Campaign: Mauve Squadron

[taalismn]

There were some good comments, but TED input them into something other then Ariel and the printer couldn't see them.

By this far future time, TED is now thoroughly integrated into the galactic internet and is such has either been accidentally or deliberately re-writing the history of anything and anybody associated with his origins.

[Alpha 11]

The rest of the fault was the people who actually OBEYED him.

There were some good comments, but TED input them into something other then Ariel and the printer couldn't see them.

There were some good comments, but TED input them into something other then Ariel and the printer couldn't see them.

By this far future time, TED is now thoroughly integrated into the galactic internet and is such has either been accidentally or deliberately re-writing the history of anything and anybody associated with his origins.

Wander if he is friends with the Major then?

[taalismn]

Toombs: "MAUVE SQUADRON! A-TEN-SHUN! SA-LUTE!!!"
(POV pulls back to show Cmdr. Toombs in full dress uniform, Mauve Squadron drawn up in full dress uniforms and formation, standing at attention, and saluting. POV pulls back further to show them standing in front of, and facing, a retirement home, several older residents sitting pr standing by its doors...all of them wearing uniforms. A flag flies between them.)

Happy Veterans Day.
Thank you all.

[Alpha 11]

Toombs: "MAUVE SQUADRON! A-TEN-SHUN! SA-LUTE!!!"
(POV pulls back to show Cmdr. Toombs in full dress uniform, Mauve Squadron drawn up in full dress uniforms and formation, standing at attention, and saluting. POV pulls back further to show them standing in front of, and facing, a retirement home, several older residents sitting pr standing by its doors...all of them wearing uniforms. A flag flies between them.)

Happy Veterans Day.
Thank you all.

Nice!

[taalismn]

Yeah, Toombs is a jerk, especially with regards to Skull Squadron, but otherwise he knows his traditions and he knows he owes a debt of gratitude to those who served before. His own father(or even his mother) could have been a serviceman.

[Alpha 11]

Yeah, Toombs is a jerk, especially with regards to Skull Squadron, but otherwise he knows his traditions and he knows he owes a debt of gratitude to those who served before. His own father(or even his mother) could have been a serviceman.

Well, I guess everyone has to have at least one good point about them.

[taalismn]

[

Well, I guess everyone has to have at least one good point about them.

Sometimes it's dropping dead...and staying that way.

[parkhyun]

I originally envisions CDR Toombs as a toxic leader, not an idiot. This isn't the exact doctrinal definition of a toxic leader, but it's close:

Toxic leadership is a combination of self-centered attitudes, motivations, and behaviors that have adverse effects on subordinates, the organization, and mission performance. This leader lacks concern for others and the climate of the organization, which leads to short- and long-term negative effects. The toxic leader operates with an inflated sense of self-worth and from acute self-interest. Toxic leaders consistently use dysfunctional behaviors to deceive, intimidate, coerce, or unfairly punish others to get what they want for themselves. The negative leader completes short-term requirements by operating at the bottom of the continuum of commitment, where followers respond to the positional power of their leader to fulfill requests. This may achieve results in the short term, but ignores the other leader competency categories of leads and develops. Prolonged use of negative leadership to influence followers undermines the followers' will, initiative, and potential and destroys unit morale.

However, in the Mauve Squadron setting, this behavior is not only rational but probably successful.

[taalismn]

Excellent point.
Of course, subject such a person(or any person) to enough stress, shattered expectations, and lack of success, and they can start acting idiotically, out of mounting negligence and fatigue, than any innate lack of commonsense. And, of course, obsession can cause all manner of problems when it comes to judgment(contract Captain Ahab of the Pequod with Captain Boomer of the Samuel Enderby, and you see two men both maimed by the same force of nature, but dealing with it in very different ways).

[Alpha 11]

[

Well, I guess everyone has to have at least one good point about them.

Sometimes it's dropping dead...and staying that way.

True.

