INTRODUCTION!

Hi, I'm Paul, the GM of this new campaign. This game is set in 1950s America that never was, which leads to my...

DISCLAIMER! I'm not an expert on the 1950s (I wasn't around until a couple of decades later) or on American life (haven't yet been to the US, maybe next year?) so there will be inaccuracies or things that are downright wrong! I'm not above or immune to being set right so please, please, please steer me in the right direction if you think something 'isn't right'.

As far as I know in the 1950s Superheroes were on the wane with only half a dozen or so still in print by the middle of the decade after the McCarthy era of politics and introduction of the Comics Code Authority which neutered comics to represent a way of life that was somewhat rose tinted and removed from real life.

The game will be set in an era after World War II with the world getting back on its feet. There are costumed vigilantes and superhuman abilities but they are few and far between. This world is separate and distinct from the main campaign line of the Vanguard but we've dimension hopped before (many times) and cross overs will most likely happen depending on circumstances.

The game will take the format of play by post using House Rules of the DC Heroes Role Playing Game (more specifically the Blood of Heroes second edition which used the DC Heroes game mechanics). This is out of print but can be bought (cheap) usually in the usual places. For instance last month I bought a copy of the rules for £0.99 plus postage, they are out there!

You don't need to know the rules!

In a 'round' of action characters can perform one each of the following:

A movement action. Move up to your characters' movement rate in a round (of 4 seconds duration)
A dice action. This is attempting a task that has a chance of failure, like punching a bad guy or picking a lock.
A miscellaneous action. Non move/dice action like speaking a short phrase or throwing something you picked up.

I will handle the crunchy stuff and will not ever penalise a player for lack of rules knowledge. If there is any doubt, players get the benefit of it. Full stop. Sometimes the dice will not fall your way. This happens in games, it's not personal! If things get silly I may tweak things but you will not know about it, it's all under the hood so to speak.

The Player Characters are the stars but I will introduce Non Player Characters who play a large role in the game and the game will always be open to new players (so long as I can handle that many incoming messages!).

I'll add to this as I get chance!

Some beginning game mechanics to help new players:

1 Beginning/low level characters will have attack and defenses in the 5-9 range.
2 A speed of 9 breaks the Sound Barrier.  A sports car has a running of 7.  A F-15 has a flight of 11.
3 Mid-range Heroes will have attack and defenses in the 10-15 range.
4 A Body of 9 is mostly bulletproof except for armor piercing high caliber rounds.
5 Max human physical stats are:  10 Dex, 5 Str, 6 Body.  Normal is 2-3 in those stats.
Stats double each time they go up by one.  example, you could lift Str 3 400lbs, then Str 4 800 lbs, then Str 5 1600 lbs, etc.
6 Body in the 22-24 range can survive a multi-kiloton nuclear bomb. 28-30 to survive a 100-megaton nuclear bomb.
7 Gadgets are extremely difficult to make well in this game and are expensive and time consuming to replace when they break, and they will break.  You will need a number of skills and advantages, lots of money and a dedicated lab and still may wind up out of the game for weeks on end while your powered armor is repaired.


EDIT! Just for max human stats!
If you would like to pattern your character after an existing Superhero or Villain we can help you make it.  Please understand that it will be many adventures and earned HP before your character will get close to that hero or villain if they are high-powered characters.