bschrempp

Re: Odd Swords -- Real or Fantasy? Looking at my original images and zooming way in I can read most of the labels next to the polearms. From left to right they read: A Dame's Club (not 100% on the second word) The Spanish Morning-Star King Henry the VIIIth's Walking Staff A Spanish Lance Spanish Ramcer (not sure on the second word) A Foreign Lance The Spanish General's Halbert A Scythe The Lockhaber Axe So that is what the Tower Of London Museum calls them. Bob

Re: Cross System Conversions to Hero I do not mean to be rude, but it is nice to know you have done this, but will you share it? I might be a bit of an old fool, but I have no clue as to where Killer Shrikes web site is. Bob an old fool

Re: Western Hero Resources I did a quick search on E-bay and here it is: http://cgi.ebay.com/Hero-Games-WESTERN-HERO-New-Free-Shipping_W0QQitemZ330310837796QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0 Bob

Re: Odd Swords -- Real or Fantasy? Not exactly what you are looking for... Here are a bunch of real weapons, all pole arms, but with interesting "blades" and "ends". http://www.pbase.com/bschrempp/image/90989178 This one has some interesting stuff in the background. http://www.pbase.com/bschrempp/image/90989182 I took thess pictures in the Tower of London museum. Bob

Re: Hudson City Blues All the questions came right out of Hudson City Blues Bob

Re: Hudson City Blues Here is the basic information I am giving the players about how to build a character. Included are the character questions from Hudson City Blues: Hudson City Blues Character Creation Notes In Dark Champions, the slant is towards reality and less of a four color adventure. There is more pain and death. More of a Batman (not Superman) color. There are little or no powers. Powers might be used to build a “special skill” a player has like Target Hearing or a special weapon but will not be used in general. It is a costumed vigilante genre, but the PCs don’t have to wear costumes per se, but maybe they will wear a "uniform" like a trench coat or fatigues. This will allow them to walk in public without attracting attention. Of course, eventually, the cops and the bad guys will be looking out for someone who dresses like that. Likewise, the PCs may not wear masks. They would more likely wear hoods, hats, or even motorcycle helmets. Ski masks are an option, but that may send the wrong message. I won't require Code vs. Killing, but there will be consequences if the characters kill someone without justification (or at least without covering their tracks properly). As for the "hero" ID, maybe the players will come up with the names. Since they're vigilantes, their nicknames would probably be given by the media, the cops, or the criminals they hunt. All aspects of the characters skills, powers, abilities and so on must be explained. Use the Background / History and Personal Motive to rationalize what the character has and can do. Characters built on 125 points and 75 in disadvantages. Target 75 points in characteristics with a max of 100. Round your character out with the different kinds of knowledge skills your character should have from their background. Make your character a person with a personality. Work 1. What is your characters job? 2. What days of the week does your character work? 3. What is your characters work schedule? a. Is it consistent? b.What hours of the day does he work? 4. What would happen if the character went to work: a. Tired b. Slightly Injured c. Significantly Injured d. Hardly able to move 5. How easy is it for your character to get time off? Family 1. Does the character have family in Hudson City (DNPC or not)? 2. Do family members live with the Character? 3. What family/significant other obligations does the character have on a: a. Daily basis b. Weekly basis c. Monthly basis d. Holiday basis 4. What is the characters relationship with his family? 5. Do children ever visit the character’s domicile? Home and Misc. 1. Where does the character live? 2. What kind of furniture dose the character have? 3. Does the character usually cook meals, eat out or eat pre-prepared meals? 4. Does the character live alone? 5. Does the character know his neighbors? 6. Where does the character store “vigilante” type stuff? Money 1. Is the character forced to work to pay bill, earn money for good, etc.? 2. What would happen if the character earned no money for a: a. Day b. Week c. Month d. Three months e. Year 3. Does the character have enough money to pay for replacement charges, ammunition, for foci and so on? 4. When payment is made for “illegal” things is made, what form does it take? 5. If the payments are in cash, where does the cash come from? 6. Where does the character bank? Vigilante Activities 1. Briefly describe a typical vigilante “night” out: 2. How does the character move around the city? 3. What does the character do with criminals he apprehends? 4. Describe the character’s vigilante “costume.” 5. What would your character do (while alone) if he was injured for: a. 1 or 2 body b. less than half body c. More then half body Play 1. What hobbies (if any) does the character have? 2. If the character went to a park, what would he do? 3. If the character spent a quiet day at home, what would he do? 4. Does the character like to read? If so, what authors or books? 5. What group sports does the character like to play (other than beating the snot out of bad guys)? Background / History Supply a short background / history for your character. Personality Motive What is your characters personality and motive. What drives your character to be a vigilante?

