Z-Cars

Introduction
The Future.
The world had thought it had seen the last of Tetsuo Industries seven years ago after the worldspanning outcry against its experiments combining man and machine. Developed initially as biomechanical battlefield vehicles, self-repairing and to some degree self-aware, the horror at their
conception was universal.
So thoroughly was the company dissolved, it was all but wiped from history.
But the world climate has changed.
Where memories are short and money holds sway over moral value, the remnants of Tetsuo Industries
have been reformed.
For the Super X-Treme Sports Network.
***
Sao Paulo, the largest megalopolis in South America. With a population exceeding 35 million and
growing every year, the city swells outwards, a boil ready to burst.
But smog-choked Sao Paulo is the richest city on the continent; an industrial giant employing close to
half of the population, grinding them up and consuming them.
For while the rich grow up towards the sun, climbing above the toxic fumes of the city, the poor,
numbering close to 10 million, huddle together in shanty towns made of rotten wood, rusting iron and
soggy cardboard and breathe in the stagnant air on streets that are narrow and filthy. Crime is rife
here, with child and adult alike engaging in begging, street crime and prostitution.
To say that life is cheap in the Sao Paulo megalopolis is to seriously overvalue it.
Tetsuo Industries and the Super X-Treme Sports Network had found their testing ground.
Building a Z-Car
The Basics
Until the rules of the sport are finalised or at least agreed upon (the vision being of one day
incorporating all races into one channel under the title Bad Carma, managed and distributed by Super
X-Treme Sports Network), the Committee decided that all basic models should be the same. The car
had to be sexy, fearsome, aggressive and adaptable. The car had to be, in the words of one consultant
TV presenter, Like a helicopter gunship attack on Las Vegas!. The basic model selected for testing
by the Network was the Hum-Vee, and Tetsuo Industries quickly went to work.
Weight 6000
Speed 80/50
Acceleration 15
Range 320
Toughness 5
Handling 3
DC 110
AV 4

Appearance
A beast of horrifying appearance, an ever-shifting blend of bone and metal, blood and oil, the Z-Car is
a terrifying sight. Flesh melds with glass in the windows, the engine pulsates and bubbles whilst
translucent patches of metal show the flow of oily blood and discoloured fragments of bone and
ligaments.
Within the fleshy cockpit is the drivers seat. Designed to enfold and protect the driver, it is designed
as an interface for the car and driver who are connected by an pulsating umbilical cord. Once sat in
the seat, the driver is linked to the car by the umbilicus and some metaphysical bond, and vice versa,
allowing for supernaturally quick responses and amazing feats of driving skill.
But there is a drawback, for the cars are unliving creatures, always hungry and powered by what they
are fed. Should they not receive sustenance from outside, the driver understands that he or she is the
final meal.
Power
Z-Cars essentially run on life, consuming and converting Life Points to fuel the car and its many
functions. In these test cases the amount of Life Points the vehicle is able to hold is equal to that of its
Range (though Tetsuo Industries continues to experiment with smaller, faster cars with less capacity
for fuel). The vehicle usually begins with a full complement of fuel.
Each vehicle begins with the same amount of Building Points (BPs) as agreed by the Committee (300
BPs is suggested). These Building Points (or BP Cost) in some cases equate to a Life Point cost
when using any of the vehicles Special Features.
Under the Hood
Capacity
The importance of fuel is an obvious one. The more the vehicle is able to store, the better it is able to
power its abilities and the probability is reduced that the driver will be consumed prematurely.
Normal (BP Cost 0); there has been no modification to the fuel tank. The vehicle is able to store 320
LPs.
Mini-Tank (BP Cost 30 each); an extra, small tank has been added. The vehicle is able to store an
extra 20 LPs. A maximum of 3 mini-tanks can be installed in, or on, a vehicle.
Refuelling
The rules of the sport have yet to be decided, but refuelling may become an issue. Certainly an ability
to refuel at speed is an important one if LPs are beginning to dwindle.
