Mobility and Transportation

The cost and speed of long-distance travel influence everything from what imported goods are available at the market to the reach of a ruler’s power. Battlefield mobility can decide wars. And exactly how adventurers get around determines where they can seek their fortunes – and at what risks. In short, transportation shapes campaigns.

Unless otherwise noted, equipment for travel and transportation is LC4.

• Land
• Water
• Air

From coaches and dawdling locomotives to supersonic jetliners, transportation advances quickly between TL5 and TL8. Adventurers can travel faster, farther, heavier, and in greater comfort – and get into more trouble – than ever before! This chapter details specific, ready-to-play vehicles. For generic shipping speeds and costs, see Mail and Freight (pp. 35-36).

Vehicle statistics appear in tables similar to those on pp. B464-465, and use the notation and abbreviations defined in Vehicle Statistics (pp. B462-463).

A lot of TL5-8 vehicle hardware has important game effects.

Gun Port (TL5). This small opening in the vehicle’s armor – such as a firing slit or hatch – lets a single occupant shoot from relative safety. He has -1 to skill and only a 30° arc of fire, and his weapon’s Bulk can’t be worse than -5. Those outside attack him at -4 to -7, depending on the port’s size (assume -7 for most armored vehicles). Sealed vehicles are unsealed while a gun port is in use.

Searchlight (TL5). This fixture projects a bright beam of light that illuminates a two-yard radius per mile of range. The beam itself can be spotted at twice its range. A searchlight requires Aim and Attack maneuvers to point in combat, and can be used to blind a single, sighted individual who’s exposed or looking out a window or a canopy. This ranged attack has Acc 12 and ignores darkness penalties. The operator must make a new attack roll each turn; base skill is DX. The subject is blinded for as long as the light hits him and he remains facing it; at night, he must also make a HT roll to avoid being blinded for 1d seconds afterward. A searchlight may have a filter that lets it act as an IR illuminator; see IR Illumination (p. 47).

Turrets (TL5). Turrets (see Vehicle Weapon Mounts, p. B467) require time to rotate and bring their guns to bear. Like characters, they have a facing; see Facing (p. B385).

Vehicle descriptions note how many Ready maneuvers a given turret needs to change facing by 60°; multiply by two for a 120° turn, by three for a 180° turn, and so forth. While a turret is rotating, cannon within it can’t usually fire – although machine guns often can.

Fire Extinguisher (TL6). An internally mounted chemical extinguisher puts out a fire immediately on a roll of TL+2 or less on 3d.

IFF (TL6). “Identify friend or foe” technology consists of a transmitter and a receiver used to identify vehicles that have been detected but not yet identified. It “interrogates” the target by sending an encoded communicator pulse. If the target has IFF gear that has been programmed to recognize the incoming signal, it will automatically transmit a coded reply. The interrogating IFF classes the contact as “friend” if it receives the correct response but as “foe” if it receives an incorrect code or no reply.

Linked Weapons (TL6). An entire group of weapons may have a mechanical or electrical link that lets a gunner fire them all as one maneuver. For the purposes of Rapid Fire (p. B373) and Spraying Fire and Suppression Fire (p. B409), linked weapons function as a single weapon with RoF equal to the sum of the individual RoFs.

Run-Flat Tires (TL6). Tires with a solid core or strengthened sidewalls can still function moderately well if punctured – at least for a short distance, typically (TL squared) miles. They give -1 to Handling and reduce Move by 20% while running flat. See the “Wheel” hit location on p. B555 for more on flat tires.

Airbags (TL7). Each airbag protects one seated vehicle occupant, providing DR 10 against the damage described in Whiplash and Collision (p. B432). Activation is automatic in any collision or fall at speeds above Move 5 (10 mph). Someone caught behind an inflated airbag is unable to do anything until he frees himself; he may attempt one DX-2 roll per turn to do so. Airbags function once and must then be replaced.

CTIS (TL7). A “central tire-inflation system” is an automatic pump arrangement that maintains tire pressure even in the event of a puncture. It can cope with two flat tires on a four- or six-wheeler, three on an eight-wheeler. Simply ignore the effects of these flats. See the “Wheel” hit location on p. B555 for more on flat tires.

