______ ______ ___ ___ __ __ _ __ ____ ______ ____ [ __ \ [ __ \ [ ][ ][ ] [ || || ] / _ | [ __ \ / __ v| |o|__) ) |o|__) ) |o| |o|_/ / |o|| || | /o/_| | |o|__) )( (__\_| | __ < | _/ | | | _/ | || || | | _ | | _/ \__ \ |o| \ \ |o|\ \ |o| |o \ |o|| || | |o| | | |o|\ \ \ \ | | | | | | \ \ | | | |\ \ | || || | | | | | | | \ \ \ \ |o| | | |o| | | |o| |o| \ \ |o|/ |/ / |o| | | |o| | | _ |o| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | / | | | | | | | | | \ | | |o|__/ / |o| | | |o| |o| | | |o / / |o| | | |o| | | | \_/o/ [______/ [___]|__][___][___]|__] |_/|_/ [__|[___][___]|__]||\___/ +- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -+ | T R O O P E R ' S H A N D B O O K | +- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -+ Inspired by a game originally designed by Eric O'Dell and R. Todd Ogrin + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + | Disclaimer | | | | These rules are completely unauthorized, and not sanctioned | | in any way by INTERLEGO AG, TYCO, Ritvik, or any other | | producer of plastic building bricks. | + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + Table of Contents Chapter 0: Introduction ------------------------ Chapter 1: The Basic Complement of Battle Participants ------------------------------------------------------- Verse 1.1: Normal People Verse 1.2: SpaceTroopers Verse 1.2.1: SpaceMen Verse 1.2.2: SpaceScouts Verse 1.2.3: SpaceWomen Verse 1.2.4: CommOps Verse 1.2.5: Mechanix Verse 1.2.5.1: Repairing Damaged Vehicles Verse 1.2.5.2: Building Stuff from Wreckage Verse 1.2.5.3: Recovery Vehicles and Repair Bays Verse 1.2.6: Medix Verse 1.2.7: Engineers Verse 1.2.8: SpaceDroids Verse 1.2.9: SpaceDrivers Verse 1.2.10: SpaceMenials Verse 1.2.11: Kamikazes Verse 1.2.12: SpaceNinjas Verse 1.2.13: SpaceHeroes Verse 1.2.14: SpaceChampions Verse 1.3: Awful Green Things From Outer Space Chapter 2: Civilizations ------------------------ Verse 2.1: Civilization Yellow: Johar Verse 2.1.1: Johar Vehicles Verse 2.1.2: Johar Troopers Verse 2.1.2.1: SpaceManiax Verse 2.1.3: Johar Combat Verse 2.2: Civilization Red: Setvia Verse 2.2.1: Setvian Robots Verse 2.2.2: Setvian Troopers Verse 2.2.2.1: Cybernetix Verse 2.2.3: Setvian Combat Verse 2.3: Civilization Blue: Mikon Verse 2.3.1: Mikon Technology Verse 2.3.2: Mikon Troopers Verse 2.3.2.1: Commandos Verse 2.3.3: Mikon Combat Verse 2.4: Civilization Green: Annri Verse 2.4.1: Annri Encampments Verse 2.4.2: Annri Troopers Verse 2.4.2.1: SpaceTinkers Verse 2.4.3: Annri Skirmishes Verse 2.5: Civilization White: Hotelie Verse 2.5.1: Hotelie Citizens Verse 2.5.1.1: The Knights Hospitable Verse 2.5.2: Hotelie Missions Verse 2.6: Civilization Black: Kraan Verse 2.6.1: Kraan Legions Verse 2.6.1.1: Dark Lords Verse 2.6.1.2: HeadHugger Droids Verse 2.6.2: Kraan Engagements Verse 2.7: Civilization Orange: Rios Verse 2.7.1: Riotian Gadgetry Verse 2.7.2: Riotiona Espionage Verse 2.8: Civilization Grey: Pantus Verse 2.8.1: Pantlings Verse 2.8.1.1: Pants Lords Verse 2.8.1.2: Crawling Stones Verse 2.8.1.3: Ominous Pants Verse 2.8.2: Pantus Combat Verse 2.9: The SpacePirates Verse 2.9.1: Matey Verse 2.9.2: Monkeys & Parrots Verse 2.9.3: HelmsMan Verse 2.9.4: MateDroid Verse 2.9.5: Doc Verse 2.9.6: FirstMate Verse 2.9.7: Cap'n Verse 2.10: Other Normal People Verse 2.10.1: Normal Alien People Verse 2.10.2: Normal Belligerent People Verse 2.10.3: Abnormal People Verse 2.10.4: Normal Professionals Verse 2.10.5: Normal Creatures Chapter 3: Campaigning ---------------------- Verse 3.1: The Campaign Universe Verse 3.1.1: Characters Verse 3.1.2: Objects Verse 3.1.3: Empire ========================================================================== Chapter 0: Introduction ======================= The depth of a BrikWars game depends largely on how far into this book you are willing to read. There are four basic levels of complexity: Skirmish - Just use normal SpaceMen and some vehicles. Good for a meaningless diversion, and you won't need any stats from this tome. Battle - Choose from the troop types in the Basic Complement. Read through Chapter 1 and spend some time juggling points between SpaceHeroes and Mk2 Lasers. This will give you a satisfyingly full-bodied strategy gorefest. Conquest - Choose a Civilization (or invent your own) and build battle scenarios around specialized troop types and situations. To true PBB Maniacs, generic armies fighting meaningless battles for anonymous Civilizations just don't cut it. Sample Civilizations are included in Chapter 2. Campaign - Develop characters, resources, and politics in the middle of an inter-Civilization war. There is no reason to be this dedicated to BrikWars. Only active psychotics bother trying to develop Campaigns. If you admit to this level of insanity, the Campaign rules are in Chapter 3. In this manual are described the various troop types available to the PBB Warrior. Each troop description contains a quick statistical overview of the trooper in question, a short background of the trooper and his or her duties, and finally what the trooper does in game terms. In the statistical section at the beginning of each trooper description, a number of statistics are given pertaining to the trooper. Here is a quick overview of each of these statistics. Move" - This statistic tells how far a particular trooper may move in a single turn. Armor Value - This is the armor value that must be rolled whenever a trooper is hit in order to determine if he or she dies from the bite of the weapon. Skill - The Skill value of a trooper is the value rolled when a trooper is trying to hit someone else with a weapon. If he rolls equal to or greater than the Usage Rating of the weapon being used, he hits his target. Ratio - The Ratio statistic is used to prevent armies from consisting entirely of super-powered characters. If a trooper is designated as having no ratio (or has the word "troop" next to his or her ratio), then this trooper counts towards the number of "troops" in the army. Other character troopers, such as the SpaceChampion for example, must conform to their ratios. Thus, an army may only have a SpaceChampion if it has 12 or more troops. An army may have two SpaceChampions if it has 24 troops, etc. Points - This is the point value of the trooper, which is used to make evenly matched battles between players. ========================================================================== Chapter 1: The Basic Complement of Battle Participants ====================================================== These troop types are the generic grunts of the 47 Civilizations. Almost every Civilization stocks them. The vast majority of SpaceBattles are fought entirely with troops from these basic categories. Verse 1.1: Normal People ------------------------ Move: 4" Armor Value: 1d4 Skill: 1d6-2 Ratio: None (troop) Points: 2 Normal People are the denizens of the BrikWars universe that are not usually involved in war-like activity. Normal People are simply everyday folk who inhabit the buildings and cities where most wars take place. Sometimes, Normal People don't have sense enough to get the hell out of a war zone, and end up stumbling across a street filled with Gyrofire and exploding vehicles on their way to work at the office, barber shop, sporting goods store, or local eatery. However, sometimes Normal People are part of a riot, uprising, or revolt that takes place on a remote planet. Or perhaps the Normal People get really tired of continued SpacePirate raids, and take it upon themselves to try to fend off the brigands. In these cases, the Normal People take up arms and fight for themselves in their best interests, or so they think. Usually, they just end up getting shot. +------------------------------------------+ | "I'm normal. I don't know how to use a | .\ /. | gun. I don't have armor. I bleed just | ./\\ //\. | like everyone else. Speaking of which, | ./\\\\ ////\. | I think I've just been shot in the leg."| .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | -- Walter Perkins being interviewed | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | on Hesperus, during an invasion | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | by a band of SpacePirates. | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' Before the games actually begins, the players must agree upon whether or not they want to have Normal People in their game. If they do, then up to 1d10 Normal People minifigs may be placed at random on the playing surface. During the course of the game, these minifigs go about their daily business (i.e. mailing a letter, going to lunch, getting their car fixed) despite the fact that there is a war raging around them. After both players move and fire (and they may fire at the Normal People), both players get half of the remaining Normal People to manipulate into doing normal, mundane activities. This can slow the game down a bit, but if you really get into a silly mood, you can even make them have complete conversations. Normal People may also form small armies of armed rabble (not rabbis). It's sometimes amusing to play out one of these battles, just to watch the Normal People get blasted in a futile attempt to fight off vastly superior forces. Normal People, though, may sometimes be assisted by SpaceMen who they have paid off. In the case where Normal People take an active combat role, there are some equipment restrictions that must be followed. Normal People may not carry any rifles or Death Guns. Normal People also may not have any special equipment beyond body armor or shields. Normal People vehicles should look like normal cars and trucks. Any weapons mounted on Normal People vehicles always have a jury-rigged look to them. There are expanded Normal People types in the Verse 2.10: Other Normal People. Verse 1.2: SpaceTroopers ------------------------- The SpaceTroopers of a StarShip Civilization are the men, women, and 'Droids who risk their lives in an effort to destroy as many enemies and as much enemy property as possible, all in the name of their home Civilization. There a number of SpaceTroopers, and their abilities are all very different. From the all-around utility of the SpaceMan, to the highly specialized (and useful) special troops, like Medix and Mechanix, each SpaceTrooper has their part to play during the course of a battle. In a basic BrikWars game (one limited to just the Basic Complement of troop types), each Civilization is represented by a single color (or group of colors, if there aren't enough minifigs of a single color). All SpaceTroopers wear suits of a consistent, single color, and helmets and AirTanx, unless otherwise specified. Verse 1.2.1: SpaceMen ------------------- Move": 5" Armor Value: 5 Skill: 1d6 Ratio: None (troop) Points: 5 SpaceMen are the standard troopers of any Starship Civilization (see the Main Rules Tome for more details). SpaceMen are represented by a "normal" space minifig. Verse 1.2.2: SpaceScouts ---------------------- Move": 12" Armor Value: 1d6 Skill: 1d4 Ratio: Maximum 1 SpaceScout for every 5 troops Points: 8 SpaceScouts are usually taken from the ranks of the newly initiated SpaceTroopers. Since they have no true battle-experience, these troopers are given the opportunity to act as SpaceScouts for a time. They undergo a rigorous training regimen for a day or two, consisting of some jogging and swimming at the local STYMCA, and upon completion, they are given a suit of ScoutArmor. ScoutArmor is hardly armor at all, but the suit gives the trooper several abilities useful to the army. ScoutArmor is lighter and thus allows the trooper to move much more quickly. The armor is also equipped with a special targeting system, which allows enemy targets to be "tagged" for weapons fire, making a direct hit more likely. Scouts are a tremendously secretive bunch, and have many rituals in which they pray that they will not be blasted by a Mk5 Missile. It is in these rituals that the SpaceScouts shave their heads in a ceremony known as "The No- More-Hair Ritual". +------------------------------------------+ | "We're quick! | .\ /. | We're fast! | ./\\ //\. | We help you hit the bad guys! | ./\\\\ ////\. | We have no hair!" | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | -- A Xeain SpaceScout rallying song. | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' SpaceScouts are represented by a normal SpaceMan minifig, only they shave their heads in a closely guarded ritual, known only to the SpaceScouts themselves. Thus, SpaceScouts wear nothing on their heads (i.e. no helmets or hair or hats). SpaceScouts do not wear AirTanx, either. The only weapons SpaceScouts are allowed to carry are Gyro and Impact Pistols, and non-ranged close combat weapons that do not confer movement penalties. SpaceScouts are not allowed any other armor besides their ScoutArmor. However, despite these restrictions, SpaceScouts still have their uses. SpaceScouts have the ability to "Tag" enemy vehicles and units for his army's ranged weapon fire. In order to tag an enemy vehicle or unit, the SpaceScout must be within 6" of the target, and be able to see it. As long as he can see the target unit or vehicle, anybody allied with the SpaceScout may shoot at it, from anywhere on the board. Even if the rest of the SpaceScout's army is behind a large wall, blindfolded, and thinks the enemy is coming from the south when they're actually in the north, they may still fire at the "tagged" enemy. They even get a +1d6 Skill bonus for shooting at a tagged enemy. A SpaceScout may only tag one vehicle or unit at a time. If he is within 6" of two vehicles and can see them both, then he must specify which one is being tagged. Multiple SpaceScouts tagging a vehicle confers only one bonus To Hit; that is, more than one SpaceScout may tag a target, but only one bonus is given. SpaceScouts must carry a CB with them at all times to relay vital information. Verse 1.2.3: SpaceWomen ------------------------ Move": 7" Armor Value: 1d4 Skill: 1d6 (+2 CC bonus) Ratio: None (troop) Points: 6 SpaceMen once held the title for being the most destructive beings in the universe, but now, they are tied for that title with the SpaceWomen. Once confined to minor skirmishes and ladies' auxiliary clubs, the women of the BrikWars universe have carved a niche for themselves among the deadliest of warriors. SpaceWomen are highly trained female warriors who wear special suits of SpaceArmor, designed by a woman, with fashion and utility in mind. SpaceWomen's armor is specially equipped with a Neural Synapse Accelerator, designed to give SpaceWomen a unique combat attribute. Because of this special equipment, SpaceWomen are faster and more agile than SpaceMen, and perform well in close combat. However, this equipment was added at the cost of some protection. +------------------------------------------+ | "I'm a 'bitch', am I?" | .\ /. | -- Judy Wuncher (2nd Pegasite Space- | ./\\ //\. | Woman Brigade) after successfully | ./\\\\ ////\. | punching an Aldonan SpaceMan in | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | the face, knocking his helmet off, | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | and kicking him in a naughty place. | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' SpaceWomen have a +2 Close Combat Bonus, as described in the Main Rules Tome. SpaceWomen are represented by a normal SpaceMan piece, but instead of a SpaceHelmet, SpaceWomen wear a "girl-hair piece", to designate them as SpaceWomen. This breaks the continuity that SpaceTroopers must wear a helmet to survive in the harsh environments in which they fight, but it looks like they just stepped out of a salon. There is no limit to the number of SpaceWomen allowed; you can have as many SpaceWomen as you have girl-hair pieces. Verse 1.2.4: CommOps --------------------- Move": 5" Armor Value: 5 Skill: 1d6 Ratio: One per squad (troop) Points: 5 CommOps are the members in a squad of SpaceMen that operate the communications equipment necessary to keep in touch with the commander of the army. The rest of the SpaceTroopers just think that the CommOps like to talk on the phone a lot. +------------------------------------------+ | "SpaceMan Frigart? Do you realize that | .