‍Please note that this article incorporates details from the new movie “Section 31” on Paramount+ into your roleplaying game. What you read below will contain spoilers. We encourage you to stop reading if you want to be surprised by the events of the film.

The film “Star Trek: Section 31” is a comedic action romp set in the Star Trek Universe, weaving a tale in the vein of heist movies such as “The Italian Job” and “Oceans 11.” I’ve shared several heist campaigns on StartPlaying Games with congruent themes, using systems such as Star Trek Adventures and Dungeons & Dragons. I have a few tips to pass on to you, intrepid reader, to tell a story like this film and others. Gamemaster styles can vary widely from skilled GM to the next, so feel free to incorporate what you think will work for you (and pass on whatever you think will not). That said, let’s… engage.

‍

Synopsis of the Film

In "Section 31," you tag along with a quirky bunch of skilled rogue operatives who, by some twist of fate, are thrown together for a mission given by the shadowy Section 31. Their mission? Steal a super-secret gadget that can mess with the multiverse itself. The crew dives headfirst into a whirlwind of secrets, betrayals, and outright danger, hopping from one wild world to the next and facing off against deadly foes both without and within. Packed with thrilling action scenes and tons of humor, this film brings a fresh, hilarious twist to the heist genre.

“Section 31” focuses on Emperor Philippa Georgiou played by the incomparable Michelle Yeoh. Originally introduced in “Star Trek: Discovery,” Georgiou became a fan favorite overnight with her willingness to ignore all conventions and even any sense of common morality to accomplish her aims, something you’d expect from the ruler of the Terran Empire in Star Trek’s Mirror Universe (she doesn’t have a goatee though - huge disappointment). Georgiou is an inspiring leader, a skilled combatant, and determined to see a mission through. Teaming with her are:

• Alok Sahar (played by Omari Hardwick), the appointed leader by Section 31 who masterminded the operation.
• Quasi (Sam Richardson), a shapeshifter more comfortable piloting a ship than interacting with others.
• Zeph (Robert Kazinsky), a simple-minded human more war machine than man
• Rachel Garrett (Kacey Rohl), a minder appointed by Starfleet to ensure people aren’t murdered
• Fuzz (Sven Ruygrok), a microscopic soon-to-be-dad and emotionally unstable alien in a robotic suit.
• Melle (Humberley Gonzalez), a Deltan spy not above using her people’s mind-twisting pheromones to alter the behavior of a mark.

Understanding something of the plot and heist cast crew will make running a similar game easier for gamemasters, as we explore common themes of a heist campaign.

‍

What is a “Heist” Story?

A heist tale is common is literature and film – so common, there are certain touchstones most who consume the media would expect. Delivering on the tropes will help the story make sense for your players, and it will deliver joy to your players as the core themes are revealed and explored.

The MacGuffin. The heist centers upon an item, commonly referred to as a “MacGuffin,” that must be acquired by means unsavory. Acquiring it should be exceedingly difficult, requiring several challenges across multiple settings. In “Star Trek: Section 31,” the MacGuffin could end the lives of billions, but MacGuffins don’t need to be so world-shattering to work for your story. Encourage players to create characters with strong motivations to acquire the MacGuffin, motivations that go beyond money. Money, while certainly a factor that can be present, falls flat for protagonist character building (it’s great for villains though). Ideally, this would be incorporated into your Session 0.

A Diverse Cast of Ne’er-Do-Wells. Once each player has developed character motivations for heist participation, players should spend significant time in the Session 0 carving out character roles. A central theme of heist tales is each heist crew member is very skilled in a unique way from other members. This is often is why player characters are asked to come onboard with the heist in Session 1 of an RPG campaign. This consideration should come before any other consideration of character-building as it guides the entire process (even above ideas such as “character class”). There are numerous roles possible. I often direct my players to https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CaperCrew , which details several possibilities. In “Section 31,” the roles for each character would be:

• Emperor Georgiou – Mastermind
• Alok – Partner-in-Crime
• Quasi – Driver
• Zeph – Muscle
• Garrett – Backer (and Wild Card later in the film)
• Fuzz – Hacker
• Melle – Distraction

When forming your heist crew, it is okay for players to have more than one role if other critical ones are untaken. The story will still proceed enjoyably though, even if every role isn’t claimed, so long as the characters are entertaining to learn about and interact with.