Fire-Suppression System (TL7). This consists of fire or smoke detectors linked to an automatic fire extinguisher that uses chemicals or inert gases to extinguish fires quickly. It puts out a fire immediately on a roll of TL+4 or less on 3d, and may make a second attempt in two seconds if the first one fails.

Smoke Dischargers (TL7). These multi-barrel grenade launchers fire a salvo of four to 10 smoke grenades to create a dense smokescreen; a “shot” always consists of several grenades. A typical smokescreen is 50 yards wide ¥ 25 yards high ¥ 25 yards deep, and located 50 yards from the vehicle facing from which it was fired – usually the turret front. The screen takes three seconds to form and disperses after 1-4 minutes. At TL8, hot, prism, and electromagnetic smoke become available; see Smoke (p. 171).

Sound Baffling (TL7). A variety of measures can reduce a vehicle’s noise level. These include carefully masking active sound sources – especially propellers and engines – and mounting equipment so as to minimize vibrations. Sound baffling subtracts (TL-4) from rolls to hear the vehicle or detect it with microphones, sound detectors, etc.

Spaced Armor (TL7). This consists of two or more layers of armor with air in between. It’s especially effective against shaped charges (pp. 182-183): multiply DR by 1.5 against HEAT and HEDP rounds before applying the armor divisor. It also negates the special effects of HESH. Early laminated armor, introduced at late TL7, employs less-effective materials and compositions, and uses the same rules.

Improved Brakes (TL8). Improvements such as antilock brakes grant +1 to Driving rolls to retain control during rapid deceleration.

Laminated Armor (TL8). Armor made up of several layers of different materials – typically ceramics, fiberglass, and/or depleted uranium sandwiched between two or more layers of conventional steel – is good at defeating shaped charges (pp. 182-183): double DR against HEAT and HEDP ammo before applying the armor divisor. It also negates the special effects of HESH.

Adventurers might choose skateboards, gliders, and similar conveyances over sports cars and jets because they’re cheaper, stealthier, or simply more in keeping with personal style.

Swift personal transportation on land usually involves an expensive horse until mid-TL6, after which it entails a pricy motor vehicle. Several TL5-8 contraptions offer cheaper alternatives.

The earliest bicycles were ponderous iron behemoths compared to today’s agile bikes. The first practical designs – vélocipèdes and penny-farthings – are TL5. By TL8, bikes have aluminum or carbon-fiber frames and advanced wheel construction.

All of these conveyances require the Bicycling skill (p. B180). Long-distance travel involves HT-based rolls and uses the rules under Running (p. B354). Riders may use the higher of their relative skill level and Basic Move to compute speed. Multiply downhill speed by two for a 7.5° slope, by three for a 15° slope, or by four for a 30° slope.

Example: A mountain biker with DX 10, Move 5, and Bicycling-15 (DX+5) has Move 5 ¥ 1.5 = 7.5. Rounded down to 7, he makes about 14 mph on level ground. Down a gentle slope, Move becomes 7 ¥ 2 = 14, or almost 29 mph. Pedestrians often use bicycles to move cargo. A bike counts as a two-wheeled cart for this purpose; see Pulling and Dragging (p. B353).

The bikes below are basic models. Equipment Modifiers (p. B345) often apply, especially at TL7-8. Paying 5¥ or 20¥ cost buys +1 or +2 to skill, as usual.

Velocipede (TL5). The first practical bicycle, called vélocipède, was invented in France in 1867 and available by 1869. It had solid wheels and one speed. Heavy and uncomfortable, its English nickname “Boneshaker” was well-earned. Enhanced Move 0.5 (Ground, Road-Bound). $65, 65 lbs.

Penny-Farthing (TL5). Penny-farthing bicycles were available by 1871. They had one enormous wheel for power and a small one for balance. This design gives -1 to skill and makes any spill at least a two-yard fall! Enhanced Move 0.5 (Ground, Road-Bound). $100, 40 lbs.

