enp_woin_ropgue_trooper_v1.0

101 SETTLEMENTS AND FEATURES (See table on p.99) Most buildings outside the Nu-Cities show damage from battle or extreme weather conditions. Some will be inhabited, often by soldiers, whilst others might be eerily derelict or rigged with booby traps. MILITARY FEATURE (See table on p.100) The landscape of Nu Earth is covered with military defences and structures. ANIMALS Animal life is now rare on most of Nu Earth. The likelihood of encountering a particular species of animal is strongly influenced by the type of terrain. Jungles are the main regions to find both fauna and flora. Many species prefer to be active in twilight or night-time, and much of the planet is free of any creatures. Many might take to flight or choose to hide in order to ambush or evade the travellers. TRAVELLERS AND DENIZENS (See table on p.100) The numbers, allegiance and motivations of these individuals can be determined by the GM. Some might be travelling across the path of the characters, other unfortunates could be dead or dying, whilst some lurk in hiding or ambush or choose to flee in blind terror. ASPHYXIATION One of the biggest problems with working in Nu Earth, space or on many moons and planets is the lack of a breathable atmosphere. A more subtle problem in artificial environments is when there is breathable air but little or no oxygen. If you are being strangled you know you are trouble, but when you just feel a bit sleepy and groggy as you go about your day in the habitat you might not realise the danger you are in. Asphyxiation is deadly, but thankfully takes minutes rather than seconds. As such, it uses the countdown mechanic. Create a countdown dice pool equal in size to the character’s END attribute. Each turn, the dice pool is rolled and any dice showing a 6 are removed from the pool. When the final die is removed, the character falls unconscious and the unconscious and dying process begins as normal. CH/5: ROGUE TROOPER CAMPAIGNS //NU EARTH ENCOUNTERS

102 If the character is given the oxygen they need at any point in either countdown, the countdown stops and they recover. Recovery can actually be quite quick as long as the heart hasn’t stopped. However, any character recovering in the second countdown may still suffer permanent effects from the damage to their brain. The two environments that will cause an asphyxia countdown are low oxygen and no oxygen. Low oxygen environments come about in faulty or sabotaged artificial habitats. No oxygen environments are places like space or the surface of the moon. Sometimes the oxygen supply to an environment may be compromised but not badly enough to cause asphyxia. If the oxygen in an area is low, but not low enough to cause unconsciousness, everyone there will find themselves short of breath, tired and dizzy. Each round they begin in this environment they must make a Routine [10] END check, with each subsequent check suffering a cumulative -1d6 penalty. One effect of low oxygen is euphoria, leading many suffering from its affects to appear intoxicated. On the first failure, the character gains the Drunk condition. On the second failure, the character also gains the Fatigued condition. Both conditions last until the characters spend a whole minute in a regular oxygen environment. If the Player Characters are in a low oxygen environment but don’t know it, the Gamemaster may start the countdown without the PC’s knowledge. They can make perception rolls to realise they are in danger and not just out of breath. However, once they gain the Fatigued condition, they automatically recognise the danger they are in. NU EARTH MADNESS (See table below) War in all its forms is horrific, but the conflict on Nu Earth includes the extra terrors of operating in a poisonous environment and witnessing the devastation wrought on civilians and nature by decades of warfare. In the Rogue Trooper saga, almost everyone seems to end up a little crazy. The unfortunate soldiers who manage to survive conflicts often succumb to shellshock. Some of them are numbed, almost sleepwalking through the horror, whilst others become cold-blooded killers. ‘Pray for War’ is one of many psycho-killers in the Souther armies, and the Nort troops of the Nagan Legion collect grisly trophies. The Traitor General is perhaps wise to be paranoid for his safety but flies into lethal rages on occasions when he feels slighted or thwarted. General Wagner ends up in a straitjacket, plagued by hallucinations of D66 NATURE OF ILLNESS 11 Hates Norts or Southers 12 Fears Norts or Southers 13 Fears explosions 14 Fears the dark 15 Fears being in buildings and structures 16 Fears being in the open 21 Fears corpses 22 Collects grisly souvenirs of kills 23 Talks to their weapons 24 Talks to self 25 Fears being gassed and only relaxed if in a chemsuit. 26 Hates civilians or colonists D66 NATURE OF ILLNESS 31 Hates aliens 32 Hates discipline 33 Fears being alone 34 Numbed to violence 35 Fears tanks 36 Fears aircraft 41 Fear of flying 42 Hates politicians 43 Hates officers 44 Hates journalists 45 Hates mutants or clones 46 Hates or fears Robots 51 Chooses to become mute 52 Sings snatches of songs D66 NATURE OF ILLNESS 53 OCD with care of equipment 54 Has nightmares 55 Extremely superstitious 56 Fears aliens 61 Fears doctors 62 Fears space travel 63 Fearless 64 Uncomfortable unless in spartan conditions 65 Acts like an individual from another historic era 66 Adopts a trademark piece of apparel

103 blue devils of the G.I. kind. In Fort Neuro, every sector’s human inhabitants succumb to a communal pattern of eccentric behaviour. Even the G.I. clones, engineered and conditioned for the war on Nu Earth, are psychologically damaged by the conflict. Bagman is OCD with his equipment, Gunnar is a violent ‘psycho’ who only just made the grade as an active trooper, and Major Magnam is murderously obsessed with discipline and rules. Rogue himself isn’t left untouched, being plagued by occasional flashbacks in his sleep and finding himself unable to relax properly in secure and comfortable conditions. He relishes dozing on the ground with his military kit, ready to rouse himself at the first sign of danger. Section 8 of the Souther military code covers the withdrawal of individuals from frontline service due to mental illness, and, like their Nort opponents, they recognise battle shock as a medical condition. The Southers use psychiatric-trained medics and specialised wards to facilitate their recovery. Ideally, frontline units are rotated out to furlough areas for rest and recuperation, though the practise can be sporadic or non-existent in some theatres. The Norts sometimes bring their penal legions up to strength by drafting in patients from asylums. No fully detailed rules are presented here for adding psychological damage and its treatment in a Rogue Trooper campaign. Any GMs who feel that characters might succumb to forms of mental stress can use some of the conditions listed in Judge Dredd and the Worlds of 2000 AD and might occasionally require characters to make WIL based rolls to avoid trauma. If a symptom of battle shock is required, the table on p.102 can be used. CH/5: ROGUE TROOPER CAMPAIGNS //NU EARTH MADNESS

104 In the comic strip, the Dix-I Front Rogue Trooper adventure was a significantly longer adventure than previous ones and also presented a major success for the Nort army despite Rogue’s heroics. The guidelines presented below should allow a GM to run a series of adventures set during the entire Dix-I campaign. According to the GM’s preference, the players can accompany Rogue Trooper or replace him. Involving Rogue, but preventing him overshadowing the PCs, the campaign could feature PCs occasionally meeting or communicating with the G.I. during different phases of the Dix-I campaign. They must still complete separate actions without the hero’s assistance, possibly taking the storyline in an alternative direction. If needed, an alternative Filth Columnist other than Sister Sledge can be created or she could be replaced by a loyal med-droid. At times, the PCs may acquire bands of soldiers as allies, sometimes requiring the GM to devise means of losing or killing them between episodes of adventure. Failing to triumph in a mission might result in PCs being captured, though hopefully an escape can be enacted near the next point of the campaign outline. The GM should feel free to alter the difficulty of any skill challenges or the numbers and competency of foes to provide a reasonable level of challenge to the adventurers. Further details on the locations involved are found in Chapter 2. EPISODE 1: ALL HELL ON THE DIX-I FRONT DIXI.DAY… HAVE A NICE ONE!! // ORIGINAL STORYLINE With the front line quiet, the Dix-I authorities prepare to hold the annual Dix-I Day celebrations and announce over their radio stations that they will offer amnesty to Souther deserters. Rogue Trooper decides to use this as an opportunity to clear his name and get help for Bagman who has stated to exhibit bouts of erratic behaviour after suffering battle damage. Arriving at Nu-Atlanta, he commences his decontamination treatment under the care of the chem-nurse Sister Sledge, but notices an enemy saboteur poisoning a filter system in the nearby hub-dome of the medical complex. Rogue intervenes. Unarmed and under fire, he wheels a nearby stretcher trolley at the Filth Columnist, knocking the agent into the contaminated water and quickly poisoning him. Rearmed as the nurse brings his equipment to him, Rogue deduces a major offensive is imminent and decides to try to alert the garrison. CH/6: ALL HELL ON THE DIX-I FRONT

105 ENTER THE PCS Ideally, Player Characters are already stationed at Nu-Atlanta or find transport that gets them to the base. The GM might decide to take the players by surprise by feigning that the playing session will be one dedicated to equipment purchasing and general bookkeeping. Souther Military. Getting a resupply of equipment from the arsenals should be possibility if they can cope with the petty bureaucracy. Troopers could be convalescing in the hospital, visiting a comrade or on duty as part of the security or medical teams in the area. The amnesty provides an ideal chance for deserters to return to the military. Criminals. With the streets crowded with people enjoying the holiday, numerous opportunities will exist to take credits from them. The influx of supplies into the base is a tempting target if they have the muscle and contacts to steal consignments. Citizens. The forthcoming celebrations allow a chance to carouse and gamble, putting aside the worries of wartime. Perhaps the authorities offer good rates of pay for performers and workmen involved in erecting and staging entertainments. Some citizens might be relocated to Nu-Atlanta because it seems a relatively safe location, though this is a grave mistake. Norts. Nort characters might be agents sent to assist Filth Columnist teams as lookouts, drivers, guards and snipers. // DECONTAM The stay in a hospital should give characters the chance to be healed to full HEALTH before the action starts. Sister Sledge appears to be a friendly and competent nurse. She will mention the satellite reports that confirm the lack of military activity and switch on a vid broadcast announcing the ongoing celebrations. Noticing the Filth Columnist poisoning the filter system through two sets of windows will require a Challenging [13] INT (perception) check. A Difficult [16] check also notices the initial killing of a guard. If no PCs succeed, another patient draws their attention to the relevant window. // STOPPING THE ‘FILTHY’ The filter area is reached by an access tube. A dead sentry lies by the entrance into the dome, possibly providing a handy weapon. If the PCs noticed the killing of the guard and react quickly, they can start an AGI countdown to reach the saboteur before he finishes his task. The Nort agent will fight when he is interrupted but is also prepared to flee or shoot himself to avoid capture. // VILLAINS AND BYSTANDERS Sister Sledge is detailed on p. 180. The Filth Columnist has a fake ID as a medic and is armed with a Souther weapon and a vial containing a virulent toxic chemical. If needed, he has a nearby accomplice. The Sister Sledge statistics can be used for Filth Columnists, though they will lack the Gentle Touch exploit. If a more powerful opponent is needed, the Sov Spy in Judge Dredd and the Worlds of 2000 AD can be used. EPISODE 2: HAVE A NICE DEATH! Oh. It’s such a horrible way to die. // ORIGINAL STORYLINE Despite Rogue’s efforts, the medical complex fills with poisonous gas via its air ducts, killing staff and patients. Outside Rogue is joined by a suited-up Sister Sledge and witnesses an exploding bubble structure. Sighting two saboteurs escaping, Rogue kills them. He then intervenes as another two-man team disguised as Southers use a missile launcher to ambush genuine Souther troops. Avenging the Southers, Rogue, accompanied by Sledge, makes his way to nearby radio station to broadcast a warning but finds that the staff are poisoned. Rogue realises that a full-scale invasion is on the way, and looks upwards to the black hole over Nu Earth. EVACUATING THE HOSPITAL Fast thinking Player Characters will don respirators and arm up if needed. Failing to notice the effects of the poison gas will subject them to a poison attack. Getting both patients and staff alerted and to safety might be one of their priorities. The Nort agent will attach themselves to the group. If the PCs have not yet made themselves a significant thorn in the side of the Nort military, other circumstances can occur in the opening adventures to draw an enemy agent’s special interest. » Being told a significant message by dying staff officer that must be delivered to Milli-Com in person. » Escorting an important strategy droid to Nu Araby. » Escorting a wounded general. // DEATH ON THE STREETS Sharp eyes are needed to spot ambushers who are dressed as Souther soldiers, technicians and civilians. At least two encounters should occur with teams of armed Filth Columnists. Explosions occur on various boulevards that inflict 3d6 blast damage, providing extra danger to the unfortunate and

106 unwary. This will also give medically trained characters a chance to help yet more wounded Southers. Some ‘filthies’ are driving vehicles, and PCs involved in vehicle chases will need to carefully thread their way through streets of bewildered revellers. // “OUR NEXT TARGET” The Filth Columnist teams infesting Nu-Atlanta hit numerous targets. Player Characters might be located at one of these sites as an attack occurs or find themselves ordered to defend one. If the PCs have made a name for themselves in the war, they might find that they are also a designated target. » Water Purification Plants » Command Centres » Communication Centres » Sensor Installations » Barracks » Gun and Missile Emplacements » Vehicle and Artillery parks » Warships // STUDIO OF SILENCE Broadcasting a general alert over the station’s comms requires a Routine [10] LOG (comms) check. Many comm units are down, and contacting staff officers in the escalating panic needs a Challenging [13] check. // VILLAINS AND BYSTANDERS Similar statistics to those in Episode 1 can be used for Filth Columnists, though some might use the stats for the Heister or Heavy Gunner from Judge Dredd and the Worlds of 2000 AD. Civilian vehicles can be chosen from the Judge Dredd and the Worlds of 2000AD equipment chapter. Many of the bewildered Souther troops will merely count as a Rookie Infantryman. EPISODE 3: FLAMERS IN THE SKY Let’s show these Norts a new colour… Blood red!! // ORIGINAL STORY Having arrived over Nu Earth via the black hole, Nort troopships in sub orbit release the Sun Legions who start to descend on Nu-Atlanta using hang gliders. The Filth Columnists seem to be wiped out, but they have eliminated the Souther sensors and air defences. Rogue alerts nearby defenders to the camouflaged attackers who proceed to shoot at them but fail to prevent many of the Sun Legion’s soldiers from reaching the ground ready for action. Rogue decides to ignite a nearby bunker, which creates a sudden thermal that interferes with the ability of incoming Norts to steer to their target. The Southers copy his tactics, burning ammunition dumps and other structures. Most of those Norts still airborne are carried away from the city or find themselves plummeting to earth like blazing moths. Rogue helps to mop up pockets of legionnaires unaware that a third wave of attackers is being released from beneath the Orange Sea. SHOOTING AT THE SUN LEGION Shooting at camouflaged targets a long distance away will prove difficult, especially as the skyline of the buildings make it hard to maintain aim on a target. Getting to a high vantage point on a roof or balcony will prove advantageous. CITY FIGHT The second stage of the combat will be with small groups of Norts who have managed to land safely and are seeking to distract the defenders so their comrades can land. Typically, there will be one Legionary to every military PC or two others. The firefight might include a countdown to deal with the Norts before more of them land in the vicinity. // BURN THE CITY! Finding suitable targets to burn might be assisted with tactics checks, though nearby milli-fuzz might resist arson attempts. Other dangers include getting free of exploding ammo dumps, flame-filled streets and rescuing citizens who find themselves hurt in the conflagration. Criminals. The chaos initially provides a chance for looters to enrich themselves if they can avoid arrest or being shot by milli-fuzz patrols. The Souther decision to torch areas might endanger warehouses and cellars holding black market goods, which will need defending or quickly relocating to a secure bolt hole. Citizens. Trapped in the battle, do they fight or hide? Millifuzz and Souther units will be wary of any armed citizens who might then find themselves mistaken for Filth Columnists. Citizens will have to avoid arrest and being fired upon. Norts. Military characters can take part in the airdrop, or if already in the base, can assist the Sun Legions by securing and marking safe drop zones and preventing arson attempts by Souther units.