I originally envisions CDR Toombs as a toxic leader, not an idiot. This isn't the exact doctrinal definition of a toxic leader, but it's close:

Toxic leadership is a combination of self-centered attitudes, motivations, and behaviors that have adverse effects on subordinates, the organization, and mission performance. This leader lacks concern for others and the climate of the organization, which leads to short- and long-term negative effects. The toxic leader operates with an inflated sense of self-worth and from acute self-interest. Toxic leaders consistently use dysfunctional behaviors to deceive, intimidate, coerce, or unfairly punish others to get what they want for themselves. The negative leader completes short-term requirements by operating at the bottom of the continuum of commitment, where followers respond to the positional power of their leader to fulfill requests. This may achieve results in the short term, but ignores the other leader competency categories of leads and develops. Prolonged use of negative leadership to influence followers undermines the followers' will, initiative, and potential and destroys unit morale.

However, in the Mauve Squadron setting, this behavior is not only rational but probably successful.

Doesn't seem that way to me.

Excellent point.
Of course, subject such a person(or any person) to enough stress, shattered expectations, and lack of success, and they can start acting idiotically, out of mounting negligence and fatigue, than any innate lack of commonsense. And, of course, obsession can cause all manner of problems when it comes to judgment(contract Captain Ahab of the Pequod with Captain Boomer of the Samuel Enderby, and you see two men both maimed by the same force of nature, but dealing with it in very different ways).

I honestly think Tombs is just stupid. Period, and no amount of helping will help him. With out him, I think Mauve would actually get half way descent.

[taalismn]

True, but would Mauve be nearly as interesting without the gork-ups like Toombs? Or Toombs by any-other-name?

The attraction of Mauve Squadron is that they ARE muck-ups, who stumble from one crisis to another, aided and abated by their incompetent(or poisonous) leadership, hamstrung by loads of deadwood in their organization, and blindsided by situations that apparently DON'T happen to other units(of course, as {Parkhyun has noted, EVERY military unit is a Mauve Squadron, or regards itself as such when it comes to feeling like the world is dumping its Weird on them).
That's even IF the PCs aren't in the game to deliberately screw up without dire consequences(like losing the SDF-1, or trading senior officers to the enemy).

[parkhyun]

I honestly think Tombs is just stupid. Period, and no amount of helping will help him. With out him, I think Mauve would actually get half way descent.

Um... If you GM a Mauve Squadron campaign you can play him any way you want. I suggest that he be played as a guy with huge emotional issues and arrested development, but whatever is easiest for you, go with. I prefer that he not be stupid because that makes it too easy on the PCs.

Have you ever read the Paranoia rpg? Just look it up and apply it to the Macross setting, and you're 90% on your way to a good adventure. Needs Morlocks, though.

[taalismn]

[

Have you ever read the Paranoia rpg? Just look it up and apply it to the Macross setting, and you're 90% on your way to a good adventure. Needs Morlocks, though.

And because of this, feel free to ignore mounting PC body counts. Hell, have players roll up three or four disposable characters out of central casting(well, unless they're Zentraedi, on which case you can re-use the same stats, since, after all, they're genetically-engineered clones). This is like the episode of 'Police Squad' where they're re-enacting crime scenes using live ammo and live test subjects(instead of ballistic gel and test dummies). Heck, it's also like 'Police Squad' in that known celebrities appear, only to get killed in the first five minutes of the show(William Shatner got perforated with machine gun fire, Loren Greene gets thrown dead out of a speeding car, all before the opening credits roll).

[Alpha 11]

True, but would Mauve be nearly as interesting without the gork-ups like Toombs? Or Toombs by any-other-name?

The attraction of Mauve Squadron is that they ARE muck-ups, who stumble from one crisis to another, aided and abated by their incompetent(or poisonous) leadership, hamstrung by loads of deadwood in their organization, and blindsided by situations that apparently DON'T happen to other units(of course, as {Parkhyun has noted, EVERY military unit is a Mauve Squadron, or regards itself as such when it comes to feeling like the world is dumping its Weird on them).
That's even IF the PCs aren't in the game to deliberately screw up without dire consequences(like losing the SDF-1, or trading senior officers to the enemy).

Ya, got to remember that this is just for fun. So any more crazy things happening to them?

[

Have you ever read the Paranoia rpg? Just look it up and apply it to the Macross setting, and you're 90% on your way to a good adventure. Needs Morlocks, though.

