At the time of the The Three Musketeers, seconds and friends usually joined in

the fight. This was simply a custom of the times, and doesn’t seem to be related to
the nature of the insult at all. They would fight alongside their principal if there
was any sign that the opposing principal’s friends wanted to join the fight. One side
would not outnumber the other in a true duel, however. If not fighting, friends
watched out for ambush and the approach of the city guard, either of which was a
fairly common occurrence.

Pistol Duelling
Pistols are not a popular duelling weapon with swashbucklers. They are used
more in England and English America than in Europe. The French, especially, dis-
dain them, at least until the late 19th century. Distance between opponents is from
7 yards (rare) to 20 yards (also rare). The most common range is about 12 yards. A
duel is a test of courage, not a test of marksmanship.
The antagonists stand facing each other. Pistols are in hand, but not readied.
On a signal from one of the seconds, they both ready their weapons and fire.
Deciding which duellist gets the first action can be resolved by a Quick Contest of
DX, with Combat Reflexes granting a +1. In a tie, they fire simultaneously. A cool
duellist might take a second or more to aim. A very cool duellist might allow his
opponent to fire first – a rushed shot may very well miss. Even if it hits, there is the
chance that the wound will be slight enough not to interfere with a carefully aimed
return. The duelling cliché of pacing-off, back to back, is a later American practice.
Feel free to use it, though, if duelling’s just not the same without it!

SHOWDOWNS
AND SHOOTOUTS
These rules are mainly concerned with 19th-century Earth gunfights and
duelling practices, but can be used in any setting where handguns are used to settle
disputes. Note that the rules below introduce many complications and details that
are not dealt with in the Basic Set, and these will slow combat if used routinely.
The GM may choose to disregard these rules except in showdown situations.

SHOWDOWNS
The showdown at high noon is far more common in fiction than in real life.
Differences of opinion are more likely to be settled with fists or wild shots. But
when two shootists square off, the Fast-Draw skill takes on special meaning.

Draw!
When two gunslingers Fast-Draw at the same time, use a Quick Contest (p.
B87) to determine who shoots first. Weapon type, holster type and weapon location
modify the skill rolls – see below. A tie means simultaneous shots.
A failed Fast-Draw roll means that the weapon is readied normally – nothing
else may be done that turn. Critical failure results in a dropped or prematurely dis-
charged weapon.
Fast-drawing a gun and firing immediately is a Snap Shot (p. B115). Unless the
effective weapon skill is greater than the SS number, the shot is at -4.

Holster Type
Holster type affects the Fast-Draw skill. The most common are detailed below.
Greasing a holster or pocket adds +1 to Fast-Draw but -1 to Guns skill (grease gets
on the grip). The GM may apply modifiers for innovative ways of wearing any

other combat systems 87

 weapon. Shoulder holsters are not good for fast-draws, but are useful for back-up
weapons.
Flap Holster: The military uses a flap holster, which protects the gun well but is
slow on the draw. It’s usually worn high and opposite the weapon hand. -2 to Fast-
Draw.
Hollywood Fast-Draw Rig: Worn on a low-slung belt and tied to the thigh with
a leather strap. The Hollywood rig is not historical – movie directors developed it –
but it works. +2 to Fast-Draw.
The Mexican or Kansas Loop Holster: The Mexican and Kansas loop holsters
became popular in the mid-1870s. They are made from a single piece of durable
leather. +1 to Fast-Draw.
The Fight’s Over Already? Pocket: Guns may be pocketed or tucked into trousers or belts. Drawing from a
Optional Rules pocket gives a -4 to Fast-Draw, unless the pocket is leather-lined. Drawing from the
for Pacing Combat waistband or belt is at -1.
Slim Jim Holster: The Slim Jim, a piece of leather molded around the gun and
(Continued) sewn up the rear, became popular after the Civil War. It’s similar to modern police
holsters. The Slim Jim is most often worn high, on either side. No modifier.
Example
Ivan and Rodney are two 150-point Swivel Rig: This holster, open at the bottom and attached to the belt with a pin,
swordsmen. One day in the woods they’re allows firing from the hip without drawing. +4 to Fast-Draw, but -2 to Guns skill.
ambushed by three Minotaurs. Rodney and Wrist Spring Holster: This is only for small pistols or knives. The weapon is
one of the Minotaurs pair off, while Ivan
has to defend himself against the other spring-loaded up the sleeve: +4 to Fast-Draw, but a 14 or higher is a critical failure.
two.
The GM rolls the duration of Weapon Type
Rodney’s first exchange on 2d – a 5.
Ivan’s first exchange will last until he falls Characters must specify weapon type and model when learning the Fast-Draw
or he loses one of his opponents. Ivan skill. Fast-Drawing another model of the same type of weapon is at -2.
begins to All-Out Defend. The weapon’s length, weight and design also modify the Fast-Draw skill. For
Five rounds later Rodney’s opponent
is severely wounded, but still fighting.
each Snap Shot (p. B115) point below 11, apply +1 to Fast-Draw. For each SS point
Ivan is slightly wounded, and still All-Out above 11, apply -1. (This may be calculated as Fast-Draw + 11 - SS.) The GM may
Defending. The GM declares a lull in allow modifiers for custom-made weapons with unusual barrel lengths or filed-
Rodney’s fight, but Rodney, wishing to down sights.
rush to the aid of his friend, decides to
press the fight. He easily wins his Will roll
against the stupid Minotaur, and the GM Weapon Location
rolls for another exchange on 1d (it comes Characters must also specify weapon location when learning Fast-Draw.
out to 4 seconds). Rodney and his oppo-
nent both take 1 point of Fatigue. Two Drawing from an unfamiliar location is at -2.
rounds later, Rodney finishes off his foe The first modifier in the table applies to standing shooters, the second to sitting
and rushes to join Ivan. or riding. Side of Body refers to weapon location with respect to drawing hand.
Rodney attacks one of Ivan’s oppo-
nents. The GM rolls 1d for an exchange for
Rodney (5), and 1d for a lull for Ivan (6). Location Side of Body Modifier
Five rounds later the GM rolls a lull for High, on the belt (1) opposite +2/+1
Rodney (4).
Ivan is wounded, and wants Rodney’s
High, on the belt (2) same no modifier
help again. When his lull ends, he sees Low, on the hip (3) same +1/-2
Rodney is also at a lull in his fight, and In a boot either -5/-2
tries to stall. He succeeds, and the GM In a shoulder holster either -1/-1
rolls another lull for Ivan (5 seconds).
Rodney finishes off his opponent on In a sleeve (4) either no modifier
round 3 of Ivan’s lull, and rushes to his In the collar, either -1/-1
friend’s aid. The Minotaur, surprisingly, back of the neck
makes his Vision roll, and restarts the In trousers, either -2/-3
combat the round before Rodney arrives.
He manages to hit Ivan before Rodney small of the back
arrives, knocking him unconscious.
Rodney and the Minotaur pair off, and the Obviously, not all weapons can be worn in all positions. Use common sense.
GM rolls their first exchange on 2d. It
comes to 6 seconds, but Rodney’s having a Notes:
good day, and only needs 3. He finishes 1. In this location, an opponent in a front hex may grab the character’s gun first
off the Minotaur and helps his injured by winning the Fast-Draw Quick Contest by 5 or more points.
friend back to safety.
2. Swivel rigs must be worn this way.

88 other combat systems

 3. A holster or scabbard is required to wear a weapon here. This is the only
way to wear a Hollywood rig.
Very Basic Melee Combat:
4. A wrist spring rig must be worn this way. Really Simple Shortcuts
for Really Quick Battles
Special Situations This article (by Steffan O’Sullivan)
Various other factors affect Fast-Draw. Allowing an opponent to draw first originally appeared in a slightly different
gives -6. Fast-Drawing from a prone position is at -4. Not facing the target requires form in Roleplayer 23.
The following combat system is for
a Change of Facing and Fast-Draw at -6. Having a hand already on the weapon those who either don’t like complicated
adds +4. For every point of unhealed damage on the weapon arm, Fast-Draw is at combat rules or are pressed for time.
-2.
Attack, Defense, Damage
Attack, defense and damage rolls are
Double Fast-Draw combined into one roll. Each fighter rolls
A gunslinger wearing two hip-holstered pistols can try to Fast-Draw them both versus Weapon (or other Combat) skill,
at the same time. There is a -4 to each Fast-Draw roll, and a -4 to each Guns roll to and the result is treated as a Quick Contest
of Skills. If one fighter has a greater PD,
hit the target. With two different targets, the penalty is -8 for each Guns roll. add the difference in PD to his skill. (E.g.,
Finally, there’s the -4 penalty for the off hand, unless the character is ambidextrous if one fighter has PD 3 and the other PD 2,
(or has Off-Hand Weapon Training; see p. CI170)! the first combatant adds 1 to his Weapon
skill.) If both fighters miss their rolls, they
both missed their attacks. If one makes the
One-Sided Fast-Draws roll, and the other misses, the one who
To outdraw someone with a ready weapon, an attacker must win a Quick missed is hit. If both make the rolls, the
one who makes it by the least is hit, while
Contest of Fast-Draw-10 vs. the opponent’s weapon skill. A shootist who is the other is not – ties result in no damage.
already aiming gets +5! The winner shoots first. A tie results in simultaneous shots. Basic damage is determined by the
same roll: if someone is hit, he takes basic
damage equal to the amount his foe made
Fire! the roll by, up to maximum damage for his
weapon. Basic damage is reduced by DR
Multiple Shots as per the regular rules, and increased for
This order-of-fire within a turn applies only in Showdown situations. impaling or cutting as per the regular rules.
When opponents’ weapons fire multiple shots each turn, break the turn into Example: PC Raoul is facing NPC
Edmond. Raoul’s skill with his weapon is
quarters and use the following chart to decide which shots take effect first. Everyone 15 and he has PD 2. Edmond’s skill is 13,
fires in the first quarter; the winner of the Fast-Draw Quick Contest goes first. but he has PD 3: he rolls as if his skill were
14. Raoul rolls a 12 – he makes it by three.
Weapon can fire . . . Shot fired in quarter . . . Edmond rolls a 10 – he makes it by four.
Raoul takes 1 point of basic damage – but
#1 #2 #3 #4 his armor stops it. In the next round,
One shot per turn x – – – Edmond rolls a 15 – a miss. Raoul rolls a
Two shots per turn x – x – 6, however, making his roll by 9! Edmond
takes 9 points of basic damage, unless
Three shots per turn x x – x Raoul is using a rapier (for example),
which has a maximum damage of 7. Note
For example, if you fire twice per turn, and your foe fires three times, your sec- that even though Raoul beat Edmond by 10
(he made his roll by 9, Edmond missed his
ond shot comes after his second shot and before his third. Remember the Recoil by 1), basic damage is only equal to the
penalties for multiple shots. amount that Raoul actually made his own
roll by.
Careful Shots Continued on page 91 . . .
A shootist with cool nerves may aim after he draws. This can win the fight if
the foe shoots wildly – if not . . .

Results of Injury
In a fast-draw showdown, injuries take effect immediately, rather than at the
start of the next turn. A wound that causes stunning or unconsciousness, or cripples
the weapon arm or hand, prevents any return fire. A wound that knocks the charac-
ter down forces him to shoot from the ground: -4 to hit! A normal wound penalizes
any return fire by the amount of damage done. Double the penalty if the wound is
to the weapon arm. These effects occur before the loser gets to shoot, but after each
gunman fires, if shots are simultaneous. The effects last at least through the next
turn.

other combat systems 89

 SHOOTOUTS
Realistically, gunfights involve a lot of waiting as opponents try to out-guess
and out-maneuver one another. The gunfight at the O.K. Corral lasted about 30 sec-
onds, with adversaries close enough to forego aiming. More typical gunfights take
from 15 to 20 minutes – up to 1,200 turns.
GMs should encourage “opportunity” actions (see sidebars, pp. B118-119) and
should not skimp on Long Actions. Skipping over a number of turns while fighters
continue what they’re doing can greatly speed shootouts.
Players should familiarize themselves with the Ranged Weapons section of the
Advanced Combat rules (pp. B114-121). The following tables are vital: Size and
Speed/Range Table, p. B201; Ranged Attack Modifiers, p. B201; Firearm Critical
Miss Table, p. B202; Parts of the Body, p. B203. The Advanced Combat rules
allow a variety of special actions, such as Pop-Up Attacks (p. B116) and
Opportunity Fire (p. B118). They also detail adverse combat conditions: Hit
Penalties (p. B98) and Cover and Concealment modifiers (p. B118) essential for
classic Western shootouts. The use of miniatures for Advanced Combat is highly
recommended.

Order of Events in Shootouts

Characters may act in order of descending Move scores, or play may move
clockwise around the table (see Turn Sequence, p. B95). If the GM has no pre-set
turn sequence for the NPCs, he may move one after each player, until all have
acted.

Maneuvers
The maneuvers commonly used during classic shootouts include Aim, Long
Action (reloading weapons, etc.), Move and Attack with a ranged weapon. Close
Combat is also possible.
The confusion in a shootout renders the split-second timing of the Fast-Draw
skill less important than for showdowns. In a gunfight with multiple opponents, the
Fast-Draw skill works normally, allowing the shootist to ready a weapon in essen-
tially no time. Turn sequence is calculated normally, rather than by a Quick Contest
of the Fast-Draw skill, and injuries take effect at the beginning of the next turn.

Gunfire
Apply the following modifiers to any attempt to shoot:
Adverse Combat Conditions: See the sidebar on p. B98.
Aiming: Aiming for at least 1 turn eliminates the Snap Shot and recoil penalties
and brings the weapon’s Accuracy bonus into play. See p. B116.
Attacker’s Situation: Firing from above or below the target, or while moving,
modifies effective skill. Firing through an occupied hex may result in hitting the
wrong target. Pop-Up Attacks and Opportunity Fire also bear special penalties. See
pp. B116-118.
Cover and Concealment: Use the list on p. B118 to determine cover modifiers.
For situations especially appropriate to Western shootouts, see below.
Recoil Penalties: Any subsequent shot fired without waiting at least 1 turn has
a recoil penalty. These penalties increase with each shot, until the gun remains
unfired for one turn.
Snap Shot Penalties: If the character fires without aiming, compare the adjust-
ed skill (including all other modifiers) to the weapon’s SS number. If the shooter’s
adjusted skill is less than the weapon’s SS number, the “to hit” roll is at an addition-
al -4.

90 other combat systems

 Target Size: Man-sized targets have no size modifier. Horses head- or tail-on
have no modifier; a side view gives +1 to hit. Use the Linear Measurement and
Very Basic Melee Combat:
Size columns of the Size and Speed/Range Table (p. B201) for larger or smaller tar- Really Simple Shortcuts
gets. for Really Quick Battles
Target Speed and Range: Consult the Size and Speed/Range Table to deter-
mine modifiers based on the target’s speed and range. Remember the weapon’s (Continued)
1/2D and Max range stats as well (see p. B115).
Multiple Combatants
Cover and Concealment It is possible to let all the PCs roll
simultaneously, if desired, and combine
Horses as Cover: Hiding behind a horse’s shoulder leaves only the head the NPCs’ rolls into one. In this case, it is
exposed. The hindquarters expose head and shoulders. Any other part of the horse assumed that all NPCs have equal skills.
exposes the legs. Firing around the horse counts as a Pop-Up Attack. The GM simply rolls once for all NPCs,
and announces how well the roll was
Roll on the NPC Reaction Table (p. B205) to determine the horse’s reaction to made. This is the result for each of the
this treatment. The character may attempt an Animal Handling roll if no other PC’s opponents – the players then simulta-
action is taken. Success adds +1 to the horse’s reaction; critical success adds +2. neously roll and the results are applied as
Critical failure spooks the horse. Very Good or Excellent indicates the horse stays above.
If the GM is rolling once for multiple
where it is, or moves at the character’s instruction. On a reaction of Bad, the horse NPCs, very high and very low results
tries to leave. On a reaction of Very Bad, the horse panics. should be thrown out. Such rolls might
Using a moving horse as cover requires either an Equestrian Acrobatics roll, or indeed occur for some of the foes, but it is
highly unlikely that ten fighters at once
both an Animal Handling and DX roll. Failure results in loss of cover. Critical fail- would all score critical hits or failures! In
ure results in an accident. general, treat any roll below 7 as a 7, and
Smoke: Black powder makes plenty of white smoke. With each shot, the GM any roll above 16 as a 16 when rolling for
numerous characters. If a character is fac-
may assess a cumulative -1 penalty to the next shot, due to impaired vision – until ing two or more fighters, he has two choic-
wind, time or the gunman’s movement disperses the smoke. Reduce the penalty by es:
1 for each turn without gunfire. Fighters may time their movements to take advan- A) He can All-Out Defend. In this
tage of the “smoke screen.” case, he rolls as above, but does no dam-
age. His roll is compared to each of the
Dust: Thundering hooves and flying bullets kick up a lot of dust – sometimes enemies’ rolls, and he only takes damage
enough to allow a hard-pressed gang to escape. GMs may apply negative modifiers from those that beat him.
(-1 to -9) to vision based on the dust in the air. B) He can attack one foe, and do his
best to defend against them all. Only one
roll is made for such a hero: read the roll
Tricks as usual against the chosen foe. Read the
Players will come up with all sorts of dirty tricks, from the old “Watch out same roll against two-thirds skill (round
down) for each additional fighter – he can-
behind you!” to a hat in the face. The GM decides what, if any, effects a trick has. not inflict damage on them if he wins,
Keep in mind that tricks can backfire against experienced gunmen. See sidebar, p. however.
B123.
Aiming at Muzzle Flashes: This is a special situation for Opportunity Fire. The Critical Hits and Misses
For simplicity, treat a critical miss as
gunman waits until he sees the muzzle flash of an opponent’s gun, then fires at that a dropped weapon. Treat a critical hit as
spot. Penalties are as for Opportunity Fire (remember Speed and Range modifiers, maximum damage.
as well), with an additional -5 to -9 to skill. Aiming at specific body parts is not
allowed. Unarmed Fighters
If an unarmed fighter is facing an
Armor: Gunfighters may try concealed armor made from scratch (like Clint armed foe, he can roll versus a martial art
Eastwood in A Fistful of Dollars). The GM must assign the PD and DR, but he skill or DX to attempt to grapple in close
shouldn’t reveal them to the players until the armor is tested. combat. He does no damage if he wins, but
his opponent must take a turn to break free.
Attack from Above: Ambush from above is a good surprise tactic. See p. B124. An unarmed person can also pick up a
Shooting Through Walls and Floors: Penalties are as for weapon. He rolls versus DX, and takes
Shooting Blind (see sidebar, p. B115). Any solid object damage if he loses the Contest. He gets the
between the gun and the target provides some measure weapon in 1 round whether he takes dam-
age or not.
of DR. Refer to the table on p. B125 for DRs of wood- Otherwise, an unarmed fighter can
en slabs and brick or stone walls. See also the sidebar simply retreat: roll a Quick Contest of DX
on p. 54. versus the armed fighter’s Weapon skill.
Take damage if you lose, successfully
Surprise Attacks and Initiative: When the PCs evade if you win.
surprise a group of adversaries, or vice versa, the sur-
prised party may not be able to react immediately. See Continued on next page . . .
pp. B122-123.

other combat systems 91

Very Basic Melee Combat:
Really Simple Shortcuts COMPETITION FIGHTING
for Really Quick Battles The action in most modern combat sports (boxing, fencing, karate, etc.) takes
place, for the most part, in bloodless tournaments. Tournament fighting, both pro-
(Continued) fessional and amateur, is a place for PCs to test their mettle and even make a living.
Tournament combat is not like “normal” fights to the death. Unlike real com-
Non-Combat Maneuvers
Some people may be doing other bat, there are rules to be followed. Although in both cases winning is important,
things while the fight is raging. Since this competition fighting goes about it in a different way.
system tends to speed combat slightly, give
anyone not directly involved in combat 2
or even 3 turns for each Quick Contest in
the fight. As soon as a character joins the
Roleplaying Tournaments
fray, of course, he loses the ability to take Competition or tournament combat is different from standard fights.
double moves. This rule allows one’s Depending on the emphasis of the campaign, it can be minimized or ignored alto-
friends to hold off the foe long enough to gether. With the rules below, however, the GM can make it as exciting as a “real”
pick a lock or rob a safe.
hit-point-draining battle.
Other Situations
It would defeat the purpose of Quick Combat Length
and Dirty rules to go into the detail neces- Depending on the rules of engagement, tournament fights last between 30 sec-
sary to cover every possible situation! The
GM should be guided by the suggestions onds or so to several rounds of 2 or 3 minutes each. Obviously, to roleplay every
above, using common sense to cover round in even the shortest fight is next to impossible, considering that the GURPS
unusual requests. The players should not combat turn is 1 second long. Two different ways to roleplay competition fights are
make the GM’s job any harder by arguing
about a decision, especially if these rules
described below, depending on the situation and the amount of detail the GM
are being used because of limited time! desires.
The Detailed Method: For a fully roleplayed, movie-like description of the
fight, the battle will focus on some “highlights” of action separated by a number of
turns where nothing much happens (this reflects the reality of most sports fights).
In other words, the opponents will trade blows for a couple of seconds, circle each
other for several more, and so on. At the beginning of the round, the GM rolls 4
dice, or fewer if he wants more detail. This is the number of seconds that elapse
before any telling blows are exchanged; during this time it is assumed that the
opponents circled, threw jabs at each other, etc. Then a 2- or 3-turn fight is played
out; whenever one of the antagonists manages to break free from the fight (a suc-
cessful dodge and retreat, for instance) or at the GM’s discretion, the fighters disen-
gage and the same number of dice are rolled for the next exchange of blows.
Example: “Dutch” McNamara is squaring off in the boxing ring against Jose
“Shatterhands” Rodriguez. Each round lasts 2 minutes (120 seconds). At the start
of the fight, the GM rolls 4 dice, and gets a 16; he tells his players that they circled
and sparred for 16 seconds before closing. Three seconds of fighting are roleplayed
(Dutch lands one solid punch and defends successfully against Jose’s attacks). The
fight is now 19 seconds long. The GM rolls again, and gets a 10, so they will get to
fight again on the 29th second of the round. On the average, Dutch and Jose will
play out about 24 seconds of the 120 seconds in the round.
The GM alone keeps track of the time, unless one of the characters has
Absolute Timing, in which case he knows how much time is left. When the round
is over, the foes return to their corners (or their equivalent); thus, a fighter can be
literally saved by the bell. This method produces a long, detailed fight, and is most
useful in situations where the stakes are high (the climactic fight for the world
championship, for instance).
The Quick Method: This alternative system can be used for GMs who want less
detail or for less important fights. Resolve each “round” (ranging from 30 seconds
to several minutes) as a Quick Contest of Skill (see p. B87); the contestants get one
roll for every 30 seconds of the engagement (round up). If nobody wins, the round
ends as a draw; otherwise, the winner gets one “point” (not related to any competi-
tion point system, but a tool for the GM to resolve the fight). The fight ends when

92 other combat systems

one contestant accumulates 5 points more than his opponent. On a Critical Success
on the contest, the winner gets 1d+1 points immediately.
Example: In the fight above, the GM uses the Quick Method. Each round lasts
2 minutes, so each round is four Quick Contests of Skill between Dutch and Jose
(Boxing Sport skills of 17 and 15, respectively). In the first round, Dutch wins
three of the four rolls, so he wins that round and gets 1 point.
The second method will resolve the battle more quickly, but will give the play-
ers a more passive role, leaving it up to the GM to convincingly describe the fight.

Fatigue
This will be an important consideration in all types of tournament fights. While
real combat usually lasts only a few seconds, a sports fight (boxing, for instance)
can go on for as long as half an hour, an hour or even longer! Fatigue loss
(described on p. B134) can cause a fighter to lose as surely as his opponent’s skill.
If a match (or a number of matches on the same day) lasts more than 3 min-
utes, fatigue will start building up. Each fighter will automatically lose 1 point of
fatigue after 10 seconds. After 3 minutes, each contestant will roll against his HT;
if he succeeds there is no effect. On a failed roll, he loses another fatigue point; on
a critical failure, he loses 2 points.
Modifiers: -1 for every previous two-minute bout of fighting.
These rolls assume that there is a rest period of at least 30 seconds between
rounds; otherwise, fighters must roll every minute, at -1 for every minute they have
already fought. If the rounds of a particular competition are shorter than 3 minutes
(most are), make the rolls whenever the total fighting time reaches 3 minutes.
Optional Rules: To better represent the effect of fatigue on a contestant, use
these rules. When a fighter’s Fatigue is reduced by 2/3, he will suffer the effects of
the Low Pain Threshold disadvantage (see p. B29). If he has the High Pain
Threshold advantage, he temporarily loses it instead, while if he already had the
Low Pain Threshold disadvantage he suffers twice the standard penalties! This rep-
resents the weakening effect of a long fight, making a tiring fighter more suscepti-
ble to a knockout. When his ST goes down to 3, his Move is halved, as per p. B29;
he also gets a -1 penalty to all his Active Defenses, or loses his Combat Reflexes
bonus.

Judges and Fouls

Most competitions will have a number of impartial observers watching the
fight, both to decide who the winner is and to spot and penalize fouls. They vary in
quantity, from a single referee to six or more. Every time a point is scored, a foul is
committed, or anything happens that the judges must rule about, the GM must
make a Vision roll for each judge.
Modifiers (optional): +3 to -3 depending on their position with respect to the
contestants at the moment (the GM can determine it randomly, or it may depend on
the judges’ arrangement; in some competitions, a judge sits on each corner, so it
stands to reason that whenever something happens, some of them will have a better
view than the rest); a random modifier (roll 1d-3 and apply the bonus or penalty),
to determine whether the judge was paying attention at that particular moment;
others, including the judges’ personal biases (they should not be great; the judge is
supposed to be impartial, after all).
On a successful Vision roll, the judge will vote accurately; on a failure he will
not see the point or foul; on a critical failure, he will interpret the event in the worst
manner possible (ranging from giving the point or foul to the wrong contestant to
declaring the fight won in favor of the wrong person). Of course, if someone
“bought” the judge, his votes will be predetermined!
If the Quick Method is being used, the judges roll only once per round.

other combat systems 93

 ABSTRACT VEHICULAR
COMBAT
These systems cover various forms of abstract engagements between naval vessels and between spacecraft. For a detailed, “nuts
and bolts” treatment of vehicular combat, see GURPS Vehicles.

NAVAL COMBAT SYSTEM

These rules are intended for late-TL4 and TL5 sailing ships, * Sloops sail with the wind abeam at 100% speed.
but can also be used for late-TL2 and TL3 historical or fantasy Typical Firepower rates the number and size of cannon carried
ships (use the Boarding rules and no cannon). Fast, powered by the ship. Cannon are rated by shot weight (e.g., a “24-
ships, long-range guided missile strikes and antisubmarine war- pounder” fires a 24-pound ball). Firepower is found by adding the
fare are all beyond the scope of these rules! shot weight of all the guns on a ship, then dividing by two. This
gives the total weight of shot in a broadside, called the ship’s fire-
Ships power. The lowest end of each range given is for smaller or earli-
er ships; the upper end represents larger or later ships, or ships
To use these rules, a few basic facts must be known about each that have been deliberately up-gunned for combat at the cost of
vessel. The following system is deliberately vague; for detailed range and carrying capacity.
shipbuilding rules, use Vehicles. Maneuverability Number is how well the ship responds to
First, determine if each vessel is a sloop (small, single-masted, changes in course, and how close it can sail to the wind. It nor-
with triangular sails), a brig (medium-sized, full-rigged craft) or a mally subtracts from Shiphandling skill during tricky maneuvers.
ship (large, full-rigged vessel with many masts), then consult the
table below:
Combat
Ship Avg. Max. Typical Maneuverability Actual ship-to-ship combat is a complex subject. For roleplay-
Type Speed Speed Firepower Number ing, the question is “Who won, and what happened to the PCs?”
Small Sloop 12 16 0-50 -1 to -3 If the ships are enemy warships, the usual goal is to sink the
Large Sloop 10 14 80-100 -2 to -4 foe, although capture is also a possibility. For a pirate or privateer
Small Merchant Brig 8 10 35-75 -2 to -5 vessel, capture of a merchant is the only real goal – sinking a ship
Small War Brig 9 12 170-300 -3 to -5 doesn’t gain any money. However, a pirate faced with a warship
Merchant Ship 6 9 45-135 -4 to -6 has an entirely different goal – escape! A merchant ship’s prime
Large Warship 7 10 350-700 -4 to -6 goal is always to get away.
Battle is conducted in combat rounds. The length of time rep-
Speed is in mph, running with wind on the quarter, and resented by each round is up to the GM. The “default” value is 1
assumes average encumbrance and average wind conditions. hour; ship battles can be drawn-out affairs.
Maximum Speed is under ideal wind conditions. The goals of the ships affect the length and intensity (see p. 96)
The direction of wind relative to direction of sail also plays a of the battle.
role: The battle may be relatively short if a faster ship is intent on
Wind is . . . Astern On the Quarter Abeam On the Bow boarding another ship – the ship might close quickly or be severe-
Speed is . . . -2 mph 100% -2 mph* 20% ly damaged quickly. The maneuvering can go on for hours, as the
lighter ship might not want to expose itself to the firepower of the
slower ship. The intensity of such a fight is still low. At the other
extreme, a fight between men-of-war can take all day, and be very
intense.
Use the following system regardless of the goals. If the ships
board quickly, or after a lot of maneuvering out of range, assign a
light intensity to the battle, make the Tactics rolls, and proceed to
the section on Boarding.
The type of shot fired determines which damage tables are
used, however. Round shot is aimed at the hull – its purpose is to
puncture the hull, causing leaks, and to cause damage and confu-
sion wherever there is enemy crew and marines. Chainshot is
fired at the rigging and sails – its purpose is to slow the ship down
and reduce maneuverability so the ship can be boarded. It rarely
damages the hull. Grapeshot is fired to sweep the deck clear of
enemy personnel – it is fired just before boarding, and is deadly to
unarmored people.

94 other combat systems

Detection and Engagement Firepower Relative Firepower
Under ideal viewing conditions, a lookout 30 yards up can Ratio Modifier
spot another ship on the horizon 22 miles away. That is the maxi- 1.20 or less No modifier
mum distance at which a ship can be seen. From 16 to 18 miles is 1.21-1.40 +1
more common, given any haze at all or the high humidity of the 1.41-1.70 +2
tropics. From on deck, a ship can be seen 12 miles away under 1.71-2.00 +3
prime conditions. 2.01-3.00 +4
If one ship wishes to avoid the encounter, the GM must deter- 3.01-5.00 +5
mine how far away the ships are, and their relative speeds. The 5.01-7.00 +6
direction of the wind is also important; some ships are able to sail 7.01-10.00 +7
closer into the wind than others. A ship may be slower than 10.01+ or more +8
another sailing with the wind, but actually faster sailing close into If one side has no firepower, the opposing force gets a +8 for
the wind. better than 10-to-1 superiority.
A slower ship trying to overtake a faster one hasn’t a chance, if
the faster ship can go in an optimum direction – one with the Special Circumstances: The GM assigns bonuses in the Quick
wind on quarter. Unfortunately for some crews, that direction is Contest of Tactics, or subtracts penalties, for any circumstances
often toward the ship it wishes to evade, or into a reef or toward which affect the battle.
the main bulk of the enemy’s fleet! Examples:
The GM determines if an encounter takes place, based on the Having the faster ship by 2+ mph (average speeds): +1
distance, relative speeds, direction and intensity of the wind and Attack totally by surprise (less than 2 minutes warning): +5
willingness of the two parties involved. Attack partially by surprise (less than 10 minutes warning): +2
Sailing ships in the 17th and 18th centuries didn’t move at Familiar waters: +1 to +3 (fighting in a familiar reef area is
very high speeds. Consequently, the maneuvering before the bat- worth +3)
tles usually took a few hours; sometimes a long chase lasted days. Defending your home port or base: +2, plus any familiar waters
All possible preparations necessary for battle could usually be bonus
completed. The exceptions to that rule were poor weather condi- Your ship is between the wind and the foe (you have the
tions that reduced visibility to under a mile, and ambush – a ship “weather gage”): +2
suddenly swooping out of a concealed cove. Having a green crew (average Seamanship skill below 10): -2
Having a crack crew (average Seamanship skill 13 or above):
+2
Factors Affecting the Battle
If there is a battle, whether one-on-one or fleet against fleet, Player Character Involvement: The skills of the player charac-
the following system resolves the action with one set of die-rolls, ters, and the players’ decisions, can affect the outcome of the bat-
based on a Quick Contest of Tactics between the opposing cap- tle.
tains. (Throughout this section, the Naval specialization is meant
when referring to Strategy.) If there are more than ten vessels in
the battle, each fleet commander substitutes his Strategy skill for Player Character Glory
Tactics. In the course of a battle, each PC makes two die rolls: one for
There are, of course, several modifiers to each captain’s daring in battle – the Glory roll – and one for survival. The Glory
Tactics skill. All of these modifiers are cumulative: roll is made before resolving the Contest of Tactics; the Survival
roll is made after the entire battle. A PC may choose to take extra
Maneuverability: The relative maneuverability of the ships is risk during the battle, or to play it safe, choosing any number
an important factor in a battle. The difference between the maneu- from -6 to +6 as a modifier to his Glory roll. However, the oppo-
verability numbers of the two ships is added to the more maneu- site modifier applies to the Survival roll. Naturally, these modi-
verable ship’s captain’s Tactics skill. In multiple ship encounters, fiers must be chosen before the Glory roll is made.
average the maneuverability numbers of each side, rounding up. The Glory roll is made against “Battle” skill. This is not a skill
which can be studied in itself. It is the average of the PC’s Tactics
Relative Firepower: To find the relative firepower of the two skill (defaulting to IQ-6) and the primary skill the PC uses in the
forces, find the firepower rating of each vessel, total the firepower action (Shiphandling, Gunner, etc.). If the skill involved is a non-
rating for all vessels on each side, and then find the ratio of the combat skill, roll against that skill alone, without averaging in
larger firepower to the smaller. Tactics (e.g., Seamanship; note that Shiphandling most definitely
A ship receives a 25% bonus to its firepower rating if it was is a combat skill!). If no particular skill applies, roll against the
braced or reinforced for combat and cannon recoil when it was average of DX and IQ. The result can modify the Quick Contest
built. Using the abstract system presented here, this is determined of Tactics which determines the outcome of the battle.
by the GM’s opinion and the ship’s mission: most warships will
be braced, pirate ships may be, and merchant ships probably Glory Roll Modifier to Quick Contest of Tactics
won’t be. If a ship’s total firepower is fractional, do not round off. made by 10+ or a critical success +5/+3/+1
Add the firepower on each side, and find the ratio of larger to made by 7-9 +4/+2/–
smaller in the first column of the table below, rounded up to two made by 4-6 +2/+1/–
places. Then read across to the second number to find the made by 0-3 –/–/–
Relative Firepower Modifier for the Quick Contest of Tactics, missed by 1-3 -2/-1/–
which is added to the Tactics skill of the more powerful force’s missed by 4-6 -4/-2/–
commander. missed by 7+ or a critical failure -5/-3/-1

other combat systems 95

 Use the first modifier if the PC is the commander, the second Assessing Damage
if he is a combatant or active seaman, and the third if a noncom- Three types of damage are important in an abstract naval bat-
batant. If more than two PCs are involved on one side, apply only tle: personal injury to important characters, specific damage to the
the best and worst resulting modifiers to the Contest of Tactics. PCs’ ship or ships, and the casualty percentage suffered by each
Note that the best result may be a negative number, or the worst force.
result may be a positive modifier. Apply both anyway.
The effect of Glory rolls can extend beyond the battle. If your
daring helps carry the day (and you are lucky enough to be Ship Damage
noticed by the Right People), you might receive a bonus, a deco- To determine damage to individual ships, the GM rolls on the
ration, a promotion, or even a patron. Pirates might gain free table below, on the line appropriate to the damage taken by that
Reputation, which may lead to being elected captain eventually. ship’s force.
Cowardice in the face of the enemy will have obvious negative Ships braced for combat when built (as before, most warships,
effects. some pirates, few merchants – GM’s decision, if not known) add
The Survival roll is detailed under Player Character Survival. +2 to this roll; e.g., a roll of 4 for a vessel built as a warship
means a result of 6. Add +1 to this roll if nothing but grapeshot
was used against the ship – see Boarding.
Battle Plans
As an optional rule, the GM may require the players to give
him a battle plan (or plans, if there are PCs on both sides). This ship damage table
depends on the PCs’ roles – a captain has a lot of influence in the
plan of a campaign, a gunner has none. If, in the GM’s opinion, Damage Die Roll
these plans are especially good or bad, he may apply from +3 to Degree 1 2 3 4 5 6+
-3 in the Tactics contest. However, as wind-driven naval tactics
are a specialized branch of tactical studies that most players and A 1/0/0 – – – – –
GMs haven’t studied, it may be hard to accurately originate or B 2/1/0 1/1/0 1/0/0 1/0/0 1/0/0 –
assess a good plan. This option may be ignored. C 3/2/0 2/2/0 2/1/0 1/1/0 1/0/0 1/0/0
D 3/2/1 2/2/1 2/2/0 2/1/0 1/1/0 1/1/0
Resolving the Contest of Tactics E 3/2/2 3/2/1 2/2/1 2/2/1 2/1/0 1/1/1
Having noted all these modifiers, the Quick Contest of Tactics F 3/3/3 3/3/2 3/2/2 2/2/2 2/2/1 2/1/1
– or Strategy, if ten or more ships are involved in the battle – is
rolled. The winner of this Quick Contest is the winner of the bat- The result indicates which Ship Damage Tables (below) are
tle. The difference in the amounts by which the leaders make or checked, and how many times. A result of (for instance) 3/2/1
miss their rolls determines the outcome. would indicate three Light Damage rolls, two Medium Damage
rolls and one Heavy Damage roll.
Lighter damage rolls are made before heavier damage rolls.
Intensity of the Battle Damage to cargo, rigging and sails is cumulative. Ignore – and do
A second roll (1 die) determines the intensity of the battle, and
not reroll – results which damage a component that has already
the degree of damage suffered by each force. Degree of damage
been destroyed.
ranges from A (none) to F (near total). The GM may decide to
assign the intensity of the battle, based on the details of the
encounter, rather than rolling randomly. For example, a pirate Fleet Casualty Percentage
ship (whose sole intent is to board a merchant ship as soon as pos- If the PCs’ ship is part of a very large fleet, it may not be desir-
sible) is much more maneuverable and faster than a large mer- able to compute damage to every single ship. In that case, damage
chant ship. The actual long-range battle wouldn’t last very long – to each fleet as a whole is determined as a “casualty percentage”
intensity 1 or 2, perhaps 3 if the merchant ship is heavily armed. – the percentage by which the fleet’s firepower is reduced. This
Two warships involved in an all-out, all-day battle would be percentage is given by a die-roll using the table below.
fighting an intensity 5 or 6 battle.
The table below lists several pairs of damage degrees. The Degree of A B C D E F
damage for a battle is determined by cross-referencing the battle Damage
outcome – inconclusive, marginal, definite or decisive – and bat- Fleet Casualty None 1d+5% 2d+10% 4d+20% 8d+40% 12d+60%
tle intensity – 1 to 6. In each pair of letters, the first indicates
damage taken by the winner, and the second indicates damage If it is important to the adventure, the GM decides how this
taken by the loser. (Thus, a result of “B/F” indicates minimal reduction is allocated in the fleet, based on the circumstances of
damage to the winner and crippling damage to the loser.) the battle. (If damage is over 100%, all firepower is lost.)
However, damage to the PCs’ own ship should always come only
from the Ship Damage Table.
outcome table
Difference Outcome Battle Intensity and Degree of Damage
Possible PC Injury
When a damage result on the tables below shows a *, any PC
in Contest of Battle 1 2 3 4 5 6 in that area must immediately make a Survival roll (see below).
When a ** is shown, any PC in that area must make a Survival
0-3 inconclusive A/A B/B C/C D/D E/E F/F roll at -5. If two ** are shown, two Survival rolls are required,
4-10 marginal A/B B/C B/C C/D D/E E/F etc.
11-20 definite A/C B/D B/D C/E C/E D/F
21+ decisive A/E A/F B/E B/F C/F C/F

96 other combat systems

damage tables for round shot damage tables for chain shot
Roll 1 die for sloops and other one-masted ships, 2
dice for merchant and warships of two masts or more. Roll 2 dice for all ships.
Light Damage Table: Round Shot Light Damage Table: Chain Shot
Roll Damage
1 Hull damage: -2 to Shiphandling until repaired. Roll Damage
2 One ship’s boat damaged: 2 days to repair. 2 Ship’s boat damaged: 2 days to repair.
3 Cannon supports damaged: 10% less firepower, 2 3 Mainmast shaken: crew aloft. *
days to repair. 4 Forecastle damaged. *
4 Sails damaged: reduce speed by 10% (round down). 5 No damage.
5 Rigging damaged: -1 to Shiphandling. 6 Rigging damaged: -1 to Shiphandling.
6 Main Deck area hit. * 7 Sails damaged: -10% to speed.
7 Hull damage: -2 to Shiphandling until repaired. 8 Spars damaged: -1 to Shiphandling.
8 Cargo damaged: 10% destroyed. 9 No damage.
9 Forecastle damaged. * 10 Maindeck damaged. *
10 Poop area damaged. * 11 No damage.
11 Cabin area damaged. * 12 Poop damaged. *
12 Galley damaged: one day to rebuild. *
Medium Damage Table: Chain Shot
Medium Damage Table: Round Shot
Roll Damage
Roll Damage 2 Ship’s boat destroyed.
1 Hull damage: -4 to Shiphandling until repaired. Roll 3 Mainmast broken near top: -20% to speed.
1d; on a 6 the ship begins taking on water and will 4 Forecastle damaged. *
sink in 1d hours unless the pumps are manned. 5 Mizzenmast broken near top: -20% to speed.
2 One ship’s boat destroyed. 6 Rigging damaged: -4 to Shiphandling. *
3 Cannon damaged: 50% less firepower, Armoury 7 Sails damaged: -50% to speed.
skill and 2 weeks needed to repair. Roll 2d: On a 12, 8 Spars damaged: -4 to Shiphandling. *
the ship is aflame and will burn to the waterline in 9 Foremast broken near top: -20% to speed.
10-60 minutes unless the pumps are manned. 10 Maindeck damaged. *
4 Sails damaged: reduce speed by 50% (round down). 11 Mainmast broken near top: -20% to speed.
5 Rigging damaged: -4 to Shiphandling. 12 Poop damaged. *
6 Main Deck area hit. *
7 Hull damage: -4 to Shiphandling, jettison 30% of Heavy Damage Table: Chain Shot
cannon and cargo or ship sinks in 10-60 minutes.
8 Cargo damaged: 50% destroyed. Roll Damage
9 Forecastle damaged. * 2 Ship’s boat destroyed.
10 Poop area * and Cabin area * both damaged. 3 Cannon destroyed: reduce firepower by 25%.
11* Steering Gear damaged: -4 to Shiphandling. 4 Poop destroyed. **
12* Capstan damaged: cannot move cannons or anchor 5 Mizzenmast broken 10 feet above deck: -50%
until repaired (two days). to speed.
6 Rigging severely damaged: -10 to Shiphandling
Heavy Damage Table: Round Shot until replaced. **
Roll Damage 7 Sails severely damaged: -90% speed until replaced.
1 Mainmast broken 10 feet above deck: -90% to speed. 8 Spars severely damaged: -10 to Shiphandling
2 Magazine blows up, ship destroyed. **,**,** until replaced. **
3 Sails and Rigging severely damaged: -90% to speed, 9 Foremast broken 10 feet above deck: -50% to speed.
-10 to Shiphandling. 10 Maindeck severely damaged.**
4 Cannon destroyed: firepower reduced by 75%. Roll 11 Mainmast broken 10 feet above deck: -90% to speed.
1d: On a 6, the ship is aflame and will burn to the 12 All pumps destroyed.
waterline in 5-30 minutes unless pumps manned.
5 Hull damage: -4 to Shiphandling, jettison 50% of
cannon and cargo or ship sinks in 5-30 minutes.
6 Maindeck area severely damaged. **
7 Cargo destroyed or rendered worthless. Chain Shot Hits: Chain shot penalties are cumulative
8 Poop destroyed ** and Cabin destroyed. ** if different components are hit with each shot. They
9 Forecastle destroyed. ** increase the penalty if a subsequent hit gives a greater
10 One mast destroyed (roll randomly): -50% to speed penalty to the same component. Otherwise, subsequent hits
(-90% for mainmast). on the same component are ignored.
11 Rudder destroyed: -6 to Shiphandling until replaced. Shiphandling Rolls: Penalties to Shiphandling rolls
12 All pumps destroyed. can affect the tactical handling of the ship. Each -4 to
Shiphandling is a -1 to Tactics in the next round of combat.

other combat systems 97

Ending the Round/ Boarding
Breaking Off Engagement Boarding is an essential aspect of naval warfare in general and
In an abstract system, ending an engagement must be at the pirate tactics in particular. If both ships desire boarding (a rare
discretion of the GM. As a rule, any ship faster than its foes can occurrence, but it happens), there is no problem – go right to the
break away. In some situations, slower ships may still escape by boarding rules after 1 round of light-intensity combat. If only one
scattering, risking a reef, making for port, etc. GMs should be ship wishes to board, roll a Quick Contest of Shiphandling after
sympathetic to clever PC ploys to escape a hopeless battle! each round of combat, with the following modifiers:
If the engagement is in the open sea, only allies can save the
slower, less maneuverable ship that can’t blow the enemy out of If your ship’s average speed is 2+ mph faster: +1
the water! For being between the wind and your foe
(the “weather gage”): +1
Starting a New Round For a crack crew (average Seamanship skill 13+): +1
If both sides still want to fight, or if one side cannot (yet) For a green crew (average Seamanship skill below 10): -1
escape, another round of combat begins. Recalculate the firepow- If your ship is more maneuverable: add the difference
er of both sides to account for lost or damaged ships, dead or in maneuverability numbers
unconscious crew, and any reinforcements that may have
appeared. Battle plans and Glory modifiers do not affect the sec- If the shiphandler who wishes to board ties or wins the Quick
ond and subsequent rolls of a battle. Contest, proceed to boarding. Otherwise, proceed to another
round of combat.
Player Character Survival Grapeshot
Each PC and important NPC must make a Survival roll at the The last round of cannon shot fired before boarding is often
conclusion of the entire battle (but before boarding – see below), grapeshot. This is small, anti-personnel shot that scatters like a
based on his HT. This number is modified by the size of the PCs’ shotgun blast and is very effective against human targets. If either
ship, and the degree of damage it suffered. If the battle ran for side uses only grapeshot, add +1 to the roll when determining
more than 1 round, use the highest degree suffered during the bat- which Ship Damage Tables to use – grapeshot isn’t very effective
tle, plus 1. So, for instance, if there were 3 rounds, with degrees against ships. Since grapeshot is only potent at close range, it
A, C and A, the PCs would roll on the “D” line. replaces ordinary shot only in the closest (most effective) broad-
side against the enemy.
Degree of Survival Ship Survival If the opposing ship uses grapeshot against the PCs, an addi-
Damage Roll Type Roll tional Survival roll is needed before the boarding action begins.
Modifier Modifier No roll is needed for persons below deck, however. If the players’
A No roll Large Warship +3 ship uses grapeshot, roll against the Gunner skill of the master
B +5 War Brig +2 gunner. Reduce the opposing forces by the following percentage:
C +2 Merchant Ship –
D – Merchant Brig -1 Made roll by 5+: -20% Made roll exactly or by 1: -5%
E -2 Large Sloop -1 Made roll by 2 to 4: -10% Missed roll: no reduction
F -5 Small Sloop -2
Missile Fire
Combat Reflexes also helps a PC avoid injuries in ship-to-ship Player characters who are not involved in specific duties (gun-
combat, giving a +2 on the Survival roll. ner, shiphandler, etc.) may be awaiting the enemy ship’s approach
Having determined the appropriate Survival roll for each PC, with ready musket or pistol. The marksman may attempt a specif-
roll to determine the injuries incurred during action: ic target, if desired (someone aiming at your character is a good
choice), or simply shoot at anyone. Before 1700, tillers were used
Survival Roll Injury instead of steering wheels, and the tiller was behind walls – no
made by 5+ or a critical success unhurt shots at the tillerman are allowed. Any person on a ship, except in
made by 1 to 4 1 hit the rigging, is automatically in light cover: -2 to be hit. Poop rail-
made exactly 2 hits ings are usually large and sturdy enough to offer -3 or even -4
missed by 1 to 2 1d+1 protection, half-covered or head-and-shoulders exposed. See p.
missed by 3 to 4 two 1d wounds B118 for details.
missed by 5 to 6 two 2d wounds The missile shot may be done at any range. The trick is to hold
missed by 7+ or a critical failure three 2d wounds your fire as long as possible without getting picked off yourself.
The GM may write down on a piece of paper at what distance the

98 other combat systems

enemy will shoot and ask the players when they will fire. A char- skeleton crew will stay behind to handle the ship. Only in desper-
acter who is not aiming gets an IQ roll (Acute Vision helps) to ate situations is a ship emptied as the crew boards. If the boarders
spot anyone aiming at him. One who is aiming can only notice his can spare it, they’ll leave 20 men behind, or as many as they safe-
target, or spoil his aim. Since 4 seconds is the maximum aiming ly can and still get good numerical superiority. The captain will
benefit, those who take the full aim get an IQ roll 4 seconds certainly board – it’s his role to inspire his crew. The ship’s mas-
before they fire to spot anyone aiming at them. Make the attack ter, carpenter, doctor, master gunner, cooper, etc., will not.
rolls as usual. The GM should have decided what type of ship and crew the
A ship is an unsteady platform for firing. There is a minus to players are facing in advance. Merchant ships carry a few
any missile fired from on board ship, as per the following table: marines, but the sailors are expected to do most of the fighting.
Often, the marines hired on merchant ships have better musket
Dead calm: 0 skills than sword skills. The theory is to deter the pirates at a dis-
Light Breeze: -1 tance. They are also good with the bayonet (use Spear skill).
Moderate Breeze: -2 Sometimes a merchant ship is sent out loaded with hidden
Light Gale: -3 marines. The object is to lure pirates close enough to capture or
Heavy Gale: -4 kill them all. In those cases, the opponents are trained soldiers,
sometimes even the elite. This is an instance of both parties being
A successful Seamanship roll will reduce the penalty by 2, but eager to board – although the pirates wouldn’t be if they knew
will never give a bonus. A roll is required for each shot fired. who was awaiting them! Warships are occasionally detailed to
Once the Seamanship roll is attempted, the shot must be fired. hunt pirates, and warships often board each other. If the adventur-
ers are in the navy, they might easily be involved in such an
Boarding Action action. Such opponents will be tough fighters.
Most boarding actions will involve large numbers of people on Once the opponents are chosen, the ships are drawn together
both sides. The majority of pirate ships carry as many men as they on the map and the battle begins. Grappling hooks are too numer-
can (usually over 100). This is not only to assure that boarding ous to cut effectively, especially if marksmen are covering them.
will be completely successful, but also to provide a “prize crew” Boarders may swing on to the boarded ship, or leap across the
to bring the captured ship safely to port. railing or run on the bowsprit. If the PCs are not very numerous, a
Before beginning boarding, determine damage from ship-to- few NPC allies can be added. Play out the combat in basic or
ship combat, including any wounds to the PCs. Set up the PCs on advanced combat rules as desired. As the microcosmic battle
their ship, using a battle map, if possible. Some PCs may have goes, so goes the whole boarding action. If the players are defeat-
specific duties and hence locations: gunners, shiphandlers, etc. ed, their crew is defeated. The GM should be generous and accept
Others will simply be part of the boarding party (or repelling offers of surrender.
party) and ready to attack. If at all possible, have the player char-
acters in the same area of the ship.
In the case of ships with cannon, a boarding ship won’t usually
be brought up broadside to broadside. That makes it too easy for
the enemy to blast you apart if their guns are still loaded, or even
if the gun crews have a lot of determination. Most boarding is
partial broadside: bow along bow, or bow along stern. The
bowsprit is a favorite path to the enemy ship.
How the player characters fare will determine how their entire
crew fares. The GM must determine how many NPCs (and of
what type) to pit against the player characters. Most boarded ships
that are severely outnumbered will simply surrender – even a
warship, although it’s less common. Therefore, if there is fighting
at all, it should be fairly close. The NPCs will be either numerous
or high-point characters – maybe even both!
Only rarely does the entire crew of a ship board; usually a

other combat systems 99

SPACE COMBAT SYSTEM
These rules are intended primarily for “realistic” engage- guidelines above. The ship should have a base DF of 10 (it’s a
ments between TL8+ science-fiction spacecraft. For fast, furious, ship-of-the-line), raised to 14 for its TL, then increased by a fur-
cinematic action and dogfights in space opera settings, see the ther 50% for being a heavy cruiser, for a total DF of 21. The GM
Space Opera Combat System, p. 106. decides that DF 6 is due to its advanced stealth suite, DF 8 is due
Only FTL ships are likely to meet and fight in deep space. But to its armor and DF 7 is due to its force fields.
ships of any kind, moving on maneuver drive, can contest the GURPS Vehicles and DF: If the spaceship’s Vehicles stats are
strategic area around a planet or jump point. known, use the following method to determine DF:
The combat system presented here is intended to maximize the Armor: Convert DR to DF using the following table:
involvement of individual PCs (and, of course, significant NPCs).
It gives many different skills the chance to be decisive in a battle. DR DF DR DF DR DF
Two types of damage are represented here: personal injury to
important characters, and specific damage to the PCs’ ship or under 70 0 280-559 3 2,240-4,479 6
ships. 70-139 1 560-1,119 4 4,480-8,959 7
140-279 2 1,120-2,239 5 etc. etc.
Spacecraft Force Fields: If a ship has deflectors, add 1 to DF. If it has
To use this combat system, a few general pieces of informa-
tion are needed for each ship. First, the GM should decide on the force screens, calculate DF based on screen DR separately, then
approximate volume of each ship in cubic yards (cy), using these add it to total DF..
guidelines: Stealth: Add 1 for the basic version or 2 for the radical ver-
sion of each of the following systems: stealth, IR cloaking, emis-
Fighter: 5-500 cy Cruiser: 50,000-75,000 cy sion cloaking.
Corvette: 1,000-3,000 cy Battleship: 100,000-150,000 cy
Destroyer: 15,000-20,000 cy Dreadnought: 200,000-300,000 cy Firepower (FP)
This number abstracts the offensive capabilities of the ship.
Next, decide which ship is the fastest. Finally, determine See p. S86 for the FP values of specific weapons, if the ship’s
Defense Factor (DF) and Firepower (FP) for each spacecraft. precise armaments are known. This system assumes that they
These quantities are defined in great detail in GURPS Space. If aren’t. To estimate a ship’s firepower, look at its role:
the DF and FP of a spacecraft are unknown, or if the GM wants to An undergunned ship with long range or a lot of cargo capaci-
keep things deliberately abstract, the following general guidelines ty (like a merchant or carrier) cannot seriously harm an equivalent
can be used. ship, and mounts weapons for defensive purposes only; assign it a
FP equal to 5-20 times its DF.
Defense Factor (DF) A warship, relying on supply ships for fuel and ammo, and
This number abstracts the defensive capabilities of the ship. built to patrol as well as fight, should be able to engage ships
Armor, force fields and stealth all contribute to DF. (See equivalent to itself; it should have FP equal to 20-100 times its
Computing Attacks, p. 102, for other factors.) DF from multiple DF.
sources is additive. An up-gunned ship, like an orbital space fortress, with no need
To decided on how much DF a vessel will need, use the fol- for mobility and designed solely for combat, might have FP equal
lowing rule of thumb at TL8: noncombatant ships require DF 1-3; to 50-500 times its DF.
fighters, DF 2-4; light warships (destroyers, corvettes, etc.), DF 4- Use the low end of each range for older or lighter craft, or
6; and ships-of-the-line (anything cruiser-sized or larger), DF those designed purely for point defense. Use the high end for war-
10+. Add +1 to these figures at TL9, or +2 at TL10; add an extra like cultures, or those that have been on a war footing for some
+2 per TL after 10. Finally, add 50% to the result for slower or time. Use the middle of the range for everyone else.
heavier warships (carriers, heavy cruisers, etc.) that are expected The exact composition of the ship’s armaments is left up to the
to suffer concentrated attacks. GM; be creative! There are two exceptions:
Armor (TL7; see p. S78): Minimum DF is 1, and DF from First, a specific number of FP 3-5 “point defense” weapons
armor rarely exceeds 7 or 8. Note that larger ships can mount should be designated to shoot down missiles (see Point Defense
more armor; DF may be as high as 9 for destroyers and cruisers, Gunnery, below).
and 10 for dreadnoughts and battleships. Second, if the ship carries missiles, decide how much of the
Force Fields (TL11; see p. S79): As per armor, except that ship’s FP is due to guns, then multiply what’s left by 1.5 for con-
since force field generators are somewhat lighter, a force field DF ventional missiles, 5 for nuclear missiles or 15 for antimatter mis-
of 9 or more is not impossible for a large warship. siles (TL11+). This “missile FP” represents expendable missiles,
Stealth Suites (TL7; see p. S87): Against foes of equal or and should be divided up between a specific number of missiles;
lower TL, a stealth suite can provide DF 1-6, depending on quali- conventional missiles may have FP 1-10, atomic missiles FP 20-
ty. Pirates may be able to afford DF 1-2 systems, while cutting- 100 and antimatter missiles FP 200-1,000, The captain of each
edge naval ships might have DF 6 stealth. ship may expend as many or as few missiles as he wishes each
It is most efficient for armor, force fields and stealth to provide combat round; but once they’re gone, they’re gone! (Other
DF in equal parts; excessively high DF from a single source weapons can fire every combat round.) Note that atomic and anti-
would result in an unrealistically massive and expensive craft. matter weapons are actually much more effective than the multi-
Example: A scenario calls for a generic “TL11 heavy cruiser.” pliers indicate, but they’re also expensive, so fewer missiles are
Since the GM cannot find his copy of GURPS Space, he uses the carried.

