Alien RPG: Colonial Marines Operations Manual Breakdown

[@drizztiley8740]

I feel like you're a bit over-critical at times, but at the same time you're not just screaming "bad bad bad bad bad bad bad me angry " and offer solutions while also praising the book when deserved. About the starter set in liked it, then it got this book along with the core rulebook while on vacation (got a pretty good deal) and ran hopes last day as a Halloween one shot for some friends. They liked it and at the moment I'm prepping a Marines style campaign. You brought up ideas in this video that honestly have prepared me for the questions my players will smack me with on the spot lol. Great job with the video. And yeah. We got spoiled with codexes in 40K heh

[@RPGNook]

I try to be as fair as possible, and i love the Alien RPG setting. A lot of hard work went into it. This was just one of those rare occasions i had strong feelings about one product being a bit of a misstep vs my expectations. Everyone has their own take and this product got a ton of hype, i felt there was room for a counter point. All said and done, after using it and playing (most) of the Campaign. I do still stand by my comments and hope they help anyone who buys it. The Starter Box, Chariots of the Gods, remains one of my favourite scenarios i've run. And Last Hope is a good introduction to the system. I'm glad i could help you out with some of the books quirks, and i hope you have a ton of fun walking in the boots of the Colonal Marines!

[@alexanderparker410]

Didn’t expect to hear a Space: Above and beyond reference any time lately but it warms my heart to hear it, what a show. Thanks for the detailed review!

[@windwalker7154]

I think the lack of progression isn't that much of a problem for this campaign setting : the system is more oriented toward a high lethality life is cheap experience, it's true that if you want very long-term growth, other sci-fi systems might fit the bill better. I personnaly like it because it's really simple to handle while still being pretty versatile, with all the talents there is a pretty large margin of progression, and even when there is no real danger you do feel like you could die at any time.

[@issacjr01]

I was going to say the same thing, its a space horror/survival genre your character development if they survive will be spent dealing with debilitating wounds, panic attacks, and nightmares.

[@sbk26]

Great analysis (as always) and really grateful for the platoon sheet and index!

[@RPGNook]

My pleasure! Hope your platoon does well!

[@tonywarren5089]

Excellent review! Honestly I will probably buy it anyway. I am a huge fan of RPG's and the alien franchise.

[@RPGNook]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@dustov]

Thanks for the platoon sheet. I had already downloaded before watching this. It's a great supplement

[@RPGNook]

Glad you found it useful!

[@Tasomo]

Thanks for this review, I know I'm late but it was a good watch and insightful review. I agree with your point on not ignoring rank. Yeah the Aliens universe is built upon abusive authority figures but also, it's a book about the military. If people don't want that then they shouldn't be playing a book about the military.

[@Stilicho182]

Minor nitpick: "MOS" is always pronounced "Em Oh Ess." No one says "Moss."

[@oldenhaller]

Wow, what a great review. One question though, you mention you’re going to do a campaign breakdown, can’t find that video. Did you end up scrapping that plan?

[@RPGNook]

Yeah, not had any time this last year or so, hopefully i'll get back to it, i picked up Building Better Worlds too

[@Number01]

Did you send this video or the notes for it to Gaska? A volume II might be a good idea or supplement. Perhaps, there's more in the pipeline. Great video and different than what I've watched on the topic so far. Thank you.

[@RPGNook]

No, I'm sure they will come across it and have their own plans in place for the line. I'm looking forward to seeing what is to come. Thanks for the kind comments.

[@FellVoice]

Does anyone know if the Panic Dice mechanic has been modified at all since I can't imagine Marines freaking out at the same level as normal people.

[@RPGNook]

That is actually a vaild point I didn't think about. No everyone uses the standard chart. But they do get Banter as a class talent which lowers stress.

[@pedroribeiro7922]

There's also another talent (core rulebook) that makes it so that the marine character just goes on full auto instead of normal panicking. Like Hudson in Aliens.

[@judyhopps9380]

amazing review. You mentioned how the colonial marines are one of three expansions planned. Do we know what the next 2 will be?

[@RPGNook]

The next product out is Heart of Darkness which will be a boxset much like Destroyer of Worlds and should wrap up the Project Life Force arc. After that we get the colony book, which is another campaign book Gaska said may be called Building Better Worlds. And then the 3rd campaign book is space truckers. They will most likely follow a similar path between them so more boxsets in there to explore the colonies and corporations i would guess.

