When I first checked out this module, it was before I had read the rest of the season 4 Missions line and I wasn't very impressed with it. After I read some of the other Missions and then read it again, I think it would fit much better into that ongoing campaign line. I really think the "April Fool's" idea was innovative and I'm planning on having it come up when our group rolls around to April 2073.

SMH 2012-01 Free Taiwan ist Teil der Shadowrun:Missions. Hierbei handelt es sich um eine von Catalyst Game Labs ins Leben gerufene Kampagne, die auf Rollenspieltreffen gespielt werden soll. Nach jeder Mission erhalten Spieler ein Debriefing Log, welches sie zu ihrer nächsten Runde unter vielleicht einem anderen SL mitnehmen können. Die Inhalte können auch aus dem Internet heruntergeladen und gekauft werden, um sie zuhause zu spielen.

Erscheinungsbild

Das mir vorliegende pdf ist zweckmäßig gestaltet. Hinter einem recht drögen Cover verbergen sich insgesamt 18 weitere Seiten, die kurz beschreiben, wie die Shadowrun:Missions zu spielen sind und welche Möglichkeiten der zusammenhängenden Handlung gegeben sind. Danach schließt sich direkt der Run an, der in 7 Szenen aufgeteilt ist.

Die Schrift ist gut lesbar, der Hintergrund der Seiten ist mit einer zartblauen Hintergrundgrafik unterlegt. Abgeschlossen wird die Mission durch eine Auflistung der Belohnungen, NSCs und Auswirkungen auf den Charakter. Und, wie bereits geschrieben, findet sich hier das Mission Debriefing Log.

Und natürlich darf man nicht vergessen zu erwähnen, dass die Runde diese Mission auch ganz ohne Kampagne spielen kann. Und ja, das würde ich, denn der Run ist wirklich mal was anderes und sehr erheiternd.

Inhalt

Worum geht es? Um einen Aprilscherz. Ja, wirklich. Ein Aprilscherz, bei dem ein Kontrahent von Lowfyr, oder sollte ich besser sagen, eine lästige Fliege an einer Schuppe des goldenen Drachen, bloßgestellt werden soll. Ein Frachter liegt gekapert vor der Küste, ein Runnerteam wird angeheuert, um wertvolle Fracht zu bergen und diese danach auf eine Party des Johnson zu bringen. Der Frachter ist in der Hand von Tir Wellenreiter-Piraten. Knight Errant ist auch schon auf der Spur, das heißt, das Zeitfenster ist eng und die Runner müssen schnell und professionell vorgehen.

Es heißt also, 200 Seemeilen überbrücken, unerkannt an Bord gehen, die Ware einsammeln und dann zurück nach Seattle zu kommen, um die Belohnung einzuholen. Und die ist wahrlich nicht gering hier. Eigentlich entwickelt sich alles wie es soll, aber dann doch nicht. Mir hat der Run sehr viel Spaß gemacht zu lesen, ich finde ihn ideal als ersten Run mit einem neuen Team. Die Details sind gut genug ausgearbeitet, als dass ein SL ohne weiteres direkt die Geschichte ohne große Vorbereitung spielen kann.

Was das alles allerdings mit einem T’Skrang, Tabletop-Miniaturen und dem 1. April zu tun hat, das lest ihr am besten selbst!

Preis-/Leistungsverhältnis

0,00 USD – na, das ist nicht viel Geld ;) Dafür bekomme ich einen Run, ganz nette Handouts, Karten, NSC-Profile und ein bis zwei Abende voller Spielspaß mit meiner Runde. Zuschlagen, da gibt es gar kein „Aber…“

Dass ich bei dem günstigen (Nicht)Preis kein High-End-Layout erwarten kann ist klar, auch, dass ich etwas Eigenleistung betreiben muss. Der Run gehört in die Kiste der Abenteuer, die ich mit wenig Vorbereitung leiten kann, wenn ich partout keine andere Idee habe. Sagte ich schon „Zuschlagen!“?

Fazit

Free Taiwan ist ein witziger und überraschender Run, der uns immer wieder zeigt, wie wenig man den Mr Johnsons der sechsten Welt vertrauen darf. Die Geschichte ist gezielt wirr und schräg und macht viel Spaß, erspielt zu werden. Da das Modul kostenlos ist, gibt es selbst für Nicht-Shadowrun-Spieler gar keine andere Wahl, als zuzuschlagen.

Übrigens ist das Buch in meinen Augen das Erste, wofür Tödliche Wogen als Zusatzmaterial Sinn machen kann.

Bonus/Downloadcontent

Auf der offiziellen Shadowrun 4 Seite im Web finden sich etliche helfende Downloads, wie auch Links zu Bezugsquellen: http://www.shadowrun4.com/missions/

Unsere Bewertung

Erscheinungsbild 3v5 Zweckmässiges Design mit netten Charakterskizzen und einigen Karten

Inhalt 5v5 Wenn auch linear, ist die Geschichte einfach cool und birgt 2-3 Aha-Momente

Preis-/Leistungsverhältnis 5v5 Kostenlos, was will man mehr?

Gesamt 4v5

This is a very interesting adventure and would have still been a great product at the usual Shadowrun Missions price point. Given that it is free, it is an excellent opportunity to showcase Catalysts' best game line - and an opportunity they have not wasted.