100 other combat systems

 Example: The cruiser above has DF 21. The GM decides that The GM also decides how many combat rounds make up a
it is a typical warship, and gives it a mid-range FP of 60 times its “battle.” In general, a battle has ended when the forces have an
DF, or FP 1,260. The GM describes this as two main batteries of opportunity to regroup and plan their next moves. When a battle
three heavy particle beams, two secondary batteries of three ends, characters make Survival rolls (p. 105).
medium particle beams, and a dozen small (FP 5) lasers for point Some engagements may consist of several combat rounds, one
defense. right after the other. Others may consist of several battles, with
If the cruiser were a missile cruiser, it might only have FP 360 the characters having an opportunity to try more damage control,
from guns (described as point defense weapons and light gun bat- and make new battle plans, before each.
teries); the remaining 900 would be multiplied by 15 (for TL11
antimatter missiles) to get FP 13,500 in missiles. The GM decides
that this represents three FP 1000 “heavy” missiles, a dozen FP Detection and Engagement
600 “medium” ones and twenty FP 165 “light” ones. Before any combat between spacecraft can occur, the opposing
GURPS Vehicles and FP: If the vessel’s Vehicles stats are forces must detect each other. To do this, the sensor operator on
known, FP can be estimated more precisely, as follows: each ship rolls against his Electronics Operation (Sensors) skill. If
FP is based on the dice of damage the weapon inflicts. Only one or both forces detects the other, they then decide whether
weapons that can function in vacuum can be used for space com- they will engage in combat. If neither detects the other, no combat
bat. will occur, unless they are closing unwittingly. In this case, each
FP is equal to dice of damage/100 for guns and non-nuclear makes another roll hourly, or more often if quality of sensors
missiles. For nuclear and antimatter missiles, it is assumed the allows it. Two forces may pass in space and never detect each
explosion is a proximity blast occurring some distance from the other.
target. Thus, FP is equal to the warhead yield in kilotons × 10. If detection occurs, the next step is to determine whether com-
If an attack has an armor divisor, multiply dice of damage by bat can happen. Speed is the most important factor in this; a fast
that divisor when calculating FP, e.g., 20d(2) is treated as 40d. ship can easily close with a slower one. But a slow ship with mis-
For automatic fire lasers multiply FP by RoF. Otherwise, mul- siles may still get some shots at a fleeing opponent.
tiply FP by the square root of RoF (first converting fractional Thus, the decision to fight usually lies with the commander of
RoFs to decimals, e.g., 1/4 is 0.25). the faster force. If only one side wishes to fight, but is not appre-
It is up to the GM whether to bother with results that give frac- ciably faster than the foe, the question of engagement is resolved
tional FPs, or to simply round to the nearest whole number. by a Quick Contest of Piloting skill between the worst pilot in the
Special Radiation Effects of Missiles: Nuclear and antimatter fleeing force and each pilot in the pursuing force. Any pursuer
missiles produce radiation and EMP effects which can injure both who wins the contest may engage the fleeing force.
ship crew and computers. Missiles intercepted by antimissile fire Should only one side detect the other, and the detecting side
do not produce radiation. prefers not to fight, it can simply alter course to avoid closing
The rad dose delivered by each unintercepted missile is equal before the other force detects it. If the detecting side wishes to
to (FP×TL×10). Add all the missiles together to make one radia- engage, it can close the gap. As it closes, the opposing force will
tion dose. See p. 145 for protection against radiation, and for radi- get additional sensor rolls to detect its approach; once each side
ation effects. If the ship has armor or a force field of DF 1, it has a has detected the other, the final decision to engage once again
radiation Protection Factor of 10. DF 2 gives a PF of 100, DF 3 falls to the commander of the faster force.
gives a PF of 1,000, and so on. Shadowing: If one force detects another without itself being
If a ship crew takes enough rads to incapacitate them immedi- detected, the detecting force may attempt to shadow the other,
ately (4,000 rads or more), that ship is out of the battle. A crew following its movements and staying on the very edge of sensor
that takes over 160 rads may fight out that battle but will be inca- range. To do so, the shadowing sensor operator must make an
pacitated within a day. Electronics Operation (Sensors) roll every fifteen minutes, includ-
ing all appropriate modifiers, to keep a fix on the shadowed craft.
Failing this roll means that sensor contact with the shadowed craft
Combat Rounds has been lost. If the roll is successful, the shadowing pilot must
Battle is conducted in combat rounds. The length of time rep- then roll a Quick Contest of skills against the shadowed sensor
resented by each round is up to the GM. The “default” value is operator, Pilot vs. Electronics Operation (Sensors), to avoid being
one hour; space battles can be drawn-out affairs. But in a close- detected.
orbital engagement, a round might be ten minutes – and in a long- If the shadowing craft has superior sensor range or superior
range running battle between STL craft at the edge of a system, a stealth, it can move in closer, and the sensor operator needs to roll
round might be a day! only once per hour.

other combat systems 101

The Battle Phase 3: Point Defense Gunnery
Any weapon may be assigned to point defense (anti-missile)
If there is a battle, whether one-on-one or fleet against fleet,
the following system resolves the action. fire, targeting one attacking missile. The character controlling the
point defense weapon attempts his Gunner roll, plus or minus 3
times the difference in the TLs of his weapon and the enemy mis-
Phase 1: Contest of Tactics sile. On a successful roll, the missile is destroyed, and does not
The two ship captains (or force commanders) roll a Quick contribute its firepower to that combat. On a failure, the missile is
Contest of Tactics. If there are more than 10 vessels in the battle, unaffected, and that point-defense weapon may not fire at it a sec-
use Strategy skill instead. Special circumstances and the PCs’ ond time.
actions can modify the rolls, as detailed below. Point-defense weapons do not contribute their firepower to the
If one commander wins the contest by more than 3 points, he combat, regardless of whether they destroy their target missiles –
may choose either to do more damage to the foe (by shifting all or even if no missiles are fired at the ship. Point-defense gunnery
his attacking results by one column to the left on the Combat is not affected by the aggressiveness of the captain’s attack.
Results Table) or to suffer less damage to his own forces (by If more than one missile is fired at the ship during a given
shifting all his defending results by one column to the right). A combat round, a point defense weapon may attack a second one at
commander who scores a critical success gets two column shifts: -2, a third one at -4, and so on. No attack may be made at a modi-
one in each direction, or both in the same direction! The comman- fied skill of less than 3! These modifiers are not affected by the
der must make his choice now; he must tell the GM, but not the length of the round; in a quick, close battle, the missiles will be
opponent. fired at short range and can be engaged (hit or miss) quickly,
Special Circumstances: The GM assigns bonuses in the Quick while in a long-range battle, it will take longer to deal with each
Contest of Tactics, or subtracts penalties, for any circumstances missile. The time to hit a missile is as soon as it comes in range –
which affect the battle. A few examples: they accelerate constantly and will be moving very fast if they
Attack totally by surprise: +5 first round, +2 second round. have come in from a long distance!
Partial surprise – less than 3 minutes warning: +2 (first round Any number of gunners may attack the same incoming mis-
only). sile, but it counts as one shot for each of them.
Familiar space: +1 to +3 (e.g., fighting in a known asteroid If missiles are used for point defense, each attack on an enemy
field is worth +2). missile expends one of the ship’s own missiles. Each subsequent
Defending your home system: +2, plus “familiar space” if missile fired by the same gunner is fired at a cumulative -2 penal-
applicable. ty, as above.
Battle Plans: If PCs are force commanders, or important in the Ship commanders can use NPC gunners for point defense.
planning the battle, the GM should require the players to give him Unless the NPC gunner’s skill is already known, roll 1d+10 to
a battle plan (or plans, if there are PCs on both sides) before mak- generate skill for an experienced gunner, or 1d+6 for a non-gun-
ing the Tactics roll. If the GM feels these plans are especially ner pressed into service. Gunnery computers can also be used, at
good or bad, he may apply from +3 to -3 in the Contest of their effective skill (usually 12 or more). Characters who serve on
Tactics. point defense cannot attempt damage control, etc., on that same
round.
Phase 2: Assign Firepower PCs with ESP ability can use their Precognition skill. Add
Each PC who is a ship captain (including fighter pilots) now (Precognition-10) to Gunner skill, spending one fatigue point, to
declares how aggressively he will press his own attack, as fol- guess where the incoming missile is . . .
lows:
Extremely aggressive: +50% to effective Firepower of all ship Phase 4: Computing Attacks
weapons; -2 to ship’s effective DF. Each PC who is serving as a gunner (including fighter pilots,
Aggressive: +25% to effective Firepower of all ship’s but not including point defense gunners) may now make a
weapons; -1 to ship’s effective DF. Gunner roll. Fighter pilots who are both flying and shooting may
Per doctrine: No modifiers. substitute a Piloting roll if they choose.
Defensive: -25% to effective Firepower of all ship’s weapons; For PCs only, each point by which the roll is made increases
+1 to ship’s effective DF. that weapon’s effective Firepower by 10%. A critical success
Extremely defensive: Halve the effective Firepower of all doubles Firepower. (Missing the roll reduces that weapon’s
ship’s weapons; +2 to ship’s effective DF. Firepower by 10% for each point by which the roll was missed,
The GM or Adversary decides how aggressively NPC captains and a critical failure reduces Firepower to zero for that round.)
will perform. The ship’s crew has no say in the captain’s decision, For one-man fighters, Firepower of the whole ship is affected.
unless they want to stage a mutiny. Each ship in the battle now undergoes a single attack, based on
the total effective Firepower of all weapons aimed at it (except for
Each side in the battle (players, GM and/or Adversary) now destroyed missiles). The attacking Firepower is compared with
lists the amount of FP that each ship will use during the first com- the ship’s Defense Factor to yield a ratio, rounding in the defend-
bat round. Some weapons may be assigned to point defense er’s favor. The Combat Results Table then gives the outcome of
(antimissile) fire; their FP cannot be used to attack enemy ships. the attack.
Remaining FP should be assigned to specific enemy ships. A ship’s basic Defense Factor is given by its armor, force
If PCs are ship captains, each captain assigns his own weapon- fields and stealth, if any. If a hull is unarmored, its Defense Factor
ry. If the force commander gives specific orders about weapon (DF) starts at 0. If a ship’s final DF, after modifications for stealth
assignment, it is up to the captain how closely to follow them. and hull size, is 0 or less, treat it as having a DF of 0.25. An
NPC captains are controlled by the GM or (for enemy ships) the aggressive attack lowers effective defense, and vice versa.
Adversary, and may or may not follow orders exactly. However, a ship can get bonuses or penalties to Defense Factor
for other things:

102 other combat systems

 10 or fewer cy: +2 100,000 or fewer cy: -2
100 or fewer cy: +1 1,000,000 or fewer cy: -3 light ship damage
1,000 or fewer cy: 0 Over a million cy: -4
10,000 or fewer cy: -1 Ship has warp drive: +2
Ship can make short, aimed hyperspace skips at intervals of 5 1 – Ship shaken up – all subsequent rolls involving ship
minutes or less: +1 operations at -1. Requires 3 damage-control rolls to fix.
2 – Drive damaged – ship at -10% drive power (assume
Combat Results a 10% loss of acceleration).
To determine damage, the attacker rolls one die on the table 3 – One main weapon damaged – an Armoury+3 roll (or
below, on the line appropriate to the final odds ratio. Treat any equivalent) repairs it. (If precise armaments are unknown,
result of less than 5 to 1 as having no effect. Divide any result of GM decides on lost FP.)
greater than 1,000 to 1 into separate attacks – one or more at 4 – Life support damaged – loses 10% of original capac-
1,000 to 1, plus a remainder. ity (i.e., ship’s operating range is cut by 10%).*
5 – Sensor suite damaged – all sensor rolls at -3. Halve
Firepower of non-missile weapons.
combat results table 6 – Power plant or capacitor bank damaged, losing 1/4
its base capacity or 10 MW, whichever is greater. This
result may be rolled more than once.
Odds Die roll, as modified 7 – One weapon in six (but at least one) damaged – each
1 2 3 4 5 6 7+ at -1 to hit on point defense. (If precise armaments are
5:1 1/0/0 – – – – – – unknown, the GM decides which weapons are affected.)*
10:1 1/1/0 1/0/0 – – – – – 8 – One accessory damaged – roll randomly, or GM
20:1 2/1/0 1/1/0 1/0/0 – – – – assigns.
50:1 2/2/0 2/1/0 1/1/0 1/0/0 1/0/0 – – 9 – One main auxiliary craft damaged – apply one
100:1 3/2/0 2/2/0 2/1/0 1/1/0 1/0/0 1/0/0 – meaningful Medium damage result.*
200:1 3/2/1 2/2/1 2/2/0 2/1/0 1/1/0 1/1/0 1/0/0 10 – One area (not otherwise mentioned on this table)
500:1 3/2/2 3/2/1 2/2/1 2/2/1 2/1/1 1/1/1 1/1/0 damaged.
1,000:1 3/3/3 3/3/2 3/2/2 2/2/2 2/2/1 2/1/1 1/1/1 11 – Fuel storage holed. Lose 10% of remaining fuel or
reaction mass.
12 – Landing gear destroyed; ship must be repaired in
space or make a belly landing (Hull Integrity roll at -4
penalty).
13 – Cargo area (lacking that, hangar deck or passenger
Phase 5: Computing Ship Damage area) shaken up. Contents may be damaged.*
The combat result roll indicates which ship damage tables 14 – Passenger area (lacking that, cargo area or hangar
(below) are checked, and how many times. A result of 3/2/1 deck) shaken up. Passengers take 1d damage each.*
would indicate three Light Damage rolls, two Medium Damage 15, 16 – Hangar deck (lacking that, passenger area or
rolls, and one Heavy Damage roll. cargo area) shaken up. Each auxiliary craft takes one Light
When rolling on the ship damage tables, roll 1 die for ships of Damage roll.*
hull size under 1,000 cy, 2 dice for ships of 1,000 to 10,000 cy, 17, 18 – Drive damaged – as #2 above.
and 3 dice for ships over 10,000 cy.
Lighter damage rolls are made before heavier ones. Weapon
and computer damage, and “shaken up” results, are cumulative
but must be repaired separately. Ignore – and do not reroll –
results which damage a component that has already been
destroyed.

other combat systems 103

medium ship damage heavy ship damage
Roll once for Hull Integrity (see below) for each Roll once for Hull Integrity (see below), at a -2 penalty,
Medium Damage result taken. for each Heavy Damage result taken.
1 – Ship shaken up – all subsequent rolls involving ship 1 – Power plant or capacitor bank destroyed. Ships with
operations at -2. A damage-control roll at -4 reduces penal- antimatter engines blow up.**/**
ty to -1. A second roll at -6 removes the penalty. 2 – Drive destroyed (no repair possible).**/**
2 – Drive damaged – ship at -50% drive power (assume 3 – One main weapon destroyed. (If precise armaments
a 50% loss of acceleration). are unknown, GM decides on lost FP.)**
3 – One main weapon damaged – halve its firepower. 4 – Force field projector destroyed – if there are no
Requires 2 damage-control rolls to repair. (If precise arma- force fields, sensor suite lost.
ments are unknown, GM decides on lost FP.)* 5 – Ship’s computer destroyed; halve Firepower unless
4 – Life support damaged – loses 30% of original a backup is available.
capacity (i.e., ship’s operating range is cut by 30%).* 6 – Ship’s frame sprung. Reduce Hull Integrity by 1d.
5 – Ship’s computer damaged – all rolls using computer Cost to repair will be 1d×10% of base hull cost.
assist are at -3, unless a backup is available. 7 – Roll 1 die for each weapon; a 6 destroys it. At least
6 – Power plant or capacitor bank damaged, losing half one weapon must be destroyed. (If precise armaments are
its base capacity or 20 MW, whichever is greater. This unknown, the GM decides which weapons are affected;
result may be rolled more than once.* this should reduce total FP by at least 1/6.)**
7 – One weapon in six (but at least one) wholly 8 – Artificial gravity (if it exists) destroyed; all crew
destroyed. (If precise armaments are unknown, the GM now need Free Fall skill on any rolls they try. Reduce
decides which weapons are affected; this should reduce Firepower by 10%. If there is no artificial gravity, one area
total FP by 1/6.)* not mentioned on this table is destroyed.*
8 – Artificial gravity (if it exists) knocked out; all crew 9 – One bridge destroyed – ship is dead in space, unless
now need Free Fall skill (see Zero Gravity, p. 143) on any there is another bridge.**
rolls they try. Reduce effective Firepower by 10%. If there 10 – One area (not otherwise mentioned on this table)
is no artificial gravity, one area not mentioned on this table destroyed.**
is damaged.* 11 – Fuel or reaction mass storage opened to space. All
9 – Main bridge damaged – all rolls by this ship’s per- fuel or reaction mass (roll if ship has both) is lost.**
sonnel, except Survival rolls, at -1. Damage control at -3.* 12 – As #4 above.
10 – One area (not otherwise mentioned on this table) 13 – Cargo area destroyed (lacking that, hangar deck or
damaged.* passenger area). Contents take 50% to 100% damage,
11 – Fuel storage holed. Lose 25% of remaining fuel or depending on their nature – GM’s ruling.**
reaction mass.* 14 – Passenger area opened to vacuum (lacking that,
12 – Intership communication ability lost; will require cargo area or hangar deck).**
four damage-control rolls to recover. Until then, ship can- 15, 16 – Hangar deck or boat bay destroyed (lacking
not communicate or coordinate with other ships in the bat- that, passenger area or cargo area). All auxiliary craft take
tle. 1/1/1 damage. 1d damage-control rolls will be needed to
13 – Cargo area damaged (lacking that, hangar deck or open a passage to launch auxiliaries.**
passenger area). Cargo takes approximately 10% damage, 17 – Drive destroyed.**/**/**
as determined by GM.* 18 – Power plant or capacitor bank destroyed.**/**/**
14 – Passenger area damaged (lacking that, cargo area
or hangar deck). Each passenger takes 2d damage.*
15, 16 – Hangar deck or boat bay damaged (lacking Possible PC Injury
that, passenger area or cargo area). Each auxiliary craft When a damage result shows a *, any PC in that area of the
takes one Light and one Medium damage roll.* ship must immediately make a Survival roll (see p. 105). When a
17, 18 – Drive damaged – as #2 above. ** is shown, any PC in that area must make a Survival roll at -5.
If two ** are shown, two survival rolls are required, and so on.
Damage Table Notes: Note that for a ship of 100 cy or less, anyone on board is effec-
Any time the damage tively “in” any area hit. If no specific plan of the ship is available,
result could describe more the GM decides who is affected by each hit.
than one ship system (e.g.,
“drive” when the ship has Hull Integrity (HI)
two different drives), roll A Hull Integrity roll must accompany each Medium or Heavy
randomly to see which one damage result; the Hull Integrity roll is made first. The basic HI is
is affected. equal to the ship’s TL plus its hull (armor) DF, rounded down;
With some FTL drives, roll this number or less to avoid damage. If using the Space or
it will be impossible to Vehicles rules, heavy compartmentalization adds 1 to HI; total
enter FTL until the drive is fully operational. With other drives, compartmentalization (typical of most warships) adds 2. If the
the ship is simply slowed. damage was Heavy, roll at a -2 penalty.
Damage to the sensor suite halves Firepower of all weapons Treat any critical failures as ordinary failures.
except missiles, until it is repaired. Loss of the sensor suite means Any failed Hull Integrity roll will cause problems. Each indi-
that no weapons except missiles can be used! vidual failure can be repaired in one hour by an Engineering,

104 other combat systems

Mechanic (Starship), or Vacc Suit roll, as appropriate, unless indi- If a component is repaired, and then damaged again in the
cated otherwise: same battle, subsequent damage-control rolls are at -2 for each
Roll failed by 1-2: Some compartments lose pressure. Make a time the component has been damaged. This does not apply to
separate HI roll for each compartment that matters – e.g., bridge, welding the hull or splicing power lines after a Hull Integrity fail-
engineering, control rooms for each weapon. A failed roll puts ure.
that compartment in vacuum. Everyone in the compartment must Emergency Medical Aid: The ship’s medic, and anybody else
roleplay their attempt to escape and/or get into a vacc suit! with First Aid skill, will be busy during a battle. Anyone who is
Compartments in vacuum cannot be used except by vacc-suited injured during a round of battle may be the subject of a First Aid
crew. roll during the damage-control phase. First aid takes 10 minutes
Roll failed by 3-4: As above, but all rolls at -2. per victim. A medic can get a skill bonus for heroism by taking a
Roll failed by 5-6: As above. Also, roll separately for each penalty on his next Survival roll (or vice versa), as described
major ship system (each drive, power plant, important weapons, below.
life support, and so on), again at -2, to see if it lost power. It will The medical team’s ability to get key crew back into action
cost 10% of the hull cost to permanently repair this in a shipyard. can make the difference between victory and defeat, especially on
Roll failed by 7-8: As above, but all rolls at -4. It will cost 25% a small ship.
of the hull cost to permanently repair this in a shipyard.
Roll failed by 9: Hull loses pressure entirely. All power con-
duits are broken. All ship systems are wrecked. No damage con- Ending the Round
trol possible; if the ship cannot be towed to a shipyard for sal- In an abstract system, ending an engagement must be at the
vage, it is lost. All crew make Vacc Suit rolls at -5. discretion of the GM. As a rule, any ship faster (i.e., with better
Roll failed by 10+: Hull breaks open entirely. If the ship is acceleration) than its foes can break away. In some situations,
landed, it collapses and is wrecked. If it is in atmosphere, it crash- slower ships may still escape by scattering, hiding, landing on a
es! Otherwise, the ship simply splits open, spilling its contents planet, and so on. GMs should be sympathetic to clever PC ploys
into space. No damage control is possible. All systems are shut to escape a hopeless battle!
down; every man for himself. All crew must make Vacc Suit rolls If the engagement is at slower-than-light speeds, fight one last
at -6. round of combat using missile weapons only.

Phase 6: Damage Control Starting a New Round

At the end of each combat round, after damage is assessed and If both sides still want to fight, or if one side cannot (yet)
PC injury checked, all PCs may attempt damage control (see escape, another round of combat begins. Recalculate the firepow-
below). Damage control is considered to start as soon as the er of both sides to account for lost or damaged ships, dead or
round starts, even though it is computed after damage. PCs who unconscious crew, and any reinforcements that may have
are at half their HT or less may attempt damage control at -2 to appeared.
their rolls, but those at HT 3 or less may not attempt damage con- Battle plans do not affect the Tactics rolls made for the second
trol at all. If rounds are an hour long, the first two PCs treated by and subsequent rounds of a battle.
each medic may attempt damage control based on their HT after
treatment. Starting a New Battle
Only PCs who are not involved in controlling the ship or firing The GM may also rule that the forces will have time to
the guns may attempt damage control. This requires skills appro- regroup, repair and make new plans, even though both want to
priate to the damage. Engineering, Shipbuilding (Starship), continue fighting. This might be the case if, for instance, the
Mechanic, and Armoury (ship’s weapons) are always appropriate; forces met at high speed and passed through each other while fir-
the GM may rule that others are appropriate for specific sorts of ing!
damage. Vacc Suit is appropriate for hull or other exterior dam- In this case, determine survival as described below. Allow one
age. damage-control roll per PC for each hour that passes until the
Each PC may make one damage-control roll per hour. The next battle. If FTL radio exists, forces can communicate with
GM may allow PC commanders to use the services of NPC dam- their bases.
age control crews as well. In general, not more than 10% of the
crew should be considered capable of attempting these rolls, at
skills of 1d+10.
Player Character Survival
At the conclusion of the entire battle, each PC and important
A successful roll against a given piece of damage repairs it NPC must make a Survival roll, based on his HT. This is modi-
temporarily (a shipyard will still be needed, and real repairs will fied by the size (in cubic yards) of the PCs’ ship, and the degree
cost an average of 50% of original cost). Failure has no effect. A of the heaviest damage it suffered. PCs with Combat Reflexes get
critical failure breaks the equipment, and may have worse effects. an extra +2 to effective HT for this roll, because they can react
For instance, a critical failure to repair a fission plant will irradiate quickly to emergencies.
the whole engine room, and a critical failure on an antimatter Those who have the bad luck to be in a portion of the ship that
plant will blow the ship up! takes damage must also make one or more Survival rolls (using
Damage control on computers and sensors requires an all the modifiers listed below) dur-
Electronics roll with the appropriate specialty. This is a matter of ing the battle.
quick troubleshooting and replacing modules. If the first roll fails, It is assumed that a vacc suit is
the damage cannot be repaired until after the battle. available; those without access to a
Some types of damage will give penalties to the roll, or require vacc suit have -2 on any Survival
more than one roll, as noted on the Damage Tables. Note that roll. Actual airtight body armor
when a component is listed as destroyed rather than damaged, it gives a +1 or better – GM’s option.
cannot be repaired unless the ship has a spare available!

other combat systems 105

Degree of Survival Ship Survival of its current crew for each point by which the roll was failed.
Damage Roll Size Roll Check once at the end of each battle, and again during the battle
Modifier Modifier for all crew in a compartment affected by a damage result marked
with a *.
Light 0 100,000+ +2
Medium
Heavy
-1
-2
50,000+
10,000+
+1
– Heroism and Caution
More than 5,000+ – At any time during the combat, a PC who makes a skill roll
one Heavy -3 1,000+ -1 (for any reason) may elect to behave either heroically or cautious-
Under 1,000 -2 ly. Heroic behavior gives a +1 or +2 bonus on the skill roll; cau-
Any non-military ship -2 tious behavior gives a -1 or -2. And either choice gives the oppo-
site modifier on the PC’s next Survival roll.
Having determined the appropriate Survival roll for each PC, For instance, suppose a PC is attempting damage control. He
roll to determine the injuries incurred during action: may get up to a +2 bonus on the roll by declaring that he is behav-
ing heroically; perhaps he is entering a potentially radioactive
Survival Roll Result Injury area in order to make a repair quickly. Likewise, he may declare
that he is behaving cautiously, taking up to a -2 penalty. Either
made by 5+ or a Critical Success unhurt way, the opposite modifier applies on that PC’s next Survival roll,
made by 1 to 4 1 hit whenever it is.
made exactly 2 hits These modifiers are cumulative. An engineer who is heroic
missed by 1 or 2 1d+1 hits three times before a Survival roll, for a +2 each time, will take a
missed by 3 or 4 two 1d wounds -6 when that roll is made. But each bonus or penalty applies only
missed by 5 or 6 two 2d wounds to one roll . . . the next one made.
missed by 7+ or a Critical Failure three 2d wounds The GM may also declare that certain damage-control tasks
are hazardous and require the crewman to take a penalty on his
next Survival roll if he tries those tasks at all!
Crew Losses The effect of bravery or caution can extend beyond the battle-
In a situation where there are a great many NPCs on the PCs’ field. If your daring helps carry the day (and you are lucky
ship, a “group survival roll” may be made to see how many enough to be noticed by the Right People), you might receive a
“generic crew” have been killed or incapacitated. Assign the crew decoration, a promotion, or even a patron. Cowardice in the face
a generic HT of 10, unless they are of a race with a different aver- of the enemy will have obvious negative effects.
age HT. Roll, using all the above modifiers. The ship loses 10%

SPACE OPERA COMBAT SYSTEM (SOCS)

This system (by Sean Barrett) originally appeared in a slightly jostle the main character and cause some sparks and smoke.
different form in GURPS Lensman. Automatic equipment will usually die, forcing him to go to manu-
al override. Kicking, swearing and cross-circuiting to “B” will
SOCS requires a creative, imaginative GM and players. It does make the important systems function again.
not lend itself to games theory min-max optimization. To the con- Note that “major” and “minor” refer only to importance to the
trary, it even recommends that combat bonuses be granted for plot, not to which side of the conflict they are on. Good guys’ and
good roleplaying – which is an accurate simulation of the genre. bad guys’ ships also differ, but in a different way. Minor charac-
A space opera hero wins because his hearts (however many he ters are all easily shot down, but while bad guys often explode
may have) are pure and he has panache, not because his craft has into clouds of scintillating vapor at the slightest touch of a beam,
a tight turning radius. good guys take longer to die, allowing their cries of “I’m hit, I’m
In space opera combat, the emphasis is on fast-moving, excit- hit!” to enrage the heroes and renew their determination.
ing action. Realism is of secondary – if any – importance. The Unless there are specific reasons to the contrary, good guys’
effectiveness of weapons and the durability of spacecraft can vary ships are all white. Bad guys’ are black or greenish-grey. Minor
wildly, depending on whether or not an important character is characters frequently have an inexplicable fondness for red shirts.
involved. This is an important feature of the genre: consistency
(and these rules) must never interfere with the action. For exam-
ple, there is no realistic reason for a fighter ship to always have Ship Classes
its nose pointed in the direction it is moving. It could realistically For purposes of SOCS, all ships are divided into three cate-
be moving one way, but turn sideways or even backwards in gories, each of which is handled differently in combat.
“flight” and fire its weapons in another direction. In space opera Craft with fixed, forward-firing weapons are classed as “fight-
combat, this maneuver is impossible, and these rules, being an ers.” Their combat technique consists solely of maneuvering to
accurate simulation, do not allow it. (Explanation of the princi- bring their weapons to bear. They typically have light force
ples that make it impossible is left to the GM.) screens (if any) and no armor, relying on their small size and high
Accordingly, even if they are flying identical ships, a minor maneuverability for defense. Usually, they only have a single
character’s craft is much more fragile than that of a major charac- pilot and low endurances – missions are typically over in hours.
ter. The slightest damage will obliterate a minor character’s craft, Examples of this class are common: the X-wings of Star Wars,
but a minor character can never seriously damage a major one the Vipers of Battlestar Galactica, the “broomsticks” of Footfall
(unless the plot calls for a shipwreck). At most, small explosions and so on.

106 other combat systems

 Every weapon mount is rated in Firepower, including not only
its destructive power but also rate of fire. (This statistic is also
used in the Space Combat System on p. 100.) A weapon’s maxi-
mum effective Range is either “long” or “short;” a short-range
weapon cannot hit anything at long range. Finally, a weapons sys-
tem’s Accuracy may be so good (or so poor) that the gunner’s
skill receives a bonus (or penalty).

Damage
A single hit on a large ship rarely obliterates it utterly. The area
hit may be vital, and some sort of chain-reaction may start that
proceeds to damage more of the ship, but the initial destruction
will be fairly localized. However, because of the tremendous vari-
ety in ship designs, a generic hit-location system would be
unwieldy. For purposes of SOCS, therefore, fighters have only one
At the other end of the spectrum are the ships expected to bear location and any heavy damage will cripple them, but cutters and
the brunt of combat – the “ships of the line.” They mount many ships of the line must be divided by the GM into several separate
guns and projectors of various sizes as well as the strongest targets, each of which can be damaged without necessarily affect-
defensive screens and armor available. They are not necessarily ing others. For example, each weapon mount is a separate target;
clumsy and are seldom slow, but maneuvering is not particularly one turret can be knocked out, but others will continue to fight.
important in their battle tactics, since their multitude of weapon In SOCS, damage is divided into three levels (disregarding
systems ensures that most can always fire. They simply allow “none”). Because the range of available Firepower varies so
their defenses to absorb hostile fire, rather than trying to dodge it. widely from one universe to another, each GM must determine
Periodically, the idea of the lightly-armored, fairly maneuverable the expected range of Firepower for his universe, and divide that
“speed is armor” battle cruiser recurs, but seldom works as well range to match the three levels.
as its proponents wish. Ships of the line have crews in the hun- If the total Firepower that hit a particular target in a single turn
dreds or even thousands, and they undertake missions that last is relatively low, only “cosmetic” damage was done. Surfaces are
months or years. The battlestars of Battlestar Galactica, the star charred and blistered, meters swing wildly, breakers open and are
destroyers of Star Wars and the maulers and dreadnoughts of automatically reset, holes are punched in non-essential panels. If
Lensman are of this class. the GM desires, actual damage occurs that will not be apparent
Between these two extremes are ships that mount several inde- for some time – a fuel tank may be leaking, reactor shielding may
pendent weapons, but are not powerful enough to participate in be slowly degrading. The situation will not become critical until
heavy combat. Their defensive systems will protect them against after the combat is over.
some damage, but heavy fire will overwhelm them fairly quickly. A total Firepower in the middle of the expected range does
They are much more comfortable than fighter craft, but are not “light” damage. Fighters tumble briefly, small insulation fires
intended for long missions – their endurances are measured in break out, breakers arc over and spray the molten remains of their
weeks at the most. These “cutters” are much more maneuverable contacts across the compartment, an unimportant NPC is horribly
than ships of the line, but not as nimble as fighters. They usually maimed. Continuing damage of some sort also begins – a serious
have only a few weapon mounts, frequently identical. Any ship air leak, raging fires, poison gas release or similar. The target will
that must maneuver to unmask its weapons (e.g., can’t fire to the complete this turn (since all action in a turn is simultaneous), but
rear without turning around) is considered to be in this class. is out of action for the next combat turn and loses any accumulat-
Examples include Star Wars’ Millennium Falcon and the speed- ed bonuses. After taking that next turn for damage control and
sters of the Lensman series. cross-circuiting to “B,” the target returns to service in the follow-
Unarmed ships are also divided into three similar categories ing turn.
for purposes of combat – even though they can’t shoot back, their Firepower at the high end of the total range does “heavy” dam-
attempts to escape can be roleplayed. Small craft, intended to age. Breakers weld themselves shut, then explode into huge fire-
hold a few people and a little cargo for a short period of time are balls. Fighters spin out of control in flames, then explode. Large
called “shuttles.” Very large unarmed ships are classed as rotating equipment rears up off its mounts and tumbles about the
“freighters” and those intermediate in size are called “yachts,” compartment. Busbars burst in showers of molten slag. Raging
regardless of their actual use. fires break out, creating toxic smoke. Ammunition detonates in
As with any grouping system, some examples are difficult to magazines. Nearly all minor characters are killed. After complet-
resolve. Star Trek’s various Enterprises have endurances of sev- ing this turn, the target is completely hors de combat. The ser-
eral months and are apparently among the largest ships in their vices of a tender or shipyard will be required to return the target
universe, but they are under-gunned and weakly-defended by to service.
most fleets’ standards. In these cases, the GM’s decision will be Under special conditions, the total Firepower will do damage
based on the desired game “feel.” beyond the “heavy” range. “Great” damage results in the com-
plete comminution of its target and everything surrounding it for
considerable distance. Spaceships are annihilated by this level of
Craft Ratings damage, and GMs may have difficulty justifying the survival of
Every ship of space has a Maneuver Rating (MR), an amalgam any PCs.
of several factors including the power of the ship’s engines, the Finally, for those times when foes should not just be dead, but
structural strength of its hull, the efficiency of its inertial or gravi- really most sincerely dead, “stark” damage is possible. In this
tational compensators, the design’s angular moment, the accelera- case, ships are not merely vaporized . . . the vapor itself is heated
tion tolerance of its crew and so on. to fusion temperatures.

other combat systems 107

 These damage results assume no protection, either armor or
force screens. Fighters generally will have little or no such, but Basic Combat
cutters might, and ships of the line certainly will. Protective sys- The simplest space battle consists of only two craft, matching
tems vary too greatly for a generic system to describe fully, but skills and machines in unobstructed space. That pure contest is
they all have the effect of reducing the damage one or more lev- the situation described in this section. When more combatants
els. For example, a ship could have “ablative heavy armor” that join, and obstacles clutter the volume of battle, the resulting com-
stops light or cosmetic damage fully and reduces the first heavy plexity is discussed below, in Advanced Combat.
hit to cosmetic, but is in turn reduced to “ablative light armor.” A turn of combat has two phases – fire and maneuver – and
Now it stops cosmetic damage fully and reduces the first light can be broken down as follows:
hit . . .
Turn Sequence
Inter-ship Relationships Fire Phase
1. All weapons fire that can bear, and all ships dodge, all
Ship-to-ship combat is divided into turns, representing a con- simultaneously.
stant length of time, determined by the GM as appropriate for his Maneuver Phase
universe. In many cases, a turn will be about ten seconds. 2. All pilots chose maneuvers:
Distance and spatial relationships are also abstracted for the A. Fly Straight
purposes of SOCS. Range is divided into three zones: short, long B. Maneuver Offensively
and “out of.” Every pair of ships has a range between them, but C. Maneuver Defensively
since most ships on a side will keep some kind of formation, it is D. Reversal
usually sufficient to keep track of only a few distances. The GM E. Go Totally Defensive
will decide when the range between a pair of craft has changed. F. Special
Ships out of range may be able to detect each other, but they 3. Roll to perform maneuvers.
have no chance of hitting each other with their weapons. At long 4. GM rules on effects of maneuvers – range changes, posi-
range, some weapons have a chance of hitting, but there is no way tions relative to hazards or other bodies and so on.
to improve that chance by maneuvering. All combat at this range
consists of simple rolls to hit and dodges (see below). Most com-
bat will take place at short range. All weapons can hit, and maneu- Fire Phase
ver becomes critical for both offensive and defensive purposes. In the first phase, a gunner whose weapon can bear can fire at
A target’s size also affects marksmanship. Fighters, shuttles his foe. To illustrate, consider a cutter shaped like a classic flying
and other targets of that size do not modify the targeting roll. saucer with two gun mounts, one on top of its fuselage and one on
Targets smaller than that penalize the Gunner roll by -1 or more the bottom. In the frantic maneuvering of combat it would not be
at the GM’s discretion. Some targets – self-directing drones, for able to maintain the exact edge-on attitude necessary for both
example, may also get a Dodge roll. Larger targets give bonuses. mounts to be able to shoot at the same target at the same time.
Cutters and yachts give +2 to targeting rolls, while ships of the Roll against Gunner skill, plus the weapon’s Accuracy, plus either
line and freighters are +4 to hit. Still larger targets such as orbital that weapon’s current total AB or the snap-shot penalty of -5.
fortresses and small planetoids are +6, while hitting a planet-sized A failed Gunner roll completely misses the target. Success is a
target is automatic. Note that these numbers assume that the gun- hit and does damage appropriate to the weapon’s Firepower. The
ner is trying for a hit anywhere on the target. If he wishes to hit a results of a critical failure vary from weapon to weapon, but some
particular point on the target the roll is modified accordingly. For malfunction similar to those on the Firearm Critical Miss Table
example, a single gun mount on a planetoid-sized fortress is (p. B202) occurs. A critical success does the same collateral dam-
roughly fighter-sized. Generalized attacks on the fortress would age as a normal hit, but the effect of the damage is increased one
be awarded a +6 to hit. Specific attacks on that mount would have level. Thus a light weapon would still make a small hole, but it
no bonus. would be a small hole right through the engineer – and the heart
The Gunner skill roll needed to hit may get an Aiming Bonus of the generator!
(AB). A weapon without any AB suffers a -5 snap-shot penalty to Precision Gunnery: Weapons’ Firepower ratings assume that
the Gunner roll. Two types of AB can be earned, and both apply they are being used more or less at random. If a gunner is familiar
simultaneously. Keep track of the Position AB earned by the pilot with a target’s layout, however, he can be much more selective in
separately from the Sustained Fire AB earned by individual gun- his targeting. He will do the same damage, but he will be much
ners. more efficient with it.
A pilot earns a Position AB by positioning his craft well. It If a -5 penalty to Gunner skill is accepted before rolling, all
applies to all fire from his craft on a single target the pilot is normal hits are handled as if they were critical, and critical hits
maneuvering toward. Note that any weapons on his craft that can- are improved twice. That is, the level of general destruction
not bear on that target cannot use this Position AB. The GM is the remains the same, but the effect on combat is raised one or two
final authority on spacecraft firing arcs. levels. Thus, a hit that does light damage will still make only a
The Sustained Fire AB is earned by gunners. Every turn after small hole and only kill minor NPCs, but what it hits will be
the first that a target stays within a particular gunner’s sights and taken out of action permanently. That small hole went through
he continues to fire at it, he gains +1 to his Sustained Fire AB. something truly vital, not just a room partition.
The GM will decide if this occurs – the limited firing arcs of Dodge Roll: Pilots can avoid incoming fire both by physically
many weapons make it easy for a highly maneuverable target to dodging it and by using counter-weapons such as point-defense
leave the cone of fire. Sustained Fire AB cannot be transferred guns and chaff to interfere with it. All of these techniques are
from one weapon to another – if a target remains in one weapon’s included in a single Dodge roll that is the average of Piloting skill
cone of fire long enough for that weapon to earn a Sustained Fire and the craft’s MR. A successful Dodge roll lowers the damage
AB, but it then moves into another weapon’s cone, the second done by one level. All attacks and dodges are simultaneous. Note
weapon begins with no AB. that Dodging has no effect on anyone’s AB.

108 other combat systems

Maneuver Phase In the chase situation, one fighter has acquired a Position AB
During the maneuver phase of the turn, pilots choose one of and is offensive. The other is defensive and cannot fire on the
these actions: offensive craft. If one craft has surprised – “bounced” – the other,
Fly Straight – or – “You’re going to WHAT?” A pilot can the GM may award Position AB to the ambusher and the dogfight
always choose to fly a little slower and less aggressively. This will start in the chase.
maneuver has exactly the same effects as failure on a Maneuver
roll. Why a pilot might wish to do such an apparently suicidal
thing will become apparent later.
Cutter and Ship of the Line
Maneuver Offensively – or – “Ten more seconds and I’ve got
the shot!” You can perform this maneuver against any target that
Combat
Cutters or ships of the line are handled like fighters, with a few
does not have Position AB on you. Make your Piloting roll, with exceptions.
a bonus equal to the MR of your craft. Failure has no effect. If Cutters cannot get any Position ABs on fighters, nor can they
you succeed, your Position AB is improved a point. On critical dodge their attacks. Ships of the line cannot gain Position ABs on
success, your Position AB is doubled (or it is now 2 if you had fighters or cutters, nor dodge their fire.
none before). Critical failure means that you lost your quarry and Against other cutters or ships of the line, a cutter’s pilot can
everyone on your craft loses all ABs on that target. Maneuver Offensively like a fighter to accumulate Position AB,
Maneuver Defensively – or – “One’s on your tail! Break high and the pilots of ships of the line can earn Position AB against
right!” Designate one enemy weapon mount or craft that you are other ships of the line only.
defending against, and make your Piloting roll, with a bonus Individual weapon mounts can always build up Sustained Fire
equal to the MR of your craft. All ABs earned by anyone on your ABs, but smaller craft are very likely to leave their cone of fire
craft are immediately lost. Failure on your skill roll has no effect. quickly, and GMs can rule at any time that such a Sustained Fire
If you designated an entire craft, success reduces that pilot’s AB has been lost. Also, because the pilot and the gunners are not
Position AB one point; if you designated a weapon mount, that the same person, it is impossible for them to coordinate perfectly.
gunner’s Sustained Fire AB is reduced a point. If your attacker’s If the ship’s pilot maneuvers at all, Offensively or Defensively, all
Position AB is now zero, you can begin to Maneuver Offensively gunners immediately lose all Sustained Fire ABs.
against him next turn. On critical success, you have lost your Ships of the line and, to a lesser extent, cutters are designed to
attacker, who now no longer has any ABs against you at all. If take hits and continue fighting. The various armor and force
you critically fail, you have flown right into his sights. His shielding particulars must be determined by the GM.
Position AB is doubled. The different capabilities of different ship types call for differ-
ent strategies as well as tactics. Smaller ships’ abilities to dodge
If both sides of a pair maneuver (both Offensively, or one may let them get in “under” heavy defenses where a ship of the
Offensively and the other Defensively) and roll similar results line would be an easy target. A huge ship can take up station far
(both succeed, both critically fail or so on), the ABs are from a planet and blast the surface, causing mass destruction
unchanged. That is, if neither craft has any AB and both success- while remaining largely immune to surface defenses. Smaller
fully Maneuver Offensively, no AB is gained and they can still assault craft would have to actually work their way through those
only trade snap-shots next turn. If an offensive craft has Position defenses, but may be more effective for “surgical” strikes . . . .
AB +2 and Maneuvers Offensively while his foe Maneuvers
Defensively, but both succeed, his Position AB is still +2. Battle Stations!
A pure fight between well-matched opponents can last quite a All fighters and shuttles, many cutters and yachts and a few
while. If nothing is going to happen to break up the pattern of freighters with very small crews operate with every station always
shoot-dodge-maneuver-maneuver-repeat – no one is going to run manned. Ships of the line, though, cannot. Weapons stations are
out of ammo or fuel, no one else is going to join in, no asteroid exceedingly boring when there’s no one to shoot at, and the crew
fields are handy – the GM may want to reduce the battle to a sim- is too small to provide frequent reliefs. Readiness quickly begins
ple Quick Contest of Piloting Skills. This pure situation should be to decline.
rare. Accordingly, under normal conditions, ships of the line oper-
ate at standard readiness. If the captain suspects that trouble may
Fighter Combat be imminent, he can place his crew on Alert. When trouble actual-
ly begins, the crew is ordered to Battle Stations.
It does not matter if the pilot and the gunner of a fighter are the
same being. He can earn both types of AB, by maneuvering and A crew at standard readiness cannot fire any weapons, and all
continuing to fire at the same foe. However, he must acquire a damage their ship suffers is one level worse, since most hatches
Position AB before he can acquire any Sustained Fire AB. are open, the damage control stations are not manned and so on.
ABs are the crux of fighter combat. If you have acquired a It takes two minutes for a human crew to go from standard
Position AB, you are on the offensive, and your foe is defensive. readiness to Alert. Once on Alert, the ship no longer suffers the
He cannot have a Position AB while you do, nor can he fire on increased damage penalty, but can only fire half of its weapons.
you until he reverses the situation. It takes three minutes to go from Alert to Battle Stations. At
A dogfight is in one of two situations – head-to-head or chase. Battle Stations, the ship functions at full capability.
It will shift back and forth, but at any time it is in one or the other. The GM should let the PCs play out these times, with modi-
In head-to-head, neither craft has Position AB on the other. fiers for where in the ship they begin relative to their battle sta-
They may be pointed toward each other, both turned away from tions, their knowledge of the ship, their Running skills and so on.
each other or any other relationship except one chasing the other. Once a particular weapon mount is manned, it can fire regardless
In this situation, all attacks are snap-shots. The classic dogfight of the rest of the ship’s readiness.
starts this way, with both craft aware of each other and eager to Battle Stations cannot be manned indefinitely. After six hours,
fight. the crew begins to tire and alertness begins to decline. All rolls

other combat systems 109

made by a human crew are penalized by one for every hour over weapon’s Sustained Fire AB. More than one weapon or craft can
six at Battle Stations. Alert can be held longer; rolls are penalized accumulate ABs against a particular target.
one for every four hours over a full day of Alert. If a gunner has a Sustained Fire AB, he can fire only at that
target without losing the AB. If your ship has a Position AB
Advanced Combat against one target, gunners who fire at that target can add that AB.
A gunner who is not also the pilot can fire at any target without
Often, a particular class of craft will have certain space combat affecting the ship’s Position AB, but the pilot cannot fire at any
maneuvers especially suited to it. These techniques cannot be target but the one he is maintaining a Position AB on.
described in detail in this general guide; individual GMs must Since a Dodge does not actually involve perceiving an incom-
decide what is possible in their universes. In general, a Piloting ing shot and deliberately getting out of its way, but rather consists
roll is required, often at a large penalty, but if it succeeds, any of random jinking in the hope of throwing off someone’s aim for
Position ABs involved are shifted in that pilot’s favor. Failure a moment, a pilot may Dodge many shots each turn, rolling sepa-
results in a similar shift in the other direction. A common exam- rately for each one.
ple of such a special maneuver is the Reversal. A pilot can Maneuver Offensively against any single target,
except a fighter that already has a Position AB against him.
Reversal – or – “I’ll hit the brakes, and he’ll fly right by!” If Maneuvering Defensively affects the AB of only a single
you get an enemy of your own size or larger neatly trapped at attacker. If more than one attacker has acquired an AB against
your six-o’clock – giving him an uncomfortably high Position AB your craft, you must designate which one you are defending
– you may be able to reverse the situation, and take his Position against this turn. When this maneuver is used, your gunners lose
AB for your own. This maneuver is risky, with a real danger of any previous AB they may have had, though they can still take
instant annihilation, but it can save a situation just when disaster snap-shots.
seems certain. A larger class craft cannot perform it against a To defend against multiple attackers, use Total Defense:
smaller – e.g., cutters cannot Reverse on fighters.
When a Reversal is announced, both craft immediately lose all Go Totally Defensive – or – “Get out here! They’re all over
Sustained Fire ABs. Both pilots roll against Piloting skill, plus me!” If several enemies acquire ABs against your ship, survival
their crafts’ MRs – but the offensive pilot must subtract his becomes problematical. Going Totally Defensive will only delay
Position AB! The closer he is to his target, the harder it is to fol- the inevitable, but it may delay it long enough for help to arrive.
low a Reversal. If both pilots roll the same type of result (success, Any ABs your gunners may have acquired are lost, and they may
failure, etc.), the situation is resolved like a Quick Contest – the not fire at all on the following turn. Make a Piloting roll. The
one who succeeded by more (or failed by less) wins, and the results are the same as those for Maneuvering Defensively above,
results of a critical success on the appropriate combat maneuver, but apply to all attackers.
above, are applied: either the defender has completely lost his
attacker or the attacker’s Position AB is doubled. If the attacker In multi-craft combat, the importance of wing men or forma-
rolls a critical success and the defender doesn’t, not only is the tions becomes obvious. While an enemy is lining up a shot on one
attacker’s Position AB doubled, but all his gunners automatically pilot, the wing man can be lining up the shot on the enemy. The
hit in the next turn. If the defender rolls a critical success and the enemy cannot Maneuver Defensively without losing his AB
attacker doesn’t, the former defender now has the former attack- against the first pilot, so either he will break off that attack or the
er’s Position AB – the situation has exactly reversed. If either wing man will get an easy kill. Ships in formation are not in dan-
pilot rolls a critical failure, the craft collide and are destroyed. ger of forming a furball (see below). If a formation is somehow
very closely coordinated, a formation can fight and maneuver as a
When more than two ships are involved in a battle, the situa- single, enormous ship.
tion rapidly complicates. A lone ace will find that high skill is no
longer the ultimate deciding factor when he is led right into the
guns of his quarry’s escort or wing man. The Furball
The clear distinctions of simple combat – offensive and defen- When several craft from each side meet, the battle never
sive, head-to-head or chasing – are not completely lost in multi- divides neatly into one-on-one duels. Instead, when one craft
craft combat. They are simply applied to pairs of craft. Each manages to acquire an AB on another, that one yells for help, a
craft’s Position AB applies to a single enemy, as does each comrade begins to track that attacker, whose friends join in and so
on. The result is a confused jumble of wildly jinking fighters
exchanging snap-shots, in which it is nearly impossible to identify
the craft that has suddenly appeared right in your sights. The
many crafts’ exhaust trails form a distinctive tangled, glowing
cloud – a furball.
In any engagement of more than half a dozen craft, when sev-
eral entangled ABs have been established, the GM may declare
that a furball has formed. In a furball, any critically failed Piloting
rolls result in collision with a randomly chosen other craft. Also,
after each snap-shot is resolved, the gunner must make a sense
roll. On failure, he has shot a comrade.

Boxed Ships
If four or more craft all get Position ABs on a single enemy
that is their size or smaller, the single craft is said to be “boxed.”
A boxed ship cannot make any maneuvers. It can only return fire
and Dodge, and unless help is coming fast should probably sur-

110 other combat systems

render. Larger numbers can surround more than one ship at a causes massive damage to the ship. Critical success results in the
time, but at least four times as many are required to do the sur- enemy’s total obliteration and critical failure annihilates the flee-
rounding as are surrounded. (And strictly speaking, twelve or ing ship.
more ships “englobe” their foe.)
Inventing Maneuvers
Follow-the-Leader – or Skilled pilots constantly “push the envelope,” trying out new
“You’ll kill us all!” maneuvers and combat techniques. Sometimes a genuinely useful
At times, a highly-skilled pilot will find himself out-gunned by trick is discovered.
less capable foes and in imminent danger of being brought down GMs can allow player pilots to work out such maneuvers, par-
by sheer weight of numbers. Fortunately, at such times there is ticularly in a new design of craft, though it should not be made
usually a nearby “equalizer” that the pilot can use to turn a contest easy for them. The requirements should be arduous. Minimum
of firepower, which he would probably lose, into a contest of skill levels to even start, large amounts of flight time, many skill
Piloting skill, which he expects to win. Asteroid fields, narrow rolls at a sizable penalty and the potential of a fatal mishap are all
winding canyons in planets’ surfaces, flare stars, dangerous nebu- appropriate.
lae and disintegrating planets can all be handy. This high-speed If the maneuver is allowed and successfully developed, it will
derring-do is most appropriate for fighters and cutters. Ships of give any pilot who knows it a bonus against any opponent who
the line have their own unorthodox techniques – see below. doesn’t, as well as having some special effects. The exact amount
To initiate a follow-the-leader contest, the pilot simply heads of the bonus and nature of the effects are left to the GM’s discre-
for the hazard at high speed. His intentions are immediately obvi- tion, but some factors affecting them include the skills of the
ous to his pursuers, and any that do not want to follow can break developing pilots, the magnitude of their successes in the devel-
off. opment process and the quality of the name they give their tech-
Any that follow may continue to fire and Maneuver nique. (Simply descriptive names such as “split-S” are worth less
Offensively until their prey actually enters the hazard. Within the than metaphorical ones like “scissors” or “cobra.” A character’s
hazard, no standard maneuvers can be performed. Rather, after reputation will determine whether or not he can get it named after
firing, everyone involved must make a Piloting skill roll every himself, like the “Immelmann.”)
turn. MR still applies, but the pilot leading the chase may select The value of a new maneuver decays rapidly over time, as the
any hazard level he desires (limited only by the GM’s ruling – enemy sees the maneuver and both adopts it and learns to counter
this meteor storm may not be dense enough to allow more than a it. In pitched warfare, with several battles fought every day, a
-5, for example). Both he and his pursuers then make their maneuver’s “half-life” may be a short as a week; i.e., in a week,
Piloting rolls with that penalty. its value is cut in half, in two weeks, to a quarter of its original
Each pursuer who succeeds may continue the next turn. A pur- bonus and so on. Round down. It will soon reach zero.
suer who critically succeeds gains +1 to AB. If he fails, he com-
pletely loses his quarry and cannot continue the attack.
If the pursued pilot makes his roll, the chase continues. If he Kamikaze Attacks
fails his roll, all pursuers gain +1 to AB. If the pilot critically suc- Fanatic pilots or those in crippled ships that won’t make it
ceeds, all of his pursuers accumulate -1 to AB. Any pursuer with home anyway may elect to go out in a blaze of glory and plasma,
an AB of zero has lost his quarry and cannot continue. ramming an enemy.
Anyone who rolls a critical failure has made a spectacularly In most space battles, this gesture may be grand but not espe-
fatal mistake – collided with an asteroid, been immolated in a cially effective. Compared to the energies hurled by weapons sys-
flare or whatever catastrophe is appropriate to the hazard. tems and stopped by shields and armor, the kinetic energy of a
ship is not significant. A 20,000-ton battleship ramming at one
mile per second will cause only as much damage as a 6 kiloton
Unorthodox Tactics – or atomic bomb. A 50-ton fighter, even at that speed, is trivial. If
“Have you gone mad?!?” shields stop meteors and missiles, they will certainly stop rams.
Out-gunned ships of the line usually cannot rely on reflex and However, if the shields are down (or are ineffective against
maneuverability, but rather on some piece of knowledge that the matter), the ramming ship should be considered an explosive
pursuers lack. The fleeing ship does something apparently point- weapon – all energy stored in its engines and weapons will be
less: a variation on a well-known and easily countered tactic, a instantly released – with damage applied directly to hull armor.
maneuver that is “well beyond the safety limits of the ship” or Fighters and cutters (and shuttles and yachts) will be completely
something outright suicidal. obliterated. A large portion of a ship of the line (or freighter) will
The effectiveness of the maneuver is proportional to the be obliterated, but the ship as a whole may be able to fight on,
amount of real jeopardy the ship is in. Role-playing the danger is depending on the area of impact – and, of course, whether or not
important. The fleeing ship will take significant damage, with any major characters are aboard.
many system failures, exploding panels and at least a couple of The many variables inherent in this situation make it ideal for
NPCs dying in horrible ways. The GM will decide which ship a plot twist. If an NPC rams a ship containing player-characters,
personnel are using what skills, and require appropriate rolls. the PCs will probably survive, albeit trapped in a rapidly leaking
Success gives a large combat bonus for a few turns, but failure derelict hulk with an unstable reactor that will soon overload. . . .
On the other tentacle, if a PC rams an enemy
ship, his last great act of defiance should be
awarded by a dramatically stupendous explosion.
On the third tentacle, it should be made clear that
anyone who chooses to ram will certainly be
killed in the crash. Ramming is not a standard
tactic.

other combat systems 111

 These rules are adapted from an article (by Brett
Slocum) that originally appeared in Roleplayer 30.
Several GURPS worldbooks have featured rules for
resolving large battles and their effects on PCs in a few
die rolls. GURPS Conan, Horseclans, Japan and
Vikings all have systems for land-based mass combat.
Unfortunately, each of these products has had to
repeat all of the rules, even though most of them are
nearly identical. In order to save space in future supple-
ments, we present here the “generic” portions of these
mass combat rules for use across tech levels, along with
a new example: a fantasy battle on Yrth. Future GURPS
supplements will only require a page or two, similar to
one of the examples, rather than the entire mass combat
system – making room for other things.
Note:This system is not a set of “war game rules” for
gaming out a long battle in full detail. Instead, it gives
quick answers to the most important questions for a role-
playing campaign: Who won? and What happened to the
PCs? Costs are also given for raising and paying military
units, for those campaigns in which the PCs are, or want
to become, military leaders.

112 mass combat

Overview Mass Combat Turn Sequence
Each military force contains a number of units, each with a sin- The system has seven steps for each battle (or for each day of
gle type of fighter. For instance, Megalan mounted knights and an extended battle):
yeoman longbowmen would be treated as two separate units. Most 1. Determine each military force’s makeup by unit. Determine
units should be from 10 to 500 men; the GM has the last word on each unit’s Troop Strength (TS). Total the units’ TS for the
what may be a unit. force’s TS.
Each unit has a Troop Strength reflecting its size, type, and 2. If special abilities (magic, psionics, superpowers, etc.) are
quality. A force’s Troop Strength is the sum of its units’ Troop being used, determine each military force’s Extraordinary
Strengths. All units are recorded on a Force Roster (a blank form Strength (ES). Allocate ES points to the special effects in both
is included at the end of the chapter). Each unit has a designated offense and defense. Resolve special effects.
commander, who may be a PC or NPC. The force has a force 3. Roll for Catastrophe for each force.
commander, as well. 4. Determine each PC’s Battle skill and Risk factor, then roll for
In a battle, the opposing commanders roll a Quick Contest of Survival and Glory.
their Strategy skills, modified by Troop Strength and other advan- 5. Modify commanders’ Strategy skills by:
tages. The contest determines who wins the battle and how many a. Catastrophe, if any.
casualties were taken. Meanwhile, each PC’s Battle skill and b. Relative Troop Strength.
choice of Risk determine his chance of Survival and Glory. c. Defensive position.
This procedure lets the GM reduce a long battle to a very few die- d. Special unit superiority.
rolls. Again, this is not a wargaming system, but a roleplaying aid. e. Glory (or death) of unit leaders.
f. Special circumstances.
g. GM’s appraisal of the two commanders’ battle plans.
h. Use of magic, assassins and diviners.
6. Quick Contest of effective Strategy skills
7. Each PC on the losing side makes a second Survival roll.
8. Determine casualties for each army (and, if it matters, for each
unit).

