RECG Rebellion Era Campaigns

Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Rebellion Era Campaign Guide

In any society, citizens rely on the government for security: laws to define civilized behavior, officials to enforce those laws, punishments for those who break those laws, and so on. The sacrifice of some beings' freedoms for the safety and security of all seems to many during The Rebellion Era to be a reasonable exchange. However, a few beings know that power, corruption, and oppression go hand in hand, and those beings oppose tyranny through acts of sabotage or open rebellion.

The heroes in a Rebellion Era Campaign can fight for either side of the conflict- The Galactic Empire or The Rebel Alliance- or even act on behalf of fringe elements such as smugglers and pirates. Heroes can be upstanding Imperial citizens lending their aid against the Rebellion, or they can be freedom-loving Rebels working to bring down the Emperor.

Whichever side the players choose, The Rebellion Era is rife with possibilities and pitfalls, opportunities and obstacles, and nobility and villainy.

Heroes from Both Sides

The characters in a Rebellion Era Campaign do not need to be all Rebels, or all Imperials, or all outlaws from the fringes of society, but getting a disparate group to work together toward a common goal can prove complicated. Unless the Gamemaster is prepared to construct an elaborate plot that requires Rebels and Imperials to fight side by side, the group might have to agree not to play heroes with diametrically opposed ideologies- at least at first.

The players should discuss their visions of the campaign with the Gamemaster before the campaign begins. If players want to be heroic freedom fighters struggling against an oppressive galactic regime, then they should play Rebels. If they want to spend their time at the game table matching wits with terrorists and saboteurs, the Gamemaster should let them play Imperials. And, of course, smugglers and their ilk mesh with both groups, so heroes on The Fringe have a place in either style of campaign.

A precampaign discussion also gives players an opportunity to develop their heroes' backgrounds, decide how their heroes know each other, and determine what brings them together in the first place. It gives the Gamemaster a chance to work the heroes' backstories into the campaign, and it also provides the group with an open forum in which the Gamemaster and players can discuss what they want to get out of the campaign.

If players develop character backgrounds with no clear connection to one another, the Gamemaster should consider preparing an introductory scenario that brings the heroes together and, ideally, gives them a common cause that keeps them more or less on the same side for the duration of the campaign.

From a Specific Point of View

The story of The Rebellion Era is replete with examples of Rebels outwitting the vastly greater numbers of the Empire as they strive to restore justice to the galaxy. Faced with superior odds and superior equipment, The Rebel Alliance triumphs, eventually restoring The New Republic and vanquishing The Sith.

Of course, from another perspective, the real heroes are the citizens of The Galactic Empire, who, though they enforce the edicts of one of the most evil beings to ever live, dutifully provide peace and order for the populace. Their struggle against the forces of chaos- embodied by The Rebel Alliance- might ultimately fail, but they are not necessarily evil themselves. They can comport themselves with as much honor, conscience, and courage as any Rebel- and sometimes with more.

Having the option to play either side of the conflict can make a Rebellion Era Campaign exciting- particularly if the players want to explore the Star Wars universe from the vantage point of otherwise noble individuals slowly coming to grips with the fact that they are on the wrong side of a moral and ethical struggle. As they advance within the ranks of the Empire, such characters see more and more of the Emperor's true cruelty and eventually have to choose between remaining loyal to a corrupted ideal or acting to right the wrongs that they have helped create.

Shared Hero Backgrounds

When the heroes cooperate, the campaign runs more smoothly, so giving the heroes motivations to join together, work together, and stay together afterward is often the primary goal of the first game session. The simplest and best method is to let the players define their own characters' relationships (Although the Gamemaster might suggest a few ways to fill in gaps here and there). For example, Hero A is Hero B's older brother, and Hero C works with Hero D, who shared a dormitory room with Hero A back in the academy. Such connections encourage the heroes to cooperate with one another and can bring them all to the same location for the start of the campaign.

For example, Braht Rinnor is an Imperial Academy graduate serving aboard an Action VI Transport, looking for an opportunity to desert and join the Rebellion. At a refueling stop on Commenor, he runs into his old girlfriend Miria, who, with her best friend, a Twi'lek named Zyrinna, has made contact with a Rodian Rebel named Skollo. However, Skollo is actually just a down-on-his-luck gambler with no real ties to The Rebel Alliance; he just wants to show off for the ladies. When Skollo tells the other three that he needs a ship to take him to his Rebel rendezvous, Braht realizes that the Action VI might be just the ticket, and suggests that the four of them "Liberate" it for the Alliance.

Of course, if a player cooks up an extraordinarily elaborate background, the Gamemaster should feel free to suggest scaling it back a bit or, at least, quietly downplay the parts that don't fit into the campaign well. In the end, each hero needs only one compelling reason to want to team up with the other heroes.