\ /. | this phone bill is 5,000 credits? | ./\\ //\. | Who do you think is going to pay for | ./\\\\ ////\. | this?" | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | "Uh, me, sir, Hero Nero, sir." | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | "No, I am, because I'm a nice fatherly | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | type -- of course you are, Frigart!" | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' Every squad of SpaceTroopers must have one CommOp in order to take care of communications. This single CommOp must have a "CB" piece in one hand. His other hand is free for whatever else the player wants him to carry. If a SpaceDroid is part of a squad, then the Squad doesn't need a CommOp, because the SpaceDroid has a built-in CB. The loss of a CommOp from a squad confers no penalties, as long as another squad member picks up the CB. If the squad gets seperated from their CommOp, or the CB is lost or destroyed, the squad becomes confused and only moves once every other turn until they can join up with another squad. Verse 2.5: Mechanix ------------------- Move": 5" Armor Value: 5 Skill: 1d8 Ratio: Maximum one per vehicle Points: 8 Mechanix are members of the elite order that repairs and maintains the vehicles, bases, and installments of the SpaceMen. When a potential Mechanik is identified in the SMTC, he is immediately given an aptitude test to determine whether or not he would make a skilled Mechanik. SpaceMen who are trained as Mechanix spend an extra 20 years in training at the Citadel of Mechanix. In the Citadel, the Mechanik trainee is trained how to design, test, and finalize designs of machinery *in his head*. The skilled Mechanik can design a new vehicle from the wreckage of another in about ten minutes, the fastest Mechanix can do it in five. Mechanix require tools with which to work, and many of the sets of tools that the Mechanix use have been in circulation for thousands of years, handed down from generation to generation. +------------------------------------------+ | "Then one must lift the flux inverter to | .\ /. | the sun, while repeating the Chant of | ./\\ //\. | the Carburetor to himself. When the | ./\\\\ ////\. | Chant is complete, one must sprinkle | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | the inverter with the sacred motor oil."| .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | -- Excerpt from the Book of the Engine| ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | a Holy Book of Mechanix. | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' Mechanix are incredibly handy to have in one's army. Not only can they repair damage done to vehicles, but they can salvage parts from wreckage and create new devices in the midst of battle. A Mechanik must be equipped with a least one wrench, hammer, hose tool, or a robot arm (we use this piece as a tool). Tools are required by the Mechanik at a cost of 5 points apiece. Mechanix have two roles to play on the battle field; they can repair damaged vehicles, or they can build new vehicles out of wreckage. Verse 1.2.5.1: Repairing Damaged Vehicles ----------------------------------------- A Mechanik can help to fix vehicles which have suffered damage as a result of collisions or weapons fire. It was stated above that Mechanix must carry tools with them at all times, to be of any use on the battle field, and now you will learn why. When a Mechanik is trying to fix a vehicle, he specifies which damage he is attempting to correct (i.e. destroyed weapon, etc.). Then, he rolls 1d6 for every tool that he carries (max. 2), and adds three. If he has only one tool and rolls a six, he gets to roll another die and add it. If he rolls two sixes, he automatically succeeds. If he rolls above the number corresponding to the damaged system on the Vehicle Ker-Pow! Table, then the damage is repaired. Note that exploded vehicles cannot be repaired, and flipped-over vehicles must be un-flipped-over by a group of burly SpaceTroopers befor a Mechanik can get to work on it. A Mechanik must stand next to the vehicle (i.e. touching it) in order to be of service. The vehicle must not move during the turn in which it is being repaired. A Mechanik may try as many times as he likes to fix the machine. For example, let's say a Proximan HoverTank had it's main Mk3 Ballistik Cannon shot by enemy fire (the enemy rolled a 7 on the Ker-Pow! Table). Then, a friendly Mechanik decides, "Hey, let me fix that...", and he races up to the vehicle. He then must roll over 7 in order to repair the damaged weapon. After a system has been repaired, it operates normally. Verse 1.2.5.2: Building Stuff from Wreckage ------------------------------------------- Suppose that the best efforts of a SpaceDriver were not enough to save his vehicle (and himself) from destruction. As described in the Main Rules Tome, the vehicle is then shredded into pieces, half of them removed, and then sprinkled over the area in which it was destroyed. It is from these pieces that Mechanix can build new stuff, such as a smaller vehicle (perhaps with no steering system) or a tiny weapons platform. First, the Mechanik must roll a 1d6 to see if it is possible to create a new device. If he rolls a four or over, he can do it. If Mechanik rolled a 4, he has fifteen seconds to create a new device, a 5 means he has thirty seconds, and a 6 means that he gets forty-five seconds to build something new. All silliness for these rules applies. For example, say a small vehicle got blasted by a Mk 5 missile (yikes!), and the vehicle was ripped up, and half of the pieces were discarded. The pieces left are a 2x6 chassis plate, one set of wheels, and fenders. The Mechanik could make a car with only two wheels and fenders; however, the new car doesn't have a steering wheel, so if the driver wants to turn, he has to stop the car, get out, lift it up and turn it, get back in, and go on his way. Any recreated vehicles move 7", and all weapon movement penalties are counted. Verse 1.2.5.3: Recovery Vehicles and Repair Bays ------------------------------------------------ A Mechanic may have a separate vehicle all to himself. Vehicles driven as recovery vehicles cost an extra 10 points and can hold up to 10 spare parts. Recovery vehicles move at a -2" penalty. The pieces carried in the recovery vehicle are chosen by the player and may be used to help create new vehicles from wreckage. Mechanix may also have base workshops which can hold up to fifteen spare parts in a parts bin. If the Mechanic is working from a workshop, he'll get a +1d4 bonus to all repair rolls (i.e. not To-Hit rolls). So, a Mechanic in a repair bay in a base with one tool would roll 1d4 + 1d6 + 3 to try and repair damage to vehicles. When recreating a vehicle, spare parts are taken out of the repair bay or recovery vehicle as they are needed, not before the actual construction time limit begins. Verse 1.2.6: Medix ----------------- Move": 4" Armor Value: 6 Skill: 1d6 Ratio: Maximum one for every 10 troops Points: 7 Medix are basically Mechanix for humans. After the initial SpaceMan training in the SMTC, those desiring to become Medix move onto the Hippocratic College of SpaceMen (each civilization has its own College), where they learn for ten years how to mend battle wounds, such as No-Knee Syndrome, Skull Explosion, Hyper-Extended Spine, Shattered Torso, and the devastating All- Bones-Fused-Together Trauma. At graduation time, the Medix are awarded their MediPak (which contains such medical accessories as BakTeen, BandAdes, and a hammer) and are sent off to perform their duties with a specific unit, which they are attached to for the rest of their lives as SpaceTroopers. +------------------------------------------+ | "Being a LeCroix Medik is on of the most | .\ /. | honorable and exciting positions a | ./\\ //\. | person could possibly hold. I like | ./\\\\ ////\. | blood, too." | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | -- Medik Jansen Orroork (17th LeCroix| .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | Corps), in his interview with | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | Walter Barbarsa. | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' Medix are represented by a SpaceTrooper with two sets of "air-tanx". Both tanks are either red or white, and one must be worn on the back, and one on the front. This extra tank is used to simulate the extra equipment carried by the Medik, used to heal other troopers. Alternatively, a Medik can be represented by a doctor minifig wearing a helmet and AirTanx in the color of his Civilization. Medix have the ability to heal troopers who have fallen in combat. If a fallen comrade lies in the battlefield, the Medik can race to his or her side and administer medicines and perhaps a skull-replacement. To raise a fallen friend, a Medik must be next to the victim. The Medic then gets one roll on 1d10. (If he is in a base SickBay, he gets two rolls.) If the player rolls 4-10, the victim is saved, and may begin to fight again on the next turn. If the player rolls a 1 to 3, however, the soldier is lost forever, and cannot be saved. Verse 1.2.7: Engineers ---------------------- Move": 5" Armor Value: 5 Skill: 1d6 Ratio: 1 for every 3 SpaceMenials Points: 6 Engineers are Mechanix for buildings. They carry a SprayCan of hardening foam, which they use to create plastic brix to patch holes and build barricades. Engineers usually command "squads" of SpaceMenials. +------------------------------------------+ | "I build things with plastic brix. Some | .\ /. | people say I’m crazy, but I still say | ./\\ //\. | it's the closest thing to being a god." | ./\\\\ ////\. | | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | -- Jorik von Palmot, in his | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | graduation speech at SpaceEngineer | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | University. | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' An Engineer can produce 1 plastic brik per turn, if he does nothing else. The brik may not be larger than a normal 2x4 brik. A band of SpaceMenials can then assemble the brix into large constructions, such as barricades, bridges, or staircases. A construction of these brix has AV 2d10. Alternatively, an Engineer can direct SpaceMenials to reassemble a broken base wall from its debris, or use prefabricated parts brought in by Supply Trucks to build weapon bunkers and defense towers. (Prefabricated parts cost half as much as the structure they are designed to build, except for base weapons, which cost full price. Normal 2x4 plastic Brix cost 1 point apiece.) The Engineer uses his SprayCan to mortar the pieces together, and the structure is as good as new. An Engineer is represented by a normal SpaceMan with a SprayCan and a "boy-hair piece". Verse 1.2.8: SpaceDroids ------------------------- Move": 7" Armor Value: 1d6 + 2 Skill: 1d10 Ratio: Maximum one for every 5 troops Points: 8 SpaceDroids are human shaped and sized robots which can fight along side a regular SpaceMan. The members of the squad to which the SpaceDroid belongs constantly repair and upgrade their comrade, and treat it as if it were a real man. Due to the fact that the android is not human, and made from synthetic materials, it is more durable and can move faster than can a normal SpaceMan. Androids, however, are not autonomous creations, and must be attached to a squad of other SpaceTroopers, or else they get lost. +------------------------------------------+ | "Champion Vitarc! Don't throw that! | .\ /. | It's SpaceDroid 1138-AW's head!" | ./\\ //\. | | ./\\\\ ////\. | -- SpaceScout Flippin's protest that | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | SpaceDroid 1138-AW's head be pre- | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | served. The head impacted with an | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | enemy tank and blew it up. | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' SpaceDroids are basically human SpaceMan pieces, but with an odd mechanical feature or two. These features can range from having a maneuver jet for a head, to having wheels instead of legs. However, the heads of SpaceDroids cannot be the normal human face, and must be some other piece (SpaceDroids aren't technologically advanced enough to support human features, yet). A SpaceDroid must be in a squad, vehicle, or base with at least one human SpaceMan in it. If all of the humans in the SpaceDroid's squad die, then the `droid will return to the nearest squad or base to receive new orders, at which time he can join a new squad. It is possible to have a squad of four SpaceDroids and one human, if you really want to. SpaceDroids are also equipped with a built in CB radio, which it can use like a normal CommOp. Verse 1.2.9: SpaceDrivers ----------------------- Move": 5" Armor Value: 1d4 Skill: 1d8 Ratio: One per vehicle (troop) Points: 7 SpaceDrivers are the elite and cocky group of warriors who pilot the vehicles of their army. Before becoming a full-fledged SpaceDriver, the Initiate must pass a special course called "SpaceDrivers' Ed," which is offered at the local high school. In SpaceDrivers' Ed, the Initiate learns such vital things as how to drive in a straight line, how to operate the weapons and communications systems of his vehicle, and how to parallel park. Once a SpaceDriver is given his first vehicle, he takes tremendously good care of it. On the weekends, with the week's fighting behind him, the SpaceDriver tends to his vehicle. SpaceDrivers follow a grueling ritual which involves meticulously waxing, polishing, and detailing their vehicle. After the external ointments have been applied, the SpaceDriver carefully tunes the engine, with the help of his unit's Mechanix. Finally, he vacuums inside the vehicle, and cleans up the floormats. He rotates the tires, too, if the vehicle has any. +------------------------------------------+ | "Hey! Can't you watch where you're | .\ /. | going?! What a moron. Maybe I'll | ./\\ //\. | shoot at her, that'd teach her!" | ./\\\\ ////\. | -- Armson Pitipalda, SpaceDriver | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | of the Ralan DriverCorps, after | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | a Ralan SpaceWoman ran in front of | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | his tank. It was his mom. | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' Every vehicle must have a SpaceDriver driving it. If a vehicle has no SpaceDriver, then it can't go anywhere, so try to avoid designing vehicles with no pilots. Verse 1.2.10: SpaceMenials ------------------------- Move: 6" Armor Value: 1d3 (10) Skill: 1d4 (10) Ratio: None (troop) Points: 4 SpaceMenials are unfortunate mutants, genetik accidents who are mind- numbingly pacifistic. They cannot raise a weapon or fist in anger to hurt another. As it becomes apparent to their teachers that they are Violence Challenged, they are taken aside into Special Education classes, where they are taught how to pull plows and haul garbage and do other menial labor while dosed with whatever experimental steroids are in vogue. This does not make them very intelligent, but they do become very strong. +------------------------------------------+ | "Life is like a box of chocolates. | .