Early Classics Era Set Overview: By Mike M

[LWPD]

What follows is the Early Classics Set 'preamble'/overview provided by author and esteemed board member Mike M. I'll start off by saying that if there's any CotG writer/Board Member who deserves a Hall of Fame title next to his name...it would be Mike. Not only did he labor to produce this excellent write up for no other reason than the good of this community...but he did so with no less than a real world marriage on his plate. To say he is a credit to this board would be an understatment...so I'll leave it at a public thank you.

I encourage those who come across this piece to not only use it as a personal reference...but to also be generous with 'guiding those curious' about the EC game editions toward Mike's presentation. It is the best guide to the Early Classics era that exists.

[LWPD]

Credit Mike M

Early Classics Preamble

I’ve been playing Champions of the Galaxy since Invasion II was released (that’s Invasion 2089 for you newcomers). I always wondered what happened in the pre-2087 years, and I was excited when Tom started releasing the Classics series. Getting to see Omega in his prime and Star Warrior as a rookie was facinating. Even after four of these “prequels” to the GWF story, I wanted more. What was DragonFighter like before he was attacked by the Society of Death? Did any other wrestlers from the P.O.W. come to the GWF? Why was there such a changeover in the roster in 2087? These were some of the many questions that I attempted to answer in GWF: Early Classics of the 2070’s and 2080’s.

It’s hard to fit over thirteen years of history into one booklet. After all, Tom dedicates a manual to each game year. As a result, I’ve had to gloss over certain events that Promoters might want more detail on…..
This booklet is written from the perspective of a GWF historian. It attempts to seperate myth from the story. But just like no one really knows if Babe Ruth really called his shot in the ‘32 World Series, we may never know exactly what happened, or something may be contradicted in the future.

From the Early Classics of the 2070’s and 2080’s Handbook

Early Classics was really a continuity project. There were many ‘loose ends’ and even a few potentially contradictory statements in the early GWF history. As a fan of Tom’s work armed with a desire to see it ‘completed’, I set out to develop a series of characters that fit in with what Tom had already created. I didn’t want to invent the next Monolith- if a wrestler of that significance had been in the early GWF, we would have heard all about him. Instead, I set out to create a number of solid, complimentary wrestlers who were interesting and would enhance the back stories of the key players without overshadowing them. From a talent standpoint, I was looking for some undercard-level competitors, some middle-of-the-road types and a few guys who were good enough to be Hall-of-Famers if things went just right. I figured that the latter category would be like the baseball players who made the Hall of Fame through the old Veteran’s Committee. I focused on adding a number of tag teams to the mix, since I felt that wrestlers who concentrated in that area would be the most realistically ‘overlooked’- and Tom had really left the tag ranks under-developed. Perhaps these wrestlers didn’t get the media attention that others (like Omega, Morpheus, Sam and Mangus) received, but they were worthy of consideration nonetheless. I also wanted to show the progression of several of the stars of the game. It always bothered me that Omega went from THE man of the GWF straight to total bum. I also wanted to give more depth to key events and the characters motivations.

[LWPD]

Wrestler Profiles

Blood
(6’ 3", 244 lbs.; Albiero)
Card Years: EC 2074
Years in GWF: 2074-2086
Official Tag Team Partner(s): Jammer (Defiance), Grogan
Main Rival(s): Mensans, Ricken Prince, Wind Riders
Other Rival(s): Screw, Omega, Hechilles
Finisher(s): SCAR TISSUE- with his opponent lying face-down on the mat, Blood applies a full nelson hold and then rubs the opponents face on the canvas, which is very painful and usually leads to a submission.

Blood was one of my favorite characters to create. I loved the concept of the underground POW, and watched to create a wrestler that epitomized that era. Blood was the result. His body is covered in scars, and he doesn’t feel the need to engage in polite conversation- he calls ‘em like he sees ‘em. Although he was tremendously popular in the POW, his unkempt appearance and sometimes vulgar style didn’t translate well to the GWF fans. In this case ‘Holovid Killed the POW star’ or something like that.

While he was broken down after his rough-and-tumble POW days, he still managed to compete in the GWF for over a decade. He formed a long-standing tag team with Jammer (Defiance) and also teamed up with a young Mighty Grogan for a short time. He also starred in some memorable feuds, most notably against the Mensans.

