Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Contents
Pages
Contents
Pages
45
Snappy Dialogue
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
13
14
Characters Attributes
17
18
Buying Attributes
19
20
54
Skills Table
22
55
24
25
56
27
Lovecraftian Horror
57
28
Robots
58
29
59
30
Creatures!
60
62
Movement Legging It
32
33
63
34
64
Snipers
35
76
Shooting
36
79
37
82
38
83
40
Designers Notes
83
41
84
42
85
43
87
44
91
Roll of Honor
93
Astounding Tales!
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AN INTRODUCTION TO THE WORLD OF PULP
I was looking at the cover of a magazine from my grandfathers time. Aircraft of the First World War swirled around the sky.
The Allied flyers were clean-limbed and determined. The Germans
employed a considerable number of skeletons to man the basket of
a barrage balloon.
The owner of the magazine and I agreed that there was much
about WWI that had been hushed up, and he showed me similar
covers in which Oriental Panther Men, monstrous creatures, and a
small man dressed like a banker all threatened an American pilot
known as "G-8." This was not your everyday hero of the air. I was
at something called "The Fantastic Pulps Show, money was leaping out of my pocket, and
a stack of cheap novelettes written in the thirties went home with me.
Pulp. High Adventure. Men in snappy fedoras and dangerous dames, with blazing .45 automatics in one hand and a knife in their shoe. Chinese criminal masterminds and
their minions. Men of Bronze who carry small explosive charges hidden in their back teeth.
Beings who wish to destroy the Earth, or at least New York City, or subdue the populace
with mind-numbing drugs to do their fiendish bidding.
What on earth can it all mean?
Its the world as seen in cheap magazines and low budget movies from the 1920's to
sometime in the 50s, when television and comic books took over. Film Noir, hard-boiled
novels, Pulp magazines with Charles Atlas advertisements in the back, that sort of thing. A
world where most of Africa, Asia and South America are covered by impenetrable jungles,
where Southern California is inexplicably dark and rainy, and where most of Canada is under an ice-cap year round. A world where down-at-heel private eyes fight vulgar, flashy
hoodlums, but also where heroesoften cunningly disguised by wearing a tiny silk mask,
which fools even their closest friendssave the world from ambitious mad scientists,
laughably inept aliens and, quite often, the Germans. A world with garish posters featuring
a lot of Colt automatics, green gripping monster hands, and women in far too much mascara
and far too little clothing for respectable tastes.
"Pulp" requires that you see the world through the eyes of a certain sort of audience.
Often its a fifteen year old American kid in 1934; at least, that was who Lester Dentthe
writer of the Doc Savage bookswas aiming at. What you need are simple heroes, evil
opponents, and a good deal of gee-whiz science. Geography can be vague, history ludicrous, but as long as it moves fast and good wins out, thats all fine.
If you were a hard boiled writerDashiell Hammett or Raymond Chandler, for
examplethe audience was older, less innocent, but still looking for a world where good
people stood against evil, even if you couldnt find a doctor who wouldnt drug you and
lock you up at his private sanatorium. This style demanded strongly defined heroes and villains, although the more sophisticated heroes might be fairly jaded, and have their own bad
habits. Actually, everyone has bad habits, as well as regrets, debts and losing bets.
In many ways the Pulp genre began after WWI (succeeding the Dime Novels and
Penny-Dreadfuls of an earlier time) in a world that was different in many ways from the
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one that had gone before. Popular entertainment focussed on the new movie industry, and
film stars became a new royalty. Writing styles became brief, slangy, action-oriented. Pulp
sounded like Jimmy Cagney. It was flashy, garish, neon-lit. It didnt have a lot of class, but
it had nerve. And Pulp Adventure Gaming is based on those premises. Its wild, frantic
stuff, without a lot of concern for realism. Its only demand is to be true to the conventions
of the genre. So fire eight times with your revolver, and pass the popcorn. We may not live
to see the credits.
Astounding Tales! is a short, simple and deliberately incomplete set of rules for
mayhem, murder and Weird Horror set in the period between WWI and the end of the black
-and-white B Movie era in the 1950s. The game depends on a very fast pace, not worrying about details too much, and an attitude that says that heroes (and their sidekicks, dames
and others in white hats) should have an advantage over thugs, punks, zombies and other
minions of the Evil Overlords. Its more about creating scenes of frenetic action where
Right Prevails than about a fair game in which the villainsthough they may have already
reduced cities to ashes, etcmight actually win. You can make it fantastical, with lost
cities and sinister emperors, or grittily realistic with mobsters, cops and jaded private investigators. And yes, history buffs, you can play the Russian Revolution or the Spanish Civil
War if you want, as long as you are more interested in ranting drunken commissars and
strutting-but-incompetent fascists in shiny boots than the details of armoured trains or the
organisation of the Falange in 1936. Because thats what I am interested in, and its my
game. So there.
Id like to thank a whole bunch of people if I could remember their names. Matt
Fritz, Nigel Clarke, Walt OHara, C.B. Stevens, Ross Maker and Dave Markley for their assistant directorial skills in our big games at HistoriCon. Kim Caron for her portrayal of
Roxy and Jeff Wasileski for his German movie director. Bob Murch and Mark Copplestone for their amazing metal figures and general enthusiasm. Bruce Pettipas and Howard Fielding for actual testing. Ed Dillon for his unnerving knowledge of things that blow
up or spray hot lead. Rich Johnson, Legion McRae, Roderick Robertson, Peter McDonald,
Harry Morris, Alvin Stuckenborg and Paddy Griffith for new ideas that Ive seized on gleefully. Ed Bielcik for quotes and characterization on The Shadow and The Spider. Bill
McGinnis for his Doc Savage knowledge. Mark Mintz, Scott Crane and Mike Creek for
their suggestions on comic sidekicks. Dash Hammett and Raymond Chandler for putting
crime back on the streets. Most of all, my wife, Lori, for putting up with all this nonsense
for twenty years and more.
Frankly, that part still astounds me!
H.J.W., Big Jim's Speakeasy, 1930
All Pulp Magazine covers, photos, and any other derivative graphics appearing on the
covers and in the text are intended as a tribute to those thrilling days of yesteryear when
adventure could be had for a dime. No infringement of copyright or claim to ownership of
the original images is intended.
And no Pulps were injured in the writing of these rules or their publication.
6
GAMING THE WORLD OF "PULP"
"Sir, I fear we shall have to sacrifice the gin."
Jeeves
(Busily fashioning a Molotov Cocktail while being menaced by a large
animated wooden Tiki statue in the jungles of the Amazon.)
Jeeves, tell me again why we're in the Amazon."
Bertie Wooster
From The Crystal Skulls of Atlantis, HistoriCon 2003
Pulp can be approached from more than one direction. You can treat it as a historical
period, with sensational overtones. You can treat it in the same way youd approach a
fantasy game, with expected stereotypes, and a consistency that comes from the rules and
conventions of the genre: Private Eye, Jungle Adventure, Sword-and-Sorcery, Spicy, or
whatever. You can play it as a role-playing game, a miniatures skirmish system or any other
way that suits you.
Real Life in the inter-war period was not good for most
people. There was revolution and civil war in Russia, more of
the same in China, Spain, and elsewhere. Germanys fragile democracy collapsed in Nazism. Mussolinis fascists took over Italy, and made war in Libya and Ethiopia. Iraq and Palestine rebelled against British administration. Most of Europe was dirt
poor after the Great War, and what little prosperity there was
mostly in the USA was undermined by corruption and organised crime. Then the Depression came, and everyone was in
trouble. Its not a fertile period for heroic, two-fisted gaming,
youd have thought. In fact, our sources in film, books and
magazine chose largely to ignore reality completely. You can
wargame the Russian Civil War, Francos attack on Madrid or
the Italians in Libya, but its not likely to be Pulp. Its likely to
be grim and gritty, which is fine, but, well, not Pulp.
There are some real events that offer fertile ground, however. The North West Frontier of India was still ablaze with tribal risings, and the addition of aircraft and armoured
cars on one side, and magazine rifles on the other, actually gave an advantage to the tribesmen. The French were fighting in Morocco and Syria. The US fought a lot of little wars in
the Caribbean, mostly supporting their own fruit companies against the local peasants; of
course, the spin doctors turned that around!
Sensationalism was almost the watchword of the brash 1920's when it came to what
people were interested in. Indeed, it almost surpassed itself in the dreary, hopeless 1930's.
It was a time of much publicized heroes, like Lindberg, or the traveller (it was hard to be an
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explorer anymore) Richard Halliburton. Flyers were intent on establishing records of any and every kind. Gangsters hung out with
film stars, and vice versa. They wore $1000 suits in yellow silk,
and courted the press. Colonel Fawcett managed to get himself
lost (permanently) in the Amazon. The discovery of Tut-ankhamuns tomband the "curse" associated with itcaused a wave
of fascination with all things ancient Egyptian. Rudolph Valentino finished T.E. Lawrences work of making Bedouin Arabs fascinating to Westerners, in an exotic, unreal sort of way. The dinosaur hunter, Roy Chapman Andrews, managed to parlay his genuinely scientific expeditions into Mongolia into a money-making,
highly publicized enterprise. There were cameras everywhere.
There were movies everywhere too, and the fifteen year old kid
from Iowa could be excused if he wasnt sure why Tarzan of the Apes was not out there
looking for the missing Colonel Fawcett.
Now, this is "Pulp reality, where celebrity heroes and villains engage in things that
are dangerousoften pointlessly sofor public voyeurism. Everyone is bigger than life.
Some Pulp reality games might involve:
1) Sidney Reilly, the "Ace of Spies" on his expeditions into Red Russia to contact
White agents, and possibly making some dodgy deals of his own. Therell be sinister
Cheka agents in black leather, closed trains, and beautiful countesses who are silk-stockingdeep in intrigue.
2) Paul Dukes, more romantic than Reilly, rescuing the same Countesses at snowy
border-crossings, pursued by villainous Bolshevik guards who shoot badly.
3) Tough-but-decent Anglos (all heroes are Anglos; well get to that later) tackle
Latin American bandits, dictators and their minions, using only fists, forty-fives, and maybe
a battered seaplane.
4) An Egyptian tomb is protected against invaders by ancient sorcery.
5) Flashy gangsters shoot it out with the cops and G-men, using Tommy Guns and
fast sedans. They dont run laundry businesses
and numbers rackets like real hoods, because
thats too boring.
6) Roy Chapman Andrews fights
Chinese warlords, bandits, sandstorms and
possibly plagues of insects as he does his bit
for science, and brings back crates of dinosaur
bones.
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7 ) Decent, clean-living heroes find themselves embroiled with Nazi agents and their
sinister schemes. (Its really difficult to imagine Nazis having any other kind.)
8) A pilot crashes his experimental plane in some wilderness backwater, and must
overcome rough country, unfriendly locals, fierce animals and at least one broken leg to
reach safety.
Pure Entertainment. The next step on from "Pulp reality" is to
add those elements that, well, any fifteen year old would endorse.
Take a plot item from the list weve just looked at. Lets go with
Roy Chapman Andrews, who many have identified as "the real
Indiana Jones. Reading the excellent biography, Dragon Hunter,
it becomes clear that Andrews used neither whips nor dynamite as
key tools in excavation. He only shot one person, himself, accidentally, in the foot. His problems with the Chinese warlords were
mostly about having the right papers, and were solved with negotiations rather than gunfire. He was looking for fossils of many
kinds, most of which were not nearly as sensational as the newspapers made out. So, we ask ourselves
1) Why is there no gunfire? Shouldnt there be? What sort of bandits and warlords are these, anyway?
2) Why only fossilized dinosaurs? Arent there any live ones? This is Mongolia,
for Petes sake.
3) The expedition had been provided with expensive Dodge automobiles by the
manufacturer. Would it have hurt them to put some armour on the vehicles? And mount a
machine gun?
4) The Mad Baronthe insane Baron Von Ungern-Sternbergisnt involved.
Why not? Probably because hes already dead. Revise this awkward detail.
5) The Tomb of Genghis KhanBig Genghis K himself. He ought to be
involved. Revived, possibly. He added great charm to the 1994 movie of The Shadow.
6) Russian agents. Gotta have em. Red ones, White ones. Probably one of
them countesses, too!
7) Rival parties of archaeologists/palaeontologists (who can tell them apart,
anyway?). Possibly Germans. Probably involved in that occult stuff, for Hitler. I dont
care if its only 1922.
Great! So you can see, weve really improved this whole "researchers from a museum" thing into something youd want to read about in a 25 cent magazine with a lurid
cover.
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Pulp Heroes are the next step away from dreary reality. Ordinary heroes with powerful fists and Colt .45's are excellent in their own way, of course, but disguised vigilantes
with secret identities, and possibly secret hideouts are better still! Think of them as being
the forebears of superheroes, with capes and masks but without the spandex and the underpants worn outside.
1) The Shadow, hero of print, radio, and later on, the silver screen. Black fedora
and cape, blazing automatics, dead criminals. He has a vague but immensely powerful
ability to "cloud mens minds so that they cant see him.
2) The Spider is the next step on from the Shadow, a man
whose personal demons have pretty much taken over his crime
fighting efforts. Bob Murch suggests that he be regarded like a
random artillery round; he arrives through the skylight, blasts
everyone around him, then leaves again. In one issue of his
magazine, he leads a hobo army against the evil forces that have
taken over the USA.
3) The Phantom Detective is an urbane, society man who (donning the
little black mask) fights criminals. A bit dull, really, but he remained in print
for two decades.
Gaming any of these really just involves taking a gangster game and
adding a spectacularly effective hero figure, who can arrive and leave with incredible speed, shoots absurdly well, and apparently receives no wounds, ever.
No problem there.
4) Doc Savagethe Man of Bronzedoes without the disguise, but
(through training, exercise and really good genetics) has a mixture of superhuman skills and fantastic, self-invented gizmos. Doc also has a crack team
of five genius side kicks, whose main function is to need rescuing. They
communicate in "Ancient Mayan"wouldn't you?
Doc operates world-wide, so he is an adventure hero in every possible
setting. On a scale of 1-6, Doc rates a "9" or so in most skills, so once again,
he is disproportionately powerful. However, he seldom kills anyone, preferring to knock them out and send them toget this!his private reform institution in upstate New York. It has been pointed out, however, that Docs enemies frequently end up
dead in fortuitous accidents, so its not all trips to rehab.
5) "Operator 5" is Jimmy Christopher, an American secret agent who
is the key to defending the republic against the massive invasion of "The Purple Emperor, ruler of a strangely multi-ethnic, but savage, empire bent on
world domination. Managing to combine "Yellow Peril" paranoia, grand strategy and stupid headgear, while out in the real world were enemies that were
far more interesting than the Purple Empire.
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What little I have read in this series is more like a military/resistance theme than the
usual crime-fighting or defeating mad villains. If you like the idea of America being overrun by Asian Fascists (I mean "playing a game, not actually in real life) with a ridiculously
effective hero leading the resistance, this might work as a spin-off variant of WWII
skirmish gaming.
6) Heroes of the Air included G-8 (a fighter pilot/spy who,
with his two buddies, defeated the Germans in 1918), Dusty Ayres,
and the really bizarre Terrence X. OLeary and his War Birds. If
you think that air pulps should be relatively straight forward, with
machine guns and Immelman turns providing the excitement,
youd be wrong. In short order, there were the Kaisers zombies,
leaping Chinese villains, and incredibly hokey horror and Sci-Fi
elements. What you need here is a workable set of WWI dogfight
rules, with an addition of quite absurd horror and fantasy elements.
Once you have decided that Eastern assassins can, in fact, jump
from plane to plane with knives in their teeth, its just a question of
adding some extra rules. To counter this extra detail, you can ignore many of the real differences between plane types, as Pulp authors had little
concept of actual technical performance.
Pulp Fantastic! Beyond the realm of the masked and
unmasked heroes, who fight for good in the same world that we
inhabit (as long as we inhabit it in 1933), there is what will
come to be called "Science Fiction" and "Fantasy. This is
Buck Rogers (first seen in Amazing Stories in 1928, before he
hit the comic books), and Captain Future, who intersected with
the present day to save America (a lot) when a president who
seems very like Roosevelt calls on him. Pulp-era science fiction
is wonderful in its naivet, all bubble-helmet spacemen, babes in
brass bikinis, and monsters with huge staring eyes. Most of us
are familiar with various science fiction wargames, usually set
in techy worlds of "Hard SF or dystopian universes like Warhammer 40K. Pulp SF gamesand Im only imagining here
ought to have a playful, golly-wow feel to them, with amazing
(read "completely unconvincing") scientific discoveries, aliens that we of a later time would
simply laugh at, and a good deal of fist-fighting inside glass bubbles. You have to like that.
The other direction that the wonder pulps took was fantasy, a very mixed bag of
Robert E. Howards Conan and others, Edgar Rice Burroughs various worlds, oriental tales
and anything both horrific and too big to crawl out of a crypt (well get to that next). Fantasy wargaming flirted with the Conan-type of world in the 1970's, but somehow the savage
worlds of brawny barbarians were overwhelmed by the sub-Tolkien legions of elves and
Orcs. Time for a revival, by Crom!
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The "Shudder Pulps" were horror tales. At the literary
end, we have H.P. Lovecraft and his followers, with the welldeveloped world of the Cthulhu mythos. These have survived
and been built upon to form almost a genre in itself. At the other
end, its the grasping giant hands and bottle-blondes in baby-doll
nighties. (Not that theres anything wrong with that....)
Horror is quite hard to game because ...er... we arent
frightened. We all saw that monster come out of a box, and we
remember buying it at a toyshop and repainting it from the nasty
green plastic thing it was. My most successful horror games
have been "double blind" affairs where the players only saw
things when they jumped on their characters.
"Hard-Boiled" is pretty much the opposite to the
"wonder" pulps with their proto-SF stories. These are gritty
crime stories, aimed at an older audience, without zombies or
gripping green hands, and a fairly tight hand on the young
women in lingerie. Magazines such as Black Mask defined
the private eye/detective genre that we all immediately
connect with Bogart, trench coats and rainy nights in L.A.
Games in this genre will have a strong role-playing component, require few figures but lots of cars, small scenes of city
streets and deserted roads through canyons. Visibility is
shockingly poor at all times, and the protagonists may well
be drunk at any time of day. Snappy repartee is crucial. I
love this stuff!
Gaming Hard-Boiled Action is essentially a variant on
the historical gangster and cop sort of game. Obviously, the
Private Eye is essentially a lone wolf, and will need a certain amount of unfair advantage
to stay alive. He should be beaten up and left in alleys rather than killed. There will be
femmes fatale, occasional friendly cops, and villains who decide they like to have him
around. We dont know why.
The Yellow Peril and other Threats to Civilisation were
tremendously popular. The Victorian fear of Chinese domination (at
a time when China was as weak as it has ever been) extended into a
world of "Oriental" super villains, and their Chinatown minions. Fu
Manchu was copied as Wu Fang and Dr. Yen Sing. The Shadow and
The Spider found Eastern adversaries in many stories. Even
Hammett had to feature an Asian villain in The House on Turk St. In
response, there came a few Asian good guys like Charlie Chan and
Mr. Moto.
For gaming purposes, the Yellow Peril offers not only
traditional Chinoiserie, with sorcerers and assassins and men with
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really big fireworks, but a whole new generation of Tong gangsters, Eastern Science and a
real new enemy, Imperial Japan.
Western Adventure was a staple of the Pulps. This was a West that
somehow segued strangely between the 1870's and the present, so
that the whole USA west of the Mississippi featured cars, and radios,
and cowboys with six guns and Indians on the warpath. Many of the
cowboys sang, as well, and orchestras played from behind a large
cactus. My Editor, Patrick Wilson, of Oklahoma City, thinks this is
remarkable, as he recalls no rampaging Redskins during his 1950s
childhood, but I suspect hes just a few years too young. A variant of
the western is the North-West Romance, which features lone redcoated Mounties taking on mixed breed villains with bad French
accents. Apparently biracial parentage was a cause for criminal
behaviour in itself.
Theres all kinds of Western gunfight rules out there. A Pulp
version should simply feature more heroes shooting guns out of
villains hands, and sudden "Modernisms" like a car full of gangsters
taking on Sitting Bulls feather-bonneted hordes (who may appear
Italian or Mexican, as movie extras might).