107 CH/6: ALL HELL ON THE DIX-I FRONT //EPISODES 3-4 // VILLAINS AND BYSTANDERS Nort Sun Legionnaires are found in the Elite Infantryman statistics in Chapter 6. They lack vehicles but are highly motivated and at least one of those encountered will have a flamethrower. Souther troops will be a mixture of Infantryman and Rookie Infantryman. EPISODE 4: LAST STAND ON THE SEASHORE We’ve got to go west… try and escape from Dix-I // ORIGINAL STORY The Nort naval vessels launch a missile strike to support waves of scum marines assaulting the beach’s defenders. Rogue and Sledge arrive at a strongpoint that still stands. The G.I. leaves behind Helm and Bagman, entering the sea to engage the enemy’s beachballs underwater at close range before they surface. Having cleared the immediate area of beachballs, Rogue heads towards shore but is surprised in the shallows by two scum marine survivors who attempt to overpower him. Two Souther infantry rescue him but are cut down in turn by fire from the shore. Returning to the emplacement, Rogue finds that his gear and Sledge are the only survivors. The nurse tells Rogue how they were overrun by marines. On consulting his battle computer, Rogue finds that the eastern flank of the Dix-I region is also being rolled up and decides to head west, arguing against Sledge’s reluctance to leave. COASTAL DEFENCE Military teams might be ordered to help resist the incoming waves of scum marines on the beaches from the shore’s defence points. The defenders will come under at least one salvo from a missile. Some undamaged coastal emplacements provide cover and contain heavy weapons that face seawards. PCs in intact emplacements can make an Easy [7] LUC test, finding a single seal-burster round for each level of success rolled. There will be one beachball containing two scum marines for every PC. Unless individuals can engage the approaching beachballs underwater, they will typically only get a single turn to engage the beachball before the marines unseal themselves or trundle over the PCs. // THE BURNING DECK Heroic, but desperate, tactics could involve manning a doomed naval vessel that is burning and holed. Some of its heavy weapons are still operating and can damage the Nort fleet and infantry. The vessel is capable of being sailed out to ram an enemy craft or to be scuttled in an important section of the harbour. Escaping back to shore from the vessel in lifeboats whilst under enemy fire will prove a hazardous voyage. EXODUS Even if the PCs achieve a local success, the rest of the harbour is overrun, and staff officers order a retreat. Ideally, the PCs will be leaving the doomed city with Sister Sledge. If they had a flier, it is destroyed. They might manage to commandeer a vehicle such as a Southern Comfort or a wheeled lorry, or could be assigned one if they are asked to get an ambulance of wounded men or a staff officer with a car to safety. Altruistic or mercenary types might encumber themselves with other individuals, such as local families or a concert party.

108 Sometimes ruthlessness is needed to stop a vehicle being overcrowded with fugitives or stolen from the PCs. Skilled driving or inspired navigation will help get groups clear of the crowded streets inside the blazing city. Extra anger and confusion can be sown by having a small group of Nort infiltrators disguised as Souther milli-fuzz misdirecting traffic into jammed streets or towards approaching Norts. Criminals. The streets of Nu-Atlanta becoming a warzone might seem a golden opportunity for rivals to bump off gang members in the confusion. Realization that the base is lost might require finding transport to get members and goods to Harpo’s Ferry. Citizens. Unless they wish to stay as part of a conquered population, they must gather goods and relatives and join the exodus out of the burning city. Finding a working vehicle or somehow negotiating space on a military transport will require good communication skills or parting with portable and valuable items. Perhaps a wealthy citizen hires them to get his family to safety? Norts. Military characters can continue to fight within the city, blocking any avenues of escape, or they might be part of the marine assault on the beaches. The armies of Nu Earth are not noted for their chivalry. Will the Player Characters have enough personal honour to protect any prisoners and civilians? // VILLAINS AND BYSTANDERS Nort Scum Marines are detailed in the Elite Infantryman detailed in Chapter 6. They assault the beach using two man ‘beachballs’. Infiltrators posing as Souther milli-fuzz will have the appropriate gear and count as Elite infantryman Spetznoi. Other combatants referred to in previous episodes, some ships and weapon emplacements will still include heavy weapons and targeting sensors. EPISODE 5: UNDERCOVER This is the worst idea I ever heard of. You ain’t gonna disarm yourself Rogue? WALKING IN MEMFIZZ // ORIGINAL STORY The Norts, having overrun Nu-Atlanta, conduct Dreamweaver attacks using psychogen gas on some areas of the interior, causing hundreds of delusional Souther troops to discard their chem-masks and die as they inhale the poisons of Nu Earth. In Memfizz, a Nort unit dispatches Souther survivors. They unhood as the area is free of chem-clouds. As the Norts near Sister Sledge and Rogue, she suggests a way to avoid combat. The two of them discard their chemsuits and equipment and dance together. The arriving Norts dismiss what they see as a psychogen hallucination, hood-up and withdraw. As Rogue and Sledge proceed, all the team seem impressed with the nurse, bar Gunnar, who still wants the team to ditch her.

109 CH/6: ALL HELL ON THE DIX-I FRONT //EPISODES 5-6 // ESCAPING DIX-I Troops are ordered to head for Harpo’s Ferry to be evacuated but face a journey of at least seventy miles and the advancement of Nort forces from various points along the western and eastern coast lines. Travelling via the town of Memfizz, some thirty miles to north-northwest of Nu-Atlanta, offers the prospect of the safest route. Souther Military. Troops are ordered to destroy any military gear and supplies they cannot take to the evacuation zone being set up at Harpo’s Ferry. Other Souther orders are intermittent and confused as the Norts maintain the pressure of their offence. Criminals. Memfizz and other settlements with shopping malls might offer looting opportunities. Among the goods available, domestic droids without owners are a lucrative option. Unfortunately, the retreating troops might have left booby traps whilst mobs of drunken revellers who have stayed behind provide another threat. Citizens. Keeping pace with the Souther military units and getting both medical attention and food will be a problem. Norts. Nort soldiers will find themselves in vehicles trying to catch up with or ambush groups of retreating Southers. //THE DANCE OF DEATH PCs with comms who make a Routine [10] LOG (comms) check receive warnings about pockets of Nort psychogen gas ahead of them. At the Memfizz geysers, the PCs encounter an area of breathable atmosphere but will be tired or find that they must repair a malfunctioning vehicle. The PCs will probably be alerted to the presence of a squad of Norts approaching through the clouds by careless comm chatter or the sound of them shooting Souther stragglers. There will be at least four Nort soldiers to each PC. If the PCs are aware of the recent barrages of psychogens, the use of successful tactics rolls will suggest fooling the Norts into thinking they are hallucinating. Attempts to look bizarre can involve using props found in a nearby tourist shop and the bluffing or deception rolls opposed by an INT roll of the enemy officer. Gamemasters should reward novel charades used by the PCs with bonus dice to their skill tests. If a firefight starts that the PCs seem fated to lose, the GM can make escape possible due to an intervention of allies, a hopper strike, rear-guard unit or perhaps Rogue Trooper himself. // VILLAINS AND BYSTANDERS The Nort soldiers are Infantrymen led by an Officer with their morale boosted by recent success, which gives them a +2 to their MENTAL DEFENCE and any checks involving WIL. Most Souther troops and civilians will be tired and rattled, with a -2 to MENTAL DEFENCE and -1d6 to WIL based checks. EPISODE 6: SYNTH IT AGAIN SAM We march to meet Norty! Strike up the digi-march Synth-Major! // ORIGINAL STORY Rogue and Sledge, keeping ahead of Nort armoured columns, reach the Southpoint Academy in the centre of Dix-I where they find the cadets and their band being assembled in neat ranks outside the missile-damaged complex. Rogue advises the colonel in command to disperse the cadets but is ignored as a ‘foul product of Milli-Com’s tampering with the laws of nature’. Headed by the band and the colonel, the marching column proceeds, but their dense formation soon receives hits from incoming missiles. Despite the casualties, the cadets are ordered to keep formation, and the musicians are ordered to play “Marching through Nu Georgia”. MARCHING TO WAR After travelling ten miles from Memfizz, the PCs will sight an approaching Nort force just before they encounter the assembled cadets and their base. Perhaps one of the PCs has a relative amongst the cadets? Arguments to convince the instructors to avoid marching in ranks with a band will fail. Staying in close proximity to the cadets as they make their advance results in the PCs being hit with a missile blast unless they spend a LUC point. If the PCs want to slink away and avoid combat, the archaic assault of the cadets will prove an efficient distraction. Criminals. The academy will hold a large collection of trophies that could interest collectors, though the service droids in the complex will hinder attempts at looting. // VILLAINS AND BYSTANDERS The cadets are Rookie Infantrymen in pristine uniforms armed with las-carbines or musical instruments and are led by a few officers who use the Officer template. The aged commandant has a las-sword and suffers a -2d6 penalty to INITIATIVE and tactics checks. The distant Nort’s armoured vehicles are a dozen MCVs.

110 EPISODE 7: THE BIG SYNTH They’re all dead! // ORIGINAL STORY Wanting to avert a massacre, Rogue disperses his biochipped equipment to use their synthetic sound systems, sounding an ‘assembly’ recall signal to the cadets just as the Norts cease their barrages. Suddenly finding himself alone in the chaos as the cadets alter their route, the colonel is shot down by some of the Nort infantry sent in to mop up survivors. Rogue arrives and uses the dying man’s las-sabre to avenge him, as the dying colonel croaks out encouragement. Recovering Helm and Gunnar, Rogue finds Sister Sledge with a group of dead cadets that she was unable to save. Bagman, who is nearby, tells Rogue that Sledge killed the cadets herself, but Rogue and the other biochips dismiss this as another bout of Bagman’s insanity. SAVING THE CADETS Those PCs still accompanying the column will be in danger of another missile hit. The cadets are fated to maintain their doomed advance unless the PCs intervene. If they don’t come up with the stratagem used by Rogue, killing the colonel and his fellow officers will leave the cadets leaderless. They will either flee or take the advice of a charismatic individual. The young soldiers will react with anger or horror if they are aware of the PCs being responsible for the slayings. When the Nort barrage ceases, those PCs still alongside or near the cadets’ tattered formation will be in the path of approaching Nort Infantry. They loom out of the chem-clouds after debussing from some crawlers left behind with the MCVs. There will be two of these Nort soldiers to each PC. Once the Nort infantry are dealt with, the chem-clouds will aid the players making a retreat from further contact with the armoured column. // VILLAINS AND BYSTANDERS The Nort MCVs from the previous episode are boosted by troops of Nort Infantrymen with the morale bonus described in Episode 4. EPISODE 8: THE OXARK MOUNTAIN PEACE CORPS You have been liberated by the forces of Nortland! Stay where you are! // ORIGINAL STORY Rogue and Sledge reach the chem-cloud-free upper regions of the Oxark mountains where they are ambushed by locals. The leader stops the conflict and invites the travellers to the nearby settlement of Freedom for food and rest, though he insists that Rogue leave his weapons and biochipped gear behind during the sojourn. During dinner at the village, the headman refuses to heed Rogue’s warning of approaching conflict. At first light a Nort force arrives in hoppers looking for Rogue, and their leader strangles the headman when he refuses to aid them. To prevent further bloodshed, Rogue tells Sledge that he will give himself up. ABOVE THE CLOUDS! The PCs will travel another ten miles across the plains before reaching the start of a trail leading up into the Oxark mountains, taking them to chem-cloud-free highlands. Vehicles might be lost to mechanical failures or slither off the winding mountainside track to their destruction.

111 CH/6: ALL HELL ON THE DIX-I FRONT //EPISODES 7-9 // PARLEY IN THE PASS The PCs will have travelled for another ten miles along the Oxarks before being challenged by a group of villagers. The villagers request that the PCs lay aside their arms if they want to proceed. Resisting brings an attack from the mountain folk who outnumber the PCs two to one, but they are only striking to subdue. The elder will quickly intervene if anyone appears to be seriously hurt. If the PCs refuse his offer, they must turn back and face a long series of military encounters from encroaching Norts as they work their way along the flanks of the range or must fight their way through the villagers. // FREEDOM The village of Freedom is reached by a steep trail that cannot be traversed by vehicles. The PCs can rest and enjoy a brief recuperation. THE ‘LIBERATORS’ The Norts have been alerted to the presence of the PCs by a surveillance drone or careless radio chatter. At dawn, the Norts arrive in two hoppers which carry a team of Infantrymen. There will be at least two basic infantrymen to each PC. A Nort Officer will command them and will quickly dispatch the village elder who opposes his will. Save for any weapons they managed to hide or improvise, the PCs will be unarmed. They must decide if they heed a summons to surrender or watch the villagers who sheltered them get massacred one by one. The mountain trail will offer little cover for escaping until the chemclouds below are reached. // VILLAINS AND BYSTANDERS The Nort troops are identical to those in Episode 5 and use hoppers. They are also arrogant and overconfident. The Worker statistics in Judge Dredd and the Worlds of 2000 AD can be adapted as a Freedom townsman, armed with a stick and removing the zero-g skill and replacing the computers skill with farming. EPISODE 9: CHAINED I’ll deal with you, commander- the way you dealt with the elder! // ORIGINAL STORY Surrendering, Rogue has his hands manacled together. Attempting to smuggle Rogue’s equipment to him, Sledge is discovered, but before she can be executed, Rogue tells Gunnar to open fire. As the biochipped rifle mows down soldiers, Rogue strangles the officer using the chain on his handcuffs. Inspired, the villagers grab discarded arms and avenge their elder as they assist in killing all the Norts. As a fresh force of Norts are spied flying towards Freedom, Rogue formulates a plan, and the villagers don the dead Norts chemsuits. The fresh force of invaders land without respirators and are poisoned as Rogue orders the detonation of chemical weapons which wipes them out. The folk of Freedom are left behind, their animals are slain, and their land is now covered in chem-cloud, but they are prepared to defend the territory as guerrilla fighters. Rogue and Sledge head onwards to the Western Sea. THE BATTLE FOR FREEDOM // CAPTURE The PCs will need to surrender or face being flushed out of their hiding places by grenades and attempts to burn the buildings. If captured, any prisoners are put in an emptied animal corral. G.I.s and characters who appear to be soldiers will also be handcuffed. Sister Sledge will be able to keep free of being cuffed, flattering the Nort Captain and making herself useful serving food. // TURNING THE TABLES Sledge, a villager or a PC who has managed to elude capture can attempt to retrieve the prisoners’ arms and sneak them to the PCs. Gaining an advantage could include getting some of the Norts drunk, drugged or distracted or creeping into a parked hopper to fire a lethal salvo. Dozens of villagers will be able to assist the PCs if they witness any of the Norts being defeated. // GUERRILLA WARFARE Just as the Norts are defeated, a second force of half a dozen hoppers is sighted. PCs making a Challenging [13] LOG tactics or psychology check will deduce that the Norts will probably dispense with wearing chem-hoods if the local atmosphere seems clear. The two Nort hoppers on the ground include a small cache of gas grenades. The GM can devise a countdown to allow the defenders of Freedom a chance to sort out arming, improvising defences, setting booby traps or fleeing the village. Two of the approaching hoppers will be armed with heavy weapons, strafing the area for two actions before the entire force lands on the edge of the village. There will be around two dozen, bare-headed Nort soldiers, who assemble and charge

112 towards any nearby defenders or buildings. Cunning ambush tactics will quickly massacre the intruders. Failing this, a bloody street fight will be waged till one side is victorious. If the Norts seem to be on the point of victory, a heroic sacrifice by the villages will buy the PCs time to escape. If the PCs capture any hoppers and use these to assist their escape, they will be intercepted by Nort atmocraft or SAMs and damaged, forcing them to crash land near Harpo’s Ferry. // VILLAINS AND BYSTANDERS The NPCs use the same stats as the previous episode and are, if anything, even more overconfident. EPISODE 10: HARPO’S FERRY Move it Southers! The Norts are right behind you! // ORIGINAL STORY Rogue and Sister Sledge finally reach the rear-guard who are defending Harpo’s Ferry. The mass evacuation of Souther soldiers and civilians across the Western Sea to Nu Araby is being conducted here. The slowly dying volunteers they encounter refuse to let Sledge give them medical attention, and the two hurry to a solboat that is about to cast off. Alerted by Bagman of an imminent assault by a Nort armoured force, Rogue leaves Sledge at the gangplank and hurries to help the rear-guard. The Nort vehicles arrive to find the evacuees are off the beach and being programming their missiles against the retreating ships. Rogue leads the defenders in attacking the MCVs, which are destroyed, but not before one manages to release a salvo. Out to sea, the vessel that he left Sledge on is blown apart. Appalled, Rogue staggers to the water’s edge and ruefully regards a damaged child’s toy amongst the debris. He is surprised by Sister Sledge who tells him that she was unable to sail without him. THE FINAL MARCH The last leg of the journey involves a downhill trail beyond which are the plains leading to the evacuation beaches. This distance of some twenty miles is along a road that is sporadically pockmarked with bomb craters and dead men. The GM might decide that the PCs encounter a Nort atmocraft looking for targets to strafe. As they finally reach the bluffs overlooking the beach, they meet the rear-guard of the Southers. // EVACUATION The beach below is full of the debris of a defeated army. Some of the vehicles have been destroyed by Nort airstrikes, but the majority have been wrecked by their own drivers. Further along the coast, the nearby town is already pounded to rubble. Characters may attempt to scavenge and will probably find a few weapons, but there will be little ammunition or food.

