First off, my playing group is quite small. For most of the campaign there were only two players, on a couple of occasions this group got expanded to three for brief periods. As a result, not only did each player run two or three different characters depening on the situation (sometimes switching back and forth between characters during a game session) but it also meant that NPCs suddenly took on a much more important role. Instead of mere bystanders or 'hired guns' they were often equal team members with the same mixture of motivation and character flaws as PCs.
Secondly, I wasn't a slave to the game rules as far as things like Advantages and Disadvantages were concerned. If a characters background meant that they were likely to have a contact in a certain place, I let them have it even if they hadn't bought a 'Contact' advantage. But I also worked to give players Disadvantages to balance things out (that freebie contact could become a dependant later in the game) In the end, plot came first.
I'm not going to include stats, partly because I was using TSR's Top Secret/SI rules which probably mean nothing to anyone these days, and partly because the game was character & background oriented rather than number oriented. Where possible I'll outline characters' main skills and weaknesses.
CONTENTS |
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Player Characters |
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| Admiral Greer | Professor Tregear | Dmitri Checheyev | Kowalski | Brody |
| Jackson | "Sparky" | "Ace" Barnes | "Splashdown" | "Timex" |
| Eric von Strasse | ||||
Non-Player Characters |
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| Doc Johnson | Col. Dinova | Col Moore | Chip'n'Dale | "Mr Smith" |
| Groshchenko | General Curtis | Harry Cheng | Mickey Keogh | |
CinC Extra-terrestrial Command.
A middle aged African-American, Greer first came to the public's attention during the Gulf War, where he commanded a US carrier. On retiring from the Navy, he took up politics and eventually became the Governor of California. He enjoyed several years of success in this role, until suddenly his political backers cut him loose with no apparent explanation and he found his political career slowly twisting in the wind. He was "enjoying" a well earned retirement (and hating every minute of it) when he was approached by Dr Norman Johnson to head up the X-COM project.
Greer was a martinet. He demanded nothing but the best of his staff and then some. He could send men under his command to certain death without a qualm, and was utterly unyielding in his determination to wipe the aliens off the face of the Earth.(Ed Straker was a pussycat compared to this guy!) Sometimes his own greed for power blinded him to the most politic way forward, and sometimes his disrespect for government leaders landed XCom in significant hot water, but many contemporaries believe that those character quirks were what made him suitable for the job.
A crack shot, Greer wasn't afraid to go out in the field personally when the situation called for it, and was wounded in action on a couple of occasions. He also often assessed his staff during "sparring sessions" in the gym, the results of which were often heavily betted on by other members of XCom. (Security camera footage of these bouts were often bootlegged and distributed througout the base.)
The closest thing Jim Greer had to a friend was General Wilbur Curtis**, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. When relations between the US government and XCom became strained, it was Curtis who helped pull the two sides back together. He was also a major source of information.
(*I had been all ready to bawl out the player for stealing a name and character appearence from a Tom Clancy novel, until I realised that I'd pinched Norman Johnson from Michael Crichton's "Sphere".)
(**Pinched from a Dale Brown novel. Ahem. Oh well, if you can't beat 'em...)
Professor George Herbert Benjamin Tregear,
Director of Science Division, Extra-terrestrial Command
Polymath, Genius, Flake. All three words have been used to describe this renegade scientist. Still in his early thirties, Tregear (Pronounced Treh-garr) had not only been dubbed one of the top scientists of his generation, but had also found time to found a career as a writer, producing several popular science novels. When he branched out into science fiction, some started dubbing him as the new Asimov.
But Tregear's main weakness came to the fore. With a wandering, inquisitive mind, Tregear was unable to stick to a single project for very long. When Dr Norman Johnson found him, he was working on a bio-electronics research project in Oxford. Tregear reviewed the evidence Johnson gave him, then agreed to join XCom as head scientist.
Unimpressive physically, with the combat skills of a sick pigeon, Tregear nevertheless went out in the field on several occasions. As he was unable to hit the broad side of a barn with a normal pistol, the XCom armourer gave him an experimental XCom shotgun-pistol that the professor used to quite good effect (although he once did miss a car at 5 paces, the shotgun spread meant that usually he was able to hit something!)
Professor Tregear was, it transpired, a latent psychic. Although he never developed his powers beyond the most basic use of the psi-amp, he did occasionally have visions of the alien command that yielded useful intelligence.
Head of Operations, XCom Swiss Base
Dmitri Checheyev was a Russian administrator, assigned to XCom to make the operation more efficient. He certainly succeeded on that point, streamlining all the systems that make an organisation work. But little did anyone realise that this unassuming pencil pusher held the secret of a much darker past.