The Un-Dead Arisen! Zombies, mummies and skeletons are
really central to the world of Pulp Horror. They were really ideal for
the silent cinema, of course. So, Pulp is an ideal opportunity to get
the skellies out. You really dont need an excuse.
Weird Science is at the core of so much Pulp. The period after WWI provides us
with a great deal of what we think of as the ordinary devices of the modern worldcars,
radios, working aircraftso, unlike the world of Victorian Adventure, you can buy a Ford
rather than rely on your crazy inventor uncle to build something wacky. However, the very
ordinariness of these things means that it takes an extra level of
scientific effort to impress us. When its the heroes doing it, its
"super science, with Doc Savages submarine, and the Spiders
planes, which are somehow better than normal. Theres not
much of the Tom Clancy tech-speak in Pulp; the writers dont
(cant?) explain very much in the way of engineering detail.
Villains, of course, rely on a more malign spirit of
massive devices designed to inflict death, and, of course,
conquer the world. Theres almost no limit to the scope of these
machines.
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SECTION I : SO, HOW D YA PLAY ASTOUNDING TALES?
Who knows what evil lurks within the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!
The Shadow Voice-over
We pretend that we are making a movie. We arent, of
course, but its a good way of staging the event rather
than saying Its like chess, but with toy soldiers and
complicated rules or Its an exact simulation of real
eventsyou know, the guff that has caused so many
miniatures games to reek of sheer dullness.
The game is played with a Directora Games
Masterwho sets up the Scene and decides who goes
when, according to whatever seems right at the time.
There are suggestions for doing this. Everyone will,
however, get equal amounts of time on camera. The
players are normally all on the same sideat least
notionallythough equally they may play opponents,
in the traditional wargaming fashion.
The Director will operate various minions,
underlings, walk-on parts and others; hell will try to
make sure that these bit-part actors dont steal the
limelight from the stars, unless he is annoyed with
their egos.
Most of the game mechanisms are based on rolling an ordinary six-sided die to score
equal-to-or-less-than a particular number; sometimes the idea is that one player has to roll
to hit and then his opponent rolls to save and so avoid the hits effectan oldie-butgoody rules system from the distant past of wargaming that keeps everyone involved. The
Director will give a voice-over of whats going on, asking the players So what do you do
now? and demanding instant reaction and movement. The Director will dictate that you
roll against STUNTS or SMARTS or whatever, and youd best do it and no arguing,
Buddy!
Its all about breathless, non-stop action, so we dont care for incidentals. Legendary
detective writer Raymond Chandlerwho began in Black Mask and Dime Detective
believed that plots move along by introducing more dead bodies, no apology or explanation
needed.
EXAMPLE: Director Bob decides that he wants to run a game called The Curse of the Lost
Golden Monkey (or, TCOTLGM, as you might). His friends Bill, Joe and Sue volunteer to
play, because, Dammit, its the right thing to do. They gather at Bobs crummy apartment
in a seedy part of town, bringing pints of cheap liquor and unfiltered cigarettes, dressed in
fedoras and shabby suits (well, maybe not Sue). They understand the deal; Bob will provide
an evenings entertainment, allowing their Characters to wade through other peoples blood
to an exciting climax of gunplay and smart quips, and theyll go along with it, for right now.
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WHATLL I NEED?
I needed a drink, I needed a lot of life insurance, I needed a vacation,
I needed a home in the country. What I had was a coat, a hat and a gun.
Raymond Chandler, Farewell My Lovely, 1940
First off, aside from the Director and playersanything from one poor sap to maybe
a dozen willing victimsyou are going to need Sets, Props, Characters, Villains and Supporting Cast.
Sets: A game table or board, with scenery, for each
Scene you intend to play out. For this kind of game
you dont always need whole big tables wide enough
to see for miles across the Arizona desert or African
veldt; a city scene might need a foot-square board
with a seedy alley behind a dingy diner and the back
of two warehouses, while a jungle path is really just
a track with a screen of trees on either side of it. A
loan sharks office requires just an officemaybe
only 2 x 3 bigwith a hallway and the hint that there might be stairs or an elevator to
leave by; you dont need to show the bookstore on the ground floor, the laundry across the
street, or the small-time accounting business upstairs that shares the washroom. Think
about how movie sets are constructed! You can build several quite small sets and place
them on the table as separate pieces; in the first reel the Scene is at the heros hotel in New
York, when the agents of Dr, Fu Manchu try to drug him and steal the diamonds. This set is
the size of a shoebox, and might, indeed, be converted from a shoebox. In the second
Scene we are in a Cairo market (2 x 2 square), and in the final reel we are in the ruins of
an ancient temple. All three sets are separate, but share space on the dining room table this
evening!
Props: These are exactly what youd expect, but in a world of miniature figures the
emphasis is on things that can be used by small peoplecars, boats, aircraftand fixtures
and fittings like furniture, crates and barrels, that sort of thing. We may have to imagine
diamond necklaces and letters in invisible ink,
since theyd be smaller than a pinhead in this scale.
I have collected die cast cars, plastic planes, boats
that cover a wide period, and various other bits and
bobs. Many of these are fairly generica kitchen
table is a kitchen tableand serve in different
times and places. Likewise a 1927 Ford, a rowing
boat or a small brown dogbut a butchers van advertising a shop in South London serves to show a
pretty exact time and place, along with the doubledecker bus full of un-dead Egyptians on its way to
Marble Arch.
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EXAMPLE: Director Bob looks through his collection of
models, deciding that he wants three sets for TCOTLGM.
He selects buildings, trees and other scenics that will allow
him to portray a New York office, a beach in Hawaii and a
jungle path in some imaginary China Seas locale. For props
he decides he needs some period cars, taxis, boats and a Ford
Tri-motor prop plane. The Lost Golden Monkey is a small
statuette, which may appear, or may simply remain, well,
lost. The players will be allowed, within reason, to pick their own cast, but Director Bob decides that the villains will be a cosmopolitan art dealer, a gangster and a chief of stone-age
head hunters.
Cast: These are the actual characters of the dramaheroes, heroines, trusty sidekicks,
dangerous dames, everyone who counts as a real
person. For each character, youll need a figure to
portray them (to really impress, have several
matching figures in evening wear, tropical garb and
regular clothes!). Again, I have gathered a group of
28mm scale figures that can be used in different
locales, because men in fedoras and women in
period day dress fit (more or less) across the globe.
Each player will have at least one character to call
their own, possibly with some others as friends, assistants, lieutenants, etc. Also included are any lesser characters that the Director may either
operate himself or hand over to the playersyou know, the amiable doorman, the drunken
reporter, the mechanic who sees things he shouldnt, the cop who never believes what anyone tells him.
The four basic Character Types are as follows:
Leading Roles (LRs)Since we are going with a movie motif, these are the
players own characters. Leading Roles are treated with special respect, and it is understood that they cannot be killed unless its an integraland previously agreedpart of the
plot. They can, of course, be taken prisoner, beaten up and slung in the trunks of Buicks.
They can make two Interruptions per scene (see the Interrupt Rules, pg 43). They can
re-roll when a GUTS check goes wrong. They always do exactly what the player wants,
although they take tests against Attributes as usual, and cannot be assumed to get absolutely
everything right.
Secondary Roles (SRs)The Leading Roles companions and sidekicks (the humorous, more inept types) operated by the players. They may have ratings as high or
higher than some LRs, but may not always do exactly as the player wishes. They take
GUTS checks, andmost importantlycan be killed off in the course of a game.
Bit Parts (BP)These are often simply promoted members of the Supporting
Castdrivers, beat cops, newsboys, etcbut they have the advantage of counting as charSecond Edition
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acters in combat, and enough HITS that they dont just fall over when a bullet wings em.
In a smaller scenario its likely that youll need these BPs rather than the masses of nameless, one-hit-to-kill Supporting Cast who populate the grand epic affairs.
The Supporting Cast (SC) are the lesser mortals of limited abilities, whose individual fates are of
minimal interest to us. Call em extras, minions, underlings, whatever. They can serve either as devoted
servants to the Charactersin the guise of cops, soldiers, rebels against tyrannyor as hoods, heavies,
and black-hats, the henchmen of evil. They have one
life to lose, which they do, easily, and simpler rules
and fewer abilities than the Characters. They tend to run around in bunches, and may represent quite a few more than are actually portrayed, because the union scale for extras means
the producers can only afford ten guys where the script calls for a regiment of Mexican soldiers. A player can control a fair number (10? 50?) of these figures, as we arent really
concerned about what happens to them individually.
EXAMPLE: Director Bob decides that he needs figures for his Characters and villains; often
its good to let players select from several models to pick their own personal figure. For extras he will provide New York cops, gangsters, some hokey Chinese and Japanese types for
the Hawaiian set, faced off with a U.S, naval shore party, and a collection of head hunters
for The Jungle Scene. He will have boxes of figures available for that surprise moment
when it becomes clear that the jungle island has a convention of castaway tourists/Nazi archaeologists/vile creatures from the deepest chasms (etc, etc) which somehow never featured
in the original plans.
Villains are those cast members who aregaspenemies of all that is decent; as such they
are controlled by the Director or by a player serving as Assistant Director. This is not the
same thing as when players compete against one another, since
the players are trying to win in a much more straightforward
manner; we might think that Colonel Rommel is a villain by
virtue of his being a German officer, but thats not necessarily
the case in the mind of the player controlling him. Besides,
everyone knows that Rommel is a Good German. Now, the
Gestapo operative watching over Rommels shoulder is clearly
a villain! The key thing about the villains in Astounding Tales!
is that they serve to further the plot, provide dramatic tension,
etc, but they are not intended to win at the end of the day. They
can have their moments of triumph, with much gloating, etc, but
in the final Scene, they must lose. If the Director cannot manage to make them loseif the players are either grotesquely
unlucky or incompetentthen a sequel must occur. Note that, though defeated, a good villain can often make a cunning exit to appear again in another place and time! Thats why
there are so many Fu Manchu books.
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CHARACTERS
Meet the sinister and mysterious
Dr. Satan-the worlds weirdest criminal.
Cover blurb from Weird Tales, August 1935
18
MAKING UP CHARACTERS
Sergeant Burt Moran was a tall man with hard flat features and eyes
that were cold and dull, like those of a snake. He was that comparatively
rare thing among cops, a man equally hated by crooks and his fellow officers. Operators on both sides of the law forgot their differences and came
to agreement on one point at least: that Moran was a heel by any or all
standards.
William P. McGivern, Death Comes Gift-Wrapped, 1948
1) Rolling Up A Character
If you want to just make up a character randomly, roll 8 D6. For every
set of 1 and 6 that come upthats both a 1 and a 6read them as
2 and 5. Take the best six of the eight dice results and assign them to the
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Attributes you wish, depending on the kind of character you have in mind. For every 6
rolled (whether you modified it or not), roll on the SKILLS Table. The only thing to ensure
is that HITS is at least 3, and should generally be close to FISTS in level, because people
with tuberculosis seldom hit like Joe Louis. Female characters cannot have FISTS above 4
(although Amazon Queens or other characters approved by the Director might). Indeed,
Female characters can use their own SKILLS Tables (below).
2) Buying Attributes
A basic character has all stats of 2. From this base, you may purchase higher
Attributes and SKILLS. Bit Parts and Supporting Cast (punks, conscripts, civilians, etc)
cost $25 and all Attributes set at 2.
Leading Role
$400
$20
Secondary Role
$200
$10
Bit Part
$100
$10
Supporting Cast
$50
$5
$50
$25
$20
$10
$100
$50
$40
N/A
$200
$100
N/A
N/A
Only Leading and Secondary Roles may use the SKILLS Table. Leading Roles pay
$50 for each roll made on the SKILLS it, and Secondary Roles pay $25 per roll. These
characters may choose specific SKILLS from the Table, but must pay twice the random
rate.
If a player rolls a SKILL he doesnt want, he
may roll 1 D6: 1-3= He must keep the skill rolled; 46= He may roll again, but pay an additional $25. The
player may continue to roll until he gets what he likes,
but must pay every time, like it or not!
Example: Bob rolls GUN SHY for his torpedo.
Not wanting to have one of his best figures
flinching every time hes shot at, Bob rolls to
see if he can get another chancehe rolls a 5,
and pays an additional $25. He rolls GIMPY,
and doesnt like the improvement. He opts to
roll again, and comes up a 4, so he pays $25
more, and rolls up NOT IN THE FACE! At this
point, he decides to give up and keep this one.
The character figure has cost an additional $50
and not got any better!
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Cost
$225
Fists
4
Gats Guts
4
4
Stunts
2
Smarts
4
Hits
5
Skills
2 Chosen Skills
Accountant
$110
Gun Moll
$140
Torpedo
$325
Enforcer
$225
Hoodlum
$100
Slugger
$45
No special skills
Punk
$25
No special skills
Equipment Costs
Item
Tommy Gun
Browning Automatic Rifle
(BAR)
Pump Action Shotgun
Cost
$200
$300
Item
Fancy automobile
Grenades
$75
Pistol
$50
$200
Hand-to-hand weapon
Cost
$500
$25 each
One free to GATS 3+
figures; others $20
Free
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He decides that his Boss Jimmy The Nose ODonnell is a scrapper, so allocates his
dice as follows. He chooses REAL SCARY and BRUTAL CHAMP, spends his extra $25 on a
rolled skill, and gets SHOTGUNNER.
Name
Jimmy
The Nose
ODonnell
Free
Double-barrelled
Shotgun
$50
Skills
Real Scary
Brutal Champ
Shotgunner
Name
Accountant
$110
Skills
Accountancy
Every Mob Boss worth his salt needs a Gun Moll, so Sally Mae is bought off the rack
and upgraded. He specifically chooses CRACK SHOT and selects HELL CAT from the two
choices given to Gun Molls.
Name
Sally Mae
$240
Pistol
Free
Skills
Hell Cat
Crack Shot
Hed like to buy a Torpedo for his gang, but hes already spent $400 on his command
structure. Instead he buys an Enforcer as his heavy. He rolls well on his skills!
Name
Cost
Fists
Gats
Guts
Saul
The Gat
$225
Pistol
2nd pistol
Tommy
Gun
Free
$20
$100
Stunts Smarts
4
Hits
Skills
Two Gun
Kid
Tommy
Gunner
Name
Giorgio The Shiv
Pistol
Knife
Guido Fists
Pistol
Brass knuckles
Brutal Champ
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Name
Tommy
Baseball bat
Billy
Switchblade
knife
$25
Free
$25
Free
Skills
Bob has spent a grand total of $995, and is ready to control his part of town.
SKILLS
I learned much of the secrets of make-up from a clown named Ricki. To the graveeyed man with the long black burnsides who traveled with the show under the name of Don
Avigne, I am indebted for knowledge that has made the knife one of the deadliest weapons
in my hands. Then there was Professor Gabby, who taught me the principles of ventriloquism---while I was hanging around the circus I won the confidence of Marko the Magician
----
Calling the Ghost,
The Ghost Super-Detective, 1940
As weve said, for every 6 rolled in creating your character, you get to roll on the
SKILLS Table. You may want to pick these skills, but its more fun to roll 2 D6, reading
one as tens and the other as units.
Skills Table
2 D6 Roll
Skill
11
Bomber
Can take a second Flick when throwing Grenades (page 34) if the
first lands off target. (Must Re-flick from original starting point.)
12
Pick
Pocket
13
Description
Brutal Champ +1 FISTS when hes in a public place and people are watching.
14
Acrobat
15
Cold
Blooded
COLD BLOODED--Always fires an extra round to ensure that an opponent is down for good. If adjacent to a downed figure for a full
round that figure automatically takes an additional 6 wound on the
appropriate table. Character is not influenced by FEMMES FATALE, REAL CHARMERS, SCARY, and rolls again if another
SKILL would be NOT IN THE FACE!
16
Crazy
Inventor
21
Drunk/
Addict
23
22
Fast
23
Flashing Blade
24
Call Me
Sherlock
25
Gullible
If told anything during a Scene by a Friend, he will believe it after failing a SMARTS -1 test. As soon as the truth is demonstrated--anytime,
anywhere--he cannot be fooled again by the same character for the rest
of the scenario.
26
Gun Shy
31
Hothead
32
Just Nuts
33
Lucky Cuss
34
35
Mean Drunk
+1 to FISTS and GUTS, but -2 to GATS when hes got a skin full
(Directors call).
36
Tongue Tied
41
42
Cracksman
43
Martial Arts
44
Pineapple Man
45
Exquisite Manners
46
A Real Charmer
51
Scary
52
Shotgunner
53
Snappy Dresser
54
Spunky Kid
55
Squeamish
56
Tommy Gunner
2 re-rolls per scene, but only for actions by or against himself directly.
+1 to SERIOUS BUSINESS when using a knife, and +1 GATS when
throwing a knife.
24
61
Tough SOB/Broad
62
Two-Gun Kid
63
Wheel Man
64
Boxer
65
Crack Shot
66
Gimpy
Female Characters
Some of the standard Special Skills dont work too well with
female characters, or at the very least some need rewording.
TOUGH SOB becomes TOUGH BROAD, for instance. Females
also have a variety of qualities specific to their gender. In the Pulp
world, women are either Good Girls or Bad Girls. Decide
which your character is. For the characters first SKILL, roll a D6,
either as a Good or Bad Girl. For the second and subsequent
SKILL, you may choose whether to roll on the same chart, or on the
standard SKILLS Table. If the result seems absurd, try again.
Skill
Description
Femme
Fatale
Character may make three attempts to control one or more male characters per scenario. The intended victim tests SMARTS. If he passes, he cannot be tested again. If he fails, he must do what she wants him to do
(subject to Directors approval). Femmes Fatale are automatically COLD
BLOODED and REAL CHARMERS.
Hell Cat
Two
Faced
Shows all the attributes of NICE GIRL (see other table) and lasts until she
commits some obviously wicked act when he will test SMARTS to see if the
fooled party finds her out.
Mimic
Can impersonate any voice on the phone or otherwise when out of sight.
Hearer must test against SMARTS to recognize being tricked.
Vamp
She can attempt to make any one man become A SUCKER FOR A DAME.
This will work on a roll of 1-3, and if it works, it lasts until she is found to
commit some wicked act when he will test SMARTS to see through her deception.
Sweet
Talker
25
NOTE: Some SKILLS referred to below are found under rules for COMIC CHARACTERS (below).
Skill
Feminine
Intuition
Once per scene the character may have a free Interrupt by making
any male character back up and repeat an Actionbut she gets to Act
first!
Doll Face
All men become TONGUE TIED and CLUMSY in her presence until
actual violence breaks out. She is also a REAL CHARMER.
Nice
Girl
Description
Friendly characters must always tell the truth and cannot break any
laws, promises, or confidences in her presence. Opponents 1 to GATS
and FISTS against her.
Ingnue
-1 to her SMARTS when being persuaded or conned until deception becomes clear, the +1 on any roll that helps her get revenge.
Heroine
Scream
Can choose to scream at times of crisis, summoning friendly male characters within 24 who must make a free RUNNING move to reach her
side, and will continue until reaching her in as few turns as possible.
COMIC CHARACTERS
These can be either Leading Roles or Secondary
Roles. The Director may assign one or more to any characters, or one may be claimed by any player with the
Directors approval.
These are SKILLS (and nowhere is that term more
out of place) primarily for Sidekicks. Since they are all
negative to some degree, whenever the player rolls a 6
while creating this character, he must pick from the list below. Note that the Director reserves the right to assign one
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or more of these SKILLS as part of his scenario.
BraggartClaims skills he may not actually have. "Sure I can fly a plane/drive a car/
operate a submarine/ make a fire without matches/etc." Players may believe him or not-they havent seen his Profile.
Wrong-way CorriganNo sense of direction. If he goes to get help (for example), or
does anything relating to direction, test his SMARTS -2. If he fails, randomly determine
the direction he will take or indicateso long as its wrong!
"Errant Knight"The character will accept such challenges as to "Throw down your gun
and fight like a man!," or similar acts of ill-considered chivalry if challenged. Test versus
SMARTS -2.
Totally Oblivious--Subtract 2 from the character's SMARTS whenever his observation
skills are needed.