THE ARMIES
The first step in fighting a battle is determining the composition A corps consists of two or more divisions (plus attachments)
of the opposing armies. Throughout history and literature, many and a leader of Rank 7 or 8 (a General officer).
types of military organization have been developed, some more An army consists of two or more corps and a leader of Rank 8
“organized” than others. In general, there are four main classes of (Lieutenant General or General).
military organization (listed in order from most to least organized):
modern, ancient, feudal and tribal.
Ancient Armies
Ancient armies often displayed complex organizations that
Modern Armies were not matched until the Napoleonic era. The best-known exam-
Modern armies are usually organized as described below. For ples are Greece and Rome.
more on Military Ranks, see p. B22.
A squad (or cavalry lance) is the smallest military unit, com-
posed of six to 16 soldiers, including a squad leader of Rank 1 or 2
(Sergeant or Sergeant First Class).
A file is composed of two to four squads (12 to 48 soldiers) and
a leader of Rank 2 (Sergeant First Class). This unit class is often Greece
omitted from many armies. The classical Greek armies were organized as follows (see also
A platoon is composed of two to four files (26 to 196 soldiers) GURPS Greece):
and a leader of Rank 3 (Lieutenant). A file was composed of eight soldiers in line behind the front
A company (or cavalry troop) consists of two to four platoons soldier.
and a leader of Rank 4 (Captain or Major). At the company level A platoon (enomotia) was composed of three to four files side
and higher, there will be support personnel (e.g., cooks). There by side (24 to 32 soldiers), including a leader of Rank 3
may also be special-purpose troops, temporarily or permanently (enomotarch), plus a rear guard leader of Rank 2 (ouragos).
attached to the unit (e.g., engineers, scouts). Larger units are usual- A company (pentekostys) consisted of two to four enomotiai
ly composed of mixed troop types. (50 to 128 soldiers), including a leader of Rank 4 (pentekontere).
A battalion (or cavalry squadron) consists of two or more com- This is the basic unit of the Greek phalanx, a rectangular formation
panies and a leader of Rank 5 (Lieutenant Colonel). Artillery is of heavy infantry with spears
usually organized in battalions (or batteries), and combined with A battalion (lochos) consisted of four to six pentekostyes (200
larger units. to 768 soldiers) and a leader of Rank 5 (lochagos).
A brigade (or regiment) consists of two or more battalions and A division (mora) consisted of two to four lochoi (400 to 1,540
a leader of Rank 6 (Colonel). soldiers) and a leader of Rank 7 (polemarch).
A division consists of two or more brigades and a leader of The Spartans had six morai and Athens had ten, one for each
Rank 7 (Brigadier or Major General). tribe of Athenians.

mass combat 113

Rome local leader. Once with the field army (which is simply all the
The organization of the legions of the Roman Empire (in the troops under a single command for a battle or campaign) they are
period 100 B.C. to 300 A.D.) was as follows (see GURPS formed into ad hoc units with similar equipment and the senior
Imperial Rome for more details): man in each such unit is designated its commander. Such units are
A century contained 80 to 100 legionaries, including a leader of usually no more than 100 strong; that is about the largest force that
Rank 4 (centurion). The centurions from the First Cohort out- one man can control by voice and hand signals. These units are
ranked the rest (Rank 5). The Senior Centurion of the First Cohort, normally called companies and their commander is called a cap-
the Primus Pilum (“First Javelin”), (Rank 6) was second-in-com- tain. Such appointments are only for the campaign; they do not
mand of the legion in all but name. The principales (Rank 1) and require the Military Rank advantage. The captain appoints a petty
the cohort standard bearers, or signifiers (Rank 2) were the lowest officer for every ten soldiers; these also do not require Military
petty officers. The optiones, or “chosen” were the centurion’s Rank.
immediate assistants (Rank 3); sometimes there was more than In addition to feudal levies, some feudal armies had small, per-
one optio in a century. manent units, usually the rulers’ elite guards. These would be
A cohort consisted of 6 centuries (480 to 600 soldiers) and was organized along more modern lines.
led by a tribune (Rank 5). The Tribune of the First Cohort (Rank The higher appointments of a feudal army are also ad hoc. The
6) was the official second-in-command. force is usually broken into three components: Van or Vanguard
A legion had 10 cohorts (4,000 to 6,000 soldiers) plus a unit of (the advance guard, which marches first), Main and Rear. Each
about 120 Light Cavalry (LC) to protect the flanks and for use as body is under a commander selected by the king. The commander
scouts and messengers, and was led by a legate (Rank 7) and the is usually a senior noble or veteran mercenary; again, the appoint-
Prefect of the Camp (Rank 6), second-in-command of all non- ment is only for the campaign. Each commander selects a number
combat matters. of aides, ranging from messengers to senior advisers.
A large army would consist of several legions and auxiliary Mercenary forces in a feudal setting can be of any size and
units. organization. Anyone who can attract a following can set himself
Roman auxiliary cavalry was divided into units called alae, up as a sell-sword. They usually ape the composition of the armies
between 500 and 1,000 men strong. Each ala was divided into around them. Commonly, any leader who can supply up to 100
smaller units called turmae, which had about 20-40 men trained to men is called “captain,” while one who can supply several compa-
work in groups of 6-10 men each. nies calls himself a general.
Alae were led by a tribune; the turmae were commanded by
decurions (Rank 3). There were 1-4 decurions on each turma; in
theory, they commanded units of 10 men.
Tribal Armies
Primitive societies fight by tribe, clan and band rather than in
any organized formation. The only title of command is chief, and a
Feudal Armies chief might lead anything from half a dozen rogues to thousands of
warriors. Some tribal armies include female warriors; therefore,
Feudal armies are much more loosely organized. The main con-
stituents are the feudal levies. These march to battle under their they can field relatively larger forces.

TROOP STRENGTH (TS)

The next step is determining the strength of the soldiers within walk are called “infantry” and those with some vehicle are usually
the army. The Troop Strength value of an individual in a unit called “cavalry,” be it a horse, a tank (armored cavalry), or a heli-
depends on his type and quality. Multiply this value by the number copter (air cavalry).
of men (or other creatures) in the unit for the unit’s total TS. If a unit also uses ranged weapons, a bonus to the Troop
Strength is added. Those troops with specialty weapons, such as
Troop Type artillery, and members of non-human races are put into separate
units.
Each unit is composed of a single troop type. All persons in a Some units treat a group of soldiers as one unit, usually the
unit are similarly equipped. Troop types are differentiated by crew for a large piece of equipment, such as artillery. The TS of
armor, weapons and mobility. these units includes the crew. The crew has no separate TS, except
Usually armor and weapons are lumped together into classifica- when they get separated, such as in a Rout. In this
tions of “Heavy,” “Medium,” and “Light.” Heavy troops have case, treat these soldiers as TS 2.
rigid armor and heavy, or “shock,” weapons. Medium troops usu- The following tables provide guidelines for the
ally wear flexible armor (e.g. chain mail) and have somewhat less Troop Strength of various troop types:
damaging weapons. Light units have little or no armor (leather or
less) and have much less damaging weapons. A final division is
whether the soldiers have formal training in weapons and other
Equipment
None TS 1
military matters. Soldiers without training (and often with no
Very Light TS 2
armor and improvised weapons), such as feudal peasant levies, are
Light TS 3
called “irregulars.” Beware of underestimating the strength of
Medium TS 4
irregulars, since they can still be battle-hardened elite warriors (see
Heavy TS 5
Troop Quality and Morale, below).
High-Tech armor +1/2 DR
Issues of troop mobility come down to whether or not the sol-
Fine or Very Fine weapons +1
diers use vehicles for transportation and in combat. Those who
Irregulars -1/3 TS (round down)

114 mass combat

Mobility Though Light Cavalry without stirrups have the same Troop
Light Horses +1 Strength as Light Infantry, there is a Special Unit Superiority
Medium Horses +2 bonus (see below) for cavalry, so a completely LC force gets a +3
Heavy Horses +3 Strategy bonus against a force composed entirely of infantry, the
No stirrups -1 equivalent of a 2 to 1 advantage.
Armored vehicles (e.g. armored
personnel carriers, but not tanks) +TL Experimental Weapons
Flying vehicles (e.g. helicopters) +TL Shortly after a new weapon is introduced, it may be deemed to
be experimental, while armies struggle to grasp the best way to use
Ranged Weapons the new technology and while the “bugs” are worked out. The GM
Sling, javelin +1 may rule that such weapons are worth less TS than indicated
Ordinary bow +2 above, subtracting up to half the given Troop Strength or more in
Longbow, composite bow or crossbow +3 case of extremely unreliable or risky weapons.
Pistol or other short firearms +3
Rifle or other long firearms +TL Non-Human Races
Members of non-human races get a bonus (or penalty) to their
Special Weapons TS equal to:
Light Chariots (TL2-) (add TS of
additional Light missile wielder) +15 (ST modifier + HT modifier + Extra Hit Points)/2.
Medium Chariots (TL2-) (add TS of
additional Medium missile wielder) +25 Examples: A reptile man (+3 ST, +3 HT) gets a +3 bonus. A
Heavy Chariots (TL2-) (add TS of halfling (-3 ST, +1 HT) gets a -1 penalty.
additional Heavy missile wielders) +35 TS can be no lower than 1 because of racial penalties. Bonuses
Elephants +100 for ranged weapons and armor are added after determining this
Small Ballistae (TL5-) +15 minimum TS. For example, halfling light infantry have a TS of 2,
Large Ballistae, Small Siege while halfling heavy infantry with slings have a TS of 5.
Engines or Light Artillery (TL5-) +25
Large Siege Engine or Heavy TL Differences
Artillery (TL5-) +50 When armies of differing TLs fight, a special adjustment is
Light Tank +25 made to compensate for advances in tactics, logistics, medicine
Medium Tank +40 and other fields, plus the sheer shock value of advanced weaponry:
Heavy Tank +60 the more advanced army’s gets a bonus to the Strategy roll equal
Fighter Aircraft +50 to (Difference in TL) + 2.
Bomber Aircraft +100 Example: A TL5 army attacking a TL3 army would add +4 to
Helicopter Gunship +50 their Strategy roll.
Modern artillery (TL6+) +100 A small, technically-advanced force can still be overwhelmed
by superior numbers, better strategy, or unlucky accidents like
The value of other special weapons is up to the GM. anyone else. GMs who feel this adjustment is too unbalancing can
ignore it, reduce it or put an upper limit on the modifiers to the
Examples: Medieval knights are Heavy Cavalry, giving a TS of Strategy contest that can be contributed by TL.
8 (5 for heavy weapons and armor and 3 for heavy warhorses). If Increases in TL also increase the effectiveness of soldiers in
they carried crossbows, the TS would be 11 for the ranged weapon large numbers. To reflect this, the limit of a +8 bonus to the
bonus. Strategy roll for a relative TS of 10 to 1 or more is waived for the
Modern TL7 Air Cavalry, consisting of six light infantry and a higher TL army when the difference in TL is greater than 2 (see
helicopter gunship with a crew of two, would have a TS of 17 for Relative Troop Strengths below).
each soldier (3 for light weapons and armor, +7 for firearms, and
+7 for mobility), plus a TS of 50 for the helicopter, which operates
as a gunship after dropping off its infantry, for a total of 152. The
Superhumans
Supers with significant offensive and defensive abilities should
crew of the ‘copter is included in the helicopter Troop Strength.
calculate their TS using a variety of the above rules. Those supers
with more subtle, less front-line powers (such as magic or psion-
The Stirrup ics) can consult the Exceptional Powers in Battle section instead.
There is some controversy over the value of stirrups for caval-
Use the High Tech armor adjustment for supers with large
ry. The traditional view is that stirrups significantly increased the
amounts of DR. Use the ST and HT adjustments from the Non-
effectiveness of cavalry, while some military historians say this
Human Races section above to compensate for high levels of those
claim is overblown.
attributes. Flying supers with ranged offensive abilities (e.g.,
For these rules, cavalry troops without stirrups have a -1 TS
Flamin’ Jane from GURPS Supers) should use the Helicopter
penalty, as shown in the Mobility table above. They are limited in
Gunship TS as a base, while flyers without ranged abilities use the
the weapon tactics they can use and the missions they can perform.
Flying Vehicles mobility bonus for their TL. Gadgeteers with
Cavalry charges using couched lances cannot be performed with-
advanced technology can use the TL Differences section to reflect
out stirrups. Cavalry without stirrups will generally be used for
this. By using the available tables, the players and the GM should
scouting, raiding, flank and missile attacks, and charging broken or
be able to calculate satisfactory TS values for superhuman individ-
shaky formations of infantry. If battle plans call for cavalry to
uals.
charge well-formed infantry, especially pikemen, the GM should
penalize the Strategy roll appropriately.

mass combat 115

Troop Quality and Morale f o r c e c o m m a n d e r ’s
Troop quality is determined by the average experience of the
men in the unit. This directly determines the unit’s base Morale
experience table (roll 3d)
(see table below).
Use if one or both force commanders are NPCs.
If the campaign situation or adventure does not dictate the qual-
ity of a body of troops, determine troop quality by rolling three
Die Roll Quality Battles Strategy Skill
dice on the chart below.
3 Elite 15+ 16 + 1d
Use the same chart when determining the quality of a newly-
4-7 Veteran 10-14 14 + 1d
raised unit (see Raising Troops) or when recruiting replacements –
8-11 Seasoned 6-9 14
in this case, it gives the average quality of the replacements you
12-15 Average 4-5 12
were able to hire.
16-17 Green 1-3 10
Morale is used to determine the reactions of units to losses and
18 Raw 0 9
overwhelming odds. More experienced soldiers are more likely to
hold their position in a bad situation than raw recruits.

troop quality table (roll 3d) Unit Morale and Troop Strength
Units that are demoralized (i.e., below their base Morale) often
fight less effectively than normal. At the GM’s option, the Troop
Die Troop Battles Base Troop Base Pay &
Strength of demoralized units can be reduced, and the TS of units
Roll QualityFought Morale Strength and Cost
whose Morale is above their base Morale may can be increased. A
to Raise
unit’s Troop Strength can be reduced (or increased) by 10% for
3* Elite (E) 15+ 16 2.0×base +50%
each point by which their current Morale level is below (or above)
4-6* Veteran (V) 10-14 15 1.5×base +25%
their base Morale.
7-9 Seasoned (S) 6-9 14 1.2×base +10%
Example: Due to poor leadership and some serious defeats, a
10-12 Average (A) 4-5 13 1.0×base base
Veteran Heavy Infantry platoon (30 soldiers with total TS of 225
13-15 Green (G) 1-3 11 0.8×base base
and base Morale of 15) has an effective Morale of 13, the same as
16-18 Raw (R)# 0 9 0.5×base -20%
Average quality troops. This unit’s TS could be treated as 180 until
they can regain their base Morale level.
*Roll again if you were trying to raise a new unit, or to
recruit more than 10 men.
#No battlefield experience. If troops of this quality are also Changing Troop Quality
Irregulars (no military training), their morale is reduced by In a continuing campaign, units will lose troops and replace
an additional -3. them – sometimes with experienced men, sometimes with raw
recruits. Keep track of the number of battles (not just days of battle)
a unit fights, counting anything over 20 as 20. When a unit adds
typical skill table new men for any reason, the new Troop Quality is the new average
experience of the men. GMs may not want to count battles where
Troop Weapon Tactics Battle there was little resistance, such as engagements with odds of greater
Quality Skill Skill Skill than 10 to 1.
Elite* 15 11 15 Example: Titus of Megalos commands a Veteran unit, with
Veteran* 14 9 13 average experience of 10 engagements. It has 87 men. Titus
recruits 11 more men, of “Green” quality. Average experience is
computed as follows: 87 × 10 for the old troops, 11 × 1 (use the low
Seasoned* 13 7 12
Average 12 6 9
Green 11 5 8 end of the experience scale) for the new men. 870 plus 11 is 881.
Raw 10 4 7 Divide that by 98 men, for an average experience of just under 9.
*This type of troop has the Combat Reflexes advantage. Round down to 8. The company is now considered to have an aver-
age experience of 8 engagements, making it merely “Seasoned.”
Two more fights will bring it back to “Veteran” status.

Six months of military training will change Untrained troops

into Raw quality. A year of training will turn Raw troops into
Green. No further increases in quality can be made without actual
battle experience.
Unit Commander and Morale
A unit commander’s leadership can affect the morale of his sol-
diers. Add +1 to Morale for every 3 skill levels in Leadership skill Building and Feeding an Army
over 12 and -1 for every 3 levels below 12. For example, a An army travels on its stomach, but it won’t go very far if you
Seasoned unit with a commander with Leadership 15 (+1) has a don’t pay it, either. The following sections give costs for raising,
Morale of 15, while a commander with Leadership 9 (-1) would feeding and paying troops.
bring Morale down to 13. To randomly select the Leadership skill
of a unit commander, roll on the Force Commander’s Experience Raising Troops
table below, substituting Leadership for Strategy. The cost to raise a body of troops is determined by troop type.
When a unit gets a new commander (no matter how experi- The general method of determining this is to total the cost to pur-
enced), drop all troops except Raw to the next lowest Quality. chase equipment and pay a hiring bonus. The hiring bonus is usual-

116 mass combat

ly equal to a month’s pay, or about 10% of the equipment cost. a Morale roll on each missed payday, after reducing Morale. A
GMs may modify costs for special circumstances, such as unusual- failed roll gives bad results, as per the GM’s whim. Every second
ly good or bad availability of men, horses and equipment. payday made increases morale by 1, but only to the extent of elimi-
For ranged weapons, add the equipment cost and the difference nating the negative modifiers for previously missed paydays. Limit
in hiring bonus to the total, per man. The hiring bonus is usually the Morale of Elite and Veteran units to 14 for determining the
considerably higher for trained missile troops because of their results of no pay.
lower availability. Generally speaking, human troops expect to be paid about 10%
Normally, troops of Elite and Veteran quality cannot be “raised” of the equipment cost, each month, with the bonuses given in the
– there are not that many trained men currently unemployed, unless Troop Quality Table for experience. An additional 50% bonus will
the GM decides that a mercenary unit is available. increase morale by 1 for the next month; a 100% or more bonus
The GM decides what sort of troops are available. PC leaders will increase morale by 2 for the next month. Income from looting
will usually want to raise the best troop they can, given their bud- counts as pay. Troops may forego some pay, if the chances of sub-
get. If the GM needs to determine troop quality randomly, use the stantial looting in the near future are high. If those chances are not
table above under Troop Quality and Morale. fulfilled, though, the backlash from the troops could be much
worse. In some eras, troops may be paid in lands, citizenship and
Paying and Maintaining Troops other inducements.
The cost to feed and maintain an infantryman is equal to the cost Conscripts fighting against their will do not need to be paid,
of living for Status level 0; the cost to feed riding animals is gener- though some conscripted armies still do pay their soldiers (e.g. the
ally the Status 0 cost of living times their size in hexes. Particularly U.S. Armed Forces during the Draft). Additional paid security
large animals (e.g., elephants) or those with expensive feeding forces will often be needed to keep unpaid conscripts from desert-
needs (e.g., carnivores) will cost more; how much more is up to the ing. These forces should be better equipped than the conscripted
GM. Troops must be fed, or a unit will revolt, dissolve or desert. forces to maintain order (e.g. the Republican Guard of Iraq during
Troops also expect monthly pay; unpaid troops can be danger- the Gulf War). Conscripted troops generally have lower morale
ous to their leaders or employers. Morale drops by 1 after the first than volunteers; -1 for paid conscripts, and -2 or lower for unpaid
missed payday, by 2 after each missed payday after the first. Make conscripts.

THE BATTLE
This section describes the method for determining the outcome
of the battle between the armies constructed in the previous section.
catastrophe roll
Special Abilities 3-7 – No catastrophe.
In some settings, special abilities (magic, psionics and super 8-9 – Enemy manages some sort of surprise: -1 to
powers) can be used in warfare. Before rolling for catastrophes, Strategy roll.
resolve the effects of special abilities on the battle. For more 10 – Enemy receives unexpected reinforcements or is just
details, see Exceptional Powers in Battle, p. 123. lucky. Increase his Troop Strength by 10%. (The GM
may be creative about what occurred.)
Catastrophes 11 – The battle plans have been partially revealed to
the enemy by turncoats, spies, magic, etc.: -2 to
When the battle begins, the GM rolls three dice on the follow-
ing table, once for each side, to see if something goes disastrously Strategy roll.
wrong. The commander (but no other PC) can use Luck, if he has 12 – Dissension among allies or top leaders weakens
that advantage, to re-roll a catastrophe. morale. -2 to Strategy roll, -1 to Morale of all units.
13 – Enemy reveals a terrifying atrocity: -1 to Morale of all
units if Morale roll is failed; +1 to Morale, in anger, if
Morale roll is made.
14 – Ally or unit commander defects to enemy, revealing
plans and taking his troops with him. Recalculate
forces’ Troop Strengths; -2 to Strategy roll.
15 – An important unit leader (rolled randomly among lead-
ers commanding at least 20% of that side’s Troop
Strength) is wounded early in battle (2d of damage):
-1 to Morale of all units, -2 to Morale of his unit.
16 – Commander wounded early in battle (2d of damage):
-2 to Strategy roll, -3 to Morale of all units.
17 – Important unit leader (rolled randomly as above)
killed (or if a PC, wounded and unconscious) early in
battle: -2 to Morale of all units, -3 to Morale of
his unit. (If a PC, he makes no further Survival or
Glory rolls.)
18 – Commander killed early in battle (or if a PC wounded
and unconscious). Base Strategy roll cut in half (round
up). -5 to Morale of all units.

mass combat 117

 The Catastrophe Table may be altered depending on the culture Battle Skill Roll Result
involved. For example, defections are more common than atroci- Made by 5+ Unhurt
ties in feudal Japan, so their positions in the above table could be (or critical success)
switched. Made by 1-4 1 hit of damage
Made exactly 2 hits of damage
Consequences to Missed by 1-2
Missed by 3-4
Damage Table Column A
Damage Table Column B
Missed by 5-6 Damage Table Column C
Player Characters Missed by 7+
The more daring and brave a warrior is, the more likely he is to (or critical failure) Damage Table Column D
get hurt! Each PC in a battle must roll against Battle skill. Battle
skill cannot be studied or taken as a beginning skill. It is equal to
the average of the PC’s Tactics skill (defaulting to IQ-6) and his damage table
main Combat/Weapon skill, with +2 if the character has Combat
Reflexes and +1 if the character has Danger Sense. TL A B C D
A character with both a melee and a missile weapon bases his
Battle skill on his melee weapon skill, unless his missile weapon 3- 1d+2-DR 2× 1d+2-DR 2× 2d+2-DR 3× 2d+2-DR
skill is Guns or Beam Weapons. A character who is inappropriate- 4-7 (TL/2)d-DR 2× (TL/2)d-DR 2× (TL)d-DR 3× (TL)d-DR
ly armed for his TL (a stone axe at TL5, a black powder musket at 8-9 (TL-3)d-DR 2× (TL-3)d-DR 2× (TL+3)d-DR 3× (TL+3)d-DR
TL7, bare hands at any TL after TL0) may use his lower-TL skill, 10-13 (TL)d-DR/2 2× (TL)d-DR/2 2× (2TL)d-DR/2 3× (2TL)d-DR/2
but has -TL/2 (round up) to his Battle skill; e.g., an unarmed char- 14 (TL)d-DR/5 2× (TL)d-DR/5 2× (2TL)d-DR/5 3× (2TL)d-DR/5
acter can use (Karate + Tactics)/2 to figure Battle skill, but he is at 15-16 (TL)d-DR/10 2× (TL)d-DR/l0 2× (2TL)d-DR/10 3× (2TL)d-DR/l0
-2 in TL4 feudal Japan, and -5 in a TL9 cyberpunk conflict.
Since the battlefield is a very dangerous place, no matter how
careful or skilled a soldier is, Battle skill rolls are limited to 16. If Glory Roll
the PC is rolling for survival at a penalty, due to Risk or being on A warrior who gains glory will have improved Reputation, and
the losing side, these modifiers are first applied to Battle skill the associated reaction bonus, for the specified period. The indicat-
before imposing the limit of 16. Therefore, PCs with Battle skill ed modifiers to the Strategy roll are used only if the PC is a unit
greater than 16 can still receive some benefit. leader. This Strategy bonus is 1 point higher (and any penalty is 1
The Tactics skill covers the PC’s prudence; the weapon skill point worse) if the PC is force commander. Roll for Glory even if
covers his ability to kill his foes before they kill him. Note Battle the character dies – a glorious death can inspire the troops.
skill on the PC’s record sheet in pencil, since it will change if he
goes into battle with different weapons, or if his Tactics or weapon
skills are improved. Battle Skill Roll and Result
Made by 10+ (or critical success) – Covered with glory: +2 to
Reputation for 1d months, and +1 permanently; roll for promotion;
Risk +2 to Strategy roll.
A PC can choose to take more or less risk in a battle, announc- Made by 7-9 – Fought with great courage and heroism: +1 to
ing his choice before his Survival roll. He may choose any number Reputation for 1d-2 months (1 month minimum); roll for promo-
from -6 to +6 as a modifier, -6 being very risky and +6 being very tion; +1 to Strategy roll.
cautious. This Risk modifier is applied to the Survival roll. Made by 4-6 – Fought heroically: roll for promotion; +1 to
However, the opposite modifier applies to his Glory roll. No guts, Strategy roll.
no glory! If Survival is -4, then Glory is +4. Cowardly PCs and Made by 0-3 – Fought competently.
those PCs in units held in reserve or who otherwise were not Missed by 1-3 – Fought adequately.
exposed to the full impact of the battle, should not pick a Risk fac- Missed by 4-6 – Fought poorly: -1 to Reputation for 1d-2
tor below -1. Overconfident PCs should not pick a Risk factor months (1 month minimum); -1 to Strategy roll. Superior officer
above +1. PCs with the Berserk, Glory Hound or On the Edge dis- notices your ineptness or caution; make a reaction roll to see how
advantages should not pick a Risk above 0! he will treat you after the battle. A result of Bad or worse indicates
a possible demotion in rank.
Survival Roll Missed by 7+ (or critical failure) – Fought very badly; -2 to
If the Survival roll results in 1 or 2 hits of damage, take the Reputation for 1d months; -3 to Strategy roll. Results from superi-
injury directly off HT, subtracting only Toughness. If the roll indi- or officer as above. In addition, if you survive the battle, someone
cates a result on the Damage Table, roll the indicated number of your equal in rank will publicly name you a coward and, in some
wounds and subtract DR as prescribed. In all cases, determine hit cultures, will try to provoke a duel.
location(s) randomly. If a PC unit or army leader takes enough
injury to fall unconscious, his unit’s final Strategy roll is affected Some results may be different depending on the culture
as per Catastrophes (see above). A PC can use Luck to re-roll the involved. For example, a loss of Reputation in feudal Japan may
Survival roll. cause a character to contemplate suicide.

118 mass combat

 Attacker attacks downhill: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-3 or worse
Attacker approaches under cover: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-1
Attacker must come up a gradual incline: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .+1
Attacker must come up a steep incline: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .+2
Attacker must come up a steep incline on bad ground: . . . . . . .+3
*Attacker must force a narrow passage (defile, pass, ford, or
bridge): . . . . . . . . . . . . . .+2 to +8, depending on how narrow it is.
*Defender is protected by palisade, breastwork, trenches, dry moat
or unforded/unbridged river: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .+3
*Defender occupies a manor, stronghold, unwalled city or fort: +4
*Defender occupies a walled city: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . +6
*Defender occupies a castle: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .+8

These defensive factors can be combined. For instance, a castle

on top of a steep hill would count as +10.
*Reduce the value of any modifier with an asterisk (*) by 2 if
Promotion the attacker has artillery or mining crews with Demolition experts.
Check the reaction of the character’s superior officer after the Battles involving the starred modifiers use a different set of com-
battle, based on the character’s improved Reputation. With a Very bat tables (see Resolving the Contest of Strategy).
Good reaction in some cultures and time periods, the character
may be offered a battlefield promotion of one Rank (see p. B22).
If the reaction is Excellent, the PC may also be offered a transfer
Special Unit Superiority
A force will receive a Strategy bonus if it has at least a 2 to 1
to an elite unit. In any period or culture, a favorable reaction
superiority in the numbers of certain troop types, regardless of
(Good or better) will dispose the superior to do the heroic warrior
troop quality. In a siege action, all cavalry are counted as infantry.
some favor; this may well consist of an especially dangerous and
If the opponent has no troops of the equivalent type, treat as 5 to 1
honorable position in the next battle – or the Favor advantage (p.
or better.
125) could be taken, with the superior being treated as a one-time
There are three types of superiority for low tech armies (TL 5-):
Patron.
artillery (only in siege situations); cavalry (only in non-siege situa-
tions); and missile weapons (not artillery).
Strategy Modifiers In modern armies (TL 6+), there are also three types of superi-
ority: artillery (always counts), armor and aircraft. “Off-map”
The GM now takes into account the circumstances of the battle,
which may raise or lower the effective Strategy skill of each side’s artillery support (such as shelling from a battleship, or cruise mis-
commander. All these modifiers are cumulative. siles) counts towards artillery superiority if the force commander
can call in strikes at will; otherwise, it only counts as extra TS (at
Relative Troop Strengths TS 100 per gun) since it cannot be used flexibly.
Compare the troop strengths of the opposing forces. Divide the Other types of units, such as undead or high-tech mobile
greater TS by the lesser one for the “odds factor.” For example, a infantry, can be considered special units at the GM’s option.
TS of 100 vs. a TS of 50 is an odds factor of 2. The greater the Each type of superiority counts separately: if you have a force
odds factor, the greater the bonus to Strategy skill of the stronger of mounted archers and the foe has no cavalry or missiles, you
force’s commander. have 5 to 1 superiority in both missile weapons and cavalry. Ratios
for determining superiority are rounded down.
Odds Factor Strategy skill bonus
Ratio Strategy skill bonus
1.2 or less No bonus
1.2+ to 1.4 +1 2 to 1 +1
1.4+ to 1.7 +2 3 to 1 +2
1.7+ to 2 +3 5 to 1 or more +3
2+ to 3 +4
3+ to 5 +5 Optional Rule – TL and Superiority: When armies of the same
5+ to 7 +6 TL face off, it is assumed that even if one side has special unit
7+ to 10 +7 superiority, the foe is at least somewhat familiar with the capabili-
10 or more +8 ties of those units, and will know some tactics for coping with
them, limiting the size of the bonus to +3.
When a force is more than 2 TLs higher than the opposing However, when forces of different TLs do battle, this is often
force, the 10 to 1 odds limit is waived for the higher TL army. no longer true. The higher-TL units will likely be totally alien to
Each additional 10 to 1 odds is equal to another +1 Strategy. For the lower-TL strategists, and thus have much greater shock value
instance, when a TL 6 force is fighting a TL 3 feudal army, 30 to 1 than would otherwise be warranted.
odds would yield a +10 on the Strategy roll. As an optional rule, if the side with special unit superiority is of
higher TL and the unit in question does not exist at the lower TL,
the GM may wish to multiply all bonuses by the TL difference
Defensive Position between the two sides. For instance, a TL7 force with total (5 to 1
If one side is clearly the defender, it gets Strategy modifiers or more) superiority in aircraft over a TL5 force would get +3×(7
based on its position. When appropriate, these modifiers are cumu- -5) = +6, not +3.
lative.

mass combat 119

 literally appear out of nowhere. In addition, a “first strike” with
high-tech weapons is likely to be especially damaging to a lower-
TL force that lacks the appropriate defenses.
To reflect this, in any situation where one force has access to
fast or stealthy vehicles, or to heavy weapons such as aircraft
bombs and artillery, that are of higher TL than the opposing force,
and the high-tech force has achieved surprise, the GM may multi-
ply the modifier for surprise (-2 or -5) by the difference in Tech
Levels. For instance, if TL10 space aliens arrived – undetected –
in orbit around a TL7 world and assaulted with drop ships and
orbital beam weapons, the surprise modifier would be -5×(10 - 7)
= -15, not -5!

Battle Plans
The GM should sketch a map of the battlefield (or perhaps of
several, optional battlefields) for the players based on their armies’
knowledge of the area, especially if the PCs are unit or force lead-
ers. The GM should then ask the players to give him a battle plan
for their side (for both sides, if there are PCs on both sides or if
there is an Adversary Player for the non-PC side). If the GM
thinks a plan is especially good or bad, it deserves a Strategy roll
bonus or penalty of from +3 to -3.
If the GM is playing the part of the adversary, he should occa-
sionally spring a tactical surprise on the players. Describe what
happens realistically. If they handle it well, they get a Strategy roll
bonus; if they react poorly, they suffer a penalty.

Neutralizing Special Units Special Forces

Some types of units neutralize the superiority of the special If either side has the services of assassins, commandos, scouts
units described above. For instance, pikemen can neutralize a cav- or spies, their proper use can be an important part of the battle
alry charge, and anti-aircraft artillery can neutralize the advantage plan. Special forces like these may be sent on a variety of mis-
of air superiority. When figuring special unit superiority, count sions. The success of each mission depends on the number of per-
these neutralizing units as the same type as the special unit for the sonnel assigned and (in general) on the Stealth (or in some cases,
side with less of the special unit. Thus, pikemen cannot give you Tactics) skill of their leader. Special forces missions can be played
cavalry superiority, but they can neutralize the other force’s supe- out as whole adventures (see GURPS Special Ops), or abstracted
riority. into the general battle plan.
In cases where the neutralizing unit is also a special unit for Assassination of the enemy leader will be a Catastrophe for the
other purposes (e.g., anti-aircraft artillery), these units cannot foe, if it works. But it’s risky, and if it fails, the enemy’s morale
count as both. E.g., artillery devoted to the anti-aircraft role does will be improved, especially if your spies are publicly executed
not count towards artillery superiority. before the battle!
Scouting the enemy forces is much safer and easier, and will
usually give a +1 or, if many commandos are used, a +2 on
Special Circumstances Strategy. High-tech surveillance aircraft and spy satellites can also
Add Strategy bonuses or subtract Strategy penalties for any of give a +2.
the following situations. All these circumstances are determined Security assignments can be given, to protect the lord and gen-
by the GM or the group’s roleplaying; for instance, a unit is unsup- erals from opposing assassins, or to ambush and kill enemy scouts.
plied if the GM says it is. Other creative uses of spies should be encouraged and reward-
ed by the GM. If assassins are paid well and treated with respect,
Taken totally by surprise: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-5 they will undertake almost anything.
Partial surprise – less than an hour’s warning: . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-2
Force-marched into battle: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-3
No supplies: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-3 Diviners
Short supplies in a besieged city or castle: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-2 A careful commander might consult diviners before a battle.
Supplied by forage only: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-1 The effectiveness of divination in general is known only to the
On home grounds: . . . .+2 (not cumulative with defensive bonus GM . . . and even in a campaign where magic is real, an individual
for village, temple, city, manor or other fortification) diviner may be a fake. A general may have many diviners, but he
must pick just one to believe. A genuine diviner who makes his
GMs may give additional bonuses or penalties from -5 to +5 for skill roll gives +1 to his lord’s Strategy roll, or +2 on a critical suc-
other factors as they see fit: e.g., a heavy fog when trying to launch cess. If the diviner is a fake, average his own Strategy roll with the
a closely coordinated attack might be worth -3. commander’s, unless the commander either fully accepts (use just
the diviner’s Strategy) or discounts the diviner’s advice (use the
Optional Rule – TL and Surprise: The superior speed and commander’s Strategy). The details of these modifiers, of course,
detection countermeasures of higher-TL fighting vehicles, when must remain secret from the players.
faced only with low-tech sensors, can allow a high-tech force to

120 mass combat

Resolving the Won by 17+: Overwhelming victory. The attacker captures the
position and takes the enemy commander alive.
Contest of Strategy Each individual unit of the defender withdraws* in
good order if it can make a Morale roll at -2; other-
After determining the opposing commanders’ effective wise that unit routs or, if there is no escape, surren-
Strategy, a Quick Contest of Strategy is rolled to determine how ders.
well the troops are handled. (For battles involving a total of less
than 200 men, Tactics skill may be used instead.) The force com- *If defenders get a “withdraw” result and have nowhere to go,
mander can use Luck, if he has that advantage, to reroll his make a second Morale roll for each such unit at +2 over the previ-
Strategy skill. ous roll. A success means that unit holds position and another bat-
The winner of the Quick Contest of Strategy is the winner of tle is likely. (These defenders probably have their backs to a wall
the battle. The difference in the amounts by which the comman- or have retreated to an inner stronghold.) A failure means that
ders make (or miss) their rolls will determine how decisive the vic- unit surrenders.
tory is. Whether defeated troops withdraw in good order or rout
depends on their Morale roll (see below). Refer to the appropriate Some outcomes on these tables may be modified by culture.
table below to find the outcome. Use Tables B or C if any of the For instance, losing feudal Japanese commanders who cannot
starred Defensive Position modifiers applied (see p. 119). withdraw in Table C will attempt suicide.
Example: One leader makes his roll by 4, the other by 2. The
difference is 2; the battle was inconclusive. If one leader makes his Sieges
roll by 4 and the other misses by 4, the difference is 8 – a much In an actual siege involving a defender within a walled city or
more one-sided battle. castle, the above rules and Tables B and C only apply when the
attacker storms the fortifications. The overall siege is a long,
A. Open-Field Battle drawn-out affair, taking months or even years to complete. Many
Won by 0-3: Inconclusive battle. Each unit on both sides should other tactics may be employed instead of an all-out assault, which
make a Morale roll. Those who succeed hold posi- tends to be very bloody. Cutting off supplies and water to the area
tion. Those who fail by only 1-4 withdraw in good and waiting for starvation, bribing someone to open the gate, cata-
order. Those who fail by 5 or more rout (see pulting diseased animal carcasses and firebrands, and infiltrating
below). with spies are all alternative methods of taking a fortification.
Won by 4-7: Marginal victory. Each unit of the loser withdraws
in good order if it can make a Morale roll; other- Morale
wise it routs. Each unit starts with a Base Morale, determined by its Troop
Won by 8-12: Definite victory. As above, but loser’s Morale is -2. Quality. Campaign events can affect morale before the battle.
Won by 13-16: Great victory. As above, but loser’s Morale is -4. Catastrophes affect morale for that battle only. Loss of established
Won by 17+: Overwhelming victory: The loser routs. leaders affects morale until the force wins a clear victory; as long
as the force is defeated, has inconclusive battles or marginal victo-
ries, the morale will stay low.
B. Defender Wins Example: Titus of Megalos has a veteran unit – base morale 15.
Won by 0-3: Inconclusive battle. The attacker is thrown back
Loot was good last month, so they entered the battle with a +1
but holds his former position. He may attack again
morale, for a 16. In the first hour of battle, Titus was wounded (-1
on the next day, at -2 Morale.
morale). So effective morale is back to 15. After the battle, morale
Won by 4-7: Marginal victory. The attacker holds position if
returns to 16.
more than half its troops can make a Morale roll;
otherwise the whole force withdraws in good
Morale is used to determine whether a defeated unit withdraws
order.
in good order or routs. The GM may also require a morale roll
Won by 8-12: Definite victory. As above, but Morale roll is -2.
whenever a unit is asked to do something dangerous or unreason-
Won by 13-16: Great victory. Each attacking unit withdraws in
able (e.g., fight at unreasonable odds, go without food, water or
good order if it can make a Morale roll; otherwise
pay, scale a castle wall despite the fact that the defenders are
it routs.
dumping sewage over the walls, etc.).
Won by 17+: Overwhelming victory: As above but Morale is -2.

C. Attacker Wins Morale Modifiers

In a war against a hereditary foe, Morale is always +1.
Won by 1-3: Inconclusive battle. The attacker technically won, Units defending home territory always have +2 morale.
but the defender will suffer no Morale penalty on Atrocities always require a morale roll. On a failed roll, morale
the next day of battle. drops by 1. On a successful roll, morale rises by 1 instead, in anger.
Won by 4-7: Marginal victory. Both sides hold position. The Morale before a battle is +1 if the unit has defeated the same
defender will be at -2 Morale on the next day of foe this year. It is -2 if the unit has been defeated by the same foe
battle. this year.
Won by 8-12: Definite victory. The defender holds position if A force that knows its position was penetrated by spies will
more than half its troops can make a Morale roll; have -1 morale, or -2 (at least) if important people were killed. It
otherwise the whole force withdraws*. will have +2 if enemy spies were caught and slain. Likewise, a
Won by 13-16: Great victory. The attacker captures the position. force will have +1 morale if it knows its spies have succeeded in
Each individual unit of the defender withdraws* in scouting the foe, and -1 if it knows its spies were killed.
good order if it can make a Morale roll; otherwise Bonus payments can increase morale (see Paying and
that unit routs or, if there is no escape, surrenders. Maintaining Troops, p. 117).

mass combat 121

Rout casualty table
Units, or even the entire force, may rout, fleeing in panic, on a
very bad combat result (see Resolving the Contest of Strategy) Contest difference Casualties
and/or a failed Morale roll. If a unit routs, its casualties are -19 or less (12d+60)%
increased. Whether a routed unit will ever reform as a unit is up to -17, -18 (11d+55)%
the GM. The survivors may be able to reassemble under a number -15, -16 (10d+50)%
of circumstances: the battle was in friendly territory, the unit was -13, -14 (9d+45)%
largely cavalry, there were plenty of places to hide, the leader is -11, -12 (8d+40)%
charismatic, etc. PCs whose units are routed (or totally crushed) -9, -10 (7d+35)%
must make their second Survival roll at -2 (see Second Survival -7, -8 (6d+30)%
Roll). -5, -6 (5d+25)%
-3, -4 (4d+20)%
Casualties -1, -2
0
(4d+15)%
(4d+10)%
After the Contest of Strategy, casualties for each force are
determined. This does not affect the PCs; their fates are deter- 1,2 (4d+5)%
mined by their Survival rolls. Even if a PC’s unit is entirely wiped 3,4 (4d)%
out, a PC who makes his Survival rolls gets away somehow. 5,6 (3d)%
Find the Quick Contest of Strategy difference on the Casualty 7,8 (2d+2)%
Table below. Opposite that number (a positive number for the vic- 9, 10 (2d)%
tor, a negative number for the loser) is listed the percentage of 11,12 (1d+2)%
troops that side lost in the engagement. For example, if the differ- 13, 14 (1d)%
ence is 3, the loser consults “-3” and loses (4d + 20)% of his 15, 16 (1d-2)% (1% min.)
troops as casualties, while the victor consults “3” and loses (4d)% 17, 18 (1d-4)% (1% min.)
of his troops. 19 or more no losses
If the defender was protected by his position (modifiers with an
* under Defensive Position), add that modifier to his contest differ-
ence (but not his opponent’s) before assessing casualties. For
instance, if the defender lost the roll by 3, but had a +3 Strategy
Second Survival Roll
Any PCs on the losing side of a battle must make a second
modifier due to position, he would take casualties on the “0” line. Survival roll, using the same Risk modifier as for the first roll.
A unit’s armor type (heavy, medium, or light) moves them Adjust this roll down by -1 for every 3 full points of difference in
downward on the Casualty Table: the Contest of Strategy. If defending, adjust up by any bonus for
Heavy Cavalry, Heavy Infantry: adjust result down by 4 lines. starred Defensive Position modifiers (see p. 119).
Medium Cavalry, Medium Infantry: adjust result down by 2 If the PC’s unit was routed (see Rout), the second Survival roll
lines. is made at -2. Any adventuring after that will be directed, at least
Light Cavalry, Light Infantry, Pikemen: adjust result down by 1 for a time, toward getting home alive or regrouping with other lost
line. battle comrades.
If a unit routs, roll a die and adjust casualties upward by that
many lines on the Casualty Table.
If the GM thinks that the battle was particularly intense, the Roleplaying Battle Scenes
casualty results for both sides can be moved up one or more lines. The system presented here will resolve large combats. It is up
Round all losses up. Losses are divided evenly among the units to the GM to make these interesting for the players – and vice
of a force unless the GM decrees (or a PC leader says) that some versa. The GM should always sketch a map of the battlefield (or
particular unit was leading the fray or holding back. perhaps of several optional battlefields) to help the PCs visualize
Half the casualties (round down) are killed or permanently the strategy, especially if they are unit or force leaders.
maimed. The other half recover at (2 + TL)% (of the original unit) Players whose characters are in leadership positions may
per day in camp, or 2% per day on march. If magic healing is attempt to give orders to their troops once the battle has started and
available, add 1d% to the recovery rate. One healer is required for any enemy surprises have appeared. PCs who are mere troopers
every 10 injured soldiers to get this bonus. Races with Slow can control only their own fates – and then, only to a limited extent
Healing recover half as quickly, and those with Rapid Healing (or – by deciding how much bravery (or cowardice) they will show.
Regeneration) recover twice as quickly. These racial qualities do But they should describe their actions anyway: not just, “I’m going
not affect the magic healing rate of 1d%. Treat races with an aver- for a -3 on Survival to get a +3 on Glory,” but, “I’m shouting
age HT above 13 as having Rapid Healing, and treat races with insults and charging the enemy standard-bearer.”
HT of 7 or below as having Slow Healing. Similarly, the GM should present all morale effects with maxi-
Lost artillery become the property of the victor; after an incon- mum drama – during preparations for the battle, at the beginning
clusive battle, each side retains half its lost artillery and the rest is of battle and when the troops begin to rout.
considered destroyed. Remember: roleplaying should be fun. Players should be hero-
ic; after all, each character thinks of himself as the hero of his own
story. GMs should remember that they are storytellers; tell the tale
well, and reward heroism.

After the Battle

When the battle is finished, there will be opportunities for loot-
ing, ransoming prisoners, and regrouping forces.

122 mass combat

Loot Some cultures did not hold captured enemies for ransom. They
Many military units – not just mercenaries – depend largely on may be either executed, held as hostages for their relatives’ good
loot to make life worthwhile. The loot available in even a burned- behavior or held for some other fate.
out and picked-over city can be immense and is up to the GM to
settle.
But the loot from a battlefield is also very valuable. The force
Multiple Combatants
Most battles are fought between two sides, though many indi-
that holds the field after a fray will be able to recover the arms and vidual allies may be on each side. If more than two forces are
armor of all its own casualties, and most, if not all, of the other fighting independently from each other, a multi-party Contest of
side’s dead. If the foe routed, both its dead and wounded – all its Strategy can be used with the commander who wins by the great-
casualties – will be left for looting. est margin holding the field, while the others take the effects from
Very roughly speaking, the average value of the gear stripped the tables based on their difference from the winner. In this case,
from a killed or captured trooper would equal 1/3 of the cost to the Relative Troop Strength Strategy bonus is figured against the
“raise” that trooper (see Raising Troops). It would sell for less – average of the other opponents’ TS.
possibly only 20% of that cost, in cash – but to an army, most or
all of the salvage will be useful. Halve these numbers again for
cavalry; live horses are expensive, dead ones are rations at best. Quick and Dirty
For various reasons, some cultures (e.g., feudal Japan) did not
make a practice of looting the battlefield. Other cultures may take Mass Combat
trophies, such as heads, from their dead enemies. Battlefields were If you don’t want to take the time to break each side down into
often looted by the locality’s poor (bandits or peasants) before the its component units, just estimate the force’s Troop Strength and
relatives of the dead could make arrangements for burial. overall base morale (possibly by assigning an “average quality”
Sometimes such scavengers also found soldiers who had been left and “average type” to each force). Apply all other modifiers as
for dead by their comrades and enemies. In such a case, check the before, estimating where necessary. Roll the Quick Contest as
scavenger’s reaction roll; he might kill the soldier, ignore him or before, taking casualties and checking morale, when required, for
nurse him back to health. the entire force.
PCs who have been wounded, or even those who thought them- Two sets of equivalents may help here.
selves dead, may wake up in a peasant’s cottage, in the enemy 500 irregular infantry are approximately equal to:
camp, in prison, or as slaves. 330 light infantry, irregular cavalry, or pikemen,
250 medium infantry or light cavalry,
200 heavy infantry,
Ransom of Prisoners 165 medium cavalry,
Especially in aristocratic societies, it can 125 heavy cavalry,
be highly profitable to take a noble foe as a 20 siege engines.
prisoner rather than slay him outright. Many Similarly, 500 raw recruits are approximately equal to 300
such lords would carry a ransom of hun- green troops, 250 average troops, 200 seasoned troops, 165 veter-
dreds, if not thousands, of dollars. an troops, or 125 elite troops.

EXCEPTIONAL POWERS IN BATTLE

Combat in many settings can be affected by exceptional abili- Mages count points invested in
ties, like magic, psionics and superpowers. These powers can be IQ, Magical Aptitude (or Clerical
used directly, such as hurling fireballs at enemy troops, or more Investment, if it grants battle spells),
subtly, such as disabling enemy leaders, scouting enemy forces, or Strong Will and battle-related spells.
bringing a single morale-shaking disaster to the enemy. Supers Psionicists count points invested in
with powerful offensive and defensive capabilities should fight as IQ, Strong Will and battle-related
soldiers, using the Troop Strength section to calculate TS. Those psionic powers and skills. Supers
supers with less battle-oriented skills, along with mages and psis, count points invested in IQ, Strong
should use this section to determine their effect on the battle. Will and battle-related super powers and skills. If the total is less
than 100, the character is not strong enough to affect a mass com-
bat. If the total is 100 or more, use the following table:
Determining Exceptional 100 character points = 1/2 Exceptional Strength point
Power Available 150 character points = 1 Exceptional Strength point
200 character points = 2 Exceptional Strength points
To determine the exceptional power available to each force
commander, an Exceptional Strength (ES) must be calculated for 250 character points = 3 Exceptional Strength points
each character under his command who possesses exceptional 300 character points = 5 Exceptional Strength points
powers. 350 character points = 8 Exceptional Strength points
400 character points = 12 Exceptional Strength points
Computing Exceptional Strength 450 character points = 16 Exceptional Strength points
Compute the Exceptional Strength (ES) for each force by com- 500 character points = 20 Exceptional Strength points
puting the number of ES character points invested by each practi- Add 1 Exceptional Strength point for each additional
tioner in his specialty. 10 character points.

mass combat 123

 Exceptional Strength Modifiers: Healing
Exceptional powers can be used to improve the survival
Mages: chances of injured troops. One Exceptional Strength point can
Mage possesses Powerstone: +1/10 points of Powerstone adjust the result on the Casualty Table down by one line for 100
Mage possesses enchanted item: +1 to +5 (GM’s discretion)
Low mana: ×1/4
TS of troops. This option counters and is countered by “Striking
Against the Foe” below.
Normal mana: 0
Very high mana: ×2
Scouting
Psionicists: Exceptional powers can be used to observe enemy forces, and
Psionicist has assistance of booster drugs or technology: +1 to to thereby reduce the effectiveness of an enemy’s strategy. If the
+5 (GMs discretion) force with the exceptional individual is being run by the player,
successful use of scouting powers will give him some advance
warning of the preparations used by the enemy, and allow him to
Using Exceptional Powers revise his battle plan (GM’s discretion as to how much).
If the force is being run by an NPC, abstract this information to
on the Battlefield a +1 Strategy modifier, costing 3 Exceptional Strength points.
Each player secretly and simultaneously marks the number of More energy can be expended if desired (particularly if the enemy
points expended on each special effect detailed below (including has special defenses), but no more than a +1 modifier can be
defense – see Defending Against Hostile Powers below), after the gained in any case.
Troop Strength of both forces has been calculated, but before they
are revealed or any die rolls are made. Confounding the Enemy
To use a specific effect, a practitioner must have some power or Special powers can also be used to disrupt the enemy’s battle
spell that could produce the desired effect. If none of the mages plan. If the force leader knows the enemy battle plan (through
available has Healing spells, then they cannot perform battlefield diviners, scouting magic or more mundane means), or if he just
Healing effects. The GM determines which effects are possible for wants to guess, he can use the exceptional abilities to create condi-
each side. tions adverse to the enemy’s plan. Such efforts include flooding a
river to be forded, bringing up a dense fog, or even causing an
Catastrophes earthquake in a narrow defile.
Special powers can attempt to force a Catastrophe (see p.117) To do this, the player of the force should describe the effect,
on the opposition by increasing the opponent’s Catastrophe roll. and how it would be produced (what spell or psionic skill would
Each 2 points expended will give the foe a +1 modifier on his be used, etc.). The GM should analyze the effectiveness of the
Catastrophe roll. strategy and assign an appropriate Exceptional Strength cost and
Strategy roll modifier.
Affecting Morale
Exceptional powers can be used to improve the morale of Striking Against the Foe
friendly units, or to reduce the morale of enemy units. In either Rather than providing unique capabilities, many of these pow-
case, one point provides a +1 (or -1) morale modifier for 100 TS ers can simply be hurled against the foe. These special powers can
of troops. Thus, for example, a unit of 20 Green Heavy Infantry be fearsome weapons, and have made the difference between
(Total TS 100; Morale roll of 11+) can have its morale modified defeat and victory in more than one battle of myth or science fic-
by +2, giving them the morale of Average troops (13+), or -2, low- tion. Each Exceptional Strength point can adjust the result on the
ering their morale to that of Raw troops (9+), for an expenditure of Casualty Table up by one line for 100 TS of troops.
2 points.

Defending Against Hostile Powers

Exceptional Strength points can be allocated to defend
against hostile powers.
These points are not allocated to other specific effects;
rather, they are used to block other effects after the alloca-
tions are revealed.
Each point of power allocated to defense blocks 1 point
of the opponent’s offensive power. Exceptional powers
must be blocked in units. It is not possible, for example, to
block only 1 enemy ES point allocated to Catastrophe mod-
ifiers; these must be blocked in units of 2.
Should more points be allocated to defense than the
other side allocated to offensive capability, all of the oppo-
nent’s power is blocked, but the remainder of the defensive
points are wasted.

This ends the “mechanical” portion of mass combat.

Dealing with the outcome in terms of the campaign is left to
the GM and the players. Below are some examples of troop
types and a completely worked out battle using these rules.

124 mass combat

EXAMPLES
Combined with the above rules, descriptions such as the ones in Commoner Footmen (CF): Lightly-armored townsmen or peas-
the examples below provide all the information needed for a par- ants armed with nata, masakari, kama, yari, bo, wakizashi. TS 3.
ticular culture and time period. (If using teppo, TS 6.)
Miners (MN): Mining crew of 10+ miners and a Demolition
Armies of World War I specialist. TS value 2 (in an open battle) or 8 (to the attacker in a
The nations involved in World War I were fairly standardized siege). Miners at TS 8 can comprise no more than 10% (up to
in organization and troop types. The available troop types will be 1,000) or 5% (over 1,000) of the TS of a siege force. Miners over
described in detail. The composition of the armies of the nations this percentage are TS value 2.
involved in World War I is sufficiently similar to be treated as the Cannon (CA): Usual crew is six; usually experienced. TS value
same for the purposes of GURPS Mass Combat. 50. Cannon can comprise no more than 10% of the TS of a field
army, and no more than 50% of the TS of a castle.
Oyumi (OY): A giant crossbow used in castle defense but not
Troop Types by field armies. It has a crew of four, usually experienced. TS
Light Cavalry (LC): Troops riding light horses, with little value 25. Oyumi can comprise no more than 50% of the TS of a
armor, using rifles and sometimes sabers. TS value 10. castle.
Light Infantry (LI): Regular soldiers wearing little or no armor
and using rifles. Most of the armies of the war fall into this
description. TS value 9.
Irregular Infantry (II): Irregular foot soldiers and untrained
fighters employing whatever weaponry is available. Specialists are
included in this troop type. They are often experienced. Villagers
also are irregular infantry, but inexperienced. TS value 2. Add any
ranged weapon bonuses that apply.
Light Armor (LA): A light tank, with crew of 2-3. TS value 15.
Since the tank was experimental during WWI, the TS value is
reduced appropriately.
Fighter Aircraft (FA): A plane with a crew of 1 or 2. TS value
25. Since aircraft were quite new to warfare during this period,
their TS is reduced by half.
Modern Artillery (MA): A large cannon or howitzer, with crew
of four. TS value 100. Artillery can comprise no more than 10% of
the TS of a field army.
Horseclans Troop Types
Aztec Troop Types Based on the works of Robert Adams; see GURPS Horseclans
See GURPS Aztecs for more information on Aztec tactics and for more about this setting.
warfare. Heavy Cavalry (HC): Armored cavalry with trained warhorses,
Shorn Ones: Well-equipped and armored with feathered war heavy lances, and other “shock troop” weapons. Horse archers of
suits. TS: 5. Minimum quality: Veteran. this type normally employ crossbows, but Kindred favor their
Otontin: Well-equipped but almost no armor. TS: 4. Minimum hornbows – add appropriate TS value. TS value 8.
quality: Seasoned Medium Cavalry (MC): Moderately-armored cavalry using
Eagle and Jaguar Knights: Animal-skin armor, helmets, medium warhorses (with light barding), light lances, spears, and
shields, macauitls and atlatls. TS: 4. Minimum quality: Average. other weapons. TS value 6.
Veteran: Cotton armor and shields, macauitls and atlatls. TS: 3. Light Cavalry (LC): Troops mounting light horses, with very
Minimum quality: Average. little armor, javelins, spears, and other light weapons. TS value 4.
Youth: No armor. Shields and macauitls. TS: 2. Minimum qual- Irregular Cavalry (IC): Barbarians or mountaineers without
ity: Green. formal training, on light horses, with a variety of armor and
Militia: No armor. Bows and arrows. TS: 1. Minimum quality: weaponry. TS value 3.
Green. Heavy Infantry (HI): Footmen, in full plate or less, with axes,
Because all males underwent combat training, no troops will greatswords, and other heavy hand weapons. TS value 5.
have a troop quality of Raw. Medium Infantry (MI): Moderately-armored footmen – half-
plate or less – fighting with polearms, swords, and other medium
weapons. TS value 4.
Feudal Japanese Troop Types Pikemen (PI): Lightly-armored – generally leather and light
Japanese weapons and warfare are covered in detail in GURPS metal combinations – and equipped with pikes, poleaxes, and
Japan. oversized dirks. Pikemen are typical in Skohshun forces, and rare
Mounted Samurai (MS): Moderately-armored cavalry using in forces of other nationalities. TS value 3.
longbows, yarinage, and tachi. TS value 7. (If mounted on Light Infantry (LI): Regular footmen and trained spear levies
Western horses instead of Japanese ponies, TS value 8.) wearing little or no armor and fighting with polearms, spears,
Foot Samurai (FS): Moderately-armored footmen armed with javelins, shortswords, and other light skirmish weapons. TS value 3.
naginata, yari, bo, tetsubo, nodachi, katana, yarinage, longbows.
TS value 6. If using teppo (muskets), TS 7.

mass combat 125

 Irregular Infantry (II): Irregular footmen and untrained spear Pikemen are typical in Hyborian and Vendhyan forces but rare in
levies employing any armor and weaponry available. Pioneers, forces of other countries. TS value 3.
engineers (or “dung-beetles”), artificers, and other specialists are Light Infantry (LI): Regular footmen and trained spear levies
included in this troop type. They are likely to be experienced, wearing little or no armor and fighting with polearms, spears,
though. TS value 2. javelins, shortswords and other light skirmish weapons. Most of
Armored Prairiecat (AC): Fully-grown prairiecat with leather the militias and tribal warriors of the Hyborian Age fall into this
or leather/chain armor. TS value 8 description. TS value 3.
Prairiecat (PC): Fully-grown prairiecats, without armor. TS Irregular Infantry (II): Irregular footmen and untrained spear
value 6. levies employing any armor and weaponry available. Pioneers,
War Elephant (WE): A single heavily-armored, battle-trained miners and other specialists are included in this troop type. They
elephant and its feelahks (trainer). Some WE can carry up to four are likely to be experienced. TS value 2.
archers in “baskets” – add the appropriate TS value. If the trainer Miners (MN): Mining crew of 10+ miners and a mining expert.
can mindspeak with the elephant, increase quality two grades – not TS value 2 (in an open battle) or 8 (to the attacker in a siege).
to exceed “Elite.” TS value 100. Miners at TS 8 can comprise no more than 10% (up to 1,000) or
Armored Chariot (CH): An armored war-cart, driver, and bard- 5% (over 1,000) of the TS of a siege force. Miners over this per-
ed horse. An archer can be carried – add the appropriate TS value. centage are TS value 2.
TS value 35. Siege Engine (SE): A large stone or dart-thrower, with crew.
Siege Engine (SE): A large catapult or dart-thrower, with crew TS value 50.
of 4. TS value 50. War Elephants (WE): A trained elephant, its mahout and up to
four archers. War Elephants are used only by Vendhyan and
Hyborian Troop Types Turanian armies. Elephants are never better than Seasoned quality.
TS value 100.
Based on the Conan saga, by Robert E. Howard. Other infor-
mation about the setting can be found in GURPS Conan.
Heavy Cavalry (HC): Armored cavalry with trained warhorses, Imperial Roman Troop Types
heavy lances and other “shock troop” weapons. Hyborian knights See GURPS Imperial Rome for more information.
are considered heavy cavalry. Horse archers of this type normally
employ crossbows – add the appropriate TS value. TS value 8. A Manipular Legion (300B.C.-100 B.C.)
Medium Cavalry (MC): Moderately-armored cavalry using Velites: Lightly-equipped skirmishers. 1,200 men. Average
medium warhorses (with light barding), light lances, spears and quality. Individual TS 4. Total TS 4,800.
other light weapons. The Hyrkanians are the classic example of Hastati: 10 maniples of 120 men each. Average quality.
horse archers of this type. TS value 6. Individual TS 5. TS 600 per maniple. Total TS 6,000.
Light Cavalry (LC): Troops mounting light horses, with very Princeps: 10 maniples of 120 men each. Seasoned quality.
little armor; javelins, spears and other light weapons. The horse Individual TS 6. TS 720 per maniple. Total TS 7,200.
warriors of the kingdom of Kusan in Khitai fall into this category. Triarii: 10 maniples of 60 men each. 5 are Seasoned troops, the
TS value 4. other 5 Veteran units. Individual TS 4.8 or 6. TS 288 or 360 per
Heavy Infantry (HI): Footmen, in full plate or less, with axes, maniple. Total TS 3,240.
greatswords and other heavy hand weapons. The Black Dragons of Cavalry: Light Cavalry in 10 turmae or 30 men each. Seasoned
Aquilonia are one excellent example of this type of force. TS quality. Individual TS 3.6. TS 108 per turma. Total TS 1,080.
value 5. Number of Troops: 4,500.
Medium Infantry (MI): Moderately-armed footmen, in half Total TS: 22,320.
plate or less – fighting with polearms, swords and other medium
weapons. Most Hyborian troops fall into this category. TS value 4. A Cohortal Legion (100 B.C.-100 A.D.)
Pikemen (PI): Lightly-armored – generally leather and light First Cohort: Usually placed on the right flank, this was the
metal combinations, and equipped with pikes, poleaxes or dirks. striking arm of the legion. The First Cohort was usually made up
of Veteran troopers, equipped with chainmail or banded
armor, a large shield, short sword and two javelins. 600 sol-
diers with TS 7. Total TS: 4,200.
Two Seasoned Cohorts: Made of veterans slightly less
well trained, similarly armed. Individual TS: 6. TS: 3,600
each.
Seven Average Cohorts: The bulk of the legion.
Individual TS 5. TS: 3,000 each.
Cavalry: The average legion had only 120 cavalrymen.
They were sometimes divided into two groups to guard
both flanks. They wore chain, scale or banded armor, long
swords and spears, and were of Seasoned quality.
Individual TS 6. TS: 720, or two troops of 360 each.
Auxiliary Slingers: Lightly-armored foreign troops, of
Average to Seasoned quality. Their number varied. This
legion has 1,000 auxiliaries, divided into two 500-man
troops to protect the legion’s flanks. Individual TS 4. TS:
2,000 each.
Number of Troops: 6,120.
Total TS: 37,120.

