I was recently directed towards the "Crimson Skies" setting by a friend & fellow gamer and I really like the setting. I have always been a big fan of military planes and air combat. I remember playing the old "Chuck Yeager's Air Combat" PC game and I always had more fun with the WW-II props & .50 cals vs. the more modern jets with missiles.

When I started looking at the diverse and somewhat unorthadox plane designs the first thing that came to my mind was the Anime director/producer Hayao Miyazaki and the strange but fun aircraft designs seen in: "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Winds" & "Laputa: Castle in the Sky". The other thing the setting reminded me of was the 1991 movie "The Rocketeer" (without the jet pack of course!).

I know that there was an older board game which is "out of print" and I am in the process of getting the new WizKids CS Clix game, however does anyone know if there is an RPG (Pen&Paper) for this setting? I know there is a PC game and a soon to be X-Box game (unfortunately I have access to neither).

I asked that same question a day or two ago, and am informed that there is no RPG... it's just an aircraft combat game with a LOT of fluff and flavor. At least, as of the moment. This could change, though, as I am also informed that the original board game didn't have ground combat rules, either... so perhaps WizKids is headed somewhere with this.

I don't have the boardgame, though, nor have I ever read it, so I'm going on what I've been told. You can find out quite a bit, though, by simply typing CRIMSON SKIES into any search engine; FASA is out of business, but their Crimson Skies site is still up and running, weirdly enough, and has a lot of the background and fluff still posted. So does the Microsoft site, although they aren't really supporting the PC game any more.

You can still find the PC game if you're willing to hunt around at Gamestop, Babbage's, and other software outlets; I saw one at a Gamestop in San Antonio not a week ago. I highly recommend it, too -- it's a bit more arcade-shooter than flight-simulator, but it's loads of fun, and has a LOT more in it than just dogfighting... it's almost like an old Errol Flynn movie where you actually get to go out and participate in what's happening. Great stuff. Heck, you can still download a fully functional demo at the Microsoft Crimson Skies site, which includes the first couple of missions.

Don't know a thing about the X-Box game, though. Kind of surprised to hear that they're resurrecting a three-year-old game for their new platform... but I'm not complaining.

Try WWW.Zeppelinage.com There is an RPG in cs style in production it use the Guardions of the order Tri State system. It shoud be out in Fall:)

there a rea multitude of RPGs that can be easily adapted, all you need is the mechanics really, the setting is pretty well presented at www.crimsonskies.com

I recomend a homebrew d20, or Forbidden Kingdoms, the Alderac system used in 7th Seas would work well too as it allows cinematic style derring do

Well, there was no RPG for CS but there was quite a few supplement that came out for the game.

The best was "Behind the Crimson Veil". Which introduced advance aircraft designs and zep boarding. Which had a very basic ground combat system. And cost for buying, mantaining or upgrading your planes.

Next would "Wings Over Manhattan" a sorta nation source book for the Empire State. It included rule and specs for Autogryos and if you could get new some awsome city scape maps.

Then "Pride of the Republic" a nation book for the Rep. of Texas". Goes into even more gory details then Wings. And a must for Pro-Texans. Includes some more new planes and new manufactors.

The "Airman's Gaziteer" is one book I don't have, but I saw it and is next on my to get list. I goes into good detail on all the nations of America. Plus intoducts some more planes that are mentioned the other books, especially the Phantom. This might be a better book to get then Pride or Wings, but it is also harder to find.

"Blakes Aviation Security" is a sorce book for the company and has sort of a reputation campaign system for company pilots. This system based on how you do in air missions is used for income. Other than that there is some backgrond info.

Finally the "Aircraft Manual" intoduces 26 new aircraft and more info on the companies that designed them. While there really nothing more them it. It is one of my favorite for the number of planes it shows.

All the above books except "Aircraft Manual" include at least a dozen or two air combat scenrios. Oh and don't forget the Spicy Air Tales for more good stuff.

You can find most of these books on eBay for a decent price.

Now in the main boxset game I believe there is ways to improve your pilots by earning exp in combat. I believe it would be quite easy to add any RPG system to game.

-ape2020

i know i'm a little mono thematic, but waht about Porco Rosso?!

its planes are almost all CS but instead of Zepps we have hydroplanes.

I saw the site of someone who had made all the job of adapting Feng Shui RPG rules to the Crimson Skies Universe.
The result seemed really, REALLY cool ! Try "Feng Shui Crimson Skies" on any search engine and you should find it.