Date: Thu, 23 Mar 1995 00:21:25 -0500 (EST) From: Andrew JACKSON Subject: SWRPG: Scanners and the AJ subscriptn address This is for Mike and anyone else who is interested in the Star Wars Adventure Journals. It includes 1) a capsule of the article on SCANNERS from AJ #4--including some stats 2) my opinion of the AJs 3) The ADDRESS where you can subscribe to the AJ (Mike??) 4) not necessarily in that order :) [Jae *if* you put this on the FTP thing, include all the advertizing stuff too. I wouldn't put it there, since it is more an ad than anything.] 2) The adventure journals are the most interesting, fact-filled, adventure-inspiring, diverse, good quality, and stat-filled product that WEG makes for SW. I used to buy every bloody thing WEG published for SW (eg I even have the miniature rules and have played with them, I also have the two SW board games, plus all the RPG crap.) However, since WEG started the quarterly AJs, I have only bought Criminal Organizations. Looked at Planets Collection sveral time--yawn. Creature's? Got lots, make my own, use ones on thise list. Rebel Operatives?--give me a break. Reprints of the Imp sourcebook and others--I can convert stats myself thanks. Force users--well placed in AJ characters. New planet info, rebel info, stuff info, Imp info, New Republic Info, stories, adventures for you GMs (like the old modules), choose-your-own-adventures (with dice! wheee :] and lots more can be found in the AJ. 285 pages per. Why would I buy that overpriced single-topic stuff when I can get a little at a time from the adventure journals? Good quality too. WEG made a mistake with me--I buy fewer products now that there are the AJs. I really liked the article on the different scanners, their desciption, and their stats. Sensors (both ship-board and personal) should be an integral part of most campaigns, for it is through them that PCs detect and are detected by enemies. They are the instrument that provides copious (lots) amounts of detailed info--if used properly and effectively. And if the GM knows how to present the data to the PCs. (Mike. BTW, gives great sensor data!) They are included in a reoccurring section called "Cracken's rebel Field Guide". Oooo, sound familiar? You folks who bought that blue book only got half the story. Here is much of that article as a sample of that Adventure Journal Feature. To subscribe to the journal, see the address at the bottom of the post. "SCANNERS [condensed--full article in AJ #4, Vol.1, buy it] are devices that detect and assess the characteristics of lifeforms, energy fields and physical objects....Large sensor sytems on starships can examine the surface of worlds from hundreds of kilometers away. Smaller models can be used by Rebel operatives, commandos, and scounts to obtain info on their surroundings. smaller models lack the power, range, and flexiblity of ship-mounted models. Therefore there are specialized types of scanner: Bioscanners detect liforms approximating Human sizes--smaller creatures are more *difficult* to discern, while larger ones are *easier*. Energy scanners are likewise readily able to sense moderate energy sources/transmissions, but a blaster power pack would be *difficult* to pick up, but a broadcasting comlink wouldn't be. hand-held models can operate for days before drained. Larger models have power supplies that last weeks of operation. Use in Game - 1 action to use - sensors skill or MEC - some scanners substitute the skill roll or enhance it - each scanner ahs specified range of effectiveness - due to size, portable scanners use *active* emmisions in a search mode to gain info [hmmmm] in a specific direction. - character must rotate and do a scan for each direction to search. Usually 4 directions to scan, but sometimes up and down are possible as well Ranges--difficulties for range are explained Difficulty Level Modifiers: several modifying conditions are detailed here - eg: scanning for persons of certain sizes, species, particular ship, or mineral, or particular type of energy emmission--> +5 to +20 - detailed scanning one of many targets - target sensor profile is dampened, hiden among similar emmissions, or swamped by other signals--> +10 (Mike?) - target is shielded +15 (ahhh, Mike) - bonuses for useing the scanner for it's designed purpose, large emmison sources, scanning a traget that belongs to a general class, such as .... General Cracken's Addendum: - blah blah...sensors are cornerstone...blah blah--ahhh!! Imperial installations monitor all common scanner frequencies--they might detect your presence. If that happens, you can be tracked or jammed. LIFEFORM SCANNER (Cryoncorp Life detect Bioscanner) Cost: 2800 Avail: 2 Range: 500/1/1.5km - no bonuses - common to scientists and security forces [hmmmm] - detects and pinpoints location of lifeformds - even determine species if data matches stored species template - size of portable computer SECURITY SCANNER (BlasTech Search-Scan 4) Cost: 9800 Avail: 2, R (governments only) Range: 3/7/25 Note: +1D to sensors roll for detecting: structural anomalies, secret compartments, and energy signatures for weapons [and BlasTech should know!!], lifeforms, and energy sources in a confined area such as a docking bay...etc etc - Imperial and loacl governments for a variety of purposes - large chest-size (often on a cart or repulsor sled [hmmm like in ANH??] - very sensitive instrument that can *often penetrate shielding* (scare your YT 1300 owners to death!) TECH SCANNER--etc etc +1D to repair rolls (see text) [gotta get me one of those for my PC] ENERGY SCANNER--etc etc energy type, intensity, effects, origin. natural vs. artificail, stellar, reactors, generators, starships, air speeders, comlinks (!!!) and other scanners (!!) MEDSCANNER-- etc etc fragile, but give 1D to first aid rolls. assess diseases, injuries, etc etc. Difficulty levels depend.... GEOLOGICAL SCANNERS--etc etc miners/prospectors, ore deposits, geothermal, seismic, volcanic, glacial info WEAPONS DETECTOR--search of 6D to detect energy weapons. The Hide skill...etc -large. fixed sites, etc." A nice little break down of different scanner types and who uses them. Anyway, I like the addndum to Cracken's Rebel Field Guide in some of the issues. But there were other more interesting articles in this volume--the YT-1300 ship with a droid personality inserted into the main computer was neat. The Dark Jedi thing in the same article was neat too. In the form of a story--I like it like that, stats cn be boring by themselves. Different types of gamblers--they ain't all the same you know! (good breakdown for beginning characters interested in Clarissian-type, or other Gambler). Actuall, a whole "how-to" article on gamblers and the like--good for GMs and PCs alike. Platt Okeefe's Smuggler's Log is always interesting--stuff on starships in this issue. An adventure called "enemies for life", including the weird BlasBoast 2000 game. An excerpt from Creatures of the Galaxy--so you know the crap you are thinking of getting (plus two monsters, poorly drawn, to boot). Another Adventure. An update to "Wanted by Cracken"--that book was really dumb waste of money--not effort put into it. This update is actually interesting and the NPCs are better fleshed out. Another Adventure. A Miniatures Scenario! And some short stories with stats on the characters and places/things/vehicles where appropriate. So, Mike, since you asked, here is the address for subscribing in the back of the book: "Please send me 4 issues of the Star Wars Adventure Journal Name:_______________ Address:_____________________________ City:______________________ State:___________, CANADA :) ZIP: _ _ _ - _ _ _ Start my subsription with issue #:_______ (Mike I would just say 1 or 2--they are up to 5 as far as I know) Send cheque (or in Americanese,"check") or money order for $35 (US, Imperial credits not accepted) to Star Wars Adventure Journal Subscriptions, West End Games Ltd., RR3, Box 2345, Honesdale, PA 18431-9560." Food or AJ...Food or AJ? Which do you think I chose? :) Please note: these are all my own opinions, not necessarily the unadulterated facts. Andrew.