Re: DC ruleset used for modern (non costumed) gaming? With information from this thread and the character question from Hudson City Blues: Hudson City Blues Character Creation Notes In Dark Champions, the slant is towards reality and less of a four color adventure. There is more pain and death. More of a Batman (not Superman) color. There are little or no powers. Powers might be used to build a “special skill” a player has like Target Hearing or a special weapon but will not be used in general. It is a costumed vigilante genre, but the PCs don’t have to wear costumes per se, but maybe they will wear a "uniform" like a trench coat or fatigues. This will allow them to walk in public without attracting attention. Of course, eventually, the cops and the bad guys will be looking out for someone who dresses like that. Likewise, the PCs may not wear masks. They would more likely wear hoods, hats, or even motorcycle helmets. Ski masks are an option, but that may send the wrong message. I won't require Code vs. Killing, but there will be consequences if the characters kill someone without justification (or at least without covering their tracks properly). As for the "hero" ID, maybe the players will come up with the names. Since they're vigilantes, their nicknames would probably be given by the media, the cops, or the criminals they hunt. All aspects of the characters skills, powers, abilities and so on must be explained. Use the Background / History and Personal Motive to rationalize what the character has and can do. Characters built on 125 points and 75 in disadvantages. Target 75 points in characteristics with a max of 100. Round your character out with the different kinds of knowledge skills your character should have from their background. Make your character a person with a personality. Work 1. What is your characters job? 2. What days of the week does your character work? 3. What is your characters work schedule? a. Is it consistent? b.What hours of the day does he work? 4. What would happen if the character went to work: a. Tired b. Slightly Injured c. Significantly Injured d. Hardly able to move 5. How easy is it for your character to get time off? Family 1. Does the character have family in Hudson City (DNPC or not)? 2. Do family members live with the Character? 3. What family/significant other obligations does the character have on a: a. Daily basis b. Weekly basis c. Monthly basis d. Holiday basis 4. What is the characters relationship with his family? 5. Do children ever visit the character’s domicile? Home and Misc. 1. Where does the character live? 2. What kind of furniture dose the character have? 3. Does the character usually cook meals, eat out or eat pre-prepared meals? 4. Does the character live alone? 5. Does the character know his neighbors? 6. Where does the character store “vigilante” type stuff? Money 1. Is the character forced to work to pay bill, earn money for good, etc.? 2. What would happen if the character earned no money for a: a. Day b. Week c. Month d. Three months e. Year 3. Does the character have enough money to pay for replacement charges, ammunition, for foci and so on? 4. When payment is made for “illegal” things is made, what form does it take? 5. If the payments are in cash, where does the cash come from? 6. Where does the character bank? Vigilante Activities 1. Briefly describe a typical vigilante “night” out: 2. How does the character move around the city? 3. What does the character do with criminals he apprehends? 4. Describe the character’s vigilante “costume.” 5. What would your character do (while alone) if he was injured for: a. 1 or 2 body b. less than half body c. More then half body Play 1. What hobbies (if any) does the character have? 2. If the character went to a park, what would he do? 3. If the character spent a quiet day at home, what would he do? 4. Does the character like to read? If so, what authors or books? 5. What group sports does the character like to play (other than beating the snot out of bad guys)? Background / History Supply a short background / history for your character. Personality Motive What is your characters personality and motive. What drives your character to be a vigilante?

