Top Secret (role-playing game)

Top Secret is an espionage-themed role-playing game written by Merle M. Rasmussen and first published in 1980 by TSR, Inc.^[1]

Top Secret (original edition)

The original version of Top Secret was designed by Merle M. Rasmussen,^[2] and allows players and gamemasters to build their own espionage story settings. The original boxed set of the game included a 64-page rule book and a sample adventure, "Operation: Sprechenhaltestelle". The game was developed over a period of two years by Rasmussen and TSR editor Allen Hammack.^[2] As part of the playtesting for the game, a note written on TSR stationery about a fictitious assassination plot brought the FBI to the offices of TSR Hobbies.^[1]

The Top Secret game is based exclusively on 10-sided dice. All character attributes and other statistics are percentiles; some scores are rolled, and some are derived from combinations of two or more other scores. Top Secret also features Areas of Knowledge, which function similarly to skills in more modern RPGs. Characters gain experience points and progress upward in level. The levels had relatively limited in-game effects (most significantly, gained experience points were divided by the character's level but the base mission pay was multiplied by the character's level).

Top Secret characters are employed in specific bureaus—Assassination (Killing), Confiscation (Theft), or Investigation (Research)—all in the structure of an unspecified espionage agency. Despite a character's primary vocation, he may be called on to perform any type of mission. The in-game effect of a character's bureau was a 100-point experience bonus for mission objectives which fall within that bureau as well as bonus mission pay for those actions specific to the chosen bureau. An appendix in the rule book lists dozens of historical and fictional espionage organizations which could serve as employers or adversaries for missions.^[2]

Original edition logo

An expansion to the game, The Top Secret Companion introduced enhancements to many game components. It included additional character classes and missions, as well as new Areas of Knowledge and abilities. A revised combat system was introduced that sped up and provided more variety to combat results. New equipment and weapons were introduced as well.^[3]

Supplements

Information supplements

• Administrator's Screen and Mini-Module. Corey Koebernick (1982). (Includes Operation: Executive One) ISBN 0-935696-79-2 (The agents must rescue the president, who is being held by a band of Canadian mercenaries in a haunted mansion).
• TS007 - Top Secret Companion. Merle Rasmussen (1985). ISBN 0-88038-102-7 (Expanded rules and new equipment).

Mission modules

• TS001 - Operation: Sprechenhaltestelle. Merle Rasmussen (1980). ISBN 0-935696-17-2 (German for "The place where speaking stops", this module details a town on the border between East and West [the exact location is never specified] where secrets and subterfuge are everywhere).
• TS002 - Operation: Rapidstrike!. Mike Carr (1982). ISBN 0-935696-57-1 (This module details a commando raid on an enemy complex to recover a kidnapped scientist).
• TS003 - Lady In Distress. Mike Carr (1982). (This module's plot involved agents parasailing to rescue a hijacked cruise ship. The module's ship plans were based on the MS Achille Lauro, which was seized by PLO terrorists in 1985 and resulted in the murder of one passenger.)
• TS004 - Operation: Fastpass. Philip Taterczynski (1983). ISBN 0-88038-011-X (This module details a defection at an international puzzle tournament being held behind the Iron Curtain).
• TS005 - Operation: Orient Express. David Cook. ISBN 0-88038-041-1 (This module contains a series of 6 adventures set on trains in Europe and rules for creating similar adventures).
• TS006 - Operation: Ace of Clubs. Merle Rasmussen (1984). ISBN 0-394-53464-6 (The agents investigate events at The Ace of Clubs, an exclusive resort and casino operated as a front by The Agency).
• TS008 - Operation: Seventh Seal. Evan Robinson (1985). ISBN 0-88038-134-5 (The agents have to deal with a nuclear threat by an organization that uses Tarot Cards as code names).

Modules published in Dragon magazine

• "The Missile Mission", Dragon no. 39. Mike Carr.
• "Doctor Yes: The Floating Island Mission", Dragon no. 48 (April 1981). Merle Rasmussen, James Thompson.
• "Mad Merc: The Alulu Island Mission", Dragon no. 56. Merle Rasmussen, James Thompson (1981).
• "Chinatown: The Jaded Temple", Dragon no. 62. Jerry Epperson (1982).
• "Wacko World", Dragon no. 79. Al Taylor. (The agents must investigate a theme park).
• "Whiteout", Dragon no. 87. Merle Rasmussen (1984). (Suspicious incidents at an Antarctic research station require the agents to go undercover to investigate).

Top Secret/S.I. edition

Top Secret/S.I.

In 1987, TSR published Top Secret/S.I. ("Special Intelligence"), a revised edition designed by Douglas Niles. S.I. introduced a more structured gaming environment in which players worked as agents for secret intelligence agency ORION against its evil adversary, WEB. Later source books in the product line introduce both supernatural (Agent 13) and futuristic (F.R.E.E.Lancers) adventure settings. These settings introduced several recurring characters such as Sebastian Cord and Agent 13.

Combat system

Top Secret/S.I. uses a fast, simple combat system based on percentages. With as little as a single die roll, a player can know not only if a character was hit, but what part of the body was hit and the extent of damage.