\ /. | Well, not really. More like a crate of | ./\\ //\. | scrap steel. It's very heavy, and I | ./\\\\ ////\. | have to carry it to Mechanik Orfast. | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | Actually, life isn't that heavy." | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | -- SpaceMenial Jeb Namble, quoted | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | from "The Zen of Lifting Boxes." | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' Although snubbed by the other SpaceMen, SpaceMenials have one great advantage: for the purpose of lifting, carrying, throwing, and shoving things around, their effective Skill and AV are 10. This means they can carry some small vehicles without slowing down! They are useful for quick assembly and disassembly of barricades and fortifications, and are often used as target dummies to draw enemy fire or as target practice when all the Normal People are dead. SpaceMenials have no SpaceArmor, they just run around in overalls and a cap, in the color of their Civilization. Verse 1.2.11: Kamikazes ----------------------- Move: 8" Armor Value: 1d4 Skill: 1d6 Ratio: 1 for every 4 troops Points: 5 Every now and then a SpaceTrooper gets tired of the normal humdrum violence, facing certain death day in, day out; it takes a little more to get his adrenaline flowing. A Kamikaze is SpaceMan who is even more mentally unstable than his peers. He goes into battle wearing only light armor and pumped up on SpaceCaffeine, looking for insane risks and suicide missions. +------------------------------------------+ | "Come on! Here I am, come and get me! | .\ /. | Whattsa matter, are you chicken?" | ./\\ //\. | | ./\\\\ ////\. | -- Kamikaze Jaknot, challenging a | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | three-story siege tank to single | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | combat. The tank was from the same | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | Civilization. They both lost. | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' What his enemies don't know is that he's holding a deadman's switch that will set off a 3d10+1d6 bomb cleverly implanted in his cranial cavity. Naturally, his superiors know, and he is positioned far away from normal squads. A Kamikaze appears to be a normal SpaceMan, except he hasn't shaved in awhile. Verse 1.2.12: SpaceNinjas -------------------- Move: 10" Armor Value: 1d6 Skill: 3d6+4 Ratio: Maximum 1 for every 7 troops Points 12 In every SpaceMan training class, there is one mysterious SpaceKid. He doesn't participate in class discussions, and no one can tell what he's thinking. These SpaceKids mystify their teachers, and so their teachers pawn them off on some Ancient ZenMaster or another. Invariably, it turns out these SpaceKids are just nearsighted, but by the time anyone finds this out it is too late and they are well on their way to becoming a SpaceNinja. +------------------------------------------+ | "As a pebble disturbs the stillness of | .\ /. | the pond, so will a Mk5 Missile disturb | ./\\ //\. | the structural integrity of your body. | ./\\\\ ////\. | Therefore, be vigilant! Avoid the | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | attention of your opponents' targeting | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | systems, as a tiger stalking beef-ogs." | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | -- ZenMaster Bill | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' SpaceNinjas are mysterious SpaceMen and SpaceWomen who spend their lives in secret gymnasiums, perfecting their skill in close combat and covert operations. Sabotage and assassination are the Ninja's primary focuses. A Ninja cannot use ranged weapons (except thrown weapons), and has only light armor, so he will always try to stay hidden. If a ninja has any significant cover, he is invisible to his enemies. He will move from hiding place to hiding place, over vertical surfaces as quickly as horizontal ones, until he can jump directly into close combat with his target. A ninja can jump up to two stories high, and never takes damage from falls. This has allowed ninjas to leap onto low-flying Flyers, garrote the pilot, and commandeer the Flyer, dropping the pilot's head into the soup of the enemy Champion. When a ninja attacks a minifig (except another ninja) from behind, his first attack always hits, and does +2 extra damage. No other SpaceMan is stealthy enough to get the drop on another. A ninja is also filled with the power of SpaceZen, allowing him one Stupendous Feat per turn. A Ninja wears normal SpaceArmor, but instead of a helmet, he has a topknot (made out of one of the one-dot switch pieces). They often carry a grenade or time bomb in addition to a melee weapon. Ninjas prefer not to drive vehicles, but if they find themselves in control of one they'll often set it on a collision course with an enemy base and jump out at the last moment. If a vehicle carrying Ninjas is destroyed, all the Ninjas automatically jump clear at the last moment. Verse 1.2.13: SpaceHeroes ---------------------- Men Women Move": 5" 7" Armor Value: 1d10 + 4 1d4 + 4 Skill: 1d10 + 2 1d10 + 2 (+2 CC Bonus) Ratio: -----> Maximum one for every 7 troops <----- Points: 12 11 A normal SpaceMan is the most deadly organism in all of known space. If, however, the SpaceMan's power is in some way naturally augmented, he becomes even deadlier than the next guy. SpaceMan Heroes do not command entire divisions, but instead serve as rallying points and as symbols of their Civilization's power and glory. Heroes are normal SpaceMen who have displayed extraordinary feats of strength, speed, or agility. A Hero tends to spend about 20 years (instead of the normal 17) in the SpaceMan training Camp, which allows him to further hone his advantages. SpaceMan Heroes are also incredible morale boosters who often whip regulars into such a frenzy that they often shoot at trees, rocks, sometimes even the ground. +------------------------------------------+ | "I'm a Hero, oh yes I am! | .\ /. | I fights them boys and kill them dead, | ./\\ //\. | I like my sandwiches with cheese n' ham,| ./\\\\ ////\. | So give me one now or I crack yer head!"| .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | -- A favorite childrens' rhyme, | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | commemorating the exploits of | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | SpaceHero Fleeben Goonter. | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' SpaceHeroes are incredibly efficient killers, and serve as the leaders of the SpaceForce, when no Champions are available. SpaceHeroes function just like normal SpaceTroopers, but have a somewhat large advantage called the "Stupendous Feat Ability". A stupendous feat (or just a "feat") is something incredible that the SpaceHero does during the battle that could not be done by anyone else. Feats are inherently useful things, such as shooting again, moving again, punching through a wall, etc. More examples are given below in a small list. In order for a feat to succeed, both players roll 1d6. If the player attempting the feat rolls equal to or higher than the other player, then the feat succeeds. The opposing player need not roll against the player attempting the feat, if he does not want to. Note that the player attempting the feat must declare before the roll exactly what feat he is trying to accomplish. Some sample feats include: 1) Shooting again (no automatic hits) 2) Moving again 3) Grabbing hold of a passing vehicle/flyer 4) Punching a hole in a wall 5) Climbing sheer surfaces 6) Moving something big 7) Leaping great distances 8) Troubelshooting medical help for a fallen trooper 9) Fixing a vehicle 10) Moving terrain features 11) Etcetera... Note that feats can be as silly as the players desire. A very serious game could be played with very strict rules on which types of feats can be performed, or players can choose to allow such things as eating obstructions or drinking rivers dry. The point is to make SpaceHeroes truly great warriors with near super-human abilities. We leave the restrictions on silliness to the players' taste, but we suggest a high level of stupidity. We do not describe all possible Stupendous Feats because there are any number of actions a Hero can take. So many options exist that we leave it up to the players to think of something silly for their Heroes to do. We like to have our Heroes pick up vehicles and throw them at other vehicles. Our Heroes do a lot of Really Fast Running and 400-Meter Leaps, as well. Heroes get one Stupendous Feat per turn. They are represented by SpaceMen with visored helmets and fancier SpaceArmor. Verse 1.2.14: Space Champions --------------------------- Men Women Move": 12" 14" Armor Value: 2d10 + 1 1d10 + 4 Skill: 1d10 + 4 1d10 + 4 (+2 CC Bonus) Ratio: -----> Maximum one for every 12 troops <----- Points: 23 19 SpaceChampions are even more deadly then their companions, the SpaceTroopers and Heroes. Normal SpaceMen have been known to shoot themselves in a battle frenzy, and Champions live up to this standard. However, a Champion usually misses when he pulls the trigger, but ends up hitting four enemies anyhow. Champions are genetik freaks who have the uncanny ability of making stupendous (and often stupid) things go in their favor. Argor Frant (43rd Xeain Legion) once jumped up forty feet and grabbed onto a laser barrel of a passing enemy Flyer, shot the driver, grabbed the controls, piloted the Flyer back towards an enemy tank, and jumped from the Flyer just before impact, unscathed, while obliterating the enemy tank. Champion Frant was unfortunately hit by a Mk5 Missile at that time, though his right knee was left intact, and the Xeain geneticists cloned him. Champion Frant is now back with his original unit. +------------------------------------------+ | "Who's next?" | .\ /. | -- Champion Maxwell Mokrev to an | ./\\ //\. | underling after leaping a fortress | ./\\\\ ////\. | wall, killing 19 enemy SpaceMen, | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | jumping into a tank, and crashing | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | through all of the walls of the | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | fortress, leaving nothing standing. | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' SpaceChampions are even more powerful versions of the SpaceHeroes. The only difference between Heroes and Champions, beyond statistical differences, is the fact that SpaceChampions have THREE Stupendous Feats PER TURN. Now that's something to write home about. SpaceChampions are represented by SpaceMen with visored helmets, fancy SpaceArmor, and epaulets. Verse 1.3: Awful Green Things From Outer Space ---------------------------------------------- Move: 3" Armor Value: 1d20-3 Skill: 1d3 Ratio: 1 for every three troops Points: 6 These frightening amorphic blobs of ooze can strike fear into even a hardened SpaceTrooper's heart. They defy all understanding: They don't have any hands to wield weapons. They speak without mouths. They can sometimes withstand a blast of a Mk5 missile, and sometimes they die when you step on them. If a Green Thing rolls an unmodified 20 while rolling its AV, not only does it automatically resist the attack, it splits into two identical Green Things! Green Things creep slowly across floors, walls, even ceilings, waiting to drop on their prey. When a Green Thing comes in contact with another minifig, it rolls 1d4 per turn. On a 4, it manages to eat its opponent's head and now has complete control of the body (replace the head with the Green Thing). The host's Skill value becomes 1d3, but still moves at the same speed and has the same AV. If the host is killed, the Green Thing dies with it. At any time, the Green Thing can consume the host's body to create another Green Thing. Green Things are often allowed to feed on captured Normal People. They are also sometimes used in trapdoor pit traps in bases. Although naturally green, a Green Thing can change its color to that of its allied army. A green thing is just a collection of three to five random bricks of an appropriate color. It can stretch itself to unnatural lengths (maximum 5") or contract into a small tentacled ball. It can never suffer knockback or falling damage. Normal People will always attack a Green Thing on sight, regardless of alleigance. ========================================================================== Chapter 2: Civilizations ======================== Playing with just the Basic Complement can become passé, pitting two generic vanilla Civilizations against each other. At that point it's time to give them some flavor, and give each Civilization quirks and specialties. These should reflect the makeup of your PBB collection. For instance, if you have a lot of blue motorcycles, then you might make your Blue Civilization specialize in motorized cavalrymen. The sample Civilizations I include here reflect my personal collection and the personalities of my usual opponents, but they're based in general on what kind of pieces are available for specific color schemes. Verse 2.1: Civilization Yellow: Johar ------------------------------------- The colonies of the Johar StarShip Civilization were all placed in a resource-poor section of the galaxy, where dim suns shone on barren rockball planets. The few habitable planets they found tended to be temperate grasslands, full of grazing herd animals. Setting down a few colonies, the Joharites found they had an almost infinite supply of biomass. While their weapons technology atrophied, they took advantage of the endless herds to perfect new techniques of cloning and genetic engineering. The Joharites' main concern is with obtaining industrial metals and supplies. To accomplish this, they engage in hit-and-run raids on enemy factories and industrial bases, trying to escape before an armed defense can be raised. In rare cases, they try to take over isolated or abandoned factories for their own use. They attack in great numbers on small, fast vehicles to quickly secure an area so that a dropship can arrive to transport raw material and finished products away. It is not uncommon for them to destroy the buildings after they have emptied them. Verse 2.1.1: Johar Vehicles --------------------------- Because industrial resources are scarce, the Johar army may only have one weapon of Mk3 or above, or one chassis of Medium or above, for every 100 points they are allowed to spend on a battle. On an attack, all Johar must be transported into battle in vehicles. Almost every individual SpaceTrooper will have either a JetBoard or a RaidCycle. JetBoards are One-Piece Hover Flyers with no weapons. SpaceMen ride around on them like flying skateboards. They cost five points. They are represented by the piece that looks like this: ---- /()()\ / ()() \ the 2x2 plank with a pair of little 'wings.' /_| |_\ If a JetBoard is damaged, it is considered destroyed. It cannot be repaired by Mechanix. RaidCycles are often transported into battle by Medium or Large Flyers, which carry them around as if they were Mk2 Missiles. They are normal One- Piece motorcycles with one or two hand weapons mounted on the sides. Most Johar raids involve at least one DropShip, which is a Large Hover Flyer built to transport stolen loot. Most of the space is dedicated to a big cargo hold. The DropShip gets one free crane or robot arm. Up to four hand weapons may be mounted on the ship. A DropShip's horizontal Movement Rate is only 4"; it takes one turn to summon it from orbit and one turn to go back into orbit once it has loaded all the loot it can carry. Attackers hit the DropShip at +1, since it is big and doesn't move much. A DropShip costs half as much as a Flyer of comparable size, but only has 2d6 + 2 AV. Verse 2.1.2: Johar Troopers --------------------------- Johar depend heavily on overpowering numbers, which are readily available to them with their advanced cloning techniques. All regular troops from the Basic Complement (any troop type without a ratio requirement) are one point cheaper to produce. Their genetic engineers have also come up with an overadrenalized and cryogenically enhanced SpaceMan design called the SpaceManiak. Verse 2.1.2.1: SpaceManiax -------------------------- Move: 20" Armor Value: 2d6+3 Skill: 1d6+2 Ratio: 1 for every 10 troops Points: 12 SpaceManiax are hyperactive balls of energy, hopeless addicts of sugar, caffeine, and adrenaline. They never sleep. Their inability to sit still for even a few seconds leads them to run around at full tilt for hours after the battle has ended, constantly scanning for snack pastries and six-packs of SpaceCola. +------------------------------------------+ | "Are you threatening me? I will never | .