James `J-Man' Barton, Ph.D.
The motivation for this project, is twofold. One to actually have a system for which rules, new settings can be freely created and things produced on the Internet without any concerns for infringing on copywrite, company profits or any of the other legal quagmires that have been opened up by fans creating fan sites.
The other is a lack of developement in a particular vehicle movement system I used to spend time playing and a desire to get the community of this game moving in a more positive direction. Instead of lamenting the lack of new rules and supplements being created by the company. None of the names will be mentioned for various reasons.
The result is what you are presumably about to read. A direct compeditor to a multitude of systems out there, with some very real advantages. Well thanks for downloading this and enjoy reading. Rememeber this is a free system and needs community support to grow, no one makes any money from this, so if you have anything to offer don't hesitate to respond, see the info.txt file for a bit more general information on Rogue Matter.
Time is divided into 1/3 second sectors, at the beginning of each sector the driver may change speed and/or direction. 3 sectors are grouped together to form a turn (basically a second), once each turn every crew member may fire a weapon. This combat phase is resolved at the end of the turn.
Measurement is all done in metric units (for the U.S. citizens out there, 1 metre = 3.3 feet, 1 km = 0.625 miles, 1 cm = 0.4 inches). The scale is 1 cm = 2 metres. A car ( 2m x 4m) takes up a 1cmx2cm rectangle. These scales are not set in stone, if you want (and have the room) for real scale go for your life. Throughout most numbers are referred to in their real life and scale values.
The rules are organised in the following manner, all rules relating to movment, but not accessory and character affects on movement are in c:movement. With each step of the sector recieving it's own section. Similairly for combat in c:combat. Note there may be some doubling up of rules, ie when they relate to both movment and combat. However for the most part if you want to see how movment affects combat, look in combat, where as if you want to see how combat affects movment, look in movment. Accessories and weapons are different, if an accessory affects movment, look at the accessories section, similairly if a weapon affects combat, look under weapons. Hopefully this organisation makes it easier to find rules.
The logic behind this is that if you are moving a vehicle all the rules should be in one spot, same as if you are firing a weapon. When you are moving your vehicle the affect this has on combat is not that relevant, and is thus in a different section.
A couple of conventions in this book, each table and section is
referred to by a number, with a § preceeding sections and a for
tables. This isn't visible in the HTML version - dang.
The year is 2002, after countless decades of prophecies of doom and the surge in the late 20th century, as the millenium bug and 2,000 clicked over on the Gregorizn calendar. Civilization on earth is fairly quiet, with only the usual small scale regional conflicts to distract anyone from the continued economic growth on the news. Even the prophecies of pending doom had slowed down, the continuation of the earth after the 31st of December 2,000 had not done the prophesizers any favours.
2002, June 12th, 11:37 GMT. Observers at the VLA radio telescope [in?] notice an anomaly in a spectrum in the direction of Sagitarius. This is noted, but no other action was taken - belived to be nothing more than radio interference from the increased number of mobile phone satelites careering round the earth. [Need to check time and get an actual azimuth/hour reading on a location].
2002, June 29th, 15:45 GMT. In an unrelated survey in the SETI search a loud, uncharted click is observed in a similair location, but again not recorded due to it's lack of a regular pattern and thus interest from the SETI searchers.
2002, August 1st, 00:37 GMT. In a survey of the CBR to test the predictions of a new Cosmological model detects a brigt spot, this invalidates the theory, but after a couple of weeks of intense media attention on the theory and scientists involved, ends when President H. Clinton is impeached for a breach of electoral donations.
2003, February 2nd. The Theoretical Physicist re-releases his theory to the world and calls for an investigation in the CBR question, a further survey of the skies supports his theory, for the moment the Sagitarius data is ignored.
2003, February 11th. Ripples pass through the academic community as a paper is released in the obscure journal "Antipodean Journal of Erroneous Oversight". The paper links the 4 observations in Sagitarius to one object and plots the course. No comments are made on the possible nature of this object.
2003, February 13th. The ripples soon become a major wave as theories abound, the publisher of the paper releases an email to the effect that he believes the object to be a rock hurtling through space at near luminal velocity. His theory is labelled as interesting, but little further investigation is done and once again the object falls into the background.
