“Conquering the universe so
you don’t have to.”
You can find a character sheet for MERC here. If you are
playing the online version, things will be a little more difficult. You will
probably need to fill out a form that looks something like the form below. If
you don’t get it, don’t worry, just fill out as much as you think you can and
then e-mail me with your questions. My e-mail address is at the top of the
document.
Character Name:
Player:
Role:
Level:
Height:
Weight:
Gender:
Strength:
Base Melee Attack Bonus:
Base Damage Bonus To Melee Attacks:
Maximum Size Points:
Base Movement (Unencumbered):
Dexterity:
Base Armor Class:
Base Ranged Attack Bonus:
Base Unarmed Attacks Per Round:
Attacks of Opportunity Per Round:
Constitution:
Hit Points:
Environmental Damage Modifier:
Maximum Rounds of Running:
Sixth Sense:
Misc Defense Modifier:
Affinity:
Starting Skill Points:
Skill Name:
Cost:
Prerequisites:
Weapon Name:
Damage:
Attack Bonus:
Attacks Per Round:
Range:
Special Weapon Properties:
Ammo:
Weapon Size:
Total Ammo Size:
Weapon Cost:
Total Ammo Cost:
Damage:
Attack Bonus:
Attacks Per Round:
Armor Level:
Total Armor Class:
Special Circumstance AC Bonus:
Cost:
Size:
Item Name:
Cost:
Size:
Remaining Credits:
Total Size Points Remaining:
Adjusted Movement:
“I believe in my God-given talent
to kick some alien ass.”
All characters begin with a value of 0 on all their attributes.
Increasing an attribute by 1 costs an attribute point. Alternatively, the
character can take a negative attribute value and get 1 extra attribute point
for every attribute point subtracted. Thereby, he can boost other attributes to
very high levels in exchange.
An attribute value can only range from –5 to 5, and
characters begin with 5 attribute points. It is not recommended that you have a
score below –2; this will be a major drawback.
The five attributes are as follows:
The Strength value governs three things:
1) How easy it is to hit targets with a hand-to-hand
attack.
2) How much damage the character’s hand-to-hand
attack causes.
3) How many size points worth of weapons and
equipment that the character can carry.
All
characters do a base amount of 1 damage with a punch or kick. Even if the
character’s Strength is less than 0, he can never do less than 1 damage with a
melee attack so long as he scores a hit. For every additional point beyond 0,
the character’s melee attacks do +1 damage; so a character with a Strength of 2
would do 3 points of damage with a punch or kick. This bonus applies to punches
and kicks as well as hand-to-hand weapons.
All characters can carry 10 size points worth of
equipment with a Strength of 0. For every Strength point above or below 0, add
or subtract 1 to how many size points the character can carry.
For instance, Colonel Zed has a Strength of 0, so he
can only carry a Model 89 Photon Cannon (4 size points), a grenade (1 size
point), and 5 units of ammo for his photon cannon (another 5 points).
Meanwhile, Corporal Hughes has a Strength of 2, so
he can carry everything that Zed is carrying, as well as 2 points more.
Strength, Size, and Movement: All characters move a base
speed of thirty feet per round. However, this can change based on a character’s
strength and what he is carrying.
30 + Strength – Size Points of Equipment Carried:
Rounded To The Nearest Five: Adjusted Movement
For
instance, if a character with a Strength rating of 3 was carrying 13 size
points worth of stuff, that means his base movement is only 20.
If running, multiply your base movement by 2. See
the description of Constitution below and the Running action in Combat Rules
for details on running.
Dexterity is often the most valuable attribute for
characters. It governs many things:
1)
Base
Armor Class (how difficult you are to hit).
2)
Base
Ranged Attack Bonus.
3)
Base
Unarmed Attacks per round.
4)
How
many attacks of opportunity the character gets per round.
Armor Class: The base armor class for a character is 10 +
Dexterity. Armor class can be further improved by armor and certain skills.
Base Ranged Attack Bonus: This is equal to your
Dexterity score, so a character with a Dexterity of 1 would get +1, and a
character with a Dexterity of –3 would get –3, obviously.
Base Unarmed Attacks Per Round: You get a number of unarmed
attacks per round equal to 1 + (your Dexterity –1). This total can never be
below 1.
Attacks of Opportunity: You get a number of attacks
of opportunity per round equal to 1 + Dexterity (never below 1).
Constitution has three uses.
1) Your Constitution value serves as a modifier to
your 10 beginning hit points. A character with a Constitution of 3 has 13 hit
points, for instance. A wounded character regenerates hit points per day equal
to his Constitution value (never less than 1).
2) Constitution modifies how much damage you take
from nasty environmental effects. For instance, if Colonel Potter is caught in
a munitions explosion that causes a base damage of 5-7, and he has a
Constitution of 2, then he automatically subtracts 2 from the total amount of
damage he takes, in addition to added protection from any armor he might be wearing.
If his Constitution were –2, then he would add 2 points of damage.
3) A character can keep up running speed for a
number of rounds equal to 1 + Constitution (never below 1). After all of these
rounds have been expended, the character can only move five feet the next
round.
Sixth
Sense is basically an attribute that when raised above 0, unlocks new potential
skills for that character. Sixth Sense is the sum of your character’s latent,
minor psionic abilities, innate skill in battle, and unexplained luck.
Your
Sixth Sense also serves as the modifier for your Misc Defense rolls, which
serves as a defense against things that other attributes can’t help you resist,
such as psionic abilities.
Characters
with a Sixth Sense of 5 have a limited sense of precognition. There is only a
40% chance that they will be surprised in combat, and sometimes can tell what
actions opponents will take on their next round.
Your
Misc Defense modifier is a bonus to a d20 roll you make to resist a special
attack, usually a psionic mind attack. The number you have to roll depends on
how powerful the attack is.
Affinity
is the measure of a character’s ability to learn and manipulate his
surroundings. You add your Affinity score to the amount of skills you can buy
at first level. Sometimes, you will need a certain amount of Affinity to buy a
particular skill.
Affinity
can also help you successfully use the skills that you have bought with
modifiers to rolls.
“You got what it takes, soldier? ‘Cause
believe me, you gonna take what they’ve got out there.”
Skills are bought with skill points. All characters
begin with six skill points.
The skills are divided into two distinct types, Combat
and Field. Combat skills are those that will benefit a character
directly in a combat situation, and generally aid only the attacks and actions
he already possesses, rather than adding new ones. Field skills are unlikely to
be of much use during battle, but have other, possibly very important
applications. As of version 2.0, there are 38 skills.
Skill Master Listing:
Combat:
Akimbo Fighting
Akimbo Gunnery
Attack Reflex
Blind-Fighting
Counter-Attack
Dodging
Durability
Endurance
First Aid
Leap
Improved Aim
Improved Disarm
Improved Initiative
Quick-Draw
Quick Reload
Maneuverability
Melee Combat
Martial Arts I
Martial Arts II
Martial Mastery
Medicine
Mobility
Precise Fire
Psionic Defense
Rapid Strike
Rapid-Fire
Sniping
Stealth
Superhuman Accuracy
Unarmed Combat
Unarmed Finesse
Weapon Focus
Weapon Throwing
Field:
Armor Repair
Disarm Explosives
Infiltration
Forensics
Hacking
Language
Tracking
Weapon Repair
Cost: 2
If using melee weapons in both hands, the character
suffers no penalties for two-weapon fighting.
Cost: 3
The character suffers no penalties for two-weapon
fighting when using a projectile weapon in both hands.
Cost: 2
The character gets an extra attack of opportunity
per round.
Cost: 2
Prerequisites: Sixth Sense 2
If your character can’t see, then the rules for
fighting unseen attackers are different for the character. The character uses
sounds, vibration, and the movement of the air around him, as well as his Sixth
Sense, to orient himself. Unlike normal characters, he doesn’t lose his
Dexterity bonus to AC, and suffers only a –4 penalty to hit the attacker, as
opposed to the normal –8 penalty.
Cost: 2
If an enemy makes an attack of opportunity on your
character and misses, the character then gets his own attack of opportunity
against the attacker. If the character misses that attack of opportunity, and
the enemy has Counter-Attack as well, Counter-Attack doesn’t count in that
case. The use of this attack of opportunity does not count against the
character’s maximum allowed attacks of opportunity per round.
Cost: 1
A character that has Dodging can select one opponent
in a combat situation and receive a +1 AC bonus against attacks from that
opponent. This bonus does not count if the character loses his Dexterity bonus
to AC.
Cost: 1
Your
character gets 1 extra hit point. You can take this skill multiple times.
Cost: 2
The character’s physical fitness is so great that it
affords him improved stamina and enhanced resistance to environmental effects.
A character with endurance can run for an additional two rounds longer than
normal, and gets a further +1 damage reduction against environmental effects.
Endurance also helps to protect the character from poison by granting a +2
bonus to his roll against poison.
Cost: 1
The character can revive incapacitated humans with a
great chance of success, or an alien creature with a good chance of success,
depending on how similar its physiology is. Generally, the base chance of
reviving a human is 90%, and for an alien it decreases to 60%. This chance is
modified by 5% for every positive or negative point of Affinity.
This skill is used to stop dying characters from
bleeding to death and stabilizing their serious physical conditions. It
requires only minor equipment that takes up no size points.
This skill cannot be used to mend highly unusual
injuries and effects, such as poison, radiation, or diseases. Note that a
character with First Aid can use the skill on himself, providing that he is
still conscious and is physically able to do so.
A character with First Aid can restore 1 lost hit point
to another character. However, he may only do this to the same character once
per day. It takes 5 minutes (60 rounds) of the medic’s time to administer this
benefit. The character that is being treated with this skill must remain still.
Cost: 2
Prerequisites: Martial Arts I
When calculating the total number of feet leapt for
a jump, your character can add an additional 2 + your Dexterity. Furthermore,
if opting to push on a charge, the character adds +2 to the total number of
feet pushed if he jumps and makes a melee attack in mid-air (usually in the
form of a jumping kick).
Cost: 1
When taking aim as a full-round action, the
character’s attack bonus on the subsequent attack increases to +4. This skill
also lessens the effectiveness of the cover an enemy is taking (see Combat
Rules for more information). A character that is using Improved Aim may only
make 1 attack with that weapon at the +4 bonus; all other subsequent attacks
are at the normal bonus.
If using two weapons, you may use only one of them
in conjunction with this skill.
Cost: 1
If the character is trying to grab an opponent’s
weapon (see Combat Rules), the opponent does not get an attack of opportunity
against him.
Improved
Initiative
Cost: 1
When rolling for initiative, the character gets a +4
bonus to his total. See Initiative Rolling in the Combat section.
Cost: 1
Prerequisites: Affinity 0
Cost: 1
Prerequisites: Affinity 0
The rate at which you reload weaponry is doubled
(round up).
Cost: 2
Prerequisites: Dodging, Sixth Sense 1
Any attack of opportunity against your character
suffers a –4 penalty due to the character’s swift movement and finely tuned
senses. Your character does not get this bonus if he loses his Dexterity bonus
to AC.
Cost: 3
With this skill, the character gains the following
bonuses:
1. The character gets an additional attack per round
when using melee attacks.
2. The character inflicts +1 damage with his melee
attacks.
3. The character gains a +2 AC bonus against melee
attacks. This bonus increases to +3 if the character is wielding a melee weapon.
4. The character’s unarmed attacks cause lethal
damage, if he wishes.
5. You have a greater chance of landing on your feet
after jumping or falling.
Cost: 3
Prerequisites: Martial Arts I
With this skill, the character gains the following
further bonuses from Martial Arts I:
1. The character gains an extra attack per round in
addition to the extra attack from Martial Arts I. However, if the character
chooses to use all of the attacks, they all suffer a –2 penalty.
2. If the character attacks only once with a melee
attack during a round, the attack gets +3 to hit and +3 to damage. These
bonuses do not stack with the bonuses from Martial Arts I.
3. The character’s AC bonus against melee attacks
increases to +4. This bonus increases to +5 if the character is wielding a
melee weapon.
4.
You can damage mechanical units with your unarmed attacks.
5. You can perform a reverse running jump (See
Jumping in Combat Rules).
Cost: 1
Prerequisites: Martial Arts II
Characters that are highly proficient in the martial
arts can eventually learn to specialize in a specific style of combat. When
buying this skill, the character must select a single weapon with which the
skill is used. Unarmed attacks can be selected as that weapon. Once the skill
is bought, the character selects a specific bonus:
Deadly: The character gets a +1 bonus to damage.
Defensive: The character gets a +4 AC bonus vs. melee attacks.
Precise: The character gets a +2 bonus to hit.
