I have had a “Strontium Dog” game idea sat in my drafts for years, and this is my first proper pass at turning it into something I could actually run.
The starting references for this concept are the Strontium Dog pages on 2000 AD, a basic Live action role-playing game overview, some filmsim context, one laser-tag LARP example, and Doghouse background notes on British Comics Fandom.
For anyone new to the term, I use Live Action Role Play (L(A)RP) as my preferred form here on RCG. If that phrasing is unfamiliar, I explain the terminology in my glossary.
Why Strontium Dog works as a L(A)RP frame
The strongest hook, in my view, is that the source material is naturally episodic. Bounty hunters pick up contracts from the Doghouse, run the job, deal with fallout, then move to the next case. That maps cleanly to event design.
Instead of trying to build one huge campaign at the start, I can structure it as:
- briefings at the Doghouse
- one contract per event (or per chapter of an event)
- payout, consequences and faction movement between events
That gives me repeatability without making every session feel identical.
Three format options worth prototyping
I think there are at least three viable ways to run this concept.
1) Filmsim-leaning narrative weekend
This version would focus on atmosphere, costume, briefing scenes and tightly managed missions. Combat exists, but tone and character interaction carry most of the game.
2) Mission-focused action game
This would lean harder into short run-outs, tactical teams and objective play, closer to a light-touch laser-tag or airsoft rhythm (subject to venue and safety).
3) Hybrid campaign model
A social hub phase at the Doghouse, followed by mission instances. This is probably my preferred option because it allows both character drama and clear objective play.
Core design pillars I would set early
Before writing plot, I would lock these decisions first:
- Mutation design: narrative flavour only, or mechanical effects with limits
- Contract economy: how credits, gear access and reputation are tracked
- Case structure: how many branches each mission can support before prep explodes
- Safety framework: player briefings, prop standards, and combat boundaries
- Tone guardrails: gritty comic sci-fi, but still playable and fair at table
If these are not stable, everything else becomes rework.
Practical first step
If I were starting this now, I would write one “pilot contract” and run it with a small test group. Keep it deliberately narrow: one target, one location profile, one twist, one extraction decision. Then measure what actually worked.
I still like this idea a lot. The setting has style, the structure suits episodic play, and the mutation angle gives character design space that many other themes do not.