The Inside Scoop on Gaming

If you were to look at my past reviews, you could probably figure out without much trouble that I like Cthulhu Live. I also like Delta Green a whole bunch. A book that combines the two is right up my alley. Bear my biases in mind.

Cthulhu Live: Delta Green is not just an adaptation of Pagan Publishing's award-winning DG setting to the CL rules. It serves pretty well as a sourcebook for any live-action game which is going to involve espionage and police plotlines. In any event, let's crack this bad boy open and see what we've got.

The first chapter is pretty standard stuff. First off is a description of Delta Green, the secret conspiracy within the US government dedicated to fighting the horrors of the mythos. Next we get the rules stuff: new character templates, skills, and rules for psychic powers. This is all useful stuff, particularly the new character templates, which provide a little variety and even some useful inspiration (like the Psychic Charlatan character template).

The next chapter deals with the conspiracies: organization profiles (similar to those in Lost Souls) detail Delta Green, Majestic-12, the Karotechia, PISCES, the Army of the Third Eye, The Black Dragon Society, and the Order of the Feeding Hand. This provides a good range of villains: you've got your basic government conspiracy (Majestic-12), your insane supervillains (the Karotechia), and your monster-hunting monsters (PISCES). There won't be too much new here for people who have already read DG and Countdown, except for the Feeding Hand and the Black Dragon Society, but the descriptions are very useful; they are really provided for non-DG players getting into the setting. Two minor things: I would really like to have seen descriptions for Phenomen-X and Saucerwatch - for one thing, there are templates for Saucerwatch-type characters in the front, and for another thing, it would be nice to have some more non-villain organizations. Second, I'm not sure how accurate the Japanese history stuff in the Black Dragon Society bit is, so if it turns out to be all wrong, I wouldn't know.

Next we have yet another variant combat system, the Close Assault System. I don't know what it is with CL and all these variant combat systems (there's a new one in the Players' Companion, and elements of one in Shades of Gray). The CAS looks like fun - it uses pregenerated wound cards, which could lead to a bit of cheating (you have a chance of knowing whether the next shot will miss or not), but it still looks fast-paced and simple. It's specifically designed to simulate large-scale firefights and commando operations, so the focus is very much on firearms rather than on melee or monster attacks. There are also expanded Sanity rules for violence - players establish their characters' level of comfort with violence, which determines the SAN loss they take from violence (and can also affect their starting SAN negatively).

The fourth chapter covers Stagecraft. If you're like me, this is what you've been waiting for. In short order, we get information and instructions on staging firefights, making breakaway props, simulating nightvision and helicopter insertion, creating biohazard suits on a budget, creating monsters, building prop bombs, proper security clearance codes, and more. This stuff varies from easy (making badge holders) to tricky (building huge worm-like monsters with silicone gel, sculpey, and condoms). The security clearance material will be familiar to Delta Green owners: the author, who served in military intelligence, wrote that section of the DG sourcebook.

The fifth and possibly most important section deals with Tradecraft or, as I like to call it, "spy stuff." Detailed information is presented on crime scene investigation, including where to buy fingerprint powder (remember, this is a LARP). There are also sections on forensic pathology (including staging an "alien autopsy"), HUMINT (human intelligence, or coercing people into telling you things), and SIGINT (signals intelligence, including a lengthy segment on the legality and practicality of listening devices). This is very detailed information, which could be of use to anyone running a LARP - or even a tabletop game - which covers these subjects. But wait, there's more! Counterintelligence techniques, operational briefings, and a lengthy (and kind of creepy) segment on good interrogation techniques follow.

Lastly, we get a chapter on parapsychological investigation, including tips on simulating library research, what equipment to bring to a haunted house, and proper experimental procedure.

If I had to describe all the great detail I'm leaving out of the Stagecraft and Tradecraft chapters, this review would be huge. CL:DG is an absolute must have for CL Keepers running modern-day games. It could also be an interesting read for tabletop DG keepers (particularly the Tradecraft section), or for players of other modern-day conspiracy or horror games. It's possible that a well-informed conspiracy GM might know some of this information already, but I'd recommend giving it a look. There's a wealth of information, and you never know what you might find.

Lastly, let me add two things:

1) This book is plastered with disclaimers, and no wonder. The prop bombs look a little realistic, and the CAS involves players running around waving guns and yelling. CAS firefights, bomb scenes, and similar, absolutely must be held in controlled locations where no non-players will be present.

2) Once again, I should reveal bias (sounds like a spell - Reveal Bias!). I contributed a few pages to another CL supplement, and some photos to two. I'm not reviewing the one I wrote a bit off, but I am generally predisposed to like CL - if I didn't I wouldn't be involved.