Rapid: The character gets an extra attack per round.
Martial Mastery can be bought multiple times for
either the same or different weapons. However, you cannot buy the same bonus
more than once for the same weapon (no stacking).
Cost: 2
Prerequisites: Affinity 0, First Aid
This skill allows a character to treat others with
maladies that defy First Aid. Characters with this skill have to carry 1 size
point of special equipment if they wish to have use of the skill on a mission,
or they have to rely on another character’s tool-set. The tool-set is free, but
only a character with the Medicine skill can begin a mission with his own set.
Use this skill to attempt to neutralize poisons,
treat burns, treat radiation sickness, set broken limbs, or anything else that
a professional doctor would know about.
A character with Medicine can restore 1d3 lost hit
points to another character. However, he may only do this to the same character
once per day. It takes 5-15 (60-180 rounds) minutes of the medic’s time to administer
this benefit. The character that is being treated with this skill must remain
still.
Cost: 1
When armed with a melee weapon with a size greater
than 1, the character’s AC is +2 vs. melee attacks.
Cost: 2
The character’s base movement is improved by an
additional ten feet per round.
Cost: 1
Prerequisites: Sixth Sense 0
Your character doesn’t suffer any penalties for
firing into a melee (see Combat Rules).
Cost: 1
Prerequisites: Sixth Sense 2
Your character gets a +1 bonus to Misc Defense rolls
to resist psionic effects and +1 damage reduction against psionic attacks. This
skill can be bought multiple times to increase the character’s defenses.
Cost: 1
The character gets an extra attack per round if
attacking unarmed or with a melee weapon in hand-to-hand combat. If all these
attacks are used in the round, they each suffer a –2 attack penalty.
Cost: 2
If a character possesses the Rapid-Fire skill, and
is using a ranged weapon that has 2 or more attacks per round, he gets an extra
attack per round. If the character chooses to use all of the attacks during a
round, they each suffer a –2 attack penalty.
Cost: 1
When a character buys this skill for a specific
ranged weapon, his range increment is increased by 50%. For instance, if the
normal range increment is 100, then it becomes 150. You can purchase this skill
to use in conjunction with thrown weapons and grenades if you so choose.
Cost: 2
Prerequisites: Sixth Sense 1
Your character specializes in launching covert
operations in which nearby enemy forces do not detect him—unless it is too
late.
If your character is moving at half his base speed,
he usually makes no sounds with his footsteps. Additionally, he can quiet his
breathing easily, avoid coughing and sneezing, and generally refrains from
making any other involuntary sound.
Characters using Stealth can naturally sneak around
sentries in a nearby area, avoiding detection. However, such sentries roll 1d20
+ Sixth Sense when the character is within normal detection range. If they get
a number equal to or greater than 15 + character’s Sixth Sense + the
character’s level, they discover him.
Cost: 2
Prerequisites: Sixth Sense 3
Your character has an almost supernatural accuracy,
and gets a +1 bonus to hit, regardless of what weapon or form of attack that he
is using.
Cost: 2
Prerequisites: Martial Arts I
The character’s maximum number of unarmed attacks
per round is doubled, but the character is considered to be fighting akimbo (He
must buy the Akimbo Fighting skill to avoid a –4 penalty to his attack rolls).
When calculating the number of unarmed attacks per round the character gets,
factor in Unarmed Combat only after you factor in every other skill that
enhances the character’s attacks per round.
Cost: 1
Prerequisites: Martial Arts I
Your character’s unarmed attacks use his Dexterity
modifier instead of his Strength modifier when calculating your bonus to hit.
Strength still applies to damage. Remember that Unarmed Finesse does not apply
if you are using a melee weapon.
Cost: 1
Prerequisites: Affinity 0
Buying this skill for a specific weapon grants the
character familiarity and expertise with the use of that weapon. The character
gets a +1 bonus to attack with that weapon. This skill can be bought up to
three times for the same weapon, to increase the modifier to +3. Weapon Focus can
be used to enhance unarmed attacks.
Cost: 2
Prerequisites: Sixth Sense 0
Your character can throw most melee weapons with
great skill. A thrown weapon does the listed damage, with all damage bonuses
applied, and uses Dexterity instead of Strength to modify the bonus to attack.
It has a range increment of 10. A character can only throw a weapon if its size
is equal to or less than 1 + the character’s Strength. Weapon Focus still
applies to the weapons thrown if the character possesses that skill.
Cost: 1
Prerequisites: Affinity 2
Characters with this skill are so familiar with
armor that they can repair it if it becomes damaged, using only meager supplies
and tools that they bring with them. If the character’s armor is damaged (but
not destroyed), he has a 50% chance of being able to fix it. You get a +10%
bonus to this chance per point of Affinity. In addition, if you have a Sixth
Sense greater than 0, you get a further +10% bonus.
Cost: 1
A
character with this skill is trained to disarm live explosives and bombs. To
deactivate an explosive device, the character needs two rounds to work on it.
The character rolls 1d20 + Affinity + Sixth Sense. If the If the character’s
roll results in a 15 or higher, the explosive device is successfully disarmed.
If the character gets lower than 10, the explosive goes off as he’s working on
it. A result of 10-14 means that the character failed to deactivate the
explosive, but nothing else happens.
Cost: 2
A character with this skill is adept at cracking
through security measures, be they physical barriers, computerized, or
otherwise. Characters with this skill have to carry 1 size point of special
equipment if they wish to have use of the skill on a mission, or they have to
rely on another character’s tool-set. Only characters with the skill
automatically acquire infiltration tools; most of the implements are homemade
or drastically altered from their intended usage, and much of the lore is kept
secret from those who aren’t in the know.
The character gets a circumstance bonus when trying
to break locks, crack passwords, deactivate or disable electronic surveillance
systems, or any other activity that involves going somewhere that the character
doesn’t belong. The character gets a bonus or penalty to his chances according
to his Sixth Sense.
Cost: 1
Prerequisites: Affinity 1
Characters with skill are adept at studying dead
bodies and their surroundings to discover both cause and time of death. Your
Affinity score modifies your rolls to succeed with this skill. You get a +2
bonus to Forensics checks if you have the Medicine skill.
Cost: 1
Prerequisites: Infiltration
Characters with the Hacking skill get a +6 bonus to
their Infiltration checks when they use the Infiltration skill in an attempt to
break into a computer.
Cost: 1
Prerequisites: Affinity 1
All characters are assumed to be humans native to
Earth. By default, all characters know English, or the native language to the
country they come from (Mercenary brigades with soldiers that can’t understand
each-other are extremely rare and short-lived).
Buying this skill lets your character either have
basic knowledge of two extra human languages or have the ability to speak a
single extra human language fluently. The character can also attain basic
knowledge of an alien language by using 1 point, such as:
Krulutar
Zzemboth
Vek’Daath
An additional point must be spent to speak an alien
language fluently.
Cost: 2
Your character is adept at finding following the
path taken by other troops, vehicles, or miscellaneous things that have been in
the area recently. The chance for successfully picking up on something’s trail
is a base 50%, and is modified by 10% for each point of Affinity the character
possesses. Tracking a target that has the Stealth skill reduces your chances by
20%.
Cost: 1
Prerequisites: Affinity 2
Characters
with this skill are so familiar with weapons that they can repair them if it
becomes damaged, or if it misfires or jams, using only meager supplies and
tools that they bring with them. If a weapon is damaged (but not destroyed),
you have a 50% chance of being able to fix it. You get a +10% bonus to this
chance per point of Affinity. A character with a negative Affinity gets a –10%
penalty. In addition, if you have a Sixth Sense greater than 0, you get a
further +10% bonus.
It
takes 1 round to fix a weapon that has misfired or jammed.
“You called down the thunder. Now reap the
whirlwind.”
All characters begin with 70 credits to spend on
weapons and equipment. As of version 2.4, there are 33 weapons.
Vimnar Industries Power Sledge (4)
Grenade (4)
T-5 Combat Knife (5)
K-Class 8-Gauge Shotgun (5)
SB-7 Claw Grenade (6)
Conarri 12-Gauge Shotgun (7)
Conarri Super-Cannon (9)
VK-5 Grenade Launcher (9)
Conarri 10-Gauge Shotgun (11)
M-5 Explosive Charge (12)
Model 89 Photon Cannon (13)
MK-10 Heavy Rocket Launcher (14)
Tamarin Engineering FI-4 Dart Launcher (14)
Vimnar Industries Lightning Prod (15)
.60 Gator Revolver (16)
Laramie Corp Plasma Ripper (20)
.50 Wasp Sniper Rifle (21)
Flamethrower (22)
.20 Wasp Auto-Pistol (23)
Cageni Model Z Rocket Gauntlet (23)
Larret 8mm Sub-Machine Gun (23)
Tarkizi 8mm Auto-Pistol (25)
Larret .60 Sniper Rifle (25)
Tarkizi 9mm Machine Pistol (26)
R-15 Laser Pistol (27)
KL-34 Dart Pistol (27)
Tarkizi .45 Sub-Machine Gun (27)
Laramie Corp Electrode Gun (27)
Laramie Corp Roto-Rifle (32)
Larret 10mm Auto-Pistol (34)
Larret .50 MK3 Assault Rifle (41)
Larret .45 Semi-Automatic Rifle (43)
Conarri Gatling Gun (53)
Class:
There are
several types of weapons.
Explosive: Grenades, rocket launchers,
and other weapons that cause mass devastation. A direct hit from
an explosive causes double damage.
Handgun:
Side arms.
High-Powered
Assault: Single-shot
weaponry.
Melee:
Hand-to-hand
weapons.
Rapid-Fire
Assault: Weapons
with multiple attacks.
Shotgun:
Close
range scatter-fire weapons.
Damage Per Hit: The damage dice that a single attack from the
weapon causes.
Special: Any special properties that the weapon possesses.
Accuracy Modifier: Some weapons are more precise
than others. This lists any bonus or penalty you take to your attack roll when
targeting something with the weapon.
Attacks Per Round: How many times you can
ordinarily fire the weapon per round. This generally assumes that you are standing
still and firing the weapon at a single target.
Range Increment: Listed in feet. As the range of your target
increases and decreases, it becomes easier or more difficult to hit. A weapon
with a range increment of 25 indicates that at a range of 25 feet or less, you
suffer no penalty to your attack roll. At 26-50 feet, you suffer a –1 penalty
to your attack. At 51-75 feet, the penalty increases to –2, and so on.
Ammo: How much ammo the weapon carries before you have to
reload it with more.
Reload Time: How much time, in rounds, that it takes you to
reload the weapon’s ammunition.
Akimbo: If “Yes” is listed, then you can use one of the
weapon in each hand, although you will do so at a –3 penalty to attack. If
“No,” then you have to use both hands to operate the weapon.
Silencer: A silencer will muffle the sound of your weapon’s
discharge to the point where it can only be heard from within ten feet by
ordinary listening. Equipping a weapon with a silencer adds 1 to the weapon’s
total size.
Laser: A laser mounted on the weapon allows you to more
easily aim your shots, giving you a +1 bonus to attack as long as you can see
the laser on the target you are shooting at.
Size: How many size points the weapon takes up.
Credits: How many credits the weapon will cost your
character.
Ammo Cost: How many credits it will cost you to buy one
additional unit of ammo for the weapon. A unit of ammo is equal to the maximum
amount of ammo that the weapon can hold.
Ammo Size: How many size points that an additional unit of ammo
takes up.
Arm Cannon: Arm cannon weapons require that you fit the weapon
completely over your forearm before it can be used, meaning that you can’t use
that hand for anything but firing the weapon.
Explosive Damage: A weapon that does explosive damage is
unusually poor at breaking through armor. The effectiveness of armor against
this attack is double the usual.
Frequently Misfires: A weapon this property always
misfires on a natural 1 attack roll.
Overheat: A weapon that overheats can only be continuously
fired for a certain amount of time before it automatically shuts down for a
round. The round capacity indicates how many rounds of time in a row you can
fire the weapon before it overheats. Most weapons automatically shut down; you
cannot damage and destroy them by overheating them.
Never Misfires: A weapon with this property never misfires as
described in Weapon Failure, usually do to excellent workmanship.
Piercing Damage: Against piercing damage, armor is only half as
effective. For instance, a character with 4 points of armor that is struck by
piercing damage is treated as if he were only wearing 2 armor. Armor is
considered half as effective, rounded up.
Range Sensitive: A range sensitive weapon only does its listed
damage at a range of ten feet or less. For every ten feet further, the weapon
does –1 damage. At long enough ranges, the weapon causes no damage at all.
