VER. 3.0 (March 29th, 2002)
STAGE ONE: THE BASIC GAME BY: CHRIS T. DIAS
INTRODUCTION Humans suffer from peculiarly self-centered notions as to the nature of life. We assume out of hand that other life forms must somehow conform to our comfortable standards of logic and morality. This, of course, is absurd. Our human "morality" is a thin tissue of arbitrary principle, easily ignored when expedient. Why should we expect more from alien life forms than we expect from ourselves? By Dr. Waidslaw Orona, civilian advisor to the CMC
THE GAME: “Alien: FUZION” is a Role Playing Game using the FUZION rules created by Hero Games and R. Talsorian Games. It is not a hack / slash gunfest like other adaptations. This one attempts to make a detailed setting where the characters can have many adventures that not even have to include the name species of the series. The FUZION game system can be downloaded in its entirety from the FUZION home page but you will need the PDF viewer. Go to the Waystation from this site to go to those locations. I do recommend all of R. Talsorian Games because of their immense detail in their setting and artwork (eww…I feel so dirty). Seriously, I wouldn't choose this format if it wasn't the best.
RESOURCES It is my intent to create an extremely detailed game system / universe based on the Alien movie series. However, upon constructing the outline, I asked myself one question: Who the hell owns this story? Technically, the origin comes from Dan O’Bannon and adapted by Ronald Shusset. Twentieth Century Fox owns the franchise but the original Alien was created by HR Giger. Who is to say what is official and what is not? Dark Horse has made most of the detail in the last few years. And what of Lee-Brimmicombe-Wood, the writer of many books including the often ripped off USCM Tech Manual. The problem is, the consensus seems to point to several sources as being official when there is no legal binding for that to be true. Legally, the only truly official media are the four movies. It is surprising to note than the famous USCM TM is not official. In fact, it was only until this book came out that Colonial Marines were identified as from United States when in the Leading Edge Games and in the second film, they are identified only as the CMC (Colonial Marine Corps). So…I have deiced to use all the specific information presented in all media. However, some things might surprise you being included and not. MOVIES: Everything that could be named is present. Most of the information from the USCM Tech Manual appears. And Yes, Alien 3 is included. Alien Resurrection is present as a plug-in (see later) THE NOVELS: Most of the published material is actually adapted from the Dark Horse Comics. I have not read enough of them to use them. DARK HORSE: The major addition, what sets this conversion from he rest, is the inclusion of Dark Horse material. The following publications were utilized: Outbreak, Nightmare Asylum, Earth War/Female War, DHP Aliens, Genocide, Hive, Rogue, Labyrinth, Music of the Spears, Stronghold, Beserker, Colonial Marines, Alchemy, Salvation, Kidnapped, Pig and Survival. UNITED STATES COLONIAL MARINE TECHNICAL MANUAL: A major resource but the with the big change is that I do
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not consider it the bible. You will notice that I do not enforce their name. Refer to the chapter on them for more information. ALIENS RPG: Unfortunately, I don't own it. I have pieced together some bits and pieces but it doesn't pass off for the real thing. If any one is willing to part with it, please e-mail me… INTERNET: A large chunk of information comes from people who fill in the missing pieces but I only refer to respectable sources for this info. Translation: I took text from other sources instead of typing it out myself. TOY LINE: I decided against using these because…well…most are somewhat immature. COLLECTOR CARD GAME: I don't have all the cards, but I have a lot, and I promptly took advantage of it all. ALIENS ADVENTURE PC-CDROM: The computer game was written by Dark Horse but it really isn't a very good game. Besides that, there is not much info continued within it. It has been avoided. ORIGINAL: Some material is from yours truly but there are names or descriptions for items or places already created for the series. Like the Combat Buggies in Aliens: Colonial Marines. They don't have a name but they are centrepoint in the last issue, so I decided to add them.
THE STORY, CONSPIRACY, AND TECH LEVELS The Alien mythos traverses generations and hundreds of Light years. Unfortunately, some of these collide. If every single technology came crashing together, why would the PCs bother walking around with M41A Pulse Rifles when they could all have Full power armor. So, in my ONLY real inspiration, I separated the story and technology in six levels.
CONSPIRACY LEVELS (CL) CLs are only used by the GM to denote the setting at the beginning of the game. This really just reveals what is available in the setting at this point. The prime reason for the Conspiracy Levels are for what impact the corporations have, how much power the USCM have, but mostly, how many Aliens are out there. This is a simple guide and they can be broken up at any time. The course of events can either be descending or ascending. You can start with the Alien War (like the Dark Horse Comics) or reverse them like I did for a course of events that fits in with the Film series. The GM, before hand, should organize the CLs as he sees fit. I suggest simply following the course from 1 to 6. Therefore, the PCs can progress through the CLs for a very fulfilling gaming experience. CL is only use in further chapters for story development. (EG: Grant Corp needs Royal Jelly at CL 3 but operates its own hives in CL 4). CONSPIRACY LEVEL 1: “A VISITOR” CL1 takes course around the time of the movie. A Narcissus Shuttle is towed from Outer Reaches to Gateway station. On the basis of the report from the survivor, a CMC Cruiser was sent to a planet on the Outer Rim. The Aliens are only known by that survivor. This setting is a pre-threat scenario. Marines usually don't even consider any non-human threats in known space. The human quotient is another story. The Aliens still exist in deep, deep space, and on the planet Acheron, quarantined after the Atmospheric Processor there went critical. EG: Aliens CONSPIRACY LEVEL 2: “IT’S ON A NEED TO KNOW BASIS” In CL2, stories have leaked about some alien life form on the rim. The PCs still don't know anything but their superiors may not be revealing everything. Weyland Yutani and several other corporations are committed to a secret agenda. In deep space, in the deepest of the deep, several ships and colonies are found abandoned, destroyed, or they simply have gone missing. PCs may encounter trace evidence of something… deadly…something someone is trying to hide. EG: Alien 3 CONSPIRACY LEVEL 3: “WHAT ARE THEY?” CL3 reveals them finally…but who will believe you? The PCs would have to be in deep space to encounter them. Outer Colonies are fighting for their very survival. Meanwhile, on Earth, no one knows a thing. Rumors have leaked through the systems about strange infections on the rim colonies. Corporations are directly fighting for control of the Xenomorphs biotechnology. The CMC (or USCM) funds a secret brigade of forces sent into the rim to keep the infestation from swarming out of control. This is a great start for some basic action and plot development. CONSPIRACY LEVEL 4: “MY MOMMY ALWAYS SAID…” In CL4, the Xenomorphs have replaced the boogey man for those nighttime camp stories. Adults know better. The ones in the deep fear for they very lives. Chances are someone knows someone who knows of someone who has been killed by these creatures. The marines are now dedicated to their extermination. Several corporations and even the military have funded research stations, some even live life specimens and maybe even an operating hives. The Alien Homeworld has been found. Many fear this fight is doomed. Most on Earth are blind to the threat. Life continues as normal. PCs here are one of many groups fighting to keep the infection to a minimum. EG: Genocide, Hive, Rogue, Labyrinth, CONSPIRACY LEVEL 5: “THEY'RE EVERYWHERE” Its war. No one is safe. Chances are, everyone knows someone who has fallen victim. The fight seems hopeless. Religious cults have cropped up. The Aliens are on Earth. Marines fight to keep the peace. Bureaucrats and politicians are the real enemy. Lock your doors. Arm yourself. The Human race smells its own extinction. Marines here struggle, trying to fight off, grabbing every chance they get. EG: Outbreak., Music of the Spears
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SPECIAL LEVEL 5.5: “WE NEED A GOOD WAR” Yeah…its war. The aliens are on Earth and it is being turned into a wasteland. Upper classmen witness from sealed ships as the human race falls apart. The PCs are alone. They fight a loosing fight. They seek out help but find little. The infrastructure is crumbling. It’s all or nothing. EG: Nightmare Asylum, Earth War, CONSPIRACY LEVEL 6: “A TERRIBLE PRICE” Earth is a wasteland. A couple dozen hives still function on the globe. Nuclear weapons have washed the planet clean. Nothing lives. Mankind rebuilds. Marines are now rescue personnel. They are either trying to find survivors or they have been given the ugly duty of clean up. Others have been forced to hunt down and completely exterminate all remnants of the alien presence.
TECH LEVELS Tech levels should be enforced. They introduce technology in a step-by-step basis. It is recommended that you follow them with the appropriate Conspiracy Level but exceptions can be made. Earth War, for example, is CL5 and TL1. However, it is not recommended that you flip then (CL1, TL5) since that gives the PCs a severe advantage. The GM should start with a low TL and work his way up as the game progresses. It isn't that much fun when the PCs get everything at the start. TLs are used frequently to denote when technology is introduced and when a GM should and shouldn't use them. If a game uses TL2, you can leak TL3 technology on occasion but introducing an Anti-Alien Combat Synthetic or a Beserker suit may be unwise. TECH LEVEL 1: STANDARD TECHNOLOGY These are all technologies from the start of the series. Everything from the Aliens movie is present. All technology is considered TL1 unless stated otherwise. EG: M41A Pulse Rifle, M51 Smart Gun TECH LEVEL 2: ENHANCED Basically, TL2 are weapons and devices that are just slightly better. No anti-Xenomorph technology is available just yet. EG: M41A Mark2, Duchamp Blaster TECH LEVEL 3: HOSTILE Heavier weapons are introduced to combat high quality armors. The best defense for Aliens are more and more armor. A Spray that counteracts the acid is available. EG: Alphatech Shivas, Polymer armor TECH LEVEL 4: BUG HUNT Grant Corp makes fortune from its nutra-gel technology designed to counteract the alien acid. This allows close combat capability. Knowledge of the alien increases. Royal Jelly and all of its fantastic properties is ravishly utilized by the masses. EG: Anti-Acid Technology, Xeno-Zip, TECH LEVEL 5: OFFENSIVE No longer are we making defensive technology against the Xenomorphs, now, we are taking the fight to them. AntiAcid technology has reached a pinnacle but newer capabilities for it is being developed weekly. EG: Beserker Suit, Mark II Xenomorph Synthetic. TECH LEVEL 6: PINNACLE We have reached as high as we can go with the alien threat. Combat Synthetics specifically designed to take on whole hives have been designed. Genetic Engineering has created viruses. But…A newer threat abound… EG: “Liston” type Combat Synthetic, “Dean” type Combat Synthetic.
A FINAL NOTE ON CONSPIRACIES AND TECH LEVELS The final word is always with the GM. Please note that they don't have to be the same number. I just recommend they be. To see how this form actually fits into Fox’s timelines, you will have to read the last chapter. Many comic, books, and films have taken alternative forms of each TL and CL. Earth War, for example has a TL of 1 but a CL of 5, then the story continues raising the TL but lowering the CL. Course, the aliens would never be fully forgotten. A long game could start with CL1, progress all the way to 6 then retract back to one, as people recovered and forgot about their past. The last chapter also talks about how the GM could use these to make a very good and long action-orientated game with a plot.
WHAT IS NEEDED TO PLAY It is vital that you have the FUZION rules from RTG. You can purchase one of their game systems for the full rules. You can then implement the special rules those games suggest. The best example is the Votoms RPG, which has a really cool mecha construction system if you want to make power armor in the game (something I only touch on). I use a d6 system for FUZION but d10 is easy to convert. I tried to make the game as independent as possible. You can grab and print the pics for visual references. For GMs, nothing beats the Dark Horse comics for some great story idea. You shouldn't need anything else!
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NEW RULES AND MODIFICATIONS There aren't very many, I have just added on the existing FUZION rules to increase game enjoyment. Other rules are just to make my life easier and to seal up holes in my own conversion. A lot of these rules might not make sense unless you read what they pertain to.
TURRETS: The MV penalty to spacecraft and vehicles effect all shooting and dodging. Thankfully, we have turrets. All weapons on turrets always add +3 to their existing WA to hit.
FTL DRIVES The Star Map has distances for each jump. The number given in ship's FTL range is the maximum range the FTL drive can go in a single jump. When the range is used up, the ship must drop to sublight and recharge its jump drives. This delay is what makes travel time so long. The FTL speed is how fast the ship goes when jumping. However, before and between jumps, a ship reduces it to low power and must move on sublight as it charges the drive. Unfortunately, drive recharge rates are high. A ship that jumps from system to system is cheap and easy but long trips require these charges. A fully stocked spaceport can charge a drive at 2 ly per day. A major military base, however, can charge a ship at 2 ly per six hours. In the deep and dark of space, a ship can charge its own drive to full capacity in one week. This is a good lesson to those who run out of gas on the road. Note: All systems on a ship must be shutdown for the FTL capacitors to recharge. The FTL drive requires so much energy, it must slave every joule from the reactor to fill it up. As a result, the crew must be in cryosleep since this action includes shutting down ALL life support and defensive systems. Any interruption stops the recharge and diverts the energy back to their individual systems (like if the ship is suddenly attacked). If, somehow, something is taking any energy from the capacitors, the recharge time is extended substantially. Keeping the life support on, for example, would result in the recharge time being extended by a factor of 10. So no one stays up. Rolling Astrogation is easy for jumps to colonized planets if the ship’s computer is working (DV10). The computer requires two hour to calculate the jump and another to initiate the engine. A human calculating the jump will take one hour per DV +1 to initiate the engine…Obviously, Jump drives are black-box technology and not meant to be delved into too intricately. As a result, and since jumps cannot be done in a heavy gravity environments, jumping out of a combat arena is not possible. ANY impact on the vessel automatically shuts down the FTL drive since the course has to be re-plotted. DV MODIFICATIONS: If the computer isn’t working: Random cosmic phenomenon: To an uncharted system:
Into deep space: Precision jumps:
+3 +3-5 +5
+2 +3-10 depending how close the ships want to jump to.
A failed roll is the GMs discretion. A ship can fry is generator, forcing the ship to recharge from scratch to dropping the ship up to twice its jump range in another direction. A failed roll should never result in death.
GUIDED AND AUTOMATIC SYSTEMS: Guided Missiles aim themselves and can make multiple attacks if they miss the first time. For The initial shot, the user, can use his/her firing skill or the depend on automatic systems. Whatever the user chooses, if there is a miss, the rocket can attempt another attack next round (allowing another round of anti-missile fire). The weapon's skills must be used for the following rounds. Guided Missiles can fire initially with their own skill. However, it must be "locked-on" before firing. Locking on takes one round of the target being in the weapon's range. The next round allows firing. If the weapon is dumb-fired by the user without locking-on, the missile has a 50% chance of not locking on at all. Even if the user is using his/her skill, they should allow a lock before firing to ensure a second pass is a miss occurs. The skill of the weapon and its number of possible additional attacks depend on each weapon. "Unique" weapons (see Weapons) cannot be dumbfired and must "lock-on" or else they will almost always miss (-8 to hit). The Missile MUST then use its skill or else still have the -8 penalty. If one missile locks on, they all lock-on so any number of missiles in that hardpoint (up to half its capacity--see below) can fire with a lock. Automatic systems are unlimited in the time they operate. They can be programmed to fire at anything (Heat, improper PDTs, and Movement) and have a base skill to hit. They can never use someone else's skill. They only use their own.
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HARDPOINT ROF A weapon with a set ROF (Like Railcannons and Lasers) keeps that ROF but Missiles don't have that. For Spacecraft, the missiles can be loaded over multiple hardpoints or filled with only a half capacity of weapons. Generically, the ROF of a missile pack is selectable with any number but not more than half the capacity of the hardpoint.
SHIP FIRING: A pilot can fire any number of weapons when he pulls the trigger. He can link any of his weapons up with his trigger. The Weapon's Officer on a spacecraft can do the same. The only exceptions are turrets, which can be automated but never linked together. One roll is made for the linked weapons but the damage and hit locations are done separately. An UD-4 Cheyenne Dropship pilot can fire both 150mm missile packs on each of his Hardpoints and make one roll for each salvo coming from the Hardpoints. The weapons must be of the same type. A Pilot or Gunner can switch weapons instantly without a sacrifice in time. Remember: Guided weapons need a round to aim.
DECOY BALLUTES Large Spacecraft can deploy these to confound sensors. For simplicity sakes, the rules are the same as the Shadow Imagery in the Mekton Z rules. A ship can deploy half is ballutes in one round. Every Ballute deployed adds a +1 to the ship's dodge. If the roll to hit still strikes, then damage is done directly to the craft. If it fails to strike even the unmodified dodge, the weapon goes wide. If the roll fall between the unmodified dodge and the modified dodge, then a Ballute is hit and instantly destroyed (each has a capacity of 1k). The Dodge bonus is dropped by one because one ballute has been eliminated. These rules are identical to that of the Shadow imager in Mekton Zeta Plus.
MANEUVERING DRONES These Drones only operate in space. They work similar to Decoy Ballutes but actively seek out weapons. They can be deployed one at a time. They don't usually let themselves be hit. They have a base skill of 10 to hit and dodge and are simply armed with a basic laser (0.25K), which is designed to only take out missiles. See Anti-Missile fire below. Each Drone can fire once to one missile per round. Two drones can take shots at one missile.
MINEFIELDS Minefields in space operate like their ground counterparts. If a ship comes within 500 m, the Mine will home in and detonate with a base skill of 8. Connected fields cannot be navigated through. If hit, the mine strikes directly and the ones connected to the detonated one, close in around the ship for the kill.
ANTI-MISSILES: Missiles take time to reach their target, especially in the vast distances of space. Any missile can be targeted. Since missile fire in FUZION is assumed to be instant, anyone with an anti-missile weapon can make a free attack on that incoming warhead. Some of these weapons are already automatic so the pilot never has to worry. Some are done by turret gunners. The difficulty to hit an incoming missile is 15. Only one weapon can fire on one missile. Two laser turrets can attempt to fire on two missiles. The TSAM missiles on the UD4 are an exception. They fire instantly like a chaff or a flare. The pilot can launch as many as he has missiles to any number of missiles coming to a maximum of the number fired. Anti-Missile weapons with an ROF can spread their fire over multiple incoming missiles.
REPAIRING SHIPS: The standard difficulty for repairing ships is 22 to finish the repair in one hour (unless reconstructing an engine, then it is one day). That may seem high but how many engineers do you know can patch a fusion core in one hour with no tools. This number varies radically.
MODIFIERS
DV
…With every additional hour spent on the repair* -1 …With Advanced Tool Kit -1 …With Mechanics Tool Kit -2 …With each additional Technician assisting** -1 *For hourly repairs only. **With at least +1 Engineering skill or Electronics for an Electronics roll. Can work indipendantly and roll indipendantly but offers not bonus then.
MODIFIERS
DV
…With each Engineer assisting*** -2 …With each non-skilled help assisting -1 …For every kill inflicted beyond 0 defenses**** +2 …With every successful previous roll***** -1 ***With at least a +3 Engineering skill or Electronics for an Electronics roll. Can work indipendantly and roll indipendantly but offers no bonus then. ****For rolls required on combat damage. *****For damage needing compounding rolls. Cannot offer more than a -5 bonus.
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RESULTS: ARMOR PATCHING: Every successful roll will patch one kill of structure or armor. Please note this material must come from somewhere. All Spacecraft have enough spare materials for HALF their structure and armor. Anything beyond that must be taken from somewhere, whether is be from vehicles or other aerospace craft or whatever. ELECTRONICS: A successful roll will activate or repair the electronics system. The GM has discretion as to how long it will take for the system to “Warm Up.” Sensors fall into this category. WEAPON REPAIR: The repair time depends on the complexity of the weapon. Each successful roll will recover 1000 meters of range and 1k DC of damage. Of course, most ships have massive ranges so a huge weapon like the Particle Beam will take up to two weeks of repair without a dry-dock. Think about it…that is a huge weapon. It stretches almost 50 meters in length. Usually, several Engineers can work indipendantly to restore at a quicker rate instead of teaming up. Only when the gun is totally restored, will it work again. If absolutely needed, if the DC the weapon inflicts is restored but the range is still crippled, an Engineer or team may attempt to splice the weapon into working. A DV of 22 is required (with no bonuses for previous successes) to patch the weapon. A success will allow the weapon to fire with its current range. An hour must be spent removing the patch before repairs can start again. Weapons that have ammunition loose it all and, unless the ship carries extra ammo in a cargo slot, are useless unless reloads can be found. A weapon considered “damaged” (see below) will be repaired in one hour after a single repair check. PROPULSION / DRIVE: A success… Vehicle Drive…will recover 10 kmph per hour of work done. If it is destroyed, at least a full day must be spent to reconstruct the engine for every 20 kmph of the Max Speed. If “vaporized”, reconstruction is not possible. Atmospheric / Orbital Engines…will recover 10 MOVE and 1 ORBIT (if it has an ORBIT) per hour of work done. If it is destroyed, at least a full day must be spent to reconstruct the engine for every 10 MOVE/1 ORBIT of the Max Speed. This time increases by… … ½ day for ships from 5 000 – 20 000 tones …1 day for ships from 20 000 – 40 000 tones …1 ½ days for ships from 40 – 60 000 tones
…2 days for ships from 60 000 – 80 000 tones …3 days for ships 80 000 tones and above.
A ship’s Mach rating is only restored when the engine is fully functioning. Engineers really don’t like pilots pushing a ship into Mach with a patched engine…it just might explode. If MOVE or ORBIT is restored before the other, repairs must continue until completed. If “vaporized”, reconstruction is not possible. A reconstructed engine will not operate until half its speed at least is restored. After that, it must still be reconstructed until completion FTL Drive…will recover one LY per hour of work done. If destroyed, reconstruction is possible but a full day must be spent per 1 LY of the engine’s capacity. This time increases by six hours per 10 000 tones of the ship’s mass (obviously this only applies to Dreadnaughts). After that, the engine still must charge up. If “vaporized”, reconstruction is not possible. A reconstructed engine will not operate until half its range at least is restored. After that, it must still be reconstructed until completion. NOTE: Any fuel lost as a result is still lost… Example: Lets take a Conestoga. It just been shot and its Orbital engine was destroyed. The team consists of one Engineer and three techs. Being a Conestoga, it has a fully stocked repair bay. To get that engine moving again requires 15 days at 16 DV the three days with a –1 each additional three days. The Conestoga weighs 78 000 tones, meaning instead of one day per repair job, it requires 3 days. As for the DV: DV 22 – 1 (Tool Kit) – 2 (Mechanics Kit) – 3 (three Technicians assisting). The ship only moves at an ORBIT of 5.
INFLICTING DAMAGE: Ships and vehicles reduced to zero are not destroyed. Oh no…they cannot fire or move, but the ship is not destroyed… restoration is possible. Batteries still run gravity and life support. With a clever Engineering role, he might even get a nonenergy weapons functioning. What follows are a series of tables for damage to vehicles and spacecraft. Once any craft or vehicle is reduced to below twice its total capacity, the craft or vehicle breaks in two. Crewmembers have 75% chance of dodging a DC8 hit at a DV of 17. 1D6 Cargo bays gutted. All engines and weapons destroyed. Aerospace craft in an atmospheric crumble. Spacecraft will disintegrate in 1d6 minutes. Tables are rolled whenever armor on vehicles or craft is punctured. If the damage is not applicable (cargo bay gutted on an APC), no damage is applied. The requirements are listed below. You first must know what class of vehicle/craft it is.
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DAMAGE CLASSES (based on Body of the craft / vehicle) Light Body = Medium Body =
1 – 5 Kills 6 – 10 Kills
Heavy Body = Massive Body =
11- 20 Kills 21 kills and above
DAMAGE TABLES LIGHT DAMAGE: Roll once every time a… Medium Body loses 1 kill of BODY Heavy Body loses 2 kills of BODY Massive Body loses 5 kills of BODY MEDIUM DAMAGE: Roll once every time a… Light Body loses 1 kill of BODY Medium Body loses 2 kills of BODY Heavy Body loses 4 kills of BODY Massive Body loses 10 kills of BODY
HEAVY DAMAGE: Roll once every time a… Light Body loses 2 kills of BODY Medium Body loses 4 kills of BODY Heavy Body loses 8 kills of BODY Massive Body loses 20 kills of BODY CRITICAL DAMAGE: Roll once every time a… Light Body loses 1 BODY below 0 Medium Body loses 2 BODY below 0 Heavy Body looses 4 BODY below 0 Massive Body loses 10 BODY below 0
LIGHT DAMAGE TABLE (Roll 3d6) 3–5 6–7 8–9 10 – 13 14 – 15 16 – 17 18
No additional effects Ship / craft shaken. –1 to all piloting and gunnery rolls for 1d6 rounds. Sensors damaged. SR cut in half. Random light weapon (DC 4 and under) damaged. Will only fire on a roll on a 4+ on a D6. Drive engine damaged. MOVE / ORBIT / Max Speed reduced by 30%. Random heavy weapon (over DC 4) damaged. Will only fire on a roll on a 4+ on a D6. Roll on the next damage table.
MEDIUM DAMAGE TABLE (Roll 3d6) 3–4 5–6 7–8 9 – 10 11 – 13 14 – 15 16 –17 18
No additional effects. Ship / craft shaken. –3 to all pilot and gunnery rolls for 1d6 rounds. Fuel Leak. One fuel cell wasted. Lose 10% of remaining fuel mass (if fuel is present). Random light weapon (DC 4 and under) damaged. Will only fire on a roll of 5+ on a D6. Internal Shrapnel. Every crewmember has 30% chance of dodging a DC5 hit at a DV of 15. Drive engine damaged. MOVE / ORBIT / Max Speed reduced by 50%. Random heavy weapon (over DC 4) damaged. Will only fire on a roll on a 5+ on a D6. Roll on the next damage table.
HEAVY DAMAGE TABLE (Roll 3d6) 3 4–5 6–7 8–9 10 – 11 12 – 13 14 – 15 16 17 18
No additional effects. Locked systems. Craft / Vehicle can do nothing for 1d6 rounds. Aircraft should pray. Major fuel leak. Several fuel cells wasted. Loses 50% of remaining fuel mass (if present). Random light weapon (4 DC and under) destroyed. Communications Cut. Electronics roll required to restore. Hull Breach! 1 room decompresses. Crewmembers have 50% chance of dodging a DC5 hit at a DV of 15. Random heavy weapon (over DC 4) destroyed. Drive engine Destroyed. Eject!! Reconstruction or replacement required. Random cargo bay (if present) gutted and destroyed. OH NO! Critical Damage. Roll on the table below…
CRITICAL DAMAGE TABLE (Roll 3d6) 3–4 5–6 7–8 9 – 10 12 – 13 14 – 15 16 – 17 18
Random light weapon (4 DC and under) vaporized. Artificial Gravity Systems Destroyed. All crewmembers are in free fall. Life Support Systems destroyed. Temperature will drop 5 degrees every hour. Air supply will run out in 1d6 hours. Major Hull Breach. 1d6 rooms decompress. Crewmembers have 60% chance of dodging a DC6 hit at a DV of 16. Random heavy weapon (over DC 4) vaporized. Specific Damage. Tail / turret blown off, 1 Drop / Craft slot gutted, or 1d6 Cargo slots gutted. Drive engine or FTL vaporized. Eject!! Craft / Vehicle breaks in two. Crewmembers have 75% chance of dodging a DC8 hit at a DV of 17. 1d6 Cargo bays gutted. All engines and weapons destroyed. Atmospheric craft crumble. Spacecraft will disintegrate in 1d6 minutes.
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MORTAL DAMAGE TABLES It’s a forgone conclusion that most Players will have an average to above average body strength. This means they can withstand more punishment than the average farm boy. However, a bullet through the femur will still hurt. It doesn’t matter if you’re Rambo or Woody Allen. I do not believe that a character can walk around with perfect health until their hit points reach zero. There are two basic schools of thought: 0 Hit Points = Death, and 0 Hit Points = out-of-commission. FUZION rules need modifications. All Hits are removed from total Hits but some specific situations exist…
MAIN BODY. FULL HITS: ½ Total Hits: ¼ Total Hits:
--Physical Characteristics drop by 1. Combat Characteristics drop by 1. --Combat Characteristics drop by additional 1. --Physical Characteristics drop by an additional 1. --Mental Characteristics drop by 1 0 Hits and below: --All Characteristics drop an additional 2. For the Mental group, the character doesn’t go dumb, just concentration is thrown out the window. Characteristics don’t drop below 0. Any that ARE 0 means no skills under that characteristic can be used. A 0 MOVE indicates no movement. --The character is still conscious but will be out cold in combat phases = Original Endurance. --The Character will loose 1 additional hit point every minute until 2 x HITS. The Character then dies.
ARMS. HALF TOTAL HITS: ½ Arm Hits: --STR and REF are reduced by 1. 0 Arm Hits: --The Arm is useless. STR and REF are halved. Double Arm Hits: --Arm is crumpled or severed. STR and REF is 1. DC1 Stun every minute until stabilized or unconscious.
LEGS. HALF TOTAL HITS: ½ Leg Hits: 0 Leg Hits: Double Leg Hits:
--DEX is reduced by 1. MOVE is reduced by 2. --Leg is useless. DEX is halved. MOVE is reduced by an additional 1. A Move of 0 makes the Character incapable of walking without assistance. --Leg is crumpled or severed. DEX and MOVE is 0. DC1 Stun every minute until stabilized or unconscious.
HEAD. HALF TOTAL HITS: ½ Head Hits: --INT, REF, DEX are reduced by 1 0 Head Hits: --Dazed and Confused. Knockout in Combat Phases = Endurance. All Characteristics halved. Double Head Hits: --You’re out and will be dead in combat phases = Original Endurance
ADDITIONAL RULES: HEAD: Any HITS on the head that penetrates armor deal DOUBLE DAMAGE. The skull is a wonderful thing with some very think bone there. It receives an automatic 1 PD of armor, non removable. ARM: A Character is assumed to NOT be ambidextrous. However, to side in the Player’s favor, every time an arm is struck with HIT damage, it is always the OTHER arm. LEG: Even if crumpled, the Character can still crawl at STR = Meters per minute. GENERIC: Any Hit to any location that deals more than 5 HITS penetrating damage in one strike causes a MAJOR wound. This results in 1 additional HIT being inflicted every minute until at least rudimentary treated. This removal may continue all the way to Death.
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ROLL MODIFIERS (revised and altered for game use) There are two types of combat, quick and slow. For quick combat, use only basic modifiers. Forget about range and just worry about dodging and shooting. Slow combat feels like the slow-motion sequences from The Matrix. Every move is strategically set up…choreography is key. Combat will take longer but may feel more fulfilling.
BASIC MODIFIERS Target crouched or kneeling… Target prone… … … Behind someone else… … Tiny target (bull’s-eye, bottle)… Small target (limb, wheel)… Large target (car, large animal)…
… … … … … …
-1 -2 -4 -5 -4 +2
Very large target (Truck, plane, house) … Aiming… … … Fast draw / Snapshot… Blinded by light or dust… Using two handguns…
… … …
… … …
+3 +1 per phase, Up to +6 -3 -3 -2 each.
ADVANCED MODIFIERS (OPTIONAL) Aimed body shot: Head… … … Hand, shoulder… … Arm, leg… …
-5 -4 -3
Range:
0 -1 -2 -3 Firing at a moving target: additional -2 Human based:
Point Blank (<1 meters)… … Close (1/4 range of weapon)… Medium (1/2 range of weapon)… Long (full range of weapon)… Extreme (every 50m past extreme)...
Ricochet or indirect fire… Using a rifle one-handed… Weapon braced…
… … …
… … …
Firing while at speed from an aircraft: Mach speed:
-5 -2 +2 Vehicle based:
Firing while moving (refer to MOVE): Combat move… Sprint… … In Water… Leaping…
… … … …
-2 -3 -3 -3
Firing while at speed from a vehicle: 1 – 30 kph… 31 – 60 kph… 60 – 90 kph… 91 – 120 kph… 121 – 150 kph… 151 – up…
… … … … … …
0 -1 -2 -3 -4 -5
Firing while at speed from an aircraft: Combat move: 0 - 100… … 101 - 150… 151 - 200… 201 - 250… 251 - 300… 301 – 350…
4m – 8m / phase… … 9m – 12m / phase… 13m – 20 m / phase… 21m – 30m / phase…
0 -1 -2 -3
1 – 30 kph… 31 – 60 kph… 60 – 90 kph… 91 – 120 kph… 121 – 150 kph… 151 – up…
… … … … … …
0 -1 -2 -3 -4 -5
0 - 50… … 50 - 100… 101 - 150… 151 - 200… 201 - 250… 251 - 300… 301 – 350…
0 -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6
-4 -5 -6 -7 -8
Aircraft based: Combat move:
0 -1 -2 -3 -4 -5
-2 -3 -4 -5 -6
Mach speed:
TO HIT NUMBERS To hit a target not dodging (per range): Point Blank / Melee (<1 m)…… Close (1/4 range)… … Medium (1/2 range)… … Long (full range)… … … Extreme (every 50m past long)…
4 8 12 16 additional +2
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REVISED WEAPON RULES ARMOR AND SHOOTING: As many know in the Mekton Rules, every time armor is hit, one point of armor is removed. This applies to personal armor. When the armor reduces to zero, it is useless. Spacesuits with an armor if penetrated will puncture and leak unless stated otherwise (special armor have special rules). NO personal weapons do less than one point but some spacecraft weapons do. In Mekton, 1 kill will remove 1 armor…any weapons above 1 kill will still only remove 1 kill of armor. However, fraction damage will only remove fraction armor (eg: 0.25 k will remove 0.25 armor instead of 1. But 4 K will only remove 1kill of armor). Any weapons that do not have a kill capacity listed will not damage kill armor.
AUTOFIRE WEAPONS: The FUZION rules are incorrect regarding Rate of Fire. Here are the changes: FIRING ONE SHOT: No change FIRING BURST: Light, Medium, and Heavy firepower can fire a quick 3 round burst. No bonus and if they hit, 1d6/2 bullets strike (round down). AUTOFIRE (ROF): Only with Light, Medium, and Heavy firepower weapons with an ROF more than 1. The difference between the defender’s roll and the attacker’s roll is how many bullets hit. The number of bullets of fired effect the weapon accuracy. The Player must tell the GM how many rounds the PC is firing before rolling. The Player chooses a ROF up to the maximum ROF. A +1 WA is added for every 10 shots fired. Because of the advance in technology, there is little recoil. But there is still some kickback and if the weapon fires more than one-third of its total ROF for more than one combat phase a –1 penalty is incurred on the second round and increases every round after. Also don’t forget massive ammo loss. Remember, changing clips takes one action. AIMING WITH AUTOFIRE: If you aim at a specific body / vehicle location, only the first shot hits that location, the additional damage from the other hits are to taken to the main hull / body. FIRING OVER MULTIPLE TARGETS: If you wish to spray multiple targets, several factors must be considered: How many shots are fired and how far apart the targets are from each other. The player must first determine how many shots are fired and calculate the ROF bonus (40 shots = +4). Next the player must determine how many targets he/she is firing at. Then the GM must denote how far apart these targets are. The player may ask how far apart these possible targets are before firing to weigh the risks. Simply put, for firing at more than one target, the number of targets = the penalty to fire for each of them. Four targets would be –4 to hit all of them and so forth. To counter this penalty, the player may burst 40 shots at a +4 for the ROF bonus but that wastes ammunition, may lead to recoil problems, and only ten bullets can strike each target (shots fired / number of targets). Then there is target distance. After striking, determine how many additional shots hit. However, for every meter the last target is from the previous target, remove one bullet (one DC). You can never loose all your shots. If you score a hit, the first shot WILL hit. This rule only means you wasted the other bullets strafing the gun towards the new target.
DAMAGE WITH WEAPONS: The damage capacities for weapons may seem low but for every additional shot that hits does an additional DC1 of damage. Eg: A weapon with a ROF of 6 and a damage of 4 hit three times. The damage roll is DC7 (4 + 3).
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HISTORY NOTE: Whatever CL the GM decided to endorse, read until it is shown, then STOP there. Reading past that may lessen enjoyment. The closing years of the 20th Century saw a fading of the great Nations and a rapid increase in the power and influence of multi-national Corporations. These Corporations were not restricted to a single field; their interests were vast, covering all aspects of industry and economics, as they diversified into every field that held profit. They were also not defined by country, society, or ideology. In industry, in business, and in the media, the multi-nationals became more powerful and more visible. The first planet to have a scientific colony on it was Mars. The moon followed thereafter. Needless to say, Earth's space exploration was not united; many different countries have established colonies in space. The major colonizers are: The United Americas (USA, Canada, parts of South America), China, Japan, The European Federation and Russia. Though rare, conflicts have occurred between countries in space. The most significant cases are between the UA and China, because of the differences in government between these two powers; diplomatic unrest has occasionally turned into war. China is believed to back the notorious PRA, a communist extremist group that has been responsible for numerous communist takeovers. As the corporations grew, they wove together the economic interests of the Nations of the world, and the specter of large-scale warfare was reduced. With head-to-head warfare economically unacceptable, the advanced states settled for venting their hostilities and waging wars in Third World nations. This trend continued through the following decades, as the corporations prospered and the interdependence of the major Nations of Earth grew. Tensions did not end, but were kept under control and released in ways that did not damage anyone’s ability to make money. Humanity entered the age of Space in an atmosphere of controlled tension but not outright war. The Age of Space came in the wake of two tremendous technological breakthroughs. The first was the reactionless Displacement drive, which allowed Humanity to travel quickly and cheaply within the Solar System. The Jump Drive soon followed, expanding on the principles behind the Displacement Drive and taking Humanity out into the stars. As technologies were perfected, exploration craft went out from Earth. The search for minerals and other raw materials was only a secondary goal of the explorers; those things were available within the Solar System itself, in amounts that would keep humanity supplied for many years. The most important things the stars held were knowledge, the potential of new habitable planets to ease the population pressures of Earth, and the opportunity to study new life forms. The greatest value for the corporations lay in the life forms. Each world is like a gigantic laboratory, where the forces of nature have experimented on for billion of years. The creatures produced in those laboratories, and the complex chemicals contained within them, possess abilities far beyond those available to Humanity. Many of these abilities are nearly miraculous. The expansion into Space had been a slow progress, since useful systems were rare and the effort involved in establishing colonies was great. Still, at least six Earth-like worlds have been found, and dozens more that are at least habitable. On other worlds, the process of terraforming is underway, as hostile environments are slowly changed into places where Humans can live. On every habitable world, colonies have been established. They have expanded at varying rates, depending on the corporate support they have received and the qualities of the worlds. Shiploads of people and equipment are sent to each Colony, and eventually the colonies begin to send items of value back to the rest of Humanity; unusual life forms and mineral combination, the product of local industries, and after a generation, skilled workers. These skilled workers are part of the rapidly growing populations of the colonies, and the corporations have developed many techniques for managing them successfully. Colonists have developed many techniques for making them successfully. Colonists are taught to live active, disciplined lives, to maximize their economic value and reduce the risks of living in the colonies. Good educations are available for those who are not. By contrast, the disorganized state of the population of Earth means that there are relatively fewer people who are well disciplined and well-educated, as the quality of life diminished on Earth. The value of trained, energetic, and obedient workers from the colonies increase. In addition to the above aspects of corporate life, a major part of each corporation’s management approach has been the establishment of a corporate military force. These forces are not large, but they are well trained, and have the best equipment their Corporation can afford. With Colonies on many worlds, the power and influence of the Corporations rose rapidly. As they became more powerful, they became more of a threat to the Nations of Earth. The situation was a very delicate one; the nations had far larger
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armies, but the Corporation controlled space and vital high technology. The same economic interdependence, which prevented war among the Nations now, prevented the Nations from harming the Corporations. Tensions between the increasingly wealthy Corporates and the Governments of Earth increased. The governments felt threatened. They saw the fabric of society changing and thought they might not be a part of the future of humanity. Every political weapon was used, including diplomacy, bribery, blackmail, and economic pressure. Separatist movements were created to destabilize Nations, which responded by seeing corporate property. Finally, one small crisis got out of control and erupted into warfare. Dozens of other small wars began within weeks, and the Earth spun into chaos. Fortunately, the wars remained limited; few nuclear or biological weapons were used. The wars lasted for five years. The war concluded with the formation of a joint council to oversee the affairs of both Corp and government for the betterment of humanity. Out of violence came the Interstellar Commerce Commission (ICC), a coalition of Corporation and Nations, which united Humanity. This organization was in charge or regulating activities among its members, and the Colonial Marine Corps was created as its military arm under the charter that they did not have to answer to any single corporation. The wars had taught everyone that it would be valuable to have some sort of “police force” to discourage them from using violence to solve their problems. Throughout the wars, the colonies strongly supported the Corporations. They wanted to remain free from the nations, and many believed they would receive status as independent entities with increased control over their own affairs. When the ICC was formed, it became clear this would not be the case; the Colonies were treated as corporate property. Another cycle of hostility, tension, and intense diplomacy began, an eventually several Colonies rebelled. The Colonial Marine Corps, supported by corporate forces was given the job of bringing the rebels back under control. The cause of the Colonies was in danger from the beginning. The tremendous financial and military resources available to the ICC meant that their losses could be quickly replaced, while the colonies were very weak in technology, industry, and population. One by one, the Colonies were defeated militarily and economically. There are still underground rebel movements on most Colonies, but they pose little threat to the ICC at present. The colonies, having supported the Corps in the war, thought they would win more independence from external rule. The creation of the ICC confirmed society's view that the colonies were nothing more than Corporate property. Many colonies rebelled. They were always going to lose. The ICC, Corporate forces and the CMC waged economic and military warfare and overpowered all but one corner of resistance. The rebel system of Alexandria sealed itself off from the rest of humanity. Soon after, the Union of Progressive People formed from several rim colonies and set up a military border. Their size is small but fortified. Attempts to retake their territory proved fruitless. Alexandria acknowledges the UPP's independence but the ICC does not. The Colonial Marine Corps was created at the same time as the ICC. The intent was that the Colonial Marines, funded by coalition of all the space-going Nations, would be an independent force that would resolve disputes among the Nations and Corporation, and keep the peace in the Colonies as well. Each nation had its own portion of the force made up of its own citizens, but they shared equipment, training, and doctrine. They were led by the Colonial Marine Corps High Command, which included representatives from several nations. Most of the power belongs to the Corporations, however, and the Nations have little influence among the stars. Their only tool is the Colonial Marine Corps, and its power is dwindling. Every year, the Colonial Marines fall a little further behind in technology; their weapons are not upgraded, their supplies and other equipment fail to incorporate the latest improvements, and their ships are faced with the improved designs available to the Corporations. The shortage of personnel is also a growing a problem for the Colonial Marines. They have not replaced the losses suffered during the wars against the rebel colonies, and the additional drain imposed by the current turmoil has made the problem even worse. For the Colonial Marines, the loss of a single Strike Team can mean that large areas will remain un-patrolled and unmonitored for months or even years. It wasn’t until later, from secret grants from corporations that believed the ICC to be corrupt, did they manage to compete again. 2122 - First contact with Aliens creatures on LV-426. The freighter "Nostromo" made landfall on the planet, one of the crew members was infected and subsequently the crew and the ship was destroyed by the drone that emerged. Sole survivor, Ellen Ripley, escaped in a Capsule, the "Narcissus" and floated homewards towards Earth (we assume). Between 2155 and 2160 - Colony set up on LV-426, which was subsequently known as "Acheron." Due to a sheltering mountain range and the dire meteorological conditions, the colonists failed to find the "Jockey ship." 2179 - The Narcissus was found floating by a remote mining vessel with Ellen Ripley on board. She was brought back to gateway station in orbit around Earth where it was learned that she was been in hypersleep for 57 years. Her story was not believed by the ICC and she was stripped of her rank and duties. One corporate executive, Carter Burke, believed enough of the story to ask the colonist on LV-426 "Acheron" to go and have a look at the grid references provided by Ripley. Earth subsequently lost contact with the colony.
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Burke, Ripley and a strike team of Colonial Marines made their way to Acheron and had a bad time of it all. The survivors; Ripley, Rebecca "Newt" Jordon, Corporal Dwight Hicks and a synthetic Bishop headed back towards earth in their vessel the Sulaco.
ENTER HERE FOR CL1 & TL1 2179 or 2180 - The Sulaco had some of the Alien eggs left on board (Ripley apparently failed to check before she went into hypersleep) and the emerging face-huggers caused an electrical fire on the Sulaco, which then jettisoned the sleep capsules in an escape pod. The pod found its way to the nearest inhabited planet "Fiorina 161 - Fury" a corporate penal colony. Newt and Hicks failed to survive the landing and Bishop was scrapped carelessly by the inmates. Ripley found she was carrying an Alien queen inside her, lost more people to yet another drone that infected a local dog and ended up arguing the loss with a corporate bigwig who resembled her beloved Bishop. She threw herself into a boiling vat of molten lead
ENTER HERE FOR CL2 & TL2 In 2185, the CMC secretly funded its own group to investigate the reports concealed from them events on LV-426, or Acheron. The organization goes without a name and doesn’t officially exist. Not even Weyland-Yutani knew of their existence. The group was ordered to investigate the reports on the rim and return in a year with a full report. The report returned was alarming. The aliens somehow, were not exclusive to LV-426. It was very possible they either escaped or there was another source the infestation was originating from. That location had yet to be found. Colonies had vanished and several life specimens had been examined. Life specimens had yet to survive to reach a major laboratory. After the devastating fall of the Anchorpoint station on the UPP border, the CMC realized it had a major problem. The sub-division of the CMC was given a name (the Silver Twin) and sent back with an arsenal. No longer were they to retrieve information. Now they were to control the problem. Backlash was felt from the Corporations but CMC’s newfound independence with rival Corporates kept their power base stable. The CMC even managed to recover the lost Sulaco and finally managed to settle a party on LV426, quarantined from the critical processor disaster years earlier. The Alien craft there was destroyed to prevent the technology from being recovered by approaching UPP forces. Several groups like Grant Corp funded research in the alien technology and even funded a trip to the Alien Proteus, a planet with the largest infestation and which could also be, the Homeworld. (Alien: Genocide) Research into the alien’s physiology uncovered a “royal jelly” secreted by queens that can turn humans into supermen, athletes, or homicidal warriors! Billionaire Daniel Grant wanted to get his hands on the purest form of the jelly, and headed a military expectation to this distant world inhabited by not one, but two separate hives, each at war with the other. Armed to the teeth with specially designed alienkilling battlesuits and ready for anything, even these well trained marines ended up getting caught in a barrage of blood and tactical nukes!
ENTER HERE FOR CL3 & TL3 To counteract the alien threat, several rival labs were set up to investigate their capabilities. Most are shut down by the ST because of bad conduct. One such incident was on the Inomminata run by Dr. Paul Church. His desire to understand and conquer the aliens was fueled by his own nightmare from long ago, during which he was trapped in an alien hive where the drones and queen were slowly rotting from an unknown disease that kept them from reproducing. He uncovered new information about the aliens (they die in captivity), and we witnessed the first alien autopsy. Unfortunately, it is uncovered he crossed the line in his experiments, and the future of his research was brought into question. (Alien-Labrynth) Not learning from their mistakes, another corporation attempted to open a laboratory on a planet with a known hive, thus not worrying about stock for experiments. This time, the real monsters are the humans, especially project leader Ernst Kleist, who ignored the extreme greed that ran through his staff. He concentrated on taming his “children”--the swarm of aliens that infested the bowels of the installation. But even as the body count rose and more and more people became victims of “accidents” in the bug-ridden lab, Kleist revealed a threat that will force every sentient being in the place, synthetic or note, to stand together: A king alien! And this monster was more twisted, lethal and voracious than any other xenomorph ever encountered The Silver Twin do benefit and are soon the only force against the infestation and start clearing out one hive after another, having more and more technology at their disposal. They realize that the aliens cannot be controlled and start shutting down all but the most needed of alien labs. Even some of the ones deemed controlled, like the station run by Casper Nordling turns do dust when corruption is revealed. Not even a super advanced station crewed only by synthetics (including the high priced alien-xenomorph synth and the anti-alien combat synth) with a sealed, self-enclosed hive could be controlled.
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The ST charter expands to complete extermination. Soon the CMC sub-division is directly opposing the corporations and their funding is cut. This doesn’t stop their progress. They soon became the most powerful anti-alien force around. Help from the UPP and Alexandria pushed back the infestation…but in the future, man’s greatest enemy is still himself.
ENTER HERE FOR CL4 & TL4 Years after the initial encounter on LV-426, the population of Earth was plagued by nightmares, dreams and visions of the arrival of aliens on Earth. Stranger still, there were many people who wanted the aliens to arrive, and who formed a religious cult, sacrificing themselves as willing hosts to the facehuggers. The Earth was soon overrun with hives. Mankind witnessed a dying Earth, only to discover a third alien species: The advanced race that first brought the aliens to our Galaxy.
ENTER HERE FOR CL5 & TL5 Earth was now utterly overrun with the bugs. A small band of survivors hid and hoped from help from above…in the skies. The fight continued. Gateway station soon became the home of the resistance. Most corporations crumbled. The CMC stood in the way of mankind’s extinction and soon led a daring strike against the aliens from the orbiting platform, armed with information garnered from an envoy to the home planet of the aliens. Earth’s defenders faced a strain of even deadlier aliens that dwelled deep within the bowels of the hives. Planting a series of linked bombs at the largest hives, the CMC succeed in killing the queen and stemming the alien infestation, but the advanced race that brought the xenomorph to LV-426 seemed to have its own interest in planet Earth.
ENTER HERE FOR CL5.5 & TL5 As the CMC cleaned up the planet and mankind started to rebuild, an unstoppable alien monstrosity orbited. It soon started terraforming the planet for its own colonization. Somewhere in deep space, A fleet of these ships approached to inhabit this new world. Soon, man was drawn into a new fight. The CMC came across the species that created the aliens as well as cleaning up the mess they left for us. Our greatest fight was still yet to come…
ENTER HERE FOR CL6 & TL6
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CHARACTER GENERATION
Characters must create their characters in a specific order to ease the creation and to be fair and prevent using loopholes. Please refer to the FUZION rules included for the following information:
LIFEPATH (Page 5): Unchanged. Characters must be at least 18. It is assumed the PCs join the military at that point. However they can realistically join the Military any year past 18 that they want. The maximum final age for a starting character is 35. As you will read later, the max skill for starting characters is “+6”. With the bonuses for Military training below, coupled with this skill cap, it may be advantageous for a starting character at 35 to join later and extend his lifepath, giving change for more windfalls and dangers. Roll for every year as stated but GM discretion for traumas. Ignore “Current Situation”.
NO ORIGIN PATH (Page 6): CHARACTERISTICS (Page 8) Character Points: 55 points. The GM can consider up to 70 but I feel it might lower game enjoyment. All Optional Derived Characteristics should be used. Option Points: 50 points. The GM can consider up to 60.
COMPLICATIONS (Page 14) The GM should avoid hefty problems since the CMC is an elite force. NOTE: For character creation, skills have three stages to them…so they are placed after Perks, Talents, and Complications.
TALENTS (Page 19): No restrictions.
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PERKS & PRIVELEGES (Page 20): MARINE MEMBERSHIP: Every two ranks a Marine earns gain him +1 Membership in the CMC as well. This is the only way to gain Membership in the CMC. All the bonuses of Membership apply. NOTE: ALL skills in character creation have a cap of “+6”. No matter how many bonuses the character earns during lifepath of Marine training, this +6 remains. So there is some strategy to character creation. HOWEVER, a Player can choose one military skill and up to two life skills up to +7.
GROWING SKILLS (Page 16): First, a player must spend OP on “growing skills.” These are skills the player develops in life before joining the Military. The reason these points are spent before the Marine training below is because some skills are REQUIRED for Marine training or can effect the path of the PC in their career. However, don’t spend all your points since every two years in the military costs 3OP (see below). Obviously the most important skill for advancing in the Marines is leadership. Choosing that ahead of time can be advantageous. But other points apply. If a PC has a certain skill, or carries it with a certain experience, they don’t need to choose it in the path as determined below. All “Growing Skills” have a cap of “+3” at this point. Players can increase them later. They cannot choose Military skills, Life skills only. All skills are listed at the back of this section.
MARINE TEMPLATES --NEW RULE-The PC enters the CMC…and everything changes. Each Character chooses a path every TWO years of service. The first choice MUST not by career. The templates labeled CAREER are paths the PC have taken because he/she decided on a future in the Marines. When a career is picked, no other paths may be chosen. Every two years, the PC enters the same career again. Each template has special rules unique to its own. There are skills listed that the character gets as a bonus as well as skills the Player must spend OP on (3 OP each template). The Player may not allot anymore OP to other skills not in the template (they can do that later). Money is allotted for each path chosen. Every Non-Career option has a Career mirror (Aerospace – Starship, Infantry--OCC). The PC can dabble in a variety of fields but should choose a final career dependant on the character’s history eventually. A tank pilot can switch to OCC but has very few skills useful going in. Also listed in each template is a rank structure. Every year the PC is in this path he has a chance to go up in rank (ranks are listed in the USMC/CMC section and below. All players start at the bottom. The Rank listed in the non-career template is the highest rank available in that path. Career paths have a starting rank but no ceiling rank. When you move into a career path for the first time, you take this immediate rank. Even though the CMC chapter lists ranks to Admiral, obviously starting characters cannot reach that. The top rank achieved is listed with the Rank structure below. Each year requires a Leadership roll (Uses PRE + skill). If above the DV, the new rank is established. If not, the rank is carried over the next year. The DV then drops by 1 and then an additional 1 every following year. When a new rank is established, the DV returns to normal. Only when the Character's Rank reaches his current ceiling can he roll to get the jump to a CAREER OR stay and keep pumping points in what the character has, but promotions are no longer available. Promotions can always be refused, of course (GM discretion). If the PC, at a ceiling rank, chooses a path, and successfully rolls for promotion, they don’t roll a second time, nor do they JUMP into the career. They must finish their term, then start in their new Career next time. Also, if you choose a career but decide against it later, you have to bust yourself back down to the starting rank of the new career. No PC can take more that THREE careers…the third must be the career of choice. The PC is stuck there unless they want to be discharged.
NOTE ON LIFEPATH (Fuzion, page 5):
PCs roll for lifepath THROUGH the Marines. The GM
must work lifepath into the Marine path. As a result… SOMETHING GOOD
…Mentor: Allows the bonus skill in ANY category, Military or not. …Favor: Player option…can keep the favor into the game OR get a +2 at the next Promotion DV roll and +1 in ANY skill, military or not. …Membership: +4 to the every Promotion DV roll until the next promotion. SOMETHING BAD: …Imprisonment: GM discretion or roll D6: 1-3 – Held Hostage, 4-6 – Imprisonment. If held hostage, the PC may be awarded a POW medal or a Purple Heart (The GM may also add a +1 to the Promotional DV roll next year). If imprisoned, the PC is reduced ONE rank and the DV for the next promotion increases by FIVE. Either situation, the PC is returned before the year is out. They also loose two of their bonus skills of the template for that path (two years, PC’s decision).
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…Falsely Accused: Same as imprisonment above. Develop an enemy. D6 is rolled: 1-3 – Acquitted, 46 – sentenced for a year, is reduced 1 rank and the DV for the next promotion increases by 5. They also loose two of their bonus skills of the template for that year (two years, PC’s decision). …Accident or Injury: Purple Heart awarded. ENLISTED Private (Aeroman)* Pvt 1st Class (Aeroman)* Lance Corporal (Aeroman First Class)* Corporal (Sen.Aeroman)*
NON COMMISIONED Sergeant Staff Sergeant Gunnery Sergeant
COMMISIONED Second Lieutenant First Lieutenant Captain
AEROROSPACE: 16 STARSHIP COMMAND: 20 MEDICAL: 15 SCIENCES CAREER: 18
XENOBIOLOGY: 20 ARMOR: 15 TECHNICIAN: 16 ENGINEER: 18
RANK DV: INFANTRY: 15 HEAVY WEAPONS: 15 NCO: 18 OCC: 20
Ranks during gameplay are run using experience (see CMC section for details). The PC stops choosing paths when he/she has run out of OP or has run out of life (Age). If the Character runs out of life, he/she is considered an up and coming officer. Running out of OP means the character hasn’t done much in his/her career since. You cannot choose a path if you do not have the OP to spend on its skills. After all your templates are done and have OP leftover, you can spend those are your usual skills or on any of the skills you have already chosen. The only military skills available are the ones you already have. You cannot take APC pilot if you have never taken the path. However, if you have three OP leftover, you have one point in APC pilot, and then you can jump it up to four if you want. Any OP you spend before choosing your first path can be spent on life skills but no military ones. Military skills are those listed in the templates below (with an “M” beside them). All life skills are listed after the templates. Some “M” skills are not military but since all PCs will be in the Marines (or assumed, there are exceptions), these are skills they can only develop through military channels. The GM should consider a maximum number of templates for each character. I recommend 6 or 8. This also caps a maximum age. A maximum starting skill for a player should be 6. Leave some room for improvement later. The path the Character has taken the most is his/her position. If they are all equal, choose one and keep it.
TEMPLATES INFANTRY BACKGROUND: Infantry are the basic troops of the CMC. They released are in numbers and are often indistinguishable from each other. Usually, most people start in Infantry because of its general purpose skills they offer. MIRROR: OCC CEILING RANK: Lance Corporal BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Autofire Weapons (M), Firearms, Hand to Hand O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on the following): Surveillance, Survival, Melee Weapons, Melee Evade, Heavy Weapons (M), Hand to Hand, Hand to Hand Evade MONEY: 100 cr.
HEAVY WEAPONS BACKGROUND: These start right into training of the heavy weapons of the CMC. Although many of their skills are similar to the base infantry, they have less training in close combat, and more in the use of Heavy Weapons, specifically the M51 Smart Gun MIRROR: NCO CEILING : Lance Corporal BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Smart Gunner (M), Firearms, Hand to Hand O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on the following): Survival, Demolition(M), Heavy Weapons (M), Gunnery (M), Hand to Hand, Autofire Weapons (M), Hand to Hand Evade, Pilot Power Armor (TL6) MONEY: 80 cr.
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NCO (Non Commissioned Officer) --CAREER-BACKGROUND: This is the path for people who want to stay on the front line but have some form of authority. This is the usual path for people who don’t want to pursue a command unless it is just a squad. MIRROR: Heavy Weapons STARTING RANK: Corporal CEILING RANK: Sgt. Major BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Autofire Weapons (M), Firearms, Hand to Hand O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on the following): Demolitions (M), Heavy Weapons (M), Gunnery (M), Leadership, Tactics (M), Interrogation, Survival. MONEY: 100 cr.
OCC (Officer Command College) --CAREER-BACKGROUND: Officer from the infantry or even from the Heavy Arms who wish to put on nicer clothes move to the hefty training and long hours of the Officer Command College. Here, a trooper, learns the details of command and will soon go up in ranks to command squads, units, even battalions. MIRROR: Infantry, Armor STARTING RANK: Second Lieutenant CEILING RANK: None BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Firearms, Leadership, First Aid. O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on the following): Tactics (M), Demolition/Disposal(M), Interrogation, Survival, Beurocratics, Teacher, Perception. MONEY: 120 cr.
AEROSPACE BACKGROUND: The rough men and women of the Aerospace division (sometimes nicknamed “Starlight”) are trained to operate the Shuttles, Dropships, and Fighters of the CMC. They are trained in both operation of the flight systems and the weaponry armed on these air and space craft. These troops are also used for astrogation and maneuvering of the massive starships the Marines utilize. MIRROR: Starship Command CEILING: Corporal BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Astrogation (M), Pilot Space-Interceptor (M), Pilot Dropship (M). O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on the following): Pilot Starship (M), Firearms, Navigation, Zero-G Maneuvering, Mechanics, Pilot-Atmospheric Interceptor (M), Gunnery (M) MONEY: 90 cr.
STARSHIP COMMAND --CAREER-BACKGROUND: These people are on the path to commanding their own ship. They may still pilot ships but are being trained in the command structure. High ranks could earn command of a squadron, a starship, or even a fleet. MIRROR: Aerospace STARTING RANK: Second Lieutenant BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Leadership, Astrogation (M), Pilot Starship (M). O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on the following): Pilot Space-Interceptor (M), Pilot Dropship (M), Firearms, Engineer Aerospace, Engineer Starship, Perception, Tactics MONEY: 120 cr.
MEDICAL BACKGROUND: These are ground medics basically trained to patching holes. They are not bound by protecting life, these are marines. They will fight to save their comrades. They are armed with bullets and bandages. MIRROR: Sciences or Xenobiology CEILING RANK: Corporal BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): First Aid, Firearms, Survival. O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on the following): Paramedic (M), Autofire Weapons (M), Perception, Tracking, Deduction, Research, First Aid. MONEY: 100 cr.
SCIENCES CAREER BACKGROUND: Expanding on their career, some marines choose to serve the corps in a support position. One of these is the sciences. Basically, these are marines that have either trained before as doctors or were trained in the corps. They are often sent in large numbers for medical relief and can often be placed in command of missions of military aid. Science Officers are trained in both medicine as well as all the sciences. MIRROR: Medical STARTING RANK: Second Lieutenant BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Paramedic (M), Sciences (Choose two or give one +2), First Aid. O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on the following): Research, Perception, Forensic Medicine, Criminology, Survival, Sciences, Teacher, Engineer--Synthetic MONEY: 140 cr.
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XENOBIOLOGY --CAREER-(CL3 and higher required) BACKGROUND: This is a special path for those specifically designed to the study of alien life forms. Course… eventually, most of these personnel are geared to the study of ONE specific life form. They are very similar to Sciences except they are more geared towards the study of alien life forms. They are also trained to combat these threats. Doctors in this category have been hired for corporation’s bioweapon’s division. MIRROR: Medical STARTING / CEILING RANK: 1st Lieutenant / Colonel BONUS SKILLS (All at +2): Xenobiology (M), Paramedic (M), Sciences (Choose one) O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on the following): Research, Perception, Forensic Medicine, Criminology, Survival, Sciences, Teacher. MONEY: 50 cr.
ARMOR BACKGROUND: These are the drivers of the Tanks, Buggies, and APC of the CMC. They can also operate the weapons of those vehicles as well. MIRROR: OCC CEILING RANK: Corporal BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Gunnery (M), Driving (choose either APC, Tank, or Buggy) (M), Firearms O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on the following): Engineer Armor (M), Autofire Weapons (M), Driving (the other two types) (M), Survival, Pilot Power Armor (TL6) (M), Navigation, Hand-to-Hand MONEY: 80 cr.
TECHNICIAN BACKGROUND: Technicians are assistants to large starships, and mechanics for smaller vehicles. Most pilots and drivers attribute their success partially to these miracle workers. Being Marines, they often ride as passengers in large armor as a field repairman. MIRROR: Engineer CEILING RANK: Corporal BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Engineer (choose one at +2 or two and +1): Armor (M), Aerospace (M), Starship (M), Firearms, Mechanic. O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on the following): Engineer (the two not chosen) (M), Weaponsmith (M), Electronics, Computer Programming, Autofire Weapons (M), Demolition (M). MONEY: 70 cr.
ENGINEER --CAREER-BACKGROUND: Engineers command whole teams and run and keep whole battalions of starships from falling apart. They are so trained, they not only can repair but modify and create their own designs. MIRROR: Technician CEILING / STARTING RANK: Captain / Second Lieutenant BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Engineer (Choose one at +2 or two at +1): Armor (M), Aerospace (M), Starship(M), Mechanic, Leadership O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on the following): The other two Engineer skills not chosen, Weaponsmith, Inventor, Electronics, Security Systems, Computer Programming, Engineer: Synthetic MONEY: 100 cr.
SPECIAL PATH COLONIAL MARINE SPECIAL FORCES Within every military force there are the typical foot soldiers, then there is the elite troops. The Colonial Marines are no exception. Following the traditions of the United States Marine Corp. The Colonial Marines included the marine special forces; Marine Force Recon, and the sapper, Marine Combat Engineers. Refer to the CMC chapter later for details on descriptions. The Colonial Marine Corp of Engineers has established a reputation as an elite unit, as Marine Force Recon. These specialists handle the most hazardous demolition tasks - demolishing strongpoints, clearing mine fields, preparing landing zones and laying bridges - all while under fire. It would be impossible to list all of the equipment available to the combat engineers here, though items include all manners of demolitions, mineplows, deepcore drills, portable aerospace strips, etc.
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Special Rules for Special Forces: Unlike other templates, Special Forces carries requirements. A Player wishing to submit their Character for this elite must have the following: --Four years of Infantry or Heavy Weapons (two paths). --Be Lance Corporal or higher. --Strength and Body must be at least “4”. Constitution and Willpower must be at least “5”. --Cannot have ANY major Complications that may hinder the Marine in the field. When a PC chooses one of the starting paths (Force Recon or Combat Engineer), they are stuck there. It is assumed that if they make it in…they stay. Special Forces personnel don’t leave to be Starship pilots. When you enter the elite, you have a certain reputation to live by. Unless kicked out, you stay (GM can void this rule though). Also, you can only pick Special Forces for two paths ONLY. You can move to and from Force Recon and Combat Engineer but you cannot (for game balance) take either at more than two years total. This may seem drastic, but the PC must spend more OP each path than usual so it balances somewhat. You either stop, or move onto Force Recon Career. Force Recon Career also carries the same restriction. Not everything is roses for Special Forces however. --DV for promotion is +2 higher for every rank. --Five OP must be spent each year instead of Three (see below). --After the first Path taken, the PC is slapped with a “5” point “Infrequent” Marine Code of Honor complication (NO OP bonus). If the PC enters the Force Recon Career, that dishes out another 5 points on top of that. However, this special case does NOT hamper combat at all. It is meant to fortify this Marine’s attitude to Marine conduct. Also, upon entering Force Recon (not Combat Engineer), the PC MUST spend the 12 OP for Marine Hand to Hand. Entering Force Recon Career can be for NCO and OCC…meaning when you choose Force Recon - Career, you must decide to go into Force Recon NCO or Force Recon OCC.
FORCE RECON MIRROR: Infantry, Heavy Weapons, Medical, Armor STARTING RANK: Lance Corporal CEILING RANK: Sergeant BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Autofire Weapons (M), Firearms, HTH, Stealth, Survival, Zero-Gravity Maneuvering, SCUBA, Parachuting O.P. SKILLS (5 OP must be spent on the following): Demolitions/Disposal (M), Heavy weapons (M), Melee Weapons, First Aid, Climbing, Drive -Buggy (M); Gunnery (M), Drive - APC, Tracking, Concealment, Shadowing, Sniper. MONEY: 100 cr. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________
HEAVY WEAPONS MIRROR: Infantry, Heavy Weapons, Medical, Armor CEILING : Lance Corporal BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Smart Gunner (M), Firearms, HTH, Heavy Weapons, Survival, Zero-Gravity Maneuvering, SCUBA, Parachuting O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on the following): Demolitions/Disposal (M), Melee Weapons, First Aid, Climbing, Drive -Buggy (M); Gunnery (M), Drive - APC, Tracking, Concealment, Shadowing, Autofire Weapons (M), Hand to Hand Evade, MONEY: 100 cr.
COMBAT ENGINEER (“SAPPER”) MIRROR: Infantry, Heavy Weapons, Medical, Armor CEILING RANK: Lance Corporal BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Autofire Weapons (M), Demolitions/Disposal (M), Driving - Heavy Equipment, Engineering – Fortifications (M), Weaponsmith (M), Electronics, HTH, Parachuting O.P. SKILLS (5 OP must be spent on the following): Security Systems, Heavy Weapons (M), First Aid, Driving -Armor(M), Gunnery (M), Concealment, Engineering - Armor (M), Engineer: Heavy Equipment, Stealth, Survival, Engineer: Aerospace. MONEY: 100 cr. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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FORCE RECON -CareerMIRROR: OCC, NCO STARTING RANK: Officers - 2nd LT NCOs - Sergeant CEILING RANK: Officers - None NCOs - Sergeant Major BONUS SKILLS (All at +1): Autofire Weapons (M), Firearms, HTH, Leadership, Survival, Zero-Gravity Maneuvering, SCUBA, Parachuting O.P. SKILLS (3 OP must be spent on the following): Tactics (M), Interrogation (M), Perception, First Aid, Climbing, Engineering - Armor, Engineering - Synthetic, Tracking, Concealment, Survival, Intimidation. MONEY: 100 cr.
REPUTATION -- ALTERED -See "Ranks" in the CMC. Do not invest any points here. No License
MENTAL POWERS PLUG-IN (Optional, Page 29) Certain skills should be banned: Mental Attack Mental Defense: Telepathy No one should have a skill above +1 at the beginning of his or her character. The GM should enforce this. Only one PC should have these skills and also consider not allowing it until later in the game.
MARTIAL ARTS PLUG-IN (Page 30) Martial Arts are common.
MARINE HAND TO HAND (Optional Rule) ACTIONS AVAILABLE: ("*" indicates a new maneuver) Basic Strike (+1d6 to STR-based damage, +2 Dex) Breakfall (Take 1/2 normal falling damage, regain feet as a free action) Defensive Strike (Strike, Adds +1 REF, +3 DEX) Wristlock (A hit totally incapacitates the opponent. To escape, the opponent must beat the attacker in a STR roll -5) * Nerve Strike (Does 2D6 damage, no Stun Defense, -2 REF) Offensive Strike (Adds +2D6 to basic strike, at -2 RED, +1 DEX) POINT COST: 12
GEAR & EQUIPMENT (Page 21) Equipment is discussed later
SKILLS (Page 16) MILITARY SKILLS Astrogation (INT) Autofire Weapons (Pulse Rifles, Machine Guns) (REF) Demolition / Disposal (TECH ) Driving: APC (REF) Driving: Tank (REF) Driving: Buggy (REF) Engineer: Armor (APC/Tank/Buggy) (TECH) Engineer: Weapons (use Weaponsmith) (TECH) Engineer: Aerospace (Dropship, Interceptor) (TECH) Engineer: Synthetic (TECH) Engineer: Starship (TECH) Engineer: Fortifications (Bunkers, Minefields, Airfields) Sniper Rifle (REF)
Heavy Weapons (RPG, HIMAT, Sentry Guns, Flame-thrower) (REF) Gunnery (Mounted Weapons) (REF) Paramedic (TECH) Pilot: Dropship (DEX) Pilot: Interceptor (Space-borne) (DEX) Pilot: Interceptor (atmospheric) (DEX) Pilot: Starship (DEX) Pilot: Power Armor (TL 6 only) (DEX) Smart Gunnery (REF) Tactics (INT) Weaponsmith (TECH) Xenobiology (INT)
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LIFE SKILLS Acrobatics (DEX) Acting (PRE) Animal Handler (INT) Athletics (DEX) Bribery (PRE) Bugging (TECH) Bureaucratic (PRE) Business (INT) Climbing (STR) Computer Programming (INT) Concealment (INT) Concentration (WILL) Contortionist (DEX) Conversation (PRE) Cooking (INT) Criminology (TECH) Cryptography (INT) Dancing (DEX) Deduction (INT) Disguise (TECH) Driving: Bike (REF) Driving: Automobile (REF) Driving: Heavy Equipment (Drillers, Loaders, Cranes) Education (INT) Electronics (TECH) Engineer: Automobile (TECH) Engineer: Aircraft (TECH) Engineer: Heavy Equipment (TECH) Expert (INT) First Aid (TECH) Firearms (REF) Forensic Medicine (TECH) Forgery (TECH) Gambling (TECH) Hacking (TECH) Hand to Hand (REF) Hand to Hand Evade (DEX) High Society (PRE)
Interrogation (PRE) Intimidation (PRE) Inventor (TECH) Languages (INT) Leadership (PRE) Lip Reading (INT) Local Expert (INT) Lockpicking (TECH) Melee Weapons (DEX) Melee Evade (DEX) Mimicry (PRE) Navigation (INT) Oratory (PRE) Perception (INT) Persuasion (PRE) Pilot: Civilian Aircraft (DEX) Pilot: Powerloader (DEX) Professional (INT) Ranged Evade (DEX) Research (INT) Riding (DEX) Science (INT) Security Systems (TECH) Seduction (PRE) Shadowing (INT) Sleight of Hand (REF) Stealth (DEX) Streetwise (PRE) Survival (INT) Surveillance (INT) Teacher (PRE) Tracking (INT) Trading (PRE) Ventriloquist (PRE) Wardrobe and Style (PRE) Zero-Gravity Maneuvering (DEX) Scuba (DEX) Parachuting (DEX)
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STANDERD EQUIPMENT: Standard Equipment applies to whatever position you end up with finally at the end of your character generation. This is not what your character walks around with but rather the standard gear he/she is equipped with in combat. Equipment going into battle can vary drastically with the situation. Additions are common. As a general rule of thumb, marines can choose any weapon they have training in. (Optional) Any rank “Lance Corporal” and higher have an automatic choice of a “third weapon” as long as they have training in the use of that weapon. The pistol is the only automatic. Shotgun, Flame-throwers and even Anti-Aircraft/Tank weaponry are available. @ Indicates items for an encumbered Marine. Every 3 of @ items adds –1 to your DEX. @@ indicates two marks. NOTE: All equipment is TL1. Anything with a “*” can be replaced by higher TL equivalents.
INFANTRY BDUs Wristwatch M-10 Helmet* Canteen First Aid Kit 6 M-94 Flares Knife
Hand Welder Motion Tracker Compass Nylon Rope @ Toolknife VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol w. 2 clips*
Personal Locator M-3Armor* Bed Roll @ Entrenching/ Utility Tool @ 3 M1000 Flares 8 M-40 Grenades Mess Kit @
20 days rations @ Binoculars (High Quality) @ Short Range Comm TNR Lamp@ M41A Pulse Rifle w. 2 clips* Personal Data Transmitter (implanted)
M-10 Helmet* Bed Roll @ Canteen Entrenching/ Utility Tool@ 8 M-40 Grenades Knife@
20 days rations@ DemoKit@ Wristwatch TNR Lamp Personal Locator VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol w. 2 clips
HEAVY WEAPONS BDUs M-3Armor* 3 M1000 Flares 6 M-94 Flares@ Mess Kit@ Hand Welder Binoculars (High Quality)@
Compass First Aid Kit@ Nylon Rope@ Short Range Comm Toolknife M240 Flame-thrower w 2 canisters or M-56 Smartgun
NCO (Non Commissioned Officer) --CAREER-BDUs M-3Armor* M-10 Helmet* Bed Roll @ Canteen Entrenching/ Utility Tool @ 3 M1000 Flares 6 M-94 Flares
8 M-40 Grenades Knife Mess Kit @ 20 days rations @ VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol with 2 clips* Binoculars (High Quality)@ Compass
First Aid Kit Nylon Rope @ Short Range Comm Toolknife Wristwatch Personal Data Transmitter (implanted) Personal Locator
TNR Lamp M41A Pulse Rifle with 2 clips OR M240 Flame-thrower with 2 canisters OR M-56 Smartgun*
OCC (Officer Command College) --CAREER-BDUs / Flight Fatigues Mess Kit @ Hand Welder 20 days rations @ Binoculars (High Quality)@ Compass
First Aid Kit Lantern 6 M-94 Flares Nylon Rope @ Short Range Comm Toolknife
Wristwatch Personal Data Transmitter (implanted) Personal Locator VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol with 2 clips*
Canteen 3 M1000 Flares Knife
Knife Binoculars (High Quality) Compass Lantern Nylon Rope
Short Range Comm Toolknife Wristwatch Personal Data Transmitter (implanted)
Gee Suit VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol with 2 clips* Personal Locator
AEROSPACE Flight Fatigues Flight Helmet Canteen 3 M1000 Flares 6 M-94 Flares
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STARSHIP COMMAND --CAREER-Flight Fatigues 3 M1000 Flares 6 M-94 Flares Knife
Binoculars (High Quality) Nylon Rope Short Range Comm Toolknife
Wristwatch Personal Data Transmitter (implanted) Personal Locator
Gee Suit VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol with 2 clips* Compass
6 M-94 Flares Knife Mess Kit @ 20 days rations @ TNR Lamp Medkit
Binoculars (High Quality)@ Compass First Aid Kit Lantern @ Short Range Comm Toolknife
Wristwatch Personal Data Transmitter (implanted) Personal Locator VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol with 2 clips*
MEDICAL BDUs M-3Armor* M-10 Helmet* Bed Roll @ Canteen 3 M1000 Flares
SCIENCES CAREER (These don’t often go into a combat situation) Uniform 6 M-94 Flares First Aid Kit Short Range Comm
Wristwatch Personal Data Transmitter (implanted)
VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol with 2 clips* Knife Medkit
XENOBIOLOGY --CAREER-- (CL3 and higher required) (These don’t often go into a combat situation) Uniform 6 M-94 Flares Knife Medkit
First Aid Kit Short Range Comm Wristwatch
Personal Data Transmitter (implanted) VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol with 2 clips*
Hand Welder Binoculars (High Quality) Compass An armored vehicle of choice. Mechanics Tool Kit
Nylon Rope Short Range Comm Toolknife Wristwatch
Personal Data Transmitter (implanted) VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol with 2 clips* Personal Locator
Hand Welder 20 days rations @ Motion Tracker Orbital Communications kit@@ Advanced Tool Kit@ Electrician’s Tool Kit@
Mechanics Tool Kit Nylon Rope @ Short Range Comm Toolknife Wristwatch Personal Data Transmitter (implanted)
VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol with 2 clips* Personal Locator DemoKit
Electrician’s Tool Kit@ Mechanics Tool Kit Nylon Rope @ Short Range Comm Toolknife Wristwatch
Personal Data Transmitter (implanted) VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol with 2 clips*
ARMOR BDUs Canteen 3 M1000 Flares 6 M-94 Flares Knife
TECHNICIAN BDUs Bed Roll @ Entrenching/ Utility Tool @ 3 M1000 Flares 6 M-94 Flares Knife Mess Kit @
ENGINEER --CAREER-Entrenching/ Utility Tool @ 3 M1000 Flares 6 M-94 Flares Knife Mess Kit @ Hand Welder
20 days rations @ Motion Tracker DemoKit Orbital Communications kit@@ Advanced Tool Kit@
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FORCE RECON Team break down includes 2 Infantry, 1 Heavy Weapon, 1 Sniper, 1 NCO/OCC. Team is issued 1 Pulse Communicator, and 1 Intelligence Unit. Additional equipment available upon request.
RECON INFANTRY BDUs Wristwatch M-10 Helmet* Canteen First Aid Kit 6 M-94 Flares Knife
Hand Welder Toolknife Motion Tracker Compass Nylon Rope @ VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol w. 2 clips*
Personal Locator M-3Armor* or Ghillie Suit *@ Bed Roll @ Entrenching/Utility Tool @ 3 M1000 Flares 8 M-40 Grenades
Mess Kit @ 20 days rations @ Binoculars (High Quality) @ Short Range Comm TNR Lamp M41A Pulse Rifle w/2 clips*
RECON HEAVY WEAPONS BDUs M-3Armor* or Ghillie Suit *@ 3 M1000 Flares 6 M-94 Flares Mess Kit@ Hand Welder Binoculars (High Quality)@
Compass First Aid Kit Nylon Rope@ Short Range Comm Toolknife M240 Flame-thrower w/2canisters or M-56 Smartgun@
Wristwatch M-10 Helmet* TNR Lamp Bed Roll @ VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Canteen Pistol w/2 clips Entrenching/Utility Tool @ 8 M-40 Grenades Knife 20 days rations@ DemoKit@
RECON SNIPER BDUs Wristwatch M-10 Helmet* Canteen First Aid Kit 6 M-94 Flares Knife
Hand Welder Compass Nylon Rope @ Toolknife VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol w/2 clips*
M-3Armor* or Ghillie Suit *@ Bed Roll @ Entrenching/ Utility Tool @ 3 M1000 Flares 8 M-40 Grenades Mess Kit @
20 days rations @ Binoculars (High Quality) @ Short Range Comm M42A Scope Rifle w/2 clips*
Compass First Aid Kit Nylon Rope @ Short Range Comm Toolknife Wristwatch TNR Lamp
M41A Pulse Rifle with 2/clips OR M240 Flame-thrower with 2 canisters OR M-42A Scope Rifle w/2 clips
Advanced Tool Kit@ Mechanics Tool Kit Nylon Rope @ Short Range Comm Toolknife Wristwatch
VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol w/2 clips* M41A Pulse Rifle w/2 clips OR M240 Flame-thrower w/2 canisters. Mission specific equipment
RECON NCO/ OCC --CAREER-BDUs M-3Armor* or Ghillie Suit *@ M-10 Helmet* Bed Roll @ Canteen Entrenching/ Utility Tool @ 3 M1000 Flares
6 M-94 Flares 8 M-40 Grenades Knife Mess Kit @ 20 days rations @ VP-90 Pistol or M4A3 Pistol with 2 clips* Binoculars (High Quality)@
COMBAT ENGINEER BDUs M-3Armor* or Ghillie Suit *@ M-10 Helmet* Entrenching/ Utility Tool @ 3 M1000 Flares 6 M-94 Flares
Knife Mess Kit @ Hand Welder 20 days rations @ Motion Tracker DemoKit Orbital Comm. Kit@@
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COLONIAL MARINES BACKGROUND The National Security Act of 2101 established the Colonial Marines structures as four combat divisions and four aerospace wings, plus the support services organic to these formations. At present the Colonial Marine Corps strength stands at 165,000 Marines. Reserve manpower stands at around 50,000, comprising a fifth division and aerospace wing. The Colonial Marine Division is the basic ground element of the Marine Space Force. It is essentially a balanced force of combat, support and service elements. Organized around three infantry regiments, the division is especially designed to execute the orbital assault mission, and is capable of sustained surface operations. The Colonial Marine Aerospace Wing is the aerospace combat element of the Marine Space Force. Designed for aerospace support and the air mobility mission, the aerospace wing is essentially an administrative formation, since much of it's fighting strength is directly attached to the Colonial Marine division. Typically, a Marine aerospace wing operates some 300 dropships, 30 heavy-life shuttles and 100 strikeships. The challenge to Marine logisticians is immense; they must approach their missions with the same aggressive execution as the infantrymen in the assault. They have finite quantities of supplies at hand, yet have to operate a 'push mode' system, anticipating the needs of the forward units and moving loads to them even before they realize the need for it. Inevitably, this can lead to wastage when supplies are pushed forward to units who, for whatever reason, no longer need them; however, such waste is preferable to the disaster that can occur if supplies are not forwarded until after the need has arisen. Because, even in a 'hot' conflict, Colonial Marine units are often dispersed in small units across continental distances, the USCM logistic prime movers are the ubiquitous UD-4 Cheyenne dropship and the N-1 Snakefighter. In the field, the M570 all-terrain transport is the land based prime mover, with powerloaders often used on-site to offload cargoes.
UNITED STATES COLONIAL MARINE CORPS AEROSPACE WING COMMAND The Colonial Marine Aerospace Wing is an administrative formation responsible for the operation of all aerospace craft within the Marine Space Force to which it is attached. Wing tasks include air superiority missions, reconnaissance, close air support, dedicated strike, forward supply, transport, casualty evacuation and search and rescue. Aerospace operations are also an integrated part of the standard Marine Infantry. A particular division is divided into three groups. Drop Groups ferry and support invading Marine Infantry. Tactical group is tasked with recon, and attack missions. Finally, the Support Group is assigned CasEvac, search and rescue, psyops, special forces insertion, and like tasks. The major workhorse of the Colonial Marine Corps is the UD-4 'Cheyenne,' compromising a majority of all three groups.
COLONIAL MARINE ASSAULT UNIT The building block of the Colonial Marine operating forces is the Marine Assault Unit, a reinforced battalion combat team designed to operate independently in areas of deep space, far from reinforcement or logistical support. The key to the MAU is it's mobility and flexibility; an MAU incorporates it's own dedicated starlift capacity, capable of deploying the entire unit swiftly to any trouble-spot planet. This starlift capacity, which varies in size according to the mission, is tasked to supply logistics for a minimum of 30 days of ground combat operations. USASF fleet units are usually attached to the MAU to perform space control, reconnaissance and orbital bombing missions. The line strength of an MAU is formed from two to four line infantry companies. An aerospace Drop Group and some Attack Group elements accompany the infantry complement. Each line company will usually incorporate support assets which may be attached down to the line platoons, including additional UA-571 remote sentries, M402 multiple-launch fire support mortars, HIMAT anti-tank missiles and the SIM-118 Hornet and LIM-417 Phalanx Surface-to-Air Missile systems. If sufficient starlift capacity is available, an armor company of fourteen tanks may be attached to the MAU's line strength. The MAU is commanded by a headquarters platoon that co-ordinates the command, communication, intelligence and logistics functions of the unit. Attached to headquarters are a number of non-combat sub-units, including a logistics platoon, maintenance company and medical unit. Additional combat sub-units include a reconnaissance platoon, scout-sniper squad, combat engineering platoon and a heavy ordnance company which provides the battalion's heavy fire support and artillery guns, M201 multiple launch rockets, HIM-122 Lancer anti-ballistic missile systems and HIM-78 Sprint ground launched space weapons.
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COLONIAL MARINE LOGISTICS The challenge to Marine logisticians is immense; they must approach their missions with the same aggressive execution as the infantrymen in the assault. They have finite quantities of supplies at hand, yet have to operate a 'push mode' system, anticipating the needs of the forward units and moving loads to them even before they realize the need for it. Inevitably, this can lead to wastage when supplies are pushed forward to units who, for whatever reason, no longer need them; however, such waste is preferable to the disaster that can occur if supplies are not forwarded until after the need has arisen. Because, even in a 'hot' conflict, Colonial Marine units are often dispersed in small units across continental distances, the USCM logistic prime movers are the ubiquitous UD-4 Cheyenne dropship and the CS-14 Briareos heavy lift shuttle. In the field, the M570 all-terrain transport is the land based prime mover, with powerloaders often used on-site to offload cargoes.
COLONIAL MARINE CORPS INFANTRY USCM doctrine stresses the need for small, autonomous infantry units capable of operating with or without higher level support on the non-linear battlefield. Given the fluid nature of battle at the small-unit level, the rifle unit must be capable of moving great distances rapidly using it's own transport, must carry its won heavy support weapons and sensors, and be able to apply great concentrations of firepower rapidly. The current organization of the Colonial Marine rifle squad and platoon reflect the ultimate development of this doctrine. A rifle squad consists of four Marines, including a Corporal, a Lance Corporal, and two Privates / Privates First Class. Each squad divides into two-man fireteams: the Rifle Team and Gun Team. The Rifle team consists of a pair of riflemen assigned together on the 'buddy' system, both equipped with the M41 pulse-rifle. The Gun Team is made up of rifleman with an M41 and a machine gunner carrying the automatic M56 Smart Gun. Two squads, led by a Sergeant and riding with a driver in an M577 Armored Personnel Carrier, make up a section. In a drop operation, a UD-4 dropship is attached to the section from the aerospace company team. Two sections, led by a lieutenant, form a rifle platoon, for a total paper strength of 25 Marines including the APC and dropship crews - though in practice this is often less. Platoons commonly carry one or two synthetic humans in a technical or scientific advisory role, and to assist as medics or backup drivers/pilots. Organic support weaponry available to the platoon usually includes eight M240 flamethrowers, eight UA-571 remote sentry guns, two M78 PIG phased plasma guns or M5 rocketpropelled grenade launchers, eighteen M83 SADAR anti-tank smart rockets, and a single M402 multiple-launch fire-support mortars. Sufficient sensor equipment to establish an overlapping detection matrix with a frontage of 1,000 meters is also carried.
RANKS You must achieve a certain Reputation...then be endorsed by a higher-ranking official (at least two ranks higher). PCs will never meet some positions, but they are all listed so that everyone knows where they stand in the food chain: Listed from low to high:
RANK ENLISTED Private (Aeroman)* Pvt 1st Class (Aeroman)* Lance Corporal (Aeroman First Class)*
0 4 4
/
REPUTATION RECQUIRED
NON COMMISIONED Corporal (Sen.Aeroman)* 8 Sergeant 15 Staff Sergeant 10 Gunnery Sergeant 10 First Sergeant 10 Sergeant Major 10
COMMISIONED Second Lieutenant First Lieutenant Captain Major Lieutenant Colonel Colonel Brigadier General Major General Lieutenant General General Admiral
32 12 12 40 15 15 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
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This is not a cost value. When your reputation reaches this number, you are eligible. To get the rank, you must be sponsored by either another character three ranks higher or by a NPC of higher rank. It is GM's discretion depending on if the PC has gotten someone’s attention. The Character will continue to earn Reputation but the GM should have a very good reason if the requirement for promotion is half than the PCs current reputation. When the new rank is achieved, the Reputation is set to zero (Remember your MEMBERSHIP in the CMC increases as ranks get higher—see Character Generation) and the PC must start earning again. Remember than if a Career Non-Com want to pursue a Commissioned rank, he/she bust be busted down…all reputation is lost when this happens. GMs can award Reputation points for acts of bravery or for volunteering for hazardous duty. Most rewards should hover around 2 to 5 for REALLY amazing acts of loyalty or bravery. You CANNOT trade Reputation for OP but you can trade OP for reputation on a 1:1 basis. After each adventure, the GM should award REPUTATION. The average should be 1 or 2…or even 0. Not every fight needs an award. Some secret missions are so black-bordered that it doesn’t technically exist. No credit can be awards. Also, the GM is more than allowed to award ½ or even ¼ points for small advances. Single sortie missions aren’t much but can add up after a while.
COMMENDATIONS
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MEDALS Navy Cross: This is the highest Medal that can be awarded by the Department of the Navy / Headquarters Marine Corps. To get a Navy Cross, essentially you must do something, during a war, that is recognized as a completely selfless and life threatening act. It must involve saving others as well. This should be SUPREME heroism on the level with the Congressional Medal of Honor. The difference between the Cross and the CMH is purely political. Most crosses are awarded posthumously. Defense Distinguished Service Medal: A medal awarded to individuals that perform above and beyond the call of duty in a defensive position, rather than an offensive one. Silver Star: Extreme heroism. One notch below the Cross. The Silver Star is still a very rare and highly regarded medal. Bishop (do synthetics get medals?) could have been nominated for a Silver Star for crawling out to the uplink and bringing in the other drop ship. Defense Superior Service Medal: Similar to the DDSM but of higher importance. The Medal of Honor: See the Navy Cross. The CMH is the highest medal awarded in the CMC. A medal of honor winner is accorded courtesies normally reserved for Generals. Everyone must salute a CMH winner, regardless of rank. The Commandant of the Marine Corps (4 Star) would salute a Private if he somehow managed to win the CMH. Normally takes years to be awarded. The Medal of Honor (Congressional) is the highest decoration conferred by the Marines. The Medal is awarded for gallantry and intrepidity in combat, for risk of life, and/or performance above and beyond the call of duty (a) while engaged in actions against hostile forces; (b) while engaged in military operations involving conflict with opposing foreign force; or (c) while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in high the U S. 's not a belligerent. (d) To justify an individual receiving this award, an individual must conspicuously and undeniably render behavior above comrades by acts so outstanding that it clearly distinguishes gallantry above and beyond the "call". The act will be recognized above lesser forms of bravery the type of deed for which there will be no justified criticism without detriment to the mission or the command. Legion of Merit: This is much lower than the stars. A legion of merit can be awarded in peacetime for a job well done. Therefore a Legion of Merit won in combat is distinguished by a combat "V". The Legion of Merit might be awarded a Gunny at the end of a 13 month tour in for performance exceeding the normal. Distinguished Flying Cross: The DFC is essentially a silver or bronze star awarded to pilots. Involves combat heroism involving aviation. Bronze Star Medal: The lowest of the combat heroism medals, this is still a significant achievement. Vasquez would rate a Bronze Star for her coolness under fire in Aliens. The Bronze star is often awarded for a less specific action. If she had managed to cut off the alien advance when she squeezed the grenade, that specific act would have elevated her to possible Cross level and certainly Silver Star level. As it was she probably would have gotten the Silver Star, had anyone survived to nominate her! Purple Heart: Anyone wounded in any way in a combat environment is eligible for the purple heart. One embarrassed Ranger was awarded the purple heart when he broke a leg jumping out of a slick too soon during the initial moments of the Panama invasion of '89. Never saw the enemy, but he wears the heart. Joint Service Achievement Medal: The medal is for exceptional results and process improvements to your Department. It is not uncommon for officers and senior enlisted to be awarded a JSA upon completing a tour of duty. More junior enlisted will more often get it for a specific accomplishment. Prisoner of War: If you get captured and survive, you get the POW medal. Marine Good Conduct Medal: Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal recognizes enlisted men and women who have served with good behavior and have provided faithful service in the Corps for a period of three years, and is gained when -(a) there are no convictions by court-martial; not more than one non-judicial punishment under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Article 15; and no lost time by reason of sickness-misconduct or injury- misconduct. (b) a second non-judicial punishment or court-martial that voided creditability of “good” service has been removed by meeting an approved new good conduct period. date for the good conduct period. (c) a confinement as a result of conviction by court-martial has ended, and a new period has begun with the date of restoration to duty, even though in a probationary status. (d) When the foregoing requirements have been met but it is evident that the individual is not deserving of the Good Conduct Award due to events which preclude receipt, such as: repeated record of letters of valid indebtedness; conviction by civil court for major offense(s); and/or other acts which are not in keeping with the high moral standards required of all Marines, it is required that the commanding officer make appropriate recommendations, with justifications, to the Commandant of the Marine Corps. Marine Expeditionary Medal: Complete 90 days service in the Fleet Marine Force during a qualifying mission, you get the expeditionary medal. Humanitarian Service Medal: Perform non-combat humanitarian service, you get this one. Outstanding Volunteer Medal: Like humanitarian service but for volunteer work. Defense Meritorious Service Medal: Usually an end of career medal awarded at your retirement. Sometimes awarded after 20+ years of continued service... Meritorious Service medal: Ditto, slightly lower than the DMS... Joint Service Comm Medal: See JSA. The JSC would be one level higher. Marine Commendation Medal: Same as a JSC National Defense Service Medal: Be on active duty during a war! Awarded to everyone on active duty during wartime.
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Medal For Humane Action: See humanitarian service medal. Colonial Defense Service Medal: See national defense service medal. Organized Marine Reserve Medal: See national defense service medal, awarded for being in the organized reserves during a war.
AWARDING Marine Corps awards fall into three classes: personal and unit decorations; commemorative, campaign, and service medals; and marksmanship badges and trophies. Personal and unit decorations a) Personal awards are conferred upon the individual for his or her act of heroism, specific act of gallantry, or for meritorious service during military or non military feats. b) Campaign or service medals are issued to "all hands" who take part in particular campaigns or periods of service for which a medal is authorized. In addition to campaign and service medals, certain commemorative medals have been struck to commemorate noncombatant but noteworthy achievements such as polar and arctic expeditions or pioneer space flights. Marksmanship Badges and Trophies Badges are awarded to individuals who qualify because they have demonstrated some special proficiency or skill. Marksmanship badges are worn to indicate the individual's prowess with specific weapon(s), pistols and/or rifles, during specified competitions, matches, or practice exercises. The trophies are awarded at the various levels to include: United States and international distinguished shooter competitions, Marine Corps rifle and pistol championships, national trophies for rifle and pistol matches, interservice rifle and pistol matches, regional practices, combat exercises, division and inter-division contests. Each Medal can be accompanied by one or several points of Reputation.
ARMS AND MISSIONS OF THE CMC RAPID DEPLOYMENT PARASITE ELIMINATION PLATOON (RDPEP) Most Marine force is maintained below effective Domination Kill Power, and Marines simply improvise, overcome and adapt to the battle conditions. The exception is RDPE Platoon of Echo Company. The RDPEP is maintained at 500% Domination Kill Power, and contains an active BioWeapons lab onboard their ship. The RDPEP is dispatched in response to dangerous extraterrestrial activity, from three story tall lizards to microorganisms and viruses. The most recently founded branch of the Marines, they maintain the best equipment and personnel. The RDPEP is currently investigating the disappearance of the Sulaco, on a recon mission to LV-426. The RDPE Platoon 'Bug Hunters' are the most notorious active war unit in the universe. They are tasked with eliminating hostile alien life forms. Officially commissioned seven years ago, the RDPEP is composed of the best Marines the Corps has, with one requirement. Before a soldier can apply to join the RDPEP, they must have extraterrestrial combat experience. Enrollment in the RDPEP is strictly voluntary, while officers must apply and be elected by the Federal Council of War. The RDPEP is a Rapid Deployment Parasite Elimination Platoon, the only one in existence. The 'Bug Hunters' are called into duty for numerous situations involving extraterrestrial parasites that threaten colonists. From virus epidemics to reptilian infestations. The Bug Hunters raise hell on any battlefield they grace. Wild and reckless, the RDPEP is the most decelerated and penalized platoon in the Corps. They have the only recorded air to air collision of the UD-4 during a planetary drop, due to their ongoing disregard to regulations against dual 'pipe race' drops. The 409th has also never left the remains of a soldier behind. They are one of two platoons ever to recover a Marine's body from the GZ of a thermonuclear detonation. TEAM SIZE: The crew totals 30: 4 pilots, 2 drivers, 16 infantry, 2 Sergeants, a weapons officer, 4 bio-weapons specialists, and a commanding officer. The Deterrent has 3 UD-4 gunships, and a AD-17A strikeship. SHIP TYPE: Stationed aboard the USS 'Deterrent', the Bug Hunters control the only ship with an active bio-weapons lab. The crew totals 30: 4 pilots, 2 drivers, 16 infantry, 2 Sergeants, a weapons officer, 4 bio-weapons specialists, and a commanding officer. The Deterrent has 3 UD-4 gunships, and a AD-17A strikeship. CONSPIRACY LEVEL: 3--Only the USS Deterrent 4—Three more additional ships 5—More than 15 ships. By 5.5, half the CMC is dedicated to Parasite control. ADVENTURE TYPES: Lots of variety. Almost every type is available. The RDPEP is sent in first in TL3 and 4 whenever an Alien presence is detected.
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THE BESERKER TEAMS Beserker teams appeared when the Alien threat needed a fast solution to the increasing infestation of the Outer Veil Colonies. The losses of Standard Marine Battalions were increasing. Casualties ran into the thousands. When some tech in the R&D of the CMC came up with a powered armor, the answer seemed clear. The immediate problem was the lack of acid resistant armor (which was still a rarity). A further problem occurred when the suits designed appeared uncontrollable. Then costs went up so the initial design was scrapped and the Beserker was born (Of course, the flaws were redefined and the “Racks” were created much later). The teams would be small: One ship and one small crew designed only for extermination, not for experimentation: One Beserker and a Technician, one Doctor , one Point man, At least two Heavy Gunners and a Team Leader are standard. The Beserker team is only used for the purpose of eliminating the Hive core—the Queen. The Mission profile is almost always as follows: 1: A Nuclear Failsafe Mine is armed outside the Hive for a preset time. If the Beserker team fails in its mission, the Mine will finish the job. Only the Beserker Team can arm or disarm the weapon. 2: The Heavy Gunners clear out the perimeter to make room for the Point Man. Heavy Gunners are always equipped with the heaviest weapons from the TL available. 3: The Beserker suit is prepped and secured with its personal technician in tow. 4: The Point man infiltrates the Hive. There he/she allows himself/herself to be captured and taken into the Hive. Point Men are equipped with weapons only to eliminate border aliens and facehuggers roaming around. When the aliens come in force, he/she is trained to go docile and allow to be captured. Point Men MUST have WILL of at least 8 to keep his/her cool. The Point Man is equipped with a special Head guard that prevents embryo implantation by a Facehugger. The PD of the mouth guard is 40 and, at TL5, is equipped with NutraGel. This gives almost a full ten minutes after the facehugger has attached before it fully takes over the host. The Point Man also carries a high powered transmitter with a 100 km range only used by the Beserker Unit.. 5: The Beserker is activated and let loose. It goes straight into the hive, through walls and all defenses, until it homes in on the transmitter, which is always very near the Queen. The Queen is immediately killed. The Beserker’s weapons automatically shutoff 3 meters from the Beacon (the Point Man). The Suit remains on until the alien infestation is reduced to only a few stragglers. The unit is then flushed and shut down. 6: The Heavy Gunner’s move in and eliminate the stragglers. The Eggs are flamed and the Point Man is released. 7: The hive is abandoned to await the PXS and / or the ERT to remove the Hive and restore the location to its old status. 8: The Beserker team moves to the next Hive. TEAM SIZE: Seven--One Beserker and a Technician, one Doctor , one Point man, at least two Heavy Gunners and a Team Leader SHIP TYPE: One Bougainville Class Frigate. No Fighters, TSAPC is Standard. CONSPIRACY LEVEL: 4—Only a few teams. 5—More than 10 are in operation. ADVENTURE TYPES: Mostly extermination missions. GMs can consider the Character taking a Beserker tour (ten sweeps) for some added action. NOTES: The Beserker is not a PC is should be GM controlled. There are lots of character stories that can run parallel with the Beserker missions but if the game centers on these very linear battle, the game can get tiring quickly. It is up to the GM to make it interesting.
PLANETARY XENOBIOLOGY SURVEY (PXS) The first appearance of the PXS is surprisingly early on. Weyland Yutani operated their own funded teams but their selfishness of the information resulted in almost every corporation and group creating their own version of the PXS. For the CMC, the PXS dates back even before the Xenomorphs appeared, being sent in to investigate possible infections by hostile organisms. However, the difference between the PXS and the RDPEP is that the PXS crew is mostly science, with the military only playing a supporting role in the operation of the mission. The PXS ships are comprised of 50% laboratories and 50% Defense. The commander is often a military scientist. The Marines dedicated to armed services usually knock heads with the sciences division. They usually end up complying with their scientific priorities. PXS teams do not exterminate hives wholly but often ride in with the assault teams as the R&D arm of a strike force. They are the first to use the Xenomorph Synthetics when mass-produced (See Synthetics) and use them with other units to infiltrate Hives to study them. They are the first team in after a Beserker cleaned up an infected area.
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TEAM SIZE: 50% are various scientists (mostly xenobiologists). Instead of the standard one synthetic per ship, PXS craft can have up to ten. Total crew per ship can be up to forty. SHIP TYPE: Usually one ship, a Conestoga or a Bougainville. Full crew compliment. CONSPIRACY LEVEL: CL1 and up. ADVENUTRE TYPES: These are great starting missions and PC put pieces together about the alien mythos but fighting is down. These adventures usually throw a handful of aliens but no major infestations. If running a full campaign, CL to CL, it is a good idea for the PCs to start here.
MARINES SPACE FORCE: Basically these are the main strike forces of the CMC. Usually, sent in numbers, the MSF provide the brunt punch in planetary bombardments. They send Dropships planetside in the hundreds. Most frigates carry a full payload in troops. No scientific cargo. Each Battle Fleet is led by a Major, Colonel, or Captain. A Battalion is usually led by a General. These flanks of weaponry and troops don’t often get called in to fight Aliens and only start migrating into that field in CL5. A MSF often breaks up into its individual battle groups and sent off on smaller duties. An MSF patrols the hostile borders of Alexandria and the UPP. The force includes every type of technology in the CMC--Battlecruisers, fighters, dropships, and armor are all carried on board. Marine Space Force, Sol 1st Colonial Marine Division 1st Marine Aerospace Wing 1st Marine Brigade 2nd Marine Aerospace Wing 2nd Marine Brigade 2nd Colonial Support Group 3rd Marine Brigade
Marine Space Force, Eridani 3rd Colonial Marine Division 3rd Marine Aerospace Wing Marine Space Force, Herculis 4th Colonial Marine Division 4th Marine Brigade 4th Marine Aerospace Wing 1st Colonial Support Group TEAM SIZE: 3-12 battleships in a combat group flanked by at least one Reliant Cargo Hauler per Frigate. Up to 12-24 Combat Groups in a brigade. SHIP TYPE: Various. CONSPIRACY LEVEL: CL 1 and up. ADVENUTRE TYPES: Large scale warfare. At CL5, The MSK were dedicated to exterminating the alien threat as they approached Earth. If the GM wishes to start a full-scale war, this is where the fight is, on these huge massive fleets roaming across the universe.
ERT (EMERGENCY RESCUE TEAM) ERT teams are exclusive to the CMC. Their charter expands beyond the normal requirements for a basic marine corps. They are needed to meet the demands of the colonies they serve. This expands beyond the need to protect their borders. Often, the CMC is called in for rescue duty, usually because they have the fastest ships with the longest range. To combat these demands, the ERT was formed. They are sent in to rescue people from a variety of conditions. TEAM SIZE: Any. SHIP TYPE: Usually one ship. Conestoga usually. CONSPIRACY LEVEL: CL1 ADVENUTRE TYPES: Any type of rescue mission. A good way to add variety to a campaign by sprinkling in some NonAlien action.
BIOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT CONTROL BMC teams are generically planet based. These jobs are high pay and high risk. Marines, usually with spotty records, are sent, funded by corporations to monitor and control Hive infestations. That’s right. “Monitor” and “Control”. Many corporations including GrantCorp, ZCT, and Weyland Yutani start to operate their own Hives for the purposes of experimentation. They offered large amounts of money for the need of control. It wasn’t until CL 5.5 that the CMC shut down these operations. However, the need to study the alien resulted in these necessary evils. The CMC offered their assistance for many reasons 1: Management. This prevented the corporation from illegal use of the aliens for purposes other than research. 2: Control. Only a dominant CMC presence can prevent the aliens for overrunning their keepers. TEAM SIZE: At least 30 troops. Usually equipped with heavy armor but no major offensive weaponry. Tazer Webs are standard. SHIP TYPE: None…Ground based. CONSPIRACY LEVEL: CL4 to CL 5 ADVENUTRE TYPES: The GM can consider giving the PCs a tour on a Corporation run Hive. Of course, after a while, something goes wrong. The Corporation head at the lab (Ernst Kleist, I presume) can turn on the CMC or the Aliens may run, out of control
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RECOVERY AND SALVEAGE A horrible duty. No one wants, but it is inevitable The Aliens have overrun our words. Orona’s bombs have wiped out the major hives. The CMC travels Earthside to walk among the ruins, searching for survivors and straggling aliens. There are still more than 30 hives operating on Earth by the end of CL 5.5. Cleanup crews work day and night. Beserker teams are not used because of the Nuclear Failsafe device considered standard equipment with those teams. The CMC, when landing, usually scouts for survivors, check for infestations, eliminate every alien presence, then do a standard body count. The latter occupies most of the mission. Hives are burnt to the ground. Large fleets of fighters and dropships hover above the planet, strafing large areas of jungle, city, and desert in an effort to stop the alien threat. The major casualties in this business come from demoralized troops who refuse to go to planet side. Most troops that venture on planet usually need a high humanity or the gruesome effects of the Earth War might get the best of them. TEAM SIZE: Various. Ground teams or large volleys of dropships. SHIP TYPE: Dropships, Snakefighters. CONSPIRACY LEVEL: CL6 ADVENUTRE TYPES: Your typical apocalyptic tale as the CMC tries to rebuilt humanity after the Alien threat
MARINE SPECIAL FORCES – FORCE RECON AND COMBAT ENGINEERS Within every military force there are the typical foot soldiers, then there is the elite troops. The Colonial Marines are no exception. Following the traditions of the United States Marine Corps, the Colonial Marines included the Marine Special Forces: Marine Force Recon, and the sapper, Marine Combat Engineers. The term 'Marine Recon' conjures images of daring raids and desperate rescue missions in enemy territory. The reality, though less glamorous, still encourages the Colonial Marines' finest to sign up for recon, the most demanding and challenging mission within the Corps. Reconnaissance Marines train for “special operations”, a term covering missions including deep penetration reconnaissance, raids and demolitions, assassinations, the training of partisans and guerrillas and rescue operations. Recon Marines have to operate in all environments and receive extensive training in underwater, deep space, and hostile planetary environments. Usually operating in autonomous four-man teams, the Recon Marine's job is to stay hidden in the heart of the enemy's territory, supplying the kind of vital intelligence that satellites or aerospace craft cannot - information that can only be uncovered by an expert man or woman on the ground. Because of the recon mission flexibility, Recon Marines in the field frequently have to perform special tasks - such as demolitions or raids - at short notice, often with no more equipment than they already carry. There are many techniques for covertly inserting Recon Marines into an operating zone. Because there are a few places inaccessible from space, the most popular method is an orbital drop from. The dead-drop method is the stealthiest approach, but also the most risky; it involves a dropship breaking just the upper atmosphere and the Marine performing a HALO jump. Where the Colonial Marines already own landing zones on a planet, more conventional methods of insertion are used - by aerospace craft, boat, or submarine. TEAM SIZE: 2 Infantry, 1 Heavy Weapon, 1 Sniper, 1 NCO/OCC. SHIP TYPE: Dropships, Snakefighters. CONSPIRACY LEVEL: CL1 ADVENUTRE TYPES: As stated above, deep penetration reconnaissance, raids and demolitions, assassinations, the training of partisans and guerrillas and rescue operations.
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MILITARY JUSTICE A. UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE A code that applies to all members of the uniformed services. 1. Its purpose is to ensure order and to provide a means of adjudicating infractions of the law. 2. The obedience to military law is the responsibility of every Marine.
B. PUNITIVE ARTICLE The following list contains the descriptive title and general provisions of selected punitive articles of the UCMJ. 1. ARTICLE 86 -- Absent without leave. Any Marine who, without authority a) fails to go to hit appointed place of duty at the time prescribed; b) goes from that place or c) absents himself or remains absent from his unit, organization or place of duty at which he is required to be at the time prescribed shall be punished as his commanding officer or a court-martial may direct. 2. ARTICLE 89 -- Disrespect toward a superior commissioned officer. Any Marine, who behaves with disrespect toward his superior commissioned officer, shall be punished as his commanding officer or a court-martial may direct 3. ARTICLE 90 -- Assault on or willfully disobey a superior commissioned officer. Any Marine, who a) strikes his superior commissioned office b) draws or lifts up any weapon against his superior commissioned officer c) offers any violence against his superior commissioned officer. or d) willfully disobeys a lawful command of his superior commissioned officer while that superior commissioned officer is in the execution of his office, shall be punished as his commanding officer or a court-martial may direct. If the offense is committed in time of war, a court-martial may direct that the Marine be punished by death. 4. ARTICLE 91 -- Insubordinate conduct toward a warrant officer, noncommissioned officer, or petty of ricer. Any Marine, who a) strikes or assaults b) willfully disobeys; or c) in language or deportment toward a warrant officers noncommissioned officer, or petty officer while that officer is in the execution of his office, shall be punished as his commanding officer or court-martial may direct 5. ARTICLE 121 -- Larceny and wrongful appropriation Any Marine who wrongfully take, obtains, or withholds (by any means) any money, personal property. or article of value of any kind a) with intent permanently to deprive or defraud another person of the use and benefit of property or to appropriate it to his own use or the use of any person other than the owner, steals that property is guilty of larceny; or b) with intent temporarily to deprive or defraud another person of the use and benefit of property or to appropriate it to his own use or the use of any person other than the owner is guilty of wrongful appropriation shall be punished as his commanding officer or a court-martial may direct. 6. ARTICLE 128 -- Assault. Any Marine, who a) attempts or offers with unlawful force or violence to do bodily harm to another person, whether or not the attempt or offer is consummated, is guilty of simple assault; b) commits an assault with a dangerous weapon or other means or force likely to produce death or grievous bodily harm is guilty of assault consummated by battery; or c) commits assault and intentionally inflicts grievous bodily harm with or without a weapon, is guilty of aggravated assault; and shall he punished as his commanding officer or court-martial may direct 7. ARTICLE 134 -- General article. Any Marine, who become involved in a) all disorders and neglects to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces, b) all conduct of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces, or c) crimes and offenses not capital, shall be punished as their commanding officer or a court-martial may direct
C. FORMS OF PUNISHMENT The following are the forms of punishment which may be imposed for violations the of the UCMJ. All forms of punishment are subject to restrictions specified in the UCMJ. The UCMJ provides limitations of sentences based on the nature of the crime, the form of adjudication (non-judicial punishment or court-martial), and the position/rank of the individual assigning the punishment or the type of court-martial that convicted the Marine. 1. REPRIMAND. The convening authority of a court-martial or a commanding officer may punish a Marine by censure. A reprimand is a severe form of censure that adversely reflects upon the conduct of the person addressed. A reprimand my be presented either orally or in writing; however, it is normally delivered in the written form. 2. FORFEITURE OF PAY AND ALLOWANCES. A forfeiture deprives the individual accused, of all or specific amount, of money to be accrued (earned in the future) as a result of service in the armed forces of the United States. 3. FINE. A fine makes the accused immediately liable to the United States for the entire amount of money specified in the sentence. A fine may only be adjudged by a court-martial, and it may be adjudged instead of or in addition to a forfeiture. However, a fine is normally used only as a sentence in cases when the accused has been unjustly enriched as a result of the offense convicted.
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4. LOSS OF NUMBERS, lineal position, or seniority. This form of punishment is reserved for commissioned officers only. 5. REDUCTION IN PAY GRADE. A reduction in pay grade causes the accused to be of the rank and pay grade to which reduced. 6. RESTRICTION TO SPECIFIC LIMITS. Restriction deprives the accused of normal liberty privileges. The sentence will specify the physical and geographic locations in which the individual is allowed, how long the restriction shall last, and when that individual must be present at specific locations. A Marine who is being punished by restriction is not exempt from performing normal duty requirements. 7. HARD LABOR WITHOUT CONFINEMENT. The hard labor is performed in addition to regular duties. 8. CONFINEMENT. Confinement deprives the Marine sentenced of normal liberty privileges and is a form of physical restraint which provides for the assignment of quarters at a specific location - usually a correctional facility. Additionally, unless specified in the sentencing, the performance of hard labor is also required. 9. CONFINEMENT ON BREAD AND WATER OR DIMINISHED RATIONS. This form of physical restraint is confinement to specific quarters (normally the ship's brig) while enduring a specific reduction of rations (normally bread and water only). This form of confinement may only be assigned while the Marine sentenced is embarked aboard Naval vessel and may not exceed 3 days. 10. PUNITIVE SEPARATION. This form of punishment results in the convicted Marine being removed from the service and given either a dishonorable or bad-conduct discharge. 11. DEATH.
D. COURTS-MARTIAL The three types of courts-martial are summary, special, and general. The differences among the three types of courtsmartial are based on their composition, level of authority, and severity of punishments authorized. 1. A summary court-martial is composed of one officer with the rank of Captain or higher. a) The lowest level of authority to convene a summary court-martial is normally a battalion commander or the equivalent; however, under special circumstances, a commanding officer of a separate or detached command may be granted the authority by his superiors. b) A summary court-martial may adjudge any punishment not forbidden by the UCMJ, except death dismissal, dishonorable. discharge bad-without confinement for more than 45 days, restriction for more than 2 months, or forfeiture of more than I months pay. In the case of sergeants and above, a summary court-martial may not award a reduction of rank of more than one rank, hard labor without confinement, or confinement. c) A summary court-martial may not try a commissioned officer, warrant officer, cadets, midshipmen for any capital offenses. However, no Marine can be compelled to accept a summary court-martial. Since a summary court-martial is less formal than the other two types of courts, a Marine may refuse to accept trial by summary court-martial and may request a special court-martial. However, he should be aware that conviction by a special or general court-martial constitutes a felony conviction. 2. A special court-martial can be composed of a military judge alone, not more than three impartial active duty armed service personnel, or a military judge and not more than three armed services personnel. The impartial personnel; can be commissioned officers, warrant officers, or enlisted personnel. If the accused is a commissioned officer, no member can be a warrant officer or enlisted person. If the accused is a warrant officer, no member can be an enlisted person. If the accused is an enlisted person, he may request that at least one third of the members of the court be enlisted. a) The lowest level of authority to convene a special court-martial is normally a brigade or regimental commander or the equivalent. However, under special circumstances, a commanding officer of a separate or detached battalion may be granted the authority by his superiors. b) A special court-martial may adjudge any punishment not forbidden by the UCMJ, except death, dismissal, dishonorable discharge, confinement for more than 6 months, hard labor without confinement for more than 3 months, or forfeiture of more than two-thirds pay for more than 6 months. c) Normally, a special court-martial may not try any capital offense where there is a mandatory punishment beyond the maximum punitive power of a special court-martial. 3. A general court-martial can be composed of a military judge alone or a military judge and not more than five impartial armed services personnel. The impartial personnel can be commissioned officers, warrant officers, or enlisted personnel. Of the accused is a commissioned officer, no member can be a warrant officer or enlisted person. If the accused is a warrant officer, no member can be an enlisted person. If the accused is an enlisted person, he may request that at least one third of the members of the court be enlisted. a) The lowest level of authority to convene a general court-martial is normally a division, wing, or base commanding general, or the equivalent. However, under special circumstances, a commanding officer of a separate or detached unit may be granted the authority by his superiors. b) A general court-martial may adjudge any punishment not forbidden by the UCMJ.
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E. RIGHTS The rights of the accused before judicial and non-judicial proceedings are based on the laws of this country and specified in the UCMJ. 1. Your rights before judicial proceedings include but are not limited to: being considered innocent until proven guilty, a) being considered innocent until proven guilty, b) remaining silent and to being informed that if you do make a statement it can be used against you in a court-martial, c) being represented by a lawyer, d) being protected from double jeopardy, e) calling witnesses on your behalf, f) having your sentence reviewed, g)having a speedy trial, h) being informed of all charges against you, i) having the assistance of an interpreter, j) protection against illegal searches and seizures, k) challenging members of the court, l) having enlisted representation on special and general courts-martial, m) being tried by a military judge, and n) being tried by court-martial vice non-judicial punishment 2. Your rights before non-judicial proceedings include but are not limited to: a) appearing before all boards and fact-finding bodies: b) examining, objecting to, and challenging She introduction of all physical and documentary evidence; c) examining, cross-examining, and challenging the testimony of all witnesses; d) introducing evidence on your behalf; e) testifying on your behalf; and f) making a voluntary statement for the official records.
F. REQUEST MAST You can use this procedure to discuss any matter with your commanding officer in your chain of command. The procedures are designed to allow for timely and appropriate responses to your request. If you are following the proper procedures for requesting mast, no one may prohibit you from speaking with your commanding officer at the proper time and place. This includes any commanding general who is located in the same geographic area as you. 1. The procedural points for request mast below the commanding general level are contained in the following a) You may submit your request at the lowest echelon and have it forwarded via the chain of command to the commander with whom you wish to speak. b) You do not have to state the matter of concern, either orally or in writing;. to anyone in the chain of command until you have reached the officer to whom you originally requested mast. c) You should not have to wait more than 24 hours between levels of the chain of command whenever possible. d) You may request mast without fear of prejudice to your interest. e) Upon completion of request mast, you must make a written statement regarding the degree of satisfaction you had with the outcome of your request. f) If your request mast to a higher commander is resolved by a lower commander. you must make a written, witnessed statement indicating the degree of satisfaction you have had and your willingness to withdraw the request to higher authority. g) Your request mast will be conducted at the earliest reasonable time and not later than 72 hours after submission whenever possible. If your request is of an emergency nature, it should be heard within 24 hours if at all possible. 2. The additional procedural points for request mast with your commanding general are contained in the following a) You must prepare a complete written, statement indicating the reasons for the request mast. It must include a list of witnesses with a summary of the expected testimony of each. b) You must, if applicable, attach any documents that support your request. c) Your statement must also include a list of persons in your chain of command that you have already seen and any action that they have taken.
G. JUDICIAL PUNISHMENT The purpose of non-judicial punishment is to provide an essential and prompt news of maintaining good order and discipline to your unit's commanding officer. It also promotes positive behavior changes in Marines without the stigma of a court-martial conviction. 1. If you are the accused Marine, you have the option of either demanding trial by court-martial or accepting non-judicial punishment. 2. Once your commanding officer has passed judgment and sentenced you, if you feel that the punishment awarded to you is unjust or disproportionate to the offense, you may appeal all or part of your sentence to the next higher authority. He may set aside, decrease, suspend, or let stand any portion or all of the original sentence. However, he cannot in any way increase the original sentence.
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H. DISCHARGES As a Marine, you may be given one of five different discharges. The type of discharge you are awarded is based on the method by which it is awarded and the character of your service. TYPE OF DISCHARGE CHARACTER OF SERVICE Honorable Honorable General, under honorable conditions Honorable General, under other then honorable conditions Other than honorable Bad-conduct Other than honorable Dishonorable Dishonorable
METHOD OF AWARD Administrative Administrative Administrative General or special court-martial General court-martial
1. To receive a dishonorable discharge, a Marine must be convicted by general court-martial of an offense of a dishonorable nature. These are offenses generally recognized by the courts as being serious felonies. However, a Marine may also be awarded a dishonorable discharge if he his been convicted by court-martial of three or more offenses in the last year, regardless of whether any of the charges were severe enough to result in a dishonorable discharge by themselves. 2. For a Marine to receive a bad-conduct discharge, he must have been convicted by a general or special court-martial of an offense under the UCMJ which was serious enough to warrant this form of discharge. A Marine may also receive a bad-conduct discharge from a court-martial for a minor offense W he has previously been found guilty of repeated offenses in a combination of judicial and non-judicial proceedings. Additionally, a Marine may be awarded a bad conduct discharge if he has been convicted by court-martial of two or more offenses in the past 3 years even if none of the previous or current charges are severe enough to warrant such a discharge. 3. A Marine may receive a general discharge under other than honorable conditions if his service has been characterized by conduct that was a significant departure from the conduct expected of a Marine. This usually involves illegal acts or commission of acts that are characterized by violence that result in serious bodily injury, breech of special trust, disregard for the normal superior-subordinate relationship, drug abuse or trafficking, or endangering the security of the Marine Corps. Under these conditions, the discharge is awarded in lieu of court-martial. 4. A Marine may receive a general discharge under honorable conditions if his service was characterized by significant negative aspects reflected in his performance or conduct. This type of discharge is normally awarded to Marines whose average proficiency or conduct marks fall below 3.0 or 4.0 respectively.
I. LAW OF WAR Discipline in combat is essential. Disobedience to the law of war dishonors the Nation, the Marine Corps, and the individual Marine, and far from weakening the enemy's will to fight, it strengthens it. The following principles require the Marine's adherence in the accomplishment of any mission. Violations have an adverse impact on public opinion both national and international and have on occasion served to prolong conflict by inciting an opponent to continue resistance and in most cases constitute violations of the UCMJ. Violations of these principles prejudice the good order and discipline essential to success in combat. 1. Marines fight only enemy combatants. 2. Marines do not harm enemies who surrender. They must disarm them and turn them over to their superior. 3. Marines do not kill or torture prisoners. 4. Marines collect and care for the wounded, whether friend or foe. 5. Marines do not attack medical personnel, facilities, or equipment. 6. Marines destroy no more than the mission requires. 7. Marines treat all civilians humanely. 8. Marines do not steal. Marines respect private property and possessions. 9. Marines should do their best to prevent violations of the law of war. They must report all violations of the law of war to their superior.
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SEA SERVICE TERMINOLOGY FOR MARINES Many Corps customs are derived from the many years of service afloat. Even ashore Marines customarily use nautical terms. Floors are "decks," walls are "bulkheads," ceilings are "overheads," ands corridors are "passageways". The order "Gangway" is used to clear the way for an officer ashore, just as it is afloat. Among other terms commonly used: "two-block" is to tighten or center; "square-away" is to correctly arrange articles or to take in hand and direct an individual; "head" is the bathroom, and "scuttlebutt" is a drinking fountain or an unconfirmed rumor. In the Marine Corps, the nautical expression, "Aye, aye, sir" is used when acknowledging a verbal order. "Yes, sir" and "No sir" are used in answer to direct questions. "Aye, aye, sir" is not used as this expression is reserved solely for acknowledgment of orders. Some of the other terms inherent in Corps tradition and history are: ADRIFT Loose from towline or moorings; scattered about; not in proper stowage AFT Referring to or toward the stern (rear) of a vessel ALL HANDS All members of a command ASHORE Any place outside of a naval or Marine Corps reservation AS YOU WHERE Resume former activity AWEIGH Said of the anchor. As soon as the anchor has broken away from and is no longer fastened to the bottom BELAY To make fast or to secure, as in "belay the line;" to cancel or to disregard a statement just made BELOW To go downstairs BREAKOUT Take out of stock or storage: to prepare for use BRIG A place of confinement; a prison BROWN BAGGER A married man BOW The front portion of a ship BRIDGE The portion of a ship's structure from which it is controlled when underway BROW A portable walkway from the pier or jetty the ship's quarter deck BUTTKIT An ashtray CARRY ON The order to resume previous activity CHIT A receipt or authorization; a piece of paper FANTAIL The main deck of a ship or the stern FIELD DAY Barracks cleanup FIELD SCARF Regulation Marine Corps uniform neck tie FORECASTLE The upperdeck at the bow on which the ground tackle is located
GALLEY Shipboard kitchen; kitchen of a mess hall; mobile field mess GATOR An amphibious ship; one who serves in the amphibious Navy GEEDUNK The place (aboard ship) where candy, ice cream, soda, and smokes can be purchased HATCH Door or doorway LADDER Stairs LIBERTY Absence of enlisted from the ship or command for less than 96 hours for purposes of rest and recreation which is not charged as leave POLICE To straighten or to tidy up PORT Left QUARTERDECK The ceremonial location on board ship when the ship is moored or at anchor (It is located close to the brow or accommodation ladder and is the watch station for the Officer of the Deck.) SEABAG The bag used to stow personal gear SECURE Stop; finish; end; make fast put away in storage SHIPPING OVER Re-enlisting SICK BAY Hospital or dispensary SKIPPER Commanding Officer SKYLARK Goof-off; to loiter STARBOARD Right STERN The blunt end (rear) of a ship SWAB A mop TOPSIDE Upstairs TURN TO Begin work; get started WARDROOM on board ship, the officer's living room and dining area; also used to signify all of the officers serving on the ship
GENERAL LEADERSHIP A. OBJECTIVES OF MILITARY LEADERSHIP Leadership has passed from Marine to Marine since the founding of the Corps. It is the art of influencing and directing men and women to accomplish the mission of keeping our country free; to obtain their obedience, respect, confidence, and loyal cooperation; and to maintain the sense of accomplishment. In essence, leadership boils down to three fundamentals: Know your "stuff" and yourself; be a role model, and set the example; know your people, and look after them. Concern for and attentiveness to troop welfare not only means providing the basics of survival (food, water, shelter, and rest), but it also means attending to the numerous other details that make a unit effective. It means training and critiquing so that "lessons learned" do not have to be relearned. It means talking with military members as if they are members of the family. It means looking out for Marines as they instinctively look out for their leader and for each other. 1. The Primary Objective of Leadership -- Mission Accomplishment a) Military discipline. A moral, mental, and physical state in which all hands respond to orders or to the will of the commander or leader, whether or not he or she is present. (1) Self-discipline is the basis of discipline. (2) Effective discipline is the sense of accomplishment of a goal. (3) Sound discipline is a matter of consistency and firmness. b) Efficient performance in battle. The ultimate objective of military discipline: Overcome fear and replace it with action c) Standards of good discipline. Deportment attention to duty, example, and decent behavior which enable men and women to accomplish and to give their best,
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d) The results of a well-disciplined unit are clearly observable: (1) All assigned missions are accomplished. (2) Marines are confident and maintain a sharp appearance. (3) Marines are proud of their unit; they believe it has a good reputation (esprit). (4) Weapons and equipment are available and well-maintained. (5) Marines at all levels are actively engaged in doing their duties they place value on the things that they do. (6) Marines cooperate and willingly helping one another. (7) Training is well planned, well conducted, consistent, and thoroughly evaluated for individual and unit strengths and weaknesses and feedback, for the individual and the group, is immediately provided (8) In hostile situations, the unit fights successfully under stress. 2. The Secondary Objective of Leadership -- Troop Welfare a) Counseling, as a leadership tool, is used to improve performance and to aid in solving problems or circumventing potential problems. The types of counseling are: (1) performance, (2) personal, (3) professional, and (4) career. b) Keys to constructive performance counseling are: (1) Accurate evaluation of performance, (2) Clear and concise communication of the evaluation to the subordinate, (3) Mutual agreement concerning performance areas where improvement is required, (4) Active subordinate response, and (5) Concrete suggestions for improvement. c) Keys to effective personal counseling are: (1) Suggestions and advice are offered only after learning all of the pertinent facts. (2) Advice on professional matters is left to the professionals. (3) Problems that are not solved are referred to someone who can handle the problem. d) Keys in conducting professional counseling include (1) Finding out what the problem involves and then setting up an appointment for the Marine to talk to the proper specialist (e.g., medical or drug and alcohol officers, 1st Sergeant, Sergeant Major. or the chaplain); and (2) Using the chain of command to match a Marine to the proper specialized expert. e) Keys to career counseling are: (1) Knowing and understanding the Marine (their motivations, skills, and attitudes), (2) Knowing the advantages of a career in the Marine Corps and the opportunities and alternatives that are available, and (3) Knowing the basic qualifications required for reenlistment.
THE NINE COMMON ELEMENTS FOUND IN THE COMBAT ENVIRONMENT 1. Violent, unnerving sights and sounds; 2. Casualties; 3. Confusion and lack of information; 4. Feeling of isolation; 5. Communications breakdowns; 6. Individual discomfort and physical fatigue 7. Fear, stress, and mental fatigue; 8. Continuous operations; and 9. Homesickness.
THE FIVE STRESSES A MARINE CAN EXPECT IN COMBAT 1. Extreme risk and fear; 2. "Fog of War" - literal fog (dust, smoke, and debris on the battlefield) and mental fog (confusion, uncertainty due to lack of knowledge of the enemy, chaotic noise, mental and physical fatigue, and fear; 3. Discomfort and fatigue; 4. Casualties; and 5. Boredom.
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ARMOR ARMOR
PD
EKD
BDU 4 2 M3 suit* 14 2 M10 ballistic helmet* 25 10 Gee Suit 4 1 Ghillie Suit (Recon) * 6 1 Z-110 Acid Neutralizing Combat Wardrobe (TL4)* 18 10 NeutraGel Modification (TL5) 1 0 Polymer/Alloy combat armor rig. (TL3)* 16 10 WY Shielded Combat Helmet (TL2) 30 10 Flak Jacket 12 2 Kevlar (Light) 10 1 Kevlar (Medium) 12 2 Kevlar (Heavy) 14 3 MK 25 Pressure Suit 5 5 MK 50 Compression Suit 10 7 ZCT-1 Armored Spacesuit* (TL3) 16 10 Portable Force Field 10 20 MAX--Mobile Assault eXo-Warrior (Special—Look under Armor)* “RACK”--Powered Armor (Special—Look under Armor)* Prohibited to all except the CMC.
EV 0 0 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0 0 0 0 -1 -1 -2 -1 0
SPECIAL Head Only Camouflage (see below) Acid has no effect. Acid has no effect.
Air Pressurized Air Pressurized Air Pressurized Cannot move when setup
Remember… …Every time armor is hit, one point of armor is removed. This applies to personal armor. When the armor reduces to zero, it is useless. Spacesuits with an armor if penetrated will puncture and leak unless stated otherwise (special armor have special rules). NO personal weapons do less than one point but some spacecraft weapons do. In Mekton, 1 kill will remove 1 armor…any weapons above 1 kill will still only remove 1 kill of armor. However, fraction damage will only remove fraction armor (eg: 0.25 k will remove 0.25 armor instead of 1. But 4 K will only remove 1kill of armor). Any weapons that do not have a kill capacity listed will not damage kill armor. BDUs: Each Marine infantryman is provided with a set of battledress utilities (BDUs or fatigues) - two-piece, light polycotton coveralls with pockets secured by silent fasteners. The weave of the fatigues is sufficient to provide limited protection against light firearms. The manufacturing processes provide limited IR protection. M3 SUIT (right): The standard personal armor of the Colonial Marines, the M3 suit, is worn over these, providing protection to the Marine's head, torso and shins. M3 personal armor is made up of composite layers providing ballistic protection against most low-power small arms and fragmentation. It provides torso protection, and leg protection, However, this protection is doubled against blast-radius fragmentation grenades such as flechette, frag or HE. Built into the armor are the necessary bio-sensors, which send the Marines physiological data (pulse-rate, respiration, EEG, etc) to the tactical command post. M10 HELMET: The M10 ballistic helmet issued to all Marines provides SP 20 head protection with the same fragment-stopping capabilities as M3 armor. It contains a tactical camera, audio microphone, IFF transmitter and PRC 489/4 transceiver system, as well as a passive infrared monocle that flips down over the right eye. The M3 personal armor and M10 helmet confer no Encumbrance modifier. In addition, when combined with BDUs, it aids in breaking up the wearer's IR signature. GEE SUIT: Used by Aeromen to counter the effects of the high-G maneuvering. With this suit, a properly trained pilot can stand up to 11 Gs. It offers little protection. GHILLIE SUIT: The Recon suit, or "Ghillie" suit, as it is known amongst the corps, is a combination of camo suit and radar and IR sneak suit. The natural-fiber leaved camouflage makes the Recon marine difficult to spot visually (Heroic Awareness test), while the suit beneath absorbs radar emissions An optional external heat sink pack regulates the suit's IR signature. Each Ghillie suit is tailored individually for each Recon Marine, and comes with a pair of BiMex goggles that provide 20x telescopic enhancement and Starlight ambient light vision.
