Saturday, May 28, 2016

Meet the Fleet, part 15


   


Bounty hunters. Kings of the Scum & Villainy faction. All now assembled, here in my collection, to chase and harass the good guys, and possibly the bad guys, too.

Darth Vader: There will be a substantial reward for the one who finds the Millennium Falcon. You are free to use any methods necessary, but I want them alive. No disintegrations.
Boba Fett: As you wish.
 

Very happy to have, with Wave 8, the complete set of tough guys from ESB. Haven't flown Dengar and Zuckuss, yet, but that will change in the very next game we'll play.


Meet the Fleet, part 14


   

Oddities of the EU. I originally decided not to buy these ships, but then I wanted the ordnance-related cards so I caved in and got one of each.

The strange "K-wing", first invented by Michael P. Kube-McDowell in "Before the Storm: Book 1 of the Black Fleet Crisis" (1996). This is a New Republic era craft, first flown something like 16 years after the Battle of Yavin. The jury is still out as to the look of the heavy bomber, but I think it's growing on me. We have not yet flown it in battle. Interested to try out the SLAM action.

Even weirder is the TIE Interdictor (here called TIE Punisher). A TIE Bomber + a TIE Bomber + one more cylinder. Ummmmm....yeah. First appearing in a video game, Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds (2001). Just at the edge of silliness, in my opinion.

Both of these craft are super big for the small-sized base, extending over all sides. Both can bring a bunch of ordnance to bear; they should be fun to mess around with, particularly in an Epic game.



Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Rogue Dreams

Two items. The next book that really lights up my radar is set for an October 4, 2016 release:

Rogue One: Catalyst

Described as a prequel to the events of the upcoming movie. Set in the early days of the classic trilogy, near the outset of the Galactic Civil War. Sounds awesome!

(I plan to ignore, or at most, borrow from Nate, the Wendig book at some point; just for completeness).

I have also been daydreaming about the Rogue One trailer since it was first posted. The spoken voice over near the end of the trailer, in particular, which appears to be directed at the central female protagonist, uncontrollable troublemaker and non-sanctioned rebel Jyn Erso:

What will you do when they catch you? What will you do if they break you? If you continue to fight...what will you become?

The end of the voice over  coincides with a closing shot of our heroine (?) outfitted in distinctly Imperial gear, apparently somewhere deep inside an Imperial facility (air vent or access tube?).

Curious question: is the trouble-maker-turned-secret-agent still a good guy at that point? Probably, but it is a very interesting idea to ponder. She's dressed like I might expect an "Emperor's Hand" like Mara Jade to dress. Could just be her infiltration gear, but she might have gone...dare I say it...rogue!

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Bloodline



Just finished this much-anticipated (by me, at least) new Star Wars novel by Claudia Gray: Bloodline (2016). I have to say it was a nice and very quick read. I liked it, but didn't love it. Lost Stars was a better book, as was Battlefront: Twilight Company. In the good column, we get to see old friends as the main characters in this book. Well, at least one old friend: Leia. The book has a lot of politics in it, as it takes place during the New Republic, some 20 years after the events of the OT (but still some years short of The Force Awakens). Before the First Order comes to fruition. Before the Resistance is formed.

It has a lot of politics, but not enough politics. Specifically, how can I read for 332 pages and not know what planet Senator Leia Organa represents in the Senate? No idea.

Let's follow the timeline. She'd have been the senator from Alderaan many moons ago (that's no moon...too soon?). Then, after the Senate was disbanded by you-know-who, AND her constituents having been blown up, she would have switched to being an outlaw and Rebellion figure. Then, 20 years later, she's back in a re-formed New Republic Senate...representing who? Where has she lived since the OT? Who elected her? They never say. The book says Leia has no other permanent residence than her modest living quarters on Hosnian Prime (home of the New Republic Senate...for now).

Another minor quibble: The new planet Gatalenta seems to come up far too often to be mere coincidence. The X-wing pilot Joph Seastriker was from there, Leia drinks some tea from there while aboard her personal ship, which is being escorted by the X-wing flying native. Gatalenta is said to be famed for its tranquility and its tea. In addition one of the Senators close to Leia, one Tai-Lin Garr, is also from Gatalenta. The one and only decoration to adorn Leia's living quarters is a painting from Gatalenta. A fountain in front of the Senate building (next to a statue of Bail Organa) is a gift from the citizens of Gatalenta. I suspect a conspiracy of coincidence; perhaps this world with factor in to the next movie? Whatever it is, it was mildly annoying to have some many mentions of this brand new world wedged awkwardly into the text. Usually only a few pages from each other.