Shot Spread: This weapon fires a burst that hits over a wider
area than most other weapons, generally a 5-10 foot area. Improved Shot
Spread indicates a 10-15 foot area. At very close and point blank ranges,
the effect of the shot spread is negated unless it can go through the obstacle
you are firing at.
Cageni: Cageni has thus far completed the designs on one
weapon, the Model Z Rocket Gauntlet. The ingenious weapon quickly became a
mercenary favorite thanks to its surprising capacity for destruction. New
Cageni designs are under-way.
Conarri: Founded by the one-time artillery specialist James
Conarri, Conarri specializes in the design of high-impact, heavy assault guns.
They produce two different well-known shotguns, as well as a lesser-known
cannon weapon that is beginning to see increased use in mercenary units.
Gator Manufacturing: Gator went out of business
twenty years ago thanks to poor advertising and low-standard engineering
quality, but its .60 caliber revolvers are regarded as being very combat-worthy
even today, and have been reproduced since the collapse of the original
manufacturer.
Laramie Corp: Laramie is one of the galaxy’s first and best
producers of next generation laser weapons. The roto-rifle and plasma ripper
have been wildly successful designs.
Larret: Larret is one of the oldest and most successful
weapons manufacturers still in business. The quality of a Larret weapon is
un-matched throughout the galaxy, and many militaries are known to use Larret
weapons in bulk. While typically out-dated compared to the newer laser weapon
industry, Larret models are still preferred by most, and none more than their
assault rifle, which is in heavy use by the Intergalactic Commonwealth.
Tamarin Engineering: Tamarin specializes mainly in
the use of non-lethal dart weapons, used by law enforcement and wildlife control
teams to sedate their targets. However, the experimental FI-4 Dart Launcher was
recognized for its superb military potential, and has quickly become a favorite
anti-personnel weapon of many brigades. In addition, Tamarin has recently
completed testing on the KL-34.
Tarkizi: Joseph Tarkizi, a former mercenary, used his amassed
fortune to found this weapon manufacturing company thirty years ago, and has
met with modest success. Specializing mainly in low-caliber, rapid-fire
weapons, his designs can be found in many mercenary brigades.
Vimnar Industries: Vimnar Industries specializes in superb and somewhat exotic melee
weaponry, including the power sledge and a lightning prod weapon. While Vimnar
weapons may not always prove useful in all situations, they do pack a mean
punch.
WaspCo: Founded by former Conarri engineers, the original
WaspCo quickly floundered and failed, but just before its demise, the Wasp
series of weaponry was devised and made available to the public. Capitalizing on
the idea of hand-held explosive weaponry, the guns make viciously effective
anti-personnel weapons. Since WaspCo’s failure, its two released models have
been reproduced by a number of other manufacturers across the galaxy.
Class:
Explosive
Damage Per Hit: 3d6
Special: Blast Radius 10, Arm Cannon
Accuracy: +1
Attacks Per Round: 2
Range Increment: 50
Ammo: 4
Reload Time: 1 per minirocket
Akimbo: No
Silencer: No
Laser: Yes
Size: 4
Credits: 23
Ammo Cost: 12 for 4 minirockets
Ammo Size: 2
The Model Z is an incredibly powerful weapon.
Attached to the arm and loaded, the launcher can fire two small rockets per
round at targets. There are entire mercenary teams known to take only gauntlets
along with them to missions.
Class: Melee
Damage Per Hit: 1d6
Special: -
Accuracy Modifier: +1
Attacks Per Round: 2
Range Increment: Melee
Ammo: N/A
Reload Time: N/A
Akimbo: Yes
Silencer: No
Laser: No
Size: 1
Credits: 12
Ammo Cost: N/A
Ammo Size: N/A
The combat knife is the most common melee weapon of
all mercenaries. When caught in a close scrape, a few slashes and stabs from
the blade can end a fight very quickly.
Class:
Rapid-Fire
Assault
Damage Per Hit: 1d8
Special: -
Accuracy: +0
Attacks Per Round: 5
Range Increment: 100
Ammo: 90
Reload Time: 2
Akimbo: No
Silencer: No
Laser: No
Size: 6
Credits: 53
Ammo Cost: 26
Ammo Size: 3
This massive weapon requires 2 rounds to set up before
it can be fired. Basically used as a heavy assault emplacement, the Conarri .45
Gatling Gun fires off bullets at an impressive rate. The gun excels as a
defensive tool, but can also be a great advantage during an offensive
operation.
Class: Shotgun
Damage Per Hit: 1d12 (1d12+1)
Special: Shot Spread, Explosive Damage, Range-Sensitive,
(Improved Shot Spread)
Accuracy Modifier: +2 (+0)
Attacks Per Round: 2
Range Increment: 25 (20)
Ammo: 8
Reload Time: 1 per 2 shells
Akimbo: No
Silencer: No
Laser: Yes (No)
Size: 3 (2)
Credits: 11 (21)
Ammo Cost: 6 for 8 shells
Ammo Size: 1
While more expensive than Conarri’s 12-Gauge model,
the 10-gauge more than makes up for the difference with improved accuracy and
damage capability.
*Numbers in parentheses indicate modifications
caused by a sawed-off barrel.
Class:
Shotgun
Damage Per Hit: 1d10 (1d12)
Special: Shot Spread, Explosive Damage, Range-Sensitive,
(Improved Shot Spread)
Accuracy Modifier: +1 (-1)
Attacks Per Round: 2
Range Increment: 20 (15)
Ammo: 8
Reload Time: 1 per 2 shells
Akimbo: No
Silencer: No
Laser: Yes (No)
Size: 3 (2)
Credits: 7 (14)
Ammo Cost: 4 for 8 shells
Ammo Size: 1
The Conarri is a common skirmish weapon. It has
saved the life of many a mercenary who was caught in a close-range exchange
with multiple enemies. While not effective against heavy armor or at medium to
long ranges, the Conarri’s deadly shot-spread can hit an area about five feet
wide at a range of twenty feet away, bringing down clustered enemies in a
hurry.
*Numbers in parentheses indicate modifications
caused by a sawed-off barrel.
Class:
High-Powered
Assault
Damage Per Hit: 1d12+1
Special: -
Accuracy: +0
Attacks Per Round: 1
Range Increment: 120
Ammo: 6
Reload Time: 1 per bullet
Akimbo: No
Silencer: No
Laser: No
Size: 5
Credits: 9
Ammo Cost: 4 for six rounds
Ammo Size: 2
The
working concept for this shoulder-mounted cannon was that it would be a giant revolver.
Conarri’s engineers succeeded in bringing that vision to life, and the .80
caliber Super Cannon was born. Massive in size, the weapon is mainly used for
heavy support in open, out-door combat zones, where the user can take advantage
of its great range. Mercenary captains typically view the weapon as the
creation of overly inventive engineers, and dislike its revolver design,
preferring automatic weaponry.
However, mercenaries still use it, since Conarri
over-produced the gun and flooded the market, lowering prices considerably.
Flamethrower
Class: Explosive
Damage Per Hit: 1d8*
Special: Improved Shot Spread, Piercing Damage
Accuracy: +4
Attacks Per Round: 1
Range Increment: 10
Ammo: 10
Reload Time: 2
Akimbo: No
Silencer: No
Laser: No
Size: 4
Credits: 22
Ammo Cost: 11 Per Tank
The Flamethrower is an ancient but effective
battlefield weapon. Powered by fuel, the weapon is usually about the size of a
large rifle. The weapon merely shoots out a jet of flame, but this is enough to
both severely damage many victims and often repulses any enemies behind the
initial target, forcing them to protect themselves from the fire.
Only a fool fires a flamethrower into the wind.
There are several flamethrower manufacturers, and some
mercenaries are even proficient enough to make their own.
*A hit from a flamethrower is all but guaranteed to
cause additional fire damage. See Fire in the Combat Rules section.
Class:
Handgun
Damage Per Hit: 1d12
Special: Frequently Misfires
Accuracy Modifier: +0
Attacks Per Round: 1
Range Increment: 110
Ammo: 6
Reload Time: 1
Akimbo: No
Silencer: No
Laser: Yes
Size: 1
Credits: 16
Ammo Cost: 8 For Six Bullets
Ammo Size: ½
The .60 Gator is a ridiculously powerful handgun that
packs a mean punch. However, it is generally viewed as a rookie’s choice of
weapon by experienced mercenaries. While the firepower seems to make it an
optimal choice at first, the recoil and antique revolver design on the Gator
renders it incapable of rapid fire. Additionally, the gun was not very well
designed in terms of ballistics, and lacks accuracy.
Class:
Explosive
Damage Per Hit: 1d12+1
Special: Blast Radius 10, Self-Destructing
Accuracy: +0
Attacks Per Round: 1
Range Increment: 10
Ammo: 1
Reload Time: N/A
Akimbo: No
Silencer: No
Laser: No
Size: 1
Credits: 4
Ammo Cost: N/A
Ammo Size: N/A
There are dozens of grenade manufacturers, but
mercenaries only use grenades that are light and cause the most impressive
damage. The main use of the grenade in most mercenary teams is not as a primary
weapon but as either a distraction, a room-clearer, or to take out turrets and
inaccessible defensive barriers.
Class:
Melee
Damage Per Hit: 1d8
Special: -
Accuracy Modifier: +3
Attacks Per Round: 1
Range Increment: Melee
Ammo: N/A
Reload Time: N/A
Akimbo: Yes
Silencer: No
Laser: No
Size: 3
Credits: 11
Ammo Cost: N/A
Ammo Size: N/A
This ancient martial weapon still proves useful in modern
mercenary combat if crafted well. Those mercenaries who possess martial arts
abilities hold the katana in high esteem. On a critical hit or headshot, the
katana deals x3 damage, rather than the normal x2.
Class:
Shotgun
Damage Per Hit: 1d12+1 (1d12+2)
Special: Shot Spread, Explosive Damage, Range-Sensitive,
(Improved Shot Spread)
Accuracy Modifier: +2 (+0)
Attacks Per Round: 1
Range Increment: 30 (25)
Ammo: 6
Reload Time: 1 per 2 shells
Akimbo: No
Silencer: No
Laser: No
Size: 4 (3)
Credits: 5 (8)
Ammo Cost: 3 for six shells
Ammo Size: 1
A very crudely designed heavy shotgun, the K-Class
is widely regarded to be the ultimate boom-stick. No other shotgun on the
market surpasses its raw damage capability, and it is great for close-range
situations when lesser firepower just doesn’t cut it.
*Numbers in parentheses indicate modifications
caused by a sawed-off barrel.
Class:
Handgun
Damage Per Hit: 1d3 + Special
Special: Tranquilizer
Accuracy Modifier: +3
Attacks Per Round: 2
Range Increment: 50
Ammo: 4
Reload Time: 1
Akimbo: Yes
Silencer: No
Laser: No
Size: 1
Credits: 27
Ammo Cost: 18 per clip
Ammo Size: ½
The KL-34 is a highly unconventional weapon that
fires tranquilizer darts. It is primarily used as a tool for kidnappings and
quick neutralization of enemies. If effective, it can put a victim to sleep for
1d6 hours, three rounds after impact. The poison is only effective if
introduced to the blood stream. See Poison in Combat Rules for more information.
Class:
Explosive
Damage Per Hit: 1d10
Special: Piercing Damage, Range-Sensitive, Frequently
Misfires, Overheat (1 turn capacity), Blast Radius 20*
Accuracy: +0
Attacks Per Round: 1
Range Increment: 30
Ammo: 10
Reload Time: 1
Akimbo: No
Silencer: No
Laser: No
Size: 4
Credits: 27
Ammo Cost: 14 per battery
Ammo Size: 1
*The blast radius doesn’t affect subjects not
touching the same surface as the target. If the electricity is conducted
through water, damage is doubled.
The Electrode Gun is an early Laramie model, but
still has many uses. The electrode gun fires no less than a bolt of lightning,
badly damaging the initial target, and greatly harming any surrounding targets
as well with the force of the electrical charge.
Class:
Explosive
Damage Per Hit: 1d10
Special: Blast Radius 20, Piercing Damage
Accuracy: +0
Attacks Per Round: 1
Range Increment: 50
Ammo: 5
Reload Time: 2
Akimbo: No
Silencer: No
Laser: No
Size: 4
Credits: 20
Ammo Cost: 10 per battery
The plasma ripper shoots a thin beam, which on
impact blooms into an impressive shockwave of fiery blue energy that shreds
through armor like a hot knife through butter. The laser weapon is so efficient
and un-demanding on power that it never over-heats. For this reason, it is a
favorite of many mercenaries.
