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.
Travel over land is the oldest form. It’s also the most laborious – virtually every TL0-4 option is powered by human or animal muscle. Technological advances help to apply that effort more efficiently, putting more of it into actual travel and less into overcoming gravity and friction.
The simplest land transportation devices don’t carry riders or passengers. Instead, they enable men on foot to cross difficult ground or bring along heavier loads.
The earliest skates were curved pieces of bone strapped to the feet with leather, developed in Finland around 3000 B.C. As they lack sharp edges, they don’t cut into the ice but glide over it. The skater can’t push against the ice with his feet; he uses hand-held wooden poles. Skating Move is half normal land Move. Lack of good traction gives -2 to DX-based Skating rolls to negotiate hazards. $25, 2 lbs.
A small platform mounted on two runners, used to drag heavy loads. The runners support all the weight, so the rider doesn’t need to lift it. This divides effective load by 2 on snow or ice, or by 1.5 on grass or hard, smooth ground; see Pulling and Dragging (p. B353). $50, 20 lbs. Skis (TL0) The oldest known skis were used in Scandinavia around 5000 B.C. Skis allow cross-country movement over snow at normal hiking or running speeds; uphill, halve Move. Downhill, the rules for gliding flight (p. B56) apply to movement over snow: descending 1 yard adds 1 yard/second to velocity, up to Basic Move ¥ 4. To decelerate, the skier moves onto level ground, where he loses 1 yard/second each turn; on rising ground, he loses an additional 1 yard/second per yard of ascent. Deceleration stops when he’s at normal level or uphill speed. A skier may brake more aggressively, making a DX-based Skiing roll at -1 per 5 yards/second to stop in one second; he may travel up to his Basic Move while doing so. Anyone within 3 yards downhill of him must make a Dodge roll or be blinded for 1d seconds by a spray of snow! $175, 10 lbs.
Used by tribal people in cold regions of both the Old and New World since the Paleolithic, the snowshoe was later lost by Europeans, and then rediscovered when Canada was explored. The usual design is elliptical, and both longer and wider than the wearer’s foot, allowing movement on top of snow at -1 to Move. Treat all snow as “ankle-deep” regardless of its actual depth (see Hiking, p. B351). For long-distance movement, use the Hiking skill; those unfamiliar with snowshoes are at -2 (see Familiarity, p. B169). $100, 5 lbs.
This aid to hauling loads consists of two notched poles lashed together at the raised forward end, while the rear ends drag separately on the ground; a flexible platform of basketry, leather, or netting is suspended between them. More elaborate designs have small crosspieces. Divide the weight of any load by 2 on snow or ice, or by 1.5 on soft ground; see Pulling and Dragging (p. B353). Some models can be laid flat and hauled over harder ground like a oneman sledge (above). Travois to be pulled by a man: $25, 12 lbs. Smaller travois, to be pulled by a dog: $12, 6 lbs. Horse travois (TL1), to be pulled by a horse: $100, 50 lbs.
Litters are passenger carriers supported on the shoulders of porters instead of contacting the ground directly with wheels or runners. A litter moves no faster than walking speed, limited by its weight and that of its rider, but can be used on almost any terrain that can be walked over. Those carrying it use the Hiking skill – and if they try intricate maneuvers, each must make a DX-based Hiking roll at a penalty equal to the number of bearers.
Litters aren’t on the Land Vehicles Table (p. 137) because they use the lifting and hiking rules, not those for vehicles. Indeed, they could be seen as personal mobility devices – or even as riding gear!
Litter (TL0). The simplest litter is a stretcher made from two wooden poles with leather or heavy cloth fastened between them. The passenger lies down between the poles, which are lifted to the shoulders of two bearers. The design isn’t unlike a travois, but held up at both ends; thus, the porters must be able to support the full load. $100, 25 lbs.
Sedan Chair (TL1). This conveyance carries a seated passenger. The seat rests on two poles that extend to the front and back, which are carried on the shoulders of two bearers. A basic sedan chair is an exposed seat, but a common feature of ornate models is enclosure. Curtains add 5 lbs. to basic weight; actual walls and doors add 25 lbs. Such embellishments are common because sedan chairs are used mainly by the wealthy, and by ordinary people on special occasions (e.g., Chinese brides traditionally went to their weddings in enclosed sedan chairs). $250, 60 lbs.
Palanquin (TL2). A larger sedan chair used in ancient India. It’s long enough for the rider to stretch out on a cushioned floor, and always enclosed. The poles are more widely spaced and supported by four bearers. Often, six porters are employed, allowing pairs to take breaks in rotation. $1,000, 100 lbs.
Horse Litter (TL3). Developed by the Normans in about 1100 A.D., this device resembles a stretcher, but is borne by two horses harnessed between its shafts. Thus, it’s wider but requires longer poles. It enables faster transportation of the wounded. Controlling the horses requires a Teamster roll at -2. If the passenger is desperate enough to stand up and attack, he has -3 to combat skills for bad footing. $250, 75 lbs.
Wheelbarrow (TL2) A Chinese invention, attributed to a general named Liang Chuko (181-234 A.D.). The Chinese model has one large wheel in the middle and storage space on both sides. Divide the effective weight of any load carried in it by 5; see Pulling and Dragging (p. B353). The design is difficult to maneuver: -2 to DX rolls for tight turns or sudden stops. $60, 18 lbs.
Modern-style ice skates developed in the Netherlands between 1300 and 1400, when good steel blades became available. By actually cutting into the ice, they provide better traction and maneuverability: no penalty to DX-based Skating rolls to cope with hazards. Improved traction also allows pushing against the ice to attain higher speeds; treat ice skates as granting one level of Enhanced Move (p. B52). $60, 3 lbs.
Horseback riding was a major mode of transportation over much of Europe and Asia, especially after TL2. Camels and elephants were also ridden, albeit to a lesser extent. All such animal use – for both travel and warfare – benefited from improved riding gear. For additional equipment of interest to mounted warriors, see Animal Armor (p. 117). Equines Horse-taming goes back to the Chalcolithic; archaeological remains in Ukraine dated to 4000 B.C. show evidence that bits were in use. This technology only became widespread in the Bronze Age; the culture that first developed it is classified as TL0 but advanced in transportation. Since the oldest known wheels developed centuries later in the Middle East, it’s almost certain that horseback riding preceded harnessing horses to vehicles. The Asian steppes have been the source of many innovations in riding gear since then. Riding a horse without gear is difficult in several ways: • Mounting the horse requires an Acrobatics, Jumping, or Riding roll to leap astride, at -3 plus a penalty equal to encumbrance level (p. B17). The encumbrance penalty also affects Riding rolls to stay seated or use weapons. • Controlling it by leg pressure requires a Riding roll at -3; see Hands-Free Riding (p. 12). • Riding bareback gives -2 to Riding rolls to stay mounted. It’s uncomfortable and fatiguing for both horse and rider, who get -2 to all HT-based rolls to resist FP loss. • Hard surfaces (such as rock or many city streets) can damage an unshod horse’s hooves. Roll vs. HT after a full day of travel, or after any run that lasts long enough to cost FP, at a penalty equal to the horse’s encumbrance level. Critical failure means one of the horse’s feet is crippled.