"Stutters"--Can't relay information for a turn after any exciting activity or narrow escape
(Directors call).
Unlucky--Director or opponent may demand this character re-roll one successful (but nonfatal) die roll per scene in the hope of failure.
BaffledConfused character must spend an Action simply reacting whenever a new element appears in a scenario.
Clumsy (Character must have STUNTS of 3 or less)Director or opponent may demand
STUNTS test once a scene for tripping, dropping things, etc.
Technically IneptWhen working with any sort of technology, a failed roll leads to the
worst possible (non-fatal) outcome (What do you mean the bomb's timer sped up?!)
Absentminded Professor--Curious about everything to the
point of ignoring the business at hand. Always wandering off
chasing a rare butterfly, poking around the mysterious but very
dangerous equipment to see how it works, always touching the
"Wet Paint" sign to see if it is, etc.
A Sucker For A DameWill let any woman talk her way out
of the room, get him to put down his weapon, remove her handcuffs, etc, if he fails a SMARTS -1 test.
Ugly MugWomen and children test GUTS on first sight.
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Director Bill now starts to provide his players with their characters for his scenario.
He chooses not to buy his characters, but to roll them up, so he rolls the necessary dice before he decides what sort of characters he has.
For the first, he rolls 4, 3, 3, 5, 6, 6, 1, 2. The 1 and one of the 6s
modify to a 2 and a 5, as per the rules, so the dice read, in order, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 5,
5, 6. Since only six Attributes are necessary, he can ditch both of the low 2s. The pair
of sixes means two rolls on the SKILLS TABLE. These result in CALL ME SHERLOCK and
LUCKY CUSS, leading him to create as a Primary Character Private Eye Pug Roscoe.
Thus, he decides being able to fight and to figure things out are both necessary, so this is the
resulting Profile.
FISTS
GATS
GUTS
STUNTS SMARTS
HITS
SKILLS
5
He is armed with a .45 automatic and a lead-filled sap. He asks for a seaplane, which
would be useful but not the sort of thing that a PI can expect to have. The Director denies
this, but allows him a roadster for the New York Scene.
In contrast, Sue decides that she will be the Countess DOrdonza (born Millie
Schwarz), an adventuress desired by millionaires and wanted by authorities from Kowloon
to Kansas Citydecidedly a Bad Girl. So shell be looking to place her dice to fit this Primary Role. She rolls 2, 3, 2, 6, 5, 4, 4, & 6 giving her two SKILLS. She rolls
up FEMME FATALE and HELL CAT and ditches her pair of twos. She then sets up her list
as follows:
FISTS
GATS
GUTS
STUNTS
SMARTS
HITS
SKILLS
She tells Director Bob that she carries a small automatic pistol and a stiletto, which
he accepts, and a vial of arsenic, which he denies. You cant allow just anyone to have a convenient poison in her purse!
The third player, Joe, decides on an international playboy Character, Race Kennedy.
His profile sets up this way: He claims a silver-plated revolver, a Duesenberg touring car,
and the seaplane that Bill was refused. All this seems reasonable to Director Bob.
FISTS
GATS
GUTS
STUNTS SMARTS
6
HITS
SKILLS
Wheel Man
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SECTION II : CAMERA! ACTION!
31
competitive exercise.
The simplest way is to alternate turns on the I-go-U-go
principle. If there are several players, simply go round. A variant on this that I like in multi-player games is for the current
player to decide who will go next, until all have gone (and
theyre not likely to pick anyone they are actually fighting themselves). Then the nominated player can begin moving while the
current player finishes his turn.
A more interesting method is The AMAZING WIZZO
CARD SEQUENCE
MoveEither creeping, walking or running. You can shoot, but not well
STUNTLeap through a window, climb into a car, draw a gun, that sort of
thing.
Talk big, crack wise, make threats. Real tough guys can give The Look (see
GUTS)
You can do these things in any order you like, as long as it makes senseyou cant
slug someone with a bat and aim a pistol at the same time. And if you run into somebody on
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your second Action, well let you hit him for freewere swell guys that way.
If you dont want to act right now, you can HOLD up to two cards, to play when you
need. You use a Hold Card to interrupt another players turn with one Action of your own.
If he has a Hold Card, he can interrupt your interrupt. If you play a second Hold Card, you
trump him and go first! Hot Damn!
The first jokers just a warning; when the second joker comes up, the turn ends and all
Hold Cards are thrown in unused. This means that no players can ever estimate exactly how
the cards will fall. The deck is reshuffled and a new turn begins.
If the second joker comes straight after the first, sirens are sounded. In the next turn
all figures must be off the board before the first joker comes up, and hordes of cops arrest
everyone without a badge.
Civlians: When your 10 comes up, make one Action for all civilian figures. You
cannot use them to help criminals, but you can order them to Hand over the money or get
in the way of other criminal groups. Optionally, you can roll vs. GUTS once for the bravest
citizen to see if they try to fight back, and if they do, for all the other Civilians. From then
on, they will attack the villains in question, although most will be unarmed.
Hidden Characters: These will be revealed if they move out of cover, make loud noises, or
are spotted by enemies listening and watching for them. Use common sense about this.
Note that if you are playing with a Director, you can use the Amazing Wizzo Card
Sequence but that it makes sense to let him run all civilians, hidden traps and tomcats
knocking over garbage cans.
Keep it loose, keep it fast, dont sweat the details.
MOVEMENT
Sprawled on my belly, one of Goosenecks guns in each hand, I wormed my
head over the edge. On all fours, the Englishman was scrambling out of the
way of the car.
Dashiell Hammett, The Golden Horseshoe 1924
Legging It On Foot
Characters moving on foot can do one of these things in any given
Action:
1. Creep up to 2; they may not be detected by nearby opponents
who fail SMARTS (modify for darkness, etc)
2. Walk 4; they can shoot at same time, possibly well.
3. Run 4 + 1 D6; they can shoot but dont expect to score any
hits.
4. Lose distance for crossing rough ground or significant obstacles. More minor
stuff we wont worry about.
EXAMPLE: Pug Roscoe is creeping up the stairs to Lardaches penthouse at 2 per Action.
At one point there is a mop and bucket cunningly placed on the stairs, counting as an obstacle (1/2 speed that Action). There is a gangster standing guard at the top of the stairway,
who may not notice the PI (test vs SMARTS).
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Pounding Hooves Horseback Riding
1. 6 per Action at the walk
2. 9 at the trot, lose 1D6 for rough ground
3. 12 at the gallop, no movement over rough groundif you do,
lose 1 D6 and test vs STUNTS to see if you take a fall. If you do, count
it as if you were wounded in the usual way (see Wounded Characters).
4. You can make up rules for dog-sleds, pack camels and amazing
zippy inventions as suits your taste.
5. Supporting Cast move as groups, so where there is a die roll, it
counts for the whole group rather than roll for each figure. We really
arent much concerned about them.
WEAPONRY ( For the fully dressed man.)
Roscoe. Chopper. Barking Iron. Betsy. Bean
Shooter. Cannon. Heater. Rod. Chicago Piano.
Almost as many monikers as there were types,
Firearms are the one indispensable item in the hands
of any Pulp character. But Astounding Tales! wont
give you a lecture on their history or designjust a
down and dirty means to find out if the Mug at the
business end of your piece will be around for the
next chapter after you drop the hammer.
The following table lists all you really need to
know about the types of weapons youll most commonly meet up with, or carry under that topcoat.
Weapons Data
WEAPON
RANGES
Number Of
Dice Per Shot
SPECIAL MODIFIERS
Short
Long
Pistol
24
None
12
Broom Handle
Mauser
12
Shotgun
18
3 per barrel
Tommy Gun
24
Carbine
12
36
None
Rifle
12
48
None
BAR*
12
48
12
48
12
48
15
-4 to GATS (no modifier if on Tripod)
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34
Grenade
12
Bow
12
Javelin/Rock/etc
12
None
Amazing Scientific
Weapons
*= Inaccurate, but scary as all hell. If you score a miss, but still equal to or less than your basic
GATS, the target must react as if hit but not woundedducking for cover, hitting the dirtand
misses one Action next turn recovering. JAMS: Any Automatic Weapon that scores more 6s
than 1s and 2sin one burst Jams. Roll of 1-3 in the next turn clears it. If twice as many 6s
rolled as 1s and 2s, its Jammed for the rest of the Action.
35
Bullwhip is essentially a short-range missile weapon with special properties. Range
is 3. Roll versus GATS to hit. Prior to attacking, the Whip-master must indicated if he
purpose is to Injure, Disarm or Entangle the victim. If he hits, use the appropriate rule, below.
Snipers
36
Snipers must have the CRACK SHOT skill. They must take an aiming position for a
full turn before pulling the trigger. They then roll to hit and roll to find out whether the target has been hit. If the sniper fails to hit, he can declare that he isnt pulling the trigger, and
no shot is fired. He remains in position, and can try again on a second or subsequent action.
If he scores a hit, he then rolls on the Lead Poisoning Table, adding 1 CRACK SHOT
and another 1 for the Aimed shot. This means hes got a gosh-darned good chance of
killing his victim. Which is what wed expect!
SHOOTING
I dont like twenty-twos. When I
put a hole in a guy I dont embarrass
half a dozen doctors who try to find it.
My motto is: There isnt much sense in
shooting the same guy over and over.
Carroll John Daly, Just Another Stiff, 1936
Shooting Modifiers
Aimed Fire (took a full Action first) for single pistol, rifle, carbine, and bow shots ONLY. +1 to GATS
Firing while moving / long range / poor light / target in light cover or lying down
-1 to GATS
Firing while running / bad light / hard cover/ shooter drunk / running or flying target
-2 to GATS
target rolls on the Lead Poisoning Table to see if he is either killed, wounded, scared
away, or simply dodges out of the line of fire. In other words, I roll to hit you, you roll
and hope the bullet went through your hat.
You get one shot per Action with revolvers and rifles, more if you are Blazing
Away with a pistol, or spraying lead with a Tommy Gun, shotgun, etc. For each D6 indicated by Dice-per-Shot on the Weapons Data Table, roll against the shooters GATS, applying the appropriate Shooting Modifiers. If he passes, the target will roll on the Lead
Poisoning Table for effect.
If modifiers take the shooters GATS to 0, the shooter can roll again, but this time
he must get a 1. If so, he will roll a straight D6 against his original GATS, and if this roll
is successful, the target is still in trouble.
Any modified GATS below 0 and ya got no chance at all. Fair nuff?
EXAMPLE: Kennedy shoots at a gangster who tries to block his car. The Director rules that
he counts 1 for firing while moving, and another 1 because the gangster just emerged from
the shadows. So Kennedy rolls against his GATS of 3 with a -2, so he needs a 1 to hit.
Damn! Whod a thunk that shooting while driving at breakneck speed would be so hard?
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For each hit, roll 1 D6 and apply the appropriate modifiers (if any).
-1
+1
+2
Stopping PowerIm not terribly interested in ballistics and muzzle velocity, but
its obvious that blazing .45s are more effective than the little pistol you keep in your sock.
A wide group of firearms from adult-sized pistols through bolt action military rifles are
counted as the base, standard type. Small calibre weapons and bows cause less actual
damage than standard weapons, and big honkin guns are more likely to blow huge holes in
the victimas youd expect.
Wounds add up. Of course, rolling more than a characters HITS means hes
killedor at least badly hurt and facing months in bandages at a secret clinic in Switzerland.
Supporting Cast having HITS of only 1 are assumed
killed or otherwise out of action on a roll of 4-6.
EXAMPLE: Back to Kennedys shooting. He scores a lucky
1, and his target, a nameless palooka rated as a Bit Part at
3 for all Attributes, rolls on the Lead Poisoning Table. He
gets a 4,and is lightly wounded. If he were Supporting Cast
instead, hed have been killed off, no questions asked.
Try Harder!
2, 3
Near Miss!
Light Wound
Wound
Blam!
If you aint dead, buddy, youre close: Lose 4 HITS, 3 FISTS, 2 GATS,
2 GUTS. Move at 1/2 speed if you have 2 HITS left, otherwise you are
prone on the pavement.
OPTIONAL RULE for shooting at large and powerful targets: Roll 1 D6,
and a 5 or 6 is an automatic kill. Even on a Tyrannosaurus rex.
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Location
Light Wound
(Previous roll of 4 On Lead
Poisoning Table)
1 HITS, 1 FISTS,
No running
Serious Wound
(Previous roll of 5 On
Lead Poisoning Table)
2 HITS, 2 FISTS,
1 GATS, speed
Left leg
Right leg
1 HITS, 1 FISTS,
no running
2 HITS, 2 FISTS, 1
GATS, speed
Left arm
1 HITS, 2 FISTS
1 GATS w/ long arm
2 HITS, 3 FISTS,
1 GATS
Right arm
1 HITS, 2 FISTS
1 GATS
2 HITS, 3 FISTS,
2 GATS
Body
1 HITS, 1FISTS
2 HITS, 2 FISTS,
1 GATS
Head
1 HITS, 1FISTS
2 HITS, 2 FISTS,
1 GATS
Bad News
(Previous roll of 6 On
Lead Poisoning Table)
4 HITS, 3 FISTS, 2
GATS, 2 GUTS
No movement
4 HITS, 3 FISTS, 2
GATS, 2 GUTS,
No movement
3 HITS, 4 FISTS, 2
GATS, 2 GUTS,
speed
3 HITS, 4 FISTS, 2
GATS, 2 GUTS,
speed
4 HITS, 4 FISTS, 2
GATS, 2 GUTS,
speed
5 HITS, 5 FISTS, 3
GATS, 3 GUTS,
No movement
Body Armour, by which I mean bullet proof vests, and tin helmets of the military
sort. This can only be used with the optional Wound Location Chart. A hit on a protected
area is reduced by 2 points on the die roll (e.g. a 5 becomes 3) but a natural 6 remains a 6. If you want to count padded leathers of the pilot/motorbike variety as armour,
it reduces hits by 1 point, but only in hand to hand combat. Guns shoot right through
leather.
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First off, although you may get two or three
Actions per turn, once you are in a fight, it takes
up the rest of the turn.
Second, there are two Fighting Styles with
important differences, each with its own Results
Table (below). When a fight begins, the players
must tell the Director which Table they mean to
use. Frequently, the Bad Guys will not give you
the choice and youll have to face em on their
terms. Once youve chosen your Fighting Style,
you cant go to another in the same battle.
There are also three general fight
circumstances:
1) Leading & Secondary Roles versus Each Other: Match figures one-on-one.
The attacker can add extra figures to outnumber his opponent where possible. You can
have up to 4-1 odds, but only when all other opponents have at least 2:1 to keep them
busyyou cant just leave enemies hanging around!
An attacker rolls vs. FISTS to hit his opponent. If he succeeds, the opponent
attempts to parry/dodge by testing against his own FISTS. NOTE: A roll of 5 or 6 on
the parry attempt is always a failureeven if your FISTS is 6. Thats because youd never
get hit at all, otherwise. Results:
PassHe dodges the blow. Laughs at his
opponents ineptitude.
FailHit! Roll for effect on the Fighting
Results Table in use.
2) Leading & Secondary Roles versus
Supporting Cast: This is exactly the same, except that
if a character fails to hit his opponent, the other guy
doesnt hit back. Once hit, Supporting Cast are
assumed killed, knocked out, or otherwise out of the
scene. A character who lays out one minion can try to
hit the next one right now, and then, if hes lucky, the
one after that. In theory, Pug Roscoe can beat up a
whole caf full of thugs in one round of combat.
3) Supporting Cast versus Supporting Cast: Yeah, the minions of both sides
Brawling. Just roll for both groups at the same time, 1 D6 per figure involved. Lets say
we have 12 Americans vs.12 minions of the Purple Emperor. If the Purple Minions get 4
hits vs. FISTS, and the brave American resistance get 6, then roll 6 saves for the minions
and 4 for the Yankees. Loser checks GUTS as a group (look this up in the next section, Ok,
Buddy?). If they pass, fight goes on.
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Brawling Table
D6 Roll
1.2
3.4
5
6
Result
Effect
Ouch!
Youll pay for that, Buddy! (No real effect)
Knocked Down Lose 1 HITS, 1 FISTSGet up and fight next turn
Decked!
Down for all of next turn, get up the turn after. Lose 2 FISTS & 2 HITS
Knocked Cold! Lose 3 FISTS, 3 HITS, and wake up in Jail/Hospital/Alley next day.
Will recover fully, dont worry. Its a rule.
Only villains of the worst kind fight women, unless to slap them into a swoon, so
rolls of 5 or 6 count as a Knocked Down, though they can instantly be tied up. This
happens a lot. Im not for it myself, you comprehend, Im just sayin.
EXAMPLE: The Countess finds herself faced with an ugly gunsel who wants to seize her by
the wrists. Its her Action, so she rolls vs. FISTS (3, but being a HELL CAT, she can add 2,
raising her FISTS to a ferocious 5. She rolls a 4and her fist is hurtling home! Probably
wishing hed listened to Dad about not hitting a girl, the ugly gunsel rolls against FISTS
(hes a 4) and fails with a 6. Because the Director made him a Bit Part rather than a lowly
Supporting Cast minion, he rolls again: A 3, and hes Knocked Down and loses 1 HITS
& 1 FISTS.
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Result
Scratched
2, 3
4,5
Light Wound
Serious Wound
Critical Wound
(If you aint dead,
youre damned
lucky!)
Effect
Got a blood stain on your hand painted silk tie (no effect)
Lose 1 HITS and 1 FISTS
Lose 2 HITS, 2 FISTS, and 1 GATS
Lose 4 HITS, 3 FISTS, 2 GATS, & 2 GUTS. Move at 1/2 speed if you
have 2 HITS left, otherwise you are prone on the pavement. Again,
rolling more than your HITS score means you are killed or at least
badly hurt (If hes not in action, hes in traction).
1) If the attacker fails when he tries to hit a Leading Role, the LR immediately
makes his own attack.
2) If a character faces up to four opponents, all can roll to hit.
This is pretty subjective. This is fisticuffs and dirty fighting, after all, not Roman
Legionaries facing a Macedonian Phalanx! Likewise, people who are used to fighting on
horseback count as Cavalry and get a +1 (+2 if they charged into the fight this turn), but
you or I would get no advantage from being on board a horse. Well, I wouldnt.
GUTS Bravery
No, Operator 5! Dont kill me. I can give you anything you want. I
can give you a thousand a million slaves. I can make you a prince in Europe
or Asia, or even a king. I will give you anything
His voice died away before the implacable coldness in Operator 5s
eyes. He gurgled and a low moan escaped his lips.
Curtis Steele, The Siege That Brought The Black Death, 1938
Heroes are supposed to be brave. Punks are supposed to break down when the going
gets tough. How do we know when these things happen? Roll vs. GUTS when the
Director says sowhen things look bad one way or another. This doesnt have to be
a frequent thing; Pulp-era heroes are supposed to be brave, possibly because theyve been
drinking since dawn. Particularly terrifying things can be stated as GUTS -1, GUTS 2, etc, these being as often in the line of Oriental demons, wailing banshees or giant
robotic killing machines as merely Surrounded by the FBI or other minor problems.
Leading Roles may choose to re-roll a failed GUTS check. If the second roll is a
failure as well, it stands. Tough.
Pass Carry on smiling. Possibly light a
cigarette or pour a Martini.
Fail Gasp in horror, cant move
forward, but continue at -2 from all ratings
until you roll and pass GUTS as an Action on the
next turn and Get a grip, Man. Maybe.
Fail by 3+ PointsRun screaming out of
the Scene. Director may replace this by fainting
(if female) or dying of fright with a terrible
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expression fixed on your face (people with no future in this story!)
Many Weird Horror monsters use Fear as a primary weapon. Nazi officers, too!
EXAMPLE: Pug Roscoe has already been wounded, and is attacked by three gangsters and
a very large German Shepherd! Roll for GUTS? I think so! Hes a 5. Director Bob thinks
the dog is worth a 2 because this one aint Rin Tin Tin! Pug rolls a 6 and failsbadly.
Hes a Leading Roll, so he can roll againand gets another 6. He runs down the street,
leaps a trashcan, and falls white-faced into McGinnis Speakeasy.
