The Campaign Finally Launched

Welcome to another attempt to improve my work/life balance by regularly setting aside some time to do a bit of solo wargaming.

I've been painting up the 15mm populace of my universe for many months (though I still have a lead mountain), acquiring and knocking up various scenery and collecting more than enough rule sets for longer than I care to think about.

Now, inspired by similar blogs (for example Another Slippery Slope, TTown Hobby and A Fist Full of Cow Dung) I think I'm ready to go so here goes...

Meet the Crew

I'm mainly using the second edition of Five Parsecs From Home (with a few adaptions and additions from the first edition and Salvage Crew).

The Whole Crew

Davin Kinall

Origin: A tech guild on a mid-tech.

Motivation: Fame

Class: Scoundrel

Enemies: The Children of Gul (Raiders)

Davin grew up on Aeliana. He had been expected to follow in the family tradition of starting as an apprentice in the Company of Honourable Jump Technicians and working his way up to mastership but he always knew that there was more out there and he wanted some of it. In a moment of utter frustration, he took off in an old but serviceable ship that was in for an overhaul. Unfortunately the ship was the only means of transport for the Children of Gul, a local gang of raiders, who have regularly sought to reclaim their craft and express their disappointment in a physically appropriate way.

Vinca Jissard

Origin: Research outpost on a frontier colony

Motivation: Power

Class: Ganger

Enemy: Battle Droids

Gift from an old lover

Vinca is the result of Unity social experimentation on the distant world of Varinia. Having enjoyed the tasks of leadership as a Unity guineapig, he developed a taste for power and escaped the establishment to recruit his own criminal gang. However, while having some success and gaining some notatiety particular within Unity, he soon discovered that leadership is not so easy amongst a gang of bloody-thirsty robbers and his position was usurped by an even more powerful individual. 

Now he works with Davin, though his ambitions for power still remain and it is not unusual to see him occasionally undermine his boss.

Garm Izel

Origin: Orphan utility programme at a scientific outpost.

Motivation: Faith

Class: Soldier

Patron: the bounty hunter, Mada Gorba

A sanctioned alien

Fragile

Fascinated by xeno-forms

No concept of property

One Quest Clue

The infant Garm was discovered as the only survivor on a battle-damaged craft. While Unity's orphan programme was designed only for human beings, it was decided to accept him on it as well with the intention of trying his race out for recruitment to the army. 

Growing up amongst nothing but humans led Garm to develop a great curiosity not just for his own race but also for all non-homo sapiens. This also led to a sense of discomfort when called upon to attack other races and so he left the army as soon as he could and became a freelance operative, allowing himself to have more choice in whom he killed.

Garm embrances the faith of his people - another important means for him to express his true identity.

Origin: Religious cult on a struggling colony

Porro Thif

Motivation: Technology

Class: Technician

Patron: the pirate, Bo Sund

+1 to persuasion rolls

Sharpshooter

Slow

Porro was born into the Cult of the Etherial Trapezoid on the planet Marilla. During the time of initial settlements, it was not realised that there was a virulent strain of a disease similar to Terran leprosy present on the planet which has led to much disfigurement of its inhabitants.

Porro, now cured, keeps himself completely covered up to hide the frightful scars left by the disease. He has also developed great eloquence in an effort to counteract his strange appearance.

From his meditations in the Cult, Porro has always had an interest in technology. This also means that he can serve his employers well while remaining hidden to the general public.

It may seem strange that he should be regarded as a sharpshooter given the rather baggy, bulky clothing he wears but he is. It was something that he discovered for himself when he was working for the infamous pirate, Bo Sund, and was the only one able to pick off their ambushers.

Jaa Maduel

Origin: Scientific outpost

Motivation: Loyalty

Class: Scientist

Patron:  a mysterious figure

Jaa served for many years carrying out (some might say) rather dubious experiments on behalf of Unity. He never questioned the morality of the tasks he carried out because of his high regard for the aims of Unity and his interests in the wonders of science.
However, he was to discover that his ill-founded loyalty was not reciprocated when there was an explosion at the outpost and he and his co-workers were left to die. Fortunately he was saved by a passing traveller who responded to their distress signals. Sadly, all his colleagues had died.

Deserted by his employer, he turned his back on the organisation and now works for Davin.

Jeela Dystra

Origin: Long-term space mission

Motivation: Political

Class: Special agent

Patrons: mercenary outfit and local gang

+1 to persuasion rolls

Guts

Jeela was born and grew up on the first mission flight to Fortunata. Her parents were responsible for the terra-forming of the planet. On completing her education, because of her prowess in languages, diplomacy and problem-solving, she was recruited into the secret service to ensure that all Unity worlds remained compliant.

After more than a decade of work, now she is not so sure. She remains faithful to the claims of Unity but is not so sure of their practices. So she remains on the organisation's payroll but follows her orders rather more loosely, always managing to find a good explanation for her apparent wandering from the straight and narrow. Some of her more questionable practices have led her to some interesting partnerships and employments.

And there you have them - the (current) six crew of the Sunder's Wing. All the origins, motivations, etc were exactly as created by the dice I rolled. I then chose the figures I had that best suited them. It was then great fun writing up a backstory to explain how they all fiitted together.

Their first mission will be coming up shortly.