Likewise, the Gamemaster has final approval over the players' character concepts. Not everyone gets to be the last Jedi in the galaxy, after all.

Common Campaign Elements

At the commencement of every campaign, the Gamemaster should let the players know what is common knowledge in the setting- what the heroes would know that the players might not. This can include information relating to the first story arc the Gamemaster has planned, and it can include interesting but ultimately unrelated leads that encourage the heroes to explore a bit. Either way, the Gamemaster should encourage the players to work this information into their character backgrounds.

Presented below are brief campaign outlines designed to give Gamemasters ideas for how to unite the heroes in Rebellion Era Campaigns:

• The heroes are Rebel operatives tasked with carrying out acts of sabotage and espionage against Imperial targets.
• The heroes are the personal staff of an ambitious Imperial Moff.
• The heroes are the crew of a tramp freighter, smuggling contraband to Imperial contacts- and running weapons to The Rebel Alliance.
• The heroes are Imperial citizens secretly supplying information and materiel to The Rebel Alliance.

Obviously, these are just suggestions to run past the players. Gamemasters should avoid railroading the players into a particular campaign setup- and should not let the campaign model limit the character types available to the players. A group of Rebel operatives might have a character in their midst who is secretly loyal to the Empire, for example; or the tramp-freighter crew might include a cultured noble who uses her contacts in the Imperial court to get the smugglers jobs.

Common campaign elements are aimed at giving the players a theme for their character concepts, but once the Gamemaster plants the basic idea, the players are free to run with it. The Gamemaster should work with the players to develop these elements, bearing in mind that the overall goal is to give the players hooks to unite their heroes, and to give the Gamemaster hooks for future adventures.

Chain of Command

See also: The Chain of Command

Because Rebellion Era Campaigns are likely to include heroes in the roles of Rebels or Imperials, the easiest way to unite them is to put them in either organization's Chain of Command. In addition to bringing the heroes together, this gives them access to basic equipment (And, occasionally, mission-specific equipment), transport, occasional allies, and perhaps most important, a commanding officer to give them missions and advice- in other words, a tool for the Gamemaster to keep the campaign on track. For example:

• The heroes are junior officers serving aboard an Imperial Star Destroyer. They are under review by their commander and must exceed expectations in order to avoid being reassigned to guard duty at the penal colony on Dathomir.
• The heroes are Rebel recruits attached to the consular ship of an Alliance-sympathetic ambassador from Naboo. As new recruits, they are given assignments and duties no one else particularly wants, but if they perform well, they might be given more critical duties.
• The heroes are the crew of an Imperial supply ship whose captain is secretly diverting materiel to the Rebels. The captain frequently orders the heroes to carry out his drops to Rebels who are disguised as Imperials- and then blames the heroes when his superiors notice the difference between cargo and manifest.
• The heroes are part of a gang of shipjackers who steal Imperial ships to sell to the Rebels. Their commander is a disillusioned ex-Imperial officer who expects tight discipline from the heroes, but rewards them richly when they do well.

In any of these examples, the heroes can move up the Chain of Command as time goes by, perhaps eventually becoming commanding officers. Each mission gives the heroes a chance to impress their superiors with their good work and to earn promotions (Or at least a greater share of the profits). Regardless of whom they report to, the heroes need to perform well and follow orders- the primary order being "Work Together."

Base of Operations

When players want to work together but their characters' backgrounds do not cross paths, the simplest answer might be to put them all in the same location at the beginning of the first adventure. Putting them in the same place- whether or not they know each other- lets the Gamemaster present them with location-based adventures and gives them all a stake in working together; if they fail, they loss access to their base of operations and all its equipment and protection.

Of course, this sort of campaign element requires the Gamemaster to do a lot of advanced prep work developing the base of operations, detailing the resources available to the heroes, creating NPCs who live and work there, and outlining the activities that normally go on there. Then the Gamemaster must present all this to the players- often before the campaign even starts. After all, if they live there, the heroes probably know all of this information.

The initial benefit of creating a base of operations is that the Gamemaster can build in adventure hooks right away. Farther on into the campaign, though, the benefits multiply as the base of operations becomes the heroes' haven- a place to rest and recover between adventures, or to hide out when they have made too many enemies. The base of operations also provides heroes with a place to plan, practice, and prepare for missions, and it can be a great set piece if the campaign is going to explore the heroes' downtime as much as it explores their adventures.

The heroes' base of operations can be a place such as a secret Rebel base on Dantooine, the Imperial Academy on Corulag, or a hidden hangar on Nar Shaddaa.

