Tools and Construction Materials

These are general-purpose equipment for work and repairs.

These are close-focus energy beam projectors that excel at heavy cutting and welding. A torch projects a continuous jet: in combat, treat this as a melee attack that uses Beam Weapons (Projector) skill, and can’t be parried. The jet inflicts tightbeam burning damage.

BEAM WEAPONS (PROJECTOR) (DX-4, other Beam Weapons-4)

A box of power tools for shaping wood and other construction materials. A box of ultra-tech power tools may include a nail gun, and either an industrial water knife (below), a vibroblade, a chainsaw, or a laser torch. The tools provide a +3 (quality) bonus to Carpentry skill. $700, 7 lbs., 2C/7 hr. LC4.

Rope is an ancient technology, and it’s one that is of special interest to many adventurers.

These are synthetic lines and ropes made of carbon nanotubes or biphase composites.

1/8“ diameter: Supports 800 lbs. 10 yards of line: $2, 0.1 lb.

3/16” diameter: Supports 2,000 pounds. 10 yards of rope: $5, 0.25 lbs.

3/8“ diameter: Supports 8,000 pounds. 10 yards of rope: $20, 1 lb.

3/4” diameter: Supports 32,000 pounds. 10 yards of rope: $80, 4 lbs.

This is the safe working load; the theoretical breaking strain is five times as much. If exceeding the safe load, roll vs. the rope’s HT 12 at -1 per multiple of working load whenever it is stressed to see if it snaps.

Standard rope with optical fiber cable wound through the center and connected to data plugs on both ends. Add $0.50 per yard to standard rope costs. The optical cable will snap if the datarope is stressed to five times its safe load.

This device cuts, crimps, melts, or splices rope passing in one end and out the other. Designed to be attached to a rocket piton launcher, a rope traverser, or both. Splicing takes the internal micro-manipulators three seconds to apply gecko adhesive tape from its internal supply. Swivel-ring or plug connector caps can be attached using the same splicing mechanism, but take twice as long. Cuts, crimps, and melts take 1 second each. A rope end can be spliced into a loop, which takes 12 seconds (counts as four uses). It takes one minute to splice two ends into interlocking but separate rope loops (counts as eight uses).

Rope splicers can manipulate smaller rope of standard sizes and material, but one programmed to handle unusual rope (e.g. primitive material) is triple cost. Data rope splicers are double cost. Splicing data rope takes five times as long and counts as doubled uses if the data connection must be maintained. Connector caps are the same weight as one yard of rope for that size, but five times cost.

Up to 1/8” diameter: $400, 4 lbs., B/30 uses. LC4. Cartridge of 20 connector caps is $20, 0.3 lb.

Up to 3/16” diameter: $800, 8 lbs., C/100 uses. LC4. Cartridge of 20 connector caps is $50, 0.7 lb.

Up to 3/8” diameter: $2400, 24 lbs., C/25 uses. LC4. Cartridge of 20 connector caps is $200, 2.8 lb.

Up to 3/4” diameter: $7000, 70 lbs., D/60 uses. LC4. Cartridge of 20 connector caps is $800, 11 lb.

An electric winch for ascending or descending vertical ropes, or traversing horizontal ropes, it has rings, electromagnetic pads, or gecko connectors to handle most typical uses. It can lift the rope’s nominal rating at two yards per second, or slower with more weight. It permits double speed for horizontal travel. The device cannot lift more than twice its nominal rating. It uses regenerative braking to recover half as much energy when descending and comes with integral solar film to top off the power cell. The traverser is designed to connect to the rope splicer, a rocket piton launcher, or both.

Up to 1/8” diameter: $200, 2 lbs., C/10 minutes. LC4.

Up to 3/16” diameter: $400, 4 lbs., 2C/8 minutes. LC4.

Up to 3/8” diameter: $1,200, 12 lbs., D/10 minutes. LC4.

Up to 3/4” diameter: $3,500, 35 lbs., 2D/8 minutes. LC4.

An integrated rope-gear backpack containing a rocket piton launcher in a shoulder servomount, a rope traverser, a rope splicer, an articulated rope-guide arm (so the rope doesn’t impede the user), a spool of 200 yards of 1/8” rope, a cartridge of 10 genius pitons in rocket shells, and an automatic reloader. $8350, 28 lbs., C/10 minutes (traverser) or 300 uses (splicer). LC3.