Re: DC ruleset used for modern (non costumed) gaming? I am working on running Hudson City Blues. I want to do a less costumed and more real feel to it. The problem is I do like some of the consumed villains, like the Card Shark organization. I am thinking the PC will pull a mask over their face, or hood of some kind. I like to start with a little more power. I am giving my players 125 points and 75 in Disadvantages. The can not spend more than 100 on characteristics. I am pushing for lots of KS, SS, AK, and other skills. I like characters with backgrounds and history. They must have a reason for every skill, why do you know this? No powers. Some of the super skills will be OK. No fire balls or lightning bolts. Bob

Re: DC ruleset used for modern (non costumed) gaming? What about Everyman? Bob

Re: Hudson City Blues In preparation for running HCB I went through the book and listed out all the NPC and if there was a reference to another 4E book. I added some notes at the top too. Here is what I ended up with. Hudson City Blues (HCB) General Information on HCB Resources that will help (all 4E not 5E) Dark Champions – DC Justice Not Law – JNL Underworld Enemies – UE [*]The number in parenthesis after the titles are page numbers in Hudson City blues [*]Three or Four Player Characters is optimum, five is an absolute maximum. [*]Characters should have some kind of outside life they need to tend too. [*]For Player Character background ideas see JNL page 31 for information on Hudson City Commerce and Industry. [*]For Player Character Guide to characteristics and skills. HCB 67 [*]News – News comes on the TV at breakfast, noon, dinner and 11 pm, HCB 6 [*]Reserved Villains List Retro – HCB 84 Optik – HCB 88 The Machine – HCB Ashtray Art – UE 52 Tenerheart – UE 86 Plain Jane – UE 79 Crusade – UE 94 The Card Shark Organization – HCB 236, HC 175-176, 180, 236-253 The Mafia – JNL 131, HC 160 (Marcelli 204) Headless Hangman – JNL 107, HC 155 The Hanged Man – UE 40 Mr. Nobody – HCB 87 [*]Other Characters Mentioned in HCB, not in a specific encounter Harbinger of Justice – [*]Hanged Man AK-47 Firearms Check every attack roll against the following table. Attack Roll Problem 16-18 Misfire 15 Jam 14 Runaway Other Helpful Resources (Hero 5E) Hudson City the Urban Abyss (HC) – This is the 5E replacement for JNL. At 278 pages it goes into great detail in describing Hudson City. Hudson City Color Map PDF – You can buy a PDF color map of Hudson City from the Hero Games web site (herogames.com). Predators (DCP) – Dark Champion source book. Some of the characters are in Predators (Buckshot, Headless Hangman, SNAFU) PART I: The Ties that Bind (11) Part I Episode 1: Optik At Work (17) Drug Buy (17) Crank, Type I Thug JNL 125 Uzi with 2 Magazines S&W Model 19 [*]Luko, Regualr Guy, straight 10s, Speed 2, no gun If two or more heroes as Interamrs TEC-9 9mm pistol [*]Gina, Type I Thug, Int 14, Con 14 Micro Uzi in Purse Mugging (18) Sam, Type I Thug S&W Model 10 Revolver [*]Bert, Type I Thug BlackJack 5d6 Knife +1 OCV 1d6+1 killing Kids (18) Jeremy “Spray” Paula “Scoot” Randy “Tag” All are about 12, straight 10s except STR 5, CON 5, Body 5 Other Encounters (18) As needed add more encounters One or two Type I Thugs How the Press Reacts (19) Frank “Fedora” Keaton or Patricia Eisenhart JNL 33 Gang Skirmish (19) Barton Street Misson 66 Blades (6 youths listening to a boom box) Type I, each with a hand gun, one with a Micro-Uzi [*]66 Blades (5 in a pickup) Type I, each with an AK-47 (Hanged Man) [*]Overlords (4 n a Car 1) Type I, each with an AK-47 (Hanged Man) [*]Overlords (4 in second car 2) Type I, 2 with combat shotguns, 2 with assault rifles. [*]66 Blades (5 late arrivals if time permits) 4 Type I and 1 Type II, with combat shotguns, assault rifles and 2 hand