Trek RPG Auction of the Week - 7/15/09

This week we've got a FASA Star Trek The Role Playing Game 2nd Edition lot, most from around 1987, that looks like the perfect way to jump whole-hog into the system. Starts off with the 2E box set (2001D) that includes the three core rulebooks and the Star Trek Starship Tactical Combat Simulator (rules, master control book, map and counters). Looks like it's got everything except the dice (two 20-sided, numbered 0-9 twice; you can just use D10 with 0-9). Also included:

- (2002) The Klingons (Second Edition)
- (2301) Klingons Ship Recognition Manual (Second Edition)
- (2302) Federation Ship Recognition Manual(Second Edition)
- (2303) Romulan Ship Recognition Manual
- (2204) Ship Construction Manual (Second Edition)
- (2225) The White Flame Starship Combat Scenario Pack from 1988
- (2227) Star Trek: The Next Generation First Year Sourcebook from 1989

But wait! There's more.....

David R. Deitrick Follow-up

The series is complete!

Here's my rough attempt to assemble the Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan series triptych of the special retailers' incentive version with art by David R. Deitrick, as covered here last month. Issue #3 was released July 1st, so if you want to get them, grab them soon (link to Things from Another World, or click the image above). This series with David's artwork and April's movie prequel Countdown have really made me take a closer look at the Trek comics coming out of IDW Publishing, and the John Byrne TOS April-era tale Crew (featuring "Number One"!) jumped out at me as well. But just as Crew #5 is coming out next week, #2 is already sold out. I tracked it down and paid extra, but that's the lesson for TWOK: if you want the Deitrick covers, best get them while you can.

Speaking of Mr. Deitrick, he came upon my original post and was nice enough to drop me a very gracious thank you note. It turns out that the TWOK covers were an entirely new commission, not an older unseen piece. If, like me, you'd like to see more of these, do what I did: drop IDW a note by snail mail or email and let them know you want more (I even hinted I'd like them to release a poster). In my ideal world, this gives David a chance to build up his Trek portfolio just in time for a new game publisher to come along, snatch up the RPG license, and hire him to do all of the art for the game!

A guy can dream, can't he? While I'm at it, I win the lottery big time, and I'm the one that gets the license and hires the rest of the best and the brightest. We all quit our day jobs and just create the best Trek RPG ever.

But for now, I'll just have to make do with these comics and work on the next best thing...

But wait! There's more.....

Trek RPG Auction of the Week - 6/29/09

This week's auction is a nice collection of FASA books specifically related to the Star Trek Technical Combat Simulator. No counters, dice or maps, but would make a handy set of reference tools if you plan on playing STCS online with Rob Carignan's excellent VASSAL STCS module or the amazing ST:STCS Computer Version.

Included in the auction are:

- Star Trek Starship Tactical Combat Simulator (FASA 2003) - Rule book and Master Control Book
- Klingons Ship Recognition Manual, Second Edition (FASA 2301)
- Federation Ship Recognition Manual, Second Edition (FASA 2302)
- Romulan Ship Recognition Manual (FASA 2303)
- Star Trek III: Sourcebook Update (FASA 2214)
- The White Flame Starship Combat Scenario Pack (FASA 2225)
- Star Trek: The Next Generation First Year Sourcebook (FASA 2227)

But wait! There's more.....

Artist David R. Deitrick Returns to Trek

If you stop by the comic book store tomorrow, you might catch a glimpse of something that looks familiar. Familiar, that is, if you were a big fan of FASA's Star Trek The Role Playing Game in the 80s.

On June 10th, IDW Publishing is releasing the first of its 3-part comic book adaptation of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan -- apparently one of the few films that didn't get the comic book treatment -- written by Andy Schmidt, with art by Chee Yang Ong and color by Moose Baumann. Of interest to FASA fans, though, will be the special "retailer incentive cover" version with artwork by none other than David R. Deitrick.

Dave Deitrick's distinctive style graced the covers of so many memorable science fiction games in the 80s, and he practically defined the look of FASA's Trek through most of its adventures and supplements. This cover is apparently the first of three "interlocking" covers and, I'm guessing, a completely new piece.

Mr. Deitrick's work first caught my eye in 1980, with Metagaming's The Fantasy Trip Microquest, Security Station. I was just getting into pen-and-ink drawing at the time, and there was something about the lines and color of that box art that made it look so different than anything else coming out in fantasy role-playing at the time. Despite my love of TFT, it turns out the game itself was a dog and didn't live anywhere near the coolness displayed on the cover. It wasn't Deitrick's fault, of course, but his work really illustrated his talent for making you want to buy.