At TL10, it has an electromagnetic piton launcher instead of the rocket version. $6,720, 20 lbs., C/10 minutes (traverser) or 300 uses (splicer) or 3 shots. LC3.

The invention of monowire (Ultra-Tech, pp. 82 and 103) is likely to see innovation in many areas – not all of them savory.

Monowire can be made in higher capacities. For each doubling of maximum load, multiply cost and weight by three (using the 3¥, 10¥, 30¥ progression). Every full quadrupling of maximum load, reduce the armor divisor by one step, e.g., 100 yards of 8,000 lbs. rated monowire is $30,000, 3 lbs., and has armor divisor (5) when used as a weapon.

Plastic-sheathed monowire designed for relatively safe handling. Strung up as a “spiderweb,” it does only 1d-2 damage for walking speed, 1d-4 for moving slowly, and 1d-1 for running. Cost and weight are identical to regular monowire – the spool can be far lighter as it need not be high-density armor material.

The coating comes in a variety of colors, including radar-reflective metallics, fluorescent, glow-in-the-dark, and clear. Add 10% to cost to include an optical fiber cable that connects the spool to the end cap. The end cap can connect to pitons, attachment points, and so on to remotely release pitons or pass secure data.

An electric winch designed to handle spools of standard monowire or safety monowire. Can handle a spool of up to 2,000 yards (weighing two pounds). The winch can lift 1,000 pounds of load at two yards per second (double speed with 500 pounds or less), and regenerates half its energy when descending. $800, 3 lbs., 2C/10 minutes. LC4. Spool weight and cost are separate. Two winches can be attached together, allowing a horizontal traverse (one spool winding in, the other winding out), or vertical movement on two monowire lines. For multi-strand monowire, multiply the weight, cost, and power usage of winches by the same multiple as the rated safe load.

Uses gyroc-sized rockets in a pistol-grip launch tube. The monowire’s lack of drag gives superior range compared to rope-towing rockets. It inflicts 1d impaling damage, with Acc 1, range 100/350, RoF 1, Bulk -2, Rcl 1, Shots 1(5). $20, 0.8 lbs. Reloads are $2, 0.2 lbs. per shot. LC4.

Electromagnetically launches rocket shells – the two-stage launch gives increased range. TL9^ rocket shells won’t work in this launcher, and vice versa. It inflicts 1d impaling damage, with Acc 1, range 150/500, RoF 1, Bulk -2, Rcl 1, Shots 1(5). $500, 1.5 lbs., C/10 shots. Reloads are $3, 0.25 lbs. per shot. LC3.

An integrated monowire-gear backpack containing a monowire rocket piton launcher in a shoulder servomount, two monowire winches, articulated wire-guide arms (so the monowire doesn’t cut the user), a cartridge of 10 genius pitons in rocket shells, and an automatic reloader. The two spools of monowire are separate. $9,100, 14 lbs., 4C/10 minutes (using both winches, double if using only one). LC3.

Monowire is woven from strands of diamondoid fibers. Unlike regular rope, it has no elasticity and its safe working load is right at the edge of its maximum load. Whenever it is stressed and exceeding the safe load, roll vs. the monowire’s HT 11 at -1 per extra 10% of safe load to see if it snaps. Monowire will snap when put under twice its safe load even if the load is applied gently.

Once cut, monowire cannot be spliced or repaired. Monowire cannot be usefully cut to make shorter lengths, so a reeling system is necessary – monowire weapons include a tiny one in the handle, but a monowire winch is necessary for ascending and rappelling. Monowire’s cost is reduced by a factor of 10 every TL after its introduction.

The trouble with buying devices in kit form is that it requires a lot of skill to assemble them… or it used to.

Instructor kits have radio frequency tags and dedicated computer chips on all the components, from circuits to screws or bricks. If the user has a HUD or neural interface, the device will show exactly where and how a component fits into other components. It will signal when it has been properly put together, indicate what tool is needed, and so on. These all appear on handy pop-up diagrams overlaid on the user’s visual field.