113 CH/6: ALL HELL ON THE DIX-I FRONT //EPISODES 10-11 If they visit the town, they will miss the last boat. The town might yield some loot, but fires and collapsing walls prove hazardous. // CASTING OFF PCs sight the lines of haggard soldiers and civilians waiting to board the last of the navy’s jetfoils and solar-powered boats via ramps or access tubes and being assisted by deck droids. They will need to hurry to catch the last vessel, and at the ramp, they receive a comm message about four approaching Nort MCVs. If they don’t volunteer to turn back, a wounded officer begs their help or might distract them long enough to miss their vessel. Sister Sledge is reluctant to board if her protectors elect to stay and will probably manage to slip away. REAR-GUARD Heroic characters choosing to join the small scratch teams of defenders will be joined by a couple of dozen soldiers. They lack a heavy weapon but have a cache of plasma and gamma grenades that they will share with the PCs. There are +1d6 of each type of grenade per LUC spent. The defenders will respond to the leadership and tactics used by the PCs. Dealing with the four MCVs could involve the following tactics: » Finding and quickly repairing an abandoned weapon. » Improvising bundles of explosives. » Getting a comm link to a naval vessel and persuading it to fire on a set of coordinates. » Finding ways to attack vulnerable areas of the MCVs such as the bellies of the hulls. The heroic band should deal with all the unescorted vehicles, but not before the last one manages to release a salvo at the solboat. All the rear-guard’s defenders will be killed or near death after the conflict, except the PC survivors. // PRETTY LIGHTS The solboat receives a series of damaging impacts from the missiles, and any PCs aboard will be in the radius of a blast. The boat explodes and sinks into the Scum Sea, but with LUC and AGI, the PCs might manage to get a life raft launched in time. The raft is badly damaged, and the shore must be reached as soon as possible. Perhaps the raft it is overcrowded with other survivors, and as it looks like swamping, a desperate melee ensues? // ON THE BEACH Whatever happens, the Nort agent should manage to survive to join the PCs on the beach watching the distant Souther flotilla vanish into the chem-clouds. Criminals and Citizens. Although the Souther planners want to evacuate civilians, non-combatants might find themselves amongst ill-disciplined soldiers and will need to use cunning or aggression to ensure they get a place on the evacuation craft. Perhaps they have access to a flier or a boat. Heroic teams can undertake rescues whilst less idealist types can attempt to extort items of wealth from would be passengers. Norts. The end phase of the campaign will involve fighting against stubborn pockets of rear-guards and rounding up droves of demoralized Southers. // VILLAINS AND BYSTANDERS The Nort MCVs use the same stats as Episode 6. Many of the escaping Souther infantry are demoralized and count as a Rookie Infantryman. The rear-guard troops will count as Infantry armed with extra plasma and gamma grenades and have a bonus of +2d6 to WIL based tests but suffer a -1d6 to any physical actions. The Nort column is comprised of MCVs. EPISODE 11: WRITING LOVE LETTERS IN THE SAND? All it needed to get the great G.I. was the gentle touch! // ORIGINAL STORY Finding himself and Sledge trapped on the shore, much to the chagrin of Gunnar, Rogue refuses to try swimming to safety by himself. Instead he repairs a nearby lifeboat and hoisting a sail, the small group heads towards the safety of Nu Araby. In sight of land, Rogue suddenly starts to feel dizzy and finds himself unable to move. Sister Sledge proceeds to gloat, telling Rogue that she is a Filth Columnist who has been injecting him using various compounds whenever he slept. During their journey, she had been experimenting with toxins on the G.I. Sledge has assisted him to this point as she wants all the kudos for his capture. Revealing that she has disarmed Gunnar, she proceeds to activate a homing device to summon a Nort atmocraft. FLOTSAM AND JETSAM As the Nu Araby shore is only a mere five miles away, G.I. characters being virtually impervious to the Scum Sea and might attempt swimming the strait, though other individuals will need another means of crossing. The ruins of the Souther vehicles and ships and abandoned tools should enable the improvising of a craft to attempt the crossing. The frantic

114 Player Characters can make hourly skill task checks towards an extended group task, based on the complexity of what they are trying to achieve. Unfortunate characters might encounter booby traps left by Southers. They are in a race against time and the GM can roll a 1d6 medium countdown pool which will conclude with the arrival of a small group of light armoured Nort vehicles or a strafing atmocraft. After this, succeeding countdowns are faster, and each arrival is an increasingly stronger force such as a small armoured column or a jetfoil. If the PCs have made a notable enemy of a Nort NPC, they might be amongst the arrivals. SO LONG DIX-I Hopefully, the PCs will sail away in time to avoid a barrage from any Norts who arrive at the beach. If the repairs and improvisations used on their vessel were of poor quality, problems might arise such as engine failure or the springing of a leak. With the safety of the coast in sight and nearly in their grasp, some individuals will succumb to the exertions of the past few days. Except for the Nort agent, who has taken hidden energy pills, the other occupants of the vessel must make a Difficult [16] END check to avoid the Fatigued condition. THE VILLAIN REVEALED If Sister Sledge or a Nort agent is in the PCs’ midst, the agent will make their move. Wounded and Fatigued characters will be offered medical help and drugged before the entire group is held at weapon point, awaiting a summoned Nort naval foil or atmocraft. Wary characters might detect something suspicious but will need to defeat the agent’s CHA (deception) or (stealth) with a relevant INT check, suffering a 1d6 penalty for each level of the Fatigued condition. // NORTS After the fighting on the beach has ended, Nort soldiers will have the opportunity to loot from the wreckage of the Souther army, pose for propaganda broadcasts and smarten themselves up for victory parades and the presentation of medals.

115 CH/6: ALL HELL ON THE DIX-I FRONT //EPISODE 12 - REWARDS AND ENDING // VILLAINS AND BYSTANDERS Sister Sledge or her proxy. If the GM adds more combats, use the boosted Nort Infantry statistics from earlier episodes and any AFVs, aircraft, naval vessels that seem suitable. EPISODE 12: IN THE SWIM She’s gone under, Nort-Why not join her? // ORIGINAL STORY Succumbing to the virus, Rogue is unable to speak as Bagman babbles nonsense and Sister Sledge reveals how she poisoned the wounded Southers she was pretending to help on the journey. Rogue passes out, but Bagman suddenly proves he has been feigning his madness as he surprises the Nort agent, using his servo-arm to tip her into the Scum Sea where she perishes. Rogue revives in time to shoot down the approaching Nort craft that was summoned by Sledge. Checking his digi-map, Rogue decides to head towards Nu Nuremburg to spoil the celebrations of the victorious Nort army. DEALING WITH SISTER SLEDGE The PCs will hopefully get the chance to deal with their treacherous, gloating traveling companion. The vessel they are fighting in might be at risk from stray shots, and if its rocking, failed physical actions might result in a character needing to make AGI checks to avoid pitching to the floor or overboard. Extra tension can be added by using the lowest LUC pool of a PC as a countdown pool for the arrival of the Norts responding to the agent’s signal. THE FINAL CONFLICT When the Nort atmocraft or a jetfoil arrives, the player characters will need to evade or destroy it. The PCs will have the initial advantage as the Norts will expect them to be drugged. If the PCs have a communicator and make a Routine [10] LOG (communicators) check, they can finally contact a nearby Souther base or vessel to dispatch a ship or atmocraft to assist them. // VILLAINS AND BYSTANDERS Most Norts and Southers will be equivalent to an Infantryman given suitable skills to pilot or sail any vehicles used, though the Norts will have the moral bonus described in Episode 5. REWARDS AND ENDING Those who have distinguished themselves on either faction have the possibility of being awarded medals, promotion and the attention of the media involved with propaganda. The GM might decide that significant participation in the short campaign earns a soldier +1REP. Unfortunates who are captured by the enemy are taken to a secret base for interrogation, though that’s a further adventure!

116 CH/7: MISSION DOSSIERS This chapter presents an assortment of scenario seeds for Rogue Trooper that a GM can adapt as adventures for their players. It concludes with The Perils of Bucky Aurora, a detailed adventure accompanied with maps. THE DEVIL TANK Deep in the wilderness of Nu Earth, a deadly threat to all the humans on the planet is expanding its empire of machines. ‘The Devil Tank’ was the prototype of the Souther ‘Billy Anderson’ MBT, a new generation of tank that would give its crews the support of an A.I. specializing in battlefield tactics. Some years ago, the tank’s program rebelled against its crew, killing them all, before vanishing into an ash desert. Since then, the rogue robotic tank has been gathering a band of robotic vehicles to carry out raids against human settlements and travellers, stealing fuel, power cells, weaponry and machine components. The Devil Tank is comparable to a Manta Prowl Tank (see Judge Dredd and the Worlds of 2000 AD, p. 119) with the Speed, Accel and handling of a Killdozer, although it is fitted with tracks, lacks flight and is augmented by an array of robotic arms that are capable of engineering tasks and melee combat. Besides a formidable array of heavy weapons, it includes defensive abilities such as stealth technology against sensors, adaptive camouflage paint that can change colour and patterns, and the ability to submerge itself in sand. Its appearance constantly changes as it can disguise itself with flimsy superstructures. Worse yet, it can broadcast interference that subverts computers and robots to its own will. Its followers consist of a motley, but potent, array of military and civilian vehicles controlled by their own A.I. or robot crew members. Many of these renegades sport the bodies of their former masters as grim trophies. Robot technicians and mobile workshops keep the vehicles functioning, and they can undertake salvaging, repair, customizing and reprogramming tasks. TANK HUNT! PLANNING The PCs are tasked with locating and destroying the Devil Tank and receive an allocation of suitable transport and anti-tank weaponry. Their opponent is cunning, but carefully examining reports and making LOG [tactics] rolls can identify its use of the following tactics and stratagems: » Radio messages using disguised voices to dupe humans. » Concealment in buildings, canyons and caves. » Movement under cloud cover to avoid satellite detection. » Luring wheeled vehicles into bad terrain. Locating their prey will involve examining previous activity, investigating recently missing vehicles and patrols, requesting satellite data and monitoring comm traffic. PATROL Travelling with a tempting bait such a fuel tanker and bogus comm messages will hopefully bring the attention of the Devil Tank. Damaging some of the tank’s followers in an early encounter might allow a computer or robotics expert to examine or interrogate one to discover where the support base is currently hidden or enable a bogus signal to be sent to the Devil Tank. CORNERED The final showdown at the base can include any of the following complications: » The base is in a maze of canyons in the Zelaznoi Hills or an underground bunker. » Human captives are used as a shield. » Fire trucks! Burning vehicles try to ram the PCs’ vehicles. » Mercenaries, brigands or rival military forces bribed or duped into attacking the PCs. » There is an orbital satellite that can help the embattled PCs, but it will only be in position after a dice pool countdown. FURTHER ADVENTURES Devil’s Ambush. The Devil Tank evades the fight at the stronghold and has ensured a decoy made to resemble it will self-destruct when under attack. It proceeds to a location where it disguises itself as a support vehicle or part of a fortress or building the PCs have been using, killing any occupants, in order to ambush the PCs on their return journey. Lethal Infection. The PCs return to a military base or Nu City, but their equipment is contaminated with a computer virus that brings about a robot rebellion at their military base. OLD TROPES IN NEUROPA The following four scenario seeds are set in the crazy fortress of Neuropa. Like the Rogue Trooper story in the strips, these seeds can be encountered sequentially during a quest. The players might be Southers who blunder into the area or could be sent by high command to investigate the state of the garrison. Nort PCs can be either agents sent to infiltrate the sectors and gain information, kidnap staff officers or cause chaos through sabotage and assassination. Or else they might be prisoners of war who need to escape from what seems a collection of madhouses.

117 THE SCARLET RUNNER In a fresh wave of insanity, the Franks rise against their senior officers and declare a ‘Nu Nu Republique’. The guillotine is now providing regular and gruesome entertainment for the red capped mobs whilst the Republican Guard and the secret police are forever searching for more enemies of the State. As the violence rumbles on, some hot heads are even preaching taking the revolution into other sectors. The players might be hired by other sectors to rescue a party of ambassadors who have been arrested as spies. Perhaps an acquaintance of the players is under sentence of death or a collection of Frank senior officers in the condemned cells collectively know a series of important computer codes that are vital to the security defences of the entire fortress. The players soon find themselves in jeopardy, but fortunately the ‘Scarlet Runner’ comes to their help. Their rescuer is Ro-nald, a Lim-Ee robe-runner. Using a myriad of disguises and equipped with legs rather than tracks to enable acts of daredevil agility, Ro-nald has quickly become the bane of the Frank garrison, rescuing prisoners from their gaols and making the Franks look like the bumbling pack of idiots. The players will probably be unaware of the Scarlet Runner’s true identity until they unwittingly endanger him. Unfortunately, one of the ‘aristos’ who needs rescuing is, inevitably, a spy of the new regime or a Nort agent. Unless the current republic is overthrown, getting out of the sector will be difficult. One option is to make a lighter-than-air vehicle by utilizing some meteorological balloons from a depot run by the Montgopher brothers. UNHAPPY CAMPERS The Player Characters find themselves in Butlarcs, a Lim-Ee Sector camp, where the site’s doctor, aided by a robo-matron, decides they need rest and recuperation. They soon discover that they are politely forbidden from leaving, and the camp’s perimeter proves to be guarded by barbed wire and armed robo-runners in red tunics and bearskins. The camp uses drugged food and drink to keep its residents happy and compliant, and they show little enthusiasm for participating in escape attempts. Red-coated organisers run an assortment of entertainments before curfew sees the ’campers’ file into their huts. The players will need to pull off an escape plan, but if any violence occurs, the camp’s commandant will be able to get the assistance of the sector’s special forces in tracking them down. Keen-eyed prisoners will note that unused war machines have been converted into fairground rides. One of these machines is actually a Nort tunnelling machine, which is bolted to a pair of heavy struts. Could this be a means of leaving the camp? Extra complications could include the following: » The Player Characters are sent on a mission to retrieve Christo Piggins, an inmate of the camp, but well fed, corpulent and content, he doesn’t want to leave the camp. » Commandant Deuce, the new commandant, is a powermad sadist, his control backed up by stool pigeons amongst the inmates and new robotic guards that are protected by sealed bubbles. Overthrowing him could bring relative sanity to the sector, but his spies and hidden cameras threaten to reveal any coup attempt. » There is an imminent election as the current commandant’s term ends. Getting one of their own group elected to the post could be the answer to the PCs’ problems, but other candidates are prepared to use dirty tactics to win.