The Trunk Blender (BP Cost 30); A low level refueller requiring much effort and a lot of stopping and
starting on the part of the driver. Opening the trunk allows a body to be deposited. In an fountaining
eruption of gore, the body is consumed and the vehicle gains half the bodys LPs. Messy, inefficient,
but amazingly photogenic.
Bone Hook Snare (BP Cost 40); Not the most efficient refueller, requiring a greater level of skill to
use but preventing the need for the vehicle to come to a stop. Trailing from below the front and rear
fenders, the Bone Hook Snare senses and hooks into any roadkill that passes below it, drawing the
flesh towards and under the vehicle as it moves. Naturally, the high speed hooking and abrasiveness
of most road surfaces sees much damage done to a body. The vehicle gains whatever remains of the
bodys LPs. Up to four bodies can be dragged by the Bone Hook Snare at any one time.
Pseudopod Prow Feeder (BP Cost 50); A mass of ten pseudopods covers the grill of the vehicle, each
lined with serrated suckers. The tentacles of this prow are flexible and strong enough to hold a body
(Str 10 for gripping), whilst allowing blood and small bits of flesh to be slowly consumed. At the

drivers wish, the body can be held in place by the pseudopods until thefuel is required. The
screams of the captured guarantee ratings.
The Maw Grill (BP Cost 60); About as efficient as they come, with a blink-and-youll-miss-it action.
The front of the vehicle actually opens up, swallowing the body whole. No loss of speed, no loss of
LPs. The vehicle gains full LPs, ejecting non-organic material out of the rear. Action replay shots to
die for!
Special Refuelling Features
Rip and Burn (BP Cost 50); Not a drop wasted with this bio-mystical lining as it allows not just the
LPs to be drained from the living, but for the Essence to be utilised too. Add the bodys remaining
Essence to the LPs consumed by the vehicle.
Intelligence
Where intelligent electronic and navigation systems aid a driver, an intelligent, semi-sentient vehicle
does the same, all the while remaining in the drivers control. Whilst driving such a car the driver
receives the vehicles Intelligence score as a bonus (unless otherwise stated) to all Driving skill
checks.
Hunk o' Metal (BP Cost 0); The vehicle is just a mindless unliving machine, capable only of
responding to driver controls. Whilst it may look fearsome, it is unable to project the aura of
malevolence that other vehicles can.
Buick 8 (BP Cost 30); With a forbidding aura, if a machine could brood this would be it. The vehicle
has a degree of intelligence that allows it to recognise a threat and protect itself through various means
(and provided the power is at hand), but does little more. Without a driver present or conscious the
vehicle is unable to move, though evidence suggests that its not beyond luring prey towards it with
odd noises and mysterious lights when fuel is running low. Consider any vehicle with Buick 8
Intelligence to have Animal Cunning +2 (Int 0).
Christine (BP Cost 50); The very epitome of patient and malevolent intelligence is represented here.
The vehicle is able to operate by itself provided there is a driver (conscious or not) to draw energy
from at the wheel. Able to defend, repair and drive itself, the vehicle with Christine intelligence is fully
able to seek out its own source of fuel. Consider any vehicle with Christine intelligence to have
Animal Cunning +4 (Int 1) and Driving; Car 3.
The Honking (BP Cost 70); Even Tetsuo Industries fear these sinister vehicles after the difficulty they
experience in containing them. With The Honking the car is fully independent of its driver, able to
navigate, protect and steer itself. It's main instinct is to find food and it is fully able to defend itself
and attack prey with some degree of sly deliberation, using its own gifts and powers to best effect.
When being driven there no little difficulty in controlling a vehicle with The Honking provided the
driver remains conscious enough to retain control. An unconscious driver in a car with The Honking,
however, never fails to be interesting! Consider any vehicle with he Honking Intelligence to have the
equivalent of Problem Solving (Int 2) and Driving; Car 5.
