Historical RoS

[Thierry Michel]

Just found the RoS book in a Parisian game shop, and I'm wondering what experience people have with adaptating TRoS to historical settings (I'm looking for a system to do justice to the XVIth century Mediterranean setting - Barbary Coast and all that)

I see in the forum that it is relatively straightfoward to add firearms, but does the fact that all chars are human, there is no sorcery etc. unbalance character creation ?

[MonkeyWrench]

I don't think that sort of thing would unbalance character creation (but remember balance isn't an issue with TROS). What would you replace the race priority with?

[Salamander]

Just found the RoS book in a Parisian game shop, and I'm wondering what experience people have with adaptating TRoS to historical settings (I'm looking for a system to do justice to the XVIth century Mediterranean setting - Barbary Coast and all that)

I see in the forum that it is relatively straightfoward to add firearms, but does the fact that all chars are human, there is no sorcery etc. unbalance character creation ?

I am running a Renaissance Campaign set in 1530 Europe right now. I used a "What If?" premise and included things like, "What the faeries did exist?" and "What if magic did exist?" and them keep it closely reigned in to have it fit within a historic context. So far it has worked really well. I have some very seasoned (Read JADED.... yes you Spartan...) players who are just pumped. And the historic campaign does create a more balanced form of world as the newbies and the old hands are basically on the same playing field... History is easily researched after all...

[Thierry Michel]

What would you replace the race priority with?

That's more or les my question. Does it have to be replaced ? Or is it OK assume 'F' automatically ?

[Salamander]

That's more or les my question. Does it have to be replaced ? Or is it OK assume 'F' automatically ?

In a no magic/alternate races campaign, I would say sure. It is your world... have fun!

[Spartan]

I have some very seasoned (Read JADED.... yes you Spartan...) players who are just pumped. And the historic campaign does create a more balanced form of world as the newbies and the old hands are basically on the same playing field... History is easily researched after all...

Me... jaded?  Perish the thought. ;)  But yeah, we're all really pumped.  There's just something about TROS that encourages the kind of play I like.  I can't remember the last time I was so pumped to be a player.  And my character just rocks.  I've figured out what I want to spend my SAs on, and I can't wait to get on with it!!!

I've found that TROS suits historical gaming to a "T".  I don't think that the abscence of other races would make any difference to game balance.

Oh, and welcome aboard, TM!

-Mark

[Thierry Michel]

Thanks.

I'm still in the process of collecting information (Osprey books are great for that) and thinking on how to translate it in game terms. I'll try to set a webpage to sum up the results of my reading.

[ZenDog]

Just thought I'd jump onto this as I have just got RoS (it arrived yesterday).
I flicked through it a couple of times and have now started reading in earnest.

One of the first things that sprung to mind (apart from how good the game looked) was I must use this game in a setting based on Bronze Age or Iron Age Britain, I simply must! (that would be the Riddles of bronze and Iron I guess).

Osprey books a very handy (I like the warrior series).

[Thierry Michel]

Well, European proto-history is another period for which I have accumulated plenty of reading material. It would require much more work than 1550 AD, though.

[Salamander]

Well, European proto-history is another period for which I have accumulated plenty of reading material. It would require much more work than 1550 AD, though.

Mine is based in 1530 and the guys haven't been to a town yet without meeting a historic personange. Wilfren (PC) even almost got into a fight with them! The beauty of the renaissance world is the absolute density of events, people, places and of course... opportunities.

[Thierry Michel]

Mine is based in 1530

Actually, as I've not set anything to paper (or file) yet, I'm still undecided about the exact date.

The upper limit is Lepanto (1571) because the Ottomans are much less active on sea after that. The lower limit is more tricky. I'm tempted to put it no earlier than the death of Francis the First (1547), so that makes it around 1550.

Mercenary armies are still active, wheel lock pistols are just in and the corsairs of the barbary coast face the Knights of Malta.

[Salamander]

Mine is based in 1530

Actually, as I've not set anything to paper (or file) yet, I'm still undecided about the exact date.

The upper limit is Lepanto (1571) because the Ottomans are much less active on sea after that. The lower limit is more tricky. I'm tempted to put it no earlier than the death of Francis the First (1547), so that makes it around 1550.

Mercenary armies are still active, wheel lock pistols are just in and the corsairs of the barbary coast face the Knights of Malta.

Don't forget the counter reformation and the witch craze is blazing across Europe in a frenzy of madness and accusations at this time as well... ;)