When I look back at his art that came out over the next few years, I realize that he had this brilliant ability through unusual color combinations and lines to convey motion and the promise of an exciting adventure. I know I'm not the only one who digs Deitrick's contribution to the hobby. Super game blogger Jeff Rients not only posted a David Deitrick Mini-Shrine on his blog in 2005 , but managed to get the the artist to create Jeff's well-known "IG-666 Robot Warlock" illustration.

I miss buying games that had art like this. I loved going into the hobby store and being surprised by a new Trek module on the shelf with Deitrick's art on the cover. It seems that so much art in games these days is so dark, or so Photoshoppy/Painter, or so full of really, really bad 3D models. Deitrick's art was bright and clean and colorful, and hinted that your game could be the same. Plus, he had a rare talent among game artists to portray extremely cool women who appeared to somehow make their way in the universe without giant breasts and very little clothing. I know that there is a huge appreciation for the stark simplicity of Traveller's original LBBs, but I'll admit that nothing made me want to play Traveller more than the beautiful cover Deitrick composed for the Starter Edition (left) in 1983. It looked so... modern! Even though I already had the big black Deluxe Edition from two years earlier, I bought the SE just for the box, and still have it today.

Some may look at the outrageous pinks, yellows and purples in some of his illustrations and think, "Oh, so that's what Limited Express looked like in 1984!" Maybe it's just nostalgia and my memories of all those adventures (some that never were), but I don't think they look dated at all. I still look at them and think, "Man, the future's so bright, I gotta wear shades."

Here's a collection of some of David R. Deitrick's other non-Trek covers (click for larger versions)...





...and, starting with my favorite, a selection of art from adventure modules and supplements for the Reigning King, FASA's Star Trek The Role Playing Game. Enjoy! And be sure to check out Dave's website. He's still a very active artist and has grown into other media including some incredible sculpture work.

But wait! There's more.....

RIP David F. Tepool

Some very sad news this evening from Guy McLimore, co-designer of Fantasimulations Associates' seminal Star Trek The Role Playing Game, that one his friends and partners in game design has passed away. David F. Tepool was credited as co-author of the FASA RPG and was the creator of the much-loved Star Trek Starship Tactical Combat Simulator. From Guy's post on TrekRPGnet:

David had not been active in game design in a number of years, but he returned to the game industry a few years ago as the owner of Olde Rivertowne Miniatures, a mail-order minis firm based in his home town of Newburgh, IN.

David's work on Star Trek, particularly the creation of the ship combat game, was something of which he was very proud, and it always pleased him that so many people still play and enjoy the game, even though it is long, long out of print. If you are someone who visits here, you undoubtedly know his work. I am so very grateful for the years we spent working together -- some of the best of my creative life. Our trips on the road promoting the game and meeting the fans (and many of the Star Trek cast) were very special to all of us. Greg Poehlein and I tried many times to coax David into returning to design work. I'm sorry we never managed to talk him into it.

I hope those of you who have enjoyed his work will continue to play and have fun with it for years to come. Having you remember him in your thoughts when you do would mean a lot to him.

Guy McLimore

--

I certainly will remember him fondly. I still pull out the STTCS, and lurk on forums like Sub-Odeon's where the game lives and grows even now. To this day, no one has replicated the elegance and immersion of the Command & Control approach to starship combat in roleplaying, though many have tried. I just saw his Ship Construction Manual go for a crazy amount on eBay this week. That's staying power. And I still love his Dalek module for FASA's Doctor Who The Roleplaying Game.

I'm glad he knew how many hundreds of hours of fun and camaraderie he brought to so many of us over the past decades. We should all be so lucky to make that kind of contribution to this hobby we love, and we should all hope that if we do, that we know it.

RIP, David. We will remember you, and we thank you.

But wait! There's more.....

Hands-on Trek RPG Fun

Stop what you're doing now and check out today's post over at Bat in the Attic! Rob's been posting some thoughts and memories lately of his FASA Star Trek gaming of the past, and this morning's update and pictures is the kind of thing that just makes you want to run out and find the game and some friends who will indulge you!

Note to self: stop by OfficeMax after meeting this morning, buy 3 particular colors of paper...



Bat in the Attic: More Star Trek the Roleplaying Game

But wait! There's more.....