\ /. | die! The streets will flow with the | ./\\ //\. | blood of the nonbelievers!" | ./\\\\ ////\. | | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | -- excerpt from a long monologue by | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | SpaceManiak Crom Holio. It was three | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | days before he ran out of breath. | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' SpaceManiax are much faster than normal SpaceMen. They often pace moving vehicles and jump onto them (they jump twice as far as normal SpaceMen). They can run up and over a one-story wall. They always get two attack phases. They must move at least 10" every turn, or their hyperactivity peaks and their head bursts in a 1d10 explosion. Running in tight circles (more than two circles in a single turn) makes them dizzy; their Skill is only 1d6-2 for the rest of that turn. SpaceManiax almost never stop talking. A SpaceManiak is represented by a grey, blue, and yellow minifig with a yellow helmet and silver sunglasses. Verse 2.1.3: Johar Combat ------------------------- Most Joharite battles are hit-and-run raids on enemy factories and warehouses, although large cargo convoys are sometimes also targeted. Their primary objective is to steal high-quality weapon and vehicle components, or raw unprocessed industrial-grade material (represented by normal Blox). Their secondary objective is to raze enemy complexes to the ground following a raid. The defenders must spend at least 10% of their points on a factory or warehouse with class III walls, filled with valuable loot. Maybe some of the loot is being loaded onto trucks for transport, or a supply convoy is coming in. The factory is as large or small as seems appropriate for the size of the armies. Bases and defenses may be added outside this factory at normal cost. Defending troops and vehicles can be placed at normal cost as well. A wave of defensive support troops arrives five turns later - these troops cost half price. More reinforcements come ten turns later. The cost of these troops is reduced to a third, but by the time they arrive the battle is usually over. The Joharites must capture as much as they can before defensive reinforcements arrive. DropShips are slow and have weak armor, so Joharites should eliminate most of the enemy's attack capability before summoning a DropShip. However, the Joharite troops themselves can grab bits of loot and fly off with them themselves. In smaller battles, the Joharites try to finish their business before the first defensive reinforcements arrive. In larger battles, they try to commandeer as much of the enemy defenses as they can - bases, vehicles, and weapons - to lay down cover fire for the DropShip when the reinforcements arrive. Verse 2.2: Civilization Red: Setvia ----------------------------------- The first large Setvian colony was on a hostile volcanic world rich with minerals. The Civilization dedicated most of its resources to mining, and over the years developed mighty robots and magnetic tools. In battle, the Setvians tend to use large robots as weapons platforms and central command stations. Their strategy is to use their giant robots to destroy enemy bases and large vehicles as quickly as possible, then secure a command area from which to conduct mop-up operations on the smaller enemy units. Verse 2.2.1: Setvian Robots --------------------------- Although they also use normal vehicles, Setvians prefer to go into battle backed up by enormous robots. Robots cost the same amount as vehicles of similar size, multiplied by how many levels tall they are. Their number of weapon mounts is also multiplied. For instance, a three-story tall Large robot would have 3 x 4" or 12" of weapon mounts. Robots have no need for SpaceDrivers, since they have advanced combat AIs. (Any roll on the Ker-Pow! Chart that kills the driver causes the robot's brain to short out.) Robots should always have enough extra stuff loaded on them to cut their Movement Rate in half. Robots can also have Outstanding Robotic Components, or ORCs, such as enormous arms, magnetic cranes, car-crushing teeth, or a Mega-Chainsaw. ORCs always cost at least 10 points, and the total cost should be agreed upon by both players. ORCs will usually incur Movement Penalties. Verse 2.2.2: Setvian Troopers ----------------------------- Setvians tend to use a lot more SpaceDroids than other Civilizations. They produce them for only 6 points, and there is no ratio limit of troops to SpaceDroids. WorkDroids cost 3 points and have the same stats as SpaceMenials, except that like all droids they get confused without humans nearby to tell them what to do. Setvian SpaceDroids are represented by black and red robot minifigs with clear helmets. WorkDroids are built from scratch, with no minifig parts. Verse 2.2.2.1: Cybernetix ------------------------- Move": 5" Armor Value: 5 Skill: 1d8 Ratio: 1 per 5 robots and droids Points: 10 While most Civilizations have Mechanix and Medix, only the Setvians go one step further to train Cybernetix. A Cybernetik might repair a damaged steering system by replacing it with the head of a fallen SpaceDriver, or help a wounded SpaceHero by replacing his legs with a propellor. They take special pride in finding the most ridiculous and unlikely combinations possible. +------------------------------------------+ .\ /. | "Oh yeah? Well, I once wired a triple | ./\\ //\. | amputee to a vending machine, a fork- | ./\\\\ ////\. | lift, and a photocopier. Then I | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | replaced his head with a wristwatch. | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | It was analog, too!" | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | -- Stam Porta, Master Cybernetik | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' Cybernetix have all the abilities of normal Mechanix, except that when they are repairing or rebuilding vehicles, they can use minifigs for spare parts. In addition to their single tool, they may be assisted by one or two WorkDroids, who each add 1d6 to all repair rolls. Also, when rolling to see if they can build a new device from debris, they roll 1d6+1 instead of 1d6. A roll of 7 means they have a full minute to build whatever they can. When acting as Medix, Cybernetix will replace wounded limbs with robotic parts. These will usually work just like the originals, but if a Cybernetik is strapped for spare parts he might use something totally inappropriate, like a 2x3 Brik to replace a SpaceMan's legs. Obviously, that SpaceMan is going to spend the rest of the battle in one place, unless other SpaceMen carry him around. Cybernetix can carry computers around with them in Cybernetik-Carts. Computers are free; they are so common on Setvia that they are used as doorstops and birdcage liners. If a Cybernetik replaces a SpaceMan's head, he has to use a computer to do it. He may also build a computer into a vehicle. The minifig or vehicle will now have Skill 1d6-1, and need to have humans nearby to tell them what to do. Enemy minifig corpses can be turned into loyal android slaves in this manner. Occasionally, a Cybernetik's hard work produces something that is not really a minifig or a vehicle. For instance, you might see a 2x4 Brik with two pairs of legs, a Mk2 Laser and a short column topped by a human head. This is a Cyborg. Cyborgs move 5" a turn, have an AV of 1d10, and a Skill of 1d6-1. These pathetic miscreants are usually scrapped for spare parts when the battle ends. Verse 2.2.3: Setvian Combat --------------------------- Setvian combat strategy is centered around 'capital robots' which are defended by lesser troops. These capital robots use their impressive firepower to reduce large targets to rubble quickly, while their 'defensive clouds' mop up attacking enemy units. Setvians are more often victims of attack than attackers, and so fight most of their battles on their volcanic colony worlds. Streams and pools of molten lava are often arranged in defensive rings around Setvian bases. Terrain is rough, and there are always plenty of rocks around. Setvian bases usually employ some form of Mass Driver to launch rocks all over the landscape. The ground is considered to have AV of 3d10; anything striking the ground with enough force to break the surface will cause a 3d10 fumarole explosion, sending molten lava everywhere. Verse 2.3: Civilization Blue: Mikon ----------------------------------- The Mikon Civilization is highly advanced and culturally sophisticated. They place great importance on diplomacy and rule of law. Natives on Mikon colony worlds get along quite well with the colonists. Most of the Mikon population live in enormous city-ships. Militarily, the Mikon often get bogged down in police actions as they try to maintain law and order throughout their section of the galaxy. In battle they rely heavily on well-established bases and medium-sized vehicles. Their strategic emphasis is on maintaining defensible positions and drawing their enemies into the range of their defensive weapons. Verse 2.3.1: Mikon Technology ----------------------------- Although the Mikon Civilization has no unique technologies, it has taken regular technology to new and fantastic heights. Dozens of their StarShips have grown to the size of large cities, and their weapons of war are bigger and better as well. Here are some of the additional vehicles and weapons available to the Mikons: Item Points Description ---- ------ ----------- Really Large Grenade 7 Like a normal grenade, but does 3d10+3 damage and -1" Move. Plastic Explosive 6 A single little white square does 2d10 explosive damage, but many squares can be stacked into a huge mound doing cumulative damage. Goes off after two rounds. Class 5 - Up to 500 dots in size, moves at 10" Enormous Ground Vehicle with 8" of weapon mounts and 4d10+4 AV. Class 5 - Up to 400 dots in size, moves at 10" Enormous Hover Flyer with 4" of weapon mounts and 3d10+2 AV. Mk4 Laser 32 Range 20", UR 4, Damage 4d10+4, -1" Move, size 16 (4 LasPieces). Mk5 Ballistic 45 Range 20", UR 5, Damage 3d20, -6" Move, size 30. Mk3 Bomb 26 UR 4, Damage 4d10, -3" Move, size 3 cylinders. The Mikon "Enormous" class vehicles are sent in as command units when a base is unavailable. They usually have the capability to transport troops and small vehicles as well as wield the burliest Mikon vehicle weapons. SickBays and Mechanix' Workshops can be added for 15 points and -5" Move, but only give bonuses when the vehicle is not moving. Like bases, they must have at least one computer bank. Verse 2.3.2: Mikon Troopers ---------------------------- Mikon generals prefer sending in a few SpaceHeroes and heavily-armed tanks to sending in a whole slew of normal SpaceMen and battle buggies. They sometimes choose to ignore troop ratios for special missions. They always try to capture enemy facilities and vehicles rather than destroy them. With that in mind, a special division of SpaceMen was developed: the Blue Berets. Verse 2.3.2.1: Commandos ------------------------ Move": 7" Armor Value: 5 Skill: 1d8+2 Ratio: 1 per 5 troops Points: 10 The final training exercise of the Mikon Blue Berets involves being released in the hard vacuum of space with nothing but SpaceArmor, a Magnetic Parachute, and a special golden bowie knife. They are then expected to reach the nearest planet and survive for two months in its Green Thing-infested jungles, while making their way to an active volcano. They aren't told that the volcano is patrolled by hostile SpaceDroids. They must get to the top of the volcano and wait up to a week for the automated rescue ship to arrive. Fatality rates are high, but the SpaceTroopers who manage to repair the rescue ship after it crashes into the lake of molten lava and escape the planet are the most resourceful and battle-hardened veterans of any Civilization. +------------------------------------------+ | "When I came to my senses, I was | .