'Free Taiwan' is a fairly simple module, designed for convention play and the designers have kept the pace moving, the plot succinct and added notes as to which scenes can be dropped if time is tight. For those playing at home, this isn't an issue, but makes the module perfect for a one-night filler.

The plot focuses on a snatch and grab, and offers enterprising and imaginative players a very broad sandbox in which they can play. Whilst the plot is moderately linear (as one would expect), the manner in which characters travel between plot points is surprisingly open. I'd highly recommend though, that a GM have a few contingency plans in place, just in case players freeze when given open choice, and the module does offer some advice towards this.

There is a GM note at the beginning about managing players which I do think is completely unnecessary. Anyone who plays Shadowrun, and is a mature human being shouldn't need to be managed, but I do understand the need to play to the lowest common denominator (especially at conventions).

That said, I'd highly recommend this for any Shadowrunning group with more than a couple of 'runs under their belt (it wouldn't be the best introduction to the game). I can't wait to run this with my group as this sort of freedom is just the sort of gaming they live for. The authors have produced another fine instalment to the series, and my faith in the quality of SR titles this year could not be higher.

The additional pictures included in this module are a brilliant idea. There are some creature and vehicle pictures included that add a lot of value to the story. I would like to see this sort of design incorporated into future modules, as they will come in very handy.

Free Taiwan was my first time actually using a pre-written mission for Fourth Edition Shadowrun, because my group wanted a game and it looked like it would work with them pretty well. It did.

It's great, and my players absolutely loved it! The hand-to-hand combat specialist felt a little left out, but in a party where everyone else is packing an automatic or longarm and all you do is whip things that's a pretty frequent complaint.

The mission itself is fairly short to mid-length in a good way-it took about a hour and a half for my group to complete it (partly because they were getting distracted by internet videos on the background-my main gripe with going digital) and setting up took only about fifteen minutes. It did, however, achieve its goals handsomely and the group enjoyed it.

I mean, it's a free mission. It's also of good quality-the typesetting and included art were great, and there wasn't any time where I was scratching my head having run into a dead end, the players went along with it without having to be coerced, and it was memorable.

Originally posted at: http://diehardgamefan.com/2012/04/06/tabletop-review-shadowrun-missions-free-taiwan/

Free Taiwan is the latest in this season of Shadowrun Missions. I’m a big fan of this series, as you get extremely high quality adventures in full colour that can easily be run by a GM of any skill level or experience. If you’re new to Shadowrun or at least the Missions line, Free Taiwan is a great place to start. Not only because it’s an extremely well done adventure, but because it’s free and thus there’s no monetary risk to check it out.

Free Taiwain is a little on the short side compared to other Shadowrun Missions, clocking in at only 19 pages. This is probably because he adventure is free, but if you’ve been following this season of adventures, then you’ll probably recall that Smuggler’s Blues was only twenty pages and you had to pay $3.95 for it, so at least there is precedent for an Mission being this short, and don’t forget – it’s free!!! Okay, I’ll stop harping on that point now.

Free Taiwan is a really fun adventure and it makes sense that it was released on April Fool’s Day along with Street Legends Home Edition. That’s because this adventure takes place on April first. It appears the holiday survived the Awakening and is still in full force in the 2070s. In fact, an April Fool’s joke is the crux of the entire adventure – it’s just that the PC’s aren’t in on the “joke.”

Free Taiwan takes place over seven scenes, although one of them is optional. In the adventure, the players are hired to reclaim a ship known as the Free Taiwan, which was captured by pirates. The goal is to get the boat headed back on course before Knight Errant notices something is amiss and also to ensure that the special cargo on board is destroyed so it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. Well, of course, nothing is what it seems and the PCs will actually have a pretty easy and somewhat comical adventure on their hands. In fact there are scenes in the adventure that read like they are almost sitcom-esque, a nice change from the overwhelming dark and grittiness of the Sixth World.

Characters will have to hijack a boat unless they actually own one, and will then encounter all sorts of strangeness from a possible ghost ship to some curious Meistersingers. There’s even a bit of a hilarious in-joke if you’re into tabletop games or god forbid have personally been involved in the design (and inevitable delays that come with it) end of things. The end of the adventure involves a comedy of errors and will more than likely leave the PCs annoyed or angry in-character but amused out of it.

Free Taiwan is an adventure you can easily play in three hours or less and unlike a lot of published Shadowrun adventures which are designed for the experienced player and/or powerful characters, this one can easily be played by brand new shadowrunners starting out. It might even make a good adventure to people brand new to tabletopping as they get a taste of what the Sixth World is like, but without being shoved face first into how bloody dark it usually is.

Whether you think of the latest Shadowrun Mission as a light hearted adventure, an easy romp for characters after a long and bloody adventure or as the metaphorical equivalent of the shallow end in the pool that is Shadowrun, Free Taiwanis an extremely enjoyable throwaway experience that all Shadowrun fans should enjoy…unless they are seriously lacking a sense of humour. The fact this thing is free just makes it all the better and leaves you, the reader, with absolutely no reason as to why you shouldn’t download Free Taiwan as soon as you are done reading this. What are you waiting for? Go pick it up!