The Evil EyeKnown among gangsters as The Look, this is a simple intimidation device. A character with this ability can stare as his or her victim, causing it to take a
GUTS-2 test, so terrifying is the effect. Of course, the user must be standing still and
doing nothing else. Range is 6, possibly less for short-sighted targets without their
glasses on.
GET A GRIP!
The man looked around him and shuddered his face
drenched with sweat, eyes wide with pure terror. He
opened the cabinet door and peered into the murky
interior. Finally, still sobbing, he snapped out the
light and walked out of the office.
Hugh B. Cave, The Lady Who Left Her Coffin, 1936
Those that have failed a GUTS test can try to regain their manhood by testing vs. GUTS -2 as an Action on their next turn. If they
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pass, return to normal GUTS rating. Leading Roles can volunteer to do this, though on subsequent turns they will have to be slapped by another Character in order to make the roll.
Continued failure leads to sanatoriums, cheap whisky and a bad end.
EXAMPLE: Having just failed GUTS, Roscoe staggers into the speakeasy, orders a rye with,
beer chaser, and throws them back. He rolls against his GUTS 5, minus 2 for his panic.
Rolling a 2, he Gets a Grip, and runs back into the street, rod at the ready.
In each Scene the player may call Cut! oncewith the Directors
approval. This means that the immediate preceding Action turn is played
over. If the new turn is clearly more successful for the player, the Director
may even allow it to be done again.
EXAMPLE: Player Bill decides that the whole Roscoe runs away from a
yapping pooch scene is not what he wants at allso he asks the Director
to Cut! and play it again. He wants the dog edited out completely! The
unfortunate savage dog scene occurred on the Directors turn, rather than
Bills. The Director has to decide whether going back will cause too much extra footage to be
re-shot, and other events altered. If the cut would involve a lot of changes, the Director
could refuse to do it, or simply say that Bill had to play the scene as it was, but re-roll the
unfortunate GUTS check that caused him to run. In this case he agrees with Bill, and the
game returns to the moment where Pug Roscoe faces the gangsters, but no dog.
A character may demand to interrupt the opponents turn to, say, shoot a pistol at a
man attacking himself or a friend, or jump in to punch a goon, or even to run from the vast
mobs of henchmen running up the fire escape. A Leading Role is allowed two interrupts
per scene, a Secondary Role only one. He is then permitted a single Action (shoot, run,
hide or whatever seems right at the moment). The only
time this isnt allowed is when he is somehow not as
alert as he should bewhen he is recovering from a
near-miss shot, or has just been hit by bullets, fists, etc,
and taken a wound, or ifsay it aint sohes failed a
GUTS test and is having a yellow moment.
Bit Parts and Supporting Cast may not interrupt
with the same devil-may-care panache, but if the player
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gives up an Action on his previous turn to prepare an ambush, lay in wait, or Cover the
alley, the Director may allow him to take one Action to interrupt another players turn at
the requisite point, though it has to fit the plot. Again, men who have failed GUTS, just
dodged a bullet. or been punched in the kisser arent ready for their big moment. If you
have a couple of pugs stationed waiting outside Moose Malones apartment for him to come
out, you cant use the interrupt function to have them run down a flight of stairs when
Mooses girlfriend toots the horn of her De Soto outside. Make sense?
EXAMPLE: As the gangsters and the hugedid I say it was huge?dog rush towards Pug
Roscoe, the Countess chooses to interrupt by firing her small, silver-plated automatic at the
gangsters. She fires three times (Blazing Away) at 2 to her GATS of 5. She hits two of
them and causes a third to dive for cover. She doesnt shoot at the dog, because that would
be wrong. However, Race Kennedy also interrupts, swerving his Duesenberg into the alley,
throwing open the door, and allowing Roscoe to dive into the back seat. Phew!
45
Everyone gets tied up at some time. Villains tie heroes up and take them to bizarre
underground hideouts. Heroes tie minor villains up because you cant gun down everyone
you meet and still be a hero. Attractive women can expect constant rope burns on their
wrists and ankles. Im not saying this is OK, you understand, far from it; Im just telling
you how the genre operates. So.
1) Tying a victim loosely, so they can free themselves easily,
takes one Action. They can free themselves in two Actions, or for
their whole turn.
2) Tying a victim properly takes two whole turns. Its a real
job. But then, they wont escape and hit you with a chair leg when
you are quietly reading the Racing News.
Only cops can have handcuffsapparently the underworld
doesnt know where to buy thembut villains can use manacles and
chains of various kinds. If you have any of these, they can be put on
in one Action and cannot simply be untied. Unless you are Harry Houdini.
TRAPS
Step into my laboratorygo on in. I think I know just the thing for you. (SLAM!)
Let me out of here!
Sgt. Preston of the Mounties, Episode One Bean Too Many. 1956
We are all familiar with the many sorts of trap strewn around Pulp stories to keep the
wary adventurer occupied (or at least for his half-wit sidekick to fall for them). While writing the first edition of Astounding Tales!, I was too drunk to design any rules for traps, but
Rich Johnson came up with some for his excellent .45 Adventure rules set. So, with his
gracious permission, I stole emThanks, Rich!
The basic rule for spotting traps is to roll vs. SMARTS
to observe their presence in the first place. In general, deduct
1 from your roll if sneaking along and looking out, add 1
if running. The Director can add modifiers if the trap is unusually well hidden (of course its hidden, fool!), or if it
sticks out like a sore thumb. If you detect the trap, the Director will normally let the characters simply bypass it. If you
fail, and sudden disaster looms, roll vs. STUNTS to see if
our bold hero can leap aside/dive forward or whatever fits
the bill. If he fails, well, he becomes the victim, which
means different things for different sorts of trap.
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Some examples of Traps and how they work include:
Pit: Roll for injuries on the BRAWLING Table. Climb out on a STUNTS roll next
turn (takes an entire turn).
Deep Pit (10-20 feet deep): Roll for injuries on the BRAWLING table, and add 1 to
the roll. Climb out on a STUNTS -1 roll on your next turn (takes entire turn).
Pits with Pungi Sticks: Roll for injuries as if hit on the SERIOUS BUSINESS Table.
Climb out on a STUNTS roll on your next turn (takes whole turn).
Bear Trap: This is a bad one. Unless you have a friend to help, you are pretty much
stuck. Heroes may free themselves by rolling vs. both SMARTS and STUNTS for three
successive turns to escape. Otherwise, I suppose you can gnaw your own foot off.
Snare: You are hauled into the air upside down! Huh! If you have a knife, you may
cut yourself free by doing one STUNTS roll to perform an act of gymnastics, and then a
second to stop from falling on your head. If you fail the second, roll for injuries on the
BRAWLING table.
Darts: These count as shooting with a GATS of 3. If hit, roll on the Lead Poisoning
Table.
Gas: If you detect, leave this place. If you fail first SMARTS test, the Director may
permit a second test on your next turn at -2 to SMARTS. This is a final warning! However,
while the character that passes may be groggy, he can pull D6 other characters along with
him out of the affected area. Otherwise, everyone passes out, and theyd better hope its
simply a knockout gas rather than something permanent.
SNAPPY DIALOGUE
The cheaper the crook, the gaudier the patter.
Dashiell Hammett, The Maltese Falcon, 1929
Talking big is important. Of course it is. They wouldnt have had all those wisecracks and
neat slangy phrases if you werent supposed to use em,
would they? But heres the thing. In most games there
is no real point in even telling anyone to stick em up,
though, because if you dont plug him now, hell shoot
you on his next Action despite the fact that you are aiming a .45 at him and he has to reach into top coat to find
his own. So, thats what the Interrupt Rule is all
aboutamong other things. You can talk before shooting, talk while driving, talk while running up and down
stairs if you want to. Villains must explain their evil
plans to captured Characters. Strong and silent has no
place in the modern eraits 1933 and we got Talkies
now!
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SECTION III : SCREAMING WHEELS!
I got to the door in time to see a cerise convertible hurtling down the
driveway. The top was down, and a yellow-haired girl was small and intent
at the wheel. She swerved around Nicks body and got through the gate somehow, with her tires screaming.
Ross Macdonald, Guilt-Edged Blonde, 1954
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For each Hazard, roll against either STUNTS or SMARTS, whichever is higher.
One Hazard : Basic roll vs. STUNTS or SMARTS
Two Hazards: Roll vs. STUNTS or SMARTS -1
Three Hazards: Roll vs. STUNTS or SMARTS -2
Four Hazards: Roll vs. STUNTS or SMARTS 3
Pass and you succeed. Failroll again on the appropriate manoeuvre table below.
Result
Skids 45 degrees left for 1 D6. If you hit anything, roll on Crash Table.
Skids 45 degrees right for 1 D6. If you hit anything, roll on Crash Table.
Go directly to Automobile Crash Table (do not collect $200).
Swerving Table
D6 Roll
1
2
3
4
5
6
Result
Loses a wing mirror and some paint, but no real damage to anyone
Skids 45 degrees left for 2 D6. If you hit anything, roll on Crash Table.
Skids 45 degrees right for 2 D6. If you hit anything, roll on Crash Table.
Loses ControlOpposing player moves you up to 3 D6 into anything he likes! Counts
+1 on Auto Crash Table, plus any other modifiers.
Rolls over opposing player moves you up to 3 D6 into anything he likesupside down!
Counts +2 on Automobile Crash Table, plus any other modifiers.
Flies, rolls over, goes off cliff, etc. Counts +4 on Auto Crash Table, plus any other modifiers.
EXAMPLE: Race Kennedy passes his test for the turn, but comes unstuck when he runs the
red light as a Macys van comes through. He tries to evade but the Director says its a
STUNTS 3 because of the speed hes going and the fact that its a damn big truck. Rolling a
6, Kennedy fails as he tries to swerve around the vehicle. He rolls a 2, skidding left for 2
D6and hits a parked Buick. A nice one, belonging to a little old lady, who went into a
store to get a birthday card for her grandson.
CRASH!
1. Roll a D6. Do a little arithmetic, just so everyone understands that hitting an
oncoming truck at 120 MPH is likely to be more painful than clipping a street sign at 20.
2. Deduct 1 if you are Cruising and you hit a stationary object, or something going
the same direction as you are. Pedestrians and bikes count, since youre bigger than they
are.
3. Add 1 if you are Speeding and you hit a stationary object or something going the
same direction as you are.
4. Add 2 if you are Racing and you hit a stationary object or something going the
same direction as you are.
5. If you hit oncoming traffic, add 1 if it is Cruising, 2 if Speeding, 3 if Racing.
6. If you are on a motorbike, add 2 anyway, dead man.
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Result
Fender Benderno damage to anyone.
Collisioncar damaged but drivable.
Crash!car wreckedroll on Wounds Table for all passengers.
Horrific Crash!car blows up, as they do. Roll vs. STUNTS to escape from
blazing inferno, with a roll on wounds table for injury. Fail, and you are trapped inside.
Sorry bout that!
Result
1, 2
3
4
5
6
EXAMPLE: Race Kennedy and his pals now pursued by gangsters, continue to drive far too fast while Pug Roscoe and the
Countess shoot through the rear windows, as you would. They
are racing (-3 from GATS) so Roscoe (GATS 3) is simply making a
noise, but the Countess (GATS 5) scores a 1 and a 2 with successive shots. The first hits a gangster, a minion who drops lifeless to the floorboards. The second hits the car. She rolls again
and gets a 3, which hits the lower flangewidget crucial to the
differential thingummy, slowing their pursuers to a permanent
halt.
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SECTION IV : IT CAME OUT OF THE SKY!
In this Hell-Busting novel of Whirling, Diving Crates and Roaring Motors
Bellowing their Savage Thirst for Battle...
From The Lone Eagle, September 1934
Astounding Tales! is mostly about people running around on the ground, but theres
no reason they cant run about inside Zeppelins or on the wings of airplanes. Here are some
ideas for doing these things. Feel free to make aircraft noises as you do so.
51
out one, maybe two, complete turns. Any more than a couple of turns airborne and you
could start running low on cast members for the next scene if the body count is rising. The
airship should then arrive at the next set and offload the cast and crew. By arrive I mean,
of course, either a serene landing, or a spectacular crash, depending on what happened during those turns aloft. Surviving characters then resume the story and continue the Action.
Of Gats And Gasbags
Gunfights aboard airships are a really, really bad idea. But, since we all know what
kind of a game this is
1) Shooting at the Gondola (from outside): If you get a hit, roll 1 D6: 1-5=You hit
the structure (roll once on the Shooting Aboard An Airship Table); 6=You plugged somebody inside. Roll for who, and then on the Lead Poisoning Table, as usual.
2) Shooting while aboard the airship: Roll once on the Shooting Aboard An Airship
Table for every shot that misses the original target.
3) Shooting at airships (from outside): Virtually impossible to miss within a rifle or
machine guns long range; always an Easy Shot. For each hit scored, roll 1 D6: 1-5= No
Effect; 6=Shot ignites a gasbag!. The Airship crashes in flames at the beginning of next
turn. For all aboard, roll STUNTS 1 to escape, but roll for a wound anyway. Each character failing to escape is lost in the conflagration.
Result
No Effect. You got lucky!
Cut a Rudder line. Roll 1 D6: 6=The airship goes out of control and crashes at beginning
of next turn. Roll STUNTS to escape unharmed, otherwise roll a wound for injury during crash.
Engine Hit! Roll 1 D6: 6=Engine bursts into flames, threatening to ignite the gasbags!
Roll 1 D6 next turn: 1=Fire goes out; 2-5=Roll again next turn; 6=Airship crashes at beginning of next turn. In case of Crash, roll STUNTS -1 to escape, but roll for wounds if
successful. Characters failing STUNTS are incinerated.
A Gasbag! Roll 1 D6: 6=Explosion! Gondola and envelope catch fire and airship crashes
at beginning of next turn. In case of Crash, roll STUNTS -1 to escape, but roll for
wounds if successful. Characters failing STUNTS are incinerated.
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AIRCRAFTKnights Of The Air!
A burst of Spandau slugs leapt out front with yellow-orange tracers
cutting a path through the nightthe plane ahead fairly blew up in G8s lap, and G-8s plane was thrown back as easily as though it were a
sheet of paper.
G-8 and his Battle Aces, Bombs from the Murder Wolves, 1933
Aircraft are amazing things. Especially in Pulp, where they can
land in an alley, take off from a roof, and will only stop when their
wings come off after contact with a skyscraper. So, I have a choice.
Write a lot of rules, possibly even come up with a variant on the aerial dogfight theme.
But there are a lot of dogfight rules in print, many of them excellent, and it would be easy
to add Pulp elements to your favourite set.
Anyway, Im not going to do that. Im going to give you less. Much less.
Aircraft can take off and land in any clear space three times the length of the plane.
Sure they can. They need clearance on either side of the wings. Clipping trees is the
mark of a good pilot.
Landings at airports or properly laid out airfields almost always go fine. Roll a D6:
6=Danger! Roll against pilots STUNTS to bring er in safely. On a failure, go to Airplane
Crash Table.
Landings on rough ground are more unreliable. Roll a D6: 4-6=Danger! Roll
against pilots STUNTS for a safe, if bumpy landing. On a failure, go to Airplane Crash
Table
PLANE CRASH! Since the pilot has failed his STUNTS, roll for a crash landing, but
before doing so, all characters aboard may choose one of three options:
1) Bail out (with or without a parachute)
A) With ParachuteTest versus STUNTS to land safely. Fail=Roll on
SERIOUS BUSINESS Table.
B) Without ParachuteTest versus STUNTS -3 to land safely. Fail=Roll
on SERIOUS BUSINESS Table. Add 2 to the roll. On a natural 1 the jumper is
freakishly saved by a hay stack/store awning/or whatever absurdity might apply.
2) Seize the controls and try to wrestle the plane to safety (or a least to miss that
orphanage).
The pilot may roll against SMARTS to bring the Airplane Crash Table die roll down
by 1, as his professional brain works to minimise the damage.
Anyone else on the plane may roll vs STUNTS to grab the steering column. If they
are a trained pilot, its STUNTS -1. If they arent a trained pilot, its STUNTS -3. Chimps
can try, dogs cant. Fail and you go straight to the Crash Landing Table.
3) Panic, pray, and otherwise prepare to Buy The Farm.
(All Supporting cast will do this. The director will decide if any unusually moral
characters on board serve to bring down the die roll number on the Airplane Crash Table.)
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The wings come off, but the plane crash lands in a series of bumps. Everyone is safe, but
shaken.
The aircraft is badly damaged but passengers and crew roll on the BRAWLING Table for
injuries.
The plane crumples and is completely wrecked. Roll vs STUNTS to escape from the wreckage, with a roll on SERIOUS BUSINESS table for injury. Fail and you are killed in the
crash.
The plane blows up. Roll vs STUNTS to escape from blazing inferno, with a roll on SERIOUS BUSINESS table for injury. Fail, and you are trapped inside, and die.
A fiery ball and a huge explosion destroy the aircraft, killing everyone aboard.
(And thats not good a thing, Martha.)
Barn Storming
In the course of a game a player may find himself needing to perform daring and
dangerous manoeuvres, in the air or on the ground. To do so, the player must first describe
to the Director just what stunt he wishes to perform, then the Director will adjust the difficulty using the following guidelines:
1) Landing and taking off at night, bad weather, dead stick landings or landing on a
dime. Roll the pilot's STUNTS check at -1.
2) Flying under bridges, between buildings, through train tunnels, etc) Roll the pilot's STUNTS check at -3.
3) If the pilot fails his STUNTS check, go to Airplane Crash Table. Directors should
insist the pilot act out the results of a crash as dramatically as possible.
4) Characters wishing to board or jump off at the last moment from a plane already
rolling down a runway must test STUNTS.
Changing PlanesJumping from plane-to-plane is pretty much normal in Pulp adventure. A figure can leap his STUNTS distance to a plane on the same level, twice that to
one lower (we dont understand the physics here) but must pass a STUNTS test to avoid
falling to his death.
Brawling on the wings or upper fuselage is always exciting, and anyone knocked
down or out has a 50% chance of falling. This
would be a good time to demand STUNTS
rolls for someone to save himself by grabbing
the tail fin or wing strut (or if all else fails,
calling Cut!).
Shooting From AircraftCounts as 1
for fuselage mounted machine guns (light or
heavy), -3 for weapons simply pointed out of
the cockpit, etc. (Just because theres no way
to hit anyone, doesnt mean you shouldnt try.)
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Shooting At Aircraft Completely ridiculous and absolutely to be encouraged.
However, well say that only rifles and machine guns can shoot at planes in the air. Gotta
be authentic, after all!
Shooting at Planes counts as -3 from GATS if the plane is taxiing or taking off/
landing. Its -4 if flying (but, hey, standing planes are just like parked cars). If you get a
hit, roll a D6: 1-3=Hit the plane!; 4-6=Hit someone aboard. Roll for who it is, then again
for wounds as per usual. Bad luck if its the pilot. If its the plane, roll another D6 on the
following table.
ROCKETMEN
--Here I am in a big leather jacket, with an aluminum
helmet, rocket packs on my back, and woollen slacks. It seemed
interesting to me that they would costume this character in regular
woollen slacks--which could have caught fire in the first take-off-rather than devise some special fireproof pants for their hero.
George Wallace, the original Commando Cody actor,
recalling his uniform for Radar Men From The Moon, 1952
Its understood that mensteely eyed, firm jawed mencan fly around with incredible ease as long as they have a potentially lethal, barely tested rocket pack strapped to their
backs. I certainly have no problem with the idea, anyway.
Officially trained Rocketmen (as they all are) require one Action to take off, and
another to reach the sort of height one would require for aerial high jinks. Exact altitude is
unimportant since the Rocket Belt seems to work pretty much as the Rocketman wants.
The horizontal distance he can fly is whatever he wishes, in any direction, though Minimum Flight Speed is 8 per Action, and Maximum Thrust is 12+1 D6. Rocketmen are
assumed to have ballet-like skills, and can perform ludicrously dangerous manoeuvres
simply by rolling successfully vs. STUNTS. Likewise, landing and turning off the rocket
engine each takes one Action. There are, of course, a couple of minor wrinkles.