grenades, and a LAW Rocket Launcher [*]Mission Volunteers (normals) [*]Mushrooms – Innocent victims of stray fire (normals) [*]Homeless in the soup kitchen line [*]Buckshot Arrives in a van with 3 or more other vehicles filled with gang members [*]Tommy Brooks Arrives in a van with 3 or more other vehicles filled with gang members Who’s that (21) Two PCs. Retro’s First Appearance (21) Overview Retro, 2 body guard thugs (Cartel members) Carillo-Mendoza Drug Cartel, JNL 132, about 12 members in HC Ferdinand “Aero” Naaves, Carillo-Mendoza crime boss (Use Whitehurst’s Stats JNL 125). He love to fly remote control planes. Has 4 body guard thugs The Encounter Buyer Uzi [*]Buyer Backup 2 Thugs type I with Colt M1911A .45 pistols [*]Seller, Retro [*]Seller Backup 2 Type I with M-1 Garand Rifles 2 Type I in Combat Van The Black and White Café (22) Retro Normals Part I Episode 2: Optik’s Invitations (23) Mayhem in the Underworld (23) Optik The Machine A computer science professor at HCU The List (24) Nooky Smith’s Porn Film Emporium (24) Nooky Smith Handgun [*]Amy Kidnap victim from New Jersey, 14 years old, Runaway [*]Jim Kidnap victim from New Jersey, 15 years old, Runaway [*]Un-named Actor 1 [*]Un-named Actor 2 [*]Un-named Actor 3 Can of Mace [*]Un-named Actor 4 Can of Mace [*]Un-named Director [*]Un-named Director’s Assistant [*]Un-named Sound Technician Louie’s Numbers Parlor (24) Louie (Part of the Card Shark Operation) Type I Shotgun Pistol [*]Type I Shotgun Pistol The Chop Shop Gang (25) Chop Shop Gang, JNL 123 Three of the gang out of JNL Mr. Jones (25) Jones a regular guy wit moderately high INT, a decent COM and a good PRE, Persuasion 16-, no weapons. Retro Investigates (25) Retro Ashtray Art Strikes (26) Ashtray Art – Assume he does not have any supernatural powers to create flames, UE 52 Woman Normal Elderly Man, half blind without glasses A kid Others Part I Episode 3: Race Against Time (27) Tenderheart Strikes (27) Tenderheart Normal middle-aged man in a business suite. Optik Needs Help! (27) Optik, 2625 Hansen Street, this street name does not show up on the JNL or the HCB maps. The Machine DNPCs, Hunteds, Watcheds for characters show up. Retro’s Revenge (28) Optik (Dead) The Machine For some fun and a gun fight include Retro Some Thugs PART II : The Takeover (30) The Enemy’s Plan: Part II (31) Retro The Machine Overlords and Buckshot Hudson City Street Gangs Crusade – UE 94 Plain Jane – UE 79 Mr. Nobody Card Shark Organization – DC 140-156 Mob Arsenal – JNL 76-86 Ashtray Art Yakuza, the master of crime Tommy Brooks of the 66 Blades Part II Episode I: The First Shot (34) Plain Jane and her Hunter (34) Plain Jane Mr. Nobody Acquisition 1: Street Gangs (34) Retro Buckshot and the Overlords Gang Leader Ambush (35) 66 Blades and Tommy Brooks Type III Thug – JNL126 w/ +1 SPD and +3 STR Micro Uzi Armored Jacket +5 PD, +5 ED Knife [*]Three Type I Thugs (66 Blades) Handguns Duffel of Automatic Weapons [*]Overlords and Buckshot Fully armored per DC 170 Combat Van [*]Twelve Overlords Armored with +5PD, +5 ED AK-47 9mm Handgun [*]Many Normals (fifty plus) [*]Retro [*]The Machine [*]Plain Jane Crusade Strikes (37) Crusade UE 6-10, 93-96 The Machine Three gang leaders Carver of the Blood Hawks D-Cool Jack of the Gracie Park Tigers Icer Summers of the Four Points Gang [*]LeMastre Park, Hudson City Zoo JNL 37 [*]Russian Bears (normal bears) Part II Episode 2: Innocent Blood (38) Buckshot’s Gang vs. the Card Shark Organization (38) Setup for the Episode Lazy Bill’s Saloon (Card Shark Establishment) Card Shark Card Shark Organization Buckshot Overlords Other Gangs The Investigation (38) Depending on how the characters react: Card Shark Organization members, Lieutenants, or leaders Gangbangers Gang Members Pairadice Club (39) Pokerface 5 