GURPS Mars Attacks

Michael Thayne · 01-18-2017, 05:06 PM

Who else has gotten their copy of GURPS: Mars Attacks? Curious to hear other people's thoughts. I was a bit disappointed when I realized how much of the production values had gone into making a pretty coffee-table book as opposed to a meatier sourcebook. Fans of the aesthetics of the Mars Attacks franchise will think that's a positive, I guess. And thank GOD (well, thank PK) we now finally have official stats for TL8 jet fighters. GURPS 4e has been missing that for an embarrassingly long time.

Refplace · 01-18-2017, 05:14 PM

It was very pretty but no or minimal new crunch which is what I look for most in new books. Still it looks pretty and I think does the setting well.
If it attracts new customers I will be very happy.

Michael Thayne · 01-18-2017, 08:20 PM

One thing the world-building seems to be missing: tanks. This seems pretty egregious given "ineffectual tank firing" is a staple of alien invasion movies. The mega-walkers (Automatons, I think they're called?) are appropriately scary against a ragtag band of infantry, but the Martians are only described as having "dozens" of them when real-world Main Battle Tank strength is in the thousands for US/Russia/China. The Automatons aren't going to win against MBTs when outnumbered 100 to 1.

Pomphis · 01-19-2017, 01:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Thayne

Who else has gotten their copy of GURPS: Mars Attacks? Curious to hear other people's thoughts.

Me and nice. I only knew the movie, and reading it was fun, even if we will almost certainly never use it for a game.

voodoo54 · 01-19-2017, 08:15 AM

For how short it was I thought it was very well done. It actually has quite a bit of information in it. I also liked the full color layout. I think I'm like most people and only knew Mars Attacks from the movie. I didn't realize how much background there is to this setting. I'm a big supporter of physical books and hope sjgames continues to put out new material (and bring back old ones too). My only gripe is probably like most people and would like a little more crunch in the book but overall I think this is a very well done source book. Congratulations to Jason for an excellent product.

GM Joe · 01-19-2017, 08:25 AM

I like the book a lot. There's a ton of setting info in there. I don't feel it lacks crunch; it just doesn't need it, as far as I can see.

Kalzazz · 01-19-2017, 08:45 AM

How are the gadgeteering rules?

ham2anv · 01-19-2017, 10:55 AM

You can read my review at my blog: http://oneyardhex.blogspot.com/2017/...ks-review.html

TLDR: I liked it a lot more than I expected to.

Michael Thayne · 01-19-2017, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kalzazz

How are the gadgeteering rules?

A huge letdown, IMHO. Some teaks on top of what's in the basic set rather than a real new system. So far, After the End is the GURPS supplement with the best Gadgeteering rules, I think.

Michael Thayne · 01-19-2017, 06:37 PM

For the Main Battle Tank thing, if I were running a Mars Attacks game, I think I'd invoke the "Armor and Volume" from Pyramid #3/34 to justify giving them DR 840 (Hardened 2). That makes them nearly—but not quite—immune to a 6dx10 (10) shaped-charge attack, and makes it somewhat more reasonable that "dozens" of them could be a centerpiece of the Martian military.

01-18-2017, 05:06 PM	#1
Michael Thayne Join Date: May 2010	GURPS Mars Attacks Who else has gotten their copy of *GURPS: Mars Attacks? Curious to hear other people's thoughts. I was a bit disappointed when I realized how much of the production values had gone into making a pretty coffee-table book as opposed to a meatier sourcebook. Fans of the aesthetics of the Mars Attacks franchise will think that's a positive, I guess. And thank GOD (well, thank PK) we now finally have official stats for TL8 jet fighters. GURPS 4e has been missing that for an embarrassingly* long time.

01-18-2017, 05:14 PM	#2
Refplace Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Yukon, OK	Re: GURPS Mars Attacks It was very pretty but no or minimal new crunch which is what I look for most in new books. Still it looks pretty and I think does the setting well. If it attracts new customers I will be very happy. __________________ My GURPS publications GURPS Powers: Totem and Nature Spirits; GURPS Template Toolkit 4: Spirits; Pyramid articles. Buying them lets us know you want more! My GURPS fan contribution and blog: REFPLace GURPS Landing Page My List of GURPS You Tube videos (plus a few other useful items) My GURPS Wiki entries

01-19-2017, 08:15 AM	#5
voodoo54 Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Southern Carolina	Re: GURPS Mars Attacks For how short it was I thought it was very well done. It actually has quite a bit of information in it. I also liked the full color layout. I think I'm like most people and only knew Mars Attacks from the movie. I didn't realize how much background there is to this setting. I'm a big supporter of physical books and hope sjgames continues to put out new material (and bring back old ones too). My only gripe is probably like most people and would like a little more crunch in the book but overall I think this is a very well done source book. Congratulations to Jason for an excellent product.

01-19-2017, 08:25 AM	#6
GM Joe Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Chicagoland	Re: GURPS Mars Attacks I like the book a lot. There's a ton of setting info in there. I don't feel it lacks crunch; it just doesn't need it, as far as I can see. __________________ GMing Since 1982.

01-19-2017, 08:45 AM	#7
Kalzazz Join Date: Feb 2009	Re: GURPS Mars Attacks How are the gadgeteering rules?

01-18-2017, 08:20 PM	#3
Michael Thayne Join Date: May 2010	Re: GURPS Mars Attacks One thing the world-building seems to be missing: tanks. This seems pretty egregious given "ineffectual tank firing" is a staple of alien invasion movies. The mega-walkers (Automatons, I think they're called?) are appropriately scary against a ragtag band of infantry, but the Martians are only described as having "dozens" of them when real-world Main Battle Tank strength is in the thousands for US/Russia/China. The Automatons aren't going to win against MBTs when outnumbered 100 to 1.

01-19-2017, 10:55 AM	#8
ham2anv Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Pennsylvania (roaming charges may apply)	Re: GURPS Mars Attacks You can read my review at my blog: http://oneyardhex.blogspot.com/2017/...ks-review.html TLDR: I liked it a lot more than I expected to. __________________ Paul Stefko My work is available at Warehouse 23.

01-19-2017, 06:37 PM	#10
Michael Thayne Join Date: May 2010	Re: GURPS Mars Attacks For the Main Battle Tank thing, if I were running a Mars Attacks game, I think I'd invoke the "Armor and Volume" from *Pyramid #3/34* to justify giving them DR 840 (Hardened 2). That makes them nearly—but not quite—immune to a 6dx10 (10) shaped-charge attack, and makes it somewhat more reasonable that "dozens" of them could be a centerpiece of the Martian military.