1) Untrained FlyerIf anyone other than an actual Rocketman attempts to use the
equipment, he is a danger to himself and otherswhich makes more fun! After strapping
on the Rocket Belt for flight (one Action), roll vs SMARTS to figure out ignition. Once
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hes Lit the candle, roll on this table every turn his is aloft.
Once flying, an untrained pilot rolling for Maximum Thrust will experience Flame
Out (below) on a D6 roll of 1. I did say this was dangerous, didnt I?
2) Flame Out: Any roll of 1 when at Maximum Thrust means the engine has
died. Roll vs. SMARTS to restart the rocket. If he fails, the Rocketeer will move forward
3 and then test STUNTS. If this fails, he falls to the ground, and must roll on the
SERIOUS BUSINESS Table for injuries.
Shooting At A Rocketman
A flyer hit by gunfire has a chance of going down in flamesor just down!
The shooting character(s) must score a hit first (GATS 2 for this target). If so, roll again:
1-4=Rocketman Hit! (see Lead Poisoning Table); 5,6=Roll on the following table.
Results
The shot damages the engine, causing a Flame Out (see above).
Pilot flies 12+1 D6 this turn in a random direction at tree-top height. Roll against
STUNTS to avoid hitting anything. Fail, and crash with a roll on SERIOUS BUSINESS Table as if on Motorbike at RACING Speed. Pass, and he regains control.
The engine goes up in a ball of flame, inflicting 4 HITS, 4 FISTS, 4 GATS. If hes still alive,
he drops according to the stalls rule. If he survives, this is truly an Iron Man ---
The Pulp Era can rely on lots of pretty impressive real-life technology; this is the
Inter-war period of aircraft, telephones, cars that go really fast, radiomost of the things
we have today with the possible exception of computersand in reliable form. It isnt like
the period of Verne and Wells where the writer pretty much had to make up anything more
futuristic than a Hansom cab or a steam locomotive. Still, our heroes do need expensive
roadsters that outpace a Ford Model A, pocket-sized radios, and canoes that become tents
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and yet still fit inside your sock. Villains require devilish creations that destroy whole cities, rather than simply renting the Luftwaffe for the afternoon.
Writing rules for amazing devices and strange procedures, nifty gadgets and Fiendish
Plans to Conquer All is, frankly, a tough thing to do. I could give you long lists of Doc
Savages gizmos with rules for each and every one (alright, I couldnt, because theres loads
of them, but somebody could). I could create rules that enabled you to research, fund, test
and deliver incredible new tools of science. But Im not going to. You are. Whenever you
need to. Using the ratings for SMARTS, possibly STUNTS andif things go wrong,
GUTSjust make up whatever you need. Lets say you have an inventor with an autogyro-hat, as you might (as I do). Lets say that simple up/down and across flying is at the
same speed as horses. (It might be! Do you know otherwise?) But lets say that any fancy
flying requires a STUNTS test, and that if you fail, the thing is in danger of crashing. Take
another STUNTS test to pull out at the last moment? Crash, counting as 3 wound rolls, if
you fail? The Director is primarily the guy to do this, but hey, if youas a playersay I
have explosive charges concealed in my tooth-fillings, and the Director goes for it, you are
in business. I am wary of explosive dental work myself, but perhaps I have thought this
one through a little too far.
Think...too...much.
ZOMBIES
Theyre alive!
George A. Romeros The Night of the Living Dead, 1968
Who doesnt like Zombies? Pulp era un-dead persons are of the shambling, slow
variety rather than more modern versions. They have low abilities but appear in overwhelming numbers, and are hard to kill (owing to being pre-killed). The association of
zombies with their Haitian voodoo roots is strong at the period, and most will be controlled
by a priest/priestess of Voodoun, or someone of similar powers.
They eat brains, but you knew that! Any time they get a character down on the
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Zombies
Type
Zombie
FISTS
GATS
GUTS
STUNTS SMARTS
Zombie
Master
HITS
SKILLS
3(1)
Various
ground hes done for unless rescued within a turn. And then hell just return for the other
side....
Zombies move 3 per Action, speeding up to 4 when they get the scent of a kill.
Since zombies try to tear you apart with claws and teeth, roll for wounds on the SERIOUS
BUSINESS table.
Note that zombies, when treated as Supporting Cast, only take one hit to kill. And
who wants to keep track of wounds on a horde of un-dead? Not me. So lets assume that
instead of being out of Action on a roll of 4-6 like a living victim, only 5,6 counts for
most weapons. Big weapons like machine guns, shotguns, etc, get the usual 4-6, as even
a zombie recognizes that being torn to shreds will put a crimp in his day. And .22s, rocks,
arrows and knives (or 78 RPM wax records) only succeed on a 6.
LOVECRAFTIAN HORROR.
Eh-ya-ya-ya-yahaah eyayayayaaa ---- nghaaa ---nghaaa ---hyuh ---hyuh --HELP! HELP! ----ff --- ff --- FATHER! FATHER! YOG-SOGOTH! ----
H.P. Lovecraft, The Dunwich Horror
The works of Howard Philip Lovecraft at first appear quite unsuited to gaming, since
they feature a lot of eccentric humans (who simply go insane and die) coming into contact
with demonic books, terrifying old buildings, and eventually the sort of creatures from
other planes whose powers are immensely stronger than that of their human opponents.
Surprising, then, that the RPG The Call of Cthulhu has been a popular game for three
decades. So, what do I know? Leaving aside Great Cthulhu hisself and most of the Elder
Gods and Great Old Ones (because theyll crush even your finest adventurer like a June
Bug), here are a few of the lesser sort of Lovecraftian nasties that a bold man with a loaded
Colt might deal with to his advantage.
Deep Ones
Shambler
Demon
Huge
Demon
3
(2x) 4
(6x) 4
(12x) 4
2
-
3
4
6
6
2/5
2
2
3
2
2
4
3
1
3
15
30
NOTES
A: 4/8 Move
B: 4 Move
C,T: 4 Move
C,T
NOTES: Definitions
A: These creatures have some characteristics marked x/y, which means On land/
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in water.
B: These creatures want to pick you up and drag or carry you awayroll on the
BRAWLING table.
C: These creatures are so ridiculously powerful in the attack that you can't protect
against them. Roll vs. STUNTS to dodge rather than FISTS to fight. You can attack them
on your own turn.
T: Tossingmay hurl victim 6" in random direction. Roll on the BRAWLING
table.
ROBOTS
"Metal hands, claw-like and sharp, clutched for The Shadows throat. The black
form twisted in the lower grip. The hands ripped away The Shadow's cloak. Then as The
Shadow vainly sought to catch a rising arm, a steel rod pounded toward his skull!
Maxwell Grant, Charg, Monster, The Shadow Magazine, 1934
Robots are still novelty items, based on Victorian automatons rather than the active
and sentient Space Age robots we see from the 1950s onward. Pulp robots should clank
slowly and mechanically, and I certainly prefer them to fall over a lot, spin around crazily,
and have easily accessible off switches.
Robots
TYPE
Robot Servant
Small Battlebot
Large Battlebot
Giant Bot
FISTS
3
4
4 (x 3)
5 (x 6)
GATS
2
3
3
3
GUTS
2
-
STUNTS
3
3
2
2
SMARTS
2
2
2
2
HITS
3
6
10
25
59
1
2
3
4
5
6
Result
Robot takes 3 HITS: Turns in random direction for the next turn
Robot takes 3 HITS: Begins shooting wildly across 90 Degree frontal arc.
Robot takes 4 HITS: Spins and moves backwards next turn, firing if previously doing so.
Robot takes 4 HITS: Spins and moves backwards next turn, firing if previously doing so.
Robot takes 6 HITS: Legs collapse under him, but can still fire
Robot takes all remaining HITS: Explodes in wild celebration of electrical effects
Use the GATS rules as usual for shooting at these guys. On the Lead Poisoning
Table, Rolls of 4 or 5 inflict wounds against their HITS totals normally, but the fatal
roll of 6 requires a second roll on this new table.
NAZI SCIENCE
We are only interested in one thing--to project into the dim and distant past the
picture of our nation as we envisage it for the future.
Heinrich Himmler, 1943
Nobody did evil like the Nazis. Thats why they get their own section here. Aside
from their actual atrocities, secret weapons, advanced engineering and deranged racial theories, Pulp Nazis are involved in many scientific programmes that Must Be Stopped. Well
list a few.
FISTS
(5x) 4
(3x) 4
GATS
2
2
GUTS
5
5
STUNTS
4
4
SMARTS
2
2
HITS
9 Special
6 Special
(1x) 4
3
(3x) 4
5
2
2
-
5
6
6
6
4
2
2
5
2
2
2
4
3 Special
3 (1)
8
6 Special
Mechanical Mensee the section of that name. Nazi robots are not for peaceful
purposes.
WerewolvesThe good thing about werewolves is that they are fierce, terrifying,
and can only be killed by silver bullets. The bad thing about them is that they are unpredictable, and only work at the full moon. But what if we develop a control collar, and what
if we found a way of creating a false full moon effect...? They come in three sizes: Giant
(around 8-10 feet tall, rare and unreliable), Standard Issue (human sized and hairy), and
Jugendkeen Hitler Youth anxious to be experimented on.
ZombiesScientists have synthesised the procedure that has made Haiti such a
popular vacation destination. Just like the originalslow, fairly useless, but scary and hard
to kill. See the Zombies Rules (pg 56 ).
ConstructsIn the tradition of Baron Frankenstein. Large, a bit clumsy, but very
effective in a scuffle. Damn scary too.
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VampiresHard to kill, terrifying, the best forces for a night attack. If it wasnt for
the mobile crypts necessary for their daytime preservation, Nazi vampires would be an
unbeatable value!
Women in tight leather jodhpursThe Nazis like em (see Evil Germans list in
the Character Examples, below).
CREATURES!
As the Thing passed the third floor, a snakily prehensile arm whirled a
net from a window, trapped the creature that had been Mrs. Purvis and pulled
her back inside the hospital.
The City Condemned To Hell,
The Octopus Vol I No 4
Dangerous Creatures
Beast
FISTS
Guard Dog
(1 D6)4
6/12
Grizzly Bear
(3 D6)4
4/8
Polar Bear
(4 D6)4
4/8
Giant Ape
(5 D6)4
10-20
4/10
BT
Gorilla
(3 D6)4
4/8
Chimpanzee
(1 D6)3
6/10
Lion/Tiger
(3 D6)4
6/15
Elephant
(6 D6)4
15
4/12
CT
FISTS: Creatures roll one (or often more) dice per attack; (3 x) 4 means three dice, looking for 4 or less on each die to hit. Characters do not get to fight back on missed rolls,
unless all the die rolls fail to hit. So, a grizzly may bite, tear and claw you three times in
one attack.
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Beast
FISTS
Velociraptor (etc)
(4 D6)4
1-8
6/12
T-Rex
(12 D6)4
30
6/10
Pterodactyl
(2 D6)4
8/15
Terror Bird
(3 D6)4
6/12
(5 D6)4
12
4/12
CT
Yeti
(3 D6)4
4/8
Penguins
(You never know...)
(1 D6)1
2/5
GATS: Uh... the things that apes throw. Mostly faecal material, I understand. Range 6.
No wounds, but check vs. GUTS if hit. No other figures will come within 3 of you after
that.
STUNTS and SMARTS are required when the director says so. Smarts are about instinct
and cunning, not intellect in the human sense.
MOVE is shown as walk/run in inches. Apes may be swinging. No penalties for rough
terrain. Director can judge whether elephants can climb (no) and raptors swim (?)
NOTES: Definitions
A: These creatures try to tear you apart with claws and teethroll for wounds on the
SERIOUS BUSINESS Table.
B: These creatures want to pick you up and drag or carry you awayroll on the
BRAWLING Table.
C: These creatures are so ridiculously powerful in the attack that you cant protect
against them. Roll vs. STUNTS to dodge rather than FISTS to fight. You can attack them
on your own turn.
D: Penguins will flap at you mercilesslycounts as BRAWLING.
F: Flyingwill try to seize and fly off
with victim. Roll on SERIOUS BUSINESS
Table.
T: Tossingmay hurl victim 6 in
random direction. Roll as if wounded in
BRAWLING.
Youll want to add more, of course. What
about my pet jaguar? Just how big is that giant
ape? Can I get a bigger one? There must be
carnosaurs that fit between the Jurassic Park
velociraptors and the big T-Rex! What about
the huge things that crush you accidentally?
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Two weeks from today, on August 24th, unless I see that steps have been
taken to carry out my commands, I strike again. The national capital will be
crumpled into dust and the dust scattered to the four winds of heaven.
Twelve Must Die, Doctor Death, Feb 1935
Youll have noticed there are no rules for some of the big things. Hell, no rules for
all kinds of stuff. Tanks. Alien spacecraft. Destroying whole cities. Not that I have a beef
with any of those things, but for right now the rules will have to wait.
I think youll figure out how to make up rules as you need em. I have confidence in
you. Send me the ones you like best!
ENDING A SCENE
The gun barked, and a pile driver hit my leg. I went down. Another gun
spoke and he went down beside me. Then there was Jack, the drunks gun in
his hand, stepping in close to make sure.
I blacked out.
James M. Cain, Cigarette Girl, 1953
Most wargames end when the result is clear, or one player cant see achieving his
victory conditions, or somebody has to go home. Last stands are not common. Often its
all a bit of an anticlimax. This wont do for Astounding Tales! Nosirree Bob! Keeping the
excitement pulsing and the popcorn falling under the seats requires a Director who knows
when to cut a Scene and call it a wrap for the
episode. Since he also controls the villains,
this shouldnt be too difficult.
Cut the Scene when there has been a
clear result. If there isnt one, make one up.
The villains can get into a car and roar away.
The heroine can be suddenly kidnapped while
standing behind the wall where her player has
placed her for safety from pesky gunshots
wargamers do that sort of dull, careful thing to
protect their Characters sometimesor the
hero can be sapped from behind. This is a traditionally useful trick, as the lights go out and
he awakens for the next Scene tied down for
the Chinese Rat Torture, or locked in the hold
of a South Seas freighter, or somewhere else
suitably disconnected from the original Scene.
He can simply wake up in the same alley with
a headache, but theres no Scene to work with
in that.
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When I run a game with a bunch of players, I like to have a final momentlike the
last page of a storywhere each one gets to tell what they did, what they were actually trying to do, what actually did happen, stuff like that. Keeping the role straight is part of this,
and a good liar can tell a version of the story that beats the pants off what you saw actually
happen. Give out prizes, cheap cigars, drinks all round. My friend Matt Fritz came up
with some kind of plastic bowling trophy tops that look like Oscars, sorta. It all adds to the
fun. Youll be glad you did.
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SECTION VI : SAMPLE CHARACTERS
This list features a very random mixture of fictional character Profiles, of real people,
generic Pulp archetypes and stereotypes. They may be used as is when in the heat of Action, or adapted when creating scenarios. Ive included some well known characters from
Pulp Culture, and intend no infraction of trademarks, copyrights or intellectual propertyI
just want to offer the chance to use well-loved characters in what amounts to fan fiction
gaming. Feel free to use them as you want. The specific SKILLS, especially, are open to
change.
Some types will come in military, or paramilitary units, with officers, NCOs, etc,
though you can organise these anyway you like. Me, I think people come in sixs and
twelves, but somebody else might disagree.
Where a Profile has a mark under HITS, such as 3 (1), it means that, if played as a
Leading, Secondary, or Bit Part character, the 3 HITS applies, but as a Supporting Cast
extra, they fall over on 1the first hit.
The Director is free to make photocopies of this section of the rules, so as to provide
easy character sheets for each player. It may be a good idea to fix these copies to index
cards, and to copy also the definitions of the relevant Skills to the same sheet for easy reference.
PULP HEROES
Sam Spade P.I.
FISTS GATS GUTS STUNTS SMARTS HITS
Sam Spade
Effie Perrine
5
3
4
3
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
SKILLS
Tough SOB, Call Me Sherlock
Nice Girl
Spade is the hero of The Maltese Falcon, memorably played by Bogart in the film version of
Hammetts book. Effie is his chipper Girl Friday. Armed with a pocket full of pistols taken from punks,
dames and others, Spade is a San Francisco PI whose client list is full of suspect characters.
Philip Marlowe
FISTS GATS GUTS STUNTS SMARTS HITS
5
SKILLS
Tough SOB, Mean Drunk
The classic White knight private investigator, who drinks too much and whose principles bother
him.
The Shadow
The Shadow
Margot Lane
Harry Vincent
Cliff Marsland
"Shrevie"
5
4
3
4
5
3
4
5
4
4
4
5
4
5
3
4
5
4
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SKILLS
Two Gun Kid, Hypnotist
Nice Girl
Call Me Sherlock
Tommy Gunner
Wheel Man
65
Star of Radio and Magazines, "The Shadow," as remarkable a hero as he was, couldn't be everywhere at once, so he enlisted several agents to help him to battle crime. "Harry Vincent" was his most capable and indispensable operative and "Cliff Marsland" was recruited from the "underworld" to work on
cases where Harry Vincent couldn't go. "Moe "Shrevie" Shrevnitz" owned a cab and was a skilled driver.
He appeared in both the Pulp magazine and on the radio show."
The Shadow is probably too strange and powerful to be played by a mere actor, and should probably be controlled in small doses by the Director.
Doc Savage
FISTS GATS GUTS STUNTS SMARTS HITS
Doc Savage
Monk
Ham
Renny
Johnny
Long Tom
Pat
7
5
4
6
4
3
4
5
5
4
4
4
4
6
7
5
4
5
4
4
6
6
4
4
5
4
4
5
7
5
5
5
6
6
5
8
5
4
5
4
4
5
SKILLS
See note!
Tough SOB
Flashing Blade (cane sword)
Crazy Inventor, Boxer
Crazy Inventor
Crack Shot, Packs a Punch
Doc has absurdly high scores in every department. What this means is that he counts as a 6, and
when he takes negative modifiers or receives wounds they merely bring him down to a mortal level: i.e if
he had to take a GUTS-2 Test, hed count as 7 2 =5, and roll for 5 or less.
Docs Skills include Crazy Inventor, Tough SOB, Acrobat and Real Charmer.
Doc Savage is the ultimate Pulp heroonly a step shy of his successor, Superman in many ways
and has so many skills its hard to know where to begin. So I wont. Read the books! Doc is at the peak
of human intellectual and physical abilities, Monk is an expert chemist despite looking like an ape, Ham is
a dapper attorney, and Renny is a talented engineer with really big fists. Johnny is a tall, skinny archaeologist, Long Tom a short, pallid electrical genius. Patricia Savage is Docs beautiful, dangerous cousin
who is clearly the one youd least want to tangle with!
The Spider
FISTS
5
GATS
6
GUTS
5
STUNTS
6
SMARTS
6
HITS
6
SKILLS
See below
66
to Capt. Richard Wentworth (AKA The Spider) during the First World War. He's capable and obviously
a good man with weapons. Ram Singh is the Spider's giant Hindu Servant. He's the team's driver, expert
with a knife, big and tough, and a formidable "hand to hand" combat opponent.
The Phantom
The Phantom is really a comic-book rather than authentic Pulp period figure, but the movie was set
in the thirties, and I like him. Not to be confused with
FISTS GATS GUTS STUNTS SMARTS HITS
SKILLS
The Phantom
5
5
6
6
5
5
Tough SOB, Fast
Devil (wolf)
5
6
5
4
4
Fast
SMARTS HITS
SKILLS
4
6
See SKILLS list
5
5
Fast, Nice Girl
4
6
Fast
4
6
Fast
3
3
Lucky Cuss, Acrobat
2
12
Bloody Great
Elephant
Indiana Jones
The best 1930s hero of the last thirty years. I often dress like Indy, though we are seldom mistaken for one another. This is a mix of the cast of three films.
FISTS GATS GUTS STUNTS SMARTS HITS
SKILLS
Dr. Jones
5
4
5
6
5
5
Bullwhip, A Real Charmer
Dr. Jones, Sr.