One more complaint, while we're at it: One of the big events of the book comes to be known, galaxy-wide, as the "Napkin Bombing". uuuhhhh.....

The story moves briskly, as I said, although the scope feels a bit underwhelming at times. Much is made of the stalemates and gridlock in the Senate chamber, and two fairly lame political "parties" are thrust upon us: the Centrists who favor a strong role for the New Republic and the "Populists" who would rather avoid repeating the mistakes of the previous Empire. Feels a bit too cute for my tastes. They constantly refer to each other by these two names, and claim silly things like "I could never be friends with a centrist" or "She's pretty good...for a populist". Give it a rest, people. You have important work to do.

A couple of side comments are made in support of the new Disney Star Wars equal rights push, which I support in theory, but seems a bit forced and to be awkwardly implemented in practice. One character is said in passing to have two moms. Not a big deal. In another scene a male fighter pilot is said to be acting like that because he has a "new man in his life" or somesuch. It doesn't quite seem like the non-PC versions of these statements would have ever cropped up naturally, so it seems odd when these are wedged in deliberately. Filling a quota or something, rather than an organic part of the story. Again, I am happy with a more inclusive (in every way) Star Wars universe, I'd just wish the attempts at inclusivity weren't so obvious and seemingly ham-fisted. Maybe I'm just not used to seeing these things in these novels, which, of course, is the whole point. I'll simply note it as an observation and move on.

The person I really want to read about during this Force-forsaken era is Luke. Where is Luke's story? Don't care about the rest all that much.

At the end of this novel is a sample of the upcoming Chuck Wendig affair, Truce at Bakura 4, uh, I mean Aftermath: Life Debt. As if we haven't been through enough, lately. Still choppy writing. Not quite as bad a random word salad as the first book, if this sample is anything to go by, Still don't care about the characters (especially Mr. Bones, and the rest of them). To top it off, Wendig now gets to write about Han and Chewie. Not a fan. Not. A. Fan.

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Prequel-era Tragedy



Just finished reading Outbound Flight by Timothy Zahn (2006). A nice entry into the preferred canon, I believe. A tale set in the tumultuous time after The Phantom Menace and before Attack of the Clones. Most of what's wrong with the sometimes wayward Jedi Order is summed up in one character: Master Jorus C'baoth. He is arrogant and rude and considers Force users to be the rightful rulers of the galaxy. At the very end, his hatred and thirst for revenge send him to the Dark Side.

Outbound Flight is an ambitious project of the Galactic Republic to send six dreadnoughts, arranged around a central core, off into Unknown Space, then off much further toward the closest galaxy. A colony ship, with 50,000 beings aboard, including children. Political machinations, mostly on the part of one Darth Sidious, spell doom for the inhabitants of the exploration vessel. Along the way we meet a certain blue-skinned alien (future Grand Admiral), in his native environment.

A good old fashioned Zahn-style romp through the Star Wars universe. Crafty plans, high brow dialogue, brave smart people acting in high stress situations, mind games, including genius-level strategery, the art of the double-double-cross, lots of action and blasters and conflict. A few strange character names. A fun read, and a style-wise blast from the past.

Now it is on to the highly anticipated (at least by me) Bloodlines by new Star Wars rising star Claudia Gray. I am very excited to read this one, after her wonderful Lost Stars.

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Meet the Fleet, part 13


   

The YT-2400. Dash Rendar's Outrider. Designed by Doug Chiang, as I recall. A great vessel. A smaller, more nimble cousin of the ubiquitous YT-1300.

I like this ship. I clipped the dorsal and ventral cannons much shorter, as they were way too long. Like longer than the CR90's turbolaser battery barrels. What?!

I'm not loving the strange nodules on the cockpit, but the rest of it is very nice. A great, solid, Star Wars feel.

In the miniatures game, we fly this as Dash. Recently I was reminded of the perils of equipping the heavy laser cannon in the Outrider-title granted turret: donut hole! I could not fight back against ships at range 1. That was a tough game. Next time I fly with Dash I am trying the Mangler cannon. We'll see how that goes.

Sunday, May 1, 2016

Tierfon Mission: Plunder

Here's another Age of Rebellion scenario for PCs operating out of Tierfon Base.

