PLAYING ALIEN:  FUZION

    RECOMMENDED GAME SIZE
     I planned this game for an average size of four players with one GM.  Obviously this game can be played smaller or even larger but I really frown on anything smaller than three players.  Any more could reduce individual role playing.  There should be a balance of character classes.

    A GUIDE TO CHARACTER RECOMMENDATIONS:

     --There should be at least one synthetic as a PC or NPC
     --There must be one lieutenant to command the squad.  It should be a PC since this Character enters the combat arena.  There would be officers higher up.
     --There should be no one higher than a lieutenants rank but the GM can allow for a Captain if necessary.
     --At least one Heavy Weapons soldier.
     --Someone with some OP in Xenobiology.
     --Someone might even have a connection to the Acheron mission.  Either be related to someone on the Sulaco or Hadley’s Hope.
     --Someone should have dropship piloting skills.
     --Someone should be an armor driver.
     --There should be no psychopathic characters or players with very unstable personalities.
     --Medical skills are recommended.  If not, the GM should supply a combat medic.

    ATMOSPHERE

    The lights should be dimmed a tad but not too dark.  If the adventure is a horror adventure (one alien, dark corridors), consider turning the lights off altogether, illumination supplied by pocket flashlights.  Of course, it should be late when gaming begins.  No one should dress up…this is not THAT type of game.  Definitely have printed pictures of weapons and equipment around as well as pictures of the aliens so players can visualize what is going on.

    MUSIC

     The GM should definitely consider using music to accentuate the gaming experience.  Scary music when searching a derelict spaceship, action music when battling hordes of xenomoprhs.  Soundtracks recommended follow:
     ALIENS
    – This is an obvious must buy with James Horner’s famous, and often ripped off, soundtrack.  Use it often.  Action tracks are plenty and the scary music is good to.   You can buy at most stores that offer a good selection of soundtracks.
     ALIEN
    – Unfortunately, the first movie's soundtrack is no longer available, being pulled just a few months ago.  I am lucky to have purchased it long ago.  No ambient music from any of the other films beats Jerry Goldsmith's oscar nominating soundtrack.  It just proves that Jerry is the best composer of all the Alien films since his music has been sampled in Aliens and Alien: Resurrection as well.
     ALIEN: RESURRECTION:
    – I honestly don't hate John Frizzel’s music which has been bashed in the reviews.  It is the least popular but still usable.  Tracks 1, 2 and 3 are very accessible as ambient tracks and track 10 is good for an action score.
     ALIEN 3:
    -- Elliot Goldenthall’s artistically strange soundtrack varies so often, it is not often usable but some are.  Listen and study the music wisely.
     AIR FORCE ONE:
    -- Another Goldsmith soundtrack that offers a great military theme with some great action scores.
     EXECUTIVE DECISION
    -- Yet another military themed soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith.  Ignore the ethnic stuff.
     TRUE LIES
    -- Even though half the soundtrack are unusable songs, Brad Fiedel’s music sometimes offers scores of some worth.
     DARK CITY:
    --With the exception of a handful of songs, this is one of my favorite soundtracks.  Terry Jones doesn't often get credit for his music.  The ending track is remarkable.
     VOLCANO:
    -- The problem with Varase Saraband's titles is that their soundtracks are always so short.  The average CD is only 25 minutes and they cost SOO much.  Even still, Alan Silvestri offers a handful of really intense scores.
     OUTLAND / CAPRICORN ONE:
    -- Two of Jerry Goldsmith’s rarest and best soundtracks were re-released together on one CD.  75 minutes worth of music is a good value.  Most of Capricorn One is stapled in the 70s but some are useful.  As for Outland.  Anyone not utilizing the entire soundtrack is wasting their investment.
     TOTAL RECALL:
    --Okay, if you haven’t noticed, I like Jerry Goldsmith, so I would be negligent in my duties to not mention one of his most famous scores, that of Paul Verhoevan's epic, Total Recall.  Most of the music has a very comic atmosphere but I like it.
     THE ABYSS:
    --Another Silvestri soundtrack.  Dark and moody.

    ADVENTURE IDEAS
    As you might have noticed, I can really give very many ideas but here is the some material you might enjoy:

DARK HORSE COMICS
    Dark Horse has produced over fifty alien comics from the intelligent to the outright goofy.  Please be aware that most are often from different time periods.  Here is a list of the usable stories.  If the players have not read these, the GM would be lacking in his duties if he didn't sample from them.
    OUTBREAK / NIGHTMARE ASYLUM / FEMALE WAR:  (CL5, TL1)   These outline the Earth War in intricate detail.  A good source material
    LABYRINTH: (TL4, CL4)  A good example of a story where the aliens take a back seat to the evils of man.
    MUSIC OF THE SPEARS:  (CL5, TL5)   A good story with very little use to a setting since it deals primarily with music.
    COLONIAL MARINES: (CL4, TL5)  A great series because it is a long one with many different ideas.  Each issue can be used on its own as an adventure (god knows I have).  A really good resource with designs for many ships, weapons, and alien variants..
     ROGUE:  (CL4, TL4)  A more familiar "evil scientist" story with action and corporations clashing.  Shows some corporations and some good weaponry.
    BESERKER:  (CL5, TL5)  A perfect adventure template for Beserker teams.  It gives a good example of what a typical mission looks like from start to finish.  All the weapons and devices are present.
   KIDNAPPED:  (CL4, TL4)  A very strange, almost unusable story.
   ALCHEMY:  (Unknown)  One of my favorite stories but really strange.  A possible good setting for a story if done properly.
   STRONGHOLD:  (TL6, TL5)  A very good example of a high-profile action-fest.  Lots of fighting, hundreds of aliens and many guns.  It shows many Synth models including a Xenomorph model.
    HIVE:  (TL4, CL4)  A good starting story for infiltrating hives and the first Xenomorph Synth.
    GENOCIDE: (TL5, CL4)  One of the nest stories with the highest alien count ever (except for the war, of course) with pictures of weapons, aliens, and spacecraft.  A great story especially since it is the base comic that almost every comic since would be based.
    HAVOC / PIG / SALVATION / SACRIFICE / MONDO HEAT, ETC:  (Various) Most of the other comics are limited in their scope and not offered much more in the form of story ideas.

    THE CAMPAIGN:
    Refer to the chapter for my adventures and how they pan out...