2003, March 12th. Having finally gotten telescope time in Chile, the publisher flies down and begins observations.
2003, March 14th, 06:23 GMT. The object is finally relocated, having moved a measurable distance from it's original location.
2003, March 31st, 05:27 GMT. A new paper is released, the tidal wave following the previous ripples arrives.
Abstract of a press release from Uiversity of South Chile.
A series of four anomalies observed at [...insert location here] in mid-2002 has revealed itslef to in fact be an interstellar object of approximately 0.5-2 solar masses and at a distance of 10 ly away, from Doppler shift observations it is believed to be travelling at approximately 0.8c. The object also appears to be on a near miss collision with the solar neighbourhood, and could well travel within a km of the earth.
2003, April 1st, 08:00 GMT. The Rogue Matter story as it is soon labelled sweeps around the globe, starting with the BBC world watch. Many news agencies report it as an April fools prank and the story is gloated upon the next day by western reporters.
2003, April 1st, 17:00 GMT. All telescope time on telescopes in South America is cancelled and all atronomers and physicists and called into emergency meetings. The paper has been peer reviewed, Chile doesn't have April Fools day.
2003, April 3rd, 21:00 GMT. Western media releases the story proper as the Academic world begins to pour over data coming from the world's telescopes. Every telescope in the world is tentatively pointed towards the center of the galaxy.
2003, June 4th. As the world has started to calm down and the general public mumble about Academic panic. A new paper is released detaling a trail of stellar disturbances in the wake of the object, now affectionately titled JFK in memory of how many times the world leader told us the world was about to be destroyed. The size of the disturbance allows a rough calculation of the object as being 1 solar mass and on a direct collision course.
2003, October 7th, 14:00 GMT. An independant group in Russia release results suggesting similair figures as an American paper, to be published in 4 days; in September 2017 an object of 1.1 solar masses will pass within a distance of 1 trillion kilometers of the earth and sun. The resultant change in the gravitational and electric fields of the solar system will have an unknown affect on the location, climate and habitability of the Earth.
You're a part of the world's reaction.
People react in different ways. Some attempt solutions, desperately trying to think of a way to divert or evacuate the earth if need be. Others try to continue as normal, living a daily life as they always had. Many dive into religion, believing in an Armageddon to clear the slate and start a new world for the pious. Rejecting technology and going back to a simpler life. Of course not much of that is really fun (except for some of the religious extremism), the final group dive wholeheartedly into anarchy, determined to enjoy the final few years of pleasure.
Rogue Matter movement consists of vehicles moving around circles of varying radius. The smaller the vehicle's radius the more dangerous the turn. There is also danger in the speed of the vehicle, the faster the vehicle goes the more likely a loss of control.
At the beginning of each sector the speed and radius for the sector are declared, if there is no change from the previous sector, then there is no possible loss of control. If there is a increase in danger (ie increasing speed or tightening of the radius) then there is a possibility of control loss. A decrease in danger, does not lead to possible loss of control.
Sectors have been mentioned, each second is broken up into 3 sectors, each of equal length (1/3 seconds) at the beginning of each sector the vehicle may change speed and/or radius.
The speed and radius are compared on 2.3 to give a percentage chance of remaining in control. If this roll is failed then 2.4 is then used to determine how the original movement is affected.
The order of a sector is as follows:
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The player declares the radius of the circle, along which the vehicle will travel this sector. If this is the same as in previous sectors and there was no speed change or dangers encountered skip to s:m-vehicle, as no Control Status roll is required. The radius of turn, must be greater than the minimum turning circle of the vehicle (at the moment 5 metres for every vehicle).
After applying the modifiers from 2.3 to 2.3 the player attempts to roll under, or equal to this number. A failed roll indicates a loss of control, detailed in s:m-loss. Otherwise simply proceed to s:m-vehicle and move the vehicle.
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Once control has been lost, there have to be consequences. One more dice roll is required, with the following modifiers. Add the Status roll was missed by, and the speed /5.
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Understeer: The front wheels of the vehicle lose traction, as a result the car does not turn as rapidly as intended. The result is a drop in speed and an increase in turn radius.
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Oversteer: The rear wheels are losing traction, the result is a dramatic decrease in radius and speed. This is followed by another roll on the Loss of Control table, with any result higher than 50 being treated as though it were 50.