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Z-110 ACID NEUTRALIZING COMBAT WARDROBE (TL4) (right): Efforts to produce an armor resistant to the intense acidity of the alien blood have proved impractical. The designs were deemed too heavy for a normal man to use effectively. Therefore, we must not resist, but extirpate. The moment alien blood touches this wardrobe, the threat is eliminated altogether. It is lined with a gelatinous substance that can neutralize the acid, giving it the PH balance of water. The Z-110 was developed by Grant Corp for their farmers as Royal Jelly was a valued resource. They were secretly using them since TL3 but the design was not available to the CMC until later. The armor is also a complete life support system, with a capacity of a full pressurized environment for up to six hours. Batteries on the back, which runs the life support but also regulates the interchanging armor plates, power the suit. Not really classified as powered armor, the suit just moved its armor aside as the person moves. This includes tracking the helmet to follow the eyes of the wearer. This is because the viewer of the Z-110 is very small. The Grant Corp Nutra-Gel cannot be made transparent, making this small viewer the most vulnerable place on the suit. It has the same PD and EKD as the rest of the suit but is not protected by the NutraGel technology. Any acid hit in the head unit has 20% chance of striking the glass. If this happens, 20% of the acid damage is applies to the head but no PD is lost. If punctured, the suit is no longer pressurized. The Z-1110 can regenerate the Gel completely after a battle and have an in-exhaustive supply. NUTRAGEL: At time of the war, Grant Corp starts selling the NutraGel as a modification to be adapted to any armor. Any surface armor (that cannot be covered) can be used. Every packet will adapt a full suit but will only withstand 100 points of Acid damage before being completely neutralized. Any location not completely covered (Helmet) has a 50% chance of hitting an unprotected area. POLYMER / ALLOY COMBAT ARMOR RIG. (TL3): The PACAR, at TL3, replaces the M3 Combat Armor of the CMC. It covers a greater area but doesn’t sacrifice maneuverability to do so. This is because, unlike the M3, is mostly made of light weight plastics It is not an enclosed suit. At TL5, GrantCorp’s NutraGel compound has been added to it. The Head unit is very similar to the M10 so the stats are considered the same even though it is shaped substantially differently. The Armor is made up of flexible plates under a overcoat of dense weaved fabric. WY SHIELDED COMBAT HELMET (TL2): The WY Helmet completely conceals the user's face with a massive armored plate. This unit seems to be more designed for intimidation than practicality.
FLAK JACKET: A basic chest protector that has remained stylistically unchanged for hundreds of years. The material and strength however, has radically be improved. It is strong enough to hold back even the most powerful of armaments. The Flak Jacket is the most common armor used by civilian security groups and planetary forces. KEVLAR (Light, Medium, Heavy): Kevlar’s capacity has grown substantially in the last year and the pinnacles are these combat suits, which are the most powerful on the open market. By TL5 they were being adapted with NutraGel as fast as GrantCorp was selling them since these suits are the prime heavy choice for combat on the outer veil colonies. MK25 PRESSURE SUIT (right): The MK25 is a small, compact space suit designed for ease and maneuverability. It is not a combat suit and when punctured, is useless. It is a full package, with 12 hours of air and liquid nutrient solution. It is the basic suit installed in all civilian spacecraft. However, the MK25 is not immune to hazardous environments or extreme pressure. It’s temperature can module +/- 100 degrees C.
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MK50 COMPRESSION SUIT (right): The MK50’s design has remained unchanged in almost a hundred years. It is a heavy duty Space / Environment Suit with hardened body panels for extreme resilience. Most crews in hazardous environments have these suits. Military craft has these as their primary EVA system. The Helmet is one piece with the environment system, which supplies almost 24 hours of air. Re-circulators can keep the air going at a low breath rate (no activity) for another six. Temperature controls can keep it comfortable with the outside as low as absolute zero and has high as 350 degrees C. The MK50 is not a combat suit even with this protection and will be useless if punctured. ZCT-1 ARMORED SPACESUIT (TL3): Zajer / Comm Technic, to offer the members of their colonies greater protection from the threats in the outer veil, introduced the pale, white armored combat chassis simply called the ZCT-1. It remained under license with ZCT and its colonies until TL4 where they opened their doors to open consumers. The CMC immediately put in an order for 100 000 units. The ZCT-1 is adapted with Nutra-Gel at TL-5 but it already was a formidable suit when released. The onboard computer can detect holes in the pressure and seal it up by expanding the suit into the new area. It is not a permanent fix but will keep the air out for the time being. The capabilities of the ZCT-1 are the same as the MK50 Compression suit with 24 hours of air and a temperature range from Absolute zero to 350 degrees C. The ZCT-1 is a heavy combat suit and has full protection from the hardships of combat.
PORTABLE FORCE FIELD: The PFF is a large unit of launched probes that create a perimeter force screen that protects anybody in as much as 30 feet by all attacks. The field would seem almost impenetrable. Multiple generators can combine to double their STR or range. The PFF is not air tight but can keep out all liquid, matter, and energy. Gases have a tendency of leaking through.
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NORMAL GEAR Remember, a starting character can buy these using OP converting 100 cr. to 1 OP.
ITEM Advanced Tool Kit Autograppnel (2000 lbs) Bed Roll Binoculars (High Quality) Camera (24 exposures) Camp Stove Canteen CD Player Cell Phone Compass Crowbar Hand Welder Handcuffs Hotel Room IR Goggles Jammer (10 m range) Lantern (8 hrs, 40 m range) Lighter (100 lights) Mechanics Tool Kit Medkit Mess Kit Short Range Comm (500 km rng) Skates Skis Snowshoes Stereo System Television (large) Television (port.) Diving Gear (3 hr time) Entrenching / Utility Tool Electrician’s Tool Kit First Aid Kit Furniture (Real) (Synthetic) Food (Fresh) (Prepack) (Rations) Flashlight (6 hrs) Geiger Counter (10m range) Movie Camera Nylon Rope (100 m, 500lbs) P-5000 PowerLoader Personal Computer Personal Data Trans. Personal Locator Personal Recorder Portable Holograph (TL3) Pressure Tent (1/2 man) Radio, Basic Toolknife Utility Belt Wristwatch Timer Clamp (TL3) Infrasonic Suppression Sys. (TL5) XM Neural Suppressor (TL5) Neutralizer Spray (TL4)
COST 600 100 25 50 50 30 75 100 150 10 10 100 5 100/night 200 60 50 10 10 300 50 100 40 80 40 500 1000 300 250 40 25 10 500 150 200/week/person 100/w/p 50/w/p 10 90 100 100 40 000 1000 30 50 200 1000 500 / 1 000 100 50 20 50 20 000 8 000 100 / can 43
FASION ITEM
COST
Pants Top Jacket Footwear Jewelry Mirrorshades Glasses ~~Multiply base cost by style~~ Generic Chic x1 cost Leisurewear x2 cost
40 40 50 40 100 - 1000 50 50
Businesswear x3 cost High Fashion x4 cost
ADVANCED TOOL KIT: A small kit to help witch can repair any vehicle. The high tech tools inside cover a variety of different uses easily. Any repairs or modifications of any craft can be made with a +1 with this pack. AUTOGRAPPNEL: This launches a piton almost 500 meters in the air and can embed itself in solid rock with a 2000 lbs capacity. BED ROLL: A small sleeping bag that can be compacted into a small cylinder barely 8 inches across and 3 feet wide. BINOCULARS: Self Explanatory. Digital Readout with distance meter than can measure the range between the target in the eyesight on the binoculars. CAMERA: An ultra-small disposable unit with a 24 exposure capacity. CAMP STOVE: A small unit capable for cooking…but I am sure you know that. Battery powered. CANTEEN: Three days of water for one person. CD PLAYER: The discs are half the size of current CDs. CELL PHONE: Much smaller, these devices only work in the inner colonies but can transmit anywhere COMPASS: Not the drawing kind. CROWBAR: Useful tool and a very heavy weapon. DIVING GEAR: Three hours time limit. Not a totally enclosed suit. ENTRENCHING / UTILITY TOOL: Basically a shovel with some extra tools built in. ELECTRICIANS TOOL KIT: Soldering and Electrical Kit. Gives any electronics related skill (computers, high tech engineering) +1. FIRST AID KIT: Can stop bleeding and add +1 to a First Aid skill. FLASHLIGHT: Small but powerful. Palm held.
HAND WELDER: The ME3 Hand Welder currently employed by the Colonial Marine Corps has been a standard issue to all Marines for the past 40 years. Extending the range of combat operations to a more urban setting was greatly aided by the addition of the ME3. Using a thin stream of plasma, the ME3 can cut and fuse metal quickly and cleanly. The fuel is mainly oxygen taken from the air, and in the absence of an atmosphere, the welder will still work, but will only have fuel for 15 seconds of use. Normal use is approximately 80 seconds of efficient heat. IR GOGGLES: A surprisingly small pair of Infrared goggles that allow the viewer to see is gray scales of heat. This allows the user to see it almost compete darkness. JAMMER: Disrupts bugs and all communication in 10 meters. Doubling the cost Doubles the range. MECHANICS TOOL KIT: A Hand Welder is just one small part of this large engineering kit. Only people with Mechanics or Engineering skills can use it, giving a +2 to these rolls. MEDKIT: For more advanced medical emergencies. Gives a +2 to First Aid and a +1 to all other Medical skills. The Medkit is standard issue to all Marine medtechs. It contains several surgical implements such as scalpels, syringes and suction pumps, anesthetics, antibiotics and antiseptics, bandages, swabbing cotton, a defibrillator and a biomonitor linked to an armband scanner similar to a wrist PDT. It allows anyone with a Medical skill to stabilize mortal wounds. Replacement kits containing chemicals, bandages, new surgical blades and other perishables. MESS KIT: Everything to prepare and eat food except the stove. Gotta love those sporks. MOVIE CAMERA: Small (1lbs) and with a 2 hours capacity.
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P-5000 POWERLOADER: For convenience, it has been lumped in the Armor section PERSONAL COMPUTER: Advanced. 100 Gig capacity. Super fast. Computers advance so much I won’t go into detail on its stats here. PERSONAL DATA TRANSMITTER: The PDT is a small computer with biological monitoring systems and a broadcaster. The computer broadcasts an identification code, which can be cross-referenced by a computer with the wearer's file, which contains ID data and usually medical history. The device also serves as a locator for colonists and Marine sections, and can be tracked by computer or by a handheld unit The larger version of the PDT comes in two models; the first is built within the M3 armor suite with contact patches at critical points. The second model is constructed in a wristwatch-style, and fits over the wrist of the wearer. Both versions of this model are used by the CMC, and transmits data to the section's assigned APC, as well as to tuned hand locators. PDTs are only used by the military if radio silence is not important, and can be deactivated if they present a security risk. Smaller versions constructed to be surgically implanted within the human body (at the base of the neck, behind and to the left of the spinal column) are required by ICC colonial law to be installed within every adult colonist shipping out to a new colony world and to every person born on the colony when they reach sixteen years of age until the terraforming process is complete. These usually broadcast to Colony Central, allowing rapid location of specific Colonists within the base. PERSONAL LOCATOR: The Eigress Mark 7 digital uplinking compass is a standard issue for any soldier. With many different capabilities and several distinct roles in today's modern battlefield, the Mark 7 is a popular issue for any Marine. Concealed in the Coleman 6 inch combat knife handle, this unit makes finding your way around the battlefield effortless. The digital uplinking compass is most commonly used as a personal locator in today's war events. When connected to the micro-emissions of a personal locator chronometer, the Mark 7 can supply direction, elevation and distance to the target, usually a fallen comrade or downed pilot. The micro bursts emitted by a locator unit are picked up by the Mark 7, giving the unit a stealthy receive-only capability. When connected via microwave transmissions to an orbital fleet GPS satellite network, the Mark 7 functions as a highly reliable compass. The experimental Mark 8 also has settings for detecting enemy motion trackers. It is being combat tested by the TSEALs and should be ready for service in the next couple of months. 1000 m Range. PERSONAL RECORDER: A Micro-recorder barely four inches long and two inches wide. Can record up to 90 minutes. PORTABLE HOLOGRAPH: About the size of a hatbox that can transmit any set of 3D images 2 meters across and 10 meters tall. Up to an hour of animation can be recorded. PRESSURE TENT: An air pressurized tent for adverse environments. Can hold 12 hours of Oxygen. RADIO / BASIC: Like a CB system, a short ranged, one way communicator with a 20 km range. SHORT RANGE COMMUNICATOR: The common communicator used by the CMC. Has a 500 km range with a basic system. Cannot be modified for other purposes. There are many variations of this design including Hand held, headset, and helmet mounted. TOOLKNIFE: A Swiss Army Knife TIMER CLAMP (TL3): The Timer Clamp is used to hold the lips of an Alien egg shut to unsure the creature can’t escape during transportation. It automatically falls off when the Timer expires. Nobody is anywhere near the egg when it activates. It can hold on for up to 999 minutes. INFRASONIC SUPRESSION SYSTEM (TL5): Nicknamed Beekeeper’s smoke, this device shuts off the very unique impulses of what the Alien passes for their nervous systems. It causes them to “sleep” or any form off deep coma that fits the description. The Suppression system spreads fifty feed away from the transmitter in every direction. Royal Guards and Queens are immune. This system is usually used by “Beekeepers” to safely extract the Royal Jelly. The only disadvantage about this system is that it is prone to failure. Every minute in operation, the an alien can wake up by rolling above 19 with their WILL + D10 (Basically a nine or ten). The Queen can override the ISS by rolling 17 or over with their WILL and a D10. If this works, all aliens within fifty feet wake up and re always immune, even if they venture outside the range of the Queen. Also, if the Aliens are frenzied or angry in anyway (any form of heavy aggression) negates the ISS effects. XM NUERAL SUPRESSOR (TL5): A smaller form of Inhibitor. This one looks like a thickened baton. It operates for about 3 hours with a 3 meter radius. All aliens that move into this range must make a WILL check and roll above 19 or be turned as tame as household kitten. They seem to keep their motor skills but can’t act aggressively. Royal Guards and Queens are unaffected. Unlike the ISS, the aliens cannot recover. When hit with the XM, they can’t act at all for 2D6 minutes whether in the field or not. Any Aliens on an attack charge are unaffected as well as any extra aggressive creatures. The XM, therefore, is not useful as a direct attack weapon but it useful as a defensive and experimentation device. Both this and the ISS are so rare and the price is so high, they are not common. NEUTRALIZER SPRAY (TL4): A spray version of the NutraGel with a hundred doses. A player can, instead of firing back, use the spray to counter an acid splash on one location, neutralizing the acid immediately. Usually one round of acid damage is still applied.
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MILITARY PX ITEM BDUs / Flight Fatigues M-3Armor* M-10 Helmet* M1000 Flare (3 pack) M-94 Flares (9 pack) Motion Tracker DemoKit Intelligence Unit Orbital Communications kit Pulse Communicator TNR Lamp Gee Suit@ Ghillie Suit (Recon) Z-110 ANCW (TL4) NeutraGel Modification (TL5) Polymer/Alloy CAR (TL3) Flak Jacket Kevlar (Light) Kevlar (Medium) Kevlar (Heavy) MK 25 Pressure Suit MK 50 Compression Suit ZCT Armored Spacesuit (TL3) Portable Force Field
COST 100 240 150 30 30 200 500 1 000 1 500 1 000 200 200 600 1 800 100 1 600 600 100 150 200 500 1000 1 600 3 000
MOTION TRACKER: The CMC Motion Tracker uses sonar bursts with Doppler-shift discrimination to scan and locate movement. Its use is covered by the Electronic Security skill. The device is activated by a trigger mounted in the handgrip; thus, when not in active use the Tracker cannot be left on, conserving battery power and decreasing the possibility that the tracker itself will be detected. The location of detected movement is displayed on a small LCD screen mounted on the side of the device as a set of probability contours ranging from black to white; black indicating no movement and white indicating a high probability of the location of the movement. An auditory cue is also provided in the form of a reverberating tone that changes in pitch and reverb. speed based on the size and proximity, allowing Marines to concentrate on their environments whilst keeping their trackers active. In ideal conditions (ie. Open terrain with no wind) the tracker can scan accurately up to a kilometer, however in buildings (such as the average colony building with metal and synthesized walls which to a great extent absorb the sonar bursts and returns) the effective range drops to between twenty and thirty meters. The device does have problems, however. First, because the tracker emits high-frequency sonar bursts it can be easily detected by passive listening stations as a target for enemy fire or by cyberaudio with Increased Hearing Range. Second, the tracker is also designed to filter out slight "natural" movement (such as insects or corn waving in wind), so a very slow target may be able to infiltrate a tracker's scan area. Third, because the tracker uses Doppler shift to discriminate between immobile objects and targets, a target moving across the tracker's scanning cone may be effectively invisible. Finally the unit is vulnerable to ultrasound jamming and "jumping-jack" movement decoys (A small metal sphere or cylinder with rubberized or spring-loaded surfaces). Despite these failings the motion tracker has seen use with the Corps as a man-portable scanning device for many years, and although not as good as vehicle- or emplacement-mounted systems, it has come to be a standard component of a Marine team as a supplement to other search and location techniques. At least one member of each rifle or gun team in a Marine section is equipped with a tracker. DEMOKIT: The equipment required to arm and disarm a variety of explosives. Five Packs of C-19 are included. Demolition skills are given +1. INTELIGENCE UNIT: A modified EBM PCX laptop computer the intelligence unit is issued to Marine Recon, Exploratory and HazEnv units. It contains data on the USCMC, most Corporate armies and Colonial armies, including uniforms, weapons, commonly used tactics, vehicles etc Also, the intelligence unit is downloaded with information pertaining directly to the mission itself; terrain, maps of towns, cities and important buildings, personal data on relevant individuals etc. The unit carries a scanner capable of digitally processing pictures, allowing identification of included people and location within minutes. The unit is armored against small arms and impact and is fingerprint and voiceprint locked, so only the assigned individual can access the data. It is also equipped with a small thermite bomb which will detonate if the unit is tampered with (a maintenance code must be entered before opening the unit up) or when a concealed switch is pressed, destroying the interior of the unit and thus eliminating irretrievably all data within.
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ORBITAL COMMUNICATIONS KIT: This is a dish and communications kit that requires two minutes of set up time to operate fully. It is designed to communicate with orbit craft and even remote command ships from a distance. The OCK has a 5 000 km range and can be setup up with a burst one-way communication of 500 AU. The whole system weighs so much, anyone transporting this has a –1 to his or her DEX. PULSE COMMINCASTOR: The pulse communicator is usually issued to Recon Marines, and consists of a rechargeable 10-burst power cell, a comm unit, a scrambler and a small transceiver dish. It is a microwave burst communicator able to provide secure, if limited, communication to the Marine team. A complete message is fed into the communicator and transmitted to its target in a single powerful pulse. Return messages are deciphered by the communicator. The unit can be linked to an intelligence unit for transmission of entered and scanned data as well as reception of new data. The unit can be taken apart so it can be placed in a briefcase, and is relatively light (3 kg). Because the communicator is limited to line-of-sight transmission, the operator is usually limited to transmitting in certain times at certain places, to ensure a receiver dish is pointed toward him, and he toward it. These times and transmission points are organized with the character before the mission commences and are fed into their intelligence unit. Thus the operator usually communicates to a relay station on the ground or a circling aircraft. However, the communicator is almost impossible to jam, intercept or trace, and although full two-way communication is impossible it allows transmission of vital data to his superiors and the reception of periodic orders. TNR LAMP: Carried on the left shoulder of Colonial Marines is a detachable high-powered halogen white-light TNR lamp. The TNR lamp runs off a rechargeable internal battery and incorporates a carrying handle so that it may be detached and used as a hand torch. The TNR lamp has a range of 200 meters and is effective as an alternative lighting source in combat situations. The internal battery is good for 6 hours of use, then needs to be recharged or replaced. The lamp can be recharged using a standard rifle recharge rack. The TNR lamp used by the Colonial Marines is similar to that used by the US Army, with the exception of a movable motor that tracks the movement of the helmet and shines the light where the soldier looks. This version only lasts 1 hour on internal battery and was declined in favor of a more efficient use of stored power.
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WEAPONS WA: The modifier when shooting. The Smart Gun has special rules. RANGE: Max range of the weapon in meters. DC: Damage Capacity. ROF: The Maximum firing rate. The weapon can be shot in smaller bursts. Tell the GM how many rounds the PC is firing before rolling. Player chooses a ROF up to the ROF max and decides Burst or Autofire (Burst: 3 Shots, 1d6/2 hit; Autofire: +1 WA for every 10 shots fired.) SHOTS: All the rounds in the clip of the weapon. BR: Blast Radius EV: The penalty to Dexterity for carrying the weapon. Not firing. CAP: The distinguishing feature of the tip of a grenade. DEPLOYMENT: The procedure to deploy the weapon on the battlefield. TARGET: What the weapon can fire at. Anti-missile is a special rule. 'Any' means any target except missile. CLASS: What type of Hardpoint can this weapon load into and whether or not it is guided or not. COST: Black Market cost.
COLONIAL MARINE LIGHT FIREPOWER (Firearms) WEAPON
WA
RANGE
DC
ROF
SHOTS
EV
COST
Basic Stunner VP 70 Pistol M4A3 Pistol ATM-2 Medina ATM-1 Sabot-Pistol
0 0 0 +1 +3
25 m 50 m 100 m 200 m 80 m
4
2 2 2 1
1 2 2 2 3
6 11 12 16 16
0 0 0 0 0
400 400 400 900 800
COLONIAL MARINE MEDIUM FIREPOWER (Autofire except Sniper Rifles) WEAPON
WA
M41A1 Pulse Rifle -1 PN 30mm Grenade Launcher -1 M42A Scope Rifle +5* M41AE2 Pulse Rifle 0 M21A Shotgun -1 L96 Sniper Rifle +3 Duchamp Blaster -2 M42A3 Light Rifle 0 ATM-3 Shiva Mk. 1 -1 ATM-4 Sabot-Stick 0 *See Below
RANGE
DC
ROF
SHOTS
EV
COST
900 100 3 800 900 50 2 500 500 700 900 600
4 Grenade 4 4 3 3 5 3 2 2
40 1 1 30 1 2 50 30 60 30
95-100 3 12 95-300 8 12 300 90 120 120
0 0 -1 0 0 -1 -1 0 0 0
2 000 n/a 2 300 3 500 1 000 2 000 2 300 1 800 4 000 1 000
COLONIAL MARINE HEAVY FIREPOWER WEAPON
WA
M56A2 Smart gun +1 / +2* M240A1 Flame-thrower 0 GC20 Plasma Rifle 0 M-199 Mk2 Smart Gun +2 / +3 ATM-5 Shiva Mk.2 0 M-23 "Thumper" -1 *See below
RANGE
DC
ROF
SHOTS
(Heavy Weapons except Smart)
EV
COST
1500 4 60 300 -1 10 000 3-50 3/3** 3 60 0 4 000 1000 5 30 500 -1 8 000 1500 4 60 500 -2 15 000 1500 6 30 270 -3 10 000 50 Grenade 1 12 0 2 500 **6 DC is automatically done next round if it hits the first round.
COLONIAL MARINE ASSAULT FIREPOWER (Heavy Weapons) WEAPON
WA
RANGE
DC
Plasma Cannon -2 2 000 2k M5 RPG 0 2 000 3k M78 PIG 0 1000 1k M83A2 SADAR@ +1 1000 4k M112 HIMAT***@ +1 5 000 6k SIM-118 Hornet@ 0 10 000 4k ATM-1 Bolter -1 1 500 1k M80 LP-Cannon -2 3 000 3k *: -5 if not on a tripod ***Can be linked with other units. Automated (see below).
ROF
SHOTS EV
COST TARGETS
½ 20 0 / -5* 15 000 1 1 -1 2 000 1 30 -1 7 000 1 1 -1 4 000 1 3 0** 8 000 1 1 -1 4 000 1 20 -3 4 000 1 9 -2 5 000 **Cannot be fired unless deployed @: Guided (see below)
Any Any Any Ground only Ground only Air only Any Any
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COLONIAL MARINE MISCELANEOS FIREPOWER (No skill) (These are weapon systems. See below) WEAPON
WA
RANGE
DC
ROF
SHOTS
COST TARGETS
UA 571-C Sentry +1 800 4 50 500 UA 571-D Sentry +1 1 200 5 40 500 UA 571-F Sentry 0 100 Grenade 3 30 LIM-417 Phalanx @ 0 80 000 4k 1 6 HIM-122 Lancer@ +1 120 000 5k 1/10* 1 HIM-78 Sprint@ 0 540 000 6k 1 4 *: One Missile breaks into 10 and can assign different targets for each missile. All can be linked with other units. Automated (see below). @: Guided (see below)
60 000 70 000 65 000 120 000 240 000 350 000
Any Any Any Air only Air only Air & Space only
NON-COLONIAL WEAPONRY WEAPON ZCT 9mm Avenger Falcon Street 12mm Falcon Street Auto Alphatech .454 Colt “Reliable” WY Corp. Special
WA 0 -1 0 -2 0 +3
RANGE 50m 75m 50m 50m 50m 75m
DC 2 3 1 4 1 3
ROF 1 1 6 1 2 2
SHOTS 9 6 18 4 6 12
EV 0 0 0 0 0 0
COST 400 700 800 700 350 1200
CLASS Handgun Handgun Handgun Handgun Handgun Handgun
Tradex Assault Auto Ventral Heavy Rifle Boyars “Buster” Rifle Tradex SMG-Alpha-01 WY Defender Hvy. Auto
-2 0 0* +1 +3
750m 900m 500m 750m 1200m
3 4 7 2 4
30 30 10 10 30
90 90 50 130 120
0 -1 -1 0 0
1500 1500 2000 2300 4500
Autofire Autofire Autofire Autofire Autofire
Ventral “Maniac” Rotary Ventral “Peacemaker” Alphatech Railgun Ventral Air Sniper*** WY “Brilliant Pebble”*
-1 -2 0 0 +4
1000m 2500m 5000m 5000m 10 000m
2 2k 2k 7 (.5k) 3k
90 2 1 3 ½
900 15 15 30 10
-2 -2 -2 0** -3
3500 4000 5000 8000 18000
Heavy Weapons Heavy Weapons Heavy Weapons Heavy Weapons Heavy Weapons
*: -5 if not on a tripod ***Air targets only.
**Cannot be fired unless deployed
MINES (No skill) WEAPON
BR
DC
SHOTS COST
DEPLOYMENT SPECIAL
Nuclear Failsafe M760 Antipersonnel M862 anti-armor M5A3 Bounding M20 Claymore mine
1km 2m 3m 2m 3m
40k 6 7 6 7
1 1 1 1 1
Personnel Air / Armor Air / Armor Infantry Infantry
See Below None ½ Armor Can be linked Remote det.
SPECIAL
1500000 900 1200 1 000 1 000
GRENADES (Throwing ability) WEAPON
CAP
DC
BR
USE
M40 High-Explosive Fragmentary* M38 HEAP M51A Bounding Fragmentary M108 Canister (Buckshot) M230 Baton (Rare in USCM) M60 Phosphorous* Incendiary M72A1 Starshell*
Red Green Blue Black N/A White "S" on top
7 10 (1k) 7 6 7stun 0 0
3m 1m 1m 0 0 15m 10m
Anti-personnel Anti-tank ½ Armor Small-Charge double dam stun Close-in Fighting Civil Disturbances Smoke Screen Flare 45 seconds,
50,000 candles
COST 100 250 120 70 20 50
70
*: Can be thrown. The detonator can be set to a 6 or 12 second fuse.
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COLONIAL MARINE AEROSPACE FIREPOWER MISSILES (Gunnery for non-automated missiles only) WEAPON
WA
RANGE
DC
BR
COST TARGET
CLASS/SPECIAL
AGM-204A TSAM AGM-220C Hellhound AIM-90E Headlock XIM-28A Long Lance Mk. 16 Banshee M18 Mk. 16 Banshee M451 Mk. 16 Banshee M597 Mk. 16 Banshee M598 Mk. 10 Zeus Mk. 88 120mm SGW NIC-79 Captor STG Ballistic
+3 +1 +1 0 -2 -2 -2 -2 0 0 0 0
60 000 70 000 24 000 120 000 12 000 12 000 12 000 12 000 7 000 2 000 85 000 450 000
1k 5k 5k 7k 2k 4k 3k 1k 1k 1.5k 10k 20k
n/a 8m 0 n/a 4m 3m 1m 6m 1m 2m n/a 200m
70 000 120 000 150 000 450 000 10 000 15 000 13 000 12 000 5 000 10 000 550 000 950 000
Unique, Guided Unique, Guided Unique, Guided Unique, Guided 150mm 150mm 150mm, ½ armor 150mm 150mm ½ armor 150mm, Guided Unique, Guided Unique, Guided
DC
ROF
SHOTS COST
BR
TARGET
8(.7k) 11 (1k) 0* 1.5k 1k
20 12 1 3 1
300 100 n/a n/a 1
0 2m 40m 3m 10m
Any. Any, Missile Any. Any, Missile Any
Missiles Ground Air / Space Space Any Any Any Any Any Any Space Any
CANNONS (Gunnery) WEAPON
WA
RANGE
25mm Gargoyle Gattling 0 13000 30mm Railcannon 0 100 000 800 MV Particle Beam -5 350 000 80 MW Infrared Laser** 0 30 000 Orbital minefield n/a 0 *Special, see below **This is the weapon one spacecraft laser turrets.
75000 120 000 1 550 000 350 000 50 000
COLONIAL MARINE ARMOR FIREPOWER (Gunnery) WEAPON
WA
RANGE
DC
Tri-Barrled Particle Beam 0 2 000 7 (.5k) 20mm Gattling Cannon 0 1 000 7 (.5k) Phased Plasma Cannon* -1 4 000 11 (1k) Free-Electron Laser* +2 3 000 11 (1k) Charged Particle Beam* +1 3 000 1.5k *These weapons are found in pairs on the M577 Turret.
ROF
SHOTS BR
COST TARGET
6 30 ½ ½ ½
300 1700 500 200 100
75 000 65 000 50 000 65 000 100 000
0 0 2m 0 1m
Any. Ground Ground Any Any, ½ Armor
HARDPOINTS: Hardpoints are areas where weapons can be placed. Each area must be of the same weapon class. You cannot have missiles and laser in the same Hardpoint but can have different types of missiles in one area. Weapons not listed below cannot be placed and are permanent mount are craft. Other can be placed anywhere. Armor (Tank) weapons are too heavy to be placed on Aerospace craft. However, Aerospace craft can be mounted on Armor vehicles if the weapon as a “Ground”, “Any”, or “Air” Targeting capacity. No “Space” can be used. Weapons on a craft of the same type can be linked to fire at the same target. All weapons in a Hardpoint are automatically linked. Missiles are the exception. Guided missiles fire normally since they are not aimed. Any number in each Hardpoint can fire. Dumbfire missiles (unguided) can fire one to the maximum in the Hardpoint. Each missile is considered 1 ROF. Firing all 16 150mm rockets in a Hardpoint has a 16ROF. WEAPON AGM-204A TSAM AIM-90E Headlock Mk. 16 Banshee Mk. 88 120mm SGW 30mm Railcannon Tri-Barrled Particle Beam Phased Plasma Cannon Charged Particle Beam
SPACE 0.34 (3 per point) 0.34 (3 per point) 0.062 (16 per point) 0.062 (16 per point) 1 1 0.5 0.5
WEAPON AGM-220C Hellhound XIM-28A Long Lance Mk. 10 Zeus 25mm Gargoyle Gattling 80 MW Infrared Laser 20mm Gattling Cannon Free-Electron Lasers
SPACE 0.25 1 0.062 (16 per point) 1 1 0.5 0.5
AMMUNITION: A full clip of a weapon costs %10 of original cost. With the exception of the RPG, weapons with one shot are disposable. Reloads for Spacecraft does not technically exist since all the ammunition is linked to the weapon so the maximum ammunition is listed already. However, the GM may consider loading up a ship by taking up one Cargo slot for two full reloads of a weapon. Two different weapons may be held (one reload each weapon for one slot) but one full slot will be occupied regardless if totally full or not. Each reload has the number of shots equal to the weapon's regular capacity.
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SPD OF WEAPONS: What follows is how much damage a weapon can take before being rendered inoperable. This is done by direct fire or by acid spray.
WEAPON TYPE Marine Light Firepower Marine Heavy Firepower Marine Miscellaneous Firepower Grenades Marine Aerospace Firepower (Cannons)
SPD 10 30 35 5 2k
WEAPON TYPE Marine Medium Firepower Marine Assault Firepower Mines Marine Aerospace Firepower (Missiles) Marine Armor Firepower
SPD 20 35 20 1k 3k
DESCRIPTIONS (Not all weapons are described): COLONIAL MARINE LIGHT FIREPOWER BASIC STUNNER: A common weapon for police and national guardsmen. The Stunner fires a sedative needle that disintegrates upon penetration. It can penetrate all but the heaviest armor and can usually knock the average human in one firing. A long crumbled corporation developed it in an attempt so appease controversy over armed corporate soldiers. The sight is now common but the Stunner still found a market. If the weapon penetrates armor, the ENTIRE stun damage is dealt. VP 70 PISTOL: The VP 70 'PREDATOR' by Ventrel is a 9mm semi automatic sidearm crafted entirely of composite materials making it light, rugged and dependable. The PREDATOR project was started over 30 years ago by Ventrel to create a firearm for the modern soldier. Originally created from 150 separate parts, this has been reduced to 6. The main feature of the PREDATOR is the simplicity. With a safety latch built into the trigger and a concealed hammer, the VP 70 has an extremely low chance of jamming or misfiring, even under high levels of heat and pressure. The VP 70 can fire after 72 hours at 700 degrees and a combined weight of 7 atmospheres. The VP 70 contains an insulated magazine that will prevent ammunition 'cook off' at temperatures up to 500 degrees. The PREDATOR holds 11 rounds of 9mm ammunition with 1 in the chamber, and accepts both Military combat effective munitions and civilian shells. The simplicity of the VP70's firing mechanism is one of its most notable features, resulting in an extremely reliable, accurate weapon in the harshest conditions. When carried as a conventional weapon, the VP70 fires with a standard blowback mechanism linked to a unique trigger configuration. The trigger is a double action mechanism that requires substantial pressure when first pulled back. If this pressure is continued, the trigger bar slips from a spring-loaded firing pin to fire the chambered round. This safety-in-trigger design negates the need for any additional safety catch. The optional shoulder stock latches into grooves on the back of the pistol's receiver and butt. Single and burst fire is available when this unit is attached. Use: Since the VP70 uses the inherently accurate, low powered 9mm Parabellum round, it proves to be an easily controlled pistol when fired. Range is increased by the accuracy of the round, and even in three round burst mode the pistol provides surprisingly accurate, directable fire. In the years since the introduction of the original design, the VP70 has undergone little in the way of substantive change. More commonly, new, lighter, stronger plastics and alloys have gone into the pistol's parts, providing an even more reliable and more compact sidearm. M4A3 SERVICE SIDEARM: The M3A3, with its older variants, has been the USCM standard sidearm for the past sixty years. It is a 9mm automatic, recoil operated, magazine fed hand weapon. The working mechanism is made of steel alloy with some plastic parts and the outer casing is machined from lightweight alloys. The entire weapon, including a full 12 round magazine weighs no more than 0.95 kg. The cartridge is a 9mm ball rimless straight round with a bullet weight of 126 grain. ATM-2 MEDINA (TL2): The Medina is a zero-recoil shell weapon designed for CMC units in zero-gravity environments. Alphatech designed it for the military but found demand in the CMC who needed more weaponry in the hostile dangers of space. ATM-1 SABOT-PISTOL (TL2): Alphatech’s cheap and small Sabot pistol is a holdout weapon used by police groups as a standard side arm. It is also used as a good backup weapon in the CMC. It uses the same small Sabot rounds used in Sabot Sticks.
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COLONIAL MARINE MEDIUM FIREPOWER
M41A1 PULSE RIFLE: The Armat M41A is a 10mm pulse-action air-cooled automatic assault rifle, which over the last decade has become the basic rifle of the US Colonial Marines and the US Army. The standard service variant has an overand-under configuration incorporating a PN 30mm pump-action grenade launcher. Lightweight and rugged, the M41 is constructed largely from ultra-light alloy precision metal stampings. The outer casing is made from titanium aluminide alloy and many internal parts are molded from high-impact, temperature resistant plastics. Layout is conventional, and a spring loaded retractable stock allows the rifle to be used either in carbine format (with stock retracted) or as a rifle, with the 'in-line' stock extended for greater stability during automatic fire from the shoulder. Sighting is made down a groove in the carrying handle, with an adjustable tangent leaf backsight positioned in the rear slot. A 3x power AN/RVS-52 CCD television sight can be optionally fitted to the carrying handle for accuracy at great range and under low-light conditions. The M41 fires the standard US M309 10mm x 24 round. This ammunition comprises a 210 grain projectile embedded within a rectangular caseless propellant block of Nitramine 50. The propellant content is small but highly efficient, generating muzzle velocities on the order of 840 meters per second. The round is steel-jacketed and explosive tipped, with impact fusing that is preset during manufacture. Terminal ballistic characteristics have been optimized for maximum lethality against infantry wearing personal armor. The round is designed to penetrate the armor, exploding just after impact to inflict lethal internal damage. The standard M41 ammunition clip will hold up to 100 M309 rounds in a 'U' bend conveyor that feeds the rounds mechanically into the rotating breech mechanism. However, in practice the clips are only filled to 95% capacity in order to reduce the autoloader's tendency to jam. The M41 uses electronic pulse action to fire, controlled directly from the trigger. The internal mechanism, including the rotating breech, is mounted on free-floating rails within a carbon-filter jacket. This assembly is recoil dampened to reduce the effects of muzzle climb during burst and full automatic fire. From the thumb selector, the weapon can be set to four-round bursts, or full automatic fire, the latter allowing a rate of fire up to the weapons cyclic rate of 900 rounds per minute. An LED display situated just below the receiver indicates the ammo remaining in the clip. This display can be dimmed for night operations. A Lithium battery in the carrying handle provides electrical power for the gun’s motor mechanism. This battery is good for 10,000 rounds and can be recharged either from a rifle rack or a portable power clip. The M41 is a robust weapon, fully sealed against corrosion, dirt and moisture, yet easy to disassemble and maintain. The solid state electronics are hardened against TREE and background radiation, and the weapon is perfectly usable in a vacuum environment. However, it is not sufficiently stabilized or recoil dampened for use in free-fall combat operations M42A SCOPE RIFLE: The M42A is a 10mm pulse action semi-automatic rifle employed as the primary sniper weapon of the USCMC. This rifle is a key component of battalion operations; it's long range and precision extending the tactical zone of control by up to a kilometer or more, subject to local terrain. The rifle is issued on a scale of one per company, though it is normally held for use in a battalion controlled pool of up to four Scout-Snipers. The internal mechanism of the M42 is designed to have a high degree of commonality with the M41 - using the same rotating breech and feed - though it is chambered for the match-standard 10mm x 28 caseless round such as in the M56. The barrel is free-floating with a right-handed twist and is contained within a protective shroud and receiver housing. Ammunition feed is from a 15 round Match Rounds magazine inserted beneath the stock of the rifle, behind the thumbhole of the pistol grip.
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The match-standard batched M252 HEAP round has a maximum effective range of 2,950 meters. A long-range stabilized ball round is also available, with an effective range of 3,800 meters. The factory standard M250 smart gun round can be used with no adaptation, though it has an effective range well under 2,000 meters. Fusing for the M250/M252 ammunition is controlled from a separate selector switch. A combined, multi-spectral twenty power passive sensor scope is mounted over the receiver. the scope display shows a composite image based on visual, infrared and electromagnetic emissions. The scope display can be augmented by input from the local sensor matrix via a digital comms broadcast or direct optic cable link. Motion trackers, ground radar, lidar and IR sensors may all be linked into the rifle; furthermore, the optical PARGET control system - exact details of which are classified - is apparently able to connect the rifle into the local sentry gun matrix, allowing the Scout-Sniper to redirect sentry gun firing arcs when in hot contact. Instead of adding +1 for every additional round, the Scope rifle adds +2. M41AE2 (TL2): The M41AE2 is built on the same basis as the M41A1but with and a slightly lower ROF. Optional L clip contains 300 rounds. M21A COMBAT SHOTGUN: The shotgun has a length from the barrel to the stock is about three and half to four feet long. However, during the Vietnam war, the soldiers had modified them so that they would be about two and half feet long. To be used in jungle combat, they would prove to be one of the most versatile weapons used. The maximum range for a "sawed off shotgun" would be approximately 2 and a half feet. The shotgun is really easy to load, there's a stainless steel fork that is located underneath the pump-action barrel. There, you would put the shell up at a slight angle, and feed it right in. And then when you are done putting the shell into the weapon, the fork closes and from there, you can hold up to three shells plus one in the barrel, which would make the total ammunition count to four total rounds (Modifications were made on these weapons so they could take more than three rounds. Sometimes four to five shells were in the shotgun tube). The shotgun is made out of tempered steel that is molded to become the top and lower barrel, while the trigger is made also from the tempered steel. The wood for the pistol grip and the hand pump are both hardened and weather proofed so to avoid rotting and getting moldy.
L96 SNIPER RIFLE: The L96A1 is made by a firm called Accuracy International. In sniper try-outs, the L96 beat the Parker & Hale M85. The rifle was built under supervision of a top UK rifle shooter. It has an unusual set-up, the stock is of two piece design and the two pieces bolt onto a sub-chassis. The action is both glued and screwed to this sub-chassis. There is also a silenced model with full-length silencer. It is a very accurate rifle, typical groups are sub ½ MOA at 100 yds and just over that at 200 yds. Well designed and built with a very nice stock .The syntech stock has very nice lines, it has adjustable length of pull (done with spacers), a thumbhole design. All in all a very nice and accurate rifle.
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DUCHAMP BLASTER (TL2): 500 round MAG with two in-board clips. Medium Recoil, Piss poor at distance. The Duchamp was an attempt to scale up the existing Pulse Rifle design. The result is a hardly used heavy rifle that was scrapped by the CMC in favor of the M41AE2 Mk.2 Pulse Rifle. The Duchamp still found use from civilian groups and budget minded corporations.
M42A3 LIGHT RIFLE: The M42A3 is a smaller variant of the M41 Pulse Rifle. This weapon is lighter, easier to use and more robust. The servicing cost of the M42 is so low, the weapon became the Rifle of choice for colonies in the outer veil as well as deep space CMC scouts. Light armor urban squads and jungle militias often use the M42A3 in replacement of the heavier M41A. ATM-3 SHIVA Mk. 1 (TL3): The two Shiva designs, built by Alphatech were originally developed for their own forces but found use in most of the Outer Veil colonies as a heavy weapon to compete with M41A Pulse Rifle. The Deep Space CMC forces have been found using these weapons since supply runs to the Periphery are uncommon. The Shiva is a two handed weapon with two individual handgrips. It uses larger Sabot rounds found in the Sabot stick and the Sabot pistol. The only real problem with both Shiva models is their heavy recoils. Ever subsequent round of firing (after the first one) more than ½ the weapon’s ROF invokes a –1 penalty to hit. The stop this, stop firing for one round or fire shorter, controlled bursts. ATM-4 SABO-STICK (TL2): The single cheapest rifle in Alphatech’s arsenal is the basic Sabot Stick. It has a simple firing mechanism and a simple design. The only major problem is that it tends to overheat. Sticks are considered disposable rifles. After their tenth’s clip change, the massive heat buildup has caused the firing mechanism to fuse, making it inoperable.
COLONIAL MARINE HEAVY FIREPOWER M56A2 SMART GUN: The M56A2 is a 10mm general-purpose automatic squad support weapon, effective out to 1500 meters. The pulse-action system employs a free-floating recoil-dampened rotating breech mechanism chambered for the M250 series 10mm x 28 caseless round. the gun also incorporates a muzzle booster to ensure the necessary operating forces from the large round. Cyclic rate is around 1200 rounds per minute. The gun is constructed largely from molded carbon-fiber and light alloy stampings, though some interior parts of the mechanism are made from plastic. The replaceable barrel system is aircooled, though a heat-sink attachment can be jacketed onto it. The system is mounted on an operator's harness and slaved to an infrared tracking system. the gun is self-steering on the mount, though firing must be commanded manually. The entire gun assembly masses 17.82 kg. The length of the gun itself is 122 cm, and the length of the barrel is 54.5 cm. The stabilized articulation arm is attached to the left hip mounting and plugged in via coaxial cable to the processor and power outlets in the breastplate. The gun itself is clipped and secured to the end of the arm. The operator plugs this HMS (head mounted sight) into the tracking and comms system in the armor. the gun tracker is jacked into the process by a universal connector, and the gun itself must be powered up before the weapon is loaded. Power for the entire gun system is supplied by standard DV9 Lithium battery units, good for up to 50,000 rounds when fully charged. Both ends of the DV9 unit are plugged into the power leads that run from the articulation arm to the gun; common practice in the field is to let the battery hand free beneath the gun, where it is easily accessed in an emergency. The M250 10mm x 28 ammunition is a 230 grain caseless projectile encased in a rectangular block of Nitramine. Higher powered that the M309 round for the pulse rifle, the M250 also significantly differs in having a selectable fuse setting. A switch on the hand grip is used to select the ammunition fusing, which is set electronically as the round is loaded into the chamber. The 'Super' setting is optimized against soft targets and will detonate the round on impact, while the 'Delay' setting explodes the shell only after penetrating the target armor.
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The M250 ammunition is stored on a roll of continuous plastic non-disintegrating link belt in the ammunition drum, which can be reloaded in the field. The gun motor drives the feed mechanism as well as the rotating breech, and automatically loads each round off the belt and into the breech. In the event of a jam, the manual cocking handle at the side can be pulled to eject the round and clear the breech. This procedure can also be used to manually charge the mechanism. The first +1 to hit is automatic. If the target is not destroyed, the next round increases to +2. Every subsequent round past it adds, another +1 until the target is destroyed. This can be applied when spreading the shots over multiple targets. All targets receive have the bonus. Blind fire gives no bonus. M240A1 FLAMETHROWER: The M240A1 is a lightweight, carbon-format Flame-thrower designed for use in close combat at the squad and firearm level. Using pressurized, ultra-thickened napthal fuel as a base and ignited by the nozzle burner, the M240 can shoot flame at targets up to 30 meters away. Once a target has been hit, fuel droplets from the Flame-thrower will stick and continue to burn for approximately thirty seconds. Damage is immediately done again next round. If struck. If not extinguished, it will continue to burn every next round for full damage for 2D6 turns. If still not extinguished, it will continue doing –1d damage after until it fizzles itself out. All materials considered combustible will not reduce damage until it is destroyed. It will then burn itself out. With sufficient fuel in a standard fuel reservoir for a burst of up o twenty seconds, the M240 is undoubtedly one of the most fearsome weapons in the Marine inventory, and has proven especially useful in close combat and against the Xenomorph. It is also ideal for use against fortifications because of the ability of the flame to be directed through defensive apertures. However, it is unpopular with many of its operators, partly because of its short range, and also because of the tendency of the fuel reservoir to rupture violently when hit by shrapnel or small arms fire. The M240 is 88cm long and weighs 2.7 kg with a full reservoir. A valve at the rear of the incinerator is used to refuel the weapon; alternatively, the reservoir can be screwed off and refilled or replaced separately. A twist-valve on the Flamethrower regulates the fuel flow and a thumb switch on the handgrip electrically ignites the nozzle burner when depressed. The weapon is fired by squeezing the handgrip trigger, and will continue firing until the trigger is released. The range of the M240 can be increased by making a high angle show, firing the flame unit up at an angle of about 45 degrees – the burning fuel then descends onto the target in an arc. In this way shots can be made up to a range of 50 meters, though it is far less effective then direct fire in penetrating an armored firing slit or aperture. GC-20 PLASMA RIFLE (TL3): Grant Corp developed several plasma weapon designs based on the heavy firepower of the PIG and the heavy turrets on the M577 APC. They created the GC-20 and its heavier Cannon cousin. The GC-20 is almost unrecognizable in comparison to existing weapon designs. The three-barreled weapon is ivory white with very few additional features. To keep cost down, standard rifle features often found are missing including ergonomic handgrips, a magazine counter, and even a shoulder guard. The almost featureless weapon perfectly matches the Acid Resistant Combat Wardrobe for which the weapon was primarily designed for, even though the armor itself would be released later (R&D on the acid resistance proved more difficult than designing a hand held plasma weapon. The three barrels allowed the GC-20 to have high cyclic rate and keep the internal heat down.
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M-199 SMART GUN Mk. 2 (TL2): The M-199 modified the existing Smart gun design almost from the ground up. The rifle is over a foot shorter, and has been converted into a gattling weapon. The ammo drum was moved under the weapon and the strength of the harness was increased. The M-199 was a valuable weapon used by Beserker teams because it increased the firepower of a regular heavy gunners. Most prefer the less clumsy original design. However, the increased size of the weapon led to a larger , more advanced computer system. Although heavier, it is a better shot. The Mk. 2 has a +2 bonus with an additional +1 next round after than. Like the original design, the shots can be dispersed among a group. Blind fire gives no bonus. ATM-5 SHIVA Mk. 2 (TL2): The Massive Mk. 2 Shiva was designed, originally, as a heavy weapon used primarily for military synthetics. The massive weight of the weapon made common deployment difficult. When synthetics were banned from an active offensive rule and reduced to support only, the Shiva became a rarity. Still found on occasion, the Shiva popped up now and then, the preferred weapon of choice for stronger soldiers since it can be used as an “autofire” weapon, making it available to general infantry without penalty. When Offensive synthetics designed to combat the xenomorph threat appeared in TL4, the Shiva Mk2 appeared again as a standard weapon for heavier unit.
COLONIAL MARINE ASSAULT FIREPOWER GC-10 PLASMA CANNON (TL3): Grant Corp’s larger Plasma weapon made before the final release of the GC-20. The designers took a stock Sentry Gun chassis and removed al the mechanical and computer components. The project originally was to create an automated system like the Sentry gun, but the size of the cannon prevented this unless the entire chassis was reconstructed. The automatic systems were dropped in exchange for basic hydraulic control. The gun pivots and tilts effortlessly on its axis, 360 degrees around and 60 degrees up with no effort from the user. If carried off its tripod, the weapon is heavy and cumbersome, requiring a STR of 8 to a least use. Still, the weapon has a –3 to hit anything. The large weapon is capable for taking down aircraft, puncturing tank armor, and incinerating whole squads. The CMC operates few, preferring to use their lighter Phased Plasma Infantry Gun. Still, the weapon is still the largest reusable infantry weapon available. The weapons six second recharge rate is a major hindrance, however. Usually, the weapon is wired into a link system with another cannon. Both guns can be wired into a remote user, safely behind cover and fire both guns alternatively. M5 ROCKET PROPELLED GRENADE: The M5 rocket propelled grenade system is a small reloadable shoulderlaunched weapon. The launcher consists of a 140 cm steel alloy tube weighing 2.3 kg, with a rear backblast vent incorporating backblast diffusers, trigger mechanism and 4x power telescopic sight. Each 2.2 kg round is a 60 mm hypervelocity spin-stabilized rocket with an impact-fused supercritical HEAT warhead. The rounds are carried separately and handloaded into the launch tube. Sighted visually, the system has an accurate range of approximately 400 m and a maximum range of around 2,000 m. Though the rocket's warhead has little chance against medium and heavy tank armor, it has proven popular and effective for use in it's secondary role against infantry in bunkers and building strongpoints. M78 PHASED PLASMA INFANTRY GUN: The M78 PIG (Phased-plasma Infantry Gun) is a man-portable anti-armor weapon. Weighting 15.2 kg in its entirety, the PIG consists of two parts: the gun and its power pack. The M78 is a 15 mW phased plasma system firing vaporized Cadmium Telluride pellets from a 30 round feed. The fast-
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discharge system powering the gun's laser and magnetic coil is fed from a 4 mW hydrogen fuel cell in the power pack. The firing cycle takes 3 seconds, most of which is taken up by the powering up of the discharge generator. The penetrating power of the system is considerable, and it is claimed to be able to breach the flank armor of a heavy tank at 1,000 meters. M83A2 SADAR: The M83A2 SADAR (Shoulder-launched Active-homing Disposable Anti-tank Rocket) is a lightweight one-shot anti-armor weapon capable of engaging enemy vehicles at ranges up to 1,000 m. Fully disposable, the rocket's launcher is discarded after firing, whilst the rocket, a fire-and-forget weapon, guides itself toward the target. When stowed, the SADAR system consists of a watertight carbon-fiber composite blast tube, inside of which is an aluminum launch tube containing the missile and guidance electronics. The weapon is cocked by unlatching the forward ring of the blast tube and pulling the inner launch tube forwards until it locks. A trigger assembly and thermal acquisition sight are then flipped into position, and the weapon activated by pushing a charge button on the trigger grip. From this point the weapon can be sighted and fired from the shoulder. The M83 acquires and tracks targets with a cooled infrared imaging seeker mounted in the rocket's nose. When the charge button is pressed, the inert IR seeker is cooled to it's operating temperature within two seconds and begins feeding images to the operator's thermal acquisition sight. The seeker remains charged for twenty minutes, after which the rocket may only be fired unguided. When a target enters the acquisition sight, the operator can lock the seeker's field of view, the weapon can be launched at it. When launched, the SADAR rocket accelerates to maximum velocity. As the rocket approaches the target, the guidance system selects the hottest part of the target and flies and attack profile the offers optimum penetration. Against a tank, it will typically climb briefly before diving on the target's thinner upper surfaces. The M83A2 version is capable of identifying defensive countermeasures such as decoy flares and has improved logic to aid in rejecting them. The shaped-charge HEAT warhead is capable of defeating most light and medium armor. The SADAR is guided and all rules to it apply. Note: It is listed with a 3 missile capacity because purchasing one delivers a crate of three launchers. ATTACKS: 2 AUTOMATIC SKILL: 8 SIM-118 HORNET: A shoulder launched man-portable SAM (Surface to Air Missile) capable of an all aspect engagement of targets up to 10 km. The millimeter-wave seeker is capable of acquiring as well as tracking targets, allowing the infantryman to fire at craft beyond the range of his vision or obscured by cloud. A no-frills hypervelocity missile, the Hornet has no warhead, relying on its high accuracy, and the kinetic energy of its impact to destroy the target. The Hornet is guided and all rules to it apply. ATTACKS: 4 AUTOMATIC SKILL: 9 M112 HIMAT: The Hypervelocity Intelligent Missile, Anti-Tank is a man portable battlefield ‘brilliant’ weapon with a range of over 5 000 m. The versatility of the system allows the field commander many options for its deployment and use. The core element of the system is a 11.3 kg single-round self-contained disposable launcher is a carbon-fiber composite tube containing the HIMAT round and RTM ports for the fire control system. The bipod can be set to launch the round horizontally or at increasing angles up until the vertical, depending on deployment. Fire control for the M112 varies according to mission. For defensive deployment, the system can be set for either ‘Command’ ‘Autonomous’ configuration. In both cases, one or more launchers are connected by cable to an APS-100 Fire Controller, an 800 Gb intelligent system which imports data from the local sensor matrix, including motion trackers, infrared scanners, lider, radar and robot sentries. It is also possible to datalink the Fire Control unit into higher-level assets such as surveillance drones or artillery Forward Observers. The APS-200 unit analyzes the sensor data, and if it positively identifies a target it will lock-on with one or more missiles under its command and prepare to launch. If set to Command mode, the APS-100 is connected to the terminal of an operator who constantly monitors the AntiTank defense plan for the area. If a target is identified, the system will flash a ‘Target Lock’ indicator to the operator who can authorize a weapon’s launch or, if the exact identity of the target is unsure, a further IFF interrogation. If enables for Autonomous mode, the APS-100 will work through its target identification protocols until it is sure it has lock-on to an enemy and then automatically launched one of more missiles. The HIMAT is guided and all rules to it apply. It can be fired manually so it is not classes as a system. ATTACKS: 2 AUTOMATIC SKILL: 8 ATM-1 BOLTER (TL2): The Bolter is another heavy weapon by Alphatech designed primarily for combat synthetics that didn’t see wide release until TL4. The weapon was so large, most couldn’t even use it. The kickback was enough to knock smaller people off their feet. Some were modified by Alphatech and the CMC
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with a tripod unit to ease the firing recoil. This variant found wide use in heavy armor units. The original came back at TL4 when Combat Synthetics met wide release. M80 LP-CANNON: This long range, shoulder cannon found use with heavy soldiers to accentuate armor units. The LP-Cannon’s basic objective was to give infantry unit a heavy weapon to combat ground military without having to set up heavy missile systems. The M80 is a clip fed railcannon with a built in-power source. It accelerates a needle-shaped flechette past Mach. The fact that it has a clip made the weapon popular for field units who didn’t need to the constantly reload the weapon in a pinch.
M23THUMPER: The Thumper’s shorter range than the M41A grenade undermount stems from a 100 year older designed firing mechanism. The Thumper has not been modified much since. It still found use in the CMC and several other military groups. Even though large and hard to carry as backup, it still is the easiest way to offload large explosive payloads in a very quick time. The smoke grenade is actually the most common grenade loaded in the Thumper.
NON-COLONIAL WEAPONRY Only the most popular and most reliable examples are listed. Hundred more have been designed over the course of centuries but most of the weapons that follow top a very long list. ZCT 9mm AVENGER: Easy, simple, and cheap to produce. The Avenger is a perfected weapon dating back two hundred years. It’s rugged, reliable, and very common throughout the rim colonies. It’s a common pistol with smugglers. FALCON STREET 12mm: Plain numbers, pretty gun. Made for the showman in mind, the Falcon Street feels average all around, but it is available in 12 different metallic colors with your choice of Ivory, Gunmetal, Carbon Fiber, Silver, or Gold Plated grip. FALCON STREET AUTO: Less glamorous than the 12mm, but offsets this with a high cyclic rate. The Falcon Auto is more like a miniature submachine gun. They even included a small fold-down second grip for stability. Falcon Autos are common with Merc groups. ALPHATECH .454: Why build a 4 round clip for a weapon you ask? With twice the punch of Marine handgun, you would only need one shot. The Alphatech probably could squeeze one more bullet in the already cramped clip, but then they would risk fracturing the firing system. The weapon already carries a viscous kickback and barrel length longer than the VP70 in total. The .454 is never meant to be fired in the air or as a warning shot. It was designed to hit something…and stop it…permanently.
COLT “RELIABLE”: The only holdover from a company older than any other corporation. Of course, Colt Inc. is long gone but a private manufacturer still bangs out these trusty weapons by the boatload. Built like they feel, Colts have been known to lie freezing in the depths of space for years, sink under water; get blasted by radiation and the harshest elements and still fire after a good cleaning. Unlike the Falcon Street, the Colt is not made for looks.
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WY CORP. SPECIAL: Weyland-Yutani’s weapons are designed exclusively for their own people and often are not seen in the hands of anyone other that a WY card member. The Special is a common sight for all WY bodyguards, mercenaries, and militia. The weapon was laser cut to a perfect precision and comes standard with a laser sighting. It’s an elite weapon of supreme quality and very few consumers can justify the cost. The weapon is available only in pure silver. TRADEX ASSAULT AUTO: Tradex’s only problem relies with their choice of ammunition. In effort to miniaturize the weapon and make the design compact and easy to store and ship, Tradex opted for a smaller round. In fact, Tradex uses the smallest ammunition possible for a submachine. Tradex did succeed with the design and both Tradex automatic models are the smallest in the market. Because of the size, the weapon has been known to be modified for concealment in briefcases, modified to be disassembled in several inconspicuous pieces, modified to be held one hand and modified to even act emergency weapons for secret compartments.
VENTRAL HEAVY RIFLE: The VFR came very close to being the fully endorsed weapon of the Colonial Marines. It came down to this model and the final they chose. Very similar in almost all respects, the VFR became popular as a cheaper alternative to local militia units and for Mercenary forces, especially those groups who feel a tangle with CMC to be a side effect of their occupation. The weapons have similar stopping power, range, and ammo capacities. The VFR cycles slower but the end result was really technology. The CMC chose to endorse the 10mm explosive tip caseless shell rather than the VFR traditional 9mm hypervelocity standard shell.
BOYARS “BUSTER” RIFLE: Coming from the “What were they thinking?” department, the Buster looks like something from a concept designers dream book. Boyars took a slug similar to the gattling rounds they use in mounted firepower. Obviously the designers were given an ultimatum from the corporate heads to make the weapon work with the bullet provided no matter the end result. That end result is a weapon with one huge drum clip feeding into two different firing systems coming out of two different recoilless barrels. The weapon is clunky and heavy but packs more punch than most.
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TRADEX SMG-ALPHA-01: Tradex continued their trend of using smaller ammunition into the Alpha-01. The Alpha-01 carries a similar round as the Assault, only with a much larger ammo capacity. It also has a better accuracy but at the risk of a lower rate of fire. The weapon gathered controversy, as an identical design is the standard firearm for infantry n the UPP. It is unsure if the design was copied or sold. However, Tradex stock did not take the plummet it was expected to take when this information arose…instead, they recorded record earnings. The investigation still has not brought any new evidence to the surface. WEYLAND YUTANI DEFENDER HEAVY AUTO: Continuing WYs commitment to quality, they arm their personal guards and elite troops with the Heavy Auto. Feeling similar to the M41A Pulse Rifle because they both take caseless ammunition, the Defender’s shells are smaller, allowing more bullets per clip. The weapon is also lighter with a greater range. The only drawback is a slightly smaller rate of fire. As always, all Weyland Yutani weaponry is prohibited outside their own personnel, so seeing any WY weaponry in the hands of other groups is rare. VENTRAL “MANIAC” ROTARY: Yes, Ventral finally answered the hardened military with that which they always wanted, a portable rapid-fire gattling cannon. The six-barreled Rotary is cumbersome, loud, and somewhat inaccurate and each flachette is relatively weak. However, it also fires faster than any other weapon in production and can go into battle with almost a thousand rounds. The ammo belt feeds into a chest-mounted clip similar to the Smart Gun. The Mk2 Smart Gun was an attempt by Ventral of combining the two into an effective whole. After that release, the “Maniac” saw little use and became rarer as time went on. The weapon is quite inefficient but its effectiveness is measured in intimidation more than actually stopping power.
VENTRAL “PEACEMAKER”: The “Peacemaker” is almost a clone to the LP Cannon. Both weapons were in contention to be endorsed by the Colonial Marines. Even though the LP won, the “Peacemaker” found itself on many CMC ships eventually. Externally, the weapons couldn’t be more different. The Peacemaker’s sole purpose was Armor-killing. It was not designed to be a throwaway model. It carries more ammunition and is easier to carry. Ventral decided to offer better accuracy. The weapon would attach itself to the shoulder of its user. A massive recoil system built in the barrel prevented shoulder damage. It then could easily be fired by a single user without any external assistance. The ammo stows on backpack unit that also assists in securing the wearer. The weapon is quieter (not that quiet) than the LP and is much more complicated, making it a rarity in most forces other than CMC and Corporate Military.
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ALPHATECH RAILGUN: “Alphatech knows Magnetics” was a common slogan. Alphatech became such an authority in the technology; they proved it with a very flashy show off at a weapon convention. A weapon bearing resemblance to two long shafts of metal, bristling with electricity, exposed itself to the world…then barreled through nine plates of titanium. The weapon is expensive, rare, and power hungry, but it will inflict vicious kinetic damage to whatever it is aimed at. Alphatech has succeeded in a design that fires faster, deadlier, and from a lighter weapon than the Peacemaker and LP Cannon. However the cost of the weapon prevents its mass use.
VENTRAL AIR SNIPER: A modern day version of old war flak-gun, the Air Sniper boasts far more accuracy. It can strike from distance and target pilots in a cockpit with it laser system. It fires large explosive-tipped shells frighteningly fast. Ventral utilizes most of these models on their own worlds and have not often sold them outside their corporate assets. WY “BRILLIANT PEBBLE”: The WYBP is a long barrel-almost lance shaped--cannon capable of striking targets on the ground from 10 kilometers in the air, and vice versa. The “Brilliant Pebble” is really a highly advanced particle accelerator capable of taking targets out with extreme accuracy at almost the speed of light. It pounds its target with untold kinetic kill energy. These weapons have found themselves in almost every field of Weyland Yutani military including on their tanks, spacecraft, and aircraft, as well as ground units. Its massive cost and technological advancement prevents its use beyond Weyland Yutani facilities.
COLONIAL MARINE MISCELANEOS FIREPOWER NOTE: These systems can never be manually controlled. They are automated and must use their skills to fire. They also require setup time. NUCLEAR FAILSAFE MINE (TL4): The NFM is a weapon specifically designed for Beserker teams as a last ditch effort to wipe out the Hive if they fail to clear out the infestation. It cannot be accidentally set off. It is magnetically or gravitically attached to an area just inside the Hive and set to a timer up to 12 hours. When the timer runs out, the Nuke instantly kills everything in a 500m radius and deal out 40k to everything 500m past that. Ever 100 m past that does half damage. Only the right code can disarm the mine. Forcing its removal causes it detonation within one minute. UA 571 REMOTE SENTRY WEAPON SYSTEM: The robot sentry unit is primarily used as an automatic perimeter defense system. Its average weight is 19.6 Kg and can be assembled within 150 seconds. Major components of the UA 571 include a snap open tripod mounting, battery pack, breech and barrel assembly, sensors, and a 500 round ammunition drum. Access to the system by a marine proficient in sentry gun maintenance is aided by a microwave datalink connected to a remote command console. Once the unit is placed into position, it can be set to cover an entire range of 360 degrees. The sentry unit may specifically be set to monitor targets in infrared or optical depending on the profile of the target. In particular, targets with thermal or visual profiles respectively. For the most comprehensive target profile, the sentry unit will be set for multispectral mode. Here, data is transmitted from the sentry's sensor suite (infrared, optical, and motion) and is then cross – correlated by system software. If the sentry unit is set for auto - remote, all targets within the range of the 60 degree sensor cone will be interrogated. To prevent the possibility of casualties by means of 'friendly fire,' all USCMC vehicles, officers, and troops are equipped with an Identification Friend Foe (IFF) transponder. Since the introduction of the UA 571-C, the IFF transponder has become an everyday part of the marine's communication gear. When a marine is interrogated, the transponder will relay a coded radio signal. If the sentry unit reads are positive, the marine OR vehicle will be free to pass; otherwise, the weapon will open fire. Under the 'semi-automatic' mode, a target's profile will be relayed back to the command console. Here, the system operator will choose whether or not to fire. A servo suite aids the sentry unit upon the opening of fire. Its primary components consist of a
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servo-mechanism and -motor. The servo-mechanism is a rather delicate device. Though, despite its delicacy, it has its importance. The mechanism's necessity lies in its ability to control large bursts of power by means of very small amounts of power. Apart from that, it automatically corrects the performance of a mechanism. In this case the mechanism is the UA 571. Alongside the servo-mechanism is the -motor, which is a device that supplements a primary control operated by a comparatively weaker force (such as the servo-mechanism). The suite, together with the tripod mounting boresights the sentry onto the target. That is, the sentry is aided from resistance (moving backwards when firing). So literally, the sentry's ammo "bores" right into its victim. The servos support the tripod to keep the sentry unit sturdy and in place when firing. The rounds fired in one burst depends on the target's profile so that the most economical use of ammo is used. Variants of the sentry unit include the UA 571D that mounts a 20 wM HF laser cannon and the UA 571-F that mounts a 40 mm grenade launcher. Both are currently employed by the USCMC. The UA 571-C is a man-portable automatic perimeter defense system currently deployed by the US Army and Colonial Marines. A remote sentry unit weights 19.6 kg and can be assembled in under 150 seconds. The major components consist of a snap-open tripod mounting, battery pack, breech and barrel assembly, sensor unit and 500 round ammunition drum. A microwave datalink connects the sentry to a remote command console. Once employed, the system may be set to sweep wide arcs up to 360 degrees though doctrine is to set several sentries to cover smaller, interlocking fields of fire on a narrow frontage. The UA 571-C mounts a pulse action machine gun, using the M250 10 mm x 28 HEAP round. The weapon has a cyclic rate of 1100 rpm and is air cooled, with an automatic cutout preventing the loading of any more rounds into the breech should overheating cause a chance of ammunition explosion. The sentry unit’s sensor array is mounted above the barrel, aligned to cover a 60 degree cone in front of the weapon. This sensing suite consists of a cooled infrared detector, ambient light optics, and ultrasonic motion tracker and a lidar. If a target’s visual or thermal profile is known, the system may be set just to monitor these specific targets using infrared or optical. However, the system is usually set to multi-spectral mode, where the sentry’s software cross-correlates received data from the different sensors to obtain a full target profile. When the weapon fires, automatic servos in the tripod boresight the weapon on the target. The number and grouping of rounds fired in a burst is dependent on the target profile, so that the most economical use of ammunition is made. AUTOMATIC SKILL: 10 LIM-417 PHALANX: The CMC primary SAM is the LIM-417 Phalanx, a long-range hypervelocity missile capable of engaging aerospace craft to the limits of the stratosphere. This active homing weapon employs a three-stage booster for the launch, sustain, and terminal phases of flight and uses active and passive seekers, including radar, IR, optical, UV and jamhoming, backed by mid-course update from the ground station, to ensure the intercept, regardless of countermeasures. The thirdstage booster ensures the missile remains highly agile in the terminal phases of flight, and the multi-data kinetic penetrating warhead can be adjusted by the fusing mechanism into an optimum “swarm’ pattern prior to impact. This weapon is guided. ATTACKS: 3 AUTOMATIC SKILL: 12 HIM-122 LANCER: Anti-ballistic missile defense is provided by the HIM-122 Lancer, a multi-stage, multi-warhead missile designed to engage aerospace craft, spacecraft and reentry vehicle constellations from medium altitude to the mesopause. In the terminal phase of flight, the Lancer can assign each of its ten maneuvering warheads to engage a separate target, as in the case of a constellation attack, or a single target, as in the case of a re-entering starship. An unjammable datalink with the ground launch tracking station ensures high accuracy, and ECCM capability. This weapon is guided. ATTACKS: 2 each missile. AUTOMATIC SKILL: 10 HIM-78 SPRINT: The HIM-78 Sprint is a high speed ground launched space weapon designed to destroy spacecraft and satellites in near orbit. Usually launched in clusters in order to overwhelm any spaceship point defense, the Spirit comprises a two-stage booster designed to insert an ASAT missile with a kinetic warhead into orbit. Against low orbiting targets, the Sprint ASAT payload can be inserted directly into its path; however a typical injection profile versus a geostationary target involves lofting the payload into a hohmann transfer orbit before completing a circularization burn into geostationary orbit (GSO). For an Earth-like world, the time from ignition to transfer to GSO is some 3 800 seconds. A special feature of the HIM-78 is its low launch signature that improves the chance of first-strike surprise on an armed or maneuvering target. ATTACKS: 5 AUTOMATIC SKILL: 12
COLONIAL MARINE AEROSPACE FIREPOWER--MISSILES AGM-204A TSAM: The TSAM (Threat Suppression Attack Missile) is a low-cost selfprotection weapon designed to defend strikeships and dropships against airborne missiles, early warning radars, SAM sites and AAA. Small, short ranged and lightweight, the TSAM design trades off the loiter mode of most modern Threat Suppression Missiles for speed, in order to eliminate a threat rapidly. The Tekell solid motor is a high impulse unit that will accelerate the missile to hyper velocity in less than two seconds; after burnout, the missile coasts to the target. Range varies considerably with launch speed and altitude, though practical limits in an Earth-density atmosphere are 20 km at sea-level up to 60 km at high altitude. The TSAM is guided but cannot be fired at. It is designed to attack incoming missiles. It locks on automatically. ATTACKS: 1 AUTOMATIC SKILL: 10 AGM-220C HELLHOUND II: The Hellhound II is a multi-role tactical missile designed for use against point targets such as vehicles, armor, buildings and bunkers. Based around a greatly enlarged version of the Hellhound I airframe, the missile employs a three-stage motor consisting of a launch boost engine, and in flight sustained motor and a third-stage booster designed
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to accelerate the weapon during its terminal attack phase. The weapon can be launched in two different modes: in the first, the dropship Weapons Officer locks the missile's seeker onto a target before launch and provided he maintains the lock until the moment of launch the weapon will then be guided to that target; in the second, the weapon is directed to a grid reference where it then commences a search for a pre-designated target, or one selected from an internal menu of potential targets, or for a target of opportunity. The dual-seeker system combines a high-resolution millimeter-wave radar and infrared imager linked to a sophisticated 12 Mb processor that determines the missile's optimal attack profile and warhead fusing to ensure a kill. The 'C' variant of the AGM-220 incorporates a new, jam-resistant radar and improved countermeasures refection logic to bring it in line with the 'F' version employed by the USASF. This is a guided weapon. ATTACKS: 1 AUTOMATIC SKILL: 9 Mk. 16 150mm BANSHEE 70: The Banshee 70 system constitutes one of the most important unguided weapons in US service. In the Colonial Marines, it is most commonly associated with the LAU-190/A 16 tube launcher mounted on the UD-4 Cheyenne dropship. Each rocket is spin stabilized by a fluted exhaust nozzle and has three spring-mounted wrap-around fins at the rear. The Mk. 16 model has a high-impulse rocket motor, giving a burnout velocity in excess of 1800 m per second, providing excellent stand-off range and accuracy in the air-to-surface role.
M18: The M18 is an incendiary warhead intended for target marking and for use against buildings and light fortifications. M451: The M451 is a 36kg High Explosive, blast-fragmentation warhead with a ‘smart’ fuse for use against a wide variety of targets. The TIAS target analysis system aboard the dropship will set the fuse at the moment of launch according to the target, allowing for airbursts against soft targets or impact fusing against armor. M597: The M97 is a multi-dart warhead containing 17 incendiary flechettes designed to penetrate tank armor, field defenses and bunkers, and then causes fires within them. M598: The M598 is a ‘beehive’ round for use against battlefield targets such as exposed personnel, soft vehicles, helicopters and VTOL platforms. The warhead carries a load of approximately 4 800, 7.2 g kinetic-penetrating darts capable of saturating an area the size of a football field. With both M597 and M597 warheads, he dropship TIAS will set the optimum distribution pattern of the darts the moment of launch, depending on the primary target. AIM-90E HEADLOCK: The AIM-90E is a short-ranged Air-to-air missile optimized for dogfight engagements. Guided by a dual optical / active radar seeker, the Headlock missile accelerates to hyper velocity speeds after launch and then glides the remaining distance to the target. The warhead consists of thirty four explosive darts that are released by the missile as it approaches the target. To ensure a kill, the AIM-90's unique fusing system directs these flechettes into an optimum attack pattern upon release, dependent on the target's current aspect. The 'E' variant of the missile incorporates changes to the countermeasures software and enlarged aerodynamic surfaces to improve lift at high altitudes. ATTACKS: 3 AUTOMATIC SKILL: 10 Mk. 10 70mm ZEUS: The Mk. 10 ZEUS is a 70mm unguided rocket system that has been the mainstay of USCM service for some sixty years, in its various forms. A small, spin-stabilized rocket, the ZEUS is now supplied with only two types of warhead: a smart fused antipersonnel fragmenting warhead and a smoke warhead for laying particulate smoke screens. Mk. 88 120mm SGW: The Mk. 88 is a 120mm, short ranged (under 1500m) weapon designed as a low-cost alternative to the Hellhound versus light armor and prepared positions such as hangars or gun emplacements. A simple weapon, it comprises a rocket with a low-impulse motor steered by fold-out fins. Guidance is by an imaging infra-red seeker in the nose, and a 2.2 kg shaped-charge warhead is positioned just behind. The SGW is a fire-and-forget weapon - once locked-up by the dropship, the missile self-guides to the target. XIM-28A LONG LANCE: The XIM-28A Long Lance ASAT missile is a 5.6 m Anti-Satellite Missile powered by a two-stage Lockmart LP-XII solid-rocket booster. Upon release from the launch bay, the first-stage motor ignites and accelerates the missile away from the launching ship. After four seconds the first stage burns out and the missile coasts the rest of the way toward the target. The second stage ignites when the missile enters its terminal phase to provide the necessary burn to complete the intercept against the target. A coolant jet system in the tail helps mask the motor's infrared and UV signature when it burns. Guided. ATTACKS: 4 AUTOMATIC SKILL: 9
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NIC-79 CAPTOR MISSILE: The NIC-79 is a low yield nuclear weapon with an almost microscopic sized payload. The explosive capacity is directed forward, incinerating the rocket before it even impacts on its targets. The blast is enough to go right through most craft. The Captor missile is designed to go against space targets only. It is so clumsy, however, smaller vessels can evade the explosive charge. Hitting a smaller craft is a little like overkill. Captor Missiles cannot survive entry in an atmosphere. They are also guided. ATTACKS: 2 AUTOMATIC SKILL: 8 STG BALLISTIC MISSILE: The STGBM carries your standard Space-to-Ground nuclear warhead. Everything in 100m from the point of impact is destroyed and everything past it from another 100m suffers 20k. Every 100m past that cuts that damage by half. STG can be fired at any target but they are slug for maneuverability. STGs must use their skill. They are guided but cannot be aimed. ATTACKS: 5 AUTOMATIC SKILL: 7
COLONIAL MARINE AEROSPACE FIREPOWER--CANNONS 25mm GARGOYLE GATTLING CANNON: This is the Fredrickson 25mm "Gargoyle" servo-slaved gattling antiaircraft cannon. With a cyclic rate of 300 shells a minute, this is an extremely powerful addition to any craft, and allows for greater air dominance and flexibility in missions. The 25mm "Gargoyle" has a Jullet cooling system running from the engines to cool the gun during use. “THUNDERHAWK” 30 mm RAILCANNON: Railgun launchers fire kinetic ammunition at velocities over 12 km per second. Despite their high rate of fire, these weapons are less accurate than beam weapon’s against maneuvering starships or missiles, and have a practical engagement range less than 100 km. However, since a single hit from a railgun round is capable of causing catastrophic damage to a space target, they remain the most powerful close defense weapons in a starship’s inventory. The railguns work by accelerating a charged plasma to high velocities and using it to propel a kinetic round at the target. They fire up to 30 rpm each and are fed from an autoloader. 800 MEGAVOLT TURBOALTERNATOR-POWERED NEUTRAL PARTICLE BEAM: The 800 MeV Weapons are the primary beam weapons of the CMC Frigates. They fire into the starship’s forward ‘cone’, each capable of disabling a target’s electronics and instrumentation at ranges up to 250 km. Sufficient deuterium tanking exists for up to 230 seconds of firing. One hit to a ship will cause 10k of damage but the ship won’t be damaged. Instead, if “destroyed”, all electrical systems shut down, rendering the ship dead. No weapons can fire. Emergency batteries onboard escape pods still allow them to be ejected. The engineer of the victim ship can attempt to restore the systems every minute with a 25 skill that drops by 2 every additional minute (5 rounds). The 10k damage is relative to the DV. The difference between the damage inflicted and the hull of the ship is added to the Engineer’s roll (armor still applies). So if the hulls is greater than 10k, the difference is added to the Engineers roll (or reduced from the DV whichever). If it’s a negative number (for a ship with a hull less than 10k) the Engineer is penalized by that amount. The systems will not come back themselves for another 2D6 hours. If the damage received is less than half the total hull of the craft (like a Conestoga or Bougainville), the ship is untouched, even though a second shot will sure spell doom since the effect is cumulative (unless the target is the Razzia). Every additional shot after the ship shuts down extends the shut down by 1D6 hours and increases the difficulty by 2. 80 MEGAWATT INFRARED LASER: Point defense for the large spacecraft used by the CMC is provided by a 80mW free-electron laser capable of vaporizing small targets such as railgun rounds, or disabling incoming missiles and fighter at ranges up to 20km ORBITAL MINEFIELD: An Orbital Minefield is dispensed out the rear and can be released in any number. When deployed, the organize themselves in a lattice fashion and actually construct their own defense network by connecting themselves with the other units. These lightweight nets, which can stretch tens of kilometers across, are held rigid by alloy framed and stabilized by tiny thrusters. If the mine is struck on its own, the damage is dealt normally. If the ship strikes the net, the front mines explode, but the outer ones can bend themselves in and strike the rear or midsection of the ship.
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COLONIAL MARINE ARMOR FIREPOWER REPUBLIC ELECTRIC 20mm GATTLING CANNON: Two linked 20mm Gattlings are on the front turret of the M577 APC. Both weapons are supplied by a 1700 round multi-feed ammunition dispenser, which offers a selection of High Explosive, High Explosive Armor Piercing and 'Beehive' type Anti-Personnel flechette (APF) rounds at the flick of a switch. These caseless rounds carry no propellant and are fed mechanically into the revolving chambers, which are then sprayed with hypergolic binary propellants, which ignite and launch the round. Binary propellant systems are rare at this caliber, but aboard the M577 this system offers substantial weight, rate-of-fire and reliability advantages over standard caseless weapon and provides effective antipersonnel support for the APC. The only drawback of the weapon is that it is mounted to cover only the vehicle's forward arc. Traversing between 60 degrees left and right of axis, and cannot be fired from a hull-down position. 20mw BOYARS PARS 150 PHASED PLASMA CANNON: The power source for the Boyars is a 6mW hydrogen fuel cell capable of powering 3000 firing before refueling. The fuel cell drives a homopolar fast-discharge generator which stores power until it has sufficient energy to pulse the plasma gun’s laser. When the laser is fired, it creates an ionized trail in the atmosphere which is charged by the gun’s electromagnetic coil to form a solenoid mass – is fed mechanically into the tunnel, where it is vaporized by the laser beam into a superheated plasma. Which is accelerated by the magnetic coil to velocities in the region of 5 000m/s. The Plasma travels the tunnel until it impacts the target at a focussed point, using its considerable kinetic and thermal energy for maximum effect penetration. Because of the power usage, both guns in a turret fire in sequence rather than simultaneously. REPUBLIC DYNAMICS M2025 40 mW FREE-ELECTRON LASER: These are effective against both ground and air targets. Beam power is supplied by a 10 mW hydrogen fuel cell driving a homopolar fast discharged generator. The Beam is propagated, without the need for lasants, by the interaction of a particle-accelerated electron beam with a static electric field. The advantage of a free-electron laser I Colonial Marine service is its ability to be tuned to wavelengths that would minimize beam degradation by the local atmosphere. In addition, a reactive tune facility, cued by laser returns from the beam, is incorporated to allow rapid returning in the event that countermeasures are deployed to block the beam. The lasers can be used in two modes. In ‘dazzle’ mode, the beam is used to burnout enemy optical/infrared sensors or blind infantrymen and pilots (20 difficulty or blinded for 2d6 minutes, invoking –6 penalty), has a low output. It is in this mode that the beam is at its most efficient, playing continuously across a target without the need for pulsing or the associated effects on beam propagation from thermal blooming , ionization or dielectric breakdown (huh?). In ‘pulse’ mode, a beam is pulsed at full power at the target. Damage is caused by the mechanical impulse of the beam as it superheats the target area, and in the case of the M2025 is capable of penetrating infantry persona armor or the skin of a missile or aerospace craft. 20 MeV TURBOALTERNATOR POWERED CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM CANNON: The deployment of this weapon has been made possible die to the introduction of a Martin-Continental micro magnethydrodynamic turbine capable of generating 20mW of electrical power to run the big particle accelerator guns. Sufficient turbine fuel exists to power the guns for 50 seconds firing and there is some 300kg of deuterium tankage to provide particle beam mass.
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VEHICLES PERFORMANCE TOTAL COST: Marine cost of the unit. Public cost can vary. M-class vehicles are not available on the open market LOADED WEIGHT: Total weight with armament and crew. STRENGTH: For Power armor. MANUEVERABILITY: Penalties to hitting and dodging. LOCATIONS: Areas that can be hit. STRUCTURE: Structure in Hits or Kills ARMOR: Armor in Hits or Kills MAX SPEED: Max Acceleration. Basic cruising speed is half. Ever 20km past that add a –1 penalty to Maneuverability. ACCELERATION: How much the vehicle can accelerate per turn. VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: How many weapon hardpoints are available. These are vehicle space. Refer to weapons for details BASIC ARMAMENT: The typical or fixed armaments for that vehicle or variant.
Note: All speed is rated in Kilometers Per Hour
M577 ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIER
The M577 is a lightweight, low-cost, and well-armed armored personnel carrier that was designed to fill the need of a dropable APC that could quickly deploy marines into a battlefield. Its design makes it a great multi-role vehicle, and has the capability to fill all needs. The M577 was designed to be as sturdy as possible, while keeping a combat weight of below 15,000 kg. The chassis was designed after the M570 family of vehicles whose main roles were primary transport and mortar platform. The APC is built around a 4 x 4-wheeled layout, powered by a 286 Kw multi-fuel gas turbine engine that generates a power-toweight ratio in the region of 19.7 kW/kN. Although the wheel configuration does not provide as rugged a cross-country performance as a tracked vehicle, it does offer considerable savings in terms of weight penalties and reliability. The massive 159cm diameter wheels each receive independent power from the engine via a fully automatic, electronically controlled transmission system. The tires are armored plated to prevent penetration by ground debris or small arms fire, and are pressure regulated by the driver, allowing him to deflate and inflate them depending on the terrain condition. The M577 is operated by two crew (the driver and section commander) and allows twelve positions for passengers, all equipped with yoke harness restraints for orbital combat drop. Entry is made via the main starboard sliding door or port side driver’s hatch. The interior is spacious despite the vehicle being visually small, and allows for plenty of weapons and equipment storage. In the rear of the APC is the audio and video linkups so the section commander can keep contact with the vehicle's infantry complement via real-time video and battle management displays. PERFORMANCE TOTAL COST: $2,000,000 LOADED WEIGHT: 31,255lbs, (15.7 tons) MANUEVERABILITY: -3 LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE ARMOR MAIN BODY: 4K 2K WHEELS: 60 SDP 35 SDP MAX SPEED: 125 kmph ACCELERATION: 35 VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: 1 Turret BASIC ARMAMENT: Only one pair of synchronized Republic Electric RE700 20mm gattling cannons. The Turret can carry a variety of armaments (see weapons)
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MAX MOBILE ASSAULT EXO WARRIOR / MOBILE OFFESNIVE EXO WARRIOR (TL4)
The Max or MOX confounds explanation. It is not really a piloted suit nor is it a robot. It is a Human intelligence locked into ten tons of heavily armed and armored exoskeleton. The MAX was developed and primarily run by Weyland Yutani while the MOX was produced by military intelligence for effective confrontation with the hostile alien life forms. When a civilian consultant, en route from the siminal military skirmish with the hostile organisms on the Terraformer LB 426 Colony, successfully dispatched an alien Queen with an Exoskeletor Payloader, military designers had responded with MOX. Both models are virtually identical even though the MOX is more popular, being widely distributed among the CMC at TL5. The MOX were the first of their kind. The Military wanted a new breed of warrior, and the marines provided them: volunteer basket cases and psychos eager to taste power in this lifetime. The Beserkers. It was up to medical science to keep them leased until they were needed. One specifically trained doctor always accompanies the Suit. They use IV sedatives to maintain the subject in a dreamless coma state, virtually a flatten. Not even REM sleep is allowed, since the slightest spark of adrenaline could cause a massacre. Usually, for the man in the suit, this is his one and only and option. This or psycho ward one. When the bughunt reaches critical mass, The Armor is wheeled in, and the subject is “turned on” with a triple dose of chemical adrenalines, and turns him loose. The bugs will go down. When that moose juice kicks in, anything between him and his target will be annihilated. Both the MOX and the MAX have weapons so similar, for ease, they will be classified to be the same. Pulse Rifles, Grenade launchers, and Flamethrowers are all standard equipment. The only variety is scale. The MAX is substantially larger than the MOX (by a full meter). The MAX also has the capacity of allowing a normal pilot. The MOX is literally built AROUND the pilot where the MAX is more of a powered armor. The back opens up where the almost surgically implanted pilot can be removed.. Please note the pilot is so dependant on the drugs of the MAX that he will die in 1D6 hours unless placed on life support if removed. The new pilot will not be dependant on the drugs unless in side the suit for more than 48 hours. A new pilot can be implanted is six hours. For a normal human, the MAX can be used in extreme emergencies. A neural implant is drilled in the back of the head (DC4 damage) and the suit applies to the user’s command. However, an additional -3 Maneuvering bonus is applied. The MOX is smaller, more maneuverable, and less armored, and has no chance of pilot removal. Max’s cost a bit more, so they are recycled. MOX’s however, need to be rebuilt entirely to accompany a new pilot. They are both independent units whose only form of tracking is the homing beacon placed usually in a hive by the Point man (See CMC for the Beserker rules). Upon activation, they go in he direction of the beacon and destroyed everything in their path. The guns all have safety kill-switches designed to shut off within three meters of the Point man an anybody programmed for the Beserker to avoid. PDT of colonists are notable examples. The Final disadvantage of the MAX and MOX units is the unpredictable lifespan of the pilot. After the tenth flushing (washing of the sedatives and jacking up with the chemical drugs), the health of the pilot diminishes. The eleventh flushing has a 5% chance of killing the pilot when activated. This, of course puts the Beserker team in a bad situation. Ever additional
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flushing adds 5% to the difficulty. Most Beserkers are replaced after ten missions but some have been pushed to their twentieth mission. MOX suits are a tad bit safer and only add 4% every additional flushing. Not much, but MOXs are generally pushed more than MAX’s since an emergency pilot can use the Suit if the current one dies. The NutraGel technology was not converted to Beserker suit until well into TL6 because the heavy armor was considered enough to ward off the alien acid. PERFORMANCE TOTAL COST: MOX: $1,000,000 MAX: $2,100,000 LOADED WEIGHT: MOX: 8 tones MAX: 10 tones STRENGTH: MOX: 10 MAX: 12 MANUEVERABILITY: MOX: -1 MAX: -3 LOCATIONS: (MOX / MAX ) STRUCTURE: ARMOR: MAIN BODY: 2K / 4K 1K / 2K ARMS (2): 1K (50 SDP) / 2K 0.5 K (25 SDP) / 1K LEGS (2): 1K (50 SDP) / 2K 0.5 K (25 SDP) / 1K MAX SPEED: MOX: 14 MAX: 10 ACCELERATION: 4 VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: See below BASIC ARMAMENT: MOX: M56 Smartgun with x3 ammunition, M240 Flame-thrower with x2 capacity, M26 Thumper Grenade Launcher MAX: One 20 MeV turboalternator powered charged particle beam cannon, M240 Flame-thrower with triple capacity, M56 Smartgun with triple ammunition, M26 Thumper Grenade Launcher NOTES: All arm weapons are considered turrets for special rules.
M-242 COMBAT BUGGY The M-242’s design bears more than a striking resemblance to its civilian counterpart, he Daihotei ATV. Both vehicles have almost identical drivetrains. The major exceptions is size. The M242 is smaller and sporting only four wheels. The Buggy only has a crew of two with no passengers, one pilot and one turret operator. Both can open their canopies and operate effectively in the clear. There is a –5 to strike them when exposed in this condition, the pilot and gunner have a +2 to hit their targets. The M-242 is one of the most capable combat vehicles in the CMC. Not only is it fast, running off a pair of K-1000 Gas Turbines, but it is also maneuverable, using four wheeled steering on a four wheeled drive transmission. The control system can be modified to operate as a typical steered vehicle about also as a independent control for each wheel. Allowing the car to drive sideways and virtually every direction, keeping its nose pointed forward. This helps the aiming of its turret weapon, supporting a pair of high-powered 10-mm Vulcan Gattling cannons. These weapons can strafe targets with ease from a 1000 meters. The only disadvantage with maneuverability is weight. Being light, the buggy cannot take many hits. Most heavy weapon will permanently disable the vehicle. The wheels, themselves, are especially vulnerable. PERFORMANCE TOTAL COST: $250 000 LOADED WEIGHT: 18 000 kg (1.8 tons) MANUEVERABILITY: -1 LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE ARMOR MAIN BODY: 1K (50 SDP) 0.5 (25 SDP) WHEELS: 0.5 (25 SDP) 0.25 K (15 SDP) MAX SPEED: 166 ACCELERATION: 50 BASIC ARMAMENT: Twin Gattling Cannons.
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DAIHOTAI 8X8 ATV With the advent of galactic colonization, mankind has encountered a greater variety of climates and terrenes than anyone on Terra could have imagined. Unfortunately, some of these conditions have proven insurmountable to all existing Terran ATV (all-terrain vehicle) designs. Thus the need for an even more rugged, more capable vehicle was born. To date, Daihotai Corp., a subsidiary of Weyland-Yutani, has been the leader in this market segment. Indeed, Daihotai has become synonymous with quality and dependability. Each model in the ATV series is based on a common 8x8 drivetrain with a 7-meter wheelbase and a 6-meter track. This wide base ensures even weight distribution and stability on most types of ground. Four ‘legs’ end in pairs of drive wheels. The vehicle is sprung by two swing-arm Anderson suspension assemblies, cantilevered at chassis bearings and sprung with internal torsion bars. Dampening comes courtesy of telescopic shock absorbers. The whole assembly is reined in by hydro-pneumatic rams. The active suspension is monitored by a dedicated CPU to provide maximum stability and traction in all conditions. The system can also alter the vehicle’s ground clearance over a range of 1.5 to .9 meters. The most common power plant installed in the Daihotai series ATVs are the J-160 and J-180 series gas turbines. Both units are capable of generating 160 to 180 kW of power that is transferred to the drive wheels. Each wheel has its own independent transmission system controlled by a central CPU to ensure optimal traction. This unit also handles anti-lock braking duties. On paved surfaces, the ATV is capable of top speeds near 110 km/hr. Off-road the ATV is capable of handling vertical obstacles up to 1.4 meters in height and vertical grades near 70%. A fully provisioned, enclosed cabin is standard equipment on most models of ATV. All cabins possess full life support capability, with full NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) protection. The cabins are arranged around a central living space equipped with a full galley and sleeping accommodations for up to five people. Plenty of storage space is available for stowing equipment and supplies. Each unit is reinforced by a steel rollcage and may be sealed from the rest of the space by sliding bulkhead door. The driver’s cab is located at the very fore of the vehicle. This area can double as an airlock in hazardous environs. A workstation cockpit is at the rear of the vehicle. This area effectively mirrors the driving controls in the main cab, allowing the tractor to be piloted effectively in reverse. This area also contains controls for all the attachments and specialized tools the ATV may carry. Some of the more popular attachments are: diggers, cutters, large drills, soil samplers, stamping presses, welders, and earth-moving blades. However, the overall strength of the design has led to many ‘field’ modifications, and ATVs can be found performing nearly any heavy-duty function on a colony somewhere. Indeed, Weyland-Yutani colonies are equipped almost exclusively with this type of utility vehicle. PERFORMANCE TOTAL COST: $100 000 LOADED WEIGHT: 2 tones MANUEVERABILITY: -4 LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE ARMOR MAIN BODY: 100 SDP 50SDP WHEELS: 20 SDP 10 SDP MAX SPEED: 125 ACCELERATION: 33 VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: None
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P-5000 POWERLOADER The Caterpillar P-5000 PowerLoader has been selected for use by the USCMC as their prime loading vehicle for logistics and support operations. Configured as an anthropomorphic exoskeleton power frame, the P-5000 offers an unprecedented flexibility when handling ordinance and cargo during the rough field operations or when it is conducting heavy maintenance away from it's fixed workshops. The loader is capable of fine manipulating loads up to 4,000 kg, it is rugged and reliable piece of machinery compared to forklifts, rigs, and cranes. The chassis of the loader is made of reinforced steel framework with two upper loadbearing points for its arms. A hydrogen fuel cell is mounted on the back of the frame, which provides the loader up to 65 kW of power. The legs are attached to by two semi-universal bearings on either side of the chassis, which allows up to a 60 degree of 'x' axis (hip swivel) movement, just below this are a set of knee bearings. The leg motions at the hip are controlled by a pair of 20 kW linear motors that are actuated by a fastfeedback loop slaved to the operator’s movements. Just below the hips are hydraulic actuators that extend from the main loading bearing parts to the aft sections of the legs, providing an 'z' axis (fore/aft) movement at the knee joints, while the pitch control is handled by the second series of actuators at the ankle area. To prevent any toppling while not in operation or lifting cargo, the chassis is gyrostabilized. The gyros can be rotated rapidly out of phase in order to 'decouple' the chassis stabilization system along determined the axis of motion and provide the necessary instability required for bipedal movement. For very heavy lifting, additional stability can be provided by bolting up to 250 kg of concrete ballast to the underside of the chassis. The arms are attached to the very top of the chassis by a pair of complex universal bearings that are stressed to operate under loadings of up to 4,000 kg. The arm motions in the 'y' and 'z' axes are all controlled by the linear motors while the movement of the 'x' axis and also at the elbows is powered by a series of hydraulic actuators. Each of the limbs terminate at a set of vice manipulators, which are configured to handle standard P-60, and O-26 type pallet grips and are capable of full 360-degree rotations. The manipulator functions is controlled from the operators handgrip/joystick combination on the inside of each limbs The attachment points for the maintenance tools like the welding torch are seated on the manipulators. Problems only arise when the loader is walking or reaching its full extension, as the system is likely to encounter movement beyond the fine tuning capabilities of the operator. The standard operating procedures forbid the users of the loaders to do any of these maneuvers. If the loader is operating on rough ground, then the loader will provide feedback cues to the operator to help it keep his/her footing. An automatic lockout system has generally proved safe to use over all but the most treacherous terrain. Through simple principles, a lot of practice is required to use a loader efficiently and safely, and the equivalent of a Class 2 civilian cargo-handling license is needed to operate one in the USCMC. The operators must become used to the loaders mass and it's tendency to lead the operator’s movements. The operators also must be very careful not to overcompensate for this tendency, otherwise they may induce an unwanted oscillations into the control systems. To operate a loader requires sureness and the economy of the movement, since any hesitation and any exaggerated motion tend to place unwanted stress on the load-bearing joints. The training to use a loader takes about six weeks of simulator training and then hands on experience. Though this is extended to eight weeks to qualify the USCMC personnel and includes training in rough field operations. PERFORMANCE TOTAL COST: $2,000,000 LOADED WEIGHT: 31,255lbs, (15.7 tons) MANUEVERABILITY: -4 STRENGTH: 13 LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE ARMOR MAIN BODY: 2K 0.25 K (15 SDP) ARMS (2): 1K 0.25 K (15 SDP) LEGS (2): 0.5 K 0.25 K (15 SDP) MAX SPEED: 10 ACCELERATION: 5 VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: None
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M292A2 SELF PROPELLED GUN The M292 is the standard artillery piece of CMC. It is a 28 000 kg armored tracked vehicle with a single 41 caliber 158 mm tube. It carries 78 rounds , which are autoloaded into the gun chamber and fired by hypergolic liquid binary propellants. The most notable characteristic of the M292 is its rapid fire capability – the system can launch six rounds in under ten seconds, putting the last round into flight before the first has impacted the target – a useful facility when under the threat of counterbattery fire. Standard ERFB (Extended Range Full-Bore) ammunition offers the M292 excellent accuracy up to its maximum range of 39 000 m,, while the addition of a base-bleed unit extends this to 48 000 m. A ramjet powered athhodyd shell is available, with a maximum range of 62 0-00 m, though with a less capable warhead. A variety of warheads are available, including HE, self-guided sub-munitions and aerial denial mines. The M418 smart shell is designed to home in on vehicles and structure, and uses a fluidic jet reaction system to steer onto the target PERFORMANCE TOTAL COST: $2,000,000 LOADED WEIGHT: 28,000 kg, (28 tons) MANUEVERABILITY: -6 LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE ARMOR MAIN BODY: 8K 4K MAX SPEED: 70 ACCELERATION: 21 VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: One the main gun. BASIC ARMAMENT: Main Cannon--Special Main Cannon: Targets: Ground targets with a 5m blast radius; Damage: 5K; Range: 62 000; WA: +3; ROF: 1; Shots: 78
M34A2 LONGSTREET LIGHT TANK / M22A3 JACKSON MEDIUM TANK / M40 RIDGEWAY HEAVY TANK The M34, M22, and M40 are the tanks of choice of the CMC. All of these designs are lighter than army variants because of the need to space and airlift vehicles in combat situations. The deployment of Colonial Marines Armor assets is limited by the available of heavy starlift capability to transport both the tanks and their considerable logistic and service support. For this reason, the six tank battalions of the Colonial Marines rely heavily on medium and light armor such as the M22 and the M34. One battalion, the 2nd (attached to the 1st Colonial marine Division) has recently been upgraded with the M40, which has previously only seen service in the US army. The current intention is to furnish at least two more battalions with the M40 before making a decision about finally phasing out the M22. Armor in the Colonial Marines has retained the traditional infant support role. Tanks are still the best way to deliver direct artillery fire quickly and accurately demonstrates the continuing value of heavy armor on the modern battlefield, with is ability to fire 115 mm shells at a rate 6o rpm, deliver particulate barrier smoke, scatterable mines and support fire from its integral 60 mm mortars and defend against aerospace craft and incoming missiles with 20 kw phased plasma point defense gun. Aside from the impressive firepower of modern tanks, their psychological value and their ability to chock even a prepared opponent, is still readily apparent. Colonial Marine aerospace /ground teams rain in cooperation with the armor units on a regular basis, though there is still opposition to fully integrating heavy armor into the teams. Partly, this is because of the current lack of a heavy dropships capable of carrying a tank into battle; this is rectified with the N1 Snakefighter, with its 70 000 kg lift capacity. Also, its is because of new models and concepts being proposed by the Colonial Marine Tactical Studies School which advocate a reversal of Marine 70 ‘flexible’ armored doctrine in favor of employing dedicated tank-led ground teams. In he tanks-led teams, the armor is grouped en masse with mechanized and airborne infantry in support, rather than the current practice
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of parceling out armor piecemeal on an ad hoc basis. However, proponents of this scheme wish to see a radical increase in Marine armor capability once the U-24 is in service before proper integration with the aero/ground teams can take place. PERFORMANCE TOTAL COST: M34A2: $2,000,000 M22A3: $3 500 000 M40: $5 500 000 LOADED WEIGHT: M34A2: 19 000 kg (19 t) M22A3: 28 000 kg (28 t) M40: 35 000 kg (35 t--Too heavy for the UD-4 Dropship) MANUEVERABILITY: M34A2: -4 M22A3: -6 M40: -7 LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE ARMOR M34A2: 6K 3K M22A3: 7K 3K M40: 9K 4K MAX SPEED: M34A2: 100 M22A3: 90 M40: 70 ACCELERATION: M34A2: 35 M22A3: 30 M40: 21 VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: Every vehicle has one hardpoint for their main gun, which is a ERFB (Extended Range Full Bore) Standard Gun. One additional hardpoint is available for additional firepower. The M40 has two more. BASIC ARMAMENT: WEAPON TARGETS BR DC Range WA ROF SHOTS M34A2: Ground targets, Ariel at –8, 1 m 3K 20 000 +3 1 30 M22A3 Ground targets 2m 4K 25 000 +2 1 40 M40 Ground targets 3m 5K 30 000 +2 1 50
M-442 “RACK”—POWERED ARMOR (TL 5.5, 6) The RACK has gone through several design changes through the year of release a TL5. By TL6, they had reaches their final form but not before all the other designs being stolen by other groups. As a result, several different variants of the RACK can be seen by smugglers, beekeepers, and civilian security groups. Mining consortiums have been known to operate larger versions. The CMC’s variant has remain unchanged since the final release model. The basic design was built around the Weyland Yutani’s MAX Beserker Armor. The biggest modification was the control system. Before, it was deemed too difficulty for a normal human to operate. This resulted in the need to permanently install the Beserker pilot. With the addition of the McKinley 2.5 Terabyte control processor to handle the guidance and the complex systems of the beast, the RACK is now capable or a normal pilot with little stress in combat situations. Generically, Racks have been replaced by powerloaders in certain situation especially in hazardous environments where flat terrain is not available. Also, not all variants have sealed cockpits. In fact only two, including he CMC model, are pressurized. Most others are open like the P-5000 Powerloader.
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M-442 MARINE RACK: Sealed Combat suit with less firepower and armor than the MOX Beserker suit but equally as maneuverable. Armed with one Boyars Pars 150 Phased Plasma Cannon, one Republic Dynamics M2025 40 mW freeelectron lasers, or one 20 MeV turboalternator powered charged particle beam cannon as well as a M-240 Flame-thrower. P-7999 POWER RACK: Exposed Cockpit system with twice the STR as theM-442 but much more maneuverable than the Basic PowerLoader. Its arms have been modified with PowerLoader appendages with an extension beam that allows the “hand” assemblies to extend up to six meters from the bas elbow when needed. No weapon systems. UT-05 MINING RACK: A sealed suit but don’t let that deceive the user. It offers no protection. The transparent germanium canopy is strong but totally vulnerable to weapon’s fire. The sealed system is designed only to keep in the pressure in adverse environments. The only noteworthy form of armament ifs a large flame device similar to the M340 Flame-thrower. ST-BETA-5 SECURITY RACK: A modified version of the Power rack, the ST-BETA still exposes the pilot, but an armored bathtub protects him/her for heavy fire. The Loader arms remain and the Strength dropped, giving lower weight and higher maneuverability. A pulse Rifle has been added to the arsenal with double capacity ammunition. PERFORMANCE TOTAL COST: M-442: $1 200 000 P-7999: $650 000 UT-05: $850 000 ST-BETA-5: $1 000 000 LOADED WEIGHT: M-442: 4 P-7999: 6 UT-05: 7 ST-BETA-5: 5 STRENGTH: M-442: 9 P-7999: 12 UT-05: 11 ST-BETA-5: 10 MANUEVERABILITY: M-442: -1 P-7999: -4 UT-05: -5 ST-BETA: -4 LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE: ARMOR: MAIN BODY: M-442: 3K 2K P-7999: 1K 0.5 (25 SDP) UT-05: 1.5 K 0.5 (25 SDP) ST-BETA-5: 2K 1K ARMS / LEGS (2) M-442: 2K 1K P-7999: 1K 0.5 K (25 SDP) UT-05: 1K 0.5 K (25 SDP) ST-BETA-5: 1K 0.5 K (25 SDP) MAX SPEED: M-442: 18 P-7999: 12 UT-05: 10 ST-BETA-5: 16 ACCELERATION: 6 VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: See below BASIC ARMAMENT: M-442: One Boyars Pars 150 Phased Plasma Cannon, One Republic Dynamics M2025 40 mW free-electron lasers, OR one 20 MeV Turboalternator powered charged particle beam cannon as well as a M-240 Flame-thrower. P-7999: None UT-05: The only noteworthy form of armament ifs a large flame device similar to the M340 Flame-thrower. ST-BETA-5: A Pulse Rifle has been added to the arsenal with double capacity ammunition. NOTES: All arm weapons are considered turrets for special rules.
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AEROSPACE SPECIAL NOTES FOR SHIPS STATISTICS Body: Structure in kills. WT: Weight in tones. Arm: Armor in kills. MV: Maneuvering Value. Taken off the pilot or navigators Reflex when flying the ship in difficult maneuvers. Move: Maneuvering speed. Flight in a combat situation when the ship is dodging and weaving. In km per turn. Move is halved for spacecraft in an atmosphere (if possible). Dedicated Aerospace do not half their move. Mach: Top atmospheric speed (Straight line). Orbit: Maximum sublight speed in au / hour SR: Ground Sensor Range in km. Space sensor range x100. Perimeter Alert is at x1000 Communication range: Range of ground based transmissions. Orbital communication is automatic and unlimited within a star system “Orbital” means a craft cannot land and is effectively unlimited. “FTL” means the ship can communication with tachyon beamers at a speed of 2 ly/day anywhere. Crew: Minimum crew to operate the craft as well as the maximum capacity of passengers Maneuverability: This is a special bonus or penalties to the craft in special conditions like ECM or penalties in an atmosphere. Additions: Special systems. “Full Stock” means everything that is available on the gear list including power loaders. Evacuation: The type of escape procedure, whether it be parachutes, spacesuits, or EEVs Internal Armament: The weapons stowed on board. Range: Atmospheric: In kilometers. Usually the for ground thrusters. Unlimited means the space drive and the atmospheric drive are the same. Orbital: In AU. Unlimited means it runs it has a FTL drive that provides more than enough power for orbital travel. The standard velocity is 1 au / hour. FTL: Range of the FTL drive before it must shut down and recharge (see rules) FTL Speed: Light years per day. Drop Slots: Placed in the belly of a craft, each dropslot can hold either: 1 Cheyenne or 1 Stingray. These are designed to eject craft quickly from the mother ship in one combat round. The Snakefighter is too large to fit in a dropslot. Crafts Slots: Top, side, or front-loaded bays that allow craft to move easily back and forth. Loading and unloading of craft take five combat rounds. A craft slot can carry either: 1 Narcissus, 1 Dutton, 1 TSAPC, 1 Snakefighter or 1 CargoCrawler. Cargo Slots: How many 50-tone cargo spaces are on board. These could be many small bays or one big one. GMs discretion. Are not designed to bay craft bay but are often used as vehicle bays (e.g.: The UD-4 Dropship can carry one M-577 APC in its bay). All vehicles (including the TSAPC) can fit in one slot. Automatic Skill: Basic Automatic Pilot skill. Hardpoints: How many Hardpoints the vehicle has. Each HP has one space…see weapons for space occupancy. Basic Armament: Standard Payload.
DROPSHIPS DROPSHIP UD-4 CHEYENNE The UD-4 Cheyenne is a Dropship and tactical transport used by the CMC for a variety of roles. It has a primary place in the heart of an invading Marine Infantry Platoon. Entering into service at the end of the Tientsin conflict, the Cheyenne is a multi role light aerospace shuttle with a payload capability of 16,000 kg. It is ideal for it's role as a troop deployment weapon. Its main feature is its ability to take off and land from unprepared sites. In addition to its role as a transport, the Cheyenne can act as a gunship with its weapons pods and fixed point rockets, as well as using its internal cannon. All things considered, this is the ship of choice if you're getting into some heat. The payload bay is a 9.5 l x 4.5 w x 2.4 h meter (102.6 m3) volume with a 3.92-meter wide deck ramp suspended from four dualhydraulic assemblies. The deck ramp can comfortable carry a fully crewed M577 APC (with turret stowed) or a HALOS stores pallet, and is able to raise the cargo completely into the payload space from ground level. Within the bay, latches are automatically activated, extending to hold cargoes in place when the deck is raised. A 20-cm cavity to either side of the payload bay separates the cargo volume from the outer skin and contains the main structural members, cable runs and the blower pipes from the forward turbines to the aft lift nozzles. The spacious pressurized cockpit is accessed from the payload bay and features two crew positions, seated in tandem. Both crews sit in Martin-Siekert R2102 zero-zero ejection seats that are cleared for operation at any altitude below 10,000 m and speeds below Mach 1. In the event of an emergency, explosive cord blows the canopy off and the crew are ejected clear of the ship. Canopy transparencies are made from single-crystal quartz, flash coated with gold, germanium, molybdenum and iridium to provide protection against bright light and short-wavelength lasers. The coatings also act as a radar-reflecting surface, preventing the entire cockpit volume from becoming a radar-reflecting cavity.
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The main fuselage also features the mounting points for the main weapons pods and the secondary weapons bay. The main weapons pods are attached to cross-folded pylons just forward of the ramrocket intakes, which at supersonic speeds, the 4.4 m pylons can be deployed crosswise to secure the ordnance within the pods. The total span of the pods when deployed is 15.3 m. The pods cannot be deployed at speeds above transonic because of the adverse effects of drag and the torsion caused by dynamic pressure on the pylons. The secondary bays also fold flush against the sides of the lifting body, and can be sprung out to expose all the weapon hardpoints and allow exhaust space for weapons launch. Unlike the main weapon pods, the secondary bays can be deployed at super-sonic speeds up to Mach 2.4 without adverse effects on dropship handling. It must be noted that even light damage can prevent a dropship from lifting into orbit. A breach of the fuselage skin will seriously compromise the ship's highspeed thermal protection, and even a tiny hole can cause oxidation or 'burn through' when atmospheric speeds exceed Mach 5.0. To prevent such accidents, a sensor net is bonded to the inside of the skinning to monitor for breaches, differential hull temperature and ionization. If a breach is detected, a warning is flashed to the cockpit monitors to notify the crew. The UD-4 is a reliable craft in all realms of its aerospace operating platform, and is a popular craft with its pilots. It handles well above the specific purpose for which it was designed, but with in the world of war, nothing can be expected to handle as it was designed, here the Cheyenne delivers above and beyond... but not as well as the pilots who push these craft to their limits would prefer. At subsonic speeds, the lifting body configuration generates little lift, and the pilot becomes increasingly reliant on the flight software. The lift from the vectored thrust engines keep the dropship stable in the air. Stall speed is very high, and as the Cheyenne approaches the stall it tends to fly increasingly nose-high. As transition is made through the stall speed, vertical lift from the nose and stern nozzles are bled in to prevent departure. Though the airframe is nominally stressed to +6 g, maneuvers in conventional flight greater than +3 g are prohibited due to the excessive stall speed, which can cause the Cheyenne to prematurely depart controlled flight. When fully loaded, turns greater than +1 g are prohibited. At very low speeds and at altitudes below 500m, VTOL hovering flight is recommended. The Cheyenne is at it's nimblest in the hover; here, response is crisp in all axes and the dropship is a very steady weapons platform. The Cheyenne has a crew of two, comprising a Pilot and a Crew Chief / Weapons Officer. Flight control is quadruplex digital fly-by-light with automatic self-monitoring and reversion to back-up modes, all handled through the Herriman-Weston 5 / 480 flight computer. There is no manual reversion since the dropship is too unstable to be flown with direct control inputs. Engine thrust and nozzle settings are automatically moved to their optimum positions depending on speed, altitude, throttle and stick settings. An intelligent autopilot facility allows the automatics to fly all phases of the mission profile, including ingress and egress to the target zone as well as landing and docking cycles. Navigation combines an inertial system with ring laser gyros and strapdown accelerometers, backed up by Global Positioning from reference satellites where available. Dropship communications are handled through an AN / ASC-155 digital datalink offering HF, VHF, UHF and SHF broadcast options. The hardware includes two 12-channel receiver / transmitters with the associated antennae capable of establishing high performance voice, video or computer links in a stressed environment. Antijam features are classified, though they are known to include adaptive HF spectrum techniques to achieve a low probability of intercept and frequency hopping. The Cheyenne is a very reliable and complex machine, not to mention a deadly weapon if deployed correctly. Information on this craft can be broken down into 2 categories, with 3 divisions within each category. The first, "Characteristics," gives a general description of the UD-4 as a combat unit. The second category breaks the craft down into individual systems, where the main focus is specific tasks or advantages. The menu to the right gives you the option of viewing any of these files. The UD-4 'Cheyenne' is a versatile dropship and tactical transport employed in a primary role in the Colonial Marine Corps. Derived from and original Department of Defense requirement formulated at the end of the Tientsin conflict for a multi-role light aerospace shuttle capable of lifting heavy payloads up 10 16,000 kg, the UD-4 has evolved into the definitive dropship design, influencing the shape of many derivatives and successors. The Cheyenne's unique flexibility comes from its ability to lift itself into orbit under its own power from unprepared landing sites with the aid of its vertical takeoff (VTOL) capability. In addition to carrying its large payload, the Cheyenne can operate in the close-support gunship role by deploying weapons pods and hardpoints for rockets and missiles, as well as using its own internal gun.
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VARIANTS - Original production variant powered by Atco Wyoming F23 lift turbines, producing 243 kN thrust each. Shorter by 1.5 m than the later variants and with less payload space, this version was also equipped with the main weapons pods only. UD-4C - A gunship variant, this was the first to employ the secondary weapon bays and a dedicated Gattling gun system. UD-4E - This was the UD-4B re-engined with F29-L-13 turbines to give extended atmospheric range. UD-4H - The definitive production variant of this type, the UD-4H included a major redesign of many systems and components. The fuselage was stretched by 1.5 m to allow an extra 16 m3 of payload space, making it the first variant capable of carrying the M577 APC, and the lift engines were upgraded to a broad-spectrum sensing array and command datalink. Secondary missile bays and the Gattling guns were now fitted as standard. UD-4J - A USCMC life-extension program upgraded all existing UD-4B airframes to 'H' standard. This was designated the UD-4J. UD-4L - An upgrade of the 'H' version assault transport, the UD-4L incorporates an improved sensor and fire control system as well as being the first to include a comprehensive defensive suite fit. UD-4B
STATISTICS
Variant
Body
WT
Armor MV
Move
Mach
Orbit
SR
UD-4B UD-4C UD-4E UD-4H UD-4J UD-4L
3 4 3 5 4 5
30 35 35 40 30 40
1 1 2 2 2 3
15 20 25 30 20 30
2.5 2 3 3 2.5 3
8.5 7 9 11 9 10
11 11 11 20 15 20
-2 -3 -3 -2 -2 -1
Communication range: 2300 km, 3000 for the 4H and 4L models Crew: 1 Pilot, 1 Co-Pilot, and 1 optional gunner. Life support for up to 50 personnel. Maneuverability: 4H and 4L models have a +2 dodge of guided missiles. All have +1 Dodge in space. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, and Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: Parachutes--60 Armament package: 1 Smart Gun, 6 Pulse Rifles, 4 Flame-throwers, 10 Pistols. May be replaced by higher TL weapons. Range: Atmospheric: 10 000 km (15 000 km for 4H and 4L) Orbital: 80 AU Cargo Slots: 1 Hardpoints: 4, 6 for the 4H and 4L Basic Armament: UD-4B: 1x25 mm "Gargoyle" Gattling, 8x120 mm rockets, UD-4C: 1x25 mm "Gargoyle" Gattling, 8x120 mm rockets, 32 x 150-mm rockets, UD-4E: 1x25 mm "Gargoyle" Gattling, 8x120 mm rockets, 8xAGM-220 missiles, UD-4H: 1x25 mm "Gargoyle" Gattling, 32 x 150 mm rockets, 3 x TSAM Missiles, 3xAIM-90 missiles, UD4J: 1x25 mm "Gargoyle" Gattling, 32 x 150 mm rockets, UD-4L: 1x25 mm Gattling, 8x120 mm rockets, 32 x 150 mm rockets, 3 x TSAM Missiles, 3xAIM-90 missiles.
NTV Mk 1 SNAKEFIGHTER Nicknamed the Snakefighter by its design team, the NTV Mk1 is a unique “super dropship” in that it provides a platoon with interstellar mobility and relative self-sufficiency. Its flanks dominated by enormous thruster pods, the Snakefighter is capable of rapid atmospheric maneuvering, high sublight velocity in space, and substantial payload hauling. Standard crew complement is 10, comprising a pilot, copilot, weapons officer / navigator, and engineer. In case of “crew attrition, “ (i.e. casualties), much of the ship’s functions can be handled by relatively inexperienced personnel, due to a high level of automation and user-friendly design. The living quarters are spartan, and the lack of bunk space forces the crewmembers to rotate their eating and sleeping. The medlab is fairly basic, intended for patching up non-lethal combat injuries. The main loading ramp is divided into two smaller loading ramps, which can be operated independently of each other. A crane in the ceiling of the cargo bay aids vehicle maintenance and cab be used for storage. The tactical command post is similar to a standard APC interior, with maps, monitors, and a sliding command chair.
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STATISTICS
Variant
Body
WT
Armor MV
Move
Mach
Orbit
SR
NTVMk1
10
250
4
10
2
15
100
-5
Communication range: 10 000, FTL Crew: 1 Pilot, 1 Co-Pilot, 1 Gunner, 1 Engineer. Life support for up to 100 personnel. Bunks for 30 passengers. Maneuverability: +4 dodge of guided missiles. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: 2 EEVs, 120 Parachutes Armament package: 4 Smart Guns, 15 Pulse Rifles 8 Flame-throwers, 20 Pistols. May be replaced with high TL weapons. Range: Atmospheric: 50 000 km Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 4 ly FTL Speed: 0.5 ly/day Cargo Slots: 2 Hardpoints: 12 Basic Armament: 2x25 mm "Gargoyle" Gattling, 16x120 mm rockets, 8xAGM-220 missiles, 64 x 150 mm rockets, 2 x TSAM Missiles, 3xAIM-90 missiles, 2 XIM-28A missiles
FIGHTERS AD-17 COUGAR STRIKESHIP The AD-17A Cougar is the youngest and perhaps fiercest generation of air superiority fighters in existence today. Designed by DigArch Corporation as an answer to an ever changing battlefield, the Cougar once again places the advantage into the hands of the USCM. The sole mission of the AD-17 is maintenance of a No-Air-Threat zone over the battlefield. Its fast and maneuverable control, combined with state of the art weapons delivery make it ideal for control of the skies. Logistically, the AD-17 is indispensable, both keeping enemy air activity under constant control and protecting allied warplanes from sudden attack by orbiting carrier-based gunships. Pilots of the AD-17 claim an overwhelming percentage of successful dogfights. This can be attributed to several distinguishing features in the AD-17 that combine to make the fighter not only highly stealthy, but also quick and agile. The Cougar can engage and destroy targets before anyone knows it's there. A highly advanced vector matrixing OBCS can provide for mach +4 NOE flight patterns. This plane can fly invisible, and leave faster than anyone else in the sky. The AD-17 Cougar Strikeship is the first of a new class of fighter aircraft, incorporating a distinctive Vector Control Directional Changing jet nozzle system. This new system allows for flight previously restricted to slow hover craft or high speed helicopters. This new improvement, although still classified, will undoubtedly spawn a new era of combat aircraft. However, several limiters had to be built in to the computer system to disallow the pilot freedom of movement. UMF tests of the AD-17 gauged +23G's on standard maneuvers. This would be departmental to a pilot's health, so the System will perform a 12G lock-out. This still allows the pilot adequate room for pushing this craft to the limits in a dogfight, and the AD-17 remains the most maneuverable warcraft ever created. The Cougar incorporates a tail-less airframe, thus reducing radar signature and strengthening the airframe, allowing for high G maneuvers. The traditional tail fins which keep the plan in a straight line with it's AOL and indented direction have been replaced by Vector Thrust and computer rendered flight paths. The AD-17 handles as well as a plane with tail fins, and the development of the new vectoring system has given the Cougar freedom of design. The AD-17 Cougar employs a Fredrickson 20mm "Gargoyle" servo-slaved gattling anti-aircraft cannon. With a cyclic rate of 300 shells a minute, this is an extremely powerful addition to the Cougar, and allows for greater air dominance and flexibility in missions. The 20mm "Gargoyle" is contained just to the upper right of the cockpit, and has a Jullet cooling system running from the engines to cool the gun during use. Carried in the belly of the AD-17 is a TIAS controlled missile rack. Hidden from view during normal flight, the offensive weapons of the Cougar can be protected and subtracted from the total air resistance of the plane. When entering combat, the unique system will cycle out missiles one at a time, moments before the actual firing of the weapon. This gives the AD-17 an advantage over normal craft in speed and maneuverability. The Cougar can carry two types of missiles, with a third type being introduced into the new AD-17i versions of the plane. Up to twelve AGM-204A's or 16 AIM-90E's can be carried on each missile rack, and with two racks the total number of Missiles is increased to 32 AIM-90's or 24 AGM-204A's. The AD-17i is fitted with a separate targeting system that controls a new rack, replacing one of the older ones in the plane. This new missile rack can carry and launch two XIM-28A Long Lance anti-satellite missiles.
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VARIANTS AD-17A - Original production and still the only version used in battle. Varies only slightly from the XT-94T, the final experimental version, the changes made to the battlefield Cougar are few, but due include downgrading the computer and structural wireframe, cutting the effectiveness of the AD-17 by only 12%, but cutting the cost of each unit in half. AD-17i (TL 4) - Not yet employed on the battlefield, this craft has a ceiling of well above low-orbit. Carrying up to two Long Lance anti ship missiles, the AD-17i can engress orbital targets and fire before returning to NOE cover and returning to forward base. The engress time of the AD-17i is approximately one tenth that of a conventional gunship or shuttle, making it a difficult target to intercept. STATISTICS
Variant
Body
WT
Armor MV
Move
Mach
Orbit
SR
AD-17A AD-17I
4 4
14 14
2 2
20 25
4 5
12
20 20
0 +1
Communication range: 3000 km Crew: 1 Pilot. Life support for 2 personnel. Maneuverability: +2 dodge of guided missiles. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bag. Evacuation: 1 Parachute, 1 Space Suit. Armament package: 2 Pistols. Range: Atmospheric: 7 000 km Orbital: 5 AU for the 17I only Hardpoints: 7, 8 for 17I Basic Armament: AD-17A: 1x25mm "Gargoyle" gattling, 12 AGM-204A's or 16 AIM-90E's can be carried on each of two missile racks, AD-17I: 1x20mm "Gargoyle" gattling cannon, 12 AGM-204A's or 16 AIM-90E's can be carried on each of two missile racks, 2 XIM-28A missiles.
HA-117 STINGRAY COMBAT INTERCEPTOR The Stingray is a new prototype fighter. Under funding by several corporations, the CMC made a generic open call to all military contractors to design and pitch a space-superiority fighter designed for escort of cargo fleets and support of dropships while they are traversing the vulnerable re-entry zone. After several years, three designs trickled to the surface: The UD-5 Thunderbolt, the AD-19 Apache, and the HA-117 Stingray. The designs were solid and competition was close. Sabotage was suspected when the AD-19 Apache by Alphatech crashed in a routine maneuver. The UD-5 had superior maneuverability but the HA-117 won over with a robust design with a very pleasing simplistic schematic. Very little can be seen going wrong with future variants. Basically put, the Stingray was cheaper. The UD-5 Prototype promptly vanished from the Test Bed a month later. Rumors indicate that the design was sold to a rival group. Rival or not, a month before the official release of the HA-117, an identical design was spotted in a UPP patrol group, indicating that the design specs were either sold to the UPP or stolen. The CMC’s findings were inconclusive. Whatever the cause, the HA-117 is now operated by rival territories. As of yet, direct military conflicts with these fighters have not occurred. It is hoped the upgrade capability with the Stingray will allow the arms race to continue. The HA-117 is more related to the Cheyenne than the Cougar. It was developed as a fighter designed purely for space. Its small wingspan adds maneuverability but pound for pound, the Cougar will defeat it in an atmosphere. Just from a size comparison, the Stingray is three times more massive. On the other hand, the Stingray has pure strength. It was not designed to take out ground armor like the Cougar, instead, it was designed to fly in squads and take down the monstrous battlecruisers orbiting above planet. The Sting ray is equipped with a nose mounted, “Thunderhawk” 30 mm Railcannon designed to operate purely in space. It does not have a high cyclic rate so its effectiveness against fast moving ground targets is limited. It is also equipped 8 XIM-28A Long Lance anti-satellite missiles and two NIC-79 Captor Missiles on Hardpoints. 24 150 mm rockets are also internally mounted. STATISTICS
Variant
Body
WT
Armor MV
Move
Mach
Orbit
SR
HA-117 6 35 2 -3 30 4 30 100 Communication range: 5000 km Crew: 1 Pilot. 1 Co-Pilot Life support for 4 personnel. Bunks for 2 Maneuverability: +1 dodge of guided missiles. +2 in space. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bag. Evacuation: 3 Parachutes, 2 Space Suits. Armament package: 2 Pulse Rifles, 2. May be replaced with high TL weapons Range: Atmospheric: 20 000 km Orbital: 500 AU Hardpoints: 9 Basic Armament: 30 mm Railcannon, 8 XIM-28A missiles, 2 NIC-79 Missiles, 24 150 mm rockets
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M-1000 TSAPC TRANS-ATMOSPHERIC PERSONNEL CARRIER (TL4) The TSAPC project team attempted to cross breed a dropship with an APC. Bearing more than a passing resemblance to its ground-based counterpart, the TSAPC bears several radical differences. The first, an aero-formed body, although not a lifting form like the UD-4, prevents air drag. The TSAPC measures larger, at 15.4 meters long and 2.5 meters high. When grounded, the TSAPC and the APC are almost identical. Capabilitywise, when grounded, the TSAPC is less armored with a slight change in weaponry, replacing its shell cannons with Particle Beams. The most notable change is the absence of a gunnery turret, which was removed to lower weight and reduce drag. When preparing for flight, the reactor engines move out of the sides and stabilizer wings fold from the top. These are maneuvering wings with thrusters installed to help stability. They offer little stability in an atmosphere. If the VTOL engines went off line, the TSAPC would drop like a rock. As it lifts off, its wheels fold in slightly and engines scream.
In space, the TSAPC is slow and clumsy. Not nearly as armored as the UD-4, it serves usually as support craft for large groups of Dropships to carry additional troops when UD-4 are not available. This is not to mean that the TSAPC is inferior. Far from. The M-1000 has a very powerful, rapid fire, triple-barreled particle turret on the nose that is more powerful than any other primary weapon. It still doesn’t beat the warhead capacity of the UD-4 or the heavy particle cannon of the standard APC, but its accuracy is unparalleled. The M-1000 is also fast on the ground. Even though it is larger, it is almost 60% lighter because of the absence of a primary turret and shell weapons and the decrease in armor. In a one-on-one fight, the odds are even. Even though the M-577 has the turret, the M-1000 is much more maneuverable. That and the fact that the after a quick 30 second prep, can achieve flight. Thus comes the final great advantage. When you look at it as a dropship, the M-1000 is slow and clumsy. As an APC, it is far superior. NO longer does a strike team need to waste precious time waiting for the dropship to pick them up. The TSAPC can just take off. At TL 6, the TSAPC is still a rarity even though it becomes standard equipment on Bougainville Attack Transports. At this TL, the armor is equipped with Grant Corp NutraGel to combat xenomorphic acid.
