I am running an AoR Clone Wars campaign based on a personal non-canon storyline. The general premise is that Mace Windu is sent to investigate the Clone Army when Obi Wan uncovered its existence. In my opinion Mace Windu is more pragmatic and practical than Yoda ever would be, so the general idea is he properly reviewed the general orders and agreed they were all necessary, and came up with the idea of dedicating a unit to putting a stop to Dark Side force users.

So that's my custom canon setup - from there I intend to run a Clone Wars campaign that goes in a totally different direction from the series or movies. My intention is for the players to more aggressively hunt out Palpatine, uncover him and force him to switch to genuinely backing the CIS and ultimately turning it into a proto-Empire. During that time I intend for Clones to be something both sides will use, as a number of Kaminoans will be escorted off world by the CIS during their invasion, as I am a big fan of Clones being a scary concept where you don't know who you can trust.

So I am looking for Clone Wars encounter ideas - like session long adventures that I can run episodically like the Clone Wars TV series. I am going to run episodically and run it with a cast of characters with each core player making 2 characters, and a supplementary cast of guest players (my player group was bigger than I wanted running each week).

Currently my characters include:

Primary Cast

• Jedi Knight "Colonel" Not quite a general Jedi who is a little brash having been trained by Mace Windu and not really having nailed the whole "mindfulness of the Jedi" idea. He is actually considering his character development to be the Knight that goes back to be a Padawan as he trains his own.
• Clone Officer "Regs" - Squad leader who has a personal quest to hunt the Sith. Basically a specialist Clone training program that was low key preparing for Order 66.
• ARC Trooper - A Trooper from the original ARC program who was specially re-awoken for the task of hunting Jedi, and he is something of an Anarchist. Has a codiefied code of honor, probably going to become Mandalorian.
• Clone Trooper - Dorf - A short brawny Clone who isn't good at shooting but is smart and Strong. He can punch and use bombs.

Secondary Cast

• Jedi Padawan - Very Ashoka style Pantoran who sees flaws in the Jedi Order, possibly due to her Master being kind of an idiot - the above Jedi Knight.
• Clone Pilot - He gets people in, he gets them out.
• Melee Assassin Droid - Designed to counter a Dark Side Force User, or at least hired to.
• Ranged Assassin Droid - The players decided that at one point they just want to send a dedicated kill team. He is a smart cunning Marksman.
• Senatorial Representative - An Advocate who specialises in negoitation and complex treaty negotiation.

The players have submitted the following themes they want to see:

CAMPAIGN THEMES

• Jedi being feared by regular people
• Seeking out Traitors within our Cause
• Abuses of Authority
• In Depth Legal Disputes
• Base Building / Force Composition / Star Destroyer Customisation
• Identity and Sense of Self
• Explosives

Any contributions appreciated. 😀

On 9/12/2019 at 4:07 AM, Spartancfos said:

Primary Cast

• Jedi Knight "Colonel" Not quite a general Jedi who is a little brash having been trained by Mace Windu and not really having nailed the whole "mindfulness of the Jedi" idea. He is actually considering his character development to be the Knight that goes back to be a Padawan as he trains his own.

Personal gripe, but I understand the reason. Just because Samuel Mother F'in Jackson played Mace Windu, doesn't actually mean he was a "brash" Jedi. His actual screen time in the films conveys a pretty chill dude, just like all the other Jedi presented in the prequels. Again, I know, everyone just sees Samuel Mother F'in Jackson in EVERY role he plays, but the reality is that Jedi isn't any more prone to saber a guy in the knee for saying "what?" too many times, as any of the others.

1 hour ago, KungFuFerret said:

Personal gripe, but I understand the reason. Just because Samuel Mother F'in Jackson played Mace Windu, doesn't actually mean he was a "brash" Jedi. His actual screen time in the films conveys a pretty chill dude, just like all the other Jedi presented in the prequels. Again, I know, everyone just sees Samuel Mother F'in Jackson in EVERY role he plays, but the reality is that Jedi isn't any more prone to saber a guy in the knee for saying "what?" too many times, as any of the others.