\ /. | surrounded by piles of Fromite flesh. | ./\\ //\. | Twisted metal and burned meat covered | ./\\\\ ////\. | everything. My whole body was drenched | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | in enemy blood. It was a good day." | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | -- Commando J. Thrombo, after the | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | Battle of Paxton Ridge. | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' Commandos are specially trained in base assault, stealth, first aid and field repair. They carry the Mikon Survival Knife, which is a small shiny gold knife that contains 5" of rope and a grappling hook, some bandages, a Mechanik mini-toolset, an electronic scrambler, a silencer, and three days of emergency rations. If a Commando has any cover whatsoever, he is invisible to enemies. Ideally, a squad of Commandos can kill everyone in a base without any of them ever realizing they are under attack. They gain access to the base by climbing over the walls with their ropes, or using their electronic scrambler to open the door. Every turn that a Commando uses his scrambler on a door, roll 1d6. A 5 or above opens the door, while a 1 activates the base alarm. Additional Commandos add 1 to this roll, but a die roll of 1 still activates the alarm. When attempting to do field repair, treat them like Mechanix except that instead of rolling 1d6 for every tool and adding 3, roll 1d6-1 for every Commando helping and add 3. When using first aid, treat Commandos like Medix, except that instead of getting 4 or higher on a 1d10, they have to get 4 or higher on a 1d6. Additional Commandos add 1 to this roll. A Commando can attempt to give himself first aid on the first turn after he is hit, but he rolls 1d6-1. Commandos are normal SpaceMen with blue berets and little gold knives. They are often given Magnetic Parachutes and dropped into battle by Flyers or launched by Mass Drivers. They prefer to carry gyro rifles, which can be used as sniper weapons. Verse 2.3.3: Mikon Combat ------------------------- Because the Mikon colonies and CityShips are major centers of interstellar commerce, it is very easy to smuggle spies, saboteurs, and paramilitary death squads into them. Most of the battles Mikons get into involve defending a military installation in the middle of dense city terrain. Naturally, lots of Normal People and Normal Buildings get thrashed in the crossfire. The Mikons can elect to spend some of their points on reinforcement troops and vehicles. These troops don't arrive until seven turns after actual fighting breaks out or an alarm is triggered, but they only cost half as much as normal troops. When Mikons attack other civilizations, they try to bring in one "Base Ship," an Enormous-class vehicle to serve as a command post. Squads of SpaceMen establish a defensive perimeter while the Engineers and Supply Trucks with prefabricated parts are deployed to create defensive walls, bunkers, weapon turrets, watch towers, and a Mass Driver. Once the base is complete, the Mikons use the Mass Driver to launch paratrooper commandos behind enemy lines while the SpaceMan squads make a full frontal attack. Hopefully, the commandos can capture enough enemy equipment to render the remaining enemy troops ineffective. Verse 2.4: Civilization Green: Annri ------------------------------------ The Annri Civilization does not figure greatly in most interstellar wars. Their primary desire is to be left alone. Their StarShip has been either hidden or destroyed, and they hide their colonies on forest and jungle worlds, using an advanced stealth technology to hide themselves from enemy scanners. The Annri have an almost supernatural ability to blend in with their natural surroundings. Their bases are indistinguishable from rocks and trees. In battle, they use booby-traps and hit-and-fade ambushes to divide enemy forces, cut them off from supplies and reinforcements, and whittle away at their numbers. Verse 2.4.1: Annri Encampments ------------------------------ Annri do not tend to use large-scale advanced technology, because it cannot be hidden by their stealth devices. For the most part, their encampments are bases hidden in the sides of mountains or thick trunks and treetops. Occasionally they build bases in the bottoms of lakes. Treetop bases are often spread out in a web-like arrangement of ropes and bridges, so points should be calculated seperately for each section of the base. Enemy forces will not discover Annri bases unless they actually see an Annri troop using one of the secret entrances. This is difficult: if the Annrian is not in an enemy's line of vision, not within 5", or has any sort of cover, the Annrian is effectively invisible. (The 5" rule does not apply in open terrain, so Annrians always place their bases in forests or jungles.) Annri forests are littered with hiding places such as hollow trees and camoflauged foxholes. A designated Annri hiding place costs three points. An Annrian hiding in such a spot is absolutely invisible to enemies. The hiding place is revealed if an enemy directly sees an Annrian entering it. Enemies can then attack the hiding spot, which usually has an AV of 1d10. Annrian booby traps are invisible until they activate. They are considered Exceptional Landscape Features (or ELFs), so their point costs vary wildly. In general, a booby trap that works once (like a bear trap or covered pit) costs 5 points per 1d6 of damage, or 7 per 1d10. Players can haggle points over any traps that are more complicated. No Annrian will ever be causht by an Annrian trap, except in extreme circumstances (such as setting off their home volcano when hopelessly outnumbered and surrounded). Troop weapons can be mounted on trees and rocks, for an additional cost of 10 points for stealth coating and computer sniping system. Traps are -3 to hit because they are small and hard to see, and in general have 1d10 AV and 1d6 Skill. Very rarely, an Annrian base will have a large base weapon mounted nearby. There is no way to hide this from enemy scanners, so you can be sure it is surrounded by lots of booby traps. It is always placed some distance from the main base, so as not to give away its location. Verse 2.4.2: Annri Troopers --------------------------- Annri troops must take constant advantage of their stealth and cunning to survive in battle, because of the limits on their armament. All Annri SpaceMen have -1 AV, which they have to sacrifice for their stealth devices. They have -1 skill for any post-medieval weapon (like Gyro Rifles and Energy Clubs) but +1 close combat bonus. Consequently, Annrians spend most of their time ducking in and out of hiding spots and ambushes rather than fighting head-to-head. An Annrian's location is revealed if he discharges an energy weapon, or carries a rifle or any weapon whose damage rating is measured in d10's. In some cases this may reveal the location of a base or hiding place. Annri armies are usually composed entirely of SpaceTroopers (represented by green minifigs with Robin Hood hats) and Normal Medieval People. SpaceHeroes are rare, and Mechanix and SpaceDroids are unheard of. SpaceDrivers are unnecessary because Annri vehicles don't get any larger than horse-drawn carts. Their one special troop type is the SpaceTinker. Verse 2.4.2.1: SpaceTinkers --------------------------- Move": 5" Armor Value: 4 Skill: 1d6 Ratio: 1 per 5 troops Points: 7 The Annri SpaceTinker is part special-effects technician, part sadistic landscaper. His deathtraps are not only carefully arranged to destroy enemy troop cohesion, but to create a beautiful aesthetic whole. He might create a fairytale scene by planting a vibrant bed of wildflowers beside a charming rustic stone bridge crossing a placid stream. The wildflowers hide a covered spiked pit, there is a computer-guided impact pistol mounted under the bridge, next to the bridge foundations which are designed to collapse and detonate. The stream is lined with razor tripwires which set off a flash flood and release the SpaceAlligators. +------------------------------------------+ | "I always make sure to include automatic | .\ /. | recording devices in my traps. The | ./\\ //\. | money I make selling footage to the | ./\\\\ ////\. | reality shows more than makes up for | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | the cost of the cameras." | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | -- Nibor Crusoe, Annri SpaceTinker | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | with the Gapro 7th Brigade. | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' SpaceTinkers must carry around one tool to build and repair their traps. A SpaceTinker can automatically reset a trap that has gone off and is undamaged, but more complicated tasks require die rolls. If a SpaceTinker is trying to repair a trap that has been destroyed, he rolls 1d6. On a 2 or less, he can repair the trap completely, or salvage all the parts. On a 4 or less, he can salvage half the parts (his choice). A 5 or 6 means all the parts are broken and useless. A SpaceTinker can also create new traps in the heat of battle. An attempt to create a new trap entirely out of available spare parts succeeds on a 4 or less. Trying to make a trap combining spare parts and part of the environment, such as rigging a tree to fall or a bridge to collapse, succeeds on a 3 or less. Common sense must be employed to decide whether or not a SpaceTinker is actually capable of creating a given trap. For instance, he might want to rig a cliffside to collapse, but he must have some reasonable method of loosening the solid rock. A SpaceTinker may attach Stealth Computers (2 points each) to his traps. The SCs are represented by 1x2 flats with computer consoles printed on them. A trap with an SC on it can be activated whenever the Annri player wants. Otherwise, the SpaceTinker must create a 'trigger' to set it off. This might be a tripwire or pressure plate. When an enemy unwittingly activates the trigger, a roll of 4 or less on a 1d6 means the trap has activated. Some traps don't require a die roll. For instance, a covered pit always activates when a SpaceMan steps on it. Working on a trap always takes a full turn. A SpaceTinker is represented by a green minifig with a hood, wearing a basket on his back to carry Stealth Computers. Verse 2.4.3: Annri Skirmishes ----------------------------- Running raids on Annri bases is a lot of fun, but it can also be difficult to play. Both players must be able to agree quickly on point costs for random traps and vaguely-defined bases, and be willing to fudge on which Annri troops are really "visible." The raiding player must be able to pretend that he really doesn't see all those traps and ambushes. This has the potential to raise arguments over nitpicking details. If you and your opponent find yourself in the occasional dispute, try settling it with a die roll. If you are arguing all the time, you should probably try playing a civilization other than Annri. Annri battles work best if you can create a truly enormous forest landscape, the more complex, the better. Mountains, valleys, rivers, rockslides, castle ruins, and medieval cities all add to this scenario. Try to make the landscape as uneven as possible. Verse 2.5: Civilization White: Hotelie -------------------------------------- The Hotelie Republic was founded on the idea that friendly and efficient service is the keystone to the success of civilized society. While this ideal has led to a high incidence of doctors and chefs in the Hotelie StarShip, its highest expression is in the Knights Hospitable. These Knights travel the universe, providing an example of excellent service for everyone. Hotelies rarely find themselves fighting in large groups, although occasionally groups of Knights gather to liberate a planet oppressed by the Kraan Lords or an infestation of Green Things. Most of their battles occur when one or two knights find themselves in the wrong place when trouble starts. Fortunately their already-impressive skills are bolstered by psychic powers. Verse 2.5.1: Hotelie Citizens ----------------------------- Citizens of the Republic hold their Knights in high esteem, and have few enemies. As such, they have little use for combat-trained soldiers. Besides the Knights Hospitible and the extremely civil Hotelie Normal People, there are not many troop types available to the Hotelies. For rescue missions they may send along special detachments of Hotelie Medix, which cost 5 points and make all their medical rolls at +1. Verse 2.5.1.1: The Knights Hospitable ------------------------------------- Move": 8" Armor Value: 1d6+4 Skill: 2d6 Ratio: 1 per 10 troops Points: 30 The Knights Hospitable are shining pinnacles of virtue and efficient, friendly service. Their fanatic devotion to these ideals often causes them to place themselves in the way of danger, or redo other people's shoddy work. They can never use their powers for unprovoked aggression or in anger. Fortunately, they spend a lifetime of physical and philisophical training to prepare them for these difficult goals, and the Farce is their ally. During their long years of training, a Knight learns that the Farce is what binds all minifigs together. It is thanks to the Farce that every minifig has a smile on his or her face. +------------------------------------------+ | "Adventure? Heh! Excitement? Heh! A | .\ /. | Knight fears not these things. We must | ./\\ //\. | unbuild what we have built. Luminous | ./\\\\ ////\. | beings are we, not this crude plastic." | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | -- From the teachings of Master Ogel | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | at Dnullib IV. | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' A Knight Hospitable can use any weapon or equipment, but prefers to rely on his LiteSaber and the power of the Farce. The LiteSaber is one of the most amazing weapons ever created. It should only be used by someone who is skilled in the Farce; amateurs usually get confused and end up cutting off their own limbs. The handle of the LiteSaber can be a goblet or one of the lever-hinges with one dot on the top. When activated, stick a blade made out of a translucent red antenna on the end of the handle and you have a fully functional LiteSaber. The LiteSaber has a Usage Rating of 2 and does a whopping 4d10 damage. This is enough to cut through the armor on vehicles and buildings; rather than causing the vehicle to explode or blowing up a chunk of wall, a part of the vehicle will be sliced off or a hole will be cut in the wall. The Farce is immensely handy to the Knight. It makes him aware of everything that happens within 5"; traps are made obvious, hidden doors exposed, spies in disguise are recognized, etc. No attacks ever take the Knight by surprise. Also, it makes him very difficult to hit. Any time an enemy successfully hits the Knight, the Knight has a chance to use the Farce to dodge or parry the blow. To dodge, he makes a Skill roll. If his roll equals or is greater than however much the enemy made his attack roll by, he successfully dodges. On the other hand, the Knight can roll against his LiteSaber's UR of 2. If he makes his skill roll by as much or more as his opponent made his attack roll, he successfully parries. If his opponent fired an energy weapon, and the Knight makes his skill roll by *twice* as much as his oppenent's attack roll, he can aim the ricochet with a skill of 1d6. If his opponent was attacking with a close combat weapon, parrying it with a LiteSaber will usually cut it in two. Successive dodges and parries in the same round incur cumulative -2 Skill penalties to the Knight; ganging up on a Knight is usually the only way to defeat him. There is no limit to how many enemies can gang up on a Knight in the same turn. A Knight can also use the Farce to telekinetically move objects. This ability has a range of 5". Objects float around as if a normal SpaceMan were carrying them. Floating a zero-weight object, like most equipment, incurs a -1 Skill penalty. An object weighing 1 Blok, such as a SpaceMan, incurs a -1d6 Skill penalty. A 2-Blok object incurs a -2d6 Skill penalty, so it is the most a normal Knight can levitate. He can use the Farce to throw an object with a skill of 1d6. Finally, a Knight can perform one Hospitable Feat per turn. These work just like Stupendous Feats, except that the Knight is using the Farce. Examples of Hospitable Feats include: 1. Convincing a Blitz Trooper that these are not the SpaceDroids he is looking for. 2. Jumping twenty feet straight up to escape the Plastic Freeze Chamber. 3. Seeing visions of the future. 4. Telepathically contacting freinds and relatives. 