Instructor kits are available for most ultra-tech devices, as well as homes, model kits, and ships-in-a-bottle. They cost 50% of the cost of the device, and take one man-hour per $1,000 of cost to assemble. They require an appropriate skill roll – usually Mechanic or Electronics Repair – but this is made at +5 to skill if the user can read the virtual tag as he builds it. This makes assembly easy, even if the user has only a default level of skill. A failed skill roll means more time is required; a critical failure means something breaks or malfunctions later.

This device resembles a thick hacksaw with a five-inch gap where its blade should be, plus a switch and power cell built into the handle and an attached hose. When connected to a water source and switched on, a jet of hypervelocity water crosses the gap, forming a “blade” capable of slicing through flesh, wood, and even thin metal. Since the water recirculates through the system, little splashes off – the knife only uses one gallon per hour. Water knives are also safer than a chainsaw. If the blade can’t cut through something, the only “danger” is a spray of harmless water. Water knives do not have to be sharpened or cleaned, though a special self-sterilizing version is used for medical and similar applications. This version cycles the water through filters after each use, removing most contaminants. It is used in the most common industrial role for water knives: slicing meat at slaughterhouses and restaurants. A C cell powers the knife for 10 hours. Most water knives come with a backpack which holds two gallons, and connects to the knife with a two-yard hose. Users often place the backpack on the floor while at work. The tank for a self-sterilizing water knife is heavier and more expensive; its filters require replacing with each change of the power cells. Replacement filters cost $20.

Industrial Water Knife - DX-5 or any Axe/Mace-4

* Weight and cost of backpack is extra: $40 and 18 lbs. for a normal backpack, or $200 and 26 lbs. for a self-sterilizing knife.

This is a portable magnetic bottle for storage and transfer of antimatter. It can safely store up to 100 micrograms of antimatter, and is designed to interlock with antimatter reactors for safe transfer. If the power supply is turned off or the power cells removed while containing antimatter, the result is an explosion: antimatter has an REF of 10,000,000,000, and a single microgram can do 6dx9 cr ex damage!

The power will not turn off instantly: a built-in capacitor stores enough for 30 seconds of operation. Unless it is sabotaged or deactivated, a warning system will sound a buzzer and display a countdown to detonation. A biometric lock prevents unauthorized tampering or release, and the trap itself is ruggedized. It also has a redundant power cell socket so that cells can be changed without turning it off.

A standard unit is $20,000, 20 lbs., 2D/10,000 hr. LC3 (without antimatter).

A spool of 100 yards of superstrong monowire, with a handle on each end. Monowire has DR 10 and HP 1. Used as rope, it will support a working load of 1,000 lbs. A standard spool is $1,000 and 0.1 lbs. See Monowire Fences for some other ways adventurers may use it. LC3.

Tool kits are used for repair skills: Armoury, Electronics Repair, Electrician, Machinist, and Mechanic. They determine the equipment modifiers that apply when using these skills.

Each kit contains a variety of powered and unpowered tools and an array of spare parts. All kits have power cells for the tools in the kit. Even without power, the tools may still be usable for minor jobs at -2 to skill.

Different tool kits are required for each skill and each specialty. There is no single Armoury kit – if you want to repair a pistol, use an Armoury (Smallarms) kit. Armoury (Vehicle Armor) or Mechanic (Vehicle Type) tool kits and workshops can perform major repairs on vehicles up to 10 tons. For larger facilities, multiply the cost and weight of the kit by vehicle weight/10. For example, a Mechanic (Submarine) kit (2,000 ton-capacity) is 200 times the normal cost and weight.

Portable Tool Kit: This is the standard tool kit. Most examples fit in a heavy tool box or backpack. It provides basic equipment for the specific skill and specialization it is designed for, and gives a -2 (quality) modifier for other specializations within that skill. Most kits for Armoury, Electrician, Mechanic, or Machinist specializations are $600, 20 lbs., 10B/10 hr. Those for Electronics Repair, Armoury (Force Shields), and Mechanic (Micromachines or Nanomachines) are $1,200, 10 lbs., 10A/10 hr. LC4.

