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This is certain to become one of the classics modules of role-playing.

Rimfire is everything that anyone who's big on melodrama and space opera wants in a campaign. Anime gamers in particular should strive to read, and (if possible) play, this campaign at least once.

What does it have? A full cast of characters, from stars to supporting cast, for you and your players to bring to glorious anime-style (larger-than-)life awaits you. Complete mecha designs, spaceship designs, and a plot so filled with action, romance, and mecha combat that even Gundam fanatics will feel satisified.

Yep, this campaign feels a lot like a Gundam series. That's a very good thing, because Gundam--along with Macross and Space Cruiser Yamato--are the three classics of anime space opera; the familiarity is good for newbies and newbie GMs because it's easy (now, at least) to find the source material and see how it's done.

So what's the story? The two powers of Algol, along with the other players in Algol politics, get together to form a united space force in an attempt to do something about the impending ice age. Of course, it's not that smooth. Axis terrorists play merry hell with things, and so do old-fashioned political rivalries. That forms the basis for much of the action, the plot, and the relationships between the many characters.

Before it's over, major figures in Algolian life die very horrible deaths, scores of romances rise and fall, and the characters get to save the world from the horrors of a broken-hearted madman. It's all so classically melodramatic that even the Real Men will shed some tears. No, I won't spoil it for anyone who's not read it because it is *that* good of a story; really, R. Tal should consider turning it into an OVA series or something.

The downsides are big. First, it's out of print. Second, it's made for Mekton II. Third, it's very structured. The first is the hardest of them all. The second is easy enough- just convert it to whatever system you run. (I recommend BESM, MZ, and a synthesis of the three Sihouette RPGs for obvious reasons.) The last depends upon your skill and style; in my opinion, taking the "replay" approach works best.

Read it. Get it. Love it. It's anime gaming goodiness from start to finish.

Style: 5 (Excellent!)
Substance: 5 (Excellent!)

Mekton-Operation: Rimfire
Author: Michael MacDonald Category: game Company/Publisher: R. Talsorian Games Line: Mekton II Cost: Long Out of Print Page count: 104 pages ISBN: 0-937279-37-4 SKU: MK1501 Capsule Review by Bradford C. Walker on 07/29/99. Genre tags: Science_fiction Far_Future Space Anime Espionage Conspiracy	This is certain to become one of the classics modules of role-playing. Rimfire is everything that anyone who's big on melodrama and space opera wants in a campaign. Anime gamers in particular should strive to read, and (if possible) play, this campaign at least once. What does it have? A full cast of characters, from stars to supporting cast, for you and your players to bring to glorious anime-style (larger-than-)life awaits you. Complete mecha designs, spaceship designs, and a plot so filled with action, romance, and mecha combat that even Gundam fanatics will feel satisified. Yep, this campaign feels a lot like a Gundam series. That's a very good thing, because Gundam--along with Macross and Space Cruiser Yamato--are the three classics of anime space opera; the familiarity is good for newbies and newbie GMs because it's easy (now, at least) to find the source material and see how it's done. So what's the story? The two powers of Algol, along with the other players in Algol politics, get together to form a united space force in an attempt to do something about the impending ice age. Of course, it's not that smooth. Axis terrorists play merry hell with things, and so do old-fashioned political rivalries. That forms the basis for much of the action, the plot, and the relationships between the many characters. Before it's over, major figures in Algolian life die very horrible deaths, scores of romances rise and fall, and the characters get to save the world from the horrors of a broken-hearted madman. It's all so classically melodramatic that even the Real Men will shed some tears. No, I won't spoil it for anyone who's not read it because it is that good of a story; really, R. Tal should consider turning it into an OVA series or something. The downsides are big. First, it's out of print. Second, it's made for Mekton II. Third, it's very structured. The first is the hardest of them all. The second is easy enough- just convert it to whatever system you run. (I recommend BESM, MZ, and a synthesis of the three Sihouette RPGs for obvious reasons.) The last depends upon your skill and style; in my opinion, taking the "replay" approach works best. Read it. Get it. Love it. It's anime gaming goodiness from start to finish. Style: 5 (Excellent!) Substance: 5 (Excellent!)

Mekton-Operation: Rimfire