Character Interactions. Strong and positive character interactions should take center stage in your heist campaign. Whether engaging in witty banter, discussing a plan, or sharing heartfelt moments, uplifting character interaction is the meat of any good heist tale. Players should take care to nurture positive relationships between all characters, even when they don’t always agree. Character interactions often include moments of empathy, mutual respect, and a lot of humor. This should be fully encouraged by the gamemaster. Most of the runtime of “Section 31” is committed to these interactions, and they work their way into casual moments and even combats.

Planning. A heist campaign must incorporate planning scenes between characters, often in each game session. These discussions may even run the entire length of a game session. While a first impulse as gamemasters might be to hurry this along, allowing ample time to anticipate possible difficulties and planning to overcome them is central to player enjoyment. Ideally these sequences are gamemaster-facilitated, not gamemaster-driven or gamemaster-shortened as doing so may hurt the fun of plan complications (see below). This planning session might look like Georgiou’s revision of the original theft plan early in the film.

Complications. A popular gamemaster adage is “no plan survives contact with the players.” This is certainly true for a heist campaign. While occasionally a gamemaster should allow a plan to go off without a hitch, those instances should be few and far between, so they stand out as a moment of pride. Complications add the unexpected and fun to a heist tale, and gamemasters should find ways to add anywhere from 2-5 of them per heist. Complications in “Section 31” included piloting a ship with no weapons, or a nemesis from the past unexpectedly coming back (among MANY others).

Success. There should always be a session dedicated to post-heist camaraderie following their hard-earned success. While this happens in a nightclub in “Section 31,” any intimate location important to the characters will do. This session often includes dividing the spoils, building on what each character did immediately following the heist, and an ample amount of character- and relationship-building. This is also a perfect time to introduce a possible story hook for the next heist the characters undertake, whether you play through it or not!

Flashbacks. Often, the best parts of a heist tale are told in flashback. This is a mechanic built into the popular TTRPG Blades in the Dark, but it can be incorporated into any system so long as it contributes to the central tale set in the now. There were numerous emotionally evocative flashbacks for Emperor Georgiou in the film, moments that not only developed her character but also built up the heist tale. A gamemaster might even encourage players to take parts of important NPCs in a character’s flashback!

‍

System Considerations

While some systems have been designed with heist stories in mind, the truth is that running a quality heist campaign is possible in almost any TTRPG. My general advice is to use the system your players are interested in, one tailored to the overarching setting you want to utilize (e.g. sci-fi such as “Section 31,” modern urban, or fantasy). If your players are open to what TTRPG system to use, this might be a good opportunity to introduce them to an indie game, perhaps even one written for this kind of story such as “Blades in the Dark” or “Honey Heist.” Obviously, “Star Trek Adventures” by Modiphius is a solid choice for a Section 31-centered tale. I even have a popular and long-running heist campaign set in the Forgotten Realms of D&D that uses these ideas in its story planning. As the RPG Academy team would say, “If you’re having fun, you’re doing it right.”

And What If You Want to Participate in a Heist Campaign Right Now?

Good news, you’re already on the best website for finding this campaign! Here are some helpful landing pages to find a heist campaign that suits you and your tastes.

Games with “Heist” in the name… https://startplaying.games/search?q=heist

Blades in the Dark games… https://startplaying.games/search?q=heist&gameSystems=blades-in-the-dark

Star Trek Adventures games… https://startplaying.games/search?q=star+trek+adventures

Now, get out there and steal something! For good reasons, of course.

‍

‍

Jonathan Connor Self-Gonzalez (he/him) is “The Healer DM,” a therapist, gaming personality, and experienced TTRPG creative with over 30 years telling tales in the hobby.