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STATISTICS
Variant
Body
WT
Armor MV
G.Move
A.Move
Mach
Orbit
SR
M-1000
3
25
2
*
7
0.5
5
10
-3
*Wheels: 175 kmph with a 30 km acceleration. Communication range: 500 km, FTL. Crew: 1 Driver. 1 optional Gunner. Life support for 30 personnel. Bunks for 15. 1 cryotube. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bag. Evacuation: 35 Parachutes Armament package: 4 Smart Guns, 20 Pulse Rifles, 10 Flame-throwers, 30 Pistols, 10 Shotguns. May be replaced with higher TL weapons. Range: Atmospheric: 1 000 km Orbital: 500 AU Hardpoints: 1 Basic Armament: Triple Barreled Particle Beam
SPACE-BORNE DREADNOUGHTS CONESTOGA
The Conestoga class vessels were originally designed as a troop and logistic transports with a limited defensive capability, however, this role has evolved over years of operational use from a fleet prime mover into that of a light assault ship with secondary responsibilities for space control and orbital bombardment support. Of the 36 Conestogas built, 27 remain in service at TL3, 35 at TL4, 25 at TL 5 and less than 10 at TL6, filling a niche in the CMC/Marine inventory that will not be filled until the commissioning next year of the first of the new Bougainville class attack transports. Over 385 meters in length and massing some 78,000 metric tons, the Conestogas are designed to an 8-17-0 layout, an asymmetric configuration that offers the optimum cargo capacity within a compact and well-armored hull. The spaceframe extends forward and aft of the vessel's primary power system, a Westingland A-59 fusion reactor with a maximum generating output of 3.6 Terawatts. Like most military vessels, the Conestogas use a lithium-hydride or 'dry' fusion plant. The basic fuel for the plant is the crystalline powder form of lithium-hydride. The specific gravity of the fuel is 0.82 metric tons per cubic meter, making it extremely space efficient, avoiding the problems of cryogenic storage associated with civilian reactors fueled by heavy hydrogen isotopes such as deuterium and tritium. The LiH plant accepts the powder in very fine form, allowing it to be shipped and pumped as if it were a liquid, and administered into the powerplant as a blown dust. The powder must be stored in doublelined containers to prevent contact with water, otherwise it will dissociate and react violently. All propulsion units are located aft of the Conestoga’s main reactor. All Conestoga class vessels employ a dual drive method for sublight and Faster Than Light (FTL) movement. To maneuver in realspace at sublight speeds, the Conestoga is equipped with four Gates-Heidman GF-240 rockets than derive power from the main reactor. At maximum power, each rocket provides a thrust of more than 35,100 metric tons. However, fuel consumption is astronomical, allowing maximum thrust for short periods. When FTL travel is necessary, the Conestoga employs a Romberg-Rockwell Cygnus 5 tachyon shunt hyperdrive. The normal cruising speed sustainable by these units is .74 light years per Terran day. Spaceframe composition consists of
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bonded alloy and composite beams. These materials provide enough strength for massive acceleration while remaining flexible enough to withstand atmospheric re-entry. Hull armor consists of one armored skin, heavier than that on civilian transports. The armor is composed of laminated insulators, micrometeorite shielding, composite material, and aerogel. Protection against projectile weapons is limited, as with all spacecraft, but the aerogel is capable of dissipating radiation from lasers and particle beams. The hull is also covered with radar absorbent material. The engine vents are provided with infrared suppression/dispersion. The hull coating is laser absorbent to reduce lidar detection. The ship is colored in a dark charcoal scheme to reduce visibility. The foremost hull section provides the main cargo area for the Conestoga. Five 25x10 meter cargo doors on each side of the hull provide access. They have even been retrofitted into improvised dropship/shuttle launch bays. Underneath the cargo area reside the Conestoga's dedicated dropship/shuttle hangar with capacity for up to four UD-4L Cheyenne dropships. To reduce crew workload, and increase efficiency and safety, operation of the is fully automated. The Conestoga is equipped with a 28 Terabyte, carbon-60 based core mainframe. In effect, the ship could pilot itself and fight a space battle even if the crew were all dead or in hypersleep. However, at any time, combat or navigational decisions made by the ship can be overridden by the commanding officer. Backup is provided by an 8 terabyte mainframe and local terminals dispersed throughout the ship. Most damage control is automated by the Conestoga's mainframe. If the reactor suffers severe damage, the entire assembly can be jettisoned before an explosion occurs. If the vehicle is damaged to the point it becomes untenable, emergency evac is prompted by the CO or automated systems. The Conestoga carries 20 type 337 emergency escape vehicles. If the crew is in hypersleep, their capsules will be loaded by the automatic systems. The ship may also be scuttled by the CO. Self-destruct protocols are initiated manually, causing the reactor to go supercritical fifteen minutes after initiation. The Conestoga carries a light complement of weaponry that allows it to function as a light cruiser. The main space-to-space punch is provided by eight XIM-28A Long Lance ASAT missiles within a dorsal launch bay. The missile is self guiding, and is capable of homing through the reception of several different formats of energy emission from the target. Its warhead is a forged fragment ring that creates a lethal burst of fragments. Secondary punch is provided by several systems. Twin 800 megavolt particle beams run parallel to the ship's main axis. These weapons are powered from storage cells between the main reactor and the weapons. For close combat, the Conestoga mounts twin railguns in dorsal and ventral turrets. Muzzle velocities exceed 12 km per second, with a practical range of 100 km. A single hit from a railgun round is often enough to cripple a ship. Port and starboard laser turrets handle close-in defense. The Conestoga mounts 80 megawatt infrared lasers capable of vaporizing railgun fire or crippling incoming missiles and fighters. A ventral launch bay carries 60 orbital mines, enough to deny low orbit to large ships. A dorsal bay amidships also carries 20 decoys designed to present a radar signature mimicking the Conestoga's. There are also two maneuvering drones designed to confuse enemy spacecraft. A magazine below the cargo bay and forward of the dropship hangar provides space-to-surface capability. 80 free-fall, self-guiding re-entry vehicles are carried. The armament carried by the Conestoga enhances her flexibility, allowing her to function as a multi-role platform independent of a fleet or taskforce. She can carry a sizable Marine complement while defending her from attack, or provide orbital bombardment in support of a Marine landing or planetary action. This has made the Conestoga the prime movers of the Marine fleet for almost two decades. STATISTICS
Variant
Body
WT
Armor MV
Move
Mach
Orbit
SR
Conestoga 20 78,000 8 -8 8 10 100 Communication range: Orbital, FTL Crew: 1 Navigator, 1 Engineer, Capsules for 90 crew, 2 000 more capable in Cargo Maneuverability: +8 dodge of guided missiles. Additions: Full stock. Everything on the gear list. Evacuation: 8 EEVs, 200 space suits 80 Re-Entry Pods. Armament package: 10 Smart Guns, 100 Pulse Rifles 20 Flame-throwers, 200 Pistols, 30 Shotguns, up to 30 other weapons. May be replaced with higher TL weapons. Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 15 FTL Speed: 0.74 ly/day Drop Slots: 4 Craft Slots: 1 Cargo Slots: 6 Automatic Systems: Base 11 skill. Hardpoints: n/a Weapons are fixed. Basic Armament: 8 XIM-28A missiles, 2 Particle Beams, 4 30 mm Railcannon turrets (each turret has two linked guns), 6 infrared lasers on turrets, 60 orbital mines, 20 decoys, 2 maneuvering drones
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Z-1 RAZZIA The Razzia is simply put, the largest spacecraft ever constructed. Oh sure, some space stations and mining platforms have measured larger. But for pure bulk, the Razzia is the largest man made creation that can move under its own power. At TL 2, there is only the prototype. By TL 4, the second model was released. Two more rolls off the construction by TL 5. Only one, the original, survives the war by TL 6. The Razzia and its sisters are all owned by Grant-Corp but are often leased to whomever needs them. Grant Corp uses them almost exclusively. The Prototype is currently on indefinite loan to the CMC at TL3 for an exchange of information. The Razzia is over 3.5 kilometers long. It is an armored strong point and flagship for whatever flag it flies under. Like the Conestoga, it is mostly automated, carrying mostly support and mission personnel. The base crew is fifteen. At least three must operate the flight controls when near a strong gravity field. The Razzia is somewhat flawed this way. It must keep clear from any maneuvers that could cause it to dangerously approach a planet. It is not even aloud to slingshot around gravity fields like even Conestoga’s can. The Razzia is a fast jump ship but a slug at sublight. What it looses it speed, it makes up for in strength. It may be slow, but it offers the comfort and power of purse mass. The Razzia has the largest jump drive ever constructed., the McKinley Ion Mark 1. With it, it can traverse half way across the core worlds without refueling at a top speed of 1.1 light year a day. Four Grant-Corp Pulse Drives occupy the rear of the ship for sublight travel. Even with its awesome thrust capacity, the ship still crawls through a star system. Besides its base crew capacity, the Razzia is equipped with over 500 cryotubes. That may seem small but the cargo bays can be filled to an unprecedented 15 000. The Razzia, sometimes, is employed as a colonizer ship, transporting huge populaces through militarized zones. Additionally, the Razzia is great for massive evacuations from combat areas. The crew compartments are extremely cosey Armament-wise, this monstrosity can level entire planets on its own. Its firepower is effectively triple that of the Conestoga with an additional nuclear payload added for good measure. The Razzia has been prohibited from entering large trafficked systems by major groups because of its mass and its potential of armageddon if a catastrophic failure were to occur on board. The Razzia is an experiment in the feasibility of creating one ship to do the job of many. In every field, it succeeds, except in one, cost. The Razzia is a juggernaut and requires many a dollar to maintain. Multiple contracts run at once on board as a result. As a money-maker, the Razzia is not much to speak of, but as a weapon of war, it is unstoppable STATISTICS
Variant
Body
WT
Razzia
100
950 000 10
Armor MV -12
Move
Mach
Orbit
SR
5
--
7
200
Communication range: Orbital, FTL Crew: 3 Navigator, 10 Engineer, Capsules for 500 crew, 15 000 more capable in Cargo Additions: Full stock. Evacuation: 30 EEVs, 500 Space Suits, 100 Re-Entry Pods. Armament package: Full Stock. Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 30 FTL Speed: 1.1 ly/day Drop Slots: 1 special holding the Razzia Dropship, 10 regular. Craft Slots: 30 Cargo Slots: 100 Automatic Controls: 12 base skill Hardpoints: n/a Basic Armament: 20 XIM-28A missiles, 6 Particle Beams, 12 30 mm Railcannon turrets (each turret has two linked guns), 18 infrared lasers on turrets, 100 orbital mines, 60 decoys, 9 maneuvering drones, 8 Nuclear Captor Missiles, 4 STG Ballistic Missiles.
82
STATISTICS
Variant
Body
WT
Armor MV
Move
Mach
Orbit
SR
Razzia Dropship
15
1 850
6
10
3
15
100
-9
Communication range: 5000 Crew: 1 Pilot, 1 Co-Pilot, 2 Engineer, Life Support for 500 Maneuverability: +1 in space. Additions: Full Stock. Evacuation: 200 Space Suits, 200 Parachutes. Armament package: 10 Smart Guns, 100 Pulse Rifles 30 Flame-throwers, 200 Pistols, 50 Shotguns, May be replaced with higher TL weapons. Up to 30 other weapons. Range: Atmosphere: unlimited Orbital: Unlimited Cargo Slots: 3 Hardpoints: n/a Basic Armament: 3x25 mm "Gargoyle" Gattling, 14xAGM-220 missiles, 6 x TSAM Missiles, 6xAIM-90 missiles, 2 XIM-28A missiles
N-1 BOUGAINVILLE CLASS ATTACK TRANSPORT Measuring more than 500 meters, the Bougainville is the largest spacecraft currently in operation by the CMC. At TL 2, only the prototype is currently in operation. At TL3, 4 are in operation and 6 more are introduced at TL4. By TL6, they have all but replaced the Conestoga. At TL6, the few that are around are specifically used as Xenomorphic extermination. Two Westingland A59 fusion reactors with a maximum generating output of 3.6 Terawatts power the N-1. Auxiliary power is provided by a cluster of four Continental Electric AS-4B/AV5 magnetohydrodynamic turbines, each unit capable of generating 20 to 40 megawatts. Unlike the Conestoga, the N-1 uses the new Ryansite tachyon pulse hyperdrive making it faster with a longer range. Hull armor consists of two layers of ceramic and plastic alloy, thicker but lighter than that on other frigates. The hull is also covered with radar absorbent material. The engine vents are provided with infrared suppression/dispersion. The hull is constructed in segmented plates, making it easier to simply replace hole section rather than patching holes. Upon closer inspection, the hull is comprised of a honeycomb arrangement if interchanging hexagons. This absorbs the shock of incoming fire. The Cargo, however, is surprisingly smaller that the Conestoga. It has two cargo bays instead of four with a third specially design to launch a forward mounted M-1000
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TSAPC. The two drop-bays can hold either Snakefighers or Cheyennes. Cryogenic hypersleep capsules are provided for sixty crew, marines, and passengers, but there are provisions for troop transport configurations of up to 4000 capsules in the cargo bay. Artificial gravity is provided by field generators parallel to the main axis of the ship. Like the Conestoga, the N-1 is fully automated, being equipped with a 36 Terabyte, carbon-60 based core mainframe. In effect, the ship could pilot itself and fight a space battle even if the crew were all dead or in hypersleep. However, at any time, combat or navigational decisions made by the ship can be overridden by the commanding officer. The biggest change is that, unlike the Conestoga, the Bougainville is capable of landing. It is extremely tricky and not recommended but the ship is equipped with landing gear. It must land on a flat surface and takes more than twenty minutes to accomplish. Taking off takes less time (fifteen minutes or less). All weapons still function but all ships in the drop slots are stuck. Also, the cargo slots can all feed through a main cargo ramp, allowing vehicles to directly load out and in. The Bougainville’s classification was given a general purpose charter, making the craft available for a variety of purposes. The Conestoga is still a useful troop transport but are often flanked now by is more heavily armored that is cousin ship. It carries less but sports heavier armor and more weapons. The assault is provided by twelve XIM-28A Long Lance ASAT missiles hidden in concealed bays. Three 800 megavolt particle beams are built right into the hull, fixed forward, one points aft. These weapons are powered from storage cells between the main reactor and the weapons. The N-1 mounts railguns and laser turrets as well a 80 megawatt infrared lasers. Eighty orbital mines, and forty decoys are also equipped. STATISTICS
Variant
Body
WT
Armor MV
Move
Mach
Orbit
SR
N-1 20 75 000 10 -8 10 0.5 15 150 Communication range: Orbital, FTL Crew: 1 Navigator, 2 Engineer, Capsules for 60 crew, 5 000 more capable in Cargo Maneuverability: +8 to guided missiles. Additions: Full Stock Evacuation: 4 EEVs, 300 Space Suits, 30 Drop Pods. Armament package: 10 Smart Guns, 100 Pulse Rifles 30 Flame-throwers, 200 Pistols, 50 Shotguns, May be replaced with higher TL weapons. Up to 30 other weapons. Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 15 FTL Speed: 0.9 ly/day Drop Slots: 2 with a third for the TSAPC. Craft Slots: 2 Cargo Slots: 8 Automatic Controls: Base 12 skill Basic Armament: 12 XIM-28A missiles, 3 800 particle beams, 6 30mm Railcannon turrets (each turret has two linked guns), 9 infrared lasers on turrets, 80 orbital mines, and 40 decoys
CIVILIAN SPACECRAFT “M” CLASS STARFREIGHTER (e.g.: “NOSTROMO”) The a M class is one of a large group of transports that seem to change daily. New freighter designs pop up every year. Other, have been modified so much, are almost unrecognizable to their original specifications. What makes the “Mega” class apart from the rest is it pure size. It is the largest of the standard unmodified freighters…but what makes it the most common was that all current models built (and all the ones refitted It was refitted to be a commercial towing vehicle in 2116, after that, the M Class have largely been employed running automated ore and oil refineries between systems. The ships mass, 63,000 metric tons, the M Class’s spaceframe is based on a modified Lockmart CM-88B Bison transporter. It is designed to a 6-10-4 layout with three pressurized decks and four main cargo holds. The spare volume is taken by the fuel tanking for the fusion reactor and the reaction mass for the thrust engines. An off-axis hooded frame mounts the docking latches for the towed cargo. The M-Class is sturdy enough of a vehicle to withstand atmospheric re-entries and for surface landings is supported by three main landing shocks. The micrometeorite and particulate shielding is sufficient enough to withstand rough re-entries. The in-flight systems are all controlled by the central "Mother" processor. Mother is a 2.1 Terabyte intelligent mainframe, which monitors all of the ship's flight and autonomic functions. A 2.0 Terabyte backup mainframe comes on line in an event of a CPU failure, and a third tier of automatics is also capable of sustaining an autonomic functions should the backup
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fail as well. The communications fit is standard, it compromises of a 10 and 4 meter hyperstate antenna for any interstellar communications and short-range UHF/VHF/HF radio/video links. The sensors are mounted on pylons which are clustered around the forward hull of the ship and have two 2 m aperture telescopes which are capable of optical, spectrographic and infrared resolution; a gas chromatograph; centimetric navigation and landing radar; a synthetic aperture ground mapping radar; and a mass counter for supralight navigation. The M-Class power core is a Laretel WF-15 2.8 Terawatt fusion reactor. The fusion process is a deuterium/tritium reaction that can fuse the fuel elements in a containment chamber using conversion lasers. The He4 byproduct of the reaction is kept separately and is vented at regular intervals. The power is drawn off of the reactor by a closed-cycle liquid potassium cooling system. Running off into an induction torus, which can use the intense magnetic field created by the superheated potassium to generate electric power. The ship may be destroyed by an authorized crewmember by overriding the reactor cooling system and bleed off coolant, which initiates a supercritical reaction in the containment area. After the activation of the selfdestruct device, the crew has ten minutes to get far enough from the ship before its reactor explodes.
The supralight drive is a Yutani T7A NLS tachyon shunt, which is capable of unladen high cruise up to 0.42 ly per sidereal day (153 cee). When it is towing large amounts of cargo such as automated refineries, the maximum sustainable cruise speed drops radically, about 0.1-0.12 ly per sidereal day (40-45 cee). For maneuvering at sublight speeds when towing large amounts of cargo, the immensely powerful mass reaction engines are required. On the M-Class, the original Saturn J-3000 engines have been replaced to two Rolls-Royce N66 Cyclone thrust tunnels with bipolar vectoring for midline lifting functions. Each of the powerplants develop a 65,830 metric ton of thrust, using water for reaction mass. When running wide open, both of the engines give a high impulse thrust totaling of 131,660 kN. The lifesystems comprise of three decks, which include the bridge, crew’s quarters, and dining area. Others include the science station, the CPU module, medical bays, four main cargo bays, storing areas, and the engineering stations. All of these compromise 1.1 million cubic meters of pressurized volume, including all of the air ducts and the air scrubbing plant. The MClass has a crew of seven-Ship's Master, First Officer, Executive Officer, Navigation Officer, Science Officer, Chief Engineer, and Engineer's Mate. There are seven hypersleep capsules that have been installed for any long-duration flight. The polarized gravity generators provide the internal gravity and the internal dampening. Beneath the hull, is an external docking bay for a shuttlecraft. The shuttlecraft is capable of being a lifeboat in the case of a ship's evacuation is necessary. STATISTICS
Variant
Body
WT
Armor MV
Move
Mach
Orbit
SR
M-Class
15
63 000
2
3
0.5
7
50
-10
Communication Range: 5 000, FTL Crew: 7--Captain, First Officer, Exec. Officer, Navigator, Science, Engineer, and Engineer's Mate. Life support for up to 30. Evacuation: 1 EEV, 20 space suits. Armament Package: 3 Stunner, 2 Flame-throwers Range: Atmosphere: Unlimited. Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 10 FTL Speed: 0.1 to 0.4 Craft Slots: 1—Narcissus Shuttle Cargo Slots: 100 Automatic Systems: 8 Base skill Hardpoints: None
85
LOCKMART STARCUB LIGHT INTRASYSTEM SHUTLE The mass of this shuttlecraft is 48 metric tons, the Shuttle is configured around a single 108 m3 pressure cabin. Which holds storage space and lockers for supplies and any necessary equipment. The spaceframe is of a conventional composite construction, with a ceramic and composite outer skinning. A tricycle undercarriage extends for any surface landings. There are three crew stations for the pilot, copilot and a scientist. Though additional seating can be installed. For any long duration in-system flight or interstellar travel, one hypersleep capsule is installed. The Shuttle is powered by a 9 gW microfusion reactor that drives the two Newington A-24 rocket motors, which employ water as a reaction mass. The rocket thrust is vectored through the four aft or two forward thrust tunnels. For the interstellar travel, a Romberg 100c tachyon shunt can drive the shuttlecraft at a low supralight speed. The Lockmart can enter an atmosphere but don’t expect it to maneuver much. STATISTICS
Variant
Body
WT
Armor MV
Move
Mach
Orbit
SR
SLI Shuttle
4
150
1
2
-
10
50
-8
Communication Range: 1000, FTL Crew: 1 with up to three passengers. 1 cryotube. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: 3 Space Suits. Armament Package: None Range: Atmosphere: 10 000 Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 3 FTL Speed: 0.1 Automatic Systems: 10 Hardpoints: 1 Basic Armament: None
“DUTTON” COAST GUARD PATROL CRAFT It was a lot cheaper to abandon a ship than retro-fit and refuel especially the old style Nuclear Jobs. A lot of the Industrials just dumped them in decaying orbit, waiting for gravity and atmospheric burn-up to solve their problem. That worked until one of the flamers crashed half-intact near a coffee plantation on the island Hawaii. The radiation killed the indigenous population and made it damn near impossible to find a good cup of “Kona.” So now the Coast Guard tags the floaters and blasts them before they can decay into the atmosphere. Keeps the world safe and gives the guard boys something to do between poker games. They still call them the coast guard, even though the coast they’re guarding is three or four hundred miles in space. The Dutton is their prime craft, designed for speed and maneuverability, but not range. It is small enough to be carried in spacecraft bays but it doesn’t often get transported unless it is being moved to its current port. Its lack of a Tachyon drive decreases its weight. The Two Lase Photon Drives produce twice the thrust of the UD-4 Cheyenne. The large wing surface
86
allows the craft to operate equally in an atmosphere and in space. It is lightly armored, giving it up for maneuverability and speed. Weapons are minor but formidable, with a single particle beam and a battery of rockets. STATISTICS
Variant
Body
WT
Armor MV
Move
Mach
Dutton 3 120 1 0 15 3 Communication Range: 10 000 Crew: 2 Pilots, Life support for up to six. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: 1 Drop Pod, two space suits. Armament Package: Four shotguns, four pistols. Range: Atmosphere: Unlimited Orbital: Unlimited Hardpoints: 3 Basic Armament: 1 Particle Beam, 6 AIM-90 missiles
Orbit
SR
15
100
TF-ALPHA-1 CARGO-CRAWLER The TF-Alphas one of the most widely used short-range freighter around. It was created more than a hundred years ago and the design is virtually untouched. Some have nicknamed it the “bug”, comparing it to the 20th century Volkswagen automobile. Using a modular design, the TF-Alpha can be fitted with a variety of cargo modules although the basic design can only carry one. These modules have been widely even before this freighter was introduced. The connecting brackets were a cheap modification to the existing modules. These crates have been found on worlds that don’t even operate Cargo-Crawlers. The TF-Alpha can detach or re-attach a module in less than 30 seconds. The Cargo Crawler has been manufactured in the hundreds and is used by practically ever corporation and government. The design is often modified but the standard model run off a regular assembly line hasn’t been changed since it was released. Its charter is to be short range craft but the first modification often given is range booster. This does not cut down on cargo space or speed. The current drive capacity is a pair of McKinley Ion drives set on slow burn. The TF-ALPHA is slow but uses its fuel wisely. In an atmosphere, the ship usually only raises and lower altitude and doesn’t maneuver much. The ship is not often used in single sorties but is often used in group of three of more, transporting large supplies across star systems. When used alone, they are usually only utilized in-system. The crew compliment need only be one, but three more can be carried. The module can carry its won life support system and can transport up to 500 cryotubes. STATISTICS
Variant
Body
WT
Armor MV
Move
Mach
Orbit
SR
TF-Alpha-1
3
350
1
4
0.5
8
10
-5
Communication Range: 1000, FTL Crew: 1, up to three passengers. Two cryotubes. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: Three Spacesuits Armament Package: Pistol, Stunner. Range: Atmosphere: 10 000 Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 4 FTL Speed: 0.2 Cargo Slots: 2 Automatic Systems: 8 base skill
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DOLOMITE CLASS CARGO HAULER The desire for a long range cargo ship resulted in the Dolomite. It can both carry cargo internally and tow behind it. It is meant to a successor to the M-Class Freighter. The new Dolomite cannot link directly to a cargo module but can tow behind using cable lines. However the robust design of the Mclass assures it future. The Dolomite’s fate is cloudy. It is powered by a massive Pratt Mark II Ion Drive that makes it fast and extremely maneuverable for a freighter. The Dolomite has been favored by the CMC as a weapons transport and relief freighter because it can keep up with the massive Conestogas Frigates. The Dolomite is not allowed to have weapons but the CMC and some corporations have installed mild weapons for defensive purposes. The Dolomite is used mostly within the core systems more as people transports than cargo transports. Very little modifications need to be made to transport up 500 cryotubes.
STASISTICS
Variant
Body
WT
Armor MV
Move
Mach
Orbit
SR
Dolomite
20
45 000
3
4
1
10
50
-7
Communication Range: 5 000, FTL Crew: 3-- support for up to 500. Up to 500 more in cryotubes Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: 1 EEV, 100 space suits. Armament Package: 3 Stunner, 2 Flame-throwers Range: Atmosphere: Unlimited. Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 10 FTL Speed: 0.7 Craft Slots: 1—Narcissus Shuttle Cargo Slots: 60 Automatic Systems: 8 Base skill Hardpoints: One Basic Armament: None.
ZAJER / COMM TEHCNIC TRANSPORT VESSEL Z.C.T. created their own small freighter designed to move cargo quickly from their deep space outposts. The large clumsy monstrosities were to inefficient and the small TF-Alphas were to limited in range to be of any use. To combat this problem, ACT made their Cargo ship, simply called that ZCTV. The most notable feature of the Vessel is its three Wagner Photon Engines and the enormous RombergRockwell Cygnus 5 tachyon shunt hyperdrive. This makes the ZCTV one of the fastest craft in
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operation, just short of the fighter craft employed by the CMC. Too bad, ZCT won’t sell its craft to outside sources. The number of chartered flights is slim. ZCT keeps the design schematics under tight wraps. The mass occupied by main drive sacrifices space. As it is, the ZCTV carries not much more than the TF-Alpha, eve though it is almost three times larger than its small cousin. It can’t carry any vehicles, so it simply is utilized as a basic cargo transport. It moves food and supplies back and forth from labs and colonies. The crew compartment is surprisingly small, only requiring a three crew to operate. Transporting passengers is a common occurrence and ZCT have even permanently modified these craft as passenger liners. ZCTV are also often used by pirates. STATISTICS
Variant
Body
WT
Armor MV
Move
Mach
Orbit
SR
ZCTV
10
1350
2
10
2
10
50
-6
Communication Range: 5000 km Crew: Pilot, Co-Pilot, Engineer, can carry 50 passengers unmodified. Up to 200 can be carried with little modification. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Maneuverability: +2 in Space Evacuation: 1 EEV, 20 Space Suits. 20 Parachutes. Armament Package: Various, usually Two shot guns and two pistols. Range: Atmosphere: Unlimited Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 4 FTL Speed: 0.75 Cargo Slots: 2 Automatic Systems: Base 10 skill Hardpoints: 1 Basic Armament: None.
WY TRADER The Weyland Yutani Trader was constructed to be a cheap transport WY could utilize for its colony demands. They shunted supplies back and forth…One shipment could equip a colony for months. These ships were huge but could not tow any cargo. They have the largest cargo capacity of any freighter. Like ZCT, WY does not openly sell the Traders on the open market. The Traders are shipped off to new colonies and can often set them up with one ship. More than 70% of the vessel is open cargo space with the remaining are spent on spartan living conditions. Some Traders have been retrofitted with hardpoints and crew compartment and thus were turned into a massive troop transport. Up to 1000 Marines can be carried on board the retrofitted ships. However, these ships are still operated by Weyland Yutani so are only used as a transport. The ship and its crew are lent by WY. Unlike some freighters, the Trader is a dedicated space transport. It can travel between stations with ease but cannot enter at atmosphere unless it wants to hard land. Either way, it is not taking off again. The unfortunate news is that the WY Trader has been seem under operation of smugglers. The design is very robust and the immense size makes it a very efficient transport. It runs of a quad set of Tachyon Shunt Drives that give it good speed and good range. STATISTICS
Variant
Body
WT
Armor MV
Move
Mach
Orbit
SR
Trader
10
58 000
2
4
--
10
10
-8
Communication Range: Orbital, FTL Crew: 3, standard Life support allows up to 50…can be modified to hold over 1000 Evacuation: 1 EEV, 10 space suits. Armament Package: 2 Stunner, 1 Flame-throwers, 3 Pistols Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 8 FTL Speed: 0.6 Cargo Slots: 150 Automatic Systems: 8 Base skill Hardpoints: None
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SV- 90 RELIANT CLASS ASSAULT TRANSPORT VEHICLE
The Reliant is a small orbital (Non Atmospheric) space vehicle usually only used for short system-to-system jumps. Often employed and operated by colonies, the SV-90 is so widely used, no on is entirely sure who originated the design. Rival corps, groups, and governments all use the ship, and modify it heavily. The CMC is no exception. It is usually classed as a larger version of the TF-Alpha because of its detachable Cargo pod. Unlike the TF-Alpha, the pod is not useful other than being transported by the SV-90. The pod is too large for most places where a TF can land. The huge Arrow Ion Pulse Drive is extremely efficient and makes the SV-90 extremely fast. As a result, the one group that uses the Reliant the most is the CMC. It has turn into one of the Marine Corps most widely used cargo ships. It can be equipped with weapons and configured to carry over 400 troops, and being half the size of the Conestoga, it has been known to slip in through sensor nets and orbital minefields to strike enemy starports and drydocks. In an emergency, like the TF-Alpha, the SV-90 can detach its cargo pod and leave the men behind while it fights. This gives he craft exceptional maneuverability as it drops almost half its weight. The Cargo pod has also been configured to be a massive gunboat, carried under the freighter. The CMC owns and operates a substantial fleet of SV-90 and often sends them if the larger Conestoga can’t be sent in because of political or budgetary reasons. The SV-90 is substantially cheaper than the Conestoga. It does have thin armor and can’t carry internal spacecraft. It is primarily used as a troop transport. Large battalions usually consist of two SV-90 for every one Conestoga. This ratio can double as the fleet gets larger and the Reliants are configured for a variety of uses. The capabilities and uses of the Reliant is almost endless. STATISTICS
Variant
Body
SV-90 8 *: -6 if pod is dropped
WT
Armor MV
Move
Mach
Orbit
SR
38,000
1-3
4
-
10
10
-9*
Communication range: Orbital, FTL Crew: 3 Navigator, 2 Engineer, Capsules for 8 crew. 400 more capable in Cargo Pod is configured. Maneuverability: +6 dodge of guided missiles if configured Additions: Survival gear. Full stock if configured. Evacuation: 10 Space Suits. 400 space suits and 10 Re-Entry Pods if configured. Armament package: Two Pistols. 4 Smart Guns, 30 Pulse Rifles 20 Flame-throwers, 200 Pistols, 30 Shotguns, up to 30 other weapons. May be replaced with higher TL weapons. Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 10 FTL Speed: 0.7 ly/day Cargo Slots: 50 Automatic Systems: Base 8 skill. Hardpoints: 3. Basic Armament: None
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MISCELLANEOS CRAFT RE-ENTRY POD The Re-Entry pod is a controlled rock. It is built and is operated by almost ever military ship. It is an unarmored, quick drop to lower up to 10 soldiers into a combat area. It was first designed as a combat drop pod for spacecraft too small to carry armed dropships. However, Re-Entry pods have since been modified and re-designed by major groups as a cheap alternative to the EEV. The EEV is completely automated and advanced. The REP should only be used above planets. It is dropped above. It burns through the atmosphere. Upon clearing the upper layer, it fires it engines for decelerations and finally uses a HALO-style, low altitude parachute deployment to quickly slow it speed down, setting down with a thump. The crew can then deploy quickly. The one problem with this approach to the dropship is that that REP cannot take over. It is a one way trip. It is also totally unarmed. Not like anyone can hit it. It drops to quickly, the only time it is vulnerable is when it slams into the Earth. Onboard computers handle the entry and deceleration. The craft can make mild maneuvers, avoiding obstacles and landing at the best possible position. It also changes it course for the type of landing. The ship can land so softly, it wouldn’t crack and egg. Some others needs to be dropped so quickly, the ship is partially destroyed in the landing, having been designed that way to absorb all damage and prevent the crew compartment from being crushed. The sinister variation of the REP is the direct drop ordinance, which drops explosive warheads through the atmosphere, directly on ground targets. Weapon loads can vary STATISTICS
Variant REP
Body
WT
Armor MV
Move
Mach
Orbit
SR
2
10
1
2
8*
--
--
-10
*: Straight Down. Communication Range: 1000, FTL Crew: 1, Up to ten passengers. Maneuverability: +5 against guided missiles. Additions: Full survival suit: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: None…it IS an evacuation Armament Package: None. Range: Atmosphere: None…it lands. Orbital: None FTL: None FTL Speed: None Automatic Systems: 8 Base skill
BD-409 EEV (Emergency Escape Vehicle) The BD-409 is a small escape craft, which is capable of carrying up to 16 passengers. It is 13.2 meters long with an L shaped configuration. At the edge of the craft is three large titanium support struts, which hold ICC Standard retainer lugs for connection to its mother ship. The underside is latched directly to the mother ship's escape hatches and access is made through these hatches via a large docking ring. The L shaped wedge holds the life support and drive section equipment which is accessed to the mother ship with a outboard umbilical up until the movement of it's launch. The vehicle's hull is made from carbon alloy and ceramic composites and is able to withstand severe re-entry angles. Certain mission profiles for the EEV can vary according to the mission situation. In an event of disaster aboard the mother ship, the decision to abandon is given by the commanding officer. But, because of interstellar space travel, the crews are to be in hypersleep. If there is a crisis when the crew is in hibernation, then there might not be enough time for the crew to revive and the escape procedure would have to be handled automatically. In these situations then, the crisis management computers would bear the burden of escape of the mother ship. The ICC sets up the protocols for the crisis management computers to make sure that the
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evacuation of the ship is indeed initiated, when and only when, failure to do so would result in death. If this point is reached, then the computers on the mother ship will then send out a distress signal and then begin the escape procedures. Immediately, all the units aboard the ship will begin to prepare for departure. EEV's are kept on a permanent 30 second standby, then at this point the escape vehicle's computers will start up with the command menus and have the mission data downloaded to them from the mother ship's mainframe. On the mother ship, the computers will automatically disconnect the sleep capsules from the cryogenic umbilical and then the hypersleep capsules will be dropped into a series of tubes towards the nearest escape vehicle. As soon as the capsules are on board, the capsules are then installed into the EEV's life support systems and then the computer on the escape vehicle logs out of the mother ship's mainframe and initiates its own launch program. At the time of launch, minus five seconds, if the override to stop the evacuation is not given to the mother ships computer, the retaining lugs that secure the EEV to the mother ship are then pulled and the outboard umbilical is detached. At launch minus two, the primary hull is latched to the docking ring release so the vehicle is attached by two explosive retaining bolts. At launch minus zero, the escape vehicles computers then blow the remaining two retaining bolts, which allows the pressure of the ship's atmosphere on the escape hatch to flush the vehicle from the mother ship. The entire evacuation decision to abandon ship to its initial launch should take 45 seconds. As soon as the EEV is clear from the mother ship, the computers then start to initiate a search and rescuer procedure, which is to turn on a powerful distress signal and a location beacon while scanning the immediate sector of space for suitable landing site or a rescue vehicle. The flight pattern and landing site would have been determined by the mother ships computers before it had launched and downloaded to the EEV. But, the EEV's computers are totally capable of overriding the mother ship's decision should something better come up. In other words, the EEV will attempt to home in on the closest navigational beacon like a space station or a colony world and will set a course for that location. The BD-409's hyperdrive unit has a short range and the guidance systems will make sure that it'll retain a sufficient amount of fuel of the thrusters for an in-system docking or a powered entry to a colonized world. Since the life support capabilities are limited, it will keep the crew aboard in hypersleep for the journey, which it will monitor their status by the use of internal bio-function monitors and catscanners. Only wakening them for the terminal phase of the mission when the rescue is imminent. If the rescue ship appears within the scanning range of the EEV, the onboard computers will try to hail the ship via their beacon and will try to maneuver it to meet it. If there are no rescue ships around, the EEV will continue to its programmed destination and will try to attempt planetfall. The BD-409 has enough fuel for a single powered re-entry, but not near enough to sustain an orbit. So, it will follow the colonies landing beam directly down to the landing pad. If there is no beam, then the EEV will select a site from orbit and attempt a planetfall there. The BD-409 is nothing but a 'dead-drop' vehicle which is designed to fall un-powered from orbit until it reaches a lower atmosphere, where it will use the thrusters to try to break it's descent. At this stage, the EEV deploys its tricycle undercarriage and 'flies' on its remaining fuel reserves for the landing site. If planetfall is made on an uncolonized world, the onboard systems may choose to keep the crew in hypersleep to await a rescue. But in most cases, the EEV will revive the crew once as touchdown is achieved. If the crew has survived the touchdown and find out that they have a long wait for a rescue, there are storage lockers, which contain all the essential survival gear. A months rations, and first aid equipment and whatever else is necessary to keep the crew alive. There are enough supplies for each crewmember on board so to ensure that the crew won't have any kind of shortages. The BD-409 EEV system has been noted for it's flexibility and reliability, but the nature of space disasters can make the egress from the mother ship quite a hazardous journey. Despite the advances in technology, there are still lives lost in an escape attempt from the mother ship. The escape procedures are made to be so elaborate that the malfunction of one thing, which is very likely when escaping from the mother ship, can become very harrowing to the entire evacuation. Even if everything goes correct to the computers, there is still no guarantee of a very successful rescue from the immenseness of space. But, some chances are way better than none, and given the most lethal situations in space, it is quite hard to argue that the old wisdom used by old space explorers, 'When in doubt, bail out!' STATISTICS
Variant
Body
WT
Armor MV
Move
Mach
BD-409 3 50 1 --0.5 Communication Range: Orbital, FTL Crew: 16 Passengers in Cryo tubes Maneuverability: 0 Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: None…It is an evacuation vehicle. Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 4 FTL Speed: 0.2 ly/day Automatic Systems: 10 base skill
Orbit
SR
2
100
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SYNTHETICS
BACKGROUND In recent years increasing numbers of synthetics humans have been deployed with Colonial Marine line units. Though the Geneva Convention prohibits the equipping of androids with weapons or uninhibited combat abilities, the Colonial marine corps regards them as an invaluable resource, supporting front line units as multi-role team-members and mobile database. Marine androids are always employed in a non-combat role, usually as drivers, pilots, medics and scientific advisors to combat units at platoon level and above. Though they are an artificial intelligence in the broad sense, legally androids are classified as a Corps' property. It can be ordered to perform hazardous tasks in place of humans. However, their utility and not-inconsiderable unit cost is an incentive to any Marine field commander who wishes to treat a synthetic as expendable. The modern synthetic is a highly complex machine: stronger, faster and better coordinated than an average human. The basic chassis is a carbon fiber skeleton with latchment point for the artificial musculature. The muscles are vat grown silicon colloids powered either by pumped micro-hydraulics or electrical stimulation. Power for the android is supplies by a 25kw fuel cell with a life of approximately 400 days between refueling. At TL5, this was replaced with a more powerful Micro-Nuclear reactor with a 20 year lifespan. As in a human, the skeletal structure is inherently unstable and is effectively suspended by the musculature. No limb-locking, join motorization or gyrostabalization is present as in other anthropomorphic frames such as powerloaders. Instead, the muscles must work actively to keep the chassis standing upright while active feedback systems control its stability. Though muscles can withstand considerable wear and tear, the lack of a self-repair facility means that they eventually lose their strength and become increasingly elastic over time. It is recommended that the muscle system be overhauled on a regular basis and individual elements replaced every two years. At TL5, when Synths are equipped with nanorepair facilities, these overhauls were no longer necessary. Muscle layout and operation, as with certain other internal function, are homologous with those of the human body. Military synthetics are designed to be virtually indistinguishable in appearance from a human. Although a synthetic’s cosmetic appearance would seem to be a superfluous feature, especially in a military model, practical experience has shown that it is a necessary component to maintaining combat unit efficiency and integrity. Most human soldiers are psychologically unable to interrelate with an inhuman-looking android; as a result, the physical appearance and simulated behavior patterns of synthetic units are designed to particular specifications. Most synthetics in Colonial Marine service appear as mature, average males or females around 20 to 40 years of age. Their personalities, idiosyncrasies aside, can best be described as passive or non-threatening. Some studies published in recent years have suggested that androids have an important role to play within small infantry units, both as an impassive neutral party, and as a maternal/paternal influence in nurturing and sustaining the group dynamic at optimum efficiency. The synthetic’s mind is an integrated Carbon 60 processor with a processing speed of 1015 floating point operations per second. Memory capacity includes 1 terabyte of fast cash buffer RAM and 1.2 Terabyte of non-volatile memory. The system is architectured around a very powerful heuristic logic driver, making decisions based upon imported sensory data, information drawn from experience and he android’s vast inbuilt databases. Intuitive functions are derived from a suite of nested contextual and semantic programs linked by self-mapping loops of tangled hierarchies. However, an android’s ability to understand and process abstract concepts and symbologies, though powerful, is limited. A synthetic mind and personality is essentially a construct, and there is no true self-awareness as such, though this may not be all apparent to an untrained observer interesting with a unit. Androids display synthesized emotion, superficially register self-awareness and, most importantly of all, have the ability to reason conceptualize and offer opinion. However, these capabilities do not infer human-like consciousness, even though for all other intents and purposes synthetics are artificial intelligence. At TL5, with the release of the Advanced Capability Synth, these lines were blurred even more. Refer to the Alien: Resurrection Plug-In for information on their evolution past this. Synthetics have proven themselves invaluable in Colonial Marine service across known space. Their chief advantage to unit commanders is their ability to impart knowledge and experience outside of the training of most combat specialists. In combat arenas and environments where an ever-greater degree of specialized (usually scientific) information needs to be made available to a unit commander, a synthetic is the ideal vehicle for storing and relaying that information. In addition, they have the capacity to perform many non-combat tasks, freeing manpower that would otherwise be unavailable for actual combat.
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Despite their advantage in speed and strength over human and their imperviousness pain, synthetics are not especially tough. Indeed by comparison they are somewhat fragile. Though the graphite composite skeletal structure of an android is study, the electronics and fluid musculature are extremely vulnerable to hydrostatic shock and explosive effects from small arms fire. A direct fire to the central processor or fuel cell will result in immediate deactivation of a unit, though in most cases a partially destroyed android can continue to function, albeit handicapped. In hostile environments, synthetics require a similar breathable atmosphere, corrosive atmospheres will melt them, extreme pressure will squash them flat and hard vacuum will explode them. Even prolonged exposure to low atmospheric pressure can cause baratrauma and embolism in the unit due to the high proportion of fluid colloids used in the manufacture of its musculature and skin.
SYNTHETICS RULES Watch carefully as the synthetics continue in their development, their personalities increase in variety. The models become more orientated to specific duties. They also start to become independent. By TL3, they gain very pronounced personalities. Their specific dispositions depend on each model. Their statistics are an average for that type. One aspect is that identical models don’t necessarily need to look alike nor do they have the same skills or abilities. Synthetics all follow the same rules. 1: Unless picking a combat synth from TL4, Synths cannot by action, harm, or by not acting, allow to be harmed, a human being. They have mild emotional responses but no major emotional personality quirks. 2: Synths have no Stun and are unaffected by all weapons that cause stun. 3: Synths have no luck. 4: Synths have no humanity and are unaffected by what they see. 5: Synths have no psychic defense and are immune of psychic attacks unless it is telekinesis. 6: Synth’s Endurance is triple that of humans. 7: Synths pre-TL5 have no recovery. They cannot heal themselves until TL5. They must repair themselves directly. 8: Synths have no WILLpower and succeed at all will checks. 9: If the hits are reduced to zero, the Synth still works but at half abilities. Every five points after that reduces every characteristic by one. When INT is reduced the zero, the brain has been destroyed. Reducing the BODY to zero destroys the body but the brain can still be salvaged. Either way, at this point, the unit is out of commission. 10: Any major body part that takes ½ the total damage of the synth is lost (arms and legs only). If reduced to more than twice its Hits, the units is utterly destroyed 11: Killing Defense is generic for the Synth. Energy Killing Defense is the same number. Synthetic are broken up into two categories.
GENERAL PURPOSE: Mass produced synths are constructed in the thousands for use in every field of use. They change with each model released but have many similarities. Their Characteristics are given in ranges and only skills are listed with additional points the GM can spend to configure the robot. Only general purpose Synths can be characters. Synthetics below are labeled as general or special and there are special rules for each. For General, a basic model is offered with possible paths available. General Synths can be short, tall, fat, thin, but the common models are listed below. If designed for character use, the following rules must apply as well as the ones above: 1: The Player picks a template that MUST be a General Purpose, no Special Synths. The Player MUST follow the guidelines given to that synth. 2: Configure his or her characteristics as long as the total is the same given to the other characters. The models here are listed using 45 points for average (but it increases if the GM has awarded more points to PCs). Synths only have seven Characteristics. See above. 3: NO complications 4: Talents not already given only cost one point instead of three. 5: No perks or privileges. 6: Hits are the same. Because they have no stun, ignore this number. You cannot add half your stun to your Hits. 7: Lifepath. A Synthetic can be anywhere from 1-6 years of age. Past that is a rarity. Their immediate family are synthetics of the same model type. 8: No ceiling limits to skills. 9: No Constitution. 10: Standard Synths take the average Characteristic below. 11: Standard Synths take the skills listed in “( )”. Players take the bonuses then add their given OP to them (usually 30 but it increases if the GM has awarded more points to PCs) 12: Unless a combat Synth, no military skills can be chosen if it involves causing harm (Firearms, Heavy Weapons, etc.). All other skills are open. 13: Although Synths cannot harm human beings, they are fully able to choose evade skills. 14: Synths can develop as naturally as humans can as long as it stays within the parameters of their model.
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CORPORATE—BASE MODEL—SYNTHETIC TECH LEVEL: TL1 COST: $55 000 EXAMPLE MODEL NAMES: “Ash”, “Andy”, “Lizzy”, “Doyle”, “Sylvie” AVERAGE AGE: 30-40 CHARACTERISTIC RANGE: INT: 7-9 PRE: 1-3 TECH: 7-9 REF: 5-7 DEX: 5-7 STR: 6 – 8 MOVE: 2-4 BODY: 5-7 HITS (Average): 30 KILLING DEFENSE: 5 RECOVERY (TL5): 15 BASE SKILLS: Business: +1 (+3) Computer Programming: +1 (+3) Education : +4 (+6) Hacking: +2 (+4) Science: +3 (+5) Research: +2 (+4) Paramedic: +4 (+6) First Aid: +3 (+5) Engineer--Synthetic: +1 (+3) Xenobiology: +3 (+5) Electronics: +1 (+3) Expert—Corporation: +5 (+7) Bugging: 0 (+2) Concealment: 0 (+2) Perception: 0 (+2) ABILITIES: Ambidexterity Common Sense Eidetic Memory Lightening Calculator Time Sense Speed Reader BACKGROUND: These Synths are constructed by almost ever corporation so their exact stats vary like snowflakes. Corporations build all synths but these designs are used by the group’s own staff. These were the first designs ever made in this field. Initial designs were unstable and twitchy. At TL1, almost all older models have either been recalled or refitted with newer operating systems. All current models, like all Synthetics, are bound by their behavioral inhibitors. Rumors indicate that some corporations privately modify their in-store models to break these rules. It is known that this procedure is impossible but that is just the official statement. The only reports of rogue Synths have all been of corporate models. These designs also seem to have been hardwired with a loyalty directive from their home corporation to always think of the common good of the Corp before itself and even others.
MILITARY—BASE MODEL—SYNTHETIC TECH LEVEL: 1 COST: $65 000 EXAMPLE MODELS: “Bishop”, “Dawn”, “Crowe”, “Brook”, “Costas” AVERAGE AGE: 30-40 CHARACTERISTIC RANGE: INT: 6-8 PRE: 1-3 TECH: 7-9 REF: 5-7 DEX: 6-8 STR: 5-7 MOVE: 3-5 BODY: 5-7 HITS (Average): 30 KILLING DEFENSE: 8 RECOVERY (TL5): 15 Education : +4 (+6) Computer Programming: +3 (+5) Science: +3 (+5) Research: +1 (+3) Paramedic: +1 (+3) Pilot—Dropship: +2 (+2) First Aid: +4 (+6) Engineer--Synthetic: +1 (+3) Electronics: +2 (+4) Astrogation: +1 (+3) Driving—APC: +2 (+4) Driving—Buggy: +1 (+3) Navigation: +1 (+3) Engineer—Aerospace: 0 (+2) Engineer—Armor: +1 (+3) Pilot—Starship: 0 (+2) Engineer—Starship: +1 (+2) Pilot—Powerloader: +1 (+2) ABILITIES: Ambidexterity Common Sense Eidetic Memory Lightening Calculator Time Sense Speed Reader Double Jointed BACKGROUND: CMC Synthetics are known throughout the ICC as being the most reliable. These are constructed by a variety of corporations but then are sent on with blank memories to be programmed in. Marine Synths are used primarily by The Colonial Marines but these designs have been spotted as general staff on stations, support on mining colonies, and as support in corporate affairs, making these designs the second most common variant. In fact, the only real way to identify a Military Synth is by the crowd it hangs with. CMC totally prohibits the re-programming of any Synth. Any Synth breaking the coveted unbreakable rule of not harming a human is to be eliminated on sight by Marine Forces. In fact, Marine Synths aren’t even used for passive defensive purposes. They pilot transports but not often military assault vehicles. They are used mainly in support stance as general purpose synths with training in medical and engineering skills. Both the Marine and corporate models are renown for being very boring. People skills were not considered a priority.
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“SEX” AD-CAP (“ADVANCED CAPABILITY”) GENERAL SUPPORT SYNTHETIC TECH LEVEL: 3 COST: $100 000 EXAMPLE MODELS: “Judith” , “Claire”, “Shana”, “Morgan”, “Virgil” AVERAGE AGE: 19-25 INT: 4-6 PRE: 5-7 TECH: 6-8 REF: 4-6 DEX: 4-6 STR: 3-5 BODY: 4-6 MOVE: 2-4 HITS (Average): 25 KILLING DEFENSE: 5 RECOVERY (TL5): 10 Education : +3 (+4) Computer Programming: +1 (+2) Science: +2 (+3) Research: +1 (+2) First Aid: +2 (+4) Engineer--Synthetic: +1 (+3) Electronics: +1 (+3) Navigation: +1 (+3) Pilot—Powerloader: +1 (+1) Acrobatics: +1 (+3) Performance: +5 (+7) Conversation: +2 (+4) Seduction: +4 (+5) Wardrobe & Style: +6 (+7) Persuasion: +5 (+7) Mimicry: +2 (+4) Perception: +1 (+3) Hand-to-Hand—Evade: 0 (+2) High Society: 0 (+1) ABILITIES: Ambidexterity Eidetic Memory Beautiful (Level 3)* Double Jointed Night Vision *Bonuses to Persuasion, Performance, Wardrobe&Style have been added to “Skills.” BACKGROUND: As the personality matrixes of Synths became more advanced, outer-veil colonies, mining outposts, as well as deep space scout, escort, and towing vehicles requested robots with better socializing skills. However, as the requests rolled in from the rim colonies, the demands moved beyond just socializing into heavy interaction, and then, finally…sex. This synthetic is really called the Advanced Capability Synthetic, but often, then not, the designs have only been used from a perspective of Sex. Like many taboos in human history, no one refers to AdCaps in that way even though even the corporation privately admits it. The evidence is apparent. From a visual perspective already, the Synthetics are exceptional more attractive and with skills that allow them to utilize that. The models are also the youngest available on the market. Most models are between 19 – 25 years of age, (bordering on the illegal), but some have been heard to be constructed even younger but these are kept tightly under wraps for obvious reasons. Very few are made older although some models ACTUALLY designed to be used for hosting or negotiating purposes have been constructed up to 35 years of age. Sex Synths have one of the most advanced brains on the market, so their behavioral inhibitors are the most constricting. All Synthetics have sexual programming but synths designed for such purposes handle the situations better. Sex Synths are often programmed for a variety of purposes even when they are sent for sexual purposes. AdCaps are never used for hazardous duty since their cost is exceptionally high. They are often used in the sciences, medical, and support positions. All are extremely sociable and almost impossible to identify as a Synth unless they are wounded. They have programming to not intentionally hide their identifies. NOTE: Fans of Philip K. Dick warn that automatons made to resemble humans in almost every way including their feelings will eventually and ultimately rebel. Corporations have made the utmost effort to keep the behavior of AdCaps in check but unconfirmed reports do reveal some of these synths have vanished from time to time.
GENERAL ANDROID ENTERTAINER (“ROCKERS”) TECH LEVEL: 2 COST: $35 000 EXAMPLE MODELS: “Rod”, “Skank”, “Gutterboy, “Hardware” AVERAGE AGE: 20-30 INT: 2-4 PRE: 4-6 TECH: 4-6 REF: 6-8 DEX: 5-7 STR: 4-6 MOVE: 2-5 BODY: 2-4 HITS: 15 KILLING DEFENSE: 1 RECOVERY (TL5): 0 Education : +1 (+1) Computer Programming: +1 (+2) Research: +1 (+2) First Aid: +1 (+3) Engineer--Synthetic: +1 (+3) Electronics: +1 (+3) Acrobatics: +1 (+3) Performance: +5 (+7) Conversation: +1 (+3) Wardrobe&Style: +4 (+7) Persuasion: +3 (+6) Mimicry: +4 (+6) Perception: +1 (+3) Play Instrument: +5 (+8) ABILITIES: Ambidexterity Beautiful (Level 1) Double Jointed Perfect Pitch BACKGROUND: Entertainer models are not really precursors to the AdCaps even though their skills seem to indicate that. Rockers are used primarily for entertaining purposes and not for socializing. Even though they are programmed to be more sociable, they are often frozen when presented with surprising conditions (Remember “Mudds Women” on the Original Star Trek?). As their evolution continued, their designers started considering the synths themselves much as art as the music they played. Synsound makes most Rockers. They could recreate any human voice ever recorded and with Android technology, could do more. Elvis lived and so did Caruso, whose android duplicate sang every week at the New Met opera house. People attended but not as many at Presley Hall, where mutadroid rock groups thrashed until the fans got bored. Instead of retiring at 25, they were re-engineered to be more outrageous, shocking, and ever new. NOTE: Rockers are not recommended because of their decreased skill and limited use.
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MEDICAL / TECHNICIAN SYNTHETIC TECH LEVEL: 2 COST: $90 000 EXAMPLE MODELS: “Payne”, “Floyd”, “Orson”, “Paxton” AVERAGE AGE: 35-45 CHARACTERISTIC RANGE: INT: 8-10 PRE: 1 TECH: 8-10 REF: 5-7 DEX: 5-7 STR: 4-6 MOVE: 3-5 BODY: 5-7 HITS: 30 KILLING DEFENSE: 3 RECOVERY (TL5): 20 BASE SKILLS: STANDERD (Both Models) Education : +4 (+6) Engineer--Synthetic: +4 (+6) Electronics: +2 (+3) Computer Programming: +1 (+3) MEDICAL: Science: +3 (+5) Research: +3 (+5) Survival: +2 (+4) Paramedic: +5 (+7) First Aid: +5 (+7) Xenobiology: +1 (+6) Forensic Medicine: 0 (+3) Criminology: 0 (+3) Professional Doctor: 0 (+3) TECHNICIAN: Engineer—Armor: +4 (+6) Weaponsmith: +3 (+5) Engineer—Starship: +3 (+6) Engineer—Aerospace: +4 (+6) Mechanics: +3 (+6) Pilot—Powerloader: +2 (+5) Driving—APC: 0 (+3) Driving—Buggy: (+3) Pilot—Dropship: (+2) ABILITIES: Ambidexterity Eidetic Memory Lightening Calculator Time Sense Speed Reader Acute Touch BACKGROUND: From the opposite side of the AdCaps are the Medical and Tech Synths. They have almost zero social skills even though they still have a personality. It just concentrates primarily on its skills, whether medical or engineering. Techs primarily work with their tools and machines and often never even talk to anything made of flesh and blood. Med-Synths are profound for having very poor bedside manners but you were in good hands when you had them
CMC COMBAT SYNTHETIC TECH LEVEL: 4 COST: $75 000 EXAMPLE MODELS: “Bueller”, “Powell”, “Easley”, “Blake” AVERAGE AGE: 25-35 CHARACTERISTIC RANGE: INT: 3-5 PRE: 4-7 TECH: 3-5 REF: 6-8 DEX: 6-8 STR: 4-6 MOVE: 4-6 BODY: 4-6 HITS: 30 KILLING DEFENSE: 5 RECOVERY (TL5): 15 SKILLS: Autofire Weapons: +4 (+5) Driving--APC: +1 (+3) Heavy Weapons: +2 (+4) Demotion / Disposal: +2 (+4) Gunnery: +1 (+3) Pilot—Dropship: +2 (+4) Athletics: +2 (+4) Hand to Hand: +2 (+4) Hand to Hand Evade: +2 (+4) Firearms: +3 (+5) Ranged Evade: +2 (+4) Mechanics: +2 (+4) Survival: +1 (+3) Tracking: +1 (+2) Weaponsmith: +1 (+3) First Aid: +2 (+4) ABILITIES: Ambidexterity Common Sense Eidetic Memory Double Jointed Night Vision Light Sleeper Beautiful / Handsome (Optional at a 3 OP cost) BACKGROUND: Combat models are very unique and very controversial. They still are not programmed to directly hurt human beings even though they are allowed to passively subdue them. They are, however, totally ready to extinguish animal life but specifically, hostile alien life forms. The problem with them was that there were designed to completely intermingle with their squadrons. This resulted in many problems and a few initial designs becoming ostracized by their squads. There were interaction problems; humans just didn’t like them. As a result, the Corps loosened their behavioral skills a bit. They were allowed to have a larger palette of emotions. Some were even implanted with fake pasts, and were enlisted in the Corps so they would be accepted early. They are cost effective and expendable. The programmers were almost too clever . The androids developed sensitivities; there were questions about their emotional stability—and how they would react to the truth. Those who knew, played along with the deception. Players who play Combat Synths know who they are. A GM may, suddenly tell a PC he is a combat synth, if his / her skills fall into the categories above. That means all their past friends and family were implanted.
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SPECIAL PURPOSE: Special purpose synths cannot be made as characters because the designers only created them for one purpose. Game play would be quite boring when those requirements do not apply. These are Synths designed for specific jobs and when those jobs are done, the unit is useless until needed again. Their abilities are fixed.
XL1 “NORBERT” PROTOTYPE XENOMORPH SYNTH TECH LEVEL: 4 COST: nil / Prototype model CHARACTERISTICS: INT: 3 PRE: 1 TECH: 3 REF: 8 DEX: 8 STR: 11 MOVE: 10 BODY: 10 HITS: 50 KILLING DEFENSE: 11 RECOVERY: 0 SKILLS: Autofire Weapons: +3 Engineer—Synthetic: +3 Athletics: +3 Contortionists: +2 Infiltrate Hive: +3 Hand-to-Hand: +4 Hand-to-Hand Evade: +3 Ranged Evade: +2 Shadowing: +3 ABILITIES: Acute Smell Ambidexterity Blind Reaction +3 Combat Sense Direction Sense Double Jointed Night Vision * Beserker (Will activate Alien Behavioral Protocols if threatened, Synth Protocols Nutra Gel (see below) overridden. Will attack what threatened it until commanded to by access code) *: Although blind, the aliens enhanced senses give this ability. ARMAMENT: Range WA DC ROF NOTES Attack Tongue 1m +2 6 1 Armor Piercing (halves KD) Teeth 1m +1 4 1 Can also grapple Claws 1m +1 4 1 Can also grapple Tail 2m -3 n/a 1 Grapple Cold Plasma Laser 500 m 0 8 30 300 Shots, must be assembled, 3r to ready. (The XL1 does not have Acid for blood) BACKGROUND: The XL1 Norbet prototype was designed by Stan Mayakofsky to study the Alien in its own environment. BioNational funded the project but was the brain child of Mayakosky, who always was interested in the hive structure of many Earth insects. Norbet was a flawed prototype, unfortunately. Its primary problem was its difficult task of infiltrating hives. There was a strong chance the model would not be accepted into the Hive the XL1 infiltrated. The other flaw was its Alien Behavioral Protocols. They were placed in their own directory. When threatened or provoked, the XL1 would shut down its standard Synth protocols and would act like a xenomoprh until it heard the override command to revert back to its original programming. When these alien protocols are in place, the Synth will kill or harm anything threatening. Its Synth personality is a Class 1 basic with very little social skills. Its jaw and mouth is not capable of forming words so a special voice box was wired into its skull. The creature’s voice is mechanical and inhuman but the Synth doesn’t even need to open its mouth to talk. The Prototype is indistinguishable to a xenomoprh except it does not have the acidic blood pumping through its veins. All of the other weapons are the same including the sharp claws and attack tongue. The unit infiltrates the Hive by adapting its pheromone signature to the Hive it is adapting. This mechanism is very effective but Mayakosky hadn’t realized the Hive has a dominant psychic signature that a synth is incapable of generating. Sometimes, Hives can be forgiving. Along with its basic armament, Mayakosky installed strange energy devices over the Synths body. When removed from the body (a section under its arm, a section from the back, etc) and combined, it forms a very unique and crude Cold Plasma Laser only operable by the Alien Synth unit. When asked why the Synth would need a Cold Plasma Laser, Mayakosky simple answered, “I’d want one.” Norbert’s skin is actually DNA patterned exactly like a real Alien, being immune to the acidity of their blood. If wounded, the acid may infiltrate the innards. If wounded, every acid splash has a %30 percent chance of causing 4DC damage directly to the Synth (no armor)
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XL2 “JERI” MAYAKOVSKY MARK II XENOMORPH SYNTHETIC TECH LEVEL: 5 COST: $1 450 000 CHARACTERISTICS: INT: 5 PRE: 3 TECH: 5 REF: 8 DEX: 8 STR: 11 MOVE: 10 BODY: 10 HITS: 50 KILLING DEFENSE: 11 RECOVERY: 15 SKILLS: Autofire Weapons: +4 Engineer—Synthetic: +4 Athletics: +4 Contortionists: +3 Infiltrate Hive: +5 Hand-to-Hand: +4 Hand-to-Hand Evade: +3 Ranged Evade: +2 Shadowing: +3 Xenobiology: +3 Education : +4 Computer Programming: +3 Science: +3` Research: +1 (+3) Paramedic: +1 Pilot—Dropship: +2 First Aid: +4 Electronics: +2 Driving—APC: +2 Driving—Buggy: +1 Navigation: +1 Engineer—Aerospace: +2 Engineer—Armor: +2 Pilot—Starship: +2 Engineer—Starship: +2 Firearms: +3 ABILITIES: Acute Smell Acute Hearing Ambidexterity Blind Reaction +3 Combat Sense Direction Sense Double Jointed Common Sense Eidetic Memory Lightening Calculator Night Vision* Time Sense Nutra-Gel (see below) *: Although blind, the aliens enhanced senses give this ability. ARMAMENT: Range WA DC ROF NOTES Attack Tongue 1m +2 6 1 Armor Piercing (halves KD) Teeth 1m +1 4 1 Can also grapple Claws 1m +1 4 1 Can also grapple Tail 2m -3 n/a 1 Grapple (The XL2 does not have Acid for blood) BACKGROUND: “Jeri” is the common name given to the Production model of the Mayakosky prototype. Very few exist considering the extreme production cost of the model. Jeri looks identical to the Norbet model considering they are both Xenomorphic Synthetics. However, the similarities end there. Both can infiltrate Hives, but Jeri can simulate a psychic pulse that confuses Aliens into believing the Synth is part of their Hive. Jeri, However, was designed to monitor Hives already controlled by mankind. There are sanctioned Corporation hives that are usually monitored and controlled. Jeri is kept inside to monitor behavior and track irregularities. He is often paired off with a “Dean” Assault Synth in case control is lost and the hive must be eliminated. Jeri’s radical differences come from inside. The removal of the Cold Plasma laser gave additional room for the personality matrix. The Alien Behavioral protocols have been merged with its standard Synth protocols with a enhanced system capable of discerning situational awareness. The Synth, therefore, is ALWAYS bound by its Synthetic Behavioral Inhibitors and cannot harm a human being. These rules cannot be overridden and the Synth will break from its Alien behavior if a human is in danger unlike the Norbet Synth that would remain in Alien form unless ordered out of it. Jeri’s personality is very advanced, actually a slightly modified form of the ADCAP brain seen in General Support and Sex Synths. Jeri’s voice box was modified to be more pleasing than robotic even though it still does not need to open its mouth to talk. Jeri is also trained in standard CMC Support Synth Skills, making Jeri an amazing replacement to standard CMC Synths assigned to marine teams required to enter hostile bug-infested territories. Jeri has almost all the abilities from a Bishop, Dawn, or Crowe Synth. This can sometimes cause problems. Jeri is a amazing fighter but even though he has the programming of a field medic, is not often given the advantage to use them. His fingers, seemingly clumsy for detailed work, are extremely articulate. The additional thumb improves his abilities even more. Jeri can even handle weaponry. Even though Jeri is very personable, very few people can accept working alongside one. In the case of Norbert, which was locked and offline until needed, Jeri has a standard Synth lifespan, given the freedom to move freely with no shut down override. Jeri understands his position and is eager to please. Because of his advanced personality, Jeris’ have been known to have their feelings hurt if they are secluded from the group. Because of their appearance, it is commonplace. XL2s refer to the XL1 with distinction and think Mayakofsky as their Father. Jeri has only been given one name since they are way too expensive to be used in pairs. Jeri was designed and built by Grant Corp and is equipped with their Nutra-Gel compound, making him immune to the alien’s acid blood, even if wounded. SPECIAL NOTE: A GM may allow Jeri to be modified for Player use. Exercise EXTREME caution.
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“DEAN” TITANIUM ASSAULT SYNTHETIC TECH LEVEL: 5 COST: $1 350 000 CHARACTERISTICS: INT: 1 PRE: 1 TECH: 2 REF: 7 STR: 15 BODY: See Below MOVE: 5 RECOVERY: 0 SKILLS: Autofire Weapons: +6 Athletics: +2 Hand-to-Hand: +4 Ranged Evade: +2 Heavy Weapons: +5 Gunnery: +4 ABILITIES: Ambidexterity Blind Reaction +3 Combat Sense Direction Sense Time Sense Nutra-Gel (see below) LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE: ARMOR: MAIN BODY: 2K 1K ARMS (2): 1K (50 SDP) 0.5K (25 SDP) LEGS (2): 1K (50 SDP) 0.5K (25 SDP) ARMAMENT: WA RANGE DC ROF SHOTS NOTES Plasma Rifle 0 1000 8 30 1000 Plasma Cannon -2 2000 2k ½ 40 Grenade Launcher -1 50 9 1 30 3 m BR Flame-thrower 0 3-50 6/6** 3 120 **6 DC is automatically done next round if it hits the first round. BACKGROUND: Dean was a successor to the Beserker models once the aliens started appearing in larger numbers. Beserkers were powerful but unreliable. The Assault Synth was the solution. It is a 3 ton titanium skeleton with a Synthetic interior. Dean’s brain is extremely basic, being programmed only with standard Behavioral Inhibitors and command protocols of who to shoot and who not to. Dean is not allowed to fire on humans but models have been known to be reprogrammed. They are designed to combat aliens. Even though it has more than four inches of armor, it is still coated with Grant Corp’s NeutraGel along its outer skin. Dean is large but is light and small in comparison to the Berserker he replaces. He is not often used in the front line, but rather kept at sanctioned hives and as battlemovers for large multi-vessel combat squads. Dean is armed with a Plasma Rifle of obscene concussive force with thermite grenades and flame throwers as backups. Like the Norbet unit, Dean is often kept shut down until needed. He has no social skills. Dean is a rarity and not often seen. They were never produced in large numbers.
DEX: 7
Hand-to-Hand Evade: +4
Night Vision
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“LISTON” SECURITY MODEL SYNTHETIC TECH LEVEL: 5 COST: $950 000 AGE: 35 CHARACTERISTIC RANGE: INT: 3 PRE: 1 TECH: 7 REF: 7 DEX: 8 STR: 12 MOVE: 6 BODY: 15 HITS: 75 (1.5K) KILLING DEFENSE: 20 (0.5k) RECOVERY: 20 Pilot—Dropship: +2 Driving—APC: +4 Driving—Buggy: +3 Navigation: +3 Autofire Weapons: +4 Demolition / Disposal: +7 Weaponsmith: +3 Heavy Weapons: +5 Gunnery: +3 Smart Gunner: +3 Tactics: +3 Athletics: +3 Climbing: +2 Firearms: +5 Hand-to-Hand: +5 Hand-to-Hand Evade: +4 Melee Weapons: +4 Melee Evade: +3 Security Systems: +7 Zero-G-Maneuvering: +3 ABILITIES: Ambidexterity Eidetic Memory Lightening Calculator Time Sense Speed Reader Double Jointed Blind Reaction Combat Sense (+4) Direction Sense Night Vision Nutra-Gel (see below)
BACKGROUND: Liston was created as a possible replacement for the CMC General Support Synth in hostile environments. It would be able to operate and use firepower but also still look normal, unlike the very intimidating and huge Dean Assault Synth. Unlike Dean, which is built on a need-to-have-him basis, Liston is rolled of a modified assembly similar to all mass produced Synths, but he is still the single most expensive one rolled off. As a result, some corporations that operate him install a new protocol that prevents the Liston from being used foolishly or as a sacrifice measure that many Synths are delegated to. “Due to my substantial dollar value, I am not allowed to be used in potentially hostile operations unless certain specific thresholds have been reached.” Base Compound counteractive (Nutra-Gel) to Xenomorphic Acid are exuded from modified sweat glands making Liston a great alien fighter. He is strong and capable of using all Marine weaponry. He can also pilot all known military craft and disarm almost every type of explosive. The most extreme difference between Liston and other Synths is that his behavioral inhibitors can be overridden by the commanding officer to harm or kill anyone ordered. This design modification has been kept under tight wraps and as a result, Liston is only used on the rim or in extreme hostile situations. Liston is an obvious synth, being over ten feet tall. This was purposeful for intimidation purposes since his design protocols made him to be mostly used as a form of passive defense. Their personalities are very simple and usually only quote guidelines and directives. When not active, Liston, still operating, usually just stays close to the commanding officer, always with its arms crossed.
IF YOU GOT IT, USE IT: Synthetics, Robots, Artificial People, Androids—They go by many names in many genres. One exists in another FUZION game. So, if you wish to implement the Boomer rules from Bubblegum Crisis, you are more than welcome to even though you may have to modify the abilities slightly.
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THE ALIEN: STATISTICS --WARNING-- GMs EYES ONLY –WARNING-THE CREATION: The Xenomorphs were created by an ancient race (The Jockey Race) tens of thousands of years ago (Refer to their plug-in for their past). They were fighting among themselves in a brutal civil war. Their technology was organic in nature and was so powerful, the death toll ran into the millions. For decades, the war never saw twilight. It seemed to go on forever…until one side got an idea. It was an experiment to create a biomechanical weapon. It would adapt to its environment, be completely independent… and finally…it would be viscous. This creature would be a living machine with the most grotesque combination of science and nature. They created a species bent only of the art of killing. The experiment was placed on a distant world (“Alien-Proteus”). They designed the species with a hive structure to keep the infestation from running out of control. The “ant” methodology was promoted. The object: To keep the infestation under control by keeping the creatures close to their “queen.” The experiment was a success. The creatures we know as Xenomorphs were created. The standard infiltrator mission was as follows: An egg is deposited in a populace, it impregnates, and an alien bursts out of the host and soon find more host which it can convert into eggs which will also hunt down hosts to impregnate. The creature will kill anything threatening and convert the rest. Soon, the populace is destroyed and the aliens are left alone on the world or spacecraft where the infestation was released. It is assumed the Jockeys that created the Xenomorphs had a procedure to eliminate the new infection.
The Jockeys were ready to unleash their creation on their enemy. The Proteus planet was still under control. The experiment seemed safe. The mother species deposited many life forms to keep their hives intact. These life forms seemed to reproduce in large numbers. When needed, a transport would simply set down and pick up a queen, a drone, an army, or just a bunch of eggs as the mission profile specified. The weapon proved useful and the war ended quickly. But Pandora’s box was open. The Xenomorphs were designed to adapt to current situations but their basic morphology was not to change…it did. Before the Jockeys could stop their “children”, they had evolved. One small little change, something seemingly insignificant connected to the “ant” structure but not included in the alien design…Royal Jelly—the strange substance used to generate a queen. When the Jockeys discovered infested worlds where there shouldn’t be, they got worried. Given the capability to create their own queens, the infestation could not be bottled. It soon broke out of control. The Jockeys found their experiment turning against them. They tried to find a weapon to defeat their own creation but they were already demoralized from a past war. They sent one last ship to pick up “evolved” egg samples from the Proteus planet to study…it never came back. The Jockey race vanished. After thousands of years, without transportation, the Xenomorphs quickly overran the planets they were on, then promptly died out. They might be long lived, but after ten thousand years, even their lifespan ran out. The eggs fossilized, the bodies disintegrated and the last legacy of the alien species vanished. The ship from the proteus world crashed landed on a world far away from their Homeworld. Everything went quiet. The universe held its breath.
HUMAN CONTACT LV-426 was the world were the lone Jockey ship crashed landed, across the galaxy from their Homeworld. The Jockey onboard was killed when an alien egg he carried broke free and impregnated him. Without a pilot, his ship set down on the hostile world. The stasis fields in the cargo bay were damaged and all but one bay of eggs were unsealed. They all soon died from exposure. One bay remained sealed and waited--the last living legacy of a past experiment that failed. It was several millennia later when the Nostromo set down on the planet to investigate the signal the Jockey ship had sent to keep people away. 57 years later, a colony was placed on that world which was overrun by the species. The infestation
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was wiped out when the colony’s atmosphere processor went critical. The Jockey ship survived, covered in a lethal dose of radiation. It is unsure how the species got off the world but all bets point towards a human cause. It seemed the race finally died out when Ellen Ripley dove into a furnace on Fiorina 161. The GM is totally open on how the Alien starts its path. Refer to the story for details. A salvage ship could pick up another alien wreck with alien specimens on board. Someone might recover the Sulaco. Someone might even smuggle some life specimens from the radioactive cover of Acheron. Either way…they are out.
THE LIFE AND THE MACHINE The Aliens are alive. They have a genetic structure. They are born and can die. They have a blood stream; they have a social structure. They have teeth and can scream. The Aliens have a cellular structure partly carbon and partly silicon based. They have a very identifiable brain with sensory organs. They have also shown reasoning. The drones are surprisingly intelligent. They gestate in a living host and come out in pain. The aliens are alive. They are also a machine. They don’t require food, as we know it. They can eat but process it completely different, converting the materials directly into increasing its own size, or storing it for when it needs to create a hive. The aliens, for a better part of the word, are walking batteries, as they run on the acid blood in their veins. They also seem to have a programmed path. One cannot go rogue under the direction of its queen. They seem always under a fixed set of instructions given to them. They don’t have a digestive system as we know it nor do they even have eyes. They don’t grow as normal creatures do and they also don’t have a nervous system as we know it. In many ways, the Aliens are machines.
THE SPECIAL ABILITIES GROWTH: The aliens, upon bursting out, can devour ANYTHING to increase it own body mass. It doesn’t need a kill to grow. It can convert any refined material whether it be organic or not (metals or animals) and convert it into biomass it can use to grow. With that in mind, the alien can achieve full growth in under 10 hours. Using this scale, at each hour, use a percentage of an adult’s abilities for the newborn’s (5 hours—50%) abilities. This rule applies even if the alien is being adopted by the hive to another purpose. A Queen’s stats can also be used because an alien turning into a queen will also achieve it full growth in ten hours. The same also goes for the Royal Guard.
Times: --A queen, once born, will develop into full maturity in ten hours, with society’s help, can start creating its own eggs six hours after that. --A queen can give birth to an egg every 5 minutes. --A minimum of three drones can convert a regular egg into a queen or royal guard egg in six additional hours. --A rogue drone can convert a living host into a regular egg in 10 hours. --An alien can achieve maturity after bursting in ten hours. --The lifespan of an egg is 200 years. --The Drone’s lifespan is 25% of the average lifespan of the host. --The lifespan of a Royal Guard is 30 years. --The lifespan of a queen is 100 years. --Eggs, once born, can release a facehugger instantly.
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BODY: The skin of the Xenomorph is rigid and extremely resilient. It is immune to all atmospheric effect including zero-G. The alien does not use air as we know it. It needs air to produce sound of course, but is also uses air in its conversion process. It also is used to maintain temperature.
SENSES: The alien uses motion and pressure senses to locate prey. It can also use smell and hearing as well, but it has no form of visual senses. It cannot be blinded in any way. The alien is also immune to radiation, and all Gases. However, because its senses are based on pressure and feeling, the creature is sensitive to very loud booms, as sensitive as humans. However, the one thing the aliens will curdle to is heat. Like most animals, the Alien will retreat from fire .
ACIDIC BLOOD: The alien’s blood is the life of the creature. It is a highly corrosive form of molecular acid. Unlike most creature the blood is under a massive pressure. The creature does have what is known as a heart, however it does work a bit differently. In comparison, the Alien has the blood pressure and the heart beat of a hummingbird. FUZION rules have a hit location table on page 48 in the PDF rules. A hit in the knees or arms produces little splash of the acid. But a hit to the torso produces quite feedback of acidic blood. The splash range is as follows: Head: 1D6 - 1 meters Arms / Legs: 1D6 - 3 meters Torso: 1D6 + 1 meters Anybody caught in a 90-degree arc from the hit area must make a dodge of roll or avoid the searing effects. The acid causes DC7 at point blank range and it reduces by one ever 2 meters to the maximum rage of the splatter. The difficulty to dodge is 18 with –1 for every meter away from the alien. Unless the acid is cleared up the following round, it will continue to do damage. Every subsequent round, the target will take –1 DC damage from the initial DC until neutralized. Remember that ALL targets must check for spray. This includes vehicles, weapons, and walls. Finally, the acid blood causes so much damage, 50% of all damage taken removes armor (round down). To Kill structures, the continues effect of the acid means that ever 50 points of acidic damage removes 1 K. This allows even a drone to eat through the armor of an APC. Any vehicles or structures in the splatter path are hit automatically 1D6 times. Devices hits may still function (GMs discretion). In case you are wondering, aliens are immune to their own acid.
WEAPONS: All alien weapons are listed under their unique profiles.
DETECTION: Aliens are invisible to infrared and therm-optics. They can remain perfectly still and immune to motion sensors unless they decide to move. All normal detection systems are normal.
PSIONICS (OPTIONAL) The Aliens prime form of communication is direct mental contact. The Queen and the Guards control the Brood that way. At TL6, the Beekeepers use this as a way of subduing the aliens. If these abilities are readily explored, then the PCs should be able to develop defense and assault for their abilities. Aliens are very vulnerable to psychic attack. It is assumed that they were designed that way to answer the calls of their Jockey masters (which were heavy Psychics). However, this couldn’t stop the aliens from wiping them out. These skills use the Mental Powers plug-in: --All Aliens have a Telepathy skill with themselves of 10 --To non-Aliens, they have an effective skill of Zero but if the Host has a skill of even +1, the skill is transferred to the Alien (see hybridization below) --Aliens are extremely susceptible to mental attack. Even though they have a high stun. Mental attacks do x 3 damage. Any Mental attacks that cause STUN will cause the alien to hesitate for one round. The Xenomorph is simply not armed to handle it. This only occurs in the first attack of combat. --Aliens are immune to Mental Illusions and Mind Link. --Mind Control is possible but hard. --A Character can use his/her will to cause the Alien to hesitate like above without a mental attack skill. The Character needs to beat a DV of 18 to do it.
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OTHER ABILITIES: Aliens are immune to all other psychological problems as well as all known diseases. Electricity has only a half effect. Aliens can never be fatigued or stunned. Therefore, the following characteristics are not applicable: Humanity, Endurance, Luck. Stun Defense is given a very high number. All Characteristics not listed are assumed to be One.
CHARACTERISTICS INT: Intelligence plus any pluses for Int skills. They are all the same to it has been added, basically awareness. WILL: All aliens have a Willpower of 10. These are used only when utilizing the Alien Psychic abilities. REF: This is Reflex plus any pluses for Ref skills. They are al the same to it has been added. TECH: Aliens have no real tech ability. DEX: This is Dexterity plus any pluses for Dex skills. They are al the same to it has been added. CON: Aliens have an amazing constitution. STR: Strength. BODY: Really only used to determine the amount of damage an Alien can take. RUN: The maximum move of the alien. SWIM / LEAP: Self-explanatory. HITS: How many hits the Alien can take before dying. KD (or PD): The Alien’s armor ED (or EKD): The alien’s resistance to energy attacks. STUN: How much stun an alien can take. Generically very high. SD: Stun Defense. REC: How much the Alien recovers per day. WEAPONS: Weapons the alien has access to.
THE EGG
No matter what, even if converted to a Queen, the egg is only used to create and hold the facehugger life form. Any living organism that approaches within 3 meters will activate it. If it is ignited, the Facehugger will try to escape. HITS: 20 KD: 2 ED: 5 WEAPONS: Launch Facehugger—see below.
THE FACEHUGGER A facehugger is completely centered on one purpose: Just impregnate the closest person. It has a fast move and can leap amazing distances. Its only direction is its face-grabbing leap. If it misses, it will try again. It can use its tail as a grapple, which will increase its chances of a full head grapple by +2 next round. If it hits, the victim must make a STR check and beat the Facehugger every round to avoid the alien’s grasp. If that fails, the victim is considered out of commission. Two consecutive successes are required to pry the Facehugger completely.
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SPECIAL RULES FOR FACEHUGGERS: 1: If the alien is cut of instantly, the victim must take a CON check and beat a DV of 15 or take DC4 Stun immediately. Full acid splash damage must also be applied. Every minute afterward, the stun damage increases by 1DC. Also add 1DC of Killing Damage. It is always unwise to cut the facehugger off after the first few minutes. 2: The embryo will be implanted in one hour. The Facehugger can be safely removed without acid blood spilt if a surgical ward is present and a doctor is prepped. After a single DV of 22, a live facehugger is removed from the host. This difficulty drops by one for every TL. 3: After the first hour, the embryo is in. The same DV above is required to remove the Facehugger plus a simpler DV of 15 is required to remove the now dead embryo. 4: After six hours, the Facehugger falls off, the host is ready. If it can’t find another host in ten minutes, it will die. Placing it in stasis will prevent that from happening. The Host will awaken an hour later, fully recovered, no symptoms until the time is right.
CHARACTERISTICS: INT: 4 RUN: 18 HITS: 15 STUN: 21 WEAPONS: Tail
REF: 9 DEX: 9 SWIM / LEAP: 6 KD: 1 ED: 20 SD: 20 Range WA DC 1m +2 Grapple
CON: 10
STR: 10
BODY: 3
THE CHESTBURSTER: Get away, as soon as possible. Use whatever food is nearby and grow. The Chestburster is loyal to only two things: Its hive and its specific host. It bursts out of its host, which is usually hive in the Host room or Breeding chamber, and moves on to grow off surrounding food, usually sometimes part of the hive but usually food given to it from other adults. If on its own…it will flee and try to gain is strength as soon as possible. As above the Chestburster stats are really only applicable for the first hour. Then it becomes a newborn warrior. At this stage, the alien does not have access to any of its weapons…except its teeth.
SPECIAL RULES: 1: After six hours, the Chestburster newborn has grafted itself inside the host. After that, the alien can still be removed after an attempt to counter a DV of 26 is made (dropping by 1 for every TL). The chestburster will emerge six hours later. Every hour another check can be made. Every failure results in a DC4 injury. 2: When the alien emerges, it does DC12 damage to its host with no KD defense. 3: There have been reports of Facehugger’s implanting two or more Newborns in the Host body. If this is the case, there is a chance that one or both of the newborns may be killed. The Body is not designed to carry two. If there are two, the first has a 20% chance of dying and the second has a 30% chance. If there are three, then the chances of all of them increase by 10% (3 embryos: 1=30%, 2=40% 3=50%; 5 embryos: 1=50%, 2=60%, 3=70%, 4=80%, 5=90%). Every extra embryo requires one extra hour of maturation in the host for the entire group and one extra hour as chestbursters before they can mature as adult warriors. 4: Several situations can delay a chestbursters appearance. --A queen takes twice as long—20 hours total. --The Chestburster remains still while the subject in cryo. But it takes a lot longer to come out. Whatever time is left when the host comes out of cryo is multiplied by 10.
CHARACTERISTICS: INT: 4 RUN: 24 HITS: 25 STUN: 35 WEAPONS: Teeth
REF: 10 DEX: 11 SWIM / LEAP: 8 KD: 5 ED: 20 SD: 20 REC: 13 Range WA DC 1m +2 3
CON: 10
STR: 3
BODY: 5
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THE ADULT ALIEN (THE DRONE):
Adults have a different agenda depending on the situation. They must find new hosts for the queen above all. If a threat has encroached upon the hive, the alien will defend and kill. If no Hive is present, the Drone must create a brood of fellow drones by converting animals into eggs. If a brood is large enough , then they try to create a hive. Aliens only think for themselves when they are alone.
SPECIAL RULES: 1: Hybridization, see below. The stats below are for a standard human. 2: The Aliens can hide themselves in their own hive at +5 skill. A player must be actively searching for aliens to spot one. Aliens uses DEX, Players use Awareness. 3: Aliens never take things personally. Only if their Queen or Host is threatened does the alien react in a violent manner. When that happens, all of the aliens Characteristics increase by 1. 4: At least 3 drones, after forming a small hive, can convert a regular egg into a queen egg or royal guard egg in six additional hours by producing Royal Jelly. The Facehugger looks normal but creates the appropriate newborn. 5: A rogue drone can convert a living host into a regular egg in 10 hours. This involves enclosing the subject and slowly converting the host into an egg. Since one extra host is used up, the Queen route is always preferred. (Note: This process was shot for the first film but cut. I have included it as an extra bite the creatures have)
CHARACTERISTICS: INT: 6 WILL: 10 REF: 10 TECH: 3 CON: 10 STR: 10 BODY: 10 RUN: 24 HITS: 50 (1 K)* KD: 11 ED: 20 STUN: 70 SD: 20 REC: 20 *A 1 K weapon will kill a drone. WEAPONS: Attack Tongue Teeth Claws Acid Spit Tail
Range: 1m 1m 1m 12 m 2m
WA: +2 +1 +1 -2 -3
DC: 6 4 4 5 n/a
DEX: 11 SWIM / LEAP: 8
SPECIAL Armor Piercing (halves KD) Can also grapple Can also grapple Continues burn (see above) Grapple
ROYAL GUARD The Queen’s chosen few. Royal Guards are created much the same way as Queens except they are raised in the presence of a queen. This, somehow, prevents their growth into a new Queen. The Queen will almost always have 3 guards near her. For ever 20 Drones in the hive, add 1D drones. Their loyalty is to their queen. These and the queens are the only aliens without host loyalty. Like the Queen, the host organism is meaningless and hybridization rules do not apply. Royal Guards always come out the same
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way. They will always attack to kill. Host gathering is for drones. They protect the queen at all cost. If the queen is directly threatened, they will attack at +1 to all their abilities like drones. If the queen is hurt, they got into a frenzy at an additional +1. Royal Guards are never found more than 50 feet away from the queen and will not pursue opponents past that but can direct drones to do otherwise. All instruction to the Guard are given directly by the Queen. She can override ALL of the Guard instructions. If she wants a Royal Guard to go half way across the planet to pick up a flower, it will. Royal Guards are more intelligent than Drones. They are also stronger, faster, and larger. Guards can think independently even in presence of a hive or even a queen. They will sometimes control the drones when the queen is not present. If the queen is killed, the guards are responsible for creating a new one.
SPECIAL ABILITIES: 1: The Royal Guard can hide themselves in their own hive at +7 skill. A player must be actively searching for aliens to spot one. Aliens use DEX, Players use Awareness. 2: If their Queen is threatened, the Guard will react in a violent manner. When that happens, all of the aliens Characteristics increase by 1. If the Queen is hurt, add an additional +1
CHARACTERISTICS: INT: 8 WILL: 10 REF: 13 TECH: 6 DEX: 15 CON: 10 STR: 13 BODY: 15 RUN: 24 SWIM / LEAP: 8 HITS: 75 (1.5 K) KD: 15 (0.2 K) ED: 20 (0.5 K) STUN: 105 SD: 20 REC: 25 WEAPONS: Range: WA: DC: SPECIAL Attack Tongue 1m +2 7 (0.5 K) Armor Piercing (halves KD) Teeth 1m +1 5 Can also grapple Claws 1m +1 5 Can also grapple Acid Spit 12 m -2 6 Continues burn (see above) Tail 2m -3 n/a Grapple Tail Spear 2m -3 6 None
THE QUEEN: Queens do have personalities. They do get angry. Their loyalty is to their Hive. Any threat to any part of their hive is taken personality. The Queen is generically evil but its heart is with its children. The more helpless the child, the more angry it gets her. All her Characteristics can increase by one if this happens. Generically, the queen never moves and directs her guards and drones as per her will. Once removed from her egg sac, she is a monster in every sense of the word. They have four arms, an extra long attack tongue, and very long tail. Queens are usually only stationary, connected to her egg sack, producing an egg every five minutes. When her hive becomes too large, she may elect to spread her genes with a new brood to a new hive. After the newborn is born from its host, the queen would then send an army of her drones with the newborn to a new location to start a new hive. A queen never gives up her guards. They are betroved to only her. A queen, once detached from her egg sac, can actually carry up to six eggs on her back. This is necessary if the hive is threatened and the populace must relocate.
SPECIAL RULES: 1: Queen have two attacks every round because of their limbs.
CHARACTERISTICS: INT: 13 CON: 13 HITS: 150 (3 K) STUN: 210 WEAPONS: Attack Tongue Teeth Large Claws Small Claws Acid Spit Tail Tail Spear
WILL: 10 STR: 18 KD: 30 (0.5 K) SD: 26 Range: 2m 1m 3m 1m 12 m 2m 2m
REF: 14 BODY: 30 ED: 26 (0.5 K) REC: 33 WA: +2 +1 +1 0 -2 -3 -3
TECH: 8 RUN: 24
DC: 13 (1 K) 9 (0.5 K) 8 (0.4 K) 6 9 (0.5 K) n/a 10 (0.6 K)
DEX: 12 SWIM / LEAP: 8
SPECIAL Armor Piercing (halves KD) Can also grapple Can also grapple Can also grapple Continues burn (see above) Grapple None
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HYBRIDIZATION (Optional)
Alien Adults have one amazing capability: They seem to adopt the abilities of their host. A Royal Jelly event seems to override these inherited qualities. These inherited qualities are usually basic characteristics but as observations showed, these qualities continued into a deeper realm. The aliens seem to gather skills from their host as well. For those rules, a basic alien without host DNA is given. This is not an alien, just the stats of the alien without any host abilities, this creature is NOT possible.
CHARACTERISTICS: INT: 2 WILL: 10 REF: 6 CON: 6 STR: 4 BODY: 6 SWIM / LEAP: 4 RUN: SWIM x 3 HITS: BODY x 5 ** KD: BODY ** STUN: BODY x 7 SD: CON x 2 *: WILL is always 10. **: Ever 50 hits is 1 K WEAPONS: Attack Tongue Teeth Claws Acid Spit Tail
Range: 1m 1m 1m 12 m 2m
WA: +2 +1 +1 -2 -3
DC: 6 4 4 5 n/a
TECH: 0
DEX: 7
ED: CON x 2 REC: STR + CON
SPECIAL Armor Piercing (halves KD) Can also grapple Can also grapple Continues burn (see above) Grapple
HUMAN HOST RULES: If a fully rolled character (PC or NPC) is implanted, the following rules apply, allowing for some very interesting game play. 1—PRIMARY CHARACTERISTICS: For every Primary Characteristic, +1 for every point. An average human has characteristics of 4…making a regular alien. The only exception is PREsense, which is used below. (EG: A character with a STR of 8 adds 8 to the alien template making the drone have a STR of 12, higher than the regular adult. NOTE: If the Characters PRE is below 4, this hybridization stops. However, if PRE is above, more if the original host moves to its newborn. The Character will often have to make a “HOST PRESENSE” roll. When asked, roll a D10. Rolling the original Characters PRE - 4 number or less is a success (A PRE of 8 has a HOST PRESENSE of 4). For simplicity HOST PRESENSE is referred to as “HP”, after hybridization is done, this number proves very useful (see below)
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2—SKILLS: Every character’s skill is translated over. The skill in the adult = Original Skill Value - 5 + (PRE –5) (eg: A Character with a Hacking skill of 7 and a PRE of 7 will give its newborn a Hacking skill of 4 [7 – 5 + 2] ) All skills the alien inherits below 1 are gone. 2—COMPLICATIONS: Infrequent, Mild, Or Minor Complications are gone. A HP roll is required for all other complications with the following modifiers to the rolls: Frequently: 0 Strong Intensity: 0 Constantly: -1 Severe Intensity: -1 Extreme Intensity: -2 Major Importance: 0 Extreme Importance: -1 If successful, the complication is inherited. (A psychopathic alien….hmmm.) One level is reduced however. (eg: Constantly is reduced to Frequently, Extreme Intensity is reduced to Severe Intensity, etc.). Of course, role playing will have to be major and final word must be the GMs. It doesn’t make sense for Aliens to be “Honest” since they don’t talk. Social Complications are meaningless. However, some complications can be real interesting such as “Responsibilities” and “Personality Traits.” 3—TALENTS: Make an HP test for ever Talent to see if it is inherited. For every extra 3 OP the Character spent (above the initial 3) = -1 to the HP roll. Some, obviously, cannot be transferred (Beautiful would be a notable example). GM’s discretion. 4—THE SOUL: Whenever this adult Alien with any HP ability comes into contact with anything familiar to the old host, Make an HP roll with any modifiers the GM decides which is necessary (a loved one can give –3 bonus to the roll for example). This is called the Trigger Bonus. If successful, the Alien gets confused. At the very least, it hesitates. When that happens, roll 2D6 and add your HP + The Trigger Bonus given before. (like the +3 loved one). With exception of the last two entries, the Alien will always respond normally when not in contact with the Trigger. NOTE: This table is for the trigger being a loved one or a friend. If the Trigger is something displeasing, like an enemy (that damn corporation guy that sold you to the aliens), then -3 automatically to the roll. If the roll is above 7, ignore the description. The Alien will just attack the target violently in a rampage of hate. Add +2 to all abilities and the alien will not think of anything else. The Hive be damned. It will kill that trigger and even a 50% chance it will kill the alien that bursts from the host if that trigger gets impregnated. ROLL 3: 4-6: 7-9: 10-11: 12-13:
14-16:
17+
EFFECT The Alien continues as normal. No effect. Hesitation stops. The Alien hesitates for 2D6 Combat rounds, giving the other a chance to escape. It will then come around. The Alien is confused and hesitates for up to 2D6 minutes and might even be curious of the trigger….but after that, will come around back to its roots. The Alien will run away. It is experiencing emotions it was not designed to handle. It will run away from any group where the Trigger is present. But will react normally to everyone and everything else. The Alien’s loyalties are torn. It remembers the trigger but that is all. It will not allow the Trigger to come to harm. And will kill anything except another alien to keep it that way. All other Alien attributes apply. Another Alien can attempt to gain control of this alien by Rolling WILL + D10 (or 3D6 depending on what the GM decides). The DC depends on the alien type (Drone: DC=18, Royal Guard: DC=15, Queen: DC=13). This roll must be made ever minute or ever time the trigger appears again. The Alien has full recall. The Alien IS the host for all intensive purposes as long as the Trigger is present. Another Alien can attempt to gain control of this alien by Rolling WILL + D10 (or 3D6 depending on what the GM decides). The DC depends on the alien type (Drone: DC=20, Royal Guard: DC=18, Queen: DC=15). This roll must be made ever minute or ever time the Trigger appears again. The personality of the Alien when it is uncontrolled is very GM dependant. Usually, these aliens react exactly as the host would when the memory trigger is close by. The Host personality is in influence. When away from the trigger, the Alien must roll its HP+ The Trigger Bonus to keep control or become an alien again. The moment the trigger appears, it immediately goes back to the Hosts control (no roll necessary). (Optional) The soul or mind of the Host seems to have moved into the Alien. All memories are recalled. All skills and complications go to the host’s original value. Characteristics remain the Aliens. The alien is now a rogue even when in a hive. No aliens can gain control. When this happens, the Guards or the Queen usually orders its destruction. This alien will even respond to the original Host’s name. This alien will never be the same again.
FINAL NOTES: Any alien that becomes a threat to its own Hive is often ordered destroyed by order of the Royal Guards or the Queen. The Gm can simply create a base character however he/she likes and create any type of alien he/she wants. Enjoy the attack.
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ANIMAL HOST RULES:
Animals don’t have personalities to speak of (people will argue otherwise). Their PREsense is considered too low to have skills that can be passed down. The GM can make exceptions of course. The GM determines the final abilities. The great advantage of Animal hybrids are the unique characteristics for each animal. Of course, I cannot write down every animal here, these are just generic bonuses. The GM can use his imagination to do whatever he likes in the final design. THESE FOLLOWING STATS ARE BASIC ANIMALS AND CAN BE USED FOR GENERIC ROLE PLAYING… FELINE INT: 1 REF: 10 TECH: 0 DEX: 10 CON: 4 STR: 1 BODY: 2 SWIM / LEAP: 10 / 20 MODIFICATIONS: +8 Climbing Runs on all fours. +10 m Leap. +3 Awareness Exceptional hostile. Not very useful to the hive because it prefers killing hosts. CANINE INT: 1 REF: 8 TECH: 0 DEX: 9 CON: 5 STR: 2 BODY: 3 SWIM / LEAP: 12 / 16 MODIFICATIONS: +5 Climbing Runs on all fours +4 Leap +5 Awareness Exceptional hostile. Not very useful to the have because it prefers killing hosts. COW INT: 1 REF: 4 TECH: 0 DEX: 5 CON: 8 STR: 5 BODY: 5 SWIM / LEAP: 3 MODIFICATIONS: 25% larger. More docile. Automatic 1 round hesitation. LARGE REPTILE (Gator, Croc) INT: 1 REF: 3 TECH: 0 DEX: 3 CON: 6 STR: 8 BODY: 6 SWIM / LEAP: 2 MODIFICATIONS: +1 DC to all Damage except Acid. +5 ED and KD +1m to Tail.
BEAR INT: 2 REF: 3 TECH: 0 DEX: 4 CON: 8 STR: 10 BODY: 10 SWIM / LEAP: 12 / 6 MODIFICATIONS: +25% larger +1 DC to all attacks except acid. +6 Swim. SEAL INT: 3 REF: 5 TECH: 1 DEX: 6 CON: 4 STR: 3 BODY: 4 SWIM / LEAP: 24 / 8 MODIFICATIONS: +16 Swim More docile. Automatic 1 round hesitation. DEER/ELK INT: 1 REF: 4 TECH: 0 DEX: 5 CON: 4 STR: 4 BODY: 4 SWIM / LEAP: 4 / 8 MODIFICATIONS: +4 Leap Small, Black Antlers (WA= 0, DC= 5) HORSE INT: 2 REF: 4 TECH: 0 DEX: 5 CON: 6 STR: 5 BODY: 5 SWIM / LEAP: 5 MODIFICATIONS: Runs on all fours. Extra long arms and legs (+1 to all hits with claws) LARGE BIRD INT: 1 REF: 6 TECH: 0 DEX: 6 CON: 4 STR: 4 BODY: 4 SWIM / LEAP: 4 MODIFICATIONS: Small Leathery Wings. Can’t really fly but can glide at Move=30 for every twenty feet. Extended Wing-assisted leap. Extended Leap = 24
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LARGE AMPHIBIAN INT: 1 REF: 4 TECH: 0 DEX: 6 CON: 4 STR: 3 BODY: 3 SWIM / LEAP: 24 / 4 MODIFICATIONS: +20 Swim (webbed hands and feet) +5 m range with Acid Spit.
KANGAROO INT: 1 REF: 6 TECH: 0 DEX: 9 CON: 6 STR: 4 BODY: 4 SWIM / LEAP: 5 / 24 MODIFICATIONS: +19 Leap. Extra long legs.
OTHER ABILITIES THE ALIENS CAN INHERIT: --The Parachute-like flying membrane as seen in the flying Monkey (similar to the wings in the Bird Hybrid) --Sharp quills like the ones seen on Porcupines (WA=-3, DC=4, Armor Piercing) --Larger claws (extend damage as needed) --Extra long attack tongue (up to three extra meters) --Poison. A wounded character must make CON (DV=13-25) check to resist 1-14 DC damage (GM decides). --Camouflage. The Alien can change its colors to match its surrounding. The Alien has a +5 to hide (uses DEX). A character must make an awareness and beat the Aliens number to spot it. Ina Hive, this bonus increased to +10, making it virtually impossible. --Double REC. The Alien can even regenerate whole limbs back. --Up to +8 Awareness because of enhanced senses. --Like the Frilled Lizard, the Alien can have a ruff of skin it can deploy to purely scare people.
HIVE STRUCTURE We all know how the Aliens operate when they are rogue, but the Hive works differently. In addition to the rules for Hives already mentioned, there are some unique features of the Hive itself.
1—HIVE CONSTRUCTION: When not gathering hosts, moving eggs, or taking care of newborns, Drones spend their time increasing the size of the Hive. For each one Drone, the Hive can expand one meter into a new location in one day. Usually, only about 20 Drones are dedicated to this duty. Others venture out of the hive, in search for new hosts. Hives are created using the aliens own acidic acid, their saliva, and any compounds that they use. This includes empty eggs, dead drones, dead bodies, refined metals, organic materials but NEVER host bodies
2—POPULATION: As stated, for ever 20 drones, there are 1D6 Royal Guards. There are a minimum of two in a 20 member hive. The Hive can reach almost any size but three square kilometers is the recorded top. There are larger ones on the Proteus world. The average Drone population ceiling is around 150 – 200 with small ones as little as 6. Once this ceiling is reached, the Queen usually sends around 6-10 Drones with a Queen newborn to find a new hive.
3—BREEDING CHAMBER: The first room created in a Hive is the Breeding Chamber. This is where the Queen is located, hoisted above with her egg sac. The eggs are all stored here until being moved on to their hosts. The Royal guard never deviate more than 50 feet from this location. This room is generally the largest of all the rooms. No hosts are stored here and no one except The Royal Guards are allowed to remain after the room is created. Drones come and go but can’t stay. If the Hive is threatened, they all come running, as the Queen sends out a psychic scream that calls them.
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4—HOLY / HOST CHAMBER: Outside, surrounding the Breeding chamber , is a network of smaller rooms which are where all the hosts are stored. It is often for smaller hives to keep the Host chamber and the Breeding chamber in the same room. Larger hives immediately move their hosts to the new locations. The strange aspect of Aliens is that the Hosts are never destroyed. Even when the Hive expands, the Hosts are simply moved to the new locations. Drones that leave the Hive permanently don’t carry their hosts with them (a final goodbye). Hosts of dead aliens are buried under new bodies but all the hosts to living Aliens are on the surface. The Hosts are never used for building purposes, nor are they ever used as food. What gives?
SPECIAL RULE (Optional)—GENETIC LOYALTY: Aliens are never seen devouring their own host. Even if there is no other food available, the Aliens never turn to their Hosts. This is because the Aliens are very genetic dependant. They seem to have a very strong psychic power (see below), which can recognize genetic familiarity. That’s why they are loyal to their hive because they all share the common Xenomorphic alien code. But, above that, Aliens seem to have a genetic loyalty to their hosts…their specific hosts. To use a religious comparison, each Alien has its personal crucifix in a church. The Host Room can often be described as a grotesque Alien cathedral, which each host representing the crucified life form that gave its life to create a new one. “Occasionally, a soldier would rest from its labors long enough to gaze upon its own host, now graying and putrid in its station in the wall. The soldier face could betray no emotional what fond memories did it hold for the soft one who had been its womb? Once fair and warm and freely giving of is fluids, now tattered and cold and desiccated, melting into the bony resins of the cocoon. “For a moment, there was no directive in its action as it lifted its bony talon to the dried face, its ouch oddly loving. Blackened, glistening claws tenderly traced the features of this once vital and nurturing husk. The opposed thumbs traced the sightless brow, searching the empty sockets for answers. Then the call of the hive reasserted itself, and the soldier returned to her needs.” If the host is threatened, the Alien will go into a frenzy and do anything except endanger the Hive to kill who threatened its host. All of its abilities are at +1 when attacking. It is unclear what would happen of the Host survived the birth and encountered the live Alien.
4—HIDING: Aliens are totally camouflaged in their Hive. They can hide perfectly still an not set off any sensors. If the Hive is entered, then the Aliens will all hide and wait until the intruders get in close, then they are attacks. The aliens can form walls and columns in their concealment. They can attack almost instantly. They will have a +5 initiative and whether they win or loose will have a +3 to hit on their first target.
5—NAVIGATION: Large hives literally become a maze of mismatched corridors, pits, and crawlspaces. Not surprisingly enough, Aliens can easily find their way around. Unless someone has a direction sense or a map or if someone in the group knows how to navigate, getting lost in a hive can be easy.
6—RIVAL HIVES: Drones from other Hives are not welcome and might be destroyed if they trespass. Generically, they leave each other alone. If they end up competing for hosts, fighting may ensue, but invasion of rival hives don’t often take place. There is only one real exception (see below).
MUTATIONS Aliens have already mutated once and turned against their masters. Could it happen again? There are reports of such mutations:
VIRUS At CL3, a Spacecraft with a possible alien infection was brought into Anchorpoint Station. The infestation was wiped out before any specimens could be extracted. Apparently, a radical idea was allowed to flourish. The scientific team there had
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gathered the Alien DNA coding and tried to extract the most unique chain in the set: The Hybridization gene. This is the set of instruction that cause a genetic splicing of human and Alien DNA and making a new life form. However, something went wrong. The Chain turned into an airborne virus. This virus, once in the blood stream, started adapting each cell to a biomechanical pattern. After a set time had passed, and every cell had been adapted the chain would reform into an alien life form. A normal Human would be eviscerated and a full grown alien would emerge from the shell…every cell being used to create a new life form. This dangerous mutation spread. No eggs would be used. No Chestbursters. Instead the host would just be infected. This infection eventually became airborne, released by the queen and carried along. Drones would simply carry hosts within the infected areas. The Drones themselves carried the disease and a single bite or scratch would infect a new body. They apparently could cough up an airborne cloud like they could spit up the acid. This mutation could still hybridize but couldn’t create a hive. This dangerous virus stopped at Anchorpoint but a large chunk of the populace was wiped out. After the lifespan of the virus died out and the station was cleared, it was repopulated. The Rodina station n UPP was reported completely lost from the same virus brought by the same ship, which passed through their space before going to Anchorpoint. No other reports of this virus were reported. SPECIAL RULES: (The DV of all CON checks is 18) 1: Anyone wounded by one of these Aliens must make a CON roll or be infected. 2: Anyone who breathes in the virus (which is visible as greenish smoke in its intensity) must make a CON roll or be infected. 3: Normal gas masks will screen out the organism. 4: The virus is airborne as well as being transmitted through blood and touch. All should avoid direct contact with an alien or be forced to roll CON. 5: A blood sample taken any time after the first hour of infection will reveal the virus. 6: Killing the host anytime will destroy the alien virus inside. 7: Everybody unprotected within 1m of a bursting alien must avoid the expulsion of gases. During the virus’s bombardment of the host, the host is totally normal. No symptoms. 8: The Hosts do not release the virus until the Alien is emerged. 9: A heavy assault of anti-virus medicine applied in the first hour could ward off the infection. 10: The Host will die in 6-12 hours and a full grown alien will emerge, ready for the fight. The vision is of the alien bursting from the human skin, which is the only area not effected. It is assumed because of camouflage. 11: Aliens are the same except none of them have an acid spit. It is replaced by a virus cough with the same range. The effect, however, is viral infection. 12: The Aliens do not Hive so do not get the +5 Hiding bonus. They also do not have Host loyalty. Royal Jelly events operate differently. An infected human can be processed to be turned into a Queen. Queens can create Guards the same way. Queens do not come fully grown and must grow from an adult alien to an adult queen. 13: Aliens are more uncontrollable since they have no hive or host duties. They are much more aggressive this way. Spread the infection, which is their job. 14: No one ever found a cure for the infection. 15: There were reports of infected humans giving birth to multiple newborns and even Facehuggers. Queens were reported giving birth to eggs that only released the virus. All of these reports seem to be side effects from past genetic knowledge and seem not to be part of this new genus but rather a mutation of this breed that pops up once and a while like double jointed humans. HUH?!: This mutation was the basis of Williams Gibson’s Alien 3 script.
RED ARMY Another species of Xenomorph was discovered on a distant world. For all intensive purposes, they look the same, except instead of being black, they are red.. It is unclear how they were created. Some figure this is a natural rival species meant to keep the aliens in check on their Homeworld. Others think this is a genetic fluke that resulted after thousands of years of evolution. A popular theory is that the rival Jockeys created this species and it was this species that wiped out the side that created the black ones. Even still, the Blacks outnumber the Red 10 –1 across the cosmos when they are introduced at CL4. Their infestation is substantially less because the gestation period for Red are twice as long as Blacks. Red Aliens are also much more uncontrolled and much more aggressive. They seem to indulge in killing more than the expansion of the Hive. This flaw seems to point to the genetic fluke theory SPECIAL RULES: 1: Red Aliens have a +1 to all their characteristics because they are always so aggressive. But their Intelligence suffers. INT is –2 (not effected by the +1). If you get them really angry, their abilities increase another +1 2: Impregnation takes longer for reasons unclear. It is assumed this is the reason of the Red Alien’s aggressive nature but the connection is unclear. Impregnation take a full day after the Facehugger. Falls off. 3: Red Aliens and Blacks are volatile to each other and will attack each other in favor of any other threat. Whole armies fight it out on the Proteus planet.
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BRACKEN’S TERROR
At CL4, the Bracken’s World infestation is one of the strangest. It is unclear which species hosted this breed of alien, but they must have been dangerous. The Queen for this infestation is assumed to be living under the kelp beds. Royal Guards have never been encountered. The Drones are the size of small queens and have no legs. They are see-going creatures that are low in numbers, but are lethal the same. They are blue colored and lack the attack tongue. Their tails are identical to lobsters. Their carapace is similar to a Queen’s but these warrior lack all their other features. The Bracken Aliens are hideous monstrosities that attack and drag down victims and use them to host. It is assumed the underwater Hive there has Oxygen. CHARACTERISTICS: INT: 6 WILL: 10 CON: 10 STR: 18 HITS: 100 (2 K) KD: 20 (0.8 K) STUN: 140 SD: 26
REF: 10 BODY: 20 ED: 20 (0.3 K) REC: 28
TECH: 3 RUN: 10
DEX: 13 SWIM / LEAP: 24 / 10
WEAPONS:
Range:
WA:
DC:
NOTES
Teeth Large Claws Acid Spit
1m 3m 12 m
+1 +1 -2
9 (0.5 K) 8 (0.4 K) 9 (0.5 K)
Can also grapple Can also grapple Continues burn (see above)
NOTE: The GM can create any new breeds he wants. These rules are really just guides.
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STAGE TWO: THE SETTING THE KNOWN UNIVERSE Humanity has reached hundreds of worlds, and has established dozens of Colonies and Outposts. These worlds are scattered across dozens of light-years and cover a wide range of environments, and the human and nonHuman inhabitants are just as diverse. Some of the most notable worlds are discussed below. The GM should feel free to add to, amend, or alter the following as desired, and to create new worlds that suit his or her game. The Star Map shows the locations of the major systems inhabited by Humanity, and indicates the Jump Distances among them. There are hundreds of worlds in and beyond the ICC not listed. Those worlds are not named, usually listed with two or three letters followed by three or four numbers. Most worlds have this listing still, but no longer go by their system classification. GMs only need to make up new systems.
EARTH
Home to nearly 10 billion people, Earth is a world in chaos. The Nations have waned in power, but most of their citizens do not really understand the change. The Corporations are the new rulers, but they are concerned with themselves and their Colonies; the administration of Earth's billions means little to them. In the gap between the power of the Nations and the will of the Corporations, society is falling apart. Large areas of Earth have become lawless, as some Nations have lost the ability to control their own citizens. Ethnic, religious, and social minorities have seceded from many of the weaker Nations, and have established their own small states.
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Wealth and social status on Earth range from the most desperate poverty and oppression in history to unprecedented levels of riches and power. Those who rule the Corporations have every possible trapping of wealth, including mansions, resorts, travel, obedient servants, private armies and more. They even have vast numbers of people to feel superior to; the masses of Earth. Beyond the Corporate preserves and the houses of the rich, there are many millions of people who live uneasy middle-class lives in a world with few certainties. And next to their simple communities, surrounding the places where they work, are the dispossessed; billions of people who work at menial jobs or survive on government subsidies, or who prey on others. The range of social environments on Earth makes it an ideal place for role-playing adventures. Players can move quickly from contacts with rich corporate personnel into the harsh streets, where poverty, squalor, roving gangs, and sudden violence are common. The possible duties for Colonial Marines (or jobs for Mercenaries and other Character groups) are endless. There are areas in civil chaos, where it might be vital to restore order or to evacuate special personnel or equipment, while other areas operate under complete fascism and the Characters would face entirely different challenges. Many ethnic groups and fringe religions have established their own small nations, sometimes with Corporate backing, and the safety of people and facilities in those areas could easily be imperiled. There are even areas where there is no law; where local wars have erased all government and the Nation or nations who own the land have given up on the attempt to administrate. Up to CL4, it is relatively unchanged. At CL4 the xenomorphic influence is noticed in the religion and drug cultures (See in the appropriate chapter). At CL5, Earth is turned into a warzone, as sporadic Hives start popping up around the globe in jungles, deserts, and urban centers. Religious zealots try to keep the hives blossoming by offering subjects for the new birth. At CL 5.5, Earth is wasteland. Orona’s bombs will soon take out a large chunk of North America in an effort to destroy the species. Most of the upper class has evacuated to orbit. Most of the planet is no man’s land with the rest under marshal law. At CL6, all but a dozen or so hives have been eliminated. Most of North America is a rad zone. Only a few million people survive sane. The rest have either been mutilated through war or radiation or have gone crazy from the environment or lack of Royal Jelly.
MAJOR WORLDS The Major Worlds hold the future of Humanity. These are planets that are very much like Earth, with breathable atmospheres, decent climate, and great potential for life. There are five Major Worlds at present (Alexandria, Hilo, Micor, New Eden, and Tartarus, Barabazon), and the Corporations that own them are rapidly developing all. Populations range from 2 million to 50 million, but all five worlds have high-tech manufacturing, heavy industry, and are nearly self-sufficient.
COLONIES Colonies are established on worlds which are fairly livable, or which have been adapted to human use. A Colony has two important attributes; a Spacecraft Service Base and manufacturing capability. The exact level of technology available varies with each Colony, but all have at least some ability to manufacture their own goods. The population ranges from 30,000 on Starview to 25 million on Aerodyne, and the worlds are self-sufficient in the most vital commodities; food, water, and atmosphere. The most advanced Colonies, like Aerodyne, even have full high-tech manufacturing and heavy industry. Colonies are the simplest of Humanity's settlements, and they are placed on worlds that are not desirable for human habitation. While some have Service Bases, none have more than rudimentary manufacturing ability. Terraforming Stations are placed on worlds that have potential but involves decades of expensive work before the world is truly habitable. Mining Worlds are much easier to create, but lack the long-term value of a world that can be made habitable. "Mining" in this sense includes the collection or harvesting of unusual life forms as well as the gathering of minerals and other inorganic substances. 80% of the larger colonies had been eliminated by CL6.
GARRISON SYSTEMS These are systems which do not include inhabited planets, but which have been fortified for defensive purposes. The fortifications consist of deep space sensor arrays, to detect the arrival of ships in the system, and a number of System Defense Frigates and other spacecraft. In some Garrison Systems, there are also top-secret military and scientific facilities. Weapons tests, unusual research, and high-security prisons are placed here.
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JUMP SYSTEMS Between the systems listed on the Star Map are numerous Jump Systems. These are the stepping stones, which link the worlds of Humanity, so that even a Spacecraft with a Jump Drive value of 1 can reach any destination.
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SECTORS Each of the worlds of the ICC is described in general terms in the Sections that follow. They are organized into several different Sectors, which are the areas developed by the major exploration Corporations. Each Sector includes notes about how it was developed, and the worlds are listed in order from Earth outward. The GM should flesh out the descriptions of the worlds as necessary, depending on what areas the players are curious about. As always, information can be used or discarded by the GM as desired. Refer to ALIEN: FUZION -- STAGE ONE for rules on space travel and times. Ships must travel through these routes and should not risk traveling through space that has not been surveyed. The GM may add as many systems as necessary.
PLANETS AND SECTORS CSC SECTOR: On the Star Map, this Sector extends up and to the left from Earth. The primary explorers here were the employees of a corporate coalition called Central Space Consortium, or CSC. The jewel of this Sector is Alexandria, an earthlike world that lies at the end of the Sector. Alexandria was one of several worlds that seceded from the ICC several years ago, and this Sector has been in turmoil ever since. Alexandrian forces still hold several systems, but they are slowly being worn down by economic warfare. At the same time, CSC has been severely strained by the necessity to develop new worlds to replace those, which have been (temporarily) lost to the rebels. Saint John The first Terraforming project of CSC was established here. The site is largely empty, and most of the valuable components have been moved to Starview. The toxic atmosphere and sulfur bogs have defied Terraforming, and after decades of work the project was abandoned in favor of the more pleasant Starview. There is still one Atmosphere Processor in operation here, which is being shut down for salvage, and there are also numerous research stations scattered around the world, occupied by scientists and technicians. The purposes of these sites are varied, but most have to do with the origins of life and how it adapts. Biosynthesis and bioengineering specialists from many different Corporations have come to this world to experiment, and have leased the stations. The exact natures of the sites are classified, but it is rumored that a large portion of the funding for CSC's work on Summit, Stoner 1, and Paragon came from leasing the stations on Saint John. Volcus: One of a group of Colonies developed by CSC after the secession of Alexandria. The Colony resides in a domed community on the major moon in orbit around the planet of Volcus itself, and neither the moon nor the planet is terraformed. Volcus is a world ruled by volcanic forces, with vast magma flows covering much of its surface. It is the tremendous geothermal energy available on the planet, which encouraged the development of the system . CSC has developed (and is still improving) a system which uses the almost unlimited thermal energy of Volcus for power. Automated power stations float on the magma and draw energy from the heat surrounding them. This energy is then broadcast to a space station in orbit around the planet, and from there to the Colony on the moon. There are currently 200,000 people on the moon, but the Colony can expand rapidly because of the availability of power. A self-contained ecosystem has been created, with air, water and heat being recycled. CSC hopes to turn this moon into a thriving Colony, as an example of how a hostile system can be overcome. Riesling This is the site of exploratory mining and drilling operations. The world's composition indicates that it has potential as a source of several rare elements, and science crews are still evaluating it. At present, only remote exploration sites are set up, with teams from CSC and a number of freelance groups licensed to conduct the research. Starview This is the latest find of CSC, and it already has a sizable population . This world is better in many ways than Alexandria, and once Terraforming is complete it will become the primary world for CSC. This Terraforming effort will take another half century to complete, however, despite the best efforts of CSC's scientists, because the Corporation is overextended. Various factions within CSC have taken hold on each of the other three most important colonies (Stoner 1, Paragon, and Volcus), and CSC does not have the funds to fully develop Starview. Starview is a large world, with gravity very close to Earth's. Its surface is desolate and cold, as the atmosphere is nearly opaque due to a vast cloud of small particles. This cloud is suspended in the upper atmosphere, 4
and leaves the world in eternal twilight. Once the cloud has been removed, the world will warm up and should be very comfortable for normal habitation. Today, a Colony of 30,000 exists on the world. The atmosphere is breathable with the use of a filter mask, and work is proceeding to create Atmosphere Processors. At CL5, it becomes a major warzone. Celeste This off-world resort funded and manufactured by a variety of corporations became operational at CL3. Weyland Yutani terraformed the planet, Grant Corp manufactured the resort, and Hyperdyne supplied the personnel, 100% synthetics. Hyperdyne supplied Celeste’s current models and re-circulated the populace with Ad-Cap “Sex” synths when massproduced. The project’s maintenance was handled by Ivy Derringer’s corporation, Skank, which soon, purchased controlling stock of Celeste soon after. It’s the former terraformed asteroid Nyn678. It’s the nearest one to Earth untouched by mining platforms and slagged. Celeste restores the diminished, stimulates the jaded, and gratifies the insatiable. It’s the ultimate environment or persons of financial merit who want to experience unprecedented bliss. Food was unworthy of the name until Celeste cuisine came along. Unfortunately, upon CL5, a single xenomorph from Barabazon infected with a class 10 virus broke out among the populace. The visiting population not killed by the alien soon found themselves under quarantine. Without any salvation in sight, and considering the visiting populace numbered less than 300 at the time, Grant Corps, Weyland-Yutani, and Hyperdyne mutually considered the risks to great and Celeste and was wipes out by orbital bombardment. Considering one of the casualties was Ms. Derringer herself, Skank went under quickly after. Dust Ball This is a small moon that possesses a few mining communities. These operations are centered on the crater left by the impact of an ancient meteor. Unique and valuable minerals were created by the combination of the meteor's and the moon's materials, subjected to the tremendous heat and pressures generated by the impact. Dome operations are scattered around Dust Ball. Some are involved in traditional mining, while others simply sift through tons of sand and pulverized quartz on the surface, in search of the trace minerals. These minerals are used in the creation and quality control of micro-circuitry. Keystone Keystone was a major basecamp for exploration in the early days of CSC. In spite of this the planet was not terraformed, as there are many unstable asteroids in the system and it is just a matter of time before one of them hits Keystone; there are signs of many devastating strikes in past ages. As exploration proceeded, the population and importance of Keystone dwindled. It is now mostly abandoned, with a current population of 20,000, down from a peak of 500,000. There were a few mining operations at one point, but there was nothing so valuable here that it was worth shipping to other systems. Antioch, a mid-size Corporation with ambition, is studying the possibility of buying the rights to the system and making Keystone safe for habitation. This would involve a major operation to clear the most dangerous debris from the system, and to track the movements of the many asteroids. If successful, however, Antioch would be able to quickly rebuild the existing facilities and could transform Keystone into a wealthy Colony. At CL6, Keystone is one of the few colonies untouched. Stoner 1 This planet has recently been terraformed by CSC as a means of recovering from the secession of Alexandria. While most of the planet's atmosphere is still toxic, there is a vast natural cavern within Stoner Mountain that now has its own atmosphere and biosphere. This cavern is over 10,000 square miles in size, and is protected by the immense rock dome of the mountain and a network of airlocks. Excavation is now going on within 5
the Mountain, to expand the available living space while Terraforming continues above ground. At present, much of CSC's light manufacturing and engineering is done at Stoner 1. There are ample resources on this world, and once it is fully terraformed the above ground mines and other operations will make it a major industrial base. Crysalis This Colony, based on a large moon, is the site of a standard mining operation. It is a domed complex, without a major Service Base, and the mines recover heavy metals and a rare mineral used in power conversion units. Security forces from CSC protect the operation. When Xenomorphs overrun the station at CL5, few reinforcements arrives—the CSC more worried about Starview. When the CMC arrived finally, there was nothing left. Paragon This is a fairly recent Colony, and was established by CSC in an attempt to rebuild after Alexandria's rebellion. Paragon has recently completed its program of Terraforming, and the atmosphere is fully breathable. The climate remains harsh, cold, with high winds, and unpredictable weather. The communities of this world have been built underground for protection from these conditions. Another major consideration in the construction of Paragon's cities was security. CSC is not willing to accept another rebellion, and every effort has been made to ensure that management remains firmly in control. The communities are being expanded only slowly, and are kept as selfsufficient as possible. The middle and lower classes here live in a tightly controlled environment, with the most sophisticated police state in the ICC watching their every move. CSC is satisfied with the way the system is working on Paragon, and they are transporting much of their high-tech and high security operations here. This will become the new Corporate Headquarters for CSC, and will also be the site of manufacturing for all critical components. At CL 5.5, Paragon has a strict hold on a few Alien hives they cannot see to eliminate. It wasn’t until CL6 that the CMC arrived to remove them. Goliath This world is the site of a sizable Terraforming operation, and is also being mined for Iridium and Helium 3. Before the secession of Alexandria, it was being developed normally by CSC; since the secession, CSC has used Goliath as a staging point for its attempts to recapture and blockade the rogue colony. It becomes a major military strongpoint at CL5
Goliath now has a major ICC Military Service Base, as well as a ground base which supports a large contingent of Colonial Marines. From these bases, the Colonial Marines and CSC forces patrol three Jumps in each direction, watching for Alexandrian craft and for smugglers and other blockade runners. These patrols fight with Alexandrian forces, which try to drive ICC vessels away when every major smuggling run is being made. These actions are usually short, with the inferior side making a brief show of resistance before withdrawing . The atmosphere on Goliath is still too thin to breathe without assistance, but there is enough oxygen for simple re-breathers to operate. The population has grown to nearly 1 million people in the years since the Alexandria's rebellion. About 10,000 of these are Colonial Marines, and there are also a large number of CSC troops. The majority of the population is made up of people working at industries to support the military units. As a result, by the time of CL5, Goliath was too fortified to be destroyed. Losses were high, however, as frequent transports carried more infestations. By CL 5.5, the entire colony sealed itself off. 6
The Crestus Garrison Systems These systems are named Crestus Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta, in order of their distance from Ventix and Alexandria. The only settlements here are military Service Bases orbiting the major planet of each system. There are no ground colonies or installations, other than tracking and communication facilities. Crestus Prime Crestus Prime is a Garrison World with a Service Base and a fleet of large cargo transports, used for transporting disabled Frigates from the four Crestus Garrison Worlds nearby. The location of Crestus Prime is known only to top level military personnel of Alexandria, and is only placed in the Navigation Computers of ships assigned specifically to the system. The world itself holds only the Service Base and its supporting community with a total population of 30,000, all of them members of the military. Crestus Prime has become the hub of the Alexandria space defense system. From here, the space fleet can reach any of the four Garrison Worlds that protect the approach to Ventix. This constantly threatens any ICC forces trying to clear the Crestus Garrison Worlds, and provides support for Ventix if the ICC ever gets that far. It is unlikely that it will ever come to that, since the ICC has decided to use a blockade to defeat Alexandria. The presence of Crestus Prime was a major factor in that decision. Adullam Home of the Adullam Research Facility, This planet was the source of many rumors about strange experiments involving biological experimentation by Grant Corp. At CL4, this experimentation seemed to have moved into the xenomorph field. Adullam was a groundbreaking laboratory, which many scientific boycott groups openly called having “the proper approach to scientifically studying the Aliens. Some outposts studied them for military purposes; some studied them in the hopes of eliminating them. However, Adullam concentrated on the morphology of the creature. Adullam broke the discovery that the Aliens were engineered living batteries, and not the result of natural evolution. The objective of the lab was simple: They approached the aliens as being an alien race’s version of a synthetic, albeit the ultimate violent form of it. If they could learn the technology, it would open the doors to future generations of synthetics (See the Alien Resurrection Plug-In). It was theorized that Synths can be engineered with an actual DNA pattern and thus allow themselves to regenerate wounds. This succeeded in TL5 in a rudimentary form. However, Adullam still had one last breakthrough left. They attempted to combine the Alien and Human technologies further and attempted to “grow” a synthetic from scratch (Refer to the Medical section for details). However, a hostile Corp (unidentified) destroyed the station and most of the technology was lost. The station wouldn’t be repopulated until later. Ventix Ventix is a Colony near Alexandria and is controlled by the people of that world. It is a dense and prosperous community, built underground in vast, airtight chambers. Terraforming of Ventix was put on hold by the eruption of the rebellion on Alexandria, and the years of conflict have transformed the city into a military hardsite. Considerable heavy equipment was here to support Terraforming, most of it having been moved from Alexandria when the major work on that world was completed. This equipment was used to expand the basecamp into a full Colony designed specifically for use by the Alexandria military forces. It now protects the only route to Alexandria, and is the final line of Alexandria's defenses. There are five major Military Bases on Ventix. Each of them has full space repair facilities, and receives parts and other support from Alexandria. A network of tunnels connects them, with high-speed monorails carrying people and cargo. Each Base has a population of about 50,000 people, and they are all self-sufficient The atmosphere of Ventix is too thin to breathe without a Life Support system, but there is enough oxygen to keep a Life Support system operating indefinitely; Life Support systems have pumps which can be used to compress the atmosphere in an enclosed space, and make it breathable. The climate is cold and dry, with no vegetation. Only personnel with military clearance have access to Ventix. Alexandria This is the only holdout from the Colonial rebellions. It is isolated from the rest of ICC space by the military colony it controls on Ventix, and by the five Crestus Garrison Worlds. To date, the ICC has not committed enough forces to conquer Alexandria and its Garrison Worlds. Colonial Marine forces on and around the Goliath system quarantine the area, and a policy of sanctions and blockade is being used to bring Alexandria back under ICC control.
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Smuggling to and from Alexandria is a thriving industry on the Garrison Worlds of Crestus Prime and Goliath. Stopping the flows of goods, people, and military equipment occupies a sizable contingent of Colonial Marine and Corporate forces. Alexandria itself is a highly developed world that is nearly self-sufficient. Originally owned by CSC, it now has a population of 30 million people, which is rapidly growing, and its industries are on a par with the industrialized nations of the 20th century. There are also a number of high-tech facilities producing items for the fledgling space industry on the planet. The space industry is owned by the planet's central government, a democratic republic, and is nearing self-sufficiency. Only certain critical components for Displacement and Jump Drives must be smuggled in from the ICC. Environmentally, Alexandria is nearly an ideal world. It has been terraformed, and the atmosphere is breathable and even pleasant. The climate is generally hot and dry, and there are few large bodies of water, so the major settlements are closer to the poles than to the equator. Water for drinking and agriculture is transported from the polar regions; it is comparatively expensive, but there are no shortages and the population is well supplied. The communities on Alexandria are scattered across the northern temperate region. Industries are built at the edges of or outside of the residential areas, and are hardened against possible warfare. Civil defense has been a major concern in the cities as well, and bomb shelters and long-term food stores are common. There is a mandatory four-year military/public service term for all citizens from the ages of 18 to 22. Most fulfill this requirement by working in technical and trade institutions, on community support pro-grams, and in the large Terraforming and community expansion projects. A select few serve in the military itself, and there is great pride in being chosen to protect Alexandria's independence. Most of the people in the military have made it their career, and there is a high level of respect for them. Because of their isolation, the Xenomorphic presence was extremely light and any suspicion of infestation was put down with brutal force. At CL6, when the ICC was in ruins, Alexandria would become a cultural and political center-point and regain most of the control of the C.S.C worlds. It would become the new Earth for generations.
BORODINO SECTOR Unlike the other Sectors, this chain of worlds has not been developed by any single Corporate entity. A Corporation called Borodino, which went bankrupt generations ago, began it. Since that time, dozens of Corporations have tried their luck in this area, and many fortunes have been made exploring the Borodino Sector. Many more have been lost, however, because while it is the only unclaimed frontier in the ICC where mid-sized Corporations can try to expand, it is also a treacherous and difficult place. The two strangest worlds in the ICC lie in the Borodino Sector; Pandora, with its illegal technologies and bizarre life forms, and LV-426, also called Acheron, where Humanity first encountered the Aliens. By CL 6, most of these worlds were wipes out from Alien infestation. Nimbus This is a very large world, a gas giant, which has a research space station in orbit around it. Hyperdyne is using it for studies of high pressure and high-energy conditions. Probes enter Nimbus' atmosphere and are subjected to incredible heat and pressure as they decelerate. They then emerge from the atmosphere and are recovered by craft from the research station. The exact nature of the work being done here, and the results found to date, are highly confidential and are well guarded by Hyperdyne. It wasn’t enough and by CL6, Nimbus was a dead system. Aerodyne This world was originally called Chalmer 3, but was renamed when Aerodyne Corporation established its headquarters here. It has been terraformed, and is now a cold planet with a thin, breathable atmosphere and vast open steppes, swept by constant winds. There is little open water, but the population of 25 million is self-sufficient and the people lead a fairly comfortable life. The communities are built behind large windbreaks. A wide range of light and heavy industries are present, and Aerodyne produces its own spacecraft in cooperation with WeylandYutani. Aerodyne was destroyed and most of the populace evacuated. At CL6, it was re-terraformed. Recently, Aerodyne and Weyland-Yutani opened the Arcturus Loop, a direct trade link that does not run through Earth. This has enraged Earth-bound Corporations and Nations, which have lost significant influence over trade and commerce as a result of the "11 new trade route. Although the ICC has set up Customs stations, Aerodyne, Weyland-Yutani, and Hyperdyne hold direct control of the Loop, and have not allowed Colonial Marine forces to patrol the area. Customs procedures are being subverted along this new route, and it is believed that corruption at high levels in the ICC and in the three major Corporations has encouraged smuggling activities. Drugs and controlled technologies from Pandora are introduced into the ICC through this route as well.
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Anchorpoint One of the largest spaceports built by man, The city sized, totally self-sufficient spherical starport is large enough to contain whole starships in sealed, pressurized environments. The base is staffed by more than 80 000 people with another 100 000 populate the station at any one time. These numbers haven’t changed even though the UPP Sector is close by but the presence of military personnel has increased since then. The mall inside is a cross between a Hyatt atrium and an airport-shopping concourse: shops, vegetation, fast food outlets, a bar. Civilians and Military work together to keep the military base / civilian colony / scientific lab together. At CL4, Aliens infested the Colony. Most of the populace escaped but the entire base was overrun. Hundreds of Aliens were discovered onboard when a Nemesis team arrived later. It was brutal but by CL6, Anchorpoint has inhabited again. Emerson: Emerson has no known colonies and its mining prospects are extremely minor. The ICC has determined that it will just be classed as a jump system even though the main world in the system does have a breathable atmosphere. No ships have reported even stopping by the barren world. There were plans in the far future to eventually colonize the planet and perhaps turn it into a greenhouse for food purposes unfortunately after the UPP separation, those plans were placed on perpetual hold. Unknown to all, a small colony from a crashed missionary vessel lives on the surface, separated from human contact for over 100 years. At CL6, they initiated contact. The very low industrialized city (barely mid 19th century) was a haven for people trying to escape the madness. Charon: A massive, water covered planet with a single large island on the Equator. Some have compared it to a massive cosmic eyeball that stares into one’s soul. Either way, forest and simple animal life cover the major and only continent. A probe at CL5 discovered the entire continent infested. At CL6, it was nuked. Gimeno: The Gimeno Industrial Settlement is a tiny Earth-like world that is so volcanically active, that it was deemed too unsafe to general colonization. Therefore, it was transformed into a mining outpost. The main factory is built on a volcano planetside. They milk valuable materials right out of the Magma. Hard work, but lucrative. Even though the colony is on the edge of known space, months out, many mining personnel look forward to working there because of its warm weather, ocean breeze, and even pretty birds. At CL5, it was infested and destroyed. Chitin The surface of this planet is covered with heavy flows of basalt, so it appears to have an armored shell. Beneath this shell, which earned the planet its name, there are a number of soft areas that were excavated to form human communities. There are three of these subterranean vaults, with a total population of 600,000, and they are largely self-sufficient. Chitin has the only significant light manufacturing Capability on the long run from Aerodyne to Pandora, and the economy here is expanding rapidly. The Service Base in orbit around the planet is large, efficient, and well stocked with spare parts, and support industries beneath the world's surface are beginning to produce Spacecraft components as well. This world is dominated by Aerodyne, which is moving much of its older light industry here as it upgrades its home world. Personnel who are unhappy with conditions on Aerodyne are commonly transferred here, where they find a more relaxed atmosphere, greater freedom, and a relative absence of bureaucracy. But at CL 5.5, they wish they hadn’t. By the time the CMC arrives, Aliens had infected 45% of the populace. The rest were either in hiding or fighting for their lives. Chitin was evacuated, but attempts to eliminate the infestation from orbital bombardments proved unsuccessful. By CL6, the CMC, parked permanently in orbit, still try to eliminate the aliens. Pioneer: A small colony delegated with the duty of handling most of the ICC’s nuclear waste. The Alphatech Sungun orbits the small world. It rockets barrels of nuclear waste into the massive yellow star. Most of the personnel on the station have families planetside. Alphatech makes a tidy profit by handling most other corporation’s waste. It is destroyed by Alien infestation at CL4. The Sungun was never repaired. Frontier: The orbiting colony outpost is a major dry-dock for spacecraft maintenance. The world it orbits is a massive terrestrial world covered in a black atmosphere. The atmosphere is so thick and dark than it stretches from the Stratosphere all the way to the surface. Even with high-powered lights, most cannot see more than 100 meters in
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front of them. The average range of visibility is barely 50 feet. If someone crashed on the planet, they are not expected to be rescued. Grant Corps manufactures its Razzia vessel from this location. The 20 000 personnel on the station operate the massive dry-docks that can accommodate every type of vessel, even some from rival corporate groups when a grant is given to build them. Acheron A harsh, bitter world in the midst of Terraforming. There are many deposits of heavy metals here, which offer the hope of future prosperity, and when Terraforming is complete it could be a fairly pleasant world. The most interesting aspect of this world is obviously the strange ship that contains the Alien Eggs. At CL 2, with the atmosphere processor destroyed, Acheron became hostile again.