Class:
Rapid-Fire
Assault
Damage Per Hit: 1d8
Special: Piercing Damage, Range-Sensitive, Overheat (3 round
capacity)
Accuracy: +0
Attacks Per Round: 5
Range Increment: 50
Ammo: 40
Reload Time: 2
Akimbo: No
Silencer: No
Laser: No
Size: 4
Credits: 32
Ammo Cost: 15 per battery
Ammo Size: 1
The
Roto-Rifle is a laser weapon that acts as a hand-held Gatling gun. When the
trigger is held down, the barrel begins to rotate at a high velocity,
generating the kinetic energy needed to help it sustain its high firepower over
extended periods of time. The photon-based bolts that fire out of the barrel
pierce through armor like butter, but lose strength as they travel over longer
distances. Also, in spite of its advanced cooling methods, the gun can only
fire continuously for three rounds until the weapon automatically powers down
for a round to avoid melting itself.
The Roto-Rifle is a common mercenary weapon, widely
used for its devastating damage capabilities.
Class:
Handgun
Damage Per Hit: 1d8
Special: Never Misfires
Accuracy Modifier: +2
Attacks Per Round: 3
Range Increment: 70
Ammo: 12
Reload Time: 1
Akimbo: Yes
Silencer: No
Laser: Yes
Size: 1
Credits: 34
Ammo Cost: 17 per clip
Ammo Size: ½
More powerful than the Tarkizi, the Larret 10mm is
the preferred side arm of most mercenary brigades due to its reliability.
Unfortunately, the handgun is also inordinately expensive thanks to its
painstaking craftsmanship.
Class:
Rapid-Fire
Assault
Damage Per Hit: 1d8+1
Special: Never Misfires
Accuracy: +0
Attacks Per Round: 4
Range Increment: 110
Ammo: 30
Reload Time: 1
Akimbo: No
Silencer: No
Laser: Yes
Size: 4
Credits: 41
Ammo Cost: 20 per clip
Ammo Size: 1
The Larret .50 assault rifle is one of the most
expensive guns available to the modern mercenary, yet also one of the most reliable
and versatile. Mercenaries wielding this rifle command a surprisingly large
amount of firepower, and it is among the most common all of weapons found in
the average arsenal. The MK3 is Larret’s most lucrative product, and is used
throughout the galaxy by both the Commonwealth and the Conglomerate.
Class:
Rapid-Fire
Assault
Damage Per Hit: 1d8
Special: Never Misfires
Accuracy: +3
Attacks Per Round: 3
Range Increment: 130
Ammo: 30
Reload Time: 1
Akimbo: No
Silencer: Yes
Laser: Yes
Size: 4
Credits: 43
Ammo Cost: 22 per clip
Ammo Size: ½
The Larret .45 rifle is a primarily a long distance
sniper and skirmish weapon, and is of the finest quality. While not quite as
accurate and much less powerful than their .60 rifle, the .45 features very low
recoil, and is designed for rapid-fire use, rather than single shot take-downs.
Class:
High-Powered
Assault
Damage Per Hit: 1d12+1
Special: Never Misfires
Accuracy: +5
Attacks Per Round: 1
Range Increment: 150
Ammo: 6
Reload Time: 1
Akimbo: No
Silencer: Yes
Laser: Yes
Size: 5
Credits: 25
Ammo Cost: 13 per clip
Ammo Size: ½
The Larret is regarded as the standard for all other
sniper rifles. It uses state of the art engineering to produce the most
accurate shot possible, and is a favorite of mercenaries that pride themselves
on assassination.
Class:
Rapid-Fire
Assault
Damage Per Hit: 1d4
Special: Never Misfires
Accuracy: +0
Attacks Per Round: 5
Range Increment: 50
Ammo: 30
Reload Time: 1
Akimbo: No
Silencer: No
Laser: Yes
Size: 4
Credits: 24
Ammo Cost: 11 per clip
Ammo Size: 1
The 8mm Sub-Machine Gun is all about rapid fire and
large clip size. The gun is double-barreled and has virtually no recoil. Some mercenary
brigades use it to provide covering and suppressive fire in hot zones.
Class:
Explosive
Damage Per Hit: 2d10
Special: Blast Radius 30, Self-Destructing
Accuracy: +0
Attacks Per Round: 1
Range Increment: N/A
Ammo: 1
Reload Time: N/A
Akimbo: No
Silencer: No
Laser: No
Size: 1
Credits: 12
Ammo Cost: N/A
Ammo Size: N/A
The M-5 is designed as a demolitions weapon. About
the size of a tape recorder, the M-5 uses highly volatile chemical compounds to
create a massive explosion on detonation. Every M-5 unit comes with its own
remote radio detonator and fifty feet of wire. The detonator usually works from
about a kilometer away. The wire can be connected from charge to charge so that
more than one M-5 can be detonated at once.
Once the charge is activated, there is a five second
delay before the charge detonates. Standing within five feet of an M-5
explosion point counts as a direct hit (double damage).
Class:
Explosive
Damage Per Hit: 2d10+1
Special: Blast Radius 30
Accuracy: +0
Attacks Per Round: 1
Range Increment: 60
Ammo: 6
Reload Time: 1 per rocket
Akimbo: No
Silencer: No
Laser: No
Size: 6
Credits: 15
Ammo Cost: 8 for 6 rockets
Ammo Size: 3
The MK-10 is a weapon of absolute destruction, which
is used primarily as anti-armor, as well as a method to “re-shape terrain.” It
is a shoulder-mounted heavy rocket launcher of massive size. Users of the MK-10
should take care to avoid close-range confrontations, as it is unsafe to
discharge the weapon inside enclosed areas.
Class:
High-Powered
Assault
Damage Per Hit: 2d8
Special: Piercing Damage, Overheat (1round capacity), Arm
Cannon, Frequently Misfires
Accuracy: +1
Attacks Per Round: 1
Range Increment: 100
Ammo: 10
Reload Time: 2
Akimbo: No
Silencer: No
Laser: No
Size: 4
Credits: 13
Ammo Cost: 6 per battery
Ammo Size: 1
The Model 89 is a very basic but brutally effective
laser-pulse weapon that mounts directly onto the arm of the user. The weapon causes
major armor-piercing damage on impact, but is an antique compared to later,
less affordable models. This becomes evident in the battlefield when the photon
cannon automatically powers down for 1 round after only a single shot to
prevent overheating. Still, the 89 is a great asset in most situations.
Class:
Handgun
Damage Per Hit: 1d6
Special: Piercing damage, Overheat (4 round capacity)
Accuracy Modifier: +1
Attacks Per Round: 3
Range Increment: 50
Ammo: 30
Reload Time: 2
Akimbo: Yes
Silencer: No
Laser: No
Size: 1
Credits: 27
Ammo Cost: 14 per battery
Ammo Size: ½
The R-15 is a next generation laser pistol that is
beginning to see wider use in the more successful mercenary brigades. Even
though it’s only a side arm, the gun can still cause significant damage to even
the most heavily armored targets, making it invaluable in difficult situations.
Class:
Explosive
Damage Per Hit: 1d12+1
Special: Blast Radius 10, Self-Destructing
Accuracy: +0
Attacks Per Round: 1
Range Increment: 10
Ammo: 1
Reload Time: N/A
Akimbo: No
Silencer: No
Laser: No
Size: 1
Credits: 6
Ammo Cost: N/A
Ammo Size: N/A
The SB-7 Claw Grenade is a very special weapon. It
can be thrown normally just like any other grenade, but it can also serve as a
bomb. The grenade has retractable claws at one end that allows the user to
fasten it to most surfaces (fastening a claw grenade takes 1 round). The
grenade’s detonation can then either be timed (up to five minutes), or set so
that it detonates if it is moved. This means that the claw grenade can be used
as both a demolition device and as a mine.
For instance, a common use would be to plant the
grenade on the under-side of a creaky wooden bridge, or under a large amount of
natural concealment. As soon as the wood creaks and the grenade is rattled, it
explodes, or as soon as someone trips over it, it explodes.
Tripping over an SB-7 counts as a direct hit (double
damage).
Class:
High-Powered
Assault
Damage Per Hit: 1d8
Special: Piercing damage (Organic targets only)
Accuracy Modifier: +1
Attacks Per Round: 2
Range Increment: 30
Ammo: 8
Reload Time: 1 per 2 darts
Akimbo: No
Silencer: No
Laser: No
Size: 4
Credits: 14
Ammo Cost: 7 for 8 darts
Ammo Size: 1
This imaginative medium-range weapon fires darts
that are charged with electrical energy, causing piercing damage to any living
thing that it hits, as well as severe pain. A dart from the FI-4 is about nine
inches long.
Damage from the dart can be reduced or even
eliminated by rubber armor or sufficient shielding. Targets hit by the dart can
also harm those that are touching the person hit.
Class:
Handgun
Damage Per Hit: 1d4
Special: -
Accuracy Modifier: +3
Attacks Per Round: 4
Range Increment: 50
Ammo: 20
Reload Time: 1
Akimbo: Yes
Silencer: Yes
Laser: Yes
Size: 1
Credits: 25
Ammo Cost: 13 per clip
Ammo Size: ½
The Tarkizi is an automatic handgun with relatively low
damage capabilities. It’s flipside, however, is that it is highly accurate, has
a high firing rate, and can be used one-handed with lasers and silencers.
Class:
Handgun
Damage Per Hit: 1d6
Special: -
Accuracy Modifier: +0
Attacks Per Round: 4
Range Increment: 50
Ammo: 15
Reload Time: 1
Akimbo: Yes
Silencer: Yes
Laser: Yes
Size: 1
Credits: 30
Ammo Cost: 15 per clip
Ammo Size: ½
The 9mm Machine Pistol rivals Tarkizi’s 8mm model in
over-all success. The 9mm makes an excellent short-range weapon, and has more
stopping power than the 8mm.
Class:
Rapid-Fire
Assault
Damage Per Hit: 1d8
Special: -
Accuracy: +1
Attacks Per Round: 3
Range Increment: 100
Ammo: 40
Reload Time: 1
Akimbo: No
Silencer: Yes
Laser: Yes
Size: 3
Credits: 27
Ammo Cost: 13 per clip
Ammo Size: 1
This .45 caliber SMG is a fairly common battlefield
weapon. With a larger clip-size than its early predecessors, it is versatile
and useful in almost any situation.
Class:
Melee
Damage Per Hit: 1d4 + 1 Electric Damage
Special: Electric damage is piercing.
Accuracy Modifier: +1
Attacks Per Round: 3
Range Increment: Melee
Ammo: 10
Reload Time: 1
Akimbo: Yes
Silencer: No
Laser: No
Size: 2
Credits: 15
Ammo Cost: 8
Ammo Size: ½
A lightning prod can be a very useful hand-to-hand
weapon. Even the lightest tap from the weapon delivers an electric shock that
ignores armor. The few mercenaries who know martial arts find the prod very
useful.
Damage Per Hit: 1d10
Special: -
Accuracy Modifier: +2
Attacks Per Round: 1
Range Increment: Melee
Ammo: N/A
Reload Time: N/A
Akimbo: Yes (See Below; Str Req)
Silencer: No
Laser: No
Size: 4
Credits: 6
Ammo Cost: N/A
Ammo Size: N/A
A cheap and often deadly heavy melee weapon, the
power sledge is a double-ended large warhammer designed specifically for
aerodynamic swinging, which in turn leads to a superb amount of bludgeoning
damage. However, only characters with a Strength of 3 or more can wield the
sledge well enough to use both hammers in a single round, and even then, are
considered to be fighting akimbo.
Class:
Explosive
Damage Per Hit: 2d8/Special*
Special: Blast Radius 10/20
Accuracy: +0
Attacks Per Round: 1
Range Increment: 20
Ammo: 6
Reload Time: 1 per 2 grenades
Akimbo: No
Silencer: No
Laser: No
Size: 3
Credits: 9
Ammo Cost: 5 for six grenades/7 for six grenades
Ammo Size: 2
*Values after the slash indicate flash-bang
statistics.
The VK-5 is a short to medium range weapon with
massive damage capability. A switch near the trigger can alternate the grenade
settings between exploding on impact or bouncing twice before detonating,
allowing the user to fire from around corners at heavily defended positions.
The VK-5 is one of the oldest and most successful launcher designs, and is very
affordable.
Some mercenaries load flash-bang grenades into their
VK-5s. Such a weapon blinds and deafens anyone within 20 feet for 1d6 rounds if
they are looking at the impact point.
