vs. Moon Men by Jason Owen Black is a role playing game supplement published by Fat Goblin Games. The game uses the VsM Engine and, as such, is covered by the Open Game License with some parts considered to be Open Game Content as a result.
The supplement is available from DriveThruRPG as a PDF for $5.85, as a softcover colour print on demand book for $14.95 or both PDF and book for $15.95. The PDF is the version reviewed, although it was purchased at a reduced price. The PDF has 56 pages with two being the front and rear covers, one page is the front matter, one page the Contents and one the Open Game License. A second, three page PDF has two pages of character sheet and one of Credits.
The introductory paragraphs explain that, when man landed on the Moon, they found it occupied. Aldrin and Armstrong were captured and Collins returned to Earth with a warning just ahead of a fleet of flying saucers which struck the world’s capitals and military installations, quickly conquering Earth.
Brave Heroes of the Silver Screen! explains that the game is written for players to play characters fighting the Moon Men, but it can be adapted. Character creation follows, which requires a name, bio, attributes and role. There are four roles covered, and a statement that pretty much any character that could be written already has, probably by Shakespeare. The Brains use their intellect. The Face works with words and wit. The Heart helps other characters. The Muscle solves problems with force.
Following this is Gimmicks. These come in Good and Bad; characters can choose up to four Good Gimmicks, and have to take an equal number of Bad, but two is recommended, also accompanied with two Bad. The Gimmicks affect how a character does things in different situations. Finally, the last two parts of character creation are Health and other traits, the latter being descriptive.
What Must Humanity Overcome? is the game mechanics. vs. Moon Men uses ordinary playing cards as the core mechanic, without jokers. There are optional rules on using jokers, and on using a tarot deck. Cards are drawn from the deck when challenges need to be overcome. A sidebar explains a way of using dice, even though that alters how the probabilities of the game work; as cards are drawn from a deck, probabilities change and card counting is actually encouraged. When dice are used, probabilities remain the same. Two or more characters can collaborate on an action and there is an optional rule for challenges that works the same way as combat.
Gripping, Two-Fisted Action! covers turns, initiative and movement; movement can be handled narratively or with battlemaps. How to attack and deal damage follows, the effects of damage and how to recover health. There are situational modifiers that affect attacks.
Wonders of Science and War! is equipment. Players draw for new equipment at the start of a session, but keep equipment left over as well. Equipment is also determined by drawing cards; the equipment lists have scores to beat and players choose what equipment they want and attempt to beat that score. Some equipment has a value of zero and can be had with no problems. Players may draw up to four pieces of equipment, but failing to gain a piece means they have to stop trying. Equipment lists follow; only weapons really have a mechanical effect.
Witness Devious Plots! has rules on character advancement, should the system not be used for a one shot. Characters may also be affected by fear. Non-Player Characters describes how to create an NPC; NPCs do not have to follow the same rules as PCs, but it’s advised not to go overboard. Most human NPCs are Extras, who have very little role. Nemeses are special NPCs that are created through a bad gimmick. Hordes are groups of NPCs. NPCs also have a few of their own good and bad gimmicks, as well as the standard ones. There are examples of different kinds of NPC given. Rules are given for vehicles, including repairing damaged vehicles and various examples. Large vehicles, such as ships and airliners, are to be considered to be places, rather than vehicles to use.
Alien Conquerors from the Moon! is on the Moon Men. They, too, have good and bad gimmicks of their own and there are various example Moon Men described.
The Shocking Fate of Our World! has freedom fighters as an example type of campaign with suggestions as to others. Anytown, USA, is where adventures and campaigns could be, with various buildings described. Again, there are alternatives. Finally, there is a collection of adventure hooks to give ideas for creating adventures, each given a paragraph.
vs. Moon Men in Review
The PDF is bookmarked but the bookmarks are useless. They are not in any sensible order and entire sections are not linked. The Contents is to a decent level of depth, but not hyperlinked. Navigation is not as good as it could, or should be. The text maintains a two-column full colour format and appeared to be largely free of errors. The page backgrounds resemble a file on a table, the text is in a typewriter-like font, but fortunately one that is easily readable, which a true typewriter font would not have been for this length. There are various illustrations in the form of things that have been taped in, including old black and white film stills and colour images from fragments of burned paper. Sidebars are done as if they had been taped in on a different type of paper. Presentation is excellent.
vs. Moon Men is inspired by old invasion films and doesn’t take itself too seriously nor is it meant to be taken too seriously. It is an often rather light-hearted approach to a planetary invasion theme. As such, it should be fun to play. The cards mechanic is novel, but not unheard-of, even though it isn’t the dice mechanic most are truly familiar with. It’s interesting that this is a mechanic that is designed to be worked against by using card counting. Many parts of the system are lightweight, with some material having a narrative effect rather than a game effect. vs. Moon Men is an interesting game and it can be found by clicking here.
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