Plunder

-Nate



Star Wars: Age of Rebellion: Plunder
When business is conducted on an interplanetary scale, it's a big thing. While this is common knowledge throughout the galaxy, it's especially familiar to those beings and families whose names are synonymous with trade on such a scale. Such is the case with the Santhe family of the Tion Hegemony. They are involved in such fields as shipping and transportation, shipbuilding and other technology. 

What they don't know is that one of their own has betrayed them. 

The treacherous being is Jal Santhe, a young Human who has built up a considerable gambling debt in Hutt-owned casinos. In order to pay off those credits, without letting his parents know what he's done, Jal has begun selling travel itineraries for Santhe-owned transports to Slarr the Hutt. That crime boss, in turn, provides the information to pirates in his employ, allowing them to strike targets that put up little resistance. This arrangement might have gone undiscovered, if not for the intervention of another Tionese noble sympathetic to the Rebellion, Gaea Rus.

Note to the GM: This scenario can be played as a stand-alone Rebel mission. On the other hand, PCs who participated in the events of Turbulence should already be familiar with Gaea Rus, whom they hopefully saved from a keelkana attack. In that case, she has provided her lead to the Rebellion as a way of thanking them for their assistance.

Adventure Summary
This adventure begins with the PCs planting a tracking device aboard a Santhe-owned vessel, the Steadfast, a YT-1300 transport that is docked on the planet Taanab. If that effort succeeds, then they can track that vessel into the depths of space, where it suffered an attack, and from there to the hidden pirate base on Rhen Var. At that point, it's up to the PCs to raid the pirates' store of spoils and thus acquire supplies and, perhaps, intelligence valuable to the Rebels' war effort. They're not the only ones interested in this business, however, and are in for a surprise when agents of the Empire also become involved.

Planning and Preparations
Although the PCs are thrown into the middle of the action in the first episode, it is assumed that they've also had some time to prepare for this business. For that reason, the GM may allow them to request retroactively any equipment that they deem necessary. In this case, they should have the opportunity to do so without expending Destiny points.

Involving the Player Characters
This scenario should begin in media res, when they've already landed their freighter and are preparing to plant a tracking device aboard the nearby Santhe vessel. As mentioned above, however, they should be allowed a little time for making preparations that would've happened before departing Tierfon Base.

Mission Objectives and PC Duty
Detailed below are some of the ways in which this assignment can tie into different characters' objectives.
  • Combat Victory—Although stealth is encouraged during the first part of this mission, there's plenty of opportunity for fighting once the PCs rad the pirates' hideout.
  • Counter-Intelligence—This character is, as usual, tasked with making sure that the PCs are not revealed to be agents of the Rebel Alliance.
  • Intelligence—The very nature of this business, uncovering a plot to sell out Santhe vessels to pirates, along with the possibility of doing so on behalf of the Alliance, involves this Duty.
  • Internal Security—This character should strive to make sure that the PCs don't reveal their true identities or the nature of their activities to Imperial authorities.
  • Personnel—While the pirates are likely to become enemies of the PCs, this character might attempt to recruit some or all of them to serve as Rebel privateers.
  • Political Support—For this character, gaining influence with Gaea Rus and her noble family should be a priority.
  • Recruiting—Much like with the Personnel duty, for this PC securing the support of Gaea Rus and, possibly, the pirates, are also positive outcomes.
  • Resource Acquisition—The elements of stealing from pirates and, possibly, acquiring other targets from them, are natural objectives for characters with this Duty.
  • Sabotage—Causing harm to the pirates, as well as to the Imperials when they make their appearance, fit in well for this character.
  • Space Superiority—Given the likelihood of ship-to-ship combat on this mission, characters with this Duty should have a chance to shine.
  • Support—This character can, as usual, help fellow operatives in attaining any of the aforementioned duty objectives.
  • Tech Procurement—Much like with Resource Acquisition, detailed above, characters with this Duty have a good chance to steal valuable equipment from allies of the Galactic Empire.