Special Intelligence Features
Maximum Overdrive (BP Cost 50); Requiring an Intelligence of Buick 8 or above, the vehicle can
temporarily direct or control other semi-sentient cars (Not Hunk o Metal) in their actions, in some
cases forcibly taking over. In order to take over another vehicle a successful Resisted Test must be
made with the aggressor using Intelligence and Driving; Car (using the vehicles Intelligence score as
a bonus) against defending drivers Willpower and Driving; Car (where the vehicles Intelligence acts
as a penalty). A successful Maximum Overdrive test allows control of a target for one Turn, but the
energy required is immense: Each attempt drains the vehicle of 25 LPs.

Combat Features
Ben-Hur Bone Wheel Spikes (BP Cost 20); At the drivers command, interwoven bone and metal
shards grow and form at the wheels hubs, extending out to a distance of 1 metre. Incredibly tough,
the fragments are sharp enough to slice and rend flesh and metal for D10(5)*4 damage per turn, per
Wheel Spike. Successfully using one Ben-Hur Bone Wheel Spike requires a Resisted driving Test
with another driver each turn. To use a second Bone Wheel Spike requires a second Resisted Driving
Test with the aggressor driver incurring a -4 penalty. 20 LPs are required to form each Ben-Hur Bone
Wheel Spike, whilst a further 10 LPs are required to maintain them each turn.
Biting Maw Grill (BP Cost 30); Similar in style to the Maw Grill, but this has no intention of feeding
the machine, this one is just for pure spite. The front of the vehicle opens to reveal a massive,
pustulent void lined with teeth of bone and metal. A high speed collision can be lethal; this feature just
ensures that that is the case. Able to take a bite out of a person or vehicle alike the Biting Maw Grill
inflicts D8(4)*12 damage with each fearsome bite. Using the Biting Maw Grill effectively requires a
successful Resisted Driving Test with another driver, or against a pedestrian a Resisted Test versus the
targets Dexterity. Activating the Biting Maw Grill requires an expenditure of 30 LPs.
Blood Slick (BP Cost 30); A mixture of blood, oil and finely ground entrails drops from the rear of
the vehicle coating the road in a gruesome, stinking slick coating the tyres of those passing through it.
Opponents are forced to make Driving checks at -6 for the next d6(3) turns. The Blood Slick requires
an expenditure of 30 LPs and only one Blood Slick can be activated each turn.
Bone Prow (BP Cost 25); Across the front (or rear) of the car and extending for 2-3 feet (1 metre) is
arrayed a mass of hardened bone spikes. The spikes come in a variety of arrangements and can
instantly spring forth from the front (or rear) of the car as the driver requires. The Bone Prow
requires a successful Resisted Driving Test with another driver, or against a pedestrian a Resisted Test
versus the targets Dexterity to do D6(3)*12 damage on collision. Activating the Bone Prow (front or
rear) requires an expenditure of 25 LPs with a further 15 LPs required to maintain it each turn.
Bone Shard Caltrops (BP Cost 20); Produced within the vehicle from the sharpened bones of victims
the Bone Shard Caltrops can be dropped at any speed from the rear of the car on instruction from the
driver. Perfect for destroying tyres and forcing opponents to make Driving checks at -4, the
sharpened bones inflict incredible damage and are formed in sets of 20 for a cost of 20 LPs to the
vehicle. Only one set of 20 Bone Caltrops can be dropped per turn. A single Bone Shard Caltrop is
capable of inflicting D4(2) damage.
Front and Side Impact Lung Bags (BP Cost 20); With supernaturally quick reactions the vehicle is
able to respond to collisions, rolls, plunges etc that would endanger the driver and inflate the Front and
Side Impact Lung Bags affording the driver complete security and safety. This feature triggers
automatically (provided the required LPs are available) and retract at the drivers wishes. In addition
to protecting the driver, the Lung Bags have between them a 5 minute supply of oxygen in case of
emergencies. LP cost for activating the Lung Bags is 20.
Obscuring Blood Mist (BP Cost 25); From the tailpipe blasts a thick, viscous mix of fine blood
particles. This cloud of red mist coats all to the rear of the vehicle within 20 metres and will hang in
the air for a D6(3) turns. Drivers passing through the Obscuring Blood Mist are forced to make
Driving checks at -3 for D4(2) turns. The Obscuring Blood Mist requires an expenditure of 25 LPs.
