''Kafer Dawn'', subtitled "The Frontline of Mankind's Fight for Survival", is a supplement published by
Game Designers' Workshop (GDW) in 1987 for the
hard science fiction role-playing game ''
2300 AD
''2300 AD'', originally titled ''Traveller: 2300'', is a tabletop science fiction role-playing game created by Game Designers' Workshop (GDW) and first published in 1986.
Publication history
GDW created the popular science fiction role-playing ...
''.
Contents
''Kafer Dawn'' is set on the world of Aurore, a habitable moon of a
gas giant. Aurore is where humanity first encountered the alien invaders known as Kafers. Now the Kafers have infested Aurore's soil with a biological rot. The book contains four adventures:
# Waiting for the Cavalry
# On the Slopes of Mt. Phaeton
# Peace Quest
# Thunder Valley
Other story hooks are provided, as well as more information about the planetary system, Aurore and the Kafers.
Publication history
GDW published ''Traveller 2300'' in 1986, quickly retitled ''2300 AD'' to prevent confusion with GDW's previous
space opera
Space opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes space warfare, with use of melodramatic, risk-taking space adventures, relationships, and chivalric romance. Set mainly or entirely in outer space, it features technological and soci ...
role-playing game ''
Traveller
Traveler(s), traveller(s), The Traveler(s), or The Traveller(s) may refer to:
People Generic terms
*One engaged in travel
*Explorer, one who searches for the purpose of discovery of information or resources
*Nomad, a member of a community withou ...
''. The following year, GDW introduced a major plotline for the game, the "Kafer War", as humanity encounters an aggressive space-travelling alien species. The first adventure in this storyline was 1987's ''Kafer Dawn'', a 48-page softcover book written by
William H. Keith, Jr.
William H. Keith (born August 8, 1950) is an American author mainly contributing to military science fiction and military fiction and related game design, who writes also under several pen names, such as Ian Douglas, Robert Cain and H. Jay R ...
, with interior art by Dan Penosian and Steve Venters and cover art by Venters.
The information about the Kafers and Aurore was reprinted in the ''
Kafer Sourcebook'' (1987) and ''
Aurore Sourcebook'' (1987).
Reception
In Issue 145 of ''
Dragon
A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
'' (May 1989),
Jim Bambra thought this adventure was "the weakest of the Kafer War products", pointing out that all of the planetary information about Aurore and the Kafers had been reprinted in other supplements, leaving the four adventure scenarios as the only reason to purchase this product.
Other reviews
*''Tidewater Traveller Times'' Volume 1, Issue 2 (July 1987, p. 3)
Other recognition
A copy of ''Kafer Dawn'' is held in the
Merril Collection of Science Fiction, Speculation, and Fantasy at the
Toronto Public Library (call #RPG TRA KAF).
References
{{reflist
2300 AD supplements
Role-playing game supplements introduced in 1987