First Looks (1879)

So we're back from an unintended vacation caused by a flu bug.  Hopefully we get everything back on track and on time and we're going to pick up some of the slack we missed while we were down.  Today we're going to take a first look at 1879 from FASA Games.  It's a wild action adventure setting based in an alternate history and forces the characters to deal with colonialism, indigenous natives, areas of vast resources, and a host of other wild and crazy encounters along the way.  We haven't gotten a chance to take a hard look at the mechanics of the system, so today we're going to talk about the setting and some of the conflicts that drive 1879.

History

1879 is set on the cusp of the age of electricity.  Steam power is falling out of favor as electricity comes to prominence, and this new power source is inspiring a host of new ideas and options.  In 1876, the brightest minds of Britain gathered together to show off their new technology.  One of these inventions fails spectacularly but leaves behind a "portal" that leads to another world.  by 1879 the British Empire is in full colonization mode, attempting to take control of this distant world and its vast resources. 

Unfortunately, this world has residents of its own, and they are not particularly keen to share.  The descendants of ancient Babylon occupy portions of this world.  With access to ancient technology and resources coveted by the British Empire, the Samsut are a powerful force in the world.  Rather than solve their conflicts with warfare, the Samsut play elaborate wargames to settle their conflicts knowing the potential destructive power of their inherited technology. 

Saurids, an intelligent race of lizard people, occupy regions closer to the British outpost of Fort Alice.  Warring tribes and cultures within the Saurids have created power dynamics and the timely intervention of a British force saved one such tribe from a grisly fate.  These Saurids have bent the knee to the British Crown and sworn fealty to the Iron Queen. 

Themes

Exploration is a key theme for 1879. The new world is a vast one, filled with continents of unexplored land.  Resources drive the British Empire, and in this new world vast quantities of resources can be found and utilized for the Crown.  Finding paths through dangerous lands, negotiating with the natives of that area, and creating routes that move goods from place to place is an essential aspect of the game.  Now with any game that features colonialism as a theme, there are stories you can tell about the exploitation of the natives of this world and a host of other awful things that characters could do as part of this exploration theme.  You can also explore Themes of mercantile expansion, military conflict, and even colony building if you are interested in going that way. 

The thing I find interesting about this setting is that you can play around Fort Alice and explore the new world, or you can work the other side of Rabbit Hole (the portal between worlds) and try to support your interests by working the political and economic systems of our world.  This has the potential for a lot of political intrigue as your characters work behind the scenes to secure finances, hire troops, and lay claim to distant lands on the other side of the rabbit hole. 

Product Line and Where to Buy

Currently, 1879 has 4 products available, the Player's Guide, the Gamemaster's Guide, the Miniature's Corebook, and the Game Master's Screen.  (All of those links are for Drivethru RPG).  You can also check out FASA Games website on 1879 here. 

They also have kickstarted the first major expansion, an adventure for London as well as the London City Sourcebook.  You can find the details of those books here. 

Thoughts and Ideas

I like the idea of this setting but I would like to take a much closer look at the mechanics of the system and hopefully FASA is willing to help out with that idea.  The conflicts that drive this setting feel like a different way of exploring Colonization as a theme and I would honestly like to take a heavier look at it.  I have no idea about the mechanics of the system, and that's something that I am planning on rectifying in the near future.  If I read the situation correctly, my friend over at Terminally Nerdy received a care package from FASA Games, and I suspect he will have a video entry about the game in the future.  (Be sure to check out his Youtube channel here for updates and a host of quality Videos on a bunch of gaming topics). 

This is our First Looks at 1879, and we would love to take a second, or maybe a third look at the system in the future.  Game On, Game Fans.