[@judyhopps9380]

@@RPGNook thank you massively nook

[@briand3200]

Another great review. Shame this book is a disappointment. I’m considering running an alien game but I think I’ll just use GURPS with some additions from their Space supplement. I found someone who has already modeled weapons, xenos, and marines in GURPS. I’m amazed you don’t have more followers - you’re a real hidden gem!

[@RPGNook]

Thanks for the kind words. We'll get there 1 sub at a time. :D

[@the_sixxness]

This book is not for beginners. I picked it up with the Starter Set. I definitely knew where to start. It appears I will need that Core Rulebook before doing a Campaign. Thanks for the warning! This will be my first time running an RPG. I have never played one. I am finding A L I E N's rules to be fairly straight forward and easy to learn. Can't recommend it enough for new TTRPG players. The amount of information thrown at me when I expressed interest in Dungeons and Dragons was so overwhelming I didn't even know where to start.

[@RPGNook]

I hope your first time goes well! Good luck and welcome to the world of ttrpgs.

[@relentlessairwaves319]

Great Review maybe you could wright down your improvements iam interessted in your thoughts:-)

[@RPGNook]

I'll be doing a whole video on it for the launch of the campaign. As a wee pack perhaps.

[@relentlessairwaves319]

Great iam looking foward to this Video.

[@markgrehan3726]

Good review, it's a shame this book looks like a wasted opportunity with a lot of wasted space hopefully for style and not to pad the book out. Most groups I've seen play this do as the Marines from the film which makes sense but unfortunately the Marines in that film seemed to be more laid-back mercenaries instead of a trained unit of soldiers but Rank can be hard to pull off in a game with friends. This really does seem to be a mixed beast I agree with you they really don't seem to have fleshed out the Marines and how they operate in this universe.

[@RPGNook]

I agree friends and ranks will probably be an interesting one, i know its not easy, but handwaving it all away really bugged me. I'll see how it plays on the table, in Destroyer of Worlds they all looked to the sergant, and all kept pushing for decisions, and tried to get away with things. It was a lot of fun. Authority can be really quite annoying to have, it like herding cats etc.

[@markgrehan3726]

@@RPGNook It's a shame they made a mixed product not fully a sourcebook for the Marines nor a standalone guide to the Frontier War. It would have been really interesting to see a deep dive done on the Colonial Marines from the top brass to the grunts on the ground like you mentioned a Codex type of approach. I think some idea of how much influence the Corporations have on the Marines and how they use it would be cool as well, Carter Burke from Aliens certainly seemed to have a lot of say on who went on the mission and how it was formed. And with the rank structure in place and fully explained you could have some interesting political-style games where Marines are promised better pay or rank if they just do this one little favor for the Corporation after all when did one little smuggled genetic sample ruin things?

[@Number01]

Also, where's the rest of the series? :)

[@RPGNook]

If i have 3 extra days a week, i'd love to catch up with all this :D I do however now have an editor... So. We will see!

[@rgauvey]

based

[@penguinsrockrgr8yt216]

There’s no problem with a dystopia setting but it’s becoming over used and they were not very subtle about it here

[@bucknasty69]

To be fair, the Alien universe has been fairly well established for years now, and has always been somewhat dystopian. If anything, the whole “dystopian sci fi universe with corporate and military intrigue” trope pretty much started with Aliens.

[@tiezine9583]

Funny that it's no longer a trope, but a reality..

[@Gallasl666]

Well..It seems this was a waste of money

[@RPGNook]

I wouldn't say its a waste of money, at £30, you still get 7 missions, which is pretty good value. The MOS options are also nice, could have just been a lot better for what they were aiming at. I'll get those mission videos done in time.

[@elliottpierce3087]

There is always a Negative Nancy review somewhere.... This book is great and works well for running both your own campaign and for running the included one. If you have any idea of the Alien universe, you will find this book more than adequate. It seems the OP doesn't have a real sense of the Alien universe or the actual feel TTRPG. My advice to the OP is to go back and play Warhammer 40K....

[@RPGNook]

I'm sorry my opinion didn't validate your own...

[@rwentfordable]

Does everyone need to agree with your opinion? What a snowflake.