Thought it was time for a quick update of what I’ve been up to lately.

Traveller Vehicle Books
The two vehicle books (Civilian Vehicles and Military Vehicles) were finished a while ago. In total I have statted just over 200 vehicles of all shapes, sizes and drive systems - for days after, whenever I closed my eyes I saw stat blocks! Every vehicle is illustrated and the artwork looks fantastic.

Lankhmar Unleashed
This was finished a few weeks ago. It includes much of the material from the previous two books but there is a lot of new information too, including more detail on the places and people of Lankhmar and Nehwon, improved maps, full details of Thieves' House with floor plans, new guilds and cults, new spells and instabilities, a new scenario, and an appendix full of NPC stats.

Alien Module 2: Vargr
Work is well underway on this. The format will be much the same as the Aslan book and will contain everything you need to know about the Vargr race including character generation, history, society, governments, language, equipment and starships. The book will also detail Gvurrdon sector.

Its been a while since I posted on PM, largely because I've been busy working, but also because I've been busy moving myself and family (partner, child and 4 dogs) across the Atlantic to live in Canada. This is a long-held dream that's finally come to fruition, and having been in Ontario for two months now, I can say we made the right move. Things were slightly soured by our container with all our worldly possessions in it (including all my gaming books) being sent to Singapore, but otherwise we've settled into our new home and lifestyle with gusto. I even have a new gaming group who are dead-keen on getting into RQ and Glorantha, having spent far too many years on Rolemaster. I've also started to become a Real Canadian in that I've had to buy a ride-on lawnmower and we've bought a canoe (and sailed it on Lakes Ontario and Bon Echo, without capsizing). Next, it'll be 'Eh?' at the end of every sentence.

Since I last posted, here's what I've accomplished, Mongoose-wise:

Judge Dredd - signed, sealed, delivered: you've seen the previews, and they are awesome.
Bad Moon Rising - first Dredd campaign, which I'm really looking forward to seeing out there. Playtest response is good, and I hope its a campaign that Dredd fans will fully enjoy.
Strontium Dog - just finishing it off now. Strontium Dog, like Dredd, uses the Traveller rules but obviously has extensive rules for mutations, bounty hunting, uber-weapons, time and dimensional weapons (time bombs, oh yes...) and sorcery.

Stop. Hold On. Back Up. Did he just say Sorcery? For Traveller? Heresy!

Yes, Sorcery. Strontium Dog introduces magic rules for Traveller. Before this sends everyone into a state of apoplexy, the sorcery rules are there for Strontium Dog because, as those who know the saga understand, the universe is truly bizarre and has characters like Malak Brood, Charn-El and the Sorcerers of Lyra - so sorcery is present, real and tangible. Rules for magic had to be included. But the rules can, I guess, be ported into any Traveller setting, and I've noted with interest the whole 'Wanderer' idea that stemmed from a very convincing mock-up doing the rounds on the web.

So Strontium Dog is going to introduce all sorts of great gaming into the Traveller field and is a blast in its own right.

What's next then?

Well, from August, I'm going to be sitting down with a very big blank sheet of paper, a set of rulebooks, and working away on a project that's very close to my heart and as important as it gets. You'll just have to watch this space for more tantalising (nay, cruel) hints.

You know, back in the UK, just two months ago, I'd look up from my desk and out of the window and see another house opposite. I look up now and see trees everywhere and hear the wind blowing through them, and a woodpecker knocking its little heart out. The other day, a really hot one, a garter snake was curled-up on the decking outside the family room. We never got THAT in Stevenage.

Amazing how life's changed. Eh?

Potential spoliers here, so if you are a Traveller player rather than a Referee, it is perhaps best you read no further!

I have been getting in quite a bit of gaming recently. We have started playtesting Democracy Falls, a Judge Dredd adventure due out later this year, and the first session this week was a real blast. The Traveller engine works so well for Judge Dredd, and we were soon on the backs of our Lawmasters, bombing down the Megway and responding to calls. Currently have a bet with one of the other players that I can get through the entire adventure using nothing but Hi-Ex rounds - we'll see how that goes (and how many reprimands I earn. . .).

In the 'other' office game, we have been playing more traditional Traveller, set in the Spinward Marches. For a change, I started using Project Steel, put together by those Traveller gurus over at Comstar.

This really is an excellent adventure to begin a campaign with. It doesn't matter whether your players have their own ship or not, and there is a nice, gentle start to get everyone used to the rules. Basically, the players will be right out on the frontier, helping to explore and civilise a desolate world. They start off with a bit of prospecting, find some weird bits and pieces in the wilderness that will make sense later, and start earning a few credits.

After that, it is pretty much up to them what they do, and it is an event-based adventure, so if they go off piste, things still happen around them! There are plenty of opportunities to do a little 'business' and carve out their own niche on this world. Of course, in our group, they spent the time running away after they fought the law and, umm, the law won.

Events eventually catch up with the players no matter what they do. There are a group of raiders to contend with (our group missed the big battles, but had plenty to deal with nonetheless. . .), and an ancient. . . thing that has been let loose. This latter mystery scared some of our players witless - though they never actually saw it with their own eyes. Brilliant bit of adventure writing.

