Exploits of Empire III


By Ryan Moore (thedarkadmiral@hotmail.com)
Intellectual property of Ryan Moore and Naztec Industries, 2002-2004.
Exploits of Empire (EoE) is a trademark of Naztec Industries, 1989-2004. Do not recreate, change, alter, profit from, or  otherwise misuse Exploits of Empire Games without expressed written consent from Ryan Moore or Naztec Industries.

Welcome to the most extensive Lego game ever!

What is this?

Exploits of Empire III is the third module in the EoE series, an open ended, strategy/RPG/action game using Lego figures and elements. The game creates an 18th century-based fantasy world full of pirates, smugglers, privateers, and rogues. As a player immersed in this world, you may do whatever your character may fancy. You may go on recreational cruises throughout the world's oceans, or rule entire continents with an iron fist. The game is about choice. Game Masters (GMs) are responsible for facilitating a character's or party's adventures and managing their vital statistics. 

How do I play?

EOE III requires a Game Master who is responsible to the players and their characters. This means a good knowledge of the rules and customs of the game. In order to play, you and your group will require physical represenations (physreps) made of Lego for ships, crews, characters, weapons, enemies, beasts, towns, and so on. You will also require a set of die and a tape measurer. More advanced die than a D6 are required for more than basic battle, but a D6 will suffice to run the battle engine. As your game becomes more advanced and complex, you may require other documents to play, such as Administrating Nations or The New World. For now, only the basic rule book will be avaiable to test popularity. The GM will design campaigns, stories, and events within the given game world. Three other things required to play the basic game are plates. Plate #1 is circular and has the four points of the compass drawn on to indicate wind direction in sea battles. #2 is a plate denoting 45 degree angles for ship turning. #3 is a 10 cm long plate arcing 45 degrees and returning to the origin 10 cm away. This is the blunderbuss arc. A tape measurer or ruler (up to 100 cm) is strongly recommended to measure distance.

History

EOE III started in March 2002 out of the remnants of EOE and the failure of EOE II. I created some physreps to supplement the three ships that had survived from my childhood and began on a set of rules. My friends have all joined in to make EOE III the most enjoyable experience possible, and we have had some very hilarious times with it. It has spawned numerous inside jokes. As of May 2004, the game is based on a 90 page rule book and 10 subsidiary documents totalling over 100 pages, not including 85 pages of undiscovered adventures. Then there are many documents created simply to keep track of what is going on in the game world. There are some 20 player characters currently in the game, and hundreds of NPCs.

Modules  

EOE III is playable with the basic rule set, but in order to make the game much more diverse and interesting, various modules must be added on. These include The New World, The Savage Supply, Locations and Economics, Administrating Nations, Custom Shops, Items and NPCs, Plots and Adventures, and the Beastiary. These will be released when I see fit. 

Maps and Resources

Unfortunately the only thing I cannot communicate to the Lego community are Lego peices and my maps. The maps for EOE III are on bristol board and there are 8 of them. Thus, they are impossible to scan. I have posted some pictures on Brickshelf to give an idea of what ships should look like to correspond to the rules given. I will do this for towns, land units, characters, weapons, and buildings as time progresses. This game was designed around the Lego that I had, so expect some difficulty in using them with your own Lego. I am happy to discuss what I used as a physrep for any item in the game and help others build them so that they might experience my game at its best. As for the maps, I highly suggest you draw them out on bristol board, 17x22 squares, each about an inch squared. You may create your own lands to use the rules, or you may attempt to copy my game world based on a few maps I have available. Any element within the game that cannot be physreped can usually be role-played well enough. I will warn you now, you will need a LOT of Lego to make this game fully functional.

Future

Eventually this game will be consolidated into a single, base platform for universal use. The game will some day be converted into a full RPG that doesn't rely on Lego physreps.

Questions and Comments

Questions and comments should be directed to thedarkadmiral@hotmail.com.

Exploits of Empire copyright Ryan Moore, 2002-2004.