Any other failure means a sore foot; treat it as crippled, but it will recover after one day of rest. The equipment bonuses below are cumulative with and offset the penalties above; e.g., a war saddle gives +3 to Riding to stay mounted, canceling out the -2 for bareback riding and giving a net +1, as stated on p. B289. Skill bonuses from basic equipment are limited to negating penalties; they never give a net bonus to Riding. Similar gear can be used with mules and donkeys – but as these aren’t used as war mounts, specialized war tack is unavailable. Blanket (TL1). A moderately heavy cloth, placed over a horse’s back before it’s ridden. This prevents chafing of the rider’s legs and the horse’s sides, and partially cushions the rider’s weight, giving both horse and rider +1 to HT-based rolls to resist FP loss. $25, 2.5 lbs. Bridle (TL1). Developed in Ukraine around 4000 B.C., the bridle is a band that goes around a horse’s nose, with straps to keep it in place. It provides an attachment point for reins, and can also be used to lead the horse. A bridle gives a Riding bonus that partly offsets the -3 for controlling a horse by leg pressure: +1 if the reins are held one-handed (net -2), or +2 if they’re held two-handed (net -1). $10, 2 lbs. Bridle and Bit (TL1). A bridle augmented by a mouthpiece – usually made of metal – that fits into a gap between the horse’s teeth. This gives the rider enhanced control: +2 to Riding if the reins are held one-handed (net -1), or +3 if they’re held two-handed (no penalty). $35, 3 lbs. Halter (TL1). A piece of harness designed for tying up or leading a horse; it gives +1 to Animal Handling for this purpose. It resembles a bridle but provides no Riding bonus. Conversely, a bridle can’t safely be used to tether a horse; a horse struggling to free itself from a bridle can injure itself, suffering thrust-1 crushing damage based on its own ST. Halters are available for many other species of domesticated animals. $5, 1.5 lbs. Riding Crop (TL2). A length of cane, typically 2’-3’, wrapped in braided leather, with a short length of flexible leather at the end. Used to tap or strike a horse’s sides, it gives +1 to Riding to control the mount. It can be wielded in the same hand that holds the reins. $10, 1 lb. Saddle, Cushioned (TL2). Developed by the Scythians around 400 B.C., this is a pair of cushions, one for each side of the horse’s back, held together by wooden arches front and back. It distributes the rider’s weight more effectively, giving horse and rider +2 to HT-based rolls to resist FP loss. It also makes the rider’s seat more stable, giving +1 to Riding to stay mounted and halving encumbrance penalties to Riding (drop fractions). With horse blanket: $100, 10 lbs. Saddle, Horned (TL2). Used by the Celts around 100 B.C. and adopted by the Roman army 300 years later, the horned saddle has a rigid frame with vertical protrusions at the four corners. These improve the bracing of the rider’s thighs, giving +3 to Riding to stay mounted; even an unconscious rider remains mounted on 10 or less on 3d. Dismounting quickly is tricky: -2 to skill rolls to jump off. A horned saddle eliminates encumbrance penalties to Riding, and gives horse and rider +2 to HT-based rolls to resist FP loss. With horse blanket: $200, 20 lbs. Saddle, Riding (TL2). Used by the Thracians around 300 B.C., the standard riding saddle has a rigid frame that provides a more stable seat than a cushioned saddle, with a low pommel in front and a low cantle in back. It grants +2 to Riding to remain mounted, eliminates encumbrance penalties to Riding, and gives horse and rider +2 to HT-based rolls to resist FP loss. With horse blanket: $150, 15 lbs. Saddlebags (TL2). Hold 40 lbs. $100, 3 lbs. Spurs (TL2). This Roman invention dates to the first century B.C. In the later Middle Ages, spurs became emblems of nobility, and were often ornate, usually by being gilded or made of silver. Spurs give +1 to Riding to control a horse. $25, neg. Horseshoes (TL3). Developed around 1000 A.D., horseshoes protect the horse’s feet, especially when it’s carrying heavy loads. They give the horse +2 to HT-based rolls to resist FP loss; as well, they prevent crippling on hard surfaces. Per set: $50, 4 lbs. Saddle, War (TL3). This saddle has a pommel in front and a high cantle in back for the rider to brace against. It gives all the benefits of a horned saddle (above), but no penalty to dismount. With horse blanket: $250, 30 lbs. Stirrups (TL3). Most likely invented in Central Asia, stirrups are shown in Chinese art dated 322 A.D., and reached Western Europe by 700 A.D. They allow vaulting onto a horse with no skill penalty, or climbing on more slowly without a skill roll (see p. B396). They give +1 to Riding to control a mount. The rider can stand in his stirrups to attack, gaining the benefit of an extra foot of height over his foe. With a war saddle (but not a horned saddle), he can use his leg muscles to press his back into the cantle, creating a firm base for a couched lance; this is standard for Lance skill. $125, 5 lbs. Holsters (TL4). See p. 96. Sidesaddle (TL4). Invented by Catherine de Medici, the sidesaddle allows a woman in a full skirt to ride facing forward. Medieval and earlier contraptions forced her to face sideways, with both feet on a footrest, and were unsafe at speeds above a walk: -3 to stay mounted and -2 to control the mount. The version described here has the rider’s right leg curled around the pommel so that it can dangle over the horse’s left side, braced by a secondary pommel at the saddle’s right side; it includes a single stirrup. This design improves effective Riding skill: -1 to stay mounted and no penalty to control the mount. It also gives the horse +2 to HT-based rolls to resist FP loss; the rider gets only +1, as the saddle requires an awkward twisted posture. Dismounting quickly is tricky: -2 to skill rolls to jump off. $225, 20 lbs. Camels One-humped camels, or dromedaries, were domesticated in southern Arabia in the Bronze Age, originally for meat, milk, and fiber. Merchants exported them to Somalia, where they were used to carry loads. Trade caravans to northern Arabia introduced them to tribes ancestral to modern Arabs. Camel saddles were invented around 1000 B.C.; saddles suited to combat developed between 500 and 1,000 years later.