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If the car speed is reduced to 0 or lower, stop the car and double the rotation. The rotation is about the front corner in the same direction as the turn, ie turning right and lose control, the front right corner stays still, while the back is rotated clock-wise 45'.
Spin: The car rotates by 90' every sector, losing 10 km/h per sector. You can attempt the turn out of the spin, you must be facing in the direction you were originally travelling and roll another control roll at your current speed with radius of 5. If this is successful you regain control going straight ahead at the speed when you turn out. the car travels the normal distance while spinning, ie at 50 km/h it travels 5 cm.
Roll: Your car rolls, You lose 15 km/h per sector and rotate 1/4 flip for every 2 cm travelled, so if you are going at 50 km/h you roll on to your top and are halfway onto your side. In the next phase you'll be going at 35 km/h and will complete the roll onto your right way (at 35 -> 3.5 cm) and just start to go over. The next sector 20 km/h. So you get on to your side, the final one at 5 km/h, 1/2 way over to falling on top. You finish the roll, and end 4 sectors later on your roof - more than likely dead. Note that any time there is rotation left, you always fall onto the top/bottom, as the car is not very stable on it's side.
Before moving the vehicle the speed is modified, as per the player' s declaration. Each sector the vehicle moves the distance given in the final column of 2.3 If the vehicle is turning then instead of moving straight ahead the vehicle will move the above distance around a circle of the radius declared. A movement aid will be provided.
Each sector that the vehicle encounters one of the following, the prescribed penalty is appllied to the control roll for that sector, and that sector alone.
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This section is merely here for completeness, no rules yet. This will just be a list of dangers for firing a weapon (due to driver concentration being shifted) as well as being hit by a weapon, or effects of recoil on the loss of control, ie firing rockets and large bore weapons.
s:m-declare-s:m-vehicle deal with normal vehicle movment without the wheels losing traction in a controlled situation. However it is entirely possible to control the vehicle in such situations.
The following moanouevres may only be made if after normal movement has been done then thre is a percentage greater than 0, but less than 100. The car must be about to lose control, but still be in control.
At this point the driver may rotate the backend around, this adds no extra risk to the sector, but if a roll is failerd, then the result must be at least as bad as the current rotation, ie reroll until you get a higher result.
Speed losses are handleed as per the crash table. The maximum normal rotation is 45', if 90' is turned, the vehicle goes in a t-stop, decelerating 30 km/h per sector. If 180' is turned, the vehicle is now facing backwards, now at half original speed, or up to 50 km/h less, drivers choice.
This is VERY preliminary, but you get the idea - nothing else is possible. We don't have no special manoeuvres.
Please see the file eg.png for a quick move - not I think I've stuffed this all up - sorry I wasn't concentrating when I did it and the vehicle was moving at 80 kph and 60 kph. Got distracted - sorry.
Before the current turn begins, the vehicle is travelling forward at 40 kph in a straight line (ie radius = infinity).
Turn 1, Sector 1: Vehicle starts a radius 10 bend, without changing speed. The roll required is 50 circle of 10 cm. (note on that grid 1 square = 2 cm).
Turn 1, Sector 2: Vehicle continues as in sector 1, no change in radius or speed, thus no control check required and the vehicle moves another 4 cm along the circle.
Turn 1 Sector 3: Vehicle decelerates by 10 kph to 30 kph. This requires a control roll before it happens, so at 40 kph and 10 metres, with -10 by 10 kph. The driver rolls 20 and continues a further 3 cm around the circle, having successfully changed speed. That's it for now, in the next turn the vehicle will sharpen the bend and then straighten out.
Each sector the driver may fire one vehicular weapon. The only additional requirement is that at some stage during the sector the vehicle must have been pointing at the target location. The weapons are locked down, note there is a degree of freedom with this, if you are within 10' this is close enough, this is due to the driver performing small corrections during the sector to get the vehicle pointing directly at the target. Nor does the vehicle have to end the sector pointing at the opposition, merely at some stage during the sector they must have crossed paths.
The weapons fire directly out from the front of the vehicle and are NOT aimed, except by pointing the car in the right direction.
