Cybernetics Part 2 — Finale

There is more to come. There’s always more to come. In particular, I need to tackle the torso and the head and then, I think, we’ll be done… except, of course, for Traders, Karkadann, Mogwai, Wyrmwerks, Necrotech, Bio-Tech, etc and so on. I’ll be at this awhile.

Parallel to each “common-tier” Cybernetics set, I’ve also released “hero-tier” cybernetics as previews on SubscribeStar and Patreon. These will be released to the wiki at some point, so they’re just previews, but if you’re a backer, I wanted to show my appreciation with this “sneak peek.”

• Syntech Cybernetics: “Premium” cybernetics with a focus on subtly and safety. Available to all backers. (SubscribeStar Link)
• Redjack Cybernetics: Middling Cybernetics, unless you’re a crafty tinkerer who likes to push the boundaries of technology, in which case they offer considerable flexibility. (SubscribeStar Link)
• Kain Cybernetics: the Best of the Best, Maradonian technology with the secret technologies of the Hammer of Caliban integrated into the most privileged of cybernetics. This one is reserved to Fellow Travellers and better. (SubscribeStar Link)

Thank you for your support, and I hope you enjoyed this week’s releases!

Cyber-Armor

I think DR costs too much. I certainly think this is true in GURPS RAW, but even with the reduced cost of DR in Psi-Wars, I still find it costs too much. I struggle to justify the cost of, for example, 20 DR on a cybernetic arm. You quickly get to super-hero levels of cost that totally blow away your point budget while other people buy, you know, Gun. Even with the reduced cost, I struggle to give allies or robots sufficient DR to suit their role in the setting, and this certainly is true of cyborgs, whom we might expect to be particularly tough, shrugging off blaster fire as they charge at the enemy. The sort of DR one needs to stand up to even light blaster fire in Psi-Wars is 40 to 60 DR, which even at reduced costs, is still pretty expensive. Is it even worth it?

I pondered how to resolve the issue of the affordable, but heavily armored cyborg, and I realized you could resolve it the same way you could resolve the low DR Combat Android problem: put them in armor. See, you can take the “Cannot Wear Armor” limitation to make the armor even cheaper, and this is a good alternative when designing a character whose DR is armor, or replaces their use of armor, and it’s a contentious limitation (for good reason). But if we’re not using it, we can just put a cyborg in armor. This is, after all, how House Kain works. Those beam-adaptive DR 20 arms are encased in centimeters of diamondoid, creating a truly unbeatable combination. But armor provides its own problems: certain cybernetics, like the cyberholster or the red rocket, rely on ready access to the character’s limbs, and that limb is shrouded in armor, one cannot reach in, or let hot plasma thrusters get out.

Then it occurred to me: Cybernetics are made of metal, or other inorganic parts. They can endure a lot more punishment and manipulation than organic parts. This is partly where all that DR comes from. But they can also mount attachment points that allows one to attach more metal directly to the limb in a way that one cannot do with organic body parts: if I want to armor, for example, just a single knuckle or the tip of my thumb, or just my sternum (for some reason), that’s a very challenging task for an organic thumb: you’d need some sort of strap arrangement that, through pressure or suction, keeps the bit of armor attached to this weirdly arbitrary body part. But if that body part was made of metal, I could attach the armor with a magnet, or onto catches designed to accept armor, or bolt it straight on via an attachment point. This sounds like a strange thing to want, I’m sure, but if I can attach an arbitrary metal plate to any body part or any section of a body part, I can attack armor to my entire body in arbitrarily small plates, which means they can armor around gaps and joints in novel ways, and your armor plates can be designed to move with the armor, so when your cyberholster jumps open, your armor jumps with it.

Can all bionics carry armor? Well, under the surface, I’ve been using the Living Better with Cybernetics pricing update. Grand Federal is styled and fragile. Kain is styled and expensive. Syntech is expensive. Startrodder is Cheap and Robust, and Redjack is robust. These adjusted the prices. But what does robust even mean? What does fragile mean? Well, by default, it means that the part has more or less HT, but we use our own HT for simplicity. I could introduce special rules saying this armor provides a bonus or a penalty, and I actually do (the Startrodder and Redjack Spines both give HT bonuses to resist some or all cybernetic hazards), but if this isn’t applied in a universal way, this gets complicated: -1 HT to the arm, but +2 HT to the legs? So I didn’t bother with it. But we could apply it to what cyber-armor one can wear! This means Grand Federal can’t wear cyberarmor (but it can wear normal armor) while Startrodder and Redjack can max out their armor.

I designed the armor in a piecemeal fashion (because the armor is, by its nature, piecemeal) and applies a flat -20% to the weight of the armor, to reflect maximum “fitting” as it’s hard to get a better fit than bolting armor directly onto the body. This explains why a cyborg might favor cyber-armor over other options, because it’s lighter than normal armor.

So, with my design notes out of the way, I present: Cyber-Armor.

Wiki Showcase: Redjack Robots

The final part of my military doctrine is, of course, robots, as I’ve previously discussed.  I had three major military-industrial “sets,” and this completes the set with Redjack robots. As with ARC, I wanted to focus on “military” robots and these robots tend to stretch that definition a little, as they represent robots that assist in war more than directly fighting (with the exception of the Dredgecat, which is supposed to help at non-combat stuff, but ends up helping a lot in combat).

Redjack seeks to support asteroid miners, belters, colonists and aggressive entrepreneurship (but never space piracy!), as such, their doctrine focuses a lot on self-sufficiency and independence.  Most of their weapons double as tools, most of their vehicles can be customized and optimized for whatever specific task the owner wants, and their robots fit similar roles. Redjack robots learn to take care of themselves so you don’t have to.  The downside is that they’re (mostly) a bunch of surly cusses, with a few having darling hearts of gold.

You can see Redjack Robots here.

Redjack Robot Personalities and Upgrades

Broadly speaking, the first thing I wanted when I started working on Redjack Robots were independent and resilient robots. Robots that break down easily, run out of power quickly, and need made-to-spec spare parts ordered from a specific factory won’t work for some belter who’s out in the asteroids for months on end.  So, as I paged through quirks and disadvantages, I noticed themes emerging:

• Redjack robots would always try to make sure they had enough spare parts and energy cells “just in case” (Kleptomania, gluttony, hoarding, etc)
• Redjack robots needed to tolerate long periods of isolation (anti-social tendencies)
• Redjack robots needed to be versatile and creative (playfulness, pranksters, etc)

The net result, unintentionally, was the worst of Bender crossed with Choppper from Rebels, but it makes sense (there’s actually a lot of logic as to why Bender is the way he is; alcohol, in the very least, is a fuel for Bender, hence his need to drink it all the time).  This got me to thinking about the classic foil for such a cynical, sarcastic character: the innocent sweetheart robot, the one who gives children flowers. This also makes sense if you accept that Redjack would prefer to make “dumb” robots to “non-volitional” robots, because a robot with slave mentality makes for a poor servant to an asteroid miner, but a robot that’s gullible but still takes initiative is less of a problem. Paired with their natural inquisitive nature (representative of their natural creativity and intuitive personality archictecture) and it made sense.  All that was left was to talk about how they influence one another, because it’s inevitable that the sweet robots grows more cynical around the cynical robot, and the cynical robot gains a reluctant compassion around the sweet robot.

Unlike with ARC, where I could see “stock personalities,” I felt the nature of Redjack and it’s approach meant that every robot would be, naturally, unique.  So, rather than give your robot a stock personality, you take -10 points in disadvantages from your preferred personality type.  This, of course, takes too long for people who just want to grab an ally and go, so I’ve created 4-5 personality types for each.

For safety protocols, Redjack customers can’t accept the stricter rules that Syntech and ARC put on their robots.  A robot that refuses to protect its master during a pirate raid is unacceptable, as is a robot that rats out its master while smuggling “because it’s truthful.”  So, in part and parcel with their natural creativity, Redjack robots have flexible morals.  This gives them a bad reputation, but the one thing they never lose is their loyalty to their master.  This fits with the source material: irascible or lovable robots don’t ever really lose their affection for that primary person in their life, and it serves as a bedrock for the rest of their evolution of personality.  In a sense, this makes them the safest of the robots: they might shed the last of their Honesty and Pacifism, but they’ll never stop loving you.  Even if they show their love by stealing less of your spare power cells than everyone else’s.

Redjack Chassis

All Redjack robots have one-eye, and Cannot Speak (beep).  Despite their intelligence and creativity, they tend to look more like tools, even if they act more like people.  They have some upgrades that mitigate these, such as an upgrade that gives them disturbing voice rather than Cannot Speak.  They also have access to space movement (as they often operate in space), sensors (I noticed that I was giving each robot chassis the option for an ultra-scanner, so I just gave it to all Redjack robots as a generalized upgrade), and a broad computer brain slot for anything they wanted, reflecting their versatility.

The Crankshaft-model Tech-Bot

The Crankshaft began life as the first draft of the Hobnob, who evolved into something cuter and more humanoid, because ARC prefers physically appealing robots who act and behave like humans.  But a lot of the ideas behind this first draft made sense: small size to fit down shafts, telescoping, flexible arms to reach machine parts in hard-to-reach areas; the ability to change its hands into tools, a torch or a fire extinguisher, etc.  All of these would prove invaluable to a Redjack tech-bot who favored function over form.

The final major addition were those hideous, gnashing teeth. I’d rather give them to the nightmarish Dredgecat, but they just make too much sense for a Crankshaft.  The Crankshaft’s job is to help you maintain your ship or your starfighter, and unlike the Hobnob, it can’t expect that you’ll have the necessary parts just lying around.  Thus, they need to be able to machine parts on the fly, hence their internal mini-fac, and to supply their mini-fac, they need some means of converting scrap into, ah, raw material. Hence the teeth.

Their name came from me looking at car parts, finding that, and going “That’s perfect!” It was so perfect I looked around to see if there were other robots called “Crankshaft.” It turns out there is one in a movie that didn’t really make much impact, thus you’re unlikely to have heard of it.  If you have, this isn’t an homage to that robot.

The Rumbler-Model Logistical Bot

I got the initial inspiration for the Rumbler from “Mangle,” a robot in a terrible kid’s who about fighting robots on Netflix.  The idea here was a robot who picks things up and moves them around tends to be very strong and thus good at smacking over robots around.  I found the idea interesting, and so it’s design eventually turned into “Things you can do with lots of Lifting ST.”  I tried to draw on the idea of things like the Jaws of Life, but in humanoid-robot form, like the ability to secure itself against a door, and then slowly pressure it open.  This resulted in several perks.

The primary role for a Rumbler is loading cargo onto and off of your ship, hence “logistics.”  It also serves well, though, and search-and-rescue and construction, hence its various skills and talents.  Originally, I had the vibro blade and nail gun (manifestations of the Ultra-Tech “Power tools” entry) as an upgrade, but changes to ST made the Rumbler much cheaper, so I folded them in.

“Rumbler” is a reference to the sound they’ll make when ripping open doors, but it’s also a reference to Endless Legend (which has ogres called “Rumblers,”) and to the original inspiration of Mangle: they “rumble” in the sense that they’re good at brawliong.

The Dredgecat Mining Robot

Finally, I knew I wanted some sort of mining robot.  Once I had the “banger-bots” for my vehicles, inspired by Starcraft’s Spider Mines, I thought it might be neat to have a robot that could coordinate with them.  Thus, the Dredgecat (a name inspired by cobbling together various construction vehicular names) would be some sort of strange-looking robot equipped with mining lasers, plenty of armor, and able to synch up with banger bots to command them and coordinate on, er, demolitions.

