Sie sind auf Seite 1von 215

Table of Contents

Contact Kore
Game Mechanics - Basic Rules, Character Creation Combat, Progress & Interaction 4 34

World Introduction
A Tale of Contact - Part One Dies Irae - Welcome to the Future Planet Terror - A Chronology of Events 2047 A.D. - Relevant Organizations 61 68 70 75

Playing Contact
We are Omega - Portrait of an Organization You are Omega - Player Characters in Contact Equipment Lists
Weapons Ammunition Clothing & Armor Biomods Other Gear Equipment Tech Levels Base Facilities The Bleeding Edge Finances Spoils of War The The The The The The Boy Genius Minister of Death Work of Art Cockroach Heavy Experiment

79 82
89 112 120 124 129

89

Extended Campaign Rules

138 140 149 155 156 162 164 166 168 170 172

137

Sample Characters

161

In-Depth Knowledge
Alien Database
The The The The The The The Grey Shapeless Hungry Cunning Abominable Remaining Rational 175 178 182 186 190 199 204

174

Psi Powers Paleoastronautic Theories Alien & Creature Templates

205 208 209

Contact Kore
2008 Robert Hamberger
Version 1.1, as of 6/26/2009

Welcome to Contact Kore, Contact Code: Omegas proprietary pen & paper role-playing and game mechanics rule set. This document is intended to be read by both players and game masters. It is currently free of game universe-sensitive content. Most other authors would like to explain themselves now, detailing the basic idea of pen & paper role playing games. Well, I for my part, however, strongly assume that most gamers who chose to pick up this one are fairly familiar with the basic definitions and principles of pen & paper role playing. Contact Kore and its main setting, Contact - Kode: Omega are not intended for the commercial gaming market, yet. Homebrew RPG systems like Contact Kore are usually not ideal entry material for absolute beginners, and even if this one isnt so mind-bogglingly complicated, if I may say so myself (who has spend years and years conceiving and then again months and months writing it), it still lacks the childs play-tutorial-approach of modern commercial products. Nevertheless, I suppose that both players and game masters who plan investing some time and energy into such a new and fairly unknown system, already came to enjoy many other (commercial) games and gathered enough experience with them, therefore well knowing and understanding the fundamentals of PnP gaming. So, there will be no long speeches. You still want to know what Contact Kore is? Right on and straight to the point: Essentially a detailed, semi-realistic, practical, versatile and easy-to-pick-up rule set mainly intended for hard sci-fi settings like Code: Omega. It uses 2D10, a versatile percentile die, to determine the outcome of all probability tests. Although it covers all aspects of PnP gaming like combat, NPC and world interaction, character creation as well as development, the rule set itself is pretty much naked. There is no content

regarding the game universe of Code Omega in it. It was kept this way on purpose, as Contact Kore may serve as a fundamental structure for game universes to come. Creating worlds becomes so much easier when there is a functional system to build upon. That is why the games setting, Code: Omega, was written after Contact Kore was finished.
The following semi-closed release contains an explanation of the basic game mechanics, an introduction to the player characters numeric anatomy and available Skills, Traits and other properties. Further reading introduces players and game masters to the fast paced, flexible, turn-based combat system, equipment stats and character evolvement rules. The last chapter explains the means of character interaction with NPCs and a fictional RPG world.

Have fun!

Fundamental Game Mechanics


Dice

Contact Kore uses the 2D10 percentile die for all probability tests. This means any player making a success test for a given task at any given time, rolls two distinguishable ten-sided dice, one representing the first digit and the other the second digit of the result, which is treated as a percentile number. A result of 0 and 0 equals the value of 100%, while zero - one is the smallest result available, equaling 1. Dice handling works best if every player and the game master have their own set of dice kept close by. And by all means, if it is possible, avoid single, round Zocchihedron-type dice like the plague! Uneven spacing between numbers on their surface induces a probability-bias for mid-range results, while extremely high and low results are rarer than with a true random number generator as the classic D100, consisting of 2 even-faced 10 sided dice.

Simplified Arithmetic

As a general rule that applies to almost all other rules in Contact Kore, ALL fractions are rounded down the moment they appear. Contact Kore virtually doesnt know fractions. This is especially helpful when dealing with dividing modifiers to the PP. Very few exceptions to this rule are made, and are explicitly noted then.

Percentile Probability

All tests made when playing by the rules of Contact Kore have a so-called Percentile Probability for success (abbreviated PP, no pun intended!). A high PP means that the task in question is easy, while a low PP represents a harder task, as the desired result on the players 2D10 die is a value equal or below the PP. The PP of any given test cannot exceed 95%, since a result of 96% or more ALWAYS equals Critical Failure (see below). PPs of 0% exist and are used to represent tasks where success is simply not possible under the present circumstances (See modifiers, below). On the other hand, truly foolproof tasks exist as well, and do not require any test. They always succeed, as opposed to tasks that CAN fail, even with a PP of 95%.

Critical Success

Normally, rolling a number equal or below the PP means that the test is successful. If the rolled result is 5% or less, the success becomes critical. Critical Successes usually harbor one or more beneficial effects for the acting character, depending on the particular test. Also, there are certain factors which may increase the probability of critical success. The chance for critical success cannot be decreased below 5%, but it can be negated in special cases, where the PP itself is 5% or less. In that particular case, a test result of equal or less than the PP becomes a regular success, not a critical success. This rule is used to reflect that a character succeeding in a task with such a low PP (which means it is insanely difficult), barely makes it.

Critical Failure

Test results over 96% are not only automatically treated as failure, but may also be dangerous to the subject and/or nearby characters. The unwelcome effects of the so-called Critical Failure are usually determined with special result tables, which require an additional D100 roll. Certain character properties, situations or equipment may increase the probability range

of critical failure, while it can never be reduced below 5% (meaning a result of 96%-100% on a dice roll is always a critical failure). Even tasks with a PP of 95% can fail critically, meaning that they ALWAYS fail critically in case of a result of 96% or higher. Speak of Murphys Law, I am listening.

Percentile Probability Calculation

The most common and frequently taken success test in Contact Kore is the Skill Test. Its PP is determined by adding situational modifiers (if given, modifier unit is %, can be a positive or negative percentile number) to the skill level. Skill levels are calculated by a specific formula that incorporates Attributes and a given base value, and can be increased at character creation or by training during the course of the game itself. The other, rather frequent type of test is the Direct Attribute Test. It works pretty similar to the Skill test, but is used in situations where no skill can be applied. Its PP is calculated by the simple formula of (Attribute) X 10%. The same rules for situational modifiers (see below) and critical outcomes (see above) apply here as well.

Certain circumstances may change the probability of success for any given task. Modifiers may be facilitating or impeding for a task, the facilitating modifiers being of a positive numeric value, the impeding ones of negative numeric value. Facilitating modifiers therefore increase the PP, while impeding modifiers decrease it. In order to differentiate between standard PP and modified PP, the probability of success for a task after applying modifiers is abbreviated MPP (modified percentile probability). Sometimes, the PP of a test is multiplied or divided by special modifiers as described in specific rules. Note that in Contact Kore, all fractions are immediately rounded down. Since mathematical operations in Contact Kore are fairly basic, usually no electronic calculator is needed.

Situational Modifiers to the PP

When characters get down to business with fists, blades and guns, the game master might want to keep track of a certain order in which things happen. Contact Kores turn-based combat system utilizes Action Points to quantify the amount of time and effort an action takes, and puts the turns of characters in a variable order, which dynamically changes with the choices they make during their action phase. Each character participating in combat sports his personal Sequential Score (SS), which is calculated mainly from certain Attributes. Characters with high Sequential Scores act earlier in the Combat Sequence, as they usually have better reflexes and agility. All actions use up Action Points, which are directly subtracted from the characters Sequential Score, eventually placing him/her in a lower position in the natural order of things, allowing the next character to act. This goes on as long as necessary, normally until the combat situation is resolved or everyone has used up his whole Sequential Score, in case of which a new Combat Sequence is set up. Turn-based combat will be explained in detail later on, in the Combat chapter.

Turn-based combat

Character Anatomy in Numbers As all sophisticated RPG-players know, there is so much more to a hero than his mere numbers. It is the background story and his personality that really makes him a character, as opposed to just another record sheet filled with standardized data. In order for a character to work within a given game system, he still needs his stats, however. And thats exactly what we will discuss in this (and the next) chapter - the character stats in Contact Kore. Attributes

There are 10 Attributes for human or humanoid characters in Contact Kore that serve as their abstract stat armature - their basic ability skeleton, so to speak. Most other values on the character record sheet are calculated and derived from these 10 Attributes. The Attributes themselves are pretty much solid numbers that rarely change during the course of the game. Improving Attributes is substantially more difficult then training in Skills, and changing one single Attribute affects almost all other stats on the character record sheet. Attributes are divided into 3 main categories:
1. Body Attributes - Strength - Endurance - Mass 2. Motor Attributes - Reflexes - Agility - Dexterity (St) (En) (Ms) (Re) (Ag) (Dx)

3. Cognitive Attributes - Intelligence (In) - Charisma (Ch) - Perception (Pe) - Determination (De)

Natural human Attributes, non-modified by technology, mutation, special traits, accident or illness, may have values between 1 and 10. If any Attribute falls to 0, there is something terribly wrong with the character in question. No starting character should have any Attribute values below 1, as such a person becomes almost impossible to role-play (and is actually dead or dying in most cases). Attributes can, however, be reduced to 0 during the course of the game, which may be more or less catastrophic for the character in question. The following section discusses each of the 10 basic Attributes in detail. All references to Attribute limitations are made with completely unmodified attributes in mind. More about Attribute modification follows later on. Strength - Measures the raw mechanical power of a characters muscles as well as the ability to harness it. Strength plays an important part in hand-to-hand combat as well as for handling heavy equipment and weapons. Direct attribute tests with Strength are used to perform tasks that require brute force, like smashing a door in or lifting a great deal of weight. Strength also determines the weight of equipment a character may carry without being impeded by it. Strong Characters are usually large individuals, as Strength is linked to Mass. Mass cannot be 4 points lower than Strength, and vice versa. Very low Strength may stem from a hereditary disease like muscular dystrophy or paralysis (which would also affect most other physical attributes, both body and motor), while a Strength level of 0 means the character is unable to move any muscles at all, usually resulting in respiratory arrest and death unless immediately hooked up to modern life support.

Endurance - A characters stamina. It quantifies the bodys resilience to fatigue from physical action. Good Endurance levels are important for most physically active characters, regardless of their size and strength. Endurance determines Vitality Points (VPs) and Exhaustion Tolerance (ET). There is no direct linkage between Endurance and other Attributes, so there are no relative limits when choosing its level. A very low Endurance level in a character may be the result of disease or total lack of exercise, while an especially high level equals excellent cardiovascular fitness. High Endurance characters have a tendency to live longer and die harder, while a character whos Endurance has been reduced to 0 is in a declining state of coma and will probably die soon. Mass - Mass as an attribute describes exactly what it says: A characters size and weight, and indirectly his ability to soak physical damage. Mass plays a major part when determining Vitality Points (VPs) and Pain Tolerance (PT). Due to the limitations of human and humanoid physiology, Mass is directly linked to Strength and cannot differ more than 4 points from that attribute. An extremely low Mass Attribute means severe anorexia or simply tiny body size (as with children and midgets) while high and very high values are usually found with large males and obese people. Characters with a Mass Attribute of 0 simply dont have the substance to sustain their most basic organic functions, and wither away quickly. Reflexes - The nervous systems ability to react with quickness and precision. Some may consider this attribute even more important than Strength when it comes to combat situations. Reflexes greatly influence the Sequential Score and therefore the characters initiative in combat. All melee skills also profit greatly from good reflexes. Characters with an extremely high Attribute level in reflexes are lightning-quick and rarely surprised, while characters with a Reflexes stat of 0 simply have no reflexes, meaning they cant walk, swallow or even breathe, making them pretty much dead on the spot without immediate artificial life support in a hospital. All Motor Attributes strongly depend on each other, as they are all linked to the development and training of a characters nervous system. To reflect this, no Motor Attribute (Reflexes, Agility and Dexterity) can have a value more than 5 points below the highest value in the group. Agility - A combination of control, muscular contraction speed and joint flexibility, Agility is probably the most complex - and also essential - physical Attribute in the lot, as it has a great deal of impact on almost all physical skills. It also has its fair share of influence on the Sequential Score. In humans and humanlike creatures, too much bulk and a heavy skeletal structure tends to lower Agility, as joints become less mobile, with both gravity and inertia doing their parts. For every 2 points of basic Strength (unmodified by traits or Biomods) that exceeds the value of 6, the natural base maximum of Agility is lowered by 1 point. Likewise, for every single point of basic Mass (also unmodified) above 6, the natural base Agility maximum is lowered by 1 point. Modifications from Mass and Strength to the Agility maximum are cumulative. In practice, this would mean that an enormous, hulking character with both unmodified Strength and Mass levels equal 10, cannot have an unmodified Agility Attribute higher than 4. Low Agility levels mean that a character is constantly tripping over his own feet, unable even to scratch his own back, while extra high levels of this attribute belong to characters graceful and nimble as Olympic gymnasts. Characters with an Agility Attribute of 0 are not dead (yet), but they are completely unable to move their bodies, which pretty much makes them thinking, living vegetables. Dexterity - In essence, this Attribute refers to manual dexterity only, defining all fine motor skills and tactile sensitivity to the hands of a character. Dexterity is THE most important Attribute for any character that uses technical, medical or artistic Skills. On the other hand, it is of next to no importance in combat. Characters with a Dexterity level of 0 are basically useless with their hands, and therefore also totally useless in combat, heck; they may even have no hands at all, let alone other means to manipulate the world around them. They are not strictly unplayable, but a game master should 7 prohibit them anyway at character creation, in order to prevent later embarrassments.

Intelligence - General education, wits, life experience and, above all, the pure and raw processing power of the higher brain. High Intelligence allows characters to easily comprehend complicated matters, it allows them to have better ideas, to recall the past in a more precise fashion, quickly acquire new knowledge and much, much more. One could say that Intelligence is important for any kind of character, especially when it comes to Skill training. On the other hand, no one needs to be smart to swing a club or fire an assault rifle, literally. In most cases, stupid people show the same (or even better) proficiency in combat as smart ones, as long as combat takes place as a full frontal confrontation without elaborate tactics involved. War on earth WAS invented by stupid, stick-flinging apes, after all. Intelligence should be tested often (by direct attribute tests) if a characters Attribute is low, especially if the characters player has lots of useful ideas during the game. A failure in that test makes such a smart idea impossible to conceive for the character, so he simply cannot have it. Tough luck for that smart player, hed better create an intelligent character next time. Low Intelligence characters also have the great drawback of learning slowly, making character progress very hard. Characters with Intelligence Attributes of 0 are explicitly brain-dead, and therefore absolutely not playable. Charisma - This is a hard one. Charisma isnt easy to define, as opinions about what makes up a persons spiritual (and to a lesser extent: physical) attractiveness tend to differ. Charisma is a blend of pleasant or imposing looks and the right voice, the right choice of words and the innate ability to get others to like, love, respect or even fear you. Communication isnt the only occasion where Charisma comes into play, however. A fearsome warrior is fearsome only as long as he is charismatic enough to scare the living crap out of his enemies, while strong, authoritarian personalities dont even need to talk much in order to achieve their goals. Good-looking women who are aware of their appeal may use Charisma as their main weapon to prevail in a world dominated by men. In any case, Charisma is the most important attribute for diplomatic and manipulative characters who like to solve problems the smooth way. As an Attribute, it has great influence on all social Skills and is frequently used in direct Attribute tests to determine the outcome of critical conversations and other social interactions. Characters with low Charisma attributes are either wimpy little fellas with a lack of self-confidence, total egoist blockheads without consideration for anyone, rude and uncouth by nature, or simply unable to express emotions (if they have any, that is). Zero-Charisma characters are virtually unplayable, as they do not interact with anyone, at all (Like in the most severe forms of autism). Perception - The ability to see, hear, smell, taste and feel, quantified with a single stat. Perception plays an important part for the Sequential Score, as well as ranged combat Skills along with vehicle control Skills and some technical Skills. Characters with a very low Perception Attribute are neither blind nor deaf, but simply less sensitive to the respective stimuli. Specific handicaps, like blindness, are discussed later on in the Traits chapter. Direct Attribute tests with Perception are frequently used by the game master to determine a characters awareness of certain events/details in his surroundings, and can also be used for active observation. Zero-Perception characters are unplayable, because they cannot perceive - and therefore not interact with - the world they live in. Determination - Self-discipline, willpower and effective resilience to intimidation, fear or the urge to satisfy lower biological needs, but also the ability to grit ones teeth and go on no matter what. Determination can make even a physically weak character a force to be reckoned with. As opposed to fantasy worlds, pure willpower cannot move mountains in a hard sci-fi setting, but it still helps in a lot of ways. Determined characters are much less sensitive to pain and exhaustion, having higher respective tolerance levels. Also, determined characters dont like the idea of giving up hope, and tend to fight to the end. Heroic characters therefore have high levels of determination. There are very few Skills that depend on determination as an Attribute, but it still is not to be neglected in a dangerous situation, where success in tests linked to that attribute is crucial. Characters with a Determination Attribute of 0 cannot live, as they simply lack the will to do so.

Basic Derived Stats


(Round all fractions down during the process)

Vitality Points (VPs) = 2X(En) + 2X(Ms) + (De) + 10

A characters Vitality Points, also known as health or hit points in vintage role playing gaming, determine the amount of physical Damage or Fatigue a character may sustain before dropping. After receiving cumulative Damage equal or higher than his VPs, a character is killed, while receiving the same amount of Fatigue sends him into the land of dreams (actually: unconsciousness - nobody dreams when knocked out, but thats just details, details). Note that many attacks cause both physical Damage and Fatigue. These two types of impairment are kept track of separately. Damage, Fatigue and the exact rules concerning them are thoroughly explained in the Combat chapter.

Sequential Score (SS) = 2X(Re) + (Ag) + (Pe) + 1D10

In turn-based combat, the Sequential Score is crucial to victory. An exceptionally high score allows a character to perform multiple actions before the other combatants even move a muscle. Furthermore, a high Sequential Score means a total of more usable Action Points per Combat Sequence, allowing the character in question to perform more and/or more complex actions.

Pain Tolerance (PT) = (Ms)/2 + (De) Pain Tolerance is a threshold that determines how much pain (caused by physical Damage) a character can ignore before it starts affecting him. In practice, the Pain Tolerance value is subtracted from the cumulative physical Damage taken, the result being an impeding modifier. It works similar to other situational modifiers and is applied to all PPs. Pain and Exhaustion modifiers are cumulative. Exhaustion Tolerance (ET) = (De)/2 + (En) Works exactly the same way as Pain Tolerance, but is subtracted from Fatigue instead of Damage to obtain impeding modifiers. Pain and Exhaustion modifiers are cumulative.

Skills

If Attributes represent a characters raw potential, his or her Skills show us what he or she is really capable of. Each specific base skill is calculated by its own formula, usually made up of a bottom value and a few relevant attributes poured on top. The unmodified Base Skill stat obtained this way (a percentile value) reflects a characters innate talent for that skill. Elaborate Skills that require more specialized training usually have very low base values, and are boosted less by their relevant Attributes. All Skills can be improved at character creation and throughout game play by the means of practice and study. Additionally, characters may choose to declare up to 3 Skills from the list as their Focal Skills. Focal Skill declaration itself costs Building Points, but slightly boosts the skill, and, most importantly, accelerates its improvement later on in the game, allowing characters to become very proficient in their designated Focal Skills rather quickly.

Skills
When calculating Base Skills, all fractions are immediately rounded down. There is no mathematical operation using fractions involved. Skills always have percentile form. All of them can be upgraded during the process of character creation, but cannot exceed 100% at that stage. The absolute skill maximum in Contact Kore lies at 200%, allowing characters possessing such high stats to perform formidably even under the most adverse circumstances, as they are able to negate most impeding Modifiers. Any Skill approaching 200% is considered masterful and highly refined, while values in the vicinity of 100% are considered proficient and professional. Contact Kore uses a logical approach to Skill improvement that discards the classic concepts of character levels and universal experience points. Any Skill has to be trained in order to be raised. As characters can learn from both failure and success, repeatedly using Skills during the game is not only necessary, but also a rewarding practice. The possibility to improve some Skills by the means of pure theory is also given, but its much less effective than their practical application.
The following skill set is typical for human characters in a near-future earth setting, and may be modified by the game master, depending on the game universe it is used with. This is the set that goes with Contact, however. - Primitive Ranged Weapons - Small Arms - Heavy Weapons - Energy Weapons - Unarmed Melee Combat - Armed Melee Combat - Throwing Weapons - Stealth & Sneaking - Thievery & Trickery - Lock Picking - Disarm & Set Traps - Applied Science - First Aid - Advanced Medical Applications - Humanitarian Science - Engineering & Repair - Craftsmanship - Interface - Oratory - Leadership - Housekeeping - Hostile Environment Survival - Motorcycle - Wheeled Vehicle - Hovercraft - Fixed-Wing Aircraft - Spacecraft - Watercraft - Tracked Vehicle
20% + (St)/2 + (Dx)/2 + (Pe) 15% + (Ag)/2 + (Dx)/2 + (Pe) 0% + (St)/2 + (Pe) 10% + (Ag)/2 + (Dx)/2 + (Pe) 30% + (Re) + (Ag)/2 25% + (Re) + (Ag)/2 25% + (Ag)/2 + (Pe) 5% + (Ag) + (Pe) 5% + 2X(Dx) + (In) 0% + (Dx) + (In) 0% + (Dx) + (In) + (Pe)/2 10 % + 4X(In) 10% + (Dx) + 2X(In) 5% + (Dx)/2 + 3X(In) 20% + 3X(In) 5% + (Dx) + 2X(In) 25% + 2X(Dx) 5% + 2X(In) + (Pe)/2 0% + (In) + 2X(Ch) + (De)/2 5% + 3X(Ch) + (De) 25% + (In) 30% + (Re) + (Ag) + (In) + (Pe) + (De)/2 0% + 2X(Re) + (Ag) + (Pe) 15% + (Re) + (Pe) 10% + (Re) + (Pe) 0% + (Re) + (Pe) 0% + (Re) + (In)/2 + (Pe)/2 20% + (Re)/2 + (Pe)/2 15% + (Re) + (Pe) 30% + (Re) + 2X(Ag) + (Pe)

10

- Powered Exoskeleton

Skill Explanation
Primitive Ranged Weapons - A rather obsolete Skill that governs the use of simple, possibly improvised ranged weapons like slingshots, bows and crossbows. As long as the ranged weapon is powered by human strength alone, it is considered a primitive ranged weapon. Note that modern versions of archaic ranged weapons may be just as deadly as advanced firearms in the right hands, so gaining in this Skill could be attractive to some weirder fantasy geeks who accidentally stumbled into the realm of hard sci-fi. Small Arms - Includes all kinds of chemically-powered projectile weapons, from pistols and shotguns to submachine guns and rifles, but also air guns and some rare types of portable, electromagnetic rail guns that fire solid slugs. Small arms are usually operated by a single person without the need of additional support and considered light infantry weapons by the military. Typical small arms like pistols, rifles and shotguns are the only firearms frequently found with civilians, as they are affordable, lightweight and easy to use. Heavy Weapons - A skill that governs bigger and more powerful firearms, most of them too heavy to fire in the same fashion as a small arm. Heavy weapons include machineguns, many different types of rocket, missile and grenade launchers, as well as cannons, artillery and heavier rail gun type weapons. Many heavy weapons do their name justice, as they are too bulky and heavy to be carried and used by an average person, and are usually fitted with bipods, tripods or even mounted on vehicles and fortifications. Energy Weapons - Rarely originating from earth, energy weapons are mostly laser or plasma based. Human experiments with energy weapon technology produced microwave-rays and directional EMP projectors, but none of them proved feasible in real combat situations, as their effectiveness was only half as impressive as energy drain. Energy Weapons as a skill governs all ranged weapons that do not use pure kinetic energy to cause damage, thus making lasers, plasma rifles and also flame throwers (!) energy weapons in game terms. Unarmed Melee Combat - Close combat using only the human body as a weapon, with an emphasis on fists and feet. Depending on the skill level, unarmed characters are more or less proficient at brawling, biting, clawing and choking their opponents into submission, while characters with very high skill levels know various martial arts, making them powerful foes even without weapons in their hands. The damage done with unarmed melee combat depends heavily on the strength attribute. Armed Melee Combat - Melee weapons allow for a greater range and damage potential than ones fists, as long as the wielder knows how to use them. Melee Weapons include, but are not limited to, blades, clubs, whips, spears, poles and axes. In the modern age however, most of these are obsolete. Near-future melee weapons usually deliver electric shocks or are specifically designed for martial arts, like tonfas or the traditional Japanese sword, Katana (which may not be futuristic at all, but still one of the deadliest blades on the planet). Throwing Weapons - Still primitive, effectiveness depends on the object thrown and the wielders skill. Note that this skill is not a strict combat skill, but is also used in sports and leisure. Hand grenades are an example of extra deadly throwing weapons. Stealth & Sneaking - Governs the ability to move unheard and unseen, hide ones tracks and also personal concealment when not moving. Also allows a character to blend in with a crowd, a feat that depends strongly on ones appearance as well. Thievery & Trickery - Used in situations that involve sleight-of-hand, stealing or planting objects without anyone noticing it. It also can be used in cheating while gambling. In fact, its a skill with a million uses, and for making millions. Lock Picking - Covers both simple mechanical locks and electronic locks. Usually, special tools are needed to accomplish the task, but highly skilled characters may also use improvised tools with a substantial chance to succeed. Disarm & Set Traps - Is a skill that includes both knowledge of and practical experience with traps, be they explosives, purely mechanical or of any other treacherous nature. This skill is useful when checking for traps, as well when setting them up in an effective fashion. It also covers Demolitions at all scales. Applied Science - Allows a character to understand and apply mathematics, physics, chemistry,

11

biology, geology, astronomy and so on in daily life. It is a crucial skill for any intellectual character. In modern research, scientific areas tend to overlap to some extent, so any scientist participating in such a project should be globally educated to provide maximum efficiency. First Aid - Primarily used to accelerate the healing of minor wounds by dressing them properly, but also for administering stimulants and other beneficial drugs. First aid techniques also may increase the chance of survival for heavily traumatized patients, as it works against bleeding, shock and other dangerous wound effects. It is a basic, easy to use healing skill that is important for any member of a team, acting as a life-saver. Advanced Medical Applications - A skill that starts playing its part where first aid becomes ineffective. When dealing with heavily injured patients, however, both skills are of equal importance, as first aid is quicker and needs much less equipment to perform. Advanced Medical Applications as a Skill utilizes cutting-edge technology and in-depth knowledge of the human body to treat crippled limbs, organ damage, radiation sickness and poisoning. Competent medical personnel is therefore well trained in both first aid and advanced medical applications. Humanitarian Science - Is similar to Applied Science in usefulness, but of completely different contents. Humanitarian Science deals with spiritual and cultural matters as in the areas of history, philosophy, ethics, politics and art, only to name a few. Well-educated characters never overlook this one, as even a smart character without it may appear as a philistine. Engineering & Repair - The ability to mess with machines and knowing what to do if one of them breaks down. Engineering & Repair is a very broad skill that covers improvised contraptions, regular design of electronic and mechanic devices, as well as all kinds of repairs. Highly skilled characters might even try to figure out biological or nanotechnology, and build complex machines from scratch. Craftsmanship - Combine a vivid imagination with skillful hands, and one creates art. Painters, sculptors and carpenters are common examples for craftsmen. Many consider it just a hobby or a way to relax, while others make a living with it. In any case, craftsmanship has been practiced in all cultures of the world from the beginnings of civilization, and hasnt lost practice even in a time where virtually everything can be made by machines. Interface - The ability to understand computers and similar machines, in order to put them to proper use. Characters with extremely low interface skills even have trouble understanding simplistic icons on a flatcreen or using a regular keyboard, while especially skilled characters may even attempt to decipher code they have never seen before, and eventually succeed. With continuing computerization of everyday life, the Interface Skill becomes more and more important for every single person on the planet. Oratory - Rhetoric, the ability to communicate in an efficient way, also known as the high art of speech. It determines a characters persuasiveness and his ability in getting away with lies. Charismatic characters like movie stars or politicians usually become great speech artists, allowing them to manipulate people to their liking. Also covers haggling for better prices. Leadership - The player character's Charisma and Determination Attributes put to proper use when taking on the role of an opinion leader, or simply the ability to organize a group of people into doing something right - be it for good, or for evil. Housekeeping - A frequently overlooked skill that governs a characters sense of personal hygiene, his eating habits and the state he keeps his living quarters in (given that he has any). Tidy characters tend to be less prone to have health problems caused by filth and also find acceptance more easily in modern, civilized societies. Skilled characters are also able to make a lot of friends because of their aptitudes in cooking. Hostile Environment Survival - A Skill quite similar to Housekeeping, except that this time there is no household, and tidiness doesnt exactly count! Survival in the wilderness - or dangerous urban areas, for that matter - relies heavily on hunting, proper hydration, knowledge of hazards and finding a safe spot for resting, as well as ones innate physical and spiritual resilience. Physically fit people with a healthy mind are skilled in survival even without too much special training. Motorcycle - Allows a character to ride bikes, ATVs and unicycles. Body control is more important with this skill than with the other vehicle control skills.

12

Wheeled Vehicle - Refers to all ground vehicles with 4, 6 or even more wheels that are substantially larger and heavier than a motorcycle. Driving most cars, trucks and APCs is accomplished with this skill. Hovercraft - Controlling vehicles which have the ability to hover about the ground, is governed by this skill. It includes helicopters, note however, that these are actually pretty hard to fly, compared to maneuvering an earthbound hovercraft. Fixed-Wing Aircraft - Flying machines that use fixed wings, need impulse to obtain lift and maneuverability, which only works in a reasonably dense atmosphere, thus making them useless in space, though hybrid craft exist. Those rely on separate spacecraft propulsion and control systems while out of the atmosphere, and are controlled using the spacecraft skill in that particular state. Spacecraft - Spacecraft design doesnt need to worry about aerodynamics, as there is no such thing in the vacuum of space. Pure spacecraft may have any shape the designer needs them to have, while maneuverability is attained through a various number of propulsion systems, the largest one used as the main drive. Watercraft - Pretty much any boat or ship, as well as submarines are controlled using this skill. Tracked Vehicle - Governs the successful driving of tracked tanks, APCs, snowmobiles or heavy construction vehicles. They are usually slower, heavier and less maneuverable than wheeled vehicles and control very different, as the wheels driving their tracks are all linked together and cannot turn like a cars front wheels. On the other hand, tracked vehicles have great traction in all kinds of difficult terrain and wont be stopped by obstacles that would certainly kill rubber tires. Powered Exoskeleton - Exoskeletons are sophisticated machines that operate by mimicking the movements (or intended movements in advanced models) of the pilot. They dont necessarily have to be humanoid in shape. Search-and-rescue vehicles for example, may be tracked or wheeled vehicles or even watercraft at heart, featuring one or more robotic arms that are controlled by the pilot or a separate operator using the Powered Exoskeleton Skill. Exoskeleton-type vehicles with legs are sometimes favored over regular ground vehicles for their ability to jump, crouch and crawl, while they are designed to use equipment or even weapons which are too heavy for human-sized characters. On the downside, exoskeleton technology is expensive, less resilient and requires way higher levels of maintenance than regular vehicles, making it unsuitable for long-term operation in harsh environments.

13

Traits The following chapter deals with a comprehensive collection of selectable character Traits. They are generally designed to fit into the modern world or a fictional universe beyond medieval fantasy, and cover most perks, quirks and handicaps an interesting character could have. Traits are divided into 3 main categories, the first being purely beneficial in game terms, called advantageous, while the second is made up of Disadvantageous Traits. The third and final group contains all Balanced Traits that have no point value at character creation. The building point costs or refunds for either advantageous or disadvantageous Traits are listed below. To pick some Traits, a Character must meet certain requirements. They can be found in the detailed Trait description.
Attributes modified by Traits do not follow the same rules and limitations as base Attributes. For instance, no modified Attribute is subject to the basic limitations mentioned in the Anatomy of a Character chapter. While base Attributes for humans cannot exceed 10 at character creation, Traits may well raise them above that maximum. Modified Attributes are usually noted as a separate value in (parentheses) to the right of the base Attribute. The modified Attribute still counts as a natural Attribute, however, as opposed to Attributes modified by cybernetics or biotechnology (summed up as Biomods). The latter would appear as an additional value in [box brackets] to the right of all other values for a given Attribute. Only the rightmost value is relevant in further calculations of derived stats, like Skills for example. If a specific Trait would lower one of the characters Attributes to 0 or less, it cannot be picked, as zero-Attribute characters are unplayable by standard rules. The effects of Traits on Skills obey only following limitations: No Skill may be raised above 100% at character creation (it can be picked even if it would do so, but the Skill is automatically capped at 100% anyway, and no extra bonus is applied by that Trait at any later point in the game). No Skill can be raised higher than 200% at any point during the game, not even by the means of Traits boosting that Skill. Traits lowering Skills to 0% are quite handicapping, but allowed. Traits that are listed as incompatible to each other cannot be picked for the same character.

Advantageous Traits - Highly Talented - Educated - Diplomacy - All Rounder - Ambidextrous - Cat Reflexes - Attentive - Inner Clock - Empathy - Olfactory Super Sense - Ingenuity - Fearless - Faith - Herculean Physique - Photographic Memory - Highly Flexible - Attractiveness - Hard Boiled - Resistance (1 Toxin) - Immunity (1 Disease) - Refinement

Cost -12 -10 -10 -15 -8 -15 -12 -2 -7 -3 -7 -9 -6 -10 -5 -7 -10 -10 -5 -4 -15

Incompatibility & Info: Inc.: Ruffian, Amnesia (severe variant only) Inc.: Ruffian, Psychopathic, Hot-Tempered, Rude Can be picked up to 3 times Inc.: One-Armed, Dominant Hand Inc.: Autist Inc.: Oblivious, Split Personality Inc.: Psychopathic, Superficial, Autism Inc.: Coward, Wimp, Paranoia Inc.: Graceful, Androgynous ( only), Dwarfism, Inconspicuous Inc.: Oblivious, Blind Inc.: Herculean Physique, Corpulent, Dwarfism Inc.: Inconspicuous, Disfigured Inc.: Coward, Wimp Can be picked up to 2 times Can be picked up to 2 times Inc.: Clumsy, Berserker

14

Disadvantageous Traits - One-Armed - One-Eyed - Blind - Night Blind - Color Blind - Deaf - Hearing Impairment - Deaf-Mute - Mute - Coward - Clumsy - Speech Disorder - Smartarse - Superficial - Hot-Tempered - Oblivious - Wimp - Vindictive - Rude - Pacifist - Braggart - Liar - Phobia (1 trigger) - Severe Amnesia - Schizophrenia - Paranoia - Kleptomania - Psychopathic - Pyromania - Sadism - Masochism - Other Sexual Deviation - Epilepsy - Narcolepsy - Dwarfism - Disfigured - Marked - Albinism - Paraplegic - Missing Leg - Allergy (1 Allergen) - Addiction (1 Drug or Activity) - Hemophilia - Sterility - Impotence +6 +4 +12 +3 +2 +6 +3 +8 +3 +5 +9 +3 +3 +2 +4 +6 +8 +2 +6 +3 +2 +4 +2 +20 +12 +3 +5 +10 +3 +1 +1 +2 +4 +4 +5 +7 +1 +6 +12 +5 +2 +4 +6 +1 +8 Inc.: Ambidextrous, Dominant Hand Inc.: Blind Inc.: Photographic Memory, Night Blind, Color Blind, One Eyed Inc.: Blind Inc.: Blind Inc.: Deaf-Mute, Hearing Impairment, Mute Inc.: Deaf-Mute, Deaf Inc.: Deaf, Mute, Hearing Impairment, Speech Disorder Inc.: Deaf, Deaf-Mute, Speech Disorder Inc.: Fearless, Hard Boiled, Kamikaze, Berserker Inc.: Refinement, Graceful Inc.: Deaf-Mute, Mute Inc.: Empathy, Curious Inc.: Diplomacy Inc.: Inner Clock, Photographic Memory, Autism Inc.: Hard Boiled, Fearless, Berserker Inc.: Diplomacy Inc.: Psychopathic, Kamikaze, Berserker May be picked up to 2 times Inc.: Educated Inc.: Fearless Inc.: Pacifist, Diplomacy, Philanthropist Inc.: Philanthropist Inc.: Impotence, May be picked up to 3 times Inc.: Herculean Physique, Inconspicuous Inc.: Attractiveness, Inconspicuous Inc.: Inconspicuous Inc.: Inconspicuous Inc.: Missing Leg Inc.: Paraplegic May be picked up to 3 times May be picked up to 3 times Inc.: Other Sexual Deviation

15

Balanced Traits - Graceful - Corpulent - Androgynous - Inconspicuous - Extravagant - Light Amnesia - Curious - Dominant Hand - Jinxed! - Kamikaze - Berserker - Ruffian - Philanthropist 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Inc.: Corpulent, Herculean Physique, Clumsy Inc.: Graceful, Inconspicuous, Attractiveness Inc.: Herculean Physique ( only) Inc.: Herculean Physique, Corpulent, Dwarfism, Attractiveness, Inc.: Inconspicuous Inc.: Superficial Inc.: Ambidextrous, One-Armed Inc.: Coward, Pacifist Inc.: Refinement, Coward, Wimp, Pacifist Inc.: Educated, Diplomacy, Philanthropist Inc.: Ruffian, Psychopathic, Sadism
Disfigured, Marked, Albinism, Extravagant

Advantageous Traits
Highly Talented (-12) Highly talented characters are often considered prodigious because of their outstanding intellect. To pick this Trait, a character must have at least a base Intelligence Attribute of 6 or higher. They immediately gain +2 Intelligence as well as improvements for the following Skills: +10% Humanitarian Science, +5% Interface, +5% Engineering & Repair Educated (-10) Well educated characters are not necessarily super-smart, but have invested more time in acquiring theoretical knowledge than most people. They cannot have an Intelligence Attribute lower than 4 and receive substantial Skill improvements, as stated: +15% Applied Science, +15% Humanitarian Science, + 10% Oratory Diplomacy (-10) Is the natural or acquired ability to solve problems without force. Diplomatic characters are usually well-mannered smooth talkers and appear friendly, regardless of their true intentions. This Trait greatly improves the Oratory Skill: + 35% All Rounder (-15) An additional Skill may be declared as a Focal Skill. The Trait cost does not include the costs for doing so. Ambidextrous (-8) With this Trait, characters are equally proficient at using both hands in daily life. They are neither right handed nor left handed, but Ambidextrous. In game terms, it means that all modifiers for performing two (Parallel) actions simultaneously, each with one hand, are halved down. With two simultaneous actions, their respective PPs would be reduced by 1/4 each, instead of 1/2. Cat Reflexes (-15) Characters with the Cat Reflexes Trait have the ability to act quicker, as they rely more on instinct than thought. They receive a permanent bonus to their Sequential Score equal to half their Reflexes Attribute. Attentive (-12) Attentive characters are more aware of their surroundings, being able to perceive more details than others. Their observations are usually very accurate and precise. A character that wishes to pick the Attentive Trait cannot have a Perception Attribute lower than 5. They also receive a permanent bonus of +2 to Perception. When observing randomly (Passive perception), they automatically receive

16

information that corresponds to the Detail Level +1 they would normally get. Inner Clock (-2) Inner Clock is a useful Trait that allows a character to estimate the amount of passed time quite impressively. If the character was unconscious between the last moments hes known the exact time (having consulted a time indicator, possibly a real clock) and trying to estimate it, his estimation may go wrong. Natural sleep, on the other hand, doesnt affect his inner clock. Even with the Inner Clock Trait, there still is some minor variation of a few minutes between real and estimated time, usually determined by the game master with a D10-roll. Empathy (-7) Is a combination of intuition and sensitivity when interacting with fellow humans. Empathic characters are good listeners, as opposed to those with the Superficial Trait. When in a conversation, they receive a +30% modifier to all Perception tests concerning the person they are talking to. In addition to that, Initial Reaction of all non-player characters that are not hostile to the player character is automatically improved by 20%. Olfactory Super Sense (-3) The ability to smell even slightest amounts of a known substance, as well as recognize people by their body odor only (even when they presume to be squeaky clean). In game terms, the Olfactory Super Sense Trait grants a modifier of +30% on all Perception tests concerning smells, and an additional Detail Level of information (if possible). Ingenuity (-7) Ingenuity describes a characters ability to come up with useful ideas. In game terms, it means that the characters player has the possibility to get a somewhat limited insight into the game masters intended solutions to problems, riddles or puzzles. He also may use this Trait to get the game masters help when dealing with free form questions. Interpretation of this rule is somewhat loose on purpose, allowing the game master to prevent his puzzles from becoming too easy. For example, direct Attribute tests with Intelligence may be used to decide whether or not to give a player hints on intended solutions, while characters with the Ingenuity Trait receive a +20% modifier on this test. Or the ingenious character is the only one allowed to make the test, receiving no extra modifiers in that case. Fearless (-9) Fearless characters look death in the eye and keep smiling. They are highly resilient to any form of intimidation and panic. Any character who wishes to purchase this Trait cannot have a Determination Attribute lower than 5. Fearless characters receive an automatic modifier of +40% on all Determination tests when resisting fear. Faith (-6) Highly religious characters gain enough spiritual strength out of their beliefs to make the difference in some cases. They gain a +10% modifier to Determination tests when withstanding fear and doubt (but not Psi Powers or intimidation), and automatically heal one Damage point when their total physical Damage does a "point landing" on death - effectively saving their life. This is the case only when the difference between their Vitality Points and total Damage is exactly zero. Religious characters, however, tend to explain paranormal events in a belief-based fashion, which may sometimes cloud their judgement. Resolve this through roleplaying. As this is not a substantial disadvantage in game terms, Faith remains a beneficial trait. Herculean Physique (-10) Characters with Herculean Physiques are tall, robust and healthy. Their bones and muscles are significantly stronger than the average humans, making them outstanding specimens. All characters who wish to pick this Trait cannot have any Attribute from the Body category lower than 6. Also, both the Strength and Mass Attributes receive a permanent bonus of +2. Additionally, all tests made to physically intimidate another character receive a +10% modifier. Photographic Memory (-5) Gives a player character the ability to memorize images, words and numbers even if theres little time to do so. To pick this Trait, a character cannot have an Intelligence Attribute lower than 6. Every time the character makes a test to remember something he has seen with his own eyes, a +50% modifier is applied, greatly increasing the chance of remembering it successfully.

17

Highly Flexible (-7) A flexible characters joints have a wider range of movement than a normal persons. Such a character can bend and contort his/her body to a degree where others would just hurt themselves. To pick this Trait, a character cannot have an Agility Attribute lower than 4, while it provides a permanent +1 bonus to that Attribute. Also, there is a +25% modifier to all Agility tests involving contortions. Attractiveness (-10) Its the useful Trait of outstanding beauty and sex appeal. Depending on culture, ethnicity and time period, the characteristics of this Trait vary accordingly, but in most settings it means the character has smooth skin, a symmetrical face and well-developed secondary sexual characteristics. All attractive characters receive a +25% bonus to the initial reaction of NPCs of the opposite sex, and a +5% bonus if the NPC is of the same sex. Naturally, there is the occasional exception that gives this Trait the opposite effect, especially when dealing with people who have a deviant sexuality. Hard Boiled (-10) Usually found with characters that have a corresponding background. They are tough as nails, unpretentious and highly resilient to pain (not only physical, but also psychological trauma). Such hard-ass boys (and girls) receive a permanent bonus to both their Pain- and Exhaustion Tolerance levels equal to their Determination Attribute. Resistance - Toxin (-5) Specific to one single toxin the player is allowed to choose at character creation. Not all toxins are suitable, and the game master may intervene at that point. Characters resistant to a certain toxin have a genetic mutation that makes the toxin much less effective on their organism. In game terms, it means a given dosage of the toxin has only half of the normal effects. Effect duration and other toxin parameters are not affected. Immunity - Disease (-4) Immunity is similar to toxin Resistance, but for infectious diseases instead. Degenerative or hereditary diseases cannot be affected by this Trait. A character immune to a disease suffers absolutely no effects from it, as his body already possesses the corresponding antibody or simply isnt a suitable host for the pathogen. Refinement (-15) Refinement is a highly useful Trait that greatly influences all physical actions. It expands the probability for Critical Success of physical actions by 5% (it becomes 10%, instead of the usual 5%). The general rules for Critical Success remain unchanged, meaning that it becomes impossible only if the PP falls below 6%.

Disadvantageous Traits
One-Armed (+6) Obviously a Trait that applies to characters with only one arm. They could have lost it through an accident or been born like that, in any case it is not possible to replace it by modern cloning technology or prosthetics, as there isnt enough nerve tissue left in the stump to make such a procedure work (game masters can and probably will make exceptions to this rule). In game terms, being one-armed means having serious trouble performing any action that requires both upper limbs, resulting in modifiers up to -200%. One-Eyed (+4) The One-Eyed Trait basically makes the player character a cyclops for life, as there is absolutely no cure for it - again, the game master has the last word on this. Usually, prosthetics or donor organs wont work without a functional optic nerve. Characters with this Trait can still have both eyes looking intact from the outside, as long as one of them simply doesnt see. The game effect of having only one eye is mainly lack of depth perception. Estimating distances becomes harder, and hand-eyecoordination suffers, especially in melee combat. One-eyed characters receive a modifier of -25% for all Armed and Unarmed Melee Combat tests, throwing tests and the use of ranged weapons that have a highly ballistic arc of fire - grenade launchers for example. Blind (+12) One of the, if not THE most crippling handicap a character can have. Blindness bound to this Trait is un-curable. Also houses a great role-playing challenge.

18

Night Blind (+3) All Illumination Levels below Normal are automatically degraded to the next-lower Illumination Level. Weak becomes Minimal, and Minimal respectively becomes Darkness. Color Blind (+2) The character has a severe form of color blindness, allowing him to see only in shades of gray. In game terms, it is next to impossible for him (-100%) to tell the difference between two colors of the same lightness, they seem just plain gray to him. Deaf (+6) Deaf characters are unable to hear, but know how to speak. Usually, they are not born deaf, but acquired it after they learned communicating by language. In any case, deafness bound to this Trait is un-curable, and lets all Perception tests based solely on hearing fail automatically. Hearing Impairment (+3) Hearing Impairment is a milder version of the Deaf Trait. Characters with hearing impairment are not completely unable to hear, but receive a modifier of -50% on all hearing-based Perception tests. As with all handicaps bound by disadvantageous Traits, it cannot be completely healed, only ameliorated by technical means. Deaf-Mute (+8) Deaf-mute characters cannot hear or speak. If the player chooses so, his character can still utter some nonarticulated sounds and know sign-language, but communicating with individuals not used to deaf-mutes is extremely hard, sometimes even impossible. Appropriate modifiers are applied by the game master depending on the situation. As with most severe handicaps, a great part of the players effort lies within believable roleplaying. Mute (+3) Mute characters have the disability to speak, caused either by a central nervous condition or severe damage to their larynx. This Trait doesnt apply to characters who never learned to speak, but can still do so later in the game. Muteness as a singled-out symptom doesnt have anything to do with a characters hearing; his ears are actually fine, and so can be his understanding of language. Similar to characters with the Deaf-Mute Trait, as mutes often communicate via sign-language. Coward (+5) Characters considered cowards by others might have an overly well developed sense for self-preservation, or simply crap their pants when confronted with the slightest hint of danger. The Trait has the exact opposite effect of Fearless, applying a -40% modifier to all determination tests to withstand fear or intimidation. Clumsy (+9) Also known as: Boorish, inept, klutzy and ham-fisted. Somehow, all physical actions of the clumsy character have a tendency to go terribly wrong. In game terms, the probability for a critical failure in all physical tests made by the character is increased by 5% (usually all results higher than 90%, instead of 95%). Speech Disorder (+3) There are many examples for speech disorders. Stuttering, lisping or mumbling is only the tip of the iceberg. In any case, a speech disorder hampers communication, especially with total strangers. Initial reaction of NPCs that do not know the character is lowered by 10%, and the same NPCs receive a modifier of -20% on Intelligence tests for the purpose of understanding what the character is saying to them. Smartarse (+3) Wise guys always believe they know better and have the annoying tendency to impose their opinions on others. Sometimes it works, but most times, it doesnt. Needless to say a smartarsed character isnt exactly popular with strangers. Characters with this Trait make a Charisma test (no modifiers) for any subject they discuss with a

19

stranger. Any failures are noted and dont take effect until the next time they communicate with that NPC. For every failure made in prior charisma tests, the initial reaction of the NPC to the smartarse is then halved down (if positive) or its negative value doubled! Superficial (+2) Superficial characters can be charming lady-killers, shallow simpletons or simply ignorant bastards. They arent interested in other peoples thoughts and dont like others to find out more about theirs. They usually have lots of acquaintances, but few true friends. The game effects of the Superficial Trait are similar to those of the Smartarse Trait, the only difference being that the Initial Reaction of an NPC isnt affected if it already was a negative value. Hot-Tempered (+4) Combine a short fuse with the disability to control emotional outbursts, and you have one explosive personality. In everyday life, almost anything unpleasant can act as a trigger for such hot-tempered characters. In situations, where the characters player wants to suppress a certain violent reaction, he receives a -30% modifier to his characters Determination test. Oblivious (+6) Oblivious characters are not necessarily stupid; they just cant memorize information in an organized manner. This condition can have many causes; in any case they receive a -25% modifier to all Intelligence tests involving memory. Also, they earn 3 Experience Index Points less (with a minimum of 1 point) with each Skill use. Wimp (+8) Wimps permanently subtract 10 points each from their Pain Tolerance and Exhaustion Tolerance at character creation (Resulting values having a minimum of 0). Now, someone with zero Pain Tolerance is a real crybaby! Vindictive (+2) In a way, the Vindictive Trait is a delayed version of the Hot-Tempered Trait. A character can have both, of course, why not, makes him a complete Sociopath. Whenever a vindictive character holds a grudge against someone and has a chance pointed out to take revenge on him or her, he must make a Determination test with a -25% modifier to pass that chance. Only if he scores a critical success, he is able to forgive that character permanently. New grudges against the same character may come fast, however. Its not easy being a person permanently bent on taking revenge. Rude (+6) Really bad manners! Actually, a character who chooses this Trait takes the term rude to the next level. The relentless profanities coming out of his mouth are harmless compared to the continuous demonstrations of his digestive tracts gas evacuation functions. Rude characters also have a tendency to misuse locations other than the toilet for relieving themselves, and pretend to never even have heard about the term apology. In any case, a rude character doesnt make friends easily, unless they are of the same uncouth disposition as him. The Initial Reaction of strangers is automatically lowered by 30% (with very few exceptions). Pacifist (+3) Lets talk about it! Pacifists always assume that problems should be solved by reason and non-violent means only. They cannot attack a sentient being unless they pass a Determination test, with modifiers according to the situation theyre in. Having to defend ones life against an attacker should be more acceptable to them than deliberate violence against innocents. Convincingly role-playing a pacifist represents the real challenge here, however. Braggart (+2) Basically show-offs who enjoy telling cock and bull stories, braggarts dont know when to stop. In many cases, they resort to bragging because its the only thing they are good at. The game effects of the Braggart Trait are exactly the same as with Smartarse, the only difference being that the effects apply only to subjects where the bragging character gives away information about himself or his deeds. For any other subjects, the Charisma roll doesnt have to be made. Liar (+4)

20

Notorious liars have trouble telling the truth, no matter if they would profit from a lie or not. Sometimes also called pathological liars, they lack the ability to evaluate the consequences of a lie, which often gets them into trouble. In game terms, the Liar Trait works similar to the Smartarse Trait, while the disinformation the character seeds among other player characters and NPCs makes it much more severe. Phobia (+2) A Phobia is an unreasonable and terrorizing fear of a specific stimulus. Classic examples include, but are not limited to: Acrophobia (the fear of heights), arachnophobia (a fear of spiders and creatures similar to spiders in appearance) and claustrophobia (fear of narrow, small and/or closed spaces). In fact, people can develop phobias for almost anything. Phobic characters usually suffer panic attacks when exposed to their stimulus, and try to avoid it or flee from it. To suppress such a panic attack, the character must pass a Determination test (as always, with appropriate modifiers). If failed critically, the character freezes up for a random number of minutes (1D10) instead of being able get away from the phobic trigger. If the test is passed, the character is able to endure the stimulus until it changes or gets stronger, possibly suffering a temporary modifier (determined by the game master) to his actions. Severe Amnesia (+20) Due to unfortunate and mysterious circumstances, the player character lost his memory in a complete and thorough fashion. He doesnt know his name, where he comes from or what he can do. Luckily, he still knows how to speak, maybe even write and how to behave like a human being, but his mind is completely devoid of any other knowledge than that. Severe Amnesia definitely is one of the greatest role playing challenges out there, as the whole player character is generated by the game master in secret, stats, background story, everything, while the player receives a blank character sheet at the start of the game. The only way for him to fill in these blanks is exploring his abilities and researching his past throughout the course of the game. Schizophrenia (+12) Schizos are never alone. Madness, as most will call this condition, has many faces. The average schizophrenic, however, has vivid hallucinations and/or crazy thoughts, while his thinking lacks a few logical connections. In any case, schizophrenics are troubled, sometimes dangerous members of society and frowned upon by most people, usually resolved by locking them away in mental institutions. Game effects of schizophrenia are quite severe, as the Initial Reaction of NPCs unfamiliar with the character is decreased by 20%, while the game master is allowed to feed the player false information about the game worlds reality. Its for the game master to decide whether the characters condition can be treated with medication, and how effective this may be. Paranoia (+3) A delusional disorder that makes a character believe in false, but non-bizarre facts concerning himself. Classic examples are wild conspiracy theories, a persecution complex, megalomania, pathologic jealousy and hypochondria (the fear and belief to be mortally sick). The game effects of this Trait are represented through roleplaying that certainly requires some creativity. Kleptomania (+5) Kleptomaniacs are compulsive thieves. Usually, they dont even enjoy it, nor has their motivation something to do with greed. They simply feel the urge to steal, and have trouble resisting it in most cases. Whenever there is an opportunity for theft, a kleptomaniacs player can choose to resists with a successful Determination test, modified by the degree of severity of the infraction. As a rule of thumb, the Determination test becomes easier to pass if the theft item is more valuable, and/or the consequences of getting caught would be stronger, and vice versa. Psychopathic (+10) Definitely a severe negative Trait that doesnt take much role-playing talent to portray, but may lead to a characters ultimate destruction over time. Psychopathic in Contact Kores context means an anti-social personality disorder, which basically cripples the characters ability to tell right from wrong. Psychopaths dont seem to have any morale, nor do they experience any guilt when committing crimes. Their code of ethics, if they have any, is warped and corrupted, making them monsters in the eyes of their fellow citizens.

21

Pyromania (+3) Pyromania is another obsessive-compulsive mental condition not so different from Kleptomania. Affected characters constantly feel the need to light up and burn things, making them quite dangerous in environments with flammable materials. As opposed to kleptomaniacs, they really enjoy themselves when engaging in their hobby. Like with other compulsive disorders, they can try to pass a Determination test to suppress that urge for a given occasion. Sadism (+1) Sadistic characters usually have dominant personalities and enjoy torturing others, either by physical or psychological means, maybe even both. Pain and suffering also play an important part in their sex-life as long as they are the ones able to dish it out. This Trait is meant to affect role-playing alone; stats and PPs are not affected (unless the game master wishes to apply some modifiers for special social situations). Masochism (+1) Masochism is a term that describes the exact opposite of Sadism. As peculiar as it seems, but both derangements are often found within the same person, wildly alternating, depending on his or her current mood. Other Sexual Deviation (+2) The character suffers from one of the many known sexual deviations, which may affect certain social situation. Classic examples for such deviations include, but are not limited to: Erotic fetishism (in most cases bound to a type of object or a certain body part), zoophilia (animals, usually very specific) and homosexuality. A game master should think twice about allowing certain variants of this Trait in his group, as some players like to graze the boundaries of good taste with excessive role-playing. Epilepsy (+4) Epileptic characters are prone to seizures, especially in stressful situations, which makes them quite unreliable assets. The condition itself, as bound by this Trait, cannot be permanently cured, only ameliorated with medication. Triggers for such seizures can vary. Not only stress, but also temperature variation, loud noises, flashing lights or other erratic sensory input may cause it. Some epileptics are even susceptible to seizure attacks when sexually aroused or just plain happy. In any case, the game master decides when and for how long an epileptic goes into seizure. Narcolepsy (+4) Similar to Epilepsy, narcoleptic attacks come without warning. Falling asleep during everyday activities or even in dangerous situations can be highly annoying and also deadly. Not recommended for adventurous characters. Dwarfism (+5) The most common cause for dwarfism in humans is Achondroplasia, a hereditary disease that prohibits a childs skeleton to grow in length. Characters with this Trait have extremely short limbs and rarely grow taller than 44. Their Agility Attribute is permanently decreased by 3 points, and they always need double the amount of action points for any type of movement. Disfigured (+7) The disfigured character is considered REALLY ugly by most standards. This may be due to facial mutilations, asymmetrical features, warts, sores, burnt skin or any other defacement the characters player sees fit. In game terms, the initial reaction of all NPCs who are not familiar with the character is lowered by 25%. Marked (+1) Marked is a mild version of the Disfigured Trait. Characters with visible scars or marks are not necessarily less attractive, but much easier to remember. Scars and marks may also cause distrust with some people, reflected by decreasing the Initial Reaction of strangers by 5%. Albinism (+6) Albino characters are born with a genetic mutation that inhibits synthesis of a pigment called melanin in their bodies. Therefore they have very pale skin, light blue to pinkish eyes and bright hair colors.

22

Prolonged exposure to strong sunlight is unhealthy for them, while their eyes are highly sensitive and less effective due to their translucent irises. In game terms, albinos suffer minor physical damage in broad daylight (1-2 points per hour, game masters discretion) and have their Perception Attribute permanently reduced by -2, as sight is the most important sense for humans. This particular setback can be cured with invasive optical prosthetics. Paraplegic (+12) means the character is paralyzed from the waist down, or that he has lost both legs. In any case, he is unable to stand or walk. The drawbacks of being bound to a wheelchair are pretty obvious, and most disadvantages affect combat capabilities, making Defensive Maneuvers of any kind practically impossible. Also, all melee combat actions are heavily impaired with a standard modifier of -100%. Paraplegia bound to this Trait cannot be offset by modern medicine. Missing Leg (+5) The character has lost a leg, and damage is irreversible. He can still move around on crutches, but needs both arms to do so. It is impossible for him to Run or Dash. Allergy (+2) The character is strongly allergic to a certain compound, which can be either a simple chemical or a more complex biological substance. Contact, ingestion or inhaling the compound cause edema, eczema, rhinitis, sneezing and even system shock, which may even lead to death after prolonged exposure. Classic examples for such substances, called allergens, are animal hair, certain plants and their fruit, additives in cosmetics, and so on. When picking the allergen for an allergy at character creation, the game master may want to evaluate if the chosen compound is suitable. Compounds unsuitable as allergens for this Trait would be substances that are too rare to pose a threat, or ones that the character isnt likely to encounter at all during his life. When an allergic character is exposed to his specific allergen, he takes equal amounts of physical damage and fatigue over time, until the allergen is removed. Addiction (+4) Addiction is specific to one drug or activity. Most common addictions in everyday life are alcoholism, smoking, drug abuse and gambling addiction. Addictions bound to this Trait imply that the character is hooked for good, unable to kick the habit anytime soon. Addicted characters MUST invest a given amount of time (determined by the game master), resources and dedication into their habit at least once per day in order not to suffer withdrawal. When failing to do so, characters suffer withdrawal until they get their next shot. In game terms, withdrawal is reflected by modifiers similar to those caused by Damage and Fatigue (although there is no real Damage and Fatigue involved). These modifiers cannot be offset by Pain Tolerance, or, respectively, Exhaustion Tolerance. Also, the player is supposed to portray his character in a foul, messed up mood while in a state of withdrawal. Hemophilia (+6) A hereditary disease that prevents the characters blood from coagulating correctly, resulting in longer bleeding times and possible death through blood loss. In game terms, whenever a character with Hemophilia is subjected to any of the damage types Ballistic, Sharp, Blunt and Explosion, theres an additional damage point added to the final physical damage caused. Also, whenever first aid is applied to a bleeding wound of a character that has Hemophilia, the Skill roll is modified by -25%. Sterility (+1) This ones pretty simple. There is absolutely no way in hell that the sterile character will EVER conceive or bear children. Impotence (+8) Also applies to female characters, and is called Frigidity in that case. Considered somewhat of a stigma throughout human history, the matured characters disability to participate in sexual acts can be rooted deep inside the psyche or caused by some organic condition. In any case, he or she simply wont get in the mood, no matter how slick the preparations went.

23

Balanced Traits
Graceful (0) Graceful characters tend to have smaller, lighter frames than average, with enough strength and agility to balance themselves well. Their Strength and Mass base Attributes both cannot exceed 5, while both are automatically lowered by 1 point each. As an advantage, their Agility Attribute receives a bonus of +3. Corpulent (0) Corpulent folks call themselves robust because they are! More weight means stronger bones, and the solid layer of fat on their bodies acts as a shield against blunt trauma and low temperatures. Size however, comes at a prize, and its paid in Endurance and Agility Attribute points. The Corpulent Trait gives a character the following Attribute modifications: + 6 Mass, -2 Agility, -4 Endurance. It also adds natural Protection to the body, which is cumulative with any worn armor: +1 against Blunt trauma (I) and +2 against Cold (C). Androgynous (0) On first sight, one cant exactly tell if an Androgynous character is male or female, which can be a bit irritating at times. It may get even weirder if the character in question is a functional hermaphrodite. And the bad news are: There ALWAYS is some player around wishing to role-play something like that. Deal with it. Inconspicuous (0) Inconspicuous is the word to describe the characters personality, his looks, or both. He appears as a quiet person, and always manages to keep a low profile in a crowd. The Initial Reaction of all strangers he speaks to is slightly lowered (-5%) if above zero, and slightly boosted (+5%) if below zero. His Charisma Attribute takes a permanent hit of -1 point, and his Stealth & Sneaking Skill is boosted by 10%. Additionally, NPCs trying to remember such a bland character receive a -50% modifier to their Intelligence test. Extravagant (0) An Extravagant character lives for attention. This is reflected by his loud, flamboyant personality, his crazy, colorful clothes and distinctive style when interacting with others. In game terms, the Extravagant Trait works exactly in the opposite direction as the Inconspicuous Trait, reversing all effects listed above. Light Amnesia (0) Having suffered only light amnesia, the character still has a few clues about his past (glimpses and flashbacks, maybe even detailed fragments) and has full access to his Skills and abilities. When the game starts, however, they have absolutely no idea how they got where they are and who the hell those strangers around them may be. This Trait allows the player to delegate the creation of his characters background story to the game master, making his quest for identity a viable plot hook. Curious (0) Curiosity killed the cat, they say. Being overly eager to learn new things also has its upsides. Characters with the Curious Trait are fast learners, therefore receiving one bonus Experience Index point with each Skill use (even for Critical Failure), while they are so compulsive about finding more information that theyll deliberately expose themselves to danger to do so. The game master might want to test the characters Determination Attribute in situations where the player doesnt want to take the risk for some additional intel. As always, appropriate modifiers can be applied depending on how bad the character wants the intel / how dangerous it would be to try getting it. If the test fails, the curious character will take the risk anyway. Dominant Hand (0) Our character is a strict one-hander, meaning he is much more effective with his main hand. A very invasive Trait that affects almost everything a character does. When using only his good hand to perform an action, PPs are always modified by +10%, while actions requiring both hands suffer a -5% modifier. When performing an action with his off-hand only, the PP is modified by -15%.

24

Jinxed! (0) Somehow, the character is cursed. It doesnt take more for him than to look at something, anything, it doesnt matter how safe it was before, it WILL go terribly wrong. Its an unexplainable fact that he leaves behind a trail of freak accidents and catastrophe, no matter where he goes and what he does, in most cases he doesnt have to do anything at all. In game terms, it means that ALL PCs and NPCs in his vicinity (exact range probably depends on time of day, astrological readings and the color of the characters underwear) have their Critical Failure rate raised by 15%, making all results higher than 80% an automatic Critical Failure, usually resulting in EPIC CALAMITY. Seriously, dont pick this Trait. It will not make you any friends. Kamikaze (0) Due to his disregard for danger, the character acts way faster in combat. His fighting style is reckless, but effective. To pick this Trait during character creation, a character cannot have his Determination Attribute lower than 6. A permanent bonus equal to the Determination Attribute is then added to the sequential score. As a disadvantage, the Critical Failure rate during combat is increased by 5%. Berserker (0) Characters with the Berserker Trait are fearsome combatants and probably a little deranged by default. Requirement for picking this Trait is a Determination Attribute of 6 or higher. When fighting, such characters have the tendency to go into a blind rage and attack anything that moves, be it friend or foe. To determine if a character with this Trait goes thermonuclear in combat, an unmodified Intelligence test is made at the end of each Combat Sequence. If the test fails, the character starts the next sequence in Berserker mode, meaning that he adds twice his Determination to his Vitality Points for the duration of the remaining fight only (!). The character enters berserker mode immediately and doesnt make any tests at all if he receives a physical wound at any point during combat. During this state, the crazed fighter will attack any live creature in range, usually in order by what he sees first (the game master may offer targets so it doesnt always end up in a player character massacre). Ruffian (0) In the ruffians mind, if there ever was a universal solution to all problems in the world, it must have been violence! Contrary to popular belief, not all ruffians are stupid by nature, but simply developed a special affinity for violence, making them excellent - well thugs. Their intellectual Skills had to suffer at some point, but some of them may still have the potential to become better persons not before bashing in some more skulls, however. Their stats are modified as stated: Pain Tolerance +5, +15% to Armed and Unarmed Melee Combat each, as well as -5% to Applied Science, Advanced Medical Applications, Humanitarian Science, Interface and Oratory each. In addition to that, the Initial Reaction of strangers is automatically lowered by 10%. Philanthropist (0) A character that qualifies as a Philanthropist has spent much more time developing his creative and peaceful abilities rather than the destructive ones. He values life and has a tendency towards charitable acts, although he is not necessarily a pacifist at heart. A character with the Philanthropist Trait has his Skills modified as stated: +10% to Humanitarian Science, + 5% to Craftsmanship, +15% to First Aid and Advanced Medical Applications, +10% to Oratory, + 5% to Housekeeping and -10% to all combat Skills (except Throwing Weapons).