126 mass combat

Late Imperial Army Heavy Infantry (HI): Footmen, in full plate, with axes, great
Imperial Guard units (palatinae): Cavalry, 500 strong, of swords and other heavy hand weapons. Dismounted knights are
Seasoned quality. Individual TS 8.4. Total TS 4,200. one excellent example of this type of force. TS value 5.
Two Legions (Light Infantry): 1,000 men each: one unit has Medium Infantry (MI): Moderately-armored footmen, in half-
Average quality, the other is Green. Individual TS 3 or 2.4. Total plate or less, fighting with polearms, swords and other medium
TS: 3,000 and 2,400 respectively. weapons. Most military troops fall into this category. TS value 4.
Skirmishers: 500 men. Light Infantry with bows, Average qual- Light Infantry (LI): Regular footmen and trained spear levies
ity. Individual TS 5. Total ST 2,500. wearing little or no armor and fighting with polearms, spears,
Number of Troops: 3,000. javelins, short swords and other light skirmish weapons. Most of
Total TS: 12,100. the militias and tribal warriors of Yrth fall into this description. TS
value 3.
Irregular Infantry (II): Irregular footmen and untrained spear
The Last Roman Armies levies employing any armor and weaponry available. Barbarians,
Cataphracts (HC): 500 men, Average quality. Individual TS 7. pioneers, miners and other specialists are included in this troop
Total TS 3,500. type. They are likely to be experienced. Peasant levies also are
Horse Archers (MC): 500 men, Average quality. Individual TS irregular infantry, but inexperienced. TS value 2.
7. Total TS 3,500. Pikemen (PI): Lightly-armored – generally leather and light
Light Cavalry: Two troops of 500 light lancers each, Average metal combinations – and equipped with pikes or poleaxes, and
quality. Individual TS 3. Total TS 1,500 each. dirks. Pikemen are typical in Megalan Imperial legions, but rare in
Number of Troops: 2,000. forces of other countries. TS value 3.
Total TS: 10,000. Miners (MN): Mining crew of 10+ miners and a Demolition
specialist. TS value 2 (in an open battle) or 8 (to the attacker in a
Viking Troop Types siege). Miners at TS 8 can comprise no more than 10% (for forces
of up to TS 1,000) or 5% (for forces whose TS is over 1,000) of
More information can be found in GURPS Vikings.
Heavy Infantry (HI): Well-armored footmen with sword and the TS of a siege force. Miners over this percentage are TS value
shield, or a heavy polearm. This would be a Norse fyrd, or picked 2.
troops of an European ruler. TS value 5. Small Siege Engine (SE): A small stone or dart-thrower, with
Medium Infantry (MI): Moderately well-armored footmen with crew of two. TS value 25. Siege engines of both sizes can com-
sword or axe and shield. Huscarls, or good European troops. TS prise no more than 10% of the TS of a field army, and no more
value 4. than 50% of the TS of a castle.
Light Cavalry (LC): Troops mounting light horses, with very Large Siege Engine (LE): A large stone or dart-thrower, with
little armor; javelins, spears and other light weapons. The Norse crew of four. TS value 50. Siege engines of both sizes can com-
did not use cavalry as such, but might have faced it occasionally. prise no more than 10% of the TS of a field army, and no more
TS value 4. than 50% of the TS of a castle.
Light Infantry (LI): Light-armored footmen with axe or fighting
spear and shield. Regular Norse carls, or average European troops. Troop Costs
TS value 3. The equipment cost for troops is as
Irregular Infantry (II): Irregular footmen and untrained spear follows, per man:
levies using any armor and weapons available. TS value 2. Heavy Cavalry: $14,000
Rabble (R): Villagers and victims. TS value 1. Medium Cavalry: $9,000
Light Cavalry: $5,000
Yrth Armies Irregular Cavalry: $3,000
Heavy Infantry: $9,000
The example at the end of this chapter is based on fantasy war-
Medium Infantry: $5,000
fare on Yrth (the world of GURPS Fantasy); therefore, the armies
Pikemen: $2,000
of Yrth will be treated in extra detail here. The nations of Yrth
Light Infantry: $1,500
employ a wide variety of military organizations and troop types.
Irregular Infantry: $200
These will be described, followed by a section describing the mili-
Small Siege Engines: $15,000 average – varies widely,
tary particulars for each nation.
includes armor.
Large Siege Engines: $25,000 average – varies widely,
Troop Types includes armor.
Heavy Cavalry (HC): Armored cavalry with trained warhorses, Add $500 per man if the troops are slingers, $1,000 for ordi-
heavy lances and other “shock troop” weapons. Megalan and nary archers, $1,500 for archers with composite bows, longbows
Caithness knights are considered heavy cavalry. Horse archers of or crossbows.
this type normally employ crossbows. TS value 8. The cost to maintain a soldier in the field is $200; to maintain a
Medium Cavalry (MC): Moderately-armored cavalry using knight and horse: $800. Monthly pay is expected to be equal to
medium warhorses (with light barding), light lances, spears and 10% of the equipment cost listed above, regardless of experience.
other light weapons. TS value 6.
Light Cavalry (LC): Troops mounting light horses, with very
little armor; javelins, spears and other light weapons. TS value 4.
Megalos
The backbone of the Megalan military is the Imperial Legion,
Irregular Cavalry (IC): Troops, without formal training, on
organized after the Roman model of ancient armies (see pp. 113-
light horses, with a variety of weapons and armor. Barbarians fit
114). All legions are pure infantry. These are trained professionals
this troop type. TS value 3.
(usually Seasoned or better), divided into heavy, medium and light
legions. Private legions exist, usually controlled by powerful

mass combat 127

nobles, but their morale and training is usually lower (Green to Dwarves: Always Medium or Heavy Infantry (MI and HI) of
Seasoned) than for the imperials. The Imperial Legions are the Seasoned or better quality. Dwarves are also supreme miners, and
most powerful fighting force on Yrth. Dwarvish MN troops have a TS of 10 in a siege, and TS of
The True Dragon Legion is an elite heavy legion composed of Medium or Heavy Infantry in open battle. Use either modern or
reptile men, whose ancestors were slaves, freed to subdue an classical Greek organization. If the Dwarvish mountains are
island. They are fanatically loyal to the empire, and act as the attacked, all adult dwarves, male and female, would fight, fielding
Emperor’s Guard. a powerful force. Racial TS modifier is +1.
Megalan knights are heavy cavalry, often of Elite quality, and Elves: Light Infantry or Cavalry composite or long bowmen (LI
are organized along feudal lines. or LC), usually of Seasoned or better quality. In their home territo-
Megalos deploys small units of mounted scouts and light caval- ry, elves are the consummate guerrilla warriors. Feudal organiza-
ry, no larger than a company in size. tion is used by the elves. Because of their racial Combat Reflexes,
Each legion and many smaller units have powerful contingents Elves cannot be Irregulars. Racial TS modifier is +0.
of magicians, expert in battle magic. Megalan military tactics rely Giants: Usually Medium Infantry (MI) of Average or better
heavily on magic, so they are at a disadvantage in Low and No quality. They can throw rocks like a small siege engine and they
Mana areas. can thus be counted as such. Giants are tribally organized. Racial
TS modifier is +11.
Araterre Gnomes: Gnomes rarely fight outside their forest homes, but if
This country has no armies. If necessary, the inhabitants could attacked, they would be Irregular Infantry (II) of Green to
fight as Irregular Infantry (II) with the fencers being of Elite quali- Seasoned quality. Every adult would be a part of the fighting
ty. force. A Gnome village can deploy a surprising force with little
preparation. Racial TS modifier is 0.
Goblins: Goblins rarely fight open battles. If a village were
Caithness attacked, treat as Irregular Infantry of Green to Seasoned quality.
Caithness is a feudal country, relying upon its knights
Racial TS modifier is -1.
(Seasoned to Elite Heavy Cavalry) for protection, backed up by Hobgoblins: Treat as Irregular Infantry (II) of Green to Veteran
feudal levies of men-at-arms, mostly Light through Heavy Infantry quality. Hobgoblins organize along tribal lines. Racial TS modifier
(LI, MI and HI) with other types possible. Because of the Low is 0.
Mana of the area, Caithness does not use magic in battle. Halflings: Treat as Irregular Infantry (II) with slings and other
missile weapons, of Green to Seasoned quality. Racial TS modifi-
Al-Haz er is -1.
The desert warriors of Al-Haz are nearly all medium and light Kobolds: Treat as Irregular Infantry (II) of Green to Seasoned
cavalry with regular bows. The armies of Al-Haz are feudally quality, but you never know how many are going to come out of
organized. For religious reasons, magic does not play a part in the the woods. Racial TS modifier is -1.
military of Al-Haz. Minotaurs and Ogres do not organize into armies, but would be
considered Irregular Infantry of Average or better quality. They
Al-Wazif both organize along tribal lines. Ogre TS modifier is +7. Minotaur
Al-Wazif maintains a standing army composed of most troop TS modifier is +3.
types and organized similarly to the ancient Persians. The soldiers Orcs: Usually infantry of any type (LI, MI, HI, or II) of Green
are well-trained and are of Average or better quality. Individual to Seasoned quality, though a few small groups of Veteran or Elite
lords have their own feudal armies, as well. Mages are very impor- quality exist. Orcs organize tribally. Racial TS modifier is +1.
tant to the Wazifi military, and stockpiles of magic items are hid- Reptile Men: Usually Medium or Heavy Infantry (MI or HI) of
den around the country in case of war. Seasoned or better quality. Rumors of reptilian riding beasts
(allowing cavalry) have been heard in far western Caithness, but
Cardiel their truth has not been verified. Wild Reptile Men organize along
Cardiel has two legions, one Seasoned Heavy and one Veteran tribal lines; civilized Reptile Men adopt the organization of their
Medium, carryovers from the period of Megalan domination. The host country. Racial TS modifier is +3.
rest of their army consists of knights and feudal levies, similar to Zombies: Light. Medium or Heavy Infantry. Zombies never
Caithness. check morale. TS modifier is +3.
Skeletons: Light, Medium or Heavy Infantry. Skeletons never
check morale. TS modifier is -1.
Sahud Dragons: Hatchling is TS 15, Young is TS 30, Adolescent is
Each Sahudese lord can call upon troops of all types, organized TS 45, Adult is TS 60, and Monstrous is TS 80.
feudally. The thought of fighting these soldiers, though, whose Lycanthropes: Werewolves are TS 5 each. Werebears are TS
rules of war are so strange, would give a Megalan commander 10 each. Wereboars are TS 10 each. Weretigers are TS 15. Were-
nightmares. eagles are TS 7.

The Nomad Lands

The various Nomad tribes field differing types of warriors, but Battle Example: Caliburn the
most are either Irregular Infantry or Cavalry (II or IC), often of
Seasoned to Elite quality. They are organized around tribal clans. Bravo Goes to War
Caliburn, a thug for hire, lives in Bannock on the border of
Megalos. Their hereditary enemy is Al-Wazif, since they have
Non-Human Races been invaded by them (and have returned the favor) many times
Centaurs: Treat as Irregular Cavalry (IC) of Average or better over the centuries. One summer the Wazifi border army marches
quality. Centaurs are tribally organized. Racial TS modifier is +2. in to attack the city. Caliburn and 14 of his fellow thugs, er, body-

128 mass combat

guards decide to volunteer to help fight off the enemy (because In the quick Contest of Strategy, the Wazifi commander rolls a
otherwise the local magistrate will arrest them as unpatriotic 13 (made by 4) and the Megalan commander rolls a 10 (made by
vagrants). They have no military training and have never fought in 7) for a difference of 3 in Megalos’ favor. Since this is an open-
a battle before, so they are Raw Irregular Infantry. The 15 of them field battle, Table A is used, yielding an “inconclusive” result. All
at TS 2 are a unit, counted at half base TS because of their inexpe- units on both sides roll Morale and take casualties, and all PCs
rience: TS 15 in all. make Survival and Glory rolls.
The rest of the Megalan army consists of a few cohorts of the Caliburn has IQ 12 (Tactics defaults to IQ-6) and Shortsword
5th Megalan Heavy Legion (“Warhammer”), a couple of medium skill at 15. His Battle skill is therefore (6+15)/2 = 10.5, rounded
mercenary companies, the city militia (including 120 archers – 600 down to 10. The player chooses a Risk of -2, giving him a Survival
TS) and numerous irregular units like Caliburn’s, for a total TS for roll of 8 and a Glory roll of 12. Then the player rolls a 10 for
the Megalan force of 3,500. Unfortunately, there are no knights or Survival (missing by 2) and an 11 for Glory (making by 1).
other cavalry in the area. The commander of the city militia, a Looking on Column A of the damage Table under TL 3, Caliburn
retired legionnaire, is acting as force commander and is a takes 1d+2-DR (4 points damage), but fights competently. The
Seasoned veteran with a Strategy skill of 14. battle is inconclusive. The thugs’ base Morale is only 6, but it is
The Wazifi army has a variety of troop types, including cavalry +3 because they are defending their home territory against a hered-
and 40 Light Cavalry archers (240 TS), for a total TS of 4,000. itary foe. On a roll of 8, they hold their position. Caliburn has his
The commander of the Wazifi force is of Veteran quality, with a buddy with the First Aid skill treat him, and recovers 2 points.
Strategy skill of 16. The Wazifi unit which lost its commander has an adjusted
Neither side is using special forces, but both sides have mages. morale of 11 (+1 for hereditary foe). They roll a 15, indicating
The Megalan army has a total of 4 ES points and the Wazifi army they withdraw in order. If they had not been fighting a hereditary
has 3. foe, they would have routed.
The mages of Megalos decide to use a point to reduce the Since the Bannock army won the Strategy contest by 3, they
morale of one of the Seasoned Medium Infantry 20-man units (TS look under 3 on the Casualty Table (4d%), while the Wazifi army
96 reduced to TS 86), as well as Striking it. Another point is spent uses the -3 row (4d+20%), yielding base casualty rates of 13% and
on Striking an Elite Heavy Infantry unit (TS 100). The last point is 30% respectively, for unarmored troops. Individual units apply the
spent on Healing for one of the Medium Infantry mercenary pla- armor modification to the casualty rate (down one, two or four
toons (TS 96). lines on the table for Light, Medium, and Heavy units). Those
The Wazifi mages use two points to Strike at one of the merce- units that suffered magical Strikes increase their casualty rates by
nary companies. The GM secretly determines that this company one line on the chart, while those that were magically healed
contains the mercenary platoon protected by Healing. The last reduce the rate by one line. After calculating all the casualties, the
point was used to improve the morale of an Average Medium Bannock army has 3,268 TS and the Wazifi army has 3,351 TS.
Infantry unit (TS 40 increased to 48) by 2. The odds are now better for Bannock.
The Catastrophe roll is next. The Bannock commander rolls an The next day, Caliburn is more cautious and chooses a Risk of
8, indicating an enemy surprise and giving -1 to the Strategy roll. -1, giving him a Survival roll of 9 and a Glory roll of 11. One of
The GM determines that a company of Wazifi Heavy Cavalry was the thugs has been killed. Caliburn’s player rolls 13 for Survival
missed by the Megalan intelligence reports. The commander of the (missing by 4) and 10 for Glory (succeeding by 1). Caliburn is
Al-Wazif army rolls a 17, indicating a unit commander has been wounded twice for a total of 3 hits of damage, and again fights
killed, giving a -2 to the Strategy roll and -3 Morale to his unit. competently. Today Megalos wins a Definite Victory, and the Al-
The GM determines that this is the unit of Light Cavalry archers Wazif army withdraws to its homeland. Another one of the thugs
(TS 240 drops to 168). The final Troop Strength of the Wazifi has been killed; the others are now more experienced at fighting
army is 3,926. and count as Green troops rather than Raw ones, bringing their TS
The other Strategy modifiers are calculated below: up to 80% of base: (13 × 2 × 0.8) gives TS 20. Caliburn and his 12
Relative Troop Strength bonus: No modifiers, since the ratio friends return to their city, full of stories of their glorious deeds,
(3,926/3,500) = 1.12 is less than 1.2. without which the city would never have succeeded in repelling
Defensive Position: No modifiers, since the Bannock army is the devilish invaders.
meeting the Wazifis in an open-field battle.
Special Unit Superiority:
Megalos gets a +2 for archer
superiority (600/168 = 3.6).
Al-Wazif gets a +3 for caval-
ry superiority, since Megalos
FORCE ROSTER
has no cavalry in the field. Troop Troop Troop Morale # Men Basic Leader:
Special Circumstances: Name Type Quality TS HT Strat Tact Battle
Megalos is on is home _______ ______ _____________ _______ ______ ______ ______ _______ ______ ______
ground and gets a +2 bonus. _______ ______ _____________ _______ ______ ______ ______ _______ ______ ______
Battle Plans: After _______ ______ _____________ _______ ______ ______ ______ _______ ______ ______
reviewing the battle plans of _______ ______ _____________ _______ ______ ______ ______ _______ ______ ______
both force commanders, the _______ ______ _____________ _______ ______ ______ ______ _______ ______ ______
GM decides neither battle _______ ______ _____________ _______ ______ ______ ______ _______ ______ ______
plan is substantially better _______ ______ _____________ _______ ______ ______ ______ _______ ______ ______
and gives no bonus. _______ ______ _____________ _______ ______ ______ ______ _______ ______ ______
The total Strategy bonuses _______ ______ _____________ _______ ______ ______ ______ _______ ______ ______
are +1 for Al-Wazif and +3
for Megalos.

mass combat 129

 This chapter covers hazards other than combat – such as acid, collisions, electricity and poisons, as well as hostile
environments, including the extremes of gravity, pressure and temperature. For rules that address the resulting injuries
and recovery, as well as for rules on illness and disease, see Chapter 6.

130 hazards and hostile environments

Acceleration
High-g maneuvers and sudden acceleration or deceleration can impose severe
stresses on living organisms. If this is severe enough, a character may lose con-
sciousness. Anyone subjected to sudden high-g maneuvers must make a G-modi- Arctic Survival
fied HT roll; if it fails, he rolls on the Acceleration Effects Table. Surviving in sub-freezing temperatures
is difficult – even for a seasoned veteran.
First, find the acceleration in g. As a rule of thumb, assign 0.5 g per 10 mph Successful Survival (Arctic) rolls are nec-
added to or subtracted from speed in one second. The higher the felt g-force, the essary to find/thaw fresh water, resist
more difficult the HT roll. Halve the felt g-force for each of the following that freezing effects (p. B130), locate food
applies: wearing a g-suit, seated in a g-seat, seated in a womb tank. Ultra-tech sources (berries, game, plant life) and
build shelter from the elements.
gravity webs and grav compensators reduce the actual experienced g-force, Most cold weather hazards are wors-
depending on TL; apply their effects before modifying for felt g-force! Once the ened if the victim is wet. Cooling by evap-
effective g-force is known (round fractions up), consult the table below: oration and increased heat loss make sur-
vival in such a state nearly impossible (-5
to effective HT rolls to survive).
G-Modified HT roll First aid for cold weather ailments usu-
ally requires warmth. A successful First
Aid or Survival-4 roll will restore hits lost
Up to 2 g No roll necessary due to freezing provided an adequate shel-
3g Roll HT ter and heat source is available. A heat
4g Roll HT-1 source in this sense may include flame,
5g Roll HT-2 electric heat or body warmth. Without
shelter or heat the roll is at -5. If neither is
6g Roll HT-4 present, roll at -10.
7g Roll HT-6 Specific ailments (frostbite, hypother-
8g Roll HT-8 mia, etc.) are not detailed here but the GM
is encouraged to do additional research to
9g Roll HT-10 add realism to an “Arctic Survival” adven-
ture.
. . . and so on, rolling at an additional -2 HT for each extra g.
Modifiers: +5 for the Acceleration Tolerance advantage (10 points), -3 for the Building Shelter
Shelter eliminates the hazards of wind
Acceleration Weakness disadvantage (-5 points) – see pp. CI19, CI79. chill and sunburn. A successful Survival
Each high-g maneuver is a new acceleration – roll again. Note that no repeated (Arctic) roll is required for any of the shel-
roll is required for constant acceleration or deceleration: the horizontal forces are ters listed below. A failure means the time
spent is lost and the shelter is useless.
less extreme. Do not roll again for constant acceleration unless it continues for A trench. A trench is simple and quick
more than an hour – than roll each hour, at 3 g less. to build. Dig a hole big enough to lie down
in and cover it with a tarp or a roof of
intertwined branches. It negates the wind
Acceleration Effects Table chill factor, but does not significantly
When a character fails his roll to deal with a high-g maneuver, look up the increase temperature. See Digging, p. B90
amount the roll failed by on this table: for time.
A snow cave. Tunneling into a packed
snow bank and hollow out an area to rest
1 – stunned 1d turns (“gray-out”). in. One man can build a snow cave large
2 – unconscious 2d turns. enough for three people in 1d-3 hours
3 – unconscious 3d turns. (minimum 1). Without a shovel, he is at -2
to Survival and takes twice as long.
4 – unconscious 4d turns. An ice house. An ice house, or “igloo,”
5 – unconscious 6d turns. is made by stacking blocks of ice or com-
6 – unconscious 10d turns. pacted snow into a small rounded struc-
ture, then coating the outside with loose
snow. An ice house eliminates the wind
On all the results below, the victim is chill factor and internal temperatures can
unconscious for 10d turns and suffers dam- reach 40 degrees from body heat. The
age: warmth inside the ice house welds the
blocks firmly together, enabling it to stand
up to extremely high winds. It is -2 to
7,8 – 1d-3 damage. Survival to build and takes 2d man-hours
9,10 – 1d-2 damage. per person accommodated.
11,12 – 1d-1 damage. Continued on next page . . .
13 – 1d damage.
14 – 1d+1 damage.
15 or more: 1d+2 damage.

hazards and hostile environments 131

 Arctic Survival Extra Damage: Assess additional damage equal to 1d + the g-force if the char-
acter is caught wholly by surprise and thrown to the floor, against the side of a
(Continued) vehicle, etc.

Diet for the Frozen Wastes

Just keeping warm takes a lot of food in
Acid
the great cold. The Eskimo live almost
Acids range from extremely weak (e.g., boric acid), through medium strong
entirely on animal products; they eat mus- (e.g., the acetic acid found in vinegar, or the citric acid found in lemon juice), to
cle meat, organ meat and fat; they melt fat extremely strong (e.g., hydrochloric, perchloric, nitric and sulphuric acids). Most
and drink it hot. Most of the food goes to laboratory acids are dangerous only to the eyes. However, very strong or super-con-
maintain body temperature.
In arctic conditions, lose two points of centrated acids can burn through locks, body armor and flesh. Caustic chemicals
fatigue instead of one for each missed meal also make useful poisons, which burn out a victim’s gastrointestinal tract. For game
(see sidebar, p. B128). purposes, strong alkalis are treated identically to acids.
When a strong acid is simply splashed on a victim, it inflicts 1d-3 points of
Dog Teams
Dog teams are the only reliable arctic damage; armor protects normally. If immersed in acid, a being takes 1d-1 damage
transportation in the before TL7. Handling per turn, armor protecting with its full DR on the first turn, DR-1 on the second
a dog team is at Teamster-2 and familiar- turn, DR-2 on the third and so on. If acid splashes a victim’s face, he must make a
ization for dog driving takes two weeks.
HT roll to avoid being blinded. On a failure, the acid burns the eyes; if more than 2
points are inflicted, the victim is blinded (use the crippling injuries rule on p. B129
Bends to see if the damage is permanent)! On a critical failure, permanent blindness is cer-
A character must gradually decompress tain.
when going from a higher-pressure envi-
ronment to a lower-pressure one, or he
Acid also eats through vulnerable materials. Modern body armor loses 1d
may suffer “bends,” as small bubbles of points of DR and one point of PD per acid attack. Other items suffer pitting and
nitrogen gas form in the bloodstream. This corrosion. When used against a lock’s pins or other small, vulnerable items, acid
most commonly occurs when ascending requires 3d minutes to eat through the item.
too quickly from a deep tunnel, when sur-
facing too rapidly from a dive, or when a Several caustic poisons are suitable for use in food. These substances are no
pressurized aircraft or spacecraft suffers a harder to disguise than any other poison. Anyone who swallows caustic material
hull breach at high altitudes. takes 3d damage, at a rate of 1 point every 15 minutes. An attempt to cause vomit-
Whenever one of these conditions
occurs, a character must roll versus HT: ing may merely cause more damage to the esophagus, increasing damage by 1d
Critical success means no ill effects points. Therefore, any failure on a Poisons roll for diagnosing the problem may
whatsoever occur. prove disastrous. Proper treatment consists of feeding the victim a slightly alkaline
Success means that the character suf-
fers from severe pains; he will be at -2 to
solution to absorb the toxin. Egg white, milk, and soapy solutions are all useful
DX and IQ for at least an hour, and must antidotes. In game terms, a successful Poisons or Physician roll can halt the
roll vs. HT each hour to recover, but there progress of the caustic. Each attempt at treatment requires 2d minutes.
will be no lasting effects. A vial of hydrochloric, hydrofluoric or sulfuric acid powerful enough to pro-
Failure indicates that the character is
completely incapacitated: he faints or is duce the effects above costs $10 at TL7.
paralyzed for at least an hour, and must
roll vs. HT each hour to revive. Each failed
HT roll inflicts 1d damage. Once con- Altitude
scious, the victim is at -2 DX and IQ for at Extremely high altitude, as encountered in the mountains of China, Tibet, and
least another hour. A HT roll is required South America, is hard on the human body.
each hour to recover; any failure costs the
victim 1 point of DX permanently (a con- On Earth, an unprotected human will have trouble breathing at above 10,000
dition called “divers’ palsy”). Only 1 point feet, and will also suffer from cold. Unless a character has an oxygen mask, double
of DX will be lost per episode, regardless fatigue costs for any exertion between 10,000 and 15,000 feet.
of the number of failures.
Critical failure indicates sudden death! Above 15,000 feet, an oxygen mask (or life support) is required, and the rules
for freezing (p. B130) apply. Five minutes of any exertion costs 1 fatigue; quadru-
ple fatigue for strenuous work.

132 hazards and hostile environments

 High-altitude natives are acclimatized; they have no extra fatigue cost. On
alien worlds, multiply these altitudes by the air pressure in Earth atmospheres at
sea level.
Effects of Varying Gravity:
Gunfire
Altitude Sickness Bullet ranges are affected by gravity.
Divide listed Max range by local gravity to
Altitude sickness can be a serious problem above 10,000 feet. get local Max. Other ranges are not affect-
Altitude sickness is a group of related physical problems brought on by a rapid ed by gravity, though 1/2D will be very
rise in elevation and heavy exertion. The GM should roll 3d (in secret) once per slightly less if air pressure is high.
game session for everyone adventuring above 10,000 feet. Required ST to handle a weapon with-
out recoil effects increases by 1 for each
Modifiers: Add encumbrance level to the roll. Anyone who has previously suf- loss of 0.2 G, as the user’s weight goes
fered from altitude sickness rolls at +1. People who spend a long time at high alti- down. It does not change in increased
tudes, descend to sea level for a few weeks and then return roll at +3. HT and gravity.
Ordinary guns recoil very badly in
Immunity to Disease make no difference. microgravity; Min ST is increased by 5,
and vented gases give the user an addition-
14 or less – No effect. al -1 to hit for each shot already fired, until
the user moves away or waits a minute.
15, 16 – Acute mountain sickness. Guns designed to be used in microgravity
17 – Pulmonary edema. or zero-G are sometimes available; they
18 – Cerebral edema. vent their gases to the side, which also sta-
bilizes them. Prices are usually tripled.
Acute Mountain Sickness. In its mildest form, symptoms include headaches,
exhaustion and shortness of breath, loss of appetite, nausea and severe vomiting. A
victim temporarily lose 2 points of fatigue and 1 point of DX. Roll against HT
once per day to recover from the condition; a critical failure leads to Cerebral
Edema (see below).
Pulmonary Edema. Symptoms are coughing, shortness of breath and bubbling
noises in the lungs. As the condition worsens, the victim will begin to cough up a
pinkish foam, then fall into a stupor followed by death. A victim has -3 fatigue and
-3 to DX. He loses 1d-2 hits per day (minimum of 1), lapsing into a coma when hit
points are 0 and dying after 1d days in coma. Taken to a lower level, he may begin
making HT-4 rolls to recover. For each 1,000 foot drop in altitude, add +1 to the
roll. On a successful roll he recovers in 15-HT days.
Cerebral Edema. This is caused by fluids in the brain. Symptoms include vio-
lent headaches (-4 to IQ and DX), weakness (lose 5 points of fatigue), staggering,
dizziness, hallucinations and babbling. The victim loses 1d+1 hit points per day,
lapsing into a coma when his HT reaches zero. Death follows in 5d hours.
Recovery is as from pulmonary edema (above).

Arctic/Cold Weather Hazards

Wind Chill Factors
Wind lowers the effective temperature for those exposed. The following chart
can be used in conjunction with the Freezing rules on p. B130. The intersection of
wind speed and thermometer reading is the effective temperature; being wet lowers
the effective temperature by 20°.

Wind Speed Thermometer Reading (°F)

(mph) 30° 20° 10° 0° -10° -20° -30° -40°
0 30° 20° 10° 0° -10° -20° -30° -40°
5 27° 16° 6° -5° -15° -26° -36° -46°
10 16° 4° -9° -21° -33° -46° -58° -70°
15 9° -5° -18° -36° -45° -58° -72° -85°
20 4° -10° -24° -39° -53° -67° -82° -97°
25 0° -15° -25° -44° -59° -74° -88° -103°
30 -2° -18° -33° -48° -63° -79° -94° -110°
35 -4° -20° -35° -49° -67° -82° -98° -115°
40 -6° -21° -37° -53° -69° -85° -100° -116°

hazards and hostile environments 133

 Whiteouts
Whiteouts occur when the ground is covered with snow and the sky is a low,
white overcast. The horizon disappears as the sky and ground merge into a blanket
of white causing all sense of depth perception to disappear. Travel in a whiteout is
possible at 3/4 normal speed (modified according to terrain). Combat is also possi-
ble, but missile weapons are at -3.

Sunburn
Sunburn is the most likely Arctic hazard. The long daylight and the reflectivity
of ice and snow crystals combine to burn face, hands, lips, eyelids – even the roof
of the mouth and inside the nose! Unprotected flesh (sunglasses, cream, masks,
etc., protect) takes 1d-1 damage per day.

Snow Blindness
Traveling through a sunlit snow field, a whiteout or other bright condition can
lead to a temporary (but painful) affliction called snow blindness. This is a sunburn
of the eyes; they swell shut and exposure to light becomes extremely painful.
Anyone without eye protection (such as sunglasses) will go snow blind after
3d+3 hours in such conditions. He will be blind and at -2 HT due to pain until the
swelling goes down and the eyes heal (roll against HT each day after the second
day). First aid for snow blindness is cold packs and total darkness. Pain relievers
such as codeine or morphine will negate the -2 HT.

Thin Ice
Anyone suddenly immersed in water must make a HT roll. A failure reduces
DX and DX-based skills by -3 because of shock to the system from the sub-freez-
ing temperature. Relative strengths of ice are given on p. B188.

Crevasses
Crevasses (cracks) form when large sections of frozen snow and ice move too
Effects of Varying Gravity: rapidly for the surrounding ice to keep up. These crevasses may be hundreds of feet
deep and a few feet to many yards across.
Climbing Snow blowing across the gap can bury the crevasse. A successful Arctic
When climbing long distances up or Survival-2 or Vision-5 roll will spot this hazard.
down stairs, ladders, trees, and so on, use
the Climbing rules on p. B89, but modify
speeds as follows for variable gravity: Frostbite and Exposure
In Arctic climate, the air temperature is almost always below freezing and wind
High Gravity chill factors can be unbelievably savage. The air can be cold enough to freeze a
If gravity is more than 1 G, multiply the
time required under Earth gravity by twice man’s lungs as he breathes, and frostbite will quickly attack any exposed area.
the local gravity, minus 1. In 1.2 G, a Anyone exposed to the savage elements in Arctic latitudes must make a HT (or
climb takes 1.4 times as long, so a 10-sec- Arctic Survival) roll every 30 minutes. In severe weather, this might be increased to
ond (Earth) climb takes 14 seconds.
every 20 or 15 minutes. A failed roll costs a point of fatigue; when ST reaches 3,
Low Gravity start losing HT instead.
At less than 1 G, multiply the time that For the purposes of this roll, HT is modified by the following factors:
would be required under Earth gravity by
the local gravity. In 0.5 gravity, climbs
take half as long, and so on. Each 10° below 0°F (including wind chill) . . . . .-1
Light clothing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-5
Microgravity and Zero G Wet clothing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-5
At less than 0.2 G, climbing is more Normal winter clothing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .+/-0
like controlled flying. Use the formula
given above, but maximum speed is 5 Arctic (e.g., Lapp, Inuit) clothing . . . . . . . . . . . .+5
yards per second (you are just grabbing a
handhold occasionally to guide yourself). Wind chill is discounted if shelter is available from
Long climbs use the same speeds as short
ones.
the wind.

134 hazards and hostile environments

Icy Waters Effects of Varying Gravity:
Death in icy waters is by thermal shock rather than freezing; the main differ-
ence is that shock is a lot quicker. In water that is well below freezing and only Falling
kept liquid by its salt content, a strong man might live for four minutes; if he can To compute damage due to falling
under gravity other than Earth-normal, fig-
be pulled out in that time, given dry clothing and a hot drink, he might avoid death ure the damage that would have occurred
by hypothermia. Maybe. under Earth gravity, as per p. B114. Then
For each minute a victim spends in the water, he must make a HT roll: the roll multiply it by the actual gravity. Thus, a
fall that is computed to do 12 points of
is not modified by clothing, as the icy water gets in everywhere. If the roll is made, damage (before armor, etc., is taken into
he loses 1 point of fatigue; if the roll is failed, he loses a number of points equal to account) would do 24 points of damage
the amount by which the roll was failed. When ST reaches 3, start losing HT under 2 gravities.
instead. Use a similar procedure for determining
damage done by falling objects.
While rolling for thermal shock, don’t forget to check for drowning as well. Those interested in absolute realism
The two make a deadly combination. should be aware that “terminal velocity” –
the maximum speed an object can fall
before air resistance stops further accelera-
Collisions tion – is increased in high-G and decreased
in low-G. More importantly, terminal
When one moving object hits another, this is a collision. These rules assume velocity is lower in thick atmosphere,
vehicles or pedestrians, but can be used when any massive objects collide at speed. higher in thin atmosphere, and unlimited in
A vehicle in a collision normally inflicts dice of damage equal to (its hit points vacuum! So the “effective maximum fall”
× collision speed in mph)/200, rounded up to the nearest full die. If this is too high (200 yards for most objects; 50 yards for
people, who have high air resistance) may
a number to roll, the GM can convert it into a more reasonable die spread before
rolling e.g., 480 dice could be 6d × 80. The dice of damage it takes is usually based
vary widely. A general formula: terminal
velocity is multiplied by 0.25 in Very
on what the other vehicle inflicts. Dense atmosphere, 0.5 in Dense, 1.5 in
Thin, 2 in Very Thin. It is unlimited in
See GURPS Vehicles for detailed rules covering what happens to a vehicle Trace or No atmosphere.
after a collision. As a rule of thumb, assume that the operator must make a control
roll (against Driving, Piloting, etc.) to avoid a crash.
If a pedestrian, animal, robot, etc. is struck, it inflicts damage like a vehicle
Effects of Varying Gravity:
based on its hit points (usually equal to HT, for a person) and its current speed. Throwing
Impacting with a person can damage a vehicle: if an average person (HT 10) is hit Multiply the object’s Earth weight by
at 50 mph, he will inflict 10 × 50 / 200=2.5, rounded to 3d damage! Similarly, an the local gravitational field to get its local
weight, and use this to calculate throwing
airplane striking a bird (1 hit point) at 1,000 mph can be in serious trouble, taking distance (see p. CI10). Whatever you
5d damage! throw, remember the “equal and opposite
All collision damage is crushing. reaction” on the thrower.
Under any gravity, the distance you can
Overruns: If the striking object in has a Size Modifier (see p. B201) that is 3 or throw an object straight up is exactly half
more greater than that of the other object (like a car hitting a human), and inflicted the distance you can throw it horizontally.
twice the damage it suffered, it runs right over the other object! The object per-
forming the overrun does additional damage to the object it is overrunning as if
trampling (see p. B142), except that vehicles add a further die of damage for each
additional ton of weight over 5 tons!
Collisions with Large Objects: If a moving object hits a stationary object that
is too big to push aside – like a wall, rock or iceberg – it inflicts its normal collision
damage on it but it takes the same damage, up to a maximum of the damage it
inflicted or the sum of the structure’s HP and DR, whichever is less.
Immovable Objects: If a moving object hits the ground, a hill or the like, it
simply takes (its own HP × collision speed in mph)/200 dice of damage. Reduce
damage by -2 per die for collisions with water or -1 per die for collision with snow,
soft mud, etc.
DR and Collisions: DR will always protect an inanimate object from collision
damage, but the crew may get mashed up – see below. Body armor DR has no
effect on collision damage.
Whiplash and Concussion: Any violent impact may jerk the crew and passen-
gers around inside a vehicle, toss them through windscreens, or (at high velocities)
result in broken necks even if they are securely strapped in. Assume that any colli-
sion in which the vehicle is brought to a halt or slowed by 20 mph or more does

hazards and hostile environments 135

 1d-2 damage per 20 mph. This damage is not absorbed by armor, but the
Toughness advantage does protect. Double damage if not wearing safety belts!

Different Atmospheres
Atmosphere Types
The different types of atmosphere are described on p. S109. Here, we’ll con-
cern ourselves with their effects on human adventurers. Note that the details of a
poisonous atmosphere usually don’t matter to people without breathing gear. They
die. Only in case of a very minor suit leak or malfunction will exposure to a really
poisonous atmosphere be survivable.
Hydrogen: Non-poisonous, but quickly diffuses through plastic or rubber, and
is very explosive in the presence of oxygen. Definitely a hazard for careless space-
dogs.
Oxygen-Nitrogen: This is the only atmosphere breathable by humans. Even if
the gas mixture is right, pressure differences (see below) may make it less than
Seasickness ideal. But if the atmosphere happens to be superrich in oxygen, IQ and ST may be
Everybody aboard a ship must roll vs. slightly increased – or, at least, penalties caused by gravity may be ignored.
HT during their first day at sea. A success- Polluted: This is an oxy-nitro atmosphere with contaminants. The effect of the
ful roll means that the character is not sea-
sick and does not need to roll again this contaminants may range from merely irritating (wear filter masks or take 1 point of
voyage. A failed roll indicates the person damage each day) to deadly (treat as poison gas of GM’s choice). Note that not all
becomes seasick – nauseated by the rolling types of pollution are immediately obvious to the explorer. If pollution is not
sensation of a ship at sea. Modifiers to the
roll include type of vessel (a large vessel, detected with sensors, a Physician or (if a library is available) Research roll may be
or one with roll stabilizers, gives +3), attempted once ill effects are noticed, to determine the problem and suggest a solu-
weather (up to -5 in very rough weather) tion. If the first roll fails, repeated attempts can be made daily, at a cumulative -1
and marine experience (add 1/3 of the
character’s Seamanship skill to the HT
per attempt. Some forms of contamination are subtle indeed, and there will be
roll). severe penalties to the rolls; these worlds can be death traps. Metal dust, microbes,
A seasick character is generally ill and allergens, complex biological poisons released in trace amounts by plants . . . scien-
has -2 to DX and IQ (-5 on a critical fail- tifically-minded GMs may come up with a wide variety of atmospheric hazards.
ure, and the character has vomited). He
gets one roll each 24 hours to recover. A Carbon Oxides: Carbon dioxide is unbreathable, and poisonous in large con-
critical failure makes it worse, -5 to future centrations. A 15% concentration requires a HT roll every minute to stay con-
rolls. Another is required should the ship scious; the roll is at -1 for every added percent of carbon dioxide. At 25%, roll vs.
enter heavy seas.
Some people are especially prone to HT hourly, and lose 1 HT for each failed roll.
seasickness. They have the Motion Carbon monoxide may also be present; it is deadly. Its symptoms are headache
Sickness disadvantage (see p. CI82), and and dizziness in tiny amounts, unconsciousness and death at higher ones. At con-
are sick for the whole time at sea; they do
not get a roll to recover. All rolls are at -2,
centrations over 1%, roll hourly vs. HT; each failed roll costs 1 IQ, HT, and DX. At
even if the initial HT roll was a success. concentrations over 2%, roll every ten minutes, at half the time interval and -2 for
each % over 2%. If a victim is removed from the monoxide, he’ll recover. If not, he
Space Sickness will die with a cherry-red face.
Nitrogen: Unbreathable but otherwise inert and harmless, except at very high
Anyone entering free fall must roll vs.
Free Fall+2. A failed roll means they pressures, when it causes nitrogen narcosis. The effect is that of happy drunken-
become space sick – disoriented and nau- ness: roll vs. IQ every 30 seconds to avoid. The sufferer will not realize he has
seated by the constant falling sensation. A become irrational, but any observer can easily tell!
space sick character feels generally ill and
has a -2 to all rolls (-5 on a critical failure, Reducing Atmosphere: Harmless but unbreathable. Includes hydrogen (see
plus choking as per drowning, p. B45). He above) and methane, which can be recognized by a sweetish, oily odor.
gets one roll (HT or Free Fall, whichever is Ammonia: Corrosive and poisonous, but easily detected by its choking odor.
better) each 24 hours to recover. A critical
failure on this roll makes the sickness
Exposure to ammonia requires a HT roll; a failed roll costs one hit point. Roll every
worse, as described above. minute for small concentrations, more often for large ones. Each failed roll also
Some people are especially prone to reduces the victim’s Vision roll by 1, as his eyes burn and water. After 2 hits are
this disorder. This is the Space Sickness lost, convulsive coughing begins (-3 to DX until clean air is reached). Severe expo-
disadvantage, p. CI84. A naturally space
sick person is space sick all the time he is sure requires the survivors to roll HT-2 or be blinded.
in free fall; he doesn’t roll to recover. All Chlorine: Corrosive and deadly poisonous. Also easily recognized by odor. A
his rolls are at the -2 level even if the ini- few breaths of 1% chlorine will kill. Even 0.005% is dangerous: roll as for ammo-
tial HT roll was a success. He chokes and
has the -5 to all rolls on any failure of the nia, but all rolls are at HT-2, and the blinding roll is against HT-4. Another roll vs.
initial HT roll. HT-4 is required to avoid lung damage (1d of permanent HT loss!).

136 hazards and hostile environments

 Poison
Many of these poisons can be encoun-
tered in nature, but adventurers will more
commonly encounter them in the hands of
enemy warriors and assassins!
There are many ways of making sure
the poison reaches the target. Poisoned
weapons are common, especially ranged
ones like arrows and darts; a single hit, or
three blocked or parried attacks, will wipe
the poison off a weapon (see p. B132).
Digestive poisons can be put in food and
drink (this may require a couple of Sleight
of Hand rolls). There are many other more
Fluorine: As for chlorine, but worse; all rolls are at another -2. exotic methods to poison people: poison
High-Oxygen: Oxygen in concentrations higher than Earth-normal is corro- gas, “contact poison” (in solvents such as
sive. An oxygen leak will make its victims feel bouncy and aggressive. At this DMSO), poison poured into the mouth of a
sleeping victim, time-release toxins or
level there is no danger except overconfidence (all IQ rolls at -1). When eyes and even a ring with a sharp point hidden
nose start to burn, the level is becoming dangerous. Roll as for ammonia, but at +2 underneath.
to all rolls, and with no chance of blinding. However, too much oxygen also greatly Note: Medical drugs, addictive drugs
and alcohol are all covered in Chapter 6.
increases fire hazards.
Nitrides: Corrosive compounds with a distinctive odor. Treat as for ammonia. Aconite
Sulfur Compounds: Compounds with strong odors. Usually a sulfur leak will This plant poison affects the nervous
be noticed long before it is dangerous. Otherwise, treat hydrogen sulfide as ammo- system, HT-5 hours after ingesting it. The
victim first feels a tingling sensation on his
nia (but flammable), sulfur trioxide as chlorine, sulfur dioxide as ammonia. skin, tongue and throat, followed by loss of
muscle coordination (reduce DX by 2d)
Pressure Differences and difficulty in breathing. The subject
must make a HT+1 roll. A successful roll
Different levels of atmospheric pressure are described on p. S109. results in no damage, with DX loss recov-
Atmospheric pressure has the following effects: ered at the rate of 1 point per hour. On a
Very Thin or Trace atmospheres might as well be vacuum. Humans can’t failure he takes 2d damage, and on a criti-
breathe them, even if oxygen is present. cal failure he dies.
This is a digestive poison; see
Thin atmospheres provide less oxygen. Those breathing it will move slower Wolfsbane for the effects of aconite as a
and fatigue more quickly; increase all fatigue penalties by 1. If a respirator is worn, blade venom.
this penalty does not apply. Vision rolls are at -1 (or more) unless the eyes are pro-
tected from evaporation and supplied oxygen by goggles. Arsenic
This is actually arsenious oxide, a com-
Dense atmospheres can be breathed with some discomfort (-1 to all HT rolls). pound of arsenic. This poison is tasteless
Or a reducing respirator may be worn. and colorless (-6 to Poisons rolls to spot it
Very dense atmospheres require a reducing respirator to breathe. in food). If a large dose is ingested, the
victim will feel burning pain in his mouth
Superdense: Any superdense atmosphere, regardless of composition, requires and throat, as well as abdominal pain, nau-
armored suits. If some of the constituents are poisonous, this presents a separate sea and vomiting (if a HT-4 roll is not
problem. made, the victim takes 1d damage and is at
-4 ST and DX; on a successful roll, he
takes no damage but is still at -2 ST and
Corrosive Atmospheres and Equipment Leaks DX due to nausea). On a critical failure,
Corrosive atmospheres will eventually eat through even the best protection, the victim dies in HT-8 hours.
It is possible to develop an immunity to
leaving adventurers exposed to deadly gases. arsenic by ingesting small doses. Every
The degree of corrosiveness governs the intervals at which the GM checks a week after small non-lethal doses are taken
suit or vehicle for failure. In a mildly corrosive atmosphere (high-oxygen, nitrides daily, roll against HT. A successful roll
or ammonia, for instance), this may occur once per week. In an extremely corro- confers a +1 HT against the effects of the
poison (maximum bonus is +6); on a fail-
sive one (such as fluorine), you might check every hour. The presence of liquid ure the poison has no effect. A critical fail-
water makes corrosive atmospheres even more dangerous, since acids can form. ure reduces ST, HT and DX by 1; roll
At each interval, roll 3 dice for each suit or vehicle exposed. Subtract 2 for a against HT for each stat once each follow-
ing week to recover them.
vehicle with heavy compartmentalization, or 4 for total compartmentalization. This is a digestive poison. As a rule of
Unless armor has been penetrated, a high DR will reduce the chance of a suit or thumb, assume that the effects take at least
vehicle leaking as follows: DR 30-99 gives a -1, DR 100-299 give a -2, DR 300- 1 hour to appear.
999 gives a -3, DR 1,000 or more gives a -4; if it has more than one value, use the Continued on next page . . .
lowest DR. Other modifiers can be added. For instance, vehicles in bad repair are

hazards and hostile environments 137

 Poison much more likely to leak. An immediate check is also required whenever a vehicle
is damaged or badly shaken up. In the case of damage that penetrates DR, roll at
(Continued) +6.
A modified result of 14-16 means a slow leak, a 17 is a fast leak and an 18
Belladonna Alkaloid
These chemicals, notably atropine, indicates explosive blowout. Specific results of each leak depend on the type of gas
have assorted medical uses. In fact, (see above). Even a trace of fluorine, for instance, will send its victims to the hospi-
atropine sulfate serves as an antidote for tal in minutes. Assume that mild corrosives will cause 1d damage per minute until
nerve agents. However, when swallowed
in larger doses, belladonna alkaloids can the vehicle is patched, and won’t do controls or interior fittings any good, either.
prove lethal. Within minutes, the victim Severe corrosives, like chlorine or fluorine, will cause burning and poisoning – at
suffers fever, confusion and the inability to least 3d damage every minute until patched – and will definitely damage electron-
sweat. Even if the victim manages to avoid
death, belladonna alkaloids often cause
ics and fittings. Hydrogen has no effect on its own, but once it combines with oxy-
permanent kidney damage. gen, any spark will result in a fireball!
Anyone who ingests atropine suffers 1d In a superdense atmosphere, any uncorrected leak will blow out at the next
points damage immediately. The victim check interval. Otherwise, just add 3 to the roll for a slow leak, or 6 for a fast one.
suffers another 1d points damage every 15
minutes thereafter, until the poison is If the outside pressure is Earth-normal or less, vehicle cabin pressure can be
removed from his system. In addition, vic- kept above outside pressure, so outside air can’t leak in. But this is impossible with
tims lose 4 points of DX and 2 points of IQ denser atmospheres!
for as long as the poison remains active.
To halt the progress of the atropine, Some leaks can be detected by eye or nose, some can be detected by vehicle
victims must clear their stomachs. Anyone leak-detection gear or pressure sensors, and some just come as a fatal surprise to
attempting to vomit may attempt a HT roll the occupants.
at -2 every 15 minutes. Every unsuccessful
try increases this penalty by another -1. A
Patching a vacc suit leak requires 3 seconds and a Vacc Suit roll (all vacc suits
properly-equipped doctor may halt the have an exterior patch kit, easy to reach). If the first attempt fails, repeated attempts
progress of atropine using a Physician roll, are at a cumulative -1 each time.
with no penalties. Treatment involves Patching a vehicle leak requires a minute, mechanic’s tools, and a Mechanic
pumping the stomach and administering
sedatives to prevent damage to the central roll, at -4 for a blowout. TL13+ living metal bodies will automatically seal a leak
nervous system. within a few seconds of it occurring, so only a blowout is dangerous.
After recovery, an atropine victim must
make an HT roll or permanently lose one
point of HT. An attending doctor may
assist by making a Physician roll, which
Electricity
gives the victim a +2 bonus. Uninsulated characters who are exposed to electricity may receive a shock. The
A dose of atropine costs $20 at TL7. effects of this are highly variable, and can range from a momentary shock that stuns
Continued on next page . . . the victim to instant death! Where the exact type or amount of electrical damage
isn’t specified, the GM should determine the effects based on the source of the
shock, the length of contact and how well grounded the victim is, using the guide-
lines in this section.
All electrical damage falls into one of two basic classes, nonlethal or lethal.

Nonlethal Electrical Damage

This is typical of the damage caused by specially-designed nonlethal stun
weapons, real-life electric fences and more mundane things such as static shocks on
a cool, dry day. These are generally high-voltage, low-power shocks, and are
unlikely to kill, but can stun the victim or even render him unconscious.
When a character receives such a jolt, the GM should require an immediate HT
roll, modified by the strength of the jolt: +2 for a short circuit in a hand-held gad-
get, no modifier for a stun weapon that delivers a momentary shock, and -3 or -4
for a specially-designed stun weapon that delivers a continuous current (like a
Taser or stun wand).
Other Modifiers: High Pain Threshold gives +3; Low Pain Threshold gives -4.
Nonmetallic armor gives a +1 per 10 DR for most shocks, or +1 per 5 DR if the
shock is caused by a weapon (e.g., a Stingray gyroc or Taser dart) whose effective-
ness depends on penetrating armor.
Failure indicates that the victim is physically stunned (see p. B127) for as long
as the current is applied and for (20-HT) seconds (minimum 1) after that, where-
upon regular recovery rolls are permitted each turn. Critical failure indicates the
victim’s heart has stopped – see Instant Death, below.

138 hazards and hostile environments

 In addition, stun weapons will inflict fatigue damage. This is typically 1d if the
HT roll is failed, but particularly powerful stun weapons may inflict up to 3d on a
Poison
failed HT roll, and 1d even if the HT roll is made. Anyone reduced to 0 fatigue in (Continued)
this manner falls unconscious but takes no further damage (although they will
remain unconscious until the current is shut off).
Botulin
This toxin causes the most lethal form
of food poisoning. Therefore, botulism
Lethal Electrical Damage poisoning could be construed as acciden-
tal. Botulism takes effect in 2d hours and
Lethal shocks are generally caused by power mains, lightning, cinematic elec- causes 4d damage. Victims may roll vs.
tric fences and ultra-tech beam weapons. This kind of shock cooks flesh and HT for half damage. A proper antidote can
inflicts real damage; it may even stop the victim’s heart! halve the damage again. Doses of the anti-
dote cost $10. A dose of botulin costs $200
Lethal electrical damage is treated as normal damage, with the following spe- at TL7.
cial rules: metallic armor protects against electrical damage with PD 0, DR 1; other
armor protects normally. If a character is grounded and wearing metallic armor, Cantharides Beetle
then lightning and electrical beam weapons will actually be attracted to him, giv- These insects can be crushed and used
to poison food or weapons. An hour after
ing a +2 to the attack roll or the chance of being hit. being poisoned, the victim suffers 2d dam-
If the victim suffers lethal electrical damage (even 1 hit point), he must roll vs. age, and loses 4 points of DX to nausea. A
HT minus half the electrical damage that penetrated DR (round up) or be physical- successful HT roll prevents any effect.
ly stunned for as long as the current is applied and for (20-HT) minutes (minimum
1) after that. He will also be at -2 DX for another 20-HT minutes when he recov- Chloral Hydrate
Knockout drops, or Mickey Finns,
ers. DR does not affect this roll (since armor has already been penetrated), but work much more efficiently in fiction than
High or Low Pain Threshold still give +3 and -4 respectively. in fact. Nevertheless, drugs such as chloral
Instant Death: Electrical damage can also kill suddenly, without actually hydrate can render a victim unconscious
when administered in food. Note that these
reducing a character to -HT. A character who takes any lethal electrical damage chemicals have a strong flavor, and a
must roll versus HT a second time, with a penalty equal to half the damage inflict- Cooking roll is required to disguise them
ed (round up), or his heart will stop. He immediately goes to 0 HT if still at posi- in any but the most pungent foods and
drinks.
tive HT. He passes out and will die in HT/3 minutes (regardless of wounds) unless Knockout drops require half an hour to
he receives CPR, which requires a First Aid-4 or Physician roll, and can only be take effect. At this point, the victim should
performed by a character trained at TL7+. attempt a HT roll with a -3 penalty. If the
roll fails, the victim suffers immediate
Localized Injury: Highly-localized attacks that don’t affect the target’s entire weakness and disorientation causing a -5
body – such as cattle prods and most magical electricity attacks – cause pain and on all skill or attribute rolls. The drug takes
burns, but are unlikely to cause long-term stunning or stop the heart. In this case, its complete effect 4d minutes later. At that
the victim simply rolls vs. HT+2 (modified by High/Low Pain Threshold, as point, the victim falls unconscious.
Once knocked out by a Mickey, a vic-
above). On a failure, he is physically stunned for 1 turn and may roll vs. HT to tim may attempt a HT roll each hour to
recover on each turn thereafter. If the attack hits an arm or hand, a Will roll is also recover. The penalties remain in effect.
required to avoid dropping anything carried in that hand. Damage may also be Every hour, the victim may attempt yet
another HT roll, with every success dimin-
inflicted, and will bypass metallic armor (see above), but there are no other effects. ishing the penalties by one point, until the
victim makes five rolls, eliminating all

Extreme Cold penalties.