Event

If the heroes have wildly disparate backgrounds or they don't want to be tied to a static location, the Gamemaster should consider uniting them with a major event. Thrown together by circumstance, the heroes have no choice but to work together if they want to survive. If they need a reason to stay together, the Gamemaster can tailor the event so that the heroes all have a motive to find out how and why it happened.

Campaigns of this nature rely largely on the heroes' backgrounds, because the Gamemaster has to ensure that each hero has the proper motivation to follow up on the event, as well as the motivation to do so with the aid of the others in the group. Having a hero break off from the rest for any reason can quickly fracture the group. The Gamemaster should identify suitable hooks in the heroes' backgrounds or, if the players haven't provided anything that works, suggest some such as these:

• The destruction of Alderaan has several witnesses- including the heroes. Having identified The Death Star as an Imperial superweapon, the heroes are motivated to join the Rebellion and seek justice for the millions of Alderaanians who died.
• The Battle of Yavin sees tens of thousands of Imperials killed- some of them friends and relatives of the heroes. Outraged, the heroes band together at a memorial service and vow to bring the Rebels responsible to justice.
• The Imperial occupation of Bespin puts a number of gas miners out of business, including the heroes. Equipped with a Tibanna-mining ship and a handful of improvised weapons, the heroes must fight a guerrilla war to drive out the Imperial garrison and restore Bespin's independence.

The Common Cause

Obviously, the heroes can also band together to support a common cause: bring down the Empire, for example, or seeing the "Heroes of Yavin" answer for their crimes. As long as the goal is attainable, the heroes have clear motivation. And if the goal cannot be accomplished quickly, the Gamemaster has plenty of material for an ongoing campaign.

Themes of the Rebellion Era

When running a campaign in The Rebellion Era, Gamemasters have a variety of themes available to them that can be integrated into adventures to give those adventures a distinct feel. These themes run throughout many of the stories that take place in The Rebellion Era, and are central to distinguishing the Galactic Civil War from other conflicts throughout history. This is the time period that sees the rise of The Rebel Alliance against the backdrop of a powerful, well-established Empire. It is a time where desperate people makes great sacrifices, and where ordinary citizens give up their lives and livelihoods to become heroes. These themes are discussed in more detail below, with tips for including these themes in your adventures in ways both large and small.

The Rise of the Rebellion

Perhaps the most distinguishing feature of The Rebellion Era, and the one that gives the time period its name, it the rise of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, also known as The Rebel Alliance. For the first time since the Republic was transformed into the Empire, a well-organized group of dissidents has both the drive and the means to pose a threat to the Empire. The difference between the Alliance and other resistance groups is that the Alliance is a single organization, spread across the galaxy, which poses enough of a threat to be recognized and targeted by Imperial agents.

The importance of The Rebel Alliance can be emphasized in Rebellion Era adventures in subtle ways. The Empire blames many of its own transgressions on Rebels or Rebel sympathizers, so when the heroes witness an act of Imperial tyranny, they could later hear Imperial propaganda blaming the act on the Rebellion. Since the existence of The Rebel Alliance is well known, even ordinary citizens will know something about the Rebellion. When the heroes go to gather rumors at the cantina, some of the gossip they hear might revolve around Rebel activity. The heroes' contacts may warn the heroes about an impending Rebel operation (If the heroes are members of The Rebel Alliance, hearing about the activities of other Rebel cells will reinforce the idea that they are not alone in the galaxy).

Even if the heroes aren't members of the Alliance, the Rebellion can be the genesis of many adventure hooks. For example, smuggler heroes could be involved in smuggling arms from a crime lord to a Rebel cell on an Imperial world. Mercenary units might be hired to supplement the ranks of the Rebellion at a key battle, or to rescue Rebel operatives who have been captured by the Empire. You should feel free to use the Alliance as a source of adventure for a variety of Rebellion Era Campaigns.

Great Sacrifices

Rebellion often demands great sacrifices, both from those rebelling and from those closest to them. During The Rebellion Era, all who wish to fight for freedom must be prepared to lose everything- their homes, their families, and even their lives- for the sake of their ideals. An individual's dedication to rebellion against the Empire is constantly tested by the need to give up things that person holds dear, and heroes should never forget that price.

On a smaller scale, this concept can be reinforced in the histories of the characters that the heroes will interact with over the course of a campaign. Everyone serving the Rebellion has a story, and most of those stories involve great sacrifice. When the heroes begin digging into their cell leader's past, they may find out that her whole family was imprisoned on Kessel for her defiance. When making contact with a Rebel operative on a Core world, that operative might be missing an eye or have an Cybernetic Prosthesis as a result of Imperial torture. When the heroes call upon an ally for assistance, they may later discover that the ally suffered Imperial retribution and lost home and livelihood as a result of the help given to the heroes.

