Titannica
Register
Advertisement
Fighting Fantasy Gamebook
Outline
Location: Earth
References: 380
Publication Details
Author(s): Ian Livingstone

Illustrator(s): Kevin Bulmer
Puffin
Figfan13
Cover illustrator: Jim Burns
First published: March 28 1985
Number 13
ISBN: ISBN 0-14-031710-4
Previous Book: Space Assassin
Next Book: Temple of Terror
Wizard (Series 1)
Fffree
Cover illustrator: Jim Burns
First published: September 1 2005
Number 23
ISBN: ISBN 1-84046-565-4
Previous Book: Starship Traveller
Next Book: Talisman of Death
Wizard (Series 2)
Scholastic


For other uses of Freeway Fighter, see Freeway Fighter (disambiguation)

Freeway Fighter is a single-player role-playing gamebook written by Ian Livingstone, illustrated by Kevin Bulmer and originally published in 1985 by Puffin Books. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2005. It forms part of Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone's Fighting Fantasy series. It is the 13th in the series in the original Puffin series (ISBN 0-14-031710-4) and 23rd in the Wizard "Series 1" (ISBN 1-84046-565-4). There are currently no announced plans to republish this book as part of the Scholastic series.

Creation[]

Freeway Fighter[]

Devastated by a killer virus, the world you once knew is a wilderness.

Life is lawless and dangerous. Survivors like you either live in scattered, fortified towns, or roam outside as bandits. YOUR mission is to cross the wilderness to the far-distant oil-refinery at San Anglo and bring vital supplies back to the peaceful town of New Hope. Even in the armed Dodge Interceptor you are given, the journey will be wild and perilous. Will YOU survive?


Freeway Fighter has an extended combat system and a double adventure sheet. All you need is two dice, a pencil and an eraser. YOU decide which way to go, which weapons to use and which dangers to risk!

Freeway Fighter - Back Cover ("Dragon" Edition)


The story takes places in what appears to be a post-apocalyptic America (though the country or region is never explicitly stated), dominated by heavily armed muscle cars and lawless nomads; it appears that the setting draws direct inspiration from the Mad Max movies. The player must drive their Dodge Interceptor across the brutal wastes in order to procure a fresh supply of petrol for their home, the peaceful settlement of New Hope.

Personal Abilities/Car Specifications/Combat/Credits[]

The book in general follows the original rules set down in The Warlock of Firetop Mountain (see Game System).

Unique Rules[]

  • The stamina score is a 2d6 plus 24 roll.[1]
  • Provisons are replaced by Med-Kits which restore 4 stamina each.[1]
  • armour first appeared in Space Assassin as a 1d6 plus 6 roll representing personal armour. Here the attribute (2d6 plus 24 roll) stands for the armour of the Dodge Interceptor vehicle the player drives during the game. This is joined by a new attribute firepower (1d6 plus 6) that represents the offensive capabilities of the vehicle.[2]
  • Combat is split into Hand-to-Hand, the use of projectile weapons, and vehicle combat.[3]

Equipment List[4][]

  • 200 Credits
  • 10 Med-Kits
  • 4 rockets
  • 3 canisters of iron spikes
  • 2 oil canisters

Cover and Illustrations[]

Main article: Freeway Fighter (illustrations)

Covers[]

The original cover of the book was designed and illustrated by Jim Burns.

When the book was republished by Wizard the cover was reworked by Jim Burns. However, this is not an original piece of artwork for the range, the illustration having been used as far back as 1984 to illustrate the Games Workshop RPG Battlecars.[5]

Freeway Fighter Cover Variants
1985 1987 1989 1990 1993
Figfan13 13 09 Figfan13n Figfan13n
Adventure
Gamebooks
Dragon ver.I Dragon ver.II Dragon ver.III Dragon ver.IV
£1.751 £1.952 £2.253 £X.xx £3.994

2005 2005
Fffree
Wizard
Special
Wizard
£4.99 £4.99

NOTES
  1. Price of 1st~2nd Impressions; £1.95 for 6th~7th Impressions
  2. Price of 8th Impression; £2.25 for 9th Impression
  3. Price of 10th Impression (some copies have official Puffin price stickers re-pricing to £3.50)
  4. Price of 12th~13th Impressions

Illustrations[]

The interior illustrations were by Kevin Bulmer. "The artwork for this book was done in a 9 day stretch as a favour for Ian [Livingstone] since (as I understand it) the previous artwork was rejected at the last moment."[6] There were 32 full page illustrations and 5 minor repeated illustrations scattered throughout the text. The paragraphs with a full page illustration were: 1, 13, 24, 34, 49, 60, 78, 90, 102, 115, 128, 138, 147, 158, 167, 178, 190, 207, 211, 221, 241, 257, 269, 271, 281, 291, 311, 321, 331, 341, 351, and 372.

Intertextual References[]

Other Media[]

Main article: Freeway Fighter (comic)

Main Characters[]

YOU: Hero of Freeway Fighter

  • Amber
  • Doom Dogs
  • "Fat" Jack
  • Johnson
  • Leonardi
  • Pete
  • "The Rat Man"
  • Sinclair
  • "The Animal" - Doom Dogs' leader

Locations[]

  • Joe's Garage
  • New Hope
  • Rockville
  • San Anglo
  • Spark Plug Pete's

Encounters[]

Individual

Vehicle

  • Armoured Car
  • Chariot
  • Commodore
  • Dodge Interceptor
  • Dune Buggys
  • E-Type Jaguar
  • Helicopter
  • Jeep
  • Motor Bike and Sidecar
  • Motor Cycle
  • Red Chevvy
  • Station-wagon
  • Toyota
  • Yellow Ford

Further Notes[]

  • Unusually the "Background" section isn't listed on the Contents page.

Errors[]

  • It is possible (but not inevitable) to lose a wheel in the encounter with the bikers at the roadblock (203). After the bikers are dead (249), if you look in the bikers' pannier, you have to replace your wheel (even if you didn't lose it), but if you don't check the pannier, you just drive off (possibly on just three wheels).
  • (80) has its directions mixed up. It says that you turn left and are overtaken on the right, which contradicts the choice you made at (379) to turn right and the alternative outcome given in (20) which shows that the Ford trying to overtake you on the left. Instead, (80) should say you turn right and are overtaken on the left.

Dedication[]

Puffin Edition[]

For Ronnie[7]

Wizard Edition[]

To
David and Christine[8]

See Also[]


Reviews[]

External Links[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Freeway Fighter - pg.9
  2. Freeway Fighter - pg.11
  3. Freeway Fighter - pp.13-16
  4. Freeway Fighter - pg.9, 11, 17
  5. White Dwarf 53 (May 1984), pg.2 (Battlecars advert)
  6. Letter from Kevin Bulmer at the Internet Archive record of the old Fightingfantasy.com - Retrieved 2019-10-26
  7. Freeway Fighter - pg.5
  8. Freeway Fighter - pg.5
Advertisement