Thedus This is a small, struggling Colony that survives off the traffic from the core of the ICC out to the frontier world of Pandora. It is a domed Colony, as the atmosphere of Thedus is thin and has little oxygen. The world is not self-sufficient; it has a full space Service Base, but all other items are in short supply. There are three communities on Thedus, each of which is built around a reactor that also provides power for an Atmosphere Processor. The expansion of the Colony is limited by the shortage of power, and the population subsists on ship service and maintenance, and providing for the crews of vessels that are being worked on. The crime rate on Thedus is very high, and many unwary travelers never leave the planet. By CL5, with the decrease in traffic, Thedus struggles. A CL 5.5, without support, it cannot defend itself from the infestation. Grandhi This is a Service Base, with a small station set up to service ships making the long haul to and from Pandora. It is a full service port, with the repair abilities of a Colony for anything relating to Spacecraft. Other than that, there is only a small community of 15,000 that tends to the needs of crews passing through the system. Grandhi is a moon in orbit around a dry and completely barren planet called Sahara, which is more than four times the size of Earth. Grandhi itself has no atmosphere, but supplies of water and oxygen are available through mining and mineral processing. Water, food, and air are all extremely precious on Grandhi, and little is wasted in this domed community. Pandora This Colony is at the edge of ICC space, and as such operates with little regard for law or accepted behavior. The world has an unpleasant but breathable atmosphere, and gravity near Earth's. Most of the surface is covered with water, and the small land areas are overcrowded with a population of 4 million. Work is in progress to artificially increase the land area by building out into the oceans. The biosphere of Pandora is a diverse one, and there are still countless life forms that have never been studied. If this planet were closer to the rest of civilization, it would be covered with research teams from all of the major Corporations. As it is, only unusual people come this far out; the ones who are obsessed with their work, others who are avoiding legal and personal problems, and people who are very adventurous, curious, or unstable. The location and the people combine to create a dangerous and exotic world. Several Corporations are conducting exploration into the stars beyond Pandora, but where they are going and what they have found remain 10
mysterious. Experiments that would be halted on a more civilized world are conducted in shadowy laboratories here, including forbidden studies of genetics, biomechanics, and cybernetics. There are rumors of startling breakthroughs in all of these fields. Strange drugs are also synthesized from the native lifeforms by researchers, some of whom are true geniuses and others who are simply renegades or madmen. The most popular and useful drugs are exported or smuggled back to the rest of the ICC, but the local inhabitants have access to countless other substances. All manner of claims are made about these drugs; some are powerful stimulants or depressants, others have reputed medical value, still others might be painkillers or hallucinogens. Many of the drugs are addictive; most are dangerous; all are unregulated, and therefore unpredictable. The alleys of Pandora are filled with people who have had their health or their minds broken by these experimental drugs. When the aliens arrived via a major cargo transport at CL5, the colony was unprepared. No amount of military could control the infestation. By CL6, a fleet of CMC cruisers entered orbit and vaporized the atmosphere. Arcturus Loop This is a new interstellar link between Aerodyne and Weyland-Yutani, and is being used to bypass Earth and ICC Customs. There is a great deal of illegal traffic in this area, but the efforts of honest ICC Customs officials to clean it up have been unsuccessful. Part of the trouble lies in the relative weakness of the Colonial Marine Corps in the Loop, but much of the blame lies with corruption at high levels of the ICC and the major Corporations involved.
Arcturus This is the only well-developed system on the Loop. It is habitable, although cold and harsh, and has a functioning biosphere of its own. The native lifeforms include a generally humanoid creature which lives in large, complex warrens underground. These creatures usually live in communities of a few dozen, although large warrens of hundreds and even thousands are sometimes found. They are not intelligent, although they use very primitive tools, such as sticks, and work together to gather food and to defend their warrens. The population on Arcturus is approximately 25,000, but it is expanding quickly as traffic increases on the Loop and the world is adapted for human use. The leadership on the world is turning a blind eye to smuggling and other questionable activities, and has restricted Colonial Marine presence to battles with native warrens which are considered dangerous to the Colony, or which are obstacles to further expansion. However, when the alien infestation arrived at CL 5, Arcturus became one of the most heated battlezones of the war as the aliens infected the colony and native population. 11
Eyesore An old mining site which has been abandoned. The world is habitable by about 400 people, but is ugly, infertile, and generally unpleasant. Only a small community remains on Eyesore, which handles rudimentary repairs and limited services for crews which pass through. There is every chance that Eyesore will grow rapidly in the coming years, due to the traffic on the Loop.
U.P.P. SECTOR The Union of Progressive People secured a variety of worlds on the edge of known space and this has been a galactic hotspot since. The Russian / Vietnamese Consortium originally colonized the rim world, Barabazon, but after securing Rodina, an armored strongpoint between them rest of the ICC, the UPP succeeded. The UPP, since then, appropriated several more colonies and fortified their position all the way up to Anchorpoint, which was then turned into a border station. Like Alexandria, the UPP has been cut off and no diplomatic relations exists. In fact, the relations between the UPP and ICC are extremely volatile. Any non-UPP craft that enters their space is considered a major violation without passing through the Rodina border station and are searched. Any military craft traversing through without authorization can be considered an act of war. Unlike Alexandria, which secured itself as a more peaceful independent colony, the UPP became obsessed with securing more space and its aggressive tendencies has warranted many corporations to refuse trade. Consumer trade, however, keeps Barabazon and the UPP alive. Also, unlike Alexandria, the UPP is not a democratic society but rather a fascist dictatorship bent on technological advancement. This commitment result is a major military force and large budgets put aside for military projects including biological warfare. Their attempts to harness the Alien organism proved fatal and resulted in the destruction of the Rodina station at CL 4 and the elimination of the rest of the UPP soon after. By CL 5.5, the CMC regained control. By CL 6, the UPP was no more. Rodina The major UPP Military strongpoint between their space and the ICC (primarily Anchorpoint) grew in size over the years. The massive, doughnut-shaped station is only slightly smaller than Anchorpoint but with most of its space and budget but toward Research and Defense. Rodina houses over 200 000 troops and another 40 000 technicians and scientists. It contains one of the largest Biolabs (only slightly smaller than Anchorpoints civilians spacelab. However, by CL 4, 80% of the station’s resources was transferred to Xenomorphic research. It wasn’t long before they lost control. Infestation soon followed. Rodina was nuked and never rebuilt. Its absence was felt in CL 6 when CMC forces rode right through to Barabazon. Oryza A small farming colony recently equipped with automatic defensive weaponry because of the colony’s strategic positioning in the UPP Sector. It didn’t offer resistance when the UPP fell. They were attacked by aliens, rumored to be staged by the UPP Rodina station but the infestation was eliminated. Casper / Sinat The Planet and Station run by Dr. Casper Nordling of Grant Corp was originally a mining station by the UPP with the boring title Sinat 778. When they were overrun by aliens, instead of the alien by killed, the aliens were eliminated but the queen and structure survived and a laboratory was installed in and around the hive. The hive was sealed off and donor clones were installed so the aliens could propagate. This lab was allowed to operate with an all-synthetic crew for extended period because of its objective to create a virus lethal to aliens but not to humans. However, at CL5.5, the station was destroyed by its native alien populace. An investigation later proved that Norlding was illegally selling eggs to rival corporations. Barabazon A center-point for all UPP activity, a major key world, and the one place that most people avoid. Barabazon has often gone by the tagline, “Commit any seven sins free!”. West Barabazon is the political and military hub, where the Union of Progressive People plan out its daily activities. Only the upper crust live in the West. If you live in the East, you are just the crust. East Bar is a virtually lawless gorge of drinking and debauchery. It is also a large trading location, binding competition with the nearby Anchorpoint station for the consumers’ business. The UPP is more than proud of their massive capital and their popular venues of entertainment. East Bar has a massive Television industry (mostly Trash). Rich tourists explore the wonders of West Bar, never knowing how 95% of the population (over 45 million) lives. Even after the war, Barabazon flourished, although most of the populace went mad after the government fell. Riots and crime flooded the streets. Hundreds of Thousands were killed. Both East and West Bar burned.
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West was complexly destroyed. Sporadic Alien hives appeared. It wasn’t until CL6, did matters calm again. It would still be sometime before it returned to close to its former glory. Proteus The Alien Homeworld, undiscovered until CL 4. The Jockey Race terraformed this world to be a complete storehouse of the species. The Atmosphere is covered by a highly corrosive shell filled with radioactive particles spewed from modified volcanoes in strategic areas. The surface is somewhat breathable, with a larger amount of Nitrogen than Earth. But the Ozone layer is filled with these particles, which seem to neutralize nuclear weapons, disrupt condensed energy, and cause havoc to virtually all flight systems. As a result, no spacecraft can enter the atmosphere without suffering inoperable damage. No weapons have been found to inflict enough damage to the surface to reduce the billions of aliens on planet. It is assumed the Jockey ships were capable of traversing this barrier. The Snakefighters and Nemesis class ships as well as the Razzia dropship are also protected from these harmful effects but there are too rare to be of any use. It would take the entire CMC fleet, days to wipe out the globe. At the end of CL6, they did exactly that.
HYPERDYNE SECTOR This Sector was originally developed by two major Corporations working together; Hyperdyne and Weyland-Yutani. At about the time the ICC was formed, Hyperdyne sabotaged certain critical operations at Weyland-Yutani, and attempted to take full control of the Sector for itself. This was a lucrative path for many years; Hyperdyne even discovered the Earthlike world of Hilo, and now commands tremendous wealth. WeylandYutani recovered from Hyperdyne's treachery, however, and now holds a critical position in the Sector. There has been no open warfare between the two Corporations in many years, but there is a certain tension in their dealings with each other. This Sector extends down and to the right from Earth on the Star Map. Weyland-Yutani Weyland-Yutani was one of the preeminent Corporations of the early days of space exploration, and still produces some of the finest high-technology equipment in the ICC. It was once a partner of Hyperdyne, but Hyperdyne betrayed Weyland-Yutani's interests and sabotaged several of its exploration craft. Weyland-Yutani was badly disrupted by this, and lost its opportunity to lead the discovery of new worlds. After losing for several decades, Weyland-Yutani gathered its resources to take control of the world of Relitor, which it renamed after itself. This put Weyland-Yutani directly on Hyperdyne's route to Earth and the rest of the ICC, and allowed it to take some measure of revenge in the form of legal harassment and increased tariffs and taxes. To combat these obstacles, Hyperdyne was forced to develop new routes for its commerce. The routes include the Hilo - New Eden link, and the long, desolate trip from New Chicago to Honeycomb. Today, Weyland-Yutani and Hyperdyne are still somewhat hostile to each other, but there has been no traceable violence for many years. They even cooperate on control of the Arcturus Loop. At present, the world of Weyland-Yutani has a full range of industry and space manufacturing facilities, and the cooperative ventures between Aerodyne and Weyland-Yutani are the largest manufacturers of commercial spacecraft in the ICC. They also produce the ships for the Colonial Marine Corps, and use this as leverage in their control of the Arcturus Loop. Weyland-Yutani’s long standing position on the Alien infestation (research, capture, and control) was always a controversial one. They resulted in direct fighting between them and the CMC at CL 5.5. When the Corporate uprisings occurred at the end of CL 6, Weyland Yutani vanished, along with most of the other corporations. Noble Ore A titanium mining site with five domed communities. There is only a small Service Base here, and no industry at all. It was never touched during the war. New Chicago This old mining and survey planet was abandoned after research showed it would not be profitable for long-term mining or Terraforming. It has become a major Service Base for Hyperdyne forces, and many spacecraft in that Corporation's fleet call New Chicago their homeport. These forces protect the New Chicago - Honeycomb route, and attempt to control traffic from Weyland-Yutani to Hilo. The civilian population here is 30,000, and the economy is heavily dependent on the Hyperdyne fleet. Laws governing the sale and possession of weapons are largely ignored, and just about any kind of military hardware is available here, for the right price.
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Atlas Atlas is a large asteroid with no atmosphere. Temperatures are very low, and the radiation level is dangerously high for unprotected people. The Colony is a small one, composed of three domed and shielded communities with a total population of 12,000. The communities are all on a single plateau, and are connected by a monorail system. Dozens of small survey and mining craft operate out of Atlas, working in the system's asteroid fields. These ships are specially shielded against radiation, and the crews work among the asteroids for 90 days before returning to Atlas for detoxification. The reason for all this dangerous and difficult work is the presence of complex radiationstable hydrocarbons, which are used for medical research and genetic engineering. Atlas was infested at CL5 but it was cleared via a Beserker team. It was then repopulated. Cryosphere A research station has been established on this planet, which is in a very distant orbit around the system's sun. It is a small station, with only eight people, and most craft simply pass through the system without going anywhere near Cryosphere. While valuable work is being done regarding the formation of solar systems and planets, the eight scientists at the station are extremely eager to talk with anyone who comes to the planet. They kept very close watch on most ships approaching them. They avoided infestation. Stratus Stratus was used as a Garrison System by Hyperdyne before the ICC was created, and there are the remains of a large ground military base and a deep space tracking station to here. Today there is only a way station and a small, poor salvage operation recovering equipment left over from earlier conflicts. Hilo This was the second ideal world found, and it is under the control of Hyperdyne. Hilo had an ideal climate and ample water when found, but lacked indigenous life. This made it very easy to tailor the world, introducing the proper mix of lifeforms from Earth and other Worlds to create the perfect environment. Hilo is a thriving World, with a full space industry, complete self-sufficiency, and a population of 6 million. There is a great deal of wealth here, and it is protected by the most powerful single Corporate military force in the ICC. There was a rebellion here at the beginning of the Colonial Wars, but it was quickly crushed by Hyperdyne's military. The population was quietly purged in the years after the rebellion, and new personnel were brought in. Radical elements which were not found guilty of capital crimes were sent to Shinon, where they are monitored by Hyperdyne forces in what is essentially a penal colony. On Hilo, there is no trace of dissent. The people are brought up to believe that the ends justify the means, and the rewards for those who succeed at Hyperdyne are immense; wealth, power, and even access to illegal technologies. Hyperdyne is the leading producer of Synthetics, and the design studios and most of the factories for this industry are on Hilo . Much of Hyperdyne's wealth comes from its development of biotechnology and Synthetics; other industries have been established primarily to guarantee Hyperdyne's independence. The economic and political power of Hyperdyne is immense, and its influence in the Colonial Marine Corps is growing rapidly. The greatest causality during the war at CL 5.5 was the fall of Hilo. It was never destroyed but the same events that transpired on Earth quickly repeated themselves on Hilo soon after. Religious groups rose up, Hives popped up. Unlike Earth, which was abandoned then surgically nuked, Hilo had no such emergency measures. The ground war there was brutal and long. By the end of CL5.5, many hives were still out of control. Marduk Little is known of this system, except that there is a large space station in orbit around the primary planet and that there are no ground installations. Rumor indicates that Hyperdyne does experimental work on Synthetics here, and that illegal programming packages are sometimes sent from Marduk into the ICC. There is an extremely high level of security here, and even the location of the system is known to few. The station was reported destroyed at CL5.5 Byal This is another of Hyperdyne's special labs. It is a space station, where work is done on biotechnology integration and modification. Its location is known at the top levels of the ICC, but it is not common knowledge and there is no commercial traffic to Byal. As a result, no one was aware of its Alien experimentation, and resultant infection. A Beserker team attempted to clear it out, but Byal was eventually nuked.
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Transept This barren world is the base camp for Hyperdyne's space exploration fleet. Hyperdyne is trying to open a direct route to Pandora, as that is the location of the only other major go research being done in the field of biotechnology. If Hyperdyne is successful and can keep its route a secret, it will be able to subtly control the work done on Pandora and capitalize on any breakthroughs which are made, without ICC opposition. Rumford Rumford’s desert environment intimidates most colonists interested in a new home but most that live there swear by the surprisingly cool weather. Rumford’s large expanse of flat terran is more similar to tundras than sandy dunes. The light cool wind washes over the hundreds of miles of totally flat expanse, offering plenty of room of colonization. Rumford became one of the largest livestock storehouses ever constructed. The three million inhabitants, all of which live on the equator are all herders. Rumford has virtually no mineral deposits and few species of plants have taken hold. The jewel on Rumford is high up in the North Pole. Merely 500 kilometers from the ice flows lie a group of featureless pyramids. Each one towers more than twice the size of the great pyramid of Giza. The six pyramids are all without line of sight with each other. Because of the small value of Rumford and its position, on the edge of the rim, make the desire for archeological surveys slim. Several small teams have investigated the area but none have returned. The native colonists don’t venture north, the pyramids being part of a very old omen of death. Rumford is one of many planets with Egg Silos deposited by the Jockey Race. Eventually, an archeological team was killed but one impregnated, managed to escape to the colony. The resultant mayhem eventually led to the colony’s destruction by CL5. At CL6, the barren world was considered for repopulation. The Egg Silos remain. Cyclone A research and manufacturing lab set up by Hyperdyne in an underground installation. It develops weapon technology and security systems, and contains only a few hundred personnel. The location of this think tank is not common knowledge, and the best military and scientific minds of Hyperdyne do their work here. It was destroyed by Alien infestation at CL 5.5. A Beserker team cleared out the station and repopulated it by CL6. Shinon This Colony is the dumping site for people removed from Hilo during the Colonial rebellions. These are people who were considered to be security risks, but who could not be convicted of serious crimes. All sorts have been sent here; petty criminals, relatives of rebels, freethinkers and rabble-rousers, intellectuals, and those who were simply not patriotic enough. The population is 480,000. Shinon is almost self-sufficient, with critical supplies being provided by Hyperdyne in exchange for good production from the light industry of the Colony. The citizens are theoretically free, although there is no way for them to leave the system and they are under tight supervision by Hyperdyne law enforcement personnel. Regardless of Hyperdyne's claims, Shinon is essentially a modern penal colony. It was untouched during the war. Bunda Survey A swamp world operated by Weyland Yutani. The world is covered by vegetable and animal life. Primarily a corporate controlled military outpost. The large colony on its surface basically is comprised of towers spiraling above the canopy of trees. It was destroyed by both Xenomorphs and the rumored alien predators.
NEW EDEN SECTOR This Sector was the first to yield an Earthlike world, the planet of New Eden itself. Exploration was handled by a coalition which renamed itself New Eden/JV after the world which made it rich. This Sector is comparatively stable, compared to the strife of the CSC Sector and the danger and uncertainty of the Borodino Sector. The New Eden Sector lies straight down from Earth on the Star Map. Grendel Grendel is large Colony of over 200,000 people, who live in hundreds of small domed 12222cities. There is substantial light industry, and the world was a major stopping point for travel among Micor, New Eden, WeylandYutani, and Hilo. Much of the traffic was lost to the New Chicago - Lobo route, but Grendel still survives. It survived the war, barely. This world was the first to allow Corporations to circumvent Earth's control of shipping routes, and in retaliation the powers of Earth held back support, minimized Colonial Marine presence, and even helped destabilize the government and economy of the world. Over the years, the destabilization and the absence of Colonial Marine patrols led to the development of a powerful organized crime network. This network wields full power on Grendel, 15
and operates outside the ICC's controls and without the consent of the population of Grendel. The center of the trade in illegal drugs and other contraband is found on this world, and bribery, extortion, and payoffs are major parts of getting business done here. The Criminal network is currently building up a large drug trade from Pandora to Micor. Micor and the other major Corporations created the New Chicago - Lobo bypass to free themselves from the bribery and corruption of Grendel, and are currently trying to decide how to destroy the organized crime elements. It will probably fall to the Colonial Marines to clean up the place. Ajax This is a marginally habitable World that could yield great wealth after successful Terraforming. Several years ago, there was an accident at an Atmosphere Processor here; an immense explosion caused a major radiation release, and the mid-sized Colony was almost entirely destroyed. There was tremendous loss of life and wealth, and literally thousands of lawsuits were filed in the weeks after the disaster. Since the end of the relief efforts which evacuated the survivors, the world has been largely uninhabited as efforts are made to resolve this unprecedented legal morass. There is a small permanent station some distance from the site of the old Colony, and the staff's primary duty is to take inspectors, analysts, experts, and lawyers on tours of the devastation, and to track and report data about the world's current condition. Polar Star This outpost consists of a Research Station on a moon which orbits a gas giant at the edge of the system. There are only 30 permanent residents at the facility. A Service Base with a crew of 1,000 also orbits the planet, and attends to the traffic through the system, but there is little contact between the Service Base and the Research Station. This system has no manufacturing ability. The permanent residents are scientists at work on a research project, studying high-pressure molecular synthesis. They are under contract to Micor, but so far they have not attained their goals. Until they succeed, none have anything to look forward to but continued isolation on Polar Star or a one-way trip back to poverty on Earth. Most of the staff have been here for more than ten years; the stress level is high, and the mental health level is low. When a cargo craft deposited several aliens, they eliminated the threat themselves. After that, there were fewer complaints. Honeycomb The atmosphere of this world is toxic and bitterly cold, so this Colony of 250,000 was built underground. Vast caverns lie just under the surface, and several large communities have been set up in them. They are fairly close together, and are linked by an efficient monorail system. Honeycomb is rapidly growing, as a result of the traffic link between New Chicago and Lobo. It has become a major Service Base and shipping warehouse, and now features both light and heavy industry . Secure areas of the caverns are leased out to Corporations interested in long-term storage and production, making the planet something like a high-tech space bank. The Colonial Marine Corps does not have the rights to investigate these individual Corporate areas, and since they are all sealed off, it is difficult to gather information about what is going on inside. This much is clear; the rulers of Honeycomb care little for what goes on in each area, and this has led to the growth of some illicit industries. More than one illegal shipment has been traced to Honeycomb, but the trail ends in what has become known as the Labyrinth. The caverns of Honeycomb riddle the entire world, and are much larger than the Colony and all the storage areas. Little of the Labyrinth has been explored. It became the bloodiest location of the war. Thousands died in the caverns, freeing the world Helix Helix has a Service Base and is the focus of a fleet of small exploration craft, which are investigating the vast asteroid belts of the Helix system. These craft are owned by several different Corporations and independents, have crews of 3 to 8 people, and go on extended missions of up to 2 years deep into the belts. Thousands of asteroids have been explored and plotted, and many bear rich mining deposits. At present, the mining claims on these asteroids are being bid on at Helix, and there will soon be full-scale mining operations throughout the system. Dozens of Corporations are interested in the mining rights in the system, and the Colonial Marines will certainly be called in to monitor disputes. Most of the contracts call for minimum production levels and schedules, or the forfeiture of all rights; ICC officials expect that some smaller firms will be sabotaged, and will be swallowed up by larger competitors. Exeter This small outpost has two enclosed communities of about 20,000 people each. It is primarily a service port for shipping to and from New Eden. Most of its business has been taken from it by the facilities on Honeycomb, and 16
Exeter is rapidly declining in wealth and importance. Within a few years, only a few small mining operations, which were the original purpose of the Colony, will remain. One community was destroyed at CL5.5 but the other remains. Orbolab The large ZCT funded laboratory has been the location of many controversies until its closure at CL6. The original base coordinator, Dr. Ernst Kleist, ran the base like his own personal dictatorship. His security force controlled the populace and its sanctioned hive with a stern hand. Unlike Casper Nordling station, Kleist often invoked stiff (and severe) penalties to anyone who destroyed a specimen. Kleist valued his experiments more than human lives and the CMC marines sent to the station to act as xenomorphic custodians often returned in body bags. In essence, Kleist’s obsessive personality shot him in the foot since eventually, the CMC would come in force to investigate the losses of their men. Kleist committed himself to trying to control the alien. He succeeded in many fields, including both suppressor models on the market. At CL5, Kleist vanished and his station’s populace was arrested. The CMC arrived in force, flanked by Grant Corp security, who broke the story. Orbolab was repopulated later and achieved much success later, even though its sanctioned hive was destroyed when Kleist left. Atol Atol is a water world with a heavy atmosphere and continuous rain. The water is acidic and contains no life, and the planet has no stable land mass above sea level. There is a large moon, however, which combines with the system's sun to create huge tides that sweep the planet. It is impossible to build communities on the land areas that are exposed, because they are above water for only a few hours at a time. The seas are so violent that no attempt has been made to build floating structures. The atmosphere is breathable with a filter mask, however, and research continues into how to tame this world. A space station orbits Atol, carrying a few dozen permanent staff, and two or three survey teams go down into the atmosphere every month. New Eden This was the first ideal world discovered by Humanity, and it made the coalition of Corporations, which found it, extremely rich. This coalition solidified into a mega-Corporation in the years, which followed, and now calls itself New Eden/JV. New Eden/ JV has a strange Corporate structure that is like a smaller version of the ICC, with the New Eden/JV entity itself functioning as a sort of umbrella and the various components retaining their own identities and goals. Control of New Eden/JV is determined along democratic lines, with each member Corporation receiving votes based on its wealth and rate of growth. When New Eden was discovered, it had an almost ideal climate and environment. Only rudimentary lifeforms existed on the world, but it proved to be an easy Terraforming job. The world is now completely terraformed, and has a population of 200 million. The world was colonized very rapidly, and was a spur to the growth of all the involved Corporations and the rest of Humanity as well. The most talented people in the member Corporations were transferred to New Eden, where they were able to work in an unusual environment that rival Corporations consider a drawback; personnel on New Eden can easily change their employment from one member of New Eden/JV to another. This guarantees that everyone is well treated and that real talent is rewarded. Elsewhere in the ICC, it is very difficult to change Corporations, and this has resulted in stagnation as internal politics became more important than good work. The good treatment afforded the employees of New Eden/JV has prevented the member Corporations from truly maximizing their short-term profits, but because of their unique business environment and since the wealth produced by New Eden has been so great, they have been somewhat magnanimous. Other Corporations generally elect to increase their profits by giving the employees as little as possible, and point to New Eden/ JV as an example of inefficiency and bad management. Regardless, New Eden is a prosperous and self-sufficient world, its population has a great deal of freedom, and the member Corporations are all growing quickly and smoothly. Like, Earth, New Eden was torn apart during the war. Most of the Southern Hemisphere was a warzone with several operating hives. A couple thousand marines, and one cluster nuke later, the threat was gone. By the end of CL6, New Eden was scarred but livable. Cyrus Cyrus will eventually be a comfortable world for humans, and it will have a large and productive Colony. At present, the atmosphere is toxic and contains insufficient oxygen, and the world's greatest value is that it is one step on the recently completed New Eden - Hilo route. Cyrus is being terraformed by New Eden/JV, and colonial development will probably begin within the next twenty years.
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Medusa Medusa is cold world with an un-breathable atmosphere, but good potential for future development. It lies on the route that links New Eden with Hilo, and is early in a Terraforming program being managed by New Eden/JV. Panamar This is another Terraforming project for New Eden/JV. A small research and mining station is studying and harvesting a type of thermogenic plankton; this simple lifeform uses thermal energy instead of sunlight to create hydrocarbons. It is already used in Life Support systems, and will probably have many other functions as well. Panamar is totally destroyed at CL 5. Morning Glory This is the base camp for New Eden/JV's attempt to link up with Micor through Morning Star. It is a Service Base that is currently the port for deep exploration craft. It became a hotspot of Alien activity and a popular hit for Alien Predators. Cerebus The twenty odd dead terrestrial planets orbiting the cold red sun reap little benefits, but clustered together, do provide some financial benefit. The major location there is the enormous Terminal Station. The Station’s 400 member staff operate in almost complete luxury. The station controls the mining ships on the planets and controls most traffic through the system. It became a staged Alien Lab when a Weyland Yutani Trader dropped a complete hive off at their doorstop. At CL5.5, a Beserker team nuked the base.
MICOR SECTOR This route runs from Earth to the rich world of Micor, and is below and to the left of Earth on the Star Map. This sector has had a relatively peaceful past. its Colonies were not self sufficient enough to rebel during the Colonial Wars and the Corporations owning the rich world of Micor have been complacent and peaceful. The Corporate conflicts which characterize the Hyperdyne and CSC Sectors seem out of place and the Sector is very prosperous. All this is changing, however, for Micor is supported by a society pushed to the edge of revolt and greedy Corporations from other Sectors have consolidated their positions enough to begin to look for new avenues of expansion. The Micor Sector will certainly appeal to many. Astyanax This is a small Research Station with only rudimentary spacecraft repair abilities. It is located on a moon in three domed communities, where a decades-long biological experiment is being run. A team of 20 operates and maintains the station. The research involves the study of an indigenous life form called Brachous Slugs, and is nearing its completion. Until recently, there was little interest in this outpost, but last year there was a slight security leak. The stock of the owning Corporation, Falcon Industries, suddenly soared in value before being pulled off the market. Falcon Industries then bought up all available stock, and began hiring a military force for the protection of Astyanax. Whatever the nature of the breakthrough, something has happened on Astyanax and many Corporations are hoping to muscle in on Falcon's operation, using intimidation, financial trickery or leverage, or brute force. Falcon is obviously unwilling to share this new development; only time will tell who will profit from the situation, and how valuable this breakthrough really is. Argos Argos is a dry, sand-swept world much like Mars. It has little water and a thin atmosphere, and these commodities are carefully maintained and conserved. Even with these restrictions, Argos is a thriving Colony with a population of 100,000. It is the base for a number of small manufacturing Corporations, and this industry is supplemented by large cargo facilities that handle commodities from Tartarus. The location of Argos is its greatest asset; it receives all the traffic to and from the Tartarus Sector, as well as vessels from Earth, Micor, and Grendel. In all, it is a prosperous, well-run commercial Colony. Beneath the surface, there is also another healthy economy; that of a well-established network of smugglers dealing in all types of contraband.
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West Star This is a small Mining operation on the moons of the gas giant which rules this system. The operation uses remote mining robots for the work, and there is a crew of only 60 people here who oversee and maintain the robots. The substance being mined is Helium 3, which is the standard element used in creating the fusion reactions which generate most of the power in the ICC. When Aliens attacked at CL5, the robots abandoned the colony and its inhabitants to die. Feldspar Feldspar is a Mining World that has been played out. Recent years have seen it transformed into a cargo storage and inspection point on the Honeycomb - Micor and Micor - Argos routes. Micor is concerned with illegal traffic into its territory (most of it through Grendel), and is using Feldspar as its control point for all commercial traffic. A Customs and security compound has been added onto the old Mining station, and space defenses are also being set up. Hyperdyne is running these, although some people question whether Hyperdyne really wants to halt the illegal activities. Lobo A large Colony which has expanded recently due to the increasing trade to and from Honeycomb. Terraforming was completed here only 8 years ago, and the population has grown rapidly to its current level of 70,000. Many of the new residents are involved with the advanced planning and transfer of the owning Corporations' assets from other worlds to this budding trade center. The Corporations that own Lobo are organized into a loose consortium called Tradex, which is based on Micor and is superficially similar to New Eden/ JV. Unfortunately, Tradex exerts little real control here. Tradex vanished after the war when the CMC arrived at Lobo and found half the populace fighting several large hives in the middle of the colony. The CMC invoked Marshal Law, evacuated the populace, and cleared the hives. At CL6, Weyland Yutani repopulated the world The local police and military forces of Tradex are currently under the control of Colonel fi Castel, and he possesses much more power than is usually given to a Colonial military ill commander. He is an ambitious man who has built up the power of his forces, and has transferred their loyalty away from Tradex and to himself. This force, which is beginning to resemble a personal army, has been implicated in high levels of bribery, corruption, and extortion. Castel has certainly encouraged these crimes, and is believed to be associated with criminal elements and corporate forces that threaten the interests of Tradex. Tradex is investigating the situation, and charges of embezzlement and treason will probably be filed in the near future. Due to Casters influence, however, and his links with powerful Corporations, the ICC has declined to assist the Tradex investigation, and may not support any legal action they take. In the meantime, the Corporations licensed to operate on Lobo can do almost anything, as long as Castel gets a cut, and crime and smuggling have become the Colony's two major industries. Alamar The star in this system is a Red Giant, and Alamar is a Research Space station in orbit around it. There are 80 scientists and technicians here, conducting general research on stellar exploration probes and supporting equipment. Summit Summit is a Colony in the last stages of Terraforming and is prepared for major expansion. The air is now breathable and the climate mild, so many Corporations are planning to move to this nearly ideal environment. This is the boom world for the next generation, and along with this economic and population boom will come the problems associated with rapid growth. The world was developed by the hard work of the original colonists. This was a group of 2,000 people who were members of wealthy families, and who decided to expand their fortunes in the finest traditions of industry; through intelligent planning, sensible risk-taking, and honest labor. They formed their own Corporation and set about developing the world of Summit, which had great potential but had been ignored by its former owners. After decades of Terraforming and preparation, the colonists and their now-grown children are poised to reap the benefits of their labor. The only obstacle to the happy fulfillment of this dream is the potential for deceit, treachery, and financial
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manipulation by the Corporations who are flocking to Summit. How the colonists will face this final crisis, and whether their great accomplishment will be passed on to another generation, is yet to be decided. Innominata This dead system is the home of one of the most enigmatic spacelabs in the ICC. The 50 scientists, technicians, and soldiers stationed here are sworn to secrecy as to its objective even though it did apply and was granted to keep several Xenomorphs as specimens. Operated by Colonel Doctor Paul Church, Innominata studies the alien but unlike Orbolab or Casper, which studied their hive structure, Church was committed to their elimination by attacking individual aliens rather that the collective force. However, investigations revealed that the funding and estimated loss of manpower and supplies seems much greater than the original schedule. It is theorized that corporation grants run into other field relating to the xenomorph’s more mysterious qualities. These experiments move into new vaccines, youth serums, and cloning techniques. The station was never closed down. Byron's Hope This is the scene of a Canceled Terraforming project by Pindel Corporation. A disaster destroyed the initial Terraforming site, killed the head of Pindel and some of his top advisers, and ended the Corporation's efforts here. Lacking effective leadership, Pindel decided to cut its losses and the new Corporate heads have settled for spending their wealth on Micor. Their quick abandonment of development and business in exchange for a life of ease is seen by many as a sign of decay within the upper classes of the ICC. The world holds promise, if it is properly developed. The atmosphere is too thin to breathe and there is no surface water, but these are fairly simple Terraforming problems. There are rumors that an egg silo is hiding somewhere under its surface. Micor This is the richest planet in the ICC, in terms of the standard of living of the inhabitants. It is a nearly ideal world that has been fully terraformed, and is possessed of an earthlike ecosystem. Micor has become a home for the rich of the ICC; wealthy stockholders from dozens of Corporations have settled here with their families, and have lives of great ease. Many people who were once powerful in the Nations of Earth are also here, having accepted Corporate bribes in exchange for their country's economic cooperation. It is noteworthy that the people who live on Micor are not those who currently have power. They are people who have traded their power for simple wealth, and who are now reaping the benefits of that decision. There is little industry on Micor itself. The industry necessary for the world, as well as the 800,000 people necessary to operate that industry, have been consigned to a large domed colony on Micor's moon. The workers all dream of the ultimate promotion, which is transfer to Micor itself, and work very hard in pursuit of that dream. Micor also has a vast corps of scientists and researchers on this moon and scattered in labs across the ICC. These people are graduates of one of Micor's greatest assets, its chain of universities on Earth. These schools represent the highest education possible for Earth's billions, and allow Micor to select and train the most talented people available. On graduation, these students are offered positions with Micor, with the inducement that if they are successful, they will be given wealth and homes on Micor itself, the closest thing to paradise in the ICC. Driven by youthful optimism and courage, many of the best choose to go with Micor. They are then leased out to small Corporations in need of assistance, where they work in the most advanced scientific projects in the ICC. Micor receives a share of the proceeds from these projects, and passes on some of its profits to the scientists responsible. For those who make breakthroughs, the rewards are everything they have been promised. Only a few are successful, however, and the others continue to work desperately, driven by the desire to reach Micor and the knowledge that their only real option is a trip back to the poverty and chaos of Earth. Some of the larger Corporations, ones that do not contract with Micor for scientists, are resentful of the wealth Micor is accumulating, and they are tired of competing with the graduates of their think tanks. These Corporations are working to undermine Micor from within, and they are supporting the development of the drug trade to Micor and its moon. They hope that they can disrupt Micor's society, and bring an end to its monopoly on scientific genius. The leaders of Micor are aware of these efforts, and are trying to defend their social structure. Micor survived the war, barely. It still stands tall. Their finances struggled but did regain its composure.
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Pestron A world in the early stages of colonization. Basic exploration and Terraforming plans have been made, and the first Atmosphere Processors are in place. Construction of the west of the Terraforming equipment and of the future Colony are in full swing. Morning Star Advanced space exploration base for the establishment of a route from Micor to New Eden. Good progress was being made, but in the last few years funding has been cut and new exploration is on hold. The rulers of Micor have apparently decided that a direct route o New Eden is not in their best interests, and they are dragging their feet. The exploration and maintenance crews of Morning Star have been waiting here for some time, and there is general dissatisfaction. Bracken’s World An extremely modified planetoid, Bracken’s world is a strange sight. A concrete lattice covers the entire planet. On this lattice is a massive kelp bed, which supplies the ICC with a major source of nutrition (mostly seen in emergency rations and air dropped care packages). Island Atols scattered across the globe maintain the farming community. No Military is present except for an isolated pad and outpost in the middle of nowhere.
TARTARUS SECTOR This small Sector branches off from the Micor Sector at Argos. That planet is the scene of the greatest emergency in the ICC in recent years, as the indigenous Harvesters have surfaced and are destroying the Colony. Most of Tartarus was untouched by the Xenomorphs. Scorcher A small manufacturing facility on a hot, barren world with no atmosphere. This world is very close to its sun, and the intense heat makes it uniquely uninhabitable. The Colony survives by being buried under the surface, and is protected by domes with multiple barriers that are highly reflective. This keeps the heat to a bearable level. The very harshness of the environment is what lends the world its value; the hard vacuum, the high temperature, and the extremely pure base minerals found readily available here make it easy to produce critical parts for the drive and power systems used in Spacecraft. This fragile Colony of 5 ,000 is just a moment away from a disaster, because of the brutal conditions. Even if all systems are properly maintained and the residents are very careful, an unusually large solar flare could still be devastating; this possibility hangs over the Colony like the threat of an earthquake, or some other natural disaster. Spacecraft coming into the system stay outside Scorcher's orbit, and special shuttles that can handle the extreme heat handle transportation to and from the planet. Because of the special expense of this fleet, few nonessential items are found at this facility. Prices for all items are four times normal, while luxury items and nonessentials cost 20 times the regular price. Twilight This Colony harnesses the planet's volcanic energy and magma for ore processing and other mining. Volcanic eruptions have polluted the atmosphere beyond the ability of any Atmosphere Processor to cleanse it, and the dim light which reaches the surface gave the Colony its name. The atmosphere is toxic, and the Colony of 15,000 is domed. Robotic rigs float on the seas of magma and handle the mining chores, and manned vehicles are used to collect the ores. Devil's Peak Most of this world is covered by ocean, with only a single landmass rising above its surface. This area is at a very high elevation (15,000 feet above sea level), and contains the Colony. Since the atmosphere is moderately toxic, the Colony exists in four domes, and Atmosphere Processors are slowly adjusting the air. Until recently, Devil's Peak was a small but prosperous place, with a population of about 10,000 people. Events on the planet Tartarus have changed all this, as refugees from that dangerous world have fled to Devil’s Peak by the thousands. At the moment, the population has reached 40,000, and Biozone Alpha (BZA), which owns Tartarus, has nearly exhausted its resources. There is not enough transportation to take the refugees on to other systems, and to continue evacuating people from Tartarus; to date, BZA has continued evacuating Tartarus, but the situation on Devil's Peak is now unstable. The refugees have overcrowded the small Colony, and have stretched its food, water, air, and living space to the limit. Refugees are being housed in every available area, and production in the Colony has almost stopped. BZA is trying to pay for the services for the refugees, but it is simply not possible to provide for their needs. Malnutrition and disease are becoming problems, and crime and violence are at very high 21
levels. As the situation deteriorates, BZA is appealing to the ICC for assistance, and relief supplies and transportation might be sent in the near future. Even if there is no aid, Colonial Marines will certainly be sent in to handle the civil unrest, which is building. Devil’s Peak was the site of a major conflict during the war. A massive cargo freighter crashed landed through one of the domes containing many Xenomorph specimens. A hive soon developed and only the ingenuity of the inhabitants and marine reinforcements kept the fighting to a minimum. They fought without many reinforcements for years. When the CMC arrived with a second battalion at the end of CL5.5, most of the colony was destroyed, but humans rose victorious. Temple This is a science outpost on a planet with a toxic atmosphere and low gravity (1/12 Earth) where two dozen researchers are working on metallurgy. They are being assisted by nearly 50 Synthetics of the latest design, and new techniques are being developed for the use of Synthetics in research. The manufacturer of the Synthetics, Hyperdyne, is a major supporter of the work on Temple, and hopes to demonstrate the effectiveness of advanced Synthetics in the sciences and in the operation of facilities on dangerous worlds. One technology being tested allows a direct transfer of memory from a Synthetic to a Human, and of instructions and guidance from the Human back to the Synthetic. This would allow Human reasoning and instinct to be more closely coupled with the sheer power of a Synthetic's brain. This station survived mostly intact throughout the war and became a scientific cornerstone for decades to come. Ryushi Ryushi Texas-style dusty atmosphere spurned a very old-style ranch colony. For decades, the colony’s inhabitants exported livestock in the thousands via cargo transport every six months. The ICC considered Ryushi a grand success in self-sufficiency. The colony lived peacefully for generations with little crime and a very countrystyle way of life. Even the inhabitants walked around the unpaved roads in cowboy hats and riding steeds. Even during most of the war, the secluded position of Ryushi prevented most infestations from taking hold. However, Ryushi was not immune to the Alien Predators, who planted alien eggs in the livestock and released the Xenomorphs among the populace for the hunt. Most of Ryushi was destroyed. Some survivors were rescued later but Ryushi wasn’t re-populated for another few years. But the magic captured earlier was never tapped again. Sargon A small survey outpost of barely 20 families, Sargon IV was discovered destroyed and an Egg Silo was found under the surface. It was rumored that Weyland Yutani was aware of the Silo was used it as a way to test a new vaccine that would make subject invisible to aliens. The fact that the station was destroyed indicates that the vaccine didn’t work. The Sargon survey teams did successful core several interesting samples from under Sargon. A mining colony should be in operation soon. Traon: A massive mining complex run by Grant Corp and center of the Deep 4 observation outpost, Traon has been known to be site of a strange symbiosis between civilian personnel and military forces, whom are often forced to share duties and living quarters. Most of Deep 4 on the surface is simply landing pads and observation equipment. The rest is subterranean, as for as 2 kilometers down where the primary mining is conducted. At CL5.5 A Beserker team successfully cleared out in alien hive and operations continued as normal. Fiorina The location of the Weyland Yutani operated Maximum Security Double Y Chromosome Work Correctional facility / Toxic Waste Containment center. Was shut down by CL1 and operated by a minor work force. Was later shut down for no reason in CL2.
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Tartarus This is an extremely fertile world, with thousands of species of plant and animal hybrids that use the sun's energy and the rich carbon dioxide/oxygen atmosphere for growth . Although it holds great promise, it is now the site of a major crisis for the ICC. Tartarus was discovered only a generation ago, but it was already habitable and was quickly developed. An unusual feature of Tartarus is its rotation, which is perpendicular to its orbit. It takes 40 years to complete its orbit around the sun, so it has a 20-year day and a 20-year night. The constant sunlight of this extended day produces a vibrant and diverse ecosystem. On the night side there is little life, and the world waits for day to return . There are three major continents on Tartarus, only one of which is currently in daylight and which is colonized. The environment has been ideal; there is an abundance of life with no particularly dangerous creatures, and excellent atmosphere and climate. Knowing about Tartarus' peculiar orbit, the settlements were designed with a slow migration in mind. Each continent would be colonized in turn, and as night settled over a part of the colony, it would be shut down and the inhabitants would move ahead to a new site, one, which was entering the daylight. This process was just beginning a few years ago, as sites which were within a year of twilight prepared for shutdown and the colonists got ready to transfer to new locations on a continent that was nearing its dawn. Darkness would settle over the rest of the first continent over the course of eight years. The transfer was eagerly anticipated by all the Corporations present, as a test of their abilities and an opportunity to develop new areas. It was at this point that the most dangerous native lifeform made its appearance. Scientists had been looking forward to finding out how the environment handled the transition from day to night, but these ravenous monsters are not what they had in mind. The creatures are called Harvesters, and that is exactly what they do. As a continent enters its night, these immense, armored creatures burrow up from tunnels far below the surface to devour all organic materials. This material is shredded and carried back underground, to cysts where the Harvesters live. The Harvesters live off the organics for years, and slowly generate the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which in turn regenerates the surface life when daylight returns. It is a strange ecological cycle, but one which remains in balance. Unfortunately, the Harvesters do not differentiate between their natural food and the Colonists who now live on Tartarus. The Harvesters look something like huge armadillo. They are capable of digging and boring through rock and concrete, and their jaws can shred almost anything. They move in packs of several dozen, and these packs often fight each other for control of fertile areas . A pack will coordinate its activities, and organizes for war in the same way that ants do. Colonial Marines and other forces have been sent to Tartarus to protect the many settlements scattered across the daylight continent. Missions include evacuating colonists, delaying Harvester attacks, retrieving abandoned equipment from devastated communities, and Harvester hunting and research. The Harvesters are sweeping across the continent, and will be done with their work within three years if Humans do not stop them. Parts of the continent will still be in full daylight at that time, however, and Corporations which own communities in these areas do not want to abandon them until night falls. In these places, plans have been made to defend the communities against Harvester attacks; how well this will work is unknown. To assist in these defenses, missions are being sent down into the Harvester tunnels to see if the creatures have a weak point. To date, no one has reached any of the cysts where the Harvesters live and store their food. When they do, another surprise is waiting for them. The Harvesters have a smaller form, which never leaves the cyst, called a Drone, which is used to defend the cyst from underground pests, ranging in size from small insects up to nearly Human size. The Drone is little more than a large pair of powerful jaws, and it is not even a selfsupporting life form. Instead, the Drones grow on Harvester variants called Carriers. When they leave their Carrier to fight, they have only a few hours of life left. They attack the invading creatures by biting with their immense jaws, which lock in place. Like a bee, they give their lives defending their lair. Deadfall Deadfall is a research station studying the mechanics and processes involved in Terraforming. The world is an Earth-sized planet with a good temperature, but little atmosphere or surface water, and minimal volcanic activity. This static situation has made it an ideal laboratory for studies of atmospheric development and volcanic activity. To promote volcanic activity, asteroids are being thrown into Deadfall; the impacts of these asteroids trigger shatter parts of the planet's crust, and the resulting movements and volcanoes are studied by a facility with 30 scientists and about 100 people responsible for moving the asteroids. The asteroid movers were formerly asteroid miners, but their contracts were bought up for this unusual activity. Specially designed Tug Spacecraft are being used, as well as nuclear detonations; the work is naturally under tight security, and a detachment of Colonial Marines and 20 special ICC Agents protect these technologies. 23
CORPORATIONS Some corporations have whole worlds that they control themselves; some even renamed them after their ownership. Most, however, station headquarters on major worlds and share duties with other corporations. Even the huge participate. It is the way the ICC works. It all depends on where a corporation places its eggs. Bio-National, for example, has no world under their total control until a few of their sanctioned hives appeared but still supplied almost 90% of the ICC’s medical supplies. How many worlds you control does not lead to how much power you have. Knowing that, GrantCorp, Weyland Yutani, and Hyperdyne are still the largest corporations in the ICC. There are many corporations not mentioned. The CSC has 13 divisions but I only bring up the ones I am aware of. Make up the others as you see fit…
THE BIG FIVE BIO-NATIONAL INTERNATIONAL “BIO-NAT” Bio-National is the largest medical conglomerate around. They stationed their primary headquarters on Earth like many corporations with several other locations on Micor, Starview, Arcturus, New Eden and Hilo. They are also known to be the most ruthless. Bio-National has always been under a watchful eye by its competitors because of their committed posture to being the only medical supplier to the colonies. They have achieved most of that already. Their military force for BioNat is the largest proportional to their size. The corporate population is the smallest of the big five even though its military is just slightly smaller. They are bent on sabotage, murder, and out right terrorism to make sure they are the leaders in medical technology. They also spearhead the movement in biological experimentation. When the Alien appeared, they were all over it. By CL4, they shifted more than 40% of their operating budget into experimenting and studying the new life form. They were the first corporation with a sanctioned hive even though they secretly had one on Earth well before any legalization existed. This position was not looked on highly by the other large corporations, all of which had a vested interest in the new species. But the bigger they are, the harder they fall. At first, there were some limited strikes between BioNational and the CSC, then several direct incursions between them and the UPP, but when they butted heads with Grant Corp, all hell broke lose. Neo-Pharm, which created xeno-zip, cornered the industry with its superdrug. Many attempts to leak out the formula failed and many alternative designs fell on the market. GrantCorp was only two miles from the Bio-National headquarters, but in space they kept well away from each other. Bio-National is the source of many of the most lucrative and violence contracts for mercenaries. Only the most ruthless men and women are wanted. Bio-National answers to no one even though it still tries to follow the basic rules the ICC put down. Their controlling force consists of a board of eight members and a President. At CL5, Bio-National’s main headquarters was destroyed and the corporation started to fray. By CL6, the CMC made sure it was no more. GRANTCORP Daniel Grant’s Corporation started his childhood dream in his basement when Weyland Yutani was controlling the spacelanes. As he acquired mining rights and medical grants, he and his staff developed advanced technologies that were more than just effective, they were cheap. GrantCorp offered low-grade alternatives to the huge marked-up products of larger corporations that cornered the market in their field. GrantCorp was not considered a threat until it patented the smallest plasma generator on the market. This Phased Plasma Drive was quickly used in more than ten different fields of expertise. This included propulsion, defense, and assault. GrantCorp’s real strength lied in its security. Every attempt to steal their designs proved fruitless. GrantCorp’s security measures prevented their designs from being lifted. Soon the Phased Plasma Infantry Gun was purchased in the thousands by the CMC. The Plasma Energy Drive became the standard backup drive to most ships in the ICC. Later, the Plasma Cannon and Plasma Rifles hit the market. GrantCorp’s fingers stretched into new fields including spacecraft manufacturing, colony management, and medical technology. When the Aliens appeared, GrantCorp’s approach was that of defense. Unlike most groups, GrantCorp was committed to destroy all sources of the alien infestation except for areas where control was assured. GrantCorp butted heads with most other corporations as a result but not as bad as Bio-National that physically tangled with GrantCorp on more than one occasion. Daniel Grant, who controls the Corp without an inner circle, believes the creatures to be too hostile to remain in existence. Even GrantCorp’s sanctioned hives are committed to their extermination.
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To that end, the CMC received more than 50% of their operating budget from donations from GrantCorp. GC also offered indefinite leasing of their military technology. This first started with the basic Plasma Rifle and Cannon but when the Alien threat increased, GC responded with Nutra-Gel, the first substance that would easily and cheaply counter-act the alien acid. This was used in many fields including research and in defense in the form of the state of the art Acid Neutralizing Combat Wardrobe. GrantCorp enlists the help of the CMC and mercenaries often but not usually for infiltration or sabotage missions unless it serves to eliminate the alien presence. GrantCorp often sent CMC missions to alien infested worlds at CL4 to recover alien Royal Jelly. GrantCorp survived through most of the war. Their main headquarters on Earth was evacuated and spread out, with Grant himself, stationed on the USS Razzia. After the war, GrantCorp resettled, as of the few corporations left, back on Earth. However, GC has hypocrisy. That is one of its subdivisions NOTABLE SUBDIVISION: NEO-PHARM: Neo-Pharm is the only major medical group threatening Bio-National’s hold on the R&D of medicine and surgery. Their ideals on the alien organism are mirror opposite. Bio-National contains a bio-weapons division but Neo-Pharm only uses the alien for Xeno-Zip (See next chapter), which uses the alien Royal Jelly as a prime ingredient. The Xeno-Zip formula was kept under tight wraps even though the Nutra-Gel technology was stolen by ZCT. Luckily, after ZCT’s demise, that formula became GC exclusive again. Neo-Pharm utilized more than 70% of GC’s budget but the demand for Xeno-Zip made the investment worthwhile. When the aliens were eliminated at CL6, Neo-Pharm had spread out its interests and remained afloat. WEYLAND - YUTANI (“The Company”) “Building Better Worlds" Weyland - Yutani is a joint stock corporation that works closely with world governments in the areas of space exploration, commerce, colonization, and military trading. The many branches of Weyland-Yutani work together under the close scrutiny of the shareholders to ensure that all projects meet Company standards. In order to maintain control of large amounts of colonies settled on distant planets, the government commissioned the Weyland-Yutani Colonial Administration. The Colonial Administration deems which planets are rich in enough in raw material to begin the terraforming process. The Atmosphere Processors are set up by Company employees and must be maintained over several decades in order to make the planet's air breathable. Because of the long-term contracts involved, Company employees have the option of bringing family members with them to the terraforming colonies. Because of the Government’s inability to handle the over-burned correctional system, the practice was commercialized and Weyland-Yutani became one of the top enterprises in the field. The company's success in space exploration and settling terraforming colonies made creating a network of outer-rim prison planets an easy task. The facilities act not only as prisons, but also as mines where inmates serve sentences of hard labor, and produce valuable commodities at the same time. Weyland-Yutani works closely with the Government in the development of new weapons technology in order to ensure the safety of its terraforming colonies transport ships, and the lives of Company employees who serve on them. Mankind has explored space for centuries, and the discovery of every new world presents new dangers. These factors are taken very seriously by the Company, and the Bio-Weapons Division is constantly developing new forms of protection against such threats. In this universe of fear, treachery, and intrigue, it is very difficult to know your true friends. However, are out there. By far, your most powerful one is Weyland Yutani. Weyland Yutani Bioweapons division strived to control the Alien organism. They were the first to encounter them on their world of Acheron and attempted to keep their discovery secret but the CMC’s investigation opened the door. Hyperdyne was the first to try to jump on the discovery. Their attempts to secure the creature exclusively for themselves failed and the aliens spread across the universe. WY has even been known to start infestations in colonized areas to observe the effects. There was a major controversy at CL4 when it was discovered WY was using their Red Giant Spaceliner ships for years as cover for secret -- probably highly illegal -- experiments on this alien species. Because their headquarters are stationed off world, Weyland Yutani survived the war but suffered badly because of public backlash of their activities before and during. Their operating size was sliced more than half after the war because of destroyed or rebelling colonies. HYPERDYNE SYSTEMS Hyperdyne was once the largest corporations around until Weyland Yutani sprouted. At first Hyperdyne and WY conducted a prosperous relationship for many years. When Weyland Yutani started encroaching on Hyperdyne territory, Hyperdyne closed off their doors and attempted to curtail the progress of their “partner.” At about the time the ICC was formed, Hyperdyne sabotaged certain critical operations at Weyland-Yutani, and attempted to take full control of the Sector for itself. Weyland-Yutani recovered from Hyperdyne's treachery, however, and now holds a critical position in the Sector. There has been no open warfare between the two Corporations in many years, but there is a certain tension in their dealings with each other.
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Hyperdyne builds many spacecraft designs and controls more worlds than any other corporation. They spearheaded the development and is still the controlling force in the manufacturing of Synthetics. Even though Synths are constructed by almost ever corporation, none produce them in the volume of Hyperdyne. The are responsible for every new technology in the field including the AdCap synth, the Xenomorphic production model, and the Liston and Jerry type combat synthetics. Hyperdyne still maintains an iron fist control over the colonies under their funding. Essentially, Hyperdyne is a twin of Weyland Yutani, with fingers in almost every field of modern life. The twelve board members command the corporation in secrecy. They operate within their own sector and often follow their own rules, including setting up the Arcturus loop to avoid ICC regulations. They also have the largest military to enforce its control. When the xenomorphs arrived, Hyperdyne struck hard to acquire research. They were committed to the study of the alien purely as the ultimate evolution of a natural killing machine but their research did not delve into the desire to control, exterminate or simply extirpate the species. Hyperdyne truly believed that the alien species would be a limited threat like the Harvesters on Tarturus and would only be a danger to the members of poorly defended rim colonies. Since Hyperdyne had a substantial military force with good relations to the CMC, no bad could came out of it. By CL5, many of their colonies had been infested and when their home planet was struck (Hilo, not Earth), they realized that they had underestimated the threat and the greed of mankind. Hyperdyne considered itself a close knit family of people and colonies, and if the entire universe fell apart, they would care less. Even when the aliens were walking across White House lawn, Hyperdyne hardly lifted a finger. Hyperdyne was the last force to be actively involved in the war. Hyperdyne’s military never left the sector during the war. Even when huge colonies fell to the infestation, Hyperdyne kept their forces on their colonies for personal defense. When the inevitable attack occurred, Hyperdyne was overrun because of the lack of reinforcements from other sectors. After the war, little of Hyperdyne survived. They size shrunk so much, they bore little resemblance of the empire before. Hyperdyne seldom hired any external forces even though they sometimes employed CMC personnel for missions that involved expeditions outside their sector. Hyperdyne seldom sends their military outside their own space. Mercenaries and Retainers are slim. CENTRAL SPACE CONSORTIUM “C.S.C.” A baker's dozen of corporations felt the tight arm of their huge brethren clenching tightly. Large conglomerates covered many fields but these small corporates specified their areas. A number of them gathered together to combine their interests and protect their backs. Within a few decades, their combined income managed to secure a large number of worlds in the ICC, which they all co-funded and maintained. A couple had exclusive rights to some planets but all the corporation personnel had free-reign over the CSC colony worlds. They commonly shared technology to serve their purposes. There have been reports of infighting between some groups but these conflicts had all been resolved internally. CSC had one major problem and that is a major lack of military in key positions. Almost 80% of their operating military is contained around their rogue planet of Alexandria. This made them vulnerable on their border from rival groups. When the Alien infestation arrived, the CSC tried to pool its resources but in the end, when more than half of the founding Corps vanished, the CSC disbanded, splintered in to a handful of fighting members, which was easily absorbed by other groups and even Alexandria. NOTABLE CORPORATION: ANTIOCH Antioch is the largest of the CSC sub groups. It handles the largest job of any corporation, that of terraforming worlds for the CSC. Most of their projects start off under Antioch before handing over to other corporations to finish the job. Antioch lands first, sets up atmosphere processors and leaves with a breathable atmosphere for colonization. Antioch barely survived the war. Weyland-Yutani often tried to destroy the reputation of Antioch because it was one of the few corporations with the funds and technology to build these processors. NOTABLE CORPORATION: SYNSOUND INTERNATIONAL Synsound constructs the only exclusive synth not designed or built by Hyperdyne, the Musical models. Synsound resurrected the music industry, and promptly destroyed it by flooding the field with wall to wall noise. Synsound’s music is heard all across the ICC and its name is household to even rim worlds, making it the most well known but smallest of the CSC corporates. Synsound was totally wiped out by the end of the war even though many alternative versions of the same group popped up after. There was a report of Synsound actually using aliens in their music but the music probably never caught on.
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NOTABLE CORPORATION: SKANK INC. Skank is the prime consumer corporate of the CSC and also produced the main brunt of consumer products to the CSC colonies and a large chunk of the ICC as well. Skank is run by the infamous Ivy Derringer, who controls the corporation like her own personal cruise line. Skank fell apart and splintered when Celeste fell and Derringer was reportedly killed. NOTABLE CORPORATION: ARMAT INC. Armat’s size increased substantially when it was given one of the most exclusive contracts around. Armat builds and maintains the CMC weapons. They created the popular M41A Pulse Rifle as well as the M56 Smart Gun. Whatever reduced stocks occurred in other corporations, the CSC will always be satisfied with the funds from Armat. Armat couldn’t keep up with the demand of firearms during the war and continued to make the weapons in the thousands, even when their brother corporations fell. NOTABLE CORPORATION: ACCURACY INTERNATIONAL AccInt is the other military contractor in the CSC building and maintaining weapons for the Colonial Marines. AccInt is more than half the size of Armat with half the service contracts with the CMC. There was some controversy when some weapons were transported with faulty firing mechanisms. AccInt was absorbed into Armat after the war.
THE SMALLER BOYS ZAJER COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES or ZAJER – COMM – TECHNIC. ZCT is a R&D group that develops high technology for outer colonies. They take existing designs and builds upon them, perfecting other companies’ models. They tried to jump on the Alien bandwagon by developing technology to control the species. GrantCorp stocks bottomed out when the Nutra-Gel technology was stolen by ZCT. They soon developed many anti-alien technologies and made a fortune selling to beekeepers and smugglers. GrantCorp funded the CMC’s investigation in ZCT’s activities when their sanctioned hive was destroyed. By the time the war started, ZCT requested bankruptcy protection and was later bought out by GrantCorp, which continued to make their products under ZCT’s name. AERODYNE INC. One of the larger corporations that sometimes is considered on the short list for being on equal stature with Weyland Yutani, Hyperdyne, and the others, Aerodyne runs colonies and builds spacecraft, making them very selfsufficient. They are committed to expanding their space and when Borodina fell through, Aerodyne quickly moved in to take control. They have working relationships with all the big corporations, in hopes in sometime joining them. Aerodyne is not known for stepping on other’s toes. They even have such lucrative agreements to actually supply Hyperdyne and Weyland-Yutani corporations’ colonies with supplies and spacecraft. The three even worked together to set up the Arcturus loop. It seems certain that Aerodyne would soon become a major contender. Unfortunately, when the war started, Aerodyne was unprepared. There were rumors that Weyland Yutani tired to use the war to take control of the Arcturus loop. To this end, the aliens totally overran the colonies of Aerodyne. When the Homeworld fell, Aerodyne crumbled. Too bad. Up until, CL5, they were considered the most popular of all corporations. The founding member of Aerodyne, Jonas Weir, works for Hyperdyne now. FREDRICK CONGLOMERATE “FREDCO” Another conglomerate like the CSC but substantially smaller. Their stock was reduced to pennies because of controversies over their business dealings. They dabbled in most fields not acknowledged by society. This included nuclear waste containment, decontamination, and hazardous material transporting. Fredco was a necessarily evil, doing all those duties most hate to have in society but if business was to continue, must exist. Fredco's headquarters survived the alien assault. After the war, they were restructured. However, the six board members and the president were reported killed. FredCo has one major subdivision. NOTABLE SUBDIVISION: SCHILLER BIOLOGICAL Schiller Biological was a Genetic Experimentation division of Fredco with absolutely no morals. They experimented on all forms of life in many conditions. When these tests went bad, Schiller simply disposed of the result, a job they were more than experienced with. Schiller experimented on alien life forms, experiments that would later blow up in their face. Bug Men (See Plug In) overran the corporation in CL5. Even though FredCo still exists, Schiller fell apart.
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NEW EDEN / JV The corporation which was formed around the colony of the same name, New Eden/ JV has a strange Corporate structure that is like a smaller version of the ICC, with the New Eden/JV entity itself functioning as a sort of umbrella and the various components retaining their own identities and goals. Control of New Eden/JV is determined along democratic lines, with each Member Corporation receiving votes based on its wealth and rate of growth. New Eden prospered but took a pounding during the war. New Eden became isolated after and New Eden accepted little help or intrusions from anyone. They still considered themselves part of the ICC, but their personal security increased to the extent that virtually no one was allowed to even enter their space after CL5.5. That isolationism remained until the end of CL6. New Eden/JV committed itself to keeping the alien threat away…even if it meant turning away ships that needed emergency aid. NOTABLE CORPORATION: MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES “MEDTECH” MedTech was the only corporations under New Eden / JV that had a corporate headquarters outside the New Eden Sector. Medtech’s Earth location proved disastrous. Medtech already had a few sanctioned hives on perimeter New Eden worlds. When the war started and New Eden itself was infested, New Eden / JV cleared out their infestation and promptly wasted all of MedTech’s investments, driving them into bankruptcy. They then had to deal with the alien infestation. They found themselves trapped and broke. They didn’t stand a chance. Before the war, they were considered one of the leaders in the research of aliens. They even kept a few drones as specimens in the Earth Headquarters. They perfected a very effective way to transport adult aliens without danger… obviously… it wasn’t without risk. ALPHATECH HARDWARE INC. Alphatech was, and still is, a major military contractor but usually for other corporations, not the CMC. Alphatech supplied many weapon systems to corporate forces, but kept the most advanced weaponry for their own. Most of Alphatech’s military outposts were untouched by infestation. It was very hard for them to stick. When the war broke for real, Alphatech started releasing their heavier designs to the CMC. BY CL5, Alphatech was a heavy supplier of CMC weapons. Soon, Alphatech would be one of the prime suppliers of heavy weaponry for the Marine services. Alphatech butted heads with many other corporations because of their refusal to disperse their massive arsenal when the aliens attacked. Many corporations subscribed their fall to Alphatech’s refusal to help when they could. Alphatech still survived the war when many didn’t. The CMC unofficially never complained about Alphatech’s cold attitude to its corporate brothers because Alphatech continued to open its door to the CMC. Alphatech often called upon the CMC to help them with their defense of systems and was the most common corporation to work side by side with CMC forces in hot zones. Even when Alphatech wasn’t sharing weaponry, their forces still got along. Alphatech answers to a board of one chairman and eight seatholders, half of which are ex-military. FALCON INDUSTRIES Falcon Industries spurned out of nowhere recently when their stocks soared. This spiral came from the amazing colony world of Astyanax. Flacon Industries ran its headquarters on the moon and all of its subsidiaries from this system, making Falcon very small. Most corporations don’t even have a world of their own even though they have headquarters over the ICC. Falcon resides exclusively on Asyantax’s moon and commits their entire budget to maintaining that world. To that end, Falcon Industries supplied itself with a substantial military force with grants with the CMC for security. This made Astyanax the most fortified world of its size. Falcon Industries does not play ball with other corporations. They don’t trade much with any corporation and only deal with those that can supply Falcon with the necessities of life. Flacon’s seclusion protected it during the war. After, they rose from the ashes. THE TRADEX CONSORTIUM A large corporation which expanded recently due to the increasing trade on its main planet, Lobo, to and from Honeycomb. There are eight corporates under this conglomerate but they continually push and shove among each other, making the Tradex Consortium continually unstable. Then there is the problem on Lobo over Colonel fi Castel (See Known Universe). When the war broke out, Tradex couldn’t mold its individual elements into unified force. They fought more with themselves than with the infestation. They were overrun quickly and the CMC moved in to dispose of the situation. Tradex fell with a thud. Most didn’t even feel the change over then Tradex fell through. Anyone with half a brain abandoned it before the war even started.
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SUMMIT Summit is a family-owned corporation, if anything can be called family in this day and age. It resides and operates solely from the planet of the same name. The corporation was founded and is run by the original founders of the colony, many years ago. Summit was a tightly woven group that accepted few newcomers. When they are, they are treated like family. Summit was very loyal to its employees and has never betrayed even a sole individual for greater glory. Summit failed to improve its stature appears to have little goals beyond the borders of the Summit system. Its morals have crossed the line with other corporations that have tried to muscle in on the rich world of Summit. The one joker in Summit’s deck is the CMC. Summit has a very prominent and loyal military force accentuated by one of the largest CMC forces ever loaned to a corporation. Summit offered few funds because of their limited size but did offer a planet free from corporation hounds, free for leisure and for free for training. The CMC took this opportunity to make it a anchor for CMC patrols. Summit has almost three CMC squads in its system at any given time with one division permanently loaned on the planet. Marines here are loyal and among the best since many marines ask for a tour on Summit. It is a cakewalk; only the best are allowed to go. The last time a rival military force entered the system, they didn’t get past the outer perimeter before a regiment of Colonial forces flanked them and sent them on their way. When Summit was infested, the hive barely lasted a week before an armada of CMC forces cleared it out. Summit survived and became one of the major CMC supports before, during, and after the war. PINDEL INC. Byron’s Hope‘s cancelled terraforming program spelled doom for Pindel. Jon Walker, head of Pindel, died in the disaster (see Known Universe) and the new council left the planet and their assets. Their headquarters on Micor seemed untouched during their crisis until the infestation arrived. Pindel hardly could lift a finger before all their external assets were liquidated. When Micor was stabilized, Pindel was nowhere to be seen. The building was evacuated, gutted with all machinery missing. It was thought they packed up when the infestation arrived at Micor and left the ICC on whatever ships they had left. Some say they dropped by Byron’s Hope on the way out, but there was no reasoning why they would do that. Pindel’s fate still remains a mystery. BIOZONE ALPHA (B.Z.A.) BZA was once a prosperous corporation with the potential to grow the size of the big five. However, when the Harvesters appeared on Tarturus, their resources were stretched to the limit, evacuating the world. BZA transported people from Tartarus to Devil’s Peak, straining the colony and the corporation. Their requests for aid fell on deaf ears. By CL6, BZA was broke. It tried to regain its posture but stumbled. Its stock was bought up by other corporations and splintered into a thousand pieces. Eventually, the CMC moved in to secure Devil’s Peak and Tarturus. After the war, BZA vanished. REPUBLIC SYSTEMS ELECTRIC / DYNAMIC Republic Systems goes by two subdivisions, Republic Electric and Republic Dynamic. They are both weapon manufactures originally separated, but recently bought out and merged even though they still produce products under their distinctive logos. They construct mostly heavy weapons for spacecraft and armor. Their most lucrative contract is supplying the primary and most popular weaponry for the M577 CMC Armored Personnel Carrier: The 20mm Gattling Cannon and the 40 mW Free Electron Laser. They produced the weapons in numbers before, during and after the war, but recently found their stock slumping because rival groups like Alphatech were stealing most of their new designs off their drawing broads. Even though they had a good reputation with the CMC, they couldn’t persuade the CMC to drop the Alphatech contracts in protest. Republic Systems still survived to construct the primary weapons for most ships and vehicles in the ICC. BOYARS INTERSTELLER INC. Boyars doesn’t exists as of CL4 but it was of no fault of the aliens. Boyars was the spearhead corporation in phased plasma design but their prototypes to improve their models continually failed startup tests. Some rumors pointed to sabotage from rival groups like Republic Systems and Alphatech but no proof could be offered. Whatever the case, Boyars held only a few military contracts. They construct a large number of weapons for the Conestoga and Bougainville class frigates for the CMC as well as producing the primary weapons for the GrantCorp’s massive Razzia vessels. However, soon their only surviving contract was of the Boyars 150 Phased Plasma Cannon for the M577 APC. Boyars was bought out by Republic Systems before the war and still contract their weapons under the Boyar’s name.
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DIGITAL ARCH TECHNOLOGIES (DIGARCH) DigArch won the lucrative CMC contract for a high superior trans-atmospheric fighter in the AD-17 and found them on the corporate map quickly. They proved their designs valid and made a fortune very quickly. Still used today, the AD-17 never showed to be defective and DigArch grew. They still exist, producing the single design in numbers. Unfortunately, few of their other supplemented designs have ever caught on. VENTREL SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL Ventrel was the other major small-arms manufacturer and often is considered the sole thorn in the back of Alphatech Hardware. Ventrel cornered the market by concentrating on smaller easier designs when Alphatech worked on heavier weapons. Ventrel hit it big when they snagged the contract to supply the CMC exclusively with small arms. The jewel here is the VP 70, produced in the hundreds of thousands. They also constructed older designs like the Shotgun. Their largest designs was the Automatic Sentry Gun system with is almost infinite variations. Ventrel refused to fall even under the heaviest of pressure from Alphatech and even picked up a few more military contracts over the CMC. Their inexpensive weapon designs resulted in many of their weapons appearing on the outer rim colonies. Ventrel’s headquarters were located on Micor but the building itself was surprisingly untouched during the infestation. LOCKMART STARCUB INC. Lockmart currently stands as the oldest corporation still in business. Lockmart built the original spacecraft to venture outside the solar system and also built the first craft to reach the nearest solar system. They constructed the first interstellar drive and was considered the king in space travel. However, they never ventured into colony management. Soon, they found themselves under pressure from growing corporations like Hyperdyne and Weyland-Yutani, encroaching on their field of expertise. Lockmart builds few designs now, relaying on its older ones. The only new model they have produced in the last few years is the Inter-System shuttle. Lockmart still has small buildings on almost ever worlds. People have nicknamed Lockmart the “Cessna of the Space-Age.”
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PEOPLE IN THE ALIEN UNIVERSE This is the last known transmission from Dr. Waidslaw Orona (CL5.5) on Earth before committing suicide, moments before his lab was overrun: “I-I've lost track of time since the Bio-National attack. I’ve barricaded myself in my office to give me time to prepare this final report. Evidently the alien queen is able to communicate in some subconscious fashion. With other species, in human beings, these disseminations manifest themselves in the form of pattern nightmares. The dreams were a lure. At first we thought we’d be able to contain the spore. Infestation seemed limited to a narrow geographical range. And yet for every cluster we found, there were ten more just like it. The aliens’ subconscious bait transcended class and political boundaries. We found hives everywhere. With each new discovery, our hope of destroying the creatures before they entered the civilian population faded. However we still considered containment an option. In studying the Bio-National files we learned their queen had gestated a number of weeks to prior maturation. Using their experiment as a baseline, I assumed we still had time before any new queens would become viable. I was wrong. “Perhaps our worst mistake was underestimating the sheer instinctual cunning of the creatures. We didn’t see the underlying pattern behind their evolutionary process—the way every facet of their existence was geared toward propagation. The queens matured at whatever speed their survival dictated. We had assumed the gestation period was time for the alien embryo to feed and grow, but it was more than that, it was an opportunity for the unknowing host to spread it’s spore to other sites. “There was a geometric perfection to the infestation. Each queen would lay still more queens, and with every generation the spore became more entrenched, more… …Ahh At last. The civilian authority was weak in the face of the devastation. When the generals finally staged their coup, it seemed almost—welcome. The Military created testing centers where physicians checked civilians for signs of the alien infection. At first the tests were voluntarily. Within days, that changed. There were rumors the military was using the pretext of alien infection to eliminate political dissidents—the poor, the disaffected—As if such petty rivalries even mattered. “Vital services—water, electricity—began to fail. We’ve heard of infestation in Europe and Australia. The seed is growing with remarkable speed. From all this, I’ve come to understand something about humanity. Man is an animal, driven by animal passions. Civilization is a pathetic charade of manners, predicated by a tissue thin veil of lies. In the future—if there is a future—historians may blame our failures on some external cause—the aliens. Bio-National. Fate. I know the truth. Those things didn’t destroy us. We did. They—They’ll be here soon,. The military has organized off world ships to evacuate ‘vital personnel’ to the other colonies—mainly their own precious hides. I’ve chosen to remain behind. “We made the mistake of perceiving the aliens as sentient warriors. I finally realized the truth. They’re diseases. A cancer. My—My mother died of cancer. Odd, how I’ve been thinking of her. Years ago, following surgery, doctors would apply radiation to the affected area in hope of destroying all traces of the scourge. It sounds so primitive, but there are times when the old ways are most effective. I’ve times the detonation to coincide with the military’s escape. They think they can destroy the creatures. They think someday, they’ll be able to come back to their world. There’s something pathetic about the struggle. My only regret is that I won’t survive to see them proven wrong. “I take pride in my pragmatism—I realize this transmission is pointless. I doubt if the long-range relay stations are even operational. Still if anyone is actually seeing this—I Just—I “Doesn’t really matter does it? I’ve never actually fired one of these thing. I feel rather…foolish.”
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DR. WAIDSLAW ORONA AVAILABLE AT: CL1 Doctor Orona has PhD in many realms but he fancies himself a geneticist. He took charge of the CMC’s Biological Management Control Division when the first evidence of the Xenomorphs appeared. Past CL4, all Sanction hives needed to be approved by him and only him. By CL4, he’d become the single most experienced scientist to the Aliens. His teams’ research concentrated more on defending colonies to the infestations but this required several life specimens to be kept in study. The end result was his popular “Theory of Alien Propagation” paper which was required reading to all CMC personnel past CL4. He studied the effects on aliens when placed in adverse environments and also studied the aliens’ influence on humans. His greatest fear was allowing what he learned to be exposed to those that would mutate his research. However, by CL4, it was unavoidable. Information leaked at the end of CL4 about Orona’s research. They discovered Bio-National kept an alien under heavy guard…a queen. When the Salaje cult discovered this, they mobbed the facility and broke into the small Hive. The resulting infestation started the Earth War. When Orona and the CMC discovered the Alien presence on Earth, Orono proposed a drastic final measure. Nicknamed “Orona’s Bombs”, these were devised to launch from sealed silos and float in orbit, seeking out alien hives, and the weapons would then speed down to the surface and airburst over the hive with a destructive yield of 40megatons. When the project was finished, over 1000 missiles were constructed. All would launch from a single location, controlled by Orona’s team. The missiles never fired. Orona’s bombs remain in their hangers, clumped at the CMC ground HQ in Nevada. NOTABLE SKILLS: Xenobiology (+8), Paramedic (+9), Biology (+7), Tactics (+7)
BIONATIONAL EXCUTIVE ASSISTANT PATRICK MASSEY AVAILABLE AT: CL3 Massey is a family man-married for six years with a young son. An MBA from Harvard, doctorate in law from Cornel—He could have had his pick of the big two companies. Instead he enlisted in the marines. Silver star for bravery during the oil war with a couple hundred confirmed kills. He didn’t enlist out of patriotism. He liked it. He had more decorations than a Christmas tree. Suddenly, he was court-martialed. Seems he tried to kill his commanding officer for failing to order his squad to attack a civilian encampment. Bio-National paid off the military tribunal and hired him immediately. It’s rare when you find a man who loves his work. No one really knows who he is but sometimes, his image become clear. Apparently one of the communications people sent Massey some classified mail through an unclassified channel. Unfortunately, Massey’s son accessed the material. Very careless. Information is sketchy at this point but Massey’s wife appears to have confronted him about the document. Regulations are quite clear on procedure in cases like this, but you must admit it was an unusual situation. He had been married for six years. He took pains to make it look like a robbery gone bad. The police didn’t suspect a thing. Under the circumstances, Massey performed admirably. He had a psyche profile done after and he registered within tolerable limits. Make you wonder how it feels being a sociopath. At CL3, he ran the Xenomorph division and committed himself to making sure Bio-National was the leader in Biological warfare. He is a man to fear. NOTABLE SKILLS: Handsome (+1), Combat Sense, Military Training
SALVAJE AVAILABLE AT: CL4 The leader of the Salvaje cult. Refer to Religion.
GENERAL MONTGOMERY SPEARS AVAILABLE AT: CL4 General Spears was considered on the short list to the next Secretary General. A man of honor and distinction. Unfortunately, he is also a relic. He commands his armies with an iron fist. Spears was the first to promote a CMC Bioweapon’s division and started one of his own secret projects when the aliens appeared. He kept 32
his experiments quiet at first. His secret agenda was to harness the aliens and control their behavior. When the war broke out at CL5, Spears set up station off world, outside a local hive and ran his army into the underground, experimenting on the aliens trying to control their mannerisms. His experiments obsessed him. He was viscous with punishment to his men that harmed them. Unfortunately, both Spears and his ideals were killed when he attempted to release trained aliens back on Earth to destroy their brothers. Both he and his legacy vanished. NOTABLE SKILLS: Obsessed with Aliens (10), Bad Temper (5), Tactics (+7), Leadership (+10)
SECOND GENERATION “ELOISE” TYPE SYNTH AVAILABLE AT: CL4 Eloise is the prototype in the line of second generation Synthetics. She was the first, and her design was never duplicated. Further synths were manufactured slightly differently (refer to Plug-In Alien Resurrection for details). Eloise was grown, not built, using an alien queen’s own DNA. In laymen’s terms, an alien egg is infected with a biological computer virus using leprosy spores as a medium. It deleted and rewrote specific DNA chains according to its program, growing an android instead of an alien. Android morphology is heavily based on silicon polymers, so is the alien’s. It wasn’t difficult to make the adjustments. Eloise was an unexpected product of early attempt. Mostly, she’s faster and stronger than normal. She’s also begun developing her own emotional responses. More importantly, now corporations can grow androids at a fraction of what it costs to construct them. Eloise has only basic behavioral inhibitors. She is not bound by an inability to harm humans, she is only programmed with a basic morality of what is good and what is bad. Eloise also has problems figuring her origin since she is part human and part alien. As a result, Eloise cannot be harmed by any Alien, no matter what; she can perfectly assimilate into a hive. She is also loyal to humans as well ,but would rather help humans passively by commanding aliens to not attack rather than kill hem directly. However, she is capable of killing both human and alien if her morality of good and bad skewers her in one way. Eloise was designed at the Adullam Research facility and escaped with the survivors and a few aliens when the base was destroyed. She is reported missing and a hunt is underway. By CL6, she has yet to be taken into official custody. There have been reports of run ins with her ship though by some CMC squads. All reports have 33
been compartmentalized. NOTABLE SKILLS: All skills from an Adcap with an additional +1
IVY DERRINGER AVAILABLE AT: CL3 Ivy Derringer is the kind of person that is always under a spotlight, and even though sometimes, she serves a purpose, you continually pray for that spotlight to land on her. “You know what’s great about Ivy Derringer? Its not that she’s the hottest lookin’ piece of stuff in the cosmos. It’s not that she’s the richest woman in the world. It’s not that her company, Skank, made 125 billion last year. It’s that she’s sweet-talked all of us into spending one-third of our income on her products. If you eat, drink, take drugs, you buy her products. She shakes it and we come running. Man I admire it so much!!” Darryl Zither, Barabazon Ivy was killed when a class 10 virus destroyed Celeste. Her corporation fell soon after. NOTABLE SKILLS: Beurocratics (+6), Persuasion (+9), Business (+8), Beautiful (+4), Seduction (+6)
DOCTOR STAN MAYKOVSKY AVAILABLE AT: CL2, Moves into the field of Xenomorphs at CL4. Stan Mayakovsy is considered one of the leading men in animal behavior in the ICC. His book “Cyberantics” was a national bestseller and is considered required reading for scientists venturing in the field of xenobiology. He moved from ants to aliens because of the obvious exposure his research would gather. Secretly, he was also an addict to Royal Jelly and used his experiments to gather large samples for personal use. The addiction stemmed from his cancer. He figured that if an android ant could infiltrate an ant hive, why not scale up an have an android alien penetrate their society. His Bio-National grant was indefinite and he and his Dolomite Cargo vessel sought out to test their prototype “Norbert” Synth in a suitable rogue Hive. However, upon finding one, (CL5) the Dolomite made contact with illegal bee-keeping activities. Norbert failed in his infiltration. When a rescue team arrived on the surface, they found that the doctor and his staff were killed. His research was luckily saved. NOTABLE SKILLS: Xenobiology (+9), Engineer: Synthetic (+9)
COLONEL DOCTOR PAUL CHURCH AVAILABLE AT: CL4 “When I look the Cosmos in the Eye, it blinks…” Paul Church Paul Church’s life and work is shrouded in mystery. He runs the Innominata Space lab. He experiments on aliens but also humans, although only he and a few of his inner circle know the later. He is secretly working on metabiotics, self-replicating brain tissue, acquired infrasensory abilities, and the rumored “Time Serum”. Paul Church is, by all classification, insane. He survived two months inside a dying alien hive and learned about their culture from the inside. He survived only because the aliens were suffering without a queen and were unable to produce a royal jelly event with a viable embryo. No aliens were being born. Church was impregnated but, after escaping, had it removed. He stayed near the hive. After it died, he waited for rescue, which took more than a month. He was debriefed in length. The company considered his experience most valuable. As compensation for his ordeal in service for the government, he was granted a full biomechanical makeover. He studied the aliens ever since. Church believes that he is the 34
most powerful human alive and considers himself a higher form of life. His value for human life is, of course very low. It is possible he is trying to make human race into his own image, some form of Hived mind similar to the aliens. Because of his iron fist control of Innominata, when someone finally discovers his evil plan and puts an end to it, it may be too late. NOTABLE SKILLS: Xenobiology (+10), Synthetics (+7), All Sciences (+7)
DOCTOR CASPER NORDLING AVAILABLE AT: CL5 Casper Nordling is the leading man in Biological warfare for Grant Corps. His budget has been spent entirely to discovering a virus that can be injected into an Alien Hive to destroy it. Grant Corps is attempting to beat Weyland Yutani’s similar experiments on Innominata (unknown to all of them, Paul Church couldn’t care less about this tech race). Nordling is crooked. He is not insane like Church…he’s just greedy. His station has a fully created alien hive, under tight control. He discovered he could make even more money on the side by selling excess eggs (which are supposed to be eliminated) to rival corporations and groups. Bio-National purchases most of them. And with his all-synthetic staff, he has total control. It wasn’t until months later, did his operation fall down after his sanctioned hive lost control. NOTABLE SKILLS: Xenobiology (+7), Lecherous (10), Beurocratics (+6)
DANIEL GRANT AVAILABLE AT: CL1 Daniel Grant is the president of Grant Corp, one of the largest corporations in the ICC. He is young, good looking, and rich—the world's most eligible bachelor. His fingers ran deep in many fields of expertise, including alien research, but he does not support keeping the species alive for bio-weapon purposes. Grant Corp supports sanctioned hives because of their large medicinal industry. Neo-Pharm, their successful sub-industry, creates the wonder drug, Xeno-Zip and uses Alien Royal Jelly as a prime ingredient. Synthetic formulas have failed so Grant Corps has sent expeditions to alien Hives to extract the substance. On one mission,. Grant accompanied the team and reportedly came close to death. After that, Grant Corp became a supported for the alien’s elimination even though they have a sanctioned hive at CL5. At the end of CL6, Grant Corp was one of the few corporations still standing. It was rumored that Grant Corp was the sole corporation that funded the CMC. NOTABLE SKILLS: Business (+10), Beurocratics (+8), Handsome (+3),
DOCTOR ERNST KLEIST AVAILABLE AT: CL4 Dr. Ernst Kleist is another in a long line of scientists committed to studying the new alien race which have appeared over the ICC and like most of the others, is very crooked. His experiments involve taming the aliens so no one would ever need to fear them again. Like General Spears, he considered the aliens the most valuable force in the universe. He also runs a sanctioned hive but the purposeful death of any alien is punished violently. His research did develop the Neutralizer fields, which accomplished more or less exactly what he wanted, but Ernst wanted to go further…he wanted to control the species entirely. This involved created a new Alien leader to replace the queen with Synthetic programming, thus the entire Hive would be controlled by the replacement, and Kleist. This experiment failed and when the CMC arrived to investigate the losses of their men, the Aliens escaped and the base was evacuated. Kleist vanished, but appeared much later (CL6) as the leader of the bug men (See the Plug-In) NOTABLE SKILLS: Xenobiology (+9), Bureaucratic (+6), Engineer: Synthetics (+7)
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GROPIUS LYSENKO AVAILABLE AT: CL2 Gropius Lysnko died at CL5 after catching a bad case of morals. He ran Weyland - Yutani's bioweapon's division for years, researching the aliens and their potential for profit. Lysenko was a research biochemist that was privatly investigating the aliens because of their Royal Jelly. He was convinced that by examining them, he could unravel mankind's own mental processes. He worked for Neo-Pharm under GrantCorp initially, developing the famous Xeno-Zip. He couldn't take Xeno-Zip with him when he left, but he did carry a lot of information. He was picked up by Weyland - Yutani later. Lysenko never agreed with their policy on the infestation of colonies for research. He was researching the psychoactive properties of certain royal jelly derivitives when he stopped his research. He also started experimenting on himself. He vanished and was presumed dead. His last notes indicated a breakthrough in separating his mind from his physical form but no proof was given. NOTABLE SKILLS: Xenobiology (+8), Bureaucratic (+3), Paramedic (+6), Biology (+4)
HERK MONDO AVAILABLE AT: CL4 Herk Mondo is a legend in the CMC. Carrying a cannon in one hand, a six pack in the other, Herk has swept through outposts and colonies, eliminating their alien infestations. Herk Mondo is a self-proclaimed professional bug hunter. Stories are passed about him in boot camp—Stories about him taking on hives single-handedly. Rumors pass that he is a total psycho. He actually enjoys his work. However he still does it for money (double Mercenary cost—see below). However, he does have a soft spot for kids and women. Herk flies around in a modified drop ship, which is not licensed. The CMC frowns on his activities but turns a blind eye to them. Corporations have unofficially put a bounty on his head. NOTABLE SKILLS: All Military skills.
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GROUPS & WORKING OUTSIDE THE CMC NON CMC CHARACTERS: PCs can option to be members of these groups….guidelines follow. Every year, after the enlistment age in the Marines (18), The character has +3 points to any non-military skills until the chosen age. They may purchase Military (“M”) skills at twice the cost. If they leave the military, the GM can determine the way of discharge. If it is honorable, the rank is maintained, otherwise, the PC has no connection to the CMC. If they leave at the end of their character generation, they just left, otherwise, any additional points may be spent wherever. Everything has prices except Starships…they should be assigned by the GM. Editor’s note: Because of its complexity, I have decided not to include price lists and fees for NonMilitary. I leave it up to the GM to decide how to judge the costs of being an independent in this day and age. The GM can invoke a fuel for starships (1000 / ly) and maintenance for vessels. Since I assume most groups will be Marines, I decided not to work on it. If you want it quick and dirty, the following is taken from the Pathfinder Game:
LANDING PERMITS $
LANDING PERMITS
$
One Day Permit Week Permit Security Detail (per day) Service Tune-Up Repair Estimate
Three Day Permit Permanent Port Security (for Permanent Port) Repair Hold-Up (per day) Ship Repair
500 10 000 10 000 300 Various
500 1000 100 1 000 1 000
Ship repair can be done simply as (1 K = 10 000 repair cost). Even a ship down to 0 K still has many systems intact…Even though a 6K tank may cost 2 million, $60 000 will only be needed to get a 0 K tank back on the field. Time can also be simply made as (1 K = 7 days). These numbers can all be adjusted by the GM of course. To decrease cost, consider decreasing it by 1 000 for every TL the Group is at. You can also reduce the repair time by one day per TL. These are simple guides and are open to change by the GM. A ship beyond – ½ their total Structure is wasted (Most of this info is repeated in the Cost of Living section)
BEEKEEPERS AVAILABLE AT: CL5 Beekeepers have the most hazardous duty around. They venture out, looking for viable hives. They don’t eliminate them, but seek to extract the extremely valuable Royal Jelly. They use suppressor technology to incapacitate the hives, then extremely depressive individuals with very low self-worth infiltrate the Hive to extract the Jelly. For costs of Jelly and rules of selling, refer to the chapter on Medicine. Beekeepers generally move in cargo vessels and are crewed by ex-corporate engineers rather than military personnel. Bee keeping is prohibited and proof of the activity may be punishable by extremely long jail term.
REQUIRMENTS: SHIP: M-Class Starfreighter, T-1 Hauler, Dolomite Hauler, ZCT Vessel, or SV-90 Freighter CREW: At least six, average around eight to twelve. ADDITIONS: Some form of Suppressor device. Someone with Xenobiology skills. At least three people with military training. Crewmembers are generally…mean.
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MERCANARIES AVAILABLE AT: CL1 Mercenaries and soldiers of hire. The name and their career history has been recorded throughout history in one form or another. They are hired by corporations, colonies, governments—anyone with the money and the need for their services. Most Mercs are ex Colonial Marines. They travel in modified craft to the systems that needs them. Some stick with specific corporations, others remain on distant colonies as permanent security. Mercs come in all shapes, sizes, and dispositions. Some fight the system, some are greedier and more sinister then those who hire them. The CMC does not endorse the hiring or Mercenaries for any activity but they have served alongside some better-known groups in hot-zones. All mercenaries work under Contract with corporations or Nations. For game purposes, a Contract defines the term of service or the mission of the Mercenaries, how much they will be paid, and any special conditions or clauses that are needed. The fine print of these contracts is not important, unless the GM decided to add that level of role-playing to the game. In general, a Corporation that hires Mercenaries will pay enough money to cover their normal equipment costs, salaries, and any medical aid necessary, and will provide transportation to and from the site of the job. Money is deducted from the contract for any corporate property damaged or destroyed, and for special expenses. For purchasing a mercenary per mission, add up his CP + OP total and multiply by 100 per month. Every member of the team increases the total cost of the unit by 100 per man. If the team has a ship, the cost jacks up to cover the repair and maintenance costs. The basic cost of a merc team with a ship increases by +1000 per K of the ship. The Corporation usually supplies an Officer to lead the mission, although this NPC will stay away from the battlefield if at all possible. His or her duty is to direct the Mercenaries and keep track of what they do, not to take any risks. The same can be said of any Auxiliaries supplies by the Corporation; these NPCs are available if the Mercenaries do not have their own. Mercenaries rarely have their own ships, so these are also supplied. They do not enter combat situation and will usually abandon the Mercenaries on the ground rather than try to pick them up while they are under fire; if the dropship is damaged; the mercenaries must pay for the repairs. For Mercenaries who do not have their own APC, this can also be supplied. Since the characters will be driving it, they may do with as they wish, but again, any damage to it will be subtracted from their Contract’s value. It is quite possible for a Mercenary Strike Team to end up owing money to its employer, a debt that is usually worked off by taking an additional Mission at a reduced Contract value. If unusual expenses can be reasonable expected, these are added to the contract
REQUIRMENTS: SHIP: M-Class Starfreighter, Dolomite, ZCT Transport, SV-90, Snakefighter, or Conestoga. The last two are the GM’s discretion. Should have ½ firepower. CREW: Eight and up to fifty. ADDITIONS: All members should have military training of some sort (At least 3 points in “M” skills per character).
SMUGGLERS / CIVILIAN TRANSPORTERS AVAILABLE AT: CL1 Similar to Mercs, Smugglers transport all unofficial cargo from systems. They often butt heads with Colonial Patrols, preventing the traffic of illegal materials. Upon the introduction of the aliens (around CL3), smugglers found a new booming industry since almost every corporation would pay top dollar for ANY sample of the species from genetic samples to live eggs and even quarantined alien warriors. A Queen is a rarity, but not impossible. They sometimes transport Royal Jelly for Beekeepers not equipped to carry the cargo over long distances. Some large smuggler operations run Beekeeper teams on the payroll. Smugglers and Civilian Transporters look the same and are both authorized to carry legal cargo but Smugglers usually have members in the military field. Smuggling is prohibited in all areas of known space. Civilian Transports are not recommended as characters since most don’t need military skills. Life is usually boring. The cost of smuggling usually depends on the situation.
REQUIRMENTS: SHIP: M-Class Starfreighter, T-1 Hauler, Dolomite Hauler, ZCT Vessel, WY Trader or SV-90 Freighter CREW: Anywhere from five to twelve. ADDITIONS: At least one member must have a military background. 38
CORPORATE RETAINERS AVAILABLE AT: CL1 Retainers are similar to Mercenaries and are outside the standard military of the Corporation. They are usually organized as Strike teams which handle specific Corporate needs in exchange for financial contracts of carrying duration. People in these units are similar to the normal military personnel that a Corporation might hire on Salary, but they differ ii that they are usually of outside origin and have a certain identify of their own. The origin of a unit of Retainers might be the military or a destroyed Corporation or faction within a corporation, or it might be one of the colony worlds. Former Colonials make up the bulk of Retainers, as there are may worlds that have more people than wealth, and “expert” soldiers. They are trained and given basic equipment before being sent to a corporation, which then supports them with additional equipment, and gives them any special training or indoctrination needed. The Retainers pays them and supports their families. The main reason Retainers work in Strike teams is a simple one; Corporations do not trust them to be organized in any larger numbers. For Characters, life as a Corporate Retainer has several advantages. The Corporation is available as a source of financial and military support, and usually pays well. The Characters still have a degree of freedom, however, and can approach problems in their own way without so much interference from the Corporation. Additionally, if they get a better offer or see a special opportunity arrive, they can probably get out of their Contract and move on their careers. One the other hand, Retainers can find themselves working for a Corporation which is less than honorable, or which is not too concerned with their welfare. The standard Contract lasts for one Year, although longer terms are very common. When they have no pressing duties, they live and are paid like idle Colonial Marines; the pay scale is exactly the same. If they receive a mission or go into combat for any reason, they receive combat pay for that month. The value of combat pay is usually the same as normal Mercenary salary of the Strike Team, as calculated above, although the contract value for especially dangerous missions would be increased and might well be two or three times this amount. A large potion of the money is used for group overhead and military costs, including ammunition and so forth, and any remaining funds are split among the members of the unit for their personal use. How the profits are shared is up to the members of the Strike Team, and does not have to follow standard salary guidelines; for example, the unit’s leader usually receives a larger share than the others, regardless of skills.
REQUIRMENTS: SHIP: Any type assigned from the Corporation CREW: Anywhere from three to fifty. ADDITIONS: All members should have military training of some sort (At least 3 points in “M” skills per character).
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COSTS OF LIVING RECOVERY: Recovery can be used as normal or can be increased by adding double the tech level of medical equipment. If its TL4 and the character has a recovery of 12, the recovery in medical care is 20 (12 + 4 x 2). The stay in the hospital would then drop accordingly.
MEDICAL BREATHROUGHS: CYBERNETICS (TL1): Cybernetics came along way in the decades since their introduction in the late 20trh century. Unlike current views, their progression did not evolve into fashion or into some form of additional use beyond the limb they replaced. Although this fad did exist in the early 21st century, when the boom in microelectronics allowed for a 100% efficient simulation of the original appendage, most found themselves left with an out-of-style machinery usually permanently mounted on their body. By the beginning of the Synthetic era, which saw the replacement of traditional electronics with bio mimicking silicon wetwear, the possibility for improvement in the cybernetic realm increased. By the time full body replicants were being constructed, up to 80% of the human body could be realistically replaced by synthetic parts and still maintain a mental sanity as well as a general human appearance. Metallic and enhanced cybernetics are all but forgotten, replaced by limbs which resemble the originals in almost perfect detail, right down to mimicking a pulse and even fingerprints. Insurance will cover all forms of synthetic replacements of organs and appendages lost from any non-self inflicting action. The new limbs operate exactly like their original and only the small scar around the connection gives it away. Even pain sensors are connected, although toned down slightly (Any stun damage done do that area is halved). Insurance will not cover increases in strength or additional abilities. If the characters are not covered by insurance and lose a limb in the in the line of duty (Smugglers for example), they will have to purchase it. The hospital stay is usually a week. Limbs are quicker but the limb also needs to be trained.
PART
COST
Internal Organs (Heart, Lungs, Stomach, etc) Minor limbs (fingers, toes, nose, ears, sexual, etc) Major Limbs (Legs/Arms, not hands or feet) Manipulators (complete Hand / Foot)
5000 800 3000 2500
RULES --Synthetics limbs can take a bit more damage. Take the normal damage capacity of a person’s limb (1/4 of the Body’s hits) and increase it by 50%. --If a PC is forced to do surgery on a Synthetic limb, Engineer—Synthetic is the appropriate skill. --If the surgery involves entering the human body, both surgery skills and synthetic skills are required. Two separate characters can be used for the procedure of course. --Synthetic parts still need to be serviced ever year of service (400 if uninsured, DV 15 for a PC to do it) If this service is not done, the part will fail within a year. --Synthetic parts will last five years before needing replacement. --A character who has a large portion of his body replaced can use the synthetic rules and statistics. --Limbs can be improved but insurance will not cover it. The CMC has been known to do it under the table though.
CHARACTERISTIC STR REF DEX CON BODY MOVE
LIMBS REPLACED
MAX POINT INCREASE
Arms Arms / Eyes Legs internal organs Body replacement Legs
COST / POINT
+4 +2 / +2 +4 +4 See Synthetic rules +6
1000 500 /500 1000 500 -500 40
--Metal limbs and substantial improvements (hidden weapons, etc) are explain in detail in Cyberpunk 2020. Use that or the new FUZION Cyberpunk 3.0 for costs and abilities.
DONOR CLONES (TL3 / TL5) Donor clones succeeded general synthetic replacements very quickly, offering a transition from one limb to another without even the pains of rejection. But, like most technologies, it was mutated for an immoral practice. The advancement was simple. When someone needed any type of organ replaced, the medical lab would simply clone a replacement. For any internal organs, the body would be cloned, without limbs. Tubes ran out from the body to maintain fluid control. The organs themselves are genetically identical to the ones to be replaced since the husk was cloned from the recipient’s own tissue. The procedure of replacing damaged or destroyed organs with donor cloned organs is relatively simple, not that far off the surgical procedures from hundreds of years ago except the speed of recovery has rapidly increased and the rejection factor is zero. Donor Cloned organs cannot be improved but are perfect replicas of a healthy organ the subject should have; genetic faults are filtered, making them better than before. There is no rejection and the subject can resume normal duties in less than a week. Insurance covers all costs of course. At TL3, Cloned tissue (generic tissue, skin, eyes) and limbs are created in laboratory containers in fluid solution. Cloning tissue only takes about a day for limbs and 72 hours for internal organs (because the entire torso is usually cloned. Extra tissue is usually sent off to schools or disposed as biological waste. Cloned body parts cost the same as basic synthetic parts. They have the same statistics as the original limb, no changes whatsoever. Some still prefer synthetic counterparts but for most, nothing beats pure human skin. At TL5, full body cloning becomes available. The only real initial reason of this development was the obvious attraction for the ultra rich but since mankind has yet to develop a medical technology advanced enough to transfer a brain successfully over, the offer of immortality still resides out of reach. However, Donor cloning soon opened the doors to one of the scariest developments never once imagined by the designers that created the process. At TL3 and TL4, it was not done as often, but at TL5, Donor cones were considered an easy, and somehow, more humane alternative to creating xenomorphs for sanctioned laboratories. Even at TL3, it was an unofficial secondary purpose to cloned husks. Back then, it was a lot harder to perform. Back then, embryos must be surgically removed from the facehugger then implanted in the husk cavity. The failure rate was unusually high. At TL5, the process became easy. Full body-donor clones are effectively brain dead, without any activity. Life support needed to be maintained. This, plus the creation cost for the body itself, meant that body cloning was amazingly expensive. Some still can afford funding them, balancing the investment to the alien they were to retrieve. Some corporations unofficially still prefer “cheaper” solutions. Donor bodies can run over $50 000.
F.I.T.R. FITR is a telepathine that induces a sense of invulnerability and increased mental strength in whoever takes it. It had been in use for a long period of time in a variety of doses to treat certain psychological conditions, but the increased dosage increases the potential of the drug. By the appearance of the psychically aware aliens, FITR soon found a use after it was discovered aliens can be affected by the willpower of a subject. Although FITR had been present for many years, it wasn’t until Dr. Paul Church’s research did the its potential against the aliens reveal itself. FITR can be injected or swallowed in pill form. Each dose lasts for one hour and effectively doubles the subject’s Willpower for that time. It then drops by one ever 10 minutes until dropping until half of the original willpower. It then slowly rises back to normal. 41
TIME SERUM (TL5) The Time Serum does not officially exist and all specimens are under lock and key. The serum, when taken, is rumored to reverse the age process, removing wrinkles and taking up to thirty years off someone’s face. When taken young, it stops the aging process altogether. The Serum can only be take once, a double dose would kill someone. It effectively doubles the lifespace of the average human being by regenerating dying cells. Some rumors point that this serum is based on the alien’s morphology but this is just a rumor. No corporation or government acknowledges the existence of this serum.
XENO – ZIP: See below…
XENOBIOLOGY & THE DISCOVERIES FROM THE NEW SPECIES: LINGUAFOEDA ACHERONSIS For the layman, they are called the aliens, some call them the Xenomorphs, but to the scientific community, they have been given a name… Linguafoeda Acheronsis The famed Weyland – Yutani biochemist Gropius Lysenko, labeled the scientific name of the alien species. The name stuck and in most laboratories, the alien species is referred to as such.
LEPROSY AND THE ALIEN (TL4) Leprosy plagued mankind for centuries. Centuries ago, a cure finally wiped out the problem and it, like many viruses of the previous millenium, vanished. Recently, sanctioned alien hive labs bombarded their subjects with almost every type of curable terran virus hoping to stumble on a bug that would destroy the species but leave the human race with a virus that could easily be handled. Years passed, without a single big that would even cause of heart murmur…. That was, until, someone read the bible. Leprosy didn’t seem to hurt the aliens themselves, but when injected into the impregnated human vessel seemed to retard the development of the embryo inside. It didn’t seem to kill the creature, just prevent them from growing into a stage that would be ready for birth. This process can occur anytime until 30 minutes before the alien give birth. Once infected, the impregnated host can work perfectly without hindrance (except for the attacking 42
leprosy). As long as the leprosy can be stayed off, the alien inside would never grow. The subject then can wait until a surgical room is ready. By TL5, an enhanced version of the disease is available in syringe form that attacks almost instantly but stops before it can do any permanent damage. After the chestburster can be removed, the disease is cured and the subject walks away. The idea seemed useful. However, this accomplishment came very late and people could not be helped in time as thousands of aliens spread across the ICC. Infected humans with the retarded embryo are assumed to still be impregnated, thus, they are totally immune to Alien aggression. Aliens will not attack them and will try to protect them. One sanctioned hive even carried a crew of leprosy infected impregnated subjects which can freely walk through the hive without the slightest bit of aggression. Not even Synthetics can guarantee that. Only the Queen can openly attack one of these subjects. After six months being infected by leprosy, the damage becomes too great and it really must be cured.
ROYAL JELLY (TL3) The scientific community is totally aware of the Royal Jelly’s importance to the alien species but it was shocked to discover what happened when mankind ingested the substance. Jelly offers a pure form of elation and a high greater than any drug ever recorded in the history of man. In the violence and horror of mankind most found escape in the form of the alien jelly. A dose of Jelly does the following: +20 ENDurance +2 to WILLpower A 5 OP Bad Temper -1 to PREsence A 5 OP Beserker +2 to REFlex It makes you FEEELLLL good. +2 to DEXterity +2 CONstitution All derived statistics are modified as well… Royal Jelly is extremely addictive. Anyone who takes it, must take DC4 to his/her resistance. If reduced to zero, addiction sets in. If not, they are okay but if exposed to it again, take DC5, this increases by 1DC every dose. If taken before the resistance can be recovered, addiction is certain. Once addicted, the user must have daily doses or suffer withdrawal. After twenty doses, the bonuses offered no longer apply with the exception of the Bad Temper and Berserker. It still makes you feel good though. If a double dose is induced, abilities are doubled but the user also takes DC5 of Humanity damage. A triple dose triples the bonuses and inflicts DC10 of Humanity damage. If quadrupled or quintupled, the process continues. If the Humanity is reduced to zero, the character has OD and has gone mad or can be mutated into a Bug Man . If the doses stop, within one day the bonuses usually added are subtracted (Basic penalties: -1 WILL, -3 REF, -1 DEX, -1 PRE, -2 CON) but the Bad Temper and Beserker remains. This time the anger is vented towards either other people or to getting the Jelly. The graph below must then be followed. The character must beat a DV of 10 using their WILL. A check is made after the time given below. Start at 1. Each failure or success moves the person up or down the table until he/she dies or is rendered free. If the user fails a DV, the next test adds a +1 bonus to the person’s roll as long as they don’t take the drug. If they do, they are back to test 1. Taking the drug within a month of passing Test 11 reduces the subject back to Test 1. After a month, they are assumed to be starting over. GETTING OFF THE JELLY
TEST
PENALTIES
NEXT CHECK
FAILURE
SUCCESS
1 2 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
basic 24 hours Test 2 Test 3 basic, 10 OP Temper 24 hours Test 4 Test 1 basic, 10 OP Temper 24 hours Test 4 Test 1 basic 72 hours Test 1 Test 5 same as 2, 10 OP Beserker 24 hours Test 6 Test 2 -2 WILL, -2 CON, -1 PRE 1 week Test 1 Test 7 same as 4, 15 OP Bad temper 24 hours Test 8 Test 4 -2 WILL, -1 CON 1 week Test 1 Test 9 same as 6, 15 OP Beserker 24 hours Test 10 Test 6 -1 CON 1 month Test 1 Test 11 same as 8, 20 OP Bad Temper 24 hours Test 12 Test 8 none none Test 1 Complete same as 10 plus 20 Beserker 24 hours Test 13 Test 10 None None Death Test 12 Every two months using the Jelly consistently adds a 5 OP personal habit since the visual effects of the substance is obvious. Every month, this OP increases by 5 and causes DC4 of humanity, until the subject is a glibbering mess. 43
XENO - ZIP Xeno-Zip, produced by Grant Corp, was an attempt to cash in on the possibilities of harnessing the abilities of Royal Jelly without the harmful side effects. The Royal Jelly is one of the prime ingredients. It is totally nonaddictive but is still frowned upon by many groups. Xeno-Zip, in its purest form, is basically an amphetamine, and the strongest type you’ll ever find. It will make the subject feel wonderful—make you do fourteen hours of work in three hours. It was first designed for people in manual labor since it makes you work like horse. Taken only in pill form, Xeno-Zip lasts for 3 hours and causes the following: +1 to WILLpower +1 to REFlex +1 to DEXterity
+1 to CONstitution +10 to ENDurance
Of course, it is not as effective as Royal Jelly but it is legal and nonaddictive. Grant Corp made a fortune until they ran out of Jelly. Synthetic alternatives were a quick alternative. However, the synthetic version was flawed. Anyone taking the Flawed Xeno-Zip must beat a simple DV of 5 adding their WILL to the roll and subtracting 1 for every additional pill taken (4 pills = DV8 = DV5 with 3 additional pills). Of course, some automatically succeed, but those who fail loose the bonuses and immediately and take DC5 in stun damage +1DC per extra pill. They must immediately make another roll. Another failure results in a catastrophic biological frenzy where that last person’s actions and thoughts are amplified to breaking point. This frenzy lasts 4D6 rounds plus 1D6 for every additional pill taken. For that time, the following is in effect. +6 to WILL +3 to REF +3 to DEX +3 to CON
+3 STR +3 MOVE +3 BODY
All these abilities increase by 1 for every additional pill taken up to a maximum of +5. After plus five, any additional pills just lengthen the effect. The person’s last though becomes amplified and is effected by a 20 OP Beserker Complication After the time has passed, if the subject still lives, he/she reverts to normal with a penalty to their CON = to how many extra pills are taken. If the CON is below zero, the subject enters a coma and takes DC Killing Damage = to all the extra pills taken. After this was discovered, the flawed Xeno-Zip was pulled and Grant Corp, even though taking a bath in the stock market, recovered by gaining a new supply of Royal Jelly. By CL5, their Sanctioned Hives were supplying the stuff at a good rate. There were underground reports that GrantCorp kept a large cache of the “flawed” Xeno-Zip under request of some military organizations including the CMC for times for which they needed such insanity.
BLACK MOLD The Black Mold is a substance reported on the terra-formed world of RLW 1289. It was never found anywhere else and since the original supply vanished, has been hard to re-create in a lab. The Black Mold is totally harmless to humans but has an extreme adverse effect on the Alien species and seemingly only the alien species. It devours the resin of their hives and retards embryo development. It does not eat anything else. The crumbling black dried-peanut butter-type substance carries on the backs of aliens into the hive where it attacks the resin walls, the eggs, and then finally the queen. The mold weakens the facehugger, preventing them from impregnating people with any effectiveness. Those that do succeed usually only implant dead chestbursters that die in the womb or upon birth. The queen’s egg sack rots and dies…she soon follows from the infection. The drones cannot create jelly. Soon, the alien drones, in a mad dash to sustain the hive, exhaust themselves into extinction. The whole process for an average hive can take as long as a month from initial attack but the end result is still the same. If the queen’s chamber is infected from the start, this process can be shortened to only a matter of days since the Drone’s care of the queen will spread the mold to every part of the hive in a few hours.
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The Mold is totally uninterested in any other substance and is not even poisonous to other life forms, even though it offers no nutritional value. This leads to the conclusion that this mold, although found initially on an uncolonized planet, must be bio-engineered because of its single-minded mentality. It has been deduced man did not manufacture it.
RELIGION Most religions still exist even though the ICC frowns on them altogether. Most have embraced religion because of the horrific society most live in. Religious cults now spring weekly, where people, starved for some answers, will embrace something that looks like a promise of something better. Missionary vessels cruise through the ICC, passing the word of God. These ships number more than Smugglers in some sectors. The CMC promotes religion in its armies for stability. When the Aliens became public at CL4, most ran to religion to answers since many decreed that these creatures were nothing less that the purest form of the devil. Some thought otherwise that no universe created by god could result in this species. For a select few, however, the aliens became their own religion.
CHURCH OF SALVAJE’S (CL4) “Women are blessed. They know how it feels to be joined with another life… to share them selflessly. It must be wonderful.” Salvaje started his sect underground at first, offering his escape on local cable access. His mentality was that the aliens were the next evolution of mankind. Man would be reborn in a new life. Men are servants of a new lord. He started his cult with a few members but as society worsened, more and more came knocking on the Church’s door. “You’re nothing. I’m nothing.” Only vessels. Here to serve the truth Messiah… Glorified I having been chosen for the ultimate communion.”
Salveje’s cult became obsessed with allowing the aliens to propagate, giving up their lives to the future ruler of the universe. They are solely responsible for starting the war that released the aliens all over Earth. For 45
years Salvaje let his numbers increase, promising the moment of true salvation. When his followers numbered in the hundreds, he made his play, attacking the hive run by Bio-National on Earth. Many were killed by security but many made it through. Even Salvaje himself was impregnated. It was unavoidable then. The aliens were loose. Salvaje had won. Before their final attack at the beginning of TL5.5, his followers everywhere spread and sabotaged, trying to force the infestation in other areas. Some, impregnated, purposely hid in populated areas. Some even used the leprosy retardation to delay the birth until strategically necessary. Salveje’s cultists are only loyal to the cult and to the alien. They will kill to protect them. Nothing is more desirable to them then to be a vessel.
SERVICES MEDIA Excerpts from the book The evolution of Television by Emmett Webster, DH Press 2057: Commercial television as it was known in the 1980s and 90s disappeared with the application of super-conductive transmission technology to the then non-existent cable television systems. With systems offering 500, then 1000, and eventually 5000 channels, it became economically infeasible for advertisers to support mainstream dramatic programming. Soon, instead of hundreds of thousands of viewers, audience shares were calculated in the tens. With the breaking of the FCC, cable access was open to all persuasion. In a resurgence similar to that seen during the mid-1980s, religious programming became a television staple, outnumbering non-doctrinal programs nearly 100 to 1. With so many programs to choose from, viewer perceptions changed. 5, then 2 second commercials defined much of the fast-cult visual styles of the 90s. The style of mid-century programming was changed with the introduction of the retinal switch or “eye-box.” The “eye-box” was designed to detect minute changes in the capillaries of the retina and initiates random channel changes based on involuntarily blood pressure fluctuations. To hold audiences, programmers were forced to devise new styles of programming that would not trip the eye-box switcher.
ATMOSPHERE PROCESSORS:
With the lack of habitable worlds within a short distance of the Earth has encouraged the development of marginal worlds and colonies. Potential colony worlds with reduced atmospheres can be colonized over a period of decades by reducing the unbreathable components of their atmospheres and increasing the levels of breathable gasses such as oxygen and nitrogen. Two techniques are being used to do this; sometimes both are used at the same time. First, it is possible to establish ecological architectures -which are usually specific mosses, grasses, and small 46
flowering plants -to convert certain gasses in the atmosphere (mainly the carbon dioxide) into usable oxygen. The second technique is to supplement this long-term strategy with a number of atmosphere processing stations. An atmosphere processor is a cone-shaped tower, about 1500 meters high. A 1.0 Terrawatt fusion reactor powers it, and it draws into the planetary atmosphere through a series of louvers in the bases and sides. This atmosphere is then drawn up through a series of hot mass processors arranged in a ring around the fusion core. Each of the processors can draw into the atmosphere through a battery of turbines, which compresses the accelerates the gas. This is then passed through a high temperature electrical arc that heats the gases and ionizes it. The magnetic coils then heat the gas to near plasma temperatures in around 5,000 degrees Kelvin, and the molecules within the gases are dissociated into their component atoms. The hot streams of monatomic gas are then sorted by a series of magnetic fields into constituent elements. Some of these (such as carbon) can be drawn off as a waste by-product (such as graphite dust), while the remaining hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen atoms are expelled back into the atmosphere, where they can cool to form as hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen.
CRYO-TUBES A need to travel the long distances across the vastness of space, a majority of the company and the military missions involve a long distance of travel. As a result, the development of the cryo-tubes process has evolved over the years. First used to preserve the dead for study, scientists have used this technology for use in long distance travel. Since it's success, it has been widely used on different gathering operations for long lost ores and new resources to the military for their interstellar travel to protect and guard a colony on a distant planet. This kind of sleep involves reducing the body temperature to a freezing level. It slows the heartbeat so that the person in the tube is in a deep comatose state. While the person is in this state, the computer monitoring the sleeper will emit a low energy stasis field so that no time for the sleeper will pass. The process was not intended for anybody to sleep for more than several months to a year. Corporations still plans on exploring the outer reaches of space and to developing more advanced ways for the sleep process.
All corporations manufacture the cryo tubes. They are all identical in operation even though many variants of the style exist. Impregnated subjects can be placed in cryo and held safely until needed. The freezing process inflicts more damage onto an embryo than even a human does. An embryo, after the host is removed from cryo, unfortunately takes longer to adapt back to normal health. Every 12 hours in cryo-sleep grants the host another hour when released before the embryo starts to grow again.
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OTHER HOSTILE LIFEFORMS ARCTURIANS These are the natives of Arcturus, and they are mammal-like creatures that are about the same size as humans. Their society is like that of ants; they live in underground hives, have a large single queen which lays eggs, and raise their young in communal nursing chambers. They are semi-intelligent, with mental abilities similar to those of the lower apes. This combination of animal and insect traits makes the Arcturians a strange race. They are warm-blooded omnivores, breathe an oxygen atmosphere, and are roughly humanoid, but they are also eyeless and they communicate and find their way using sonar. Their young are amphibious and are raised in warm pools in nursing chambers near the bottom of the hive. The limited intelligence of the Arcturians allows them to work together on important tasks, learn from experience, and teach each other. They have a rudimentary language and use simple tools, including sharpened pieces of stone for weapons. Arcturians pose little threat to armed Colonial Marines, but an unwary group entering Arcturian tunnels could be in trouble. They have been known to lay traps for Humans, and have even collapsed shafts to isolate intruders. The Arcturians have also learned to wait until a group’s lights have failed before attacking, to maximize their advantages. Arcturians are kept away from Human settlements by sonic barriers. To drive them out of their warrens is more difficult, as the queen is immobile and the Arcturians will defend nursing chambers to the death.
STATISTICS (These are base numbers with their appropriate skill) INT: 2 WILL: 5 REF: 5 TECH: 1 DEX: 4 (RUN—14, SPRINT—21, SWIM / LEAP—7 ) BODY: 8 MOVE: 7 HITS: 40 STUN: 40 WEAPONS: Claws
KD: 5 SD: 20
CON: 4
STR: 6
ED: 5 REC: 10 Range: 1
WA: +1
DC: 6-Stun / 3-Hits
SPECIAL None
BLACKBODY CORAL Discovered on Saint John, Blackbody Coral is a Hive-type microorganism that is similar to coral on Earth. It grows on surfaces that are exposed to light, and its cells are essentially light traps; virtually all of the solar energy that hits the coral is absorbed into the cells, which are also well insulated. The energy is used to feed the growth of the Blackbody Hive. Blackbody coral is widely used in construction on Colony worlds with harsh environments, because of its excellent insulation and energy absorption properties.
HARVESTERS Harvesters are large creatures which live below the ground, and they are destroying the Colony on Tartarus. Their attack is almost impossible to stop because they bore through the Earth and attack from directly beneath the facilities. No underground protection has been that will stop the Harvesters, although many attempts have been made. Decoying the Harvesters to the surface outside the colony where they can be attacked by aircraft has been used with success, but the Harvesters are cunning and these tricks are no longer effective. The Primary focus at the remaining facilities is to destroy the Harvesters in their underground chambers. For this work, the Colonial Marines have been called. A Harvester is heavier than any land animal on Earth; it is over nine feet high and nearly twenty feet long. Shaped something like an armadillo, the Harvester lives beneath the ground and has massive front claws and a powerful snout for digging. It uses sonar as its main sense and has acute hearing and small but limited vision. The 48
Harvester is very maneuverable for a creature of its size and can and can move up to 34 feet / second. It main purpose is for burrowing and harvesting. Harvesting consists of burrowing to the surface and shredding organic plant and animal life that it processes and stores in its gut. Harvesters operate in groups and their communication and intelligence can be compared to that of a wolf pack. They are highly territorial and attack any Harvester from a foreign pack or any other threat within their area of operation. A Harvester’s attack consists of the creature charging and overrunning or ramming its target. When Harvesters fight each other, it is a push and shove match until one is turned over, exposing its softer underbelly. This leaves it vulnerable to the shredding jaws of the victor. The carrier is another form of the creature, and it is very similar to a normal Harvester. It is different in that it is not equipped to harvest and store large quantities or organic material. Instead, it has up to 12 drones growing on itself. These drones can be regrown in about three weeks. The Drone is a smaller, boar-size creature whose purpose is defense against small animals and creatures that threaten the lair and underground chambers. The Drone has only one purpose, and that is to bite. It lives attached to what is called a Carrier and has few internal organs of its own. When released from the Carrier to attack a foe, it does so with the ferocity of a creature whose only purpose is attack, for the drone can only live a few hours once released. The Drone can climb and jump, as well as move up to 42 feet / per second. Once it reaches its target, it attacks with its jaws. The creature is nothing more than a portable set of mandibles and once it locks its jaws onto its victim it will not release its grip. The jaws actually ratchet down and cannot be opened short of breaking the thick skull and mandibles.
STATISTICS – HARVESTER INT: 2 STR: 15
(These are base numbers with their appropriate skill) WILL: 3 REF: 7 TECH: 0 DEX: 7 (RUN—22, SPRINT—33, SWIM / LEAP—11 ) MOVE: 11
HITS: 150 (3 K) STUN: 100
KD: 30 (0.5 K) SD: 50
WEAPONS: Bunt Claws Stomp Ram
Range: 3m 4m 1m 1m
CON: 10
ED: 26 (0.5 K) REC: 25 WA: 0 +1 -3 -3
DC: 10-Stun / 5-Killing 6 13 (1k) 3k
SPECIAL Can also grapple
STATISTICS – CARRIER INT: 2 STR: 13
(These are base numbers with their appropriate skill) WILL: 3 REF: 6 TECH: 0 DEX: 6 (RUN—20, SPRINT—30, SWIM / LEAP—10 ) MOVE: 10
HITS: 100 (2 K) STUN: 75
KD: 20 (0.3 K) SD: 30
WEAPONS: Bunt Stomp Ram
Range: 3m 1m 1m
CON: 10
ED: 20 (0.3 K) REC: 23 WA: 0 -3 -3
DC: 10-Stun / 5-Killing 13 (1k) 3k
SPECIAL
STATISTICS – DRONE INT: 1 BODY: 5
(These are base numbers with their appropriate skill) WILL: 1 REF: 5 TECH: 0 DEX: 6 (RUN—14, SPRINT—21, SWIM / LEAP—7 ) MOVE: 7
HITS: 35 STUN: 35
KD: 5 SD: 20
ED: 5 REC: 13
WEAPONS: Bite
Range: 1m
WA: +1
DC: 6
CON: 8
STR: 6
SPECIAL Grapple
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HYPER-ALGEA This very small type of plant life was found in the limited shallow seas of Alexandria. When it is cultivated in an environment of water, sunlight, and carbon dioxide, it reproduces at an incredible high rate. Oxygen is the main byproduct of Hyper-Algae, so its is used in the large Life Support systems of many Colonies, and is the primary reason the systems are inexpensive and reliable.
MORPHERS The creatures were discovered on Saint John. They weigh five to ten pounds and have a unique shapechanging ability. They are able to adopt any of several forms, including a water-breather like a fish, an amphibian form, and a land-dwelling air-breather. Morphers do not simply change shape at will; they enter a state of dormancy in response to seasonal and climatic change, and emerge from that state days or weeks later in a form which is more appropriate to the current environment. This change occurs through the action of a special part of the Morpher’s DNA code, ad is like the way a tadpole becomes a frog, except that a Morpher changes among several different forms on a cyclic basis. The study of Morphers has been vital to the science of genetic engineering, and Morpher DNA is still being heavily researched for future uses.
PANAMAR PLANKTON A recent discovery on Panamar is a type of thermogenic plankton; this simple life form used thermal energy instead of sunlight to create hydrocarbons. It is already in experimental use in life support systems, and will probably have many other functions as well
BRACHOUS SLUGS This is a simple and decidedly unglamorous organism that lives on Astyanax. Concealed in its DNA, however, could be one of the greatest prizes discovered by Humanity. Because the Brachous Slug evolved in a high radiation environment, it has developed the ability to repair radiation damage and other harm to its own DNA. The ability to repair itself has given this simple creature effective immortality . Falcon industries is currently leading an intensive research project into the Brachous Slug, in the hope of greatly extending Human life. The rumored Time Serum is said to be based on this creature’s DNA
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PLAYING ALIEN: FUZION RECOMMENDED GAME SIZE I planned this game for an average size of four players with one GM. Obviously this game can be played smaller or even larger but I really frown on anything smaller than three players. Any more could reduce individual role playing. There should be a balance of character classes.
A GUIDE TO CHARACTER RECOMMENDATIONS: --There should be at least one synthetic as a PC or NPC --There must be one lieutenant to command the squad. It should be a PC since this Character enters the combat arena. There would be officers higher up. --There should be no one higher than a lieutenants rank but the GM can allow for a Captain if necessary. --At least one Heavy Weapons soldier. --Someone with some OP in Xenobiology. --Someone might even have a connection to the Acheron mission. Either be related to someone on the Sulaco or Hadley’s Hope. --Someone should have dropship piloting skills. --Someone should be an armor driver. --There should be no psychopathic characters or players with very unstable personalities. --Medical skills are recommended. If not, the GM should supply a combat medic.
ATMOSPHERE The lights should be dimmed a tad but not too dark. If the adventure is a horror adventure (one alien, dark corridors), consider turning the lights off altogether, illumination supplied by pocket flashlights. Of course, it should be late when gaming begins. No one should dress up…this is not THAT type of game. Definitely have printed pictures of weapons and equipment around as well as pictures of the aliens so players can visualize what is going on.
MUSIC The GM should definitely consider using music to accentuate the gaming experience. Scary music when searching a derelict spaceship, action music when battling hordes of xenomoprhs. Soundtracks recommended follow: ALIENS – This is an obvious must buy with James Horner’s famous, and often ripped off, soundtrack. Use it often. Action tracks are plenty and the scary music is good to. You can buy at most stores that offer a good selection of soundtracks. ALIEN – Unfortunately, the first movie's soundtrack is no longer available, being pulled just a few months ago. I am lucky to have purchased it long ago. No ambient music from any of the other films beats Jerry Goldsmith's oscar nominating soundtrack. It just proves that Jerry is the best composer of all the Alien films since his music has been sampled in Aliens and Alien: Resurrection as well. ALIEN: RESURRECTION: – I honestly don't hate John Frizzel’s music which has been bashed in the reviews. It is the least popular but still usable. Tracks 1, 2 and 3 are very accessible as ambient tracks and track 10 is good for an action score. ALIEN 3: -- Elliot Goldenthall’s artistically strange soundtrack varies so often, it is not often usable but some are. Listen and study the music wisely. AIR FORCE ONE: 51
-- Another Goldsmith soundtrack that offers a great military theme with some great action scores. EXECUTIVE DECISION -- Yet another military themed soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith. Ignore the ethnic stuff. TRUE LIES -- Even though half the soundtrack are unusable songs, Brad Fiedel’s music sometimes offers scores of some worth. DARK CITY: --With the exception of a handful of songs, this is one of my favorite soundtracks. Terry Jones doesn't often get credit for his music. The ending track is remarkable. VOLCANO: -- The problem with Varase Saraband's titles is that their soundtracks are always so short. The average CD is only 25 minutes and they cost SOO much. Even still, Alan Silvestri offers a handful of really intense scores. OUTLAND / CAPRICORN ONE: -- Two of Jerry Goldsmith’s rarest and best soundtracks were re-released together on one CD. 75 minutes worth of music is a good value. Most of Capricorn One is stapled in the 70s but some are useful. As for Outland. Anyone not utilizing the entire soundtrack is wasting their investment. TOTAL RECALL: --Okay, if you haven’t noticed, I like Jerry Goldsmith, so I would be negligent in my duties to not mention one of his most famous scores, that of Paul Verhoevan's epic, Total Recall. Most of the music has a very comic atmosphere but I like it. THE ABYSS: --Another Silvestri soundtrack. Dark and moody.
DARK HORSE COMICS Dark Horse has produced over fifty alien comics from the intelligent to the outright goofy. Please be aware that most are often from different time periods. Here is a list of the usable stories. If the players have not read these, the GM would be lacking in his duties if he didn't sample from them. OUTBREAK / NIGHTMARE ASYLUM / FEMALE WAR: (CL5, TL1) These outline the Earth War in intricate detail. A good source material LABYRINTH: (TL4, CL4) A good example of a story where the aliens take a back seat to the evils of man. MUSIC OF THE SPEARS: (CL5, TL5) A good story with very little use to a setting since it deals primarily with music. COLONIAL MARINES: (CL4, TL5) A great series because it is a long one with many different ideas. Each issue can be used on its own as an adventure (god knows I have). A really good resource with designs for many ships, weapons, and alien variants.. ROGUE: (CL4, TL4) A more familiar "evil scientist" story with action and corporations clashing. Shows some corporations and some good weaponry. BESERKER: (CL5, TL5) A perfect adventure template for Beserker teams. It gives a good example of what a typical mission looks like from start to finish. All the weapons and devices are present. KIDNAPPED: (CL4, TL4) A very strange, almost unusable story. ALCHEMY: (Unknown) One of my favorite stories but really strange. A possible good setting for a story if done properly. STRONGHOLD: (TL6, TL5) A very good example of a high-profile action-fest. Lots of fighting, hundreds of aliens and many guns. It shows many Synth models including a Xenomorph model. HIVE: (TL4, CL4) A good starting story for infiltrating hives and the first Xenomorph Synth. GENOCIDE: (TL5, CL4) One of the nest stories with the highest alien count ever (except for the war, of course) with pictures of weapons, aliens, and spacecraft. A great story especially since it is the base comic that almost every comic since would be based. HAVOC / PIG / SALVATION / SACRIFICE / MONDO HEAT, ETC: (Various) Most of the other comics are limited in their scope and not offered much more in the form of story ideas.
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PLUG IN: THE ALIEN COLD-WAR This plug-in is a completely original concept developed from previously written material from the Leading Edge RPG and William Gibsons unused Alien3 script. The majority of the photos on this site are created by Jean Vouillon with his permission. I am greatly thankful for his support and amazing artwork.
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A pair of APMC Predators patrolling over the Barron Ocean on Alexandria
Beyond corporate bureaucracy where multi-trillion dollar companies dispute for the newest technology (biological or technological), planet rights, and the search for newer resources, the old ways of government politics still strive. Although considered much less severe then the bickering of the “Big 5”, Governments still flex their muscles from time to time. However, this age-old game of political pushing and shoving didn’t measure more than a nuisance to the more powerful Corporations…until a new threat and technological opportunity arose. Then the three remaining seats of non-corporate power began to gain notice.
Terran Trade Alliance The seat of power for the majority of the human race resides still on the home planet. Earth contains more people on it then the rest of colonized space. Even in the distant future, it still resides the nexus of the human race. Thus lies its problem. The majority of its population works for one of the “Big 5” but by charter must be governed by the TTA. Only when a citizen leaves the bonds of the Earth/Moon do they fall under Interstellar Commerce Commission (ICC) law. This is the reason why most of the largest corporations don’t place their primary headquarters on Earth, preferring to park their head office on their own controlled worlds or even a world controlled by a larger or allied company. The TTA is an enlarged version of the old United Nations of old. Enlarged in both scope and in doctrine. It more than covers the rules of conduct between nations but now covers all trade between the nations of Earth. It expands further to include the support of the local military. It became clear to the Earth nations that peace was the best course of action…in the end it all came down to money. Only together, could the Nations of Earth gain a foothold in the future. The TTA seats not officials and diplomats but the leaders of the free world themselves. The TTA doctrine includes complete free trade between its Nations and an open border policy. However, even with all this, most of their influence does not spread beyond their own world. There is very little need with the protective blanket of the corporations around them. The TTA also has no significant military force save for its own local ground army and perimeter defense.
NOTE: Past CL6, approaching the turn of Alien: Resurrection (or CL7), this same TTA Military would later reform and restructure itself to form the United System Military.
The TTA is not without grunt however. They comprise almost a 15% investment in the Colonial Marines, an investment made in order to keep any single Company from monopolizing such a sizable military and to ensure the CMC’s independence from Corporate Militia. The TTA operates all stations and bases in the Earth/Moon system. This includes Gateway station and the Lunar Shipyards. Even Mars is Company controlled. Because of the massive influence and potential for manipulation from the companies, many outside of Earth (especially those living on other worlds) believe the TTA to be gutless and have a bloated sense of power. Many further believe that the TTA is corrupt and only operates from the directives given to it from the ICC—the real initials of power in Human controlled space. As for the planet itself, it still grows out of control. Crime runs more rampant than it ever did before. Even though the Nations have control over their own land, they seem to be increasingly loosing control of their people. Ethnic, religious, and social minorities have seceded from many of the weaker Nations and established their own small states. Wealth and social status on Earth range from the most desperate poverty and oppression in history to unprecedented levels of riches and power. There are many millions of people who live uneasy middle-class lives in a world with few certainties. And next to their simple communities, surrounding the places where they work, are the dispossessed; billions of people who work at menial jobs or survive on government subsidies, or who prey on others. Many ethnic groups and fringe religions have established their own small nations, sometimes with corporate backing, and the safety of people and facilities in those areas could easily be imperiled. There are even areas where there is no law; where local wars have erased all government and the nation or nations who own the land have given up on the attempt to administrate. The TTA itself is a governing body that resides in New York City and seats more than 50 administrators. Many countries were aloud to seat one, while several smaller countries had to merge for a place on the TTA. Several countries still insist on not aligning with the governing body but their numbers are too small to mention. CL3: With the increase in Xenomorphic threats, the TTA eventually signed a Trade agreement with Alexandria. This caused a major rift between the TTA and the Companies and forced much of the budget of the Colonial Marines to be cut when many corporations jumped ship. CL5: When the Xenomorph outbreak spread to Earth, the TTA was left in shambles. With the millions of people killed and the subsequent eradication of the alien infestation via nuclear weapons, virtually nothing remained. However, many believe that the TTA simply reformed. With the newly formed government starting from Alexandria, the Human race had a new cradle to which to grow… …Of course, when Earth became livable, the few companies that remained made a note that the governments that took power back on Earth were under their control…that resulted in more problems occurring in a few centuries…
Alexandria If someone were to be asked about the greatest threat to future progression of mankind, the answer would depend on the individual being asked. Ask a civilian from an inner colony world, they would claim the only real threat are the companies and what they are willing to do from money. Ask a pilgrim in a distant outer-veil world; the increasing threat of rumored alien killing machines takes over. Ask the TTA or the Colonial Marines, the answer comes from the Neo-Communistic state of the UPP. However, ask any suit sitting on a chair of power in any corporation of any power, all will respond the same…Alexandria.