5. Finding lost car keys. A Knight Hospitable is usually represented by a white SpaceTrooper with a clear visor, but there is no Hospitable dress code. They can dress however they like, as long as their clothes are neat and clean. Every Knight comes equipped with a LiteSaber. Verse 2.5.2: Hotelie Missions ----------------------------- Hotelies are suited more for campaign play than battle scenarios. It's hard to get the points to add up unless the Hotelies are only there in support of another civilization or some Brown Rebels. When the Hotelies are working by themselves, it's best to ignore point totals and troop ratios. You'll often be sending in one or two Knights Hospitable against 200 or 300 point armies. Obviously, you'll have trouble taking out entire armies with one or two Knights. Instead, you'll be trying to accomplish specific missions, such as infiltrating the Death Planetoid and dodging Blitz Troopers until you can engage Kraan Lord Shiva in a LiteSaber duel. Verse 2.6: Civilization Black: Kraan ------------------------------------ The evil Emperor of Kraan is intent on increasing his empire. His Dark Lords ruthlessly conquer colonies and cities with armies of Blitz Troopers and an array of sinister psychic powers. Placing little or no value in human life, they enslave the people they conquer by turning them into "HED Thralls" - implanting Head Explosion Devices in their craniums, which transmit Dark Lords' psychic commands and detonate the disobedient. In battle, the Dark Lords will begin by sending in an armored air transport full of Blitz Troopers to secure a landing site for the Dark Lords. Automated HeadHugger droids are released to enslave all the Normal People in the area, who are then used as human buffer zones between the Dark Lords and their enemies. If there are no Dark Lords present, battle proceeds in a more traditional manner. Verse 2.6.1: Kraan Legions -------------------------- Normal Kraan war technology is fairly standard. Kraan battle philosophy involves strict uniformity, absolute discipline, and overpowering numbers. Their SpaceTroopers are called Blitz Troopers, and wear white SpaceArmor. Their SpaceDrivers are Imperial Naval Officers, and wear black SpaceArmor. There are no Heroes or Champions or the like, because the Dark Lords prefer that their soldiers be weak-minded and easy to control. Verse 2.6.1.1: Dark Lords ------------------------- Move": 6" Armor Value: 1d6+4 Skill: 2d6 Ratio: * Points: 40 + 10 per additional 1d6 of Skill The Dark Lords' origins are lost in the depths of time, but it is assumed that an ancient band of Knights Hospitable turned to the Dark Side of the Farce, using sarcasm and derisive humor to gain control of the more weak- minded of their fellow minifigs. Dark Lords are much more suited to battle than their Knightly counterparts, since their dark nature lends itself easily to aggression and deceit. However, a Dark Lord does not suffer the presence of other Dark Lords gladly, so there is usually only one per battle. In rare cases, a number of Dark Lords may be forced to work together if they are in the service of a very powerful Dark Lord. +------------------------------------------+ | "The HED implantation is complete. Now, | .\ /. | you will serve me. It is your destiny. | ./\\ //\. | Now, my Thrall, I command you to get me | ./\\\\ ////\. | some tacos, and a large orange drink!" | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | -- Dark Lord Ragnorok, to a recently | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | initiated HED Thrall. | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' A Dark Lord has the same abilities with the LiteSaber and the Farce as a Knight Hospitable (they sometimes choose to weild DarkSabers instead), but his Skill rating is often significantly higher. Whenever a Dark Lord attempts to parry or dodge an enemy attack, and his skill roll is twice the number the enemy made his attack roll by, the Dark Lord mocks his opponent's strength by blocking with his hand or otherwise signifying an absolute lack of respect for the attack. Dark Lords also have the ability to perform one Dark Feat per turn, which are also mostly used to humiliate enemies. In addition to powers similar to the Knights', Dark Lords have the ability to send telepathic commands to anyone with a HED planted in their head. If the HED Thralls refuse a command or if the Dark Lord gets tired of their incessant whining, he may opt to detonate selected HEDs. This causes the Thralls' heads to burst in a 1d10 explosion. Also, a Dark Lord may use the Farce to shoot lightning from his hands, up to 3" away. These lightning bolts use up Skill points, so shooting a lightning bolt that does 2d6 of damage will incur a -2d6 Skill penalty until the Kraan player's next turn. Dark Lords use this skill very rarely, unless they somehow lose their LiteSaber or need to jumpstart their DIE Fighter. Dark Lords are represented by black SpaceMen with black visors and a LiteSaber. Verse 2.6.1.2: HeadHugger Droids -------------------------------- Move": 6" Armor Value: 1d4 Skill: 1d6 Ratio: 1 per 4 troops Points: 4 HeadHugger Droids are frightening little biomechanical spiders. Their only purpose in life is to chase Normal People down and jump on their heads (head-jumping is an attack with a UR of 3 and a range of 3"). Once they have latched on to a head, they stay there for one round, during which they plant a HED in the victim's cranium. They have no other combat abilities. +------------------------------------------+ | "Day in, day out, I’m chasing people | .\ /. | down and violating their cranial | ./\\ //\. | integrity. All I have to look forward | ./\\\\ ////\. | to is more of the same until I meet my | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | fiery death. But to me, HeadHugging is | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | its own reward." | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | -- Overheard at a HeadHugger bar. | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' HeadHuggers can climb walls like spiders and make 4" leaps at no penalty. If submerged in water, they short-circuit. Any motley collection of small black peices will make a fine HeadHugger. A minifig with a HED installed is indicated by attaching a black one-dot cylinder to the top of his head. Verse 2.6.2: Kraan Engagements ------------------------------ Kraan tacticians make up for blowing a lot of points on the Dark Lords by buying lots of cheap Blitz Troopers and lightly armed Small Flyers (usually DIE fighters). Kraan soldiers do not have a lot of initiative. Squad cohesion is very tight; members of a squad always try to stay within an inch or two of another member of the squad. Squads whose number has been reduced to less than five must try to join with another squad and bring their number up. Every soldier in a squad is identically equipped, and they try to maintain good formation. Blitz Trooper squads never take risks or perform maverick operations. They always try to maintain high standards of tactical discipline, always laying down cover fire and waiting for reinforcements or finding other good tactical excuses to be cowardly. There is no generic Kraan battle. The Kraan have no allies, and will attack anyone, wherever they think they can exploit a weakness. Verse 2.7: Civilization Orange: Rios ------------------------------------ The Rios civilization survives through espionage and cunning, as information merchants to the galaxy. There are two main groups: the SpaceSpies, who dress in suits of clashing black, blue, and red, with sickly green visors, and the SpaceCouriers, who dress in black, blue, and white, with orange visors. Riotians very rarely engage in open firefights. Their battle philosophy is "cut and run" - they always have an escape route prepared. Ideally, they try to get their agents away before the enemy knows that anything has gone wrong. When push comes to shove, their agents rely on misdirection and an array of gadgets and booby traps to buy themselves enough time to escape. Verse 2.7.1: Riotian Gadgetry ----------------------------- Riotians have no special ability in base or vehicle construction, but their personal equipment is among the most advanced in the galaxy. It is rumored that the special gadgets are all developed by a mysterious and reclusive genius known only as "Q." These gadgets are the lifeblood of the Riotian espionage industry. Gadget Pts. Function ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Holographic Disguise 5 Disguises the bearer to look like any other (Robot Claw) minifig, as long as the bearer does not touch any objects (except to walk on them) or make any attacks. Holographic Decoy 5 Creates a holographic duplicate of the bearer (Black Cylinder) that can walk around, but can't interact with objects. Antigrav Pack 3 The wearer can hover around silently at 5" per turn. Electronic Toolkit 5 On a roll of 4 or more on a 1d6, the user can (1x2 Plank) disable an alarm system, unlock a security door, tap a communication line, or otherwise override small devices. A roll of 1 sets off an alarm. Grappling Hook Gun 3 Fires a powerful grappling claw and 10" of rope (Modified Pistol) to allow the bearer to climb tall buildings and swing across ravines. It has a UR of 2. It winches the rope back in at 5" per turn. High-Power Transponder 3 With just one turn of setup, this suitcase can (Suitcase) be converted into a high-powered transmitter, which can send encrypted messages light-years away. Digital photographs, secret documents, and other top secret information is smuggled out with this device. Laser Sensor 1 This device can be attached to any other gadget. (1 dot black round It will activate the other gadget when any Plank) minifig comes within 3". It is ofen used on Holographic Decoys and specialized Grenades. Stun Modification 1 Any weapon modified with this gadget becomes a (Green gem) stun weapon doing the same amount of damage. Rather than killing its target, the weapon now suppresses their neural or electrical activity for 1d6 + 3 turns. It works just as well on vehicles and SpaceDroids as it does on people, but it does not have much effect on base walls. LaserTorch Pen 4 This pen is used to cut through walls and other (Spraycan top) inanimate objects. It does 1d10 damage per turn, but this damage is cumulative over a number of turns. Its range is only 1". If used as a close combat weapon, its UR is 6. There are lots of other underhanded gadgets besides these, like chainsaw shoes and exploding cufflinks. These can be assigned point values at random. Grenade modifications are usually free. Riotians love to use modified grenades like OilSlick Grenades, Neutron Grenades, Enormous Blok of Gelatin Grenades, Acid Grenades, Caltrop Shrapnel Grenades, etc. Gadgets are often mounted on their vehicles as well. Verse 2.7.2: Riotian Espionage ------------------------------ The Rios Civilization has all normal troop types, except that Rios divides them into two classes: SpaceCouriers and SpaceSpies. SpaceCouriers are well liked and not usually involved in battles, but if they are, they bring enough firepower to garuantee that the package arrives on time. SpaceSpies are not well liked, but rather than raw firepower, they depend on an array of gadgets carefully selected for the mission at hand to accomplish their objectives. Riotians are often the third player in a BrikWars battle, using the confusion of open conflict to send SpaceSpies to infiltrate and steal secret documents, or sending SpaceCouriers to break through enemy lines and deliver a vital package. Two-player games with the Riotian SpaceSpies are sometimes more like one-player games, because if the SpaceSpies do their job right then the enemy will never know that they’re there. When defending against SpaceSpies, almost any security device costs 2 points, such as security cameras, infrared detection beams, door locks, handprint identification, etc. Any security device that can do damage costs an additional 5 points per 1d6 of damage. SpaceSpy missions are most entertaining in very large bases. Lots of stairs and elevators, and random rooms like laundry rooms, bathrooms, meat lockers, cubicle spaces, etc. give opportunities for tremendously entertaining espionage situations. Ideally, you should build some kind of mechanized processing plant, such as a dog food packaging center or trash compactor / incinerator, with lots of conveyor belts and automatic robot devices. SpaceSpy franchises exist in most major cities, so no alarms go off if a SpaceSpy is walking around in broad daylight minding his own business. He only has to be careful and not get caught when he sneaks into a restricted area. Most importantly, SpaceSpies must have an exit plan, whether that means a specially hidden escape vehicle, packaging themselves up and having themselves delivered out by SpaceCouriers, or eating a SpaceCyanide tablet and seeing that their bodies are disposed of. Verse 2.8: Civilization Grey: Pantus ------------------------------------ The Pantus Civilization developed in an unsettling manner in its millenia of isolation from the rest of humankind. They fanatically follow the directives of Lord Pantus, a Blockhead with a strange ability to animate and control Large Stones and Ominous Grey Pairs of Pants. Lord Pantus rarely engages in battle personally, instead sending a subordinate Pants Lord to control the battle. The controller finds a defensible corner from which to direct his minions to victory. His safety always comes first, and so his Crawling Stones and Ominous Pants are often called upon to block enemy bullets with their bodies. Fortunately, they are nearly indestructible. Verse 2.8.1: Pantlings ---------------------- The citizens of Pantus are a spooky bunch, mechanistically going about their daily business without conversation or emotion. Their daily business consists mostly of quarrying stone and sewing pants. Pantus Normal People attack outsiders on sight, even if they have no chance of doing any damage whatsoever. Pantling SpaceTroopers have stony dispositions and like to volunteer for suicide missions. There will only be one or two squads of Pantling SpaceTroopers in any given battle; most of the fighting will be done by Crawling Stones and Ominous Pants. Pantling vehicles are very rare, because Lord Pantus dislikes anything that moves faster than 5" per turn. Verse 2.8.1.1: Pants Lords -------------------------- Move": 5" Armor Value: 2d6+2 Skill: 1d6 Ratio: 1 per 10 Stones or pairs of Pants Points: 10 Pants Lords are the most exalted of Lord Pantus' underlings. He has given them the ability to control legions of Pants and Stones, in addition to their battle training. +------------------------------------------+ | "Lord Pantus is mighty, | .\ /. | with powers supreme. | ./\\ //\. | For him we must fight-y, | ./\\\\ ////\. | and increase his regime." | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | -- A Pants Lord battle chant. | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' A Pants Lord is necessary to animate Crawling Stones and Ominous Pants. If all the Pants Lords in a battle are killed, all the Stones and Pants cease animation and become normal stones and pants. They can control as many Stones and Pants as they like, at whatever range. A Pants Lord is represented by grey minifigs with clear visors and funny helmets with air tubes. Often, they will stick black plumage on one side of their helmet. Verse 2.8.1.2: Crawling Stones -------------------------- Move": 2" Armor Value: 2d10+10 Points: 3 The Pantus Crawling Stones are frightening grey Blox that creep around the battlefield crushing things and animating lesser stones. They are very difficult to destroy, and often stack themselves into walls to defend more important Pantling troopers or installations. They can climb up and down walls and ceilings at normal speed. +------------------------------------------+ | "Lord Pantus wears shorts!" | .