Anyway, two nukes later (not kidding. . .), and the players are ready to leave this 'dustball of a world'. They want to get back to civilisation and spend their hard earned credits - and collect their Type-S Scout which should be ready for them by now.

No problem, I said - just step on board the Duchess Salene for a nice, luxurious ride back.

Thus, I started another Comstar adventure - One Crowded Hour, currently available only as a PDF on Drivethru (though I believe they will be doing an adventure compilation at some later date).

This adventure is Titanic and The Poseidon Adventure, all rolled into one. You will complete it in a single session, and I cannot recommend it enough. Players will be running all over the ship trying to halt disaster, and will be surviving (or not!) with literally seconds to spare. Get this one, you can pull it out whenever your players decide to get on a space liner. It has the added bonus of the ship misjumping, which means you can then place your players pretty much anywhere you want, if you have a specific adventure in mind. . .

In other news, Judge Dredd and Paranoia are both at print now, and the new Earthdawn has turned up at our warehouse, and is shipping to distributors. Look out for it in your local stores very soon. Oh, and don't forget to check out our latest previews!

The Computer weighs in on the topic.

Hey all, don't forget to go and say your peace about your favourite games publisher!!!

https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=cnY1RXo3eXhwRFRMSGN2dFNucmRKN0E6MA

Cheers,
Bry

It has been a little while since I last posted on Planet Mongoose. As you can imagine, things have been super-busy here at Mongoose. A quick run down on what has been happening, in no particular order;

1. Paranoia: Troubleshooters and Judge Dredd have both gone off to print, and will be appearing at Gen Con next month.

2. The two Earthdawn core books are on their way to our warehouse right now, and should be on their way to distributors later next week. Not long to wait now! The two Companion books are already at print, and will be following quickly.

3. Serious thought is beginning to be given to an ABC Warriors RPG, powered by Traveller, natch.

4. Mongoose is now a Registered Trademark.

5. I have been reading A.A. Gill's Angry Island: Hunting the English of late. If you have read Kate Fox's Watching the English, get this book.

6. The first new miniatures to be added to the Judge Dredd range (miniatures game coming next year) will be arriving soon, I am told. New Street Judges are appearing first, to add some variation.

7. Reading various forums, people have been saying nice things about our latest releases. The new proofing process is paying well. . .

8. There have been some worried people believing we are going to drop the 'D20' version of Conan like a hot potato. If this is you, we are currently working on a set of Conan books that you will go dippy for and, no, you won't need to worry about changing over to another system. Vincent Darlage is currently working on this Special Project, and we'll reveal all in the next State of the Mongoose.

9. Apologies if you have been waiting for a mail order in the US or Canada. Our Ohio warehouse burst at the seams (too many books!), and we have since moved to bigger premises. Normal service is being restored as I type.

10. Painting-wise, I have been working on Tyranids and Elysian Drop Troops. Sandrine (Tame French Person) is just polishing off the final bits of the first units in her army of Gauls. My Romans are waiting for reinforcements.

11. I have also finished the first two of my 'forces' for the new Judge Dredd game playtests - a group of Juves, who have been terrorising their local block, and Mighty Man, an enhanced vigilante who has vowed to stop their evil crime spree at any cost! All fairly low key, but that is the trick to the new Judge Dredd game. You can focus on the 'little people' (with a force needing no more than just one model, if you want to do a vigilante, martial arts expert, PI, crooked judge, or whatever), or go big with squads of judge and alien invasions - and you can mix both styles of play into the same campaign.

12. Recently, I rallied some people on various forums together for a sport of Horde on Gears of War 2 - I am happy to announce we achieved our stated aim of hitting Wave 50! We'll probably do this again at some point, so keep your eyes peeled. As for other games, Battlefield 1943 went online on XBox Live yesterday. As a great fan of Battlefield 2, I am so loving this one. . .

13. The proofs of the Traveller's Referee Screen were approved today, and I can't wait to get my hands on the real thing. Very Classic Traveller for the Referee's side, a beautiful vista from the main viewport of a Type-S Scout for the players. Just what is needed to get them in the mood.

14. Speaking of Traveller, the office campaign continues, with Angus from Cubicle 7 joining us next week. Last session, the group completed Project Steel - a great adventure to kick off a campaign. Needless to say, the nukes were used, and now the players are trying to get off world as quickly as possible. I'll be pulling another adventure from Comstar to handle their escape next week. . .

Calling all Street Judges! Calling all Street Judges!

A new disturbance is coming to Mega City One, and it will lead you to the 2000 AD version of MY neck of the woods, here in America's midwest.

Heh heh heh...I LOVE writing Dredd stuff...it is such a cool genre and universe to play around in, and soon I get to dip my dementia into Strontium Dogs too! This is turning out to be a good summer for Mister Steele. :)

Cheers all,
Bry

Long-term PARANOIA players already know about this, but all those recently decanted Troubleshooters who've only picked up the game recently should check out The Toothpaste Disaster, a Lexicon game run by Allen Varney during the development of the 2004 edition. It's a fantastic source of ideas for PARANOIA and a great way to immerse yourself in the game's mindset.

Development of the second of the new rulebooks, the BLUE-clearance IntSec book is now well past the half-way stage. Soon you will know the mandatory joy of Cone Rifles, Cortex Bombs and Sector Happiness Indices!