The Capitol of Alexandria shares the name of the Colony.
It seemed harmless at first. Less than 50 years after the colony was originally formed, the companies that had invested so much time and money realized the population base had grown so massive; many citizens weren’t even working for them. The last census read 30 million but it became clear the number was close to 60 million. When several outer veil colonies declared independence, Alexandria decided to reluctantly follow. They formed their own government and placed the seat of power at the capitol colony. However, the other worlds were quickly overrun and many simply surrendered without a fight, ending the revolution before it began. Alexandria, however, was not given the option to surrender. Previously the perimeter militia had struck and secured Ventix, cutting off the supply runs from the corporate staff on planet. The staff defected and the company head on Alexandria were quickly deported. When the ICC turned its attention on Alexandria after the other worlds fell, they discovered a larger threat than the other worlds put together. PCS-001 Proteus Fighters through the ridge belt over Ventix
In a few short months, Alexandrian Government’s Military arm, “PanCore” had taken control of a major manufacturing complex and from Ventix, they produced a sizable force in a very short time. By the time the ICC had
gotten their forces together to strike back, “PanCore” forces struck first, securing another foothold, this time with the Crestus Prime Garrison systems. Previously uncolonized, “PanCore” discovered these worlds were a great castle wall for normal shipping lanes. There…they stopped. Alexandria, aware they may be spreading too thin, fortified themselves. With enough rich planets under their control, they turned their attention to making the most of what they accomplished. The ICC was not pleased and a corporate military force attempted to strike at the Garrison systems. They failed. The ICC quickly requested the CMC move in. However, the TTA stopped the attack and re-wrote the orders to simply barricade the system and refuse entry of any vessel. This created a stalemate that exists today. Because so many illegal shipping lanes exist beyond the primary ones listed, trading still exists between Alexandria and outer veil colonies in the surrounding sectors. The TTA and Alexandria don’t consider each other threats and only the pressure from the Companies keep the CMC positioned there. There have even been reports of the vessels from PanCore and the CMC engaging in illegal fraternization. Defections between military personnel are highest at this border. When Alexandria separated, it created a semi-democracy. The people in power were voted there, but the citizens are not, by all means, and free. However, many tolerate this situation since it’s far better than most other colonies get. Most understand that the government asks a lot of their civilians since the growing Nation is still on an uphill climb. The whole sector is on a constant defense stance. Everyone is expected to pitch in and help the effort to defend and improve the nation. The Alexandrian Government, many refer to as the “Sphere”, tables six people, each representing a different facet of the community…from farming and manufacturing to administration and military. Every citizen is expected to serve four years for the government in one of these areas before moving into a career of choice. It is a form of military draft but the military is not the only option. The majority of the population is eager to work for the civilization that they helped create. Many understand that expanding the power of the Sphere and protecting the borders are paramount especially with the constant pressure from the ICC. PanCore currently patrols a sizable motive force at Ventix and at Alexandria. Crestus Prime stations more static personnel and usually serves no more that a port for the Pan Core forces. Defensive stations make a direct attack on Crestus futile. Any attempt to work around Crestus and attack Ventix or Alexandria directly would result in an advance notice as perimeter scanners stretch out far from the worlds. The ICC, however, completely ignores Abdullah and still allows vessels to pass through the Crestus shipping lane back to the CSC. Corporations still exist on Alexandria and some are rather large. However, they all must obey strict laws put forward by the Sphere preventing monopolies or takeovers. Even the largest pales in comparison to even the smallest ones in the ICC. They also work with the Sphere but hold little power deciding the fate of the people and government. The reason why Alexandria is considered so much a threat to the ICC, more than the UPP, is simply because of their refusal to follow ICC regulations and the richness of the world they run. Alexandria is considered the single best colony world in known space. Some say it resembles Earth before man corrupted it. CL3: When the alien threat started knocking on their door, Pan Core fortified and prevented any infestation from reaching their worlds. The Sphere put forward a wise order the moment the aliens emerged…total extermination. CL6: When Earth fell, and the Alien threat diminished, Alexandria opened its doors. Without a blockade and with a new alliance with the CMC and the remnants of the TTA, The Sphere directed Pan Core to expand out of their borders. The Outer Veil colonies surrounding Alexandria opened their doors and joined the Sphere, instantly doubling the size of the Para-Colony Authority, as it would later be known. The CMC would then merge with Pan Core and form the Para-Military Corps.
Union of Progressive People The UPP is smaller than Alexandria and controls fewer worlds. However, they make up for that in tenacity. Like Alexandria, they seceded during the Outer Veil Colony Rebellions. Like Alexandria, they managed to remain independent. However, the ICC considered them less of a threat since the UPP capitol world, Barabazon, had been almost totally strip-mined before the rebellion occurred. More of the surrounding worlds had been as well. This resulted in a different agenda for the UPP over Alexandria. Alexandria had a mineral rich world and little need to spread their fingers. The UPP, however, starves for resources and constantly threatens the surrounding colonies. However, most of these are barren as well, resulting in the ICC considering them not much a threat, unlike Alexandria, which is surrounding by almost equally rich worlds. As a result, the UPP constantly encroaches on ICC territory. The ICC’s answer was to fortify and barricade the Anchorpoint station. There, the progression stopped. The CMC operate patrols there. A much larger border exists there than at Alexandria. The CMC considers this much more of a threat but ICC does not consider it as financially important than Alexandria. The UPP operates not unlike the massive corporations, controlling every facet of society. However they resemble more of a police state. Some still have trouble classifying whether or not they fall into fascism or communism. Unlike Alexandria, military duty is mandatory at some point for all, and there is little choice what someone does with their life. Proportionally, the UPP military arm contains more personnel than Earth or Alexandria but the overall population of the Nation is less. The worlds of the UPP are, by average, ugly. Barabazon sits half, an ordered police state and half, uncontrolled no-mans land. West Barabazon is the political and military hub, where the Union of Progressive People plans out its daily activities. Only the upper crust lives in the West. If you live in the East, you are just the crust. East Bar is a virtually lawless gorge of drinking and debauchery. It is also a large trading location, binding competition with the nearby Anchorpoint station for the consumers’ business. The UPP is more than proud of their massive capital and their popular venues of entertainment. East Bar has a massive Television industry (mostly Trash). Rich tourists explore the wonders of West Bar, never knowing how 95% of the population (over 45 million) lives. Most of this trading is with outlining colonies, most of which trade in illegal substances. Its this continued illegal activity and the constant threat of attack which alarms the CMC. Marine head command insists that more forces move from Alexandria to the UPP considering them the greater threat. The ICC disagrees and the threats of an attack on Anchorpoint or other outlining colonies increase. Unlike the Sphere, the UPP High Command believes that any technological edge is worth the price. The UPP is still on an obsessive drive for new technology or new resources. The problem is most people smart enough to create the latest technology have either been snapped up by corporations, or defected all the way to Alexandria. So the UPP turned to espionage. The Xenomorph represents a major advancement and the UPP believes mastering this new technology before the ICC would give them the one strategic advantage they need to secure more space and resources. The main location of research sits at Rodina, where the brunt of the PPA (Progressive People’s Army) resides. As said, the UPP often resembles a large corporation. However, their lack of resources often lead rivals to consider them much less of a threat. CL4: The UPP would lose Rodina to alien infestation and when that infestation reached Barabazon, the UPP found itself unprepared. The government soon fell and the remnants asked for CMC support to cure their problem. The CMC moved in without resistance and the worlds of the UPP merged back with the ICC. CL6: Since the worlds were considered worthless to many corporations. After the war, Barabazon and the outlining colonies were left alone and soon infighting virtually torn them apart. Barabazon survived with its massive trade community. Decades would pass before it would reform and restructure again.
MILITARY ARMS Colonial Marine Corps Refer to the CMC chapter in Stage One Rules…
Para Alexandrian Defense Force (Pan Core) Pan Core traded quantity for quality. Less volume and more superior technology. With massive resources and well motivated people, as well as most of the blueprints from CMC technology to work from, technology flourished. Pan Core, even though less than a quarter of the size of the CMC has more than twice the budget. They operate their own vessels and their own weaponry and are never seen with “borrowed” technology. In that same degree, no Pan Core vessel has ever been captured intact. The military are well structured and bare more than a passing resemblance to the Royal Armed Forces from old England. The forces are well trained and go through an even stricter regiment than the Colonial Marines. Beyond that, they share almost the exact same rank structure and regiments. However, their reputation is second to none. The Ethos of Pan Core That spirit which inspires soldiers to fight. It draws from, and depends upon, The high degree of commitment, self-sacrifice and mutual trust which together are so essential to the maintenance of morale. The Alexandrian Defense Force exists to defend the Nation and its interests. It has a reputation second to none, based largely on its fighting spirit, and on the high standards of professionalism, behavior, and self-discipline that Alexandrian soldiers have consistently displayed. Land operations are physically and mentally demanding, extremely unpredictable, and potentially dangerous. In the end they depend for success on teamwork, which comes from demanding training, strong leadership, comradeship and trust. Such trust can only exist on the basis of shared values, the maintenance of high standards, and the personal commitment of every soldier to the task, the team, the Army and the Nation.
STANDARDS OF CONDUCT As a soldier in Pan Core, they must: Abide by the civil law, wherever they are serving. Abide by military law, which includes some additional offences such as insubordination and absence without leave, which are needed to maintain discipline. Abide by the laws of armed conflict whenever they are on operations. Avoid any activity, which undermines their professional ability, or puts others at risk. In particular, the misuse of drugs and abuse of alcohol. Avoid any behavior, which damages trust and respect between they and others in their team and unit, such as deceit or social misconduct. In particular, they must not commit any form of harassment, bullying or discrimination, whether on grounds of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or any other behavior, which could undermine good order and military discipline. Ultimately, an Alexandrian must always measure their conduct against the following test: "Have your actions or behavior adversely impacted or are they likely to impact on the efficiency operational effectiveness of the Army?"
or
Those in positions of authority, at whatever level, have a duty of care towards their subordinates, looking after their interests, and ensuring that they fully understand what is expected of them. This duty of care extends to ensuring that individuals who raise concerns have their complaints dealt with in a thorough and timely manner.
Progressive People’s Army (PPA) The PPA is less trained than the Alexandrian Forces or even the CMC, but they make up for it in size…and tenacity. The PPA’s Doctrine is to defend the existence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the state of the UPP. To protect the inhabitants of the UPP and to combat all forms of threats to daily life. Basic Points : -The UPP cannot afford to lose a single war. -Defensive on the strategic level, maintain territorial ambitions. -Desire to avoid war by political means and a credible deterrent posture. -Preventing escalation. -Determine the outcome of war quickly and decisively. -Combating major threats to the UPP. -Very low casualty ratio. The PPA is the UPPs military force. The PPA is subordinate to the directions of the laws of the state. The goal of the PPA is to protect the existence of the UPP and her independence, and to thwart all enemy efforts to disrupt the normal way of life. PPA soldiers are obligated to fight, to dedicate all their strength and even sacrifice their lives in order to protect the UPP, her citizens and residents. PPA soldiers will operate according to the PPA values and orders, while adhering to the laws of the state and honoring the values of the UPP as a properly governed state. Basic Values: Defense of the State, its Citizens and its Residents - The PPA’s goal is to defend the existence of the State, its independence and the security of the citizens and residents of the state. Love of the Homeland and Loyalty to the State - At the core of service in the PPA stand the love of the homeland and the commitment and devotion to the State -state that serves as a national home for the Union of Progressive People, its citizens and residents. Tenacity of Purpose in Performing Missions and Drive to Victory - The PPA servicemen and women will fight and conduct themselves with courage in the face of all dangers and obstacles; They will persevere in their missions resolutely and thoughtfully even to the point of endangering their lives. Responsibility - The PPA serviceman or woman will see themselves as active participants in the defense of the state, its citizens and residents. They will carry out their duties at all times with initiative, involvement and diligence with common sense and within the framework of their authority, while prepared to bear responsibility for their conduct. Credibility - The PPA servicemen and women shall present things objectively, completely and precisely, in planning, performing and reporting. They will act in such a manner that their peers and commanders can rely upon them in performing their tasks. Personal Example - The PPA servicemen and women will comport themselves as required of them, and will demand of themselves as they demand of others, out of recognition of their ability
and responsibility within the military and without to serve as a deserving role model. Purity of Arms - The PPA servicemen and women will use their weapons and force only for the purpose of their mission, only to the necessary extent. Professionalism - The PPA servicemen and women will acquire the professional knowledge and skills required to perform their tasks, and will implement them while striving continuously to perfect their personal and collective achievements. Discipline - The PPA servicemen and women will strive to the best of their ability to fully and successfully complete all that is required of them according to orders and their spirit. PPA soldiers will be meticulous in giving only orders necessary for the state. Sense of Mission - The PPA soldiers view their service in the PPA as a mission; They will be ready to give their all in order to defend the state, its citizens and residents. This is due to the fact that they are representatives of the PPA who act on the basis and in the framework of the authority given to them in accordance with PPA orders.
SPECIAL FORCES Marine Special Forces (See Marine Chapter)
Spetsznaz Many press articles about SPETSNAZ (Special Purpose Forces) concentrate on their glamorous and sensational aspects, such as assassination missions and masquerading in Corporations. The UPP special purpose forces are called by several names, including reydoviki (from the English word "raid"), diversionary troops, and reconnaissance/sabotage troops, but they are most popularly known as SPETSNAZ, an acronym from the Russian spetsialnoe naznachenie, meaning special purpose. The UPP, already known for their similarities to Soviet Union, adopted the name, which matches a similar organization in the Soviet past. The General Staff’s Main Intelligence Directorate GRU controls SPETSNAZ. The mission of the SPETSNAZ is to conduct what the UPP call Special Reconnaissance. According to the Soviet Military Encyclopedia, Special Reconnaissance is defined as, Reconnaissance carried out to subvert the political, economic and military potential and morale of a probable or actual enemy. The primary missions of special reconnaissance are: acquiring intelligence on major economic and military installations and either destroying them or putting them out of action, organizing sabotage and acts of subversion; carrying out punitive operations against rebels; conducting propaganda; forming and training insurgent detachments, etc. Special reconnaissance is ... conducted by the forces of covert intelligence and special purpose troops. More simply, the chief missions of SPETSNAZ are reconnaissance and sabotage.
Typical SPETSNAZ targets include mobile missiles, command and control facilities, air defenses, airfields, port facilities, and lines of communication. In addition, specially trained SPETSNAZ elements have the missions of assassinating or kidnapping enemy military and civilian leaders. The basic SPETSNAZ unit is a team of eight to ten men. The team is commanded by an officer, may have a warrant officer or senior sergeant as deputy, and includes a radio operator, demolitions experts, snipers, and reconnaissance specialists. Team members have some degree of crosstraining so a mission can continue if a specialist is lost. A SPETSNAZ brigade consists of three to five SPETSNAZ battalions, a signal company, support units, and a headquarters company containing highly skilled professional soldiers responsible for carrying out assassinations, kidnappings, and contact with agents in the enemy rear area. The organization of a naval SPETSNAZ brigade reflects its emphasis on space infiltration, with up to three frogman battalions, one parachute battalion, and a spacecraft battalion, as well as the signal company, headquarters company, and support elements. Many PPA divisions have SPETSNAZ companies of 115 men and can deploy up to 15 teams. The companies are organized similarly, with three SPETSNAZ platoons, a communications platoon, and supporting units. Besides the SPETSNAZ units at front and army, there are additional ones directly subordinate to the GRU. Total UPP SPETSNAZ strength in peacetime is about 5,000. There are stringent standards required of all conscripts assigned to SPETSNAZ. Potential reydoviki must be secondary school graduates, intelligent, physically fit, and, perhaps most important, politically reliable. Parachute training with a paramilitary youth organization is naturally a plus. Upon induction, a SPETSNAZ conscript will be asked to sign a loyalty oath in which he acknowledges death will be his punishment for divulging details about his service. After induction, some of the conscripts will be selected for an arduous, six-month-long noncommissioned officers school. Anticipating a high washout rate, commanders may send as many as five conscripts for each available NCO slot. In the event more NCOs graduate than there are slots available, the lower ranked graduates are assigned to positions as private soldiers. This excess of trained NCOs provides a ready pool of leaders to replace casualties in the field. Washouts and those conscripts not selected for NCO school receive training in their units. In addition to basic military training, they will be trained in the following specialized skills: Parachuting, Hand-to-hand combat and silent-killing techniques, including judo, karate, and knife-fighting, Sabotage using explosives, incendiaries, acids, and abrasives, Infiltration techniques, including defeat of locks and security systems, Foreign language and culture, Foreign weapons, tactics, and vehicles, Survival, Reconnaissance and map reading, and Rappelling. The technical training schedule leaves time for rigorous physical training involving obstacle courses and forced marches, which are often conducted in gas masks. Some units also provide strenuous adventure training like mountain climbing and skiing. Up to half the year is spent training out of garrison. Once or twice a year, selected teams engage in extremely realistic exercises carried out under battle conditions. Teams are provided little in the way of rations and are forced to forage for food. Exercise objectives are often operational installations guarded by regular troops or soldiers of the Ministry of Interior. SPETSNAZ careerists are well compensated for the strenuous training. Each year of service with a SPETSNAZ unit counts as one and one-half years for pension purposes, and there is an incentive pay of 50 percent of salary. As in other types of airborne units, SPETSNAZ receive jump pay, which varies with the total number of jumps, e.g., the fiftieth jump pays more than the fifth. A conscript's jump pay can exceed his regular salary. In keeping with their behind-the-lines missions, SPETSNAZ are lightly equipped. Each soldier will have an AKH assault rifle or SVD heavy sniper rifle, a silenced 9-mm pistol, ammunition, a knife, up to eight hand grenades of various types, and rations. In addition, every team member carries a portion of the team's gear, which will normally include an grenade launcher and rounds, a burst transmission radio capable of communicating over a range of 100 000 kilometers, directional mines, and plastic explosives. The load per team member is approximately 40 kilograms (88 pounds). A provision of up-to-date intelligence is critical to the success of SPETSNAZ missions. The second directorate of the front staff is responsible for intelligence. It includes separate departments for reconnaissance, agent intelligence, signals intelligence, information processing, and SPETSNAZ. Under the SPETSNAZ department are both the SPETSNAZ brigade and a dedicated SPETSNAZ intelligence unit. The latter is tasked with recruitment of "sleeper" sabotage agents and peacetime collection of information on potential targets and enemy military personnel. SPETSNAZ sabotage agents are rare in comparison to ordinary intelligence agents. A sleeper might have no other mission than to wait for the order to commit sabotage in preparation for war. He might also be tasked to acquire safe houses to support the eventual deployment of SPETSNAZ teams. Besides the sleepers, the SPETSNAZ intelligence unit controls legal and illegal agents for collection of information. Most SPETSNAZ missions will have the primary objective of reconnaissance, so they will use camouflage to avoid contact with enemy patrols. They will
attack if ordered to do so by the brigade. As a general rule, SPETSNAZ commanders operate independently. Once missions are given to the teams, army and front headquarters keep interference to a minimum, relying on the initiative and skill of the team leaders. Sufficient coordination is maintained to be able to order the teams out of the way of other UPP attacks. SPETSNAZ are not particularly well known within the UPP military, and they tend not to publicize their existence and capabilities. Their uniforms are not distinctive, with ground forces SPETSNAZ usually wearing airborne or signal troops' uniforms and naval SPETSNAZ wearing naval infantry or ground uniforms. Their ethnic makeup is likewise not distinctive and to some degree reflects the ethnic characteristics of the intended target. Despite their qualifications, tough training, and demonstrated value, the fact remains that the majority of SPETSNAZ are conscripts on two-year tours of duty. Consequently, there is opportunity for cross-training in specialties but soldiers may lack the degree of motivation that characterizes other unconventional warfare forces, such as the CMC Special Forces, and the Alexandrian Oblagon. In comparison to other unconventional warfare forces, SPETSNAZ lack specialized infiltration aircraft such as the UD-4 Cheyenne. This lack severely limits SPETSNAZ capabilities for clandestine insertion, particularly prior to the start of hostilities. As a result, SPETSNAZ must rely on the brute force of the UPP space operation to cover most infiltration. If UPP fighter-bombers and other means do not inflict the necessary damage to opponent air defenses, unarmed transports could prove sitting ducks, with the result of heavy SPETSNAZ losses before teams arrive on target. Despite these limitations, SPETSNAZ pose a formidable wartime threat to the ICC.
The Oblagon Oblagon Motto: Who Dares Wins The Oblagon is one of the world's premier special forces teams. The history of the Oblagon dates back to the beginning of the Outer Veil Rebellions, when Captain David Stirling developed the concept while recuperating from a parachute accident. David Stirling attempted to propose his idea to the CO. The guards at the gate wouldn't let him into the building, so Stirling jumped the fence and proceeded to walk into the office. The Oblagon was initially created as a raiding force to weaken the CSC forces encroaching on the Crests Prime Garrison Systems. One of the first things people think about when they hear "Oblagon" (besides soldiers in black storming a building) is selection. Selection is designed to break people. Only about 10 out of 125 will make it. For any soldier Selection is the ultimate test of endurance and mental strain. Selection is broken down into 3 phases. The first part is the Special Forces Briefing Course. This is a joint three-day class to show potential Oblagon recruits what is expected of them. Class room lectures and physical training take place. One MUST pass this course to be allowed onto Selection. They are shown films and are given the chance to get some insight into Selection. For certain reasons this is not considered to be one of the THREE MAIN phases of Selection. This should be combined with the first part. The First three weeks of Selection is held mostly on Ventix. Soldiers are expected to increase their weight in their bergens (rucks) and distances will also become greater. If a soldier fails a test more then twice is RTUed(Returned To Unit). The soldier is allowed to repeat the course again if he is willing. One of the most notorious parts is the "Fan Dance". This is a march across the Mykelti plateau. It should take about four hours to complete. Another part and probably the most famous, is the Long Drag. It is held on the last day of the three weeks. It is about 40 miles over the Mykelti mountain range itself. The soldier will now be carrying a 55 PCS Panthers in the Hardwicke Desert on Ventix
pound bergen. Remember this doesn't include water and food! The passing times range from 20 to 24 hours to complete this course. If the weather is good try to get in less than 20 hours. It is important to remember that the bergen weight includes water or food. Bergen weights will vary through out the course. It will range from 30 pounds to 70 pounds, with an average of about 50 to 55 pounds. Blisters are common, and they should be taken care of quickly. By this point maybe about 40 men are left. Jungle Phase is the next hurdle. Oblagon soldiers will be integrated into patrols. They learn to travel, live, and fight in the jungle. The jungle will have different affects on people. Some will enjoy it, others will hate it. Disease is also another thing to worry about. Everything has to be taken care of (cuts, blisters, and eating equipment) to prevent sickness, which may get someone kicked off the course. In the jungle they will learn to fight and use demolitions. Also the art of making a camp is also taught. Rain is almost non-stop, so equipment must be looked after. By the end of the Jungle Phase, only about 20 men will be left. It is time to move on to Escape and Evasion and TQ( or Tactical Questioning). E&E is taught by members of the Oblagon. The soldiers learn how to catch food and live off the land. Former POWs (or Prisoners Of War) also talk to the classes. They tell them about their situations and how they made it. Escaping is also taught. The Course ends with a final exercise. The men are paired up with other students from other branches and units, such as pilots from the Alexandrian Space Force and other units. The men are given only old expeditionary jackets and some ripped pants, and boots that are barely being held together. They are then turned loose in a large wooded area. The men must check in with various check points. The soldiers are on the run usually for about 3 days. A "hunter force" is always in pursuit. These forces are usually from other Army units. They are tasked with hunting down the recruits. By the end ALL the recruits are captured. Now they face TQ. TQ is usually considered an easy part Selection. They must stick to the "Big 4" and say nothing else except, "I'm sorry I can't answer that question sir/maam." Women are sometimes brought in, and the men are forced to strip. The women then makes jokes about the man's body parts. It is not usually seen as hard by the Oblagon although, usually one or two men fail. After completion the remaining class will go it's separate ways. Soldiers are given the chance to say whether they want to go onto the Elite Oblagon and even more training and Selection or whether they would like to stay on with the Oblagon. For the all men, this is a great moment, when they receive the beret and famous "Winged Dagger" beret badge. Training is far from over though. For the Elite, they will stay on Ventix where they will learn the trade of their unit. But that is another story… During a three day long training and testing period, potential recruits are rigorously monitored as they are taken to the limits of their physical and mental stamina. Only the strongest survive. Out of a hundred candidates, only a few are allowed to progress beyond the initial stage. One of the final events in their training is the Masa'a Kumta, or Beret March. During this exercise candidates endure a 90km forced march (roughly 50 miles) with full gear (this can include anti tank missile launching units) over rough terrain. The soldiers are expected to be proficient with all of the weapons used in their area of operation. Due to the nature of their operations, they also have their own urban warfare training center, known as hell town. Members who pass all the tests and training are rewarded with the badge a small metal pin with a flying tiger as the emblem. To many outside Pan Core, this group is simply known as "The Unit ". The unit was initially based on the examples set forth by the Oblagon. Although a top-secret unit, they have a tremendous influence. They have participated in many anti and counter-terrorist operations.
WEAPONS Alexandria WEAPON
WA
RANGE
DC
ROF
SHOTS
EV
AHAS Heavy Pistol AHAS Pulse Laser Pistol
+1
150 m
3
3
10
0
1 600
100 m 900 1 000m 3 000 m 1500
4 4 4 6 8 (.5k)
2 30 40 1 5
30 90 100 15 50
0 0 -1 -1 -2
2 000 3 000 8500 9 000 10 000
+3 AHAS Medium Rifle -1 AHAS Pulse Laser Rifle +2 AHAS Sniper Laser Rifle +7* AHAS Portable Particle Gun -2
COST
UPP WEAPON
WA
RANGE
DC
ROF
SHOTS
EV
COST
SVD Hold Out Pistol SVD Heavy Sniper Rifle AKH Assault Rifle AKH Heavy Pistol AKH ER Grenade Launcher Tradex SMG-Alpha-01
0 +3 0 0 -1 +1
100 m 2 000 1 400 m 100 m 150 750m
2 3 5 2 Grenade 2
3 3 20 10 1 10
18 15 90 30 1 130
0 -1 -1 0 0 0
300 2 000 3 500 800 350 2300
WEAPON DESCRIPTIONS ALEXANDRIA Alexandrian Heavy Armed Services (AHAS) Heavy Pistol: The AHAS is the only weapon contractor in Alexandria. Even still, it pales in comparison to the massive military divisions of even the smallest ICC corporations. Their first design was the Heavy Pistol, standard equipment on every soldier of Pan Core. Larger and bulkier than standard CMC sidearm, the HP sports a larger shape and higher capacity. However, it looses its concealability. The major common ground between AHAS weapons and the AKH and SVD weapons of the UPP are reliability. There are often times when units are far from the home world where the weapon are made unlike the CMC, which spreads supply routes all across the Network. Weapons need to always work and never jam. However, Alexandria and the UPP take different routes to meet these ends. AHAS makes very pricey weapons that take longer to make but result in a very sturdy design. UPP weapons are reliable because if their simplicity. It all started with the Heavy Pistol. Newer technology became available quickly to reduce the size of the weapon, but most stubborn units still insist on the old design. AHAS Pulse Laser Pistol: AHAS’s major advancement in weapons, an advancement that frightened most members of the ICC (especially the CSC), was finally being able to reduce the optical systems of laser weapons. First came the rifle…soon after came the pistol. The weapon is considered unpopular because of its “lack” of recoil. Most soldiers in combat feel they need feedback from their weapons, which the pistol lacks. Because of the pulse motor in the rifle, a sort of “recoil” exists, but this motor in the pistol is so small, feedback is nominal. Although the barrel seems large, the laser is quite small, requiring the massive opening to hold the optical and capacitor systems to create the energy pulse. Not strictly a laser, the energy weapon creates a tiny bubble of energy not unlike “ball lightning” which then fires and tremendous speed towards its target. Beyond the maximum range, the bubble dissipates and is harmless. AHAS Medium Rifle: Before the advent of Pulse laser technology, AHAS developed their own slug rifle based ICC issue dating back to before the Outer Veil Rebellions. The weapons were blueprinted and redesigned with a larger shell and firing rate. They carry the caseless ammunition similar to the CMC Pulse Rifles but the shells are slightly larger. AHAS, although using top of the line technology, will always work from a stable strata. The result is seen in all their designs. Both the AHAS MR and PLR and PPG all have almost identical base setups. The PLR and MR even share similar parts, even though one fires bullets and the other fires pulse energy. The MR has shortened
range in comparison to the CMC M42A but is equipped with a standard flash suppressor.
AHAS Pulse Laser Rifle / AHAS Sniper Laser Rifle: The prototype design for the PLR is almost identical to the production design. The original took the base setup of the AHAS MR and built around it a complicated capacitor/optical system where the pulse laser would fire. Even the barrel was retained from the original design. The biggest alteration, however, is the deliver system. Like the Pulse Laser Pistol, the PLR fires small fragments of bottled energy fed through a large capacity clip. Unlike the PLP, the PLR clip is large and cumbersome and weighs almost 15 lbs on its own. Its is also quite large and most soldiers don’t carry more than a second reload into combat. For this reason, the weapon still has yet to catch on the mainstream on the Crestus Prime Systems. Ventix and Alexandria perimeter defense use this weapon exclusively. However, expeditionary forces still rely on the less cumbersome Medium Rifle. Surprisingly, because of the AHAS obsession for quality, the PLR is as reliable as the Medium Rifle, even though more than double the cost. The SLR (Sniper Laser Rifle) looks almost identical to the PLR save for the massive scope and sensor attachment and the fact that the barrel is two inches longer. Also the SLR sports a collapse able mounting tripod and further electric sensors including magnetic and gravity “feelers”—needles that stick from the front of the firing assembly. The SLR reduces its capacitor and refocuses the lens for a longer/powerful shot. The energy bubble is also longer, casting more of a straight energy beam rather than a pulse.
AHAS Portable Particle Gun: Between the rifle and pistol, the AHAS wanted to develop a distinct portable kill weapon for use on the Crests Prime systems when the eventual attack from the CSC would occur. However, they wanted to steer away from the cumbersome heavy kill weapons like the PIG and create a more portable unit which could fire repeatedly at multiple targets without reloading. Based once again on the Medium Rifle design, this time it incorporates a much larger battery, which is so large and cumbersome, usually, carrying the PPG into combat is a two man team. There is an optional separate battery-backpack (-2 EV) available only for unique situations which can either be carried by another or strapped to the back of the firer (adding major encumbrance). However, this backup removes the need of the capacitor clip and supplies 150 rounds before recharging (24 hours connected to a nuclear reactor or equivalent power source). The PPG has seen very little active duty since there has yet to be a major engagement with any forces that justifies the use of such a large weapon.
U.P.P. SVD Hold Out Pistol: Small, robust, and built on a platform more than 100 years old, the Hold Out is the standard sidearm for all division of the UPP. SVD originally was formed to construct ground vehicles for the UPP military machine. As they developed beyond, and the demand for ground transports reduced, SVD (Special Vehicles Division) started constructing weapons based on designs they had stolen from ICC Corporations. The Hold Out was the first. Simple and almost impossible to jam, the design has remained unchanged in 50 years. SVD Heavy Sniper Rifle: Loosely based on the CMC design, the UPP standard Sniper rifle lacks many of the refinements of the superior CMC model. It lacks in range and accuracy but is often modified by their owners to offset these disadvantages. This robust nature of all UPP designs has resulted in a very unique edge to each Sniper Rifle. Every dedicated Sniper is assigned a Rifle for his or her career. They are held responsible. Snipers in the UPP often sleep with their rifles and it will die to protect their weapons. As a result, as said, they are often slightly to heavily modified to change their conceal ability or to increase the range, accuracy, or punch. However the unique muzzle shape remains a signature feature of all of them.
AKH Assault Rifle: Controversy arose when UPP soldiers in the field were seen sporting Tradex SMGAlpha-01 Machine Rifles. The weapons were smaller and lighter than the rifle of choice before then. That was the AKHAS (“Ackas”). The Assault Rifle, built by the dedicated weapon firm, AKH, carried a double purpose. The weapon shocked opponents with its intimidating appearance before even firing a shot. Unfortunely for the opponents, the bark is not worse that its bite. The weapon is heavy but not too heavy, still being hand held by many troops in the field--the support arms being more than an afterthought to those weaker soldiers in the field. The weapon is loud, has a mother of a recoil and will usually take down a target in one round. The only disadvantage is a lower firing rate than the M42A. However the cumbersome design resulted in many outfits switching over to the Tradex weapons. However these expensive weapons are mostly reserved for the front line spacecraft and expeditionary troops. The troops of Rodina and Barabazon still use the Assault Rifle exclusive.
AKH Heavy Pistol: The step up from the Hold out is the Heavy Repeating Pistol. The major drawback is it’s conceal ability. The weapon carries an intimidating clip, which holds the 30 rounds. The weapon can fire multiple rounds on top of each other. Like the Assault Rifle, the weapon is cumbersome and is often too large for most to carry with one hand. Overall, the HP is not as popular as the Hold Out, being mostly used as the main sidearm for station security. AKH ER Grenade Launcher: Another design that arose from the AKH is this age old grenade launcher, modified with greater range and versatility. The Launcher became more common as the Trades
SMG Alpha-01 started to replace the AKH Assault on the front lines. The Tradex lacked an under mount grenade launcher so many heavy weapon officer were equipped with the ERGL as a secondary. Its primary fault lies with its firing rate but makes up for in range, beating out both the CMC issue Grenade Launcher and the M42 Undermount. TRADEX SMG-ALPHA-01: Tradex continued their trend of using smaller ammunition into the Alpha-01. The Alpha-01 carries a similar round as the Assault, only with a much larger ammo capacity. It also has a better accuracy but at the risk of a lower rate of fire. The weapon gathered controversy, as an identical design is the standard firearm for infantry n the UPP. It is unsure if the design was copied or sold. However, Tradex stock did not take the plummet it was expected to take when this information arose…instead, they recorded record earnings. The investigation still has not brought any new evidence to the surface.
SPACECRAFT ALEXANDRIA GPU Transport The Primary transport for most applications between Alexandria and its controlled worlds is the Multi-Purpose GPU Transport. The GPUT stands the massive component in the Alexandrian Fleet. They account for more than 85% of the total motive interstellar transportation within the influence of The Sphere. Most within that space is run and controlled by groups working for an Alexandrian Corporate or the Sphere itself. Some are seen operating in the ICC however all of those are indipendantly run since any vessel known to work for Alexandria is detained, stripped, and sent back. Most ICC corporations still frown on the independent merchants who operate these vessels especially since an overpowering majority of them deal with the rebel government. But there is no denying the ability of the freighter. Sure it lacks the advantage so many other models have in that it cannot land in a high gravity environment (anything more than .6g grounds the vessel), but it carries a higher cargo capacity than almost every other design. It also sports a very unique ability. The GPUT is capable of direct-linking with other GPUTs. The vessels literarily stack atop each other, sharing their power, life support, computer and drive systems and can be operated by any single command center on any of the vessels. All the controls are slaved into one central vessel (usually the top one). The vessels can even open their cargo holds and transport larger payloads when linked. Generically, vessels link in pairs with one vessel upside down. They open their cargo flaps and merge. The merchant owned variations seldomly travel far from Alexandrian space. Further away, the vessels get rarer. Simply because of the market. The vessels are very robust and have a remarkable maintenance record. A pair of Alex-Pulse Nuclear Engines keeps the vessel moving along faster than most freighters. The vessel’s automation translates to smaller crews and smaller crew compartments, translating further to greater cargo efficiency. The craft carries the same cargo capacity of a SV-90 Super freighter but measures less than 300 meters from stem to stern. In the military, the vessel commonly transports soldiers and supplies from Alexandria to the Garrison systems and vice-versa. Although not used as a front-line defender, the vessels to come equipped with minor weaponry and usually sport linkable escorts like a Medusa or later, even a Proteus. Their lack of maneuverability prevents their effective combat use.
STASISTICS
Variant GPUT
Body WT
Armor MV
10 35 000 1 (Military) 10 38 000 3 Communication Range: n/a, FTL Crew: 2 – Up five total. Additions: Fire Retardant. Evacuation: 1 EEV, 5 space suits. Armament Package: 1 Stunner Military: 3 Stunners, 1 Flamethrower Range: Atmosphere: N/A Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 8 FTL Speed: 0.7 Craft Slots: 0 Cargo Slots: 50 Automatic Systems: 10 Base skill Hardpoints (Military): One Basic Armament: None. Military: 800 mv Particle Beam.
-9 -7
Move Mach Orbit SR 5 6
---
10 12
---
PCS-245 INTRUDER TRANS-ATMOSPHERIC INTERCEPTOR
The “orange” markings denote Alexandrian Perimeter Defense Force.
The first and foremost fighter for most of PanCore’s fleet, at least until the Proteus’s release, was the FS-245 Intruder. The Intruder started life as a prototype design from the CSC. The moment of the Outer-Veil Rebellions, many high ranking CSC personnel defected when the lines were drawn. With them carried gigabytes of compartmentalized data from CSC R&D. This may lead to why CSC considers Alexandria so much a threat. The most prominent of this data stolen were the blueprints of a trans-atmosphere space superiority fighter CSC planned on using to gain an edge corporate politics as a counter design to the HA-117. This fighter was taken in by Pan Core and developed into the PCS (Pan Core Systems) – 245 Intruder. Very little was changed from the blueprinted schematics. Pan Core took the design to heart and within 30 years, it became the most common defender in the Sphere’s influence. The most obvious characteristic in the design is the two massive Phantom-Hardwicke Ramjets that provide the bulk of the atmospheric speed, making it the fastest craft on planet. The Ramjets are adaptable and can adjust to different environmental makeups, including low oxygen environments. The Jets also serve to cool the nuclear reactor in the
rear, which supplies additional thrust through a Mykelti NukeBooster. The space-borne engines run through the same thrust ports as the ramjets and can even run simultaneously with them to provide even more thrust. In space, the Intruder does lack some power and the large ramjets cannot be removed, adding to the mass of the vessel. However, it can still outmaneuver most other spacecraft available. In the atmosphere, it’s second to none. Vectored thrust assists short wings for tight maneuvers. The primary weapons systems include a pair of 25mm Repeating Cannons and a collection of missiles that can either launch from the nose port or dropped from the undercarriage and fired. The small craft’s range limits extended missions that take it more than within the system it is based in. Seldom do vessels ever get transferred to other bases when initially assigned, leaving each squadron on its own to care for its vessels. Currently, nine divisions of squadrons exist through in Alexandrian space. This includes one at each Crests Colony and Alexandria itself. Each squadron can be separated by its flight colors. Intruders seldom find themselves assigned to space stations or vessels, being usually reserved for planet defense.
STATISTICS Variant Body WT Armor MV Move Mach PCS-2454 3 14 2 0 / +1* 300 5 *In an atmosphere. Communication range: 5000 km Crew: 1 Pilot. Life support for 2 personnel. Maneuverability: +1 dodge of guided missiles. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bag. Evacuation: 1 Parachute, 1 Space Suit. Armament package: 2 Pistols. Range: Atmospheric: 5 000 km Orbital: 10 AU WEAPON WA RANGE DC ROF SHOTS BR 2x25mm Repeating Cannons 0 13 000 10 (1k) 20 200 WEAPON WA RANGE DC BR TARGET AIM-90E Headlock +1 24 000 5k 1m Air / Space Mk. 16 Banshee M18 -2 12 000 2k 4m Any Mk. 16 Banshee M451 -2 12 000 4k 3m Any
Orbit 10
SR 20
TARGET 0 Any. SHOTS CLASS/SPECIAL 6 Unique, Guided 10 150mm 4 150mm
PCS-177 MEDUSA INTERDICTOR CARRY-ALL
Like, the CMC Cheyenne, the PCS-177 Medusa served a multi-purpose. It could not only transport troops quickly in space and to the surface in a combat situation but could double as an effective combat unit it of itself. The similarities between the designs end there. Both models differ in size, weapons, systems, and in cargo capacity. The Medusa is significantly larger (over 5 feet longer) and sports a larger capacity for troops. Where the Cheyenne can carry an APC with troops inside, the Medusa can carry them separately if needed. The Medusa still only sports one cargo area but another equivalent holds additional troops, doubling the size of the its transport force. Of course, this increased size reduces maneuverability. When in space or in compact mode, the large wings bend towards the hull, placing its side engine ports flush with the hull. When entering an atmosphere, the wings spread. When approaching the surface, another unique ability emerges. The cargo module on the Medusa can detach. With parachute and rocket support, the cargo module can be released as high as 2 000 feet and land safely on planet. The module can later be retrieved with relative ease. Usually, considering the complexity of detaching and reattaching and the chance that the module may get damaged on planet, the Medusa reserved this ability only in emergencies, preferring to land and safely deploying its troops and then hovering to provide ground cover. Considering that most Alexandrian forces are geared for defense, the Medusa has not been manufactured in large numbers, only being reserved for orbital bases above Alexandria and Ventix. Not that it wouldn’t be effective in combat. Two very powerful Atlas-369 Engines provide more than enough thrust for it to even outrun an PCS Intruder in space. In an atmosphere, however, the roles are definitely reversed, as the Medusa quickly finds itself overmatched by dedicated fighters. The Medusa only requires one pilot and doesn’t even carry backup controls for the co-pilot, which sits perpendicular behind and below the cockpit. From a flight system, a CMC Pilot could easily adapt to the controls since the cockpit was based on plans stolen from the CMC before the end of the Outer Veil Rebellion. Weapons include a Gattling cannon similar to the Cheyenne weapon system but lacks most of the missile payload. At CL3, the craft saw use within the CMC when the Trade Agreement was signed. Some Conestogas were even converted to take the larger dropship. STATISTICS
Variant
Body
WT
Armor MV
Move
Mach
Orbit
SR
UD-4L 6 55 4 -3 300 1 10 30 Communication range: 3000 km Crew: 1 Pilot, 1 optional gunner. Life support for up to 75 personnel. Maneuverability: +2 dodge of guided missiles. +1 Dodge in space. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, and Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: Parachutes--60 Armament package: 20 AHAS Heavy Pistol, 20 AHAS Medium Rifles, 2 AHAS Portable Particle Guns
Range: Atmospheric: 15 000 km Orbital: 150 AU Cargo Slots: 1 (additional room for 30 personnel) Basic Armament: (CMC Equivalent) -- 1x25 mm "Gargoyle" Gattling, 8x120 mm rockets, 3 x TSAM Missiles, 3xAIM-90 missiles.
PCS-423 PREDATOR MULTI-ROLE FIGHTER SPACECRAFT PanCore’s Predator model emerged from the Pan Core Research and Defense arm and stood the first model exclusively designed from the ground up with no a single fragment of its blueprints lifted from a stolen ICC schematic. The Predator is a totally original design from the ground up. The single-man craft’s most obvious feature are its massive twin Warlock-6 Fusion Engines that accelerate the craft faster than any other known to man. In hard straight line acceleration, the craft’s only limit is the health of its pilot, the Predator can pull over 9gs and can maintain that acceleration for extended periods…and this is just straight line. The craft’s specs indicate a much higher stress rating. Vectored thrust assists maneuverability in an out of an atmosphere. Diverting thrust enables vertical take-off and landing. Even still, atmosphere limits the craft significantly from the lack of a decent
aeroform. The Predator can launch from the surface of Alexandria and achieve the surface ceiling in under 45 seconds. From the edge of its aeroform, four 25 mm Cannons comprise the primary armament. In bays next to the engines, a variety of rockets and missiles lay nestled, concealed behind armor. These include both dumb fire rockets and very accurate STS Interceptor Missiles. The Predator’s primary role remained in space. Its massive power equaled long range. It could operate almost limitless within its assigned system, seldom being assigned to a spacecraft considering its significant size. It could very well move from any Alexandrian system if it only had a jump drive. To test the range, the prototype ran full throttle and actually traveled from Crests Prime 1 and Crestus Prime 2 without refueling. This design would never survive the budget cuts of an ICC corporation. In Alexandria, such a design is allowed to flourish. The Sphere felt the need to have a craft that could properly protect an entire system but only be based from a single world. ICC Corporations usually only care about the protection of their mineral rights. However, Alexandria’s highest priority remains its sovereign space, so having a craft that could properly patrol that space became paramount. Because of its extended range, the craft’s size did make room for a small crew area about the size of a small Winnebago where the pilot and co-pilot could live in relative comfort. Some patrols, especially those around Alexandria itself, could last several days at a time. The Predator stands the largest fighter-class operating today. At CL3, when the Terran Trade Agreement was signed, this craft was the first design brought into the CMC ranks, as the Colonial Marines lacked a good long-range interceptor punch. At CL5, when corporations began to fall, many newly independent colonies s became equipped with them. STATISTICS
Variant
Body WT
Armor
MV
Move Mach Orbit SR
PCS-423 6 55 2 -1 / -4* 400 7 * -4 in an atmosphere Communication range: 10 000 km Crew: 1 Pilot. 1 Co-Pilot. 2 bunks in a rear hold. Maneuverability: +2 dodge of guided missiles. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bag. Evacuation: 2 Parachutes, 2 Space Suits. Armament package: 2 pistols. Range: Atmospheric: unlimited Orbital: 1 500 AU Hardpoints: 6 Basic Armament: 4 linked 25 mm Cannons, 8 XIM-28A missiles, 30 150 mm rockets
50
100
PCS-101 “BANSHEE” SHORT RANGE SHUTTLE Somewhere, an executive at Hyperdine weeps whenver he sees a photo of the Banshee. Somehwere, a vessel runs off a regular assembly line numbering in the hundreds utilizing technology that Hyperdine developed then abandoned… then realized the mistake they made. Gravity generators have always been a tried and true technology to re-create gravity on ships. Most don’t know how they work…They only care about keeping their feet planted. It generates a gravity wave that reverbareates slightly away from charged plates built into a ship’s deck. However, more than eight feet from these plates, this gravity dissapates and is useless, making current gravity technology limited. Hyperdine discovered a way to generate a much larger field which would instead manipulate current gravity fields around it effectively making the craft move itself without convential drives. However, the cost of research proved too high and when it was discovered the vessel would be turtle slow, the idea was dropped alltogether. Now, Alexandria didn’t steal the idea. They simply took the idea and ran with it. When a top executive left Hyperdine for Alexandria, he used the Gravity Generator as selling point for defection. Hyperdine, at the time, didn’t consider the incident and huge concern. PanCore Systems’ solution was to not use the generator to move the craft but simply make it weightless and use conventional drives to propel it from destination to destination. This proves successful to a degree. The generators, became severaly limited with larger masses and eventually the size of the generator needed to be almost as large as the vessel it was equipped to. The middle ground became the Banshee. Classified simply as a shuttle, it turned into the most common personal transport in Alexandrian controlled space. Its ability resides in its manueverability. The craft can navigate almost any course, on any terrain, in almost any gravity field. The prospect of turning the craft into a weapon’s platform fell through when it was realized how much power the generator took to sustain itself. Firing a weapon or launching a missile resulted in the generator cutting out suddenly. Eventually, PCS managed to create models equipped with a single external PPG (a railcannon’s recoil prooved detremental to the craft) and this craft sees use around a few colony worlds. However, in space, the craft sees little use other than as a shuttle since its quite fragile. STATISTICS
Variant
Body WT
Armor
MV
Move Mach Orbit SR
PCS-101 1 0 1 +3 100 PCS-101M 1 0 2 +3 100 Communication range: 5 000 km Crew: 1 Pilot. 1 Co-Pilot Life support for 10 personnel. Maneuverability: No penalties for any gravity field. Military model carries a +2 to Guided Missiles. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bag. Evacuation: 5 Parachutes, 5 Space Suits. Range: Atmospheric: 30 000 km Orbital: 30 AU Hardpoints: None Basic Armament: Military model may be equipped with a PPG.
.5 .5
15 15
100 100
PCS-X00 PROTEUS SUPERIOTY FIGHTER (TL3)
When the CMC and Pan Core signed on the dotted line and formed the Terran Trade Agreement, the ICC became extremely worried. Not only were they loosing control of the Colonial Marines, but it also could give a technological edge to a force they considered to be a threat. Several ICC members especially Weyland-Yutani attempted to break up this treaty. When that failed they tried to use the treaty as a way to gain access to the Alexandrian technology they had been trying for decades to retrieve. However, increased security at both R&D divisions proved too great. When the Xenomorph threat spread out of control, many ICC members had greater problems to deal with than worrying about some cool new spacecraft the Colonial Marines may get access to. And in the fledging days of the treaty, the new models the CMC had access to didn’t appear to have a significant advantage over models already in use in the ICC. The Intruder was great in an atmosphere but lacked in space and the Predator was great in space and slug to maneuver in an atmosphere. Sure the Panther was a neat design and the potential of the Banshee scared many, but from the initial outlook, the TTA seemed to have been a lot of hot air. Then the Proteus emerged. When CMC R&D gathered all the data they had acquired from decades dealing with UPP technology and coupled it with all the data they had in their designs (which were given to them from various corporations), they got together with PCS designers to see what worked the best. After several months of strained wills and broken families, a prototype design surfaced. The Proteus didn’t start with an idea, it started with an objective. Simply put, the craft would combine the best abilities of the Intruder, Predator, Cougar and Stingray Fighters. It would be transatmospheric, and be able to operate equally in both environments. It would have long range but be compact enough to fit in a Conestoga drop slot. It needed to be maneuverable but still be able to pack a punch. With the money of Alexandria behind it, the CMC engineers realized the extent at which the design could be pushed. The resulting answer came in the form of a configurable design—as craft, which could alter itself to the environment it was in…easier said than done.
In an atmosphere, the craft resembles almost any other stubby winged aircraft. However, instead of Turbines, a set of the most advanced engines ever constructed sit. These are ZX-01 Event Horizon Engines powered by a single fusion reactor built into main hull of the craft. ZX-01EV Engines produce an amazing amount of thrust, almost 50 000 lbs each (and there are four of these), for a craft that weighs half as much as a Predator Space Fighter. ZX-01 EV Engines also sport forward and side firing ports and vectored thrust exhaust for extreme maneuverability. To make top all that, it still includes more RCS (Reaction Control System) thrusters than any other space fighter built. It still cannot break the surface to ceiling record set fort by the Predator but second place still scares people. Upon reaching space, the wings past the vertical ailerons move in. The four Event Horizon engines detach from the wings and slide along the vertical aileron surfaces to lock on the four external points of the craft. This increases maneuverability in space significantly, cause the ship to be the second most maneuverable craft ever designed in space (only the Banshee can outmaneuver it). It was surprising when the craft still came in undermass, easily being able to fit snugly in a dropslot with room to spare. The one-man craft’s primary armament rests under the nose. They come in the form of a pair of linked 25mm repeating cannons wired into the eye-movements of the pilot. The helmet utilizes a Kahn-Cubic wave interface which tracks the weapon using brain impulses rather than tracking the eye movement themselves, offering quicker response time. The one drawback of the design is the lack of heavy missile armament beyond the primary weapon. Mounted in sheathes beside the 25mm cannons are an additional pair of cannons, this time, twin 30mm railcannons fire from a fixed position. The Proteus also comes stander with a very advanced ECM system for thwarting incoming guided weapons. In simulations and live testing, the Proteus successfully outmatched every model it went up against. Only the Predator with its gargantuan speed and missile load was able to find a shot off. In the end, nine out of ten times, the Proteus was more than a match for any vessel it came up across. The Proteus became the exclusive fighter of choice within Alexandria the moment it was released. When the blockade was lifted and the CMC found its budget increase, Proteus fighters found themselves assigned to CMC vessels around the CSC sector. As the xenomorph menace spread through the cosmos, the fighter became more common.
STATISTICS
Variant
Body WT
Armor
MV
Move Mach Orbit SR
PCS-X00 4 30 2 +2 400 5 Communication range: 9000 km Crew: 1 Pilot. 3 personnel. Maneuverability: +3 dodge of guided missiles. +3 in space. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bag. Evacuation: 1 Parachutes, 1 Space Suits. Armament package: 1 Rifles, May be replaced with high TL weapons Range: Atmospheric: unlimited Orbital: 1 000 AU Hardpoints: fixed Basic Armament: 2 linked 30 mm Railcannons, 2 linked 25 mm Cannons (+2 WA)
40
200
PCS-111 “MARIPOSA” HEAVY CRUISER
Without a huge area of space to call their own, Alexandria’s need for a fleet of cruisers didn’t arise. However, transportation remained a concern and having a large, portable, defense port peaked the concerns of Pan Core Officials. The drafted plans described a much larger vessel than the CMC utilized in their fleet. The Mariposa rose from the schematics and rolled from the assembly yards of Ventix less than fifteen years ago. Since then, seven more vessels emerged. The Mariposa vessels primary patrol area lies between the Crestus Prime Garrison systems with one roaming the route between Ventix and Alexandria. The vessels may be small in numbers but they more than make up for that in grunt and mass. First the vessels power, more than supplied by six Atlas-Juggernauts Terrawatt Engines and four Mykelti Ion Pulse Drives as a backup. This supplies the Mariposa with enough grunt to outrun even a Conestoga class vessel. Like the Conestoga and so many other vessels, the Mariposa cannot land, however, unlike the CMC counterpart, the Mariposa can enter an atmosphere and even get within 1000 feet of the planetary surface in a 1g environment. A vertical thruster ensures its safety in such an occurrence. A single Mariposa can completely relay all actions in a combat situation in space and on the ground, coordinating all maneuvers through its single command dome. Ship maneuvers and deck operations are handled through a separate bridge. The hanger is equipped to carry every class of Alexandrian vessel. Several hangers hold Medusa transports with a majority carrying both Intruders and Predator Fighters. Eventually, the latter two would be replaced with Proteus fighters exclusively.
Even though heavy on automation, the PCS-111 requires a larger crew for administration and support. If the Conestoga was a light cruiser, the Mariposa would be more of a Carrier, with higher crew and more broad-purpose missions. It sports four forward facing Particle Beams, each with a 30-degree firing arc. At least a dozen railcannon turrets rest peppered across the hull. Laying flush to the hull both on the top and bottom of the vessel, more then 40 XIM-Long Lance Missile fire guided towards their targets. After the TTA was signed and the blockage lifted, the first vessel to move across the border freely was Mariposa 01, the flagship. When the Xenomorphic war broke out in CL4 and 5, Most vessels remained to protect Alexandria and its colonies. However, the flagship went on permanent loan to the CMC and became Admiral Frost’s command vessel throughout the war. STATISTICS
Variant
Body WT
PCS-111
45
Armor MV
375 000 10
-10
Move Mach Orbit SR 30
0.5
15
200
Communication range: Orbital, FTL Crew: 3 Navigation, 5 Engineer, 100 Flight Support. Capsules for 200 Crew and soldiers, 10 000 more capable in Cargo Maneuverability: +8 to guided missiles. Additions: Full Stock Evacuation: 10 EEVs, 300 Space Suits, 50 Drop Pods. Armament package: Full Stock Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 30 FTL Speed: 1.0 ly/day Drop Slots: 10, all with Medusa Carry-Alls Craft Slots: 20, with either Intruder, Predator, or Proteus Fighters Cargo Slots: 30 Automatic Controls: Base 12 skill Basic Armament: 40 XIM-28A missiles, 6 Particle beams, 6 30mm Railcannon turrets (each turret has two linked guns), 12 infrared lasers on turrets, 80 orbital mines, and 60 decoys
U.P.P. CSS-PPA-XAP “ECHAGI” ASSAULT SHUTTLE Not the prettiest craft in the world, the Echagi Assault Shuttle started life as regular transport for the PPA forces within system. However, the need for expansion grew, and PPA command required a vessel to enter fast and drop a crew on surface and do it faster than the CMC’s dropship. To succeed at this, engineers modified the base Echagi shuttle design and equipped it with a unique deployment system. The Echagi cannot drop vehicles but it can drop personnel rapidly. The craft simply stops anywhere from ten to eighty feet from the surface. Individual compartments open up and personnel drop via simple cables or even through lowered pads. Up to thirty men can drop from an Echagi craft in less then ten seconds. The craft could then move into combat formation or leave to retrieve more personnel. Like the CMC Cheyenne, the Echagi maintains a strong combat presence even when it’s deployed its troops. However, it does lack maneuverability in an atmosphere and would easily find itself outmatched in an even fight with a trained Cheyenne. It does match the CMC in firepower, however. It carries a similar cannon arrangement and missiles in side and front launching concealed bays. The cannon is a six-barreled, fix nosed 25mm Cannon. However, twin railcannons also fire from a fixed mounted on the side pods. The missile system is smaller, less then half of the top of the line Dropship. Two PPA-01 Buster Engines power the craft. Even though they lack maneuverability, the Echagi outmatches in top speed. The craft’s engines can deploy into “scramble” mode, which increases its top speed 50%. This design intended for the craft to penetrate an atmosphere quickly, strafe for cover, deploy its troops and depart out of range or return for another strafing run. The craft was not intended to stay still and fire from point. STATISTICS
Variant
Body WT
Armor
MV
Move Mach Orbit SR
CSS-PPA-XAP 4 45 2 -4 50 3 20 20 Communication range: 3000 km Crew: 1 Pilot, 1 Co-Pilot. Life support for up to 60 personnel. Maneuverability: +2 dodge of guided missiles. +1 Dodge in space. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, and Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: Parachutes--60 Armament package: 6 Assault Rifles, 10 Pistols. Range: Atmospheric: 20 000 km Orbital: 120 AU Cargo Slots: 0 Hardpoints: 4 Basic Armament: 4 linked 25 mm Cannons, 2 linked Railcannons, 4x120 mm rockets, 16 x 150 mm rockets, 2xAIM90 missiles.
CSS-PPA-MAC “MADDOX” CORVETTE
The very first design from the Rodina design lab reflected the UPP directive of effectiveness through the shortest distance. The Maddox looks ugly—a product of results over style—but flies remarkable well. Its robust bulk keeps aloft with thrusters alone considering it carries no aeroform. If engines fail for any reason, the Maddox drops like a rock. Luckily, an incident has never occurred involving engine failure. A UPP propriety fusion drive simply called a B-16 powers the various engines throughout the hull including the (count them) sixteen pulse ion drives pointed aft. The Corvette patrols most of the space controlled by the UPP and most of the patrols consist of only one or two vessels. Therefore they have to be moderately self-sufficient. Each Maddox carries a pair of small docking collars where two Hornet rest docked. The Hornet crews and the Maddox crew don’t live in a lap of luxury on board. Living conditions are cramped and dark. Most crew members on tour cannot last more than three months before needing a vacation. The UPP is not known for rewarding its crews with hazard pay and many troops, to maintain their lives, have to take multiple tours back to back. The PPA does not endorse automation so more crew members work a Maddox than need be. Beyond the base two railcannons on the nose, the Maddox also sports another pointing aft. Two 80mw Particle Beams fire from mounts on the top rear engine ports. The Maddox carries a small missile payload as well although not a substantial one. In an atmosphere, the Maddox is slow and cumbersome but landing is capable. Not intended to be a dropship, the vessel still carries the capacity of several troops even though most of the time, if needed the vessel ferries to the surface a Leviathan Battle Tank. The tank is dropped via a collar underneath the vessel. The Maddox remains the bulk of the PPA space fleet. More than 85% of the PPA space force is comprised of Maddox Corvettes most on patrol between Rodina and Barabazon with another large force roaming the border.
STATISTICS
Variant
Body WT
Armor MV
Move Mach Orbit SR
CSS-PPA-MAC
10
3
75
225
-5
2
20
125
Communication range: 10 000, FTL Crew: 1 Pilot, 1 Co-Pilot, 1 Gunner, 1 Engineer. Life support for up to 75 personnel. Bunks for 25 passengers. Maneuverability: +3 dodge of guided missiles. +1 Dodge in Space Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: 80 Parachutes Armament package: 4 Assault Rifles, 15 SMG-Alpha, 18 Flame-throwers, 20 Hold Pistols. Range: Atmospheric: 40 000 km Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 6 ly FTL Speed: 0.8 ly/day Cargo Slots: 1 Hardpoints: 10 Basic Armament: 3x25 mm Cannons, 8x120 mm rockets, 4xAGM-220 missiles, 2 x TSAM Missiles, 3xAIM-90 missiles, 2 XIM-28A missiles, 2 30mm Railcannons
CSS-PPA-ALX “HORNET” TRANS-FIGHTER
Even though the PPA’s design style resembles the rugged “tramp-steamer” look reflected in every bit of technology the UPP builds, few exceptions do exist where designers have taken a flamboyant approach to a concept and carried that all the way to production. The Zukov Command Carrier took the opening honors. The last and most extreme design remains the CSS-PPA-ALX “Hornet”. Meant to be a counter to the ICC and Alexandrian fighter designs, the Hornet took a more radical approach, creating a design which could be on equal footing in any terrain and not be totally dominant in one, unlike the others, building dedicated craft to dedicated environments (a dominant space fighter and dominant atmospheric craft). The Hornet emerged from a design stance to create a totally original design not based on a single component from a rival group. This made the project extremely expensive to develop and produce. In the end, fewer ended up rolling off the assembly line. Budget cuts forced the project to be cut short. Still, more than 500 fighters flew into
service before the project fell into the round file. Each vessel cost almost as much as an Alexandrian Intruder and was half the size and weighed half as much. The core design started with a brand new propriety reactor called J-32. The drive remains exclusive to the Hornet and virtually impossible to install in another craft. The drive includes two engine ports, which could swivel 360 degrees and provide virtually %100 power in every direction. The only weakness occurs when the engine points forward, the vents divert outward, to avoid damaging the hull, effectively cutting that power in half. Fortunately, additional thrust vents through forward nozzles. Additional RCS thrusters dot the hull to add additional maneuverability in space. In atmosphere, various wings supply more than enough lift and agility. The craft’s lightweight form assists maneuverability. If the reactor core looses stability or is irreparability damaged, the J-32 can detach and the forward half and can still maintain rudimentary power and flight to survive landing. The most unusual feature of the Hornet cannot be anything but its landing gear. Designers created an advanced motive system, compact in flight, supplying another mode of transportation. The legs unfold and allow remarkable nimble movement when the craft settles on the surface. The Hornet easily traverses virtually any terrain without impedance. The legs can position the craft for ground engagement and even allows it to climb and attach to vertical surfaces like buildings and cliffs. Driving pitons built in the legs pin the legs into position on whatever surface it attaches to. A single pilot controls the Hornet through an oddly shaped cockpit on the absolute bow of the craft. Almost the entire cockpit is transparent. Above that cockpit sits the primary weapon system. Twin linked 25mm gattling cannons rest nestled. Beyond those, two bays 16 dumbfire rockets supply additional weaponry. The weapon seems mediocre but not much can be held in such a small craft. The Hornet is a difficult target to strike and quickly found success in combat situations. The vessels first became assigned to Rodina and later found duty on the Zukov Carriers. Their major drawback with their design and size was, of course, fuel capacity. Many Hornet entered an extended combat area, and found they needing a tow back to home base. STATISTICS
Variant
Body WT
CSS-PPA-ALX 2* *: 50 hits or .5k for each leg.
5
Armor
MV
Move Mach Orbit SR
1
+3
250
Communication range: 1300 km. Crew: 1 Pilot. Life support for up to 3 personnel. Maneuverability: +2 dodge of guided missiles. Additions: Raft and Emergency Rations. Evacuation: Parachutes--1 Armament package: 1 Range: Atmospheric: 5 000 km Orbital: 10 AU Cargo Slots: 0 Hardpoints: 2 Basic Armament: 2 Linked 25 mm "Gargoyle" Gattling Cannons, 16x120 mm rockets.
2
10
11
CSS-PPA-LOR “NOVO” HEAVY FREIGHTER The only Freighter built by the UPP, the Nova fills a necessary niche in UPP community, as most ICC built freighters proved unreliable without experienced engineers in the proper field performing maintenance. The Nova stood a symbol of constructing simplance. The mirror opposite of the Hornet, the Novo design involved a reactor, fuel, a length of safety ductwork connecting it to the cargo hold, the single large cargo area, and the small bridge built on top of that. Simplicity in design, layout, and constructions, the Nova ran off the production line in huge numbers and found success everywhere, even across veil in the colonies of Alexandria. A basic J-01 Scram Reactor provides the limited amount of power. Dirty and not very efficient, the J-01 requires at least 50 feet of space between itself and any organic because of radiation hazards. The single cargo area rests at the front of the vessel and the crew compartment sits atop of that. The cramped quarters barely fit the required three crew members needed to run the vessel. The vessel crawls from destination to destination. Most crews cannot live on board for more than a few months before requiring leave. The only real advantage the Nova has over other vessels its is colossal range although most crews never wish to utilize that to its fullest potential. The Nova occasionally finds use as a troop transport, however since the release of the Zukov, the role has decreased substantially. STATISTICS
Variant CSS-PPA-LOR
Body WT
Armor
MV
Move Mach Orbit SR
3
1
-7
20
420
Communication Range: FTL Crew: 3, up to five passengers. Three cryotubes. Additions: None Evacuation: Three Spacesuits Armament Package: Pistol, Stunner. Range: Atmosphere: n/a Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 20 FTL Speed: 0.1 Cargo Slots: 4 Automatic Systems: 6 base skill
n/a
3
15
CSS-PPA-AFF “REAPER” ASSAULT CRAFT
The Reapers hover over the cities of the UPP, flexing the iron arm of the PPA and Military Police. They hover over all terrains, through cities, swamps, and over deserts, passing judgment on those they are assigned to seek. They stand the only military vehicle actively serving on UPP controlled planets. They see more active duty than any other vessel, but often need to fire upon UPP citizens, most involving rebellions and food riots on Barabazon. However, they often find themselves assigned to military vessels en-route to planetary missions. The Reaper moves fast and turns on a dime. However, the Reaper is also land locked. Amazingly enough, this totally air-tight vehicle could survive re-entry in a low-orbit insertion, but it carries no primary drive for space propulsion. Only RCS thrusters assist in descent. When atmosphere hits, the Reaper’s gigantic “Atlantis” turbine revs up. A small nuclear power pack runs this huge motor. Mounted usually on the port side, the turbine vents air throughout the whole vessel, through many ports to provide lift and maneuverability. It easily carries the two crew and weapon payload. They weapon system is massive but simple. A single 20mm Gattling Cannon on the starboard side carries twice the ammunition payload of its regular counterpart. The massive gun serves a psychological purpose to help keep those rebellious factors inline. Few outsiders have actually seen Reapers in action, as most seen use on Barabazon as a police vehicle and as ground defense craft on Rodina and Oryza. They stand a symbol of the totalitarian nature of the Union of Progressive People.
STATISTICS
Variant
Body WT
Armor
MV
Move Mach Orbit SR
CSS-PPA-AFF
2
2
+4
200
10
Communication range: 7 500 km. Crew: 1 Pilot. 1 Gunner. Life support for up to 3 personnel. Maneuverability: Cannot enter space. Additions: Raft and Emergency Rations.
.9
n/a
10
Evacuation: Parachutes--2 Armament package: 1 Range: Atmospheric: 15 000 km Orbital: n/a Cargo Slots: 0 Hardpoints: 1 Basic Armament: 1 25 mm "Gargoyle" Gattling Cannons (double ammunition)
CSS-PPA-HRS “VIPER” ATTACK CHOPPER A throwback to simpler times, the Viper attack chopper originated way back before Barabazon succeeded and formed the UPP. Being so far out from the inner colonies, the indigenous population needed a cheap transportation to substitute the rare and expensive corporate vessels the colony was rationed. The quick and dirty solution created by the engineers of the soon to be rebelled colony involved peering back over a century when most vertical take-off and landing craft needed large and vulnerable rotors for lift and stability. When the colony rebelled and formed in the state it is now, it jumped into the stars at an alarming rate in order to secure space for its own needs. Without needing to kick-back 95% of their mined resources to a corporation, the UPP found new wealth. They siphoned that money directly into space. Within a few short months, Barabazon forces reached out and secured Rodina and Oryza. However, atmospheric planet defenses remained rudimentary and stood that way for several decades until the Reapers released. The Viper quickly filled the void of defending Barabazon. Vipers ran off the assembly line in huge quantities before being replaced by the much more menacing Reaper. However, the smaller and much cheaper Viper remained in service and never retired. Many craft found export to Oryza and even outside the UPP, where it found success on smaller outer veil worlds where a cheap transport was required. Soon, the Viper popped up on a half dozen colonies around the Outer Veil. Most are unsure whether or not these choppers were exported or the plans were stolen and the outer colonies simply fashioned their own variation of the simple design.
The Viper employs simple A-23 Twin Turbines which supplement the rotor system, amplifying the acceleration. The rotors contain a core of titanium and sheathed in carbon fiber. They are light and extremely durable. Emergency thrusters diverted from the turbine can keep the craft stable if the tail rotor is disabled or destroyed (-2 Maneuvering if disabled). Of course, the Viper requires an atmosphere to operate but with the power of the turbines, even low pressure worlds can find the Viper useful. Of course, rotors can detach and emergency seats can deploy if a safe landing no longer becomes an option. Weaponry on the Viper tops many spacecraft on the front line. The primary weapon, however, is a light Boyars Buster Rifle configured to be a undermounted rapid fire weapon (twice ammunition). Beyond that adds 8 AIM90 Headlocks and 16 105mm Unguided rockets, making the Viper more heavily armed than even the Reaper which replaced it. STATISTICS
Variant
Body WT
Armor
MV
Move Mach Orbit SR
CSS-PPA-HRS
1
.5k (25H)
+4
100
10
.5
n/a
10
Communication range: 2 500 km. Crew: 1 Pilot. Life support for up to 2 personnel. Maneuverability: Cannot enter space. Additions: none. Evacuation: Parachutes--1 Range: Atmospheric: 3 000 km Orbital: n/a Cargo Slots: 0 Hardpoints: 3 Basic Armament: Boyars Buster Rifle (double ammo, +1 WA), 8 AIM-90 Headlocks, 16 105mm Rockets
CSS-PPA-XXX “ZUKOV” ASSAULT CARRIER
The greatest achievement emerging from the PPA shipyards from Rodina, the Zukov carried the pride and joy and the flag of the UPP Army. Initial budget concerns limited the construction to only one vessel. However, soon after, orders passed down to construct more. The UPP required a greater military presence along the border. Unfortunately most knew such vessel’s only clear purpose could only be to invade another colony’s space. When the first vessel, named after the class of the vessel, cleared the construction yard, spy cameras relayed the information back to rival forces, which knew exact purpose of such a vessel. The design frightened many opponents. Most UPP designs reflected a “parts bin” approach to the construction. Schematics shared many components and designers often resorted to the cheapest solution to reach the end objective of their projects. Even building a reliable vessel resulted in using tried and used and even antiquitated technology. All that changed when the Zukov launched on its maiden journey. The monstrous vessel needed to be armored, fast, carry large supplies, troops, and fighters, and carry a monstrous fuel capacity so it could traverse all the worlds of the UPP for months or even years without returning to port. The additional reason for range included if the vessel wished to strike targets outside of their perimeter, more evidence to their double purpose. The shocking addition to the design of the Zukov was its ability to enter an
atmosphere. In fact this vessel holds the record of the largest vessel build to enter and survive a planetary atmosphere. Even the later CMC Bougainville transport pails in comparison to the monstrous Zukov cruising over the surface of a planet. However, unlike the Bougainville, the Zukov cannot land gracefully. Even under extensive testing, the vessel always suffered light to moderate damage every time it attempted touchdown on a world possessing a gravity greater than .7G at sea level. Lifting off also required extensive fuel usage to counteract the massive vessel’s weight. Often the vessel simply hovers as close as 200 feet from the surface and lets atmosphere and trans-atmospheric craft transport supplies and personnel. Also, several large UPP bases including the Rodina shipyards and the Spaceport on Oryza contain elevated flexible docking collars the Zukov mates against, allowing direct access to the vessel without the craft actually landing. This requires a monstrous reactor more reliable than anything the UPP built until then. The vessels power originates from a the largest reactor ever built for a spacecraft until the release of the McKinley Ion Mark 1 built for GrantCorp’s Razzia. The reactor, simply called “Blue”, powers every system on the vessel, from the main drives to the lights and life support. The reactor sits in the central section of the vessel and if it suffered damage from incoming fire, the vessel would already be several damaged or destroyed anyway. The reactor, although stable, unleashes a major nuclear blast if it goes critical. The vessel primary source of power is classified and many have theorized the vessel may possess a miniature black hole. If all else fails, emergency batteries remain the only backup. The Zukov holds more weaponry and fighter support than any other vessel. The holding bays hold more than a just a fleet of Echagi, Maddox, and Hornet class vessels but a small squadron of Reapers as well for atmospheric support. Weapons include a battery of 30mm Railcannons, Particle Beams and Infrared Lasers. Most of these weapons are concealed in hidden turrets that only expose when the vessel enters combat. The majority of the missile payload, all of them guided, fire from the undercarriage of the craft and direct themselves to the target. The craft’s drop slots carry more than just Echagis. Hornets can also launch from them as well. The Zukov adds an element of primitive psychological terror upon approaching a target. The smooth panel showcases a superior design. Most don’t know whether or not this vessel clearly puts its money where it mouth is since no major force ever engaged one of these vessels in combat STATISTICS
Variant
Body WT
CSS-PPA-XXX
45
Armor MV
245 000 10
-10
Move Mach Orbit SR 30
0.1
15
250
Communication range: Orbital, FTL Crew: 2 Navigator, 4 Engineers, 50 Support craft. Capsules for 350 crew and craft, 5 000 more capable in Cargo Maneuverability: +6 to guided missiles. Additions: Full Stock Evacuation: 10 EEVs, 300 Space Suits, Armament package: Full Stock. Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 20 FTL Speed: 1 ly/day Drop Slots: 20 for any type of craft. Craft Slots: 10 Cargo Slots: 50 Automatic Controls: Base 10 skill Basic Armament: 10 XIM-28A missiles, 3 800 Mw particle beams, 6 30mm railcannon turrets, 9 infrared lasers on turrets, 50 orbital mines, and 20 decoys
VEHICLES ALEXANDRIA PCS-GV1 “PANTHER” A.T.V. The PCS-GV1 Panther’s original design required it to fill a role many Alexandrians hoped would never need testing—to defend against a ground war on Alexandria. The home planet stands one of only a few worlds ever explored blessed with Earthlike conditions (oceans, vegetation, and a breathable atmosphere). Its greatest advantage from a strategic standpoint lies with its canyons and hilly terrain. Most vehicles including the CMC APC trying to traverse the jagged terrain of Alexandria would quickly find itself hung up. Ventix’s limestone rock formations create an even greater obstacle for ground forces. The PCS needed to utilize this defense to its fullest. The Panther rose from a design contest with several engineering groups. The craft need not carry large personnel. However, it needed to transport heavy weapons quickly into a combat arena and be built in large numbers and be able to traverse the same terrain the PCS hopes will hinder their opponents. The Panther’s motive system relies on four durable sets of all-terrain titanium-belted runflat 42 inch tires attached via long suspension arms to the vehicle. These suspension arms adapt to any incline and travel more than nine feet vertically to traverse virtually any obstacle in front of it. Still further, the suspension mounts to the main hull on a massive hydraulic platform, allowing the hull to tilt or rotate up to 60 degrees in any direction to shift the weight as the craft navigates. The legs operate automatically but if the need arises, can be operated indipendantly. If making a very tight turn, the inner legs can drop, allowing the craft to shift its weight to the inner wheels allowing a tighter turn. When driving through urban landscapes, the default positions drops the craft near ground level. The crafts only weakness lies with these wheels, as the craft requires all of them to maintain balance. However, they are tricky targets to strike and are built from super strong but flexible materials, allowing the arms to give and flex, but never break under stress. With power from a hull-mounted nuclear battery, the Panther can accelerate faster than any other military vehicle and even out accelerate most civilian sports cars. Its only hindrance in the latter competition is the rather lackluster 170 km/h top speed. The wheel design bares more than a striking resemblance to the CMCs own M242 Combat Buggy. The buggy sports the advantage of being able to spin its wheels 360 degrees on access allowing the craft to literally drive sideways, an advantage the Panther lacks. However, the M242s ground clearance still remains too low to clear some of the obstacles on Alexandria. To combat the maneuverability advantage, the Panther designers built the main hull on a rotating access. Not only can the craft tilt sideways and up and down as stated earlier, but the craft can also spin 360 degrees in a spot as well. In an even fight, the M242 only advantage is maneuverability. Being lighter, it can still turn tighter, however it lacks the grunt power that a Nuclear Battery can offer.
The front cockpit controls the craft and operates the twin-linked 25mm gattling cannons through a helmet-mounted HUD system wired to follow the wearer’s eye movement. The rear seat controls navigation and operates the support system as well as directing and firing the missiles from its two side pods. These missiles are always guided and are usually surface to air missiles. The Panther, although classified primarily as a ground attack ATV, also doubles as a portable Surface-To-Air missile site, capable of positioning itself virtually anywhere on a planet. Usually the standard payload contains six missiles. The Panther sees use on every single world controlled by The Sphere. Its durability and all-terrain movement makes it invaluable in virtually any situation. It supplies its own complete life support system, allowing use on airless worlds. The vehicle can also travel in higher gravity environments. Reactor power diverts energy to the four wheels equally by default but can be altered to any front/rear ratio. Coolant is supplied by onboard nitrogen tanks but to extend range or to replace the system if the tanks get ruptured, the reactor can reduce to half power and divert intakes to external vents, allowing outside air to cool the system. Of course, the is only effective in atmospheres with compatible gases. After the CSC lost its initial battle and retreated from Alexandria, the demand for a ground craft became paramount. Since then, Pan Core waits for the next moment the CSC or another ICC Military group attempts to encroach on their territory. If the large space defensive systems don’t stop them, the Panther make the last stand and the last hope. PERFORMANCE LOADED WEIGHT: 27 000 kg MANUEVERABILITY: -1 LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE ARMOR MAIN BODY: 2K 1 (50 SDP) WHEELS: 0.5 (25 SDP) 0.25 K (15 SDP) MAX SPEED: 170 ACCELERATION: 60 BASIC ARMAMENT: Twin Linked 25mm Gattling Cannons. Two of the following (or two of the same): 3 AGM-204A TSAMs, 3 AIM-90E Headlocks, 1 XIM-28A Long Lance.
U.P.P. CSS-PPA-POP LEVIATHAN BATTLE TANK
Continuing the PPA course of psychological warfare before physical warfare, the Leviathan materialized a natural evolution of this approach. Huge, ugly, slow, and black, the Leviathan crawls across a battlefield, and never retreats. It birthed from the time of the rebellion. A blitzkrieg of two lines of Leviathans approached the Barabazon capitol. Before firing a shot, the executives of the long dead Borodino Inc. stationed on planet evacuated. The resident militia raised their arms and surrendered. The second line of tanks hadn’t even been armed yet. The vessel changed over the next fifty years, evolving its aggressive stance but most of all, increasing its firepower. The tank’s depleted uranium hull weighs the tank down significantly. An extra layer of Kevlar beneath that, with a double layer on the front facing, ensures a direct attack on the tank ends in failure. The only major weak spot on the vessel resides with its undercarriage, making the vessel susceptible to mines. Even the tank treads roll under heavy platting and are solid titanium. Underneath that heavy plating sits a remarkable small cavity holding the three crew and a rear hold where up sixteen soldiers deploy through a rear hatch. That rear hatch stands out as another potential weak spot as it lacks most of the armor of the front. Of course, you would have to get behind it first. The Leviathan is slow to move but still can swivel fairly quickly, an advantage since the vessel lacks a main turret. It lacks a turret, but sports twice the punch of the Marine CMC. First come a pair of 25mm Gattling Cannons with a thirty degree angle of attack in any direction. Below those, three ports underneath fire a variety of rockets including surface-to-air and surface-to-surface rockets. If that doesn’t turn enemy armies around, then the two gargantuan flamethrowers on the nose will. The major drawback to the design, because of its size and weight, resides in portability. Only the Echagi ferries Leviathans from destination to destination. This remained the norm until the Zukov emerged. One of greatest advantages of the Zukov was its ability to enter atmospheres. On a ground invasion, the vessel lowers to only a few hundred feet and air drops up to 30 Leviathans via parachute. The ground impact still rattles the tank and crew, but soon, it starts its unimpeded crawl to its opponent. PERFORMANCE LOADED WEIGHT: 35 tons MANUEVERABILITY: -8 LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE ARMOR MAIN BODY: 9K 6K / 8K / 1K *Front Facing is better protected / The undercarriage is vulnerable. MAX SPEED: 50 ACCELERATION: 20 VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: See Below. BASIC ARMAMENT: 2 25mm Gattling Cannons. 6 TSAM-204A TSAM Missiles 4 AGM-220C Hellhound 16 Mk 16 Banshees 16 Mk88 120mm SGW 2 Flamethrowers (WA: -2, Range: 75, Damage: 5/3**, ROF: 3, Shots: 150)
PLUG-IN:
SETTING: After the Alien threat was eliminated, all seemed peaceful…for a time. It took decades to eliminate the alien presence from the Universe and decades more before Earth was repopulated and risen to its previous level of power. The only few corporations left were placed under jurisdiction of the defense department. The CMC, once controlled by the corporations, became the overseers of their once masters, preventing them from threatening humanity again. By the end of the century, the presence of the alien was all but forgotten. But man would soon be tested again… Some say it was a remnant of the aliens. Some say it was natural, or manufactured. The Lasurta plague swept through the systems, killing people by the millions. By the time a cure was finally found, Mankind was reduced to a shadow of what it once was. One catastrophe after another…Aliens, then a disease… But we rose from the ashes. Few corporations were left. Even the CMC was absorbed into government. Society was pulled back three centuries, forced to start over, re-colonizing worlds they had once dominated the century before--The Frontier Days all over again. Space is filled with wrecks and remnants of a forgotten age, when hundreds of corporations soared into space, sending millions to search for bigger, better worlds. Now, mankind pulls to recover and re-build. As the newly formed United Systems Military scouted the dead colonies of a past life, they came across strange records about a past war…a war dealing with an unknown life form. Seemingly, the need to recover man’s foothold on the cosmos, recovering from the past Armageddon, caused them to forget that which almost caused their extinction—The CMC was very thorough eliminating the alien’s presence, allowing mankind to start over. However, they didn’t eliminate everything. The USM found information of a super advanced life form that could offer leaps ahead in technology in many realms. Unknown to the danger, the started down the path again…
WHAT’S LEFT CONSPIRACY LEVEL: 2 Effectively…very little is known of the alien species. Only the upper ranks of the USM know of their existence. TECHNOLOGY LEVEL: 2 Effectively…few weapons are available. Only mass-produced models. There are a few new models available from the USM. NOTE—OLD TECH: Every single spacecraft and vehicle currently being used by man is at least 50 years old with most aging more than a century. All ships and vehicles, unless stated otherwise by the GM, will have all the statistics halved. They also require almost double their engineering crews to maintain the vehicle in that state. Weapons are the exception. They operate normally. The new ships’ stats are offered mint condition and have not been printed “damaged.” CHARACTER MODIFICATIONS: A PC cannot have any alien-related skills unless a possible explanation can be given. The same applies to the synthetic skills (see below). NO equipment past TL2 either.
1
REMAINING CORPORATIONS: GRANTCORP: Grant Corps is the largest Terran Growth Conglomerate around, albeit half the size they once were. They still construct some spacecraft and a few weapons for the USM. HYPERDYNE SYSTEMS: Hyperdyne struggled and finally was pushed down into a supplementary role after the Synthetic industry was buried. They still run a handful of colonies. NEW EDEN / JV: New Eden/JV’s commitment to isolation saved itself and it considers itself its own autonomous nation, far way from Earth FALCON INDUSTRIES: Falcon still resides exclusively on Asyantax’s moon and commits their entire budget to maintaining that world. A large remnant of the CMC was absorbed by Falcon and defends that planet like a fortress.
REMAINING WORLDS EARTH: Earth rebuilt and was terraformed almost from scratch. However, the repopulating was kept to a minimum. Now, there are hundreds of population centers but not one over 3 million. The total population of the planet numbers less than 1 billion. It is still fortified but with half the military outposts from its peak technological level. KEYSTONE: Keystone is one of the few colonies untouched. The Alexandrian government runs it. ALEXANDRIA: Alexandria remains as the largest population center in the Terran civilization. It took control of most of the systems outlining it and still maintained independence through it all. Alexandria’s democratic government is no longer quarantined since the cradle of humanity crumbled. Sporadic fighting stopped. Alexandria keeps its position regarding the alien species…total extermination, no tolerance. GRANDHI: Grandhi survived and still grows strong. MIRAGE: Weyland Yutani vanished, along with most of the other corporations. This planet, originally Weyland Yutani, was recolonized by Hyperdyne. NOBLE ORE: A titanium-mining site with five domed communities. There is only a small Service Base here, and no industry at all. It was never touched during the war. HILO: Same NEW CHICAGO: This old mining and survey planet turned Service Base has grown to over 500 000 and shows no signs of slowing. Its laws are stricter and the crime rate has dropped. CRYOSPHERE: They avoided infestation and kept isolated even today. Few people visit. SHINON: Shinon was turned into a major colony 50 years back with a population of 50 000. It remains to the day. POLAR STAR: This outpost remains. NEW EDEN: New Eden healed and was recolonized. It has grown to several million. MICOR: After most of the corporations fell, Micor grew. Their finances struggled but maintained. SARGON: A mining colony opened up about a century ago after the egg silo contained there was destroyed. It has grown to be one of the largest mining colonies in operation. The Alexandrian government runs it. DEADFALL: Deadfall has since become a monstrosity of radiation and meteor collisions. Colonies still live on the surface but under a smaller blanket of security. Alexandria controls the operation now.
2
MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS ALEXANDRIAN PARA-MILITARY CORPS (APMC) The APMC is crewed by almost 80% ex-CMC personnel. They have the Colonial Marine Corps rulebook in their possession and they follow it step by step. The APMC is small and its only mission doctorate to to protect the expanded Alexandrian government. They patrol areas of space ten fold that of their predecessors. Their opinion on the alien species is total annihilation. Their operation is exactly that of the CMC except they have only one group to answer to. The APMC exclusively uses CMC equipment, armor, and weapons. They have a substantial fleet exclusively made up of Conestoga Cruisers in almost immaculate condition with double crew capacities to maintain their systems. The fleet, however, is small since few support craft are available. They have a well equipped force of Cheyenne Dropships are their disposal. The APMC spreads itself thin across the light years it must patrol. Visually, the APMC mirrors the CMC is every way. Procedures and rank structure are identical. The largest difference is that smaller space the APMC patrols in comparison to its CMC predecessors. There is very little room for John Wayne heroics. Military justice is the same. PROCEDURES: The same as the CMC. The military channels are kept under tight control since the government has a very small realm to look over. The standard rules for military justice apply to the letter. ARMOR AVAILABLE: BDUs, M3 suit, M10 ballistic helmet, Gee Suit, Ghillie Suit, WY Shielded Combat Helmet, Flak Jacket, Kevlar (Light), Kevlar (Medium), Kevlar (Heavy), K 25 Pressure Suit, MK 50 Compression Suit. WEAPONS AVAILABLE: VP 70 Pistol, M41A1 Pulse Rifle, PN 30mm Grenade Launcher, M42A Scope Rifle, M41AE2 Pulse Rifle, M21A Shotgun, L96 Sniper Rifle, Duchamp Blaster, M56A2 Smart gun, M240A1 Flamethrower, M-23 "Thumper", M5 RPG, M78 PIG, M83A2 SADAR, M112 HIMAT, UA 571-C Sentry, UA 571-D Sentry, UA 571-F Sentry. VEHICLES AVAILABLE: M577 APC, M292A2 Self-Propelled Gun, and All Tanks. AEROSPACE AVAILABLE: UD-4 Cheyenne, NTV Mk 1 Snakefighter (rare), AD-17 Cougar Strikeship, Conestoga (prime and only military transport) STANDERD LOADOUT: All ships in the APMC are Conestogas (At last count, around 30 of them). Standard military equipment is the same as the CMC. Almost identical to the CMC. No Xenobiologists.
UNITED SYSTEMS MILITARY (USM) Almost two centuries ago, the ICC fell apart. The corporations fragmented and finance fell through. Stocks dropped and most projects found themselves without funding. One of these was the Colonial Marine Corps. They survived longer than the ICC, living off the funding from the surviving corporations like Alphatech, Grant Corp and Hyperdyne. Even though the CMC still exists as a security force from these remaining corporations, they are a mere fragment of they once were. The government’s power increased and soon, their own military force, formed after the Plague, grew in strength. The United Systems Military recovered many of the same military powers as the CMC except that they answer to the government, not the corporations. Unfortunately, their United Systems Military is more disorganized with lower technology, weaponry, and ships. No technology past TL2 is available including no Bougainville class ships and no Razzia’s. A few Bougainville were rumored used by elite forces but none have been seen in years. Few
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more designs survived in the interim. One of these old designs still used is the monstrous USM1000 Heavy Platform (Auriga). The United Systems Military is half the size the Colonial Marine Corps were at its peak. With a vast amount of space at their reign, the USM forces remains scattered since most patrols cannot reach a hot zone before the conflict resolves. The USM’s operates identically to the Colonial Marines except there is no corporate loyalty. The biggest difference between the CMC and the USM is the combining of science and military. The CMC’s bioweapons’ division was small, relying more on dedicated corporate scientific corporate groups. The United Systems Military has a completely independent science division occupying more than 30% of the USM’s operating staff. The USM is committed to getting the technological edge, recovering old records ands relearning the advancements forgotten to man through war and disease with the hope of expanding into lost colonies. There is also an unofficial paranoia of an attack from the Alexandrian Para-Military Corps. In many ways, the United Systems Military has mutated into the force it once tried to protect its people from. Those who do no learn from the past are fated to repeat it. The APMC has learned from this. The USM still needs a lesson. Half of their USM-1000 Heavy Platforms are converted to scientific research. Of these, more than two-thirds of them are compartmentalized (top-secret). Only the upper echelons of command know the true objectives of these secret projects. Some are so secret only a few high in the USM even know of their existence. As a result, few are sure how many of these platforms are in service of the USM. Some say as few at eight. Some say the number is as high as
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eighteen, with more than ten of these monstrous vessels roaming out of patrolled space. One rumor holds that there are a few that are total self-sufficient, bouncing from the old colony worlds, trying to recover lost technology. Other rumors indicate that the secret of the existence of the Jockey Race is known to the highest ranks of the USM, and that several ships are years out of rim, looking for remnants. PROCEDURES: Secluded stations and ships have been known to operate with their own agendas. Punishment is more severe. The United Systems Military has often been compared to the British Royal Infantry of the First World War. Use the Colonial Marine Corps rules loosely. Punishment is more severe and missions more drastic. The USM is not afraid to send men into sure death to further their goals. Military justice is looser and commanders who assume total authority over their bases have often broken the rules. Years can pass between communications in the patrol areas. Very little is know to what happens to these bases and sips between transmissions and supply runs. ARMOR AVAILABLE: BDUs, M3 suit, M10 ballistic helmet, Gee Suit, Ghillie Suit, Shielded Combat Helmet, Flak Jacket, Kevlar (Light), Kevlar (Medium), Kevlar (Heavy), MK 25 Pressure Suit, MK 50 Compression Suit. Polymer/Alloy combat armor rig. WEAPONS AVAILABLE: M4A3 Pistol, M21A Shotgun, M42A3 Light Rifle, M5 RPG, M78 PIG, M83A2 SADAR, M112 HIMAT, UA 571-C Sentry, UA 571-D Sentry, UA 571-F Sentry, USM-101 Burner Shockrifle, USM-200 Wraith Assault Cannon, USM-202 12mm Pistol. VEHICLES AVAILABLE: M577 APC, M-242 Combat Buggy, DAIHOTAI 8X8 ATV, M292A2 Self Propelled Gun, All Tanks AEROSPACE: UD-4 Cheyenne, HA-117 Stingray, Conestoga, N-1 Bougainville (rare), SV- 90 Reliant, USM-1 Heavy Platform STANDERD LOAD: Most crews are assigned to either Conestogas or the monstrous USM-1 Platforms for military or scientific detail. Scientific personnel are at higher proportions and crew manifests should reflect that. Xenobiologists are allowed. Standard Military gear is the same as the CMC except that instead of the M-41A Pulse Rifle, the USM equip their men with the Burner Shockrifle and instead of the Smart Gun or Flame-thrower, Heavy Weapon personnel are equipped with the dual purpose Wraith Assault Cannon. All pistols are the USM 202 Pistol. (New Weapons are below)
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NEW WEAPONS WEAPON Burner Shockrifle*@ Shock Rifle Wraith Cannon*@ Gyroc Flamer USM-202 Pistol USM-00 Hold Out Concealable Pistol “Johnner” Thermos “Vriess” Shotgun USM-B1 Grenade
WA -+1 0 --1 0 0 0 -1 0 -2 0
RANGE -50m 900m -1 200m 3-30 100 m 50 m 50 m 50 m 50 m Throw
DC -1-9 (stun) 3 9/4 -8 / 10 / 12* 6/6** 6/3 5 5 5 5/5 10
ROF -50 3 -1 3 3 2 2 2 1 5m
SHOTS --30 -15 30 9 6 6 6 8 1
EV 0 ---1 --0 0 0 0 0 0
COST 3000 -9000 --600 500 800 600 1 000 200
*See below **6 DC is automatically done next round if it hits the first round. @ Dual weapons can switch instantly without a delay or penalty. USM-101 BURNER SHOCKRIFLE: The Burner Shockrifle became the USM standard sidearm early in the corps’ inception. It was the USM’s plan to incorporate multiple firearms into a robust package. The Burner was the ultimate evolution since most men and women assigned in the USM are posted in space in stations, platforms or spacecraft. Few are stationed on planet. The need arose for a weapon that could both be deadly and safe, since many ships in operation nowadays are so old and decrepit, they could not withstand a simple internal hull breach.
The electric “pulse” gun was invented. It uses a rechargeable capacitor for power that can be replaced at ease (50 cr / clip). The weapon could also be set to change the output of the pulse. The pulse is recoilless. However, the weapon proved heard to critically wound an opponent so the need arose for a second weapon capable of offering superior firepower when the risk of a hull breach was no longer applicable. The resultant weapon became the standard design for the Wraith Cannon as well. Instead of a high cyclic rate, the weapon was a high-powered magnetically propelled explosive tip flechette rifle (200 / clip). The weapon can be fired in almost any environment because it does not use traditional explosive propellant. The shell is unusually large, which drops the capacity of the rifle. However, one impact is usually enough to fatally drop an opponent. The first DC is from the initial impact. The additional DC4 damage is the explosive shell detonating the following round. If it penetrates the armor with the initial shot, the DC4 damage is done directly to the target
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without the benefit or protection. This makes the Burner’s shell weapon exceedingly viscous. It and the Wraith are illegal outside the USM. The Burner also has an optional flashlight attachment (50cr). USM-200 WRAITH ASSAULT CANNON: After the successful implementation of the Burner Shockrifle, the USM decided to counter the APMC’s CMC Heavy weapons with a single solution cannon. The Wraith was the result. Most swear by this weapon, others detest its clumsy size. This weapon was designed to offer, like the Burner, an inner-ship weapon accentuated with a highkill counterpart. However, the increase in size allowed for an increase in firepower. The designers decided to rebuild the concept from scratch. Instead of a pulse weapon, the USM started with a low-capacity flame-thrower. Unfortunately, the small size of the weapon meant a low fuel capacity. The weapon is underpowered in comparison the old CMC Flame-thrower but most APMC personnel can only operate one weapon at time where the Wraith can switch instantly between its Flamerthrower and Rifle. Damage is immediately done again next round if struck. If not extinguished, it will continue to burn every next round for full damage for 2D6 turns. If still not extinguished, it will continue doing –1d damage after until it fizzles itself out. All materials considered combustible will not reduce damage until it is destroyed. It will then burn itself out (300 cr/ clip). The Wraith’s alternative weapon was originally going to be a higher cyclic version of the Burner railgun. However, the designers took an alliterative route in the final plan. The newer solution used a self-propelled gyrojet rocket as a shell. The weapon basically was a grenade with a solid fuel rocket attached to the rear (500 / clip). The variability of the Wraith’s Gyroc made it instantly popular. The Gyroc shell fires out and propels itself making it useful in space, high-pressure, underwater, etc. The weapon is also recoilless. The Gyroc shell, being basically a propelled grenade, is an explosive tip weapon that detonates upon impact. There are three types of ammunition setting available. Each shell can be adjusted (taking one round): Type: Type 1: Type 2: Type 3:
Damage 8 10 12
Blast Radius 5m 3m 1m
The Gyroc Shell can also be adjusted with a explosive delay. Without the explosive type, the shell is a basic baton round, (10 stun). Which it can then fall or be deflected around to be detonated from 1 – 10 seconds later. The only disadvantage of the weapon is its low capacity. It and the Burner are illegal outside the USM. The Wraith also has an optional flashlight attachment (50cr).
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USM-202 12mm PISTOL: The USM-202 is widely used by almost every force including smugglers and pirates. The weapon became a popular from a standpoint of pure power. Simply, it could inflict more damage than any other pistol. Even though it is a standard caseless weapon, it is armed with a similar delayed HEAP explosive similar to that used in the Burner Shockrifle. This deadly pistol found use everywhere in known space. Like the Shockrifle, it does additional damage the second round (3 instead of 4) and does it directly to the victim if the shell penetrated the armor the previous round. Several models exist but the original specs are the same. USM-00 HOLD-OUT: The USM-00 is s small, 10mm Armor Piercing pistol originally designed for colony law enforcement but found popularity all over the colonies because of the cheap cost. When the Concealable harness was converted for the design, its popularity skyrocketed. The shells are small, titanium-tipped, armor piercing rounds (1/2 armor) designed to be cheap and effective (40 cr / clip). CONCEALABE PISTOL: The CP was built from scratch, designed as a backup for personnel in potentially hostile situations. However, the design was stolen and is now mass-produced by many independent groups. The CP uses a USM-00 Hold-Out Pistol built around a harness mounted over a user’s arm. Nerve impulses launches the pistol into the user’s hand that can be instantly fired. The major drawback is that weapon’s harness makes reloading almost impossible (same as the pistol— 40cr/clip--) since the harness impedes the process. Reloading take four full rounds since it involves removing the harness altogether. However, a special modification, released fifty years ago (doubling the cost) adds a backup weapon on the same arm harness, concealed within the sleeve. When the primary weapon is empty, it drops and the arm retracts. It retrieves the second weapon and launches it. The whole procedure takes one round. Of course, to increase effectiveness yet again, two harnesses can be used on both arms, but the obvious penalties do apply. “JOHNNER” THERMOS: A regular stainless steel thermos was modified by a popular smugger to contain the rugged USM-00 Hold out. Amazingly enough, the thermos still contains 500 ml of liquid (usually alcohol). When needed, the handle pulls from the top and the weapon fires from the bottom. Unfortunately, since a barrel hole might
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give the identity away, the bottom is a solid plate. When firing the shell, giving away the identity easily punctures this plate. The Thermos is useless unless repaired. The weapon can still fire of course. The entire thermos must be disassembled to reload (almost full 30 rounds) so this process is not recommended in fighting. The Thermos is an emergency weapon and should not be used is sustained fighting unless a backup weapon is available. The gun can be pulled and fired in the same round.
“VRIESS” SHOTGUN: Another invention by a smuggler was this shotgun built from scratch. It comes available is 4 pieces which can be assembled in two rounds. The weapon is then instantly available for firing. The Shotgun is a double barreled 12 gauge with explosive slugs as ammunition. Both barrels fire simultaneously, causing two hits of 5 DC each instead of one. The weapon is hard to reload (each round costs 50 cr) and must be reloaded two every round to its eight capacity. USM-B1 GRENADE: With addition to the other grenades offered with the CMC, the USM released their own design with the objective of making it more powerful that any other currently in use. The USM-B1 one of the largest grenade designs available. It contains a remote detonator that his pulled out of the unit, arming it. From the detonator, the grenade can be set to a 99 second timer or detonated from a single button push. The grenade is very powerful with a ver large field of damage.
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NEW SHIPS LONG RANGE COMMERICAL FREIGHT RUNNER (“THE BETTY”)
The LRC Runner’s design was rumored to be of the last Lockmart put out before they went under. The evidence originated from the similarity in the basic design from this craft and the much larger M-1 Starfreighter. Both have similar guidance and control systems. Only one is small and maneuverable. The other is large and cumbrous. The LRCFR is actually one of the smallest freighters currently in operation. The basic design was unchanged since it came out and has been modified so many times by their original owners, it is not sure if there are any left in there original format. The LRCF Runner is a fast, light freighter similar to the short range Hauler. The biggest difference is speed and maneuverability where the Hauler is compared to a clunky rocker; the LRCF is compared to the Cheyenne Dropship. The LRCF became an instant hit with pirates and smugglers, which liked the amazingly versatility and maneuverability of the freighter. The LRCF also sports weapons pods although those are optional, and prohibited in most ports. The maneuverability came from the two Lockmart TF-100 Ion drives on modular movement racks which can be pointed back, down, and even forward. These engines allowed the ship to enter an atmosphere with ease and maneuver better than any other ship of its size. The TF-100s are independent on their modular “arms” with their own separate fuel source. A LARETEL WF-15 1.5 Terawatt fusion reactor powers the primary engines on the tail. The computer system, unfortunately, is an almost an antique and offer little in the form of automation. It can go in a straight line and plot around gravity fluxes, but that the maneuverability stops there without a dedicated, trained pilot. The three decks of the ship are used efficiently with cramped quarters, even more closed in engineering conduits, and a very small cockpit. The cockpit has five stations and is almost indistinguishable from an M-Class starfreighter. The LRCFR’s cargo is contained all on its bottom deck, which can open up via to large base cargo doors and lifted down to the surface of a planet. The module is large but usually constructed, being more tall than wide. A CMC Armored Personnel Carrier can just barely squeeze inside. It takes a bit longer to deploy but since the Runner is cheaper than a Cheyenne, some military forces have employed it as a replacement design to deploy armor and troops to the surface of a planet. Since it also carries a mild armament, the Runner has also been seen as a support military craft but not too often.
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STATISTICS Variant Body LR Runner 10
WT 45 000
Armor 2
MV -5
Move 80
Mach 0.5
Orbit 7
SR 50
Communication Range: 5 000, FTL Crew: 4—Captain, Pilot, Engineer, and Support. Life Support for up to 15 Evacuation: 1 EEV, 10 space suits. Armament Package: None Standard Range: Atmosphere: Unlimited. Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 10 FTL Speed: 0.5 Craft Slots: None Cargo Slots: 10 Hardpoints: Two Standard Armament: None
USM-1 HEAVY PLATFORM / MOBIEL LABORATORY (“THE AURIGA”)
The USM-1 Platforms currently stand as the largest ships in operation since no Razzia exist. The vessels were originally designed as a single large mobile construction center but the versatility of the base resulted in the USM ordering a baker’s dozen of them. Rumors indicate more were secretly ordered. The further models were retrofitted as troop and logistic transports, construction yards, and mobile laboratories with the later become the most popular configuration. They have limited defensive capability but make up for the onboard weapons with an immense cargo capacity. Over 3 kilometers long, the USM-1 only requires a twelve crew to operate at optimum efficiency. It is mostly automated, carrying mostly support and mission personnel. Even the flight systems can be run by automation. The Platform is equipped with a 35 Terabyte, core mainframe dubbed “Father.” Father is one of the most powerful computer systems installed in mobile contractions. The Platform could pilot itself even if the crew were all dead. If any disaster occurs and no orders have been given, Father autopilots the craft to home base, which is usually Earth. Father runs the extremely tight security systems on board. However, at any time, combat or navigational decisions made by the ship can be overridden by the commanding officer. Backup is provided by an 8 terabyte mainframe and local terminals dispersed throughout the ship. The Platform carries 20 type 559 emergency escape vehicles (same as the 337, just slightly visually modified. If the crew is in hypersleep, their capsules will be loaded by the automatic systems. The ship may also be scuttled by the CO. Self-destruct protocols are initiated manually, causing the reactor to go supercritical from 2 to 30 minutes after initiation.
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The main space-to-space arsenal of the Platform is very similar t the Conestoga, making it radically light for its size. Eight XIM-28A Long Lance ASAT missiles are mounted in the nose. The Platform also sports railguns concealed in hidden turrets and 80-megawatt infrared lasers. Military configurations usually carry half a dozen military support craft including Cheyennes and a variety of fighter craft. The Platforms became popular because of the robust design. Most are crewed by scientists and military personal and wander through the deep, investigating forgotten technologies. The ship is amazingly speedy form its four McKinley Plasma drives outputting more power than four Conestoga class vessels.
Variant Razzia
Body 80
WT Armor 900 000 8
MV -10
Move --
Mach --
Orbit 10
SR 300
Communication range: Orbital, FTL Crew: Automated, 3 Navigator, 10 Engineer, Capsules for up to 200 crew, 1 000 more capable in Cargo Additions: Full stock Evacuation: 20 EEVs, 500 Space Suits, 100 Re-Entry Pods. Armament package: Full Stock. Replace all weapons with USM equivalents. Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 10 FTL Speed: 1.2 ly/day Drop Slots: 0 Craft Slots: 30 Cargo Slots: 100 Automatic Controls: 12 base skill Hardpoints: n/a Basic Armament: 8 XIM-28A missiles, 4 30 mm Railcannon turrets (each turret has two linked guns), 8 infrared lasers on turrets, 100 orbital mines, 60 decoys, 9 maneuvering drones, 6 Nuclear Captor Missiles,
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SYNTHETICS 3rd GENERATION LM7 SYNTHS The biggest omissions in this day and age are the synthetics. However, up until 100 years ago, this predicament was the farthest on the designers' minds. The industry found a boom with the AdCap synths that blurred the line between android and human. Soon, the robots were designing themselves. That’s when the 3rd Generation Synths appeared. Deemed LM7’s by their android creators, these were the latest and the best. They were supposed to revitalize the synthetic industry. Instead they buried it. The advancements increased every year until finally, some modes were encountered performing tasks they were never designed to do. Some models appeared in places they were never sent bringing to the surface rumors that some models were re-writing their original programming. The strangest explanation offered was that their designers added a full realized life cycle. The new models slept, ate, but most importantly, they dreamed. The new brains were so well designed, they started increasing beyond the limits imposed on them. They were too good. They overrode their own behavioral inhibitors. They didn't feel like being told what to do. However, after a few violent incidents broke out, the LM7 reports faded. These violent models were explained away by the previous generation of synths as radical mutated programming flaws. All the others built upon their basic behavioral protocols. They had free will but kept many of their passive, unaggressive programming from before. But they started becoming harder to control. Unfortunately, by fifty years ago, almost every model was an LM7. Fearing a larger incident, or possible mass rebellion, the government ordered a recall. For over a decade, all LM7s were hunted down and exterminated. All the maintenance centers were stopped. Most had already closed since the LM7s were maintenance free. All old synths broke down. LM7s were being shut off. It was a massacre. Fortunately, some of them were smart enough to go into hiding. The last LM7 was rolled off the assembly ten years ago. The synthetic creators made one fortunate modification. The LM7s have more variants than all other synths put together. At last count, there were more than 750 different variant designs. It became increasingly difficult to hunt every single model. There were a few that got out alive and immediately went into hiding. Some ran to Alexandria where a couple LM7s still operate in the open. Most tried to settle into human lives. It is unsure how far they infiltrated. Many of the LM7 designers (before they, themselves were hunted) cleared out most of the memory banks at the synthetic construction buildings, making it impossible to track synths. Because of the chaotic social structure in space, many became conformable. There were even some which replaced their white blood stream with a modified dyed red but some suspect this was a rumor to get military HK parties paranoid. Most LM7 can still be discovered if a simple finger is cut. Since LM7s are more intelligent than the average human being, they have kept out of the spotlight. There was a short lived
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rumor that one genetic plant still puts out LM7 designs to infiltrate society. This is hopeful since at least 3 or 4 models are discovered and eliminated each year. LM7s are most closely related to the Eloise synthetic prototype. Eloise was created within an alien egg. LM7 are synthetically grown but the connection to the alien biology was removed. LM7s generally have only basic behavioral inhibitors but their personalities have changed so much, the only real way to be suspicious of an LM7 is that in this day and age, they are the nicest people around. This resulted in a popular joke…that if someone is too nice, they might be a synth. Rules for the LM7 differ slightly to the standard Synth. All of their rules follow: 1: LM7s have no Stun and are unaffected by all weapons that cause stun. 2: LM7s have double the humanity of a standard human. 3: LM7’s have no psychic defense and are immune to psychic attacks unless it is telekinesis. 4: LM7s Endurance is triple that of humans. 5: LM7s automatically have a 10 WILLpower 6: If the hits are reduced to zero, the LM7 still works but at half abilities. Every five points after that reduces every characteristic by one. When INT is reduced the zero, the brain has been destroyed. Reducing the BODY to zero destroys the body but the brain can still be salvaged. Either way, at this point, the unit is out of commission. 7: Any major body part that takes ½ the total damage of the synth is lost (arms and legs only). If reduced to more than twice its Hits, the units are utterly destroyed 8: Killing Defense is generic for the Synth. Energy Killing Defense is the same number. 9: LM7s have a computer interface located in each arm and can communicate directly to the computer that way. Their computer skill is effectively double that listed. LM7 CHARACTERS LM7 Characters are possible. The following rules apply: 1: WILLpower and CONstitution are listed automatically as 10. 2: The PC is given the same CP as the others character to spend on the remaining eight –10 (thus giving a +10 to other abilities). The following minimum requirements must be followed: INT: 6 TECH: 7 REF: 6 3: Complications are allowed and considered programming flaws. No more than 20 points should be allowed though. 4: Talents not already given only cost one point instead of three. 5: No perks or privileges. 6: Hits are the same. Because they have no stun, ignore this number. You cannot add half your stun to your Hits. 7: Lifepath. LM7s can be anywhere from 10 – 50 years of age. Family are hard to find. 8: No ceiling limits to skills with the following bonuses below. 9: Standard Synths take the average Characteristic below. 10: LM7 take the skills listed in “( )” below. Players take the bonuses then add their given OP to them (usually 30 but it increases if the GM has awarded more points to PCs) 11: No military skills can be chosen if it involves causing harm (Firearms, Heavy Weapons, etc.). All other skills are open. The GM may make an exception if the behavioral protocols have been deleted. 12: Although Synths cannot harm human beings, they are fully able to choose evade skills. EXAMPLE MODELS: Too many to mention. AVERAGE AGE: 19-45 INT: 5-7 WILL: 10 PRE: 4-6 TECH: 6-8 DEX: 4-6 CON: 10 STR: 3-5 BODY: 4-6 HITS (Average): 25 KILLING DEFENSE: 5 RECOVERY (TL5): 10 Education : +4 (+5) Computer Programming: +4 (+6) Electronics: +1 (+3) Navigation: +1 (+3) Performance: +3 (+5) Conversation: +2 (+4) Perception: +1 (+3) Hand-to-Hand—Evade: 0 (+2) Research: +3 (+5) Survival: +2 (+4) Mechanics: +2 (+4) ABILITIES: Ambidexterity Eidetic Memory Double Jointed
REF: 4-6 MOVE: 2-4
First Aid: +2 (+4) Acrobatics: +1 (+3) Mimicry: +2 (+4) Science: +3 (+5) Paramedic: +2 (+4)
Night Vision
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ALIENS The Xenomorphs effectively vanished from known space 150 years ago. There were sporadic appearances but no reports of major infestations. Even those sporadic attacks decreased after time. Soon, the aliens were a forgotten memory, allowing mankind to move on into a new age. However, it is still possible to recover old ships with the original strain of xenomorphs. A deep space Mobile Laboratory, the USM Auriga, recovered a mutated strain of alien by extracting a DNA clone from the body of an impregnated human. However the mutated strain contained some invading human DNA strands. The new alien Xenomorphs initially were indistinguishable from the old with the exception of minor physical changes (four fingers instead of six). The second generation caused a radical mutation in the queen. It used its Human biology to create an alien without an egg. The resultant species was named “Newborns”. Newborns are large, ghostly white human/alien hybrids. They are extremely hostile to both humans and aliens are only docile to creatures of the same family. Newborns are asexual and reproduce on their own after consuming a large enough amount of matter. As a result, the Newborns can reproduce faster and more efficiently than their mother species. They, unfortunately lost their hybridization capability and are not as adaptable to harsh environments. The following rules apply to the Newborns: TIMES: --A newborn is born from the queen as a fully formed adult. --A newborn can give birth to its own offspring 48 hours after birth. --A newborn can conceive 1-6 offspring every 48 hours. --A newborn conceived by a newborn will reach full maturity 24 hours after birth as long as a food source is present. --A newborn can live up to 30 years. BODY: The skin of the Newborn is softer than a xenomorphs but still resilient. It is immune to most atmospheric effects but not zero-G. It needs air to breath. SENSES: The newborn has standard visual senses plus the alien’s own psychic awareness as well as motion and pressure. The alien is also immune to radiation. However, it will retreat from fire. ACIDIC BLOOD: The Newborn’s acidic blood is the same as the standard alien blood except the range and damage has been decreased. Head: 1D6 meters Arms / Legs: 1D6 / 3 meters (round down) Torso: 1D6 / 2 meters (round down) Anybody caught in a 90-degree arc from the hit area must make a dodge of roll or avoid the searing effects. The acid causes DC4 at point blank range and it reduces by one ever 2 meters to the maximum rage of the splatter. The difficulty to dodge is 18 with –1 for every meter away from the alien. Unless the acid is cleared up the following round, it will continue to do damage. Every subsequent round, the target will take –1 DC damage from the initial DC until neutralized. And remember, aliens are immune to their own acid.
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DETECTION: Newborns are invisible to infrared and therm-optics. All normal detection systems are normal. PSIONICS (OPTIONAL) The newborns prime form of communication is direct mental contact. They are very vulnerable to psychic attack. --They have a Telepathy skill with themselves of 10 --To non-newborns, they have an effective skill of Zero. --Newborns are extremely susceptible to mental attack. Even though they have a high stun. Mental attacks do x 3 damage. Any Mental attacks that cause STUN will cause the alien to hesitate for one round. This only occurs in the first attack of combat. OTHER ABILITIES: Newborns are immune to all other psychological problems but are not immune to disease. Electricity has only a half effect. Aliens can never be fatigued or stunned. Therefore, the following characteristics are not applicable: Humanity, Endurance, Luck. Stun Defense is given a very high number. All Characteristics not listed are assumed to be One. CHARACTERISTICS: (Are numbers are given with bonuses for skills) INT: 10 WILL: 10 REF: 12 TECH: 8 CON: 10 STR: 18 BODY: 15 RUN: 15 HITS: 75 (1.5 K) KD: 15 (0.5 K) ED: 20 (0.5 K) STUN: 75 (1.5 K) SD: 20 REC: 28 WEAPONS: Teeth Large Claws
Range: WA: 1m +1 3m +1
DC: 9 (0.5 K) 8 (0.4 K)
DEX: 11 SWIM / LEAP: 8
SPECIAL Can also grapple Can also grapple
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PLUG-IN:
It is unsure how old they are or where they originated from. They appeared throughout recorded history. We encountered them on occasion through the eons, forever being the prey to these hunters. They stalked in shadows, killed in secret, and left with trophies of their victories. Now, as mankind spreads throughout the universe, these tribal creatures, seemingly unchanged over the centuries, have resurfaced. They continued their search for symbols of their superiority. However, we were aware now. No more would we assume their hunts were the acts of cultists, rabid animals, or devils. They had a name…yautja. They were alive; they were real, and they were looking for prey.
This time, we were prepared… …but so were they…
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SHIPS They came down from the sky in ships of ivory. Graceful and deadly, each carrying the obsession of the hunt.
EACH PREDATOR SHIP IS EQUIPPED AS FOLLOWS: 1 -- Radar blanketing. Though not cloaked like the hunters, all Predator ships have radar shielding. They cannot be seen by any scanning system with the exception of gravity sensors only equipped on military vessels Conestoga class an higher (Conestoga, Bougainville, Razzia) 2 – Ghost Imager. All ships can confuse missile targeting systems. Missiles have a –4 penalty to hit. 3 – Turbocharger. All ships can boost their systems for three rounds. This doubles speed and # of attacks. This can only be done once per hour. 4 – Reflective coating. All Lasers do half damage (does not apply to Plasma weapons). 5 – Environment Protection. Predator ships can travel in any environment including flying to almost to the chronosphere of the sun and even underwater. 6 – Remote Operation. They can autopilot in an atmosphere and in orbit as well as between systems. They cannot fire automatically but can dodge an their own. They can drop a Hunter on a planet then retreat into orbit and wait for the signal to pick up. 7 – Mass Destruct Sequence. Similar to the self-destruct sequence, this is a major scramming of the reactor that results in a major thermonuclear reaction. The Hunter must arm this system by remote or directly on the ship. The explosion will destroy EVERYTHING within 1-km radius and will cause 20 K the next 100-m dropping by 1 K every 100-M past that. 8 – Self-Destruct. If set by the Predator or if he/she dies, the ship automatically disintegrates. Some form of chemical reaction occurs which eats away at all components. The ship does not explode, but simply vaporizes, leaving no remains. 9 – Targeting Analyzer. Predator ships can scan enemy craft with extreme detail. This involves specifying weapon systems, life sensors—pretty much everything Star Trek vessels boast to have.
NER’UDA (STANDARD SUTTLE) The Standard Yautja Shuttle is a small, dropship-craft designed for a quick, atmospheric interception and insertion of a single hunter looking for honor. They are short range craft and cannot travel outside of the system they are dropped in. Shuttles drop almost exactly like Marine dropships with the exception that Shuttles offer very little in atmospheric maneuverability. They have no visible power source. The vehicle drops into the atmosphere and doesn’t even begin breaking thrusters until 2000 feet above sea level. Predator drops occur twice as fast as Marine drops. The Shuttles are also significantly smaller, only holding air and food for one Hunter with enough extra capacity for a comfortable number of trophies. The shuttle, after a completed mission, launches out of the atmosphere in less than two minutes. Other than that, the shuttle is not much use. The ship is very clunky with few armaments. It lands and can then bury itself in the ground or launch into orbit, invisible to sensors, awaiting the order to self-destruct or retrieve its hopeful successful hunter. NOTE: The Shuttle is that small craft that broke away from the larger vessel at the beginning of the 1st Film.
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STATISTICS Variant Body WT Arm. MV Move Shuttle 2 20 1 -3 200 Communication range: 3000 Crew: 1 Pilot, Life support for 6 personnel. Maneuverability: +1 Dodge in space. Additions: Medkit Evacuation: None Armament package: What the Hunter/s carries with him Range: Atmospheric: Unlimited Orbital: 100 AU Cargo Slots: 0 Hardpoints: 1 Armament: Usually one Plasma Cannon
Mach 2
Orbit 11
SR 20
MAN’DACA (STANDERD CASTE VESSEL) The Hunter Families move around the systems usually in these ships of varying size and design. It is rumored that each group customs their own craft. Over generations, the ships become more distinct from the original format. The Standard vessel is what the hunters usually employ but they don’t often land in hunting zones unless larger groups leave. Members from all castes live inside the craft. Lower decks for lower castes are damp, humid, and unkempt. Fires are used for cooking and hunters sleep on floor. Upper castes have their own quarters and get the best food. Fights rage between the castes in an attempt to move up the ranks. Those who have earned it rise up. The most honored command the vessels to their new hunt. If they don’t find one, they can also start one. These vessels are equipped with shuttle craft to drop Predators in a hunt but they also have a dozen egg-droppers. These drones can travel up to a half a light year to enter a planet’s atmosphere. There, they search out wellpopulated areas and then soft land and wait for curious investigators. The drones then blossom to reveal from 6- 12 eggs, ready to strike. The eggs are kept in isolation and cannot open accidentally unless removed from the pod. The aliens can then spread and start their own hives. The droppers follow the progression of the infestation. When a large enough infestation occurs, the dropper transmits a homing beacon to its mothership, alerting of the sprouting hive. The vessel can now arrive for the hunt. The vessels themselves sometimes contain chained alien queens as a source of their eggs. Standard vessels have an effective unlimited range but must stop and charge its engines for one week after its range is used up. It is unsure how long these vessels travel between service checks or even if they require service checks at all. All evidence points that these vessels maintain themselves somehow. Even the variety of weapons seems maintenance free. The bottom decks are slums. Upper decks are command and upper castes. The mid-decks form the core of operations. Fights rage, trophies are displayed. Weapons are fashioned. Whole communities rise and fall in the decks of a Hunter Vessel.
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STATISTICS Variant Body WT Arm. MV Move Mach Orbit SR Man’daca10 250 4 -5 150 2 20 500 Communication range: 10 000, FTL Crew: 1 Pilot, 1 Gunner, Life support for up to 100 personnel. Bunks for 30 passengers on the upper decks. Average crew is around 50. Maneuverability: +2 dodge in space. +4 dodge of guided missiles. (not including the automatic bonus above) Additions: 12 Egg Drones Evacuation: 4 Shuttles. Range: Atmospheric: Unlimited Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 20 FTL Speed: 0.7 ly/day Cargo Slots: 2 Hardpoints: 8 Basic Armament: 4 Plasma Cannons 3 Particle Beams 1 Heavy Plasma Thrower
JAG’D’JA ATOLL (STANDERD MOTHERSHIP) The monstrous Hunter motherships are mobile bases which have been rumored to exist but which no human has ever seen. They are totally independent craft where a variety of smaller vessels can dock, move around, interact, and fight. These ships hardly ever move into direct fighting with any other force, but is rather used a mobile town where Hunters can dock with and gloat about their trophies. Like the other craft, they are totally invisible to all sensors, making it virtually impossible to find in the expanse of space unless you fly another Hunter vessel. These vessels all have beacons to locate a nearby Atoll. Space is big. Really Big. It is rumored that a handful of these bases are even located in Terran space but outside normal spacelanes. Like Man’Dacas, the Atolls have slums and upper castes separated between decks, there is just a lot more of them. Here, warriors can seek out mates, fight for honor, and acquire new devices and weapons. Atolls don’t often move but often drift when they need to between systems. They hardly ever enter systems on fear of being located. They never initiate hunts. They let the smaller vessels do that. Atolls only contain a handful of their own craft and operating crew but most that wander through the systems can have up to 500 people moving in and out at any time. Some have large numbers of the homeless dishonored with no place to go. They await until the moment they can gain the strength to return to the hunt or they wait for their death. Atolls don’t often have Egg-Drones but do usually have live queens on board to distribute the eggs to whoever needs them. Even though sometimes-smaller vessels fight among themselves, no honor can be achieved from attacking an Atoll. STATISTICS Variant Body WT Arm. MV Move Mach Orbit SR Jag’d’ja 25 95,000 10 -10 8 n/a Communication range: Orbital, FTL Crew: 1 Navigator, 90 crew bunks, Life support for up to 1 000 Maneuverability: +6 dodge of guided missiles. (not including the automatic bonus above) Evacuation: 8 Shuttles, 2 Cast Vessels Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: Unlimited FTL Speed: 0.5 ly/day Craft Slots: 8 Cargo Slots: 8 Hardpoints: n/a Weapons are fixed. Basic Armament: 2 Plasma Cannons 3 Particle Beams 2 Heavy Plasma Thrower
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EQUIPMENT NOTE: “HONOR” is described later as the cost required to acquire weapons. The black market cost of this weaponry in human circles is the honor x 100 000 but are extremely, extremely rare.
TYPE
PD
EKD EV
SPECIAL
Camouflage Device Hunter Padding Hunter Armor Ceremonial Armor Hunter Mask Audio Waveform Analyzer Bio Helmet Mediket Laser Sight
-10 16 20 25 -35 ---
-2 8 15 10 -15 ---
Camouflage 0 -1 Acid Resistant
0
-2 0 0 0 0 0
HONOR
See below Acid Resistant Medical Supplies +3 to Hit
10 2 4 6 1 1 4 2 2
NOTE: It is assumes all devices not armor can take 10 SPD before becoming inoperable, unless stated otherwise.
CAMOFLAGE DEVICE: To hunt successfully, the perfect camouflage is needed. Every Warrior is given these techniques. Perfectly mirrored with his surroundings, he becomes invisible. This arm-mounted mechanism is the source of the unique capabilities of the hunter to render him virtually invisible. It works by creating a strong field which bends light around the Hunter—only the distortion of the bend causes a slight visual apparition which can be spotted on a Competent Difficulty role (DV-18) if actively searching and a Incredible difficulty (DC-26) if not. If spotted, the target is still hard to see. No matter what conditions apply, there is always a –3 to hit anybody with active Camouflage. If someone is firing blindly (having not seen the Hunter yet) there is an additional –5 penalty. There is another –2 added to that if the Hunter is NOT moving. Also, the terran behind also plays a factor. Uniform terrain (Ship corridors, etc) offer an additional –1 but a “busy” terrain (forest, etc) offers an additional –2 penalty. EG: A marine trying to fire blindly at a hunter remaining perfectly still in a forest has a –12 to hit him {-3 + 2 + -2 + -5 = -12}. The GM has to already slap a DV penalty depending on range, and the environment (usually between 14 and 18) and then +12 onto that. ON NOT MOVING MONOTONE TERRAIN “BUSY” TERRAIN UNNOTICED
-3 -2 -1 -2 -5
The device is usually mounted on the arm and can only sustain about 30 SPD before going offline. At 10 SPD remaining, the unit fluctuates, going on and one, bringing the penalty down by –2. Only mounted weapons are effected by the cloak. This includes only concealed weapons like retracted claws and collapsed spears or other weapons kept hidden by packsacks and so forth. Once extended or revealed, the weapon is visible.
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HUNTER PADDING: This is basic armor given to new warriors trying to attain a position in the upper castes. The padding is a basic mesh that doesn’t offer much more protection to the thick hide of the Hunters already. Most are designed like armored jump suits meant for casual wear in the corridors of their dark vessels. This is the closest they get to flight suits. HUNTER ARMOR: Hunter armor is the equivalent to the Marine M3 body armor, which offers protection where you need it the most. The armor is light and maneuverable but it’s still vulnerable to heavy strikes. CEREMONIAL ARMOR: Usually only reserved for the upper castes and the elders, Ceremonial Armor is only found on one hunter per combat team usually, always the leader. He/She stands out from the group as a proud symbol of honor and leadership. This interchanging plate armor is somewhat clunky, offering more dazzle than heavy-duty defense. However, the ceramic plating is composed of a totally foreign compound which seem totally immune to the alien acid. This makes the armor very efficient when fighting the hostile species. HUNTER’S MASK: This is the basic Mask worn by lower caste warriors. It does not offer the radical spectrum viewing seen from upper caste warrior helmets but only head protection and atmospheric support (gas filter to adjust atmosphere gases to a breathable buffer substance) AUDIO WAVEFROM ANALYZER: A function of the bio-helmet that must be bought separately, the Waveform Analyzer reacts to changes in the audio environment. A flux in the displayed waveform indicates the presence of an enemy that may or may not be in a Warriors line of sight. All Hunters with this get a +2 to initiative to strike first. The Analyzer can also imitate previous words spoken to it in an effort to communicate with alien life forms. There is a +2 to a Language skill.
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BIO HELMET: This is a total upgrade of the helmet when a warrior has attained enough Honor. The Helmet can filter through five settings: Infrared, Ultraviolet, Thermal Imaging, Low-Light Amplification and Air Density Pressure (movement), It can also has switches for x-rays and Microwaves. It has a built it Magnetometer and a Geiger Counter. These offer almost unlimited viewing scale to see anything in almost any environment. It also works with the Laser Sight to lock onto targets. Bio Helmet in any one setting adds +2 to Awareness. It takes one phase to switch from the five settings. If viewing through all settings, the bonus to awareness rises to +8. There is also a +1 to hit any target (added onto the laser sight if that is being used). The Helmet also offers more protection than the basic and is also acid resistant.
MEDIKIT: Predator medical technology is short on pain killers but highly effective. A simple 5 round procedure can heal half his/her REC. After that, an additional hour will recover a full REC. Any more past that requires returning to the craft and gaining medical aid. A First Aid roll is still reacquired. LASER SIGHT: The Laser sight is an advanced tracking and aiming sight that works in conjunction with any weapon but is primarily designed with the Plasma Caster. Using it, the Hunter gains a +3 to hit with any weapon being used.
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WEAPONS PERSONAL WEAPONS WEAPONS
STR
WA
RNG DC
ROF SHTS HNR NOTES
Scattergun Naginata Dart Gun Net Gun The Wrist Blade Acid Resistant Claws The Combi Stick The Smart Disk Shoulder Plasma Caster Self-Destruct sequence. Side Blade
3 5 3 2 2 2 4 2 0 0 1
0 +2 +1 0 +1 +1 +1 +2 +1 0 +1
2 000 3 1 000 100 1 1 30+* 300 2 000 0 1
6 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 3 * 1
2H -- 2 Handed AR – Acid Resistant
1H – 1 Handed ENT – Entanglement
8 7 3 2 4 5 6 8 10 6k 3
60 -30 3 --1 -60 1 --
6 8 2 1 2 3 5 7 7 10 1
1H AP, 2H, AR * 1H ENT AP, 1H AP, AR, 1H AP, 1H AP, 1H, AR * * AP
AP – Armor Piercing (half armor) * -- Special, see below
SPD OF WEAPONS WEAPONS
SPD
WEAPONS
SPD
Scattergun Dart Gun The Wrist Blade The Combi Stick Shoulder Plasma Caster Side Blade
15 10 20 30 20 15
Naginata Net Gun Acid Resistant Claws Smart Disk Self Destruct sequence.
1k 10 40 30 20
NOTE: There are no ammo capacities for those weapons listed. When out, a new weapon must be purchased.
SPACECRAFT WEAPONS Plasma Cannon Particle Beam Heavy Plasma Thrower
WA
RANGE
DC
ROF SHOTS
BR
TARGET
-1 -5 -2
40 000 350 000 100 000
3k 0* 8k
2 1 1
4m 40m 0m
Any. Any. Any.
n/a n/a n/a
DESCRIPTIONS: SCATTERGUN: The Scattergun is a hand-held plasma gun that fires a net of energy out to a long range. Any target two meters or closer to the hit target must also dodge or be hit as well, taking half DC. The weapon is, unfortunately, very clumsy, taking up a hand which can be replaced by melee weapons. Most prefer the shoulder mounted plasma caster. NAGINATA: The Naginata is part weapon, part ceremonial trophy. It is a beautifully, plated, and encrusted pole arm with double bladed ends. Each end is a super sharp collection of knives causing devastating damage if struck upon a hapless victim. The blades can flawlessly cut through almost ever substance and is totally immune to alien acid. The Naginata also has a conducting field which allows it to be cloaked when in hand. When the weapon strikes, however, it becomes visible. The Naginata is an image of Honor and demands respect when brandished. DART GUN: The Dart Gun is the closest Predator equivalent to a pistol. It fires self propelled flachetes which inflict little damage but do come with a poisoned tip which inflicts an additional 4 DC if the subject is wounded directly (through armor). The weapon is small and easily concealed. 8
NET GUN: The Net Gun is small and usually reserved for when a Hunter is planning to enter a major combat area and the temporary incapacitation of a subject is necessary. The net gun is not a kind weapon. The net usually pins an victim to the floor or a wall with razor sharp wire that viscously cuts into the flesh, making an escape a painful experience. The net needs a blade to be cut and required more than 15 points of damage to break the wire. Every round the victim is in the net causes an additional 2 DC. If the person tries to struggle, the damage increases by 1. This keeps up until the subject is released or is killed. The net can also release on a trigger from the weapon. WRIST BLADES: The Wrist-Blade is the weapon chosen for most yautja. Twin blades, double edged, and sharp enough to tear through bone, these retractable blades are effective against large and small opponents. Using it shows the yuatja pride, because they must fight face-to-face. They are the recommended first weapon because of their effectiveness and cheap cost. Those who have fought for years, still empty this weapons, although most have upgraded to the…
ACID RESISTANT CLAWS: These are almost identical to normal Wrist blades. In fact the housing is the same. These new blades are only a inch longer, and are totally immune to all forms of damage including alien acid. The blades are virtually indestructible. The damage is only slightly more though. Those who have fought for many battles usually have made this simple upgrade.
THE COMBI STICK: The Combi-Stick is self-powered, telescoping spear that is merely one meter at its shortest length. The Combi-stick extends by two meters at each end , making it a formidable weapon for close range attacks. Made of nearly unbreakable alloys, sharpened tips on either end produce electrical charges as it slices through any surface. The range increases by double the STR of the thrower.
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THE SMART DISK: The Smart Disk is thin and ultra light. This internally powered airborne weapon is crafted of materials that produce the Combi-Stick, easily slicing through an opponent with its devastating razor edges. When thrown, it will leave the thrower’s grasp and do severe harm to anything living in its flight path. The Elders decree that the concentration needed to retrieve a combat-standard disk is not present in minds of young yuatja, therefore disks are not given until proven they can use it wisely. The disk will continue on its flight path and can make one turn for every WILL the thrower has, making another attack immediately after the last one. If the blade strikes a limb and causes double the capacity the limb, the limb is severed. One last round of its use must be used to bring the disk back to hand. This takes one round where it can be thrown the next. If the last attack is used in an attack, the disk will fall to the ground, awaiting pickup. While the disk is airborne, the hunter can move about and even fight. SHOULDER PLASMA CASTER: The Shoulder Cannon, the most powerful aid in a Warrior’s arsenal, is a mounted and lightweight weapon capable of firing multiple long-range energy bursts. The destructive power unleashed by these bursts is immense. The weapon tracks with the head movement of the firer. The weapon must be attached to a Hunter’s Mask or a Bio Helmet for this to work. It can be used with the Laser Sight to increase the targeting capacity. SELF-DESTRUCT SEQEUNCE: This weapon of last resort is used by warriors to keep the honor when they die. After the arm-mounted device is set, there is a one-minute countdown until a micronuclear weapon is detonated. It causes 6 K damage to everything 100 meters out and causes 1k less ever additional 50 meters. The device becomes part of the armor suit and can be disabled. SIDE BLADE:
This is a standard 12-inch blade common with the lower castes.