Naturally, all of this makes for a hideously effect combat machine.

My only real concern with Dredgecats is that they’ll look too much like the eventual robots that the Traders get; this holds for most of the Redjack robots, as Redjack and the Traders both occupy a similar niche: space equipment and space robots.

Redjack Kodiak-Class Light Cruiser

ST/HP:3000

Hand/SR: +0/6

HT: 14

Move:10/150(+11)

LWt.:27,000

Load:3750

SM: +11

Occ.:200ASV

DR:2000*

Range:7jumps (Rating 3)

Cost:$4.5B

Loc.: gG10t4rL

Stall:0

Total Chase Roll:+11

*Nanocomposite Polymer; double DR vs plasma attacks. Higher DR protects against attacks from the front. Additionally, it has a Force Screen that provides 2000ablative, hardened DR.

Notes

Redjack Capital Ship Electronics:

• Large Ultrascanner Open Mount: 1000-mile search range, 100-mile scan range.
• Night Vision Sensors: +9 nightvision, ×8 magnification (up to +3 to aimed attacks, if the vehicle aims for three turns).
• Targeting Computers: +5 to Gunnery projects provided a sensor lock is gained.
• ECM: -4 ECM rating, 20-mile radius; scramble comms up to 20 miles;
• Large FTL Communication Array: 30-parsec range.
• Large Holographic Radio: 10,000 mile range (orbital); “palm sized” holographic console.
• Security and Safety: Simple Locks;
• Hyperdrive: Rating 3, with sufficient fuel for 7 jumps.
• Ruggedized Fusion Reactor: indefinite endurance

Redjack Cruiser Accommodation and Facilities:

• Full Life-Support: up to 200 people
• Accommodations: 25 cabins; 150 bunks. 3 months of stored, refrigerated food.
• Facilities: Two workshops. one ten person command briefing and one ten-person engineering briefing; one 10-person gym; a sickbay large enough for 5. 1 operating theater;
• Cargo: a secured arsenal capable of sufficient gear to arm 25 men; Additional cargo can carry 100 tons.

Redjack Cruiser Complement:

• Shuttles: 5 Grappler-Class (or variant) Assualt Boats.

RedjacCruiserArmaments

• 4 Corvette-scale Light Turrets (Total ROF 12; “Light,” halve penalties to hit corvettes and fighters)
• 4 side-mounted Plasma Flak Turrets (F/L/R/T);
• 8 modular “fighter” turrets (“Light,” halve penalties to hit corvettes and fighters)

• 1 160-ST tractor beam.

The Kodiak has a bridge with sufficient space for 6 control stations: one for the Captain, one of the Commander, two for the pilots/shiphandlers and an additional two to handle electronics, comms and general operations. Each turret has its own control station, and engineering has 4 control stations for monitoring the engines.

The Kodialhas fourfull-rotation“corvette scale” blaster turret with three cannons (total RoF of 12), eight modular “fighter” turrets that can mount all standard Redjack 2-ton cannons, four plasma flak cannons,and a single turret with an ST 160 tractor beam mounted above its hangar bay.

Weapon	Dmg	Acc	Range	Ewt	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl	Notes
Corvette-scale cannon	6d×30(5) burn	9	10mi/30mi	25t	1	NA	M	-10	2
NOV-4 Heavy Plasma Cannon Module	6dx30(2) burn ex	6	4 mi/12 mi	4000	1/3	15/2F	M	-10	3	[1]
MIN-3R Mining Laser Module	5d×15(10) cut inc	12	500/3 mi	4000	1	25/5E	M	-10	1
SP74-TR Heavy Plasma Gatling	6dx15(2) burn ex	6	3mi/ 8mi	4000	8	88/ 3F	M	-10	3
Isomeric Torpedo Bay	6d×500 cr ex	3	300/ 10 mi	2500	1	3	150M	-15	1
Plasma Flak	6dx10 burn	NA	2000/6000	100t	20	NA	M	-10	1

Look and Feel

By no means large compared to Imperial or Alliance ships, the Kodiak is the largest ship in general production from Redjack. Named after an ogre-like beast capable of resurrection from Westerly myth and lore, the Kodiak is the most dangerous vehicle that most corvettes can expect to face. Its powerful impulse drives can keep up with all but the most agile corvettes, and it has sufficient fire-power to blow away nearly any corvette and the flak necessary to drive off fighters. It also has a profoundly powerful hyperdrive, one of the fastest in the galaxy; paired with its astonishing endurance, while small enough to be classed a destroyer, the Kodiak earns the title of “light cruiser” thanks to is extreme long-distance cruise capabilities, as it can go for months on complex shunts and hops across the galaxy to strike behind shipping lanes behind enemy lines and then vanish against just as quickly.

The Kodiak has a distinct and ugly appearance. It appears to be mostly engines at first glance, with a huge rear section blasting out blue radiation. The ship then tapers into a stubby, bottom-heavy cone. It’s “bridge” rests near the top of the vehicle, behind a great, angled pane of armored glass. Two large corvette-scale cannons dominate each side, along a downward angled panel along the lower “midpoint” of the vehicle. Then, just below the “nose” of the cruiser sits a “mouth,” a small, slim hangar bay entrance, with a tractor beam turret that can assist any shuttles that need to launch or land.

The interior of the Kodiak matches the usual Redjack interior fare. It lines its walls with matte, drab, olive brown and olive gray nanopolymer panels. Accommodations mostly consist of simple bunks in unpleasant rooms with the characteristic Redjack life support smell emanating from the vents. Rare for a Redjack craft, the ship has several cabins, more than it actually needs, allowing to carry a VIPs as well as allowing the high ranking crew to have some space to themselves; however, these accommodations pale compared to the luxury suites of an Alliance vessel, offering little more than pre-fab comforts and a stiff bed. The ship also has decent medical facilities and can carry up to a platoon worth of soldiers, though the ship lacks direct assault capability and the soldiers mostly protect the ship from invasion as well as maintain the captain’s discipline. Most of the rest of the ship are access tunnels, work-spaces and long, claustrophobic industrial corridors, full of bare cabling, loose panels and precarious catwalks. The whole of the ship is compartamentalized with multiple redundant systems, so while it looks a mess, it can rapidly close off any sufficiently damaged portion of the ship to protect the rest, contributing to its reliability in combat.

The Kodiak occupies an odd space in military doctrines. It lacks cannons powerful enough to defeat capital-scale ships or to engage in orbital bombardment. It’s also lightly armored compared to most capital ships. Thus, in a stand-up fight against an Imperial dreadnought or even an Alliance cruiser, it has little hope of winning. It does, however, have startling speed and agility for a capital ship, and outguns and out-armors any corvette it’s likely to meet, making it’s real purpose clear: the Kodiak devours corvettes. This makes it an excellent defensive ship, capable of protecting a convoy by itself, or a powerful supplement to a light raiding fleet, able to stand guard against any heavy frigates that might want to fend off the Redjack Raiders or Tiger Sharks. When used by pirate fleets, the Kodiak tends to act as a poor man’s flag-ship: while it lacks the C3I capabilities of larger capital ships, not to mention their firepower, it’s often the best that a pirate can get a hold of, and it has a very tempting price-tag!

Redjack Raider-Class Light Assault Carrier

ST/HP:800

Hand/SR: +0/5

HT: 14

Move:12/125(+10)

LWt.:4500

Load:600

SM: +9

Occ.:100ASV

DR:1000/400*

Range:7jumps (Rating 2)

Cost:$700M

Loc.: g6t4rL

Stall:0

Total Chase Roll:+10

*Nanocomposite Polymer; double DR vs plasma attacks. Higher DR protects against attacks from the front. Additionally, it has a Force Screen that provides 750ablative, hardened DR.

Notes

Redjack Corvette Electronics:

• Ultrascanner Open Mount: 150-mile search range, 15-mile scan range; low probability intercept (detectable at 225 miles); 360° rotation.
• Night Vision Sensors: +9 nightvision, ×8 magnification (up to +3 to aimed attacks, if the vehicle aims for three turns).
• Targeting Computers: +5 to Gunnery projects provided a sensor lock is gained.
• ECM: -4 ECM rating, 20-mile radius; scramble comms up to 20 miles;
• Large FTL Communication Array: 30-parsec range.
• Large Holographic Radio: 10,000 mile range (orbital); “palm sized” holographic console.
• Security and Safety: Simple Locks;
• Accommodations: 5 cabins; 70 bunks. Two workshops, 1 gym and a sickbay large enough for 10.
• Hangar Space: The Raider can carry up to 70 tons of vehicles (generally space for 6 SM+3 ground craft, or a single SM +4 craft)
• Hardpoints: 6 hardpoint/clamps rated for 20 tons each (typically mounted with Wildcats)
• Hyperdrive: Rating 2, with sufficient fuel for 7 jumps.
• Ruggedized Hyperium Reactor: 30 days endurance.

The Raider has a bridge with three compurized control stations, one controlled by the Commander, and two by pilots. The engineering section has two additional control rooms.

The Raiderhas one full-rotation“corvette scale” blaster turret with two cannons (total RoF of 2), four modular “fighter” turrets that can mount all standard Redjack 2-ton cannons, and a single, rear-facing turret with an ST 160 tractor beam.

Weapon	Dmg	Acc	Range	Ewt	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl	Notes
Corvette-scale cannon	6d×30(5) burn	9	10mi/30mi	25t	1	NA	M	-10	2
NOV-4 Heavy Plasma Cannon Module	6dx30(2) burn ex	6	4 mi/12 mi	4000	1/3	15/2F	M	-10	3
MIN-3R Mining Laser Module	5d×15(10) cut inc	12	500/3 mi	4000	1	25/5E	M	-10	1
SP74-TR Heavy Plasma Gatling	6dx15(2) burn ex	6	3mi/ 8mi	4000	8	88/ 3F	M	-10	3
Isomeric Torpedo Bay	6d×500 cr ex	3	300/ 10 mi	2500	1	3	150M	-15	1

Look and Feel

The Raider is central to Redjack military doctrine and often represents the vehicle that makes the most complete use of Redjack materiel. It’s also one of the most distinct and worrisome sights for a remote colony outpost. For its role, though, it’s a remarkably small craft, a little larger than an ARC lancer, and barely small enough to be considered a frigate (some people call it a “Heavy Frigate”), but that makes it the only carrier smaller than a destroyer!

The Raider has a long, “beak” nose perched on the front, a boxy, squat midsection and then powerful, flaring set of engines in the rear. Up to 6 fighters can latch onto clamps located on its underside, perched between the curve of the “beak” and the flare of the impulse drives. A single tractor-beam turret sit between all the clamps on the underside, to assist with the clamping process. Atop the body are four, fighter-scale turrets with signature, two-ton Redjack cannons. In the front, the corvette-scale blaster hides behind the “beak” of the nose. When the vehicle has landed, it extends four legs to rest on, and long hangar bay doors unfurl to allow its onboard vehicles and soldiers to dismount. It cannot land while fighters are clamped on (at least, not if it doesn’t want to damage the fighters).

Raiders have the signature, Redjack interior: spartan with simple, prefab furnishings in matte browns and greys. Most people enter via the hangar bay doors, though various other hatchways can be found on the ship. Inside, they find a rather roomy hangar, typically cluttered with vehicles and soldiers. At six points in the floor, hatches lead to the fighters below, and one to the the tractor beam, while a set of catwalks above the hangar floor lead to ladders which lead to the “fighter” turrets above the Raider. The rear of the hangar bay has a workshop which overlooks the whole of the bay, and houses the technicians that work on the housed craft; it alsoopens to the engine room in the back. The engine room has a small “bridge” of control stations, and then a maze of infrastructure and workspaces that’s five times the size of the hangar bay, leading to the oversized impulse drives, which dominate the engine section. Ahead of the hangar bay, one reaches the habitation section, which consists mostly of bunks and a few galleys, bathrooms, a sickbay, an armory and a single gym. The foremost part of the habitation section has three full cabins, for the command crew. Beyond this one reaches the “nose” of the craft. This houses a small “bridge” with three control sections, one for the Raider’s commander, and two for its pilot and copilot, the electronics for communications and sensors, its main computer, and an access shaft to the large, spacious corvette turret below.

