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Compendium II: Combat and Campaigns is a collection of rules, clarifications and guidelines for GURPS that have been published in various sources since the Basic Set came out. Compendium I handles "everything with a point cost"; this volume updates everything else.

The first section covers equipment from differing tech levels and cultures, including machine/vehicle maintenance, computers, weird gadgets, weapons and armor.

Personal combat rules expand hit location, jousting and duelling. Also provided are many realistic and cinematic options, including the long-out-of-print Swashbuckling Maneuvers. My favorite piece in the Combat chapter is the "Detailed Combat Checklist" with its step-by-step attack resolution.

Mass combat rules for land, sea and space battles are next. The emphasis is not on wargaming, but on finding out quickly "who won and what happened to the PCs."

The hazards and circumstances of adventuring is also explored. Topics include extreme environnments (e.g. arctic), gravity, radiation, injury, medical care, intoxication, herbs, the use of "extra effort" and sleep.

The final chapter is devoted to suggestions for cinematic and high-powered campaign styles, alternate planes of existence, and societal issues.

This book is more GURPS-oriented than most, but the ideas can still be adapted to other systems.

If you've been a GURPS fan for a while, you may well have a lot of this material in its original form, be it from Roleplayer, Pyramid, or a particular sourcebook. However, it's always good to have the "official" version of the rules, and many have been altered.

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)