Class:
Handgun
Damage Per Hit: 1d8
Special: Explosive damage (Half as effective against armor)
Accuracy Modifier: +2
Attacks Per Round: 4
Range Increment: 40
Ammo: 15
Reload Time: 1
Akimbo: Yes
Silencer: No
Laser: Yes
Size: 1
Credits: 23
Ammo Cost: 12 per clip
Ammo Size: ½
The Wasp, manufactured by Dynamus, which also
produces the Gator, is a very special kind of side arm. The Wasp’s rounds are designed
in such a way that they split apart on impact, causing minor shrapnel spread.
This makes the Wasp a brutally effective anti-personnel weapon, but the
bullet’s lack of penetration makes it unsuitable for use against most armored
targets.
Class:
High-Powered
Assault
Damage Per Hit: 1d12+1
Special: Explosive Damage
Accuracy: +4
Attacks Per Round: 1
Range Increment: 150
Ammo: 10
Reload Time: 1
Akimbo: No
Silencer: Yes
Laser: Yes
Size: 5
Credits: 21
Ammo Cost: 10 per clip
Ammo Size: 1
Big brother to the .20 Wasp handgun, the sniper
rifle uses the same explosive rounds as the handgun, making it a deadly
anti-personnel weapon.
“Don’t touch that! . . . I just got it working
again.”
Standard Equipment: If a piece of equipment is
listed as “Standard” under the credit value, that means that all characters
begin with that piece of equipment unless they elect not to take it. Standard
equipment only costs money if you have to replace it.
Credits: See Below
Armor reduces the damage that your character takes
in combat. Characters buy armor in levels. One level of armor costs 3
credits and takes up 1 size point.
Examples of Armor By Level:
Level
0: The character isn’t wearing any actual armor.
Level
1: Very light armor, such as Kevlar.
Level
2: (+1 AC) A Kevlar suit that has been beefed up with durasteel shoulder
and kneepads.
Level
3: Kevlar re-enforced by a large amount of durasteel armor.
Level
4: (+2 AC) Heavy durasteel and shock plating.
Level
5: Heavy shock plating re-enforced with nitrium impact coils.
Characters
can only wear up to five levels of armor.
Armor
doesn’t protect the character from everything; most laser weapons cut right
through armor, and many environmental hazards can harm you regardless of armor.
Also, keep in mind that continued damage may eventually weaken and destroy your
armor.
Armor
reduces the damage you take by 1 per level. In addition, Armor improves your
Armor Class if it is heavy enough.
Booster
Pack
Credits:
4
Size:
3
This
basic rocket pack straps onto the back of the character. There is a trigger
attached to the cord running out of the pack that ignites it.
The
booster pack doesn’t allow for sustained flight, but it does add +10 to all of
your checks for jumping and leaping. The booster’s fuel capacity allows for ten
consecutive ignitions. To use it properly, the character has to jump while
simultaneously pressing the trigger down in one of his hands.
Called
shots made on the booster pack can cause it to explode, causing 1d8 points of
environmental fire damage to the user and blasting out in a ten foot radius,
causing 1d4 points of environmental damage to others within the radius.
Commlink
Credits:
5 (Standard)
Size:
0
A
Commlink is a powerful electronic signal transmitter that can be affixed to the
side of the user’s face like a headset or on his wrist like a watch. It
includes a microphone.
The
main difference between a Commlink and an ordinary radio headset is its range
of communication. The Commlink can receive and transmit information from ships
and satellites nearby the planet or space station that the current user is on.
Mercenaries use Commlinks frequently to update their commanders on the current
situation, or receive important information and/or new orders.
While
the Commlink is primarily an audio transmission device, a ship with the proper
technology can transmit holographic images and live video to a Commlink as
large as three meters in length and width. In this case, the Commlink is used
like an antique film projector. This feature is rarely used, however, because
it generates a strong signal that is easy for enemies to detect, or even
decrypt, in the worst case scenario.
A
Commlink has an effective range of as much as half a light year, but the longer
the distance, the more “lag” will occur; messages may be received anywhere from
a few seconds after their sending to as long as a few days.
C-1
Detector Unit
Credits:
16
Size:
4
The
C-1 is an electronic computer device shaped something like a very large plunger.
At the bottom are the controls and read-outs, while the rod contains the
various sensors that gather the unit’s database of information.
The
C-1 has a multitude of functions.
1)
The unit picks up on any seismic disturbance within sixty feet that has a force
greater than 1 pound.
2)
Three rotating laser-lights with 360 degree rotation spin around the rod. When
a laser picks up motion, the C-1 beeps loudly. The speed (Slow, fast) of the
lasers’ movement can be altered, as well as the volume of the beeping. The
effective range of the laser is forty feet.
3)
The C-1 constantly takes samples of the air around it. It can identify over
3,000 types and variations of unusual and/or noxious gases, and again, will
beep if it has found something, at a user-set level.
4)
The C-1 acts as an audio recorder with a memory length of eight hours. The
C-1’s sensitivity is by default set to human equivalent, but can be set to
higher or lower frequencies. When played back, the C-1 decodes the frequency,
re-playing it at human sensitivity.
5)
The C-1 monitors the radiation levels in a sixty foot radius. It beeps whenever
it detects radiation levels that are potentially harmful to humans.
6)
The C-1 picks up radio signals on every imaginable frequency, and is sometimes
able to decrypt them.
7)
The C-1 can record up to eight hours of video using the camera in the top of
the rod, and can rotate just like the lasers. The audio and video recorder can
be used in conjunction, but in that event records only four hours of
information. The video records simultaneously in normal visual quality and in
thermal vision.
8)
The C-1 can both receive and transmit Commlink signals using its audio and
video.
9)
Anyone attempting to access information or adjust the settings on a C-1 must
know the password.
The
C-1 has to be set on the ground before it will function properly.
Credits:
1
Size:
0
A
gas mask allows a character to breathe safely in environments where dangerous
gases are present.
Grapple
Gun
Credits:
10
Size:
3
The
Grapple Gun is not meant as a conventional weapon. If fired as such, it suffers
–4 accuracy, and causes 1d3 damage. The range increment is 25.
But
the gun’s grip is strong. The grapple uses both magnetic force and
gripping claws, and the FlexiSynth™ rope can sustain a weight of up to 500
pounds.
The
grapple rope retracts at a rate of 20 feet per round, either pulling the user
toward the surface gripped on, or simply reeling itself in. If only being
reeled in, the rope retracts in one round. The rope is fifty feet long.
Credits:
3 (Standard)
Size:
1
In
unusual or low-light situations, infrared goggles will allow a character to
function normally. Wearing the goggles in bright light causes blindness for
several seconds, but the infrared feature can be switched off. The goggles can
be zoomed in to pick up images from up to two kilometers away. The goggles also
work as an electronic range finder that outputs a range in meters or feet on
what you are looking at.
Credits:
2
Size:
0
When
mounted onto the appropriate weapon, a laser will increase your personal
accuracy when firing the weapon, granting a +1 bonus to your attack.
Credits:
2 (Standard)
Size:
0 when worn,
1 when carried
A
radio headset costs 2 points and allows communication with teammates over a
wide area. Large obstructions can weaken or block radio signals, as can heavy
interference. Discharging a laser weapon close to a radio receiver can
temporarily ruin the device’s reception. A headset can easily be destroyed by a
direct hit from an attacker.
Credits:
2
When
mounted onto the barrel of the appropriate weapon, a silencer muffles the sound
of the weapon’s fire to the point where it can only be heard from within ten
feet by normal hearing.
Credits:
1 (Standard)
Size:
0
This
durable plastiflex weapon shoulder strap will allow you to drop your weapon and
not have to worry about picking it up from where you left it later on. Most
large weapons do not come standard with holsters, making it a necessity if you
need to be on the move during a battle.
“This operation just keeps gettin' better and
better.”
|
Level |
Base
Hit Points |
Base
Skill Points |
Attribute
Points |
Missions
Successfully Completed |
|
1 |
10 |
6 |
5 |
None. |
|
2 |
11 |
7 |
5 |
1 |
|
3 |
11 |
8 |
5 |
3 |
|
4 |
12 |
9 |
6 |
5 |
|
5 |
12 |
10 |
6 |
7 |
|
6 |
13 |
11 |
6 |
9 |
|
7 |
13 |
12 |
6 |
11 |
|
8 |
14 |
13 |
7 |
13 |
|
9 |
14 |
14 |
7 |
15 |
|
10 |
15 |
15 |
7 |
17 |
|
11 |
15 |
16 |
7 |
19 |
|
12 |
16 |
17 |
8 |
21 |
|
13 |
16 |
18 |
8 |
23 |
|
14 |
17 |
19 |
8 |
25 |
|
15 |
17 |
20 |
8 |
27 |
|
16 |
18 |
21 |
9 |
29 |
|
17 |
18 |
22 |
9 |
31 |
|
18 |
19 |
23 |
9 |
33 |
|
19 |
19 |
24 |
9 |
35 |
|
20 |
20 |
25 |
10 |
37 |
“There are no stupid questions! Only maggots
like you, who ask questions!”
If
you’re a little bewildered by the chapters before this, chances are good that
you’re going to be downright confused by Combat Rules. This is where MERC
starts to get truly complicated. Fret not; your GM will be doing most of the
rolling, and knows his system better than anyone.
Melee
Attacks: 1d20 + Strength Modifier + Accuracy Modifier + Skill Modifiers +
Situation Modifiers
Ranged
Attacks: 1d20 + Dexterity Modifier + Accuracy Modifier + Skill Modifiers +
Situation Modifiers
To
successfully hit something, the modified roll has to be equal to or above the
target’s AC (Armor Class).
Skill
Modifiers: Bonuses
you get due to your character’s skills.
Situation
Modifiers: Bonuses
or penalties applied due to certain circumstances.
1)
Move thirty
feet and:
A)
Fire a ranged weapon up to as many times as half its Attacks Per Round
(rounded up).
B)
Attack with a melee weapon up to its maximum Attacks Per Round.
C)
Draw or holster a weapon.
2)
Draw a
ranged weapon and fire it once if it has an Attacks Per Round value greater
than 1. For a melee weapon, you may attack with up to as many times as half its
Attacks Per Round (rounded up).
3)
Spend a
round reloading and move fifteen feet.
4)
Run sixty
feet. You can run sixty feet per round only for a number of rounds equal to 1 +
your Constitution (never below 1). After you run two or more rounds, you can
only move five feet on the next round.
5)
Climb or
swim fifteen feet.
6)
Move five
feet and fire a weapon up to its maximum Attacks Per Round.
7)
Get up if
knocked over and move fifteen feet.
These
action rules are tentative. For instance, in the case of (7), instead of
moving fifteen feet after you get up, you could draw a weapon or fire it once. There
are a lot of combinations that can be made between these seven action types,
and not all of it will be clear at first. These seven will generally cover the
things you are most likely to do in a round.
1)
The character is jarred or knocked over. You cannot aim if you are
fighting during an earthquake, nor can you aim if a Zzemboth warrior
clotheslines you.
2)
You take more than 1 damage in the round you are aiming.
Asphyxiation: All characters can survive without oxygen for
a number of rounds equal to 6 + Constitution. Once this amount of time is
expended, the character loses consciousness for a number of rounds equal to 1d6
+ Constitution. After this time is up, the character is dead.
Characters with the First Aid skill can spend 1
round tending to another character that is suffering asphyxiation as a result
of drowning, and thereby revive the unconscious character.
Attacking A Specific Point: If you want to aim an attack
at a specific point on a target’s body or otherwise hit a distinct location
(besides the broad side of a barn), you suffer a –4 penalty to hit. This is
referred to as a called shot.
Attacking
Prone or Helpless Opponents: An opponent that has been knocked down loses its
positive Dexterity modification to AC, if it had one, and you get a +2 to hit. A
helpless opponent cannot move at all, and therefore you hit it automatically.
Bleeding
And Unconsciousness: There is a 10% chance per point of damage taken by a single attack that
the wounded character starts bleeding. Blood loss damage is typically 1 every
two rounds, and may persist for 1d10 rounds or more.
Unconsciousness:
Typically,
unconsciousness occurs from:
-Heavy
blood loss (4 hp or more)
-Being
knocked to 0 hp by stun damage.
-Being
thrown (but not necessarily damaged) by a large explosion
There
is no set amount of time that you will remain unconscious; it is up to the GM.
You may be knocked out for a few mere moments or a few days. Characters with
the First Aid skill can attempt to revive unconscious characters.
Carrying
Other Characters: If you wish to haul an inert or wounded character or NPC off the
battlefield, it takes 1 round to pick the character up (using both hands). Such
a character has a size value of 5.
Charge:
If you want
to charge an enemy, this is what you do:
Movement:
You must
move before your attack and not after. You must move at least 10 feet and may
move up to sixty feet. All movement must be in a straight line. You have to
stop moving when you reach the target; you can’t move past and then attack.