And because of this, feel free to ignore mounting PC body counts. Hell, have players roll up three or four disposable characters out of central casting(well, unless they're Zentraedi, on which case you can re-use the same stats, since, after all, they're genetically-engineered clones). This is like the episode of 'Police Squad' where they're re-enacting crime scenes using live ammo and live test subjects(instead of ballistic gel and test dummies). Heck, it's also like 'Police Squad' in that known celebrities appear, only to get killed in the first five minutes of the show(William Shatner got perforated with machine gun fire, Loren Greene gets thrown dead out of a speeding car, all before the opening credits roll).

[taalismn]

And another part of the attraction of a Mauve campaign is the Destruction of Icons. A good Mauve game should destroy, through fatality or inversion, at least one popular Robotech icon.
So far Parkhyun has destroyed the following:
-Rick Hunter---Dead in at least one game
-Roy Fokker---Reputation inverted; here he's an utter total wanker.
-Minmei---Implied eaten in one episode
-Robotechnology is Good/Cool/Powerful---HOW many new devices has Mauve tested that go off in their faces?
-Nerds are Good to Have On Your Side---The assigned genius becomes the Ultimate Enemy Boss by the time the Original Series Mauve sequence concludes
-The SDF-1 is a Safe Place---Morlocks, need I say more?

[Alpha 11]

And another part of the attraction of a Mauve campaign is the Destruction of Icons. A good Mauve game should destroy, through fatality or inversion, at least one popular Robotech icon.
So far Parkhyun has destroyed the following:
-Rick Hunter---Dead in at least one game
-Roy Fokker---Reputation inverted; here he's an utter total wanker.
-Minmei---Implied eaten in one episode
-Robotechnology is Good/Cool/Powerful---HOW many new devices has Mauve tested that go off in their faces?
-Nerds are Good to Have On Your Side---The assigned genius becomes the Ultimate Enemy Boss by the time the Original Series Mauve sequence concludes
-The SDF-1 is a Safe Place---Morlocks, need I say more?

[taalismn]

Oh yeah, and let's not forget some more subversions:

-Your Commanders Know What They're Doing---Subverted on multiple levels of the chain of command.
-Fighter Pilots are Glamorous---Well, it sounds like a great job until you're chased out of your own hangar facilities by a raging ape, and your squadron continually humiliates itself in front of the media.

[parkhyun]

I think I should point out that the Mystery Stick doesn't use Robotechnology... or DOES IT???

[taalismn]

I think I should point out that the Mystery Stick doesn't use Robotechnology... or DOES IT???

I wouldn't suggest hooking it up to the Protoculture Matrix...just in case.

[parkhyun]

I think I should point out that the Mystery Stick doesn't use Robotechnology... or DOES IT???

It doesn't.

[taalismn]

So what would Mauve Squadron's motto be? (bad latin perfectly acceptable)
Some off-the-cuffs
"We pray harder"
"In the hands of fickle fate"
"We run faster"
"God looks after fools and small children"
"Fame and Glory Await"
"We suffer for the honor of others"

[SRoss]

So what would Mauve Squadron's motto be? (bad latin perfectly acceptable)
Some off-the-cuffs
"We pray harder"
"In the hands of fickle fate"
"We run faster"
"God looks after fools and small children"
"Fame and Glory Await"
"We suffer for the honor of others"

The motto of Blackadder?

"Agnus Dei a Bastard"

[Alpha 11]

Oh yeah, and let's not forget some more subversions:

-Your Commanders Know What They're Doing---Subverted on multiple levels of the chain of command.
-Fighter Pilots are Glamorous---Well, it sounds like a great job until you're chased out of your own hangar facilities by a raging ape, and your squadron continually humiliates itself in front of the media.

I think I should point out that the Mystery Stick doesn't use Robotechnology... or DOES IT???

I think I should point out that the Mystery Stick doesn't use Robotechnology... or DOES IT???

I wouldn't suggest hooking it up to the Protoculture Matrix...just in case.

I think I should point out that the Mystery Stick doesn't use Robotechnology... or DOES IT???

It doesn't.

Are we sure?