Spade Deck Agents (+2 OCV, +2 DCV, +1 SPD) In the front of the club 2 Deck Agents (dressed as waiters) 3 Deck Agents (dressed as patrons) all equipped with CAR-15 Armor with activation roll of 14- [*]5 Spade Deck Agents (+2 OCV, +2 DCV, +1 SPD) in the casino 2 Deck Agents 3 Deck Agents all equipped with CAR-15 Armor with activation roll of 14- [*]5 Cub Deck Agents dressed as patrons [*]5 Diamond Deck Agents dressed as patrons [*]Spade Face Card [*]Club Face Card [*]Diamond Face Card [*]Card Shark [*]One-Eyed Jack [*]Buckshot [*]30 Gangbangers from different gangs Type I, II and III thugs each with: Hanged Man AK-47 Hand Gun Type III with a grenade or two [*]LAW Rocket [*]Explosives Meeting Card Shark (40) The Meet (41) The Museum of World Art King of Hearts, un-armed Card Shark, armed Face Card Agents, armed Queen of Hearts, armed and Flash Grenades One-Eyed Jack, armed and Flash Grenades The Arsenal, Heatseeker’s Squad Heatseeker Claymore Exocet Longbow Ultimax For each use the Terrorist JNL 127 +5/+5 armor (act 14-) [*]Buckshot [*]Several Dozen Gang Members [*]Plain Jane Gangs Again (42) 2 to 7 Gang Members, type I thugs Part II, Episode 3: The Mob (43) Back in Action (44) The Raid (45) The Troops (45) The Marcelli Family DC 110 - 111 18 common Thugs Type I +2 OCV [*]2 Captains Anantasio “The Sword” Rocca Guido “Ham” Vachelle Use Dominic “Dom” Tarontelli from DC 11 [*]Card Shark Crew Jack of Spades ASP 30mm Belt Feed Machine-Cannon [*]Three of Spades Appropriate small Arm LAW Rocket [*]Three of Spade’s 5 “hands” Type I Thug +2 OCV LAW Rockets Appropriate small Arm [*]Eight of Spades Appropriate small Arm LAW Rocket [*]Eight of Spade-s 5 “hands Type I Thug +2 OCV LAW Rockets Appropriate small Arm [*]Buckshot AK-47 [*]4 Gangbangers AK-47 Crusade Pursued (46) Crusade Arsenal (or equivalent if the died in museum) Longbow Combat Helicopter DC 96 w/ look-down video and infra-red +6 PER [*]Heatseeker [*]Claymore [*]Exocet [*]Ultimax [*]NOTE: Each on a Combat Motorcycle II DC 95 Each has a “special” feature related to the driver Each driver has combat drive and TF: Motorcycle Ashtray Art Goes Big Time: The fire (46) Looters (46) 30 – 50 civilians with clubs and some guns Stymied Looters (46) Shop Keeper with 30.06 Looter 1 Looter 2 Harried Cops (46) Cop 1 in Riot Gear and Shotgun Cop 2 in Riot Gear and Shotgun Crowd of normals 10 – 12 youths Media Hype (46) Group of youths Reporter Cameraman Fire Engine Blues (46) Studs Street Gang JNL 136 6 Gangbangers all with handguns 3 with tire irons 3 with spray paint [*]Firefighter Those Darn Kids (46) Spray Scoot Tag PART III: The Crime Boss (50) Part III Episode 1: Retro Cleans House (54) The Hanged Man Purchase (54) The Witch Gang Hail Mary UE 70 CAR-15 +6 PD/ +6 ED armor Act 11- [*]10 Witch Gang Members Type I Thugs Half with +5 PE/+5 ED armor The “Nasty Boy” Trap (56) Street Bum 1 All 10s except 7 Body Street Bum 2 All 10s except 7 Body Street Bum 3 All 10s except 7 Body Frank “Fedora” Keaton (writer) Tony Kendall (TV News) Committed (57) Asylum Guard 1 +2 OCV with truncheons 2d6 [*]Asylum Guard 2 +2 OCV with truncheons 2d6 Hung Out to Dry (57) The Arsenal Part III, Episode 2: WAR! (57) Gang Threat (58) 6 Gangbanger per character all with AK-47s (Hanged Man) One in 5 or 6 with night vision goggles Mafia Threat (58) 8 Mobsters Card Shark Threat (58) Mini Helicopters HSB 59 Retro’s Estate (59) The Neighborhood Watch (59) Roving bands of gangbangers 2 to 4 type I thugs AK-47s (not hanged man) Radios 4X4s infrared goggles Outer Perimeter and Grounds (59) 4 attach dogs HCB 60 Estate Building 10 plus Mafia Soldiers Retro’s Body Guard (depends on how the first part of the adventure went) Snafu JNL 118 Gunmetal Silk UE 68 Hell Razor UE 74 [*]2 to 5 Retro’s personal flunkies from the Cartel HCB 86