An ethnic Uzbek, Checheyev was an assumed identity to facilitate his assimilation into XCom. In fact, Checheyev was the head of one of the larger branches of the Russian Mafia. A keen mind and intellect quickly raised him to the top of the heap, and good judgement and the guardianship of Mr Smith, his assistant/bodyguard/assassin kept him there. After many years at the top, Checheyev had an experience that would change his life. He was abducted by the aliens.
Put through the traditional "medical examination" and CEIII procedures, Checheyev was shocked by the experience and prompted to join the fight against the intruders. Passing on control of his organisation to his most trusted underlings, he took Mr Smith (and a sizeable personal fortune) and assumed the identity of a Russian Government official in charge of a Top Secret Research station that had recently been attacked by the Aliens, and got assigned to XCom. He used his personal fortune to assist in certain XCom operations, and was in the process of training a group of XCom "Special Agents" when he was abducted by aliens for a second and final time, and was never seen again.
Von Strasse was a major in GSG9 (German special forces) when the aliens hit Berlin, and was involved in the defence of the city. Shocked by the ineffectiveness of regular Earth forces, he was responsible for the formation of a Special Unit within GSG9 equipped to deal with the aliens. When the position of head of XCom Military Division came up, von Strasse applied and was selected. Instead of arriving empty handed at Swiss Base, he took with him a small command staff and a combat team of his GSG9 Specials.
Charismatic in the extreme, Had von Strasse been born seventy years earlier he would have been perfect material for Nazi propaganda posters. Although not possessing any notable nationalist/racist sentiments, his Aryan good looks and physique, combined with an iron self discipline and devotion to duty would have most likely put him in command of an SS Panzer Division in WWII. Indeed this was his greatest downfall, as many of his more liberal superiors saw him as a throwback to the dark days of Germany, and many of his colleagues in XCom (especially the British) saw no further than the spit 'n polish 'Kraut' exterior (an impression that von Strasse didn't help by insisting on clicking his heels when saluting). In spite of this, von Strasse proved to be a valuable asset not only as a military strategist, but also as a successful diplomat and negotiator. His greatest regret was that he was never allowed to actually lead combat missions in person.
A former US Marine, one of the survivors of the mission to Harper Island. Kowalski was never particularly outstanding, but he was a good soldier and fought bravely. He was severely wounded in action in France, and after a long convalescence was transferred to base security at Moundville Base in the US.
Another Marine from the ill fated mission to Harper Island. Brody was your typical kick-ass-and-take-names Marine Corp grunt. He was killed in action in Berlin.
Ex US Special Forces, Jackson had cross trained with the SEALS and the Airborne Divisions and had served with distinction both in the Gulf and in South America before being recruited for XCom. As an XCom Ranger he was a model soldier, a crack shot and with a sharp, perceptive mind that quickly had him set for a position in Command. After a year he was made commander of the Ranger Division itself, a promotion that didn't stop him taking to the field time after time. Jackson was one of the first to use the XCom Powered Armour in combat, and was also in demand for covert operations as well.
Tipped by some to replace Dinova following her disgrace, some observers linked the two romantically, but there was no proof of this. Professional, yet always willing to share a joke, Jackson was in many ways a model Ranger.
Zakalwe was just another Cuban trained Angolan soldier until the fateful day in the year 2000 that the aliens reduced Luanda to rubble. Zakalwe fought them with all that he had, although his AK47 barely scratched the alien body armour. He was protecting some children caught up in the fighting, when he realised he was surrounded and the aliens began to close in on him. Just when he thought he was finished, the strangers appeared, wearing strange body armour and carrying strange guns that hurt the invaders. They rescued him and together they took the children to safety. When one of the new arrivals fell in battle, Zakalwe picked up his gun. Thus it was that Zakalwe was recruited into XCom
After an intensive crash course in English, Zakalwe went on to become Jackson's right hand man. One of nature's NCOs, he stubbornly resisted all threats of promotion.
One time I needed a player to be involved in some scientific investigation (so that he wouldn't be left out of the game for a long period of time) so in order to get him at least rolling some dice, we created Sparky. A junior technician, this stereotypical nerd shares Professor Tregear's gift for being a jack of all trades, although at a much lower level of ability. Henceforth whenever there was a need for a technician to "wave a tricorder around in the background" Sparky got the job. His biggest claim to fame was that he was Swiss Base's undisputed Doom II champion.
Squadron Leader David "Ace" Barnes
Barnes distinguished himself by being the only character to develop from a one - stat pilot to a fully fleshed out character. "Ace" (former callsign "Hawk") was the only pilot to survive from the very early days of XCom right up to the final battle against the alien base on the moon. Some unkind souls suggested that it was often at the expense of his wingmen, but Barne's success rate was undeniable. An RAF pilot prior to joining XCom, Barnes owed more to the US image of the "Top Gun" pilot rather than the typical laid back Brit. His chief claim to fame is that when he got nailed in the infamous Operation Janus mission, he managed to survive ejecting into vacuum, being dangerously close to ground zero for about a dozen thermonuclear warheads, and unassisted re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, only to wake to find himself stripped of his survival gear on a windswept moor in the Falkland Islands. Alien intervention was deemed the only possible explanation, but by who?