Mini-Toolkit: This is a belt-sized tool kit. It gives a -2 (quality) equipment modifier for the specific skill and specialization it is designed for. Mini-Tool Kits for most Armoury, Electrician, Mechanic, or Machinist specializations are $200, 4 lbs., 5B/10 hr. Those for Electronics Repair, Armoury (Force Shields), and Mechanic (Micromachines or Nanomachines) are $400, 2 lbs., 5A/10 hr. LC4.

Portable Workshop: An elaborate version of the portable tool kit. It has everything necessary for emergency repairs, plus a wide range of spare parts that can be tooled to specific requirements. It is a modular system that can be set up in any large vehicle or building; it takes an hour to pack or unpack. It gives a +2 (quality) bonus to skill, or +1 if not unpacked. Most workshops for Armoury, Electrician, Mechanic, or Machinist skill are $15,000, 200 lbs., 10C/100 hr. Workshops for Electronics Repair, Armoury (Force Shields), and Mechanic (Micromachines or Nanomachines) are $30,000, 100 lbs., 10B/100 hr. LC4.

This automated workshop can attempt to fix any piece of broken or damaged equipment. It uses its sensors and programmed repair manuals to diagnose the problem, then repairs it with its tool-equipped manipulator arms. It has skill 13 in whatever skill and specialty the workshop is designed for. However, it can only maintain and repair devices that are in its database (or closely related). If the workshop encounters a problem it can’t fix, it calls for help using a built-in tiny radio. If a human technician is directing a robotic workshop, it is as good as a portable workshop, with an additional +1 bonus due to its extensive technical database and usefulness as an automated assistant. It is double the cost and weight of an equivalent workshop, and requires twice as many power cells; it has the same LC.

This is a robot arm with micro-scale manipulators and sensors, designed to be controlled by VR gloves or a neural interface. It gives the user super-fine motor skills, adding +5 to DX for tasks such as Jeweler, and DX-based rolls to do fine work with Artist, Machinist, or Mechanic skills. $2,000, 4 lbs., C/100 hr. LC4.

A tool for rapidly and accurately driving nails. It has a targeting system incorporating a computerized laser, passive infrared, and imaging radar rangefinder that can see through up to six inches of wood or similar low-density material (including flesh). It uses this system to automatically determine the force needed to drive a nail to the desired depth.

To attack with a nail gun, use DX-4 or Guns (Pistol) skill. It inflicts 1d+1(2) piercing damage, with Acc 0 (+3), Range 5/25, RoF 10, Bulk -3, Rcl 1, Shots 50(5). Nail velocity is variable (see Liquid-Propellant Slugthrowers) and its blueprint display system is equivalent to a smartgun feature. All of this makes the nail gun a highly accurate weapon system in a pinch. However, its sensors are programmed not to fire if its targeting system detects something that matches the warmth and consistency of living flesh. Disabling this safety feature requires an Electronics Operation (Security) roll, one minute per attempt. The gun cannot detect flesh underneath armor with DR3 or better.

Smart Nail Gun: Uses binary liquid propellant. $250, 4 lbs. Its A cell powers the targeting system for a day. Its magazine holds 50 nails (0.5 lbs.). A separate propellant bottle (1 lb.) holds enough propellant to fire 1,000 nails. LC4.

Gauss Nail Gun: An electromagnetic nail gun. The magazine holds 50 nails (0.5 lbs.), but it also needs a power cell. LC4. $300, 3.5 lbs. B/300 shots.

This aerosol lubricant can turn smooth ground (e.g., a floor or a road) into a nearly frictionless surface. Anyone crossing it at faster than Move 1 must make a DX roll (at +3 if crawling, -3 if sprinting) every second to avoid falling. Vehicles must make a control roll at -5 to avoid losing control. Slipspray breaks down in about an hour in air. A can covers 100 square feet, spraying 10 square feet per second from up to 2 yards away. $30, 0.5 lb. LC3.

Pulling two objects apart that have been glued together requires a Regular Contest of ST vs. ST 23. The bond is limited by the strength of the weaker of the two objects (so flesh bonded to something else could be torn away, inflicting 1d-4 damage).