Trek RPG Auction of the Week - 5/6/09 and more

I haven't done auction of the week for the past few weeks because there really wasn't much that was all that compelling. This is a nice resource, though. A great homebase for characters or a place for encounters, the Regula-I Orbital Station Deckplans (#2226A). It originally came as part of the adventure supplement, The Strider Incident (#2226), that takes place on one of these outposts.

Although they're called "deckplans", they are not at all like the blueprint-style USS Enterprise or Klingon Battle Crusier deckplans released years before by FASA. It's simply a 44-page softcover book with technical details on this kind of station, a registry, area, level and room-by-room descriptions, and a 16-page pull out section that shows the plans in a scale of 3 meters per grid square. The book also includes a number of variations of the R-1 type station for defense, surveillance, penal, recreation and so on. There's not much that's FASA-specific about it at all, so GM's of any Trek system would likely find it useful and easily customizable for a number of structures in an adventure.

Here are some close-ups of actual pages (click for larger pop-ups, including the cover):



On a separate note, I got an e-mail from Noble Knight Games today, and they're having a big sale this week. There are some great prices mint and new copies of GURPS Prime Directive, Klingons and Romulans. Do a search on "Prime Directive" and scroll down (you may have to search for Romulans separately).

Not to spoil my upcoming reviews of the various PD systems and books, but if I were to choose any of the variations, the GURPS version would be the one. First, it's self-contained (that is, it is based on and includes an integrated version of the GURPS-lite rules; you don't have to buy the GURPS core books to use them, unlike the D20 variations). Second (and this is petty), they're more attractive. Third, I think they're actually pretty great resources for running games in the TOS era. Just keep in mind that it's the Star Fleet Universe (Memory Alpha), not the Star Trek universe. Nevertheless, I think they make a good platform to build on, depending on the type of Trek game you want to run. And if you can get them for 20-35% off, all the better!

T-Minus 1 Day and counting! 24 hours from now, I'll have secured my place in line. As Nero would say, "The wait is over." Next time (most likely), my review and hopefully yours in the comments!

But wait! There's more.....

FASA Star Trek #2603 - Dr. McCoy

Manufacturer: FASA Corporation

Set #: 2603 - Dr. McCoy

Scale: 25mm

Year: 1983

MSRP: unknown

Additional Notes: McCoy is in his jumpsuit and appears to be holding the anabolic protoplaser that he used in the Peter Preston sickbay scene of TWOK.

This sculpt is different than the "Dr. Leonard McCoy" included in FASA's Wrath of Khan box set (#3001 "Collector's Series Number One: USS Enterprise and Crew"), in which he's wearing his standard uniform and holding a hypospray.

The base is etched with what appears to be "SLP83" on the bottom and "ⓒ83 PPC" for Paramount Pictures Corporation.

But wait! There's more.....

Trek RPG Auction of the Week - 4/13/09

Sorry for the prolonged absence, busy with real life and moving my office. Should be able to get back on track this week.

We'll start it off with Auction of the Week. Ask most Trek gamers over the age of 30 which system is their favorite, and they'll say something like, "I like the ____ system best, but the FASA one always holds a special place in my heart," or they'll just outright say that FASA's Star Trek The Role Playing Game is still their favorite.

This week's auction is for the 1985 Basic Game, Second Edition version (FASA #2004). This was the more affordable version with new and expanded rules, including the Star Fleet Officer's Manual (40 pages), the Game Operations Manual (48 pages), the Cadet's Orientation Sourcebook (80 pages), and two 20-sided dice (numbered 0-9, as real mens' dice were in those days) in a slimmer box with cover art by Rowena Morrill. Unlike the Deluxe versions, no separate starship combat system nor sheets and counters were included.

Also up for auction this week, more FASA goodness: the 1983 Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Collector's Series Number Two: USS Reliant and Khan's Crew miniatures box set (FASA #3002), with USS Reliant (1/3900 scale) and these 25mm figures: Khan Noonian Singh (Ceti Alpha V), Joachim (Ceti Alpha V), Khan Noonian Singh (normal), Joachim, 2 male followers, 3 female followers.

But wait! There's more.....

Trek Miniatures, Scale and Alternate Options

I took a huge new batch of photos of my miniatures today for future posts, and thought this would be a good opportunity to address the issue of scale between the different lines. It'll also be the first glimpse of some rarely seen miniatures other than those of Heritage, FASA and Citadel and I'll be showing more of these in the future.