\ /. | | ./\\ //\. | -- From an historic interview with a | ./\\\\ ////\. | Crawling Stone, leading to the Prian | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | Stone Genocide. The quote was later | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | attributed to a malicious Riotian | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | ventriloquist; Stones can’t talk. | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' Crawling Stones attack by falling off embankments onto their enemies or shoving them for 3d10 damage. Normally, if this beats their AV roll, all this does is push the enemy around, but the Stones try to eventually crush them against walls and rock formations, or other Stones. Whenever a Stone pushes someone or something, roll the 3d10 for damage. Next, roll the Stone's AV, the target's AV, and the AV of whatever the target is getting shoved into (if anything). If all AV rolls are higher than the damage roll, nothing happens. If not, the lowest roll falls victim to the push. This may mean it gets shoved around for 2", or it may be crushed. If the Stone is the loser, it means it pushed so hard that it crumbled itself. Because they move so slowly, Crawling Stones have a hard time catching their enemies. Occasionally an overconfident enemy will try to escape by stepping on a Crawling Stone, but the Stone just adheres and crawls on them, incurring a -1" Move penalty. To catch opponents, Stones have to gang up on them. Fortunately, they have the ability to increase their numbers. An original grey Crawling Stone (one that was brought into battle by a Pants Lord) can crawl onto any size normal Brik. After sitting on that Brik for one turn, that Brik is also animated, and has the same stats and abilities as the original Crawling Stone, except that it cannot animate other Brix. A Crawling Stone is represented by a grey Blok turned on its side or upside-down. Verse 2.8.1.3: Ominous Pants ---------------------------- Move": 4" Armor Value: 1d10+5 Points: 3 Pantling Ominous Grey Pairs of Pants strike terror in the hearts of all who behold them. Normal People scare their Normal Children with bedtime stories about the Ominous Grey Pants With Nobody Inside Them. These mysterious Pants could only have been forged in the darkest pits of evil. Obsessed with destruction, they stagger around battlefields kicking everything they see. But most terrifyingly, nothing but the will of a Pants Lord can move them. Even if a planetoid crashes into them, killing them, they stand in the same place unmoved. +------------------------------------------+ | "It was traumatic. They looked like any | .\ /. | other pair of pants. It wasn’t until I | ./\\ //\. | put them on that I realized something | ./\\\\ ////\. | was terribly wrong. I was wearing the | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | wrong trousers!" | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | -- SpaceChef Wallace of Skatjar, on | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | his kidnapping by Pantus forces. | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' Ominous Pants march around kicking everything they see: trees, vehicles, mountains, bases, senior citizens, and so on. Their kick does 1d6 damage and has a UR of 2. They are very useful in battle as barricades, because of their powers of immobility. A dead pair of pants is just as immobile and indestructible as a live one; Pantus Prime would be buried in Pants corpses if the Pants Lords hadn’t discovered a way to command dead pairs of Pants to detonate in a 1d10 explosion. Pairs of Pants can also be used to carry things. They have no ability to pick things up or put things down, but they are strong enough to carry anything someone else puts on top of them. A pair of Ominous Pants is represented by a grey pair of pants with a black or grey 1x2 Brik on top. The Brik is removed when the Pants are killed. Verse 2.8.2: Pantus Combat -------------------------- The point of most Pantus battles are unclear to non-Pantlings. Not interested in mundane objectives like conquering new lands or destroying enemies, their goals are uncanny and strange. The Massacre of Rapell V came to an abrupt end when the Pantus forces found the frying pan they were looking for. The Pantlings fought the Three Battles of Anteron II in order to kill a certain brown horse. While their objectives are usually fairly innocuous, their methods are deadly. They will destroy anyone and anything that come between them and their target. Once they have achieved their mission, they fall back to protect the commanding Pants Lord's escape. Verse 2.9: The SpacePirates --------------------------- SpacePirates are not an organized Civilization. They are the ruffians of the BrikWars universe. Hailing from every corner of the galaxy, SpacePirates are those people who think only of themselves, only of money and personal gain, and only of killing and pillaging. SpacePirates constantly perform raids against Civilization outposts, seeking to steal the vital supplies they need to survive on their own secret bases, usually hidden in the recesses of a large asteroid belt. Some Pirates actually have a great cause towards which they strive, possibly even a noble cause, but most of them just don't want to do any work for themselves so they pillage and steal. Often, SpaceTroopers will undertake the destruction of a Pirate base, and they are only mildly successful. The equipment of SpacePirates is temperamental to say the least. PirateArmor is different for each Pirate, and the armor that saves a Matey from an Impact Rifle one moment, may fail utterly when hit by a simple fist. PirateArmor is unpredictable, but can actually provide more protection than SpaceArmor, in rare cases. Some Pirates go to battle in only a tank-top! Close Combat is the Pirates' specialty. It seems as if SpacePirates were born for fighting at close quarters, and countless bar brawls and pit-fights serve only to hone the skills of the strong, and weed out the weak members of a pirate band. Every turn, there is the possibility that the Pirate Fleet will Mutiny against the Cap'n or Cap'n's commanding the Fleet. Every movement turn, the Pirate player must roll 2d6. If he rolls a 2-4, then the Fleet revolts against their Cap'n. The Cap'n and FirstMate can then try to explain themselves and regain control of his Mateys. The Cap'n must roll over the number of troops revolting, using his own Skill, in order to regain control. If he does so, the turn may proceed normally. The FirstMate, acting as "The Cap'n's Hand", may add his Skill roll to the Cap'n's roll. If there is more than one Cap'n or FirstMate, then all of their Skills are added for this roll. If the rolls fails, then the opposing player takes control of all Mateys and vehicles and tries to kill the Cap'n. The Cap'n may make one Control Roll for every movement phase he remains alive. SpacePirates (or just "Pirates") have a number of restrictions on the types of vehicles in their Fleet. Pirates cannot have ANY land vehicles; all of their vehicles must be Flyers. This is because Pirates do not take well to the land and except for Mateys who take to the ground as foot-soldiers, Pirates rarely set foot on earth. Those who spend their lives planetside are known as LandLubbers. However, Pirate Flyers are highly customized and can use Mk1 - Mk5 weapons, unlike normal Flyers which can only use Mk1 - Mk3 weapons. The limit of 4 weapons per Flyer, however, must be obeyed by SpacePirates. There are rumors of enormous pirate SpaceGalleons roaming the galaxy loaded with SpaceBooty. Verse 2.9.1: Mateys ------------------- Move": 6" Armor Value: 1d6 Skill: 1d6 + 2 (+2 CC Bonus) Ratio: None (troop) Points: 7 Mateys are the men and women who make up the crew of a Pirate Fleet, and they make up the fighting forces that are commanded by the great Pirate Cap'ns. Mateys come from all ends of the galaxy, and every Matey has a story to tell. In fact, their stories are so important to them that sometimes they even have someone write it down for them. Even though they couldn't read it themselves, at least they know their story is preserved. Thus, the background of every Matey is different: some come from broken, dysfunctional families; some are former SpaceTroopers who dropped out of the SpaceTrooper Training Corps in favor of a less rigorous lifestyle; and some Mateys are Normal People who got tired of writing memos, so they picked up a Power Cutlass and tromped off with the boys. In any case, it is safe to say that every Matey is different. What unifies these vastly differing personalities is their overwhelming bloodlust and greed. Theft, murder, and pilferage is a way of life for the Mateys of a Fleet. +------------------------------------------+ | "Make the pris'ner walk the plank, | .\ /. | Cap'n!" said Scruffy Larry. | ./\\ //\. | | ./\\\\ ////\. | The Cap'n turned to face him. "Larry, | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | I hates ta tell ya this, but we's got | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | no plank! This 'ere's a spaceship! | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | Dumb lout!" The Cap'n stabbed Larry. | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' Mateys are the standard troopers for a Fleet of Pirates, and they make up the bulk of ground forces when the Pirates go to war. There is no differentiation made between male and female Mateys. All are one under Mateydom. Verse 2.9.2: Monkeys & Parrots ------------------------------ Monkey Parrot Move": 7" 12" Armor Value: 1d4 1d3 Skill: 1d4 0 Ratio: -----> One for every 5 troops <----- Points: 5 7 Almost every Pirate Fleet has a few mascots slightly lower on the evolutionary scale than the Pirates themselves. Usually, these mascots come in the form of small animals collected on short planetside excursions or stolen from pet shops at the mall. The most common of these animals are Monkeys and Parrots. The Pirates take these cute animals into their homes and hearts, training them to have battlefield use, as well as housetraining them. By training these animals with small rewards of bananas and crackers, the Monkeys and Parrots soon acquire the ability to scout out enemy targets and perform as rangefinders. It is unclear how the animals communicate to the Fleet, since they do not carry any communication gear when scouting. +------------------------------------------+ | "Polly wanna cracker!" | .\ /. | -- Polly the Parrot | ./\\ //\. | | ./\\\\ ////\. | "Ooh-ooh! Ooh-ooh-ooh!" | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | -- Molly the Monkey (roughly | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | translated: "Molly wanna banana!") | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' Monkeys and Parrots are to Pirate Fleets as SpaceScouts are to Civilization Armies, and have the same rangefinding and tagging abilities. Parrots may move 12" per turn, and they do not need to take obstacles into account (i.e. they can fly over any terrain). Monkeys can move over obstacles up to 4" in height with no penalty. Monkeys may also carry small weapons. However, before using the weapon, the Monkey must roll 1d6. If he rolls 4-6, he may use the weapon normally, but if he rolls 1-3, he forgets what the weapon is for. This must be done every time the Monkey wishes to shoot or engage in Close Combat. Verse 2.9.3: HelmsMan --------------------- Move": 6" Armor Value: 1d6 Skill: 1d6 + 2 Ratio: One per vehicle (troop) Points: 6 HelmsMen are the Pirates responsible for piloting their Pirate Flyers into battle, and basically are SpaceDrivers for Pirates. More importantly, however, the HelmsMen are the men and women (yes, "HelmsMan" is politically incorrect) who pilot the quick and agile fighting ships of the Pirate Fleet. Mateys who show promise in piloting vehicles and navigation are conscripted by the Fleet as "Swabbies", which is the Pirate term for those in training to be a HelmsMan. "Swabbie" is derived from the fact that the trainee must swab the decks, clean the galley, and tidy up the commode on board the Pirate Schooners and other FleetShips. Once a Swabbie has proved his or her worth, they become a HelmsMan, and take part in astronavigation and steering the ship (all Pirate FleetShips have a big wooden wheel to steer with). +------------------------------------------+ | "The targeting computer do be locked | .\ /. | on! Fire, you Scurvy Dog!" | ./\\ //\. | -- The targeting computer of a | ./\\\\ ////\. | standard Pirate Flyer, indicating | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | a missile lock-on. | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' Every Pirate vehicle (i.e. every Pirate Flyer) must have one HelmsMan. Verse 2.9.4: MateDroid ---------------------- Move": 7" Armor Value: 1d6 Skill: 1d10 (+2 CC Bonus) Ratio: One for every 7 troops Points: 8 Pirates are too stupid to make robots on their own. As a result, they steal them. Most MateDroids are simply reprogrammed versions of SpaceDroids, usually knocked unconscious during a battle between SpaceTroopers and Pirates. The Pirates then remove the NegaTronic brain of the SpaceDroid and replace it with a Monkey brain, or with the brain of a fallen Matey, which had been preserved on a shelf in the Cap'n's Quarters. +------------------------------------------+ | | .\ /. | | ./\\ //\. | "MateDroid Ugar-13, yer head be leaking | ./\\\\ ////\. | lubricant," said FirstMate One-Eyed | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | Mooga, to his subordinate. | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' MateDroids act the same as SpaceDroids, and all rules applying to SpaceDroids also apply for their Pirate counterparts. Verse 2.9.5: Doc ---------------- Move": 6" Armor Value: 1d6 Skill: 1d6 + 2 Ratio: One for every 6 troops Points: 8 Ship's Doctors, or just "Docs", are highly skilled Pirates who know a great deal about human anatomy and physiology, and thus can revive fallen fellow Pirates. Actually, Docs are no more intelligent than normal Mateys. In fact, most Docs simply try and wake up fallen Pirates. Because no other Mateys think to do this, those that do are hailed as great medical geniuses, by other pirates, anyway. But some Docs actually do have some medical knowledge, mostly gained by reading a couple pages of a book (a true genius of a Pirate can read), or perhaps by watching a couple reruns of "Trapper John, SpaceMedic" or "St. Nowhere". +------------------------------------------+ | "Aye, I do be thinking the heart be | .\ /. | attached to the legs by ways of 'is | ./\\ //\. | neck. 'Is heart's in 'is noggin, aye?" | ./\\\\ ////\. | | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | -- Doc Two-Hooks-For-Hands, | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | discussing field medicine with | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | a Doc trainee. | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' Unlike SpaceTrooper Medix, Docs do not think that they'll need any special equipment to help provide medical aid, thus the models that represent Docs need only to be more red-and-white than are normal Mateys. Some Docs do carry around stethoscopes, but they usually use it on the patient's forehead, to see if his brain is still working. Pirate Docs are much less apt in practicing medicine than are the SpaceTrooper Medix. Thus, when rolling to determine if a fallen Pirate is revived, a roll of 8-10 signifies success, and a roll of 1-7 means that the Pirate being treated is simply dead, and will not wake up. That's what happens when you're dead. At least, that's what they tell me. Verse 2.9.6: FirstMate -------------------- Move": 6" Armor Value: 1d10 + 1 Skill: 1d10 + 2 (+2 CC Bonus) Ratio: Two for every Cap'n. Points: 13 FirstMates play the role of the mediator between the Cap'n and the Crew of a Fleet, and act as "The Cap'n's Hand". When the Cap'n of a Fleet doesn't want to risk his life in a particularly dangerous gambit, he orders the FirstMate to do so. The FirstMate, eager to please the Cap'n and impress the Crew, will always carry out his orders. Also, the FirstMate, understanding the viewpoints of both Crew and Cap'n, has the ability to mediate Mutinies during battle. +------------------------------------------+ | "Cap'n Herve!! Cap'n! The Mateys! | .