Riding a camel offers more options than riding a horse: the rider can sit behind, on top of, or in front of the hump. A rider seated atop the hump gains an extra foot of height in combat. A bareback rider is at -1 to stay seated behind the hump, -2 in front, and -5 on top – the hump has no skeletal support! Riding rolls to control the mount are at -1 for a rider behind the hump, +1 for one in front of it. Riders without bit, bridle, or reins have additional penalties, as for horses (see Equines, pp. 133-134). Equipment can compensate for these penalties but not provide a net bonus. On the other hand, camels can be trained to kneel down; no skill roll is needed to mount a kneeling camel. The two-humped or Bactrian camel – found in India, Persia, and Central Asia – was domesticated as a draft animal after 1000 A.D. It wasn’t ridden. Cold-tolerant dromedary breeds later replaced it. Mats (TL1). An early design for camel gear: several thick mats piled up in front of the hump, creating a high platform. This is normally used for cargo; riders have -2 to Riding to stay seated. The weight is a major burden. $75, 100 lbs. Bridle and Bit (TL2). Developed when camels came into use as riding animals, these items resemble similar horse equipment; differences of detail reflect the different mouth structure. Bridle and bit give +2 to Riding to control the mount when used one-handed, or +3 when used two-handed. $35, 3 lbs. Camel Stick (TL2). Used by riders seated behind the hump to reach forward and tap or strike the camel’s sides, this stick gives +1 to Riding skill to control the mount. $10, 2 lbs. Saddle, Cushion (TL2). This is purely a riding saddle. It consists of a loop of padding that circles the camel’s hump, held in place by wooden poles at front and back. It grants +1 to Riding to stay mounted. $150, 50 lbs. Saddle, Early Riding (TL2). Developed in southern Arabia around 1200 B.C., this is the oldest design for a camel saddle. A saddlebow in front of the hump provides support for a cushion behind it. Cargo can be placed on the saddlebow. It gives +1 to Riding to stay mounted. $150, 25 lbs. Saddle, Framed (TL2). The most familiar sort of camel saddle, this was developed in northern Arabia around 500 B.C. and allowed the use of camels in combat. Saddlebows at the front and back, supported by cushions, are linked by frames along the sides that support a platform on top, where the rider sits, atop the hump. The weight is transmitted to the camel’s ribs rather than resting on the hump. This gives +5 to Riding to stay seated (cancelling the -5 for sitting on the hump). $350, 50 lbs. Saddle, Shoulder (TL2). This North African camel saddle puts the rider on the camel’s shoulders. A high pommel and cantle give +2 to Riding to stay seated; in addition, the rider can use his toes to help control the camel, for +1 to Riding. $250, 25 lbs. Elephants Elephants have never been truly domesticated, but capture and training of wild elephants goes back to Vedic times in India (1100 B.C.). Ancient empires used them in war, with kings and soldiers riding in howdahs and shooting at their foes; the elephants themselves could attack with tusks or trunks, or trample the enemy (see p. 117). Elephants served as war beasts until the development of gunpowder made them too easy to kill. The elephant’s handler, or mahout, sits on the elephant’s neck, which is broad enough that no skill roll is required to remain mounted. Any passengers ride further back, in a howdah. Ankus (TL1). This goad is used by riders to control elephants. One end has a sharp metal hook used to tug at sensitive points on the elephant’s head or body, especially its ears. It can also be reversed and used to strike the elephant. An ankus gives +1 to Riding or Animal Handling rolls to control an elephant. To use it as a weapon, see its entry in Melee Weapons (p. 54). $45, 1 lb. Howdah (TL2). A platform carried on an elephant’s back, strapped in place with ropes. Dimensions are 5’ long, 3’ wide, and 2’ from top to bottom. It provides seating for four riders. Often, a large umbrella is attached as a sunscreen. $675, 450 lbs. LAND VEHICLES The earliest land vehicles traveled on runners (TL0), which work best over snow and ice; thus, they developed mainly in regions with colder climates. Invention of the wheel (TL1) led to the adoption of wheeled vehicles in many environments. The wheel wasn’t universal, though – New World civilizations used it only as a toy, while the Near East abandoned it after the fall of Rome. Land vehicles were almost always animal-drawn, and developed where draft animals were available. Sleds and Sledges (TL0) These vehicles move on runners. Runners give a smaller contact area with the ground, thereby decreasing friction. On snow or ice, divide effective load by 2; on other smooth surfaces, such as grass or packed sand, divide by 1.5. Skis (p. 133) use the same principle. For short hauls – as at construction sites – smoothed logs may be laid side by side as rollers. This expedient divides effective weight by 5. It’s a crude substitute for wheels, with the revolving surface on the ground rather than being part of the vehicle. Rollers are also used to launch water vehicles from work sites ashore. Dogsled (TL0). The classic arctic vehicle, as used by Inuit tribes. Long enough for a man to lie down on; alternatively, he can load it with gear and run alongside. The version in the table is drawn by 14 dogs, each on a separate leather trace. It’s made of bone and leather rather than wood. Fifty-Man Sledge (TL1). Used for such tasks as hauling construction materials, this is similar to the one-man sledge (p. 133), but much more massive. The load sits on a flat platform, which rests directly on two runners.
Sleigh (TL4). Dating to the 17th century, this is a horsedrawn vehicle with runners, designed for use on snow. The model in the table is a one-horse vehicle with a seat wide enough for two people.
The wheel evolved through several stages. The earliest wheels were made from logs by cutting away most of the wood in the middle, leaving a narrow shaft joining two discs near the ends. Wheels and axle were a single, solid piece. Because such wheels couldn’t rotate at different speeds, vehicles that used them were hard to turn.
This design gives -2 to Handling. At the GM’s discretion, this flaw may be added to the oxcart or straddle car in the Land Vehicles Table (p. 137). Treat it as a variation on the cheap modification (see Cheap and Expensive Gadgets, p. 14): -0.5 CF.
Later wheels were separate from the axle and turned freely on it. The first such wheels were solid discs cut from single trees or, eventually, pieced together from smaller planks, making them heavy and stiff. More advanced models, starting with Egyptian and Chinese chariot wheels, had spokes.
Riders in a vehicle with wooden wheels endure considerable jolting. With spoked wheels, this costs 1 FP/hour on Good terrain, 2 FP/hour on Average terrain; with solid wheels, double these costs. Such vehicles can’t negotiate Bad or Very Bad terrain (for definitions of terrain types, see Terrain, p. B351). However, travelers can avoid the FP costs for carrying baggage by putting it on their vehicle.
Oxcart (TL1). One of the world’s oldest utility vehicles, found over most of Europe and Asia, where it has hauled farm products to market for millennia. Two oxen, yoked together, pull a two-wheeled cart. The “driver” usually walks, leading the oxen; this still calls for the Teamster skill, since he’s guiding animals that are pulling a vehicle. Oxcarts are driven at a walk, for no more than five hours a day; this limits the distance they can cover. Wagon (TL3). This is a heavier vehicle drawn by two draft horses, with a seat in front for the driver. War Wagon (TL3). The tabor or war wagon (hradba vozova, in Czech), developed by Jan Žižka during the Hussite revolts of the early 1400s, turned the wagon into a kind of early armored personnel carrier. The vehicle is drawn by four draft horses and has a 20’-long rectangular body. Its heavy wooden sides are 3’-4’ high, above which can be raised hinged boards with firing slits to provide cover to soldiers shooting bows, crossbows, or handheld gonnes; some tabors have additional hinged boards that swing down to provide shelter under the wagon. A typical force consists of 10 wagons, which are drawn up in a square formation with the protruding front wheels of one vehicle chained to the rear wheels of the next; the horses are unhitched and led into the formation’s interior by the drivers. The side of the tabor facing into the square may have doors for easier access. Pavises (see Movable Cover, pp. 116-117) can be placed to screen the gaps between wagons. The result is effectively a mobile fort that can be set up anywhere wagons can be driven. A tabor’s standard crew is two drivers, two men with gonnes, six crossbowmen, four men with flails, four halberdiers, and two men to handle the pavise. As a combat vehicle, the tabor is LC1 – but the Hussites who developed it were rebels who weren’t worried about legality!
