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Issue 6 Now Available

Submitted by Tom Stephens on Wed, 10/16/2013 - 11:45

Hello explorers!

The Sathar are coming!  Issue 6 of the Frontier Explorer is now available for download. This issue focuses on the Sathar and provides a wealth of information on how to integrate the sathar into your campaign.  Most of the content is rules agnostic and would allow the inclusion of the sathar regardless of the game system.

Articles include information on sathar society and military organization, an adventure introducing a possible sathar defector, a look at possible interactions with the sathar and the megacorps, and a look at hypnotism.  We also introduce the first of a series of articles looking at converting Star Frontiers material to the Stars Without Number game system.  In this issue we look at converting the sathar attack monsters. 

We also had a complete set of deck plans for a sathar destroyer but it just wouldn't fit.  Look for it coming out as a special "Frontier Explorer Presents" issue in the next month or so.

The issue content (articles) are:

  • A Player's Guide to the Star Frontiers Setting
  • Yazirian Parajumper
  • Truane's Star System Brief
  • Sathar Summit II
  • Consipracy Theories
  • Sathar and the Megacorps
  • A Thin Sharp Line
  • Extending the Line
  • Sathar Military Organization
  • Sathar Monsters Without Number
  • Exploring Hypnotism in the Frontier
  • Cybernuk of New Pale
  • A Can of Worms
  • Living Expenses
  • Got Techno-Babble?
  • The Gray Wave
  • Grymz Guide Comic #6

Grab your copy and keep exploring new frontiers.

Tom Stephens's picture

Issue 5 Print Edition Available

Submitted by Tom Stephens on Sat, 08/10/2013 - 16:48
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The print edition of issue 5 is now available through the Issue 5 product page on DriveThruRPG.  If you're interested in a print copy, jump over there and grab yourself one.

Tom Stephens's picture

Issue 5 Now available

Submitted by Tom Stephens on Tue, 07/16/2013 - 11:44

Hello explorers!

Issue 5 of the Frontier Explorer is now available for download. This issue provides a smorgasbord of articles from our submission queue on a variety of topics.

We have several articles on gaming tips for both players and game masters to help make the game engaging and relevant to the players regardless of the game you play. There is new equipment as well as small cultural write-ups on a couple of the Star Frontier races.

This issue includes a clean, redrawn version of the classic Assault Scout deck plans as well as an initial look at variations on that ship, and a solo adventure that uses those deck plans. We also delve into the internet archive to resurrect some lost material on a new Mega-corp and optional rules for dealing with the expenses of owning a starship. There is also a short story by another new fiction author, that takes place in a new setting.

The issue content (articles) are:

  • A Vrusk Life In Song
  • Ice Cave Wolves of Alcazzar
  • Creating Plot Hook Laden Backgrounds
  • Backgrounds – Rooting Player Characters in the Setting
  • Crafting Personal RPG Quests
  • Financing A Frontier Freighter
  • The Yazirian Warrior Bard
  • The Assault Scout
  • The Albatross
  • Going for the Head
  • Oni-Senada Corporation
  • A Blast from the Past
  • Riddle Me This, Puzzle Me That
  • Dealing with Power Creep
  • To Live And Die In StarLight
  • Grymz Guide Comic #5

Grab your copy and keep exploring new frontiers.

Tags: 
magazine
new issue
Tom Stephens's picture

Issue 5 Subscriber Preview available

Submitted by Tom Stephens on Tue, 07/09/2013 - 21:18

Issue 5 is almost done.  We've released the subscriber preview and are working on getting all the on-line content ready to go as well as putting together the print edition.

This issue has a variety of content including tips for GMs and players, a solo Star Frontiers adventure, remastered deck plans of the classic Star Frontiers ship the Assault Scout and many other great articles.

Look for issue 5 to become publicly available in the middle of next week. 

jedion357's picture

D eye Y Smelted Assault Scouts

Submitted by jedion357 on Sun, 07/07/2013 - 17:04
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Over at Delta's D&D Hotspot was posted a mini tutorial on home made assault scout minis.

http://deltasdnd.blogspot.com/2013/07/scifi-saturday-assault-scout-minis...

The whole process is not actually covered but cool to see 4 new assault scouts enter the world.

