207 pages including an extensive index.
There is a free PDF Download code in the book inside cover.
Embers of the Imperium is an unbridled space opera for the Genesys RPG, telling bold galactic dramas
in the Twilight Imperium setting. It takes me back to the convolution of FGU’s Space Opera RPG of the 1980s, which I both ran and enjoyed. Genesys, by contrast, is a simple to play and coherent modern game system, which propels you into the action with smooth mechanics and lots of flair.
Ships of the Shattered Empire is a supplement to the ‘Embers of the Imperium’ space opera setting that provides expanded starship and character rules, guidance on running starship battles at all scales, with a separate mass combat system, and one that the actions of the player characters can influence. All of this is packed into 35 pages, with the remainder outlining key starships for 11 factions and civilian vehicle profiles. Altogether, this supplement delivers a very useful expansion both to integrating player characters into starship action and copious examples of the ships that ply the starlanes.
Although the rules section is entirely optional, I can see any GM wanting to incorporate the ideas contained in this section. There is a loose interplay between abstracted range zones and more detailed momentum based forced movement of ships with restrictions on relative facing for silhouette 5+ vessels. This will affect bringing specific weapon arcs to bear against enemy vessels. Extra rules are provided for in theme space opera ramming and boarding, with some suggestions for the cat and mouse of system wide strategic ranges for distant missile and torpedo fire. Point blank ‘engaged’ fatooming is discretionary possible.
Rule extensions are rounded out with fighter minion groups and some useful notes on PCs as starship crew, honed dice result spends for starship combat and some new starship and vehicle talents. Some of these talents come to life when embroiled in mass battles which are covered next. The system presents an abstract way of resolving very large conflicts of an kind using the Narrative Dice System and therefore has very broad utility for any Genesys game and setting. Applying factors as to both forces size and quality, you build your pool and the opposing difficulty. This base pool is then modified for other narrative elements by applying Boost and Setback dice. Examples for these are included to spark your own encounters.
Of course a mass battle is not just a dry ‘slugging it out’ affair. The PCs step in and directly affect the outcome with direct actions to shape and guide the conflict. I mean, they are the heroes after all!
And then the starships…
There is a stripped back utility to the Genesis vehicle stat blocks. They tell you everything that you really need to know to bring the example to the table for play. Each war mech or starship in this supplement has their own familiar stat block, grey shaded illustration, and flavour text to bring it to life for play. The silhouette range traverses size 2 to 9 for plenty of scale options.
Further, the ships are found in chapters that provide more factional details about their armies and fleets, with embedded call-outs for lore on pacts, naming conventions, technologies, and adventure seeds. Interspersed, there are some full colour illustrations that will probably see some expression in my VTT when I get this game to the table.
This is an excellent supplement that further develops starships and fleet actions for the Embers of the Imperiium setting. Its existence has been heavily cloaked by Edge Studios, ardently attempting to restrict hype or, possibly, any sales. Some outlets have smuggled copies, and more galactic noise may become apparent from 9th January, or not. I stumbled into its existence by mistake on the edge of the Klatu system during an energy storm.
In addition to all the expected starship information, you have a nice set of mass combat rules that have broad utility for any game that you might run. Anyway, I’d write more, but I have to board my Serpens Investigator, (which doesn’t exist and you won’t find any records of it – except in this supplement) as we have a priority mission out in the fringes of the Xxcha Kingdom.