Era for a Campaign.

[AcesAndEights]

I'm planning on running a campaign this summer and possibly one next semester. It will be my first time GMing a Star Wars game and what I'm wondering is if any era is easier to GM in than any others. Both of the games I am currently involved in are set in the New Republic era (approximately 10 years after the emperor's first death.) I kind of want to run my game in a different era just to give the players (some of whom will be from the other game.) some variety.

Any ideas?

[Gry Sarth]

Well, I'd say the New Republic is the easiest era to run a game. Because it's after the films, you have more liberty regarding galactic events. You can pick-and-choose what material from the EU you want to respect and what you want to discard. A few Jedi characters can pop up, but Force-users are generally limited.

However, you say you want to present something different for your players. The obvious alternative would be the Prequel Era, but I find that this is much harder, mainly because of the Jedi. Most players will probably want to play Jedi in that era, and I find that playing with lots of Jedi involved is much more difficult.

I would personally go with a Rebellion era game. It's a bit restrictive to play around the movies, but you can have a lot of fun with references and that sence of immediacy of that era.
_________________
"He's Gry Sarth, of course he has the stats for them."

[AcesAndEights]

My original idea was to place it either during the Rebellion Era or toward the end of the New Republic Era (think first contact with Vong.) I figured both would be fun and would be very different from our current game. I'm just worried that, because I'm still relatively unfamiliar with the source material, I won't be able to GM smoothly or me screwing up the continuity will make things less enjoyable.

[Ankhanu]

Really, the easiest era to run in is the one that your imagination runs most freely in; which appeals to your sense of interest. If you're interested in the era, you probably have a bit of understanding of what's going on in it and you can paint the best picture from its brush for your players.

[Gry Sarth]

If your players have deeper EU knowledge than you, then it would be better to run a game in the Rebellion era. This way you only have to worry about not contradicting the movies (and I hope you did see THOSE, right?).
_________________
"He's Gry Sarth, of course he has the stats for them."

[masque]

My preference is the Rebellion era, myself. Our current campaign is smuggler based, and takes place between ANH and ESB. Our base of operations is Nar Shaddaa, although we do a lot of operating in the Corporate Sector, until recently, when we went to the Corellia. It's a big galaxy, we only brush up against the movies when the GM decides to have some fun with verisimilitude.

As of yet, the only contact with movie continuity is that we sold the prosthetics technology to the Rebellion that'll later be used when Luke gets his hand replaced.
_________________
Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid.

[AcesAndEights]

Yes, Gry, I did see the movies. I'm not that out of it.

I'm pretty sure the majority of the group has great EU knowledge than I do. I'm thinking that I'm going to leave it in the New Rebellion era, toward the end. At least that way I won't have to deal with too many force users, I can play around with the Vong, and I have a general idea about the events that take place during the era. I figure I can't screw up too badly. Not to mention if I do screw up, I can always off the character of the person who calls me on it jk.

[Ankhanu]

I dunno, continuity with established canon isn't THAT important to a good game. If you make changes to timelines and such, so what? It's creative license. In the end, you're the GM, just make calls that make some sense and hopefully result in fun.

[Endwyn]

I'd go with the time frame of episodes 4-6. It's easy to stay within the movies and most of WEG's adventure material focuses on this era.

If you do decide to go with another era you will likely have lots of Jedi. If that's the case you should read through Tales of the Jedi Companion.
_________________
Luke, I am your father.
That's impossible!
And Leia is your sister!
That's improbable?
And the Empire will be destroyed by..EWOKS!
That's...highly unlikely.
The Force? Bacteria called midichlorians.
If you don’t take this seriously I'm out.

[Hellcat]

The TotJ Companion is great for Force powers (and keep in mind it does contrast with some other sourcebooks on dice in some of the powers), Sith powers, and some Sith artifacts. But unless you're planning on playing in that era it's probably not wise to be using it too heavily. It really helps to have atleast a basic knowledge of the TotJ era when playing in it. For instance, the Companion covers the original Knights of the Old Republic (not the computer game or the more recent comic, but the original comic which is also known as Tales of the Jedi) and The Freedon Nadd Uprising. Both of with occur before Exar Kun became the Dark Lord of the Sith, and long before the events of the first Knights of the Old Republic game.
_________________
FLUFFY for President!!!!

Wanted Poster

[garhkal]

[AcesAndEights]

Well, it has been decided. I will be running the game toward the end of the Clone Wars and around the time of Order 66. The starting year will be 19-20 BBY. I figure that since I'm familiar with the films and that their is a 15-20ish year gap between episode III & IV that I will have enough liberty to play around with. I will also be able to be very selective with force users.

As a side note, can any one tell the approximate time line for the creation of the Inquisitors and Executors? I know Vader started recruiting them shortly after the beginning of the Jedi Purge, but does anyone have a good idea of the approximate year?

[Endwyn]

Basically as soon as the purge started you had Jedi that hid and those that switched sides to survive. Although there are exceptions to that, that is what happened to the majority of the Jedi.
_________________
Luke, I am your father.
That's impossible!
And Leia is your sister!
That's improbable?
And the Empire will be destroyed by..EWOKS!
That's...highly unlikely.
The Force? Bacteria called midichlorians.
If you don’t take this seriously I'm out.

[AcesAndEights]

Good, that how I thought things happened based on what little I've read. I just wanted to make sure those two groups weren't like the Order of Justice and created at a different time.

Thanks to everyone who chimed in. It has been a big help.

[Ankhanu]