Space Patrol can be compared to Starships and Spacemen, as a role playing simulation, pitting futuristic star warriors againat aliens and alien environments. Yot SP does not encompass any space travel at all, concerning itself with encounters on heavenly bodice (no double entendre intended). SP also plays down psionics and does a commendable job regarding combat and the providing of alien environments and scenarios.

At first blush, Space Patrol emerges as an inspired, well-researched game that delicately blends a host of historical periods. The rules are light, but tastefully written, and often include sources for those of us who wish to read into the SF novels from which the various devices have been gleaned, SP and S&S, though having much in common, are distinctively different. Given a choice between the two I'd select SP--it seems to succeed where I like games to be succesaful.

The game has a great deal in common with other role playing games in that it has various character abilities, two different systems for movement--game turn and combat--and a variegated system for handling combat. I won't delve into most of this, since it has become relatively standardized within the hobby.

The first feature that sets SP off from other games of this nature is that it presents a scenario generator. The Mission Master selects one of five basic scenarios (interstellar police action, landing party, space salvage, soldier, hero at large), then randomly generates where it all must take place. Although the generator is by no means comprehensive, it will provide enough variety to keep things interesting until the MM begins to design specific terrain of his own.

Such graphics would make the game easier to play initially, but it would be possible to begin with no preparation of this sort at all, as long as the MM had thought out the goals of the particular scenario beforehands.

The characteristics, as usual, are standard with two exceptions. Luck is an additional character attribute which affects any player option involving his own safety. Mentality, similar to intelligence in other games, determines a character's speed of mastery of align devices or his speed at ascertaining the intrinsic nature of a novel situation. For alien beings tbe authora expand the usual abilities by providing random generators for body types and shape, metabolism, sex, size, special capabilities, psionics, cyborg replacements, time period of origination, special responses, initial attitude, and gravity. A few of these require explanation, since they are relatively new to role play.

Metabolism reflects the differing metabolic rates of aliens by adjusting dexterity according to a percentile dice roll; special capabilities heighten the senses or create increased functions in other body parts; period identifies the basic time period the alien comes from on a continuum from stone age to extradimenaional; cyborg replacementes encompass bionic body parts; and psionics takes into account all the mental abilities present in otber gamos. I mention psionics only because of the introduction of a success probability table which dictates how often a psionic power may be employed effectively. This would be a tremendous asset to Metamorphosis Alpha, where mental mutations can become unmanageable rather esaily.

In SP some psionics run the risk of backfire. Precognition, for example, can predict a fabricated future, and to use teleportation, a character must visitod a place he toleported to beforehand, or he must presently have it in his line of eight. Thus, realism confines realistic powers. Similar rulee govern the use of learning and experience.

Learning refers to how quickly one will be able to master an align device, depondent on mentality and the time period of the device (compared to the time period of the character trying to discern the nature of the article). Dice are finally rolled on the probability table, and a result found. Experience looms not as the greedy monster that it does in other games. Instead, if a character uses a given power with 80% efficiency over an extended period of time (ten or more employments), he receives a one point addition to that power. This quite manageable system brings Metamorphoris Alpha to mind--player characters concentrate more on the problem at hand, and are never heard to utter, "How much experience for that?"

The last two game features that bear comment are combat and equipment. Equipment, as in all games of this nature, threatens to try the patience of the unimaginative, but those of us who willingly suspend disbelief (my thanks to Coleridge) will be delighted. Thirty-eight noncombative devices make up the list; most are self-explanatory due to their naming or to our prior exposure in SF literature or other games. A few bear mention: the "inertron harness" holds matter with a negative weight, thus allowing the wearer to behave as though he were on a planet with less gravity. The "contragravity platform," which can be towed by a single man, will carry cargo. I have visions here of a man moving a house across some alien desert all by himself. The "inertial compass" always notes where a designated object is, to me, this seems a great deal more useful than a regular compass. And finally, a "Psionic Amplifier" increases the distance and power of one's mental prowess. Again, these are just a sampling of the ones catching my attention.

The combat system of Space Patrol is reminiscent of miniatures game systems I've worked with. In fact, as I was reading the rules I was pushing plastic chips around my desk, experimenting with the ranges and firing techniques. I felt secure enough in the system that I considered conning Don into buying some futuristic minis so I could design a scenario around the SP combat rules done. And it came as quite a surprise to see that Gamescience is planning to release a set of miniatures to accompany the game.

The combat system is at first complex, because many modifiers may influence a die result. With proper management, this will not be a hindrance to play. Basically, both contact (close) and ranged combat begin with the roll of a six sided die to determine initiation, or initiative. This initiation roll can be modified by strength, dexterity, the weapon being used, movement, luck, and the armor of the character. This should be no great problem to compute, for with the exception of movement, the adjustment will always be the same. The final result is then compared to all other characters' rolls. High rollers attack first, with all damage taking place immediately; tie rollers execute their desired actions at the same time, with damage occurring simultaneously.

After the initiative is determined, the winner executes combat. In contact combat he rolls the number of dice required for the weapon at hand and modifies the roll according to his strength and dexterity. The defender then rolls a single die (emphasized because the attacker may be rolling from one to six dice) and modifies this roll according to his luck.

A comparison between the final results shows how many hit points will be removed from the defender's constitution, modified by how much armor protoction he is wearing. If the number is greater than half, the character falls unconscious, and for each three hits, his dexterity is reduced by one.

Ranged combat is a little different, and alittle more confusing at a glance. After initiation, the attacker cross-references the range of his target with his weapon type to determine what number or lower must be rolled on a d6 to get a hit. This is affected by dexterity and may be additionally affected by the target attitude: movement, target size, or concealment; environmental conditions: smoke or dust; or attacker attitude: aiming at a specific body part, being under fire, movement, firing a burst, or using the off hand for firing. If the attacker has obtained a hit, the resolution is handled as in close combat, the firer rolling the required number of dice againat the defender's single die.

The rules also provide for firing weapons from both hands simultaneowly and firing solely to disarm one's opponent.

Overall, the combat rulee are quite impressive. Indeed, it is this single feature that allows me to look on Space Patrol favorably, as I can see the system carries over to futuristic miniature warfare as well as to other role playing games. I also like the premises the designers make concerning future releases.

The first is a proposed game, Paratime Patrol, which will incorporate magic in the SP system. The second is the aforementioned miniature figures. The third is not so much a promise as a rules addendum which suggests how to utilize the SP rules for a Star Wars type game. All of these combine to form a good booklet, dependent upon the buyer's specific interest.

Space Patrol is an 8.5" x 11", 28-page booklet containing all rules for a complete game. There are also eight pages of tables to be removed from the center in the manner of the rules for an SPI subscription game; unfortunately, the tables are not comprehensive, but they do contain enough so that the MM will not constantly have to return to the book for information. Designed by Michael Scott Kurtick and Rockland Russo, and produced by Lou Zocchi, Space Patrol is available from Gamescience, 7604 Newton Drive, Biloxi, Miss., 39532, for $5.00 plus 75 cents postage.

Prism Reviews

Introduction
Space Patrol
Dragons
The Book of Shamans
The Book of Treasure
Spacefarers Guide to Planets: Sector One