Ferris Tarnel's Guide to the Universe,
Section 5.
Toys, Tricks and Transport.

Contents.
  • Introduction. Even I can't live by my wits alone, a few of the various weapons, gear and vehicles that have crossed my path over the years.
  • Equipment. All sorts of intresting things turn up here, take a look and see what you might find.
  • Weapons. I spend a lot of time being shot at, here are a few of the things that have been pointed in my direction.
  • Jury Rigging. If you can't find the bit of gear you need you have to make do with what you've got. Or jury rig it.
  • Transport. If you travel as much as I do you get to see a lot of vehicles. Here are a few of my favourite ways of getting around.


Introduction.

There are millions of inhabited planets in the galaxy, and each planet has millions of occupants. Every one of those millions of millions of people want things; simple luxuries, speeders, droids, spacecraft... And so millions of corperations, businesses and individuals attempt to provide them with all they could possibly want. The result of this is that anything an individual could possibly desire is almost certainly available somewhere...

    They say that over a thousand new patents are filed with the galactic regisrty every hour... A hundred hungry new companies every day... The numbers are wrong of course; they've been saying it since before the Clone Wars, probably long before, and there is nothing like a war to spark innovation. The end result is more weapons, equipment, vehicles, and spacecraft than a sane being can keep track of. Happy shopping.


Equipment.

    "You know, I've got just the thing for that..." Nanik Drey, Squib Trader.

Need to pick a lock? Or climb a wall? Or start your starship remotely? Just to prove that guns aren't all the folks on the Fringe are intrested in here are a few other bits and peices that can prove indispensible.


Blaster Doubler.

This is a sneaky little gizmo, it consists of an arm brace which accepts a pair of standard power packs, and a lead that plugs into your blasters power port, plus the required parts to let it work proprly and not blow up in your face. All of a sudden your blaster has twice as much ammo as the next guys.

Model: Blaster Doubler.
Type: Blaster Accessory.
Cost: 200 Credits.
Availability: 2, X.
Game Notes: This allows a blaster to use two power packs without reloading.


Lock Picks.

Opening a locked door is a snap if you have the right tools.

Model: Standard lock picking kit.
Type: Lock picks.
Skill: Security.
Cost: 100 Credits.
Availability: 1, X.
Game Notes: The lock picks add 1D to the characters security skill for locks of difficulty Moderate or less. For more difficult locks the kit provides no benefit.


Ornamental Comlink.

Who wants a bulky, ugly, comlink? Palinid Technologies makes a range of ornamental Comlinks, appearing as broaches, bracelets, and pendants. If you wish to avoid attracting attention to your communications one of these may be a good idea, they also make great gifts...

Model: Palinid Technologies Ornamental Comlink..
Type: Personal communicator.
Skill: Communications.
Cost: 100 Credits.
Availability: 2.
Game Notes: As comlink. Difficult Perception roll to detect without examination.


Spring Loaded Sleave Holster.

It's always nice to have a trick up your sleave, and with this toy the tricks can be even closer to hand when you need them.

Model: Spring Loaded Sleave Holster.
Type: Blaster Accessory.
Skill: Blaster.
Cost: 100 Credits.
Availability: 2, R.
Game Notes: The holster allows a hold-out weapon to be concealed up the characters sleave and gives +1D to Blaster or appropriate skill on speed draws.


Weapons.

    "...no substitute for a good blaster by your side..." Han Solo, Smuggler.

Blasters, slugthrowers, vibroblades... the list goes on. These are but a few of the weapons that can be found in the possession of the varied populous of the Fringe. Face it, going about unarmed is about as safe as stepping out of an airlock naked, so get a blaster, get half a dozen, there's no such thing as to much firepower.

    I don't like guns very much. People tend to get hurt, and all to often it's me. I am however in the minority, most people on the Fringe have at least three weapons concealed about their persons, and if they say otherwise they're probably lying. Take all the guns you want, but remember there will always be someone else out there with more guns, better armour or some sneaky gizmo you've never even heard of before... Then you have to fall back on your wits, and you had better hope they're as sharp as that monomolecular blade you are carrying...

    - Ferris Tarnel.


TT-4 Multi-pulse Blaster Cannon.