\ /. | They do be causin' a mutiny! They be | ./\\ //\. | shootin' at us!" | ./\\\\ ////\. | -- FirstMate Ishmaello to Cap'n | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | Herve Fillachez upon an entire | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | army of 100 Mateys mutinying | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | against their leaders. | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' The FirstMate of a Fleet has the abilities of a SpaceHero, including one Stupendous Feat per turn. Also, the FirstMate may add his Skill to any Control Roll needed by the Cap'n in order to avert a Mutiny. If a Mutiny does occur, the FirstMate fights to protect the Cap'n or Cap'n's. Verse 2.9.7: Cap'n ---------------- Move": 14" Armor Value: 2d10 + 1 Skill: 1d10 + 4 (+2 CC Bonus) Ratio: One for every 10 troops. Points: 21 SpacePirate Cap'ns are the greatest warriors a SpacePirate army can field. Equal in status to a SpaceChampion, a Cap'n can equal a Champion in battle, and more often than not, actually defeat the Champion. However, the usual Cap'n stumbles into battle with a bottle of rum in the hand that isn't carrying his Power Cutlass, and so he sometimes takes a serious loss at the hands of a simple SpaceMan. Cap'ns' personalities range from the suave and debonair Errol Flynn type, to the smelly, disgusting, burping, unshaven, too-much-hair-under-the- arms, eight-teeth-missing type. A vile image, but one the reader is sure not to forget soon. Most Cap'ns have one eye. Some Cap'ns pretend to have only one eye, even though they have perfect 20/20 vision. A Cap'n with both eyes intact is thought less of, and an eye-patch is a mark of prestige. +------------------------------------------+ | "Now, I do be expecting a fine fight | .\ /. | from you lads, with no whinin', no | ./\\ //\. | cryin', and no relievin' of bowels! | ./\\\\ ////\. | You hear?" Cap'n Redbeard took another | .\\\\\-- .-. --/////. | swig from his bottle. | .\____\`- /v\ -'/____/. | "Cap'n the fight were yesterday..." | ' ' \__( )__/ ` ` | "Oh. Maybe I'll drink s'more, then." | __>/ \<__ +------------------------------------------+ ``'\_/`'' Cap'n's have the same abilities as a SpaceChampion, including three Stupendous Feats per turn. Cap'n models must have a face with an eye-patch. How the Cap'n deals with Mutinies is described at the beginning of Verse 2.9. Verse 2.10: Other People ----------------------- The armies of the 48 Civilizations are not the only inhabitants of the BrikWars universe. Most of the time, the Other People can be safely and anonymously grouped under the Normal People heading and ignored. Every now and then, the innocent bystanders become more important. If the Mikon Prime Minister commands his legions to get him some SpaceBread, the players had better make sure one of the Normal People is a SpaceBaker. This requires no extra paperwork; just give him a baker's uniform and be done with it. Sometimes the innocent bystanders are not just Normal People. There are plenty of alien empires, unaffiliated colonies, rebel outposts and smuggler's dens. These Other People rarely start battles themselves, but often get caught up in larger issues, and often have agendas of their own. Verse 2.10.1: Normal Alien People --------------------------------- There are all sorts of Alien People. New kinds of Alien People are always being discovered. The easiest way to create a new alien race is to pull off a minifig's head and replace it with a new and unusual piece. Sometimes the new species is somewhat viable (like the Groovy Flower-Headed Peace Children), and sometimes it is not (like the Motorcycle-Headed Punk Legion). Most Alien People are similar to Normal People, except for one or two slight statistical and behavioral differences. Most of them cost 3 points. Examples include: The Coneheads, who have normal heads with yellow cone-pieces on top. Their Skill is 1d6+1, and they tend to flagrant yuppieism. The Blockheads, whose heads are the 1x2 Brik with a hole in the side. Their AV is 5 and they are fanatically bureaucratic. The Enormous-Head No-Limb People, who are about the height of normal minifigs but about 4x4 in width. They move at 3" and have an AV of 1d6 + 5. They behave like duplicitous children. The Large Stumpies, who evolved from the Enormous-Head No-Limb People, but their heads are not quite so enormous and they have limbs. They are taller than normal minifigs, and have an AV of 1d6 + 2 and a Skill of 1d6. The Porous Giants, who are very tall and skinny, and whose limbs are perforated with many 1-dot holes. They are technical geniuses and run around at 8" per turn. The Genetically Defective People, who are the minifigs that occasionally end up in PBB collection when your well-meaning but uninformed aunt buys you PBBs from one of the less worthy companies. They have -1 to all stats, and act like absolute dunces. They only cost 1 point. Verse 2.10.2: Normal Belligerent People -------------------------------------- While most Normal People spend a battle doing Normal Things, there are some who don't react well to violence. Some even go out of their way to find violence to react badly to. Normal Belligerent People have an AV and Skill of 1d6, and cost 3 points. There are all kinds of Belligerent People. They are most often encountered when Civilizations hold battles on their home planets. The Belligerent People may be a group of Smuggling People defending their hideout with Impact Pistols and jury-rigged MkI Lasers, or it might be a bunch of Islander People throwing spears, or a castle full of Medieval People jousting around, lopping off SpaceMen's heads with battleaxes. The most dangerous group of Belligerent People are the Brown Rebels. These political malcontents range from civilly disobedient left-wing activists to heavily armed right-wing militiamen. These disparate groups rally under the brown banner of the Wolf's Head. Wherever there is a government presence, these guys are starting riots, organizing terrorist attacks, raiding supplies, and destroying infrastructure. It is rumored that some members of the Hotelie Civilization have strong pro-Wolf leanings. Verse 2.10.3: Abnormal People ----------------------------- Every now and then you'll be fighting a battle in some urban area, mowing down stray Normal People as usual, and then suddenly some psychotic will do something totally unexpected, like blow up a bridge, mow down SpaceMen in his monster truck, or install MkIII Lasers all over his house. Abnormal People are assigned point values depending on exactly how Abnormal they are. Most Abnormal People fall into the category of Mad Bomber, Paranoid Arms Stockpiler, and Suicidal Maniac. They usually either have the 'unshaven face' head piece, or are dressed in a business suit or postal uniform. Verse 2.10.4: Normal Professionals ---------------------------------- Normal Professionals are the members of the private sector that are hired by the Civilization armed forces for specific tasks. Their point value varies depends on their skills. Systems analysts, janitors, caterers, etc. fall into this category, but do not usually accompany forces onto the battlefield. Armies sometimes hire soldiers and special ops agents from mercenary outfits. Mecenaries cost one point less than their enlisted counterparts, but their contract only lasts for six turns. These six turns begin when they first arrive on the battlefield, so they sometimes are held in reserve until a battle is well underway and instant reinforcements are required. Some of them get angry if they are sent on suicide missions. The largest and best-trained mercenary organization is the B Legion, whose black and white SpaceArmor is emblazoned with an enormous green 'B.' Verse 2.10.5: Normal Creatures ------------------------------ In addition to native minifig populations, many planets are also swarming with dangerous wildlife. Stats and point costs differ depending on how dangerous the animal is. Remember that a peaceful black octopus from Risley IX looks just like a vicious Brain-Sucking Land Blob from Antares III, so feel free to make up new stats and animal abilities for all your creatures at any time. ========================================================================== Chapter 3: Campaigning ====================== The BrikWars universe is not particularly well suited to large-scale campaigning. There are no rules for maintaining economies on a Civilizational scale, or keeping track of imperial resources and conquered lands. Trying to keep a BrikWars campaign going involves a lot of flying by the seats of players' pants. It also involves some hasty scribbling of vague notes, and an absolute lack of any sense of propriety. Verse 3.1: The Campaign Universe -------------------------------- BrikWars campaign universes aren't very detailed. A gut feeling is usually good enough to tell how well a Civilization is doing. A Civilization that has just conquered five planets and quashed all incursions gets just as many points to spend in a battle as a Civilization that has lost three colonies to Awful Green Things. The difference is in what kind of battles they will be fighting: who will be moving to conquer who, and who will be running desperate raids to get the resources to stay alive. Battles in a BrikWars campaign cause a couple of lasting effects. First, for every 100 points spent in a battle, there will be one 1d10 rolled at the end to improve Characters. These dice will be divided between the players depending on how well they do. In an utter rout, all the dice go to one player, but otherwise each player will get at least one. Secondly, any special objects obtained in a battle can be carried on to later battles. Finally, any important victories by a Civilization can be kept track of, to keep a general sense of who has grudges against who. Verse 3.1.1: Characters ----------------------- If you don't try any other aspect of campaigning, you should at least keep track of a few Characters. Good Characters add personality and charm to otherwise senseless and brutal violence. (Not that there's anything wrong with senseless and brutal violence.) Characters start out as normal minifigs (or occasionally Setvian Robots or other intelligent machines). They might be created as Characters, or they might just be an anonymous bystander in the right place at the right time who does something so stupendous that the player decides to make him a Character on the spot. Characters get no special bonuses right away; they just get a name and a personality. They eventually get the opportunity to improve themselves, but usually they are killed off before they increase any stats more than a point or two. Such is life. At the end of a battle, players divide up a certain number of dice, for however many hundreds of points they spent in that battle. The way the dice are divided depends mostly on which player wins, and by how much. If a certain minifig had a particularly amazing performance, that should affect the dice allotment as well. A player can then spend these dice to improve their Characters. The player rolls d10's against whatever stat he wants to improve. For instance, if a Character has an AV of 1d6 + 2, a player must roll high enough on 1d10 to beat a roll on 1d6 + 2. If he succeeds, the stat is increased by +1. +3's can be increased to an additional 1d6, and +5's can be increased to an additional 1d10. To increase very high stats, a player may need to spend more than one d10 at a time. A Character may try to use d10's to improve other things. For instance, a Character who wants to gain one Stupendous Feat per turn must roll a 10 on a 1d10. Other odd abilities, such as Amazing Leaping Ability or Immense Lifting Power, can be assigned some number as agreed upon bythe players, and then that number must be beaten on a 1d10. A player should keep track of all his surviving Characters on paper. The important things to write down are the Character's name, his troop type, and all his modified stats. To include old Characters in new battles, a player only has to spend the original point cost of the Character's troop type. It is possible to base a Campaign around the actions of a few Characters rather than a Civilization. This ends up being less like miniatures wargaming and more like roleplaying than BrikWars is really intended to be (unless one of those Characters happens to command a battalion of hardened troops), but some people go for that kind of thing. Verse 3.1.2: Objects -------------------- It is common in the BrikWars universe for someone to discover an unexpected object. A small percentage of these objects eventually prove to be useful. A much smaller percentage of those are so outstandingly stupendous that a number of Civilizations immediately send troops to fight over them. These objects range from the Enormous Golden Sword of Galdan Prime to the Holy Grail of Deneb II, each with its own special abilities. Whichever minifig ends up with the special object automatically becomes a Character. The Character then carries the object with him into later battles, at no additional point cost. Make sure he doesn't lose it, or it might fall into enemy hands! Verse 3.1.3: Empire ------------------- Trying to keep track of all the comings and goings in your Civilization would take a lot of paper, so don't try it. But, you can keep notes on who you've angered lately, and whichever of your recent deeds are causing the galactic Media to hound you. This will help you when you go through the absolutely unnecessary process of thinking of justifications for battles you would probably be fighting anyway. Some of your conquests will give you special options in later battles. For instance, Johar armies have limits on how many large weapons they can deploy in a single battle, but if they just made a successful raid on a Mikon heavy weapons factory, they can choose to use a bunch of their heavy weapon booty in their next battle. Take note when you capture special equipment or resources that would not normally be available to you. You may also want to keep track of Things That Happen outside the day-to- day battles, like Civilizational treaties, natural disasters, new technological discoveries, or random political maneuvering. Keeping a vague sense of galactic history gives a campaign continuity, and a single event can start all kinds of ridiculous storylines. For instance, if the Kraan Empire develops a new superweapon, the Death Planetoid, the Riotians are going to try and steal the schematics, and the Hotelies are going to try and buy it from them and discover the tactical weakness in the Executive Sewage Duct. But first the SpaceCouriers have to break through a Kraan blockade to deliver it - and so on. The scenarios that result from Things That Happen are often much more satisfying than regular battles.