4
4
5
4
5
4
Crazy Inventor
Marion
4
3
5
5
4
4
Nice Girl, Packs a Punch
Willie
3
3
3
4
4
4
Heroine Scream, Hell Cat
Short Round
2
2
4
5
4
3
Spunky Kid, Acrobat
Prof. Marcus Brody 2
1
2
2
3
3 Baffled, Absentminded Professor
Dr. Elsa Schneider
4
3
5
4
5
4
Femme Fatale, Two Faced
Sallah
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67
THE LAW
The FBI
FISTS GATS GUTS STUNTS SMARTS HITS
SKILLS
Special Agent
5
5
5
4
5
5
Crack Shot, Call Me Sherlock
Field Agent
4
4
4
3
4
4 Tommy Gunner or Wheel Man
J. Edgar Hoover
2
2
2
2
6
4
Errant Knight
Its the G-men. Mr. Hoovers finest. Melvin Purvis and company.
American Cops
FISTS
Precinct Captain
4
Keen Detective
4
Jaded Detective
4
Crusader
4
Tough Irish Cop
5
Beat Cop
4
Rookie
3
GATS
3
4
3
3
3
3
3
GUTS
4
5
3
5
5
4
3
STUNTS
3
4
3
3
2
3
2
SMARTS HITS
SKILLS
4
4
Call Me Sherlock
4
4
A Real Charmer
4
4
Mean Drunk
4
5
But Nuts, Boxer
3
4
Tough SOB or Boxer
2
3 (1)
2
3 (1)
They are fat, corrupt, and eat a lot of doughnuts. Except for the honest ones and crusading cops.
British Bobbies
Note: that British policemen only carry guns when specially issued, which is almost never.
FISTS GATS GUTS STUNTS SMARTS HITS
SKILLS
Superintendent
4
2
4
3
4
5
Call Me Sherlock
Ambitious Detective
Tired old Detective
Veteran Sergeant
Patrol Constable
Young Copper
4
4
5
4
3
3
2
3
2
2
5
4
5
4
3
4
3
2
3
2
4
4
3
2
2
4
A Real Charmer
4
Mean Drunk
4 Tough SOB or Boxer
3 (1)
3 (1)
Devotees of British crime fiction understand that these men almost never solve a crime, but may
offer some support in the cuffing and carrying away department.
68
SKILLS
Naval Skill Set
Naval Skill Set
Tough SOB
Naval Skill Set: Choose From--Crack Shot, Tough SOB, Flashing Blade, Exquisite Manners,
Hothead
Its the Navy. Any Navy. The Royal Navy, the USN, German Seebattalion, whichever. The Yangtse
Patrol. Wooden men and Iron ships. Steve McQueen (although he comes later).
SKILLS
Military Skill Set
Military Skill Set
Brutal Champ or Boxer
Cavalry
Military Skill Set: Choose From-- Crack Shot, Tough SOB, Flashing Blade, Exquisite Manners, Hothead
Cavalry: +1 FISTS on horseback, +2 if charging into contact this turn.
The best regiment of Germans in the French Army. Romanticised out of all proportion after WW I,
the Legion was the subject of films, novels and comic books. Et pourquoi pas?
SKILLS
4
5
3
3
4
5
3
4
3
4
4
4
Highlander
3 (1)
Guardsman
3 (1)
3 (1)
3 (1)
Ghurka Infantry
Cavalry Trooper
4
3
3
2
4
4
5
3
3
2
3 (1)
3 (1)
Cavalry
Military Skill Set: Choose From-- Crack Shot, Cold Blooded, Tough SOB, Flashing Blade,
Exquisite Manners, Hothead
Cavalry: +1 FISTS on horseback, +2 if charging into contact this turn.
For King and Country, what?
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The US Marine Corps
Tough CO
Heroic Young Officer
Gunny
Leatherneck
Military Skill Set: Choose From-- Crack Shot, Tough SOB, Flashing Blade,
Exquisite Manners, Hothead
Invading a beach near you, for freedom, apple pie and the United Fruit Company.
The US Army
Gruff Commanding Officer
Heroic Young Officer
Drill Sergeant
Doughboy
Rocket Corps
Cavalry Trooper
4
3
4
4
3
3 (1)
3
2
4
3
2
3 (1)
Cavalry
Military Skill Set: Choose From-- Crack Shot, Tough SOB, Flashing Blade, Exquisite Manners, Hothead
Cavalry: +1 FISTS on horseback, +2 if charging into contact this turn.
Uncle Sam wants these guys.
Evil Germans!
FISTS GATS GUTS STUNTS SMARTS HITS
Herr General
3
3
4
2
4
4
Officer
4
4
5
3
5
5
Feldwebel (Sergeant)
5
5
5
3
3
5
Elite Troops
4
4
4
4
3
3 (1)
Garrison Troops
3
3
3
3
3
3 (1)
Cavalry
3
2
4
3
3
3 (1)
Hitler Youth
2
3
4
3
3
2 (1)
Zeppelin Truppen
4
4
4
4
3
3 (1)
Gestapo Agent
3
3
3
3
5
5
Ilse (The She
4
4
5
4
5
5
Wolf)
She Wolf Trooper
3
4
4
4
3
3 (1)
Scientist/Occultist
3
3
3
2
5
3
SKILLS
Military Skill Set
Military Skill Set
Brutal Champ
Cavalry
Cold Blooded
Femme Fatale
Absentminded Professor
Military Skill Set: Choose From-- Crack Shot, Tough SOB, Flashing Blade,
Exquisite Manners, Hothead
Cavalry: +1 FISTS on horseback, +2 if charging into contact this turn.
What can I say? Movie Nazis, all jackboots and monocles. And thats just the children.
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HITS
4
5
4
3 (1)
3 (1)
5
3 (1)
4
SKILLS
Real Scary
Military Skill Set
Brutal Champ
Real Scary
Cavalry
Tough Broad, Femme
Fatale
Military Skill Set: Choose From-- Crack Shot, Tough SOB, Flashing Blade,
Exquisite Manners, Hothead
Cavalry: +1 FISTS on horseback, +2 if charging into contact this turn.
These are wicked Bolsheviks, both brutal and intoxicated most of the time. Early in this period they
are opposed by Heroic White Russians, who are just as drunken and brutal, sometimes more so.
White Russians!
FISTS GATS GUTS STUNTS
Mad Priest
3
3
3
3
Cruel Officer
4
4
5
3
Thuggish NCO
5
3
5
3
Pathetic Conscript
3
2
3
3
Elite White Soldier
4
3
5
3
Cossack Trooper
2
2
4
3
Kalmuck Tribesman
2
2
3
3
SMARTS
5
3
3
2
3
2
2
HITS
4
5
4
3(1)
3(1)
3(1)
3(1)
SKILLS
Real Scary
Military Skill Set
Brutal Champ
Cavalry
Fast, Cavalry
Military Skill Set: Choose From-Crack Shot, Tough SOB, Flashing Blade, Exquisite Manners, Hothead
Cavalry: +1 FISTS on horseback, +2 if charging into contact this turn.
Heroic White Russians, paragons of tradition and virtue. Actually, they are hard-bitten, drowning
in vodka, and as vicious as the Reds. You can have whole units of the officers, desperate nobles with nowhere else to go.
3
2
3
2
3
3
2
6
2
3
2
5
3
4
5
2
3
2
3
3
3
4
3
3
2
3
3
2
Astounding Tales!
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3
2
3 (1)
2 (1)
3 (1)
3 (1)
3 (1)
Fast, Cavalry
Fast, Cavalry
Cavalry
71
Military Skill Set: Choose From--Crack Shot, Tough SOB, Flashing Blade, Exquisite Manners,
Hothead
Cavalry: +1 FISTS on horseback, +2 if charging into contact this turn.
Baron Ungern-Sternberg was a psychotic Russian aristocrat, whose devil-may-care courage and
murderous charisma led him to a brief career of conquest and massacre in the 1920s. He relied heavily
on the fortune-telling of his shaman, and his own ability to take damage without caring. His army consists
of some loyal Tibetan guards, a lot of unhappy Russian levies and Austrian POWs, and some Japanese
regulars who regret the whole thing.
Chinese Warlord
FISTS GATS GUTS STUNTS SMARTS HITS
SKILLS
Warlord Himself
3
3
3
3
5
3
Cold Blooded
Brave Officer
4
3
6
5
4
3
Military Skill Set, Martial Arts
Useless Officer
2
2
2
2
3
2
Drunk/Addict
Brutal NCO
4
3
4
3
3
3
Brutal Champ
Big Sword Man 4
2
5
4
2
3 (1)
Unpaid Conscript
2
2
2
2
2
2 (1)
Mongol Tribesman 2
3
3
3
3
3 (1)
Fast, Cavalry
Regular Cavalry
3
2
3
3
2
3 (1)
Cavalry
Military Skill Set: Choose From--Crack Shot, Tough SOB, Flashing Blade, Exquisite Manners,
Hothead
Cavalry: +1 FISTS on horseback, +2 if charging into contact this turn.
Chinese armies consisted of 80% useless, unwilling men and 20% crazed fanatics with executioner
swords. More or less. Mongols are superb irregular horsemen (as are Tibetans, etc).
Dinosaur Hunters
Roy Chapman Andrews
Tough Palaeontologist
Elderly Palaeontologist
Chinese Escort Troops
Chinese Labour Corps
Mongol Tribesman
2
2
2
2
2
2 (1)
2
3
3
3
3
3 (1)
Fast, Cavalry
The American Dragon Hunters of the New York Museum of Natural History made several
expeditions into Mongolia in the 1920s, facing bandits, communists and warlords. They were seeking fossils, rather than living dinosaurs, but still
72
Jeeves and Wooster
FISTS GATS GUTS STUNTS SMARTS HITS
SKILLS
4
3
5
4
7
5
Exquisite Manners
2
1
2
3
2
3
Lucky Cuss, Errant Knight,
Sucker For A Dame
Jeeves
Wooster
These are PG Wodehouses best known creations. PGW was the funniest writer of the twentieth
century bar none, and his 1920s world of ferocious aunts and upper-class twits, though not Pulp at all, is
too much fun to ignore. Wooster is the idiotic young man with too much cash, Jeeves is the brilliant valet
who ensures that all is resolved in the end. Its difficult to conceive of anyone less suited for action adventure than Bertie Wooster. Fortunately his valet is a man of many talents.
FISTS
5
4
3
GATS
4
3
3
GUTS
5
4
5
STUNTS
4
3
3
SMARTS HITS
SKILLS
4
6
Call Me Sherlock
3
4
4
4
Doll Face
3
Sax Rohmers Fu Manchu was opposed by Smith and Petrie, rather a cut-rate Holmes and Watson.
Karamanieh is a beautiful middle Eastern woman, the escaped slave of the devil doctor, who marries the
dim-witted Petrie.
Hercules Poirot
FISTS GATS GUTS STUNTS SMARTS HITS
SKILLS
M. Poirot
2
2
3
2
6
4
Real Charmer, Call Me Sherlock
Capt.
4
3
4
3
2
4
Sucker For A Dame,
Hastings
Errant Knight
Miss Lemmon 3
4
5
4
5
4
Feminine Intuition
Agatha Christies small, dapper Belgian detective and his friends. They are not really Pulp
characters, and Poirot has no discernable action hero skills. Hastings is a likeable idiot. Miss Lemmon,
the secretary, is the most capable of the three in most respects. I like to play this up.
The Saint
Socially prominent, superbly dressed crime-fighter with pencil-thin moustache and Saville Row
Simon
Templar
SKILLS
Exquisite Manners,
Call Me Sherlock, Real Charmer
THE VILLAINS
(From The Maltese Falcon)
Dashiell Hammetts full house of classic Villains. Miss Wonderley, AKA Bridget OShaughnessy, is a much hotter tomato in the novel than the movie version, where she is merely pleasant-looking.
Joel Cairo is feeble yet sinister, and Gutmans good manners conceal little of his menace.
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Kasper Gutman
Miss Wonderley
Joel Cairo
Wilmer Cook
FISTS
2
3
2
2
73
GATS
2
4
2
2
GUTS
4
4
2
2
STUNTS
1
4
3
3
SMARTS
5
4
3
2
HITS
4
3
3
3
SKILLS
Snappy Dresser
Femme Fatale
Squeamish
Cold-blooded
Dr. Fu Manchu
FISTS GATS GUTS STUNTS SMARTS
Dr. Fu Manchu 5
5
7
6
6
Fa-Lo-Sueh
4
4
6
5
5
Bodyguard
4
3
5
5
3
Brave
3
2
3
3
3
Minion
2
2
2
2
2
Tong Gangster
3
3
4
4
3
HITS
6
5
4 (1)
3 (1)
2 1)
3 (1)
SKILLS
Hypnotist
Vamp
Brutal Champ, Martial Arts
The Devil Doctor disappears suddenly and inexplicably when death or arrest seem the only
choices. All other Oriental Overlords (Wu Fang, etc) follow his model.
Assorted Gangsters
The Mob
Mob boss
Accountant
Torpedo
Enforcer
Gun Moll
Hoodlum
Slugger
Punk
FISTS
4
2
5
4
3
3
4
2
GATS
4
2
5
4
3
3
2
2
GUTS
4
2
5
4
3
3
3
2
STUNTS
2
2
4
4
3
3
3
2
SMARTS
4
5
3
3
4
3
2
2
HITS
SKILLS
5
Real Scary
3
Gun Shy, Squeamish
4
Gangster Skill Set
4
Gangster Skill Set
3
Hell Cat
3 (1)
3 (1)
2 (1)
Gangster Skill Set: Choose From-- Crack Shot, Wheel Man, Tough SOB, Shotgunner, Cold
Blooded, Tommy Gunner, Bomber, Boxer, Pick Pocket, Mack the Knife, Real Scary, Hell Cat.
Crime syndicate gangsters in the classic Capone/Luciano/Jimmy Cagney mould. The more dangerous hoodlums can pick from a wider variety of SKILLS than shown here.
2
4
3
3
3
3 (1)
3
3
3
3
3
3 (1)
Fast
4
3
4
3
3
4
Fast
3
3
3
3
3
3 (1)
4
3
4
3
3
4
Flashing Blade
3
5
4
3
4
3
Crack Shot
4
4
5
4
3
Mack the Knife, Acrobat
Generic villains from central casting. The cannibals could also be head hunters, or African tribesmen, its hard to tell. And who can tell if swarthy foreigners are Turks, Arabs or Italian guys from Jersey working at union scale? Pirates? Long John Silver pirates? Can they pass for Mexican banditos?
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HOLLYWOOD ESSENTIALS
The Movie Crew
FISTS
3
4
4
3
2
Von Schnitzel
Roxy Smothers
Zelda (Script Girl)
Joe (Camera Man)
Herman (Clapper)
GATS
1
4
5
2
1
GUTS
2
4
5
3
2
STUNTS
2
3
5
3
2
SMARTS
3
5
5
3
3
HITS
3
5
5
3
3
SKILLS
Real Scary
Vamp
Nice Girl
Fast
Gullible
This group is our invented Hollywood crew consisting of a mad German director with a huge ego,
his suicide blonde starlet, and the crew. Zelda is actually a US treasury agent when she takes her glasses
off, and has ratings to match. Roxys a STAR, dahling.
Romantic Arabs
Handsome Sheikh
Villainous Relative
Huge Henchman
Heroic Princess
Bedouin Tribesman
FISTS
4
4
5
3
3
GATS
4
3
3
4
2
GUTS
5
3
5
5
3
STUNTS
5
3
3
4
3
SMARTS
3
3
2
4
3
HITS
SKILLS
5
Flashing Blade
4
Mack the Knife
5
Brutal Champ
4
Heroine Scream
3 (1)
Cavalry
The Cavemen
Chief
Shaman
Champions
Angry CaveMom
Warriors
Women & Kids
Cave Babe
FISTS
4
2
4
5
GATS
4
2
4
4
GUTS
5
2
4
5
3
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
4
2
3
3
3 (1)
3 (1)
4
SKILLS
Real Scary
Native Magic
Brutal Champ
Tough Broad
Doll Face
Cavemen move 6 basic move, no penalties. They are armed with spears and clubs, and can push
rocks down from high places. Native Magic is about anything the Director wants it to be, with a lot of
chanting and dancing, and possibly ritual sacrifice of captured outsiders. I cant say if it works you
decide!
These are classic Hollywood/Robert E Howard cavemen, either Neanderthaloid or just Extra in
bad wig. There should be a Leader, a Shaman, 2 or 3 big Warriors/Hunters as Champions, and a lot
of ugly men, women and children. Additions include Angry Cave Mother, who resents all this nonsense
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75
(whatever it is) and one or more genetically improbable young women of unsurpassed beauty.
The Troglodytes
Archers
Spear/swords
FISTS
2
3
GATS
3
-
GUTS
3
3
STUNTS
5
5
SMARTS
3
3
HITS
1
1
Move 6, no penalties.
The Troglodytes are small, nimble and hostile to everyone. They can move up and down cavern
walls without penalty. Individually puny, they make up for this by ganging up on opponents, and there are
lots of them when they band together. Mine look suspiciously like plastic goblins.
The Cimmerians
Barbarian Queen
Muscled Hero
Champions
High Priest
High Priestess
Savage Princess
Warriors
Women/Children
SKILLS
Femme Fatale, Hell Cat
Tough SOB, Flashing Blade
Flashing Blade, Crack Shot
Native Magic
Native Magic
Packs a Punch, Doll Face
Native Magic is about anything the Director wants it to be, with a lot of chanting and dancing, and
possibly ritual sacrifice of captured outsiders. I cant say if it works you decide!
Can you say Conan? (If you are a lawyer, I cant) Blond, Bronze-Age people with muscles and
nice teeth, the Cimmerians are classic fantasy barbarians with axes, spears, swords and maybe wristwatches.
THE INNOCENT PASSERS-BY (etc, etc...)
FISTS GATS GUTS STUNTS SMARTS HITS
Old alcoholic
2
1
3
2
2
2
Ex-Army Doorman
4
3
4
3
3
4
Bartender
4
2
3
3
3
3
Torch Singer
2
2
3
4
4
4
Chinese Laundryman
2
1
2
3
4
2
Street Kid/Newsie
2
2
4
4
3
3
Bad Girl
3
3
3
3
4
3
Nasty Punk
3
3
2
3
2
3
Reporter
2
2
3
3
3
3
SKILLS
Mean Drunk
Tough SOB
Directors Choice
Directors Choice
Directors Choice
Directors Choice
Directors Choice
Brutal Champ
Directors Choice
And what else? More Pulp heroes? The Black Bat? More P.I.s like the psychotic
Race Williams, or Spillanes Mike Hammer? Ancient Ones from the Cthulhu mythos, and
their Batrachian allies? Your call!
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SECTION VII : SCENARIOS
"That obelisk has stood for a thousand years, surviving earthquakes, storms, and civil war."
(Matt Fritz, Director of the Jungle Scene.)
"I run up and knock it over."
(The Phantom )
"Okay, down it goes."
(The Director)
The Crystal Skulls of Atlantis, HistoriCon, 2003
Scenario #1
This is a multi-sided affair between competing players,
in which the Director controls at least the Yeti, and possibly
the Cavemen as well, and players take one each of the
contending parties.
The Background: South East Asia, 1937. Those
occultists/anthropologists of the SS seek out a lost tribe of blond, Aryan cavemen in the
jungles where China and French Tonkin merge. The French Foreign Legion send a patrol
to rescue a young and beautiful woman from the clutches of unknown tribes. The Chinese
warlord wonders who encroaches on his territory, and whether he can get spare tires for his
Rolls Royce. The cavemen seek to propitiate the divine Yeti with a human bride. What
else ya want? American archaeologists with dynamite? Okay.
The Set Up: The map is mostly jungle, although a stream winds through part of it, allowing one party to enter by steam launch. The centre of the board is the home of the cavemen,
and if you can manage 2 or 3 rock formations, complete with caves, all the better. There
are three areas of tall grass, high enough to hide in.
All parties except the cavemen start at the edge of the board, wherever seems appropriate, although the Chinese and French ought to be opposite one another, as the imaginary
border runs across the board in some highly debateable manner. The table can be any size,
although a board large enough to have terrain beyond the central cave area is to be preferredalthough since its mostly jungle and long grass, this does not have to be massive.
The sketch map is only a general guide, but is proportioned for a 4 x 6 table.
