Cynthia Celeste Miller of Z-Man Games posted a request in their forums for reviews of Star Warriors in return for a free review copy. I responded and she sent me the PDF. I have no affiliation with Z-Man Games or the creation of Star Warriors.
What I Was Looking For
I’ve been looking for a space opera roleplaying game that could support a short campaign of just a few months. I want a break from my regular D&D campaign. Any new game I would consider buying would need easy to grasp rules, an interesting setting or premise, and not too much prep work.
Here are the games I’ve looked at that I consider space opera. I’ve GMed Star Frontiers, Star Wars D6, and Alternity Star*Drive and played as a player in Classic Traveller. I've read and/or been to websites for Bulldogs!, Lightspeed, StarCluster, Traveller D20, GURPs Space, and Star Hero Terran Empire. Each of these games is great and has strengths, but I enjoy looking for new games which is how I found Star Warriors.
Star Warriors was listed at gamingreport.com as a new supplement for Cartoon Action Hour by Z-Man Games. I visited their website at www.zmangames.com and read reviews about Cartoon Action Hour here at RPG.net. Z-Man Games provides great support for Cartoon Action Hour on their website and in their forums. I printed out the Playset, or base rules, for my review since I do not own the full rules for Cartoon Action Hour yet.
What This Review Covers
This review is not a playtest. Instead, I read Star Warriors to determine if I would buy Cartoon Action Hour in the future. In addition to the needs I noted above, I’m looking for fast and exciting starship battles, blaster duels, aliens, exotic planets, and lots of action. Something like Star Trek the Original Series but with normal, flawed humans and aliens. My review will include my opinions on whether Star Warriors matches what I’m looking for and whether it inspired me to buy the full rules.
I will also list in my review my opinion on whether Z-Man Games met their design goal. Cartoon Action Hour, as explained on their website, provides a flexible system for running games that play like the action cartoons from the ‘80s (He-Man, Thundarr, GI Joe etc.). Star Warriors is described as space opera hitting the small screen. It includes information on the Star Warriors cartoon as well as advice for players and GMs for running a space opera game.
Style
The Star Warriors PDF is 67 pages with 65 pages of rules and setting. It is nicely laid out. The full color cover artwork depicts the main villains described in the series in a cartoon style which works for a game based on a cartoon. Bookmarks list the chapters (called channels that set the tone of a cartoon series nicely) and individual headings. Thumbnails of each page make skimming through the book easier.
Also, the full color cover and title page are listed as A and B, meaning that when you print the actual page numbers in the book correspond to the actual page you are printing. A nice touch if you want to skip pages not containing the rules or quickly print a replacement page.
The book itself is easy on the eyes. Individual sections are separated in bold type and large print. The bottom footer contains both the page number and chapter name that makes thumbing through the printed copy easier.
Art consists of cartoon renderings of characters, ships, locations, and action scenes. The cartoon style is obviously intentional, since Star Warriors represents a fictional cartoon show given life through a roleplaying game.
The art is consistent, which is important to me. In other words Lord Zarnon’s scepter is described as a blade weapon and his picture include a scepter with a blade. Dr. Roboticus has a cyber-claw as does his picture. This consistency both enhances and enriches the fictional cartoon world that Star Warriors is trying to bring to life. I can’t say the cartoon art is great. But it accomplishes what roleplaying art should, which is bringing the written rules and background to life.
I found few editing or proofing errors. A misplaced modifier here, a reference to page XX there, and accidentally referring to Dr. Tolken as Tolkien once. In my initial read through only these three errors jumped out at me. And the web description had a spelling error (henchmen) which I would correct.
In contrast to other products I’ve purchased such as Castles and Crusades or Complete Divine, this product was written and/or proofed and edited by someone with a grasp of the written English language and a desire for precise and correct usage of that language. Also, content was carefully managed. I didn’t find references to other rules that were inadvertently left out of the final work. The care and attention given to both the layout and the writing impressed me.
I’m giving style a 4 because the strength of the layout and writing outweighs the simple art. Some readers may consider giving Star Warriors a 3 because of the simplicity of the art. However, even though the art is not outstanding, it supports the product and supports it well. Star Warriors really is a 4.5 in style with only a few very minor errors and average cartoon art keeping it from being a 5.
Substance
Did I find a space opera game that I could introduce to my players, get them up to speed quickly, and enjoy playing for a few months? Did Z-Man games make good on their promise to provide an 80s like space opera cartoon in roleplaying form? Yes and yes.