Based on a character's stats, skills, bonuses and penalties, the gamemaster (Administrator) gives that character a certain percentage chance of hitting a given target. The player then rolls percentile dice; a result that is equal to or lower than the to-hit percentage succeeds. The hit location is determined by the 'ones' digit of the same roll, and hand-to-hand combat damage is determined by the 'tens' digit. Weapon damage ignores the 'tens' of the first roll, and requires a second roll based on the weapon's characteristics.

Character sheets

Character sheets in Top Secret/S.I. resemble agent dossiers, and are intended to provide quick and easy reference to all a player's stats and skills. They also provide a detailed map of the ten possible hit spots of a character's body, and a blank portrait area for drawing or attaching a depiction of the character.

Supplements

Box sets

• Top Secret/S.I.. Douglas Niles, Warren Spector (1987). ISBN 0-88038-407-7
• High Stakes Gamble. Douglas Niles, Bob Kern (1988). ISBN 0-88038-545-6

Accessory books

G4 File cover

• TSAC1 - G4 File: Guns, Gadgets & Getaway Gear. Merle Rasmussen (1987). ISBN 0-88038-474-3
• TSAC2 - Agent 13 Source Book. Mark Acres (1988). ISBN 0-88038-478-6
• TSAC3 - Covert Operations Sourcebook. John Prados (1988). ISBN 0-88038-479-4
• TSAC4 - F.R.E.E. Lancers. Jeff Grubb (1988). ISBN 0-88038-565-0
• TSAC5 - Commando. David Cook (1988). ISBN 0-88038-594-4
• TSAC6 - Covert Operations Sourcebook Vol. 2. John Prados (1988). ISBN 0-88038-616-9
• TSAC7 - F.R.E.E. America. Scott Bowles (1989). ISBN 0-88038-725-4

Mission modules

• TS1 - Operation: Starfire. Tracy Hickman (1987). ISBN 0-88038-476-X
• TS2 - The Doomsday Drop. Tracy Hickman (1988). ISBN 0-88038-480-8
• TS3 - Orion Rising. (1988). ISBN 0-88038-575-8
• TS4 - Commando Brushfire Wars. ISBN 0-88038-708-4
• TSA1 - The Web. Caroline Spector (1990). ISBN 0-88038-820-X
• TSA2 - The Final Weapon. Ray Winninger (1990). ISBN 0-88038-855-2
• TSE1 - Web of Deceit. Bob Kern (1989). ISBN 0-88038-714-9
• TSE2 - Sting of the Spider. Bob Kern (1989). ISBN 0-88038-732-7
• TSE3 - Web Wars. Bob Kern (1989). ISBN 0-88038-765-3

Modules published in Dungeon magazine

• "Operation: Fire Sale", Dungeon no. 26. John Terra.

Solo Operations Casebooks

The Final Bug cover

• The Final Bug. Jean Blashfield (1988). ISBN 0-88038-553-7
• Foul Play at Fool's Summit. Troy Denning (1989). ISBN 0-88038-621-5 (Note: though this module has an ISBN, it was never actually released, as the Catacombs gamebook line was cancelled before its release.)

Novels

Five novels were published by TSR from various campaign settings from Top Secret/S.I. game.

• Agent 13: The Midnight Avenger #1: The Invisible Empire by Flint Dille and David Marconi. ISBN 0-88038-281-3
• Agent 13: The Midnight Avenger #2: The Serpentine Assassin Flint Dille and David Marconi. ISBN 0-88038-282-1
• Double Agent: Acolytes of Darkness/Web of Danger by Flint Dille and David Marconi/Aaron Allston ISBN 0-88038-550-2
• Double Agent: Royal Pain/The Hollow Earth Affair by Richard Merwin/Warren Spector ISBN 0-88038-551-0
• Double Agent: The Hard Sell/Glitch! by Richard Merwin/David Cook ISBN 0-88038-589-8
• F.R.E.E.Lancers by Mel Odom ISBN 0-7869-0113-6
• F.R.E.E.Fall by Mel Odom ISBN 0-7869-0493-3

Comics

Two graphic novels based on the Pulp era setting were published.

• Agent 13: The Midnight Avenger by Flint Dille, David Marconi, and Dan Spiegle ISBN 0-88038-581-2
• Agent 13: Acolytes of Darkness (loosely based on the novel)

Agent 13

TSR published eight issues of 13: Assassin comic that featured stories set in the Agent 13 campaign setting bringing the story to a more modern era (1990's). The first six issues had a back-up story set in the Top Secret/S.I. setting (ORION vs. WEB) which seemed to take place at the end of the agency's covert war. Each issue also contained a miniature game and some issues included character stats for the role-playing game.

Warhawks

Warhawks was a four issue comic/module series that took the Top Secret/S.I. game to a time traveling setting where characters derive powers from tattoos. The four issues featured character stats and served as a campaign book in addition to the comic book adventures.

Current status

The Top Secret brand ceased production in 1992. TSR was purchased by Wizards of the Coast in 1997, which in turn was purchased by Hasbro in 1999.

References

External links

• Modus-Operandi - The espionage role-playing game resource
• Top Secret Role Playing Game Facebook Group
• Top Secret Gaming Multigaming Side