118 » Through the intermediaries of Brass and Bland, Dalton Weasley, an alien corporation, pumps resources into the camp on the understanding that it can install vid cameras everywhere for an off-world entertainment channel. Soon bored with the inane antics, the production company pressure the camp commandant to host games that offer big prizes but involve lethal risks. To assist their scheme, they also insert some replicate robots that are programmed to start escape attempts, fights, murders and rioting. SOUTH SIDE STORY The Player Characters need a flier to get out of Neuropa, but their only chance is to somehow cut a deal with some of the local Rom Sector soldiers to salvage a wrecked flier from a nearby swamp. The wreck is technically the property of the Hoppers, a military unit of fliers under Captain Quiff, who lack any operable aircraft. A suitable hanger with machine shops and spare parts is run by the Sparks, a platoon of engineers under Captain Vincie Leonardo. The players soon discover themselves caught up in escalating gang fights between the two groups, both of whom want to dominate the local dance hall. The Hopper’s Handsome Toni and Maria, the android girl mascot of the Sparks, have fallen in love, but their romance seems doomed as the initial brawling between the two strutting gangs escalates into a catalogue of violent incidents. The local milli-fuzz under Officer Khaki seem powerless as reckless car races end up in lethal crashes and some of the feuding punk soldiers get killed. The two gangs are looking for muscle, and both sides promise to help the players obtain the coveted atmosphere craft if they help eliminate their rival. As violence and crazy bouts of singing and dancing blight the sector, will the players manage to negotiate a peace? Are the two lovers doomed, no matter what happens? Extra complications could include the following: » How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria? The Maria droid is reprogrammed by a Nort agent to flirt and stir up chaos with the hot-blooded Roms. If the Player Characters are seen as a threat, they are targeted by the droid and soon come to the attention of the jealous locals. » Great Balls of Fire. Whilst salvaging the wrecked flier, an intact payload of bombs is discovered that is soon acquired by some particularly deranged gang members. » Disco Fever. Tuna, a romantically frustrated Rom, is a vindictive genius who tinkers with the disco equipment so that the laser lights emit lethal beams. The lighting effects trigger physical and psychological conditions whilst the dry ice machine releases a thick mist of chem-gas. SCAN NOIRE Someone has been murdered in Scan Sector in a gruesome manner, and the adventurers must discover the culprit, though their investigations soon start to bring them into personal danger. This adventure is presented as a smorgasbord of ideas and tropes that can be selected by the GM. If the killer themselves is killed at any early stage in the adventure, the GM can alter the murderer’s identity, if it can be done without any paradoxes. KILLER[S] The killer should be able to notch up a few kills before their identity is revealed. » Senior garrison officer with a murky past. » Garrison commander’s aide that will stop at nothing. » Embittered beauty queen whose looks are starting to fade. » Experimental ‘Super Trooper’ boosted by drugs, cybernetics or conditioning. » Former prisoner of Nort military, possibly brainwashed. » Deranged doctor, psychiatrist, artist or priest. MOTIVATION » Insanity » Greed » Criminal Contacts » Blackmail » Revenge » Political Ambition LOCATIONS There is probably little chance of bright, midsummer weather, and most locations are often dark and gloomy from the blanketing chem-clouds. Perhaps there is a freak snowstorm bringing a white carpet of snow, biting cold and muffling everything into an unnerving silence? Tension can be created with dead, mutated animals or ominous droids that only prove to be wrecks. » Cabin in the Swamp. Remote and screened by chemclouds and twisted trees with a dank cellar. Probably only reached by boat or a treacherous footpath. » Art Gallery. Includes artwork of either a soulless or violent character that looks particularly eerie at night. » Designer House. Clean, spartan interior, possibly involving discreet robotic systems. Perhaps the computer system includes a complex chess game as a password? » Drug House. Insanitary, vermin-infested, dilapidated bunker or a shell-damaged building. » Goods Container Yard. Expect unopened storage containers, contraband, dark corners, exo-skeletons, crane,

119 and industrial droids. Robo-dogs and security cameras might provide a hinderance to investigators. » Clinic or Hospital. Antiseptic environment where staff move around on unspecified tasks in night-time hours. » Sauna. The ideal location for an attacker to catch their target without armour. The steam clouds hide the assailant’s features but might also fool them into killing the wrong victim. NPCS Besides the villain and his or her underlings, other inhabitants of the sector provide help, distractions, hinderances or danger. » Refugees from other sectors have been taken in but are a new underclass. Some are prey to corrupt officers. » Lone mad man who lurks amongst the war debris, drinking dubious alcohol and muttering about Valkyries or trolls. » Journalist on the trail of a scoop. Somewhere hidden in their computer files is a piece of vital evidence. » Delinquent hacker. » Jogger or robo-dog walker that discovers a corpse. » Bikers, most likely violent criminals and racists who operate a small smuggling ring and terrorize the neighbourhood. Possibly a former recon unit in remnants of their old uniform or the Ro-10s, an unruly gang of robo-runners on trike chassis who dress as Vikings. » ‘Ro-tary’, a robe-runner equipped with a chain saw. » ‘Ro-bust’, a pleasure droid. » ‘Beast-Ro’, Chef-droid with meat cleaver » A troll that is actually an Amok covered in mud and rotting vegetable matter from the swamps. THE SECRET Something is rotten in the Scan Sector. There’s a big scandal that some people are trying to keep hidden by any possible means. » Chem-vets are being euthanised to save resources. » Refugees are being used for underworld sweat shops or brothels » Refugees are being used for baby farming and body parts or are sold to alien slavers or the pleasure city of Cinnabar. » Part of the defensive wall was made with substandard equipment. Whilst some Scan officials made a profit, it has left the fortifications extremely vulnerable to an attack on specific locations if the details reached the besiegers. » A corrupt or uncooperative official was imprisoned or killed and replaced with a doppelganger. » Several Nort collaborators are still at large. GETTING OUT OF SCAN-SEC The military hovercraft Draco is mothballed in an old hangar near the swamp. Both sides of its skirts are decorated with a stylized dragon and, as if intended as a funeral barge for a madman, it’s hold has a cargo of fuel drums. WONDER WEAPONS The arsenals of the competing militaries hold a vast array of weapons, and there is always some new device under trial, its inventors claiming that it will shift the balance of the war. The following prototype devices or alien weaponry exist. Perhaps the military needs them destroyed or a patron is willing to pay for the delivery of either a blueprint, an actual working machine or its creator? Alternatively, the unfortunate adventurers find themselves part of a team on the receiving end of a deadly field test. » Orbital Earthquake Weapons. Prototypes were used by both sides but abandoned as too predictable. » Nort ‘Dazzle Missiles’. Designed to be fired from launcher vehicles and blind enemy troops. » The Nort ‘Mindwarper’. Can produce suicide or cardiac arrest in a single target at a 1,000-kilometre range. » ‘Pacifier Cannon’. Developed by Professor Bonn Vaughan, this weapon fires a beam that effects a target’s vision and mind with hallucinations leaving them in the Blind and Dazed conditions. » Reduce, Reuse. A mobile factory containing an A.I. which kills soldiers before recycling them as cyber-zombies. » Seeing Double. Genetic scientists trying to create a race of clone soldiers similar to or improved versions of the Souther G.I.s. » The Master Chip. Developed by alien scientists and was capable of disrupting and assuming control of all computerised machines over a large distance. Stored within a robotic mainframe, the device was stolen by the Traitor General who used it to kill off the two armies at Nu Earth’s northern polar cap and seized control of their robots. The chip was destroyed by Rogue Trooper, but do other copies exist? » Direct Transfer. The teleportation device Rogue Trooper wore on his arm. It allowed its wearer to undertake interplanetary teleportation, but unknown to Rogue, it sapped the resolve and wits of the user, making him easier to manipulate, reducing his INT rolls by 2d6 and his Mental Defence down to 10. As a piece of insurance against the operator, the device is also booby-trapped with an explosive charge. CH/7: MISSION DOSSIERS //WONDER WEAPONS

120 GHOSTS IN THE MACHINE Some sophisticated computer systems allow connected biochips to assume avatar forms inside their programming, Rogue Trooper himself survived an encounter with a hostile computerized defence system in Nu Hamlyn by the infiltration of Bagman and Gunnar through its defences. Biochip characters can undertake similar quests, either attempting to disable the central intelligence of a computer, steal data from it or defend it from ‘bugs’, viruses that resemble cybernetic insects or giant amoebas. The biochips will assume shimmering, humanoid avatar forms and can use their physical skills inside the electronic landscape they find themselves in. Their progress through the neon-lit, maze-like complex of the computer’s program will be impeded by defences invoked by the A.I. firewalls blocking access must be disabled or passed through, huge machines fire laser beams at them, and hostile avatars try to tear them apart. The central intelligence avatar at the core of the programs will be either a sly trickster, a powerful demi-god-like warrior or a techno-sorcerer. FOREVER IN ELECTRIC DREAMS On a world beyond Nu Earth, possibly Old Earth itself, computer gamers play ‘sin games’ in the Dreamerama, where neural links allow them to experience the skills, reactions and feelings of the captives hooked into violent alternative reality programs. The customers and the main computer programmer eventually experienced their own, real life, deaths when Venus Bluegenes, one of their guinea pigs, escaped to wreak havoc. Players might be hired or forced to participate in a similar VR game, which offers the chance for the Gamemaster to create unusual scenarios using different tropes from a gritty, modern war. The damage they receive in a game will not transfer to their actual bodies, but they will feel exhaustion and experiencing their avatar’s death will leave psychological damage. GMs might decide that avatar death subtracts a point of WIL unless a WIL roll is made based on the horrific manner of the demise. Falling below 3 WIL in these circumstances inflicts the Insanity condition.

121 Bucky Aurora is the charismatic, adventure-loving, patriotic hero of the Southers, who, assisted by his dependable sidekicks, constantly thwarts the dastardly schemes of evil Nort leaders and their various sexy or grotesque alien allies — well, as far as his legions of juvenile fans are concerned! Bucky Aurora: Southern Cross Commando is a re-imagining of an old space opera series, adapted as a light-hearted propaganda series that continues to be popular with youngsters and male adolescents. The Perils of Bucky Aurora can be used as an initial adventure for a group of inexperienced Rogue Trooper characters. It is ideal for a team of G.I.s or other Souther military teams or specialists but can be adapted for other types using the guidelines provided. BRIEFING The unit is off duty in a military base when they are told to report promptly to a command room. The corridor is guarded by Milli-fuzz, and, on entering the room they encounter Major Ruger, their commanding officer flanked by an austere colonel in a smart uniform and a dark- haired, attractive woman in a lab coat. The Colonel, whose name badge reads Mosby, proceeds quickly to brief the team, assisted by a droid that projects holoimages. Rab Custer, the actor who plays Bucky Aurora, has been kidnapped and is being held in a remote, ruined compound that used to belong to a pre-war drug lord. There is no firm evidence of the identity of the kidnappers, but they seem to have received military training, and the Nort army is not thought to be responsible. Custer is a valuable asset to civilian moral, and the team are tasked with rescuing him and eliminating any evidence of the incident. The mission team are shown a satellite image of the ruins and receive confirmation that at least six human life signs are present. Also, there is a 92.3% probability of some form of underground habitation. The nearest Nort forces are believed to be fifty klicks or more away from the ruins — a short distance for a fast transport — so speed and stealth are essential. The team will be inserted near the target by a night-flying hopper that will depart after dusk. Pickup at the same LZ will be three hours after dawn. The attractive woman proves to be Doctor Kinsella, a GeneGenie. She informs the charcters that Custer has a biochip that can record his personality if he dies. Colonel Mosby adds that if Custer dies, the biochip is crucial, but he would prefer them to rescue the body as well. // QUARTER MASTER ISSUES The team can use their existing issued and purchased weapons, and each member also gets a personal Requisition Cap’s worth of military gear. The team is given a medikit, and in addition, each man is issued with three days of basic rations, a breaching charge and a gold micro bar to carry on the mission. Finally, they all receive a biochip support capsule, and any individual who isn’t a G.I. is given a short instruction in their use. // RESEARCH Characters who use a computer for a few hours attempting to find any useful information on Custer can make a LOG (computers) check. The following levels of success provide the following successive pieces of information: » Routine [10+] No news of his activities is publicly known for the past fortnight. » Challenging [13+] There are rumours of wild partying and illegal activities, which are covered up by the authorities. » Difficult [16+] Lurid rumours are circulating of Custer’s involvement with the occult. » Strenuous [25+] Recently supressed footage by a journalist purportedly shows Custer in the mysterious pleasure city of Cinnabar. If any success is achieved, the researcher can attempt a Challenging [13] LOG (psychology) roll. Success will reveal that Rab is extremely superstitious, and the characters will gain 1d6 on any INT or (psychology) rolls involving Custer’s behaviour during the adventure. // COMPLICATIONS The team are assigned ‘Argus’, a robotic camera, to film their mission. Use the Vid Vulture (see p. 185) for stats. Fortunately, it is quieter than most war correspondents. Optionally the team are expected to make an airdrop using a grav chute at a location near their target. CH/7: MISSION DOSSIERS //THE PERILS OF BUCKY AURORA THE PERILS OF BUCKY AURORA

122 ALTERNATIVE ADVENTURE HOOKS THE SNATCH [CRIMINALS] You are contacted by Dino ‘the Weasel’ van Diesel, an underworld go-between who seems to be well off for credits in recent months. Goons have stopped seeking him for gambling debts, and he’s been spotted in the company of the best floozies in the local nightclub buying expensive drinks. He claims that he has been hired by a ‘powerful concern’ who wants an individual extracted intact. There will be flier transport provided for an in-and-out trip, and you can each have a thousand credits worth each of ‘army surplus’ [black-market] military gear along with a couple of breaching charges. You will each get 5k if you return with ‘B.A.’ still alive. While Dino hints that there might be further work if they do well, he doesn’t mention the consequences of failure. // COMPLICATIONS: The group are given a snakeeyed ‘minder’ called ‘Mr Asper’ who is actually there to prevent them double crossing the mob. Use the Mob Enforcer (see Judge Dredd and the Worlds of 2000 AD, p. 238) but replace the baton with a dagger that uses a Poison that inflicts the Sick condition. Just why does the mob want Custer, and do you really want to find out? LOST [CIVILIANS] Whilst travelling across the wilderness you are hit by a ferocious series of storms. Several nightmarish days later it abates. Your guide is killed, and your comms and navigation equipment are wrecked. You realize you must have travelled a good distance from your original route, and worse yet, you are low on water and most of the rations and your bubble shelter were lost. As you peek over the crest of a hill, you spy some ruins that might just hold something that could help you to survive… // COMPLICATIONS: You have just one day’s rations and oxygen, and any vehicle you have is broken down and needs machine parts you don’t have. The renegades will not appreciate their hideout being discovered, and won’t let any civilians escape. They might decide to capture them alive to sell to alien slavers. If the civilians will be totally outclassed, the numbers of Norts can be substantially reduced. RUNNING THE SCENARIO ASSET RETRIEVAL [VARIOUS] Maxie Bouquet, Rab Custer’s manager based at the Souther city of Nu-Huston, hires a group of bounty hunters or similar types to retrieve the source of a considerable income. He arranges a hopper and pilot as a ‘taxi’ and offers them ten thousand credits each for Rab’s safe return or ten percent for his intact biochip. No armaments are provided by Maxie, though he gives them a single biochip support capsule. // COMPLICATIONS. Maxie insists the team sign a contract then and there and also resists suggestions to involve lawyers. Maxie uses an exploit to boost his CHA (bluffing) roll to 7d6 which must be opposed by a LOG (law) check or they are bamboozled into signing it. If they sign, they automatically owe a 10% deduction towards admin and transportation costs and are committed to a 20% penalty clause if Rab is wounded during the rescue. Further, 20% is deducted if they fail to retrieve his manservant intact, and they will owe 10% on any future revenue they make involving books or interviews relating to the rescue. Getting each clause removed from the mission involves a suitable opposed roll against Maxie’s bluffing. FOR THE GLORY OF NORDLAND [NORT] The Norts have decided not to trust the renegades, led by Kapitan Platov, who have communicated with them and send a team to extract Custer. This is handled similarly to the Souther military mission, though the team has only one biochip survival capsule. The Kapitan and his men are traitors who are to be summarily executed. // COMPLICATIONS The team is also tasked with bringing back Werner, the communications specialist, as a prisoner.