Attacking:
After moving,
you get a single melee attack that has a +2 chance to hit and scores +1 damage.
Penalties:
Your AC
drops by 2 points while you are charging.
If
you wish, you can use a charge to not only damage a target but also push it
back several feet. The formula is:
1d6
+ Your Strength – Target’s Strength – Target’s Dexterity: Number of feet
that you push the target back. If the target has negative strength or
dexterity, this will add to the number of feet rather than subtract. A pushed
target has a 10% chance of falling for every foot that it was pushed back. If
you push a target ten feet, it automatically falls over. For every ten feet you
push a target, it takes 1 damage, but subtracts its Dexterity from the total
damage.
For
instance, if you somehow managed to push a target 20 feet, but it had a
Dexterity of 1, you would cause 1 point of damage.
If
you end up with a negative end result for your push attempt, it is you who is
pushed back instead of the opponent that you charged against. You have a 50%
chance of falling over, 35% if you possess Martial Arts I as a skill.
Cover:
Sometimes a
target will not be completely open to attacks from every angle and direction.
For instance, a soldier standing behind a three-foot tall brick wall, manning
the machine gun turret on a tank, or standing behind a tree. Cover improves the
chance that attacks will miss the target.
Basically,
you have a chance to miss the target equal to the percentage of the target’s
body that is covered. For instance, if 50% of your body is covered, than any
attack directed at the character has a 50% chance of missing, even if the
attack roll met your AC value.
Using
the Improved Aim skill reduces the chance by 20%, unless the chance started at
100%.
Cover
may not matter depending on where an explosive is detonated. For instance, if
an enemy soldier is half-hidden around a corner, and you fire a rocket at the
wall behind him, his cover does not count for anything.
Critical
Attacks: If
on your attack roll, you naturally roll a 20, you automatically score a hit and
cause double damage. If you roll a 1 naturally, you automatically miss, and
there is a chance that you will drop your weapon or misfire it. See Weapon
Failure for more information.
Defend
Against Charge: If you are defending against a charge, you cannot move, but receive a
+2 AC bonus against the charging enemy and get an attack of opportunity against
the enemy at +1 damage. You can defend against a charge with a ranged weapon,
but in that instance do not get an AC bonus, instead getting a +2 bonus to hit.
Explosives:
A direct hit
from an explosive attack (such as a rocket launcher or grenade) causes double
the listed damage.
Fighting
Defensively: This
means that during the round, you are watching out for enemy attacks more than
usual. You get a +2 AC bonus, but a –2 penalty to hit.
Fire:
Occasionally
an attack directed at a target may light the target on fire, assuming it is
flammable. Generally, only explosives, laser weapons, and flamethrowers can
light their victims on fire. The chance to be lit on fire is equal to 5% per
point of damage taken from a single attack.
Targets
that are lit on fire take no hit point damage until two rounds after you hit
them. After that, they typically take 1d6 fire environmental damage per round
until the fire is somehow put out. Generally, rolling around on the ground for
a round has a 60% chance to extinguish a fire. Water always extinguishes a
fire, unless special circumstances dictate otherwise (the fire has occurred on
the inside of a water-proof tank, for example, or the victim was hit by Greek
fire).
Firing
Into A Melee: If
two or more combatants are fighting each other in close quarters, and you fire
a ranged attack at one of them, you risk accidentally shooting the wrong target
unless you fire with a –4 penalty to attack. Otherwise, if you miss, your
attack has a 25-50% chance of hitting another attacker.
Flanking:
If you are
attacking an opponent from a direction in which it cannot see you, you get a +2
bonus to hit.
Hit
Location: It
does matter where you hit a target. Depending on the enemy you are firing on
and the damage your gun does, it is possible to dismember opponents with called
shots to the limbs or head. Any called shot to the head typically does x2 damage.
Whether you dismember a target or not is up to the GM; but don’t inspect much
if you are using a weapon that does less than 1d10 damage.
Other
important locations:
-Spinal
cord: A hit to the spinal cord will almost certainly paralyze part or all of a
victim’s body.
-Throat:
Prevents speech, and often causes the victim to choke to death.
-Hands:
A hit to the hand will cause the target to drop whatever it is holding in that
hand, and probably prevent the hand from functioning again.
-Feet:
Usually trips the target up, and will probably inhibit its movement.
A
direct hit on certain locations may not always be possible, depending on the
armor that the target is wearing, or if it lacks that body part naturally.
Initiative
Rolls: When
two opposing forces suddenly meet, the quickest warriors generally go first.
Initiative
rolls are an optional rule, and don’t always have to be used, especially if one
side was ambushed, or in a large battle where rolling everyone’s initiative
would be too time-consuming. In that case, the GM just uses common sense to
decide who goes first.
However,
for Initiative rolls, every combatant rolls 1d20 and adds their Dexterity to
the total. The order of who gets to go first is determined by who got the
highest rolls.
If
an NPC and a player both got the same roll, the player always goes first in the
round. If two players got the same roll, have them each roll a 1d20
(unmodified) to see which of them goes first, or let them decide themselves.
Jumping,
Falling, And Landing: Occasionally, it may be necessary or helpful for a character to jump
around. A jump does not count as a separate action from moving.
Running
Jump: You can do a running jump if
you move at least five feet before jumping. The formula for finding the length
of a running jump is as follows:
5
+ 1d6 + Strength: Number of Feet Jumped
Standing
Jump: If you
don’t want to or can’t perform a running jump, you can always leap from where
you are standing. The formula for finding the length of a standing jump is as follows:
3
+ 1d4 + Strength: Number of Feet Jumped
Reserve
Jump: You
jump backwards. This has to be a standing jump, unless you have Martial Arts
II, which allows you to make running jumps while moving backwards.
Standing
Reverse Jump Formula: 1d4 + Strength – 2: Number of Feet Jumped
Running
Reverse Jump Formula: 1d4 + Strength: Number of Feet Jumped
You
can never jump less than 1 foot unless you specifically want to.
Falling: If
your character falls down a cliff or pit, or is thrown a great distance by some
sort of force, he is likely to take falling damage.
Formula
For Falling Damage: 1 point of damage per 10 feet of falling. Subtract your Dexterity from
the total damage.
This
may sound strange, but you can fall other directions besides down. Suppose a
giant robot swats you out of the way with its forearm. If an opponent is big
enough, it can push you as if it were performing a charge this way. The
creature will get further bonuses or penalties to the normal number of feet it
can push you based on its size.
With
that in mind, the robot could easily push you ten or more feet, causing falling
damage, in addition to damage from its unarmed melee attack.
Landing On Your Feet: You may not always be able to land on your feet after
a jump or fall, especially if you jump around on difficult terrain or fall a
great distance. Generally, the base chance for you landing on your feet in a
given circumstance is:
Jumping:
50% + 15%
per point of Dexterity.
Falling:
10% + 10%
per point of Dexterity.
If
you have a Martial Arts skill, add 15% to your chance. The chance is also
modified by circumstance; it is doubtful that you can land on your feet on a
surface covered with marbles, for instance.
Knock
Away or Grab A Weapon: If you want, you can try to shoot or knock a weapon out of an
opponent’s hands, but this is incurs a –4 attack penalty, and the creature
whose weapon is being shot at has a 15% chance per point of Strength of
retaining its hold on the weapon. Regardless, you have a good chance of
damaging the weapon if you shoot it.
If
you want to grab a weapon away, you have to roll a d20 and add your Strength.
You succeed in grabbing the weapon away if your roll is higher than 10 +
the current holder’s Strength. Even so, doing this provokes an attack of
opportunity from the creature you are grabbing the weapon from.
Point
Blank Fire: If
you are shooting at a target that is 15 feet or closer, your attacks cause +1
damage.
Poison:
Occasionally,
both characters and NPCs will be exposed to poisonous substances.
If
a character is successfully hit with an attack that has the capability of
poisoning him, the character must roll 1d20 + Constitution, and come up with a
15 or higher. Add 2 to the roll if the character has the Endurance skill. If
the character succeeds, the poison has no effect, or only half effect, at the
GM’s option.
If
the physical damage from the attack was completely blocked by armor, then the
poison will not affect the character.
Certain
creatures and aliens may be resistant or immune to certain poison effects based
on their physiology or size.
Two-Weapon
Fighting: Unless
you have the proper skills, you suffer a –4 penalty to all of your attacks when
fighting with two weapons.
Unarmed
Melee Attacks: With
an unarmed attack, you do 1 damage + your Strength (never below 1). Creatures
reduced to 0 hp with an unarmed attack are not killed; they are merely knocked
out from the stun damage. If you want to kill something with unarmed
attacks, you have to bring it down to a negative hp total equal to its maximum
positive hp total. For instance, a creature with 25 hit points would have to be
reduced to –25 hit points before it would die.
Mechanical
units are not harmed by unarmed attacks unless you have Martial Arts II.
You
get a number of unarmed attacks per round equal to 1 + (your Dexterity –1).
This total can never be below 1.
If
you armed with a gun or another weapon that is not meant for melee attacks, you
can still use it as a melee weapon, although not very well. Because of its
unwieldiness, you suffer a –2 to your attack roll, and you can make only 1
attack per round if you don’t have any Martial Arts skills. You do stun damage
equal to 2 + your Strength.
Unseen
Attackers/Attacking: If for any reason the characters or NPCs in a battle can’t see who is
attacking them, then they lose their positive Dexterity bonus to AC when being
attacked by the invisible attacker, and the attacker gets a +4 bonus to hit. Furthermore,
the attacker gets +8 AC if the hindered character tries to attack it in return.
Weapon
Failure: If
you roll a natural 1 on your attack roll, there is a 50% chance that your
weapon “jams,” or misfires. This basically means that the gun stops working
properly, due to mis-use, over-use, or general damage. A weapon that misfires
cannot be fired again until it is fixed with the Weapon Repair skill (which
requires 1 round). Some weapons never misfire, and others misfire more often
than others.
Attacks
of Opportunity
An
attack of opportunity is a free melee attack granted to combatants under
certain conditions. Attacks of opportunity are made automatically, without
penalty to the rest of that combatant’s actions during the round, but a
character may opt for whatever reason not to make an attack of opportunity.
Threatened
Area: You
threaten the area into which you can make a melee attack, even when it is not
your turn to act. Generally, this area is everything that you can see within a
five-foot radius. An enemy that takes actions besides attacking you while in
your threatened area provokes an attack of opportunity.
If
something moves into or out of a threatened area without attacking the enemy
that threatens before moving, this provokes an attack of opportunity.
A
character or NPC gets a number of attacks of opportunity per round equal to 1 +
Dexterity modifier (never less than 1).
You
don’t get ranged attacks of opportunity.
Game
Time
During
combat, the action is played out in rounds. This is about five seconds worth of
time in-game. Ten rounds equal 1 turn. 12 rounds add up to 1 minute.
Long-Distance Movement: If a character is moving at a speed of 30 (thirty
feet per round), that means the character can cover about 6.5 kilometers (about
4 miles) in an hour’s worth of game-time. Depending on the difficulty of the
terrain, this time may be adjusted. This information is helpful to know if the
characters need to move a long distance during a mission.
“So, what do you do for a living?”
“Uh. . . Kill stuff.”
In
the future of warfare-for-hire, not all mercenary teams are created equal.
There are several large mercenary brigades in operation, in addition to dozens
of smaller ones, and a whole lot of brigades that didn’t get the job done right
and were exterminated down to the last man in battle.
Mercenary
brigades are highly competitive. Sometimes, two brigades take the same job, and
that’s when the trouble starts. Opposing mercenaries are highly likely to shoot
one another on sight. Only when the situation becomes grim for both sides will
two brigades even consider working together, and even then, they will do so
with a heavy grudge, often back-stabbing their new allies when the chance
arises.
Leader:
Toras Lang
Numbers:
300+
The
Wolf Pack is considered to be the best of the best. Most members have
experience in elite military squads and are veteran soldiers. The Wolf Pack has
been in operation for thirty years under the direction of Lang, and is by far
the most successful brigade ever.
The
Wolf Pack approaches any mission with absolute professionalism, sustaining
minimal casualties. They have been known to defeat enemy forces several times
their number with brilliant combat strategy.
Leader:
Nesson
Grayther
Numbers:
400+
Nesson
Grayther recruits anyone who wants to fight, regardless of actual military
experience. The rough riders are made up of convicts, both former and escaped,
boot camp dropouts, dis-satisfied ex-husbands, and the occasional female, a
rarity in military work.