Chariots (TL1) Chariots were primarily war vehicles. From the Celtic tribes of Britain to the Chinese kingdoms, they dominated late Bronze Age warfare and remained in use for specialized functions into the Iron Age. They acquired nonmilitary functions during the latter period, from prestige transportation for rulers to racing in the Roman Coliseum. Attacking from a chariot is challenging – it isn’t a smooth ride at the best of times! If the chariot has spoked wheels, all ranged attacks are at -1 even on good roads or level, smooth terrain. This falls to -3 on bad roads, mildly hilly terrain, or level ground with a slightly uneven surface. Melee attacks at Move 7+ are at -1; over uneven ground, apply another -2 to melee attacks and -1 to active defenses for bad footing. Solid disc wheels on early chariots absorb shock poorly, giving a further -2 to all attacks and -1 to active defenses. While chariots are fundamentally military vehicles, any noble might own one. Treat them as LC2 prestige goods (see Luxuries, p. 36). Heavy Chariot (TL1). A large, massive chariot, drawn by four ponies and carrying three men: driver, warrior, and shield carrier. A U-shaped wooden screen rises to waist height at the front and sides, protecting the riders against attacks from foot soldiers. Such chariots are used to charge directly at infantry or other chariots, with the aim of forcing them to break formation. This design was particularly favored by the Hittites of Anatolia (now part of Turkey); it was also used in China during the Warring States period (481-221 B.C.). The scythed chariot (TL2) is a heavy chariot with cutting blades mounted on its axles at an angle, introduced by the Assyrians and later adopted by the Persians. Treat this as inflicting cutting damage, based on the chariot’s Move and HP as for a collision (p. B430). This only works well against close formations; soldiers in open formations normally have time to step aside. Light Chariot (TL1). A vehicle designed as a shooting platform for an archer armed with a powerful composite bow. It carries two standing men – driver and archer – and is pulled by two ponies. It has a waist-height screen like the heavy chariot, but this is usually made of leather or basketry with a light wooden frame. The standard tactic is to ride past the enemy army, shooting at them. Such chariots are made light enough to be carried by one or two men over rough terrain. Straddle Car (TL1). This early precursor to the chariot is drawn by an onager (a kind of donkey), not by a pony. It has no protection for the rider – and indeed, no floor! The driver sits just above the axle, legs dangling to either side of the central pole, on a seat resembling a lowtech bicycle saddle. Straddle cars normally aren’t driven into combat; they’re used mainly to ride to the battlefield, where the warrior fights on foot. Battle Car (TL2). This Irish light chariot variant weighs even less than the usual Near Eastern version, and lacks a screen for the two riders. The warrior carries several javelins rather than a bow; he may throw them at foes, or run out onto the yoke to strike at them. Typically, he later dismounts to fight on foot. Coaches and Carriages (TL4) Coaches and carriages provide a smoother, more comfortable ride than any earlier wheeled vehicle. The body isn’t mounted directly on the axles, but suspended by leather straps, providing shock absorption. Halve any FP costs for jolting, rounding down.
Carriage (TL4). A small vehicle, used for city transportation; both London and Paris had fleets of carriages for hire in the 17th century (from 1605, in London). The hackney carriage, described here, was drawn by two horses.
Coach (TL4). The coach on p. B464 is a stagecoach, one of the major types of four-in-hand coach, pulled by four horses with an advanced harness that lets a single driver manage them. This arrangement is also called a “coach and four.” It entered use around 1640.
Terms and notation are as defined in Vehicle Statistics (pp. B462-463).
TL Vehicle ST/HP Hnd/SR HT Move LWt. Load SM Occ. DR Range Cost Locations TEAMSTER 0 Dogsled 27† 0/2 12 6/6 0.29 0.14 +1 1 2 F $400 14DER 1 Fifty-Man Sledge 77† -4/5 12c 2/2 4.0 0.5 +2 – 12 F $2.5K 50DR 1 Heavy Chariot 23† 0/2 11c 3/7* 0.39 0.3 +2 1+2 2 F $660 4DE2W 1 Light Chariot 16† +1/1 11c 4/9* 0.23 0.2 +1 1+1 1 F $330 2DE2W 1 Oxcart 34† -3/3 11c 1/1 0.9 0.6 +1 – 2 F $340 2D2W 1 Straddle Car 14† 0/2 12c 2/5 0.12 0.1 +1 1 0 F $165 1DE2W 2 Battle Car 14† +2/1 11c 4/10* 0.22 0.2 +1 1+1 1 F $250 2DE2W 3 Wagon 35† -3/4 12c 4/8* 0.84 0.5 +2 1 2 F $680 2DE4W 3 War Wagon 50† -4/5 12c 3/6* 3 2 +4 2+18 5 F $2K 4DE4W 4 Carriage 47† -1/2 10c 4/10* 1.6 0.8 +2 1+6 2 F $7.5K 2DO4W 4 Coach 54† -2/3 12c 4/9* 2.4 1.2 +3 1+9 2 F $11K 4DO4W 4 Sleigh 23† 0/2 10c 4/6 0.3 0.2 +1 1+1 1 F $2K 1DOR
People have been going into the water for a long time – one very speculative theory claims that many human traits are adaptations to a partially aquatic lifestyle! Mankind’s most notable adaptive mechanism is technology. This has certainly played a major role in our activity on the water, in forms ranging from inflated leather floats through sailboats to nuclear-powered warships. While it’s unclear when such innovation began, Paleolithic societies were island-hopping on rafts or canoes 30,000 years ago, and improvised floats could be even older.
Even before boats, early man developed aids to swimming, or to crossing water in other ways.
Floats are the starting place for all watercraft. A float is any small object, lighter than water, which a swimmer can hold onto or fasten to his body for added buoyancy. Its buoyancy subtracts from the user’s encumbrance, and if buoyancy exceeds encumbrance, the float gives a Swimming skill bonus equal to (excess buoyancy/swimmer’s weight) ¥ 8, rounded down, to a maximum of +8. Floats don’t improve swimming speed. Indeed, they may reduce it by increasing water resistance or by occupying the arms to such an extent that the user has limited mobility. Floats can vary greatly in construction, and be of any size. Some are solid blocks of a material that’s less dense than water; others are hollow, and get their buoyancy from the air they contain. Most can be described by their buoyancy, weight when carried on land, and cost – all given per cubic foot (cf) here. Buoyancy and weight sum to 62.5 lbs. per cubic foot (the density of water). Float Buoyancy Weight Cost Clay Pot 55 lbs./cf 7.5 lbs./cf $3/cf Inflated Skin 60 lbs./cf 2.5 lbs./cf $7.50/cf Reed Bundle 47.5 lbs./cf 15 lbs./cf $12/cf Wood Block 32.5 lbs./cf 30 lbs./cf $12/cf
Logs: It’s convenient to figure a log’s statistics from length rather than volume. For a 12”-diameter log, buoyancy is 25 lbs., weight is 25 lbs., and cost is $6 – all per foot of length. For other diameters, multiply these three figures by the square of (diameter/12”); e.g., a 6”-diameter log has a multiplier of 0.25, making buoyancy and weight 6.25 lbs., and cost $1.50, per foot.