The Raider typically carries up to 6 fighters, usually Wildcats, or 6 Grapplers, of some mixture of the two (three of each is not uncommon). The body itself houses up to 6 redjack ground vehicles on the scale of Wolfhounds of Roughnecks. It also has space for a full platoon of soldiers. It represents the minimum possible interstellar “carrier,” acting as both fighter-carrier, and troop transport.

A Raider typically shunts in orbit of a target world, and flies at its top speed of ~250 miles per hour. This will bring it to its destination in 16 hours, but it usually scrambles and launches its fighters from its clamps: the parasitical fighters can use the Raider’s high speed to assist with their launch, though it’s still tricky to those not familiar with launching from a Raider (treat as a familiarity penalty). The fighters will race ahead of the Raider, attacking any anti-air defenses and softening up targets. If the Raider has grapplers, these will land as well, generally raiding specific sites to disarm defenses or seize vital targets. If these tactics score the victory the Raider seeks, they’ll return to their carrier and leave. Otherwise, the Raider lands; if the defenses of the target site have been sufficiently softened, it will land directly on the site. Otherwise, it lands some distance away and relies on the speed of its internal Wolfhounds and Switchbacks to make up for the distance, while its soldiers come in on foot.

A Raider is, true to its name, good for a raid. It can have a small outpost completely locked down within a day, but it cannot hope to hold a planet or to defeat a fortress. In space war, in addition to their raiding role, they often act as spoilers against small flees: they can make quick hit-and-run attacks at extremely remote targets, and then pick up its fighters and race away again. They can’t launch more than a few wings, but Raiders cost millions, rather than billions, of credits, putting them within the reach of relatively small organizations that favor hit-and-run tactics. They’re especially popular with pirates and slave raiders, who usually convert 15 of the bunks into prison cells.

Redjack Tiger Shark-Class Attack Frigate

ST/HP: 500

Hand/SR: +1/5

HT: 14

Move:6/250(+12)

LWt.:600

Load:140

SM: +8

Occ.:15ASV

DR:1000/400*

Range:200,000, 7jumps (Rating 2)

Cost:$230M

Loc.: g6t4rL

Stall:0

Total Chase Roll:+13

*Nanocomposite Polymer; double DR vs plasma attacks. Higher DR protects against attacks from the front. Additionally, it has a Force Screen that provides 750ablative, hardened DR.

Notes

Redjack Corvette Electronics:

• Ultrascanner Open Mount: 150-mile search range, 15-mile scan range; low probability intercept (detectable at 225 miles); 360° rotation.
• Night Vision Sensors: +9 nightvision, ×8 magnification (up to +3 to aimed attacks, if the vehicle aims for three turns).
• Targeting Computers: +5 to Gunnery projects provided a sensor lock is gained.
• Distortion Jammer: -4 ECM rating.
• Tactical ECM: +1 to dodge missiles.
• Large FTL Communication Array: 30-parsec range.
• Large Holographic Radio: 10,000 mile range (orbital); “palm sized” holographic console.
• Security and Safety: Simple Locks;
• Accommodations: 1 cabin; 15 bunks. One workshop, gym and a sickbay large enough for 1.
• Hyperdrive: Rating 2, with sufficient fuel for 7 jumps.
• Ruggedized Hyperium Reactor: 30 days endurance.

The Tiger Shark two computerized control stations for piloting the ship (as well as one for each of its 6 turrets). The engine section contains a robotic control station where a robot can directly plug in.

The Tiger Sharkhas one, forward-mounted large, “corvette scale” blaster turret with two cannons (total RoF of 2), four modular “fighter” turrets that can mount all standard Redjack 2-ton cannons, and a single, rear-facing turret with an ST 160 tractor beam.

Weapon	Dmg	Acc	Range	Ewt	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl	Notes
Corvette-scale cannon	6d×30(5) burn	9	10mi/30mi	25t	1	NA	M	-10	2
NOV-4 Heavy Plasma Cannon Module	6dx30(2) burn ex	6	4 mi/12 mi	4000	1/3	15/2F	M	-10	3
MIN-3R Mining Laser Module	5d×15(10) cut inc	12	500/3 mi	4000	1	25/5E	M	-10	1
SP74-TR Heavy Plasma Gatling	6dx15(2) burn ex	6	3mi/ 8mi	4000	8	88/ 3F	M	-10	3
Isomeric Torpedo Bay	6d×500 cr ex	3	300/ 10 mi	2500	1	3	150M	-15	1

Hardpoint Modules

The Tiger Shark-class Attack Corvette has two rear-mounted “hardpoints.” These come equipped with clamps, air-locks and boarding torches. They can be used for a variety of purposes, especially in conjunction with the rear-mounted tractor beam. They can pull smaller targets to them, latch onto them, and then board them. More commonly, the Tiger Shark can mount two Grappler-class attack boats, which it can support with its attacks, disabling a target and then sending its on-board crew to attack it.

Finally, it can also mount external pods, which can be thought of as external modules, with their own DR; these can be targeted separately from the rest of the craft. Each Tiger Shark can mount two pods or two Grappler-class assault boats.

All pods can be detached either manually (taking 1d minutes) or with a simple push of a button from any control system (1d seconds to fully separate).

Engine Module (Plasma Thrusters)

Cargo Pod

DR 150; HP 75

40,000 lbs; $250k

This simple, cubical pod contain nothing but cargo space for up to 17 tons of cargo and a large hatch that allows easy access to the detached pod.

Fuel Pod

DR 150; HP 75

40,000 lbs; $250k

This rounded, oblong pod can contain up to 5000 gallons of refined hyperium. Each such pod allows another two hyperdrive jumps, or another monthof normal operations. The tanks are not self-sealing and will explode dramatically if damaged, but if they explode while attached to the Tiger Shark, this causes on external damage. Pods filled with refined hyperium explode for 6dx50 cr inc while pods filled with unrefined hyperium will explode for 6dx100 cr inc.

Engine Pods

DR 150, HP 75 (Each)

80,000 lbs; $18M

This set of two long engine pods (and they must always take up both hardpoints, otherwise the ship becomes unbalanced in flight) contain a plasma thruster and sufficient fuel to run the plasma thrusters for 15 hours. While active, the plasma thrusters improve the Handling to +2/5 and improve the move to 10/375 (+13) for a total Chase roll of +15. The fuel in the pods are explosive. If destroyed, they explode for 6dx30 cr inc damage (doubled for unrefined hyperium).

Look and Feel

Redjack designed the Tiger Shark to serve in an explicitly military role. Technically, it serves as a long range “raiding” frigate, which makes it excellent for piracy, which is its primary use throughout the Galaxy.

The Tiger Shark has a familiar and ominous profile. The bulk of the ship is a rounded, blunt “nose” which contains the “eyes” of the control room in a wide, short glass screen; beneath the nose sits its “heavy” corvette cannons in a forward-mounted turret. Behind this nose, the rest of the vehicle tapers to a long “spine” or “tail.” The ion thrusters point out and back from the body. The light “fighter” cannons rest on this spine and can fire unobstructed in all directions. The end of the “tail” or “spine” sits a heavier section of body which mounts the hardpoints and tractor beam turret.

The spartan interior of the Tiger Sharks meets typical Redjack specification. When a Tiger Shark rests on its four landing-gear legs, one can access the interior via a wide cargo hatch in the rear base of the craft, which leads to a cargo bay that can hold up to 30 tons of ill-gotten gains, or via a couple of walkways that lead into the accommodations. The core interior is taken up mostly by a set of bunks for the crew, a nice galley/rec room, a gym, an armory with sufficient weapons and armor for 15 soldiers, and a simple sickbay, which sits adjacent to the cargo room. Higher up in the ship, one reaches the engine room, the workshop, the captain’s cabin and the command section, which consists of two seats facing a board of customizable computer controls, control yokes, and a few cup-holders. All these sections are firmly divided from one another by large bulkheads with sturdy doors, so the destruction of one section doesn’t cascade into the destruction of another section. The interior décor, furnishings and walls have a pre-fab quality to them, constructed of stark olive brown and drab grey polymers and metals, with exposed support struts and arches.

When one reaches the top, they can leave them main body and enter the spine or tail, which mainly consists of suspended metal walkways and great metal doors that can shut off the tail from the rest of the ship. This section is even coarser in construction than the rest of the ship, and leads to workspaces for maintaining the engines and the primary turrets; one must walk the proper gang-plank to reach the turret, and then drop down into its controls. Finally, the rear-most section consists of a single, well-armored room which leads the tractor beam turret and to two spacious airlocks which lead to whatever is attached to the mounted on the external clamps. If engines or cargo spaces are mounted, the crew leaves these airlocks open for easy access to the cargo or the external engine workspace. If the Tiger Shark mounts grapplers, then the airlocks lead to the grapplers. Finally, if the ship has latched onto another ship and has successfully carved a hole in the target ship, then those in the room can board. This room tends to be poorly lit, often with a dim, emergency glow, and the room is sealed from the rest of the tail, preventing anyone on the boarded ship of the rear section from escaping and attacking the rest of the ship.

Tiger Sharks excel at chasing down and attacking other corvettes. Without mounted engines, they can keep up with all but the fasted corvettes equipped with ion thrusters. With additional mounted engines, they can outpace almost any corvette. Most will mount grapplers, which will disembark and attempt to board a corvette that the Tiger Shark has disabled. Their powerful “corvette scale cannon” is enough to damage anything but heavily armored frigates. When facing more powerful ships, Tiger Sharks need to either attack in a fleet or, more commonly, they’ll turn and run.

When Tiger Sharks aren’t preying on shipping lanes, they make acceptable escorts for light capital ships, as they can usually outmaneuver and defeat any anti-capital ship corvette. They also make a decent secondary troop transport, provided you only need 5 to 10 soldiers or a couple of vehicles. They can, also, haul cargo themselves, and tend to be extremely quick when doing so; some people use them as a means to transport high security cargo, though rarely exclusively.

Redjack Wrangler-Class Logistical Corvette

ST/HP: 320

Hand/SR: +0/5

HT: 14

Move:2/150(+11)

LWt.:250

Load:66

SM: +7

Occ.:4ASV

DR:500*

Range:200,000, 7jumps (Rating 2)

Cost:$80M

Loc.: G3t3rL

Stall:0

Total Chase Roll:+11

*Nanocomposite Polymer; double DR vs plasma attacks. Has a Force Screen that provides 250ablative, hardened DR.

Notes

Redjack Corvette Electronics:

• Ultrascanner Open Mount: 150-mile search range, 15-mile scan range; low probability intercept (detectable at 225 miles); 360° rotation.
• Night Vision Sensors: +9 nightvision, ×8 magnification (up to +3 to aimed attacks, if the vehicle aims for three turns).
• Targeting Computers: +5 to Gunnery projects provided a sensor lock is gained.
• Distortion Jammer: -4 ECM rating.
• Tactical ECM: +1 to dodge missiles.
• Large FTL Communication Array: 30-parsec range.
• Large Holographic Radio: 10,000 mile range (orbital); “palm sized” holographic console.
• Security and Safety: Simple Locks;
• Accommodations: 2 cabins; total possible accommodations for 4. One workshop and one prospecting lab (+1 to all Prospecting rolls)
• Hyperdrive: Rating 2, with sufficient fuel for 7 jumps.
• Ruggedized Hyperium Reactor: 30 days endurance.