Gecko Adhesive: Sticky adhesive based on gecko setae (feet hairs). The pads have millions of tiny artificial hairs, covered by a protective coating. A small electrical pulse from an included wand causes the hairs to extend or release. A one-squareinch patch can hold 800 lbs. indefinitely in any environment, including in the vacuum of space and underwater. $0.10 per square inch for double-sided pads, and $1 per foot length of 2” wide single-sided gecko tape.

Molecular Glue: This glue bonds nearly any substance and comes in nonconductive and conductive (metal-impregnated) varieties. It sets in 10 seconds. The glue can only be removed by a special solvent, which takes one minute to weaken each dose of the glue. A dose of solvent can weaken up to 10 applications of molecular glue. Each application of molecular glue is $0.50, but a dose of solvent is $1. LC4.

Construction foam is a liquid polymer with suspended nanoparticles that “foams-up” with nitrogen and cures with oxygen. As a result, it expands in air, hardening to form a durable substance. A barrier has DR 2 per inch of thickness and HP based on the weight of foam used (see Object HP Table, p. B558; the foam is homogenous). Construction foam is usually combined with additional chemicals so that it cures much more rapidly. Most applications are mundane, such as creating temporary structures, sealing electronics components, and quick casts for injured limbs. Riot police and soldiers also use construction foam for temporary walls and bunkers, usually by forming barriers and filling them with water or earth. Construction foam does not burn easily (30 points of burning damage will set it aflame), but does decompose when exposed to flame, turning into a foul black sludge and releasing toxic fumes. These cause 1 HP toxic injury per minute of exposure if breathed. The foam will not cure if it stays wet, but is waterproofed once it has hardened. Construction foam floats. Three gallons can form five cubic feet of hardened foam; a barricade three yards long, a yard high, and a foot thick takes about 16 gallons of foam and has DR 24, HP 36. It comes in a variety of applicator types, from spray cans to large storage tanks for use in construction. Construction foam costs $10 and weighs 5 lbs. per gallon. It requires one minute to completely harden.

This industrial-strength version of domestic nanocleanser is designed to eliminate bacteriological spills, rotten food, dead bodies, and other biological or medical waste. Any organic target covered by industrial nanocleanser takes 1d-1 corrosion damage each minute for five minutes. Inorganic sealed DR takes no damage. If sprayed on plants, industrial nanocleanser will strip all foliage within a minute. Industrial nanocleanser removes all forensic evidence such as blood stains, skin flakes and other organic residue. As with domestic nanocleanser, Forensics will be able to identify the exact brand used. An application of industrial nanocleanser can cover up to 30 square feet. $100, 1 lb. LC3.

A standard morph axe is a climbing tool made of memory metal. It can go from straight-handled to bent-handled, from pick to hammer to adze to hook to crowbar to walking stick, on command. It can be used to cut steps, climb vertical frozen walls, or stop a climber’s potentially disastrous slide on ice, and is sharp enough to cut rock if the wielder has ST 12 or better. In combat, it requires Axe/Mace skill and does swing+1 damage… cutting, impaling, or crushing, depending on configuration. Otherwise, treat as a hatchet. $500, 2 lbs. At the GM’s option, any morph tool with more than 10 forms, or with illegal forms, can cost at least double. A morphing tool that includes any explicit weapon forms is a concealable weapon, and probably LC3. It could become any weapon form appropriate for its weight… a quarterstaff could turn into an axe, a spear, or an oversized broadsword. $500 per pound of weight, minimum $1,000.

The sonic probe is a multipurpose sensor the size of a cigarette package. It can be used as a short-ranged ultrasonic scanner that can give the user a rough image of the interior of objects or containers; it has a small screen on the device, but the data is usually uplinked to a HUD. Roll against Electronics Operation (Sonar) to use; the probe has a maximum range of six inches, and the skill penalty is -1 for each 10 DR it must penetrate. The probe’s imaging ability lets it serve as basic equipment for simple medical Diagnosis rolls for physical injuries, Mechanic rolls to find out what is wrong with a small device, Explosives rolls to disarm bombs (unless set to be triggered by vibrations!), and similar tasks. Its scanning abilities make it a useful tool for picking mechanical combination locks (+2 to Lockpicking skill) in conjunction with a lockpick. The sonic field can also be intensified and tuned to assist in cleaning delicate objects… or brushing teeth. $500, 0.25 lbs., B/12 hr. LC4.