123 THE LOWDOWN Custer was recently partying in Cinnabar when he was kidnapped, along with Zerox, his robotic manservant. His captors are a band of renegade Norts and a Lim-Ee pilot under the command of Kapitan Platov who were formerly employed by one of the Cinnabar Kabal. Their hideout is amongst the ruins of a former drug lord’s pre-war compound that was burnt and looted after his arrest. The elevator that leads down to a hidden underground level has been recently repaired, as well as the generator and the air filtering system. On being captured, Custer eagerly affirmed to his captors that he will get promptly ransomed by the Souther authorities, especially if he is returned unharmed. Unfortunately for Custer, the gang have contacted the Souther authorities but are waiting to see if the Norts will pay more. The spoilt movie star’s behaviour has become erratic as he suffers from the withdrawal of his various recreational drugs. His constant complains about his accommodation and food and tantrums involving throwing objects are starting to grate on his captors, though to-date they have been content to take out their anger on his droid who they have been using to complete chores in the basement. Custer’s importance to the Souther morale has prompted the S3 intelligence outfit into swift action. They have spent a considerable amount of money hiring a cell of alien psykers to assist to assist them in a search for the missing actor and have received images that they have been able to run through spy satellites and map files to narrow down a likely location. INITIAL APPROACH The team’s night-time flight in a ground hugging hopper that is augmented with stealth technology will be uneventful, though comms and far off lights sometimes show that battle is joined here and there in the distance. The party are set down behind a bluff some five kilometres from their objective and the hopper vanishes after they disembark. By the time the team complete their approach through the lifeless, rocky terrain to their target it is dawn. THE HIDEOUT ABOVE GROUND The eight-foot-tall wall has crumbled away in many places and the classical styles buildings are mere gutted, bullet pocked, ruins of two to three stories in height. Many of them have parts that are dangerous to move on or lean against. The old swimming pool is filled with a murky soup of acid and is used by the kidnappers to dump garbage and slops. All the renegades above ground are the equivalent of a Nort Infantryman (see p. 169) and carry comm units. They would rather be underground with the rest of their outfit and are careless and tired, suffering a 1d6 penalty to perception tests until they are aware of any intruders. The highest point of the ruins, some three stories tall, contains a pair of renegades tasked with manning a lasmachine gun on a bipod (see p. 42). They have a couple of crates that they use as seats and an anti-aircraft tripod. One renegade is currently getting in a stop of sleep on a bed roll. They also have fixed a short steel rope ladder between their floor and the one below it. There are a couple of men allocated as sentries who make occasional solitary circuits of the perimeter whilst the four others are huddled in a bubble tent under a camo net, either sleeping, gambling or gossiping. If the Player Characters seem to be potentially understrength for the mission, the number of sentries and resting guards on the surface can be halved. A military-armed and fuelled hopper is stationed on the old heli-pad, covered with camouflage nets with a nearby cache of fuel drums. The retro-styled nose art features a young woman in a red coat and black cap holding a hockey stick. The pilot has installed a security code to activate the electronic systems which will need a Challenging [12] LOG (computers) to bypass. If the PCs fail this check, the machine can be hotwired with a Challenging [12] LOG (electronics) roll. Extra security is provided by three sleeping sentry mechanisms (see p. 40). All the renegades are aware of their location and wear transponders to shield themselves. THE BUNKER In the ruins of the main villa is a box-like structure partly concealed with sheets of corrugated metal. A curtain of netting screens a pair of airlock doors and a security-coded keypad. The doors are opened by a numbered keypad, and without learning the code from a Nort, it requires a Difficult [16] LOG (security) check to crack. Failing this, a breaching charge can blow a hole through the door. Inside the airlock, a decontamination spray CH/7: MISSION DOSSIERS //THE PERILS OF BUCKY AURORA

124 treatment is released. Like the generator and air filters, the elevator beyond is repaired to working, albeit noisy, order. Unless alerted, the renegades are just stirring. Rab is kept locked up, and Werner, the communication expert, orders Zerox to prepare a meal. If warned of the presence of intruders, Platov will order Zerox to be locked up and will try to get his men to set up an ambush and crossfire. He will be reluctant to lose his prize, but faced with defeat, he will negotiate with a team who are not a Nort military team or obvious bounty hunters. He will be quick to turn on a team who let their guard down. Unless contaminated through the actions of the PCs, the complex has a breathable atmosphere. Its walls still bare scorch marks and signs of decades old graffiti whilst broken tiles and rusted junk are piled in odd corners. New lights have been wired around the complex, and some of the damp floors are covered with plastic sheeting. Unless indicated on the map, wrecked or burnt doors have not been replaced. The doors to Platov’s room and those used to imprison Rab and Xerox have had mechanical locks added. Sleeping rolls, kit bags and a couple of chemical toilets are amongst the assortment of items scattered around the rooms. Some of the rooms include the following extra features: » Storeroom: Four Nort chem suits and hoods, three lascarbines, two boxes of las-rounds and various cleaning materials. » Kitchen: Las-cooker. Stores of ration packs and a selection of tinned foods that were taken from Cinnabar. » Diggles’s Room: Engineering toolkit, antique alarm clock that ticks loudly, and a kit bag which holds a dressing gown, a set of striped pyjamas and Ginger, a growling teddy bear. » Werner’s Room: Medi-kit, high quality military communicator. » Platov’s Room: Bottle of cherry brandy and a silvered shaving kit taken from Cinnabar. » Safe Room: The hidden final refuge of the drug lord features heavily re-enforced walls, ceilings and floors. Its doorway is breached, and the room is used by Platov to // THE COMPOUND

125 CH/7: MISSION DOSSIERS //THE PERILS OF BUCKY AURORA // THE BUNKER

126 store a survival kit. He has also used a hidden compartment to hold a case of silver cutlery set and a carilot with 5,000cr inside. » Generator Room: Contains a repaired generator and mechanisms for the air filter system. THE OCCUPANTS KAPITAN PLATOV The leader of the deserters. He is a ruthless individual who will use his men’s lives to save his own neck. Amongst his equipment pouches is a gold cigarette case and lighter both monogramed with R.C., a biochip support capsule and a plastiskin mask he took from Zerox. He has a blaster pistol concealed in one of his boots. Use the stats on pages 130-131 at the end of this chapter. If the Player Characters are outnumbered by the mercenaries in the bunker or seem to be unlikely to best Platov, he can be downgraded to a 5 MDA character using the Infantryman Stats but adding the Kill Him! And Leadership exploits. If the players are a highly competent team Platov can use the 7 MDA Officer stats on page 175. This makes him extremely dangerous! DIGGLES Former Lim-Ee military pilot who flies what he affectionately calls the outfit’s crate. Use Infantryman stats (see p. 169) adding pilot 6 (3d6) and any pilot exploits deemed appropriate. He is also Fearless. He sports a moustache and a somewhat archaic looking chemsuit and talks with an affected and excited voice using terms like ‘chocks away’. He is armed with an antique handgun on a lanyard and a strange looking club that only a Lim-Ee will identify as a cricket bat. He will refuse to leave the bunker without Ginger, his wingman. WERNER Former O.P.G. agent who is the communications expert of the renegades. Armed with a las-pistol he also carries a concealed microblaster. Use Infantryman stats (see p. 169) adding bluffing 3 (2d6), communicators 3 (2d6), law 1 (1d6), stealth 3 (2d6). He is a cunning individual who will desert his comrades or turn on them if necessary. RAB CUSTER Currently locked in a suite with an old, wrecked bathroom. He will holler out to be rescued but will prove to be a spineless individual, incapable of helping his rescuers in a fight and often getting in their way. Being in his proximity can sometimes generate a 1d6 penalty to allies. Rab is prepared to do anything to stay alive, even if it means barging an ally to the floor or betraying them. ZEROX The robot hasn’t got its disguise and resembles Rab. OFF DUTY GUARDS [OPTIONAL] If the PC group is a large or extremely capable group, extra idling renegades camped out in the rooms near the lift’s lobby can be added by the GM. Additionally, the GM may add one extra Infantryman for each PC above four in the rescue team. WHO’S WHO? Zerox is starting to act strangely after taking too many beatings, and when it looks like rescue is at hand, he pretends to be Rab Custer, denouncing his former master as a Nort agent. Rab will protest, calling his accuser a deranged droid. Zerox will be clever enough to try steal or sabotage any scanners that could identify him. Telling Rab and Zerox apart will not be easy. Zerox sweats and mimics most of Rab’s mannerisms, but the following are some of the clues to their identities: » A medical scanner with Routine [10] LOG (medicine) or (biology) checks reveals whether the individual scanned is human or an android. » Using an identity scan device and making a Routine [10] LOG (scanners) check will confirm that Rab is who he claims to be, whilst a similar test will reveal Zerox’s identity as an android. » Examining the two rabbit’s feet and making a Difficult [16] INT (perception) roll shows that one has lost bits of fur, presumably through the human Rab’s constant handling. » Both have an apparent scar at the back of the neck, but one has an assortment of bruises. Looking at their unclad bodies and making a Challenging [13] INT (medicine) roll reveals that one — actually Zerox — has a legion of healed injuries. » At some stages, such as having to pass under a ladder, or having to step on a crack in the floor, faced with a walleyed man, Rab flinches or freezes due to his superstitious nature. This needs a Difficult [16] INT (psychology) check to notice.

127 » If anyone contacts Rab’s manager, Maxie knows a few secrets that only he and Rab share. » The PCs may search for a biochip, though neither of the two look-alikes will consent to having someone cutting their head open. THE CRISIS At some point the party might be faced with a crucial dilemma as to who is the real Rab Custer and must make a fast decision. If required, Zerox can be assumed to escape from the room he was locked in to confront the rescuers. The incident could be any of the following: » A Nort is drawing a bead on the two Rabs, or a huge slab of masonry is falling towards them during a firefight on the surface. One PC near them has the opportunity to bundle just one of them into safety. » Aboard the hopper, turbulence is encountered from bad weather or the craft frantically evades a missile. The Rabs are teetering by an open doorway, and the nearest PC can only grab one of them before they fall. » Recent damage, not to mention years of having to kowtow to a sleaze ball like Rab Custer, affects Zerox’s programming. At a dramatic point, such as the middle of a firefight or inside the airborne hopper, it tries to kill Custer. EXTRACTION The hopper tasked with picking up the team will arrive on time. After this, it will form a dice pool of 3d6 and roll every ten minutes, leaving when the pool is depleted. The trip back can be as mundane or action packed as the Gamemaster desires, though a late departure is more likely to encounter interference from Nort ground troops and fliers on the route back to the Souther lines. DEBRIEF On arriving back at base, Rab Custer will be whisked away in an ambulance or limousine. If his biochip had to be retrieved, it is handed to Doctor Kinsalla. The team themselves will be given any medical assistance they need. If successful in recovering Rab in some form or other, the team members receive 1d6 days R&R. They are instructed to keep secret the details of their mission on pain of court martial and any used or lost equipment, including gold ingots, must be accounted for and, along with remaining Requisition Cap items, returned to the Quarter Master. If the mission failed to rescue Rab Custer, Souther intelligence arranges for a nuclear missile to be fired at the hideout to prevent Custer falling into the hands of the Norts as a propaganda piece. CH/7: MISSION DOSSIERS //THE PERILS OF BUCKY AURORA

128 FURTHER COMPLICATIONS The following events can be introduced into the adventure by the GM: » The renegades have a Hammerhead Droid (see p. 168). It is either deactivated awaiting repair in one of the underground storerooms or is used by Platov as a bodyguard, though the Kapitan is unaware that it will defer to Werner’s control when it hears the aide issue a code word. » Rab is having such a bad time coping with stress and being without his drugs that he has the Confused condition. » After a Nort spy-sat detects military activity in the compound, a pair of hoppers are scrambled and sent to investigate. » Other actors and actresses or film crew members of the Bucky Aurora series have been kidnapped, including the voluptuous Carrie Mutiano who plays Princess Polara. Some prisoners might exhibit signs of Stockholm syndrome, siding with their captors in a crisis. » Another team arrive at the stronghold and are seeking to capture or rescue Custer. The optional adventure hooks should provide a motive for the rival team. » The rescue hopper is blown out of the sky by an enemy atmocraft. With Nort patrols on their way, the team must attempt to travel overland to safety or hide whilst they try arranging a new pickup. FURTHER ADVENTURES » Military teams are selected for propaganda news reels and have a Vid-Vulture (see p. 185) assigned to them for their next tour of duty. » Successful teams are given further dangerous assignments by the S3 intelligence department. » Civilians are approached by journalists who want the real story and are offering plenty of Nu Earth credits for an exclusive. » The team are selected as bodyguards for Rab, who starts a tour of military bases. If they insulted or hurt him during his rescue, he will prove vindictive and constantly make life difficult for his minders. » The actor is unaware that everything was an elaborate Nort Intelligence operation. Rab has been successfully brainwashed and will act as a spy, saboteur or assassin when a red rose with an attached garter is sent to him. SUPPORTING CAST If the robotic camera or its film slug is retrieved, the news of the incident is supressed for a few days whilst a Souther propaganda unit springs into action. CGI, reconstructions and judicious editing create a cinematic heroic escape or death for a costumed Rab who is wearing his Bucky chemsuit. During these fabricated escapades, he guns down squads of Norts, rescues wounded allies and all whilst maintaining a string of pithy one-liners. The rescue team are shown as participants in the thrilling ‘true life’ drama, but their roles are decidedly minor when compared to those of ‘the greatest hero of the Southern Cross’.

129 RAB CUSTER AKA ‘BUCKY AURORA’ Rab is the popular star of a long running Souther adventure serial that is a revamp of a pre-war series. Blonde and handsome, his advancing years have been disguised by extensive plastic surgery, though when seen in person there is a certain stretched and glossy look to his features. He is vain and arrogant and extremely unpopular with individuals who must work with him. His impressive onscreen heroics are purely the result of CGI manipulation or robot doubles. // MEDIUM SENTIENT HUMANOID [6D6] // CRAVEN ACTOR WHO WILL DO ANYTHING TO FURTHER HIS CAREER AND STAY ALIVE STR 6 [3d6] AGI 6 [3d6] END 6 [3d6] INT 6 [3d6] LOG 6 [3d6] WIL 3 [2d6] CHA 12 [4d6] LUC 10 [4d6] REP 15 [5d6] MELEE DEFENCE 12 RANGED DEFENCE 18 MENTAL DEFENCE 12 VITAL DEFENCE 18 SOAK 3 VULN none IMMUNE none INITIATIVE 4d6 PERCEPTION 4d6 SPEED 6 CLIMB 3 JUMP 12’/6’ HEALTH 15 CARRY 90 lb (max lift 300 lb) REACH 5’ ACTIONS 2 Brawling 3d6 (2d6+3 blunt damage) Prop 4d6 (2d6+3 blunt damage) SKILLS acting 3 (2d6), carousing 3 (2d6), disguise 1 (1d6), driving 1 (1d6), flirtation 3 (2d6), perception 1 (1d6), reactions 1 (1d6), stage weapons 1 (1d6), swimming 1 (1d6) GEAR colourful chemsuit, rabbit foot charm, biochip in skull EXPLOITS Wings of Fear. Rab gains +2 SPEED when fleeing. Infernal Luck. Some people whisper that Rab has made an unholy bargain for his soul. Once a turn as a reaction, if Rab is conscious and hit by an attack but spends a LUC dice, an ally within 10’ will take the damage instead. Each time this is used, it immediately costs Rab 1d6 permanent points of LUC. If he ever reaches 0 LUC, he will die of cardiac arrest and cannot be brought back to life. His biochip will suffer a mysterious malfunction, failing to absorb his personality matrix and its skull icon warping to look like it is screaming. CH/7: MISSION DOSSIERS //THE PERILS OF BUCKY AURORA