Blood is a great example of a good, solid character in EC. If I’d been working from scratch, he’d have been given a better singles card for at least part of his career. As it is, he fit in well as a tag wrestler, and didn’t upset the competitive balance in singles.


Caiman
(6’4", 283 lbs.; Mangrove 25, Vega)
Card Years: EC 2078
Years in GWF: 2078-2085
Official Tag Team Partner(s): Hechilles
Main Rival(s): Hechilles
Other Rival(s): Defiance, K.O. Keller, Titans,
Finisher(s): HANDICAPPER- a press slam into a backbreaker

Pete Beck’s “Kings of the Swamp” were the inspiration for another wrestler from Mangrove 25. During the Invasion series, Tom created a number of aliens, and all were evil (with the exception of the Ani-Men). I thought that it would be good to have a talented singles wrestler who was a step below Omega and Morpheus. I also wanted someone to epitomize the “friendly rivalry” era, and I used Caiman and Hechilles to accomplish this.

Caiman’s career seems to have gone just like I planned in most feds. He’s near the top of the card, but isn’t re-writing the record books. People also seem to have trouble relating to him, which is exactly what I was looking to achieve with this reptilian with the eerie smile.

Cordsar
(5’ 9", 215 lbs.; Mensa)
Card Years: EC 2074
Years in GWF: 2074-2080
Official Tag Team Partner(s): Trotarus (Mensans)
Main Rival(s): Defiance, Titans
Other Rival(s): Crosscurrents, Martians
Finisher(s): MENSAN LOCK- Cordsar applies a scissors to the opponent’s chest, reaches back and pulls one of the opponent’s legs over his shoulder (modified single leg crab). Due to Cordsar’s reliance on quickness to execute the move, the finisher rating is adjusted by adding his opponent’s agility rating to it. It can range from (0) to (+4). Example- if Cordsar is wrestling Cosmos 2076, then the MENSAN LOCK is a (+1) finisher (Cosmos has -1 agility).

Cordsar is small, but a very tough individual. This toughness coupled with some raw talent combined for a competitor who could have been an underdog hero in the GWF. Unfortunately, he was a whining, complaining jerk. He was a tag specialist and was very close the quiet Trotarus and annoyed virtually everyone else.

I wanted to create a wrestler with long-term ties to Cordanus that might explain why the future President of the UFSP wanted to get into the wrestling business so badly. He’s clearly a relative of Cordanus, but it’s only rumored that he’s Cordanus’ father. I could picture Cordsar sitting down at a family gathering, and entertaining his relatives with stories of his GWF glory. Of course, he would mention his perceived slight at the hands of Morpheus and Omega. Perhaps the young Cordanus wouldn’t want to believe ill of the heroes he saw on the holovids. When Cordanus’ own career went down in flames (as the masked Tyranny), he decided to get revenge for himself and for his family.

Cosmos
2076 (6’1", 225 lbs.; Maffei II)
2083 (6’3", 245 lbs.; Maffei II)
Card Years: EC 2076, 2079, EC 2083, 2087
Years in GWF: 2076-present
Official Tag Team Partner(s): Star Warrior (GameMasters)
Main Rival(s): Polarity, Estorians
Other Rival(s): Star Warrior, Omega, Defiance
Finisher(s): THE MASTERDROP- a falling elbow drop
THE MASTERLOCK- a figure four leglock

Everyone knows Cosmos as Mr. Evil Incarnate, Thantos. We also got a glipse of the reformed Cosmos after Omega had taken him under his wing in 2079. I decided to take a look at a youthful Cosmos in 2076, who was angry, reckless, and prone to mistakes. I also felt that the 2079 GameMasters team was seriously overmatched against the top tag teams from the EC period, so I took the opportunity to upgrade their cards while also foreshadowing Cosmos’ future path. His refusal to tag out on occasion was a game mechanic that I utilized to this effect.