The Yeti is Somewhere in hiding, as per the Directors wishes, and will appear
when he deems the moment right.
The Cast
The Yeti, who expects a nubile young maiden to be delivered for his matrimonial
delight.
The
Yeti
FISTS
4 (x 3 dice)
GATS
2
GUTS
5
STUNTS
5
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SMARTS
1
HITS
10
77
FISTS
3
GATS
3
Scientists (2)
Officer
Ilse, The She Wolf
Gestapo Agent
3
4
4
3
3
4
4
3
3
3
4
3
5
4
5
5
3
4
5
5
Gun Shy
Tough SOB
Femme Fatale
Cold Blooded
Feldwebel (Sergeant)
Soldaten
5
4
5
5
3
4
4
4
Second Edition
3
3
5
3 (1)
Brutal Champ
GUTS STUNTS
3
3
3
5
5
3
SMARTS HITS
5
5
SKILLS
Real Scary
78
This party consists of Von Skarr and 2 other scientists, Ilse, the leather-clad She-Wolf
of the SS, a classic Gestapo Agent, an Officer, a Sergeant, and 6-10 soldiers. NCOs and
other ranks have rifles or SMGs. Others have pistols, although Ilse might have an SMG.
Patrol of French Foreign Legionnaires, made up of an Officer, a Brutal Sergeant,
and 12 soldiers, plus the captive womans sister, Yvette. They arrive on foot or by river
launch. (Directors call, depending on what his budget will allow!)
FISTS GATS GUTS STUNTS SMARTS HITS
Officer
4
3
4
3
3
4
Brutal Sergeant
5
3
5
4
4
4
Legionnaires (12)
4
3
4
3
3
3 (1)
Yvette
2
2
4
3
4
4
SKILLS
Exquisite Manners
Brutal Champ or Boxer
Nice Girl
79
6) The Yeti is a simple soul, and appreciates that every so often the little apes bring
him one of their females, who smell nice but break easily.
This scenario will more or less play itself, although if the Cavemen are controlled by
a player, he needs to be someone who wants to role play for fun rather than victory!
Scenario #2
The Background: Norway, 1942. The Germans are working on the atomic bomb, using the heavy water production
plant at Vemork. Glider borne Commandos have landed
and attacked the facility with the help of Norwegian Resistance Fighters, and both groups are trying to outrun their
German pursuers. Heroic British aviator Biggles is working undercover with a pass from the Gestapo (Damn! What
were they thinking?) Colonel Von Stahlhein, his nemesis,
is after him. Algy, Ginger and Bertie fly in an unmarked
plane to save their chum, but crash. Two are taken prisoner, but Ginger escapes to find Biggles. Leni Riefenstahl
is making a propaganda film, Snows of the Teutons. Dozy
Austrian Garrison Troops perform their duties, while Elite
German Soldiers sneer at their slovenly Allies. Meanwhile, Jeeves and Wooster have
definitely made a wrong turn at Albuquerque. All this and more!
The Set Up: This scenario needs a fjord. If you have one, you are in business. If not, you
need a 2 x 4 or larger table featuring enough water surface for a boat and perhaps a seaplane, plenty of rough terrain with steep rocks and some cliffs, and lots of conifers. The entire fjord is rimmed by high cliffs. There is a German camp, where Algy and Bertie are being held captive. Leni has set up her camera on a particularly high spot with good observation all around. At the far end of the board, the returning Commandos will appear at one
corner, while the Norwegian resistance fighters will come in at the other. A turn later they
will each be followed onto the board by pursuing Germans.
The following map is proportioned to represent anything up to a 4 x 6 table top.
The Cast
Leni Riefenstahl and her film crew.
Leni Riefenstahl
Eva Blond (The Star)
Grauben (Script Girl)
Hans (Camera Man)
Herman (Clapper)
FISTS
4
2
2
3
2
GATS
4
2
2
2
1
SKILLS
Real Scary
Femme Fatale
Nice Girl
SPECIAL RULE: Grauben is actually an MI 5 agent when she takes her glasses off, and has ratings to
match. The Director will remove her from Lenis list and hand her over to an Allied player, who will use
this profile:
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80
Grauben
(as MI 5
Agent)
FISTS
4
GATS
5
GUTS
5
STUNTS
5
SMARTS
5
HITS
5
SKILLS
Nice Girl
FISTS
4
NCO
Commandos
5
4
5
4
4
4
4
3
4
3 (1)
SKILLS
Exquisite Manners or
Mack The Knife
Tough SOB or Boxer
Tommy Gunner
4
3
2
4
3
3
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
4
SKILLS
4
Moves 6 (Skis), Bomber
3 (1) Moves 6 (Skis), Tommy Gunner
3
Moves 6 Skis), Hell Cat
Jeeves and Wooster, whose Profiles appear in the Sample Character lists, above.
Biggles, and his friends Algy, Ginger and Bertie (see the Biggles Sample
Characters list).
The Nazis
Austrian Garrison Troops, a squad of 10-12 who are holding Bertie and Algy
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prisoner at the Nazi Camp.
A German General in a staff car or similar, with driver and orderly.
Von Stalhein, the Smart German, in a staff car with a driver and two SS men.
One squad (1012 men) of German Soldaten per Allied party (i.e 2-4 total). You
may substitute motor cycle patrols, or even a half-track or armoured car, for a squad of
infantry. The terrain doesnt favour vehicles, but they look threatening, and can career off
cliffs for entertainments sake.
The General
Officer
NCO
Soldaten
Garrison Troops
Gestapo Agent
Von Stalhein
5
4
3
3
4
5
4
3
3
5
3
4
3
3
4
4
3
3
5
5
4
3 (1)
3 (1)
5
5
SKILLS
Exquisite Manners
Tough SOB
Brutal Champ
Baffled
Cold Blooded
Real Scary
Starting Positions
1) Algy and Bertie have been captured when their plane crash-landed beside the
Hamspanner Fjord. Biggles and Ginger come to rescue them, equipped with any of the
following: a sea plane (either on or off the board), flare guns, Gestapo ID, Webley revolvers, and nun outfits for themselves and their comrades. At the same time, the survivors of a
Commando raiding partywith their Norwegian resistance chumsare escaping after
damaging the Nazi heavy water plant above the fjord, with crack German troops in pursuit.
2) Meanwhile, sinister-yet-beautiful Nazi film documentarian, Leni Riefenstahl, is
shooting film for her epic Snows of the Teutons in the region, and is excited to have the
chance to film British Commandos receiving their just punishment at the hands of heroic
German soldiers. Leni is up on the cliffs, filming.
3) Jeeves and Wooster, comic characters from PG Wodehouse (who was himself
interned by the Huns) are simply lost, Bertie still insisting that they are in Sweden, or
perhaps Switzerland. Driving a totally unsuitable sports car, they can appear at any edge
that isnt mostly The North Sea.
4) The Austrians are at their camp, drinking beer, eating sausages and sort-ofguarding the two Allied flyers.
5) Biggles (in German uniform, with RAF uniform underneath) can be anywhere on
the board at the start. He is seeking Ginger, who the Director will place in concealment,
and role-play him until Biggles comes within Psst! distance.
6) Von Stalhein, is in a staff car with a driver and two SS men. He will arrive on any
turn after the first.
Plot Points
1) Biggles must try to rescue his pals, despite the efforts of the Germans. However,
since Biggles is the hero, they should not succeed in this aim! Von Stalhein, in particular,
has been following Biggles through several books now.
2) Leni will shoot film, but intervene to aid the Third Reich by means of her
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Triumphant Will and trusty Luger.
3) The Commandos and Resistance Fighters enter on Turn 2, making for the fjord
where a British vessel disguised as a local fishing boat will arrive on Turn 6 (or whenever
seems right to the Director). Both groups need to be on that boat!
4) The Germans want to stop them, as well as Biggles! Roll for each party of German pursuers on Turn 3. Roll 1 D6: 1-3=The Jerries arrive now; 4-6=They arrive next turn.
One group will start at Entry Point 1, the other at 2.
5) Jeeves will try to persuade Wooster that they ought to take that fishing boat to
England, despite the probably poor restaurant facilities aboard.
SECTION VIII : NOTES, APPENDICES, AND OTHER BODY PARTS
Astounding Titles!
Alright, youre thinking about creating a scenario. Maybe its your first, and maybe
youve already done enough times that you need new inspiration. Where to begin?
Well, why not with the title? When you have a Pulp title, youve already got a lot of
to work with! Below is the Title Generator which can help you get a name for your adventure. It doesnt have to be a sensible name. It just has to be Pulpy.
First, roll a D6, reading 1 as 2. This is the number of words (2-6) in your title.
Now, roll 2 D10 (0-9) reading one as the tens place, the other the units, and do this once for
each number of words in your titles. If you dont own Percentage Dice, or even regular D6
2. curse
7. queen
12. terror
17. white
22. child
27. horror
32. mask
37. monster
42. gangster
47. shadow
52. mob
57. lost
62. ape
67. emerald
72. tomb
77. mountain
82. desert
87. tide
92. scream
97. skull
3. blood
8. savage
13. gun
18. swamp
23. fear
28. adventure
33. king
38. dungeon
43. lion
48. scorpion
53. hawk
58. revenge
63. enemy
68. death
73. phantom
78. jungle
83. storm
88. blaze
93. corpse
98. fool
Astounding Tales!
4. return
9. god
14. blade
19. a colour
24. flame
29. master
34. day
39. robot
44. tiger
49. woman
54. plane
59. bandit
64. golem
69. damned
74. island
79. prison
84. hurricane
89. fire
94. ring
99. sinister
5. ride
10. emperor
15. kiss
20. silver
25. fortune
30. treasure
35. night
40. zombie
45. falcon
50. doom
55. ship
60. raider
65. diamond
70. murder
75. tower
80. ghost
85. key
90. water
95. crime
100. steel
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dice, hell, just point at random. Its not like I care. Consult the table, and find the word
youve rolled up. You may change words into plurals, adjectives or similar, or replace the
word with a synonym (e.g. pit for tomb, dagger for knife, etc). Where it says A
colour, you can use any you like. You may discard one word and roll again. You dont
have to use all your words. You are allowed as many conjunctions and minor words as you
like to make the phrase sound like something you might see on a billboard, or on the front
cover of Dime Jungle Detective or Spicy G-Man Tales.
Example: I roll a 3, and so roll my percentage dice three times. I get 68-death,
34-day, and 78- jungle. Huh? So I put them together as Jungle Days of
Death (rather than Day of the Jungle Death or Death Day in the Jungle. But its still
weak. So I decide to discard Day and roll again. I roll 67-emerald, and this gives me
The Emerald Jungle of Death!, which sounds exactly like the sort of thing Id plunk my
quarter down for.
You can play this for your own amusement, or with friends, voting for best name,
until you fall out in bitter acrimony and never speak again. Fun times!
Now that you have a title, all you have to do is make sure all the elements in it appear
in some fashion in your scenario outline. So, in this case, check your props box for enough
of a Jungle to be intimidating, and populate it with dangerous people, creatures, and
mystery. What intrepid heroes do you want to visit your Emerald Jungle of Death? Why
should they go there? Are they actually going to look for Emeralds, or just be let loose in
Green Hell? Who is the Villain? The Jungle must be related to his nefarious schemes, so
what are those?
Conflict is the source of all drama and action, so make sure theres plenty of it built
right in to the situation! Naturally, you can concoct anything you like, so long as its fun,
fast, and furious!
Remember, its YOUR movie, so roll those cameras!
DESIGNERS NOTES
Typing this up on a battered Smith-Corona portable, taking alternative swigs of black
coffee and cheap Rye, I figured Id make a few comments. First off, as miniatures games
go, this is very loose and unstructured. I dont care about time scale or ground scale or
union scale or anything like that. Im not interested in the difference between Thompson
machine guns and the snazzy Bergmann types used by ugly men in Europe and Asia. I
dont want to explain at length that a truck full of oranges cannot usually catch a speeding
Stutz Bearcat, but if it does, it can probably push the roadster off the edge of a convenient
cliff. I just want a fast game thats fun to play and lets you use your imagination. It
requires a Director, which is just an excuse for Von Stroheim-type megalomania, but since
the actors arent being paid, well, he has to behave. At least, a little. The rules are kept
simple. Dead simple. I could go into more detail (although I have at least indicated that
being shot with a .45 is more likely to get you dead than a .22), but what the hell. Maybe
Ill write some optional rules. Maybe youll throw that in yourself. Maybe a pony will
come in first with my money riding on it. Simple rules mean fast play. Fast is good. You
want slow, the door is over there. Dont let it hit you... on the way out.
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ALTERNATIVE PULP IDEAS
VICTORIAN ADVENTURE has a great deal in common with Pulp in that it features a lot
of humans with period technology facing Martians, cavemen and monsters of wondrous
types. I feel that the key differences are largely of tone (Victorian adventure sounds like
Basil Rathbone speaking for Conan Doyle, Pulp sounds like Humphrey Bogart talking for
Raymond Chandler), and the fact that the Bellbuckle Steam Carriage Mk III doesnt work,
while the 1934 Chevrolet usually does. My own Victorian alterations largely consist of
using more appropriate termsmy stat line reads FISTS-GUNS-GUTS-FEATS-WITSHITSand in having a lot of improvised devices employing steam, clockwork and brass
thingummybobs that often prove unreliable. Aside from that, its all about the scenarios.
And, if pressed, we cant be shooting a movie, so we must be putting on a stage melodrama.
COMIC BOOK WORLD WAR TWO is the war that I grew up with, based on films
where the Germans used M1948 Patton tanks (painted grey with huge crosses on the side),
and screamed Achtung! Spitfire! when attacked by British planes, where Captain
Hurricane (a giant British officer in The Valiant who dealt with enemy artillery by bending
the barrels, and where AFVs were easily dealt with by dropping grenades into the nonlocking hatches. For my American friends its the Sergeants Rock and Fury, and episodes
of Combat. Everyones a hero (at least on the Allied side) and the enemy consist of jackbooted Nazis and nameless cannon fodder.
SIXTIES SPY ROMPS of the Bond/Matt Helm/Man From UNCLE varietythe breezy
adventures with evil geniuses and young women in bikinis and high boots rather than the
gritty Le Carr sort of espionage taleare well suited to Astounding Tales! Really, the cars
are faster and sleeker, and amazing devices can be miniaturized to fit in ones hand-made
Chelsea boot-heel. But how different is that from the stuff Doc Savage was doing in the
1930s? Doc never met anyone called Pussy Galore, thats all.
FUTURE PULP is my term for modern day or near future adventure of the comic book
or cinematic variety. This can be anything from alien invasion, and post apocalyptic struggles, to those well developed females who steal archaeological treasures in massive quantities. My own special field of interest is the little-known banana republic of Santa Ebola,
where all negative images of Latin American jungle dictatorships combine with frequent
extra terrestrial intervention. Ive felt little need to add a lot of extra rules, since I regard all
modern firearms in a general, fuzzy way as being light plastic versions of older models. Its
not like these people hit anything, anyway.
CHAINMAIL BIKINI is my working title for a cheesy sword and sorcery variant of
AT!, basedin a non-IP-infringement sort of wayon the works of Robert Howard, Edgar
Rice Burroughs, Fritz Leiber, C.L. Moore and their followers and copiers from the 1930s
through the present day. The essence of this sort of fantastic fiction is quite distinct
compared with the post-Tolkien school that has generally come to dominate the fantasy
field. Its short on elves and dwarves, long on mighty thewd barbarians, barely clad
dancing girls, evil sorcerers and astonishingly stilted dialogue declaimed in a sub-medieval
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manner. And thats whats great about it!
The real changes required to play sword and sorcery are partly in terms of having at
least a framework for dealing with magic (which is mostly the purview of the bad guys) and
emphasising close combat of a limb-lopping, massive-blows style rather than missile shooting. Heroes may get 2 or 3 FISTS dice rather than the usual single die.
This is a project that Id like at some timebut not this weekto develop into a
game of its own, Crom willing.
A WORD ON GENRE
Thats a French word, and Mickey Spillane hates it. Me, I dont care. Noir (nwarh)
is also Frenchit means black if you didnt knowand stems from a school of cinema
where, despite having high-faluting colour technology available, everything was shot in
very stark black and white, with deep shadows; have a look at classic movies like The
Maltese Falcon, The Big Sleep, Double Indemnity or Touch of Evil. Recently the Coen
Brothers workMillers Crossing and The Man Who Wasnt Thererecreate the style
exactly. This film noir style extends to storylines that feature tough talk, bad faith and twotiming anyone who can be two-timed. No back left un-stabbed. Sometimes theres a hero,
a white knight on the Chandler model, sometimes everyone is mired in moral quicksand.
Some people call the written stuff noir also, though everyone doing in the inter-war years
just called it hard-boiledany French they knew was from the Western front in 1918 and
had to do with Mademoiselles from Armentires.
Pulp simply refers to the cheap pulpwood paper that popular low-end magazines
were printed on up until the 1950sas opposed to the slicks that went for a more prosperous audience. Pulps were done on the cheap, with fantastic, gaudy cover art and a lot of
short stories and brief novels in tiny print inside. There were all sorts of Pulp magazines
westerns, detectives, jungle adventure, gangsters, spicy, sports, tales of the Orient, love
-story, aviation, war, fantastic, shudder, with names like Black Mask and Dime Detective. Writers like Dash Hammett, Raymond Chandler, Ray Bradbury and E.E. Doc
Smith began their careers as Pulp writersalmost everyone with a typewriter in North
America tried to get published in the pulps, often under many names and in different genres
than youd expect; whats a baseball story by Robert E. Howard like? Is Conan at the plate
yet? Will anyone collect the western stories of L. Ron Hubbard? Are there any unpublished H.P. Lovecraft ranch romances? Most Pulp writers used aliases, and many authors
named on the cover were actually several different people taking turns to knock out The
Spider or The Shadow.
Theres a British school of thrillers from the same period that have pretty much got
lost under the genteel murders of Agatha Christie and the wonderful Dorothy L Sayers.
Leslie Charteris The Saint was urbane, yet deadly. John Buchan (The Thirty Nine Steps)
was a master of chase scenes, while towards WWII Eric Ambler began to write dark, brooding spy novels. But the popular stuff, written at amazing speedwhich shows, badlyis
by Edgar Wallace, Dornford Yates, E. Phillips Oppenheim, Sax Rohmer and Sapper. Its
more on left hooks than bullets, fast sports cars and railway carriages, and often has a nasty
streak that sits badly on the polite manners of the heroes. Somehow, to modern eyes, a
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tough PI in Los Angeles can get away with a mean streak of what wed call anti-Semitism,
homophobia, racism and sexism better than a man with an Oxford education. But thats just
the modern world looking back, and theres no percentage in playing critic. Its better to
poke holes in everyone equally. As Dr Fu Manchu would tell you.
And theres adventure stories aimed at a juvenile audience, which is sometimes deliberately statedBoys Own Paper, etcand sometimes not. Tarzan and Doc Savage almost certainly had a younger audience than The Continental Op, and you can usually tell
from the tone of the writing whats what. Biggles, intrepid British aviator over four or
more decades, he was always the boy for me.
So, whats all this got to do with Astounding Tales? First off, its OK to paint all your
figures and scenery in black and white. Just use a pearlescent white for the neon signs.
That was a wise-crack. Wise-cracks are important. Though actually, its not such a
terrible idea.
Astounding Tales! is more to do with the Private eye/jungle tales/Yellow Peril/high
adventure end of this spectrum than it is to do with bug-eyed monsters from the planet
Mongo. Theres no reason why Earth should not be invaded by strange and malign creatures using these rules, but youll have to work on it. I suppose you could do Robert E.
Howard-style swords-and-sorcery, or wild west, or Saturday serial science fiction, but there
are a lot of games out there that cover those topics. But, do what you like.
READ any old Pulps you can find, in original or reprint form. There are plenty of cheap
reprints of Doc Savage and the Shadow, at the very least. Look for Chandler, Hammett and
a few others in the mystery aisle of your bookstoreor Buchan, Wallace or Charteris if you
like the English style. Second-hand bookshops are often the best for this stuff, as it is considered dated by the publishing industryfools!! In recent years the Fu Manchu novels
have been collected in four omnibus volumes, while several anthologies of mostly crime
stories have appeared (e.g. Pulp Action and A Century of Noir).