A dose of knockout drops costs $2.
For general rules covering cold, see p. B130. Wind chill and other Arctic haz- Continued on next page . . .
ards are covered on p. 133.

Deep Water
Each minute an unprotected diver spends in extremely deep water, he takes 1d
cold damage. This is assessed on the first round he spends in the cold. Any DR
which is effective against cold (including Toughness) protects.
A greater danger from cold water is hypothermia. Whenever anyone takes
damage from the cold, he must also immediately make an unmodified HT roll. If
he fails, he goes into shock. He will be unable to take any action whatsoever
(Exception: with a successful Will roll he will be able to call for help, assuming he
has a means of underwater communication) until he’s warmed up and First Aid is
successfully administered. While in shock, he will continue to take damage from
cold each minute, and to make HT rolls to see if his heart stops.
The cold water will stop a diver’s heart on a critically-failed HT roll. If the
heart stops, he’ll die in 3d minutes, unless he’s removed from the water and suc-

hazards and hostile environments 139

 Poison cessfully resuscitated with CPR or defibrillation. To
administer CPR, the attending character (the “medic”)
(Continued) must make a successful roll vs. First Aid-4 or Physician;
the incapacitated character (the “patient”) must also make
Curare
Amazon natives are famous for their a HT roll. If either roll is failed, defibrillation can be
use of curare, a deadly poison that blocks attempted. This involves restarting the heart by adminis-
nerve impulses to the muscles, causing tering an electric shock to the patient, and requires special-
them to go limp and eventually affecting
the heart and respiratory muscles, causing ized medical gear; defibrillation equipment is about the size of a suitcase.
death. The curare formula may contain up Defibrillation requires a roll vs. First Aid-5 or Physician-2, and even if successful,
to thirty ingredients (most of them for the patient must roll vs. HT-3 to survive.
magical effect), including stinging ants and
powdered snake fangs, but the deadliness
Once he recovers from shock, the patient will be incapacitated for a number of
of the poison is obtained from the sap of an hours equal to (24 - HT + 1d). If he required CPR to resuscitate, add 3d to the
Amazon vine called Strychnos toxifer. amount of time incapacitated, and if defibrillation was used, add 6d. An incapaci-
Heroes who wish to make their own curare tated patient is conscious, but cannot leave his bed.
must use the Poisons skill.
Curare takes effect only when injected
or given through DMSO. Curare poisoning Outer Space
is survivable under a number of conditions. At TL7+, insulation is good enough to allow vehicles and colonies to withstand
A poisoned dart or arrow may have lodged
in fatty tissue or a muscle mass, the dosage any degree of cold, even that of an iceball world in interstellar space, as long as
may be insufficient for the body weight of there is a power plant to provide heat. Unless something goes wrong, the atmos-
the victim, and external respiration may be phere in such a colony would be quite comfortable. But a malfunction wouldn’t
applied to keep the victim alive.
Allow the victim a HT-6 roll to resist doom the inhabitants immediately; the temperature might drop gradually, giving
the effect. Failure means the victim is time to make repairs or call for help. See Freezing, p. B130.
completely paralyzed and falls uncon-
scious. Paralysis victims may attempt a
second roll, without penalties, to remain
breathing. If this fails, the victim suffers
Extreme Heat
normal damage for suffocation, as
Temperatures that are merely uncomfortable can be dealt with in the traditional
described on p. B91. A successful First manner: stay in the shade and don’t move around too much. In areas where temper-
Aid-2 roll made every 30 minutes will atures range from 90° lows to 130° highs, averaging about 110°, increase fatigue by
keep the victim alive, and allow a HT roll 1 whenever it is assessed at all. If temperatures range from 100° to 140°, averaging
(also every 30 minutes) to recover. A criti-
cal failure on any of these rolls indicates about 120°, increase fatigue by 2 if it is assessed. See p. B130 for the other effects
death in 1d minutes. of high temperatures.
If the initial HT-6 roll is made, the vic- At TL8, vehicles can traverse deserts hot enough to melt lead. At TL9, perma-
tim is at -5 DX for the next 15-HT minutes
(minimum of 2). nent colonies can exist in such places. This is not likely to be needed except in very
By making a Poisons roll, the attacker unusual circumstances (e.g., secret outposts, mines for very rare substances). In
can measure a dose of curare which will general, the environment within such a colony would be very comfortable but . . . if
not affect the lungs, thereby leaving the
victim alive but helpless. A failure on this
something goes wrong, everyone will die quickly.
roll indicates a potentially lethal dosage.

Continued on next page . . . Gravity

Gravity is measured in “Gs,” or “gees,” with 1 G being Earth-normal gravity.
When a character is created, his “standard gravity” may be defined. If no standard
gravity is defined, assume the character is native to 1 G.
Changes in gravity make things heavier or lighter. This changes things like
jumping and throwing (see the sidebars on pp. 133-135). For instance, if a “1-lb.”
object is being thrown under 2 gravities, it weighs 2 lbs.
For purposes of calculating Move scores, gravity changes encumbrance.
Multiply each character’s encumbrance by the local gravity before calculating the
Move score. Also, calculate the change in the character’s own weight, and add this
change to encumbrance – or subtract, if gravity is lower. (This means that encum-
brance should be recalculated each time a different planet is visited. GMs who find
this a waste of time may fill their universes with 1-G worlds.)
Gravity has no effect on weapon use or damage. Even though you can pick up
heavier weapons under changed gravity, you can’t fight well with them. And primi-
tive weapons do the same damage under any gravity, because their mass is
unchanged. The exception is zero-gee – see below.

140 hazards and hostile environments

G-Tolerance and G-Increments Poison
All creatures function best in the gravity they are native to, but some creatures
can tolerate changes in gravity better than others can. The amount of change you (Continued)
can tolerate without problems is the G-Increment. Normal humans (and other crea- Cyanide
tures) are assumed to have a G-Increment of 0.2 G. This means that each change of Cyanide is effective either in food, as
0.2 G in the gravity will have a cumulative effect, as described below. Round grav- an injection or as a gas, and causes almost
instantaneous death. Because of cyanide’s
ity down. For an ordinary person native to Earth, 1.19 G is treated as 1 G (no uses in electroplating, hardening steels and
penalty), but 1.2 G is treated as a one-increment penalty. mining gold, this substance is available to
An increased ability to tolerate changes in gravity is the Improved G-Tolerance civilians. Chemists synthesize cyanide as a
advantage, described on p. CI26. salt of prussic acid. Hydrogen cyanide and
sodium cyanide are most often used in
G-Increments have to do with the way in which DX and HT change with grav- assassinations, although potassium cyanide
ity. ST changes are the same for everyone, regardless of their G-Tolerance, because and mercuric cyanide are also deadly and
they reflect actual weight! Characters native to worlds of different gravity will fig- also used for many innocent purposes.
Cyanide salts are white, crystalline pow-
ure their G-Increment from a different base level. For instance, if your native gravi- ders. The poison has a faint scent, similar
ty is 1.3 Gs, you will suffer the same effects at 1.5 Gs that a normal Earthman to bitter almonds. Poisoners can disguise
would at only 1.2. the taste of cyanide in any almond-fla-
vored dish, or in coffee. Cyanide causes 4d
However, figure all other gravitational effects as for standard characters. Don’t damage.
try, for instance, to figure out what a heavy-worlder’s encumbrance would be on The effects of cyanide resemble a car-
his home planet and work from there to find his movement on a light world. It all diac arrest. An unsuspecting examiner
cancels out. must make a Diagnosis roll with a -3
penalty to notice the true cause of death.
An oxidizing agent, such as potassium
High Gravity permanganate, can render cyanide harm-
High gravity makes everything heavier. This increases encumbrance, as less. However, the substance must be
applied immediately to have any effect.
described above. For instance, suppose a person weighs 120 lbs. on Earth, and has Cyanide victims who attempt to use such
a load weighing 60 lbs. On Earth, this is simply 60 lbs. of encumbrance. On a chemicals as antidotes may attempt HT
world with a gravitational pull of 1.5 G, that load weighs (1.5×60 lbs.), or 90 lbs, rolls with a penalty of -1 per second which
has elapsed since poisoning. If the roll suc-
and the person also weighs 50% extra, or 180 lbs. So his total encumbrance is 150 ceeds, the victim takes only 1d damage.
lbs. – 90 lbs. of gear, 60 extra lbs. of his own weight. This means he will move Agents may also use these antidotes to
slowly and fatigue rapidly. In very high gravity, your own body weight is enough gain temporary immunity to cyanide. This
requires a Poisons roll at -2. The GM
encumbrance to fatigue you, and mechanical aids can be necessary just to get should make this roll in secret, without
around. informing the player of the results. If the
High gravity also affects other stats, as well: roll succeeds, the character is invulnerable
Strength (for jumping, throwing things, etc.): Multiply the distance normally to cyanide for 6d minutes. Once again, the
GM should keep the results secret.
thrown or jumped by the ratio of normal gravity to local gravity. Under 1.2 G, you Spies occasionally use cyanide to com-
throw things (or jump) (1/1.2), or 0.83, times as far. mit suicide after capture. A dose of
Dexterity and DX-based skills suffer as well, because everything falls too fast cyanide costs $200 at TL7.
and your muscles are under extra strain. Reduce DX by 1 for each G-Increment Continued on next page . . .

hazards and hostile environments 141

 unless the character has the G-Experience advantage (p. CI25). In that case, reduce
it by 1 for every two increments.
In high gravity, something as minor as a stumble can lead to injury. If someone
falls (a likely result of many sorts of failed skill rolls!), treat it as a 2-yard fall at the
local gravity. Damage can mount quickly. Roll for location of the injury, ignoring
Poison torso results and rolling again.
(Continued) Intelligence and IQ-based skills are reduced by 1 for every 2 increments of
increased gravity, because of reduced blood flow to the brain and general fatigue.
DMSO Exoskeletons don’t help this (except for some special models that are much more
DMSO, or dimethyl sulfoxide, is not a
poison itself – but it is a chemical which is expensive). Lying in a fluid bath relieves the IQ problem, but you can’t do much
often used to transmit poisons through the physical work that way.
skin. It is notorious for its use with hallu- Health is also reduced under high gravity, because the heart has to work harder.
cinogens such as LSD. In game terms, a
dose of DMSO allows any normally inject- Reduce effective HT by 1 for every two full increments. This does mean the char-
ed or ingested drug to function by contact. acter has fewer hit points. These “lost” hits are immediately recovered if the travel-
It costs $5/dose at TL7. er gets back to lighter gravity.
Fugu Toxin Low Gravity
The nerve toxins (such as tetrodotoxin)
found in the bladder of such fish as the Low gravity makes everything lighter. Encumbrance will decrease as weight
fugu (globefish) are among the deadliest drops. Encumbrance may quickly reach zero, since the reduction of a character’s
substances in nature. When swallowed, body weight counts as negative weight for purposes of encumbrance. For instance,
such toxins cannot be resisted; they cause
skin tingling for 2d minutes, then paraly- take the 120-lb. character described above. On a 0.5 G world, his 60 lbs. of gear
sis, followed by 5d damage. This takes weigh only 30 lbs. And his 120-lb. body weighs only 60 lbs. He has “saved” 60 lbs.
effect in 6d minutes. of body weight to apply against the 30 lbs. he is carrying. His encumbrance is neg-
Suitable antidotes will halve the dam-
age taken. However, anyone who wishes to
ative 30 lbs.
provide this care must make a Poisons roll Important: Negative encumbrance does not mean negative weight!
at -3 to identify the type of poison in use. “Encumbrance” is an artificial concept which includes a character’s body weight.
Most doctors simply do not encounter this “Weight” can never be negative. Even a helium balloon has weight.
problem often! In Japan, where detoxified
fugu is considered a delicacy, physicians However, your negative encumbrance does give a Move bonus. Each 30
suffer no penalty to their Poisons roll. To pounds of negative encumbrance give a +1 to Move, up to a +3 bonus. Example:
cook the globefish, one must hold a special Under 0.5 G, a 120-lb. character weighs 60 lbs.; if no gear is carried, that 60 lbs. is
license in Japan.
Poisoning arrows with fugu make it a all negative encumbrance, giving a +2 to Move. Yes, this is an approximation; we
blood poison doing 1d damage; a success- won’t be able to reality-check it for a few years. It allows for clumsier walking due
ful HT-4 roll per wound reduces the effect to low gravity, and makes the simplifying assumption that heavier people are larger
to skin tingling.
A dose of globefish toxin costs $500.
and stronger.
Whenever taking advantage of this Move bonus, however, a character must
Hemlock make a DX roll (at a penalty for low gravity – see below) to avoid losing his bal-
This poison was used in the execution ance in the unfamiliar gravity. If he misses it, he falls down. Moving at normal rates
of Greek philosopher Socrates, and was
common in the ancient world. Upon inges-
(as though on a world with standard gravity) requires no roll.
tion, paralysis and weakness set in. Make a Low gravity affects other stats, as well:
HT roll; if you make it, you are at -2 DX Strength (for jumping or throwing things): As described above for high gravity.
and ST. On a failed roll, lose 2d DX and Take the ratio of accustomed gravity to your local gravity. Under 0.2 G, you jump 5
ST. After HT-8 hours, make another HT
roll to avoid blindness. A final HT roll, at times as far.
-2, is made 1d hours later. If the roll is Dexterity and DX-based skills are affected in various ways. For most purposes
made the victim takes 1d damage; if it is (sword fighting, throwing things), reduce DX by 1 for each increment of gravity
failed he takes 3d damage. A critical fail-
ure means death. All lost stats are recov- unless the character has the G-Experience advantage (p. CI25). In that case, reduce
ered during normal healing rolls (see p. it by 1 for every two increments. For activities like lockpicking that would not be
B128), recovering 1 point per day per stat affected by gravity, there is no penalty. And for a few things (a DX roll to catch a
on a HT roll.
Hemlock is a digestive poison. The ini-
falling object, for instance), DX is increased by the above amount, because things
tial effects take at least 1 hour to appear. fall more slowly in low gravity. The GM must decide whether low gravity helps or
hurts a given effort.
Continued on next page . . . Intelligence and Health are not affected by lower gravity.

Microgravity
Microgravity means any gravitational field of less than 0.2 G. In microgravity,
nothing has significant “weight,” but mass remains.

142 hazards and hostile environments

 Encumbrance is rarely important in microgravity, unless the PCs are carrying
their spaceship. HT is unaffected. (Characters with lowered HT from bad hearts or
Poison
similar systemic problems may experience an effective increase in HT in near zero- (Continued)
G, at the GM’s discretion.) Thrown objects may go a long way; use local weight to
calculate throwing distance (see p. CI10).
Irradiated Thallium
The metal thallium is poisonous. When
A character’s DX in microgravity depends on his Free Fall skill. Whenever a exposed to intense radiation, thallium
“normal” DX roll would be required, substitute a Free Fall roll instead. When any breaks down into a microscopic powder,
which is almost impossible to purge from
DX-based skill is attempted, use that skill level or the Free Fall level, whichever is the body. A victim of this poison suffers
worse. no immediate effects. After 1d hours, the
Any microgravity maneuver except the most simple requires a roll against Free victim suffers 1d damage from the thalli-
Fall skill, or the maneuver fails in some way. (Simple maneuvers would include um metal. Each day thereafter, victims
must attempt a HT roll to avoid damage
pulling yourself hand over hand along ladders, walking with magnetic boots, or from the radiological destruction of tis-
using ordinary hand items. Maneuvers requiring a skill roll include firing high- sues. If this roll fails, the victim loses 1
recoil weapons without flying backwards, attempting to throw or catch items, acro- point each from ST, DX and HT. If any
score drops below zero, the victim dies. If
batics, and so on.) Seriousness of the failure depends on how badly the roll is the victim ever scores a critical success on
missed. If you are tossing a lifeline to a friend who missed his own Free Fall roll his HT roll, the poison ceases to function.
and is now floating off into space, a missed roll simply means the line has missed After this, the victim may recover. Lost ST
and DX returns at the same rate as HT. A
him. But if your roll is a critical failure, you miscalculate and go floating into the dose of irradiated thallium costs $1,000.
void to join your companion.
GMs can use failed Free Fall rolls to set up situations in which skill and inge- Lacquer
nuity will be tested. On the other hand, if the PCs all have high Free Fall skills This is tapped from the lacquer tree in
the spring. Honest folk use it to preserve
(15+), GMs should dispense with all but the most critical rolls. wood. However, it can be used as a contact
Note that in the microgravity of (for instance) an asteroid with a 10-mile diam- poison, causing blistering like poison ivy:
eter, it is easy to throw things entirely away (escape velocity is only 32 miles per -1 DX for each contact, lasting 1d days. It
hour), and a strong man could jump into orbit. cannot be used on weapon-edges; more
prolonged contact is needed. It could be
used on a foe’s own sword – on the hilt.
Zero Gravity Mixed with incense, it makes a respira-
True zero gravity is found only in space, spaceships, and nonrotating orbital tory poison. Anyone breathing the poi-
soned incense must roll vs. HT+4 or take
stations. Free-fall situations use the same rules as microgravity, above, with a few 1d damage. Even if the HT roll succeeds,
additions. the victim will lose 1d of DX for 1d min-
In free fall, things hang unsupported. A single person can move a very heavy utes, due to itching and sneezing.
Lacquer is, in general, commonly avail-
object . . . very slowly! And stopping something in free fall is just as hard as start- able.
ing it. If you have something to push against, you could start a ton of steel moving Continued on next page . . .
through space in zero G. And if that moving ton of steel traps you against your
ship, it will crush you to death . . . very slowly.
In free fall, thrown objects fly in straight lines, forever . . . until they hit some-
thing.
Speed in zero-G depends on how hard you can push off from a surface or mas-
sive object. You may launch yourself at any speed up to 1/2 your ST. Launching
requires a full turn during which you can do nothing else – unless you can make a
Free Fall roll at -3 to skill. If you succeed, you may do something else with any
free hand. (But all weapons fire is at -3 – and high-recoil weapons may send you
off in the wrong direction; see below.) Once moving, you continue to move at the
same rate until you catch or hit something which stops you.
On the turn you hit or catch something, roll against Free Fall skill. If you miss
the roll, you take an extra turn to recover. A critical miss means a hard landing;
take 1d-2 damage (armor protects from all but 1 hit of this) and bounce back at a
rate of 2 hexes/turn, moving until you are stopped. You must make a HT roll or be
stunned as well.
You may attempt to slow your movement or change direction by throwing an
object or firing a high-recoil weapon (any weapon with a -4 recoil penalty). Each
attempt requires a Free Fall roll. If you succeed, you slow down by 1 hex/turn, or
change direction by 60 degrees. If you fail, you will change direction randomly
(GM determines in any sadistic manner). A critical failure starts you spinning, and
requires a Free Fall-3 roll to right yourself; you may try once per turn.

hazards and hostile environments 143

 Poison Movement in zero-G using vehicles, thruster packs, hand thrusters and so on is
governed by the rules or skills appropriate for the item. Movement along a bulk-
(Continued) head, hull or other surface in magnetic boots is at standard Move for characters
with Vacc Suit skill, and Move-1 for those without the skill.
Lime Powder
People who breathe this choking dust To use fists or a primitive weapon (such as a sword) in zero G, roll vs. weapons
suffer 1 point of damage per turn, with skill or Free Fall (whichever is less) to hit. If you hit, roll vs. Free Fall to avoid
damage ceasing when they fall uncon- being sent floating away by the “equal and opposite reaction” of your blow.
scious. They may resist this damage with a
successful HT roll. Victims must make
another roll vs. HT to protect their eyes.
Those who fail are blinded, and so are at Pressure
-10 to DX! The blindness only ends when These rules discuss the dangers of extreme pres-
victims flush their eyes for five minutes. sure when exploring the ocean bottom. Similar rules
can be used for extreme atmospheric pressure, as
Masuizaki Powder might be encountered by space explorers on some
This Japanese poison is made from a
type of weed, and must be manufactured worlds.
by the user. Taken internally, it causes the The greatest danger of the ocean depths is the extreme
victim to sleep for 1d hours per dose, up to
4 doses. On a HT roll, subtract 15 minutes
pressure of the water. Pressure suits, submarines and the like are generally pressur-
for each point by which the roll is made. ized to normal sea-level atmospheres. This makes the difference between the inside
This drug can also be combined with and the outside pressure tremendous. An instant pressure change from sea-level to
incense; burned in an open room, it merely 600 fathoms will, in general, be instantly fatal. Of course, the GM can usually
makes people drowsy (roll vs. HT to resist;
-1 to IQ and DX if the HT roll is failed), avoid such disasters (the airlock door opens just a second sooner than expected . .
but in a closed room it has the effect of one .).
dose taken internally, as described above. If someone is exposed to extreme pressure without a pressure suit, roll a Quick
If blown from a blowpipe, the powder
can be dodged or blocked, at -3, but not Contest of ST each second he is exposed, with the water pressure having a ST of
parried. Its effect are for a dose taken inter- 100 (this can be decreased for shallow water, or increased for the depths of the
nally, as described above. Marianas Trench). If he loses the contest, he takes thrust/crushing damage for ST
It cannot be used on weapons.
equal to the amount he lost by. This damage is reduced by any DR that is effective
Mustard Gas against all crushing attacks.
Those who breathe this gas suffer 1 Chances of survival are greatly increased by the use of a pressure suit. “Off-
point of damage per turn until they die or the-rack” suits give a -3 penalty to all DX-based rolls, including all physical skills
leave the area. They may resist this dam-
age with a successful HT roll. Victims
and combat rolls. This penalty is reduced for custom-tailored suits or high-tech
must make another roll vs. HT to protect materials (GM’s option), but there is always at least a -1 to physical skills.
their eyes. Those who fail suffer a -5 on Suit punctures are just as dangerous as running out of air. Small punctures will
DX for ten minutes. Anyone with exposed probably kill a normal human in 10 seconds at most. Major breaches can kill
skin must make a third HT roll each turn to
avoid taking 1 further point of injury from almost instantly. Fortunately, deep-water pressure suits are tough, with DR 5 and 80
blisters. Wet victims take double blister Hit Points.
damage. If a pressure suit takes between 0 and 19 points of damage, it is considered
Continued on next page . . .
intact. As long as the suit remains at this level of damage, it is pressure-tight, and
the diver inside takes only crushing damage from blows, regardless of the attack
mode used.
If the suit takes between 20 and 49 points, it is punctured. The wearer must roll
each round against pressure, as above, but the pressure is only considered to have a
ST of 40. Pressure suits all carry a patch kit, which can be used to repair a puncture
in 2d seconds. Any further damage to a patched suit will unseal the patch, reopen-
ing the puncture. The suit still keeps its DR, but the wearer takes full damage from
cutting and impaling attacks.
If the suit takes between 50 and 80 points of damage, the wearer takes full
pressure damage each round. The suit can still be patched in 3d seconds, if the
wearer can survive for that long. And even when the patch is on, it will only last 1d
minutes if the suit is that badly damaged.
A suit which takes 81 points of damage or more is considered completely
destroyed, and cannot protect the user in any way.
The depths of the ocean are also cold. For the effects of this cold on unprotect-
ed characters, see p. 139. A character who goes from a high-pressure environment
to a low-pressure one may also suffer from “bends” (see p. 132).

144 hazards and hostile environments

Radiation Poison
Radiation is insidious; it is odorless, invisible and silent. Fatal exposure can be
reached in a few minutes, but death – an ugly, agonizingly painful death – can take (Continued)
weeks to come. The following rules detail the effects of radiation damage in Ne
GURPS, replacing (at the GM’s option) the simpler rules presented in GURPS This is made by boiling the bark of the
Japanese pepper tree. It is commonly used
Space. to poison fish so they can be caught yet
For most purposes, the “default” of gamma radiation is assumed throughout eaten safely. A dose of ne can also act as a
these rules and any GURPS text, unless specifically noted. All radiation moves digestive poison, doing 1 die of damage
and causing dizziness and vomiting. It is
very fast on the human scale; thermal neutrons are the slowest, but still move a few resisted on a HT roll. It can’t be used on
thousands of hexes per second! For simplicity, treat all radiation as moving at the weapons.
speed of light.
Aside from gamma rays, the following other varieties of ionizing radiation Nerve Gas
Nerve gases appear most often as mili-
exist: tary weapons. German scientists synthe-
Alpha particles are helium nuclei (helions) stripped of their electrons. These sized the primitive gases Tabun and Sarin
heavy particles have very little penetrating power, being stopped by a few centime- in the Second World War. Modern gases,
such as VX, kill in far smaller amounts.
tres of air or by anything substantial. Alpha sources represent a danger only if they Another modern development, they binary
are in prolonged contact with the skin – in which case they cause burns very much weapon, consists of two harmless gases
like thermal burns, and skin cancer – or if ingested or inhaled. They are then 20 which form nerve agents only when mixed.
times more damaging to living tissue than equivalent gamma sources. Another Victims can absorb nerve gases through
the lungs or skin. Symptoms of poisoning
danger they present is cascade radiation (not to be confused with induced radia- include headache, vomiting, shrinking of
tion): objects bathed in alpha radiation gradually become ionized, as the alpha par- the pupil and paralysis. Nerve gases cause
ticles strip electrons from the object’s atoms. 2d points damage per minute to exposed
victims. Victims who lose over half their
Proton radiation is also possible; the GM should treat it as alpha radiation with HT continue to take damage even after
roughly four times as much penetrating power. Proton radiation does ten times as they escape the gas. Nerve gas contami-
much damage to living tissue as gamma radiation does. nates an area for 3d hours after its use.
Atropine sulfate halts the effects of
Neutron radiation is not ionizing by itself. Neutrons are progressively nerve gas. However, this drug itself is a
absorbed by matter (including flesh, which becomes slightly radioactive as a result poison, and completely incapacitates the
– metal becomes highly radioactive). About 180 yards of air, 2 yards of lead or half victim for 2d hours. A dose of atropine
a yard of water will absorb a neutron beam. Because most of the human body’s antidote costs $10.
Nerve gas is a strategic weapon, and is
atoms are hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen, which can each absorb one neu- simply not for sale under most circum-
tron without becoming radioactive, a neutron source has to be very powerful before stances.
it starts posing a threat.
Beta particles are free electrons. They are stopped by about 5 yards of air, 1/2 Venom
Many creatures attack with venom.
inch of water or thin metal, wood or stone. Magnetic or electrostatic containment is Venoms are treated just like any poison,
also possible. Beta radiation won’t penetrate the skin; like alpha sources, beta and are divided into types based on their
sources are therefore dangerous only if inhaled or ingested, or if in prolonged con- effects. See the sidebars on pp. 147-149 for
details.
tact with the skin. Beta particles are five times as damaging to living tissue as The description of each type of venom
gamma radiation is. Beta particles can cause cascade radiation, of so short-lived a includes its effect if it is not resisted, the
nature as to be entirely negligible. So-called “delta radiation” is just energetic beta length of time before it takes effect and
how long the effect lasts. Also included are
radiation produced when alpha or gamma radiation strips electrons from atoms it the HT roll (if any) allowed to resist the
hits. venom, and its effect on anyone who suc-
All of the above applies to the radiation given off by radioactive substances; cessfully resists. Venom strength (amount
the radioactivity found in cosmic rays (also known as Millikan rays), in the solar of damage) varies, even within a given
type, and depends on the animal.
wind or in a planet’s radiation belts can be much more energetic. Every time the Most venoms are blood agents – they
energy of particulate radiation doubles, the penetrating power roughly triples. must enter the body through a wound or
Cosmic rays made of particles typically penetrate over a yard of lead! injection. They can be delivered by fangs,
stings, quills, claws, pincers and even
X-rays (also known as Roentgen rays) and gamma rays are high-energy light. sprays. In general, the skin must be broken
They cannot induce radioactivity at all. for the venom to take effect, though spit-
ting cobras can envenom the eyes and
some exotic beasts may have a contact poi-
Protection Factor son or even a gaseous cloud!
All materials have a Protection Factor (PF), which determines how much ener-
gy (gamma radiation, specifically) the material will stop. A PF of 100 means the Continued on next page . . .
material lets only one one-hundredth of the radiation through.

hazards and hostile environments 145

 An inch and half of steel, or half an inch of lead, or 750 yards of air, has a PF
of 2; a yard of water has a PF of 8; a yard of earth has a PF of 27; a yard of con-
Poison crete has a PF of 64; a yard of steel has a PF of 17 million.
(Continued) Note that a high-energy particle beam hitting a thin slab of material will be
turned into an intense spray of cascade gamma radiation.
Note that DR, including Toughness,
does not protect against damage once the
venom is in the bloodstream. DR will pro- Radiation Exposure
tect against the delivering agent – fang, The radiation dose received by a creature is defined as the amount of energy
claw, stinger – but doesn’t protect against
substances sprayed in the eyes. The absorbed divided by the absorbing mass. The International System unit of radiation
description of a venomous animal will nor- dosage is the joule per kilogram or Gray (Gy); 1 Gy=1 J/kg. Other units include the
mally give the DR that it can penetrate. roentgen (120 roentgens=1 Gy) and the rad (100 rads=1 Gy). While the Gray is the
As a rule, all “normal” animals – and,
for that matter, all fantasy creatures –
most common modern measurement, GURPS uses the more familiar rad.
should react normally to all venoms unless Exposure levels from “hot” environments will generally be expressed in rads
some immunity is specifically mentioned per unit of time. Such radiation “baths” affect large and small creatures uniformly.
in the creature’s description. Rayguns, however, release a set quantity of energy; GMs should keep in mind that
One general exception: Most creatures
are immune to the venoms of their natural the raygun delivers all its energy into the same volume regardless of the size of the
prey. King snakes, for instance, are almost target, like a bullet.
totally unaffected by rattlesnake venom. Exposure to radiation is most likely when people are handling broken or tam-
So a creature that eats poisonous snakes
could reasonably be assumed to be pered nuclear power sources. Here are very rough guidelines:
immune to most snake venoms.
Handling the nuclear battery from a wristwatch or flashlight . . . . . . . . . . 1 rad/hour
Viper Venom A raygun or radio power source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 rads/hour
This poison is extracted from a live A mining tool or a moon-rover’s power source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 rads/hour
viper and used on arrows and other missile
weapons. It is a blood poison, doing 1d A tank or submarine power source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400 rads/hour
damage per wound. A successful HT roll
will reduce damage to 1d-3. Here are some other sources of radiation exposure:
Each viper will yield up to 4 doses; The body’s own atoms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.025 rads/year
each dose requires a successful Animal
Handling roll, and a failure indicates no Bedrock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.10 rads/year
more venom will be available from that Maximum legal professional dose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 rads/year
snake. A critical failure means snakebite One gram of ingested uranium-235 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0.7 rads/day (mostly alpha)
doing 3d damage.
Soil of the Chernobyl exclusion zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 rads/year
Wolfsbane Fallout on ground, one megaton fission ground burst:
An herbal poison that can be used on One day after . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 rads/hour
edged weapons. See Aconite for its effects Five hours after . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 rads/hour
when ingested. One hour after receiving
wolfsbane, a victim suffers 2d damage. Two hours after . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 rads/min.
Survivors then lose 4 points of DX to One hour after . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 rads/min.
numbness and spasms for two hours. A One gram of ingested californium-251 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 rads/min. (mostly alpha)
successful HT roll prevents any effect.
Solar flare, at Earth’s distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 rads/min.
One gram of ingested radium-226 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16.5 rads/min. (mostly alpha)
Jupiter’s radiation belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 rads/min.
Smoking a cigarette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0.003 rads
Routine medical X-ray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.04 to 1 rad
Professional Emergency Dose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 rads (once per lifetime)
One megaton fission air burst, 1 mile away . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,000 rads
Food irradiation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20,000 rads

The dosage from cosmic rays varies wildly, from trivial to highly dangerous
and requiring lots of shielding. So many variables affect this, and the radiation lev-
els experienced in Earth’s Van Allen radiation belt, that GMs should simply tell
players what they expect, and let them find out when they get there!

Effects of Radiation
Radiation dose received is measured in rads. The more rads you receive, the
more likely you are to suffer an ill effect. The GM should keep track of each char-
acter’s radiation injuries, noting each dose and the date on which it was received.

146 hazards and hostile environments

Each radiation injury heals separately from all others received; after a month, it
starts healing at the rate of 10 rads per day. However, 10% of the original radiation
Venom Types
injury will never heal. Type A
Anyone injected must roll against HT-4
For example, someone spends a day in a “hot” environment, accumulating a immediately, and then again at the begin-
200-rad dose. After 30 days, that particular injury starts to heal. After another 18 ning of each day for the next three days.
days, at the 20-rad level, the injury stops healing. Effects occur within 15 minutes of the
injection if the initial roll is failed, or upon
Every time the character receives a substantial dose, as well as every day he arising on the day of the failed roll if the
spends in a “hot” environment, he should roll vs. HT on the Radiation Effects initial roll was successful. If all rolls are
Table, below, using his current total accumulated dose. successful, the venom has no effect. A
failed roll means the venom does the listed
damage – critical failure means death.
radiation effects table Modifiers to the HT roll: +1 if the
venom is sucked out within five minutes,
+2 if antivenin (TL 6+) is used for treat-
Accumulated HT Critical Success Failure Critical ment and -2 if the victim performs strenu-
Dose Mod. Success Failure ous physical activity.
Up to 10 rads +0 None None A(6d) B
Up to 20 rads +0 None A(6d) B C Type B
Up to 40 rads +0 A(6d) B C(1 HT) D Anyone injected must make a roll
Up to 80 rads -1 A(5d) B C(2 HT) D against HT-6 immediately, and then again
Up to 160 rads -3 A(4d) B C(3 HT) D at the beginning of each day for the next
Up to 4,000 rads -5 A(3d) B C(4 HT) D three days. Effects occur in one minute if
the initial roll is failed, or upon arising the
day of a failed roll if the initial roll was
Note: The HT modifier applies to all HT rolls the victim makes, whether for successful. If any of these rolls are failed,
radiation, contagion, spell resistance, etc. the venom does the listed damage – critical
failure means death. Anyone injected with
the venom is at -2 DX for three days (or at
A: Radiation burns. Chronic, “somatic” damage – -2 HT for a week. Roll the -4 DX for the remainder of the three days
indicated number of dice; if all come up sixes, the victim will develop cancer and if any of the HT-6 rolls are failed).
die within a year. Starting a few hours after his irradiation and lasting through Modifiers to the HT roll: +2 if
antivenin (TL 6+) is used for treatment
seven days, the victim has Low Pain Threshold (see p. B29) – if he had High Pain (suctioning the wound has no effect on this
Threshold to start with, then it is nullified for the duration. Radiation also causes type of venom).
“genetic” damage, but very little is known about its likelihood. Human women,
who never produce new ova, are more vulnerable than men, who constantly pro- Type C
duce new spermatozoa. (Suggested rule: The offspring of a human female who has Anyone injected must immediately
make a roll against HT-6. Failure means
taken over 250 rads ever, or a human male who has taken over 100 rads in the last that the venom does the listed damage
week is completely at the GM’s mercy. Any birth defect imaginable is possible. ) immediately, and the victim is at -4 DX for
Genetic damage under 100 rads is undetectable by late-TL7 medical science. the next three days – critical failure means
instant death. If the HT-6 roll is made, the
B: Haematopoietic syndrome. In addition to radiation burns, other effects victim takes half damage, and is at -2 DX
occur within a day: nausea and vomiting lasting a day or two and loss of 1d ST, for the next three days.
DX and IQ. Afterward, the victim rolls vs. HT daily: on a critical success, he
Continued on next page . . .
recovers 2 points of ST, DX and IQ; on a success, he recovers 1 point of ST, DX
and IQ; on a failure, he makes no improvement; on a critical failure, he relapses –
he loses 1 point of ST, DX and IQ. As long as the victim’s ST, DX and IQ are
depressed, he also suffers from hemophilia (see p. B28).
C: Gastrointestinal syndrome. In addition to the haematopoietic syndrome,
other effects occur within 1 to 3 weeks: permanent loss of the indicated HT, as well
as losing all his body hair. The victim then starts losing 1 hit per day, rolling vs. HT
daily: on a critical success, the hit-point loss stops and normal recovery can occur
(the hair grows back). As long as hit points decline, the victim is at risk from
opportunistic infections. He is also subject to bouts of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea,
fever and prostration; roll vs. HT hourly or whenever the victim tries to do any-
thing other than rest quietly. If HT falls below 4, the victim’s teeth and nails also
start to fall out.
D: As C, except that even a critical success on the HT roll won’t stop the daily
HT loss: death is certain.
A dose of over 4,000 rads induces cerebrovascular death: within an hour, the
victim loses 2 hits, 2 IQ and rolls vs. HT to stay conscious. Repeat every hour.

hazards and hostile environments 147

 Venom Types Other symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, dizziness, low blood pressure, stupor,
incoherence, hyperexcitability, loss of coordination and uncontrollable trembling.
(Continued) Unconsciousness is followed by convulsions and then death (when IQ or HT reach-
es zero).
Type D
This venom does no actual damage. A dose of 200 rads causes sterility and blindness for a few months, while a
However, a human-sized victim will be dose of 500 rads will permanently sterilize and blind (assuming the victim sur-
paralyzed for six hours if a roll against vives).
HT-3 is failed, with full paralysis occur-
ring in 5 minutes. This paralysis is com-
plete, except for breathing, heart beat, etc. Hit Location
– the victim cannot move or communicate In some circumstances, only some of a person’s body parts may be irradiated.
in any way, though he is conscious. For some cancers, a short hard burst of radiation is just what the doctor ordered! To
Critical failure results in the victim
falling into a coma – total unconsciousness assess the dose’s effects, convert the body part’s dose into an “equivalent whole-
for 1d+6 hours; after that, roll vs. HT. If body dose”: divide a dose to the head or limbs by 15, one to the torso by 8, and one
the roll fails, the coma continues for anoth- to the vitals by 4.
er 1d hours, and so on. If the coma lasts for
more than 24 hours, the victim, upon
A very localized radiation injury causes the slow necrosis of the body part;
awakening, will be at -2 to all attribute and over the course of several months, the blood vessels progressively fail and gan-
skill rolls for a period of time equal to the grene eventually sets in.
length of the coma. Another location effect is the depth of burn. Massive, highly-charged particles
If the HT-3 roll is successful, the victim
is paralyzed for only 3d minutes. The GM such as alphas quickly expend all their energy (e.g., in the skin). Lighter, uncharged
should make all rolls in secret so the play- particles (neutrons, gammas) are “whole-body” exposures, since they are just as
ers will not know how long the paralysis likely to interact deep inside the body as with the skin.
will last.

Type E Other Species

This is a local poison, usually from The rules above were designed with mammals in mind; for non-mammal PCs,
small arachnids such as the Brown apply the following modifiers to radiation doses to determine effects:
Recluse. If the victim is bitten on a limb Crustaceans/Molluscs/Worms: Divide effective dose by 2.
(the most common target), he takes the
listed damage, and his use of the limb is at Fish: Divide effective dose by 3.
-3 for 1d days – no HT roll to resist. For Reptiles/Amphibians: Divide effective dose by 4.
feet and legs, this means a -3 to Move; for Avians: Divide effective dose by 5.
hands and arms, a -3 to DX-based skills.
After the initial period, make a check Insects: Divide effective dose by 80.
against HT (at no penalty). Failure means Arachnids: Divide effective dose by 100.
that the symptoms worsen – the victim is Protozoans: Divide effective dose by 1,000.
at an additional -1 for the next 1d days.
After this period, make another HT check,
Plants vary, but are generally very sensitive to radiation. A tree can be killed by
continuing to subtract 1 from the use of the as small a dose as 60 rads, for instance. Grasses are hardier, being able to survive
limb for each failure. If the total penalty doses of 2,000 rads or more. PC plant-races might fall anywhere in between or out-
reaches -7, the victim begins losing 1 HT side these ranges entirely, as the GM sees fit. Likewise, the responses of totally
per day. Critical failure at any stage means
that gangrene has set in – the affected limb alien life forms must be decided by the Game Master.
must be amputated to save the victim’s
life. Amputation at any time before a Radiation Effects on Electronics: EMP
check against HT will prevent further dete- The electromagnetic pulse (EMP) from nuclear (and antimatter) weapons can
rioration and possible death. A successful
HT roll on any day means that the victim permanently scramble computers and other delicate electronic equipment. Any
recovers 1 point of DX or movement per electronic gear (sensors, etc.) is vulnerable. The only exceptions are hardened
hour until he has totally recovered from the devices, specifically designed to resist EMP.
venom.
If the bite is on the torso or head, the For simplicity’s sake, assume that the EMP is proportional to the momentary
venom does double damage and reduces rad dosage produced by a nuclear blast. However, unlike rad dosage, EMP from
all attribute checks and skill rolls by -3 each blast does not accumulate – it is always figured separately. Thus, while the
until a roll against HT is made. The first
roll is made on the day after the bite; con-
combined rad dose from several nuclear blasts could kill all the humans in the area,
tinue to check daily, subtracting an addi- it is quite possible that no single EMP could kill the computers.
tional 1 for each failure. If the total minus The higher the TL, the more resistant electronic gear becomes. Rad levels
reaches -7, the victim dies. Critical failure equivalent to an EMP kill, by TL, are as follows:
means death in this case, as amputation is
rather drastic! A successful HT roll at any TL7 100 rads
point means that the victim recovers 1
point per day until fully recovered. TL8 200 rads
TL9 500 rads
Continued on next page . . . TL10 2,000 rads
TL11+ 10,000 rads
148 hazards and hostile environments
Vacuum Venom Types
The good Lord must like vacuum . . . so say spacers. After all, He made an
awful lot of it. Vacuum in itself is not deadly, so ship crewmen may survive briefly (Continued)
without air. They may even deliberately enter vacuum without protection or air if Type F
they have to. Anyone injected must immediately
make a roll against HT-6. A failed roll
You can’t hold your breath in vacuum, and you might rupture your lungs if you results in the venom doing the listed dam-
try. The only safe way to enter vacuum is to exhale and leave your mouth open. age in one minute – critical failure means
You can then operate on the oxygen in your blood for (HT) turns if active, (HT×4) death. Anyone taking damage is nauseated
and dizzy – -3 to all attribute and skill rolls
turns if moving slowly, or (HT×10) turns if passively waiting. Double these times for 1d hours. If the HT-6 roll is made, no
if you hyperventilate first; quadruple them if you used pure oxygen. Halve these damage is taken, but the victim still feels
times if you were caught by surprise and didn’t even have time for one deep breath. sick for 3d minutes – -3 to all attribute
Once out of breath, one fatigue is lost per turn; when ST reaches 0, the victim checks and skill rolls, as above.
falls unconscious. Four minutes later, he dies. There is a chance of brain damage Type G
(permanent -1 to IQ) if the victim is saved after more than two minutes without air; Anyone injected must make a HT-2 roll
roll vs. HT to avoid this. or immediately suffer the consequences.
This venom does only 1 HT damage, but
does fatigue damage as listed for the crea-
Rapid Decompression ture. If this brings the victim to 0 ST, he
If a ship loses a lot of air to a meteor strike, or if a respirator suddenly goes falls unconscious for one hour. If ST drops
bad, a spacer may find himself trying to adapt to rapidly falling pressure. Popping below 0, the victim remains unconscious
for one additional hour per point below 0.
ears are a sure sign of a pressure change (IQ+4 to notice for anyone with space If the HT-2 roll is made, the victim
crew experience, IQ for anyone who has gotten even a basic passenger briefing). If takes no HT damage, and only 1 point of
your ears keep popping, pressure is still going down. If the situation is not stabi- fatigue. Critical failure results in a coma –
unconsciousness lasting 1d hours. After
lized quickly, the spacer must get to a pressure suit, escape pod, etc., or be in vacu- that, roll vs. HT. If the roll fails, the coma
um. continues for another 1d hours, and so on.
Pressure loss is a terrifying thing on board ship. The GM may require all If the coma lasts for 24 hours or more, the
victim, upon awakening, is at -2 to all
aboard to make a Fright Check; again, experienced crew should get a +4. attribute and skill rolls for a period of time
equal to the duration of the coma.
Explosive Decompression
“Blowout,” or explosive decompression, happens when an area suddenly goes Type H
Anyone injected must make a roll
from normal pressure to little or none. This could occur, for instance, when a ship against HT-2. A failed roll results in the
loses all its air to a meteor strike, or when someone is tossed out the airlock. victim taking the listed damage after one
Fifty years of pulp fiction to the contrary, explosive decompression does not hour; no further rolls are necessary. If the
HT-2 roll is successful, the victim takes
turn its victims inside-out and quick-freeze them. What does happen is that the only 1 point of damage. Critical failure
body fluids begin to boil away. Small blood vessels rupture, and the mucous mem- results in maximum damage immediately.
branes dry out. The eardrums pop violently. The victim takes 1d of damage, but
does not die until he runs out of breath, as described above. However, if rescued, Type S
Spitting venom. This type of venom
he must make separate rolls, as follows, or suffer permanent ill effects as follows: does only 1 HT damage, but blinds the vic-
HT+2 for each eye, to avoid blindness. tim (-10 on any combat skill) for 5 minutes
HT to avoid -1 DX due to “bends” (see p. 132) from boiling blood. if a roll against HT-4 is failed. If the roll is
HT-1 to avoid permanent Hard of Hearing disadvantage. made, the victim is blinded for only 3d
seconds. The GM rolls in secret (the victim
If the victim is not rescued, his body’s liquid will boil off to space within a few shouldn’t know how long he will be blind).
hours. The remaining fragile, powdery husk will weigh only a few pounds. In addition to its other effects, this
Memories and personality cannot be recovered from the dehydrated brain, though venom causes intense pain – -4 to IQ to
think clearly. If the player has a good idea
DNA (for a clone) could be saved if a sample were taken within a few minutes of while he is blinded, have him make an IQ-
death and kept frozen. 4 roll for the character to come up with the
idea.

Type X
A generic classification for unique ven-
oms. Details are given in the descriptive
paragraph for the animal. Do not expect
one Type X venom to resemble another
Type X venom.

hazards and hostile environments 149

 This chapter elaborates on and clarifies the rules for wounds, sickness (see the sidebars) and fatigue (mainly due to extra
effort, p. 171, and sleep, p. 173) presented in the Basic Set, and includes some optional rules for recovery and treatment. The
rules for drugs (sidebars, pp. 153-166) and intoxication can also be found here.

150 i n j u r y, i l l n e s s , f a t i g u e a n d r e c o v e r y
OPTIONAL RULES FOR
WOUNDS AND HEALING More Optional Rules
For Stun Points
Cinematic Effects of Injury Adding the Stun stat will raise a num-
In cinematic fiction, people are shown trading punches, kicks and blunt ber of questions about crippling attacks,
weapons damage with seeming impunity; other than a few nosebleeds and split vital points, knocking a person uncon-
scious, and so on. The GM can use some
lips, even cannon-fodder NPCs get up time and time again after punches that of the optional rules described below to
should by rights have killed or seriously injured them. solve those problems, or, based on them,
Real-life combat is deadly, and GURPS reflects this. In a cinematic campaign, create his own rules to deal with special
however, this is not appropriate; combat is an essential part of this type of cam- situations regarding injuries.
paign, and the characters cannot be expected to avoid it. PCs and NPCs live to Vital Points
fight another day, except, perhaps, at the climactic battle. Here are some optional A blow to the Brain (area 3-4) does
rules to limit damage in a cinematic battle. quadruple Stun damage; the victim is
stunned if he takes Stun damage over
HT/2, knocked out if over HT. If normal
Flesh Wounds hit point damage is also taken, it takes
This cinematic rule, from p. B183, will prevent premature deaths without precedence over this and its effects are as
changing the combat system. Anyone who is not actually in combat may spend 1 per B203. Blows to the vitals do not inflict
extra Stun damage (but see below).
unused character point, immediately healing all damage except crippling injuries, all In any event, when struck in the head or
fatigue and (if that optional rule is being used) all stun damage. The rationale is that vitals by a crushing blow, the victim must
the damage was “only flesh wounds,” easily shrugged off by a determined hero! roll to avoid being knocked out, again fol-
lowing the rules of the Basic Set (see also
As an even more cinematic option, the GM can permit the expenditure of char- p. 53).
acter points for recovery even in the middle of combat – a “second wind” rule.
New Vital Points
Stun Damage The GM may assign new vital areas
that increase the number of Stun points a
With this rule, all characters have “Stun Points” equal to five times their hit victim loses. A hit to the Head (area 5) or
points; this is a new stat, and the player must keep track of it separately. When a to the Groin (area 11) can do double Stun
character’s Stun reaches 0, he is knocked unconscious. Consciousness is regained damage (but no extra hit point damage).
This is in addition to any other effects (see
normally (see p. B129). A conscious character recovers lost Stun at 1 point per p. 53).
minute of rest.
Unless an attacker specifically declares an attack as “shoot to kill” before it is Continued on next page . . .
made, all damage taken is Stun only. The GM may also treat damage from falling
(or falling objects) as Stun damage.
This will result in characters being knocked out just as frequently as in normal
GURPS combat, but it will extremely hard for them to be killed. This doesn’t elim-
inate incidental or side effect damage from an attack – anyone hit with a
flamethrower will probably have to go to the hospital for burn treatment, he just
won’t be immediately killed by the attack.
If a character is hit by a mixture of stunning and regular attacks, keep track of
Stun and HT separately. All regular damage does Stun damage as well; if a blow is
aimed to kill and does 7 points of damage, the target also takes 7 points of Stun.
The advantage of this rule is that PCs and NPCs will have a much lower mor-
tality rate. The big disadvantage of this rule is its total unreality. Being shot or run
through by a rapier doesn’t just stun someone! If this bothers you, then stick with
the standard GURPS combat system, and let the bodies fall where they may.

Damage Reduction
This optional rule modifies the Stun Damage rule (above). The GM sets a par-
ticular rate – 1/4, 1/3, 1/2 or whatever he chooses. When someone takes damage,
only the amount determined by this modifier is applied to HT, with the full value
being applied to Stun. This method allows the GM to fine-tune the amount of
“unreality” in combat, but requires more bookkeeping, as the players must keep
track of how much damage is real and how much is Stun.

i n j u r y, i l l n e s s , f a t i g u e a n d r e c o v e r y 151
 HT rolls to stay conscious or alive are always made on HT. Unconsciousness is
automatic if Stun reaches 0.
Example: Chuck has a HT of 12 (and therefore Stun 60) in a campaign with
More Optional Rules 1/3 Damage Reduction. He is hit by a burst of three 9mm bullets, which do 10, 4
For Stun Points and 13 points of damage. The total 27 points are subtracted from Stun, bringing it
down to 33. 1/3 of 27 is 9 points, so his HT is reduced to 3, slowing him down and
(Continued) probably stunning him as well. Of course, without this rule he would be rolling
Crippling Damage against HT to stay alive!
A limb is considered crippled if it takes
Stun points equal to the character’s HT; Different Damage Types
rolls to recover (p. B129) are made at +5.
If HT point damage is also inflicted, and is This is another optional rule that suits cinematic “reality,” especially in the
enough to cripple the limb, then proceed martial arts. Most crushing attacks (except bullets) do Stun damage, but cutting and
normally. impaling weapons, as well as firearms, do full HT damage (or, alternatively, have a
Damage Reduction ratio, as described above). This allows for more “relative” real-
Poison Damage ism: it is easier to believe that a victim can be knocked out but be relatively
Poisons and venoms do stun damage, at
first. However, if the victim does not unscathed after being kicked in the head a few times, as opposed to being stabbed
receive medical aid within HT hours, min- in the vitals for the same result.
utes or even seconds (depending on the
severity of the poison – GM’s call), a sec-
If this rule is used, bloodthirsty PCs may end up carrying guns, knives and
ond HT roll to resist the poison must be swords into brawls, since such weapons will have a definite “edge” in lethality! Of
made, with all its modifiers; on a failure course, such serial-killer PCs would face equally well-armed foes . . . not to men-
the victim takes normal hit point damage. tion law-enforcement agencies equipped with firearms.
For poisons with a specific effect other
than HT loss (like curare, p. 140), assign
those effects instead.
HT vs. Hit Points
Many rules in GURPS refer simply to “HT,” assuming that the “Health”
Radiation Treatment attribute and “Hit Points” (or “hits”) are one and the same for all characters. While
this is generally true, it can be very confusing when it isn’t! For example, Extra Hit
TL6 offers no real radiation treatment.
At TL7, drugs are available that can halve Points (p. CI24), Reduced Hit Points (p. CI83) and the optional rule, Redefining
your effective rad dosage if a dose ($500) Hit Points and Fatigue (p. CI7), can all lead to characters who have “split” HT
is taken 1 to 3 days in advance. Also at scores (as described on p. B141), which can, in turn, lead to some confusion over
TL7, chelating drugs are available to get
radioactive fallout out of your system;
when the wording of a rule actually means HT and when it really means hit points.
$500, halving damage after a week and HT is used whenever a die roll has to be made. The most important examples
eliminating the fallout entirely after two are the rolls made to avoid death, knockout, knockdown or stunning, not to men-
weeks. This has no effect on radiation tion the rolls made to recover from injury, crippling or illness. As well, HT is used
already absorbed!
At TL8, advanced chelating drugs for all rolls made to resist hazards such as extreme heat or cold, starvation, dehy-
($500) encapsulate and remove fallout dration, poison or disease. In addition, HT is used for rolls made to avoid succumb-
immediately. Braintape technology can ing to disadvantages that call for a HT roll. Next, the HT attribute is used in all
save a victim; anyone who survives the ini-
tial radiation exposure can still have their Contests and Quick Contests made to resist attacks, spells and anything else that is
brain read, unless the dose was 5,000 rads normally resisted by HT. Finally, all HT-based skills are based on the actual HT
or better. Each increase in TL raises this attribute and not on hit points.
limit by 1,000 (higher doses scramble
nerve tissue beyond that TL’s ability to
Hit Points are used mainly to absorb damage. Whenever damage is inflicted, it
read). is taken off of hit points and not HT, and the General Damage rules (p. B126) refer
At TL9, Antirad drug (p. 156) is avail- to the character’s remaining hit points. Hit points are also used whenever damage is
able. being compared against some multiple or fraction of “HT” to determine the effects
At TL10, expensive treatments
($3,000) are available to reduce your life- of injury. For example, hit points are used for comparisons made to HT, HT/2 or
time rad history by 10% per treatment. HT/3 for the purposes of stunning, knockdown, knockout, crippling, decapitation,
Each treatment takes about 3 days; they et cetera. Hit points can also be used as a general measure of bulk when calculating
cannot be repeated more often than once
per month. such things as the dosage of certain drugs.
At TL11, these antirad treatments Example: A character has HT 10/17, meaning a HT attribute of 10 and 17 hit
reduce lifetime history by 25% per treat- points. To stun him or cripple his arm requires damage in excess of his hit points/2,
ment.
or 9 points of damage; however, his rolls to recover from being stunned or to regain
the use of his arm are made against his HT, which is only 10.
There are a few things that affect both HT and hit points. Generally speaking,
any disease, poison, spell, psi skill or super ability that drains or lowers the HT
attribute also lowers hit points by the same amount.

152 i n j u r y, i l l n e s s , f a t i g u e a n d r e c o v e r y
 Example: The character in the example above is attacked by someone with a
Steal Attribute (HT) ability. Not surprisingly, he fails to resist the ability with his
Ultra-Tech Medical Drugs
Below is a selection of the most useful
HT of 10, and loses 3 HT. Both his HT and hit points are temporarily lowered, TL8-10 “wonder drugs” that have
leaving him with HT 7/14. appeared in several GURPS supplements,
Finally, the following special rules for shock, death and recovery from injury including Cyberpunk, Space and Ultra-
should be used when dealing with creatures that have a split HT: Tech. See those books for non-medicinal
drugs, such as combat drugs, illicit drugs
and “truth serums.”
Shock
When a character with a large hit point total is injured, he has his DX reduced Hypercoagulin (TL8)
on his next turn only, just like anyone else (p. B126). The amount of damage need- When injected into a patient with a
bleeding wound, this causes instant coagu-
ed to reduce DX varies, however, depending on his Hit Point total, as shown on the lation and a cessation of bleeding within
table below: 1d+4 seconds. It restores 1 point of HT,
and prevents any further damage from loss
Basic Hit Points DX Reduction of blood. The drug should be injected as
close to the wound as possible. An injec-
30 or less -1 DX per point of damage
tion prior to sustaining a wound will have
31-50 -1 DX per 2 points of damage (rounded down) no effect unless a wound is received within
51-100 -1 DX per 3 points of damage (rounded down) five minutes after the injection.
101-200 -1 DX per 4 points of damage (rounded down) Overdoses of this drug can kill; for
201+ -1 DX per 5 points of damage (rounded down) every additional dose within a 24-hour
period, roll HT, minus the total number of
Thus, a gigantic monster with 60 hit points has its DX reduced by only 3 on doses taken. A failed roll means the
the turn after taking 10 hits. patient’s blood becomes so thick that his
heart stops. Full medical facilities (a full
blood replacement and possibly a heart
Death transplant) will be required to save his life.
Creatures with split HT make rolls to avoid death (and calculate the level at Hypercoagulin comes only in injectable
which “instant death” occurs) at different intervals than do characters whose HT form; it costs $25/dose. Hypercoagulin is a
useful assassination tool in societies at
and hit points are equal, as summarized in the table below: TL7 and below. Death is by heart attack,
and the only wound is a tiny pin hole. The
Basic Hit First Subsequent Automatic drug is undetectable (“. . . a poison
Points Roll Rolls Death unknown to science . . .”) below TL8.
30 or less -HT Every 5 -5×HT Continued on next page . . .
31-50 -HT Every 10 -10×HT
51-100 -HT Every 20 -20×HT
101-200 -2×HT Every 20 -30×HT
201+ -3×HT Every 20 -40×HT

When referring to the table above, always look up hit points in the leftmost
column, but use the smaller of Health or hit points in the formulae for determining
the points at which the creature must roll against HT or die from its wounds.
Example 1: An elephant with HT 17/45 uses the formulae in the “31-50” row,
but uses its Health of 17 as its HT when determining when it must roll to avoid
death. The elephant makes its first roll to avoid dying at -17 hit points, makes its
next roll at -27, and continues to roll with every 10 points of damage thereafter,
until it misses a roll or reaches -170 (-10×Health), at which point it dies automati-
cally.
Example 2: A rat, on the other hand, has HT 17/2. It looks in the “30 or less”
row, and uses its hit points to determine when it must roll to avoid death. The rat
makes its first roll at -2 points, another roll at -7, and dies automatically at -10
(-5×hit points).
Of course, any HT roll made to avoid death is made by rolling against Health,
regardless of which value – Health or hit points – is higher.