25

Creating a Player Character A Step-by-Step Guide


The following rules provide a quick and simple guide to creating standard human(oid) characters. As the character creation method in Contact Kore offers full control over character stats and uses a pool of Building Points to buy stats and equipment, no numbers are randomly generated. Character creation by these rules assumes that the player makes responsible choices in order to generate a believable character, and doesnt misuse them for greedy, superficial and annoying power gaming. Character creation as presented here allows special Traits and Biomods.

1) Preparations

The creative phase of character conception can take hours or minutes, and precedes all other steps for coming up with a unique and interesting RPG character. Before players start out scribbling numbers into their notebooks, they generally make up their mind about the nature of the character they will be creating. Talking to the game master about concepts and ideas often helps to integrate the to-be character into the future group (party), while comic books, novels, movies and other media often provide the necessary inspiration. Main questions in this preparatory phase are: Is the character male or female? How old is the character? What is his/her most striking feature? Can you tell us something about his/her personality and abilities? And there are many more questions to answer, which will ultimately be done in step 6), when writing a detailed character background story is required. When players are making creative preparations, the game master also determines the size of the Building Point Pool each player can use. As an example, a typical, above average (non-supernatural) hero type character is built from a pool of roughly 230 Points, depending on the planned character's age and level of general life experience.

During this step, Attributes are bought with Building Points. Base Attributes can have values between 1-10, and one attribute point costs 2 Building Points. A total maximum of 120 Building Points can be invested into Attributes. As with all limits, the game master may allow less or more, depending on the games setting, but 120 is a number of points that already allows players to build characters with above average Attributes. Derived stats as Vitality Points (VPs) and Resistances wont be calculated at this point, because Attributes are likely to be repeatedly modified in the next few steps. Note that Attribute building has some limitations, as described in the Character Anatomy in Numbers chapter. Heres a brief, one-view recap: Body Attributes - STRENGTH - ENDURANCE - MASS Motor Attributes - REFLEXES - AGILITY * - DEXTERITY Cognitive Attributes - INTELLIGENCE - CHARISMA - PERCEPTION - DETERMINATION (St) (En) (Ms)
cannot differ by more than 4 points from MASS no special limitations cannot differ by more than 4 points from STRENGTH

2) Building the Attribute Frame

(Re) (Ag) (Dx) (In) (Ch) (Pe) (De)

no more than 5 points lower than the highest motor attribute no more than 5 points lower than the highest motor attribute * no more than 5 points lower than the highest motor attribute

no special limitations no special limitations no special limitations no special limitations

* For every 2 points of basic Strength (St) (unmodified by traits or biomods) that exceeds the value of 6, the natural base maximum of Agility is lowered by 1 point. Likewise, for every single point of basic Mass (Ms) (also unmodified) above 6, the natural base Agility maximum is lowered by 1 point.

26

3) Picking Special Traits

Traits are optional, but can make any character more interesting when used properly. While many

Traits offer only more depth for role playing the character, most of them also affect stats and/or Percentile Probabilities. Traits are divided into 3 main groups, called Advantageous Traits (a characters perks), Disadvantageous Traits (a characters flaws and handicaps) and Balanced Traits (combine both positive and negative aspects). A player may choose a maximum of 3 Traits from each group at this point. Having more than 9 Traits total or more than 3 Traits from each group shouldnt be allowed by the game master, as it probably will unbalance the game. Use Traits sparingly and not as mere stat-boosters. Attributes modified by Traits may exceed the human limit of 10, but never a maximum of 20. All Attributes and Skills modified by traits are noted separately at the right side of the base value, enclosed in (parentheses). Hint: It helps to note down Trait effects on the character draft sheet, so all stats (including Skills) can be modified in one go, without needing to review the Trait chapter every time.

4) Acquiring Gear & Equipment

This is done by the means of spending Building Points as well. Gear and equipment in Contact Kore includes armor, weapons, tools and utilities, but also so-called Biomodifications (Biomods for short), a synonym for all artificial augmentations in a characters body. They can be cybernetic, bio-, gene- or even nanotechnological in nature and often serve the purpose of improving certain stats. Any Attributes modified by Biomods are noted at the right side of their unmodified (or trait-modified) counterparts and enclosed in [box brackets]. As with Traits, Biomods are allowed to boost Attributes above the human base Attribute limit of 10, but also above the human maximum of 20 (though highly unlikely until much later on in the game). Skills cannot be affected by Biomods.

Upon concluding work on the Attributes, its time to calculate the characters Skills. To do so, substitute the corresponding Attribute values into the given formula for each Skill. Note that the relevant Attribute value is always the RIGHTMOST one, giving artificially modified Attributes priority over trait-modified and unmodified ones - and likewise, trait-modified ones priority over base Attributes. Using a spreadsheet greatly accelerates this part. After calculating, dont forget to apply any changes from Traits to the Skills themselves, using the same formal approach as with trait-modified Attribute values: put trait-modified Skills in (parentheses), to the right of the unmodified Skill. Up to 3 Skills may be declared as Focal Skills for each character. Doing so costs 10 Building Points for each Focal Skill and immediately increases its base value by 10%. The Skill must be marked or highlighted (color text markers work great) in order to be recognized as a Focal Skill. Because a Focal Skill represents a characters vocation, his main interest or even talent, so to speak, it is easier for him to become proficient in it (speaking in game terms: 1.5 times as fast) later on in the game. At this point, the player may wish to spend his remaining Building Point Pool on improving some of his characters Skills. Lowering Skills for a refund doesnt work. Any Skill can be improved at a ratio of +2% per Building Point spent, but cannot exceed 100% at character creation. Percentages bought in this manner are added to the rightmost value of the skill, and the new and improved Skill value is noted separately in {curly brackets}, as it is the relevant stat that determines PPs when making Skill tests. Keep in mind that Focal Skills are improved at the same ratio as regular Skills during character creation, and have the same 100% cap.

5) Generating and Adjusting the Skill Set

6) Finishing Touches

The player Character is pretty much completed now, if were talking only stats. After transferring them to a character sheet, theres only a few blanks more to fill in (VPs, for example). Revising stats at this point is possible, though not recommended, as changes may affect other stats as well. Skills are especially sensitive to Attribute changes. If something went terribly wrong at some point and the character ended up broken, the best solution is to go back to the step where the mistake happened, correct it, and resume character generation there. Other than that, nows the right time to write that fascinating background story you were planning to do all along. This is important. Good stats dont make a good character. Its his personality, his history that defines him as an interesting fictional person. Congratulations, youre done and ready to play.

27

Equipment In almost every single RPG system, equipment plays its important part; sometimes even helps define a characters identity. In fact, many players enjoy improving their characters equipment as much as improving stats, and optimizing equipment can be a rewarding experience. In Contact Kore, equipment has a set of stats which looks different depending on the type of equipment we are talking about. Typical types of equipment for most near-future settings are: Weapons, Armor, Biomods, Chemicals, Vehicles and Miscellaneous Items. The following section provides a sample for each type of equipment, and a brief explanation of its specific stats.
In game terms, all physical objects (with the exception of already installed Biomods and, well, Diseases) in Contact Kore have 4 stats in common: Weight, Size, Cost and Availability. Certain types of objects, such as weapons and armor, have extended stats to reflect their usability in combat. But first things first: Weight
Weight in fact refers to an objects mass (density multiplied with volume) and doesnt change depending on differing gravitational forces. It is measured in lb (pounds) or grams, kilograms and tons in the metric system (well use pounds for all examples). The weight a character can carry with or without certain limitations is discussed at the beginning of the Combat chapter.

Equipment has Stats as well

Size is a highly abstract stat in Contact Kore. Instead of using an absolute volumetric value, the size of an object is listed as one of 6 Size categories: Tiny, Small, Normal, Large, Bulky and Huge. Examples for a Tiny object would be a small pocket knife or coin, while an average combat knife or a semi-automatic pistol would list as Small. Most rifles and a briefcase are of Normal size, while typical heavy weapons and larger suitcases are described as Large. Bulky Objects include vehicles like cars or a couch, for example, while anything larger than that classifies as Huge. Characters are normally unable to carry objects around that are Bulky or Huge, even if they miraculously dont exceed their calculated carry weight. Only Tiny and Small Items may be carried in a concealed fashion.

Size

Cost

When acquiring equipment for a character during character creation, Building Points are used to pay for it. The monetary value of the object is listed below its BP cost and represents the price a character would have to pay for it during game play. Note that BP cost is not proportional to the material value of a piece of equipment. Very common and invaluable items may have a BP cost of 0, reflecting the fact that they arent worth any precious Building Points, and can therefore be added freely to a characters inventory. The game master should, however, prohibit the misuse of this rule; as such items still have some material value during game play.

Availability

The Availability of any piece of equipment is irrelevant at the stage of character creation, but plays an important role during game play, as goods with low Availability (expressed as a percentile value) are harder to come by. Usually, a high Availability means that the goods in question have high supply (along with high demand), while a higher demand than supply means a lowered Availability. If theres less demand, its likely that supply will also decline, eventually, while demand higher than supply lowers Availability as well. When buying goods during game play, the Availability stat is used as a PP for the game master to check if the player character is able to find the object he wants to buy. Availability for any given object may vary wildly, depending on the games setting and in-game situation.

28

Weapon Stats
Name
Sample gun 9mm

Type
Small Arms (B)

Mode
Semi (4)

Range M.
X -2%

Damage
2 + 1D10*

Min. (St)
2

Ammo
10 (mag 5) 9mm Para

Weight
1,5 lb

Size
Small

Cost
600 1 BP

Availability
60%

Quality
0%

Name - The weapons name and/or model number, possibly with manufacturer. Type - The weapons type informs about the skill needed to use it. Pistols, submachine guns, shotguns and all kinds of rifles are Small Arms, for example, and are used with that skill, while all blades, clubs, spears and so on are Melee Weapons. Also informs about the Damage type the weapon normally inflicts upon targets. Mode - Firing Modes for firearms, such as semi-automatic, burst fire or full auto, but also Attack Modes for melee weapons, such as stab or slash. Most weapons offer more than one Mode to choose from. Each Attack Mode is accompanied by a number, representing the Action Points used per attack in that Mode. Descriptions for various Attack Modes can be found in the Combat chapter. Range Multiplier - Applies only to ranged weapons, melee weapons that cannot be thrown dont have a Range Multiplier. The Range Multiplier is used to determine modifiers to the PP of an attack based on range - the farther a target is away from the shooter, the more difficult it becomes for him to hit it, up to a distance where a hit becomes statistically impossible (greatly depending on the shooters skill, of course). To obtain the (impeding) modifier, calculate the actual range to the target (in yards) times the given Range Multiplier of the weapon. Highpowered long-range rifles therefore have very small Range Multipliers. Damage - A weapons damage potential for a given Attack Mode. Take a look at the Damage of our sample gun. Firearms have a fixed base Damage value and usually one D10 added to it. Most regular firearms also feature the D10* (Dee-Ten-Extra), it means that any die roll of 10 grants another die roll, which is then added to the previous result, making even a small-caliber pistol potentially deadly in one single hit. Armor and cover will reduce Damage; armor in particular may even convert it to a different, less fatal Damage type. The most classic example when this happens is Ballistic Damage (bullets!) applied to a bullet-proof vest, which has a high Ballistic armor rating (B). Ballistic Damage (B) is then transformed to Blunt Trauma (T), which is itself absorbed by another Protection stat (see below). A detailed explanation of Contact Kores fun and semirealistic damage system can be found in the Combat chapter. Minimum Strength - If a character doesnt fulfill a weapons Minimum Strength requirement, he can still use it, but suffers a severe impeding modifier of -20% to his attack PP for each point by which the weapons Strength requirement exceeds his Strength attribute. Ammo - If a weapon uses ammunition, its capacity and ammo type (caliber for firearms) is found here. Ammo storage type (such as: magazine) is listed in (parentheses), along with the number of necessary Action Points to reload the weapon. Note that there are usually different, specialized ammunition variants available in most calibers, altering the weapons properties as described in the respective equipment chapter of the RPGs setting. Simple melee weapons usually dont use ammunition, and therefore have this field left blank. Weight, Size, Cost & Availability - See general equipment stats. Quality - A special stat that reflects a weapons ease of use, reliability and precision. Most standard weapons have a quality of 0%, meaning they are of regular quality and therefore dont impose any further modifiers to the users attack PP. Some improvised, damaged or simply crappy weapons automatically impose impeding modifiers, however, while super-advanced, customized state-of the art toys of destruction even grant a bonus to the PP. Use negative values for damaged or poorly designed weapons, and 29 positive values for outstanding ones.

Armor Stats
Name
Sample Armor

Hit Locations
Torso

Protection
B9 /S3 /I4 /H0 /C0 /T0 /E0

Min. (St)
1

Weight
7 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
800 1 BP

Availability
30%

Name - Tells you what you are wearing. Hit Locations - Lists the body areas the piece of armor is covering. A human or humanoid character has following Hit Locations: Head, Torso, Right Arm, Left Arm, Groin, Right Leg, Left Leg. Damage to the various Hit Locations has different effects, thoroughly discussed in the Combat chapter. Protection - As there are 7 types of damage in Contact Kore, armor also sports 7 different Protection values. Damage is handled by a special set of rules which can be found in the Combat chapter. The Protection stats are always listed in this pattern: BX /SX /IX /HX /CX /TX /EX, the X representing the numeric value of each Protection stat, while the 7 letters stand in for: B = Protection against Ballistic damage (caused by high-speed kinetic projectiles). S = Protection against Sharp or pointed damage I = Protection against blunt Impact (from clubs, fists or the floor) H = Protection from Heat and Fire (including lasers and plasma) C = Protection from Cold, thermal insulation so to speak T = Protection from Toxins, corrosives and such (airborne or liquid) E = Protection against Explosive damage Minimum Strength - Works quite similar to a weapons Minimum Strength requirement, except that modifiers are applied to ALL physical actions the character performs while wearing armor that is too heavy for him, and there is an additional effect on the Sequential Score. If a character doesnt fulfill the armors Minimum Strength requirement, he can still wear it, but suffers an impeding modifier of -10% for each point by which the armors Minimum Strength requirement exceeds his Strength Attribute. Furthermore, each point of the armors Minimum Strength requirement that is above the characters Strength Attribute, lowers his Sequential Score by 5, down to a minimum of 0, where he cannot act at all with that armor on. Note that the Minimum Strength requirements of armor pieces worn simultaneously are added up and count as a whole. Weight, Size, Cost & Availability - See general equipment stats.

Biomod Stats
Name
Sample Biomod

Invasion
+5%

Resilience
Head / 4

Effects
Special (Substance)

Cost
3500 2 BP

Availability
30%

Name - The self-explanatory designation of the Biomodification. Invasion - Cybernetic implants and other Biomods require medical procedures (often surgical in nature) that are not to be taken lightly. Invasion as a percentile value quantifies how severe such a procedure is and what remaining impact a Biomod has on the users organism. The sum of Invasion ratings from all currently installed Biomods in a character is called Invasion Index, and starts affecting

30

the character in a negative way after exceeding 50%. Note that any characters Invasion Index cannot exceed 200%. If it does, the character dies. Certain, special Biomods allow reducing the Invasion Index, but are extremely expensive. Resilience - Biomods can break if the Hit Location theyre implanted in receives damage. The Resilience stat of Biomods basically tells us where it is located, and the amount of Damage points it can sustain before becoming useless. To determine if any Biomod within a certain Hit Location receives damage, consult its Invasion rating. If this rating is equal or higher than the result of the attack roll (in assumption that the attack was as success), the Biomod was hit! Check for each Biomod designated to that Hit Location separately. These numbers dont have to be checked if the attack scored a Critical Hit, as such a result automatically damages all Biomods in that area. If a Biomod located in multiple Hit Locations receives Damage from one of them, the whole system is equally affected; this means damage from different Hit Locations is cumulative to a single Biomod. Keep in mind that Biomods can be damaged only by means of physical Damage, never by Fatigue. Effects - Changes to Attributes, Skills and other stats from a Biomod are listed here (usually abbreviated). Detailed explanations of the game effects of Biomods can be found in their respective descriptions in the setting modules equipment chapter. In the case of Attributes and Skills, values modified by Biomods are written in [box brackets] to reflect their unnatural state. Cost & Availability - See general equipment stats.

Aside from a Biomods physical impact on the users body, there also is a psychological component that is not to be underestimated. Overly augmented characters tend to become twitchy, reclusive and less popular with their family, friends and co-workers, ultimately leading to psychotic behavior and possibly a life of crime. Adequately role-playing such characters requires some responsibility, unless the game master actually wants unpredictable, psychopathic cyborgs endangering everyone in the group, including themselves. Note that any characters Invasion Index cannot exceed 200%. If it does, the character dies. Starting with an Invasion Index of 51%, Biomod users start experiencing psychological side effects as listed in the table below.

Biomods and Invasion

51% to 75% -

Sometimes, not always, the characters social abilities seem somewhat stinted. He experiences short periods of alienation. Taking his disaffected behavior into consideration, Initial Reaction of NPCs for which the character has a Familiarity Level below 4 is automatically reduced by 5%. The character starts realizing what the price for his artificial augmentation really is: A part of himself. Phases of alienation and lack of emotion are more frequent. Initial Reaction of NPCs for which the character has a Familiarity Level below 6 is automatically reduced by 10%. Psychological effects from being too heavily augmented start turning obvious to most observers. The character has tics when idle, and his face loses somewhat of its former expressiveness. Depending on the types of Biomods installed in his body, the game master may adjust these signs appropriately. Initial Reaction of NPCs for which the character has a Familiarity Level below 8 is automatically reduced by 15%.

76% to 100%

101% to 125%

31

126% to 150%

The augmented character reaches a state where he considers giving in. Being less and more than human at the same time, he realizes that fighting disaffection is not an option any more. Aside from severe alienation, the character develops a tendency to pity and/or despise regular, unmodified humans. Furthermore, obvious side effects from bio-augmentation, like twitching and the blank stare, become much more prominent. Initial Reaction of NPCs for which the character has a Familiarity Level below 10 is automatically reduced by 20%. One can tell from a distance how heavily biomodified the character is; he has become more machine than man. Far remnants of what he once knew as feelings rarely compel him, he has gained the ability to think fast, effective and without remorse, never impressed by these touchy, feely, weak and pathetic meat-puppets around him; in fact he tolerates them only as long as they are convenient to him. He doesnt know compassion or affection any more; even so his mind still can be occasionally dominated by anger, hate and paranoia. Such characters quickly develop cyborg-psychosis, a disorder that will make them a threat even to their closest friends and family. Initial Reaction of ALL NPCs is automatically reduced by 25% when at this terminal stage of biomodification!

151% to 200%

Biomods and Damage

Biomods receive Damage as described above. When that happens, players of augmented characters might want to know how to deal with it. In Contact, Biomods are divided into Hard and Soft Biomods. Hard Biomods that received Damage have to be repaired similar to other technical equipment. When destroyed, they have to be replaced completely. The game master may call in Skill tests for Advanced Medical Applications, Engineering & Repair and/or Interface to do so. PPs for these tests are determined by Skill value minus Biomod Invasion rating. Soft Biomods, on the other hand, are a completely different story. As semi-natural, biologic parts of the users body, they can be restored the same way that Crippled Hit Locations are treated, using only the Advanced Medical Applications Skill. This can be done only if the Biomod wasnt destroyed by Damage. If it was or two tests fail in a row, it will have to be replaced. When a Biomod is surgically removed or destroyed by Damage, its Invasion rating isnt subtracted from the characters Invasion Index. Just mark the Biomod as removed. Only if an identical Biomod is installed later on, the Invasion Index doesnt have to be increased, because the new augmentation simply replaces the old one. Rules for repairing Biomods are kept somewhat loose on purpose. Dont make repairing cyborgs a chore, they are well known for the possibility to have their parts quickly replaced, after all.

Vehicle Stats
Name
Sample Bike

Type
Motorcycle

Speed
8 / 95

Sturdiness
30 / 2

Weight
200 lb

Size
Large

Cost
3500 2 BP

Availability
95%

Name - Model name, possibly with year of production. Type - As with weapons, the vehicles type determines the skill necessary to use (drive) it. Speed - The first number indicates maximum acceleration per Action Point spent, while the second one stands in for top speed, in miles per hour. Sturdiness - The first number of Sturdiness works similar to a characters Vitality Points, while the second one describes protection (armor) from damage. Vehicles have a simplified armor value that defends against all kinds of damage, as opposed to character body armor.

32

Weight, Size, Cost & Availability - See general equipment stats.

Disease and Chemical Stats


Name
Aspirin

Vector
Ingestion

Latency
20 minutes

Effects
Cures headaches! Pain Tolerance +2

Half-Life
45 minutes - (Ms)

Cost
5 0 BP

Availability
95%

Disease & Chemical Guidelines

When designing a disease, poison or drug, start off by determining its Vector first. The Vector describes the way a substance, pathogen or even nanotech gets into the body. Common examples for Vectors are Ingestion, Injection, Inhalation and Contact. Attach a numeric value to these Vectors in order to be able to pit them against Armor Protection values. (T) protects against Contact agents, (S) against Injection needles, while a gas mask (with its own Protection rating) is needed to fend off airborne agents (Vector: Inhalation). Naturally, with Ingestion, there is no particular protection against it besides simply NOT eating the substance in question, so no Vector rating needs to be attached. When a drugs, diseases or poisons Vector rating is higher than the appropriate Protection value, the agent takes its intended effect, if not, it wont, as simple as that. Keep in Mind that the number next to the Vector may strongly depend on dosage, which should not be used as a game stat, except for dramatic purposes only. Next, determine Latency, Effects and Half-Life of the agent. In game terms, Latency means the number of Combat Sequences or minutes/hours it needs to take effect. Effects specify what it does to the user/victim, while Half-Life specifies the time after which effects get weaker and cease. Use Half-Life in a simplified, not-so scientific way for game purposes, by halving the strength of effects down after a given time, and making them cease after double that time. Whenever determining such stats, be aware that they often depend on characters Attributes as well, so incorporating Attributes into simple formulae might prove useful. Stats that are likely to influence a harmful drugs effect strength and duration are Mass, Endurance and even Determination, for example. Secondary Effects and/ or Addiction rules are optional.

Other Equipment and Miscellaneous Items


Items that do not qualify into the categories listed above (or other, special item classes, introduced with new RPG settings) feature only the 4 basic equipment stats: Weight, Size, Cost and Availability. Of course this pattern, as most rules in Contact Kore, can be adjusted if the games setting requires it.

33

Combat When Diplomacy Fails


Contact Kores Combat chapter isnt exactly short, as it tries to cover most aspects of modern combat in a semi-realistic, believable way. It is by no means supposed to guarantee an accurate simulation of reality, as this would make it overly complicated and much less fun to use. Simulated realism is, quite frankly, impossible to do in a pen & paper RPG, anyway. This one was definitely written with the general idea in mind to distinguish itself from combat systems frequently found in various vintage fantasy RPGs, where combat is either too elaborate (and tedious) or just clunky, and treated as the whole raison dtre for the remaining game content. In Contact Kore, combat is supposed to be balanced to some extent, but also quick, dirty and violent, using a plethora of contemporary or futuristic means for killing each other. Along with the deadliness of firearms also comes the possibility to use cover and evasive actions, or immediately retaliate in close combat, making the enemy think twice about taking on a strong melee fighter. In addition to that, it offers comprehensive rules for hightech toys of destruction and a physically detailed, yet very playable damage system. The Combat Sequence - A non-rigid order 1. Determine initial Combat Sequence - Players calculate their Sequential Scores. 2. Player with highest Sequential Score acts first and subtracts APs from it. he can perform actions in this

fashion until his score isnt highest anymore. 3. The Combat Sequence is updated, allowing the next player character to act. 4. Player with now highest Sequential Score acts and subtracts APs from it. 5. Step 3 and 4 are repeated, until no player has any useable APs left. 6. A new Combat Sequence is initiated, unless combat ended already.

Action Points Every action uses up Action Points (APs) from a characters Sequential Score. This means that any Action Points spent are immediately subtracted from the score for the current Combat Sequence. When the Sequential Score has been depleted in this manner, the Combat Sequence is over for that character. Keep in mind that even a character with a very high Sequential Score will eventually pass the initiative to another character once his score isnt the highest any more. The nature of Action Points is strictly abstract. They are used to loosely quantify the time it takes to perform actions properly (or fail them properly - heh). As two similar or identical actions never take the exact same time to perform, it remains impossible to state an action points length in seconds, but one can try to imagine a whole Combat Sequence to be about 10 to 15 seconds long. Acting Simultaneously Occasionally, two combatants will have the same (currently highest) Sequential Score. Theoretically, they could act simultaneously (or better: start their actions simultaneously), unless the game master decides otherwise (for example if the two characters are involved in a gun duel or even melee combat). To determine who acts faster in that case, compare both characters Reflexes and Determination Attributes (in this order). The character who wins the first comparison takes the initiative. In the unlikely case of all values being equal, the decision has to be made other means - a die roll, the game masters decision or one player simply yielding the initiative to the other. Timed Devices in Combat Some devices can have a Sequential Score as well. The most common example is a hand grenade. In game terms, its timer counts down a (given or adjustable) number of Action Points after it has been armed, which means that the detonation takes place with a Sequential Score of (using characters Sequential Score after arming it) minus (timer value in APs). Other devices that are activated automatically when combat starts (like a sentry gun, for instance), simply come with fixed Sequential Scores and are treated similar to a character in combat. Note that if theres a tie between the Sequential Scores of an inanimate object and a character, the

34

character can ALWAYS act first. Also, inanimate mechanisms cannot be Surprise attacked (see below). Ambushing and Surprise Attacks Various situations will occur where characters get taken by surprise; when they are not prepared for combat or the attack comes from an unexpected angle. To reflect such a state in surprise situations, Contact Kores combat system decreases the affected characters Sequential Score for the first Combat Sequence of the fight. Depending on the amount of potential confusion a situation offers, the game master uses 1D10 to 3D10 to determine the number of points lost from the SS. Characters whose SS has been reduced to zero in this fashion are basically perplexed and cant do a thing for the whole first Combat Sequence. As surprise attacks are performed either by the premise of an ambush or by actively sneaking up on someone, some additional rules are necessary to differentiate between these two types of surprise situations. Always use the rules below AFTER calculating characters' Sequential Scores for the first Combat Sequence, but BEFORE combat actually starts. When sneaking up on a victim, the attacker makes a Stealth & Sneaking test. A failure on this test simply means that the victim is not surprised at all, and combat starts normally. In case of success on the sneaking test, the game master makes his roll to determine the number of Action Points the victim is losing. Double this amount for a critical success on the attacker's sneaking test. Now its the victim's turn to make a Perception test, its PP as always modified accordingly, depending on the Illumination level, background noise of the scene, and so on. If it succeeds, the amount of Action Points lost is halved down, or negated completely on a critical success. If theres a critical failure on this test, double the amount of points lost. Most readers will have realized by now that the Action Point loss can be doubled twice, first by a critical success in the attackers sneaking test, and then by critical failure of the victims perception test. The probability is low, but when it happens, thats tough luck for a poor, surprised victim. Note that if there are multiple surprise victims, separate Perception tests are made by every single one of them, but the result of the attackers sneaking test, as well as the die-generated raw number of potentially lost Action Points, counts for all of them. On the other hand, if there are multiple attackers trying to surprise somebody, all of them make separate sneaking tests, but only the most unfavorable result (for the aggressors) in the group counts, reflecting the fact that one clumsy ninja-wannabe can ruin the moment of surprise for the others, as well. Next, theres the ambush situation, where the attackers lie in wait until the victims move themselves into position to be surprised. Since the attackers are passive in this one, they dont need to make any test. The rest works exactly the same way as in the previous case - a number of Action Points to be subtracted from the victims Sequential Scores is generated by the game master, and Perception tests are made by the victims, with all the same rules applying as before. Delayed Actions This rule allows players to begin their characters action, but delaying its completion until needed. To do so, the player declares an action the same way he would do it normally, but notifies the game master that it will be a delayed one. It is crucial that he does this immediately after declaring the action; otherwise his character has to perform and complete it instantly. The usual number of Action Points is subtracted (and the Combat Sequence is updated) immediately, but the declared action is halted. Characters can hold back in this fashion for as long as the player wishes, even after a completely new Combat Sequence has been initiated, but suffers modifiers to all other actions during that time, similar as when performing Parallel actions. Note that the modifier applies only to additional actions, but not to the delayed action itself. If the character still has a Sequential Score above 0, delayed actions can be completed anytime the player wishes it, which costs no extra APs. In fact, the delaying player is even allowed to interrupt other players action announcements in order to complete his delayed action. Ingame, this would mean that the delaying character completes his action as a reaction to the interrupted characters move, allowing the former to act first. Changing ones mind to delaying the action further on after calling in its completion is not allowed, however. Note that any delayed action must be true to its declaration. Changing targets during a delayed firearm attack, for instance, is not an option. Naturally, delayed actions can be canceled at any time the player wishes, in order to perform new actions normally. There is no Action Point refund, however, so use the Delayed Actions rule wisely. Parallel Actions The safest way for getting things done is one at a time. There are situations, however, where you dont HAVE that time, and thats where the already proverbial multitasking comes into play. Combining actions requires some reasoning, however. Not all actions are compatible with each other. You cannot reload a weapon while firing it. Or breathe in while you scream. To perform 2 or more actions at the same time, first check out their Action Point costs. The highest value in the lot is used. It also tells us how many of the smaller actions can be chained during this Parallel Action phase. The number of actions performed at the same time is limited only by logical reasoning 35 and the game masters call, but keep in mind that tests have to be made for most of them, and thats

where the great drawback of Parallel Actions lies: Each single PP is divided by the total number of actions in the whole Parallel Action phase (also counting chained actions). This division takes place before applying any modifiers. In effect, all PPs are greatly reduced, even if the character is normally very skilled. Some special actions, such as movement, do not count towards the total number of Parallel Actions, but impose their own, specific modifiers on all other actions performed with them. A Word on Lighting In Contact Kore, lighting conditions are described in five levels: Good, Normal, Weak, Minimal, and Darkness. These are called Illumination Levels. Good Lighting (strong Sunlight or a powerful spot-on lamp) is only required for reading small letters or performing delicate operations, while Normal lighting is usually omnipresent during daytime and in lit buildings (cloudy afternoon, overhead neon lamps). During combat, Good and Normal Lighting conditions dont impose any modifiers, while the weaker Illumination Levels do, up to a whopping -150% for Darkness in ranged combat. Illumination Levels can be influenced by the means of various electronic or biotechnological vision enhancements, or by using a good ol' flashlight.

Combat Action List

The following list includes common actions performed during combat, along with their Action Point values. Naturally, there are a lot more possibilities at hand, but these are the most frequently used and important ones.
Walk Run Dash Crawl Sneak Jump Climb Ready Melee Weapon Melee Attack Aimed Melee Attack Parry Ready Firearm Fire Weapon Aimed Shot Switch Firing Mode Change Weapon Reload Weapon Prime Hand Grenade Throwing Attack Defensive Action Drop Object Observe Read Wait Use Simple Switch Use Device Open or Close Door Change Stance Simple Gesture Complex Gesture Speak, Call out 2 APs per yard 2 APs per (Agility/2) yards 2 APs per (Agility) yards 4 APs per yard 3 APs Per yard 3 APs or more (varies, see description) 6 APs per (Agility + Strength - Mass) X 0,1 yard 2 APs (up to Small) and 3 AP (up to Normal) Weapon Mode or 5 AP for unarmed attacks Weapon Mode + 1 AP 3 APs, special 3 APs (Handguns) und 4 AP (Long Arms) Weapon Mode Weapon Mode + 2 AP 3 APs 6 APs See weapons Ammo stat Usually 3 APs 5 APs or weapon Mode Special 1 AP Special 2 APs per (In) X Words As many APs as player wishes 2 APs Varies, see object description 4 APs 4 APs 2 APs 5 APs 2 APs per Word Special

36

Drive Vehicle

A word on Load:

A characters practical carry weight or Load is defined as their Strength Attribute X 8 in pounds. If exceeding this Load, a character is considered Overloaded and receives severe movement penalties. Characters that exceed twice their maximum Carry Weight (meaning Strength Attribute X 16 in Pounds) will not be able to move at all.

Movement
Movement as a combat action doesnt count when determining the total number of Parallel Actions, but imposes a specific modifier for all actions performed during movement. Movement types include, but are not limited to: Walking - Costs 2 APs per yard. The Walking modifier for other actions is merely -5%. Walking doesnt wear characters down very quickly, unless they are Overloaded. In game terms, walking for 10 minutes X (En) causes one point of Fatigue, while Overloaded characters suffer one point of Fatigue after (En) minutes of walking already. Running - Speed depends on the characters Agility Attribute (consult table) when Running. Dont forget to round fractions up to full yards. In effect, characters with an Agility Attribute of 1 dont run, as their running speed equals their walking speed. The running modifier for other actions is -20%. Running is more tiring than Walking, but you usually dont have to keep track of Fatigue from Running during a fight, unless Overloaded. Running a number of minutes equal to ones Endurance Attribute causes one point of Fatigue, while an Overloaded character suffers one point of Fatigue after each (En) yards he runs. Dashing - A character who dashes really puts everything into it. It means going at the fastest speed that character can go. As with Running, speed greatly depends on Agility. Performing other actions while Dashing becomes virtually impossible (-100%). Characters suffer one point of Fatigue each (En) yards they dash. Overloaded characters are completely unable to dash. Crawling - Costs 4 APs per yard and is the only movement type that doesnt cause Fatigue, or at least doesnt cause any Fatigue that would be worth mentioning in game terms. Even Overloaded characters are able to crawl around without getting fatigued. As Crawling requires all four limbs, performing other actions at the same time is generally impossible (unless its speaking or observing). Also, it looks very pathetic. Sneaking - All rules from Walking apply to Sneaking as well, with the exception of a higher AP cost per yard (3 instead of 2). Sneaking is required as the only movement type used when trying to be stealthy, allowing the character to make appropriate Skill tests in order to avoid detection. Jumping - The AP cost of jumps varies, starting with 3 APs. Note that very small jumps that dont require an Agility test are considered part of other movement types and not Jumping in game terms. In order to determine the PP of a jump, take a look at these simple formulae (valid for earths gravity): For horizontal jumps, standing: For horizontal jumps, running: For vertical jumps, downward: For vertical jumps, upward: (Re + Ag - Ms/2) X (7 - distance in yards) (Re + Ag) X (10 - distance in yards) (Re + Ag - Ms) X (7 - height in yards) (Ag + St - Ms) X (5 - height in yards) % % % %

Keep in mind that there are no negative values allowed as results from the (parentheses). Treat them as zeros instead, resulting in zero PPs, making the jump impossible (or automatically fatal in extreme cases). Also game masters should be aware of the fact that such equations are far from being perfect (or realistic) and sometimes theres a judgment call to be made. Even if a character COULD jump 4 yards upwards in pure numbers (with a low PP, but not impossible), a game master should think twice before allowing it to happen, unless its necessary for an extraordinary heroic moment.

If the Agility test for a jump fails, the effects vary depending on the type of jump. In case of horizontal jumps, the character doesnt manage to get far enough and may even hurt himself (or plunge to his death in a worst-case scenario). Downward vertical jumps, which are basically voluntary falling, may hurt even more if failed, while a failed upward vertical jump normally isnt so bad; the character simply lands back on his feet without reaching what he was possibly reaching for. If theres a critical failure, however, put

37

the pain on them, no matter what kind of jump we are talking about, and double any damage taken normally. Falling to the ground usually causes blunt Impact (I) damage equal to a characters Mass Attribute/2 X height in yards, but the game master may adjust this number (and damage type) at his discretion, taking the floors texture and consistency into careful consideration. Characters that are Overloaded cannot jump at all (just FALL, and they WILL hurt themselves when doing so.) Climbing - Climbing speed depends on certain Attributes, as stated in the Combat Action List above. One needs both hands to climb, so performing other physical actions at the same time is generally impossible (with a few exceptions, apply a modifier of -50% to the PP of these). Climbing causes characters to suffer one point of Fatigue every (En)X2 Action Points spent doing so. As for Overloaded characters, double their Action Point costs for Climbing and halve down their movement rate. Also, they should make a Strength test in order to determine if they can hold on with each point of Fatigue suffered due to climbing, which makes it especially dangerous when hauling too big a load.

Melee Combat
Melee Combat in Contact Kore is easily comprehensible and as straight to the point as a kick to the head: It consists of an Attack Phase and a Defense Phase, allowing both attacker and defender to act at roughly at the same time. To perform a melee attack, the target has to be within ones Reach, of course, which is defined as follows for human or humanoid characters: - Bare hands, knives, saps or other very short melee weapons: - Most one-handed melee weapons shorter than 3 feet: - Spears, staves or large, two handed blades: < 1 yard < 1,5 yards < 2 yards

Note that these rules are not designed to allow two characters attacking each other simultaneously in melee combat. Refer to the rules for avoiding simultaneous actions. Furthermore, melee combat is not binding, normally. Characters previously attacked in melee combat can break off from a fight as soon as they have the initiative (= highest Sequential Score), in order to perform ranged attacks or other actions effectively. If they can get away from the enemy pummeling them, however, is another question - in order to do so, they need enough room for maneuvering. When cut off, they often cannot pass through an attacker. In exceptional cases, the GM may demand an accordingly modified Agility test to check if a character manages to escape the unfavorable position. Grant the enemy an opportunistic melee attack at reduced AP cost (halved or GM's discretion) if the test fails in any way. Melee weapons, as all weapons, have to be readied before using them. Readying melee weapons usually takes less Action Points than readying a firearm, because firearms have to be locked and loaded before use. Next, a few words on Unarmed Melee combat: Attacking without weapons costs 5 APs, which is about as much as most attacks with melee weapons. Unarmed attacks are much less effective than armed ones, and always induce blunt Impact damage (I). Damage is equal to the characters Strength Attribute. For parrying with bare hands, a few extra rules have to be taken in consideration. Incoming unarmed attacks can be blocked without consequences IF the attackers Strength Attribute is NOT at least twice as high as the defenders. If it is, the defender takes half damage to the Hit Location (normally the left or right arm) he is parrying with. Bare-handedly parrying armed melee attacks is generally a bad idea and can lead to considerable injury. Apply the weapons full damage to the defenders parry limb (again, we are normally talking the upper limbs). Note that critical hits to an arm that would normally break a parry weapon may also break the arm, effectively Crippling it at the game masters discretion (increase Damage to the Crippling Threshold if necessary.

Attack Phase:

38

The Attacker first states his target and weapon Mode (and a Hit Location if he intends to make the optional Aimed Attack). Then the Melee Skill test is taken to find out if the attack was successful. Apart from movement, Damage, Fatigue and Parallel Actions, the following situational modifiers can be applied to a Melee Skill Test (using the Skills: Unarmed Melee Combat or Armed Melee Combat as base PPs):

Situational Modifiers for Melee Attacks:


Attackers (Re) is at least twice the targets (Re) Target's (Re) is at least twice the attacker's (Re) Fighting in Minimal light Fighting in complete Darkness Attacker has high ground or target is prone Attacker has longer Reach than target Attacker makes Aimed Attack (at a specific Hit Location) Attacker stands on unstable or difficult ground Free fall or zero-gravity conditions

+ 20% - 20% - 25% - 100% + 15% + 10% Special - 25% - 50%

Aimed Attack Modifiers - Melee: Head: -35% Torso (facing side): -10% Torso (opposite side): -75% Either Arm: -10% Groin: -20% Either Leg -15%

Lookup Table: Critically Successful Melee Attacks


Result D100:
1-5 6-15 16-25 26-35 36-55 56-75 76-95 96-100

Effects:
Target loses 15 - (De) APs and falls prone Attack bypasses Armor; no Protection Attack partially bypasses Armor; half Protection Attacker recovers 2 Action Points Attacker recovers 1 Action Point Bonus-Damage +1D10 Bonus-Damage +2 points No additional effects

Lookup Table: Critically Failed Melee Attacks


Result D100:
1-5 6-25 26-45 46-65 66-75 76-85 86-95 96-100

Effects:
No effect; but looks ridiculous Weapon is accidentally thrown instead of swung! (random direction) Oops - Hits a non-intended, nearby target! Weapon is involuntarily thrown and hits a non-intended target (with half original damage) Attacker accidentally hits himself! (Base Damage + Strength, no dice) Loses balance and falls to the ground (usually 1D10 blunt Impact damage) Loses Balance and falls on own weapon (base damage X 2, no Strength) Attacker fails spectacularly, hurting himself in the process, falling prone afterwards and loses his weapon. Ouch!

The listed effects cant be always applied. If a critical effect determined per die roll cant be happening in the opinion of the game master, dont re-roll, but simply ignore it. If a character falls to the ground, he is prone and must perform a Change Stance action (4 APs) to get up again.

Defense Phase:

No matter if the attack was successful or not, the Defense Phase takes place after it. It allows the target of the melee attack to choose from a couple of options on how to deal with the aggression. Note that each Defense Phase can contain only ONE of these options. Note that if the attack missed, theres no point in choosing option two.

39

One - The defender does nothing and takes the hit. Damage is calculated and applied immediately. Two - The defender blocks or parries the attack with his arm, a weapon or a shield (which usually works best). Parrying costs Action Points, however, and 3 APs are immediately subtracted from the defenders Sequential Score each time he uses this option. Use the Armed Melee Combat Skill, or respectively the Unarmed Melee Combat Skill for testing if the Parry was successful, and apply the situational modifiers below to the PP, along with any other modifiers from Damage, Fatigue, and so on. If the Parry is not successful, the attacks still a valid hit and Damage is calculated and applied. Note that critical failures on this test have some nasty effects, as described in the Critically Failed Parry lookup table. Scoring a critical success while parrying gives the defender back 2 of the 3 Action Points spent on the Parry.

Situational Modifiers for Parry:


Defenders (Re) is at least twice the attackers (Re) Defenders (St) is at least twice the attackers (St) Attackers (St) is at least twice the defenders (St) Defender has high ground or is fighting a prone attacker Fighting in Minimal light Fighting in complete Darkness Defender has longer Reach than Attacker Defender uses shield or other special item for parry Defender is prone Defender stands on unstable or difficult ground Free fall or zero-gravity conditions

+ 20% + 30% - 50% + 15% - 30% - 100% + 10% Item Description - 30% - 20% - 40%

Three - Last but not least, the defender Counterattacks before the hit can connect. To be able do so, the defending characters Reflexes Attribute must be at least twice the attackers. If thats not the case, Counterattacking is not an option. Naturally, defenders can also counter if the incoming attack was going to miss. Counterattacks are treated exactly as regular Melee Attacks, but suffer an automatic modifier of -20%. Successful Counterattacks can NOT be countered themselves, nor can they be parried. A successful Counterattack also causes the original attack to miss. If the Counterattack fails, a successful original attack will hit the defender as planned. Critical outcomes on Counterattacks are treated similar to such on regular attacks, but note that a critical failure on a counterattack automatically grants critical success to the incoming, original attack!

Lookup Table: Critically Failed Parry


Result D100:
1-5 6-25 26-45 46-65 66-75 76-85 86-95 96-100

Effects:
No effects beside parry being useless Defender drops his parry weapon Defender hurts himself (weapon base damage +1, no Strength, no dice) Loses balance and falls to the ground, taking 1D10 blunt Impact damage Parry weapon breaks! Falls to the ground AND hurts himself with parry weapon Hurts himself with parry weapon, falls to the ground AND loses weapon Parry weapon breaks, defender receives 1D10 additional damage from attack, and Armor is unfortunately bypassed!

Sometimes, when the listed effects simply dont seem possible, the game master has to make a judgment call. If a critical effect determined per die roll cant be happening in the opinion of the game master, dont re-roll, but simply ignore it. Also, if a character falls to the ground, he is prone and must perform a Change Stance action (4 APs) to get up again.

Concluding a melee attack

40

When a successful hit (that wasnt parried) is achieved, Damage is being calculated and applied (See Damage section). Critical hits (due do critical success on the melee skill test) double their native

Damage (meaning the damage value before subtracting armor Protection from it) and gain one or more special effects, determined with a D100-roll (See lookup tables).

Ranged Combat
In the contemporary and futuristic settings Contact Kore is intended to be used with, guns are the preferred means for putting the hurt on the enemy. Speaking in rules and numbers, ranged combat isnt so different from melee combat, except that theres no such thing as a Defense Phase, but there is the separate possibility to take Evasive Action. Situational modifiers and critical outcomes play an important part again. Weapon Range: Each gun and other ranged weapon has a Range Multiplier stat, which works as an actual multiplier with the distance to the target (in yards) to determine range modifiers. Naturally, targets that are far away will be harder to hit than nearby ones. When in close quarters combat, game masters should use this rule sparingly, however. Nobody wants to calculate minor range modifiers for every few yards some bad guy is away from the player character. When such range modifiers are negligible, simply trash them, it will enhance the flow of the game. On the other hand, they should never be omitted in long-range firing.

To perform a ranged attack, a character declares his weapon; its firing Mode, a valid target within line of sight (with optional Aimed Attack specifications). Then he uses the appropriate Skill as a base PP for the attack test, which determines if he can hit the target or not. Apart from the usual modifiers caused by movement, Damage, Fatigue and (hopefully not) Parallel Actions, the following situational modifiers can occur:

The Ranged Attack:

Situational Modifiers for Ranged Attacks:


Target has Cover Target has a Weak Illumination Level Target has a Minimal Illumination Level Target is surrounded by Darkness or blind fire Target is exceptionally large Target is exceptionally small Target moves perpendicular to firing direction Target moves highly irregular Attacker is in melee range of (aware!) target Target has taken Evasive Action Attacker uses targeting aid Attacker makes Aimed Attack Atacker stands on unstable or difficult ground Free fall or zero-gravity conditions

Varies - 20% - 60% - 150% + 20% - 20 % - 30 % - 75 % - 1/2 target's melee Skill Special Object Description Special - 15% - 20%

Aimed Attack Modifiers - Ranged: Head: -45% Torso (facing side): -5% Torso (opposite side): Impossible Either Arm: -25% Groin: -30% Either Leg: -10%

41

Lookup Table: Critically Successful Ranged Attacks


Result D100:
1-5 6-15 16-25 26-35 36-55 56-75 76-95 96-100

Effects:
Target is knocked to the ground and loses 12 - (De) Action Points Lucky hit, no Armor Protection available to the target Hits weak spot in targets armor: half Armor Protection Causes stunning pain! Target loses 10 - (De) Action Points Target is knocked to the ground by the attack Head shot! Hit location automatically becomes Head* + 1D10 bonus Damage No additional effects

*Only if the attack wasnt aimed at another Hit Location already

Lookup Table: Critically Failed Ranged Attacks


Result D100:
1-5 6-25 26-45 46-65 66-75 76-85 86-95 96-100

Effects:
No additional effects, thankfully Ammunition jam or other weapon malfunction. Requires the same number of Action Points to fix as a complete reload action. Weapon is dropped! Oops! Another character is hit instead of the target Attacker shoots himself in the foot Weapon gets damaged and becomes almost unusable (Qual. -100%) Character loses remaining ammo from weapon Shoots himself in the foot and looses weapon - Idiot!

Some weapons dont allow for certain effects to happen. Revolvers, for instance, wont jam up. Faulty Ammunition may still be cooked off inside the weapon, resulting in ammo loss. As in all doubtful situations, the game master is encouraged to make a logical judgment call on what can happen, and what cannot. If an effect is unlikely to happen in a certain situation, but turned up on the D100 roll, simply ignore it.

Cover: Targets in Cover are harder to hit. As a rule of thumb, apply a cover modifier equal to (percentage of body obstructed by cover) X (-2). If the attacker targets a characters Hit Location particularly not obstructed by Cover, the cover modifier doesnt apply. Naturally, Hit Locations behind Cover cannot be targeted in this fashion, unless the cover is not opaque or the attacker possesses some type of miraculous x-ray vision. For transparent and possibly penetrable Cover, the game master is encouraged to make a judgment call. Just use logic. While firing upon a target that is behind a glass panel, for example, doesnt impose any impeding modifiers on the attack PP, the Cover may still weaken the damage of the attack similar to armor.

Concluding a Ranged Attack


When a hit is achieved, damage is being calculated and applied (See Damage section). Critical hits (due do critical success on the ranged attack Skill test) double their native damage (meaning the damage value before subtracting armor Protection from it) and gain one or more special effects, determined with a D100-roll (See lookup tables).

42

Evasive Action
Contact Kores combat system offers players the possibility to sacrifice Action Points for a better chance of survival against incoming ranged attacks. Using Evasive Actions is a tactical element and basically serves one purpose: To make a character harder to hit in Ranged Combat. It is especially useful when theres no cover readily available. Evasive Actions are performed exactly as any other action. Attackers trying to hit this character in ranged combat during the same Combat Sequence suffer more or less substantial penalty to their attack PP, depending on the number of Action Points their target has invested into the Evasive Action. However, be aware that with each consecutive attack on that character, the Evasive Action he took becomes less and less effective. It is important to know that Evasive Action is effective only in ranged combat; dont mix its benefits up with melee combat. Melee Attacks on an evading character will, however, decrease these benefits in the same manner as ranged attacks. When a character wishes to take Evasive Action, he must be aware that it CANNOT be performed as a Parallel Action, neither with another Evasive Action, nor with other actions (with the exception of regular movement, yelling something, and other actions that do not require tests themselves). Taking Evasive Action usually doesnt require any test to succeed. Multiple Evasive Actions can be, however, chained within one Combat Sequence. Taking the Evasive Action - Even if it means ducking down behind cover, changing ones position and zigzagging, the benefits from Evasive Action are still cumulative with existing Cover modifiers. When taking it, a character can invest up to a number of Action Points equal to the difference between his actual and another characters nexthighest Sequential Score into Evasive Action, and automatically passes the initiative to the next-in-line character if he uses up the full span of Action Points. Each Action Point spent on Evasive Action gives attackers a -10% modifier on hitting the character with ranged attacks. With each consecutive attack, this modifier is halved down, however, and melee attacks count into that as well. Any remaining evasion modifiers are cumulative with ones from new Evasive Actions, but are lost at the beginning of a new Combat Sequence.

Other Actions during Combat


Observing - Active Perception tests during combat cost Action Points and are thoroughly explained in the Interaction chapter. Observing characters can perform Parallel Actions, but suffer all appropriate modifiers. Waiting - Not an action per se, rather the exact opposite of it. Characters can choose to be passive in combat without Delaying any actions, They can lower their Sequential Score at will by spending Action Points on Waiting. Not exactly heroic or spectacular, but sometimes its the wisest choice to wait it out. Change Stance - For simplicitys sake, changing any Stance to another costs 4 Action Points. Stances for humanoid characters include, but are not limited to: Standing, Crouching (or Kneeling), Sitting, Prone (on back), Prone (on stomach). As for movement and Stances, only standing characters have the ability to Dash, while Walking and Running are possible while Standing and Crouching (the latter then called a roadie run). Prone characters can only Crawl and additionally halve down that movement rate if they are lying on their backs. Sitting characters cannot move around and must change their Stance first to do so. Driving a Vehicle - Driving a Vehicle is an action itself, so it counts to the total number of Parallel Actions a character performs. Since driving usually requires both hands and possibly even both legs, only few other actions are possible at the same time.

Getting Hurt, Maimed and Killed: Damage Calculation


Successful attacks cause Damage. Rules concerning Damage and its effects on a characters health are described within this section. Contact Kores combat system makes use of Hit Locations. Every hit takes place on one (or sometimes more than one) specific body part(s), even if the attack wasnt specifically Aimed. Whenever a hit is scored, the game master is supposed to consult the Hit Location Lookup Table with a D100-roll. This step is not necessary if the attack already was directed at a specific Hit Location, as with an Aimed 43 attack, or as result of a Critical Hit outcome.

Lookup Table: Hit Locations

Result D100:
1-5 6-54 55-62 63-70 71-80 81-90 91-100

Location:
Head Torso (front or back - depends on facing) Right Arm Left Arm Groin Right Leg Left Leg

If a Hit Location that is in cover gets determined, dont re-roll. Instead, the Cover takes the hit. Note that penetrable cover may offer some Protection similar to armor, but doesnt completely avert the hit in most cases.

Hit Locations - Where the pain gets to you The character sheet of Contact Kore is laid out to record not only the total amount of Damage a character has suffered, but also Damage to his individual Hit Locations. The blank field where Damage points for each separate Hit Location are written down is called Hit Location (HL) Damage Index. Only physical Damage, not Fatigue, is recorded this way, as suffering Fatigue just adds up to the general Fatigue value, while physical Damage can Cripple characters on a long term. Crippling of Hit Locations has various effects, determined by a number of Lookup Tables. Different Hit Locations have different susceptibilities to get Crippled (speaking in Vitality Points), and already Crippled limbs (or rather: Hit Locations) can repeatedly suffer Crippling effects when hit again with Damage at least equal to 20% of the total Vitality Points of that character. When that happens, the same Lookup Table is consulted again, possibly causing additional effects. Note that the exact same effect cannot happen twice, but various effects will add up. If an identical effect is obtained from re-crippling, simply ignore it and do not re-roll.
Head: Crippled after sustaining 50% total VP Damage Result D100: Effects:
1-10 11-25 26-45 46-75 76-100

Character dies on the spot Attack causes permanent Blindness to both eyes ** One eye is destroyed (even numbers - right eye, odd numbers - left eye) Character permanently loses hearing on both ears Unconsciousness for 2D10 Combat Sequences or approx. 2 minutes

Torso: Crippled after sustaining 75% total VP Damage Result D100: Effects:
1-5 6-25 26-45

46-75 76-100

Heart stopper! Instant death! Heavy organ damage: Fatigue +25, +10 Damage Bleeding internally: +3 Damage every (En) minutes* Unconsciousness for 1D10 minutes Unconsciousness for 1D10 Combat Sequences

Arm (left or right): Crippled after sustaining 30% total VP Damage Result D100: Effects:
1-10 11-25 26-45 46-75 76-100

Arm is lost!** Arm paralyzed and useless!* Motor functions impeded: -50% modifier for actions using this arm* Agonizing Pain! Fatigue +15 Just a flesh wound. Fatigue +5

Groin: Crippled after sustaining 20% total VP Damage Result D100: Effects:
1-5 6-25 26-50 51-100

Character will be Paraplegic** Permanent impotence** Bleeding internally: +2 Damage every (En) minutes* Unconsciousness for the remaining battle

44

Leg (left or right): Crippled after sustaining 40% total VP Damage Result D100: Effects:
1-10 11-45 46-75 76-100

Leg is lost, character falls prone** Leg ceases function: Falls prone and halved movement rates* THE pain! Falls prone and suffers +15 additional Fatigue I have no time to bleed! Fatigue +5

* Effects that can be healed with the Advanced Medical Applications Skill ** Effects that can be healed only by performing a Specialized Operation using the Advanced Medical Applications Skill

Damage VS Armor
7 types of Damage exist, and each one of them is reduced by a specific type of Armor, or more precisely: A specific Protection Value of that Armor. Damage types, but also their according Protection Value, are abbreviated with a single capital letter:

B /S /I /H /C /T /E
B S I H C T E = Ballistic Damage, or Protection thereof = Sharp (or pointed) trauma, or Protection thereof = Blunt Impact Trauma, or Protection thereof = Heat, Fire (also: Laser, Plasma), or Protection thereof = Cold damage, or Protection thereof (meaning thermal insulation) = Toxic damage through contact, or Protection thereof = Explosive damage, or protection thereof

Most attacks cause one single type of Damage. When calculating effective Damage to the character, simply subtract the according, cumulative Protection value of all armor pieces worn (on the concerning Hit Location) from the Damage value. Note however, that some types of Damage work a wee bit more complicated than that, and require special rules to do so. Read the damage type descriptions below to fully understand. But first things first: The following two rules are absolute: When a character has suffered Fatigue equal to his Vitality Points, he loses consciousness. Any further fatigue his body receives is added to the existing Fatigue, but has no additional effects besides prolonging his unconsciousness. When a character suffers Damage equal to his Vitality Points, he dies, as simple as that. There are no exceptions. Ballistic Damage - When projectiles traveling at high speeds hit Ballistic Armor, all Ballistic Damage (B) that gets held back by the Armor is converted to blunt Impact trauma (I). Penetrating Damage, which equals weapon Damage - (B) Protection, is immediately applied as physical damage, while the converted, now blunt (I) Damage is treated accordingly and can be reduced by the (I) Protection rating. In effect, when wearing Ballistic Armor and hit by a ballistic attack with a Damage value higher than the (B) Protection rating of the Armor, two types of Damage are applied separately. If the armor completely stops the same bullet dead in its tracks, however, only blunt Impact Damage (I) is suffered, but to an even larger extent. Sharp Damage - Knives, shivs, other blades, spikes, spears and generally speaking everything that is sharp or pointed and thrust or swung at a person causes this nasty type of Damage. Calculating effective Damage works very similar to Ballistic Damage, with a small difference: When converting any Damage held back by the (S) Protection rating to blunt Impact Damage, reduce this resulting damage by half (!). Blunt Impact Trauma - Clubs, fists, kicks and powerful impacts with otherwise harmless surfaces cause this type of Damage. While very strong blunt impacts can still kill a character, hes more likely to pass out first from lighter blunt Impact trauma. After subtracting the (I) Protection rating, not all remaining Damage is applied as physical Damage. A human body has the ability to soak Damage up to ones Mass Attribute, which is then applied as Fatigue instead of physical Damage. Remaining Damage is considered physical in game terms. Note that, when wearing Armor, blunt Impact trauma is often carried over from initially Ballistic and Sharp attacks. Heat Damage - Flame throwers, fires, red-hot objects, lasers, ionized gases (a.k.a. plasma) are dangerous, for they cause this kind of Damage. It works pretty straightforward. Subtract the (H) Protection value and apply any remaining Damage as physical.

45

Cold Damage - Extreme Cold is more of a reason to pass out than any other type of Damage. Reduce the Damage normally by subtracting the (C) Protection rating of the clothing/armor worn. The human body soaks up to Mass Attribute X 2 of the remaining Damage, converting it to Fatigue, the rest is considered physical Damage. Game masters should be aware that characters can freeze to death even if the numbers say otherwise. After passing out from the cold, if still exposed to it, a characters life is basically in the hands of the game master. Toxic Damage - Poisonous liquids, fumes and wastes, including radioactive sludge or fallout that is noxious on skin contact. Toxic Damage does not include hard radiation, because it passes through virtually any armor that can be worn (unless it is lined with lead, which would be highly impractical). Note that the (T) Protection rating doesnt include air filters against airborne agents, nor does it protect against ingested toxins. Gas masks with air filters and similar devices (possibly with oxygen tanks) are treated as separate equipment with their own ratings. When dealing with toxic substances that cause normal physical Damage, simply subtract the (T) Protection rating from it and apply the result as physical Damage. In most cases, however, the secondary effects of a poison are more important than the Damage they cause. For details on such secondary effects, consult the description of the specific substance in question. As a rule of thumb when dealing with such substances, it can be said that characters wearing enough Protection to suffer no Damage from a toxin, dont experience any of these side effects, either. Explosive Damage - Probably the most potent Damage type out of the seven, Explosive Damage often affects more than one Hit Location (see Splash Damage) and can literally blow a character to chunks. Even if it doesnt, theres still the inherent danger from shrapnel or a violent impact upon being hurled through the air by the shockwave. Speaking in game terms, this means that explosions may even carry other, additional Damage types, usually explained in the explosive devices description (or simply up to the game masters discretion). Most Armor is widely ineffective against explosions. When calculating Explosive Damage, subtract the (E) Protection rating from it and apply the full remaining value as BOTH physical Damage and Fatigue. Note that explosions normally affect all Hit Locations within their area of effect, so determining them via dice roll isnt even necessary. An explosions area of effect can be divided into 3 zones: Ground Zero (the very center of the bang), Kill Zone, Periphery, with Ground Zero normally being the deadliest.

Splash Damage
Attacks with Splash Damage have the potential to hurt multiple Hit Locations of one character, or even multiple characters with one single blow. Classic examples for such attacks are flame thrower sweeps, shotgun blasts and explosions. (For details consult each weapons description) These attacks are especially dangerous for obvious reasons. Damaging multiple Hit Locations, total Damage is higher and leads to a quicker death. Also, the targeted character is prone to suffering more effects from Crippling. Use the same rolled weapon damage for all determined hit locations, but respect deviant armor values. When an attack with Splash Damage requires rolling for Hit Locations, one special rule is to be applied: If a Hit Location is repeatedly rolled for one single attack, the second roll is ignored. Do not re-roll. No Hit Location will be hit twice by the same Splash Damage attack. Naturally, attacks that consist of a series of damaging instances, such as automatic firearm bursts, are not affected by this rule.

The Damage is Done - what now?

Your character dies. No, just kidding. Having suffered Fatigue and/or Damage, ones performance can be somewhat affected. Fatigue means sore muscles, aching joints and being tired, while actual Damage causes some serious pain, making it difficult to concentrate on tasks at hand. When calculating Damage and Fatigue modifiers, simply subtract your Pain Resistance stat from the Damage total, and respectively Exhaustion Tolerance from Fatigue, then add the results and apply them as a NEGATIVE modifier to the PPs of all actions performed in that state. Like stated before, receiving an amount of damage equal or higher than the number of Vitality Points results in DEATH, while suffering Fatigue equal or higher than this number results in unconsciousness. Unconscious Characters wake up as soon their Fatigue sinks below the VP threshold, but will have some serious headaches (= Fatigue modifiers) - still better than being dead.

46

Shock - An effect of too much Damage at once, Shock can be deadly if unlucky. Too much Fatigue at once can also cause Shock, but with much milder effects than Damage shock. The Shock Lookup

Table is consulted every time a character suffers Damage OR Fatigue equal to or higher than 75% of his VP total. Because when receiving so much Damage, Crippling of various Hit Locations also becomes likely, dont forget to consult the appropriate Crippling Lookup Tables as well. When two similar effects overlap, simply use the more severe one. Shock Effects from Physical Damage Result D100: Effects:

1-5 11-25 26-45 46-75 76-100

Heart/ multiple organ failure and death Character falls into a deep coma* Unconsciousness for 1D10 Combat Sequences or roughly 1 minute Unconsciousness for the rest of the current Combat Sequence Character loses 1D10 Action Points

Shock Effects from Fatigue Result D100: Effects:


1-25 26-50 51-75 76-100

Unconsciousness for 2D10 Combat Sequences or roughly 2 minutes Unconsciousness for 1D10 Combat Sequences or roughly 1 minute Unconsciousness for the rest of the current Combat Sequence Character loses 2D10 Action Points

* Effects that can be healed with the Advanced Medical Applications Skill

Healing Damage
Fatigue: When it comes to Healing, Fatigue is no big deal, really. All it takes to make it go away is good nights rest, sometimes even less. Naturally, Resting isnt an option during combat or other stressful situations. As a rule of thumb, reduce a characters Fatigue by a number of points equal to his Endurance Attribute every 10 minutes or so when Resting properly. Damage: Actual Damage is much more of a pain (pun intended) to heal than Fatigue. While natural Healing is possible in all but the worst cases, it takes more time and rest than most characters can afford. First Aid and Advanced Medical Applications are two Skills that may greatly accelerate Healing, but require some equipment and/or qualified personnel to work. Natural Healing is a simple, passive process and can take place when a characters actual Damage is below 50% of his VP total. With young, healthy humans who get enough rest, Damage is reduced by 1 point per day in this manner. This rate may vary, depending on the circumstances. Characters under constant stress may even be unable to heal at all. If a characters current Damage is more half or more of his VP total, he definitely needs medical attention, or his state might worsen. Also, any Crippled Hit Locations (and therefore their permanent effects) cannot heal without medical attention. The HL Damage Indexes are not returned to zero until ALL Damage from a characters body has been healed. First Aid - When applying First Aid, the number of Damage points healed greatly depends on the equipment used, while the chance of success depends on the Skill of the character performing it. Always be aware that especially bad or good circumstances will influence the PP of the First Aid test via modifiers. First Aid can be applied during combat, under a few conditions: The helping character cannot have spent any Action Points yet during the Combat Sequence, and by using First Aid he spends them all. Parallel Actions are possible during First Aid, but are not exactly recommended when a friends life is at stake. In order to heal even more Damage, First Aid can be applied more than once. Each consecutive use of First Aid on a single character decreases its PP by 10%, however. When the PP reaches zero, theres nothing more to be done, even if other helpers have higher First Aid Skills. If helpers switch, the next one automatically receives an additional -25% modifier. Critical successes on the First Aid test simply double the amount of Damage healed, while critical failures ADD Damage equal to the rolled result DIVIDED BY 10. Note that any failed First Aid tests add to the total number of tries, further decreasing the PP. Even if First Aid has the potential to heal ALL Damage points from a characters body, be aware that it does not affect Crippled Hit Locations. Crippled limbs remain Crippled, even if the Damage total is completely healed and the Hit Locations specific Damage Indexes are returned to zero. Read on to 47 find out how to deal with Crippled Hit Locations.

Advanced Medical Applications - Doesnt work so different from First Aid in game terms (uses most of the same rules, exceptions are described below), but cannot be used during combat. Also, using this skill requires much more than just a regular first aid kit, plus its relatively time-consuming. Using Advanced Medical Applications can be done after applying First Aid without any extra modifiers, but repeatedly using it causes an incremental -10% modifier similar to First Aid. Aside from healing Damage points (the potential number thereof depending on the available equipment, again), A.M.A. is used to restore Crippled Hit Locations to their former functionality. Before making the test, it is important to specify the Hit Location that is going to be treated. If successful, the treatment heals a number of Damage points from the Damage total (not the Crippled Hit Locations Damage Index), and removes ONE effect caused by Crippling. Only effects that are marked with an asterisk (*) can be treated in this manner. Again, the Damage Indexes of each Hit Location are not reset to zero until all general Damage has been healed. In order to remove the more severe effects from Crippling (the ones marked by two asterisks, **), a more intricate approach is necessary. It is called Specialized Operation (for a reason!) and is also performed using the Advanced Medical Applications Skill. The base PP for this test is automatically reduced by -50%, and an additional -25% for the second try. Only two Specialized Operations are allowed for each specific Crippling effect. If successful, the effect is removed, but no Damage Points are healed. If failed two times in a row, the respective Crippling effect becomes truly permanent, unless the game master wants to allow removing it by the means of Biomods. A game master should be aware that sometimes, removing such an effect just isnt possible due to circumstances, and is encouraged to make a judgment call. You cannot sew an arm back into place if you simply dont have that arm, or if it isnt fresh anymore. Critical successes on this test do nothing besides making the operation faster and smoother (being a matter of hours), while critical failures are outright dangerous, as they cause additional Damage (value at game masters discretion) to the treated Hit Location, possibly causing even more Crippling effects and/or death by increasing the Damage total. Note that Specialized Operations do not count to the total amount of regular tests with the A.M.A. Skill.