Instead of clinging to a log while floating in the water, one can sit astride it or even stand on it. Of course, the log may roll over! Straddling a log, roll vs. DX at +4 to complete your journey without getting dunked; make one additional roll per stretch of rough water encountered. Standing on a log, these rolls are against unmodified DX. Walking carefully along the log at Move 1 requires no additional rolls – but if running any faster, roll every second. Perfect Balance gives +6 to all these rolls.
The surfboard was developed in Hawaii before European contact. There, riding the waves was a sport for chiefs, comparable to jousting for medieval Europeans. Surfing uses the Sports (Surfing) skill. Speed on the best waves might reach Move 12-15, but paddling is seldom faster than Move 1. A nobleman’s board (15’¥18”¥5”): $100, 150 lbs. A commoner’s board (smaller, averaging 10’ long): $75, 100 lbs.
A fourth-century Roman military text describes this contraption as the ascogefyrus. Skins are worked to form flattish air sacs instead of round ones, inflated with bellows, and rolled up and carried to a river, where they’re unrolled and tied into place. Unrolling takes a second per yard and produces a 4’-wide walkway. Footing is unreliable; use the rules under Rafts (below). Buoyancy is 720 lbs./yard, but the top can only support 310 lbs./yard without buckling. Per yard: $200, 30 lbs. RAFTS A raft consists of floats of any kind lashed together with ropes or thongs. The result is a flat surface for passengers to stand on. Individual floats may be solid or hollow, but the raft gets all its buoyancy from their lightness – it has no interior space. A raft’s surface flexes with the water beneath it or the shifting of its load. Roll vs. DX at -4 to move around or at -2 to stand in place. Combat is at -4 to attack and -2 to defend for bad footing. A raft made from logs or reasonably long reed bundles only flexes in one dimension; halve all these penalties. One held together rigidly with wooden crosspieces, pegs joining adjacent logs, or very tight cords causes combat penalties only (still halved, if made from long pieces); make rolls for balance only if the whole raft shifts because of water turbulence or large waves, and use unpenalized DX. Perfect Balance grants +6 to these DX rolls. The Rafts Table describes two-yard-square sections of raft; for bigger rafts, assume multiple sections of this size. One section provides footing for up to four people, but is crowded for more than one; in a fight with two combatants, the loser may go over the edge! The specified load has the top of the raft barely above the waterline, with low waves washing over it; cutting the burden by 50% gives freeboard equal to 25% of the raft’s thickness.
Rafts often simply drift with water currents. They can be propelled in shallow water by poling with a wooden pole from 12’ to 20’ long. The pole must be held at an angle to produce horizontal thrust, so the maximum depth of bottom that can be reached is 85% of pole length. Poles can also be used to fend off obstacles. At TL1+, a raft may have a square sail. Unlike boats and ships, which have complex structures and are treated as Unliving, rafts are considered Homogenous.
Terms and notation are as defined in Vehicle Statistics (pp. B462-463). TL Vehicle ST/HP Hnd/SR HT Move LWt. Load SM Occ. DR Range Cost Locations Draft BOATING/TL (UNPOWERED) 0 Logs, 4” 58† -2/2 12c 1/1 0.29 0.10 +2 1 4 F $95 E 0.3 0 Logs, 7” 66† -2/2 12c 1/1 0.48 0.20 +2 2 7 F $140 E 0.5 0 Logs, 10” 73† -2/2 12c 1/1 0.68 0.30 +2 3 10 F $195 E 0.7 0 Logs, 12” 79† -2/2 12c 1/1 0.88 0.40 +2 4 12 F $240 E 0.9 0 Reeds, 6.5” 58† -2/2 10c 1/1 0.59 0.40 +2 4 2 F $330 E 0.5
Where a raft works like a solid float made of light material, a boat functions as a hollow float that gains buoyancy from its air content. Typical boats have interior spaces open at the top, with the water kept out by walls that rise above the water level. At TL0, boats are normally made from a single piece of material. This may be a solid object that has been painstakingly hollowed out (such as a dugout), or it might consist of something flat that has been shaped to enclose an interior space, usually with some sort of framing (e.g., a bark canoe or a skin boat). Ceramic vessels large enough to serve as boats, used in parts of India, are TL1; they’re too breakable for rocky or fast-moving streams, and none are described here. The major change at TL1 is the development of the plank boat, such as the European rowboat or East Asian sampan. Where TL0 craft can’t easily be enlarged beyond the limits of the material, TL1 designs add planks to build up the sides. This allows scaling up to much larger craft, from wider boats to full-scale ships (for big ships, see GURPS Low-Tech Companion 2 and 3). Propulsion for boats at TL0 involves poling or paddling, or occasionally improvised towing methods. The more efficient technology of rowing is TL1. Paddling uses only the arm muscles; in rowing, the oarsman can brace against a seat within the boat, letting him use his full body strength. A less common technique is single-oar sculling, in which a large oar that pivots at the stern – such as a yuloh (from Chinese yaolu) – is swept from side to side. Use of harnessed draft animals for towing also starts at TL1. The most important TL1 innovation, however, is the sail – initially in single-masted craft, usually with square sails that are best-suited for running before the wind (although the Polynesian proa design can sail into the wind quite efficiently). Vessels with small auxiliary sails emerge at TL2, as do early fore-and-aft rigs, which are more capable of sailing into the wind. By TL4, craft may have three or four masts, and ships with two or more masts can be full-rigged, combining square and triangular sails to great effect. Warships up through TL3 find sails too unreliable. Two important TL2 developments are multiple rows of oars down each side of a ship (as in the trireme) and multiple men working the same oar (as in the quinquereme and, later, in Byzantine warships). Variants on both designs remain in use into late TL3. At TL3, the Chinese experiment with paddlewheels powered by men on treadmills (see GURPS Low-Tech Companion 2). Boats at TL0 are steered with a paddle dipped into the water at the stern. At TL1, this evolves into the permanently attached steering oar. Ships at TL3-4 usually have rudders, attached at two points rather than one, so that they can be rotated around a vertical axis. Early European ships have single or paired side-mounted rudders; later European ships, and most Chinese junks, have one rudder mounted at the ship’s rear, on its midline. Bark Boats (TL0) A bark boat, or canoe, is made from a single piece of bark taken from a tree whose bark can be stripped off in large sheets; e.g., birch, elm, or hickory in North America, eucalyptus in Australia, or spruce in North America and Scandinavia. This is bent into a semi-cylinder with width between 1/8 and 1/5 of length, with its ends curving up. Then the ends are sealed, usually by sewing them up – although improvised boats may have the ends blocked off with grass and clay, or simply bent up out of the water. Such vessels are speedy but unstable. Most have some internal framing to hold their shape, but not enough to support oarsmen; they’re usually propelled by paddling. Construction is very light, with walls averaging just half an inch thick. Large Bark Canoe (TL0). A large but comparatively light canoe, 20’ long and 3’ wide, that holds four men seated in a single row. Voyageur Canoe (TL4). A distinctive, very large bark canoe used for trade in Canada after European contact. The body is 35’ long and 5’ wide, and holds 14 paddlers seated side by side in seven pairs, plus a steersman and 4 tons of cargo. The construction, influenced by European boatbuilding traditions, is sturdier than for traditional canoes.