Recovery from Injury

Creatures with split HT can recover lost hit points through rest, first aid and
medical care just like anyone else. However, each time such a creature regains lost
hit points – whether through bandaging, first aid, medical care or gradual recovery
– it does so in proportion to its total hit points.

i n j u r y, i l l n e s s , f a t i g u e a n d r e c o v e r y 153
 Each time the rules indicate that a character would recover a hit point, he
will actually recover 1 hit point for every 20 hit points (or part thereof) that he
originally had. The amount recovered is in proportion to total hit points when
healthy, and not to the number of hit points lost in damage, or to the number
of hit points remaining.
This means that creatures with 1-20 hit points recover on a 1:1 basis, as
usual, but that those with 21-40 hit points recover on a 2:1 basis, those with
41-60 hit points recover on a 3:1 basis, and so on. Thus, an elephant with HT
17/50 will recover 3 hit points (not 1) each time it makes a daily HT roll to
recover lost hit points, and the results of first aid and medical care listed on p.
B128 are tripled.

I’m Not Dead Yet!

An Optional Wound System
This article (by John M. Ford) originally appeared in a slightly different
form in Roleplayer 16.
In GURPS, all the wounds that a character suffers are subtracted from a
single damage-point total. Then, except for a few special hits (blinding, say, or
a severed limb) they cease to exist as separate wounds. This is not, however,
what happens to real people. A graze to the shoulder (1 hit), a flesh wound to
the arm (2 hits) and a deep thrust to the chest (7 hits) do not homogenize into
10 hits of generalized injury. They remain a scratch, a minor cut, and a serious
wound.
The suggested rule changes to use this system are:

Ultra-Tech Medical Drugs Specific Injuries

Each wound a character suffers is recorded separately. If using the Hit Location
(Continued) rules, the location of the wound should also be noted. Under this system, wounds
do not “add” for purposes of treatment and healing. However, the effects of total
Neurovine (TL8)
This is an antidote for nerve poison. If HT loss (determining unconsciousness, rolling to avoid death at negative HT lev-
taken within 15 minutes of poisoning, a els) are unchanged.
Neurovine injection adds +3 to HT on rolls A “wound” is defined as the result of one weapon blow or non-weapon attack.
to avoid taking further damage. Note that
Neurovine is itself dangerous; taking more
Each attack produces a separate wound. (Use common sense. A dragon’s paw may
than one dose in a day does 3d damage if a have five claws, but it doesn’t roll five separate attacks, or do five separate wounds
HT-2 roll is failed, 1d if the roll is success- when it hits.) Damage from falls or falling objects is generally a single wound, but
ful. Cost is $30 per dose; it is only avail- more detailed way to handle it is:
able as an injection. Military units issue
Neurovine as part of every soldier’s first-
aid kit. a) Roll the total damage. If you die, stop now.
b) If you survive, roll one die:
Revive Capsules (TL8) 1 – All the damage is to one location.
These are small, easily breakable cap-
sules. When held under the nose of a 2, 3 – Divide the damage equally between two locations (drop fractions).
stunned or unconscious character and 4, 5 – Divide the damage equally between three locations.
snapped open, the vapor inside will usually 6 – Divide the damage equally between four locations.
revive him completely (roll against HT+5
to regain consciousness, come out of stun,
etc). No HT is regained, but the patient is Determine the locations in the usual way. If the same location comes up more
awake. Revive capsules are widely avail- than once, it gets multiple shares. In this way, you may survive a fall with two bro-
able to the general public and can be pur-
chased freely in drug stores in all but the ken legs, a broken arm and crushed ribs, or with multiple fractures to one leg (the
most repressive societies. Cost is $5/dose. Crippling Injuries rule, B127, applies).
Note for lower-tech GMs: As early as Two forms of damage are still additive:
TL5, “smelling salts” were used. At TL6,
ammonia-inhalant capsules are found in
1) Maltreatment – deliberate or accidental – of an existing wound enlarges the
first-aid kits. Either will “revive” the original wound rather than creating a new one (see below).
patient, with a roll against HT. 2) Whole-body damage, such as from fire, exposure, disease or poison, adds
Continued on next page . . . into a single total for as long as the victim is exposed (to fire or a hostile environ-

154 i n j u r y, i l l n e s s , f a t i g u e a n d r e c o v e r y
ment) or ill (due to disease or poison). Again, apply common sense. A burn from a
torch or a hot iron is localized, not whole-body, burning. It’s up to the GM to
decide whether to treat multiple magic attacks – fireballs for instance – as separate Ultra-Tech Medical Drugs
injuries or as a single, worsening burn. The latter is more realistic but considerably
harder on the players.
(Continued)
(RPGs have always underrated the effects of injury on PCs, and nowhere more Superstim (TL8)
This drug instantly restores 1d of
so than large-scale burns: until very recently, anyone with second-degree or worse fatigue loss. Roll vs. HT; the fatigue is
burns over half or more of the skin surface was almost certainly doomed.) banished for hours equal to the amount the
HT roll was made by (at least one). The
only side effect is that when the time is up,
Advanced Healing System the user gets all that fatigue back, plus 2
The system that follows is absolutely optional, and considerably more complex more.
than the original. It was designed to make medicine, and particularly low-tech field For each dose taken within 24 hours
after the first, the HT roll is at -1. If fatigue
healing by unskilled persons, a much riskier proposition than it now is, with haz- goes past 0, the extra points of fatigue lost
ards rising drastically as the severity of the wound increases. If you don’t want are taken as lost HT instead. There are no
those effects, don’t use these rules. other side effects. The drug is widely
available. Pills (taking effect in 30 min-
utes) cost $25/dose. Hypos (work immedi-
First Aid: In the rules to follow, a Light Wound is defined as one of 3 hits or ately) cost $50 per dose.
less, a Serious Wound as one of 4 to 8 hits, and a Critical Wound as one of 9 or
more hits. 1-hit wounds are also referred to as Superficial Wounds. This all Analgine (TL9)
assumes a human with HT in the 3-18 range and about 10 hit points; for creatures Also called Painaway, this drug masks
pain totally for a period equal to half the
with dozens of hit points, multiply the above numbers by the appropriate amount. user’s HT in hours. Any penalties normally
Bandaging by an unskilled person will reduce any one Light Wound by 1 inflicted by extreme pain are ignored total-
point. If the victim’s wounds are all larger than 3 points, then the bandaging will ly. A Painaway user does not roll for stun
or other damage effects until his HT reach-
still prevent bleeding and other complications, but it will restore no lost HT. es 0, nor does he take any penalties to hit
The simpler way to handle First Aid is to use the table on p. B128 as is; the from combat wounds – he just doesn’t feel
points restored may be divided among the wounds as the medic chooses. the injury at all. Because of this, he may
take more damage than he realizes, and
The more complicated way takes into account the rapidly increasing difficulty suffer more in the long term. The GM rolls
of treating more severe wounds in the field, and allows more options in treatment, secretly for damage taken by the user, and
especially where time or materials are limited. Under this system: doesn’t tell the player what happens until
his character falls over or takes time to
examine his wounds.
Medical Time per Success Hits
Additionally, the user’s IQ (and all
TL point modifier restored related skills) are lowered by 1 point until
0 5 min -2 1, Light Wounds only the drug wears off.
1 5 min -1 1, Light or Serious Wounds Once the Painaway wears off, the user
2, 3 5 min -1 1d-4 (minimum 1) will feel the pain of his wounds. Further
4 5 min 0 1d-3 (minimum 1) doses will keep the pain away, but each
5 4 min 0 1d-3 (minimum 1) extra dose lasts one hour less than the first
6, 7 3 min +1 1d-2 (minimum 1) until it is no longer effective. Then at least
8 2 min +3 1d-1 (minimum 1) 24 hours must pass before a dose can be
effective. More than one dose at a time has
It is possible to treat some wounds and not others, but “partial” treatment has no effect, except lowering IQ by an addi-
no effect. tional point per dose.
A separate First Aid roll is required for each wound treated. The roll is modi- Unfortunately, Analgine is addictive. If
more than three doses are taken in a 24-
fied by the “success modifier” for TL, and by the severity of the wound: hour period, the user must roll against HT
Superficial: +2 to avoid addiction. Roll again for each
Light: +1 later dose taken within 24 hours of the last
Serious: 0 dose, until use stops. If addicted, the user
needs a daily dose to avoid normal with-
Critical: -2 drawal symptoms (p. B30). There are no
Victim’s HT is negative: -1 additional other side effects, except that a “gine-
Victim’s HT is fully negative: -2 additional head” is likely to hurt himself and not
notice! Starting with Analgine addiction is
a 15-point disadvantage. Analgine powder
An ordinary success restores points as per the die roll. A critical success can be smoked or skin-popped; it is often
restores the maximum possible points (any excess is not applicable to other cut with other drugs, neutral substances or
any garbage the pusher has to hand.
wounds). Analgine is available as pill or injection at
An ordinary failure has no effect on Light or Serious Wounds; it increases a $50/dose.
Critical Wound by 1 point. A critical failure, except a natural 18, increases the
Continued on next page . . .
severity of a Light Wound by 1, a Serious by 2, and a Critical by 3.

i n j u r y, i l l n e s s , f a t i g u e a n d r e c o v e r y 155
Ultra-Tech Medical Drugs A natural 18 doubles the severity of the wound. (Unskilled people shouldn’t
fool around in other peoples’ viscera unless there’s really no other hope.)
(Continued) If using the Bleeding rules (p. B130), bleeding checks are required for each
non-Superficial wound (i.e., 2 or more hits); modifiers are -1 for Serious wounds
Antirad (TL9)
This medication contains a number of and -3 for Critical ones. These are instead of the modifier for total HT loss.
different drugs, with the combined effect Also, while burns do not usually bleed significantly, the killer in large-area
of partial protection against radiation. burns is fluid loss: therefore, whole-body burns require treatment for shock (30
Antirad can be taken before radiation
exposure (up to a week before), or within minutes, as per the Bleeding rules) or the victim will lose 1 HT every hour for
an hour after exposure. One dose halves every 5 points of damage. (Again, this is generous: large burns are deadly.)
the effective amount of rads from a new
exposure; two doses will halve exposure Natural Recovery: The victim rolls vs. HT, as per p. B128, but rolls separately
again, and so on. See p. 145, for radiation for each wound. Each successful roll reduces that wound by 1 point. This will, of
damage.
An antirad user must roll vs. (HT+3), course, cause much faster healing in characters with many minor wounds. If this
minus the number of doses taken within bothers you, allow the roll only every second or third day, or impose severe modi-
the past week. A failure causes the perma- fiers for any environment other than absolute rest in a quiet and sanitary location.
nent loss of 1 DX.
Antirad does not heal radiation damage, Medical Care: Physicians may treat multiple wounds simultaneously. For
it prevents it. It comes in injectable and pill
form for $150/dose. “Patients per doctor” on the table (p. B128), read “Injuries per doctor.” Remember
that this system is intended for PCs and very important NPCs, not masses of peo-
Ascepaline (TL9) ple. A quick system for treating large numbers (say, during a plague, or at a field
This drug instantly – but temporarily – hospital in a military campaign):
restores HT to its full level, no matter how
much damage the victim has taken (as long 1) Determine a “convalescence number” for the condition: this is the number
as he’s still conscious when he takes the of healing cycles needed to fully recover (weeks at TL1, days at TL8). For warfare,
drug). The user must make a HT roll. The 7 or 8 is appropriate; a plague might have any value.
amount by which he makes his roll plus
two hours is how long he’ll remain tem-
2) Determine the mortality rate, as a percentage. This should be fairly low for
porarily healed (minimum two hours). warfare – if you’re hurt lightly enough that you can return to the line after treat-
However, while under the influence of the ment, the doctors probably won’t kill you. Plagues might have 80%-90% mortality
drug, both ST and DX are at -2 (IQ is unaf- but short convalescence times (if it doesn’t kill you in the first few hours, you’ll be
fected).
If he misses the HT roll, the drug will fine) or low mortality but long periods of recovery before the patient can work or
still work for two hours, but he’ll be at -4 fight again.
to ST and DX; if it’s a critical failure, the 3) Each cycle, each attending physician rolls vs. skill, with the GM adding
drug will actually do real damage equal to
half the amount he’s already lost. modifiers for conditions, equipment, fatigue, etc. On an ordinary success, the
When the drug wears off, the user’s HT physician loses the mortality percentage from the group he’s treating. On a critical
will drop to what it was when he took the success, the percentage is reduced by 20 points. On an ordinary failure, mortality
drug, plus any additional damage taken,
plus 1 point from the drug itself. Further
goes up by 10 points; on a critical failure, by 20 points. (Note that these changes of
doses cannot be taken until after the patient percentage are for this cycle only; they do not add from cycle to cycle.)
has healed naturally or through other 4) Reduce the convalescence number of the survivors by one. When the num-
means. It comes in hypo form only at ber reaches zero, that group of patients may return to service or work.
$150/dose. (Ascepaline does not attach
severed limbs or regenerate nerve tissue, it
just gives the user back all his hit points.)
Healing Spells: The Minor Healing spell (see p. B161) will cure up to 3 points
of Light Wounds (three 1-point, a 1-point and a 2-point, or one 3-point). It has no
Continued on next page . . .
effect on more severe injuries.
The Major Healing spell will reduce one Light or Serious Wound by up to 8
points. It has no effect on more severe wounds, and cannot be spread among multi-
ple wounds.
The new spell Critical Healing (M/VH, prerequisite Major Healing) will
reduce one wound regardless of severity. It is otherwise the same as Major Healing
(restores twice the fatigue spent, with the same risks for multiple castings). The
three healing spells may be cast on the same person without risk. The Critical
Healing magic item requires Physician skill of 25+ for non-mages, and has an
energy cost of 4,000.
Another possible spell is Heal Burns (M/H, prerequisites Minor Healing and
Resist Fire). This heals only burn damage (not heat exhaustion or sunstroke). There
is no limit on the severity of burn treated, but as with other healing spells, it must
be cast separately on each injury, and has the same hazards for multiple castings on
the same person as the other spells. It restores 2 hits for each fatigue point spent.

156 i n j u r y, i l l n e s s , f a t i g u e a n d r e c o v e r y
 Some gamers may disagree with the idea that small healing spells (such as
Minor Healing) should have no effect at all on large injuries, and may feel that
Ultra-Tech Medical Drugs
Minor Healing should be able to partially reduce a major wound. GMs may, of (Continued)
course, do it that way. The reason this is not done here is simply that a large wound
is not simply a bigger version of a small one. A small, skin-deep sword cut needs
Quickheal (TL9)
A dose of this drug will heal 1d of any
mostly to be cleaned and bandaged shut until the flesh knits; better care will reduce type of wound damage. This takes ten min-
pain and scarring, but the medic’s contribution is really pretty small. A deep slash, utes for the drug in hypo form or one hour
for a pill. The patient must also have
on the other hand, may sever muscles or tendons or cut major blood vessels. Bones received first aid, or at least bandaging;
may break, usually not cleanly: smashing weapons can pulverize bones. A thrust or Quickheal won’t close a gaping wound! It
cut to the torso may hit an organ, which is real trouble. (Half the Westerns ever has no effect on HT lost to radiation, dis-
made have a scene where, “Y’know what happens to a man what’s gut-shot.” ease or poison.
If a second dose is taken within 24
Wounds that penetrated the peritoneum were generally a death sentence until the hours, it may be less effective. The patient
end of the 19th century.) Serious wounds, in short, require reconstruction, not just must roll vs. HT, with a -2 modifier per
closure. dose after the first in the same 24-hour
period. If the roll is missed, the drug has
no beneficial effect, and the patient will
Psionic Healing: Psionic healers (see p. B175) must make a separate attempt become nauseated and disoriented, with a
to heal each of the subject’s wounds. (Optionally, they may attempt to heal all of -1 to both DX and IQ for 24 hours. On a
critical failure, he’ll take 1d of damage.
the subject’s Superficial Wounds.) There is, however, no limit to the severity of the Quickheal can be found in most first-
wounds that they may attempt to reduce, unless this is taken as a power limitation. aid and medical pouches. It may be pur-
Light or Serious Wounds Only is a -20% limitation, while Light Wounds Only is a chased legally by anyone on free worlds,
-40% limitation. and by doctors or through prescription on
most others. It is abundant on the black
Option: Psionic healers who take physical damage as a side effect of healing market even on worlds where it is for some
receive it in the same location as the subject, and generally in the same form. Thus, reason illegal. Injectable Quickheal is
a psi treating a broken leg would limp, while one treating blindness would be tem- $50/dose; pills are $20/dose.
porarily blinded himself. Continued on next page . . .

Partial Injuries
A realistic fact of combat is that an injury that will not cripple a body part will
still decrease the effectiveness of a fighter. Usually, adrenalin will compensate for
pain and injury over the first furious seconds of a fight, so most normal GURPS
combats need not bother with the pain in an arm or a leg. Long tournaments with
fights lasting several minutes, or a long string of separate fights, however, will last
long enough to make bruises and minor sprains tell on the characters. To simulate
this, GMs may wish to use the optional rules below.
A fighter can ignore the effects of all non-crippling injuries for (2xHT) sec-
onds. At the end of that time, he will start suffering some impairment. The severity
of this will be determined by the amount and location of the damage. Characters
with High Pain Threshold halve all penalties, rounding down (so, a -1 penalty is
fully ignored); a Meditation roll (see p. 142) will also halve all penalties.
Arms: A character who takes damage to an arm will lose some effectiveness in
its use. If he has taken less than 1/5 HT damage, the limb is hurt but still fully func-
tional; the character suffers pain when he uses the arm, but that is all. He is at -1
DX for any action that involves that arm; this includes using two-handed weapons.
If he has taken more than 1/5 HT but less than 1/3 HT damage, the arm is severely
damaged, and motor abilities are lost; he is at -3 DX, and using the arm for strenu-
ous activities may require a Will roll (GM’s decision). If the damage is more than
1/3 HT, and up to 1/2 HT (which automatically cripples the arm), the character is at
-5 DX for actions involving the arm.
If any of the Multiple Action rules (p. 71) are being used, at least 1/3 of all the
character’s attacks will be at the penalties described above, because they will be
using the damaged arm.
Legs: If less than 1/5 HT damage is taken to one leg, the fighter will be at -1 to
kick with either leg (either he is using the injured leg to kick, or he is supporting
his body with it!). Any action requiring the character to travel at his full Move will

i n j u r y, i l l n e s s , f a t i g u e a n d r e c o v e r y 157
 require a Will roll to overcome the pain. Damage between 1/5 HT and 1/3 HT will
reduce Move by 1. Kicking with the injured leg will be done at -3 DX; using the
good leg to kick is done at -1 DX, but the character must make a HT roll or he will
aggravate his leg injury, taking 1 point of damage. Injuries between 1/3 HT and 1/2
HT reduce Move by 3, the fighter is at -5 to kick with the injured leg, and he cannot
stand on the injured leg.
Body: Body injuries can hurt combat performance. Reduce Move and DX by 1
if someone takes more than 1/2 HT damage to the body, and by 2 if he takes more
than 2/3 HT damage.

MEDICAL CARE –
MEDICINE BY TL
The following timeline summarizes medical technology between TL4 and
TL13. Below TL4, medical aid is limited to herbal remedies (see Herbs, p. 168),
first aid (see pp. B127-128) and brute force techniques such as amputation, bleeding
and drilling. Above TL13, the human body can literally be taken apart and put back
Ultra-Tech Medical Drugs together whole; assume that any wound that is not immediately fatal can be repaired
effortlessly.
(Continued)
TL4
Suspend (TL9) The First Aid and Medical Care rules on p. B127-128 give the chances for
Suspend slows down all biological
functions. Thus, it can keep a badly injured recovering from wounds or illness. Medicine is still primitive. There is no known
person alive longer. If it is injected into a treatment for disease or infection.
dying person, it will retard cell death (but Surgery is limited to amputation, bonesetting, removing missiles from limbs and
it must be injected before the heart stops!).
A person injected with Suspend (even if he cauterizing wounds – that is, pressing a red-hot iron to the severed blood vessels to
died after the injection) can be treated or stop the bleeding. There are no surgical procedures available for the brain or for the
frozen. He won’t heal at all while on the body cavity.
drug, but he won’t get any worse either.
Suspend takes effect in one minute; its There is still no concept of antisepsis, and no anaesthesia. Opium (see p. 166) is
effects last 48 hours, after which the known, but only as an analgesic (painkiller). Most of the “medicines” available are
metabolism returns to normal and deterio- ineffective; some are poisonous.
ration of the body begins again. Each sub-
sequent dose requires a HT roll. When a
The best thing to do at TL4 is not get sick or hurt. Rapid Healing, Immunity to
roll is failed, that dose is ineffective; Disease and High Pain Threshold are excellent advantages for an adventurer.
Suspend will not work on that person for
(30-HT) days. Injecting more than one TL5
dose at a time has no additional effect.
Suspend comes only in injectable form
The years of TL5 see more changes in medical technology than in all previous
and costs $650/dose. history. Most of this comes between 1850 and 1900. Operations that were usually
fatal in 1840 are routinely successful in 1900.
Anti-Agathics (TL10)
Anti-agathic drugs slow down the aging
process. Each dose effectively stops aging Anaesthesia
for one year. (Actual aging is at a rate of After 1850, anaesthesia for surgery is commonly available in the U.S., Great
about one week per year.) Unfortunately, Britain and Europe. It is also available to immobilize a prisoner. It normally takes up
once an individual stops taking the drugs,
he must make up all the aging rolls he
to a minute to put a cooperative patient under, and three to five minutes for an unco-
skipped, at a rate of one roll per week. operative prisoner. Inhalant anaesthetics are volatile; they must be stored in airtight
Thus, he rapidly ages to his actual chrono- containers until shortly before use.
logical age, which often results in death. After 1885, local anaesthetics for minor surgery are available.
A dose of anti-agathics is actually a set
of two injections and six pills, all of which Opium derivatives as soporifics have been known from antiquity (possibly from
must be taken within a day’s time. Some prehistory). By 1850, morphine injections for pain are well known. So are its addic-
societies reserve anti-agathics for leaders, tive properties (see p. 166).
key scientists, and so on. In others, they
are available to anyone who can pay the Note: There are effectively no laws controlling the sale, purchase or use of nar-
price: $25,000 per dose. Black-market cotic drugs at this time. Any drugstore in America has morphine, cocaine and heroin
anti-agathics are cheaper, but may be less (p. 165) for sale. The only drugs that are smuggled are alcohol and tobacco, to avoid
effective or have side effects.
the taxes.
Continued on next page . . .

158 i n j u r y, i l l n e s s , f a t i g u e a n d r e c o v e r y
Antisepsis Ultra-Tech Medical Drugs
After 1870, antiseptic practice in wound management greatly reduces mortality.
There is no direct treatment for a contaminated wound except to flush it with anti- (Continued)
septic; the great life-saver is keeping the wound and treatment as sterile as possible. Genericillin (TL10)
Strong emphasis on cleanliness does not develop until after acceptance of the This is a very powerful, general-pur-
germ theory of disease. Some physicians remain skeptical about this into the pose antibiotic. It doesn’t treat all diseases,
but it’s always a good thing to try. When
1880s. an unfamiliar disease is encountered,
Genericillin adds 1d-1 to the effective HT
TL6 of anyone rolling to resist or shake off the
disease, taking effect in half an hour.
TL6 medicine is much more likely to keep the patient alive than at any earlier When a new disease is discovered, record
time. Antisepsis and anesthesia are in wide use. Most people who go to the hospital the bonus Genericillin provides to HT,
come back out. which remains constant for every user
against that specific disease. It adds 4 to
HT against most Terran diseases.
Antibiotics Cumulative doses have no side effects,
Sulfa in the mid-1930s and penicillin in the early 1940s are the first actual except that after a few weeks of regular
cures for disease in history. Until then, medicine could treat symptoms or try to use, the whites of the eyes become slightly
greenish. A dose remains active in the
prevent infection, but not cure. Sulfa drugs are generally available in the industrial- body for about a week.
ized world after 1935. Penicillin is available after 1943. At first it is available only This is guaranteed to be useful for
to Allied military personnel and is in short supply. Until 1946 there is a thriving Terrans only; it is poisonous to most alien
species (though some may have equivalent
black market in penicillin, especially because it is a quick and relatively painless antibiotics). Available only to licensed
cure for the two common venereal diseases, syphilis and gonorrhea. physicians and medics, except when pur-
Treatment of open wounds with sulfa will prevent infection on any but a criti- chased in emergency medkits. It is
injectable only, at $100/dose.
cal failure of the First Aid or Physician roll. Treatment of an ongoing infection
with penicillin will cure it in 1d days except on a critical failure of the patient’s HT Purge (TL10)
roll. This is a relapse; the patient takes another 1d days to recover. Purge cleanses the user’s system of for-
eign biochemicals, neutralizing any active
drugs (including recreational drugs and
Plastic Surgery alcohol) within 2d minutes – if the user
After 1910 any surgeon with a specialization in cosmetic surgery can change a makes a HT roll. Failure means that the
character’s face so that it is unrecognizable. This takes a Surgery success roll and dose had no effect (though additional
doses of Purge may); critical failure also
3d+4 weeks to recuperate. On a critical failure, the surgery works but the patient nauseates the user (-3 DX for 1 hour).
now has Hideous appearance. On an ordinary failure the patient is changed but still If more than one dose of Purge is taken
recognizable. The 1910 price of a complete face-chance from a reputable surgeon within 24 hours, HT rolls are at -2 per
is $1,000; from a criminal doctor, it would be a matter for negotiation. The crimi- extra dose, as the user’s system becomes
temporarily immune to the drug.
nal is less likely to tell the police afterwards, unless they pay him more. The drug will not counteract drug
addiction or cure lasting side effects (such
Prosthetics as lost attribute points) that remain after
the drug wears off. Purge has no effect on
Artificial limbs at TL6 are considerably better than at earlier periods. (See pp. TL11+ drugs or most deadly poisons, but it
B27-29 for prosthetics and physical disadvantages.) One artificial limb costs $50 in will counteract sleep or paralysis gas.
1900. It reduces the effect of having one leg to that of having a merely crippled leg. Purge is safe, usually legal, and is
sometimes used as a “sobriety pill” by
With two artificial legs, a legless person can walk (speed 3 at best) but not run, and those who can afford it. It is $20/dose in
is -6 to any DX roll involving staying on his feet. Jumping is impossible. pill or injectable form.
Continued on page 161 . . .
TL7
Medicine advances so fast at TL7 that most doctors cannot keep up with any-
thing but a very narrow and specialized field. Almost any trauma can be treated if
the patient can be reached quickly. Antibiotics can treat most infections. Public
hygiene and inoculation end most epidemic diseases, except for a stubborn few
viral plagues, in developed societies. Hearts, lungs, livers and kidneys are regularly
transplanted. Severed limbs are regularly reattached. Even battlefield injuries have
a better than 95% chance of recovery if the patient can be in surgery within an
hour. Public health is so much improved that a disease that affects less than half of
one percent of the population and is incredibly difficult to spread is described as “a
terrifying plague.”
Treatments that approach “science fiction” are in (or past) the laboratory stage:

i n j u r y, i l l n e s s , f a t i g u e a n d r e c o v e r y 159
 electrical stimulation of broken bones for faster knitting, regrowth of lost digits,
drugs to increase intelligence and memory retention. There are organizations
which, for a fee, will freeze your corpse against the hope of a later cure. Of course,
as of 1996, they can’t even safely thaw it out, much less cure what was killing you.
But the future holds such promise . . .
First Aid is also better at TL7. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation and rescue
breathing, widely taught after 1960, are much more effective than earlier forms of
resuscitation. Allow a +2 on any (non-default) First Aid roll to revive a victim of
drowning or asphyxiation.

TL8
By TL8, organ transplant (even brain transplants!) and bionic replacement
techniques enable almost any non-fatal injury to be healed. Because of this, charac-
ters in TL8+ campaigns should not be allowed to start with physical disadvantages
without good justification (e.g., they are also Poor, or the damage was genetic and
clone transplants are impossible). Aging has not yet been conquered, but since
worn-out organs can be replaced and many diseases of old age have been cured, the
human lifespan has increased significantly.
Almost every known disease can be prevented by a specific inoculation. Any
space-traveling civilization will provide these as a matter of course; individuals will
have to “update their shots” before travel, or have the ship’s doctor do it before hit-
ting port. A spectrum of inoculations for a new environment usually costs $20.
Unknown diseases are another matter. New planets are likely to carry their own
infections which – as yet – have no known cure. Worse still are human-manufac-
tured diseases, whether released by accident or designed for biological warfare.
Developing a new vaccine is difficult and time consuming – use the Reinventing
Invention rules on p. CI125, substituting Biochemistry for Engineering.
TL8 medical care is described in the GURPS Basic Set (p. B128).

Plastiskin
This is an antiseptic plastic patch that holds wounded flesh together. When the
flesh beneath it heals sufficiently, the plastiskin patch falls off. Plastiskin is found in
any TL8 first-aid kit; without it, TL8 first aid counts as TL7.

Aging
Routine improvements in medical care greatly increase the average lifespan.
Anyone receiving civilized medical care at TL8 does not start making aging rolls
until they reach a natural age of 70. The increases in frequency for aging rolls that
normally fall at 70 and 90 years of age are also set back by 20 years each, to 90 and
110. All aging rolls are made at +5.

TL9
Most people no longer fear injury and disease. Minor wounds can be quickly
healed by an injection from a first-aid kit; major disabilities are inconveniences
rather than tragedies, with reliable clone transplants performed by the family doc-
tor. Paramedics can use Suspend (p. 158) and portable automedics to keep a seri-
ously injured person alive until given further treatment; DOA is a thing of the past.
On a civilized world, accidental death either comes instantly, or it does not come at
all. With braintaping, even sudden death can be conquered. The only barrier to
immortality is the gradual degeneration of brain cells, which as yet cannot be
regenerated.
Unhindered by gravity, zero-g chemistry and AI-aided bioengineering form
complex enzymes and hormones.
TL9 first aid and long-term care is described on p. B128.

160 i n j u r y, i l l n e s s , f a t i g u e a n d r e c o v e r y
Aging Ultra-Tech Medical Drugs
Aging rolls do not begin until age 90. Their frequency increases at age 110 and
130. All rolls are made at HT+6! (Continued)
Anti-agathic drugs (see p. 158) are available, to stop aging completely – but Torpine (TL10)
they are experimental, uncertain and very expensive. Torpine puts the user into a healing
trance; he becomes unconscious for 24
hours. At the end of that time, all damage
TL10 taken is totally healed. However, the user
TL10 medical care is described in the GURPS Basic Set, p. B128. Among the comes out of the trance totally exhausted
many TL10 advances are the ability to store braintapes on standard computer disks from the demands placed on his system;
rather than in bulky storage devices, and greatly improved first-aid and emergency his ST is at 1. He will also be famished and
must eat as soon as possible to fully regain
medical techniques. Psychology is reconciled with biochemistry, as both chemical ST. Superstim will not restore this loss but
and electromagnetic techniques are developed to insert, unlock or erase memory can be used in an emergency to break the
and personality. healing trance. If this is done, the amount
of HT regained is proportional to the time
spent in the trance, but ST is still 1.
Aging Because Torpine speeds up the metabo-
At TL10+, aging rolls begin at 110 and frequency increases at ages 130 and lism, each use is likely to add to the user’s
150. All rolls are made at HT+7! Anti-agathics (see p. 158) allow aging to be effec- effective age. Roll vs. HT on coming out
tively stopped for those who can afford the massive cost. These may lead to a strat- of the trance. On a critical success, the user
doesn’t age. On a success, he ages by a
ification of society – immortals and everyone else – but if technology improves month. On a failure, he ages by a number
rapidly enough, within the average person’s 150-year lifespan, medical science of months equal to the amount by which
may advance to the point where anti-agathics are cheap enough for everyone! the roll was missed. A critical failure ages
him by two years!
Torpine is normally only issued to doc-
TL11 tors (though it is available on the black
At TL11, braintaping equipment leaves the hospital and enters the ambulance, market). It comes only in injectable form
and costs $250/dose.
though it is still very heavy. Easily portable micromedics enable automedic tech-
nology to go anywhere. Sensa-skin revolutionizes the field of plastic surgery, mak-
ing bodysculpt unnecessary.
First-aid gear is essentially the same as at TL10, with the important addition of
sensa-skin bandages (heals 2 extra hits, costs $50 and weighs 1/4 pound) to all first-
aid kits.

Sensa-Skin
Sensa-skin is TL11 artificial tissue. It can be grown or formed into sections
that, when applied to a living body, attach themselves and become a part of it. To
apply a section of sensa-skin correctly requires a Surgery or Physician roll at -2.
Use of a sensa-skin patch in first aid will restore an additional 2 points of dam-
age, even if the first aid consists of little more than slapping the patch on (simple ban-
daging). The only roll required is a DX roll to avoid attaching it in the wrong place.

TL12
The major TL12 advances are total panimmunity and regeneration, enabling
missing limbs to be restored without requiring clone transplants or bionic replace-
ment.
Most citizens in TL12 societies receive Level 2 (TL10) panimmunity free as
children through government or corporate health-benefit plans. Full Level 3 panim-
munity treatments are also available. (For more information on panimmunity, see p.
CI28.)

TL13
TL13 first-aid gear is essentially the same as TL11. Sickbay and hospital care
is far more advanced, with light and increasingly portable micromedics and regen-
eration fields. The chrysalis machine, capable of totally rebuilding the human body
or even “resurrecting” the newly-dead, becomes the standard hospital treatment.

i n j u r y, i l l n e s s , f a t i g u e a n d r e c o v e r y 161
 Addictive Drugs
The Addiction and Withdrawal rules on
p. B30 are deadly. While realistic for
DRINKING AND
“hard” drugs such as cocaine and heroin,
they are inappropriate for many others.
INTOXICATION
The following optional rules can be used to Here we present very detailed rules for drinking and intoxication in GURPS.
solve this problem. These rules will not be needed every time a character states he’s having a drink.
Often it will be sufficient for the GM to hand the player the Intoxication Table and
Minor Addiction simply ask him how drunk his character plans to get that night. However, if alco-
An addiction that is worth a mere -5
points shouldn’t be particularly life-threat- holic intake is an intrinsic part of a roleplaying adventure, these rules can add an
ening. Caffeine and tobacco use fall into extra dimension to the action: Just how drunk is your barbarian by the time the big
this category. Instead of using the tavern brawl starts up, and how hung over is he the next day, when it’s time to leave
Withdrawal rules in such cases, the GM
may opt to say that the expense, social for the adventure?
stigma or detrimental long-term effects of These rules will be particularly useful in Fantasy, Swashbucklers and Old
use are the whole of the disadvantage. West campaigns. They will also be useful in cinematic Espionage games; note that
Withdrawal rolls must still be made, but
HT loss never results. Instead, going with- the rules for alcohol given on p. ES62 are simplistic, and do not agree with the
out the drug causes anxiety, irritability, rules below.
restlessness, etc. This amounts to a -1 on
DX, IQ or Reaction rolls (GM’s option).
Each day without the drug does not
increase the size of the penalty, it just pro-
Alcohol Rating
Each beverage is assigned an alcohol rating from 1 to 20, with a 1 to 2 for ale,
longs the duration.
It is also quite possible to have a 0- beer, porter or stout, a 2 to 3 for most wine, a 3 to 5 for most fortified wines, and an
point addiction using the rules on p. B30. 8 to 11 for spirits. In general, the alcohol rating will be equal to 1/5 of the drink’s
Such addictions should always be treated alcohol percentage, rounded up; i.e., pure alcohol would have a rating of 20. See
as Minor Addictions, and are taken as -1-
point quirks. the Alcohol Content Table for the strength of some typical beverages. This rating is
then multiplied by the number of ounces of liquid in each serving, to give an alco-
Psychological Dependency hol rating per round. In a pub, serving size is typically 12 to 16 oz. for beer, 4 oz.
Some drugs, even fairly powerful ones, for wine and 1 oz. for spirits.
are not physically addictive, but produce
strong psychological dependency instead. When drinking, this should be recorded by the player, and each subsequent
Use the rules on p. B30 for withdrawal, drink should be added to it in a running total. For example, if a drinker has two 12-
except that withdrawal rolls for such drugs oz. mugs of strong beer (alcohol rating 2, for a per-round rating of 24), his total
are made against Will (maximum 13)
instead of HT. Where HT damage would
should read 48.
occur, treat each point of lost HT as -1
point of drug-related quirks and mental
disadvantages instead. As time passes, Alcohol Content Table
these will build up from quirks, to minor The following is a table listing the most common types of alcoholic beverage
disadvantages, to major disadvantages. and their typical alcohol percentages. Conveniently, most alcoholic drinks contain
The GM should pick the disadvantages;
Flashbacks (p. CI90) are common. These
approximately the same amount of alcohol (one 12-oz. beer = one 4-oz. glass of
disappear if the addict gives in and takes a wine = one 4-oz. mixed drink = one 1-oz. shot = 1/2 ounce of pure alcohol).
dose of the drug. If the addict manages to
go 14 days without the drug, he withdraws Beverage Percentage AlcoholRating (per oz.)
as usual – but he must make one final Will Beer, dark 8-9% 2
roll or he keeps his new quirks and disad- Beer, light 2% 1
vantages! These can be bought off normal- Beer, normal 4% 1
ly with earned character points.
Brandy 35-40% 7-8
Continued on next page . . . Everclear (pure alcohol) 95% 19
Gin 40-50% 8-10
Moonshine 60-85% 12-17
Most Liqueurs 20-40% 4-8
Rum 40-50% 8-10
Schnapps 30-40% 6-8
Sherry 20% 4
Tequila 40-50% 8-10
Vodka 40-60% 8-12
Whiskey 45-60% 9-12
Wine, cheap 10% 2
Wine, fortified 25% 5
Wine, port 20% 4
Wine, table 12-15% 2-3

162 i n j u r y, i l l n e s s , f a t i g u e a n d r e c o v e r y
Tolerance Addictive Drugs
Each character has a Tolerance for alcohol, equal to twice his HT. The Alcohol
Tolerance advantage increases your Tolerance level by 5 (see p. CI19). Certain dis- (Continued)
advantages give additional modifiers: Below is a short list of drugs for use
with the Addiction disadvantage, along
Dwarfism: Anyone with Dwarfism automatically has a -5 to his Tolerance. with brief descriptions of their effects.
Gigantism: Gigantism adds +8 to Tolerance. Other poisons can be found in Chapter 5
Fat: A character with the -10 point version of Fat gets a +5 to his Tolerance, or (p. 137); alcohol is treated separately in the
+10 if he has the -20 point version. main text (p. 162).
Overweight: The Overweight disadvantage gives a +3 to Tolerance. Amphetamines
Skinny: A Skinny character gets a -3 to his Tolerance. Amphetamines (sometimes referred to
Note that female characters (human ones) should reduce their calculated as “uppers” or “speed”) are stimulants,
Tolerance by 40% (round up). Variations in nonhuman Tolerance is up to the GM. available at TL6+. They are appetite sup-
pressants, and instantly restore 1d of
Each time a drinker’s total intake reaches a multiple of his Tolerance, he rolls fatigue loss. Roll versus HT; the fatigue is
1d and divides the roll by 2, rounding up, to produce a result between 1 and 3. This banished for a number of hours equal to
roll determines the drinker’s current position on the Intoxication Table (below). For half the amount the roll was made by (at
least one). When the time is up, the user
every roll beyond the first, apply a cumulative +1 per roll; i.e., add +1 to the result gets all that fatigue back, plus 2 more.
of the second roll, +2 to the result of the third roll, and so on . . . For each dose taken within 24 hours
Example: Shorty Steinitz has a HT of 10 and a normal metabolism, so his after the first, the HT roll is at -1. Large
Tolerance is 2 × 10, or 20. Suppose he drank those two 12-ounce beers. After the and frequent doses produce exhilaration,
and depression can occur when usage ceas-
first one, he would make an unmodified Intoxication Roll (because it’s his first es. If fatigue goes below 0, the extra points
roll). The second beer would make his total consumption 48, which is another mul- of fatigue lost are taken as lost HT instead.
tiple of his Tolerance, so he’d roll again – this time at +1. His next roll, if he contin- If HT falls to 0, the user suffers a heart
attack, blacking out for 1d minutes and
ues to drink, would be at +2, his forth roll at +3, and so on. taking 3d damage.
As long as one continues to drink, one’s Intoxication Level can only go up, Amphetamines are cheap, only slightly
never down. In our example, say that Shorty rolled a 3 on his first roll: addictive and (before late TL7) socially
acceptable. Amphetamine addiction is
“Cheerful/Mellow.” His second roll is a 1, with +1 for being the second roll, giving worth no points unless amphetamines are
a 2. This is a result in the “Not intoxicated” range, but he does not sober up – he illegal, in which case it is a -5-point disad-
remains at Level 3. If his third roll is a 1, with a +2 now, giving a 3, his Intoxication vantage.
Continued on next page . . .
Level will not change, but if he rolls a 2 or 3, his Intoxication Level will increase to
the indicated level.
It is possible to skip levels on the table below, going (for instance) directly
from Level 5 to Level 7. If you skip a step, ignore its special effects – for instance,
if you skip step 9, you’re much less likely to vomit.

Intoxication Table
1 or 2. Not intoxicated.
3. Cheerful/Mellow
Your current mood is pleasantly heightened. +1 to all IQ-based rolls in any pur-
suit requiring creativity or imagination. -1 to all Will rolls.
4. Elated
You start to act a bit silly. -2 to all Will rolls, lose the +1 for creative pursuits.
5. Boisterous
You are loud and restless. -3 to Will Rolls, -1 to other IQ rolls and IQ-based
skills. -1 to rolls vs. DX or DX-based skills.
6. Unsteady
The alcohol begins to affect your reflexes and perceptions. -3 to Will Rolls, -2
to IQ and DX rolls.
7. Drowsy
You become lethargic and pensive. -3 to IQ rolls (including Will rolls), -3 to
DX rolls. Make a HT roll to stay awake. If you fail, you doze off, or feel so sleepy
that you leave the party.

i n j u r y, i l l n e s s , f a t i g u e a n d r e c o v e r y 163
 8. Weaving
Your reflexes and responses are seriously impaired. You can’t walk straight or
carry on a coherent conversation. -3 to IQ and Will rolls, -5 to DX rolls. Make a HT
roll at -2. If you fail, you doze off, or feel so sleepy that you leave the party.

9. Vomit
You become physically ill. You may avoid vomiting on a roll vs. HT-3, but
only if you stop drinking entirely for the rest of the night – if you continue drinking,
you will vomit. On a critical failure, you are unable to make it to a rest room, alley
or similar appropriate place without throwing up. Whether you actually vomit or
not, you don’t feel well – you must make a Will roll (at current penalties, as #6,
above) to continue drinking, unless you are an alcoholic or distraught (see below),
in which case you must make a Will roll to stop.

10. Surly/Spacey
If you’re in a good mood (see below) you become giddy and incoherent – you
think everybody is your best friend. If you’re in a foul mood, you become paranoid,
and will snap at anybody who tries to approach you. You do not feel well – make
an unmodified HT roll to avoid vomiting, then another (whether you vomit or not).
If you fail the second HT roll you find yourself losing consciousness – you will
pass out in no more than 3d×10 minutes, or whenever you get to a place where you
can rest, whichever comes first. You will remain unconscious for 2d+6 hours. If
you make the second HT roll, you may make a Will roll (at current minuses) to
Addictive Drugs continue drinking, unless you’re an Alcoholic or distraught (see below), in which
case you have to make the Will roll to stop drinking.
(Continued)
Barbiturates 11. Belligerent/Out of It
These are habit-forming drugs used as
sedatives and hypnotics; to induce sleep, If your mood is good, you enter an unresponsive, “blissed-out” state. You must
relieve anxiety and neuroses by inducing make an IQ roll at current minuses to notice even things which directly affect you
drowsiness; and control epileptic seizures. (somebody is speaking to you, somebody is stealing your wallet, the building is on
Taken to cause a state of euphoria, barbitu-
rates are among the most widely abused fire). If your mood is bad you become belligerent, behaving as though you had the
drugs. Sometimes they are used in suicide Bully disadvantage, and challenging all comers to fight. If you get in a fight, you’re
attempts. at -3 to all attack rolls and active defenses (yes, your DX is higher if you’re in a
Barbiturates act to depress the central
nervous system. The rate at which they
belligerent state than if you’re equally drunk but not belligerent – adrenaline), but
work varies widely. Some, such as amo- you take punishment as though you had High Pain Threshold.
barbital, enter the brain slowly and are After 2d×10 minutes of this behavior (or if physically restrained for more than
used as anxiety reliefs. Others, such as sec- 1d minutes), you must make two HT rolls and a Will roll as above. If you fail the
obarbital, work faster and are used as
sleeping pills. Very fast barbiturates, such second HT roll, you will lose consciousness in no more than 2d×10 minutes. If you
as thiopental, cause sleep in seconds; these make all three rolls, you continue drinking and behaving in a belligerent/out of it
are used as adjuncts to anaesthesia and as fashion until you come to your next Intoxication Roll.
knockout drops (“Mickey Finns”).
Barbiturates cause a loss of 1 to 6
points of DX and IQ, the amount and dura- 12. Violent/Delusional
tion depending on exact composition, as You become temporarily unhinged by the alcohol. Make a Will roll at current
they impair judgment and motor control.
Other depressants – such as alcohol and penalties. If you succeed, you realize that the alcohol is making you crazy. You stop
tranquilizers – cause synergy, increasing drinking and go home to bed. If you fail, roll 1d:
the effects of all drugs concerned. An On a 1-3 you start breaking glass, turning over tables and generally destroying
overdose results in coma and death. The
human body develops a tolerance for bar-
everything in sight. If anybody tries to stop you, you will attack them as though you
biturates, requiring larger doses to produce were Berserk. After 3d minutes of destruction, or after winning a fight, you must
the same effect. make two HT rolls and a Will roll as #10, above, to see if you remain conscious
Barbiturates are cheap, highly addictive and continue drinking. If you fail the second HT roll you will lose consciousness
and usually illegal, worth -10 points as an
addiction – or -20 points if the user rou- after 3d minutes. If you make the second HT roll, you will demand more alcohol
tinely incapacitates himself (meaning he is and drink yourself to your next Intoxication Roll. If alcohol is withheld, you will
rendered unconscious). fly into another destructive rage.
Continued on next page . . .

164 i n j u r y, i l l n e s s , f a t i g u e a n d r e c o v e r y
 On a 4-6 you are menaced by bizarre and threatening hallucinations. The GM
will tell you what you think you see, and you will react as though it were real. If
Addictive Drugs
you’re lucky you might just flail around a lot and look like a crazy fool, but you (Continued)
might also destroy property and injure yourself or others in your struggle to escape
or destroy the hallucinations.
Heroin
Heroin is an opium (see p. 166) deriva-
tive. It is a powerful depressant that effec-
13. Pass Out tively incapacitates the user. An overdose
(often the result of using heroin of
You pass out cold. You may make a roll vs. HT-3 to stay conscious for an addi- unknown purity) causes coma and death.
tional 1d minutes – long enough to stretch out on a car seat, floor or gutter. Heroin is very expensive in its pure form,
Otherwise you pass out right where you are, possibly taking damage from falling but it is usually “cut” with filler before
being sold. It is not unheard of for the filler
off your barstool. Once you’re asleep, you must make a final HT roll to avoid vom- itself to be poisonous, which can also
iting. Vomiting will not wake you up. If you vomit while passed out, roll 1d. If you result in incapacitation or death.
roll a 6, you are choking on your own vomit – you immediately begin suffocating Heroin is expensive, incapacitating,
as per the rules on p. B122. You will die unless somebody else clears your wind- totally addictive and illegal; an addict has a
-40-point disadvantage. The player and
pipe for you (successful First Aid roll or default at +5 required). Barring tragedy, GM should be aware that heroin addiction
you will sleep for 2d+9 hours. will eventually kill the character, one way
or another, unless he seeks professional
help to withdraw.
14. Alcoholic Coma
You go into an alcoholic coma. While in the coma, you must make a HT roll LSD
LSD causes disorientation and halluci-
every 10 minutes. Each failed roll reduces your HT by a further -1. For each full 6 nations which render the victim temporari-
points of HT lost, you permanently lose 1 point of IQ. If HT reaches -HT, you die. ly ineffective, and which may induce fits
You must continue rolling until: 1) the alcohol is purged from your system via of paranoia and delusions. The effects last
a stomach pump, nauseant or equivalent treatment; 2) you make a critical success for two hours. During this period, whenev-
er the victim must make a roll of any sort,
on the HT roll; 3) you die. he must first attempt a Will roll. If the Will
If you haven’t vomited yet during your drinking bout (and you don’t have the roll fails, the victim experiences a halluci-
Susceptibility to Poison disadvantage), someone else can induce vomiting (suc- natory experience preventing him from
performing the desired action.
cessful First Aid roll required), which will let you roll vs. HT. If you succeed, you Furthermore, on a critical failure, the vic-
will take 1d-3 points damage from the shock to your system, but will otherwise tim will suffer a flashback hallucination
simply be passed out, as above. If not, you will be in very serious danger of death whenever exposed to the same event (the
GM may want to assign the character the
unless you get medical attention. Flashbacks disadvantage, p. CI90). The
GM may invent specific details of halluci-
Special Modifiers nations, if desired.
LSD is not physically addictive (no
Certain advantages, disadvantages and skills can affect the outcome of a bout penalty to withdrawal rolls), but some
of drinking: users develop psychological dependency.
LSD is cheap, hallucinogenic and usually
Alcohol-Related Quirks: See p. CI79. You are subject to various minor incon- illegal. LSD dependence is worth -15
veniences or embarrassments when you drink. points as a disadvantage.
Alcohol Tolerance: Increases your Tolerance level. See p. CI19. Mescaline
Alcoholism: Alcoholics roll on the Intoxication Table normally (except as This drug, originally discovered in a
noted above), except they must check on their first drink to see if it triggers a binge small cactus called the peyote, is used in
(see p. B30). An alcoholic on a binge will always drink to at least Intoxication some Indian ceremonies in the American
Southwest and Mexico. At TL7+, the puri-
Level 9 if he can, after which he may feel bad enough to stop. However, while fied drug is often sold on the street. Use
most people have to make Will rolls to continue drinking past the point where they the rules for LSD (above), except that
become ill, an alcoholic (whether he’s on a binge or not) must make a Will roll to flashbacks are not common.
Purified or synthetic mescaline is
stop. Alcoholics will very often drink until they pass out. cheap, hallucinogenic, but not physically
Carousing: Any time a HT or Will roll is called for on the Intoxication Table, addictive (no penalty to withdrawal rolls).
the drinker may substitute his Carousing skill level (but remember that Will rolls However, psychological dependency (sim-
ilar to LSD, above) can develop, and is
cannot be more than 13, regardless of IQ or – in this instance – Carousing skill). treated as an addiction worth -15 points.
Susceptibility to Poison: See p. CI84. At TL5-, some American Indians have
a peyote habit. Collection of wild peyote is
time-consuming, making it difficult to
Shyness & Cowardice obtain – treat it as if it were “expensive.”
On the other hand, use is generally socially
Alcohol tends to make one more outgoing. Shy characters reduce the severity
acceptable. A peyote habit is worth -25
of their shyness by -1 level per Intoxication Level, beginning at Level 5: points as an addiction.
Boisterous. For this purpose there are considered to be four levels of shyness: Continued on next page . . .

i n j u r y, i l l n e s s , f a t i g u e a n d r e c o v e r y 165
 Addictive Drugs Crippling, Severe, Mild and quirk. Thus even the shyest individual is able to func-
tion normally by the time he reaches Intoxication Level 8.
(Continued) Those with the Cowardice disadvantage may forget about their disadvantage
entirely at Intoxication Level 10+. Cowardice will not restrain a drunk’s unpleasant
Morphine
Morphine, like heroin (see p. 165), is or violent behavior at levels 8-10.
an opium derivative. It became common
during and after the American Civil War.
Many soldiers, given morphine for pain, Other Modifiers
became addicted. It usually taken as patent Drugs: Anyone drinking alcohol while under the influence of drugs will be at
medicine or (especially at TL6+) injected. +1 to +10 to all Intoxication Rolls. +1 might be a mild over-the-counter cold reme-
Like heroin, morphine is a depressant, and
an overdose can lead to death. However, it dy, and +10 would be a powerful mind-altering drug like PCP or cocaine. Certain
is not usually as incapacitating as heroin; drugs may be treated as poisons when mixed with alcohol, at the GM’s discretion.
use the rules given under Barbiturates for Eating: If a drinker eats at least one ounce of solid food between Intoxication
the disorienting effects of morphine.
Morphine is totally addictive. If legal,
Rolls, he gets a -1 to his next roll. Eating larger quantities of food will not increase
morphine addiction is worth -10, -15 or this modifier.
-25 points for casual, habitual and heavy Empty Stomach: If a drinker has not eaten a meal in the last 6 hours, he is at +2
users respectively. Add another -5 points if to all Intoxication Rolls.
morphine is illegal.
Pacing Oneself: A careful carouser my declare before he starts drinking that he
Opium is “pacing himself.” This means that he is drinking no more alcohol than his
Opium is a depressant, derived from Tolerance each hour. In addition to making fewer Intoxication Rolls than those who
poppies. It is fairly inexpensive throughout aren’t pacing themselves, he will receive a -2 modifier on each Intoxication Roll.
most of the 19th century and is sold by
doctors, druggists, grocers and mail-order Anyone drinking only beverages with an alcohol rating of 1 is automatically con-
houses. It is often taken in patent medi- sidered to be pacing himself – a human can drink only so much liquid. Alcoholics
cines, as laudanum (opium in alcohol) or on a binge, or distraught individuals (see below), may not pace themselves.
smoked.
Opium is highly addictive. Users may Physical Exertion: One who has been exerting himself physically (for exam-
develop tolerance to opium, drastically ple, doing an hour or more of heavy labor, or getting into a fight of any length) will
increasing the daily dose required. Most get a -2 to all Intoxication Rolls for the first hour after he stops exerting himself –
casual users have a -5-point addiction.
Habitual users may have an opium addic-
his metabolism is working faster, and processing the alcohol more efficiently.
tion for -10 points. The addiction is worth The GM may assess further modifiers for any other special circumstances
-20 points for heavy users with high toler- which may arise.
ance. Add -5 points to all of the above if
opium is illegal.
Determining Mood
Tobacco At Intoxication Levels 10 and 11, the mood of the drinker becomes very impor-
Tobacco is one of the most common
addictive drugs on Earth at TL5+. Its worst
tant. The GM may require a drinker who reaches these levels to roll 1d. On a 1-3,
short-term effects are wheezing and cough- the drinker’s mood is fair, on a 4-6 it’s foul. This roll can be modified by plus or
ing, although long-term use is often detri- minus 1-5, depending on the character’s mood when he started drinking, and events
mental to a character’s health. that happened during the evening. For instance, getting mugged or cheated would
Tobacco is cheap, highly addictive and
almost always legal. Tobacco addiction is give someone a foul mood, while receiving a cash bonus or being with an attractive
worth -5 points. member of the opposite sex would tend to make one cheerful. However, a natural
roll of 1 always indicates a good mood, and a natural 6 is always a bad mood,
regardless of other modifiers.
Individuals with the disadvantages Bully, Bad Temper or Berserk will always be
on the violent side, unless they roll a natural 1 – other modifiers are irrelevant. Also,
a character with none of the above disadvantages may take the quirk Surly Drunk,
which likewise ensures that he will become unpleasant except on a natural 1. Those
with the Pacifism disadvantage will get a -2 to all die rolls, and characters with the
Common Sense advantage will become unpleasant only on a natural 6. A drinker
should reroll his mood each time he passes a new Tolerance multiple, since dramatic
mood swings are a hallmark of the extreme drunk.
A carouser who’s this drunk is not in complete control of his actions. The GM is
free to dictate a PC’s behavior, if he feels the player is not adequately roleplaying his
character’s drunkenness – for example, backing off from a fight just because the
odds are bad when he’s supposed to be belligerent, or taking an active part in the
proceedings when he’s supposed to be surly, or not reacting appropriately to halluci-
nations.

166 i n j u r y, i l l n e s s , f a t i g u e a n d r e c o v e r y
Drinking While Distraught Illness
At certain times, one may become mentally distraught. Possible reasons for such Below is a selection of illnesses that
a state might be the recent loss of a Ally, Patron or Dependent, inadvertently but characters may experience during their
thoroughly breaking a Vow or violating a Code of Honor or Sense of Duty, or rolling travels.
a 20 or more on the Fright Check Table in the recent past.
A distraught individual will find his ability to drink responsibly greatly Beriberi
This disease is caused by Vitamin B
impaired. Once he starts to drink he will continue to drink (assuming that alcohol deficiency; it is not spread by microbes
remains available) to at least level 6 on the Intoxication Table, and even then he and is not contagious. In pre-modern cul-
must make a Will roll (at current minuses) to stop drinking, or drink until he passes tures, it usually strikes high status people –
those whose diet is not based on cheaper
out. The drinker can try a new Will roll each time he makes a new Intoxication Roll. foods such as vegetables and barley. The
If the GM rules that the character is in a distraught state, and he has nothing else GM should make an annual HT roll for
to do to take his mind off his problems, the GM can mandate that he make a Will characters who eat such a “high status”
diet. Failure means an attack of beriberi.
roll or seek out a bar and begin a drinking spree. An attack typically lasts 5d days.
During the attack, the sufferer suffers 3
Sobering Up times as much fatigue as he normally
would. He cannot regain lost ST points by
The only way to sober up is to stop drinking. For each half hour that a character resting; he only recovers 1 ST per full
refrains from drinking anything at all, he makes a HT roll. If he succeeds, his night of sleep (see p. B134). An attack of
Intoxication Level decreases by 1. A character in the process of sobering up does not beriberi causes loss of 1 HT point for 1d
months. A character who has suffered an
need to make any additional HT or IQ rolls as his Intoxication Level decreases – he attack must make a monthly HT roll to
just gradually loses his attribute penalties. avoid further attacks, until he changes his
diet.
Sobering Shock Modern vitamin supplements can elimi-
nate all danger of beriberi.
News or an event of a particularly shocking nature can reduce a drinker’s
Continued on next page . . .
Intoxication Level immediately, as his body floods with adrenaline. If a carouser
receives some shocking news (a loved one is sick or in danger, his house is on fire),
or becomes involved in an emergency situation (he’s violently attacked, or the build-
ing he’s in catches fire), his Intoxication Level will immediately drop by -3, at the
GM’s discretion.