Bicycle (TL6). The first “safety” bicycles – with equal-sized wheels – appeared circa 1885. By 1890, they had pneumatic tires. Modern gear systems became available around 1900. This bike has a dynamo-powered headlight and a 300-lb. maximum load. Multiply its weight by 0.8 at TL7 and by 0.5 at TL8. Enhanced Move 0.5 (Ground, Road-Bound). $50, 60 lbs.

Racing Bike (TL7). A high-speed road or touring bike, with multiple gears. High-quality versions can reach astronomical prices but give the usual skill bonus. Enhanced Move 1 (Ground, Road-Bound). $100, 20 lbs.

Off-Road Bike (TL8). A “mountain” or BMX bike. Enhanced Move 0.5 (Ground). $200, 30 lbs.

Electric Bike (TL8). A bike with an electric motor. $1,000, 50 lbs., L/2 hours.

Skateboards are commercially available at TL7, although homemade jobs made from scrap lumber and discarded roller skates are probably TL6. They require the Sports (Skateboard) skill (see Sports, p. B222), which defaults to DX-5, Sports (Snowboard)-2, or Sports (Surfing)-2. Multiply downhill speed by two for a 7.5° slope, by three for a 15° slope, or by four for a 30° slope.

Skateboard (TL7). Enhanced Move 0.5 (Ground, Road- Bound). $100, 6 lbs.

First available in 2002, this is a gyrostabilized platform fitted with two wheels, like the Segway HT. The operator stands on the platform and leans in the direction he wishes to travel. A practical vehicle for postal carriers and traffic cops, it’s powered by an electric motor with a rechargeable battery. $4,000, 70 lbs., 2¥L/2 hours.

At TL6-8, personal watercraft see frequent use for both recreation and military special operations. Kayaks (TL1) A kayak (from the Inuit qayaq, meaning “hunter’s boat”) is a light paddling boat for one to three people. Traditional kayaks – still used by Inuit hunters in North America – have wooden frames covered with animal skins. Commercially made kayaks with canvas skins appear at TL6; plastic models, at TL7.

Action heroes love to drive, and most TL6-8 vehicles are appropriate. Below is a short selection, described according to pp. B462-463. Customization options are available, with “cost factors” (CF) that work exactly like those for tools and gadgets (p. 26):

Attractive: Custom paint job, velvet-glove interior, etc., gives a reaction or Influence roll bonus in scenes where the vehicle is the center of attention: +1 for +1 CF, +2 for +2 CF, and +3 for +3 CF.

Rugged Design: Gives a HT bonus: +1 for +1 CF, +2 for +4 CF.

Superior Handling: Gives a Handling bonus: +1 for +1 CF or +2 for +4 CF.

Second-hand vehicles are cheap but often defective. Buy a vehicle from the Vehicle Table and apply the desired options. Then for every 10% knocked off final price (max. 60% off), roll 2d on this table in front of the GM:

• 2-3 – Bad Engine: Engine dies (effectively disabled) for 3d seconds on any failed control roll. Reroll for unpowered vehicles or repeated results.
• 4 – Unresponsive:-1 to Handling.*
• 5-6 – Mistreated:-1 to HT.*
• 7 – No problem!
• 8-9 – Short “Legs”: -10% Range.*
• 10 – Wobbly: -1 to SR.*
• 11 – Slow: -10% Top Speed.*
• 12 – Unsafe: No note or “c” (Combustible) on HT becomes “f” (Flammable), “f” becomes “x” (Explosive). Reroll after this reaches “x” (“f,” if unpowered).*

* Multiple occurrences are cumulative!

Example: Vince wants a flashy car! He goes for a sports car (base $85,000) with +3 for looks (+3 CF) and +2 to Handling (+4 CF), for a net Handling of +3. Such a car is $680,000 – the price of a high-end Ferrari. Vince lacks 68 points for Signature Gear, so he buys at 60% off, making the price $272,000 and risking six table rolls. He gets two 7s (no problems) but also a 3, two 9s, and a 10, meaning a failure-prone engine, 20% less range (becomes 400 miles), and -1 to SR (for a net SR 3).