Hide Boats (TL0) Animal-skin boats have been in use since the Stone Age in area without large trees, including arctic, desert, and plains environments, and rocky regions like western Ireland. Skins are stretched over a light wooden frame that gives them a definite shape, chosen by the builder; this may be anything from a nearly circular coracle to a narrow kayak with two pointed ends. Construction is extremely light – one man can carry a small hide boat. These vessels are usually paddled; the frame isn’t rigid enough to support oarlocks. A variation on this design is a circular or oval boat with a basketry frame. It’s made watertight by stretching hides over the frame or by sealing it with tar – in Mesopotamia, for example, thanks to its petroleum deposits. Kayak (TL0). A one-man watercraft used by Inuit hunters; the Siberian baidarka is similar. The design is fast and maneuverable, with a long, narrow body, traditionally three times the owner’s height (15’-18’) and no more than 27” wide. The deck is roofed-over and the rider’s torso protrudes through a narrow opening, which fits too tightly for water to enter. Kayaks are famously easy to right if capsized; this calls for a Boating (Unpowered) roll at -3. Propulsion comes from a double-ended paddle. Made of sealskin framed with wood or whalebone, the vessel is light enough for one man to carry. A few kayaks have two or even three seats. Oblong Hide Boat (TL0). Comparable to the Irish coracle, this craft is fairly round but somewhat longer than it is wide. Use the same statistics for Vietnamese fishing boats made of bamboo matting and sealed with resin. Typical dimensions are 5’ long and 2/3 as wide. Propulsion is by paddling. Round Hide Boat (TL0). A circular watercraft made of hides with a light wooden frame, such as the Plains Indian bull boat or the bamboo-framed parical of South India. The Mongols used a similar boat, called pi in Chinese. Use the same statistics for the ancient Mesopotamia quffa (TL1), made of basketry with an external coat of tar. The boat on the table is 5’ in diameter. Large Hide Boat (TL1). A craft framed with substantial timbers and covered with several large hides, such as the Inuit umiak, the similar Siberian baidara, or the Irish currach (used into modern times – and the vessel in which legend claims St. Brendan made his voyages over the Atlantic Ocean). These craft are “boat-shaped,” with curved sides, steered by an oar at the stern, and propelled with oars or a sail. Typical dimensions are 36’ long, 6’ wide, and 3’ high. Log Boats (TL0) A basic log boat, or dugout canoe, is made by taking a large tree and hollowing it out with fire or cutting tools, leaving a roughly U-shaped rigid shell. Such a vessel is much heavier than a bark canoe, with walls averaging 2”-3” thick. It’s also more seaworthy; the ancient Polynesians crossed the Pacific Ocean in craft like this. Log boats can be produced wherever good-sized trees grow. There are ways of increasing a log boat’s size that don’t work for a bark canoe. It can be extended by joining two logs end to end. It can be expanded by using hot water, hot oil, or smoke to soften the wood and then bending the sides outward. And it can be built up by adding a board along each side – a first step toward a plank boat (below). A dugout can also have a second log parallel to the first, yielding either a comparatively small outrigger canoe or a full-scale double canoe; both designs are common around the Pacific. Dugout Canoe (TL0). A very basic log boat, suitable for one man, made from a log 8’ long and 2.5’ in diameter. Long Dugout Canoe (TL0). A basic dugout made from a bigger log, 30’ long and 3’ in diameter. It can accommodate more paddlers for its length by placing them alternately on the left and right sides, taking advantage of its width. Outrigger Canoe (TL0). A long dugout canoe equipped with an outrigger: a smaller log, 15’ long, attached to its midsection by several 3’ poles. This provides added stability in the water. Such craft are well-suited to lengthy ocean voyages, such as the Polynesian expansion through the Pacific Ocean. The outrigger is designated R, like a runner or skid, on the Boats and Ships Table – and like those components, is treated as vehicle hit location 15-16. War Canoe (TL0). A very large dugout canoe, such as the Maori war canoe of New Zealand, carved from a single kauri pine whose sides are expanded to provide room for two paddlers side by side. Its length is 60’ and its beam 5’. Similar craft are found in the Pacific Northwest; in areas with smaller trees, they may be made by joining two trees end to end. Treat war canoes as LC1. Double Canoe (TL1). This sailing vessel is similar to those used by the Polynesians who colonized the Pacific. Two long dugout canoes are held side by side, 10’ apart, by a frame that supports a mat platform 15’ square. Above this is a mast bearing a proa sail, a distinctive design that can be used to beat upwind by shunting (see Sailing Against the Wind, p. 141). There’s room for half a dozen paddlers in front of the platform and behind it; the portion of the canoes that’s under the platform is used for storage. The two canoes together make up the craft’s body; if an attack could hit either, assign it randomly to one or the other. If one canoe leaks, the craft may be threatened by tipping. Plank Boats (TL1) The first vessels made entirely of planks had one bottom plank and two side planks. The East Asian sampan – meaning “three boards” – was of this type. Larger boats, and eventually ships, could have many side planks rather than just one per side. Plank boats can be any shape that has a definite fore and aft. Barges have rectangular hulls with straight sides; other craft have curving sides. Bow and stern may be pointed, rounded, squared-off, or “boat-shaped” (pointed in front and squared-off at the rear). The bottom may be flat, rounded, or V-shaped. Cargo carriers are commonly rounded or rectangular, to give them more interior space; warships tend to be narrow, with pointed prows and Vshaped bottoms, for better speed. The simplest designs are nothing but shells made from planks, either edge-joined or overlapping (“clinker-built”). Planks can be held together by sewing, wooden pegs, or metal nails (mainly at TL3+). Waterproofing comes from the shell’s tight fit. In larger plank boats, adding an internal frame can increase structural strength – partly by preventing the craft from flexing into shapes that strain the hull.
