Terrorizing Others for Fun and Profit: How To Run Your Mini Faction
By Gear, for SRWI Authors
August 2021 Edition.
If you're reading this, you've probably been given control over some faction or group within our vast setting, and are wondering what to do with it all, where to start, or what your limitations are. This guide will answer all of those questions, provide a game plan, as well as suggest helpful strategies for making the most out of your organization.By Gear, for SRWI Authors
August 2021 Edition.
For our example, we'll be using the Red Shoulders in Armored Trooper Votoms, a cadre of bloodthirsty warriors led by an insane General fixated on the idea of the "ultimate survivor".
1) THE PLAN
The first thing to do is to complete the Faction Template, and submit it to myself or another Story Mod for review. Each question on the form is important, but arguably the most is the Goal section.
For our Red Shoulders, their goal would be: "Locate the Ultimate Survivor, and establish the Red Shoulders as the ultimate fighting force in the galaxy."
Every organization has an end goal of some kind. Because many of these factions are antagonistic, they are often very proactive in their goals - that is to say, they are motivated, they don't sit around waiting for the hero to make a move - they have manpower, resources, and oftentimes some form of edge over the competition to leverage.
In our example, the Red Shoulders not only have access to some of the best training in the entire setting, but also the Perfect Soldier, a genetic ubermensch that would make Kira Yamato blush. Because it is not setting specific, we can also place our Red Shoulders anywhere we feel like, nestled comfortable within a larger faction (with that individual's agreement), where the two of you could work towards a shared goal.
For most factions, realizing their goal will come in the form of acquiring Territory. Each Faction has a home base, a Capital territory of sorts. If this territory is taken, the Faction is eliminated as a major player. Having more territories not only expands your reach, but allows you to field more MPs, and speed up development of new weapons, as well as acquiring those used by defeated foes (within reason).
Always be on the lookout for opportunities to advance your faction's goal, and ask yourself how they would perceive the situation, and what they would do about it. Look for allies and make deals behind the scenes, people who can help you with your goals or whom you can help with theirs - finding mutually beneficial alliances can pay off dividends over time (even if you eventually plan to stick the knife in their back).
*Do note that the Capital rules does not apply to certain NPC factions, namely the Vajra, Invaders, and Noise, which may reside outside of the solar system/in another dimension, and thus require additional effort to uproot in totality.
2) KNOWING YOUR STRENGTHS
The second most important thing is to know and understand your own resources and characters. When you create your faction, select one or two Mass Produced units, some elites, as well as some "boss" ones. Your Mass Produced machines are pretty unlikely to get kills - expect them to be cannon fodder when they run afoul of a named character in most cases - but they are the backbone of any force, and vitally important for strategic wins. Of course, you have named characters of your own - we'll get to that shortly.
Let's take a look at our example:
Here, we've divided it into several categories.
Mass Production: Your redshirts, replaceable cannon fodder who are the backbone of your army, but hardly much of a threat to a named character. Here, I've selected the usual assortment of flotsam and jetsam in a variety of ATs, which will not only make their appearances more colorful, but serve as a stark comparison to when the real threat - the Red Shoulders - make themselves known.
Elites: There are rarer machines that are still mass produced, but present a more credible threat. In this case, we have the actual Red Shoulders themselves, who form small, elite groups with their high-speed Turbo Customs, as well as the dreaded Bloodsucker AT.
Limited: These are units that your group only has so many of. These cannot be easily replaced, and often present a serious threat when placed onto a battlefield. In this example, although the Commander Type Scopedog Turbo Custom could be more easily replaced, I've placed it in the "Limited" category to highlight that it has more "narrative weight" - ie, an important character to the faction will be riding it. Large ships or relics may be in here. These are often more capable of felling a player character.
Boss: These are the centerpieces of the faction, the equivalent of a Queen piece. Often they are one-of-a-kind technological marvels with abilities that far outstrip that of the lower tiers, are more than capable of holding their own against a player, and their very presence alone on a battlefield raises the stakes. Often, these are the chosen machines of faction leaders, but not always - Ypsilon in this example, the Perfect Soldier, is little more than a dragon to the eerie and omnipotent Wiseman, but is far more likely to be encountered on the battlefield.
3) NPCS: YOUR CAST AND CREW
One question that was posed during the early days of the game was the difference between an NPC and a PC. A player character is someone around whose perspectives the narrative revolves, who carries significant "narrative weight". For those of you who play tabletop games, imagine a figure made of plastic, versus one made of metal, resting in your palm - the heavier one is the player character.
NPCs are often defined by their actions, or their opposition to a player character, and they come in a variety of flavors.