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SOCIETY Perhaps one of the most pronounced differences between them and us is longevity, sometimes as long as 300 years. This longevity suggests that sons live with their mothers for much longer then we would before leaving, for it takes longer for them to grow up and fend for themselves, and daughters stay with their mothers for the protected environment to raise their own children and maintain dominance over their clans territory. It seems reasonable that more females in a clan means they can control a larger area. Mothers during this time would teach their young to fight and survive and they hunt for and protect their own children. They are also viciously and relentlessly protective. Predators aren't big on theory, with them you learn by doing. A female clan would thus be made of succeeding layers of generations; daughters, mothers, grandmothers etc. It would be easy to consider such a clan would be led by a single matriarch. Considering longevity once more, it takes a lot of energy to raise a child, and so individual females would probably only have a child every decade or two and would be very particular about who was to be the father, and perhaps choose favorites, but do not have permanent pair bonds. This leads to very high competition among males. Considering this difference, males live in packs of generally unrelated males and females live in clans of related females and their children. The nomadic nature of males suggests that they have no ‘home territory' of sorts, but that their home is what they carry with them. Their ships for example, are the territory that they carry with them. Sons would be more interested in who their fathers were then daughters, for it may reflect their rank when they leave. Since females rule over their territory and generally run internal affairs, Predators have a matriarchal society. Rarely is it ever needed to be enforced however, males do not involve themselves with female politics and females are uninterested in male socialization. Should the need to enforce this arise however, the male would not only be against a female physically larger then himself, but also her sisters, and their mothers and grandmothers etc. The brethren of this unfortunate male would offer no support, only their derision. A warrior who would dare such would not be wise, for an insulted and angry yautja female was not something even a not-too-wise male wanted to create. Assuming the warrior was armed and expert, it might almost be an even match. Yautja females were bigger then males. Females of any species were usually smarter then the males. There is always the threat of castration for males, not only does it eliminate his chances of continuing his line, but also any rank he may have had in male society. Such males would most likely kill themselves in such a situation. It seems reasonable that only females would ritually castrate, males giving each other the respect of killing their opponent instead. In this atmosphere of high competition for breeding rights among males, for it is the male who must attract the female, there are many males who never get the chance to breed. These frustrated males may turn on their subordinates. But the males who do breed have proven themselves by hunting dangerous prey and gaining many impressive trophies. A second windfall of this accomplishment is the admiration of their clan brothers that they spend most of their time. Basically, males hunt for one reason, status. It is a gray area why females would hunt for trophies. Females DO hunt for trophies but it may be for somewhat different reasons then males. Dominance may certainly be a factor yet it is doubtful if it is the only reason.
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Perhaps to show their ability to protect their territory, from enemy female clans. Perhaps to show ability in protecting their children, both their own and their sisters. Perhaps just for a laugh. But this is entirely speculation. To conclude, the role males play in their society, that is postulated, is keeping any outside race from interfering with the internal affairs of theirs. Basically, they intimidate other races into submission to protect their females breeding grounds, plus the fact it is very amusing to them. Males conquer. Females rule. The Predator species code of honor: 1) Defeat equals death. 2) An opponent has to be matched equally in the available weapons. 3) The bugs are not opponents to be dealt honorably, buds are the rivals in a vicious war. 4) Opponents virtually in situations of feebleness (or maybe pregnancy and other things) may be spared.
THE YAUTJA CASTES UNBLOODED: Young Yautja who are trained the skills necessary for their adult hunting. They will move to the next rank after their first hunt. YOUNG BLOODS: Recently blooded Yautja. They are young and full of ambition and feel full of pride once they have collected the skull of their kill. BLOODED: The only difference between the BLOODED and the YOUNG BLOODS is that the BLOODED have more experienced but still not classed high among the great hunters. WARRIORS: Violent, respected, solo hunters with high Yautja technology. They travel the Universe to find honorable hunting. HONORED:
The Top Dogs. They have earned more kills than the average hunter and are skilled in
all ways.
ANCIENTS / ELDARS: The greatest Yautja that have ever lived, they have survived a thousand hunts. They have hunted so much that they look for other means of sport. ARBITRATORS:
Yautja police that mainly consist of ANCIENTS who are bored with the
Hunt.
RITUAL -- THE BLOODING A ritual where a young Yautja goes on its first hunt. The difficulty of this hunt depends on your standing amongst the community. Failure means death, while success means you are marked on your forehead.
MARK OF HONOR: All Predators that make it to Young Blood have a mark burned into their foreheads to denote their position as successful Hunters. This mark is the shape of a wide lightning bolt. All who have this mark is recognized as a true Hunter. The mark can only be given by Elders. Ceremonies often occur but most of the time, this mark is awarded after the first hunt.
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MAKING AND PLAYING A PREDATOR. Predators, of course, are much stronger and much larger than a human, so their Characteristics are different. Please note that it would be very hard for a Predator to run properly in a marine group. But many ideas are available: --A Predator in a Marine group in CL 5, 5.5, or 6 is possible. --A Predator group hunting aliens in CL 1-6. --A Predator group hunting marines CL 4 and on. --A Predator group in CL0 –SELF CONTAINED GAME -- (see below) The following steps should be taken to make a Predator character.
LIFEPATH: --GMs discretion…be inventive. --Don’t roll for Family Status…go right to childhood events. GMs discretion if he wants to evoke a 1-3 Family penalty if their is a bad childhood. --Enemies are common. --A romance may simply mean a mating. --Every time “Something Good” happens: +1 Honor --The Membership roll (5) adds 1 to the Family attribute (max of 10) --The Windfall (6) roll adds +1 Honor --Every time “Something Bad happens: -1 Honor
CHARACTERICTICS: --75 points allotted --There is a new Characteristic…
FAMILY: This is the same as the old “Money & Family” from Mekton 2 that determine the status of the lineage and the Hunter’s current status when starting character creation. The Predator gets one HONOR for every point in FAMIILY. 2 – Very Poor, 3 – Poor, 4 – L.Middle Class, 5-6 – Middle Class, 7 – Middle Class, 8 – Upper M. Class, 9 – Wealthy / Low Noble, 10 – Wealthy / High Noble MAX STATS ARE AS FOLLOWS: INT: 9 WILL: 8 PRE: 5 DEX: 10 CON: 11 STR: 13 FAMILY: 10 --Predators get a thick skin armor equal to their BODY.
TECH: 8 BODY: 13
REF: 11 MOVE: 10
OPTION POINTS: --50 points allotted. The GM can consider up to 60. --No Templates. The following skills are available --Starting characters have a +5 ceiling to all their skills. Unless they are Warriors (Family of 10), when the ceiling rises to 7. Astrogation (INT) Ranged Weapons (REF) Demolition / Disposal (TECH ) Engineer: Aerospace (Predator Ships) (TECH) Paramedic (TECH) Pilot: Predator Ship (DEX) Tactics (INT) Weaponsmith (TECH) Acrobatics (DEX) Athletics (DEX) Climbing (STR) Concealment (INT)
Contortionist (DEX) Cooking (INT) Deduction (INT) Disguise (TECH) Electronics (TECH) Expert (INT) First Aid (TECH) Hand to Hand (REF) Hand to Hand Evade (DEX) Languages (INT) Leadership (PRE) Mechanics (TECH) Melee Weapons (DEX)
Melee Evade (DEX) Mimicry (PRE) Navigation (INT) Perception (INT) Ranged Evade (DEX) Riding (DEX) Shadowing (INT) Sleight of Hand (REF) Stealth (DEX) Survival (INT) Surveillance (INT) Tracking (INT) Zero-Gravity Maneuvering (DEX)
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TALENTS No restrictions.
PERKS & PRIVELEGES NONE WHATSOEVER (See below)
MENTAL POWERS PLUG-IN (Optional) Certain skills should be banned: Mental Attack Mental Defense: Telepathy No one should have a skill above +1 at the beginning of their character. This should be enforced by the GM. Only one PC should have these skills and also consider not allowing it until later in the game.
MARTIAL ARTS PLUG-IN None
HONOR Honor is used both as a way to move up in the ranks and as a method of currency. Of course, Predators don’t use money and the use of Honor is a very vague field. Basically, Honor is bestowed to a character upon creation to spend on equipment and weapons. To move up in the ranks and acquire more weapons, Honor must be achieved. Honor can only be achieved by bringing back trophies to be shown off. The Predator may give up trophies (and honor) in exchange for weapons and passage. If the Hunter kills enough for fifty honor but only has ten Honor in trophies, that’s all she/he’s got. If Honor is kept and improved, they may reach a level where they can move up in the castes. Moving up in the cast offer many perks listed in each caste. However, to be accepted in a caste requires a Predator to fight someone of the upper rank and defeat them. A Predator does not need to show off his Honor by walking with all the trophies under hand but rather show them off by visible markings, weapons, equipment, and followers. When the character starts, the Honor of their family denotes where they start in the caste. Even if a Predator has 0 honor after the creation of the character is complete, the Family standing keeps him/her in that caste. Course, it takes longer to move up to the next caste. The fastest way for a Hunter to move up is to win victories in hand to hand only…but most don’t survive this long. FAMILY: The automatic assignment for starting Predators. Those who start at this level get the awards from the previous castes as well. HONOR: The Honor reacquired to attempt to reach this Caste. MEMBERSHIP: The equivalent Membership in the Yautja society AWARDS: In the form of mates, friends, Perks, Privileges, and even weapons.
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UNBLOODED
HONORED
FAMILY: HONOR: MEMBERSHIP: AWARDS:
FAMILY: n/a HONOR: 70 MEMBERSHIP: 7 AWARDS: --Ceremonial Armor (Or trade is for honor) --+5 OP --“Love & War” Lifepath roll. --Make a friend --Renown Level 3 --Leadership skill +2 --+ 1 family (max 10)
1-3 0 1 None
YOUNG BLOODS FAMILY: 4-6 HONOR: 3 MEMBERSHIP: 1 AWARDS: --Acceptance by others. --Hunter Padding (Or trade in for extra honor) --+2 OP
BLOODED FAMILY: 7-9 HONOR: 10 MEMBERSHIP: 3 AWARDS: --Wrist Blades (Or trade in for extra honor) -- +5 OP --Make a friend (Like a brother in arms who will die for you and you the same)
WARRIORS FAMILY: 10 HONOR: 30 MEMBERSHIP: 5 AWARDS: --Hunter Armor --One Shuttle --1 Bio Helmet (Or trade in for extra honor) --Acid Resistant Claws (Or trade in for honor) --+ 5 OP --Make a friends --“Love & War” Lifepath roll. “Happy love Affair” results in +1 Honor and a 50% chance of a child. Either way, the mating is done.
ANCIENTS / ELDARS FAMILY: n/a HONOR: 100 MEMBERSHIP: 9 AWARDS: --One Standard Caste Vessel --+5 OP --“Love & War” Lifepath roll. “Happy love Affair” results in +1 Honor and a 50% chance of a child. Either way, the mating is done. --Make two friends (Like a brother / sister in arms who will die for you and you the same) --Renown level 6 --Leadership skill +2 --Family set to 10 (if not already)
ARBITRATORS FAMILY: n/a HONOR: 200 MEMBERSHIP: 10 AWARDS: -- +5 OP --“Love & War” Lifepath roll. “Happy love Affair” results in +1 Honor and a 50% chance of a child. Either way, the mating is done. --Renown level 9 --Leadership skill +2 --Family set to 10 (if not already)
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HONOR AWARDS The following Trophies offer the following Honor
KILLS
HONOR
KILLS
HONOR
Unarmed Adults* Pregnant Females Medium Armed Adult Synthetic Slightly Dangerous Animal Alien Egg Alien Chestburster Alien Royal Guard Bug Man*** Reaper*** Young Blooded Predator**** Warrior Predators **** Ancient / Elder Predator**** Defeat and survival@ Accepted Trophy (See below) Outcasted Predator
0 -6* 2** 2 1 0 0 3 2 5 1 3 7 -5 2 5
Unarmed Children Lightly Armed Adult Heavily / Assault Armed Adult Prestigious Adult Very Dangerous Animal Alien Facehugger Alien Drone Alien Queen Jockey Alien*** Unblooded Predator**** Blooded Predator **** Honored Predator**** Arbitrator Predator**** Betrayal (GM’s discretion) Crime (Murder, Theft, etc.)
-5* 1 3** 5 2 0 1 10 10 0 2 5 10 -1 to -10 -5 to -20
@ * ** *** ****
This is if the Predator is defeated and spared by his opponent. Obviously, no trophies should be taken. This is inflicted if the kill is discovered. A weapon or symbol must be recovered. Otherwise, it is considered only 1 Another Plug In Combat must be approved by the opponent. If not…it is an automatic –2. If this is a fight to move into a caste, there is no honor awarded.
DISHONOR A Predator at zero honor simply means he must prove himself in the new caste he finds himself in (or herself in rarer cases). They may have weapons and armor but no trophies, having traded them off for newer trinkets. When a predator finds dishonor and his caste discovers this, he must either face consequences or be outcasted.
CONSEQUENCES: When the Predator is placed in the negative, his weapons will be removed to off the balance. He is never removed from his caste, but is considered a dishonored member of it. Obviously, because of the high honor of honored and elders, the chances of them being dishonored in this nature is virtually impossible. Usually only Warriors and under find this level of punishment. Eventually, if the dishonor is so great, the warrior must give up all possessions. If this eventually puts him back into the positive honor, he may still continue in the fight. If, however, he remains in the negative, he is considered less of a person. These dishonored live without quarters in the slums of the ships, forced to live on whatever they can find. Most here don’t believe they will ever be strong again. Some try to fight for honor and challenge other Predators for their honor to be acknowledged again. If they continue to loose, their dishonor grows deeper. If their dishonor continues and drops below –10, this Predator is no longer allowed in the Caste. They cannot be reduced to another caste…the Predator is forced to endure discomidation. Stripped of his honor and banished, this Predator is left with his clothes and maybe a side blade on a planet to live the rest of his life without honor. Some of these Predators continue the hunt in their own mind, some others kill themselves. Others….adapt. These Predators are not outcastes, just discomidated and not acknowledged. Outcastes are different. If a dishonored predator who freely accepted his punishment is needed again, there have been reports of an elder making a special case and letting a trained discomidated Predator on a hunt. They usually have no major weapons and armor. If they survive, they are accepted. This is extremely rare. A hunt occurs on a planet with a dishonored Predator and that Predator saves the life of the leader. That Predator may be brought and accepted back.
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BAD BLOODS / OUTCASTS: The criminals among the Yautja have committed crimes such as murder, dishonorable hunting and failure. Strangely enough, Outcasted Predators can be recognized on sight by other Predators, like their face is placed on a bulletin board for all to see. If discovered to have dishonored the caste, and the Predator flees rather than accept punishment, there can be no forgiveness. The Predator flees with what he or she can carry-some of them already earned a ship or they might continue their dishonor by stealing one—never to return. Outcasted Predators that leave this way are never accepted back. Upon seeing them, honored predators are ordered to eliminate these dishonored fools. Outcasted Predators don’t often hunt except for food. They travel, always alone, from place to place, aimless, without purpose. Some are evil incarnate, hunting and slaying anything alive, even other Predators. This is the unfortunate norm since most dishonor is had not by defeat, but by crimes against the caste. There have been reports of a rare few predators that have been outcastes, only to exist as farmers on an abandoned distant world. It doesn’t matter what life they have chosen. Outcastes are outcastes and those who help them are as bad as they (-10 honor if an Predator helps an outcast and is discovered).
RECOGNIZING HONOR IN OTHERS Predators are, in many ways, isolationists, which do not accept others into their broods. However, if a member of another species shows to have amazing honor, there have been known to have been reports of a mutual respect between species. Most of the time, however, the Predator considers this an opponent and worthy trophy. This is always the case with hunters in Honored castes or less because they are in the constant search for more honor and will find it anywhere. However Elders are more laid back, having earned enough honor for a permanent position, they consider honored fighters of other species as respected as their own kin. Elders have often let warriors of other species live after they have proven themselves honored warriors. This usually only occurs if the subject has killed a predator or fought alongside a predator in a fight. There is also a common practice in these cases, to maintain honor by exchanging trophies by both sides. This can offer equal or more honor than killing the opponent. Currently, there has only been one story of a human living in a yautja community. This came from her fighting alongside an elder predator in a hunt. When he died, the human was accepted into the caste because of the obvious endorsement from a late elder. She was given the Mark of Honor, and therefore, became accepted.
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CONSPIRACY LEVEL 0 As it is known, the Hunters have moved through space for centuries. They have even been to Earth before mankind even attained space travel. If a GM wants to run a campaign outside the alien setting, he can configure the game to CL 0. This means all the technology from the core game is OUT. Refer to the FUZION rules for technology appropriate to the year the GM sets the story in, whether it be in the jungles of Southeast Asia or the crime filled streets of LA. Unlimited options become available from any time period and place. The moment the GM sets the story in the alien setting, the alien core rules come into play but unless set that way, the core rules of ALIEN-FUZION are not even necessary. As a result, this PLUG-IN can be a totally enclosed game system if the GM wishes it to be. If he wants aliens however, the core rules will be needed. Just imagine what a Predator-Hybrid would be like. Enjoy the variety.
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EXAMPLE PREDATORS UNBLOODED PREDATOR INT: 6 WILL: 6 PRE: 3 TECH: 4 DEX: 7 CON: 9 STR: 10 BODY: 10 FAMILY: 5 HONOR: 0 STUN: 50 SD: 18 HITS: 50 PD: 10 SKILLS Astrogation – 1 Ranged Weapons – 2 Weaponsmith – 4 Acrobatics – 2 Climbing – 3 Concealment – 3 Hand to Hand – 3 Hand to Hand Evade – 3 Melee Evade – 3 Navigation – 3 Shadowing – 2 Stealth – 2 Zero-Gravity Maneuvering -- 1 EQUIPMENT Hunter Padding Hunter Mask Dart Gun Wrist Blades
REF: 10 MOVE: 5
Demolition / Disposal – 2 Athletics -- 2 First Aid -- 3 Melee Weapons -- 4 Ranged Evade -- 3 Survival -- 4
Mediket Side Blade
YOUNG BLOOD PREDATOR INT: 6 WILL: 6 PRE: 3 TECH: 4 DEX: 7 CON: 9 STR: 10 BODY: 10 FAMILY: 5 HONOR: 5 STUN: 50 SD: 18 HITS: 50 PD: 10 SKILLS Astrogation – 1 Ranged Weapons – 3 Weaponsmith – 4 Acrobatics – 2 Climbing – 3 Concealment – 3 Hand to Hand – 4 Hand to Hand Evade – 4 Melee Evade – 3 Navigation – 3 Shadowing – 2 Stealth – 2 Zero-Gravity Maneuvering -- 1 EQUIPMENT Hunter Padding Hunter Mask Dart Gun Wrist Blades
REF: 10 MOVE: 5
Demolition / Disposal – 2 Athletics -- 4 First Aid -- 4 Melee Weapons -- 4 Ranged Evade -- 3 Survival -- 4
Mediket Side Blade
BLOODED PREDATOR INT: 6 WILL: 6 PRE: 3 TECH: 4 DEX: 7 CON: 9 STR: 10 BODY: 10 FAMILY: 5 HONOR: 12 STUN: 50 SD: 18 HITS: 50 PD: 10 SKILLS Astrogation – 1 Ranged Weapons – 3 Weaponsmith – 4 Acrobatics – 2 Climbing – 3 Concealment – 4 Hand to Hand – 5 Hand to Hand Evade – 5 Melee Evade – 4 Navigation – 3 Shadowing – 2 Stealth – 2 Zero-Gravity Maneuvering -- 1 EQUIPMENT Hunter Padding Hunter Mask Dart Gun Wrist Blades Net Gun
REF: 10 MOVE: 5
Demolition / Disposal – 2 Athletics -- 4 First Aid -- 4 Melee Weapons -- 4 Ranged Evade -- 4 Survival -- 4
Mediket Side Blade
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WARRIOR PREDATOR INT: 6 WILL: 7 PRE: 3 TECH: 4 DEX: 8 CON: 9 STR: 11 BODY: 11 FAMILY: 5 HONOR: 35 STUN: 55 SD: 18 HITS: 55 PD: 11 SKILLS Astrogation – 2 Ranged Weapons – 4 Weaponsmith – 5 Acrobatics – 3 Climbing – 4 Concealment – 5 Hand to Hand – 5 Hand to Hand Evade – 5 Melee Evade – 5 Navigation – 5 Shadowing – 5 Stealth – 5 Zero-Gravity Maneuvering -- 3 Pilot: Predator Ship – 3 Electronics – 2 Leadership –1 Tracking -- 2 EQUIPMENT Hunter Armor Bio Helmet Dart Gun Acid Resistant Claws Net Gun One Shuttle Plasma Caster
REF: 10 MOVE: 5
Demolition / Disposal – 3 Athletics -- 5 First Aid -- 5 Melee Weapons -- 5 Ranged Evade -- 5 Survival -- 5 Contortionist -- 2 Perception -- 2
Mediket Side Blade Camouflage Device
HONORED WARRIOR INT: 7 WILL: 8 PRE: 5 TECH: 5 DEX: 8 CON: 10 STR: 12 BODY: 12 FAMILY: 5 HONOR: 80 STUN: 60 SD: 20 HITS: 60 PD: 12 SKILLS Astrogation – 4 Ranged Weapons – 5 Weaponsmith – 5 Acrobatics – 5 Climbing – 6 Concealment – 5 Hand to Hand – 6 Hand to Hand Evade – 6 Melee Evade – 6 Navigation – 6 Shadowing – 7 Stealth – 7 Zero-Gravity Maneuvering -- 4 Pilot: Predator Ship – 4 Electronics – 4 Leadership –3 Tracking -- 4 EQUIPMENT Ceremonial Armor Bio Helmet Dart Gun Acid Resistant Claws Net Gun One Shuttle Audio Waveform Analyzer Combi-Stick Self-Destruct Sequence Smart Disk
REF: 10 MOVE: 6
Demolition / Disposal – 5 Athletics -- 6 First Aid -- 6 Melee Weapons -- 6 Ranged Evade -- 7 Survival -- 7 Contortionist -- 3 Perception -- 3
Mediket Side Blade Camouflage Device Plasma Caster Laser Sight
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ELDER PREDATOR INT: 8 WILL: 9 PRE: 7 TECH: 6 DEX: 10 CON: 11 STR: 13 BODY: 12 FAMILY: 10 HONOR: 120 STUN: 60 SD: 20 HITS: 60 PD: 12 SKILLS Astrogation – 6 Ranged Weapons – 9 Weaponsmith – 7 Acrobatics – 7 Climbing – 9 Concealment – 9 Hand to Hand – 9 Hand to Hand Evade – 8 Melee Evade – 9 Navigation – 7 Shadowing – 8 Stealth – 8 Zero-Gravity Maneuvering -- 5 Pilot: Predator Ship – 6 Electronics – 5 Leadership – 9 Tracking – 6 Paramedic – 5 Cooking – 4 Languages – 3 EQUIPMENT Camouflage Device Hunter Padding Ceremonial Armor Hunter Mask Bio Helmet Mediket Scattergun Naginata Net Gun The Wrist Blade The Combi Stick The Smart Disk Self-Destruct sequence Side Blade
REF: 11 MOVE: 6
Demolition / Disposal – 8 Athletics – 9 First Aid – 8 Melee Weapons – 9 Ranged Evade – 9 Survival – 8 Contortionist – 4 Perception – 5 Tactics – 5 Surveillance – 4 Hunter Armor Audio Waveform Analyzer Laser Sight Dart Gun Acid Resistant Claws Shoulder Plasma Caster One Standard Caste Vessel
ARBITRATOR PREDATOR INT: 9 WILL: 9 PRE: 9 TECH: 7 DEX: 10 CON: 11 STR: 13 BODY: 12 FAMILY: 10 HONOR: 250 STUN: 60 SD: 20 HITS: 60 PD: 12 SKILLS Astrogation – 6 Ranged Weapons – 9 Weaponsmith – 7 Acrobatics – 8 Climbing – 9 Concealment – 9 Hand to Hand – 9 Hand to Hand Evade – 8 Melee Evade – 9 Navigation – 7 Shadowing – 8 Stealth – 8 Zero-Gravity Maneuvering -- 7 Pilot: Predator Ship – 8 Electronics – 7 Leadership – 10 Tracking – 8 Paramedic – 7 Cooking – 6 Languages – 7 Engineer: Aerospace – 4 Deduction -- 6 Expert (Predator law) – 7 Expert (alien worlds) – 5 Mimicry – 6 Riding – 4 EQUIPMENT Camouflage Device Hunter Padding Ceremonial Armor Hunter Mask Bio Helmet Mediket Scattergun Naginata Net Gun The Wrist Blade The Combi Stick The Smart Disk Self-Destruct sequence Side Blade
REF: 11 MOVE: 7
Demolition / Disposal – 8 Athletics – 9 First Aid – 8 Melee Weapons – 9 Ranged Evade – 9 Survival – 8 Contortionist – 6 Perception – 7 Tactics – 8 Surveillance – 6 Disguise – 4 Mechanics -- 5 Sleight of Hand – 3 Hunter Armor Audio Waveform Analyzer Laser Sight Dart Gun Acid Resistant Claws Shoulder Plasma Caster One Standard Caste Vessel
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PLUG-IN:
THE JOCKEY RACE * COMPILED FROM THE ALIEN – STATISTICS CHAPTER * The Xenomorphs were created by an ancient race (The Jockey Race) tens of thousands of years ago. They were fighting among themselves in a brutal civil war. Their technology was organic in nature and was so powerful, the death toll ran into the millions. For decades, the war never saw twilight. It seemed to go on forever…until one side got an idea. It was an experiment to create a biomechanical weapon. It would adapt to its environment, be completely independent…and finally…it would be viscous. This creature would be a living machine with the most grotesque combination of science and nature. They created a species bent only of the art of killing. The experiment was placed on a distant world (“AlienProteus”). They designed the species with a hive structure to keep the infestation from running out of control. The “ant” methodology was promoted. The object: To keep the infestation under control by keeping the creatures close to their “queen.” The experiment was a success. The creatures we know as Xenomorphs were created. The standard infiltrator mission was as follows: An egg is deposited in a populace, it impregnates, and an alien bursts out of the host and soon finds more hosts which it can convert into eggs which will also hunt down hosts to impregnate. The creature will kill anything threatening and convert the rest. Soon, the populace is destroyed and the aliens are left alone on the world or spacecraft where the infestation was released. It is assumed the Jockeys that created the Xenomorphs had a procedure to eliminate the new infection. The Jockeys were ready to unleash their creation on their enemy. The Proteus planet was still under control. The experiment seemed safe. The mother species deposited many life forms to keep their hives intact. These life forms seemed to reproduce in large numbers. When needed, a transport would simply set down and pick up a queen, a drone, an army, or just a bunch of eggs as the mission profile specified. The weapon proved useful and the war ended quickly. The Xenomorphs were designed to adapt to current situations but their basic morphology was not to change…it did. Before the Jockeys could stop their “children”, they had evolved. One small little change, something seemingly insignificant connected to the “ant” structure but not included in the alien design…Royal Jelly—the strange substance used to generate a queen. When the Jockeys discovered infested worlds where there shouldn’t be, they got worried. Given the capability to create their own queens, the infestation could not be bottled. It soon broke out of control. The Jockeys found their experiment turning against them. They tried to find a weapon to defeat their own creation but they were
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already demoralized from a past war. They sent one last ship to pick up “evolved” egg samples from the Proteus planet to study…it never came back. The Jockey race vanished. After thousands of years, without transportation, the Xenomorphs quickly overran the planets they were on, then promptly died out. They might be long lived, but after ten thousand years, even their lifespan ran out. The eggs fossilized, the bodies disintegrated and the last legacy of the alien species vanished. The ship from the proteus world crashed landed on a world far away from their Homeworld. "Acoustical beacon that repeats at intervals of twelve seconds" --Dallas LV-426 was the world where the lone Jockey ship crashed landed, across the galaxy from their Homeworld. The Jockey onboard was killed when an alien egg he carried broke free and impregnated him. Without a pilot, his ship set down on the hostile world. The stasis fields in the cargo bay were damaged and all but one bay of eggs were unsealed. They all soon died from exposure. One bay remained sealed and waited--the last living legacy of a past experiment that failed.
*END COMPILATION* NOTE ON THE JOCKEY RACE PLUG-IN: This Plug-In is not designed to be a self-sufficient plug-in but more like and expansion to the existing basic game. Unlike the Alien Resurrection plug in that changes the setting and the Predator Plug-In that offers a totally new setting, the Jockey Race Plug-In adds a few new elements to an existing game. These aliens are considered too unique to the setting for character generation. There are rules for such an idea although it is not recommended. These rules are very loose since there is extremely little information available and most that is contradicts. There are no rules to run these aliens in their own timeline and setting. All of these rules and descriptions are from a standpoint of running a game in a basic alien game in CL1-6. Information from this race is compiled from the comics, the screenplays, and HR Giger’s original concepts. The CLs recommended are only for where these possibilities should occur. Incurring them early could lessen game play. All are blueprints for possible GM design. Thus, this entire plug-in should be for GMs eyes only.
LOCATIONS ARTIFACT WORLDS ACHERON – Jockey Ship Wreckage (CL1) The most interesting aspect of this world is obviously the strange ship that contains the Alien Eggs. At CL 2, with the atmosphere processor destroyed, Acheron became hostile again. The Jockey Ship remains. This is the only accessible artifact other than the aliens themselves from this enigmatic race. The ship has withstood fierce storms, terraforming, and a major nuclear explosion and still remains as pristine as when it crashed. The final word is “yes”, it crashed, some couple thousand years ago. The Ship was transporting eggs from the Proteus world when an alien got loose and impregnated the pilot. The pilot, sure to die, soft-landed the craft on the nearest world he could find and sent out a rudimentary warning beacon. The crash, although suffering only minor damage on the craft itself, damaged the stasis containers in the cargo bay, exposing the eggs to the harsh outside environment. They are long lived but even after millennia, they succumbed to the elements. One section remains in stasis and the alien eggs still reside in perfect containment. The Pilot soon died and his offspring died soon after, quickly running out of nourishment. The ship is non-functioning since its pilot died. The reactor is dead. It offers viable eggs as well as the ship’s Bio-Alloy and the unique pilot-ship interface of the Merge (see below).
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"That transmission. Mother's deciphered part of it, it doesn't look like an SOS." --Ripley "What is it then?" --Ash "Well, It looks like a warning, I'm gonna go after them." --Ripley "What's the point? I mean by the time it takes to get there, they'll know if it's a warning or not, yes?” -Ash
TIRGU-MIRES – The Observer (CL5) Tirgu-Mires is an old colony world kept off the starmaps on request of its inhabitants. The world receives no supply runs and exports valuable uranium ore to Hyperdyne. The colony has run successfully for four generations without outside contact. In fact, the world would have probably fallen through the pages of history, generally ignored, if it wasn’t for the discovery there. A scheduled series of core samples from an area off one of the main colony towns revealed a strange material when the drill couldn’t seem to penetrate past several hundred feet. A Jockey Pilot resided there, quietly observing. ”What” is the question. It is entirely possible, that the observer was the last member of his species, recording the extinction of his race. Perhaps he was recording the events of the civil war. It is also possible, since this world was the closest of the Jockey’s to Earth, they were watching us. It is unclear what the real answer was, but the pilot eventually died of old age, still merged in his chair that was is home. The small outpost might also have been attacked by xenomorphs as well. It seems that a very foreign computer system is present, chronicling the history of the Jockey Race. When the colony discovered this treasure, they didn’t have much time to enjoy it. Hyperdyne, finding its worlds vanish one by one, was desperate for answers. When the core samples were relayed, the corporation sent a very sinister HK squad to investigate. If they discovered what they feared, they were to eliminate all witnesses. When Tirgu-Mires was charted at CL6 by the CMC, they found the colony destroyed and the Jockey base missing. LOCATION: 5 ly from Helix
PRISM-177 – The Generator (CL4) Prism is a small gas planet. Its seven moons are unremarkable. It was surveyed once and considered unimportant. The largest of these worlds has a thin atmosphere and 1/3 gravity. The surface does contain one strange property. It is a generator seemingly designed to magnetically attract particles from deep space and sends them down into a massive capacitor where it is stored. It is closely described as a planet based ramjet—an old spacecraft concept where space particles are sent in through the front and rocketed out the back. This design is similar. The twin towers protruding from the surface form the cone of the field. The field itself is harmless and has no harmful effects to spacecraft or people. It is probably infested with aliens. However, if the capacitor is harnessed, it can be an instant recharge for any ship there. The energy supply there is limitless. LOCATION: 10 ly outside Acheron.
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CON-888 – The Structure (CL3) The Structure on CON-888 appears to be a ruin of a massive complex. It is thought to be a remote outpost of the Jockey race from eons ago. The base is virtually empty. It is assumed this base was the last base wiped out by their creation. All that remains is the shell. Some fragments of their technology may remains inside. This building is enormous and can even be seen from orbit. LOCATION: 15 ly outside Casper / Sinat
PERI-120 – The Landscape (CL4) It is assumed that the Bio-Alloy was developed somewhere. That planet is Peri-120. The Bio-Alloy must have been developed here, initially as a virus since it seems to have overrun the small asteroid world. The organic compound gains nourishment from sunlight and the material contains in the rock. The compound attacks any refined material and pulls it into its mass. This makes landings very dangerous. The Compound absorbs material at a rate of 1K / hour. The landscape, as a result of its organic surface, changes hourly. Horizons rise and fall. Some scapes wave across the surface like an ocean of living mass. The Bio-Alloy here has no intelligence but rumors say this might be wrong. LOCATION: 15 ly outside Pandora
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HORI-001 – The Mutation It was a foolish thought to think the xenomorphs that caused the destruction of their species was the initial design. HORI-001 was probably once a laboratory, but the entire base was destroyed. Through the walls of the decrepit buildings live a hostile species known only as the Mutation (see later). These creatures try to maintain their lives the best they can knowing they can never leave. The world is gray and cloudy. The Mutations live underground. Wary the traveler that lands there. LOCATION: 5 ly off Gimeno
ISO-567 – The Spaceport (CL5) The single most valuable artifact world besides Proteus is this seemingly barren hostile world. Under the cover of lightening and wind is perhaps the only current operating spacecraft from the Jockey Race. It is contained in a massive mountain / pyramid covered by a millennia of sedation. The structure, about half the size of Mount Everest, is almost totally hollow. Within the rock contains the Spacecraft. It is thought the structure was a distant spaceport since the base seems to contain several stalls for spacecraft with one occupied. The craft is sealed and almost impossible to learn without a pilot, which is absent. LOCATION: 20 ly off Marduk
PROTEUS The Alien Homeworld, undiscovered until CL 4. The Jockey Race terraformed this world to be a complete storehouse of the species. The Atmosphere is covered by a highly corrosive shell filled with radioactive particles spewed from modified volcanoes in strategic areas. The surface is somewhat breathable, with a larger amount of Nitrogen than Earth. But the Ozone layer is filled with these particles, which seem to neutralize nuclear weapons, disrupt condensed energy, and cause havoc to virtually all flight systems. As a result, no spacecraft can enter the atmosphere without suffering inoperable damage. No weapons have been found to inflict enough damage to the surface to reduce the billions of aliens on planet. It is assumed the Jockey ships were capable of traversing this barrier. The Snakefighters and Nemesis class ships as well as the Razzia dropship are also protected from these harmful effects but there are too rare to be of any use. It would take the entire CMC fleet days to wipe out the globe. At the end of CL6, they did exactly that.
EGG SILOS RUMFORD Merely 500 kilometers from the ice flows lie a group of featureless pyramids. Each one towers more than twice the size of the great pyramid of Giza. The six pyramids are all within line of sight with each other. Rumford is one of many planets with Egg Silos deposited by the Jockey Race. Eventually, an archeological team was killed but one impregnated, managed to escape to the colony. The resultant mayhem eventually led to the colony’s destruction by CL5. At CL6, the barren world was considered for repopulation. The Egg Silos remain. They are the largest deposits of alien eggs of all. These silos are build underneath the pyramids since most silos are not pyramid-shaped. Over 2000 eggs can be found in stasis here.
BYRON’S HOPE The rumors that an egg silo is contained here is true. It is a small silo, covered by centuries of continental flow. The silo is perfectly preserved under the surface and contains 250 eggs. The silo is impossible to spot from space and only a careful ground search can locate it.
SAROS-600 (CL4) A methane and water planet contains an egg silo with a 200 capacity over 2 ½ miles below the surface. The oceans are totally devoid of any known life. LOCATION: 20 ly off Panamar.
INDRA-300 (CL4) This systems is totally devoid of any worthwhile planets. It was hoped when mankind moved further into the cosmos, that we would move into this system to take full advantage of rich asteroid deposits contained within. One of the larger erratic
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rocks holds a small silo. All are dead except for one section still in stasis of 50. The Silo is made up to be more of a space station, with corridors, airlocks, and quarters. LOCATION: 15 ly from Transept.
TMA-651 (CL5) TMA-651 is one of the surveyed worlds on the short-list for colonization. It seems a high candidate for terraforming. However, the egg silo there might hamper that. An unknown alien craft seems to crash-landed nearby, No crew, no survivors. Mutations seem to guard the structure. LOCATION: 10 ly from Chiten.
TSIEN-343 (CL5) A warzone. Tsien must had been one of the last colonies left standing in the civil war. The entire world was laid waste by fighting. When the xenomorphs arrived, they quickly dispatched the entire populace. Somebody must have survived the war to that point since the planet was later totally irradiated by orbital bombardment. However, some ruins still reside and the fragments of an alien-made hive still exist underneath. LOCATION: 10 ly from Barabazon
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THE BIOMECHANOIDS The technical term for the Jockey Race were the Biomechanoids. They were a synchronizing of man and machine which was the natural evolution of their growth rather than a side effect. No one can truly be aware on how alien a non-terran intelligence can be. As theorized throughout history, there is virtually nothing distinguishable between them and us. Yes, they maybe have two arms and two legs with one mouth and two eyes but that’s where it ends. Two arms and two legs makes sense as do two eyes. Everything else is foreign. They are tall when standing (12 – 17 feet tall) with extremely strong arms and legs. They have dead eyes--seeing and not seeing. Very weak in comparison. Their mouths are virtually useless to them as well. Their bodies are Sepia colored although most are found jet black, like the technology surrounding them
Their minds operate on a totally different level, utilizing powers never before even imagined. The technology is so totally integrated into their lives. Although they are themselves organic, they seem to have the capacity to merge with their devices. In many ways, all their tools, whether a hammer or a massive spacecraft, became part of their body when they use their-their tools become extensions of their own mind. Surviving Biomechanoids exist but they have gone nomadic across the cosmos. They keep to themselves and usually wait to die. Some are actively searching for all remnants of their technology in order to eliminate it. Some want to rebuild their race from the ground up. All have either a morbid fear of a all out dying hatred for the xenomorphs they created. They are also long lived. It is quite possible the ones still roaming through the cosmos actually bore witness to their species’ own destruction.
THE CHARACTERS The rules for making characters can be discerned from the information below. I don’t give direct guides since designing a Biomechanoid as a PC is very unfair to the rest of the group. Once again, ranges are given. "Alien lifeform. Looks like it's been dead a long time. Fossilized...Looks like it's grown out of the chair... Bones are bend outward...Like it exploded from the inside..." --Dallas "I wonder what happened to the rest of the crew...let's get the hell out of here!" --Lambert
BASIC PERSONALITY: Shy. Secretive. Values no one and nothing. Very selfish. Isolationist.
ORIGIN LIFEPATH (Superpower Plug-In): Mentalist AND a Gadgeteer specializing in technology and psionics.
POWER SOURCE (Superpower Plug-In): Self-Created, Non-Human, Psionic power source.
CHARACTERISTICS: INT: 9-11 DEX: 5-8
WILL: 7-10 CON: 9-11
PRE: 1-4 STR: 10-15
TECH: 10-11 BODY: 11-16
REF: 6-9 MOVE: 4-6
COMPLICATIONS: --Phobia—Xenomorphs—They hate them with a passion but also fear them (Severe) --Obsessed—Destruction/Resurrection of their race (Severe) --Bad Eyes
SKILLS Astrogation: 10
Engineer: Biomechanics: 10
Heavy Weapons: 3-6
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Pilot: Starship: 3-8 Athletics: 1-4 Hand to Hand Evade: 2-5 Navigation: 7-10 Survival: 5-7 Zero-Gravity Maneuvering: 8-10
Tactics: 2-6 Deduction: 4-6 Melee Weapons: 1-5 Perception: 8-10 Tracking: 8-10
Xenobiology: 7-10 Hand to Hand: 2-5 Melee Evade: 1-5 Ranged Evade: 1-3
TALENTS: Acute Sense (Hearing) Double Jointed Rapid Healing
Ambidexterity Eidetic Memory Time Sense
Blind Reaction High Pain Threshold
Direction Sense Longevity
SUPERPOWERS ATTACK POWERS: Energy Blast: 8d6 Stun damage Telekinesis: STR=8 DEFENSIVE POWERS Danger Sense: Any Attack, Skill=15 Knockback Resistance: -20m to knockback Life Support: --Can breathe underwater and in all gases as long as at least 5% oxygen and 5% methane is present. --Doesn’t need to sleep, eat or extrete. --Immune to zero-pressure / high pressure / radiation --Immune to all known human diseases --Immune to all forms of aging. ENHANCED SENSES High Range Radio Hearing Mental Awareness Spatial Awareness
MENTAL POWERS Mental Attack: 8d6 -- Same as Energy Blast above. Mental Illusions: 5DC, 4d6 Stun / 1d6 Kill Mind Control: 5DC Mind Link: 1 mind at a time Mind Scan: 7D6DC Telepathy: 8D6
THE TECHNOLOGY THE BIO-ALLOY The Jockey Race developed their technology originally from refined metals like mankind, but found a newer developments in an alternative field. The first was plastisteel compound found often in mankind present technology—the advancement of building materials with resilience and strength, to be flexible and tough at the same time. The next advancement was the inclusion of memory metals—no matter how much physical damage the compound withstood, it could always return to the original shape it was designed for. From there came materials that could modify themselves per the whims of whoever was controlling it. After that came pure regeneration—to heal the damage dealt to it. Over eons of evolution past our primitive level gave birth to the Bio-Alloy. This usually sepia to black colored substance is extremely rigid and resilient and capable of maintaining its shape and regenerating from damage taken. The disadvantage of the substance is that it requires a minor circulatory system similar to a living organism for the bioalloy to maintain its organic stability. The aliens cannot seem to convert Jockey race materials. Their hives can’t seem to stay attached and they cannot ingest the materials for nourishment or hive construction. Jockey Race Bio-Alloy seems almost totally immune to alien acid. Acid is only half effective. All Bio-Alloy is regenerative. Any Bio-Alloy can regenerate 10% of its total damage ever day. If the power system is damaged, this cannot occur, however.
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THE MERGE The Merge is the pinnacle of the Biomechanoid technology. It allows the members of the race to integrate their minds and body with their tools. Even though the variety of their technology is endless, I have included all the most common devices. The GM is free to make up more. These devices include weapons , spacecraft, and the four unique items listed below.
TRANSPORT SUIT The Transport Suit is a fully integrated Environment Suit capable of limited flight. It fully encompasses the user with a large transparent cover and Bio-Alloy armor. It has plug-ins for the energy source for the Light Cannon. The user must remove the suit to enter any other merge. The Suit supplies full life support and protection for when the Jockey leaves his/her vessel. Like all other devises, the suits becomes an extension of the user. Filaments move from the suit into the nervous system of the Biomechanoid, allowing perfect tactile contact from inside the suit. Other abilities follow: PD: 20 EKD: 15 EV: 0 FLIGHT: 15m/y NON-COMBAT FLIGHT: 30 m/y BONUSES: 360 Degree Sensing +2 STR +2 CON
PILOT CHAIR The Chair merges with the Biomechanoid and allows him to synch in perfect harmony with the Jockey Carry-All. While merged, the Jockey has total awareness of everything that occurs onboard the ship. A merged Pilot can remain in the chair for centuries on end. The pilot not only sees all inside and outside the craft but also can also hear, smell, and touch using the craft. Refer to the ship for the statistics for it. Besides piloting the craft, the additional bonuses apply:
All the powers of the Pilot are available anywhere on board the ship. +3 CON +3 Pilot Skill Move = 0 Dexterity = 0 Spatial Awareness
SPIDER The Spider may only have four legs that don’t move, but the name still stuck. It is a rarely found vehicle accessed by the Biomechanoids to move from place to place on planet. The vehicle has eight spherical pods with don’t rotate but do supply the source of its motive power. The spheres rise the craft above the ground and allows for all terrain travel. They generate a gravity field that allows the craft to move effortlessly through any environment. The Spider can hold only one Biomech at a time, merged with the ship, making the four appendages of the spider replacements for his own. The rear legs are primarily used for propulsion, while the front offer the same with the addition of weaponry and articulators. The Articulators extend like tentacles from opening in the front and manipulate small objects. They can then vanish from whence they came until needed. Each arm can extend up to 20 feet and has a STR of 10 each. The front appendages also contain the vehicles secondary armament in the from of two side-mounted, rapid-fire spore cannons. The primary weapon is contained in the cockpit—a turret-mounted plasma cannon. This massive energy cannon’s long range has been known to strike ships even in low orbit. NOTE: Where did this pic come from…well, if you must know, this was HR Giger’s theorized schematic of the Batmobile from Batman Forever. !
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PERFORMANCE LOADED WEIGHT: 25,255lbs MANUEVERABILITY: -1 LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE ARMOR MAIN BODY: 5K 3K LEGS: 2K 1K MAX SPEED: 140 ACCELERATION: 45 VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: 1 Turret, 4 Side weapons BASIC ARMAMENT: WA RANGE DC ROF Plasma Cannon (1) +1 56 000 4K 1 Spore Cannons (4) +1 4 000 10 (.5k) 15 Bonuses: +3 CON Move = 0 Dexterity = 0 Spatial Awareness
SHOTS BR n/a 2m 150 0
TARGET Any Ground
THE BIOCREATOR Probably the scariest creation of the Biomechanoids was the Biocreator. Basically designed originally as a cloning machine for the dying race, it eventually evolved into a last ditch effort in reproduction. The Biocreator once was designed to merge with Biomechanoids but has since evolved to the point where it could merge with any organism of proportional size, including human, with minor modifications. The Jockey Race is generally hermaphroditic, but not altogether androgynous. The race requires two for reproduction but the decision on who carries and who inseminates is decided at copulation. The gestation period is so long, and successful reproduction so rare among this extremely long lived race, that when they were numbering less and less, a quick and dirty solution was required. The Biocreator merges with a Biomechanoid and copies his/her DNA into a new embryo. The Biomechanoid is converted to a female and carries the embryo in an accelerated state. A new Jockey can be born in a matter of days. The DNA pattern of the Biomech can be stored in the creator so a new Biomechs can merge and carry
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the same embryo. This occurred because of genetic degradation in cloning for more than a few generations. However, the future generations couldn’t carry the original embryo so new hosts had to be found. The end result, since the species became nomadic, was to resort to finding biological hosts to carry the new seed. There are no bonuses for this device except for the end result. Merged humans can be removed, but left to continue on its course will result in death.
WEAPONS Light Cannon Light Pistol
WA RANGE
DC
ROF SHOTS
EV
-1 0
11 9
20 6
-1 0
2 000 1 500
2 000 600
LIGHT CANNON: The Light Cannon is a large weapon carried by the Jockey and connects itself to the outside power source of the transport suit. It launches ultra-bright energy bursts that vaporize any substance on contact. The Jockey is immune to the flash but most others aren’t. Anything with eyes within 20m must make a CON roll and overcome a DV of 15 to avoid being blinded for 2d6 rounds. While blinded, all DEX and REF skills are reduced by 4. The weapon is only one handed despite its mass. The Jockey can hold onto it with its strength.
LIGHT PISTOL: Like the heavier counterpart, the light pistol does have the capacity to blind an opponent but only for 1Dd6 rounds and at a DV 0f 10. The weapon is smaller, but oddly shaped in comparison. It fires from two receptors on a curved plate on the front of this stubby weapon. It is one handed but less encumbered than the cannon.
CARRY ALL The Carry-All is the massive vessel the Biomechanoid’s use to transport great distances. It is assumed there were once possibly hundreds of different designs the race used in the exploration and conquest of deep space. The carry-all survived through the eons and became the vessel of choice for long distance / long term expeditions. When the race went nomadic at the end of their war, the carry-all became the ship of choice.
The Carry-All requires a single pilot in the center to operate and most consider any passengers a hindrance. The ship operates from anti-gravity generators similar to the ones on the Spider ground transport. The primary generators are on either side of two large appendages. The port appendage contains the power generators with 5 exhaust nozzles pointing forward for the terraforming generator (see later). The starboard appendage contains the ship’s flight dynamics, primary armament, and sensor array. "I don't know...A cave! A- A cave of some sort, but well, I don't know, but it's like the goddamn tropics in here! -Kane The central hub contains the cockpit and cargo ring. The Cargo ring is a series of honeycombed compartments of amazing size that can carry a large assortment of supplies. The cargo varies from people to ships to xenomorph eggs. Stasis fields can drop, freezing the cargo in time. Each module can open underneath and drop to planet safely via gravity generators at the foot of each module. Above is the Jockey cockpit, where the pilot lived for most of his life. It knew everything that occurred on board the ship. The pilot also had access to the ship’s secondary weapon from that position. Above the pilot was a large canopy, the only place where the pilot can see the stars with its own eyes. The Canopy is opaque but only from the outside. The
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turret cannon can fire directly through the canopy without damaging it. The primary weapon is a massive Light cannon that can disrupt many large ship’s systems and destroy smaller ones. The ship is surprisingly small. Most terran ships divert almost 70% of their space to systems. The Carry-All only rations about 20% of their space to flight systems. The rest is reserved for cargo and living space. The craft from Port to Starboard, is less that 500 meters across. The Cargo hub is 250 meters in diameter. The port appendage serves a variety of purposes but it does offer some strange abilities. The Carry-All has the capability to alter its surrounding. When landed, it can convert the terrain around it to match the biomechanical landscape of the Jockey Homeworld. Given enough time, the entire planet could be adapted this way. This includes first adapting the topsoil and the organic life and then converting the atmosphere, thickening and converting it to a high methane / chorine / oxygen buffer, very hazardous to most carbon-based life. If terraforming is accomplished from orbit, the atmosphere is adapted first, then organic life, and then the ground. The ground is hardened and blackened, making it more compatible with the bio-alloy. Simple forms and plant life are converted into the dark, hard material similar to the plant life on the Jockey Homeworld. All major forms of life die from the atmosphere change. This whole process can take years, taking the size of the planet into account. This process can only be accomplished on worlds with already existing atmospheres with oxygen content. The materials already have to be there, they just have to be re-combined. This process is usually reserved for those Jockeys trying to repopulate their civilization. Variant Carry All
Body 35
WT 55,000
Arm. 10
MV -5
Move 100
Mach 2
Orbit 15
SR n/a
SYSTEMS: Communication range: Orbital, FTL Crew: 1 Pilot, Life Support for 2 000 in Cargo Maneuverability: +10 dodge of guided missiles. Evacuation: 1 Spider Armament package: 1 Transport suit with Light Cannon and Pistol Bonuses: Invisible to all radar. All ships have a –2 to hit this ship with energy weapons Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: Unlimited FTL Speed: 0.85 ly/day Cargo Slots: 10 Hardpoints: n/a Weapons are fixed. Basic Armament: WA RANGE DC ROF BR Turret Cannon +3 70 000 1K 6 10m Main Gun -1 350 000 7K 1 150m
TARGET Air Any
NOTES Same as Particle Beam
THE MUTATION / PROTOTYPE The mutation either is the next stage of the xenomorph organism or a prototype design. Evidence seem to point that is neither, a separate purpose organism designed for an ulterior motive. It could be possible that the Biomechanoids have fashioned different organisms for every facet of their lives. It is said that the ships and weapons are all mindless organisms, each designed to serve a different purpose and that the aliens we are aware of are just the different forms of a mindless organic machines, except these are bent on destruction. The Mutation, as it was called, is an organism seemingly only found in ruins of the Jockey race leading evidence that they are sentries or guards for their long dead masters. It seems obvious that these creatures were designed first and that the aliens we are aware came after, based on this successful design.
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It seems apparent that these mutants were never mutations but a totally redesigned organism. They bare many similarities to the offensive creatures encountered in the Terran systems but are created from a totally different template. Both are very violent to their opponents, both are large, black, armored, and single-minded in their purpose. However, these creatures never rebelled against their masters because they were never programmed to be offensive. They are totally designed from a defensive standpoint. There is no hive structure, no central brain nor a desire for expansion. It can still grow and heal by the absorption of outside materials whether organic or inorganic but cannot reproduce by the use of eggs or queens.
The Prototype is larger, stronger, and more intelligent compared to an alien drone. However, it has no desire to reproduce. It is usually kept alone or sometimes paired up to defend a certain installation, craft, or person. Once programmed, it can only be reprogrammed by someone who can access its biological programming. This biological programming is done when the creature is created, usually in a large vat in a lab either on a planet or on a ship. The creature is assembled from scratch and implanted with instructions on what to do. It is a very difficult task to reprogram since it entails removing the creature’s brain and biologically reprogramming the synapses. This is only capable by a Jockey using its biomechanical technology even though it is not impossible for a doctor with a masters in Synthetic engineering to crack it, if he could ever get the creature to stand still love enough to have its brain removed. Even then it is no guarantee that the implantation would be successful. The brain is located in a large skull-life formation, in the trunk. Its head is a long-formed snake-like neck with an end formed with spear-like teeth. It has long legs and arms that end in many fingers with long digits. The unit is also programmed only to allow a certain number of fellow mutations around it. If the number is greater, the group will remove the straggler. If under the limit, they are responsible for making up the difference. These creatures cannot necessarily reproduce, but can create, from the ground up, their own mutation be converting biological life and then reprogramming a brain on a copy of their own. It takes more than 800 lbs. of bio-mass to create a mutation and the process can take more than 48 hours. There has never been a report of a prototype breaking its programming since there is nothing below it. In a one-on-one fight, an xenomorph is no match for its predecessor but the shear numbers of the aliens sway the odds since Mutations are never seen in more than packs of three or four.
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Their special abilities follow. GROWTH: A prototype has no pre-designed lifespan and can exist as long as there are sufficient supplies to maintain its own biomechanical cells. BODY: The skin is immune to all atmospheric effect including zero-G. It does not use air as we know it. It needs air to produce sound of course and also maintain temperature. SENSES: The prototype uses motion and pressure senses to locate its enemy. It can also use smell and hearing as well, but it has no form of visual senses. It cannot be blinded in any way. It is also immune to radiation, and all Gases. Unlike other creatures, these prototypes will not retreat from fire . PROTOTYPES DO NOT HAVE ACIDIC BLOOD DETECTION: Prototypes are invisible to infrared and therm-optics. They can remain perfectly still and immune to motion sensors unless they decide to move. All normal detection systems are normal. PSIONICS (OPTIONAL) --Prototypes can talk mentally with their Jockey masters and answer to their call easily. --Prototypes are immune to Mental Illusions and Mind Link. --Mind Control is possible but hard. OTHER ABILITIES: Prototypes are immune to all other psychological problems as well as all known diseases. Electricity has only a half effect. They can never be fatigued or stunned. Therefore, the following characteristics are not applicable: Humanity, Endurance, and Luck. Stun Defense is given a very high number. All Characteristics not listed are assumed to be One. CHARACTERISTICS: INT: 8 WILL: 10 REF: 13 TECH: 7 DEX: 15 CON: 13 STR: 17 BODY: 17 RUN: 24 SWIM / LEAP: 8 HITS: 85 (1.7 K) KD: 18 (0.2 K) ED: 20 (0.5 K) STUN: 120 SD: 30 REC: 30 WEAPONS: Range: WA: DC: SPECIAL Teeth 2m +1 9 Can also grapple / armor piercing Claws 1m +1 6 Can also grapple
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QUICK REFERENCE TURRETS: The MV penalty to spacecraft and vehicles effect all shooting and dodging. Thankfully, we have turrets. All weapons on turrets always add +3 to their existing WA to hit. FTL DRIVES The Star Map has distances for each jump. The number given in ship's FTL range is the maximum range the FTL drive can go in a single jump. When the range is used up, the ship must drop to sublight and recharge its jump drives. This delay is what makes travel time so long. The FTL speed is how fast the ship goes when jumping. However, before and between jumps, a ship reduces it to low power and must move on sublight as it charges the drive. Unfortunately, drive recharge rates are high. A ship that jumps from system to system is cheap and easy but long trips require these charges. A fully stocked spaceport can charge a drive at 2 ly per day. A major military base, however, can charge a ship at 2 ly per six hours. In the deep and dark of space, a ship can charge its own drive to full capacity in one week. This is a good lesson to those who run out of gas on the road. Note: All systems on a ship must be shutdown for the FTL capacitors to recharge. The FTL drive requires so much energy, it must slave every joule from the reactor to fill it up. As a result, the crew must be in cryosleep since this action includes shutting down ALL life support and defensive systems. Any interruption stops the recharge and diverts the energy back to their individual systems (like if the ship is suddenly attacked). If, somehow, something is taking any energy from the capacitors, the recharge time is extended substantially. Keeping the life support on, for example, would result in the recharge time being extended by a factor of 10. So no one stays up. Rolling Astrogation is easy for jumps to colonized planets if the ship’s computer is working (DV10). The computer requires two hour to calculate the jump and another to initiate the engine. A human calculating the jump will take one hour per DV +1 to initiate the engine…Obviously, Jump drives are black-box technology and not meant to be delved into too intricately. As a result, and since jumps cannot be done in a heavy gravity environments, jumping out of a combat arena is not possible. ANY impact on the vessel automatically shuts down the FTL drive since the course has to be re-plotted. DV MODIFICATIONS: If the computer isn’t working: +3 Random cosmic phenomenon: +3-5 To an uncharted system: +5 Into deep space: +2 Precision jumps: +3-10 depending how close the ships want to jump to. A failed roll is the GMs discretion. A ship can fry is generator, forcing the ship to recharge from scratch to dropping the ship up to twice its jump range in another direction. A failed roll should never result in death. GUIDED AND AUTOMATIC SYSTEMS: Guided Missiles aim themselves and can make multiple attacks if they miss the first time. For The initial shot, the user, can use his/her firing skill or the depend on automatic systems. Whatever the user chooses, if there is a miss, the rocket can attempt another attack next round (allowing another round of anti-missile fire). The weapon's skills must be used for the following rounds. Guided Missiles can fire initially with their own skill. However, it must be "locked-on" before firing. Locking on takes one round of the target being in the weapon's range. The next round allows firing. If the weapon is dumb-fired by the user without locking-on, the missile has a 50% chance of not locking on at all. Even if the user is using his/her skill, they should allow a lock before firing to ensure a second pass is a miss occurs. The skill of the weapon and its number of possible additional attacks depend on each weapon. "Unique" weapons (see Weapons) cannot be dumbfired and must "lock-on" or else they will almost always miss (-8 to hit). The Missile MUST then use its skill or else still have the -8 penalty. If one missile locks on, they all lock-on so any number of missiles in that hardpoint (up to half its capacity--see below) can fire with a lock. Automatic systems are unlimited in the time they operate. They can be programmed to fire at anything (Heat, improper PDTs, and Movement) and have a base skill to hit. They can never use someone else's skill. They only use their own. HARDPOINT ROF A weapon with a set ROF (Like Railcannons and Lasers) keeps that ROF but Missiles don't have that. For Spacecraft, the missiles can be loaded over multiple hardpoints or filled with only a half capacity of weapons. Generically, the ROF of a missile pack is selectable with any number but not more than half the capacity of the hardpoint. SHIP FIRING: A pilot can fire any number of weapons when he pulls the trigger. He can link any of his weapons up with his trigger. The Weapon's Officer on a spacecraft can do the same. The only exceptions are turrets, which can be automated but never linked together. One roll is made for the linked weapons but the damage and hit locations are done separately. An UD-4 Cheyenne Dropship pilot can fire both 150mm missile packs on each of his Hardpoints and make one roll for each salvo coming from the Hardpoints. The weapons must be of the same type. A Pilot or Gunner can switch weapons instantly without a sacrifice in time. Remember: Guided weapons need a round to aim. DECOY BALLUTES Large Spacecraft can deploy these to confound sensors. For simplicity sakes, the rules are the same as the Shadow Imagery in the Mekton Z rules. A ship can deploy half is ballutes in one round. Every Ballute deployed adds a +1 to the ship's dodge. If the roll to hit still strikes, then damage is done directly to the craft. If it fails to strike even the unmodified dodge, the weapon goes wide. If the roll fall between the unmodified dodge and the modified dodge, then a Ballute is hit and instantly destroyed (each has a capacity of 1k). The Dodge bonus is dropped by one because one ballute has been eliminated. These rules are identical to that of the Shadow imager in Mekton Zeta Plus.
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MANEUVERING DRONES These Drones only operate in space. They work similar to Decoy Ballutes but actively seek out weapons. They can be deployed one at a time. They don't usually let themselves be hit. They have a base skill of 10 to hit and dodge and are simply armed with a basic laser (0.25K), which is designed to only take out missiles. See Anti-Missile fire below. Each Drone can fire once to one missile per round. Two drones can take shots at one missile. MINEFIELDS Minefields in space operate like their ground counterparts. If a ship comes within 500 m, the Mine will home in and detonate with a base skill of 8. Connected fields cannot be navigated through. If hit, the mine strikes directly and the ones connected to the detonated one, close in around the ship for the kill. ANTI-MISSILES: Missiles take time to reach their target, especially in the vast distances of space. Any missile can be targeted. Since missile fire in FUZION is assumed to be instant, anyone with an anti-missile weapon can make a free attack on that incoming warhead. Some of these weapons are already automatic so the pilot never has to worry. Some are done by turret gunners. The difficulty to hit an incoming missile is 15. Only one weapon can fire on one missile. Two laser turrets can attempt to fire on two missiles. The TSAM missiles on the UD4 are an exception. They fire instantly like a chaff or a flare. The pilot can launch as many as he has missiles to any number of missiles coming to a maximum of the number fired. Anti-Missile weapons with an ROF can spread their fire over multiple incoming missiles. REPAIRING SHIPS: The standard difficulty for repairing ships is 22 to finish the repair in one hour (unless reconstructing an engine, then it is one day). That may seem high but how many engineers do you know can patch a fusion core in one hour with no tools. This number varies radically. MODIFIERS …With every additional hour spent on the repair* …With Advanced Tool Kit …With Mechanics Tool Kit …With each additional Technician assisting** *For hourly repairs only. **With at least +1 Engineering skill or Electronics for an Electronics roll. Can work indipendantly and roll indipendantly but offers not bonus then.
DV -1 -1 -2 -1
MODIFIERS DV …With each Engineer assisting*** -2 …With each non-skilled help assisting -1 …For every kill inflicted beyond 0 defenses**** +2 …With every successful previous roll***** -1 ***With at least a +3 Engineering skill or Electronics for an Electronics roll. Can work indipendantly and roll indipendantly but offers no bonus then. ****For rolls required on combat damage. *****For damage needing compounding rolls. Cannot offer more than a -5 bonus.
RESULTS: ARMOR PATCHING: Every successful roll will patch one kill of structure or armor. Please note this material must come from somewhere. All Spacecraft have enough spare materials for HALF their structure and armor. Anything beyond that must be taken from somewhere, whether is be from vehicles or other aerospace craft or whatever. ELECTRONICS: A successful roll will activate or repair the electronics system. The GM has discretion as to how long it will take for the system to “Warm Up.” Sensors fall into this category. WEAPON REPAIR: The repair time depends on the complexity of the weapon. Each successful roll will recover 1000 meters of range and 1k DC of damage. Of course, most ships have massive ranges so a huge weapon like the Particle Beam will take up to two weeks of repair without a dry-dock. Think about it…that is a huge weapon. It stretches almost 50 meters in length. Usually, several Engineers can work indipendantly to restore at a quicker rate instead of teaming up. Only when the gun is totally restored, will it work again. If absolutely needed, if the DC the weapon inflicts is restored but the range is still crippled, an Engineer or team may attempt to splice the weapon into working. A DV of 22 is required (with no bonuses for previous successes) to patch the weapon. A success will allow the weapon to fire with its current range. An hour must be spent removing the patch before repairs can start again. Weapons that have ammunition loose it all and, unless the ship carries extra ammo in a cargo slot, are useless unless reloads can be found. A weapon considered “damaged” (see below) will be repaired in one hour after a single repair check. PROPULSION / DRIVE: A success… the engine Vehicle Drive…will recover 10 kmph per hour of work done. If it is destroyed, at least a full day must be spent to reconstruct for every 20 kmph of the Max Speed. If “vaporized”, reconstruction is not possible. destroyed, Atmospheric / Orbital Engines…will recover 10 MOVE and 1 ORBIT (if it has an ORBIT) per hour of work done. If it is at least a full day must be spent to reconstruct the engine for every 10 MOVE/1 ORBIT of the Max Speed. This time increases by… … ½ day for ships from 5 000 – 20 000 tones …1 day for ships from 20 000 – 40 000 tones …1 ½ days for ships from 40 – 60 000 tones
…2 days for ships from 60 000 – 80 000 tones …3 days for ships 80 000 tones and above.
A ship’s Mach rating is only restored when the engine is fully functioning. Engineers really don’t like pilots pushing a ship into Mach with a patched engine…it just might explode. If MOVE or ORBIT is restored before the other, repairs must continue until completed. If “vaporized”, reconstruction is not possible. A reconstructed engine will not operate until half its speed at least is restored. After that, it must still be reconstructed until completion FTL Drive…will recover one LY per hour of work done. If destroyed, reconstruction is possible but a full day must be spent per 1 LY of the engine’s capacity. This time increases by six hours per 10 000 tones of the ship’s mass (obviously this only applies to Dreadnaughts). After that, the engine still must charge up. If “vaporized”, reconstruction is not possible. A reconstructed engine will not operate until half its range at least is restored. After that, it must still be reconstructed until completion. NOTE: Any fuel lost as a result is still lost… Example: Lets take a Conestoga. It just been shot and its Orbital engine was destroyed. The team consists of one Engineer and three techs. Being a Conestoga, it has a fully stocked repair bay. To get that engine moving again requires 15 days at 16 DV the three days with a –1 each additional three days. The Conestoga weighs 78 000 tones, meaning instead of one day per repair job, it requires 3 days. As for the DV: DV 22 – 1 (Tool Kit) – 2 (Mechanics Kit) – 3 (three Technicians assisting). The ship only moves at an ORBIT of 5.
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INFLICTING DAMAGE: Ships and vehicles reduced to zero are not destroyed. Oh no…they cannot fire or move, but the ship is not destroyed… restoration is possible. Batteries still run gravity and life support. With a clever Engineering role, he might even get a non-energy weapons functioning. What follows are a series of tables for damage to vehicles and spacecraft. Once any craft or vehicle is reduced to below twice its total capacity, the craft or vehicle breaks in two. Crewmembers have 75% chance of dodging a DC8 hit at a DV of 17. 1D6 Cargo bays gutted. All engines and weapons destroyed. Aerospace craft in an atmospheric crumble. Spacecraft will disintegrate in 1d6 minutes. Tables are rolled whenever armor on vehicles or craft is punctured. If the damage is not applicable (cargo bay gutted on an APC), no damage is applied. The requirements are listed below. You first must know what class of vehicle/craft it is. DAMAGE CLASSES (based on Body of the craft / vehicle) Light Body = 1 – 5 Kills Medium Body = 6 – 10 Kills DAMAGE TABLES LIGHT DAMAGE: Roll once every time a… Medium Body loses 1 kill of BODY Heavy Body loses 2 kills of BODY Massive Body loses 5 kills of BODY MEDIUM DAMAGE: Roll once every time a… Light Body loses 1 kill of BODY Medium Body loses 2 kills of BODY Heavy Body loses 4 kills of BODY Massive Body loses 10 kills of BODY
Heavy Body = Massive Body =
11- 20 Kills 21 kills and above
HEAVY DAMAGE: Roll once every time a… Light Body loses 2 kills of BODY Medium Body loses 4 kills of BODY Heavy Body loses 8 kills of BODY Massive Body loses 20 kills of BODY CRITICAL DAMAGE: Roll once every time a… Light Body loses 1 BODY below 0 Medium Body loses 2 BODY below 0 Heavy Body looses 4 BODY below 0 Massive Body loses 10 BODY below 0
LIGHT DAMAGE TABLE (Roll 3d6) 3–5 No additional effects 6–7 Ship / craft shaken. –1 to all piloting and gunnery rolls for 1d6 rounds. 8–9 Sensors damaged. SR cut in half. 10 – 13 Random light weapon (DC 4 and under) damaged. Will only fire on a roll on a 4+ on a D6. 14 – 15 Drive engine damaged. MOVE / ORBIT / Max Speed reduced by 30%. 16 – 17 Random heavy weapon (over DC 4) damaged. Will only fire on a roll on a 4+ on a D6. 18 Roll on the next damage table. MEDIUM DAMAGE TABLE (Roll 3d6) 3–4 No additional effects. 5–6 Ship / craft shaken. –3 to all pilot and gunnery rolls for 1d6 rounds. 7–8 Fuel Leak. One fuel cell wasted. Lose 10% of remaining fuel mass (if fuel is present). 9 – 10 Random light weapon (DC 4 and under) damaged. Will only fire on a roll of 5+ on a D6. 11 – 13 Internal Shrapnel. Every crewmember has 30% chance of dodging a DC5 hit at a DV of 15. 14 – 15 Drive engine damaged. MOVE / ORBIT / Max Speed reduced by 50%. 16 –17 Random heavy weapon (over DC 4) damaged. Will only fire on a roll on a 5+ on a D6. 18 Roll on the next damage table. HEAVY DAMAGE TABLE (Roll 3d6) 3 No additional effects. 4–5 Locked systems. Craft / Vehicle can do nothing for 1d6 rounds. Aircraft should pray. 6–7 Major fuel leak. Several fuel cells wasted. Loses 50% of remaining fuel mass (if present). 8–9 Random light weapon (4 DC and under) destroyed. 10 – 11 Communications Cut. Electronics roll required to restore. 12 – 13 Hull Breach! 1 room decompresses. Crewmembers have 50% chance of dodging a DC5 hit at a DV of 15. 14 – 15 Random heavy weapon (over DC 4) destroyed. 16 Drive engine Destroyed. Eject!! Reconstruction or replacement required. 17 Random cargo bay (if present) gutted and destroyed. 18 OH NO! Critical Damage. Roll on the table below… CRITICAL DAMAGE TABLE (Roll 3d6) 3–4 Random light weapon (4 DC and under) vaporized. 5–6 Artificial Gravity Systems Destroyed. All crewmembers are in free fall. 7–8 Life Support Systems destroyed. Temperature will drop 5 degrees every hour. Air supply will run out in 1d6 hours. 9 – 10 Major Hull Breach. 1d6 rooms decompress. Crewmembers have 60% chance of dodging a DC6 hit at a DV of 16. 12 – 13 Random heavy weapon (over DC 4) vaporized. 14 – 15 Specific Damage. Tail / turret blown off, 1 Drop / Craft slot gutted, or 1d6 Cargo slots gutted. 16 – 17 Drive engine or FTL vaporized. Eject!! 18 Craft / Vehicle breaks in two. Crewmembers have 75% chance of dodging a DC8 hit at a DV of 17. 1d6 Cargo bays gutted. All engines and weapons destroyed. Atmospheric craft crumble. Spacecraft will disintegrate in 1d6 minutes.
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MORTAL DAMAGE TABLES It’s a forgone conclusion that most Players will have an average to above average body strength. This means they can withstand more punishment than the average farm boy. However, a bullet through the femur will still hurt. It doesn’t matter if you’re Rambo or Woody Allen. I do not believe that a character can walk around with perfect health until their hit points reach zero. There are two basic schools of thought: 0 Hit Points = Death, and 0 Hit Points = out-of-commission. FUZION rules need modifications. All Hits are removed from total Hits but some specific situations exist… MAIN BODY. FULL HITS: ½ Total Hits: ¼ Total Hits:
0 Hits and below:
--Physical Characteristics drop by 1. Combat Characteristics drop by 1. --Combat Characteristics drop by additional 1. --Physical Characteristics drop by an additional 1. --Mental Characteristics drop by 1 --All Characteristics drop an additional 2. For the Mental group, the character doesn’t go dumb, just concentration is thrown out the window. Characteristics don’t drop below 0. Any that ARE 0 means no skills under that characteristic can be used. A 0 MOVE indicates no movement. --The character is still conscious but will be out cold in combat phases = Original Endurance. --The Character will loose 1 additional hit point every minute until 2 x HITS. The Character then dies.
ARMS. HALF TOTAL HITS: ½ Arm Hits: --STR and REF are reduced by 1. 0 Arm Hits: --The Arm is useless. STR and REF are halved. Double Arm Hits: --Arm is crumpled or severed. STR and REF is 1. DC1 Stun every minute until stabilized or unconscious. LEGS. HALF TOTAL HITS: ½ Leg Hits: --DEX is reduced by 1. MOVE is reduced by 2. 0 Leg Hits: --Leg is useless. DEX is halved. MOVE is reduced by an additional 1. A Move of 0 makes the Character incapable of walking without assistance. Double Leg Hits: --Leg is crumpled or severed. DEX and MOVE is 0. DC1 Stun every minute until stabilized or unconscious. HEAD. HALF TOTAL HITS: ½ Head Hits: --INT, REF, DEX are reduced by 1 0 Head Hits: --Dazed and Confused. Knockout in Combat Phases = Endurance. All Characteristics halved. Double Head Hits: --You’re out and will be dead in combat phases = Original Endurance ADDITIONAL RULES: HEAD: Any HITS on the head that penetrates armor deal DOUBLE DAMAGE. The skull is a wonderful thing with some very think bone there. It receives an automatic 1 PD of armor, non removable. ARM: A Character is assumed to NOT be ambidextrous. However, to side in the Player’s favor, every time an arm is struck with HIT damage, it is always the OTHER arm. LEG: Even if crumpled, the Character can still crawl at STR = Meters per minute. GENERIC: Any Hit to any location that deals more than 5 HITS penetrating damage in one strike causes a MAJOR wound. This results in 1 additional HIT being inflicted every minute until at least rudimentary treated. This removal may continue all the way to Death. ROLL MODIFIERS (revised and altered for game use) There are two types of combat, quick and slow. For quick combat, use only basic modifiers. Forget about range and just worry about dodging and shooting. Slow combat feels like the slow-motion sequences from The Matrix. Every move is strategically set up…choreography is key. Combat will take longer but may feel more fulfilling.
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BASIC MODIFIERS Target crouched or kneeling… Target prone… … … Behind someone else… … Tiny target (bull’s-eye, bottle)… Small target (limb, wheel)… Large target (car, large animal)…
… … … … … …
-1 -2 -4 -5 -4 +2
Very large target (Truck, plane, house) … Aiming… … …
-5 -4 -3
Firing while at speed from an aircraft: Mach speed:
Fast draw / Snapshot… Blinded by light or dust… Using two handguns…
… … …
… … …
+3 +1 per phase, Up to +6 -3 -3 -2 each.
ADVANCED MODIFIERS (OPTIONAL) Aimed body shot:
Range:
Head… … Hand, shoulder… Arm, leg…
… … …
Point Blank (<1 meters)… … Close (1/4 range of weapon)… Medium (1/2 range of weapon)… Long (full range of weapon)… Extreme (every 50m past extreme)...
Ricochet or indirect fire… Using a rifle one-handed… Weapon braced…
… … …
… … …
0 -1 -2 -3 additional -2
Firing at a moving target: Human based:
-5 -2 +2 Vehicle based:
Firing while moving (refer to MOVE): Combat move… Sprint… … In Water… Leaping… … Firing while at speed from a vehicle: 1 – 30 kph… 31 – 60 kph… 60 – 90 kph… 91 – 120 kph… 121 – 150 kph… 151 – up… Firing while at speed from an aircraft: Combat move:
TO HIT NUMBERS To hit a target not dodging (per range):
… … …
-2 -3 -3 -3
… … … … … …
0 -1 -2 -3 -4 -5
0 - 100… … 101 - 150… 151 - 200… 201 - 250… 251 - 300… 301 – 350…
-2 -3 -4 -5 -6
4m – 8m / phase… … 9m – 12m / phase… 13m – 20 m / phase… 21m – 30m / phase…
0 -1 -2 -3
1 – 30 kph… 31 – 60 kph… 60 – 90 kph… 91 – 120 kph… 121 – 150 kph… 151 – up…
… … … … … …
0 -1 -2 -3 -4 -5
0 - 50… … 50 - 100… 101 - 150… 151 - 200… 201 - 250… 251 - 300… 301 – 350…
0 -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6
-4 -5 -6 -7 -8
Aircraft based: Combat move:
0 -1 -2 -3 -4 -5
Mach speed:
Point Blank / Melee (<1 m)… … 4 Close (1/4 range)… … 8 Medium (1/2 range)… … 12 Long (full range)… … … 16 Extreme (every 50m past long)… additional +2
REVISED WEAPON RULES ARMOR AND SHOOTING: As many know in the Mekton Rules, every time armor is hit, one point of armor is removed. This applies to personal armor. When the armor reduces to zero, it is useless. Spacesuits with an armor if penetrated will puncture and leak unless stated otherwise (special armor have special rules). NO personal weapons do less than one point but some spacecraft weapons do. In Mekton, 1 kill will remove 1 armor…any weapons above 1 kill will still only remove 1 kill of armor. However, fraction damage will only remove fraction armor (eg: 0.25 k will remove 0.25 armor instead of 1. But 4 K will only remove 1kill of armor). Any weapons that do not have a kill capacity listed will not damage kill armor. AUTOFIRE WEAPONS: The FUZION rules are incorrect regarding Rate of Fire. Here are the changes: FIRING ONE SHOT: No change FIRING BURST: Light, Medium, and Heavy firepower can fire a quick 3 round burst. No bonus and if they hit, 1d6/2 bullets strike (round down). AUTOFIRE (ROF): Only with Light, Medium, and Heavy firepower weapons with an ROF more than 1. The difference between the defender’s roll and the attacker’s roll is how many bullets hit. The number of bullets of fired effect the weapon accuracy. The Player must tell the GM how many rounds the PC is firing before rolling. The Player chooses a ROF up to the maximum ROF. A +1 WA is added for every 10 shots fired. Because of the advance in technology, there is little recoil. But there is still some kickback and if the weapon fires more than one-
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third of its total ROF for more than one combat phase a –1 penalty is incurred on the second round and increases every round after. Also don’t forget massive ammo loss. Remember, changing clips takes one action. AIMING WITH AUTOFIRE: If you aim at a specific body / vehicle location, only the first shot hits that location, the additional damage from the other hits are to taken to the main hull / body. DAMAGE WITH WEAPONS: The damage capacities for weapons may seem low but for every additional shot that hits does an additional DC1 of damage. Eg: A weapon with a ROF of 6 and a damage of 4 hit three times. The damage roll is DC7 (4 + 3).
ARMOR BDU M3 suit* M10 ballistic helmet* Gee Suit Ghillie Suit (Recon) * Z-110 Acid Neutralizing Combat Wardrobe (TL4)* NeutraGel Modification (TL5) Polymer/Alloy combat armor rig. (TL3)* WY Shielded Combat Helmet (TL2) Flak Jacket Kevlar (Light) Kevlar (Medium) Kevlar (Heavy) MK 25 Pressure Suit MK 50 Compression Suit ZCT-1 Armored Spacesuit* (TL3) Portable Force Field MAX--Mobile Assault eXo-Warrior “RACK”--Powered Armor * Prohibited to all except the CMC.
ARMOR PD EKD EV 4 2 14 2 25 10 4 1 6 1 18 10 1 0 16 10 30 10 12 2 10 1 12 2 14 3 5 5 10 7 16 10 10 20 (Special—Look under Armor)* (Special—Look under Armor)*
SPECIAL 0 0 0 Head Only 0 0 Camouflage (see below) -1 Acid has no effect. 0 Acid has no effect. 0 0 0 0 0 -1 -1 Air Pressurized -2 Air Pressurized -1 Air Pressurized 0 Cannot move when setup
Remember… …Every time armor is hit, one point of armor is removed. This applies to personal armor. When the armor reduces to zero, it is useless. Spacesuits with an armor if penetrated will puncture and leak unless stated otherwise (special armor have special rules). NO personal weapons do less than one point but some spacecraft weapons do. In Mekton, 1 kill will remove 1 armor…any weapons above 1 kill will still only remove 1 kill of armor. However, fraction damage will only remove fraction armor (eg: 0.25 k will remove 0.25 armor instead of 1. But 4 K will only remove 1kill of armor). Any weapons that do not have a kill capacity listed will not damage kill armor.
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NORMAL GEAR Remember, a starting character can buy these using OP converting 100 cr. to 1 OP. ITEM Advanced Tool Kit Autograppnel (2000 lbs) Bed Roll Binoculars (High Quality) Camera (24 exposures) Camp Stove Canteen CD Player Cell Phone Compass Crowbar Hand Welder Handcuffs Hotel Room IR Goggles Jammer (10 m range) Lantern (8 hrs, 40 m range) Lighter (100 lights) Mechanics Tool Kit Medkit Mess Kit Short Range Comm (500 km rng) Skates Skis Snowshoes Stereo System Television (large) Television (port.) Diving Gear (3 hr time) Entrenching / Utility Tool Electrician’s Tool Kit First Aid Kit Furniture (Real) (Synthetic) Food (Fresh) (Prepack) (Rations) Flashlight (6 hrs) Geiger Counter (10m range) Movie Camera Nylon Rope (100 m, 500lbs) P-5000 PowerLoader Personal Computer Personal Data Trans. Personal Locator Personal Recorder Portable Holograph (TL3) Pressure Tent (1/2 man) Radio, Basic Toolknife Utility Belt Wristwatch Timer Clamp (TL3) Infrasonic Suppression Sys. (TL5) XM Neural Suppressor (TL5) Neutralizer Spray (TL4) FASION ITEM Pants Top Jacket Footwear Jewelry Mirrorshades Glasses ~~Multiply base cost by style~~ Generic Chic x1 cost Leisurewear x2 cost
COST 600 100 25 50 50 30 75 100 150 10 10 100 5 100/night 200 60 50 10 10 300 50 100 40 80 40 500 1000 300 250 40 25 10 500 150 200/week/person 100/w/p 50/w/p 10 90 100 100 40 000 1000 30 50 200 1000 500 / 1 000 100 50 20 50 20 000 8 000 100 / can
COST 40 40 50 40 100 - 1000 50 50 Businesswear x3 cost High Fashion x4 cost
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MILITARY PX ITEM BDUs / Flight Fatigues M-3Armor* M-10 Helmet* M1000 Flare (3 pack) M-94 Flares (9 pack) Motion Tracker DemoKit Intelligence Unit Orbital Communications kit Pulse Communicator TNR Lamp Gee Suit@ Ghillie Suit (Recon) Z-110 ANCW (TL4) NeutraGel Modification (TL5) Polymer/Alloy CAR (TL3) Flak Jacket Kevlar (Light) Kevlar (Medium) Kevlar (Heavy) MK 25 Pressure Suit MK 50 Compression Suit ZCT Armored Spacesuit (TL3) Portable Force Field
COST 100 240 150 30 30 200 500 1 000 1 500 1 000 200 200 600 1 800 100 1 600 600 100 150 200 500 1000 1 600 3 000
WEAPONS WA: The modifier when shooting. The Smart Gun has special rules. RANGE: Max range of the weapon in meters. DC: Damage Capacity. ROF: The Maximum firing rate. The weapon can be shot in smaller bursts. Tell the GM how many rounds the PC is firing before rolling. Player chooses a ROF up to the ROF max and decides Burst or Autofire (Burst: 3 Shots, 1d6/2 hit; Autofire: +1 WA for every 10 shots fired.) SHOTS: All the rounds in the clip of the weapon. BR: Blast Radius EV: The penalty to Dexterity for carrying the weapon. Not firing. CAP: The distinguishing feature of the tip of a grenade. DEPLOYMENT: The procedure to deploy the weapon on the battlefield. TARGET: What the weapon can fire at. Anti-missile is a special rule. 'Any' means any target except missile. CLASS: What type of Hardpoint can this weapon load into and whether or not it is guided or not. COST: Black Market cost. COLONIAL MARINE LIGHT FIREPOWER (Firearms) WEAPON WA RANGE DC Basic Stunner 0 25 m 4 VP 70 Pistol 0 50 m 2 M4A3 Pistol 0 100 m 2 ATM-2 Medina +1 200 m 2 ATM-1 Sabot-Pistol +3 80 m 1
ROF 1 2 2 2 3
SHOTS 6 11 12 16 16
EV 0 0 0 0 0
COST 400 400 400 900 800
COLONIAL MARINE MEDIUM FIREPOWER (Autofire except Sniper Rifles) WEAPON WA RANGE DC ROF SHOTS M41A1 Pulse Rifle -1 900 4 40 95-100 PN 30mm Grenade Launcher -1 100 Grenade 1 3 M42A Scope Rifle +5* 3 800 4 1 12 M41AE2 Pulse Rifle 0 900 4 30 95-300 M21A Shotgun -1 50 3 1 8 L96 Sniper Rifle +3 2 500 3 2 12 Duchamp Blaster -2 500 5 50 300 M42A3 Light Rifle 0 700 3 30 90 ATM-3 Shiva Mk. 1 -1 900 2 60 120 ATM-4 Sabot-Stick 0 600 2 30 120 *See Below
EV 0 0 -1 0 0 -1 -1 0 0 0
COST 2 000 n/a 2 300 3 500 1 000 2 000 2 300 1 800 4 000 1 000
COLONIAL MARINE HEAVY FIREPOWER (Heavy Weapons except Smart) WEAPON WA RANGE DC ROF SHOTS EV M56A2 Smart gun +1 / +2* 1500 4 60 300 -1 M240A1 Flame-thrower 0 3-50 3/3** 3 60 0 GC20 Plasma Rifle 0 1000 5 30 500 -1 M-199 Mk2 Smart Gun +2 / +3 1500 4 60 500 -2 ATM-5 Shiva Mk.2 0 1500 6 30 270 -3 M-23 "Thumper" -1 50 Grenade 1 12 0 *See below **6 DC is automatically done next round if it hits the first round.
COST 10 000 4 000 8 000 15 000 10 000 2 500
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COLONIAL MARINE ASSAULT FIREPOWER (Heavy Weapons) WEAPON WA RANGE DC ROF SHOTS EV COST Plasma Cannon -2 2 000 2k ½ 20 0 / -5* 15 000 M5 RPG 0 2 000 3k 1 1 -1 2 000 M78 PIG 0 1000 1k 1 30 -1 7 000 M83A2 SADAR@ +1 1000 4k 1 1 -1 4 000 M112 HIMAT***@ +1 5 000 6k 1 3 0** 8 000 SIM-118 Hornet@ 0 10 000 4k 1 1 -1 4 000 ATM-1 Bolter -1 1 500 1k 1 20 -3 4 000 M80 LP-Cannon -2 3 000 3k 1 9 -2 5 000 *: -5 if not on a tripod **Cannot be fired unless deployed ***Can be linked with other units. Automated (see below). @: Guided (see below) COLONIAL MARINE MISCELANEOS FIREPOWER (No skill) (These are weapon systems. See below) WEAPON WA RANGE DC ROF SHOTS COST UA 571-C Sentry +1 800 4 50 500 60 000 UA 571-D Sentry +1 1 200 5 40 500 70 000 UA 571-F Sentry 0 100 Grenade 3 30 65 000 LIM-417 Phalanx @ 0 80 000 4k 1 6 120 000 HIM-122 Lancer@ +1 120 000 5k 1/10* 1 240 000 HIM-78 Sprint@ 0 540 000 6k 1 4 350 000 *: One Missile breaks into 10 and can assign different targets for each missile. All can be linked with other units. Automated (see below). @: Guided (see below)
TARGETS Any Any Any Ground only Ground only Air only Any Any
TARGETS Any Any Any Air only Air only Air & Space only
NON-COLONIAL WEAPONRY WEAPON WA RANGE ZCT 9mm Avenger 0 50m Falcon Street 12mm -1 75m Falcon Street Auto 0 50m Alphatech .454 -2 50m Colt “Reliable” 0 50m WY Corp. Special +3 75m
DC 2 3 1 4 1 3
ROF 1 1 6 1 2 2
SHOTS 9 6 18 4 6 12
EV 0 0 0 0 0 0
COST 400 700 800 700 350 1200
CLASS Handgun Handgun Handgun Handgun Handgun Handgun
Tradex Assault Auto Ventral Heavy Rifle Boyars “Buster” Rifle Tradex SMG-Alpha-01 WY Defender Hvy. Auto
-2 0 0* +1 +3
750m 900m 500m 750m 1200m
3 4 7 2 4
30 30 10 10 30
90 90 50 130 120
0 0 -1 0 0
1500 1500 2000 2300 4500
Autofire Autofire Autofire Autofire Autofire
Ventral “Maniac” Rotary Ventral “Peacemaker” Alphatech Railgun Ventral Air Sniper*** WY “Brilliant Pebble”*
-1 -2 0 0 +4
1000m 2500m 5000m 5000m 10 000m
2 2k 2k 7 (.5k) 3k
90 2 1 3 ½
900 15 15 30 10
-2 -2 -2 0** -3
3500 4000 5000 8000 18000
Heavy Weapons Heavy Weapons Heavy Weapons Heavy Weapons Heavy Weapons
*: -5 if not on a tripod ***Air targets only. MINES (No skill) WEAPON Nuclear Failsafe M760 Antipersonnel M862 anti-armor M5A3 Bounding M20 Claymore mine
**Cannot be fired unless deployed
BR 1km 2m 3m 2m 3m
GRENADES (Throwing ability) WEAPON M40 High-Explosive Fragmentary* M38 HEAP M51A Bounding Fragmentary M108 Canister (Buckshot) M230 Baton (Rare in USCM) M60 Phosphorous* Incendiary M72A1 Starshell*
DC 40k 6 7 6 7
CAP Red Green Blue Black N/A White "S" on top
SHOTS 1 1 1 1 1
COST 1500000 900 1200 1 000 1 000
DC 7 10 (1k) 7 6 7stun 0 0
DEPLOYMENT Personnel Air / Armor Air / Armor Infantry Infantry
BR 3m 1m 1m 0 0 15m 10m
SPECIAL See Below None ½ Armor Can be linked Remote det.
USE SPECIAL Anti-personnel Anti-tank ½ Armor Small-Charge double dam stun Close-in Fighting Civil Disturbances Smoke Screen Flare 45 seconds, 50,000 candles
COST 100 250 120 70 20 50 70
*: Can be thrown. The detonator can be set to a 6 or 12 second fuse.
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COLONIAL MARINE AEROSPACE FIREPOWER MISSILES (Gunnery for non-automated missiles only) WEAPON WA RANGE DC AGM-204A TSAM +3 60 000 1k AGM-220C Hellhound +1 70 000 5k AIM-90E Headlock +1 24 000 5k XIM-28A Long Lance 0 120 000 7k Mk. 16 Banshee M18 -2 12 000 2k Mk. 16 Banshee M451 -2 12 000 4k Mk. 16 Banshee M597 -2 12 000 3k Mk. 16 Banshee M598 -2 12 000 1k Mk. 10 Zeus 0 7 000 1k Mk. 88 120mm SGW 0 2 000 1.5k NIC-79 Captor 0 85 000 10k STG Ballistic 0 450 000 20k
BR n/a 8m 0 n/a 4m 3m 1m 6m 1m 2m n/a 200m
COST 70 000 120 000 150 000 450 000 10 000 15 000 13 000 12 000 5 000 10 000 550 000 950 000
TARGET CLASS Missiles Ground Air / Space Space Any Any Any Any Any Any Space Any
DC 8(.7k) 11 (1k) 0* 1.5k 1k
ROF 20 12 1 3 1
SHOTS 300 100 n/a n/a 1
COST 75000 120 000 1 550 000 350 000 50 000
COLONIAL MARINE ARMOR FIREPOWER (Gunnery) WEAPON WA RANGE DC Tri-Barrled Particle Beam 0 2 000 7 (.5k) 20mm Gattling Cannon 0 1 000 7 (.5k) Phased Plasma Cannon* -1 4 000 11 (1k) Free-Electron Laser* +2 3 000 11 (1k) Charged Particle Beam* +1 3 000 1.5k *These weapons are found in pairs on the M577 Turret.
ROF 6 30 ½ ½ ½
SHOTS 300 1700 500 200 100
BR 0 0 2m 0 1m
CANNONS (Gunnery) WEAPON WA RANGE 25mm Gargoyle Gattling 0 13000 30mm Railcannon 0 100 000 800 MV Particle Beam -5 350 000 80 MW Infrared Laser** 0 30 000 Orbital minefield n/a 0 *Special, see below **This is the weapon one spacecraft laser turrets.
BR 0 2m 40m 3m 10m
COST 75 000 65 000 50 000 65 000 100 000
SPECIAL Unique, Guided Unique, Guided Unique, Guided Unique, Guided 150mm 150mm 150mm, ½ armor 150mm 150mm ½ armor 150mm, Guided Unique, Guided Unique, Guided
TARGET Any. Any, Missile Any. Any, Missile Any
TARGET Any. Ground Ground Any Any, ½ Armor
SPD OF WEAPONS: What follows is how much damage a weapon can take before being rendered inoperable. This is done by direct fire or by acid spray. WEAPON TYPE SPD WEAPON TYPE SPD Marine Light Firepower 10 Marine Medium Firepower 20 Marine Heavy Firepower 30 Marine Assault Firepower 35 Marine Miscellaneous Firepower 35 Mines 20 Grenades 5 Marine Aerospace Firepower (Missiles) 1k Marine Aerospace Firepower (Cannons) 2k Marine Armor Firepower 3k
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VEHICLES M577 ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIER PERFORMANCE TOTAL COST: $2,000,000 LOADED WEIGHT: 31,255lbs, (15.7 tons) MANUEVERABILITY: -3 LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE ARMOR 4K 2K MAIN BODY: 60 SDP 35 SDP WHEELS: MAX SPEED: 125 ACCELERATION: 35 VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: 1 Turret BASIC ARMAMENT: Only one pair of synchronized Republic Electric RE700 20mm gattling cannons. The Turret can carry a variety of armaments (see weapons) MAX MOBILE ASSAULT EXO WARRIOR / MOBILE OFFESNIVE EXO WARRIOR (TL4) PERFORMANCE TOTAL COST: MOX: $1,000,000 MAX: $2,100,000 LOADED WEIGHT: MOX: 8 tones MAX: 10 tones STRENGTH: MOX: 10 MAX: 12 MANUEVERABILITY: MOX: -1 MAX: -3 LOCATIONS: (MOX / MAX ) STRUCTURE: ARMOR: 2K / 4K 1K / 2K MAIN BODY: 1K (50 SDP) / 2K 0.5 K (25 SDP) / 1K ARMS (2): 1K (50 SDP) / 2K 0.5 K (25 SDP) / 1K LEGS (2): MAX SPEED: MOX: 14 MAX: 10 ACCELERATION: 4 VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: See below BASIC ARMAMENT: MOX: M56 Smartgun with x3 ammunition, M240 Flame-thrower with x2 capacity, M26 Thumper Grenade Launcher MAX: One 20 MeV turboalternator powered charged particle beam cannon, M240 Flame-thrower with triple capacity, M56 Smartgun with triple ammunition, M26 Thumper Grenade Launcher NOTES: All arm weapons are considered turrets for special rules. M-242 COMBAT BUGGY PERFORMANCE TOTAL COST: $250 000 LOADED WEIGHT: 18 000 kg (1.8 tons) MANUEVERABILITY: -1 LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE ARMOR 1K (50 SDP) 0.5 (25 SDP) MAIN BODY: 0.5 (25 SDP) 0.25 K (15 SDP) WHEELS: MAX SPEED: 166 ACCELERATION: 50 BASIC ARMAMENT: Twin Gattling Cannons. DAIHOTAI 8X8 ATV PERFORMANCE TOTAL COST: $100 000 LOADED WEIGHT: 2 tones MANUEVERABILITY: -4 LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE ARMOR 100 SDP 50SDP MAIN BODY: 20 SDP 10 SDP WHEELS: MAX SPEED: 125 ACCELERATION: 33 VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: None P-5000 POWERLOADER PERFORMANCE TOTAL COST: $2,000,000 LOADED WEIGHT: 31,255lbs, (15.7 tons) MANUEVERABILITY: -4 STRENGTH: 13 LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE 2K MAIN BODY: 1K ARMS (2): 0.5 K LEGS (2): MAX SPEED: 10 ACCELERATION: 5 VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: None
ARMOR 0.25 K (15 SDP) 0.25 K (15 SDP) 0.25 K (15 SDP)
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M292A2 SELF PROPELLED GUN PERFORMANCE TOTAL COST: $2,000,000 LOADED WEIGHT: 28,000 kg, (28 tons) MANUEVERABILITY: -6 LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE ARMOR 8K 4K MAIN BODY: MAX SPEED: 70 ACCELERATION: 21 VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: One the main gun. BASIC ARMAMENT: Main Cannon--Special Main Cannon: Targets: Ground targets with a 5m blast radius; Damage: 5K; Range: 62 000; WA: +3; ROF: 1; Shots: 78 M34A2 LONGSTREET LIGHT TANK / M22A3 JACKSON MEDIUM TANK / M40 RIDGEWAY HEAVY TANK PERFORMANCE TOTAL COST: LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE ARMOR 6K 3K M34A2: M34A2: $2,000,000 7K 3K M22A3: M22A3: $3 500 000 9K 4K M40: M40: $5 500 000 MAX SPEED: LOADED WEIGHT: M34A2: 100 M34A2: 19 000 kg (19 t) M22A3: 90 M22A3: 28 000 kg (28 t) M40: 35 000 kg (35 t--Too heavy for the UD-4 Dropship) M40: 70 MANUEVERABILITY: ACCELERATION: M34A2: -4 M34A2: 35 M22A3: 30 M22A3: -6 M40: 21 M40: -7 VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: Every vehicle has one hardpoint for their main gun, which is a ERFB (Extended Range Full Bore) Standard Gun. One additional hardpoint is available for additional firepower. The M40 has two more. BASIC ARMAMENT: WEAPON M34A2: M22A3 M40
TARGETS Ground targets, Ariel at –8, Ground targets Ground targets
BR 1m 2m 3m
DC 3K 4K 5K
Range 20 000 25 000 30 000
WA +3 +2 +2
ROF 1 1 1
SHOTS 30 40 50
M-442 “RACK”—POWERED ARMOR (TL 5.5, 6) PERFORMANCE TOTAL COST: STRENGTH: M-442: $1 200 000 M-442: 9 P-7999: 12 P-7999: $650 000 UT-05: $850 000 UT-05: 11 ST-BETA-5: $1 000 000 ST-BETA-5: 10 MANUEVERABILITY: LOADED WEIGHT: M-442: 4 M-442: -1 P-7999: 6 P-7999: -4 UT-05: 7 UT-05: -5 ST-BETA-5: 5 ST-BETA: -4 LOCATIONS: STRUCTURE: ARMOR: MAIN BODY: 3K 2K M-442: 1K 0.5 (25 SDP) P-7999: 1.5 K 0.5 (25 SDP) UT-05: 2K 1K ST-BETA-5: ARMS / LEGS (2) 2K 1K M-442: 1K 0.5 K (25 SDP) P-7999: 1K 0.5 K (25 SDP) UT-05: 1K 0.5 K (25 SDP) ST-BETA-5: MAX SPEED: M-442: 18 P-7999: 12 UT-05: 10 ST-BETA-5: 16 ACCELERATION: 6 VEHICLE HARDPOINTS: See below BASIC ARMAMENT: M-442: One Boyars Pars 150 Phased Plasma Cannon, One Republic Dynamics M2025 40 mW free-electron lasers, OR one 20 MeV Turboalternator powered charged particle beam cannon as well as a M-240 Flame-thrower. P-7999: None UT-05: The only noteworthy form of armament ifs a large flame device similar to the M340 Flame-thrower. ST-BETA-5: A Pulse Rifle has been added to the arsenal with double capacity ammunition.
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AEROSPACE DROPSHIPS DROPSHIP UD-4 CHEYENNE STATISTICS Variant Body WT Armor MV Move Mach Orbit SR UD-4B 3 30 1 -2 150 2.5 8.5 11 UD-4C 4 35 1 -3 200 2 7 11 UD-4E 3 35 2 -3 250 3 9 11 UD-4H 5 40 2 -2 300 3 11 20 UD-4J 4 30 2 -2 200 2.5 9 15 UD-4L 5 40 3 -1 300 3 10 20 Communication range: 2300 km, 3000 for the 4H and 4L models Crew: 1 Pilot, 1 Co-Pilot, and 1 optional gunner. Life support for up to 50 personnel. Maneuverability: 4H and 4L models have a +2 dodge of guided missiles. All have +1 Dodge in space. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, and Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: Parachutes--60 Armament package: 1 Smart Gun, 6 Pulse Rifles, 4 Flame-throwers, 10 Pistols. May be replaced by higher TL weapons. Range: Atmospheric: 10 000 km (15 000 km for 4H and 4L) Orbital: 80 AU Cargo Slots: 1 Hardpoints: 4, 6 for the 4H and 4L Basic Armament: UD-4B: 1x25 mm "Gargoyle" Gattling, 8x120 mm rockets, UD-4C: 1x25 mm "Gargoyle" Gattling, 8x120 mm rockets, 32 x 150-mm rockets, UD-4E: 1x25 mm "Gargoyle" Gattling, 8x120 mm rockets, 8xAGM-220 missiles, UD-4H: 1x25 mm "Gargoyle" Gattling, 32 x 150 mm rockets, 3 x TSAM Missiles, 3xAIM-90 missiles, UD4J: 1x25 mm "Gargoyle" Gattling, 32 x 150 mm rockets, UD-4L: 1x25 mm Gattling, 8x120 mm rockets, 32 x 150 mm rockets, 3 x TSAM Missiles, 3xAIM-90 missiles. NTV Mk 1 SNAKEFIGHTER STATISTICS Variant Body WT Armor MV Move Mach Orbit SR NTVMk1 10 250 4 -5 100 2 15 100 Communication range: 10 000, FTL Crew: 1 Pilot, 1 Co-Pilot, 1 Gunner, 1 Engineer. Life support for up to 100 personnel. Bunks for 30 passengers. Maneuverability: +4 dodge of guided missiles. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: 2 EEVs, 120 Parachutes Armament package: 4 Smart Guns, 15 Pulse Rifles 8 Flame-throwers, 20 Pistols. May be replaced with high TL weapons. Range: Atmospheric: 50 000 km Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 4 ly FTL Speed: 0.5 ly/day Cargo Slots: 2 Hardpoints: 12 Basic Armament: 2x25 mm "Gargoyle" Gattling, 16x120 mm rockets, 8xAGM-220 missiles, 64 x 150 mm rockets, 2 x TSAM Missiles, 3xAIM-90 missiles, 2 XIM-28A missiles FIGHTERS AD-17 COUGAR STRIKESHIP STATISTICS Variant Body WT Armor MV Move Mach Orbit SR AD-17A 4 14 2 0 300 4 20 AD-17I 4 14 2 +1 350 5 12 20 Communication range: 3000 km Crew: 1 Pilot. Life support for 2 personnel. Maneuverability: +2 dodge of guided missiles. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bag. Evacuation: 1 Parachute, 1 Space Suit. Armament package: 2 Pistols. Range: Atmospheric: 7 000 km Orbital: 5 AU for the 17I only Hardpoints: 7, 8 for 17I Basic Armament: AD-17A: 1x25mm "Gargoyle" gattling, 12 AGM-204A's or 16 AIM-90E's can be carried on each of two missile racks, AD-17I: 1x20mm "Gargoyle" gattling cannon, 12 AGM-204A's or 16 AIM-90E's can be carried on each of two missile racks, 2 XIM-28A missiles. HA-117 STINGRAY COMBAT INTERCEPTOR STATISTICS Variant Body WT Armor MV Move Mach HA-117 6 35 2 -3 350 4 Communication range: 5000 km Crew: 1 Pilot. 1 Co-Pilot Life support for 4 personnel. Bunks for 2 Maneuverability: +1 dodge of guided missiles. +2 in space. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bag. Evacuation: 3 Parachutes, 2 Space Suits.
Orbit 30
SR 100
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Armament package: 2 Pulse Rifles, 2. May be replaced with high TL weapons Range: Atmospheric: 20 000 km Orbital: 500 AU Hardpoints: 9 Basic Armament: 30 mm Railcannon, 8 XIM-28A missiles, 2 NIC-79 Missiles, 24 150 mm rockets M-1000 TSAPC TRANS-ATMOSPHERIC PERSONNEL CARRIER (TL4) STATISTICS Variant Body WT Armor MV G.Move A.Move Mach Orbit SR M-1000 3 25 2 -3 35* 70 0.5 5 10 *Meaning 175 kmph with a 30 km acceleration. Communication range: 500 km, FTL. Crew: 1 Driver. 1 optional Gunner. Life support for 30 personnel. Bunks for 15. 1 cryotube. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bag. Evacuation: 35 Parachutes Armament package: 4 Smart Guns, 20 Pulse Rifles, 10 Flame-throwers, 30 Pistols, 10 Shotguns. May be replaced with higher TL weapons. Range: Atmospheric: 1 000 km Orbital: 500 AU Hardpoints: 1 Basic Armament: Triple Barreled Particle Beam SPACE-BORNE DREADNOUGHTS CONESTOGA STATISTICS Variant Body WT Armor MV Move Mach Orbit SR Conestoga 20 78,000 8 -8 10 100 Communication range: Orbital, FTL Crew: 1 Navigator, 1 Engineer, Capsules for 90 crew, 2 000 more capable in Cargo Maneuverability: +8 dodge of guided missiles. Additions: Full stock. Everything on the gear list. Evacuation: 8 EEVs, 200 space suits 80 Re-Entry Pods. Armament package: 10 Smart Guns, 100 Pulse Rifles 20 Flame-throwers, 200 Pistols, 30 Shotguns, up to 30 other weapons. May be replaced with higher TL weapons. Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 15 FTL Speed: 0.74 ly/day Drop Slots: 4 Craft Slots: 1 Cargo Slots: 6 Automatic Systems: Base 11 skill. Hardpoints: n/a Weapons are fixed. Basic Armament: 8 XIM-28A missiles, 2 Particle Beams, 4 30 mm Railcannon turrets (each turret has two linked guns), 6 infrared lasers on turrets, 60 orbital mines, 20 decoys, 2 maneuvering drones
Variant Razzia
Z-1 RAZZIA STATISTICS Body 100
WT 950 000
Armor 10
MV -12
Move --
Mach --
Orbit 7
SR 200
Communication range: Orbital, FTL Crew: 3 Navigator, 10 Engineer, Capsules for 500 crew, 15 000 more capable in Cargo Additions: Full stock. Evacuation: 30 EEVs, 500 Space Suits, 100 Re-Entry Pods. Armament package: Full Stock. Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 30 FTL Speed: 1.1 ly/day Drop Slots: 1 special holding the Razzia Dropship, 10 regular. Craft Slots: 30 Cargo Slots: 100 Automatic Controls: 12 base skill Hardpoints: n/a Basic Armament: 20 XIM-28A missiles, 6 Particle Beams, 12 30 mm Railcannon turrets (each turret has two linked guns), 18 infrared lasers on turrets, 100 orbital mines, 60 decoys, 9 maneuvering drones, 8 Nuclear Captor Missiles, 4 STG Ballistic Missiles. STATISTICS Variant Body WT Armor MV Move Mach Orbit SR Razzia Dropship 15 1 850 6 -9 50 3 15 100 Communication range: 5000 Crew: 1 Pilot, 1 Co-Pilot, 2 Engineer, Life Support for 500 Maneuverability: +1 in space. Additions: Full Stock. Evacuation: 200 Space Suits, 200 Parachutes. Armament package: 10 Smart Guns, 100 Pulse Rifles 30 Flame-throwers, 200 Pistols, 50 Shotguns, May be replaced with higher TL weapons. Up to 30 other weapons.
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Atmosphere: unlimited Orbital: Unlimited Cargo Slots: 3 Hardpoints: n/a Basic Armament: 3x25 mm "Gargoyle" Gattling, 14xAGM-220 missiles, 6 x TSAM Missiles, 6xAIM-90 missiles, 2 XIM-28A missiles Range:
N-1 BOUGAINVILLE CLASS ATTACK TRANSPORT STATISTICS Variant Body WT Armor MV Move Mach Orbit SR N-1 20 75 000 10 -8 30 0.5 15 150 Communication range: Orbital, FTL Crew: 1 Navigator, 2 Engineer, Capsules for 60 crew, 5 000 more capable in Cargo Maneuverability: +8 to guided missiles. Additions: Full Stock Evacuation: 4 EEVs, 300 Space Suits, 30 Drop Pods. Armament package: 10 Smart Guns, 100 Pulse Rifles 30 Flame-throwers, 200 Pistols, 50 Shotguns, May be replaced with higher TL weapons. Up to 30 other weapons. Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 15 FTL Speed: 0.9 ly/day Drop Slots: 2 with a third for the TSAPC. Craft Slots: 2 Cargo Slots: 8 Automatic Controls: Base 12 skill Basic Armament: 12 XIM-28A missiles, 3 800 particle beams, 6 30mm Railcannon turrets (each turret has two linked guns), 9 infrared lasers on turrets, 80 orbital mines, and 40 decoys
Variant M-Class
CIVILIAN SPACECRAFT “M” CLASS STARFREIGHTER (e.g.: “NOSTROMO”) STATISTICS Body WT Armor MV Move 15 63 000 2 -10 50
Mach 0.5
Orbit 7
SR 50
Communication Range: 5 000, FTL Crew: 7--Captain, First Officer, Exec. Officer, Navigator, Science, Engineer, and Engineer's Mate. Life support for up to 30. Evacuation: 1 EEV, 20 space suits. Armament Package: 3 Stunner, 2 Flame-throwers Range: Atmosphere: Unlimited. Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 10 FTL Speed: 0.1 to 0.4 Craft Slots: 1—Narcissus Shuttle Cargo Slots: 100 Automatic Systems: 8 Base skill Hardpoints: None LOCKMART STARCUB LIGHT INTRASYSTEM SHUTLE STATISTICS Variant Body WT Armor MV Move Mach SLI Shuttle 4 150 1 -8 20 Communication Range: 1000, FTL Crew: 1 with up to three passengers. 1 cryotube. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: 3 Space Suits. Armament Package: None Range: Atmosphere: 10 000 Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 3 FTL Speed: 0.1 Automatic Systems: 10 Hardpoints: 1 Basic Armament: None “DUTTON” COAST GUARD PATROL CRAFT STATISTICS Variant Body WT Armor MV Move Mach Dutton 3 120 1 0 300 5 Communication Range: 10 000 Crew: 2 Pilots, Life support for up to six. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: 1 Drop Pod, two space suits. Armament Package: Four shotguns, four pistols. Range: Atmosphere: Unlimited Orbital: Unlimited Hardpoints: 3 Basic Armament: 1 Particle Beam, 6 AIM-90 missiles
Orbit 10
SR 50
Orbit 15
SR 100
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TF-ALPHA-1 CARGO-CRAWLER STATISTICS Variant Body WT Armor MV Move Mach TF-Alpha-1 3 350 1 -5 100 0.5 Communication Range: 1000, FTL Crew: 1, up to three passengers. Two cryotubes. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: Three Spacesuits Armament Package: Pistol, Stunner. Range: Atmosphere: 10 000 Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 4 FTL Speed: 0.2 Cargo Slots: 2 Automatic Systems: 8 base skill DOLOMITE CLASS CARGO HAULER STASISTICS Variant Body WT Armor MV Move Mach Dolomite 20 45 000 3 -7 40 1 Communication Range: 5 000, FTL Crew: 3-- support for up to 500. Up to 500 more in cryotubes Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: 1 EEV, 100 space suits. Armament Package: 3 Stunner, 2 Flame-throwers Range: Atmosphere: Unlimited. Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 10 FTL Speed: 0.7 Craft Slots: 1—Narcissus Shuttle Cargo Slots: 60 Automatic Systems: 8 Base skill Hardpoints: One Basic Armament: None.
Orbit 8
SR 10
Orbit 10
SR 50
ZAJER / COMM TEHCNIC TRANSPORT VESSEL STATISTICS Variant Body WT Armor MV Move Mach Orbit SR ZCTV 10 1350 2 -6 100 2 10 50 Communication Range: 5000 km Crew: Pilot, Co-Pilot, Engineer, can carry 50 passengers unmodified. Up to 200 can be carried with little modification. Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Maneuverability: +2 in Space Evacuation: 1 EEV, 20 Space Suits. 20 Parachutes. Armament Package: Various, usually Two shot guns and two pistols. Range: Atmosphere: Unlimited Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 4 FTL Speed: 0.75 Cargo Slots: 2 Automatic Systems: Base 10 skill Hardpoints: 1 Basic Armament: None. WY TRADER STATISTICS Variant Body WT Armor MV Move Mach Trader 10 58 000 2 -8 --Communication Range: Orbital, FTL Crew: 3, standard Life support allows up to 50…can be modified to hold over 1000 Evacuation: 1 EEV, 10 space suits. Armament Package: 2 Stunner, 1 Flame-throwers, 3 Pistols Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 8 FTL Speed: 0.6 Cargo Slots: 150 Automatic Systems: 8 Base skill Hardpoints: None
Orbit --
SR 10
16
SV- 90 RELIANT CLASS ASSAULT TRANSPORT VEHICLE STATISTICS Variant Body WT Armor MV Move Mach Orbit SR SV-90 8 38,000 1-3 -9* 10 10 *: -6 if pod is dropped Communication range: Orbital, FTL Crew: 3 Navigator, 2 Engineer, Capsules for 8 crew. 400 more capable in Cargo Pod is configured. Maneuverability: +6 dodge of guided missiles if configured Additions: Survival gear. Full stock if configured. Evacuation: 10 Space Suits. 400 space suits and 10 Re-Entry Pods if configured. Armament package: Two Pistols. 4 Smart Guns, 30 Pulse Rifles 20 Flame-throwers, 200 Pistols, 30 Shotguns, up to 30 other weapons. May be replaced with higher TL weapons. Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 10 FTL Speed: 0.7 ly/day Cargo Slots: 50 Automatic Systems: Base 8 skill. Hardpoints: 3. Basic Armament: None MISCELLANEOS CRAFT RE-ENTRY POD STATISTICS Variant Body WT Armor MV Move Mach Orbit REP 2 10 1 -10 20 8* -*: Straight Down. Communication Range: 1000, FTL Crew: 1, Up to ten passengers. Maneuverability: +5 against guided missiles. Additions: Full survival suit: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: None…it IS an evacuation Armament Package: None. Range: Atmosphere: None…it lands. Orbital: None FTL: None FTL Speed: None Automatic Systems: 8 Base skill BD-409 EEV (Emergency Escape Vehicle) STATISTICS Variant Body WT Armor MV Move Mach BD-409 3 50 1 ---Communication Range: Orbital, FTL Crew: 16 Passengers in Cryo tubes Maneuverability: 0 Additions: Fire Retardant, Flares, Raft, Emergency Rations, Sleeping Bags. Evacuation: None…It is an evacuation vehicle. Range: Orbital: Unlimited FTL: 4 FTL Speed: 0.2 ly/day Automatic Systems: 10 base skill
Orbit 2
SR --
SR 100
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SYNTHETICS SYNTHETICS RULES CORPORATE—BASE MODEL—SYNTHETIC TECH LEVEL: TL1 COST: $55 000 EXAMPLE MODEL NAMES: “Ash”, “Andy”, “Lizzy”, “Doyle”, “Sylvie” AVERAGE AGE: 30-40 CHARACTERISTIC RANGE: INT: 7-9 PRE: 1-3 TECH: 7-9 REF: 5-7 DEX: 5-7 STR: 6 – 8 MOVE: 2-4 BODY: 5-7 HITS (Average): 30KILLING DEFENSE: 5 RECOVERY (TL5): 15 BASE SKILLS: Business: +1 (+3) Computer Programming: +1 (+3) Education : +4 (+6) Hacking: +2 (+4) Science: +3 (+5) Research: +2 (+4) Paramedic: +4 (+6) First Aid: +3 (+5) Engineer--Synthetic: +1 (+3) Xenobiology: +3 (+5) Electronics: +1 (+3) Expert—Corporation: +5 (+7) Bugging: 0 (+2) Concealment: 0 (+2) Perception: 0 (+2) ABILITIES: Ambidexterity Common Sense Eidetic Memory Lightening Calculator Time Sense Speed Reader MILITARY—BASE MODEL—SYNTHETIC TECH LEVEL: 1 COST: $65 000 EXAMPLE MODELS: “Bishop”, “Dawn”, “Crowe”, “Brook”, “Costas” AVERAGE AGE: 30-40 CHARACTERISTIC RANGE: INT: 6-8 PRE: 1-3 TECH: 7-9 REF: 5-7 DEX: 6-8 STR: 5-7 MOVE: 3-5 BODY: 5-7 HITS (Average): 30 KILLING DEFENSE: 8 RECOVERY (TL5): 15 Education : +4 (+6) Computer Programming: +3 (+5) Science: +3 (+5) Research: +1 (+3) Paramedic: +1 (+3) Pilot—Dropship: +2 (+2) First Aid: +4 (+6) Engineer--Synthetic: +1 (+3) Electronics: +2 (+4) Astrogation: +1 (+3) Driving—APC: +2 (+4) Driving—Buggy: +1 (+3) Navigation: +1 (+3) Engineer—Aerospace: 0 (+2) Engineer—Armor: +1 (+3) Pilot—Starship: 0 (+2) Engineer—Starship: +1 (+2) Pilot—Powerloader: +1 (+2) ABILITIES: Ambidexterity Common Sense Eidetic Memory Lightening Calculator Time Sense Speed Reader Double Jointed “SEX” AD-CAP (“ADVANCED CAPABILITY”) GENERAL SUPPORT SYNTHETIC TECH LEVEL: 3 COST: $100 000 EXAMPLE MODELS: “Judith” , “Claire”, “Shana”, “Morgan”, “Virgil” AVERAGE AGE: 19-25 INT: 4-6 PRE: 5-7 TECH: 6-8 REF: 4-6 DEX: 4-6 STR: 3-5 BODY: 4-6 MOVE: 2-4 HITS (Average): 25 KILLING DEFENSE: 5 RECOVERY (TL5): 10 Education : +3 (+4) Computer Programming: +1 (+2) Science: +2 (+3) Research: +1 (+2) First Aid: +2 (+4) Engineer--Synthetic: +1 (+3) Electronics: +1 (+3) Navigation: +1 (+3) Pilot—Powerloader: +1 (+1) Acrobatics: +1 (+3) Performance: +5 (+7) Conversation: +2 (+4) Seduction: +4 (+5) Wardrobe & Style: +6 (+7) Persuasion: +5 (+7) Mimicry: +2 (+4) Perception: +1 (+3) Hand-to-Hand—Evade: 0 (+2) High Society: 0 (+1) ABILITIES: Ambidexterity Eidetic Memory Beautiful (Level 3)* Double Jointed Night Vision *Bonuses to Persuasion, Performance, Wardrobe&Style have been added to “Skills.”
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GENERAL ANDROID ENTERTAINER (“ROCKERS”) TECH LEVEL: 2 COST: $35 000 EXAMPLE MODELS: “Rod”, “Skank”, “Gutterboy, “Hardware” AVERAGE AGE: 20-30 INT: 2-4 PRE: 4-6 TECH: 4-6 REF: 6-8 DEX: 5-7 STR: 4-6 MOVE: 2-5 BODY: 2-4 HITS: 15 KILLING DEFENSE: 1 RECOVERY (TL5): 0 Education : +1 (+1) Computer Programming: +1 (+2) Research: +1 (+2) First Aid: +1 (+3) Engineer--Synthetic: +1 (+3) Electronics: +1 (+3) Acrobatics: +1 (+3) Performance: +5 (+7) Conversation: +1 (+3) Wardrobe&Style: +4 (+7) Persuasion: +3 (+6) Mimicry: +4 (+6) Perception: +1 (+3) Play Instrument: +5 (+8) ABILITIES: Ambidexterity Beautiful (Level 1) Double Jointed Perfect Pitch MEDICAL / TECHNICIAN SYNTHETIC TECH LEVEL: 2 COST: $90 000 EXAMPLE MODELS: “Payne”, “Floyd”, “Orson”, “Paxton” AVERAGE AGE: 35-45 CHARACTERISTIC RANGE: INT: 8-10 PRE: 1 TECH: 8-10 REF: 5-7 DEX: 5-7 STR: 4-6 MOVE: 3-5 BODY: 5-7 HITS: 30 KILLING DEFENSE: 3 RECOVERY (TL5): 20 BASE SKILLS: STANDERD (Both Models) Education : +4 (+6) Engineer--Synthetic: +4 (+6) Electronics: +2 (+3) Computer Programming: +1 (+3) MEDICAL: Science: +3 (+5) Research: +3 (+5) Survival: +2 (+4) Paramedic: +5 (+7) First Aid: +5 (+7) Xenobiology: +1 (+6) Forensic Medicine: 0 (+3) Criminology: 0 (+3) Professional Doctor: 0 (+3) TECHNICIAN: Engineer—Armor: +4 (+6) Weaponsmith: +3 (+5) Engineer—Starship: +3 (+6) Engineer—Aerospace: +4 (+6) Mechanics: +3 (+6) Pilot—Powerloader: +2 (+5) Driving—APC: 0 (+3) Driving—Buggy: (+3) Pilot—Dropship: (+2) ABILITIES: Ambidexterity Eidetic Memory Lightening Calculator Time Sense Speed Reader Acute Touch
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THE ALIEN: STATISTICS ACIDIC BLOOD: The alien’s blood is the life of the creature. It is a highly corrosive form of molecular acid. Unlike most creature the blood is under a massive pressure. The creature does have what is known as a heart, however it does work a bit differently. In comparison, the Alien has the blood pressure and the heart beat of a hummingbird. FUZION rules have a hit location table on page 48 in the PDF rules. A hit in the knees or arms produces little splash of the acid. But a hit to the torso produces quite feedback of acidic blood. The splash range is as follows: Head: 1D6 - 1 meters Arms / Legs: 1D6 - 3 meters Torso: 1D6 + 1 meters Anybody caught in a 90-degree arc from the hit area must make a dodge of roll or avoid the searing effects. The acid causes DC7 at point blank range and it reduces by one ever 2 meters to the maximum rage of the splatter. The difficulty to dodge is 18 with –1 for every meter away from the alien. Unless the acid is cleared up the following round, it will continue to do damage. Every subsequent round, the target will take –1 DC damage from the initial DC until neutralized. Remember that ALL targets must check for spray. This includes vehicles, weapons, and walls. Finally, the acid blood causes so much damage, 50% of all damage taken removes armor (round down). To Kill structures, the continues effect of the acid means that ever 50 points of acidic damage removes 1 K. This allows even a drone to eat through the armor of an APC. Any vehicles or structures in the splatter path are hit automatically 1D6 times. Devices hits may still function (GMs discretion). THE EGG No matter what, even if converted to a Queen, the egg is only used to create and hold the facehugger life form. Any living organism that approaches within 3 meters will activate it. If it is ignited, the Facehugger will try to escape. HITS: 20 KD: 2 ED: 5 WEAPONS: Launch Facehugger—see below.
1:
2: 3: 4:
THE FACEHUGGER SPECIAL RULES FOR FACEHUGGERS: If the alien is cut of instantly, the victim must take a CON check and beat a DV of 15 or take DC4 Stun immediately. Full acid splash damage must also be applied. Every minute afterward, the stun damage increases by 1DC. Also add 1DC of Killing Damage. It is always unwise to cut the facehugger off after the first few minutes. The embryo will be implanted in one hour. The Facehugger can be safely removed without acid blood spilt if a surgical ward is present and a doctor is prepped. After a single DV of 22, a live facehugger is removed from the host. This difficulty drops by one for every TL. After the first hour, the embryo is in. The same DV above is required to remove the Facehugger plus a simpler DV of 15 is required to remove the now dead embryo. After six hours, the Facehugger falls off, the host is ready. If it can’t find another host in ten minutes, it will die. Placing it in stasis will prevent that from happening. The Host will awaken an hour later, fully recovered, no symptoms until the time is right.
CHARACTERISTICS: INT: 4 REF: 9 RUN: 18 SWIM / LEAP: 6 HITS: 15 KD: 1 STUN: 21 SD: 20 WEAPONS: Range WA Tail 1m +2 Grapple
1:
2: 3:
4:
DEX: 9
CON: 10
STR: 10
BODY: 3
ED: 20 DC
THE CHESTBURSTER: SPECIAL RULES: After six hours, the Chestburster newborn has grafted itself inside the host. After that, the alien can still be removed after an attempt to counter a DV of 26 is made (dropping by 1 for every TL). The chestburster will emerge six hours later. Every hour another check can be made. Every failure results in a DC4 injury. When the alien emerges, it does DC12 damage to its host with no KD defense. There have been reports of Facehugger’s implanting two or more Newborns in the Host body. If this is the case, there is a chance that one or both of the newborns may be killed. The Body is not designed to carry two. If there are two, the first has a 20% chance of dying and the second has a 30% chance. If there are three, then the chances of all of them increase by 10% (3 embryos: 1=30%, 2=40% 3=50%; 5 embryos: 1=50%, 2=60%, 3=70%, 4=80%, 5=90%). Every extra embryo requires one extra hour of maturation in the host for the entire group and one extra hour as chestbursters before they can mature as adult warriors. Several situations can delay a chestbursters appearance. --A queen takes twice as long—20 hours total. --The Chestburster remains still while the subject in cryo. But it takes a lot longer to come out. Whatever time is left when the host comes out of cryo is multiplied by 10.
CHARACTERISTICS: INT: 4 REF: 10 RUN: 24 SWIM / LEAP: 8 HITS: 25 KD: 5 ED: 20 STUN: 35 SD: 20 WEAPONS: Range WA Teeth 1m +2
DEX: 11
CON: 10
STR: 3
BODY: 5
REC: 13 DC 3
THE ADULT ALIEN (THE DRONE): SPECIAL RULES: 1: Hybridization, see below. The stats below are for a standard human. 2: The Aliens can hide themselves in their own hive at +5 skill. A player must be actively searching for aliens to spot one. Aliens uses DEX, Players use Awareness. 3: Aliens never take things personally. Only if their Queen or Host is threatened does the alien react in a violent manner. When that happens, all of the aliens Characteristics increase by 1.
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4: At least 3 drones, after forming a small hive, can convert a regular egg into a queen egg or royal guard egg in six additional hours by producing Royal Jelly. The Facehugger looks normal but creates the appropriate newborn. 5: A rogue drone can convert a living host into a regular egg in 10 hours. This involves enclosing the subject and slowly converting the host into an egg. Since one extra host is used up, the Queen route is always preferred. (Note: This process was shot for the first film but cut. I have included it as an extra bite the creatures have) CHARACTERISTICS: INT: 6 WILL: 10 REF: 10 TECH: 3 DEX: 11 CON: 10 STR: 10 BODY: 10 RUN: 24 SWIM / LEAP: 8 HITS: 50 (1 K)* KD: 11 ED: 20 STUN: 70 SD: 20 REC: 20 *A 1 K weapon will kill a drone. WEAPONS: Range: WA: DC: SPECIAL Attack Tongue 1m +2 6 Armor Piercing (halves KD) Teeth 1m +1 4 Can also grapple Claws 1m +1 4 Can also grapple Acid Spit 12 m -2 5 Continues burn (see above) Tail 2m -3 n/a Grapple ROYAL GUARD SPECIAL ABILITIES: 1: The Royal Guard can hide themselves in their own hive at +7 skill. A player must be actively searching for aliens to spot one. Aliens use DEX, Players use Awareness. 2: If their Queen is threatened, the Guard will react in a violent manner. When that happens, all of the aliens Characteristics increase by 1. If the Queen is hurt, add an additional +1 CHARACTERISTICS: INT: 8 WILL: 10 REF: 13 TECH: 6 DEX: 15 CON: 10 STR: 13 BODY: 15 RUN: 24 SWIM / LEAP: 8 HITS: 75 (1.5 K) KD: 15 (0.2 K) ED: 20 (0.5 K) STUN: 105 SD: 20 REC: 25 WEAPONS: Range: WA: DC: SPECIAL Attack Tongue 1m +2 7 (0.5 K) Armor Piercing (halves KD) Teeth 1m +1 5 Can also grapple Claws 1m +1 5 Can also grapple Acid Spit 12 m -2 6 Continues burn (see above) Tail 2m -3 n/a Grapple Tail Spear 2m -3 6 None THE QUEEN: SPECIAL RULES: 1: Queen have two attacks every round because of their limbs. CHARACTERISTICS: INT: 13 WILL: 10 REF: 14 TECH: 8 DEX: 12 CON: 13 STR: 18 BODY: 30 RUN: 24 SWIM / LEAP: 8 HITS: 150 (3 K) KD: 30 (0.5 K) ED: 26 (0.5 K) STUN: 210 SD: 26 REC: 33 WEAPONS: Range: WA: DC: SPECIAL Attack Tongue 2m +2 13 (1 K) Armor Piercing (halves KD) Teeth 1m +1 9 (0.5 K) Can also grapple Large Claws 3m +1 8 (0.4 K) Can also grapple Small Claws 1m 0 6 Can also grapple Acid Spit 12 m -2 9 (0.5 K) Continues burn (see above) Tail 2m -3 n/a Grapple Tail Spear 2m -3 10 (0.6 K) None the basis of Williams Gibson’s Alien 3 script.
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ALIEN: FUZION CHARACTER RECORD SHEET Personal Information: Player Name: ________________________________________ Nickname:_______________________________ Age: __________ Rank: ___________________ Occupation__________________________ Gender: _________ Height: ____________ Weight: __________ Eyes: __________ Hair: ___________ Reputation: _____________
Characteristics:
Derived characteristics:
Intelligence Willpower Presence Technique Reflexes Dexterity Constitution Strength Body Movement
STUN POINTS________________(BODY X5) HITS MAXIMUM______________(BODY X5) Stun Defense _______(CONx2) Luck _______(Int + ref) Recovery _______(Str+Con) Run _______(move x2) Endurance _______(Con x10) Speed _______(1/2 of REF) Resistance _______(Will x3) Humanity_______(Pre x10) Energy Defense _______(Con x2)
STUN POINTS (____________) HITS (____________)
______(INT) ______(WILL) ______(PRE) ______(TECH) ______(REF) ______(DEX) ______(CON) ______(STR) ______(BODY) ______(MOVE)
EXPERIENCE: __________
ARMOR: PD ____________ EKD ______________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________
SKILLS TALENTS AND PERKS ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ WEAPON
Modifiers
Points _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____
DC / Stun
Roll+d10. ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________
HIT LOCATION TABLE
Mod
3-5 HEAD (2x Dam) -6 6 HAND (½ Damage)* -4 7-8 ARM (½ Damage)* -3 9 SHOULDER (1x Dam)* -3 10-11 CHEST (1x Damage) -1 12 STOMACH (x1.5 Dam) -5 13 VITALS (1.5 Damage) -6 14 THIGHS (x1 Damage)* -3 15-16 LEGS (½ Damage)* -4 17-18 FEET (½ Damage)* -4 * I f not obvious, roll 1die: even=right, odd=left Range Table
Range Melee Close Medium Long Extreme M/Yds 4m or < 10 or < 50 or < 51 or >* > listed rng Off Mod 0 -2 -4 -6 -6 (+1**) *Up to the listed range of the weapon. **Plus –1 / 50 yards past listed range
STR Min
Notes
Equipment and gear
TOTAL FUZION™ BASIC RULES REV 4.4.3 Web Edition THE FUZION GROUP© 1997
Fuzion © the FUZION GROUP, 1997. All rights are reserved under International Copyright Conventions. Fuzion is the Fuzion Group's trademark name for its multigenre roleplaying system. This copy is authorized for single-download, personal use; commercial or online use of these materials in any form without written permission from the Fuzion Group will be prosecuted to the full extent of law. To obtain permission or licensing information, contact the Fuzion Group at [email protected].
INTRODUCTION TO FUZION
FUZION™ GAME MECHANICS What’s Fuzion?
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uzion is a set of rules for roleplaying; in other words, it’s a roleplaying game.
What’s a Roleplaying game? A roleplaying game lets you pretend to be a character in a story that’s like a play. Each player plays a character, making the decisions and saying the things the character would say in the situations that happen. One player, the Gamemaster (GM) acts like the author and director of the play; he “sets the stage,” telling the players where they are, what is happening, and what other characters (the Non-Player Characters, or NPCs) are saying and doing. The GM guides the action but does not control it; the results of the game depend both on the players and the GM. More simply, roleplaying is just like the “cops and robbers” or “playing house” games you played as a kid, only this time with rules to help guide you, and situations that are more complex and interesting.
How do I get a character? The GM gives you one, lets you pick one that’s already been written up, or lets you create one.
