New World Order is different from most Robotech books in outlook and general theme. All others have some degree of new mecha, New World Order on the other hand provides over sixty heavily detailed NPCs. The others are mainly mecha combat action, while New World Order is more detective work.
The book’s basis is that the players get wind of a conspiracy to overthrow United World Government control of Africa and create an independent state. But who is behind it? Is it corrupt UWG officials or Bureau Six, the UWG secret police, seeking more power? There is no way it could possibly be the newly created Armies of the Southern Cross or even elements of the RDF itself? The propaganda points to the ‘evil’ Soviet EBSIS, religious fanatics, various tribes and even the myriad of criminal groups nibbling at the edges, but is this one time when the likely suspects aren’t to blame?
Of course given the somewhat lack-luster background info provided in the previous RT RPG books, not much background on the places to search through for the answers. This book takes up the slack, providing full and detailed background Africa in the Post-Rain of Death era. Major locations set the scene from the main cities to the RDF Bases. To flesh out these locales, with full descriptions of the personalities that reside there and what role (if any) they play in the plot, followed by random event tables to fill in the dull spots. In fact all this detail kind of spoils you, as you expect all Robotech books to provide this for all the settings.
We start off by explaining what the United World Government does apart from taxing the life out of people and appear corrupt. Next is the major baronies in Africa outside UWG control, such as the Ethiopian Free Holding (A evil corporate dictatorship), Islamic African Peoples’ Republic (Hard-core Muslim nation), the New Empire of Greater Zimbabwe (Corrupt corporate council) and one small dumping ground EBSIS base.
After the independents is the section of UWG/RDF controlled Africa. In the Congo Quadrant is Fort Victoria, a chronically under-funded and under-supplied RDF base torn between religious fanatics. Off the coast of what was Sudan is the Red Sea Fort, a dank and dark underwater base where bribes are used to keep troop moral up. In the Angolan Quadrant the Armies of the Southern Cross’s first African base, Fort Hope is under construction, local complaints be damned. Finally we visit the twin centers of power in Africa, the RDF Africa HQ of Fort Niamey nominally UWG city of Lagos, both linked more than would seem prudent.
The last third of the book sets out how the New World Order campaign should run, with notable events in the conspiracy that the players can be drawn into, some rather subtle, others rather blatant like the classic injured friend revealing a secret just before dying. A few relatively short areas of mecha and vehicle stats make it in, along with two new OCCs, The Urban Specialist and the Civilian, though the latter is a straight cut and paste from the Invid Invasion book.
The format and layout is the never changing Palladium standard of two-column text with the occasional picture.
An interesting art cross over, Kevin Long would later go over and do some art on the ‘enemy’ to RT, Battletech, and Shadowrun and Battletech artist Earl Geier does stuff for this book. Wayne Breaux handles the remaining art chores.
New World Order is a meaty, value for money Robotech book. Even if don’t have much use for a prepared adventures or campaigns, the wealth of detailed background info usually absent from many Robotech books should be enough to convince you to buy.
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