Modern novels in the Pulp style vary from Barbara Hamblys Bride of the Rat God
(which has a pure Pulp plot) to Max Allan Collins superb Nathan Heller, PI series, which
starts with True Crime and deals with actual people and events from the 1930s onwards.
Tom Bradbys The Master of Rain is a thriller set amongst the corruption of 1925 Shanghai,
as is Bartle Bulls The White Russian (AKA Shanghai Station). Paul Malmonts The
Chinatown Death Cloud Peril features actual period Pulp writers in the midst of the
adventure.
Pulp Culture, by Frank M. Robinson and Lawrence Davidson (1998), is a big, glossy
book of magazine cover art, with a fascinating linking text. It has a back cover illustration
showing two Chinese assassins landing on G-8s biplane in mid air, which is just what we
like to see.
Don Hutchison, a Toronto enthusiast, wrote The Great Pulp Heroes, a survey of
characters from Doc Savage and the Spider, through Operator 5 and flyer Dusty Ayres, to
obscurities like Tarzan knock-off, Ki-gor. Highly recommended. Hutchison also compiled
two books of Yellow Peril tales (Its Raining Corpses in Chinatown and More Corpses) and
Scarlet Riders, Canadian Mountie stories.
There are, of course, all sorts of non-fiction books about gangsters, cars, weapons,
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historical events and such-like.
WATCH classic (good or bad) movies on Channel 109 at 4 in the morning. Go to the
video store and look for anything with Cagney, Bogart or Edward G. Robinson. The Big
Sleep (1946) is one of my favourite films of any genre. Youll probably have to seek out a
specialist mail order dealer for Saturday morning serials and B-movies. More recent films
that Id recommend are
The Indiana Jones trilogy. The Young Indy movies were made for TV and are too
darned educational for their own good, but still worth a look.
Other more recent films include The Mummy, its sequel, and The Scorpion King
(which is hokum of the highest order), The Phantom, and The Shadow, from the 1990s, and
2003s Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.
Mobsters, Hoodlum, Millers Crossing, The Man Who Wasnt There, Chinatown, The
Newton Boys are excellent period pieces. See Big Trouble in Little China for Pulp feel in
the present day, and O Brother Where Art Thou? for the fun of it.
Anything with zombies.
WEBSITES to peek at
The Pulp Net will find pretty much anything Pulp-related. http://thepulp.net/
The Pulp Gallery is all about garish covers, like the ones on the this fine publication.
http://www.tupics.com/member/pulpgallery/welcome.html. Another such site is Pulp
Magazines at http://www.mogozuzu.com/pulps.htm
Jess Nevins Pulp and Adventure Heroes of the Pre-War Years will tell you all
about the characters themselves. http://www.geocities.com/jjnevins/pulpsintro.html
FIGURES AND STUFF
I use 25/28mm figures, so I know about them best. Im not saying you cant use
anything else. I just cant comment on anything else.
PULP FIGURES are the work of ace two-fisted sculptor Bob Murch. So far he has made a
variety of excellent figures for his China Station localeUS navy, tong members, German marines, Chinese warlord soldiersplus sets of Sinister Spies, Dangerous Dames,
gangsters, Neanderthals, adventurers, rocketeers and Pulp heroes whose names have been
changed.
Visit http://www.pulpfigures.com/
COPPLESTONE CASTINGS by the excellent Mark Copplestone feature three lines that
you might want to look at. Back of Beyond is mostly about Central Asia in the 1920s,
with Bolsheviks, Chinese, savage archaeologists and the always-popular Yetis. A new
range as I write, known as High Adventure, adds things like dogsleds, Amazon explorers,
bears andwait for itpenguins. Damn, that curdles the blood! Lastly, Return to Darkest Africa adds to the huge range he began with The Foundry. And watch for Mad Dogs
With Guns written by well, ME (with major contributions by Roderick Robertson.)
Visit http://www.gisby.org/copplestone.htm
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CASTAWAY ARTS are an Australian company, who come to our notice for their excellent
French Foreign Legion and opponents, and also the only known 28mm model of the Ark of
the Covenant, carried by priests (although Gerry speaks of making a party of Germans in
carrying poses).
Visit http://www.castawayarts.com.au/
STEVE BARBER MODELS have a line of 25mm gangsters and G-men, which are a little
smaller than the present styleI mount em on a penny, then glue that to my usual steel
washer base, to add height, like elevator shoes. They also have a range of cavemen.
Visit http://www.sbarber-models.clara.net/main.html
IRON WIND METALS are the current incarnation of venerable US fantasy figure maker,
Ral Partha. For our purposes, look at the twenty figures of cops, gangsters and adventurers
that my catalogue lists as DM 01-20 (miscellaneous), which are presently available at
shows but not on the IWM website.
RAFM are a long established Canadian company whose Call of Cthulhu range (from the
sinewy hands of Bob Murch) feature not only nameless creatures from other worldsas
youd expectbut useful 1920s humans from cops to escaped lunatics. The character sets
are usually variants on the same persona in the three stages of beginning character, experienced, and completely insane.
Visit www.RAFM.com
THE FOUNDRY have huge and vast ranges from ancient times to cyberpunk, but most
useful for our purposes are the Darkest Africa range, Colonial India (for Pathans and Indian
troops) WW2 for those pesky Nazis andthis may just be meTrojan Wars and European
Bronze Age for Atlantis and Conan types.
Visit http://www.wargamesfoundry.com/
EUREKA, also from Australia, specialize in the unusualthe weird. If you want 20s
flappers, cultists in robes (my favouriteswhats a game without cultists?) and all sorts of
mostly Victorian oddities of steam and bicycularity, this is the place to go.
Visit http://www.eurekamin.com.au/
BRIGADE GAMES are the US importers for several fine lines, but are especially noteworthy for their own ranges of WWII Pulp Horror, gangsters and adventurers, as well as
WWI figures and vehicles for Europe, Africa and the Middle East fronts. Uniquely, Lon
Weiss offers a Pulp era Caribbean Empires line with US Marines, Nicaraguan Rebels,
Haitian zombies and Jivaro head hunters. Brigade are strong on all sorts of zombies,
various experiments by Nazi scientists, and vampire-fighting nuns.
Visit http://www.brigadegames.com/
OLD GLORY also have massive ranges. Probably for our purposes the WW1 range (with
downed pilots of several nations!) and the deliberately Hollywood natives from the pirate
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and Africa lines are of most interest.
Visit http://www.oldgloryminiatures.com/
The related WEST WIND company makes an excellent range called Gothic Horror
mostly Victorian-ishwith zombies and werewolves, Yetis, mummies and cultists.
Visit http://www.westwindproductions.co.uk/index.asp
RLBPS is Bob and Ann Bowling, US dealers in British miniatures, who carry Copplestone,
Steve Barber, Honourable Lead Boiler Suit and others. Good people.
Visit http://www.rlbps.com/
North Bay Games and Hobbies, the finest game store in the frozen Arctic, supplies
Canadians with Copplestone, West Wind, Old Glory and others. Recommended service.
Visit http://www.nbgamesandhobbies.com/
In a larger scale (35mm) GRAVEN IMAGES has interesting ranges including Cliffhanger,
Gtterdmerung and Disturbia miniatures. The Cliffhanger line includes Emperor Ming
and Flash Gordon, Mongo trooper, Officer of Ming's Guard, Frankenstein's Monster and a
Large Rearing Deep One. Gtterdmerung offers lots of WWII Russian and German zombies as well as an SS Officer levitating with the Spear of Destiny! Disturbia has nightmarish Nazis and several interesting figures of a voodoo persuasion.
NORTH STAR's Project X range is 1/48th scale, but offers more WW II zombies and figures in power armour that, given the size of some 28mm ranges, might still fit in with the
others.
WARGAMES FACTORY produces multi-part hard plastic figures in 28mm size. Pulp enthusiasts will find bargain priced zombie hordes, Zulu warriors suited for all sorts of jungle
warriors, Roman legionaries to garrison lost cities, and strange retro-future shock troops in
suitably Germanic style.
Visit www.wargamesfactory.com
AUTOMOBILES for this period can be found as die cast models, ranging from very
cheap to collector grade expensive. I try to compare potential purchases to a 28mm figure,
since scale is often a bit questionable. While 1:64 is closest to most 28mm figures, the
issue is whether it looks acceptable. I have a lot of vehicles by Lledo (Days Gone By
line) which are 1:64more vans with advertising than anything else, which I usually paint
over, and some cheap toys bought second-hand. Replacing the ugly wheels with better ones
(RAFMll sell you a pack) and a paint job does the trick. Matchbox Models of Yesteryear vary in scale from around 1/40th to 1/55th, and I use them as I see fit (because the
bosss Packard ought to be big). Recently, Sloppy Jalopy has made some metal trucks in
kit form in 1/48 scale, slightly over scale, but useable.
AIRCRAFT are easily found in 1/48th scale plastic kits, and are often a little under scale
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to fit the boxes (this is how the toy industry works). More sturdy and substantial are the die
cast metal planes; I thank Dave Markley for the Grumman Goose he let me have. Occasionally die cast planes in 1/60th scale can be found. Again, scale is largely in the eye of the
beholder. Toy planes from WWII are availablemostly fighters but with a P-38 that
screams Experimental plane from 1938under the brand name New Ray. These are
cheap and made in what amounts to a plastic die cast style.
Perhaps the least expensive alternative, but with the widest possible choice, are the
beautifully designed card stock Aircraft models sold on line by Fiddlers Green (https://
www.fiddlersgreen.net/shop/category/name/Between+the+Wars.html). While a wide
assortment from every era is offered, the Between the Wars line is especially useful for
Pulp Gaming. Models are very inexpensive, easy to assemble, and look great. Each comes
in three scales, any of which can be adjusted to perfectly match your miniatures.
Boats, buildings, and very much more are also available and are well worth a visit!
BUILDINGS often have to be scratch built, although O Gauge model railway items
can be found that workthe doors are usually a bit massive, but otherwise they look good.
Ive seen whole 1920s period American skyscrapers in this scale, which look impressive
indeed. The rarer S Gauge is ideal to use with 28mm figures, but, well, rare. Steve
Barber Models has a resin cast speakeasy over a hardware store. The largest range of selfassembly card stock Buildings for the first half of the 20th Century, Mean Streets, and
Mean Sets (interiors), are available from The (Virtual) Armchair General.
RULES
So why would we discuss other sets of rules? Because there are some good ones, and
its not as if you were committed to one set for every game forever.
Theres not as much in the way of rules for Pulp as there is for Victorian Adventure.
In the 1970's there was some interest in the fantasy end of Pulp. Royal Armies of the
Hyborean Age, by Lin Carter and Scott Bizar was published by FGU in 1975. John Carter,
Warlord of Mars Adventure Gaming Handbook was released by Heritage Models, Inc. in
1978 with the copyright held by ERB's estate. Primarily a miniatures rules set, it had RPG
elements as well, as did SPI's 1979 board game John Carter. Warlord of Mars. TSR's
Warriors of Mars; The Warfare of Barsoom in Miniature was strictly a miniatures set of
rules and the first of the lot in 1974. These are, sadly, now found only in the collections of
older gamers. My thanks to Joe Gepfert for this information.
Chris Peers Contemptible Little Armies rules for WWI have been followed by his
lists and variations for 1920's Central Asia, Back of Beyond. These provide for a fairly
traditional wargame between units, together with some character-oriented material. Chris
knows his period very well, as always. The rules are fast, enjoyable, and fairly bloody.
Savage Worlds by Pinnacle Entertainment is a broad-era set that covers everything
from pure fantasy to two-fisted adventure. Ive not played them, but what I have seen looks
good.
Rugged Adventures, available as a download from the Pulp Figures website, is an
in-development set from Bob Murch and Kurt Hummitzsch. Ive played with the designers
a number of times, and recommend it for fast-paced action with a number of units per
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player. Their "China Station" games are a marvel to behold and play in.
To Be Continued By G.A.S.L.IG.H.T. is from the creators of the popular
G.A.S.L.I.G.H.T, and requires those rules. Oriented towards creating an ongoing 12episode serial, the writers, Chris Palmer and Buck Surdu, show an evident love for the
B-movie genre.
.45 Adventure by Rich Johnson of Rattrap Productions is a fairly detailed set of small
-scale skirmish rules supported by Richs enormous enthusiasm. The basic rules have been
followed up by two supplements so far (Dragon Bones and Amazing War Stories) and a
growing range of character figures. Thumbs up!
Whats the difference between Pulp and High
Adventure?
Pulp wears a sharp snap-brim fedora.
High Adventure wears a battered fedora.
20
Do you really think that a Thompson sub-machine gun should count the same as the
Bergmann MP 1918 Machine Pistol?
I dont really think about it at all.
You dont put much emphasis on sizes of units, either. Why is that?
Two Packards pull up, each with a driver and three gunsels.
Thats eight men, if you park the cars, six if you dont. But maybe
they have friends out there in the dark cityfriends who might show up
at any time. And how many head-hunters are out there in the jungle as
our expedition advances along the creeper-infested trail? And how many
zombies arise from the graveyard as the moon eerily shines across the
stones and crosses? Ya got me. Only the Director can tell, and only
then as the plot demands. You dont want your ace detective and his
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dangerous dame bumped off by a swarm of bees/rats/Bolsheviki/honest-yet
-un-dead citizens of Smalltown, USA simply because you put out too many
of them, do you?
My Character shot at a figure that popped out from cover just a few feet away. So that
should have been roll vs. GATS, right? But the Director said that the target was in shadow
(-1), that hed just appeared (-1) and that he was giving an extra 1 because the figure had
the face of my dead brother and I was shocked at that. Is that right?
Dont get on your high-horse, Mr Smarty-pants. Hes the Director
this time round. Youll get him when you take the chair and the oh-sopretentious beret he was wearing. Still, I think he has a nerve assuming your aimd be off when you saw the face of your long-deceased
brother. Howd he know even if you liked your brother?
If a figure is tied properly, how long does it take for him to escape (Bound & Gagged,
pg. 45), assuming that tying a victim properly uses ropes, as opposed to handcuffs?
They don't. That's if they aren't genuine heroes. In that case I'd say
that after an hour's hard work they can escape on a STUNTS roll. Fail
three times (one per hour) and it's clear that it's not going to happen
.
GATS modifiersare these cumulative? Or do I simply take the worst situation listed in
that row (Shooting, pg. 36)? E.g. if I am running, and my target is flying, am I at -2 or -4?
It's cumulative. The example below the modifier list shows how it
works.
Once you choose your Fighting Style, how long does it last (Close Combat, pg. 39)? It
says you can't change it for the same battle. Is a battle one scene? Or is a battle one
close combat fight with another figure?
Good question! I think it should mean that if you start out simply
punching peopleas one does in a bar fightyou can't suddenly start
trying to kill them. So, it's for the whole scene unless the bad guys
(being bad guys) start cheating and trying to really hurt our heroes.
Does that make sense?
In Serious Business (pg. 41), under result 6, it says Again, rolling more than your
HITS score means you are killed." What rolling again is this talking about?
It means that if you don't have four hits left, you are dead when you
get this result. My use of "Again" before the word "rolling" may have
led you to think there was another roll sorry! (Authors Note to
self: Absinthe only after the days writing.)
What is a Penguin's STUNT value (Dangerous Creatures, pg. 61)? It is missing from the
chart. For the record, I merely noticed the blank space.
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I had to look this up in my original manuscript. It's '2. We'll blame
Patrick for that one!
(Editors note to self:
What were you drinking when you thought up all this stuff?
Dont rightly recall.
Oh, and if you want to ask more damn fool questions, share your
own ideas, or just join the hub-bub of discussion and snappy repartee,
visit the Official Astounding Tales! Yahoo! Group at
http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/astounding-tales/ and tell them you
want to see man about a black bird.
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Astounding Adventures
Magazine!
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Astounding Tales!
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Wheels
Cruising: All vehicles can move 10 per Action, slower if necessary.
Corners and curves reduce speed by 1 D6.
Speeding: Move 5 D6, corners and curves slow it by the highest D6 of the
roll. Corners count as 2
Hazards, curves as 1.
Racing: Move 7 D6, corners and curves slow it by the two highest D6.
Corners count as 4 Hazards, curves as 2. )
HorsebackWalk 6, Trot 9 (lose 1 D6 on rough ground), Gallop-12 (not over rough ground)
FISTS (Man-To-Man Combat)
Match figures one-on-one. Attacker can add extra figures to outnumber an opponent where possible with up
to 4-1 odds.
Attacker strikes first, and rolls vs FISTS. If he succeeds, opponent rolls vs FISTS to parry (a roll of 5 or 6 is
always a hit). If attacker misses, opponent (not Supporting Cast) strikes back immediately. Supporting Cast are out
of the game if they fail their To parry FISTS roll. Supporting Cast fighting one another simply roll vs FISTS to hit
en mass, and roll saves vs FISTS en masse.
PASS=Dodge the blow. FAIL=Hit! Roll 1 D6 per success and check the appropriate table below.
Brawling Modifiers
+1 to FISTS for Brawling Weapons (brass knucks, ball bat, iron pipe, bottle, etc),
+1 to FISTS for anyone with a positional advantage, such as being higher up or behind a wall, etc.
D6 Roll
1, 2
3. 4
5
6
Brawling Table
Result
Effect
Ouch!
Youll pay for that, Buddy! (No real effect)
Knocked Down Lose 1 HITS, 1 FISTSGet up and fight next turn
Decked!
Down for all of next turn, get up the turn after. Lose 2 FISTS & 2 HITS
Knocked Cold! Lose 3 FISTS, 3 HITS, and wake up in Jail/Hospital/Alley next day.
D6 Roll
1
2, 3
4, 5
Result
Scratched
Light Wound
Serious Wound
Critical Wound
(If you aint dead,
youre damned
lucky!)
WEAPONS DATA
WEAPON
RANGES
Short Long
WEAPONS DATA
# Of
Dice
Per
Shot
SPECIAL MODIFIERS
WEAPON
RANGES
Shor
t
Long
# Of
Dice
Per
Shot
SPECIAL MODIFIERS
Pistol
24
None
BAR*
12
48
-2 to GATS, -1 if on Bipod
12
12
48
Broom Handle
Mauser
12
Light Machine
Gun*
12
48
15
Shotgun
18
3 per
barrel
Heavy Machine
Gun*
Grenade
12
Tommy Gun
24
Carbine
12
36
None
Bow
12
Rifle
12
48
None
Javelin/Rock/etc
12
None
* Inaccurate, but scary. If you miss, but still roll equal to or less than your basic GATS, the target must react as if hit
but not woundedducking for cover, hitting the dirtand recovers next turn, missing one Action. Jams: Any Auto-
matic Weapon that scores more 6s than 1s and 2sin one burst Jams. Roll of 1-3 in the next turn
clears it. If twice as many 6s rolled as 1s and 2s, its Jammed for the rest of the Action.
SHOOTING: One shot per Action. Roll against MODIFIED GATS. If the D6 is less than or equal to the
modified GATS, theres a chance for a hit. If GATS falls to 0, roll for a 1, allowing another roll each vs original
Shooting Modifiers
Aimed Fire (took a full Action first) for single pistol, rifle, carbine, and bows ONLY
Firing while moving / long range / poor light / target in light cover or lying down
Firing while running / bad light / hard cover/ shooter drunk / running or flying target
1
2,3
4
5
6
Try Harder!
Near Miss!
Light Wound
Wound
Blam!
+1 to GATS
-1 to GATS
-2 to GATS
-1
+1
+2
Fail
Nervous: Cant move forward, drop back to any cover within 3. Deduct 2 from all
ratings until you Get a grip, Man. Maybe.
Terrified: Run screaming from the scene. Females may resort to fainting
Fail by 3+ points
GUTS: Test vs GUTS when wounded, when a friend is hit, when Director says so.
GET A GRIP!
Those that have failed a GUTS test can try to regain their manhood by testing vs GUTS 2. Takes one action.
PASS=Return to usual GUTS. One try only.
FAIL=You leave for good.
INTERRUPTS/DO OVER
Once per Scene at Directors discretion (may allow wait in ambush, etc).