#RPG Kingsman for Agents of SWING

Sooner or later a new version of SWING more compatible with the new version of FATE will be Kickstarted. In the meantime…

Kingsman for Agents of SWING

This is based on the film, rather than the related comic, as honestly this is one instance in which the film really is better.

Kingsman’s concept operates very much like that of SWING in the game, a third-party, private espionage organisation trying to stop great powers from kicking off a new world war and also operating against massive threats, outside the laws and treaties that – theoretically – bind other espionage agencies.

Their sheer access to money (old and new), contacts and the ‘Old Boy Network’ of the British establishment and banking system gives them truly global reach which, when combined with their massively high standards and cut-throat training regimen makes them a small, but formidable force.

Failed candidates for ‘Knight’ positions seem to fill other roles within Kingsman’s organisation such as guards and support staff on a global basis (satellite offices are mentioned). So there is scope for playing characters who are not ‘Knights’. Merlin appears to be the head of the tech/support staff and training program but there’s certainly scope for others and given the success of Roxy (albeit in a minority) there’s no reason to think there aren’t plenty of women at work in the organisation – no matter what their codename.

Possible Arthurian Codenames

• Arthur (Head of Kingsman)
• Guinevere (Support – Medical?)
• Merlin (Head of Support – Technical)
• Morgana (Support – Personnel?)
• Taliesin (Support – broker/deal maker?)

 

• Agolvale (Knight)
• Agravain (Knight)
• Bagdemagus (Knight)
• Bedivere (Knight)
• Bercilak (Knight)
• Bors (Knight)
• Bruenor (Knight)
• Cador (Knight)
• Calogrenant (Knight)
• Caradoc (Knight)
• Claudin (Knight)
• Dagonet (Knight)
• Daniel (Knight)
• Dinadan (Knight)
• Ector (Knight)
• Elyan (Knight)
• Erec (Knight)
• Esclabor (Knight)
• Feirefiz (Knight)
• Gaheris (Knight)
• Galahad (Knight)
• Galehault (Knight)
• Galeschin (Knight)
• Gareth (Knight)
• Gawain (Knight)
• Geraint (Knight)
• Gingalain (Knight)
• Griflet (Knight)
• Hector (Knight)
• Hoel (Knight)
• Kay (Knight)
• Lamorak (Knight)
• Lancelot (Knight)
• Lanval (Knight)
• Leodegrance (Knight)
• Lincoln (Knight)
• Lionel (Knight)
• Lucan (Knight)
• Maleagant (Knight)
• Mordred (Knight)
• Morholt (Knight)
• Morien (Knight)
• Owain (Knight)
• Palamedes (Knight)
• Pelleas (Knight)
• Pellinore (Knight)
• Percival (Knight)
• Safir (Knight)
• Sagramore (Knight)
• Segwarides (Knight)
• Tor (Knight)
• Tristan (Knight)
• Urien (Knight)

Characters

Unlike SWING characters, Kingsmen are cut from similar cloth and have a similar degree of competence.

Kingsman characters must spend at least the following points in the following Skills.

Athletics 1
Drive 1
Fists 2
Guns 2
Endurance 1
Resolve 1
Resources 1
Weaponry 1

Leaving 10 points for further customisation.

Gadgets

Similarly, gadgets are also standard issue in a way they are not for SWING.

Umbrella: The reinforced and gadget-packed umbrella makes for a good close-combat weapon. Its hook gives it the aspect ‘Entangling’ and as a close combat weapon it does +1 damage. The umbrella itself projects onto itself what is behind it, so you can take cover behind it. When taking cover the umbrella provides +2 Armour to the agent behind it, but they cannot move as they must brace the umbrella for it to be effective. The shaft of the umbrella also houses a number of bullets which can be fired with lethal force (+2) or non-lethal force (+1, and confer a ‘dazed’ aspect if they hit).

Sovereign Ring: The sovereign ring holds a powerful electric charge, good for one solid punch doing +2 damage and conveyed the ‘shocked’ aspect.

Kingsman Pistol: The Kingsman pistol is a custom-modified firearm with an underslung single-shot, shotgun barrel – reloaded by break action. The pistol does +2 damage, while the shotgun, with a standard shot, does +2 damage and has the aspect ‘spread shot’. It imposes a -1 penalty to hit, however, due to its short barrel. Specialist shotgun rounds are available, but not detailed in the film. Presumably these would include:

1. Standard Shot.
2. Solid shot (+3 damage, no spread aspect).
3. Incendiary (+1 damage, confers aspect ‘on fire’ and 1 stress damage per turn.
4. High Explosive (+4 damage with an area explosion).
5. Armour Piercing (+2 damage, ignore up to 2 points of armour).
6. Rock Salt (+0 damage, confers ‘in pain’ aspect).

Bulletproof Suit: The bulletproof, double-breasted suit confers two points of armour, but only against bullets and impact weapons.

Blade Shoes: With these a kick attack can be made doing +1 damage. On the following turn the target suffers a damaging poison attack with a potency of +8. The oil on the blade is only good for a single attack and the damage is not ongoing.

AR Spectacles: The AR spectacles can take pictures, provide an augmented overlay (+1 to Alertness rolls) and provide a live feed back to HQ. As standard, everything is recorded.

