This is an oldie, but I feel the need to share it again:
It was well over a decade ago (more like getting close to two decades now). I had read Rifts from cover to cover and was psyched to run it. My game group at the time was similarly excited. At this point in our gaming lives, we were pretty well versed in the Palladium MDC system. We had been playing a regular Robotech campaign for at least 2 years. So, we were familiar with how things worked. We weren't total n00bz. Everyone found characters they liked the idea of. The group ended up consisting of a 'Borg, a Horned Dragon Hatchling, a Wilderness Scout, a Glitter Boy, and a Juicer.
I decided the characters were on their way to a town to rest and relax. They were also looking for work. In Rifts, the towns have "adventurer-friendly" sections on the outskirts called "Malls" where unruly travellers can do business without disrupting the town itself.
The PCs first decided to go get something to eat. The Glitter Boy player declined and sat in his power armor sucking nutrient paste through the straw provided to the pilot. Somehow some argument started up with the locals. I think it was because of the dragon, but it ended up involving everyone.
Gunplay began. The Wilderness Scout decided to draw some fire so the others could do something. Then he was struck by a MD pistol blast.
Me: "You take 6 MD."
Scout: "Uhmmm... Mega Damage?"
Me: "Yeah. Mark it off your armor."
Scout: "Ahhhh... I don't have any armor."
Me:"... You drew fire to yourself in a MD gunfight and you don't even have any armor?"
Scout: "Uhhhhh...."
The Wilderness Scout's death rallied the other PCs and they slaughtered all the foes. The Juicer (who was starting to become team leader) was particularly motivated by this and decided to attack the town guard when they showed up. The other PCs, in a brilliant show of idiocy, followed suit.
The battle with the town guard went badly for the PCs. Finally the Juicer was vaporized, and I thought things could maybe get back on track. But the Glitter Boy, who had been silently and peacefully drinking nutrient paste until now, had other plans.
Glitter Boy: "They were doing pretty good against the guards. I shoot that mech that killed the Juicer."
And the battle escalated. The Glitter Boy assumed leadership of the party and declared they were going to conquer the city. Let me tell you, a Glitter Boy supported by a Borg and a Dragon can do a lot of damage.
My adventure ruined, and feeling spiteful, I came to the semi-logical conclusion the town had called for help, and, conveniently, there was a Coalition force nearby. The Glitter Boy and the Borg heard radio chatter which indicated incoming CS troops. This made the GB pilot even happier.
First, a recon group of 2 SAMAS and a Sky Cycle flew in. The Borg and Dragon teamed up and commandeered the Sky Cycle. I didn't know it at the time, but it turns out they were planning ahead. Meanwhile the GB pilot started blasting the hell out of the SAMASes and utilizing the Destroid guerrilla tactics we had developed in our Robotech campaign. But, missing the support of the Borg and Dragon, he kept on asking them to quit messing around with the Sky Cycle and come back to help him.
All during this, the PCs were hearing indications more forces were on the way. The Borg and Dragon revealed their plan and decided to bug out. The Borg revved the Sky Cycle and flew away. The Dragon simply teleported. This left the Glitter Boy all alone and very pissed with an entire SAMAS squadron inbound.
The end of the session (and the campaign) consisted of the Glitter Boy racing through the city, causing massive property damage and killing civilians while battling the SAMAS which were after him. He was doing extremely well until the Death's Head Transport came along to drop off some Enforcer mechs. After that, he went into a building to hide. The CS troops saturated the area with missiles and did a few thousand points of MD to his Glitter Boy. Needless to say, he died.
By the end of the adventure, I was pretty irked. I had all kinds of visions of how cool Rifts would be to run, and, in the end, it had turned out like a dysfunctional D&D adventure where the PCs go to Hommlet and try to kill all the inhabitants. Of course, the players had different perceptions.
Players: "Damn! That was f***ing cool! Are we going to play next week?"
Wilderness Scout: "I'm going to play a Crazy next time."
Juicer: "I think I'll play a Cyber Knight, but I'll ignore this knightly code stuff because its stupid."
Glitter Boy: "I might play a mage next week."
Borg: "Can I find someone to do repairs to my armor and new Sky Cycle?"
Dragon: "I want a railgun."
Me: ...
Tags: Palladium Rifts