A fair gripe, and it is a personal interpretation of Mace Windu - I would however defend my argument by suggesting that attempting to arrest a possible Sith Lord Chancellor of the Republic by force was brash.

His taking direct action against Palpatine whilst Yoda took philosophical action (preparing for a future revival) is the definitive moment for Mace Windu's actions. He is still a chill dude, because he is a Jedi. I also have a soft spot for the old Canon idea that Mace's purple lightsaber is due to it being a cross between Red and Blue.

13 minutes ago, Spartancfos said:

A fair gripe, and it is a personal interpretation of Mace Windu - I would however defend my argument by suggesting that attempting to arrest a possible Sith Lord Chancellor of the Republic by force was brash.

His taking direct action against Palpatine whilst Yoda took philosophical action (preparing for a future revival) is the definitive moment for Mace Windu's actions. He is still a chill dude, because he is a Jedi. I also have a soft spot for the old Canon idea that Mace's purple lightsaber is due to it being a cross between Red and Blue.

Except Yoda went in later, the very same film, to stop/arrest Palps, by himself, punk-smashing 2 guards with a handwave, and then proceeding to fight him. I mean, Mace brought friends Yoda went in solo. So if we're calling that "brash", Yoda wins in that category. And the purple saber is because SMFJ wanted purple, that's all I get that fans insist everything be canon, and have a reason, but that's really all there is.

I'm not criticizing you by the way, this is just a bit of the franchise that amuses me, the way the fans have conflated it so hugely.

OT: I like the overall idea, though I'm at a loss of giving advice on the things your players want to see, other than to say "go watch This or That" for ideas. I mean those are some pretty broad story elements, so the internet is stuffed with material for you to yoink ideas from.

Abuses of Authority? Watch Police Drama films and tv shows for ideas. Half of the plots of those shows, revolve around whether or not the police are already corrupt, or are fighting against the temptation of corruption. The Shield would be a really dark, DARK example of "abuses of authority" to steal from. If you're just going for the "complete jackholes" route, as opposed to "the blurry line between right/wrong". House of Cards would be a good political show to watch for ideas on "abuses of authority" from the governmental side, not the police side

In depth legal disputes? Watch Law and Order, and other legal related tv shows/films, for ideas. House of Cards is also probably a decent source for legal disputes as well, though I've never seen the show so this is a guess, simply based on the broad subject of the show.

Identity of Sense and Self? Um, not really sure what you mean here? I'm guessing mystical, navelgazing kind of stuff? Probably need to hit the independent film circuit for that kind of content.

Explosions? Well, I mean just throw a dart at a wall of action films for the last 40 years and you'll do just fine

I think that it makes the most sense for Mace Windu's lightsaber to be representative of his borderline style (Vaapad is described as blending the dark and the light). Just because there wasn't really a reason for it originally doesn't mean it can't have an IU reason.

hmmm.. could be interesting for Mother Talzin to send a night sister to help.. especially if this is after Dooku slaughtered the sisters... one of the sisters who were off planet at the time..

On 9/13/2019 at 7:11 PM, P-47 Thunderbolt said:

I think that it makes the most sense for Mace Windu's lightsaber to be representative of his borderline style (Vaapad is described as blending the dark and the light). Just because there wasn't really a reason for it originally doesn't mean it can't have an IU reason.

It's weird how in-universe and real-world reasons for things can sometimes go into a feedback loop.

Because the saber is purple for no other reason than that SLJ wanted a unique looking colour.

Other writers later figured, hey, purple is kinda like red, Mace must be kinda close to the dark side, let's give him a super-agressive lightsaber style in the EU (none of the styles existed in the movies at the time).

Which is now turning back into "hey, maybe he's saber is turning purple because of his Vaapad style".

On 9/15/2019 at 4:48 PM, micheldebruyn said:

Other writers later figured, hey, purple is kinda like red, Mace must be kinda close to the dark side, let's give him a super-agressive lightsaber style in the EU (none of the styles existed in the movies at the time).