Hangovers
If a drinker overindulges in alcohol, he’ll probably end up with a hangover
(unless he has the No Hangover advantage; see p. CI28). Any time a carouser
achieves a value of 2 or greater on the Intoxication Table, he risks a hangover when
he stops.
To check for hangover, the drinker must roll 1d+3 at the end of each drinking
session. If this roll is equal to or less then the highest (not necessarily last)
Intoxication Level of the session, the character has a hangover. The hangover kicks
in 1d hours after the end of the drinking session, or on awakening, if he fell asleep
before the hangover began. It will last 1 hour for each point by which the hangover
roll was missed (minimum 1).
Hair of the dog that bit you, a single stiff drink taken immediately upon awak-
ening, will reduce this time by an hour (drinking more than one drink will not add
to this effect, only make the victim drunk again, putting off the hangover). Other,
more elaborate remedies may have a more dramatic effect, at the GM’s discretion.
A hung-over character will be at a cumulative -1 to all IQ- and DX-based rolls
per each hour’s duration of the hangover. Thus, someone with a 4-hour hangover
will start the day at -4 to DX and IQ. This penalty decreases by one point hourly as
the hangover progresses.
A non-aspirin, over-the-counter pain reliever will give a +2 modifier to this
penalty beginning 1/2 hour after it’s taken, and cuts the time of the hangover down
by an equivalent amount. (The modifier is +3 if it’s taken between the end of the
drinking bout and the onset of the hangover, but the GM should require both an IQ
and a Will roll at current penalties for the drunk to remember to take it without a
reminder from a sober friend, and to actually motivate himself to take it.) Aspirin is

i n j u r y, i l l n e s s , f a t i g u e a n d r e c o v e r y 167
 even more effective than other pain relievers, but can severely upset the sensitive
stomach lining of a hung-over character.
A character may take the quirk Horrible Hangovers, which adds -3 to the
attribute penalty and duration of all hangovers. (GMs may allow anyone with
Alcoholism or Compulsive Behavior: Heavy Drinking to take Horrible Hangovers
Illness as a -5 point disadvantage.)
(Continued) Example: Billy Joe Bob drinks himself to the Belligerent/Out of it stage (#11)
before he stops drinking and goes to sleep. He rolls a 5 on his hangover roll (miss-
Bubonic Plague ing his Intoxication Level by 6), so when he wakes up, he’s got a doozy. When he
Early symptoms are shivering, vomit- gets out of bed, he’s at -6 to DX and IQ. He stumbles to the kitchen and takes some
ing, headache, giddiness, and intolerance
to light. Left untreated, the pain spreads to
ibuprofen (+2) and washes it down with a shot of bourbon (+1); in half an hour,
the back and limbs and the victim becomes he’s down to only -3 penalties. After three more hours, he’s back to normal.
sleepless, apathetic or delirious. Body tem-
perature rises drastically. The most charac- Hyperaesthesia
teristic sign is the appearance of buboes, Hung-over individuals are more susceptible to pain than normal. Any sudden
large purple welts on the arms and back. If
a character does not know that the plague or shocking sensory input – a flash of light, a loud noise, a slap on the back – will
is in the region, a successful Diagnosis+2 be intensely painful. The sufferer must make a Will roll (at current minuses) or be
roll will reveal what is happening on first mentally stunned for 1 turn.
sight of a buboed victim. The plague is
rare on Earth, but all doctors learn about it.
Those who actually take damage while hung-over must make a Will roll or be
Roll against HT+2 each day a person is mentally stunned for a number of turns equal to their current IQ/DX penalty. Even
in a plague-infected region (see p. B133 if they make this roll, they should add their current IQ/DX penalty to their normal
for modifiers to this roll). A successful roll penalty to combat skills next turn.
means the character avoided contracting
the disease; a critical success means the Hangover sufferers with High Pain Threshold have normal penalties to DX and
character is immune and no longer needs IQ, but may ignore the effects of hyperaesthesia. Likewise, those with the Light
to make daily health checks. A failure Hangover advantage (p. CI27) do not suffer from hyperaesthesia.
means the character has contracted the
plague; a critical failure indicates a very
severe case, with doubled effects.
An infected victim will fall sick within
24 hours. For each day of the disease, roll HERBS
against HT. A critical success indicates Herbs are a staple of low-tech campaigns, especially in fantasy settings. The
recovery. Success means the victim
remains stable. Two consecutive successes
following are some general guidelines for the GM who wishes to introduce herbs
allow him to regain a point of HT. Three into his campaign, as well as a few specific examples.
consecutive successes mean the victim is
over the disease and may regain HT nor-
mally. Failure means the victim loses 1d of Use of Herbs
HT, DX, ST, and IQ, rolling separately. The use of herbs is a mixture of techniques and effects. Certain herbs in small
ST, DX and IQ will not be reduced below quantities can cure diseases and bodily ills, but in larger doses can kill. Some herbs
3 and will be regained at the same rate that
HT is regained, should the victim recover. soothe; others madden. An adventurer takes a risk in gathering herbs without some-
A critical failure indicates a loss of 2d HT one trained in herb-lore to advise him.
and separate rolls for each stat as per fail- Herbs can be used in any or all of the following ways: as a poison or as an anti-
ure. A loss of half the victim’s starting IQ
means he’s become delirious.
dote to a poison, as a preventative or cure for a disease, as protection against magic,
In a low-tech setting, a plague city will or as an aid in spell casting.
be full of quacks with false cures and pre-
ventatives. A successful Physician roll will Poisons
reveal any such nostrum to be false, Poisons can be made from many herbs; these are generally contact, blood or
though visitors must be careful who they digestive agents (see p. B132). In addition, some herbs are poisons in their natural
denounce. At higher Tech Levels (TL6+),
the plague can be prevented, treated and form.
possibly cured. Ultra-tech medicine Some herbs can be used as antidotes to poisons. The effect of an antidote varies
(TL8+) will reduce the plague to at most a depending on how soon it is taken after the poisoning. If taken before the effects of
minor inconvenience. Magical or psionic
cures work as well against the plague as a poison begin to show, an antidote will usually allow a second HT roll to avoid the
against any other disease. effects of the poison. This HT roll may be at +1 or +2 depending on the strength of
the antidote. If taken after the poison has taken effect, the antidote will reduce the
Continued on next page . . .
intensity and/or the duration of the effects.

Disease
Some herbs can be used as preventatives and/or as cures for diseases. When
used to prevent a contagious disease, the herb gives a bonus to the HT roll to avoid

168 i n j u r y, i l l n e s s , f a t i g u e a n d r e c o v e r y
contracting the disease (see p. B133). When used to cure a disease, the appropriate
herb will give a bonus to the HT rolls for recovery (see p. B133).
Illness
In order to know what herb to use as a preventative or cure for a specific dis- (Continued)
ease, it is necessary not only to know what herbs work against what diseases but
also what disease a person has; this requires a successful Diagnosis roll. A
Cholera
Cholera may be contracted from contami-
Diagnosis roll is not needed before using a general remedy, if you are fortunate nated water or food. The GM rolls against the
enough to have one. character’s HT, with no modifier – infection
takes place on a failed roll. After an incuba-
tion period of 1d-3 days, the victim will sud-
Protection denly produce 3-4 gallons of watery diarrhea,
Herbs can sometimes be used – even by non-mages – as protection against followed shortly by vomiting. He will dehy-
magic. The herbs available for this, and the use of such herbs, will depend on the drate so rapidly that his flesh shrivels.
campaign world. Cramps and cold, clammy skin, come next –
he will soon be too weak to move.
Victims of cholera roll against HT each
Spell-Casting day they suffer symptoms. A critical failure
Some spells require the use of herbs in order to be effective. Other spells work results in death. On a normal failure, the
quite well alone but are strengthened by the introduction of the proper herbs. And patient loses 4 HT and 4 ST. If either drops
below 0, death results. As death is caused by
while many spells do not require the use of herbs in the casting, many practitioners dehydration rather than the disease itself, the
are inclined to throw in a few herbs anyway on the theory that it couldn’t hurt. HT roll is at +1 for each gallon of water the
In addition, some herbs can be used to achieve magical effects without the use victim can drink that day, for a maximum
bonus of +4. Drinking alcohol, tea, or coffee
of spells. These herbs will work for anyone – with or without Magical Aptitude – doesn’t affect the HT roll.
unless they have Magic Resistance. The disease will run its course in 1d+1
days.
Finding Herbs Jungle Fever
Each herb should be categorized as Common, Average, Rare or Very Rare. In This is a generic term for any of a number
of tropical diseases that are not clearly under-
order to find a particular herb growing in the wild, it is first necessary for the GM stood, mostly at TL5 or lower. Characters
to decide if the character is looking in an area where the herb might be growing. born in Europe or North America must
If a specific herb is present in the local area, a character can find it by making a always make a HT roll to check for fever
successful Naturalist or, at TL3 and lower, Physician (also known as Herbary – see when first encountering a tropical jungle, if
using these rules. This will even apply when
p. CI150) roll. The GM normally makes the roll in secret; if the character does not returning to jungles successfully negotiated
find the herb, the GM does not tell whether the roll was missed or if he was just before.
looking in an area where it didn’t grow. Protracted stays require a HT roll per
week. Treat Fever as an ordinary disease as
Anyone looking for a particular herb makes a roll against his Naturalist or covered on p. B133. No special modifiers
Physician skill to represent a complete day’s search. The Poisons skill may be sub- apply, HT loss is -1/day, ST loss and recov-
stituted for the Naturalist skill when dealing with an herbal poison or antidote. ery is up to the GM, though there should
always be at least one day of severe weak-
Acute Taste and Smell also add +1 to the recognition roll. GMs should use the fol- ness. Symptoms include extreme weakness,
lowing guidelines when determining whether or not a given herb is found in a par- general muscular aches, fever, chills, loss of
ticular area: appetite and hallucinations.
Common – grows in most places, easy to locate. Roll against skill+3. Cinchona (called Peruvian bark or Jesuit’s
bark) is both a treatment and a prophylactic
Average – grows in many places, relatively easy to locate. Roll against skill. for fever. It comes only from the Eastern
Rare – grows in few places, relatively difficult to locate. Roll against skill-3. slope of the Andes. Knowing about cinchona
The only success on a default roll is a natural 3. is rare and valuable. One dose restores one
HT in one day, but never to more than begin-
Very Rare – grows in very few places, very difficult to locate. Roll against ning HT. At TL6+, synthetic drugs become
skill-6. Such an herb can never be located on a default roll, even on a natural 3. available that can produce the same effect.

Leprosy
Preparing Herbs For Use This disease creates numb areas in which
the victim does not notice an injury.
Fresh or dried herbs are used in medicines or made into protective charms.
Leprosy’s major effects are to general health
Before use, herbs need to be prepared. They can be brewed into teas or decoctions (a leper may not have a basic HT over 12)
or used directly in their natural form. and Appearance (a leper must make a yearly
Other herb mixtures are made into protective charms and worn. These must be HT roll to see if the disease has affected
appearance; use the same rules as for small-
renewed periodically as they lose effectiveness either from the herbs crumbling pox scarring, p. 172). Leprosy is a very diffi-
away or from being exposed to so much “evil” they reach their limits of absorption. cult disease to catch; even years of exposure
to victims will not necessarily transmit the
Dried Herbs disease. It is most contagious in tropical areas
and in conditions of filth.
Leaves and flowers must be dried for at least two weeks in a well-ventilated
area. They are then measured into doses and made into packets. Most dried herbs Continued on next page . . .

i n j u r y, i l l n e s s , f a t i g u e a n d r e c o v e r y 169
 Illness keep their potency for a long time; there is only a 50% chance each year that an
herb will lose its potency if exposed to air. Powders mixed with food or drink will
(Continued) last a month; dried herbs mixed with food or drink last two weeks – if the food or
drink does.
Malaria
Malaria was once endemic among
adventurers; a man without malaria was Teas
obviously a stay-at-home. Teas usually require the amount of dried leaves or petals that can be held in the
Anyone traveling in tropical and sub-
tropical areas (Egypt, the Mediterranean, palm of one hand (about one tablespoon). Steep in a pot of hot water (about one
Africa, Central or South America, the wet- quart) for five minutes. This makes four doses. The tea must be drunk while hot –
ter parts of southern North America, south- if cooled and reheated its effects are halved.
ern China, Indochina) may be stricken with
malaria, a protozoan disease spread by
over 100 species of mosquito. Roll three Decoctions
dice once for each week spent in a malaria- Decoctions are made by boiling fresh herbs (leaves, stems, roots, flowers or
infested region. A roll of 6 or less means
the victim has contracted the disease and berries as required) in a pot of water for about 30 minutes. Four handfuls are
symptoms will show in 3d+54 hours. High required in 1/2 gallon of water; this is reduced by boiling to one quart or eight
health gives no resistance to malaria; the doses. Decoctions last longer than teas – one day if kept exposed to the air, or two
protozoa prefer a healthy host.
Modifiers: +1 if insect repellents are
weeks if kept in an airtight container. Decoctions can be taken either hot or cold,
used regularly; +1 if the victim uses mos- with the same effects.
quito netting at night; +2 if he takes a pro-
phylactic dose of quinine every day; -1 to
-3 (GM’s discretion) if the traveler is in
Poultices
mosquito-infested swamps. Poultices are made from decoctions by soaking a bandage in the mixture, and
A malarial attack lasts 1d+6 hours. applying hot or cold to the affected area. One quart of the decoction gives enough
Symptoms include chills and a high fever for eight applications of the poultice.
followed by headaches, nausea and profuse
sweating. After each attack the victim will
return to normal for 48 to 72 hours, then
another attack will occur. The sufferer is
Sample Herb Listing
incapacitated (delirious, unable to move or The following is a very short list of sample herbs that might be used in a TL 3
fight and alternately burning with fever fantasy campaign. Those with the Botany, Herbary, Naturalist or Physician/TL3
and racked with tooth-chattering chills) skill will usually recognize any of these herbs if found and will know their uses.
during these attacks. Between attacks the
victim is weak (-2 to ST) and has little Others will not necessarily know everything on this list.
endurance (double all fatigue costs).
Malaria is treated with quinine. Roll Angelica Rare
against HT-2 each day that quinine is
administered; on a success, the series of Angelica as a poultice will partially neutralize most contact poisons and caus-
attacks stops. If no quinine is available, tics; it must be applied twice a day during the first three days after exposure. It
roll every day against HT-8. Untreated adds +4 to HT rolls to recover, and halves any DX penalties due to the poison.
malaria will prove fatal on a natural 18.
Malaria can incubate for years in an
An amulet containing fresh angelica is a powerful talisman against evil magic,
apparently healthy individual. Anyone who giving the wearer a +2 on resistance rolls against all spells. The angelica is only
has ever had malaria can have another effective for two days after being picked.
attack at the GM’s discretion. Malarial
attacks always seem to happen at the most
embarrassing time. There is no immuniza- Chamomile Average
tion for malaria. As a poultice, chamomile aids in recovery from wounds. Apply the poultice to
Continued on next page . . . the wound three times daily; it results in a +1 on the daily Natural Recovery roll
(see p. B128).

Comfrey Average
Comfrey aids in recovery from broken bones and badly sprained muscles.
During recuperation, apply a cool poultice twice a day. For a lasting injury (see p.
B129), this will reduce the recovery time by one month (but the time is never
reduced to less than one month).

Henbane Average
Burning a pastille of henbane leaves creates a smoke that causes disorientation
and irresponsible talk and actions; any person breathing it speaks willingly of sub-
jects he or she would ordinarily keep private. The effects are similar to 4 levels of

170 i n j u r y, i l l n e s s , f a t i g u e a n d r e c o v e r y
Weak Will (see p. B37) for the first hour, 3 levels for the second hour, 2 levels for
the third hour, and at level 1 for the fourth hour.
A similar but weaker effect can be achieved by burning fresh stems, seeds and
leaves; the effects are equivalent to 2 levels of Weak Will for the first hour and 1
level for the second hour.

Langlon Rare
An amulet containing fresh langlon is a powerful talisman against evil magic,
giving the wearer a +2 on resistance rolls against all spells. It remains effective for
five days after being picked.

Mandrake Very Rare

Fresh mandrake is used in making poppets (dolls in the image of the victims)
used for evil magic. Only wild mandrake is effective. It shrieks as it is uprooted,
and the sound will drive men mad if they do not put wax in their ears. A successful
roll against IQ will prevent the madness.

Plantain Average
Plantain is always used in the preparation of waybread or journeycake, in order Illness
to keep it fresh. Other ingredients may vary, according to the taste and skill of the
baker, and some waybreads are definitely better than others. (Continued)
Rabies
Anyone bitten by a rabid animal must
make a HT-3 roll or contract rabies (the
TRY A LITTLE BIT GM rolls in secret for each bite). Before
TL5, there is no cure for rabies. At that
HARDER: EXPANDED point, a painful and lengthy system of 22
daily injections was introduced. This cure
RULES FOR EXTRA EFFORT is 95% effective if begun within three days
of being bitten. Much quicker and less
painful cures for rabies are readily avail-
This article (by Daniel U. Thibault) originally appeared in a slightly different
able, beginning at TL8.
form in Roleplayer 24. If a victim fails the HT-3 roll, and does
In the Basic Set, two Extra Effort rules are detailed: one for jumping, the other not get treatment within three weeks, begin
for lifting. This is a more generic set of Extra Effort rules, with some slight modifi- rolling against basic HT at that time. Roll
once per week for the rest of his life. A
cations of jumping and lifting to streamline the rules. Some common points: failed roll means the onset of the final
Extra Effort costs one point of fatigue in all cases, whether it works or not. The stage of the disease: physical and mental
only exception is if the Extra Effort roll is a critical success, in which case the GM deterioration and agony. Roll vs. HT-3
may let you keep the fatigue point. daily at that point – failure is death. There
is no cure once the symptoms appear,
If the Extra Effort roll is a success, you achieve your goal. If it is an ordinary unless the GM wishes to be very kind and
failure, you achieve what you would have accomplished without Extra Effort. A allow a miracle cure.
critical failure costs a point of HT in injury (pulled muscle or the like) which can-
not be cured by First Aid, but only by rest. Rabbit Fever
Westerners may catch tularemia, or
Remember that ST is reduced by the fatigue lost whenever a test of ST is “rabbit fever,” by handling or eating an
required, as in throwing, jumping, lifting . . . see p. B134. This means that Extra infected rabbit or hare. The GM rolls
Effort quickly becomes a losing proposition if used repeatedly in a short period of against the character’s HT+1 – failure indi-
cates the victim contracts the fever. It
time. resembles bubonic plague, but is much less
severe. Symptoms appear 3-5 days later

Running and include severe headache, body aches

and fever. Ulcers form at the site of initial
Extra Effort when running is only possible over long distances (at least 100 infection (often the hands), and the armpits
swell painfully. The disease lasts 2d+10
yards); each attempt to use Extra Effort applies only to one 100-yard segment. Roll days. Each day, the patient rolls against
against your HT or Running skill (whichever is better), subtracting current fatigue HT; failure results in loss of 1 HT; success
and applying a -4 per point of extra Move you are trying to sustain. On a critical allows the recovery of 1 HT. Critical suc-
failure, in addition to the 1 HT of injury, you sprain your ankle, tear a leg ligament, cess indicates complete recovery. All DX
and IQ rolls are at -1 during the course of
or pull a muscle (GM’s choice). Your leg is crippled (HT roll to see if this is serious the disease.
or permanent, minimum 30-minute duration), and you stumble and fall down! Continued on next page . . .

i n j u r y, i l l n e s s , f a t i g u e a n d r e c o v e r y 171
 Illness Jumping
Roll against your ST, DX or Jumping skill (whichever is better), subtracting
(Continued) current fatigue and the extra distance in inches. For a broad jump, divide the extra
Scurvy distance by 4; for a running broad jump, divide it by 6.
Scurvy is the breakdown of the capil- Optional rule: Add 10% of your Jumping skill (rounding down) to your ST
lary walls due to a lack of the vitamin C when figuring the distance you can jump. This brings Jumping in line with
needed to build new collagen. The symp- Running and Throwing, both of which already give a similar bonus.
toms are bleeding gums, dark spots all
over the body (actually small hemor-
rhages), swollen joints (from blood seep-
ing into them), wounds failing to heal, Lifting
weakness and the inability to deal with Roll against ST or the Lifting skill (see p. CI132), whichever is better, subtract-
mental stress. Even such a simple task as ing current fatigue and applying a -1 for each extra point of ST. For a continuing
standing up can cause a heart attack in a
severe case. Vitamin C and rest are the effort, roll every minute.
only cures.
Scurvy is caused by a lack of vitamin
C, which is found in fresh fruits and veg- Throwing
etables. It takes six weeks without vitamin Roll against your ST or Throwing skill (whichever is better), subtracting cur-
C before the symptoms appear. After that,
roll versus HT daily.
rent fatigue and applying a -3 for each extra point of ST. Success affects both dis-
The effects of scurvy are -1 HT per day tance and damage.
if an initial HT roll is not made. If the HT
roll is made, there is no HT loss, but a HT
roll must be made daily until fresh produce
is available. As long as the HT roll is
Generic Extra Effort
Roll against the appropriate physical attribute (ST, DX, or HT) or skill, sub-
made, scurvy does not set in – some people
are more resistant to it than others. tracting current fatigue and at a -3 per point of extra effort. Extra effort only applies
Immunity to Disease does not help against to brute strength (ST) or endurance (HT), not to finesse (DX): you can’t increase
scurvy – it is not an infection. Each HT your chance to hit with Extra Effort! Possible applications of generic Extra Effort
lost also reduces ST by 1 for all purposes.
Recovery is fairly rapid with fresh include cocking a too-strong crossbow, attempting a takedown, and so on.
fruits and vegetables. 1 HT and 1 ST are Some feats are inappropriate: holding your breath, for example. Since holding
regained for each day of rest on which one’s breath is entirely a matter of letting time go by and then losing fatigue (see
fresh produce is eaten.
the B91 sidebar), extra effort would be self-defeating. Extra Effort when inflicting
Smallpox damage with a weapon is already covered by one of the All-Out Attack options
A PC can catch the highly infectious (see B105).
smallpox virus by touching a diseased per-
son or contaminated object, or by even
breathing virus-tainted air. Use the
Contagion rules (p. B133) to determine the
Extra Effort in Active Defense
spread of the epidemic. It has an incuba-
This is a good option if you must survive that one blow. As an ordinary combat
tion period of 7-21 days; roll against modi- tactic, it would soon leave you breathless and at the mercy of your opponent. A
fied HT once each day for 21 days after the success on any of these rolls is a successful defense; an ordinary failure just fails,
last contact with the infection. Because and a critical failure is a disaster.
smallpox is highly contagious, these HT
rolls are at an additional -2. Any failed roll
means that the disease is contracted. Blocking
If the disease is contracted, the attack Your Block is your full Shield skill, minus your current fatigue. On a critical
lasts for at least 3d days, and causes high
fever, headaches and chills. During this failure, in addition to the 1 HT of injury, you drop your shield, the shield becomes
time the sufferer is at half normal ST and unready, or your shield arm is temporarily crippled (GM’s choice).
must make a daily HT roll. A failed roll
costs 1 HT point; a success means regain-
ing 1 HT.
Four days after the fever sets in, the
characteristic rash shows up on the face,
limbs and sometimes over the torso. The
rash develops from red bumps into pus-
filled blisters. The blisters break and dry
up in about nine days, sometimes forming
scabs. When the scabby coverings break
off, they often leave deep pits and scars
that mar the appearance.

Continued on next page . . .

172 i n j u r y, i l l n e s s , f a t i g u e a n d r e c o v e r y
Dodging Illness
Your Dodge is your full DX, minus your current fatigue. On a critical failure,
in addition to the 1 HT of injury, you fall down. (Continued)
Once the attack is over, use the normal
Parrying recovery rules for generic illnesses (p.
B133); all HT rolls for recovery are at -1,
Your Parry is your full weapon skill, minus your current fatigue. On a critical however. Survivors must roll against their
failure, in addition to the 1 HT of injury, you drop your weapon, or your weapon full HT to find the effects of smallpox on
arm is temporarily crippled (GM’s choice). their appearance. Critical success means
no change. Success means loss of one level
(e.g. Average is lowered to Unattractive, -1
on reaction rolls). Failure means loss of

SLEEP: ADVANCED RULES two levels; critical failure means loss of

three levels. Appearance can’t get any

FOR FATIGUE
worse than Hideous.
A person who recovers from smallpox
is immune from any further attacks.
AND RECOVERY Inoculation will also grant immunity.

This article (by Richard LeDuc) originally appeared in a slightly different form Tetanus
in Roleplayer 21. Tetanus was one of the great killers
A typical human spends a third of his life asleep. The nature and quality of this before the modern era. The bacillus that
carries the disease is found in horse
time can have a dramatic impact on our waking hours. Because adventurers often manure, so was common around just about
find themselves unable to meet their sleep needs, the following guidelines are pre- any human-occupied area until the devel-
sented to help GMs deal with the effects of sleep in their campaign. opment of the automobile. Any impaling
or cutting wound received around a stable
Properly motivated, a healthy person can remain awake and functioning for or farm-yard is likely to carry the disease.
many hours, but it will become harder and harder to resist falling asleep. An adven- The bacillus is anaerobic, so a deep wound
turer who fails to get enough sleep each day will first feel fatigued. Then a loss of such as that from a punji stake is particu-
larly dangerous.
mental and physical acuity will occur. When sleep is finally possible, the tired indi- The infection usually takes time to set
vidual will need a few extra hours of rest to recover fully. in, and the longer it takes the less serious is
the disease. Onset within a week is almost
always fatal; onset after three weeks has a
Staying Up Late better than 30% recovery rate. After 1890,
tetanus anti-toxin is available. Given any
Each individual needs a certain amount of sleep per day – typically 8 hours.
time before the actual onset of the disease
Older people need less sleep; typically, someone from 35 to 50 will need 7 hours it has an excellent prevention rate.
sleep, and someone over 50 will need 6 hours sleep. Preventive treatment before that is to clean
Young people, on the other hand, need more sleep. Children under 6 should the wound well and, if possible, leave it
open to the air.
sleep 10 hours per day; those from 6 to 14 typically need 9 hours each day. Allowing a PC to get tetanus is a very
Subtracting the person’s sleep requirement from 24 will give his normal day serious decision. It might be a spur to
length (usually 16 hours). After staying awake longer then his normal day, an action to the rest of the party, as they race
the Grim Reaper for the potion/spell/serum
adventurer will lose one point of fatigue. Each additional eight hours of wakeful- that can save their comrade.
ness will cost one more fatigue point. After an individual loses half his fatigue The symptoms of tetanus begin with
(rounded down), he will start to lose one fatigue point every four hours. These loss- headaches and a stiff neck. As the disease
es can only be recovered with sleep. advances, all the muscles lock into a rigid
contraction. The mouth locks in a hideous
The sleepless person will also lose one point of IQ and DX with each lost grin, the risus sardonicus. Any disturbance
fatigue point. The losses will be reflected in lower skill levels. A person who has may throw the victim into convulsive con-
lost enough sleep can appear drunk, staggering and slurring his words. Should a tractions that can break bones and tear
muscles. The only treatment for an
character’s ST or IQ reach zero, he will pass out from exhaustion. advanced case is to keep the victim quiet
For the first day-length (typically 16 hours) after the character’s normal day, he and unexcited, give anaesthetics for the
can remain awake as long as he is occupied. This means performing some skill or pain and feed a liquid diet or intravenous-
ly.
action that requires concentration or movement – e.g., driving a car or playing a If a character must be placed at risk of
game. In order to remain awake while not doing anything even remotely exciting, a tetanus, use this procedure. Any time up to
Will roll is required. At this stage, one Will roll is needed for each two full hours of 21 days after a wound that could have
inaction. This would include boring, uneventful tasks, like standing watch in a become infected, the symptoms may
appear. Roll against HT once per game
deserted area. day; on a failure the symptoms appear.
After 16 hours it starts to become harder to stay awake. From now on the char- Roll at +1 for each three days since the
acter will need to make a Will roll every two hours that he is occupied. A character wound.
Continued on next page . . .
who is doing nothing must make a Will roll every 30 minutes.

i n j u r y, i l l n e s s , f a t i g u e a n d r e c o v e r y 173
 Illness Getting Up Early
Not only will characters stay up late, they will often find themselves getting up
(Continued) early. Getting up early carries penalties as outlined in the table below.
If the infection appears, the victim loses Factors that influence the quality of sleep will have the same effect as not get-
1 HT per day until he is at 2/3 HT. For this
period he is in pain but still able to move. ting enough hours of sleep. Sleeping all night in an uncomfortable place might be
At 2/3 HT he goes into contractions – the same as waking up two hours early, as would waking up several times in the
“lockjaw.” If treatment including liquid night. Spending the entire night in the rain, or with a loud party going on next door,
diet or IV feeding is available, he contin-
ues to lose 1 HT per day. Without such
can be considered equivalent to waking up four hours early.
treatment, he loses 2 per day. Every third
day he rolls against HT (HT+1 if the initial Hours of sleep missed Effect
onset was more than one week after the 1 or less no effect
wound; HT+2 if the onset was over two 1+ to 2 -1 fatigue
weeks later). A success regains 1 HT; a 2+ to 4 -2 fatigue and -1 DX.
critical success regains 3. A failure means 4+ to 6 -2 fatigue, -2 DX, and -1 IQ
normal loss for that day; critical failure 6+ -2 fatigue, -2 DX, and -2 IQ
costs an additional point. If HT is restored
to 2/3, the victim remains in contractions
but loses only 1 HT a day, even if HT sub- Adrenaline
sequently drops below 2/3. If HT returns to Adrenaline is the body’s way of responding to life or death situations. This
normal, the victim recovers. If HT
becomes fully negative, use the dying rules powerful hormone is dumped into the blood when we are frightened. When some-
on p. B126. Roll against HT modified for one is threatened with grievous physical harm, he can try to throw off the effects of
time of onset, as above. staying up. Any penalties to DX and IQ are temporarily removed for a character
who makes a Will roll on the second turn of the threatening situation; the penalties
Typhoid Fever
Use the Contagion rules (p. B133) to may be ignored until the life-threatening situation ends, or for 15 minutes,
determine the course of the epidemic. The whichever is less.
symptoms of typhoid are severe: -3 HT, If the emergency situation is still going on after 15 minutes, a new Will roll is
ST and DX each day for all purposes.
Recovery is difficult; roll vs. HT-2 daily. required; roll again each 15 minutes. If and when a roll is failed, all the original
A successful roll prevents further attribute penalties are felt, plus one additional fatigue point.
reduction for that day, but a successful
HT-2 roll the next day is necessary to actu-
ally recover 1 HT. After 1 HT is recov- Meditation
ered, the remaining rolls are against full The effects of lack of sleep can be put off for one hour by a successful roll
HT. Once even 1 HT has been regained, against the Meditation skill (see p. CI142). There is a penalty of -1 to this roll for
future HT and ST losses can be no greater
than -1 per day.
each three hours that the character is up past his normal day length. There is an
additional penalty of -5 if the meditator performs any action other then standing
alert or sitting in quiet contemplation. A character can continue to put off sleep this
way until a Meditation roll is missed; then he will feel the full
effect of his lack of sleep, and may not make further attempts
to meditate until he is caught up on sleep. A critical failure on
a Meditation attempt will cause immediate sleep!

Recovery
Characters who go to sleep regain fatigue at the normal
rate. Lost attribute points will be restored at one point per hour.
The hours used to recover from staying up do not count
towards the next day’s minimum sleep required. Therefore,
staying up will require the adventurer to take an extra hour or
two of sleep.

Sleep-Related Advantages
and Disadvantages
The advantages Deep Sleeper (p. CI23) and Less Sleep (p.
CI27), and the disadvantages Extra Sleep (p. CI81), Insomniac
(p. CI82) and Light Sleeper (p. CI82), should be used only if
the above rules for sleep and sleeplessness are used.

174 i n j u r y, i l l n e s s , f a t i g u e a n d r e c o v e r y
 This chapter discusses several issues that may arise during campaign design: the decision to run a cinematic game, the challenge
of running a high-powered game, and the complexity added by having multiple planes of existence in a game world. Finally, some
rules that apply to the design of cultures and societies, and their role in the campaign, are presented.

campaigning 175
CINEMATIC ROLEPLAYING
By Sean Barrett, author of GURPS Lensman Dice
Cinematic campaigns are those in which the “rightness” of the Players quickly gain an intuitive understanding of odds. If their
story outweighs its realism. While cinematic games are frequently abilities are totally controlled by the dice, they will quickly learn
high-powered games and vice versa, they are not the same thing! how to optimize their chances of success, and let Game Theory
The PCs in a special forces unit are likely to have high point totals, decide their actions instead of dash and style. On the other hand, a
but the campaign may well be grim, realistic and even nihilistic. completely deterministic game can be perceived as hopeless, with
On the other hand, many of Robin Hood’s Merry Men could be the players totally at the mercy of the GM’s whims. The GM and
designed with less than 100 points and still participate in a cine- the players must agree in advance how much effect the dice will
matic campaign. have on the action.
In essence, “cinematic” is a style, not a point level. GURPS pro- An epic style of play relies less upon dice than other styles, and
vides rules like multiple attacks (p. 72), skills like Science! (p. the GM must be prepared to overrule the dice on any roll. This is
CI158) and supplements like Swashbucklers, Cliffhangers and because while some random factor is necessary – the protagonists
Lensman to help the GM create campaigns where the PCs are able are not infallible, nor is the plot predestined – dice can be just as
– and expected – to take on ten swordsmen each (à la The Three tyrannical as a heavy-handed GM, and players are apt to revolt if a
Musketeers), an entire muay thai school (in the spirit of Bruce Lee) random number decides that a brave adventurer has suddenly died
or a platoon of border guards (Bond – James Bond) and triumph. from a urinary tract infection!
However, simply using additional advantages, skills and rules will
not create epic heroes and action. Details
The purpose of a cinematic game is to create a story in the leg- Over-concern with details can also cripple a cinematic cam-
endary style of adventure that inspires “pulp” writers like paign. The only details important in an epic story are those that
Alexandre Dumas and H. Rider Haggard. Epic stories cannot be directly affect the outcome. At every point, the GM must deter-
bogged down by mere realism; they’ve got more important things mine whether the details will advance or hinder the story. If the
to do! Cyrano de Bergerac defeated dozens of professional swords- heroes must cross the Burning Wastes to get to the Dark Tower,
men simultaneously not because his skill was realistic or even they will find enough water along the way. It wouldn’t be much of
believable, but because his panache allowed nothing less. Space a story if they didn’t. Will it advance the story to play out their
opera craft whoosh or roar in the silence of space just because fast searches? This is where GM experience and preparation is essen-
things whoosh and powerful engines roar. In a cinematic game, tial, so that the right details can be brought up and the wrong ones
rightness always overrules mere correctness. ignored, while still allowing the players to enjoy a maximum of
free will.
The Cinematic Formula Trust
Nearly all genres have stylistic conventions that are only ever
violated deliberately, for reasons that advance the story. The play- The players and the GM must trust one another to be true to the
ers in a cinematic campaign expect the same formula to hold in the spirit of the story. A player must have confidence that if he tries to
game. When it doesn’t, it can only be because the plot requires an swing from the chandelier, the GM will not sneer at him and
exception . . . and then the convention doesn’t merely bend – it announce that he has broken his back – and must now play a quad-
reverses itself. For instance, swashbucklers routinely escape from riplegic – because his hands slipped off the grease and wax caked
taverns by swinging on chandeliers. Usually, this is as reliable a onto it. He may fall, but he should not be punished for trying. Nor
mode of transportation as a carriage. However, if the plot calls for should the GM bog down play by requiring rolls against “Leap
one of the swashbucklers to be captured, he will not merely miss from Balcony” and “Swing on Chandelier” skills, modified by the
his catch: he will crash down, stunned, at the feet of the Captain of dimness of the tavern and the number of glasses of vin ordinaire
the Guard! the character had. If the game is to include the glorious action that
The cinematic rules in GURPS reflect the all-or-nothing nature is common in stories, then such action must be likely to succeed
of these conventions. For instance, multiple attacks and cinematic and not tediously complex to game out.
defenses will allow for the easy disposal of run-of-the-mill NPCs, Similarly, the GM must trust that the players won’t take inap-
but more serious opponents either have higher levels of the same propriate advantage of the conventions, such as the “inevitability”
skills, or else are cunning enough to not get caught in situations of the outcome. Yes, they will make it across the Burning Wastes –
where those skills can be used against them. The GM can control but that doesn’t mean that they don’t need proper preparations. A
the ease with which the heroes overcome obstacles by first allow- player who remarks, “Don’t worry about water at all. After all,
ing their exceptional abilities to dominate all routine encounters, we’re heroes; we’re sure to find some,” is probably playing in the
and then confronting them with extraordinary encounters. wrong campaign. After all, the character doesn’t know that he’s
the Favorite of Destiny!
Cinematic Playing Style The players must do their part, providing dialog and attitudes in
keeping with the style of the campaign. If the arch-villain is going
The nature of a cinematic game provides the relationship to take the trouble to pause in his escape and explain his grand plan
between the GM and the players. If the GM feels that the players to the captured and soon-to-be-elaborately-killed heroes, the least
are too powerful, he may become vengeful – hammering them they can do is tell him that he won’t get away with it! Some of this
with uniformly overpowering opponents, which eliminates any roleplay can be enforced by the environment – unchivalrous indi-
possibility of an epic tone. If the players feel that they cannot rely viduals will suffer tremendous handicaps in a world where a well-
on their abilities – if every chandelier dumps them – they will quit timed snap of “You, sir, are no gentleman!” can do critical damage
trying what doesn’t work . . . and so much for dashing action! to one’s social status – but it’s more fun when it isn’t forced.

176 campaigning
 A clear character conception is necessary to integrate all the
mechanics on the character sheet, both to create a personality and
to reinforce the inevitability of the goal. A driven character also
requires extra attention to integrate into a party, so that his unwill-
ingness to be distracted from his obsession doesn’t interfere with
intentions of the other adventurers.

Combat
Violence is the most common arena – though hardly the only
one – in which epic action takes place. GURPS provides the cine-
matic offensive and defensive skills to make it likely, but not cer-
tain, that the PCs will overcome the bulk of their foes. Using skills
(instead of absolute abilities) retains the chance of failure, so that
even against everyday foes, the adventurers will not always win.
Of course, even if fortune favors their opponents, they are never
slaughtered out-of-hand. (Their nemesis has far more cruel plans
for them than that!) Thus, even an ignominious defeat in combat is
only a plot twist that provides another opportunity for the adventur-
ers to prove their mettle.

Death and Destiny

Some heroes are so durable that no one, not even their creators,
can kill them off: Sherlock Holmes, Blackie DuQuesne, Conan.
They have adventure after adventure, never aging, never changing.
Cinematic Campaigns Some just travel off into the sunset. Many characters, however, do
actually die “on stage.” More so than any other genre convention,
A cinematic world is fair, but it is not necessarily honorable or
good, and it is certainly not nice. Evil dreams and goals – the heroic deaths must be handled correctly, satisfyingly and according
Count of Monte Cristo’s vengeance, for example – can be obtained to formula. Above all, an epic death cannot be trivial, though the
as reliably as good ones. If certain standards are met and prices means may be: Cyrano is killed by a log dropped on him, Don
paid, then certain rewards will be gained; if standards are not Quixote dies of fever.
upheld, punishment will be exacted. Above all, actions have In a cinematic campaign, any PC who dies, dies gloriously,
appropriate results: the manner of a villain’s death befits his bravely saving his comrades’ lives or taking an impressive honor-
depravity. guard of foes with him. Fate (in the person of the GM) will always
be generous to a hero in his dying moments; even if no horde of
opponents or other imminent danger was planned, such will appear
Plots nonetheless, solely for the purpose of providing the dying hero
A cinematic world is also ordered. Events have reasons. These with opportunity for greater glory. There is no need for stinginess:
are sometimes too deep to be immediately understood, but very the PC won’t be around to be a problem later, and the GM has an
few things happen arbitrarily, and nothing significant ever happens infinite supply of disposable obstacles.
at random. However, plots are not necessarily linear or predestined. A character with a dream, moreover, will always see at least the
Reversals of fortune occur, and even if the final goal is set, the beginning of the fulfilment of that dream before dying. The degree
manner by which it is reached is not. of completion is proportional to the degree of obsession. A mono-
maniacal individual who is close to attaining his goal is unstop-
Characters pable!
Not every character can attain epic stature, but the most memo- The trust between player and GM is essential in this sequence.
rable ones do. Epic characters have been singled out; they are fated Once it is clear that the character is playing out his final act, the
for Great Things. They may not know this; they may not want this; GM should feel free to hurl obstacle after obstacle at him, and let
but they don’t have much of a choice! This can be represented by them be overcome. This convention can create memorable scenes,
the formal Destiny mechanic (see p. CI35), but it can also simply as the foes quail before the iron determination of the heroes, but it
be a part of the characters’ personalities. They are driven by their must not be abused. A dying character’s invincibility must be used
needs or desires. Their control over their fate is determined by the only for direct progress toward the goal: if Inigo Montoya had
price they are willing to pay to attain their dreams. A simple hope stopped introducing himself and advancing on six-fingered Rugen,
or wish has no more force in an epic story than in any other, and a he would surely have dropped dead from his wounds in an instant!
character with no more motivation than that will be swept along by
events, unable to affect them at all. Conversely, a burning desire is
unstoppable. Yoicks! And Away!
However, obsession is a roleplaying challenge, as it can lead to a A cinematic game requires that the players and the GM all
simplistic character. It’s easy to conceive of someone devoting his understand and agree on the style, and then cooperate to achieve it.
entire life to the single dream of avenging his father – obviously, he The cinematic rules of GURPS will assist them, but such cam-
will be interested in little but honing his martial skills and seeking paigns are more difficult than mundane ones, because an epic story
his enemy – but an effort must be made to round the character out. is apt to transcend the rules. The challenge is well worth the under-
This can be as simple as adding the quirk that when he first meets a taking though; when done well, cinematic games can be the most
stranger, he describes the day of reckoning, down to the actual dia- satisfying, because the stories they tell simply feel right.
log that will occur when he finds his father’s murderer.

campaigning 177
HIGH-POWERED CAMPAIGNS
Below are some guidelines to follow when setting up a high- his efforts toward giving the players lots of things to spend their
powered game . . . or when your formerly low-powered game points on. In a Supers game, this is usually trivial: the PCs have all
grows into a high-powered one! manner of expensive super abilities available to them. In other
types of campaigns this can be tricky. However, the simplest way
What is a High-Powered to handle this is to use the expanded rules for various abilities
whenever possible. These are usually found in their own, dedicated
Campaign? supplements.
Examples: Using the full-fledged martial arts styles presented in
For the purpose of this discussion, a “high-powered” campaign
is one where the PCs have point values significantly greater than GURPS Martial Arts, rather than limiting martial artists to just the
the 100 points recommended in the Basic Set, and as a result have Judo and Karate skills. Using all the spells in GURPS Magic and
abilities that push the limits of the system with respect to playabili- Grimoire rather than just the limited list in the Basic Set.
ty or game balance. Such characters commonly occur in GURPS
Lensman, Special Ops and Supers campaigns, and occasionally in Required Abilities
GURPS Cyberpunk, Martial Arts and Psionics campaigns. Another way to absorb points is to simply require that all PCs
possess certain abilities. These are advantages and skills that must
What Can Go Wrong? be taken by all PCs, similar in many ways to campaign disadvan-
tages (p. B26). This has the effect of tying up a fixed number of
The two most common problems that occur in high-powered points, which helps prevent abusive optimization. Social advan-
campaigns are “excessive depth of ability” and “excessive breadth tages are especially appropriate here, as their effects are generally
of ability.” game world-specific and allow the GM the greatest degree of con-
Excessive depth of ability occurs when a player spends huge trol over their exact effects. Unusual Background advantages can
numbers of points in one narrow area, resulting in a PC who has an often fit into this category as well.
abusive level of ability in that area – perhaps even a level that the Example: Superhuman PCs in the IST gameworld (see GURPS
system simply cannot handle. The three most common causes of International Super Teams) are required to take the IST
this problem are the GM who fails to offer the players a wide Membership advantage (a combination of Legal Enforcement
enough variety of abilities to spend their points on, the GM who is Powers, Military Rank and a Patron) and the IST Basic Training
known to present adventures that require only a certain narrow skill package, which together will cost most PCs more than 70
subset of abilities, and the player who equates mastery with larger points.
numbers rather than broader understanding.
Excessive breadth of ability occurs when a player uses his
ample points to prepare for every conceivable situation and to dab-
Category Limits
Yet another way to use up points in a high-powered campaign is
ble in every useful profession, resulting in a boring character who to inform the players that their characters will have to be adaptable
has no weaknesses for the GM to exploit and whose abilities enough to deal with multiple types of adventures, and require them
infringe upon the professional territory of many other PCs in the to spend a minimum percentage of their points in certain GM-spec-
campaign. The most common cause of this problem is point opti- ified categories.
mization, the symptoms of which are usually high attributes and Example: A fantasy GM hands his players lists of what he
relatively few points spread thinly over a great many skills. regards as “social,” “problem-solving” and “action” advantages,
skills and spells, and requires that no fewer than 20% of each char-
The Successful acter’s points be spent in each category.

High-Powered Campaign This method helps prevent PCs from achieving abusive levels
What follows are techniques that can help prevent the problems by focusing on one narrow area, but must be used with care or the
mentioned above. players may feel “railroaded.”

Why So Many Points?

The GM who is toying with the idea of a high-powered cam-
paign should first pause to consider what all of those character
points are actually needed for. Are the PCs superhuman?
Mythical? Or are they simply very well-trained? Is the object of the
campaign to simulate a fictional work where the central characters
are truly too powerful to work in a more usual 100- or 150-point
campaign? It only makes sense to enter into a high-powered cam-
paign when you are prepared to accept the consequences. No game
with 1000-point PCs is going to feel realistic – in fact, the GM had
better be ready to deal with demigods!

What To Buy?
Assuming that the GM and the players can agree that the cam-
paign would work best as a high-powered one, the GM should turn

178 campaigning
Attribute Limits
Similarly, one can combat abuse in a high-powered campaign
by limiting high attributes. Attributes affect skills as well as a great
many other things, and a PC with a lot of points in attributes (espe-
cially DX and IQ) can get out of hand.
Options here include individual attribute limits, which limit the
starting points that can be spent on any one attribute, or total
attribute limits, which limit the total number of starting points that
can be spent on all four attributes combined. Either type of limit
can be expressed as an value limit, which specifies an actual num-
ber of points (e.g., 100 points), or as a percentage limit, which
specifies a proportion of the starting points (e.g., 25%).

Modified Skill Limits

The GM may wish to modify the rule, found on p. B43, that the
maximum number of starting points a PC may have in skills is
2×Age. This limit can be changed to 3×Age, 4×Age or even
waived altogether. The justification for this is that powerful charac-
ters are generally either very experienced or have received inten-
sive training. When combined with an attribute limit (above), this
has the effect of moving a greater percentage of points into skills,
which are generally less prone to abuse. This is also more realistic Character Development
for experienced characters. The previous discussion assumes that the GM has set out with
Example: GURPS Special Ops characters are powerful, typical- the idea of running a high-powered campaign in mind. In some
ly being built on 300 to 400 points. However, they are also subject cases, whether it is planned or not, low-powered PCs gradually
to a 100-point total value limit on attributes. At the same time, grow very powerful. In most cases, this is less of a problem, if only
Special Ops uses a modified skill limit: characters are not subject because earned character points are generally spent on abilities that
to any age limitation on skill points, due to their intensive training. the PC uses in his profession, are essentially half as effective for
raising attributes and cannot be used to buy most advantages.
Partitioned Starting Points However, there are a few guidelines to follow if one wishes to
Another useful technique is to divide the starting points given to grow one’s campaign to a high-powered level:
the PCs between base points and experience points. The players
build their initial characters using only their base points. Once the Reasonable Character Point Awards
GM has approved these characters, the players may spend the bal- Keep character point awards small enough that the players have
ance of their points (their experience points) as if they were points to think about what they are spending their points on. This effec-
earned in play: attributes cost double, most advantages are unavail- tively introduces a “waiting period” for the purchase of higher
able, and a good, in-character justification is required to purchase attributes and allowed advantages. The usual result is that immedi-
new skills, spells and so on. Since high attributes and large num- ately-useful skills will be raised instead of attributes, leading to
bers of advantages are frequently the source of the problems well-rounded characters rather than superhuman powerhouses.
encountered in high-powered play, this technique can be quite
effective. Limits on Learning New Skills
Example: A GM wishes to run a 300-point mythic fantasy cam- Make sure that new skills (and other abilities) are not learned
paign. He specifies 100 base points and 200 experience points. too easily. While some skills are realistically learned quickly under
Each player has to make a playable 100-point character. Once the pressure, or through training during “down time,” others are diffi-
GM has approved these, the players may spend an additional 200 cult to learn except as part of a long career. Allowing a non-com-
points as if they were earned at that character’s usual profession. batant mage PC to swing a sword for one battle and then buy the
Broadsword skill is as unfair to warrior PCs as is allowing all the
This technique limits high attributes, prevents characters from warriors to save up 15 points and buy Magery. Too much “easy
purchasing large numbers of advantages (e.g., a warrior adding learning” eventually homogenizes the PCs to the point where they
Magery just because he can afford it), and keeps characters from are indistinct from one-another, and can result in loner PCs with no
expanding their skill lists to include inappropriate choices. weaknesses to use as plot hooks and no need for companions.

Encouraging Diversification Payment in Kind

Adopting techniques that encourage players to buy skills instead Occasionally give the PCs their point awards in the form of spe-
of attributes and advantages can lead to excessive depth of ability, cific abilities rather than in points. This can be done in two ways.
such as combat skills in the high 20s, or magic spells in the 30s. In One is to give “targeted awards,” such as a level in an oft-used
this situation, it is a good idea to explain to the players that true skill, rather than character points that can be spent on anything.
masters are not one-trick ponies, and that an experienced master The other is to give “rewards” – such as Military Rank, a Patron, a
should not possess a single skill at an abusive level, but rather Reputation, Social Status, Wealth or even an opportunity to buy
many related and complimentary skills at moderately high levels. the Trained by a Master advantage (p. CI31) – instead of generic
This simultaneously uses up points, reduces abusive skill levels character points. These techniques allow for the gradual develop-
and enhances believability. ment of a high-powered campaign that is tailored to fit the GM’s
idea of what is “reasonable.”

campaigning 179
High-Powered Characters (2) Know Your PCs – The GM of a high-powered campaign has
to be intimately familiar with the PCs. There is usually a lot of
in Action information on the character sheets, and more special rules will
arise in play. The GM who does not know the precise capabilities
Even when high-powered characters are kept reasonable using of high-powered PCs is in trouble. Being unfamiliar with a PC’s
some of the techniques above, problems can occur during play. abilities can result in play bogging down as rules are pulled out. It
There are two basic types of problem that crop up in a high-pow- can also result in well-laid plans being circumvented by a forgotten
ered campaign: GM limitations and system limitations. ability.
GM Limitations System Limitations
These are limitations that occur because the GM is not very
These are limitations of the printed GURPS rules as they per-
experienced at actually running high-powered campaigns with
tain to high-powered characters. While every effort has been made
high-powered PCs. The usual problems are that the GM does not
to ensure that the progression of tables and formulae is clear
beef up his adventures enough to withstand powerful PCs, or that
enough to allow extrapolation to arbitrarily high levels, some rules
the GM overcompensates for the power level of the PCs and cre-
simply break down at very high power levels. In these circum-
ates an impossible adventure. The solution to both of these prob-
stances, there are usually optional rules available, and the GM
lems is the same, and comes in two parts:
should seriously consider using these.
(1) Be Flexible – The GM of a high-powered campaign simply
Example: Combat between characters with very high skill lev-
must be more flexible than the GM of a low-powered one. This is
els works much more smoothly if optional rules such as the Quick
because the PCs can do more, so it is harder to second-guess them,
Contest option (p. B108), High-Skill Feinting (p. 69), Faster
and because the stakes are a lot higher, so a slip has more dire con-
Combat (p. 73) and Only the Best Shall Win (p. 74) are used.
sequences. In practical terms, this means that the GM has to
resolve certain plot issues as they arise, rather than trying to deal
However, there are situations that GURPS does not cover. In
with them ahead of time.
most cases, these are best handled by a little GM flexibility and
If the six 300-point commando PCs are chewing up your ten
ingenuity. Every “levelled” advantage and every skill in the
generic soldiers more easily than anticipated, then send in ten more
GURPS system has the potential to cause problems at a high
as reinforcements. If the mighty PC archmage is getting stomped
enough level. The GM should either limit such traits to the levels
by the evil Dark Lord who you thought was a fair match, then give
where they work well for him, or else agree with the players ahead
him a lucky break. Imbalances that result in amusement or a
of time as to just what effects these abilities will have.
momentary annoyance at lower power levels can result in character
deaths and chronically-bored players at higher power levels.

ALTERNATE PLANES OF EXISTENCE

The notion of other “planes of existence” is an old one; the PC wizards are a lot less impressive in the Otherworld (of Celtic
myths and folklore of almost every culture contain some variation Myth), where even the lowliest Sidhe is effectively a 300-point
on the theme. Gods, spirits, dreams – all these things have, at some super; and in an Infinite Worlds Time Travel campaign, one can
point, been held to exist somewhere else, outside the sphere of nor- lose the battle for a whole world without losing the war!
mal, earthly life. Likewise, science has recently led us to believe The main disadvantage of interplanar travel is that it multiplies
that there may be more to reality than the three “dimensions” we the GM’s workload. Instead of having to design one world in
can see, suggesting the existence of different “dimensionalities” or detail, the GM will have to sketch out two or more – perhaps with
even parallel universes! the result that none of them will be particularly detailed. Another
Naturally, the concept has been seized upon by writers of spec- disadvantage is that some players will not care about the fate of the
ulative fiction and, of course, by gamers. GURPS is no exception. campaign world if they can just travel to a new one. As well, if
Within the GURPS system, one can find many examples of “other some of the players are unwilling to change worlds, or if some of
planes.” The purpose of this section is to aid the GM who wishes the PCs are unable to, the GM may be forced to run two games at
to construct a campaign that includes multiple planes of existence, once. Finally, unless the GM is careful, the existence of other
by analyzing the possibilities using examples from the GURPS planes can dwarf the importance of the adventurers, leading to
system and by making some suggestions about how these realms bored or disappointed players. Faced with a threat from another
might interact. plane, the players may feel helpless: What can they do against an
entire universe? And what is the point of working hard to achieve
Yes or No? social goals in your own world, when the fruits of your labor will
be lost in the next?
The first question that the GM must answer is whether or not In the final analysis, multiple planes of existence work best in a
there will even be alternate planes of existence in the campaign. carefully-planned, long-term campaign with a GM who has the
The main advantage of having multiple planes is that it allows free time to do some planning and who knows his players well, and
one to use a much greater variety of settings and genres, which in with players who prefer exploration and travel to local political
turn takes advantage of the full power of the GURPS system. intrigue and social interaction.
Interplanar travel also allows a campaign to remain interesting for
considerably longer, especially if there is no space travel: if the
adventurers have met all the challenges their world has to offer, it’s One or Many?
time to find a new world. Finally, the existence of many planes Once the GM has decided to allow multiple planes of existence,
allow for interesting high-powered, high-stakes games: 1,000-point he must decide how many to allow. Some genres – especially

180 campaigning
futuristic, science fiction ones – work best when there is only one include the world of Yrth, from Fantasy, a magical world that is
plane of existence besides the “home plane.” This is usually for quite different from Earth; the Dreamlands of CthulhuPunk, an
plot reasons: when only one other plane is known, it suddenly utterly alien land that can only be reached in one’s dreams; and the
becomes very important. It is also easier to maintain a “hard” sci-fi Realms of Mage, which are physical worlds that can be visited
feel if one avoids going overboard, introducing a new plane every using powerful Magick.
adventure or two. Examples of GURPS books which utilize one
alternate plane as a “plot device” include Cyberpunk, which intro- Alternate Dimensions or Phases
duces cyberspace, and Space, which employs hyperspace. These are different “states of existence” as opposed to actual
On the other hand, some campaigns involve many other planes. planes. They can sometimes be regarded as sub-planes within reali-
This is often the case when the campaign is centred around the ties, and are usually reached by attuning one’s physical self to a
concept of exploring other planes. Examples of this include the different magical or physical “wavelength,” or by technologically
parallel versions of Earth in the Infinite Worlds campaign setting, altering the number of dimensions one exists in, rather than actual-
and the various Realms that exist in the planar cosmology of ly traveling between planes. These realms generally have no native
GURPS Mage: The Ascension. creatures, and can be used to bridge the gap between locations
within the same physical reality, in much the same way that a gulf
Types of Realities (see below) allows one to bridge the gap between realities.
Examples include the ethereal plane – reached by the
Alternate planes exist in infinite variety, but they all fall into (or Insubstantiality power in Supers or the Ethereal Body spell in
across) a few broad categories. Magic – which allows one to traverse space while ignoring physi-
cal obstacles, and hyperspace, which allows one to move quickly
Alternate Physical Realities across three-dimensional space by entering higher-dimensional
These are places that you can actually travel to. You may have space.
to go there as a spirit, leaving your body behind, or you may be
able to arrive in the flesh. However, while you are there, you have Simultaneous, Superimposed Planes
a body, the world is real and you are subject to “physical” threats. In this case, two planes actually “overlap” one-another com-
This type of plane comes in two basic flavors: parallel realities pletely. Each plane is identical in structure to the other, and is nor-
and alien realities. mally invisible to the other plane’s inhabitants; if things on the
Parallel Realities: These are almost the same as the PCs’ other plane are temporarily visible, it is usually as “ghosts” or
“home plane.” They may be alternate timelines, where history something similar. Certain beings, especially skilled interplanar
diverged at some pivotal event, or mirror worlds, where the resem- travelers, may be able to see both realities at once.
blance is purely cosmetic. For example, in the Infinite Worlds In some ways, these planes are like mirror worlds (see Parallel
campaign setting, adventurers can travel to alternate timelines of Realities, above) that are superimposed upon one another instead
Earth. On the other hand, the Otherworld of Celtic Myth is only a of being distinct and isolated. Often, a separate “astral” or “spec-
reflection of the real world, and is inhabited by powerful beings tral” plane like this will coexist with each physical reality in the
called Sidhe instead of humans. campaign, and will serve as an intermediate step between a void
Alien Realities: These are as different from the “home plane” as between realities (see below) and the physical realities themselves.
a distant planet might seem to a space explorer – or more so! The Examples include the outer astral plane from Psionics, which
laws of physics (or magic) may work differently in such realities, allows a psi’s astral self to observe the physical world invisibly and
and it may even be that humans cannot survive there. Examples travel to the inner astral plane (and then on to other worlds), the
spirit world of Voodoo, and the Near Umbra of Mage.

