authored by Lawrence Sims and the Boys from ODS Let's get something straight right away. This is not Traveller: 2300 or Star Wars. It's not highbrow angst in a world of darkness. What it is is this: big guns and bad attitudes. You are a Battlelord, the nickname given to corporate mercenaries in the corrupt and ultraviolent world of the 2200s. Some Battlelords are reviled as scum, while some are idolized by the masses. Most, such as yourself, are just trying to live to their next paycheck. Don't get the idea that this is a simplistic game, however. At first, I honestly wasn't expecting much from the Battlelords of the 23rd Century line. But the more I read, the more hooked I got. For all the ultraviolent schtick it presents at first glance, this game has depth. Yeah, I said depth. You can't always shoot your way to victory in this game. You have to think or you will get splattered yourself. Furthermore, it's funny... even hysterical at times. And the rules are good too. One of the things that makes this an above average product is the treatment of the different alien races. Each race is examined in great detail. A player will have no doubt about how to play their character due to the attention each race is given. You learn about their personality, history, what kind of pets they are likely to have, typical quotes, and more. A lot more. Some of the races are "matrix controllers." (AKA psis, espers, psionicists, etc.) Each has a particular style and specialty. Each has a ton of effects detailed in the rules. Those of you who enjoy playing spellcasters in fantasy games will not be disappointed by the possibilities offered by the Chatilians and Mutzachans, and even more races are detailed in the Battlelords player's guides. The 256-page rulebook also gives you the lowdown on a lot of other things, like Galactic history, armor and weapons, a corporate rundown, and naturally combat. If you like having a lot of rules to draw on, you'll love Battlelords. The game mechanics have a lot of optional detail, covering all manner of topics: berserkers, resistance to biological and radiation hazards, critical hits and vehicle critical hits, cybernetics, cyberspace, grenades... the list goes on. Be warned that the game mechanics, like the game background, have a complexity that is not apparent from reading the back of the book. For example, I have never seen a more detailed treatment of the way armor works than the one presented in Battlelords. (I'd have to put the game's overall complexity at about Space Master or Millenium's End level.) That being said, it should also be pointed out that the skill-based task resolution system, which is what you're using most of the time, strikes a good compromise between realism and playability. But the best part is that this stuff is fun to read. Humor is used liberally throughout the Battlelords line of products. It will have you rolling on the floor at times (check out the "Combat Example" on page 240 of the main rules) but it still manages to not become a comedy. This is a difficult thing to do, and it is done well here. There are a bunch of Battlelords supplements on the market. The material runs the gamut from the obligatory scenarios and equipment lists to the eclectic collection of information in the Galactic Underground series of player's guides. Most of it is as well-done as the core rule book. Unlike a lot of other games on the market right now, the supplements are truly optional--you don't feel like you need to immediately go buy one to play the game the way the authors intended. But, if you do decide to pick one up, they are crammed full of useful, cool things. The Galactic Underground, volumes I & II, are the Battlelords player's guides. Both present new PC races and a multitude of optional rulescredit ratings, new skills, advanced grenade rules-the list goes on and on. There's even a humor section in both GUs! Lock 'n' Load, the Battlelords war manual, is a huge supplement concerned with weapons, armor and anything else of interest to those who put themselves in the line of fire. No Man's Land is another largish product detailing the various star systems players might have occasion to visit, and also includes a few new PC races. The two scenario books out now are Do Not Be Alarmed and Injection, which is campaign- length. Without giving too much away, it is safe to say that in Injection the characters will have to deal with corrupt government officials, urban combat, organized crime, nuclear extortion, and a high-tech dungeon crawl through the sewers of a quarantined city. The Battlelords "monster manual" is Uncle Ernie and his Minions of Doom. Within this volume are listed the hordes of genetically engineered creatures cooked up by the galaxy's most notorious terrorist. As if that wasn't enough, there are Battlelords T-shirts, character sheets, and even a collectible card game. Plenty more Battlelords material is in the pipeline, too, and it looks like we're in for a hell of a ride. All in all, I was quite taken with Battlelords. It is not flawless, however. It's got a rather bland look - the layout reminds me of the legions of Palladium RPG books. The game mechanics may be too much for those used to simpler systems, like White Wolf's. And there's some "silly tech" that may annoy hard SF fans. (You know who you are!) However, the product line's strong points detail, depth, and humor - really make it stand out. Suit up and took sharp - Battlelords of the 23rd Century is here to stay. Back to Shadis #23 Table of Contents Back to Shadis List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master List of Magazines © Copyright 1996 by Alderac Entertainment Group This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. 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