Your average redshirt or named grunt doesn't need to be given much in the ways of depth, so these can be written up and discarded on a whim - but don't be surprised if they become popular for one reason or another...
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Beyond that, have several ideas for your elites - these are the mid-bosses or rivals, the Jerid Messas, the Harry Champs, the Archibald Grims. These are usually professionals or skilled soldiers who have separated themselves from the pack, and who pose a more significant challenge, often with a more tuned up machine. Have ideas for these jotted down, and most importantly: don't get hung up on an idea. It may be the character you plan for the most makes their grand entrance - and it falls completely flat. Meanwhile the one you throw together at 3 AM out of spite everyone suddenly loves.
The best skill to have is to be able to roll with the punches and be flexible. DMing is the art of showmanship, of building hype, of driving emotion, of really getting people to feel something when they interact with your content. Watch for their reactions, and adjust your own game plan accordingly - let the unpopular ones fade or die off, and the popular ones stand up just a little taller, get a little more depth and exposure.
Lastly, you've got your big bad. The one running the show, the brains or brawn of the outfit. These are often permitted the use of irreplaceable, very high power machines capable of flattening most players, such as the Hau Dragon or the Jagd Mirage. The leader, depending on your group, may be proactively involved on the front lines themselves, but most are content to save their appearances for special moments, where they can flex the power of their super-machines on those less capable.
So, how to handle such devastating power without ending up burned at the stake?
4) BUILDING THE BIG BAD BRAND
While this has elements of a strategy game, remember we are still at heart telling a story. What that means is, we are here first and foremost to entertain, as well as compete with one another. Keep your story lore and tone friendly with the source material if you prefer, but don't be afraid to try something new either. For example, if you are a fan of Code Geass, and want to utilize some plot beats or KMFs from side material such as Nightmare of Nunnaly, that would likely be a welcome introduction.
The first thing to do with your BFG-toting big-bad is to play the character as you have written them to the extent possible. If for example, Lord Ashford seems like the type to unload his Jagd Mirage's Twin Towers on an unsuspecting Colony of innocents while cackling evilly, by all means do so - but, this falls secondary to player agency. There's no swifter way to earn a rebuke, or kill interest than to murder someone in a situation where they have no ability to fight back, or even retreat. Take your time - let things build, let tensions simmer, let internal conflicts arise in your group that threaten its dominance, tell a story that people will want to read about and you will not regret a word you write.
A good villain is one that knows how to get people to hate them, whom you can provoke a reaction with. Note that the reaction should be directed at the character, not the player. Here are some examples:
-Never miss an opportunity to throw gas on an open fire, or rub salt in an open wound just because you can.
-Being condescending, smug, and sly, knowing exactly how to push someone's buttons.
-Flaunting their wealth, their success - not just talking about it, but wearing the bling, carrying around the trophy, making sure everyone knows who's the boss.
-Blame them for everything that happens. People rarely think of themselves as the villains, and this is sure-fire way to get under someone's skin.
-Be irritating. Some kind of gimmick or mannerism that is like nails on a chalkboard that really gets people steamed.
-Stall, stall, stall. A good heel has no problem being cowardly, hiding behind walls of mooks, taking hostages, or running away the second things start looking bad.
-Kick them when they're down. A villain has no compulsion about driving their heel down on the hero's exposed fingers, or taking advantage of a moment of weaknesss.
-Just win, baby. A villain will lie, cheat, steal, and do whatever it takes to win. They'll grovel if they think it will extend their life just a few moments more so they can turn the tables.
-Lastly: Cut a promo. A "promo" in this case is a short segment where they have the mic, they have the airtime, and can talk about their nefarious plans and how nobody understands how great it is, how nobody can possibly stop them, and generally show that they mean business. Think of it like a commercial almost for your character, or a pre-rendered cutscene in a game, where you get to talk your gang up - and throw shade at your enemies. The BBS forum is perfect for these call-outs, as they are public information that can be seen by all factions.
A villain is not doomed to lose, but the weight of the plot is often angled against them, and that should be taken into consideration when crafting NPCs. Don't get too attached, and be willing to let the unpopular ones die off. What you'll ultimately end up with at the heart of this process is a firm plotline that enthralls your readers, and that you can't wait to get out of bed to write for as they hang on your every word.
If you have questions, or would like 1 on 1 coaching, please feel free to reach out to myself or MK - we're long time experts in this field, and are more than happy to provide assistance where need be. If you feel like something can be added to this guide, likewise let me know and I can see about adding it in a future installment.
Thank you for reading,
Gear