Gulfs or Voids
These are planes that surround physical realities in much the
same way that outer space surrounds the stars and planets.
Generally, this kind of plane only makes sense in a campaign that
has more than one alternate plane of existence, as it is usually (but
not always) only encountered when traveling between planes. It is
quite common to have to leave one’s body to journey across such a
gulf.
Examples include the inner astral plane, which permits travel
between the various outer astral planes that surround each physical
reality, and the Deep Umbra, which connects the individual Near
Umbras that engulf each physical Realm.

Virtual Realities
These are completely synthetic planes of existence, usually cre-
ated by ultra-tech. They may be simultaneous with the real world,
or they may be wholly alien. They differ from other simultaneous
or physical planes in that they can usually only be visited by the
mind, and allow exploration but not actual travel. The classic
example is cyberspace, which is an artificial, electronic world
reached by “jacking” one’s brain into a computer; one’s mind may
wander, but one’s body is left behind.

campaigning 181
Relationships Between Instantaneous vs. Time-Consuming Travel
First, is interplanar travel instantaneous, or do travelers have to
Multiple Planes navigate across a void or a gulf on their way there?
Once the number and type of planes has been determined, one Some planes, such as the Otherworld, can be reached just by
has to figure out the “planar cosmology”: how they are arranged walking over (or under) the right hill. Others can be reached simply
and how they relate to one another. Are they arranged in shells, one by casting a spell like Ethereal Body (p. M72) or Plane Shift (p.
nested within the next, or are they an infinite series of parallels? Do G46). Still others are reached by plugging in a jack (e.g., cyber-
they coexist and interpenetrate, or are they isolated and discrete? space) or turning a knob (e.g., hyperspace, or the parallels in the
Do they even interact at all? Infinite Worlds setting).
For more mystical campaigns, a hierarchical shell structure, These techniques haves the advantages of being quick, uncom-
with some interpenetration and the occasional thin, traversable bar- plicated and relatively reliable. They have the disadvantages of
rier, is generally preferable. This gives the GM control over who being a little too quick, uncomplicated and reliable for GMs who
can go where, and hides secrets within secrets, allowing the cam- want plane travel to be risky, mysterious or uncommon. Unless the
paign to stay mystical. It also offers a simple explanation for many GM is prepared to tolerate regular player-dictated changes of set-
paranormal powers and beings. ting, he should make the necessary skills or spells hard to learn,
For instance, there may be several physical worlds, each of introduce reasonable risks (like nasty surprises when rolls against
which has one or two phases (such as the ethereal plane) that can the Astrogation skill or Plane Shift spell fail) or simply make sure
be reached by psi or magic for quick travel. Some worlds may also that the alternate worlds are dangerous.
have directly accessible mirror worlds (such as a faerie realm). On the other hand, certain planes can only be reached by shift-
Each world and its phases may be surrounded by one or more ing onto an intermediate plane and actually journeying there. Time
simultaneous planes (such as an outer astral plane), explaining spir- may not pass at all in the real world, or it may pass at a different
its, out-of-body experiences and other paranormal events. All of rate, but from the travelers’ point of view, it appears to pass. This
these worlds and their associated planes and phases, in turn, can is typical of trips to more mysterious realms, such as the astral
themselves be afloat in a gulf between worlds (such as an inner plane, the Umbra or the Dreamlands.
astral plane), providing the possibility of travel or of magical sum- The advantage of time-consuming travel is that the trip itself
moning. becomes an interesting adventure, with plenty of room for interest-
For more straightforward campaigns, especially those that focus ing encounters. The disadvantage is that the campaign may get
on interplanar travel using ultra-tech, parallels are more conve- bogged down in interplanar travel, and the players may grow bored
nient. The GM can simply allow direct travel to and from parallel if their characters have to make long trips to achieve simple tasks.
universes, without the need to cross an intervening void. Within If the GM chooses this option, he should be prepared to flesh out
each universe, there is one and only one plane or phase. This elimi- interesting encounters and scenery to make interplanar travel chal-
nates spirits, mystical journeys and astral projection, and speeds the lenging and enjoyable.
actual act of travel, which may be desirable in a semi-hard sci-fi
campaign that is centered on world travel. Physical Travel vs. Projection
Of course, these concepts can be varied or mixed. The mirrors Next, do travelers take their bodies with them, or do they mere-
and alternate timelines of each physical world could be directly ly send out a projection of themselves – their avatar, mind or spirit?
accessible from other parallels, but to reach alien realities might Travelers can journey to some planes in the flesh. This may be
require travel through some kind of void. Each physical reality accomplished by a magic spell, such as one of those in the Gate
might have its own version of hyperspace, allowing for fast space College (p. G44); by technological wizardry, such as hyperdrive or
travel between the planets within that realm, and each planet might a parachronic conveyor; or simply by stepping though a door into
have a cyberspace, allowing rapid communication across the plan- the Otherworld. The explorers arrive in person, and must worry
et, but there may be no “mystical” planes at all. The ethereal about wounds, equipment and life-support.
“plane” and hyperspace may be the same thing, interpreted differ- Such travel has the advantages that it usually allows the PCs to
ently as society becomes more scientifically sophisticated. The per- bring equipment along (avoiding the issue of where to store it, and
mutations are endless. the tedium of long “shopping trips” upon arrival), requires no extra
record-keeping for the “real” self and “spirit” self, and leaves no
Traveling Between Planes vulnerable body behind to worry about. It has the disadvantages of
being low on mystery, of allowing PCs to completely escape the
One cannot really consider the arrangement of the planes with-
consequences of their actions, and of permitting them to ruin the
out also considering how they can be reached. Perhaps the most
economies of worlds. A GM who is pondering this kind of travel
important question to answer is, “How do the adventurers get
should ensure that some adversaries can always follow the PCs
there?” There are many options.
wherever they go. It is also wise to consider technological or mys-
tical limits on what kinds of items or how much weight
can be moved around this way.
Conversely, some planes can only be reached in
thought, mind or spirit. This is usually the case with
those that are reached though dreaming, astral travel or
even jacking into cyberspace. Generally, the body lies
helpless while the consciousness wanders. In some cases,
one’s “projection” or “avatar” takes on a physical form
when it reaches its destination, although this is not usual-
ly the same as one’s “true” physical self. In other cases,
one remains a spirit or spectre, or takes on some truly
alien form.

182 campaigning
 The advantage of this form of appropriate for campaigns which
travel is that the power of being are openly mystical, and which
able to go elsewhere is balanced will involve a lot of interplanar
by the fact that the travelers’ bod- travel. Still, you can’t beat it for
ies are vulnerable and uncon- atmosphere.
scious. It allows the plot device of
the PCs being separated from their
equipment for a while, and it is a Other Planes in
more traditional form of plane
travel, with a mysterious feel. The
GURPS
Below is a partial listing of
main disadvantage is that, unless alternate planes of existence that
the PCs have at least a pseudo- can be found, either in detailed
physical form at the end of their form or in passing, in the GURPS
journey, many of their physical system. Each one is described in
skills and abilities will be useless, the terms discussed above.
which can frustrate players.
Another disadvantage is the Astral plane (pp. P51): The
increased paperwork: records must outer astral plane is a simultane-
be kept for both the PCs’ physical ous “spirit” reality superimposed
selves and their projections. upon the physical one, while the
inner astral plane is more like a
Modes of Travel void between worlds. Each physi-
Finally, how does one get to cal reality has its own outer astral
these other planes? During the pre- plane, which touches the unique
vious discussion, many means inner one, allowing travel between
were touched upon. They fall into worlds. There are also some pure-
a few broad categories: ly astral realms (constructs) within
the inner plane. Travel in the astral
Artifacts: Some planes can be plane is time-consuming, although
reached only through the use of an there is a 10:1 ratio between sub-
artifact of some kind. Generally, a jective and objective time on the
different artifact is required to trav- inner plane. Only a psi with the
el to each plane. This could be a mystical device, a mysterious Astral Projection skill can enter the astral plane, and he must leave
alien gadget or simply a mundane tool. Possibilities include his physical body behind to do so, traveling in his astral form.
cyberdecks, hollow hills, hyperdrives, magical gates and
parachronic conveyors. Sometimes, the artifact is portable, and Cyberspace (pp. CY72): This is a virtual reality that can be used
goes with the traveler to the other side; this is more often the case in futuristic campaigns that otherwise lacks interplanar travel. It
for physical travel than for projection. Other artifacts are fixed in can be reached instantly, by jacking-in, but actually getting any-
place, and may send the traveler on a one-way trip. where takes time (measured in milliseconds). This is an example of
In some ways, this form of travel is preferable when PCs are projection using a technological artifact: the netrunner’s mind wan-
involved, because these artifacts are generally powerful and expen- ders cyberspace, and he can generate a “body” in cyberspace that
sive enough to be made rare, or to be put into the control of other netrunners can see, but his real body does not move from in
wealthy Patrons, and often have built-in limitations (e.g., hyper- front of his cyberdeck. The netrunner also requires special abilities
drive does not work in a gravity well; a magical Gate can only be to travel: a Neural Interface and the Cyberdeck Operation skill.
opened with certain rituals). This lets the GM control when and
where travel occurs, and ensure that everyone goes along for the Dreamlands (pp. CT18): This is an alien alternate reality – per-
ride. haps one of many, perhaps not – that can only be reached through a
journey made by the sleeping mind. The body of the traveler is left
Special Powers: Other planes can only be reached through para- behind, asleep, while the mind is “astrally” projected into the
normal powers. The explorer must use certain magic spells, Dreamlands. There, the dreamer manifests himself in a different
Magick Spheres, psionic powers, super abilities or even the World physical body, and months may pass for every hour of dreaming.
Jumper advantage (p. CI48) to make the trip. This type of travel Anyone can travel to the Dreamlands (not always consciously), but
works best when projection is preferred over physical travel, but some people are better at it than others, and possess a special
either is possible. The GM should realize that since the power to psionic talent called Dream Travel.
travel is tied to the character, only certain members of the party
may be able to cross to other planes. This can have profound Dream world (p. VO20): Another alien alternate reality reached
effects upon campaign balance and continuity. by dreaming, the dream world is reachable from both the spirit
world and mundane world in the Voodoo setting. Dreamers take on
Right Time, Right Place: Still other planes can be reached by a different body while there, and their real body is left behind,
anyone, but only under certain conditions. For instance, certain asleep. Only those skilled in the appropriate rituals of the Path of
realms could be reachable by dreaming, or at certain times and Dreams can enter the dream world at will and affect things there.
places when “the veil between the worlds is thin” or “the stars are
right,” or by religious rites or other mundane rituals that require Ethereal plane (pp. M72, SU42): An example of an alternate
belief as opposed to magical power. This type of travel is most dimension or phase, the ethereal plane may or may not form part of

campaigning 183
a greater planar cosmology. It exists completely “within” the phys- gate, which anyone can use, or by creating a new magical gate with
ical world, but allows travelers to walk through solid objects as if powerful magic spells. Note that at certain times, in certain places,
they were not there. Entering the ethereal plane is quick and easy: the Otherworld is very near to the “real” one, and one can travel
you just cast a spell or turn on a super advantage. The physical between the two without realizing it!
body of the traveler becomes ethereal for the duration – this is not
the same as the astral plane. Generally, only mages with the appro- Spirit world (p. VO8): The spirit world is in some ways an alter-
priate spells or supers with the appropriate powers can enter the nate “physical” reality and in other ways a simultaneous, superim-
ethereal plane. posed one. Many beings can exist and travel in both the mundane
and spirit worlds; humans usually cannot enter the spirit world
Hyperspace (p. S22): This is another example of an alternate except by dying, but Initiates can often perceive and control events
dimension or phase. In a “hard” science-fiction campaign, it is in the spirit world. Anyone can die and travel to the spirit world,
probably the only alternate plane of existence (unless cyberspace but this is definitely a one-way trip and not a form of physical trav-
also exists, in which case the two are totally unrelated). el! On the other hand, certain malign entities can travel freely
Hyperspace is entered using a technological device called a hyper- between the two worlds using their innate powers.
drive. Physical objects can be moved into hyperspace by the drive
virtually instantaneously, but a hyperdrive-equipped ship may trav-
el for some time before leaving hyperspace at a different, distant
location. In most cases, hyperspace cannot be reached in a gravity
well, but is accessible to anyone who has a hyperdrive-equipped
ship.

Infinite Worlds (p. TT83); This setting contains multiple physi-

cal realities. Some, called echoes, are very similar to Homeline (the
“real world”), while other parallels are less similar; all are essen-
tially alternate timelines. They are spread out in 8-dimensional
space, and are grouped in different Quantums, not all of which can
be reached. Travel is physical and instantaneous, and involves the
use of a technological contrivances called parachronic conveyors Yrth (see GURPS Fantasy): This is an alien physical reality.
and projectors. In theory, anyone who has access to such a device Yrth is like Earth in some ways, but not others: the land masses,
can travel between worlds; however, some lucky individuals can native species and laws of magic are all very different. There are
do so naturally, using the World-Jumper advantage (p. CI48). species on Yrth from multiple worlds, so there definitely are other
physical realities besides Earth and Yrth, and in view of the way
Otherworld (p. CM65): This is a mirror world, much like the magic works there, Yrth clearly has astral and ethereal planes as
“real” one, but inhabited by the magical Sidhe instead of man. The well. Yrth is normally reached by physically traveling through an
Otherworld is probably not the only alternate plane of existence in erratic magical gate called the Banestorm, which was created by a
the Celtic Myth setting; since magic works, any realm that can be magical backfire. Anyone can be sucked through the Banestorm if
reached magically might also exist and be reachable from the they are in the wrong place at the wrong time, but it is a one-way
Otherworld as well. Travel to the Otherworld is an instantaneous, trip. Mages with certain powerful spells may be able to travel back
physical process, usually facilitated by either an existing magical and forth, however.

SOCIETY
The following sections deal with issues of society within the (such as 17th-century China) may advance slowly, while ambitious
game. cultures (19th-century Japan) might leap several TLs in a century.
Some societies might enforce non-interference or stable-growth
Tech Levels regulations, controlling the spread of advanced technology. Again,
a split TL is possible: barbarians with stolen blasters might be TL
Each people, culture, nation or world in the campaign has a tech 8/4.
level from 0 up. Most societies will have the same TL as the cam- Regressed Societies: In these cultures, a high technology is
paign, but exceptions may exist, including: being (or has been) lost. This may be due to philosophy (a religious
Regional TLs: A particular society may have a different TL. For movement that rejects “mechanical brains,” for instance), isolation
instance, in a TL7 campaign, one country might be TL6 – its (a colony cut off from its mother country, unable to replace its
advanced technology must be imported, and cannot even be aging high-tech devices) or loss of the tech-educated segment of
repaired locally. A society or world may be given a “split TL” to society through war or disease.
show this: TL7/6 means that TL7 gear is available but not pro- Advanced Societies: For game balance, GMs should be cautious
duced locally. about cultures with a higher TL than the campaign. One option is
Colonies: A new colony is generally at least one TL lower than to have a few societies that are advanced in a single field, perhaps
the society that colonized it. It may have the use of advanced tech- balanced by retardation in another. Advanced societies might also
nology, but the devices cannot be repaired or replaced locally. restrict the spread of their knowledge.
Backward Societies: A low-tech culture newly introduced to a Societies with an overall TL above that of the campaign should
high-tech one will have a TL between its level when discovered not be introduced at random; any that exist should be created by
and the more advanced society’s TL. Cultures resistant to change the GM for a specific reason!

184 campaigning
Random Tech Levels Society and Government Types
This table was originally intended for generating entire worlds
at random, usually for a TL8+ Space campaign. However, with a Mankind has lived under dozens of different societies; some
little tweaking it can also be used in other types of campaigns – to possibilities are listed below. Note that worldwide societies are
determine the TL of the world on the other side of a dimensional likely only at TL8 and above. At TL6 and 7, a world may harbor
gate in a Fantasy campaign, for example. Tech level is based on several different societies; at TL5 and below, there are likely to be
the TL determined for the campaign by the GM. To determine rel- hundreds.
ative tech level randomly, roll 3 dice.
Anarchy
There are no laws. Order is maintained by the social conscience,
3 – Anomalous. Roll 1d+1 to determine TL. In a space cam- or the strength and weaponry, of the population. An anarchy may
paign, they have star travel. Somehow, the barbarians got be a lawless mob, or a crew of clear-eyed, strong-backed pioneers.
some starships – now they have advanced weapons, and Control Rating (see p. 188) is usually 0 – but if all your gun-toting
perhaps a hostage world or two doing manufacture and neighbors disapprove of what you’re doing, it is effectively illegal!
repair.
4, 5 – Retarded in a science. Same TL as the campaign, but Athenian Democracy
retarded in technology in one field – see the Sciences Every citizen (the definition of “citizen,” of course, can vary)
Table, below. votes on every action the society takes. In a low-tech society, this
6, 7 – Retarded in an art. As above, but see the Arts Table. works only for groups under 10,000. In a high-tech society, any
8, 9 – Primitive. Roll one die to determine the world’s TL. number can discuss and vote, electronically. Usually CR 2 to 4.
10 – Developing. TL is (one die) lower than the TL of the
campaign. Representative Democracy
11 – Slightly retarded. Same TL as the campaign, though Elected representatives form a congress or parliament. If the cit-
manufactured items tend to be larger, heavier, costlier izens are vigilant and informed, this is a benevolent government. If
(+10%) or less user-friendly. the citizens are badly-educated, government policies will be bad
12 – Modern. TL of the campaign. but popular (bread and circuses!). If citizens are apathetic, govern-
13 – Slightly advanced. Campaign’s TL, but products are ment may be dominated by factions or special interest groups. In
beautifully-styled, compact, inexpensive or easier to use. all cases, secret conspiracies may operate to control the society.
14-16 – Advanced in an art. Same TL as the campaign, but Usually CR 2 to 4.
this society is advanced in one of the arts – see the Arts
Table.
17, 18 – Advanced in a science. As above, but see the Clan/Tribal
Sciences Table. The society is one large interlocking family, made up of cooper-
ating clans or tribes. Rule is usually by the clan elders. Customs
Sciences Table (roll two dice): and tradition are very important. Younger clansfolk may feel
forced to conform, or may be rebellious about their lack of influ-
2-4 – Biology and medicine ence; seniors may channel this energy by encouraging sports,
5 – Weaponry recreational combat or adventuring. Usually CR 3 to 5.
6 – Sublight space travel
7 – Power generation Caste
8 – Communications or sensors As for Clan/Tribal, but each clan has a set profession – for
9 – Computers or robotics instance, if a family is a warrior clan, then all members of the fami-
10, 11 – Air or surface ly are soldiers of some sort. Those who don’t follow their clan pro-
transportation fession become Clanless (a social stigma) unless there is a system
12 – FTL travel for adoption into a new clan. Clans are often arranged in a social
hierarchy – Administrators outrank Warriors, who outrank Street
Arts Table (roll two dice): Sweepers, and so on. Individuals are expected to associate only
with those of equivalent status. There may also be rivalries among
2, 3 – Games and diversions clans of the same type (different Warrior families, for instance).
4 – Social science and/or history Usually CR 3 to 6.
5 – Mathematics
6 – Visual arts Corporate State
7 – Finance and commerce The state is ruled by corporate officers, usually chosen by a
8 – Performing arts board of directors; most citizens are employees of the corporation.
9, 10 – Music Society runs smoothly – it has to, or it won’t be profitable. Usually
11, 12 – Other arts CR 4 to 6.
An advance might mean:
(1) The society has a breakthrough in the field. Its equipment –
Dictatorship
All government is in the hands of a single ruler – king, dictator
though still campaign TL – is noticeably improved.
or warlord. Successors may be chosen by inheritance, single com-
(2) The society can construct a specific device from an
bat, election, or any number of other means. If the ruler is a king,
advanced TL, though no other items from that TL are available.
this is a monarchy. This sort of government can act faster, for good
(3) The society has advanced an extra TL throughout the field.
or evil, than most representative governments. Usually CR 3 to 6.
In a retarded society, the opposites apply.

campaigning 185
 Many dictatorships and other totalitarian states, if they endure Special Variations
long enough, develop a “balance wheel” in the form of custom. These situations may apply to most society types listed above.
Though the ruler’s will is law, there will be unwritten laws which Bureaucracy: Government has fallen to a self-perpetuating
even he may not violate with impunity. bureaucracy. The bureaucrats, not elected, are insulated from pub-
lic pressure. Government seems to run very smoothly – or if there
Feudal are difficulties, you aren’t told about them. But there are high
Similar to monarchy (see Dictatorship, above), but subsidiary taxes, many laws and lots of red tape. The government is unre-
lords retain power. The ruler, therefore, must be careful to maintain sponsive to citizens. There may not be a free press. CR 4 or higher.
the support of the lesser lords, or be overthrown. Each lord rules Colony: A dependent member of a larger society. It is ruled by
his own territory, so laws and personal freedom vary from domin- the mother society, usually through a governor. The colonists may
ion to dominion. If the lord’s rule is harsh, he will restrict owner- have an elected council (through which they influence the gover-
ship of high-tech items to protect himself! Usually CR 4 to 6 for nor) and/or an elected representative to the mother government
commoners. (with non-voting power), but they have no direct say in their own
government as long as their society is a colony. Colonies become
Technocracy territories, receiving more self-government, when they reach a set
Engineers and computer programmers rule in the name of effi- population or development level; territories eventually become
ciency. Everything is carefully planned; of course, plans can go full-fledged members of the society. Colonial government will be
wrong. The better the technocrats are at running things, the less patterned after that of the mother society.
oppressive they will be; if they’re incompetent, they will also be Colonies tend to be less regimented – rebels and outcasts are
dictatorial. CR can range from 3 to 6. welcome if they have useful skills, and laws are loose. There is less
government – no welfare bureaucracy, few police outside of major
communities, and the TL is lower.
Theocracy Cybercracy: Administration, and perhaps actual legislation, is
A theocracy is ruled by a religious group or leader; freedom of
controlled by a state-wide computer system. Impossible below
religion is unlikely, and there is no distinction between religious
TL8, and unlikely below TL9. Government may be efficient, or
and civil law. Theocracies range from totalitarian religious dicta-
inhuman, or both. CR 3 and up; the system is only as good as its
torships to benign Utopian societies. In either case, the leaders may
programmers and technicians. Trust the Computer . . .
or may not believe in their own religion; “miracles” may be faked
Meritocracy: No one may enter the government without pass-
or genuine. Usually CR 3 to 6.
ing a series of tests. A good meritocracy is likely to have (mostly)
competent leaders . . . but this can lead to a rigid caste system. CR
Multiple Societies 3 and up.
When there is no world government (common below TL8), the Military Government: All administration is by the military. If
worldwide political situation may be: led by a single commander-in-chief, the society is totalitarian; if
Diffuse: There are dozens, if not hundreds, of clans, nations and the commander is responsible to a council or junta of officers, the
groups; no one can make any claim to world domination. society is feudal. Military governments can be strong and honest,
Factionalized: GMs may roll 3 dice to determine the number of but most become dictatorships. CR 4 and up.
major governments – which may be of wildly varying types. Oligarchy: Regardless of the nominal form of government,
Anyone can flee justice by jumping the nearest border. leadership is in the hands of a small, self-perpetuating clique. CR 3
Mercenaries may be welcome. Everything from scheming to war- and up.
fare is going on, as factions strive for control. Patriarchy: Positions of authority are open only to males. In a
Coalition: The world is dominated by a few of the larger soci- matriarchy, all the rulers are female. Other than that, any CR is
eties, which may bicker among themselves but usually present a possible.
united front to outsiders. GMs may roll one die to determine the Sanctuary: A sanctuary does not extradite criminals who may
number of major governments. be hunted elsewhere, whether they be criminals, or religious or
political fugitives (or there may be a Sanctuary Tribunal to decide
each petitioner’s fate). Lawmen or bounty hunters from elsewhere
are outlaws here. A sanctuary risks eventual takeover by the crimi-
nal element. CR rarely over 4.
Slave state: Slavery may be economic – if you can’t pay your
debts, you are sold into slavery. The length of the slavery might be
pre-set, or economic slaves may have the chance to earn a wage
and eventually buy freedom. Economic slaves are often used as
colonists or soldiers. Racial slavery – in which a race or caste is
held in slavery – is sometimes practiced by xenophobic races. In
campaigns with multiple races, mentally-inferior (or intelligent but
passive) species may be enslaved by a dominant race or even have
a low-IQ slave sub-race. Martial slavery exists when a militant
nation raids foes for slaves.
CR can vary; possibly everyone but the slaves is free.
For the GM, this is a way to get impoverished PCs involved in
adventure. Characters might also fight a repressive state by foster-
ing a slave revolt.
Socialist: Citizens are very heavily taxed, but government pro-
vides free education, entertainment, medical care, utilities and so

186 campaigning
 random societies
The society type(s) of a world can be generated randomly
using the following tables:

World Government
To determine the general nature of world government, roll
two dice. Subtract 4 from the roll if the world’s prevailing
TL is 6 or less.

5 or less – No world government; diffuse.

6 – No world government; factionalized.
7 – No world government; coalition.
on. Quality varies . . . Visitors will usually get these same services 8 – World government with a special condition; roll on the
free, but if they stay more than a month, they will be taxed 1d+3% Society Type table below, and then on the Special
of their monthly income. If they don’t pay, they may find it impos- Conditions table.
sible to get the desired services at all. 9 or better – World government with no special conditions;
Subjugated: This world is under outside control, which may be roll on the Society Type table below.
military (an occupying army or garrison) or economic (perhaps
with a “puppet government,” subservient to foreign masters). CR Society Type
always 4 or more.
Utopia: A utopia is a perfect society, in which all citizens are To determine a society type, roll 3 dice and add the world’s
satisfied. CR always seems low . . . but is it? Real utopias are rare. TL, treating any TL over 10 as 10:
More often, seeming utopias have some dark secret – a hidden
technocracy ruling by mind control, for instance. For sophisticated 3-6 – Anarchy: no government!
roleplaying, a sinister utopia is a real challenge. Real utopias make 7, 8 – Clan/Tribal
excellent “good guy” societies, to be saved from conquest or other 9, 10 – Caste
threats. But real utopias, unless threatened by destruction, are bor- 11 – Feudal
ing. 12 – Theocracy
13, 14 – Dictatorship (details vary widely)
15-17 – Representative Democracy
Restrictions 18-20 – Athenian Democracy
In a Space campaign, or in a lower-TL campaign during a peri- 21, 22 – Corporate State
od of heavy colonization, a world (or lesser region) may be placed 23-25 – Technocracy
on “restricted” status by outside societies. The degrees of restric- 26 – Caste
tion are: 27+ – Anarchy: no government!
Hazardous: This may be a navigation hazard, unusually vicious
native life, or a poisonous atmosphere or ecosystem. Warnings Special Conditions
(such as buoys, or – at lower TLs – signs or flags) may be posted to
Roll 3 dice on this table only if the World Government
alert travelers to the hazard. A region may also be posted as haz-
table indicated that a special condition exists.
ardous due to danger to visitors – the political climate may be
extreme, or a local religion or culture may be easily offended.
3, 4 – Subjugated*
Reserved: Reservations have been prohibited from colonization
5, 6 – Slave State
or development at the current time.
7 – Sanctuary
Embargoed: All trade with this world or nation is prohibited.
8 – Military Government
Unless the society doing the embargoing is very weak, this embar-
9 – Socialist*
go will be enforced by military means. Visitors are carefully
10 – Bureaucracy*
searched to prevent smuggling.
11 – Colony
Prohibited: No contact is allowed except by special government
12 – Oligarchy*
permission. Prohibited ratings may be given because a region is
13 – Restricted; Hazardous*
very hazardous (or if visitors might help spread the hazardous
14 – Meritocracy*
item) or harbors a technological or military secret. Developing sen-
15 – Restricted; Embargoed*
tients may be protected by declaring their home world prohibited.
16 – Patriarchy/Matriarchy (flip a coin)
Or society may protect itself from dangerous cultures by declaring
17 – Utopia
them off-limits. Prohibited worlds are usually patrolled by the mili-
18 – Cybercracy (roll again if TL is less than 8)
tary. Depending on the danger, trespassers may be forcibly
removed, prevented from leaving or destroyed on sight.
* Roll one die. On a result of 1 to 3, roll for a second special
Protected: Contact is permitted, but strictly limited, in order to
condition.
protect local life or native culture. Depending on the danger, visi-
tors may undergo medical quarantine, be prohibited from carrying
equipment above a certain TL, and/or required to disguise them-
selves as natives.

campaigning 187
Society Control Ratings Third, there is a chance that a procedural error will work in your
favor. When the arrest is made, the GM secretly rolls against the
The Control Rating (CR) is a general measure of the control arresting officer’s Law Enforcement professional skill. Most cops
which a government exercises. The lower the CR, the more free- have about IQ+4 with this skill – they spend a lot of time using it.
dom the people have and the less restrictive the government is. If the cop fails the roll, he has made a mistake that the defense may
Government type does not absolutely determine CR; it is possible be able to exploit. A critical failure means the arrest is bungled so
(and interesting) to have a very free monarchy, or an Athenian badly that the D.A.’s office lets the accused go, knowing they don’t
democracy where the voters have saddled themselves with thou- stand a chance in court.
sands of strict rules. The GM can assign the CR as he pleases, or A defense lawyer gets one chance to spot any procedural errors.
just roll one die. A successful Law skill roll means the lawyer has identified the
CR also affects what weapons can be carried (see Weapon error, and the charges are dropped; otherwise, the trial proceeds
Legality, below), but especially violent or nonviolent societies will normally. Note that only a character with Law skill gets a chance to
have a separate, modified CR for weapon laws. notice an error in arrest procedure; non-lawyers do not get a default
If any question of legality arises, or to determine how severely roll. This is another good reason to hire counsel.
the government will check and harass newcomers, roll one die. If The time between arrest and trial is highly variable. In smaller
the result is lower than the CR, the act is illegal or the PCs are towns, or for lesser charges, you may only have to wait a few days
harassed, delayed or even arrested (see You and the Law, below). If before you come up before a judge. Trials in big cities or for major
it is higher, they escape trouble, either because the act is legal or felonies often take six months to a year to arrange. Bail is set by
the authorities overlook it. If the CR is rolled exactly, the situation the GM, depending on the severity of the charge, the defendant’s
could go either way; play out an encounter or make a reaction roll. reputation and legal record, and the judge’s reaction to the defen-
Control Ratings are as follows: dant. You can always jump bail, but if you’re caught, there will be
additional charges, and a -2 on your trial roll.
0. Anarchy. There are no laws or taxes.
1. Very free. Nothing is illegal except (perhaps) use of force or
intimidation against other citizens. Ownership of all but military
In Court
The courtroom proceedings are represented by a Quick Contest
weapons is unrestricted. Taxes are light or voluntary.
of Law skills between the prosecuting attorney and defense. A
2. Free. Some laws exist; most benefit the individual. Hunting
reaction roll is then made by the jury towards the defendant to
weaponry is legal. Taxes are light.
determine the verdict.
3. Moderate. There are many laws, but most benefit the individ-
Modifiers to the jury’s reaction might include:
ual. Hunting weaponry is allowed by registration. Taxes are mod-
Player roleplayed a compelling defense: +2 (or more).
erate and fair.
Solid evidence: +1 or -1.
4. Controlled. Many laws exist; most are for the convenience of
A plausible alibi: +1.
the state. Only light weaponry may be owned, and licenses are
Eye witness: -3.
required. Broadcast communications are regulated; private broad-
Negative publicity: -1.
casts (like CB) and printing may be restricted. Taxation is often
The defendant’s Reputation.
heavy and sometimes unfair.
+/- the difference in the contest of Law skills.
5. Repressive. There are many laws and regulations, strictly
+/-1 if either lawyer rolls a critical success or failure.
enforced. Taxation is heavy and often unfair. What civilian
weapons are allowed are strictly controlled and licensed and may
The jury’s reaction is the verdict; a negative reaction means
not be carried in public. There is strict regulation of home comput-
guilty, a positive reaction means not guilty. Neutral reactions go to
ers, photocopiers, broadcasters and other means of information dis-
the side which won the contest of Law, above. If that was a tie as
tribution and access.
well, you’re acquitted.
6. Total control. Laws are numerous and complex. Taxation is
Punishment, in the case of a conviction, is left up to the GM,
crushing, taking most of an ordinary citizen’s income. Censorship
roleplaying the judge.
is common. The individual exists to serve the state. Private owner-
Don’t be afraid to lock up characters who break the law. The
ship of weaponry, broadcasting or duplication equipment is prohib-
other characters may go looking for new evidence to free their
ited. The death penalty is common for offenses, and trials – if con-
comrade, or even try a jailbreak. Prison doesn’t end an adventure –
ducted at all – are a mockery.
it opens up new opportunities for drama.
You and the Law Weapon Legality
If you should find yourself in trouble with the law in the mod-
Some cultures are very permissive about weapons; others regu-
ern day world, there are a few things to remember.
late them tightly. Adventurers entering a new society often ask
First, get a lawyer. A trial is a contest of Law skills, and the
“What weapons can we carry?” If they don’t ask that, they may be
prosecution won’t be working from a default value – you shouldn’t
in for a surprise.
either. Of course any character, especially a lawyer, may elect to
Each weapon has a Legality Class (LC). In general, the more
defend himself. If he chooses to do so, the GM may assess a -1 to
lethal the weapon, the lower the LC.
-3 penalty to his Law skill, due to his emotional involvement in the
case. The saying, “The lawyer who defends himself has a fool for a
Class 6: Wholly nonlethal items, like short-range stunners.
client,” is often true.
Class 5: More powerful nonlethal weapons, like stun rifles, and
Second, bribery is usually a bad idea. Under most conditions,
low-tech armor.
attempted bribery will only increase suspicion about your activi-
Class 4: Hunting weapons, like single-shot laser rifles, shotguns
ties, cast doubt on your innocence, and open you up to further
and rifles. Knives and other low-tech weapons.
charges.
Class 3: Light concealable weapons, like most pistols, and light
body armor.

188 campaigning
 Class 6: A very clever person might find a way to use this item
for self-defense or crime. Example: A low-powered home comput-
er.
Class 5: The device could conceivably be used for crime (or for
defense against intrusive police or government agents), but it
would be unlikely. Example: A mid-range home computer.
Class 4: While the device has many legitimate uses, it can also
make some types of crime easier. Example: a high-speed modem, a
data-encryption program.
Class 3: The device is easy to misuse, or against government
interests. Examples: A computer security program, an ordinary
“cyberdeck.”
Class 2: Government agents would recognize very few legiti-
mate civilian purposes for this device. Example: Most surveillance
equipment.
Class 2: Medium weapons, such as single-shot elephant guns or Class 1: Designed purely for illegal or covert purposes.
disruptors. Examples: Lockpicks, a Worm program (see p. 14).
Class 1: Military hand weapons, like automatic rifles. Light, Class 0: Very powerful and dangerous. Examples: Military-
nonlethal vehicular weapons, such as oil jets, smokescreens, vehic- style intrusion software, superspeed “cyberdecks,” and so on.
ular stunners and water cannon.
Class 0: Heavy personal weapons, like hand grenades, and Spell Legality
squad-level military weapons. Most lethal vehicular weaponry, Societies where magic is common may also regulate spell use
such as heavy machine guns, rocket launchers, etc. or even knowledge of certain spells – the Control Rating for magic
Class -1: Heavy military weapons, such as guided missiles, tank may even be different than that for weapons. Most damage-dealing
guns and naval cannon. Strategic weapons such as nerve gas and spells would be on par with light concealable weapons (LC 3),
nuclear warheads. while most other spells would be LC 4 or 5. Many variations are
possible: societies that place a high value on privacy would put
The class of weapons and armor that will be legal in any given Knowledge spells in a lower Class, otherwise tolerant societies
locale will generally depend on the local government’s Control might take exception to Necromantic spells, and all “witchcraft”
Rating (see above). However, effective Control Rating for weapon- might be LC 0 or even -1 in a puritanical society.
ry may be reduced in some societies (e.g., 20th-century USA)
where the citizens insist on the right to bear arms. It may be
increased in others (e.g., early 20th-century England, where the Cultural Familiarity:
cop on the beat isn’t allowed a gun). The effective CR determines
who will be allowed to have what kind of weapon. A very violent
Advantages and Skills
Any character entering a different culture will suffer a substan-
society may have a negative CR with respect to weapons! tial penalty on many of his skills until he becomes used to the cul-
Note also that airline or starship passengers aren’t likely to be ture. This also applies to Empathy rolls dealing with foreigners.
permitted any weapons at all. Affected skills include (but aren’t limited to) Criminology,
Legality interacts with Control Rating as follows: History, Literature, Occultism, Psychology, Savoir-Faire and
Streetwise, plus the ability to appreciate the other culture’s art (see
Legality = CR+2 or more: Any citizen may carry the item. Appreciate Beauty, p. CI129).
Legality = CR+1: May be carried by anyone except a convicted Newcomers start at a base -3. After a month’s residence, this
criminal or the equivalent. Registration is required, but there is no penalty becomes -2. After 3 months, it is -1; after a year, there is no
permit fee. penalty. This assumes that anyone interested in (for instance)
Legality = CR: A license is required to own or carry the item. History will be interested enough to learn about local history while
To get a license, one must show a legitimate need. Generally, a he is living in a new area. If (for instance) a character were jailed
license costs 1d×10% of the price of the item itself. upon arriving, he might increase some of his skills in jail, but not
Legality = CR-1: Prohibited except to government agents, those requiring socializing, travelling or intellectual conversation.
police and bonded security troops. When attempting a skill not found in one’s own culture (e.g., an
Legality = CR-2: Prohibited except to police SWAT teams, mil- European trying Origami), the listed default does not apply. New
itary units and perhaps secret intelligence agencies. skills are learned at the usual cost in time and points. There may
Legality = CR-3 or worse: Only permitted to the military. even be an additional difficulty because of the language difference
(see below).
So, for instance, in a futuristic society with Control Rating 4,
anybody could carry a stun pistol (LC 6); registration would be
required for a stun rifle (LC 5); permits would be required for hunt- Language Limitations
ing weapons (LC 4); and ordinary citizens could own nothing Some skills depend on speech and may never exceed the speak-
heavier. er’s (or translator’s) skill level in a foreign language. These include
(but aren’t limited to) Bard, Detect Lies, Diplomacy, Fast-Talk,
Hypnotism, Interrogation, Lip-Reading, Savoir-Faire and
Legality of Other Devices Ventriloquism. For instance, someone with Fast-Talk at 14 whose
Items other than weapons may also have a Legality Class, based speech is translated at skill 12 will fail his Fast-Talk roll on 13 or
on how dangerous the authorities perceive them to be to public higher. Gesture communication is done at a flat -4 penalty (differ-
safety or to their monopoly of power. The ratings follow the same ent cultures ascribe different meanings to gestures).
pattern:

campaigning 189
 A few short (but useful) points that did not fit anywhere else. Note that this does not apply to defaults calculated from other
skills; learning a skill at a very high level will always help you
with other, related skills.
APPENDIX 1 –
RULES OF N APPENDIX 2 –
There are several “magic numbers” in GURPS that appear as
limits on skill levels or attribute rolls. Since a GM must always METRIC
keep these rules in mind, here they all are in one place:
CONVERSIONS
The Rule of 12 – Racial All GURPS books use the old imperial units of measurement,
rather than metric, because most of our readers are Americans who
Advantages use the old system. But not all! Every year, more and more people
If evolution or the creator provides a certain advantage, then in the rest of the world start GURPS campaigns. And outside the
that advantage generally works. Consequently, racial advantages U.S., people think in metric.
that require an attribute roll will often work more efficiently than Our authorized French, Spanish, Portuguese, etc., translations
the attribute suggests, as follows: use metric units. But many people want the English versions. And
For advantages that require an attribute roll, members of a we can’t afford to do two editions of everything. So . . . here’s a
race with an average of less than 12 in that attribute will roll at 12 conversion table.
or the individual’s actual attribute, whichever is higher. For races Note that there are two conversion columns. The first column is
with an average attribute of 12 or more, always use the individ- an approximation, easy to do in your head, and plenty good
ual’s actual attribute, even if that is less than 12! enough for gaming. The second column is the real metric equiva-
lent, just in case you ever need to be exact.
The Rule of 14 – Fright Imperial Game Metric Real Metric
Checks and Resisting 1 foot (ft.)
1 yard (yd.)
30 cm
1 meter
30.48 cm
0.914 meters
Disadvantages 1 mile (mi.)
1 inch (in.)
1.5 km
2.5 cm
1.609 km
2.54 cm
When a character is called upon the make a Fright Check, or to
1 pound (lb.) 1/2 kg 0.454 kg
make a roll against HT, IQ or Will to resist the effects of one of his
1 ton 1 metric ton 0.907 metric tons
disadvantages, the following rule applies:
1 gallon (gal.) 4 liters 3.785 liters
After all modifications, the roll is limited to a maximum of 13; a
1 quart (qt.) 1 liter 0.946 liters
roll of 14 or more is always a failure.
1 ounce (oz.) 30 grams 28.349 grams
Note that this does not affect IQ or Will rolls made to resist dis-
1 cubic inch (ci) 16 cu. cm 16.387 cu. cm
traction when taking an Aim or Concentrate maneuver, IQ rolls
1 cubic yard (cy) 0.75 cubic m 0.765 cubic m
made to “shake off” mental stun, resistance rolls (even those rolled
against Will), or HT rolls to stay conscious at 0 or fewer hit points.
Temperature: When dealing with changes in temperature, one
Fahrenheit degree is 5/9 the size of a degree Celsius. So a change
The Rule of 16 – of 45° F is equal to a change of 25° C. To convert actual ther-
mometer readings, subtract 32 from the Fahrenheit temperature
Resistance Rolls and multiply the result by 5/9. So 95° F is 5/9 of (95-32), or 5/9 of
When a character is using a paranormal ability (such as a psi 63, or 35° C.
skill, super power, magic spell or cinematic martial arts skill) that
is resisted, the following rule applies:
If the subject is a living being, the attacker’s effective skill can-
not exceed the higher of 16 or the subject’s actual resistance, thus APPENDIX 3 – SIZE
eliminating “automatic victory.”
OF AREA AFFECTED
The Rule of 20 – Sometimes, it is useful to know the number of hexes in an area
of a certain radius (r). The formula is 3r(r-1)+1. Size of the areas
Super Attributes up to radius 10:
Radius 1: area 1 Radius 6: area 91
When a character with very high attribute calculates his skill Radius 2: area 7 Radius 7: area 127
defaults, the following limitation applies: Radius 3: area 19 Radius 8: area 169
Skill defaults to attributes of 20 or more are calculated as if the Radius 4: area 37 Radius 9: area 217
attribute were at 20; everything else is ignored. Radius 5: area 61 Radius 10: area 271

190 appendices
Aging, and medicine, 160, 161. Combat, abstract vehicular, 94-111; Disease, 168-169. See also Illness.
Aliens, 120; artifacts, 8; realities, 181; tech- advanced, 48-51; animals, 57; basic Dodge, 63, 173.
nology, 7, 8. melee, 89; Chambara, 71; checklist, 48; Dodging, 54.
All-out attacks, and Chambara, 73; charges, cinematic, 72, 177; close, 57; cover in, 54, Dream world, alternate plane, 183.
56; defenses, 79. 63, 91; cutter and ship of line, 109; explo- Dreamlands, alternate plane, 183.
Alternate planes, 180-184. sives, 64; faster, 73; fighter, 1 09; firearm, Drinking, 162-168; hangovers, 167; sobering
Altitude, 132-133; sickness, 133. 66; flying beings in, 74; how it works, 48; up, 167.
Ambushes, naval, 95. maneuvers, 48, 51; mass, 112, 113; naval, Drugs, addictive, 162-166. See also Medicine.
Ammunition, 37; blow-through, 62; buck- 94-99; non-lethal, 81; pacing, 81-88; Duelling, 85-87.
and-ball, 59; bullet size, 56; bullet type, ranged, 60; realistic, 56-70; ritualized, 81-
Electromagnetic pulses, 148.
55; damage, 55-57; infinite, 78; multi-bul- 93; rounds in space, 101; silly, 76-78;
Energy banks, 18.
let loads, 58; rifled slugs, 38; shot, 58, 59; space, 100-106; space opera, 106-111;
Engagements, breaking off naval, 98; naval,
size, 56; type, 55. sports, 92-93; turns, 48, 50; vehicular, 94;
95; space, 101.
Anaesthesia, 158, 164. very basic melees, 89-92.
Environments, extreme, 139-140, 144, 149;
Archery equipment, 27-30. Communicators, 11, 13.
and equipment failures, 6; arctic, 133-135.
Armies, 113-114; building and feeding, 116- Computers, 11, 12-19; Complexity ratings,
Equipment, alien, 7; archery, 27-30; experi-
117; examples, 125-128. 12, 13, 15; hacking, 11; hardware, 13;
mental, 8; failures, 6; horse, 41; improve-
Armor, 9, 40, 91, 100, 119; arms and legs, options, 14; peripherals, 16; program
ments,8-9; leaks, 137-138; ultra-tech, 7.
45; flexible and blunt trauma, 57; hands types, 12; security, 11-14, 17; sentient, 14;
Ethereal plane, alternate plane, 183.
and feet, 46; head, 40; horse, 41; improve- software, 14, 16-19; storage devices, 16;
Exceptional Strength, 123-124.
ments in, 9; other materials for low-tech, terminals, 15; using, 12; virus programs,
Explosions, 7, 9, 54, 64, 76, 138; cinematic,
42; quality, 43; torso, 41. 14.
76; dodging, 54.
Arrows, 27, 28; flaming, 29. Control Ratings, 188.
Extra effort, 171-173.
Artifacts, alien, 8; magical, 8. Conversions, metric, 190.
Artillery, 119; pre-gunpowder, 37-39. Courtrooms, 188. Falling, 135.
Astral planes, alternate plane, 183. Cover, 54, 90, 91. Fast-Draw, 87, 89.
Atmospheres, 136-138. Critical failures, 6. Fast-Talk, 78.
Attacks, all-out, 51, 56, 73; basic melee, 89; Critical Healing spell, 156. Fatigue, 93, 173-174; and arctic weather,
Chambara, 72; computing ship, 102; Critical hits/misses, 59, 91; hit tables: vehi- 134; and power cells, 19; and vacuum,
kamikaze, in space-opera combat, 111; cles, 61-62; miss tables: animal, 59; 149; in sport tournaments, 93.
multiple, 72; opponents, 74. unarmed combat, 59-61. Feinting, 69, 73.
Axe/Mace skill, weapons for, 19. Critical successes, 73. Fencing skill, weapons for, 24.
Axe Throwing skill, weapons for, 20. Crossbow skill, 23. Firepower, 95, 100, 107.
Cryptography, 11-14. Flail skill, weapons for, 25.
Banisters, 77-78.
Cyberspace, as alternate plane, 183. Flamethrowers, low-tech, 38; Greek fire, 39.
Battles, example, 128-129.
Flinches, 64, 78.
“Bends,” 132, 144, 149. Damage, 89; acceleration, 131; acid, 132;
Flying, in combat, 74.
Bionic transplants, 160. animals, 57; applying modifiers, 57;
Fright Checks, 190.
Bleeding, 156. atmosphere, 136; basic melee, 89; blow-
Frostbite, 134.
Blowpipe skill, weapons for, 20, 21. through, 57, 62; bullet, 55; bullet modi-
Boarding, naval, 98-99. fiers, 57; cold, 139; collisions, 135; con- Gadgets, 9, 10, 11; improvements in, 9.
Bow skill, weapons for, 21. cussion, 64; control, 105; crippling, 152; Garrote skill, weapons for, 25.
Braintaping, 160-161. decompression, 149; deep water, 139; dif- Glory rolls, 95-96, 118, 122; example, 129; in
Brawling skill, weapons for, 23. ferent types, 152; electrical, 138; fragmen- mass combat, 118.
Breakdowns, 6, 7, 68. tation, 65; from shot loads, 60; heat, 140; Government types, 185-187.
Broadsword skill, weapons for, 21-22. high-G, 132; naval, 96-99; poison, 137, Grappling, 69.
Buck fever, 65. 152; pressure, 137, 144; radiation, 145; Gravity, 140-143; and climbing, 134; and
Bullet shyness, 66. reduction, 151-152; resistance, 54, 64, 65, falling, 135; and gunfire, 133; and throw-
135; ship, 96; space combat, 103-105; ing, 135; high, 141; low, 142; micro, 142;
Campaigns, cinematic, 73, 177; high-pow-
space opera, 107-108; stun, 151. varying,133, 134, 135; zero, 143.
ered, 178-180.
Darkness, 70. “Greek fire,” 38, 39.
Catapults, 37, 38, 121.
Databases, 12, 19. Guns, 133; accuracy, 66; aiming, 67, 91;auto-
Catastrophes, 117-118, 120, 124.
Death, 153, 177; instant, 139, 153. matic weapons, 66; duelling, 87; failure
Cavalry, 115, 119, 120, 122, 123.
Decompression, 149. of, 6; malfunctions, 68; recoil, 67.
Character points, in high-powered campaigns,
Defense, 89; all-out, 56, 73, 79, 85, 91; basic
179. Harpoon skill, weapons for, 25.
melee, 89; Chambara, 71; concentrated,
Cinematic campaigns, 177; and injury, 151- Heal Burns spell, 156.
62-63; factors, space combat, 100; flying,
152; combat rules, 71-79; roleplaying, Healing, 124, 168-169; advanced, 155-157;
74; vs. concussion, 64; vs. fragmentation,
176-177; swashbuckling, 74-79. herbal, 169; magical, 156; psionic, 157.
65.
Climbing, 78, 134. Health vs. hit points, 152-154.
Defensive positions, 119.
Cloak skill, weapons for, 22. Heat, extreme, 140.
Destiny, 177.
Cold, extreme, 139-140; deep water, 139, Herbs, 168-170.
Dexterity (DX), 69, 132, 140, 141, 142, 143;
144; space, 140. Heroism, 122; in space combat,106.
and gravity, 141-142; weapons for, 23.

index 191
Hit locations, 40, 53, 56, 148; and grappling, Protection Factors, 145-146. body parts for quadrupeds, 54; casualty,
69; for animals, 54-55; for humanoids, 52- Psionics, 117, 123; healing, 157; travel to 122; catastrophe roll, 117; computer, 15;
53; for vehicles, 55-56. alternate planes by, 181. computer terminal, 16; cover, 54; damage
Hit points, vs. Health, 152-154. for chain shot, 97; damage for round shot,
Quick Contests, 46, 73, 79, 87, 96.
Hull integrity rolls, space combat, 104-105. 97; death, 153; energy bank, 18; enigmatic
Hyperspace, alternate plane, 184. Racial advantages, 190. alien device button-pushing, 9; first aid,
Hypothermia, 135, 139. Radiation, 145-148; treatment for exposure, 155; force commander’s experience, 116;
152. guaranteed play-balance, 10; intoxication,
Illness, 133, 136, 167-174.
Recovery, 154; of Fatigue, 173-174. 163; metallic cartridge weight, 38; metric
Indirect fire, 60.
Repairs, 7. conversion, 190; naval battle outcome, 96;
Infinite worlds, alternate planes, 184.
Resistance rolls, 190. radiation effects, 146; random side-effect,
Initiative, 71.
Retreating, 68, 71, 122, 123. 11; REF, 64; ship damage, 96, 103; shock,
Injuries, 55, 89, 96; in showdowns, 89; par-
Risk modifiers, 118, 122. 153; space combat results, 103; random
tial, 157-158; recovery, 153-154; specific,
Robot brains, 14; skill programs for, 17. societies, 187; random tech levels, 185;
154-155.
Roleplayer magazine, 62, 81, 84, 89, 112, troop quality, 116; typical troop skill, 116;
Intoxication, 162-168; table, 163-165.
154, 171. unarmed critical miss, 60-61; vehicle criti-
Inventions, 8.
Rule of 12, 190; of 14, 190; of 16, 190; of 20, cal hit, 62; vehicle hit location, 55; wind
Invisibility, 70.
190. chill, 133.
Jitte/Sai skill, weapons for, 26. Tech levels, 10, 11, 13, 17; and armor, 40;
Scouting, 120, 124.
Jousts, 81-85. and EMPs, 148; and equipment improve-
Seasickness, 136.
Jumping, 77, 172. ments, 8-9; and society, 184-185; and sur-
Security, 120.
prise, 120; differences in mass combat,
Karate skill, weapons for, 23. Shadowing, in space combat, 101.
115.
Katana skill, weapons for, 26. Shields, 43, 45, 70; advanced breaking and
Technology, and magic, 10.
Knife skill, weapons for, 27. blocking rules, 46.
Temperatures, extreme, 139-140; metric, 190.
Knife Throwing skill, weapons for, 28. Ships, 94; in space-opera combat, 106-107.
Throwing, 20, 28, 73, 78, 135, 172; furniture,
Knockback, 58, 63, 76. Shock, 153.
76.
Kusari skill, weapons for, 28. Shootouts, 87, 90-91.
Throwing Stick skill, weapons for, 35.
Short Staff skill, weapons for, 30.
Lance skill, weapons for, 29, 83. Tonfa skill, weapons for, 35.
Shortsword skill, weapons for, 30.
Language limitations, 189. Tournaments, 83, 84, 92; quick rules, 84-85;
Showdowns, 87-89.
Laws, 188. sport, 92-93.
Shuriken skill, weapons for, 31.
Legality Class, 188-189. Traps, 39-41.
Siege towers, 39.
Troops, examples, 125-127; irregular, 114,
Magic, 117, 120, 123, 183; and fatigue, 19; Sieges, 121.
126; morale, 116; paying and maintain-
and herbs, 169; and interplanar travel, Sights, bow, 27; high-tech, 31.
ing, 117; quality, 116; raising, 116-117;
182; and technology, 10; and the law, 189; Silencers, 33-34.
relative strengths, 119; strength, 113, 114-
healing, 189, 156. Skills, limits on, in high-powered campaigns,
117; types, 114-115, 124.
Main-Gauche skill, weapons for, 29. 179.
Two-Handed Axe/Mace skill, weapons for,
Maintenance, 6. Slams, 58.
35.
Maneuvers, 51, 63, 85; cinematic swashbuck- Sleep, 173-174.
Two-Handed Sword skill, weapons for, 36.
ling, 74-79; high-G, 131; in shootouts, 90; Society, 184-189.
in space-opera combat, 109, 111; non- Software, 16; copy protection, 17; databases, Ultra-tech, and alternate planes, 181, 182;
combat, 92. 19; sample programs, 17. equipment, 7; medicine, 153-161; swords,
Martial artists, in silly combat, 78. Space sickness, 136. 25.
Mass combat, 113; casualties, 122; quick and Space opera, 176. Umbra, alternate plane, 184.
dirty, 123; turn sequence, 113. Spacecraft, 100.
Vacuum, 149.
Medicine, 155-157; by tech level, 158-161. Spear skill, weapons for, 32.
Vehicles, 10; breakdowns of, 6, 7.
Mercenaries, 123. Spear Thrower skill, weapons for, 34.
Venom, 145; types, 147.
Metric conversions, 190. Spear Throwing skill, weapons for, 34.
Vital points, 75, 151.
Missile fire, 98; in space, 61, 102; naval, 98- Speed, Increased, 48.
99; underwater, 61. Spells, new, 156. Wealth, starting, 8.
Monowire, 25. Spirit world, alternate plane, 184. Weapon quality, 20; armor, 43; blades, 24;
Monowire Whip skill, weapons for, 29. Starting points, in high-powered campaigns, firearm, 39.
Morale, 116, 121, 122; modifiers, 121, 124. 179. Weapons, accessories for firearms, 31-36;
Move, 48, 68, 71, 72, 140, 142. Starting wealth, 8. blunt, 81; bronze, 21; duelling, 86; experi-
Staff skill, weapons for, 34. mental, 115; force, 26; high-tech materials
Napalm, 39. See also “Greek fire.”
Step, increased, for high Move, 72. for, 24; improvements, 9; iron, 21; legali-
Net skill, weapons for, 29.
Strategy modifiers, in mass combat, 119-120. ty, 188-189; low-tech, 22-23; malfunc-
Nonhumans, 115; in combat, 75.
Strength, and gravity, 141. tions, 68-69; missile, 119; missile, cine-
Nudity, bulletproof, 76.
Stun, 64, 151; points, 151-152. matic, 73; monowire, 25; muscle-powered,
Otherworld, alternate plane, 184. Super attributes, 190; powers, 117, 123. 19-36; non-metal,20-21; readying, cine-
Superhumans, 115, 178; strength, nonhuman, matic, 74; reduced hit probability, 67;
Parries, 73, 173; animal attacks, 59; sweeping
75. shaped-charge, 66; silver, 21; sonic, 26,
counter, 79.
Surprise, in mass combat, 120. 31; stone, 20; ultra-tech, 25-26; wrestling
PD, 57, 23, 65, 64, 70.
Survival, 101, 105, 106, 118; arctic, 131; for, 71.
Planes, alien, 181; astral, 183; parallel, 181.
133; rolls, 95, 122; rolls, example, 129; Weather hazards, arctic, 133-135.
Poisons, 132, 137-146, 147, 168; atmos-
rolls, in mass combat, 118; rolls, naval, Weird gadgets, 8; technology, 11.
pheres as, 136-137.
98; rolls, space, 105. Whip skill, weapons for, 36.
Polearm skill, weapons for, 29.
Swashbucklers, 176; cinematic, 74-79. Wounds, 55, 154-157; flesh, 151.
Power cells, 15-19; improvements in, 9.
Wrestling, for weapons, 71.
Pressure, extreme, 144. Tables, acceleration effects, 131; alcohol
Prosthetics, 159. content, 162; animal critical miss, 59; Yrth, alternate plane, 184.

192 index
THE BEST OF ALL WORLDS!

GURPS COMPENDIUM II
Compendium II is 192 pages of the best articles and the most-requested new
expanded/optional rules for GURPS! We've chosen the most useful GM
resources from over 14,000 pages of GURPS material (much of it no longer in
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Compendium II is a must-have for Game Masters (no more digging through a
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• COMBAT – Optional
rules galore for both
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Including rules for day-to- System is back in print, in
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STEVE JACKSON GAMES

This book is designed for use with GURPS Compendium I and GURPS Basic Set, Third Edition, and
includes rules that appear in the appendix of Basic Set, Third Edition Revised.

ISBN 1-55634-327-2
Compiled and Edited
by Sean Punch
Cover by Jeff Koke
Illustrated by Dan Smith ®
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STEVE JACKSON GAMES