Interceptor Pilot
AKA Bowler, This was one of the original pilots and Barnes' wingman for the first 'series' of the game. Splashdown got his name from the number of times he wound up being forced to eject from an Interceptor after sustaining critical damage. On several occasions he re-entered a fight while flying an already seriously damaged aircraft in order to help out his flight leader, and racked up an impressive kill score. He was shot down and killed during a raid on XCom Swiss Base while single-handedly engaging an enemy UFO.
Interceptor Pilot
Timex was Barnes' third wingman (number 2 was from China and died on his first sortie). Timex got his callsign from his tendency to "Take a licking and keep on ticking". After a couple of stunning successes, Barnes took to calling him "Rolex" on account of his enhanced status. He was killed during Operation Janus during the mass dogfight around the alien space station.
Director of Human Resources, XCom
An NPC. Doc Johnson was the founding force behind XCom, and possibly the greatest traitor the world has ever known. It was his proposal for the formation of an independant command incorporating both military and civilian resources that led to the formation of XCom. He selected the senior staff, and when the organisation became operational he took up a post as the chief psychologist on the base.
Little did everyone realise that Johnson was actually working for the aliens. He believed that he was following the instructions of the Plieadeans, a race of shining "Space Brothers" who would come to help humanity in their fight against the Grays. XCom was set up, he believed, to be a point of first contact, an "alien embassy" for the Plieadeans. In actual fact, Johnson was under the mental control of the Grays, and XCom was to become servants to the Grays, ruling the Earth as their regents. This was why Greer, a megalomaniac obsessed with the acquisition of power had been selected to lead the organisation, as it was hoped he would be vulnerable to the lure of absolute power over the Earth.
When the alien' plans were foiled, and their subterfuge discovered, Johnson suffered a mental breakdown. He was shipped off to a high security sanitorium and the world never heard from him again.
Director of Security, XCom
Another NPC. From her time as Lieutenant in command of a platoon of XCom troops, to the time of her disgrace during Operation Janus when she had over a thousand men and women under her command, Dinova was always striving to excel. A former member of the Russian Internal Security Services, her excellent record as an administrator secured her the position of head of military operations at XCom, despite her initially low rank. When it became clear that she was skilled in combat as well, her meteoric rise was inevitable.
In her personal life, Dinova had few friends. Although in her late twenties and quite attractive, she was not known to have any romantic involvement during her time at Swiss Base, although some rumours linked her with Lt Andrew Jackson and some even hinted at a relationship with Admiral Greer. Professionally she was well liked and respected by those under her command. When Colonel Moore took over the role of Director of Military Operations and she was given command of XCom's Internal Security forces, XCom's military came close to open mutiny.
Dinova suffers from an old leg wound that she got during her time in the Russian Internal Security Service during a failed investigation into the Russian Mafia. That failure set her career back some time, but after reassignment to an administrative post, she salvaged her reputation engough to be considered for assignment to XCom. During times of illness or fatigue, the wound gives her a limp, but is not enough to disqualify her physically from duty.
Following the failure of Operation Janus, Greer accepted her resignation. She accepted a demotion (the promotion to Colonel came from the Russians and was never formally ratified by XCom) and was assigned to the XCom Defender as chief of operations.
Colonel John "Mighty Joe" Moore
Commander, XCom China Base
(John Moore was originally going to be a player character, but the player dropped out at the last minute. I so loved the description he gave the character I had to include him somehow. What evolved was partly the original PC, partly something new)
In a bout of behind the scenes manoevering, the US government arranged to have Natalya Dinova replaced as head of the military Division, and persuaded the UN Security Council to appoint an American in her place. When Admiral Greer finally overturned the decision, Moore accepted the post of Commander of the fledgeling China Base, rather than the ignominy of exile to the XCom secure facility.
Moore was your basic Red White and Blue, Kick-Ass-And-Take-Names United States Marine. Big, Bronzed and Built like a Brick Outhouse, Moore had served with distinction in just about every US military operation over the last ten years, and was a living legend to the ex USMC troops at XCom. Had it not been for the immediate sense of hostility between him and Admiral Greer, Moore would have been an asset to XCom. As it was, he raised China Base from military disaster waiting to happen, to one of the most efficient XCom facilities on the planet.
Orphaned and homeless as a child, Moore was effectively adopted and raised by a Native American shaman. He entered college on a scholarship and there enrolled in the OTC corp, eventually enlisting in the USMC. He still clings to his Native American beliefs, but doesn't flout them as he sees it as a private thing. Although he knows that his own origin is a mystery, he is at peace with himself and the role fate has picked out for him, despire several career setbacks. Off duty, he is easygoing and 'one of the boys'. On duty, he is 100% dedicated to his responsibilities, and will happily risk life and limb, his own or other peoples, to acheive his aims. That's not to say that he's reckless, rather that he assesses the risk and takes the chance fully aware of the consequences.