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Web based Character sheets

Submitted by jedion357 on Wed, 06/19/2013 - 12:23
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I've seen a few web based character sheets around the net and of varying utility, discovering this one got me wondering if FE should get involved in this effort.

http://deltasdnd.blogspot.com/2013/05/star-frontiers-character-sheets.html

 

Of course the problem these days is what rules do you use? AD, Zebs, or one of the fan adaptions?

There is a SF character sheet at Mad Irishman (not surprising):

http://www.mad-irishman.net/pub_starfrontiers.html

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jedion357's picture

SPARG, NOW!

Submitted by jedion357 on Tue, 06/18/2013 - 07:51
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Recent picture on DA got me thinking: Self Propelled Autonomous Rail Gun

http://www.deviantart.com/art/Enforcer-378801855

 

as a setting objective/nemesis

Potential PC interactions:

1. as light infantry taking out the "war elephant" essentially a throw back to the Punic Wars where war elephants were the tanks of the battlefield but when flanked by light infantry they were easily neutralized. PCs must neutralize the SPARG so that other ships may enter orbit. the counter for light infantry taking out a war elephant was assigning light infantry to escort the war elephant thus the PCs will encounter other opposition scaled to their size- robotic escorts or living escorts.

2. using SPARG to defend a planet almost a space invaders themed encounter.

3. espionage- steal the plans etc

4. "Scotty I need that SPARG now or we're all dead!" rail guns experience deteriation of their rail system if not fired in vacuum thus when used for planetary defense they need plenty of TLC- PCs need to repair the SPARG before the alien swarm arrives or everyone dies.

5. Ghost in the Machine- rogue SPARG pushes its own agenda.

6. "One flew over the clockworks nest" PC mission lobotomize the SPARG and take over manual control of the weapon system for mission X

SPARG are designed to be anti siege weapons- mobile making them tough to localize for orbital bombardment. they are designed to level cities and shoot stuff in orbit.

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jedion357's picture

Over Thinking a Conversion

Submitted by jedion357 on Tue, 05/21/2013 - 05:47
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Tom got me working on a conversion for Stars Without Number to STar Frotntiers. Its a retro clone of the old B/X D&D rules crafted for a science fiction setting. Rather elegant set of rules I must say. That's a strong compliment becuase I've been extremely frustrated with D20 systems since returning to D&D 5 years ago.

At anyrate I was totally over thinking the conversion and mucking it up and making it less elegant. Time to step back, breathe deep and chop my work down to size.

I strongly recommend Stars Without Number for role players who are wedded to the D20 system and mechanic but would like to play in a sci fi setting for a change. Hopefully there will be a conversion guide coming out for its use in the Star Frontiers setting soon too.

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Tom Stephens's picture

Print Version of Issue 4 Now Available

Submitted by Tom Stephens on Thu, 05/02/2013 - 12:12

Just a heads up that the print version of Issue 4 is now available for purchase for those that are interested.  You can order your copy today at our DriveThruRPG product page.

jedion357's picture

My reacuring brushes with poetry

Submitted by jedion357 on Mon, 04/22/2013 - 06:20
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I've enjoyed poetry throughout my life. First in school when a smart English teacher introduced us to some morbid and martial poetry to days of partying and drinking hard at age 20 when I wrote some to periods in my life when I seek some out and enjoy it. Looking back it seems to me that its a 5-10 itch; about every 5-10 years I get a poetry itch that must be scratched. I dont know why and I cant explain it. It just happens.

Most recently I encountered this exert from Philis Wheatley's On Imagination

We on thy pinions can surpass the wind,
And leave the rolling universe behind:
From star to star the mental optics rove,
Measure the skies, and range the realms above.
There in one view we grasp the mighty whole,
Or with new worlds amaze th' unbounded soul.


And on a recommendation I was just reading AE Housman and discovered Epitaph On An Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,
The hour when earth’s foundations fled,
Followed their mercenary calling
And took their wages and are dead.
Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
They stood, and earth’s foundations stay;
What God abandoned, these defended,
And saved the sum of things for pay.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
I'll be reading a little more of Housman and then I suspect that the itch will be cured for another 5 years.

 

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