So what would Mauve Squadron's motto be? (bad latin perfectly acceptable)
Some off-the-cuffs
"We pray harder"
"In the hands of fickle fate"
"We run faster"
"God looks after fools and small children"
"Fame and Glory Await"
"We suffer for the honor of others"

So what would Mauve Squadron's motto be? (bad latin perfectly acceptable)
Some off-the-cuffs
"We pray harder"
"In the hands of fickle fate"
"We run faster"
"God looks after fools and small children"
"Fame and Glory Await"
"We suffer for the honor of others"

The motto of Blackadder?

"Agnus Dei a Bastard"

[glitterboy2098]

"si post fata venit gloria non propero"
(If glory comes after death, I'm not in a hurry )

or if your going for 'sounds serious, but is actually very funny in context"
"Noster populus facit discrepantiam"
(Our people make the difference.)

[taalismn]

"si post fata venit gloria non propero"
(If glory comes after death, I'm not in a hurry )

or if your going for 'sounds serious, but is actually very funny in context"
"Noster populus facit discrepantiam"
(Our people make the difference.)

[Alpha 11]

"si post fata venit gloria non propero"
(If glory comes after death, I'm not in a hurry )

or if your going for 'sounds serious, but is actually very funny in context"
"Noster populus facit discrepantiam"
(Our people make the difference.)

[parkhyun]

So what would Mauve Squadron's motto be? (bad latin perfectly acceptable)
Some off-the-cuffs
"We pray harder"
"In the hands of fickle fate"
"We run faster"
"God looks after fools and small children"
"Fame and Glory Await"
"We suffer for the honor of others"

"Skull Squadron = Wankers."

[parkhyun]

[

Have you ever read the Paranoia rpg? Just look it up and apply it to the Macross setting, and you're 90% on your way to a good adventure. Needs Morlocks, though.

And because of this, feel free to ignore mounting PC body counts. Hell, have players roll up three or four disposable characters out of central casting(well, unless they're Zentraedi, on which case you can re-use the same stats, since, after all, they're genetically-engineered clones). This is like the episode of 'Police Squad' where they're re-enacting crime scenes using live ammo and live test subjects(instead of ballistic gel and test dummies). Heck, it's also like 'Police Squad' in that known celebrities appear, only to get killed in the first five minutes of the show(William Shatner got perforated with machine gun fire, Loren Greene gets thrown dead out of a speeding car, all before the opening credits roll).

The rule is that if your PC gets killed you change his name and start over with the minimum XP for his level.

[taalismn]

[
"Skull Squadron = Wankers."

Well, yes, but you can't put that on official stationary.

[glitterboy2098]

so how would you model Muave squadron in RTT? paint scheme ought to be easy.. but i don't think Toombs and the rest fit well into the 'character' mechanics of RTT, since those are hero's that actually improve their side's performance..

[taalismn]

so how would you model Muave squadron in RTT? paint scheme ought to be easy.. but i don't think Toombs and the rest fit well into the 'character' mechanics of RTT, since those are hero's that actually improve their side's performance..

Not sure of RTT's playing mechanics, but I imagine something like 'any critical strikes rolled against the enemy now shift to the nearest friendly unit within the weapon's range'.

[SRoss]

Paint scheme? I thought you were referring to colour. I'd imagine Mauve squadron's VFs would have a fairly standard colour scheme, except of course for the spots where damage was patched and no one bothered to repaint.

Toombs VF-1S, on the other hand would have a paint scheme that, up close looks like it might be cool, but at combat distance would be reveled to be a giant bullseye.

[taalismn]

Paint scheme? I thought you were referring to colour. I'd imagine Mauve squadron's VFs would have a fairly standard colour scheme, except of course for the spots where damage was patched and no one bothered to repaint.

Toombs VF-1S, on the other hand would have a paint scheme that, up close looks like it might be cool, but at combat distance would be reveled to be a giant bullseye.

Or has a camouflage pattern that shows up with the Zentraedi letters forming the words 'Kick Me!'.

Everybody else? The 'scorched look'.

[SRoss]

Paint scheme? I thought you were referring to colour. I'd imagine Mauve squadron's VFs would have a fairly standard colour scheme, except of course for the spots where damage was patched and no one bothered to repaint.

Toombs VF-1S, on the other hand would have a paint scheme that, up close looks like it might be cool, but at combat distance would be reveled to be a giant bullseye.

