Thorough review of Stay Frosty. Appreciate the pros and cons analysis.
RE: Chain of Command. In my Traveller games, since going from in-person to PbEM, there's been a hierarchical command structure despite the groups being non-military. Fortunately, the players who've been captain of their ships have been pretty good at it. What my groups experienced though was mutinous players.
The first time it happened a player claimed that he was being faithful to his character's nature and attempted a mutiny. The problem was that none of the other characters went along with it. Rather than flush the guy out the airlock without a vacc suit, the captain told him to pack up his gear and GTFO, marooning him on a planet.
So I started a new campaign for the failed mutineer, recruiting a couple of other players who knew nothing of the attempted mutiny. The failed mutineer got his own ship to captain, but it wasn't long into this campaign that one of the new guys mutinied against the mutineer-turned-captain. This new mutineer had a neutral crew to deal with so they were fine with it, and he succeeded through hand-to-hand combat with the guy. Karma kicked that old mutineer in the ass.
Interestingly, the RPG milieu that I've most often seen, and heard about, the chain of command being an issue is in space games -- specifically where there's the captain and crew dynamic. And you're right, DED, I didn't talk about it but just as big an issue as the a-hole captain / XO is the mutinous jerkward on the crew. The "insubordinate subordinate" Wayne mentions below.
This kind of thing is rarely a deal-breaker, but it *can* shape the game (like it did in yours) and I do believe it's something the table should probably discuss in session zero and at periodic check-ins.
Great overview of Stay Frosty, I appreciate your point of view.
Chain of command has always been a sticking point in my games as well. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. In my experience, everyone has someone they answer to in real life. When we play our storytelling games, a lot of folks want to leave that behind.
Cogent as usual, Harrigan! Loved the breakdown of Stay Frosty, warts and all. (That Wayne dude sounds a little suspicious. ;) )
Chain of command does pare down to "Are you going to be an a-hole commander?" Possibly more often, are you just going to go with "insubordinate subordinate" as the sum total of your characterization? There's a reason good military dramas tend to have ONE "Hicks."
Thorough review of Stay Frosty. Appreciate the pros and cons analysis.
RE: Chain of Command. In my Traveller games, since going from in-person to PbEM, there's been a hierarchical command structure despite the groups being non-military. Fortunately, the players who've been captain of their ships have been pretty good at it. What my groups experienced though was mutinous players.
The first time it happened a player claimed that he was being faithful to his character's nature and attempted a mutiny. The problem was that none of the other characters went along with it. Rather than flush the guy out the airlock without a vacc suit, the captain told him to pack up his gear and GTFO, marooning him on a planet.
So I started a new campaign for the failed mutineer, recruiting a couple of other players who knew nothing of the attempted mutiny. The failed mutineer got his own ship to captain, but it wasn't long into this campaign that one of the new guys mutinied against the mutineer-turned-captain. This new mutineer had a neutral crew to deal with so they were fine with it, and he succeeded through hand-to-hand combat with the guy. Karma kicked that old mutineer in the ass.
Interestingly, the RPG milieu that I've most often seen, and heard about, the chain of command being an issue is in space games -- specifically where there's the captain and crew dynamic. And you're right, DED, I didn't talk about it but just as big an issue as the a-hole captain / XO is the mutinous jerkward on the crew. The "insubordinate subordinate" Wayne mentions below.
This kind of thing is rarely a deal-breaker, but it *can* shape the game (like it did in yours) and I do believe it's something the table should probably discuss in session zero and at periodic check-ins.
Great overview of Stay Frosty, I appreciate your point of view.
Chain of command has always been a sticking point in my games as well. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. In my experience, everyone has someone they answer to in real life. When we play our storytelling games, a lot of folks want to leave that behind.
I'm looking forward to the rest of this series.
Great observation, hadn't considered that!
Cogent as usual, Harrigan! Loved the breakdown of Stay Frosty, warts and all. (That Wayne dude sounds a little suspicious. ;) )
Chain of command does pare down to "Are you going to be an a-hole commander?" Possibly more often, are you just going to go with "insubordinate subordinate" as the sum total of your characterization? There's a reason good military dramas tend to have ONE "Hicks."
Thanks, Wayne. I thought the space marines posts would flow, but work has had other ideas. Ah well.