The Wrangler has a single “control” section with computerized controls and seats for a pilot and co-pilot. The engine section contains a robotic control station where a robot can directly plug in.

The Wranglerhas three turrets with full rotation, contained one MIN-3R mining laser, one SP74-TR Plasma Gatling, and one ST 160 tractor beam.

Weapon	Dmg	Acc	Range	Ewt	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl	Notes
MIN-3R Mining Laser Module	5d×15(10) cut inc	12	500/3 mi	4000	1	25/5E	M	-10	1
SP74-TR Heavy Plasma Gatling	6dx15(2) burn ex	6	3mi/ 8mi	4000	8	88/ 3F	M	-10	3

Logistics Modules

The Wrangler has room for multiple possible configurations of its industrial section. All wranglers are capable of at least dismantling 10 lbs of material into raw materials per hour and fabricating $500 worth of parts per hour, provided it has sufficient raw materials (such as dismantled parts). Note that this fabricator is nota replicator: it might give you the materials you need to build, say, a blaster, but it cannot assemble it for you.

These modules are largeand take at least 4 hours with the right tools to replace, or 8 without the right tools

Salvager Module

40,000 lbs; $3M

Wranglers equipped with Salvager equipmentcan dismantle up to 700 lbs of junk, scrap and damaged (or perfectly fine) starship parts an hour into raw materials. It can also fabricate $1000 worth of parts per hour. Finally, it has sufficient cargo space to store up to 125,000 lbs (62.5 tons)

Foundry Module

40,000 lbs; $600,000

Wranglers equipped with a Foundry can refine raw asteroidal ores into raw materials at a pace of 700 lbs of extracted metal per hour. It can also fabricate $1000 worth of parts per hour. Finally, it has sufficient cargo space to store up to 125,000 lbs (62.5 tons)

40,000 lbs; $600,000

Refinery Module

Wranglers equipped with a Refinerycan refine raw hydrogen, hyperium and ice into refined fuels or atmosphere ready for life support. It can refinehyperium at a pace of 350gallons an hour. It can store up to 17,000 gallons of hyperium (or other liquid).

Look and Feel

The Wrangler is perhaps the least attractive Redjack vehicle in a great collection of unattractive vehicles. The pilot and co-pilot sit in a boxy cabin and watch space through a large window. The rest of the vehicle resembles a longer, larger box, with a single, round turret on the top, mounted with the plasma gatling and two turrets mounted on the bottom, one with a tractor beam, the other with a mining laser.

The interior is hardly less practical. The pilots can leave their squat cabin and either go to one of their two cabins or the shared galley between, or the vast work-area between the cabin and the engine room. Here, they can descend to the mining equipment, or ascend to the anti-fighter turret above via a rickety catwalk. Industrial machinery dominates this central area, though this varies depending on how the Wrangler has been equipped: the foundry glows an ominous red, scrapping gear churns and gnashes machinery into raw material, and great gas tanks dominate the refinery. During mining or salvage operations, this part of the ship empties itself of atmosphere, requiring the crew to move about the ship in vacuum, and the feed salvaged parts or extracted ores directly into the machinery from ‘below” the ship. Finally, in the far back, one enters the cluttered, closed-in spaces of the ion thrusters and hyperdrive, as well as the diagnostic bay of the robot in the back. This section also contains a mini-fabricator and a dismantler, for recycling parts to better maintain the Wrangler.

Wranglers obviously serve as a major industrial component in the edges of the Galaxy. Travelers often see them when traveling through asteroid belts or diving into gas giants, or picking scraps from the debris of a battlefield. They also fill up the hangars of space stations and planets at the edges of space, where their “space trucker” crew, often away and unbathed for months at time, pile into cantinas with the spoils of their mining operation. The common man knows them well as working vehicles.

Pirates and miners also understand their utility as logistical vehicles. A single Wrangler can refine enough fuel to refuel a Wildcat in two hours, and carries enough fuel to refuel a full squadron. They can’t rebuild a capital ship on their own, but they often have enough spare parts or raw material to build spare parts (of can salvage it from other damaged ships) to allow for reasonably field repairs even without bringing the ship into “dry dock.” They also play a role as mine-layers, with enough space to carry hundreds of Boomer-Bots, and it can lay them with precision using its tractor beam and control software. Wranglers often do this to protect a claimed asteroid, but will happily do it to protect other strategic sites. Finally, while slow, a Wrangler is tough and can take a pounding from fighters while taking a few with it. The Wrangler is no combat corvette, but can endure in combat if necessary, making it a useful support vehicle for any light, resilient, independent fleet.

Boomer-Bots

Like Banger-Bots, Boomer-Bots are better described as smart, automated weapon systems than as robots. They resemble large, man-sized oblong spheres with jutting prods, a red camera-eye and a simple interface point. They can warble electronically, and they float patiently while waiting for commands.

Boomer-Bots can survive and move in the cold depths of deep space. Typically, Wrangler-class logistic corvettes will dump them out in the right general area and then issue commands for the Boomer-Bots to go forth and form a network. They can communicate with one another by burst transmission and then settle down for a long, slow wait.

When any ship that isn’t transmitting the right IFF codes comes within 30 miles of Boomer-Bots, they activate. In sentry mode, they signal the details they passively detected back to their master ship via directed, burst transmission, preventing detection by the incoming ship (though they might pick it up anyway on an Electronics Operations (Sensors or Comms) at -6). These sensors readings tend to be passive magnetic and EM emission detections and so say very little. At the command of the master ship, they can “ping” the ship with their Ultrascanners, to get a thorough reading; any ship equipped with an ESM will automatically know that they were pinged and by what, as a Boomer-Bot Ultrascanner signal is pretty distinctive.

If the Boomer-Bot is in kill-mode, it will wait until the detected ship is in Extreme range, and then attempt to ram it in one turn. This requires a roll of 12 or less (17 or less if they have a target lock). The target may attempt to dodge (+1 if they have ESM and the Boomer-Bot locked on). If they fail, the Boomer-Bot will immediately explode and inflict its explosive charge damage. This explosive is usually a HEMP charge; it can be replaced with an Isomeric charge for five times the cost (and deals the same damage as a torpedo).

If a ship attempts to navigate the Boomer-Bot field, treat this as attempting to navigate a debris field; if the ship collides with a Boomer-Bot, it explodes; additionally, every turn, the ship should have to dodge a number of Boomer-Bot attacks depending on the density (by default 1d Boomer-Bot attacks per action turn).

ST: 14DX: 10 IQ: 6 HT: 11

HP: 20Will: 5 Per: 12 Speed:4Dodge: 8Move: 8/300SM: 0; 600lbs

DR: 50

Slam (12): 6d×10 cr

HEMP Self-Destruct Charge (NA):6d×50(10) cr inc + linked 8d×8cr ex [20d]

Traits: Absolute Direction; Accessory (Small Computer, Self-Destruct Charge); Appearance (Ugly; Off the Shelf); AI; Automaton; Bad Grip 1; Cannot Speak (Beep); No Legs (Congragravity); Deafness; Detect (Comms and Ultrascanner, signal detection; Electrical and Magnetic Fields); Doesn’t Breathe; DR 50(Cannot wear Armor); Electrical, Maintenance (one person, monthly), No Peripheral Vision; Night Vision 9; Numb; Obscure -4 (Ultrascannery, Stealthy); One-Eye;Protected Vision; Reduced Consumption 3 [6]; Restricted Diet (Common, Power Cells); Scanning Sense (Ultrascanner; 30miles yards; Targeting, Scanner, Bio-Scan); Sealed; Silent 1; Telecommunication (Comm System, 100 mile range, Burst, Secure, Video); Temperature Tolerance (Cold) 10; Vacuum Support.

Skills: Brawling-12; Electronics Operations (Comms)-8; Electronics Operations (Sensors)-8; Stealth-12; Wrestling-12.

Energy: 2D/Week

Cost: $50,000

Redjack Nomad-Class Light Modular Corvette

ST/HP: 250

Hand/SR: +1/5*

HT: 13

Move:8/300(+13)*

LWt.:95

Load:25

SM: +7

Occ.:5ASV†

DR:150/75‡

Range:500,000, 7jumps (Rating 2)*

Cost:$50M

Loc.: g2t3rL

Stall:0

Total Chase Roll:+14*

*The Nomad’s engine, including its hyperdrive, are modular. The listed values are the most common values.

†The Nomad has an entirely modular hold which can contain passenger accommodations, increasing the number of people accommodated by the craft.

‡Nanocomposite Polymer; double DR vs plasma attacks. Has a Force Screen that provides 500 ablative, hardened DR. Additionally, the Nomad has modular armor that can further alter its armor profile.

Notes

Unmodified Redjack Corvette Electronics:

• Ultrascanner Open Mount: 150-mile search range, 15-mile scan range; low probability intercept (detectable at 225 miles); 360° rotation.
• Night Vision Sensors: +9 nightvision, ×8 magnification (up to +3 to aimed attacks, if the vehicle aims for three turns).
• Targeting Computers: +5 to Gunnery projects provided a sensor lock is gained.
• Distortion Jammer: -4 ECM rating.
• Tactical ECM: +1 to dodge missiles.
• Large FTL Communication Array: 30-parsec range.
• Large Holographic Radio: 10,000 mile range (orbital); “palm sized” holographic console.
• Security and Safety: Simple Locks;
• Accommodations: 2 cabins; total possible accommodations for 4.
• Hyperdrive: Rating 2, with sufficient fuel for 7 jumps.
• Ruggedized Hyperium Reactor: 30 days endurance.

The Nomad has a single “control” section with computerized controls and seats for a pilot and co-pilot. The engine section contains a robotic control station where a robot can directly plug in. A modular “electronics lab” sits adjacent to the control section; it’s exact composition depends on what modules have been installed.

Weapon Modules

The Nomad has two modular weapon turrets with full rotation. These weapons must be paid for separate from the vehicle

The B00-M Heavy Plasma Cannon Module: Sometimes called the “double-aught,” the B00-M Cannon is themost commonly used main weapon module for a Wildcat, and popular with nomads that expect to fight other corvettes. This heavy fighter cannon exchanges rate of fire and reliability for devastating firepower. The B00-M can only fire once every three seconds, and risks overheating after firing more than three shots without waiting 10+ seconds between shots, and needs a full minute to cool down. In Action Vehicular Combat, the B00-M can technically fire once per turn, as an optional rule, the GM can require the pilot to wait one turn between turns to fire it, our to make a Gunnery (Beams)-4 roll to vent heat and cycle the charge faster. It can also aim at a spot nearits target, gaining a +4 to hit, but sacrificing the armor modifier. $650k

The MIN-3R Artillery Laser CannonModule:This weapon is identical to the “mining” laser mounted on the Razer. It is typically used by ships that seek to mine asteroids, but sometimes is used by pirates who wish to carve through the armor of slower, less well-defended corvettes. $700k

The SP74-TRHeavy Plasma Gatling Module:Popular with Nomad crewspilots who expect face fighters (and generally the default choice for Nomads), this gatling plasma cannon lays down a serious barrage of plasma shots more than powerful enough to kill other fighters. It can also aim at a spot nearits target, gaining a +4 to hit, but sacrificing the armor modifier; most users ot the weapon will simply lay down a barrage of fire, like a focused flak cannon, near their target and hope the saturation fire will hit their target. $1,000k

The NUK-3 Disposable Torpedo Bay:Rarely used by Nomads, some pirates, rebels or renegades will load a NUK-3 to help defeat larger capital ships. They usually only use one such weapon and keep their other turret clear for fighting off other fighters and/or corvettes. $100k

Weapon	Dmg	Acc	Range	Ewt	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl	Notes
NOV-4 Heavy Plasma Cannon Module	6dx30(2) burn ex	6	4 mi/12 mi	4000	1/3	15/2F	M	-10	3	[1]
MIN-3R Mining Laser Module	5d×15(10) cut inc	12	500/3 mi	4000	1	25/5E	M	-10	1
SP74-TR Heavy Plasma Gatling	6dx15(2) burn ex	6	3mi/ 8mi	4000	8	88/ 3F	M	-10	3
Isomeric Torpedo Bay	6d×500 cr ex	3	300/ 10 mi	2500	1	3	150M	-15	1

Engine Modules

The Nomad has room for multiple possible configurations of its engines and its hyperdrive. It takes 6 hours to change an engine module, or 12 hours if no tools are available.
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Redjack “Cross-Country” Ion Thruster Engine Module

45,000 lbs; $3.6M (if purchased separately)

This is the standard engine module for a Nomad; it requires no statline change. It trades engine and hyperdrive space for additional fuel for the hyperdrive, allowing it to take more jumps. It also includes additional access space, making the engineer more comfortable, but not enough to improve HT.