DragonFighter
(6’0", 239 lbs.; Titan, Saturn)
Card Years: EC 2085, 2087
Years in GWF: 2074-2086
Official Tag Team Partner(s): Lord Nexus
Main Rival(s): Krakan, Ghengis Khan, Mutant
Other Rival(s): Mutant
Finisher(s): Titan Drop- a Samoan drop

DragonFighter was probably the most called for card that Tom never did from the Classics period. There wasn’t a lot to add to this character, since we got to know him well after he got rid of the Pit Viper persona and became DragonMaster. However, I thought that people would want to see the younger version of the star, and also set the table for his eventual defection to Darkos’ Masked Assassins. Ultimately, Dragon was eventually able to overcome his demons and complete what became a Hall of Fame career as the wrestler that he set out to become.

Hechilles
(6’ 5", 275 lbs.; Omicron)
Card Years: EC 2078
Years in GWF: 2078-2087
Official Tag Team Partner(s): Caiman
Main Rival(s): Caiman
Other Rival(s): Defiance, K.O. Keller, Titans,
Finisher(s): THE END- a belly-to-belly suplex into a brainbuster

Hechilles was the character that I held the highest hopes for when I created him. I wanted a superstar (note the +4 finisher rating) whose career was completely encompassed by the Classics period. I wanted him to be ‘home-grown’, but gone by the time 2087 rolled around. He also couldn’t be a pushover because I needed a rival for Omega later in his career that was worthy.

Hechilles is a great wrestler, with an underdeveloped personality. I view him as very similar to Euritar- great results without a lot of flash. I asked the question in the EC booklet, and I’ll ask it again here. Who knows what might have been if Hechilles had chosen to stay in 2087?

[LWPD]

Jammer
(6’ 1", 233 lbs.; Albiero)
Card Years: EC 2074
Years in GWF: 2074-2076, 2077-2084
Official Tag Team Partner(s): Blood (Defiance)
Main Rival(s): Mensans, Ricken Prince, Wind Riders
Other Rival(s): Screw, Omega, Hechilles
Finisher(s): BAD NIGHT- a cobra clutch

Jammer was a solid wrestler who wound up a little better in singles than I intended. His partnership with Blood made them legendary- the Defiance tag team is what they will ultimately be remembered for. Jammer’s comeback from knee injury in 2077 was a testament to his toughness and love of wrestling- a lesser man would have called it a career. It earned him respect from his fellow wrestlers and from the fans (to a lesser degree). While Blood was brash and outspoken, Jammer was quite, ready to unleash his cold fury on anyone who stood in the way of Defiance.

Jammer was slightly more successful in singles competition than I intended, probably due to the double zero finisher. Despite that, he fit my image as a great tag team wrestler who could have been a singles star in another era.

K.O. Keller
(5’11", 228 lbs.; Parts Unknown)
Card Years: EC 2074, 2084
Years in GWF: 2074-2085
Official Tag Team Partner(s): Lord Nexus (Teamwork)
Main Rival(s): Torin Caelum
Other Rival(s): Krakan, Montrol, anyone
Finisher(s):

I’m sure that Keller will be covered in the Classics 2084 set, but I had to give him a ‘prime’ card since his 2084 card was specifically listed as being his ‘over-the-hill’ card. His EC card allowed him to compete with Torin, Omega and Morpheus for the GWF Title.

Moonstrike
(6’1", 238 lbs.; Titan, Saturn)
Card Years: EC 2074
Years in GWF: 2074-2083
Official Tag Team Partner(s): Solar Flare (Paladin Power)
Main Rival(s): Crosscurrents, Wind Riders
Other Rival(s): Dorado Sundown, Mensans
Finisher(s): PALADIN DROP- a top rope elbow to the throat

Moonstrike was one of my favorite wrestlers. His style was exciting without being out of control. He was intense, but not viewed as crazy as Blood. He was a member of the elite Paladins, guardians of Titan. He participated in the Galactic Wars in defense of his home planet. After his service to Titan, he joined the POW and teamed up with Solar Flare in tag team competition. Paladin Power were tough guys who the fans could relate to a little more than their POW brethren- and being from Titan didn’t hurt their popularity on Deimos- a tradition that continues even today. Moonstrike had all of the athletic gifts, and his willingness to wrestle singles or tag gave him versatility and made him a multiple-time GWF Heavyweight and Tag Team Champion in many feds.

