The Red Star - Hero

[SvZurich]

Would it be a good idea to take a D20 game system one shot and expand it into a Hero game? I love The Red Star, a comic series about a mystical modern day Russia that has the crew of a skyfurnace realize their leaders capture souls upon death to fuel their war machine, and fight back for the freedom of their ancestors. It has psychic abilities and spells used with upgraded military hardware in epic conflicts.

 

The system has to model huge war machines, epic battles, infantry on the ground, and battles in the spirit realm. The energy from captive souls fuels spells, keep miles long skyfurnaces aloft, powers warp and telekinetic abilities, and allow equipment to be upgraded by spells. Souls fight in the spirit realm to free their peers and seek to get the truth out to the living. The crew of the RSS Konstantinov even take their skyfurnace into the spirit realm to assault the main prison camp fortress Archangel.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Red_Star

 

I have all of the issues in trade, bought a PS2 to run the video game, and own the D20 gamebook. I'd like to convert it to Hero and expand it to cover what appears in the later comic issues.

 

Is this a good and plausible idea?

[csyphrett]

Re: The Red Star - Hero

 

yes, but you might want to start small with one thing and expand on it until you have the rest of the setting.

CES

[SvZurich]

Re: The Red Star - Hero

 

Sounds good, I guess I can start with melee combat using the Hook for the Red Guards, and the Hailers for the Hailer/Guardsmen. These are telekinetically controlled weapons and the classes could be package deals.

 

Hailer/Guardsmen are walking tanks with huge guns called Hailers that can be reconfigured on the fly and have ammo teleported into their packs. Shouldn't be too hard to create. They can shoot around corners, extend range with skill in telekinesis, pierce armor, etc. Think walking tanks. Heavily armored, and the hailers can switch from machine gun to flame throwers and experimental energy weapons. They can shape the flame via telekinesis. Shouldn't be too hard for these guys.

 

Red Soldiers' Hooks will be a problem. The hook is a melee weapon telekinetically controlled and reconfigurable. Spear, mancatcher, sniper rifle, mortar launcher, and machine gun. Easy so far. Can be remotedly thrown and controlled to stab/slice/shoot multiple foes. Okay, doable. This last part throws me, they can form a rotational defensive shield to protect you from incoming attacks and still attack while spinning.

 

The rotating defensive shield relies on you somehow sensing where an attack (even small caliber arms) will be coming from, and move it into place to deflect/block the attack without being damaged. You basically spin a polearm around yourself without touching it, and it intercepts most hits coming in while still being able to make attacks at high skill levels. It is not supposed to be able to stop telekinetic weapon fire, but it is supposed to stop normal small arms and rifles. Not sure versus energy weapons. Thinking a low PD and no ED on that.

 

The hook is my favorite weapon from the setting, but it's arguably better than the staff the Star Shields use.

[csyphrett]

Re: The Red Star - Hero

 

I only have fifth ed, but if anyone can use these weapons then they are foci with independent built in, if only characters can use them they are multipowers with OAF in them.

 

Rotational defense is missile deflection with a high roll.

CES

[pinecone]

Re: The Red Star - Hero

 

I remember seeing a bunch of stuff on this as a conversion to M&M...you might look for it, as converting from to M&M is pretty easy, and it helps to avoid "Doh! I forgot X!" moments....never read the comic, but the M&M stuff looked very cool indeed.

[SvZurich]

Re: The Red Star - Hero

 

Pretty much anyone with training can use these weapons, based off telekinesis skill rolls for use. Telekinesis is common to Red Star soldiers and special forces. Protocals (spells with military grade compenents/reagents) are used by Kasters who usually are on board ships.

 

Thank you folks. Missile deflection, skill role, and still add in rolls to attack. Guess I can set difficulties that are variable due to weapon caliber.

 

Mutants & Masterminds looks cool, but I got into Hero after MEGS (Mayfair Exponential Gaming System, used in DC Heroes and Blood of Heroes) and skipped it. I may go looking for it later, but Hero looks all encompassing once you learn how to use its system.

[pinecone]

Re: The Red Star - Hero

 

Pretty much anyone with training can use these weapons, based off telekinesis skill rolls for use. Telekinesis is common to Red Star soldiers and special forces. Protocals (spells with military grade compenents/reagents) are used by Kasters who usually are on board ships.

 

Thank you folks. Missile deflection, skill role, and still add in rolls to attack. Guess I can set difficulties that are variable due to weapon caliber.

 

Mutants & Masterminds looks cool, but I got into Hero after MEGS (Mayfair Exponential Gaming System, used in DC Heroes and Blood of Heroes) and skipped it. I may go looking for it later, but Hero looks all encompassing once you learn how to use its system.

 

Absolutely, don't Play M&M (unless you want to...) just check out work thats already been done....