This requires no change to the statline.

Redjack “Crosswind” Hyperdrive Engine Module

60,000 lbs; $5M

This module includes the standard ion thrusters of the Cross-Country module, but sacrifices the additional space for a much larger hyperdrive. This improves the hyperdrive rating to 3 and reduces the fuel to 5 shunts.

Redjack “Stormrider” Plasma Thruster Engine Module

60,000 lbs; $5M

This engine module sheds the additional fuel and fills up the engine room with heavier, more powerful plasma thrusters. This greatly expand out the engine profile of the ship and give its engines a violent, red blast when they fire. While active, the plasma thrusters increase the Move of the Nomad to 12/400 (+13) and improve the handling/SR to +2/5 (for a total chase roll of +15). The plasma thrusters consume 24 hours of fuel for every hour active.

Redjack “Horizon” Next-Gen Engine Module

60,000 lbs; $13M

This staggeringly expensive module combines hyperium thrusters with a cutting-edge, state of the art hyperdrive. This results in a shockingly fast ship with an excellent hyperdrive rating. Reduce the hyperspace fuel to 5 shunts, and improve the hyperdrive rating to 3. Furthermore, with the Plasma Thursters active, increase Move to 12/400 (+13) and improve the handling to +2/5 (for a total Chase roll of +15); the plasma thrusters consume 24 hours of fuel for every hour active. Finally, reduce HT by 1 and add the x tag (explosive).

These can be cobbled together using Syntech Next-Gen plasma thrusters and hyperdrives; the results tend to be safer, but one must acquire the parts first! This requires a Mechanic (Starship) roll at -8 (or +0 with Quick Gadgeteer). Such a hypothetical module does not penalize HT or add the x tag.

Electronics Module

Next to the control compartment and beneath the main dish array, the nomad has a modular electronics laboratory which can be slotted for different dish arrays as well as different computers, depending on the intended purpose of the Nomad. By default, this is cabin-sized “server room” with an access point for a robot into the microframe of the Nomad. When a module is installed, it replaces the electronics of the ship, including the main dish, with a new room and new electronics.

Redjack “Doodlebug” Electronics Module

1000 lbs; $200,000

The original design for the Nomad called for a prospector ship. The Nomad was to jump into a new system and check out the local asteroids to see if any had promising ore or material. This module includes an advanced microframe with excellent prospecting software and a geology lab, allowing analysis of samples. Add +1 to Prospecting and Geology.

Redjack “Charter” Electronics Module

1000 lbs; $200,000

Nomads often see use as scouts or explorers on the edges of civilized space. The Charter module includes an advanced microframe within a “starchart” office that provides a constant synthesis on local reports of hyperstorms and the changing location of stars in relations to one another. Add +1 to Navigation (Hyperspace) and Cartography.

Redjack “Blackout” Electronics Module

1000 lbs; $250,000

Designed to allow the nomad to accept a combat-support role, this module upgrades the electronics package of the Nomad to add a 20-mile “Medium” Area Scrambler, granting all allies in its area a -5 ECM rating, and a 20-mile, “Medium” Distortion Scrambler that can disrupt communications in the area. Additionally, the room has contains an advanced microframe with excellent tactical software and a holoprojector with a real-time map of the area. This grants +1 to Tactics (Space) and Electronics Operations (EW).

ARC “Icon” Electronics Module

1250 lbs; $5M

Designed as a joint project between ARC and Redjack, this module is popular with diplomats, merchants and missionaries alike. This electronics package greatly increases the size of the main dish and includes a “Very Large” 300-parsec FTL communication device, as well as a mini-studio with soundproofing, stage-dressing, up-to-date holocameras and a larger holoprojector that allows the occupant to communicate with another at full scale. Add +1 to Propaganda and Electronics Operations (Media).

Blackline Project’s “Anarchy” Electronics Module

1000 lbs; $5M

Urban legends swirl around Nomad’s equipped with top-of-the-line microframes with black-market hacking and decryption programs as well as comm-spoofing technology. If such a module existed, it would add +2 to Computer Hacking-related skills, as well as Electronics Operations (Comms) rolls to avoid being eavesdropped upon or for spoofing other signals, and allows for real-time decryption of signals.

Cargo Modules

The expansive cargo bay (most of the Nomad interior) can be redesigned to match the owners specifications. They may have up to 3 cargo modules.

Basic Nomad Cargo Module

500lbs; $30,000

The standard cargo module for a Nomad, this cargo bay can carry up to 45,000 lbs of cargo. It also contains floor and/or wall-panels (the designs vary per module) that can hide up to 5000 lbs in cargo, serving as basic Smugglingtools. Additionally, these smuggling compartments contain distortion mesh, which apply a -6 to any rolls to detect them or to scan their contents.

Basic Nomad Bunk Module

3000lbs; $100,000

A typical bulk passenger module, this contains bunks and additional life-support for up to 10 people. These accommodations tend to be uncomfortable and earn little in the way of frieght, but some Nomad pilots, especially those that handle refugees make use of them. These also contain standard Smugglingcompartments (see Basic Nomad Cargo Module for more) hidden beneath various bunks or on the wall panels. These smuggling compartments contain distortion mesh, which apply a -6 to any rolls to detect them or to scan their contents.

Basic Nomad Prison Module

3000lbs; $100,000

This module contains ten, tightly packed cells with force ward prison doors and neuronic shackles to keep prisoners in line. This module is popular among bounty hunters or slave traffickers in the Umbral Rim. These also contain standard Smugglingcompartments (see Basic Nomad Cargo Module for more) hidden beneath various bunks or on the wall panels. These smuggling compartments contain distortion mesh, which apply a -6 to any rolls to detect them or to scan their contents.

Standard Nomad Accommodations Module

3000lbs; $150,000

The standard in passenger accommodation, and also popular among nomads with larger crews, this contains two full cabins and life-support for up to 4 additional people. These also contain standard Smugglingcompartments (see Basic Nomad Cargo Module for more) hidden beneath various bunks or on the wall panels. These smuggling compartments contain distortion mesh, which apply a -6 to any rolls to detect them or to scan their contents.

Custom Nomad Luxury Cabin Module

3000lbs; $250,000

This module contains a luxurious cabin fit for one to two people, with sumptuous furnishings and a spacious interior. Additionally, this module contains advanced, well-hidden smuggling compartments which can hide up to 5000 lbs of cargo, allow a Smugglingroll at +1, and provide the normal -6 penalty to detect the compartments with sensors or to scan their interiors. These smuggling compartments contain distortion mesh, which apply a -6 to any rolls to detect them or to scan their contents.

Custom Nomad Temple Module

3000lbs; $250,000

Some Redjack customers are deeply religious. Redjack has several “temple” variations, with the Akashic Mysteries, Shepherdist and Divine Masks as standards, and with generic, open spaces that can easily be customized by the owner to honor their particular religious affiliation. These generally provide sufficient tools for Religious Ritual rolls, and the Akashic model comes with a sensory deprivation chamber. If used as a meeting room, it can house up to 10 people. Additionally, this module contains advanced, well-hidden smuggling compartments which can hide up to 5000 lbs of cargo, allow a Smugglingroll at +1, and provide the normal -6 penalty to detect the compartments with sensors or to scan their interiors. These smuggling compartments contain distortion mesh, which apply a -6 to any rolls to detect them or to scan their contents.

ArmorModules

The Nomad has a fairly simple, if unattractive and unstreamlined exterior that has attachment points and struts capable of accepting additional reinforcement that improves its armor, handling or stealth charactersistics. As an optional rule, called shots for armor chinks automaticallybypass Armor Modules in addition to halving the DR of the Nomad, and disabling the Nomads’s armor destroys the Armor Module. It takes one hour to change out a Nomad’s armor module, or two hours without the appropriate tools.

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Redjack “Mustang” Armor Module

6000 lbs; $10M

One of the trickier armor modules to install, this substantially reshapes the craft with additional hyperdynamic control elements, giving it a sleeker, more aggressive design. It improves Handling to +2/4, unless combined with plasma thruster modules (either the “Stormrider” or “Horizon” module), then it improves Move to 11/500 (+14) and handling to +3/4.

Redjack “Pocket Ace” Armor Module

12,000lbs; $2.5M

Nomad pilots often prefer a certain level of discretion. The “Pocket Ace” module applies of stealthed carbide composite. This increases the DR of the Nomad to 300/150 DR and applies a further -4 ECM penalty. In addition, the armor contains a layer of distortion mesh, which applies a -6 to any attempts to scan the interior of the vehicle and determine what lay inside.

Redjack “Brutus” Armor Module

15,000lbs; $1.5M

Nomad pilots pile on Brutus armor when they expect to come under serious attack and don’t mind hauling the extra weight. Brutus armor notably bulks up the silhouette of the ship, and the extra layers of nanocomposite polymer with added EMA increases DR to 450/200 and triples DR vs shaped charges and plasma attacks.

ARC “Rake” Armor Module

6,000lbs; $4M

Another collaboration between ARC and Redjack, ARC can manufacture a special, diamondoid shell which, in addition to greatly improving its survivability, also gives it stylish lines suitable for a wandering nobleman. This grants +1 reaction modifiers and improves DR to 300/150 (but halve DR vs crushing attacks).

Sample Nomad Loadouts:

The Redjack “Prospector” Loadout: These are so common that some people refer to a “Nomad” as a “Prospector.” These tend to be kitted out for long trips into the lonely belts at the edges of the galaxy, far from civilization for days of scanning asteroids for useful ore. These ships can mine on their own, but often join a larger fleet of Wranglers and Wildcats.

Statline Changes and Notes: $47M, +1 to Prospecting and Geology rolls.

• SP74-TR Heavy Plasma Gatling Module
• MIN-3R Artillery Laser Cannon Module
• Redjack “Cross-Country” Ion Thruster Engine Module

• Redjack “Doodlebug” Electronics Module
• 3 Basic Nomad Cargo Modules

• No Armor Module

The Redjack “Anthem” Loadout: Redjack customers interested in Nomads that aren’t miners are often “tramp traders,” looking to wander a part of the galaxy and make quick trades between systems not usually connected by big liners. These “Anthems” tend to get unfairly tagged as smugglers just because the Nomad is surprisingly good at smuggling!

