Urban Brawl Options

[phillosopherp]

I can't remember if the game has ever completely been detailed in ANY (going all the way back if needed to 1st ed.) to the point of all the rules and positions and everything being given, so I ask my fellow 'shockers if it has and where. I have almost all the sourcebooks I just wonder if I have a better index out there then going through all the likely books of the past. Thanks too anyone that remembers and comments here in advance. My players are interested in play a team of brawlers so that is why I'm asking, I would hate to make up a bunch of rules based on the stuff I remember and the little bit that is rehashed in Attitude!, especially since there wasn't much there in Attitude!


p.s. anyone else feel a little let down by that soursebook?

[DWC]

Shadow beat gave a very thorough workup on Urban Brawl and how it is played. It included rules, positions, and a bunch of other noteworthies.

[CanRay]

Attitude's only issue what that it's being compared to Shadowbeat, which is an epic piece of art. There's a few other issues, but that's the main one.

[Bigity]

IIRC there is a module that contained alot of detail about the specifics of the game itself, aka rules, etc.

Runners had to take the place of a team or some reason as I recall.

EDIT: The module was 'A Killing Glare'.

[Xahn Borealis]

It takes several hours IC, which would take several sessions to play a whole match.

[HunterHerne]

It takes several hours IC, which would take several sessions to play a whole match.

I'm sure most sports would. I imagine Baseball to take a while, and it's one of the easiest to work with.

[Bull]

The Germans just released a book, Blut & Spiele (I think is the name) that details Urban Brawl, the Euro Brawl League, and has several adventures centered around it. It looks very cool, though sadly I can;t read it myself.

One of the Missions games we have been running at the conventions this year though is called CMP 2011-07: Super Brawl Sunday, and it centers around the 2073 North American Urbal Brawl League championships. The author, Rusty "Critias" Zimmerman, contacted Pegasus to talk with them about what they did with Urban Brawl so they could coordinate a bit. We ran it at Origins and Gen Con, and it will probably get run at least once at Dragon*Con, and it went over very well. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Bull

[Whipstitch]

Attitude's only issue what that it's being compared to Shadowbeat, which is an epic piece of art. There's a few other issues, but that's the main one.

I don't know man, I've never actually read Shadowbeat and I'm still about as harsh a critic of Attitude! as you could imagine. It's a tour de force of incomplete information and IC rants, which is unfortunate since there was plenty of times where I would have liked more organization and a dash of clearly marked OOC objectivity. It's rough because sometimes all I want from a sourcebook is some convenience and an assurance that I'm not contradicting previously established information when weird sixth world factoids come up during a session, something which is surprisingly hard to quickly do with Attitude!. Now, maybe Shadowbeat is awesome enough that it can handily overcome the hazards of the format, but frankly, it'd have to be pretty disjointed to match Attitude!, so color me skeptical.

[CanRay]

I'm sure most sports would. I imagine Baseball to take a while, and it's one of the easiest to work with.

If you go off the info that is in Wolf and Raven, it'd be even quicker and faster if you're a Baseball History Buff. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

The Germans just released a book, Blut & Spiele (I think is the name) that details Urban Brawl, the Euro Brawl League, and has several adventures centered around it. It looks very cool, though sadly I can;t read it myself.

Bull

Glad to see I'm not the only one thinking that the Germans are getting the best stuff. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

I don't know man, I've never actually read Shadowbeat and I'm still about as harsh a critic of Attitude! as you could imagine. It's a tour de force of incomplete information and IC rants, which is unfortunate since there was plenty of times where I would have liked more organization and a dash of clearly marked OOC objectivity. It's rough because sometimes all I want from a sourcebook is some convenience and an assurance that I'm not contradicting previously established information when weird sixth world factoids come up during a session, something which is surprisingly hard to quickly do with Attitude!. Now, maybe Shadowbeat is awesome enough that it can handily overcome the hazards of the format, but frankly, it'd have to be pretty disjointed to match Attitude!, so color me skeptical.

OK, fair enough. Maybe I'm reading it through slightly tinted glasses.

