How Black Market Got It Right

[popscythe]

Hey everyone!

I just wanted to pop in and sing my praises for Rifts: Black Market. It's my favorite of the most recent Rifts books (to this date NG1 hasn't shipped yet and I think it might take the crown). I did really like Vampire Kingdoms Revised too, but we're talking about Black Market.

Black Market really pads out some of the lower to moderate "power level" facets of how North America works in Rifts. I really love all the awesome new weapons. The new Big Bore weapons really flesh out the non-energy weapons selections and give a lot of great things to use with non-energy WPs, while the new Bandito Energy Weapons are just great. Very good mid-range stuff in all shapes and flavors, which really fleshes out the market and gives a lot more selections for GMs to put in the hands of NPCs from Merchants to Mercs. For those of you who don't know about it yet, Bandito has a new line of energy weapons that come in many different designs, giving the GM a ton of room to introduce cool new weapons into the adventures at hand. Also, spoilers:

Spoiler:

There's a black market knock-off Glitter Boy that is totally awesome. In fact, it's a Glitter Boy that GMs can say Yes to for player characters without a second thought! Well played, whoever wrote that up.

I also like the black marketeer stuff and the background information on how the Black Market and it's Factions work. Not a lot of that stuff has come up in my game recently, but I'll be sure to use it when the time comes!

To the title of the post: Black Market got it so right by fleshing out more of the lower to middle end of being a player character in Rifts North America. The gear in the book is well balanced and not "better because it's new" in the slightest. Very well done.

If you're a GM who runs a campaign that takes place in North America and haven't checked out Black Market yet, I highly suggest it. Pending NG1, it's definitely my favorite of the newer Rifts books.

[Greyaxe]

I have a game revolving around that book. I love it.

[popscythe]

I have a game revolving around that book. I love it.

Tell us more! (If you can without giving away spoilers for your players!)

[Greyaxe]

In fact, my players are driving the story. I have them setup in Merctown in 105 PA. They are making a killing smuggling to and from Free Quebec using high speed aircraft and all terrain transport trucks. Good times. They may expand into Tolkeen as the war starts to heat up. The kingpin of this new underground smuggling operation wants to take out the existing Black market in Merctown and replace it. Things are starting to heat up. The PC’s are primarily Ex-Triax military Borgs so confronting them head to head if it ever comes to that will be difficult for the existing Black Market. It is a game of espionage and sabotage. Neither side knows the leadership of the other side but it is starting to close to a head.

The PC party, while new, has access to vast monetary resources. So they are buying up Merctown like crazy, properties, lawyers, judges merc company etc. The leadership of the upstart is making political inroads with the government and leadership of Merctown . They have not yet acquired any seats of true authority but have many “friends” in high places ready to vote them in when the next opportunity strikes. I love this part of the campaign. It is all PC driven and loads of fun for me playing cat and mouse.

[popscythe]

Spoiler:

In fact, my players are driving the story. I have them setup in Merctown in 105 PA. They are making a killing smuggling to and from Free Quebec using high speed aircraft and all terrain transport trucks. Good times. They may expand into Tolkeen as the war starts to heat up. The kingpin of this new underground smuggling operation wants to take out the existing Black market in Merctown and replace it. Things are starting to heat up. The PC’s are primarily Ex-Triax military Borgs so confronting them head to head if it ever comes to that will be difficult for the existing Black Market. It is a game of espionage and sabotage. Neither side knows the leadership of the other side but it is starting to close to a head.

The PC party, while new, has access to vast monetary resources. So they are buying up Merctown like crazy, properties, lawyers, judges merc company etc. The leadership of the upstart is making political inroads with the government and leadership of Merctown . They have not yet acquired any seats of true authority but have many “friends” in high places ready to vote them in when the next opportunity strikes. I love this part of the campaign. It is all PC driven and loads of fun for me playing cat and mouse.

Very awesome. You've got lucky players, friend!

[Greyaxe]

I agree, its' a nice book... however the entire premise doesn't mesh with how i usually run a rifts game.
I do not stick to one game line.

That's the nice thing about the BM. You can kinda walk away form it and just do some good ol' straight up roaming rifts earth and call is Smuggling. Fighting off monsters, protecting cargo, greasing the palms of CS soldiers and border crossings. Even joining one side or another for a skirmish or two. defending yourself or competing with other "smugglers" . I find there is a lot of variety you can do with it.

[Greyaxe]

Spoiler:

In fact, my players are driving the story. I have them setup in Merctown in 105 PA. They are making a killing smuggling to and from Free Quebec using high speed aircraft and all terrain transport trucks. Good times. They may expand into Tolkeen as the war starts to heat up. The kingpin of this new underground smuggling operation wants to take out the existing Black market in Merctown and replace it. Things are starting to heat up. The PC’s are primarily Ex-Triax military Borgs so confronting them head to head if it ever comes to that will be difficult for the existing Black Market. It is a game of espionage and sabotage. Neither side knows the leadership of the other side but it is starting to close to a head.

The PC party, while new, has access to vast monetary resources. So they are buying up Merctown like crazy, properties, lawyers, judges merc company etc. The leadership of the upstart is making political inroads with the government and leadership of Merctown . They have not yet acquired any seats of true authority but have many “friends” in high places ready to vote them in when the next opportunity strikes. I love this part of the campaign. It is all PC driven and loads of fun for me playing cat and mouse.

Very awesome. You've got lucky players, friend!

Thank you!

[kaid]

I love their inclusion of the knock off weapons and the various different looks available for the black market weapons. Gives some really good use for operators or men at arms who have good skills at figuring out weapon quality to see if the weapon you bought is actually what you think it is or a slightly less powerful knock off.

I am also amused by the big bore pirate weapons buy a case of ammo get the gun free Yarrr.

The whole smuggling dinosaur concept is both hilarious and a /face palm DUH moment because it really is pretty damn obvious way to smuggle stuff. Given we know they can make lifelike robot horses that can have some minor storage compartments built in the dino smuggling bots were a total why did I not think of that moment.

[kaid]

I agree, its' a nice book... however the entire premise doesn't mesh with how i usually run a rifts game.
I do not stick to one game line.

That's the nice thing about the BM. You can kinda walk away form it and just do some good ol' straight up roaming rifts earth and call is Smuggling. Fighting off monsters, protecting cargo, greasing the palms of CS soldiers and border crossings. Even joining one side or another for a skirmish or two. defending yourself or competing with other "smugglers" . I find there is a lot of variety you can do with it.

I found the black market book to be really nice. Just think about it who are your players selling all their loot and armor and weapons they collect in their travels too. Chances are they are dealing with the black market either directly or indirectly very frequently during their travels no matter where they are.

Unless you can make it to a large town/city to resupply chances are you are going to be buying stuff through the black market or one of their fronts because in the more backwater areas any high tech gear like that is probably only available through them. Like in the new west bandito arms is almost turning into the western gun because in a place where there is no real law and little other access to gear people need to survive they have gone from black market to THE market.

[drewkitty ~..~]

The RBM book is pretty good when it comes to 'story wise' text and class text.

But when it comes to the equipment section there are a couple major faults. 1) The text about Projectiles for the big bore weapons about the nomenclature is poorly written (i.e.: it is plan wrong in the technical aspects about what is said) and 2) a mortar is the launcher not what is shot and calling something that is a PA/Bot attachment, "rocket propelled".

[popscythe]

The RBM book is pretty good when it comes to 'story wise' text and class text.

But when it comes to the equipment section there are a couple major faults. 1) The text about Projectiles for the big bore weapons about the nomenclature is poorly written (i.e.: it is plan wrong in the technical aspects about what is said) and 2) a mortar is the launcher not what is shot and calling something that is a PA/Bot attachment is not "rocket propelled".

Aww, well hey, maybe you can make a suggestion that gets updated in a new printing! What phrasing didn't you like on the technical aspect?

[drewkitty ~..~]

Where it says that there is no difference between the words projectile, bullet, Round, and Shell. The 1st 2 are not the 2nd 2. Page 137, last paragraph on the left.

[kaid]

Where it says that there is no difference between the words projectile, bullet, Round, and Shell. The 1st 2 are not the 2nd 2. Page 137, last paragraph on the left.

Well all of them are projectiles. People use rounds/bullets interchangeably currently although technically they are not the same and shells typically would imply some kind projectile usually from artillery that contains an explosive charge. But the term shell is also used for shotgun ammunition which are also called rounds.

Something like that does not bother me to much because that kind of thing happens all the time when people are talking about weapons and ammunition.

[popscythe]

Ah, yeah, for real cartridges you're absolutely correct, bullet, round, projectile and shell are not interchangable technical terms.

What that line is saying is that when the terms Big Bore "Bullets", Big Bore "Projectiles", Big Bore "Rounds" and Big Bore "Shells" are used, they're talking about Big Bore Ammunition in general, because Big Bore Revolver ammunition and Big Bore Shotgun ammunition are anatomically the same aside from size and external shape.

This sort of thing is a great way to bring life to your characters and NPCs in the games you run or play in. They laymen will confuse terms and the experts will use precise technical terms. Great characterization opportunities abound!

[drewkitty ~..~]

Well all of them are projectiles. ....snip

The above sentence is incorrect.

Rounds and Shells are not projectiles. Rounds and Shells are the pre-manufactured units that contain a Bullet(s) (The projectile(s)),[in the case of shells there is also 'the wadding',] the casing (aka the brass), the propellent (the gunpowder) and the percussion cap.

While in the vernacular as in "Sending rounds downrange" is acceptable, because it's usage in verbal speech. But to say in a Written Text that Rounds are Projectiles is unacceptable because it was not written as if verbal speech; and it shows the ignorance of the writer who did not do due diligence in researching his topic.

If the writer had limited the words he used to 'Ammunition', 'Rounds', and 'Shells' he would of not be wrong.

Even then if PB had a proofreader looking for these stupid mistakes this could of been avoided.

[drewkitty ~..~]

That's a pretty lame thing to be upset about. Your assuming the proof reader even knows that difference. Being a gun collector and hobbiest I tend to understand most people refer to ammunition as "shells" or "rounds". It is not ignorance it is common slang and has been for over 60 years.

Rounds and Shells are Ammunition. It is not Slang to call them ammunition cause that is what they are.
What 'is slang' it to calling 'shooting bullets' to be 'putting rounds downrange'. (I did mention this before. )

What bullets and projectiles 'are' and what Rounds and shells 'are'...are two different things.

Having a proof reader is better then what they have been doing.

To give an analogy: Shells and rounds are fully loaded cans of spray paint, while bullets and shot are just the paint w/o the can and propellent and the trigger nossel and cap.

[popscythe]

Having a proof reader is better then what they have been doing.

Comon, man. I get that you're miffed, but that assertion is definitely intended to rustle jimmies for the sake of rustling jimmies. Black Market is an awesome book. You should run a Rifts Black Market adventure, Ninjabunny and I will play in it and I promise we'll use all the proper terminology.

[sirkermittsg]

I have not seen the book as of yet, but I know for a fact that it has to be one of the most valuable ever...to me at least. I LOVE SALVAGE. I am one of the techno guys that loves selling salvage.

[popscythe]

I have not seen the book as of yet, but I know for a fact that it has to be one of the most valuable ever...to me at least. I LOVE SALVAGE. I am one of the techno guys that loves selling salvage.

Yeah! I'm so with you on this one.

[kaid]

Well all of them are projectiles. ....snip

The above sentence is incorrect.

Rounds and Shells are not projectiles. Rounds and Shells are the pre-manufactured units that contain a Bullet(s) (The projectile(s)),[in the case of shells there is also 'the wadding',] the casing (aka the brass), the propellent (the gunpowder) and the percussion cap.

While in the vernacular as in "Sending rounds downrange" is acceptable, because it's usage in verbal speech. But to say in a Written Text that Rounds are Projectiles is unacceptable because it was not written as if verbal speech; and it shows the ignorance of the writer who did not do due diligence in researching his topic.

If the writer had limited the words he used to 'Ammunition', 'Rounds', and 'Shells' he would of not be wrong.

Even then if PB had a proofreader looking for these stupid mistakes this could of been avoided.

Okay if we are going to go down the rabbit hole of semantics and super technical interpretations of words then yes I am 100% correct all of those things are indeed projectiles. If I pick up a hand full of shells/rounds/bullets and throw them at somebody they are projectiles. I can load them into a sling and plink them at people so yes they are indeed all projectiles.

pro·jec·tile [pruh-jek-til, -tahyl] Show IPA
noun
1.
an object fired from a gun with an explosive propelling charge, such as a bullet, shell, rocket, or grenade.
2.
a body projected or impelled forward, as through the air.

Okay so the deffinition of projectile includes bullets/shells/rockets/grenades

Shell

shell [shel] Show IPA
noun

a hollow projectile for a cannon, mortar, etc., filled with an explosive charge designed to explode during flight, upon impact, or after penetration.
9.
a metallic cartridge used in small arms and small artillery pieces.
10.
a metal or paper cartridge, as for use in a shotgun.

So a shell can be onsidered the metallic cartridge used in small arms and artillery pieces as well as paper/metal cartridges for shotguns.

Bullet

bul·let [bool-it] Show IPA noun, verb, bul·let·ed, bul·let·ing.
noun
1.
a small metal projectile, part of a cartridge, for firing from small arms. See diag. under cartridge.
2.
a cartridge.
3.
a small ball.

Also the cartridge for a firearm

round
a single discharge of shot by each of a number of guns, rifles, etc.
30.
a single discharge by one firearm.
31.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot.

A charge of ammunition for a single shot of which a cartridge would be an example of.

So the dictionary examples appear to assert that those terms can all refer to the a single round of ammunition often in the form of a metallic or paper cartridge and that all of them can be considered projectiles. In a very technical engineering manner the terms get more specific than that but even by the dictionary descriptions the terminology used is fine and it is also fine compared to common usage.