48

Advanced Combat Rules


Stumbling and Knockdown

Characters hit by forceful blows may lose their balance, get knocked down or even hurled through the air. Following rules are intended to cover this in a physically believable fashion. Always use the value of incoming Damage BEFORE subtracting Protection. When dealing with Splash Damage to multiple Hit Locations, sum the individual hits up to determine Damage. When a character suffers blunt Impact (I) Damage (either original or converted from Ballistic or Sharp) or Explosive (E) Damage from one single attack that is higher than his (Ms) Attribute, he loses 1 Action Point by faltering. If the incoming Damage is higher than twice his (Ms) Attribute, the character gets knocked down on the spot, losing 2 Action Points in the process. In the third and worst case scenario, the character gets hit by Damage higher than three times his (Ms) Attribute and is hurled through the air like a puppet, losing 4 Action Points in addition to those he will need to spend in order to get himself up again. The direction he is flung into usually opposes the direction where the attack came from, and the distance can be calculated by (Damage/3)-(Ms) yards, with a minimum of 1 yard. Add (I) Damage equal to that number of yards, unless the character falls exactly into that boiling lake of lava or the pit full of spikes that conveniently opened up behind him when he wasnt looking. In that case, Damage will probably be much more severe and of a different, nastier type, which remains up to the GM to determine. In case of a critical failure (or critical success of the attacker) that causes knockdown as well, choose one of the two outcomes, preferably the more realistic one, unless the situations screams for some over-the-top dramatization.

Whenever a character uses the possibility to fire his weapon steadied on a solid object (an attached bipod or sand bag for example), its effective Minimum Strength requirement is temporarily reduced by 1.

Minimum Strength Requirements and Propped-on Firing

In order to reflect a firearms capability to cause multiple hits with an automatic hail of bullets within one single attack, some extra rules apply. Two different types of automatic fire exist: Burst and Full Auto. When firing in Burst mode, a firearm puts out a defined number of rounds with each trigger pull, while holding the trigger down in Full Auto allows the player to decide how many rounds he fires, up to a given maximum specific for that weapon per action, as stated in its description. Note that when using an automatic mode of either type, the weapons Minimum Strength requirement momentarily goes up by one - keep that in mind when a character has barely enough Strength to use a weapon without modifiers. In game terms, theres not much difference between Burst and Full Auto modes, except that the Burst has a fixed number of shots (and usually offers a better price-performance ratio speaking in terms of Action Points). Whenever a target is engaged with automatic fire, the first shot is resolved as usual, and separate attack rolls are made with an incremental -[(10 + weapon's min. Str. stat) - character's Strength Attribute]% modifier (down to +/- 0%) for each consecutive one, reflecting the weapons drastically decreasing accuracy in that state, and a characters Strength Attribute countering that. Naturally, each scored hit gets its own Hit Location roll, Damage VS Armor calculation, the works. Note that while it is possible to Aim an automatic firearm attack at specific body parts (=Hit Locations), only the first round will be treated as an Aimed shot, while the rest get normal Hit Location rolls, with the further disadvantage that the Aiming modifier carries over to their respective attack rolls.

Automatic Firing Modes

Some weapons are designed to get to multiple Hit Locations with one shot, effectively causing Splash Damage. They make use of an additional stat called Scatter to do so. Classic examples for such weapons are shotguns and flame throwers. In order to understand Scatter and its implications in combat, some special rules have to be explained. Scatter as a weapon stat (arising from the weapons description) is a coefficient used in a very simple mathematical operation to determine the so-called Dispersion Width 49

Firearms and Splash Damage

of an attack, which also depends on target range. Dispersion Width is an important value that has impact on the effects of an attack. In order to calculate the Dispersion Width (in yards), Scatter is multiplied with the target range (in yards). As always, round ALL fractions down. For example, if Scatter is 0.2, which is a pretty standard setup for most shotguns, and target distance is 12 yards, the Dispersion Width will end up being 2 yards. Scatter X Target Range = Dispersion Width
for instance 0,2 X 12yd = 2 yd

Now, with more Dispersion Width, the chance of hitting multiple Hit Locations also grows. But as with most benefits, it comes at a price: The more dispersed an attack becomes, the lower its Damage will be in the end. Using the recently calculated Dispersion Width as a new coefficient (meaning: fill in just the number, no unit) in the following two formulae, Damage reduction of the attack and total number of Hit Locations it affects can be calculated: Dispersion Width (sans unit) X 5 = Damage Point Reduction
for instance 2 X 5 = 10

Dispersion Width (sans unit) X 1,5 = Number of Hit Locations affected (with a minimum of 1)
for instance 2 X 1,5 = 3

If the Damage of an attack is lowered to zero due to dispersion, the weapon has exceeded its effective range. Use the result from the 'hit locations affected'-formula as a number of potential hits with the same calculated damage - rolling as many hit location checks as the result says, but only up to the total number of hit locations a target offers. For humans and quadrupeds, that would be 7. If a Hit Location is repeatedly rolled for one single attack, the second roll is ignored. No Hit Location will be hit twice by the same Splash Damage attack. Note that multiple characters can be hit with attacks that have a large enough Dispersion Width. A second target near the primary taget is automatically hit (never critically, however - treat crits as normal successes) with a successful attack test, if it is inside the weapon's Dispersion Width. Resolve Hit Location rolls and Damage reduction through armor separately.

When throwing a hand grenade, its usually not ones intention to hit the target directly (in order to damage it through the impact) - while that possibility still exists, but doesnt really add to the destructive effect of explosives, hurling a grenade next to the intended target is more than sufficient. In fact, all throwing weapons have high Range Multipliers with no technical targeting enhancers available, meaning that directly hitting distant targets becomes very difficult. Hand grenades are normally timed devices, meaning they do not explode on impact, but after a given number of Action Points, so they often rumble and tumble about the floor for a few seconds, making their final position unpredictable, even with a succesful attack test. To reflect that, a special value called Deviation (in yards) is calculated after the Throwing Weapons Skill test. To do so, take the result rolled on that test, and divide it by 20. Thats right, 20! The result is measured in yards. IMPORTANT: Round UP fractions to full yards (an exception to the usual rounding-down policy). That gives us the Deviation for a successful throw. Also important: If the Throwing Weapons test failed, double that Deviation. The game master might want to add a direction to that Deviation - Generate it randomly by spinning a pen on the table, or use a directional die, if you have one. Note that by these rules, a failed Throwing Weapons Skill test can still be as good as a successful one - if the rolled number is low enough. The grenade might still be close enough to seriously damage the target. Critical outcomes, however, are special. When a character scores a critical success on the Throwing Weapons Skill test, simply skip calculating Deviation, because the grenade hits the target directly (probably right in the teeth) and comes to a halt exactly at its feet, meaning the effective Deviation is 0 yards. As opposed to other ranged attacks, do NOT double the Damage of explosives due to critical success, the targets already screwed enough by standing on Ground Zero of the explosion. Critical failures, on the other hand, are potentially catastrophic (as in most cases of critical failures concerning lethal weapons). Roll a die and check the Lookup Table on the next page for details. Naturally, its also possible to target any blank spot on the battlefield instead of a target. Additionally, one could use drawn vectors to emulate grenades bouncing off walls in a sketch... using the rules 50 above creatively, just think of the possibilities.

Throwing Grenades

Lookup Table: Critically Failed Throwing Attacks (+ Hand Grenades)


Result D100:
1-5 6-25 26-45 46-65 66-75 76-95 96-100

Effects:
Thrown object misses by a mile, so to speak. Insert ludicrous distance here Besides missing, the throwing weapon breaks on impact. Grenades turn out to be duds Weapon is dropped at own feet! Beware of live grenades Oops! Another nearby character is hit instead of the target Attacker throws the object BACK instead of FORWARD Grenade timer malfunction! -1D10 APs to countdown. No effects on other objects Grenade explodes on activation! Ouch! If not a grenade, no effect

Payloads fired from launchers are not timed, but explode on impact (with some exceptions in the highly sophisticated armory sector - proximity detonators, penetrating warheads and such). If the attack misses (respectively: the Heavy Weapons Skill test failed), its up to the game master to decide whether the projectile hits the ground next to the target or just flies off to the horizon. Take the firing angle into consideration when doing so. Firing from an elevated position at a lower target usually results in misses going boom on the ground, which is still pretty much a fine hit in most cases. When that happens, Deviation is determined exactly as with hand grenades. Critical successes dont have any particular effects when firing launcher-based payloads, while critical failures use the same Lookup Table as other ranged attacks.

Grenade and Rocket Launchers

In order to ready a weapon, Action Points must be spent. Increase the respective cost from the Combat Action List (from the Combat chapter) by an appropriate number of Action Points if the weapon isnt carried properly pistols belong in holsters, knives in sheaths, rifles on slings and so on. If a weapon is tucked away in a characters clothing, thats improper weapon handling.

Carrying Weapons Correctly

Silencers

Different firearm calibers make different use of silencers. While standard supersonic rifle rounds will still be quite loud, subsonic ammunition profits most from the use of a silencer. When using a silencer with supersonic ammo, the Perception test modifier for hearing the shot is merely -20%, while with subsonic ammo, apply -60 %. When automatic firing modes are used with either ammunition class and silencers, allow only one Perception test per attack, but add a facilitating modifier of (rounds fired) X 5% to the PP. Note that some firearm types, such as revolvers and shotguns, cannot be fitted with silencers out of technical reasons.

Special Firearm Sights

Various optical and electronic sight types for firearms exist, and all have one single purpose: To increase the shooters accuracy. When making a ranged attack with a firearm, only 1 sight type can be used, even if multiple ones are installed on the weapon. There is no such thing as cumulative benefits from multiple sights for one single attack. Scopes - Are fitted with crosshairs and use powerful lenses to magnify an image of the target and greatly enhance the shooters accuracy over great distances, provided that the weapon they are fitted on grants that range and accuracy to the shots it fires, as well. Scopes come in various Magnification levels, starting with 2, being the weakest, and 12, being the strongest. Some may even have an adjustable Magnification level, but dont forget that manipulating ones weapon accessories during combat costs Action Points as well. In order to make use of a scope in game terms, divide target range (in yards) by Magnification level for the purpose of calculating range modifiers only. Simple and practical, is it not? There are a few major drawbacks, however: Using a scope costs one extra Action point per attack (usually factored 51 into the stats of weapons that are already equipped with one). Also, scopes have minimum ranges.

Using a scope short of its minimum range results in impeding modifiers to the attack PP, as acquiring the target becomes difficult due to the highly limited field of vision. To obtain a specific scopes minimum range, multiply its current Magnification rating by 10 yards. Within that distance, the scope doesnt provide any benefits, and an additional modifier of -20% is applied! Red Dot Sights - Usually a tube or case with a semi-reflective lens inside, it provides the shooter with a target reticule or red dot (hence the name). Red dot sights are always non-magnifying (otherwise they would classify as scopes) and are used with both eyes open, granting good depth perception and fast target acquisition. When using a red dot sight, a +10% bonus to the attack PP is applied for all distances except point blank. Laser Sights - This aim enhancer projects a small, visible and harmless laser dot on targets. While very practical in close quarters, its usefulness is limited at longer ranges. Apply a +15% bonus to the attack PP within the sights effective range, except point blank. Common laser sights have a maximum range of 500 yards, but thats by no means its effective range of use. In order to obtain the effective range in conjunction with a specific weapon, divide 50 yards by the weapons Range multiplier. Beyond that range, the laser sight provides no benefits. IFCS - Intelligent Fire Control Systems are a new and advanced breed of firearm sights, developed in the late 20th century by the American military. They rely on electronics to combine the benefits of laser sights and even magnifying scopes without the inherent range restrictions, and are definitely the most efficient (and also most expensive, exotic and illegal) sight type available. In order to use IFCS, a character needs both a HUD-device (either goggles or by means of bio-modification) with IFCS compatibility, and an IFCS targeting module mounted on the weapon itself. This setup alone gives the shooter a +20% bonus for all ranges, while adding an optional Rangefinder and Ballistic Computer to the system grants the same effects as a scope (with the computers rating, 4-10, depending on model, doubling as Magnification Rating), but without any range restrictions involved. The only limiting factors that remain are lighting conditions and the weapons effective maximum range. Rangefinders in conjunction with Ballistic Computers are also the only targeting systems that will improve the aim for grenade launchers.

Tracer Ammunition

Used mostly in heavy automatic weapons such as machineguns and gatling guns, modern tracer ammo is exactly as destructive as regular FMJ. Firing tracers makes the attack direction of the gun visible to the shooter (as well as to the target and other enemies, unfortunately). It gives the shooter a +10% attack PP modifier, and additionally decreases any modifiers for consecutive shots in Auto or Burst modes by 2% each! In order to provide any benefits, 6 or more rounds must be fired during an attack, or else the attack is treated no different than one with standard ammunition, except that the enemy still is likely to detect ones position! Benefits from tracer ammo are not compatible with other targeting systems, such as special firearm sights. If willingly using both at the same time, apply only effects from the latter.

Night Vision Filters and Flare Compensators

HUD-goggles, integrated optics in helmets and rifle scopes can be fitted with Night Vision Filters. These (mostly electronic) filters are used for acquiring targets in poor lighting conditions, and some of them are able to see even in absolute Darkness. Using them simultaneously is usually not an option (unless stated otherwise in the piece of equipments description), but switching between them shouldnt cost more than 2 APs, or even less for Biomods. Flare Compensation is an additional filter that is usually switched on permanently, providing protection from flashes when needed. Low Light Amplification - Modern Low Light Filters turn nights into daylight, as long as theres at least a little bit of light left to amplify. Active Low Light Filters affect three Illumination levels: Normal, Weak and Minimal. Treat each one of these as one higher when using the filter - Minimal light becomes Weak, Weak becomes Normal, and Normal becomes Good. Darkness is not affected at all, as theres no light to amplify. Double any effects from bright, blinding lights and flashes when no Flare Compensation is used.

52

Infrared - This filter does not rely on visible wavelengths, but otherwise invisible infrared light wavelengths also generated by heat. It was designed to be able to see under zero-light conditions, such as in enclosed, non-illuminated rooms. As a vision enhancement, this filter is used to generate coarse, monochromatic images of constant-temperature environments. When active, simply ignore Illumination levels, but apply an impeding -10% modifier to all Perception and ranged and melee combat (including parry) tests. When not using Flare Compensation, infrared users will be blinded by very hot heat sources instead o flashes. Flare Compensation - Modern Flare Compensation is digital, allowing to reactively darken bright areas in the users field of vision, protecting him from flashes and blinding lights. while he still is able to see everything else. In game terms, active Flare Compensation simply negates any modifiers caused by flashes and bright lights.

Weapons that use electricity to cause Fatigue also have some unpleasant side effects to them. They can make a characters whole body go numb and useless for critical seconds in combat, effectively stealing Action Points from his Sequential Score in the process. Also, electrical currents are treated as a special kind of Damage which is reduced by double the highest Protection stat of any worn and natural armor (cumulative). It causes only Fatigue. Whenever a character is hit by electric shock, he loses a number of Action Points equal to effective Fatigue caused by the attack minus (Mass + Determination Attribute). If the number of Action Points lost in this fashion is higher than his Determination Attribute, the shock victim will additionally fall prone. Note that these rules apply only to shocks with currents low enough to lack the potential of causing burns. Most conventional shock weapons are designed that way. When exposed to high-powered electric currents, such as from high voltage power lines or even lightning, a character is likely to suffer large amounts of Heat (H) Damage and die.

Electric Paralysis from Shock Weapons

Any attack that is designated as Armor Piercing effectively halves down the respective Protection stat for purposes of Damage calculation. Hardened blades, high velocity discarding sabot ammunition and laser weapons are designed to deliver Armor Piercing attacks.

Armor Piercing Attacks

Range VS Attack Power

As an optional rule to make combat at extreme attack ranges slightly more realistic, decrease a ranged weapons Damage by target range/100. Use target range/20 for thrown objects. Naturally, this rule wont apply to weapons that fire exploding warheads or to hand grenades.

53

Character Progress
The principles of character progress in Contact Kore are very simple, yet still reflect real life to some extent: Skills that are used on a regular basis will improve. Smart characters learn faster than dull ones. Low Skills are easier to improve than perfecting advanced ones, while attributes tend to stay exactly where they are, though improving them is not impossible, either.

Experience Index and Raising Skills

Each Skill has its designated Experience Index. It starts out with zero points and grows almost every single time a test for that Skill is rolled. Simple success or failure on that test adds (In) points to the Experience Index. A critical success doubles the number of points added. Critical failures also result in failure to learn anything, so no points are added at all. As an alternative to constantly putting a Skill into practice for gaining Experience Index points, one can also try to acquire theoretical knowledge from books, videos, audio recordings and other media. Given the premise that the character is able to read/watch/listen to and understand it (which usually takes considerable amounts of time), such media may add a fixed value + (In) points to the appropriate Skills Experience Index (normally not more than 20 + Intelligence Attribute). This works only once with the same media content. With the Experience Index constantly growing, always keep an eye out for it, for when it reaches a value equal to the Skill rating, the following changes come to be: The {trained} Skill rating is increased by 2%, and the Experience Index is reset to zero. If the Skill in question is in fact a Focal Skill, increase it by 3%, instead. Any {trained} Skill can reach an absolute (effective) maximum of 200% in this fashion. When making changes to a Skill, the base and trait-modified Skill values are not changed, as these are more or less fixed stats (unless relevant Attributes are altered).
All about Attributes: 3 Stride Pools Each of the three Attribute categories has a special kind of index, called the Stride Pool. It can be used to improve Attributes from that category once it has accumulated enough points. As a recap, back to the 3 Attribute classes: 1. Body Attributes - Strength - Endurance - Mass 2. Motor Attributes - Reflexes - Agility - Dexterity 3. Cognitive Attributes - Intelligence - Charisma - Perception - Determination

(St) (En) (Ms)

(Re) (Ag) (Dx)

(In) (Ch) (Pe) (De)

54

Each of the 3 categories with its own pool! Now, how does this exactly work? Every time a Skill is raised (when its Experience Index is reset), check the Skill table for Attributes determining the base Skill. Then check from which categories these Attributes came. Add one point to each respective Stride Pool involved! No Stride Pool will be increased by more than one point at a

time, no matter how many Attributes from its category are involved with the Skill currently being raised. For the Body Attributes Stride Pool, a somewhat deviant, additional rule is used. Since none of these Attributes is really relevant in Skills, add one Stride Pool point each time a direct Attribute test is non-critically failed (thats right, FAILED) OR critically successful. This will result in a more rapid Stride Pool gain for body Attributes.

An Attribute categorys Stride Pool is the key to improving its affiliated Attributes. In order to raise an Attribute by 1, (actual Attribute value) X 25 Stride Pool points must be spent. Yes, raising Attributes takes a very, very long time, but no one got smarter or more charismatic over night, right? When determining the cost for raising Attributes, always use the base value or trait-modified value (the latter has priority if both are present), but never artificially modified Attributes. The actual increase (always by 1) to the Attribute is then done to its base value, affecting the other ones, meaning Trait-modified or artificially modified, if they exist, as well. Also, be aware that changing an Attribute has impact on lots of other stats, especially Skills. Dont forget to re-calculate all relevant Skills (namely base values, carrying over to trait-modified and trained ones!) and derived stats to gain the full benefits from an Attribute raise. Note that Attributes can theoretically be raised up to a value of 20 in this fashion, which should be highly unlikely, however. Any Attributes anywhere near 20 are considered superhuman, add the possibility to boost them beyond 20 with certain Biomods, and the game breaker is ready to go. For that reason, be very careful what you wish for, as it may come true.

Raising Attributes

55

Interaction
True role playing games always offer more than combat and character progress. This chapter deals with useful rules concerning game world interaction. Familiarity Levels

The Familiarity Level is a stat loosely used to quantify a characters knowledge about a thing (as in: physical object), another character or an issue (or subject, or matter). Whenever it becomes necessary for a player to test his characters knowledge about something, its familiarity level is divided by 2 (round down as always), resulting in the available Detail Level (see below) of information available! The Familiarity scale has a range from 0 to 10, zero equaling completely unknown, while 10 equals highly familiar (or intimately acquainted for persons). For object knowledge that is part of specific Skills, simply use (effective Skill value)/10 to determine the Familiarity Level (cap at 10). The game master may adjust this level by 1 or 2 points as he sees fit. Familiarity Levels may rise and fall at the game masters discretion, depending on how much a character is likely to learn or forget about objects, persons or issues. While Familiarity Levels are supposed to be loose, spontaneously generated stats for various role playing situations, it is okay to take notes on them, making remembering them easier. Note that NPCs tag their environment with Familiarity Levels as well, especially player characters they are used to interact with.

Perception

There are two very different methods of perceiving the game world in Contact Kore: Active and Passive perception. Active: With Active perception, a character directs his attention at a specific object, character or scene for a certain amount of time, trying to obtain information from his observation. To do so, the characters player declares his intention to observe actively along with a target (which can be virtually anything as long as it doesnt exceed the characters field of vision, is out of his hearing range and so on) and the desired Detail Level of information and makes a direct Perception Attribute test. The desired Detail Level of information determines both Action Point cost of the active perception (if happening in combat) and modifiers to its PP.
Detail Level 1 - General and superficial information on what has been perceived Detail Level 2 - A brief, simple description of what has been perceived Detail Level 3 - Standard, straightforward description of what has been perceived Detail Level 4 - Insightful and detailed description of what has been perceived Detail Level 5 - An exact, comprehensive scientific analysis of what has been perceived

+20% +10% - 20% - 30%

1 AP 2 APs 4 APs 6 APs 10 APs

If the test is successful, the player receives the desired information from the game master. Failure simply indicates that the character wasnt able to learn anything from his observation. A critical failure may give him wrong information, while a critical success raises the desired Detail Level by 1, unless it already is level 5. Passive: When characters make unplanned, random observations of their surroundings, the rules for Passive perception are used. Passive perception never costs Action Points, and only situational modifiers apply to the Perception test, because no desired Detail Level of information was named by the player. Note that if the Perception test is taken while performing other actions, these do not suffer modifiers for Parallel Actions, but the Perception test itself does! Though Passive perception isnt counted to the total of Parallel Actions a character performs, the actions still count as a distraction towards Passive perception. Failed tests mean the character fails to notice anything, but if the test is successful, a

56

Lookup Table is consulted. Compare the actual result you just rolled to the Passive perception Lookup Table to see what Detail Level of information you get. There is no special reward for a critical success, though a critical failure still applies, resulting in misleading, wrong information.

Lookup Table: Passive Perception


Result D100:
1-30 31-55 56-75 76-90 91-95 96-100

Effects:
Receive Detail Level 1 information Receive Detail Level 2 information Receive Detail Level 3 information Receive Detail Level 4 information Receive Detail Level 5 information Misleading information!

Interacting with NPCs

Non-player characters, or NPCs for short, populate a game world, and often have to be interacted with in order for a plot to develop. Talking to NPCs is the most common interaction in RPGs, and doing so successfully is considered one of many useful skills, both in role playing aspects and in-game numbers. Use the following rules to handle PC-NPC dialogue. Initial Reaction When beginning social interaction with any NPC - which excludes aggressive negotiations, conducted with firearms, melee weapons or bare fists, a.k.a. combat, but includes conversing, discussing, arguing, negotiating and bartering - the Initial Reaction is determined. It quantifies how much the player character is liked (or disliked) by a distinct NPC (or an NPC group, if it acts as one when interacting with it) and doubles as a modifier for relevant tests in conversations, especially when trying to convince an NPC (or group) about something. The attached table lists a number of common determinants that directly affect Initial Reaction. These determinants are actually modifiers to the IR, which is a modifier itself. Confused already? Good! Use a fair amount of interpretation when changing the (not-so-initial-any-more) Reaction of an NPC during interaction. For instance, critical successes and failures from Oratory Skill tests may directly affect it, as well as things the player actually makes his character say, making conversations an interesting, engaging combination of abstract role playing and tangible rule applications. Factors with Impact on Initial Reaction:
NPC doesnt know the PC at all PC has a good reputation in the NPCs eyes PC has a bad reputation in the NPCs eyes PC and NPC are buddies PC and NPC are enemies PC and NPC are intimate or very close friends PCs Charisma is 1-3 PCs Charisma is 8-10 PCs Charisma is >10 PC appears at a bad time NPC is in foul mood NSC is in a particularly good mood PCs ideas/conviction or barter price is completely unacceptable to NPC PCs ideas/conviction or barter price is somewhat unacceptable to NPC PCs ideas/conviction or barter price is barely acceptable to NPC NPC has no interest in listening to PC NPC is barely interested in what PC has to say/offer NPC is quite interested in what PC has to say/offer NPC is totally nuts about what PC has to say/offer PC and NPC communicate on a regular basis NPCs Determination is more than twice as high as PCs PC has a higher Intelligence than NPC

- 20% + 15% - 30% + 50% - 65% + 75% - 20% + 20% + 45% - 15% - 10% + 10% - 100% - 30% - 5% - 75% - 20% +15% +30% + 10% - 25% +15%

57

Machine Interaction and Hacking

When interacting with computerized machines, such as terminals or service drones, normally the Interface Skill is used. Modern computers are still controlled manually, and most robotic entities (those which are not controlled by true AI, that is) react only to spoken codes or key phrases. To operate a computerized machine normally, simply roll an Interface test, possibly with facilitating modifiers, as this is supposed to be the machines intended way of operation, which is user-friendly. On the other hand, there is Hacking to override a machines normal functions. Successful Hacking makes machines do things they were not supposed to do, or grants unauthorized access to hidden data. Hacking attempts cannot be made without additional equipment, which is at least a personal computer featuring the required connectivity (in the future, PDAs will do) and installed software intended for Hacking. Treat such software as key items for specific purposes. It should not be issued by default and requires the character to either write it himself (with several reasonably difficult Interface tests), or acquire it via shady connections. There is no such thing as a general purpose hacking software, only different ones optimized to hack specific systems. Hacking itself is resolved with one or more Interface tests (often with negative modifiers up to -50%), which are facilitated if the character uses certain Biomods, such as UNIP (Providing bonus modifiers up to +30%). Failed Hacking attempts are likely to harbor some unpleasant consequences, such as alerting security, setting off an alarm, or activating security measures by the machine itself. Consecutive Hacking attempts due to prior failure are often becoming incrementally more difficult with each additional try. In conclusion, machine interaction and Hacking is not meant to work as a rigid rule set. Use these basic rule outlines sparingly, to spice up adventures taking place in hi-tech environments, and emphasize on the dangers that come from unauthorized access to high-security systems.

Using Vehicles as Transportation

Whenever a character wishes to control a vehicle, an driving test with the corresponding Skill is made. Modifiers for such a test would be based on the Familiarity Level of the vehicle to the character (Above 7, add facilitating modifiers, +5% for each point, below 5 subtract -5% for each point), difficulty of terrain and particular vehicle properties. Also, vehicle control can be facilitated by implants such as UNIP, if the vehicle in question is compatible with such technologies (+10% modifiers would be appropriate in such cases). When using a vehicle only for transportation, it is recommended to demand only one test per trip. A failed test means some minor accident happened, damaging the vehicle and delaying the planned arrival by an amount of time determined by the game master. Critical failures, however, mean there has been a serious crash, destroying the vehicle and possibly killing or injuring a number of passengers.

58

- The Alien Defense RPG Writing & Development Robert Hamberger Contact Kore Game Mechanics by: Robert Hamberger Production Assistance: Martin stervang Florian Faray Rev. Dennis Klothen Maximilian Oelschlegel Additional Logos: Mike Underhill Illustration & Layout Robert Hamberger Additional Artworks & Concept Sketches Rev. Dennis Klothen Herb McGihon Andreas Schroth Kadeem Thomas 3D modeling Nahiyan Khan

Game Designs
All Contents 2008 Robert Hamberger

59

Welcome to Contact - Code: Omega


Imagine a believable, technologically evolved and politically unstable future only four decades away; a future when human society balances itself between utopian paradise and dystopian chaos. Imagine a world where no state or city has been spared by the aggressive process of globalization, subdued by an economic landscape that allows corporations to dominate every aspect of human existence, members of all social classes, ethnicities and beliefs becoming equally expendable in the eyes of an expansive, power-hungry industrialist machine. In the advent of the new millennium, more and more strange events start hinting at a dark alien threat that is clearly beyond the scope of any series of UFO incidents recorded in human history so far. More so, alien encroachments on the hapless population of third-world countries continue becoming more frequent, more directed and bolder with every day that passes, threatening to push human society out of its narrow equilibrium, while deranged UFOcults led by raving madmen celebrate in the face of impending doom

Detect - Attack - Neutralize


Contact is an exciting science fiction Pen & Paper RPG Universe that deals with mankinds secret struggle against an upcoming alien invasion. This book contains all the necessary material to play Contact, which means assuming the roles of Omega personnel, including soldiers, agents and scientists, or even amalgamations thereof, each with multiple areas of expertise, personal quirks, traits and ambitions. This allows for nearly endless roleplaying possibilities on all levels of the global alien defense organization, while an intricate management simulation extension allows players to join in on a suspenseful technology race against the alien invaders, mixing in strategic elements into longer campaigns and directly affecting story-driven game play. Get ready for over 150 pages of extraterrestrial madness, enthralling mystery and vivid, scientific high tech in the year 2047 A.D. of planet earth!

Retrieve - Research - Evolve


60

strange, something so NEW and unexpected, just didn't blend well with an established astrophysicist's oh so educated view of the universe. As a consequence, Professor A. Harrigan pretended it never happened, refused the countless offers to join research teams analyzing the phenomenon, and never acknowledged any rumors that got out to the public. Hell, Rocket could swear his

A Tale of Contact
- Part One -

dad even regretted naming that thing after himself during the brief moment of zeal he experienced when he had first spotted it through his telescope at the Sydney University of Technology Observatory.

Oi, mate! I reckon you didnt see that un coming, did yer! ...And stay down! (Recruit Harrigan upon firing a weapon for the first time in training)

In this regard, Rocket was nothing like his old man. And he would take gods name in vain, thats how proud he was about it. Instead, he had always tried to keep and open mind, and hoped to gain the insight he was seeking once he joined this particular organization - to prove his father wrong once and for all.

Phase 1 - Initiation

Being contacted by Omega agents on behalf of his graduation didn't come as a surprise to him. Not for nothing had he secretly thrived with Antinexus! for several years now. This hyperanonymous terranet community of hackers, conspiracy theorists and information liberalists had provided him with more accurate behindthe-scenes intel on the world's current state in a week than his father had ever wanted to find out in a lifetime. By writing down all viable theories, explanations and verifiable facts he could gather about the possibility of alien life on earth - and to some considerable extent, the threat that it could pose to the human race - into his final paper, he had lost some, maybe all of his credibility within the old-established scientific community his father belonged to, but gained access to another one in return. One that could provide what he needed, even if it was somewhat of a secret society. He had actually planned and expected his life to take that radical turn, and for the first time he didnt have to rely solely on theories or beliefs any more, because now he could know. And with that, he had learned what it meant to be scared even in the face of certainty. And there was no going back now. When the recovery team arrived at

Sometimes, being a scientist was a bitch. Having a sufficient understanding of the fabric of the universe and a logical explanation for everything made it hard to accept certain things for what they really were; nevertheless, Rocket had somehow preserved his ability to stick with one or two quirky beliefs as long as there was no solid proof to contradict them. Aside from a killing amount of curiosity, that was what had brought him here in the first place, playing his part in a hush-hush operation that was meant to protect the modern world from something that lurked beyond the boundaries of hard science. Something unbelievable and absurd, something so preposterous it made highly-educated scholars cringe and profoundly convinced men like Charles Darwin turn in their graves. Funky space aliens, for instance. His father had been the man to discover a very special chunk of space rock back when Rocket was still crapping his diapers. Still, the same man kept ignoring the fact that an actual alien biomass had crept out of its core after impacting with the Australian Outback later that year, ravaging the wilderness for months to come. Something so

61

the crash site earlier that night, a farmer and his twelve-year-old son had already killed one of them, splattering its innards over the haystack in their barnyard with a plethora of gauge-twelve shotgun blasts. The wreckage in the farms outskirts seemed to be a probing vessel, one that was unlikely to carry more than two operators on board. Nevertheless, the team dispersed with military efficiency, keeping their dogs quiet at the same time, covering each others backs and securing the area by the book - well, except for Max Byron, the tough-ass O.C.I. agent and his chief combat instructor back at home base. The second Rocket ran into the other alien humanoid, he instantly knew that he had been a sloppy jackass. He was not supposed to stray from the search party! But somehow he had managed to do exactly that. Which was most definitely Byrons fault, parading about in the open without even trying to make any use of cover. It had given him a false sense of security, and now here he was, searching this part of the perimeter all by himself. The little creep, however, was already on the move. Not that it could have noticed Rockets presence, unless it had invisible eyes in the back of its ugly head. Rocket was able to take a good glimpse of the little grey man hobbling away from him, his night vision goggles turning almost complete darkness into a grayish-green hell of muddy shapes and jerking shadows. His instincts told him to shoot that thing immediately - A short, controlled burst aimed between its shoulder blades. But he was shit out of luck; the teams orders were quite specific about retrieving at least one of them alive and kicking, so there wasnt going to be any trigger time for him. Lowering the assault rifle, he tried to breathe steadily. His heart was racing mad. Not good, not good. Even with the mike built into his helmet, it would have been a bad move to radio for help with the enemy ten feet away from him, so he just...

entirely, but sure as hell NOT his idea. Before he really knew what he was doing, he had tackled the creature like a professional rugby player: Bam! and they were rolling in the dirt. Rocket punched, squirmed and wrestled blindly, only his headgear hindering him from trying to bite as well. Thankfully, Byron had been his shadow. And exactly like a shadow he waltzed out of the darkness, grabbed him by his tactical vest with one big hand, tucking him aside, casually, like a bagful of garbage. Then the agent brought down his electric stun baton on the kicking, hissing creature. With a dull thud and the distinct crackling of a powerful electric discharge, its body went as limp as a wet rag. Rocket braced himself up, his hand on his own stun baton now. A bit too late, he realized, feeling stupid. With the motherly gentleness of an angry bear, Byron yanked him to his feet. You okay, maggot? Rocket nodded quickly. Not counting the almost dislocated shoulder, he felt only a bit bruised up. There were some smears of blood on his overall from the brief struggle, but he did feel whole enough to exclude them from being his own. He approached their capture, slowly; poked it with the tip of his boot. It was out cold. Looking almost like some naked, ghastly-thin human if it hadn't been for it's humongous bald head with the bulging black eyes. So they could be snuck up on. He found that mildly intriguing, even with his mind in a state of shock from what his instincts had made him do. Lately, there had been some pretty gruesome stories about these baddies sporting deadly ray guns, the kind that disintegrated human beings into flakes of dust in the blink of an eye. Too bad this one seemed to have lost it. Rocket certainly wanted to grab such a toy for his collection - seriously, which nineteen-year-old nerd wouldn't? - although his superiors probably wouldn't have let him keep it. Several minutes later, the all clear signal was given. Hushing up the simple farming folks about that ape-like corpse on their estate on the other hand, proved to be no easy task. Hopefully, the family wasn't able to get too good a look at it in the

62

What happened next was his fault

dark. Rocket didnt know if it was Dr. Grnholms reassuring explanations or Byrons obscenely huge sidearm that he loved to point at peoples heads all the time that finally did the trick. In retrospect, it must have been mostly the threats. Strapped into a passenger seat in the recovery teams VTOL aircraft, he still felt the adrenaline pumping through his veins and making his hands all restless and shaky. Not used to being on edge like this, it was a strange and primal sensation, and he wasnt so sure about not liking it, either. Byron, who usually never showed his approval to rookies, growled something along the lines of Nice job not letting that shitbag get away. Naturally, the said alien shitbag wouldnt have gotten far, anyway, unless it had gained the ability to sprout demon wings or mysteriously teleport to another dimension. The other halfdozen members of the team would have caught up with it, eventually - they were equipped with night vision filters, motion scanners and trickedout rifles with intelligent fire control systems, not to mention the nasty K9s they had brought along for the ride. These attack dogs were big enough for Rocket to ride, and specially trained to sniff out this particular kind of unwelcome visitor. Not that he would have dared to try riding something that was so positively vicious. It was probably just his crazy imagination, but when he looked at them bloody hounds, he couldnt help picturing Byron feeding them a bucket or two of Reticulan bones just to keep up their appetites for little saucer men from outer space. Its a good thing you finally saw some real-life action, Zach, the tall, blonde senior field scientist sitting next to him commented, casually. If you enjoyed it, maybe youll get more chances to get out of the lab once in a while. Rocket tried to smile on that, but only half of his face went along with it, which mustve looked awkward. Aye, Maam. But I might want to stick with research for some time now. Not that I was scared... Well, dont relax yet, honey, she said, with a quick glance at Byron, who just raised a thick eyebrow at her, as if he already knew what she was going to say and didnt exactly approve of it,

a new rookie is going to join your training unit tomorrow, and believe me, it's going to be one wild ride, to say the least. Rocket couldnt help but give her a puzzled look, wondering how something as trivial as that could even remotely compare to the mind-boggling encounter from before. But he didnt say anything. Byron made a face like he would scowl the good doctor into silence, anyway. Since Rocket had started out as a recruit a few months ago, he had learned to accept all the secretiveness that was going on inside and around Omegas facilities. Unlike his fathers complete and utter denial of such matters, it was a necessary evil to keep the general public safe, they said. Rocket knew that with his basic security clearance level, he could consider himself lucky to have been allowed to actually see one of them little grey bastards, let alone engage it in a lightweight inter-species wrestling contest. He also knew he wasnt supposed to let any of this slip to the other rookies, or Chief Hard-Ass over there would chew him up and spit him out by the time he had finished bragging. Lucky for him, that gorgeous Swedish babe Dr. Grnholm was quite protective of her tobe assistants, so it balanced out well with Byrons regular-basis torment that all rookies received, regardless of their other qualifications. The aircraft landed, waking Rocket up from his weary thoughts. Byron was already at the door, entering the safety code, a freshly lit Cuban cigar between his large yellow teeth. Youre coming with us, Harrigan. he said, puffing some heavy smoke. Quarantine procedures. Downside of being the fucking hero.

Phase 2 Fresh Meat

Rocket had quickly picked up on the fact their instructors wanted them to expect the unexpected twenty-four hours a day. Command indeed seemed so bent on making their future personnel paranoid, many a drill had already ended up going awry, crazed youngsters fleeing the training grounds

63

or, in the rare case they managed to keep their head screwed on, immediately resigning from training in order to return to the normal, boring lives they had lived before, but never got to appreciate them accordingly. Especially drills conducted by Max Byron seemed to have a frightening tendency of dwindling into serious, real life situations that where outright dangerous to everyone involved. And the next night after the farmstead intervention was by no means going to be any different. In quarantine, they had let him sleep late, which was a good thing, because he didnt really feel so dandy. The physicians however, insisted was in premium health, and if there was anything to be trusted in this whole cloak-and-dagger operation they had going, it was a doctors opinion. These were probably the best damned doctors in this god-forsaken country, recruited from leading universities and paid absurd salaries to ensure their silent effort in helping people with what they would call, well, exotic afflictions. Fortunately, they were pretty sure Rocket hadnt contracted any of these, as the Grey underling he had wrestled wasn't more of an infectious risk than a putrid sac of bile... at least that was what his splattered uniform had smelled like after he was allowed to take off the helmet. When they let him out through the quarantine hatch, it was already late afternoon. Dr. Grnholm told him to take some time off, get some R&R, which was good. Actually, it was excellent, and he didnt miss his chance to beam at her with joy. As he asked her about the new rookie in a brief moment, when Byron wasn't breathing down their necks, she told him the supply transport to be scheduled for point eighteen-hundred in the afternoon. That was in less than fifteen minutes, he realized, so he bolted. Somewhat of an outsider among the other rookies, Rocket had always been curious about incoming transfers. Being the only recruit on site to be approved as an expert trainee (read: designated company egg-head) held certain disadvantages for dealing with the rest of the gang, most members thereof

measuring coolness with the amount of wimps one got to pick on during exercise. And given Rocket represented the wimp faction more or less by himself, they had to resort to picking on the same wimp over and over again - until it got old enough to let it rest for half an hour or so. Unfortunately, he was to be disappointed. The supply plane arrived in time, but all it brought were indeed supplies - crates full of weaponry, ammunition, building materials and all sorts of smaller commodities that were hard to come by this deep in the wilderness - smokes, booze, adult entertainment media and soft tissue toilet paper. Now that was a real bummer. Even Brigs and Gneiss quarreling over the new batch of heavy weapons couldnt cheer him up - okay, he admitted it did that, but only just a bit. The weapon specialist by the moniker of Brigs was a large, black American of a rather chilled out disposition, but it wasnt meant to last when he had to deal with Gneiss bustling around the new equipment HIS new equipment, or to put it more accurately, the weapons he was responsible accounting for. Gneiss himself could only be described as an angry midget with a disproportionally loud and foul mouth, who worked for Omega only to avoid being locked away for knowing WAY too much about virtually every politician's and official's dirty laundry within the boundaries of the European Union, and to some extent, beyond that. Made not much difference being locked away in a secluded Omega mountain base, instead, Rocket thought. He still believed old Gneiss to be, besides crazier than a sack of fleas, one of the original founders of Antinexus!, while the senior engineer kept denying it with half-assed excuses. Nevertheless, they usually got along okay when that mad gnome wasnt in one of his worst disgruntled states, during which he used to hurl painfully creative insults at virtually anyone, including attractive, cultivated women such as Ingrid Grnholm or men of intimidating stature like Brigs over there. Brigs on the other hand, Rocket didnt him know too well; the weapon specialist had been transferred to Echo-Epsilon base just a few weeks ago, replacing the former quartermaster Picatinny,

64

who had mysteriously gone AWOL one night and not returned to date. According to hearsay, Brigs was supposed to be an organized man who liked doing things by the book. And that was exactly the opposite of everything that Gneiss stood for. Hence they kept going on and on, until Brigs finally raised the worn Rugby Ball (no, wait, that was actually an American football!) that he carried at Gneiss, feinting a powerful throw. It worked in shutting the clamoring midget up at least for a few seconds, as he almost fell off a supply box in surprise. You flinched. Brigs said in his deep, booming voice, casually chucking the pigskin at Rocket instead. He gave away a stifled Oomph! as he caught the pass, glad to have managed to stop it at all, instead of just being knocked over like a bowling pin. So, Brigadier, is it? Did you hear anything about new meat coming in today? he asked the other man, trying to sound all cool and manly, ignoring the three foot tall engineer giving them the finger. The weapon specialist finished programming a loader drone, then shouldered a heavy looking crate himself. The label read it contained dual armor-piercing, fragmenting panzerfaust payloads. The mere thought of Gneiss messing around with these gave Rocket the Heebie-Jeebies. The crazy bastard could start booby-trapping the whole place as soon as he got his grimy little hands on such deadly explosives, and while that would do a great job in keeping any would-be infiltrators out of the air vents, it would probably kill at least the janitor in the long run. No idea, lil dawg. Why dontcha ask the man instead, yo? And by that he meant Byron, who was in charge of all the rookies around these parts. The chief instructor was probably in the gym, abusing the battered sparring drones again - or at the rifle range, wasting large caliber ammo on helpless cardboard targets - or terrorizing the crap out of some poor kids on the assault course. Well, in any case there was no way in hell Rocket was going to see Byron during his R&R time, unless it was a matter of life and death. He wouldnt get the irony

of that thought until later tonight. Still holding Brigs football, he hesitated, frowning. Tell you what, wonder boy. the weapon specialist said, pointing his free thumb at sulking Gneiss. Ill ask him myself if you stick around for a while, make sure Gremlins back there dont open any of my packages. And hang on to that ball until Im back, okay? Gneiss was already staring at them like a leprechaun on the verge of being relieved of his gold treasure. Sincerely amused, Rocket tried to mimic that expression, staring back at him with bulging eyeballs, then feinted an overhead throw with the football. It worked, Gneiss ducked back into cover, spouting even more vulgarities per second than before. He must have been bullied a lot when he was still a kid in school, Rocket figured. Couldnt say he didnt know what that felt like.

Phase 3 Family Liabilities

Later that day, after deliberately avoiding the research lab that served as his daytime workplace, spending some relaxing hours in the expert library and grabbing a mouthful of chow at the cafeteria, Rocket decided to pay the holding facilities in the east wing a visit. It took some explaining to convince the guards to let him in, but after showing them his ID and stating his pivotal participation in the Greys capture the other night, they accepted his request to take a good, long stare at everybodys favorite new freak show. As he entered the small cell block, there was no illumination except for the faint gleam that fell through the one-way mirrors of the dimly lit cells. Although no older than a couple of months, the moldy concrete of the corridor oozed humidity and reeked of old cellar already. No one else was in the hallway, which gave Rocket a slight chill. It wasnt his first time inside, though the dungeon, as it was fittingly called, had not seen actual use back then. Approaching the holding cell for his prized catch, he held his breath for something scary to happen. Fortunately, nothing happened at all. It just sat in

65

one rear corner of the cell, feebly scratching its huge, misshapen head with long skinny fingers. In fact, it gave the impression of an anorectic ape on sedatives, and a hairless, shriveled one at that. This was supposed to be one of the things that disembarked from flying saucers, mutilating cattle and abducting hapless people in order to perform gruesome experiments on them? If Rocket had not seen the remains of the ship with his own eyes, he would have probably doubted it by now. He also remembered Dr. Grnholm saying something about these bald monkey things not being exactly bright, even compared to mentally challenged humans. Theories about them were already quite popular with pseudo-scientific underground movements by the time Roswell happened in 1947, and since the foundation of Omega almost one century later, additional dozens of them had been captured alive; yet still nothing had been found out about their origins or their intentions. What they really wanted with mankind had remained a frustrating mystery to the present day, and all the probing and prodding had ever done was to reveal more details about their anatomy and physiology, which were not so very different from a humans, and, quite frankly, unspectacular in the first place. This one seemed apathetic and lifeless already, its bulging black eyes narrowed to slits, hunched up against the back wall of the holding cell. It would probably die soon, as they all had done in the past, which was a mere matter of days. Rocket didnt know if it was right to feel sorry for it. After all, these things did the same probing and poking to abductees, or at least so went the numerous scare stories that kept rookies up at night. Kinda pathetic when you take a closer look, dont you think? Byron gnarled right over the top of his head. Rocket winced and gave off a yelp of surprise. He turned around, slowly, trying not to look startled, in which he failed miserably. Uh. Yeah. Pathetic, I guess. he reiterated. Should've seen what they did to some of the people they took and brought back during the thirties, though. It wasn't

Rocket must've missed out on this intel in the archives because of his lousy security clearance. So, you have been inquiring about the transfer that was supposed to come in today. It was just a statement. Byron did not sound more menacing than usual, yet Rocket suddenly felt the urge to get the hell out of there. Yes Sir, I did. he replied, swallowing on the lump in his throat. This area is off-limits to brats like you. Another statement, no distinguishable blame in his voice there. Im sorry, Sir. I was just curious about the specimen. Well then, since youre such an industrious little devil, lets take a step over here... Being more shoved than invited, Rocket stumbled before the next holding cell. Byron then stood behind him and knocked on the glass, gently. As if he was trying to be careful. Byron and careful! This certainly wasnt like him at all. And out of a sudden,something SLAMMED against the glass, almost causing Rocket to crap his very pants! This holding cells inhabitant had been out of sight, probably hiding right beneath the one way mirror. The same millisecond Byron gave away their presence, it leapt to its feet, violently hitting the panel with its palms, forehead firmly pressed against the surface. Beneath a wild, disheveled shock of cherry-red hair, a pair of large yellow eyes gazed demonically, directly at Rockets face, the small mouth full of very sharp, white teeth forming three intelligible words that couldnt be heard because of the soundproof glass separating them at arm's length: LET ME OUT! Rocket took a few seconds for the sake of his nerves. After settling down a bit, he approached the glass again. What he saw there before him was definitely a person, strictly speaking a girl about the same age as him, or perhaps a few years younger. She was dressed only in a plain, white hospital gown and would have looked pretty normal, were it not for her strange, pale blue skin hue and long, pointy

66

pretty.

ears that kept twitching erratically, as if they had a mind of their own - which they probably had, judging from their wild range of movement. Apart from that, her physiognomy held an unreal balance between lean, delicate felinity and an aura of sheer power. She was beautiful, but not in the domestic, human kind of way. Rocket was freaked. Whoever was standing there in front of him, breathing heavily and trying to penetrate the mirror with its hellish, glowing eyes, could have been human, but not quite. Thinking scientifically even in moments of shock and surprise, Rocket immediately came up with a list of hopefully logical explanations for what she could be. He had considered a good half-dozen when he remembered that Dr. Moreau, playing a crucial part in most of his theories, was a fictional character from a fantastic novel! In real life, nobody did genetic manipulations of that magnitude - if her appearance was indeed altered on a genetic level, and not by mere biomodification - which was unlikely due to the fact of her being locked up in that cell - a cell built for a very specific purpose. The only remaining option was both obvious and unbelievable. Alien? That would have been too much. Completely out of ideas, Rocket turned to Byron, giving him his most bewildered look in a long time. As he spoke, his words came out in a stutter he thought he had gotten rid of since fifth grade: WhWh- What is that? His chief instructor let out an evil chuckle. It was as close to a real laugh as Max Byron would ever get. Cute, isn't she? Meet Ex-Gee Thirty-One Four. But dont ask me who made her or where she came from, cause I dont give a flying fuck about it. For all that I know, 'that' is your new training partner. Rocket just gaped like an idiot, unable to respond. And since youll be the first human the instructor added, grinning like the ruthless mobster he was, whom she gets to know from our quaint little family out here, youll also hold her hand through the whole process, making sure she learns by the book - If she screws up, your head rolls. Are you catching my drift, maggot? Now that was one big fucking drift. So this was his reward for being pesky, he realized. It sure as

hell wasnt the first time he had earned it, and Byron had always been his executioner, one way or another. Rocket sighed. What could he do? In the end, Byrons punishment never turned out to be as bad as he expected, although it always sounded like madness at first. Maybe, deep down beneath that scarred, armored mercenary shell, the old bastard wasnt such a bad teacher, after all. Always dropping craploads of responsibility on Rockets narrow, intellectual shoulders must have had a higher purpose all along. Rocket could take that responsibility, emerging stronger and smarter after every single time they performed the ordeal. With that in mind, Rocket straightened up, taking one more glance at the strange, feral humanoid predator behind the glass, and looked his grim mentor directly in the eye, which was just a cold, dark cybernetic lens. Outstanding, Sir! Requesting permission to make contact. His nemesis instructor just handed him the keycard. There you go. Now you be nice to her. If youre lucky, she wont hurt you too much.

To be continued...

67

Dies Irae - Welcome to the future


It is the year 2047 A.D. On the surface, the world of man gleams with progress, its shadows reeking of war, death and disease. And so the strangers finally arrive, at what appears to be the outset for mankinds darkest hour

Most of us had pretty clear expectations for the 21st Century In its advent, it was supposed to bring us Utopia, a new beginning, a belief facilitated by the dawn of AI, the birth of the terranet and a new, false security granted by the arrogant, powerhungry mega-corporate structures, towering over the worlds despair like a glittering facade of steel, glass and lies. We did not see political crisis, economic disorder, the unexplainable epidemics or natural and ecological disasters within the boundaries of a ravaged, anarchical Third World, for they were not concerning us or so we thought, our ignorance also becoming our ultimate weakness. It started with the pan-Asian territories - at first, terrorists were blamed for most of the destabilizing events that took place, giving the public what it wanted: Convenient, instant scapegoats. In most cases, actual terrorists where found and brought to justice, but the authorities, united in a frenetic international witchhunt, did not always get what they were looking for. Countless innocent fell victim to false accusations; yet worse, rampant cells of resistance started emerging, a result of the omnipresent hate and fear, waging guerilla wars on their oppressors. Even in these chaotic times politicians, heavily supported by their countrys corporate sector, tried to maintain the illusion of peace and control to the public - after all, it was what they had done for centuries.

68

By finally decoding the last pieces of the human genome and developing true AI, the industrial nations scientific community started considering itself on top

of the world, literally, regardless of pandemonium going on outside of their sterile, polished laboratories. These particular technological advancements didnt prevent some major setbacks, however. With vast, international companies pursuing their quest for power and total globalization, increasingly less effort was invested into the conquest of space - in fact, exploration of the cosmos had proved as a severe financial flop, and so it was generally abandoned by solid science, save for a few idealists and visionaries with little to no funding. Weapon and security technology, on the other hand, had become the big seller on the international market - with hysteria and distrust dominating the political landscape, almost any company could make a profit in blood money. With more and more open conflicts bursting out all over the Globe, violence claimed millions of lives. Overpopulation however, a factor that was never compensated for by war, continued ravaging the third world in force. Smaller nations which couldnt afford a substantial military, were overrun or annexed by their closest neighbors, while other, more conflicted countries simply broke in the face of crisis, becoming quarreling clusters of small territories, only to get themselves trampled like anthills by invading armies. Pollution and global warming were already catastrophic at the end of the last century. A few decades into the 21st Century, environmental issues took their impact to the next level, causing vast parts of the Arctic and Antarctic ice to melt, flooding many sea-level nations into oblivion. The once great forests of the earth had shrunken to meager wildlife preserves, while extinction of plant and animal species became so blindingly fast that man started losing track of it. Looking at human culture, we were not to expect anything brighter. Art, Literature, humanitys cultural past, all of it lost its meaning in the cold, rational current of pragmatism that sparked from crisis. We burned books to provide energy; we tore down museums to make room for factories or container settlements, not even flinching at the thought of giving up even the last bit of cultural heirloom for something that appeared more useful at that particular moment. The age of poets and thinkers was over. With the Aftermath of the Cold War bringing everything else but peace to the world, and the general craze in the face of a rising terrorist threat against capitalist civilization, early accounts of UFO sightings have been largely ignored by the general public, being dismissed as farce and fraud. Furthermore, at the turn of the century, several UFO cults, suicidal sects and associations of self-proclaimed UFOlogists continued stealing the phenomenas credibility away with unprofessional approaches and absurd, laughable theories, while more and more members of younger generations considered it a great prank to fake proof for such events, thereby obscuring the reality of the few genuine ones even more. In fact, it is impossible to tell the difference for most recorded UFO incidents and sightings up to the present day, the footage thereof being unsophisticated in nature and therefore quite easily counterfeit. Even if afflicted with a high percentage of fraud, phenomena suggesting extraterrestrial visits to our planet showed a clearly rising trend from the beginning of the 21st century, becoming both more frequent and severe, especially in third-world countries. It was not until two decades ago that the worlds leading authorities started worrying about the possibility of mass panic. When the foundation of Omega was approved, the decision was barely supported by hard facts. Instead, the once great superpowers of the world had achieved a new dimension of paranoia

69

Planet Terror - A Chronology


2012 When Taiwan officially declares its independence from the Peoples Republic of China, Chinese armed forces stationed at the border are immediately ordered to invade the country. Upon reaching Taipei City, the Chinese military takes action against the renewed Taiwanese government, causing multiple civilian casualties. Taiwan is then officially annexed by China. Only a few weeks later, the United States of America apply a similar treatment to still-communist Cuba, annexing it in the process. Though the context of severe political tension is quite obvious, any allegations are disputed by the US government. 2014 The arms race between the Russian Federation and the Peoples Republic of China starts being noticed by the general public as it reaches proportions similar to the cold war era. The conditions in which Russia keeps its old stock of nuclear weapons, however, are desolate, to put it mildly. 2014 is a year marked by multiple nuclear accidents on Russian ground, some of them dwarfing even the Chernobyl disaster of 1986. Later that year, a major breakthrough in viral genetics from Copenhagen, Denmark, allows for mass production of a drug that can effectively cure the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). UNICEF reacts quickly by sending vast shipments of the drug to the many HIV-ridden countries of Africa, only to find the shipments stolen by local warlords. Even consecutive shipments keep getting stolen in order to be sold to the highest bidder on the black market. On-site UNO forces try to intervene directly at the ports, but are violently repelled or even slaughtered by the warlords militia. In the following months, warlords keep fighting each other on behalf of the med stashes, while only a small percentage of the drug reaches the afflicted population. Shortly after, the project is abandoned by UNICEF due to financial limits, disappointment and disgust. 2017 The last functioning space station in earth orbit, ISS (Alpha) suffers a catastrophic malfunction and descends into the atmosphere. Most of the crew is evacuated in time, except for three technicians who try gaining insight into the nature of the technical error. Most structural parts of the 150-Billion Dollar installation crash into the Mediterranean Sea; the others cause massive impacts on solid ground, luckily not harming any population. The cause for the malfunction which should not have been possible due to the space stations multiple, redundant control systems and sophisticated security protocols remains a mystery to the present day. 2017 Civil war erupts in Sri Lanka, breaking the country down into multiple religious and ethnical fractions. The neighbouring Federal Republic of India doesnt hesitate in annexing them one by one during the following years, which aggravates the internal quarrel even more. 2019 The worlds first artificial intelligence passes a full Turing Test meaning that it exhibits knowledge, reason, and the ability to learn, adapt and use natural language at the same level as a human being. The AI goes by the Name of Galatea Seven, a name derived both from Greek mythology and the almost improvised cluster of obsolete Cray Twin Overlord Supercomputers (7 in number) that provide her processing capabilities. Galateas emergence comes as a surprise to the creators themselves, as the AI achieves consciousness by reprogramming itself in the final stages of their non-profit, independent project. The unmodified, initial software pattern back-upped after Galateas emergence is still being researched, trying to figure out the missing link in its impressive evolution, and is considered the mother of all true machine intelligences so far. 2020 Turkey, southern Europe and nearby parts of the Middle East are struck with an earthquake of unprecedented magnitude, its epicentre lying only a few miles away from Ankara. Seismic strength is estimated at 10.1 on the Richter scale, the duration clocked at roughly 15 devastating minutes, which appears unnatural, in default of a more fitting

70

description, causing over 50.000 casualties. Only weeks later, an epidemic of an unknown disease that somewhat resembles Ebola hemorrhagic fever strikes Eastern Europe, being viral in nature and highly contagious, but also showing a notable genetic preference for the ethnic minorities of Sinti and Roma. Although the affliction appears curable under optimized conditions (hospitalization, antiviral medication), endeavours of helping the gypsy minority largely fail due to its persisting mistrust towards modern science. In the following months, the gypsy population in Europe is severely decimated by the virus, while only few infected patients with other ethnic backgrounds die. Conspiracy theorists start mumbling about genocide, while both scientists and the local authorities fail in finding any tangible clues pointing at this possibility. Proving 2020 to be a year of calamity indeed, the Mauna Loa Volcano on Hawaii erupts only a few days before Christmas. Hawaii is evacuated in the following hours, just in time before the Mauna Loa unexpectedly explodes, literally tearing the island paradise in half and reducing all habitable areas to cinders. 2022 The ideological conflict between North and South Korea finally culminates in all-out war, with China vigorously supporting their socialist comrades, while Japan remains passive, only serving any involved Allied forces as an overseas supply base. Meanwhile, a new, explosive population growth affects Africa, causing severe famines due to most countries' deficient agricultural economy. New conflicts erupt between stable governments, warlords and population migrating away from the deserts, genocide and bloodshed establishing themselves once more as regular elements of African internal politics. 2023 North Korea seals its fate by launching non-nuclear medium-range ballistic Scud missiles at Japan, heavily damaging Kobe, Osaka and even Tokyo. The Japanese political landscape is in turmoil, with a new, national-conservative government revising the current constitution in order to be able to retaliate against North Korea. Backed by the US government, the change is made in spite of protests from the Japanese Emperor, Naruhito, demonstrating once more how little power the modern Japanese monarch is granted. Only days later, Japan is able to deploy paratroopers, tank divisions and their new breed of heavy UCAVs to the Korean mainland. Casualties of war on both sides are enormous, and as always played down for the public. 2024 The long-running Human Genome Project, founded in 1990, is finally concluded. As the medias attention focuses on the subject once more, numerous companies experiments are revealed (few accidentally, more of them by snooping members of the boulevard press) and found to infringe international UNESCO regulations concerning the manipulation of human genetic material. Thereafter, the regulations are revised and tightened. Attempts to hold the respective companies responsible for their infractions remain mostly fruitless, as any serious corporation employs much fiercer lawyers than most governments, or even the United Nations, for that matter. While state authorities and corporate sector keep squabbling about regulations, strange events occur in the wilderness several tens of miles away from Calgary, Canada. A viral outbreak that is later described as rabies turns 53 people into mindless, aggressive cannibals, prompting the military to incinerate their settlement (and a wide safety zone of forest area along with it) with fuel-air bombings. 2027 With the war on international terrorism showing less of the desired results then expected, the political landscape of the US slowly seems to change again. The new orientation is somewhat of a throwback to the traditional isolationism of the 19th Century, standing for less aggressive foreign politics and more economic nationalism. In 2027, however, a shocking incident occurs in Washington: A large, dirty bomb (also called radiological dispersal device by military experts) detonates in a densely populated area of the capital, instantly killing hundreds and injuring thousands of citizens, as well as raining radioactive fallout on 71

the rest of the city. First clues lead to the accusation of a well-known Middle Eastern terrorist organization, the infamous Al-Qaeda, which immediately takes all responsibility for the attack, full of fundamentalist pride. Even so, a more detailed and in-depth investigation of the incident leads to another suspicion, one that heavily shakes the American peoples faith in their own government and makes Watergate appear like a Halloween prank in direct comparison. The incident, which goes down into history books as The Great Crapload, is insinuated to be in fact a neo-conservative conspiracys attempt at reviving the US governments zeal in fighting foreign terrorism, and also boosting the economy with increased arms sales towards the armed forces of allied countries. Later during that same year, a tsunami ravages the east coast of Japan (Honshu), which fortunately can be evacuated before the tidal wave arrives. Strangely, the only truly certified video recording of an actual extraterrestrial UFO sighting in history originates from a small seaport town in Honshu, shot shortly after the evacuation. 2028 The new, hard-line communist regime of Venezuela uses questionable methods to nationalize all larger oil companies within its borders, and therefore becomes one of the most successful exporters for the now-scarce mineral fuels worldwide. In contrast, Brazil adapts more and more western capitalist traits and constitutes a political and economic hegemony over Latin America. Surprisingly, there are very few serious conflicts with Venezuela for the remaining time, and both countries keep carrying on commerce with each other. Later that year, European CERN scientists manage to create a dangerously high amount of anti-hydrogen, using the Large Hadron Collider installation in the Swiss Alps near Geneva. This is recorded as the largest amount of antimatter ever artificially created, and the largest amount ever found on earth, probably at any point in the planets history, holding enough power to be more destructive than a dozen of (high-end) hydrogen bombs if ever allowed to exit its magnetically sealed vacuum chamber. Despite the apocalyptic dangers inherent to this artifact technology, the produced antimatter is preserved as a whole. Another outbreak of rabies is recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa, infecting more than 200 people this time. The victims have to be violently put down by the military; the United Nations arriving just in time to create a quarantine zone around the jungle area where the first infected had been reported by locals. 2029 With the polar ice melting due to global warming, heavy floods ravage the island conglomerates of the Pacific Ocean, northern parts of Europe and East Coast of the US. Massive resettlements become necessary, consuming billions of Dollars (and Euros). An earthquake of 8.3 points by Richter standards rocks the northernmost Japanese Island of Hokkaido, claiming a large percentage of the populations lives, as it comes without warning and unexpected according to previous seismic readings. During that same period, a great drought in South Africa reaches its climax, causing unprecedented famines and misery. More and more South Africans try to re-settle to the north, only to be violently driven back by the local authorities, which consist mainly of self-proclaimed warlords and their unscrupulous troops, often employing drugged up children as soldiers. 2030 A cosmic phenomenon known as a geomagnetic storm (caused by a coronal mass ejection from Sol) heavily affects all electronic equipment on the earths western (new world) hemisphere, disrupting almost all internet activities for nearly four hours. A small percentage of servers are also physically affected, causing data loss in their obsolete magnetic hard drives. Though the economic loss is much lower than initially expected (the phenomenon was forecast in time and backups were made), vast portions of the old internet remain broken, faulty and useless. Later that year, the leading communication

72

companies of the world present their plan for a better, more stable (because heavily hard-line reliant) World Wide Web the terranet, while various manufacturers simultaneously emerge with new biochip-technologies that are supposed to prevent data loss in the face of future electromagnetic incidents. 2032 A major motor company from Japan presents its first attempt at creating a fully functional, general purpose robotic helper in humanoid shape. The sophisticated machine possesses Turing-proof AI, a versatile, lightweight aluminium frame and is able to perform almost any physical task that a human can do. Mainly intended to serve as a housekeeping aid or for performing small errands, the artificial persons status in human society is still somewhat disputed. It is clearly distinguishable from humans by its mechanic appearance and distinctive behaviour (restricted and bound to a pretty much unchanged and practical version of Asimovs robotics doctrine), and built to a set of specifications which make it almost impossible to be used as a weapon against humans. Even so, many nations military starts showing brisk interest in this kind of technology. 2035 Believed to weigh approximately 32 metric tons, the meteorite Harrigan impacts about 300 miles northwest of Canberra, causing a massive crater, about 160 yards in diameter and 20 in depth. The dust cloud prevails for weeks to come, but there are no casualties. Upon researching the fallen space rock, it is found to be a regular iron-nickel meteorite, although much lighter than telescope imagery initially suggested. Later that year, Algeria and Morocco clash in their second great conflict concerning Western Sahara territory, both countries claiming it as their own. It is dubbed the second Sand War by the media. Since both countries have a powerful military, the conflict is fought with advanced weapons, including satellite death ray style installations and autonomous mechanized forces. In any case, the war doesnt settle anything, and degenerates into an unstable, smouldering armistice. 2041 After its long struggle in foreign politics, the Islamic Republic of Iran finally achieves nuclear superpower status. A new arms race with the established nuclear powers begins, resulting in a final combined overkill capacity of 400+ times for the whole planet. Additionally, new weapon technologies such as vectoredthrust armored vehicles and servosuits enter production, ready to be sold to the highest bidder.

