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Spy fiction tabletop role playing game supplement

Top Secret is an espionage themed tabletop role playing game written by Merle M. Rasmussen and first published in 1980 by TSR, Inc.

The original version of Top Secret was designed by Merle M. Rasmussen, and allows players and gamemasters to build their own espionage story settings. The original boxed set of the game included a 64 page rule book and a sample adventure, "Operation: Sprechenhaltestelle". The TSR Product Code for the original boxed set is TSR 7006. The game was developed over a period of two years by Rasmussen and TSR editor Allen Hammack. Top Secret characters are employed in specific bureaus—Assassination (Killing), Confiscation (Theft), or Investigation (Research)—all in the structure of an unspecified espionage agency. Despite a character's primary vocation, he may be called on to perform any type of mission. The in game effect of a character's bureau was a 100 point experience bonus for mission objectives which fall within that bureau as well as bonus mission pay for those actions specific to the chosen bureau. An appendix in the rule book lists dozens of historical and fictional espionage organizations which could serve as employers or adversaries for missions.

Top Secret Administrator's Screen and Mini Module. Corey Koebernick (1982). (Includes Operation: Executive One) (The agents must rescue the president, who is being held by a band of Canadian mercenaries in a haunted mansion). Agent Dossiers (1983) (Character sheet pack). TS007 Top Secret Companion. Merle Rasmussen (1985). (Expanded rules and new equipment).

TS001 Operation: Sprechenhaltestelle. Merle Rasmussen (1980). , this module details a town on the border between East and West [the exact location is never specified] where secrets and subterfuge are everywhere). TS002 Operation: Rapidstrike!. Mike Carr (1982). (This module details a commando raid on an enemy complex to recover a kidnapped scientist). TS003 Lady In Distress. Mike Carr (1982). (This module's plot involved agents parasailing to rescue a hijacked cruise ship. The module's ship plans were based on the MS Achille Lauro, which was seized by PLO terrorists in 1985 and resulted in the murder of one passenger.) TS004 Operation: Fastpass. Philip Taterczynski (1983). (This module details a defection at an international puzzle tournament being held behind the Iron Curtain). TS005 Operation: Orient Express. David Cook. (This module contains a series of 6 adventures set on trains in Europe and rules for creating similar adventures). TS006 Operation: Ace of Clubs. Merle Rasmussen (1984). (The agents investigate events at The Ace of Clubs, an exclusive resort and casino operated as a front by The Agency). TS008 Operation: Seventh Seal. Evan Robinson (1985). (The agents have to deal with a nuclear threat by an organization that uses Tarot Cards as code names).

"The Missile Mission", Dragon no. 39. Mike Carr. "Doctor Yes: The Floating Island Mission", Dragon no. 48 (April 1981). Merle Rasmussen, James Thompson. "Mad Merc: The Alulu Island Mission", Dragon no. 56. Merle Rasmussen, James Thompson (1981). "Chinatown: The Jaded Temple", Dragon no. 62. Jerry Epperson (1982). "Wacko World", Dragon no. 79. Al Taylor. (The agents must investigate a theme park). "Whiteout", Dragon no. 87. Merle Rasmussen (1984). (Suspicious incidents at an Antarctic research station require the agents to go undercover to investigate).

"Operation Rendezvous Oasis", Gygax no. 4. Merle Rasmussen (2014).

In 1987, TSR published Top Secret/S. I. ("Special Intelligence"), a revised edition designed by Douglas Niles. The TSR Product Code for the revised boxed set is TSR 7620. S. I. introduced a more structured gaming environment in which players worked as agents for secret intelligence agency ORION against its evil adversary, WEB. Later source books in the product line introduce both supernatural (Agent 13) and futuristic (F. R. E. E. Lancers) adventure settings. These settings introduced several recurring characters such as Sebastian Cord and Agent 13. The Top Secret brand ceased production in 1992. TSR was purchased by Wizards of the Coast in 1997, which in turn was purchased by Hasbro in 1999.

Top Secret/S. I. uses a fast, simple, unified combat system based upon a percentage roll. The original Top Secret uses separate systems for Hand to Hand Combat (rock paper scissors) and Projectile Combat (two, ten sided dice). Combat is divided into 5 second rounds. If necessary, rounds are subdivided into 1 second “phases.” In each round, Weapon Possession and then Hand to Hand Combat are resolved first. In each phase, character movement follows Projectile Combat. Characters may move up to 15’ per phase. Weapon firing order is determined by each weapon’s speed and five categories of twenty eight condition modifiers (Drawing, Shooter’s Movement, Wounds, Aiming, and, for the initial round, Surprise Factor). For Projectile Combat, a character's stats, skills, bonuses and penalties; their projectile weapon's properties; and the current combat conditions give the character a percentage chance of hitting a target. For each projectile fired, the shooting player rolls two ten sided dice to give a number from one to one hundred (the first die result indicates the
"tens," the second the "ones"). A result equal to or lower than the chance of hitting the target succeeds. The shooting player then rolls additional two ten sided dice for each success to determine the target hit location. Finally, the shooting player rolls two ten sided dice to determine damage for each success. With a damage roll, the first die indicates the type of wound (from "abrasion" to "internal damage") and the second indicates the seriousness of the wound (modified by the type of wound, resulting in one to twelve points of damage to the target's general hit points). For Hand to Hand Combat, each combatant in each round chooses from seven combat types (weapon Possession, Untrained, Knife Fighting, Boxing, Sword Play, Judo, and Martial Arts). Each combat type allows the player to choose from a total of up to three attacks and defenses (combined). A combatant may only choose a combat type allowed by their Physical Education or Military Science Knowledge Level. Each combatant secretly chooses their attack(s) and defense(s) from their preferred combat type for that round. The combatants then simultaneously reveal their choices. The gamemaster interprets the combatants' attack and defense choices, looks up the result on the attack combat types' tables, and modifies the result by any object used as a hand to hand weapon (e. g., purse, boot, tape recorder, bolt cutter). On the martial arts table alone, there are twenty eight attack choices and fifteen defense choices.