And in honor of Bill's birthday (Happy 78th, Mr. Shatner!... not that he's a regular reader of Groknard) I'll kick it off with this, to the left. Here are 6 officially licensed Star Trek miniatures of Captain James T. Kirk (click for a larger closeup). In back is Heritage Models' 1978 75mm Collector Figure of Kirk (Heritage #1600). In the front, from left to right, is Heritage's 25mm Kirk (1604A), Citadel's 1980 25mm Captain Kirk Pose 1 (ST1), FASA's 1983 25mm Admiral Kirk from the Wrath of Khan Collector Series box (3001), USAopoly's pewter Kirk token from the 2000 boardgame Star Trek Limited Edition Monopoly, and the very rare Kirk token from the 1999 Italian boardgame by Ultimo Avamposto, Star Trek Adventure: Serie Classica.

Here's a close-up without Mega-Kirk (click for larger):

The Star Trek Limited Edition Monopoly tokens are really nice sculpts and I'll be posting all 8 from that game, as well as the Star Trek: The Next Generation version of the game soon. The nice thing is that they're somewhat easier to find than the miniatures from the 70s and 80s. As you can see (below), they're out of scale with 25mm figures, but pretty close to 28mm/30mm heroic scale. If you get these, then you can throw in monsters and Orion slave girls from other miniature lines. Although I had seen pics of the Monopoly Trek tokens, I couldn't find a single reference to measurements or comparative scale anywhere. Now I'll save you the trouble. Good for RPGs? I think so.


If you're looking for some 25mm miniatures for your Trek games, but you don't want to spend an arm and a leg, check out the MegaMiniatures "Bridge Crew" lead-free pewter line (PDF Catalog) of Trek-like figures and accessories. Very affordable and great sculpts that are easily modified and painted to look very close to either TOS or TNG eras. Here's one, on the far right. I think it's also a good illustration of the fact that "25mm" doesn't really tell you whether or not miniatures from different lines and manufacturers are really going to mesh well together. From foot-to-eye, MegaMinis are 28mm. Heritage and FASA minis are 25mm from foot-to-eye. Citadel Trek figures are more like 25mm from foot-to-top of head, and look stockier.

Transporters are always breaking down, so be sure your games have a shuttle available. Here's Monopoly Spock and Heritage Spock flanked by 3.5" long Galileo shuttles that aren't in perfect scale for the figures, but close enough and suitable for the game table. The shuttle on the left was one of Playmate's Innerspace series of micro ships, and the one on the right is the more easily obtained Johnny Lightning version. Don't get the Japanese Furuta import, it's barely 2 1/4" inches long.

One last one for today, for fans of TNG who probably feel somewhat left out on my blog, but shouldn't. I love the newer shows (Voyager not so much), and just haven't gotten to the LUG and Decipher eras yet. Here's Worf, one from LUG's one and only box set of miniatures for Star Trek The Next Generation Roleplaying Game, the 1998 Federation Away Team Miniatures (# 25600), along with the Worf token from Parker Brother's 1998 Star Trek: The Next Generation Collector's Edition Monopoly. More from that set later (does Wil Wheaton know he has his own mini???).

I hope this has helped some of you looking to start collecting and adding miniatures to your Star Trek RPG sessions. Look for more photos and details from all these lines over the next few months. In the meantime, coming up next, a look at years of homebrewed Star Trek RPGs adaptations for systems such as GURPS, Simply Roleplaying! and more.

But wait! There's more.....

Trek RPGs - Different Expectations

Great post yesterday from Victor Raymond at his Sandbox of Doom blog about the difficulties inherent in running a game in the Trek universe and trying to keep everyone happy. I, too, have seen how concerns about the dreaded "canon" limit your options in what should be a wide open setting. Check it out.

ADDENDUM 4:15pm: Must be the weekend for great Trek RPG blog entries (too bad I don't have one!). Barking Alien posted a completely different type of entry that really takes me back to my own, similar experience at Graceland Hobbyland in Columbus, Ohio. It would have been 1983, I was 17, and there one day -- surrounded by a magic halo -- was FASA's Star Trek RPG. His story is happier though. I didn't buy it that day, I had to hold out a few weeks until I could afford the Deluxe version. Then when I got home and called my gaming friends, nobody cared. *sigh* Today I live vicariously through Adam, lol.

But wait! There's more.....

Trek RPG Auction of the Week - 3/9/09

Nothing hugely compelling for Auction of the Week this time. But this isn't a bad lot at all, especially for those looking to grab an entire Trek RPG system with useful supporting modules for a low bid.

This FASA Star Trek The Role Playing Game (Deluxe 2nd Edition) includes the core rulebooks, the Star Trek Tactical Combat Simulator components with map and unpunched counters, the Regula One Station Deckplans, and The Four Years War, The Strider Incident (part of the Regula module), The Federation, Return to Axanar, and the Ship Contruction Manual.

