published between 1938 and 1945 were Golden Age, whether they were about killer vigilantes or funny animals.

 

There are two problems with the Iron Age concept.

 

First, there wasn't really a proper endpoint for the Bronze Age.

 

Second, the Iron Age seems to have become identified with a small set of particularly bad and juvenile titles. These specific outbursts of self-indulgent tripe apparently define the period, while the considerably larger body of perfectly OK stuff doesn't.

 

Yes, ideally, the Iron Age should cover everything being produced in this period, assuming that this period can be distinguished from the Bronze Age, and that another "Age" didn't begin sometime in the course of the 90s... If the latter is true, then probably "Ages" aren't a useful concept any more.

 

And back to Catwoman: if I was designing a campaign with that kind of feel, I would definitely have my copy of Justice Inc on my desk, right next to my copy of Dark Champions. That's how you make a street-level game that something more than gun-porn.

[Doug McCrae]

Originally posted by assault

Second, the Iron Age seems to have become identified with a small set of particularly bad and juvenile titles. These specific outbursts of self-indulgent tripe apparently define the period, while the considerably larger body of perfectly OK stuff doesn't.

Yeah, I've noticed that. I think we need a different term for those sorts of comic. How about 'Grim n Gritty'?

 

And are we even clear on which comics we're talking about for the more limited sense of 'Iron Age'? Rob Liefeld's Youngblood? Is that the defining comic of the Iron Age?

[Doug McCrae]

I've never run an Iron Age campaign but I have run an Iron Age oneoff. It was called 'Young Guns'...

 

1993. New York City. The PCs are Young Guns, one of many new superhero teams. Like most of their contemporaries they are gun-wielding, cybernetically-enhanced and ludicrously proportioned with vague or non-existent origins and motivations. Surely the fate of the universe cannot depend on the Young Guns?

 

Unfortunately for the universe, it does.

 

The PCs were as follows:

 

Trojan

Leonard Knapp inherited a fortune from his father, a wealthy industrialist. Instead of using it to go into business or something boring like that he became a superhero and currently bankrolls his own team, Young Guns. Cool, huh? Leonard's money has paid for a base, battlebus and an AI computer. If the Young Guns had a leader, he would be it.

 

For a while Trojan was a member of Ultraforce, another NY-based group, but he left to form Young Guns. Back when he was just starting out, he was ambushed and beaten up by the then supervillain, the Flail. This weapon master has since gone straight and now leads his own superhero team, XS Force, but Trojan wouldn't mind a shot at revenge.

 

Equipment:

Battlesuit. Grants the wearer superhuman strength and enables him to fly and fire energy blasts. Can be environmentally sealed and has some sensory apparatus such as radar and IR vision. Designed by the Machinist.

 

 

Cyberwere

Cyberwere suffers from almost total amnesia regarding everything before August 1991. He has no idea who he is or how he became both a werewolf and cybernetic. Beyond some vague recollections of a secret government facility, Cyberwere's earliest memory is wandering in the Brazilian rain forest. Since then he has travelled about generally kicking ass and has also been a member of a couple of other teams prior to joining Young Guns - The Battalion (alongside Russian Doll) and Big Apple Corps.

 

Cyberwere acts like a grizzled combat veteran, though of course he doesn't know whether he is or not. He has a strong temper and resents authority but he does have a soft spot for young women. Though he has no idea why, he feels strong hatred for Frenzy, a member of the team XS Force, Young Guns' biggest rivals. It's seems likely that Frenzy has some connection with his past. Russian Doll has hinted that she may know something also but so far has remained tight-lipped on the subject.

 

Powers:

Werewolf. Cyberwere can transform from man to wolf or anywhere in between. When changed he has superhuman strength, toughness and enhanced animal senses. And teeth and claws.

Cybernetic arms, legs and eye. These metal parts transform according to Cyberwere's wereshape. They provide even greater strength, IR and ultraviolet vision, and are self-repairing.

Regeneration. This works best in wolf form.

Fighting skills. Cyberwere is, or has the experiences of, a very accomplished hand-to-hand fighter.