The author opens with a discussion of sci-fi in 80s cartoons. He or she goes on to describe the fictional creation of Star Warriors as a cartoon, including creating a fictional TV series, toy line, and motion picture. The intro sets the tone and style of Star Warriors up neatly in only four paragraphs. My only minor quibble is that Star Warriors is listed as having three authors. Whoever wrote the intro didn’t include his or her name, so I’m left wondering which of the authors actually came up with the idea of Star Warriors.
The intro also includes a chapter summary and a one-page backstory of the fictional creation of Star Warriors as a cartoon. A unique approach to creating a story within a story that works well in establishing an 80s cartoon feel. The next page is art depicting the brave Star Warriors on board their ship battling an enemy ship against a backdrop of planets and moons.
Two pages of introduction and one piece of art sets the stage for a space opera cartoon roleplaying game of action in space.
Channel Two, the Player’s Guide, could easily be given to new players as a handout. It quickly explains the series and the genre. Space opera is defined as including epics in space, futuristic technology, strange powers, and a war-torn galaxy. Sounds like a capsule description of Star Wars. Or Star Warriors. A sidebar includes the Cartoon Action Hour Series Guide, the base character creation rules specific to Star Warriors.
Next up is space combat. Since Star Warriors covers space opera, having space combat listed right after character creation makes perfect sense and indicates its importance in the game.
Up to this point in reading Star Warriors, a reader might be wondering how childish a roleplaying game based on 80s cartoons would be. Perhaps, a reader might worry, the rules will be clunky and inelegant, and the tone aimed at a jejune audience.
The space combat rules dispel any such worries. From those rules, I get the impression that Star Warriors is written for thirty something year olds who love roleplaying but find work and family take up a lot of time. Roleplaying and reminiscing about Saturday morning cartoons would be a great diversion as long as the rules and roleplaying support real gaming, with interesting characters and interesting storylines. Star Warriors provides both fun and substance.
For instance, speed is modified for space combat because, “With no air or gravity, there’s nothing to stop or slow a spacecraft (unless you fail to avoid stray asteroids), so there is no top speed…” The author’s audience seems to me to be me, a thirty something old with a mortgage and a lawn to cut. I’m not dumb and I don’t want my roleplaying game to assume I am. On the other hand, I don’t have time to wade through physics textbooks so somebody please do the work for me.
Existing rules are modified to work in space when possible, rather than whole new rules being created. For instance, sensors are simply a vehicle’s Perception, a Trait from the core rules. Combat works in the same way as character combat, with additional rules needed for space combat being added to what is already covered in the core rules.
If you aren’t familiar with Cartoon Action Hour (CAH), here are the basics. CAH uses a d12 (or for super abilities, two or three d12s with the one best result kept) with modifiers to determine success. Higher is better. Even damage is handled with a d12.
Space combat in Star Warriors is played without maps or measuring tapes. Range bands include a short description of how close two ships are.
The Perception Trait handles initial contact between ships. Closing and maneuvering is handle with the Piloting Trait. Weapons fire uses the Ranged Combat Trait modified by whether ship weapons are fixed (pilot can fire only if he wins the maneuvering contest with an opponent) or flexible (can be fired at any time but with penalty since they are not as stable).
To make space combat more manageable, ships can combine into wings and fly and fight together. A core rule of CAH is a Mob of Goons. Several henchmen attack PCs or attack for them as one unit and are overcome with one roll, thus speeding up combat and glossing over needless extra rolling. Goons can fly in Wings with PCs or important NPCs serving as Wing Leaders.
Craft larger than fighters are not common in Star Warrior battles, but basic rules are provided to handle them. An optional rule for changing armor from reducing damage to a Trait that is rolled against creates a different feel for combat. Ships can take shot after shot (if they win the Armor Trait roll) but take massive damage when a pilot wins the roll (a successful attack does full damage).
A little over four pages of rules create dynamic and easy to understand space combat. I haven’t playtested the rules yet, but I can understand them after one reading. More importantly, the rules help me visualize dogfighting between nimble fighters while lumbering starships take potshots at them.
Quick character creation follows with customizable templates. One of my favorite rules from Cartoon Action Hour, templates can be sampled here: www.zmangames.com/products/CAH/ActionPack1_final.pdf
The templates included for Star Warriors can also be used in Warriors of the Cosmos, the sample action pack linked above. They include the combatant, an up-close combat specialist; the blaster, a ranged combat specialist; and the brainiac, the highly intelligent thinker. The CAH core rules include additional templates.
Each template includes a set of ratings and a number of Traits. The player assigns those ratings to any of the provided Traits. Other stats are pre-calculated for the player such as stunt points for modifying rolls and hurt points that are lost when a character is injured.