Or has a camouflage pattern that shows up with the Zentraedi letters forming the words 'Kick Me!'.

Everybody else? The 'scorched look'.

"Where'd you learn Zentraedi?"

"Traded a bottle of my special reserve to Mirya to translate it for me."

[taalismn]

"What's that you're painting on my plane?"
"A good luck symbol."
"Oh? In that case paint several. Never can have too much good luck. Carry on!"(wanders off)
"You know, if he ever figures out that's the Zentraedi symbol for 'defective' or 'unreliable' as it applies to soldiers.."
"Oh, and who's going to tell him? I'm not worried."

[Alpha 11]

So what would Mauve Squadron's motto be? (bad latin perfectly acceptable)
Some off-the-cuffs
"We pray harder"
"In the hands of fickle fate"
"We run faster"
"God looks after fools and small children"
"Fame and Glory Await"
"We suffer for the honor of others"

"Skull Squadron = Wankers."

[

Have you ever read the Paranoia rpg? Just look it up and apply it to the Macross setting, and you're 90% on your way to a good adventure. Needs Morlocks, though.

And because of this, feel free to ignore mounting PC body counts. Hell, have players roll up three or four disposable characters out of central casting(well, unless they're Zentraedi, on which case you can re-use the same stats, since, after all, they're genetically-engineered clones). This is like the episode of 'Police Squad' where they're re-enacting crime scenes using live ammo and live test subjects(instead of ballistic gel and test dummies). Heck, it's also like 'Police Squad' in that known celebrities appear, only to get killed in the first five minutes of the show(William Shatner got perforated with machine gun fire, Loren Greene gets thrown dead out of a speeding car, all before the opening credits roll).

The rule is that if your PC gets killed you change his name and start over with the minimum XP for his level.

So, we get reincarnation now?

[
"Skull Squadron = Wankers."

Well, yes, but you can't put that on official stationary.

so how would you model Muave squadron in RTT? paint scheme ought to be easy.. but i don't think Toombs and the rest fit well into the 'character' mechanics of RTT, since those are hero's that actually improve their side's performance..

Maybe throw some things in from HU or curses from the other games??

so how would you model Muave squadron in RTT? paint scheme ought to be easy.. but i don't think Toombs and the rest fit well into the 'character' mechanics of RTT, since those are hero's that actually improve their side's performance..

Not sure of RTT's playing mechanics, but I imagine something like 'any critical strikes rolled against the enemy now shift to the nearest friendly unit within the weapon's range'.

Paint scheme? I thought you were referring to colour. I'd imagine Mauve squadron's VFs would have a fairly standard colour scheme, except of course for the spots where damage was patched and no one bothered to repaint.

Toombs VF-1S, on the other hand would have a paint scheme that, up close looks like it might be cool, but at combat distance would be reveled to be a giant bullseye.

Paint scheme? I thought you were referring to colour. I'd imagine Mauve squadron's VFs would have a fairly standard colour scheme, except of course for the spots where damage was patched and no one bothered to repaint.

Toombs VF-1S, on the other hand would have a paint scheme that, up close looks like it might be cool, but at combat distance would be reveled to be a giant bullseye.

Or has a camouflage pattern that shows up with the Zentraedi letters forming the words 'Kick Me!'.

Everybody else? The 'scorched look'.

Paint scheme? I thought you were referring to colour. I'd imagine Mauve squadron's VFs would have a fairly standard colour scheme, except of course for the spots where damage was patched and no one bothered to repaint.

Toombs VF-1S, on the other hand would have a paint scheme that, up close looks like it might be cool, but at combat distance would be reveled to be a giant bullseye.

Or has a camouflage pattern that shows up with the Zentraedi letters forming the words 'Kick Me!'.

Everybody else? The 'scorched look'.

"Where'd you learn Zentraedi?"

"Traded a bottle of my special reserve to Mirya to translate it for me."

"What's that you're painting on my plane?"
"A good luck symbol."
"Oh? In that case paint several. Never can have too much good luck. Carry on!"(wanders off)
"You know, if he ever figures out that's the Zentraedi symbol for 'defective' or 'unreliable' as it applies to soldiers.."
"Oh, and who's going to tell him? I'm not worried."