Episode 1: Tracking the Steadfast
As mentioned above, this scenario begins with the PCs about to land in a docking facility on Taanab, one that is adjacent to that occupied by the Steadfast. They've already been provided with the following information:
  • Recently Gaea Rus, a Tionese noblewoman with Rebel sympathies, has come to suspect that a member of the wealthy and influential Santhe family has been selling out transport ships and their cargoes to a band of pirates employed by Slarr the Hutt.
  • She believes that he's doing this in order to pay off a gambling debt.
  • According to her informants, one of the targeted vessels is the Steadfast, a vessel bound for Lianna by way of Taanab.
  • The powers that be at Tierfon Base would like the PCs to plant a tracking device aboard that ship in order to discover the location of the pirates' base.
  • Armed with that information, they want the PCs to conduct a raid on the base and acquire the materiel stored there.
  • Additionally, if possible, they should acquire information regarding other potential targets belonging to the Santhe family, since they are loyal supporters of Palpatine's New Order.
As mentioned above, if this information makes the PCs think they need any special equipment for this mission, then they can try to obtain it retroactively. It should be noted, of course, that the Alliance has provided them with the tracking device in question.

The Docking Bay
Refer to the map below for the following area description. Each docking bay features broad, secure double doors out front (1). They are little more than open pits with fifteen-meter-high walls (2). Each one does boast a small set of quarters (3) with bunks, a table and chairs and a refresher, along with a small workshop (4) and a storage area (5).

Port Authority

The first challenge that the PCs face is dealing with representatives of the local port authority. Upon landing in their assigned docking bay, they're approached by customs agent Pree Olasa, accompanied by members of the spaceport security force. He's come to ask some routine questions, but the PCs don't necessarily know that. As such, they need to make a Deception check opposed to his Discipline effort, with bonuses for good or bad roleplaying applied as usual. Alternately, they could try to bribe the fellow, something that requires a Charm check opposed to his Cool effort, with a bonus depending on the size of the bribe offered. After all, Olasa is just a bored local official, and one who's not opposed to the idea of turning a quick profit from ordinary daily business. In the event that the PCs resort to violence, or that their efforts to bluff the customs agent utterly fail, he can call in one or more squads of stormtroopers as backup.

Customs Agent: Use stats for a Spaceport Overseer from pages 430-1 of the Core Rulebook.

Spaceport Security Personnel: Use the stats for Imperial Navy Troopers from page 419.

Planting the Device
Once they've settled business with the customs agent, the PCs to devise a means of entering the neighboring docking bay and planting their tracking device. The docking bays, it should be noted, are arranged in square clusters, situated in such a way that their workshops (Area 4) abut on one another. Given the many different strategies that the PCs might employ, and the various ways in which the NPCs could respond to them, a good deal of GM adjudication is likely to be necessary. Even so, here are a few suggestions for the situation might develop.
  • Stealth is perhaps the best option. At any given time only a couple of crew members remain in the docking bay while the others enjoy some time in port. One or more PCs might wish to make Stealth checks opposed to their Perception efforts in order to move about unnoticed.
  • It could be advantageous for the PCs to stage some kind of distraction. This, more than any other option, requires the GM to decide how the NPCs react. Ultimately, this is likely to require one or more Deception checks opposed to the crew members' Discipline efforts, perhaps assisted by a Charm check opposed to their Cool efforts.
  • Incapacitating the crew members is always an option, if perhaps a risky one. Should that transpire, the crew members could call for backup, but the PCs could still plant the tracking device and make the incident look like a botched robbery attempt.

Steadfast Crew: Use the stats for Starfighter Pilots from page 415 of the Core Rulebook.


Following Their Quarry
As long as they succeed in planting the tracking device aboard the Steadfast, the PCs can sit back and wait while it takes off and then makes the jump to hyperspace. While doing so requires only an easy Astrogation check, the results of that effort determine the nature of the situation that they face upon arrival there. Should the PCs think to ask, the jump leads them to the edge of the Roche asteroid belt. Finally, a Triumph on this check reveals a second signal coming from the vessel in question, one that is very subtle and that uses an Imperial frequency. 

Upon reverting to realspace, the PCs find themselves on the edge of an asteroid field—assuming that they succeeded at the Astrogation check. Advantage generated by that check can be used to grant boost dice to the Piloting—Planetary check needed to navigate it without any collisions, an average effort. Threat can be used to add setback to that effort, while Despair upgrades the difficulty of the check to Daunting as the vessel appears inside the tangle of drifting asteroids. 

The PCs also pick up a distress signal, one belonging to the Steadfast's crew. They're crammed into an escape pod, having abandoned their ship as it was being overrun by pirates. The PCs can reach their position amid the asteroids via the aforementioned Piloting—Planetary effort, and then devise a means of retrieving the pod. While they're doing so, however, they attract a flock of mynocks.

Mynocks: Use the stats from page 413 of the Edge of the Empire core rulebook.