A particuarly devastating weapon favoured by the least subtle of bounty hunters, and others who put guns over intelligence. The TT-4 multi-pulse blaster cannon is produced by Aturo Arms, one of the small rim corperations trying to get a foot hold in a competative market place.
The TT-4 was designed as an infantry support weapon for military units, a smaller, lighter, replacement for the popular E-web. Aturo's designers worked on the principle that by greatly increasing the fire rate of the weapon more damage could be done by a lighter, cheaper, weapon and created a revolutionary cooling system allowing an devastating barrage of fire to be unleashed with every shot.
However the new system meant that the TT-4 suffered from several design flaws that prevented its acceptance by the military. The first was that the weapon is difficult to use with out considerable (and, in the eyes of the military, expensive) training, the second, that while it was intended to be carried and fired by a single trooper the cannon is heavy and cumbersome, and finally and most importantly the new cooling system is prone to shutting the weapon down to prevent overheating, causing a distressingly high failure rate.
The origional run of TT-4's was sold off quietly on the private market, while Arturo's design team works on the solving the problems for the 4a. A harness and mount for the TT-4 is soon to be released, making it easier and less tiring to carry and fire.

Model: Aturo Arms TT-4 Multi-pulse blaster cannon.
Type: Heavy anti-infantry weapon.
Skill: Blaster; Multi-pulse blaster cannon. (-2D if not specialised).
Ranges: 3-50/150/400
Damage: 7D+1
Ammo: 25.
Cost: 3,500 Credits.
Availability: .3, X.
Game Notes: Due to the weapon's inherent unreliability any rolls of a one on the wild die when firing causes the Multi-pulse blaster cannon to jam and shut down. Re-initialising the weapon takes an Easy Blaster Repair roll and 3 rounds.
Due to the weight and cumbersome nature of the cannon anyone engaged in strenuous activity (running around, combat, etc.) while carrying the weapon must make a Moderate Stamina roll every round in which the weapon is fired or every third round of activity or become fatigued.


Jury Rigging.

    "You must be able to make the machine do what you need it to do." General Airen Cracken, Rebel Alliance.

It's always nice to have the right tool for a job. All to often though this just doesn't happen in which case you fall back on your wits and ingenuity and jury rig something that will make do.


Emergency Hyperdrive Repair.

There is nothing more annoying than being stuck in deep space with a broken hyperdrive waiting for the Space Rescue Corp to turn up and tow you in... Unless of course they aren't going to turn up. If you're subspace radio is damaged it will take years for a signal to reach civilization - and most starships only have supplies for a few months.
The repair mearly consists of replacing a pair of power couplings within the hyperdrive motivator and resetting the breakers, however if the casing has been fractured attempting to jump to lightspeed could destroy the ship.

Function: Emergency Hyperdrive Repair.
Skill Code:
Build: Starship Repair or Capital Ship Repair .
Use: Astrogation.
Building Dificulty:
To check if casing is not cracked, Difficult.
To make repair, Moderate.
Game Notes: First the Gamesmaster should determine if the casing is cracked or not, if it is any attempts to repair the hyperdrive will fail automatically.
The player then rolls to examine the casing, if the difficulty level is passed the GM should accurately inform them of any damage, if failed the player either cannot tell or makes an incorrect assessment.
If the drive is successfully repaired the ship can make the jump to lightspeed with the astrogation difficulty one level higher than normal.
If the casing is cracked and the ship attempts to jump to lightspeed the following can happen; 1- The hyperdrive explodes. 2- The hyperdrive explodes destroying the ship. 3- The ship jumps to hyperspace... and never comes out.

Most spacers would no sooner open the casing of their hyperdrive than stick thier
heads in the ship's fusion reactor, if it breaks, you call for an expert. But when
you're stuck in deep space and calling the SRC will bring unwanted attention to
yourselves this trick sometimes works. The times it doesn't... you don't want to
know.

- Ferris Tarnel.


Scrambling a Coded Lock.

If you have the code to an electronic lock keeping those who do not out is not difficult; If you do not have the code keeping out those who do is a little more difficult...

Function: Scrambling a coded lock.
Skill Code: Security.
Building Dificulty:
Moderate.
Game Notes: When scrambled the only way to open the lock is by picking it, the difficulty to pick the lock becomes Moderate.


Transport.

*** OK I admit it - I don't have any thing here yet but "Toys, Tricks, and Transport" was such a cool title I had to use it. Stuff on working for passage and cruise liners coming in the next update. ***


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