As a basis for adventure, sacrifices can be powerful motivators. perhaps the heroes need to rescue Rebel operatives who are still alive in a bunker after an orbital bombardment. Or the heroes may learn that their allies are being captured or killed by Imperial agents, and the heroes must discover the informant in their ranks as the Imperial net draws ever tighter around them.

Desperate Measures

One of the hallmarks of the era is that, in defiance of the Empire, many Rebels are driven to desperate acts that have little chance of success. The attacks on the Death Stars seem like suicide missions to outside observers. Imperial officers who secretly sympathize with the Rebellion must take great risks in order to convince others to join them in mutiny. During The Rebellion Era, the only chance of defeating the Empire comes through taking risks with long odds and hoping that boldness and determination can bring success.

As with the idea of a need for sacrifice, a sense of desperation can be fostered in a campaign through the actions and stories of the characters that the heroes interact with. The heroes might encounter allies, contacts, or even strangers over the course of the adventure who are driven to desperate acts in the hopes of breaking the stranglehold of the Empire. Perhaps a shopkeeper offers them his life savings if they will help his family escape to a Rebel-friendly world. In another case, a Space Transport Pilot might offer to undertake a dangerous blockade run on behalf of the heroes for free, telling the heroes that he wants them to succeed too badly to take their credits. Characters that the heroes interact with are more willing to take large risks during The Rebellion Era, showing that the galaxy is at a turning point.

Adventures in The Rebellion Era convey a sense of desperation by their very natures. The Rebellion Era is rife with adventures that center around desperate acts such as attacking well-defended Space Stations, breaking into Imperial garrisons, or traveling to Coruscant- the heart of the Empire- in search of information. In The Rebellion Era, there should be few, if any, trivial adventures; each adventure should evoke a sense of desperation through the sense of having the odds stacked against the heroes. These adventures may be no more difficult than adventures in other eras, but the perception of greater danger (For example, by setting the backdrop of an adventure on a Space Station above Coruscant instead of a Space Station above an Outer Rim world) can give the players a sense that the risks are greater than in other eras.

A Powerful Empire

By the time of The Rebellion Era, the Empire has taken a tight grip on the galaxy and shows no signs of letting go. The Empire of The Rebellion Era is just as monolithic as it was during The Dark Times, but now the Empire has not only military control but also social and cultural control over the galaxy. This is part of what makes the Empire so dangerous; not only does it has Star Destroyers hovering above every world, it also has millions of bureaucrats, nobles, and even ordinary citizens under its thrall. Though many are willing to rebel against the Empire, many more have been driven in the opposite direction and have become as zealous in their defense of the Empire as any Stormtrooper.

As the Gamemaster, you can help reinforce the sense of a strong, ever-present Empire through simple description. When describing a scene on the streets of Tatooine, mention that a squad of Sandtroopers is walking down the street on patrol. As the heroes land on a planet, describe a trio of TIE Fighters zooming by the spaceport. The heroes might be forced to stop at a random Imperial security checkpoint during a trek across a city, or they may have to deal with an Imperial bureaucrat during a simple trip to replenish supplies. These small, unobstructive details can subtly reinforce the presence of a powerful Empire without involving the players in direct conflict.

As the primary antagonist of The Rebellion Era, the Empire is one of the best enemies to pit your heroes against in adventures. Although adventures can feature other enemies, such as The Zann Consortium or The Hutt Kajidics, those adventures can tie into the Empire in some way. For example, perhaps the heroes get stuck between The Zann Consortium and the Empire after hijacking an Imperial convoy that The Zann Consortium had also planned to steal. In this way, you can retain the sense that the ubiquitous Empire is the primary antagonist of the era even if its not the heroes' main opponent in the adventure.

Everyday Heroes

The Rebel Alliance shows the galaxy that everyday citizens can grow into heroes. Many of the heroes of the Alliance come not from a great military lineage or from a line of powerful nobles but rather from ordinary beings who decide that the time has come for the Empire to end. Likewise, many of the beings who have great influence over the events of The Rebellion Era are from Species often regarded as less powerful, like the Sullustans or the Ewoks.

When populating adventures with allies and background characters, give those characters histories that begin in inauspicious places. The commander of the heroes' Alliance cell might have once been a mechanics whose defiance of the Empire led him into a position of leadership. The fight against the Empire can reveal undiscovered character traits; for example, a character who was once the pilot of a long-range cargo hauler might be forced to act as an escort Starfighter Pilot, at which point she discovers that she is naturally skilled at Starfighter combat. Feel free not only to highlight the fact that many of the characters that the heroes interact with come from humble origins, but also to show the evolution of those characters from undistinguished origins to heroism.