Sunday, June 3, 2018

Starship Troopers

Since I have a bunch of power armoured marines and other space suited troopers coming to me from Ground Zero Games, I thought I should do some research and reread the classic military SF novel Starship Troopers.

Ground Zero Games Japanese power armoured infantry
I read it a couple of times in high school (so 40? years ago now) and thought it was pretty cool.
Now it's "man, can Heinlein get any preachier?" How did this long winded diatribe about 'kids these days' become a 'classic?'
I basically remembered the first chapter and the last two, and then some hazy stuff about how tough the training was in between. But I'd forgotten all the no-action philosophical lectures about why we should beat our children and execute criminals, because otherwise Western civilization is going to collapse.
Mostly however, the novel is a love letter to the infantry and how iron fisted drill sergeants make the world a better place.
So it didn't really give me any ideas for rules.
I think I'll just adapt FUBAR and my Afghanistan rules to skirmishimg on frozen moons.

2 comments:

  1. "To the everlasting glory of the infantry, shines the name of Roger Young..." Yes, Heinlein had some issues to say the least.

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  2. Huzzah for the Mobile Infantry! Your rules will do fine. As to finding anything but inspiration in the novel... Remember Avalon Hill developed a totally unplayable game for Starship Troopers.

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