Statline Changes and Notes: $52M; +4 ASV occupancy; Hyperspace Rating 3 (5 jumps); +1 to Navigation (Hyperspace) and Cartography.

• 2 SP74-TR Heavy Plasma Gatling Modules
• Redjack “Crosswind” Hyperdrive Engine Module

• Redjack “Charter” Electronics Module
• 2 Basic Nomad Cargo Modules

• Standard Nomad Accommodations Module

• No Armor Module

The ARC “Rapscallion” Loadout: Aristocrats with pinched pockets sometimes choose to retrofit a basic Nomad as a personal shuttle. Their considerable endurance makes them very popular for long trips, and its extreme FTL allow the noble to remain in touch while looking fantastic.

Statline Changes and Notes:$56M; +4 ASV occupancy;DR 300/150 (Halved vs Crushing); +1 to Propaganda and Electronics Operations (Media).

• 2 SP74-TR Heavy Plasma Gatling Modules
• Redjack “Cross-Country” Ion Thruster Engine Module

• ARC “Icon” Electronics Module
• 2 Custom Nomad Luxury Cabin Module

• 1 Custom Nomad Temple Module

• ARC “Rake” Armor Module

The Redjack “Solo” Loadout: With all the possible loadouts available for the Nomad, sometimes Nomad pilots sit up and notice interesting vessels, and the “Solo” was one such vessel. The pilot, a smuggler in the Rogue Stars near Sirocco, had turned his Nomad into a racer capable of keeping up with heavy fighters, and with an unparalleled capacity to navigate the stranger stars of the galactic fringe.

Statline Changes and Notes:$68M; +3/4 Hand/SR; Move: 11/500; +4 ASV occupancy;Hyperspace Rating 3 (5 jumps); +1 to Navigation (Hyperspace) and Cartography.

• 2 SP74-TR Heavy Plasma Gatling Modules
• Redjack “Horizon” Next-Gen Engine Module

• Redjack “Charter” Electronics Module
• 2 Basic Nomad Cargo Module

• Standard Nomad Accommodations Module

• Redjack “Mustang” Armor Module

Look and Feel

The Nomad is one of Redjack’s most purchased vehicles, and a common sight across the Galaxy, though not everyone realizes they’re looking at the same ship, given the triumph of Redjack modularity that it represents. The silhouette of the ship is dominated by its array of engines, which spread out in an arc behind the rest of the craft. The center has its “cargo” section, which has a generous cargo ramp that often looks out of place when leading to a set of halls and galleys if mostly accommodations have been installed. Finally, the ship narrows to its control area, which is inevitably a riot of exposed cables and structure unless the pilot is meticulous about the installation of their electronics modules. This area contains the pilot and co-pilot station, and the electronics control room/lab, sometimes called “the server room,” especially if it has an upgraded computer.

The interior of the ship varies a great deal based on the modules installed. Especially sparse Nomads feel excessively roomy, with overly spacious engine rooms, an essentially empty electronics lab, and a cavernous hold. If fully installed, the ship can feel crushingly claustraphobic, with an overwrought engine room that often makes for a tight fit, a busy set of accommodations each with their own mini galley and bathroom set, and a control area overflowing with electronics. As a result, the final layout and look of the ship depends a great deal on the personality of its pilot and crew, and each ship tends to be highly individualized with imaginative paint-jobs and custom modules.

Given their flexibility, Nomads can see a variety of uses. In war, they tend to act as scouts, spies and saboteurs, creeping up on ships with their stealth or racing away when detected. In the meantime, they use their top-of-the-line electronics to scope out the enemy, uncover mine fields and determine where the best attack point for a settlement might be. They can fight, but tend to be outmatched by larger Redjack vehicles, or even Redjack fighters, which are dedicated to war. Outside of war, the Nomad uses its watchfulness and its endurance to explore the edges of the galaxy and avoid an excessive amount of official attenion.

The Redjack Wildcat-Class Modular Heavy Fighter

ST/HP: 130

Hand/SR: +1/4*

HT: 13

Move:10/400(+13)*

LWt.:16.5

Load:7.25

SM: +5

Occ.:1ASV+1rx

DR:50/25†

Range:20,000, 2jumps (Rating 1)

Cost:$8.75M

Loc.: g2Wi3rR

Stall:40*

Total Chase Roll:+14(+16with afterburner)

*The Wildcat is equipped with an Afterburner which improves the Move to 15/500(+14) and gains +1 handling and consumes four times as much fuel (reducing range to 5,000 miles, if used continuously). The Wildcat has an accessory module slot an armor module slot which, if loaded with a heavy slot, reduces the handling to +0/4, Move to 9/400 (+13) (14/500 (+14) with afterburners) for a total chase roll of +13 (+14 with afterburners) and increases the stall speed to 45. See additional modules for more.

†The Wildcat has 50 carbide composite DR on the front and 25 on the rest; double DR vs shaped charges or plasma attacks. The Wildcat has an accessory module slot and an armor module slot that may improve these numbers.

Notes

Redjack Heavy FighterElectronics:

• Medium Tactical Ultra-Scanner: 30-mile scan, 3-mile imaging/bioscan; 360°;
• Targeting Computer: +5 to hit target with a scan-lock.
• Night Vision Sensors: +9 nightvision, ×8 magnification (up to +3 to aimed attacks, if the vehicle aims for three turns).
• Distortion Jammer: -4 ECM penalty for missiles; +2 to jam missiles.
• Tactical ESM: +1 to dodge missiles.
• Medium Holographic Radio: 1,000 mile range (orbital); “palm sized” holographic console.
• Security and Safety: Simple Locks; Ejection Seat.
• Accommodations: Bunks for 2; Minimal galley/toiletries; Total life support.
• Hyperdrive: Rating 1, with sufficient fuel for 2 jumps.
• Hyperium Reactor: 24 hours endurance at full speed (6 hours with afterburners).

The Wildcat has room for a twopilots and an exposed slot for a robot assistant. The Wildcatuses computerized controls, allowing either pilot or the robot to take full control of the fighter; generally the “forward” pilot handles piloting and navigation, while the second pilot handles electronics and communications, and the robot handles navigation and maintenance.. The robot has access to the hyperium reactor, hyperdrive and traditionally handles hyperspatial navigation and on-the-fly repairs. Both pilots have “crawl spaces” that allow them to reach their minimal bunks located in the central part of the heavy fighter; it takes one minute to move from the cabin to the piloting controls.

The Wildcat has three Weapon Modules, one central in its body, allowing for a very heavy, one-ton nose-cannon, and two wing-mounted, half-ton modules. It takes 30 minutes with proper tools to change any of these modules, and 1 hour to change them without the proper tools.

Main Weapon Modules

The Main Weapon modules run the length of the body, positioned in the nose of the craft.

The B00-M Heavy Plasma Cannon Module: Sometimes called the “double-aught,” the B00-M Cannon is themost commonly used main weapon module for a Wildcat. This heavy fighter cannon exchanges rate of fire and reliability for devastating firepower. The B00-M can only fire once every three seconds, and risks overheating after firing more than three shots without waiting 10+ seconds between shots, and needs a full minute to cool down. However, it hits with an unparalleled force for a fighter, and many pirates prefer it to missiles for taking down hard targets, because then they needn’t carry stockpiles of weapons. In Action Vehicular Combat, the B00-M can technically fire once per turn, as an optional rule, the GM can require the pilot to wait one turn between turns to fire it, our to make a Gunnery (Beams)-4 roll to vent heat and cycle the charge faster. It can also aim at a spot nearits target, gaining a +4 to hit, but sacrificing the armor modifier.

The MIN-33Light Laser CannonModule:Sometimes called the “Minnie” the MIN-33Laser Cannon is a lighter variant of the MIN-3R Artillery laser cannon. Redjack advertises it as “light mining equipment” intended for carving up metallic asteroids, but it fares remarkably well against well armored ships, provided the fighter can close in enough to focus the full power of the weapon on the target, and keep it on the target.It deals full damage at Extreme range, and half damage at Distant.

The SP74-TRHeavy Plasma Gatling Module:Popular with Wildcat pilots who expect to dogfight, this gatling plasma cannon lays down a serious barrage of plasma shots more than powerful enough to kill other fighters. It can also aim at a spot nearits target, gaining a +4 to hit, but sacrificing the armor modifier; most Wildcats will simply lay down a barrage of fire, like a focused flak cannon, near their target and hope the saturation fire will hit their target.

The NUK-3 Disposable Torpedo Bay:A more popular weapon for third parties (especially the Alliance), the NUK-3 allows a full isomeric torpedo to be loaded where the main gun would normally. This results in an odd look for the craft, with a closed “launch bay” where the gun would normally be, unless the torpedo has been fired, in which case a gaping, open bay sits where the main cannon would be. Wildcat pilots that load the NUK-3 usually have at least one wing-cannon loaded, in case they get into a dog fight. The NUK-3 takes so long to load and, being a single-shot weapon, generally works best in large military formations where fighters can be “expended” in their attack and then return to their carrier for a 30-minute reload.

Weapon	Dmg	Acc	Range	Ewt	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl	Notes
NOV-4 Heavy Plasma Cannon Module	6dx30(2) burn ex	6	4 mi/12 mi	4000	1/3	15/2F	M	-10	3	[1]
MIN-3R Mining Laser Module	5d×15(10) cut inc	12	500/3 mi	4000	1	25/5E	M	-10	1
SP74-TR Heavy Plasma Gatling	6dx15(2) burn ex	6	3mi/ 8mi	4000	8	88/ 3F	M	-10	3
Isomeric Torpedo Bay	6d×500 cr ex	3	300/ 10 mi	2500	1	3	150M	-15	1

Wing Weapon Modules

The Wildcat has two separate wing modules, one per wing, rated for 1200 lbs.

The BAN-6 Plasma Cannon Module: Redjack designed the BAN-6 for lighter vehicles, and the Wildcat rarely loads it. Ultimately, it’s a smaller, lighter version of the B00-M heavy plasma cannon, and follows the same rules: it risks overheating if it fires 3 shots in a row without letting the heat dissipate for 10 seconds between shots, at which point it needs a full minute to cool down. In Action Vehicular Combat, the BAN-6can technically fire once per turn, as an optional rule, the GM can require the pilot to wait one turn between turns to fire it, our to make a Gunnery (Beams)-4 roll to vent heat and cycle the charge faster. It can also aim at a spot nearits target, gaining a +4 to hit, but sacrificing the armor modifier.

The SC4-TRPlasma Gatling Module:Most Wildcat pilots consider this a good backup weapon, especially if they’re carrying heavy, anti-corvette or anti-capital weaponry in their primary weapon module slot.

The ZIP–3RBlasterGatling Module:The most popular Redjack fighter weapon, the ZIP-3R works as a fairly standard blaster gatling weapon; its high rate of fire make it an excellent choice when dogfighting, and it retains the excellent penetration capacilities of blasters, allowing it to more easily punch throw composite or EMA armor, and their superior accuracy make them more popular with ace pilots and patient fighter pilots.

MSML Missile Module:Wildcats can also mount fairly standard 160mm Missile Bays into their wing modules. These tend not to be popular with the typical Redjack market, who don’t like to stock missiles, but third parties, especially the Alliance, love them for their added flexibility and firepower.

