“Players looking for more action and adventure will be able to explore even more of the galaxy in upcoming Edge of the Empire supplements. Your campaign will grow with additional adventures. Upcoming books will further explore the game's setting, and players will gain more options for building and advancing their characters.”

It would be really great to see some sort of Mandalorian supplement in the future. Creating a Mando clan, learning the secret art of folding and forging Beskar armor, the fight against Death Watch vs. the Mandalorian Protectors, the darksaber, and upholding the old traditions would be so cool to explore!

It would be fun to create and pilot a Basilisk War Droid, take advantage of the outlaw tech at MandalMotors shipyards, or, as a Fett clone, search for a way to counteract the aging process of your biology. It would be exciting to roleplay the duality of the Mandalorian’s relationship with the Empire. On one hand, the Empire offers tons of mercenary work to the Mando’s paying top dollar (credit). On the other, the Empire strip-mines the planet Mandalore and its moons of all its precious Iron ore. Not to mention navigating through all the political upheaval after the civil war and fall of the Republic!

I’d love to create a demagogue type character all decked out in miss-matched armor—pieced together from fallen comrades’ armor—who fights for independence and isolation from the Empire and the galaxy at large.

Sounds cool I.M.O.

I dunno about a pure Mando supplement, at least as it concerns Edge of the Empire.

Maybe one detaling various mercenary companies, covering not only the various Mando groups active during the Dark Times and Rebellion Eras, but other groups such as the Ailon Nova Guard, Churhee's Rifleman, Mistryl Shadow Guard, and perhaps even the Sun Guards of Thyrsus.  It could even delve into the area of bounty hunting, both the freelance and guild-sponsored variety of hunters.

Personal opinion, but the less of Karen Traviss' overbearing glorification of the Mandolorians that sees print, the better off the franchise is.  I acknowledge that not everyone feels the same way, but that's how I see it, and I think on that point we can remain civil and just agree to disagree.

Donovan Morningfire said:

I would have to agree with all the points you made. I'm a huge Boba/Jango Fett fan, just not a Mando's Rulz!! fan.

There are lots of things FFG could work on before a Mandolorian-only supplement would be even a thought. Especially with the base setting of Edge. If I made my list of supplements in my desired printing order, the Mado Supplement might be around #80 on my list if at all. And yes, to echo what was already said, I'm just one person with a single opinion. If there is a huge outcry of fans for a Mando Manual I will step aside and quietly let my Clone Wars sourcebook be pushed back a couple more years.

I feel like there are good points on both sides.  Or perhaps I should say, I feel like there's some good to be had in Traviss' work, and I would prefer not to throw out the baby with the bathwater.  What Donovan says about "overglorification" rings very true for me.  I have a friend who loved those books and couldn't stop gushing about them.  I read them, and while I didn't hate them, I did feel like in her attempts to make us care about the Mandalorians, there was a disservice done to other groups (most specifically, the Jedi).  I also felt like the Mandalorians were sometimes presented as TOO superhuman (but then I take flak all the time because I don't think Jedi should be presented as the be-all, end-all unstoppable juggernauts of the Star Wars Galaxy, either, so maybe that's just a general prejudice I have against making any one thing too dominant within the fiction).

All of that being said, I did like the fact that she gave them a culture and a sense of comraderie.  I enjoyed the little bits of the Mando language thrown in, and I found the culture itself compelling in the same way the fictionalized version of Bushido found in some fantasy RPGs (Legend of the Five Rings is th one that springs most readily to mind) is compelling.  It was alien enough to seem unique, but familiar enough to not lose me entirely.

I don't know if it's deserving of it's own supplement, but I certainly think there was enough good stuff there to make a chapter of a book on mercenaries or something.

In general, I think we all recognize that the game supplements can't be micro-targeted.  I absolutely hate the entire "Legacy" era concept, but I wouldn't be opposed to them putting out a supplement for it (but if any of my players asked to use it, I can guarantee what answer they'd get…)

WildKnight said:

Everyone is certainly entitled to their own opinions, and that’s fine. I for one am a big fan of many of the Expanded Universe novels, especially considering the fact that between 1984 and 1998-ish we really didn’t have any Star Wars except for games, Tim Zahn’s trilogy and the WEG tablet-top to keep the franchise. So many friends, gaming guilds, cosplayers including myself have enjoyed fabricating costumes, discussing EU lore and supplementing our RP's with novel content.

That being said, I think what Traviss, Abel Peña, Kevin Anderson etc did for Mandalorian culture is what sets them apart from the other groups. It’s not about mercenaries and bounty hunting, it’s about a warrior race walking a gray line between honor and survival. Like the Klingons from Trek or the Krogan from Mass Effect. Other groups and organizations just don’t have the sheer amount of backstory. Wookie culture gets somewhat close, as do the Jensaarai to a degree, but there isn’t enough meat for a real foil to play off of in a soldier/warrior capacity (a la D&D Fighter meets Barbarian or Cap. America meets Thor) i.m.o.

