Mothership<\/em>\u2019s is probably one of the most welcoming guides for game masters that\u2019s been published in years.<\/p>\nMothership<\/em> is a mature game that takes its inspiration from sci-fi classics like Alien<\/em> and Event Horizon<\/em>. In it, players take on the roles of scientists, teamsters, androids, and marines on the hunt for unexplained phenomena in derelict space stations and abandoned colony worlds. Unlike in other game systems, however, provoking violence is rarely the best course of action. That\u2019s because combat is both brutal and deadly.<\/p>\nHow deadly? Well, each player\u2019s character sheet has a field used to list the number of play sessions they\u2019ve survived. The average \u201chigh score,\u201d as the developers call it, is four. With only three to four players recommended for each session, it\u2019s all but guaranteed that every time you sit down at the table, someone is going to die. That\u2019s an incredibly intimidating bit of information for newbie game masters, but thankfully the provided materials are full of great advice.<\/p>\n
The Mothership<\/em> box set is packed with valuable materials, including a modest GM\u2019s screen, some cardboard standees, custom dice, a scenario booklet, and a dense starting adventure. But the meat of the experience is in its three core rulebooks, namely the Player\u2019s Survival Guide,<\/em> the Shipbreaker\u2019s Toolkit<\/em>, and the Warden\u2019s Operations Manual<\/em>. It\u2019s the latter of those books that GMs will cling to for their first few sessions, and not a single one of its 60 pages is in any way wasted. Even the kerning of the font seems customized to fit as much information as possible onto every page.<\/p>\nInside the Warden\u2019s Operations Manual<\/em>, you\u2019ll find plenty of high-quality art, including some clever diagrams that make the game\u2019s systems immediately clear. There are loads of tables and charts as well, meaning you should be able to pick up and play a random adventure with just a few rolls of the dice. But it\u2019s all the detailed advice for running a game \u2014 any tabletop role-playing game, really \u2014 that will have you coming back for more.<\/p>\n\n
\n Image: Tuesday Knight Games<\/cite>Take the book\u2019s opening spread, which shows a graphic of what the GM\u2019s notebook should look like before the very first play session. Page after page, the Operations Manual<\/em> teaches GMs less about how to do simple math, and more about how to create a setting filled with interesting conflicts. It does so by breaking down, step by step, how to build an interesting adventure.<\/p>\nDon\u2019t overprepare, the Operations<\/em> Manual <\/em>stresses repeatedly, because players will always surprise you. Set the stakes, clearly and repeatedly, because actions are meaningless without consequences. And do more than just say \u201cYes, and…\u201d every time players want to try something interesting. Even the written-out samples of actual gameplay include lots of great modeling for what to do at the table. There are even instances where the book shows the GM simply being quiet and letting the players do the talking \u2014 a very hard thing to remember to do your first time leading a table.<\/p>\nBy far, my favorite part of the Operations Manual<\/em> is the lengthy section titled \u201cPlanning for Failure.\u201d <\/em>Instead of enumerating all the ways that a single session or a lengthy campaign can end in disaster, what follows is more resources for creating interesting gameplay when things go off course, or to prevent interruptions from happening in the first place. It teaches GMs to create clearer maps, make better keys, and think of ideas for catering to a variety of player needs and wants. It\u2019s the same section of the book that includes clear and well-written guidance on safety at the table. \u201cSolve disputes as people, not characters\u201d and \u201cNever shield players from the consequences of their actions\u201d are just a few examples of the many pearls of wisdom found within.<\/p>\n\n
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\n A typical two-page spread from Mothership <\/em>shows you exactly what you need to do.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n Image: Tuesday Knight Games<\/cite>The materials neither force your hand nor talk down to you. Each page says: \u201cYou can do this!\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nPriced at $59, the Mothership <\/em>box set is more than just a collection of handy aphorisms. The included Shipbreaker\u2019s Toolkit<\/em> is its first major expansion, and it contains everything you need to know to manage and fly your own spaceship \u2014 including rules for both combat and bankruptcy. Unconfirmed Contact Reports<\/em>, meanwhile, is an unexpectedly robust bestiary with dozens of vile critters that you could easily wrap an entire campaign around. Taken together, these add-ons read like a victory lap for the developers, who have been working on this game for the better part of a decade now. While it\u2019s well more than first-time players are probably ready for, they are the cherry on top of an already overflowing package.<\/p>\nMothership <\/em><\/small>was reviewed with a retail copy purchased by the author as part of Tuesday Knight Games\u2019 <\/small>crowdfunding campaign<\/small><\/a>, which ran on Kickstarter in 2021. Copies are available now online and at local game stores. <\/small><\/p>\n\n
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