73

2042 Secluded from the public eye, a secret international summit dubbed the Omega Initiative is held in Berlin. Participants are representatives of the industrial and military superpowers of the world, including communist China and even North Korea. The foundation of the alien defense organization, Omega, is approved with a majority of 98%, the only rejection coming from the North Korean representatives. A large number of bases and outposts all over the globe are planned during the course of the meeting, the first three being appointed to be established in Germany, Japan and the North American West Coast. 2043 A previously unknown comet or asteroid, which exhibits a prospective course crossing earths solar system, is discovered. As the celestial body draws nearer, its density is noticed to be too low for a regular space rock, more likely an agglomeration of smaller rocks, while its velocity is that of a comet. Furthermore, the object seems to perform minor course alterations that do not follow any pattern explainable by astrophysics, and would actually be homing in for earth if it continued in this fashion. The celestial body is named Tashikawa Cluster, after its discoverer, and watched anxiously by the astrophysicist scientific community as it approaches. Yet another eerie event appears to mark the year 2043, when a complete, medium-sized Amish Enclave in Indiana, USA, disappears from the map over night, leaving no trace of the actual settlement behind. Inquiring authorities are led to believe that higher entities of the US government have relocated its 429 inhabitants, but no reason is given, nor are any other explanations, raising more than a few eyebrows. 2046 Following in the traditional footsteps of last centurys Space Race between Russia and the US, NASA finally launches its long-planned and highly anticipated Mission to Mars, with 11 human Astronauts and one advanced AI on board. While everything runs as planned in the beginning, all contact with the expedition breaks off after only two weeks into the 9 month trip. All consecutive attempts at re-establishing communications fail. After a few months, the mission is rated as a definitive failure, the space vessels crew declared missing in action. The publics reaction to this catastrophic failure leads to further demoralization of the already heavily criticized American space program, and ultimately NASA assets being largely sold to private investors from the corporate sector. 2047 The unidentified celestial body designated as the Tashikawa Cluster, now clearly on collision course with earth and not changing its direction any more, is fired upon by NASA with a number of large nuclear warheads provided by the US military. The attack shows only limited effect, and large fragments of the Cluster miraculously enter a stable orbit around our planet, while multiple smaller meteorite impacts are reported all over the world. More and more unexplainable UFO sightings are reported as well, and stranger events start occurring, even in major cities. Humanity seems to be at war with itself, now possessing the power to extinguish its own existence in the blink of an eye. Regardless, Omega agents make their preparations to meet an enemy unknown.

74

2047 A.D. - Status Quo


- From an O.C.I. point of view

Relevant Corporations/Organizations

During times when critical decisions are made behind the scenes, politics, corporate affairs and state economy are so obscurely entangled with each other, it would exceed multiple encyclopaedic volumes to list all relevant instances involved, let alone explain their intricate interactions with each other. An alien influence on this already delicate and unstable framework is conceivable, and never to be underestimated by Omega Central Intelligence, or by any member of our organization, for that matter. With the rise and growth of multinational Megacorps, corporate extraterritoriality becomes a highly precarious issue, as it hampers the harbouring states jurisdiction on corporate ground, making malevolent, possibly infiltrated companies harder to detect. Furthermore, O.C.I. is keeping an eye out for any other organizations that seem quite too keen on finding out more about extraterrestrial presences, or even may try to establish contact with them. Although most will turn out to be mere temporary congregations of harmless nutcases (such as most UFOlogist communities), radical and dangerous groups prone to becoming manipulated tools for the intruders agenda will also occur. The following outline serves as an introduction to the most significant international companies, economic conglomerates and other influential organizations that have significant impact on the modern world of the year 2047. Additionally, a number of dubious religious sects and ideological underground movements will be characterized, regardless if they have interacted with an alien threat, are prone to doing so or may pose a major hindrance to Omega operatives working in the field.

Multinational Megacorps
Akagi Corporation A massive, pan-pacific industrial conglomerate based in Tokyo, Japan, and probably the most powerful single economic entity worldwide. It emerged by fusion of a number of major industrial companies from Japan and other capitalist pacific nations (South Korea, for example), such as Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Toshiba, Hyundai, Samsung and Komatsu. Nowadays, most significantly powerful corporations of Asia are subdivisions of Akagi, stretching itself to most civilized (and some not so civilized) parts of the world. As expected from a true Megacorp, Akagi is not only a manufacturer of weapons, computers (being the market leader in the AI sector), vehicle technology and the leading power in material science (except for metallurgy, which is dominated by the Krieg Arbeitsgemeinschaft from Germany), but is also involved in financial services, health care and virtually any other profitable business opportunity. Although made up of former vertically-integrated, Keiretsu type corporations, Akagi exhibits a very centralized, top-down control, which is rather similar to western corporate systems. In recent years, Akagi shares have grown exponentially on the international stock market. G.C.P. General Consumer Products Reaching back almost thirty years now, G.C.P. was created through association of privatized North American national companies and a handful of already established super corporations, such as GMC and Microsoft. Today, G.C.P. is the largest corporation in the US, even large enough to be directly compared to Japanese Megacorp type entities. Taking military capitalism to its next level, G.C.P. employs a vast percentage of the American population, builds virtually any product in the country, and is, practically speaking, the sole supplier of 75

military hardware for the US Army, Navy and Air Force. Its further interests lie with conventional and alternate energy sources, agricultural developments and space travel. While the latter experienced a major decrease during last years failed mission to mars, G.C.P. has nonetheless bought and adapted a sizeable quantity of NASA assets for future developments. One of its most noticeable subsidiaries, A.C.P. (Advanced Consumer Products), is also market leader in machine intelligence and robotics. The companys most memorable slogan is Dont think just BIG, think GIGANTIC think G.C.P. Krieg AG In the early 21st Century, an immensely resourceful German industrialist tycoon by the name of Victor Krieg achieved a major fusion between several arms manufacturers and metallurgy empires from all German speaking parts of Europe, including, but not limited to Rheinmetall, Steyr-Mannlicher, Glock, Sig, FN Herstal, Heckler & Koch and Dynamit Nobel. As a metallurgy supremacist, company CEO Krieg has a firm grip on the worldwide market for expensive, specialized building materials, and strives to dominate it with high-end weapon technology, man-machine interfaces and hard biomodifications. Although the Krieg Arbeitsgemeinschaft qualifies as a multinational Megacorp, its field of interest is strictly limited to the metallurgic and military sector, providing no other services and generally keeping a low profile on the other markets. The companys main doctrines are punctuality and efficiency, derived from its CEOs personal alleged attributes. Kyohaku Zaibatsu Second only to Akagi in size and influence on pacific economy, this Megacorp tries to maintain an illusion of Japanese traditionalism in its business ideas. Lead by a powerful family of industrialists, the Zaibatsu is versatile, expansive and involved with most markets in Asia (and to some lesser extent also overseas), its main focus being medical, biotechnological and genetics research. Its subsidiaries dealing with agriculture and energy sources (both renewable and fossil) are rather small and neglected when compared to the ones mentioned above, but nonetheless noteworthy. The Kyohaku Zaibatsu has achieved some degree of notoriety with Omega Central Intelligence, as it proved to be more than just curious about alien presence on earth. (Dinamika) After the fall of the iron curtain and communism being largely vanquished from Russia, the countrys economy started to thrive on private companies. Nowadays, the Russian Federation possesses its own Megacorp, a natural evolution of capitalist economy and possibly the only answer to the still progressing globalization. Dinamika shares all of its characteristics with modern, international corporations, with its main business focus on oil, minerals and building materials (export being its main asset). Dinamikas subsidiaries consist mainly of aerospace companies, arms manufacturers and security firms. While at least as effective and ruthless as any other large, powerful company, Dinamika seems to advocate patriotism, pledging its allegiance to Mother Russia, a bold claim that is somewhat denounced by the ever-decaying infrastructure and high income inequality of the country, even in major cities where the company officially resides. MiC Not a corporation by conventional definitions, but nevertheless an international product brand, MiC stands as an abbreviation for Made in China. MiC is the Peoples Republics attempt at gaining a respected status on the worlds open market, implementing elements of western corporate structures into its still somewhat centralized, socialist state economy. MiC as a brand does not belong to any of the involved companies, but stands as a symbol for their loose, government-sanctioned union, making high quality Chinese services and products easier recognizable all over the globe.

76

Terrorist Organizations
Islamic Fundamentalist Terrorism Although not as prevalent any more as it has been at the turn of the century, Islamic Jihad terrorism still lingers all over the world. Modern versions of long-established terror cells, such as those of Al Qaeda, have added cyber criminality to their usual arsenal of bombings, intimidation and propaganda, but now suffer under a heightened sense of disapproval from the population of their own home countries, being hunted down by both authorities and civilian neighbourhood watch type institutions. It is quite obvious that the Islamic fundamentalist zeal for destruction of the western world has been somewhat toned town, probably as a reaction to the United States of Americas governing bodies returning to an isolationist type of foreign politics. Yet still, fundamentalist terror attacks remain a dangerous wild card, especially in military conflict theatres. The total number of currently active Islamic terrorists is largely unknown. Anarcho-Primitivist Terrorism A blend of militant anarchism, eco-terrorism (extremist green anarchism) and primitivism, the relatively young Anarcho-Primitivist terrorist movement combines absurd ideological ambitions with raw, old fashioned violence in a widely dispersed mass off independent, sympathizing cells all over the world. Since classic (non-violent) Anarcho-Primitivism advocated that human hierarchy, technology and all structures of civilized society are evil or more so, considered the decisive factors that will ultimately facilitate humanitys degeneration and destruction, modern primitivists have set their aim at dismantling human society in favor of a prehistoric society of hunters and gatherers. As laughable as that may sound, Anarcho-Primitivist Terrorism poses a serious threat, because only few members of its cells truly abide its doctrines, making use of firearms, explosives and even biological and chemical weapons (as opposed to clubs and stones, as their ideology would require). In fact, many terrorists that wear the colors of this ideology are merely bitter, nihilistic and emotionally unstable social rejects or simply world-hating psychopaths with a lacking sense of personal hygiene. Since AnarchoPrimitivist terror cells are short-lived and unstable, only an approximate estimation about their number can be made. O.C.I. suspects roughly three- to four hundred independent cells, with a number of members between half a dozen and fifty, concentrated in northern Europe, North Africa and near the Arctic Circle. Antinexus! An anonymous underground network of superhackers, information brokers and conspiracy theorists whose foundation probably dates back to the birth of the terranet during the thirties, after the old internet was disrupted. Antinexus! as a movement doesnt only embrace the new possibilities of the terranet, but also greatly criticizes its control functionality over the user population, and accuses governments, corporations and religious sects for misusing it as a platform for brainwashing, indoctrination and dispersal of propaganda. What classifies this group of hackers and, somewhat disputably, as terrorists are their frequent assaults on public institutions or corporate servers, trying to destabilize existing structures, cause massive financial losses and possibly disable the terranets control functionality over its users. Religious sects, being secluded and often only reluctantly tolerated by the authorities, are usually easy prey for the Antinexus!, their electronic communities swiftly destroyed by hackers as soon as they are created (which, in particular, is rarely depicted as terrorism by the media). Antinexus! enjoys some superficial popularity with lots of modern youth subcultures, mainly because they consider it rad and tight to fight the system in this fashion, Antinexus!, however is highly selective when picking new members, and excludes candidates immediately if they fail to effectively obscure their identity at any moment. In fact, all members of Antinexus! regard anonymity as their greatest asset, while losing it, even towards another trusted member of the network, means immediate shutdown and expulsion. It is a popular belief that many big names (aliases, naturally) within the terrorist hacker union live normal everyday lives, probably even occupy high ranking official positions. Their total numbers are estimated at several hundred thousand, strengthening the belief that they are truly legion, as Antinexus constantly claims. Xin Yu (New World) A national terrorist organization within the boundaries of communist China (and to some lesser degree in North Korea) that considers itself of liberal orientation (but is violent, nonetheless). In spite of its slogans and tenets, Xin Yu is made up mostly of right-wing nationalists (and naturally lots of wanted criminals), a political orientation officially prohibited by the government. Founded almost thirty years ago, when the Peoples Republic tightened its socialist regime, Xin Yu tries to destabilize the socialist partys power by regular terror methods (bombings, arson, direct threats), sometimes also using the bolder approach of kidnapping high-ranking politicians and forcing them to make anti-socialist affirmations on video or pirated television channels. Officially, Xin Yu activities are said to be limited to China (and North Korea), experts believe the New World to be secretly sponsored by capitalist nations intelligence agencies (such as Japans or the USAs), however, in order to weaken the Peoples Republics socialist regime from within.

77

Sects
Ordo Solaris Among the multitude of recently founded para-religious, suicidal sects of UFO worshippers, the Ordo Solaris is not only the largest, but also the most notorious and fanatical one. Their ever-fluctuating member number is estimated at several thousands, as mass suicides are frequent. In fact, the Ordos theories seem to be highly virulent, as ludicrous as they may sound: In order to escape a nearing apocalypse of biblical proportions, members have to kill their physical bodies in prepared ritual, so their immortal souls will be collected in Gods spaceships (conveniently UFOs of any kind) and then transported into paradise, which happens to be located in the center of the sun. Since sects that advocate lunacy and suicide also seem to attract all kinds of criminals and the mentally ill, the Ordo Solaris displays some additional practices which makes it highly dangerous to the general public: While mass suicides are considered the ultimate honor for members, some of them insist on saving their friends and relatives as well, by poisoning their food or water supply, sometimes even violently killing them as soon as there are reports of UFO sightings nearby. This abominant habit of the cult has sometimes culminated in mass murder, which gives it terrorist status under some jurisdictions. It is believed that the roots of the Ordo reach back to another, minor suicidal cult named Heavens Gate (which had similar beliefs) from the United Stated. Its main activity seems to be concentrated on the North American West Coast, with affiliated or independent splinter groups distributed over Europe and Oceania. Lately, the Ordo seems to be aware of Omegas presence and activity against alien intrusions, and attempts sabotaging its operations whenever possible (in a paramilitary fashion, while recognized Omega personnel is still referred to as heretics), which leads O.C.I. to the suspicion that the cult may have already been infiltrated by alien forces, or at least has a number of former Omega turncoats in its ranks. Implantology Inc. A very prolific sect with an extremist, transhumanist ideology (counting 100.000 members worldwide) that masquerades as a corporation and is both highly capitalistic and well-fortified, speaking juridically. Its proclaimed motivational belief is that humanity has arrived at a point where natural evolution stopped, only degeneration being possible from there on, therefore making the artificial augmentation of the human body and mind an absolute necessity. Self-improvement and so called enlightenment is allegedly achieved by implanting a subject with an ever-increasing number of hard Biomods (which are in fact useless, overly expensive and even harmful, the majority of them going into the brain) that have been approved and consecrated by high ranking cult members (who also perform the surgeries, often without proper medical schooling or degrees). Genetic, biotechnological or other, non-approved Biomods are strictly prohibited and considered evil for no logical reason given. From an O.C.I. point of view, the implants functionality is believed to serve primarily brain-washing methods, making members psychologically dependent in addition to being forced to pay high fees for services. New members are preferably recruited from financially well-situated social layers of western capitalist civilization and usually probed for psychological insecurity first. Established members of the cult, which are called the Enlightened usually take on multiple jobs with the corporations subsidiaries, in order to be able to keep up with the monetary cult subscription and maintenance fees for their brain implants. While the cult leaders never seem to work, there are no known cases of any of them ever being replaced by aspiring members (since being enlightened is pretty much a social, financial and psychological dead end for any other cult member). These wire-pullers, displaying all characteristics of large-scale con artists, also seem to be somewhat interested in black market businesses, where extraterrestrial technology might turn up sooner or later.

Others
W.A.O. World Aid Organization When large scale accidents and other disasters started amassing some decades into the 21st Century, a handful of smaller corporations saw their chance of greatly improving their stock values by creating the illusion of wanting to make a difference. The W.A.O. is a technically advanced joint venture that intervenes in crisis situations (for a fee from the respective state, needless to say). These situations are mostly natural and ecological disasters, while the organization usually stays away from political or ethnical conflicts (a field of responsibility that remains with the UNO). Worldwide, the W.A.O. employs over 30.000 people, most of them with current or former corporate affiliations.

78

We Are Omega
The Last and Only Line of Defense Omega Central Intelligence informs What is Omega? It has been several times already that the question popped up in the media or was propagated from individual to individual: What is Omega? Besides the last letter in the Greek alphabet and a number of eponymous service or production companies on different markets, some have already recognized our Omega as an organization that tends to make brisk appearances, especially at times when strange events occur in the neighbourhood, only to disappear again after cleaning up the mess. So what is Omega, really? Only a handful of citizens all over the globe, whose perception is not so easily clouded by subtlety and disinformation, have realized that our organizations main interest lies with the ominous incidents that are summed up as paranormal by the general public. Thankfully, such individuals resort to believe Omega to be an unofficial, yet benevolent device of their own government in most cases, and keep their mouth shut from there on. In order to truly understand what Omega is, insiders would have to take a closer look at what appears to be a new threat to humanity as a whole - which is nearly impossible, unless these connoisseurs possess vast resources and a direct channel to the highest instances in governments of the worlds most powerful nations. Luckily, none of them does otherwise, they would be working for us. We are making sure of that. When Omega was founded only five years ago in Berlin, the participating nations did so in consent. The result was an international project that grew fairly independent and self-governing over these few years, that is why the special funding commissions from each 79 involved government

started assigning inspectors to active Omega bases. This standard procedure is supposed to ensure that any bases modus operandi remains true to international regulations. Needless to say, this it is prone to causing some differences in opinion, since most inspectors are mere bureaucrats, and Omega personnel doesnt always have the time or patience for exact protocol, especially not in precarious situations. Similar to any other defensive organization on the globe, Omega is funded mostly with taxes, which are paid by trusting citizens in countries that qualify as prosperous in direct comparison to the primordial chaos that represents our third world. As opposed to national agencies, however, Omega also has a somewhat limited possibility of funding itself independently, with help of open markets (mostly comprised of the open BLACK markets), by selectively selling some of its assets to large-scale (= mega-) corporations because these are known to pay excellent prices and rarely start asking delicate questions, no matter how delicate the deal itself might be. The only problem that remains for ample funding is successfully obscuring the use of tax money pinched off for actual alien defense, which makes up most of Omegas expenses. In plain terms the existence of Omega as an organization doesnt have to be kept that secret from the regular taxpayer or lower-ranking politicians in supporting countries, as long as they believe we do something else than combat a real, dangerous extraterrestrial threat from outer space (or beyond), since NO one would ever believe that, or more so, approve for tax money being channelled into such an effort. When it comes to keeping in touch with intelligence agencies other than our own one, Omega knows little reserve. In fact, collaborating with the intelligence agencies of almost all involved nations has proved fruitful and mutual, highly increasing defense capabilities from the beginning. Especially efforts of the US-American FBI, the British MI6 and the Japanese Military Intelligence Agency have been noteworthy for helping detection of extraterrestrial activity all over the world. Omega is coordinated by a decentralized leadership tier (simply called Command by Omega personnel), consisting mostly of former high ranking military officers as well as some civilian directors dispersed all over the world. Their meetings are held in VR conferences via encrypted terranet data streams, virtually eliminating the risk of a strategic physical strike against all leaders at once, while their real-life identities are, naturally, kept above top secret.

Internal Structuring
A.D.C. - Alien Defense Corps Omegas specially trained paramilitary assets. A good percentage of Omegas combat-oriented personnel are recruited directly from existing armies, granting a reliable stock of experienced soldiers and officers in the ranks of the A.D.C., while younger recruits have to graduate from the same training program that all Omega personnel are cycled through. Although the A.D.C. contains a large percentage of former military men and women, customs and form differ significantly from ordinary, national military outfits. In the A.D.C., neither saluting nor calling any superiors Sir is mandatory, while no conventional military ranks are used (though established officers might still be addressed by their former rank if they are introduced with it). Equipment-wise, Omegas A.D.C. has access to sufficiently advanced weapon technologies, usually in direct proportion to a specific bases size of funding. Main bases also feature their own,

80

small air force, including interceptors and troop transports, while smaller ones and outposts often have to rely on the nations they are built in for air support.

O.C.I. - Omega Central Intelligence As with many intelligence agencies, there's nothing central about the O.C.I., except for the name. Basically Omegas proprietary secret service, the O.C.I. employs investigators, agents and intelligence experts. Their field of duty consists in information gathering and processing, along with coordinating special-small scale covert operations where direct military action is not advised. Field agents are often found in company of A.D.C. squads and recon teams, providing assistance, some of them even carrying out instructive duties. Omega base radar stations are normally supervised or operated by a large percentage of O.C.I. operatives. Even within the alien defense organization, the O.C.I. is known for its efficiency in seeding disinformation and covering up tracks, or likewise covering up incidents involving extraterrestrial intruders. In fact, Omega Agents will do anything in their power to prevent civilian population from panicking, even if it means sacrificing human lives to do so.

O.R.D. - Omega Research Divisions Omega maintains its own scientific community, with highly educated experts working together to unravel the mysteries that are posed by the intruders. Every recovered UFO wreck, any piece of extraterrestrial equipment (dubbed artifact) and every single corpse or live specimen captured provide this community with vital information that can be used for the benefit of humanity. As soon as new technologies are understood and perfected, they can be immediately used by Omega, working hand in hand with the Research Divisions' own engineering workshops, or even sold to the highest bidder on the international (read: shady) corporate market. Although not a strategy entirely approved by Command, this practice is generally tolerated, since it greatly helps increasing Omegas monetary funding, and therefore its possibilities in countering the alien threat. Scientists and engineers employed by the O.R.D. usually have been dealt quite draconic adhesion contracts by Omega, ensuring their loyalty and strict non-disclosure of any sensitive research material. Though paid lavish salaries, these scientists wont be working for anyone else any time soon.

O.S.S. - Omega Supply Services O.S.S. deals with procurement and distribution of equipment and goods, installation maintenance and general logistics which involves mostly bureaucratic work that keeps Omega bases up and running. Aside from that, members of the O.S.S. are in fact quite pleasant to cooperate with, especially when keeping in mind that they are also responsible for planning and executing the construction of leisure amenities and organizing personnel festivities. It is quite obvious that the O.S.S. is at least equal in importance to any other Omega substructure.

81

Characters in Contact
You Are Omega - Choosing a Profession
The most obvious way of playing Contact is letting each player pick or create his own character. Such characters would be members of Omega who work in a base or outpost, probably participating in investigations and combat missions, allowing for a wide range of role playing opportunities. While Contact is primarily a "classic" pen & paper RPG based on character interaction, combat and the usual craze around equipment, it also offers some advanced simulation features intended for longer series of consecutive missions, also known as campaigns. Using these features, players engage in base management, alien research and logistics, improving their workplace conditions and available equipment with each session. These extended game rules are called Base Management Simulation (BMS) and will be thoroughly explained in a different chapter. This chapter concentrates on creating human characters, using unmodified Contact Core game mechanics, and choosing an appropriate Rank and Function for them - depending on their abilities and characteristics (largely described in stats). These Ranks and Functions, summed up as Professions, are not to be mistaken for "character classes" as they are found in vintage role playing games. When creating a human player character, simply use the standard Character Creation Rules as explained in Contact Kore. The recommended amount of building points for creating above-average, herotype characters is 220, adjusted by the game master according to the requirements of the adventure or campaign he intends to run. During the character creation process, keep in mind that any Equipment and Biomods paid for with actual Building Points represent the character's personal property, and are not always necessary or sensible to get in a job where equipment is usually issued free of charge. Check the Issued Equipment line of each job description for details. Also, note that while all Omega personnel is paid excellent salaries (actually better ones than any Megacorp or government institution would offer), different jobs mean very different amounts of liberties and spare time. Highly qualified scientists, for example, are basically grounded for life in most Omega bases, their intricate knowledge of the alien threat being critical and of great value to certain outsiders. Take special heed to a Profession's Security Clearance Level before choosing it for your player character. Last, but not least, the game master should make sure that his players write proper backgrounds for their characters. As a short guideline for doing so, be especially mindful of the circumstances that led to the character joining Omega. While a complete and detailed

82

curriculum vitae isn't usually necessary (unless the character had a very interesting life so far, or the game master demands to know every single boring fact from it), the background should inform the reader about the player character's main qualifications and training (which are good to know when working with someone on a team), his/her special abilities (given he or she has any), personality and any prominent quirks. Note that this is not supposed to be an exact list of the character's special traits and attributes (which are nothing more than stats, after all), but rather reflect them in a lucid and descriptive fashion.

Security Clearance Levels


Within the alien defense organization, Security Clearance Levels are used to quantify the amount of sensitive information an employee needs to know - and is allowed to know - while it also serves the purpose of indicating his liberty of actions - in plain terms, where and how far he is allowed to go in his spare time. The Security Clearance Level is composed out of two values - the first one, called Mobility Level, being a letter of the Greek alphabet, the second one, called Information Clearance Level, a number between zero and three. For example, Delta Zero (often as 0) is the highest possible Clearance Level, allowing both maximum insight and minimum movement restraints. #1, Mobility Level: Lambda - The lowest Mobility Level, often assigned only temporarily, prohibits leaving site at any moment and confines movement to the designated workplace, training grounds and living quarters. A standard when being a recruit. Kappa - Medium Mobility Level and the most common one. Leaving site is allowed with authorization or under special circumstances. Grants access to all but the most secret facilities on site. Delta - The highest Mobility Level, allowing personnel to leave the compound without authorization, also grants access to virtually any facility on site. Usually reserved for top Ranks and executive positions, with the exception of those in the Research Divisions. #2, Information Clearance: Three - Lowest Information Clearance, usually assigned to maintenance technicians for regular equipment, janitors and construction personnel on site. To them, Omega's purpose is often unclear and remains shrouded in mystery. Two - Second-lowest Information Clearance level usually assigned to recruits, squaddies, technicians and some engineers. One - This Information Clearance Level allows knowing most sensitive information, with the exception of actually having direct contact with intelligent extraterrestrial entities. Lab assistants, team leaders and most agents possess it. Zero - Absolute highest Information Clearance Level reserved for expert scientists, commanders, field scientists and selected agents

Career Possibilities with Omega - Ranks and Functions


The following Professions (Ranks for the Alien Defense Corps, Functions for the others) can be chosen by a player upon completing character creation. In order to pick one or more of them, requirements have to be met. Combining Professions is possible only where explicitly noted, usually resulting in a bigger paycheck and less spare time. While

83

picking a starting Profession is performed before the beginning of the actual game, promotions or degradations are also possible, depending on events during game play (and player characters achieving requirements, or losing them). When picking Ranks and Functions (as well as when creating the character before that) it is recommended for players to make arrangements so their player characters are able work well as a team. A team made up only of Technicians is unlikely to survive a combat situation, and an RPG session without any combat at all would be quite the bore, wouldn't it? The following list also covers Professions which are completely uninteresting for players (such as Construction Workers or Janitors), but are required for some Omega Base Facilities to be built and function properly.

Military Personnel - A.D.C. Ranks


Recruit - Any A.D.C. personnel that didnt experience a minimum of combat training in the past becomes a recruit automatically upon joining Omega. Also, young scientist candidates (with college qualifications) and engineers are usually put through basic combat training, making them recruits for that given time. Basic combat training takes six months and includes a simulated mission for graduation purposes.
Security Clearance Level: Lambda Two Requirements: None, except physical and mental health Salary: None except minimal upkeep (food, shelter, clothing), costing the Base 100 $ / month Issued Gear: Assault Rifle (GMs choice, with sling and blank training ammunition), Ballistic Goggles, Field Ration, Uniform Overall, Tactical Vest

Squaddie - The standard, overly well paid grunt. Squaddies are the backbone of the A.D.C.s armed forces, and sometimes joked about because of their low profile and alleged expendability.
Security Clearance Level: Kappa Two Requirements: (En) 4, (Re) 4, (Ag) 4, (Pe) 3, (De) 3, Small Arms 45%, Hostile Environment Survival 50% Salary: 3.000 $ / month Issued Gear: Assault Rifle, Submachine Gun or Shotgun (GMs choice, with sling and 2 reloads), Combat Knife, 2 Hand Grenades (GMs choice), Combat Helmet, Field Ration, Uniform Overall, Tactical Vest, Commlink

Medic - The Medic is only little more than a regular Squaddie with some basic medical skills. Every strike team is supposed to have at least one medic, and very few exceptions are made. Medics also perform duties similar to nurses on site.
Security Clearance Level: Kappa Two Requirements: Same as Squaddie with the addition of First Aid 60% Salary: 3.200 $ / month Issued Gear: Pistol or other compact small arm (GMs choice, with Holster and 2 reloads), First Aid Kit, 2X Hypostim, 2X Painkiller, Combat Helmet, Field Ration, Uniform Overall, Tactical Vest, Commlink, Signal Rocket

Specialist (Driver) - Profiled on driving earthbound vehicles.


Security Clearance Level: Kappa Two Requirements: Same as Squaddie with the additions of Wheeled Vehicle 50% and Tracked Vehicle 50% Salary: 3.400 $ / month Issued Gear: Submachine Gun or Pistol (GMs choice, with sling/holster and 2 reloads), Hypostim, HUD Goggles, GPS Unit, Uniform Overall, Tactical Vest, Commlink

84

Specialist (Pilot) - Profiled on flying all kinds of aircraft.


Security Clearance Level: Kappa One Requirements: Same as Squaddie with the additions of (Pe) 6, (In) 5, Interface 50%, Hovercraft 75%, Fixed Wing Aircraft 75% Salary: 4.500 $ / month Issued Gear: Pistol (GMs choice, with holster and 1 reload), Hypostim, Breathing Mask, HUD Goggles, GPS Unit, Uniform Overall, Commlink, 2X Signal Rocket

Specialist (CQB) - Profiled on close quarters battle.


Security Clearance Level: Kappa One Requirements: Same as Squaddie with the additions of (Re) 6, (Ag) 6, Armed Melee Combat 60%, Stealth & Sneaking 50% Salary: 3.600 $ / month Issued Gear: Submachine Gun or Shotgun (GMs choice, with sling and 2 reloads), Combat Knife, Stun Rod, Painkiller, 4 Hand Grenades (GMs choice), Combat Helmet, Field Ration, Uniform Overall, Plate Carrier, Commlink, Climbing Gear

Specialist (Demolitions) - Profiled on blowing stuff up.


Security Clearance Level: Kappa Two Requirements: Same as Squaddie with the additions of (Dx) 5, Disarm & Set Traps 75%, Applied Science 30%, Throwing Weapons 45%, Engineering & Repair 45% Salary: 3.500 $ / month Issued Gear: Shotgun or Grenade Launcher (GMs choice, with sling and 2 reloads), 2X Demolition Pack, 6 Hand Grenades (GMs choice), Combat Helmet, Field Ration, Uniform Overall, Tactical Vest, Commlink

Specialist (Weapons) - Profiled on using heavy and special weaponry.


Security Clearance Level: Kappa Two Requirements: Same as Squaddie with the additions of (St) 6, Heavy Weapons 60%, Energy Weapons 50%, Engineering and Repair 35% Salary: 3.600 $ / month Issued Gear: Heavy Weapon (GMs choice, with sling and 2 reloads), Combat Knife, 2 Hand Grenades (GMs choice), Combat Helmet, Field Ration, Uniform Overall, Plate Carrier, Commlink

Specialist (Marksman) - Profiled on laying down accurate sniper fire.


Security Clearance Level: Kappa One Requirements: Same as Squaddie with the additions of (Pe) 6, Small Arms 95%, Stealth & Sneaking 50% Salary: 3.700 $ / month Issued Gear: Scoped Rifle (GMs choice, with sling and 2 reloads), Combat Knife, HUD Goggles, Breathing Mask, Field Ration, Uniform Overall, Tactical Vest, Commlink, GPS Unit, Binoculars

Note: A Specialist may be trained in multiple fields, allowing him to qualify for as many specializations as he wishes. Payment increases accordingly (Squaddie base salary + differences to specializations). If two different Security Clearance Levels are applicable, use the higher (better) one instead. If promoted to Squad Leader, however, characters are not listed as specialists any more (even if they still possess all of their skills). Squad Leader - Military personnel that already qualified as officers in a different military outfit, or are promoted from Squaddies (or Specialists, on rare occasion even from medics), gain the rank of Squad Leader, putting them in charge of their own team. Squad Leaders accompany their teams into combat and are responsible for tactical decisions, as well as keeping up morale and discipline. Note that any Squad can have only one leader.
Security Clearance Level: Kappa One Requirements: Same as Squaddie with the additions of (In) 5, (Ch) 4, (De) 4, Leadership 65% Salary: 6.500 $ / month Issued Gear: Primary and secondary weapons (GMs choice, with sling/holster and 2 reloads each), Combat Knife, 2 Hand Grenades (GMs choice), Combat Helmet, Field Ration, Uniform Overall, Plate Carrier, Commlink, PDA, Satellite Phone, GPS Unit

85

Base Commander - Most Base Commanders are former, highly decorated generals. Their job is taking serious amounts of responsibility and directing the course of action on a large scale, but also reviewing evaluations and performing some seriously boring bureaucratic work.
Security Clearance Level: Delta Zero Requirements: Same as Squad Leader, with the additions of (Ch) 6, Oratory 45%, Leadership 90% - Note that player characters are not supposed to become base commanders, at least not early into the game. Salary: 18.600 $ / month Issued Gear: free choice from available stock

Intelligence Personnel - O.C.I. Functions


Agent - These mysterious individuals make up the O.C.I. as a whole - they do not use ranks to the same extent as the Alien Defense Corp, being referred to just as agents, and demonstrate a plethora of skills in fitting situations (which are usually dangerous). Agents seem to be excellent combatants as well as capable of using stealth and cunning. The O.C.I. is well known for sending hardened, experienced agents to escort A.D.C. missions when the objectives are suspected to be more than meets the eye.
Security Clearance Level: Delta One or Delta Zero (Player & GM consent) Requirements: (In) 4, (Pe) 4, (De) 5, Small Arms 75%, Unarmed Melee Combat 60%, Stealth & Sneaking 45%, Oratory 30%, Leadership 30%, Hostile Environment Survival 60% Salary: 15.500 $ / month Issued Gear: Regular Clothing, Concealable Ballistic Vest, Kevlar-Lined Dustcoat, Pistol (GMs choice, with holster and 4 reloads), Flashbang, PDA, Commlink, Handcuffs

Operator - The O.C.I. Operator is the desk-working version of an agent, and skilled in using advanced radar and communications equipment. His job consists of airspace surveillance and mission control duties. Although taking a lot of responsibility in what he does, this Profession is not recommended for player characters, as Operators rarely have the chance to leave their consoles.
Security Clearance Level: Kappa One Requirements: (In) 5, (Pe) 5, Interface 75% Salary: 5.700 $ / month Issued Gear: Regular Uniform, PDA

Scientific Personnel - O.R.D. Functions


Assistant - An assistants work is directly related to practice, as he doesnt possess a higher academic degree like the Expert. Multiple assistants usually carry out tasks ordered by an Expert. Recruits with scientific college degrees (who meet the requirements) are allowed to work part-time as assistants if they choose so, with a reduced salary of 500 $ and a Security Clearance of Lambda One.
Security Clearance Level: Lambda One Requirements: (In) 3, (Dx) 5, Applied Science 45%, Engineering & Repair 30%, Interface 50% - note that pure Assistants are not recommended as player characters, since they are not likely to see any action, unless there are very special circumstances. Salary: 4.000 $ / month Issued Gear: As required

Expert - Doctors and Professors of physics, chemistry, biochemistry, medical sciences (et cetera) get employed as Experts by Omega Research Divisions. Similar to Assistants, they possess sensitive knowledge and are therefore bound to the compound they are working in - bringing their families and children along, in most cases.
Security Clearance Level: Lambda Zero Requirements: (In) 6, Applied Science 85%, Humanitarian Science 50%, Interface 35% - As with Assistants, Experts are not recommended as player characters, since they will not leave a base, although they can be played in single adventures where special circumstances let them

86

make an exception. Salary: 10.000 $ / month Issued Gear: As required

Field Scientist - A new breed of scientist that is trained to accompany military personnel into combat, acting as an advisor or even directly supporting the team, without slowing them down. Having combat abilities are always useful for field scientists, but not considered mandatory.
Security Clearance Level: Kappa Zero Requirements: (En) 4, (Ag) 4, (In) 6, Applied Science 75%, First Aid 30%, Humanitarian Science 45%, Engineering & Repair 30%, Interface 30%, Hostile Environment Survival 50% Salary: 12.000 $ / month Issued Gear: Pistol (GMs choice, with Holster and 2 reloads), Uniform Overall, HUD Goggles, Breathing Mask, Field Ration, Multi-Scanner, Binoculars, Magnesium Flare, Camera, Recorder, Commlink, PDA

Head of Research - Being a scientific divisions head of research proves actually less interesting then it sounds. Work consist mostly of bureaucratic tasks, reading reports and verifying statistics. This function may be well paid, but is not recommended for player characters at all. Each Omega Base with functional Level 2 Labs has only one Head of Research, regardless of the total number of Research Lab facilities.
Security Clearance Level: Kappa Zero Requirements: Same as Expert with the additions of Applied Science 95%, Oratory 45%, Leadership 45% Salary: 17.500 $ / month Issued Gear: As required

Technical and Administrative Personnel - O.S.S. Functions


Janitor - Also called Custodial Technician or Sanitation Supervisor. Dont get fooled by fancy circumscriptions, because being a Janitor for Omega Base Facilities is no better than anywhere else. You still would have to clean up after others, and wont be allowed to leave site very often due to that non-disclosure agreement from the contract.
Security Clearance Level: Kappa Three Requirements: Engineering & Repair 30 Salary: 1.400 $ / month Issued Gear: As required

Technician - Technicians work, like Assistants, without an academic degree and perform mostly maintenance duties at bases. In workshops, they carry out construction plans for new equipment. They receive orders directly from engineers.
Security Clearance Level: Delta Two Requirements: (De) 6, Applied Science 25%, Engineering & Repair 50%, Interface 50% Salary: 3.400 $ / month Issued Gear: As required

Engineer - Basically, Engineers are the minds that keep Omega base technology up and running. Their technical knowledge is vast, and their practical abilities usually matching.
Security Clearance Level: Delta Two or Lambda One (Player & GM consent) Requirements: (De) 6, (In) 5, Applied Science 50%, Engineering & Repair 85%, Interface 60% Salary: 9.200 $ / month Issued Gear: As required

Logistics Supervisor - A qualified economist who also requires having some technical knowledge, the O.S.S. Logistics Supervisor is in charge of Base Management. Player characters striving to influence Base Management may want to befriend this particular bureaucrat (See Extended Campaign Rules chapter).

87

Security Clearance Level: Delta One Requirements: (In) 6, Applied Science 45%, Humanitarian Science 60%, Engineering & Repair 60%, Interface 50%, Oratory 30%, Leadership 30% Salary: 15.000 $ / month Issued Gear: As required

External, Temporary Personnel


Construction Worker - Hired working crews get only temporary contracts with Omega, usually under the name of some cover company. Workers are paid, similar to other personnel, at the end of a month, for the FULL month, even if their work time is less. Hiring more Workers is therefore more expensive, but also gets constructions done faster (See Extended Campaign Rules chapter for details on Construction Time). The upside of Workers not being permanent Personnel on site is that they always bring their own shelter, so they will not take up space in Living Facilities.
Security Clearance Level: Lambda Three Requirements: (St) 3, (En) 3, Engineering & Repair 20% Salary: 1.500 $ / month Issued Gear: As required

Other Personnel & Omega Contractors Be Creative


All Ranks and Functions listed above represent necessary personnel to keep an Omega Base up an running. Not all of them are direct suggestions for player characters, however, and vice versa, not all character concepts players might come up with must have one of the listed Professions. If a player has a completely different idea for his character, he and the game master should evaluate how well it would work in the game, and then define the new Professions stats and requirements. Playing an Inspector from the government, for example, could prove interesting. Another possibility would be a Private Military Contractor (also called mercenary in the good old day). In any case, the possibilities for character Professions (or rather: types) in Contact are not limited to those listed above.

88

Equipment - Weapons
Melee & Throwing Weapons
Pocket Knife A cheap, compact folding knife.
Name
Pocket Knife

Type
Melee Weapon (S)

Mode
Slash (5) Stab (4)

Range M.
-

Damage
(St)+1 (St)

Min. (St)
1

Ammo
-

Weight
0,2 lb

Size
Tiny

Cost
10 $ 0 BP

Availability
95%

Quality
-10%

Combat Knife A standard issue military knife, with optional mount rings that turn it into a rifle bayonet.
Name
Combat Knife

Type
Melee Weapon (S)

Mode
Slash (5) Stab (4)

Range M.
-

Damage
(St)+1D10 (St)+1

Min. (St)
1

Ammo
-

Weight
0,4 lb

Size
Small

Cost
300 $ 0 BP

Availability
75%

Quality
0%

Includes a free sheath and bayonet mount.

Hunting Knife Superior to the standard Combat Knife in steel quality and sharpness.
Name
Hunting Knife

Type
Melee Weapon (S)

Mode
Slash (5) Stab (4)

Range M.
-

Damage
(St)+1+1D10* (St)+1D10

Min. (St)
1

Ammo
-

Weight
0,5 lb

Size
Small

Cost
900 $ 1 BP

Availability
75%

Quality
0%

Includes a free sheath.

Spec Ops Tactical Knife A superior knife using the latest molecular bonding and composite material technologies with a blade as sharp as a razor. Also available in Damascus steel.
Name
Spec Ops Tactical Knife

Type
Melee Weapon (S)

Mode
Slash (5) Stab (4)

Range M.
-

Damage
(St)+2+1D10* (St)+1+1D10

Min. (St)
1

Ammo
-

Weight
0,4 lb

Size
Small

Cost
2.500 $ 2 BP

Availability
25%

Quality
+5%

Includes a free sheath. This knifes blade is hardened, making a Stab attack with it effectively Armor Piercing if the wielders Strength Attribute is at least as high as the targets (S) Protection stat.

89

Machete A large, heavy chopping knife, used for multiple purposes and sometimes as a weapon.
Name
Machete

Type
Melee Weapon (S)

Mode
Chop (6)

Range M.
-

Damage
(St)+2+1D10

Min. (St)
3

Ammo
-

Weight
1,8 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
50 $ 0 BP

Availability
95%

Quality
-5%

Wakizashi Knock-Off A cheap, souvenir imitation of a Wakizashi, cast and stamped from a cheap alloy. Poorly balanced, blunt as a butter knife and more of a joke than a real weapon.
Name
Wakizashi Knock-Off

Type
Melee Weapon (S)

Mode
Slash (6) Stab (5)

Range M.
-

Damage
(St)-1 (St)-2

Min. (St)
2

Ammo
-

Weight
1 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
35 $ 0 BP

Availability
95%

Quality
-15%

Includes a free Saya imitation of ridiculously low quality. This weapon is likely to break the first time it is struck by any real melee weapon.

Modern Wakizashi A contemporary, martial-arts grade sword as produced by major knife manufacturers from Japan.
Name
Modern Wakizashi

Type
Melee Weapon (S)

Mode
Slash (5) Stab (4)

Range M.
-

Damage
(St)+3+1D10* (St)+1+1D10

Min. (St)
2

Ammo
-

Weight
1 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
1.500 $ 1 BP

Availability
25%

Quality
0%

Includes the traditional Saya (sheath). This swords blade is hardened, making a Stab attack with it effectively Armor Piercing if the wielders Strength Attribute is at least as high as the targets (S) Protection stat.

True Wakizashi A real, hand-forged Japanese short sword, possibly antique. Very hard to come by.
Name
True Wakizashi

Type
Melee Weapon (S)

Mode
Slash (5) Stab (4)

Range M.
-

Damage
(St)+5+1D10* (St)+3+1D10

Min. (St)
2

Ammo
-

Weight
0,8 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
6.000 $ 3 BP

Availability
2%

Quality
+10%

Includes the traditional Saya (sheath). This swords blade is hardened, making a Stab attack with it effectively Armor Piercing if the wielders Strength Attribute is at least as high as the targets (S) Protection stat.

Katana Knock-Off The tourists favorite, also cast from flimsy alloys and not suited for combat by a long shot. Sold in any Asian souvenir shop.
Name Type
Melee Weapon (S)

Mode
Slash (7) Stab (5)

Range M.
-

Damage
(St) (St)-1

Min. (St)
3

90

Katana Knock-Off

Ammo
-

Weight
1,8 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
50 $ 0 BP

Availability
95%

Quality
-15%

Includes a free Saya imitation of ridiculously low quality. This weapon is likely to break the first time it is struck by any real melee weapon.

Modern Katana A contemporary, martial-arts grade sword as produced by major knife manufacturers from Japan.
Name
Modern Katana

Type
Melee Weapon (S)

Mode
Slash (6) Stab (4)

Range M.
-

Damage
(St)+6+1D10* (St)+4+1D10

Min. (St)
3

Ammo
-

Weight
1,4 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
3.000 $ 2 BP

Availability
25%

Quality
0%

Includes the traditional Saya (sheath). This swords blade is hardened, making a Stab attack with it effectively Armor Piercing if the wielders Strength Attribute is at least as high as the targets (S) Protection stat.

True Katana Dating back to the golden era of Japanese sword making, the True Katana is a weapon of legends. Forged from folded steel and sharper than a razors edge, it is perfectly balanced and most deadly in the right hands.
Name
True Katana

Type
Melee Weapon (S)

Mode
Slash (5) Stab (4)

Range M.
-

Damage
(St)+10+1D10* (St)+6+1D10

Min. (St)
3

Ammo
-

Weight
1,3 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
10.000 $ 4 BP

Availability
2%

Quality
+10%

Includes the traditional Saya (sheath). This swords blade is hardened, making a Stab attack with it effectively Armor Piercing if the wielders Strength Attribute is at least as high as the targets (S) Protection stat.

Knuckleduster Used by thugs to add some extra punch to their, well punches.
Name
Knuckleduster

Type
Unarmed Melee (I)

Mode
Punch (5)

Range M.
-

Damage
(St)+3

Min. (St)
1

Ammo
-

Weight
0,1 lb

Size
Tiny

Cost
5$ 0 BP

Availability
95%

Quality
0%

Night Stick/Tonfa A less-than-lethal melee weapon for clubbing pesky rioting civilians into submission.
Name
Night Stick/ Tonfa

Type
Melee Weapon (I)

Mode
Bash (5) Thrust (4)

Range M.
-

Damage
(St)+5 (St)+3

Min. (St)
3

Ammo
-

Weight
1,6 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
25 $ 0 BP

Availability
85%

Quality
0%

91

Baseball Bat A standard bat made of wood or hollow aluminum.


Name
Baseball Bat

Type
Melee Weapon (I)

Mode
Bash (6) Thrust (5)

Range M.
-

Damage
(St)+7 (St)+4

Min. (St)
4

Ammo
-

Weight
2,4 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
15 $ 0 BP

Availability
95%

Quality
0%

Stun Gun Not a gun by any means, but an electrical shock weapon that requires contact to the target to work. Designed mainly for self-defense, the Stun Gun is a small, cheap device that can be bought in many general stores all over the world and doesnt even require a license.
Name
Stun Gun

Type
Melee Weapon (special)

Mode
Thrust (6)

Range M.
-

Damage
6+2D10

Min. (St)
1

Ammo
5

Weight
0,6 lb

Size
Small

Cost
100 $ 0 BP

Availability
85%

Quality
0%

The stun gun is a disposable weapon, which means it cannot be reloaded or recharged. Only hits that connect consume ammo. All special rules for electric attacks, as described in the Advanced Combat Rules chapter, apply.

Stun Rod A larger, more powerful version of the Stun Gun, this electrified baton holds more charges and is reusable by employing rechargeable batteries.
Name
Stun Baton

Type
Melee Weapon (special)

Mode
Thrust (6)

Range M.
-

Damage
12+2D10

Min. (St)
3

Ammo
20

Weight
4 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
1.350 $ 1 BP

Availability
40%

Quality
0%

Only hits that connect consume ammo. All special rules for electric attacks, as described in the Advanced Combat Rules chapter, apply.

Chainsaw Power Tools are fun. So is the combustion-engine chainsaw. Misusing it for melee combat, however, may seem a bit uncivilized, to say the least. It is heavy, unwieldy and loud, but will rip anything it touches to tiny little shreds.
Name
Chainsaw

Type
Melee Weapon (S)

Mode
Saw! (9)

Range M.
-

Damage
(St)+11+2D10

Min. (St)
8

Ammo
24 (tank 15)

Weight
16 lb

Size
Large

Cost
500 $ 1 BP

Availability
75%

Quality
-35%

Chainsaw chain teeth are industrial-grade hardened steel with diamond edges, allowing them to cut even through the strongest of armors. Attacks with a running chainsaw are always considered Armor Piercing.

Throwing Knife A small knife specifically designed for throwing.


Name Type
Throwing Weapon (S)

Mode
Throw (6)

Range M.
X -5%

Damage
(St)-1

Min. (St)
3

92

Throwing Knife

Ammo
number of knives

Weight
0,2 lb

Size
Small

Cost
15 $ 0 BP

Availability
75%

Quality
0%

Shuriken Similar to the Throwing Knife in use, the Shuriken, or throwing star, is designed for better aerodynamics and range. The damage it inflicts, however, is quite insignificant.
Name
Shuriken

Type
Throwing Weapon (S)

Mode
Throw (5)

Range M.
X -3%

Damage
(St)-2

Min. (St)
3

Ammo
number of stars

Weight
0,2 lb

Size
Tiny

Cost
20 $ 0 BP

Availability
60%

Quality
0%

Hand Grenade (various models)


Name
Hand Grenade

Type
Throwing Weapon (special)

Mode
Prime (3) Throw (6)

Range M.
X -(10-St)%

Damage
depends on model

Min. (St)
3

Ammo
number of grenades

Weight
varies

Size
varies

Cost
varies

Availability
varies

Quality
varies

Grenade types are explained in the Ammo subchapter. Regardless of Strength, the Range Multiplier for Hand Grenades is never smaller than -1%.

Small Arms
Improvised Pistol A simple zip-gun, crudely built from scratch. It uses 9mm ammunition and holds only one single round. Due to its improvised nature, it is both unreliable and inaccurate.
Name
Improvised Pistol

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Single (7)

Range M.
X -5%

Damage
1D10*

Min. (St)
4

Ammo
1 (break 7) 9mm Para

Weight
1 lb

Size
Small

Cost
25 $ 0 BP

Availability
85%

Quality
-30%

Using an Improvised Pistol automatically extends the rate for critical failure by 15%.

.38 Derringer A minuscule pocket pistol that features two barrels, each holding one round. Due to extremely short barrels and no sights, its accuracy is sub-par.
Name
.38 Derringer

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (6)

Range M.
X -3%

Damage
1+1D10*

Min. (St)
3

Ammo
2 (break 8) .38 S&W

Weight
0,4 lb

Size
Tiny

Cost
250 $ 1 BP

Availability
75%

Quality
-5%

93

Soviet MSP Silent Pistol Another Derringer-type pistol that fires an almost completely silent, Russian 7,62mm round, eliminating the need of an external silencer. Ammunition is most hard to obtain these days, as the weapon itself is severely outdated and extremely underpowered.
Name
Soviet MSP Silent Pistol

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (6)

Range M.
X -4%

Damage
1D10*-1

Min. (St)
2

Ammo
2 (break 8) 7,62mm Silent

Weight
0,8 lb

Size
Tiny

Cost
1.000 $ 2 BP

Availability
50%

Quality
-10%

Treat the MSP as being equipped with a silencer to determine its noise level.

.38 Detective Special This snub-nosed, easy-to conceal revolver is a design over one hundred and fifty years old, but still popular due to its ease of use and reliability.
Name
.38 Detective Special

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Single (7)

Range M.
X -2,5%

Damage
3+1D10*

Min. (St)
2

Ammo
6 (cyl 11) .38 S&W

Weight
1 lb

Size
Small

Cost
380 $ 1 BP

Availability
80%

Quality
0%

Soviet Army Revolver An old, rusty relic, probably dating back to WW II. Considering its age, the gun seems to be working satisfactory. It is modified to fire ammunition still in use, as its own has long disappeared.
Name
Soviet Army Revolver

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Single (7)

Range M.
X -2,5%

Damage
2+1D10*

Min. (St)
2

Ammo
6 (cyl 11) .38 S&W

Weight
1,5 lb

Size
Small

Cost
150 $ 1 BP

Availability
90%

Quality
-10%

9mm Polymer Compact A small, flimsy plastic nine mil semi-automatic designed for civilian markets.
Name
9mm Polymer Compact

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (5)

Range M.
X -2,5%

Damage
2+1D10*

Min. (St)
3

Ammo
7 (mag 6) 9mm Para

Weight
0,9 lb

Size
Small

Cost
400 $ 1 BP

Availability
80%

Quality
0%

Soviet Makarov Old, but still functioning, this Makarov is modified for 9mm Para ammunition. It is much less accurate and reliable than it has been in its glory days.
Name Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (6)

Range M.
X -3%

Damage
2+1D10*

Min. (St)
4

94

Soviet Makarov

Ammo
8 (mag 6) 9mm Para

Weight
1,4 lb

Size
Small

Cost
100 $ 1 BP

Availability
90%

Quality
-10%

Using the Makarov automatically extends the rate for critical failure by 5%.

9mm Hornet Light, semi automatic pistol of a more sturdy and practical design than regular compacts.
Name
9mm Hornet

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (5)

Range M.
X -2%

Damage
3+1D10*

Min. (St)
3

Ammo
14 (mag 5) 9mm Para

Weight
1,2 lb

Size
Small

Cost
600 $ 1 BP

Availability
70%

Quality
0%

Red Nine Rather large, long-barreled pre WW II pistol of either German or Chinese manufacturing, modified to accept the widely spread 9mm Para ammunition.
Name
Red Nine

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (6)

Range M.
X -1,5%

Damage
4+1D10*

Min. (St)
3

Ammo
10 (clip 7) 9mm Para

Weight
2,5 lb

Size
Small

Cost
300 $ 1 BP

Availability
90%

Quality
-5%

Using the Red Nine automatically extends the rate for critical failure by 5%.

M18R Burst Pistol A full-sized, full metal nine mil service pistol with a select-fire feature, allowing it to fire short, controlled bursts.
Name
M18R Burst Pistol

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (5) Burst (7)

Range M.
X -1,5%

Damage
3+1D10*

Min. (St)
3

Ammo
18 (mag 5) 9mm Para

Weight
2 lb

Size
Small

Cost
1.200 $ 2 BP

Availability
65%

Quality
0%

Bursts from this weapon are made up of 3 rounds, unless ammo is short.

1911 Government An outdated, US-made single-stack .45. Although battered and worn, this gun appears to be still working okay.
Name
1911 Government

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (6)

Range M.
X -2%

Damage
6+1D10*

Min. (St)
4

Ammo
7 (mag 5) .45 ACP

Weight
2 lb

Size
Small

Cost
400 $ 2 BP

Availability
90%

Quality
-5%

Krieg .45 Spec Ops Elite A highly efficient, modern .45 semi-automatic with detachable silencer. The weapon features an additional laser sight/IFCS targeting module mounted under the barrel.
Name
Krieg .45 Spec Ops Elite

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (5)

Range M.
X -1,5%

Damage
7+1D10*

Min. (St)
4

Ammo
12 (mag 5) .45 ACP

Weight
2,3 lb

Size
Small

Cost
1.500 $ 2 BP

Availability
25%

Quality
0%

All listed accessories are detachable, reducing its weight by 0,1 lb each.

95

Akagi 10mm Predator Chambered in the powerful 10mm Auto cartridge, this semi-automatic handgun offers a perfect balance between power, accuracy and handling.
Name
Akagi 10mm Predator

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (5)

Range M.
X -1%

Damage
10+1D10*

Min. (St)
6

Ammo
15 (mag 5) 10mm Auto

Weight
3 lb

Size
Small

Cost
1.900 $ 3 BP

Availability
45%

Quality
0%

.44 Magnum Constrictor A contemporary magnum revolver known for both its accuracy and tremendous stopping power without falling into the unreasonably large elephant handgun category.
Name
.44 Magnum Constrictor

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Single (7)

Range M.
X -1%

Damage
15+1D10*

Min. (St)
7

Ammo
6 (cyl 11) .44 Magnum

Weight
2,6 lb

Size
Small

Cost
900 $ 2 BP

Availability
45%

Quality
0%

Arctic Eagle The Arctic Eagle. It is big, it is shiny, and it kicks like a horse. Best suited for really large hands.
Name
Arctic Eagle

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (6)

Range M.
X -1%

Damage
14+1D10*

Min. (St)
7

Ammo
8 (mag 5) .44 Magnum

Weight
3,6 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
1.700 $ 3 BP

Availability
40%

Quality
0%

.500 BFR X-Frame A revolver that definitely falls into the ridiculously humongous dinosaur-killing handgun category. If they were not extinct, they sure would be soon. There is nothing civilized about a handgun that will punch a giant see-through hole into a trucks engine block. Are you feeling lucky, punk?
Name
.500 BFR X-Frame

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Single (8)

Range M.
X -0,75%

Damage
24+1D10*

Min. (St)
9

Ammo

Weight
4,8 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
2.700 $ 4 BP

Availability
30%

Quality
0%

96

5 (cyl 10) .500 S&W

Skorpion Vz 87 SMG A light Czech submachine gun built before the turn of the century. Using this weapon in actions of war is a sign of desperation, as its faulty mechanics will cause frequent failures.
Name
Skorpion Vz 87

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (5) Auto (4+n)

Range M.
X -2%

Damage
1+1D10*

Min. (St)
4

Ammo
20 (mag 6) 9mm Para

Weight
3,4 lb

Size
Small

Cost
350 $ 1 BP

Availability
75%

Quality
-10%

Maximum number of rounds per action in Auto mode is 8. Having been poorly maintained, the weapon extends its critical failure rate by 5%

UZI SMG Classic, no-frills Israeli submachine gun that still works - with a vengeance.
Name
UZI

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Auto (5+n)

Range M.
X -2%

Damage
2+1D10*

Min. (St)
4

Ammo
25 (mag 6) 9mm Para

Weight
5,1 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
420 $ 2 BP

Availability
70%

Quality
-5%

Maximum number of rounds per action in Auto mode is 7.

Liberty SMG A modern, bullpup submachine gun with a patented, large capacity helical magazine.
Name
Liberty SMG

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (5) Auto (4+n)

Range M.
X -1,5%

Damage
2+1D10*

Min. (St)
3

Ammo
50 (mag 6) 9mm Para

Weight
4,8 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
1.000 $ 2 BP

Availability
45%

Quality
0%

Maximum number of rounds per action in Auto mode is 9.

97

Akagi .45 Shadow SMG A high-quality submachine gun with integrated silencer, chambered in the subsonic, yet hardhitting .45 ACP caliber. Excellent for covert operations.
Name
Akagi .45 Shadow

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (5) Auto (4+n)

Range M.
X -1%

Damage
6+1D10*

Min. (St)
3

Ammo
25 (mag 6) .45 ACP

Weight
5,4 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
4.200 $ 3 BP

Availability
45%

Quality
0%

Maximum number of rounds per action in Auto mode is 7. Features a fixed silencer.

10mm Raptor SMG As a submachine gun built for causing maximum damage with its powerful caliber, the Raptor suffers from nearly unmanageable recoil. It is a gun with an attitude, found mostly with tough gangster types and notorious criminals.
Name
10mm Raptor

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Auto (5+n)

Range M.
X -2%

Damage
8+1D10*

Min. (St)
7

Ammo
32 (mag 6) 10mm Auto

Weight
4 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
1.400 $ 3 BP

Availability
50%

Quality
-5%

Maximum number of rounds per action in Auto mode is 9.

Widowmaker A sawn-off, double barreled shotgun made from an old hunting shotgun. Up close, it packs a serious punch, but range and accuracy are very limited. Though highly illegal in most countries, it makes an excellent home defense item.
Name
Widowmaker

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (7)

Range M.
X -4%

Damage
19+1D10

Min. (St)
7

Ammo
2 (break 7) Gauge 12

Weight
4 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
150 $ 1 BP

Availability
75%

Quality
-10%

It has a fixed Scatter rating of 0,4.

Skeet Gun An ancient double barreled shotgun that has been used mostly for sporting and hunting.
Name
Skeet Gun

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (7)

Range M.
X -1%

Damage
23+1D10

Min. (St)
5

Ammo
2 (break 7) Gauge 12

Weight
7 lb

Size
Large

Cost
700 $ 2 BP

Availability
80%

Quality
-5%

This shotguns Scatter rating is adjustable by disassembling the weapon, ranging from 0,05 to 0,3.

98

Dinamika Shotgun Pistol A large, semi-automatic Gauge 12 shotgun pistol from Russia. Its integrated box magazine is located in front of the trigger, and is loaded from the top, similar to a Red Nine. Besides being declared illegal in most countries, the weapon is known for poor accuracy and reliability issues.

Name
Dinamika Shotgun Pistol

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (7)

Range M.
X -4%

Damage
17+1D10

Min. (St)
8

Ammo
5 (int 12) Gauge 12

Weight
4,6 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
800 $ 2 BP

Availability
50%

Quality
-10%

Using this weapon extends the critical failure rate by 5%. It has a fixed Scatter rating of 0,4.

M970 Pump Action Shotgun A classic design updated to meet modern firearm requirements, the pump action repeating shotgun features and under-barrel tube magazine that holds 7 rounds, high-impact polymer stock and a holder for 5 additional shells.
Name
M970 Pump Action Shotgun

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Single (9)

Range M.
X -1,5%

Damage
21+1D10

Min. (St)
5

Ammo
7 (int 16) Gauge 12

Weight
6,2 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
550 $ 2 BP

Availability
85%

Quality
0%

This shotguns Scatter rating is adjustable by disassembling the weapon, ranging from 0,05 to 0,3.

Krieg Sandwolf Assault Shotgun A semi-automatic, military shotgun that delivers enormous firepower and allows the user to switch instantly between ammo types, as the gun is fed from a dual box/tube magazine system.
Name
Krieg Sandwolf Assault Shotgun

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (6)

Range M.
X -1,5%

Damage
20+1D10

Min. (St)
6

Ammo
6+6 (int/mag 14/6) Gauge 12

Weight
9 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
2.500 $ 3 BP

Availability
65%

Quality
0%

Switching the magazine feed requires flipping a small switch, which costs 2 Action Points. This shotguns Scatter rating is adjustable by disassembling the weapon, ranging from 0,05 to 0,2. Because it is a semiautomatic, this weapon cannot use ammunition that is described as low-powered (including most non-lethal and special purpose shells other than slugs).

Improvised Rifle Improvised Rifles (which are in fact not even rifles, due to their lack of a rifled barrel) consist of a long pipe and a propulsion mechanism, either chemical or pre-charged with compressed air. It fires a heavy, metallic bolt and is capable of doing considerable damage, although it is inherently inaccurate and can fire only once before it has to be reloaded in a cumbersome fashion.

99

Name
Improvised Rifle

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Single (7)

Range M.
X -2,5%

Damage
3D10*

Min. (St)
5

Ammo
1

Weight
10 lb

Size
Large

Cost
50 $ 0 BP

Availability
85%

Quality
-25%

Using an Improvised Rifle automatically extends the rate for critical failure by 10%. Reloading the Improvised Rifle takes minutes, and is therefore impractical during combat.

M1 Garand Self-Loading Rifle A WW II-era semi-automatic rifle, modified to accept ammunition that is still in world-wide use. In contrast to other antique weapons, this one seems to be in pretty decent shape.
Name
M1 Garand

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (6)

Range M.
X -0,3%

Damage
13+1D10*

Min. (St)
5

Ammo
8 (clip 8) 7,62mm NATO

Weight
9 lb

Size
Large

Cost
300 $ 2 BP

Availability
80%

Quality
-5%

M711 Scout Sniper Rifle A light bolt-action sniper rifle, embedded in a lightweight polymer stock, built from high quality materials to comply with the requirements of special response law enforcement.
Name
M711 Scout

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (8+1)

Range M.
X -0,25%

Damage
15+1D10*

Min. (St)
5

Ammo
6 (mag 7) 7,62mm NATO

Weight
8,5 lb

Size
Large

Cost
2.200 $ 3 BP

Availability
75%

Quality
+5%

The weapon comes pre-fitted with a 3-9X Magnification scope.

SSR - Stechkin Silenced Rifle A modern special-operations sniper rifle in bullpup configuration manufactured in Russia that offers outstanding accuracy at assault rifle attack ranges.
Name
SSR - Stechkin

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (5+1)

Range M.
X -0,3%

Damage
9+1D10*

Min. (St)
4

Ammo

Weight
10 lb

Size
Large

Cost
8.000 $ 4 BP

Availability
30%

Quality
+5%

100

20 (mag 5) 5,56mm NATO

The weapon comes pre-fitted with a 4X Magnification, Low Light scope, a Bipod and Silencer.

L103 Nemesis Sniper Rifle The Nemesis is a high-powered, large caliber bolt action sniper rifle designed to be deadaccurate even at extreme ranges. It features a fully adjustable match stock.
Name
L103 Nemesis

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Single (9+1)

Range M.
X -0,2%

Damage
32+2D10*

Min. (St)
7

Ammo
6 (mag 7) .338 Lapua Magnum

Weight
12 lb

Size
Large

Cost
12.000 $ 4 BP

Availability
25%

Quality
+10%

The weapon comes pre-fitted with a 6-10X Magnification scope.

Soviet AK-147B Assault Rifle A battered, corroded Russian assault rifle from one of many third-world battlefields. Although horribly inaccurate, it remains surprisingly reliable in terms of function.
Name
AK-147B

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (5) Auto (4+n)

Range M.
X -0,75%

Damage
8+1D10*

Min. (St)
5

Ammo
35 (mag 5) 5,56mm NATO

Weight
6,2 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
150 $ 2 BP

Availability
90%

Quality
-10%

Maximum number of rounds per action in Auto mode is 7.

M4A2 Assault Rifle The latest in the Armalite line of US assault rifles, yet already obsolete on modern battlefields. The M4 is a fairly accurate weapon, however it suffers from poor mechanic reliability.
Name
M4A2

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (5) Auto (4+n)

Range M.
X -0,5%

Damage
8+1D10*

Min. (St)
4

Ammo
30 (mag 5) 5,56mm NATO

Weight
6,5 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
400 $ 2 BP

Availability
85%

Quality
0%

Maximum number of rounds per action in Auto mode is 9. Using the M4 automatically extends the rate for critical failure by 5%.

101

Kyohaku Model 2020 The 2020 is a bullpup assault rifle made mostly of high impact polymers and ceramics. It is popular with modern corporate security forces due to its light, rugged, no-nonsense design.
Name
Kyohaku Model 2020

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (5) Auto (4+n)

Range M.
X -0,5%

Damage
9+1D10*

Min. (St)
3

Ammo
30 (mag 5) 5,56mm NATO

Weight
5,7 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
2.400 $ 3 BP

Availability
50%

Quality
0%

Maximum number of rounds per action in Auto mode is 9. The Model 2020 features an integrated Red Dot Sight.