And forget about Traviss and the EU, all one needs to do is looks at the cannon Clone Wars cartoons to see the rich depth of culture and strife Lucas Films has created for the Mandos. Planets ravaged by war, Duchess Satine trying to make amends with the Republic for aid and friendship after millennia of war with the Jedi, Death Watch returning to reclaim their warrior past… This holds on its own, independent of the EU or a mere “Bounty Hunters” supplement (though I’d personally love to see that, too!).

There are genuine role playing opportunities there. And EU fans shouldn’t be marginalized for enjoying a good read, just as someone who collects action figures and statuettes shouldn’t be. In the end, we all want more Star Wars and to feel the magic of arthurian legend that the original trilogy gave to us.

Locrious said:

I agree with you 100%, that was what I was getting at when I mentioned "micro-targeting."  Just because I dislike something doesn't mean it doesn't have a place in the RPG (but not necessarily at every table)

WildKnight said:

That’s fair. And it mirrors FFG’s original GenCon statement about “what it means to have a Star Wars RP”. They said they had asked people what Star Wars “meant to them” thematically, and that some said the “Han Solo vs Boba Fett” storyline was the most important. Others said “Alliance vs Empire” others “Jedi vs Sith” etc. If you want military tactics and large space battles, use these rules. If you want Force powers and don’t care about smuggling spice, use those rules. There should be a place for everybody at the RP table.   

I'm feeling my age, perhaps, but I sort of miss the pre-Lucasisms days, when Boba Fett was Boba Fett, there was no "Jango Fett", and the Mandalorians certainly didn't exist in this game's time setting, more than likely. Back then, Mandalorians were historical, and Boba Fett had no relation to them greater than he wore their style of light armor, both for the protective qualities, and for the fear people out in the boonies still experienced, as if through hereditary memory, of the Mandalorians coming along, and savaging their homes. There really shouldn't still be Mandalorians, and I was sad when that cartoon longer than the actual Clone Wars were, at this rate, or at least it will be, went along and introduced them, again, to this time frame. The last minute addition of the black lightsaber (it was going to be a relic vibrosword, I believe, before someone reminded the writer what lightsabers would do to such a weapon, and no one wanted to spend chunks of the episode explaining what cortosis, phrik, or Mandalorian Iron were, so it became a lightsaber. That said, I did have a dream that day of being a jetpack Mando-trooper, banking in the air, didging obstacles, and attacking foes with blaster fire, so maybe it isn't all bad.

As for a military/combat oriented book, that thought appeals to me. When they told me that EotE was Star Wars sans Jedi, I was immediately put off, and when it then revealed itself to be a bit more cloak and dagger, Scoundrel-type game, where you do more talking than shooting (maybe), and are more Han Solo like than career soldier trope, that made me a bit more leary, as that isn't Star Wars I was used to. As I kept reading the beta book, it started to seem interesting, and many of the errata improved it, though I haven't yet been able to persuade my friends to want to play it, but a more combat-oriented, soldiery/ace piloty game could definitely sell me better, while I wait the 2+ years for the Jedi stuff. I would be pleased, though, if they left the word Mandalorian out of it, though I believe the need to use the word will get the better of them.

venkelos said:

The old school “Man with No Name” archetype for Fett was very cool, and that probably added greatly to his mystic. But like all things Lucas, he felt the need to update. But let’s face it, the culture has been created and many people enjoy it. Shoot, some so much that they’ve even gotten married because of it. As SW fans it’s not for us to judge, rather to enjoy Lucas’ universe together.

 You’ll probably enjoy the “Age of Rebellion” book, then. That’ll probably have tactics, maybe some squad combat (both ground and ship based) maybe some rules for large scale skirmishes, maybe a battle-medic career (that would be cool!), tanks, walkers and e-web blasters… I’d LOVE to see rules for one of those “mini-e web” blaster cannons from that Old Republic trailer. Probably have to have at least a 5 Brawn to even carry it (or a battle harness a la Aliens style)!

Personally, I love the espionage aspect of EotE. Stealth games are always fun to play. Take the Metal Gear approach: you’ve done your job right, when the guards never even knew you were there. Other than that, when Force & Destiny comes out, I hope the game mechanics more resemble WFRP in terms of stances and stuff.

Well, I'm an avid fan of Karent Traviss' portrayal of the mando'a - she gave them depth that they sorely needed. Granted it can create friction when introducing the Jedi-critique, but I see that only as an alternate more … "normal", well critical, view of Jedi from you regular/critical joes and non-sensitives out there, both criminal and normal civilians with a sentients-rights and privacy policy orientation, where no one is above the law - even if the Jedi may not be, it can certainly seem that way in some eras. I know, I know. I'm not saying its the way it should be, not a fair way of portraying Jedi, but I find it interesting and enjoyable to read - adds depth basically. Its at least a better portrayal than the peaceful shiny Clone Wars mess up - the first mando story arc at least.

As for Mandalorian stuff, I've attempted a take on medium and heavy type beskar'gam armours in my supplement (links in signature). It basically around battle armour in strength, but with the cortosis quality too. Its a simple gesture really, but I've done it - although not tested it.

As for mandalmotors starships, I've made one - in the other supplement you can find by following the link in my signature - but I've been considering more, when the times is right.

I'm guessing that the suppliments we will see will be akin to what they do for the 40k line. For Mandolorians, that would be inclusion in a larger book, be it player's guide/options or "threats."