Watch: The Kingsman watch, as well as being a £5,000 top of the range watch can fire a number of amnesia darts (potency +8, forget the last hour) or a single shock/bola dart which does +0 damage, has the aspect ‘entangling’ and confers the aspect ‘shocked’ if it hits and does damage.

Poison Pen: The ink from the pen can be used as a powerful, ongoing poison. Normally harmless, it can be activated by the pen (if within a few metres range) after which it is a Potency +4 poison with ongoing effect.

Lighter: The Kingsman lighter (gold, naturally) can be used as a single-shot flamethrower (+2, confers the ‘on fire’ aspect and 1 damage every turn, or as a grenade. Doing +5 damage with an area explosion.

Review: Kingsman – The Secret Service (Film)

TL;DR – This is a brilliant spy movie pastiche of the old school (pre-Dalton). It is a delightful mix of nods to various spy films – most especially Bond – but also a nod to the gentleman spy genre on a meta-level. I’ll try not to spoiler things too much, but if you’re a fan of the surreality, gadgets and sense of fun of the old Bonds (or Our Man Flint) this is a film you have to see. At the same time its a film with more depth and nuance than a lot of older films, with commentary to make about class, moral grey areas, Malthusianism. It’s also presented in a much more modern style, with some of the viciousness and dirty humour of Kick Ass, as well as a modern sensibility to the fight scenes. All the better.

Introduction

Did you grow up liking spy films? Bond’s the obvious choice, but there were plenty of others. Still, Bond looms large over the whole espionage genre and the Napoleon Solos, Flints and later examples don’t hold a candle to him.

I loved Bond. Maybe it was the gadgets, maybe it was the cars, maybe it was his way with the ladies (maybe it was just the way they’d swoon and say ‘Oh James’, the name we share. One must also consider the fact that he was British, in a sea of American heroes. Whatever it was, I was hooked. Connery, of course, was the best Bond but the films I loved the best were, perhaps, two of the most camp ones. You Only Live Twice and The Spy Who Loved Me.

I even liked Moonraker.

The new Bond is definitely an improvement on the – sadly poorly done – later Brosnan Bonds, but while the deadliness and sociopathy harks back to Connery’s early stint the cheekiness and sheer, hell-for-leather enjoyment has been missing.

These things move in cycles and perhaps Kingsman represents a push back to the more joyful, over-the-top enjoyment that has been missing.

The Story

I don’t want to give too much away as this is an early review (the film was only released today). However, I think a certain amount of synopsis should be alright.

The film revolves around the relationship between ‘Eggsy’, a young lad growing up on a grim London council estate and Harry Hart, a member of the Kingsmen. Eggsy’s father was a prospect to join the Kingsman organisation who was killed saving Hart on his graduation mission.

Wracked with guilt over what happened, Hart presents his widow – and young son (Eggsy) with a medal and the promise of a favour in the future.

Things don’t go well with Eggsy and his mum, they end up beholden to an estate thug and Eggsy grows up poor and borderline delinquent, washing out of the Marines and generally having no prospects until things go badly enough that he calls in the favour his family is owed and ends up being taken into The Kingsmen – who recently lost another member.

The film takes on three strands. Eggsy’s training and competition to become a Kingsman, the plans of the supervillain (played by Samuel L Jackson) and the efforts of the Kingsmen to uncover that scheme – largely headed up by Hart.

This results in an inevitable climax at the villain’s secret lair, but without much consideration for a sequel, the film is freely able to ‘go large’ and Eggsy is able to earn his stripes, and a fine prize to boot.

The Presentation

This is a slick film, presented in a refreshingly clear style that allows you to see and appreciate what is going on. The story is fairly simple, playing to existing tropes and ideas and it does’t spend needless time explaining them. This may seem shallow and predictable – and many of the story beats are predictable – but something doesn’t need to be that sophisticated in order to be fun.

The film also has fun undermining and playing around with the tropes and uses the common language of the genre to convey a slightly more subversive twist. Where Bond is establishment, Eggsy is ‘common’, though his chief critics for his low status all get satisfying comeuppances.

The villain’s mission isn’t, actually, evil. [SPOILER] Concerned by global warming, his idea is one that has been proposed before in relation to overpopulation and famine – cutting down the human population. While he is, no doubt, a pretty evil man all told, it’s hard to argue with the logic.

Some of the class issues are a nod to the fact that despite his status as gentleman spy, Bond was often played by lower class people. Connery came from a very poor background, Lazenby too. Moore had something of a more privileged background, at least in terms of education, but despite playing many gentlemanly roles, he was from a middle class background at best. Dalton was the only one really to have a relatively privileged upbringing so making the ‘playing at gentleman’ more explicit is a nod and a wink to the Bond films on a more… meta level.

The fight scenes are fantastic, brutal and balletic. Pub, church, base. All wonderful and Colin Firth as an action star is a surprise and a delight unparalleled since Liam Neeson started growling into telephones. I hope he does more.

Also, blades are cool. Despite Oscar Pistorious.

The Score
Style: 5 (While it misses a few beats here and there and the final conflict runs out of steam it’s not enough to dock a point).
Substance: 3 (You don’t need to know much, but I’m a stickler for backstory and the hints here and there weren’t enough).
Overall: 4 (Go out and see this film immediately.

Now I need to buy a suit…