At the end of the sector, percentile dice are rolled and modified as per the target modifiers in s:c-targ. This is then compared with the difficulty of the weapon, MGs have 70% difficulty and are currently the only weapon.
Now gunners may also fire weapons, in this case the to-hit is *1.5, he's not concentrating on driving the car - that's why. He may also fire aimed weapons, ie directional mounts, turrets, etc.
Targetting modifiers are divided into 3 types, range, movement and other. A fourth complexity visibility comes into play, this is a tier 2 rule, but here for the moment. It acts as a modifier on any other to-hit modifiers.
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Every component has a damage point allocation (ie how much damage it can take) and each weapon has a similair number which describes the amount of damage it can do. These are the same amount and are used collectively.
Combat effects on armour are twofold, the first is the penetration of damage. As a round hits a vehicle the armour absorbs that number of damage points from the weapon, any left over go through the the vehicle interior. For example take a vehicle with 3 points armour and a rifle bullet with 5 points damage. 3 points are absorbed by the armour, with the remaining 2 going to the vehicle interior.
The second effect is a gradual decrease in the stength of the armour, as each round hits the armour it reduces the further efectiveness. To remove the first point of armour takes 10 points of damage, either striking or penetrating the armour. The second layer takes 20 points, the third 30 points and so on. Continuing the above example the armour has taken 5 points damage, another rifle shot worth 5 points will remove the top layer, leaving 2 points of armour. So a subsequent shot will pass through with 3 points to the internals, but we require a further 3 shots to remove the second layer and 6 more after that to remove the last layer, of course by that time the internals would probably have been destroyed completely.
Different armours will have slightly different properties, but will obey this type of construction.
No to-hit rolls are currently made, take your percentage chance of hitting, this is how many bullets that hit times 10, ie if you have to roll a 70 to hit, that means 30% chance of hitting or 3 bullets. 10 to hit, 9 bullets, 100% chance of hitting - 10 bullets. with each bullet doing 1 point this can equate to a LOT of damage.
For the current release, there are only 3 different designs, prefabricated to allow you to play. They follow very boring lines, one is lightly armoured and fast, another heavy and the final one a comprise. Creative juices flowed to think of that. The final 3 sections are temporary, just to hold the info on these vehicles.
Note for the different Control Table values, High means subtract 20 km/h from your speed, while low means add 20 km/h to it. Medium leaves it alone. Yes this is a temporary kludge.
The most manoeuvreable of the 3 vehicles, moderately armoured and a high top speed, then only problem is a lack of space for weapons. With only 2 small weapon pods at the front it comes with two 40 calibre machine guns front mounted.
Nice average vehicle, the only problem is a stark lack of armour, at least it mounts 2* 0.80 Calibre MGs at the front.
A slow, but fairly tough individual, heavy armour & heavy guns, sure you can't turn it, but you might not have to.
Please note; the following is very rough, so don't expect to much,
0.30 will have weapons nearer completion. Just like the other
sections, just a cut and paste job.
Size: LxWxH Size does not include all of muzzle (which canpoint through armour, be external, etc). But is rather the space required to mount one.
The trusty vehicular mounted MG, the staple weapon of choice for vehicular combat. It allows a good chance of hitting, almost always scoring a hit if a respectable number of bullets (for an MG) are fired at a target. Fairly heavy, but with a wide range of calibres. Many variations exist, high velocity versions, gattling versions. Many different types of ammunition are also available, tracer,hollow point, U 239 rounds, AP, tracers, etc. MGs fire a maximum 10 shots / second (600 rpm), although bursts can be used. Each bullet does 2 points, times the damage multiplier, so a LMG does 0-20 points damage every time it is fired, MMG 0-15, and so on. As a guide a person has about 10 DP. But that assumes Hollywood style deaths (2 shoulder shots, followed by 1 in the leg then 2 to the chest - finally dead), Really it should be about 5, so it takes about 3 slugs to the chest to kill you.
High Velocity MG, +H. Send out the bullets, with just a little more grunt, the gun remains similair, but the big difference is in ammunition. It is not interchangeable - any attempts to make HV ammuntion in a normal MG, have required a reduction in bullet weight and an associated reduction in damage.
