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Five Parsecs From Home (1e) Campaign (session 0)

Inspired by Shaun's blog I decided to start a Five Parsecs From Home 1st edition campaign. I like this edition because it has less book keeping than the current edition and the FiveCore combat system is suited to my taste. I will use these books:

  • Five Parsecs From Home (1e)
  • FiveCore Skirmish gaming (1e)
  • Every Star an Opportunity supplement for planet descriptions 
  • Scum and Villany for factions because they are quirky and fun

Session 0 involved character creation. The group will consist of 3 PC + 1 goon. They meet in the planet Nemain because all three of them are in trouble with the authorities.The randomly generated characters were (from left to right): Echo (a bounty hunter with a Power Claw), Sakir (and ordnance specialist from a religious cult) and Christa (a genetically enhanced hulker modified to have an absurdly strong body).

Echo                        Sakir                        Christa

And below is their full character sheet, including talents, backstory and current armoury: 

Nemain would be quite an agreeable planet if it were not ruled by a brutal dictator and on the verge of an ecological disaster. Banking on the apocalyptic mood, the two dominant factions are devoted to different flavors of drug recreation:

  • The Ashtari cult: Artifact worshipers that carry vials of gases from the Ashatari Cloud to inhale. The visions show them the location of precursor ruins.
  • The Turner Society They run posh society clubs that are a front for their business of selling Vosian crystal drugs.

These are the only two house rules I intend to employ:

  •  Only PC can be assigned to activities and events (except recruit, which can be attempted by goons). If no mission can be undertaken in a week due to injuries, one item has to be bartered away for upkeep per injured character.
  • I will play the FiveCore Skirmish gaming (1e) rules as written, except that I will change the result of a FLINCH while in COVER to: "Figures in cover will keep their heads down (breaking line of sight) but do not move or hunker down". This change is taken from Five Men in Normandy .30 cal edition. Going over an obstacle or on rough ground reduces movement by 1D6.


 

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Comments

  1. Shaun TraversApril 11, 2025 at 6:11 PM

    A excellent start! I started with 1 PC, which was a challenge, so 4 is much better. I also like your rule changes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MMApril 12, 2025 at 12:36 AM

      Thanks, Shaun! I had the PDF for ages but didn't read it until I saw your campaign. Now I think its a hidden gem. Very Travelleresque. Curiously, with Traveller I also prefer the first 1977 edition,

      Delete
    2. Shaun TraversApril 13, 2025 at 11:07 PM

      I was struck by it being very Traveller-ish as well. And I prefer CT over the other versions as well.

      Delete

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