Character sheets in Top Secret/S. I. resemble agent dossiers, and are intended to provide quick and easy reference to all a player's stats and skills. They also provide a detailed map of the ten possible hit spots of a character's body, and a blank portrait area for drawing or attaching a depiction of the character.

Top Secret/S. I Douglas Niles, Warren Spector (1987). High Stakes Gamble. Douglas Niles, Bob Kern (1988).

TSAC1 G4 File: Guns, Gadgets & Getaway Gear. Merle Rasmussen (1987). TSAC2 Agent 13 Source Book. Mark Acres (1988). TSAC3 Covert Operations Sourcebook. John Prados (1988). TSAC4 F. R. E. E. Lancers. Jeff Grubb (1988). TSAC5 Commando. David Cook (1988). TSAC6 Covert Operations Sourcebook Vol. 2. John Prados (1988). TSAC7 F. R. E. E. America. Scott Bowles (1989).

TS1 Operation: Starfire. Tracy Hickman (1987). TS2 The Doomsday Drop. Tracy Hickman (1988). TS3 Orion Rising. (1988). TS4 Commando Brushfire Wars. TSA1 The Web. Caroline Spector (1990). TSA2 The Final Weapon. Ray Winninger (1990). TSE1 Web of Deceit. Bob Kern (1989). TSE2 Sting of the Spider. Bob Kern (1989). TSE3 Web Wars. Bob Kern (1989).

"Operation: Fire Sale", Dungeon no. 26. John Terra.

The Final Bug. Jean Blashfield (1988). Foul Play at Fool's Summit. Troy Denning (1989). (Note: though this module has an ISBN, it was never actually released, as the Catacombs gamebook line was cancelled before its release.)

TSR published eight issues of 13: Assassin comic that featured stories set in the Agent 13 campaign setting bringing the story to a more modern era (1990s). The first six issues had a back up story set in the Top Secret/S. I. setting (ORION vs. WEB) which seemed to take place at the end of the agency's covert war. Each issue also contained a miniature game and some issues included character stats for the role playing game.

Warhawks was a four issue comic/module series that took the Top Secret/S. I. game to a time traveling setting where characters derive powers from tattoos. The four issues featured character stats and served as a campaign book in addition to the comic book adventures.

In June 2017, Merle Rasmussen announced the release of a reboot entitled Top Secret: New World Order, a completely new iteration in the series. He had been running the game at conventions and events for two years prior to the release, adjusting the rules and user experience in real time. The game has an updated rules system to appeal to more modern role playing gamers. The Kickstarter page for Top Secret: New World Order went live on June 27, 2017. The game began shipping to backers in March 2018.

In Issue 29 of Space Gamer, Jerry Epperson reviewed Top Secret and commented "I liked the game, despite its faults. The system is new enough that the situations will not become blase (as with other role playing games) for months or years. And it would be a sound investment for any fans of the James Bond, Executioner, or Avenger stories. Others would be wise to stick with fantasy, if they cannot associate with the heroes of the present." In Issue 67 of The Space Gamer, W. G. Armintrout compared Top Secret to rival spy role playing games Espionage!, and Mercenaries, Spies and Private Eyes and commented "Top Secret is a good game, though I think both of the newer games slightly eclipse it. It has the best combat system of the three — being neither too simple nor too complicated — and the widest variety of 'fun' devices. Adventures are readily available for it. On the other hand, Top Secret is pretty lame when it comes to non combat situations. If I were TSR, I'd be thinking about a new edition of the game to stay competitive." In his 1990 book The Complete Guide to Role Playing Games, game critic Rick Swan called Top Secret "The first espionage RPG of any consequence" and thought the game "holds up amazingly well even a decade after its release." Swan admitted that most of the character generation system had been borrowed from Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, but thought this was overshadowed by the "gadgets galore" as well as "a first rate combat system." Swan concluded by giving Top Secret a solid rating of 3 out of 4. In the same book, Swan also reviewed Top Secret/S. I. and liked it even more than its predecessor, calling it "not only an improvement in every respect, it's also the best espionage RPG on the market, a masterful integration of elegant mechanics, evocative atmosphere, and sleek graphics." Swan concluded by giving Top Secret/S. I. a top grade of 4 out of 4, saying, "Beautifully packaged, meticulously organized, and thoroughly entertaining, Top Secret/S. I is a near flawless balance of playability and realism. This is secret agent role playing at its streamlined best."