“Robot” was derived from the Czech word for “worker,” and that is what these machines are intended to do. These machines are useful for various tasks, including cargo-handling, salvage, working with hazardous materials, and exploration.

This is a general-purpose technical robot. It has a cylindrical body and a pair of arms, and moves on either legs or tracks, depending on the model. It can operate in a wide variety of environments, and may be used for everything from working in a garage to hazardous waste disposal. Its payload space usually holds tools. Its weapon mount is built into its rotating head; it can carry a weapon up to 6 lbs. weight, which is more likely to be a laser or plasma torch than an actual weapon.

Attribute Modifiers: ST-2 [-20].

Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: SM-1; HP+6 [12].

Advantages: Absolute Direction [5]; Doesn’t Breathe [20]; DR 15 (Can’t Wear Armor, -40%) [45]; Extra Arm (Weapon Mount, -80%) [2]; Machine [25]; Microscopic Vision 3 [15]; Radio (Burst,+30%; Secure, +20%; Video, +40%) [19]; Payload 2 [2]; Protected Senses (Hearing, Vision) [10]; Radiation Tolerance 5 [10]; Sealed [15]; Vacuum Support [5].

Disadvantages: Cannot Float [-1]; Electrical [-20]; Restricted Diet (Very Common, power cells) [-10].

Choose a TL lens for the robot and select a machine intelligence lens (pp. 27-28).

TL9 Techbot (-40 points): This moves on a pair of articulated tracks. High Manual Dexterity 1 [5]; Maintenance (one person, weekly) [-5]; No Legs (Tracked) [-20]; Numb [-20]. $20,000, 50 lbs., D/8 hr. LC4.

TL10 Techbot (+21 points): This model has a bipedal barrelshaped body. HT+1 [10]; High Manual Dexterity 2 [10]; Reduced Consumption 2 [4]; Maintenance (one person, bi-weekly) [-3]. $10,000, 50 lbs., D/24 hr. LC4.

These are equipment packages for microbot swarms.

This swarm is designed to tunnel, dig ditches, etc. Each bot is equipped with small arms and digging jaws. A square yard of swarm can dig as if it had ST 3 and a pick and shovel. Construction swarms are often employed for mining, or civil or military engineering. They can also pile up loose earth and rock into ramparts, dikes, or walls. $1,000/square yard. LC3.

Decontamination swarms remove traces of most biotoxins, persistent chemicals, nanotechnology, or radioactive fallout. The type of hazard removed depends on the individual swarm’s specialization. A square yard of swarm can decontaminate a one-square-yard area to a soil depth of 2“ every minute, and can do so 20 times before requiring replacement. It has Hazardous Materials (Biological, Chemical, Nanotech, or Radioactive) skill at 12, and serves as basic equipment for hazmat disposal. $1,000/square yard. LC3.

This swarm kills plants but has no effect on other living creatures. Even so, a large swarm might serve as an ecological sabotage weapon. It takes the swarm 10 seconds to strip a square yard clean of bushes or foliage. It can be programmed to carefully trim plants; this takes one minute per square yard. It may also be programmed to affect specific plants (for example, weeds) or to mow lawns. $1,500/square yard. LC3.

These can harvest crops with an effective Farming skill of 12. $2,000/square yard. LC4.

The swarm is equipped to hunt down fleas, spiders, and other pests. Flier swarms can also destroy flies and mosquitoes. They will inflict 1d corrosion damage per turn to swarms composed of real insects! The swarm’s actions are harmless to humans, although they can be entertaining or distracting. Like defoliator swarms, they can be an ecological threat. $1,000/square yard. LC3.

The swarm functions as artificial bees, spreading pollen or seeds. This is useful if normal insects are not available, or cannot adapt to the local climate or ecology. Base cost is $1,000/square yard. LC4.

The swarm has the tools and programming to repair a single, specific model of equipment, plus appropriate Armoury, Electronics Repair, or Mechanic skills at 12 (specify which). A single swarm fixes things at about 1/10 the speed of a human, but up to 10 swarms can combine to make repairs. Base cost is $500 per square yard, plus $250/square yard per additional model of equipment the bots are programmed to fix, to a maximum of four types of equipment per swarm. LC4.