Morpheus
(6’ 3 ½”, 286 lbs.; Aldebaran)
Card Years: 2079, EC 2082
Years in GWF: 2074-2085, 2096-2117
Official Tag Team Partner(s): Omega (The Guardians)
Main Rival(s): Omega, Dorado Sundown
Other Rival(s): Grogan
Finisher(s): TRIP TO HADES- a powerslam after propelling himself off the ropes

I wanted to give Morpheus a good reason to leave the GWF and come back 10 years later with a chip on his shoulder. He wasn’t evil. Instead, his complex rivalry/partnership with Omega left him with bitter feelings towards his friend and fellow visionary. He felt his in-ring work and conditioning suffered as he spent more time on the road scouting. In fact, he was right.

Omega
(6’ 1", 268 lbs.; Cetus)
Card Years: 2079, EC 2084, 2087
Years in GWF: 2074- 2109, 2112- present
Official Tag Team Partner(s): Morpheus (The Guardians)
Main Rival(s): Morpheus, Dorado Sundown
Other Rival(s): Hechilles
Finisher(s): TOMAHAWK THRUST- a karate chop to the lower jaw

Everyone thinks that they know Omega. While I believe that there’s more to his story that has been told, I thought that it was important to portray his struggle with Morpheus as one of opposing viewpoints rather than about right and wrong- we’ve all seen how some of Omega’s decisions in the 2080’s were questionable (see Bloodline for a prime example).
I was always bothered by how bad Omega’s card was from the original set. I also didn’t like the fact that we went straight from his 2079 card to that one. His EC game card was designed to bridge the gap and show the aging superstar’s decline.

Rama
(5’ 11", 238 lbs.; Deimos, Mars)
Card Years: EC 2076
Years in GWF: 2076-2087
Official Tag Team Partner(s): Tano (Wind Riders)
Main Rival(s): Paladin Power, Cross Currents
Other Rival(s): Mensans, Defiance
Finisher(s): DEIMOS DRIVER- a double brainbuster. In singles matches, this is a +1 move

I wondered why no one from Deimos made it into the GWF. Since it is the home of the GWF, I figured that at least someone must have been inspired to make it in the business. Enter the Wind Riders. They were a nice, high-energy tag team that appealed to the fans in the early GWF. They took on virtually every tag team in the business before hanging it up in the tumultuous year of 2087.


Ricken Prince
(6’ 6", 284 lbs.; Parts Unknown)
Card Years: EC 2074
Years in GWF: 2074-2081
Official Tag Team Partner(s): Screw (Rock Solid), Mimic (Imperial Alliance)
Main Rival(s): Screw
Other Rival(s): Defiance, KO Keller, Torin Caelum, Santon
Finisher(s): ROYAL DECREE- a reverse neckbreaker
BOW TO THE PRINCE- a low blow

Ricken Prince is my favorite EC character. I actually thought of his finisher first, and build a character around that one move. I thought that BOW TO THE PRINCE was the perfect move for someone from the POW, and Ricken showed a complete lack of remorse in using it. Could that with a long-standing rivalry with the monster Screw, and you have a recipe for a fun character.

[LWPD]

Screw
(6’ 5", 345 lbs.; Parts Unknown)
Card Years: EC 2074
Years in GWF: 2074-2079
Official Tag Team Partner(s): Ricken Prince (Rock Solid)
Main Rival(s): Ricken Prince
Other Rival(s): Defiance, KO Keller, Torin Caelum, Santon
Finisher(s): FREAKISH FACE SLAM- a full nelson face-first sit-out driver

Screw is clearly the star of the EC set. He’s a character who Kris and Jeff created in Genesis. I spoke to Kris about the importance of continuity between the two AU projects we were working on and asked if he had a character that he thought would fit the early GWF. He gave me Screw and I ran with it. I think that the ‘silent but violent one’ was a perfect fit, and it seems like most promoters agree. He is clearly the signature wrestler of the AU line, and Werner’s artwork was fantastic.

Silvar
(6’ 2", 253 lbs.; Aurigae)
Card Years: EC 2077
Years in GWF: 2077-2084
Official Tag Team Partner(s): Mimic
Main Rival(s): Cosmos, Vice
Other Rival(s): K.O. Keller, Grogan, Mimic, Wind Riders
Finisher(s): TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER- Silvar drops to his knees as he delivers this classic move

In one review of EC, someone said that Silvar was included for the express purpose of being fed to Vice and put in a coma. That’s not true, but it is on the right track. I needed enhancement talent in the GWF. Silvar was that man. He won’t make the HOF, but he probably boosted a number of people into it himself.