Finally, each template includes three packages of Special Abilities. For instance, a player who chooses the combatant can create a stealthy ninja like character, an armored badass with a big mace, or a laser sword-wielding hothead.
Of course, players can create a character from scratch using the core rules. However, templates meet two of my needs. One is not needing too much prep work and two is getting my players up to speed quickly.
Channel Three explains the history of the multi-species Universe League. The need for the Star Warriors, a small special operations teams designed to confront a dangerous threat named Zarnon, is also justified. That covers another one of my needs, an interesting setting.
The Star Warriors receive a full description including a “playset” (rules for a base). The Universe League also receives a solid write-up including ranks for soldiers. Three allies (NPCs) are described in both roleplaying and rule terms.
Six species include rule modifiers. The description of Strange Powers in the Player’s Guide indicates that many Special Abilities are usually restricted to certain races. However, none of the aliens indicate which Special Abilities are available for them. I thought a few guidelines would be provided. Instead, a GM will have to decide on his own what Special Abilities to allow to each species.
Technology includes five weapons, a jetpack, space suit, and seven spaceships with drawings. Keeping in mind that cartoon heroes carry only a few signature pieces of gear goes a long way to understanding why few new items needed to be added. In addition, listing only the gear a PC will really need cuts down on the paperwork.
Channel Four presents the Star Warriors themselves with two rule and roleplaying versions for each, one to represent them on the show and the other, more powerful movie version. Roboman is interesting as he starts out as a villain and is later redeemed, becoming a Star Warrior himself. Brutas, an alien warrior, came in late to the show so is more powerful, but an early years version is provided.
Channel Five, the Gamemaster’s Section contains useful advice and planet generation that could easily be used in other settings or with other rules.
The use of morality, optimism, exaggerated action, coincidence, characters, the after-show message, and the movie by GMs in regards to space opera in general and Star Warriors in particular is explored. Examples of making the tone lighter or darker are provided.
Planetary generation generates space opera worlds with climate, population, tech, and a hook to make the planet interesting. Each component receives additional description.
Channels Six and Seven includes the enemies of the universe with two pages of roleplaying and setting background. The villains receive a “playset” (base) to balance the free base the PCs have and additional weapons, items, and vehicles (with illustrations) are provided for the enemy. Six villains complete with background and stats complete Channel Seven.
Channel Eight includes twelve seeds: episode descriptions with notes for GMs who want to flesh them out into full adventures. A special bonus seed covers the movie and how to develop it into an adventure. Finally, a complete episode adventure is provided.
The adventure presents the PCs with a moral dilemma (turn to Channel Five for a discussion of morality) as well as action filled conflict. The PCs must decide whether to harm some native aliens duped by the villains or surrender to avoid hurting the natives. Either way, they must defeat the villains in the end to win the day.
The adventure demonstrates one of the strengths of Star Warriors. GMs can challenge the PCs with moral dilemmas as well as physical conflict.
As good as the adventure is, I do have one problem with it. No space combat. Despite the importance of space combat to both space opera and Star Warriors and the presence of an alien ship, no conflict in space takes place. Even the art that goes with the adventure shows a ship firing its weapons. I think another half page including combat with the dragonship and its attempt to escape before it leads the PCs to the planet adventure would have been worth doing.
The appendix includes recommended sources for inspiration including real cartoon series, movies, and Traveller the roleplaying game.
Star Warriors earns a solid 4 for Substance. The rules support space opera play and the setting and advice help a GM bring the universe of Star Warriors to life. Add some more details to large ship combat, SA stats for aliens, and a spaceship duel in the adventure and the game would rate a 5.
Conclusion
In comparison to GURPs, Hero System, or D20 the Cartoon Action Hour is much easier to grasp and run with. One unified mechanic (d12 roll high), slick character creation with two short cuts (templates and pre gen PCs), and high action/low headache conflict is combined with solid GM advice and examples of what roleplaying challenges PCs might face.
The example rules for Cartoon Action Hour on Z-Man Games’ website could only be used with Star Warriors for a one shot. No character rewards or improvements are included in the example rules and neither are actual character creation rules. Star Warriors is interesting enough that I may pick the full rules so I can run a Star Warriors campaign or maybe my create my own setting.
The easy to grasp rules, ready to run setting, and work already done for me in Star Warriors meets all of my needs for a ready to run space opera setting. I also really like the way space combat is handled.
Z-Man Games’ promise of a flexible system that brings space opera to the small screen is kept. I recommend Star Warriors for anyone who likes space opera or 80s action cartoons.
Charlie
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