These are used for heavy lifting, salvage, cargo transfer, and emergency tasks.

Ballistic foam forms a non-conductive polymer-ceramic blanket. Designed to be sprayed over a bomb, it hardens in 3 seconds and forms a thick layer that can absorb explosions, contain fragments, and sterilize chemical, biological, and radiological agents. Each second of spray can coat a square yard, providing ablative DR 40 against crushing and burning damage, and ablative DR 20 against other types of damage. If the foam contains the blast, it is also treated as sealed with radiation PF 5. Each square yard of foam weighs 10 lbs. Anyone completely coated with the foam may suffocate; he can inflict his normal thrusting damage on the foam to try to escape. A canister of foam that can cover three square yards is $100, 30 lbs. LC3.

This multi-purpose dry chemical extinguisher can put out ordinary blazing combustibles, flammable liquids, or electrical fires. Three sizes are available:

Fire Extinguisher Tube: A pocket device with a six-second discharge and two-yard range. $10, 1 lb. LC4.

Small Fire Extinguisher: A standard extinguisher bottle with a 15-second discharge and a three-yard range. $50, 3 lbs. LC4.

Large Fire Extinguisher: A heavy backpack model with a handheld projector connected to the pack. Three-yard range, 45-second discharge. $200, 10 lbs. LC4.

Any fire extinguisher can also be used as a weapon. Use Liquid Projector (Sprayer) skill, using the jet rules: that is, it’s treated as a melee weapon. Treat a hit to the face as an Affliction with the Contact Agent modifier. On a failed HT-3 resistance roll, the victim is stunned, and suffers the Blindness disadvantage for seconds equal to the margin of failure.

Explosives have many uses, from civilian mining and construction sites to safe-cracking, sabotage, booby-traps, and terrorism.

Ultra-tech demolitions and explosive capabilities benefit from advances in chemistry and high-energy physics. Explosives are rated for their relative explosive force (REF) compared to TNT. Some common types are described below:

Antimatter: A microgram of antimatter (see Antimatter Trap for storage and handling information) is $2,500. LC0.

Plastex B: This is a powerful moldable high explosive. It is very stable and can only be detonated with an explosive detonator. It is roughly four times as powerful as TNT (REF 4). $20 per pound. LC2.

High-Energy Explosive: An exotic explosive that stores energy in metallic hydrogen. It is approximately six times as powerful as TNT (REF 6). $40 per pound. LC2.

For more exotic types, see also Warheads and Ammunition.

Detonators for explosives can use communicators or timers. They are $20, neg. weight, LC3.

Commercial and military explosives may be embedded with taggants: inert materials that will not be destroyed in the explosion, and which can be analyzed later to determine the type of explosive, manufacturer, and lot number. Taggants add +5 to Research or Forensics rolls to find the origin of the explosive.

Not all explosives have taggants – companies may resist including them to avoid liability, and military or black ops teams may not want them (unless they want to blame someone else for the blast). A chemistry lab can be used to test a sample; decontamination swarms can be used to remove taggants! There is no extra cost for taggant-equipped explosives. However, if taggant use is required by law, any explosives without taggants will be one lower LC.

A purpose-built facility for production and storage of antiprotons and the creation of antihydrogen. Antiprotons are produced by accelerating protons (or other particles) to energies high enough that, when they collide with a target, a part of the energy is transformed into particle-antiparticle pairs. These are then captured and assembled into antihydrogen.

Antimatter Factory (TL9): A large, optimized antiproton particle-accelerator system. It manufactures antimatter at a cost of $25,000 per microgram, and can manufacture 1,000 micrograms per day. At these prices, antimatter is used in nanogram levels as both a radiation source for medical treatment, and as a catalyst for fusion or fission in small nuclear pellets or warheads, although the latter are very expensive. $25 billion. LC1.

Antimatter Factory (TL10): Manufactures antimatter at a cost of $2,500 per microgram and can make 10,000 micrograms per day. Antimatter-catalyzed fusion is common; micrograms of antimatter are routinely used as a catalyst for nuclear weapons. Antimatter is also used to fuel antiparticle beam weapons. $5 billion, LC1.