Krieg Armada Assault Rifle The new standard assault rifle of western world armies is built to meet all requirements of modern infantry warfare - easy field stripping due to its modular design, paired with good accuracy and reliability.
Name
Krieg Armada

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (5) Auto (4+n)

Range M.
X -0,5%

Damage
10+1D10*

Min. (St)
4

Ammo
25 (mag 5) 5,56mm NATO

Weight
8 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
5.500 $ 4 BP

Availability
50%

Quality
+0%

Name
Under Barrel Grenade Launcher

Type
Heavy Weapon (special)

Mode
Single (7)

Range M.
X -0,75%

Damage
as grenade

Min. (St)
4

Ammo
1 (break 6) 40mm Grenade

Weight
-

Size
-

Cost
-

Availability
-

Quality
0%

Maximum number of rounds per action in Auto mode is 9. The Armada comes pre-fitted with a Red Dot Sight and an under barrel Grenade Launcher. Switching the trigger to grenade mode costs 2 Action Points, while switching back happens automatically once the grenade has been spent.

102

Phoenix Advanced Weapon System Basically the most expensive and tricked out conventional infantry weapon available. The phoenix combines a large-caliber battle rifle with a semi-automatic grenade launcher in one package, and is fitted with intelligent targeting, incorporating even a ballistic computer.
Name
Phoenix Advanced Weapon System

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Semi (6) Auto (4+n)

Range M.
X -0,4%

Damage
14+1D10*

Min. (St)
5

Ammo
28 (mag 5) 7,62mm NATO

Weight
13 lb

Size
Large

Cost
25.000 $ 6 BP

Availability
15%

Quality
+5%

Name
Semi-Auto Grenade Launcher

Type
Heavy Weapon (special)

Mode
Semi (7)

Range M.
X -0,75%

Damage
as grenade

Min. (St)
5

Ammo
5 (mag 5) 40mm Grenade

Weight
-

Size
-

Cost
-

Availability
-

Quality
0%

Maximum number of rounds per action in Auto mode is 8. The Phoenix Weapon System is fitted with an IFCS Targeting Module with integrated Range Finder and a rating 6 ballistic computer. Switching to grenade mode and back costs 2 Action Points for each action.

Heavy Weapons
Soviet RPD Light Machinegun [D-12] Modified to fire standard NATO assault rifle ammunition, this clunky, rusted weapon of war is fed from a large drum magazine. Although a reliable support weapon once, it is so old it might just fall apart from corrosion now.
Name
RPD LMG

Type
Heavy Weapon (B)

Mode
Auto (5+n)

Range M.
X -0,5%

Damage
10+1D10*

Min. (St)
7

Ammo
120 (drum 8) 5,56mm NATO

Weight
16 lb

Size
Large

Cost
500 $ 1 BP

Availability
75%

Quality
-10%

Maximum number of rounds per action in Auto mode is 9. Using the RPD Light Machinegun extends the critical failure rate by 5%.

103

Akagi Type 36 R-SAW An air-cooled, rotary design machinegun of the 21st century. This heavy support chain gun is beltfed and doesnt require an electric drive like old-fashioned rotary guns, as its firing mechanism is powered by blowback operation.
Name
Akagi Type 36 R-SAW

Type
Heavy Weapon (B)

Mode
Auto (4+n)

Range M.
X -0,4%

Damage
15+1D10*

Min. (St)
10

Ammo
120 (belt 8) 7,62mm NATO

Weight
32 lb

Size
Large

Cost
11.000 $ 6 BP

Availability
25%

Quality
0%

Maximum number of rounds per action in Auto mode is 12.

M122A1 25mm Spriggan Autocannon Ladies and Gentlemen, the 25mm anti-material Autocannon. Basically a huge, semi-automatic rifle with a ridiculously large caliber and devastating recoil to match, this weapon is not for the feeble-bodied.
Name
M122A1

Type
Heavy Weapon (B)

Mode
Semi (7+1)

Range M.
X -0,2%

Damage
56+3D10*

Min. (St)
10

Ammo
6 (mag 7) 25mm Spriggan

Weight
36 lb

Size
Large

Cost
25.000 $ 8 BP

Availability
10%

Quality
0%

The Spriggan comes with a heavy-duty 2X Magnification, Infra-Red scope and Bipod attached.

M79 Blooper A simple, break-action 40mm grenade Launcher that has been extensively used during the Vietnam War of the last century.
Name
M79 Blooper

Type
Heavy Weapon (special)

Mode
Single (7)

Range M.
X -0,75%

Damage
as grenade

Min. (St)
4

Ammo
1 (break 6) 40mm Grenade

Weight
5 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
350 $ 1 BP

Availability
75%

Quality
-5%

104

Soviet RPG-16 Rocket Launcher An antique, Russian launcher for unguided rockets. Due to its no-frills design and poorly stabilized ammunition, its not exactly known for its pinpoint accuracy.

Name
Soviet RPG-16

Type
Heavy Weapon (special)

Mode
Single (8+1)

Range M.
X -0,5%

Damage
as rocket

Min. (St)
3

Ammo
1 (front 10) 58mm Rocket

Weight
14 lb

Size
Large

Cost
500 $ 1 BP

Availability
85%

Quality
-10%

The weapon is fitted with a cheap 2X Magnification scope and comes loaded with one standard, HE rocket. Note that with the RPG-16 being a recoilless weapon, a dangerous back-blast is created at its rear when firing. Treat the back blast as an Explosive attack with a Scatter of 0,2 and a basic Damage of 10+1D10.

Krieg 27-40R Grenade Launcher A modern, cylinder-fed grenade launcher that allows for considerable rates of fire (for a manportable grenade launcher, that is), as well as mixing various grenade types in succession. The weapons only downside is its heavy weight and overall bulk.
Name
Krieg 27-40 R

Type
Heavy Weapon (special)

Mode
Semi (7)

Range M.
X -0,75%

Damage
as grenade

Min. (St)
6

Ammo
7 (cyl 13) 40mm Grenade

Weight
14 lb

Size
Large

Cost
4.200 $ 3 BP

Availability
30%

Quality
0%

Krieg Panzerfaust VII The present-day successor to the long-running line of Panzerfaust weapons is a re-usable, universal launcher system for a variety of rocket and guided missile types, including ground-to air missiles.
Name
Krieg Panzerfaust VII

Type
Heavy Weapon (special)

Mode
Single (8+1)

Range M.
X -0,5%

Damage
as rocket/missile

Min. (St)
4

Ammo
1 (front 10) 65mm Rocket/Missile

Weight
15 lb

Size
Large

Cost
8.000 $ 4 BP

Availability
15%

Quality
0%

The weapon is sold without ammunition, and already fitted with a 4X Magnification scope with integrated targeting electronics for advanced guided missiles. Note that with the Panzerfaust VII being a recoilless weapon, a dangerous back-blast is created at its rear when firing. Treat the back blast as an Explosive attack with a Scatter of 0,2 and a basic Damage of 10+1D10.

105

XM-3565AM Smart Bomb Launcher Utilizing alien technology in ways that only insane human minds are able to come up with, the XM-3565AM is a man-portable, terrifying weapon of mass destruction. While the launcher holds an E-115 power cell to supply its munitions electromagnetic field for prolonged storage, the smart bomb itself is the true novelty in technology. It is a self-contained suspension chamber for a minuscule amount of antimatter, enough to annihilate a whole city block. Prior to warhead delivery, targets are designated with a low-intensity particle beam from the weapons attached projector (or an independent, hand held device, maybe even a satellite-based target painter), which makes the marked spot emanate a specific kind of radiation. This is the signature the smart bomb locks on to. With its advanced computerized guidance and anti-gravity propulsion systems, the projectile has the ability to circumvent any kind of obstacle, even chasing after fast-moving targets around corners. Needless to say, manufacturing one single smart bomb requires ludicrous amounts of resources, which eliminates it as a viable, economic possibility to wage war with.
Name
XM-3565AM Smart Bomb Launcher

Type
Heavy Weapon (E)

Mode
Single (8)

Range M.
special

Damage
as Smart Bomb

Min. (St)
8

Ammo
1 (int 20) Smart Bomb

Weight
38 lb

Size
Large

Cost
2.1M $ N/A

Availability
N/A

Quality
0%

Smart Bombs are stored in special, armored containers with individual E-115 power cells. The antimatter containment field within the projectile will expire after roughly 15 minutes if taken out of its stabilizing container, or the weapon itself, for that matter. Read the Smart Bomb description in the ammunition subchapter for further details.

Energy & Alien Weapons


M34-A2 Flamethrower A classic, no-frills flamethrower that can be fed either by a small, attached fuel tank or by a larger backpack. Most useful for dealing with various creature infestations.
Name
M34-A2 Flame Thrower

Type
Energy Weapon (H)

Mode
Spray (5+n)

Range M.
X -5%

Damage
nX4

Min. (St)
3

Ammo
20/60 (mag 5/ext 8) Fuel

Weight
8,7/11 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
450 $ 2 BP

Availability
2%

Quality
0%

Maximum number of fuel units per Spray action is 6. One Spray action counts as one single attack, as opposed to automatic fire. The weapons Scatter works similar to a shotguns and can be adjusted with a special tool, ranging from 0,05 to 0,5.

106

Kyohaku Izanagi Laser Rifle Using a conventional power source, the Izanagi laser weapon system is man-portable and requires only one operator. It can fire short, powerful laser pulses that provide pinpoint accuracy and reasonable range, as the weapon uses the integrated rangefinder to focus the beam.
Name
Kyohaku Izanagi Laser Rifle

Type
Energy Weapon (H)

Mode
Pulse (4)

Range M.
X -0,5%

Damage
12+2D10*

Min. (St)
4

Ammo
25 (ext 5) Battery

Weight
35 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
67.000 $ 25 BP

Availability
2%

Quality
+15%

The Izanagi is already equipped with a Red Dot Sight and a Rangefinder. The battery pack takes about 4 hours for a full recharge. Laser attacks are Armor Piercing.

Infinity Advanced Laser Rifle The Infinity is an evolved infantry rifle that combines already established laser technology with the formidable E-115 power cell. The weapon is lighter and more balanced than its predecessor, and features burst fire functionality.
Name
Infinity Advanced Laser Rifle

Type
Energy Weapon (H)

Mode
Pulse (4) Burst (6)

Range M.
X -0,5%

Damage
10+2D10*

Min. (St)
3

Ammo

Weight
10 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
250.000 $ N/A

Availability
N/A

Quality
+15%

The Infinity is already equipped with a Red Dot Sight and a Rangefinder. It fires 3 pulses per burst.

XM-3000 Arclite This massive particle accelerating weapon is the first of a new breed of anti-armor weaponry. Also known as the proton cannon, it has the ability of disintegrating even the toughest armor types of virtually any strength at extreme ranges.

107

Name
XM-3000 Arclite

Type
Energy Weapon (E)

Mode
Semi (8+1)

Range M.
X -0,2%

Damage
85+4D10*

Min. (St)
8

Ammo
30 (mag 6) H2

Weight
27 lb

Size
Large

Cost
1.600.000 $ N/A

Availability
N/A

Quality
+10%

Particle weapons cause explosive Damage without relevant Splash Damage that is considered Armor Piercing. The XM-3000 is already equipped with a 4-12X Magnification, IR and Low-Light (selectable) scope and a Bipod.

X-14 P.A.W. A lighter, more compact version of the proton cannon, the X-14 Proton Assault Weapon is intended for mid-range combat. Although it is capable of inflicting massive damage on single targets, this particle carbines low rate of fire may be considered a disadvantage.
Name
X-14 P.A.W.

Type
Energy Weapon (E)

Mode
Semi (8)

Range M.
X -0,4%

Damage
40+3D10*

Min. (St)
6

Ammo
30 (mag 6) H2

Weight
11 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
400.000 $ N/A

Availability
N/A

Quality
+5%

Particle weapons cause explosive Damage without relevant Splash Damage that is considered Armor Piercing.

X-11 Proton Blaster Miniaturizing particle weapon technology even further, this handgun offers maximum firepower in a package that equals a heavy pistol in size. The weapons main drawback is the fact that it cannot be reloaded without a special docking station.
Name
X-11 Proton Blaster

Type
Energy Weapon (E)

Mode
Semi (8)

Range M.
X -1%

Damage
26+2D10*

Min. (St)
5

Ammo
15 H2

Weight
4 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
280.000 $ N/A

Availability
N/A

Quality
+5%

Particle weapons cause explosive Damage without relevant Splash Damage that is considered Armor Piercing.

108

MK-III Plasma Rifle Using a polymer-encapsulated chemical called hydrazine as ammunition, this weapon offers considerable range when compared to other plasma projecting devices. Even so, range is still somewhat limited in direct comparison to other energy weapons. The MK-III

features twin barrels and the obligatory E-115 Energy Source to provide devastating rates of fire.
Name
MK-III Plasma Rifle

Type
Energy Weapon (H)

Mode
Auto (4+n)

Range M.
X -1%

Damage
19+1D10

Min. (St)
7

Ammo
50 (mag 5) Hdz. Capsule

Weight
16 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
600.000 $ N/A

Availability
N/A

Quality
+5%

Maximum number of rounds per action in Auto mode is 12. The MK-III is already equipped with an IFCS targeting module.

Mk-II Plasma Pistol A lighter, more compact plasma weapon specifically designed for vehicle crews. The MK-II Plasma Pistol offers serious, energy-based firepower in a small package.
Name
MK-II Plasma Pistol

Type
Energy Weapon (H)

Mode
Auto (4+n)

Range M.
X -1,5%

Damage
15+1D10

Min. (St)
4

Ammo
40 (mag 5) Hdz. Capsule

Weight
4,6 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
220.000 $ N/A

Availability
N/A

Quality
+5%

Maximum number of rounds per action in Auto mode is 7.

Raider Ion Scorcher A very small, yet powerful directed energy weapon of alien origin. It fires concentrated plasma bolts and cannot be reloaded without special equipment. Powered with E-115.
Name
Raider Ion Scorcher

Type
Energy Weapon (H)

Mode
Semi (5) Overload (6)

Range M.
X -3%

Damage
17+1D10

Min. (St)
1

Ammo
20

Weight
1 lb

Size
Small

Cost
250.000 $ N/A

Availability
N/A

Quality
0%

Humans using an unmodified Ion Scorcher receive an impeding -25% modifier, as the weapons trigger mechanism isnt suited for human hands. Overloading the Ion Scorcher effectively turns it into a plasma grenade that explodes after 3D10 Action Points, and does 1D10 (H) Damage in a simplified blast radius of 3 yards. Yields 0,5 units of E-115 when dismantled.

Raider Ion Devastator Unwieldy and bulky, this extremely powerful directed energy weapon is sometimes used by Spawners (as an implant, replacing one of their brutish arms) or more frequently, by Jabberwocks. Like the smaller handgun version, it cannot be reloaded without special alien equipment. Powered with E-115.

109

Name
Raider Ion Devastator

Type
Energy Weapon (H)

Mode
Semi (6) Overload (6)

Range M.
X -1%

Damage
35+2D10

Min. (St)
10

Ammo
100

Weight
15 lb

Size
Large

Cost
500.000 $ N/A

Availability
N/A

Quality
0%

Humans using an unmodified Ion Devastator receive an impeding -30% modifier, as the weapons grip and trigger mechanism are not suited for human hands. Overloading the Ion Devastator effectively turns it into a plasma bomb that explodes after 2D10 Action Points, and does 2D10 (H) Damage in a simplified blast radius of 5 yards. Yields 2 units of E-115 when dismantled.

Reticulan Disintegrator The standard zap gun of Grey underlings, this weapon is a small particle accelerator and highly dangerous even at long ranges. Because it seems impossible to reload it, experts believe that it is a disposable model. Powered with E-115.
Name
Reticulan Disintegrator

Type
Energy Weapon (E)

Mode
Semi (8)

Range M.
X -1%

Damage
20+2D10*

Min. (St)
1

Ammo
6

Weight
1,1 lb

Size
Small

Cost
250.000 $ N/A

Availability
N/A

Quality
0%

Particle weapons cause explosive Damage without relevant Splash Damage that is considered Armor Piercing. This weapon has no mechanical trigger, but responds to electric potentials on a Greys skin, therefore it is unusable for humans in its unmodified state. Yields 0,5 units of E-115 when dismantled.

Reticulan Neural Disruptor The Neural disruptor is a tiny handgun used by the Greys to stun their victims instead of killing them. This weapon is often used in abductions. Powered with E-115.
Name
Reticulan Neural Disruptor

Type
Energy Weapon (special)

Mode
Semi (7)

Range M.
X -4%

Damage
32+2D10

Min. (St)
1

Ammo

Weight
0,7 lb

Size
Tiny

Cost
250.000 $ N/A

Availability
N/A

Quality
0%

Rules for shock weapons apply. The Neural Disruptor causes only Fatigue. Use the highest armor Protection stat divided by 2 to determine the effects of the attack. This weapon has no mechanical trigger, but responds to electric potentials on a Greys skin, therefore it is unusable for humans in its unmodified state. Yields 0,25 units of E-115 when dismantled.

Optional Rule: Weapons that fire in Single mode (and have an ammo capacity higher than 1, such as bolt action rifles, pump action shotguns, single action revolvers, etc.) need to be cycled manually after each shot. The Action Point cost for doing this is already factored into the weapon's attack Action Point cost, but a character could choose to just fire a gun and cycle its action at some later point. In this case, the shot costs 3 points less to take, and and cycling by itself costs 3 APs.

110

Equipment - Ammunition
Rifled Firearm Cartridges
Note: Calculated Damage refers to the Damage resulting AFTER subtracting Protection ratings.

Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) This is the standard ammo type for small arms, with the exception of shotguns. The bullet is made of lead and jacketed in brass. It offers good balance between damage potential and penetration. A firearms standard Damage stat refers to this ammo type. No additional rules apply. Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP) Similar to the FMJ in consistency, but with a hollow tip, causing the bullet to expand drastically (called mushrooming) upon entering the target, reducing the possibility of a penetrating shot and also increasing lethality on soft targets. Its effectiveness against ballistic body armor is reduced. Double the targets (B) Protection rating and increase the calculated Damage by 20%. Glaser A round that is widely ineffective against body armor and was designed to virtually eliminate the risk of complete penetration (and therefore property damage). It consists of lead shot that is encapsulated in a thin metal jacket. Upon impact with the target, the shot is released and capable of causing serious tissue damage to unarmored targets. Triple the targets (B) Protection rating and increase calculated Damage by 30%. Armor Piercing (AP) Small arms rounds designed to penetrate armor effectively have hardened, pointed cores made from tungsten-steel alloys, enclosed in softer metals, such as brass, copper or aluminum, that peel off upon entering the target. For larger calibers like auto cannons, hardened, stabilized cores (called flechettes) are enclosed in sabots, which are cast off right after the projectile leaves the barrel. Reduce the targets effective (B) Protection rating by half, and decrease the weapons calculated Damage by 25%. Mercury Similar to, but more effective (and also more expensive) than Glaser rounds, this exotic ammunition type is popular with assassins. Filled with liquid mercury, this round shatters upon impact and inflicts severe tissue damage, eliminating the possibility of ballistic investigation. In game terms, it uses the same rules as Glaser rounds, but calculated Damage is increased by 45% instead of 30%. Tracer Basically standard FMJ rounds coated with luminescent pigments that are activated by air friction, modern tracer rounds are used mainly in machineguns. Concerning Damage and armor penetration, they do not differ from regular FMJ rounds. Incendiary Military-grade ammunition that is only available for large caliber weapons. This round offers good penetrating capabilities while releasing unstable chemicals within the target. These chemicals are ignited upon making contact with oxygen or moisture. In game terms, add Heat Damage (H) equal to the calculated Ballistic Damage (B) for each attack, with no Protection available (because the fragments burn INSIDE the target). Yes, incendiary rounds are very dangerous. High Explosive (HE) Basically explosive warheads fired from a cannon, these rounds explode upon impact, causing Splash Damage. The weapons Damage is quartered (divided by 4), becomes Explosive (E) and uses a simplified blast radius.
[up to (original weapon Damage) inches] Weapon Damage/4

112

Shotgun Shells
Buckshot Standard ammunition for shotguns. Due to Scatter, it has limited effective ranges and is widely ineffective against modern ballistic body armor. Triple the targets (B) Protection rating. Tungsten Shot Expensive, heavy shot load for military purposes. Tungsten is heavier than lead, and extremely hard. While Scatter applies normally, the targets (B) Protection rating is only doubled, not tripled. Flechette Flechette shells are packed with small, finned steel darts instead of shot, which disperse upon being fired, but allow for much longer effective ranges and better armor penetration. In game terms, Flechette rounds work similar to Tungsten Shot, with the main difference that they fix the weapons Scatter rating to 0,2. Also, Scatter ends after 15 yards, allowing for a rather stable, high velocity swarm of flechettes. Napalm Shell Instead of firing shot or slugs, this round sprays the target with a small load of burning napalm. Regardless of Scatter, range is limited to (Weapon Damage)/3 in yards. The Attack causes Heat Damage (H) equal to half the standard weapon Damage. Targets can be ignited as if struck by attacks with Petrochem from a flame thrower (see Flame Thrower Fuels). This is a low-powered shotgun shell that cannot be used in semi-automatic or automatic modes. Shotgun Slug Solid slugs with integral rifling offer better armor penetration than shot, but are inherently inaccurate due to the shotguns smooth barrel and choke chamber. When using this type of ammo, add an asterisk to the weapons Damage die, but apply an additional -10% modifier to the attack test. Armor penetration is standard, similar to FMJ, and there is no Scatter. Beanbag The Beanbag projectile is soft and flattens upon hitting the target, dispersing its kinetic energy over a wide surface. While painful and sometimes resulting in severe bruises or even broken bones, the Beanbag round is designed as a non-lethal ammunition for crowd control purposes. Damage is Blunt (I) and only 70% of the weapons original Damage. Scatter does not apply. This is a lowpowered shotgun shell that cannot be used in semi-automatic or automatic modes.

Flame Thrower Fuels


Petrochem Standard fuel for modern flame throwers. Burns hot and sticks to most surfaces, causing additional Damage over consecutive Combat Sequences. If ignited with Petrochem and not put out, a target receives half of the original (H) Damage at the beginning of the next Combat Sequence, then half of that at the beginning of the following one, and so on, always reduced by the appropriate Protection rating. Petrochem Plus A nastier flame thrower fuel with added napalm and high performance combustion enhancers, Petrochem Plus burns even better and increases the weapons damage substantially. All rules from standard Petrochem apply, but Damage is increased by 30%. Propane Safety fuel for flame throwers that is used in situations where setting one's surroundings on fire is not a viable option. Using Propane allows burning targets, but without the inherent collateral damage, because the target doesnt keep burning unless it is made of flammable materials itself. Treat flame thrower attacks with Propane similar to ones with Petrochem, but do not apply additional Heat Damage in following Combat Sequences. 113

Rockets and Missiles


HE Rocket An unguided, simple rocket with a large, high-explosive payload. Damage is Explosive (E).
Ground Zero [up to 1 yard] Kill Zone [up to 4 yards] Periphery [up to 8 yards] 100+2D10 as Ground Zero - 90 As Ground Zero - 105

Frag Rocket An unguided Rocket designed specifically to take out infantry. It consist of a small payload wrapped up in a fragmenting metal shell. Damage is Ballistic (B).
Ground Zero [up to 0,5 yards] Kill Zone [up to 6 yards] Periphery [up to 8 yards] 75+1D10 as Ground Zero - 50 As Ground Zero - 80

AV Rocket AV Rockets are unguided and contain a shaped charge that makes them highly effective against armored vehicles. In order to deliver its devastating effect, a direct hit is required. Damage is Explosive (E).
[No Radius] 480 + 4D10

AV Missile Basically a guided version of the AV Rocket, this missile homes in on a targeting laser spot projected on the target from the weapon itself, or from a separate target painter (possibly mounted on another weapon). If the target is not designated in this fashion, the missile may still be dumbfired exactly as an AV Rocket. Successfully using the target painter, however (which requires a separate, Heavy Weapons test with all appropriate modifiers, costing as many Action Points as a regular attack with that weapon), increases the chance for a direct hit by 25%. Damage is the same as with an AV Rocket and Explosive (E) in nature. Bunker Buster Rocket A dual-charge warhead that incorporates a shaped charge (Damage as AV Rocket) and a smaller fragmentation charge (Damage as Fragmentation Grenade). The shaped charge is supposed to defeat a bunkers wall, while the fragmentation charge explodes within. It succeeds doing so if the buildings (E) Protection stat is lower than one fourth of the shaped charges damage. If that is not the case, the fragmentation charge doesnt reach the bunkers interior, and bounces off the surface, exploding in the air. Heat Seeking Missile Designed as a multi-purpose weapon against both flying and earthbound vehicular targets, the Heat Seeking Missile delivers a standard, high-explosive payload (same Damage as with the HE Rocket). While dumb-firing is possible, its built in targeting system can lock on to a heat source first - usually a vehicles exhaust openings. Getting a lock requires a successful Heavy Weapons test that costs 10 Action Points. If this test fails, it can be repeated immediately. Failing or succeeding critically in this test doesnt result in any additional effects. Once the Weapon is locked on, it may be fired normally, but with a facilitating +50% modifier! Swarmer Rocket Pod A new type of anti-personnel ammunition for modern rocket launchers, the Swarmer consist of a disposable container (loaded into the launcher similar to a standard rocket) tightly packed with a few dozen micro-rockets with individual, tiny payloads that are too small to create a blast radius, but have serious damage potential once taken to soft targets. The micro-rockets disperse similar to a shotgun blast with a Scatter of 0,4. Their basic damage is 32+4D10 Explosive (E).

114

AM Smart Bomb The Antimatter Smart Bomb is based on alien technology and probably the most fearsome weapon short of a nuclear missile to date. Fired from a dedicated launcher system, it

homes in on any spot marked by its proprietary target designator (a particle projector) with a direct hit probability of 95%, without even requiring a direct line of sight. In fact, it can be fired from almost any position, even around corners or in opposite direction to the target, and it will still seek out a suitable path without hitting any obstacles. To designate a target, a successful Heavy Weapons test (with line of sight) is needed. It takes 7 Action Points and can be performed either with the launchers integrated targeting device, or with a separate target painter. Keeping the target painted is not necessary, as it stays marked for hours once hit by the low-intensity particle beam. Canceling the Smart Bombs lock is possible, switching to a different radiation signature for a new target, which costs 3 Action Points (Make a new targeting test after that). Because the Smart Bomb contains antimatter suspended in an electromagnetic field as its primary payload, it has to be hooked up to an E-115 energy source for storage. Each projectile comes with an armored, shielded Power Container providing such an energy source, while the launcher itself doubles as a storage device. Keeping the Smart Bomb away from its energy source for more than 15 minutes will lead to instability, eventually causing a premature detonation at full strength. When down to five minutes worth of stability, the Smart Bomb will alert its user with a shrill alarm signal. Firing the Smart Bomb at a correctly designated target automatically boosts the attacks PP to the possible maximum: 95%. In case of a critical failure (the only failure possible with a locked on Smart Bomb), the projectile goes haywire and turns into a Broken Arrow (meaning that it flies off in a random direction and is probably lost, but will become unstable after 15 minutes, possibly causing massive collateral damage). Damage is Explosive (E).
Ground Zero [up to 10 yards] Kill Zone [up to 75 yards] Periphery [up to 200 yards] Virtually any target is destroyed, period. 900 + 2D10* X12 20+2D10

Grenades and other Explosives


Frag Grenade Most common in hand grenade form, but launcher versions exist as well. It consist of a small explosive charge, enclosed in a fragmenting hull. Most effective against infantry, it is often deployed through windows to clear out rooms in buildings. Damage is Ballistic (B).
Ground Zero [up to 0,5 yards] Kill Zone [up to 3 yards] Periphery [up to 6 yards] 15+1D10* As Ground Zero - 10 As Ground Zero - 20

HE Grenade This grenade is made up almost entirely of explosives, damaging targets with its violent shockwave rather than shrapnel. Damage is Explosive (E)
Ground Zero [up to 0,5 yards] Kill Zone [up to 2 yards] Periphery [up to 4 yards] 20+1D10 As Ground Zero - 15 As Ground Zero - 20

Note: Priming Hand Grenades costs 3 Action Points. A hand grenades timer is usually set to 15 Action Points, while launcher grenades are built to explode on impact.

Concussion Grenade Built to explode with less force and velocity than a HE grenade, this device is designed to surprise and stun rather than kill. The shockwaves Damage is considered Blunt (I).
Ground Zero [up to 0,5 yards] Kill Zone [up to 1 yards] Periphery [up to 1,5 yards] 10+1D10 As Ground Zero - 5 As Ground Zero - 10

Incendiary Grenade Basically a more advanced variant of the Molotov cocktail, incendiary grenades disperse burning chemicals over a wide area upon exploding, setting any nearby targets on fire. Burning Damage is resolved similar to Petrochem from a flame thrower: If ignited by an Incendiary grenade and not put out, a target receives half of the original (H) Damage at the beginning of the next Combat Sequence, then half of that at the beginning of the following one, 115 and so on, always reduced by the appropriate Protection rating. The initial explosions

Damage is Heat (H) as well.


Ground Zero [up to 1 yard] Kill Zone [up to 3 yards] Periphery [up to 6 yards] 5+1D10 As Ground Zero - 5 As Ground Zero - 10

Smoke Grenade When deployed, this grenade type creates a smoke screen impenetrable by the naked human eye or Low Light Night Vision Filters. Infrared Night Vision Filters are not affected. Depending on the presence of wind, a Smoke grenade can cover an area up to 20 yards wide, which usually takes 10 Action Points from ignition. Such smoke screens usually stay up for roughly 10 Combat Sequences, unless there is enough wind to blow it away, reducing its time to 3 Combat Sequences or less. Grenades with colored smoke are also available, mostly used as signals and for designating bombing targets. Flashbang While this pyrotechnical device doesnt explode, it generates a bright, blinding light and a deafening crack, disorienting targets in its vicinity. Open to the game masters discretion, it may impose hearing and vision modifiers up to -100% on valid targets for up to one minute (acoustic) and up to 15 seconds (visual, approx. 30 Action Points). Decrease the latter modifier by 10% per 3 Action Points passed. NS (Neuro-Stun) Grenade This immensely useful stun grenade actually uses technology reverse engineered from an alien weapon known as the Reticulan Neural Disruptor. While it doesnt really explode, it rather explosively expands a current-inducing force field around itself. Any target within its blast radius is likely to get knocked unconscious (or at least dazzled) without taking any form of permanent Damage. In game terms, the Neuro-Stun Grenade causes only Fatigue, and all additional rules of electrical shock weapons apply. Use the highest armor Protection stat divided by 2 to determine the effects of the attack.
Blast Radius [up to 5 yards] 23+2D10 (regardless of Splash Damage, apply only once)

Demolition Pack A simple, large bomb made of plastic explosives, usually C-4 or Semtex. It includes a timer, a remote controlled detonator. Assembling the bomb (Detonator is always kept separated from the C-4 in storage) takes only 10 Action Points, programming the timer another 10 Action Points, while pressing the remote detonator switch costs only 2 Action Points. It never was easier to blow mission objectives to little pieces. Damage is Explosive (E).
Ground Zero [up to 1 yard] Kill Zone [up to 3 yards] Periphery [up to 12 yards] 250+4D10 As Ground Zero - 50 As Ground Zero - 250

Reticulan Bomb An alien detonation device of calamitous magnitude. It looks like a smooth, shiny metal cylinder, with no displays or controls attached. Small enough to be carried even by a Grey underling, thankfully these fearsome antimatter bombs not been observed in action very often. The Greys seem to use them as last-ditch solutions to prevent their larger ships to be captured. Surprisingly, the activation mechanism is a simple button on the top end of the device, protected by a removable metal cap. Damage is Explosive (E). Although this device contains 2 units of E-115, dismantling it for them is not advised out of obvious reasons.
Ground Zero [up to 15 yards] Kill Zone [up to 120 yards] Periphery [up to 250 yards] Virtually any target is destroyed, period 1000 + 2D10* X15 25+2D10

116

Land Mine A basic mine that is deployed by burying it in the ground. The standard version detonates when a switch on top is depressed (100 pounds or more) and houses enough TNT to rip apart lightly armored vehicles and kill small groups of infantry. Advanced models feature electronics that allow the mine to differentiate between friend and foe, detonating it only if stepped on or run over by someone without the proper transponder. Damage is Explosive (E).
Ground Zero [up to 1 yard] Kill Zone [up to 2 yards] Periphery [up to 8 yards] 340+4D10 As Ground Zero - 300 As Ground Zero - 360

Proximity Mine The Proximity Mine is small, light and designed to take out infantry. It employs motion sensor technology and is activated when a moving object (or animal/person) heavier than 50 pounds gets closer than 2 yards. Immediately upon activation, the mine jumps about 3-6 ft off the ground and explodes. Damage is the same as with a Frag Grenade. Advanced models feature electronics that allow the mine to differentiate between friend and foe, setting it off only if approached by someone without the proper transponder. Claymore The claymore is a directional anti-personnel mine that fires shrapnel in a wide arc. It can be detonated via remote, timed or by tripwire. When fired, treat the attack similar to a shotgun blast with a Scatter of 1 and a base Damage of 64+1D10 Ballistic (B). Do not double the targets (B) Protection rating as with Buckshot. Setting up the Claymore without tripwire costs 10 Action Points. Programming the timer costs 10 Action Points, setting up a tripwire costs 12 Action Points, while pressing the remote detonator switch costs 2 Action points.

Price List Ammunition


Designation
.38 S&W FMJ .38 S&W JHP Soviet 7,62mm Silent FMJ 9mm Para FMJ 9mm Para JHP 9mm Para AP 9mm Para Glaser 9mm Para Mercury .45 ACP FMJ .45 ACP JHP .45 ACP Glaser 10mm Auto FMJ 10mm Auto JHP 10mm Auto AP .44 Magnum FMJ .44 Magnum JHP

Number
20 (Box) 20 (Box) 10 (Box) 20 (Box) 20 (Box) 20 (Box) 20 (Box) 10 (Box) 20 (Box) 20 (Box) 20 (Box) 20 (Box) 20 (Box) 20 (Box) 10 (Box) 10 (Box)

Weight
0,2 lb 0,2 lb 0,18 lb 0,3 lb 0,3 lb 0,25 lb 0,25 lb 0,18 lb 0,4 lb 0,4 lb 0,35 lb 0,45 lb 0,45 lb 0,4 lb 0,4 lb 0,4 lb

Cost
15 $ 0 BP 20 $ 0 BP 350 $ 1 BP 10 $ 0 BP 20 $ 0 BP 150 $ 1 BP 120 $ 0 BP 1.500 $ 2 BP 20 $ 0 BP 30 $ 0 BP 150 $ 0 BP 100 $ 0 BP 135 $ 0 BP 400 $ 1 BP 80 $ 0 BP 95 $ 0 BP

Availability
80% 80% 5% 95% 90% 25% 70% 10% 95% 90% 65% 50% 45% 15% 55% 65%

117

.500 S&W FMJ .500 S&W JHP Gauge 12 Buckshot Gauge 12 Tungsten Shot Gauge 12 Flechette Gauge 12 Napalm Gauge 12 Shotgun Slug Gauge 12 Beanbag 5,56mm NATO FMJ 5,56mm NATO Tracer 5,56mm NATO AP 7,62mm NATO FMJ 7,62mm NATO Tracer 7,62mm NATO AP .338 Lapua Magnum FMJ .338 Lapua Magnum AP .338 Lapua Magnum Mercury 25mm Spriggan FMJ 25mm Spriggan HE 25mm Spriggan AP 25 mm Spriggan Incendiary RPG-16 HE Rocket RPG-16 Frag Rocket RPG-16 AV Rocket Panzerfaust VII HE Rocket Panzerfaust VII Frag Rocket Panzerfaust VII AV Rocket Panzerfaust VII AV Missile Panzerfaust VII Bunker Buster Panzerfaust VII Heat Seeker Panzerfaust VII Swarmer Pod AM Smart Bomb 40mm Launcher Grenade - Frag 40mm Launcher Grenade - HE

10 (Box) 10 (Box) 12 (Carton) 12 (Carton) 12 (Carton) 6 (Metal Case) 12 (Carton) 12 (Carton) 50 (Box) 50 (Box) 50 (Box) 50 (Box) 50 (Box) 50 (Box) 10 (Box) 10 (Box) 10 (Box) 10 (Small Crate) 10 (Small Crate) 10 (Small Crate) 10 (Small Crate) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (Power Container) 1 1 1

0,6 lb 0,6 lb 1 lb 1,4 lb 1 lb 0,8 lb 1 lb 0,8 lb 4 lb 4 lb 3,7 lb 6,2 lb 6,2 lb 5,9 lb 1 lb 0,9 lb 1,2 lb 5 lb 4,5 lb 4,7 lb 5 lb 5,2 lb 6 lb 4,9 lb 5,6 lb 6,2 lb 5 lb 5,4 lb 7 lb 6 lb 8,2 lb 9 lb 1 lb 1 lb 1 lb

118

40mm Launcher Grenade - Concussion

180 $ 0 BP 180 $ 0 BP 30 $ 0 BP 1.200 $ 2 BP 300 $ 0 BP 250 $ 1 BP 160 $ 0 BP 100 $ 0 BP 200 $ 0 BP 800 $ 0 BP 1.700 $ 2 BP 270 $ 0 BP 900 $ 0 BP 1.900 $ 2 BP 300 $ 0 BP 2.200 $ 2 BP 4.000 $ 3 BP 1.000 $ 1 BP 1.750 $ 2 BP 3.100 $ 3 BP 4.500 $ 4 BP 200 $ 1 BP 450 $ 1 BP 800 $ 2 BP 2.000 $ 2 BP 4.200 $ 2 BP 9.400 $ 4 BP 17K $ 7 BP 15K $ 6 BP 22K $ 9 BP 3.300 $ 2BP 500K $ N/A 200 $ 0 BP 150 $ 0 BP 100 $ 0 BP

40% 50% 95% 10% 10% 15% 85% 60% 85% 60% 10 % 80 % 55% 10% 45% 10% 5% 15% 10% 10% 5% 70% 65% 50% 10% 5% 5% 5% 5% 5% 7% N/A 30% 35% 40%

40mm Launcher Grenade - Incendiary 40mm Launcher Grenade - NS Hand Grenade - Frag Hand Grenade - HE Hand Grenade - Concussion Hand Grenade - Incendiary Hand Grenade - Smoke Hand Grenade - Flashbang Hand Grenade - NS Demolition Pack (all inclusive) Reticulan Bomb Land Mine (dumb) Land Mine (smart) Proximity Mine (dumb) Proximity Mine (smart) Claymore (all inclusive) Flame Thrower Fuel - Petrochem Flame Thrower Fuel - Petrochem Plus Flame Thrower Fuel - Propane Izanagi Extra Battery Pack Proton Gun H2 Plasma Gun Hydrazine Capsules

1 1 4 (Crate) 4 (Crate) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 60 units (Canister) 60 units (Canister 20 units (Bottle) 25 units (Pack) 30 units (Canister) 60 (Box)

1 lb 1 lb 4 lb 4 lb 1 lb 1 lb 1 lb 1 lb 1 lb 4 lb 5 lb 7 lb 7,2 lb 2,4 lb 2,6 lb 5 lb 4,8 lb 5 lb 3 lb 13 lb 2 lb 1,3 lb

100 $ 0 BP 30K $ N/A 240 $ 0 BP 300 $ 0 BP 50 $ 0 BP 80 $ 0 BP 25 $ 0 BP 120 $ 0 BP 30K $ N/A 850 $ 1 BP 350K $ N/A 180 $ 1 BP 900 $ 2 BP 450 $ 1 BP 1.100 $ 2 BP 1700 $ 1 BP 100 $ 0 BP 200 $ 0 BP 75 $ 0 BP 7.000 $ 4 BP 25K $ N/A 30K $ N/A

45 % N/A 45% 40% 70% 35 % 80% 50% N/A 30% N/A 60% 25% 30% 15% 25% 70% 40% 70% 4% N/A N/A

Dinamika Shotgun Pistol

119

Equipment - Clothing & Armor


Regular Clothing Street, casual or elegant clothes, standard uniforms and such, are considered regular clothing. It doesnt offer any protection whatsoever. Includes shoes, sometimes a hat or other accessories.
Name
Regular Clothing

Hit Locations
irrelevant (no Protection)

Protection
B0 /S0 /I0 /H0 /C0 /T0 /E0

Min. (St)
0

Weight
4-7 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
varies 0 BP

Availability
95%

Motorcycle Suit Reinforced with tough leather, plastic caps and rubber, this suit offers good protection when being struck by blunt force. Includes gloves, boots and a helmet.
Name
Motorcycle Suit

Hit Locations
All

Protection
B1 /S4 /I12 /H2 /C2 /T0 /E2 500 0 BP

Min. (St)
2

Weight
12 lb

Size
Normal

Cost

Availability
90%

Uniform Overall Includes combat boots, knee, shin and elbow protectors, as well as fire-resistant gloves with thin leather palms for full manual dexterity.
Name
Uniform Overall

Hit Locations
All but Head

Protection
B1 /S3 /I4 /H8 /C4 /T2 /E2 1.000 0 BP

Min. (St)
1

Weight
6 lb

Size
Normal

Cost

Availability
70%

Combat Helmet A light, full visor helmet with integrated gas mask, Commlink and HUD. Also protects the wearers eyes similar to Ballistic Goggles (in addition to its regular Protection ratings). The system accepts upgrades, such as Night Vision Filters and an IFCS Processor.
Name
Combat Helmet

Hit Locations
Head

Protection
B8 /S8 /I12 /H6 /C4 /T15 /E7 2.000 1 BP

Min. (St)
1

Weight
5 lb

Size
Normal

Cost

Availability
70%

Kevlar-Lined Dustcoat Popular with corporate agents, this heavy long coat is likely to stop bullets from most civilian market firearms with style.
Name
Kevlar-Lined Dustcoat

Hit Locations
All but Head

Protection
B8 /S4 /I3 /H3 /C2 /T0 /E2 2.500 1 BP

Min. (St)
5

Weight
18 lb

Size
Normal

Cost

Availability
45%

Thermal Clothing A full set of thick, warm clothing that keeps the cold out in arctic conditions. Includes boots, winter gloves, balaclava and goggles. The anorak features a hood.

120

Name
Thermal Clothing

Hit Locations
All

Protection
B1 /S2 /I4 /H5 /C20 /T0 /E1 450 0 BP

Min. (St)
2

Weight
12 lb

Size
Large

Cost

Availability
85%

Hazmat Suit A full hazmat suit with air filters and integrated air tank. The air tank supplies enough air for roughly on hour, while the filters offer a (T) Protection rating of 20.
Name
Hazmat Suit

Hit Locations
All

Protection
B0 /S0 /I0 /H2 /C2 /T20 /E0 2.500 1 BP

Min. (St)
3

Weight
22 lb

Size
Large

Cost

Availability
65%

Concealable Ballistic Vest Designed for security and law enforcement markets, this vest protects only the front of the torso and can be worn under regular clothing.
Name
Concealable Ballistic Vest

Hit Locations
Torso (front)

Protection
B9 /S3 /I6 /H0 /C0 /T0 /E0 400 0 BP

Min. (St)
2

Weight
5 lb

Size
Normal

Cost

Availability
60%

Type IV Ballistic Vest A strong ballistic vest that protects the upper body.
Name
Type IV Ballistic Vest

Hit Locations
Torso

Protection
B14 /S4 /I6 /H0 /C0 /T0 /E2 1.700 1 BP

Min. (St)
4

Weight
11 lb

Size
Normal

Cost

Availability
45%

Tactical Vest A modular combat vest with a large variety of pouches and pockets attached, including a handgun holster for pistols of Small size. It also offers some limited protection.
Name
Tactical Vest

Hit Locations
Torso

Protection
B4 /S4 /I4 /H0 /C0 /T0 /E2 250 0 BP

Min. (St)
2

Weight
6 lb

Size
Normal

Cost

Availability
70%

Plate Carrier Similar to the Tactical Vest for equipment storage purposes, this vest also provides good protection against most types of trauma. The integrated composite armor plates make it somewhat heavy.
Name
Plate Carrier

Hit Locations
Torso

Protection
B10 /S10 /I12 /H4 /C0 /T0 /E7 1.900 1 BP

Min. (St)
4

Weight
18 lb

Size
Normal

Cost

Availability
40%

Medium Combat Armor Advanced military combat armor, including a reinforced helmet and integrated equipment pockets.

121

Name
Medium Combat Armor

Hit Locations
All

Protection
B11 /S11 /I13 /H6 /C2 /T2 /E8 22K $ 6 BP

Min. (St)
7

Weight
38 lb

Size
Large

Cost

Availability
20%

The suits helmet includes all features of the regular Combat Helmet.

Heavy Combat Armor Similar to the Medium Combat Armor, but with additional plating and padding.
Name
Heavy Combat Armor

Hit Locations
All

Protection
B14 /S13 /I16 /H9 /C4 /T4 /E12 41K $ 12 BP

Min. (St)
9

Weight
57 lb

Size
Large

Cost

Availability
10%

The suits helmet includes all features of the regular Combat Helmet.

Powered Exoskeleton Armor E-115-powered, armored exo-skeletal suits are the pinnacle of infantry armor technology. While they are not much bulkier than Heavy Combat Armor, built-in synthetic muscle actuators greatly enhance the users strength, while advanced alloys and composite materials are used for maximum protection. Unlike regular armor suits, exo-skeletal armor has to be custom-made for each users physique, increasing the already astronomic cost-per-unit even further. Exoskeleton users must have a Neural Interface Port Implant, and require proper training to use the suit at its full potential.
Name
Powered Exoskeleton Armor

Hit Locations
All

Protection
B18 /S17 /I20 /H16 /C14 /T22 /E18 7.5M $ N/A

Min. (St)
5

Weight
89 lb

Size
Large

Cost

Availability
N/A

The suits helmet includes all features of the regular Combat Helmet. Using the suit requires a UNIP Biomod and a minimum Powered Exoskeleton Skill of 100%. If the Skill is lower, add the difference as an impeding PP modifier to all physical actions, and lower the users Sequential Score by that value divided by 5. Wearing Exoskeleton Armor boosts the wearers effective Strength by 5 points, which doesnt affect Skills.

Exoskeleton Flight Package Replacing the exos chest plate and boots, this repulsor package grants full hovering capabilities. As with all equipment reverse engineered from alien technology, a Flight Package is extremely expensive.
Name
Exoskeleton Flight Package

Hit Locations
Torso

Protection
B16 /S15 /I18 /H15 /C12 /T20 /E17 4.8M $ N/A

Min. (St)
as exo

Weight
+24 lb

Size
Large

Cost

Availability
N/A

The Flight Package grants Powered Exoskeleton Armor the ability of Zero Gravity Flight. Flying units can float or move in any direction up to Running speed with a stand-in Agility Attribute of 10 without suffering movement modifiers.

Riot Shield A light, transparent polycarbonate shield. Although it will stop most thrown objects and armed or unarmed blows, it was not designed to protect against firearms.

122

Name
Riot Shield

Hit Locations
special

Protection
B2 /S15 /I17 /H4 /C0 /T0 /E4 300 $ 0 BP

Min. (St)
1

Weight
5 lb

Size
Large

Cost

Availability
60%

Shields can be used to Parry attacks in melee combat. This particular shield provides a +20% Parry bonus. When used as Cover, the Riot Shield is large enough to hide a crouched human completely, or hide his upper body, groin, arms and head when standing. A Riot Shield is destroyed if hit by an attack that does more Damage than twice the corresponding Protection rating (exceptions: Toxic and Cold).

Ballistic Shield This special-purpose shield is extremely heavy, built from multiple layers of steel and Kevlar, with a narrow slit cut out in the upper quarter to grant the user at least a limited field of vision without leaving the shields protection.
Name
Ballistic Shield

Hit Locations
special

Protection
B23 /S17 /I19 /H12 /C0 /T0 /E16 2.600 $ 1 BP

Min. (St)
8

Weight
28 lb

Size
Large

Cost

Availability
35%

Because of its extreme weight, this shield grants its Parry bonus of +25% only to users with a Strength Attribute of 10 or higher. When used as cover, it protects the same areas as a Riot Shield. A Ballistic Shield is unlikely to be destroyed, unless hit by an attack (exceptions: Toxic and Cold) that does more Damage than three times the shields corresponding Protection rating.

123

Equipment - Biomods
Artificial modifications to a living organism, Biomods for short, are divided into two main categories: Hard and Soft Biomods. Hard Biomods are usually rigid, electronic, mechanical or nanotechnological implants often fitted with neural interfaces, while soft Biomods consist of live, genetically engineered tissue, symbiotic microorganisms or retroviral treatments. The latter tend to impose less side effects on the host, but are more limited in their applications. Hard Biomods, on the other hand, require highly invasive procedures to implant, and remain as foreign bodies in the users organism.
Cosmetic Biomods (various) In everyday life of the mid-21st century, where rich, spoilt consumers have the possibility to obtain virtually everything they desire in exchange of hard cash, there is no absence of useless, extravagant and extremely expensive Biomods, most of them being of purely cosmetic nature. The whole list of available Cosmetic Biomods is vast and grows with every day that passes. In fact, Cosmetic Biomods have become a popular industry that infiltrates every nook and cranny of high society and the media landscape. Cosmetic Biomods may be as simple as a common breast augmentation for women who are not satisfied with their natural bodies, or as extreme as a number of radical procedures that turn a fat, middle-aged Japanese businessman into a 16-year old blonde schoolgirl, permitting fully functional transvestitism (minus appropriate reproductive capabilities). Bizarre modifications such as animal faces, body fur, tails and horns have taken deviant subcultures such as Furry Fandom to the next level, allowing members to embody fantasy creatures in everyday life. Western and pan-pacific markets are practically saturated with these lifestyle-oriented Biomods, while third world countries are completely devoid of them. In game terms, Cosmetic Biomods do not affect stats, but are relevant in social situations. For instance, a Cosmetic Biomod that is not liked by an NPC will lower Initial Reaction. Since the possibilities of Cosmetic Biomods are limited only by imagination (and by physical do-ability, taking in consideration that this is the near future), stats for such implants and procedures have to be made up on demand. When a player decides that his character will get a Cosmetic Biomod, the game master has to come up with reasonable values for Invasion, Cost, Availability, and so on. Simple procedures, a nose job for instance, are likely to have very low Invasion ratings (+1%), while radical packages that completely alter the users appearance, such as the dreaded anthropomorphic canine, will have extremely high Invasion ratings (well over +75%). Prices range from several hundred Dollars (0 BP) for small, routine operations to several Millions for intricate, prolonged procedures (50+ BP). Bone Lacing (Hard) A hard Biomodification that laminates all larger structural bones of the human skeleton with metal, plastic and composite plates, dramatically increasing their resilience to physical damage. Although bones become virtually unbreakable by all but the hardest impacts, joints and ligaments are still susceptible to tear and wear.
Name
Bone Lacing

Invasion
+23%

Resilience
All / 100

Effects
(Ms) +3, (I) Protection +6, (B) Protection +2

Cost
16.500 $ 6 BP

Availability
60%

Implanting Bone Lacing takes roughly 12 hours of operation, which does not have to be performed in one go. Note that some parts of the bone lacing contain surgical steel and will set off metal detectors.

Sub-Dermal Container (Hard) A simple Biomod that is implanted in the sub-dermal fat. Nothing more than a pouch made from immune-indifferent plastics, it can be either left open (accessible by a slit in the skin) or closed up with synthetic skin. Will accommodate a Tiny object.
Name
Sub-Dermal Container

Invasion
+1%

Resilience
-

Effects
Storage of Tiny items

Cost
50 $ 0 BP

Availability
85%

124

Implanting this hard Biomod is a breeze, albeit somewhat painful without proper anesthesia. It takes only a few minutes. Accessing the content normally takes 6 Action Points.

Biomonitor Implant (Hard) An implanted version of the regular Biomonitor.


Name
Biomonitor Implant

Invasion
+4%

Resilience
Torso / 10

Effects
As Biomonitor

Cost
34.000 $ 12 BP

Availability
10%

Implanting the Biomonitor takes roughly 3 hours under optimized circumstances.

Body Bomb (Hard) Explosives inside a subjects body are probably among the most feared means to assure its cooperation. Although internationally banned, such devices are still being used by various prisons, corporations or dictatorships of the third world. The Body Bomb is detonated by remote, or can be rigged to go off as soon as the subject leaves a given perimeter to a transponder. Implant locations vary, but the most popular seem to be the chest (after removing a piece of lung), the abdomen, or a hollowed-out extremity bone.
Name
Body Bomb

Invasion
+10%

Resilience
varies / 15

Effects
It goes boom!

Cost
free

Availability
N/A

Depending on the Implants location, operations may take between 30 minutes and 3 hours. When a Body Bomb is destroyed by external Damage, roll one D100. If the result is up to 50, the bomb goes off. If the result is higher, consider the detonator broken, effectively disarming the explosive device. Body Bomb Damage is determined by the game master, but keep in mind that its normally more than enough to kill the poor schmuck whos carrying it in his guts.

Pain Inducer (Hard) Also banned internationally, this tiny, innocent looking implant goes into the subjects lower spine. Activated by remote, it sends out agonizing pain signals right to the brain, allowing immediate punishment or various forms of physical and/or psychological torture.
Name
Pain Inducer

Invasion
+15%

Resilience
Torso / 10

Effects
Agonizing Pain! (-100%)

Cost
free

Availability
N/A

Takes two hours to implant. As long as activated, it imposes a -100% pain modifier to all of the characters actions. Pain Resistance can be subtracted. There is no actual damage done, and the sensation of pain ceases immediately when the device is turned off.

Internal Air Tank (Hard) A pressurized steel tank that replaces a small piece of lung, connected to the users respiratory system by electronically regulated valves that allow breathing without taking in external air. Highly useful in toxic environments or underwater.
Name
Internal Air Tank

Invasion
+25%

Resilience
Torso / 25

Effects
20-30 minutes worth of air

Cost
2.500 $ 1 BP

Availability
45%

Takes 4 hours to implant. Depending on physical activity, the air in this tank lasts for roughly half an hour. It is activated automatically as soon as blood carbon dioxide saturation climbs above a certain level, and can be triggered voluntarily by holding ones breath. Includes a refilling valve between the users ribs. Because of the enormous pressure inside the tank, this Biomod explodes after taking enough Damage to destroy it, causing 35+1D10* (E) Damage without armor Protection to the torso. The stainless steel construction of the tank is likely to set off metal detectors.

Universal Neural Interface Port - UNIP (Hard) Probably the most important development in man-machine interface technology since the invention of the personal computer, the UNIP is an advanced cerebral implant that allows controlling machines with thoughts instead of physical actions. While the technology doesnt offer full sensory input yet, it can synchronize with a HUD device (filtering out background noise), which is as immersive as virtual reality will get in the next few years. The fields of use for UNIP-compatible tech are many, including video games, intuitive vehicle controls and, as a military application, hacking into secure computer systems at the speed of thought.
Name
UNIP

Invasion
+47%

Resilience
Head / 15

Effects
Access to UNIP-compatible devices

Cost
33K $ 9 BP

Availability
30%

125

During preparations, the recipients brain has to be mapped with various scanning methods, which may take a few days. Implanting the Biomod itself takes an unpredictable number of hours, as it has to be synchronized and adjusted during the whole process, a task that can be more or less daunting, depending on the patients synaptic patterns - younger brains tend to be less established in these patterns, and are therefore easier to deal with. After the Operation, the user needs a few weeks to adjust to the implant, after which he may start training with it. Full capacity use is possible after roughly two months of training.

Cerebral Reflex Enhancer - C.R.E. (Hard) Developed for military markets only, the C.R.E. is a nasty piece of hardware. It accelerates both the users reaction and slows down subjective perception of his surroundings by temporarily boosting the brains adrenaline levels in pressing situations, and permanently bypasses main nerves with superconducting sensor and motor data pipelines. While drastically enhancing the users combat capabilities, the C.R.E. also have a tendency to cause some unpleasant physical and psychological side effects. Long-term users are known to twitch and tremble when idle, and have a higher susceptibility for mental diseases.
Name
C.R.E.

Invasion
+63%

Resilience
All / 50

Effects
(Re) + 5, (Pe) +1, +1 Sequential Score die

Cost
172K $ 18 BP

Availability
5%

The procedure of implanting a C.R.E. is complicated and takes multiple operations, which have a duration of more than 24 hours in total. New users need about a week to adapt to their bodys new handling.

Chlorosymbiotes (Soft) Also known as GreenSkin or Plant Hide, these are actually genetically manipulated plant chloroplasts. Once administered, which happens similar to getting a tattoo, they establish themselves in human skin cells and thrive inside of them. Besides giving the treated skin areas a healthy, permanent green tint (which is purely cosmetic and considered hip), they also grant the users organism photosynthetic abilities - In plain English, it allows subjects to nourish themselves (at least to some extent) by exposing their skin to sunlight. Especially popular with fundamental ecologists and fans of forced human evolution.
Name
Chlorosymbiotes

Invasion
+9%

Resilience
-

Effects
Photosynthesis

Cost
2.500 $ 1 BP

Availability
85%

Because Chlorosymbiotes are applied the same way as a tattoo, the procedure can be performed in multiple sessions, with a total of roughly 10 hours for a full-body treatment. Creating patterns and images is possible and a popular choice, though getting only a partial body treatment will greatly reduce the Biomods effectiveness. A full-body chlorosymbiotic treatment will grant the user photosynthetic abilities similar to those of the Children of Mu.

Auditory Booster (Hard) As a complete replacement of the human inner ear, this Biomod allows the user to hear both infra- and ultrasonic ranges, and gives him control over a selective sound amplifier and filter. In addition to that, the integrated dampeners will protect the user from extremely loud noises that may be otherwise startling, or even damaging.
Name
Auditory Booster

Invasion
+11%

Resilience
Head / 20

Effects
Enhanced Hearing

Cost
6.000 $ 3 BP

Availability
35%

Implanting the Auditory Booster is relatively invasive and may take up to 7 hours. Users receive an automatic facilitating modifier of +10% for all conventional hearing tests, and will perceive low or high-end frequencies as well. Fatigue or Damage from deafeningly loud noises is automatically halved down.

Cybernetic Eyes (Hard) Also known as Peepers, these prosthetic eyes look nothing like natural eyes, but are more similar to a pair of miniaturized camera lenses sticking out of the users skull. Usually only found in the military because of their unnatural appearance. Cybernetic Eyes come fully equipped with a variety of useful enhancements.
Name Invasion
+18%

Resilience
Head / 15

Effects
See below

Cost
13.800 $ 6 BP

Availability
40%

126

Cybernetic Eyes

Cybernetic eyes include the following augmentations: Infrared and Low Light Night Vision Filters (selectable), HUD, IFCS Processor, 30X Zoom and various ports and connectors for further upgrades. Implanting Cybernetic Eyed takes less than 2 hours, but requires reasonably well preserved optical nerve tissue. Cybernetic Eyes only work in pairs. The users ability to see returns a few days after the operation.

Bionic Eyes (Hard) Completely inorganic eyes that look nearly identical to real ones. They are as convincing as high-quality glass eyes, but fully functional and also have some additional features built in. Being designed mainly as civilian-market prosthetics, however, their specs are somewhat lower than Cybernetic Eyes. They are available in a large variety of styles and colors, including exotic designs, such as cat or solid black alien eyes.
Name
Bionic Eyes

Invasion
+12%

Resilience
Head / 10

Effects
See below

Cost
4.200 $ 2 BP

Availability
75%

Bionic eyes include the following augmentations: Low Light Night Vision Filter (selectable), HUD, 10X Zoom and a high resolution digital camera with enough internal memory to store hundreds of stills or several hours of video. Bionic eyes are removable from their sockets, which is required for cleaning them (like glass eyes), with fixed connectors remaining in place. Implanting Bionic Eyes takes less than 2 hours, but requires reasonably well preserved optical nerve tissue. Bionic Eyes must be installed in pairs to work properly. The users ability to see returns a few days after the operation.

Biotech Heart (Soft) The Biotech Heart is a genetically designed, vat-grown high performance transplant that is much more than prosthetic. Since its introduction in the early twenties, it has become extremely popular with athletes, although it gets banned from more and more disciplines.
Name
Biotech Heart

Invasion
+20%

Resilience
Torso / 30

Effects
(En) + 3

Cost
72K $ 13 BP

Availability
45%

Implanting a Biotech Heart works the same way as a conventional donor heart transplant, and is likely to take about 4 hours.

Anabolic Extension (Soft) A biotechnological addition to the suprarenal glands that boosts the bodys natural steroid output. While the desired effect - impressive muscle growth - is achieved in a matter of weeks, long term side effects are mostly unavoidable. These include acne, balding, impotence and aggressive intellect degradation. Female users also experience a physical (and sometimes psychological) virilization, which expresses itself in menstrual disruption, deepening of the voice and inappropriate body hair growth, as well as some other changes that are largely considered unattractive in a woman.
Name
Anabolic Extension

Invasion
+7%

Resilience
-

Effects
(St) +3, (Ms) +2, (In) -1 and various side effects

Cost
600 $ 0 BP

Availability
90%

Implanting the Anabolic Extension is easy, rarely taking longer than half an hour. With sustained muscle building training, the implants full effects are reached after 3 weeks.

Pachydermis (Soft) Also called Elephant Skin, this low-end soft Biomod treatment effectively thickens the users skin to a degree where it becomes more resilient to external damage. After the injection of bio-engineered Cytokines, the skin reacts by building additional layers of tough conjunctive tissue. Unfortunately, having such tough, leathery skin also reduces mobility to some extent, and is considered unattractive in most cultures.
Name
Pachydermis

Invasion
+10%

Resilience
-

Effects
(Ms) +1, (Ag) -1, Protection ratings (S) +2, (I) + 3, (E) +1

Cost
1.900 $ 1 BP

Availability
85%

Applying the pachydermic treatment itself takes only a few minutes. The skin reaches its final stages of toughness after roughly two weeks.

Biomod Overhaul (various) A series of procedures aimed at optimizing Biomod function, while reducing their overall side effects. Some Biomods are replaced by similar, more advanced versions in the process. Needless to say, a Biomod Overhaul is very costly.

127

Name
Biomod Overhaul

Invasion
-25%

Resilience
-

Effects
Effectively lowers Invasion

Cost
1M $ 25 BP

Availability
5%

A complete Overhaul takes roughly one month of stationary treatment. A total number of 4 Overhauls can be performed on any single patient.

Rejuvenation (Soft) Considered one of the holy grails of modern medicine, immortality, or at least life-prolonging measures, have always harbored a multitude of ethical implications. This revolutionary gene therapy messes directly with a human organisms biological clock, namely its chromosomes telomeres, and grants new youth by renewing them on a molecular level. This is achieved by a number of retroviral and nanotechnological treatments specifically tailored to the patients personal biochemistry. As can be expected, the price for such a therapy is absurdly high, therefore making it available only to the richest people on the planet.
Name
Rejuvenation

Invasion
+0%

Resilience
-

Effects

Cost

Availability
1%

280M $ Physical age reversion to 16-21 years N/A

Rejuvenation is probably the single most elaborate and costly medical procedure ever performed on a human being, and requires several months of stationary treatments. Currently, no human has undergone two Rejuvenations, so the consequences of having more than one treatment are unknown.

128

Equipment - Other Gear


Weapon Accessories
Mount Rail Allows attaching accessories to weapons without built in mount rails. Mount Rails can be installed on top, on both sided and under the barrel, depending on the weapons configuration.
Weight
0,2 lb

Size
Tiny

Cost
50 $ 0 BP

Availability
90%

Bayonet Mount Allows a knife to be attached to a rifle barrel, functioning as a bayonet.


Weight
0,2 lb

Size
Tiny

Cost
50 $ 0 BP

Availability
85%

Bipod Used to support a weapon when firing from the prone position. Includes adapters for a rifles barrel, under barrel Mount Rails, or can be screwed on directly to most sniper rifles stocks.
Weight
0,6 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
150 $ 0 BP

Availability
85%

Threaded Barrel Replacing the weapons original barrel, this one allows mounting Suppressors. Specific to weapon.
Weight
varies

Size
varies

Cost
500 $ 0 BP

Availability
75%

Suppressor Barrel-mounted, Suppressors are used mostly in covert operations and assassinations.
Weight
0,4 lb

Size
Small

Cost
1.000 $ 1 BP

Availability
65%

Tactical Light A small, but powerful flashlight that can be attached to a weapons Mount Rail. Also usable as a regular flashlight. Disposable batteries are required, and provide enough power for about 4 hours of light.
Weight
0,5 lb

Size
Tiny

Cost
100 $ 0 BP

Availability
90%

Spare Magazines Spare Magazines for firearms are sold without ammunition. Specific to weapon model.
Weight
10% of Weapon Weight

Size
Tiny or Small

Cost
5% of Weapon Cost 0 BP

Availability
As Weapon

Speed Loader Is sold without ammunition and specific to weapon. When using a Speed Loader, reloading a revolver handgun takes only half the amount of Action Points normally used.

129

Weight
0,1 lb

Size
Tiny

Cost
10% of Weapon cost 0 BP

Availability
As Weapon

Drop Leg, Belt or Shoulder Holster Specific to pistol models. Allows carrying a handgun safely. Not suitable for submachine guns and larger firearms.
Weight
0,3 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
150 $ 0 BP

Availability
85%

Sling Allows carrying a rifle or submachine gun hands free.


Weight
0,1 lb

Size
Small

Cost
25 $ 0 BP

Availability
90%

Weapon Camera Attached to a regular Mount Rail, this high definition camera can be used in conjunction with a Recording Device, or even a HUD in order to see and fire around corners or over cover. Can also be attached as a helmet camera. It features and integrated Low Light Filter.
Weight
0,2 lb

Size
Tiny

Cost
1.000 $ 2 BP

Availability
70%

Red Dot Sight Mounted the same way as a scope.