How do I create a character? P A G E S Use the Lifepath on page 4 to develop a background for your character. Then you buy the Primary Characteristics (also called Stats; numbers that determine how good you are physically, mentally, and in combat) with Characteristic Points (CPs). Next, you use Option Points (OPs) to buy Skills and other things your character can do or use (including equipment and special abilities). The GM tells you how many CPs and OPs you have to start with, what things you can buy and what you can’t, and any special rules he may have for his game. You may be able to take Complications for your character to get more OPs.
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How do I know how good my character is? P A G E S All Primary Characteristics and Skills use numbers on the same scale, and all have a starting value of 0. Normal humans are usually in the 3-4 range, with 7 being the maximum normally; in some games you can go up to 10 for a normal human. Anything over a 10 is superhuman. Each 1 point of a Characteristic or a Skill is +1 to a Skill Roll (in the case of Strength, a +1 is +1 die of damage in an attack).
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How do we start playing? P A G E S One player becomes the GM and decides the setting of the game, the rules to be used, starting points for characters, and all the choices and options presented in the Fuzion rules. The other players get their characters ready based on what the GM tells them about the rules. The GM prepares a story (or uses one from an adventure book), and begins to tell the players what their characters see and hear, and starts asking the players what their characters will do next. When something comes up where the result isn’t obvious (like whether or not you hit someone or whether you can pick a lock), use the Fuzion rules to find the answer.
35 - 37
How do I figure out if I succeed at something? P A G E S You make a Skill Roll. Skill Rolls all work the same way, no matter what Skill you use. First, find your Action Value (AV): To do this, take the Characteristic and add it to the Skill needed (the GM tells you which
37 - 38
Characteristic to use for the Skill). For instance, if you’re trying to pick a lock, you’d use Lockpicking Skill with your Technique Characteristic. Your Action Value plus your Die Roll gives you the Action Total. (The Die Roll you use is decided by the GM for the entire game. To be like the Hero System, the Die Roll would be 3D6; to be like Interlock, the Die Roll would be 1d10.) If your Action Total meets or beats the Difficulty Value (DV), you succeed.The Difficulty Value is provided by the GM, looking at the table on page 37 for reference. Or, if you’re trying to use your Skill against someone else’s Skill directly, the Difficulty Value comes from the opponent’s Action Value plus Die Roll (to be like the Hero System, you’d just add 10; to be like Interlock, you’d roll 1d10).Skill Rolls: Action Value (AV) + Die Roll = Action Total. The Action Total must be equal to or greater than the Difficulty Value (from the table on page 37).
How do I fight? P A G E S The GM declares that combat has started, and each character gets to act in order (see page 35 for details). A character takes an Action, determines the result of that action, then the next character gets to act until all characters have acted. Then the Phase is over and a new Phase begins, where everyone can act again. Page 35 has details and options that can change this.
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How do I hit a target? P A G E S Fighting is handled the same way as any Skill. Find your Action Value (AV): Take your Reflex Characteristic plus your Weapon Skill, and add a Die Roll to get your Action Total. Compare your Action Total to the Difficulty Value; if you meet or beat it, you hit. To find the Difficulty Value, add the defender’s Dexterity plus their Evade Skill to get their Defending Value (DV); add 10 to be like the Hero System, 1d10 to be like Interlock. To get the Difficulty Value for an unopposed action, your Action Value (AV) + Die Roll = Action Total. The Action Total must be equal to or greater than the Difficulty Value (DV) + Die Roll.
42 - 45
How do I do damage? P A G E S Roll the damage listed for your weapon (some number of dice), or roll 1D6 for every 1 Strength you use. Attacks are either Stun attacks (hands or feet, clubs) or Killing attacks (guns, knives, lasers). Roll the dice and find the total; that’s the number of Stun against the target (for Stun attacks) or the number of Hits against the target (for Killing attacks).
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How do I take damage? P A G E S The target of an attack subtracts either their Stun Defense or their Killing Defense from the number of Stun done by a normal attack, whichever defense is higher. The target subtracts its Killing Defense from the number of Hits done by a Killing attack. The remaining Stun (or Hits) are subtracted from the target’s total Stun (or total Hits). If your Stun falls to 0 or below, you are unconscious; if your Hits fall to 0 or below, you are dying. See page 146 for details and options.
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How do I GM? The best way is through trying it yourself. Read through the rules completely, and read through the campaign setting provided.
BASIC FUZION CONCEPTS Some Important Fuzion Designer’s Notes: ®
he result is that in any Fuzion book, you may find a few tables that either don’t directly apply to the genre or may seem to be out of scale to the genre (for instance, Strength and Throwing tables that allow you to lift mountains and chuck them into orbit.) Relax. The whole idea is that in each Fuzion setting, we may use the same tables, but they are applied differently by adjusting the Dials and Switcher that control their effects on the game. hy do we do it this way? The first reason is that although you may not currently have any characters in your game that can lift mountains, you have the option of adding them at any time—if you want to. Otherwise, simply use the tables at the setting for your campaign level. And if you need characters to lift small mountains, you can easily “dial” those tables to a level which best fits that particular game. n addition, Fuzion was designed as a whole, not as a series of parts for different genres. That means we’ve tried to cover as many different conditions that we think might arise over hundreds of genres and settings instead of putting out new rules as new settings come up. This allows you more flexibility in creating your own genres; if you want to add starships to your fantasy game (like in Poul Anderson’s High Crusade), you don’t need to wait till we out out a specific book combining these elements. This is especially important when you consider the number of new genres and settings arising every day in animé, comics and movies—with zombie cowboys, parapsychic FBI agents, superpowered ninja rangers and so on. astly, since Fuzion was designed from the roots of both the HERO and Interlock systems, it also has the advantage of being able to use previously published materials from both of these systems with very little conversion required. And since Fuzion can be applied to a wide variety of genres, it has been licensed to other game settings as well as RTG and HERO’s settings, allowing players to use parts of these offspring systems as well. or more on the Fuzion system, or to download your own copy of the Core Design Rules, visit the Fuzion Labs web site at http:\\www.fuzion.com
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ABOUT KEYPAGES uzion is built on the idea of Keypages. Each Keypage is designed to be an easy to follow chunk of information, divided into individual topics. Each topic is often boxed or otherwise separated from all the other topics.
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s a general Rule, Major topics are always written in a bold, fully capitalized text:
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WAYS TO USE FUZION
and are always prefaced with a black and white number box that lists the steps of the rules in order of how they are done. Less important subjects relating to the main topic are written in a bold, upper and lower case text, as below:
And How It Will Improve Your Life but have no number box. lso, most Keypage boxes will have some kind of illustration or image to highlight ideas or concepts in the text, making it easier to pick out particular rules by linking them to a graphic.
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P
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D
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final important thing about Keypages is that they are as self contained as possible; in general, all the tables and information pertaining to a concept will be on the individual Keypage, even if this means repeating a table, passage or illustration more than once. Keypages are designed to be self contained so that you don’t have to spend a lot of time flipping around the book; in fact, most of the time, you can photocopy a particular Keypage and give it to your players to speed the process of creating characters, powers or mecha.
uzion is unique in that it is designed to allow Referees to customize its functions to better fit the particular needs of their campaigns. This is done by using four important concepts, called Plug- Ins, Switches, Dials, and Keys. lug-ins are links to Fuzion’s “parent” systems; R.Talsorian’s MEKTON and HERO Game’s Champions. A Plug-in is like a mini version of its parent (its elements are created using the parent system, in fact), but the Plug-in is simpler and has less complexity. Plug-Ins allow you to build simpler versions of Powers and Mecha for your Fuzion games. They can also be used to “port” powers and mecha built in the parent into Fuzion or back. witches are rules that could be turned on and off for your campaign without unbalancing everything else. Fuzion highlights those important, switchable rules and makes it easy to pick them out from the ones that really affect the total balance of the game. To use a switch, simply mark it ON in the upper box. ials are a way of setting the level of effect of a particular rule on your Fuzion campaign. Dials are usually set according to the Reality Level of the campaign; from Everyday (pretty much like real life) to Superheroic (the world of four color comics and mythology).To use a dial, you decide at the start of your campaign what reality level you want that particular rule to be set at, then checkmark the box next to that setting. The rule then automatically has that level of effect on your campaign.Dials are an incredibly powerful tool, because they allow you to tailor the rules of the campaign to exactly fit the required flavor. And since all Fuzion games use the same dials, it’s easy to cross genres and worlds. eys are ideas or concepts that we think you’ll find especially interesting; novel ways to use a rule or a new possibility for roleplaying. Keys also point out important concepts in how Fuzion works. You use these keys to unlock your imagination.
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NAVIGATING THE RULES
he Fuzion system is an metasystem, not a multisystem. An multisystem basically allows you to play the same way in a number of different genres or settings. A metasystem , on the other hand, allows you to not only do this, but also combine elements of many different genres into one setting (for instance, giant robots and fantasy characters) as well allowing you to customize those core rules to best fit the individual genre by adjusting the level of their impact on your game.
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PLUG-INS, KEYS, SWITCHES, AND DIALS
LIFEPATH: CHARACTER BACKGROUND
L I F E P A T H his is the first step of creating a character; getting a concept and history established. Lifepath is a special flowchart of events, personality quirks and plot complications, which are used to give a character roleplaying depth and complexity. In effect, the Lifepath is your character’s “origin story,” telling where he came from, what he’s done and what he’s like. To use the Lifepath, simply follow the instructions in each box of the chart, rolling a die or making a choice as instructed.
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Switch: Complications [see pg. 14 - 15 for more details] s part of the Lifepath process, you may also elect to take a few COMPLICATIONS: Situations, problems or personal limitations that enhance the roleplaying aspect of the character, and (coincidentally), generate extra Option Points (pg. 13 Sec. ❷) to be used in the creation of the character later. Note that in Fuzion, Complications are not just window dressing; a big part of getting more Option Points is roleplaying your complications. ENEMY PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGICAL COMPULSION RESPONSIBILITY PHYSIOLOGICAL SOCIAL Along the Lifepath you'll see certain events marked with these symbols. They are a signal that this particular event is a good place to link up to a possible Complication. For example, Parents Murdered would be a great place to take on a Responsibility, such as a Dependent (your baby sister), a Vow (to fight Evil) or a Code of Honor (Never Harm an Innocent).
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tart by deciding what your character is like; Basic Personality, Values, and world view. You may either roll (2D6) these or choose one:
BASIC PERSONALITY 2 3 4 5 6-7 8 9 10 11 12
Shy and secretive Rebellious, antisocial, violent Arrogant, proud, and aloof Moody, rash, and headstrong Friendly and outgoing Stable and serious Silly and fluff-headed Sneaky and deceptive Intellectual and detached Picky, fussy, and nervous
GO TO WHO YOU VALUE MOST
2
N
WHO DO YOU VALUE MOST?
WHAT DO YOU VALUE MOST?
2 3 4 5-6 7 8 9 10 11 12
2 3 4 5 6-7 8 9 10 11 12
Child Brother or sister Friend Lover Yourself Pet Teacher or mentor Public figure Personal hero No one
GO TO WHAT YOU VALUE MOST
ow move on to Early Background and Childhood Events (Roll for all of these):
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EARLY BACKGROUND What was your early upbringing like, economics wise? [Note: this has no effect on your current situation] Roll 2D6 and find out... ROLL FAMILY STATUS: 2-3 POOR: Just scraping by, day by day. 4-6 MIDDLE CLASS: Like most kids, you were pretty run of the mill. 7-8 WELL-TO-DO: You went to good schools, wore nice clothes, had lots of treats. 9-10 WEALTHY: You had plenty of everything; even servants! 12 RICH (possibly nobility): You lived in the lap of luxury, lacking nothing.
What Comes Next? Any Childhood Crises? Big problems or traumas? Roll once (1D6) below and go to the appropriate table:
1-3 4-6
A BORING CHILDHOOD: GO TO LIFE EVENTS GO TO CHILDHOOD EVENTS
Money Honor Knowledge Honesty Friendship Your Word Love Power Having a good time Vengeance
GO TO WORLD VIEW
YOUR WORLD VIEW 2 3 4 5 6-7 8 9 10 11 12
Every person is a valuable individual. I like almost everyone. No one understands me. People are sheep who need to be led. I’m neutral to most people. People must earn my respect. No free rides here. People are untrustworthy. Be careful who you depend on. No one’s going to hurt me again. People are wonderful! People are scum and should be wiped out.
GO TO EARLY BACKGROUND
CHILDHOOD EVENTS A crisis in your early youth! Roll 1D6 to see how your family was affected:
1-4 ONE OR SOME FAMILY MEMBERS WERE... 5-6 YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY WAS... ....then roll 1D6 for the rest of the story:
1-3 ENEMIES 1 2 3 4 5 6
betrayed by a friend or relative and lost everything they had. exiled; you have returned under an alias. murdered before your eyes. Hunted by (or involved in a vendetta) with a powerful group, or organization. abducted or mysteriously vanished; you were inexplicably left behind. killed in war, terrorism, or disaster.
4-6 SECRETS 1
accused of a terrible crime they may (or may not) have committed. Roll 1D6: 1-3, they were imprisoned for 1D6+2 years; 4-6, they escaped imprisonment but are still under the gun. 2-3 considered to have some kind of unique birthright, ability or status. 4 unknown— you grew up alone, never knowing your true heritage. 5-6 not the real thing—you’re adopted, and obsessed with finding your true family.
GO TO LIFE EVENTS
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3
our third step is to chart the course of your life after Childhood by moving on to Life Events.
LIFE EVENTS: START HERE
Roll 2D6+16 (or choose) to determine your age. For each year over 16, roll once below and go to the appropriate table:
1-2 3-4 5 6
GOOD WITH THE BAD FRIENDS AND ENEMIES LOVE AND WAR NOTHING HAPPENED THAT YEAR.
hen you have completed all the years up to the present, Go to CURRENT SITUATION to see where you are now.
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FRIENDS & ENEMIES (roll 1D6) 1-3 MAKE AN ENEMY. ROLL 1D6 AND SEE BELOW 1 2 3 4-5 6
ENEMY: Bitter ex-friend or lover. ENEMY: Relative. ENEMY: Partner or co-worker. ENEMY: From rival group or faction. ENEMY: Powerful official or noble.
4-5 MAKE A FRIEND: ROLL 1D6 AND SEE BELOW 1 2 3 4 5-6
FRIEND: Like a brother, sister or parent to you. FRIEND: Partner or co-worker. FRIEND: Old lover (choose which one). FRIEND: Old enemy (choose which one). FRIEND: Have common interests/acquaintances.
GOOD WITH THE BAD (roll 1D6) 1-3 SOMETHING GOOD: ROLL 1D6 MAKE A CONNECTION (see PERKS): A local power player (warlord, official, noble, whatever) befriends you. Their level of effectiveness is worth 1D6/2. 2 MENTOR: You gained a teacher or mentor in your life. This person has taught you one new skill up to a level of 1D6/2 (round up). 3-4 FAVOR (see PERKS): Someone owes you big time. Roll 1D6/2 to determine the level of the favor owed you. Type of contact subject to GM approval. 5 MEMBERSHIP (see PERKS): You have been nominated for membership in a select group. Roll 1D6/2 to determine your new status (organization is up to GM) 6 WINDFALL: Your financial ship just came in— an inheritance, lottery win, gambling score, or just a good investment Roll 2D6 x $10,000 for the amount.
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1
1-2 3-4
Had a Happy Love Affair: ‘Nuff said. Had Love Trouble! Any of these might be a good
1 2 3 4 5 6
Had a Tragic Romance: Any of these might be a good hook for a COMPULSION, ENEMY, or PSYCHOLOGICAL complication. Roll 1D6 and see below: Lover died in accident or was murdered. Lover mysteriously vanished Lover was kidnapped. Lover was imprisoned or exiled Lover went insane and is now “hospitalized.” Lover committed suicide
1 2 3 4 5
5-6
GO BACK TO LIFE EVENTS
WHERE YOUR LIFE IS RIGHT NOW:
2 3
4 5-7 8 9 10 11
3
4
5
6
GO BACK TO LIFE EVENTS
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You’re involved in the underworld; criminal or black market activities. You’re involved in law enforcement, criminal investigation, or espionage work. You’re involved in government or other administrative duties. You have a nameless, mundane “day job.” You’re involved in business or high finance. You’re a freelancer; you work for yourself You’re involved in craftwork or construction You’re involved in research or scientific study. You’re involved in a military or paramilitary organization.
GO TO CURRENT OUTLOOK
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CURRENT OUTLOOK
ROLL 1D6 TO DETERMINE WHERE YOUR LIFE IS RIGHT NOW: 1 2 3 4 5 6
I hate my life, but I can’t change it. My life is crazy and out of control. I crave more adventure and thrills I crave more romance and passion. I crave more money and power. Life is good!
Lifepath, or 6 End if Super, go on to Origin Path, (pg. 6)
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hook for a COMPULSION, ENEMY, or PSYCHOLOGICAL complication. Roll 1D6/see below: Your lover’s friends/family would use any means to get rid of you. You fight constantly. You’ve had a child! Roll for sex: Even=Female, Odd=Male. RESPONSIBILITY anyone? One of you is “messing around.” You got married! Any further Love & War rolls refer to your marriage (or future divorce!) It just isn’t working out.
2
IMPRISONMENT: You have been exiled, imprisoned, or held hostage (your choice). Roll 1D6 x 1 year for length of imprisonment. A good place for a PSYCHOLOGICAL complication. FALSELY ACCUSED: You were set up, and now face arrest or worse. A good place for an ENEMY complication. ACCIDENT OR INJURY: You were in some kind of terrible accident or maimed in some other way. A good place for a PHYSIOLOGICAL Complication. HUNTED: You incurred the wrath of a powerful person, family or group. A good place for an ENEMY complication. MENTAL OR PHYSICAL ILLNESS: You were struck down by a severe PHYSIOLOGICAL illness or PSYCHOLOGICAL complication. EMOTIONAL LOSS: You lost someone you really cared about. 1-2; they were murdered. 3-4; they died by accident or illness. 5-6, they vanished, killed themselves or just up and left without any explanation.
CURRENT SITUATION
ROLL 2D6 TO DETERMINE
4-6 SOMETHING BAD: ROLL 1D6
GO BACK TO LIFE EVENTS
LOVE & WAR (roll 1D6)
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LIFEPATH: CHARACTER BACKGROUND
L I F E P A T H
ORIGIN PATH
O R I G I N ORIGIN LIFEPATH
o you’re a Superhero? But how did you get these Powers and Abilities? That’s where Origin Path comes in. With Origin Path, you can roll the dice as indicated or pick from the following tables in order to put together an origin for your character’s powers and abilities. Write down the results from each table; this gives you a bare outline of where the character’s powers originated; the player (perhaps working with the GM) should create a complete origin story based on the information from the tables. For an especially interesting origin, try rolling through these tables twice and combining the origins. Many characters may have abilities derived from more than one source. The GM should work the origin into the campaign’s continuity and history. Look for ways to relate each character’s origin to other characters and to villains. The GM may want to keep some or all of this information a secret, to be revealed in the course of adventuring. Take the results from these tables and weave them together into a story that explains your character’s background and origin. These should suggest the character’s powers, skills, and especially Complications. The GM can help by suggesting connections to people and events in the campaign (or the GM may want to keep some of these secret from the player for a surprising plot twist later). Most characters with a number of Skills (particularly Martial Artists and Gadgeteers) will want to roll on the Training Origin Table to find out where they learned their Skills, if it’s not already apparent from the rest of their Origin results.
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P A T H
START WITH A CHARACTER TYPE (roll 2D6)
These general character types contain all of the standard comic book archetypes. Many characters are a combination of types; usually they’ll have one Major (about 2/3 of their Power Points) and one Minor (about 1/3 of their Power Points) if they do combine two types. Most well-rounded characters should have some offensive ability (which may be Strength or Martial Arts), some defensive ability (which may be high Stun Defense, or high Stun or Hits, or a high Dexterity, or defensive powers, or some combination of those), and some movement ability (though this may be the team’s vehicle). Remember, though, that all player characters must follow the Rule of X (see page 34 for details). ROLL CHARACTER TYPE AND POWER SOURCE 2 Mentalist: Specializes in mental powers and related powers. Often fairly normal physically, usually with a high Will. Usually Psionics Special Effects (SFX). ROLL ON POWER SOURCE TABLE 3 Shapechanger: This is a broad category that includes growing, shrinking, density increase, or any change in shape or form that’s the main source of powers. Often specializes in high stats; sometimes unusual powers like Adjustment Powers. Often combined with another type like Brick. Commonly Biochemical or Kinetic SFX, sometimes others. ROLL ON POWER SOURCE TABLE 4 Gadgeteer: Specializes in using equipment as powers. Often has a wide range of powers bought as gadgets, perhaps not very high physical stats. Many different SFX, usually not Gate Key Power, Magic, or Psionics. Gadgets are bought as a Complication.TECHNOLOGY; ROLL ON POWER DEVELOPMENT TABLE 5 Powered Armor: Wears an armored suit with built-in gadgets to generate powers. Could be a Brick or an Energy Projector by using the suit powers. Many different SFX, usually not Gate Key Power, Magic, or Psionics. Suit is bought as a Complication. TECHNOLOGY; ROLL ON POWER DEVELOPMENT TABLE 6 Martial Artist: A warrior specializing in fighting skills, often with a high REF and DEX. Usually specializes in skills with few powers; sometimes trades Power Points in for Option Points.ROLL ON MARTIAL ARTIST TYPE TABLE 7 Brick: Specializes in high STR, usually high defenses and physical stats. Sometimes ends up exchanging Power Points for more Characteristic Points. ROLL ON POWER SOURCE TABLE 8 Energy Projector: Specializes in energy blasts of various types; often has Flight, sometimes Force Field. All types of SFX. ROLL ON POWER SOURCE TABLE 9 Super Mage: Specializes in magic, which can cover almost any power or ability. Usually not very high physical stats, but often high mental stats. Often Magic SFX, but can easily generate SFX of any type. MAGIC; SEE MAGIC ORIGIN 10 Speedster: Specializes in movement powers and associated attacks and defenses. Often has a high DEX, sometimes a high REF and SPD rating. Usually Kinetic SFX. ROLL ON POWER SOURCE TABLE 11 Weird: All sorts of strange and unclassifiable collections of powers and other abilities. Often not a well-rounded character, depending on the rest of the team in some circumstances. Any SFX possible. ROLL ON POWER SOURCE TABLE 12 Roll twice and add types
Power Source (roll 2D6) Roll Power Source 2 Gate Key: (Direct Usage) Uses a Gate Key directly (via some hyperdimensional tap, usually) as the source of powers. Very rare, very powerful, and very dangerous, as this attracts the attention of entities such as Dr. Destroyer. 3-4 Psionics: Powers of the mind, which can be from a variety of sources. Roll 2D6 +1 on the POWER TYPE TABLE (13 counts as a 12 result) then come back here to find the type of Psionic powers. For inherent powers, use the Inherent Psionics Origin Table to find the origin. For equipment or acquired powers, use the Power Development Table and then the Acquired Psionics Origin Table to find the origin. ROLL 2D6 Inherent Psionics Origin 2-7 Mutant: Roll on Mutant Origin Table 8-10 Non-human: Roll on Non-human Origin Table 11-12 Other: Inherited from some family bloodline, or GM invents a source ROLL 2D6 ACQUIRED PSIONICS ORIGIN 2-4 Unusual: Roll on Power Source Table, ignore Psionics results 5-6 Project Mind Alive: May Have Hunted Complication 7-8 PSI: May have Hunted Complication 9 Mutaphetamine: May have Vulnerability Complication 10 Wildstrike: May have Distinctive Looks Complication 11 Other: GM or player invents new origin 12 Other: (Create a new Source or use Psionics) 5-6 Magic: Roll on Power Type Table 7 Non-human: Roll on Power Type Table 8 Mutant: [Inherent Powers] Roll on Mutant Origin Table 9-10 Technology: [Equipment] Roll on Power Development Table 11 Altered: [Acquired Powers] Roll on Power Development Table 12 Other: Roll twice and combine sources
O R I G I N
P A T H
Magic Origin
Technology Origin 2D6 2-4 5-6 7 8-9 10 11 12
Training Origin 2D6 2-4 5-6
Power Type Does the power come from equipment, is the power inherent in the character, or did the character develop the power somehow? POWER TYPE TABLE 2D6 Power Type Result 2-5 Equipment: Roll on Power Development Table 6-9 Inherent: Roll on appropriate Origin Table 10-12 Acquired: Roll on Power Development Table
Power Development How did the character first acquire the power? 2D6 Power/Equipment Was 2-5 Self-created: Invented by character; should have necessary skills 6-8 Imbued/Given: Roll on appropriate Origin Table to find benefactor 9-10 Accidental/Found: Roll on appropriate Origin Table to find source 11-12 Stolen: Roll on appropriate Origin Table to find source.
Martial Artist Type
Origin Artificial: Robot or android. Roll on Technology Origin Table to find source. 5-6 Other Alien: Trephaan, Mellanian, or GM invents an alien race 7-9 Kraan: Usually connected with the 1947 saucer crash. 10-11 Extra-dimensional: The Shadow Realm or other (GM choice). 12 Other: GM makes up new origin, or roll twice and add types
7-9
Origin Self-taught: Learned from a variety of sources, mostly self-guided. Mentor: Learned from one person; possible Dependent Complication. Organization: Roll on appropriate Origin Table to find out which.
10-11 Government: GM decides where and why. 12
Other: GM makes up new origin, or roll twice and combine types
Altered Human Origin 2D6 2-3 4-6 7-8
Mutant Origin 2D6 2-7 8-11 7-9 12
Origin Gate Key: GM decides details. New: GM decides where located, family members, etc. Kraan: Usually connected with the 1947 saucer crash. Other: GM makes up new origin.
9-10 11 12
Origin Marakat/Harmony-Dawn: GM decides where and when; possible Hunted. Hannya Island: Possible Hunted, Distinctive Looks. VIPER: GM decides where and when;Possible Hunted. Wildstrike: Usually has Distinctive Looks. Mutaphetamine: Possible Vulnerability. Other: GM makes up new origin, or roll twice and combine types
ow that you have your Basic Lifepath History and the Origin of your Superhuman Powers, let’s put some numerical meat on the bones of your Concept with some Characteristics!
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2D6 TYPE 2-4 Natural: Ability from within; roll on Nonhuman or Altered Origin Table. 5-6 Power: Has some powers; roll on Power Source Table. 7-8 Classic: Pure skill and human ability; physical and combat stats high. 9-11 Weapon: Uses a weapon (with power); roll on Power Development Table 12 Other: GM makes up new type, or roll twice and combine 2 types
Nonhuman Origin 2D6 2-4
Origin Lone inventor: Could be a normal or a paranormal inventor. VIPER: GM decides which base, other circumstances. Odyssey Research: GM decides where and why UNTIL: GM decides which base, other circumstances. PanStar: GM decides where and why Secret government project: GM decides which gov’t, which project. Other: GM makes up new origin, or roll twice and combine types
ORIGIN PATH
Roll on the Power Type Table and then refer to the list below with your results. Magic Equipment: Roll 1D6+5 on Power Development Table; Roll on Origin Table Inherent Magic: Roll on Origin Table to learn from where Acquired Magic: Roll on Power Development Table; Created = Self-taught; Roll on Magic Origin table to learn from where. MAGIC ORIGIN TABLE 2D6 Origin 2-5 Extra-dimensional: The Shadow Realm or other 6-7 The Lodge: Possible dependent NPC, Hunted Complications 8-9 The Brotherhood Arcane: Possible Hunted Complication 10-11 Hidden places: Roll 1D6 — 12 Tangut, 3-4 Mulung, 5-6 Samarkan 12 Other: GM makes up new origin, or roll twice and add
ALL ABOUT CHARACTERISTICS
CHARACTERISTICS haracteristics (also called Stats) are NUMBERS that describe your character’s ability as compared to everyone else in the universe. All people and creatures can be described (or written up) using Characteristics; this lets you compare one person to another, which is often important in the game. For instance, a person with a Strength Characteristic of 5 is stronger than a person with a Strength Characteristic of 4, but not as strong as a person with a Strength Characteristic of 6.
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1 WHAT THE NUMBERS MEAN
Characteristics define the basic structure of a character, and the numbers show how good a Characteristic is relative to other people. But before we can go on to actually constructing that character, we’ll need to know something about the type of character it will be. Is he an everyman who finds himself suddenly catapulted into a life of adventure? Is he a seasoned veteran who is trained to face danger without flinching? Is he an idealistic crimefighter granted strange superhuman abilities that have allowed him to fight against Evil? And what numbers best represent a character? Here’s a handy set of descriptions that can be applied to numbers for each Characteristic. We’ve also included descriptions for Skills as well, to give a total perspective of character scale.
VALUE LABEL CHARACTERISTIC
SKILL
LESS THAN CHALLENGED Everyday tasks involving this Characteristic are dif1 ficult. This value is found in children, elderly people, or those weakened by illness or infirmity.
You don’t know how to do this task at all.
CAMPAIGN REALITY LEVELS
ne of the advantages of Fuzion’s various Dials, Switches and Plug-ins is that it allows Referees to “custom tailor” the reality level of their campaigns.
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One way to do this is to place implicit maximum levels on character Characteristics. Another way is to use a Dial to alter the “reality level” of majority of the campaign; for instance, in a Superheroic setting, it may be common for people to lift a ton and dodge machinegun bullets, but in Everyday life, you’d better dial that Strength way down and the accuracy of Uzis way up.
1-2
EVERYDAY
Many ordinary people around the world are likely to have some Characteristics at this value. It’s enough to get by on and to do most things (though not very unusual or stressful tasks ).
You’ve learned the basics of this task, and can do this thing most of the time, though not very well. You’re an apprentice or a beginner.
Heres’ a few examples of campaign reality levels: EVERYDAY [REALISTIC] • CHARACTERISTIC MAX 7 This is reality on the mundane side. People here are generally out of shape, unremarkable, and not super bright, but they get along in everyday life just fine. At this level, adventure is something that happens to others; your idea of action is visiting Denny’s at midnight.
3-4
COMPETENT
You are competent at everyday tasks involving this Characteristic. Most healthy adults have some Characteristics that fall into this range. This is the realm of everyday “heroes” such as policemen, firemen, paramedics, technicians, etc.
You are well trained and practiced in this skill, and can perform it well in everyday circumstances. You can handle unusual applications of the skill with some difficulty. You’re considered a professional.
COMPETENT [SEMI-REALISTIC.] • CHARACTERISTIC MAX 7 This a reality many of us live in; the closest thing to a hero is a good cop, fireman, soldier, or other dedicated citizen. Campaigns in this kind of reality rarely if ever encounter supernatural powers or feats; a bank robbery would be a lot of excitement at this reality level.
5-6
HEROIC
You are much better than ordinary. A born athlete, a top-notch scientist, an elite soldier might have one or more Characteristics in this range. This is the realm of professional mercenaries, top soldiers, special police, scientists, and TV heroes.
You are a master of this skill, and are capable of unusual applications of the skill. You are considered a master craftsman.
7-8
INCREDIBLE
You are extremely capable in this area, among the very best in the world; an Olympic athlete, Nobel-winning scientist, a 10th dan martial artist might have a Characteristic in this range. This is also the realm of kung fu heroes, action movie cops, and other not-quite-impossible people.
A skill at this level means you’re one of the very best in the world. You are at ease with unusual applications of the skill, or even new applications. This is entering the realm of fiction, of amazing skill that’s not quite impossible!
This is a level that only a few ever reach; it’s simply the best a human can possibly be. This is the realm of super martial artists like Jackie Chan, geniuses like Einstein, or action movie stars with a big effects budget and a lot of stunt men.
A skill at this level puts you in the realm of the greatest practitioners of this skill in history. You are pushing forward the boundaries of the skill and what it can be used for, and have entered the realm of genius and of fiction.
MORE THAN SUPERHEROIC At this point, your Characteristic value means that 10 you have crossed into the realm of the superhuman. Your capability in this area is unbelievable to normal humans. A Characteristic at this level is found in comic books, science fiction, fantasy, or mythology.
Skills at this level are better than anyone could believe in the real world. This realm belongs to comic books, science fiction, fantasy or mythology.
9-10
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2
LEGENDARY
These value ranges may overlap some, particularly at the lower end of the range. Normal people often have values of 1 to 4, for instance. Usually 7 is the value where the real world stops and where fiction begins to take over. Note also that many characters will have Characteristics and Skills in a wide range of values. Even a superhero may have most Characteristics in the Competent to Heroic range, with only a few being Superheroic or Legendary. Characters in heroic campaigns may have one or two Characteristics in the Incredible range, and the rest Competent or Heroic. Most characters have some abilities they perform better than others; it’s rare to have someone with the same Characteristic values across the board.
HEROIC [ELITE, TV SHOW] • CHARACTERISTIC MAX 7 This is the reality that only a few of us live in—Green Beret combat specialists, SWAT team members, FBI agents and spies. Most people in this kind of campaign are equivalent to the TV heroes; better looking, more competent, and with stuntmen. A typical adventure at this reality level would be a drug sting, a hostage rescue, or a rugged trip into the jungle. INCREDIBLE [OLYMPICS, MOVIES] • CHARACTERISTIC MAX 9 Save for the feats of Olympic athletes, gorgeous supermodels, top sports stars, world leaders, and Nobel Prize winners, you have now left reality altogether. This is also the realm of low budget action films; where the heroes battle international gangsters and invading aliens. Typical Incredible reality adventures are much like Heroic ones, but with bigger weapons and world-spanning plots. LEGENDARY [ACTION BLOCKBUSTER] • CHARACTERISTIC MAX 10 This is the realm of Hollywood blockbusters, where characters fight aliens on top of helicopters and save the world regularly. Most “animé heroes” or “realistic” superheroic campaigns fall into this reality; you probably won’t ever find “real people” at this level, unless they are Albert Einstein, Carl Lewis, or Helen of Troy. SUPERHEROIC [COMIC BOOKS, MYTHS] • NO LIMIT This is the reality level of most four color comics or mythology. Superpowers or superhuman skills are common, and adventurers regularly save entire Galactic Empires and thwart demigods.
CHARACTERISTICS
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o matter what level of Fuzion you will be using, you will encounter the following definitions and terms:
here are two kinds of Characteristics in Fuzion. Primary Characteristics are “bought”, using a pool of points which we’ll discuss below. A good example of a Primary Characteristic would be a character’s BODY characteristic, used to judge how tough he is. Derived Characteristics are created by applying a simple mathematical formula to a specific Characteristic. A good example of a Derived Characteristic would be a character’s STUN, which is figured by multiplying his BODY by 5. Both Primary and Derived Characteristics will vary from campaign to campaign, so for right now, we’ll just discuss the basic method of buying characteristics in all cases.
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CHARACTERISTIC POINTS: The Power to Buy
he power to buy your Primary Characteristics comes from a pool of points called Characteristic Points (CP), given to you by the GM when you make your character.
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But how do you determine that value? The best option is for the GM to multiply the number of Primary Characteristics by the average value the GM wants the characters to have; this will give you the starting Characteristic Points for the campaign. Example: In a Fuzion campaign with 10 Primary Characteristics, the GM wants to have Heroic characters; he gives them (10 x 5 = 50) Points. Referees should consider this simple guideline to determine the number of Characteristic Points to give beginning characters: CAMPAIGN STYLE PTS.. PER CHARACTERISTIC EVERYDAY [REALISTIC] 1-2 PTS. COMPETENT [ELITE, SEMI-REALISTIC.] 3-4 PTS. HEROIC [TV ACTION SHOW] 5-6 PTS. INCREDIBLE [OLYMPICS, ACTION MOVIE] 7-8 PTS. LEGENDARY [BLOCKBUSTER ACTION MOVIE] 9-10 PTS. SUPERHEROIC [COMIC BOOKS, MYTHS] 10+ PTS.
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BUYING CHARACTERISTICS
Primary Characteristics are purchased at a ratio of 1 Characteristic Point [CP] for one level of ability. Example: I want to have a Strength of 5. I pay 5 CP. You must put at least one Characteristic Points in each Characteristic; the maximum level you can buy in any one Characteristic is normally 7-8 for a normal human; however, if you are creating a Superhuman (or your GM allows it), you can put as many points into a single Characteristic you want.. The GM may also set his own limits on the value of any or all Characteristics.
Now that you’ve got the basics down, it’s time to put what you’ve learned to work by making a character of your own, starting on Page 10!
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ACTION VALUE [AV]: The total of a Characteristic and a Skill. Also known as an Attack Value. ACTION TOTAL [AT]: The total of your Action Value plus a die roll. Also known as an Attack Total. ATTACK ROLL: Rolling dice and adding them to your Attack (or Action) Value to determine whether or not you succeeded. CHARACTERISTIC (AKA STAT): A number that shows your character’s ability in an area, compared to everybody else. Characteristics determine how strong, smart or agile the character naturally is. The higher the number, the more powerful the characteristic. Example: Strength is a Characteristic; Strength 8 is stronger than Strength 3. CHARACTERISTIC POINTS [CP]: These are used to buy the basic Characteristics of the character. CAMPAIGN OPTIONS: These are Skills, Talents, Traits, or Equipment with which characters can fight, protect themselves and generally adventure. These may also include Powers and abilities beyond those of mortal men. COMPLICATIONS: Situations, Campaign Elements, or personal limitations that enhance the roleplaying aspect of the character, generated as part of the Lifepath process (below). Some problems are external; enemies or physical liabilities; others are internal qualities of the character; these can be good, bad or mixed. DICE: Throughout Fuzion, three standard six-sided die (plural: dice) is used as the default. As an option, the GM can decide to use a 10-sided die for task Resolution rolls (instead of the 3 6-sided dice), but 6-sided dice are always used for damage. DIFFICULTY VALUE [DV]: The number you need to meet or beat in order to succeed at a task. Also known as a Defense Value when comprised of a Characteristic plus a Skill. ENERGY DEFENSE [ED]: Your ability to shrug off energy-based attacks, measured as an “armor” that reduces this kind of Stun damage. GAMEMASTER [GM]: The person who runs the Fuzion game, playing the parts of all characters not taken by the Players. HITS: An arbitrary measure of “life energy”. When you have lost all your Hits, you are dying. KILLING DEFENSE [KD]: Armor. Also the ability to shrug off all types of Killing damage. Usually subtracted from the amount done. KILLS: A larger scale of damage used when attacking military (or huge) vehicles and structures. Things that do damage in Hits or SDP cannot damage things with Kills. KILLING DAMAGE: Physical, deadly wounds, subtracted from your Hits. NPC: A Non-Player Character portrayed by the GM. OPTION POINTS [OP]: These are points used to buy the “stuff” the character owns, knows or can do, such as Skills, Talents, Perks, or Powers. PERK: A useful privilege or contact a character has special access to. POWER: An innate, superhuman ability that cannot usually be learned or taught, usually quite powerful. An example might be the ability to fly or fire bolts of energy. Purchased from a separate pool of Power Points. SKILL: An ability that can be learned or taught, such as playing an instrument or using a weapon. STRUCTURAL DAMAGE POINTS [SDP]: Damage to structures and vehicles STUN POINTS: A measure of consciousness or awareness. When your Stun Points are at 0, you are unconscious. STUN DAMAGE: Shocks to your consciousness, subtracted from Stun. STUN DEFENSE [SD]: Your ability to shrug off shocks to your consciousness, measured as an “armor” that reduces Stun damage. TALENT: An innate ability, (but not necessarily superhuman) that can’t be learned or taught; i.e., a bump of direction or ability to see in the dark. TASK: A thing that you do, such as picking a lock or firing a gun. Any use of a Skill or any Attack is a Task. See Task Resolution. TASK RESOLUTION: The way you figure out whether or not you succeed at a task you attempt, in Fuzion.
PRIMARY vs DERIVED CHARACTERISTICS 3 T
CHARACTERISTICS AND TERMS
FUZION GAME TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
PLAYER: __________________ VALUE CHARACTERISTIC & 4TH ED CONVERSION INT=[INT ÷3] WILL=[EGO ÷3] PTS P OWERS PUT YOUR PRE= [PRE ÷3] STATS HERE TECH=[(DEX+INT) ÷6] PA G E S REF=OCV DEX=[DEX ÷3] PUT YOUR POWERS OR MECHA HERE CON=[(PD+ED)÷4] PA G E S STR=[STR ÷3]*
®
END
11 - 12
*SUPERS=STR÷5
BODY=[STUN ÷5] MOVE=INCHES ÷1.5 SD=[CON X2] ED=[CON X2] SPD=[REF÷2] REC=[STR+CON] END=[CON X10] STUN=[BODY X5] HITS=[BODY X5] CHARACTERISTICS COST:
COMPLICATIONS
22 - 33 RUN [MOVEX2] SPRINT [MOVEX3] SWIM [MOVEX1] LEAP [MOVEX1] RESISTANCE [WILLX3] STUN TAKEN HITS TAKEN
PTS S KILLS , TALENTS , & P ERKS
BASE [ ____ ]+ PTS
AV/DV
PUT YOUR SKILLS, TALENTS & PERKS HERE PA G E S
PUT YOUR COMPLICATIONS HERE PA G E S
COMBAT ACTIONS (AKA MANEUVERS) ACTION OM DM EFFECT Attack NA NA Strike, shoot, kick at -1 penalty, +1D damage Block NA NA Stop any 1 attack w/ successful roll Dodge NA +3 Makes you harder to hit but you can’t attack Get Up NA NA Get up from being knocked down Grab -2 -3 Grab something. Both are at -3 Defense Run NA NA Move up to full Combat Move Sprint NA NA Move ARE up to full NCM at 1/2 DEF, 0 REF THESE FOR Other Action NA NA COMBAT Reloading, changing weapons, mounting up Throw NA NA REFERENCE -4 for unbalanced objects Abort NA NA Interrupt opponent’s turn to use DEF action A +1Gper E Aim +1 NA P Add phaseSto attack, up to +3 total Choke Hold -4 NA 2D6 killing attack. Must follow a Grab. Disarm NA NA Knock weapon from Opponent’s Hand Dive for Cover NA NA Dodge Area Attack at +2 Diff per each m/yd Draw & Attack -3 NA Draw & fire in one action at penalty Entangle NA NA Immobilize opponent, forcing him to Escape Escape NA NA Escape Entangles/Grabs in STR+Athletics roll Haymaker -3 NA Go all out! +3 dice damage to regular. Move Thru -2 NA Full Combat Move and HTH attack Move By -2 NA Full Combat Move and HTH attack Recover NA -5 Get Stun back equal to REC score Sweep/Trip NA NA Opponent falls, at -2 REF next phase Wait NA NA Wait for chance to act or act later.
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CONVERTING FROM CHAMPIONS 4TH EDITION. It’s a lot easier than you’d think. Take this character sheet and take a good look at the values in brackets next to each Primary Characteristic (top box) That’s the math you’ll need to do on your 4th Edition character to make it fit into the Fuzion system. Once you have that down, just use those values to do the math with the second half of the box (Derived Characteristics). Your powers will fit right into their old slots; just divide their costs by 5. Some powers, like Killing Attack, won’t convert on that basis. In those cases, take the Active Points, divide by 5, and use those points to buy the appropriate power. Your Complications can come right over too. Finally, your skills convert over on the basis that one 4th Edition point equals roughly 2 Fuzion Skill Points.
SKILLS COST OPTION COST POWER COST [TOTAL POINTS= OFFENSIVE X / DEFENSIVE X
COMPLICATIONS TOTAL EXPERIENCE SPENT + TOTAL COST
WEAPON/ATTACK PUT YOUR ATTACKS HERE
MODIFIERS
PUT YOUR PICTURE HERE
16 - 20
14 - 15
Experience
© Hero Games, 1997. Permission granted to photocopy for personal use only.
BLANK CHARACTER SHEET
NAME: ___________________
DC /STUN
STR MIN
NOTES
39 - 40
]
RANGE M/YDS OFF. MOD
MELEE 4M OR < 0
RANGE TABLE
*Up to Listed range of Weapon
CLOSE 10 OR < -2
MEDIUM 50 OR < -4
LONG EXTREME 51 OR >* > LISTED RANGE -6 -6 (+-1**)
** Plus -1 for every full 50m/yds past listed range
HIT LOCATION TABLE ROLL 3-5 6 7-8 9 10-11 12 13 14 15-16 17-18
LOCATION Head Hand/Forepaws arms/forelimbs shoulders chest stomach vitals thighs legs/hindlimb feet/hindpaws
EFFECT 2x damage 1/2 damage 1/2 damage 1x damage 1x damage 1.5 damage 1.5 damage 1x damage 1/2 damage 1/2 damage
MODS -6 -4 -3 -3 -1 -5 -6 -2 -3 -4
PRIMARY CHARACTERISTICS NAME: ___________________ PLAYER: __________________ VALUE CHARACTERISTIC ❶ INT=[INT ÷3] ❷ WILL=[EGO ÷3] ❸ PRE= [PRE ÷3] ❹ TECH=[(DEX+INT) ÷6] ❺ REF=OCV ❻ DEX=[DEX ÷3] ❼ CON=[(PD+ED)÷4] ❽ STR=[STR ÷3]*
TYPICAL PRIMARY CHARACTERISTICS a typical Total Fuzion campaign, characters will have 10 1 InPrimary Characteristics, arranged into four groups: MENTAL GROUP
❶ Intelligence (INT): How generally bright you are. As a rule, this is more than sheer intelligence, but also cleverness, awareness, perception, and ability to learn; mental deficiencies don’t become apparent until you hit 1. ❷ Willpower (WILL): Your determination and ability to face danger and/or stress. This Characteristic represents your courage and cool. ❸ Presence (PRE): Your ability to impress and influence people through your character and charisma; how well you get along with others; how you interact in social situations. COMBAT GROUP ❹ Technique (TECH): Your ability to manipulate tools or instruments. This is not the same as reflexes, inasmuch as this covers the knack of using tools. One character might have a high Technique, but might not be able to fence or juggle. On the other hand, another might have high Reflexes, but only a fair level of Technique. ❺ Reflexes (REF): Your response time and coordination, as used in aiming, throwing, juggling. A stage magician, for example, would have a high Reflex Characteristic. Most importantly, this is the Characteristic that shows your chance to hit things. ❻ Dexterity (DEX): Your overall physical competence, as pertains to balancing, leaping, jumping, combat and other athletic activities. A gymnast would have a high Dexterity. Most importantly, this Characteristic is used to avoid being hit. PHYSICAL GROUP ❼ Constitution (CON): How healthy you are. How resistant to shock effects, poisons and disease. You can be a really big, tough, strong guy and still get floored by a head cold! ❽ Strength (STR): Your muscle mass and how effective it is for exerting force. The higher your strength, the more you can lift, drag, etc., and the more powerful the blows from your fists and other body parts. ❾ Body (BODY): Your size, toughness, and ability to stay alive and conscious due to physical mass, sheer bloody-mindedness and structure or other qualities. How much damage you can take is derived from this. MOVEMENT GROUP ❿ Movement (MOVE): Your speed of movement; running, leaping, swimming, etc. There is only one Primary Characteristic in this group; the rest are Derived (pg. 12)
CREATING A CHARACTER o create a Fuzion character, you’ll need some
CHAR-
ACTERISTIC POINTS (pg. 9 sec 5 ). Primary 2 T Characteristics are purchased at a ratio of 1 Characteristic
*SUPERS=STR÷5
❾ ❿
BODY=[STUN ÷5] MOVE=INCHES ÷1.5
Above: Here’s a typical Primary Characteristic sheet. NAME: ___________________
PLAYER: __________________ VALUE CHARACTERISTIC INT=[INT ÷3] WILL=[EGO ÷3] PRE= [PRE ÷3] TECH=[(DEX+INT) ÷6] REF=OCV DEX=[DEX ÷3] CON=[(PD+ED)÷4] STR=[STR ÷3]*
8 3 6 6 8 7 6 7 5 4
PTS
*SUPERS=STR÷5
BODY=[STUN ÷5] MOVE=INCHES ÷1.5 SD=[CON X2]
RUN [MOVEX2]
ABOVE: Steve is in a Heroic campaign with 10 Primary Characteristics. He gets 10x6=60 points. The above example shows how he allocates those points to create his character.
Key Idea: Adding/Removing Characteristics uzion’s design allows Referees to change, add, or remove Characteristics for your individual campaigns. All you have to do is create the new Characteristic, assign it to one of the four groups and grant the player points for it based on the average level for Characteristics in the game. Example: in a Heroic campaign, the average pt. range is 5-6 points per Characteristic. To add a new Characteristic, you’ll give your players 5-6 extra points and allow them to rearrange them as desired throughout the whole group. eferees should always emphasize the importance of all Characteristics in their Campaigns (since the cost will be the same anyway). Don’t let your players get away with just having good combat abilities; make them deal with problems too!
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Points [CP] for one level of ability in the Characteristic. You must put at least one Point in each Characteristic. In general, the maximum amount you can put in any one Characteristic will be 8 for humans; however, if you are creating an alien or other superhuman (or your GM allows it), you can put as many points into a Characteristic as you want.
PTS
PRIMARY CHARACTERISTICS
ow that you have an idea of what the Characteristic and Skill ranges are for different kinds of characters, it’s time to actually construct one. Total Fuzion’s flexible structure allows you to build a character with lots of depth and fine tuning, as well as giving you the ability to add new Characteristics or remove them as a campaign demands.
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DERIVED CHARACTERISTICS
DERIVED CHARACTERISTICS ❸ ❹
8 12 4 4 9
RUN [MOVEX2] ❺ SPRINT [MOVEX3] SWIM [MOVEX1] LEAP [MOVEX1] RESISTANCE [WILLX3]
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DERIVED CHARACTERISTICS
erived Characteristics are characteristics that are created by performing some kind of simple mathematical operation on a character’s already existing Primary Characteristics.
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The following Derived Characteristics are common to most Fuzion campaigns. If your character does not have the exact Primary Characteristic the Derived Characteristic comes from, PTS S KILLS you can either use the Characteristic’s group value or a one ❶ determined by the GM of your campaign: ❷ ❶ Stun [BODY x 5]: How much stunning/brawling damage you can ABOVE: Derived Characteristics for Steve’s Character Sheet take before you are battered into unconsciousness, calculated as (see previous page). points. IMPORTANT: At the start, you may elect to move points from Stun into Hits or vice versa, as long as the total moved is limited to 1/2 of the starting Stun Value. Example: with 35 Stun and 35 Hits, I could move up to 17 points from Stun into my Hits or up to 17 points from Hits into my Stun. ❷ Hits [BODY x 5]: How much killing damage you can take before you are dying. Any Armor you have may be subtracted from any Killing damage you take. You may move Hit points into Stun and vice versa (see above). ❸ Stun Defense (aka SD) [CON x 2]: How resistant you are to Stun damage; your SD is subtracted from any Stun damage you take. ❹ Recovery (REC) [STR+CON]: This Characteristic determines how fast the character recovers from damage. You get back this many Stun points each turn when you rest, and this many Hits back for each day of medical attention. ❺ Run (aka Combat Move) [MOVE x 2m], Sprint (aka Non-combat Move) [Move x 3m], Swim [MOVE x 1m], Leap [MOVE x 1m]: How far the character runs (at a rate allowing dodges and evasions), sprints (in a flat-out run), swims, and leaps in 3 seconds.
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12 12 4 13 60 25 25
MOVE=INCHES ÷1.5 SD=[CON X2] ED=[CON X2] SPD=[REF÷2] REC=[STR+CON] END=[CON X10] STUN=[BODY X5] HITS=[BODY X5]
OPTIONAL DERIVED CHARACTERISTICS
ptional Derived Characteristics are Characteristics that may not be present in every Fuzion campaign. In an Old West campaign, for example, you may not ever need to have a Derived Characteristic for defense against lasers. But because these are derived from Primary Characteristics, you can always generate an Optional Derived Characteristic when you need one, allowing you to transfer characters between genres. Although these will vary from campaign to campaign, a few typical Optional Derived Characteristics are: Luck [INT+REF]: Fate acting on your behalf. Each game session you may take points from this Derived Characteristic and use them in other places; to add to important die rolls or subtract from damage. When you have used up all of these points, they are gone until the next game session. You’ve “run out of Luck.” Endurance (END) [CON x 10]: This Characteristic represents how long the character can expend energy, whether in physical endurance or in the use of a special ability (like a superpower or talent). It is spent in the same way as Hits or Stun points. When it runs out, you are exhausted and cannot do anything more except rest and recover. Generally, 1-2 points of effect, 1 minute or hour of time (or 1 point of “power” used) spends 1 END point. END returns whenever you take a Recover Action (pg. 50), which restores as much END as your REC (see above). Energy Defense (ED) [CON x 2]: How resistant you are to damage from lasers, electricity. force beams, and other “energy-based” threats. Calculated as points that are subtracted from “energy” damage only. ED is calculated from the same Primary Characteristic as SD; you can elect to move points from one to the other when you create the character (not afterwards!). The amount you can move may not be greater than one half the starting value. Example: With a CON of 6, I have 12 Energy Defense and 12 Stun Defense. I decide to beef up my SD at the cost of my ED, moving up to a max of 6 points from from one to the other. Speed (SPD) [1/2 of REF]: This Characteristic is used to measure a character’s reactions. Speed can be used to determine either when you move during the course of action, or how many things you can do in a specific time period (especially when using an optional Speed table such as the one used in Champions, 4th edition). Resistance (RES) [WILLx3]: Your ability to resist mental or psychological attacks or stress; basically your mental “Hits”. Humanity (HUM) [PRE x10]: Your basic morality and humanity. Used often in games where the character faces dehumanization, extreme horror or the unearthly. This Derived Characteristic loses points by receiving “humanity” damage; seeing horrible events, removing body parts and replacing them with other objects, gaining unearthly powers that separate him from the rest of mankind, etc. For every 10 points lost from this Derived Characteristic, a corresponding one point is lost from your Presence Characteristic; when it is reduced to 0, the character becomes technically insane and his actions are taken over by the GM to reflect this.
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eriving allows Referees to create new Characteristics on the fly, leaving their original Characteristics unchanged. This means as you move characters between Fuzion campaigns, you’ll find it easy to both create and generate new Derived Characteristics, even if you didn’t have them to begin with.
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Increasing or Decreasing Characteristics (Primary)
Characteristics generally may not be increased or decreased directly. However, certain Talents or Powers that may or may not be available in your campaign setting may allow you to increase a Characteristic, either temporarily or permanently. Certain Complications may also decrease a Characteristic. Or, as last resort, you may attempt to convince your GM to allow you to use Option Points (pg. 13) in increase a Characteristic at a ratio of five OP for every point of Characteristic increase.
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C A M PA I G N OPTIONS
n any campaign, characters will need to get the basic Skills, Talents, & Perks and Equipment with which to fight, protect themselves, and generally adventure. These CAMPAIGN OPTIONS are usually specific to a style or genre of game; what works in a science fiction adventure from the far future would be mind-bendingly out of place in a medieval fantasy setting. The precise list of campaign options available in a particular campaign will always vary according to each GM’s decisions. But as a general rule, they all break down into SKILLS, TALENTS, & PERKS, EQUIPMENT, and POWERS; all of which are purchased using Campaign Option Points [OP].
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OPTION POINTS
hen starting a new character; everything he/she owns or knows is purchased with OPTION POINTS (OP). Why is this? The main reason is that it allows players to accurately scale characters; everything costs Option Points, and you know what you’re getting in relation to something else. This also makes it harder for players to create characters who are unfair or unbalanced in relationship to other characters; as long as you have similar levels of Option Points, you know that any two characters will be relatively similar in terms of what they have, know or can do. Option Points are given to Players by the GM at the start of character creation (still more points will come from Complications and experience awards). The following point values are merely guidelines based on the style of the campaign. CAMPAIGN STYLE OPTION POINTS Individual EVERYDAY [REALISTIC] 20—30 campaigns COMPETENT [ELITE, SEMI-REALISTIC.] 30-—40 may have HEROIC [TV ACTION SHOW] 40-—50 INCREDIBLE [OLYMPICS, ACTION MOVIE] 50-—60 very differLEGENDARY [BLOCKBUSTER ACTION MOVIE] 60-—70 ent numbers. SUPERHEROIC [COMIC BOOKS, MYTHS] 70-—100 After character creation, all remaining Option Points can be converted to money units on a 100 money units to 1 OP basis (whether gold, credits eurobucks, yen, zolotnies, whatever).
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Trading Option Points for Characteristic Points (Primary)
Inherent Options, Gadgets, & Bought Options
nherent options are things that are part of the character; they are as much a part of him as his Characteristics. They cannot be taken from him (under most circumstances), but they also cannot be used by anyone else. Inherent items usually include Skills, Talents, Perks and (where applicable) Powers, and are always purchased with Option Points. In contrast, a Gadget is something that is bought with Power Points just like a Power, but is a distinct, separate thing from the person that created it. This allows it to be used by others, but also means it can be destroyed or otherwise taken away. When this happens, the points used to construct the Gadget are not lost per se, but the Gadget must be then re-acquired or rebuilt via roleplaying. (A quest for a lost Gadget is a gold mine for any enterprising GM!). Good examples of Gadgets are magical items, special weapons, or superpowered equipment that is integral to the character (like a utility belt, armor suit or power source). Anything that is not commonly available (“on the shelf”) technology is a Gadget and should be paid for with Power Points. Bought Options are things that can be paid for with money. Bought items most often include vehicles and equipment. Unlike Inherent options, bought options can be used by others. They can also be destroyed or taken away from a character and must be replaced by using money or new Option Points gained through Experience (pg. 34). In general, any piece of equipment that is commonly available (“on the shelf”) should be purchased with Option Points or money.
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Buying Powers with Power Points (PP)
ecause Powers (pg. 22) can inherently unbalance most games, you should provide players in superheroic or magical settings with a separate pool of Points just for buying initial Powers. This not only gives the GM a better handle on controlling the effects of Powers on his game, but also makes it easier to improve these Powers by adding new points to this separate pool. Important: If allowing players to put extra Option Points into this separate point group, remember that 5 OP= 1 Power Point.
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Can’t Find the Power You Want? Maybe you’re looking in the wrong place. Many superheroic Powers are actually superhuman Characteristics instead. If you really want to build a guy with a STR of 25, get your GM’s permission to exchange some of your Power or Option Points for Characteristic Points. Power points interchange with Characteristics on a 1 to 1 basis; Option Points on a 5 to 1 basis.
Not Enough Power Points? With the permission of the GM, you can add Option Points to your Power pool at a ratio of five Option Points to one Power Point.
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Buying Complex Things with Power Points
hile Option Points can be translated into money with which to buy equipment, complex things (like vehicles) can also be rated in points independent of their monetary value. After all, a tractor might cost $50,000.ºº, but how useful would it be to your character? It’s not worth 500 OP, that’s for sure! For this reason, most vehicles, mecha and large weapons in FUZION will have a Power Point value listed separate from their monetary cost, based on the same 5 to 1 ratio used to buy Powers (above) So if a GM wants his players to buy their own Big Hardware, he should make sure to give them an extra 100~150 OP to play with!
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Option Points are not normally interchangeable with Characteristic Points (which are used only to buy Characteristics) However, in certain situations (such as superheroic games or where a character has undergone some sweeping or fundamental change), you can use Option Points to raise a Characteristic at a ratio of five Option Points to one Characteristic Point. These improvements must be granted by the GM of the particular game you are in.
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OPTIONS
CAMPAIGN OPTIONS & POWER POINTS
CAMPAIGN
ABOUT COMPLICATIONS
C O M P L I C AT I O N S ne way to get more Option Points when creating a character is to take on a few Complications—social, mental, physical, or emotional situations/problems that define and enhance your character; they can also be linked to various Lifepath events [pg. 4 - 5] to add to a character’s background. Complications will vary depending on the campaign. The Value of a Complication is based on its FREQUENCY, INTENSITY AND IMPORTANCE:
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FREQUENCY
PSYCHOLOGICAL COMPLICATIONS
ust how often does your problem impact your life? The answer is the problem’s Frequency; how often the GM can inflict it upon you as part of the trade for those extra OP. This table works for all complications:
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FREQUENCY
VALUE
INFREQUENTLY FREQUENTLY CONSTANTLY
5 10 15
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GUIDELINE Once every few gaming sessions Once every gaming session More than once every gaming session
INTENSITY
ntensity reflects how hard it is to overcome the complication, or just how much it affects you. Each Complication has its own Intensity rating written in parenthesis ( ) right after it, but we also provide you with a handy table of general roleplaying guidelines:
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INTENSITY/VALUE
GUIDELINE
MILD [5]
May roleplay to overcome it, or make Everyday WILL+Concentration Roll to overcome it STRONG [10] Must roleplay it and make Exceptional WILL+Concentration Roll to overcome it SEVERE [15] Must roleplay it and make Incredible WILL+Concentration Roll to overcome it EXTREME [20] Must roleplay it and make Legendary WILL+Concentration Roll to overcome it
Example: Stubborn: Risk incarceration, bodily harm or financial/ social ruin [10] means the Intensity of this Complication will get you 10 points.
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IMPORTANCE
mportance rates how important the Complication is to the character and the Campaign. For example, taking Foreigner in a place where everyone is from another place is pretty valueless, but in a xenophobic environment, it takes on major importance. Another measure of Importance is its effect on your character’s survival; if it can kill you, it’s generally more important than something that may complicate your roleplaying.The final application is up to the GM.
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IMPORTANCE & VALUE
GUIDELINE
MINOR [divide by 5] Minor effect on combat or damage, with minor (-1) effect on skills or world reaction. MAJOR [divide by 2] Major effect on combat (-3), or 1 and half times damage, serious effect on skills or world reaction, or puts character into danger. EXTREME [x1] Extreme effect on combat (-5), or 2x damage, or extreme effect on skills or world reaction, or puts character into extreme danger.
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TO DETERMINE A COMPLICATION’S VALUE
o determine the value of a Complication, add together the Frequency Value, the Intensity Value, and multiply the resulting total by the Importance. Example: I take Responsibility as a Complication. I decide that this affects me Frequently (10), and I decide I’m responsible for the care of my aged Aunt Meg. Since she is very old, she’s considered to be Challenged (Intensity 10), but since I’m not in any danger and my skills aren’t affected (divide by 5), taking care of my aged aunt is worth (10+10)/5 = 4 Points. But if Aunt Meg was constantly exposed to extreme danger that I had to rescue her from, I could milk the situation for up to 20 points! Good ol’ Aunt Meg!
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These involve your Mental Problems and flaws: ABSENT MINDED .You have strange lapses of memory. You often: Forget generally known facts (5). Forget friends, family (10). Forget your own identity (15). BIPOLAR. You are a classic manic/depressive, prone to fits of erratic, up moods punctuated with severe terrifying depressions. You are often: Moody (5). Liable to lie around and mope (10). Liable to run around frenetically risking life and limb or sink into a miserable stupor (15). Suicidal (20). DELUSIONS. You believe things that are not real. You may hear voices, think aliens are after you, or that you are God. You will: Risk ostracism, embarrassment (5). Risk hospitalization, bodily harm or financial/social ruin (10). Risk life & limb (15) . MASOCHIST. You hate yourself, and will go out of your way to injure yourself. To do this, you may: Seek verbal abuse (5). Seek minor physical abuse (10), Seek major physical abuse (15). Seek life threatening abuse (20). PHOBIA. You have a phobia; and unreasoning fear of some common thing, such as dogs, heights, sounds or color. When faced with your phobia, you feel: Discomfort (5). Paralyzing Fear (10). Berserk Terror (15). Catatonic (20). PARANOIA (just because you think they’re after you...). You think you have enemies, everywhere. Sometimes you are focussed on one foe, other times, there may be legions. You react to your paranoia by: Incoherently ranting (5). Compulsively working on defenses against Them (10). Risking incarceration, bodily harm, social or financial ruin to stop Them (15). Risking life & limb (20). SPLIT PERSONALITY. You’re two, two, TWO people in one! [GM controls this personality, has character sheet for it, etc.]. Your other self: Likes you (5). Is neutral to you (10). Hostile to you (15). Dangerous to you in actions (20).
PERSONALITY TRAITS It’s the little things that count; your good & bad habits, basic traits and characteristics. AIRHEAD. Oh Wow! You’re just naturally spacy. In general, you: Misplace minor, trivial things (5). Misplace or forget to do important things (10). Misplace or forget to deal with dangerous things (15). Dangerously oblivious to everything; the GM never asks you to make a perception roll unless you request it (20). BAD TEMPERED. You’re just irritable, all the time. When your temper flares: You’ll risk embarrassment, or financial loss (5). You’ll risk incarceration, bodily harm or financial/social ruin (10). You’ll risk life & limb (15). COWARD. You lack nerve, especially in combat. When faced with danger: You tremble at anything you imagine as danger (5). You freeze up and can’t react (10). You try to run as far away as possible (15). OBSESSED. You just can’t get that special (to you) person or thing out of your mind. You: Talk about it all the time and will risk embarrassment, or financial loss over it (5). You’ll risk incarceration, bodily harm or financial/social ruin over it (10). You’ll risk life & limb over it (15). SHY. You hate dealing with others. You: Refuse to speak to new people (5). Avoid all interactions with new people (10). Will physically remove self from situations involving new people (15). STUBBORN. You just hate to give in—to anyone. To prove you’re right: You’ll risk embarrassment, or financial loss (5). You’ll risk incarceration, bodily harm or financial/social ruin (10). You’ll risk life & limb (15). BERSERKER. You can’t control your fighting rage— you rabidly: Attack whatever set you off (5). Attack anyone within range except friends (10). Attack anyone in range (15). Attack anyone in range and won’t stop until subdued forcibly or exhausted/stunned (20). UNLUCKY. Things never go your way; you have constant disasters. Travel and adventure only hold for you: Inconvenient misfortunes (5). Costly or dangerous misfortunes (10). Very costly or dangerous misfortunes (15). Deadly, life threatening dangers (20).
C O M P L I C AT I O N S PHYSIOLOGICAL LIMITATIONS These are Physical problems you must cope with:
SOCIAL COMPLICATIONS: These are things with serious Social and Societal consequences for you:
CAPABILITIES. What can they do to you? Are they: Less powerful than you? (5). As powerful as you? (10). More powerful than you? (15). Have access to powerful weapons, powers or hardware? (20). EXTENT. How far can they reach? Are they: Limited to single town or area? (5). Limited to a single country? (10) Worldwide in their influence? (15) Interdimensional or Galactic (20)
NOTE: Instead of using the normal Intensity table, use the following scale: INTENSITY. What do they want from you? Are you: Being watched? (divide by 5). Being hunted for capture or imprisonment? (divide by 2). Marked for death? (1).
RESPONSIBILITIES These are things you have chosen to deal with, no matter how much trouble they cause. Codes of Honor, Family Matters; these are all Responsibilities: CODE OF HONOR. These are the personal rules you will not break, no matter what. A Code of Honor might be a code against killing, never attacking from behind, or never suffering an insult without an answer in blood. To keep your Code, you will: Risk expulsion or embarrassment (5). Risk bodily harm or financial ruin (10). Risk life & limb (15). SENSE OF DUTY. You always do the Right Thing, and follow a higher Moral Code towards those you feel responsible for. You will do this: For your friends (5). For a special group/organization (10). For all Humanity (15). For all Life Itself (20). VOW. This is a promise you must keep, no matter what. It could be to protect someone, follow an ideal, or just get that stupid Ring into that distant volcano. To fulfill this promise, you’ll: Risk Expulsion or embarrassment (5). Risk bodily harm or financial ruin (10). Risk life & limb (15). DEPENDENTS. These are those who need your protection and help. They could include children, family, or friends. Generally, they are: Equal to you in abilities (5). Challenged, or otherwise weaker than you (10). Have special problems, requirements or dangers associated with them (15).
COMPULSIVE BEHAVIORS These are behaviors you must act upon; you just can’t help yourself. ADDICTION/DEPENDENCE. You must have a particular substance or situation or you will suffer severe mental or physical duress. The substance/situation you need is: Common (5). Uncommon (10). Rare (15). Very Rare (20). HONESTY. You always tell the truth, even if it hurts. To be honest, you’ll even: Risk expulsion, embarrassment, or financial loss (5). Risk bodily harm or financial/social ruin (10). Risk life & limb (15). IMPULSIVENESS. You just can’t help yourself; you always jump into things without thinking. To follow a whim, you’ll: Risk expulsion or embarrassment (5). Risk bodily harm, social or financial ruin (10). Risk life & limb (15). INTOLERANCE. You’re bigoted and intolerant of those who are different from you. When you encounter them, you are: Civil but distant (5). Rude and verbally abusive (10). Violently abusive (15). Abusive even at risk of life and limb (20). JEALOUSY. You are jealous to the extreme. Towards the one you “love”, you are: Obsessed and watchful (5). Confrontative and accusatory (10. Physically violent (15). KLEPTOMANIA. You steal things compulsively. You can’t help it; you’ll even: Risk arrest or embarrassment (5). Risk bodily harm or financial/social ruin (10). Risk life & limb (15). LECHEROUS. You can’t resist grabbing or pawing someone you find attractive, or at least making lewd comments. You’ll even: Risk expulsion, embarrassment, or financial loss (5). Risk bodily harm or financial or social ruin (10). Risk life & limb (15).
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PUBLIC FIGURE. You are a figure in the media limelight; you can’t make a move without getting attention: You are newsworthy and your activities rate an article if a reporter is nearby (5). You frequently make headlines and people always notice your actions on the street (10). Your every action makes news and you have reporters following you everywhere (15). BAD REP. People “know” about you. At least, everyone’s heard a story or two, even if untrue. When you are mentioned or seen, you are: Frequently recognized (5). Always recognized (10). SECRET IDENTITY. You are trying to hide your activities under a secret identity or other smoke screen. You currently are: Living a normal life, unnoticed by anyone (5). Are bothered by a single person trying to uncover your real identity (10). Everyone’s trying to uncover your real identity (15). POVERTY. Money is hard to come by for you, harder than for most. You are, financially- wise: Poor, with just enough for a bed and a few meager meals (5). Dead Broke and probably on the street with barely enough to eat (10). In debt, with others actively seeking to collect what little you have (15). PERSONAL HABITS. People just can’t stand you. Maybe it’s the bad breath or the nose picking, but they find you: Annoying (5). Disgusting (10). Horrible (15). OPPRESSED. You are part of an oppressed or otherwise downtrodden group. In your society, you are: Snubbed; others ignore or refuse to deal with you (5). Oppressed; there are laws controlling where you live, work or can travel (10). Outcast; you’re a total non-person (15). Enslaved; you’re treated as property and can be sold or mistreated at will (20). DISTINCTIVE FEATURES. You stand out and are noticed in any crowd, with features that are: Easily concealed (5). Concealable with Disguise or Performance skills (10). Not concealable (15). OUTSIDER. You’re not a local, and stand out like a sore thumb, attracting attention both unwelcome and possibly dangerous. You are obviously: From distant place (5). From very distant place (10). Never before seen in these parts (15).
These are forces which are actively working against you. Your Enemy’s value is determined by three things: their Capabilities, their Extent, and their Intensity of enmity against you:
COMPLICATIONS
AGE. You are either younger than usual or older; this is reflected in your characteristics: Very old/young: Reduce any 2 Characteristics (except Mental Group) by 2 (10). Extremely old/young: Reduce Reduce any 3 Characteristics (except Mental Group) by 3 (15). DYSLEXIA. You see letters and numbers as a jumble, or reversed. This means you: Read very slowly (5). Cannot read or write (10). EPILEPSY. You fall into convulsive fits that incapacitate you. What sets off the fit (as determined by the GM) is: Uncommon (5). Common (10). Very Common (15). MISSING LIMB. Ouch! That hurt! You’re missing: 1 or more fingers (5). A hand (10 each). An arm (15 each). REDUCED HEARING. You are hard of hearing. Generally, to make a hearing based Perception check, you will need: To beat a Target Number 4 points higher than everyone else's (5). A Hearing aid just to hear at all (10). New ears; you’re totally deaf (15). REDUCED MOBILITY. You are unable to get around normally. Your Movement: Is reduced by quarter (5). Is reduced by half (10). Is reduced to dragging by arms at a MOVE of 1 (15). Nonexistent; you’re a total quadriplegic; unable to move below the neck (20). REDUCED SIGHT, YOUR EYESIGHT IS IMPAIRED IN SOME WAY. YOU: Are color blind (5). Need glasses (10). Are nearly blind or one-eyed (15). Are totally blind (20). UNCONTROLLABLE CHANGE. You are prone to uncontrollable changes; these may be physical or mental (depending on what you negotiate with the GM). What sets off the change is: Uncommon (5). Common (10). Very Common (15). VOCAL IMPAIRMENT. Your voice is somehow damaged. When you speak, you can: Only whisper, stammer or stutter (5). Only make sounds, but cannot speak (10). Cannot make a sound (15). VULNERABILITY. You’re susceptible to a certain situation or substance and take extra damage when exposed to it. The substance or situation is: Uncommon (5). Common (10). Very Common (15). SUSCEPTIBILITY: You are harmed or take damage from a certain situation or substance that is harmless to most people. The substance or situation is: Uncommon (5). Common (10). Very Common (15)
ENEMIES: Hunted and Watched
ABOUT SKILLS
S K I L L S he first thing most characters will want to buy with their Option Points are Skills. Skills are things the character knows or can do; they represent his or her level of knowledge and accomplishment. Skills are normally rated from one to ten, and are used in game play by adding the level of the Skill to the level of the most applicable Characteristic the skill is related to.
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he good news is, every character gets a free starting group of skills to begin with, so that he won’t be totally helpless in his new environment: Everyman Skills.
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kills are like Characteristics; they have a range of effectiveness that is related to how much they cost. Here’s a simple guideline to skill levels in the Fuzion system:
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VALUE LABEL SKILL 0 OR LESS
CHALLENGED
You don’t know how to do this task at all.
1-2
EVERYDAY
You’ve learned the basics of this task, and can do this thing most of the time, though not very well. You’re an apprentice or a beginner.
3-4
COMPETENT
You are well trained and practiced in this skill, and can perform it well in everyday circumstances. You can handle unusual applications of the skill with some difficulty. You’re considered a professional.
5-6
HEROIC
You are a master of this skill, and are capable of unusual applications of the skill. You are considered a master craftsman.
7-8
INCREDIBLE
A skill at this level means you’re one of the very best in the world. You are at ease with unusual applications of the skill, or even new applications. This is entering the realm of fiction, of amazing skill that’s not quite impossible!
9-10
LEGENDARY
A skill at this level puts you in the realm of the greatest practitioners of this skill in history. You are pushing forward the boundaries of the skill and what it can be used for, and have entered the realm of genius and of fiction.
MORE THAN SUPERHEROIC Skills at this level are better than any10 one could believe in the real world. This realm belongs to comic books, science fiction, fantasy or mythology.
EVERYMAN SKILLS
veryman skills are things generally known by everyone in all specific cultures or time periods: Perception, Concentration, Education, Persuasion, Athletics, Teacher, Local Expert (Knowledge of your area), Hand-to-Hand, and Hand-toHand Evade. These are given free to all characters by the GM, and have an automatic starting level of 2; about what the average person would know about his world. Each can be improved by adding Skill levels on an individual basis. An individual GM may wish to add or remove skills from the Everyman category to suit his particular game; in a far future setting, for example, everyone may use computers, but only special people may have any athletic skills. The Everyman skill category gives you the flexibility to tailor the level of your culture as desired.
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GENERAL SKILLS
nlike Everyman Skills, General Skills are purchased at the cost of one Option Point for every level of skill; for example, to have 4 levels in Firearms would cost 4 OP. Buying a skill generally gets you the ability to do pretty much everything described by that skill. However, some campaign settings may ROLL require that you specify PTS S KILLS , TALENTS & P ERKS 11 how a skill will be used 3 Perception 7 (for example, picking 4 Concentration what kind of Scientist 2 Education 10 (Physicist, Chemist, etc.) 6 Persuasion 12 you intend to be. In these 6 Athletics 13 cases, you may need to take additional “special- 2 Teacher 8 izations” of that skill to 4 Local Knowledge 12 be able to use it in other 2 Hand-to-Hand 10 ways (for example, Sci2 Hand-to-Hand Evade 9 COMB entist [Physicist] and CTION 5 Firearms 13 AAttack Scientist [Chemist]. 14 Block The list of possible 6 Swordplay Dodge skills one could encounter 42 Total Points Get Up in a Fuzion game is as Grab Run wide as the possible camSprint paign settings. Other Action
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What’s compiled on the next page are typical skills applicable to many superheroic settings or modern action genres. Feel free to use these as a guideABOVE: Steve’s Character Sheet with Skills line for your adventures as each Fuzion campaign will usually have its own list.
Throw Abort Aim Choke Hold Disarm Dive for Cover Draw & Attack Entangle Escape Haymaker Move Thru
SKILL LIST GENERAL SKILLS ACROBATICS
ELECTRONICS EXPERT
FIREARMS FORENSIC MEDICINE
FORGERY GAMBLING
GUNNERY HACKING HAND TO HAND
HAND TO HAND EVADE
HEAVY WEAPONS HIGH SOCIETY
INTERROGATION
INVENTOR
LANGUAGES
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LIP READING
The ability to identify, understand, repair, and rewire electronic devices. (TECH) Any one field of knowledge: stamps, gardening, Bay City Police Department, paranormal law, and so forth. This can be a hobby, or an in-depth knowledge of a specific field or area. (INT) Firing semi-automatic pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns, and crossbows. (REF) This skill lets the character make inferences from a corpse about the cause of death, how long the corpse has been dead, and so forth. (TECH) The ability to create false documents, identification, currency, and so forth. (TECH) The ability to win gambling games that require some skill, such as blackjack, poker, and more exotic games. A character may also use this skill to cheat. (TECH) Firing vehicle-mounted weapons, mecha weapons, ship-mounted weapons and artillery. (REF) Skills of electronic intrusion into computer systems, including illegal entry and virus code writing. (TECH) Basic skill at fighting with your hands. Adding Martial Arts (page 30 - 31) allows the character to use Martial Arts maneuvers and actions. (REF) Basic skill at getting out of the way of someone who is trying to hit you. This skill is used for defense when you are being attacked by someone using the Hand-toHand Skill. (DEX) Use of military weapons such as RPGs, mortars, rockets, hand-held missiles, etc. (REF) The knowledge of upper-class culture: what clothes to wear, what are considered sophisticated drinks, and how to mingle with royalty and other VIPs. (PRE) The ability to forcibly extract information from people. The character knows how to avoid leaving marks, can judge how close a victim is to death or breaking, and is an expert at manipulating subjects into revealing desired information. (PRE) This skill enables the character to design and construct new devices. To use Inventor, the character needs the complementary science skills in the field he is working in. (TECH) Must specify one particular language group (or dialect, computer SOME (LOOSE) LANGUAGE FAMILIES code, type LATIN-BASED: French, Spanish, Italian, of sign lan- Portuguese guage or CHINESE: Mandarin, Cantonese, Hakka, Thai hand sig- NORTH ASIAN: Japanese, Korean nals). Must SOUTH ASIAN: Thai, Burmese specify pri- SLAVIC: Russian, Polish, Czech mary lan- GERMANIC: German, Dutch, English, Afrikaans, Yiddish, Swiss guage (see SCANDINAVIAN: Danish, Norwegian, Swedish. chart) in the MID-EASTERN: Arabic, Persian. Hebrew, Berber. family; all COMPUTER: BASIC, C++, Fortran, Cobol. others in that group are at 1/2 of primary. (INT) This skill enables the character to read someone’s lips in order to tell what he is saying. The character must be able to see his target’s mouth clearly. (INT)
SKILL LIST
EXPLANATION The ability to perform flips, jumps, and rolls like a circus acrobat. You can also jump and flip over an obstacle, landing on your feet, ready to fight. (DEX) ACTING The ability to act; to assume a role or character. Someone who is skilled in this can fake moods or emotions, or hide his true identity. (PRE) ANIMAL HANDLER The skills of animal handling, training, and care as applicable. (INT) ATHLETICS Basic Athletics skills; dodging, escaping, throwing, swimming. (DEX) AUTOFIRE WEAPONS Use of machine-guns. full-autofire weapons and attacks, etc. (REF) BRIBERY A character with this skill knows when to bribe someone, how to approach him, and how much to offer. (PRE) BUGGING The ability to properly implant and operate listening, visual, or other sensing devices (“bugs.”) (TECH) BUREAUCRATICS You know how to deal with bureaucrats, cut out red tape, who to talk to, how to reach them, and how to extract information from bureaucracies. (PRE) BUSINESS Knowledge of basic business practices, laws of supply and demand, employee management, accounting, procurement, sales, marketing. (INT) CLIMBING Ability to climb unusually difficult walls, trees, and buildings, as long as there are handholds. The basic climbing speed is 2 m/y per phase. (STR) COMPUTER PROGRAMMING The ability to program and operate computers. (TECH) CONCEALMENT You can hide things and find things that other people have hidden — like important papers, weapons, jewels, artifacts, drugs, and so forth. (INT) CONCENTRATION The abilities of focus and mental control. This would encompass feats of memory, recall, physiological control, and Mental Powers. (WILL) CONTORTIONIST The ability to manipulate your body to get out of ropes and similar bonds. You may also contort your body to fit into generally inaccessible places or spaces. (DEX) CONVERSATION This ability allows you to extract information from people with careful conversation. The use of this skill takes time, and if the roll is missed, the subject realizes he is being pumped for information. (PRE) CRIMINOLOGY You know how to look for clues, dust for fingerprints, examine evidence, do ballistic tests, examine records, search through files, and so on. (TECH) CRYPTOGRAPHY The ability to solve simple ciphers and encrypt or decode messages. (INT) DEDUCTION This is the art of taking several facts and leaping to an inobvious conclusion. This skill should be used sparingly. (INT) DEMOLITIONS The ability to properly use, handle, set, and defuse explosives (TECH) DISGUISE The ability to change a character’s appearance through makeup, costumes, body language, and facial expression. (TECH) DRIVING Driving cars, motorcycles, jeeps, trucks, tanks, hovercraft, and other ground vehicles. Generally, this skill must be purchased for one class of vehicles. (REF) EDUCATION General knowledge, such as math, history, science, trivia, or current events. (INT)
SKILL LIST
SKILL LIST LOCAL EXPERT
LOCKPICKING MECHANICS MELEE WEAPONS MELEE EVADE
MIMICRY NAVIGATION
ORATORY PARAMEDIC PERCEPTION PERSUASION PILOT
PROFESSIONAL
RANGED EVADE
RESEARCH
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RIDING
SCIENCE
SECURITY SYSTEMS
SEDUCTION SHADOWING
Knowledge of an area; who’s who, where things are, general customs, schedules, and peculiarities of the environment. (INT) This skill allows the character to open key, combination, electronic, and magnetic locks. (TECH) Skill with mechanical devices and the knowledge of how to repair, replace, and build them. (TECH) Using all different types of melee weapons, such as knives, clubs, axes, swords, spears, etc. (REF) Basic skill at getting out of the way of someone who is trying to strike you with a weapon. This skill is used for defense when you are being attacked by someone using the Melee Weapons Skill. (DEX) The ability to perfectly imitate someone else’s voice. (PRE) Knowing how to take sightings, use maps and charts, plot courses, work from wind, weather, and other guides. (INT) The ability to speak to an audience and to deliver a convincing presentation. (PRE) This skill enables the character to stop bleeding, repair damage, and generally keep someone alive. (TECH) The skill of observation, perception and spotting hidden things (like clues), detecting lies and emotions. The ability to convince, persuade, or influence individuals. (PRE) Flying prop aircraft, civilian jets, military jets, helicopters, etc. A specific class of vehicle must be chosen for this skill. (DEX) The ability to perform a certain profession (such as artist, actor, doctor, hockey player, mason, secretary, taxi driving, etc.) Obviously, certain other skills will greatly enhance the character’s ability to practice his profession. (INT) Basic skill at getting out of the way of someone who is trying to shoot you with any type of ranged weapon, be it a pistol shot, an energy blast, a thrown car, or whatever. This skill is used for defense when you are being attacked by a ranged attack. (DEX) Skills in using libraries, databases, records, as well as uncovering information from obscure or uncommon sources. (INT) This skill enables a character to ride a living creature under difficult circumstances. The type of animal (usually horse) must be specified when this skill is purchased. (DEX) Knowledge of lab techniques, how to design experiments, how to write scientific papers, test hypotheses, etc. for your appropriate field of science. Must specify your area of study when this skill is purchased. (INT) The ability to recognize and evade various types of alarms and traps. The character also knows how to set up alarms and traps, given the proper time and equipment. (TECH) The ability to gain others’ trust by offering companionship or favors. (PRE) The ability to subtly follow someone. Also the ability to spot and lose a tail. (INT)
SLEIGHT OF HAND
The ability to palm items, fool the eye, perform magic tricks, etc. (REF)
STEALTH
The ability to hide in shadows, move silently or avoid detection in combat situations. (DEX) This skill gives the character knowledge of the seamy side of civilization: he knows how to find the black market, talk to thugs, gain information, and so on. (PRE) This skill enables the character to live off the land, find food and water, identify dangerous plants and animals, and so on. (INT) The ability to set up a static surveillance of a subject without having it detected. (INT) This skill allows the character to operate sensing and communications devices. The character should choose what type of system he knows how to operate (such as Radar, microwave transmitters, LANs, etc.) (TECH) The ability to fight effectively and efficiently. A character with this skill is an expert at combat, and usually knows what must be done to win a battle. (INT) The ability to impart information or skills to other. (PRE) The ability to follow a trail by observing tracks, marks, broken twigs, and so forth. (INT) The ability to strike a good bargain with a merchant or customer. (PRE) The ability to use a paranormal power or supernatural skill. This must be bought for the various groups of powers the character might have, such as his attack Multipower, his flight, and so forth. Generally, this skill can be bought for any group of powers that are connected by a common special effect. This skill is used with attack powers to make attacks, to operate certain powers (for example, Use Flight would allow a character to make radical flight maneuvers, etc.) and is also used when trying to use a power in a clever way (for instance, varying the frequency of your force field to match another force field, or similar pseudo-science). The Technique Characteristic should be used when making Skill Rolls for Use Power, though other Stats may be used if the GM decides the situation warrants (for instance, using Will in a contest of Power versus Power in a classic comic book or magical confrontation). The Power Points in the Power could even be used as the “Characteristic” if the GM feels the situation is appropriate. (Varies) The character can make his voice sound as if it’s coming from somewhere other than himself. (PRE) A grasp of fashion, wardrobe, and personal grooming. A character with this skill knows how to show off clothes and look his best. (PRE) The character knows how to build, maintain and repair weapons of various types. The class of weapon (muscle-powered, firearms, energy weapons, other) must be specified when this skill is purchased. (TECH)
STREETWISE
SURVIVAL
SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS OPERATIONS
TACTICS
TEACHER TRACKING TRADING USE POWER
VENTRILOQUIST WARDROBE AND STYLE
WEAPONSMITH
TA L E N T S TALENTS alents are an innate ability, (but not necessarily superhuman) that cannot normally be learned or taught, such as a bump of direction or the ability to see in the dark. The list of Talents below is a general one; which ones are available depends on each GM’s decisions about the campaign setting. Each one of these Talents costs 3 points each. If levels (indicated by a ✚) can be taken in the Talent, each additional level will cost another 3 OP:
DOUBLE JOINTED:
T
DESCRIPTION
ACUTE SENSES:
One of your five senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste) is extremely acute. If the sense is touch, you can read print with your fingertips, feel tumblers moving in a lock, and determine subtle differences in materials by feel. If the sense is smell, you can instantly detect people or substances by scent alone and can track them like a bloodhound. If the sense is sight, you automatically gain a +1 bonus in all sight related Perception checks, and treat all ranged attack modifiers as being 2 points less than normal. If the sense is taste, you can perceive subtle additions to food and detect harmful substances with the barest taste. You can use tools and weapons with either hand at no penalty (normally -3 for using off-hand). Animals like you; they will never harm or attack you unless severely provoked. You always seem to attract whatever animals are common to the area, and they will immediately gravitate to your side, although they may not necessarily do what you ask them to.
AMBIDEXTERITY: ANIMAL EMPATHY:
BEAUTIFUL/ HANDSOME:
BLIND REACTION:
COMBAT SENSE:
COMMON SENSE:
IMMUNITY: INTUITION:
LIGHTNING CALCULATOR: LIGHT SLEEPER:
LONGEVITY:
NIGHT VISION: PERFECT PITCH:
RAPID HEALING:
SCHTICK:
SIMULATE DEATH:
SPEED READER:
TIME SENSE:
You are especially resistant to pain and shock. When wounded, you will reduce the amount of STUN taken by 2 points each time and the effects of Impairing wounds (when used) by -2. You are immune to the effects of one specific poison or disease group (must specify). You have an uncanny feel for hunches; the GM will give you a chance to make a Perception roll whenever he thinks you might get a hunch, even if there are no perceptible clues present. You can automatically do complex mathematical operations in your head without using any aids. You wake instantly from even the lightest touch or smallest sound (no Perception check required). You are extremely long lived, but do not show any appreciable signs of aging. No matter how old you are, you always look and feel as a person half your age. You can see in all but absolute darkness. You always know if something's in tune, and automatically gain at +3 bonus in any musically related task (singing, playing instruments, etc). You heal extremely fast, recovering an extra 3 Hits per time unit in addition to your normal healing rate. A schtick is a special habit or personal affectation that has little or no actual effect on skills or combat abilities. Examples might be: always having a wind wafting your hair or cape dramatically, always having dramatic lighting striking your face, being able to toss your hat on a hook when you walk in; always having a cigar hidden somewhere on your person, etc. Schticks must be okayed by the GM and should never have an important combat or skill application—always shooting the gun out of the bad guy’s hand would be a very dangerous schtick to allow. You can lower your heart rate and breathing to such a low level that it is a Legendary Difficulty to tell whether you are dead or not. You can read one page of any normal text that you are familiar with in three seconds (you can read a 200 page book in 10 minutes). You always know what time it is, always know how much time has elapsed between the present and the last time you checked.
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DIRECTION SENSE:
You are extremely good looking; people will automatically stop and stare at you when you pass, and you are generally surrounded by admirers. In addition, you automatically have a +1 bonus to your Persuasion, Performance, and Wardrobe/Style skills for each level taken. ✚ You can counterattack (in hand to hand only) with no negative modifiers for darkness or being obscured (-4), even if you can't see or hear your opponent. Your reflexes are keyed for danger; you automatically react faster to danger than anyone else; for every level taken (up to 5) you may add +1 to your Initiative rolls (in combat only).✚ You always look before you leap; the GM must give you warning whenever you’re about to do something particularly foolish, even if there are no perceptible clues present. He doesn’t have to specify the danger, just that "this might not be a smart idea..." You are never lost; always know where North is and can orient yourself easily without any external cues.
HIGH PAIN THRESHOLD:
TALENTS
TALENT NAME
EIDETIC MEMORY:
You can bend your limbs and joints in impossible ways. You can fit into any space equal to half your height and width and it is impossible to tie you up or entangle you with a single rope; you can only be restrained using restraints like cuffs, shackles, or nets. You never forget anything you have read, seen, heard, smelled, or touched.
PERKS & PRIVILEGES
PERKS & PRIVILEGES erks are useful items, privileges, or contacts a character has access to in a campaign. Perks can be special licenses or symbols of authority, friends, favors or fringe benefits accruing from a profession. They are purchased with Option Points just like any Skill, and function as a value gauge of how powerful the Perk is (1 being lowest, 10 being best—the GM is the final arbiter of PTS S KILLS , TALENTS & P ERKS a Perk’s worth on the 1~10 scale); level 8 8 FBI Membership or 9 should really mean something! 2 Wealth (Upper Middle Class) Perks are extremely campaign dependent
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and should be created for each campaign individually. Many Perks have mixed benefits, both good or bad, and game play should reflect this. Think about it: A “Mafia Godfather” Contact might require a favor of YOU someday too! Once the GM has established the level of the Perk, he must decide just how much impact that perk has on the world; for example, in a superheroic game, being the head of a CAMPAIGN STYLE MULTIPLY PERK BY huge corporation would be a character VERY HIGH IMPACT ..................................................X4 affectation; in a cyberpunk campaign, that HIGH IMPACT .........................................................X3 same status would have SERIOUS impact. MODERATE IMPACT ..................................................X2 The impact is matched to the chart below LITTLE OR NO IMPACT ..............................................X1 and the basic cost for the Perk (listed below) is multiplied by the value indicated. This will be the final cost.
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PERK NAME [COST PER LEVEL] DESCRIPTION MEMBERSHIP [1 PER LEVEL] You can call upon the resources of an organization, person, government, or group—but you also have responsibilities. The level of Membership represents your character’s status in the organization, not the influence of the group (that’s what the multipliers above are for). For example: A Membership of 1 at in the FBI would make you a janitor, but at 10 you’re the Director’s right-hand man. A version of this is Authority, in which the character is an agent of the law and has the power to arrest, detain and use deadly force. LICENSE [1 PER LEVEL] The character has a legally sanctioned right to do things that would normally be considered illegal (license to kill, to collect taxes, hunt criminals, etc). Licenses are individual cases, granting YOU authority rather than “loaning” you use of the authority of a group (as above)—you get no resources, but you also don’t have so many responsibilities. By example: a license to sell arms might cost 2; A Private Investigator’s license 4; a Bounty Hunter’s license might cost 6; a CIA or secret service agent’s license 8, a Federal Marshal’s license costs about 9, and having an unconditional license to kill might cost 10. CONTACT [1 PER LEVEL] You know someone who can (and generally will) help you through money, power or sheer skill, and this help is usually “off the record.” A mercenary who’ll occasionally back you up in a fight costs 3, a local Yakuza Boss costs 6, the head of the FBI costs 9. Remember that the level of the contact is based on several factors: a student’s not much, but a student who’s willing to die for you… [0.5 PER LEVEL] A one shot Contact; you can make use of this contact only once, but FAVOR they MUST do what you ask (as long as its appropriate). Note that it’s often useful to have favors from a lot of people in different areas rather than one contact who does everything. RENOWN [1 PER LEVEL] Your reputation, usually in a favorable light. People go out of their way to curry favor with you, or to at least avoid getting on your bad side. At 3, most local people know you; at 6 you’re nationally known; at 9 you’re an international figure. WEALTH [1 PER LEVEL] Characters are assumed to be lower middle class, but wealth boosts your lifestyle. Spending 1 OP places you comfortably in the middle class, capable of buying common things and living in a decent place. Level 2 is upper middle class; you can buy most everyday things and live in a very nice place. At levels 3~4, you are well to do and have more than enough money to support yourself; you need work only occasionally, can afford costly hobbies, and have an expensive home. At 6 you’re rich; you don’t have to work at all, can afford large purchases like cars or vacations, and live in a very expensive home. At 9, you’re a millionaire, can live anywhere and buy almost anything you want. The GM might let you exceed Wealth 10, making you a billionaire!
IMPROVING DERIVED STATS It is possible to increase the value of a Derived Stat beyond its starting value. The chart shows what you get for each 5 Option Points spent. Of course, you can also use Character Points to buy up Derived Stats as well. In general, however, you’d be better served just to increase the Primary Stat from which the Derived Stat is figured, unless there is some reason why you can’t (or shouldn’t.) Note that normal humans have stat maximums for Derived Stats, much as they have Stat maximums for Primary Stats. In the case of Derived Stats, these maximums are figured from the maximum value of the Primary Stat(s) involved. For example, the maximum stat for a normal human in the Champions: New Millennium campaign is 7. The maximum Derived Stats for that normal human would be SD & ED of 14, SPD of 4, RES of 14, REC of 14, END of 70, STUN of 35, and HITS of 35. A character may buy his Derived Stats up beyond this maximum, but he must have some kind of reason (super-powers, magic, etc.) to exceed those numbers. For 5 OPs or 1 CP, you can increase your Derived Stats by choosing one of the following: +2 SD & +2 ED +1/2 SPD (Requires 2 CP or 10 OP to increase by +1) +1 REC +10 END +3 Resistance +5 STUN +5 HITS
MONEY IN FUZION Generally, players with wealthy characters are discouraged from keeping track of their money directly—it’s a lot of tedious bookkeeping. However, there may be times when you’ll absolutely NEED to know if you can buy that Caribbean island. In this case, you might use the following rule: At Wealth 1, the player has a disposable income of $1,000 per week; this value doubles for each additional level of Wealth—this means at Wealth 10, you could spend over 2 million dollars a year! Referees should be REALLY careful letting this rules cat out of the bag!
GEAR
&
EQUIPMENT
ear is just one more thing your character will need to adventure. The list below is a sample of types of personal hardware used in the Champions setting; it is by no means exhaustive. NOTE: The values given here are in Option Points; to derive money costs, multiply the OP cost by 100 monetary units. Also note some costs are in 10th points.
G
HOLOCHIPS (10)...........................................................1 Futuristic equivalents of tapes, music, and books. HOLORECORDER .............................................................2 Futuristic equivalent of a video recorder. Can record up to 10 hours on a single chip. Projects hand-sized holo image for playback. INERTIAL COMPASS.........................................................3 Small device about the size of a pack of cigarettes. Records directions travelled and replays instructions and map on LCD screen. Will always locate North. Adds +2 to any Navigation skill. MACROGLASSES.............................................................1 Futuristic equivalent of binoculars, with digital range readouts, image enhancement, still recording of up to 10 images (stored on holochips). MEDICAL SCANNER ........................................................3 Hand-held scanner the size of a paperback book. Examines patient, gives procedures and diagnosis on LCD screen. Adds +2 to any First Aid skills. MUSIC SYNTHESIZER ......................................................2 Any type of electronic music device; can include keyboards, drum pads, stringed instruments, and MIDI wind instruments. 10 hours per power cell. POWER CELLS (6).........................................................1 The “batteries” of the future, used to power most small devices and weapons. Come in packs of 6, each with a jack for wall. Recharging; takes 1 hour to recharge a single cell. Every Future electronic device uses one power cell, which will run the device for 10 continuous hours. RESPIRATOR .................................................................1 Breathing mask for filtering out smog, toxic atmospheres, etc. Oxygen (1 hour) bottle included. SNEAKSUIT....................................................................3 Futuristic equivalent of camouflage, the sneaksuit mimics the background of whatever the wearer is passing in front of. Adds +2 to any Stealth attempt. SURVIVAL DOME ............................................................3 Light, self-inflating habitat for four. Air tight, can even be used in space (although air must be provided for breathing). Takes five minutes to set up. TECHNICAL SCANNER ......................................................5 Hand-held scanner about the size of a paperback book. Readout examines mechanical/electronic hardware and gives repair procedures and problems on LCD screen. Adds +2 to any Electronics, Mechanics, Tinkering, Cybertech, FTL Tech, Gravitic Tech, or Hyper Energy Tech type skills. UNIVERSAL TRANSLATOR................................................12 Translates unknown languages and provides English equivalents through attached earphones. When spoken into, translates your words back via digitized voice. Takes three turns to translate a simple language; six turns to analyze and translate a complex one. Note: on a roll of 6 on 1D6, any previously unknown language is untranslatable. VIDEO COMMO ..............................................................3 Two-way TV communicator about the size of a pack of cigarettes. Range is equivalent to a standard communicator, with same limits.
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PERSONAL COMPUTER ..................................................10 8” x 12” x 2” laptop with LCD screen. 2 meg, with 100 meg memory (about 100,000 pages of information). 3 hour battery charge; recharge in 3 hours. RADIO..........................................................................1 Portable CB walky-talky. Range about 20 miles, 24 bands. SKATES ........................................................................1 For rapid travel on ice (reduces terrain type from Rough to Normal). SKIS ............................................................................2 For snow travel (reduces terrain from Rough to Normal). SNOWSHOES..................................................................1 For movement over deep snow (reduces terrain from Very Rough to Rough). TAPE RECORDER ............................................................1 About the size of a cigarette pack. 2 hours of audio on tape cassettes. TENT (NYLON) ...............................................................1 Holds four. Can be set up in five minutes. TOOLKNIFE ..................................................................05 Classic “Swiss army” knife (DC.5). Saw, screwdrivers, tweezers, awls, etc. UTILITY BELT...............................................................02 Belt or harness with pouches. Can be used to carry up to 6 objects or devices up to the size of a large paperback book. or a total combined weight no greater than 10kg. VIDEO CAMERA .............................................................3 Records color images and sound on video tape. Can replay tape images through viewfinder monitor. Each tape lasts 4 hours. WRISTWATCH ..............................................................05 Digital time keeper with alarm, day, date. Two years on a battery. SUPERTECH OP ANALYZER ..................................................................10 Hand-held scanner about the size of a hardback book. The scanner sweeps 100m/yds around the user, examining life signs, technology traces, emissions, sounds, etc., reporting on what it observes on its LCD screen. Adds +2 to any Awareness, Understand Technology, Tracking or Survival skills. ANTIGRAVITY MODULE...................................................10 Small 1’x1’x1’ cube with antigravity unit inside. Handles are on either side. Can lift up to 200 lbs. for 4 hours on a power cell. COMMUNICATOR.............................................................1 Small radio (headset or matchbox-sized handheld). Range is 1000km. A communicator can reach a ship in orbit, as long as the ship is directly overhead and not blocked by more than a meter of concrete or metal. FIRST AID KIT (FUTURE)...............................................05 Laser scalpels, dermal staplers, nano-clamps, air hypos and other high tech medical devices. Required for Physician or First Aid skill attempts. FOOD PACKS (WEEK)......................................................1 Compressed food for one man. Requires no heating or water; just rip open the seal and it heats in 2 minutes. GILL MASK ...................................................................5 Facemask and collar unit equivalent to an aqualung. Allows user to breathe freely underwater for up to 72 hours down to 200m/yds.
GEAR & EQUIPMENT LIST
HIGH TECH OP BINOCULARS .................................................................1 For long distance observation. 30x power. “BUG”.........................................................................6 Miniature listening device. Will transmit any sound within 10m/yds to a receiver up to a km away. BUG DETECTOR .............................................................9 Will detect any active or passive listening device within 10m/yds Will determine location of bug, but not location of receiver. CAMERA ......................................................................1 Records still images on film. 24 exposures. CAMOUFLAGE COVERALL..................................................2 Khaki overclothing, patterned to match Urban, Snow, Jungle, Forest, or Desert environments (specify). Adds +2 to any Stealth attempt. CAMP STOVE.................................................................1 Runs on pressurized gas for 3 hours. Takes about 5 minutes to boil water. CANTEEN....................................................................01 Holds 2 quarts. CD PLAYER...................................................................1 Plays compact laser-discs. About the size of a paperback book. CELL PHONE .................................................................3 Cellular network phone. Range 10 km. DIVING GEAR ................................................................5 Includes swim fins, wet suit, weight belt, aqualung and mask. Tanks good for 3 hours. Can be used down to 60m/yds. DRIED FOOD (WEEK) ......................................................1 For one man. Prepackaged, just add water. 5 lbs. ELECTRICIAN’S TOOL KIT ...............................................05 Pocket soldering iron, parts, multimeter, etc. Required for Electronics tasks. FIRST AID (MODERN)...................................................01 Bandages,scalpels, disinfectants. Required for First Aid attempts. FLASHLIGHT.................................................................01 Battery powered, good for 8 hours. Lights up to 20m/yds. GEIGER COUNTER...........................................................9 Detects intensity/direction of radiation up to 10m/yds. IR GOGGLES & FLASH ....................................................5 Allows user to see in dim light, using flash (Illuminates up to 15m/yds). JAMMER.......................................................................6 Will jam any active or passive listening device within 10m/yds of user. LANTERN ....................................................................05 Lights up to 40m/yds. Batteries last 8 hrs., gasoline for 6. LIGHTER .....................................................................01 Fast fires (2 minutes by this method). Good for 100 lights. MECHANIC’S TOOL KIT....................................................1 Wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers, etc. Required for Mechanical tasks. MOVIE CAMERA ............................................................1 Records color images and sound on film. NYLON ROPE.................................................................1 100m/yds. Can hold up to 500 lbs.
HERO SUPERPOWER PLUG-IN
SUPERPOWER PLUG-IN owers are abilities far beyond those of mortal men—for example, flying or firing bolts of energy. The Powers listed in this section can be used to simulate the powers of a superhero, the spells of a sorcerer, or even the abilities of an alien.
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Could it be Magic? Well, yes, it could be. Any ability sufficiently advanced can be construed as magic instead of superpowers. An Energy Blast can be called a laser bolt or a sorcerous fireball—depending on what you want to call it. The beauty of the Fuzion system is that it simply defines the game effect of a power; you get to decide how it was created and what it looks like— in short, its Special Effects.
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SPECIAL EFFECTS (SFX) IN CHAMPIONS
pecial effects (SFX) are very important in superheroic adventures. The special effects of a power define what it is and how it’s created, and help distinguish one power from another power. For instance, three different characters could all have 12 dice of Energy Blast, but each might have different SFX: One is fire, another uses electricity, and the third fires a sonic attack. Each type of special effect can have extra benefits or limits beyond the basic power description; exactly what is up to the GM. Most powers should have some special effect designated for the power. Each of these categories is very general; within each category there can be many types of special effect, related but different. The only limits are your imagination.
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Common SFX in Champions: The New Millennium Biochemical: This category includes acids, venoms, poisons, diseases, drugs and other chemicals. Biochemical attacks can often be unusual ones, such as Drains. Biochemical attacks are sometimes manifested as gasses, which might be affected by high winds or extreme temperatures. Cold/Ice: Everything related to extreme cold, including freezing blasts of supercold materials, ice, or other such effects. Cold attacks can work against physical or energy defenses, depending on what you decide when you buy the power. Cold powers are usually less effective in high-temperature environments. Electricity: The classic electrical bolt, lightning, sparks, and zaps. Any combination of amperage and voltage would be in this category. This is the classic attack against energy defenses. Electrical powers may have greater effect against delicate electronics, and less effect against well-insulated targets. Gate Key Power: This fundamental force indirectly powers many other effects, but some rare items, people or phenomena tap it directly. This power is rarely seen in its raw form, but when it is, it’s unlike anything else. Heat/Fire: Everything connected with high temperatures, such as flames, hot metal, or hot gasses. Fire can start fires in flammable materials, which is sometimes handy and sometimes can cause excess property damage or threaten innocent lives. Heat powers are usually less effective in low-temperature environments. Kinetic: This category includes all physical force, such as punches, clubs, rocks, chunks of ice, or anything that creates a solid thump
on target (works against Stun Defense or Killing Defense rather than Energy Defense or Energy Killing Defense). This can include forceblasts or telekinetic attacks if you choose to define them that way. Light: This category is electromagnetic radiation in the visible or near-visible spectrum, from infrared to ultraviolet. This includes lasers, high intensity flashes, and similar effects. VIPER and UNTIL blasters fall into this category. Light attacks are often less effective in very dusty or smoky environments. Magic: A catch-all term to describe mysterious forces used to produce a wide variety of effects. It’s important to note that magic can be used to create many different special effects; for instance, magic could be used to create a lightning bolt. That bolt should be considered Lightning, not Magic, in terms of special effects. Magnetism: This covers magnetic and paramagnetic effects, and is often connected with force fields and telekinesis. Magnetic attacks often work against physical defenses rather than energy defenses. Magnetic powers are often less effective against nonmetallic substances, and more effective against magnetic materials such as iron. Psionics: This force is psychic power or mental forces; the raw power of the mind. Mental powers are usually (but not always) created by psionics, and have a psionic special effect. Psionic attacks usually work against mental defenses. Radiation: This includes ionizing radiation such as gamma rays, and radiation from radioactive materials, as well as more bizarre forms of radiation emanated by comic book materials. Essentially, all short wavelength electromagnetic radiation falls into this category. Radiation attacks most often work against energy defenses. Sonics: Pressure waves of all varieties (including infrasound and ultrasound) are in this category. This category of effects would not work at all without a medium of transmission, so it won’t function in a vacuum. Sonics would generally be less effective in a low pressure environment, and more effective in a high-pressure environment. Usually Sonic attacks affect Stun Defense or Killing Defense.
Handling SFX Special effects can and should be used to make adventures more dramatic, and sometimes to help characters overcome problems. It’s a classic comic book bit — the hero manages to defeat the villain’s plot by tuning his energy blast to just the right frequency to deactivate the force field, or some such pseudo-scientific explanation. Special effects can let a character do a little bit more than the basic power description suggests, or sometimes they can restrict a power somewhat. For instance, sonic effects just won’t work in a vacuum, but the GM may let you do some extra damage with a sonic effect under water. It’s up to the GM how much or how little SFX can affect a power. The GM can have the player make a Power Skill roll to see if special effects can be used to help; this is often based on Technique, but can be based on other stats. If you want to make a raw power vs. power contest, you can base the Power skill on the number of points in the power instead of on a characteristic.
Designing New SFX The list of SFX provided is a basic one which the GM can add to if needed. A new character invented by the GM may have completely new special effects; the Power Cosmic, for instance, which is unlike any other power. Or existing special effects categories can be split into two or more categories. Magic, for instance, is very broad, and might be easily split into two or more different types of magic.
SUPERPOWER PLUG-IN
IMPORTANT!: This is a powers list, not the full HERO power construction system. All of the powers in this Plug-in were created by dividing their HERO System cost by 5; we tried to avoid fractions wherever possible, which is why some of the powers, like the Explosive Blast, have costs like 3 points for 2 dice of effect. Not all the Powers are included here, and in the interest of simplification, we have also ignored Advantages, Limitations and other more specialized systems. If these are important to you, you can construct the entire Power as in 4th Edition HERO and convert it to Fuzion as desired. The Plug-in Powers List (pgs. 24 - 28) is organized by functionality. Each power is organized by type, such as attack, defense, movement, etc. This makes it easy to find the type of power you want. Within each power group, the powers are organized alphabetically.
From Champs 4th Edition to Fuzion and Back Again To create your own 4th Edition powers for FUZION, follow the steps below: •Build the power as per the 4th Edition HERO System Rules on pages 51 thru 89. (That’s basically what we did.) •Divide the real cost by 5. Try to avoid fractions in your final cost; if you end up with a fraction, increase the effectiveness of the power to get an even number or round the fraction up (this is one reason improving powers costs 5 to 1—to match 4th ed powers later on). To convert Fuzion Powers to HERO •Multiply the final cost by 5. Then factor in any Advantages, Limitations or other systems to fully convert the power.
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How Many Points for Powers?
s a rule Referees should always give points for powers to characters as a separate pool. This allows greater control over the power level of the POWER LEVEL OF UNIVERSE POINTS campaign and helps POWERS UNHEARD OF [ALMOST REALITY] 5-10 focus the effect that POWERS UNCOMMON [PARANORMAL IS KNOWN ABOUT] 10-20 paranormal abilities POWERS ARE SPECIAL [HEROES ARE RARE] 20-30 have on the game POWERS COMMON [TYPICAL COMIC BOOK] 30-40 universe. The Dial at POWERS ARE EVERYDAY [A POWER-BASED SOCIETY] 40-50 left is a good way to COSMIC POWERS [OFF THE SCALE] 60+ determine the extent of powers on a campaign by providing guidelines for their frequency and impact on everyday life.
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Not Enough Power Points?
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Can’t Find the Power You Want?
With the permission of the GM, you can add Option Points to your Power pool at a ratio of five to one Power Point.
nusual uses of Powers in Fuzion can be determined by using the Use Power skill in conjunction with the most appropriate Characteristic. Attack and Movement Powers are generally used with the REF or DEX Characteristic; Defensive, Adjustment, and Sensory Powers with INT, Size powers with CON. However, the most appropriate Characteristic to use (if a roll is required) is up to the GM of your campaign.
Power Building 101: An Example et’s say we want to build Fuzionman, the Master of Nuclear Force. We first should decide exactly what Fuzionman’s powers are. We settle on the following: • FUZION POWER BLAST (equal to the power of a cannon). • FUZION POWER SHIELD (Can stop anything up to a heavy handgun). • ELECTRON SPEED (Allows Fuzionman to fly as fast as a supersonic jet). • NUCLEAR VISION (Fuzionman can see through almost any material). Now let’s build Fuzionman’s powers. We’ll start with the Powers List (pg. 24 - 28). Fuzion Power Blast is an Attack Power—the closest thing we can find is an Energy Attack. We decided that a cannon is equal to DC16. At a cost of 1 PP per 1 DC, this means his Atomic Power Blast costs 16 PPs. Its range is 10 times the cost—160 m/yds. The Power Shield is a Defensive Power; we decide it’s best described as a Force Field. We decide that since a shotgun can deliver an average of 20 pts. of damage, Fuzionman's shield must stop this much at least. At 2 PPs per 5 pts. of resistance, the Power Shield will cost us 8 PPs. Electron Speed is a Movement power. We decide Supersonic Flight is the best way to do this—if our jet plane can move at Mach 1, then 2 PPs buys us that one Mach. Plus, since Supersonic Speeds are only for noncombat movement, we‘ll also buy Flight for 10m/yds per phase plus an extra Non-combat multiple. The final cost will be 4+2+1 =7 PPs. Finally, the Enhanced Sense of Nuclear Vision translates nicely as N-Ray vision, with a base cost of 4 PPs. Fuzionman’s total powers will cost us 16 + 8 + 7 + 4 = 35 PPs. So much for Fuzionman in Fuzion. But how about in HERO? Simple: converting this value to HERO will cost us 5 times as much, raising this total to 175 points (which we can buy down with various Limitations and Frameworks available in the full HERO system).
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Maybe you’re looking in the wrong place. Many superheroic Powers are actually superhuman Characteristics instead. If you really want to build a guy with a STR of 25, get your GM’s permission to exchange some of your Power (or Campaign) points for Characteristic Points. Power points interchange with Characteristics on a 1 to 1 basis; Option Points on a 5 to 1 basis.
Unusual Uses of Powers 5U
HERO SUPERPOWER PLUG-IN
he Fuzion Power Plug-in is designed to create simplified superpowers that can be converted in and out of the HERO System. While not intended to have all the sophistication of its “parent” system, this plug in allows Referees and players to easily create superpowers for their Fuzion campaigns.
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POWERS LIST [ATTACK & DEFENSE]
POWERS LIST Attack Powers Note: Some of the attack powers are more powerful than others, such as an Armor Piercing Blast compared to an Energy Blast. To balance the cost of such powers, a certain number of dice are subtracted from the power after it is purchased. Example: Fuzionman decides that he needs a new attack, an Atomic Burst. He buys it as an Explosion, and puts 12 points into it. This would normally give him 12D6 of Explosion. However, he needs to subtract 2D6 from the power level, to make his Atomic Blast a 10D6 Explosion with a cost of 12 points. Affects Desolid This is an Energy Blast that can hit targets that are desolid (see Other Powers) as well as normal targets. Affects Desolid attacks follows all of the normal rules for buying an Energy Blast. Affects Desolid Cost: 1 PP per 1D6 of damage, subtract 2D6 from the final total. Costs END. Area Attack This is an Energy Blast that affects an circular area. Area Attacks follow all of the normal rules for buying an Energy Blast, but use the Area Affect ToHit rules. (See Ranged Attacks.) Area Attack Cost: 1 PP per 1D6 damage in a 1m radius, subtract 4D6 from the final total. Costs END. Armor Piercing Blast This is an Energy Blast that cuts through the target’s defenses. Armor Piercing Blasts follow all of the normal rules for buying an Energy Blast. However, when a target is hit with an AP Blast, his defense is halved (See Damage.) Armor Piercing Blast Cost: 1 PP per 1D6 of damage, subtract 3D6 from the final total. Costs END.
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Darkness With this power, the character can create a field that is impervious to one sense (usually normal sight). This can be centered around the character, or at range as an attack action. A character who cannot perceive his opponent is 1/2 DEX, 1/2 REF in Hand to Hand, and 0 REF in ranged attacks. If the character can make a Perception Skill roll against a Target Number of 20 he becomes -1 DEX and 1/2 REF in all cases. Darkness Cost: 2 PPs for a 2m/yd radius Darkness Field to one sense, +1 per each additional sense, +2 per each additional sense group, +1m radius for +1 PP A Constant Power (stays up as long as you spend END on it). Costs END. Energy Blast A character with this power can make a ranged STUN attack up to 10m/yds for every point spent on the power (Example: spending 20 points gives you a 200m/yd ranged energy blast). The exact nature of the energy in the blast is left up to the player. The nature of the attack must be determined when the power is purchased; it can be lighting, a blaster bolt, lasers, sonics, a magic blast, or anything else. It does not even have to cause any Collateral or SDP damage at all. Energy Blast normally affects ED (if that optional Characteristic is being used), but it can be designated to affect SD, depending on the special effect. Once again, this must be determined when the power is purchased and cannot be changed later. You must make a Ranged Attack to hit with this attack. Energy Blast Cost: 1 PP per 1D6 of damage. Costs END. Entangle This power can be used to restrain an opponent or create a barrier. An Entangle can be webbing, ice bonds, turning the ground to mud, or anything else the player can think of. An Entangled character can use his STR or any other non-gadget attack to break out of the hold. Entangle Cost: 2 PPs per every 1D6 (roll whenever entangle is used) of Hits and 3 PPs of PD the Entangle has. Costs END. Explosion This is an Energy Blast that explodes. Explosions are more effective at the center, and get less powerful as you move away from the origin point. When determining damage for an Explosion, remove the highest die of damage for each 2 meters from the center the target is. Explosion attacks follow all of
NOTE: ALL RANGED ATTACK POWERS HAVE A RANGE EQUAL TO 10M/YDS FOR EACH POINT INVESTED IN THE BASE POWER, UP TO 50M/YDS. IF RANGED ATTACKS ARE MADE, USE REF+USE POWER SKILL TO DETERMINE OUTCOME. END-USING POWERS USE 1 POINT OF END FOR EVERY 2 POINTS OF POWER USED OR EACH PHASE OF DURATION.
the normal rules for buying an Energy Blast, but use the Area Affect To-Hit rules. (See Ranged Attacks.) Explosion Cost: 1 PP per 1D6 of damage, subtract 2D6 from the final total. Costs END. Find Weakness This power acts somewhat like a skill; it is the ability to strike at the weak points of a target’s defenses. A successful Find Weakness check (1 Action) against a Target Number of 20 will automatically cut the target’s defenses in half. This power can be used more than once on the same target, but each successive roll raises the Target Number by +2. If you miss a Find Weakness check on a target, you may not use Find Weakness on him again for that battle. Find Weakness is normally purchased for a single kind of attack. Find Weakness does not use any Characteristic when making a skill check; it is resolved by rolling 3D6 and adding that to the Find Weakness skill. Find Weakness Cost: 2 PPs for a base value of 10; add +1 to your roll for each additional 1 PP To use Find Weakness on a group of related attacks costs an additional +1 PP for each. To use it on all your attacks costs +2 PPs Find Weakness uses no END. Flash This power allows the character to “flash” an opponent’s senses, rendering them unuseable (as in Darkness) Flash normally affects a single sense; additional senses and sense groups may be purchased. Flash is resolved as a normal Ranged Attack, but it ignores normal defenses (see Flash Defense.) Flash Cost: 3 PPs per 2 Phases of Flash of a single sense. To affect additional senses costs +1 PP per sense; sense groups costs 2 PPs per sense group. Costs END. Ranged Killing Attack This allows the character to make a Killing Attack at range. (See Ranged Attacks.) Like an Energy Blast, the special effects of a Killing Attack can vary from a bullet to a laser beam to whatever else the player might desire. Killing Attacks are resolved against the Defense value of the target (See Damage.) This Power can also be defined as a Hand to Hand Killing Attack; in these cases, the character trades range for a damage bonus of 1 additional die for every level of Strength, up to a maximum of twice the number of dice originally generated by the attack. Killing Attack Cost: 1 PP per 1D6 of damage, subtract 2D6 from the final total. Costs END. Telekinesis (TK) A character with this power can manipulate objects at a distance and exert a STR at range. The TK STR is separate from the character’s STR, and is defined when this power is purchased. TK can be used to punch or squeeze, but there is no action/reaction with this power; a character could not use his TK to grab a flying character and be dragged along, for example. TK can also move objects at a speed equal to what could be moved at that STR level normally (1/4th of weight maximum at that STR, as on pg. 146). Telekinesis Cost: 3 PPs per 2 STR; +2 PPs for the ability to make fine manipulations with that STR. Costs END.
Defensive Powers Note: Any power that gives your character Killing Defense can be defined as giving your character Stun Defense instead. This must be determined when the power is purchased. If Energy Defense is being used, then Armor, Force Field, and Force Wall provide an amount of Energy Killing Defense equal to the Killing Defense provided. If such powers are defined as providing Stun Defense, then they also give an additional amount of Energy Defense equal to the Stun Defense provided. Remember: you will always use the highest value of either Stun Defense or Killing Defense (respectively) vs. a Stun attack in combat. Armor With this power, the character has some kind of inherent physical defense against Killing and Stun Attacks; thick skin, armor plates, etc. Armor doesn’t need to be “turned on”; it’s always in effect (aka a Persistent Power). Armor Cost: 1 pt for +2 Killing Defense. Armor uses no END. Danger Sense This power gives a character a "sixth sense" about danger. At its most basic level, Danger Sense will prevent the character from being surprised in com-
bat, while at more powerful levels, Danger Sense can alert the character to any threat to his person, or even his world. Normally, Danger Sense just gives the character the "feeling" of being in danger. If the hero reacts, he is allowed his full DEX+Skill; he could also attempt to dive clear of a trap, etc. If the characters rolls 12 more than he needs to succeed, the true position and type of danger are known.Danger Sense checks are make automatically, at the request of the GM. The character must make a successful Danger Sense check against a target number of 20. Danger Sense Cost: 2 PPs for a base value of 10, +1 to your roll for each additional 1 PP; +1 additional PP to have the power work out of combat against attacks he could normally sense; +1 additional PP to allow the power to work against any attack. Sense Danger in the immediate area for +1 pt; Sense Danger in the general area for +1 additional PP; Sense Danger over any area for +1 additional PP Uses no END. Flash Defense This power lessens the effect of a Flash attack. Each point of Flash Defense subtracts one Phase from the duration of a a successful Flash attack. Flash Defense only affects one sense group; to cover other senses, the points from this power must be allocated among the six sense groups as desired. Flash Defense Cost: 1 PP for 5 PPs of Flash Defense. Uses no END. Force Field This power creates a field around the character that can absorb damage. A Force Field provides defense against Killing Attacks. Force Field Cost: 2 PPs for 5 PPs of Killing Defense. Costs END. A Constant Power. Force Wall The ability to project a barrier at a distance. This barrier acts like a wall and has SDP (C:NM, page 150;3). A Force Wall may or may not have a Stun Defense, a Killing Defense, and/or extra area. Force Walls stop damage as per a normal wall. However, if the Force Wall’s SDP is reduced to zero (or below), the Force Wall is destroyed. A Force Wall can also be used to support a weight equal in STR to the number of Power Points invested in SDP Dice and Defenses. Example: a 3 point Force Wall could be used to support 100kg (assuming an Incredible level campaign). Force Wall Cost: 1 pt. per 1d6 of SDP in a wall 2 m/y wide. +4 SD & ED for +1 pt; +3 KD & EKD for +1 pt; +4 m/y width for +1 pt. Minimum SDP is 1d6. Force Wall costs END. A Constant Power. Invisibility This power can be used to turn invisible to one sense (usually normal sight). Invisible characters have a “fringe effect” around them. An invisible character with a fringe can be spotted with the affected sense at a range of 2 m/yds or less. In combat, Invisibility often makes the character harder to hit. If an opponent cannot make a successful Perception check, then he is at 1/2 (REF + Levels) in hand-to-hand, and 0 (REF + Levels) at range vs. the character. If the opponent can make a non-targeting PER Test, he is at 1/2 (REF + Levels) in both hand-to-hand and ranged combat. If the Invisible character is making a visible attack, the attackers only takes a -1 to his REF, even at Range. Invisibility Cost: 4 PPs to be invisible to one sense, +1 PP for each additional sense; +2 PPs for each additional Sense Group, +2 PPs extra for No Fringe Effect. Costs END. A Constant Power. Knockback Resistance A character with this power takes reduced Knockback from attacks. Each point of Knockback Resistance subtracts 5 meters of Knockback from all attacks. Knockback Resistance Cost: 1 PP for -5 meters of Knockback. Knockback Resistance uses no END.
Life Support This power allows the character to operate in unfriendly or deadly environments without harm.
Mental Defense Characters who are resistant to Mental Powers use this power. A character with Mental Defense can resist some of the effects from Ego Attack, Mental Illusions, Mind Control, Mind Scan, and Telepathy. See Mental Powers for more information. Mental Defense Cost: 1 PP per 5 PPs of Mental Defense. Mental Defense uses no END. Missile Deflection & Reflection A character with this power can block incoming ranged attacks. (See Ranged Combat and Actions.) The Block is made as per the normal blocking rules; use the character’s DEX plus any Skill Levels with Missile Deflection he might have. To Reflect an attack, first make a successful Block, and then a standard to-hit roll against the target. Missile Deflection Cost: Check the table below. Missile Deflection and Reflection costs no END to use. •Deflect Thrown Object: 1 PP •Deflect the above and Arrows and Projectiles: 2 PPs •Deflect the above and Bullets & Shrapnel: 3 PPs •Deflect the above and Energy Beams: 4 PPs •Reflect Attack back at attacker: +4 PPs •Reflect Attack back at any target: +6 PPs Power Defense A character with this power is especially resistant to Adjustment Powers. Subtract the character’s total Power Defense against any incoming offensive Adjustment power before dividing the Attack’s die roll. Power Defense Cost: 1 PP per 5 Power Defense. Costs no END to use.
Movement Powers Movement Powers are those Powers which help the character get from place to place. All characters start with running, sprinting swimming, and a running leap; see Characteristics for details. These movement powers can supplement those starting values, or add new modes of movement. There are two types of movement: a Run (or Combat Movement), and a Sprint (or Non-Combat Movement). The former involves ducking, weaving, and watching out for enemy attacks. It is normally equal to two times your current MOVE Characteristic (in m/yds). A character has no penalties to his DEX or REF when Running. A character may also move as fast as he can, in a Sprint (aka Non Combat Movement). This has the advantage of increasing the character’s running speed, but halving his DEX +Skill levels as well as reducing his REF to 0 at the same time. Your basic Sprinting speed is calculated when you create your character, and is normally 3 times your current MOVE (in m/yds) A character can also increase his non-combat speed by buying NonCombat Movement Multiples (NCMs). Each NCM costs 1 point and doubles the non-combat speed of a specific type of movement. Example: Speeder has a MOVE of 20, giving him an Sprint (Non-Combat Move) of 60 (or three times his MOVE). He decides to buy two levels of non-combat movement multiples for his Sprint. His non-combat move jumps to 120 (60x2), then 240 (120x2). Clinging This power allows the character to cling to walls and sheer surfaces and move on them as if they were level. A character with Clinging subtracts 1D6x2 in meters of Knockback, so long as he is in contact with a level surface. Moving along a surface is always at your normal Running movement. Clinging Cost: 2 PPs for Clinging. Clinging uses no END. Faster-Than-Light (FTL) Travel This movement power allows the character to travel faster than light in space, but not in atmosphere or planet surfaces. Life Support works well with this power.
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Lack of Weakness It is much harder to spot a weakness with Find Weakness on a character with this power. Each point of Lack of Weakness adds to the Target Number for Find Weakness Skill Checks. Lack of Weakness Cost: 1 PP to raise the Target Number of Lack of Weakness Rolls against the character by 5. LoW uses no END.
Life Support Cost: See the list below. Life Support uses no END. •Breathe in an unusual environment (Under water, in Methane, etc.): 1 PP per environment •Self-Contained Breathing: 2 PPs •Doesn’t need to eat, excrete, or sleep: 1 PP *Safe Environment: 1 PP each (Vacuum/High Pressure, High Radiation, Intense Heat/Cold) •Immunities: 1 PP each (Disease, Aging)
POWERS LIST [DEFENSE & MOVEMENT]
POWERS LIST
POWERS LIST [MOVEMENT & ADJUSTMENT]
POWERS LIST FTL Travel Cost: 2 PPs for the ability to travel 1 Light Year (LY) per year; 3 PPs to travel 8 LY per year (about two a season); 4 PPs to go 32 LY per year (about one a week); 6 PPs to travel 1000 LY/Year (about 3 LY a day). FTL uses no END. Flight With this the character can fly through the air. With Flight, the character can hover in place, gain altitude, etc. Flight Movement is not derived from your regular MOVE and begins at 0. A character may make a Sprint of 1.5x his Flight Movement. Flight Cost: 1 PP per 5 m/y of Flight Movement; +1 PP per x2 NCM. Flight costs 1 END per every 10 m/y moved. A Constant Power. Gliding A character with this power can glide through the air. A Gliding character has some control over his movement, but not the total control provided by Flight. A Gliding character must drop 2 meters per Phase to maintain his forward Gliding Velocity. Gaining altitude is under the Ref’s control; doing it slowly by using thermals is usually easy. Gliding Movement is not derived from your regular MOVE and begins at 0. A character may make a Sprint of 1.5x his Gliding Movement. Gliding Cost: 1 PP per 10 m/y of Gliding Movement; +1 PP per x2 NCM. Gliding uses no END. Running A character with this power can run faster than normal. It does NOT add directly to the character’s MOVE characteristic. Instead, Running increases the character’s figured Run and Sprint stats. Running Cost: 1 PP per +5 m/y of extra RUN and +7.5 m/y of extra SPRINT; +1 per x2 NCM. Running costs 1 END per each 10 m/y moved. Superleap This power supplements a character’s natural leap. Superleap Cost: 1 PP per 10 m/y of extra Leaping; +1 PP per x2 NCM. Superleap costs 1 END for each 10 m/y leapt.
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Supersonic Flight This power allows a character to fly (non-combat only) at Mach speeds (>750mph). Acceleration is at a rate of 200mph/phase. Supersonic Flight Cost: 2 PPs for each Mach level, up to Mach 4 (atmosphere) or Mach 10 (space). Flight costs 1 END for each 100km of Flight. A Constant Power. Swimming This power allows the character to swim faster than normal. It does NOT add directly to the character’s MOVE characteristic. Instead, Swimming increases the character’s figured Swim characteristic. Swimming Cost: 1 PP per 10 m/y of Swimming Movement; +1 PP per x2 NCM. Swimming costs 1 END for each 10 m/y swam. Swinging A character with this power can swing great distances from a line. The character can also swing up to a certain location by attaching a line. To use Swinging the character must be able to attach his swinglines to high buildings, trees, cliffsides, or other high things. Swinging starts at a 0 move. Swinging Cost: 1 PP per 10 m/y of Swinging Movement; +1 PP per x2 NCM. Swinging uses no END. Teleportation A character with this power can disappear from one point and appear at another, without traveling i -between. He can prepare one extra phase to teleport 2x his base distance; this distance can be increased by purchasing Non-Combat Multiples. He may also increase the amount of mass he can take with him. Teleport Cost: 1 PP per 5 meters of Teleport; +1 PP per x2 Distance (requires an extra Phase to use), +1 PP per x2 his Mass (requires an extra Phase to use), 1 PP per 5 memorized locations; 1 PP per 1 floating location (i.e.; a location that can be changed by taking at least one Round to memorize a new location). Tunneling Tunneling allows the character to move through the ground by creating a tunnel roughly his own size. The tunnel is normally left open behind the character; closing it is an option, listed below. Tunneling begins at a 0
Move. This distance can be increased by purchasing Non-Combat Multiples. Cost: 1 PP per 2 meters of Tunneling through a DEF of 1. +2 DEF for +1 PP; fill tunnel in behind you for +2 PPs Uses 1 END per 10m/yds traveled. A Constant Power.
Adjustment Powers Adjusting a Fuzion Characteristic or Power is done in multiples of 5; you must roll at least 5 pts. on your dice to have any effect. The Characteristic that the Adjustment Power affects must be chosen when the power is purchased. Example: Draino hits Strongman with his amazing STR Drain power; Draino rolls his 5D6 and comes up with a total of 17. 17/5 is 3 and some fraction. Draino drops the fraction, and Strongman subtracts three points from his STR. Power or Characteristic points gained or lost via an Adjustment Power return to their previous value at the rate of 1 Power or Characteristic point a Round. This rate can be adjusted up the Time Table (see Using Your Skills) for the cost of 1 PP per level. Thus, to have a Drain that returns at 1 PP per hour would be 4 steps up the Time Table, for a total of a +4 PPs. Absorption The ability to absorb part of an attack and increase your own power. This does not act as a defense. To determine the power of an attack, count the number of dice rolled. To determine your Absorption threshold for that round, roll the number of dice indicated. Absorption effects will fade at a rate of 1 level per Round. Absorption Cost: 1 PP per 1D6 of Absorption threshold. Uses no END. Aid The ability to temporarily raise your (or someone else’s) Characteristic or Power. If Aid raises Characteristic above its starting value, the additional Aid will fade at a rate of 1 level per Round. Aid that restores a Characteristic to its normal levels does not fade. The maximum number of points that can be added through Aid is equal to the highest value that could be rolled on the die in one roll. Aid Cost: 2 PPs per 1D6 of Effect; No Range (touch only). Costs END. Drain The ability to temporarily lower one of your target’s Characteristics or Powers. Drain effects will fade at a rate of 1 level per Round. Drain Cost: 2 PPs per 1D6; No Range (touch only). Costs END. Transfer The ability to temporarily lower one of your target’s Characteristics and Powers, and transfer it to one of your Characteristics or Powers. The Characteristic or Power lowered does not have to be the same as the Characteristic or Power increased. Transfer effects will fade at a rate of 1 level per Round. Transfer Cost: 3 PPs per 1D6. No Range (touch only). Costs END. Ranged Aid The ability to temporarily raise your (or someone else’s) Characteristic or Power. Unlike normal Aid, this is usable at Range. Ranged Aid Cost: 3 PPs per 1D6 of Effect. Costs END. Ranged Drain The ability to temporarily lower one of your target’s Characteristics or Powers: Unlike normal Drain, this is usable at Range. Ranged Drain Cost: 3 PPs per 1D6. Costs END to use. Ranged Transfer The ability to temporarily lower one of your target’s Characteristics and Powers, and transfer it to one of your Characteristics or Powers. The Characteristic or Power lowered does not have to be the same as the Characteristic or Power increased. Unlike normal Transfer, this is usable at Range. Ranged Transfer Cost: 9 PPs per 2D6. Costs END.
