In a previous post I started a one-sheet (My previous post) for the Genesys Android setting. But since then the Judge Dredd RPG has come out and it has the following advice about doing a one-sheet:

‘THE ONE-SHEET

You should design a single-page summary of your setting for your players. Your “one-sheet” should provide short, pertinent details which are enough to convey the premise and any rules or materials in use. An eye-catching name and piece of art can round this off very quickly.

The one-sheet engages your players and provides them with enough, but not too much, information to start with. Try to include information on key setting information: where and when, technology (especially travel, transporters, communication, weaponry, robots), aliens and/or psionics. You should keep it to a single side of paper, and ensure that you have a copy for each player.

For a game set in Mega-City One the one-sheet should incorporate the information that the Player Characters would know. The date and timeline at that point should be set out, so the players will have some idea where they will be situated in the comic’s forty-year history.

For Judges information about local perps, colourful characters and crime blackspots would be necessary...”

It also goes on to talk about perps and citizens and suggest the info they might need.

While working on the prep for the D&D noob one shot based on the dungeon created by Matthew Colville (phew managed to work a mention of him into the post) I kept thinking I’d like something similar for other RPG’s like the Judge Dredd one.

I know there is the quick start adventure that is free, and is a good place to dip your toes into the world of being a Judge for free.

But I want something that can be used as a taster for noobs and also be used as the start of a campaign too. Assuming that the group will be playing as judges.

So after a lot of thinking, trying to get things straight in my head as to how things will work, and using the Full Eagle Day module from the Judge Dredd d20 system as inspiration I think I have something that will work. Although there is still some work to be done on it.

However I now have a one-sheet that sets up the noob one-shot. I will need to create some Judge characters that players can use if they don’t want to create their own.

The actual one-shot needs developing now. I have an idea what it will involve. After being allocated an examining judge, the rookies will be on patrol when they notice a vehicle driving erratically, swerving between cars. The judges will give pursuit. The driver will explain how his family is being held hostage by an ape gang. The judges then proceed to where the family is being held, and rescue the hostages.

That’s what I have so far. It’s working on the 4 or 5 encounters guidance. The chase is one, the capture and sentencing another (or does that still count as one). Then the rescue will be 3 more.

Here is the first draft of the one-shot I came up for playing judges.

Let me know what you think, how it can be improved in the comments below.