Zeus

THE SCENARIO

Zeus is a planet shrouded in electrical storms; this phenomena is perfect for shrouding activities on the surface, and disables any vessel flying through the atmosphere without sufficient shielding. 

Zeus is home to nothing but jagged rock, and a single top secret Corps-funded science base.

Every week, a shielded ship leaves the planet to transmit an encoded data packet to Corps Command, and then returns to the planet.

This week’s transmission has not arrived.

You are part of a United Colonial Marine Corps Rapid Response squad; like all such squads, you are largely made up of marines who are not deemed “suitable” for operating in larger outfits. You’re used to knowing very little, and you’re surprised every time you survive a mission.

You’ve got to head into the science base on Zeus and determine if anything has befallen the facility. If you can help fix the problem, do so. Otherwise, if the base has been compromised, you are ordered to recover the classified intel the base possesses, and get out of there. 

And no, you have no idea what the facility actually does.

THE SYSTEM

I LOVE THE CORPS is a tabletop role-playing game and unique system of military action, horror and military sci-fi, and the first published by Psychic Cactus Games (me). 

The game uses a straight forward 1d6 + score and situational modifiers mechanic. However, passive abilities (score, +3 for narrative scenes, +1 action) allow you to do plenty of cinematic things without rolling dice; you’re trained marines after all.

By beating a Target Number, you gain Success Levels, which can be spent for additional effects. If shooting someone, this is likely more damage, but can also be used to knock foes down, backward, and other weapon-specific abilities. 

Each character has eight different Abilities that they share, a set of Aspects that define what makes each marine unique to each other (not just in terms of military skills, but things such as low-level psychic Sensitivity, GeneMods and cybernetics), and their Gear Load-Out for the mission. 

One Ability total covers a range of connected actions. 

In a Narrative Scene, you have three Beats, and in each Beat you get one Active (dice roll) and one Passive (diceless) Ability. The position you are in at the end of the scene’s final beat dictates the nature of the next scene, or whether it becomes an Action Scene. 

In an Action Scene, active abilities (rolling the dice) are far more reliable, and the number of Beats depends on when you defeat or escape the danger. 

Do you love the Corps, marine? Only one way to find out.