At TL3, a radically different approach emerges: building the frame first, fastening the hull timbers to the frame, and then caulking in between to waterproof the vessel. The heavier framing of plank boats lets them carry oarsmen, or support one or several sails on masts. Small auxiliary masts were introduced on Roman ships at TL2. Twoand three-masted ships came into use in Europe at TL3 – and the Chinese in the same period built junks with as many as nine masts! River Barge (TL1). A fairly large, flat-bottomed, rectangular vessel suited to hauling bulk cargo up and down river, or ferrying freight and passengers across a river. This is effectively a big open box, 40’ long, 7.5’ wide, and 1’ high, very slightly tapered toward the ends. As a ferry, it’s poled by four men on each side; the table entry assumes this. For travel up river, it must be towed. Sampan (TL1). This is the starting point for East Asian boat and ship design: a flat-bottomed boat made from one bottom plank and two side planks. Typical dimensions are 15’ long, 4’ wide, and 1.5’ high. The side planks converge in front in a pointed prow; the stern is squared-off. The craft has one advanced design feature, thought to have been inspired by the structure of bamboo: bulkheads divide its interior into several watertight segments, making it very hard to sink. Propulsion is normally singleoar sculling with a yuloh; in shallow waters, it can be poled. Sewn-Plank Riverboat (TL1). A boat in the Egyptian style, assembled from planks of acacia (or expensive imports such as cedar) averaging 3’ long, sewn together edge to edge. Dimensions are 30’ long, 7’ wide, and 2.5’ high. Both ends taper to points. It’s usually propelled with paddles wielded by four pairs of crewmen. A lookout on the bow uses a sounding pole (p. 52) to feel for snags, while a helmsman in the stern steers with a paddle held in the water. Fishing Boat (TL2). A boat constructed in the shell-first style of the ancient Mediterranean, with planks joined edge to edge and pegged together. Construction is light, with minimal framing. Dimensions are 27’ long, 7.5’ wide, and 4’ high; the bow is pointed, while the stern is squared-off. Propulsion is by two pairs of oars. Primarily used for fishing, but can be adapted to carry cargo or up to 10 passengers. Square-Rigged Sailboat (TL2). This is a Romano-Celtic craft of the British Isles under the later Roman Empire. Its planks are laid edge to edge, but not fastened together.; rather, they’re nailed to framing timbers, and the gaps are caulked. Dimensions are 37.5’ long, 10’ wide, and 3’ high; both bow and stern are pointed. A single 25’ mast a third of the way back from the bow holds a square sail. Construction is sturdy enough for use in bays and coastal waters.
Faering (TL3). A boat constructed much like the squarerigged sailboat (above), but with 3-4 pairs of oars, used in the Viking era – although the same stats can represent a variety of medieval oared boats. Typical size is 20’ long, 4’ wide, and 2’ high. It can be used in coastal waters for fishing or transport, or as a tender for a larger ship. Sewn-Plank Sailboat (TL3). A boat of the design traditionally used in the Indian Ocean, with long planks stitched together, and little or no frame. The hull’s flexibility is actually an advantage for operating in coastal waters. A single mast carries a large lateen sail, which is efficient for sailing into the wind but too heavy for tacking; instead, the ship relies on wearing (see Sailing Against the Wind, p. 141). At 22’ long and 5’ wide, this craft is comparatively small, and suited for fishing or local travel. Brig (TL4). This two-masted sailing vessel carries square sails – a configuration that requires a larger crew to handle the sails than on a fore-and-aft rigged ship (such as the sloop, below). The example in the table is fairly small: 50’ long, 18’ wide, and 10’ from top to bottom. Its sail configuration is best suited to long sea voyages running before the wind; it’s less efficient for beating upwind, and thus not ideal for working in close to shore. Rowboat (TL4). Not a specific vessel but a broad category of European boats – all propelled by a small number of oarsmen, and built with overlapping planks, pointed prows, and flat sterns. The table offers two examples. The longboat is 30’ long and 4.5’ wide, with four pairs of rowers and a coxswain; it was used between 1515 and 1867 as a ship captain’s boat. The jolly boat is 18’ long and 4’ wide, with three pairs of oarsmen, and used as a ship’s small utility boat, customarily lowered off the stern. Sloop (TL4). A one-masted sailing vessel, developed in the Netherlands in the early 1600s. The mast is placed in the craft’s forward third, and carries two triangular foreand- aft sails, giving it the classic triangular “sailboat” silhouette. The one in the table is comparatively small: 21’ long, 7’ wide, and 6’ high. A 3’ bowsprit gives added sail area. Good maneuverability and the ability to sail close to the wind make this design useful to adventurers; larger sloop-rigged ships were favored by pirates. A cutter is similar, with the mast further aft.
Many sailboats can travel in a direction opposite to that in which the wind is blowing. If the sail is parallel to the wind rather than across it, then as the wind blows past, it generates aerodynamic lift that pushes at right angles to it. If the boat has a keel (or the equivalent, such as a canoe’s long body or a junk’s deep rudder), setting the sail at an angle to the hull means that the part of the thrust that’s directed along the hull propels the ship, while the component that’s directed sideways has little propulsive effect. Rather, it makes the ship heel over. No ship can sail straight into the wind; it must always sail at an angle to the airstream. Holding a steady course into the wind necessitates zigzagging back and forth, putting the wind alternately to port and starboard. There are three different methods of doing this: • Wearing is turning to sail away from the wind, and then looping around to sail upwind at the opposite angle, so that the ship turns through roughly three-fourths of a circle, tracing a series of loops. This is the only method of beating upwind available to square-rigged ships. • Tacking is turning the ship’s prow straight into the wind, losing speed while doing so, but then continuing the turn until the wind is coming from the other side. • Shunting is turning to face at right angles to the wind, and then turning the sails completely around to sail the ship stern-first, pointing the stern into the wind. This requires a hull that’s pointed at both ends, as in Polynesian canoes. The sail is turned by picking up and rotating the entire mast.
Reed Boats (TL1) Strictly speaking, a reed “boat” is a kind of raft – it has no hollow interior, but floats because its material is lighter than water. It’s called a boat because of its shape (oblong or pointed) and the way it handles in the water. Reed boats become waterlogged with use; tight binding of the reed bundles prolongs their useful life. Small, tapering logs can be bound together to form comparable watercraft. Reed boats made from papyrus were common in early Egypt. The top surface was sometimes covered with planks to give better footing; historians speculate that this development may have been a step toward boats made entirely of planks. The unusual Egyptian wishbone mast – attached to either side of a boat’s hull – might have been developed for use with reed boats, which had no keel to provide a stable attachment point. Comparable boats were used in other parts of Africa, Brazil, and similar tropical areas. Fowling Boat (TL1). A papyrus raft boat built for pharaohs and nobles to use for duck hunting along the Nile, suitable for travel over still or slow-moving water anywhere. The 16’-long body tapers from a 3’ beam at the midsection to a blunt prow and a sharp stern, both curved up out of the water. Two crewmen pole the craft, while a passenger rides up front.