I mean in Paint you get Purple by mixing Red and Blue. I don't think its true for light, but it makes sense.

On 9/13/2019 at 5:24 PM, KungFuFerret said:

Except Yoda went in later, the very same film, to stop/arrest Palps, by himself, punk-smashing 2 guards with a handwave, and then proceeding to fight him. I mean, Mace brought friends Yoda went in solo. So if we're calling that "brash", Yoda wins in that category. And the purple saber is because SMFJ wanted purple, that's all I get that fans insist everything be canon, and have a reason, but that's really all there is.

I would argue timing it important. Yoda only acts when it is too late. My whole premise is that IMO Yoda ****** up the Clone Wars Era (as did George Lucas, but that's another debate). Yoda was focused on the Jedi maintaining a purity of soul and weathering the storm, while the Sith outmanoeuvred, trapped and assaulted them. This led to the defeat of the Jedi, which Yoda planned for.

Arguably Mace should have contacted and brought Yoda, but he didn't know he was facing a Sith.

My setting creates an alternative scenario where Palpatine can be confronted early, resulting in him no longer controlling both sides of the conflict, and the Clone Wars become a genuine conflict which each side is genuinely trying and capable of winning.

Thanks for the suggestions - there are some solid ideas I didn't think about - House of Cards is a great idea!

How do you prevent Palpatine from just triggering Order 66 as soon as he's found out, or as soon as he's reasonably certian he's going to be found out?

And Mace should have been fine. He's a better fighter than Yoda, and he took three Jedi Masters with him as backup.

49 minutes ago, micheldebruyn said:

How do you prevent Palpatine from just triggering Order 66 as soon as he's found out, or as soon as he's reasonably certian he's going to be found out?

And Mace should have been fine. He's a better fighter than Yoda, and he took three Jedi Masters with him as backup.

When Windu takes control of the military he properly reviews the full training program the clones went through, and reviewed the General Orders. Which he is also gradually reforming, and bringing the Grand Army of the Republic under the Jedi. Basically in my setting Windu see's the GAR as an opportunity to reform the Jedi into a more active body, one that can perhaps counter the republic's worst tenancies.

5 hours ago, Spartancfos said:

I would argue timing it important. Yoda only acts when it is too late. My whole premise is that IMO Yoda ****** up the Clone Wars Era (as did George Lucas, but that's another debate). Yoda was focused on the Jedi maintaining a purity of soul and weathering the storm, while the Sith outmanoeuvred, trapped and assaulted them. This led to the defeat of the Jedi, which Yoda planned for.

Arguably Mace should have contacted and brought Yoda, but he didn't know he was facing a Sith.

My setting creates an alternative scenario where Palpatine can be confronted early, resulting in him no longer controlling both sides of the conflict, and the Clone Wars become a genuine conflict which each side is genuinely trying and capable of winning.

Thanks for the suggestions - there are some solid ideas I didn't think about - House of Cards is a great idea!

I think you veered away from my point a bit. I was just commenting that Mace isn't a thuggish as you implied, simply because he showed up to arrest the Senator. If it's true as you say, and he didn't know he was a Sith, then his "bad*****ness" is lessened, because why wouldn't he think he could handle a Senator? I was just stating that if "showing up to arrest someone, thinking you are enough power to do so" is a sign of being a "brash jedi", then Yoda is just as bad as Mace. Because he did the same thing as Mace, in the same movie. Mace brought friends mind you, which is far less gangsta than Yoda's solo attempt, after already knowing he was a Sith.

My point has nothing to do with your alternate setting, do what you want with that, and have fun. I was just mostly joking around about our cultural perception of Mace, and how much of it is based on the actor's persona, and not the actual character's behavior. We SEE Samuel Mother Effing Jackson, so we immediately associate his Pulp Fiction character, and tons of others, into that character's mentality and personality, when the reality is, Mace was a pretty chill dude. If you just look at what he did, and remove the Samuel Mother Effing Jackson tented glasses.