I also only have it on PDF, so some things might escape me that DTF would be blatant to me as I read those better. Just can't bring myself to warrant the cash for it in DTF.

[Bodak]

I'm assuming you've already read this thread about it right?

It takes several hours IC, which would take several sessions to play a whole match.

That's why you play with the FASA Shadowrun: Downtown Militarized Zone (DMZ) rules.

[Grinchy McScroog...]

I hate sports, but I love the whole idea of Urban Brawl. Something about it just really fires up my imagination. Most of my characters have had Urban Brawl and/or Combat Biker as a knowledge skill. I've always wanted to play in A Killing Glare, but I unfortunately joined the Shadowrun party rather late. Maybe if I have the time someday soon, I'll convert it up to 4A.

[RANT]My Major problem with Attitude, and this is where my personal bias comes in, is that it's purports to be all about the entertainment world, yet completely omits any mention of Toronto. Being a Torontonian, it really felt like a slap in the face, since both Shadows Of North America and The Sixth World Almanac state that Toronto is the entertainment capital of the UCAS, ever since California, and by extension Hollywood, buggered off on its own. In real life Toronto has been known as Hollywood North for at least three decades now, and it really is, along with Vancouver, a huge part of the Hollywood system. I guess this is just another example of the lack of research, both in real life and through the Shadowrun canon, that has been the hallmark of the current administration.[/RANT]

I am fond of Attitude's gear section, and some of the ideas as presented are pretty intriguing, but the book as a whole looks incredibly hollow when compared to the epic masterpiece that is Shadowbeat. Okay, maybe I'm gushing a little much, but it's still true.

[CanRay]

Oh, come on, Toronto is not the centre of the universe. No matter how much Torontonians want it to be. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[Whipstitch]

I also only have it on PDF, so some things might escape me that DTF would be blatant to me as I read those better. Just can't bring myself to warrant the cash for it in DTF.

Yeah, working without a search function is a big pain in the ass with Attitude! since it's not a very focused title and some subjects are touched upon lightly in multiple sections. Maybe it's a too many cooks issue.

[Grinchy McScroog...]

Oh, come on, Toronto is not the centre of the universe. No matter how much Torontonians want it to be. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

I agree that it's not, but I think I have a fairly strong case here. Besides, Canada is almost completely ignored in Shadowrun except for Quebec, and I'm pretty sure there are other intriguing things about our country besides Francophones who want to separate and form their own country because of the ridiculous notion that they're second-class citizens. I've studied a lot of Canadian history and know better. Oops, I'm ranting again. Sorry. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/embarrassed.gif)

[CanRay]

That I'll get behind. More Former-Canadian love is needed!

[HunterHerne]

That I'll get behind. More Former-Canadian love is needed!

Hear, hear!

[Thokk]

One of the Missions games we have been running at the conventions this year though is called CMP 2011-07: Super Brawl Sunday, and it centers around the 2073 North American Urbal Brawl League championships. The author, Rusty "Critias" Zimmerman, contacted Pegasus to talk with them about what they did with Urban Brawl so they could coordinate a bit. We ran it at Origins and Gen Con, and it will probably get run at least once at Dragon*Con, and it went over very well. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Bull

As one of the individuals who did play in CMP 2011-07: Super Brawl Sunday we had a ridiculously good time. I am not positively sure if it was the module, the judge (Ando), or the character next to me who was playing the world's horniest satyr (with Mass Orgasm mind you) which made it so epic but I think they all added in very well.

The mechanics were not overly difficult and it was a great time - I would suggest checking out this resource - after you have played it that is . . . trust me, you do not want to miss out on this opportunity!
You may be able to run the shadows, but can you run in the Super Brawl!

[ggodo]

If you go off the info that is in Wolf and Raven, it'd be even quicker and faster if you're a Baseball History Buff.

I actually am making a character that's a former Baseball player, and basing it off of that story.

[Warlordtheft]

Oh, come on, Toronto is not the centre of the universe. No matter how much Torontonians want it to be. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

Yeah, that's Washington D.C. All it takes is on politico to say something wrong here and economies, and governments around the world shiver. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

Back OT.