Because
of this, their success is marginal, but those who survive their first few
missions go on to become great mercenaries. A Rough Rider drop-force is 50%
experienced soldiers and 50% rookies. Other brigades have little respect for
the Rough Riders, who have a history of making disastrous battlefield blunders,
but thanks to high casualties among first-time recruits, Grayther and his men
don’t have to spread their wealth too thin.
Leader:
Garrett Ley
Numbers:
1,000+
The
WyrmCorps is a unique brigade. Formed by renowned businessman Garrett Ley, the
WyrmCorps is just one of his many strange ventures. Wealthy beyond his means,
Ley can afford to outfit his soldiers-for-hire with the best and most expensive
weaponry, equipment, vehicles, and drop-ships.
Members
of the WyrmCorps at heart are poor soldiers. Mainly former security guards and
low-level law enforcement, they are not trained for the intense combat
presented to mercenary units. However, they can rely on high technology, a
complete battalion of heavy battle-tanks, and an array of cannons and mortar
equipment.
While
clever and determined enemies can eventually foil the WyrmCorps on the
battlefield (as the Wolf Pack has on nearly every occasion), their impressive
numbers and heavy support make them a potentially dangerous force.
Garrett
Lay sends only a modest chunk of his forces into any mission (in case of
disaster), and pockets 10-20% of any profit made, using the rest to further subsidize
and pay his troops. The WyrmCorps is one of the most active brigades still in
operation.
Leader:
Unknown
Numbers:
100+
The
Viper Squadron is perhaps the most mysterious brigade in operation today. It is
unknown where the squadron originated from, and their methods are not well
documented.
The
Viper Squadron travels as a small fleet of souped-up stealth fighters, going
and staying where they please. Rarely detected, their members specialize in
covert operations, including infiltration, sabotage, and assassination. Those
who have fought Viper Squadron mercenaries describe them as exceptionally quick
and accurate with their weaponry, and very few of their number have been lost
in battle.
It
would seem that the Viper Squadron values secrecy and precision combat above
all else.
By
the year 2100, Earth’s resources were depleted, and the planet’s ecosystem was
nearly destroyed by rampant over-population and heavy industrial activity. The
United States still reigned as the supreme super-power, and U.S. physicists and
engineers, working with NASA, had created the first space-faring vessels.
Within
ten years, a colony was built on the moon. New sources of energy were being
harvested; solar power was now a major commodity, and cold fusion was finally
realized. Using these resources, the U.N. was able to populate most of the
solar system with space stations and colonies, populating them with millions of
people.
In
2136, Dr. Abraham Kesling built the first stable light-speed engines. Although
light-speed travel requires a huge amount of power, super-power countries
quickly built massive cruisers capable of using the revolutionary technology,
which over the years would be refined for greater efficiency and stability.
It
was also during this time that space ships began to be used as military
weapons. A civil war on Mars between Russian and Chinese colonists was quickly
quelled when a large U.N. battleship arrived to keep the peace. Intent on
taking Mars for themselves, Chinese colonial forces mounted an attack using
basic star-fighters of their own design. The resulting Battle of Mars was the
first space conflict recorded in history, and ended with the annihilation of
the small Chinese fleet.
Nations
and colonial governments across the system quickly realized the value of an
armada, and several large fleets were constructed, with advances in space-borne
military technology quickly advancing.
Meanwhile,
the first ships were setting out to explore the rest of the galaxy. Remote
space stations were built in the far reaches of space to improve settlement
operations and promote further exploration. New planets and systems were
discovered and colonized. By 2180, humans occupied 53 different planets
spanning over 11 systems.
In
2191, first contact was made. Strange aliens calling themselves the Krulutar
revealed that they had been studying mankind for over fifty years in secret,
and arrived in the Galileo system with an entirely robotic fleet and army.
The
Krulutar made known their feelings that humankind was little more than a
destructive virus, like all other life forms beside the Krulutar, and that they
were intent on annihilating all humanity.
Automated
Krulutar battleships invaded the entire system, releasing a throng of robot
warriors against the planetary colonists. Within a week, the Krulutar laid
waste to all signs of human civilization in the Galileo system, killing three
million people.
The
U.N., as well as several other independent nations, responded in kind by
directing their own fleets to converge on the system and drive back the alien
threat at all costs. In the desperate battle that followed, the human armada
finally obliterated the Krulutar expeditionary force, which fought them to the
death.
But
the war with this new malevolent species was not over. Possessing a huge amount
of information concerning humankind, the Krulutar knew that Earth was the
homeworld of all humans, and quickly attacked. Although the Krulutar sustained
heavy losses in their assault on the heavily defended world, in the end a mass
exodus had to be launched, and Earth was abandoned to the Krulutar war machine.
Having
under-estimated the cunning tactical and military capabilities of the human
race, the Krulutar were surprised to see that the bulk of their own navy and
military had been destroyed. The nomadic aliens retreated back into the depths
of space, vowing to one day complete the destruction of the human species.
Across
the galaxy, the human race had seen the damage that the Krulutar inflicted, and
mourned the destruction of Earth. In response to this momentous occasion, once
opposing nations became strong allies, and the U.N. grew even larger.
But
with the loss of earth, the idea of human nations was obsolete. Colonies found
that they had no use for nationalism, as most had become melting pots for
people of all cultures. Slowly, a conglomerate of planetary colonies formed,
militarily and economically united. In 2201, the Intergalactic Commonwealth was
born.
The
Commonwealth quickly overtook the few who still felt loyalty only to their
nations, leaving behind only a handful of isolationist colonies that wanted no
part of the grand alliance. United as never before, the human military became
extremely powerful, and colonization efforts continued, oblivious to the
Krulutar threat.
In
2216, Commonwealth colonists discovered the Zzemboth, a race of large, brutish
creatures with some psychic ability and little respect for other intelligent
life. Opening attempts at communication with the Zzemboth broke down, and their
Grand Council of the Zzemboth declared that humans were not to be allowed back
into their home system. The Commonwealth reluctantly agreed to this, although
scientists yearned to learn more of the tribal creatures.
Unfortunately,
independent colonies brazenly ignored the Zzemboth decree, attempting to build
colonies on planets that the Zzemboth populated. The militaristic isolationism
of the Zzemboth quickly turned into bloodthirsty aggression, and human
settlements were razed upon their detection by the Zzemboth tribes.
The
large but technologically under-developed Zzemboth fleet that patrolled their home
system in swarms for the first time began to probe outside of their own
territory in search of the insolent human presence, as their Grand Council had
decided that the offending humans must feel their wrath.
Huge
armadas of small Zzemboth battleships eventually found various human-controlled
systems, and attacked relentlessly, without concern for their own
self-preservation. Although the first few waves of Zzemboth ships were repelled
rather easily, the scale of their invasion grew. Unbelievable numbers of
Zzemboth ships slowly decimated any opposition that dared to resist them rather
than flee.
After
devastating three different systems, most of the Zzemboth went back to their
homeworlds to replenish their depleted numbers. Unbeknownst to the Commonwealth
at the time, the Zzemboth reproduced only through cloning. As a result, the
frenzied Zzemboth armies continued to swell towards ever-greater proportions,
until their home system couldn’t even sustain their numbers any longer.
The
Zzemboth called their second invasion the Great Conquest, and sent hordes of
ships and troops across the galaxy to make war with humans wherever they could
be found. The massive expeditionary forces are still active to this day,
although the Zzemboth have stepped down from their original, focused tidal
waves that initially squashed their human enemies.
Zzemboth
tribes can now be found throughout the galaxy, distinguishing themselves
through ritual tattooing and self-mutilation. There are over thirty documented
tribes, and probably more that haven’t even left the original Zzemboth
homeworlds. Needless to say, the Commonwealth considers the Zzemboth a
dangerous threat, and strives to destroy their colonies upon discovery.
In
2230, the Krulutar war machine struck again. With new and improved mechanical
monstrosities to aid them, the Krulutar swept back across the re-constructed
Galileo system, smashing it yet again, and made it their staging point for the
great conflict to come. Like the Zzemboth, which they had also made war with on
occasion, the Krulutar had learned to hate all humanity, and fought with a
renewed malice.
By
the time the Krulutar returned, fifty systems were under Commonwealth control,
and even after fighting with the Zzemboth, the Commonwealth was a great and mighty
foe for the Krulutar, who never before had faced such an enemy. Krulutar
raiders spread destruction across the galaxy, and now Commonwealth forces are
still actively engaged against them.
After
countless decades of bloody struggle, even the Commonwealth was now consumed by
its once latent war-like tendencies. Generals and admirals seized firm
political control of the Commonwealth, and it is no longer an institution
dedicated merely to the expansion of the human race, but also to the
destruction of its numerous enemies.
Dismayed
by the growing blood-thirst of the Commonwealth leadership, enterprising
colonial governors decided that they would go their own way, surviving off of
only the wealth that their colonies made. No longer would scores of their youth
be transported away to fight the endless wars against the alien powers.
Soon,
a network of trading guilds formed. Most of the now independent colonies are
under the control of the Great Conglomerate. Although the Conglomerate is less
involved in the constant conflict across the stars, its leaders are obsessed
with profitability, and are constantly squaring off with unofficial union
worker groups.
As
a result, the Great Conglomerate has violently put down multiple worker
revolts, and is currently dealing with underground proletariat militants that
act as space-age Robin Hoods, frequently ambushing GC freighter shipments and
either destroying or stealing their cargo.
Conglomerate
governors grew angry, and mercenary units began to spring up to deal with the
rebellious workers. These were the beginning of the now legendary mercenary
brigades.
Toras
Lang and the Wolf Pack, the most infamous of all the mercenaries, began their work
by ruthlessly sacking rebel encampments and waylaying their secret trade routes
across various planets, either slaughtering or capturing their victims for
profit, and then either returning lost shipments or stealing them in turn.
Lang’s exploits grew ever more outstanding, and his men grew into a fighting
force that is still unequaled in all the galaxy.
Even
as the Wolf Pack became a feared name among rebel colonists, more mercenary
contingents began to spring up. Soon, even the Commonwealth and independent
colonies began to use mercenaries in their operations. Not all mercenary groups
met with success, but for every loss, more sprang up, their members attracted
to the idea of great personal profit through violence.
Eventually,
opposing mercenary groups came into direct conflict, and many have growing,
clan-like feuds, with scores to settle.
Mercenary
brigades are now the most feared out of any human military force, renowned for
their great expertise and deadly cunning.
In
2239, independent explorers discovered the Vek’Daath. Originating from a
massive jungle homeworld, the Vek’Daath are a lithe serpentine race with
unimaginable psionic power. Ancient enemies of the Zzemboth and Krulutar, the
Vek’Daath are relatively few in number but extremely formidable.
It
was fortunate, then, that the Vek’Daath did not greet the human race with open
hostility. Instead, in their cunning, they forged a strong but shadowy alliance
with the Commonwealth to defeat their mutual enemies.
The
first human-witnessed battles involving the Vek’Daath amazed them. The
Vek’Daath Assassins pride themselves on their ability to slay an adversary with
a single blow, and slashed their way through an entire regiment of Zzemboth
forces with relative ease, lopping of limbs left and right with their deadly
melee weaponry.
At
the same time, their Acolytes, the leaders of their race, met their enemies
with a combination of psionic energy attacks and all but unbreakable force
fields, repulsing wave after wave of enraged Zzemboth warriors. After the
initial battle, the Acolytes astounded their human comrades and re-animated the
fallen Zzemboth warriors to mop up the remainder of the enemy force.
While
the Vek’Daath’s final motives remain unclear, it is certain that out of any alien
species that humanity has encountered, they are easily the most deadly of all.
The
year is 2251.
Commonwealth
forces are spread out across the boundaries of their galactic territories,
valiantly fighting almost never-ending battles with the barbaric Zzemboth and
the dreadful machinations of the Krulutar.
The
Vek’Daath are preparing to meet with a Commonwealth armada in the Halon system,
setting up a powerful offensive.
The
Great Conglomerate is as strong as ever, despite continued sabotage by the
self-proclaimed Universal Proletariat. Likewise, the Proletariat has developed
a more professional fighting force and appears ready to deliver a serious blow
to the Conglomerate for the first time in many years, having recovered from the
arrival of the Wolf Pack.
Meanwhile,
in the backwater regions of the known galaxy, independent colonies have
descended into open warfare with one another, attempting to forge their own
empires.
Mercenary
groups throughout the galaxy are signing up with their chosen employers, ready
for more action.
“You are a gnat! An insignificant amoeba! I have
more important things stuck to the bottom of my boot!”
The players are part of a newly formed mercenary brigade looking
to make a name for itself, as well as some money. The characters should choose
a name for their brigade and go from there.