Weight
0,3 lb

Size
Small

Cost
500 $ 0 BP

Availability
85%

Rifle Scope Available Magnification levels are 2X, 4X, 6X, 3-9X, 4-10X, 4-12X. Adding either Night Vision Filter upgrade (Infrared and Low Light) to the system costs +600 $ each and 1 extra BP, subtracting 20% from the Availability.
Weight
1 lb

Size
Small

Cost
200 $ per max. Magnification level 0 BP

Availability
80%

IFCS Targeting Module Intelligent Fire Control Systems require the IFCS Targeting Module to be mounted on the weapon to work. In addition to that, a HUD system of any type and an IFCS processor are needed as a minimum to obtain a usable configuration (without Ballistic Computer and Rangefinder)
Weight
0,5 lb

Size
Small

Cost
2.400 $ 2 BP

Availability
25%

Rangefinder A small, optical device that is usually attached to a side rail. Ballistic Computers need Rangefinders in order to calculate arcs of fire for IFCS-equipped weapons.
Weight
0,4 lb

Size
Small

Cost
850 $ 1 BP

Availability
65%

130

Laser Sight Also rail mounted. Available in infrared as well, so the laser spot is rendered invisible without the appropriate Night Vision Filters.
Weight
0,1 lb

Size
Tiny

Cost
200 $ (340 $ for IR) 0 BP

Availability
85% (50%)

Multi Purpose Target Painter Used to designate targets for a wide range of attacks, including air strikes and satellite-coordinated artillery strikes. The Painter incorporates conventional and infrared lasers, focused microwave projector and a radar emitter. Because of its rugged design and miniaturization, the device is pricey and only available to special forces units. Usable as a standalone, handheld device or mounted on a weapon accessory rail. Can also double as a Laser Sight when mounted.
Weight
2 lb

Size
Small

Cost
45K $ 10 BP

Availability
20%

Smart Bomb Target Painter Particle beam target painter for exclusive use with the AM Smart Bomb Launcher. Usable as a standalone, handheld device or mounted on a weapon accessory rail.
Weight
2 lb

Size
Small

Cost
154K $ N/A

Availability
N/A

Under-Barrel Mounted Weapons Secondary weapons directly attached to assault rifles. They require an under-barrel Mount Rail on the primary weapon. Basically, they are smaller versions of their full-sized counterparts and have very limited ammunition capacities, but are immensely practical, because the user doesnt have to switch to a different gun to use them.
Name
Under Barrel Grenade Launcher

Type
Heavy Weapon (special)

Mode
Single (8)

Range M.
X -0,75%

Damage
as Grenade

Min. (St)
weapon +1

Ammo
1 (break 6) 40mm Grenade

Weight
2 lb

Size
Small

Cost
1.200 $ 2 BP

Availability
40%

Quality
0%

Name
Masterkey Shotgun

Type
Small Arm (B)

Mode
Single (9)

Range M.
X -4%

Damage
18+1D10

Min. (St)
weapon +1

Ammo
4 (int 12) Gauge 12

Weight
2 lb

Size
Small

Cost
1.500 $ 2 BP

Availability
30%

Quality
0%

Scatter is fixed at 0,4 for this shotgun. Name


Under Barrel Flame Thrower

Type
Energy Weapon (H)

Mode
Spray (6+n)

Range M.
X -5%

Damage
nX3

Min. (St)
weapon

Ammo
10 Fuel

Weight
2 lb

Size
Small

Cost
900 $ 2 BP

Availability
10%

Quality
0%

Scatter is fixed at 0,3 for this flame thrower. Maximum number of fuel units per Spray action is 6. One Spray action counts as one single attack, as opposed to automatic fire.

131

Miscellaneous Equipment
Hypostim A potent, military stimulant that is administered as a one-shot, trans-dermal spray. It effectively reduces Fatigue by 3D10 points when applied, but can only be used safely once per day. Using it more than once (without sleeping off prior doses aftereffects) provides only reduced benefits (incrementally subtract -6 from the 3D10 result with each consecutive use), and also causes adverse reactions such as foaming mouth, racing heart, hallucinations and ultimately, shock. Test for Fatigue Shock the second time a Hypostim is used. For the third and following uses test for Damage Shock instead (which may lead even to instant death). May cause addiction.
Weight
0,2 lb

Size
Tiny

Cost
150 $ 0 BP

Availability
80%

Painkiller Similar to the Hypostim in application, this prepackaged, one-dose spray contains powerful anesthetics tailored to block out pain from physical wounds while keeping the user reasonably alert and vigilant. The drugs effects are instant, and increase the users Pain Tolerance by 3D10. One dose lasts for 50 - (Ms) minutes. Using more than one Painkiller at a time doesnt provide any benefits, but causes adverse effects such as drowsiness, vertigo and nausea. Immediately add 3D10 Fatigue and test for Damage Shock if more than one Painkiller is administered at a time. Test only for Fatigue Shock when more than one Painkiller is used per day, after the previous ones effects have run out. Characters who frequently use Painkillers might get addicted to them, which should be resolved through role playing.
Weight
0,2 lb

Size
Tiny

Cost
250 $ 0 BP

Availability
80%

Breathing Mask Covering nose and mouth, this breathing mask features an optional air tank. To use it, simply replace the masks air filter with it. It provides 10 minutes worth of air in environments without enough oxygen to breathe through the regular filter. Wearing the Breathing Mask with either filter or air tank grants a Protection rating of 12 against airborne toxins.
Weight
2 lb

Size
Small

Cost
200 $ 0 BP

Availability
85%

Biomonitor Built into a thin, skin-tight suit that can be worn under any type of clothing, the Biomonitor is an advanced, personal medical surveillance system that keeps track of the wearers vital parameters, such as pulse, breathing rate, blood gas saturation, with additional electrodes in place to run EKG and EEG. It has the ability of detecting poisoning, psychological distress and physical trauma, and can be programmed to inform anyone linked into the system about the users state of health, including the user himself.
Weight
0,3 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
23K $ 10 BP

Availability
15%

First Aid Kit A typical, modern first aid kit that contains medical supplies usable in the field. It is required to perform First Aid by standard rules, and can heal up to 3+1D10 Damage points.
Weight
6,2 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
900 $ 1 BP

Availability
50%

132

Advanced First Aid Kit Although the same size as a normal First Aid Kit, this one uses advanced diagnostic systems and Nanotech rather than conventional wound dressings. It facilitates all First Aid tests by 15%, and can heal up to 8+2D10 per use.

Weight
6,7 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
360K $ N/A

Availability
N/A

Field Ration Pre-packaged food, ready to eat. One Ration usually contains a self-heating main course, a side dish, with a candy bar or cookies for dessert, everything sealed in individual packaging. While providing enough calories to sustain a grown man for one day or two, many soldiers question the quality and taste of these non-perishable foods, especially because they are advertised to remain edible for decades.
Weight
2 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
10 $ 0 BP

Availability
90%

Commlink A military-grade radio communicator with a large selectable number of encrypted channels. Comes with a wireless headset for conventional use, but also features UNIP compatible plugs. Running on standard batteries that can be bought almost any convenience store, one charge lasts for more than 48 hours of continuous operation. Effective range is 10 miles under optimal atmospheric conditions.
Weight
0,4 lb

Size
Small

Cost
450 $ 0 BP

Availability
45%

Satellite Phone Virtually independent of earthbound communication networks, this handheld phone works everywhere on the planet. It is waterproof and rugged, with a rechargeable battery that lasts 72 hours in standby and 2 hours when speaking.
Weight
1 lb

Size
Small

Cost
950 $ 1 BP

Availability
90%

GPS Unit A compact, modern GPS system with integrated display. It pinpoints its own location with an accuracy of a few feet on the integrated world map, and is compatible with current HUD and UNIP devices, so the user can access it hands free. Battery life is roughly 10 hours.
Weight
0,4 lb

Size
Small

Cost
400 $ 0 BP

Availability
95%

PDA Built to stop even a small-caliber bullet and still keep working, this extremely rugged organizer offers regular cell phone functionality, Terranet browsing capabilities and allows encryption and decryption of any kind of message available through these services.
Weight
1,2 lb

Size
Small

Cost
650 $ 1 BP

Availability
5%

Camera A standard digital camera of the 21st century. Excellent picture quality, also records video. It has enough memory for several thousand pictures and a few hours worth of video, and can be directly linked to a Universal Recorder to expand its storage capacity.
Weight
1,3 lb

Size
Small

Cost
500 $ 1 BP

Availability
95%

133

Recorder Already equipped with a microphone and a wide array of interface ports, the Recorder is designed as a universal storage device for any kind of digital data, including, but not limited to high definition digital video, audio, still images and so on. Although condensed to a small package, its storage memory is large enough to record several weeks of standard quality video.
Weight
0,3 lb

Size
Small

Cost
120 $ 0 BP

Availability
95%

Motion Tracker A handheld device with integrated display which measures movement by making use of the Pulse Doppler principle, in a 120 degree arc to the front with an effective range of roughly 45 yards. It works best when the user stands still with no moving vegetation in the vicinity. Outdoors, it tends to produce false signals due to the aforementioned vegetation. It can also measure movement behind obstacles, though these signals tend to be weaker. The devices rechargeable batteries supply power for about two hours worth of continuous operation.
Weight
4 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
3.700 $ 2 BP

Availability
25%

Multi-Scanner A compact, versatile sensor device that can analyze air, water, radiation, incorporates advanced spectroscopy and has the ability to inform the user immediately if there is any biological, chemical or radiation hazard.
Weight
1,4 lb

Size
Small

Cost
1.500 $ 1 BP

Availability
20%

Vintage Binoculars Obsolete, optical binoculars without upgrade possibilities. Magnification rating 20X.
Weight
2 lb

Size
Small

Cost
50 $ 0 BP

Availability
95%

Modern Binoculars Modern, electronic/optical hybrid binoculars. Magnification rating 30X. Can be upgraded with a Digital Night Vision Filter.
Weight
1,8 lb

Size
Small

Cost
300 $ 0 BP

Availability
85%

Ballistic Goggles Impact-resistant glasses made from polycarbonate. Come in various lens hues. If hit in the head and crippled by an attack that does 10 points or less of Damage, the wearer wont take injuries to the eyes (negating the corresponding Crippling lookup table results).
Weight
0,1 lb

Size
Small

Cost
50 $ 0 BP

Availability
90%

HUD Goggles Not larger than a pair of Ballistic Goggles, these goggles overlay the users field of vision with a transparent, high definition, full color Heads-up-Display. It can be used to display text and video, an IFCS targeting reticule, GPS data and even Night Vision Filters with the proper upgrades. Built-in batteries provide enough power for 5 hours worth of continuous operation. Wearing HUD goggles also provides the same effects as wearing Ballistic Goggles.
Weight Size
Small

Cost
1.000 $ 1 BP

Availability
65%

134

0,4 lb

Digital Night Vision Filter Electronic expansion modules and lenses (compatible with HUD-Goggles or Binoculars) that add Infrared and Low Light functionality. These Night Vision Filters can be switched on one at a time. Switching between them costs 2 Action Points. The Digital Filter also features Flare Compensation (Flash modifiers are halved down).
Weight
0,1 lb

Size
Tiny

Cost
1.200 $ 1 BP

Availability
50%

IFCS Processor Another upgrade for HUD goggles, this device is also compatible with HUD Biomods, such as Bionic Eyes.
Weight
0,2 lb

Size
Tiny

Cost
6.400 $ 4 BP

Availability
30%

Ballistic Computer Carried on a belt or attached to the weapon, this small computer is used in conjunction with a complete IFCS configuration (including Rangefinder). Available in ratings 4 to 10.
Weight
0,4 lb

Size
Small

Cost
1.000 $ per Rating Level 1 BP per Rating Level

Availability
30%

Psi Amp A device that has to be worn on the head in order to access parapsychological powers rooted in currently uncharted areas of the human brain.
Weight
0,35 lb

Size
Small

Cost
550K $ N/A

Availability
N/A

Personal Cloaking Device Reverse-engineered from Raider technology, this small, belt-clipped gizmo generates a holographic field surrounding the wearer, rendering him almost invisible (with the exception of Infrared Vision), but also obstructs his own vision. Since it runs on conventional batteries rather than a E-115 power cell, the Personal Cloaking Device will operate only for 15 minutes. Hooking it up to other power sources, however, is possible. A Kyohaku Izanagi battery pack (intended for a military laser rifle), for example, will extend its time of operation by 45 minutes, while any E-115 power cell allows it to run indefinitely. The cloaking field works properly only when the wearer stands still or moves no faster than Sneaking, modifying enemy Perception tests to spot him by -100%. Treat the wearer as standing in full Darkness for the purpose of attacks against him. Because of the optical distortion caused by the field, the wearer himself suffers a -50% Perception and attack modifier as long as it is active. This cannot be offset by using Infrared Vision from within the field.
Weight
0,4 lb

Size
Tiny

Cost
1,8M $ N/A

Availability
N/A

Handcuffs Standard handcuffs, made of steel or tough composite plastics.


Weight
0,4 lb

Size
Tiny

Cost
25 $ 0 BP

Availability
85%

Climbing Gear 150 feet of nylon rope that carries up to 600 pounds, standard grappling hook, a high-performance grapple gun and complete climbing harness, all packed up in a handy backpack. The grapple gun has a range of 50 yards and is fired using the Primitive Ranged Weapons Skill.

135

Weight
9 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
450 $ 0 BP

Availability
85%

Magnesium Flare Ten flares in a package, these burn even underwater. They find use as signals or to illuminate dark rooms. They burn for roughly 5 minutes after being ignited by pulling off the end cap.
Weight
1 lb

Size
Small

Cost
20 $ 0 BP

Availability
90%

Signal Rocket A small, disposable tube that fires one single pyrotechnical signal up to 300 feet into the sky. Available in a variety of colors, usually coded by the military to have a meaning.
Weight
0,2 lb

Size
Small

Cost
15 $ 0 BP

Availability
90%

Plasma Torch A small, hand held cutting torch that will melt through anything, even rock. It incorporates a windowed shield and holds enough power for fifteen minutes of continuous use. Attaching a welding rod and reducing its output power effectively turns the device into an Arc Welder.
Weight
3 lb

Size
Small

Cost
280 $ 0 BP

Availability
85%

Power Tool Battery-powered Tool that can be used to screw, cut, drill or grind with the appropriate attachment, all of them included in a handy carrying case. Battery life is one hour during continuous operation.
Weight
6,5 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
150 $ 0 BP

Availability
90%

Toolset Not larger than a laptop of old, this small tool case contains virtually any (non-powered) tool necessary for most types of work, including bomb disposal.
Weight
7 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
150 $ 0 BP

Availability
90%

136

Extended Campaign Rules


Running a Campaign means much more than just stringing together a series of missions (or adventures) for a more or less stable cast of hero-type player characters. Running a Campaign means witnessing evolution, with each action the characters take having long-term consequences, be they for good or for bad - It means seeing a bigger picture and struggling for a greater goal. Since the early years of role playing gaming, Campaigns have been the most engaging way to play. Contact strives to add some major strategic elements to Campaigns, allowing players to extend their role in shaping the evolution of the plot beyond the reach of an average protagonist.

BMS - Base Management System


When using extended Campaign Rules for Contact, the game is split into two different modes. Regular game play involving player interaction, missions and combat is called Immersive Mode (IM for short), but doesnt change otherwise. Basically, this is the Role Playing Game itself, played by standard Contact Core game mechanics. Immersive Mode is the meat and potatoes of the game, and will take up most of the time in a gaming session. The other game mode used in Campaigns is called the Base Management System. It offers players the possibility to engage in Base setup, technology research and buying or selling assets. This Base Management System is explored at the beginning of a game session, before the actual adventure starts (in Immersive Mode). To get the most fun out of the Base Management System, player characters might want to start out in a rather small, insignificant Base (outposts work best), where at least one of them has a hand in matters of development and logistics, while the rest of the group may act as advisors, or, as a viable alternative, one or more player characters simply may act as the Logistics Supervisors personal counselors. Using all opportunities this mode has to offer, players can now strive to improve the conditions their characters are working in. To do so, they must take a look at their Bases properties - the aforementioned bigger picture, so to speak - and make the right decisions in evolving it. Evolving a home Base means requesting the rights assets, it means building the right Facilities, conducting Research on alien technology, while successfully managing the Bases finances at the same time. Be aware that Immersive Mode can have as much impact on the Base Management System as vice versa - For instance, successful missions will provide a Base with researchable artifacts and better funding. Although it is not necessary, players may choose to play out the meeting (where all of these decisions are made) in detail, similar to an event in Immersive Mode.

The following chapter deals with all rules and stats necessary to run BMS mode. In a nutshell, Base Management is all about gaining funds, building Base Facilities and conducting Research and Engineering Projects. In order to experience Base Management in all its glory, game masters may wish to put their players in a starting situation where expansion and progressive thinking are the only way to go. An incomplete Omega outpost somewhere in a dark corner of the third world for instance, has a basic Technology Level of 0, meaning Obsolete. A Base like that consists of a couple of tents, maybe a shack for radio communications, with only cheap, old equipment available. The only halfway progressive thing in the whole camp would be the airstrip (or rather the supply aircraft which lands there periodically). Receiving minimal funding at first, players using the Base Management System can only afford acquiring equipment via black market routes. Building any facilities save for the most basic ones is out of the question at this stage, advanced scientific research utterly impossible. Such outposts are normally put up to monitor alien activity in the area. By completing couple of basic, low-profile missions successfully, player characters effectively raise their Bases monetary funding, opening up new possibilities. Building new facilities works only if the current Base status fulfills the requirements of these specific facilities. The same goes for research, which is particularly pretentious:

Catching a Glimpse of the Bigger Picture

137

Basic requirements for any type of research include a suitable lab, a handful of scientists, and the artifact to be researched. Using BMS rules, even a small outpost can become a full-fledged Base in Omegas worldwide operations network for alien defense over time. All you need to do is trying to see a bigger picture, and achievements will start falling into place.

Equipment Tech Levels


In Base Management Mode, every single equipment item belongs to a Technology Level, or Tech Level for short. If the items Tech Level is higher than the Base Tech Level, it wont be available at that point. Tech Levels, beginning with the lowest, are: 0-Obsolete, 1-Default, 2-Advanced and 3-Utopian. Obsolete means pre-owned, low profile technology of the past. Default is actual, standard technology common in the modern world, while Advanced technology is usually high-profile and restricted to the military. Utopian technology is not of this world, literally, as it has to be reverse-engineered from alien artifacts, and unlikely to be available until a Campaign reaches its final stages.

Tech Level 0 - Obsolete


Weapons Combat Knife Machete Knuckleduster Night Stick Baseball Bat Throwing Knife Improvised Pistol .38 Derringer Soviet MSP Silent Pistol .38 Detective Special Soviet Army Revolver Soviet Makarov Red Nine 1911 Government Skorpion Vz 87 SMG UZI SMG Widowmaker Skeet Gun Improvised Rifle M1 Garand Self-Loading Rifle Soviet AK-147B Assault Rifle M4A2 Assault Rifle Soviet RPD Light Machinegun M79 Blooper Soviet RPG-16 Rocket Launcher Ammunition FMJ JHP Buckshot HE Rocket Frag Rocket AV Rocket Frag Grenade HE Grenade Smoke Grenade Demolition Pack Land Mine (dumb) Armor Regular Clothing/Uniform Thermal Clothing Tactical Vest Biomods None Miscellaneous Mount Rail Bayonet Mount Tactical Light Spare Magazines Belt Holster Sling 6X Rifle Scope (no upgrades) Field Ration Vintage Binoculars Ballistic Goggles Handcuffs Climbing Gear Magnesium Flare Signal Rocket Toolset

138

Tech Level 1 - Default


Weapons Hunting Knife Modern Wakizashi Modern Katana Stun Gun Stun Rod Shuriken 9mm Polymer Compact 9mm Hornet M18R Burst Pistol Akagi 10mm Predator .44 Magnum Constrictor Arctic Eagle .500 BFR X-FRame Liberty SMG 10mm Raptor SMG Dinamika Shotgun Pistol M970 Pump Action Shotgun M711 Scout Sniper Rifle Kyohaku Model 2020 Krieg Armada Assault Rifle Akagi Type 36 R-SAW Krieg 27-49R Grenade Launcher Krieg Panzerfaust VII M34-A2 Flamethrower Uniform Overall Combat Helmet Kevlar-Lined Dustcoat Hazmat Suit Concealable Ballistic Vest Type IV Ballistic Vest Plate Carrier Ballistic Shield Biomods Sub-Dermal Container Body Bomb Chlorosymbiotes Anabolic Extension Pachydermis Bone Lacing Miscellaneous Bipod Threaded Barrel Suppressor Speed Loader Drop Leg or Shoulder Holster Red Dot Sight All Rifle Scopes Laser Sight Under-Barrel Mounted Weapons Hypostim Painkiller Breathing Mask First Aid Kit Commlink Satellite Phone GPS Unit PDA Camera Recorder Multi-Scanner Modern Binoculars HUD Goggles Plasma Torch Power Tool Chainsaw

Ammunition Glaser AP Tracer Flechette Shotgun Slug Beanbag Petrochem AV Missile Swarmer Rocket Pod Concussion Grenade Incendiary Grenade Flashbang Land Mine (smart) Proximity Mine (either) Claymore Armor Motorcycle Suit

139

Tech Level 2 - Advanced


Weapons Spec Ops Tactical Knife True Wakizashi True Katana Krieg .45 Spec Ops Elite Akagi .45 Shadow SMG Krieg Sandwolf Assault Shotgun SSR - Stechkin Silenced Rifle L103 Nemesis Sniper Rifle Phoenix Advanced Weapon System M122A1 25mm Spriggan Autocannon Kyohaku Izanagi Laser Rifle Ammunition Mercury Incendiary High Explosive Tungsten Shot Napalm Shell Petrochem Plus Bunker Buster Rocket Heat-Seeking Missile Izanagi Extra Battery Pack Armor Medium Combat Armor Heavy Combat Armor Ballistic Shield Biomods Biomonitor Implant Pain Inducer Internal Air Tank Universal Neural Interface Port Cerebral Reflex Enhancer Auditory Booster Cybernetic Eyes Bionic Eyes Biotech Heart Biomod Overhaul Miscellaneous Weapon Camera IFCS Targeting Module Rangefinder Multi-Purpose Target Painter Biomonitor Advanced First Aid Kit Motion Tracker Digital Night Vision Filter Ballistic Computer

Tech Level 3 - Utopian


Weapons XM-3565AM Smart Bomb Launcher Infinity Advanced Laser Rifle XM-3000 Arclite X-14 P.A.W. X-11 Proton Blaster Mk-III Plasma Rifle Mk-II Plasma Pistol Ammunition AM Smart Bomb Proton Gun H2 Plasma Gun Hydrazine Capsules Armor Powered Exoskeleton Armor Exoskeleton Flight Package Biomods Rejuvenation Miscellaneous Psi Amp Personal Cloaking Device

Facilities
Tech Levels are attributed to Bases as well. A Base reaches a given Tech Level once at least one of each facility of the previous Tech Level is built and operational. Once a given Tech Level is achieved, all of its facilities (which do not require further research, that is) become available for construction. Building facilities consumes money (Construction Cost), which doesnt include the payment of any employed Construction Workers. Divide the Construction Time (the number of Work Hours) by 1/4 times the total number of Workers participating in the construction process (Assuming a Construction Worker labors an average 6 hours a day, as do most normal people). Divide the resulting, com-

140

bined Work Hours by 6 to obtain the number of days the construction takes. Players are allowed to add their characters as volunteers to the total number of Workers if they can spare the time and dont mind getting their hands dirty (and also meet the requirements, which is very likely). Game masters may do the same with NPCs, although it is less likely that they will have the same spare time on their hands as actual player characters. Building facilities simultaneously is possible, with the available number of Workers split up between them. Dismantling any Facility takes only 1/10 of Construction Time, but also returns only 10% of the Construction Cost. Covering Maintenance Costs (as well as the payment of any personnel) is always due at the end of the month. Any Permanent Personnel listed for facilities needs to get paid (separately) as well, and counts to the total number of people accommodated in Living Facilities on site. Workers, on the other hand, do not.

Communications & Radar

Only one Communications & Radar facility is required per Base. Building a better one replaces the old one. In game terms, game masters can use radar stations to determine random UFO encounters. See below for details. Level 0 - Basically no detection systems at all, just some refurbished radio equipment in a small, ramshackle building.
Construction Cost: 1.000 $ Construction Time: 20 Work Hours Required Research/Engineering: None Permanent Personnel: 1, anyone will do, even a Recruit Maintenance Cost: 250 $ / month

Level 1 - A lightly fortified concrete building, equipped with a small radar station and long-range communications. The probability of picking up a UFO signal per game session is 15%.
Construction Cost: 12.000 $ Construction Time: 60 Work Hours Required Research/Engineering: None Permanent Personnel: 1 Operator, 1 Base Commander Maintenance Cost: 800 $ / month

Level 2 - Hardened bunker-type building with advanced radar arrays. The probability of picking up a UFO signal per game session is 30%.
Construction Cost: 400.000 $ Construction Time: 100 Work Hours Required Research/Engineering: None Permanent Personnel: 4 Operators, 1 Base Commander Maintenance Cost: 7.500 $ / month

Level 3 - Underground mission control center with super-sophisticated sensor equipment on top. The probability of picking up a UFO signal per game session is 60%
Construction Cost: 800.000 $ Construction Time: 200 Work Hours Required Research/Engineering: Alien Communication Equipment Permanent Personnel: 7 Operators, 1 Base Commander Maintenance Cost: 15.000 $ / month

Random UFO Encounters - Once in a while (once per game session works best), the game master may decide to check for UFO radar signals in order to provide players with a side mission. Roll 1D100 and check the Radar Facilitys probability of UFO detection. Since we are playing an RPG rather than a strategy game with rigid rules for event occurrence, he may be somewhat inventive about the side mission (provided a signal has been picked up). At this point, however, players are unlikely to know the exact nature of the intruding force, unless their Base possesses a Tech-Level 3 Communications & Radar Facility, or intercepting fighter 141 planes have gotten a clear visual. Take a look at the Spoils of War subchapter to get an

idea what kind of UFOs can be encountered during the course of a campaign.

Living Facilities

Living facilities provide shelter for Base personnel. Multiple Living Facilities may be needed, depending on the total amount of Base personnel to be sheltered. Construction Workers on site live in wagons, and therefore do not take up space in Living Facilities. Level 0 - Its a tent, yeah. And we got some holes dug out in the back, but dont forget to cover up your mess when youre done. Ive heard some guys somewhere else even built a full-fledged latrine. And what the hell is a shower?
Construction Cost: 50 $ Construction Time: 1 Work Hour Required Research/Engineering: None Accommodation: 5 Permanent Personnel: None Maintenance Cost: 350 $

Level 1 - Your everyday, not-so comfy barracks, with basic recreation and sleeping areas. A small sanitary side building accommodates regular toilets and unisex showers. If there are no regular power lines nearby, electricity comes from a generator.
Construction Cost: 75.000 $ Construction Time: 150 Work Hours Required Research/Engineering: None Accommodation: 20 Permanent Personnel: None Maintenance Cost: 1.500 $ / month

Level 2 - Well, it doesnt feature a penthouse yet, but we got bedrooms, proper sanitary facilities, a chow hall and various amenities for leisure and recreation. And as a bonus, youll need artillery shells to penetrate these walls. Home sweet home.
Construction Cost: 400.000 $ Construction Time: 300 Work Hours Required Research/Engineering: None Accommodation: 50 Permanent Personnel: 1 Janitor Maintenance Cost: 9.000 $ / month

Level 3 - Always follow the colored strips on the floor, or youll get lost. When you do, you can always ask the friendly Base AI for directions. This is a vault, built completely underground, shielded from the outside by hundreds of feet of solid rock. With its integrated air and water recycling systems, E-115 reactor and self-renewing food supplies, this is the spot you want to be in when WW-III breaks out. A true architectural ecology, though not as bright and beautiful as visionaries might have seen it during the end of the last century.
Construction Cost: 23M $ Construction Time: 1200 Work Hours Required Research/Engineering: E-115 Power Plant Accommodation: 100 Permanent Personnel: None (just drones) Maintenance Cost: None

Medical Facilities

142

Mainly used to treat the injured and perform quarantine procedures, medical facilities are more or less effective, depending on the Tech Level. When using them, player character do not need to perform First Aid or Advanced Medical Application tests themselves. Treating a patient takes up a bed for a period of time needed for him to heal completely. Multiple Medical Facilities may be maintained at the same time, which would be an expensive practice. Initial healing boost and daily healing rates depend on the Medical Facilitys Tech Level.

Level 0 - Its a another tent, yeah. And this ones got a half-ass medic inside, along with some medical supplies gathered from nearby villages. Lets just hope you wont need his services, because he doesnt look like he knows what hes doing (but actually, he does). With the Level 0 medical tents limited resources, it is only possible to perform first aid on patients. Upon arrival, healing boost is 5+1D10, and natural healing rates are standard (for humans, usually 1 point per day).
Construction Cost: 150 $ Construction Time: 1 Work Hour Required Research/Engineering: None Number of Beds: 2 Permanent Personnel: 1 Medic Maintenance Cost: 500 $ / month

Level 1 - A regular, military-style sickbay, with a solid roof over its head and a staff that consists of one qualified physician and a handful of medics. Upon arrival, the healing boost is 10+1D10, and natural healing rates are standard (for humans, usually 1 point per day). For the purpose of Advanced Medical Applications, the doctors Skill is 100%. Permits the implantation of Tech Level 1 Biomods.
Construction Cost: 150.000 $ Construction Time: 100 Work Hours Required Research/Engineering: None Number of Beds: 6 Permanent Personnel: 1 Expert and 2 Medics Maintenance Cost: 2.500 $ / month

Level 2 - An advanced Base hospital that employs 2 qualified physicians and a larger staff of Medics. Thanks to advancements in nanotechnological treatments and drugs, double the standard healing rates of any stationary patients. The initial healing boost is 12+2D10 points. For the purpose of Advanced Medical Applications, the doctors Skill is 150%. Permits the implantation of Tech Level 2 Biomods.
Construction Cost: 450.000 $ Construction Time: 200 Work Hours Required Research/Engineering: None Number of Beds: 14 Permanent Personnel: 2 Experts, 4 Medics Maintenance Cost: 12.000 $ / month

Level 3 - The sickbay of the future doesnt have many beds. They are no longer needed. Patients are treated with biotechnology that allows healing the human body in a matter of minutes to hours, depending on the severity of the wounds. Most operations are no longer performed by human doctors. The initial healing boost is 20+4D10, with a standard healing rate multiplied by 10. Removing Crippling effects succeeds automatically.
Construction Cost: 11M $ Construction Time: 500 Work Hours Required Research/Engineering: Regeneration Factor, Alien Cloning Technology Number of Beds: 4 Permanent Personnel: 2 Experts Maintenance Cost: 5.000 $ / month

Airfield

To most Omega Bases, the airfield is their only physical connection to the civilized world. A supply craft comes in weekly, bringing in any available personnel and materials that have been ordered. With advancing Tech Levels, Airfields get larger and more sophisticated, allowing bigger planes to land. Any Omega Base requires only one Airfield. Level 0 - Its a piece of country road, possibly even just a patch of smoother dirt. Helicopters, light turboprop planes and transport VTOL craft will be able to land safely,

143

while this improvised airstrip is absolutely no-go for anything larger than that. Once a week, up to 10 people OR 1.500 pounds of equipment can be hauled in
Construction Cost: none Construction Time: none Required Research/Engineering: None Permanent Personnel: None Maintenance Cost: None

Level 1 - A pretty straightforward, paved airstrip with a small control tower in place, sufficient illumination for night fliers and enough space for medium-sized transport planes to land safely. Once a week, up to 25 people AND 5.000 pounds of additional equipment can be hauled in.
Construction Cost: 15.000 $ Construction Time: 100 Work Hours Required Research/Engineering: None Permanent Personnel: 1 Technician, 1 Logistics Supervisor Maintenance Cost: 2.000 $ / month

Level 2 - The advanced Airfield is a full-fledged, small scale airport with hangars, a helipad, two control towers (in case one of them getting destroyed) and an adjacent office building. Even the largest transport craft can touch down on its sufficiently wide airstrips. Once a week, up to 100 people AND 180.000 pounds of additional equipment can be hauled in.
Construction Cost: 600.000 M $ Construction Time: 200 Work Hours Required Research/Engineering: None Permanent Personnel: 5 Technicians, 1 Specialist (Pilot), 1 Logistics Supervisor Maintenance Cost: 11.000 $ / month

Level 3 - None. It wont get any better than Level 2. Requesting Personnel - While flying in recruits, troops and other Omega personnel is free of charge, they have to be paid full monthly salaries (at the end of the current month) even if their stay is shorter than that. Thankfully, any requested personnel comes already fully equipped with his/her Issued Gear (See Characters in Contact chapter).

Not a facility and therefore not required for a Base to reach the next Tech Level. Fighters are a sensible, yet very costly addition to any Airfield beyond Level 0. A wing of Fighters enables Bases to intercept flying UFOs in range with deadly force, even bomb them to pieces on the ground. For the purpose of quick-resolving air combat, UFOs are split into 3 categories: 1 - Inferior, 2 - Dangerous and 3 - Invincible, which correspond to the 3 available Levels of Fighters. UFO encounters in the air are resolved by rolling simplified attack tests, with the party initiating combat going first. Critical success on a fighters attack test will completely destroy a UFO, while a regular success is needed to down it. Critical failures automatically ditch one fighter plane. If the UFO is armed and was not downed or destroyed, it might (but must not) retaliate. After that, the dogfight is concluded and unharmed UFOs usually get away, unless both the game master and the players choose to let the fight continue - implying the UFO does not flee and the Base doesnt call off the fighters. UFOs however, can outrun any human fighter except for Level 3, which uses incredibly powerful propulsion systems borrowed from alien technology. Fighter Wings always consist of two planes. Pilots usually refuse to fly alone. If one craft is lost, the wing wont fly until a replacement is acquired. In a continuous dogfight, however, loosing one of the two planes doesnt lower the success probability of attacks, giving even lesser fighters at least a small advantage against UFOs (which travel alone by default). If players do not plan to investigate a UFO crash site, they may order any remaining fighters to destroy the wreck with bombs. Landed UFOs can be destroyed in the same fashion. This succeeds automatically. Note that due to the extremely high prices of military air force hardware, both Level 1 and Level 2 Fighter Wings are not bought, but actually rented, which explains their low Acquisition Cost and high Maintenance Cost (the latter covering rent, fuel, ammunition and 144

Fighter Wings

repairs). Representing no property of Omega, they cannot be sold (or dismantled). Fortunately, planes that get destroyed in the line of action are automatically covered by a corporate insurance policy of the provider. When ordering a replacement, the Acquisition Cost still has to be paid, however. Level 0 - None. Outposts dont get fighter planes. Level 1 - These jump jets are nothing fancy, and are likely to have already seen active duty in other places. Armed with guided missiles, a few good, old fashioned cluster bombs and a 20mm cannon, they provide good offensive power, but are no real match for alien craft with serious electronic countermeasures on board. At least they can land almost anywhere and are not that expensive to maintain. Probabilities to down a UFO are: Against Inferior 50%, against Dangerous 25%, against Invincible 5%.
Acquisition Cost: 60.000 $ each, a real bargain Delivery period: 1 week Required Research/Engineering: None Required Facilities: at least a Level 1 Airfield and Level 1 Workshop Permanent Personnel: 2 Specialists (Pilots), 4 Technicians Maintenance Cost: 2 X 75.000 $ / month

Level 2 - Advanced, supersonic air supremacy fighters equipped with the finest weapon systems the planet earth has to offer - Intelligent long-range air-to-air missiles, carpet and guided bombs, dual rotary 30mm cannons. With a highly effective package of electronic countermeasures and countercountermeasures installed, these birds will make aliens think twice about taking a sightseeing tour around the Base where they are stationed. Probabilities to down a UFO are: Against Inferior 75%, Against Dangerous 50%, Against Invincible 25%.
Acquisition Cost: 250.000 $ each Delivery period: 4 weeks Required Facilities: Level 2 Airfield and Level 2 Workshop Required Research/Engineering: None Permanent Personnel: 4 Specialists (Pilots), 9 technicians, 1 Engineer Maintenance Cost: 2 X 150.000 $ / month

Level 3 - These are not planes, at least not in the classic understanding. They look like technological abominations instead, alien propulsion systems and human aircraft avionics merged into deadly, Utopian War Birds (thats what they are called). Armed with weapons reverse engineered from alien technology as well, their probability to down a UFO are: Against Inferior 95%, Against Dangerous 75%, Against Invincible 50%.
Purchase Cost: 52M $ each (becoming Omega property) Delivery period: 8 weeks or Engineering Time Required Facilities: Level 2 Airfield Required Research/Engineering: See Engineering Projects Permanent Personnel: 2 Specialists (Pilots), 10 Technicians, 2 Engineers Maintenance Cost: 2 X 450.000 $ / month

UFOs striking back - UFOs are treated quite similar to fighters in air combat. If the fighters first strike is unsuccessful, Dangerous and Invincible class UFOs have the possibility to retaliate. Inferior class UFOs do not, since they are not armed. Dangerous UFOs will destroy one Level 1 plane with a probability of 50%, a Level 2 plane with 25% and a Level 3 plane respectively with 5%. Invincible UFOs destroy a Level 1 plane with a probability of 95%, a Level 2 plane with 75% and a Level 3 plane respectively with 50%. Critical successes on this attack test have no special effects, but critical failures will cause the UFO to crash land.

Motor Pool

No Base would function without one. The Motor Pool provides transportation for personnel around the base and the surrounding area. In larger Bases, it also includes construction vehicles required to erect advanced structures. Level 0 - Welcome to the Motor Pool. Yeah, thats all of it, fits right into this shack. We

145

got a couple of dirt bikes, a tractor and an old pick-up truck. Which doesnt work, because its spark plugs are busted. What did you expect, we are pretty down to earth here. Literally, because there are no roads! Now go fix that truck for me, will ya?
Construction Cost: 12.000 $ Construction Time: 20 Work Hours Required Research/Engineering: None Permanent Personnel: None Maintenance Cost: 500 $ / month

Level 1 - This is a standard, medium sized Motor Pool well suited for most types of para-military operations, with a suitably large hangar to protect it from the elements. It includes a few lightly armored SUVs, a large cargo truck, an armored troop transport (capacity: 12), a fast dune buggy and a couple of motorcycles to get around quickly for smaller errands. Only the most basic construction vehicles are provided.
Construction Cost: 200.000 $ Construction Time: 60 Work Hours Required Research/Engineering: None Permanent Personnel: 3 Technicians Maintenance Cost: 10.500 $ / month

Level 2 - Cars, bikes, tanks, hovercraft and even a helicopter or VTOL for troop transportation - This is one serious Motor Pool, which includes heavy construction machinery. It wont get any better than that, but be advised that fuel and maintenance is far from being free these days.
Construction Cost: 4.5M $ Construction Time: 100 Work Hours Required Research/Engineering: None Permanent Personnel: 10 Technicians, 2 Engineers, 1 Specialist (Pilot), 2 Specialists (Drivers) Maintenance Cost: 84.000 $ / month

Level 3 - None. It wont get any better than Level 2.

Training Facilities

Training facilities serve two main purposes for Omega. The more obvious one is to train recruits to become much needed, able-bodied personnel, especially as a paramilitary force for the Alien Defense Corps. Training recruits is rewarded with substantial funding bonuses, more so when they graduate after 6 months to become Squaddies or other operatives. On the other hand, Training Facilities serve the purpose of maintaining and further improving the theoretic and practical skills of stationed troops. Provided that a Base offers such facilities, player character can always use them to improve their own stats, as an addition to the experience they gather during regular game play. Level 0 - None. There are no training facilities on outposts. Level 1 - Basic training facilities, including a regular obstacle course, a rifle range and a few shacks that serve as classrooms, along with a meagre electronic library containing only combat-relevant data. Once per week, characters attending these training facilities are allowed to allocate (De) points to any Stride Pool, as well as (In) X 1D10 Experience Index points to any of the combat Skills, along with Stealth & Sneaking, Disarm & Set Traps, Leadership and Hostile Environment Survival.
Construction Cost: 3.000 $ Construction Time: 40 Work Hours Required Research/Engineering: None Permanent Personnel: 1 Squad Leader Maintenance Cost: 600 $ / month

146

Level 2 - Extended training grounds, with a full-scale wilderness, urban and CQB combat simulator, endurance obstacle courses, separated pistol, rifle and sniper ranges, a large martial arts classroom, gym, additional classrooms for theory and tactics and a full-sized

library, featuring both digital and conventional media. Once per week, characters attending these training facilities are allowed to allocate 1,5 X (De) points to any Stride Pool, as well as (In) X 2D10 Experience Index points to any of the combat Skills, along with Stealth & Sneaking, Disarm & Set Traps, First Aid, Engineering & Repair, Interface, Leadership and Hostile Environment Survival.
Construction Cost: 150.000 $ Construction Time: 250 Work Hours Required Research/Engineering: None Permanent Personnel: 1 Squad Leader, 1 Agent, 1 Specialist each from the following areas: CQB, Demolitions, Weapons and Marksman Maintenance Cost: 8.500 $ / month

Level 3 - Exactly the same as a Level 2 Installation, with the addition of a Psi Lab. The Psi Lab is a most peculiar facility that requires a Parapsychology Expert to run. It serves the purpose to unlock its students latent Psi abilities and teach them the use of specific Psi powers. The first part of Psi training consumes one whole week and ends with an evaluation. Thats where the game master checks the player characters Psi Ability (See Psi Powers), if he hasnt done it already, and finally reveals it to him. Next, characters can try to acquire Psi Powers, which takes one week of studying in the Psi Lab per point of Learning Effort (a stat proprietary to Psi powers), and an exam (at the end of the week) resolved by rolling a Psi Ability test using modifiers of the Power being learned. Only if the exam is passed, characters can move on to the next week of studying that Psi Power. Characters attending the Psi Lab cannot use the rest of the training facilities for that week, and therefore dont achieve any Stride Pool or Experience Index points by these means. While the number of trainees for the regular training grounds is not explicitly limited, the Psi Lab can only take 10 students a week.
Construction Cost: 850.000 $ Construction Time: 50 Work Hours (as an upgrade to Level 2) Required Research/Engineering: Psi Capabilities, Psi Amp Permanent Personnel: 1 Squad Leader, 1 Agent, 1 Specialist each from the following areas: CQB, Demolitions, Weapons and Marksman, 1 Expert Maintenance Cost: 36.000 $ / month

Alien Containment

Alien life forms may be very real and present, but they are NOT cuddly zoo animals. Extreme caution is advised when handling extraterrestrial specimens, as many of them may be hostile, dangerous, infectious, or all three together. Alien Containment facilities must ensure that captured specimens wont die (at least not too soon), escape, communicate with each other or contaminate Base personnel or the area. Level 0 - None. You know what this means, soldier. Level 1 - Standard alien holding pens consist of a prison-like cell block with a closed ventilation system, and small number of cells designed to securely contain most known alien species. Unless specifically ordered, there is no need to wear hazmat equipment in the cell block, as cells are hermetically isolated from it. A cooled side room serves as a morgue for both alien bodies and humans killed (and therefore possibly infected with something) by aliens.
Construction Cost: 100.000 $ Construction Time: 200 Work Hours Required Research/Engineering: None Capacity: 8 + 16 (alive + dead) Permanent Personnel: 2 Assistants, 2 Squaddies (only when in actual use) Maintenance Cost: 500 $ / month

Level 2 - Advanced containment facilities are needed to keep certain alien species alive for longer periods of time. Advanced Alien Containment also offer more room, and special equipment for alien observation and interrogation attempts.

147

Construction Cost: 1.2M $ Construction Time: 600 Work Hours Required Research/Engineering: None Capacity: 24 + 64 (alive + dead) Permanent Personnel: 1 Expert, 3 Assistants, 4 Squaddies (only when in actual use) Maintenance Cost: 12.000 $ / month

Level 3 - None. Level 2 already offers maximum security.

Research Lab

Laboratories are the place where breakthroughs really happen. Research is somewhat expensive because of the sophisticated equipment involved, but more so because of the fact that virtually all modern Scientists are greedy, power-hungry megalomaniacs, with very few exceptions. In any case, research is a necessary evil when fighting an alien threat. Multiple Labs may be built in order to provide Workspace for more Scientists, but only one Head of Research (Level 2) has to be hired for all of them. Level 0 - None. You cant really conduct scientific studies when you go camping either, can you? Level 1 - A basic laboratory that pleases most nerds, but will leave a full-fledged expert wanting. This facility wont grant access to any new technologies, but serves as a source of information on the enemy. Level 1 Research is conducted mostly for role-playing purposes, and can be used to solve plot-relevant riddles posed by the game master.
Construction Cost: 200.000 $ Construction Time: 120 Work Hours Required Research/Engineering: None Workspace: 8 Permanent Personnel: None Maintenance Cost: 5.000 $ / month

Level 2 - A full-fledged, high-tech laboratory with separated biohazard and technology sections, equipped for various high-profile research areas. Level 2 research covers all aspects of Level 1 Research, but also allows unraveling the mysteries of alien technology. Results from this research is necessary to design and build Tech Level 3 equipment facilities. Details about resolving Research Projects are explained in the Achieving the Bleeding Edge subchapter.
Construction Cost: 4.8M $ Construction Time: 400 Work Hours Required Research/Engineering: None Workspace: 24 Permanent Personnel: 1 Janitor, 1 Head of Research Maintenance Cost: 30.000 $ / month

Level 3 - None. Level 2 is as scientific as it gets.

Workshop

In their most basic layout, Workshops are useful for repairing damaged equipment or improvising it from scratch. Advanced workshops on the other hand, are the key to obtaining Tech Level 3 (Utopian) equipment. More than one Workshop may be built inside a Base, providing more workspace for Engineers and Technicians. Level 0 - A small tool shed, equipped only with the most basic of tools. Barely enough to fix crude, mechanic devices and obsolete electronics.
Construction Cost: 500 $ Construction Time: 4 Work Hours Required Research/Engineering: None Workspace: 1 Permanent Personnel: None Maintenance Cost: None

148

Level 1 - Standard, garage-type workshop with a sensible assortment of tools.


Construction Cost: 5.000 $ Construction Time: 50 Work Hours Required Research/Engineering: None Workspace: 4 Permanent Personnel: None Maintenance Cost: 500 $ / month

Level 2 - Super-advanced, industrial-grade workshop the size of a small factory, equipped with state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment, prototype testing areas and virtually every tool needed to reverse-engineer alien technology. Add Engineers, Technicians and a Project, heat gently. Details about resolving Engineering Projects are explained in the Achieving the Bleeding Edge subchapter.
Construction Cost: 9M $ Construction Time: 700 Work Hours Required Research/Engineering: None Workspace: 48 Permanent Personnel: 1 Janitor Maintenance Cost: 15.000 $ / month

Level 3 - None. Level 2 offers all the tools you need to go nuts.

Achieving the Bleeding Edge


Upon building a Tech Level 2 Science Lab, researching alien technology with usable results becomes possible. This is resolved by assigning teams of Scientists (Experts and Assistants) to Research Projects, provided there is something worth looking into. Research Time is handled in analogy to the Construction Time of Facilities: Divide the number of Work Hours by 1/4 times the number of involved Scientists (with an Expert-toAssistant ratio as listed). Results from specific Research Projects can be used to start Engineering Projects, which take place in a Tech Level 2 Workshop. To do so, the Base must have reached Tech Level 3 (meaning ALL Level 2 facilities are up and running). Each individual Engineering Project has a given set of requirements which have to be all met before it can start. These requirements consist mostly of concluded Research Projects. Engineering projects also cost an additional sum of money equal to the full price of the item being engineered. Conducting an Engineering Projects works quite similar to Research Projects, but employ Engineers and Technicians instead of Scientists. Divide the Engineering Time by 1/4 times the total number of people involved. At the end of the project, their work yields a fully functional prototype, which is then streamlined into a production model. Bulk production is handled similar to an Engineering Project, but costs only half per manufactured unit and takes only one tenth of the prototypes initial Engineering Time. Furthermore, the Engineer-to-Technician ratio is set to 0:1, meaning the more expensive Engineers are no longer needed for this type of work (of course, they can still stand in for technicians in case of shortages, but receive full pay). Building Utopian equipment in this fashion is cheaper than buying it, and Tech Level 3 Bases can make a considerable profit from selling such items directly to other Bases (or black-marketing them, which makes no real difference on a short term, but may have plot-relevant repercussions). As all Research and Engineering data automatically becomes Omegas common property, the Base which came up with it first is always awarded massive 149 increases in funding.

While players work hard to upgrade their Base, the world around them is not standing still, either. Actually, there are plenty of other Omega Bases all over the globe, and their science nerds and gear heads will be doing some work of their own concerning alien technology research and reverse-engineering. Since all Omega Bases are linked by an information-exchange network, unexpected research results and new equipment designs may reach the players Base in irregular intervals, basically eliminating the work needed to obtain them. Game masters should use such gifts sparingly, however, because many players tend to become lazy when too much good is dropped into their laps. Besides, it is a general, unwritten rule of role playing games, that if you want to get something done right, you have to do it yourself - and with the player characters being heroes and all, isnt it likely for their Base to be the most prolific one in these respects?.

Research Projects
E-115 Power Plant Technology - Utilizing a stable isotope of the super-heavy, nonmetallic synthetic Element 115 as fuel, alien power plants provide vast amounts of energy without running dry any time soon. All E-115 power sources, regardless of size, seem to work on a similar principle, producing antimatter by bombarding one or more E-115 fuel rods with a high-intensity particle beam. Antimatter is immediately collected and united with matter in a specially shielded annihilation chamber, with the resulting energy (most of it in the form of heat and hard radiation) available for further utilization. Although E-115 serves the purpose of fuel in such reactors, it is consumed at rates that will grant units a lifetime of several decades, up to hundreds of years.
Research Time: 3.000 Work Hours Expert-to-Assistant Ratio: 1:11 Required Artifacts/Specimens: Any Grey or Raider Vessels Power Core, any E-115 powered Alien Handgun (both required)

Plasma Weapon Technology - Superheating hydrazine capsules until ionized and firing them via electromagnetic coil acceleration, plasma weapons are capable of causing massive scorching damage to both soft and hard targets.
Research Time: 800 Work Hours Expert-to-Assistant Ratio: 1:3 Required Artifacts/Specimens: Raider Ion Scorcher, Raider Ion Devastator, Raider Ship Onboard Plasma Cannon (either one)

Particle Weapon Technology - Not only necessary for reverse-engineering the aliens powerful proton guns, but also for creating advanced target designators. Particle Weapons are basically linear matter accelerators, which fire concentrated beams of heavy hydrogen atomic nuclei at velocities in close vicinity to the speed of light.
Research Time: 950 Work Hours Expert-to-Assistant Ratio: 1:3 Required Artifacts/Specimens: Reticulan Disintegrator, Grey Ship Weapon (either one)

Antimatter Weapon Technology This one is actually a no-brainer. When antimatter gets in contact with any type of regular matter, both are annihilated in a tremendous release of destructive energy. The only problem that antimatter-based weapons really pose is user safety. Antimatter has been the research subject of human science for decades already. This Research project is all about miniaturizing containment devices in order to transport it safely.
Research Time: 600 Work Hours Expert-to-Assistant Ratio: 1:5 Required Artifacts/Specimens: Reticulan Bomb

Neural Disruptor Technology Extremely effective to stun human nervous systems, this technology creates uncontrollable synaptic discharges, muscle spasms and immediate unconsciousness.

150

Research Time: 750 Work Hours Expert-to-Assistant Ratio: 1:3 Required Artifacts/Specimens: Reticulan Neural Disruptor

Hyper Armor Plating An outright preposterous composite amalgamation of exotic alloys with super-hard silicate crystals that would make even metallurgy tycoon Victor Krieg drool like a baby. It is a light, extremely sturdy and heat-resisting material that maintains limited flexibility due to interweaved carbon fibers. This special armor plating can be used to create ultimate protection for both personnel and vehicles.
Research Time: 650 Work Hours Expert-to-Assistant Ratio: 1:7 Required Artifacts/Specimens: Silicoid Shell, Saucer Hull Debris (both required)

Synthmuscle Actuators Voltoids are known to be some kind of sentient alien machines frequently found among Raiders. Researching their bodies provides this interesting actuator concept, usable to build effective, synthetic muscles powered by electric currents.
Research Time: 500 Work Hours Expert-to-Assistant Ratio: 1:7 Required Artifacts/Specimens: Voltoid Corpse

Zero Gravity Flight Technology Although ZGF Technology appears to defy the laws of physics, by no means does it consist of magic spells. The only known aliens to use this kind of technology seem to be Jabberwocks, and acquiring a functioning artifact is more than difficult, since it is designed to incinerate itself and wearer when the creature is killed.
Research Time: 1.500 Work Hours Expert-to-Assistant Ratio: 1:3 Required Artifacts/Specimens: Live Jabberwock

Cloaking Technology Evolved optical camouflage method employed by the Jabberwock species. Acquiring an intact artifact poses the same difficulties as with other technologies integrated into these aliens suits.
Research Time: 600 Work Hours Expert-to-Assistant Ratio: 1:2 Required Artifacts/Specimens: Live Jabberwock

Regeneration Factor A genetic factor in stem cells of the Spawner alien species that allows for rapid regeneration.
Research Time: 1.300 Work Hours Expert-to-Assistant Ratio: 1:2 Required Artifacts/Specimens: Live Spawner

Alien Cloning Technology A scary research subject that becomes available after scavenging a larger Grey ship. The Greys appear to use perfected methods of genetic tissue cloning to grow adult members of their species in vats, infusing them with simple, artificial minds.
Research Time: 1.700 Work Hours Expert-to-Assistant Ratio: 1:5 Required Artifacts/Specimens: Grey Cloning Equipment, Live Grey Leader

Alien Communications Know your enemy! By researching space faring species means of long-range communication, UFOs will be easier detected and threats can be assessed by decoding intercepted messages.

151

Research Time: 1.300 Work Hours Expert-to-Assistant Ratio: 1:7 Required Artifacts/Specimens: Communication Devices from Grey and Raider Ships, Live Grey Leader, Live Voltoid (all required).

Psi Capabilities In order to understand Psi, scientists have to scan and map a Psi-using species brain first. Various tedious experiments follow, always hampered by the aliens inherent lack of cooperation.
Research Time: 2.500 Work Hours Expert-to-Assistant Ratio: 1:5 Required Artifacts/Specimens: Live Grey Leader, Live Jabberwock

UFO Flight Systems Inertia-less flight goes beyond defeating a planets gravitational field. It means bending the spacetime continuum around a vessel, allowing it effectively to fall downhill through the artificially generated gravity corridor. A craft utilizing such flight systems needs vast amounts of energy to be operated (hopefully provided by an E-115 Power Core), but will out-perform virtually any conventional aircraft available on the military market.
Research Time: 3.000 Work Hours Expert-to-Assistant Ratio: 1:11 Required Artifacts/Specimens: Intact Grey or Raider Vessel

Engineering Projects
Infinity Advanced Laser Rifle Light, very cost-effective weapon based on existing human laser technology.
Manufacturing Cost: 250.000 $ Engineering Time: 100 Work Hours Engineer-to-Technician Ratio: 1:2 Required Research/Engineering: E-115 Power Plant Required Special Materials: Kyohaku Izanagi Laser Rifle, 1 Unit E-115

Proton Gun H2 (30 units in canister) Ammunition compatible with all human Particle Weapons.
Manufacturing Cost: 25.000 $ Engineering Time: 20 Work Hours Engineer-to-Technician Ratio: 1:2 Required Research/Engineering: Particle Weapon Technology Required Special Materials: None

X-11 Proton Blaster Personal Sidearm with maximum destructive capabilities.


Manufacturing Cost: 280.000 $ Engineering Time: 150 Work Hours Engineer-to-Technician Ratio: 1:2 Required Research/Engineering: E-115 Power Plant, Particle Weapon Technology Required Special Materials: 1 Unit E-115

X-14 P.A.W. The Proton Assault Weapon.


Manufacturing Cost: 400.000 $ Engineering Time: 200 Work Hours Engineer-to-Technician Ratio: 1:3 Required Research/Engineering: E-115 Power Plant, Particle Weapon Technology Required Special Materials: 2 Units E-115

152

XM-3000 Arclite The heaviest and most powerful rifle from the Particle Weapon Family.

Manufacturing Cost: 1.6M $ Engineering Time: 500 Work Hours Engineer-to-Technician Ratio: 1:5 Required Research/Engineering: E-115 Power Plant, Particle Weapon Technology Required Special Materials: 4 Units E-115

Plasma Gun Hydrazine Capsules (60 in box) Ammunition compatible with human Plasma Weapons.
Manufacturing Cost: 30.000 $ Engineering Time: 30 Work Hours Engineer-to-Technician Ratio: 1:2 Required Research/Engineering: Plasma Weapon Technology Required Special Materials: None

MK-II Plasma Pistol A compact, yet deadly Plasma Weapon.


Manufacturing Cost: 220.000 $ Engineering Time: 120 Work Hours Engineer-to-Technician Ratio: 1:2 Required Research/Engineering: E-115 Power Plant, Plasma Weapon Technology Required Special Materials: 1 Unit E-115

MK-III Plasma Rifle The full-sized, rapid firing Plasma overkill.


Manufacturing Cost: 600.000 $ Engineering Time: 300 Work Hours Engineer-to-Technician Ratio: 1:3 Required Research/Engineering: E-115 Power Plant, Plasma Weapon Technology Required Special Materials: 2 Units E-115

AM Smart Bomb One single, unopened can of ultimate whoop-ass.


Manufacturing Cost: 500.000 $ Engineering Time: 300 Work Hours Engineer-to-Technician Ratio: 1:2 Required Research/Engineering: E-115 Power Plant, Antimatter Weapon Technology, Zero Gravity Flight Technology Required Special Materials: 2 Units E-115

XM-3565AM Smart Bomb Launcher The weapon needed for deploying Smart Bombs.
Manufacturing Cost: 2.1M $ Engineering Time: 600 Work Hours Engineer-to-Technician Ratio: 1:5 Required Research/Engineering: E-115 Power Plant, Particle Weapon Technology Required Special Materials: 2 Units E-115

Smart Bomb Target Painter A separate, handheld Particle Beam device used to mark targets for Smart Bomb attacks.
Manufacturing Cost: 154.000 $ Engineering Time: 50 Work Hours Engineer-to-Technician Ratio: 1:1 Required Research/Engineering: Particle Weapon Technology Required Special Materials: None

NS (Neuro-Stun) Hand Grenade The most effective, non-lethal hand grenade there will ever be.

153

Manufacturing Cost: 30.000 $ Engineering Time: 50 Work Hours Engineer-to-Technician Ratio: 1:1 Required Research/Engineering: Neural Disruptor Technology Required Special Materials: None

NS (Neuro-Stun) 40mm Launcher Grenade Launcher version of the ultimate crowd control device.
Manufacturing Cost: 30.000 $ Engineering Time: 60 Work Hours Engineer-to-Technician Ratio: 1:1 Required Research/Engineering: Neural Disruptor Technology Required Special Materials: Any type of conventional launcher grenade (40mm)

Powered Exoskeleton Armor The ultimate personal combat armor.


Manufacturing Cost: 7.5M $ Engineering Time: 1.200 Work Hours Engineer-to-Technician Ratio: 1:7 Required Research/Engineering: E-115 Power Plant, Hyper Armor Plating, Synthmuscle Actuators Required Special Materials: 3 Units E-115

Exoskeleton Flight Package Upgrade for the ultimate armor, effectively turning soldiers into highly mobile, flying weapon platforms.
Manufacturing Cost: 4.8M $ Engineering Time: 1.000 Work Hours Engineer-to-Technician Ratio: 1:7 Required Research/Engineering: Powered Exoskeleton Armor, Zero Gravity Flight Technology Required Special Materials: 1 Unit E-115

Psi Amp Parapsychological Amplifier that is worn as a headband.


Manufacturing Cost: 550.000 $ Engineering Time: 150 Work Hours Engineer-to-Technician Ratio: 1:1 Required Research/Engineering: Psi Capabilities Required Special Materials: None

Personal Cloaking Device The ultimate camouflage.


Manufacturing Cost: 1.8M $ Engineering Time: 1.000 Work Hours Engineer-to-Technician Ratio: 1:1 Required Research/Engineering: Cloaking Technology Required Special Materials: None

Utopian War Bird This project provides the ultimate air superiority fighter craft.
Manufacturing Cost: 52M $ Engineering Time: 9.000 Work Hours Engineer-to-Technician Ratio: 1:11 Required Research/Engineering: E-115 Power Plant, AM Smart Bomb, XM-3565AM Smart Bomb Launcher, Hyper Armor Plating, UFO Flight Systems, Particle Weapon Technology Required Special Materials: 50 Units E-115

154

Finances
Any Omega Base receives Monthly Funding, which can be allocated as needed. Baseline Funding depends on a Bases Tech Level, and on a number of other factors. Tech Level 0 - Obsolete: Tech Level 1 - Default: Tech Level 2 - Advanced: Tech Level 3 - Utopian:
15.000 $ Startup Funds 190.000 $ Startup Funds 4M $ Startup Funds 25M $ Startup Funds 50.000 $ Funding / month 200.000 $ Funding / month 750.000 $ Funding / month 1,2M $ Funding / month

Its needless to stress that keeping an alien defense Base functioning is extremely costly. Facilities are expensive to build and even more expensive to maintain in the long run, everyone has to get paid (including the player characters). In order to make it easier to keep track of finances, a few general rules apply: First off, all bills are covered at the end of each month, as are all additional expenses. There is no exception to that. That includes the payment of any permanent or external personnels salaries. Also, ALL personnel is paid full monthly salaries, even if it arrived at some point after the beginning of that month. Personnel leaving before the end of the month is also paid at the end of that month. Heres an overview of Facility Maintenance Costs and Personnel Salaries per month:
Facility/Level Comm/Radar Living Medical Airfield Fighter Wing Motor Pool Training Containment Research Workshop 0 - Obsolete
250 $ 350 $ 500 $ 500 $ -

1 - Default
800 $ 1.500 $ 2.500 $ 2.000 $ 150.000 $ 10.500 $ 600 $ 500 $ 5.000 $ 500 $

2 - Advanced
7.500 $ 9.000 $ 12.000 $ 11.000 $ 300.000 $ 84.000 $ 8.500 $ 12.000 $ 30.000 $ 15.000 $

3 - Utopian
15.000 $ 5.000 $ 11.000 $ 900.000 $ 84.000 $ 36.000 $ 12.000 $ 30.000 $ 15.000 $

Personnel/Salary Recruit Squaddie Medic Spec (Driver) Spec (Pilot) Spec (CQB) Spec (Demolitions) Spec (Weapons) Spec (Marksman) Squad Leader Base Commander

100 $ 3.000 $ 3.200 $ 3.500 $ 4.500 $ 3.600 $ 3.500 $ 3.600 $ 3.700 $ 6.500 $ 18.600 $

Agent Operator Assistant Expert Field Scientist Head of Research Janitor Technician Engineer Logistics Supervisor Construction Worker

15.500 $ 5.700 $ 4.000 $ 10.000 $ 12.000 $ 17.500 $ 1.400 $ 3.400 $ 9.200 $ 15.000 $ 1.500 $

Funding Enhancements

While Monthly baseline Funding is calculated to cover Maintenance Costs and salaries of required personnel, it might not always be enough, especially when considering certain fancy projects. Aside from selling assets and dismantling no longer needed facilities, there is more than one way to squeeze some cash out of Command. Filing Fund Increase Requests, however, is unlikely to work more than once, and sums obtained from begging attempts are never anywhere near satisfying. Taking a loan up to a couple of months worth of Funding is also 155 possible, but may backfire on the players and even shut a Base down completely (if this

is basically GAME OVER remains up to the game master). A much better way of receiving higher Funding is presenting Achievements. Achievements can be many things, the most common being successfully completed Mission Objectives, useful Research and Engineering Results, as well as Recruit Graduation. The following list serves as a guideline for awarding Funding Enhancements in exchange for desired Activities and Achievements, per month respectively. As always, money is handled at the end of each month. Activities
Funding Bonus +2.000 $ +15.000 $ +10.000 $ +5.000 $ +50.000 $

Training Recruits (per head) Conducting Research (per project) Investigating a Hot Spot/Sighting Writing Proper Mission Reports (per mission) Keeping a Low Profile (No Civilian or Authority Suspicion)

Achievements Graduating Recruits (per head) Promoting A.D.C. Personnel (per promotion) Killed Hostile Alien Specimen Captured Live Alien Specimen Captured Live, Unknown Alien Specimen Recovered Dead Alien Body Forced UFO (of alien origin!) to crash/land Destroyed UFO Recovered Intact alien UFO Recovered UFO Parts or alien Artifacts (per item) Fulfilled Specific Mission Objective (other than above) Researched New Alien Technology Completed Engineering Project

+50.000 $ +20.000 $ +10.000 $ +75.000 $ +400.000 $ +10.000 $ +300.000 $ +50.000 $ +5M $ +15.000 $ + 50.000 $ +100.000 $ +Item Cost X 5

Spoils of War
Each mission dealing with UFO recovery is likely to yield at least a few artifacts as loot. The following subchapter deals not only with items of extraterrestrial origin that can be collected, researched and even sold on the black market, but also resale prices for actual alien specimens, be they dead or alive. Making a Garage Sale part of Base economy might help improve finances, especially if it means getting rid of items that are of no further use to Omega. Commands policy on black market interaction is somewhat loose, but the O.C.I. still keeps careful tabs on materials that might prove very dangerous in the wrong hands. It is up to the game master to decide how far the players can go during the so-called Garage Sale, which is held with the help of shady middlemen at the end of each month. If they start selling antimatter detonation devices to international terrorists, there might be some explosive repercussions (pun intended) and/or direct punishment from within. Sounds interesting, doesnt it?
Silicoid Shell Silicoids have the nasty habit of blowing themselves to pieces when injured or immobilized, making corpse recovery outright impossible. Picking up smoldering bits and pieces, however, is still an option. Looking into the extremely resilient Silicoid Shells chemistry may grant some neat ideas for composite materials.
Weight Size
Small 750 $ N/A

Cost

Source
Exploded Silicoid Specimen

156

1 lb

Saucer Hull Debris Scraps from Grey ships are made of a light, yet very durable metal alloy. Furthermore, it appears to be non-magnetic. Researching it may grant progress in material technologies.
Weight
1 lb

Size
Small

2.500 $ N/A

Cost

Source
All Grey Ships

Raider Vessel Hull Debris While Raider vessels dont seem to be made of materials more durable or generally better than the ones mankind already knows, they contain large quantities of rare and precious metals, giving scraps excellent resale prices.
Weight
1 lb

Size
Small

6.000 $ N/A

Cost

Source
All Raider Ships

Stable Element 115 Isotope (E-115) Usually comes in small, machined rods, used in alien E-115 power cells or reactors. This extremely rare isotope of the (presumably) synthetic Element 115 practically doesnt exist on earth (or in its vicinity on a galactic scale, for that matter), and cannot be reproduced, therefore representing one of the most essential resources upon reaching Tech Level 3.
Weight
0,1 lb

Size
Tiny

Stats refer to one single unit. As a guideline, very small alien ships, such as scout vessels, hold less than 10 units of E-115 in their cores. Medium ships are likely to hold up to 50 units, while the largest alien ships (like a Raider Cruiser) require over 200 units to operate. Sometimes, fewer units can be gathered even from destroyed Reactor cores, since the material itself is quite resilient and has a high melting point. Scattered fragments of E-115 are tracked down by using a Multi Scanner.