Once they've dealt with the mynocks and retrieved the survivors, the PCs must make another Piloting—Planetary check to steer their ship back out of the asteroids. 

Dealing with the survivors—Captain Drebu and three others—provides a good opportunity for roleplaying and skill use. For one thing, one of the survivors has a broken leg (a Crippled critical injury result) and requires a hard Medicine check to be treated. There's also the matter of pretending that they don't know what happened, should the PCs choose to keep Drebu and the others in the dark about Jal Santhe's business with the pirates. On the other hand, they could be honest with the captain about what has transpired and thus possibly win him over as an ally. This could be handled with Charm or Negotiation checks, with boost or setback dice for argumentation and roleplaying as mentioned above.


Episode 2: The Pirate Base
A short time after the PCs stage their rescue, they again pick up the signal from the tracking device aboard the Steadfast; it has come out of hyperspace near the planet Rhen Var. The pirates' base is situated at the end of a narrow canyon in the mountains.

Making the Approach
Although the pirates don't maintain any kind of sensor network, they do keep one of their number aboard their own ship, the Stellar Wind, with eyes on the scanners. For that reason, if they want to approach unnoticed, the PCs should bring their ship in well away from the base and then approach using the snow-covered mountains for cover. This requires a Piloting—Planetary check opposed by the pirate's Perception effort. Once they've found a safe place to land nearby, the PCs can approach on foot and scope out the scene. 

The pirates have taken over one of the planet's curious ruined buildings, a squat tower-like structure. They store their plunder on the lowest level (1), which is divided by columns and has a spiral staircase leading upward. Next is the level (2) with the dining hall, kitchen, pantry and refresher units. Above that (3) is a ring of sleeping quarters. The building's top level (4) is a platform open to the sky above. On the field in front of it sit the Stellar Wind and the Steadfast.
When the PCs arrive, Captain Fellum is overseeing groups of pirates as they transfer cargo from their new prize into the tower.

Strategy and Tactics
Given the number of pirates who are present in the base—Captain Atisako Fellum, two pilots and various groups of minions—the PCs would do well to avoid an all-out fight. To that end, they might employ one or more of the following strategies.
  • Stealth, as long as possible, is probably the best option. This requires, of course, a skill check opposed to the relevant characters' Perception efforts.
  • Deception is not likely to succeed here. After all, this is a remote planet and no other beings are usually found here. Even so, this could allowed with GM adjudication.
  • Sabotage could be a good idea. If the PCs can somehow seal the main door into the tower, they could trap some of the pirates inside it. The same thing might apply to the main hatches of the Stellar Wind and/or the Steadfast.
  • Along those lines, the PCs might want to bring in their own ship to strafe the pirates, possibly pinning them down and/or destroying their vehicles.
Of course, if's never possible to predict every notion that the PCs will have.

The Pirates
Refer to the following stat blocks as necessary.

Atisako Fellum, Gran Pirate (Nemesis)
Brawn 2 Agility 3 Intellect 2
Cunning 2 Willpower 2 Presence 3

Soak: 3
Wound Threshold: 14
Strain Threshold: 12
M/R Defense: 0 / 0

Skills: Astrogation 2, Athletics 1, Brawl 2, Charm 2, Coercion 1, Cool 2, Coordination 1, Discipline 2, Gunnery 2, Leadership 2, Mechanics 1, Medicine 1, Melee 3, Negotiation 2, Perception 2, Piloting—Planetary 1, Piloting—Space 2, Ranged—Heavy 2, Ranged—Light 3, Resilience 1, Skulduggery 1, Stealth 1, Streetwise 1, Vigilance 2

Talents: Call 'Em, Dodge, Grit, Lethal Blows, Quick Strike, Quick Draw, Rapid Reaction, Toughened

Abilities: Free rank in Charm or Negotiation; Enhanced Vision (remove up to two setback dice from ranged attacks and Perception checks due to environmental conditions; Adversary 1 (upgrade combat checks against this character once)

Equipment: Vacuum suit (counts as heavy clothing), heavy blaster pistol, vibrosword, comlink

At one time, Atisako Fellum was a pacifist and a supporter of the Republic. He admired the Jedi, and truly believed peace and justice could exist the galaxy. The Clone Wars changed all of that. Now he has gathered similarly disaffected Gran around himself, declaring themselves the Pirates of the Solar Wind. In his mind, the ways of the galaxy have changed, and it makes more sense to sail with them than against them. Atisako Fellum has more of a sense of honor than other pirates. To that end, he may be convinced to engage in a duel with bold individuals, and he tends to show favor to attractive females. 