The characters have an NPC leader-type that gives them a selection
of possible missions to take up. Not all missions will still be available later
on if the characters do not take it immediately. Missions will pay more based
on their difficulty, and characters will also get higher fees as their
notoriety increases and their brigade becomes more successful.
Characters can choose to serve in a campaign with a single
employer or skip around and take jobs as they see fit. However, employers are
willing to pay more for a brigade that is willing to stick around.
Players receive a selection of missions to take at the beginning
of the game. The difficulty and importance of the mission can be gauged by how
many credits are being offered for its successful completion.
Missions may have secondary objectives that the characters don’t
necessarily need to fulfill, but will result in higher pay.
Which missions the characters take also have an effect on the
course of the campaign. Depending on which missions you complete or fail, new
missions may spring up, or some may become unavailable. If you choose one
mission over another, the other mission may not be available when you return.
Typically only 2-3 missions will be presented at once.
You will be able to work for a variety of different employers as
you progress.
The Intergalactic Commonwealth (Conventional Warfare Against
Aliens): Expect to deal with a lot of Zzemboth and Krulutar forces in your
work. Thankfully, the Commonwealth has a lot of resources to draw from, and you
will often receive help from Commonwealth troops during a mission. After some
time, you may have the privilege of fighting alongside the Vek’Daath.
The
Great Conglomerate (Iron-Fisted Oppression Of The Pathetic Rebels): The Conglomerate uses
mercenaries to help put down worker revolts. At times you may either have to
fight against mobs of disorganized and poorly armed rioters, or against the
well-prepared Universal Proletariat underground.
The
Great Conglomerate is very fond of anti-personnel vehicles, such as
battle-mechs and light tanks equipped with mounted machine guns and flamethrowers.
Do not take Conglomerate missions you object to the idea of massacring poorly
armed civilians.
The
Universal Proletariat (Guerilla Tactics Against Conglomerate Tyranny): Even the Proletariat has an
occasional use for a mercenary group. Working with the Proletariat, you will
often participate in ambushes on Conglomerate trade routes and factories. You
may also be called upon to commit acts of sabotage and even assassination.
Ultimately,
your exploits against the Conglomerate may pit you against the dreaded Wolf
Pack.
Independent
Colonies (Conventional Combat Against Other Professionals): The most remote areas of the
human-controlled systems have begun to fall into violent squabbling, mainly
over money. Working with one of these independent colonies in a military action
would entail a lot of battles with potentially well-prepared and skilled
troops.
“Game over, man. Game OVER!”
Mercenaries will face off against a wide variety of foes
throughout their careers:
Conglomerate Enforcer Mechs
Conglomerate
Enforcers are mechs designed to support the HK-7 Scorpion, especially against
more heavily armored threats. While less durable than the Scorpion, the
Enforcer is able to deal out heavy damage in a matter of moments with its combination
of dual Gatling lasers and grenade launcher.
Challenge: Difficult
Gorge Worms
A gorge worm is a nine-foot amphibious invertebrate
predator native to Nairedar III, under the scientific name Nemertea Labiosus.
It usually survives on the reptilian life forms on the planet, but will eat
virtually any living thing smaller than itself.
When
it reaches what it judges to be attack range, it raises most of its body out of
the water, extending a four-toothed, circular maw, and attempts to swallow the
target whole. If it can’t, it will just chew until its prey is broken into
small enough pieces.
Challenge: Easy
HK-7 Scorpion Tanks
The
Scorpion has seen wide use as a riot suppression tool, used commonly against
revolting miners and Universal Proletariat forces. The tank is designed for
anti-personnel combat, riddling charging rebels with .45 caliber rounds, and
burning them alive with its flamethrower once they close the distance. When
used alongside infantry, it proves to be a weapon of deadly power.
Challenge: Difficult
Krulutar Drones
The main grunt of the Krulutar war machine, the
drone is a small spider-like robot with versatile functions. Able to detect the
seismic vibrations of incoming enemies, the drones can move along walls,
ceilings, and other steep surfaces with ease, traversing even the most
difficult terrain when on a mission.
Attacking
with a simple optical laser and their leg-claws, the drones are brutally
effective in large numbers, and have been known to lay in wait to ambush
passing enemies.
Challenge: Easy
Krulutar
Overseers
Krulutar Overseers are among the few of their race
that are ever seen on the battlefield. Strange, sickly humanoids with tiny heads,
they are physically weak, but what they lack in strength they make up for with
their psychic abilities. Charged with commanding the Krulutar robot legions,
they protect themselves with a large group of robots whenever possible.
Overseers
do whatever they can to stay out of harm’s way, but will readily defend
themselves both with their psionic attack and their force field ability. In
addition, they have been known to mentally attack humans, temporarily
incapacitating them or even enslaving their minds for a short time.
Challenge: Easy
Krulutar Troopers
Growingly fascinated by the humanoid form, the
Krulutar developed the trooper as a fitting exterminator of humankind.
Basically a six-foot humanoid robot that has vaguely human features carved into
its steel plating, the trooper is a deadly adversary in battle.
The trooper’s laser cannon can easily kill and maim
a great deal of enemies in a matter of seconds, and when engaged in
hand-to-hand combat, retractable blades jut out from its fists, which it uses
to brutally stab enemies, usually in the head and heart.
It
is rumored that troopers possess a limited regeneration ability that allows a
still functioning trooper to repair damage.
Challenge: Moderate
Turgs
Genetically engineered clone soldiers, the Turgs are believed to
have originated as one of the Great Conglomerate Science Division’s horrific
experimentations. It is believed that the Conglomerate somehow lost control of
the creatures, and they have since spread across the galaxy. While industrious
enough to replicate both the method of their cloning and Conglomerate vehicle
designs, most Turgs are horribly stupid, and exhibit a barbaric mentality when
dealing with others.
The
Great Conglomerate officially denies any link between their organization and
the Turgs.
Challenge: Easy
Zzemboth
The
Zzemboth are a race of clone warriors who distinguish themselves only through
clan designation, tattooing, and ritual mutilation. Standing about eight feet
tall, they have pale blue-white skin, and muscular frames. The creature’s mouth
is much like a zipper, with two rows of teeth extending down from the snout.
The creature’s eyes are blood red, and two dull yellow horns extend downward
from the back of its head.
The
Zzemboth are utterly countless in number, and have built colossal armadas of
simple transports and attack cruisers in order to move from system to system.
Harboring
a deep hatred of humans, the Zzemboth attack them on sight. Wielding little
more than throwing spears, their infantry units charge recklessly into battle,
stopping only when they are completely victorious or dead.
It
is known that some Zzemboth possess rudimentary carbine rifles.
Challenge: Easy
Other
Threats
There
is an ever-growing multitude of potential enemies, for both mercenaries and the
human race itself. Not all enemy units are discussed above, and some have yet
to be documented even by Commonwealth intelligence efforts.
-Revamped
Chapter I.
-Re-organized
weapon section alphabetically.
-Added
class descriptor to weapon descriptions.
-Added
Explosives rule in the Combat Rules section, previously only in the Weapons
section.
-Sent
version history to the bottom of the document, in case you couldn’t tell. . .
-Added the Improved Initiative skill.
-Changed Rapid Attack skill to Rapid Strike, to
avoid confusion with Rapid-Fire.
-Made editing corrections and minor adjustments to
rules to clarify how they can be used.
-Added e-mail link at top of document.
V2.2
V2.1 Changes:
-Nerfed Electrode Gun imbalance. Too much damage,
especially when you factored in the blast radius. In return, the gun costs
less.
-First Aid and Medicine skills boosted to allow
slight hit point restoration to other characters.
-Made fixes and amendments to certain rules to address
player questions and other issues.
V2.0 Changes:
-Added the Conarri .45 Gatling Gun.
-Added the Larret .45 Semi-Automatic Rifle.
-Added the Katana.
-Added the Tarkizi 9mm Machine Pistol.
-Added the Laramie Corp Electrode Gun.
-MK-10 Rocket Launcher modified to improve its
over-all usefulness compared with the other weapons.
-VK-5 Grenade Launcher amended to allow the purchase
of flash-bang ammo.
-Major design and statistic alterations made to the
power sledge. It is now an exceptionally cool weapon.
-Nerfed the T-5 Combat Knife and took away the T-5
prefix. Annoying to continually type.
-Added the C-1 Detector Unit in the equipment
section.
-Added Disarm Explosives skill.
-Added Melee Combat skill.
-Added Unarmed Combat skill.
-Amended the Language skill to include information
on alien languages.
V1.9 Changes:
-Added M-5 Explosive Charge weapon.
-Added KL-34 Dart Launcher weapon.
-Added rules for asphyxiation in Combat Rules.
-Added section on Poison in Combat Rules.
-Added Grapple Gun in equipment section.
-Booster Pack size reduced to 3.
-Stealth skill amended.
V1.8 Changes:
-Size or cost of ammo units changed for a great deal
of weapons. Some ammo sizes have been reduced to ½.
-Standard equipment rule implemented.
-Added information about hit point recovery in the
description of the Constitution attribute.
-Commlink added. Sweet.
-Edited Infrared Goggles, implementing Range-Finder
ability.
-Due to the complete uselessness of Chapter VI, it
was changed to “Character Advancement.” In later revisions, more might be
included in that chapter.
-Certain skills edited for clarity and to address
player questions.
-Added some “spice” to the beginning of some of the
chapters. More may show up in between skill descriptions if they get a good
reception. Always helps to detract from the monotony of rule after rule.
-Edited special thanks slightly to reflect Mr.
Self-Destruct’s selfless contribution.
V1.7 Changes:
-Maneuverability skill cost reduced to 2.
-Added Sniping skill.
-Added Attack Reflex skill.
V1.6 Changes:
-Rules for piercing damage changed to improve weapon
balance.
-Added clear statement at start of Weapons chapter
and in character sheet stating how many credits characters begin with.
-Added Forensics, a new Field skill.
-Added the Flamethrower as a weapon.
V1.5 Changes:
-Added the Larret .50 MK3 Assault Rifle.
-Added Critical Attack rules in Combat Rules. Yeah,
I know, I should’ve added that a long time ago. Shame on me.
-Added rules for Weapon Failure in Combat Rules.
-Added “Never Misfires” special property for
weapons, and modified several guns to have the trait.
-Added the “Frequently Misfires” special property
for weapons.
-Deleted the “Multi-Ammo Attack” special property.
-Added Weapon Manufacturer section in Chapter IV.
-Fixed prerequisites for the Medicine skill.
-Amended the Hit Location rule.
V1.4 Changes:
-Radically improved the character sheet in Chapter
I.
-Added the Weapon Throwing skill.
-Amended attribute descriptions to include more
details on their uses.
-Clarified some skills and rules, generally in
relation to melee combat.
-Added Point Blank Fire rule in Combat Rules.
-Added a character level chart at the end of Chapter
VI.
-Notice: The demonstration character’s statistics in
Chapter VI are laughably out of date with the current version. Never the less,
the point has still been made.
V1.3 Changes:
-Added rules for carrying other characters in Combat
Rules.
-Added rules for Cover in Combat Rules.
-Added rules for being lit on fire in Combat Rules.
-Added the Mobility skill.
-Fixed minor formatting problems.
-Made fixes to the clarity of certain rules in
response to players’ questions.
-Unarmed Finesse’s point cost reduced to 1.
-Added the SB-7 Claw Grenade weapon.
-Added rules for Initiative in Combat Rules.
V1.2 Changes:
-Added booster pack in Equipment section.
-Added Counter-Attack skill.
-Amended Strength attribute information to include
details on alterations of base movement.
-Amended the Tarkizi .45 to be compatible with a
silencer and have less attacks per round. Don’t worry; it’s a lot less
expensive.
-Added rules for Hit Location in Combat Rules.
-Added rules for Bleeding and Unconsciousness in
Combat Rules and amended First Aid skill.
-Amended Unarmed Attacks in Combat Rules. Introduced
the concept of stun damage.
-Amended rules for Attacking A Specific Point in
Combat Rules.
V1.1 Changes:
-Changed weapon damage numbers to die rolls. Random
damage is better than set damage, because players won’t know what to expect
with random damage. Duh. Originally, I put it at set damage because I thought
die rolls would bog down combat.
-Fixed incorrect rules for reloading weapons and the
Quick Reload skill.
-Added rules for jumping. Amended rules for the
Martial Arts skills accordingly.
-Added rules for falling and landing, which
interlock nicely with jumping.
-Added the Leaping skill.
-Amended rules for charging.
-Added an introduction to Combat Rules.
-Added Special Thanks chapter.
-Notice:
In Chapter VI, the number of credits spent for armor is incorrect. But I don’t
care, because you get the point.