But wait! There's more.....

Trek RPG Auction of the Week - 3/2/09

Speaking of those FASA miniatures boxed sets...

It's rare that you actually see FASA's Star Trek II The Wrath of Khan Collector's Edition Box Sets on eBay, especially #3004, the Klingon set. Even rarer to find a number of them listed at the same time. But this is one of those rare weeks, so here are three of them for this week's "Auction of the Week".

3001 USS Enterprise and Crew - USS Enterprise (1/3900 scale), 25mm figures: Admiral Kirk, First Officer Spock, Dr. Leonard McCoy, Lt. Saavik, Chief Engineer Scott, Commander Chekov, Mister Sulu, and Comm Officer Uhura. (expires 3/3)

3002 USS Reliant and Khan's Crew - USS Reliant (1/3900 scale), 25mm figures: Khan Noonian Singh (Ceti Alpha V), Joachim (Ceti Alpha V), Khan Noonian Singh (normal), Joachim, 2 male followers, 3 female followers. (expires 3/7)

3003 Space Laboratory Regula One and Scientists - Regula One Space Lab (1/2900 scale), 25mm figures: Dr. Carol Marcus, Dr. David Marcus, Jedda, Two Project Genesis scientist, computer console, Genesis control. (expires 3/7)

Still no sign of that elusive Klingon set, though. sigh

But wait! There's more.....

FASA Star Trek #2609 and 2614 - Khan vs Khan!

Manufacturer: FASA Corporation

Set #: 2609 - Khan

Scale: 25mm

Year: 1983

Manufacturer: FASA Corporation

Set #: 2614 - Khan

Scale: 25mm

Year: 1983

Additional Notes: As is often the case, both figures have "SLP83" and "ⓒ83 PPC" etched on the base. Each has distinct painting guides on the back of the package.

Trivia: Would you believe that there are still two other distinct Khan figures in the FASA Trek miniatures range?? The "Collector Series Number Two - USS Reliant and Khan's Crew" box (FASA #3002) also had two Khan poses; one "Khan Noonian Singh (normal)" in his regular clothes with his hands on hips, and the other another "Khan Noonian Singh (Ceti Alpha V gear)" with his helmet on.

Meaning that there were more figures of Khan than any other character in the FASA Star Trek miniatures line. I'll have pictures of all of the box sets in future Groknard posts.

But wait! There's more.....

Trek RPG Auction of the Week - 2/23/09

Up on eBay this week, reasonably priced deck plans from FASA's 1983 Star Trek The Role Playing Game, both the "USS Enterprise 15mm Deck Plans Boxed Set" (FASA 2101) and "Klingon D7 15mm Deck Plans Boxed Set" (FASA 2102).

These are pretty much the same as the deckplans that FASA included with the First Edition STRPG Deluxe Box Set (FASA 2001), but on a much larger scale. It's kind of a stretch to say that they were suitable for the miniature FASA would release, but they get the job done. And if nothing else... they're pretty cool, for gaming or not!

Each includes nine 22"x33" folded heavy stock sheets that display the interior and exterior of the ships, with a 1/2" square grid overlay, and a 12 page "Ship Recognition Handbook". You don't often see them for under $15 each, so I'd have to say this is a pretty good deal.

But wait! There's more.....

FASA Star Trek #2602 - Mr. Spock

Manufacturer: FASA Corporation

Set #: 2602 - Mr. Spock

Scale: 25mm

Year: 1983

MSRP: unknown

Additional Notes: Spock holding something like a tricorder. This is a different pose than the "First Officer Spock" included in FASA's Wrath of Khan box set (#3001 "Collector's Series Number One: USS Enterprise and Crew"). The base is etched with what appears to be "SLP83" on the bottom (and I think all the figures from this era had it... sculptor's sig?), and "ⓒ83 PPC" for Paramount Pictures Corporation.

Comments: Time to get more of these FASA miniatures rolling out, so here we go. Also on the way I have Citadel figures from the TMP era, TOS and TNG miniatures from the Parker Brothers Star Trek Monopoly games (which are surprisingly well scaled for use in RPGs), and some beautiful Italian TOS Star Trek gaming minis that are probably the best sculpts I've ever seen for Trek. I'll also get some comparison pictures up so you can compare the scales (these FASA miniatures, for example, are noticeably smaller than you'd expect).

But wait! There's more.....