Solar Flare
(5’10", 234 lbs.; Titan, Saturn)
Card Years: EC 2074
Years in the GWF: 2074-2083
Official Tag Team Partner(s): Moonstrike (Paladin Power)
Main Rival(s): Crosscurrents, Wind Riders
Other Rival(s): Dorado Sundown, Mensans
Finisher(s): PALADIN MISSILE- a top rope headbutt.

Solar Flare’s the one character that I’d like a do-over on in EC. My initial plan for this character called for a high-risk finisher like the LEAP OF DOOM. Then Tom released the Payback character, who’s finisher mechanic was exactly the one that I had chosen for Solar Flare. Since I didn’t want to duplicate Tom’s work, I changed the finisher to be +2 on even rolls and a miss on others, but I wish I could go back and change that.

Even with the weaker finisher, his achievement as part of Paladin Power might get him into the HOF. Couple that with their introduction of the “P.O.W. rules” match (which later was renamed the Titan Death Match) and you get an influential tag wrestler right on the cusp of immortality.

Star Warrior
(6’ 2 ½”, 240 lbs.; Cetus)
Card Years: 2079, EC 2083, SB-2103, 2087
Years in the GWF: 2079-2109, 2112-2114
Official Tag Team Partner(s): Cosmos (The GameMasters)
Main Rival(s): Polarity, Estorians
Other Rival(s): Thantos, Defiance
Finisher(s): NOVA LAUNCH- flying splash off turnbuckle
ENDGAME- The original version of the Gamemasters’ finisher was Star Warrior executing the Nova Launch while Thantos applied the Masterlock

Star Warrior’s EC card was the pinnacle of his tag team career. He idolized Cosmos like a big brother, and even took on some of his less than ideal traits. Even so, the GameMasters were probably the best thing going in the tag scene during the mid 2080’s. Their break-up is still THE cataclysmic event in GWF history.

Tano
(6’0", 249 lbs.; Deimos, Mars)
Card Years: EC 2076
Years in the GWF: 2076-2087
Official Tag Team Partner(s): Rama (Wind Riders)
Main Rival(s): Paladin Power, Cross Currents
Other Rival(s): Mensans, Defiance
Finisher(s): DEIMOS DRIVER- a double brainbuster. In singles matches, this is a +1 move

Tano’s the other half of the home-town team from Deimos. Like Rama, his singles career was forgettable at best, but their teamwork made them a very respectable tag team that won the tag titles for many promoters. They may have been physically overmatched by most of their opponents, but their high energy and hard work allowed them to triumph over some of the all-time greats.

Trotarus
(6’ 5", 266 lbs.; Mensa)
Card Years: EC 2074
Years in the GWF: 2074-2080
Official Tag Team Partner(s): Cordsar (Mensans)
Main Rival(s): Defiance, Titans
Other Rival(s): Crosscurrents, Wind Riders
Finisher(s): MENSAN LOCK- Trotarus applies a scissors to the opponent’s chest, reaches back and pulls one of the opponent’s legs over his shoulder (modified single leg crab). Due to Trotarus’ reliance on power to execute the move, the finisher rating is adjusted by adding his opponent’s power rating to it. It can range from (0) to (+4). Example- if Trotarus is wrestling Screw, then the MENSAN LOCK is a (0) finisher (Screw has -4 power).

Trotarus would have been much more liked if he had better taste in friends. But that friendship was strong enough that he stayed silent even when Cordsar’s words reflected badly on both of them. Even so, the Mensans were a tough team that had their share of success. In some ways, I wish that I had done more with them, but a rivalry with Defiance is still a strong legacy.

[JMello]

I must say, the Early Classics Edition is amazing and Mike did an outstanding job. I'm currently in 2079 and with the exception of Screw, no characters he's made have held the Galaxian Title. Also, the fact tag-teams were overshadowed works teriffically in my fed, as the "star" rating in those matches always seems a bit lower then my singles. I think his goal was accomplished, as if you look at my votes for HoF on the era, Screw and Paladin Power were the only new characters from Mike I voted in. A great complimentary addition to the GWF universe and I'm happy because my fed will have a full history, if ever I get caught up.