Only one Obscuring Blood Mist can be activated each turn.
Obscuring and Corrosive Blood Mist (BP Cost 40); As Obscuring Blood Mist, but mixed within the
red haze is strengthened battery acid. Drivers passing through the Obscuring and Corrosive Blood
Mist are forced to make Driving checks at -3 for D4(2) turns, but in addition vehicles passing through
the mist take D10(5) damage per turn (for the next 20 turns) unless some way is found to remove the
acid. The Obscuring and Corrosive Blood Mist requires an expenditure of 40 LPs. Only one
Obscuring and Corrosive Blood Mist can be activated each turn.
Self-Repairing Body (BP Cost 60); While the vehicle itself is a creation of metal and flesh, at its
foundations it is still a machine. Once the DC has been exceeded the vehicle is dead in the water. As
organic and mechanical fluids move swiftly around the vehicles body, the car is able to repair itself.

Bone will form where metal has been damaged, lung tissue and thick skin will form in damaged tires
and even hair will weave itself to mimic fabric. The Self-Repairing Body has two settings as chosen
beforehand by the driver. On Automatic it will bypass the drivers permission to repair, and do this
itself as and when damage is taken. A risky proposition if the vehicles LPs are running low and no
fuel is in sight. On Manual the driver is able to direct how much damage is repaired and when this is
done. The attention and time needed to perform this kind of analysis and evaluation, though, requires
the driver to make a Driving check at -4. The Self-Repairing Body requires 5 LPs to repair 1 DC,
though this can be done in small batches over a length of turns or in one large repair in one turn.
Shifting Bone Body Armor (BP Cost 60); Plates of bone move under the skin of the vehicle providing
protection all over the car where needed, directed by sentient sensors in the vehicle. Formed from
many small plates, the bone slabs are able to knit themselves together as and when required by the
driver to make larger plates, constantly shifting around the body work to avoid damage being inflicted.
Shifting Bone Body Armor has AV 8, DC 60 and BV 10. Shifting Bone Body Armor can not be
stacked, and a driver is unable to activate a new set of armor until the previous one has been destroyed.
Shifting Bone Body Armor is activated at a cost of 60 LPs and is destroyed when the DC has been
exceeded.
Tendon Winch and Bone Grappling Hook (BP Cost 15); Attached to the front or rear of the vehicle,
the Winch and Grapple form out of the fenders and have a maximum extended length of 70 metres,
with a pulling Strength and Gripping of 15. With a successful Driving test at -4 the Bone Grappling
Hook can be fired, or more accurately spat, to the front, rear or even side. Damage to the Tendon
Winch wire is deducted from the LPs of the vehicle. The Tendon Winch and Bone Grappling Hook
can be activated for 15 LPs and maintained each turn for a further 15 LPs per turn.
Using a Z-Car
The Bad Carma Channel
There are as many options to using Z-Cars as there are car racing events. The Bad Carma Channel
aims to fulfill all of them from stock car racing to point-based death races. Presented below are
some options for Committees to consider:
- Stock Car Racing and Car Duels; A demolition duel around a circuit or multi-driver battles in the
Car-Pool, Z-Cars make for awesome entertainment, whether it be Car-Fu duels featuring favourite
drivers, or the mutilation and mayhem of multiple pile-ups
- Circuit Racing; Teams build their cars for speed and around the circuit they go. Well timed and
perfectly executed attacks add for an element of surprise and tactics in a race with no fuel stops.
- Cross-State Rallys, Off-Road Racing, Illegal Urban Racing and other point-based Death Races;
freely roam the country causing destruction and death in customised cars. Chew through chain-gangs
on a back country road refuel or roar through narrow shanty town streets (and buildings). Take Bad
Carma wherever you want in the world; connect with new cultures, meet new people and run them
down.
Thanks
A big salute needs to go towards Dans Attack of the Killer Cars, but this came out of a back and forth
with Gerry about Driving deadworlds and such, so my thanks must go to him for planting the seeds in
my head. Thanks must also go (again) to Evin for lending me his brain and thoughts and making me
look better than I am. Cheers guys!
Ferg