Weapon	Dmg	Acc	Range	Ewt	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl
BAN-6 Plasma Cannon	5dx20(2) burn ex	6	2mi/ 10mi	1200	1/3	15/3E	M	-10	3
SC4-TR Plasma Gatling	6dx8(2) burn ex	6	3 mi/ 10 mi	1200	8	160/F	M	-10	3
ZIP-3R Light Blaster Gatling	6d×4(3) burn	9	2mi/ 5mi	1200	16	200/F	M	-10	2
160mm MSML Plasma Burst Missile	6dx15 burn ex	4	1000/30mi	1200	1	4	M	-15	1
160mm MSML Plasma Lance Missile	6dx30 (10) burn ex	4	1000/30mi	1200	1	4	M	-15	1

Additional Modules

The Wildcat has two additional module socket: a centrally located “Accessory” module slot, and a series of nodes and sockets that allow the connection of an “armor” module slot that layers over the main armor of the vehicle. It takes 30 minutes with the proper tools to change the Accessory module, and an hour to change the armor module, and double if the character lacks the proper tools and environment to change the module.

The additional weight of the module complicates the calculations of the Wildcat’s speed and handling. If any Accessory or Armor module slot is loaded with a Heavy module (or if both are) reduces thehandling to +0/4, Move to 9/400 (+13) (14/500 with afterburners) and increases the stall speed to 45.

Accessory Modules

Redjack AM49 “Silverback” Force Screen Module

Heavy Module

4,000 lbs; $400,000.

The Wildcat can be loaded with a force screen module, the “Silverback” or the “AM49er” that contains two F-cells; the Force Screen lasts for 12 minutes of continuous use and provides 300 ablative, hardened DR; once depleted, the Force Screen can recharge off of the fighter’s hyperium reactor in 12 hours.

Redjack AM76 “Blackheart” ECM Module

Light Module

1000 lbs, $200,000.

The blackheart module, or the “76er” module provides additional ECM resources. It adds additional computing power necessary to engage in hyperspatial navigation without the assistance of a robot and improves the targeting of the Wildcat to +6 per lock rather than +5 per lock. It also provides a 2-mile radius Area Distortion Jammer which uses advanced, proprietary Distortion technology that improves the ECM value of the Wildcat and those in formation with it to -5; it has a Distortion Scrambler that can jam enemy communications out to 20 miles away; finally, it has FTL communication capabilities allowing it to communicate out to 3 parsecs away. Blackheart modules are so common among pirates that some people refer to Wildcats with pirate markings as “Blackhearts” or “76ers.”

Redjack AM420 “Holdout” Shielded Cargo Module

Light Module (Unless carrying more than 1000 lbs, in which case it’s a Heavy module)

Little more than a shielded box in place of an actual module, because the cargo module integrates just as any other module, it makes it difficult to notice and acts as a basic Smugglingtool. The cargo module is also climate controlled and shielded (-6 to scan its contents). It can be used to haul up to 4 passengers in a pinch, but the Wildcat’s life support was not built to handle so many people: either give them some form of breathing mask, or roll the Wildcat’s HT-1, -5 per additional stowaway after the first once per day; on a failure, the life support system begins to break down and will fail within 24 hours. If the “Holdout” module has more than 1000 lbs of cargo, reduces the Wildcat’s Move to 8/400 (or 10/500) and lowers handling by 1.. 100 lbs, $25,000.

Redjack AM110 “Longstrider” Fuel Capacity Module

Light Module

1000 lbs (fully fueled); $500.

The Longstrider module is a simple, self-sealing hyperium fuel tank. It provides four additional “fuel points,” which may be spent to shunt into hyperspace, or provide an additional 12 hours of flight time.

ArmorModules

Armor modules are less comprehensive in their protection of the wildcat than integrated, built-in armor. As an optional rule, called shots for armor chinks automaticallybypass Armor Modules in addition to halving the DR of the Wildat, and disabling the Wildcat’s armor destroysthe Armor Module.

Redjack “Snowflake” Armor Module

Light Module

1000 lbs; $50,000.

One of the most common and cheapest forms of armor available to the Wildcat, this adds gleaming white plates of Cerablate to the whole of the vehicle, giving it its nickname of a “Snowflake.” The Snowflake armor provides an additional +50 ablativeDR (+100 to the front) against blasters, plasma weapons and plasma warheads, and 15 non-ablative DR (+30 to the front)against everything else.

Redjack “Tank” Armor Module

HeavyModule

2500 lbs; $300,000.

The Tank armor module integrates EMA armor onto plates of heavy carbide armor, increasing the DR of the Wildcat to 110/55, with tripleDR against plasma attacks, plasma warheads or shaped charge attacks.

Redjack “Blackout” Armor Module

Light Module

1000 lbs; $100,000

Blackout Armor consists of smooth, matte black plates added to the top layer of the vehicle. These absorb Ultrascanner signals, providing an additional -4 ECM value. Additionally it increasing the DR of the Wildcat to 80/40, butremoves the composite nature of the armor (that is, it no longer doubles against plasma attacks or shaped charges).

ARC “Manticore” Armor Module

Light Module

1000 lbs, $500,000

Redjack, to better market its Wildcats, combined its efforts with ARC and they jointly created Diamondoid armor plates suitable for the Wildcat; Maradonian fleets tend to field Wildcats as a “poor man’s raptor,” and typically equips them with Manticore armor and Longstrider fuel for longer range, and then refers to them as a “Manticore-Pattern heavy fighter.”

Manticore armor increasesthe DR of the Wildcat to 110/55, and its elegant sculpting provides a +1 reaction bonus.

“Junker” Armor Module

Heavy Module

2500 lbs; $25,000.

Some Wildcat pilots, unable to find or afford better armor, just bolt on whatever scrap metal they can. These can be acquired for free with a Scroungingroll, but free junker armor doubles the time required to load on the armor, and requires an Armoury(Vehicular armor)to apply properly. A failure of this roll reduces the Wildcat’s handling by 1 (in addition to the extra mass of a heavy modules!) and reduces the penalty to attack armor chinks from -10 to -5.

Junkerarmor increasing the DR of the Wildcat to 110/55, and removes the composite nature of the armor (that is, it no longer doubles against plasma attacks or shaped charges).

Common Wildcat Loadouts:

The Redjack “Wildcat” Medium Starfighter: If one purchases a “Wildcat,” this is generally what Redjack shipyards sell you. It focuses exclusively on plasma weaponry, has additional fuel to allow it to travel farther and make additional jumps, critical to many of their customers, and it uses Cerablate armor for that little bit of extra defense if they get caught in a bind. Their combined ROF from their Gatling Cannons are 16; Add +50 ablativeDR (+100 to the front) against blasters, plasma weapons and plasma warheads, and 15 non-ablative DR (+30 to the front)against everything else, and gain 4 “fuel points” which can add another 12 hours (or 10,000 miles) or another jump each.

• B00-M Heavy Plasma Cannon Module
• 2 SC4-TR Plasma Gatling Modules
• “Longstrider” Fuel Capacity Module
• “Snowflake” Armor Module

The ARC “Manticore” Heavy Starfighter:The Alliance sometimes purchases modified wildcats as cheap alternatives to their Raptors, often giving them to common-born Alliance Regulars to fly, especially in massed waves against capital ships. They use their own proprietary Manticore armor, and combine it with a force screen and a more familiar “missile and blaster” loadout.

Reducehandling to +0/4, Move to 9/400 (+13) (13/500 with afterburners) and increases the stall speed to 45; increasethe DR of the Manticoreto 110/55 and gain 300 points of hardened, ablative force screen DR.

• SP74-TR Heavy Plasma Gatling or NUK-3 Disposable Torpedo Bay
• 2 MSML Missile Module
• AM49 “Silverback” Force Screen Module

• “Manticore” Armor Module

The Redjack“Junker” Heavy Miner:Many asteroid miners, after purchasing a Wildcat, will remove the B00-M Heavy Plasma Cannon and replace it with a MIN-33 laser cannon and, once the Cerablate is gone, replace it with Episteel plating. This results in a slow, heavy fighter with considerable range that can assist in mining operations while also acting to defend the craft from pirate attack.

Reducehandling to +0/4, Move to 9/400 (+13) (13/500 with afterburners) and increases the stall speed to 45; increasethe DR of the Junkerto 110/55 but remove the composite bonus (no doubling DR against plasma attacks).

• MIN-33 Light Laser Cannon Module
• 2 SC4-TR Plasma Gatling Modules
• “Longstrider” Fuel Capacity Module
• “Junker” Armor Module

Look and Feel

The Wildcat is not an especially beautiful craft. Stripped of its modules, it looks more like a fighter frame, with naked attachment struts and gaps in the frame where the modules should go. Even completely put together, the vehicle isn’t especially beautiful, with seams visible between the additional plates and a bulky appearance to the vehicle. Nonetheless, many pilots swear by their Wildcat and its reputation for reliability.

The Wildcat resembles a flattened out, wide rocket. Its large engines, with flaring manueuver plates arranged around the four main thrusters, dominate its back. Its small wings jut out to either side towards the top of the vehicle, providing a small amount of lift, but mostly acting as housing for fuel and weapon modules; the vehicle slopes towards its front, with a blunt cockpit “nose,” with the techbot slot just behind the cockpit, and the main weapon module jutting out from beneath, like an extended chin. The Wildcat’s accessory module sits atop the vehicle like an exaggerated spine or “hump.”

The cockpit has a comfortable design if a cheap look. The cockpit exposes the wires and framework of the underside of the controls, allowing the pilot to rapidly access them if he needs to make impromptu repairs. The pilot seat has a nice, comfortable cloth or leather surface. The Wildcat’s cockpit also sports a dash and most have a small clutter of collected gewgaws. The cockpit has sufficient room for a pilot in a vacuum suit, and it can withdraw the air provided by the life support system, like an airlock, if the character wishes to open the cockpit while in space to depart his vehicle. The character also has sufficient room to maneuver in the cockpit to exit and enter a cramped crawlspace to enter into a small “cubby” with a bunk, a tiny kitchenette, a small toilet and a small cargo space about the size of small footlocker. Wildcat pilots tend to call the accommodations the “coffin” and love to complain about it, but it represents a boon on especially long flights, and some pilots use their Wildcat as a personal transport, similar to a very cut down Ronin. The life support system within a manticore, once sealed, has a distinct “styrofoam” scent to it; the life support system of a Wildcat lasts nearly forever, and antique ones gain a sour, moldy scent, but remain perfectly functional (at least according to their pilots).

Like most fighters, the Wildcat rests on retractable runners. When ready to take off, the craft activates a repulsorfield and hovers on it as it retracts its runners. When activated, the engines prep with a distinctive and low “growl” and then flare a brilliant blue and the maneuver flaps extend around the engine, giving the impression that the Wildcat’s engines have grown, or that the Wildcat “has its hackles up.” The afterburners extend the maneuver flaps further and turn the “growl” into a full-throated roar. The Wildcat has extraordinarily powerful engines for its size, and it has a palpable, powerful acceleration, especially with its afterburners, which push it to 1.5 Gs. Thanks mainly to its small wings, the Wildcat turns sluggishly (and is even more noticably sluggish when loaded with heavy modules); skilled pilots learn to compensate for the wide turning radii with heavy use of braking and sudden, powerful thrusts.

Thanks to their modularity, Wildcats can fulfill nearly any role and are the go tocombat vessel for belters and pirates. They fare best when attacking corvettes, however. They can bring to bear some fairly powerful weapons against the relatively slow targets, and their weaker maneuverability doesn’t hurt them as much. Against capital ships, they need to invest in some highly specific weaponry (such as their torpedo bay or, if they’re patient, their mining lasers). Most lighters can outmaneuver them with ease, however, forcing the pilot to rely on sheer firepower and armor to engage their target; unfortunately for Imperial pilots who underestimate a Wildcat, reckless flying and a barrage of proximity plasma explosions can make up for a lot of poor maneuverability; the Wildcat needs only get lucky once to defeat most lighter fighters.