Yeah I remember the kiling glare. Also I remember that the key rules were no magic, and no hacking the other guys comms and no jamming. One guy (the rigger) was called an outrider and rode a bike.

Have not picked up Attitude or Spy Games yet. Waiting for a print copy in my FLGS.

[Bodak]

Yeah I remember the kiling glare. Also I remember that the key rules were no magic, and no hacking the other guys comms and no jamming. One guy (the rigger) was called an outrider and rode a bike.

Or you could scroll up, follow this link, check out the last post in that thread and remember all the rules!

I'm assuming you've already read this thread about it right?

[Critias]

It's worth pointing out that, while most of the core rules are the same as from Killing Glare, Shadowbeat, and The Link A Little Bit Upscreen, there have been a few key changes; magic is allowed now, for instance (albeit with some limitations, and without a new position being made), and hacking is actively encouraged (so long as you hack just the other team, not the camera drones or other league goodies).

I also introduced a few new teams in Super Brawl Sunday, adding to the league roster for political changes (the Portland Paladins, to show the Tir's new, less xenophobic attitude), canon events (like the loss of one of Chicago's teams, leaving only their corp, not city, sponsored team), or new corporations making the proverbial big leagues (NeoNET and Horizon).

Here's the current North American Urban Brawl League rankings for the 2073 season:

(1) Mountain Dragons (Draco Foundation)
(2) Chicago Sensations (Truman Technologies)
(3) New Orleans Tombstones (CAS)
(4) Ares Predators (Ares Macrotechnology)
(5) Lakota Arrows (Sioux Council)
(6) Detroit Nightmares (UCAS)
(7) Boston Massacre (UCAS)
((IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif) Atlanta Butchers (CAS)
(9) St. Louis Slaughter (UCAS)
(10) Horizon Coordinators (Horizon)
(11) Tenochtitlan Volcanoes (Aztlan)
(12) Havana Guerrillas (CL)
(13) Cincinnati Lasers (UCAS)
(14) Denver Thunderheads (UCAS)
(15) Boston Champions (NeoNET)
(16) Norfolk Battlers (CAS)
(17) Portland Paladins (Tir Tairngire)
(18) Dallas Outlaws (CAS)
(19) Miami Spears (CL)
(20) Renraku Invincibles (Renraku)
(21) Montreal Assassins (Quebec)
(22) Tsimshian Warriors (Tsimshian)
(23) New York Slashers (UCAS)
(24) Oakland Terminators (CFS)
(25) Tacoma Wings (Federated Boeing)

Note that #1 and #2 can shift around a bit, depending on how the PC's do in Super Brawl Sunday.

As one of the individuals who did play in CMP 2011-07: Super Brawl Sunday we had a ridiculously good time. I am not positively sure if it was the module, the judge (Ando), or the character next to me who was playing the world's horniest satyr (with Mass Orgasm mind you) which made it so epic but I think they all added in very well.

It was the module, of course! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

The mechanics were not overly difficult and it was a great time - I would suggest checking out this resource - after you have played it that is . . . trust me, you do not want to miss out on this opportunity!
You may be able to run the shadows, but can you run in the Super Brawl!

Glad to hear your group had fun with it! Both the CMP's I've written, I've got "fun" in mind, first and foremost, above and beyond anything else. It's great to hear that it seems to be working okay, and folks are leaving game tables smiling.

[CanRay]

Winnipeg and Vancouver need teams.

[HunterHerne]

Winnipeg and Vancouver need teams.

I agree. But I'm sure Toronto would get one first.

Also: Is it too much to ask for some love to the (former) Canadian East coast?

[Critias]

I'll toss Bull a note and see if I can't update the list again. *shrugs* It's already been in print, but only to GMs, so it's not like it's really very "canon" at this point -- once he's recovered from the con enough, he might lemme toss in a couple more teams.

[Bigity]

I like Urban Brawl, but Blood Bowl is better (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)