Re: Hudson City: The Urban Abyss ERROR on my part, you are right, it was a purchased map. My point is that the error is on the color map. In the Hudson city book, page 17, it is correct. Also the detailed maps on 44, 54, 65 ect all show the tracks correctly. I thought there might have been an error in the transition from B&W to Color that might be easily fixed, since it is a download and not a hard copy. Bottom line, I will deal with it. BTW, I printed the map out on a large format printer and it looks awesome. Thanks Bob

Re: Hudson City: The Urban Abyss Yes the Color Map from the Free Stuff Section of the web site. Look at the East most bridge that crossed the river, the Scherwinski bridge. There is a set of double lines running north and south over this bridge and on up and down the map. If you look at this same area on the B&W maps in HudsonCity, the Urban Abyss it shows them as Rail Road Tracks (above ground). Also across the bottom of the map right out of the “train yard” in A1 there is a set of double lines that run west above the words “Latin City” and on over and under “The Needle” and “Fayettennam” and then run straight into some railroad tracks. In the HC book, these all show up as “railroad” tracks, on the color map the "rails" (double lines) are there but the "ties" (cross lines) are not. One of my hobbies is scale model trains, I tend to focus on train related items in my other hobbies. Bob

Re: Hudson City: The Urban Abyss I have been looking at the HSB book and the Free Map download. I have been finding some errors in the Free Map. Mostly I am finding railroad tracks missing from the color map that show up in the book on the detailed maps. Teh entire north south line of tracks that run across the Scherwinski Bridge just shop up as a pair of lines with out the cross line of the "ties". Question? Is there an updated map or even a B&W map available? Bob

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Hotel And of someone sits down and tries to play any of the insruments, they play and play wonderfully, but everyone plays the same song, over and over. You can try to play anything you want, but only one some comes out. So what is the song? Bob

Does anyone out there have a Campaign Definition Sheet (Form). What I mean by this is a form you fill out for a campaign describing all the important factors about your campagin. Name Genre Character Points Rule Set Magic / Powers There must be other stuff. This would be given to the players so they know what you are looking for as they build characters. It "defines" the world a little bit. I want to make one, but why build from scratch if someone else has gone before you. Thanks Everyone Bob