_Smash & Grab_ has been out for awhile now, and since I haven't seen a
review of it I thought I'd throw my initial opinions on the fire to see
how many people agree with me on this.
CAVEAT:
I don't like the TNE setting overly much. Extreme distaste is probably
not too strong a term.
Overview:
Smash and Grab is a 126 page sourcebook for Traveller: TNE. The cover
is computer generated. It purports to have five Hot Recovery missions
for the RCES. As it says on the back cover "_Smash and Grab_ is a
collection of sweat-in-your eyes, ozone-in-your nostrils combat adventures
that will leave your player characters (those that survive, anyway) combat-
hardened veterans when it's all over."
'Nuff said.
Specifics:
Five adventures and eight pages of equipment at the end.
Adv. 1: "...a bit different from the usual smash-and-grab..". About
25 pages long, which includes the Promise subsector UWPs and several
full-page, but crude, maps and various and sundry artwork. A full three
and a half of these pages are given over to the Briefing, which is intended
to be *read verbatim* to the players. *THREE AND A HALF PAGES*.
Basic gist of the adventure is the recovery of the crew of one of the
twelve original starships sent out by the Dawn League (that's why it's
different from the usual smash and grab, by the way). So, land on the planet,
attack the prison, meet up with some Imperials who slept through the collapse,
collect the crew, and leave.
Adv. 2: Land on the planet, attack the Droyne at the starport, unplug
the virus-infested AI computer that leads them and steal his SIMMs, leave.
About 20 pages, with about 5 of them full page, but crude, maps. The
briefing runs about a page and a half (remember, it's supposed to be read
*verbatim* to the players). You also get to 'parachute drop' from orbit.
Adv. 3: About 20 pages. The TED in this adventure is actually a rogue
RCES agent. Land, attack the psionics institute, unplug the virus-infested
AI computer, which...get this...is *psionic*, and mind-controlling the
aforementioned rogue RCES agent, and leave. (This one reminded me of a
review of the Fiend Folio I read lo these many years ago in the Dragon.
"Ah, but *this* Mummy is _green_ and drains life levels.") The briefing
runs about a page.
Adv. 4: Sneak onto the planet, pass yourself off as being from a distant
land, try not to look like spies (and thus find yourself executed) while
you try to find one of the RCs missing starships & crews. Not as much shooting
as in the earlier scenarios, although it's set up to be nearly impossible not
to seem like spies (and thus have to shoot your way off the planet). The
briefing is mercifully under a page. About 20 pages, two of which are taken
up by a spread of floorplans for one of the local's palaces. This is
basically a circular tower with most of the upper two floors (ie, the right
hand page) 90% "open to the air" (ie, no actual rooms or anything).
Adv. 5: Planet A. is having a civil war with both sides possessing
Nuclear weapons. So, attack the planet, stealing some warheads from one
side and destroy a few on the other side to, get this, "...teach the
locals a lesson and reduce their arsenals, but not eliminate them altogether,
as the warheads being used are...[needed] to defend their world against
the vampire fleets." Also, by GM fiat, most of the important equipment is
lost during the drop to the planet. Runs about 18 pages, with under a page
worth of briefing.
Conclusions:
1. Out of five adventures, two had controlling AI computers and two
had TEDs who had captured a team of RC agents. All were basically "run around
until you've had enough intrigue and then start shooting at things"-type
scenarios, if they weren't outright combat missions. One let you fight
aliens, one let you fight psionics. Yup, an RC campaign will have *lots* of
variety :/ <Yes, I've got Path of Tears. This book is pretty far from the
"kindler, gentler" PoT. It's not incompatible, but definitely much more
militant.>
2. From the introduction on page 5:
"...[W]e have actually scripted the briefing so that the
referee can read it verbatim. Our experience is that this is easier
on the referee than having him or her make up the words of the briefer.
Also, having a script enables the referee to engage in some roleplaying,
and makes the briefing that much more real for players."
Yeah, after all, you wouldn't want to roleplay any of your NPCs or
<shudder> have to *make up* part of an adventure yourself, would you?
<"Captain, Counselor Troi is detecting sarcasm.">
3. Anybody who thought TNE wasn't a military role playing game
can go stand over in the corner.
4. Oh, yeah, nearly forgot. Also from the intro:
"All five of these worlds...will continue to figure in Coalition
operations and politics. And since the Characters are *NOW EXPERTS*
on these worlds, having gained their experience the hard way..." <Emphasis
mine>
Hmmm, yeah, landing and attacking a prison makes me an expert on the
whole world.
5. As someone mentioned, no Glaring Typos (for which GDW gets praise).
However, the grammar is occaisionally pretty klunky (not that I'm necessarily
one to point a finger, but I can at least recoginize it).
6. For no apparent reason page 126 has the "cross-hairs" page number
that was used (I believe) in Brilliant Lances.
7. Ads for Star Vikings (which looks like a book full of NPCs) and
the RCES Equipment Guide.
Alleged TML Terrorist,
Dane
[email removed] [email removed]
TNS Stringer ------ Terra/Solomani Rim (1827 G867975-8)
"My opinions are those of my fuzz-brained, cat-sniffing Norwegian Elkhound."