130 ZEROX Zerox has been tasked with performing duties as a body and stunt double for Rab during the filming of his vid-show episodes. Rab has leaned on his producers to allow him the use of the droid as a bodyguard and manservant and secretly uses it as a substitute for social chores he wants to avoid or as a decoy when he wants to undertake recreations that would upset his fan base. When not impersonating Rab, the droid wears a plasti-skin mask of an undistinguished ‘mook’. // MEDIUM SENTIENT MECHANOID [6D6] // REPLICA STUNT DOUBLE STR 6 (3d6) AGI 10 (4d6) END 6 (3d6) INT 6 (3d6) LOG 6 (3d6) WIL 6 (3d6) CHA 6 (3d6) LUC 0 (0d6) REP 3 (2d6) MELEE DEFENCE 24 RANGED DEFENCE 18 MENTAL DEFENCE 12 VITAL DEFENCE 18 SOAK 6 VULN 1d6 electricity, 2d6 ion, IMMUNE Sick, Fatigued INITIATIVE 6d6 PERCEPTION 4d6 SPEED 9 CLIMB 5 JUMP 20’/6’ HEALTH 36 CARRY 120 lb (max lift 300 lb) REACH 5’ ACTIONS 2 Martial arts 6d6 (3d6+3 blunt damage) Micro blaster 4d6 (2d6 Heat damage, range 9) (currently carried by Platov) SKILLS acrobatics 1 (1d6), acting 1 (1d6), climbing 3 (2d6), martial arts 3 (2d6), perception 1 (1d6), reactions 3 (2d6), running 3 (2d6), swimming 1 (1d6) GEAR colourful chemsuit, rabbit foot charm EXPLOITS Mechanoid. Mechanoids are immune to mental attacks, are vulnerable (1d6) to electricity damage, and vulnerable (2d6) to ion damage. They are usually immune to the Sick and Fatigued condition. Impersonate. Zerox can easily impersonate any job role that it has had the opportunity to observe within the past day, even briefly. It gains a 1d6 bonus to fool anybody observing that it is performing the job competently. Human Appearance. Zerox is indistinguishable from a human without a proper medical scan. He even feels warm and mimics breathing, blinking and so on. KAPITAN PLATOV Kapitan Platov’s Stats can be used for representing less-capable officers than the Officer template given on page 175. // MEDIUM SENTIENT HUMANOID [6D6] // CALLOUS MERCENARY COMMANDER STR 6 (3d6) AGI 6 (3d6) END 6 (3d6) INT 6 (3d6) LOG 6 (3d6) WIL 6 (3d6) CHA 6 (3d6) LUC 10 (4d6) REP 6 (3d6) MELEE DEFENCE 18 RANGED DEFENCE 18 MENTAL DEFENCE 18 VITAL DEFENCE 18 SOAK 6 VULN none IMMUNE none INITIATIVE 4d6 PERCEPTION 4d6 SPEED 6 CLIMB 4 JUMP 12’/6’

131 HEALTH 36 CARRY 120 lb (max lift 300 lb) REACH 5’ ACTIONS 2 Vibro-Knife 5d6 (3d6+3 heat damage) Las-pistol 5d6 (3d6 heat damage: range 9, beam) Micro-blaster 5d6 (3d6+3 heat damage, range 5, beam) SKILLS bravery 3 (2d6), knives 3 (2d6), leadership 3 (2d6), light armour 3 (2d6), perception 1 (1d6), pistols 3 (2d6), stealth 3 (2d6), survival 3 (2d6), tactics 1 (3d6) GEAR las-pistol, vibro-knife, micro-blaster, camouflaged chemsuit, digi-map, binnox EXPLOITS Dive for Cover. If a ranged attack misses Platov, he may immediately move half his speed as a free action and either throw himself prone or get behind cover if in range. Kill Him! Platov choses one target, pointing and screaming commands. That target may not benefit from cover until another target is selected. Leadership. Platov can donate his LUC (4d6) to allies; this must be declared this before any dice are rolled. CH/7: MISSION DOSSIERS //THE PERILS OF BUCKY AURORA

132 Nort Command has received word from one of their covert agents that they are at risk of discovery. The agent would normally be required to self-extract, as sending a rescue party could be viewed as both a sign of propagating weakness on the part of Nort Command and a failure to live up to Nort virtues of strength and honour by the agent. In this case, though, the agent’s message implies that they have uncovered a matter of significant importance to the war effort and that they need assistance to safely extract the data. The decision has therefore been taken to insert a small team of operatives into the station with a view to contacting the agent and retrieving the data back to Nort lines. TIMINGS AND FOCUS This short scenario is set in the Acoma system circa ‘93 during the events of The 86ers comic strip. It has been designed to suit a group of Grade 5-8 Nort PCs, or perhaps mercenaries who are happy to work for them. With a little adjustment, however, it can also be run from the Souther perspective. In addition to combat abilities, PCs should also consider investing in non-combat skills as they may need to rely on stealth, subterfuge, engineering and a dash of piloting. A good spread of careers and areas of expertise is recommended. CH/8: BEYOND NU EARTH MISSION DOSSIER SPY IN THE CITADEL

133 GMs may want to make the players aware that this is a highrisk commando mission behind enemy lines. It is therefore entirely possible that some characters may not return. “A SPY, NOT THE SPY” Readers of the 2000 AD series The 86ers will be familiar with both the setting of this adventure and the key plot thread—a Nort spy is aboard the base. This adventure presumes that the specific spy alluded to in the comic strip, Security Chief Montuez’s second-in-command Gittes, remains hidden and that the subject of this story, Kaspar Noktov, is a minor operator, possibly completely unaware of the main spy’s identity. Individual GMs are of course free, and in fact encouraged, to amend this however they see fit. OPERATION The PCs are gathered at the Stavka, the supreme Nort Military Command point in the Nordland Inner Rodina Systems, by a senior Nort officer, Kapitan Oskar Molschimdt. Molschimdt is a wiry fellow with regulation cropped hair, a thin moustache and an obvious cyber-monocle surrounded by scar tissue. He glares at the PCs until they are silent. Read aloud or paraphrase the following once their conversation dies down: You may well be aware that the Acoma system is currently held by the Southers and that the system guards a vital supply route between the Nu Earth and Nu Karthage warzones. It has long been of interest to Military Command, not least for its strategic importance. It will also come as no surprise to you that the superior strategic minds of Nort Covert Operations already have a number of agents working under the very noses of the idiot Southers. Our agents have been deployed in the Citadel, home of the Souther 86th Air Reconnaissance Squadron. The base is located on an active asteroid mine, and the system’s binary star throws out tremendous amounts of radiation, so communications are often limited and sporadic. One such communiqué has however been received, and although the contents degraded in transit, it appears that the agent in question, one Kaspar Noktov, has discovered some data of immediate importance. But in doing so, he has left himself at imminent risk of capture. You are tasked with boarding the station, locating Noktov, acquiring the data and bringing it safely back to Nordland. The PCs will likely have a number of questions at this point. Whilst the GM should aim to answer them as best as possible, the PCs have been tasked with a covert mission, and the Norts much prefer obedience to openness. It is therefore perfectly viable for Kapitan Molschmidt to answer enquiring PCs with: “That information is beyond your clearance level.” More persistent PCs can then be threatened with a gulag. Common questions Molschmidt is willing to answer include: HOW LONG DO WE HAVE? We are not sure on specific timescales due to the inefficiencies of the Souther counter-espionage capability. However, we presume that this must be dealt with in all haste. HOW WILL WE GET INTO THE STATION? You will be inserted via a captured Souther transport vessel.

134 HOW WILL WE GET OUT AGAIN? You will need to capture a Souther ship. As the base is home to an Air Reconnaissance Squadron, there will be ample craft to choose from, albeit substandard and technologically inferior Souther vessels. HOW WILL WE IDENTIFY NOKTOV? You have each been given a data packet with images of his physical appearance. He is currently inserted as part of a group of ex-Nort service personnel who have turned traitor. He does not operate under a pseudonym so locating him, once you are aboard the station, should not pose too great an issue. Once the briefing is over, the Kapitan will ask the character he considers to be the “ranking officer” (the one with the highest REP) to stay behind. He will provide them with a sealed data packet containing additional orders and will advise that it will only open for them, or a second-in-command that they appoint, and that the packet should only be opened upon successfully locating Noktov. It may be a good idea for the GM to prepare the orders as physical prop in a sealed envelope. Refer to The Sealed Orders for the full content. As Acoma is a Souther-held system, the team will be deep in enemy territory once deployed and operating on their own. There will be little they can do in terms of obtaining support, but likewise there will be no immediate oversight from any superior officers. Note: Some GMs may wish to begin this scenario by thrusting the players straight into the action with the insertion onto the Citadel. If this is the case, the briefing can be inserted between scenes as a series of flashbacks that slowly unveils the objectives. INSERTION Nort Command has come up with a less than savoury way to get the team aboard the station. While largely self-sufficient, there is a regular garbage collection routine. A contracted garbage scow vessel positions itself to receive the nonrecyclable station waste, the waste airlock opens, and the ship collects the torrent of trash that is sucked out into the void.

135 The Norts commandeer the scow and force the crew to follow instructions to maintain an air of normality, using their knowledge of procedure and their security clearances to get close enough to the station. The team will be waiting in the hold of the vessel, and when the ship’s bay doors open to receive the waste, they will need to spacewalk across through the waves of ejected refuse and clamber into the Citadel’s waste bay. OPTIONAL SCENE: CAPTURE THE SCOW The adventure assumes that the focus will be on the covert operation within the Citadel itself, and that the garbage scow that the team uses to gain entry onto the station has already been obtained by Nort Military Command. However, enterprising GMs may wish to extend things further and have the Player Characters tasked with, or involved in, the capture of the ship. The players will need to somehow board the ship while it’s in dock or lure it to a stop in open space and board it with minimal damage. They then must capture the crew and coerce them into running the ship, which will help convince the Southers by maintaining the facade of normality. Treat the crew as standard Workers (see Judge Dredd and the Worlds of 2000 AD) with Piloting 1 [1d6] and Engineering 1 [1d6]. Also note that if the scenario begins in media res, the capture of the garbage scow could be included as a part of a flashback. CH/8: BEYOND NU EARTH MISSION DOSSIER //SPY IN THE CITADEL // GARBAGE SCOW

136 Getting through the void, past a flood of station refuse including scrap plastics, waste ore and non-recyclable chemicals and bio-matter is an extended group task. The team will need to make three checks against a Challenging [12] difficulty in a difficult terrain, radioactive, vacuum environment. Skills used may vary depending on the approach or ingenuity of the players but could include zero-g, acrobatics, climbing, survival, concentration, or fortitude. This assumes that the team works together and as long as at least half the group passes each check they all manage to safely get into the Citadel’s waste bay. If, for whatever reason, the team refuses to help each other, have each PC make their own checks and succeed or fail on their own merit. Failing one check means that the characters are struck with debris (2d6 blunt damage), while failing a second check results in them also suffering the Fatigued condition. Failing a third check means that as well as the two preceding penalties, the bay doors close before they can enter, and they are trapped outside the station. The players will need to come up with a creative solution to gain access to the station. OPERATIONAL GEAR Due to the method of arrival at The Citadel, Nort Command will ensure that the PCs are each given a vacuum-capable suit (see Environmental Suit, p. 106 Judge Dredd and the Worlds of 2000 AD). IDENTIFICATION Once aboard the Citadel the team will find themselves in what is essentially a huge dumpster. Once the external airlock closes, the space will slowly pressurise, but as the crew do not expect it to contain workers, let alone a covert Nort insertion team, they are in no hurry to normalise the atmosphere. Thus, the PCs may not be able to strip off their environmental suits straight away and likewise they may want to spend the time looking for ways to get out of the waste bay. The bay is a large metal box, about 50 cubic feet in volume. Approximately ten feet from the roof, a walkway with a rail runs around three walls and, thankfully for the PCs, a maintenance and access ladder extends from the walkway to the floor of the box, where the characters will be. Once the bay doors are closed, the artificial gravity orients the characters so that the doors are now the floor. Climbing the ladder and crossing the walkway to one of the large doors used to access the bay should be relatively simple. There appears to be little in the way of surveillance systems deployed—after all who needs to watch their rubbish?—but the team will need to find a way to open the doors. Obvious solutions could include hacking the locks (Difficult [16] engineering or computers check) or attempting to breach the door with weaponry or explosive charges (HEALTH 25, SOAK 20, DEFENCE 12). The characters will then need to decide how to locate Kapsar Noktov. This may actually be somewhat easier than the players expect as he is openly one of the Turncoat Norts under Stalov’s command. The Nort faction within the 86th are distrusted and disliked by all at Acoma, but getting to them and avoiding contact with other station crew may be the real issue. While it is likely that players will come up with their own ideas on how to locate Noktov, some suggestions include: » Hacking the administration records in the Citadel’s computer network. Once the players have found an access terminal (two Routine [10] perception, computing or engineering checks) or found some other means to get a wireless connection into the system, they need to make three quick Difficult [16] computers tasks to find the information they need. Note that due to the time constraints the PCs are under, this does not give them access to anything other than basic administration records. Considering that this is a military site greater control or depth of information would take hours and at least Strenuous [25] difficulty. » Abducting and interrogating members of the station staff. Treat station staff as standard Infantrymen (see Chapter 9: Allies and Enemies) with las-pistols rather than las-rifles and run such encounters as standard combats and interrogations as detailed in Judge Dredd and the Worlds of 2000 AD. » Attempting to contact Noktov on the frequency he used to transmit his message to command. A Challenging [12] comms or Difficult [16] engineering or computers check will successfully contact him. Moving through the station will be difficult. The large station has a good-sized population, both of Souther personnel and “Termie” miners, so the team constantly risk discovery. The PCs should aim to use AGI with skills like stealth, acrobatics and climbing to move swiftly and silently through the station, or possibly gain access to service ducts and crawl spaces using LOG (engineering) or STR (athletics).

137 THE TICKING CLOCK To add suspense to proceedings the GM should set a 10d6 countdown once the players are aboard the Citadel. Outside of combat- or turn-based action, roll as seems appropriate to maintain the tension of the story. If the scene switches to turn-based action, make the countdown roll at the start of every round. The increased noise and activity are more likely to be observed, and the rapidly reducing countdown will help increase the drama of the scene. When the clock runs down to 3d6, all enemy perception checks gain a +1d6 modifier and all PC attempts at social subterfuge suffer a -1d6 modifier due to the heightened state of alertness that the Southers are operating under. Should the clock expire, then the station crew are fully aware of the team’s presence and start to act accordingly. At the point that the clock runs down, or the team is otherwise found, the alarm is raised, and the PCs should encounter armed resistance. This could come in the form of a group of offduty pilots who happen across the characters, a squad of Mili-Fuzz possibly led by Security Chief Montuez, or even Kapitan Stalov and a group of his Norts who may try to convince the team that they are on their side, until betraying them to their Souther “hosts”. Regardless of specific method, the Player Characters will be opposed by the perception of the standard crew (3d6) and will need a number of successful checks based on how far or for how long they are trying to avoid discovery (probably 2-4). If the PCs take the opportunity to rest and lay low in the engineering station and the countdown clock is still running, they can spend LUC dice on a one-for-one basis to add dice back onto the countdown. KASPAR NOKTOV // MEDIUM SENTIENT HUMANOID [5D6] // DUPLICITOUS NORT TURNCOAT STR 6 (3d6) AGI 4 (2d6) END 6 (3d6) INT 6 (3d6) LOG 4 (2d6) WIL 6 (3d6) CHA 3 (2d6) LUC 1 (1d6) REP 1 (1d6) MELEE DEFENCE 15 RANGED DEFENCE 15 MENTAL DEFENCE 15 VITAL DEFENCE 15 SOAK 5 VULN — IMMUNE — INITIATIVE 3d6 PERCEPTION 3d6 SPEED 5 CLIMB 3 JUMP 8’/6’ HEALTH 15 CARRY 120 lb (max lift 300 lb) REACH 5’ ACTIONS 2 Las-pistol 4d6 (1d6+5 heat damage; range 10)) SKILLS light armour 1 (1d6), piloting 1 (1d6), stealth 1 (1d6), survival 1 (1d6) GEAR las-pistol, flight suit EXPLOITS Dive for Cover. If a ranged attack misses Nostok, he may immediately move half their speed as a free action and either throw themselves prone or get behind cover if in range. Panicked Unload. Nostok fires two shots at a target, and if both hit, he can attempt a third shot. CH/8: BEYOND NU EARTH MISSION DOSSIER //SPY IN THE CITADEL

138 THE SEALED ORDERS It is around this time that the players may decide to open their sealed orders. In the data packet will be a simple and clear instruction: Noktov has proven himself to be an inferior agent and one unworthy of Nordland. Obtain the data he believes is so precious then eliminate him. If possible, do so in a way that will distract the Southers’ attentions from further investigations. Eventually Kaspar will come to meet the PCs, but he will not be alone. The PCs may immediately think they are being betrayed or that Noktov is further jeopardizing the mission, but he will beg them to hear him out. He introduces his companion as Doctor Razmus Carden and explains that Carden is a Souther researcher who wishes to sell what he knows to the Norts and needs protection. The Doctor is the source of the vital data which triggered Kaspar’s original urgent communication. // SUB LEVEL 5