The Redjack Drifter-Class Light Modular Racer

ST/HP: 80

Hand/SR: +4/3*

HT: 12

Move:25/750(+15)*

LWt.:6.5

Load:2.5

SM: +4

Occ.:1S+1rx

DR:15†

Range:12,000

Cost:$9.75M

Loc.: g2Wi3rR

Stall:55*

Total Chase Roll:+19(+19with afterburner)

*The Drifter is equipped with an Afterburner which improves the Move to 40/850(+15) and consumes four times as much fuel (reducing range to 3,000 miles, if used continuously). Furthermore, its thrusters are modular and different engine modules might alter the handling and move of the vehicle.

†Double DR vs plasma attacks and shaped charge weapons.

Notes

Redjack RacerElectronics:

• Night Vision Sensors: +9 nightvision, ×8 magnification (up to +3 to aimed attacks, if the vehicle aims for three turns).
• Medium Holographic Radio: 1,000 mile range (orbital); “palm sized” holographic console.
• Security and Safety: Simple Locks.

Redjack Light Fighter Elecronics Package

Drifters don’t come with combat electronics, but the following package can be added for an additional $250,000. This has no appreciable effect on weight.

• Medium Tactical Ultra-Scanner: 30-mile scan, 3-mile imaging/bioscan; 360°;
• Targeting Computer: +5 to hit target with a scan-lock.
• Distortion Jammer: -4 ECM penalty for missiles; +2 to jam missiles.
• Tactical ESM: +1 to dodge missiles.

The Drifter has room for onepilot and an exposed slot for a robot assistant. The Drifteruses computerized controls, allowing either pilot or the robot to take full control of the fighter.

The Drifter has one weapon module and two “wing mounts” which can mount weapons (among other things). It takes 30 minutes with proper tools to change any of these modules, and 1 hour to change them without the proper tools.

Modules

The Drifter has four possible modules: an accessory module, a main weapon module, wing modules, and an engine module. This creates a fairly dynamic set of possible handling speeds. For handling, consider two possibilities, broken down in the Engine module section:

• Standard Drifters use at least one weapon module, wing module or an accessory module, in addition to their engine module.
• Stripped Down Drifters have no weapon modules, no wing modules, and no accessory module, to save weight. This is typical of a racing Drifter!

All modules take 30 minutes to swap out, or 1 hour if lacking the proper tools.

Engine Module:

Plasma Thruster Module:This is the standard, default engine for a Drifter. Make no changes to the characteristics of the vehicle. If purchased separately: 6000 lbs, $600,000.

• Stripped Down: A Drifter with no modules improves its move to 30/750 (+15) and 50/900 (+15) and +5/3 handling with afterburners, improving the total chase roll to +19 (+20 with afterburners). All uses of Afterburners in this state count as High-G manuevers.

Next Gen Thruster Module:Syntech created a new, more powerful plasma thruster, which has found its way, via industrial sabotage, into the hands of the Empire and powers the Tempest-Class fighter. Sometimes, Drifter pilots get ahold of such models and integrate them into their Drifters. 6000 lbs, $3,000,000.

• Standard: Move 35/900 (+15) or 55/1100 (+16); Handling becomes +5/3 for total Chase roll of +20 (+21 with after burners). All uses of Afterburners in this state count as High-G manuevers.
• Stripped Down: Move 50/900 (+15) or 80/1100 (+16); Handling becomes +5/3 for a total Chase roll of +20 (+21 with afterburners). All moves actions with the Afterburner become High-G maneuvers with a -4 to the roll!

Hyperium Thruster Module:Redjack created the Hyperium thruster as an answer to the Syntech “Next Gen” engine. It makes direct use of Hyperium in the thruster, similar to an afterburner, but with greater efficiency, at the cost of potentially catastrophic failure. Use the same statistics as the Next-Gen Thruster, but apply a –1to HT and add the “x” tag! 6,000 lbs, $1,000,000.

Plasma Fan Module:Older starfighters used Plasma Fan modules, which had a lower thrust-to-mass ratio than modern plasma thrusters, and obsolete starfighters in various parts of the Galaxy still use them. They tend to be fairly robust compared to plasma thrusters, but Redjack already has fairly robust plasma thrusters compared to other makes and models. If the players have access to old starfighter parts, they can usually find one for free with a Scroungingroll, and then apply them with a Mechanicroll at –2(or +2if they’re Quick Gadgeteers); failure still installs the part, but reduces Handling by -1. 6000 lbs, $450,000 (or reducethe cost of the Drifter to $9.6M if purchased with Plasma Fans installed)

• Standard: Move 15/600 (+14) or 25/700 (+15) with afterburners; Total Chase roll of +18 (+19 with afterburners).
• Stripped Down:

Move 20/600 (+14) or 30/750 (+15); Total Chase roll of +18 (+19 with afterburners).

Main Weapon Modules

The Drifter has a single weapon module, for a weapon that hangs below the cockpit, rated for 1200 lbs.

The BAN-6 Plasma Cannon Module: Redjack designed the BAN-6 primarily for the Drifter, which grants it the firepower to seriously damage much slower and heavier vehicles, especially corvettes. Ultimately, it’s a smaller, lighter version of the B00-M heavy plasma cannon, and follows the same rules: it risks overheating if it fires 3 shots in a row without letting the heat dissipate for 10 seconds between shots, at which point it needs a full minute to cool down. In Action Vehicular Combat, the BAN-6can technically fire once per turn, as an optional rule, the GM can require the pilot to wait one turn between turns to fire it, our to make a Gunnery (Beams)-4 roll to vent heat and cycle the charge faster. It can also aim at a spot nearits target, gaining a +4 to hit, but sacrificing the armor modifier.

The SC4-TRPlasma Gatling Module:Drifter Pilots prefer this weapon if they expect to get into dogfights with other fighters, combining the best of their high manueverability and the “scattershot” approach of the SC4-TR weapon.

The ZIP–3RBlasterGatling Module:Drifter pilots who aren’t familiar with plasma weaponry tend to favor this more familiar blaster.

Weapon	Dmg	Acc	Range	Ewt	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl
BAN-6 Plasma Cannon	5dx20(2) burn ex	6	2mi/ 10mi	1200	1/3	15/3E	M	-10	3
SC4-TR Plasma Gatling	6dx8(2) burn ex	6	3 mi/ 10 mi	1200	8	160/F	M	-10	3
ZIP-3R Light Blaster Gatling	6d×4(3) burn	9	2mi/ 5mi	1200	16	200/F	M	-10	2

Wing Modules

The Drifer has two hardpoints that can attach two modules, including weapons.

Missile Hardpoints:The most common choice for Drifter combat pilots, the wings can mount three 100mm missiles each. This has no additional cost beyond the cost and weight of the missiles.

Weapon	Dmg	Acc	Range	Ewt	RoF	Shots	ST	Bulk	Rcl
100mm Plasma Lance Missile	6d×20(10) burn	3	2000/ 10,000	25	1	6	11B	-8	1
100mm Plasma Missile	6d×10 burn ex	3	2000/ 10,000	25	1	6	11B	-8	1

Fuel Pods:The Drifter can be equipped with a hyperium fuel pod; each pod contains enough fuel two “fuel points.” Each fuel-point may be spent for one hyperspace shunt(if the vehicle hasa hyperdrive!) oran additional 4hours of flight time. 600 lbs, $2000 each (up to 2).

Thruster Pods: The Driver can equip two plasma thrusters on either wing point, increasing its thrust considerably. How much this improves the vehicle depends on what engines have been installed (note that having thruster pods meansyou’re using a Standard module layout, rather than a stripped-down one). 1200 lbs; $150,000.

• Plasma Thrusters: Move 30/800 (+15); Move 40/1000 (+16) with afterburners and +5/3 handling with afterburners; Total chase roll to +19 (+21 with afterburners). All uses of Afterburners in this state count as High-G manuevers.
• Next Gen or Hyperium Thrusters: Move 40/1000 (+16) and +5/4 handling; Move 65/1200 (+16) with afterburners and +5/3 handling with afterburners; Total chase roll to +21 (+21 with afterburners). All moves actions with the Afterburner become High-G maneuvers with a -4 to the roll!
• Plasma Fan: Move 20/700 (+15); Move 30/850 (+15) with afterburners. Total Chase roll +19 (+19 with afterburners).

Accessory Modules

The Drifter has one optional module located behind the cockpit, just below the robot access station.

“Silverfish” Force Screen Module

1650 lbs; $200,000.

The Drifter can be loaded with a Force Screen that provides 150 ablative, hardened DR. This comes with an internal F-cell that provides 6 minutes (6 action vehicular turns) of power.

“Hyperlight” Hyperdrive Module

1650 lbs; $500,000.

The Drifter can be loaded with a cutting edge, extra-compact Rating 1 hyperdrive. To use it, the Drifter must have an onboard Tech-Bot. The fuel (50 gallons of hyperium) provides enough fuel for one shunt and contains an energy that provides enough energy for a single, 8-hour jump; it is Rating 1.

“Longstrider” Fuel Module

1600 lbs; $5000.

The Drifter can be loaded with additional fuel. This provides sufficient fuel for 5 “fuel points.” Each fuel-point may be spent onan additional 4 hours of flight time.

Look and Feel

A Redjack Drifter presents a distinct and Galaxy-famous image of a cockpit strapped to a great array of engines. The cockpit resembles the “beak” of the vehicle, with a stubby body behind it, proving room for the accessory module and the robotic control station. Behind that, a great set of engines makes a “top-heavy” triangle, with the top “T-bar” of the rear acting as the “wings” which mount the wing-modules of the Drifter. While technically armored, the vehicle exposes many surprisingly delicate struts and support work, with the body acting only as a sleek, hyperdynamic streamlining for the vehicle.

The cockpit itself provides very little in the way of space, and the pilot straps into it in a “leanback” rather than “sitting” position. The cockpit provides streamlining, but no interior atmosphere, which requires the pilot to wear a vacc suit. Sparse computer controls with exposed wires for ease of repair provide straightforward interfaces that require familiarity with the typical “console” like Redjack interface.

The Redjack Drifter normally rests (precariously) on three small runners. When it launches, it rises on a repulsorlift (powered by a small power-cell good for only about 10 minutes) and then accelerates extremely rapidly. Depending on the engine module installed, a Drifter’s acceleration varies from noticeably pressing the pilot back into his seat and all the way up to chest-crushing power. Lacking a proper G-seat, all but the most dedicated racers or fighter pilots prefer to avoid the more powerful engines available to the Drifter, but those who embrace them have shocking acceleration and speed. Regardless of engine module, all Drifters have extremely touchy controls and can easily spin out of control. Their light framework also means they collapse under pressure or damage more easily than most Redjack ships, especially with poorly installed modules. In exchange, a Drifter can turn on a dime and even fly backwards for short periods of time by relying on its inertia.

Officially, the Redjack Drifter is a civilian racer ship. Racers have set up Drifter circuits throughout the galaxy, but especially in parts of the Trader Belt, Grist, and the Orochi belt, though the Empire officially outlawed them for fear of Drifter pilots weaponizing their nimble craft, but have found it difficult to enforce the ban. The Orochi circuit remains the only legally open circuit.

When fully armed, a Drifter can be a terrifying weapon in the hands of a pirate or a rebel pilot. They can keep up with, or even outpace, a Tempest-class fighter, and mount weapons capable of threatening a corvette. Drifter combat pilots tend to act as forward scouts or skirmishers, racing ahead of slower fighters, like Wildcats, to soften up and disorganize enemy formations while the rest of their allies move into position.