Publishers | Game Designers' Workshop |
---|---|
Publication | 1980 |
Genres | Science fiction |
Systems | Classic Traveller |
Traveller Book 5: High Guard is a supplement published by Game Designers' Workshop in 1980 for the science fiction role-playing game Traveller .
In 1980, Games Designer Workshop published High Guard, the fifth Traveller book. In its 52 pages, it outlines character and skill generation for Space Navy personnel, and details on how to construct large starships of up to a million tons. [1]
In the May-June edition of The Space Gamer (Issue No. 28), Forrest Johnson was not a fan, saying, "Unfortunately, the new rules do violence to the system from Book 2 and the laws of physics." [1]
In the August 1980 edition of Dragon (Issue 40), Roberto Camino welcomed the addition of large starships to the Traveller game, but noted a design decision that he called questionable: that the number of minor weapons do not increase at the same rate as the ship's surface area, so larger ships, which should have more firepower, actually have less "punch" than smaller ships. Despite this, Camino believed that the construction system "worked well." [2]
In the August-September 1980 edition of White Dwarf (Issue 20), Bob McWilliams liked both the increase in ship size available, as well as the combat rules for naval fleets. [3]
In 1981, in response to complaints about errors in the physics underlying the ship-building system, GDW released an updated second edition of High Guard. [5]
In the August-September 1981 edition of White Dwarf (Issue 26), Robert McMahon reviewed the revised second edition and gave a thumbs up to the revised ship-building system, but complained, "The only criticism I have of this book is that it had to be brought out at all. In future, I hope GDW will get it right the first time." [5]
In the February 1982 edition of The Space Gamer (Issue No. 48), William A. Barton also reviewed the second edition of High Guard, and liked most of the changes, but noted that some of the original material in the first edition about ship's vehicles had been unnecessarily excised. "While High Guard 2nd Edition still has several faults that GDW should address in the future, it is far superior to the 1st edition in almost every way. I'd advise all you fleet commanders to pick up a copy if you haven't already. But do hang on to your 1st editions for ship's vehicles, etc. You'll be glad you did." [6]
In his 1990 book The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games , game critic Rick Swan called this one of the best Traveller expansions, and recommended it. [7]
RuneQuest is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game originally designed by Steve Perrin, Ray Turney, Steve Henderson, and Warren James, and set in Greg Stafford's mythical world of Glorantha. It was first published in 1978 by The Chaosium. Beginning in 1984, publication passed between a number of companies, including Avalon Hill, Mongoose Publishing, and The Design Mechanism, before finally returning to Chaosium in 2016. RuneQuest is notable for its system, designed around percentile dice and an early implementation of skill rules, which became the basis for numerous other games. There have been several editions of the game.
Traveller is a science fiction role-playing game first published in 1977 by Game Designers' Workshop. Marc Miller designed Traveller with help from Frank Chadwick, John Harshman, and Loren Wiseman. Editions were published for GURPS, d20, and other role-playing game systems. From its origin and in the currently published systems, the game relied upon six-sided dice for random elements. Traveller has been featured in a few novels and at least two video games.
2300 AD, originally titled Traveller: 2300, is a tabletop science fiction role-playing game created by Game Designers' Workshop (GDW) and first published in 1986.
Deities & Demigods, alternatively known as Legends & Lore, is a reference book for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game (D&D). The book provides descriptions and game statistics of gods and legendary creatures from various sources in mythology and fiction, and allows dungeon masters to incorporate aspects of religions and mythos into their D&D campaigns.
Worlds of Wonder is a multi-genre set of three role-playing games (RPGs) produced by Chaosium in 1982 that all used the Basic Role-Playing set of rules.
Azhanti High Lightning is a science-fiction wargame, designed by Frank Chadwick and Marc W. Miller, illustrated by Paul R. Banner, Charmaine Geist, Richard Hentz, and Richard Flory, and published by Game Designers Workshop (GDW) in 1980. The title is the name of the large military starship that provides the setting for close-action combat between individuals on board. Azhanti High Lightning is the fourth Traveller boardgame published by GDW. It was republished in 2004 as part of Far Future Enterprises's (FFE) Traveller: The Classic Games, Games 1-6+. Originally Supplement 5: Lightning Class Cruisers was only available as part of this game, it was republished in 2000 as part of FFE's Traveller Supplements volume.
Snapshot is a 1979 board wargame, designed by Marc W. Miller, illustrated by Paul R. Banner and Richard Hentz, cover art by Jennell Jaquays, and published by Game Designers' Workshop. The original was republished in 2004 as part of Far Future Enterprises Traveller: The Classic Games, Games 1-6+.
Traveller Supplement 2: Animal Encounters is a 1979 role-playing game supplement for Traveller published by Game Designers' Workshop.
Dark Nebula is a two-player science fiction board wargame published by Game Designers' Workshop (GDW) in 1980.
Asteroid is a 1980 science fiction board game published by Game Designers' Workshop (GDW) as one of their 120 series. Players must destroy a mad scientist's computer-controlled asteroid before it crashes into Earth.
Ley Sector is a supplement published under license by Judges Guild in 1980 for Game Designers' Workshop's science fiction role-playing game Traveller.
Traveller Referee Screen is a 1979 role-playing game supplement for Traveller published by Judges Guild.
Traveller Supplement 7: Traders and Gunboats is a role-playing game supplement for Traveller published by Game Designers' Workshop in 1980.
I.S.P.M.V.: Fenris / S.F.V. Valkyrie is a role-playing game supplement for Traveller published by FASA in 1980.
Fifth Frontier War two-player science fiction board wargame published by Game Designers' Workshop (GDW) in 1981. Fifth Frontier War is the fifth Traveller boardgame published by GDW. It was republished in 2004 as part of Far Future Enterprises Traveller: The Classic Games, Games 1-6+.
IISS Ship Files is a 1981 role-playing game supplement published by Games Workshop for Traveller, written by Bob McWilliams.
The Drenslaar Quest is an adventure, written by J. Andrew Keith, and William H. Keith, and published under license by Gamelords in 1983 for Game Designer's Workshop's science fiction role-playing game Traveller. It utilized the rules from The Undersea Environment by the same author.
Starships & Spacecraft is a supplement published by Judges Guild in 1979 for Game Designers Workshop's science-fiction role-playing game Traveller.
Ordeal by Eshaar is a 1981 role-playing game adventure for Traveller published by FASA.