Boats and Ships Table Terms and notation are as defined in Vehicle Statistics (pp. B462-463). TL Vehicle ST/HP Hnd/SR HT Move LWt. Load SM Occ. DR Range Cost Locations Draft BOATING/TL (SAILBOAT) 1 Double Canoe, 30’ 60† +1/3 12c 1/3 3.2 1.5 +5 6+6 2 – $14K EMOS 2 1 Large Hide Boat, 36’ 25† 0/2 12 1/4 3.34 3.22 +6 2+1 2 – $1K MO 2 2 Square-Rigged Sailboat, 37.5’ 61† -1/2 12c 1/4 7 5.25 +6 3 1 – $15K MO 1 3 Sewn-Plank Sailboat, 22’ 40† +1/2 11c 1/3 2.2 1.7 +4 4 1 – $1.4K MO 1 4 Brig, 50’ 131† -2/3 12c 0.25/4 70 52.5 +7 15+10 3 – $165K 2M 5 4 Sloop, 21’ 43† 0/2 12c 1/3 2.4 1.8 +4 3+3 2 – $5K M 3 BOATING/TL (UNPOWERED) 0 Dugout Canoe, 8’ 24† +1/1 12c 1/2 0.26 0.15 +1 1 2 F $920 O 1 0 Kayak, 18’ 14† +2/1 12 2/3 0.12 0.1 +3 1 1 F $500 E 1 0 Large Bark Canoe, 20’ 22† +1/1 12c 1.25/3 0.88 0.8 +3 4 1 F $220 O 1 0 Long Dugout Canoe, 30’ 40† 0/1 12c 1/3 2.75 2.25 +4 12 2 F $4K O 2 0 Oblong Hide Boat, 5’ 16† 0/1 11c 1.5/2 0.18 0.15 +1 1 1 F $85 O 1 0 Outrigger Canoe, 30’ 45† 0/2 12c 1/3 2.95 2.25 +5 12 2 F $6K OR 2 0 Round Hide Boat, 5’ 23† -1/2 10c 0.4/1 1.3 1.2 +2 2 1 F $280 O 1 0 War Canoe, 60’ 66† -2/2 12c 1.25/4 5.8 3.6 +6 30+1 3 F $18K O 2 1 Fowling Boat, 16’ 29† 0/1 12c 1/1 0.52 0.32 +2 2+1 0 F $560 3E 1 1 Large Hide Boat, 36’ 25† 0/2 12 2/4 3.34 3.22 +6 10+1 2 F $1K O 2 1 River Barge, 40’ 56† -2/3 12c 0.5/1 4.2 2.8 +6 9 3 F $12K O 1 1 Sampan, 15’ 22† +1/2 13c 1.5/3 0.28 0.2 +3 1+1 2 F $1.8K O 1 1 Sewn-Plank Riverboat, 30’ 40† 0/2 11c 1.25/3 2 1.5 +4 10+2 2 F $1.4K O 1 2 Fishing Boat, 27’ 43† 0/2 11c 0.6/3 2.1 1.5 +4 5 1 F $5K O 1 3 Faering, 20’ 32† +1/1 12c 1.25/3 1.25 1 +3 6 2 F $2.5K O 1 4 Jolly Boat, 18’ 36† 0/1 12c 1/3 1.35 1 +3 6+2 2 F $3K O 0.7 4 Longboat, 30’ 43† +1/1 12c 1.25/3 1.75 1.15 +5 9+2 2 F $5K O 1 4 Voyageur Canoe, 35’ 33† +1/2 14c 1.25/4 5.78 5.5 +5 15 2 F $1.9K O 2
The ocean’s depths were a mystery to preindustrial societies. Divers could go a few yards underwater, and stay down for a minute or two. Human inventions extended some of these limits, but only added marginally to attainable depth. DIVING GEAR These items let a diver go deeper, or stay underwater for longer than he can hold his breath. Diving Stone (TL0) The human body weighs nearly the same as an equal volume of water. Reaching any significant depth quickly requires either jumping in from a height or actively swimming downward. An early solution to this difficulty is a stone with a cord tied around it. The diver thrusts one foot into the cord, as through a stirrup, and is carried down at Move 1 without active effort. He can move horizontally at the same time by making a Swimming roll at -1. To allow reuse, tie the stone to a length of rope that a companion in a boat can use to pull it up. $5, 15 lbs. Breathing Tube (TL1) Ancient Egyptian fowlers developed an early snorkel analog to help them sneak up on waterfowl: a papyrus reed used like a huge straw to inhale air while submerged. A 2’ tube allows submergence 16” below the water. Any deeper and water pressure prevents the lungs from taking a breath. Observers are at -2 to Vision to spot the swimmer. $5 (or free, with a Naturalist or Survival roll), 0.5 lb. Air Bladder (TL2) An Assyrian relief dated to the eighth century B.C. shows divers using air-filled animal skins to prolong their dives. The bladders are inflated before the diver enters the water, and provide several breaths’ worth of air. Multiply the times under Holding Your Breath (p. B351) by four when using an air bladder. It also acts as a float (p. 138), so the diver must carry additional weight (60 lbs.) to remain submerged. $15, 2.5 lbs. UNDERWATER VEHICLES In 1620, Cornelius Drebbel, a Dutch experimenter living in England, designed and built the first known submarine for the Royal Navy. It worked well enough that he constructed two more, larger models. In 1624, James I rode in the last one on a test dive under the Thames. The navy wasn’t impressed enough to use it in combat, but later experimenters could have copied the design. Diving Boat (TL4) The diving boat is basically a 15’ rowboat with a roof, covered with greased leather. Six pairs of oars protrude through leather gaskets to supply thrust. As it uses oars rather than a propeller, operating it requires the new Unpowered specialty of the Submarine skill (p. 11). Buoyancy control is handled by filling bladders under the rowers’ benches to submerge, and squeezing out the water to surface. Metal ballast supplies extra weight to make up the full load of 3.2 tons needed for neutral buoyancy. The boat can submerge to 15’; the longest recorded trip took 3 hours. Air tubes attached to floats enable crew and passengers to breathe. Some accounts claim that Drebbel invented an “alchemical” means of keeping the air breathable, though. The GM may choose to give the diving boat TL(4+1) rebreather technology.
Terms and notation are as defined in Vehicle Statistics (pp. B462-463). TL Vehicle ST/HP Hnd/SR HT Move LWt. Load SM Occ. DR Range Cost Locations Draft 4 Diving Boat, 15’ 85† 0/2 12c 0.25/4 8 3.2 +3 7+9 2 F $40K – 2.5
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. Personal Transport Platform (PTP) (TL8) 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.
USEDVEHICLES 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 tablein 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).
Vehicle Table Vehicle ST/HP Hnd/SR HT Move LWt. Load SM Occ. DR Range Cost Locations BOATING (MOTORBOAT) Inflatable Boat 20 +2/2 11 2/12 0.6 0.5 +1 1+4 2 100 $2K O Speedboat 50 +1/3 11f 3/20 2 1 +2 1+9 3 200 $18K O DRIVING (AUTOMOBILE) HMMWV 72 0/5 11 3/33 4.1 1 +3 2+2 8 300 $70K G4WX Luxury Car 57 0/4 11f 3/57* 2.1 0.6 +3 1+4 5 500 $30K G4W Sports Car 57 +1/4 10f 5/75* 1.8 0.3 +3 1+3 4 500 $85K G4W SUV 68 -1/4 11f 3/50 4 1.5 +3 1+4 5 400 $45K G4W Van 68 -1/4 11f 2/45* 3.5 1 +4 1+7 4 650 $25K g4W DRIVING (MOTORCYCLE) Heavy Bike 36 +1/2 10f 6/40* 0.6 0.22 0 1+1 4 210 $15K E2W Sports Bike 30 +2/2 11f 8/64 0.5 0.23 0 1+1 4 250 $18K E2W PILOTING (GLIDER) Hang-Glider 16† +3/2 10c 0/25 0.13 0.1 +1 1 1 – $4K EWi PILOTING (HELICOPTER) Light Helicopter 53 +2/2 10f 2/65 2.4 0.7 +4 1+5 3 300 $500K GH3W SCUBA Dive Torpedo 20 +2/2 10 1/2 0.19 0.13 0 1 4 4 $5.5K E