Agents of S.W.I.N.G

Agents of S.W.I.N.G. has been a good guide to the ways of the FATE RPG. Having been a gamer for more of my life than not being one I've studied many different RPG systems. Some of them are very calculated, extremely logical and some even very realistic (GURPS, I'm looking in your direction). So trying to wrap one's head around the FATE system can be difficult at first. There is a degree of unlearning that has to be done. The best way to do this is to actually play the game. When one isn't able to do that you read the rulebook and seek out the online communities. Fortunately, the FATE fanbase has some particularly helpful contributors out there.

When it comes to the rulebook (FATE books tend to be large for some reason and this one is no exception), Agents of S.W.I.N.G. is very good in that it has a plethora of examples. One whole chapter is dedicated to NPCs that illustrate various ways characters could be made and Aspects that could be assigned. These NPCs are also a lot of fun, they're all characters from the movies, shows, books, and comics that inspired Agents of S.W.I.N.G. Some of the characters are pretty obvious- just barely changed, the serial numbers thinly filed off, many where not so obvious to me.

On the RPG Geeks database, some very astute geeks have made the effort to compiled a list of which NPCs are based on who:

• Aunty = Mother (The Avengers)
• Andrew Bowie = Bodie - full name William Andrew Philip Bodie (The Professionals)
• Cobalt = Saphhire (Sapphire and Steel)
• Ryan Colt = Richard Barrett or Craig Stirling (The Champions)
• Jay MacCready = Joe McClaine (Joe 90)
• Tracy McCloud = Sharron Macready (The Champions)
• Johnny Free = Danny Wilde? (The Persuaders!)
• Baron Drew St John = Lord Brett Sinclair (The Persuaders!)
• John Kerrigan = Jack Regan (The Sweeney)
• Gordon Cooper = George Carter? (The Sweeney)
• Jackson Queen = Jason King (Department S and Jason King)
• Iron = Steel (Sapphire and Steel)
• Marybelle Horst = Annabelle Hurst (Department S)
• Darling = Purdy (The New Avengers)
• Mick Trick = Mike Gambit (The New Avengers)
• Richard Foyle = Doyle (The Professionals)
• John Swan = John Drake (Danger Man)
• Agent Zero, John Chain = James Bond
• The Angel, Jack Chevalier = Simon Templar (The Saint)
• Agent Crimson Saul Metford = Captain Scarlet (Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons)
• Number 8 = Number 6 (The Prisoner)
• Joanna Pare = Emma Peel (The Avengers)
• Zara Prince = Tara King (The Avengers)
• The Professor = Doctor Who (the 3rd Doctor)
• James Ryde = John Steed (The Avengers)
• Doctor David Stern = Doctor David Keel (The Avengers)