Friday Freebie: Stars Without Number

Image (cc) Phil Parker on Flickr

How could I not recommend the magnificent Stars Without Number as a top tier FREE GAME?

Stars Without Number is the game that changed how I DM.  It helped me prep just enough and forgot about "building encounters" and start enjoying the game so much more. It's the game I wish I'd run first, but more on that later.

But how does it play?

Mechanically, it's an odd mix of d20 (for combat and saves) and 2d6 (for skills) but the players didn't seem to mind.  Skills are distinct enough without being too granular and it all seems to work.  Being an OSR game there are hit dice and hit points, and my favourite method for rolling HP when you level I have seen so far: roll all your hit dice and get that if it's higher than your current total, or get +1 HP if you rolled lower.  It really helps to smooth the curve.

Getting into 15mm gaming...

Image (cc) Kaptain Kobold via FlickrIt's been a while... sorry!

I have been busy - after trying out a few free SF wargames rules, our group is working on our own 15mm near-future skirmish rules, so we can use modern and sci-fi minis.  Which means I finally get to make some terrain!

Current projects:

• 15mm modular city table
• 15mm Hordes of the Things fantasy scenery & armies

Updates will be posted as they come, Peter Pig pirate minis and samurai have already been purchased, along with Dixon Minis ninjas for my Ninjago-obsessed son...

Hopefully we'll all be getting some 15mm SF minis from Ground Zero Games when the shop's back online too.  Keep 'em peeled!

"Friday" Freebie: Resolute, Adventurer and Genius

A free RPG this week - and a day late due to internets being replaced.

RAG expands on the warmly received Warrior, Rogue and Mage by taking the WyRM system and using it in a pulp game.  Hurrah!  It's nice to see some love for the pulp genre in gaming - other than Thrilling Tales for SW, what else do we have?

Friday Freebie: Skrapyard

Hungering for a VSF skirmish game?  Skrapyard may be for you.

I discovered this game while merrily wandering the Twitterverse - I got a message from Precinct Omega saying I'd won one of their minis, and decided to check the game out... and as I'm no good at painting I thought I'd put the mini up for grabs too.  Check back on Monday for details.

How does the game play?  It's nice to see a slimmed down system these days - especially after so many years of 40k - and Skrapyard's core idea of only needing a single d12 really struck a chord with me.  It's a nice, streamlined roll-under-stat system - but the beta rules are coming down at the end of the month, to be replaced with a fluffless "light" version... so if you want to check it out I'd head over to the Skrapyard download page sooner rather than later!

It sounds like there are plans to introduce some more Steampunky war machines too... I'm definitely keeping an eye on this one!

Holy bundles of RPG stuff Batman!

Essentially: free product when you donate $20 (£12 ish) to the Red Cross via RPGNow... I had to grab this one after missing out on the Haiti bundle - in the fact that when I clicked the link, it was available no more, so I donated otherwise instead - click here to see just what you get for your generosity! (Not an affiliate link!)

What to read first... PFRPG bits or CthuluTech?

...and the Supernatural RPG is a chance to get a look at Cortex for free on top...

Friday Freebie: Full Thrust!

Image (cc) robartesm via FlickrIt seems my internet is back on, temporarily at least, which allows me the pleasure of introducing the free game that's probably inspired me the most:  GroundZeroGames' Full Thrust.

Full Thrust got me completely and utterly into space fleet wargaming, and it can't just be coincidence that GZG also make and sell some very nice starship minis to play the game with.  The newer designs are particularly nice - check out the ScanFed, for example - and far as I can tell from my research, GZG ships set the benchmark in 1:3000 scale space minis.

So... what's the game like?

Friday Freebie: LEGO wargaming!

Pirates vs Ninjas!  Blacktron vs Atlanteans!  Romans vs Police!?

This week's free game is the amazing BrikWars tabletop minifig wargame - quirky and beautifully illustrated, and available in online rulebook form HERE and handy downloadable pdf HERE for all your genre defying death-dealing needs.

The appeal of this game is nicely summed up by the the rulebook:

Friday Freebie: Warcanto

Not Friday, but still free - it's skirmish wargame Warcanto!

I got a copy of the rules from a friend when we were looking for filler games... And have just got round to reading them.

The rulebook is beautifully presented - not just for a free .pdf - and illustrated, giving the basic details of how to play and the various races. Each faction also has its own army book with more detailed info and ability ladders for their leaders - presumably these are being added to as the writers add more units and rules.

The basic concept: