Runo Knows...GURPS Lensman
Now this is more like a good GURPS supplement.
The Lensman series by E. E. "Doc" Smith is basically an alternate history sci-fi series about the battle between good and evil, between Civilization and Boskone. Mighty ships, with their inertialess drives and mighty vaccuum tubes, battle it out with drug pushers, pirates, and an ancient conspiracy.
Despite some of the hints of sexism and other such un-PC and vaguely anachronistic notions, the book manages to address those issues with options to stay true to the books or to play it more "modern". The sourcebook covers the history of the novels, the technology behind the ships, and even introduces a "Space Opera Combat System" more appropriate for games like this.
The book is well-written and sets up the range of possibilities in the Lensman universe - from non-Lensed campaigns, up through Grey Lensmen, of various races even. If you're not playing a Lensman campaign, it gives some great ideas for non-standard "ultratech" type technology, alien races, and psychic powers. The firepower inherent in the universe may be a bit overwhelming to other ones - especially given that it takes all new measurements past "gigatons" but hey, that might keep a PC's finger off the trigger.
As a pulp sci-fi sourcebook, this is a great one.
The Lensman series by E. E. "Doc" Smith is basically an alternate history sci-fi series about the battle between good and evil, between Civilization and Boskone. Mighty ships, with their inertialess drives and mighty vaccuum tubes, battle it out with drug pushers, pirates, and an ancient conspiracy.
Despite some of the hints of sexism and other such un-PC and vaguely anachronistic notions, the book manages to address those issues with options to stay true to the books or to play it more "modern". The sourcebook covers the history of the novels, the technology behind the ships, and even introduces a "Space Opera Combat System" more appropriate for games like this.
The book is well-written and sets up the range of possibilities in the Lensman universe - from non-Lensed campaigns, up through Grey Lensmen, of various races even. If you're not playing a Lensman campaign, it gives some great ideas for non-standard "ultratech" type technology, alien races, and psychic powers. The firepower inherent in the universe may be a bit overwhelming to other ones - especially given that it takes all new measurements past "gigatons" but hey, that might keep a PC's finger off the trigger.
As a pulp sci-fi sourcebook, this is a great one.