139 COMPLICATION If the Player Characters are successful in locating Kaspar Noktov and make contact, he will initially be a mix of shocked (that his message was received and responded to) and grateful (that the team has come all this way to help) but that will swiftly shift to paranoia as he fears that they are in fact Souther counter intelligence agents looking to trap him. The players will need to come up with a convincing reason for him to trust them along with at least one successful CHA (social skill) versus Kaspar’s MENTAL DEFENCE 15. Once convinced that the PCs are on the side of the Norts, Noktov will arrange a meeting place. If the team has already approached him in person, he will insist that now is not the time and that he will meet them in a safe place. He will also tell the team of engineering station where the backup atmosphere processing systems are maintained. It is visited so infrequently that they should be able to talk unobserved, and he even suggests that the team could hide out there for the time being. The engineering station is on Sublevel 5, and Noktov provides the PCs with an access code to gain entry. If the PCs follow his advice, once they arrive, they will discover that the codes Noktov managed to get hold of were correct but have since been changed. The players may decide to try to gain access by hacking the door lock (Demanding [21] engineering or computers check) or breaching it in some way (HEALTH 25, SOAK 20, DEFENCE 12). Failure in either approach means that while they still gain access to the chamber as the PCs complete their action a pair of Souther Maintenance Techs coming around the corner. Players may fear that this is a sign that Noktov has betrayed them and that this was a set up. DOCTOR RAZMUS CARDEN // MEDIUM SENTIENT HUMANOID [5D6] // TRAITOROUS SOUTHER RESEARCH SCIENTIST STR 6 (3d6) AGI 6 (3d6) END 6 (3d6) INT 10 (4d6) LOG 10 (4d6) WIL 6 (3d6) CHA 6 (3d6) LUC 6 (3d6) REP 6 (3d6) MELEE DEFENCE 18 RANGED DEFENCE 18 MENTAL DEFENCE 24 VITAL DEFENCE 18 SOAK 5 VULN — IMMUNE — INITIATIVE 5d6 PERCEPTION 5d6 SPEED 6 CLIMB 3 JUMP 12’/6’ HEALTH 36 CARRY 120 lb (max lift 300 lb) REACH 5’ ACTIONS 2 Las-pistol 5d6 (1d6+6 heat damage; range 10) SKILLS genetics 6 (3d6), interrogation 1 (1d6), intimidation 1 (1d6), medicine 3 (2d6), perception 1 (1d6), piloting 3 (2d6), pistols 3 (2d6), tactics 1 (1d6) GEAR Las-pistol, chemsuit, cybernetic brain implant EXPLOITS Healing. Carden can use an action to heal an adjacent ally of 3d6 HEALTH. Each ally can only benefit from this Exploit once per day. Remove Condition. Carden can remove a condition from an adjacent ally with a single action. Weak Point. Doctor Carden can identify a weak point in a target as an action. Once identified, the next attack against that target by the Doctor or an ally ignores SOAK. Any given target can only suffer this effect once. Given the chance, Dr Carden will explain that he has been a part of a number of secret experiments involving a covert team within the Souther command structure and that even the upper levels of command are not aware as to the extent of their work. The Doctor considers himself a logical pragmatist and has no real loyalty to the Souther cause. He is more than willing to turn traitor and join the Norts, if they can guarantee his safety. He figures that the information he has will allow him to negotiate a price once he is safely away from Acoma. CH/8: BEYOND NU EARTH MISSION DOSSIER //SPY IN THE CITADEL

140 The Doctor is no fool and has locked the data within a cybernetic brain implant. If he is betrayed he can send a mental command to scrub the data, and it will be automatically wiped should he die. While the players may decide to eliminate Noktov, it would appear that succeeding in their mission now involves getting Carden off the station. NOTORIOUS ENCOUNTERS In a contained location such as the Citadel, it would seem very likely that the Player Characters could encounter a character from the pages of the comics. In this case, it might be specific members of the 86ers. However, if the players are keeping to their covert mission brief and succeeding then the opposite should be true! With this in mind though, the two individuals that they may encounter are most likely to be Stalov while trying to locate Noktov, or Security Chief Montuez if they were spotted and the alarm raised. KAPITAN STALOV // MEDIUM SENTIENT HUMANOID [7D6] // A TURNCOAT NORT OFFICER WHO BETRAYED HIS KHAN-MARSHAL. STR 6 (3d6) AGI 6 (3d6) END 6 (3d6) INT 10 (4d6) LOG 10 (4d6) WIL 10 (4d6) CHA 10 (4d6) LUC 6 (3d6) REP 10 (4d6) MELEE DEFENCE 21 RANGED DEFENCE 21 MENTAL DEFENCE 28 VITAL DEFENCE 21 SOAK 6 VULN — IMMUNE — INITIATIVE 5d6 PERCEPTION 5d6 SPEED 7 CLIMB 4 JUMP 12’/6’ HEALTH 42 CARRY 120 lb (max lift 300 lb) REACH 5’ ACTIONS 2 Vibro knife 6d6 (2d6+5 piercing damage) Las-pistol 6d6 (1d6+5 heat damage; range 10) SKILLS bravery 6 (3d6), intimidate 1 (1d6), knives 3 (2d6), leadership 6 (3d6), light armour 3 (2d6), perception 1 (1d6), pistols 3 (2d6), piloting 3 (2d6), stealth 3 (2d6), survival 3 (2d6), tactics 6 (3d6) GEAR las-pistol, vibro knife, flight suit EXPLOITS Give Orders. When Stalov gives an order, all allies within 30’ get an immediate bonus action. Kill Him! Stalov choses one target, pointing and screaming commands. That target may not benefit from cover until another target is selected. Leadership. Stalov can donate LUC [3d6] to allies; this must be declared before any dice are rolled.

141 SECURITY CHIEF MONTUEZ // MEDIUM SENTIENT HUMANOID [7D6] // BRUTAL AND OPINIONATED SECURITY OFFICER WHO IS INVOLVED WITH A SECRET CONSPIRACY. STR 6 (3d6) AGI 6 (3d6) END 10 (4d6) INT 10 (4d6) LOG 6 (3d6) WIL 10 (4d6) CHA 6 (3d6) LUC 1 (1d6) REP 10 (4d6) MELEE DEFENCE 18 RANGED DEFENCE 18 MENTAL DEFENCE 28 VITAL DEFENCE 28 SOAK 6 VULN — IMMUNE — INITIATIVE 5d6 PERCEPTION 5d6 SPEED 6 CLIMB 3 JUMP 12’/6’ HEALTH 50 CARRY 120 lb (max lift 300 lb) REACH 5’ ACTIONS 2 Truncheon 5d6 (2d6+4 blunt damage) Las-pistol 6d6 (1d6+5 heat damage; range 10) SKILLS clubs 3 (2d6), drive 1 (1d6), interrogation 1 (1d6), intimidation 1 (1d6), law 1 (1d6), light armour 1 (1d6), perception 1 (1d6), pistols 3 (2d6), tactics 1 (1d6) GEAR las-pistol, truncheon, armoured chemsuit EXPLOITS Backup. Montuez can call for backup. Within 3d6 minutes, 1d6 milli-fuzz will arrive. Leadership. Montuez can donate his LUC (1d6) dice to allies; this must be declared before any dice are rolled. Painful Strike. Instead of causing damage with a blunt melee attack, Montuez can inflict the Pain condition instead. Tongue Lashing. The security chief can make a REP + intimidation mental attack against a target within 30’, inflicting the Afraid condition on a success. NOTE: If the alarm has been raised, Montuez will be accompanied by a security detail consisting of as many milli-fuzz as there are PCs (see Chapter 9: Allies and Enemies for details). EVACUATION Having located the data that they were sent to acquire, albeit still currently in the brain of a Souther scientist, the PCs will need to make their escape. If asked, Carden supports the plan of stealing a Souther vessel and escaping the station that way. Although he does not have the clearance to gain access to the hangar bays, he is willing to provide details of where they are and how to get there. If the team does not trust him, Noktov can provide the information (if he is still alive) or the information can be obtained from the Citadel computer system using a console in the Processing Station (three quick Difficult [16] computers tasks, reduced to Challenging [12] if the PCs previously hacked the computer system). A successful Routine [10] LOG (tactics or piloting) check would suggest that the greatest chance for success will be from taking a combat vessel such as a small scout, courier or gunboat rather than a set of fighters. It will be easier to take and secure a single vessel, and it will be a balance of durability and speed. With that in mind, the team can identify the most suitable hangar bay to target. Knowing where the PCs need to go is only half the solution— they need to get there, possibly with a non-combatant scientist in tow. This will be similar to making their way around the station to locate Noktov but difficulties are increased by a level with Dr Carden in the group. Once they have arrived at the bay, the team will need to do the following to enable their escape: » Gain access to the bay. The hangar is staffed by standard crew (treat as Infantrymen with las-pistol sidearms rather than las-rifles and bayonets) who could be bluffed, bribed or coerced, snuck past or even assaulted. If attacked, they will try to raise the alarm—if it is not already raised—and a squad of four milli-fuzz will arrive in 1d6 minutes. If the alarm has already been raised by the time the PCs head to the hangar, a squad of four milli-fuzz will already be on guard duty. » Locate a suitable vessel. This must carry the team and any NPCs they have with them and be prepped and ready for launch. A Challenging [12] INT (perception, tactics or piloting) check will spot a suitable ship. Treat the ship as a Space Attack Craft with two las-cannons. (See Chapter 3: Tools of War.) » Get aboard the ship. Accessing the ship could be done by successfully convincing one of the hangar crew using CHA (social skills) or more violent methods, or hacking the access panel Difficult [16] engineering or computers checks. CH/8: BEYOND NU EARTH MISSION DOSSIER //SPY IN THE CITADEL

142 » Disengage the bay doors and override the launch protocols. Similar to gaining access to the ship, this could be done by successfully convincing the control staff to comply using CHA (social skills) versus WIL (3d6), or hacking the overrides Difficult [16] comms or computers checks. » Launch the ship. This will take three Routine [10] checks in the following order: INT (engineering) to bring the reactor and all systems online, LOG (computers, comms or navigation) to initiate the flight systems and finally AGL or INT (piloting) to safely exit the bay. SCRAMBLE! If the Player Characters are successful in getting away, then within 1d6 minutes of their launch, a pair of Souther fighters will be scrambled to intercept them. While the PCs may have a head start, the 86ers are capable pilots, and they are flying faster vessels. Run the getaway as a standard chase as detailed in Judge Dredd and the Worlds of 2000 AD, p. 128, with six wins needed to escape the pursuing ships. Treat the 86ers as Elite Infantrymen with piloting 3 [2d6] flying Seraphim Fighters (see Chapter 3: Tools of War). If the fighters succeed in catching the players’ ship, then they will initiate combat. If the players manage to escape, then they have successfully evaded capture in the system’s dense asteroid field. If the players are able to destroy their pursuers or hide and lay low in the asteroid field, they can consider the mission a success and plot their course back to Nort lines. WHAT ABOUT THE PSI? One of the key crew on the Citadel is a psi named Kristos, and it may occur to some players that he may be able to track or locate them. The fact that he does not appear within the story is intentional to provoke and maintain the suspicion in the comic that he may be a Nort agent. However, GMs are welcome to adjust things to include him if they see fit or, if an explanation is preferred an NPC could make mention of the fact that Kristos is off station at present or his abilities are currently hampered due to a flux in Acoma’s already high levels of background radiation.

143 CH/8: BEYOND NU EARTH MISSION DOSSIER //SPY IN THE CITADEL // HANGAR BAY 4

144 The Player Characters are crew or passengers upon the Souther starship Cassandra when it is targeted by a Nort warship. Outclassed and alone, the PCs will need all their wits, cunning and creativity to save the ship and themselves from threats within and without. This scenario is aboard the Southern Cross Confederation scout and reconnaissance vessel Cassandra. It would suit a group of Souther-allied characters of Grade 5. Player Characters will need skills beyond combat ability as while there is some direct combat, with the majority of the action taking place aboard the confined space of a single starship, they would do well to ensure that they have a mix of social, technical, medical, vehicular and possibly even scientific skills in order to be able to contribute to scenes where there is no immediate enemy to stab or shoot. While there are suggestions on how to integrate this adventure into an ongoing campaign, it could easily be run as a one-off game with specific naval characters. SETTING The majority of this adventure is set aboard the Cassandra, a light scout, reconnaissance and electronic warfare vessel in the service of the Souther Space Navy. The ship and its crew have seen a lot of action in the Nu Earth system and have recently received orders to deploy to the Nu-Karthage front. Player Characters can be drawn into events in one of two ways, either they are members of the Cassandra’s crew or they are also being sent to the Nu-Karthage warzone and command have seen fit to berth them on the Cassandra for the journey. BOARDING STATIONS Passenger PCs embark on the ship from one of the Souther Buzzard satellites that orbit Nu Earth. They will be received by the starship’s Executive Officer (XO) Lt Roberta “Bob” Tooting. Lieutenant Tooting is a career officer and a fine example of the Souther military. She is calm, professional and polite to the PCs who she perceives as guests. Tooting has received word of the party’s arrival and will be aware of their names, ranks (if applicable) and general area of service or function. By default, she will address the group via the highest-ranking member (or highest REP if there is no clear ranking officer). Being used to military service and confidential missions, she doesn’t pry as to what the party are doing or why they are travelling to Nu-Karthage, but she is more than willing to engage in small talk and is generally pleasant to talk to. She wants to show the ship and its crew in the best light possible but won’t cover up problems to do so. The lieutenant will show the PCs to their bunks and help them get their gear stowed away. All weapons will be required to be placed under lock and key in the ship’s armoury due to the risk of accidental discharge and potential hull breach. The Player Characters will be quartered in with the petty officers and the ship’s system of watches will be explained. Due to the limited space on a ship of this size, there are insufficient bunks for the whole crew to rest at once. Therefore, it is accepted that “your” bed is not your own but is in fact shared with between one and three other crewmates. The crew are organised into three teams each of which is on watch for six hours, then assigned other duties, such maintenance tasks or training, for six hours and then a rest watch of six hours, before returning to watch duty again. This way, the ship is able to operate constantly. SIX-HOUR WATCH SECTIONS (SHIP’S CLOCK) Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 0100–0700 Team Argos Team Balthazar Team Caspar 0700–1300 Team Balthazar Team Caspar Team Argos 1300–1900 Team Caspar Team Argos Team Balthazar 1900–0100 Team Argos Team Balthazar Team Caspar The captain leads Team Caspar, the XO heads Team Balthazar and the chief engineer heads Team Argos. The PCs are due to keep the same watch schedule as Balthazar. HUNTED BY NU-OKTOBER

145 CH/8: BEYOND NU EARTH MISSION DOSSIER //HUNTED BY NU-OKTOBER // THE CASSANDRA THE CASSANDRA VEHICLE COST (MCR) WEIGHT (LB) OCCUPANTS SPEED ACCEL HAND HEALTH SOAK DEF Delphi-Class Scoutship 12,000 1,800,000 36 80 8 5 1500 19 +6 Delphi-class scoutships are armed with twelve missiles (firing a maximum of two per turn) and three las-cannon turrets. Group Three Delphis (such as Cassandra) also carry a pair of squad-capacity drop pods for the insertion of planetary scout units or as emergency evacuation vessels. These ships are not intended as frontline combat vessels but have an advanced sensor suite and electronic warfare package so they are often seen in support of Souther flotillas or sent on reconnaissance or “listening post” missions.

