I'm putting together a 10 Episode Age of Rebellion game for my play group. The PC's will be part of a Wraith Squadron-type unit (fight pilots with commando talents), but I've having some trouble figuring out some story elements.

I'm thinking of using the Jewel of Yavin Adventure mod as Episodes 6-7-8, then what either (or both) of the PC's commanding officers (the commander of the unit, and their flight leader) to turn on the PC's, destroy the ship they've been using as a base, steal the Jewel and leave the PC's for dead, and then Episode 10 will involve the PC's getting revenge and killing the traitors - I may use the learn to play adventure as template for that one.

What I need help with is coming up a compelling way to tie those ending events together. Originally I wanted the traitors to be Imperial spy's but I may just have them want out of the war and he/they see the Jewel as a way to retire. But I can't figure out a reason why the Rebel Alliance would want the Jewel in the first place, or what a good a substitute for the Jewel in that adventure would be.

If people are interested I'd be happy to share more info on the structure of the ten Episodes, NPC info I have already, some mission ideas I have etc.... I could use some help coming up with 2-3 more "Wraith Squadron" missions to send the PC's on before I get to the Jewel of Yavin story line.

I recall a graphic novel where the valuable artefact was actually a data crystal disguised as an art object.

Maybe its to exchange for intel or even as part of a deal the imperial wasn't going to keep as he hired the theft to hide the truth after all what better way to escape being blamed if its actually stolen before the theft they arranged took place?

Now if your PCs are posing as his red herring we could have a game worthy of an episode of Leverage¡

1) Theyre not stealing it they're swapping the fake for the original without the imperial realising¡

2) In return for thwarting the imperial they get to track down his hidden assets he now has to sell to cover his debts... some of this are military, they and the rebellion need badly¡

3) Now knowing what you've done to him theyre trying to turn the tables on your PCs...

Can they escape the trap he's set and leave him to face his reckoning?

How on earth are you able to plan out what episodes 6-7-8 will be when you haven't started playing?

In my game I'm able to plan the events for roughly the next 2-3 sessions, and even then the players usually spring some surprises on me, or we spend longer on one section or less on another section and things end up moving around.

This kind of game does lend itself to more self contained, "episodic" adventures. This is how I have structured so far - some Episodes are still missing

Ep 1 - Character Creation, and a "Scramble" mission where they have to take 4-5 waves of TIE fighters and a squadron of Bombers attacking their home base ship. My group doesn't have a lot of experience with space combat yet, so I think this is a pretty important place to start

Ep 2 - They are on a mission to capture an Imperial supply ship but get bad intel and its a prisoner transport. Once they deal with the figher escort and disable the ship, they land and save Ackbar/Mon Mothma (haven't decided yet) and escape.

Ep3 - The events of Ep 2 get them moved into the Black Ops Wraith Squad - their first mission is to clear out the security fights on a R&D base and steal the prototype A-Wing fighter

Ep 4 - Not sure

Ep 5 - I'm thinking maybe have to save Han from a bounty hunter - they disable his ship, he crash lands. They have to find where the bounty hunter is hiding, save Han, then get themselves and the Falcon away from the Imperial's who have since been alerted to them.

Ep 6 - Ep 8 - the 3 episodes of Jewel of Yavin.

Ep 9 - 1 or 2 of their superiors turn traitor because of the Jewel (as I said, trying to figure out that motivation), the PC's have to survive a surprise attack.

Ep 10 - Probably adapt this from the Age of Rebellion starter adventure - they attack the traitors base - and end up killing him in start fighter combat.

Sure an Episode might go long or something, but I can know whats coming.

The owner of the jewel is an imperial and is selling it to fund a new r and d project. The rebels want the gem stolen just to prevent that but if players can gather details or even plans of said project would equal an added bonus. The traitors decide to take the gem and data and sell off not only them but the team's identities as well as the original thieves. They could sell it off to the zany or black sun or perhaps a rival imperial who just wants to stick it to his rival. The selling out of the team can make sense since they think the team is dead the players couldn't contradict the story plus may give the players a non combative way to resolve a mission by simply showing up with proof the traitors are the real culprits. Just my thought on how to motivate.

This kind of game does lend itself to more self contained, "episodic" adventures. This is how I have structured so far - some Episodes are still missing

Ep 1 - Character Creation, and a "Scramble" mission where they have to take 4-5 waves of TIE fighters and a squadron of Bombers attacking their home base ship. My group doesn't have a lot of experience with space combat yet, so I think this is a pretty important place to start

...

Decent initial outline, but I've got some suggestions you may want to consider:

• You might want to start at an advanced level. 75 xp should be sufficient. Require the players to take a "pilot" spec of whatever kind they wish, and a secondary spec that fits that of a special mission team. That will make things run just a tad smoother and be a little easier to plan for as this will allow the players the flexibility to be more then just pilots.
• Instead of a scramble, have the first adventure be either a flight school/boot camp type adventure, or have them do a "special mission team selection." The reason is because I think you'll want a safe "throw away" space encounter or two to break you in where you won't have to worry about accidentally killing the players, putting them up against 4 or 5 waves of TIEs would probably end in freeze dried player. You could do that in a simulator (tossing in a few other craft to help demo how different maneuvers work against different opponents) and have the bomber intercept be an actual scramble. Have the two broken up by a more conventional encounter, perhaps a ground training op, or some compedative prank thing against other teams going through the training/selection.

i never liked the idea of a Commando unit also being part of a squadron. Even in the height of WWII, Marine Air Pilots never did any ground pounding.

i never liked the idea of a Commando unit also being part of a squadron. Even in the height of WWII, Marine Air Pilots never did any ground pounding.

This is because training pilots is so expensive and time consuming its not cost effective to risk them in ground combat.

So doing it in star wars is kinda up to how hard and expensive you think spaceflight should be. Though its worth noting that if a bunch of backwater teens can cruise around in jets like they were dirt bikes it can't be that hard. Heck the hardest part of spaceflight seems to be hyperspace, and most fighter craft leave that to droids. Add in VTOL capability, and spacecraft so tough a couple nights partially submerged in a swamp is easily repaired in the field and the commando squadron is a bit more viable... Still expensive though...