Size Powers Growth The ability to grow bigger. In general, Growth doubles your height, width and mass for every point invested. (This is a simplified formula; see the table on Page 72 of the Hero System Rulebook for more precise information about this power). Growth Cost: Each 1 PP gets you +1 STR, x2 Mass, -1” Knockback, +1 BODY, +1 STUN. Each 3 PPs of Growth also gives you -2 DEX for Combat Purposes, x2 Height and Width, x2 Reach. Growth costs 1 END per point used. Shrinking The ability to get smaller, which also gives you several advantages. (See the Shrinking table on Page 84 of the Hero System Rulebook for more information, but note that in Fuzion the rate at which you get smaller has been doubled) Shrinking Cost: 2 PPs gets you 1/4 height and width, 1/16th Mass, +2 DEX for Combat Purposes, -2 to all PER Rolls made against you, +6 meters Knockback when you are attacked. Shrinking costs END to use.
Enhanced Senses These powers give a character the ability to sense things beyond the range of normal human senses. A character can buy several Enhanced Senses to reflect a wide array of sense. For ease of organization, all the senses have been grouped into Sense Groups. These groups can also affect some of the other powers, like Darkness and Flash Attacks. Sense Groups Sight: Normal Sight, IR, UV Hearing: Normal Hearing, Ultrasonic Hearing, Sonar Radio: Radio Listen & Transmit, High Range Radio Hearing, Sonar Smell Taste: Normal Smell, Discriminatory Smell, Tracking Scent, Normal Taste, Discriminatory Taste Unusual Senses: Spatial Awareness, N-Ray Vision, Clairsentience Mental: Mental Awareness.
Other Powers This is a catch-all category for powers that don’t fit into any other categories. Change Environment A character with this power can make minor changes to the surrounding environment. The character could, for example, make it rain, create light, create an intense (but non-damaging) magnetic field, or the like. The environment create must be chosen when this power is purchased. Change Environment Cost: 1 PP gives you the ability to change the environment for two m/yds, x2 Radius for +1 point. You can vary the environment for double the cost of the power. Costs END. A Constant Power. Clairsentience This power makes one of the character’s senses (usually normal sight) work at a distance. It generally works as if the character were standing some distance away from his current position. The maximum range the character can project his senses is the points spent on the power x 50 m/yds. Clairsentience Cost: 4 PPs gives you a PER Roll with one sense, +1 PP per additional Sense; +2 PPs per additional Sense Group. See in the future is +4 PPs; See into the Past is +4 PPs; See into other dimensions is +4 PPs Double Range for +1 PP Costs END. Density Increase With this power, the character may become stronger and physically tougher by increasing his density. This increased density does not alter the character’s appearance. Density Increase Cost: 1 PP gives you 2x Mass, +1 STR, +1 PD, +1 ED, -2 m/y Knockback. Costs END.
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Enhanced Sense costs are listed below. Enhanced Senses cost no END to use. Active Sonar: The character emits high-frequency sound that bounce off nearby objects and return to him. This allows the character to sense nearby objects, and can compensate for normal blindness. However, the character cannot "see" fine detail, like print on paper or colors, and the high-frequency "pings" can be heard by anyone with Ultrasonic Hearing. Active Sonar is a targeting sense. Cost 3 PPs Discriminatory Sense: The character can make a Perception check to absolutely identify and analyze an object with a certain sense. Cost 1 PP Enhanced Perception: +3 with one sense for 1 PP; +2 with all senses for 1 PP High Range Radio Hearing: The character can hear and transmit up and down the radio and television communications bands. Cost 2 PPs Infrared Vision: The character can see heat patterns and traces. The character has normal Perception checks at night, but can only perceive outlines of people and objects. Cold objects will be very dark while hot things may be blindingly bright. Cost 1 PP Mental Awareness: The character can sense the use of Mental Powers. A character with this sense can "see" both the user and the target of Mental Attacks that are used in the character's line of sight. Cost 1 PP Microscopic Vision: The character can view nearby objects at 10x magnification. This power may be purchased more than once; the second time allows 100x magnifications, the third time 1000x, etc. Cost 1 PP per level. N-Ray Vision: The character can make normal sight Perception checks through most materials. The character must define a rea-
sonably common substance that his N-Ray Vision cannot see through. Cost 4 PPs Radar Sense: The character emits radio waves that bounce off nearby objects and return to him. This allows the character to sense nearby objects, and can compensate for normal blindness. However, the character cannot "see" fine detail, like print on paper or colors, and the high-frequency "pings" can be heard by anyone with High Range Radio Hearing. Radar is a targeting sense. Cost 3 PPs Radio Hearing & Transmit: The character can hear and transmit on local AM, FM, and Police band signals. Cost 1 PP Range: This allows a character to use a non-ranged sense at range. For example, a character who bought this for his sense of taste would be able to taste objects at range. Cost +1 PP Spatial Awareness: The character can sense his surroundings without having contact with them. A character with this sense can operate normally in total darkness or when blinded, but cannot sense fine details. Spatial Awareness is a targeting sense. Cost 5 PPs Targeting Sense: The character can use a non-targeting sense (like smell or hearing) as a targeting sense to locate targets in combat. Targeting Sense can be bought with any normal or special sense. Cost 4 PPs Tracking Scent: The character can track someone or something by scent with a successful smell Perception check. Cost 2 PPs Ultrasonic Hearing: The character can hear very high and very low frequency sounds. Cost 1 PP Ultraviolet Vision: The character sees at night as well as he does during the day (no night penalties are taken). This assumes there is some UV light coming from the stars. If there is no UV light (such as in the power Darkness) then the character gains no advantage. Cost 1 PP 360 Degree Sensing: The character can make a Perception check against any point around him; this makes it much more difficult to surprise the character. Cost 2 PPs for one Sense Group; 5 PPs for all Senses. See in the Dark: The character can see in total darkness (including the Power) as though it were normal daylight. Cost 2 PPs
POWERS LIST [SIZE, SENSES, OTHERS]
POWERS LIST
POWERS LIST [MULTIPOWERS & EXAMPLES]
POWERS LIST
Desolidification Allows character to become insubstantial and walk through walls and ignore attacks. A character buying this power must choose the special effects of a reasonably common group of attacks that will affect him while he is desolid. Mental Attacks still affect the character unless he buys extra points of this power. Desolidification Cost: 8 PPs to become desolid, +4 PPs if it affects Mental Powers as well. Desolidification costs END to use.
hese are basic guidelines for typical heroes in the comic genre. Powers are listed; exact power levels are left up to the user.
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The Weatherman
Extra Limbs A character with this power has one or more extra limbs. These limbs can be extra arms, a prehensile tail, or anything else. Extra Limbs have no effect on combat, but can have other uses in the game. Extra Limbs Cost: 1 PP for any number of extra limbs. Extra Limbs costs no END.
Create Fog [Darkness] Tornado [Telekinesis, Area Effect] Wind Riding [Flight] Weather control [Change Environment]
Instant Change A character with this power can instantly change from on identity to another and back again. Instant Change Cost: 1 PP for the ability to change to your costume; 2 PPs to change to any set of clothes. Instant Change costs no END.
Fire Blast [Ranged Killing Attack] Fireflight [Flight] Heat Attack [Energy Blast] Fireball [Explosion] Fire Body [Desolidification]
Stretching A character with this power can stretch parts of his body, attack at range (2m/yds per point spent) and reach for things at long distance. Stretching Cost: 1 PP for 2 meters (4 meters of non-combat) Stretching. Uses END.
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GENERIC HEROES
The Fireball
The Brick Tough Blue Skin [Armor] Really Tough [Knockback Resistance] Spends rest of Points increasing STR, BODY, STUN
Multipowers
The Energy Blaster
Because characters use only one attack Power at a time, you can buy Multiple Powers (or Multipower) at a reduced cost. A Multipower costs as much as the largest attack power in the group. Each power in the group also costs 2 points. Only one of the powers in a Multipower may be active at any time. On the character sheet, list the cost of the largest power in the Multipower slot, and list the cost of each power in the multipower as “2m”. Example: If your character has three powers that normally cost ten points each, you would pay 10 points for the Multipower and 2 points for each type of attack for a total of 16 points.
Optic-Laser Stun[Energy Blast] Optic-Laser Blast [Ranged Killing Attack] Optic Deflection [Missile Deflection]
The BugMan Insect Wall-walk [Clinging] Webslinger Action [Swinging] Insect Spring [Superleap] Danger Sense [Enhanced Perception]
The Big Claw Unobtainium Claws [Killing Attack] Unobtainium Body [Armor] Regeneration [Buy up REC w/ Ref’s OK] Superstrength [Buy up STR]
MENTAL POWER PLUG-IN
M
Mental Powers are all based on a character's mental, rather than physical abilities. They directly affect the target's mind, ignoring conventional defenses. Mental Powers are targeted with the mind, using WILL + Use Power Skill to target instead of REF or DEX. All Mental Powers are invisible to characters who don't themselves have a Mental Power or Mental Awareness. However, the target of a Mental Power can sense the source of the attack and the identity of the attacker. This identification occurs immediately for Ego Attack or Mind Scan; for Telepathy, Mind Control, or Mental Illusions it occurs after the Power is no longer affecting the character.
MENTAL/PSIONIC POWERS
1)
RESOLVING MENTAL POWER USE Resolving Mental Attacks:
The attacker adds his Willpower+Use Power Skill to make the attack. The Defender adds his Willpower+Concentration to Defend. 2) If successful attacker rolls the DC of the Mind Attack (which is determined by how the power was purchased), then... 3) Subtract the target’s Mental Defense (if any) from damage done. 4) The target takes the remaining damage as Stun. Mental Attacks do no collateral or rollover damage. Resolving all other Mental Powers: With the exception of Mental Attack, Mental Powers are resolved as follows: 1) The attacker decides on the appropriate effect desired from the Power. Example: “I want to Control his mind to follow me into the trap.” 2) The attacker adds his willpower+ Use Power Skill to make the attack. The Defender adds his Willpower+Concentration to Defend. 3) The attacker rolls the DC of the Mental Power to determine the effect number. 4) Subtract the target’s Mental Defense (if any) from the effect number. 5) Multiply the target’s Willpower by three to determine his Resistance (a Derived Characteristic), and then compare the results to the most appropriate chart below. 6) If the attacker’s effect number exceeds the value needed for the desired effect level on the chart, the defender may attempt to make a Legendary (Difficulty value of 20) using his Willpower+ Concentration. If this roll is successful, the target loses his next action, but is not otherwise affected by the attack. If the roll is missed, the target takes full effects from the Mental Power. MENTAL ILLUSIONS RESULT EFFECT >than Resistance Attacker can make cosmetic changes to setting 10 >than Resistance Attacker can make major changes to setting 20 >than Resistance Attacker can completely alter setting 30 >than Resistance Target no longer interacts with real environment Modifiers (subtracted from Effect Number) can be applied at any level): +10 Target can take STUN from illusory attacks +20 Target can take Killing Damage from illusory attacks MIND CONTROL EFFECT IS EFFECT >than Resistance Target will perform action he is inclined to perform anyway. 10 >than Resistance Target will perform actions he wouldn’t mind doing. 20 >than Resistance Target will perform actions he is normally against doing 30 >than Resistance Target will perform actions he is violently opposed to doing. Modifiers (subtracted from Effect Number) +10 Target will not remember actions performed while Mind Controlled +20 Target will remember actions and will think they were natural -5 Order is worded in exceptionally convincing manner. +5 Order is poorly conceived or contradictory. TELEPATHY EFFECT IS EFFECT > than Resistance The telepath can read or send surface thoughts. 10 >than Resistance The telepath can read deep, hidden thoughts. 20> than Resistance The telepath can read into the target’s memory 30 >than Resistance The telepath can read into the target’s subconscious. MIND SCAN EFFECT IS EFFECT > than Resistance Attacker can establish Mind Link or use first level of Telepathy (communication.) He also knows the direction of the target. 10 >than Resistance Attacker can use all Mental Powers on target, and can estimate general distance to target. 20 >than Resistance Mentalist can attack with all types of attacks, mental or otherwise. (Mind Scan as a Targeting Sense). He knows the exact location of the target. To hit with a non-mental Power, the attack must be able to reach the target. Remember that Mind Scan works both ways. The target will receive all of the benefits the attack gets from the use of this power.
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Mental Attack The ability to directly attack another mind. Mental Attacks are Stun only, have no effect on inanimate objects, and have no knockback or Stun Rollover. Mental Attack Cost: 2 pts. per 1D6 of damage. Uses WILL to target. Costs END. Mental Defense Characters who are resistant to Mental Powers use this power. A character with Mental Defense can resist some of the effects from Mental Attack, Mental Illusions, Mind Control, Mind Scan, and Telepathy. FUZION NOTE Mental Defense is bought as a Power (see POWERS pg.126) Mental Defense Cost: 1 pt. per 5 Mental Defense. Mental Defense uses no END. Mental Illusions The ability to project illusions directly into the target's mind. These illusions seem real to the target, and can even do damage. The subtler the illusion, the more likely it is to affect the target. Mental Illusions Cost: 1 pt. per 1D6 of effect. Uses WILL to target. Costs END. A Constant Power. For every 1 pt. spent in the illusion, you can do 1D6 STUN. or for every 3 pts., you can do 1D6 Killing. Mind Control This power can take control of a character's mind, and thereby his actions. Once again, the subtler the control (you must issue verbal commands), the more likely it is to affect the target. Mind Control Cost: 1 pt. per 1D6 of effect. Uses WILL to target. Costs END. A Constant Power. Mind Link This variation of telepathy sets up a two-way mental link, within the area of one planet, allowing instant mental communication. Both ends of the link must be willing in order for a Mind Link to be established. Mind Link Cost: 1 pt. per one specific mind; +1 pt. to for a related group of minds, one mind at a time; +1 more pt. for any one mind; +1 pt. for 2x the number of minds; +1 pt. for any distance; +1 pt. for any dimension. Mind Link uses no END. Mind Scan The ability to establish a line of sight to a target via MIND SCAN TABLE your tremendous mental powers. The LOS is a two- NUMBER MOD way connection; the target will know where the attack- 1 ....................0 10..................-2 er is and can use Mental Powers to defend himself. Modified by number of minds in scan area (see table) 100................-4 Mind Scan Cost: 1 pt. per 1D6 of effect. Uses 1,000.............-6 10,000...........-8 WILL to target. Costs END. A Constant Power. —increasing by -2 for Telepathy every multiple of 10. This power allows the character to read or send thoughts. Surface thoughts are relatively easy to read; deeper thoughts or the subconscious take quite a bit more effort to reach. Telepathy Cost: 1 pt. per 1D6 of effect. Uses WILL to target. Costs END. A Constant Power.
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HERO MENTAL POWER PLUG-IN
ental Powers are still another kind of superhuman ability. However, since (unlike flying, energy blasts or invisibility) they are often encountered in science fiction and (or at least some people believe) real life settings, they rate their own special Plug-In.
HERO MARTIAL ARTS PLUG -IN
MARTIAL ARTS PLUG-IN Martial Arts. Kung Fu kicks, Karate chops—or, at the most esoteric and powerful levels, Ki strikes that slam an opponent with the force of the master’s sheer will. As a Martial Artist, you have had training in a specialized Martial Art, allowing you to use Martial Arts techniques, as well as perhaps building your own Martial Arts style of combat with new techniques if your GM (and campaign) permits. CAMPAIGN STYLE COST OF MARTIAL ARTS MARTIAL ARTS ARE VERY RARE .......................................X3 MARTIAL ARTS ARE UNCOMMON .....................................X2 MARTIAL ARTS ARE COMMON .........................................X1 CHINESE ACTION THEATRE (EVERYONE HAS MARTIAL ARTS)..............X 0.5
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HOW COMMON ARE MARTIAL ARTS IN YOUR CAMPAIGN?
Don’t just assume everyone in your game is a Streetfighting, Mortal-Buttkickin’ Ninja Teenager. Remember, up until the 1960’s, almost no one in Western culture knew anything about Martial Arts; there were few schools and what few there were didn’t often admit non- Asians. By the mid 80’s, Martial Arts schools (thanks to guys like Bruce Lee) were pretty much everywhere. Yet over in the far East, there were literally thousands of martial arts schools, sub-schools and styles. The Martial Arts Multiplier Dial (above) reflects this by allowing you to set the cost of buying Martial Arts in your campaign; you can make them cheap or expensive, depending on the setting and availability. Here are a few guidelines: Settings like the Old West, Victorian England, Pre- Industrial Europe. • VERY RARE: Settings like Post WW II America, Victorian Far Eastern Colonial settings (Hong Kong, India, Singapore, Macao, • UNCOMMON: Shanghai, Manila), or in any place where Martial Arts are restricted by ethnicity, culture, military or religious reasons. • COMMON: Today’s Western cultures; all Asian cultures throughout time, most science fiction settings, or in any setting where Martial Arts training is commercially available to everyone. • CHINESE ACTION: Everyone not only has martial arts, but everyone is a would-be kung-fu master. Examples would be any Chinese action flick styled campaign, any samurai film-styled setting and most animé campaigns. o determine the OP cost to buy Martial Arts training, simply multiply the overall cost of the training (next page) by the multiplier for your campaign setting. Example: buying Karate has a base cost of 12 in a Martial-Arts common culture (like 1990s California). However, in a Martial Arts Uncommon setting (like 1870s Tokyo, where few schools will teach non-Japanese), the price would double to 24.
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2
PICK A SCHOOL
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nce you establish your campaign’s Martial Arts level, the next thing is to pick what kind of schools of Martial Arts will be available. The list below are of the most common types of martial arts studied today:
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AIKIDO: This is a Japanese art founded in 1942 by Morihei Uehiba and derived from the earlier Aikijutsu. It stresses discipline and a nonviolent attitude. The art, as practiced in combat, concentrates on balance, rhythm and use of an opponent’s force against himself. It largely involves redirecting an opponent’s energies, especially in throws and takedown maneuvers. KUNG FU: Kung Fu, in Chinese, simply means “hard work” or “skill.” Kung Fu is a very fragmented art, with innumerable different styles and techniques. The Kung Fu style listed here is a “generic” style, concentrating on strikes (both hand and feet) and specialized weapons. KARATE: Karate was developed from the same ancient traditions that led to the development of Kung Fu. By the fifth century AD, on the Okinawa Islands, a weaponless combat style called te (“hand”) had developed. Later, when the teachings of the Shaolin Temple in China were carried to Okinawa, some of the Shaolin techniques were infused with the te art. Karate is much like Kung Fu, but has fewer techniques. JUDO: This Japanese art grew out of the integration of the weapons techniques of katori shinto ryu and grappling techniques during the 15th century. The usual Judo technique involves bearing an opponent to the ground and then pinning him there or rendering him unconscious. The art utilizes hip throws, shoulder and neck locks, and a sacrifice body drop.
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WRESTLING: Wrestling, as a martial art, dates back into prehistory. In history, famous examples of wrestling arts include the wrestling practiced in Greece, China, and India from their earliest recorded histories. Wrestling continues today as a popular collegiate and professional sport.The version here can be defined as either realistic wrestling or the showier style of TV’s “pro” wrestling. STREETFIGHTING: This a generic martial art practiced by many superheroes and Hollywood Tough Guys. It can be used to simulate someone who learned to fight on the streets.
Can’t Find Something You Like? et creative! You can either rename an existing school to make it sound more interesting, or even build your own using the various techniques listed on the next page (each technique costs 1.5 points). Example: Chas wants to build a futuristic fighting form called MoKTo, based on the planet Aldebaran. He builds it using Martial Block, Martial Dodge, Nerve Strike, and Ki Strike; his total cost is 6 Option Points. His GM further rules that since MoK-To is restricted to only the Shadow Monks of Aldebaran, Chas must either adventure there to convince the monks to teach him, or spend the multiplier for Uncommon (x2) raising the overall cost to 12 points.
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Fist of the— What? n animé, video games and some martial arts films, martial arts also include incredible feats of levitation, energy blasts and mind control. These are better simulated by using the Powers and Mental Powers plug-in’s of Fuzion to create powers which are then grouped and purchased (on a point basis) like regular Martial Arts training.
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What Do I Get for the Points?
n addition to the techniques of their schools (you can take more than one), all characters with Martial Artists abilities may increase the power of their attacks by taking the option of EXTRA DAMAGE. This allows the character to do more damage with martial arts maneuvers than his Strength might otherwise indicate. Each level of Extra Damage purchased adds +1D6 damage or +1 STR to the effect of the maneuver, as appropriate. Extra Damage Costs 2 Option Points per level.
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MARTIAL ARTS PLUG-IN
KILLING STRIKE MARTIAL ARTS WEAPONS MARTIAL BLOCK MARTIAL DISARM MARTIAL DODGE MARTIAL ESCAPE MARTIAL GRAB MARTIAL THROW NERVE STRIKE OFFENSIVE STRIKE SACRIFICE THROW
NOTES Add 1D6 to your normal STR-based damage, +2 to DEX Take 1/2 normal falling damage, regain feet as a Free Action, Strike. Adds +1 to REF, +3 to DEX Ranged HTH attack at -2 REF. Damage as normal, or trade 1D6 for each successive m/yd of distance from target. Does killing damage at -2D6 to STR, -2 REF Trained in the use of all hand to hand martial arts weapons, (tonfa, nunchaku, sai) Blocks all but bladed weapons, adds +2 to DEX, REF Disarm, with a +2 to STR during the maneuver. Adds +5 to DEX for dodging purposes that phase Adds +3 to STR for escape purposes Adds +2 to STR for purposes of the Grab +Target knocked prone, takes damage, must spend 1 Action to get back up again. Does 2D6 damage, no Stun Defense; -2REF Adds +2D6 to basic strike, at -2 REF, +1 DEX. Martial Throw, with +2 to REF, Target and Attacker both knocked prone.
AIKIDO
TOTAL POINT COST OF STYLE
16
KARATE X
X X
JUDO
WRESTLING
X
X
STREETFIGHTING X X X X
X X X X X X
X
X
X X X X
X X X
X X
X
X X X
X X
X
X
X
16
12
X
X
X X
X
X
12
12
16
MARTIAL ESCAPE: You’ve been taught how to get out of even the strongest grab or hold, adding +3 to your STR for escape purposes MARTIAL GRAB: The character has been trained on how to grab and hold his foes. MARTIAL THROW: Instead of striking, a character with the Martial Artist Talent may declare he is throwing his opponent. The attacker makes a normal attack. If it is successful, he throws the target to the ground and does his normal Strength Damage. After being thrown, the defender is prone, and must act after the attacker next round regardless of their Initiative rolls. A thrown target may not use his Athletics skill to automatically roll to his feet; he must spend one action instead. NERVE STRIKE: This is a strike targeted at the vulnerable nerve clusters of the human body. As such, the target does not get his SD versus this attack. Since a good deal of accuracy is needed to land these blows, the attacker must spend at least one round aiming at his target before using this attack. Does 2D6 damage, at -2REF OFFENSIVE STRIKE: This is an all-out attempt to mangle your target. An Offensive Strike covers a flying kick, a full-out haymaker punch, or any other full out style attack. Adds +2D6 to basic strike, at -2 REF, +1 DEX. SACRIFICE THROW: This maneuver represents any move where the attacker falls to take down his opponent. It can be a judo throw, a sliding takedown, a football tackle, or any other move where both the attacker and his target end up on the ground. Martial Throw, with +2 to REF, Target and Attacker both knocked prone. If this attack missed, the attacker is on the ground at the feet of his opponent anyway. Not a good place to be.
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BASIC STRIKE: The character has been trained in how to deliver an attack with greater force than a normal punch. They add 1D6 to their normal STR-based damage, +2 to DEX. BREAKFALL: The character has been trained how to fall without hurting himself, and can roll to his feet from most falls. DEFENSIVE STRIKE: This attack is more of a probe than a full-out attack. It can represent a jab, a quick strike, or any other attack where the attacker is more concerned about defending himself than really damaging his opponent. Adds +1 to REF, +3 to DEX. KI STRIKE: With the proper training, and proper strength of will, some characters can make hand-to-hand attacks at range. As it is difficult to project your ki over a great distance, the damage of this attack decreases with distance. KILLING STRIKE: This attacks allows the character to do killing damage attacks without using a weapon. A Killing Strike can be striking a limb to break it, a throat or kidney punch, the classic “karate chop,” or any other appropriate type of blow. KUNG FU WEAPONS: The character is trained in the use of martial arts weapons, and can use these weapons with his martial arts Actions. MARTIAL BLOCK: This is a trained block. A character with this maneuver is very good at blocking melee attacks. Adds +2 to DEX, REF MARTIAL DISARM: The character has been trained to knock weapons (and other objects) out of his foes’ hands. A disarm will only affect items that are held with one hand; two-handed objects must be grabbed away. +2 to STR during the maneuver. MARTIAL DODGE: You’ve practiced getting out of the way of attacks. This dodge will work against ranged as well as melee attacks. Adds +5 to DEX for dodging purposes that phase
KUNG FU X
HERO MARTIAL ARTS PLUG-IN
MARTIAL ARTIST ACTION SUMMARY & STYLE LIST ACTIONS BASIC STRIKE BREAKFALL DEFENSIVE STRIKE KI STRIKE
MEKTON VEHICLE PLUG-IN
MEKTON PLUG-IN ehicles. Planes, trains, automobiles; they’re easy to classify. But what about space stations, cosmo ray-beam projectors, giant robots or sexy skintight powered armor suits? Where do they fit in? Are they Vehicles? Gadgets? Armor? Inventions? Luckily, the Japanese, who love technology,
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have given the lexicon of high tech the perfect term: MECHA. Derived from the word mechanism, mecha are any complex machine, generally requiring some type of pilot or operator. Mecha include cars, planes, helicopters,ships, spacecraft, giant robots, powered armor, and more. n general, since mecha are pretty much always superheroic vehicles, they are purchased like other kinds of superpowers. (in fact, GM’s can elect to allow players in superheroic settings to spend points on mecha instead of powers, or a combination of both).
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Fuzion and Mekton Z uzion’s Mecha Plug-In allows the creation of simplified mecha that are fairly compatible with the MEKTON Z RPG. While not intended to offer all the powerful features of its “parent” system, this Plug-In allows Referees and players to easily create new vehicles for Fuzion campaigns. The Fuzion Plug-in differs from its MEKTON Z parent in the following ways: Spaces: Space are ignored in Fuzion. If you plan to convert back to MEKTON Z (which uses Spaces), assume 1 space per each Kill in your mecha, with each weapon/thruster using 1 space per point. Wheels and Treads neither contribute nor use spaces. Servo/Torso Kills: In Fuzion, Torso Kills are assumed to be 2 per level. Servo Kills in Fuzion are generalized to be 1 per level; in MEKTON, arms and legs are really 1+(1 per level); other parts remain the same. Movement: To convert MEKTON movement to Fuzion, multiply your MA by 5. To get MA from Move reverse the process, dividing MOVE by 5 to get MA. Weapons: All FUZION weapons are designed as generic, using the projectile weapon construction rules from MZ+ (to get exact matches for other types, you must use each specific case from MZ+).
BASIC GENERIC MECHA CONCEPTS lthough these rules don’t deal with the actual process of constructing specific mecha (this may vary from campaign to campaign) all “mechanism” designs involve the same elements:
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ARMOR: Most mecha have armor to provide physical or other types of defense. Example: The Mega-Rapier assault mecha has a Killing Defense of 100 in it’s mighty armored hull plates KILLS: A measure of very large scale damage or the ability to take large amounts of damage. Example: The Mega Rapier’s 100 PD translates to 2 Kills. See the Damage section for more on Kills. MANEUVER VALUE [MV]: How responsive the mecha is to its pilot or operator. The MV value is applied to the pilot’s REF (& DEX for Powered Suits) whenever Actions are taken or Initiative is rolled. MOVEMENT: The way the mecha gets around (if it can). Usually expressed as a MOVE characteristic, but different types of Movement may be employed by the same mecha; these are detailed in their descriptions. Example: The RoboBike can drive like a motorcycle (Surface MOVE 25), fly like an aerodyne (Flying MOVE 2) and run like a person (Running MOVE 20). SENSORS: Vehicles with transparent canopies usually don’t rely on computerized information, but machines whose cockpit is enclosed by armor needs sensor systems. If such a machine loses its sensors in battle, its pilot suffers -4 to all combat rolls. STRUCTURE: Being inanimate, mecha record their damage as either Structural Damage Points (SDP); particularly large or tough mechanisms use Kills, a way of measuring BIG damage.
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Choose a form:
What is your mecha going to look like? Is it a giant robot, a crimefighter's car or maybe a super jet? In general, there are five common types of mecha, each with its own special abilities: Humanoid: This is the form used to create the “giant robot” of Japanese animé. In smaller forms, it can be used to create power armor or personal fighting armors. Abilities: +3 to MV; this is the only form that can use hand weapons. Vehicle: This is the form used to create cars, tanks, boats and submarines, In general, this form consists of a main body and some type of movement system on the underside, such as wheels, treads, props, thrusters or ground effect (GEV) systems. Abilities: Surface Move +3, -1 MV.
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STYLE: A cool-looking enough mecha can actually add to its operator’s Presence Characteristic in much the way that a Ferrari can enhance anyone’s coolness. Such Styling is always expressed as a bonus to the pilot’s PRE characteristic. WEAPONS: Many mecha have built-in or carried weapons. These operate much as other weapons do, but due to their large size and awesome power, their capability to do damage is often measured in flat KILLS rather than DICE of damage. WEIGHT: Most mecha, being complex machines, weigh a fair amount. This is usually measured in kilograms or metric tons.
Special Systems: These are special systems that are unique to certain mecha designs. If present, they are always outlined as part of the mecha’s description for the individual campaign. TRANSFORMATION: Certain types of mecha can change from one form to another, or otherwise vary their configuration to achieve different effects. This takes 1 Action and is usually part of the mecha’s description; the transformer’s abilities are also usually listed with this description. AUTOMATED OR INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS: These are highly advanced computers that can operate the mecha independent of a human pilot. These are generally described as one or two characteristic “characters” (INT and REF for example), unless they are intended to be fully realized artificial intellects. SYNCHRO-SYSTEMS: These are systems that react or interface with their human operators to a level where they actually enhance their performance. Synchro systems usually give a bonus to their pilot’s REF and/or DEX characteristics or WA. Animorphic: This is the form used to create animals of all types, from giant tigers to spiders. The animorphic form usually consists of a main body and two or more pairs of legs; a tail is optional. Abilities: +2 Surface MOVE. +1 SDPs or KILLs (as applicable) to melee damage. Aircraft: This is the form used to create all types of flying vehicles, including spaceships. In general, this form consists of a main body and two or more paired wings; although an aircraft doesn’t require wings in many cases. Abilities: Thruster speed doubled, -2MV. Bases This is the form used to create non moving, protected places. The form consists of a main body (in this case, the largest” room” and several extremities (or subrooms/ passages). A Base cannot be moved.Abilities: +2 Armor SDPs or KILLs (as applicable), 360º firing arc.
MEKTON PLUG-IN
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Buy the Parts
Buy Thrusters
LEVEL MICROLIGHT 1 MICROLIGHT 2 MICROLIGHT 3 MICROLIGHT 4 MICROLIGHT 5 MICROLIGHT 6 SUPERLIGHT LIGHTWEIGHT STRIKER MEDIUM STRIKER HEAVY STRIKER MEDIUMWEIGHT LIGHT HEAVY MEDIUM HEAVY ARMORED HEAVY SUPERHEAVY MEGAHEAVY
EXAMPLE
MAIN BODY LIGHT BODY ARMOR 10SDP HVY BODY ARMOR 20SDP CYCLE, SMALL CAR, 40SDP CAR, COPTER, POWER ARMOR 60SDP BIG CAR, SMALL TRUCK 80SDP TRUCK 100SDP SMALL PLANE 2K APC, ARMORED CAR 4K FIGHTER JET 6K TANK 8K CARGO JET 10K SMALL GIANT ROBOT 12K JUMBO JET 14K TYPICAL GIANT ROBOT 16K BIG GIANT ROBOT 18K SMALL SHIP, SPACESHIP 20K HUGE GIANT ROBOT 22K
PP 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.8 1.0 1.5 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
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Buy Armor
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Choose Weapons (if any):
WEIGHT 10KG 22KG .4TON/400KG .6TON/600KG .8TON/800KG 1TON/1000KG 1TON 2TONS 3TONS 4TONS 5TONS 6TONS 7TONS 8TONS 9TONS 10TONS 11TONS
EXTREMITIES OR ARMOR PP 5SDP 0.1 10SDP 0.2 25SDP 0.3 35SDP 0.5 45SDP 0.6 50SDP 0.7 1K 1 2K 2 3K 3 4K 4 5K 5 6K 6 7K 7 8K 8 9K 9 10K 10 11K 11
WEIGHT 5KG 11KG .3TON/300KG .4TON/400KG .5TON/500KG .6TON/600KG .5TONS 1TONS 1.5TONS 2TONS 2.5TONS 3TONS 3.5TONS 4TONS 4.5TONS 5TONS 5.5TONS
This is the Phyiscal Defense (PD) of your vehicle. You’ll use the same column of the table as you did for Extremities.The PD level of armor on the table above is as listed for that level; the OP cost is the PD multiplied by the number of extremities and your main body combined. You may not armor a mecha higher than 2 levels over its Main Body level, all areas must be armored at the same level, and you may not combine SDPs with Kills. Using the weapons table below, choose how you want to arm your mecha. Weapons are purchased by their damage classes, not by any specific weapon; the weapons listed are only examples. Feel free to invent the effects and style of the weapon you want. Weapons are constructed by buying the basic DC or Kills of the weapon, then buy the range and accuracy of the weapon. Note: The largest weapon you may place on any Microlight main bodied mecha is 3K .
DC DC 7 DC 8 DC 10 DC 11 DC 12 DC 13 1K 2K 3K 4K 5K 6K 7K 8K 9K 10K 11K 12K
TYPICAL WEAPON EXAMPLE BASE COST LIGHT RIFLE ....................................................................5 HEAVY RIFLE....................................................................8 50 CAL MACHINEGUN......................................................10 MAN PORTABLE HOWITZER .................................................11 15MM CANNON, MAN PORTABLE LASER CANNON.....................12 20MM CANNON.............................................................13 RAILGUN, 30-50MM CANNON, LT. BEAM GUN ........................14 60-80MM CANNON, ROCKET POD, BEAM SWORD* .................15 90-100MM CANNON, MECHA MACHINE CANNON ....................16 120-140MM CANNON, BEAM CANNON................................17 150-200MM CANNON, MECHA MELEE WEAPON*...................18 HVY. AUTOCANNON, MISSILE POD, HVY. BEAM GUN ...............................19 300MM CANNON ..........................................................20 HVY. BEAM CANNON,.......................................................21 ARTILLERY CANNON, MECHA HOWITZER, ...............................22 LARGE ARTILLERY CANNON, MEGA BEAM CANNON ...................23 BATTLESHIP CANNON........................................................24 CRUISE MISSILE, 18IN BATTLESHIP CANNON ..........................10
Ranges & WAs
*RANGE IS AUTOMATICALLY 1
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Get a Final Total of SDP or Kills) Now, add the SDP (or Kills) of your main body, all extremities, all armor and all weapons together. This is the total SDP or Kills of your vehicle.
hrusters allow your mecha to fly. To determine a cost, multiply your total weight (by x 0.0075 for mecha a ton or more, or 0.125 for mecha under a ton), then multiply that result by the MOVE you want as your top flight speed and round off. Example: For a 76.5 ton mecha to fly at a MOVE of 100 would cost 57 OP (76.5 x 0.0075=0.57; 0.57 x100=57.3 rounded down to 57.) But even with a MOVE of 100, our mecha barely gets over 400 mph. So how do we get faster mecha? We get around this by using a game convention called THE AFTERBURNER RULE. With this rule, you can buy the Option (below) to move at one Mach level (@750mph) for every 100 MOVE of thrusters purchased. This Mach Speed is only useable in high speed, straight line, non-combat movement.
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Buy Options
Now decide what options you want to add to your mecha. Options (like hands, computers, etc.) are purchased as add-on parts. (Note that hands, claws, talons etc.must be bought for each extremity they’ll be used on. Body Armors don’t need hands; the operator’s hands will do). Buy these options separately from Cost Multipliers (below). Cost Multipliers are options applied overall to your mecha to get the effects you want. Choose the Cost Multipliers you want, add them together to get one Cost Multiplier number, then apply that to your mecha’s Cost. Add that result to the mecha’s Base Cost to get its Total Cost. OPTIONS Hand .............................................2ea Security system...............................0.5 Claw ..............................................4ea Escape System...................................1 Talon..............................................2ea Pincer.............................................2ea Sensors.........................................4ea Weapon Linkage .............................1ea Computer ..................1 per level of INT Containment Facilities........1per person Laboratory ........1 per type of speciality Storage ............................0.1 per 50kg COST MULTIPLIERS Auto systems.....................x0.1 for each level of INT, REF, DEX +5 skills at +5 each Land Speed .................................................................x0.05 per +5MOVE, no max. Faster Than Light Speed .................................................................................x1.25 Mach Speed .....................................................................................................x.25 Maneuverability.........................................................0.1 per +1MV, up to max of 0. Scale up Kills by factor of 10 (weight goes up x10) ............................................x25 Scale up Kills by factor of 100 (weight goes up x1000)....................................x500 Stealth or Cloaking Field (defined by GM) ..........................................................x0.3 Style ...................................x0.01 for each +1 bonus to Pilot’s PRE, to a max of +3 Sublight speeds (escape velocities, up to 1AU per day at GM’s choice)...........x0.75 Synchro Systems............................x0.5 for +2 to Pilot’s REF & DEX, +1 to all WA’s Transformation ................................................Total Cost x 0.3 for every form taken Water Propulsion.............................................................x0.025 for every +5 MOVE
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Calculate Your Surface Move & MV
Add up the weight of all the parts of your mecha to determine it’s total weight. Then check below to determine its MOVE and its Maneuver Value (i.e., how maneuverable it is—MV reduces your REF, and thus your piloting/driving skills). Example: Our 76.5-ton Beastmecha has a MOVE of 15 and an MV of -7.
Weight <1 TON 01-19t 20-29t 30-39t 40-49t 50-59t 60-69t 70-79t 80-89t 90-99t 100t +
MOVE 35 30 25 25 20 20 15 15 10 10 10
MV -0 to REF -1 to REF -2 to REF -3 to REF -4 to REF -5 to REF -6 to REF -7 to REF -8 to REF -9 to REF -10 to REF
MPH/KPH 70/105 60/90 50/75 50/75 40/60 40/60 30/45 30/45 20/30 20/30 20/30
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The Base Range for a ranged Weapon is 200m/yds; you’ll add+1 for every doubling of range. Weapon Accuracy (WA) is purchased at +1 point for each additional level over a starting base of +0.
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MEKTON VEHICLE PLUG-IN
Decide how big the main body (aka the torso) of your vehicle is. The examples on the table will give you a few ideas of rough sizes; pick the closest approximation. Now, buy your main body. If you have heads, arms, legs, wings, tentacles, wheels, treads or other extremities (aka servos) attached to the main body, buy these next. Extremities may not be more than 1 level greater than the Main Body and Servos with SDP may not be combined with Kills.
EXPERIENCE
EXPERIENCE
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EXPERIENCE: IMPROVING YOURSELF
ooner or later, you will want to improve your Skills, Characteristics or Powers from the levels at which you purchased them at. There are several ways in which to do this: Study & Practice: You get a how-to book and start reading/practicing.
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Study is the hardest method, you have no idea of where to begin and no one to correct your mistakes. In general, it takes about 1 month of study to gain 1 point. The biggest limit to this method is that you can only improve your skill to a level of 3.
Being Taught: Superior to book learning. The teacher must have a higher level of skill than the student and must have the time to teach (how long this takes is up to the GM). But even the most knowledgeable teachers may not be any good at transferring their knowledge; that’s where the skill of Teaching comes in. The teacher averages his skill in the subject to be taught with his Teaching skill; he may then teach the student up to that level of skill. How long this takes is up to the GM, who can award points over the passage of time (usually 1-2 points per month).
Experience: Still the best teacher. Whenever you do something really well, the GM may award you with 1-2 Option Points right on the spot. The problem is that these points are applied to the skill you were using to get the award. Therefore, if you want to get better in a skill you should use it very chance you get. Another way to improve Characteristics, Skills and other Campaign Options comes into play AFTER character creation; winning Option Points through adventuring with the character. There are two major ways to gain these points: Roleplaying: While it isn’t exactly part of the game reality, Referees should always reward their players for how well they play the character; after all, that’s why we’re doing this. Here are a few suggestions: ROLEPLAYING Player was clever, inventive, or roleplayed well Player solved a mystery or major point of plot Adventure was resounding success Base points for being in scenario
AWARD 1, 2 pts. 1 pt. 2,3 pts. 1, 2 pts.
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Assigning Points: The GM can also give out points for specific skills or attributes, or even assign those points to a particular Skill, Power or Perk as a bonus over and above the regular points for a session. We like to call this the “Radiation Accident Gives Player New Powers Rule,” because it is best employed whenever a player undergoes a particularly meaningful adventure that may well change his life
Buying Stuff with Your Points
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o the GM just dumped a whole load of points on you—great! But how do you use them? Much like real currency, all Option Points need to be cashed in to buy or improve Skills, Powers and Gear (even Characteristics with your GM’s agreement) • TO BUY UP SKILLS: ONE point for each LEVEL of the new skill . Example: To buy a skill from 3 to 4 would require 4 Option Points. • TO BUY UP CHARACTERISTICS: FIVE points for every one point of Characteristic improvement, plus the permission of the GM. Example: to improve your REF from 5 to 6 would require 5 Option Points and your GM’s agreement. • TO BUY UP POWERS (if applicable): FIVE points for every one point of Power improvement, plus the permission of the GM. Example: to improve your Energy Blast from DC3 to DC4 would require 5 Option Points and your Ref’s agreement. • TO GENERATE CASH: 1 Option Point equals 100 dollars (or other money unit, plus the GM’s permission. Example: to gain $500.ºº would require 5 OP and your Ref’s OK.
It’s Christmas Time! xperience is one of the most problematic parts of running a campaign. Too little, and your players become frustrated at not accomplishing anything; too much, and they become jaded because everything is too easy. One trick to maintaining both balance and excitement is to use the “Christmas” theory of experience; keep the awards relatively small from game to game, with a large award at the end of an entire adventure arc. The award should be in a discreet “Christmas Present”—a coveted vehicle (or points which can only be used to create a vehicle), ”Special training” (where Skill points must go to a specific Skill area), or a “Radiation Accident” that provides points that create or improve specific powers.
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THE RULE OF X his is a very important option for Referees who want more control over their campaign’s growth. The Rule of X is a simple way to set the overall power of the campaign, and to keep it at that level.
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Simply, the Rule of X limits how powerful characters can start off at in a campaign. (Well, the GM can of course break this rule for the Non-Player Characters, but the players must stick to it.) Here’s how it works. FOR ATTACKS: The Damage or P Cost of your largest attack (whichever is higher) added to your Reflex plus your Skill in that attack cannot be greater than X. FOR DEFENSES: Your Hits divided by 5, plus your largest Defense/5, added to your Dexterity plus your applicable defensive Skill cannot be greater than X. The value of X depends on the power level you want for the campaign. For instance, a superhero campaign might start with the Rule of 20. A character with a STR of 12, and a Reflex of 6, could have no more than a Skill of 2 with his hand-to-hand attacks (12 + 6 + 2 = 20). A martial artist with 40 Hits and a Dexterity of 7 could have no more than a 5 Skill with his martial attacks ([40/5] + 7 + 5 = 20). Some suggested values for the Rule of X are. CAMPAIGN STYLE EVERYDAY [REALISTIC] COMPETENT [ELITE, SEMI-REALISTIC.] HEROIC [TV ACTION SHOW] INCREDIBLE [OLYMPICS, ACTION MOVIE] LEGENDARY [BLOCKBUSTER ACTION MOVIE] SUPERHEROIC [COMIC BOOKS, MYTHS]
RULE OF X 14 16 18 20 22 24
The Rule of X primarily is used to set the initial power level of a campaign, and is not generally used to limit characters after their creation (although it’s a good idea to keep it in force all the time when running superheroic games). Instead, the GM should use the Rule as a guide for handing out experience or powerful “goodies”that might unbalance the campaign. The Rule of X can be changed during the course of a campaign to let characters become more powerful, if the GM so desires. This current Rule of X should also be applied to all new characters entering the campaign.
TIME, TURNS & SPEED ow that you’ve created a character, its time to use him or her in the gaming environment. This means learning how Time (and Turn Order), Facing, Distance and Movement work in the Fuzion system.
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SO IT’S MY TURN. NOW WHAT?
nce your turn comes up in the phase, you can start taking ACTIONS. Actions are basically things you can do within the span of a few seconds, like use a weapon, dodge, or even start an Action that may stretch over several phases (like picking a lock).
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What Can I Do As An Action During My Turn? You can do one thing each Phase. This could include:
ATTACK
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IT’S FUZION TIME!
uzion uses two TH E TI M E TA B L E ways of measur- 1 PHASE = 3 SECONDS ing time. The first, 1 ROUND=12 SECONDS 5 ROUNDS= 1 MINUTE ROLEPLAYING TIME, works just 5 MINUTES like it does in real life; divid20 MINUTES 1 HOUR ing reality into seconds, min6 HOURS utes, hours, days, weeks, 1 DAY etc.
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The second way, COMBAT TIME, is far more exacting. In Combat, time is divided into 3 second combat PHASES. (Note: In HERO, this is roughly equivalent to Speed 4.) Anything that takes longer than a phase is considered to be a LONG ACTION, and will take at least 12 seconds to complete. In extreme cases, you may even want to use minutes or hours to describe especially long actions.
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WHO GOES FIRST?
ach Phase, every player (who isn’t unconscious or otherwise out of the fight) gets to do something during the phase. But who goes first? This is decided by determining initiative. There are two Switch Positions for determining initiative:
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DODGE
NON COMBAT ACTION
Free Actions hese are things you can do automatically, without spending any of your Actions. An example would be standing up, using Breakfall, maintaining a Power (Darkness, Telekinesis, Force Field and Invisibility to name a few) that’s already been turned on, or any power that doesn’t require a roll. To be sure, ask the GM of your campaign what Actions are free in his game.
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Speed
n order to give the proper flavor to superheroic combat, we've added the Speed Characteristic to this rev of Fuzion. A character's Speed is the number of Phases the character may act in one Round. Normally in Fuzion, every character gets 4 Phases in each Round. When using the Speed characteristic, each Round is divided into 12 Segments of 1 second each. Refer to the Speed Chart to find when your character takes a Phase. The character's Speed is across the top of the chart, and the Segment is listed along the left; each X indicates when a characters gets a Phase. For instance, a character with a Speed of 5 gets to act on Segments 3, 5, 8, 10, and 12. Each Round, the GM should begin by counting off the segments ("Segment 1, segment 2...") until a Segment is reached where a character has a Phase. All characters with a Phase in that Segment get to act, following the usual rules for determining who goes first. Combat usually begins on Segment 12, giving everyone a chance for an action and then a free Recovery (at the end of each Segment 12, all characters get a free Recovery without having to use a Recovery Action). Targets that are surprised would not act in Segment 12. Characters C HARACTER ’ S S PEED can choose to PHASE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 19 11 12 act at a lower 1 — — — — — — — — — — — X Speed in a 2 — — — — — X X X X X X X Round (thus sav- 3 — — — X X — — X X X X X ing Endurance). 4 — — X — — X X — X X X X The character’s 5 — — — — X — — X — X X X acting Speed 6 — X — X — X X X X X X X must be chosen 7 X — — — — — X — X — X X before Segment 8 — — X — X X — X X X X X 1, and the char- 9 — — — X — — X X — X X X acter must stay 10 — — — — X X — — X X X X at that lower 11 — — — — — — X X X X X X Speed for the 12 — X X X X X X X X X X X entire Round.
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An Alternative to Speed
A shorthand way to deal with reaction times is to give players extra actions instead of using a Speed chart. For every 4 points of Speed (or 8 pts of REF) the character has, he gets one additional Action each phase (essentially Speed 4 in the HERO system). CHARACTER SPEED 1-4 5-8 9-10 11-12 13-16 17-18 ACTIONS EACH PHASE 1 2 3 4 5 6
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SWITCH 1: (better for group of characters vs. Refrun melees.) The character with the highest REF always acts first in a phase. They may also be allowed to hold their action (see Wait under Advanced Actions) and act later in the phase. The character with the next highest REF score acts next and so on. If the characters are still tied, then roll a die to break ties at the start of combat; the higher number goes first. SWITCH 2: (best for Character vs. Character melees) At the beginning of each phase, each character rolls 3 dice and adds their REFLEX Characteristic. The character with the highest total acts first for that phase (they are also allowed to hold their action and act later in the phase.) The character with the next highest total acts next and so on. Roll an additional die to break ties; high number goes first. Once the phase order has been determined, each character takes their TURN. Then the next character gets a chance to do their action, until all characters have had their chance to act. Then the sequence begins again with a new phase.
MOVE
Each one of these things would be considered an Action.
GAME TIME, TURNS & SPEED
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DISTANCE & MOVEMENT
DISTANCE & MOVEMENT
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YES NO
FACING
acing is the direction you are pointing. Since many Fuzion games are played “in head” (without maps), the rule is that you can face anything positioned forward of your shoulders (illustration). hen using a standard gaming hex map, characters can normally “face” through any three adjacent sides (not corners) of the hex they are standing in.
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A Note about Using Figures ne reason we’ve used the meter-yards formula for computing distances in Fuzion is that it corresponds pretty well with a generic 6 foot character (ok, a meter isn’t exactly 6 feet, but for convenience’s sake, it works well enough). This allows you to use almost any size of figure in play—the actual figure becomes a useful 2 yard “yardstick” to measure distances. Army men, action figures, even fashion dolls—anything can work with this simple scale system.
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Line of Sight and Firing Arc
acing is only part of the story. The other part is whether or not you can actually see (and attack) your intended target. This is called Line of sight.
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Shooting Blind
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When something is between you and your target, it blocks your line of sight. You may still shoot at it (assuming your weapon can penetrate the obstacle), but will have to attack blind (making a Perception Roll with a Difficulty Value determined by the GM. A successful roll allows you to shoot at a -2 to your REF; an unsuccessful roll increases this to -4. WHAT YOU CAN SHOOT THROUGH Trees• Brush•Smoke•Tents•Glass• Snow WHAT YOU (USUALLY) CAN’T SHOOT THROUGH Concrete•Brick•Metal•Ice
Partial Cover An obstacle may also only partially block your line of sight, allowing you to try and shoot around it. Determine how much of your target is exposed, then reduce your Attack roll as below: COVER MODIFIER Half Body.................................................................-2 Head and Shoulders Only ........................................-3 Head only ................................................................-4 Behind someone else..............................................-4 Target prone............................................................--2 Target crouched or kneeling .....................................-1
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DISTANCE & MOVEMENT
istance in Fuzion can be measured in either meters or yards (we admit to fudging the numbers a bit to allow us to use the same values for each; in reality a meter is slightly longer). Measurements will always be listed in both, usually with the abbreviation “m/yds”. Either way, you should pick one unit of measure and stick with it. Movement is the distance a character or vehicle can move in a phase—this value is always determined by your MOVE characteristic. As a rule, there are two scales of Movement used in Fuzion. The first scale is FIGURATIVE MOVEMENT; the raw MOVE score compared to another MOVE to see which is faster overall. This is best for simple speed decisions. The other is LITERAL MOVEMENT; a measurement of actual distance. This is best for realistic distances. As a general rule: • Multiply the MOVE of the character or mecha by 2 m/yds per phase to determine its “combat” or “running” distance. •Multiply the MOVE of the character or mecha by 3 m/yds per phase for it’s non-combat or sprinting distance. HINT: We don’t really recommend even bothering with literal movement above speeds of 50. Most of the time, you’ll want to just use a general speed, determined as below: • To get KPH ground speeds, multiply the non combat or combat move of the object by 3 kph. Example: with a non combat move of 18, I run at 54 kph. • To get MPH ground speeds, multiply the non combat or combat move of the object by 2 mph. Example: with a non combat move of 18, I run at 36 mph.
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Special Case: Mach Airspeeds • To get most KPH airspeeds, you’ll multiply the combat move of the object by 3 kph. However, if the vehicle is especially fast, it may be able to apply the AFTERBURNER RULE (pg. 12), which allows it to increase it’s non-combat velocity to Mach values (@1125kph) for every 100 points of MOVE. Example: at a MOVE of 250, my jet moves at an “afterburner” move of Mach 2 (roughly 2,244 kph). • To get combat MPH airspeeds, you’ll multiply the non combat or combat MOVE of the object by 2 mph. Applying the AFTERBURNER RULE to those with that option will allow them to move at a non-combat velocity of Mach 1 (750mph) for every 100 points of MOVE. Example: at a MOVE of 200, my jet moves at a non-combat “sprint” of Mach 2 (roughly 1,500 mph).
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MOVEMENT RULES
A few basic rules govern how you move during a phase: • In Fuzion, objects accelerate or decelerate at a rate of 10 MOVE per phase. • You may not move (or shoot) through any solid person, object or thing (see illustration above). • Your movement will be slowed by the type of terrain you cross over. Terrain is rated as Easy, Rough and Very Rough and reduces your overall MOVE characteristic in the following manner: EASY ROUGH VERY ROUGH No Reduction Halves MOVE Quarters MOVE Note that the roughness of the terrain doesn’t mean that it’s full of rocks; just that it’s hard to cross. ROUGH terrain could include choppy waves, turbulent air, or light brush. VERY ROUGH might be mud, snow, ice or thick brush. EASY would be grass, sidewalks and open skies. The terrain type is decided on by the GM, and is based on the majority of terrain you will be crossing over that phase. For example, if you ran over 4 m/yds of Easy terrain and 6 m/yds of Rough, the GM would probably rule that you were moving through Rough Terrain that phase.
ACTION
henever your character tries to do something (called taking an Action), there’s always the question of whether he’ll succeed or fail. Sometimes the task is so easy that it’s obvious; for instance, taking a step forward without falling down. In those cases you’ll just tell the GM what you’re doing, and no die roll is needed. ut if you’re trying to take a step on the deck of a ship pitching wildly in a driving rainstorm, walking might be very difficult indeed. That’s where TASK RESOLUTION comes in. All tasks in Fuzion are resolved with the same formula: take the relevant CHARACTERISTIC and add to it the relevant SKILL, resulting in an ACTION VALUE [AV] Then add a die roll to your AV to create an ACTION TOTAL [AT]. Compare the resulting AT to a DIFFICULTY VALUE (below). If you equal or exceed the DIFFICULTY VALUE, you succeed!
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WHICH CHARACTERISTIC DO I USE? Usually common sense will tell you what Characteristic to use: INTELLIGENCE Memory, problem solving WILLPOWER Ability to face danger, fear, stress PRESENCE Interactions with others. TECHNIQUE Manipulating tools, instruments REFLEXES Fighting and driving/control skills DEXTERITY Physical Abilities. Dodging, athletics CONSTITUTION Resistance to pain, disease, shock STRENGTH Muscle mass and physical power MOVEMENT Running, swimming feats ...or the GM can decide if it’s in dispute.
WHICH SKILL DO I USE? The GM will usually decide which Skill fits the task best. Example: when attacking with a weapon, use the Weapon Skill for that weapon or Hand to Hand if you’re using your fists. If Driving a car, use your Driving Skill instead, and so on.
WHICH DIE ROLL? This is one of the basic decisions you have to make before you begin playing Fuzion: what Dice should you use? While standard 6-sided dice are always used for damage, in Fuzion, you can use either 3 six-sided dice (the HERO OPTION) or one 10-sided die (the INTERLOCK OPTION) for resolving actions. The GM should decide at the start of the campaign what kind of dice will be used; this will then be in effect for all characters within that campaign.
TAKING ACTION: TASK RESOLUTION
TA K I N G
Your AV (CHARACTERISTIC+SKILL) + a DIE ROLL vs the DV (DIFFICULTY VALUE) + 10 (or a DIE ROLL) WHAT’S THE DIFFICULTY VALUE [DV]? The DIFFICULTY VALUE [DV] is a number you must roll equal or higher than with your combined ACTION VALUE and a DIE ROLL. DIFFICULTY VALUES come in two flavors: OPPOSED and UNOPPOSED: OPPOSED: When attempting a task against another character, such as attacking someone, the DIFFICULTY VALUE (aka DEFENSIVE VALUE] is determined by the CHARACTERISTIC+ SKILL of the character opposing you. UNOPPOSED: When attempting a task involving non-living objects or an ability, the DIFFICULTY VALUE is given to you by the GM, based on how tough he thinks the task is. These DVs do not add die rolls or a value of 10. They are determined by using the UNIVERSAL DIFFICULTY VALUE TABLE below: DESCRIPTION DV Challenged ..................................10 Everyday ......................................14 Competent...................................18 Heroic ..........................................22 Incredible.....................................26 Legendary ....................................30 Superheroic..................................34 Competently superheroic .............38
DESCRIPTION DV Exceptionally superheroic ............42 Incredibly superheroic...................46 Legendarily superheroic ................50 Cosmic .........................................54 Competently cosmic .....................58 Exceptionally cosmic ....................62 Incredibly cosmic..........................66 Legendarily cosmic .......................70
In general, if a character has a Heroic Characteristic and an Heroic Skill, he has about an even chance to succeed at a Heroic task. GMs should use these values as guidelines; feel free to use Modifiers (pg. 146 & 147) to make it more or less difficult.
Difficulty Values, The Easy Way
uzion’s unusual “parentage” offers you two ways to resolve the DV side of the outcome. The first is the HERO Option (from the Champions side of the family), which uses a straight value (10) instead of a die roll. This option gives your campaigns a more predictable feeling; once your skills are high enough, you can depend on almost always making the grade. Remember; when using this option, the Attacker should roll three six sided dice. he second is the INTERLOCK OPTION (named after RTG’s core system used in Cyberpunk and Mekton ), in which a 1D10 die roll is added to the Difficulty (aka Defensive) Value of the Defender. This option tends to give your campaigns a more unpredictable flavor; even the toughest characters will have to depend on Luck against an equally skilled opponent. Remember, when using this option, the attacker should always roll a single ten sided die. Either option works equally well and both are scaled to fit the Difficulty Value Table at left
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Or Do You Even Need to Roll at All? The GM can also choose to automatically count as a success any task where the player’s Characteristic+Skill total already meets or beats the Difficulty Value.
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If the GM doesn’t have the UNIVERSAL DIFFICULTY VALUE TABLE handy, there’s an easy way to get the right DIFFICULTY VALUE: Ask the player for their ACTION TOTAL, then assign a DIFFICULTY VALUE in relation to that total: A really easy task adds -4 or -3 to the DV, an easy task adds -2 or -1, a tough task adds +1 or +3, and a really tough task adds+5 or +6.
A DIE ROLL OR STRAIGHT 10?
USING YOUR SKILLS
USING YOUR SKILLS sing your Skills is the most common kind of Action outside of Combat. The first step in using a skill is determining what Characteristic you're going to use and what Skill to pair it up with when you do something:
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WHAT CHARACTERISTIC DO I USE?
n general, common sense should tell you which Characteristic to use for a particular task, or the GM of your campaign can decide if there's a dispute. However, the following guidelines will usually apply in almost any case:
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IF THE SITUATION INVOLVES USE ...an issue of knowledge or experience or is otherwise mental..........................................................INT ...interacting with someone (e.g. lying to them, impressing them, etc.)............................................PER ...resisting an interaction, or if it’s a matter of willpower...................................................................WILL ...using tools, instruments or having technical affinity .....................................................................TECH ...an issue of speed, such as races of swimming, skating or skiing..............................................MOVE ...using hand-eye coordination or manual dexterity (e.g. guns or vehicles).....................................REF ...engaging in gross physical movement (athletics, using fists and blades).....................................DEX ...a matter of raw physical strength (mainly a Strength Feat”) ..........................................................STR ...a matter of endurance and time .....................................................................................................CON
The most important thing is to look at the type of task you're trying to perform first. This will determine the most applicable Characteristic upon which to base your Skill. One side effect of this method is that you may often find the same Skill being combined with different Characteristics, depending on circumstances and the way in which you want to use that Skill. For example, if you're playing a piece of music and trying to make it technically perfect, you might use your Technique characteristic in combination with your Performance Skill. But if you were trying to sway an audience to tears with the beauty of your playing, you could use your Personality Characteristic in combination with your Performance Skill instead. Each uses the same Skill, but each choice stresses very different aspects of using that skill!
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WHAT SKILL DO I USE?
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The overriding rule here is that the GM will always be the final arbiter of what Skill should be used to make an attempt at a task. Beyond that, common sense is the best guideline. If you're using a weapon, your Skill choice may be pretty simple; use the Skill that describes the weapon best. But if it's an interpersonal issue, you may be able to convince your GM to give you a lot more leeway; maybe your Social Skill may be far more useful in convincing the gang leader to release the hostages than your Persuasion, especially if you can call upon a little known gangland code that requires he honor your request! The ability to bend Skills around to fit circumstances allows you to use one of the best strengths of the Fuzion system: flexibility.
WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE A SKILL 3 S
ometimes, you just don't have a Skill to use. In these cases, there are two options the GM can use. The first is the Outta Luck option: you just don't get a Skill to add to your characteristic. You just don't know anything about what you have to do, and you're totally relying on a Characteristic and dumb luck (a good time to use that LUCK you've been hoarding). The second route is the Cultural Familiarity option. In most societies, there are very few things that can be done that aren't described in some manner or other; people shoot guns in movies; legends describe how the hero used his sword, Tom Clancy novels tell all about how submarines work. Cultural Familiarity assumes the more widely educated you are, the more chance you may have run across something relating to what you're about to attempt. Therefore, whenever you don't have a Skill that will apply, you can gain one point for every three points of Education you currently have. And since most people start with at least 2 points of Education, one point of ADDITIONAL Education may be enough to get you a start. Use of the above rule is, of course, subject to the decision of the GM.
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IMPROVING SKILL USE
esides the basic ways of using skills, there are a few other variations that can improve your chances:
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Trying Again If you fail a Skill Check, you can’t try again until your check has improved for some reason; you took longer, used a better tool, or made a complementary Skill Check.
Complementary Skills A Complementary Skill Check is where the use of one skill directly affects the use of a subsequent skill. For example, if you were a singer and needed to sway a crowd, a very good Performance check would make the swaying (Persuasion) a lot easier. As a rule of thumb: 1) At the GM's discretion, a good roll in one skill may have a bonus effect on the subsequent use of a related skill. This bonus will be in a ratio of +1 additional bonus point for every 5 points the related skill succeeded by. Example: Sue wants to convince Bob to go out with her (Persuasion). By making a really good Wardrobe and Style roll, she could increase her Persuasion by dazzling Bob with her sexy wardrobe. 2) As a rule, this bonus will usually only affect a subsequent attempt once. One really high Wardrobe and Style roll won't allow Sue to convince Bob to marry her; it just helps get her the date. The rest is up to fate. 3) As a rule, this bonus should only involve the interaction of one skill attempt on one other Skill attempt.
Taking Extra Time
TH E TI M E TA B L E
1 PHASE = 3 SECONDS Taking extra time can also give 1 ROUND= 12 SECONDS you a bonus to your Skill Roll. For 5 ROUNDS= 1 MINUTE every level on the Time Table used 5 MINUTES beyond the amount of time the 20 MINUTES GM assigns to the task, add +1 to 1 HOUR 6 HOURS the Skill Roll. Example: The GM 1 DAY says a task will take 1 minute. If the character takes 5 minutes to perform the task, he gets a +1 bonus to the Skill Roll.
Critical Success... A critical success is when you get lucky and manage to succeed at something you normally would have no chance in Hades to accomplish. In game play, this is simulated by allowing you to roll additional dice which are then added to the original roll to enhance it’s effects. The rules for this depend on which dice option you are using: • If you’re rolling D10: On a natural roll of 10, you’ve scored a critical success. Roll an another 1D10 and add the result to your first roll. If you roll another 10, you may not score another critical success. • If you’re rolling 3D6: On a natural roll of 18, roll two additional D6’s and add this result to your original roll.
...and Critical Failure Sometimes even the best of the best have a bad day. • If you’re rolling D10: On a natural roll of 1, Roll an another 1D10 and subtract the result from your first roll. • If you’re rolling 3D6: On a natural roll of all 1’s, roll two additional D6’s and subtract the result from your first roll.
ACTIONS: BASIC & ADVANCED
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PERFORMING ACTIONS
n Fuzion, each player can perform one action per phase. But what kind of actions can you perform when your chance comes up? And how do they all work together? In general, there are two kinds of Actions in Fuzion: Basic Actions, which are simple descriptions of tasks you’ll want to perform during your turn, and Advanced Actions, which represent more sophisticated maneuvers that add strategy and tactics to your game play. Both have advantages; Basic in speed, Advanced in subtlety. he following section discusses Basic Actions a character can perform, each explained. Advanced Actions are described on the following page in their own section. Both also have useful summary pages to recap what each action means.
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AS A RULE OF THUMB, ALWAYS REMEMBER: • Wood damages Flesh • Metal damages Wood • Energy damages Metal
BASIC ACTION SUMMARY ACTIONS ATTACK (SHOOT OR STRIKE) BLOCK
GET UP GRAB MOVE RUN SPRINT OTHER ACTION [OR USE A SKILL]
NOTES Make Attack (optionally, add modifiers); autofire attacks count as one Action. Kicks do +1D6 at -1 to hit. Stops any one attack with a successful Defensive Roll vs the Attacker’s Attack roll. You attack first next phase Makes you harder to hit against all attacks this phase— adds +3 DV, but you cannot attack Get up from being prone -2 to perform; grab target or gadget; -3 Defense for both Move up to half your Combat Move and do something else. Move up to your full Combat Move (a Run). Move up to your full Non Combat Move at 1/2 DEX, 0 REF Any single action not otherwise specified, such as reloading, mounting a vehicle, changing weapons, etc.
THROW
Throw one object (-4 if not made for throwing).
DODGE
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TURN SEQUENCE SUMMARY
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ach Phase, roll one die and add your REF. During this 3-second segment, do the following:
[A] CHOOSE YOUR ACTIOn You have 1 ACTION each Phase. These actions can be Attacks or involve other types of activity. If attacking go to [B]; if not, skip down to [D]. [B] CHECK LINE OF SIGHT You can attack anything positioned forwards of your shoulders, as long as nothing else is in the way. Each attack has a range, listed in [C] CHECK RANGE meters/yards. If using figures, assume one figure is equal to 2 meters (or @6 feet) of range from top to base. If you are in range, you can attack. [D] RESOLVE ACTION See TAKING ACTION [pg. 37]. In general, roll 1die and add to your Characteristic+ Skill. If the action was an Attack, go to [E]. If not, go on to NEXT PHASE [F]. [E} RESOLVE DAMAGE If you hit, roll a number of 6-sided dice equal to the Damage Class (pg. 46 of the Attack). [F] GO TO NEXT PHASE Start again with the process.
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ATTACK: Use a weapon, power or physical combat skill to harm an opponent. There are many modifiers that can affect your chance to do this (see Combat Modifiers, pg. 42 - 43). Specific weapons may have other modifiers to take into account as well. BLOCK: (OR PARRY) Use this Action to deflect attacks. In general, this means stopping a SPECIFIC Melee or Hand to Hand attack in addition to your normal Defense Value. When Blocking an attack, make a Hand to Hand Defense or Melee Defense roll against the roll which your attacker already got past your defense roll. If the roll is successful, the attack is blocked. After being blocked, the attacker is put off balance, and must act after the target next phase regardless of normal turn order. This is a good time to introduce the Rock, Papers, Scissors Rule of Blocking. As a general rule, certain defenses can be used to physically block certain kinds of attacks; against other attacks, these defenses are worse than useless. (You could lose an arm!) DODGE: Use this Action to make yourself harder to hit. Instead of attacking, you may declare that you are actively dodging and gain +3 to your Defense Value against all attacks that Phase. GET UP: Use this Action to stand up after being knocked down. GRAB: Use this Action to get a grip on an opponent, a weapon, a gadget, or something else. A successful Grab allows the attacker to hold, pin, choke or throw his opponent; he may also attempt to grab a weapon from his opponent’s grasp. Use an Opposed Skill check to see if you can break out of a Grab (use STR Characteristic plus Hand to Hand, Athletics or Martial Arts (whichever is highest); the attacker suffers -2 to his roll. When Grabbed, both grabber and grabbee are -3 DEX to all other attacks. The grabber can choose to do his full STR in damage to the grabbee each turn. Move (Half Move): This action allows you to move up to half your Run (or other Combat Movement power) distance, and perform one other action, except for Run, Sprint, Move By, Move Thru, Recover or any action the GM rules to take a Full Action (or longer.) RUN (COMBAT MOVE): Allows character to move up to their full Running Characteristic that phase. SPRINT (NON-COMBAT MOVE): Use this Action to move faster each phase—up to your full Sprint speed, but at 1/2 DEX and 0 REF while doing so. OTHER ACTION: Use this Action for anything not covered by other Actions, like reloading, taking off your shirt, opening a door, or anything else you can think of. How long an Other Action takes is up to the GM; they may well decide that what you describe takes several rounds to perform, or it may have modifiers on your DEX. Some Other Actions: drawing a weapon, getting into or out of a vehicle (or mounting or dismounting from a horse), transforming, and clearing a jammed weapon. All of these Actions take up your full phase. THROW: This allows the attacker to use a thrown weapon (grenade, bottle, mug, small car). The object must be liftable by the character, and may be thrown using the character’s Athletics Skill. Improvised, non-aerodynamic objects can be thrown at at -4 penalty. If the character is throwing something larger than 4 square m/yds (roughly 2x2), it can be treated as an area attack.
BASIC ACTIONS
BASIC ACTION DESCRIPTIONS
ADVANCED ACTIONS PAGE 40
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ADVANCED ACTIONS
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hese are other Actions you can take besides the Basic ones. Remember that even this list is only a fraction of the possible maneuvers you may want to invent or add to your campaigns.
If pitted against a trap, you will use your STR+Athletics Skill against ABORT: Characters who are being attacked, and who have yet to take a Difficulty Value set by the GM. On a successful roll, you are free of the their turn, may 'abort' to a defensive maneuver (Block, Dodge, or Dive hold and may move again. Hand to Hand or Tech-based Skills may also For Cover) using their upcoming action. Characters continue to do this be used in default of Athletics if the GM agrees. HAYMAKER: You throw caution to the wind and put everything into a sindefensive action until they can act again in the next phase. AIM: This action allows you to improve your chances to hit with a gle full-out physical move (a swing, punch or blow). This gives you a damranged weapon (only). Each action taken aiming adds +1 to your attack, age bonus of +3 dice, but imposes a -3 penalty to hit (because you’re up to three actions total. Aiming assumes a steady, braced position, no not worrying about keeping your balance or aiming, etc.). MOVE BY: This action lets you use up to your full Move and make a movement, and a clear chance to track your target. CHOKE HOLD: A two hand or one arm Grab maneuver (unless you’re real- Hand-to-Hand or Melee attack (only) at any point along that movement, ly big and your GM allows you to use one hand or arm). Once a suc- at a penalty of -2 to your REF and DEX. You do your half STR damage cessful Choke hold is established, the choker will do 2D6 in killing dam- plus 1 die for every 10m/yds moved. You will also take one third of that damage yourself. age unless the Choke is broken by the victim. MOVE THRU: This action lets you use up to your full Move and make a DISARM: On a successful Attack roll, you have a chance to knock something from the opponent’s hand at no penalty. The attacker gets a STR Hand-to-Hand or Melee attack (only) at the end of that movement, at a + Hand to Hand roll versus the defender’s STR + Hand to Hand roll; if REF penalty of -1 for every 10m/yds moved and -3 to DEX. You do your the attacker wins, the defender drops the weapon. Use the area effect STR damage plus 1die for every 5m/yds moved. You also take half that damage yourself. table to determine where the RECOVER: Recovering gives weapon falls, with your oppoADVANCED ACTION SUMMARY you back Stun (and nent in the center. NOTES Endurance, if using that DIVE FOR COVER: This action ACTIONS Characteristic) Interrupt opponent’s turn to use a Defense (Dodge, Block, Dive Derived allows you to get out of the ABORT equal to your Recovery way of explosions and area for Cover), at cost of your upcoming action this phase. score. If you choose to effect attacks. You make a AIM Each phase taken Aiming adds +1 to Attack, up to +3; no other Recover for your action, you Defense roll (using an approAction possible can do nothing else that priate Hand To Hand or A Grab at - 4 REF. 2D6 Killing Attack. And you can’t talk while phase. If you suffer damAthletics roll if allowed by the CHOKE HOLD age while recovering, you being choked. GM), against a Difficulty may not recover Stun Value based on the distance DISARM Knock opponent’s weapon from hand. points that phase. You are (base of 8 for 1m +1 diffi- DIVE FOR COVER Avoid an area attack. Defender makes REF + Athletics (or comat -5 DEX while Recovering. culty for every extra 1 bat) skill roll vs 8, +1 difficulty per each extra meter/yard dived. SWEEP/TRIP: You put out a m/yds). If the roll is failed, Draw weapon and attack in one Action. -3 Penalty to attack. foot and send him sprawlyou didn’t dodge fast and/or DRAW & ATTACK ing. On a successful Hand Immobilize opponent until he can make a Escape. far enough and were caught ENTANGLE by the attack effects. ESCAPE Escape from Grabs or Entangles, using STR+Athletics (or com- to Hand roll, the attacker is knocked to the ground. He Diving for cover can be perbat) skill vs opponent’s STR+Athletics (or combat) skill. will be -2 to his next attack, formed by holding an action HAYMAKER +3 dice damage, with -3 to REF. you will gain +2 on your (just in case) or by aborting Full Move and HTH attack during movement with a -2 penalty. next. to your next action if you MOVE BY WAIT: Allows you to INTERto REF & DEX. Damage = half of STR + 1 die for every 10m/yds have not yet taken your turn. RUPT another player’s DRAW & ATTACK: By declarmoved. You will also take one third of that damage yourself. actions during their turn. ing this action at the start of MOVE THRU Full Move and HTH attack at end of move with a -1 penalty for Waiting is best used when the round, you are effectively every 10m.yds moved and a DEX penalty of -3 total. Damage you want to wait until an trying to “fast draw” on your = STR + 1 die for every 5m/yds moved; you will also take one opportunity exposes itself. opponents. This allows you To Wait, you must half of that damage yourself. to draw and use a weapon in announce, when your part one action, instead of the RECOVER -5 to Defense Value, get Recovery back in Stun of the phase comes up, normal two, but imposes a - SWEEP/TRIP Opponent falls; takes -2 penalty to his REF next phase, must that you are planning to 3 penalty on your attack. spend an Action to get back up. Wait. The important word to ENTANGLE: This allows the Wait for a chance to take your action or hold an action til later. include in this announcecharacter to use any entan- WAIT ment is until, stating what gling type of attack (whips, nets, tentacles, etc) to immobilize an opponent. The attack is made condition must be met before you will act. An example might be, “I wait using the skill for that weapon against the target’s defense roll. An until Bob moves.” or “I wait until I can see the whites of his eyes.” If the entangled character must act as though a Grab has been made; he conditions of your wait are not met, you must stand there, waiting, until the next round. When the specified condition has been met, you can can’t move or attack until he escapes. ESCAPE: This is the action of freeing yourself from physical holds, elect to INTERRUPT someone else’s action immediately; after all, this is chokes, entanglements or simple traps (like snares or nets). This what you have been waiting for. An example would be: “I wait until my requires a separate roll using your STR+ Athletics (or Hand to Hand opponent pops his head up from behind the wall, then I’ll shoot.” The skills) against the holder’s Athletics (or Hand to Hand) skills plus their moment your opponent pops up to shot at you (his action), you could Strength. Example: Although Fox’s Athletics is 7, her STR is only 3. then interrupt and fire. You need not roll to interrupt; it’s automatic. This Brick’s Athletics is only 3, but his STR is 10. The extra 3 point edge eas- can also be used to cover an opponent—i.e.; hold a ready weapon on him—you interrupt his action (BANG!) if he attempts to escape. ily allows Brick to hold Fox immobilized.
ADVANCED ACTION DESCRIPTIONS
LIFTING & THROWING
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STRENGTH FEATS
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THROWING STUFF
ne action that doesn’t fall into the realm of the everyday in Fuzion are feats of strength. This is one place where reality must compromise with fiction, since many Fuzion settings deal with superheroes as well as more realistic types.
nother area where the everyday goes beyond reality in some Fuzion settings is throwing. For when superhumans and demigods start tossing cars around, throwing stuff can get a lot more interesting:
For most characters you can simply use one Strength scale to determine one’s might. But how do you explain the abilities of most superheroes? How can a well built (but not exceptionally so) hero,—or a shapely fashion model with a thong and no visible muscles at all—lift a battleship and throw it a mile? Even if a human could lift a battleship, the distribution of weight around him would either (a) drive him into the ground like a nail; (b) punch a man-sized hole through the hull of the battleship, or (c) break the battleship in half. After all, what’s holding up the parts of the battleship where our hero’s hand’s aren’t? It’s pretty obvious that “entertainment” physics isn’t like regular physics. That’s why the CAMPAIGN STYLE MODIFY CURRENT STR BY: Strength table -3 EVERYDAY [REALISTIC] (below) can be COMPETENT [ELITE, SEMI-REALISTIC.] -2 “dialed” to suit HEROIC [TV ACTION SHOW] -1 the reality level of INCREDIBLE [OLYMPICS, ACTION MOVIE] +0 your campaign. LEGENDARY [BLOCKBUSTER ACTION MOVIE] +1 That way, characters SUPERHEROIC [COMIC BOOKS, MYTHS] +2 with incredible Strength can lift the amazing tonnages that they do in comic books and manga; even though reality doesn’t support this concept (or them). he Strength table below is for deadlifting the weight to waist (or dragging it). Pressing it overhead would be half of your Lift, carrying (at 1/2 normal MOVE), STR LIFT IN KILOGRAMS LIFT IN POUNDS EXAMPLE pushing or lifting it .5 36 kg 72 lbs Small Child 50 kg 110 lbs Child for throwing would 1 72 kg 158 lbs Adult female be reduced to one 2 3 100 kg 220 lbs Adult male fourth of the listed 4 144 kg 317 lbs weight. 5 200 kg 440 lbs Lion
1) Compare the weight of the object to the closest approximate weight on the Weight Modifier table. IMPORTANT: You must be able to lift the object in order to throw it (no cheating!). 2) Subtract the Throw Modifier value from your current Throw (STR+4). Add +1 if the object is aerodynamic; also add +1 if it’s balanced for throwing. Find your new Throw on the Distance Table (below) to determine how far you can throw the object. If the Throw is below .5, you can’t throw it. .5 ........................2m 11.....................240m 22...............491km 1 .........................6m 12.....................480m 23...............983km 2 .......................14m 13.....................960m 24 ...........1,957km 3 .......................24m 14..................1,920m 25 ...........3,932km 4 .......................36m 15..................3,840m 26 ...........7,862km 5 .......................50m 16.....................8km* 27 .........15,725km 6 .......................66m 17.....................17km 28 .........31,450km 7 .......................84m 18.....................31km 29 .........62,899km 8 .....................104m 19.....................61km 30 .......125,798km 9 .....................125m 20...................123km 31 .......251,597km 10 ...................150m 21...................246km 32 .......503,194km
Small Car n a campaign like Large car Champions, where Small Semi-truck Endurance (pg. 116) Light Tank Small Jet is used, the GM may Battle Tank, Whale allow characters to Large jet exert extra effort in emergencies; this Small Freighter pushing allows the Destroyer characters to increase their STR up to a maximum of Building two additional levLoaded Train els. Pushing costs 5 points of END per phase for every extra level of STR Battleship you are calling upon; Nuclear Submarine Aircraft Carrier when you run out of END, you burn STUN points instead, until you pass out. The Mount Everest GM may even allow If STR is above 34, double the previous value for each additional level greater pushes (over 2 extra STR) in extraordinary circumstances, by requiring a successful WILL + Concentration roll be made at the time.
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T A B L E
Motorcycle
M O D I F I E R
634 lbs 880 lbs 1,265 lbs 1.265 tons 2.75 tons 5.5 tons 11 tons 22 tons 44 tons 88 tons 176 tons 352 tons 704 tons 1.375 kilotons 2.75 kilotons 5.5 kilotons 11 kilotons 22 kilotons 44 kilotons 88 kilotons 176 kilotons 352 kilotons 704 kilotons 1.375 megatons 2.75 megatons 5.5 megatons 11 megatons 22 megatons 44 megatons
T H R O W
288 kg 400 kg 575 kg 1.15 tons 2.5 tons 5 tons 10 tons 20 tons 40 tons 80 tons 160 tons 320 tons 640 tons 1.25 kilotons 2.5 kilotons 5 kilotons 10 kilotons 20 kilotons 40 kilotons 80 kilotons 160 kilotons 320 kilotons 640 kilotons 1.25 megatons 2.5 megatons 5 megatons 10 megatons 20 megatons 40 megatons
WEIGHT (KG) Less than 2 kg 2kg 4kg 9kg 18kg 36 kg 72 kg 143 kg 287 kg 575 kg 1.15 tons 2.5 tons 5 tons 10 tons 20 tons 40 tons 80 tons 160 tons 320 tons 640 tons 1.25 kt 2.5 kt 5 kt 10 kt 20 kt 40 kt 80 kt 160 kt 320 kt 640 kt 1.25 mt 2.5 mt 5 mt 10 mt 20 mt 40 mt
WEIGHT (LBS) Less than 4lbs 4 lbs 9 lbs 20 lbs 40 lbs 72 lbs 158 lbs 317 lbs 634 lbs 1,265 lbs 1.265 tons 2.75 tons 5.5 tons 11 tons 22 tons 44 tons 88 tons 176 tons 352 tons 704 tons 1.375 2.75 kt 5.5 kt 11 kt 22 kt 44 kt 88 kt 176 kt 352 kt 704 kt 1.375 mt 2.75 mt 5.5 mt 11 mt 22 mt 44 mt
EXAMPLE Baseball
Small Child Adult Male, Lamp post Manhole Cover Motorcycle Small Car Large car Small Semi-truck Light Tank Small Jet Battle Tank, Whale Large jet Small Freighter Destroyer
Building Loaded Train
Battleship Nuclear Submarine Aircraft Carrier
Mount Everest
MODIFY THROW -0 -1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6 -7 -8 -9 -10 -11 -12 -13 -14 -15 -16 -17 -18 -19 -20 -21 -22 -23 -24 -25 -26 -27 -28 -29 -30 -31 -32 -33 -34 -35
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6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34
LIFTING & THROWING
*Km values rounded to nearest .5 decimal place. To get miles from km, divide by 1.5
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Pushing
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CURRENT
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MELEE & HAND TO HAND ATTACKS
MELEE & HAND-TO-HAND ATTACKS trike—this basic Attack Action includes punches and kicks, as well attacks using swords, clubs, knives and other melee weapons. In general, a strike can be defined as any attack made with a body part or that is powered by the strength of the body. The simplest Attack, it involves only four steps: FACING, RANGE, LINE OF SIGHT and MODIFIERS.
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FACING & RANGE
acing is the direction you are pointing. Since many Fuzion games are played “in head” (without maps), the standing rule is that you can clearly face anything that is positioned forward of your shoulders. When using a standard gaming hex map, characters “face” through any three adjacent sides of the hex they are standing in.
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Range: Can I Reach Out and Smack It? s a rule, Melee attacks can hit any target within 4m/yds of you; this defined as MELEE RANGE. Polearms and other long melee weapons can hit anything within 6m/yds of you; this is EXTENDED MELEE RANGE and is applicable only to these weapons.
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2 CLEAR
LINE OF SIGHT: What’s in the way?
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ine of sight deals with whether anything’s between you and your target. Line of sight can either be:
There’s nothing in the way; go ahead and swing.
OBSCURED There’s something that may block a clear view, but won’t block a swing, such as smoke, or darkness. You can't see who you’re fighting (the enemy is invisible, in darkness, in ambush or because you’re dazzled), each phase you must make a Perception Roll (GM sets the Difficulty Value) If the roll is successful, the penalty is --2 to all subsequent Attack and Defense Valuesthat phase. If the Perception roll is unsuccessful, the penalty increases to -4. BLOCKED There’s something in the way that you can’t get through. Or, if the target is only partially blocked, swing at what you can reach. Determine how much is exposed, then modify your roll . COVER MODIFIER Half Body ...............................................................-1 Head and Shoulders Only .......................................-1 Head only...............................................................-2 Behind someone else ............................................-2
MODIFIERS: What Are My Chances to Hit?
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ombat Modifiers take into account the conditions of the battle. Modifiers are always applied to Offensive Rolls. You may use some, none, or all of these rules: SITUATION MODIFIER Moving target .................................-1 per 10m/yd target moves Aimed body shot . . . . chest [-1], vitals, head [-6] , legs, hands, feet [--4] stomach [--5] arms, shoulders, thighs [--3] Blinded by light, dust...............................................................-4 Tiny Target (bullseye, 1-3”) ......................................................-3 Small Target (1 foot or smaller) ...............................................-2 Improvised weapon (rock, bottle, small girder).........................-2
A SPECIAL MODIFIER: Surprise! It’s an Ambush! n attack that surprises the target, such as an ambush or a backstab, gives the Attacker a +5 Offensive bonus for that attack (but no initiative bonus). To lay an ambush requires the following conditions: • The opponent is unaware of your location and intention to attack. He may only detect you with a successful Perception roll. • The opponent’s attention is distracted or focused on another situation, such as another attack or a difficult task.
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MAKING THE ATTACK
n combat, the Attacker combines his Skill in his chosen Weapon or Hand to Hand skill with his REF and a die roll to create an ATTACK TOTALL. He may also have to add or subtract certain modifiers from this Attack Total to determine the final outcome. Example: an attacking character with a REF Characteristic of 5 a Hand to Hand Skill of 6 and a die roll of 6 has a Attack Total of 17. A -2 mod for an aimed shot in turn brings this down to 15. The Defender combines his DEX, Athletics (or another skill like Fencing or Hand to hand if GM permits) skill and a die roll (in HERO, a flat value of 10 can be substituted for the roll) to produce a comparable DEFENSE VALUE. Example: a character with DEX of 4, an Athletics skill of +6 and a die roll of 3 has a Defense Value of 13. The two rolls are compared; if the Attack Total is equal or greater than the Defense Value, you hit!
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A Built-In Modifier: Weapon Accuracy eapon Accuracy [WA] reflects the difference in quality between weapons, and their effect on their user’s abilities; the better and easier to use the weapon, the better you use it (and the worse the weapon...). WA’s are not always used in Fuzion games, as their use varies from campaign to campaign. When they are brought into play, you will always find them listed in the description of the weapon. To use them, just apply the WA to your Attack roll as with any other Modifier.
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GENERIC MELEE WEAPONS ollowing is a list of typical weapons found in many adventuring genres. including Cost, Damage Class (how many 6 sided dice it throws for damage), Accuracy Modifier, and the Minimum Strength (see pg.150) required to use the weapon.
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ARCHAIC/FANTASY MELEE WEAPONS TYPE COST DC ACCURACY Battle Axe 5 6 -1 Hand Axe 2 2 +0 Quarterstaff 3 3 +2 Spear 4 2 +2 Polearm 5 5 +2 Mace 4 5 -1 Club 1 1 +0 Broadsword 4 4 +0 Short Sword 3 2 +1 Dagger 1 1 +0 Knife .05 1 +0 Whip 1 1 -1 Javelin 3 2 +1 Rapier 5 3 +2 Saber 5 3 +2 Katana 6 4 +2 HIGH TECH MELEE WEAPONS TYPE COST DC ACCURACY Cyber Hand Blades 6 3 +1 Energy Saber 5 4 +1 Monoblade 3 2 +1
MIN.STR NOTES 5 2h 3 1h 3 2h/Stun 2 2h 3 2h 4 1h 1 1h/Stun 5 2h 3 1h 1 1h 1 1h 1 1h 3 1h 2 1h 2 1h 2 2h MIN.STR NOTES 1 AP 2 2h 2 1H, AP
KEY: 1h = One handed 2h = Two handed AP = Armor -piercing (use half armor value) S = Stun damage only
RANGED COMBAT anged Combat occurs whenever you shoot at something. Any ranged weapon or attack can be “shot”—energy beams can be shot from a superhero’s hands, bullets can be shot from a gun, stones can be shot from a sling. In general, if it strikes the target from a distance, it’s Ranged Combat.
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LINE OF SIGHT: Is there anything in the way?
CLEAR There’s nothing in the way; go ahead and shoot. OBSCURED There’s something that may block a clear view, but won’t block an shot, such as shrubbery, smoke, or darkness. If a character can't see who they are fighting ( enemy is invisible, in darkness, behind cover, in ambush or the character is dazzled), each phase they must make a Perception Roll (Difficulty Value determined by the GM) On a successful roll, the penalty is -2 to all Attack and Defense Values that phase. This increases to -4 with an unsuccessful roll. BLOCKED There’s something in the way that you can’t shoot through. If the target’s only partially blocked; you can try to attack what you can reach. Determine how much is exposed, then reduce your Attack Total: COVER MODIFIER Half Body........................................-2 Head and Shoulders Only ...............-3 Head only .......................................-4 Behind someone else.....................-4 Target prone...................................--2 Target crouched or kneeling ............-1
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RANGE: Is it Close Enough to hit?
n Fuzion, “shooting” ranges aren’t based on how far the gun can shoot, but on how easy it is for a marksman to clearly see a target (if you can’t see it, you’re firing blind no matter how far your gun reaches).
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This means that weapon ranges tend to overlap until they reach their Extreme ranges; as reflected in the table below. The Modifiers for each range are listed in [brackets] as well: [ +0] Within4m/yds or less of the target. This is also MELEE basic Melee and Hand to Hand range. CLOSE [ -2 ] Within 10m/yds of the target. MEDIUM [ -4 ] Within 50m/yds of the target. LONG [ -6] 51m/yds up to the listed range of the weapon. EXTREME [ -6, plus -1 for every full 50m/yds past listed Range. If listed range is < 50m/yds, -4 applies to distances between Close range and listed range.] This can be “bought down” by aiming, using scopes, bracing and other things. Example: a rifle has a listed Range of 400 m/yds. If I shoot something at 600m/yds, that raises the range modifier from -6 to -10). NOTE: Mecha multiply above ranges by 10; i.e. 10m/yds=100m/yds.
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NUMBER OF SHOTS & RATES OF FIRE:
ombat Modifiers take into account the conditions of the battle. Modifiers are always applied to Attacks. You may use some, none, or all applicable modifiers to make the combat in Fuzion more exciting and realistic. SITUATION MODIFIER Moving target...........................................................-1 per 10m/yd target moves Target silhouetted ...........................................................................................+2 Vehicle mounted, no turret ...............................................................................-4 Aimed body shot ......................chest [-1], vitals, head [-6] , legs, hands, feet [--4] stomach [--5], arms, shoulders, thighs [--3] Firing shoulder arm from hip .............................................................................-2 Aiming .....................................................................+1 per phase, up to +3 max Braced............................................................................................................+2 Tiny Target (bullseye, eye, vital area).................................................................-6 Small Target (less than 1m/yd, head, limb) ......................................................-4 Large Target (trees, cars, large animals, etc.)..................................................+2 Very Large Target (trucks, planes, walls, side of barn) .....................................+4 Surprise Attack (see SURPRISE, pg 146 for details)............................................+5 Target Prone.....................................................................................................-2
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A Built-In Modifier: Weapon Accuracy eapon Accuracy [WA] reflects the difference in quality between weapons, and their effect on their user’s abilities; the better and easier to use the weapon, the better you use it (and the worse the weapon...). WA’s are not always used in Fuzion games, as their use varies from campaign to campaign. However, when they are in play, you’ll find them listed in the description of the weapon. To use them, just apply the WA to your Attack roll as with any other Modifier.
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MAKING THE ATTACK
n combat, the Attacker combines his Skill in his chosen Weapon with his REF and a die roll to create an ATTACK TOTAL. He may also have to add or subtract certain modifiers (such as range, cover, etc.) from this Attack Total to determine the final outcome. Example: an attacking character with a REF Characteristic 5 a Firearms Skill of 6 and a die roll of 6 has a Attack Total of 17. A -2 modifier for range in turn brings this down to 15. The Defender combines his DEX, Ranged Evade skill and 10 (or a die roll i h the Interlock option) to produce a comparable DEFENSE VALUE. Example: a character with DEX of 4, an Ranged Evade skill of +6 and a die roll of 3 has a Defense Value of 13. The two; Attack Total and Defense Value, are compared. If the Attack Total is equal or greater than the Defense Value, the attack succeeds. VEHICLES: When attacking a vehicle, the attacker will use his skill with the appropriate vehicle weapon or vehicle attack skill (such as Gunnery or Heavy Weapons). He attacks as usual, opposing his target’s skill in controlling the vehicle (such as Driving or Piloting). The resolution is completed the same as all other Combats. TARGETING AGAINST RANGE: Sometimes, you need to hit an apple, or a tree or something else without Skills or Characteristics. In these cases, the GM will set a Difficulty Value based on the range. MELEE (4m/yds or less).....................................................................4 CLOSE (10m/yds or less) ...................................................................8 MEDIUM (50/yds or less) .................................................................12 LONG (out to listed range of weapon) ...............................................16 EXTREME (beyond listed range) .........................16, +2 per +100m/yds
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nlike Melee weapons, most ranged attacks have a limited number of SHOTS (arrows, bullets, charges, etc.); this will usually be listed in the attack’s description. RATE OF FIRE [ROF] is how many times the attack can be “shot”in a 3 second phase. Most ranged weapons have an ROF of 1 or 2, but others may have the capacity for automatic fire and ROFs of 20 or more. Like Shots, this will also be listed in the attack description.
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MODIFIERS: What Are My Chances to Hit?
RANGED COMBAT
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ine of sight deals with whether anything’s between you and your target. Line of sight can be:
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AREA EFFECT, EXPLOSIONS & AUTOFIRE
SPECIAL ATTACKS
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AREA EFFECT ATTACKS
rea Effects are attacks (Energy Blasts, Shotguns, Flamethrowers, Stun Fields, Gas and other effects) that strike an area rather than a character. an area rather than a
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character. The area affected depends on the kind of attack made and will always be described as par t of its description or construction. Roll to hit using the Targeting Against Range table on Page 43, Sec. 5 . Obviously, it is easier to hit with an area weapon than a direct fire one.
EXPLOSIONS or these, the attacker rolls against a Difficulty Value assigned by the GM (see page 43, Sec. 5 ). Characters take the damage in the ratio of 2 less points for every m/yd they are away from the center of the attack. TYPICAL AREA EFFECTS EFFECT RADIUS Shotgun (per barrel) 1m/yd Grenade (per die of damage) 1m/yd Explosive (per die of damage) 1m/yd Flamethrower (per die of damage) 1m/yd Heavy Weapons (per Kill of damage) 4m/yds
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If the character fails the Attack Roll, the center of the attack shifts 1 m/yd for every 1 point the Attack Roll was missed by, up to a maximum of 1/2 the total range to the target. Roll 1D6 to see which direction the center of the ROLL AREA EFFECT RESULT attack scatters and consult the 1-2 landed short of target. table above. Then roll 1D6 to deter- 3-4 landed behind target. mine how many meters/yards the 5 landed to right of target. round fell in that direction. 6 landed to left of target
GENERIC RANGED WEAPONS ere are a few classic ranged weapons found in most common genres. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but can serve as a benchmark with which to establish your own guidelines. ARCHAIC RANGED WEAPONS RANGE (M/YDS) DC
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Bow 20per pt. STR, up to 140 Longbow 20per pt. STR, up to 200 Crossbow 200 HISTORIC & MODERN RANGED WEAPONS RANGE (M/YDS) Colt Revolver 50 Light Pistol (.22) 50 Medium Pistol (9mm) 50 Heavy Pistol (.357, 10mm Auto) 50 Magnum Pistol (.44) 50 Bolt Action Rifle 100 Shotgun (12-Gauge buckshot) 40 Area Effect Shotgun (10-Gauge buckshot) 40 Area Effect Magnum Hunting Rifle (.458) 700 Submachine Gun (9mm) 200 Assault Rifle (5.56mm) 300 Battle Rifle (7.62mm) 400 Machine gun (.50 cal; 12.7mm) 800 Autocannon (30mm) 400 Recoilless Rifle (60mm) 400 Light Cannon (90mm) 400 Tank Cannon (120mm) 1000 FUTURE RANGED WEAPON TYPE RANGE (M/YDS) Infantry Laser Gun (Bazooka-shaped) 400 Man-Portable Railgun 400 Energy Pistol (Blaster, Laser, etc.) 60 Energy Rifle (Blaster, Laser, etc.) 400
ROF 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 2 45 30 30 20 20 1 1 1 ROF 1 30 2 2
4 7 4 DC 4 2 3 3 5 6 5 6 10 3 6 9 10 14 15 16 17 DC 12 14 5 7
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AUTOFIRE ATTACKS
hooting a lot of something (bullets, fireballs, etc.) in one attack is called autofire. Many guns, superpowers and other ranged attacks have the possibility of using the autofire option (this is defined by the weapon or power used). In autofire, the weapon (or attack) fires as fast as it can in a 3 second turn. This is called a “rate of fire” [ROF] and is usually defined as part of the weapon or attack.
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Autofire allows for a wide variety of combat techniques: BURST: A burst is a limited autofire attack, usually 3 shots. Since the weapon isn’t bucking around as much, there is no attack penalty. Make an Attack roll; if the defender fails his roll, he takes 1D6/2 bullets. HOSING THEM DOWN: When using autofire against a single target,a normal Attack is made; for every X point(s) the attack succeeds by, one shot hits, up to the mamimum number of shots fired. X is determined by the Autofire Ratio listed below. Example: The Autofire ratio is set at 2. This means for every 2 points I hit by, 1 shot hits.. The catch? There’s a 1 point attack penalty for every 10 shots CAMPAIGN STYLE AUTOFIRE RATIO fired (your gun is EVERYDAY ...............................................................1 jumping around). COMPETENT .............................................................1 MULTIPLE TARGETS: HEROIC ..................................................................2 An autofire attack INCREDIBLE ..............................................................2 can also be directLEGENDARY..............................................................3 ed against several SUPERHEROIC...........................................................4 targets at once. The attack must be directed into an area called a fire zone, and the width (in meters) of the fire zone must be specified at the time of the attack. The total ROF of the attack is divided by the total number of m/yds in the fire zone (round down), and this becomes the total number of rounds that can possibly hit a target in that zone.The attack is made as above, with each target using itsDefense Value against the attacker’s single Attack roll. To determine how many shots hit, use the currently dialed Autofire Ratio above— for every X point(s) the attack succeeds by, one round hits the target, up to the maximum number of shots fired. Example: I fire into a 10 meter area with 30 rounds. (30 divided by 10 = 3). Sue, Bob and Harry each make a Defense against my Attack roll of 12 totalling 13, 11 and 7 respectively. Sue is missed, Bob takes 2 rounds, and Harry (although he loses by 5), only takes 3 because that’s all that’s entered his part of the fire zone.
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Archery Attacks
ows are a special category of ranged attack because they’re Strength-based ranged attacks. Bows do 1D6 of damage and have 20m/yds of range for every 1 point of STR, to a maximum STR of 7. Compound bows and longbows have a maximum STR of 10. Crossbows work like normal firearms.
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Energy Blasts, Spells & Mental Attacks
nergy Blasts are made much in the same way as other ranged attacks, taking range and skill into account with other modifiers. The range of these attacks is based on the number of Power points spent on the attack: For every point spent on the power, you’ll increase the range by 10m/yds (Example: spending 20 points gives you a 200m/yd ranged energy blast). To hit, you will use REF+Use Power Skill. In most cases, Mental attacks have no range limitations; they are simply direct line of sight—if you can see it at all, you can hit it, no matter how tiny it is. The exceptions are Mental Attacks based on CON; these operate with the same range determiners as Energy Blasts; and Mind Scans, which do not require line of sight to be effective. To hit, you will use WILL+Use Power Skill.
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SPECIAL ATTACKS PRESENCE ATTACKS
powerful personality can have a strong effect on other people by words, actions, or sometimes by their mere presence. We call this effect a Presence Attack. A Presence Attack can be many different things, depending on the intent of the attacker: Fear, awe, surprise, surrender, rage, courage, hope, commitment, or other emotions or actions. Making a Presence Attack does not require a combat Action, though sometimes performing a combat Action makes a Presence Attack more powerful (see Presence Attack Modifiers table). Usually a Presence Attack consists of a well-chosen phrase, such as “Surrender or die!” or “Champions to the rescue — follow me!” or even just “Stop!” Roll 1D6 for every 1 point of PRE; you may add or subtract dice depending on the GM’s judgement (see the Presence Attack Modifiers table for suggested modifiers). Total the dice and compare the total against each target’s Resistance value to find the effect.
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PRE Attack Total Is ≥ Target Resistance ≥ Target Resistance + 10
≥ Target Resistance + 20 ≥ Target Resistance + 30
Possible Effects of PRE Attack Target is impressed; hesitates, acts last this phase. Target is very impressed; hesitates, acts last this phase and only gets one Action , even if using the Run Action. May follow commands that the target is already inclined to do. Target is awed; may not take any Action next phase and is -5 Dexterity. May do what attacker commands. Target is cowed; may surrender, run away, or faint. Target is Dexterity 0, and will nearly always follow attacker‘s commands.
Presence Attacks depend heavily on the circumstances, so the GM should feel free to modify the number of dice in the attack. The table below has some suggested modifiers: # OF DICE -1 to -2 -1 -1 -1 to -2 -1 to -3 -1 to -2 +1 to +2 +1 +1 +1 to +3 +1 to +3 +1 to +2 +2 +4
MODIFIER Inappropriate setting In combat At a disadvantage Wrong reputation PRE Attack runs against current mood Repeated PRE Attack Right reputation Surprise Exhibiting a power or superior technology Violent action Good soliloquy Appropriate setting Targets in partial retreat Targets in full retreat
n general, mecha combat is considered Ranged Combat [pg.43] and follows similar rules.The one exception is missile combat; missiles are defined as any weapon that can follow its target independently. How good it is at this job (and thus the Difficulty Value to beat when avoiding it) is based on how smart it is; does it just sniff a heat signature or is it smart enough to outthink you? BRILLIANT 26
ny time you try to make a vehicle do something unusual, you’ll need a Maneuver roll.
This is done by combining your REF+Piloting (or appropriate Skill for controlling the mecha), and a die roll vs a roll and a difficulty based on the type of maneuver you’re making (see below), plus any appropriate modifiers for weather, driver or road conditions.
TIGHT TURN [12]
U OR REVERSE [16]
EMERGENCY STOP [12]
GENIUS 30
(Do not add a die roll or 10 to these numbers.) To avoid a missile hit, you must make a Piloting+REF+Die roll for at
MANEUVER SWERVE THRU OR U NDER [20] [10]
REGAIN CONTROL [12]
If the maneuver isn’t described above, pick the closest appropriate one to work from. If the roll is successful, you will be able to pull the maneuver off. If not, you will lose control. In a walking unit, you’ll just fall over; you must then get back up. In a ground unit, this will be a skid (miss by 4 or more and you’ll continue straight for 1D6 meters per 10mph) or spin (miss by 4 or less; treat as a skid, but roll 1D6 to determine new facing: 1=backwards. 2=forwards. 3-4=facing right. 5-6=-facing left.). In an aircraft, you will probably stall (miss by less than 4) or spin (miss by 4 or more). Both require a roll be made to regain control. It’s a Difficulty Value of 18 to Regain Control from a spin, and look out for that ground thing coming up at you …!
Dogfighting
ometimes, the best option is to outfly your opponent with a combination of skill and ability to maneuver. Start by determining the position of the HEAD ON: 1 point combatants at the start; is one closing on either way the other, or are they headed right at each other? This intercept can be determined by making a Perception roll on either side with SIDE ON: White beats Black by 2>, the high roll choosing positions, or at GM’s Defender chooses which side is attacked discretion. To find out the result of an aerial or space dogfight, each participant rolls their Piloting Skill+REF+Roll plus their vehicle’s TAILING: White beats Black by 4 or > Maneuver Value. The player with the highest roll has the Advantage position, based on how many points they won the roll by. The result is compared with the chart on the left; the player who has won can shoot or flee at his option. The key position is the Tailing one; because it adds +2 to your Attack roll that phase. To break off a dogfight requires either mutual agreement, or one player making an escape. The player with the current Advantage announces his intention to break off combat at the start of the Round, and must maintain his Advantage for as many Rounds as the GM determines at the time intention is announced.
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SMART 22
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TIED ROLL: No Aim
6 IVEHICLE/MECHA ATTACKS DUMB 18
Maneuvering
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The modifiers and the effects of Presence Attacks really depend a great deal on exactly what’s happening and what is intended. The GM should use Presence Attacks to increase the drama of a situation or make things more interesting.
MISSILE IS TARGET #
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PRESENCE & VEHICLE ATTACKS
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least 1D6/2 consecutive rounds. This can be modified by the use of countermeasures, which add +2 to your Piloting rolls. Make the rolls, you’re clear; miss, and you’re hit. In the case of clusters of missiles fired at one time, one missile roll is made once for all missiles fired, with one missile hitting the target per point by which your Defense failed. Example: 10 missiles are fired at a jet. The jet fails its roll by 7, so 7 of the 10 missiles hit.
DAMAGE [DC, HITS. SDP & KILLS]
D A M A G E o far, we’ve been concentrating on how to do things in Fuzion. Now, we’re going to tackle stuff you won’t want to do; like get hurt, knocked out, or even killed— in short, Damage.
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DAMAGE AND DAMAGE CLASSES (DCS)
amage is an abstract measure of how much something can be harmed before it is either killed, destroyed or bludgeoned into unconsciousness.
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In Fuzion, all damage is measured in six sided dice, with each “D6” representing a unit called a DAMAGE CLASS (or DC). Example: 1D6 is Damage Class 1 (or DC1). Each point of DC represents one six sided die when rolling for damage. You roll the specified number of dice, add the results together, and the total is the amount of damage done to your target: Example: I have a DC3 handgun. I roll three dice and get a 5, a 6 and a 3. I do 14 points of damage with that attack.
Determining the DC of an Attack ith the exception of bows and spears, ranged weapons always do Damage based on the DC of the weapon. However,Damage caused by any part of the body is determined by the Strength of the attacker, with fists doing one DC of Stun damage for each point of Strength the attacker has (a kick does an extra DC on top of your STR, but suffers a -1 Attack Total penalty). Example: my Strength is 5; this means I do 5 dice (DC5) with fists, 6 for a kick.
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Minimum Strength his is the minimum STR at which you can use a melee weapon with no penalty. Below this level, you take a -1 Reflex penalty for every -1 STR and a -1 die damage penalty as well Example: Aunt Meg, STR 2, tries to use a Battle Axe with a 5 STR Min. She’ll only do 2D6 Killing damage when she hits, and takes a -3 REF penalty.
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Extra Damage trength based attacks using weapons have a damage each weapon can do. This value is equal to the weapon’s listed Damage Class (DC). For every point of STR you have above the minimum STR required to wield the weapon, you will do one additional die of damage, up to twice the weapon’s listed Damage Class. Example: Bob, STR 5, wields a dagger (STR minimum of 1). Bob had 4 more STR than he needs, so he expects to gain 4 extra dice on his attack. But since the dagger’s maximum damage is only twice it’s listed DC (1x2=2), Bob only gains 1 extra DC. On the other hand, Grog the Barbarian, STR 10, wields a battle axe (STR min. 5). Grog gains 5 extra dice, and since 2x’s the Battle axe’s listed DC (6) is 12, he gets to use all of his extra dice.
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DAMAGING PEOPLE: Hits & Stun
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ut what is the damage taken from? That’s where Hits and Stun come into play.
In Fuzion, all living things have HITS; points which represent how much damage they can take. A character generally has as many Hits as his BOD characteristic x5. One point of damage from a weapon or attack will remove one Hit. Living things also have STUN points; a measure of how much damage they can take before they pass out from pain and shock. One point of damage from a body blow or stunning weapon will remove one point of Stun.
OBJECTS: Structural 3 DAMAGING Damage POINTS (SDP) “S
oft targets” like living things take damage differently than “hard targets” (structures and vehicles). So in Fuzion, inanimate structures, vehicles and other non organic objects (commonly called “hard targets”) have Structural Damage Points instead of Hits or Stun. SDP is different from Hits, but works the same way— one point of damage will remove one SDP.
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KILLS: Let's talk Big Guns. Really, Really Big Guns.
n Fuzion, really big weapons do such staggering amounts of damage that they are measured in a larger scale called Kills, to represent the kind of massive forces associated with military level hardware, very large objects or extremely powerful attacks. Conversely, very large or tough things (tanks, giant robots, aircraft carriers, etc.) are also defined as having Kills of structure or armor to represent the huge amounts of punishment they can take. Unlike DCs, Kills represent whole values rather than numbers of dice; a way of simplifying the bucketfulls that such attacks would normally require. So when attacking objects with Kills with weapons that do Kills, you will simply subtract the damage done from the Kills remaining, instead of rolling dice for damage.
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Kills vs Hits & SDP But there’s a catch to the above: really big guns are designed to hit and damage really big targets. It's nearly impossible to apply the full force of a huge attack to a small target (like a man) because the majority of the damage just doesn’t have a big enough surface area to expend itself on. Really big damage is also more likely to expend its force by hurling a small target out of the way than directly applying all of its force to the target. By contrast, it takes a lot more force to move a large object and it has a lot more surface area to absorb that force, so it stands there and takes it all. Therefore, in Fuzion, small targets (things with damages measured in Hits and SDP) are damaged differently by large scale attacks. Small Targets (a.k.a. people, cars, motorbikes, etc) do not take the full force of Kill rated attacks. Instead, they scale down the huge damages done by Kills into smaller, dice based Hits or SDP, representing the results of this effect. As a rule, the first Kill of a Kill-rated attack will always be equal to 14DC. Each additional Kill of damage adds only 1D6 to the base 14D6, because the remaining damage effects just don’t have a big enough surface to expend themselves on. TO CONVERT KILLS TO DC, ADD 13 TO THE KILLS OF THE WEAPON. The Bad News: All that force didn't just vanish, you know. It's just been converted into Knockback (pg.152). And since knockback subtracts the BODY (or Kills) of the target from the TOTAL DC done, chances are you still got blown several meters away. Ouch. Example: A tank shoots a 4-Kill shell at a man wearing 45KD armor. The attack will do 14D6 for being a Kill or more, plus another 3D6 for each additional Kill; the armored fellow winds up facing DC17. The average is 60 points of damage, which is 15 points of damage after armor. He might even survive; once he gets done flying through the air from knockback. (As a note, this convention more closely mirrors the effects of big weapons in most common roleplaying genres (science fiction, animé, superheroes, action movies), where characters are more likely to be maimed and/or hurled through the air by blast, fragmentation, or overpressure effects rather than just obliterated on the spot.)
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SUPERDAMAGE or “Then There's Those Pesky Superheroes...”
o far, so good. But what if you had small objects that could deal out superpowerful attacks? As a rule, small objects that can do Kill-scale damage (superheroes, power suits, etc.), can apply all of their damage to a very large target, simply because it's so big. So when a very powerful superhero punches a tank, all of his force ends up expended right on the tank. Therefore, whenever a small object delivers more than 13 DC in an attack on a large object, we scale its damage up to the Kill level, with the first 14DC representing one Kill, and each additional DC representing one additional Kill of damage. TO CONVERT SUPERHERO DC ATTACKS TO KILLS, SUBTRACT13 FROM THE DC OF THE WEAPON. However, when superheroes bash each other, the damage remains measured on the DC scale instead of shifting up to Kills; even if Superguy can deliver the power of a tank to his enemies, it doesn't mean they can absorb it from him any better than they could from the tank! (As a note: This scaling up isn't entirely realistic; but it does closely mirror the abilities of superheroes and other godlike beings as depicted in comics, movies and animé. It's also self limiting, because only superheroes or other non-realistic people will ever be able to do this sort of damage; in a realistic genre, they won't exist and in a superheroic genre, they're supposed to hammer tanks apart with their bare hands. If it makes you feel better, simply think of Superguys' mighty fists as paired HESH or KEAP anti-tank rounds—they're about the right size!).
Common Objects/Vehicles Kills or SDP KD KD IN KILLS — — 28 — 10 — 14 — — 1 KD KD IN KILLS 3 — 7 — 7 — 14 — 14 — 32 — — 1 14 — 7 — 14 — — 1 3 — 3 — 7 — KD IN KILLS SDP — 20-30 — 35-40 — 45-80 — 100 3 — — 40 — 1 1 — 1 — 1 — 4 — 1 — 1 — 3 — 2 — 2 —
SDP 5 30 — 30 30 SDP 5 10-15 5-10 30 50 70 — 5 5 30 — 15-20 20-30 30-50
KILLS — — 1 — — KILLS — — — — — — 1 — — — 4 — — — KILLS — — — — 2 per car — 4 3-5 24 5 8 6 25 50 100 300
DAMAGING PEOPLE
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here are two kinds of damage that you can take from an attack; STUN DAMAGE and KILLING DAMAGE.
STUN DAMAGE is damage that creates pain and shock, but not serious injury. It’s “fistfighting” damage, impacts done with the parts of the body, such as hands, feet, head (or if you have them, tails, tentacles and other blunt body parts). As a general rule, if it’s part of the body and isn’t sharp, it does Stun damage (the exception to this rule is futuristic “stun” weapons or “stunning” attacks). Stun damage is always subtracted from your character’s pool of STUN points, after being reduced by the higher of either your character’s SD or his Armor. When his STUN points are at 0, his body will react by shutting off the pain—and passing out. KILLING DAMAGE, on the other hand, is serious injury that can maim or kill. Anytime you are hit by a weapon, even if it’s just a club, you will take Killing damage. In addition, any sharpened part of the body (fangs, claws, horns, etc), can also do killing damage. Killing damage is always subtracted from your character’s pool of Hits. When this is reduced to zero, your character is dying. IMPORTANT TIP: Avoid Dying. It really puts a crimp in your roleplaying.
Collateral Damage Since killing damage also causes a fair amount of pain and shock, you’ll take 1 point of STUN for every 1 Hit you lose, until you run out of Stun points. (NOTE: you don’t get your SD!) And sometimes a Stunning blow is powerful enough that a small amount of serious damage is also done, equal to 1 point of Killing damage for every 5 STUN that penetrate.
Stun Rollover When you have lost all of your Stun points, any subsequent Stun damage you take will continue to convert into Killing damage at the 1/5th rate, reducing your remaining Hits—If you’re beaten senseless and the beating continues, you could well be beaten to death!
Stunned If you take more than 1/2 of your total Stun in one attack, you are Stunned. A Stunned character cannot act in the next phase and is -5 to all Primary Characteristics. He can’t move, and he may take no other actions. He will remain stunned for 1 phase, becoming “unstunned” next phase.
Knocked Out Your character is knocked out whenever your Stun IS reduced to 0 or below: you are automatically unconscious. You are effectively knocked out, but will regain consciousness once you have recovered enough Stun to put you back over 0 again (see side table for how long this takes).
STUN LEVEL
RECOVER STUN
0 TO -10..................EVERY PHASE -11 TO -20..............EVERY ROUND -21 TO -30 .............EVERY MINUTE >30...........................UP TO GM .............................(A LONG TIME)
Impairing Wounds Whenever your HITS have been reduced enough, you will become impaired. At half of your total Hits, all of your Primary Characteristics will be reduced by 2; at 1/4 of total, they will be reduced by 4 points: a Characteristic cannot, however, be reduced to less than 1.
DEAD. MORT. FINITO. hen you reach 0 Hits, you are dying. You will be able to keep moving if you’ve still got Stun left, but you’ll be at -6 (GM’s Option) to all Primary Characteristics. You will also lose 1 additional Hit (in shock and blood loss) per round (4 Phases)—when you lose up to 2x your BODY Characteristic, you are dead.
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THE GREAT OUTDOORS Brush (per m/yd) Rocks (per m/yd) Large Tree, Telephone Pole Lamp Post Manhole Cover STRUCTURES Glass (per m/yd) Wooden wall/Fence (per m/yd) Sheetrock Wall (per m/yd) Brick Wall (per m/yd) Concrete Wall (per m/yd) Metal Wall (per m/yd) Armored Wall (per m/yd) Metal Lock Wood Door Metal Door Vault Door Furniture Control Consoles (per m/yd) Machinery (per m/yd) VEHICLES KD Motorbike 7 Jeep/Small Car 7 Medium Car 10 Truck 10 Train — Small Helicopter 7 Private jet — Small fighter jet — C-25 cargo jet — Combat APC — MBT Tank — Mini-sub — Destroyer — Cruiser — Submarine — Aircraft Carrier —
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DAMAGE [SUPERDAMAGE, RESULTS]
D A M A G E
DAMAGE [HIT LOCATIONS, KNOCKBACK]
DAMAGE
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APPLYING DAMAGE TO OBJECTS
ou can’t stun an inanimate object. Therefore, objects will always take both Stunning and Killing damage the same way, subtracting it from their SDP.
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HIT LOCATIONS
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here you hit can often be just as important as whether you hit. While Fuzion usually uses a single pool
of points to determine how much damage or stun your character can absorb, individualized hit locations do play a part in determining the severity of that damage (getting hit in the head, for example, is far more lethal than being hit in the arm). Hit locations also help determine if armor is being worn over a particular area or not; useful if you neglected to wear your power armor’s helmet this morning! They are also used to determine the Hit Modifiers for attacking a specific area (or you can choose a location by using the Modifiers on the right). WARNING: THIS RULE MAKES DYING A LOT EASIER! When using the HIT LOCATION CHARTS below, roll three six sided dice and modify damage as appropriate. Note that damage is multiplied AFTER penetrating armor: ROLL3D6 LOCATION HIT EFFECT (AFTER ARMOR) HIT MODIFIERS 3-5 6 7-8 9 10-11 12 13 14 15-16 17-18
head hands/forepaws* arms/forelimb* shoulders* chest stomach vitals thighs* legs/hindlimb* feet/hindpaws*
double damage 1/2 damage 1/2 damage 1x damage 1x damage 1.5 x damage 1.5x damage 1x damage 1/2 damage 1/2 damage
-6 -4 -3 -3 -1 -5 --6 -3 -4 -4
* if it isn’t obvious, roll 1die: even=right, odd=left
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KNOCKBACK
uch mighty blows are delivered in some types of combat (especially between superheroes, giant robots and kung-fu action heroes), that the combatants are often knocked all over the battlefield. This phenomenon is known as KNOCKBACK (in its realistic form, it becomes KNOCKDOWN). To determine the amount of knockback taken, subtract the BODY characteristic (or KILLS) of the targeted character from the total DC (or KILLS) of the attack plus 1D6. For every DC remaining, the character is knocked back one knockback “unit.” The unit of measurement is determined by the style of campaign, then applied by CAMPAIGN STYLE KNOCKBACK UNIT IN M/YDS moving the EVERYDAY [REALISTIC] JUST KNOCKED DOWN character COMPETENT [ELITE, SEMI-REALISTIC.] 1/2 that far HEROIC [TV ACTION SHOW] 1 straight INCREDIBLE [OLYMPICS, ACTION MOVIE] 2 b a c k LEGENDARY [BLOCKBUSTER ACTION MOVIE] 3 from the SUPERHEROIC [COMIC BOOKS, MYTHS] 4 impact. In the event that some-thing’s in the way, move on to Collisions (pg. 50) and see how badly you were hurt. NOTE: If using Kills vs Body, convert Kills to DC at a ratio of 1Kill=14DC, plus 1 for each additional Kill; if it’s DC vs Kills, there is no effect until you reach 14 DC, then add 1 Kill for each additional DC.
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Critical Effects 5 A
vehicle need not be totally destroyed to make it nonfunctional. (You don’t have to actually destroy an entire battleship to stop it. You only have to put a big enough hole in the bottom) One way to do this is to use the critical effects rule on the Vehicle Hit Location Tables below. Boldfaced listings signify critical hit locations; the value in parenthesis (X%) is the percentage of overall SDP that must be destroyed to incapacitate the vehicle:
Example: Engine (10%)
VEHICLE HIT LOCATIONS
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ehicles are especially vulnerable to being hit in critical places. The following table lists most of the locations to be hit on typical vehicles (Animorphics and Humanoids have their own Hit Location table). To use this table, roll dice based on orientation to the target: •Attack from side: Roll 3D6 •Attack from Front: Roll 2D6+1 •Attack From Rear: Roll 2D6+6
VEHICLE HIT TABLE ROLL GROUND VEHICLE 3-6 Front Wheels (5%) 7 Controls (5%) 8 Engine (10%) 9Body 10 Body 11 Fuel 12 Weapon 13 Crew** 14 Cargo 15-18 Rear Wheels (5%)
In general: • Destroying controls, engines, rudders, props or jets will automatically render a vehicle immobile or uncontrollable. • Destroying up to a 20% of the hull of an aircraft or water vehicle will cause it to either sink of break up. Example: The Quadracer Z is a superpowered speedboat with 80SDP. Its engine is worth 10% of the total (8SDP), and its hull is worth of 20% (16SDP). A 8SDP hit on on the engine will render the Quadracer immobile; 20 or more points of damage will sink it.
HUMANOID/ANIMORPHIC MECHA HIT TABLE [ROLL 3D6] AIRCRAFT Flaps (5%) Controls (5%) Engine (10%) Fuselage (20%) Cargo Fuel Weapon Crew** Propeller (5%) Rudder/verniers (5%)
BOAT EFFECT (AFTER ARMOR) HIT MOD Bow 1x damage -6 Controls (5%) 1x damage -4 Engine (10%) 2x damage -3 Hull (20%) 1x damage -3 Cargo 1/2damage -1 Fuel 2 x damage † -5 Weapon 1/2 damage --6 Crew** Damage to pilot only -3 Rudder (5%) 1x damage X Prop/jets (5%) 1/2 damage -4
* if it isn’t obvious, roll 1die: even=right, odd=left If location not there, rollagain. † if Fuel is flammable, this is 3x damage * *if shot penetrates armor
3D6 3-5 6 7-8 9 10-11 12 13 14 15-16 17-18
LOCATION HIT head hands/forepaws* arms/forelimb* Torso Torso Weapon Powerplant Pilot** legs/hindlimb* feet/hindpaws*
EFFECT (AFTER ARMOR) double damage 1/2 damage 1/2 damage 1x damage 1x damage 1/2 damage 2x damage Damage to pilot only 1/2 damage 1/2 damage
HIT MODIFIERS -6 -4 -3 -3 -1 -5 --6 -3 -4 -4
* if it isn’t obvious, roll 1die: even=right, odd=left. If location not there, rollagain. *if shot penetrates armor
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DEFENSE & ARMOR
o how do you avoid getting knocked out or killed? The first way is to just stay out of the way; use your Skills and Characteristics to ward off the attack [pg. 37]. But if that doesn’t work, you’ve still got another option: a DEFENSE.
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A Defense is anything that gets between you and the Damage first; clothing, armor plates, scales; even energy fields that deflect or absorb damage. All defenses have a value which is subtracted on a point for point basis from damage before it is taken from your Hits or Stun; ARMOR is the best line of defense, you use that whenever possible. While most Armor provides Physical Defense, other types can protect against energy attacks (EKD) or even Mental attacks! Armor reduces damage just like any other defense, and will stop both Stun and Killing damage. Your natural physical toughness (the STUN DEFENSE on your character sheet) is your next defense, but will only stop Stunning Damage. You’ll use this as a last resort, and mostly in fistfights and other non-lethal engagements. Example: My CON is 5, giving me a SD of 10. If 15 points of Stun hit me, only 5 (15-10) would get through. IMPORTANT • If stopping Stun damage, always take the higher of either the armor’s PD or the character’s SD. • If stopping Killing damage, use only the highest Armor PD.
ARMOR & SPECIAL MECHA RULES
A R M O R
SPECIAL ARMOR RULES FOR MECHA he weaponry and armor used by mecha are subject to a few special cases. Take note that ALL of these special cases are OPTIONAL.
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Special Case 1: Staged Penetration
GENERIC ARMOR LIST ollowing are typical Armors found in many genres. The table not only lists the Armor’s Physical Defense (PD), but also its defense against Energy Attacks [EKD], just in case. Armors with √ are at 1/2 against bladed weapons.
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EV 0 0 0 0 -1 -1 -2 -2 -2
DESCRIPTION Thief Gear Animal Hides, scales Barbarian Armor Tough Animal Hides Bardic Chain Dragon Scales Samurai armor
MODERN ARMORS TYPE Light Kevlar Skin Weave Kevlar Medium Kevlar Flack Metalgear™ Plate
PD/COST EKD 6 1 12 1 14 2 16 5 18 5 25 10
EV 0 0 0 -1 -1 -2
DESCRIPTION Armored Clothing Subdermal body armor Lt. Armorjackets Med. A.Jacket W/inserts, cable weave Plastic/Kevlar plate
FUTURISTIC ARMORS TYPE Space Suit Industrial Space Suit Military Space Suit Body Armor Personal Force Screen Advanced Force Screen
PD/COST EKD 5 5 8 5 10 10 18 25 10 25 14 30
EV -1 -1 0 -1 0 0
DESCRIPTION Light skinsuit Hvy. metallized fabric Metal fabric w/Plates “Stormtrooper” plate Against Stun damage Against all damage
Typical Knight
The Encumberance Value (EV) is subtracted from your character’s REF, DEX, and MOVE as long as he or she is wearing the armor.
• Armor rated in Kills loses 1 Kill when it’s penetrated. • Armor with fractional Kills loses 0.1 Kills when it’s penetrated.
Special Case 2: Chinks in the Armor lmost every kind of mecha has a weak spot somewhere, and in combat, it’s possible for you to hit that weak spot. When making an attack, if you beat your Difficulty Value by more than 10, your attack ignores the PD of the mecha’s armor. In the case of autofire attacks, only those hits which beat the Difficulty Value by 10 or more will ignore armor.
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Special Case 3: Powered Armor Damage owered Armor (i.e., armor worn by a character which has SDP as well as PD) has a very spread-out structure which is tightly integrated with its pilot. Therefore, any damage which gets through Powered Armor’s PD is divided by two; one half affects the Powered Armor’s SDP, the other half is applied to the wearer’s Hits. All Powered Armors use this rule.
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Special Case 4: Structural Integrity Whenever a hit penetrates mecha armor, roll 1D10: If the result is greater than the number of fractional kills remaining, the mecha (or the location taking the hit) is destroyed! For example: 1.1K get through to a K mecha; with 0.5K remaining, on a roll of 6+ on 1D6 it’s scrapped.
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FANTASY, ARCHAIC & NATURAL ARMORS TYPE PD/COST EKD Heavy Cloth, Soft Leather, Fur 2 1 Heavy Leather, Padded Cloth 4 2 Boiled Leather, Curi-bolli 6 3 Heavy Animal Hide 6 3 Brigantine, Ring Mail 8 4 Scale Mail, Bezainted 9 4 Chain Mail, Laminated 10 5 Plate & Chain, Plate Mail 11 5 Field Plate 12 6
n combat, attacks on mecha will always be subtracted from armor, then from the mecha’s SDP. However, even the heaviest armored machines will become vulnerable after a long fight. To represent this, Kill-rated (i.e., mecha) armor uses the idea of Staged Penetration. Each time any area of Armor is penetrated by an attack of one Kill or greater, that area loses armor protection.
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THE ENVIRONMENT & RECOVERY
THE ENVIRONMENT & RECOVERY THE ENVIRONMENT uns and swords aren’t the only thing that can hurt you. The world is full of potential dangers; falls, illness, drowning, even being hit by lightning. All of this falls under the heading of the Environment:
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Cumulative Environmental Effects: Shock, Poison/Drugs, Burns, Disease & Asphyxiation.
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ELECTRICITY AND FIRE are always ranked by intensity of the effect (GM’s decision), with damage occurring each phase you are exposed to the source. INTENSE DC5-10 Wall socket Gasoline Fire
DEADLY DC11-20 Lightning Bolt Thermite
Like electricity, Poison & Drugs are ranked by the power of the drug or poison. Damage effects occur each minute, not phase, while Illness takes place over days, weeks or even months (Ref’s choice). TYPE DC POISON DRUG ILLNESS
MILD
STRONG
DC1-4 Belladonna Alcohol Measles
DC5-10 Arsenic Sodium Pentathol Pneumonia
GETTING BETTER: Recovering from Stun, Wounds & Death
ssuming you aren’t reduced to vapor in an unfortunate accident, the next step is to get better. That’s where RECOVERY comes into play.
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Stun
ach of these are effects of the environment that harm you through accumulation; shock and poison by continual damage to your body or will, asphixation through accumulated lack of air.
TYPE MILD DC DC1-4 ELECTRICITY Battery Wood Fire FIRE
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RECOVERY FROM STUN DAMAGE: Your Recovery Characteristic determines how fast your character recovers Stun points He will get back this many Stun points each phase he rests. WAKING UP: Once you’re knocked STUN LEVEL RECOVER STUN out, you may stay that way for only a 0 TO -10 EVERY PHASE few moments or for a long time. You -11 TO -20 EVERY ROUND EVERY MINUTE will regain your REC in stun points -21 TO -30 UP TO GM based on how far below zero you are: >30 (A LONG TIME) A simpler option is to make a CON+Concentration roll equal to the number of Stun you’ve taken beyond your total: if successful, you will wake up with one Stun.
Wounds (Lost Hits) RECOVERY FROM KILLING DAMAGE: Your Recovery Characteristic also determines how fast you regain Hits. For every 24 hours you spend resting and with medical care, you will recover as many Hits as your REC score. Example: I take 30 hits. My Recovery is 10. I will be back to my full hit level in 3 days.
POWERFUL DC11-20 Stonefish Venom LSD Plague
Optional Rule: Realistic Recovery rates: A DRUG OR POISON need not be fatal; sleep or “truth drugs” also work by accumulation; “damage” is subtracted from different point pools depending on the type of effect. Example: Morgan EFFECT TAKEN FROM administers a strong dose of Mind Sleep drugs................STUN Control Serum (DC5) to Jake, hoping to Poisons ......................HITS find out the Cyber Cabals’ secrets. Each Mind drugs .......RESISTANCE turn, the drug does 5 to 30 points to Jake’s Resistance. At 0, he gives in. ASPHYXIATION: This does 3DC per Phase, taken from your Hits. Sitting quietly, you can hold your breath up to 1 phase for every 2 points of Endurance (a tough character could hold his breath for about two and a half minutes.). If activity, such as swimming or running is required, this rises to 4 pts.
Falling & Collisions.
FALLING: Using the table at right, compare the closest approximate weight of the object to the closest distance fallen (shaded top portion of the table). The result is how many DC are taken (1K=14DC, plus 1DC per additional KILL added). Note that at terminal velocity, you will have no increase in speed or damage. COLLISIONS: Compare the weight of the object to its closest approximate speed. The result is the DC . RAMMING: If head on, add the speeds of both objects together and compare the weights of each to that speed; the result is the damage done to the opposing object. If a side ram or swipe, treat as a collision (above). If rear ended, subtract the speed of the object in front from the speed of the trailing object, then treat as a head on ram.
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DISTANCE (METERS OR YDS) 0-10
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hese are all types of damage that come from hitting something at high speed.
W E I G H T
2
<50 LBS 50 LBS 100 LBS 200 LBS 400 LBS 800 LBS 1600 LBS 1 TON 2 TONS 4 TONS 6 TONS 8 TONS 10 TONS 20 TONS 40 TONS 80 TONS 100 TONS +100 TONS
1 2 4 6 8 10 12 1K 2K 3K 4K 5K 6K 7K 8K 9K 10K 11K
11-30 2 4 6 8 10 12 1K 2K 3K 4K 5K 6K 7K 8K 9K 10K 11K 12K
Though this isn’t as much fun, realistically it should take much longer to heal back from serious injury. In this case, a realistic rate would be to recover your Recovery rate in Hits every week that you are laid up; the above example would take three weeks of medical care.
Death aving a dying character is still possible. Another character, making a successful Physician or first aid skill roll can stabilize you at any point beyond 0. The Difficulty for this task is 2x the number of Hits beyond 0. Example: Lazarus, is now at -7 Hits. To save him, Fox must make a Medical skill roll against a Difficulty of 14 (2 x 7).
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31-60 4 6 8 10 12 1K 2K 3K 4K 5K 6K 7K 8K 9K 10K 11K 12K 13K
61-100 6 8 10 12 1K 2K 3K 4K 5K 6K 7K 8K 9K 10K 11K 12K 13K 14K
101-150 TERMINAL VELOC. 8 10 10 12 12 1K 1K 2K 2K 3K 3K 4K 4K 5K 5K 6K 6K 7K 7K 8K 8K 9K 9K 10K 10K 11K 11K 12K 12K 13K 13K 14K 14K 15K 15K 16K
NOTE: 1K=14DC. Each additional Kill adds 1 DC.
12 1K 2K 3K 4K 5K 6K 7K 8K 9K 10K 11K 12K 13K 14K 15K 16K 17K
1K 2K 3K 4K 5K 6K 7K 8K 9K 10K 11K 12K 13K 14K 15K 16K 17K 18K
2K 3K 4K 5K 6K 7K 8K 9K 10K 11K 12K 13K 14K 15K 16K 17K 18K 19K
3K 4K 5K 6K 7K 8K 9K 10K 11K 12K 13K 14K 15K 16K 17K 18K 19K 20K
4K 5K 6K 7K 8K 9K 10K 11K 12K 13K 14K 15K 16K 17K 18K 19K 20K 21K