 

 

Russian Doll

Being a cagey sort, Russian Doll has not told anyone that she suffers from almost total amnesia regarding everything before August 1991. She has no idea who she is or how she came to be. Beyond some vague recollections of a secret government facility, Russian Doll's earliest memory is wandering in the forests of Siberia. Since then she has travelled about spying and kicking ass and has also been a member of a couple of other teams prior to joining Young Guns - The Battalion (alongside Cyberwere) and XS Force.

 

Russian Doll likes to play up her mysterious, secretive schtick. She's often looking for an angle but she does have a wry and sarcastic sense of humour. Having fallen foul of the manipulative mind controller, Syrinx when they were both in XS Force, she's wants revenge. RD seems to have military and espionage training, though of course she has no idea if that's true. Having hinted to Cyberwere (also an amnesiac) that she may know something of his past, she's been stringing him along ever since.

 

Powers and weapons:

Is an android. A very advanced one too with superhuman strength and agility, plus enhanced senses.

Split! Russian Doll can split her body into two or more smaller versions of herself, hence her name.

Disguise. Using a limited form of shapeshift, RD may disguise herself as anyone in her memory banks. She can also mimic voices with near perfect accuracy.

Martial arts/fighting skills. RD is very skilled at both armed and unarmed combat. Usually fights with a pair of samurai swords, though not averse to using guns.

 

 

Tarot

Tarot is a little hazy on how she got her powers. It could have been a lab accident involving a dimensional travel experiment. Perhaps she's a mutant? On the other hand, she does have a vague recollection of a secret government facility. To be honest, she's taken so many drugs throughout the course of her life, she can barely remember who she is or what she's supposed to be doing. And she wasn't too bright to begin with.

 

One thing's for sure though, Tarot's a superhero and being a superhero kicks ass. She gets to carry a gun or two, shoot people and she's in a superhero team, Young Guns. Or is that All American Ass Kickers? No, AAAK kicked her out, the bastards. In fact she'd love to get revenge on their leader, Trojan. No wait a minute, he's the leader of Young Guns, isn't he?

 

Tarot has amazing powers but uses them unimaginatively. She prefers guns.

 

She often changes her costume and hair colour, which is currently bright orange. Her left arm is cybernetic. The original was blown off in a battle with Sharpshooter, a member of Barrage.

 

Powers and weapons:

Teleportation field. Tarot can summon a crackling energy field which can transport both her and her team. Upper range limit is unknown. She could probably do a lot with this power but almost always just uses it to get the team to the bad guys so the shooting can start.

Deflection field. Similar to the teleport field. Tarot can protect herself with this, teleporting attacks away. She usually remembers to raise it. Forgetting to do so cost her an arm.

Cybernetic arm, provides superhuman strength.

Electroblaster.

Laser pistol.

Photon grenades.

D-rays. Tremendously powerful blasts of 'dimensional energy'. Although she could use this ability at one point, she can't seem to remember how any more.

 

 

Rock Solid

Rock Solid is the big, strong guy of Young Guns. He grew up amongst the Stone People of Thunder Mountain in the Eastern European principality of Molvania. It was pretty boring there though, so he travelled to New York and joined a superhero team. He sends money back to his family every month.

 

Rock Solid is a fairly simple guy. Not too bright but steady and stable. A good friend and team mate. He's a little less prone to violence than other members of the team but when he gets angry you better watch out. 'Rocky' has an ongoing feud with Kill-o-tron, a cybernetic tank and member of the superhero team XS Force.

 

Powers:

Superhuman strength, toughness and endurance.

Mystical affinity with rocks and stones. Communication is possible.

[Doug McCrae]

I did have an idea for an Iron Age campaign, based on Kingdom Come.

 

The PCs are a group of young superheroes, much like the Young Guns in the world of the early 90s. In this world the line between hero and villain has blurred so much it is virtually non-existent. There are a plethora of superbeings and teams, membership constantly changes, sides switch but the fighting never ends.

 

Into this anarchic world step old heroes from the Silver and Golden Ages, attempting to bring order. Which side, if any, do the PCs join?