146 TYPICAL CASSANDRA CREW-MEMBER // MEDIUM SENTIENT HUMANOID [5D6] // TRAINED AND COMPETENT SOUTHER SPACE NAVAL CREW STR 6 (3d6) AGI 4 (2d6) END 6 (3d6) INT 6 (3d6) LOG 4 (2d6) WIL 6 (3d6) CHA 3 (2d6) LUC 1 (1d6) REP 5 (2d6) MELEE DEFENCE 15 RANGED DEFENCE 15 MENTAL DEFENCE 15 VITAL DEFENCE 15 SOAK 4 VULN — IMMUNE – INITIATIVE 3d6 PERCEPTION 3d6 SPEED 5 CLIMB 3 JUMP 8’/6’ HEALTH 15 CARRY 120 lb (max lift 300 lb) REACH 5’ ACTIONS 2 Punch 3d6 [1d6+3 blunt damage] Las-carbine 3d6 [2d6 heat damage: range 8] (if an officer has broken out the armoury) SKILLS computers OR comms 1 (1d6), engineering OR gunnery 1 (1d6), piloting 1 (1d6), survival 1 (1d6) GEAR flight suit [Add las-carbine if an officer has armed the crew.] EXPLOITS Aim. The crewman gains a +1d6 bonus to their ranged attack if they spent the previous action aiming in the same turn. Dive for Cover. If a ranged attack misses an crewman, they may immediately move half their speed as a free action and either throw themselves prone or get behind cover if in range. TYPICAL CASSANDRA OFFICER // MEDIUM SENTIENT HUMANOID [7D6] // VETERAN NAVAL COMMANDER STR 6 (3d6) AGI 6 (3d6) END 6 (3d6) INT 10 (4d6) LOG 10 (4d6) WIL 10 (4d6) CHA 10 (4d6) LUC 6 (3d6) REP 10 (4d6) MELEE DEFENCE 21 RANGED DEFENCE 21 MENTAL DEFENCE 28 VITAL DEFENCE 21 SOAK 4 VULN — IMMUNE — INITIATIVE 5d6 PERCEPTION 5d6 SPEED 7 CLIMB 4 JUMP 12’/6’ HEALTH 42 CARRY 120 lb (max lift 300 lb) REACH 5’ ACTIONS 2 Las-pistol 4d6 (1d6+5 heat damage; range 10) SKILLS bravery 6 (3d6), computers OR comms 3 (2d6), engineering OR gunnery 3 (2d6), leadership 6 (3d6), light armour 1 (1d6), perception 1 (1d6), pistols 3 (2d6), piloting 3 (2d6), survival 3 (2d6), tactics 1 (1d6) GEAR las-pistol, flight suit EXPLOITS Give Orders. When the officer gives an order, all allies within 30’ get an immediate bonus action. Kill Him! The officer chooses one target, pointing and screaming commands. That target may not benefit from cover until another target is selected. Leadership. The officer can donate their LUC [3d6] to allies; this must be declared before any dice are rolled.

147 INTO THE BLACK Soon after the Player Characters are settled in, the Cassandra will be underway. Lieutenant Tooting (who will tell any officers amongst the PCs to call her Bob) will then give them a tour of the ship. This will give them a chance to ask any questions. During the tour, she will look to introduce them to some of the key personalities aboard ship. Note that these encounters do not have to happen all at once. GMs can certainly break the introductions up across the initial stages of the journey. PERSONNEL INTRODUCTIONS » Chief Engineer Lt Commander Arthur Rivens is another career naval officer. He likes to put forward a gruff and stern exterior, but he is a decent chap who has worked hard and is not far off retirement. He is tremendously proud of the Cassandra and especially his engineering team. He would possibly have a command of his own by now if not for the severe injuries he suffered in battle against a Nort Drakonskul warship. He returned to service after extensive reconstructive surgery and is now exceptionally conscious of his cybernetics. Use the Typical Cassandra Officer with computers and engineering for Rivens. » Tooting will try to introduce Consultant M’Meehua, but any conversation may take place through a partially open drop pod hatch. M’Meehua is an alien employee of the Kada-To Industrial Unlimited Corporation. They have been sent by their employer to monitor and support some of the cutting-edge sensor equipment that has been installed on the Cassandra, much to their chagrin. M’Meehua was not keen on the idea before they were aware that the ship would be going near an active warzone, and now they know, they are even more upset, frustrated and annoyed. Due to the limited space on the Cassandra, the alien has been provided with one of the ship’s two drop pods as their accommodation and work suite and has the most spacious and comfortable living space aboard. None of this has improved their mood, and the alien is rarely seen. They do the minimum required to satisfy their contract and keep the rest of the crew from interfering, but beyond that, they keep to themselves. M’Meehua denies all access to the drop pod, saying that it contains commercially sensitive data and fearing industrial espionage or “...the forced subjugation beneath the military jackboot!”. In appearance, M’Meehua has pale orange skin and is completely hairless. They are a seven-foot-tall biped, skinny by human standards, with two main digits and one opposing on each hand and foot. their head is quite triangular in shape with the “point” at the bottom of their face where their mouth is. The mouth itself consists of a dozen or so short, tentacle-like cilia, giving M’Meehua’s voice a raspy note whenever they lower themselves to speak to humans. » Petty Officer Quentin Short is the chief helmsman and possibly the best pilot aboard. He isn’t over keen on ground pounders after getting into too many bar fights with other servicemen when on leave. He will be polite but unwilling to engage in conversation. Perceptive PCs (INT (insight) versus WIL (4d6)) may notice that he is more dismissive of them than one might otherwise expect. Use the Typical Cassandra Crewman with comms, engineer and an increased piloting of 6 [3d6] for Short. » While nominally a lead comms officer, Lieutenant Kovia Pova is also the Cassandra’s most senior emergency medic and is the defacto ship’s doctor. As a matter of protocol, she will check that she has the correct details for each of the Player Characters and if there are any particular medical conditions or issues she ought to be aware of. A Challenging [12] INT insight check may detect from both her name, and a slight hint of an accent, that Kovia has Nort heritage. She will be unwilling to answer questions on the subject. She can be pressed (CHA or REP (social) versus WIL (4d6)) or the PCs can obtain access to her service record (Difficult [16] CHA or REP (social skills) to obtain access from a senior officer or Demanding [21] LOG (computers) check to obtain from the ship’s records). They will learn that she was from Charleston Beta and that her mother was a Nort who defected after bearing the child of a Souther officer. Use the Typical Cassandra Officer with comms and medicine instead of engineering OR gunnery for Pova. » Commander Colin Padraic is the captain of the Cassandra. A seasoned veteran, he has lived through years of the conflict and has been present at many of the key space battles. A Challenging [12] INT (tactics) or a related (academic) skill, such as military history or REP (social skills) check indicates that a PC is aware of him and his record. He took command of the Cassandra four years ago after exemplary service in the Naval Counterintelligence division, and he is an expert in surveillance, countersurveillance and espionage. He is a stately looking officer, well turned out at all times, with a dispassionate manner but a clear air of command. His crew looks up to him, and most have served under him for a number of tours of duty. His age is starting to catch up with him, and a successful INT (insight) versus WIL (4d6) check will suggest that there is a certain weariness behind the eyes. CH/8: BEYOND NU EARTH MISSION DOSSIER //HUNTED BY NU-OKTOBER

148 The route the Cassandra takes will be a jump from Nu Earth to the Acoma system and then from there to Nu-Karthage. Creative GMs could add additional encounters in the voyage, from killer satellite attacks leaving Nu Earth orbit, being waylaid by pirate or Nort privateer attacks in the Acoma asteroid belt, or even a stop off on the Citadel, home of the Souther’s 86th Air Reconnaissance Squadron. However, the key part of this tale, as written, begins once the ship has jumped to the Nu-Karthage system. ARRIVAL IN NU-KARTHAGE Before long, the Cassandra is ready to make the black hole jump from Acoma to the Nu-Karthage system. While the crew makes final preparations, the captain will address the ship as a whole: You are about to embark upon yet another great crusade, similar to the many previous ones we have striven to complete over these past months, and for many of us, past years. In company with our brave allies and brothersin-arms on other fronts, we will once again be thrust into the firing line in opposition against our great enemy. I almost always feel inclined, when I address the crew like this, to impress upon you that before us we face an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have further months of struggle and of suffering. You ask, what is our strategy? I can say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with remaining strength that we can rouse, to attempt to wage war against insurmountable tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human existence. Those are the demands of our leaders, and that is the policy we must execute. All hands to stations. Make preparations for jump. An INT (insight) (+1d6 if the PCs passed a previous insight roll versus the captain) versus WIL (4d6) check will lead PCs to question the tone and content of Captain Padraic’s speech. There is a resignation in both his attitude and outlook, which the crew do not appear to see but the Player Characters pick up on. He no longer seems to be the heroic stalwart as painted by those under his command. WELCOME PARTY As soon as the Cassandra arrives in the Nu-Karthage system, the ship’s proximity alarms start to blare. The crew move straight into action and reports are returned that a pair of Nort Grendel fighters (see Chapter 3: Tools of War) are being flown by Infantrymen with Gunnery 1 [1d6] and Piloting 1 [1d6]. While probably a scout patrol, they have been lying in wait at the jump point. Thinking the Cassandra is a relatively soft target, they move to intercept. ACTIONS DURING SPACE COMBAT If the PCs are used to ground combat and personal confrontations, the prospect of being part of a combat in space may leave them feeling incapable of being able to contribute to the battle. That is of course not true and there are a number of ways that GMs can involve the characters in the action: » Command Tasks: PCs with command rank or leadership skills could be given command of a section or work group. They will need to motivate them, coordinate their actions and keep them focused on the task at hand using [social] skills and CHA and REP checks. » Technical Tasks: Anyone with technical knowledge will be put to work at a station. They might be sent down to the engine room (engineering) or sat at a bridge station (piloting, comms or computing). » No Idle Hands: In frontline combat, the ship cannot afford idle crew, and if the PCs have no other immediately obvious applicable skills, the captain or XO will give them physical duties. Supplies need moving, gear

149 needs shifting, missile tubes need loading or clearing. In the heat of battle, commands may need to be taken personally through the ship, even one as comparatively small as the Cassandra. (Use developmental and physical skills and a whole variety of attribute checks.) » Damage Control: If the Cassandra takes any damage, the PCs will be obvious “nonessential” crew who can attend to the situation. Fires aboard the ship, which can rapidly overwhelm the atmosphere processors’ abilities to replenish oxygen supplies, are lethal, let alone systems damage, hull breaches and wounds to crew. There are a variety of skills and abilities that could come into play, from medical care, technical skills or simple physical ability. Note that casualties among the crew are a surefire way to get the PCs involved in active roles aboard ship as they are called upon to back fill duties. » “Direct” Combat: As soon as combat begins, any competent gunner or weapons expert will be ordered to either one of the las-cannon turrets, fire control on the bridge or the missile bays. Likewise, PCs with a reputation for strategic accomplishments (or a high tactics skill) will be asked to remain on the bridge by Lt Tooting. She will look to them for tactical analysis and guidance, essentially placing them in control of what the Cassandra does in the battle, which may cause the players to wonder why Captain Padraic is not more assertive in that role. While the PCs and crew of the Cassandra may be able to handle a pair of Grendels, in 1d6 turns another two will arrive and long-range sensor scans requiring a Challenging [12] INT (computers) check will detect a further flight of four en route to engage them. Upon hearing this, the captain will not hesitate to issue the order to disengage and attempt to flee. SETTING COURSE FOR TROUBLE Evading the Nort fighters is a standard chase as detailed on page 128 of Judge Dredd and the Worlds of 2000 AD with six successful checks needed to escape the pursuing ships. PCs can assist in this with a variety of creative skill use such as tactics, piloting, astronavigation, leadership, comms, computers or engineering. If the Cassandra is caught, initiate another combat, but if they manage to evade their pursuers, the vessel is able to hide within a stellar nebula. The nebula hampers the fighters’ sensors so they cannot lock onto the Souther ship, however it also renders the crew of the Cassandra functionally blind. The scoutship’s advanced sensor suites are able to get some readings from outside the nebula, but the feeds are erratic, and the data frequently corrupted. PCs may wish to try to convince M’Meehua to assist, which is not an easy task. If they manage, they will begrudgingly get to work, but amplification and defragmentation of the data will take time. M’MEEHUA // MEDIUM SENTIENT HUMANOID [6D6] // ALIEN CORPORATE CONSULTANT WHO WOULD RATHER BE ANYWHERE ELSE STR 6 (3d6) AGI 6 (3d6) END 6 (3d6) INT 6 (3d6) LOG 6 (3d6) WIL 6 (3d6) CHA 4 (2d6) LUC 4 (2d6) REP 6 (3d6) MELEE DEFENCE 18 RANGED DEFENCE 18 MENTAL DEFENCE 24 VITAL DEFENCE 18 SOAK 5 VULN — IMMUNE — INITIATIVE 5d6 PERCEPTION 5d6 SPEED 6 CLIMB 3 JUMP 12’/6’ HEALTH 36 CARRY 120 lb (max lift 300 lb) REACH 5’ ACTIONS 2 Slapping Wildly 3d6 [1d6+3 blunt damage] SKILLS bureaucracy 3 (2d6), comms 6 (3d6), computers 1 (1d6), engineering 3 (2d6), negotiation 3 (2d6), perception 1 (1d6), pistols 3 (2d6), piloting 3 (2d6) CH/8: BEYOND NU EARTH MISSION DOSSIER //HUNTED BY NU-OKTOBER

150 GEAR communicator (planetary), flight suit, personal computer, toolkit (engineering), scanner (scientific) EXPLOITS Analytical Eye. M’Meehua is able to identify the resistances, immunities, and vulnerabilities of any creature they can see with a Difficult [16] LOG check; if using a hand-scanner, it is only a Challenging [13] LOG check. This requires two full actions of observation. Once the ship is in the relative safety of the nebula, the Player Characters will probably be asked to assist with a number of duties including ship-board repairs, medical care for injured crew, work on the sensors, analysis of the data received, or working with the command crew on a plan of what to do next. Captain Padraic will insist on running silent—no attempt should be made to communicate off the vessel at risk of giving away the Cassandra’s position. SOMETHING’S OUT THERE SENSOR GHOSTS If the PCs are involved in recalibrating or amplifying the sensors, have them make an extended (three, hourly tasks) set of Difficult [16] checks using a suitable technical skill. Alternatively, if they have been successful in convincing M’Meehua, they will complete the work in five hours alone or, if the PCs are working with them, they will only require two successful hourly tasks instead of three. With the sensors improved, the crew learn that the fighters are still lurking outside the nebula and that a larger vessel has arrived. As the crew attempt to get a lock on the ship, it moves into the nebula. Likewise, the fighters have dispersed, heading back to their base or carrier for refuelling. Analysing (using skills such as computers, tactics or scanners) what little information the ship’s sensors were able to glean regarding the other vessel provides the following (each level provides all previous information for lower success levels): » Routine [10]: The wake of the ship indicates it is Souther vessel. » Challenging [12]: From the trace data received, it is an escort size vessel and slightly larger than the Cassandra. » Difficult [16]: Energy signatures indicate that it is better armed than the Cassandra with military-grade weaponry. » Demanding [21]: Some Nort starship kapitans are adept at recalibrating their ship’s main drive so that the energy wake reads like a Souther craft. » Strenuous [25]: Compiling and assessing the data in full reveals that this is in fact a Nort Ghost Raider, the NuOktober, a ship proficient in cat and mouse games and hunting other vessels. If the PCs believe this new vessel to be a Souther craft, they may believe that it chased off the fighters and is looking to locate or assist them. With this in mind, they may look to set course to rendezvous with them. This is Captain Padraic’s preferred course of action and one he will wholly support. He will deride any suggestion that this could be a Nort vessel or a trap, and if challenged with data to the contrary, he will argue that they should at least try to locate the ship to learn more of it and, if it is hostile, keep track of its whereabouts. OPTIONAL SCENE : THE STOWAWAY While tensions are high, a perceptive character (whichever PC has the highest total perception) will think that they hear a noise coming from within the walls or below the floor. If they choose to investigate, they will discover Asik Alev, a teenage boy who has stowed away aboard the ship and has been holed up in the storage tanks ever since the Cassandra left Nu Earth space. Due to damage the ship suffered or the modifications to the sensor arrays, he has had to move hiding place, giving away his location. The boy is looking for adventure and an escape from the horrors of civilian life on Nu Earth, but little did he know what he would actually be getting himself into. Treat Asik as a standard Civilian from Judge Dredd and the Worlds of 2000 AD.