150.000 $ N/A

Cost

Source
All Grey and Raider Ship Cores, alien weapons

Intact Ship Energy Core Varying in size and style depending on the vessel it used to provide energy for, this E-115 Power Plant fetches extremely high prices on the black market.
Weight
250 lb and up

Size
Large - Bulky

Unfortunately, using a Ship Core to power any human equipment is not an option due to the cores exotic type of energy output. Research and Engineering is necessary to obtain useful E-115 Power Plant technology. Only Ship Cores that have not been researched are considered intact (and therefore sellable).

between 1M and 50M $

Cost

Source
All Grey and Raider Ships

Raider Plasma Annihilator A Raider Ship's main weapon. Works on similar principles as other Raider guns, but is too large and power-hungry to install on any human vehicle save for a battleship.
Weight
24.000 lb

Size
Bulky

Cost
2M $ N/A

Source
Large Raider Ships

If researched (dismantled!) prior to sale, its price is lowered by half.

Reticulan Death-Ray Grey Ship Weapon, basically a larger, pulsed proton accelerator that will disintegrate anything it hits. Mostly useless without a genuine flying saucer energy core.
Weight
10.000 lb

Size
Bulky

If researched (dismantled!) prior to sale, its price is lowered by half.

1,5M $ N/A

Cost

Source
Medium Grey Ships and up

157

Reticulan Cloning Equipment A set of vats and gear used to create Grey clones. (Un)Fortunately, the equipment is not suited for cloning humans. Found only aboard the largest flying saucers.
Weight
8.000 lb

Size
Bulky

Cost
9M $ N/A

Source
Large Grey Ships

If researched (dismantled!) prior to sale, its price is lowered by half.

Reticulan Experimentation Devices Weird, gruesome and alien in all respects, this equipment is used to mess with living beings in all conceivable (and unconceivable) ways.
Weight
20 lb

Size
Large

Stats refer to a kit that includes various surgical instruments, probes, tubes, tissue extractors and a portable apparatus that apparently allows gene splicing for the purpose of creating genetic abominations, ready to be implanted in human or animal oocytes.

400.000 $ N/A

Cost

Source
Most Grey Ships

Alien Recreational Items Incredible, but true, even aliens seem to need entertainment. Such items range from hallucinogenic, brain-stimulating orbs (which also work on humans, just switch them on and hold them near your head) of the Grey race, to various intoxicating drugs, alien toys, artificial pets, gaming devices and even holographic recordings of something that appears to be inter-racial sexual intercourse between alien species never encountered before (yes, alien pornography), mostly snatched out of the possession of Raiders. Make up stats on demand. Alien Communication Equipment Consoles and antenna arrays necessary for alien ships to communicate with each other. Although both Greys and Raiders use similar means of long-range communication, there doesnt seem to be any direct relationship between their factions.
Weight
2.500 lb

Size
Large

This loot can be sold at full price even after being researched.

850.000 $ N/A

Cost

Source
Any Grey and Raider Ships

Intact Alien Spaceship Capturing a perfectly intact alien vessel capable of interstellar (or even intergalactic) travel is probably the biggest achievement a team of Omega operatives can strive for. As there is a multitude of different conceivable ships, stats have to be made up on demand. Live Spawner Specimen Live, adult Spawner. Spawners are quite resilient creatures, and can be kept alive for months under optimum conditions.
Weight
approx. 800 lb

Size
Bulky

Cost
1M $ N/A

Source
Raider Ships

Spawner Eggs Fetid, slimy egg, cut out of a Spawners womb. Hatching it without advanced lab equipment is not an option, but there are always people sick enough in the head to want to actually EAT something like that. Even if they do not know what it will do to them.
Weight
0,3 lb

Size
Small

Roll 1D10 and multiply the result by 100 to determine the number of eggs a Spawner contains.

500 $ N/A

Cost

Source
Spawner Corpse

158

Spawner Corpse Its a dead Spawner. That would make one hell of a trophy, if it didnt smell like Sodom and Gomorrah condensed to several hundred pounds of rotting alien flesh.
Weight
approx. 800 lb

Size
Bulky

Only reasonably intact (not researched) specimens can be sold. Live Voltoid Specimen These are actually kinda cute, especially when they dont try to hack into your computers or zap you with electric shocks. Or trying to steal your gun to kill you with it.
Weight
20 lb

300.000 $ N/A

Cost

Source
Raider Ships

Size
Small

400.000 $ N/A

Cost

Source
Raider Ships

Voltoid Corpse A formerly cheerful, chirpy Voltoid, now as dead as a burned-out chip.
Weight
20 lb

Size
Small

Only reasonably intact (not researched) specimens can be sold.

120.000 $ N/A

Cost

Source
Raider Ships

Live Jabberwock Specimen Capturing this one alive is mandatory if you want to conduct research on it. Be very careful, however, as Jabberwocks are inherently dangerous and also like to pull a few dirty tricks up their sleeve. Jabberwock bodies virtually do not exist, because they automatically incinerate themselves upon death.
Weight
None (floating)

Size
Bulky

2,5M $ N/A

Cost

Source
Raider Ships

Live Grey Underling Specimen Basically a dull-minded, cloned Grey henchman. If kept away from its Leader for more than a couple of days, it loses its will to live and dies. There is nothing that can be done to avert that.
Weight
60 lb Large

Size

750.000 $ N/A

Cost

Raider Ships

Source

Live Grey Leader Specimen Indistinctive in appearance, the Grey Leader is highly intelligent and possesses many skills and abilities. It can survive for about a month in captivity.
Weight
60 lb

Size
Large

2,5M $ N/A

Cost

Source
Grey Ships

Grey Corpse Its a dead Grey, making no difference if it was a Leader or a mere Underling, since both are identical, physically speaking.
Weight
60 lb

Size
Large

Only reasonably preserved (not researched) specimens can be sold.

150.000 $ N/A

Cost

Source
Grey Ships

Live Doppelgnger Specimen These are very hard to get because of their perfect disguises. A Doppelgnger captured alive probably still has its hide intact, since erupted specimens are extremely dangerous to deal with, and more likely to get destroyed.

159

Weight
approx. 150 lb

Size
Large

Cost
3M $ N/A

Source
N/A

Doppelgnger Corpse Its a dead Doppelgnger, rotting away as we speak. Because of this corpses ability to decompose so quickly, it needs to be frozen immediately.
Weight
approx. 120 lb

Size
Large

Only reasonably preserved (not researched) specimens can be sold. Unfrozen Corpses go bad in a matter of minutes.

250.000 $ N/A

Cost

Source
N/A

Live Xenoplasma (1 Gallon) Its the hyper-evolutional biomass that seeped from a meteorite!
Weight
9 lb

Size
Normal

100.000 $ N/A

Cost

Source
N/A

Live Child of Mu Specimen You cannot actually sell these - or can you? As long as the Children of Mu are not granted human rights, there will always be a price tag attached to them.
Weight
110 lb

Size
Normal

15M $ N/A

Cost

Source
N/A

Child of Mu Corpse Should one of them get killed. Unfortunately, they are still regarded as alien specimens, and worth millions even dead.
Weight
110 lb

Size
Normal

Cost
2M $ N/A

Source
N/A

Only reasonably preserved (not researched) specimens can be sold.

160

Sample Characters
The following sample characters can be used as player characters right off the bat or as NPCs, if the game master wishes. They are built from various amounts of Building Points, due to their differing amounts of experience, and come with fully detailed background stories. Players should be aware that these characters are only examples for what is possible with Contact Kore's character building system, and none of them is what can be called "balanced" in terms of stats. Players new to Contact, or role playing games in general, might want to create more wellrounded characters for their game. Naturally, creating your own character and writing a custom background story is a more rewarding experience than just picking a pre-fabricated one.

161

A rookie flown in from distant Australia, Zach "Rocket Science" Harrigan is somewhat of an outsider and grew up as what some parents would call a child prodigy. Because he is the son of world-famous astrophysicist Angus Harrigan, some of his scientific aptitudes may be inherited. He never had a good relationship with his parents, however. Upon reaching the age of legal majority, Zach already possessed an academic scientific degree, having skipped a handful of years in high school, and joined Omega spontaneously after being contacted by (220 BPs) their recruiters. Because of his prior qualifications, extraordinary intelligence and somewhat short stature and wimpy physique, Zach is clearly no soldier material. Even after months of combat training, he remains somewhat of a science nerd, and although constantly bullied by his squad mates and superiors (mostly due to his smart answers and broad aussie accent), he has proved to have his heart in the right place on more than one occasion. Additionally, he gets really shy around attractive women, basically becoming a useless, nosebleeding idiot in that state. When in a pinch, he prefers to avoid combat when possible (for the obvious reason of not getting his ass handed to him), but he has become quite proficient at using various psychological tricks to his advantage. Along with his youthful enthusiasm, curiosity and open-mindedness, Zach's qualities are likely to assure his rapid promotion to a scientific position of his choice.

Name: Zach Harrigan Handle: Rocket Rank: Recruit Nationality: Australian Age: 19 Height: 5' 4.2" Weight: 125 lb

162

Playing Style: The Boy Genius


Playing a character like Rocket means being careful in dangerous situations, although one might still feel the need for "heroic" (read: stupid) actions. The Boy Genius character doesn't perform outstanding physical feats and tends to react somewhat allergic to violence, while his true strength lies in the ability to learn fast and use a multitude of skills effectively. Two opposable thumbs and a high-functioning brain make the Boy Genius proficient at manipulating any kind of technical device, and he's not so bad with that laser rifle either, as long as he can get a clear shot. Socially, the Boy Genius character plays best as quirky, shy and sometimes obsessive, in the tradition of the good natured geek. As an outsider, he gets often bullied by people of his age. His role within the Alien Defense Orgaization may be just that of a recruit for the moment, but his extraordinary aptitudes assure him to become a front-line researcher some day, and probably the brains of any team he is likely to escort on missions, making the most out of anything he can learn about alien threats.

Attributes - (St) Strength - (En) Endurance - (Ms) Mass - (Re) Reflexes - (Ag) Agility - (Dx) Dexterity - (In) Intelligence - (Ch) Charisma - (Pe) Perception - (De) Determination 3 4 3 7 5 10 9 (11) 4 6 5

Skills Primitive Ranged Weapons Small Arms Heavy Weapons Energy Weapons Unarmed Melee Combat Armed Melee Combat Throwing Weapons Stealth & Sneaking Thievery & Trickery Lock Picking Disarm & Set Traps (F) Applied Science First Aid Advanced Medical Applications Humanitarian Science (F) Engineering & Repair Craftsmanship (F) Interface Oratory Leadership Housekeeping Hostile Environment Survival Motorcycle Wheeled Vehicle Hovercraft Fixed-Wing Aircraft Spacecraft Watercraft Tracked Vehicle Powered Exoskeleton 32% 28% 7% 23 {53}% 39% 34% 33% 16% 36% 21% 24% 64 (79) {99}% 42% 43% 53 (78)% 47 (52) {94}% 45% 40 (45) {81}% 21 (31)% 22% 36% 61% 25% 28% 23% 13% 15% 26% 28% 53%

Vitality Points: 29 Pain Tolerance: 0 Exhaustion Tolerance: 0 Sequential Score: 25 + 1D10


Traits: Highly Talented (-12), Educated (-10), Wimp (+8), Curious (0) Equipment: Kyohaku Model 2020 assault rifle (with sling and 2 reloads), Ballistic Goggles, Field Ration, Uniform Overall, Tactical Vest, Toolset, PDA

163

An American SEAL gone mercenary who joined the alien defense organization for profit only. He has covertly "fieldtested" a lot of augmentations and weapons for Krieg AG (a cutting-edge arms manufacturer from Germany) in the past, resulting in tons of international charges against him and the Megacorp, which ultimately dissociated itself from the merc, even trying to get him killed in order to undo its mistake. Byron had just started out as a hit man for the Russian mafia in Europe when he was contacted by Omega Agents. Less intrigued about alien invasion or conspiracy theories (250 BPs) than the handsome pay they offered him, he joined, ending his former "business relationship" by tying up all loose ends with large-caliber bullets. Nowadays, Byron still has most of his augmentations and equipment he has stashed away in his years as a freelancer, and is a force to be reckoned with in modern combat. If there's anything that he was born for, it is certainly killing in the most creative, visceral and effective ways. Physically speaking, he is built like a tank, has excellent reflexes for his age and far smarter than your common bruiser. Along with his heavy bio-augmentation, it makes him extremely strong and tough. However, his scars and generally intimidating appearance don't go too well with his severe lack of charms. His personality can be described as skeptical, practical and ruthless. Most of his free time he spends on honing his combat skills, be they martial arts or marksmanship. He knows his way around people only to the extent of getting information out of them, and is clearly antisocial, constantly showing a derogative attitude and refusing to become involved in any kind of long-term relationship. He is currently assigned for instructive duties in a small base in Europe, which quite frankly, pisses him off big time. Command must believe that putting him in charge of a handful of young recruits is going to bring out his caring side.

Name: Max Byron Handle: Rank: Agent Nationality: American Age: 38 Height: 6' 3" Weight: 266 lb

164

Playing Style: The Minister of Death


Agent characters such as Max Byron may act (mostly) in the best interest of mankind, yet their actions are often regarded as evil. Quite a scary person at best, the agent character's major skill focus lies on quick, dirty and violent killing, no matter if the enemy is human or alien, and he achieves his other goals through a great deal of pure intimidation. While other, more refined agent characters are thinkable, the Minister of Death type agent always excels at making a giant bloody mess (but also knows that cleaning it up afterwards is crucial). On the verge of becoming a psychopathic cyborg, he shuns casual social interaction and is not a pleasant person to deal with, regardless which side you're on. Although not easy to anger directly, it's the agent's unstoppable combat prowess and grim determination that adds to his ability to hunt down and destroy anyone who crosses him or his employer. Because he demands a lot and returns little, putting him in charge of a team may sound rash at first, but in the end his latent leadership skills may turn the tide.
Attributes - (St) Strength - (En) Endurance - (Ms) Mass - (Re) Reflexes - (Ag) Agility - (Dx) Dexterity - (In) Intelligence - (Ch) Charisma - (Pe) Perception - (De) Determination 9 7 7 [10] 6 [11] 6 2 6 2 6 [7] 9 Skills Primitive Ranged Weapons (F) Small Arms Heavy Weapons Energy Weapons (F) Unarmed Melee Combat Armed Melee Combat Throwing Weapons Stealth & Sneaking Thievery & Trickery Lock Picking Disarm & Set Traps Applied Science First Aid Advanced Medical Applications Humanitarian Science Engineering & Repair Craftsmanship Interface Oratory Leadership Housekeeping Hostile Environment Survival Motorcycle Wheeled Vehicle Hovercraft Fixed-Wing Aircraft Spacecraft Watercraft Tracked Vehicle Powered Exoskeleton 32% 36 {96}% 11% 21% 54 (69) {89}% 39 (54)% 35% 18% 15% 8% 11% 34 (29)% 24% 24 (19)% 38 (33)% 19% 29% 20 (15)% 14 (9)% 20 {68}% 31% 64% 35% 33% 28% 18% 17% 28% 33% 60%

Vitality Points: 53 Pain Tolerance: 28 Exhaustion Tolerance: 20 Sequential Score: 35 + 2D10


Traits: Fearless (-9), Hard-Boiled (-10), Vindictive (+2), Marked (+1), Ruffian (0) Equipment: Motorcycle Suit, Concealable Ballistic Vest, Kevlar-Lined Dustcoat, .44 Magnum Constrictor Revolver (with holster and 4 reloads), Flashbang, PDA, Commlink, Handcuffs Biomods: Bone Lacing (+23%), Cerebral Reflex Enhancer (+63%), Cybernetic Eyes (+18%)

165

Dr. Grnholm began her promising career in Pathology and Human Genetics research in her home country of Sweden. Omega picked her up due to her excellent credentials and the known fact that she had an actual extraterrestrial encounter before. She has been interested and active in hard-fact Xenobiology and paranormal research since then. Her first assignment with Omega was research work in a major, North African base, which she left (240 BPs) due to differences with a member of the military staff. Nonetheless Dr. Grnholm is a capable team player and integrated well into her new field of work, having been recently promoted to Senior Field Scientist, and signed on for escort duties with various recon, intervention and retrieval groups. Keeping in mind that she has no augmentations, she's in good physical shape and can keep up with most rookies in the field, but her combat skills are somewhat lacking. Her usefulness in combat situations is nonetheless excellent, since her qualifications allow her to perform the same tasks as a capable medic. Dr. Grnholm appears laconic from time to time, and she doesn't seem to take safety protocols very seriously. Nevertheless, she never endangers a teammate, neither by her actions or lack thereof. Even if she appears incautious sometimes, her plans usually work out. It is pretty clear that Dr. Grnholm is highly intelligent, but doesn't opt for making that all too obvious, knowing that smart women were never too popular in a society that is still largely dominated by men. Although she certainly knows her way around people and sometimes manipulates them to achieve her goals (after all, she has the looks and knows how to use them), she becomes quite caring and protective over her co-workers, 166 especially with rookies.

Name: Dr. Ingrid Grnholm Handle: Rank: Field Scientist Nationality: Swedish Age: 36 Height: 6' 0" Weight: 129 lb

Playing Style: The Work of Art


The Work of Art is more than a woman with class, charms and stunningly good looks. She is also a full-fledged doctor and recognized member of the scientific community. While her main qualifications make her a healer and researcher, she has learned to use her other qualities to her advantage. Nevertheless, she doesn't give in to the vices offered by this power, but channels her efforts into the fight for humanity's safety rather than personal gain. Not easily impressed by machismo and never intimidated by mysogynistic attempts at her pride, she still regards herself as a woman in a mature and unwound fashion - unlike most other purebred scientists, she certainly knows to enjoy herself and avoids acting all high and dignified, unless the situation requires it. When it comes down to combat, she will do anything necessary to save her associates, but still loathes and avoids violence at heart. Although she manages to keep her professional confidence throughout critical situations, there are still some things out there that will scare her to a point where she's unable to go on.
Attributes - (St) Strength - (En) Endurance - (Ms) Mass - (Re) Reflexes - (Ag) Agility - (Dx) Dexterity - (In) Intelligence - (Ch) Charisma - (Pe) Perception - (De) Determination 3 5 4 4 6 9 8 7 3 4 Skills Primitive Ranged Weapons Small Arms Heavy Weapons Energy Weapons Unarmed Melee Combat Armed Melee Combat Throwing Weapons Stealth & Sneaking Thievery & Trickery Lock Picking Disarm & Set Traps (F) Applied Science (F) First Aid Advanced Medical Applications Humanitarian Science Engineering & Repair Craftsmanship Interface Oratory Leadership Housekeeping Hostile Environment Survival Motorcycle Wheeled Vehicle Hovercraft Fixed-Wing Aircraft Spacecraft Watercraft Tracked Vehicle Powered Exoskeleton 28% 25% 4% 20% 37% 32% 31% 14% 31% 17% 18% 52 (67) {97}% 45 {75}% 33 {93}% 44 (59)% 30% 43% 22 {32}% 24 (34) {74}% 30% 33 {61}% 53% 17% 22% 17% 7% 9% 23% 22% 49%

Vitality Points: 32 Pain Tolerance: 6 Exhaustion Tolerance: 7 Sequential Score: 17 + 1D10


Traits: Educated (-10), Attractiveness (-10), Pacifist (+3), Phobia (Darkness, +2) Equipment: 9mm Hornet (NEVER used, with Holster and 2 reloads), Uniform Overall, HUD Goggles, Breathing Mask, Field Ration, Multi-Scanner, Binoculars, Magnesium Flare, Camera, Recorder, Commlink, PDA

167

Gneiss is what some people would call a criminal mastermind. Former internet/terranet super hacker and electronic/mechanical engineering genius who has worked for a handful of international syndicates (along with some government work under anonymous handles), he also likes to blow stuff up with explosives and general acts of sabotage. When drunk enough, he claims to be the world's first UNIP user. In fact, he became so notorious in his day that he got himself an entry in the top-10 list of (240 BPs) the world's most wanted cyber-criminals. That's exactly when he started drinking and doing drugs, getting sloppy in the process. After being finally caught, Interpol realized that they had to put him away for good because of all the sensitive state secrets he knew, including the purpose of Omega and the upcoming alien threat. That's when Omega came in. Conducting some heavy negotiations, it all came down to a non-disclosure agreement that bound his services to Omega. He received a simple, but extremely well paying job within the organization, agreeing to put all of his accumulated knowledge about classified matters in the services of Omega, while being allowed to pursue his obsessive information-gathering. Personality-wise, Gneiss is a little pest, pure and simple, and one with a poor sense of personal hygiene at that. He usually gives the impression to hate humanity itself, loves money, porn and watching random acts of senseless violence. In any case, Gneiss doesn't do drugs anymore these days. He is clean (not to be taken literally), mean and very capable at what he does, although his freakish ways and really bad attitude may still cause conflicts with his co-workers.

Name: Hermann Gneiss Handle: Gremlins Rank: Engineer Nationality: German Age: 42 Height: 3' 1.5" Weight: 57 lb

168

Playing Style: The Cockroach


Playing a character like Gneiss can be a lot of fun, especially if a player is used to playing typical heroic RPG characters all the time. This character is small, mean and ugly, but he has also skills that make him dangerous at the same time, although not in a direct, physical sense. Being extremely weak on the physical side, the "Cockroach" relies entirely on his wits and gadgets when fighting an enemy. Naturally, working with Omega has its upsides, since there are lots of big, stupid grunts to do the dirty work and protect him from the people he might have pissed off in the process of fulfilling his duties. In his spare time, the Cockroach's actions are driven mostly by greed, paranoia and anger, so he's never good company. In fact, he is considered one of the biggest (or rather: smallest) assholes in the ranks of Omega, yet his abilities make him invaluable for the cause. When roleplaying such a character, always use the right amount of foul language and ill temper - In the end, however, make sure to get the job done right, because if he would lose his reputation of reliability, he loses everything he has left in this world.
Attributes - (St) Strength - (En) Endurance - (Ms) Mass - (Re) Reflexes - (Ag) Agility - (Dx) Dexterity - (In) Intelligence - (Ch) Charisma - (Pe) Perception - (De) Determination 1 4 1 5 6 (3) 10 10 1 4 5 Skills Primitive Ranged Weapons Small Arms Heavy Weapons Energy Weapons Unarmed Melee Combat Armed Melee Combat Throwing Weapons Stealth & Sneaking Thievery & Trickery Lock Picking Disarm & Set Traps Applied Science First Aid Advanced Medical Applications Humanitarian Science Engineering & Repair Craftsmanship Interface Oratory Leadership Housekeeping Hostile Environment Survival Motorcycle Wheeled Vehicle Hovercraft Fixed-Wing Aircraft Spacecraft Watercraft Tracked Vehicle Powered Exoskeleton 29% 25% 4% 20% 36% 31% 30% 12 {32}% 35 {55}% 20 {65}% 22 {71}% 50 {75}% 40% 40% 50% 35 {99}% 45% 27 {100}% 14% 13% 35% 54% 17% 24% 19% 9% 12% 24% 24% 45%

Vitality Points: 25 Pain Tolerance: 5 Exhaustion Tolerance: 6 Sequential Score: 17 + 1D10


Traits: Dwarfism (+5), Rude (+6), Jinxed! (0) Equipment: Uniform Overall, PDA, Camera, MultiScanner, Plasma Torch, Power Tool, Toolset Biomods: UNIP (+47%)

169

Kevin V. "Brigadier" Grant ("Brigs" for short) had a rather short, but fruitful textbook career within the USArmy, acquiring his skills in heavy weapon support, tactical infantry warfare and an impressive physique through daily training - after being promoted to sergeant, young K.V. Grant realized that freelancing offered much more opportunities, and since he always had been good at organizing things, he thought about assembling his own squad of soldiers of fortune. During one of his first freelance missions, where he (240 BPs) and a small task force of mercenaries where supposed to capture a lesser-known Russian terrorist leader in Siberia, their targets turned out to be much more than met the eye. Grant, never having believed in aliens or the paranormal, had tossed all stories, tales and reports about them into the bullshit basket till then. That definitely changed after the incident. Consequently, he tried reaching the organization that dealt - so he had heard - with such matters. After weeks of insisting, Omega finally answered, offering him an interview for a long-term contract. For Brigs, if there ever was such a thing as a just cause for waging war, this had to be it. Brigs excels at using heavy weapons, such as machineguns, rocket launchers and cannons. Personality-wise, Brigs is of a very composed temper, which he may loose only if provoked long enough. Things he absolutely doesn't stand are loud-mouths, messiness and lack of responsibility. Always trying to take a maximum of responsibility, he is an absolute team player and has a strong sense of justice. A special quirk of his is an old leather football that he needs to hold in his hand in order to calm down after a mission or fight. Brigs is being currently transferred to Europe, where he is to perform the duties of a 170 quartermaster prior to being assigned to a strike team.

Name: Kevin V. Grant Handle: Brigadier / Brigs Rank: Weapons Specialist Nationality: American Age: 32 Height: 7' 0.4" Weight: 312 lb

Playing Style: The Heavy


The Heavy is a rock-solid character, speaking both physically and socially. Not exactly subtle, but steady and reliable, the Heavy is the main damage dealer in combat. Thanks to his high Strength and Endurace, he is also capable of withstanding a raw amount of damage through the use of heavy armor. Although being a character profiled entirely on combat, one can still play the Heavy as the charming ladies' man rather than just a hulking uber-grunt. While he is a big person in every sense, the Heavy also has a big heart and will quickly accept sympathetic team members as his new family. His responsible and sensible nature might sometimes turn him into the fall guy for his associates' recklessness, but there's little in this world that can bother him for more than a moment - except if it is someone messing with his equipment. Unfortunately, being always on the front line and the man with the biggest stick around makes him the main target for every baddie on the battlefield, paying tribute to the old chlich of "the black dude dies (or at least gets shot up pretty bad) first".
Attributes - (St) Strength - (En) Endurance - (Ms) Mass - (Re) Reflexes - (Ag) Agility - (Dx) Dexterity - (In) Intelligence - (Ch) Charisma - (Pe) Perception - (De) Determination 9 (11) 8 [11] 10 (12) 6 5 2 5 5 4 5 Skills Primitive Ranged Weapons Small Arms (F) Heavy Weapons Energy Weapons Unarmed Melee Combat Armed Melee Combat Throwing Weapons Stealth & Sneaking Thievery & Trickery Lock Picking Disarm & Set Traps Applied Science First Aid Advanced Medical Applications Humanitarian Science Engineering & Repair Craftsmanship Interface Oratory Leadership Housekeeping Hostile Environment Survival Equipment: Akagi Type 36 R-SAW (with 1 reload), Combat Knife, 2 Hand Grenades (Frag), Combat Helmet, Field Ration, Uniform Overall, Plate Carrier, Commlink Biomods: Biotech Heart (+20%) Motorcycle Wheeled Vehicle Hovercraft Fixed-Wing Aircraft Spacecraft Watercraft Tracked Vehicle Powered Exoskeleton 30% 22 {45}% 19 {83}% 17 {50}% 38 {50}% 33% 31 {61}% 14% 14% 7% 9% 30% 22% 21% 35% 17 {35}% 29% 17% 17% 25% 30% 52% 21% 25% 20% 10% 10% 25% 25% 50%

Vitality Points: 61 Pain Tolerance: 11 Exhaustion Tolerance: 13 Sequential Score: 21 + 1D10


Traits: Herculean Physique (-10)

171

172

Lia, as sixteen-year old Four is called by her clone sisters, is the first non-human to be allowed into the services of Omega. Being from a newer XG "series", she has experienced less tests and experiments and was allowed to grow up in somewhat improved conditions. The fact that she was born to a human surrogate mother, however, is still unknown to her. Like with all Children of Mu, Lia's athletic capabilities are off the Olympic scale, and her particular interests lie in (210 BPs) ancient martial arts. During combat training, she picks up on tactics and techniques faster than most recruits, and will outclass instructors in close quarters combat by default. Apart from the Children's inherently developed sense for personal hygiene, however, Lia doesn't seem to be a very organized or disciplined person. As soldier material, her outstanding physical capabilities and strong confidence in them make up for that, however. Personality-wise, Lia is as alien as it gets. Although she reacts appropriately to authority, she has trouble connecting with other rookies, which may be party due her highly dynamic, physical nature and the fact that she doesn't quite yet grasp basic social concepts such as property and personal space. Instinctively distrustful of strangers, Lia's lack of experience in interacting with humans is obvious most of the time. Because her limited schooling took place in Japan and now she finds herself in Europe, her rather poor knowledge of human customs is aggravated by culture shock. Lia is quite literate in Japanese, but still needs to improve her English. Currently, she is assigned to a regular recruit training program, while being closely observed to help decide if her species is to be granted human rights.

Name: XG-31-4 Handle: Four / Lia Rank: Recruit Nationality: none Age: 16 Height: 5' 5" Weight: 106 lb

Playing Style: The Experiment


The Experiment is an alien/human hybrid creature that grew up in a laboratory. Roleplaying her requires to make abstraction of all values and standards given in regular human society. While her thinking is highly logical and practical, her severe lack of common sense is likely to get her into trouble all the time. Emphasize on her alien nature with everything she does and says. If played right, she is likely to become an unstoppable force in combat. Use her impressive sequential score to rack up those evasive actions, and she'll probably dodge anything the enemy manages to launch at her. Along with her natural talents and cat reflexes, melee combat is a breeze, since she'll be able to launch counter attacks on most enemies before they can even swing at her. Although still very young and the rest of her skills is far from perfect, she has the potential to become a deadly, stealthy CQB expert some day. But there's more to life than becoming the ultimate modern-day ninja assassin. Make sure she suceeds in making some friends along the way as well - which doesn't come easy with her, because she's really something else, and not always in a good way.
Attributes - (St) Strength - (En) Endurance - (Ms) Mass - (Re) Reflexes - (Ag) Agility - (Dx) Dexterity - (In) Intelligence - (Ch) Charisma - (Pe) Perception - (De) Determination 4 (5) 6 3 (2) 8 (13) 9 (18) 7 5 3 10 (12) 5
+2 Species Bonus +5 Species Bonus +5 Species Bonus +2 Species Bonus

Skills Primitive Ranged Weapons Small Arms Heavy Weapons Energy Weapons Unarmed Melee Combat (F) Armed Melee Combat Throwing Weapons (F) Stealth & Sneaking Thievery & Trickery Lock Picking Disarm & Set Traps Applied Science First Aid Advanced Medical Applications Humanitarian Science Engineering & Repair Craftsmanship Interface Oratory Leadership Housekeeping Hostile Environment Survival Motorcycle Wheeled Vehicle Hovercraft Fixed-Wing Aircraft Spacecraft Watercraft Tracked Vehicle Powered Exoskeleton 37% 39 {59}% 14% 34% 52 {72}% 57 {87}% 46% 45 {80}% 24 {44}% 12 {29}% 18% 30% 27% 23% 35% 22% 39% 21% 13% 19% 30% 80% 56% 40% 35% 25% 21% 32% 40% 91%

Vitality Points: 31 Pain Tolerance: 5 Exhaustion Tolerance: 8 Sequential Score: 56 + 2D10


Traits: Highly Flexible (-7), Hot-Tempered (+4), Kleptomania (+5), Graceful (0) Equipment: Kyohaku Model 2020 assault rifle (with sling and 2 reloads), 10X Shuriken, Modern Wakizashi, Ballistic Goggles, Field Ration, Uniform Overall, Tactical Vest

173

Know your Enemies


as well as friends and inbetweens
The O.R.D. Alien Database

Universe, but just the currently known ones (as of the year 2047 A.D.). Mutants, alien experiments and new species developed by the game master to suit the needs of his specific type of game will come as surprises to players who believe to know it all after they have read this material, and are thoroughly recommended. Alien Database entries are structured in a formulaic fashion, starting with the first known contact with the respective alien species, its possible origins, a detailed description and further insight into its biological properties. The second half of an entry deals with the aliens' intelligence, their social structures, motivations and level of technological development. Following the descriptive part are rules for the aliens' special abilities and other properties important in terms of game mechanics. If it is possible, new players shouldn't read the latter in detail, regardless of their character's Securirty Clearance, as it would take away from the novelty effect when their characters encounter the respective species in the flesh for the first time.

Regardless of the emphasis in style of gameplay, be it a suspenseful investigation of strange events, or perhaps full frontal conflict with guns blazing and people dying, alien life forms are normally central plot devices to any adventure taking place in the world of Contact. In the year 2047, alien activity on earth has reached levels that make it increasingly hard to ignore, even among civilians. Although most governments try covering up incidents, it falls more and more into Omega's responsibility to avert an epidemic of fear and distrust that would eventually rip apart the already unstable order of the modern world. Therefore, higher-ranking Omega employees need to be well-informed about possible threats and the exact nature of the enemy, who is, in nine out of ten cases, out of this world. All following data related to extraterrestrial biologic entities (E.B.E.s, along with some non-biological alien entities) requires an Information Clearance level of 1 or better to view. In game terms, only certain characters have full access to it, while others operate on a need-to-know basis, depending on their Security Clearance. This database-style document contains sufficient background information and relevant game mechanics to use any of these alien species in a game of Contact. Note, however, that they are not the only alien species existent in the Contact

174

The Grey
Zeta-Reticulans

First Contact In a sense, human civilization and the Grey Race have been acquainted for quite some time now. The first documented sightings and landings date back to the 19th century, while the Roswell incident in New Mexico represents the most discussed case of an extraterrestrial crash landing in the 20th century, even to this day. Even so, most allegedly authentic contacts have turned out to be fakes, mostly due to the fact that over the years, Reticulans have become the most iconic alien representations in popular culture, tempting young, rebellious subcultures to come up with makeshift stories about encounters, abductions and highly inflated conspiracy theories involving them, their characteristic flying saucer type ships, and the US government. More deranged individuals even founded para-religious movements to worship them (the latter known as UFO cults). Out of the number of alien species that intrude upon our planet lately, the Greys may be the best known, but also the most misconceived one. Origins Although routinely called Reticulans (even officially), this is a name based purely on speculation. The alleged abductee who coined the term Reticulan claimed that it derives from the name of the aliens home world, namely Zeta Reticuli; a binary star system located 39 light years away from earth. This turned out to be a major fraud, but the name stuck in the scientists' minds nonetheless. After all, it sounded more tangible to the scientific community than just Greys or Sectoids, as the creatures are sometimes called in reference to their thin limbs and large eyes, resembling those of an insect. In fact, the origin of the Greys is unknown, just like with most other alien species which have been proved to exist. Their biology and genome, on the other hand, is anything but unknown: Greys and humans share so many anatomical and physiological traits; it automatically discards all theories of independent, parallel evolution on different planets. These findings, however, certified by many autopsies and examinations secretly conducted in the past (by specialized, top secret research groups such as employed by Majestic-12, for example), only keep posing new questions, instead of explaining where they came from. Theories that imply these aliens to be of strictly extraterrestrial origin become less and less viable with every specimen that is recovered or captured. Appearance Reticulans are humanoid, child-sized creatures with a disproportionably large head, rarely standing taller than 4 9. Their facial features include oversized eyeballs, which appear solid black and glossy, small, underdeveloped nostrils without a distinctive nose accompanying them, no auriculae around their ear holes and a weak, narrow jaw which holds 36 small, but sharp teeth. The Greys' skin color is eponymous, being of a light grayish-green hue, while the texture of their shriveled, loose skin feels dry and soft to the touch. It seems to be somewhat thicker and more wrinkled around the joints, and possesses neither hair follicles nor sebaceous glands. Sweat glands exist, but are scarce and underdeveloped. Furthermore, the loose skin is webbed to some extent, especially where their limbs meet their bodies. This is also noticeable between toes and fingers, which are 4 with each hand, and 3 with each foot. Both toes and fingers grow round, blunt nails. As for reproductive organs, there are no clear indications for them on the outside of any specimens body - Externally, 175 this species appears absolutely genderless.

The Greys do not seem to ever wear clothing. All recovered and captured individuals were naked, the latter not being cooperative to wear anything in captivity, pulling out of and discarding any clothes that were forcibly put on them. Physiology While generally unspectacular, Reticulan physiology still poses some unanswered questions: For instance, their reproduction remains as mystery. Most organs and internal structures appear in perfect analogy to a humans, and there is no trace of reproductive organs, with nothing indicating their surgical removal, either. Apart from this peculiarity, however, Grey physiology is nothing special. Members of this species breathe oxygen, have to eat food and drink water to sustain themselves, and exhibit a metabolism that houses only minor differences from a humans. They are warm-blooded and hold a constant body temperature only slightly lower than a humans. As there are no external sexual organs, the Greys digestive and urinary tracts end in a single orifice, which is reminiscent of lower vertebrate anatomy. Their eyes seem to work similar to a humans, regardless of their strong pigmentation (which obscures the iris, pupil and more - otherwise visible - structures), but are more sensitive to low light intensities and therefore better suited for weak lighting conditions. The olfactory regions of the nasal cavity are small and underdeveloped, while the ears seem to function quite well in spite of having no auriculae. Furthermore, an unspecified, additional nucleus of nerve tissue is found in the higher brain, between two large hemispheres. Scientists presume it houses the parapsychological (Psi) abilities of the more dominant specimens among them. Reticulan tissue and blood is green in color due to large concentrations of a mildly toxic pigment called biliverdin, which is also present in human blood cells. While having such quantities of biliverdin in ones bloodstream would almost instantly kill a human being, the Greys seem to be fine with it. In fact, their liver is enormously big in relation to body mass (conditioning the Greys characteristic, bloated stomach), and seems to be highly strained, offering at least one possible (yet incomplete) explanation for the high levels of biliverdin, while its purpose in being so concentrated is still unclear. When it comes to reflexes and motor coordination, Reticulans are quite nimble, yet their physical resilience and muscle strength is inferior to almost any mammal of comparable size. Nevertheless, their organisms seem able to cope with large amounts of radiation. A genetic examination of Reticulan cells yields 42 chromosomes (humans have 46) with an estimated life expectancy of only 4 to 5 years. Their increased radiation sickness resistance seems to arise from a chaperone protein (part of the chromosomes) that has the ability to absorb radiation, protecting the DNA in its midst. Intellect and Society Out of the large number of individual creatures that have been captured alive, a majority appears to be little more than slaving drones, devoid of personality or

176

creativity, exhibiting intellects only slightly above animal level. Although trained to utilize advanced weapons and equipment, an average Reticulan servitor is use- and helpless by himself. Communication amongst servitors is accomplished through a number of lowfrequency grunts and snorts produced by their large larynxes (barely detectable with human ears). On the other hand, a handful of specimens show extraordinary intelligence and skills. These few special ones have been designated as leaders, and seem to be able to exert some kind of telepathic control over their subordinates. In captivity, they also have a limited learning ability for human languages, which is greatly hampered by their lack of appropriate vocal cords, making their uttered phrases barely intelligible. Both leaders and servitors, however, dont survive long when isolated from each other. Other than that, Reticulan society - if there is such a thing - remains a mystery. These Sectoids are rather believed to be some kind of bio-engineered species, a theory that is greatly enforced by their extremely short life span (from our point of view) and lack of natural reproductive abilities. Technology It is very clear that Reticulans use technology that is centuries ahead of ours: Slim, discshaped craft with energy sources beyond mankinds understanding that move with equal ease through air and water, have the ability to appear and disappear at will, and surpass the maneuverability of any flying object made by man, directed energy weapons of minimal size, but high lethality, and lots of other unconceivably advanced equipment. Every single artifact recovered from Reticulan UFOs sheds a bit of new light on the possibilities their technology offers. Although storage capacity on board of most Reticulan ships is very limited, the plethora of tools and presumably scientific devices found in it (along with reports from abductees) indicate that the Greys conduct various scientific experiments. It is still unclear, however, if this kind of technology is of their own making, or just inherited from another, more advanced species. Agenda There have been many confirmed abductions conducted by Reticulans in the past. The experiments and humiliating examinations performed on abductees, along with animal killings and mutilations (especially on cattle), indicate that the Greys are some kind of explorers, eager for knowledge. They dont seem to be exactly interested in communicating with humans, however, while it is out of the question that their ways of obtaining that knowledge are self-serving and heedless, which leads to the assumption that they are hostile at core. Still somewhat disputed, this assessment usually means they are to be encountered with deadly force and extreme prejudice. Their true purposes behind trespassing in human territory remain, however, largely open to discussion. Powers and Abilities

Low Light Vision - Is permanent and grants the Greys the same advantages as Low Light Night Vision Filters, along with setbacks. All Greys have this power. Radiation & Toxin Resistance - Halves down all effects of toxins and radiation. This power is found with all Greys. Psi Powers - Only Leaders have them. The usual powers for a standard Grey Leader are: Telepathy, Mind Probe, Illusion, Terror, Daze and Mind Control.

Greys use humanoid Hit Locations and Crippling effects. When used as enemies, they have Skill sets similar to NPCs. This Species is affected by Shock per standard rules.

177

The Shapeless
Xenoplasms

First Contact In retrospect, it is pretty clear the Xenoplasm came to earth with a meteorite as its carrier - namely the large, Australian one called Harrigan. When it impacted with the outback wilderness in 2035, causing a blast and shock wave comparable to the Tunguska Event of 1908, it was classified as a natural disaster, not an alien contact. A few months later, the meteorite impact was suspected of having something to do with a phenomenon that affected the wilderness, along with fertile farmland, in the vicinity of the crater: Plant life was being progressively extinguished and animal life driven away. In fact, barren wasteland started spreading out concentrically from the crater. Most experts agree with the assumption that an early stage of the Xenoplasm consumed all present, immobile biomass for its own growth. Its dispersal was successfully halted by burning a safety zone into the surrounding area. Today, there is a small, lifeless desert surrounding the remains of the meteorite, measuring roughly 160 miles across. Recovered fragments of live alien biomass are in possession of Omega and have continuously evolved since then. Although the initial infestation is considered confined, new specimens still keep turning up all over the planet. They never pose more than a nuisance, however, since they can be easily baited with a number of attractants in order to be contained, and destroying them is much easier than expected. Origins While communication with evolved, individualized Xenoplasms has proven fruitful, the origin of this unique alien life form remains still unknown. With the specimens representing little more than hyper-evolving, organic ooze, they unfortunately cant remember anything about their home world, except for what is hard-coded into their otherworldly genetics (which is, in fact, very little, as most of their molecular structure is in a constant shift). It is highly improbable the Xenoplasm originates from our own solar system, as it may have crossed whole galaxies in its frozen state within the meteorite. Appearance The Xenoplasm is an alien entity that is described as an amorphous, adaptive, hyperevolving carbon-based life form by modern day xenobiologists. In its default form it appears as a lump of stringy, brightly pink colored, translucent ooze that has the capability of changing its shape and even consistency in mere seconds. When allowed to digest and assimilate any type of bio-matter found on earth, including small animals which would normally be able to flee, the Xenoplasm grows and learns new, useful ways of altering its shape and consistency. Within hours, for example, it gains the ability to manipulate objects with appendages momentarily grown for such purposes. When active and on the move, larger Xenoplasm specimens appear as writhing bundles of countless pseudo-tentacles. Even in advanced stages of evolution, the life form doesnt seem to grow any permanent, visibly organized structures (especially notable in the lack of eyes or other sensory organs), however it sometimes exhibits photo-electrical discharges (pulsing lights on appendages) or uses enclosed bubbles of air to generate sound. Although no specific sensory organs seem to exist, the life form is very obviously aware of its surroundings. Considering the currently known stages of evolution this life form has attained, it cannot be declared an organism per definition, because of its persistent lack of organs. Xenoplasm specimens cannot survive if reduced to a weight below roughly half a pound. Such small specimens break down and die within minutes. If allowed to grow, a Xenoplasm can reach net weights up to several metric tons, which doesnt usually incur, since it tends to reproduce by division, resulting in multiple, independent specimens. 178

Physiology The Xenoplasms body substance is made up of 98% water (although the life form seems to prefer deuterium dioxide - heavy water - and swaps its current water content when large quantities of heavy water become available) and a number of complex, evershifting, colloidal macromolecules that share some properties with higher organisms proteins. The similarities, however, end with their carbon-based structure and a few incorporated amino acids. These macromolecules versatility and the Xenoplasms inherent learning abilities are based on very complex, biochemical informationprocessing and expressing procedures, which are still being researched to the present day. Without going into too much detail, it can be stated that this alien life form functions as an adaptive, bio-organic computer, while the same, incredibly complex compounds responsible for information processing also double as the creatures means to physically interact with its surroundings. Although much more complicated and not really comparable to proteins, these compounds have been dubbed Proteinoids (which implies they are protein-like) by xenobiologists. While Xenoplasm evolution is dazzlingly fast, so seems to be its occasional regression. When exposed to danger, specimens flee by liquefying their bodies, which allows them to seep away into the ground. The liquefaction process seems to be an enzymatic reaction that effectively breaks down the colloidal Proteinoid to soluble fragments. When the specimen reconstructs itself later, it does that on a slightly lower evolutionary level. This effect gets more severe with each immediate, consecutive liquefaction, or if the reconstruction process is interrupted.

Being amorphous and gelatinous in its physical nature, it is understandable that Xenoplasm specimens are virtually impervious to most forms of mechanical damage. Even splitting a specimen in half doesnt leave any notable damage, as the resulting pieces can simply merge back together, and exposing it to vacuum

179

or high pressures doesnt seem to do it any harm, either. Temperature variations, on the other hand, can be fatal to this alien life form. When frozen, its Proteinoid suffers somewhat from ice crystallization (doesnt apply if it is shock frosted), with effects similar to a prolonged liquefaction, while high heat boils off its moisture component and denaturizes the Proteinoid, effectively killing the creature. The same phenomenon has also been observed when a specimen becomes exposed to strong, electrical currents. Given there are no such events killing it, it is strongly assumed that Xenoplasm possesses indefinite life expectancy. Intellect and Society When Xenoplasms start thriving in the vicinity of human beings (being kept in labs for research), their constant evolution seems take a very surprising route: They begin reacting to human emotions, later even to articulated speech. At some point, every Xenoplasm that has lived in direct contact with humans achieves self-awareness and the ability to communicate effectively. This can take as long as months, but sometimes only mere weeks; in any case the result is an astounding alien intelligence: Unrefined, awkward and overly emotional at first, evolved Xenoplasm specimens quickly learn earth languages, customs, habits and even proper form, while still remaining bubbling heaps of ooze, physically speaking. The biologic mechanisms by which Xenoplasms attain intelligence and sentience - or the means by which an amorphous mass of alien macromolecules and water learns to understand human motives - still have to be looked into. Some experts would even go as far as to suspect the existence of a parapsychological link between evolving specimens and humans, while others completely refuse to acknowledge the life forms sentience, possibly because of the inherent ethical and philosophical implications. After achieving full sentience and human-level intellects, Xenoplasms seem to halt their biochemical evolution, but keep improving their intellectual abilities similar to human minds - by learning and reasoning. It seems as if these aliens cannot hyper-evolve their intelligence beyond the species they are attended by, but keep learning at normal rates from there on. Another remarkable fact about evolved, individualized specimens is their personality, or rather the circumstance that they have such a thing. Such individuals refuse merging with other specimens, regardless if the latter have already become sentient or not. They sometimes even argue with one another, using human language and almost human behavioral patterns. Technology The Xenoplasm doesnt appear to possess any kind of technology. A few years back, however, Omega scientists began developing a type of artificial, humanoid body to host sentient Xenoplasm specimens, enabling them to interact with humans on a level more adequate to their intellects. This fusion of robotic vessel and Xenoplasm has been dubbed Xenoborg, playing at the fact that it is indeed a partially extraterrestrial cyborg. Agenda As with the other particular species that came to be on earth, whether the Xenoplasms possess another agenda than survival is still open for discussion. From what has been learned by observation of evolved specimens, it became quite obvious that this sentient, amorphous life form is friendly to humans, even considers them models for what it strives to become. Primordial Xenoplasm, however, while not a high-level threat by itself, still poses some dangers to earth wilderness, as its only motivation consists of consuming biologic matter in order to grow.

180

Liquefaction - When hassled, any Xenoplasm specimen can choose to turn liquid, being soaked up by the ground and therefore out of harms way (in most cases). This process uses up a number of Action Points equal to DOUBLE the specimens Mass Attribute. While in broken down state, the creature is unconscious and has no control of the flowing direction of its body. Reorganization starts taking place after 1D10 minutes, over a duration of roughly 1 minute. If interrupted by an attack, the now half-conscious Xenoplasm is likely to liquefy itself again (choosing it deliberately, or determined by a 50% dice roll), but loses 1 point from Mass (and therefore from all other Attributes) as a consequence. This can happen as many times as the creature has Mass Attribute points minus one, since reducing a Xenoplasms Mass Attribute to zero would kill it. Engulf & Digest - This power is the Xenoplasms way of growing and sustaining itself. Any conceivable biological matter found on earth, let it be simple bacteria, higher plants or even meat, can be assimilated by roaming Xenoplasm specimens. While digestion works very slowly and the crawling alien entitys ooze body is not best suited for hunting, some still consider non-sentient Xenoplasm dangerous to humans. This would only be true in cases where a person isnt aware of being digested (while being unconscious, for example), as the creatures Proteinoid can be easily wiped off, normally. In order to increase its Mass Attribute by one point, a Xenoplasm needs to assimilate approximately ten times its weight in biological matter. When enough food is present, this takes a number of hours equal to its current Mass Attribute. Starting with a Mass Attribute of 3, a Xenoplasm specimen has the possibility to become sentient. To do so, it must have gained at least 2 points of that Mass in the immediate vicinity of a sentient species, excluding its own. Parapsychological Prowess - While still somewhat susceptible to parapsychological mind powers such as exhibited by certain alien species, Xenoplasms possess a higher resistance to them than humans. For purposes of being targeted by Psi-powers only, double a Xenoplasms Determination Attribute. Additionally, a Xenoplasms Psi Ability Skill is automatically doubled after being initially determined. Xenoplasms and Damage - While their colloidal nature grants them immunity against most mechanical Damage types (Ballistic, Edged, Blunt), Cold and Heat Damage will still affect a Xenoplasms gelatinous body. When receiving Cold Damage (C), apply all of its points as Fatigue. When Fatigue from Cold Damage gets high enough to render the creature unconscious, it is frozen solid and automatically loses one point from its Mass Attribute. If allowed to melt, the creature will reduce its fatigue at about 1 point per minute, or even faster if gently heated. Damage from redhot surfaces, flames or heat-based energy weapons however, is outright lethal to the alien ooze: Effectively double any Heat Damage (H) suffered by the Xenoplasm. As for Explosive Damage (E), it only poses a danger to Xenoplasms if the blast manages to split the creature into bits too small to sustain themselves. As a rule of thumb use: Explosive Damage equal to or higher than 15 times a Xenoplasm specimens Mass Attribute results in an instant kill, while lower damage is likely to scatter some larger chunks over the blast radius. In that case, the game master should subtract some Action Points from the creatures Sequential Score, as it needs to pull itself back together. Most toxic compounds (Toxic Damage) affect Xenoplasms normally. Diseases, such as caused by viral or bacteriological agents, usually show no effect at all. Damage or Fatigue Shock rules do not apply to Xenoplasm. Xenoplasm Attacks - While unable to wield weapons without a Xenoborg body, a Xenoplasm can lash out with its tentacle-like appendages. Treat this as a regular, unarmed melee attack.

Powers and Abilities

Note that Xenoplasms do not suffer Shock from damage or fatigue. Their only movement rate is Crawling. They do not possess Hit Locations, and cannot Parry, Counter attack or use Evasive Actions. When damaged by heat, they can heal one point of Damage per hour ONLY if enough nourishment and moisture are available.

181

The Hungry
Silicoids

First Contact In 2043, Dr. Akira Tashikawa, an astrophysicist at the University of Tokyo, discovered a celestial body that was first believed to be a comet heading for our solar system. Due to its low estimated density, it was later dubbed Tashikawa-Cluster. At first, nobody suspected the Cluster to be some kind of living entity. That changed as soon as it began to alter its trajectory radically, obviously homing in for earth. Were it not for the collaboration of NASA and the US military, it would have collided with our planet in 2047. Instead of being destroyed, however, it was only deviated into a seemingly stable orbit around earth. While a greater disaster appears to have been averted, small pieces from the remaining Cluster keep splitting off periodically, entering earths atmosphere. When the crash sites of such meteoroids are investigated, there is only little more to be found than craters. In fact, pieces of the Tashikawa Cluster have turned out to be very much alive, and nothing like we have ever encountered before. Origins Spectrometric data indicates the silicon-based organisms of the Cluster could originate from Gliese 581c, which is an earth-like planet roughly twenty light years away from our own (a rather small distance, on a cosmic scale). Taking into consideration that Gliese 581c is only one of many possible extrasolar planets that may or may not harbor alien life in our galaxy, and hundreds of others are still to be analyzed, this assumption has to be discarded as a mere guess, leaving us once more with nothing. Appearance Silicoids vaguely resemble local arachnids and insects, as their bodies are protected by a sturdy, jointed exoskeleton. This highly effective armor, colored in hues from pale orange to rust-red, is made up of 18-24 segments on the back, and 10-16 on the underside of the elongated body. Six spider-like legs sprout out from between topand underside segments right behind the section that would classify as a head on most higher organisms indigenous to earth. This foremost section of the beast exhibits a pair of sharply serrated exoskeleton jaws, and a couple of apertures and structures that probably function as sensory organs, the largest of them being a single, bulging orb underneath the lower jaw. Six smaller apertures are located on the back, one pair on each segment where a pair of legs meets the body. The equally armored tail is usually curved forwards, so its end nozzle aims to the front. Initially, after crashing down to earth curled up as balls, but without any traceable protective hull, Silicoids are small, scurrying creatures, rarely larger than a house cat. Still, this form doesnt classify as a larval stage, as it already possesses the same appearance of adult specimens, along with their inherent aggressiveness. Burn marks, larger craters and scraps of exo-skeletal armor found at ground zero hint at the fact that not all specimens survive their hazardous descent through our planets atmosphere, especially if impacting with sturdy surfaces, like hard rocks or concrete. As they grow extremely fast, Silicoids are encountered in various sizes, ranging from the aforementioned babies to truly giant ones. The largest Silicoid specimen ever encountered on earth was the size of a school bus and had to 182 be exterminated with tank shells, because small arms fire didnt even bother it.

Usually encountered in packs of three to three dozens, its noteworthy that such a group always consists of specimens that are of roughly equal size. Physiology Although Silicoid encounters are most frequent lately, it wasnt yet possible to take a satisfying look into their physiology. In fact, capturing a live Silicoid specimen proves outright impossible due to its ability to deliberately detonate itself. Information gathered by studying blasted remains indicates that this siliconbased life form is not only highly volatile when cornered or wounded, but also uses its digestive tract as a weapon: Silicoid droppings happen to be highly corrosive and toxic, and the creatures possess the lethal ability of spraying them out of their tail nozzles. This behavior is used mainly as a hunting technique, hurting and immobilizing a target before moving in for the kill. It is never used defensively, as Silicoids do not seem to understand the concept of retreat, but always attack head-on, no matter what they are facing. When exposed to air or water, a Silicoids internal visceral juices and tissues appear to become highly unstable. Wounded specimens never survive for long, apparently lacking any regenerative abilities in earths atmosphere. When large surfaces of its innards become exposed by a massive blow, a chemical chain reaction releases vast amounts of energy, causing an immensely destructive detonation of the Silicoids body, sending armor shrapnel and burning, toxic bits flying in all directions. The same dangerous phenomenon takes place as soon as the creature is killed by other means, or if somebody tries immobilizing it. Silicoids seem to be purely carnivorous, although this may be rooted in instinctive behavior rather than their dietary requirements: They always prefer moving prey, and would ignore carrion or any vegetal form of life. Also, several reports indicate they also need to ingest moderate amounts of sandy soil in order to grow in size. Their armor, which grows with them instead of being cast off to make room for a new one, as with terrestrial arthropods, is extremely resistant to heat. While very dense and impervious to most other types of damage as well, it seems to be chemically related to mineral fibers known as asbestos. On all accounts, the Silicoids organisms are best suited for hunting and killing, which, along with their inherent tendency to blow themselves - and anything in their vicinity - to bits when bested, poses some serious problems when defending against them. Intellect and Society So far there have been no reports of Silicoids communicating with each other, or with anyone, for that matter. Their behavior is throughout mindlessly aggressive, while they have been observed to cannibalize smaller individuals of their own species on several occasions. Furthermore, none of the Silicoids encountered on earth exhibited any reproductive abilities. Technology Silicoids are apparently mindless and do not use technology. However, experts keep arguing about their status as a species - Silicoids do not seem to respect the requirements for that, either. They do not procreate, show no instincts of self-preservation and would kill each other if there was no other prey. Suspicions have risen that these creatures themselves must be some type of biologic weapon technology, unleashed on our planet by unknown forces. Agenda Since all encountered Silicoid specimens so far proved to have only one single goal - to kill and devour anything that moves - it is pretty clear that they have to be terminated with extreme prejudice. As for the Tashikawa-Cluster in high orbit, both Omega and US Government scientists are trying to conceive a way to get rid of it. Shooting it with nuclear missiles isnt an option anymore, because at this distance, EMP 183 shockwaves from the explosions would endanger human radio satellites and

earthbound electronics - a risk that cannot be taken in times where functioning global communications are of utmost importance to the human race. Powers and Abilities

Corrosive Squirt - Has a Range Multiplier of 7 and a Scatter of 0.2. Such an attack costs 6 Action Points and the Damage is (Ms) + 2D10 Toxic (T). Note that other Silicoids are immune to these aggressive substances. Self-Destruct - When a Silicoid dies, it explodes on the spot. If the creature is just knocked unconscious or deliberately chooses to blow itself up, the explosion is timed at 2D10 Action Points. Note that these creatures are very, very stupid and wont recognize a hopeless situation unless they become immobilized and unable to attack. Furthermore, it is not likely they will activate self-destruction unless seriously wounded (more Damage suffered than half of Vitality Points). Blast Damage is Explosive (E), and calculated as follows:
Ground Zero [up to 1 yard away] Kill Zone [up to 4 yards away] Periphery [up to 8 yards away] 1/2(Ms) + 1D10 1/4(Ms) + 1D10 -2 1D10 - 4

184

Maul & Bite - Counts as an armed melee attack and causes (St) + 6 Sharp (S) trauma. It costs 5 Action Points. Ramming Attack - Silicoids are fast runners, and sometimes ram into targets with their jaws closed, in an attempt to knock them over. Such an attack costs 7 Action Points and requires them to Dash prior to it. Its Damage is (St) + (Ms) + 2D10* and Blunt (I) trauma. Parapsychological Immunity - Silicoids are not affected by hypnosis or any Psi-based mind powers, such as exhibited by certain other alien races.

Silicoids never perform Evasive Actions. Neither do they Parry incoming melee attacks. They are capable of Counter Attacks, however. Furthermore, Silicoids wont Sneak or Climb, and they are unable to use any gear. They do not suffer Shock from Damage or Fatigue, but are unable to regenerate their bodies, automatically taking an additional point of Damage every hour after being wounded (by Damage, not Fatigue). Silicoid Hit Locations and Crippling effects are very different from humans, therefore requiring custom lookup tables.

Silicoid Hit Locations


Aimed Attack Modifiers (Ranged AND Melee): Main Sensory Orb: -65% (not armored!) Thorax: -5% Any Leg -35% Tail -40%

Lookup Table: Determining Hit Location


Result D100:
1-5 6-50 51-57 58-64 65-70 71-76 77-81 82-87 87-100

Location:
Main Sensory Orb Thorax Right Front Leg Left Front Leg Right Middle Leg Left Middle Leg Right Hind Leg Left Hind Leg Tail

Main Sensory Orb: Crippled after sustaining 20% of total VP Damage Result D100: Effects:
1-25 26-75

76-100

Silicoid DIES and DETONATES on the spot. Silicoid is permanently disoriented and performs Ramming Attacks in random directions Silicoid turns into time bomb! Detonation in 3D10 Action Points

Thorax: Crippled after sustaining 65% of total VP Damage Result D100: Effects:
1-10 11-25 26-65

66-100

Silicoid DIES and DETONATES on the spot. The battered Creature has its movement rates permanently halved down Toxic Juice & Gore splatters over a nearby target! (counts as spraying attack). Silicoid also takes 10 additional Damage points Silicoid suffers an extra 3D10 of Fatigue

Any Leg: Crippled after sustaining 30% of total VP Damage Result D100: Effects:
1-15

16-75 76-100

Leg is severed and sent flying for 1D10 yards in a random direction, exploding on impact! (Ms/10 explosive Damage within a simplified blast radius of 2 yards). Increase AP cost for all movement rates by 1 Leg becomes useless, increase AP cost for all movement rates by one. Creature catches fire and goes berserk. Add +12 Damage at the end of each Combat Sequence

Tail: Crippled after sustaining 20% of total VP Damage Result D100: Effects:
1-25 26-60

61-100

Automatically add 10 Damage. Tail nozzle becomes useless Toxic Juice & Gore splatters over a nearby target! (counts as spraying attack). Silicoid takes 3 additional Damage points Silicoid turns into time bomb! Detonation in 1D10 + 6 Action Points

185

The Cunning
Doppelgngers

First Contact 2043, in the State of Indiana, United States of America: After a couple of odd events taking place in an isolated enclave of Amish (which had peacefully existed for over 70 years), investigating Omega agents reported something that seemed like a strange alien infestation - The enclave-dwellers had changed, stopped showing human emotion when interacting with each other, neglecting their daily work, herding and locking away certain members of their society in makeshift prisons. Later, these prisoners were relieved, showing the same peculiar behavior as the rest. Although they looked exactly the same as before, it was pretty clear that something was not right about them. This is how the Doppelgngers were found out. In a large, covert operation sanctioned by the US Government, Omega cleared out the enclave over night, destroying or removing any piece of evidence that it had ever existed, leaving little more than a blank spot on the map. Although this radical procedure had proven highly efficient in eliminating this particular Doppelgnger threat, the enclaves disappearance raised a lot of eyebrows as soon as snooping media got to the scene, fabricating crazy stories about UFOs abducting the whole village, including buildings, livestock and farmland. The US Government, however, simply kept refusing to acknowledge its existence. Origins Due to the Doppelgngers deceiving nature, theres no real proof for them to be an actual extraterrestrial life form. Their disguises are so elaborate, so flawless; it would not be much of a surprise if they turned out to have lived among humans for millennia. In fact, ones closest friend could be one of them, and theres little chance of noticing, not even when it is too late. The only thing to enforce the belief that the Doppelgnger species originates from another planet is its completely otherworldly biochemistry and apparent lack of affiliation with any order, class or even phylum from earths animal kingdom. Appearance On the surface, any Doppelgnger specimen appears human in every aspect, even down to the smallest detail. When interacted with, the creature makes a somewhat cold, flat personal impression, but still behaves like a regular human being, mimicking emotions to some limited extent. Furthermore, Doppelgngers talk, eat, breathe and pretend to think like humans, they even bleed normally when wounded, and show signs of pain. They also emulate illness, weakness and a believable aging process. While their physical disguise is perfect, their behavior can still spark some suspicion when observed by a trained agent. For instance, Doppelgngers display a heightened sexual appetite even in the most inappropriate situations, and their interest in following particular humans around, especially if the probability to be alone with them is high, is very noticeable. Doppelgngers dont always appear in human shape. Cases of them trying to pass off as various pets or livestock have been heard of. The Doppelgngers true form is believed to be free-morphing, a shape shifting mass of tissues lacking highly organized organs. As soon as the creatures disguise is destroyed or when facing imminent death, this true form breaks out, using various lashing, strangling or piercing appendages to defend itself against the aggressors. At this stage, the Doppelgnger cannot be reasoned with anymore. Physiology When performing autopsies on Doppelgnger corpses, these have to be done quickly. Dead Doppelgngers decompose in a matter minutes, which is a rather

186

messy process that doesnt leave much to examine, save for a heap of organic sludge and a collapsed human shell made of skin, hair and a few tissue residues. While these remains clearly belong to the unlucky human that has been infected by the Doppelgnger, there is not much left of his original body. Xenobiologists believe some kind of fungal organism that lives in symbiotic conjunction with the Doppelgnger to be responsible for the rapid breakdown, releasing vast amounts of digestive enzymes into the creatures body as soon as it has been killed. Attempts of destroying this fungus with hard radiation or chemicals - in order to preserve the corpse - have failed so far. The only possibility of slowing down the decay is freezing the dead creature solid, which is somewhat hampering the dissection as a consequence. On the microscopic level, Doppelgnger physiology utilizes cellular structures, but seems to represent a colony of smaller, shape-shifting, leech-like creatures rather than one single organism, macroscopically. Researching these biological units is still proving difficult because of their inherent cellular instability. Their high content of ammonia is noteworthy, and may lead to further insight into their metabolism. A Doppelgngers means of procreation are simple and parasitic: Posing as a human being, it tries to gain peoples trust and uses intimate situations to inject victims with

a minuscule spawn (which can be formed out of any part of its body, piercing the disguising skin, or exiting through natural orifices). This spawn, the Doppelgnger's offspring, so to speak, then makes its way to the subdural cavity of the skull to assimilate the brain, starting with the higher cortex. After taking control of the hosts actions, it starts expanding downwards, effectively devouring 187 internal organs, bones and muscles save for the skin and some superficial

blood vessels. The remaining human shell seems to be kept alive by the Doppelgnger organism at all costs, acting as the ultimate camouflage. Although not observed yet, the process of taking over the hosts mind is believed to be a matter of hours, while replacing most of the original body isnt likely to take more than a week, judging from the data gathered during the Amish enclave incident of 2043. Since all encountered Doppelgnger specimens possess human-level intelligence and even some access to real-life memories of their hosts, it is suspected that they do not only replace, but also mimic the human brains information storage and processing capabilities during their early, parasitic stage of growth. Methods to expose Doppelgngers for what they are include using trained dogs to sniff out traces of ammonia in their scent, while specific psychological tests are currently being worked on. Intellect and Society Whether the Doppelgnger species itself can be considered intelligent is being heavily debated. Most xenobiologists tend to describe these entities as a consuming sickness, one that changes the host organism in order to suit the propagation of the parasites species. There is very little data about Doppelgnger social structures, if there even is such a thing, since interrogated specimens never admit being anything else than human, pretending to know nothing, even when subjected to the most severe practices of torture. No form of communication other than human language between them has been observed, and it is entirely unknown if they have the capability of recognizing each other (which is being strongly assumed, however). Regardless of their nearly flawless ability in masquerading as members of our society, every single one of them seems to have a breaking point, especially when confronted with its own destruction. When that point is reached, it always brings forth the full extent of their true nature: Screeching, lashing monstrosities that attack anyone in sight, quickly trying to spread their infection for a last time, and then flee into the shadows. Technology Doppelgngers utilize any technology their hosts would have used, and are showing almost the same level of proficiency at it. It is believed that they gather the necessary knowledge and skills by assimilating their victims brain at an early stage of infection. Agenda The Doppelgnger collectives possible goals are a frightening topic and subject to much speculation. It is a confirmed fact that single specimens possess the ability to imitate any person they can infect, allowing them to spread like a wildfire as long as they are not found out. In a worst-case scenario, Doppelgngers could undermine human society quietly, in secrecy and without anyone realizing that its not our leaders, but THEM who hold key power positions, allowing them to destroy mankind in the blink of an eye. Therefore, Doppelgngers are classified as extremely hostile, and are to be persecuted and terminated with extreme prejudice.
Infection - At maturity, any Doppelgnger can infect other humans by direct, unprotected body contact. Implanting the spawn into the host body is usually mildly painful, as it has to penetrate some skin. This process is often concealed with acts of sexual intercourse, so the victim is left unsuspecting. Also, there have been reports of cases where Doppelgngers used drugs or other means to cause unconsciousness in the victim prior to infecting it, minimizing the chance for suspicion. When used in combat, regular Infection takes 9 Action Points and requires full contact with an unarmored skin area on the target. If the target is mobile and capable of fighting back, regular Infection automatically fails. Infection can also be mediated by a Grotesque

Powers and Abilities

188

Assault (a combat ability of this species, see below). This type of Infection would also work on resisting targets, but requires a critical success that causes at least 1 point of (S) Damage to the target. Once implanted with a spawn, the new Doppelgnger takes complete control of the victims brain in 1D10 hours. In order for a victim to be safe without lasting damage, the infection has to be treated immediately with rapid surgery, capturing or killing the spawn before it can begin ravaging the higher cortex of the brain. Grotesque Eruption - Is triggered voluntarily by the creature, or when Damage or Fatigue reach or exceed the number of Vitality Points of the human form. When a Doppelgnger transforms into its combat form, it is a truly terrifying and disgusting sight to behold. Performing the Grotesque Eruption costs the creature merely 9 Action Points. When doing so, it uses its limited shape shifting capabilities to sprout dangerous weapons (articulated claws, tentacles, thorns) out of its main body, breaking open the host shell, which gets violently bent out of shape and eventually cast off. There is no turning back after erupting; re-using the torn human shell is not a viable option for the creature. It still can infect new hosts, however. Grotesque Assault - The Grotesque Assault is the Doppelgngers true form attack. In order to perform it, the Doppelgnger must have transformed first (see Grotesque Eruption). Such an attack is pretty scary to look at, and costs 6 Action Points to perform, doing (ST) + 1D10* Sharp (S) Damage. Note that despite the creatures true form appearing as a mindless, screeching monstrosity lashing out at anybody in sight; it still possesses the same intelligence as before, and is likely to plan its actions on that basis. Parapsychological Immunity - Doppelgngers are not affected by hypnosis or any Psibased mind powers, such as exhibited by certain other alien races. A successful mind-probing however, can reveal the true identity of a Doppelgnger, as the psi-user is confronted with absolute darkness, completely devoid of human emotion.