Gran Pilots (Rivals)
Brawn 2 Agility 2 Intellect 2
Cunning 1 Willpower 2 Presence 3

Soak: 3
Wound Threshold: 12
Strain Threshold: 11
M/R Defense: 0 / 0

Skills: Astrogation 1, Charm 1, Cool 1, Gunnery 2, Mechanics 1, Perception 1, Piloting—Planetary 1, Piloting—Space 2, Ranged—Light 1, Vigilance 2

Talents: Dead to Rights, Full Throttle, Improved Dead to Rights, Improved Full Throttle, Skilled Jockey

Abilities: Free rank in Charm or Negotiation; Enhanced Vision (remove up to two setback dice from ranged attacks and Perception checks due to environmental conditions)

Equipment: Vacuum suits, blaster pistols, Z-95 Headhunter starfighters

These pilots have been picked from among the ranks of the ordinary pirates and given advanced training in order to fly the band's Z-95 Headhunters.

Gran Boarding Party Members (Minions)
Brawn 2 Agility 2 Intellect 1
Cunning 1 Willpower 1 Presence 2

Soak: 3
Wound Threshold: 5 each
Strain Threshold: NA
M/R Defense: 0 / 0

Skills (group only): Brawl, Cool, Mechanics, Melee, Perception, Ranged—Light, Vigilance

Talents: None

Abilities: None

Equipment: Vacuum suits (count as heavy clothing), blaster pistols, truncheons, comlinks

These pirates admire and emulate Atisako Fellum, sharing in the spoils of his victories.

The Stellar Wind
These pirates operate a Wayfinder-class transport named the Stellar Wind, with the addition of a second laser cannon. Aboard it they carry two Z-95 Headhunter starfighters. (See pages 258 and 263 of the Edge of the Empire core rulebook for details.) All three vessels are manned by pilots, leaving Atisako to lead the boarding party. Their usual tactic is to catch a target unaware, and then to beat it into submission with cannon fire. Once the vessel has been disabled, the boarding party moves in to bypass the airlocks and face any remaining resistance.


Episode 3: Imperial—and Other—Entanglements
The PCs and the pirates are not the only beings with an interest in the Steadfast. Agents of the Empire have begun to suspect some kind of collusion involving the Santhe family and the pirates, and so have planted their own tracking device aboard its cargo. That is why, some time after the PCs have made their move against the pirates, the Empire rears its ugly head.
Just when this happens is left up to the GM in order to choose the dramatically appropriate moment. This could be just as the PCs are escaping with their plunder, when a Gozanti-class light assault cruiser, the Pride of Pantolomin, drops out of hyperspace right in their path and begins sending out TIE fighters. The Imperial Captain, Miryl Krusick, calls for all vessels to power down weapons and shields and then return to the surface to be boarded. On the other hand, if the PCs attempt at raiding the pirate base stalls out or is defeated, then this attack can serves as a distraction and thus give the PCs a shot at turning the tables.

TIE Fighters—Use the stats found on page 270 of the core rulebook.

TIE Pilots—Use the stats found on page 423.

Gozanti Cruiser—Use the stats found on page 276.

Imperial Gunners—Use the stats found on page 418.


Epilogue
As long as the mission is a success, the PCs have acquired valuable supplies for the Alliance and possibly bloodied the nose of local Imperial forces, too. This should provide an enjoyable scene as they drop out of hyperspace back at Tierfon base and begun unloading the spoils.

Rewards for Risks
At the GM's discretion, the PCs should earn 10 experience points for a complete success, or 5 xp for a good effort; players who stick to their characters' motivations should earn another 5 xp. At the same time, they should each increase their Duty rating by 5. Depending on the size of the group, if they've participated in the scenarios Underground and Turbulence as well, then they might achieve their first increase in Contribution Rank, too.


Appendix 1: Opening Crawl
Presented below is an opening crawl in the style of the Star Wars movies for use with this scenario.


STAR WARS

AGE OF REBELLION

PLUNDER

It is a time of civil war.

In an effort to acquire badly needed supplies for the war effort,

Rebel agents from Tierfon Base are embarking on a desperate mission.

Acting on a tip from a Tionese noblewoman, they seek to expose a plot

involving corporate greed, betrayal and piracy, and thus to claim

the spoils of war for the Rebellion...