Vulcan MG, +V. A very different design to normal MGs, featuring 6 barrels, which are rotated around, like the guns on aircraft and in particular Military helicopters, requiring a lot of ammunition, but capable of doing an impressive amount of damage.
Military Vulcan MG, +M. A combination of Vulcan MG and high velocity Mg, capable of firing 4* the normal of rounds at an extremely high velocity, this represents the pinacle in Machine Gun design, but the pinacle of marketing and sales as well, most people can't afford these.
Rapid Fire MG, +R Capable of firing 50 differences, can be combined with High Velocity MG.
Weapon Ini. Dmg. RPS Amm. Size Weight 7.62 (.30) MG-3 1.0 10 100 40x10x10 (D2) 15 kg. 10.2 (.40) MG-4 1.5 10 100 50x15x15 (E3) 30 kg. 12.7 (.50) MG-5 2.0 10 100 70x15x15 (G3) 40 kg. 20.3 (.80) MG-8 3.0 10 150 90x20x20 (I4) 90 kg. 25.4 (1.0) MG-10 4.0 10 200 120x25x25 (L5) 120 kg. High Vel. +H +0.5 -- --- ------ +1 kg. Rapid Fire +R --- 15 --- ------ +2 kg. 7.62 (.30) VMG-3 1.0 30 200 40x15x15 (D3) 30 kg. 10.2 (.40) VMG-4 1.5 30 200 60x20x20 (F4) 50 kg. 12.7 (.50) VMG-5 2.0 30 200 70x20x20 (G4) 70 kg. 20.3 (.80) VMG-8 3.0 30 300 90x25x25 (I5) 120 kg. ??? VMG-? 4.0 30 400 120x30x30 (L6) 150 kg. Military +M +0.5 40 --- ------ +20%
Please note; the following is very rough, so don't expect to much,
at the moment it is just the PED.doc pasted in here.
0.60 will have people rules nearer completion
STATISTICS
Characters in RM will have the following stats. Perception, Dexterity, Strength, and Stamina. These ratings will have a minimum of -30 maximum of +30 survival rolls) made.
Perception: This is the ability of the character to recognize what is going on around him. It is useful for spotting traps, hidden items, and ambushes as well as picking up on details.
Dexterity: Is a rating of how agile the character is and affects driving, hitting with weapons, dodging, climbing, and such.
Strength: Is a measure of how strong the character is and is use to determine damage bonuses, as well as how much the character can carry, and how large a weapon he can wield.
Stamina: Is the ability of the character to take and recover from damage. This skill affects the survival roll table.
SAVING ROLL
Any time a character takes damage they must roll a saving throw to keep from being incapacitated. This roll is made on a ten sided die. If the number rolled is over the damage taken the character survives with no effect. If the number is equal to or less than the damage number the character is incapacitated. Incapacitated characters must roll on the survival table to determine the extent of their injuries. This roll is made either at the moment the character receives first aid or after 5 minutes of game time whichever comes first. Only important NPC's and player characters need make this roll. All others can be considered dead or merely unconscious as the GM chooses.
SURVIVAL ROLL
All PC's and important NPC's that become incapacitated must make a roll on this table to determine the extent of their injuries. This roll is modified as follows.
Damage caused by blunt object or other “non-lethal weapons”: +15
Characters Stamina: Add positive numbers to the roll, subtract negative.
If the character receives first aid add ½ the skill level (rounded down) of the care giver to this roll.
SURVIVAL ROLL TABL
01 to 50 Death
51 to 60 Major injury: Character is bed ridden for 50 days minus his Stamina and then is at -15% to all skills for an additional 50 days.
61 to 75 Injury: Character is bed ridden for 40 days minus his Stamina and then is -10% on all skill rolls for an additional 20 days.
76 to 90 Minor injury: Character suffers -5 his Stamina.
91 or higher Unconscious for 5 minutes after receiving the damage, or until receives first aid, which ever comes first.
Optional Rule: The GM may require a character who has survived an injury to make a saving throw to see if the injury is permanent. The character must roll percentile dice and add their stamina to it. If the roll is equal to or less than 35
If a characters roll ends up being 51 through 75 that character is unable to move, or move off the battlefield unless they receive help from another character. (GM's may allow heroic characters a special effort to get to safety by themselves despite these injuries.)
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