Dale Kasdan and Kenji Nakamura
"Chip & Dale"
XCom's two resident computer geniuses. Dale and Kenji are, apart from the racial difference, virtually interchangable nerds. Possibly the two top experts in the field of advanced cybernetics, they look after Swiss Base's two monolithic supercomputers (nicknamed by Dale "Stan" and "Ollie") These two rarely venture out of the atmosphere controlled computer room known as "The Dungeon" and almost never fraternise with the rest of the base personnel. Nervous around strangers, but unequalled in their field. Dale was Sparky's nearest rival in the base's Doom II championships.
Man of Mystery
Dmitri Checheyev's right hand man arrived as part of the package deal. This laconic Englishman proved an enigma from the word go. An efficient administrator, Joshua Smith (always just "Smith" to his colleagues) lived an almost double life. When in the presence of Checheyev, Smith was almost the archetypal English Butler, always efficient, always with the report on the desk as it's required. Away from his employer, Smith became more open and congenial, an almost anti-authoritarian character.
Later on, when his past was uncovered, Smith's mysterious behaviour started to make sense. In the past, under a different name, he has been an agent of MI6. On a deep cover operation in Russia, his cover had been blown and Smith had been left out in the cold. That betrayal caused the death of Smith's wife and child, and left Smith half dead at the mercy of the Russians. Fortunately, Checheyev came across him at this point, and found in the Englishman a kindred spirit. Smith was rescued, given a new name and identity, and set to work for Checheyev. Fueled by a burning need for revenge against his former employers, Smith became devoted to Checheyev, doing what he did best.
Never entirely trusted from the start, towards the end of the series Smith became a driven man. After Checheyev's abduction and assumed death, Smith became like an outcast within XCom. Trusted by no-one, he had to fight to make his theories heard. Under watch 24 hours a day by Admiral Greer's orders, Smith was pushed right to the very edge of sanity, knowing that his continued survival was only at Greer's whim.
Prime Minister Vasily Groschenko
Head of Russian Confederation
The Russian Prime Minister was the neo-communist ruler of a revitalised Russia. Anyone who had dealings with Groshenko often had to repress the urge to count their fingers after shaking hands with him. Although on the surface a cheerful, exuberant, vodka swilling buffoon, below that lay a cold, calculating bastard of a man who would sell his own Grandmother for a few roubles.
Groshenko was a great believer in XCom. He believed in getting everything he could out of them. The deal that got XCom the "Defender" and the Elektron Spaceplane fleet gave Russia advanced alien technology and millions of dollars. On at least one occasion he used XCom as an excuse for Russian neo-expansionism, and even when he no longer needed them he maintained the role of friendly benefactor, just in case they became useful at a later date.
Head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, United States of America
An old war buddy of Admiral Greer. Curtis is a gruff old warhorse, loyal to his country but dedicated to the cause of fighting the aliens. Sometimes bemused by the hostility between Greer and President Jackson, Curtis often found himself the peacemaker between those two intense personalities.
Curtis is married to his job, after two failed marriages convinced him that few women could accept the life of a USAF General's wife, and all that entailed. A combat veteran, he abhors 'political' military men and other stuffed shirts, and hated it when forced into that role by his job. Utterly loyal to his country, he was however known to leak certain information to XCom, placing loyalty to the human race above all others.
Admiral Greer's bodyguard
When Admiral Greer was summoned to an EC meeting in Bonn, Dinova assigned Harry Cheng as his bodyguard. An ex Hong Kong policeman, Cheng was well known for his smiling face and cheerful disposition, as well as a penchant for using two XCom 11mm Automatics in a "two gun boogie" style. After that, Greer was rarely seen off-base without Cheng at his side. When Cheng bought it in Switzerland, taking a plasma bolt that was aimed at the Admiral, Greer was gutted. From then on, the cadre of bodyguards that Greer recruited became known as the Cheng Corp, in his memory.
XCom Ranger Division
Keogh (pronounced Key-oh) was an ex-Royal Marine, always the joker in the pack who often acted impulsively before thinking. His service with the RN had taken him around the world, and wherever you went, it was highly likely that Keogh would have been stationed nearby, and know a great pub or restaraunt just down the road. Slight of build, but big hearted and high spirited, Keogh is utterly loyal to his mates.
I introduced Keogh as a McGuffin to get the soldier characters drawn in to an 'off duty' adventure while in Hong Kong. While this was Keogh's only appearence in the campaign, he worked perfectly, dragging the characters into the plot then getting wounded so they had to follow up the plot themselves while he was barely coherent.