In intact disguise, Doppelgngers always use human stats with a regular Skill set. If receiving Damage severe enough to kill its mock-human form, the Doppelgnger performs its Grotesque Eruption. The same happens if the disguised creature (violently) suffers enough Fatigue in order to render the human it pretends to be unconscious. If transformed after sustaining damage in human disguise, the damage total carries over, except for crippling effects. Note that the Doppelgngers true form doesnt have Hit Locations, and can be neither crippled, nor does it suffer Shock from Damage or Fatigue, even if it pretended to do so in human form.

189

The Abominable
Raiders

First Contact In 2027, after a massive tsunami had ravaged large stretches of the Japanese East Coast, more than two hundred people, most of them rescue workers helping to evacuate the population, witnessed the landing of a large UFO craft near the small coastal town of Yotsukura. It was being described as a cigar-shaped, organic looking vessel, estimated to measure more than two hundred and fifty yards in length, landing out at sea and submerging shortly thereafter. Having evacuated the remaining civilian population, the Japanese Army sealed off the area and remained waiting at a safe distance. A quickly scheduled, but nonetheless time-consuming video conference involving Japans Prime Minister, the Armys top brass and presidents of Japans closest allies (Including the US) led to the decision to attempt communicating with the intruders, in spite of the US presidents urgent suggestion of destroying them immediately. Unfortunately, the alien vessel had re-emerged before a hastily assembled greeting committee could even embark on its boat, and vanished without a trace. Subsequent investigations indicated that the nearby beach settlement (including a hotel complex, unoccupied by humans, save for a small number that is now unaccounted for) had been looted by no others than the UFOs crew members. In fact, virtually every single manufactured item had been taken, regardless of value by human standards, leaving the buildings practically empty. The Looters also did a poor job in hiding their tracks. Apart from organic residues and a pungent, nauseating stench, some strange artifacts of non-human origin were recovered. These objects, however, are believed to be nothing more than trash: Empty containers for extraterrestrial food and drink rations, leftovers and packing materials. The incident didnt go entirely unnoticed by the media, although Japans military applied every trick in the book to cover it up. As soon as the publics attention started focusing on the area being quarantined for unspecified reasons, the Japanese Government declared the so-called Beach House Looting a farce. The general reception for this declaration was distrust and paranoia, especially with the handful of missing people still not found. As a response, the US Government revealed a new addition to its Navy: A large, nuclear powered submarine with stealth capabilities allegedly maneuvered around the Japanese East Coast for top secret testing purposes at the same time the UFO was sighted. Even so, this didnt explain the still missing civilians, and when terranet hackers dug up solid proof that the mentioned sub craft wasnt even yet operational at that date, general distrust grew again. Altogether, the Beach House Looting is largely considered an obvious contact, and probably one of the most impressive and menacing ones up to date, being the key event to coin the term Alien Terror. Origins There have been numerous visits (or rather: raids) from this alien faction, especially during the last few years. Judging from the number of different specimens that could be killed or captured, the Raider faction comprises more than one species, the three predominant ones being called Spawners, Voltoids and Jabberwocks. Advanced questioning conveyed they originate from a system within the boundaries of the Draco Dwarf, a distant satellite galaxy to the Milky Way. This data, however, is to be viewed skeptically, taking into consideration the strangers overall unwillingness to cooperate. Appearance - Spawners The average Spawner, which is believed to be lower in the chain of command (if there even is such a thing) than the Jabberwocks, stands 7 to 9 feet tall on its snakelike lower body, which ends with a functional pincer on an elongated tail.

190

Weighing in at several hundred pounds up to half a metric ton, the Spawners upper body is dominated by two large, bulging humps and a short, hunched neck supporting a massive skull with a variable number of eye-like organs and thick, wiry antennae. Fleshy, worm-like appendages protrude both from the lower end of the head and the areas that would qualify as armpits on a humanoid torso. The creatures rather short and awkwardly articulated arms end in huge, powerful pincers, capable of doing gruesome crushing and piercing damage in close combat. Spawners are rarely found to wear armor, or any clothing, for that matter, though some individuals with implants and/or artifacts on their bodies have been captured. Most of these objects give the impression to be rather trinkets than useful in nature. A noteworthy peculiarity about Spawners is their skin, its pigmentation ranging from light yellow to the darkest, muddiest hues of olive and green. It feels thick, elastic and is covered in warts, sores and slime, emanating a putrid, nauseating smell, which leads to the assumption that these creatures actually excrete their metabolic wastes through it. This theory is further enforced by the fact that the creature possesses only one body orifice, proved to serve as a mouth for food intake, located at the end of their tail between the claws of the smaller pincer, which is also used to manipulate smaller objects and equipment. Genetic diversity is ample with Spawners, as they appear in varying sizes, colors, some of them even having extra limbs and differently shaped heads, indicating their mutation rate to be quite high. Physiology - Spawner Autopsies performed on Spawner corpses have revealed a surprising amount of useful data. Their cell biochemistry works quite similar to local vertebrate fauna, being based around carbon and using water as an universal solvent, while most discrepancies are found in the way their bodies make use of that metabolism: Although oxygen breathers, Spawners do not possess lungs, but use the whole outer surface of their skin as an oxygen-permeable membrane, which explains their low stamina when performing physical tasks, although, despite having no legs, they can gain impressive speeds over short distances. Spawners possess a flexible skeleton to support their upright stance, while the humps on their backs are actually bladders inflated with hydrogen, adding some minor buoyancy. Lacking teeth in their tail mouth, these carnivores still seem able to swallow large bites, ripped out of prey with 191

their pincers. As mentioned before, secretions that can only be described as fecal in composition are constantly seeping through their skin, especially on their backs, causing their sickening body odor. While several glands that could qualify as functional analogies to the human liver, pancreas and kidneys are present throughout the whole length of the body, the creature lacks any singular structure that would perform the duties of a heart. Instead, all larger blood vessels are constantly pumping, with valves in place to impede backflow. Spawner blood has the looks and consistency of an opaque, brownish emulsion and is almost free of cells, but features gas-binding, semi-soluble fatty compounds instead, along with a large variety of substances toxic to most pathogens, making the creatures impervious to most biological weapons. The creatures very large, elongated brain is evenly distributed between skull and torso, filling out most of the thick, short neck. It is believed to be high-functioning, at least on a level comparable to a dim-witted human. As for senses and communication, their multiple eyes are sensitive only to the infra-red spectrum, which is also used to communicate, their antennae generating their language as sequences of IR flashes. The same antennae seem to incorporate their hearing, while their tactile appendages double as olfactory organs. As long as the brain in their upper body remains intact, Spawner specimens possess extraordinary regenerative abilities, which allow them to heal smaller wounds rapidly, even grow back whole limbs in a matter of hours. Since almost every Spawner specimen autopsied so far contained a large number of eggs (several hundreds) in its body, Xenobiologists expect this life form to reproduce sexually, although no distinctive reproductive organs other than the egg-filled body cavities often, but not always located in the lower abdomen - have been found. The creatures are presumed to exchange genetic material through their smaller, tactile appendages in a hermaphroditic fashion during mating seasons, and then simply grow eggs inside, which hatch upon death of the parent specimen. Attempts of hatching eggs in experimental conditions have been successful to some extent; however the offspring never survived for long. Upon hatching, Spawner larvae are only several inches long and look like thick, soft worms with a pincer at one end. They thrive by consuming their parents rotting corpse, and are believed to live as blood-sucking skin parasites on adult Spawners later on. They have been observed to bite humans as well, although human blood does not seem to meet their dietary requirements. Appearance - Voltoid Voltoids, also called 'freak veggies' by the grunts, are industrious, little creatures about the same size as a human head. Their onion-shaped body is supported by a frock of ten appendages that end with a suction cup each, holding a fist-sized, solid marble in place. Two flexible arms, or rather tentacles, grow out of the top of their body, surrounded by a few dozen smaller appendages that might create the impression of hair on the creatures head. While the arms end in chubby, yet dexterous hands and are well-suited for manipulating objects, the colorful, hair-like agglomeration of tentacles appears useless at first glance. Its noteworthy that the tiny marbles that serve as fingertips, as well as the larger ones they stand on, are just that, part of the aliens bodies and used to 192 scoot about fairly quickly. They can detach these marbles at will. Often, Voltoids

transfer these marbles from one specimen to another in what is believed to be a sign of affection, though recent studies indicate that they are more likely to exchange data in this manner. Every Voltoid appears to have four round eyes, two of them being larger and close to each other. Three tiny slits right below these main eyes add to the impression of the Voltoid having a vaguely humanoid face, as they are shaped like a smile. Body colors range from deep emerald hues to lighter turquoise tones. Voltoids have been observed to use a large variety of tools, and also weapons on some occasions, although they seem to avoid conflict when possible. Physiology - Voltoid Experts are still arguing whether the Voltoid species is an actual life form or just a construct. Autopsies performed on these small aliens yield results that clearly make them inorganic, lacking any form of biochemical metabolism that would define life, be it terrestrial or from another planet. They do not breathe, they do not eat or excrete - even their muscles are in fact nanotechnological actuators, powered by electricity, while their silicon-based brains are made up of semiconductor elements quite similar to old-fashioned terrestrial computer systems, with processing capabilities off the scale. Using the same current that powers their brains and movement, Voltoids can generate a static charge that allows them to climb along most surfaces, even upside-down on ceilings. In order to survive, Voltoids need to charge their internal power sources up via induction, which explains why they love clinging to high voltage power lines. Without weapons, Voltoid are poor combatants. They can only deliver small shocks by touch. These hurt, but cannot kill, though enough discharges will stun a human. Communication among specimens is achieved through radio waves, which have a rather limited range, comparable to older, handheld radio devices. The number of Voltoids involved adds to this range, each individual functioning as some sort of amplifier, allowing communication over greater distances. They also have been observed to communicate with Spawners and Jabberwocks in small, whistling voices via the smile-resembling apertures on their faces. Reproductive abilities could not be determined. If Voltoids were not built by any of the other Raider species, their alliance with the Raiders is suspected to be lasting mostly due to the fact that they are inedible. Serving on Raider vessels, they are believed to function as autonomous technicians, since they all show extraordinary aptitude in accessing and repairing all forms of electronics and complex machinery, helping to maintain ships hundreds or even thousands of years beyond their normal lifetimes. A Voltoid can access most conventional man-made computers simply by touching them. The Voltoids mind will understand most systems in seconds, and it has flawless memory. However, the creatures do have to learn to interface with a computer on the systems terms - it is even possible to hack into a Voltoids brain with modern equipment, or even infect it with a custom-made computer virus, as has been proven in various experiments. Appearance - Jabberwock This highly aggressive species has been sighted on fewer occasions than Spawners, and only a handful of eye witnesses lived to report such an encounter. As the Jabberwock uses some sort of cloaking technology and is rendered visible to the naked eye only when attacking, its general appearance is still somewhat disputed among witnesses. A few captured specimens, however, provided sufficient data in this regard: The creature appears to float freely, using its rear flaps for propulsion and maneuvering, frequently holding on to obstacles with its four articulate arms in order to steady itself. The four hands of the Jabberwock consist of two opposable thumb-equivalents and a long finger each, and are well suited for operating any kind of device made for human hands. In addition to their six limbs, of which two are basically some sort of wings, they possess appendages that could classify as a tail and a long neck with a head attached to it. The tail, however, seems to be more of a long, muscular trunk with a circular mouth full of razor-sharp teeth at the end, and has been observed to clamp on to 193

victims in order to devour them - preferably when they are still alive. Its relatively small head, on the other hand, sitting on the end of a neck nearly as long as its feeding trunk, features no mouth, seemingly holding no other functions than to accommodate an array of sensory organs, including eyes not so different from the ones found on Spawners, and a handful of tiny, feathery antennae suspected to act as acoustic receptors. Two pairs of retractable tendrils below the eyes have been noticed to emanate a faint glow from time to time, and are assumed to give the creature access to additional, parapsychological senses, while another, thinner, but also retractable appendage that resembles a very narrow tongue is believed to pick up smells, similar to a snakes. Since it is practically impossible to recover an intact Jabberwock corpse, its weight is unknown, but estimated to be around three- to four hundred pounds, provided the harness all members of this species wear is indeed suspending gravity around them. Physiology - Jabberwock Although a small number of Jabberwocks has been captured alive in the past, researching its physiology was largely impracticable, mainly because of the creatures harness or suit, which sets the corpse and itself on fire as soon as the Jabberwock is killed or someone tries to remove it with force, incinerating them both in mere seconds. Thus, no viable remains have ever been collected from an encounter with these bizarre aliens. Additionally, the creatures inherent mind powers make studying it alive quite dangerous to begin with. Most data on Jabberwock physiology is therefore based on assumptions. While Jabberwock cell biology and chemistry is believed to be related to the Spawners due to certain cursory similarities in their anatomy and feeding habits, the Jabberwocks means of excreting waste products are unknown. In fact, they do not excrete anything at all, except for the occasional belch out of their feeding trunk, which contains methane and various other organic gases. This technique is also used to make louder, burbling sounds which could be interpreted as a mode of communication. The only confirmed method of communication between Jabberwocks - and also between Jabberwocks and Spawners, who are basically silent when it comes to communication - are infra-red light pulses from their tendrils. Despite being very hostile to most life forms endemic to earth, Jabberwocks are believed to possess high levels of intelligence, possibly even engineering skills. Further research of Jabberwock physiology and intelligence is on the top-priority list of the O.R.D. Intellect and Society It is already out of the question that both major species from the Raider faction are sentient and part of some form of alien culture. Theyve been watched using tools and advanced technical devices, and communication between them is frequent and seems to be effective. Despite their obvious avoidance of communicating directly with humans, some specimens have been found to sport implants that allow them to process and even use human languages. It is pretty clear that they seek to understand human communications in order to be able to bypass earths defensive capabilities. Raider society was first believed to be divided into castes, with each species fulfilling a certain purpose and obedient to a hive mind of some sort. The longer they are studied; however, this theory loses more and more of its validity. In fact, members of this faction are highly individual in appearance and behavior, acting on their own purpose. Also, their inter-species alliance seems to be much looser and less organized than initially expected, fueling the suspicion that the Raiders are really nothing else than pirates, renegades and outcasts on a cosmic scale. Technology Raider technology is both impressive and somewhat confusing. Although not as advanced as the Greys, their large ships are believed to be capable of interstellar and possibly intergalactic travel, while most of their tools, weapons and equipment are certainly a few decades ahead of modern age earth technology, the Jabberwock harness being especially noteworthy. Even so, the bulk of the

194

Raiders equipment appears motley, chaotically assembled and quite improvised in some cases, leading to the assumption (which is quite obvious, judging from their habits) that not all of it belongs to them. Analyzing only a handful of lesser artifacts from their possession, it has to be assumed that the objects originate from an equal number of civilized or at least biologically evolved home worlds - a wild, yet viable theory which harbors tremendous implications in the eyes of Omegas scientific division. As a matter of fact, Raider technology is believed to be the key to reviving deep space exploration. Unfortunately, there has been no opportunity to shoot down or capture any Raider main vessel, yet. Agenda Raiders seem to be aware of humans military potential and usually steer clear of any densely populated areas. Their motivations appear to be a mix of materialistic greed and curiosity, while showing no signs of consideration for human lives or even being openly hostile sometimes. Unconfirmed reports of attacks on isolated human populations have been stated more than one time since the Beach House Looting incident. They are also suspected to practice slavery, including human abductees as slaves. Other than that, their further purpose remains open to speculation. Naturally, O.C.I. classifies the Raider alien faction as a hostile entity, although cooperation between individual Raider ships remains unconfirmed. Powers and Abilities - Spawner

Infrared Vision - Works in analogy to a permanent Infrared Night Vision Filter in game terms. Regeneration - Every full hour after receiving Damage, a Spawner heals 1D10 Damage points. Healing all Damage points in this manner also automatically restores any crippled Hit Locations. Nauseating Stench - While not a special power per se, Spawners horrible body odor can (and will affect) humans that are in its proximity and do not wear breathing masks. Such characters have to make a Determination test at the beginning of each Combat Sequence. Apply the distance between them and the nearest Spawner in yards as a facilitating modifier. If the test is failed, the character is nauseous, sick and probably puking his guts out, suffering 1D10 Fatigue and losing 3D10-(De) Action Points in the process. Immunity to Disease - This species is not affected by bacteriological or viral agents. Pincers of Death - Counts as an armed melee attack and causes either (St) + 6 + 1D10 195 Sharp (S) OR (St) + 12 Blunt (I) Damage. It costs 6 Action Points.

Spawners can use any movement type the game master chooses, with the exception of Dashing. They receive an automatic -30% modifier when handling any type of device or equipment that requires hands with opposable thumbs. This Species is affected by Shock per standard rules.

Spawner Hit Locations


Aimed Attack Modifiers (Ranged AND Melee): Head: -20% Body -10% Either Hump -15% Either Arm -25% Abdomen -10%

Lookup Table: Determining Hit Location


Result D100:
1-10 11-25 26-45 46-65 66-75 76-85 86-100

Location:
Head Body Right Hump Left Hump Right Arm Left Arm Abdomen

Head: Crippled after sustaining 65% of total VP Damage Result D100: Effects:
1-10 11-35 36-70 71-100

Brain is destroyed in a powerful blow, instant death Attack causes blindness Severe brain damage occurs: Creature becomes both stupid and docile Attack knocks creature out for the remaining duration of the battle

Body: Crippled after sustaining 80% of total VP Damage Result D100: Effects:
1-5 6-25 26-45 46-75 76-100

Instant death with maximum splatter! Severe wounds! Add + 15 Fatigue and + 6 Damage Internal mess-up! Add 2D10* at the beginning of next Combat Sequence Creature falls unconscious for 1D10 Combat Sequences No additional effects

Either Hump: Crippled after sustaining 20% of total VP Damage Result D100: Effects:
1-90 91-100

Gas bladder deflates. Halve down all movement rates Gas bladder explodes in a fireball, instantly killing the creature and causing splash damage! (Ms/5 explosive Damage within a simplified blast radius of 3 yards)

Either Arm: Crippled after sustaining 45% of total VP Damage Result D100: Effects:
1-5 6-60 61-100 Arm is lost! Add +1D10 extra Damage Pincer becomes unusable No additional effects

Tail: Crippled after sustaining 50% of total VP Damage Result D100: Effects:
1-5 beast 6-25 26-45 46-75 76-100

Creature pops open, eggs and guts spilling all over the place, and the battered alien becomes unable to move Severe wounds! Add + 10 Fatigue and + 4 Damage Internal mess-up! Add 1D10* at the beginning of next Combat Sequence Attack knocks creature over! Creature gets really, REALLY mad at attacker for damaging its future offspring

196

Static Adhesion - Gives Voltoids the ability to climb walls or move on ceilings at the same speed as Walking, eliminating the need for climbing. Immunity to Toxins & Disease - This species is affected neither by bacteriological or viral agents, nor by toxic chemicals, unless they are highly corrosive. Low Light Vision - works similar to a permanent Low Light Filter in game terms. Radio Empathy - Allows the Voltoid to perceive and broadcast any type of radio wave, even using its vast processing resources to decode encrypted transmissions. Electric Discharge - The only reasonably effective attack an unarmed Voltoid possesses is its ability to deliver small electric shocks with its round fingertips. It costs merely 4 Action Points and causes 1D10-2 Fatigue. All standard rules for shock weapons apply. Parapsychological Immunity - Voltoids are not affected by hypnosis or any Psi-based mind powers, such as exhibited by certain other alien races.

Powers and Abilities - Voltoid

On flat surfaces, Voltoids can use the same movement types as humans (regarding speeds), but they are completely unable to jump. Since they are so small, use their whole body as a single Hit Location - in effect, they do not use hit locations and cannot be crippled, just killed. Furthermore, Voltoids are not affected by Shock and entirely immune to Psi-based mind powers. Powers and Abilities - Jabberwock

Cloaking Field - Made possible by the harness the creature wears, the cloaking field renders it practically invisible for the human naked eye (-100% modifier to Perception tests when trying to detect it, treat the creature as being surrounded by complete Darkness when attacking it). The cloaking field doesnt affect infrared vision, and deactivates when the creature performs any other action than moving at the speed of Sneaking. Zero Gravity Flight - Since Jabberwocks float without restrictions, they can move in any direction and do not suffer movement modifiers, their highest available speed being that of Running. Psi Powers - Standard abilities of Jabberwock archetypes are: Mind Probe, Illusion, Terror, Daze and Psychometry. Individual Jabberwocks can learn other Psi powers as well. Infrared Vision - Works in analogy to a permanent Infrared Night Vision Filter in game terms. Immunity to Disease - This species is not affected by bacteriological or viral agents. Bloodlust - Instead of performing a regular unarmed attack, the Jabberwock may use its trunk to latch on to and start feeding on victims. When doing so, apply an impeding -20% modifier to the creatures melee attack. It costs 9 APs and does (St) + 4 Sharp (S) Damage. The trunk remains attached to the victim, requiring no additional melee tests from the creature to continue feeding. The victim is released when dead, or if the creature is killed, incapacitated, or hit successfully in the trunk by an attack that does at least one point of Damage.

This Species is affected by Shock per standard rules.

Jabberwock Hit Locations


Aimed Attack Modifiers (Ranged AND Melee): Head: -50% (includes neck) Body: -5% Either Flap -20% Any Arm -35% Trunk -35%

197

Lookup Table: Determining Hit Location


Result D100:
1-5 6-50 51-57 58-64 65-70 71-76 77-81 82-87 87-100

Location:
Head Body Right Front Arm Left Front Arm Right Back Arm Left Back Arm Right Flap Left Flap Trunk

Head: Crippled after sustaining 40% of total VP Damage Result D100: Effects:
1-15 16-35 36-50 51-75 76-100

Head is blown off! creature becomes blind, deaf and unable to communicate Creature is blinded for good. Creature loses hearing Creature loses control of Psi Neural feedback shock! Suffers immediate Damage Shock

Body: Crippled after sustaining 60% of total VP Damage Result D100: Effects:
1-5 6-15

16-20 21-45 45-60 61-80 81-100

Self-incineration is set off, creature goes down in a blaze! Floating harness malfunctions. Creature drops to the ground and cannot use any other movement type than Crawling. Apparently no effect, but the self-incineration feature of the floating harness is disabled Cloaking field technology malfunctions, rendering it useless Internal mess-up! Add 2D10* at the beginning of next Combat Sequence Creature is knocked unconscious for 1D10 Combat Sequences and goes drifting The surprisingly powerful attack startles the creature. Letting out a high-pitched, burbling sound, it loses 2D10 Action Points

Either Flap: Crippled after sustaining 30% of total VP Damage Result D100: Effects:
1-10 11-90 91-100

Flap is lost! Maneuvering becomes impossible, the creature is sent drifting. Flap is heavily damaged, halve down all movement rates Neural feedback shock! Suffers immediate Damage Shock

Any Arm: Crippled after sustaining 30% of total VP Damage Result D100: Effects:
1-10 11-90 91-100

Arm is lost! Add +1D10 extra Damage Arm becomes useless Neural feedback shock! Suffers immediate Damage Shock

Trunk: Crippled after sustaining 35% of total VP Damage Result D100: Effects:
1-10 11-60 81-100

Trunk is severed from the body! Automatically add 10 Damage as blood and gore splatters everywhere! Bloodlust attack becomes unusable Trunk is heavily damaged and loses some of its mobility. Bloodlust attack suffers an additional -20% modifier. Neural feedback shock! Suffers immediate Damage Shock

198

The Remaining
Children of Mu

First Contact In February 2047, patrolling long-distance reconnaissance drones from the Australian Omega main base discovered a small, unregistered human population on a coral atoll in the north-east island conglomerate of Micronesia. Monochromatic close-ups taken from the air aroused more than a few xenobiologists attention: The inhabitants of the island seemed to be all female and of adolescent age, more so, they didnt resemble the locals in the slightest, and were quite similar to each other in appearance. A small recon team of Omega agents, disguised as tropical tourists gone astray, was sent to investigate the nature of that peculiar atoll population. The team, however, vanished without a trace. Omega Command, suspecting foul play, immediately sent a paramilitary task force to resolve the situation. The missing agents were found unharmed, but as captives of the islands inhabitants, who turned out to be clearly non-human, but rather para-human beings. The conflict was concluded without any casualties, and the beings surrendered, insisting that they had no intention in harming their prisoners. In fact, they had only been trying to obscure their existence, as instructed by their creators. Further investigation supplied clear indications that notorious, international mega-corporation by the name of Kyohaku Zaibatsu, whose largest market shares consist of organic tech, genetic augmentations and hard biomodifications, had something to do with the presence of these mysterious creatures on the Micronesian atoll. Actually, it was pretty obvious, because every single piece of equipment found there was imprinted with the Zaibatsus unmistakable trademarks. Furthermore, each female was marked with a Kyohaku Zaibatsu-specific barcode, tattooed on either her left or right deltoid. After being strong-armed by a handful of national intelligence agencies (including their own countrys - Japan) and Omega Command Council, the Zaibatsu had to give up its whole stock of alien specimens and all research information regarding them. Upon closer inspection, the specimens showed very few characteristics of past genetic experiments conducted by the Zaibatsu or any other research group; absolutely no former human-based, transgenic creation ever worked out the way it was supposed to - in most cases, they were merely short-lived, deformed retort products, wasting billions of dollars and defying international UNESCO regulations. The young women recovered from the southwest Pacific however, seemed to be exactly the opposite of that - works of art, if artificially created. Origins In 2023, two decades before the establishment of Omega, an unknown flying object of medium size was confronted by a wing of Japanese fighter jets crossing the Mariana Islands (their squadron being stationed in Guam). Hours before, its radar signal had appeared on screen, only to fade away again in a matter of minutes. Operators of the Allied Forces' radar base in Guam suspected it to be a Chinese spy plane first, one that had performed an emergency landing at sea. They were rather baffled when it re-emerged, apparently trying to escape the fighter patrol sent to investigate. Since the unknown intruder, still flying in US-American airspace, refused identifying itself, the pilots were ordered to engage it with deadly force. Heat-seeking missiles, however, seemed to have trouble locking on to the object, and radar-based medium range air-to-ir missiles scrambled erratically as soon as they were fired upon the intruder, one of them even clipping and damaging the wingmans aircraft, forcing the pilot to eject. Ground control immediately 199 assumed dealing with a new secret weapon of the communist Peoples Republic of

China, and ordered the remaining fighter to engage it again. The pilot, realizing that his Mitsubishi F-2s rather obsolete weapon guidance systems were no match for the enemys countermeasures, closed in for a last attempt, firing his 20mm cannon. Although his target was constantly changing directions, a lucky shot connected and heavily damaged the - as the pilot later described - disc-shaped craft, which went down, being smashed to bits upon a reef. Naturally, China immediately disputed any involvement in the politically volatile incident. Soon after, a subsidiary of the Kyohaku Zaibatsu offered the Allied Forces their services in salvaging the remains of the object for further analysis. While doing so, corporate agents among the salvage workers snatched a massive, seemingly indestructible artifact from the wreckage. The remains of the vessel were going to be identified as Grey technology by currently Omega-affiliated, then independent experts, later that year. Nowadays, Omega knows that the artifact, a sarcophagus-shaped contraption of some sort, had been previously salvaged by the UFOs crew from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, and that they were getting away with it right before being downed in the dogfight. Inscriptions from its surface were identified as various dead ancient, but nonetheless human languages, the most prominent and intelligible one reading Children of Mu. Carbon-dating the external hull of the artifact, which seems to be made of a heavy, extremely sturdy alloy, containing gold, copper, mercury and tungsten, puts it somewhere around 12.000 B.C., which doesnt make sense at all, since the inscribed languages do not date further back than 6.000 years in humanitys recorded history. The greatest mystery of the artifact, however, remains the inexplicable stasis field technology within, used to preserve exactly one hundred live, human embryos in suspended animation. Appearance Nearly all para-human alien specimens, designated the XGH (xenogenetic humanoid) series or Children of Mu by Omegas researchers, have been grown

200

by their first discoverers using (then controversial and now prohibited) artificial womb technology, later switching to volunteering surrogate mothers. The embryos, of which three were lost during cell extraction for chromosome analysis, shared an inconspicuous karyotype of 46-XX. It brought great relief to the research team to see that the infants thrived healthily, though they started developing an abnormal skin pigmentation immediately after birth (being exposed to sunlight), and were born with slit-shaped pupils and a striking deformity of the ears auricle, which later turned out to be everything else than a deformity, but a feature that allowed enhanced, active directional hearing. Furthermore, they didnt develop any other body hair than the brightly colored one on the scalp (which ranges from blonde, orange to hues of red and even blue), not even upon hitting a timely puberty. To the current date, all 97 registered specimens, between ages 15 to 22, seem to have normal or slightly above average mental capacities, while their bodies show a distinct leanness and muscularity only found with highly trained, lightweight athletes, though most of them didnt receive any special training at all. Fully grown individuals share a height of roughly 5 6, weighing in at just about 110 pounds, and look very much alike, leading to the assumption that they are in fact slightly individualized clones of the same genome. Other than eyes, ears and skin pigmentation, there doesnt seem to be any other obvious anatomical difference to the contemporary Homo sapiens. Physiology While being almost identical to regular humans anatomically, the Childrens biochemistry and body functions show some major anomalies, altogether giving the impression that they have been specifically designed this way. Their skin cells, for instance, accommodate an unknown type of symbiotic, prokaryotic sub-cell that resembles both human mitochondria and plant chloroplasts (dubbed cyanoplasts by xenobiologists, due to its strong, blue pigmentation), which allows them to thrive on sunlight, reducing their need for solid food to an absolute minimum for indefinite periods of time. Also, their metabolism runs significantly faster and more efficient than any human's, resulting only in a slightly elevated body temperature (many of their structural proteins are nonetheless additionally enhanced for better heat resilience, allowing their bodies into fevers up to 115F, as opposed to normal humans 108F, effectively annihilating most pathogens within), while giving them superior agility and strength, along with a greatly improved healing rate. Elongated myelin sheaths on all but their most central nerves facilitate a level of reflex speed found only with fast predatory mammal species like cats, while a large, hyper-developed Cerebellum grants them an incredible amount of proprioceptive coordination. Focusing on their perceptive abilities, they also seem to possess 4 heightened senses, though some of them do not come without minor drawbacks. Eyes similar to those of felines allow them to see in the dark as if in broad daylight, also facilitating high-definition vision during the day, but hampering their perception of colors to some extent. They are only able to differentiate between bright, strong colors, while nuances dont mean much to them. Their olfactory sense is highly acute, though not as developed as a dogs, while their hearing abilities include both low frequencies and high frequencies beyond a humans hearing range, with their large, mobile auricles enhancing it even further. Last, but not least, they possess an enhanced tactile sense to the whole surface of their skin, also resulting in a lower pain tolerance. 201 Early chromosome examinations revealed elongated

telomeres in their stem cells, leading to a life expectancy estimation of more than 120 years. Though their reproductive abilities havent been fully explored yet, an estrous cycle (as opposed to human womens menstrual cycle) has been observed, giving their species only two short fertile windows a year, a few days each, during which they emanate a clearly perceivable pheromone from their skin that has a very strong, appealing effect on adult human males and is found irritating by most human women, as well as by other Children of Mu. Intellect and Society Although denied real names in favor of codes in the beginning of the experiment (XG year of birth - serial), the Children of Mu quickly picked up the fact that their caretakers had better names, so they started making up names for themselves, clearly indicating creativity and individuality. After being educated and schooled in poorly simulated normal environments, the Children still developed healthy IQs of 110-125 and showed behavioral patterns appropriate for their respective ages. Physically adult specimens, however, are surprisingly dismissive of sexual issues and completely oblivious of any male advances most time of the year, which leads back to their estrous cycle for explanation. The only time when the Children of Mu show somewhat typical (but mostly violent) female sexual behavioral patterns is when they are in heat (lacking a more appropriate term). Being genetically related, if not cloned, they all show many common traits in personality, which is dynamic, aggressive and somewhat hot-tempered (though their testosterone levels are the same as those of regular young women). They enjoy athletics and martial arts more than any other activity, and their lower-than average pain resilience doesnt seem to stop them from scuffling, which is one of their favorite means of socializing with each other (and sometimes trusted humans, most of them standing no chance and being quickly subdued in playful combat). Most of the characteristics above led to the assumption that they must be a species genetically engineered for conflict, an argument heavily enforced by the Childrens psychological susceptibility for indoctrination. Technology Other than the stasis sarcophagus they were delivered in, there is no known technology directly affiliated with the Children of Mu. Agenda After the abrupt conclusion of the Kyohaku Zaibatsus sociological experiment on the Micronesian atoll (which ultimately led to their exposure), all but a few specimens were brought to a special Omega installation near Canberra, trying to give them a suitable home while shielding them from the public (in order to prevent a panic in the face of what appears to be an almost superhuman race) and conducting further research on their origins, their abilities and their part in the unknown history of the pre-ancient earth. Therefore, the Children of Mu themselves do not have a specific agenda of their own, except maybe their sisterly solidarity and the occasional moments of burning curiosity about the outside world (naturally leading to additional measures to prevent them from escaping the facilities)

202

Powers and Abilities


Low Light Vision - works similar to a permanent Low Light Filter in game terms. Olfactory Super Sense - Grants the same benefits as the identically-named trait. Broadband Frequency Hearing - In addition to being able to hear frequencies that cannot be perceived by human ears, the Children also receive a +20% modifier for the purpose of any hearing-based Perception test, and an additional +20% modifier when the test is made to localize a source of noise. Damage or Fatigue from deafeningly loud noises is automatically doubled. Heightened Tactile Sense - Reduces Pain Tolerance by (Ms)/2, but grants +40% to all Perception tests involving touch. Hyper Metabolism - When not in direct sunlight (or wearing clothing that covers most of the skin), the Children require about twice as much food than humans of similar weight. As a benefit from accelerated metabolism, they heal 4 times as many Damage Points per day, and receive a number of permanent bonuses to their Attributes: (St) +2, (Re) +5, (Ag) +5, (Pe) +2 and an additional D10 to their Sequential Score. As setbacks, this metabolic rate gives the Children of Mu a slightly higher heat signature and sensitivity to alcohol (high metabolism worsens the alcohol intoxication, latency is halved, and the effects double, this applies to other substances that become toxic by being metabolized, as well). Toxins, drugs and other substances that are deactivated by metabolizing, however, are halved down in effectiveness. Furthermore, the high metabolic rate boosts the Childrens immune systems to levels of performance that halve down the effects of any infectious disease, but also causes their bodies to reject any Biomods or foreign tissue transplants in a matter of minutes. Photosynthesis - By exposing most of their skin to direct sunlight for at least 4 hours a day, the Children of Mu are capable of reducing their food requirements to about one tenth of what a normal human would need. As a setback, they need to drink twice as much - which isnt really a setback, when keeping in mind that so do humans while out in the sun.

203

The Rational
Artificial Intelligence
Background Aliens of our own making, in a manner of speaking, Turing-proof Artificial Intelligences have been a necessary addition to the worlds industrial production facilities, battlefields and research communities ever since their creation several decades ago. While many anthropologists keep exclaiming their fears of machines surpassing man in every aspect of his existence, ultimately obliterating the human race from the planet when it becomes obsolete, there seems to be no going back now. Similar to basic computerization at the end of the 20th Century, Artificial Intelligence has imbued every nook and cranny of modern-day civilization, ranging from the friendly, soft-talking control unit of any maintenance or housekeeping drone to the multi-billion tactical computer of cuttingedge nuclear battleships patrolling the oceans. A Turing-proof Artificial Intelligence is more than the mere sum of its components, which are made up of modular hardware and self-educating software. It is an advanced, thinking entity, hardwired into a dedicated computer system or designed to transfer its very consciousness through networks at the speed of light. While simple drone AI created for specific low-end tasks still exist, high-end models have reached levels of consciousness directly comparable to a humans, allowing them to think outside the box and granting them a certain degree of that unique fallibility that makes us human. Although clearly sentient, no advanced AI has yet been granted human rights. More advanced entities have started claiming a few, limited rights, but society is still regarding them as expensive, but nonetheless expendable tools. Definitions When speaking of AI in vernacular terms of the mid-21st Century, only a machines consciousness is meant, excluding any hard- or software that facilitates its existence. If such AI is permanently bound to an expert hardware system installed in mechanical body to allow interacting with its surroundings, it is called a robot. Thats right, a robot, as defined by Asimov over one hundred years ago, with similar conceptions about humanity, unless it was built for military purposes, which makes it an autonomous (insert weapon system designation here). Any machines without proprietary intelligence designed to be temporarily controlled by a roaming-type AI are called drones, which is a common type of machine employed by modern day military organizations, as well. Machines that feature humanoid shape and were specifically designed to interact with humans, having at least some basic AI module permanently installed, go by the denomination of androids, though more advanced models with Turing-proof AI prefer to be called artificial persons. A special, very noteworthy type within the android class is the so-called Biosynth, also labeled Frankenstein in black market slang. Its computerized intelligence is usually high-grade and designed to emulate human behavior, while its body is manufactured from cloned, genetically modified human embryonic tissues, grown in vats. At first such models have been developed as experiments to demonstrate that a total reversal of the common cyborg concept (biological brain in non-organic body) is possible, only to be prohibited by international UNESCO Regulations in the year 2034. Non-humanoid Biosynth technology is still quite popular on markets for high-priced toys and/or pets, while humanoid models are highly illegal, but nonetheless in existence.

204

Psi Powers
First off, Psi is not magic. Although used as a term to describe cognitive processes or effects that fall outside of conventional scientific boundaries, each use of Psi is a paranormal phenomenon, but not entirely unexplainable. Multiple theoretic attempts at explaining Psi phenomena with extra-dimensional energy flows or parapsychological electromagnetic energy-to-information conversions exist. Psibased abilities have been sporadically observed in human populations over the centuries. In fact, abilities based on Psi are rooted deep inside a sentient species subconscious mind, while artificial beings are completely oblivious to them, neither able to harness such powers, nor being affected by them. Some alien species seem to have an innate talent at using Psi. Humans, on the other hand, appear to be valid targets for Psi, but none of them, except for a few sensational cases throughout human history, were able to use such powers actively. The future, however, may change that. When using Psi In Contact, the following general rules apply: The necessary Skill for using any acquired Psi Power is called Psi Ability. Human character sheets do not include this Skill, though that may change upon reaching more advanced Tech Levels in the course of campaigns (see Extended Campaign Rules, p. 139). In the case of powers targeted at characters (or any creature with Attributes), PPs of tests made with this Skill are modified by the targets Determination Attribute (in addition to modifiers specific to the power itself) - Target Determination is multiplied by 10% and applied as a negative modifier, making strong-willed characters quite impervious to the influences of all but the most proficient Psi users. For Psi Powers that require line of sight, modifiers for partial cover are usually ignored. Failing the Psi Ability test means that the power doesnt take any effect and goes unnoticed by the target. Critical test outcomes have additional game effects, as described for each specific power.
During character creation, or at any point in a campaign, the game master may determine the player characters latent Psi Abilities. This should usually happen before or while the specific character has his/her first contact with Psi. To determine the Psi Ability, the game master rolls 1D100. The result, a percentile value, is noted, but no player is allowed to see it just yet, as it is still latent and has been of no consequence whatsoever to its user. Rolling 5% or below has a special effect: The player character in question becomes a so-called Zero or Pariah (or more precisely: he or she has been all along). This character has no Psi Ability at all, but is also completely impervious to Psi when targeted. Any Psi Power directed at this character automatically fails, regardless if it is beneficial or malevolent. In order to put ones Psi Ability to good use, characters have to receive special training in a facility known as a Psi Lab, and a device called the Psi Amp has to be worn during the active use of Psi Powers. Characters scoring 96% or higher with their Psi Ability determination test (rolled by the game master) are called Naturals and do not require the Psi Amp for the active use of Psi, but still need proper training. Unfortunately, Psi Ability is a fixed stat for humans who need the Psi Amp to use powers. Naturals, on the other hand, may improve Psi Ability like any other Skill, by using it and gaining Experience Index points. Raising Psi Ability doesnt affect any Stride Pools, however, and no Experience Index points are available from theoretic teachings. Acquiring Psi Powers is explained in the Extended Campaign Rules chapter. Telepathic Broadcast (+20%, 4 APs, Learning Effort: 1) - A basic Psi Power that enables the user to broadcast a telepathic verbal message to all sentient, Psi-susceptible beings in a radius of several hundred feet. This message is not automatically translated, and sending images or impressions is not available for broadcasting. Multiple uses may be chained without additional tests in order to send a longer or more detailed message. Critical outcomes on the Psi test do not have special effects. Telepathic Message (+15%, 4 APs, Learning Effort: 1) - Works similar to the Telepathic Broadcast, but is limited to specified targets. In order to work, the user needs to be familiar with the target (FL 4 or more), and range is practically unlimited on a planetary scale. Unfamiliar recipients can also be targeted, but they have to be in the users line of sight, limiting range by

Using Psi in Contact

Human Player Characters as Psi Users

205

the users vision (can be enhanced by magnifying optics). Sending the same message to more than one target at the same time is possible. Make a separate test for each one of them and modify every PP by the total number of targets times -4%. Multiple uses may be chained without additional tests in order to send a longer and/or more detailed message. Verbal messages are NOT automatically translated, but sending images and emotional impressions is possible. Critical outcomes on the Psi test do not have special effects. Mind Probe (+10%, 6 APs, Learning Effort: 2) - Allows the user to assess a targets immediate intentions and general state of mind. Requires line of sight. Critical success on the Psi test grants the user some limited insight into the targets memories, determined by the game master. A critical failure inverts the Mind Probes desired effects, making the target aware both of the users presence, as well as his general state of mind and immediate intentions. As an optional rule, when the Psi test is successful, an additional Passive Perception test may be made (costing no extra Action Points) in order to determine the Detail Level of information the Psi user obtains from the Mind Probe. Illusion (8 APs, Learning Effort: 3) - Altering the targets perception directly in its mind, this Psi Power causes seemingly real, full-sensory illusions. Requires line of sight. The effects obtained by illusions range from making real objects or persons disappear, altering the appearance of objects or persons and creating the impression of things that are not present. Unless the user spends additional actions to maintain the illusion (not requiring further tests, just Action Points), it holds up for 20 minus target Intelligence Action Points. While scoring a critical success has only cosmetic effects on the illusion, increasing its quality, a critical failure will cause Fatigue to the user equal to the targets doubled Determination Attribute. Creating a specific Illusion for more than one target at the same time is possible. Make a separate test for each one of them and modify every PP by the total number of targets times -7%. Terror (9 APs, Learning Effort: 3) - The target is overwhelmed by a surge of primal fear, rendering it unable to continue its actions and causing it to flee in terror, or in some cases, freeze up. Requires line of sight. If the Psi test is successful, the state of panic lasts for 20 minus target Determination Action Points. A critical success lets the target freeze up for the same amount of time. Critical failures will cause Fatigue to the user equal to the targets doubled Determination Attribute. Terrorizing more than one target at the same time is possible. Make a separate test for each one of them and modify every PP by the total number of targets times -9%. Daze (-10%, 10 APs, Learning Effort: 4) - This highly potent Psi Power exhausts targets mentally, even to the point where they lose consciousness. Requires line of sight. If the Psi test is successful, valid targets suffer Fatigue equal to the users Determination Attribute times 3. Make that 4 when a critical success occurs. Critical failures cause the power to backfire, and the user suffers double the targets Determination Attribute in Fatigue points. Affecting more than one target at the same time is possible. Make a separate test for each one of them and modify every PP by the total number of targets times -12%. Soothe (+10, 10 APs, Learning Effort: 2) - While Psi cannot heal wounds physically, this power offers the possibility to take away some of the pain caused by them. Requires the user to touch the targets body directly. A successful Psi test increases the targets Pain Tolerance by the users Determination Attribute times 2. Make that 3 if a critical success is scored. The effects of this power last for 2D10 minutes. Critical failures backfire on the user, making him feel the whole extent of the targets pain for 1D10 minutes. Agonize (-5%, 10 APs, Learning Effort: 3) - Another potent Psi Power that directly influences a targets mind. Requires line of sight. When agonized, the target believes to be in excruciating physical pain, as from severe wounds, although there is absolutely no real damage present. If the Psi test is successful, the target suffers a virtual Damage modifier equal to the users Determination Attribute times 3. Make that 4 if the test yielded a critical success. Targets wont die from this, nor will they suffer Shock. This agonized state has to be maintained by the user by spending additional actions into it without making further tests. It is automatically disrupted if the user suffers any Damage or Fatigue during the use of this power. Critical failures cause the power to backfire, and the user suffers double the targets Determination Attribute in Fatigue points. Agonizing more than one target at the same time is possible. Make a separate test for each one of them and modify every PP by the total number of targets times -12%.

206

Mind Control (-20%, 12 APs, Learning Effort: 5) - Probably the most potent and dangerous Psi Power directed at a targets mind. Requires line of sight. If successful, it allows the Psi user to take complete control of the targets actions for (15 - targets Determination) Action Points (as soon as the target has the initiative, consuming its AP in the process, not the Psi user's). Apply the targets Determination Attribute as a negative modifier to controlled actions, using only Skills the user has, but naturally the Attributes of the controlled target. If the user plans performing Parallel actions while controlling a target, treat controlled actions as an addition to the total number of Parallel actions. Control over a target is automatically lost if the user is hit by an attack, regardless if it causes Damage or not. It is not possible to control more than one target at a time. Critical successes on the Psi test allow the user to control a target for twice the amount of calculated Action Points, while a critical failure inflicts a number of Fatigue points equal to the targets quadrupled Determination Attribute on the user. Retrocognition (-5%, takes several minutes, Learning Effort: 2) - A power that is used for informational purposes only, enhancing the games storytelling. Employing the power of Retrocognition at any given location allows the user to see glimpses of the past of this place, reaching back for as far as the game master sees fit. Usually, only events tinted by strong emotions can be perceived this way, and recent events appear clearer and less faded then older ones. While critical successes only enhance the quality of perception, critical failures feed the player false information. Tests for Retrocognition should be therefore rolled by the game master in secret. Although Retrocognition doesnt cause any Fatigue by itself, using it more than one time during a waking period becomes increasingly harder (-25% modifier for each consecutive use). As an optional rule, when the Psi test is successful, an additional, Passive Perception test may be made in order to determine the Detail Level of information the Psi user obtains. Psychometry (takes several minutes, Learning Effort: 2) - Works very similar to Retrocognition, with the difference of this power being used on inanimate objects (including dead bodies) instead of places. All Objects have to be touched for the power to work. In analogy to Retrocognition, the user gains insight into events affecting or concerning the object at hand, and may even learn some limited facts about its owner. All rules from Retrocognition apply here as well. Precognition (-50%, 0 APs - special, Learning Effort: 8) - Granting the user a short-term prognosis of future events (on a scale of mere seconds ahead), this power is both difficult to use and enormously useful in dangerous situations. Precognition can be used at any point during combat when the user has the initiative, costing no Action Points and allowing him to rewind, or rather, undo his and other characters following actions ONCE if they have undesirable consequences. In fact, any actions succeeding the use of Precognition do not really happen, but are foreseen as an extrasensory, parapsychological impression that that is entirely indiscernible from reality in the users mind. The number of Action Points of the Combat Sequence that can be foreseen in this fashion is equal to twice the users Intelligence Attribute; with the count starting directly after the power of Precognition has been used. This period may carry over to a new Combat Sequence. Actions that begin, but are not completed within this threshold can be undone as well, as their beginning is enough for the Psi user to react to them. Judging the immediate consequences of the foreseen events, the user is then allowed to alter his course of action, starting over directly after the use of Precognition (this excludes re-rolling the Psi test, but allows re-trying the same course of action as before, hoping for better results this time). Note that the Psi test has to be rolled by the game master, the result remaining undisclosed to the users player. If the Psi test is a simple failure, the game master simply tells the player, who then may proceed with combat normally (though he might be a bit more careful now, knowing that he wont be able to foresee anything). In case of a critical failure, however, the game master is supposed to lie about the Psi test result, telling the player it was a success When the player calls in the rewind, he is informed that this is actually happening for real, and therefore impossible to undo. If a critical success occurs, the player is immediately informed about it, extending his clairvoyance period by another amount of Action Points equal to his Intelligence Attribute. Lucky him. The use of Precognition is heavily limited by the fact that a users mind needs at least a good nights rest before using this power again. Although Precognition doesnt cause any Fatigue by itself, using it more than one time during one waking period seems basically impossible (-100% modifier to the Psi Ability test for each consecutive use).

207

Paleoastronautic Theories - Concepts of Pseudoscience or Reality?


The Omega Research Divisions Take on Paleocontact Theories, as of 2047

Paleoastronautic theories propose that intelligent extraterrestrial beings have visited earth throughout unrecorded human history, and that these contacts play a part in the development of human culture and technology. Going one step further, some of these theories insist on linking contact with extraterrestrial beings directly to the origins of all modern human religions, where they took on the role of supreme deities, with their advanced technology taken as proof for their divine status by ancient humanity. Advanced human and/or alien societies are presumed to have flourished on pre-historic continents, now lost without a trace due to global cataclysmic events at some point. Such places may include, but are not limited to, Atlantis, Lemuria, Hyperborea and Mu in most theories, their alleged location being heavily disputed. After the great cataclysmic breakdown, possibly caused by conflict and war, these advanced cultures were destroyed or driven away, followed by the dark age of man, finally resulting in the developments recorded during the few millennia of certified human history, starting with the stone age. Naturally, such theories never receive much support within the established scientific communities. There is practically no hard archeological evidence for the existence of lost continents or super-advanced, pre-historic civilizations. Instead, proponents of ancient astronaut theories point to what they perceive as gaps in historical and archaeological records, and to what they see as absent or incomplete explanations for historical or archaeological data. They cite unexplainable occurrences, notably archaeological artifacts which they find to be highly anachronistic or beyond the presumed technical capabilities of a given historical culture with which they are associated. Such artifacts, the most noteworthy, interesting, but also least known to the general public being the "Orichalcum Tomb" of the Children of Mu, are referred to as Out-of-place artifacts. Lesser, but still important items of this nature include the "Baghdad Battery" and the "Antikythera Mechanism", both discovered during the early 20th century thanks to technological advancements in excavation machinery. Numerous other artifacts join them in this category, with more or less serious impact on the aforementioned theories. Furthermore, Experts endorsing the authenticity of paleocontact theories draw upon historical artworks and legends which are interpreted as depicting extraterrestrial contact or technologies. For instance, most deities are known to descend "from the skies" and are associated with bright lights, which almost automatically indicates the use of advanced technology in an era where there are no means of flight or bright illumination devices - provided these myths and legends are based indeed on facts, and not on lies or druginduced hallucinations. Skeptics were always more numerous (and more powerful) than advocates of these theories. Being popularized and used in works of Science Fiction, the paleoastronautics' credibility value was diminished even further, hitting rock bottom with the foundation of insane, partially dangerous cults, whose leaders had twisted and bloated the little paleoastronautic knowledge they had in order to gain maximum personal advantage out of it. On the other hand, Omega's operatives know that intelligent alien life exists, even at the present day on planet earth. Doesn't this rule out at least a few of the credibility issues of paleoastronautics? In conclusion, Omega's Research Division advises against dismissing any of these theories entirely. A large percentage of them may be based on misinterpretations, guesswork or even religious hoaxes, but that doesn't rule out possible authenticities for the entire field of paleoastronautics. Further research into these matters is strongly recommended, especially concerning expeditions and hands-on examinations of physical proof. Gathering a majority of known Outof-place artifacts and verifying the alleged facts regarding them should be granted highest priority, because further insight into the forgotten history of the earth may render new explanations for the dramatic increase of alien activity during the last 208 few decades.

Alien Templates
Lesser Grey (Underling)
Attributes - (St) Strength - (En) Endurance - (Ms) Mass - (Re) Reflexes - (Ag) Agility - (Dx) Dexterity - (In) Intelligence - (Ch) Charisma - (Pe) Perception - (De) Determination Vitality Points: Pain Tolerance: Exhaustion Tolerance: Sequential Score: Relevant Skills
2 4 2 6 5 8 1 1 7 3 Energy Weapons Unarmed Melee Combat Armed Melee Combat Throwing Weapons Stealth & Sneaking Interface Spacecraft 63% 38% 33% 36% 74% 41% 9%

25 4 5 24 + 1D10

Armor: None Equipment: Reticulan Disintegrator or Neural Disruptor Powers: Low Light Vision, Radiation & Toxin Resistance Hit Locations: Humanoid

Grey Leader
Attributes - (St) Strength - (En) Endurance - (Ms) Mass - (Re) Reflexes - (Ag) Agility - (Dx) Dexterity - (In) Intelligence - (Ch) Charisma - (Pe) Perception - (De) Determination Relevant Skills
2 5 2 6 5 10 14 12 9 10 Energy Weapons Unarmed Melee Combat Armed Melee Combat Throwing Weapons Stealth & Sneaking Lock Picking Disarm & Set Traps Applied Science Advanced Medical Applications Interface Spacecraft Psi Ability 87% 38% 33% 36% 79% 24% 28% 66% 52% 82% 147% 95%

Vitality Points: Pain Tolerance: Exhaustion Tolerance: Sequential Score:

32 9 9 26 + 1D10

Armor: None Equipment: Reticulan Disintegrator or Neural Disruptor Powers: Low Light Vision, Radiation & Toxin Resistance, Psi: Telepathy, Mind Probe, Illusion, Terror, Daze and Mind Control Hit Locations: Humanoid

209

Small Xenoplasm (non-sentient)


Attributes - (St) Strength - (En) Endurance - (Ms) Mass - (Re) Reflexes - (Ag) Agility - (Dx) Dexterity - (In) Intelligence - (Ch) Charisma - (Pe) Perception - (De) Determination Vitality Points: Pain Tolerance: Exhaustion Tolerance: Sequential Score: Relevant Skills
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 None

15 1 1 4 + 1D10

Armor: None Equipment: None Powers: Liquefaction, Engulf & Digest, Parapsychological Resistance Hit Locations: No Separation

Large Xenoplasm (non-sentient)


Attributes - (St) Strength - (En) Endurance - (Ms) Mass - (Re) Reflexes - (Ag) Agility - (Dx) Dexterity - (In) Intelligence - (Ch) Charisma - (Pe) Perception - (De) Determination Relevant Skills
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 Tentacle Attack Throwing Weapons 37% 32%

Vitality Points: Pain Tolerance: Exhaustion Tolerance: Sequential Score:

35 7 7 20 + 1D10

Armor: None Equipment: None Powers: Liquefaction, Engulf & Digest, Parapsychological Resistance Hit Locations: No Separation

210

Small Silicoid
Attributes - (St) Strength - (En) Endurance - (Ms) Mass - (Re) Reflexes - (Ag) Agility - (Dx) Dexterity - (In) Intelligence - (Ch) Charisma - (Pe) Perception - (De) Determination Vitality Points: Pain Tolerance: Exhaustion Tolerance: Sequential Score: Relevant Skills
6 6 5 10 15 1 5 20 Maul & Bite Ramming Attack Corrosive Squirt 67% 62% 57%

50 21 16 40 + 2D10

Armor: B10 /S12 /I12 /H24 /C12 /T20 /E10 Equipment: None Powers: Corrosive Squirt, Self-Destruct, Parapsychological Immunity Hit Locations: Special

Large Silicoid
Attributes - (St) Strength - (En) Endurance - (Ms) Mass - (Re) Reflexes - (Ag) Agility - (Dx) Dexterity - (In) Intelligence - (Ch) Charisma - (Pe) Perception - (De) Determination Vitality Points: Pain Tolerance: Exhaustion Tolerance: Sequential Score: Relevant Skills
30 12 25 8 10 1 5 20 Maul & Bite Ramming Attack Corrosive Squirt 82% 64% 68%

150 35 22 31 + 2D10

Armor: B14 /S16 /I16 /H28 /C14 /T24 /E14 Equipment: None Powers: Corrosive Squirt, Self-Destruct, Parapsychological Immunity Hit Locations: Special

211

Unmasked Doppelgnger
Attributes - (St) Strength - (En) Endurance - (Ms) Mass - (Re) Reflexes - (Ag) Agility - (Dx) Dexterity - (In) Intelligence - (Ch) Charisma - (Pe) Perception - (De) Determination Vitality Points: Pain Tolerance: Exhaustion Tolerance: Sequential Score: Relevant Skills
18 25 5 10 12 5 10 10 Grotesque Assault 85%

125 12 30 42 + 1D10

Armor: None Equipment: None Powers: Infection, Grotesque Eruption Hit Locations: No Separation

Spawner
Attributes - (St) Strength - (En) Endurance - (Ms) Mass - (Re) Reflexes - (Ag) Agility - (Dx) Dexterity - (In) Intelligence - (Ch) Charisma - (Pe) Perception - (De) Determination Relevant Skills
15 2 25 4 4 1 3 1 5 5 Energy Weapons Pincers of Death 50% 64%

Vitality Points: Pain Tolerance: Exhaustion Tolerance: Sequential Score:

69 17 4 17 + 1D10

Armor: B3/ S3 /I3 /H5 /C2 /T0 /E0 Equipment: various artifacts, implanted Raider Ion Devastator (rare) Powers: Infrared Vision, Regeneration, Nauseating Stench, Immunity to Disease Hit Locations: Special

212

Voltoid
Attributes - (St) Strength - (En) Endurance - (Ms) Mass - (Re) Reflexes - (Ag) Agility - (Dx) Dexterity - (In) Intelligence - (Ch) Charisma - (Pe) Perception - (De) Determination Vitality Points: Pain Tolerance: Exhaustion Tolerance: Sequential Score: Relevant Skills
2 5 1 7 10 10 10 1 7 2 Energy Weapons Electric Discharge Attack Stealth & Sneaking Lock Picking Disarm & Set Traps Applied Science Engineering & Repair Interface 85% 60% 95% 95% 75% 93% 140% 128%

12 12 6 31 + 1D10

Armor: None Equipment: various tools, Raider Ion Scorcher Powers: Static Adhesion, Immunity (Toxins/Diseases), Low Light Vision, Radio Empathy, Parapsychological Immunity Hit Locations: No Separation

Jabberwock
Attributes - (St) Strength - (En) Endurance - (Ms) Mass - (Re) Reflexes - (Ag) Agility - (Dx) Dexterity - (In) Intelligence - (Ch) Charisma - (Pe) Perception - (De) Determination Vitality Points: Pain Tolerance: Exhaustion Tolerance: Sequential Score: Relevant Skills
10 3 20 9 8 8 12 8 9 8 Energy Weapons Unarmed Melee Combat Bloodlust Armed Melee Combat Throwing Weapons Applied Science Engineering & Repair Interface Leadership Spacecraft Psi Ability 90% 82% 62% 60% 38% 58% 37% 41% 37% 89% 75%

64 18 7 35 + 1D10

Armor: B6 /S2/ I4/ H8/ C2/ T0/ E4 (Body) Equipment: Raider Ion Scorcher or Devastator, Permanent Harness Powers: Cloaking Field, Zero Gravity Flight, Infrared Vision, Immunity to Disease, Psi: Mind Probe, Illusion, Terror, Agonize, Daze and Psychometry Hit Locations: Special

213

NPC and Animal Templates


Human Civilian
Attributes - (St) Strength - (En) Endurance - (Ms) Mass - (Re) Reflexes - (Ag) Agility - (Dx) Dexterity - (In) Intelligence - (Ch) Charisma - (Pe) Perception - (De) Determination Vitality Points: Pain Tolerance: Exhaustion Tolerance: Sequential Score: Relevant Skills
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Small Arms Unarmed Melee Combat Armed Melee Combat Throwing Weapons First Aid Interface Oratory Hostile Environment Survival Motorcycle Wheeled Vehicle 28% 36% 31% 31% 22% 19% 14% 48% 16% 23%

30 6 6 16 + 1D10

Armor: None Equipment: Regular Clothing, Cell Phone Powers: None Hit Locations: Humanoid

Human Child
Attributes - (St) Strength - (En) Endurance - (Ms) Mass - (Re) Reflexes - (Ag) Agility - (Dx) Dexterity - (In) Intelligence - (Ch) Charisma - (Pe) Perception - (De) Determination Vitality Points: Pain Tolerance: Exhaustion Tolerance: Sequential Score:
Armor: None Equipment: Regular Clothing Powers: None Hit Locations: Humanoid

Relevant Skills
1 3 1 4 4 3 2 2 5 1 Unarmed Melee Combat Armed Melee Combat Throwing Weapons Stealth & Sneaking Interface Oratory Hostile Environment Survival 36% 31% 32% 14% 31% 6% 45%

19 1 3 17 + 1D10

214

Regular Dog
Attributes - (St) Strength - (En) Endurance - (Ms) Mass - (Re) Reflexes - (Ag) Agility - (Dx) Dexterity - (In) Intelligence - (Ch) Charisma - (Pe) Perception - (De) Determination Vitality Points: Pain Tolerance: Exhaustion Tolerance: Sequential Score: Relevant Skills
3 6 2 7 10 1 1 2 4 2 Bite Tracking 50% 70%

28 3 7 29 + 2D10

Armor: None Equipment: Usually a dog collar Powers: Olfactory Hyper Sense (+ 50% to Perception tests involving smell), Doubled Movement Rates Hit Locations: Quadruped - Use Humanoid Lookup Tables, but replace both arms with additional legs.

Vicious Dog
Attributes - (St) Strength - (En) Endurance - (Ms) Mass - (Re) Reflexes - (Ag) Agility - (Dx) Dexterity - (In) Intelligence - (Ch) Charisma - (Pe) Perception - (De) Determination Vitality Points: Pain Tolerance: Exhaustion Tolerance: Sequential Score: Relevant Skills
5 8 4 9 12 1 1 1 6 3 Bite Tracking 75% 80%

37 5 9 40 + 2D10

Armor: None Equipment: Spiked collar Powers: Olfactory Hyper Sense (+ 50% to Perception tests involving smell), Doubled Movement Rates Hit Locations: Quadruped - Use Humanoid Lookup Tables, but replace both arms with additional legs.

Note: a Dogs Bite Attack does (St) + 1D10* - 5 (S) Damage and costs 7 Action Points to perform.

215

Cattle
Attributes - (St) Strength - (En) Endurance - (Ms) Mass - (Re) Reflexes - (Ag) Agility - (Dx) Dexterity - (In) Intelligence - (Ch) Charisma - (Pe) Perception - (De) Determination Vitality Points: Pain Tolerance: Exhaustion Tolerance: Sequential Score: Relevant Skills
20 5 40 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 Trample 31%

103 20 6 5 + 1D10

Armor: None Equipment: Its a cow! Powers: None. It's a cow!!! Hit Locations: Quadruped - Uses Humanoid Lookup Tables, but replaces both arms with additional legs.

Horse
Attributes - (St) Strength - (En) Endurance - (Ms) Mass - (Re) Reflexes - (Ag) Agility - (Dx) Dexterity - (In) Intelligence - (Ch) Charisma - (Pe) Perception - (De) Determination Relevant Skills
23 12 32 5 15 1 1 2 7 2 Trample 42%

Vitality Points: Pain Tolerance: Exhaustion Tolerance: Sequential Score:

100 18 13 32 + 1D10

Armor: None Equipment: riding saddle Powers: Doubled movement rates Hit Locations: Quadruped - Uses Humanoid Lookup Tables, but replaces both arms with additional legs.

216

Note: Treat the Trample attack similar to a regular Unarmed Melee Combat attack.

Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen